And the Banned Played On

While India waits to see if it will be allowed to watch 'The DaVinci Code', I went for the flick last week. I didn't think the book was a masterpiece, though it was mighty entertaining, and as a result went into the theatre expecting no more than high quality fast-paced, popcorn entertainment. Not so unreasonable, one might think... but as it happens the pacing is the film's greatest problem.

For those who've read the book, parts of the movie are bewilderingly, ponderously slow. Its almost (gasp) boring. I for one never found myself engaged by the characters or the story, worrying about what might happen next or curious about the next plot denouement. I suspect that this might be the case with many who've already read the book.

Most people who go to watch a film adaptation of a much loved book often do so trying to see how scenes they've imagined while reading the text, have been translated to film. The problem in such a contemporary film is that there isn't much wonder in the sights on screen. While some scenes from the crusades and the templar knights have been shot in a kind of unsaturated sepia, these scenes are too many and too frequent and we lose any sense of wonder pretty quickly.

A big advantage while filming a fantasy like the Lord of Rings trilogy is that no one really has an idea what Minas Tirith, Helm's Deep, Mordor or Rivendell look like and when Gandalf and Pippin come riding over the brow of the hill for their first glimpse of the White City, it truly is spellbinding. It also helps that everything in the LOTR films is so much bigger than anyone would have imagined.

While Paul Bettany is good and some scenes of his self-flagellation with the Cilice are truly cringe worthy and Sir Ian McKellen tries his hardest to make this film exciting, they don't altogether succeed.

Ultimately the DaVinci movie is a little too much like the book and adds very little to those who've read the book and pictured scenes in their head. Just like the book, its no masterpiece (and expecting one is folly) and provides a long 140 minutes (seems much longer) of escapist and not extremely entertaining fare.

Worth a watch for the hype and just like hype, a second helping isn't appreciated.

Will You Take the Journey?

... at least that's the question I'm asking.

Charged with marketing the Summer Ball at INSEAD, the biggest challenge is in trying to build interest for this event, which is something like Prom Night except that it happens twice a year.

I've had fun with this, toying around with Photoshop and ArcSoft PhotoImpression and this is pretty much what I've come up with. These images go out on all the communication sent out by the Summer Ball Committee.








There's also a (in my opinion) fabulous video, riffing on Pulp Fiction, where we've dubbed over the legendary exchange of dialogue between Vincent Vega and Jules Winfield that takes place in the first scene of the movie after the title sequence. Yes, yes, this is the one where they're talking about Hash bars in Amsterdam and comparing Big Macs in Paris and America.

Sadly the photo upload utility in blogger is screwy (though I've finally got it working) and the video is a few Gig in size. So, about the video, hmm... we'll have to see.

...and as promised

I can now strike off The Virgin Suicides and Rang De Basanti off my list.

About the Oscar nominated movies, I must say I'm leaning towards Munich. Though Spielberg does push the envelope a lot with several visuals enforcing 'messages' at various points in the film, there are several very visually appealing scenes and the pace of the film never slackens. Spielberg though is most effective while directing the commercially appealing scenes, as when a phone bomb setup to kill one person might find an unintended victim.

About Brokeback Mountain, I've read on many blogs the perils of attempting to watch such a movie in India. I think that can be extended to any situation where one is watching the movie with other Indians. People sniggered and passed comments throughout the movie until 'the scene', during which there was suddenly pin drop silence. For my part, the movie was much more engaging and effective post Jack and Ennis' first tryst on Brokeback Mountain. The attraction between them seemed just a tad sudden and not the kind that would keep Jack pining for months as he did. Or maybe that was the point. Maybe it was something impulsive and sudden and a love that deepened over time. Directed wonderfully, with restraint and love. Ang Lee clearly loved these characters. It takes a really good movie, based on love between two men, to not have you think, for the last hour and a bit, about the fact that it is a gay cowboy movie.

