The Theory Of Everything

Movie: The Theory Of Everything

Directed by: James Marsh

Written by: Anthony McCarten

Music by: Jóhann Jóhannsson

Running time: 123 minutes

The life of Cambridge PhD student Stephen Hawking goes happy and smooth through his University days as he effortlessly excels and stumps his colleagues, and falls in love with an arts student Jane Wilde, until his muscles start failing. After attending a lecture about black holes, Stephen is pushed to think that black holes must have existed at the beginning of the Universe, and this leads him to his thesis on the beginning of the Universe and time itself for his PhD. 

One fatal day, walking across the University campus, Stephen's legs fail, and he falls flat on his face, hitting his head. Stephen is diagnosed with motor neuron disease that shall eventually, and slowly, take away from him all voluntary muscle control, and a life expectancy of two years. Shattered, Stephen puts his all into working on his thesis. But life takes a turn as Jane marries him irrespective of his progressively deteriorating condition. The film is about how the man who was given two years to live defied all expectations, and shattered all boundaries, both personally and professionally. 

Eddie Redmayne is brilliant as Stephen Hawking, slumped in his chair, making you reconsider if it really is just acting. The film is beautiful, though in some parts it lacks the effect it seeks to produce. It is an extremely good film with some great acting. It focuses more on how Stephen's personal life and care pushed him to a life more hopeful, and how it helped him excel professionally. With nothing really science-based in the movie, it in fact humorously portrays how Jane understood what her astrophysicist husband was courting all the time. 

I really enjoyed the movie. It is true that some sequences disappoint, as you expect it to make a better impact on you, but overall the movie is really nice and enjoyable!

Parasite (Gisaengchung)

Movie: Parasite (Gisaengchung)

Language: Korean

Directed by: Bong Joon Ho

Written by: Bong Joon Ho, Han Jin-won

Starring: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Chang Hyae-jin

Music by: Jung Jae-il

Running time: 132 minutes

Father Ki-taek, mother Chung-sook, son Ki-woo, and daughter Ki-jeong of the Kim family struggle to make ends meet for a regular living, with no jobs for any of them. What seems a boon when an offer comes their way to Ki-woo, to tutor the daughter of the rich Park family on the recommendation of a friend, soon turns into a string of lies. The well-rehearsed lies, and some well staged plans, lead to the whole Kim family being employed with the Park family, without the Parks knowing the connections between them. There develops a symbiotic relationship between the Parks and the Kim family, and the lives of these two families placed in disconnected worlds cross over. But, the parasites discarded by the Kims, as a part of their hatched plans to get employed, return to threaten their newfound lives, making the heart of the story. 

The movie captures the differences in privilege with a honesty that is haunting. The dependence, and the troubles born out of truth and lie is almost parasitic. Privilege till the end remains a dream for the Kims. Their attempts to be employed without lying fail. But when they lie to live, the lies bury them deeper. The details in the film are intricate and well-knit, pushing you to a space of familiarity, and slight discomfort on seeing blank truth, at the same time. 

Parasite is a brilliant film. The Korean drama feels extremely true to its title, and it is so real that it keeps you at the edge till the very end. The story is simple, but the sequences are beautifully placed that it leaves you guessing all the time. You know some things would happen as you watch the movie, and they do- but never at the moment that you think they would happen. The film is bounty with twists and turns, and leaves you high on expectations at some points only to hit you with that unexpected tangent of events.  

Parasite refuses to fit into a pre-decided confinement of a single genre. It is thrilling to the point that your brain spins with the score of possibilities, and it is also with consistent comedy, leaving you at the end with a feeling of a roller-coaster ride I could bet you haven't been on before. 

Whiplash

Movie: Whiplash
Directed by: Damien Chazelle
Written by: Damien Chazelle
Starring: Miles Teller, J. K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist
Music by: Justin Hurwitz
Running time: 106 minutes

Whiplash. How it left me feeling, as the credits rolled in the end, can be accurately summed up in just two words: absolutely exhilarated.

