Sunday, September 28, 2008
The sad truth, I have discovered, of my existence is that I want what I don't/can't have and want what I've given up for what I can't have.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The Dark Knight (spoiler alert)
I read a review of the movie from The New Yorker.
If I were a criminal (and it's not something I wouldn't consider), I'd like to be Joker. His brand of evil seems pure, untouched by the mere monetary pursuits of more ordinary lawbreakers. It's really a pleasure to see the man do what he does solely to terrorise the city. While it's probably not the most admirable trait in a young fellow, I can't help but admire how beatific his intent seems, relative to the rather boorish, materialistic ideas of the mob.
The second time I watched it (last night), I was able to focus my attention on the non-visual aspects of the film, especially the score, and the delivery of Ledger's lines. In particular, there is the opening bank-robbery scene in which a constant, moderately high-pitched whine operates increasing in volume and frequency, beginning with the shooting of the first clown. As the would-be thieves set about relieving the mob-bank of some of its ill-gotten funds, the whine pulses like a sine wave, making the tension in the air rapidly thicken. Reducing itself to faint background noise as gun shots ring and the crooks do away with each other, it brings together in seamless fashion, an outstanding scene that sets the tempo for the rest of the film with its slick brand of violence. Only once in the scene is the score relegated to second place: as the shotgun-toting guard lies on the floor bemoaning the unprincipled nature of Gotham's latest cadre of criminals, Joker responds with the (in my mind, classic) line, 'The only thing I believe in is that which does not kill you, makes you... stranger,' while ripping off his mask to reveal his war-painted countenance.
Each scene is rife with tension, and resembles a roller-coaster ride with a constant downward spiral. The roles played by Oldman, Eckhart, Gyllenhaal and Bale complement Ledger well, with none seeking to steal the spotlight. Bale is significantly more subdued in this movie than its prequel, merely parrying Ledger's stabs at society's fabric and peace-of-mind, mending the rents his nemisis tears and rips in Gotham, occasionally effecting a counter-stroke and spending time debating with the ever-droll Alfred (Caine) the nature of criminality and the need to remain strong in his conviction despite the cries for Batman's head following widespread violence in the city. The movie also brings the dependence of Batman on his able and willing support cast, consisting of Lucius Fox and Alfred who provide technical, ethical and spiritual advice to the Caped Crusader.
Ledger has a fright wig of ragged hair; thick, running gobs of white makeup; scarlet lips; and dark-shadowed eyes. He’s part freaky clown, part Alice Cooper the morning after, and all actor. He’s mesmerizing in every scene. His voice is not sludgy and slow, as it was in “Brokeback Mountain.” It’s a little higher and faster, but with odd, devastating pauses and saturnine shades of mockery.The review is pretty accurate, in my opinion. Upon reflection, the sole reason for why I would return to watch (again) is Ledger's performance. Each scene that had Joker in it made me lean forward and pay close attention to him - his moderately outlandish mannerisms, his wanton disregard for societal mores, his love of chaos and his playfully diabolical malevolence.
If I were a criminal (and it's not something I wouldn't consider), I'd like to be Joker. His brand of evil seems pure, untouched by the mere monetary pursuits of more ordinary lawbreakers. It's really a pleasure to see the man do what he does solely to terrorise the city. While it's probably not the most admirable trait in a young fellow, I can't help but admire how beatific his intent seems, relative to the rather boorish, materialistic ideas of the mob.
The second time I watched it (last night), I was able to focus my attention on the non-visual aspects of the film, especially the score, and the delivery of Ledger's lines. In particular, there is the opening bank-robbery scene in which a constant, moderately high-pitched whine operates increasing in volume and frequency, beginning with the shooting of the first clown. As the would-be thieves set about relieving the mob-bank of some of its ill-gotten funds, the whine pulses like a sine wave, making the tension in the air rapidly thicken. Reducing itself to faint background noise as gun shots ring and the crooks do away with each other, it brings together in seamless fashion, an outstanding scene that sets the tempo for the rest of the film with its slick brand of violence. Only once in the scene is the score relegated to second place: as the shotgun-toting guard lies on the floor bemoaning the unprincipled nature of Gotham's latest cadre of criminals, Joker responds with the (in my mind, classic) line, 'The only thing I believe in is that which does not kill you, makes you... stranger,' while ripping off his mask to reveal his war-painted countenance.
