Movie Review: Okuribito (Departures)

Won Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2009. IMDb Rating: 8.1. Rotten Tomatoes: 81%

Okuribito (Departures) is a Japanese movie about life and death. It revolves around the life of a cello player who loses job when his orchestra is disbanded and finds employment in a firm as an encoffiner (one who prepares a body for cremation). Undertakers hire the firm to ceremonially wash and dress the deceased, in front of the gathered family and other mourners.

The story shows the relationship of the protagonist (Daigo) with his wife, new employer, and his father. Daigo avoids telling about the nature of job to his wife who is repulsed when she comes to know the truth. Disgusted, she leaves him when he refuses to quit. She returns when she finds out about her pregnancy while still being hopeful about changing her husband’s mind. 

The rituals and traditions involved in Japanese death rites are depicted in intricate details and the topic of death has been dealt with kindness and subtle emotions.  As in India or anywhere else, the job of an undertaker is looked down upon. The movie shows the profession in a good light and makes us realize its importance. With time, the protagonist who earlier accepted the work only because of his dire conditions finds purpose and starts taking pride in his work.  He is moved by the gratitude of the mourning relatives who gather to watch him perform the last rites for their loved one. Ryoko Hirosue's (Daigo's wife) transition from being ashamed about his husband’s profession to accepting it with dignity is captured beautifully.

There are a number of subplots in the movie which eventually connect to the main theme. They are incorporated so seamlessly that one hardly deviates from the main narrative. It’s difficult not to like the characters with whom we can easily relate in some way or the other.  

It scores high on screenplay and the sentimental cello music which contribute to the success of the movie. Emotions are captured beautifully and nowhere does the acting appear melodramatic.  This is why the movie is so beautiful.

Earlier I used to think that only Bollywood is crappy, but over a period of time, I have come to realize that even Hollywood is not far behind in doling out formula-driven and soulless cinema. Movies from other countries provide a refreshing change. Okuribito is one such piece of art. 

मोरी अरज सुनो

इस सूरत से

अर्ज़ सुनाते

दर्द बताते

नैया खेते

मिन्नत करते

रस्ता तकते

कितनी सदियाँ बीत गई हैं

अब जाकर ये भेद खुला है

जिस को तुम ने अर्ज़ गुज़ारी

जो था हाथ पकड़ने वाला

जिस जा लागी नाव तुम्हारी

जिस से दुख का दारू माँगा

तोरे मंदिर में जो नहीं आया

वो तो तुम्हीं थे

वो तो तुम्हीं थे

(फ़ैज़ अहमद फ़ैज़)

Song here

A Question of Legacy

A few years back when I was attending the Jaipur Literary Fest, I got a chance to listen to Amitabh Bachchan who was there to release a book based on him. Apart from the eloquent language in which he addressed the crowd, he mentioned a very important fact about legacy: that only artists, and in particular only authors get to live on after their death. I did not pay much heed to it then, taking it to be just another self effacing talk to hide the narcissistic attitude that Amitabh Bachchan carries. But some truths, even when presented in our face are meant to be realised later. 

How many people do we remember who are long gone? Even our family members who die are easily forgotten. But it's the artists, scientists, and writers who stay, with their thoughts and their creations. Very few politicians do, but only those who have created something new, who have inspired the generations. In a way, they are artists too.

Many people worry about what their legacy will be and how they will be remembered once gone. Nobody remembers the people doing mundane jobs. Actors, sportstars are fresh in memory only till they are in their prime. How many of us have actually seen Pelé or Bradman actually play? We don't much listen to the songs that were created even twenty years back. 

But we read books.The authors take us back in their time with their stories and ideas. Shakespeare is being read, taught, played after he died almost half of a millennium back. We all know the names Archimedes, Euclid, Socrates, Aryabhatta, Sushruta, etc. because their works were preserved in books. Words have such power. Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci still awe us. Hindu religion survives in Vedas and in temples.  

Alas, the only way to immortality, is to create. 

I learned about this book called Capital In The Twenty First Century by Thomas Piketty a few days back from a friend whose track record of buying books and then not reading them is slightly worse than mine. There are far too many books that I have bought and haven't read. The goal for the next two years is to first complete the ones I have in my shelf already and then move on to something else. (not going to happen I tell you)

I digress.

The book is a monumental work of the fifteen years of research by the author. Some people consider it to be at par with The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith, the father of modern Economics. I'm neither a good judge nor a reviewer, but I follow some people who have guided me towards better books (Gaurav Mathur) and better movies(Mradul). Riku Sayuj is one such person who recommends this book highly. I hope that if I get to finish it, I would have a better understanding of the economic environment of our times. 

Someday maybe..

The more I read about the history of India, the more I get convinced how bad the whole idea of partition was. It's highly improbable that it can be undone in the near future but there's no reason that we can't move on from what has already happened.

I look at Europe and it is extremely fascinating to observe how they have  progressively decreased (if not eliminated) the possibility of a war by forming the European Union and adopting a common currency. People will point out the example of Greece and its failure, but that is precisely the point I wish to make. Europe has been integrated to such great extent that it is nigh impossible for them to break the bond. A continent which was ravaged by the bloodiest war the world has ever seen only 70 years ago is probably at its peaceful best in its entire history. 

We share with our neighbours so much that the boundary lines on the map can never do any justice in separating people who are united by a common language, culture, cuisine and what not. Why can't we have a similar South Asian union where a much more liberal movement of capital and labour is allowed? It would lead to the development of not only strong economic ties, but also promote cultural growth, sports, and a much greater religious harmony. 

