Her (2013)

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson and Amy Adams
Director: Spike Jonze

Her is a story of a lonely man, Theodore Twombly (played by Phoenix), who comes to fall in love with his Operating System (OS) Samantha, voice given by Johansson. Theodore works for a letter writing company where (no prizes for guessing) he writes letters for people who have difficulty expressing feelings. He has increasingly become lonely and fears his impending divorce. One fine day on his way back from work he comes across this newly launched artificially intelligent Operating System that evolves as per the human it is assigned to. The OS who gives herself the name Samantha slowly becomes a confidant to Theodore, giving him company through the days and the OS itself evolving through its human interactions. What strikes you are the conversations that Samantha has about her feelings, her confusions about them as to whether they are unique to her or is it something that she was programmed to feel. As they start to fall in love with each other, Theo feels that he is now prepared to sign his divorce papers and decides to meet his wife for the same. What ensues at the end of the meeting predictably is a fight when he confesses that he is having a relationship with his OS. He starts doubting the realness of his feelings and as a result of which he finds himself distancing from Samantha, who also with the course of time is changing sooner by the day with her interactions with other Operating Systems. Now you may ask where does Amy Adams come in all of this? She plays the role of Theodore's neighbour who has recently separated from her husband and has become friends with an OS that was left behind by him (her husband). Theo finds in her somebody with whom he is able to discuss his relationship with Samantha without the fear of being judged.

Her' is avery unlikely romantic story. Scarlett Johansson is great as Samantha and her voice just seems apt for an OS a man could fall in love with. I loved the movie and the acting, the whole sepia toned screenplay, Joaquin's role as a man bearing his soul out to an OS as he would to a real life girl friend. His doubts, his loneliness, his despair at Samantha's parting. The idea of a human falling in love with an OS somehow becomes less incredulous and more believable after watching this movie.

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner

Direction : Jean-Marc Vallee

To tell you the truth I am a bit of an ignorant when it comes to Hollywood. I most often can't tell the different actors apart let alone know their names, but I am slowly working on improving it. So why this disclaimer before I start on this review is because I have know Matthew McConaughey only from the movie 'The Wedding Planner' and have taken him to be this chocolate boy character and therefore was first surprised when I saw him in True Detective (the first episode) and as luck would have it I was recommended the movie and the series. So while the series was getting dowloaded I caught up on the movie. And to tell you the truth both McConaughey's and Jared Leto's acting blew me away.

McConaughey essays the role of this cowboy Ronald Woodrof who is diagnosed with AIDS when he is admitted in to the hospital because of some freak accident. The doctor's treating AIDS patients at the hospital which includes Garner give him a deadline of 30 days to live. At first his reaction as any normal persons would be of denial, then of enjoyment of ones last few days and then the realisation to somehow make himself live longer then what the doctors foretell. He starts his research on AIDS, what drugs are being used to treat patients across the world, state of research etc. which brings him across to a drug called AZT which the American FDA has under trial and whose efficacy is doubted. He somehow lays his hands on AZT from the very hospital but ends up getting sicker because of the dosages being incorrect and then through his connections ends up going to Mexico where he comes across drugs like Peptide T which are not toxic and actually show positive effects on his health. At near about the same time he comes across this guy called Rayon who is a transgender (played by Jared Leto) and asks him to join his business of sourcing drugs from all over the world which have yielded positive results in combating the symptoms of AIDS. He turns his life around through this venture making an endeavour to stay clear of cocaine or any kind of addictions. The story then wades through him getting at loggerheads with the FDA and narrating the entire story would kill the purpose of wikipedia.

What impressed me was the acting. Matthew as this gaunt, sick AIDS patient, with a drip running through him while running a business and Leto as this transgender who slowly starts getting more and more clients for their business because of Ron's initial homophobia and who is not able to get himself clear of cocaine no matter how much Ron tries to get him off it. It is a story of their friendship their partnership in times when most of the people they call friends ditch them and start staying a step away from them and their struggle to increase the longevity of their fast vanishing life. It is a beautiful movie and I really think both of them deserve this years Oscars in their respective categories. I think someday in life, I will be watching this movie again. 

