Summary of latest movies seen

Summary of movies 

 

Due to my training and semester on in full swing, I haven’t been able to catch up on too many movies as much as I’d have liked to. Nevertheless, managed to watch a few that stood out to me. 

 

My father’s violin: It chronicles the relationship between a father and daughter who are ardent music lovers. When the father discovers one day about his numbered days, he entrusts his daughter to his estranged brother who is a famous music composer. The story goes on to trace how the little girl attempts to win her uncle’s heart through music. While the movie was in Turkish, there were several aspects that struck a chord. The overall rhythm of the movie lent well to music which is a silent character. Even dialogues between people can be emulated in a tune, as the father tells the daughter. He attempts to play a tune after listening to two people in conversation. Since I’m studying both poetry and dialogue this semester, it’s interesting how such movies help me understand the importance of rhythm, cadence, and musicality in tone of the voices. Another thing that intrigues me about world cinema is how it connects on a human level by touching about universal themes like grief, loss, and healing through music.

 

Yeh Ballet: This was recommended to me by a friend. Based on a true story, Yeh Ballet chronicles the journey of two boys from the slums who aspire to become ballet dancers. The story traces through their struggles, fight against religion and conventional norms to fulfil their dreams. When they get an opportunity to train with a visiting American choreographer, their dreams seem to find wings. Together, they brave the several hurdles that come in their way. The story is set in Mumbai and the movie captures a fine blend between Western and Indian cinema. Again, the element of dance brings in the rhythm that I noticed in the dialogues. The coming-of-age theme again makes the audience connect with the film. On a personal note, it was nice to see a movie set in Mumbai. It’s been three years since I last visited. Lately, there have been pangs of home sickness that has led to bouts of mental health issues. I miss my community and there are days when the fight to put on a smile, and a brave face wears me down. There were parts of Yeh Ballet that reminded me of Slumdog Millionaire, though I wasn’t too impressed by the latter. Yeh Ballet had the touch of innocence, and freshness to it. 

 

Gangubhai Kathiawadi: Based on a book called Mafia Queens of Mumbai, Gangubhai Kathiawadi, chronicles the journey of a girl named Ganga. Lured by false promises of becoming a film star, Ganga’s fiancée leaves her in a brothel. Dismayed by his betrayal, Gang now becomes Gangubhai, and is left with no choice but to survive. The story traces her friendship with the local mafia, power dynamics, challenges faced as she strives to maintain the dignity and respect of her profession. Gangubhai immerses you into a different world that isn’t visible to the human eye. A world where women are trapped into this profession and have no way out. The first scene appalls the viewer with a fifteen-year-old girl who is made to entertain a male client. Another scene where the lead actress Alia Betrayed by her fiancée, Ganga is left shouting for help behind closed doors in a brothel house. While these instances make the viewers reach out for a box of tissues, there are other moments that make you root for Gangubhai, when she stands up for her profession or fights for her survival. The performances by the lead cast are applause worthy, never a dull moment, and not to mention some of the songs that have a soul to their lyrics. Set in the 1950s, it was an interesting experience to time travel. 

 

The Sky is Everywhere:  I watched this after reading the book. As they say, the movie can never match up to the book. The Sky is everywhere tells the story of Lennie who has recently lost her older sister. Having grown up without a mother, her sister was all she had, besides her grandmother and uncle Big. Things begin to fall apart when Lennie is caught between two guys-her late sister’s fiancée and the new kid on the block Joe. It’s interesting how music ends up playing a character here as well. Lennie uses music to help her in the process of healing and fulfil her dreams. While the movie duration is restricted to two hours, it feels rushed especially since you watched it after reading the book. There were instances in the book which were missed in the movie. It makes you wonder if the book should have been translated into a Netflix series instead. 

 Drive my Car:  Nominated for the Oscar in the best foreign film category, Drive my car is based on a short story by Haruki Murakami from his short story collection Men Without Women. It chronicles the story of a theatre actor and director who is coping with his wife’s sudden demise. Besides, he is also grappling with his wife’s multiple affairs with several men. He befriends one of the men and gets to understand himself and the reasons for his wife’s infidelity. In the meantime, he strikes an interesting rapport with his new hired driver. I was amazed at a short story adaptation being three hours long, especially since I watched The Sky is Everywhere after this. The movie begins from the flashback of the short story with his wife’s infidelity. The pacing is rather slow initially and drags throughout the film. The story touches upon interesting nuances about the narrator’s discovery of himself, his life, and people around him. This makes the metaphor of the title interesting, adding several layers to the story.