So, I finally got around to watching Tomorrowland at the cinema. I almost didn’t make it, though. To be honest, the middling reviews may have dampened my enthusiasm for it. I also think that the marketing for the film didn’t do much to boost my interest. It looked pretty hum drum, with offered little in the way of being new and exciting.
Boy was I wrong.
I loved it! Sure, it’s nowhere near perfect – the pacing could do with some consistency, and
some of the exposition about Tomorrowland could’ve been trimmed down to reduce the
redundant scenes. Still, there was so much to like. The movie felt like a throwback to the 80’s
Amblin films, full of spectacle and a naive sense of adventure. And as I sat there watching, I
wondered how much I would’ve later regretted not watching it on the big screen. Which brings
me to an important question …
What makes a movie worth your time?
I have a beautiful little daughter, and with her, comes more demands on my time. So, while I
don’t nearly watch as many movies as I used to earlier, I still try and watch as much as I can. So,
how do I choose?Mostly, it’s word of mouth and reviews. (It’s how I find the smaller, less
commercial fare) But, often it’s also the trailers. The synopsis for a movie like Tomorrowland is
definitely intriguing, and ordinarily that should’ve gotten me to pony up the fee of admission –
but it almost didn’t.
So, maybe it’s time to return to the love of what’s at the core of the cinema experience. Forget about all the academic and "intellectual" merits, and enjoy sitting in a dark cinema with a tub of popcorn, and just letting go. Don’t let others decide what you want to commit your time to. Find things that interest you, and be patron for those things. It’s a smaller, more personal, but quite powerful statement of freedom and independence. Because, for its faults, Tomorowland is nothing if not original, and we need more movies like this. It is an original story, with interesting characters, fantastic set pieces a sense of wonder that I haven’t experienced in a long time. And I’m better off for having seen it – only, I almost didn’t.
So, I finally watched Dil Dhadakne Do – and the whole time
my wife kept leaning over and asking me why wasn’t enjoying the movie. Was my
boredom that obvious? Sure, I may have kept checking my phone and trying to
stretch out, to find the most comfortable spot in my seat … but how could she
tell? ;)
In fact, I like Zoya Akthar’s films – hell, I even met her
once in an earlier life, when I was brandmanager of Kingfisher beer.Side Plot: We were involved in a product placement of the
brand in ‘Honeymoon Travels’ and I remember sitting in a screening room in
Mumbai, and watching rushes from the film, noticing that all the label on our
bottles were blurred out. Apparently a last minute directive from the Indian
Health Ministry necessitated that no alcohol brands be promoted in film, but
Ms. Akhtar seemed adamant that people could still tell it was ours. My boss at
the time and I, rather confusedly tried to point out that couldn’t In fact see the brand, and when the aggression
began, we excused ourselves and ran for our lives. But I wouldn’t expect her to
remember us, or the incident, for that matter. For the record, I like
‘Honeymoon Travels’ too.
Where was I? Oh yeah – I was saying I liked her films. ‘Luck
By Chance’, despite its uneven pacing and tone, had a sparkling opening
sequence, and was at the end of the day, an insider’s take on the Hindi film
industry. Very rare. Then there was, ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Doobara’, which I
loved. I remember being cynical as it began, and growing increasingly surprised
at how genuine the camaraderie and chemistry between the three leads was. I‘ve
seen it twice since.
So, what happened with Dil Dhadakne Do? Even with its
kinetic nature, would it be fair to say I was bored? The movie has its moments,
and some of the acting, particularly, Anil Kapoor and Shefali Shah is very
good. Ranvir Singh too, was uncharacteristically restrained, which was
shocking.Here’s what I took away
from the movie: A rich Punjabi family, with a talking dog, deal with repressed
feelings and a misguided sense of culture and ‘sanskriti’ (that’s as per usual,
rooted in commerce) , as they find love, and follow their dreams.
So, basically an updated ‘Hum Apke Hain Kaun’, on a boat.
Harsh? Maybe. Unfair? No. The movie from the opening scenes
lays out the rest of the movie as a linear path. “I bet Ranvir jumps off the
boat.”, “I’m sure Priyanka rescues the family business and I bet her husband’s
a douche”, ‘”Though Anil Kapoor is a philandering asshole, I bet he’s a good
guy at heart, and with a grand gesture, will show everyone how nice he really is.” Worst of all, “I
bet Anushka’s some orphan who has big dreams and is struggling to live her
dream”. Eg: The scene where Ranvir Singh’s and Anushka Sharma’s characters meet in the pool should be anything but a slo-mo swimiing instructional video, with a condescending dog, explaining the obvious, but hey …
Having said that, there were a few things to like: The scene where Anil
Kapoor’s character finally stands up for his daughter is genuinely satisfying;
the mileu that is the Delhi socialite circle too, is entertaining and the seemingly single take choreography for the number, 'Gallan Goodiyaan' is very impressive.
But in
between, you have to put up with endless foreshadowing and dull exposition.
After the movie, my wife told me that I had too high
expectations. She’s probably right, but my expectations were based on ‘Zindagi..’,
which had a real energy to it. Much like its characters, it felt like an old
friend that you were meeting after years. Despite the opulent Spanish settings,
I gave in, and was rewarded for going along for the ride. On the other hand,
with this film, Ms. Akhtar trapped me on a cruise ship and gave me a few
laughs, but for the most part, bored me to death with a cast of loonies whose
answer to all problems was, ‘Pyaar’.