Terence Fletcher is a jazz instructor and Andrew Neiman is a young, ambitious jazz drummer. The tension between Terence Fletcher's undying urge to push people's limits and Andrew Neiman's daunting attitude, that involves both condescending arrogance and impeccable confidence, to prove he is capable of taking Fletcher's push and much more, makes the crux of the movie.

In truth, there's nothing pleasant about most of the scenes in the movie. I feel the scenes can be best described as raw. Neiman's drive to become 'one of the greats', and seeing him being extremely unforgiving and hard on himself to try and earn credit from Fletcher, would leave you wondering how much farther one could go to prove oneself. Fletcher's brash tone stays intact throughout the movie. And, the clash of these two minds just seems like a bloody warfare.

Even scenes that by normal circumstances one would consider as exaggerated (like when Andrew meets with a car accident but still drags himself to stage all bloody and hurt to perform in a show where he has "earned his part", or the general excessive abusing of Fletcher) fit in magically well with the movie, and just adds to the rawness that the film oozes with in every shot. Be it the passion-driven jazz drumming, the intensity of Andrew Neiman's insane dedication, or Terence Fletcher's ruthless passion towards perfection, by pushing his students 'beyond what is expected' through his aggressive swearing that both motivates and demoralizes them, not one scene feels overdone, and it ensures that the eyes do not wander.

The music track is great. It has a gravity that can hold the attention, even of those illiterate to jazz or western music (like me). The music is one of the primary expressions in the film, and it contributes to the story as much, if not more, as the script and acting, to the varying emotions in the film. The actors have clearly done justice to the script and the tone of the film. Every main and side role has displayed the passion that the story-line commands. The director's slight and just-about-adequate focus on Andrew's love interest, and the relationship he shares with his father, gives the movie that essential tinge of the lesson of empathy without diluting the passion.

Overall, the movie was an intense display of powerful feelings that guide the way to success. It held my focus till the last individual beat of the drum, after which it let me sit still for a while, exhilarated.

Freaky Friday

Movie: Freaky Friday

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Directed by: Mark Waters

Produced by: Andrew Gunn

Based on: Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers

Music by: Rolfe Kent

Anna, a normal teen with aspirations to take her rock band to great levels, always gets into a fight with her mom, Tess Coleman, a single-mother who thinks Anna’s band is just irritating noise. Anna and her mother differ in everything- from music to hairstyle and fashion to studies. Anna’s mom plans to marry a man named Ryan, whom Anna doesn’t get along with at all. Also, Anna’s band get the chance to participate in the upcoming band auditions, but Tess doesn’t allow her. On top of all this, Anna has an irritating little brother whom she can’t put up with. And the result: Anna and Tess, her mom, get into a big row.  

They all go to a Chinese restaurant, and there the whole issue bursts out, and mom and daughter get into serious arguing with a lot of “you are ruining my life” dialogues from Anna. A Chinese woman sees this, and gives them both the fortune cookies. When they eat it, and they both alone feel an earthquake. The argument ends there, and they are both happy to be safe. They go back home after dinner.

In the morning, Tess finds out that she has gone into Anna’s body, and Anna in hers! They get all miserable at the thought, but agree to keep it between themselves. So, to look like themselves, Anna goes to office, while Tess goes to school. She, for the first time realizes the truth of Anna’s complaints when Mr. Bates, the English teacher, gives her an “F” grade, calling it subjective grading, even when Tess answers his questions correctly. She also finds that Anna is true, more than ever, calling her ex-best friend, mean and horrible, when the girl passes her a note during examination, and then claims that Anna copied from her. But, Jake, a boy Anna fancies but Tess doesn’t have a good impression on, knows the truth, and helps Tess finish the exam paper. Her impression on Jake changes. She also understands why her daughter always ended up in detentions.

