Musings of an Idiot

I'm not there

It has been a nice weekend and it can be easily summed up in 2 words - biryani and tennis. I cooked Sindhi Chicken Biryani on Saturday and that basically took up a big chunk of the day - shopping for ingredients and the cooking. The result was delicious and now I have enough for 3 days. :-)

And today was tennis - Dan Grade and Fraser Ross, ex-classmates from South Seas days came over and we had a doubles tennis match. Lance & Me v/s Fraser& Dan - and we won the match 7-5; 3-6 ; 6-2. It was a hard fought victory especially considering that we were down 5-1 in the first set. All bones are still in place and nothing is broken or pulled at the end of the game, so I am happy. After the game all of us went and saw 'I'm Not There' and it was a good movie- fantastic acting and fantastic everything but it was half an hour too long.

So that was my weekend - pretty much. I did some other small stuff but those 2 things sum up my 2 recent days of life.

Thats me for now.
Amit

Labels: Food, Movies, Tennis

posted by Amit @ 9:49 PM 0 Comments

Rejection

The word "rejection" was first used in 1415. The original meaning was "to throw" or "to throw back". [Courtesy: Wikipedia ] On that note here is an interesting link about Rejection and also on ways to building resilience to rejection.

The work on REJECTED is progressing at a good pace for the past 2 weeks. Serena and me had a bit of a hiatus on the script through April as it was a busy time for both of us but the work has started back in earnest and now we are half way through the script. It has been an interesting process so far as we don't really know where the story is going - maybe a vague idea but no storylines set in concrete. And the way the script is shaping up has been a pleasent surprise as it is flowing well and at this point I can't see any flab in the story and both of us are making a conscious effort not to put in any filler material into the script. I have set the initial deadline of end of July to have the script ready and I am hoping that we will hit the deadline. Will keep you posted on it as work progresses.

The trailer for 'THE DARK KNIGHT' is fantastic. And after you have seen that check out the Jokerized version of the trailer here. This is going to be the movie for the american summer season (besides 'Tropic Thunder'). I saw 'Lars and the Real Girl' couple of nights back and it was a sweet little movie - it was probably a bit too long- maybe by 20 minutes odd - mainly because you kind of figure out what is going to happen. But it is still worth watching just to see Ryan Gosling's terrific performance as Lars.

Thats me for now.
Till later,
Amit

Labels: Movies, Rejected, Script

posted by Amit @ 9:34 AM 0 Comments

2 Days in Paris

I saw 2 Days in Paris today and it is a nice little quirky film. It was thoroughly entertaining and Julie Delpy really holds the movie together - as an actor as well as the director/editor. I also played badminton for the first time in 2 years and it was grueling but fun at the same time - I held up pretty good - no muscle pulls and no injuries except for a blister on my right palm which was the reason I lost the second set.

Thats me for now
Till later
Amit

Labels: Badminton, Movies

posted by Amit @ 9:43 PM 0 Comments

Ironman

Well - it is the weekend again and I plan on doing some much needed housework and pending tasks. I still haven't replied to my emails but at this point I can't be bothered. It is one of those phases where I don't like answering anyone - I will get over it soon but for now I am enjoying the freedom of ignoring non-critical mail.

The cut for 'To'ona'i' was locked on Wednesday night and neither David nor me were hurt or injured during the process plus I didn't have to use the knives and forks on David. David won the overall contest of the number of changes suggested to number of changes agreed to and implemented by 11-9 but I don't mind losing this contest at all as the locked cut feels so much more fluid. I encoded the files and passed on the DVD's to Mr. Mamea - now most of my active 'hands on' part is done and it is upto the sound designer to make the short film cohesive by creating an immersive sound design.

I went and saw Iron Man yesterday and it was a nice experience. The movie has flaws but it works wonderfully well and is great escapist fare. The center of the movie is Robert Downey Jr, who really sells the movie to you and the supporting cast supports his well. And the thing I liked about Iron Man was that in one of the few action sequences in the movie Tony Stark goes ape shit while dealing with his enemies. You never see that kind of brutal assault from a super hero because they are supposed to be 'good'. Imminently watchable.

Time for my beauty sleep.
Ciao,
Amit

Labels: Movies, Post Production, Short film

posted by Amit @ 10:56 PM 1 Comments

Back

It has been a week and a bit since I last posted. The last week flew away in various things and I wasn't in the best frame of mind and body to write an update. I put my upper back out while sneezing and that took me a good 4 days to recover from that (it looks like I am 30 going on 80). And how do you manage to do such a thing like that? I don't know - I just somehow managed to do it. And now I am back to the usual story of having to check my backlog of unanswered emails and things to do.