So, maybe it’s just me, but I know I’m not alone in feeling
this way about the movie. You should probably give it a shot, and leave me a
comment to let me know what you thought.
I was re-watching Guardians of the Galaxy the other day (for
like, the 8th time), and I discovered something I hadn’t noticed
earlier. It just reaffirmed my love for the movie and this film in particular.
The scene in question is the moment the opening credit shows up on screen. Stay
with me now … The movie begins with young Peter Quill and the death of his
mother – so pretty standard – the conflicted grandfather, the room full of
grieving relatives, the mother making a last effort to connect with Peter, and
his discomfort with the situation. Even the spaceship that shows up to zap
Peter away is arguably trope for the genre. We then see the masked ‘Star Lord’
walking through the ruins of a planet, a hologram leading him to his goal, an
Orb. The scene is expectedly serious, a battle against the elements, the
discovery of an ominous looking cave. And then things get very cool …
Having entered the vault, he unmasks and slowly moves his
hand to switch on his … Walkman?!!? And as Redbone’s, ‘Come and get Your Love’
plays, we see the title appear on a percussion cue.
The tone of the film has been firmly established: irreverent and fun.
It takes a left turn that no one saw coming and transports you to a
place where talking raccoons and trees are very much a reality. It’s also a
brilliant character establishing move: Star Lord is Peter -an impudent man child, who takes every
moment as it comes. He waltzes through the cave, grabbing a scary looking space
rodent and improvising it as a mike, as he lip synchs to the song. So, in one
scene, James Gunn has unapologetically and rather economically, established
that neither is this isn’t the usual run of the mill sci-fi opera, and nor is
the hero brooding and forlorn as you expected. You even overlook some of the
(intentionally) kitschy production design. You just accept that it’s that kind
of movie and strap in for the ride.
But I’ve heard others say, ‘What’s the point?’, ‘How can you
watch a 2 hour chase scene?’, and my favorite: ‘There’s no plot!’. So, I
thought I’d list why I think this is the movie to beat this summer.
It’s a movie about second chances.
This is as much a story about George Miller’s redemption, as
it is about Max Rockatansky’s. Think about it .. when’s the last time you
watched a movie directed by George Miller? His last films were Happy Feet and
its sequel. Enticingly (and perhaps even surprising at the time), he was about
to direct a Justice League Film, but that fell through at the very last minute
as it got eaten up by Australian tax laws. So, not only has Mr. Miller made a
return to what he does best after years, but he’s made one of the best action
movies of all time! Also, he’s done this at the ripe old age of 70. Not that
his age is a deciding factor in the quality of the movie, but c’mon! Who would
have thought it possible that Hollywood would have banked on him to deliver?
Which brings me to my next point …
Hollywood put its money where its mouth is and
takes a huge risk.
Hollywood has long been accused of playing it safe, parading
an endless parade of sequels, and remakes that cater to the key demographic of
teens. For once, they made something original and epic. Sure, arguably, Mad Max
Fury Road is the fourth in the Max franchise, but the last film was released in
1985, and had its root in a small cult Australian film that was first released
in 1979. So, an entire ticket buying generation has gone by, that isn’t
familiar with the Max mythos. It’s a huge risk, and one that pays off in
spades, particularly given its rumored $ 150Mn budget.
Fast 7 came out earlier this year, and as much as I enjoyed
it, I’ve got to say that visually, it isn’t a patch on Mad Max. Right from the
first trailer, Warner Bros made sure that people knew that this was unlike
anything seen before. The chase scenes are unreal! I was under the assumption
that most of everything on screen was shot using practical effects, (and was
slightly disappointed and surprised to learn that there was so much CG) because
the staging of the action, and the set pieces are so well designed and
articulate, that you can’t help but be swept up in the action. The chase
through the sand storm, the scene at night, where the group is being stalked by
Imortan Joe’s men, the kamakazi spears, the spray painted teeth in preparation
of Valhalla – there’s just too many things to list. Outside of the chases too,
there’s a lot to marvel at. The production design and costumes are stellar. Imortan
Joe’s base is something you’d get if you crossed a Bond villain’s lair, with
well, the end of the world. Everything from the waterfalls, to his plantations,
to the moat that literally allows access to power, are thought through to the
last detail. The vehicles are as much characters in the film, as are the
actors. Basically, the design of the film is inspiring, and strangely
pragmatic, and leaves you awe inspired.
It’s Shakespeare on Acid.
Performances normally get swallowed by spectacle in such
movies, but thankfully the acting on this film, anchors the spectacular in a
sense of realism and gravity. I’ve already mentioned Charlize, but what about
Tom Hardy? His greatest hits include his performances in ‘Locke’, and ‘Bronson’,
and he brings as much thought and madness to what could have easily have been a
one note role. His Max is a guttural, mumbling and often conflicted anti-hero,
and the the film is better off for it. Hugh Kaeyes Byrne too is good, bringing
an operatic and larger than life sense to the proceedings. Even Megan Gayle
(who was originally cast as Wonder Woman in Miller’s version) as Valkyrie,
gives the third act a boost, with her brief but memorable role.
It’s just plain fun. What else would you want
from a summer movie!?!?
You may argue that ‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’, was as good,
but it wasn’t. Mad Max is a result of a mad alchemist, who was never told where
to draw the line. Left to his devices, Miller has crafted an impossible box of
explosives. A fireworks display that is as thought provoking as it is awe
inspiring, and these days, that’s a rare quality to aspire to.
That’s why (in my opinion), Mad Max is the movie of the
summer.
