Today I watched 'Amma Ariyan' directed by John Abraham. He was a malyalam alternative cinema maker. It has strong communist references, but clearly admits that although he admires communism as a philosophy he cannot make out the modalites of implementing it. That remindes me of a remark that TSD made a while back. He said, "Most european film-makers are anti communist, especially eastern european, contrastingly most of our film-makers are communists." Why is it so? I think it is because of modalities of implementing it. Most of european intelgensia developed selecitve disolutionment over communism after prolonged exposure. The Indian intelgensia on the other hand are grossly ignorant of how communism works. The continue to live in idealised fairy tales.
I started a new medicine for anxiety and it may be having an interaction. I am feeling miserable. The doctor told me to keep taking it for another 5 days, I decided to do so, in the meantime I looked it up on the internet... That is when I got totally spooked about the drug interaction stuff.
The violin class is going fine.
Zarathustra is in its final chapters.
28 September 2010
24 September 2010
A short post. Still on Zarathustra, I have to admit it does not go down easy. I restarted Violin lessons. After I had to stop my lessons as my teacher got sick and finally died, I had not paid much attention to the violin and am awfully out of practice. The lessons are going fine.
The verdict of the court case on Ram Janmabhoomi was expected on friday, but was temporarily stayed. It will probably be in the coming week.
Basically watching a lot of trash TV, and lazing around. The weather was mostly dry and hot but it just started raining today. AaaaHaaaa.
The verdict of the court case on Ram Janmabhoomi was expected on friday, but was temporarily stayed. It will probably be in the coming week.
Basically watching a lot of trash TV, and lazing around. The weather was mostly dry and hot but it just started raining today. AaaaHaaaa.
3 September 2010
I have been really lazing off on the blogging every friday thing. I have made repeated resolutions... well that explains it. Resolutions are made once, a repeated resolution inherently describes a failure. Well, I am going to better from now on.
Since my last post I watched "The Godfather" Trilogy. I was impressed and very much liked all the characters. I have to admit I felt that it was a teensy-bit over-rated. Nevertheless, great films and great acting. It is a bit too long by english movie standards, but it is perfectly normal to have a 3[1/2] hour movie in India.
I watched Lars von Trier's Dancer in the Dark. Great movie. One of the few musicals that I have really liked. Björk is very good both in the acting and musical departments. I had a lot of difficutly in figureing out who Björk was. Then I came across a photo. She is the on who is famouos/notorious for having worn the 'dead swan' dress to the Oscars once. I am not really into fashion but I remember the dress and ample critique of the so called 'faux pax'.
Dusan Makavejev's Love Affair OR The Case of the Missing Switchboard Operator was beautiful. In his trademark docu-feature style he shows a small part of Yugoslavia, its people and its life. A simple crime story and a lot more at the same time.
I watched 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!' online. It is another of Abhay Deol's chain of off center Multiplex movies. Dibinkar Bannerjee has done an above average job in directing it. Abhay Deol, I admired a lot for working out of the cocoon, making movies that other leads in hindi cinema shied away from, but now it has become almost irritable predictable. He is typecast as the non-typecast hindi actor. I wish he would do some work where he is not so predictably original.
Currntly reading 'Thus Spake Zarathustra' by Nietzche. I have to admit I am finding it a bit difficult to follow. It has a several profound observation made in such a hurried fashion. It needs more than a re-read.
That's about it.
Since my last post I watched "The Godfather" Trilogy. I was impressed and very much liked all the characters. I have to admit I felt that it was a teensy-bit over-rated. Nevertheless, great films and great acting. It is a bit too long by english movie standards, but it is perfectly normal to have a 3[1/2] hour movie in India.
I watched Lars von Trier's Dancer in the Dark. Great movie. One of the few musicals that I have really liked. Björk is very good both in the acting and musical departments. I had a lot of difficutly in figureing out who Björk was. Then I came across a photo. She is the on who is famouos/notorious for having worn the 'dead swan' dress to the Oscars once. I am not really into fashion but I remember the dress and ample critique of the so called 'faux pax'.
Dusan Makavejev's Love Affair OR The Case of the Missing Switchboard Operator was beautiful. In his trademark docu-feature style he shows a small part of Yugoslavia, its people and its life. A simple crime story and a lot more at the same time.
I watched 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!' online. It is another of Abhay Deol's chain of off center Multiplex movies. Dibinkar Bannerjee has done an above average job in directing it. Abhay Deol, I admired a lot for working out of the cocoon, making movies that other leads in hindi cinema shied away from, but now it has become almost irritable predictable. He is typecast as the non-typecast hindi actor. I wish he would do some work where he is not so predictably original.
