A Few Flicks

Hindi movies I watched since my blogging hiatus (in the order I watched it):

• D-Day

  I think I was in the 'serious' and action-type movie phase when I watched this. I liked the film but was really sad at how it ended for Irrfan's character.

  Sigh <3 Irrfan! (<3 <3 <3 Irrfan more when he collaborated with AIB!)

• Ungli

  Eh ... the flick was okay. It had so much potential but ultimately failed to deliver. Poor Arunoday Singh's role was so tiny, never mind Kangana's. WTF, if you're gonna cast her, her character needs to have more to do!

• Talaash: The Answer Lies Within

  Awesome. Film.
  
  Rani was radiant but I wished she had a meatier role. Bebo's character reminded me a little of her Chameli. Sigh, those Chameli days seemed almost innocent. So nostalgic ...

• Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!

  YES I FINALLY WATCHED IT! Even though I was a little underwhelmed by it (thanks to my high high high expectations for it), it was still good — a proper whodunit (though not quite as intense as Rahasya).

• Dum Laga Ke Haisha

  Awww, this was the sweetest film I watched this year. The chemistry between the leads, the story, the feminist-leanings — all quite lovely. Plus, for once, I actually like an Anu Malik soundtrack (mainly because of nostalgia).

• Desi Boyz

  Oh lord, why did I watch this?

  ... Prolly because of Akshay and Chitrangada Singh. GIVE THAT LADY A PROPER MOVIE AND STRONG ROLE ALREADY GODAMNIT!

• Dil Bole Hadippa!

  I want to like this but knew, going into it, I was never going to.

  Didn't buy the Rani-Shahid Kapoor pairing (because I don't like him). Don't ever want to see them as a couple in a movie again. I need to rewatch She's The Man to figure out which was a better take on Twelfth Night than Trevor Nunn's version (which I couldn't sit through).

• Don 2

  Ugh.

  SRK.

  Ugh. I really must try not to watch any of SRK's old films.

• Son of Sardaar

  Oh god, why ...?

  I must've been in the mood for something brainless when I decided to watch this.

• Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

  Ugh, no.

  Just ... NO. (For fuckssakes, NO MORE SRK MOVIES, GIRL!)

• Singh is Kinng

  Okay, I know this is a dumbass comedy but I was already well disposed towards it when I first saw the music video that had Akshay and Snoop Dogg in it. Man, that was funny! I even played it for my kids before my workshops.

• Khiladi 786

  Actually, I didn't mind this so much (even with Asin in it). I do love me some Akshay action-comedy. He's like the Jackie Chan of Hindi cinema — but so much MOAR SEXAY.

  AND I actually liked the title track (not so much 'Hookah Bar' though)!

• Singham

  Watched this for the sexay Ajay Devgn. Was not disappointed.

  If Hindi cinema decides to rip off Hollywood's Taken franchise, there are now at least two contenders for Liam Neeson's character — Akshay and Ajay. (But, all in honesty, if anybody wants the Hindi version to surpass the rather low-bar standard of the English one, then have a good screenwriter or two *coughReemaKagtiFarhanZoyaAkhtarAnuragKashyapVishalBhardwajTigmanshuDhuliaAparnaSenUrmiJuvekarcough* tweak the screenplay and cast Nawaz, Irrfan, and Radhika Apte.)

• Singham Returns

  More sexay Ajay.

  Did not like the Ajay-Bebo pairing. Wow, the age gap between the male and female leads is beginning to bug me more and more.

  Also, I just saw a picture of a prepubescent Bebo and Salman Khan together. The caption said she was being consoled by him. All I could think of was: HOW THE FUCK do you play the romantic lead opposite someone you watched grow up?! That's like a million fucking shades of gross ...

• Happy New Year

  You know, every time I think Farah Khan couldn't get worse, she pulls an even shittier film outta her ass.

  Lady, we get it. You have a huge crush on SRK. GET THE FUCK OVER IT. (On the other hand, kudos to Farah for not making her crush nearly as gross as Stephanie Meyer's on the Edward vampire.)

• John Day

  Sigh, another film with potential that failed to deliver. BUT WHYYYY? The actors were so good, why and how did the film fuck up???

• Cash

  Speaking of fuck-ups ...

  Well, at least I got to ogle at Sharmita Shetty's rather delectable figure.

• Chaalis Chauraasi

  For some reason, my mind is mashing up the narrative of this film with what I think are very similar films, like Barah Aana, Mithya, Ek Chalis Ki Last Local, The Film Emotional Atyachar, etc.

