21 June 2009

CINEMA PARADE

This is an unplanned post.
Blame my laziness or may be something more sublimely intricate, but its getting difficult to get the words hovering around my head to bring within a mental frame of reference. Like the tiny winged arthropods looming all over, it's getting harder to tame. (No reference to the Obama-Fly Swat whatsoever)

Have watched a parade of cinema, Have resumed the reading spree with Orhan Pamuk's Snow. (Oh! I HAVE to read him more).

I'm an ardent Michel Gondry admirer. At last got to watch his "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". This title has been taken from Alexander Pope's "Eloisa to Abelard". After a long time a film made me happy, I mean a certain uncertain kind of happiness. There is a Joel and Clementine everywhere we look at. Things never change, being forgetful or trying to become one only expedites the entire emotional exercise. The anti narrative format of storytelling leaves one feeling so unsymmetrically wonderful indeed. The things we do feel happening (to) inside us but that never gets visually exemplified, gets a life here. At first I was a bit queasy about watching someone as hilarious as Jim Carrey in a supposedly serious avatar(not accounting The Truman Show) but I was thankfully wrong this time.

My next watch was Almodovar's Volver. I always presumed I would like Pedro Almodovar, I don't know why, but I simply knew. I had a difficult time deciding which one to start with - All About my Mother or Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, or Bad Education. I finally zeroed in on Volver and I was rewarded with a satisfying experience like no other. A bright colourful film portraying women of three generation battling life and it various other encumbrances in the most effervescent way ever.

The third memorable watch being the Oscar winner "The Lives of Others" . I won't attempt to write anything about it, its worthy a watch (or may be more). Brilliant.

And, yes I'm currently taken with this song by Beck (also a part of the soundtrack of Danny Boyle's utterly forgettable "A Life Less Ordinary").
I'm in love with images but not getting enough of them (if only I was able to capture every beautiful moment occuring at all the accidental intervals).
I'm discovering jazz music from the past.
Jazz is beautiful, for melancholic evenings and otherwise.
P.S:
The last film watched was 21. Reminiscent of Ocean's 13.

14 after-thought(s):

ShantanuDas said...

This reminds me.. pls do not forget to tell us when your directed film will hit the market.. I wld like to be one of the first to see!

This post and then the whole blog of Subhadip gives full insight to all the films around us.. Great for us!!

Sagorika Singha said...

Ah! Huh!! Alas, my first short film has already been directed and screened (though only to the external and the faculty) Any major release?
Will of course be invited to the premiere... till then, wish me luck :)

ShantanuDas said...

Of course! I am wishing you luck all he time. I say this to anybody in the art field.. I wish them luck because I have self interest! Who would not like to be a friend with a famous person? I am only making the way for me!! So I wish you all the best to become somw award winner too not just screening!!

The Sunflower Collective said...

I the way you talk these days

The Sunflower Collective said...

Try John coltrane

As a starter , listen to
"After the rain"

rauf said...

its been a while Sagorika,
i can't talk about these movies, i have never even heard of them. Its like i have been living in dark ages.
i think i liked living in dark ages, uncivilised, civilises, what a trap !

Picked up Pamuk from the pavements, after reading a couple of chapters the book was missing. i don't seem to have any control over things coming in and going out of my place.

Please wait for jazz to come to you, please don't go after it. One day you will find order and harmony in incoherent chaotic things. Thats when jazz hits you.
i may be wrong but i don't have to be right. i will not suggest you any music but i will suggest one of the most or the only honest autobiography ever written. Its Miles Davis. its stunning, i am still reading it when ever i feel like and i don't want to finish it.
i love it more than his music.

Hope you are doing fine Sagorika, have you watched all the 6 episodes
of BBC's Story of India ? its presented by Micheal Woods.

this wheel's on fire said...

I've sadly only seen Eternal Sunshine, but what a movie that is!

Sagorika Singha said...

@still thinking!!!
yup!I'm listening to Coltrane

Sagorika Singha said...

@rauf:
Thankfully you're back. I was about to leave another comment on your last post enquiring after you. hope everytyhing's fine with you Rauf. I never ran after jazz..

Unfortunately, the BBC transmission is not provided by our cable operators.. and Miles Davis's autobiography is on my wishlist now.

where are you now though?

Sagorika Singha said...

@this wheel's on fire:
What a MOVIE it really was!!!
Thanks for stopping by. At the end of the day (or so) its refreshing to go through your post:)

this wheel's on fire said...

You really must see Before Sunrise! It's definately a favorite of mine...how did you like One More Cup of Coffee? xo

Atanu said...

Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind is an extra-ordinary idea... I loved the movie...

Sagorika Singha said...

@this wheel's on fire:
Will be downloading it next.
I really loved "one more cup of coffee" and moreso the White Stripes's cover. Let some more addictive tunes disturb you frequently ;)

Sagorika Singha said...

@atanu nath:
welcome to the "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" fan gang!!