Each scene is rife with tension, and resembles a roller-coaster ride with a constant downward spiral. The roles played by Oldman, Eckhart, Gyllenhaal and Bale complement Ledger well, with none seeking to steal the spotlight. Bale is significantly more subdued in this movie than its prequel, merely parrying Ledger's stabs at society's fabric and peace-of-mind, mending the rents his nemisis tears and rips in Gotham, occasionally effecting a counter-stroke and spending time debating with the ever-droll Alfred (Caine) the nature of criminality and the need to remain strong in his conviction despite the cries for Batman's head following widespread violence in the city. The movie also brings the dependence of Batman on his able and willing support cast, consisting of Lucius Fox and Alfred who provide technical, ethical and spiritual advice to the Caped Crusader.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Ruining any possibility of a morning run, I've decided to chat with friends and look up random trivia on Wikipedia: the last 3 searches were - Paloma (I meant the SS Music VJ, Google thought I meant Paloma Picasso, whoever she is), Veyyil (the best Tamil film this year), and the 'GI Joe theme' that I grew up on the mid-90s.
Last afternoon, I Skyped (that's a word in Firefox, and 'Google' isn't?) with Veeru, Suhail and Modi. Among other things, we mocked Veeru, made fun of Suhail's Aussie accent and Modi being the King. The King of what, you ask? Doesn't matter. We also listened to the Johnny Quest theme a few times sang along ('tan-tan-tanananana-tan-tan') and then Modi made the point how stupid it sounded. Quite right, but still fun to sing.
Work took a sudden and unexpected upswing thanks to help from a psych. grad student who showed me how to create movies in MATLAB. Sounds geeky, but it was fun to watch the bee do a 180-degree turn in 15 seconds. Now to solve the memory issue and show it to my prof.
Walking to Schnuck's this evening with my flatmate, I noticed him stepping on a rather odd-looking twig. When nothing happened, I let it go. Only to be a confronted with hissing cousin of what I presume was a dead serpent. He did a jump in the air, as did I, and we were a bit wary the rest of the way - though I did occasionally ask if he thought [random object] was a snake. Didn't appreciate the gesture too much, I think.
Why is buying groceries so much fun? Perhaps there is a neuroscientific explanation for why shelling out money for food is an exciting experience.
Last afternoon, I Skyped (that's a word in Firefox, and 'Google' isn't?) with Veeru, Suhail and Modi. Among other things, we mocked Veeru, made fun of Suhail's Aussie accent and Modi being the King. The King of what, you ask? Doesn't matter. We also listened to the Johnny Quest theme a few times sang along ('tan-tan-tanananana-tan-tan') and then Modi made the point how stupid it sounded. Quite right, but still fun to sing.
Work took a sudden and unexpected upswing thanks to help from a psych. grad student who showed me how to create movies in MATLAB. Sounds geeky, but it was fun to watch the bee do a 180-degree turn in 15 seconds. Now to solve the memory issue and show it to my prof.
Walking to Schnuck's this evening with my flatmate, I noticed him stepping on a rather odd-looking twig. When nothing happened, I let it go. Only to be a confronted with hissing cousin of what I presume was a dead serpent. He did a jump in the air, as did I, and we were a bit wary the rest of the way - though I did occasionally ask if he thought [random object]
Why is buying groceries so much fun? Perhaps there is a neuroscientific explanation for why shelling out money for food is an exciting experience.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Night Sky
I seem to have almost completely stopped writing anything original. Here's another link that I found interesting.Scientific American has a slideshow on the evolution of the night sky. It's pretty awesome. I love the Calvinistic fashion in which they describe the future of our planet.
Here's one image titled - 'Andromeda Rising'.
© 1996-2008 Scientific American Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Friday, February 22, 2008
IPL auction
It's hard not to talk about the IPL auction when Chennai has a team and is spending like crazy. Although I think 'Chennai Super Kings' is among the stupidest things I've ever seen in print, I'm quite excited - what with the likes of Hayden, Dhoni & Murali in the ranks. Is Dhoni worth $1.5 M? I certainly hope so. However, although I dislike his mug, I think Symonds would've been a better choice.
On a forum I read, someone debated the usefulness of a strong bowling attack on a flat pitch in the 20/20 format. If I remember correctly, the bowling in last year's T20 Cup (it wasn't an official WC, mind) was pretty spectacular and one of the (surprising) reasons that the matches remained competitive. Pundits say that 20/20 will make bowlers obsolete and pitches boringly flat (not that the subcontinent's pitches are anything but), but I, in the tradition of Levitt & Dubner, believe that the new format will result in the resurgence of & necessitate a strong bowling attack.
On with the auction!
I hope I'm in Chennai for a game or two. I'm glad they're starting the matches late in the evening (8 pm, I believe) because the May maasam summer will be a little too much for most of the players. I think the MAC will fill up for quite a few games, hopefully for regional clashes like Hyderabad-Chennai & Bangalore-Chennai.
*sigh* If only Ranji would be followed thus...
On a forum I read, someone debated the usefulness of a strong bowling attack on a flat pitch in the 20/20 format. If I remember correctly, the bowling in last year's T20 Cup (it wasn't an official WC, mind) was pretty spectacular and one of the (surprising) reasons that the matches remained competitive. Pundits say that 20/20 will make bowlers obsolete and pitches boringly flat (not that the subcontinent's pitches are anything but), but I, in the tradition of Levitt & Dubner, believe that the new format will result in the resurgence of & necessitate a strong bowling attack.
