Before Sunrise – before I can forget!

I am not sure what I am going to write about the movie. I never even felt like I watched one. I think this movie has affected me more than any other I have seen, heard or read about anywhere. I feel like telling to myself,

“You know what, you are being preposterous on praising this movie so much.”

I think this movie has connected so well with me, that I am writing this immediately after watching the movie. I even notice that I have written it entirely in first person. I cant imagine myself writing otherwise. I cant imagine giving an objective review, totally disconnecting from the emotions I experienced as I was watching the movie. I cant go on about how the director has very aptly chosen Europe as the setting for the story, since Europe is the cradle of modern thinking during the Renaissance period.

I want to document some important things I saw in the movie and felt about. I cant afford to forget it. The story starts in a Eurail in the usual ‘romantically stupid’ way, where the hero and the heroine get adjacent seats by pure coincidence. There stops my complaint about the screenplay. From then on, slowly those two characters dissolve into the story. This idea is even being projected in a scene in the movie. In that scene, the lead pair see paintings of an artist displayed in the streets of Vienna, who has the habit of depicting people as figures with indistinct outlines, portraying the idea that all of us are as much part of the surroundings as we are separate. As the movie progresses, the characters transform into their perceptions about life and things around them. Some of the interesting things that we miss daily in our life, were very beautifully mocked by the characters. One thought from the movie that I can not forget is, we all praise technology for reducing the time consumed to do any work, but we never use that to ‘live life’.

Slowly the couple get comfortable with each other and there thoughts get better structure and gets centered around love. Best part is, it dint happen by accident. They both confess to each other that they had developed an infatuation on first sight of the other. This drives their ‘meaningless’ philosophical ramblings into a concrete and purposeful ‘what you think love is?’ and ‘why people behave the way they do?’ conversation. Just like the characters, we also discover what conflicting opinions we have been having about love, sex and people all along. This movie keeps itself out of professing which is the right opinon, it simply teases us with the possibilties we so contemptously turn a blind eye. It provokes the minds which have been hibernating on the existing framework of beliefs and ideologies, never daring to seek those out in the open. It is an allegorical way of emphasising the fact that questioning anything only enriches our understanding of why we do things the way we do and does not disrespect anyone in the process. This movie goes down into my memory as an experience and not as the details of the scenes in it. More like the smell of a blossoming flower than the picture of the flower itself. I am sure anyone who has watched the movie would appreciate what I am going through when I write this.

Almost saw a movie…

When I was just about to adapt to the eternal boredom, sure to get extended by another week thanks to my employers, I get a message.

“I have 4 tickets for JTYJN (obviously the latest bollywood flick!!). I had booked it for my cousins. They are not available. So, are you interested??”

I was after a long time using my decision making skills. Is the movie good? Who cares when you don’t have much of a choice. Aaaah.., yes this one has Genelia (eyes popping). Oh Rahman music, I almost forgot. Sorry Rahmanji, its all because of Genelia (sigh). After some serious thinking I said

“Ok da. What time da?”.

He was very happy and proud of his ever dependable friend (me me me). I know I know.. After all what are friends for! I had 3 hours in hand before the movie. Spent most of it chatting with friends and boasting about how I am going to watch this movie. Oh no its 2.30! I quickly washed my face, after some frantic search, found the same T-shirt I wore last time I went for a movie. Convinced that I wont reach on time, I called my friend who had trusted me a lot, to tell him that I ll be just on time or five minutes late at max. He replies coolly,

“Hey, enna da! what is the hurry, its tomorrow afternoon da.”

I felt like everyone was laughing at me. I could even see an imaginary TV persona indicating a camera on the opposite side of the road and laughing at me. It felt like I was on Just for Laughs on Pogo tv. I asked the auto wala to stop and turn back home. I controlled my anger to a great extent and asked him why he had not told me before.  He doubtfully and coolly replies “Din’t I tell you before da??”.

First Day, First Show!

It all began like this. Yesterday night, Srikanth told me “Dai naalaikku nine to three power cut da!”. Then the idea bulb in me glowed brightly. I could not resist suggesting the latest Dhanush movie “Yaaradi Nee Mohini” also starring our very own Nayanthaara After many rounds of valiant fight for my new found favorite star Dhanush (for our similar features ), we decided to watch Shankar’s production, “Arai enn 305-il Kadavul” releasing at Cauvery Theatre near Chatram Market. All the guys were ready by 0910 hrs to leave for breakfast at Vasantha Bhavan near Central Bus Stand. Everything went according to plan and we managed to get our tickets for just Rs 50. This is one of the two well maintained cinema theatres I have seen in Trichy. The other being Ramyas also somewhere near Chatram. The movie started off grandly with whistles from me and fellow Trichi-ites when Shankar and Prakash Raj’s name made appearance on the beginning credits. I leave the review for the movie to Srikanth’s blog. The movie started off fine. After intermission it lost its way. Overall the movie was chaat!

The hungry souls among us chose to eat while the rest chose to rush to hostel to save their sun-burnt backs. Adi, Srik and me randomly entered Hotel Pandian – High Class Veg. Restaurant for our lunch. We had our qualms about the quality of food. We bought two meal coupons for just Rs 30/-. Trust me the food was awesome. Taste, aroma, quality everything A-class. I came out of the restaurant with head held high getting my money’s worth:-)

So much for the first day, first show