Quick Take

English Vinglish

I did not see Spanglish, so I have no idea if these stories are similar.

A trip to New York brings changes to a family with a clash between traditional and modern cultures.

This is a visually delightful movie with delicate musical touches. It is the story of a Hindu housewife, Shashi, who loves to cook and has started a small catering business at home making ladoos for friends and neighbors for their parties. Shashi’s world is her family.

Yet, her husband has begun to feel he has outgrown her as his business puts him in contact with international clients where he has learned English and other modern cultural aspects. Their children learn English in school and also belittle their mother for her lack of knowledge and limited English.

A niece in New York is getting married. The family decides that Shashi will go ahead to help with the preparations and they will join her later. Shashi struggles with her self-confidence. When she arrives in New York, she decides to take an English class.

The body of the movie is about Shashi taking English classes. The teacher, David, is a unique character. Her classmates are charming. Yet, one classmate challenges Shashi’s self-image.

Here’s the rub for me. Shashi hides the fact she is taking classes from her American relatives even after one of her nieces finds out and helps her hide her activities. Why?

When her family arrives, they treat her as poorly as they did at home. Shashi also hides the fact she understands English.

The climax occurs during her niece’s wedding when Shashi gives a speech to the bride and groom. She tells the couple, in English, about how relationships change over time and how each partner must seek to improve themself in order to maintain balance in the relationship.

She also claims that it is in the family where you get love and respect. Based on the story, I found her sentiments hollow. While Shashi never stopped loving her family, you wondered if they had stopped loving her.

I did not feel the climax had the emotional impact that would have wrought a change in the hearts of her husband and children. In fact, in many Bollywood movies, the emotional struggles would have been more drawn out.

The climax was too subtle. From my perspective, Shashi’s husband and children should have grown to admire and respect her more for her obvious qualities showcased against the New York City backdrop. Yet, I appreciate the attempt to capture the underlying universal tensions between a husband and wife, and a mother and her children.

As Shashi, Sridevi is beautiful and sophisticated almost Tabu-like. I love Sridevi as an actress. This movie role is a far cry from many of Sridevi’s earlier movie roles where she is zany and comedic like in Mr. India.

Cast: Sridevi, Adil Hussain, Mehdi Nebbou, Priya Anand, Cory Hibbs, Rajeev Ravindranathan, Maria Romano, Sumeet Vyas, Ruth Aguilar, Ross Nathan, Damian Thompson and more.

Director/Screenwriter: Gauri Shinde; Producers: Anita Anand, R. Balki, Ilana Rossein; Cinematographer: Laxman Utekar.

Om Shanti Om

I am back watching Bollywood on ErosNow!!

I am currently on the east coast in the states, on a visit, during “Frankenstorm”, watching Bollywood movies.

We shall see how ErosNow works in Mexico when I return.

I am so hooked on Bollywood, I can barely watch Western movies. I love the multiple storylines, the contrasting emotions, the over-the-top humor, the costumes, the song-and-dance numbers, the guest spots, and the evolving technical advances.

Om Shanti Om 

What the fish! Pagal! 

Run to the nearest DVD vendor and watch this movie. 

I like this movie. I have watched it three four five times. I will not deny that I run to Bollywood and Shah Rukh Khan’s movies for escape. It is like an addiction because I forget everything but what is happening on the screen yet reality is not far away.

For this review, I will highlight my favorite parts.

The opening credits include a generous thanks to many of Bollywood’s well-known stars, directors, producers and artisans then leads into a reworking of the Kishore Kumar version of the song Om Shanti Om where Kumar sings while dancing on a revolving 45-record. The scene evolves into the current movie location and characters.

Set in the 70s, in the guise of a comedic Bollywood movie-making love fest, the underlying story in Om Shanti Om is about the tragedy of wife-burning.

Shah Rukh Khan’s character, Om Prakash Makhija (and Om Kapoor); Shrevas Talpade who plays his brother, Pappu Master; and Kirron Kher who plays their mother, Bela, are junior artistes on a massive film production featuring Dreamy Girl, Shantipriva (and Sandy) played by Deepika Padukone.

