IFFK 2013 : An Experience

Photo Courtesy http://img.indiaglitz.com

Participating in this year’s IFFK for me was an experience beyond compare. Being a movie buff it is with some embarrassment that I confess that this was my first IFFK. As with any other first experiences I found myself woefully unprepared in the beginning.  I did not register on time. By the time I realized that no one is going to show up at my door step with a VIP pass for IFFK, it was too late and the registrations were closed. 

THE HUNT: LOSS OF INNOCENCE

Photo Courtesy http://claratsi.files.wordpress.com

"The Hunt" is an undaunted drama from Danish director Thomas Vinterberg which dissects the human nature with microscopic precision.  Yes, it's a common tale that has been told in cinema before, but never so well. A man accused of a crime he did not commit, a judgmental society that leaves no stone unturned in ostracizing an innocent man and children who do not understand the enormity of their actions, the hunt is a glance into injustices prevalent in the society.

Megha Daka Thara : The Silver Lining…

Photo Courtesy http://www.impawards.com

As a person who didn’t know about Ritwik Ghatak or his work two days ago the movie “Meghe Dhaka Tara” which is loosely based on the life of this film Maestro was a confusing experience. The movie tells the story of Nilkantha Bagchi an alter ego of Ritwik Ghat in this film and his struggles to come to grips with changing times. 

Parviz : The late coming of age

Photo Coutesy http://previous.presstv.ir

Parviz on the outset has a promising premise, Parvis, a fifty-year-old man who has lived his entire life with his father kicked out from his home, as his father decides to remarry. A plot filled with possibilities that could have turned into a very engaging move of self discovery and realization but falls short because of its slow paced narrative.

LUCIA : Unending Dreams

Photo Courtesy http://wallpapers.oneindia.in

Being a fan of movies like Inception, Prestige, Shutter Island and Fight Club movies that come under the genre of psychological thriller it came as no surprise to me that I thoroughly enjoyed LUCIA. The first public funded movie in Kannada Lucia is one of those rare gems that shows that Indian Cinema in not behind in the mind bender movie category.

Television: The Changing Times

Photo Courtesy http://2.bp.blogspot.com

When television was first invented there might have been some who believed it was the bringer of changing times while some viewed it as an enemy to be vanquished. Television by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki is a take on the latter category. But in his version television is not the enemy per say but it is symbolic of the true enemy that is the changing times…. Time and Tide waits for no man, yet that doesn’t stop us from trying to delay it. The film focuses on the hilarious attempts of its characters to do the same. 

Capturing dad: More than a photograph

Photo Courtesy http://asianwiki.com

Once I had the opportunity to see a horror movie called”The Others” which dealt with the prospect of people who don’t know that they have passed on. The reason that I am bringing this up here is because one of the things that stuck with me after watching the movie was an unusual custom portrayed that involved taking pictures of the dead so as to guard their souls. So when I read the plot synopsis of this film and knowing that it is Japanese (they make the best horror movies) I was under the impression that I was in for a horror treat. Imagine my surprise when I saw a movie with a theme like this being all sunshine and rainbows.

Tang Wong: Dance of beliefs

Photo Courtesy  http://www.berlinale.de

There are times in a person’s life they wish that a miracle could happen. That you just wave a magic wand and everything you desire becomes real. It is this very same wish that ultimately leads us to believe in superstitions, good luck charms and horoscopes. We are always striving to find short cuts in life. Tang Wong  by Kongdej Jaturanrasmee tries to express this need to believe in miracles and customs. 

Hives: Busy as a Bee

Photo Courtesy  http://i.telegraph.co.uk

Albert Einstein once said: “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left." A conclusion drawn from the fact that there will no more pollinating agents left in the world for it to go on but the inference that can be drawn from the premise of this film is something different. 

The Rocket: Sky High

Photo Courtsey  s3.amazonaws.com

As a feel good movie “The Rocket” hits all the right notes. It has an endearing protagonist who tries to overcome adversities and prove his worth both to himself and the people around him. A true underdog story with the least likely wins people’s heart. 

The Missing Picture: Silent Screams!!!

Photo Courtesy  assets.nybooks.com

When it comes to history there is no truth only Cinema.  The truth nevertheless is a missing piece as the director and writer Rith Panh implies through his documentary film “The Missing Picture”. Critically acclaimed in the Cannes and Jeruselem Film Festival the film is set in that era of Cambodian history dredged in the blood of millions

The Light Between Oceans - M.L.Stedman

It is true that they say that it is the little things that make a book memorable. Little moments that stay with you long after the book has ended which culminates over the years and makes you think that you have stumbled upon a master piece. This book is full of such moments.. moments so poignant that I don't think that I will be able to forget them no matter how hard I tried....

Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror, #1) by Karina Halle

This is definitely an experiment. I have read ghost stories before but none like this. My tastes usually runs towards stories with the friendly neighborhood Casper type ghosts or those kind that you can sympathize with owing to their tragic demise with a historical mystery to solve. So a book designed to scare you out of your wits is a first........

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Have you ever read a book that made you feel an array of emotions at the same time? Thrill, Disgust, admiration, disbelief and satisfaction being some among them. Because that is what "Gone Girl" is all about. It is one of those rare books that you can't help liking but at the same time you feel surprised that such a twisted story even appealed to you in the first place.

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

This is not your typical Romeo and Juliet love story. For one thing the starting premise is the one where Juliet did not commit suicide for the sake of everlasting true love as the Bard's version claims but was killed by her lover Romeo who exchanged her life for immortality. But the betrayed and forsaken Juliet did not die according to plan. On the contrary she become an immortal, an ambassador of light whose sole purpose is fight for the sake of true loves across time against her one true love and arch nemesis Romeo.