One-line review: Unhinged, without missing a beat. After you watch Birdman, you are not sure whether to bawl, guffaw, go silent, or go rogue. But you know you’ve been in the presence of explosive greatness: the kind that happens only when the creative process is jointly ruled by the mind and heart, with both operating […]
Make not-to-do lists instead of to-do lists. Antonie de Saint Exupery said, “perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” But achieving simplicity, or even vouching for it is difficult in our growth-driven society. Economic models encourage more production, social media algorithms promote
One line review: Distrust fuels this high octane cat and mouse mob drama. Martin Scorcese finally won his directorial Oscar for this light-footed outing, a breather, and a return to the present for him after back-to-back period dramas. The Departed is serious and gory stuff, but it’s also exuberant and entertaining. It is also deeply
THE DEPARTED (2006) Read More »
Don’t restrict mindfulness to your breathing; expand it to include humanity’s pulsating breath. We interact mindlessly with strangers throughout the day with countless “how are yous,” “good days,” “bless yous.” That’s an equal number of lost opportunities to connect with our shared humanity. Even standard greetings become meaningful when said sincerely.. Human beings crave connection,
MINDFUL CONNECTIONS Read More »
One line review: The original ROFL. The Coen brothers’ highly anticipated next outing after their debut hit, Blood Simple, defies all expectations. If Blood Simple was dark, this movie is giddy light. If Blood Simple’s characters were smart two-timers, this film’s characters ooze goodness but are sadly let down by their sub-par brains, much to
Raising Arizona (1987) Read More »
Herbert Simon rightly predicted that the wealth of information creates a poverty of attention. Little wonder that people are flocking to social media influencers to make choosing easy. But our brains still need more than Tik Tok-sized bytes to learn anything of substance. So what’s a surefire way to separate the chaff from the grain
Choose organic information Read More »
I recently heard an interview where an American comic said he realized how lucky he was when his Indian friend told him that in India, your shower ends when your bucket of water runs out and not when you turn off the faucet. It was unfathomable to him that anyone except you could decide the
One-line review: Tarantino’s epic Hollywood fairytale. The film is highly rewatchable, to begin with, but reading Tarantino’s swashbuckling novel makes you go back to it countless times. All those nuances that you took for granted as great acting, like Leonardo Dicaprio’s spitting and stuttering or Brad Pitt’s zen-like demeanor, now have a back story to
Once upon a time in Hollywood (2019) Read More »
Herbert Simon rightly predicted that the wealth of information creates a poverty of attention. Little wonder that people are flocking to social media influencers to make choosing easy. But our brains still need more than Tik Tok-sized bytes to learn anything of substance. So what’s a surefire way to separate the chaff from the grain
Choose organic information Read More »
One-line review: Slipping on a banana peel contest. Wes Anderson’s first film (co-written with college roommate Owen Wilson) is about three friends who want to find meaning through a life of crime but cannot overcome their inherent goodness. They are overgrown boys, drifters, weak, and their sum is greater than their parts, both in stupidity
Bottle Rocket (1996) Read More »