Last week was also eventful in terms of tax returns. I thought I had paid all my taxes but my accountant thought differently as he clubbed together my earnings as a freelancer and my earnings after I joined my current job, together - which meant that I ended up in a situation of having to pay more taxes, which I wasn't happy about at all. The logic didn't make any sense to me and I followed it up with IRD and they advised me the opposite, so hoping to sort this stuff out with the accountant soon.

My new favorite dish is Keema Curry that I have been cooking for the past 2 weeks now. I am using Shan Spice mix which takes care of all the spices for the dish and the result is mouth-wateringly good. I cooked the same for the pot luck dinner that happened at Rachel's new place, where I went for the house warming party. It was very well received by those who could tolerate the hotness of it {read: green chilli tolerance levels :-) } . Talking of food - I went to Kathryn's {well known screen writer and also ex-colleague from South Seas teaching days} birthday dinner at Papa's Pizza yesterday and their 'New Zealand Venison Ravioli' was divine. If you get a chance do check out that joint - it is a cozy little place and well worth the visit for that dish alone - I wasn't sold on their pizzas though.

I watched a couple of movies on DVD and they were alright - 'Justice League: Final Frontier' {nice tone} and 'Alpha Dog' {brilliant acting}.What I am really waiting for is the Hollywood summer season to kick off - the movie that I am really waiting for is 'The Dark Knight' - the latest poster has some real balls.

That's me for now.
Till later,
Amit

Labels: Food, Movies, Party

posted by Amit @ 11:20 PM 0 Comments

The Vancouver Film School/YouTube Scholarship Challenge

They are not paying me to put this up or anything but I thought I would post it here as it is a good opportunity.

The Vancouver Film School/YouTube Scholarship Challenge

YouTube and Vancouver Film School have partnered to create an international competition to make film school accessible to everyone. The challenge? Create a short film, animation or pitch addressing the theme "what matters to you." The prize? Three scholarships to any of Vancouver Film School's 14 outstanding educational programs, including Film Production, 3D Animation & Visual Effects, Acting Essentials and more.Submissions close at 11:59PM EST on May 9th, 2008. For more information, visit www.youtube.com/vancouverfilmschool.


Cheers
Amit

Labels: Movies, Short film

posted by Amit @ 8:04 AM 0 Comments

Drillbit

Even the dogs use the zebra crossing in Auckland. It is true. I was driving back home after catching a night screening of 'Drillbit Taylor' and I was stunned into disbelief when I saw a dog crossing an empty stretch of road using the pedestrian crossing. I mean the dog could have crossed the street anywhere it wanted - especially since it is not bound by human laws and add to it the fact that there was no traffic whatsoever, but it chose to do the right thing and use the crossing. I am not an animalist or anything but if that dog could speak, I would have put the question forward: WHY? I really want to know.

The movie itself was a fun movie - it is a typical high school bully movie but there are a lot of elements that work for it, especially the acting from all the players involved. Despite the predictable plot elements it is still fun to watch.

And a combination of today's randomness and movie stuff is that I won a double pass and a t-shirt and a water bottle for 'Run Fatboy Run' :-) I love winning freebies.

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Movies, Random

posted by Amit @ 11:25 PM 0 Comments

Behind the Mask

Movies filmed as mocumentary don't work for most attempts because of the nature of what they are but it somehow works brilliantly for 'Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon' and the movie works well as a good slasher film as well. The lead actor is a compelling watch and really sells the idea that he is going to become the next horror legend. It is definitely a good watch if you are into horror flicks and have been disillusioned by the predictability of most horror flicks. This flick is innovative and will definitely keep you entertained.

Whats happening in terms of projects at my end? Well 'Ghost Scream' is still in script development and the next draft looks like it will take some time to take shape. I am still waiting to see the first draft of 'Trollied' - which will come in sometime within the next 2 months. And in the meantime I have started work on 'Rejected' - a script I am developing with Serena, one of my acting classmates. And I am also developing a short film script with another acting classmate but that's not something that I will be directing or taking part in production - mainly because it is a short film. I might be helping out with post production on a short film but can only confirm it when I know for sure. So a quiet but busy time - if that makes any sense.

Here is the first scene from REJECTED - please don't read if you are easily offended by foul language.