Will end with a bit about Sofia Coppola. Despite all the pans about her acting ability, or lack thereof, this woman can write and she sure as hell can direct. Her camera captures not just the characters and their surroundings, but infuses those surroundings with a life and a set of emotions all its own. This fact, so crucial to the success of Lost in Translation, where it is imperative for the audience to relate to the characters feeling out of place, is also very evident in her directorial debut feature 'The Virgin Suicides'.
Its the story of the 5 incredibly beautiful Lisbon sisters, whose actions give the film its title, seen through the eyes of one of the boys in the neighbourhood, in 70s America. Backed by a wonderful, as usual, soundtrack, this is a haunting, involving film that leaves you, like it does many of the characters in the film, wondering "Why?". One of the criticisms about Sofia Coppola's films is that they aren't about anything. While this maybe true, they are about a particular period or moment in time and observe characters' arcs and lives based on their action or reactions within that moment. And somewhere within the 90 minute movies she makes, within the dialogues, there is often a great deal of truth.
Her next film, her 3rd overall and 2nd with Kirsten Dunst, is a period piece about Mary Antoinette. I'm looking forward to that one.

RDB thoughts in the next post.

Update:
Since I'm comparing Oscar movies from the past year, I might as well give my thoughts on Crash. The main complaint against this movie is that the screenplay is unashamedly manipulative, the characters are all single dimensional stereotypes and only exist to serve the purpose of the moral of story.
When I watch movies, I am usually willing to give a movie certain amount of leeway if it is effective in communicating what it wants to. In terms of giving its message, Crash is extremely effective. Though I will not comment on whether the message of Crash is still relevant, I will say that it is very smartly written, very well acted (with Terence Howard and Matt Dillon in particular) and extremely engaging, if you give the screenplay a chance.
While I don't like comparing movies from different genres, I did find Crash more appealing than Brokeback (there have been others with the same opinion) and I do believe that Hollywood shouldn't have to award the Oscar to the movie that is the most ambitious or the one that tries more or is the most brave.
When lists are later made, a few years from now, I don't believe that Crash will be on the list of least deserving movies to win Oscar, as Gladiator, Ordinary People, Dances with Wolves and Chicago sometimes are.

Keeping Up with Movies

Watching film and cinema is an important part of who I am and what I do. There was a time when my parents wondered whether my increasing expenditure on DVDs was worthwhile but I think they now realise that I'm more than just a casual movie watcher. I'm not a "have-to-go-first-day-first-show" guy at all and I'd rather watch a good DVD in the comfort of my own home and rewatch selected scenes again.

What this all means is that despite how incredibly busy I am with work, studies, assignments and marketing the Summer Ball (its our version of Prom Night), I've got to keep up with them movies.

So far the list of movies that I've seen for the first time while in Singapore include:
Munich
Brokeback Mountain
M:I 3
The DaVinci Code
Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learnt to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Magnolia
Dogville
Groundhog Day
The Constant Gardener
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Repeat viewings include:
All the President's Men
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Princess Bride
Lost in Translation
Chariots of Fire

In my playlist for the coming weeks is Capote, The Virgin Suicides, Cache, Rang De Basanti (still haven't seen this one. I tend to neglect Indian cinema... something I shouldn't be doing).
My DVD collection has also slightly increased.
I keep promising to jot down my thoughts on some of these films before they exit the public consciousness but somehow I never get down to it. People would much rather read Roger Ebert, methinks, if they wanted a film review.
Maybe I should promise... film thoughts follow. Promise.

Holy Cow... its Wordsworth

The best thing about blogs are the strange quirks about bloggers that you sometimes get to discover. It might take several hours of blog rummaging to discover why one of my favourite bloggers - India Uncut has this thing for cows but nevertheless it always amuses.

Why, the man has this post up, from where you can link to his 33 previous posts on these symbols of bovinity.
But that's not all, the man even has other people dedicate cow poetry and haiku to him.

This is more than strange, wonderful and bloody hilarious. This is INSPIRING.

So dedicated to all other cow lovers everywhere and in the likeness of the one poem I hated the most as a kid, here follows my poem: equal parts simple reflection on cow behavior and equal parts statement on human treatment of the cow.


