THE AVENGERS

Oh my god, I cant even think straight right now. If you can put adrenaline, passion, love, sex, and everything similar you can think of in a blender, puree it to hell, and down a dozen barrels of the concoction, you might just end up with a feeling similar to the one I had after watching ‘THE AVENGERS’. To say it is brilliant would be a gross understatement. It would be like saying the sun is warm or the universe is decently spacious. The movie is a miracle. Anyone who has even a slight understanding of the marvel universe, or has even seen the recent standalone pictures of Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, and the Hulk could fathom the insurmountableness of the task of putting them all together in one single two and a half hour movie. That’s like asking to fit the Hulk in a pepsi can. I can’t even begin imagining how one would even start with it, but if anyone can do it, it had to be Joss Whedon (Director).

I know a lot of people might be going to watch this movie just because of the lead characters, but for me the pull was knowing Mr. Whedon was at the helm. For those of you haven’t heard his name, think Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly. I have loved all his previous works and expected a decent product from him. The trailers were a bit unconvincing though I must say but I was stoked enough by the time I entered the hall (I was the only guy there wearing an Avengers t-shirt).  The movie had a lot to live up for, mainly decades of comic book lore and the expectations of generations of fans, and I am glad to say that it not only meets them but surpasses them in Hulking leaps and bounds.

The movie first and foremost is about a team like none other. A team of heroes who are as likely to beat the crap out of each other as they are to pummel an enemy, and this is evident in every single frame. Captain America (Chris Evans) is your honorable, to-the-letter soldier, who has suddenly found himself displaced in time and struggling to keep up. His own stand alone movie left a lot to be desired, but in this outting I found myself cheering every time he stepped in front of the camera. His nobility has a way of reaching deep into your chest and tugging at the right strings to make you smile at his righteousness and courage. Robert Downey Jr. a.k.a. Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man is back to what he is doing best, i.e. pissing off every single person in the room. Be it taking on Thor in an all out battle (thundering), stealing secrets from under Nick Fury’s nose (cheeky), provoking Banner to turn into Hulk (comic), or taking potshots at Cap’ for his lack of modern day knowledge (witty), his blatant narcissism will win you over. And it doesn’t hurt that the Iron Man suit is more cooler than ever! (Yes Jaarvis, you too).

Thor will always be a tough character to tackle but as in his previous film, Chris Hemsworth fills the demi-god shoes perfectly. His otherworldly approach to every situation and his high-handed style of speech make him stand apart in this already heady crowd. Plus he’s got a super hammer and schoolboyish grin everytime he swings it, even at the Hulk whose praise I was leaving until the end.

First up three words – HULK! HULK! HULK! The show stealer, the show stopper, the master of ceremonies, the winner of the spotlight award -  the hulk yanks the movie all unto himself. If I loved the hulk before, I revere him now. He smashes, he busts heads, he is everything you expect from a superhero and more. You have to see it to believe it. His scenes will leave you screaming with joy and jumping from your seats whooping and dancing in the air. Hulk is the man! And Mark Ruffalo’s world weary, resigned Bruce Banner complements the severity of his alter-form completely. While the hulk is brutal, Banner finds repose in avoiding conflicts through wit. When the green rage monster will break bones at the slightest insult, Bruce will take everything thrown at him with a pinch of salt. It’s the perfect duality and my favorite character of the whole ensemble seeing that the Hulk has always been one of the most relatable superheroes of all time. The very concept of losing yourself to anger is a very humanly intrinsic characteristic, and knowing this allows you to appreciate his awesomeness even more.

And yes, yes, I have not forgotten – Scarlett Johansenn (Black Widow) is there too and she kicks ass like never before. She is stunning and beautiful and sexy and depending on your sexual preferences, the second best thing in the movie (the first still being the Hulk). Her story opens up even more and so does her relationship to Hawkeye (Brett Renner) who is also marvelous in his role too.

