Movie review # 6 : Animal

I usually go out of my way to avoid watching a Bollywood movie, especially in a movie hall and that too on its first day. The ticket for Animal cost me 16$ a piece and an equal amount for the popcorn. 

I am relieved that the 16$ spent was worth it. Let me elaborate:

1. Story : At its core, Animal story line is a fine amalgamation of 3 emotion  - abandonment, revenge and love (Kabir Singh style). While most people are getting triggered by the violence and the much pronounced masculinity, nether of them are a novelty to the audience. We have seen worse in Hollywood, Japanese and Korean movies. So, to me, the movie is for a certain audience, which is true for all movies, I believe. Heck, there are people who have a problem with movies like Lion King. Anyways, coming back to Animal, the title did justice to the story. I loved it and would gladly rate a solid 4 on 5.
2. Acting : This is probably where I feel there was a significant amount of caricature in practically everyone's acting. The only balanced guy was probably Anil Kapoor. A dash of underplay by Ranbir Kapoor and a couple of lines of dialogues for Bobby Deol would have brought a different intensity to the presentation. Its a shame that in today's times, we do not have a fulltime and a dedicated comedian. I cant imagine what the change of pace a comic relief by a decent comedian would have done to the movie. I would go with a 3/5.
3. Music : Forgettable and forgivable. I would go with a 2/5
4. Direction : This is inarguably a director's movie. This is in the same league as GoW and probably for the same reasons. Getting the casting right in both RK and Bobby by bringing them out of their traditional and time-tested roles requires courage and confidence that I havent seen in directors lately. The fight sequences are over the top but thats again what the director envisioned and I loved it. If I am going to a movie hall, I need the highlights to be as grand and memorable as possible. As for people's criticism, I want to remind them of Tarantino who you might have hailed despite the gore in the fight sequences of his movies. 

Overall, I would still rate the movie a 4/5 simply because of its attempt to think differently. Looking forward for a sequel and more from SRV. He just found a fan in me.

My struggles with my mind

Its a Sunday. I woke up at 9 am. Did my morning business. Went back to bed. Binged on youtube, played PUBG, sometimes both at the same time. Just couldnt find the energy to get up and do something productive. Didnt even brush my teeth. Felt extremely hungry by around 2 pm and ended up ordering pizza from Domino's. Cost me 28$. Regretted it immediately because its not a healthy option nor I can afford such an indulgence while I am unemployed.

Some observations though -> at the very least, i should have a good sleep so that i dont wake up tired and exhausted. For that, I need to go to bed at a specific time. But I also need to fall asleep while I am in bed which is what I have been struggling with all along. Around 10 years atleast. Whats wrong with me?

Whats going on with me?

 I have been out of a job for a month now. Here is my daily routine:

1. wake up whenever. 
2. brush my teeth
3. take a bath or not
4. consume TV, laptop, phone. at times all three at the same time.
5. order food online for lunch/dinner, its always junk food
6. make coffee whenever
7. stay up until late night. i once went to sleep at 6:30 am.

Where has it got me:

1. my mind and thoughts are always cloudy
2. i keep forgetting things. i once saw a movie and kept forgetting the name of the lead character while the movie was still on.
3. i have gained 10 kgs

What's going on in my mind:

1. i have lost the will to live. no one will notice. maybe a couple will of them but they will get on with their lives. and they should.
2. i dont know what i want. i try to put myself in auto mode saying do whats necessary. but then i wonder whats the point of anything that i do or dont.

What have I tried:

1. went to a psychiatrist and paid 100$ for a 20 min session. after 2 visits, i knew it wasnt gonna work for me and i couldnt afford this luxury at this stage of my life.
2. attempted to get back to exercise and meditation. just cant.
3. tried to stay objective and not dwelve in the past or compare but when everything is right in my face, what do i do

What can potentially happen next:

1. i dont know
2. one or the other, this will end. i just hope to be around to see how it does.

Movie review # 5 : Babumoshai Bandookbaaz

 I am not a fan of Nawazuddin Siddiqui. That does not imply I dont consider him a formidable actor. Its  just that I can never bring myself to look forward to anything he does. Because he does the same thing over and over again. I feel the same way about Pankaj Tripathi.

Nevertheless, Babumoshai Bandookbaaz is a damn good movie with a story that i thought is stolen (inspired) from Hollywood. The character development of each is just amazing. Practically everyone has a story arc. I usually dont see that in Bollywood where only the protagonist has a story worth telling. Which brings me to the question : who was the protagonist in this movie? No one and everyone!!

Loved the setting, the cinematography, brilliant sound direction. 

Coming back to the actors, some of them played their cliched roles of gangster (including nawaz), busty bitch (divya dutta), corrupt police officers but my pick was Banke Bihari. Seeing him in underwear whenever he is at his home is so relatable for people from this part of the country.  

The ending was so unconventional. Not a happy ending and leaves a lot for audience to imagine depending on how they sympathized with.

Rating: 4.5/5

Movie review # 4 : Safe (Netflix)

Spent(wasted) 8 hours binging on the netflix show Safe

What a useless and plotless drama? 

Someone offloads a 20 year old guilt on their deathbed on to their teenage child who has the mental capacity of a 2 year old who then goes around sticking into other people's business to find out the "truth"; not because she wanted Justice or revenge but only because she wanted to "know". As a result, 3 people die, 1 gets stabbed and almost dies,  and few others' lives are ruined. 

All because someone wanted to die guilt free but without facing the consequences. Dumb ass!!

Rating: 1/5