The Daffodil Cow

I wandered lonely as a cow
That grazes 'neath the shady trees
When at once and upon me now
Was a blighted swarm - nasty bees
They had a death grip on my tail
I waved it 'bout to no avail.

I'm different from the rest and how
My qualities are not equine
I'm more than just a bloody cow
Goddamn it human, I'm divine.
I can give thee buckets of milk
Don't my udders feel like silk?

When I chew my cud and stand still
You honk your horn and yell out, "Move"
Oh human, take a nice chill pill
Such actions do not you behoove.
When you go nuts behind the wheel
How do you think we creatures feel?

Just look at what you do to us
Cows populated the epics.
Now you men simply yell and cuss
Pull our tails and make us do tricks
You treat us so; I curse you now
In your next life you'll be a cow.

(ok, so maybe I'm bored) :-p

The Ghosts of Weekends Past

Classes are moving at their usual steady clip and the memory of the past 2 weekends grows ever distant.

2 weeks ago I was in Chennai, taking in the sun and the sand at MGM Beach Resort, sipping drinks in the shade, lying in a hammock under the trees and leisurely swimming in the resort pool. I played frisbee with cousins, had late night sessions of pictionary, ate at least 4 meals a day, slept more than 5 hours a day and even had time to catch an hour of an absolutely hopeless tamil movie playing in the theatres. It was life simplified, like a throwback to times when things were easier and more pleasant and when men maybe had fewer cares in the world.

I also ended up voting in the TN Assembly elections for someone (both the candidate and a party) who / that didn't win. What is it about the Tamil Nadu public and change? Not a single party has ever been re-elected since MGR in the late 80s. Weird.
The indelible ink on my finger is sorta becoming steadily delible but I'm still proud of it.

Evidence here:



This weekend was a little easier. Spent Friday night and early Saturday morning watching M:I 3 in the theatres. A detailed observation may follow but for now, it was wonderful seeing Philip Seymour Hoffman chew up the scenery in every scene that he appeared in.
Watched the FA Cup Final on Saturday night. Awesome stuff and played some lazy soccer on Sunday.
Did some DVD shopping while wandering Orchard Road. This is Singapore, so needless to say, they're all original. Dr. Strangelove, 2001, Munich, Groundhog Day, Capote etc. were purchased.
I probably won't have time to watch any of this while I'm out here studying, but this builds up my collection to about 3 figures and one can always hope.

This is a packed life and a packed schedule but I don't think I'd have it any other way. This feels like living.

On a Jet Plane

Am in mid-flight on an Indian flying to Chennai. Its about 5 minutes into the flight and we're already atleast half an hour behind schedule. Though it pains me to so blatantly disparage the Indian domestic carrier, it looks like these guys or atleast this particular flight needs a bit of an overhaul.

Most of my Indian Airlines flight memories involve throwing up while landing at New Delhi airport while visiting my grandparents once a year for winter holidays. While I am now a marginally better flyer and now mostly fly Jet Airways, some other things have apparently stayed just the same.

The first thing that struck me when I boarded the flight was the music. It had been ages since I last heard it. In all the years since I last flew the airline, the music has stayed exactly the same. There's still the same piano and sarangi instrumental playing Indian film music from the 60's and its still songs from Raj Kapoor movies. Even Russians aren't that taken up with Raj Kapoor anymore. Come to think of it, were they only interested in his films because he made a movie about the circus industry? Probably not.

We taxied around on the runway for about 20 minutes. I'm not quite sure why that was, for no official reason was forthcoming, but it was probably just the pilot waiting around till he could figure out which button could shut off the god-awful audio accompaniment. Come to think of it, there was quite a bit of turbulence even during the taxiing. That was probably him hitting speedbumps, looking around for the music button and taking his eyes off the road.

I also kinda object to having food, sweets and soft drinks thrust into my palms. However the food on board is so much improved that I shan't complain too much about this.

I also have a few choice observations about other passengers but I'll leave that to later.

Methinks this isn't going to be my most pleasant flight.