The most amazing thing in the movie perhaps is not the action (of which there is tones) but the amount of content that they have been able to cram into a single film. The character development is brilliant and even former fringe players like Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Agent Coulson get more etched out here than in all their other movies put together. All in all, each character is better represented here than in their own movies (Iron Man and Thor might be the only exceptions).

The story itself is a pretty simple one with Loki (Tom Hiddelston), banished from Aasgard at the end of Thor drifts off into space, returns with an alien army to take over the world, and Nick Fury assembles the avengers to defend us. But like they say, the devil is in the details, and so it is here. This movie is riddled with amazing conversations and meticulously placed jokes, most of them occurring in the midst of epic battles. Each characters relation with the other gets etched out during the course of the story and by the end what we have is a comprehensive understanding of what the Avengers are capable of – and with a major reveal at the end of the credits showing us the next villain -  you realize that this was infact just a two and half hour long prologue to what is yet to come. God bless us all.

IN SHORT: There is action, there is humor, there are heroes and there are villains. I wont spoil anything for you by describing any scene in length or short, because the whole thing is that amazing. This is a ride everyone must take for the love of their inner child. Unlike the recent dark turn comic book movies have taken since Nolan’s Batman, The Avengers embraces its roots unabashedly. Think of all the cartoons you watched, the comics you read, and the toys with which you played out fantasy fights. Whedon has captured them all. This is a movie meant for pure joy, and if you are even half as in love with any of the characters as I am, you will walk out with a major pain in your face muscles from carrying a ear to ear grin from title shot to credit roll.

VERDICT: BANG! brains blown out!

The Descendants

I love dysfunctional families. Don't ask why, i just do, there is just something oddly comforting about them and that is why i found The Descendants struck such a strong chord with me. At its core its a family drama about a man who finds out his wife was cheating on him, but its the superficial charm, wittiness, and overall sweetness of the whole story of a man struggling to figure out the WHY while at the same time stretching to hold his family together, that wins you over in the end.

George Clooney does a wonderful turn as Matt King, the protagonist of the story, and the man on a mission to find his wife's lover. Think about it. Bring to your mind the one person you truly care about, the one that you know you will be with forever - your names etched in stone, and then imagine finding out that they never really cared. That the person was cheating on you the whole time while you gave them your whole heart, never suspecting a thing, and that when you finally find out, the person is no longer even there to answer the burning WHY. Imagine this and you will know the agony of Matt King, as he struggles to cope with a dying wife in a coma on the one hand, and the revelation of her deceit on the other. Should he remain the dutiful husband and stay by her side, forgiving all her misdemeanors as every breath may be her last? Or should he give into the pain of the betrayal? Throw into the mix two unwieldy daughters, one who wants nothing to do with him and the other too young to actually grasp the magnitude of the situation, and a family deal underway worth half a billion, and you have the potential for a very heavy handed, sweeping melodrama.

And this is where The Descendants stands head and shoulders above its competition. While the Alexander Payne (Director) could have easily taken the sappy, melodramatic route, he chose instead to give it heart. Instead of sobbing, you find yourself smiling at each frame (with chords of sadness plucking away in the background) as Matt King first grapples with his own emotions and then with that of his children, who pulls in tow, as he travels around the beautiful settings of Hawaii searching for the man who was sleeping with his wife (because he has to confront someone and it obviously cannot be his comatose wife). Scenes such as when Matt first learns of his wife's infidelity and then runs all the way to his sister-in-law's house in sandals and shorts to ask her if she already knew, or when he and his daughter's visit their estate for the last time, reminiscing over memories that will be soured forever, stick with you in a sweet a way like candy to the roof of your mouth - you know its not good, but you cant help but enjoy the taste. Even his final showdown with his wife's lover is bittersweet, a single scene resonating the beauty and the pain of the entire movie, and of a man who has a family to look after and a final goodbye to be said to a wife he loved with all his heart.