Till later,
Amit

Labels: Movies, Rejected, Script

posted by Amit @ 7:29 PM 0 Comments

Astronaut Farmer

'The Astronaut Farmer' is a syrupy movie and it was an OK watch. Some of the cinematography is downright beautiful but the third act comes across as forced and hard to swallow even though on paper it probably looked right. It might have to do with the fact that the turning point was so weak and poorly executed that it made the entire 3rd act look so syrupy. Good family fare though.

I also finished reading 'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wau' and it was crisp, funny and ultimately very sad and tragic. The book is a surprsingly quick read and it is a page turner for sure.

Here is the video link to my favorite scene from 'No Country for Old Men'. The only other piece of news is that 'Five' has been selected to screen at DeREEL Independent Film Festival to be held in April in Victoria, Australia.

Thats the lot.
Amit

Labels: Books, Five, Movies

posted by Amit @ 1:56 PM 0 Comments

Cashback

I saw 2 movies today 'Cashback' and 'Waitress'. Cashback was an OK movie - too long for it's own good even though it is visually very stylistic without sacrificing emotions. Waitress was awesome movie - very funny, touching and devastating at the same time. The performances are fantastic from everyone, especially Keri Russell. It is a simple story very well told. It is really sad that Adrienne Shelley's {the director of the movie} life was cut short in a suspected murder before she could see the release of her movie.

I also finished watching Season-4 of Entourage and it was bloody fantastic as usual. The only episode I didn't really like was Episode 1 - which felt like a filler episode. Damn it -thats the problem watching good shows - you want more and then have to wait ages before you get the next fix. Now that the writer's strike is over I hope that BSG's last season is aired in full - start to end instead of breaking it up into 2 parts.

Thats me for now.
Amit

Labels: Movies, TV Series

posted by Amit @ 11:02 PM 0 Comments

The Saudis

Labels: Books, Movies, Random, TV Series

posted by Amit @ 11:52 PM 0 Comments

Tick Tick

'Tick...Tick...Tick' - that's the one sound I can hear loud and clear right now - besides the cicadas chirping away (they have quietened as it falls dark). That's the sound from the new wrist watch that dad sent over from India and I love it. I had stopped wearing watches for I can't remember how long and I decided to start wearing one again after seeing the simplicity and elegance of the watch. I am happy.


I just finished reading 'Get Rich Slow' by Mary Holm and it was a fascinating read and very practical. It definitely clears up a lot of uncovered ground as far as investing for a first time investor goes. I am now seriously considering doing some geared investments.

I also finished off 'Persepolis' and it was a good read. The characters I most liked in the book were Marjane's mom and dad. They are so endearing and bring a sense of respect and love into the story. Overall it is definitely a must read and I can't wait to see the movie when it comes out in the cinemas here.

Thats me for now.
Amit

Labels: Books, Movies, Random

posted by Amit @ 7:47 PM 0 Comments

Books Galore

I had to return 'Tree of Smoke' before finishing it as someone had it on hold and I didn't want to pay a fine. Add to the scenario out of the 9 books I wanted to read - 8 of them came through at the same time. So I returned that book and got a whole bunch of books filling up my desk, my bed and my floor. I am currently reading 'Persepolis' by Marjan Satrapi. The book has also been converted into an animated movie which is running for 'Best Animated Feature' at the Oscars. It is a great read and changes your perspective about how western media has painted Iran without taking into consideration the lives of ordinary people living there.

A month or so back I had my Indian passport canceled and applied for Overseas Citizenship of India and I was surprised when I got back my NZ passport with the OCI in the mail today. This has got to be my least painful exposure to Indian bureaucracy.

I watched 'Seraphim Falls' yesterday and it was an OK movie. It starts off great but it soon looses momentum and the stakes are lowered as the movie progresses. The cinematography though is absolutely beautiful.

I have just come out of my 10 day work stretch and have the next couple of days off, which I am looking forward to. Hopefully I will be able to catch 'There will be Blood' this weekend.

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Books, Movies, New Zealand, Random

posted by Amit @ 8:42 PM 0 Comments

Friendship

I am currently reading 'The Saudis' by Sandra Mackey (a brilliant book) and there was a chapter that covered aspects of personal relationships in the desert kingdom and how friendships take a back seat to the family - it got me thinking on what I feel about it. I did a google search and not surprisingly Wikipedia has a page for 'friendship' and it was an insightful read.

