Film Review: Submarine (2010)

"Literature made me forget about my own troubles, like a submarine and the sea, they submerged me so perfectly"

"Submarine" is the story of  Oliver Tate's transition from a lonely and confused child who submerges himself into literature to escape from his troubles into an adult as he struggles to make his parents' marriage work and sustain his own relationship with Jordana Bevans, his first crush.
It is based on a novel of the same name by Joe Dunthorne. I haven't read the novel but while watching the movie i could easily relate as the screenplay is very powerful. Moreover the names of the characters- "Oliver Tate" , "Jordana Bevans" are typical British names and the happy ending(Spoiler Alert).All these were obvious hints.

Key Ingredients:

1. One of the most laudable ingredients of "submarine" is the use of  satirical comedy! There is too much to mention but one of the scenes which made me laugh insanely was when Oliver says-"Mom you look good, i mean, you look good for a 40 year old".                                                                               
2. Another ingredient which i appreciate is Over-dramatisation of some of the scenes which were very appropriate to avoid dullness and clicheness. For instance what could have been a simple kiss was shown very appealingly! The first kiss between Jordana and Oliver was over-dramatised, accompanied by suitable camera movements,cuts and very appropriate sound(A train moving over a bridge).Even the location suited the mood of the scene. It really makes you feel what it is like to get kissed by your only crush. Jordana, smiling, holding the cigarette in style and directing Oliver to close his eyes and kneel down after she almost bullies him to hand-over the camera and then the warm feeling over his lips!click!click!click! Just look at the kiss scene between Aliya Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor in "two states" trailer, this is what i call a total failure in contrast to this scene!                                                         
3. The third key ingredient is very distinct and inventive style of direction.For a director, a debut like "Submarine" is very propitious.Some of the cuts are though are very random but the sounds have beautifully pulled off such cuts which itself has filled the movie with life!                                                                                                                          Some of my favourite cuts:                                                                                                                                   i."Why don't you go fuck yourself, fucking big gay?" 17:59 sound- crow caws                                                     ii.44:24-The camera angle slightly shifts forward and expression of a much later stage shows that the mother has been there for a while and she has been thinking about the conversation she just had with Oliver.                                                                                                                                                                                                            iii.The cut in the dream sequence from the hospital to the bridge.                                                                        iv.01:05 The very abrupt cut has been excellently pulled of by the soundtrack(ticking of a watch).The soundtrack starts just after Oliver Tate introduces himself .This cut doesn't only set the mood for the rest of the movie but also introduces Oliver Tate more than just his name.                                                                 
4. The fourth ingredient is Alex Turner's soundtrack. The light-indie-rock music perfectly suits the character of Oliver Tate as well as the mood of the movie. You may wonder that the songs were already the part of the screenplay! Just complete watching the movie. You will automatically fall in love with this character and won't stop humming these songs!

Legends: 

1. Oliver Tate: He still has to figure out who he is! The writer very beautifully conveys the message with these lovely dialogues - "I tried smoking a pipe, flipping a coin, listening exclusively to french crooners, i have even had a brief hat phase but nothing stuck".He fantasises about Jordana and is willing to give up his principles in order to get closer to her which works fine for him.                                                   
2. Dad(Lyod): An ocean biologist, he is emotionless, boring, under-expressive and looks weary.He behaves in a deadpan manner- even his happiest moment in weeks (when oliver gets a girl) is actually so usual.He is not at all romantic and so lost that he doesn't try to save his own marriage even after Oliver pushes him to.                                                                                                                          
3. Jordana bevans: A pyromaniac, having dumped by his boyfriend she wants to use Oliver to take her revenge but ultimately falls prey to his innocence, his truthfulness and his very silly attempts to woo her.                                                                                                                                                      
4. Mom: She is smart, but worried about his son a lot as she feels he is having those teenage delusions ( mental disorders). It is pretty obvious that Oliver has got those spying mannerisms as a genetic gift from his mother.Sick of her husband's sick behaviour and her monotonic life, she finds solace in Graham, her first love.                                                                                                                         
5. Graham: He is professionally a mystic but actually a total pervert who does weird things to woo women.He is over-expressive, a womaniser in a mysterious ways as he handles a single victim at a time.His seducing techniques are those of a "Rake" where he portrays himself as a victim seeking help from his victims.

 The acting is flawless, the direction inventive, the screenplay powerful and the soundtrack delusional, makes me rate this movie 8 on 10. 