The Descendants in the end stands out, not just because of tremendously great acting or smart screenplay, but the simple fact that it puts before you a most saddening of tales and still manages to leave the hall smiling and happy. It is also sprinkled throughout with lines that will linger with you long after, and a feeling of fulfillment can ever accomplish. This is a movie you MUST watch, and if you already have, recommend to others.

VERDICT: BANG! brains blown out!

p.s. i leave you in the end with some of the aforementioned quotes. I hope you enjoy them as much i did.

"Somehow it feels natural to find a daughter of mine on a different island. A family seems exactly like an archipelago - all part of the same geographic expression but still islands - separate and alone, always drifting slowly apart."

"You give your children enough money to do something, but not enough to do nothing."

" What is it that makes the women in my life destroy themselves? "

Stanley Ka Dabba

There's a car, and in that car sit the people you cherish most. They are happy, happier than you've ever seen them and that makes you happy too. The car is sailing smoothly down a road at night and there are enough streetlights to guide your way, but up ahead, slightly in front of you there are no more lights. There's darkness. You know someone should be keeping an eye on the road but you are all so happy. Your heart fills with foreboding but you cant seem to tear yourself away from the beautiful moment you are presently residing in even though you know something dreadful is on its way, you dont want to think about it. Imagine this and you will know how it feels to watch STANLEY KA DABBA(SKD).

SKD is one of those rare movies that manages to pull all the right heartstrings. It has just the right amount of sugar and spice and though far from perfect it has enough class to prove once again that Indian cinema can go way beyond cliched love stories if it wants to. SKD is a delightfully told story of, you guessed it, Stanley, an innocent little boy of class 4-F who revels in telling the world stories, especially about his mother. He has a motley group of friends each with his own special charm and individuality, and dont be surprised if halfway through the movie you start replacing their faces with those of your childhood friends. They way SKD goes about, its hard not to get nostalgic. Remember those young school days when we used to run around in shorts and the best time of the day was recess? When we used to fight over petty things like whose half of the desk the others hand is? Or the teachers with their own pecularities, some we loved (Miss Rosy) and some we just hated (Mr. Verma)? I dont know about you but i found it extremely difficult not to end up putting a face to almost every character in the movie. That's how simple and well thought out every character was and it helps that acting was superb, whether it be the kids, the teachers or the priest. Oh well, not the priest, he just looks like he stepped out of a modelling catalog and jumped into a white robe. :P

Ironically enough Stanley is the only kid in the classroom without a dabba. There's a story behind it but i wont reveal that. It would suffice to say, you know from the start that there is something wrong but given the cheerful paths the movie takes, you keep trying to push that thought out of your mind. Divya Dutta does a wonderful turn as the lovable english teacher, Miss Rosy, and Amole Gupte (you know, Bhope Bhau from Kaminey!!) is equally wonderful as the food-crazy hindi teacher out to terrorize an entire generation of students. His character is at times a bit unbelievable but he makes the best out of it. Stanley(Paartho) at his best is completely lovable and it his worst is still equally lovable.

This is a must watch for everyone who still remembers those days of carefree running around, its a movie that brings a smile to the inner child and at the same time there is a dark undertone that reminds us to be thankful for the good fortunes we have. Its not Oscar Winning material but for sheer charm and a wonderful moral i'll have to say it ranks right up there with movies like Taare Zameen Par.

Give it a try, Have a smile.

VERDICT: LIKE

LOST (the TV series)

I don’t remember how it began, all I know is how it made me feel when it ended. For nearly two years now I have been watching this series and in that all that while I have quit it more than once but now as I’ve atlast come to its end, I’m kinda glad I always came back. It may not always have been perfect and god knows that its left enough ends open to drive hard core fans mad with frustration, but there was a sweetness and a sense of fulfillment down to the very last frame that it will take ages (if ever) before the silver screen can ever dream of matching up to it once again.