Om wants to be a hero. The canteen scene where Om and his brother discuss Om’s name change is a kick. While they dwell on fame with a last name of Kapoor, a junior artiste walks by. They ask his name, laugh and tell him he needs to change it. He suggests shortening it to Govinda and walks away. Even the canteen scene highlights an historical movie fact when Om obliquely alludes to how SRK’s father once ran a canteen to serve the cast and crew on movie sets and how some big stars still owe him money even after he quit that business.

Om loves Shanti from afar. There are several scenes where Om talks to his love, Shanti, by addressing her picture on a huge billboard surrounded by other billboards featuring well-known movies like Sholay, director Farah Khan’s favorite.

It is a riot to see song-and-dance numbers from various movies from Mughal-E-Azam to a Maduri Dixit number reworked into the premiere. So many famous Bollywood stars are referenced or portrayed by others, it’s hard to keep track. In fact, one actor who was represented in the film took insult to his impersonation.

A key scene where Shanti and Om interact is a re-creation of the famous fire scene in Mother India. In Om Shanti Om, prior to any imminent danger, it’s all slapstick and fun.

Om Santi Om features a plethora of funny scenes where you see behind-the-scenes tricks in fight sequences and more. Hilarious costumes abound. Shah Rukh Khan enjoys being silly and he makes the most of it in this movie.

It is fun to see many production crew members on screen as directors and more. Also, it is interesting to see the use of special effects where past scenes are incorporated into scenes later in the movie like where Shanti makes a plea to her husband and Om observes from a distant window.

The turning point in the movie is where Mukesh Mehra (Arun Rampal) shows off a beautiful movie set to Shanti describing it as the place where they will be married before he burns the set with Shanti trapped inside. Om tries to save her but he is killed as well.

The fire scenes are impressive. I have no idea how they did it without endangering the actors. I realize the actors may not have been in danger but I still worried.

Rajesh Kapoor (Javed Sheikh) and his wife play a pivotal role in the plot turn. Thirty years after the set of Om Shanti Om burned down, they are celebrating their son’s, Om Kapoor, 30th birthday and Om begins to remember a past life. As he explores his dreams, fears, and visions, they lead him to the burnt movie set of Om Shanti Om and Shanti’s story.

The humor is still there in the scene setups with Om Kapoor as the star. I admire SRK’s self-deprecating humor, like when he mimics his signature wave of his hand through his hair. Making fun of himself keeps SRK grounded and reminds me, too, that family, friends, and faith are what are important in life not fame or adoration.

Rapidly changing scenes on the film’s various movie sets reference more famous Bollywood movies with comic gags, set pieces, and guest shots like the farcical over-the-top take-off on the Filmfare awards ceremonies featuring multiple guest shots with Abhisheck Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, Yash Chopra, Subhash Ghai, Rishi Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Rakesh Roshan, Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar, Diya Mirza, and more.

As Om takes the Filmfare award, he experiences the vision of a drunk Om Prakash Makhija in an alleyway and gives Makhija’s wistful award speech, “If you want something with all your heart, the entire universe will conspire to help you get it….I feel like the king of the world…to happy endings! Finally … if it is not happy then it’s not the end, the film is not over yet.”

The song Om Shanti Om is featured in various renditions. In the vigorous birthday song and dance rendition, it is peppered with copious Bollywood big names. It is a joy to see Kajol, Rani, Juhi, Preity and others. It is another way the movie pays tribute to those who make wonderful movies. Plus, I love men who dance like Sanjay Dutt, Zayed Khan, and more!! 

Om Kapoor is played as a self-centered Bollywood star whose visions convert him into a serious man with a mission.

The second half of the movie is more dramatic as Om Kapoor sets the stage to reveal Mehra’s crime.

Deepika Padukone plays Shanti as a graceful, delicate, vulnerable star and her reprisal in the role of Sandy is funny as Sandy is beautiful, naïve, and clumsy.

Kirron Kher’s wide range of acting abilities are seen in her role as Om Makhija’s over-dramatic mother. Then, they are demonstrated again, as his aged mother as she chases Om Kapoor’s car begging him to come home and later in her role as a demented seer.

