The month lasted a year, the fortnight felt like a day. An hour lasted a few moments, an evening an entire lifetime. Time has and always will teach and heal, in its own time. Thanking January for its clarity and February for its benevolence. Here’s to a mesmerising March!
Author: sandeepadnani
Sandeep Adnani is the Amazon #1 Bestselling Author of ‘The Codes of the Exiled Rogue’ , ‘The Origin of the Exiled Rogue’ and ‘The Prophecy of the Exiled Rogue’ eBooks. He nurtured this metaphysical and transformational fiction idea for over six years before publishing the first part in July 2019. All three books of ‘The Exiled Rogue Series’, a trilogy about the purpose and meaning of life and beyond, are Amazon #1 Bestsellers in multiple categories.
His first book, The Codes of the Exiled Rogue was declared an Award-Winning Finalist in the Fiction: Visionary category of the 2021 International Book Awards.
His second book, The Origin of the Exiled Rogue was an Award Winner in the Science Fiction: Alien/Space category of the 2021 American Fiction Awards. It was also an Award-Winning Finalist in the Visionary Fiction category of the 2021 American Fiction Awards.
His third book, The Prophecy of the Exiled Rogue was an Award Winning Finalist in the Fiction: Visionary category of the 2021 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest.
The omnibus of the trilogy, The Exiled Rogue Series, won the Silver Medal at the Global Book Awards 2022, in the Metaphysical & Visionary Fiction category and Gold Winner at the ABLE Awards in 2024 in the Book Series category.
Embarking on new genres, he has seven new stand-alone books in the offing. In 2021, he completed writing a futuristic sci-fi-romance which he is currently querying. The unpublished manuscript was a finalist for the Writing Award in the 2022 Page Turner Awards.
He finished writing a mystery novel in 2022 and an Alternate Fiction novella in 2023. He has published three non-fiction novellas in the YOU DECIDE series. He is currently working on an illustrated children's book.
He changed careers from the advertising/media industry and is now a mental health counsellor in Melbourne, with bases in Mumbai and Dubai as well.
Her (2013)
Technology has invaded our space in an alarming way. It is supposed to make life easier, which it does, but also complicates it. I myself am guilty of being more in touch with my cell phone than with the company that surrounds me, so this subject is a warning of the times to come.
This film explores a society in the future where we have advanced technology to communicate, but have lost the art of communication. With all the tools at our disposal, we have forgotten how to reach and touch other people’s minds and hearts. People are lonely, relationships are fragile and we are swept in our own storm, where we have created a monster too powerful to tame.
Joaquin Phoenix writes beautiful letters for OTHER people as a living, because emotions have become a service one can pay for. A new operating system is on offer, which he buys. It calls itself ‘Samantha’, drawing on the memories and experiences of all people who have programmed it, but designed to become an ever evolving entity by itself. The voice is by Scarlett Johansson who never once makes you feel she is just a voice. She is present, in every way a person with a form would be.
How their relationship evolves, how complex the human mind and interaction becomes, what is the fate of Technology vs. Emotions, is explored in the most novel way, touching unique points of discussion never explored on screen. This is heavy duty writing, thought provoking and pushing the envelope of how helpless our society can become if not ‘humanised’.
Joaquin is our window into this world. He guides us effortlessly in the rising and falling waves of emotion experienced by him and the people he interacts with. Amy Adams is his friend who is on a similar journey and later becomes a mouth piece for his suppressed thoughts and feelings. The most warped and powerful scene involved a ‘surrogate’, something you will understand when you watch ‘her’.
Now the question is, why isn’t Scarlett Johannson nominated for any of the awards? Is it just because she was a formless voice? That would be true acknowledgement for her work which created such an impact.
3.5/5
Gunday (2014)
A strong back story which starts with the creation of Bangladesh, shows us two young boys who are dealing with the consequences of being hungry refugees. How they survive and grow to be proud powerful goons in the 80s, forms the riveting beginning. Bikram and Bala, acted in true 70’s style, by Ranveer & Arjun, exude excellent camaraderie on screen. Gunday is almost everything a period film should be in today’s age.
Priyanka plays a sexy cabaret dancer, who is wooed by both young men. Irrfan represents the law that is having a good time chasing them, more for the audience’s benefit than his own, rather than just arresting them. The first half goes by with entertaining amongst some over acting. The second half becomes more hamming, but still manages to retain the mood.
