Of Need for Speeed....

I do not remember exactly when i transformed from an anxious to a presumptuous Driver. Back in the old days when i was in 7th i got the keys to "Bajaj Priya" a family heirloom that was now mine to flaunt. Driving through Colony roads i was a firm believer of keeping it slow and steady. As days went by the speedometer needle began to hover around 60 and the scooter started shivering, I knew the threshold had been reached.

Many summers and winters later there was a shiny bike( Yamaha Enticer) standing in my garage, thanks to commuting needs of my brother. It was a big promotion and i never missed a chance to show off its RPM. The horizon widened and my range was now 4 kilometers from the house so every Saturday, Sunday thanks to a Coaching Class i got to unleash the force and touching 100 was now a habit. Cutting across traffic, changing lanes at pleasure, i was now the "Schumacher" of my little biking world.

Two wheeler to four wheeler the journey was smooth, though the turns were tricky in the beginning i gradually developed an 'entente cordiale' with my Maruti 800. My brother, I always thought was a rash driver and i avoided sitting next to him while he was at the wheel, vice versa also(much to my surprise) was true cause in my mind I was a humble 40km/hr 'ish driver. Much later did i realize that no one who knows how to drive a car can sit besides a driver and not be uneasy.

College brought along with it an unexpected Perk, i joined a carpool and no it was not just any carpool, there was no driver or a taxi, there were however 5 different college blokes from various years strutting their stuff once a week. My father ever so cautious never quite liked this system so after much haggling and exausting all other alternatives, "common sense" prevailed. I was now in the club, so once every week i took the 'Maruti 800' and to college, not having a license was an issue so seniors drove it( i hated it) until i was according to the 'Constitution of India' old enough to Drive.

It was my freshers and me Shitiz( a pal from college) were like popcorns in microwave, bursting at seams with excitement. With only two of us going, a license under my belt and no pestering seniors it was the day i turned a leaf(literally). Home to college was 33 kilometers and we reached in 38 minutes, that was the day i realized my driving prowess and YES there was no looking back.

Times changed and i got a 'santro xing', this baby could go up to 140 if stretched. Gradually people sitting next to me while i was driving started wearing seat belt diligently and i knew i had arrived. 'Shanti path Round abouts', 'Raotularam Marg' were now official speed zones.

Finally in my 4th year in college the Delhi-Gurgaon Express way has been completed which allows speed addicts like me to discharge all the adrenalin desired. Spanning over 20 kilometers the expressway is as smooth as "whatever is most smooth". Covering the stretch in about 5 minutes is routine. With only three of us in the carpool now ( all the seniors gradually passed away(into the corporate world that is)) speeding has become a vicious cycle, No we do not compete for the "Schumacher Title" rather we all are naturally fast.

Cutting through lanes at 120km/hr with "Thunderstruck" playing on the stereo, it is the only DRUG i take. Am i invincible, infallible ? Well till now my slate is clean, i know when there's an opportunity to overtake, i know the length and breadth of my car, am not afraid of speed and YES i like to show off my talent. Am i proud of it well YES and NO. I do realize that we are all humans and a single mistake can be grave for all of us in the car, at the same time i am confident that there cant ever be a mistake with me behind the wheel.


Though lately having seen some Gore accidents in some movies and in real life, i have begun to introspect. Somehow i feel i am responsible for making my carpool buddies drive fast too, well they are not trying to prove anything to me, but lets say they too have tasted blood. So this morning when i left for college i placed a "sufi music" CD in the stereo and hoped it would help holding back the adrenalin, it worked fine for sometime but as soon as the expressway was in sight the speedometer was automatically showing 130km/h.


So lets say i have identified this urge to over speed as a bane. Though how long it takes for me to keep my foot of the accelerator is yet to be seen. A compromise that i am working on is to allow myself to cut through lanes at modest speeds of 80-90km/hr, but refrain from doing the same at 120 +.

As for now i have to drive to college tomorrow too and i plan to put a "MahaMrityunjay" CD in the stereo lets hope it works for the greater good of Mankind.

Reservation Road

Ever felt like running on city streets at night or experienced the stillness of a sunrise on a beach. Reservation Road is a movie that makes you feel these feelings, its quiet, its simple and ever so tacit. It leaves you with an aftertaste that is slight but still grabs some part of your conscience.

The movie boasts of a cast studded with "performer's", Jennifer Connelly(A beautiful mind), Mark Ruffalo (Just Like Heaven), Joaquin Phoenix(Walk the line), so what you get is a connoisseur delight. A father who has just lost a son in a "hit and run", a person living with the guilt of taking an innocent life, a wife trying to comfort a husband. It's no brain wracker but a movie which is as subtle as they come.

The story is not as predictable as you expect and takes a turn which puts the characters in very interesting situation. Though a bit slow the movie manages to keep you interested while you savor the performances by the actors. There is no 'Thrill' or 'Action' but there is 'Drama' and lots of it.

Jennifer Connelly though underused, is flawless and gives a performance full emotion and unstated sadness. Joaquin Phoenix is the grieved father whose life has come to a screeching halt and all he thinks about is "how to get justice". Mark Ruffalo impresses as a person plagued with the guilt of a convict.

The movie sure is not a 'Prime time' and wont be appreciated by the 'popcorn crowd', it is but a reflection of how 'We' humans are, how we grieve, how we all feel the guilt, and how we all still do have a conscience. Watch it for the flawless acting, for a quiet one and a half hour, and if you appreciate a real life story told in a real life perspective.