Meanwhile, Anna has all the fun time. She enjoys spending with her mom’s platinum credit card, and makes Tess's form look all trendy. She takes up her mom’s role in office, as a physiatrist, and attends to her patients, as well as possible. She understands that she can never be like her mom, and also understands the pressure her mom is usually under. Anna even attends Harry, her little brother’s, parent teacher meet. There, she sees an essay written by Harry on how his sister is the best in the world. She is bowled over by the genuine feelings of his, and doesn’t see him as irritating anymore.

When Anna and Tess finally meet, after completing each other’s respective jobs, they go back to the Chinese restaurant, and meet the old lady’s daughter demanding her to change them back. But, the old lady’s daughter apologizes to them, and tells them that there is no other way than to make the note inside the fortune cookie come true- to understand each other and do a selfless act.

Nothing happens, and Anna feels certain that she’s going to be struck in Tess’s body forever. They try different things but they go in vain.  Finally the day of Tess’s marriage to Ryan arrives, and that same day Anna’s band have their auditions. Anna’s friends and co-artists in the band, take Tess away, thinking she is Anna, for the auditions, after they plead Ryan to allow them. Anna, who is Tess’s form, follows them after Ryan asks his to-be wife to go and cheer her daughter. On stage, Tess is not able to play the guitar or give a solo because she doesn’t know to. But her friends are confused as to why she wasn’t doing it. Anna comes to the rescue, and plays on her guitar offstage, while Tess mimes on the stage. Tess realizes that it isn’t all just noise, as she had imagined it to be, and it takes a lot more to go stand up on the stage and perform. They  get through the auditions, and both mom and daughter are thrilled at the victory.

They go back to the marriage hall. There, Tess asks Anna to tell Ryan that they ought to postpone the marriage, since she doesn’t want her daughter to marry the man! But, Anna goes up, brings everyone to attentions, and gives an emotional speech praising Ryan as the special man who made Tess and the family happier, instead of telling him to postpone the marriage. That selfless action of love fulfills the note in the fortune cookie, and Anna and Tess swap back to their respective bodies.

Tess and Ryan marry. All ends happily!

The movie was fantastic! I completely loved it! The characters are so cool, and the acting was excellent! The whole movie was very creative! My favourite characters are Tess and Anna. I especially loved the parts when each realized they couldn't be the other, and yet started appreciating each other. The parts when Anna tries to treat the patients, and Tess tries to act like her teenage daughter, which she completely fails to do, is hilarious!

It was a movie worth watching!

Remember The Titans

Movie: Remember The Titans

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Boaz Yakin

Produced by: Jerry Bruckheimer

Written by: Gregory Allen Howard

Music by: Trevor Rabin

Coach Boone, a black, gets appointed as the Head Coach of football for the Titans, replacing Coach Yoast, a white. Yoast gets pushed down as Assistant Head Coach, and feels insulted. He decides to quit, and go to another school where he is offered the position of Head Coach. But, the white boys in Titans refuse to play for Boone, especially if Yoast is quitting. So, Yoast stays as Assistant. Coach Boone takes them all on a training camp. When asked to get into the buses, all the whites go into one, and the blacks into the other. Seeing this, Coach Boone calls everybody out again, and mixes them according to their positions- offence and defense. So, all boys playing offence end up in a bus, and the defense players in the other. That’s the first step Boone takes in uniting them.

At the camp, they initially fight, but later understand each other, and become great friends! They stop seeing each other by colour, and rather by football playing standards. Gerry Bertier, a white, and Julius Campbell, a black, become such thick friends that nothing tears them apart! They all survive Boone’s tough training, and get into the team of Titans.

The training ends successfully, and they come back- blacks and whites together- happily chatting away and singing. But, they are shocked to see the whites protesting against the blacks back at their place. They stick together, and keep their friendship, irrespective of the feelings of their family and friends.