On with the auction!
I hope I'm in Chennai for a game or two. I'm glad they're starting the matches late in the evening (8 pm, I believe) because the May maasam summer will be a little too much for most of the players. I think the MAC will fill up for quite a few games, hopefully for regional clashes like Hyderabad-Chennai & Bangalore-Chennai.
*sigh* If only Ranji would be followed thus...
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Flash of a Firefly
I'm supposed to be writing a recursive-descent parser for CS421, but ended up watching this instead.
'Life After People' is a History Channel documentary that, well... I suppose the name is fairly self-descriptive. I found it through this blog. Watch it. It's really quite fascinating.
It's sad to know that life will go on long after I'm gone, and even sadder (based on my new-found knowledge from the doc.) is the fact that the tenuous grip we hold over the planet, claiming to be its masters is ephemeral and fleeting. National Geographic magazine once described the timeline of the visible universe (since its birth 13 billion years ago) as one long summer day - and the era of humans was merely a flash of a firefly at sunset. We'll soon be dust.
--
Postscript - armed with this fatalism, I wonder whether the CS421 homework actually needs to be done... after all, we'll all be dead in 80-90 years.
Edit - I do have one small problem with the assumption the documentary makes. How exactly are people going to 'vanish'? If the human race were to die out, it would be in exactly that fashion - through some invincible worldwide epidemic or in a disastrous nuclear winter. It would take at least 30-40 years for all of us to die, I would guess (though I have absolutely no authority to make that statement). We couldn't just vanish, could we?
Edit2 - The last 6 minutes are really amazing, very HG Wells's 'The Time Machine'-ish.
'Life After People' is a History Channel documentary that, well... I suppose the name is fairly self-descriptive. I found it through this blog. Watch it. It's really quite fascinating.
It's sad to know that life will go on long after I'm gone, and even sadder (based on my new-found knowledge from the doc.) is the fact that the tenuous grip we hold over the planet, claiming to be its masters is ephemeral and fleeting. National Geographic magazine once described the timeline of the visible universe (since its birth 13 billion years ago) as one long summer day - and the era of humans was merely a flash of a firefly at sunset. We'll soon be dust.
--
Postscript - armed with this fatalism, I wonder whether the CS421 homework actually needs to be done... after all, we'll all be dead in 80-90 years.
Edit - I do have one small problem with the assumption the documentary makes. How exactly are people going to 'vanish'? If the human race were to die out, it would be in exactly that fashion - through some invincible worldwide epidemic or in a disastrous nuclear winter. It would take at least 30-40 years for all of us to die, I would guess (though I have absolutely no authority to make that statement). We couldn't just vanish, could we?
Edit2 - The last 6 minutes are really amazing, very HG Wells's 'The Time Machine'-ish.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Turning veggie
My flatmate turned veggie after reading this article - http://www.dailygarlic.com/vegetarian-diet/2008/01/25/
I read it too and I feel quite virtuous. I ate some strawberries with relish and am in the process of devouring an apple. Fruits never taste this good before.
I read it too and I feel quite virtuous. I ate some strawberries with relish and am in the process of devouring an apple. Fruits never taste this good before.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Oldie but a goodie
I usually resist the temptation to post videos and photos on my blog (the only other video is of Gavin Henson hitting Matthew Tait, which, in my op., is rather memorable), but this one is rather funny. I'd like to meet some of these US Americans.
...
...
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The Unwilling Non-vegetarian and other stories
It all began when five 21G buses passed me by at the Kotturpuram stop. Being the earnest fool that I am, I had decided to forego the benefits and luxury of a (self-driven) car and went to the bus-stop to catch a ride in one of the new Volvos that ply on Chennai roads. 10:37, :48 and others stopped, but I merely turned a cold shoulder and 'pfff-ed'. A frustrating half-hour later, when I began to doubt whether I had been wise, the Volvo arrived. Underwhelming, slightly. I stood at the front of the bus and waited for the Mylapore stop. 18 bucks, it was - not bad in the least as an auto would've been at least thrice the price.
I don't know what the hell Chennai Metrowater is doing, digging a huge hole on the Kotturpuram side of the bridge. Traffic was painfully slow, perhaps even rivalling the the peak hour average speed of Bangalore.
Reaching Mylapore, I harried B, with whom I was to roam about the city. We boarded the northbound MRTS at Thirumylai, an adventure in itself, as the train was almost in full motion when I jumped on, backpack in tow. The train is fantastic - offering unparalleled views of the city, Marina and the wonder that is the Cooum. The wondrous thing about the Cooum is that no one knows how exactly it is spelt. Very odd, that.