Rating:
7/10

Jodha-Akbar : A confession

Three hours phew!!! Ashutosh Gowarikar perhaps in pursuit of opulence forgot about everything else. Studded with jewellery and costumes and forts and palaces Jodha Akbar is the perfect ambassador for the Mughal Grandeur.

Bollywood Vs Hollywood the eternal debate, “Jodha Akbar” settles it once and for all, The battle scenes are a drag, two saari clad women standing in a battle field, elephants dressed up as if they are going to a wedding, “behram Singh” portrayed by Gawd knows who sputters out dialogues in the most unconvincing manner fathomable, and u realize that even 5 minutes of “Troy” should have been enough for Gowarikar to realize, what it takes to shoot a battle, to get some energy, patriotism, Bollywood with all its money believes in spending only on the elephants and jewellery it seems.

Is there a plot?Are you kidding! Does Gowarikar think his audience has brains? NO. Pitiable plots, an evil “godmother”, ludicrous misunderstandings, Comic villains and devoid of logic this flick officially bans the use of Gray matter.

Is there anything I liked? Yes, the scenes between Aishwarya and Hrithik are well shot, the songs are choreographed to perfection. The Romance is feel good, the silly little antics in order to win “hearts”, Sweet. Hrithik Roshan stands out as one thing that can see this movie through to making some profits, convincing both as Akbar, and a love smitten boy next door at the same time. Aishwarya, bollywood’s ethereal beauty portrays “jodha" with a touch of swank and gives all the vibes of a “Mallika’e’Hindustan”.


The movie is a drag except for around 40 minutes of chemistry between Aishwarya and Hrithik. The supporting cast is horrible. The climax or well the end is comic and u just wish that the film rewinds and focuses on the love story angle. All in All watch it if u like “saaris” and “zevars” and Aishwarya and Hrithik, cause everything else in this flick is forgettable.

6/10

No Country For Old Men : A Confession

Tommy lee jones with his albanian accent, picturesque landscape of colorado and there could not have been a better start to this flick. The name stands out i.e. if you have not read the novel, I hadn't and frankly i was not impressed, but damn does it matter :) .....


3 minutes into it and you are engrossed, the most explosive starts that i have come across recently and after the serene beginning it Hits you and hard at that. The screenplay is fast and you are awestruck by "Javier Bardem", dont worry even i dint know who he was, but trust me after this he'll be hard to forget.

Enter Josh Brolin and the plot takes off at a supersonic speed and there is no dull moment for the next 60 minutes, you are riveted to your seat, scared of "Anton Chigurh" (charactor played by Javier Bardem) and his oxygen Cylinder :), the sheer madness in his eyes creeps you out, some of the scenes are shot so well that you actually want to be in the frame and help, such is his ruthlessness.The screenplay is pacey, the deaths gore, and the chase, captivating.

Though the end is perhaps a weak link, but that is the story's fault, Coen brother's do not disappoint even here. Tommy lee jones disappoints throughout the flick but if it were not for him the beginning and the end would not have been such masterpiece's.

Nominated for 8 oscars converted four, Not that i rate oscars very highly, 2006 fiasco was the latest disappointment, not that "the diparted" was a bad movie but "little miss sunshine" had so much more to say as the best movie, anyways without digressing much, hands down "No country for old men" is the best movie out of those nominated this year, the Coen brother's deservingly the best directors, but what amazed me was that javier bardem's role was much more than that of a supporting actor and that is why he should have been nominated for best actor category.

technicalities apart

"no country for old men" is a class act, deep characters, lots of drama, riveting thrill and a story that acts as the perfect glove for all the above, studded with brilliant acting this film sure is a must watch .

9/10


P.S : I would not be surprised if the "Oxygen Cylinder" becomes the latest rage amongst the mafia throughout the world.

Michael Clayton : A Review

its a saturday..and maugham has tested my patience and Yes he wins...not that i blame him..first 40 pages of a novel havnt ever been interesting unless its forsyth or may be even puzo...and so i stumble upon Michael Clayton..it had been lying around for some time now....and like ne good wine..was smelling gr8...so here it is....!!!

bring ur gray matter along for this one...cause u'll need it...
10 minutes into it....."what the f*** is goin on..."
20 ............................." for christ's sake is it a sudoku"
nd then u realize y thy dnt/cant make such a chef d'oeuvre in India... a gasping start....u jus sitback nd enjoy the screenplay cause well the story is far beyond you at this point...a surprisingly subdued george clooney(those who'v seen Intolerable cruelty will relate )....nd nter Tom wilkinson....the energy that he exudes...the desparation nd u wana catch on to everyword he says cause u too at this point r desparate.... :) !!!

The story is at best plebian..but its the screenplay tht binds you....Tilda Swinton got the oscar for best supporting actress nd yes she desrved it...the nervous energy that she ooozes throught the flick is admirable.....80minutes into it nd the pieces finally strt to fall in their places nd u appreciate the simplicity of it all....no earth shattering secret nd minimal fuss....a real life plot, for some even cliched....but tht is where u realize wat a gr8 job Tony Gilroy, the director has done in directing this film.....

Dont waach it if u hav a headache or for action or popcorn..there is no superhero or an enthralling climax...but if u appreciate cinema nd its subtleties..this one's for u....
Nominated for 7 oscars........won 1( Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role)...but deserved atleast 2 more..best screenplay nd best actor in a supporting role....Michael clayton brings to life..."A legal janitor's life"

Rating : 8/10