Ijaazat (1987)

Star cast: Naseerudin Shah, Rekha and Anuradha Patel
Director: Gulzar

My only regret about this movie is, why did I never catch it any sooner. Yesterday had I not stumbled on the "mera kuch samaan" song after long I would not have ever discovered this movie. Another brownie point of this movie the songs, they are such beautiful renditions that you would not to skip on them and get on with the movie. They add their poignancy to the story.

So the storyline is basically, of this guy Mahinder (Naseerudin) who has been engaged to this woman Sudha (Rekha) for five years now and has been warding off marrying her as he is involved with a more mercurial and unpredictable woman Maya (played by Anuradha Patel). When he goes back to Maya to take her to meet his Grandfather and ask permission to marry her and break it off with Sudha, being the free bird that she is, he is not able to find her and ends up marrying Sudha. The marriage starts on the note of honesty, with Sudha being fully aware of Maya's presence in Mahinder's present and past and slowly starting to even appreciate her finer qualities. Sudha, is shown as a woman who is much more stable and righteous which warms up Mahinder to her. They slowly start to fall in love. But when they are back from their honey moon, Mahinder gets to know that Maya has tried to commit suicide and therein all the complications and misunderstandings start.

What I really liked about the movie other than the fine acting by all the protagonists is the acceptance of faults in each other's personality and of the past without creating too much of a melodrama over it. The movie is about the fondness one develops for other's while living together and adjusting to their quirks and eccentricities and yet after years of separation finding each other at the same page but of course with drastically changed circumstances, because well, time takes a toll. This movie definitely goes down in my favourite list and I think I liked it over the movie Ghar even, even though Ghar was more about the woman being stronger and the man being a philanderer. I guess I like Ijaazat more is because I connect to the quandaries of the characters more, I see the honesty of intentions. The characters in the movie are all correct in their positions, but fail because of the lapse of time.

All in all I think I am going to have another go over this movie sometime soon. It's 5 out of 5 stars for this movie.

The Lowland - Jhumpa Lahiri (The Much delayed Book review)

I was really gunning for this book to win the Booker this year, for how beautiful a story it was. But in retrospect, I think I can see it’s flaws and now that I am reading the Luminaries I hope it shocks and awes me.

The Lowland is the story of two brothers Subhash (being the elder brother) and Udayan, born in the British India but soon making it’s way into independence. It is the story of the differences in nature and yet their irrevocable bond, which binds them even after Udayan’s death. Subhash, is shown to be a person who is more cautious and believes in taking the beaten path while Udayan on the other hand is the kind who is feisty and wears his heart on his sleeves. Udayan is greatly influenced by the Naxal movement in the Kolkata of the 60’s and decides to join forces with them, while Subhash chooses to go Rhode Island for his higher studies. While in the US, he learns of Udayan being killed by the Police and it is this tragedy, which gives the depth to Subhash’s character which till now was all of Udayan’s. And you suddenly realize it was Subhash’s story all along.

You are touched by the sacrifices he keeps making again and again, demanding nothing from anybody. Life tests him to the fullest and you realise we most often end up admiring people like Udayan more in the first instance, taken in by their zest for life, their desire to change the world and while individual’s like Subhash end up being cornerstone of most people’s lives.

More than the patriotic feeling of wanting a fellow Indian to win, it was story which really made me want it to be read by one and all. But the flaws I think lay in the second half of the story, where it seemed a little loose ended. What rankles you in this story are certain character’s and their inability to move on with their lives or rather their inability to give themselves unto a person who does so much for them. You empathize with Subhash and his quandaries. My favourite character no doubt ends up being Subhash, I remember feeling very disturbed by the indifference that gets doled out to him by people for whom he ends up altering his whole life.

It is a must read and recommend everyone to pick it up, so what if it did not win the Booker.

Five Star Billionaire - Tash Aw

Five Star Billionaire was long listed for this year's Man Booker prize, however has lost out on the race for the Booker. And therefore it should go on to say a lot about the ones that have made it through the short list, for reading this book is an absolute delight. This book, inspires you to rise beyond your meager means, beyond the most trying of times both emotionally and financially, to rise after every fall. It's about the ups and downs of five individuals in the city of Shanghai, who have all moved into the city to fulfill their ambitions, their dreams, disillusioned in their search for success and who they really are.