Reaching Beach station, I sneaked into the season ticket line and bought two regulars to Thirumayilai. Of course, just seconds after I bought the tickets, I realised that I would be getting off at Chepauk to watch the Ranji Trophy Super League game between TN & Delhi. Terribly boring game, that. 3 overs after I got there, I got the hell out. Took me 15 min from Chepauk to Kotturpuram! However, alighting at Kotturpuram puts one in the at-risk category for being run over by an errant, or perhaps overly zealous, lorry driver.
I went to Anokhi last evening with a friend from work last summer. Chennai has been, in the past, somewhat lacking in the gilpaans department, but from what I saw there, corrective measures are being taken. It was there that I accidentally ate a mosquito and thus did this story acquire its title.
After a standard beach goof-off with Fatman & Aravind, I went a bar called '10 Downing St.' in T. Nagar. The purpose of the music there appeared to be to dull one's sense of hearing. They were very effective at this objective and went about it with much gusto. Inexpensive place, though, I've dropped (hah, always wanted to say that) more at dinner. 3 beers, a total of 330 bucks. Not bad at all. This bar also had a good gilpaans crowd.
I don't know what the hell Chennai Metrowater is doing, digging a huge hole on the Kotturpuram side of the bridge. Traffic was painfully slow, perhaps even rivalling the the peak hour average speed of Bangalore.
Reaching Mylapore, I harried B, with whom I was to roam about the city. We boarded the northbound MRTS at Thirumylai, an adventure in itself, as the train was almost in full motion when I jumped on, backpack in tow. The train is fantastic - offering unparalleled views of the city, Marina and the wonder that is the Cooum. The wondrous thing about the Cooum is that no one knows how exactly it is spelt. Very odd, that.
Reaching Beach station, I sneaked into the season ticket line and bought two regulars to Thirumayilai. Of course, just seconds after I bought the tickets, I realised that I would be getting off at Chepauk to watch the Ranji Trophy Super League game between TN & Delhi. Terribly boring game, that. 3 overs after I got there, I got the hell out. Took me 15 min from Chepauk to Kotturpuram! However, alighting at Kotturpuram puts one in the at-risk category for being run over by an errant, or perhaps overly zealous, lorry driver.
I went to Anokhi last evening with a friend from work last summer. Chennai has been, in the past, somewhat lacking in the gilpaans department, but from what I saw there, corrective measures are being taken. It was there that I accidentally ate a mosquito and thus did this story acquire its title.
After a standard beach goof-off with Fatman & Aravind, I went a bar called '10 Downing St.' in T. Nagar. The purpose of the music there appeared to be to dull one's sense of hearing. They were very effective at this objective and went about it with much gusto. Inexpensive place, though, I've dropped (hah, always wanted to say that) more at dinner. 3 beers, a total of 330 bucks. Not bad at all. This bar also had a good gilpaans crowd.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Jaws
My jaws are still aching from the effects of last night's laughter. It's so good to be back after a year. I've done all my usual hangout things - New Yorker, Landmark, Beach, CCD, Mocha, etc., and I'm ready for repeats. Any new places worth a visit?
I thought Madras had changed a lot since I had left, but it turns out I was wrong. Yesterday at the beach was a good example - I was there, as is my usual wont, for 5 hours. Aravind, Fatman & I walked up and down the Promenade at least 20 times, seeking to fulfil what I term 'the probability rule' - the probability of running into someone I (or we) know tends to one. It is, of course, dependent on how long one is there, but it's usually within the first 15-20 min. that we run into someone.
Fatman, that fraud, refused to introduce us to his Machan gang (of NUS infamy). Apparently the members of this cabal suffix 'Machan' to the end of their every statements, such as, 'Poolu vettiduvein machan.' Of course, Aravind and I were trying desperately to upset the ship and show the 'machans' what a fraud Fatman was. Sadly, we didn't.
Ah, my writing has begun to suck even more. I blame it on the slightly slow cursor.
I thought Madras had changed a lot since I had left, but it turns out I was wrong. Yesterday at the beach was a good example - I was there, as is my usual wont, for 5 hours. Aravind, Fatman & I walked up and down the Promenade at least 20 times, seeking to fulfil what I term 'the probability rule' - the probability of running into someone I (or we) know tends to one. It is, of course, dependent on how long one is there, but it's usually within the first 15-20 min. that we run into someone.
Fatman, that fraud, refused to introduce us to his Machan gang (of NUS infamy). Apparently the members of this cabal suffix 'Machan' to the end of their every statements, such as, 'Poolu vettiduvein machan.' Of course, Aravind and I were trying desperately to upset the ship and show the 'machans' what a fraud Fatman was. Sadly, we didn't.
Ah, my writing has begun to suck even more. I blame it on the slightly slow cursor.
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