Shutting down social media

The recent ban on twitter in Turkey is a gruesome effort by the Turkish government headed by its scandalous
Prime Minister Erdogan. After a year long struggle by the disappointed citizens, the frustrated bureaucrats have just added to their ever-increasing pain by putting an end to their freedom of speech.I wonder what kind of democracy does that to its citizens?
In defence has come this statement- "We were afraid that the social media could be used as a breeding ground for haters.Social media has a very good reach and it may efficiently give a handsome look to awful things".I sense an increasing authoritativeness by the administration.
When social media was shut down in China, i silently thanked god for letting me be a part of such a great democracy and look what has happened now! There are stains all over our very own system! When we chose democracy over dictatorship we compromised with "development", we compromised with the "pace" and a hundred other things! So what is wrong with it? Has the time come? Do we need a better system?

Democracy has become a "substandard". This is disheartening! It took us thousand of years to figure out things and finally arrive at a system which for everyone was like "We got the biggest piece of the cake". Democracy is the rule of the people by the people for the people. I have started to sense the ugliness in this very definition.A rotten branch has grown out of a noble tree, and i am scared to think of it rapidly proliferating! Democracy has become rule of certain people for the masses! And when there is an opportunity everyone rushes to grab it, misuse it! 
 
        

A character based plot on Bob Biswas

Bob Biswas!! Wait, you have heard the name!Have you?Sure you have!!So, you might think, why all of sudden, am i talking about this character?Well as i thought to put up my stories over this blog, i thought it would be better to start from the scratch! Well technically it is not possible for me to just forget everything and start re-writing things! So, i thought i would share with you one of my first writings!                                                                                                         Bob Biswas was my ticket to the film-club (Technology Film-making and Photography Society, IIT Kharagpur).

It is the most eye-caching character (played by Saswat Chatterjee) in Sujoy Ghosh's film Kahaani.

Bob Biswas is not one of those usual contract killers that we usually see in Bollywood thrillers wearing funky black jackets and gloves holding a sharp long and shiny knife or aiming at someone from a multi-storeyed building. He is different.The peculiarity of his character is his normality.He looks innocent.He is a common man.He has a family to feed.He is one from the crowd and he is out there to get you!                                                                                                    

  

                                                                                  

  1. SCENE- BOB'S OFFICE(INSURANCE COMPANY)

Legends:

Boss- a south indian guy, 

Komulesh and Sharad babu are also agents in the same company, 

Kantababu- a naxalite returned to village who lives in jungle

Boss-(angrily) oye , biswas what r u doing my idiot ? every time on phone , who calls u man?  such an ass-hole u r. what do you do? sex-chat, huh?

BOB- (JUST )- no sir , no no , client sir , client , just doing my job sir.

Boss-(laughs) see the ass hole is on a job.(everybody in the office laughs just to  impress the boss) what job u do ,man ? and what job u all do ?(suddenly there is pin -drop silence in the office). Bob you haven't still got even single client this month , you are talking about doing job and all the things u never do. see if you don't get one , u will not get the salary this month , is that clear to u?

BOB- sir!!

KOMULESH- such embarrassing situations , we face everyday because of this idiot. why can't boss just throw him out?

SHARAD BABU- Arrey , that is not possible dada  , they have got the reservations everywhere .Tribal aache , case kar dega?(giving bob an ugly look) 

KOMULESH- Lets us do our job, iska to roj ka hai.

(BOB overhears the dialogue and scenes from past just start spewing all around.)

SCENE 2:

(BOB a 12 year old kid , crying)

Landlord(to bob' s father)- how come your son entered our area? now u will pay for this!

BOB's father- no , landlord no , i beg , i beg u , please don't punish him , he is just a kid, he would never do it again , leave my son , please , have mercy!!

Landlord- mercy,  u beg for mercy , okay if u want i will leave your son . come here , brave boy .

Bob-(walks slowly to the landlord)-hmm

Landlord-Nomaskar 

Bob- Nomaskaar

Landlord-(AFTER SPITTING)-Lick it. 

Bob- (making ugly faces) - sir ?

Landlord-(shouting)Just do as i said . 

Bob' s father- (requesting bob ) do it son , there is nothing wrong in doing that. our landlord is so humble .

Bob looks helpless.

CUT TO:
SCENE 1:

bell- ding , ding , ding ,ding    

Komulesh- (screaming) ok , i m done.Sharad lets go!

(BOB just comes alive at once)

Bob- (to himself)-okay , now i ll do my job.

Bob (dials a number)- hello , name and address?

Speaker- koustubh mukhergi , e-325 , ghama street. Do the job.

(Bob goes to the place mentioned.)

Bob-sir , Koustubh mukhergi?

Koustibh- yes.

Bob- 1 minute sir, (takes out the gun and shoots him , then matches from  the photograph)- thank u sir , oh u died. shit man u died in a single shot . nice to meet u sir , bye bye.

SCENE 4:

Bob reaches home , takes his food and goes to the bed(as usual)  and then again come such thoughts.

SCENE 2:

Then it just happens!!  this incident just shakes Bob. It creates a very deep impact over him . he just feels like killing  the landlord .