Shrevas Talpade as Pappu Master is delightful, light-hearted and an easy foil for Om.

Udit Narayan is a playback singer whose voice I love, I could pick his voice out in the first notes of the Deewangi Deewangi and Om Shanti Om songs.

The remainder of the movie is the tale of how Om Kapoor deceives Mukesh into completing his abandoned film, Om Shanti Om, featuring more behind-the-scenes movie-making processes.

In an early scene where Om is trying to convince Mukesh to finish the film, Om Shanti Om, I feel Om makes a profound statement, “If you search hard enough you can find god.”

Om leads Mukesh back to the burnt movie set where mysterious things happen leading to revealing moments from his past.

Again, Director Farah Khan makes the closing credits fun to watch. Now, Gauri Khan, one of the movie’s producers and SRK’s wife, has been captured in pixels walking the red carpet. She is beautiful and slim. All I can think of was ‘I need to exercise—a lot!’

As Om said in his Filmfare award acceptance speech: “To happy endings, if not, it’s not the end, my friends, the film is not over yet.”

Julia/Julie --Quick Take

I have been devouring DVDs while I study, letting them run in the background. Occasionally, a movie will catch my eye or ear and I will watch it.

I had watched Julia/Julie before. It is a lovely movie. A great biographical story about Julia and Paul Child and their life in France where Julia falls in love with French Cooking. This love led to her collaboration with two other French cooks in the development and publishing of Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Julia Child's name was been widely known for over 40 years, yet I had never read her cookbook since I am not a cook. So, I loved Julie Powell's project to cook 365 of the recipes in Child's cookbook. I have watched the movie many times with and without the Director's commentary.

I am intimidated by Beef Bourguignon but I was intrigued by poached eggs, so I tried it and succeeded! It is a nicely cooked soft boiled egg or maybe-over easy. The only problem is that it is not as easy to eat as it appeared in Julia/Julie. I made a mess of it.

Tony Scott

Two of my favorite movies are Deja Vu and Spy Game. Both movies were directed by Tony Scott. As a nuevo film student, I study his films to understand how movies are made.

On Sunday, August 19, 2012, Tony Scott took his own life. He jumped off the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro.

What bothers me most about his death is that from the reports I have read, he did not appear to have any   issues, health, financial or otherwise that would have driven him to this act of despair.

I like answers. I want to know why he choose to take his own life. Having a wife and children did not give him succor to overcome whatever was bothering him.

When I went grocery shopping this Monday, I was overcome by a desire for chocolate and wine. I did not understand why.

When I came home, I had a few glasses of wine and a few bites of chocolate. While both were good, they did not satisfy me.

Later, I realized that it was Tony Scott's death that was bothering me.

The last review I wrote was negative and it was a movie produced by Scott Free, Ridley and Tony Scott's production company.

I will forever regret that review and will never write another negative review. Some people do take negative reviews and criticisms to heart. Some have killed themselves because of them.

While I doubt Tony Scott ever read my review, I still feel bad.

Our birth into this world is often joyful, our death is not.

Promethus

Ok, I am going to western movies here in Mexico. No Bollywood here. Not much Bollywood on Netflix. I could sign up for ErosNow and maybe I will.

Sadly, this will be a critical review. My level of disappointment is probably in proportion to my respect for the director, Ridley Scott.

Promethus was a major disappointment. I like Ridley Scott a lot. I have seen many of his movies like Bladerunner, Aliens, and Thelma and Louise. Maybe it is because of my age, I saw Aliens years ago and it was scary. This is Aliens 2.0 and it is not scary or even a good movie. Maybe the 30 and younger crowd will like it in 3D.

Here's the basic storyline. It is about the year 2089, a rich old man decides to pursue an archaeological theory that aliens seeded humans on earth. Somehow this theory warped into these aliens must be "gods." Anyway, he thinks if he finds the planet most likely inhabited by these aliens, he will find the fountain of youth or the wisdom of god.

You have a ten person crew, with a robot, David, who awaken when the ship reaches its destination.