When I was a kid I believed that friends are forever but that view has changed over the years. Time does change people. Sometimes you loose track of people and sometimes it is the other way round but the common thing is that people drift apart - you loose touch of things you had in common. Frienship is a two way street and both parties have to work at it to keep the relationship running (as with everything else). The most distinctive change I have noticed between India and New Zealand is that the intensity of friendships is much more higher in India than here. I probably only share the same kind of intensity here with a couple of people. It is almost like people here are afraid of that intensity. I value my friends highly and I sincerely believe that friendship is right up there in terms of importance after close family relationships. Maybe that's why it takes me ages to form close friends but when I do I make sure that I am giving it my everything. It is better to have a few really close friends than a bucket load of acquaintances.

I watched Apocalypse Now ( the Redux version) for the first time and it is a marvel. The story and the visuals and the acting are mind blowing. Add to it the brilliant sound design and it is a real feast to the senses. Here is an article about the mixing process for the director's cut of the movie. I now want to watch 'Hearts of Darkness' - the documentary on making of the movie. I also watched another movie 'Once' - an indie movie which gained a lot of traction last year. It was a sweet movie but I was a bit underwhelmed - maybe because of all the hype surrounding it. The music is great and the performances are very natural but there is something that is still missing for me.

Thats me for now.
Amit

Labels: Movies, Random

posted by Amit @ 6:57 PM 1 Comments

No Budget Film School

Well here is a great series of articles related to 'no budget' film making straight from Microcinema Scene. I love it and it is definitely a must read for anyone wanting to make their own movies. Check it out in all it's resourcefulness.

I went and saw 'No Country for Old Men' yesterday evening and it was a good movie spoilt only by the last 5 minutes - maybe because it is a faithful adaptation of the book. It was rivetting nonetheless. Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin are beyond fantastic in this movie. I even had a nightmare about Anton Chigurh last night - the character is that frightening. Here is an exchange in the movie that just about hints at the menace that Anton Chigurh is.

It is definitely a movie worth watching.

Amit

Labels: Filming, Movies, Post Production, Pre-production

posted by Amit @ 7:51 AM 0 Comments

Malaysian Cuisine

I had dinner at KK Restaurant in Epsom yesterday evening and the food was divine. The place was super busy and it stayed that way through out the stay there. I ordered KK Chicken and the dish was awesome. The restaurant has displaced Sri Pinang as my favorite malaysian eating joint in Auckland. I would highly recommend that you get a reservation before going and also the place is not flash or anything - but don't let the looks disappoint you. The food is gorgeous.

I am a bit peeved because the domestic air fares fell recently and because of a 1 day difference I have spent 120 bucks more for the same flights. Oh well - you win some, you loose some. What are the flight tickets for? That's for attending Rachel's marriage that's happening in March, in Alexandra. Plan is to go to Queenstown and from there go to Alexandra. I can't wait for the trip because it will be the first time ever that I am going to the south island.

Juno was a really cute movie and I think the best part of it was that it achieves that without over playing emotions and events. Ellen Page is fantastic as always and the rest of the supporting cast do a really nice job doing subtle stuff which makes everything that much more credible.

I am feeling restless and pensive at the same time for some strange reason.

That's me for now.
Amit

Labels: Food, Movies, New Zealand

posted by Amit @ 9:22 PM 0 Comments

Rumble

I mailed off the DVDs of FIVE to 2 different outlets, so I can make it available for DVD quality download for PC as well as for portable devices like ipod and PSP; along with normal DVD sales. So more status update on that once those things go live. But before I stop on this topic - here is a thought for consideration 'Grace is Gone' - an independent movie starring John Cusack was picked up by Weinstein company for $4 million (that's $ 4,000,000) and to date it has earned back $37,000 in ticket sales. It will probably make that money back through cable TV sales and DVD release but it still highlights the plight of independent cinema and if you don't have a name on board the movie then you can but just hope. There are examples where smaller movies have made it huge but those you can count on your fingertips.

I watched 'Charlie Wilson's War' and it was an OK movie - the acting is brilliant but somehow the truncated runtime on this one seems to have done more harm than good. Tom Hanks is brilliant and so is Philip Seymour Hoffman. The last 20 odd minutes of the movie kind of spoil the real nice build up. It is a good watch neverthless. It was weird seeing the movie because in the book 'Ghost Wars' that I read recently Charlie Wilson was in the book for 4 pages out of the 600 page book.


Anyway I will probably go off on a different tangent, so will stop for now.

