DVD picks: CITY OF GOD

Based on true events, you can almost smell the sweat, the groove, the heat and the rebellious madness of youth that the characters exude even as Rocket, one of the many denizens of the notorious slum in Brazil - the City of God, finally finds what he wants to do. It is his story and the story of other people who crowd the world of crime, robbery, drug-peddling and the dream of escaping the slum.

Even the subtitles can't extinguish the arresting tale of human beings so desperate to live, whatever the implications. You will be lucky to catch it at some film festival. Meanwhile, catch it on DVD.

Saturday Evening at M.G Road

The couples have these wandering faces, lost in a shopping maze, blinded by the neon lights, beckoned by the more desperate roadside stalls, so some get engrossed at the roadside cart selling cheap winter jackets, some are having their names written on a single piece of rice grain and others await their turn outside the thronging restaurants. They seem to be no longer in control of the proceedings, the footpaths are full of time-killers, the hypnotism of consumption....

home alone: the last stand

It is at midnight, after all the clothes have been washed or at least made wet enough to hang on the clothes line, that the good old bucket is filled with a really old piece of cloth, and water. Now the layer of dust is rubbed off the tiles, it is like the tale of the long lost twin brothers, who after identifying that identical mole on their necks, wrapped each other in a tight hug; similarly did the wet cloth meet the dust on the floor...long time, no see, huh?!

- An insomniac Cloud at 3 am, four hours before Dust was to arrive home...

home alone musings no.165

So how did the first man discover fire? When he was left alone to do so...and how did the modern man discover the same? When he left the press iron on the wet patch of the shirt just washed because he had to water the plants, make and gulp down the breakfast and watch that song on the television and put on his pants - all at the same time.
You always need to be left alone.

- Cloud after witnessing a triangle shaped depression on his former favourite shirt

home alone musings no.456

It is a wonder how the mothers of the world build that supreme patience to pour milk from its sachet into a steel bowl and then wait with a singular purpose to watch it boil, forever...

- Cloud after another 'boiling milk all over the gas stove' catastrophe

LONDON DREAMS: Killing cinema with formula

An ambitious Indian musician making his mark in the London music scene brings along his childhood friend from India to be a part of his band...only to discover that this friend is overshadowing him with his gifted talent. Driven by jealousy and madness, the musician must achieve his dreams at any cost, and so unfolds the story.

The premise inspired from the 1984 Hollywood film Amadeus has its moments, but Hindi film escapism and musical song sequences (the stage performance scenes work though) ensure that the effect is fleeting. Salman does manage to convey the freedom of his character while Ajay Devgn excels in another intense role of a man in a maddening pursuit of his dream. Asin does her bit well.

For a bit of freshness in its take on friendship, talent and envy, London Dreams is certainly worth a watch.

THIS IS IT: Michael Jackson's Swan Song

No one could live a song like Michael Jackson did, and it is more than evident in the new documentary film THIS IS IT, a collection of rehearsals for Jackson's 'farewell tour' that never happened due to his death in July.

Well, Jackson is more than alive in this film, with no signs of any weakness or ill-health, he dances like magic, sings with a passion as he only can. We also get to see how much goes into a stage show, the side-dancers, the musicians, the choreographers, the light designers and visual effect creators, but finally it is MJ who stands out.

Go, watch it on 70mm at the theaters for the posters say ' for two weeks only'. Unless they are kidding.

गुज़र जाता है

गुज़र जाता है
के दिन
गुज़र जाता है

उम्र या मौत
के एहसास बिन
सिमट गया देखो
आज भी
के दिन
गुज़र जाता है

कोई माथे पर बन्दूक
रखे तो सोचेगे
कोई डॉक्टर हमें
दो महीने दे
तब सोचेगे
और दिन
और दिन
गुज़र जाता है

ALL THE BEST: a mix of charming and degrading comedy

Director Rohit Shetty arguably brought a new genre of Hindi film comedy to the screen especially with Golmaal (2006) and its sequel Golmaal Returns (2008). His latest release All the Best comes with the same template, the thin storyline and characters exist for the resultant comedy, so it is like every scene playing out like a series of skits, ranging from clever lines and expressions to cheap, 'do anything for the laughs' kind of thing. Then there is also the celebration of the 'invincible hero' beating up villains, surprisingly without any humour. The female leads have little to do, it is the Ajay Devgn and Sanjay Dutt banter that keeps us entertained, Fardeen gets to do a bit too, and Pritam's music is good decoration.

This is popcorn entertainment, you could munch the whole packet empty without realising there is none left. Why? Because you have tasted it before. All the Best is that kind of comedy, you will not mind sitting through it.

be nothing...