Tag: favourites

The Game, Is On

The game is on

What is it like to successfully help the government on a top-secret mission for years, and then be sentenced by the very same government?

What is it like to be forced into suicide, and have all your achievements kept secret for over 50 years?

Benedict Cumberbatch will give you a vivid image. In The Imitation Game.

What if machines couldn’t think — ? Well, the world wouldn’t be what it is today, that’s for certain.

Once again, I was stunned into silence by Cumberbatch’s performance on screen. But this time, it wasn’t only him.

Powerful, aren’t they? Words?

Every conversation goes deep into your soul, and makes you question yourself.

Why do people enjoy violence?

What is normal?

Why do people conform to normality, and punish those who aren’t?

What is indecency?

What’s a better marriage?

If you’re looking for answers, then the movie isn’t for you.

There are no answers in the movie. But you will find yourself wondering about everything society has ever taught you about normal. And that, can keep you awake for hours into the night.

I’m at a loss for what to say without quoting the entire script here. I enjoyed this movie like no other, and after a long time too.

Keira Knightley was beautiful. Which is not much a surprise. But what is, is that both Keira and Benedict had a wonderful chemistry on screen. A chemistry with the absence of fleeting passion and rapid breathing.

You don’t often see love depicted as in this movie. It’s both sad and nice, that two people who are so unlikely for each other, are perhaps best suited together.

“We’ll have each other’s minds. That sounds like a better marriage than most.”

For some reason, I could see a lot of resemblance to the Benedict’s characterisation of Alan Turing and Sherlock.

Arrogance. Soft chuckles. Total loss of sociability.

And, The Game.

You need to watch this movie, alone. To understand, to revere, and to appreciate the power of simple words.

And some badass acting.

What I Learnt from Fast & Furious

Fast&Furious

Sometimes you learn some great lessons when you’re least expecting them. I was watching Furious 6, and this particular dialogue hit me hard. Not only the truth in it, but also the conviction with which the character delivers it.

That’s when I realized; in all my stories so far, I have never been able to create a character so strong and powerful as this one. It’s one of the things that make a character stand out, and be remembered. It’s the self-belief, the conviction, and – to an extent – arrogance that defines a character.

Between a character like this and a character that remains silent in that exact situation, I’d always prefer this one.

That’s a writing lesson I’d never forget; for a character to linger, she must display powerful attitude.

What say you guys? Any other lessons from movies?

Whatever it is…

Now that the holiday spirits are slowly dying down, people have began to talk of the next big thing: Valentines Day. I know it’s too early for romance talk, but it never is too early for poetry! Besides, I’ve been posting a lot of short stories lately, and I’ve been missing the poetic touch.

With this poem, it was love at first sight. Yet again.

And for all those folks who wonder what the hell love is, here’s what the German poet, Erich Freud has to say.

Was es ist

Es ist Unsinn
sagt die Vernunft
Es ist was es ist
sagt die Liebe

Es ist Unglück
sagt die Berechnung
Es ist nichts als Schmerz
sagt die Angst
Es ist aussichtslos
sagt die Einsicht
Es ist was es ist
sagt die Liebe

Es ist lächerlich
sagt der Stolz
Es ist leichtsinnig
sagt die Vorsicht
Es ist unmöglich
sagt die Erfahrung
Es ist was es ist
sagt die Liebe

Translation

What it is

It is nonsense
says reason
It is what it is
says love

It is calamity
says calculation
It is nothing but pain
says fear
It is hopeless
says insight
It is what it is
says love

It is ludicrous
says pride
It is foolish
says caution
It is impossible
says experience
It is what it is
says love

Never mind what
anyone says –
It is confusing
says I. ;)

An Artist’s Life

Amanda Palmer-The Art of Asking
From ‘The Art of Asking,’ by Amanda Palmer

Ever had that feeling of being lost? The frustration of not being able to be as good as you want to be? I know I’ve had that feeling – still do, but that’s when we need words like these. To calm the soul, to assure us that it’s all going to be fine. Because everyone’s gone through it. Every artist faces a point where he or she’s torn between scarcity and abundance.

Art doesn’t make money grow on trees; we all know that. And we still choose to do it.

What do we hope for, when we continue to create art despite knowing that it might only lead us down poverty’s path?

Are we hoping for the next best seller? The cover image of a popular art magazine? The headlines of the reputed news channel that no one but the rich have the time to while away on?

Hell yes! Every artist hopes for recognition. And abundance.

But these’s more…

It’s not just the glitter that we’re after. We create art, because we have to. Because knowing that you want to be an artist and not working on it, is like burying all your dreams and accepting a hideous mask in this already two-faced world.

And as artists, we can’t do that.

So we create art instead – the only thing we can do to stay sane. Such art comes from the heart; it’s raw, it’s fresh and it connects with its audience.

And once we’ve reached that point, the glitter follows.

It’s a beautiful life, an artist’s. And Amanda Palmer has beautifully phrased it in her book, ‘The Art of Asking.’ I haven’t read the book, but after reading a few excerpts, the book’s now on my list. If you enjoyed this excerpt, you might want to check out another one I shared sometime ago, also from the same book.

P.S: The image is a screenshot from Brain Pickings Weekly (with their signature yellow quotation mark.)