In short, it’s the story of a bunch of people who survived an airplane (Oceanic 815) crash on a strange island filled with smoke monsters, shabbily dressed ‘others’ whose only job seems to be tormenting the survivors, time travelling portals and vaults with buttons that need to be pushed every 108 minutes to prevent the world from ending. PHEW! Seems heavy, right? Right. It is. It is a story with enough twists and turns to give a roller coaster ride an inferiority complex. One minute you think of the place as an island lost in time, the next it will seem like hell (or purgatory maybe) with god and the devil fighting over the duality of humankind nature. It is a tale woven with such intricate detailing that the pieces are falling into place right till the end and all of it shot with such meticulous detailing that you will struggle to remind yourself that its not real. And the characters! The characters! What can I say that is not already said by enough people already? John Locke, Linus, Sawyer, Shephard, Desmond! The list might as well comprise of the entire cast because each and every one of them is beautifully etched out by the writers and brought to life by the actors. They are a pure joy to follow.

But that is not the reason why I write now. It lasted six seasons and I’d be lying if I said I remembered pretty much what went on. I’m not a fanboy here to rave about how cool to backstory and mythos of the series are (though they evidently are) or tell you that you must watch this. That’s up to you. All I’m here for is to…. I don’t know. I finished watching it, and for some reason I suddenly felt sad and happy all at the same time. For all its twisted plots, when it finally struck its last chord, it wasn’t one of heroism or good & evil or of even survival, but instead of a simple idea called LOVE.

It reminded me that its not about the end or even the journey, but who you take along with you on that journey. Life is a complicated, bitchy sort of phenomenon that we all have to ‘live’ through :-) .It will always have its ups and downs and though you might achieve a lot and do many great things in the course of this life, you will never be able to appreciate it until you have someone who is willing to go on the ride with you. Its about having a hand to squeeze when the your roller coaster is just tipping at a peak or a face to kiss when you get off all trembling. We all need someone, and though we might never accept it, it just makes the road so much more easier.

Admit it. We are human and we aren’t meant to be alone.

I don’t know about you but I’m a strong believer in the person they call the THE ONE. The one who is meant just for us and we for them. The one who will be the yin to my yang (that doesn’t sound right :P). Many will scoff at the very thought but I cannot help it. It just makes too much sense to me and perhaps its faith that we are here for a reason (another concept that the show deals with beautifully). Life is too short to be spent living in doubt and denial. Perhaps I will turn out to be wrong and it will end only in disappointment, but if I’m right then I’ll be happy. I’ll be content. And in a world as fickle as this, it will be more than anyone can ever dream of.

Batman (1989)

HAHA! One of my favorite superhero movies of all time and yes, its as great as Nolan's Batman. Directed by the twisted maestro Tim Burton this was THE superhero movie for a very long time. It has a just the right mix of the comic element and the gritty to make it a perfect watch for fans of all ages. Note that Batman has been in continuous evolution since his original inception by Bob Kane in 1939. He has passed through numerous hands and phases including the iconic Batusi dancing version of Adam West to the gritty old man in Frank Millers Dark Knight comics (1986). Burton's Batman draws inspiration more from the latter than any other source and while still rooted in its comic origins. Whereas, the Batman we are now familiar with, the dark and foreboding character of the (k)night, is based more on the recreation by Frank Miller forgoing all camp often found in comic-book movies. That aside, this movie is still one hell of a ride.

First up, the star of this movie is once again, you guessed it, JOKER. A grinning, electric buzzer wielding, 3-foot long gun totting, 'i'm only smiling on the outside' psychopath played to near perfection by the ever-amazing Jack Nicholson. His character is a mix of the insane and the terrifying. If he's one second cracking jokes about his own looks then the next he's jamming a quill down a man's throat. He is the character we fell in love with, the one that has been portrayed to perfection, and if there were to a contest on who the best Joker was, he'd win hands down (No offense to Mr. Ledger, he did a terrific job but his impression was just plain scary and lacked the eery comic sense that has always defined the Joker).

