RIFLE RANGE BOY

Mrs Doubtfire (1993) I could not help but tend to compare this movie with its copycat off-shoot, Avvai Shanmugi (1996) starring Kamalhaasan and the rib-tickling rolling on the floor witty script by Crazy Mohan. Maybe because I had watched the latter and not the former, I found Avvai Shanmugi more of riot with gut rolling laughter. The plot in AS is more complicated. Maybe because it was a Tamil movie and nobody would watch any movie which last less than 2.5 hours (low on money worths' scale), they had to make the characters more deeply entrenched in the masala of seeing an attractive single working Indian lady! The frequent tongue-in-cheek double speak dialogue penned by Crazy Mohan must have been the primary reason why Avvai Shanmugi reached enviable heights in modern Tamil cinema. Mrs Doubtfire stars two great actors - Robin Williams and Sally Field. The movie won the Academy awards for Best make-up for that year but unfortunately did not impress the reviewers then as it it...

Dead Poet's Society (1989) All of us had that favourite teacher in school who could motivate and connect with you. He would have been that sympathetic ear that could understand all the teenage angst that you went through. He probably would have also changed the direction of your future as you had struggle through the aimless journey in those trying years. This coming-of-age film is one which depicts such a teacher.  In spite of all turbulences that Robin Williams had to go through as he manoeuvred through the crypts of life, he managed to inspire many a teenager to indulge in poetry and literature when he took the role of an English teacher, Mr John Keating, in this movie. Many still remember the verses 'Carpe diem' and 'O' Captain, my Captain'. Just like 'The Paper Chase' with Prof. Charles Kingsfield and his sarcastic remarks to his Year One Law Students, the dialogues exchanged between Mr Keating and his students is simply poetically entertainin...

You think you have got it made. You think you are perfect. That is what everyone aims for. And we all yearn to be THE one. Many want to leave their legacy behind, something for their descendants to feel proud of. Mythology repeatedly told over time from ear to ear over the years, got spiced up and snowballed to portray infallible characters, invincible, just, powerful and elevated to demi-God and God statuses. As usual, my mind got thinking... That could explain the many 'great' men (mahaans) and avatars of God who had graced and walked the land we stand on. Not to belittle the great deeds that they had done, there must be blemishes in their otherwise pristine time on Earth. When Robin William passed on recently, the internet and social media were fluff with a flurry of messages praising him to high heaven. Many thanked him for the comedy and making the world a happier place. One even praised him in his role as a motivating teacher in 'Dead Poets Society'. If not for...

Good Will Hunting, 1997 Drama An old write up. As a farewell to an extremely talented artiste who, despite his inner demons and the dark shadows of the black dog that haunted a good portion of his life, still came out tops as a world class entertainer. For the children of the 70s and 80s, Robin Williams was just part of our exposure to the world of comedy, starting with 'Mork and Mindy' to 'Mrs Doubtfire' to 'Good Will Hunting' to 'Dead Poet's Society' to 'Jumanji' and beyond. RIP. This multiple award winning film is a heart wrenching saga of a gifted individual trapped in the conundrum of poverty, unsavoury upbringing and living environment that stunts his personal development. It is set in Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston where Will Hunting (Matt Damon), the protagonist is a janitor. He is also a prodigy who has a photographic memory who enjoys reading and learning multiple subjects. Unfortunately, his fate of being bor...