RIFLE RANGE BOY

Pickpocket (French, 1959) Director: Robert Bresson To people who believe that their job is the most difficult one on the planet, this is an eye opener. A pickpocket has to plan his moves, strategise, be imaginative, be supple with his fingers and beyond anything be vigilant with the law man at all times. In this film, the thief even uses a manual (for pickpockets) to enhance his efficacy! He also wants to be a normal individual doing things what most people do in life. However, he is either too weak or too lazy to be getting into the social routines that we are expected to  do. Like getting up early, be at post at a specified time day in and day out, handling the eventualities that come with the job and dealing with the bosses. Perhaps, he lacks the discipline. Michel is a loafer who goes on with life through pickpocketing. The law sometimes catches with him. He has a sick mother whom he rather not see. Maybe, he is embarrassed for being a failure in his mother's eyes or mayb...

Shakha Prosakha (Branches of the Tree, Bengali; 1990) Story, Screenplay, Direction: Satyajit Ray This is one of Ray's swan song. It is a layered tale questioning the meaning of life, intergenerational priorities and the pressure of growing up to live up to peoples' expectations. Ananda Majumdar is a 70-year-old retired industrialist who raised the rank and files from a worker to the position of partner in a big company, honoured by the town for his philanthropy work. He is highly respected by the community, and his biography had just been written. He is a widower with 4 sons. He lives with his senile father of 90 years old and his second son with had a head injury during his university days and had to discontinue his studies. The second son, Proshanto (Soumitra Chatterjee in his subdued supportive role, in most of Ray's movies he is the leading actor), is living in his own world oblivious of the surroundings, talking only occasionally, somewhat coherently, someti...

Make yourself at home Remember the time in history when the first merchant ship landed in Surat and the year 1509 when Lopez de Sequeira landed on our shores with gifts and praises. The locals bent over backwards, as the local culture dictates, to please the guests and make them comfortable and feel welcome. The guests, fondly referred to as 'Benggali Putih', did not fulfil their part of the bargain of being a gracious visitor but instead became their masters. Life, as the locals knew it, was never the same. Here comes trouble! Fast forward 5 centuries later, the whole country is excited that the most powerful man on the world with the official authority to annihilate the whole world with a press of a button decided to grace his presence in this land. Media has gone bonkers hailing the visit as the next best thing since 1966 when his predecessor came here to signal to the Eastern Block that we were proxies of the Uncle Sam. So, keep out! And it applies to others to...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/16/ansel-adams-manzanar_n_5155579.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000010 The Huffington Post | by Braden Goyette In 1942, still reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. government ordered thousands of Japanese Americans to leave their homes behind and take up residence in remote detainment camps. About two thirds of them were U.S. citizens . The most famous of the camps, located in California's Owens Valley, was called the Manzanar War Relocation Center . Starting in the fall of 1943, photographer Ansel Adams chronicled the day-to-day existence of the people held at Manzanar. He was distressed that the lives of American citizens had been uprooted in such a way, and strove to capture on film the humanity of the detainees as they faced dehumanizing circumstances. "Nothing is more permanent about Manzanar than the dust which has lodged in its tar-papered barracks, except the indelible impression incised on the lives of thous...

The Jains are kind of obsessed with not hurting animals that they just shoo a mosquito rather than squash it. Of late, quite a number of people are caring for the welfare of animals, physical as well psychological wise. Unheard careers like dog whispers, veterinary acupuncturist have secured their stronghold in some societies. Now, you may say all that is fine but how is a mosquito (also an animal) contributing to society and should be given due respect? All that do is spread disease. In the last census, half of world population from Stone Age have died from mosquito borne diseases especially malaria. True, only female mosquitoes bite humans as they need nutritious proteins for their potential off springs. And that mosquitoes are also found in the Arctic Circle but they only help to germinate wild orchids. Maybe the mosquitoes are doing us a favour by competitively protecting us from more severe diseases. Or that they are protecting the green lung tropical forests from intruder...

Das Boot (The Boat, German; 1981) Written and Direction: Wolfgang Peterson Yet again, another movie to highlight to us that the fighting spirit and the will to live of the human being. In this most expensive German movie at that time, the events surrounding the voyage of a German U-boat is depicted in a heart wrenching and suspenseful manner. It narrates the joy of the crew starting the journey led by a relatively young crew of a captain, chief engineer and war correspondence journalist. They were initially mocked by the older crew who doubt their credibility. They soon discover that their journey is no pleasure cruise, fraud with mishaps and enemy attacks. They had an initial excitement as they shot down a war ship but surprisingly they could not stomach the idea they were actually killing people. Their gung ho spirit soon dwindled as this lethargic crew is shoved around by the powers that be to go and there. Once they were hit by the enemy ship and were stranded in the bottom ...