The young generation which is not encumbered by the burden of past excesses can travel to the other side and realize that we are not too different from "those" on the other side of the border. I have always wanted to travel to Pakistan where lies the home of my maternal ancestors in a city called Kasoor. An even better measure could be the student exchange programs or tourist expeditions. We already see a lot of such activities taking place in the field of music. Can we extend it to all other areas?

An overtly optimistic propsition...maybe. But we don't have to look too far to dismiss it just as a wishful thinking. 

Wish List

• Travel to Antarctica, Africa, and South America
• Backpack across all 29 Indian states and spend at least a week in each of them (current count is 9)
• Learn Urdu, French, and if possible, one more language(but be good at Hindi and English first)
• Spend few days living with eskimos at North Pole
• Sponsor (if possible, adopt) a girl child.
• Read 1,000 books (good ones) before turning 45.
• Watch 1,000 movies (imdb Top 250, Rotten Tomatoes Top 100, Roger Ebert's Great Movies etc.). Current count is around 450. 
• Be an expert on Indian History, and Cricket.
• Learn Philosophy
• Meet Sachin Tendulkar
• Learn to cook (more than basic stuff)
• Bungee Jumping
• Write everyday. (Ha, so much for wishful thinking)
• Learn public speaking
• Watch Wimbledon Final
• A bike ride of minimum 500 km.
• Deep water sea diving

Movie Review: Before Sunset (2004)

Before Sunset, the second movie of Before Trilogy is my favourite romantic movie, one of the few I have seen countless times. It was released in 2004, nine years after we saw Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) together in Before Sunrise, the first movie of the series. This time, we are reunited with  them in Paris.

The format is similar to the first movie, a couple walking around a beautiful city having an engaging conversation. As in Before Sunrise, Jesse has a flight to catch back to USA, and thus has very limited time with Céline. What follows is an intriguing dialogue, again, between the couple.

While Before Sunrise was an innocent, unadulterated love story of a young couple, Before Sunset is the tale of two middle aged individuals who have lost their naivete, are now mature with age and have had their share of disappointments especially with respect to relationships.

Hawke and Delpy share a great on-scene-chemistry, talking about a bitter truth which is the sad reality of so many people, the fact that most of them go through their lives without finding love or connection with their partners. 

The movie with Paris as its backdrop has some great scenes, which are long and score high on spontaneity. The one where the couple walks up on the stairs to Céline's apartment is one of my favourites. None of them speaks a word but keeps stealing glances at each other, trying to conceal the happiness of being together, and satisfied with the fact that they still love each other. Such sublime emotions captured so brilliantly is a rarity.

There are very few sequels that are better than the original (Toy Story Trilogy comes to mind ) and Before Sunset is definitely one of them.It has received high praises from critics and audience alike. It is rated as 95% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.1 on IMDb. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy collaborated with Richard Linklater to write a screenplay which received the  Academy Award nomination. The movie swept me off my feet when I first saw it. I hope you would experience something similar. 

Movie Review: Before Sunrise (1995)

Before Sunrise is a romantic drama movie and the first part of the Before Trilogy directed by Richard Linklater. The story follows two young people in their early twenties, Jesse (Ethan Hawke), an American boy and Celine (Julie Delpy), a French girl who meet on a train to Vienna.  They get down and roam about the streets of Vienna talking about their lives, relationships, and over the course of movie, fall into love. Its conversational nature makes it different and I can think of very few movies (Twelve Angry Men, The Man from Earth) that I would put into the same category which are not based much on events but hinge just on the conversation between people. 

It connects because this young couple does not talk about anything extraordinary: their past relationships, parents, etc.; usual stuff two newly made friends would be discussing about. Nothing much happens in the movie. If I have to tell someone about the plot, I would say that a couple walks around Vienna and have an intriguing conversation. That's about it. 

It takes a genius to make an amazing movie out of a minimalist plot and some fantastic dialogues without the usual Hollywood clichés. The script, the characters and the backdrop feel totally realistic. It's rare to find a movie where everything gels together so perfectly. Vienna in the background acts as an icing on the cake. The story could have taken place anywhere but Vienna makes for some lovely visuals. 

The movie is not melodramatic or overtly sentimental, but is easily one of the best romantic movies that I've come across. Its simplicity will make you fall in love with Jesse and Céline warming your heart and soul.

Over the years, this movie has received high critical praise. It has a rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and features in the IMDb Top 250 list. 

Movie Review: The Great Escape (1963)

The Great Escape is based on a true story of the escape plan of British and American soldiers from a German POW camp in the second World War. The Nazis, in their bid to keep an eye on the most troublesome captured Allied airmen, put them (their rotten eggs) in one basket. It only allowed some great escape minds to plan their way out, a classic example of the law of unintended consequences.

Even though the movie is quite long (2hr 47 minuts) and takes time to develop its characters, it never feels sluggish. It has a star studded cast including Richard Attenborough (the director of Gandhi), Charles Bronson, James Garner etc and interestingly, no women. An adaptation of a novel of the same name, the movie is extremely accurate in technical and engineering details with respect to tunnel digging. It is well directed, has some outstanding dialogues, and an amazing cinematography, especially the sequence involving Steve McQueen’s motorcycle ride in the picturesque German country side.

I have seen 25 movies based on World Wars and in most of them, the common theme that runs is that the prisoners in German concentration camps were kept in the most inhuman conditions one can imagine. The Great Escape is different in that regard. I was surprised to see that the British officers wore their own uniforms, did gardening, or conducted bird watching sessions during their spare time. Apparently Luftwaffe (the German Air Force) was much more humane in its treatment of POW as compared to SS or the Gestapo and followed the rules of Geneva Convention.

The movie has all the ingredients of a good, if not a great film. It never stops entertaining, and remains thoroughly enjoyable throughout its duration.