Spidey gets sidey

After watching Spiderman-3 with my group, I got to hear response like "Ye to makkad ke sholay hai" or "Is bollywood standard rising or hollywood standard falling" or "Thoda filmy nahi ho gaya"?? But what matters is that the two plus hours I spent inside the theatre, I really enjoyed myself. The visual effects, breathtaking of course, literally made me jump in my seats. One shot even had me ducking when the glass shattered.
Toby goes chubby, tries to be cute but fails. Harry Osbourne was and remains my favourite. MJ looks devastated, being the damsel in distress. Sandman reminds you of The Mummy series. The black stuff was the real hero. It gave our spidey some cool moves, a new wardrobe and even made him a great dancer. So, from now on, whenever I'll do something evil, I will blame it to my black vest.
The film was paisa-vasool. I won't mind watching it again. They should try putting some songs in the hindi version. My suggestions:
1. मेरे यार ये क्या हो गया. सुनते हैं तू बेवफ़ा हो गया
२. या रब्बा, दे दे कोई जान भी अगर
३. ज़िन्दगी तो बेवफ़ा है एक दिन ठुकराएगी
४. बन्दा ये बिन्दास है

what say???

Aisa Sama Na Hota

Listening to Aisa Sama Na Hota for the 100th time since last week, I've decided to analyse the song. For all my friends who have not heard this song, you have missed out on one of the most beautiful compositions of Panchamda. Sung by Lataji and penned by Anjaan Sahab, this song according me works on several layers. Right from Ronu Majumdar's flute in the intro music, the song hooks you and the next 7 minutes are mesmerising.
Lataji's input to this song is extra-ordinary. Watch out for her renditions of simple words like samaa and shabnam, the feelings she has put in "Aise gungunati, yoon na gaati yeh hawa" or the way she gives clue to the interlude after the first stanza or the way she ends the song.
Salute to Anjaan Sahab for coming up with a line like "Raahein wohi, vaadi wohi badla kuchh nahin
Phir bhi tere milne se hai duniya kyun haseen"...
This is one of the songs where after coming up with a wonderful tune, Pancham da must have sat with his team working hard on transforming a good tune into a timeless classic. The arrangement compliments the lyrics, the singer and even inspires the filmmaker to capture breathtaking locales for a song that actually takes you to the scenic mountains.
In today's world, where each and every song is made with intentions of playing it in a discotheque, it's a treat to hear a song like Aisa Sama Na Hota. Panchamda, why did you have to leave so early?

Ideas and Ideation

I have this brilliant concept for a film. Well, everyone has. The idea is always amazing but then I simply wonder where it gets lost by the time it becomes a script and then a film.
I have been watching films only on channels these days. I can watch a film alone only if its on television. To got to a theatre, I need to go with a friend, so that I can constantly comment. Anyways, I happened to catch many a flop films. Well, the idiot box is where they land eventually. They say such films recover their money through "Satellite Rights"... yeah, yeah, whatever...
But I must admit that many of these films had a good idea! Things got lost in the process. Loaded with unnecessary tracks and scenes, the basic problem was that these films were unable to hold one's attention. They forgot the most important rule - keep audience glued to the seats. The final product has to be crisp. It should be a journey where each and every moment is worth it.
You can have thousands of ways to lure public to the theatres but once the show is over, either the public has liked it or it hasn't. But unfortunately, the blame will go to director, actor, music and the producer will start making another proposal with another director, more saleable actor, different kind of music. The most neglected part will always be the screenplay.

एक कविता

हमसे पूछो हमने इस गर्मी में जल कर देखा है

धूप से की दोस्ती तो छाँव को शिकवा हुआ
पड़ गये जो पाँव में छाले अगर तो क्या हुआ
आँच को अपनी हथेली पर मसल कर देखा है
हमसे पूछो हमने इस गर्मी में जल कर देखा है

पेड़ से छनती हुई किरणों से खेल खेला है
पीठ पर लादे हुए हमने अगन को झेला है
ओस में चिन्गारियों को भी बदल कर देखा है
हमसे पूछो हमने इस गर्मी में जल कर देखा है

As Graphic as it gets

I remember picking up a graphic novel by Frank Miller at Landmark (I like that place, good place to spend some time with books). Well, that was after Sin City had become such a craze and in every group, I used to be the only one who's not seen the film. I was booed with the same intensity and tone of the ad where the group shouts, 'Arre, ye PSPO nahi jaantaa"...
Well, I went through the graphic novel. It was a storyboard in itself. As the images hypnotised me, I said to myself, "there's no way, they can recreate this magic on screen".
I was so wrong. I saw Sin City today. Eyes glued to the TV screen, simply in awe of the visuals that flowed. You can call it a cult movie. You can say, its about a morally bankcrupt metropolis. Three different stories, many characters. But each one stays with you. Film Noir at it's innovative best!
I liked it when Clive Owen says, "Sometimes you can beat the odds with a careful choice of where to fight."
I have grown up on Amar Chitra Katha. Those illustrations have taught me sketching. They are also amazing storyboards in themselves. But its frustating how we have never achieved a masterpiece with our mythological tales which are full of action, drama, magic and what not!
Anyways, no point drifting from the topic. All you people, who haven't seen Sin City, believe me, the booing isn't for nothing. This is definitely a flick you shouldn't afford to miss!

Waves breaking on the shore

It was hard to remember when was the last time, I had felt really really happy! A moment to cherish forever. Then last night at around 1 am, I was at juhu beach, watching the waves breaking on the shore! It was high tide. A young kid was playing with the waves. It was quite obvious that he was enjoying it. Enjoying it to the core. I decided to do the same. It was a funny little game. He would run after the waves as they receded and run away from them as they followed him. I played that game with the sea for almost half an hour. And believe me, I got it. I got a moment which made me really really happy. Something that I will cherish forver.

Three hundred and counting?

Saw the much acclaimed and much publicised 300 yesterday. It's a visual treat. The high-contrast images almost create magic. A very believable war sequence between 300 spartans and millions of persians comprising of monsters and freaks. With each throw of spear and swishing of sword, you see body parts blowing up in air, and you are awestruck.

But trust me, how long can you just go on admiring the sfx. With the audience knowing each and every trick that has gone behind the creation, don't you need more to keep their eyes glued to the screen. Something much more than the bollywoodian cliche of wife giving her locket to the husband heaidng towards the battle... Something more than the "motivational" dialogues like 'Tonight, we dine in hell!"... Something more than the queer-looking Xerxes screaming aloud!

Well, the soul was missing.

The film wasn't half as inspiring as Gladiator or Troy. None of the sequences will stay with you after you leave the hall. But still, there are few dialogues you'd like to remember:

- Give them nothing! But take from them everything!

- Then we will fight in the shade

- Return with the shield or on it

I'd like to see the film "The 300 Spartans" released in 1962. Just to see how they'd have created the magic then, without the help of high-class special effects. They must have surely concentrated more on the emotional aspect, right?

PS: The guy who played Xerxes is Rodrigo Santoro, the same guy who played Karl in LOVE ACTUALLY. So here goes, full marks to the make-up guy.