(The next evening he goes to the forest to meet kantababu, a naxallite and asks him to teach shooting and all kind of stuff required to kill anybody.He  daily practices it without telling anybody about it , not his family , nor any other family of his society , it was  the starting of his dual life and he was just so perfect at keeping this a secret. )

SCENE 5:

 (After 1 year)

(Local police recovers two dead bodies in the jungle , both shot dead - kantababu and the landlord. nobody knows what really happened but just BOB.

some people see a 13 year old boy going closer to the dead bodies.  it was BOB , nobody actually suspects that geek and simple looking kid.)

BOB-(murmurs) Namaskar landlord , (spitting over him) and sorry kantababu , i  had to kill u to make it a perfect secret, NAMASKAAR.

If IITs were Houses of Game of Thrones...

• 1.  IIT BOMBAY    - House Tyrell

(Maximum number of open-gay students among all the IITs reminds me of Ser Loras http://articles.timesofindia.ind... , google it you 'll find more :P) ( it is the IIT where homosexual(so called unnatural) acts are permissible :P )

• 2.  IIT GANDHINAGAR-House Redwyne

(Redwyne is a powerful house with strong ties to the Tyrells(IIT-Gandhinagar is mentored by IIT-B).Redwyne exports wines to different parts of Westros, Ironically Gujrat has a sumptuary law in force that proscribes the sale, purchase and consumption of the same!! Guys u people really are missing something!)

• 3.  IIT INDORE     -House Florent

(House Florent holds fealty to House Tyrell (mentored by IIT-B))

• 4.  IIT KGP          - House Targaryen

(Oldest IIT and on a rise(recently it was ranked no. 1 college in India in international rankings leaving behind IIT-B) the throne shall be ours!)

• 5.  IIT BHUBANESWAR- House Darry

(The Darrys are Targaryen(IIT-KGP) loyalists, even after Robert's Rebellion.The "house with the red door" in which Dany lived as a child was Willem Darry's house in Braavos.)

• 6.  IIT DELHI       - House Lannister

(enjoys much more attention than any other IIT even though its not the best IIT)

• 7.  IIT ROPAR    -House Tully

("RO-PAR"(to weep) has become their condition, 

 1.Lord Hoster tully                                -dead  

2.Queen Minisa tully                             -dead  

3.daughter Catelyn                                -dead   

4.daughter Catelyn's husband Ned Stark -dead  

5.daughter Catelyn's son,daughter in law-dead  

6.daughter Lysa's     husband Jon  Arryn-dead  

7.Most of the warriors                           -dead  

8.Son Edumure Tully                            -rotting in Freys' dungeon.)

• 8.  IIT KANPUR   - House Baratheon

(The IIT with maximum percentage of excellent scholars and the rightful owner of the throne if we just respect the present and forget the history)

• 9.  IIT JODHPUR - House Tarth

(House Tarth  holds fealty to House Baratheon(IIT-KANPUR). The family controls the island of Tarth, which lies in the Narrow Sea just off the coast of the Stormlands ( RAJASTHAN--the land of Desert-storms ) ) 

• 10.  IIT ROORKEE   - House Arryn

( The offenders were thrown over the mountains, do you remember?? IIT ROORKEE is located in mountains and throws away people with bad grades! :P (just a metaphor) also this IIT wants less involvement/interaction when it comes to say.... anything )

• 11.  IIT MANDI        - House Baelish

(House Baelish is a minor and small vassal house(new IIT) that holds fealty toHouse Arryn (IIT-ROORKEE) .The current lord of the house, Lord Petyr Baelishis called "Littlefinger" who would someday marry a lady called lady-finger (BHINDI) who shall be the queen of MANDI.)

• 12.  IIT GUWAHATI- House Greyjoy

("While still the ruling family of the Iron Islands, the Greyjoys have always had larger designs." which apparently means that it is the only IIT in the "seven sisters" and the only IIT to introduce B.DESIGN :P )

• 13.  IIT PATNA      - House Sparr

(House Sparr is a vassal house that holds fealty to House Greyjoy. (mentored by IIT-GUWAHATI))

 

• 14.  IIT VARANASI - The Night's watch

(old and important but not respected by others, even newer IITs used to consider themselves far more reputed than BHU until 2012 when it was finally officially declared as "IIT".)

• 15. IIT MADRAS    - House Stark

(Strong and important but could never attain the throne, may be some day!!)

• 16.  IIT HYDERABAD-House Frey

(Newer IIT but the fastest rising among all newer IITs.They were the banner-men of Stark(assisted by IIT-MADRAS) but they have become their competitors in that region thus weakening them somehow)

• 17.  ISM DHANBAD  -The Brotherhood without Banners

(As the name suggests, the inhabitants are all brothers since no girls are allowed in mining courses hence they don't have many sisters( only few sisters in newer departments).And they don't have the "IIT" tag, still they are glad because they have alumni network as strong as we do but their alums are mostly "underground"(have to be)).