After an unnecessary song, shot ‘a la dil tu hi bata’ from Krrish 3, I was wondering what is Priyanka doing in the film besides looking stunning. She later established exactly why, in one powerful scene. The complications continue and have been given a fitting end, incorporating cow boy, Italian mafia, dramatic Bollywood cinema, all-in-one.
A ‘paisa vasool’ flick, stylised and shot well by director Ali Abbas Zafar.
3/5
Happy Valentines Day!
Love is the Question. Love is the Answer.
Ender’s Game (2013)
It took some convincing to watch this film, which appeared another ‘save the world’ genre, using the talents of young children’s gaming skills no less! Keeping the alien threat aside, this film used combat strategy and teenage psychology to come up with the most effective battle plan to save Earth.
The pressure the kids are put under seems downright unethical, because they are strategically being used for their ‘fearless, risk taking, abandoning feasibility’ type qualities. The training they go through, and how Ender is identified and rises up the ranks, balances the action/special effects quotient with decent drama.
We have stalwarts like Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley supported by the talented Viola Davis, but the film belongs to the ensemble of young adults in it. Asa Butterfield as Ender, Hailee Steinfeld as Petra and Abigail Breslin as Valentine are memorable, whilst their peers that surround them are sincere to their roles.
An engaging watch.
3.5/5
Hasee toh Phasee (2014)
What seemed like a rom-com in the promos turned out to be a dramatic and disjointed film on screen.
Sidharth Malhotra showed promise in his debut film because he was given a good character. This time round, his dancing has improved and his emotions are understated, delivering some tricky lines without going over the top. But he was simply the ‘male lead’. This was Parineeti Chopra’s film, and her performance was superlative. His character should have been developed and kept in sync with how they show him as a child, matching up to his co-star in every way.
The music leaves much to be desired and the production doesn’t bear the dharma productions trademark, although KJo makes an appearance, hoping it would add some value, but it doesn’t. Peppered with some very good scenes and humorous / emotional moments, it lacked the screenplay and story to make it a film to take home.
2.5/5
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Director John Lee Hancock, who made the Blind Side (Sandra Bullock got her Oscar for playing super mom), amongst many other films, has dared to tell this tale which speaks of an author’s journey and a dream maker’s challenge.
Serving us a slice of history which many may not know about, Walt Disney has been pursuing writer of the famous Mary Poppins, Mrs. P.L. Travers, for two decades. Once she signs over the rights of her beloved nanny story, he can fulfil his promise to his daughters of making her come alive on screen.
We have an author who won’t give up her story, and a dream maker who wants to make people of all ages happy. Their battle, whilst the author fights her own memories, moves this film on a leisurely pace, to match the era it is set in.
For an aspiring author like me, this film is a magical insight into the psychology of such a celebrated writer, enacted brilliantly by Emma Thompson. Tom Hanks has been given his trade mark monologue in the film at the end, where his voice and expressions tell us everything he was trying to hold back.
Collin Farrell does full justice to the role of young Traver’s father, the source of her inspiration as a writer, as he indulges her imagination and is pretty theatrical himself. A very unlikely role for an actor of his repertoire.
The film has its humour and drama, ending with a sense of accomplishment and evolution, for both the characters and the audience, summed up eloquently in a line by Walt Disney:
“Life is a harsh sentence to lay down for yourself.”
3.5/5
Pay it forward (2000)
I have had this DVD for the longest time and got around to seeing it recently wanting to watch ‘a light and positive’ film.
The film was positive, but not light in any way! Intense drama surrounds the characters as they face their demons, because the gesture little Trevor (Haley Joel Osment) suggested, should change the person’s life in a big way. From childhood scars, intimacy issues, drug and alcohol addiction to making the right romantic choices, its all here. How people can help and be open to help is the crux of the movie, which is handled in a patient, healing manner.
Based on the National bestseller book by Catherine Ryan Hyde, Director Mimi Leder has made a film which has a stellar cast who gets the message across with sincerity. Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt are ably supported by Jim Caviezel, Angie Dickinson, David Ramsey, Jay Mohr and others to bring about a ‘movement’ in the hearts of the audience.
With that thought, go forward, help someone and ask them to do the same for someone else.
3.5/5
Movies&Musings 