On the football side, they beat every team against them in all matches, having a string of victories to be proud of. The people, whites and blacks, learn from the friendship of the team, and start accepting the concept of living without seeing colour. The Titans make it to the state championship and win it, even though the referee plays it unfair! This makes the whole town look up to them. There are parties organised, and they completely celebrate their win. But at that time, Gerry meets with an accident, and gets paralysed waist down. This brings gloom to the whole team. They don’t know what to do without their captain and best player.

The big day of the final championship match of the season arrives! They go on to the pitch with determination, but do very badly in the first half. They buck up, convincing themselves that they ought to do it for their coaches, for the people, for Titans, and especially for Gerry, who is seeing the game from his hospital room! This makes them play real well, and they win the championship. They make everybody around them proud! They show the world that the whites and blacks can unite, and win!

The movie is wonderful! The part I liked the best is during their training camp. The way they become so close from being enemies, is so good! I loved it. My most favourite characters were Gerry, Sheryl, Julius, Ronnie Bass(Sunshine) and Petey! They are cool.

The movie was really very good to see.

Akeelah And The Bee

Movie: Akeelah And The Bee

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Doug Atchison

Produced by: Laurence Fishburne, Sid Ganis, Nancy Hult Ganis, Daniel, Llewelyn and Michael Romersa

Story by: David Soren

Music by: Henry Jackman

Akeelah Anderson, the 11 year old girl from South Los Angeles, attends the school for the blacks in Crenshaw. She is amazing at spelling words, and registers herself for the Scripps National Spelling Bee contest. She gets special attention at school, and also gets a personal coach, Dr. Larabee,  for herself. She wins the school level contest at Crenshaw, and proceeds on the district level.

At the district level, Akeelah goes on to the contest without taking any training with Dr. Larabee, and almost fails there. But then, her sister, Kiana discovers one of the participant’s mother to have helped her son when he is on stage, and thus Akeelah qualifies. At this level, she makes friends with a boy from Woodland Hills named Javier. She also gets introduced to Dylan, the boy who came second twice in a row at the spelling bee.

Her mother is not very happy at the fact that Akeelah is missing her summer school to train for the spelling contest. Seeing that her mother is not for the competition, Akeelah signs the the consent letter by parents with her dead father’s name. She gets in to the regional level. She trains hard from Mr. Larabee and becomes thoroughly ready to take on the challenge.

She goes on to the venue of the competition and also gets through many of her opponents. But before her last turn, her mother comes to know of Akeelah forging her father’s signature, and demands that she get out of the contest right then. Mr. Welch, the school head, supports Akeelah, but Dr. Larabee agrees with Mrs. Anderson, saying that it was bad on Akeelah to have lied, and that she deserves to get out of the contest. But Mrs. Anderson realizes that her daughter must have wanted to go to the contest so badly to have lied even to her, and so, allows her to go on, with other punishments.

Dylan, Javier and Akeelah qualify for the finals. There, Javier ends up being the fifth. Dylan and Akeelah battle it out with the others. Finally, the contest comes down to just the two of them. They get a break to refresh, and at that time, Akeelah catches Dylan’s father pressurising the boy to win the contest. Akeelah decides to give up, and make Dylan win. She intentionally misspells a known word- Xanthosis, which she had first learnt from Dylan himself. Dylan realizes that Akeelah is trying to give up for him, and thus, purposefully misspells the word during his turn.

During the water break, he asks Akeelah why she did so, and tells her that he doesn’t care about what his father says. He tells her that he wants to win the contest fairly, if at all he has to win. So, Akeelah and Dylan, gear up, and spell all the words right. Finally they become co-champions, making all of their family, friends, and community proud. Dr. Labaree gets a more-than-satisfied smile, and an overwhelming hug from Akeelah.

The movie was very nice. I liked it so much. I especially liked the way Akeelah uses her “50,000 coaches” around her- family, friends, neighbours, classmates and the community. I also liked the part when Dylan says to Akeelah, “I don’t care what my father thinks. He hasn’t won anything in his life!” and they both battle it out to become co-champions!

I loved the movie and it was a good one to watch.