Cinema, je' taime

Iranian, إيراني

One thing about Iranian films is there’s always something in it that I connect with. It’s generally the little things, little problems, a certain conservative nature of it that we’ve come across growing up. One man who captures it perfectly is Asghar Farhadi. Ever since watching A Separation, the drama that takes you into a journey of a couple, their lives, the little things of it and ending on an open note, like he does in all his films. Making the audience part of his process, putting a question for us to answer- So this week, when I sat down to watch About Elly, a movie where a group of friends go on a road trip, one among them being Elly who isn’t well known to most of them. The way down the line, things get messier and complicated over a certain event that occurs. Again the little things that I mentioned of earlier- a scene where they play dumb charades, the way they tease one of the characters with Elly and then comes a most beautiful and honest line as they’re driving around town- “A bitter end is much better than a bitterness without ending”, as she explains her relationship. And at the end, again the question that even if our intentions are true, genuine and honest, the way it can all go down south, things go wrong in worst unimaginable way and the guilt, a person feels over the decisions they’ve taken is Farhadi’s exploration telling this story.

Japanese, 日本語

Ulidavaru Kandante is the sole reason for being introduced to the world of Kurosawa- when I found out it being referred to a certain film by the name ‘Rashomon’, which ends up being one of the best movies with the treatment of perspectives of an event, the stories we tell- including a testimony of a ghost. And the way it’s being narrated on a rainy day and then the way it ends on a note that only can be watched and not written off. So this week, another Kurosawa classic, Seven Samurai- A village being attacked by bandits, to protect the villagers go in search of Samurai’s to protect. Into the cinema, into the world he takes you on a three and half hour journey from the scouting of Samurai’s to the final battle, the way each and every character changes, the thoughts, the villagers, certain ideologies that change with the time that peace is restored in the village, the way they triumph over. And the way, victory is defined at the end- I still can’t believe the way they shot the film, the way they did in ’54.

Now, the only two things that come to my mind when I think of Japan is Kurosawa and Miyazaki- Both creating their own worlds, even though one doesn’t have real people when it’s on screen both of them, present a story that has a lot of heart in them. . I wish I could meet both of them- Kurosawa in my dreams and Miyazaki in his dream world. Also recently being introduced to Murakami and his world of dreams and surrealness, was a great delight to read South of the Border, West of the Sun.

Mexican, mexicano

Cuaron and Inarritu are the names I’m most familiar with this, when I talk about Mexican Cinema. Y Tu Mama Tambien by Cuaron is an experience that cannot be explained in words. But this weekend was about- Amores Perros, three stories collide in an accident and as we take a deeper look into the stories that collide, we question love that exists in all forms and the way it takes a dark turn in situations as humans take decisions that end up in consequences that finally collide at a point. You just need to watch it, for the characters in the story and the dogs in it. Inarittu, who was created Birdman and Revenant- here, is a story that has a different soul of its own that can’t be missed.  

French, français

I haven’t watched a lot of French Classics, only one being The 400 Blows which blew my mind. Of the ones I’ve watched, I’ve managed to fall in love with Marion Cotillard. With Little White Lies, Jeux d’enfants- two completely different stories; one of them dealing with a dysfunctional family on a vacation and the other dealing with exploration of love, evergreen through the challenges they give each other as a dare. But this weekend was a deeper, darker trip down into prison life, through A Prophet.  Survival, Power, Decisions, Actions, Consequences and at the end of it all, person we come face to face with- a changed man, good or bad or grey leaning towards black or white- is a never ending question that only time in prison could define, the walls of prison could speak of.

Italian, italiano

Next on list is La Dolce Vita. Love Fellini. Love 8 ½.  Love I, Vitteloni. Love L’Avventura, even if it isn’t Fellini.