Update: Music during landing was a lot better. Instrumental version of Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water". I must admit... I sang along softly.

The Great Divide

This one is dedicated to all those of our amazing, talented, motley crew who’re off to Fonty and to those whose memorable exploits have provided fuel for these lines below.


The day ended, the clock ticked past,
That heart stopping moment drew near
That final exam finally was done
We'd completed 2/5th of the year

A realization dawned, that some
Would move to the other side
They'd pack their bags and sail the seas
It was time for the Great Divide

Would the End of P party be the same?
Would we still have as much fun?
Or would nostalgia permeate the air
When all was said and done?

Would it be right to now take stock?
Or is it too weird and too soon?
Would you say, "Are you nuts? What's wrong with you?
It isn't even June!"

Before some of us leave these shores
It would be fair to now look back
To recap some of the magic moments
We've passed along the track

We've swapped classes, Valentine dated women
We've lost Profs at Good Morning
We've cheered on classmates in the band
And danced till a new day's dawning

We've laughed aloud in CFP
We've groaned at jokes in POM
We've discussed power and politics
Disputed strategic form

We've poured Veuve Clicquot down the hatches
Mixed Red Bull and Smirnoff
Did you just leave your laptop unattended?
Oh! Hey! There's another log-off

We've pulled no punches at Raffles brunches
Played tennis to lose weight
Done aerobics on library tables
Pool partied at km8

We've stripped down to our boxers
We've gotten totally sloshed at Loof
We went surfing on every other weekend
Dropped eggs from the campus roof

We planned elaborate holidays
Like we wanted them real bad
We skipped the P's first classes
And made ol' Fatas hopping mad

We wandered around in between exams
In vastly varying mood
We've given up on the cafeteria glop
That sometimes passes off as food

We've celebrated an exam's end
With several rounds of beer
We've seen some of our campus couples
And wished for our partners near

We've slaved over intense group work
Done marketing at 2 am
We've watched other better reports returned
And wondered, "Why couldn't we do it like them?"

We've been through these 4 months together
We've fought each others' fights
We've exasperated at least one other person
We've been others' guiding lights

I approach the end, this tribute's almost done
To those who leave this place
May you have the same incredible parties
May you dance with the same drunken grace

May you think upon this time spent here
With a smile upon your lips
May not the words you said or the things you did
Be excess baggage around your hips

Finally,
To all those who leave Singapore, Remember
Though you be in another nation
That you were once an important, integral part of
INSEAD's Love Generation.

Flipsides

There are good exam days and there are bad exam days and sometimes if you are really lucky, you get both all at once. Today was a rather fine example.

Managerial Accounting was pretty decent and could have been a lot tougher than it was. As it is, it was verrrry straightforward. In relative grading, such papers set the alarm bells ringing. When the grade distribution is narrow and everyone does well, one or two points can make a huge difference and nobody likes that. On the other hand, everyone likes the exam.

Corporate Financial Policy was a nightmare come to life. I can frankly say that I'd have done equally well or badly if I hadn't prepared at all. The advantage, if one can call it that, is that we'd probably have a wide distribution of grades and a high standard deviation. It means people, in all likelihood, won't fail.

Yes. Sometimes that's all that students aim for. We've all been there.

Tomorrow's the last exam for the period, after which some will leave for the European campus and some will leave for Wharton. Those who've exempted Process and Operations Mgmt will leave today.

It all means that we won't see some of our class again.

Its strange how the past four months have seemed like a lifetime. Maybe its because we feel like we've been in the wars and have fought battles and shouldered burdens together. I will miss these people and campus will seem just that little bit different when classes resume after the break.

My regular end-of-period poem (Period 1's poem is linked here) will follow but my next regular post will be on holiday from home in Chennai.

Total Solar e-Clips

Quick post because tomorrow is exam day 4.

This link leads to one of the most delightful video clips from an Indian movie that I've ever seen in my life.
No further explanation needed.

Another clip from B-school. Our version of Chariots of fire. Presenting the first annual Tanoto Library Chair Racing Championship.
Fun was had... clearly.