Currntly reading 'Thus Spake Zarathustra' by Nietzche. I have to admit I am finding it a bit difficult to follow. It has a several profound observation made in such a hurried fashion. It needs more than a re-read.
That's about it.
15 August 2010
Kind of overslept on Friday. Today is Sunday. See you next Friday for sure
Felt kind of down for some days.
Mother visited. That was stressful. Ha. Ha. Ha.
I watched Francoise Truffalt's "The Story of Adele H." Very moving indeed. The young misled girl, the absolute difficulty to face facts and the illness, which makes you wonder if you ever existed. Not to mention the obsenesy famous father and dead sister. I saw some of that reflection in 'Gandhi, My Father'. Good movie all in all.
"Downfall" based on the last days of Hitler in his bunker is simply beautiful. The actor Bruno Ganz probably is better than Hitler in playing Hitler. Seriousely.
Toby Jones in 'Infamous' the not so famous but wonderful cousin of 'Capote' is very good. It has a ton of famous cameos, not to mention Sandra Bullock as Harper Lee. It follows a similar screen play but I felt was a little more realistic.
Done.
Mother visited. That was stressful. Ha. Ha. Ha.
I watched Francoise Truffalt's "The Story of Adele H." Very moving indeed. The young misled girl, the absolute difficulty to face facts and the illness, which makes you wonder if you ever existed. Not to mention the obsenesy famous father and dead sister. I saw some of that reflection in 'Gandhi, My Father'. Good movie all in all.
"Downfall" based on the last days of Hitler in his bunker is simply beautiful. The actor Bruno Ganz probably is better than Hitler in playing Hitler. Seriousely.
Toby Jones in 'Infamous' the not so famous but wonderful cousin of 'Capote' is very good. It has a ton of famous cameos, not to mention Sandra Bullock as Harper Lee. It follows a similar screen play but I felt was a little more realistic.
Done.
6 August 2010
See You Next Friday
It has been quite some time since my last post. I have decided to post every friday hence-forth. Hope that works out.
I did read 'The Travels of Marco Polo'. It certainly was marvelous. The way he captures what he saw in his travels in India, convinced me that he was very honest and prudent in his entire writing. Truly worth the read.
After that I listened to some of J. Krishnamurthy's speeches. I could follow some of the things he spoke of but I am afraid I need a lot more to learn, and maybe a little glad too.
I discovered Tuva or Mongolian throat singing. I had heard of it several times but recently got to listen to it. I downloaded some albums of Huun Huur Tu and some other bands. I have to say it was quite cool.
The hard one was 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J. D. Salinger. It started out very well indeed, but then I realised that it was simply about a young man/boy's decent into depression and mental illness. I almost went through my own breakdown as I proceeded with the book. At one point I wanted to stop, but kept going. I was glad when it ended. I think I will be able to appreciate it better when I am in a better place.
Currently reading 'The Satanic Verses' by Salman Rushdie. It started out gently. Then it went from controvertial to WOAH!! I have still not been able to make up my mind if the book was worth the Hullabaloo.
I watched a bunch of movies at home. I have planed to watch one each evening instead of watching junk on TV. I went to a theatre to see 'Udaan' directed by Vikramaditya Motwani. It was a big deal for me as I had not been in a theatre since like 1992. All that claustophobia, agoraphobia and what not!
That's about it
I did read 'The Travels of Marco Polo'. It certainly was marvelous. The way he captures what he saw in his travels in India, convinced me that he was very honest and prudent in his entire writing. Truly worth the read.
After that I listened to some of J. Krishnamurthy's speeches. I could follow some of the things he spoke of but I am afraid I need a lot more to learn, and maybe a little glad too.
I discovered Tuva or Mongolian throat singing. I had heard of it several times but recently got to listen to it. I downloaded some albums of Huun Huur Tu and some other bands. I have to say it was quite cool.
The hard one was 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J. D. Salinger. It started out very well indeed, but then I realised that it was simply about a young man/boy's decent into depression and mental illness. I almost went through my own breakdown as I proceeded with the book. At one point I wanted to stop, but kept going. I was glad when it ended. I think I will be able to appreciate it better when I am in a better place.
Currently reading 'The Satanic Verses' by Salman Rushdie. It started out gently. Then it went from controvertial to WOAH!! I have still not been able to make up my mind if the book was worth the Hullabaloo.
I watched a bunch of movies at home. I have planed to watch one each evening instead of watching junk on TV. I went to a theatre to see 'Udaan' directed by Vikramaditya Motwani. It was a big deal for me as I had not been in a theatre since like 1992. All that claustophobia, agoraphobia and what not!
That's about it
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