Pictures on your screen

Note: This is possibly the biggest and most comprehensive post I have written/will ever write about movies.

I just finished watching Avatar, split between two days. I must say, I have missed out terribly by not watching it on big screen. The storyline and the concepts were amazing, yes, but the settings, colours, music - these are what made this movie so exceptional! The whole new world created by James Cameron inspired a love of fantasy in me. I was never attracted to pure fantasy and always thought SS to be crazy for being so deeply attracted to them. But, now, after Avatar, I think I've began to cross over to the other side! There were moments where I froze in spot and held my breath. About two hours in, I caught myself muttering to myself - 'oh please let there be a happy ending!' over and over again. It definitely has to be one of the best movies I have ever seen (not THE best, THE best will probably be Inception or The Dark Knight).

I loved the idea of the two different worlds. You enter the other world by sleep, you bring out your inner self and you can do much more than you can with your real world and real life. Its colourful, filled with dreams and beauty. After a while, reality and dream merges, reality feels like a dream, and the dream feels real. You wish you could remain in the other world forever. If you haven't watched the movie, I will not spoil it for you and tell you if it is a happy ending or not. If you haven't watched the movie and do not intend to watch it, google the summary. But you are missing out. On a LOT.

I liked the idea of having an 'avatar' for yourself too. Its like a mask you use to communicate with the people around you, who may be very different to who you are. You use their language, you look like them, you act like them, but inside, you are different. Sounds familiar?

There were a bit too much violence for my liking, but I suppose it would have been a great experience in 3D and on large screen. It reminded me of Terminator. (And when I wikied James Cameron five minutes ago, I found out that he wrote and directed Terminator 1 and 2!) But, interestingly, the music used in the movie is very soothing. It reminds me of the soundtrack of Titanic (which is directed by Cameron of course). I love the concept of 'seeing'. When they say 'I see you', it stirs up a tumult of emotions - a sense of contentment, happiness, excitement.

Yes, I am amazed.

Also - when I searched my blog with 'Inception', I was surprised to find that I have not yet posted anything about it. But I had this drafted:

'Inception is easily one of the best movies I have watched - ever. Its filled with truisms entangled in abstract ideas taken literally. The concept of planting a seed of an idea into someone's head is old - its called 'brainwash'. But the amount of detail that was used to convey this concept was utterly amazing. Its almost like an answer to every philosopher's question about reality. How do you know something is real? How do you know you are real? In a disagreement, how do you know you're right? I also loved the idea of being killed to escape dreams. Isn't that what suicide is? An escape from reality to the unknown? When Mal and Kobb put their head against the train tracks and say 'You're waiting for a train, a train that will take you far away. You know where you hope this train will take you, but you can't be sure.' - I was thinking, is this what suicide feels like? The moment before you die, you don't know absolutely if you are escaping to freedom, but you think you are.'

I guess I love the idea of having a parallel world which is far from reality.

I recently remembered that I have not read a novel that I have not read before, in a very long time. Instead, I have been watching and listening, to things. To say I have been watching a lot of movies for my usual standards would be an understatement - its more than a lot, its more than more than a lot. Here is a list of movies I watched recently:

- 3 Idiots - This movie inspired me to send my lyrics off to Zain Bhikha Studios. And it made me cry a lot. 

- Aisha - It made me write this after I watched it:

'I don't know if it was the constant stomaching of milkshake after milkshake, then some other junk, or the sugary storyline of Aisha - but after three hours, I genuinely felt sick. I really do not know what came over me to allow me to watch it. Emma and Clueless were bad enough, sugary enough, and had enough of matchmaking and 'finding true love'. Why oh WHY did I watch another adoptation of the same storyline? WHY!

Thinking back to all the movies with a love story as a plotline, I think I can see a tad bit of a similiarity between them. They are unrealistic, yet, they give the impression and hope to every foolish girl that something real like that can happen one day. I used to be really romantic once upon a time. With my head in the cloud, I used to truly believe that prince charmings exist in our world. And fortunately, I have seen some pretty cute love stories happen in my life time. H&S - college sweethearts with wild dreams; victims (or heroes) of elopement; currently - happy parents of three talented and beautiful children. S&S - married after two weeks of encounters; people who slowly grew in love; currently - they are bringing out the best in each other. H&G - successful students, yet, cute couple; looking forward to a bright future. M&C - musician and laywer; people with the look of love in their eyes; nervous replies to cute messages left in each other's facebook. 

Except - there is one catch. Those are only eight people, out of the thousands others I know. The right balance - love that would last a lifetime from both sides, and does not hinder either lives, rather, enhances them - is SO hard to find! In fact, some people are stupid enough to waste their whole life trying to find it. And then some others are stupid enough to make movies or music out of them. And then some others are stupid enough to watch or listen to those, and cry, because they are either in the same situation, or have never been in that situation. 

Sometimes, reading over my own posts, I realise, that I contradict myself from one post to another. Mild schizophrenia?

And that was the day that I promised

I'd never sing of love

If it does not exist

Maybe I know, somewhere

Deep in my soul

That love never lasts

And we've got to find other ways

To make it alone

Keep a straight face.'

Current thoughts - I obviously didn't like it.

- I Hate Luv Storys - Funny, not extraordinary though.

- The Bong Connection - I watched it by skipping parts because it was so boring in the middle. All they do is just shout.

- The Last Song - Typical Nicholas Sparks.

- Eat Pray Love - Slightly annoying.

- The Lake House - I liked the idea of communicating with someone who lives two years apart from you through letters, where you can see the letterbox moving. I loved the feeling of frustration in it. I loved the idea that you can change the future if someone warns you of your demise. I wish someone did that for me!

- Daruchinir Dip - Even though its by Humayun Ahmed, against whom I have developed bitter feelings because I realised how influential his novels are, I have to admit, its pretty good. It shows the different sorts of families in Bangladesh and how they deal with their own lives in order to end up in the same place. It was much better than Amar Ache Jol, for which I had high hopes, which got crushed into nothing. I loved the book though.

- Easy A - Mildly funny. Reminded me of Mean Girls, though. I guess it shows how high schools are; an exaggerated version of it.

- (half of) Click

- Valentine's Day - I swear, after watching it, it actually felt like February 14th for a while. Ashton Kutcher is awkward and adorable. Taylor Swift pulls off a good blonde high school girl image. It was sort of cliched, but nice.

- Legally Blonde II - boring. Please do not watch it, its exactly the same as Legally Blonde I (as my friend pointed out at the end of the movie) - probably worse. I don't think my eyes or brain can take in any more of hot pink or tiny dogs. But, of course, Legally Blonde is always mildly chucklable because its so stupid.

- 17 again - I loved this movie. Even though it was a teen flick, it had a great idea behind it. A parent who is stuck in their seventeen year old body, who is able to witness everything that their children get up to, be surprised and shocked at how much he didn't know, yet, isn't able to do anything about it. The feeling of being stuck - the feeling frustration at not being able to say anything - is clear in Zac Efron's eyes. Rekindling of love in the eyes of forty/fifty year old married couples is also amazing.

- Dear John - Also typical Nicholas Sparks. 

And earlier this year:

- Toy Story 3

- Karate Kid

- Despicable Me

- Inception

I really need to start reading again. I might have to re-start with picture books, but whatever it takes, I need to start! I used to love reading. It gives you images in your head that only you can see. You can add or take away anything you want in the characters, because you are building it in the process of reading. I have been reading blogs, or the occasional sunday magazine article, but I know, that does not give nearly the same amount of pleasure as a thick, enjoyable novel, while you are snuggled under your blanket on a rainy day.