And sometimes when you wish you could get away with a Page3 'here's who came and here's what they wore', you get stuck with the real stuff. Reviewing not just new films, or any films, but big films. Like 8 1/2, Rashomon (which I didn't like at all, God save me - it was one of those "Phenomenal for its time"-line inducing films, maybe? Or I just have bad taste) and Cinema Paradiso. So what to do? I'm choosing not to review those ones but the lesser known ones. Like Camera Buff, Salaam Cinema etc. And have to write quickly quickly on an early morning.
PS: Reading Tokyo Cancelled (easier than Cloud Atlas, or maybe Atlas just had too small print?) and watched Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. Both highly-recommended. (If you can just snip out the end of Hazaaron where director Sudhir Mishra twiddled his thumbs and didn't what to do so put in a mad man who lost his mind trying to save an old lover and now lives with her in rural Bihar scrawling love notes in the dust while she looks on indulgently. Hmph).
Let me just add this - it seems to be a political story but I'd say that actually it's a love story set in a period of political turmoil. It's not a particularly striking love story, as love stories go, and the female lead is constantly seen in relation to the men in her life. Why? Did she have no aims, ambitions, goals of her own? She is introduced as an independent, highly educated, 'Westernised' college student, but soon it's apparent that all she does is wear beautiful cotton sarees and wilt over the men in her life. So, I thought it was a lovely film, but didn't attempt to explore personal politics as much as to wind itself up into cliche knots over a love story. It's true though that she discovers herself by the end of the film and displays courage and conviction the other characters didn't show, but somehow it appears like she got led to rural Bihar and then got stuck there - husband is off abroad searching out greener pastures and she's dumped with the dumb lover. It seems less a result of personal choice and more like like she went into default mode.
4:40 p.m.
Just back from an Australian wine tasting thing. Why do they have them in the afternoon? Why why?
Also, in response to eM's post, everyone also deserves someone who, when you're unwell, will break Crocin's in half so they're easier to swallow, hold your hair back while you inhale steam, warm water so it doesn't grate your throat, not mind a snotty nose and drooping eyes and pat you to sleep.