BBC Storyville: Mad Dog, Gaddafi's Secret World (2014) The story of a the son of a Bedouin goatherd sounds almost similar to many other leaders who initially starts a revolution with many big plans to uplift the welfare of the people. He has grand plans but some how many of the plans fall flat. People start asking questioning whilst others support him. He gains absolute power and it corrupts absolutely. His enemies become enemy of the state and witch hunt starts. One thing leads to another and things spiral out of control. Despot is killed by the same people who hailed him as king. Does it not give you the sense of deja vu? This documentary makers managed to track down some of the people who were close to the despot when the going was good. Many of them were on the FBI's most wanted list; Gary Korkala, former poison dealer; Frank Terpil; Lutz Kayser, a German rocket scientist. Muammar Gaddafi's father went out of his way to ensure that his son got some education. ...

Dallas Buyers Club (2013) It is often said that most Academy awards films/ actors that win usually have done one of the following - lost a lot of weight, get afflicted with HIV, cross dress or appear very ugly. Living true to this mantra are this year's winners, Matthew McConaughey (Best Actor, HIV patient) and Jared Leto (Best Supporting Actor, Transgender cross dresser). Looks like Matthew McConaughey has broken away from his usual mould of showing off his sculptured six pack body. He gave a stellar performance as blue collar homophobic electrician cum bookie who was afflicted with HIV through his promiscuous way of life. After the initial denial, reality hit him. Instead of taking the standard treatment with AZT, he gets treated by an American deregistered doctor in Mexico. He is treated with non standard treatment with medications not approved in the US. As his conditions improves tremendously, he continues his treatment. Not only that, he illegally smuggles the drugs...

History of the World in Two Hours (Documentary, 2012) I thought this was a darn good documentary which managed to shrink 13.7 billion years of existence of the universe to 2 hours. It managed to compress astronomy and join up all the loose ends that join human civilisation into big solved jigsaw puzzle. It also shows us how everything is interconnected. Of course all this may not make any sense to those who accept the notion that God created the universe in 6 days and rested on the 7th. First there was nothing. Within a fraction of a second, a big explosion happened giving all the energy that universe needs even until today. Then the stars exploded giving rise to supernovas with heavy elements that the universe needed. 4.6 million years ago, with the aid of gravity and elements from supernova, Earth is formed. This infant planet is indeed a living hell with molten magma and intense heat, rotating in its axis in a wobbly fashion once every 6 hours. Then comes a massive collision ...

This Tiger sleeps tonight! I would not do justice to this great man if I do not pen a word or two about him. He actually lived around my neighbourhood in Penang and been the punching bag of the people in power even at the time before I started reading newspapers. I used to wonder what keeps people like him and his like minded to go and on like an Energizer bunny fighting and fighting unwinnable wars for something I could not grasp at that time of life. To me then, justice and liberty was either black or white, good or black. Your actions are either good or bad, no two ways about it. It was much later that I realised that everything has two side of the coin. Somebody who is fighting back is not being disobedient but just asking for what is due to him. And the people in power are not always right. Like that Karpal Singh (1940-2014) has been fighting all his life, for the oppressed, the downtrodden, the condemned and the hopeless whose life, given by God, was numbered by Man. Stan...

MALAYSIAN BIBLE: THE JOURNEY OF THE AL   KITAB BERITA BAIK UPDATES, RECOLLECTIONS & REFLECTIONS  BY LEE MIN CHOON IN MEMORY: KARPAL SINGH, TRUE HUMANITARIAN This has nothing to do with the Malay Bible. But I can’t help but feel a sense of loss with the passing of colleague at the Bar and friend, Karpal Singh. So, here’s how I remember him. It must have been around 1985 when I was helping a convict on death row who had become a Christian while in prison. Liew Weng Seng was sentenced to death under the Internal Security Act for possession of a firearm. At the Federal Court, Liew was unrepresented and proceeded to tell the court that he was guilty and did not wish to appeal his death sentence. When court was adjourned, his family tried to pass him a bible but was prevented from doing so by the prison warders. A commotion ensued and made the news the next day. When I read the report, I thought, “Hey, this guy is a Christian and he had just told the court to go ahead to...

Nebraska (2013) You look at someone old who is not the warmest person in the world with signs of senility written all over and think that he must be the most uninspiring person with a most boring life. You keep away thinking that he may ask you for help. Then you see his wife who carries herself like she is the most painful character in the world and you start thinking, "what do these find in each other, why do they go for each other's neck but still show affection to each other all these years?" Slowly you discover that this person was also young and had his time in the spotlight. He served his country, broke a few hearts along the way, did many good deeds and had his own set of buddies. Then you realise that "he is alright" and let him have his wish. You stop telling him to do things just because you want it to be done your way but give him dignity and let him have his way. This, in essence, is the gist of this touching film. Purposely done in black and wh...

No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka (2013, Documentary) Director: Callum Macrae One of our lecturers (RS) back in university told us that the more we tried to hide something, the more people would want to see. And at that time, he was referring to the then sudden urge to preserve modesty or at least put a show of, by university students after 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution. Once it is bare open, people would lose interest. Words of wisdom, come to think of it! I decided to watch this award winning documentary which was aired last before the CHOGM meeting and Sri Lanka was to head the association that carries no real power but to remind (haunt) Britain of their glorious past! It only came to my attention after reading about its ban in Malaysia and the ongoing court case where the organiser of a public screening is charged.  Just when you thought there was hope in humanity, comes this graphically disturbing images of people systematically eliminating a certain...