Labels: Five, Movies, Music, Tennis

posted by Amit @ 11:05 PM 0 Comments

Junebug

Junebug is a small gem of a movie. It is so human and fragile and real that the journey is even harder to take with the characters you see on screen. All the performances are bang on target and Amy Adams is fantastic in the movie - her character drives the movie in a way. Watch it if you get a chance.

I also watched 'The Pursuit of Happyness' and watching it after Junebug just made it look just so fake and sugary even though it is based on a true story. Maybe watching it on it's own some other time my opinion would have been different but as it is - I thought it was just an OK movie.

I had my first tennis lesson today and we just focussed on forehand, which was good because I didn't have to run around - which meant that I didn't strain my hamstring. which is recovering nicely. It is so much fun when you get it right.

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Movies, Tennis

posted by Amit @ 9:59 PM 0 Comments

Cloverfield

WOW. Finally a movie which doesn't spoon feed the audience. I enjoyed the movie and it is a great watch. A good chunk of the audience thought that the ending was weird and crap and that it was a crap movie but I think that was the perfect ending. I hope they don't make a sequel for it either. The movie is by no means a landmark but it definitely reinvigorates monster movie genre. This is what Godzilla should have been like. Even though the technique used is not new - it does put it to good use and the movie feels epic even though it is not. And the monster - oh my!!!!!

I am now a member of Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand and I received my membership card today. Wohooooooo....... I don't know if having the membership will do anything or not but good to finally get around to doing what I had been planning for the past 2 years. :-)

I picked up the NTSC DVD masters from Lucas at Digitalus and I am now just waiting on the artwork before I mail it off to the US of A for further processing and then it will be available for DVD sale as well as for download. Yay!!!!

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Directing, Five, Movies

posted by Amit @ 7:42 PM 0 Comments

After the Wedding

FIVE is available to view for a limited time only FOR FREE HERE (You just need Real Player installed). Hurry up before the week runs out.

'After the Wedding' is a brilliant movie. It hits you where it hurts and never let's go. Everything about the movie is great - the acting, the cinematography, the editing and the directing. The movie will haunt you for a long time after you leave the theatre. It is a danish movie directed by Sussane Bier and it was nominated for a 'Best Foreign Film' Oscar in 2007 and lost to 'The Lives of Others'. Between the 2 movies I definitely prefer this movie over the other one - even though I enjoyed that movie as well.

Aliens must have implanted a metal plate in my head or something - I seem to be setting off shop security alarms ( atleast I did in the 2 shops - once yesterday and then other one today). I wasn't even carrying anything - just myself and the shop keepers were as puzzled as me as I was entering the shop when the alarm went off - so it was not like I was taking anything out of the shop. It is a bizarre feeling. It caused a fair bit of amusement to everyone standing nearby as I slowly discarded any movable items from my body - like keys, wallet, i-card and the alarm would still go off. Amusing indeed!!!!!


Chur,
Amit

Labels: Five, Movies, Random

posted by Amit @ 9:09 PM 0 Comments

The Devil Dared me to

The list of movies and books keep getting bigger.

The books I finished reading since the last post:
Disgrace by J.M.Coetzee : Awesome book. Thrilling and painful and vivid as his other books. A must read.
Trinity : It is a graphic novel but nonetheless - it was a fascinating read and it comes out more as a character study of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. I thoroughly enjoyed it and the art work was fantastic.
The Life Eaters by David Brin: Another graphic novel which takes an interesting premise and turns it upside down on it's head. The story telling is fantastic.

And the movies that I watched were:
The Devil Dared me to : Blah!!! A NZ movie. The film makers spirit is infectious but not the movie. It has a few good jokes but that's about it. Watch it if you love 'Jackass' kind of humor.
What's eating Gilbert Grape: Fantastic movie. Leonardo Di Caprio's performance is something to savour and overall the movie is gentle and very touching.
For Your consideration: Average movie. It has funny bits and pieces but the whole thing goes on too long. It would have been a more enjoyable experience if the movie had lost about 10 minutes odd.
Letters from Iwo Jima: Fantastic movie. It was a painful experience watching the movie and it just shows that war has human casualties no matter what the final outcome is. Ken Watanabe is awesome in the movie. To read more about that war click here.

That's me for now.
Amit

Labels: Books, Movies

posted by Amit @ 10:28 PM 0 Comments

Child of Our Time

I just recently watched 'FARGO' - which has been on my to-watch list for over 3 years. For one reason or the other I never picked it up or would give it a pass for something else but I sat down and decided to finally watch it. I loved it. It is fantastic and the dark humor is hilarious and the accents and mannerisms are great. It is a definite classic and a must watch for so many reasons.