The first of these individuals is Phoebe, an immigrant from rural China, who with the help of self help books wants to land herself a rich man,  so that she is able to experience all the luxuries of the world. And therefore all her efforts are driven around grooming herself to become the woman every rich guy wants to be with. But is sadly born with a conscience. The second individual is Gary, a singer who becomes an overnight sensation after winning a reality TV show and soon as with all celebrities his every movement starts getting tracked by the media and is what tabloid headlines are all about. Therein starts his disillusionment with limelight he seems to suddenly find himself in. He finds himself weighed down by the expectations of his fans, the media, his managing company etc. Very soon his days of fame are over as he finds more singers like him ready to take his place and realises the fickleness of good fortune.  The third story is Yinghui, a pseudo intellectual back in her hey days, who after a sullen past relationship ends up being a successful business woman. The fourth protagonist in this story is Justin Lin,  who once upon a time was a very successful business man, the so called deal breaker, Mr. Dependable but one day finds himself lost in the charade of a life he seems to have created for himself and gives up his family business leaving his family in the lurch to finally start doing something of his accord. The fifth but not the last character is Walter Chao, the five star billionaire, who comes from an extremely humble background and seems to have made it big in life through his hard work and determination, solely driven by an incident in his childhood. These are all people who have been dealt heavy blows by fate and have been left humbled by it. This book tells you the story of these individuals and their entwined fates in the setting of nouveau riche China.

What makes the story powerful, is one easily connects with these characters and finds a little bit of themselves in each. Makes for a good read.

Oleander Girl - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

I know I should have been reviewing "A Suitable Boy" and as it appears it's too much of mammoth tast to keep carrying it around and reading it in your spare time. And so to save trouble I picked Oleander girl up, and thank God I did. The only other book which I had read of Divakaruni's was the Palace of Illusions, which I clearly remember quiet enjoying to read. But to be frank I had bought this book on a whim since Amazon had this awesome independence day sale on and I had to pay only a 180 bucks for this book.

So the story is about Korobi, who was orphaned as a child and had been bought up by his grandparents. She is all set to get married to Rajat, who ofcourse is extremely good looking and from a well to do family. But on the fateful night of her engagement her grandfather dies of a heart attack and for which Korobi feels responsible. But after his death, her grandmother who wants to correct all the wrongs done to Korobi and wants to undo all the lies, reveals a life altering secret to her. A secret that takes her all the way to the US.

In the background of this journey, are other characters, other little stories about Rajat's past, his family business not doing too well and communal violence and distrust.

What I really liked about this book, is how well the Divakaruni gets her characters right, and not just them the relationships between them. The chinks in the armour of the strongest. The supposedly weak, becoming the pillars of strength pulling people together. The importance of righteousness, of trust, of honesty and of companionship. All in all, it's a very feel good book but on a more serious note than what I remember Palace of Illusions to be, which was a whole lot more witty and funny. But of course the theme of the books were completely different.

All in all, it's book you will breeze through easily.

The Cuckoo's calling - Robert Galbraith (a.k.a. J K Rowling)

Being the fan that I was of JK Rowling I had to pick this one up. Somehow I never got around to picking up Casual Vacancy. I had taken a bit of a hiatus from reading because of a close friend's wedding that I had to attend and therefore the delay in the review.

The story starts out with the controversial suicide of Super model Luna Landry and her brother coming to Cormoran Strike, the lead protagonist, the Poirot of this story to investigate the same as he firmly believes it was suicide and not murder. In the mean while Strike has broken out of his tumultuous relationship with his girl friend Charlotte and moved into his office and is shortly joined by a temporary assistant Robin who proves more than resourceful in Strike's investigation of the suicide as the story progresses. Through numerous interrogations, way lays, etc. Strike threads all the evidences together to find the whodunnit.

What I liked about the book was the unpredictability of who the murderer was, but I think i could have done with a little more build up to the revelation. Sorry to say but I don't think anybody even comes close to Agatha Christie when it comes to writing murder mysteries. The book is a tad too lengthy, with not enough happening to keep you hooked to it. I mean, you could just leave it around and then pick it up to follow with the investigation. I was left wanting more from the story. The different evidences are definitely put together well and make logical sense but you know at some point you couldn't care less who the murderer was. But for the sake of wanting to read more of Rowling's writing for old times sake, it is a good pick up. Some might like it more than I did also because my friend did do a spoiler on me. So I guess the suspense did not work for me. But it might just work for somebody else.

So have fun reading.