The Final Destination (Screenplay)

Adaptation of the short story "The big Race"

LEGENDS:

Y-608016:CLERICS

X-350001:CLERICS

X-708093:CLERICS

Y-202012:CLERICS

X-1: GIANT.

SRG-1:SOME RANDOM GUY(CLERIC)

SRG-2:SOME RANDOM GUY(CLERIC)

SCENE-1:(BRIGHT/OVER-EXPOSED SEQUENCE)

EXT/JUNGLE(THE ONE SURROUNDED BY THE LAKE)
PROLOGUE:

X1: X-350001, I hereby declare you the winner. You loose your present identity Now i am gonna erase your memory and transport you to the real world.You have got one last chance to remember!

FADE IN:

SCENE-2:(REDDISH YELLOW SEQUENCE)

(A large crowd of boys and girls(Clerics) dressed in a similar way, many of them even looking identical.There is chaos everywhere.Everybody is confused.Meanwhile an old crackled voice keeps on making announcements, repeating the same words again and again)

VOICE: 

TRUST NO CLERIC.NO CLERIC SHALL BE YOUR FRIEND BUT SHALL BE YOUR FOE. .A CLERIC WHO FALLS, DISAPPEARS.STANDS BEYOND THIS LAP YOUR FINAL DESTINATION .OUT OF MILLIONS WHO STARTED 1000 OF YOU ADVANCE.

(Then suddenly there is a crackling in the sky.Clerics look up.The chaos continues.Now intensified with more hostile looks.

Y-608016 looks at X--350001. X-350001 is sweating.

Y-608016 moves towards X-350001.)

Y-608016:Wow.... what pressure!

X-350001:Yeah, dog eat dog.

Y-608016:True.....Okay listen.Do you want to make a pact?

X-350001:When you already know that a single CLERIC is gonna get into the real world?

Y-608016:(Interrupting)Yeah.We 'll help each other.See, even for the final lap we have a hell lot of clerics.I want to increase our probability to 1/2 from nothing.See i can easily figure out that we aren't gonna win on our own.

X-350001:(confused)Yeah .........yeah.You see there, thats  X-708093.She has been trying to push me and throw me out of here.I would love to take this up to do the same to her.

Y-608016:So either its not 1 of us or its nobody!

X-350001:Done!

Y-202012: Hey what are you two upto?No pairing up for us?Know the rules?And you silly girl, have you lost it completely?He is gonna use you till the end and finally gonna throw you off.

Y-608016: (kicks him right behind his knee to make him fall.)Thats really not an issue!

(Y-202012 looks with disgust and DISAPPEARS.)

ANOTHER CRACKLING IN THE SKY.

SRG-1:(Pointing towards the sky)Hey its the final one!

(Everyone starts running.)

Y-608016:(About to run) You can do  this right?

X-350001:(Nods)

(Both start to run.)

X-350001 NARRATES:AND STARTED THE "BIG RACE".(X-350001 & Y-608016 are running really fast.)

WE HELPED EACH OTHER(Y-608016 catches X-350001's hand to avoid her from slipping).

THE TEMPERATURES KEPT ON RISING.(the sequence getting more reddish/overexposed)

WE ELIMINATED CLERICS......EVEN THOSE WHO DIDN'T HARM US.(Two of them kicking and punching the other clerics)

SUDDENLY THE CLUTTER TURNED INTO AN UNUSUAL SILENCE.AS IF WE WERE THE ONLY CLERICS LEFT ON THE STRANDED ISLAND.

(They stop after running  for a while.)

X-350001:There is not a single clue! Strange place! Have you any idea? where exactly are we heading?

(A guy with a rod tries to hit Y-608016.)

there....(she shouts)

(The rod hits a tree.)

(Y-608016 throws SRG2.He falls,disappears.)

X-350001:That was close.

Y-608016:(surprised)Come on! we have to keep moving.That way.(Puts a few steps forward.)

X-350001: At least say thanks.

Y-608016:Yeah yeah.Whatever.

VOICE: 3 CLERICS LEFT.

X-350001:(Spotting X-708093)Look there is X-708093.She is the only one left apart from us.Get her.

(Y-608016 jumps towards her to catch her only to entangle his leg in a rope.Somehow avoids a fall only to be kicked by X-350001.Looks at her,disappears.X-350001 Smiles.)

(X-708093 approaches X-350001.They smile mysteriously & flip a coin.)

X-350001 catches the same coin in Scene-1.)

(Bright light appears and X-1 holds X-350001's hand to lead her into the real world.The "XX" combination is complete.)

SCENE 3:          

INT/HOSPITAL/DAY

(A nurse holding a baby.)

NURSE: Girl it is!