I saw this year's set of 'Child of Our Time' and it was fascinating to watch. It is a great social experiment but the question which immediately popped up in my head was - would the camera affect the behavior of the children? At this point - it doesn't seem to impact on them too much but what happens when they grow older. I guess we will just have to wait and see each year.

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Movies, TV Series

posted by Amit @ 9:26 PM 1 Comments

I am Legend (Not...)

I am Legend is a really good movie for the first half of it's running time and then it turns into utter crap. Will Smith gives a fantastic performance and it is a pity that the haphazard third act with plot holes galore ruins the movie. What made the movie interesting was the lady sitting right in front of me who for some reason wouldn't turn off her cellphone and it rang 3 times and each time it took her longer and longer to find her cellphone and the experience wouldn't have been complete without a lovely young couple sitting right next to me, deciding to catch up on their gossip and love lives once the movie started. I reprimanded them 5 minutes into the movie and they promptly shut up and watched the movie for rest of the time. Oh my.....

I did a second round of raid to the library and got 3 more of the books that I wanted. I am currently reading 'Interpreter of Maladies' and 'A Thousand Splendid Suns'. How can I read 2 books at the same time? I have 2 eyes, no? Just kidding. 'Interpreter' is a collection of short stories and the way I read short stories is to read one a day and let it seep into you before reading the next short story, which obviously gives time to carry on reading another longer format story.

I start back at work from tomorrow and it should be a good way to get back into the groove of things. I feel primed again to start jumping back into the fray of things with all the feature projects and all - after taking a good month's break from it. First and foremost on my list is to try and get the NTSC DVD of FIVE out for sale. The rest of the things will follow.

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Books, Five, Movies

posted by Amit @ 10:21 PM 0 Comments

The Last Mughal

It has been exhausting and exhilarating reading 'The Last Mughal' by William Dalrymple, which covers the fall of the last Mughal king during the Great Uprising of 1857 [also known as the Indian Mutiny in Britain] bringing to an end the Mughal rule of India and also the dissolution of East India Company soon after. It is vivid and fascinating and heartbreaking seeing Delhi ravaged and raped and almost destroyed to nothing before some sense prevailed. History is littered by predictions of the future and the last few pages in the book provide a crucial link to what's happening today (and will again be repeated sometime in the future). A highly recommended read if you have the slightest interest in history. Oh don't let the word 'history' put you off because William Dalrymple writes so elegantly that you think you reading a novel more than anything else.

K-Pax was an interesting movie. It kills off any sense of mystery and intrigue in the first couple of scenes in the movie and tries desperately hard for the rest of the movie to try and keep the audience guessing. If only they had chopped off the first 5 minutes of the movie!! But even in the shape it is right now it is an interesting watch nonetheless because the cinematography is fantastic and so is the acting by Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey.

That's the lot for now.
Till later,
Amit

Labels: Books, Movies

posted by Amit @ 7:53 PM 0 Comments

30 days of night

What a crap movie. I don't know if I ever shared the fact that I get a headache whenever I watch a really bad movie - that is how I can tell if the movie is bad or not. :-) Pretty rudimentary method for judging movies you would think - especially for a guy who thinks he is a film maker. Well the truth is that every person is an audience member first and foremost and everything else follows. Yeah that's deviating from the thought process but if you can try hard enough - then try and avoid 30 Days of Night - which is utter bull crap. It was made even more disappointing by the fact that David Slade's first movie Hard Candy was a really solid flick. Reasonable acting and beautiful cinematography combined with non-existent storyline or character development or even scares or coherence.

The other movie I watched was 'The Root of all Evil?'. It wasn't a movie per se - it was a 2 part documentary put together on 1 disc. It was a fascinating documentary mainly because it deals with religion and God - a topic which usually brings everyone into a heated debate. The first part of the documentary 'The God Delusion' was fantastic and the second part barely reaches those heights, even though it is good - the reason being it mainly explores Christianity and not the other major religions. It lead me down an interesting trip down memory lane about my own dealings with different religions and I am happy the way things have shaped out for me as far as my belief system goes. Now I am tempted to read 'The God Delusion' the book by the same author - Richard Dawkins.

