Am sure everyone has a separate definition here. For me its cinema that is not intriguing, is surreal, doesn’t impact or touch you in anyway and leaves you mildly annoyed for having succumbed to the lure by the rave reviews.
I happened to watch two of these in succession a while back. Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. Both written by the celebrated script writer Charlie Kaufman.
Adaptation:
Nicholas Cage plays himself twice over. One is the nerdy, socially awkward, idealistic guy and other is his socially popular and scruples-less twin brother. Throw in Meryl Streep who is in search of passion and meaning in life and a toothless nomad Laroche who is deeply passionate about all and every whim of his. What follows is interaction between all four protagonists, all in search of elusive meanings. The passionate Laroche in search of the elusive ghost orchid. Streep in search of meaning and passion following Laroche. Nicholas Cage (idealistic) in search of elusive strings that will help him tie up a movie script and Nicholas Cage (scruples-less) ah, well he isn’t in search of anything. He is the hollow, shallow guy who likes enjoying life and trivial pursuits.
In the end a lot of people end up dying and you end up in the elusive search of the meaning of it all. So why was the movie made? To personify life? We all chase meanings and passion and idealism and in the end we find a few of those and we miss a few and not a lot of it makes sense. Whatever the reason be, the end feels like watching a deflated colourful balloon left on the side of the road.
People with personality flaws looking to be complete and chasing elusive pursuits does not make for intriguing cinema as far as I am concerned. It just mirrors the emptiness, ache, defects, wants and needs that we all have. Watching it is not pretty. We know it. We live it. Watching someone conquer it, defy it, complete it would be intriguing cinema. In the end Nicholas Cage (idealistic and socially awkward) does find love and that is the only saving grace.
Will lament on Being John Malkovich next….
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
So right :) sometimes films fly right past u n one still has to say 'wonderful film' just coz people around u will get into a debate otherwise. So it's always easier to say ;yeah nice film' and walk out of the room and doo something that holds ur interest better.
I saw Being John Malkovich too (was trying to impress a boyfriend then who was into these kinda films). Total torture :)
Phew!...thank god I am not the only one who feels that way about being john malkovich or about impressing boyfriends intellectually :)
Seriously everybody in the advertising fraternity would rave over Being John Malkovich and its an NYT critics pick...but frankly it just picked my brains. Hell what was the fuss all about? And I so wanted to catch hold of carmen diaz and rush her to a decent beautician to get her the works from a manicure to a haircut and once done rush both her and john cusack to emergency appointment with a shrink....
Post a Comment