Michael Keaton's batman leaves a somewhat to be desired physical appeal, but is made up amply by the expert direction and screenplay. Batman's first entry on the rooftop where he beats up two thugs and holds one over the edge only to introduce himself to him is one of the greatest Bat-Scenes ever. And this movie has the BAT-PLANE!!!! What more can you ask for?? The scene where it emerges out of the clouds and stalls in front of a full moon to form the Bat-Symbol is enough to make the ten year old within you scream for joy.

Yes, there is an abundance of camp and cheese that might put off many of the present day Nolan-purists but this movie isn't about trying to be intellectual. It assumes that we already know the values the BAT stands for and builds upon it in childish yet dark-action packed way that only Tim Burton could accomplish. It will yank at your memory cells and remind those of you who you used to enjoy the comics and cartoons when you were younger. It is about cool toys and cars, of a caped crusader of precarious morals but oh so cool to look at, of a crazy guy in a purple suit that you cant help but love and the idea that one man can make the difference. So if you havent yet watched it, do yourself a favor and rent it atleast.

Holy super video tapes Batman!! We have to watch this!!

Verdict : Super Like!!

Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner

Ever so often (well not so often even) you will chance upon a great book that you never knew existing. That is the beauty of shopping at second hand book shops. You can’t go there searching for a certain book or a certain author, there’s no guarantee you’ll find it, but what you do find is an assortment like no other. Its like a magic box, you never know what you will get. This Christmas I had the good fortune of finding myself at one such place. Its located in Nehru Place in New delhi, for all of you who care to know, and its run by this delightful old man with whom I had wonderful conversation on topics ranging from books to art. He recommended me two books that I might never had purchased myself, the first is the Hotel du Lac and the second is Guards! Guards! By Terry Pratchet which I will be reviewing in a while. I would recommend anyone who wishes a good read to visit this place because both of them were incredible.

Hotel du Lac is a very different sort of book than the sort I usually read and I was a little apprehensive to say the least when I first began it, being already informed it is a love story. I admit I forced myself to trudge through the initial chapters, not because of any fault of the writer but my own inherent disregard of Romantic stories, and was slightly hesitant even to accept the characters lest I grew fond of them. But as I made it past my initial pessimism I found myself quite enjoying the company of the residents of the Hotel du Lac.

The story in itself is a very simple one and would have fallen quite flat in less capable hands. The Booker Prize of 1984 is a testimony to this statement. It is of a middle aged woman, Edith, a writer, who has found herself in banished (self-imposed) to the hotel du lac – a less reputed holiday get away that believed in serving only a limited clientele of only the highest social distinctions. The reason for her exile does not seem quite evident till about half way through where it is revealed that she is in hiding after having her heart broken by a married man, her lover, and she is here to get away from the pain, to finish her current novel and most importantly, protect him from further embarrassment.

And though Edith is the main protagonist in this tale, the true star of the story is a certain Mrs. Pusey (yes, that’s her name and stop snickering). She is an embodiment of everything perverse in the upper classes. She is presumptuous, self indulgent and narcissistic and refuses to acknowledge anyone else’s importance other than her own. She is countered by another intriguing lady – Monica, a more a younger and less successful version of herself (perhaps the reason why they resent each other so much) who is on sabbatical after having embarrassed her husband more than once. She makes her gold digger tendencies easily perceptible.

The story in the end is less about love but about the fallacies that the concept of love presents. Edith, a woman torn by the love of a man whom she can never have, someone who used her a side dish for the better of her life, Mrs. Pusey for whom love means no more than the act of looking into a mirror and Monica who has fallen head over heels for the deep pockets of her man and believes in leeching it as much as possible. All this is brought to the forefront by the arguably, undeterminable character of Mr. Neville - a smart, middle aged gentleman with the charisma, charm and a bank account that all women desire. He tries over and over again to convince Edith of the futility of love and asks her to embrace his views of objectivism and utility. I will not disclose you the ending but it will suffice to say that it’s a clash of ideas of the two, of whether love is a bond or is it a treaty to signed, stamped and executed to meet social requirements.