Talking of reading - I finished 'Youth' by J.M.Coetzee and it was a tearful and hard read because of what it is. I don't think I will go into the actual content itself but needless to say you will either know what he is talking about or you won't - there is no middle ground. He is turning out to be one of my favorite authors.

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Books, Movies, Random

posted by Amit @ 11:48 PM 0 Comments

Black Snake Moan

'Black Snake Moan' is a movie that should have done better at the box office than most of the dumb trash they put out. It is a great movie about the power of healing and redemption through one human connection. Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci and Justin Timberlake turn in amazing performances and the music is fantastic along with everything else in the movie. Check it out if you get a chance.

SILENCE
Beauty is in silence,
Silence in pain.
Pain is the freedom
and the beauty that's everywhere

Amit

Labels: Movies, Poems

posted by Amit @ 10:37 PM 0 Comments

Shantaram

I watched 'The Darjeeling Limited' yesterday night and it was a strange movie. I like Wes Anderson's movies however quirky they turn out to be but this one had something missing. It had some really funny moments in it but the movie was not complete in some way that I can't put my finger to.

I didn't get selected for 2008's Berlinale Talent Campus and was disappointed by the news but there is nothing one can do about it. The letter said that I had potential talent (whatever that is supposed to mean) and that I should apply again the following year. Hmmmmm......... I guess the upside of it is that I have potential talent at an international level.

After a flurry of emails between Katha publications, I have decided not to make 'Peace'. Without going into details all I can say is that I didn't want to make the short film anymore. A bit of a bugger but as the french say it cest la vie.

What an year it has been - more good than bad has happened to me in 2007, so I am a happy chappy. Everyone always has some problems or the other but the key is to focus on what we have got rather than what we don't. I am hoping that 2008 will be a much more positive and fun year.

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Books, Movies

posted by Amit @ 11:48 PM 0 Comments

The Man from Earth

I did nothing today - well almost nothing. I spent the entire day reading 'Shantaram' and watched a movie called 'The Man from Earth'. The movie turned out to be a really pleasant surprise considering that the whole movie is set in a cabin room. There are some points where the acting and camera angle choices are dicey but still it was a fascinating movie to watch. It is a science fiction movie that doesn't have any aliens, any space ships, any SFX, any blood and gore or action and it is not set in some future point in time. If you can get past some dodgy acting from some of the players then you will thoroughly enjoy this movie without a doubt.

'Shantaram' is an intimate epic and I am only 1/3rd of the way through the book even though it seems like I have spent an eternity with the main characters. I will write my impressions when I finish the book - for now it is a brilliant read.

Back to the book.:-)
Amit

Labels: Books, Movies

posted by Amit @ 10:20 PM 0 Comments

Into the Wild

Yesterday night saw a really beautiful movie - 'Into the Wild'. It was poetic, tragic, adventurous, emotional and alive. Writing anything about it would spoil the experience. So all I can say is that if you get a chance to watch it in the cinemas do watch it, here is the trailer for the movie and also a music video.


The Trailer for 'Into the Wild'


Hard Sun by Eddie Vedder O.S.T from 'Into the Wild'

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Movies

posted by Amit @ 5:38 PM 0 Comments

A good movie and a good book

It is amazing what watching a good movie and reading a good book can do to you. I feel really alive and connected as I did both recently.

The good movie being 'This is England' and the good book being 'Life of Pi'. The book is definitely more powerful than the movie because of the simple fact that you get to use your imagination while reading the book but not so incase of a movie.

Got 2 more books lined up to read, so should be a relaxing couple of days off work.
Till later,
Amit

Labels: Books, Movies

posted by Amit @ 11:33 PM 0 Comments

Beowulf

Just came back from watching Beowulf in Imax 3-D - it was a great experience. It was really well done and 3-D pulls you further into that world rather than distance you from it. If you watch this movie then watch it in 3-D.

Also a fresh review has come in for FIVE from Hollywood Bitchslap and it is a mixed review but a good one nonetheless - or atleast I took with me the good bits while committing the bad bits to heart to rectify in future projects.

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Five, Movies

posted by Amit @ 10:06 PM 0 Comments

Life of Pi

Something that Yann Martel wrote in the preface of 'Life of Pi' has just got me more centered - "If we , citizens, do not support our artists, then we sacrifice our imagination on the altar of crude reality and we end up in believing in nothing and having worthless dreams."

FIVE got a mini review from AROVIDEO and they have called it a potential cult kiwi film. Other than that life is at a standstill right now - I don't mind it - need a little time for reflection and see if I am still on the right path.