The movie revolves around archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw and her partner Charlie. Charlie is unprofessional and childlike. Meredith, the leader of the expedition is clueless. Several engineers think they are going to get rich quick and go off on their own. A lone security guy pops up now and then. Janek, the ship's captain and his two co-pilots, Chance and Ravel, reminded me of Hans Solo and his motley crew.

Anyway, a group goes down to the planet to explore the only visible artifact, a Mayan-like tomb. They have no safety checks other than 'don't remove your helmet.' They enter the foreboding maze of tunnels. They see hieroglyphics and David, the robot, can read them. To cut to the chase, they unknowingly release a live organism and bring it back to the ship where they use no decontamination procedures.

David, who went exploring on his own, found an alien in stasis and awakens him. The old geezer gets his chance to meet "god." But, it doesn't turn out like anyone thought. The rest of the story is about how the organism develops and threatens the crew.

I can't even begin to explain how off-putting it was to see such an elaborate set that represented sophisticated technology run by lugheads, incompetents, and greedy, ignorant idiots. Tell me how the human race was able to develop such technology and still send idiots into space. It boggles the mind.

One scene was an anomaly, the ship's captain, Janek, and his co-pilots crash their spaceship into the alien ship to save humanity. This is the first and only "noble" act in the movie.

Anyway, after various scenes of blood and guts and alien organisms, the crew is decimated all except for Elizabeth Shaw and David. In the end, they commander an extra alien spaceship that is conveniently available, and go out exploring looking for "god."

To my mind, the scriptwriter broke, at least, two rules of storytelling, one -- your audience must care about what happens to some if not all the characters. Two -- believability -- do you really think that a gazillionaire would build a sophisticated a space ship and staff it with lugheads? Or is this how private enterprise wastes money and resources? No character exhibits professionalism, teamwork, or even intellect. Each character has such individual agendas, it's a wonder they made it as far as they did. Even the robot, David, seemed off. I finally found a word for him, immature. So, right from the get go, you know the end of the movie.

My companion, who I would consider an average moviegoer, felt the same as I did, where's the tension? The only concern we had was the popcorn had too much salt.

Plus, my companion kept whispering, "Oh, it's so dull, there is no color, where is the color?"

Do you really think that if aliens propagated humans on earth that they would be such brutish, inelegant lugheads?

Oh, and the mission to find "god" was laughable. When the old geezer who started all of this, who wanted immortality, stood and faced the alien, the alien just smacked him. How's that for a godlike answer? It cracked me up.

The science in this movie is so inaccurate even I recognized it. Plus, I loved the way Elizabeth Shaw was able to program so many computer systems she had never seen before, like the surgery cubicle, in just a few keystrokes. I found it humorous. Also, the religious references were offensive.

Hard to comment on the acting, since, for me, I found none of the characters interesting or sympathetic. Actually, I did like Janek, the ship's captain. Idris Elba played the part well with warmth, humor, and humanity. But, it was such a small part, his character did not affect the overall boorish tone of the movie.

Ultimately, the problem with this movie is Scott took too many ideas from the original Aliens and used them in this movie. In Aliens, the ship was a cargo ship and the crew was a bunch of odd characters. But, even they exhibited more professionalism and teamwork than did the scientists in Promethus. In Promethus, the ship was on an exploratory mission with scientists on board yet, Scott treated it like a cargo ship full of misfits. Scott tried to alter how the alien organism functioned but is was still the same body invasive concept as in Aliens, nothing new. Surely, in the world of science fiction there are other stories of aliens or invasive organisms that could have been used. This is like a remake of the Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

The one good thing I can say about this movie is, it is the first "horror" film where I laughed. I wasn't scared for a second.

Now, I don't like doing negative reviews because they exhibit simplistic analysis and even jealousy or envy, maybe. While I am not jealous or envious of Mr. Scott, I do wish Hollywood would spend that kind of money on my screenplay. Gosh, I don't even need 100+ million, 50 million would do just fine. Hey, Hollywood, call me, I have great science fiction story about a human who falls in love with an alien. She is telepathic and more. But, I don't want to give it all away, contact me.

Bollywood is not immune to this "blindness" which is what I call the process that produces an expensive bad movie. Somebody somewhere did not listen to their instincts but may have been swayed by other reasons to produce this movie.