  But this film is still better than any SRK film.

• Gabbar Is Back

  I like these 'social justice' type movies! Which other movies are in this vein??

  The schadenfreude in such movies is addictive. Who doesn't love it when the little guy (i.e. your aam aadmi) sticks it to Da Man (corrupt govt/authoritative/wealthy asshats)?

• Break Ke Baad

  I ... must've been in the mood for brainless rom-coms. Imran Khan is good in rom-coms but he'll always be Tashi to me.

  That said, I'm looking forward to Katti Batti. Imran Khan + Kangana = WIN (fingers crossed)!

• Khoobsurat (2014)

  I'm surprised I liked this more than I thought I would — and I actually found it to have rewatch value. Sonam Kapoor does excel in playing ditzy girls although she really isn't much of an MPDG.

  Aw, the good ol' days of no-kiss Bollywood films ...

• Players

  Yeah ... no.

  I was still in Welly when this was shot (C and I actually saw part of the shooting at Jervois Quay/Civic Square area although I don't think I saw any actors, just the Mini Coopers). The film was dumbass-shitty, but the shots of NZ — specifically those of Welly — brought back memories. NZ will always be one of my first-loves (there are many types of first-loves: pole is my first-love aerial-type activity and NZ is my first-love country).

• Fox

  The story sounded promising. The movie was shit.

  Maybe it would've been better had they cast better leads than Sunny Deol and Arjun Rampal ... and can the goddamn song-and-dance routines.

• War Chhod Na Yaar

  HINDI CINEMA NEEDS TO COME UP WITH MORE SATIRES LIKE THIS (although with less slapstick, thank you very much). I love love love the song fights and the affectionate bickering between the Indian and Pakistani camps. We're all just human, after all — why can't we just all get along?

  (Because money. Yeah, I know.)

• Bajatey Raho

  This one's okay, but Khosla Ka Ghosla was so much better. If I'd known, I'd have rewatched Khosla rather than watched this cuz the plot is almost exactly the same.

• Mickey Virus

  I've still yet to watch a decent hacking-type movie. It seems like movies don't do computer/hacking well. Everything looks so dumb.

  Also, Manish Paul looked too old to play the Mickey character. That said, I would like to see him in more comedies in the future.

• Piku

  Have I mentioned how much I adore Irrfan Khan? <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

  And Deepika in a non-romcom role is always a win (see: Finding Fanny). Girl, give up those lousy movies and do more awesome films like these! And, for once, I actually liked AB Sr. in a movie (never was a fan).

  I watched this as I was eating lunch — I didn't know better. I do now ...

• Tanu Weds Manu Returns

  Well, I didn't finish watching this. Couldn't bear to. I didn't want to see Tanu mope over losing Manu. Girl should've hooked up with Kusum (or Raja). I really don't get Manu's appeal. He's not a very likable or attractive character. I'd rather Raja have more screen time.

  Can someone cast Jimmy and Kangana as leads (opposite each other) in a decent film, please? Does the Saheb need a third wife, maybe?

Motivation

Well, it's been ... awhile. A long while, to be sure. I left my job, had lovely gifts and a send-off from my colleagues, and have been bumming ever since and it got a little dark ... too dark for me to handle.

But I think the dark clouds have passed — at least for now. I've been riding this wave of can-do spirit this week and I hope it doesn't peter out too soon.

The last time I'd been despondent (though maybe not as desperately as the past few weeks) was when my thyroid condition left me incapable of doing the activities I love and I just gave up.

Then, one night, I happened to catch just this bit of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted on telly/cable:

Katy Perry's empowering lyrics, the visuals — but especially Alex and Gia, and Marty and Stefano, flying through hoops, etc. — suddenly motivated me to stop moping, get off my ass, and start working to get back to where I was. (It was a long process: I started aerial yoga without even being able to do the easiest things; it was just really horrible. I'm stronger now, controlling the thyroid condition with meds, training under a great aerial yoga instructor, and thinking of getting back into aerial arts, starting with the hammock and/or lyra.)

The other things in my life ... well, I hope what I've been doing this week is the first step to getting back on track. I just need to find more aural and/or video motivation.

Addendum: I can't believe I forgot to add that meeting with Ola on Sunday, soaking up her optimism and listening to her fresh (and positive) perspectives, was prolly the gust that blew the dark clouds away.