I watched 'NO END IN SIGHT' and it is a good documentary. The subject matter is explosive and the interviews are amazing but not sure if it is deserving to be on the Academy Awards short list for Best Documentary.

Till later
Amit

Labels: Books, Five, Movies

posted by Amit @ 10:20 PM 0 Comments

Movies

The Warriors
3:10 to Yuma
American Gangster

Labels: Movies

posted by Amit @ 9:24 PM 0 Comments

Hard Candy

'Hard Candy' was brutal and a tense film which was also beautifully shot and acted. It leaves you gasping for breath. The documentary on the making of the movie was interesting and frustrating at the same time - I am sure that the director of the movie is immensely talented and all but his was one of the most annoying interviews. He couldn't sit straight and would keep looking away from the camera while talking - it felt like he was guilty of something and he was trying to hide something during the interrogation.

Amit

Labels: Movies

posted by Amit @ 8:34 AM 0 Comments

More BSG

I am officially addicted to Battlestar Galactica - I managed to get my hands on the first 8 episodes of Season-2 and it was satisfying as ever. Now that the craving is high and the product is scarce (the series always seems to be booked out at the local DVD rental store) - I went ahead and bought the entire DVD set: the mini-series, season-1, season-2 and season-3. Now just have to be patient and wait for them to arrive within the next couple of weeks. This TV series is a keeper.

The weather has been playing havoc recently and it finally brightened up today. Add the extra hour of daylight (courtesy: daylight savings being moved forward by 2 weeks) and the evenings are now great. I am eagerly awaiting my next lot of free days so that I can try and cut down my 'to do' list atleast by half.



I did a couple of interviews with print media over the last week and hopefully it will give FIVE some much needed publicity. And if you are in Toronto on the 12th of October by any chance then you should check out the movie at Camera Bar (1028 Queen Street W).

I watched 'The Kingdom' yesterday night and it was a decent action flick. Very well executed but in the end it wasn't satisfying coming out of the movie theatre. Something is missing from the movie but still it is a fairly decent watch- you never get bored.

That's me for now.
Amit

Labels: Five, Movies, New Zealand, TV Series

posted by Amit @ 8:39 PM 0 Comments

Manufacturing Dissent

I watched an interesting documentary 'Manufacturing Dissent' that on the surface follows Michael Moore - the director of such hits as 'Bowling for Columbine' and 'Fahrenheit 9/11' but what it really explores is the celebrity culture in Hollywood and how megalomania can easily be overlooked. I liked 'Bowling for Columbine' and never watched 'Fahrenheit 9/11' as I didn't like the opinionated style of documentary film making anymore. After watching 'Manufacturing Dissent' I really do dislike Michael Moore because I don't believe that end justifies the means - especially in documentaries where the rule is simple: show the truth as it is. It is a good documentary for one simple reason - it doesn't distort the reality to prove a point, it rather presents what is happening and everything does happen in front of the cameras. The film makers were in fact fans of Michael Moore and of what he was trying to achieve with his work but as the movie progresses a completely different picture emerges about their 'hero'. It is a fascinating documentary and a reality check for people who can't see beyond the sheet of publicity and public image. An interesting website that came out of the documentary was 'Moorewatch'

I got a few more movies to watch but at the same time I look around my room and think 'Shit...it is clean up time again' and to top it my list of things to do has grown longer. Topmost amongst which is the further script development for 'Ghost Scream' and following a close second is replying to emails that are now almost a month old now.

Hmmmm.....
Amit

Labels: Movies

posted by Amit @ 7:07 PM 0 Comments

Elated

Well - here are some good reasons I am feeling elated right now.

> 'Five' won Best Feature - Action/Thriller at Microcinema Fest (don't know how it played or went down with the audience yet)
> I got confirmed for my first advertisement that will be shooting soon.
> My NZ citizenship ceremony is confirmed for next week.
> I finally got around to watching 'Before Sunrise' and was not disappointed at all.
> I got rid of a lot of my 'extra' clothes and put them in the recycling bin.

A minor blip in the whole proceedings is that I need to spend a couple of hundred bucks getting a minor problem with my car fixed. That set off a chain of events and I have decided to get myself a decent car [by decent I mean something that's not 18 years old - the current age of my car].

So all in all feeling pretty light.

Till later,
Amit

Labels: Acting, Five, Movies, New Zealand

posted by Amit @ 10:00 AM 0 Comments