The story in itself opens up a worthy debate for us who might still believe in the hope of a perfect loves and old age spent in the cheerful company of soul mates. Is it worth waiting for the one even though we might not ever find them? Or is it better to settle for the one that offers the most stability and security even though the sentiments may not be in line? It’s a pertinent question when you think about it because in the end almost most of us will end up having to compromise on our choice, love is not in each one’s destiny but is not the pursuit of it worth the risk? Whatever be your choice, this masterclass in the English language will whet your appetite.

Verdict: Seconds Please

No one killed Jessica

I liked it. I can easily say it was one of the best hindi movies i've seen in a while. I had gone in kind of expecting the typical bollywood melodrama but thankfully i was disappointed in that aspect. Its a movie that hits you right at the start and keeps on doing so continuously. Loved Vidya balan's performance. She proves yet again that she is one of the best actresses in the country and that too without having to show off her 'jawaani'. Rani mukherjee puts in a commendable performance as well alongwith the guy who played the good cop, Rajesh Sharma i think (atlast a bollywood cop with scruples). The rest of the casting and acting was quite decent too.
There was a natural air to it all to make it all even more believable and knowing how the story goes beforehand, you find yourself getting angry even before the witness turns hostile or the accused is released. The only one flaw(small) i found was the cursing. Not that i mind it but everytime someone tries to curse in english, say b**** or f*** i found myself wincing. Too forced it seemed, as if just for the sake of having said it. But other than that, TWO THUMBS UP! One for the movie, the other for the music score, which was awesome too.
Now, the movie puts up certain questions, or statements rather. Some obvious, others quite not so. Let me start with the former. The most obvious is the age-old power and money story, that of those with both can get away with anything including shooting a person at point blank range in the midst of 300 people strong crowd. The very thought of it is enough to make you sick and knowing that it really happened makes you want to kill somebody yourself. Our country's gone to the dogs we say and we fed it to them. The good news is that we still might be able to save it. If we are able pull together we might just bring down the edifices of wanton power as shown in the movie. With the growth of internet reach and mobile communication in the country, getting the word out on issues is just a click's worth of work. People shouldn't be afraid of their governments, the governments should be afraid of the people (refer to 'V for Vendetta').
Another issue brought up that i really liked was that of the need for a proper witness protection program in the country. Though in the movie its just a passing reference its importance was thoroughly felt. It is an old issue which is still in the works, probably being slowed down by the same bureaucrats who thrive in its absence. The very fact that even after so many such incidents any form of it has failed to materialize is evidence to the fact that there is something very wrong with our country. Sometimes i feel like it has lost all sense of conscience and is acting like a little child with wild abandon oblivious of the consequences. And its not just the people in office and power, everyone is a part of the gang, all the way from the media to you, me and the local rickshaw wallah who wont run the meter.
And even though movie tries hard to end on a positive note, to make you believe that justice has been served, we all know the course history will run. Just a year and a half ago, Manu Sharma was released on bail and found partying once again. Media uproar led to his prompt return behind bars but it is only a matter of time before this nation grows tired of this news and he slips back into his former life unnoticed.
Because though they have tried hard to make us discount our prejudices against the media of being TRP whores and cast them in a new light as altruists with an inane sense of justice, their true face has been there for all to see. i dont think i need to elaborate any further on this.
We're a society with way too many problems and too little solutions. The power to heal lies in the hands of the people. It is a slow process where the results are mostly far from satisfactory. But we have to persevere, no matter what the odds, and most of all we need to uphold in our actions the very values of democracy that we seek to redeem.
Viva la Revolucion!!

Verdict : SUPER LIKE
(for rating pattern please refer to post #1)