Times were a'Changing!

A Complete Unknown (2024)

Director: James Mangold

Clip from Youtube

One of my earliest memories from the late 1960s is of my uncle spending weekends at my house. He was a university student, a rare sight in Malaysia then. I was fascinated by the shaving cream he and his friend, who accompanied him, applied to their faces and skillfully shaved off. What intrigued me even more was the fragrant aftershave lotion they put on afterwards. I was captivated by the lovely containers it came in. I later discovered it was 'Old Spice'. Its logo, a pirate ship, left a lasting impression on me. They spoke a great deal in English, and I often wonder what they discussed—perhaps the societal changes about which Bob Dylan wrote in his songs? I could not comprehend the messages as they were mainly in English, the lingua franca of the educated lot in the country.

As we know, the 1960s were tumultuous times. The Americans were the de facto leaders of the free world, whilst developing countries struggled to free themselves from the yoke of colonisation. Communist ideology gained popularity among young rabble-rousers who believed Marx's teachings could save their nations and the world from annihilation. The US viewed it as its moral duty to curtail leftist ideas and promote the message of a free world. The Americans, however, wised up. Seeing the devastating effects of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs, the inhumane expulsion of tribes from Bikini Atoll and seeing bodybags returning from Korea and later Vietnam, in the carefree times of rock and roll, people started expressing their discontent.

At about this time, a young Bob Dylan packed his guitar and landed in New York to meet his ailing idol Woody Guthrie. He soon got into the folk music scene there. The film tells about Dylan's rise to stardom and the opposition he got as he decided to introduce electric guitar and other band instruments into his presentation. The folk music purists feel that he was damaging the essence of folk music by going electric. The movie ends in 1965 when Dylan finishes a stunning performance by introducing his electric make-over, performing on his acoustic guitar, and riding into the sunset on his motorbike.

https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/bob-dylan-motorcycle-crash/

The movie is not a full biopic but a part of Dylan's life. I was looking forward to knowing about his most talked about alleged bad motorcycle crash that cracked several vertebrae, a concussion and facial lacerations, but it was not included. Upon researching, I discovered that it happened a year after the timeline where the story ends. Like many of Bob Dylan's great stories, famous for half-truths, and outright lies, the motorcycle accident is shrouded in mystery. There is a possibility that the accident never took place as there was no record of hospital admissions for an injury so severe. Dylan could have just burned out. Possibly, such an accident never took place; he just wanted to be 'out of the rat race'.

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In support of Red-Black flag?

Viduthalai, Part 2 (Tamil; 2024)

Director: Vetrimaaran

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/tamil/
viduthalai-part-2-movie-review/

Continuing from Part 1 of the 2023 film, Perumal/Vathiyar is apprehended by the police. In Part 1, the conscientious policeman Kumaresan is the protagonist, providing his perspective on how the police force operates. Now, we discover how Perumal transformed into the person he ultimately became. Perumal is portrayed as a compassionate individual who goes out of his way to assist the oppressed. His struggle against injustice began during his time at a sugar factory, where the profit-driven owners prioritised profits over the welfare of their workers. The feudalistic bosses maintained control through oppressive tactics. Mysterious disappearances and deaths of dissenters were common occurrences, and the local police colluded with the mill owners.

The division between the labourers, primarily tribal individuals and members of the scheduled castes, and the capitalist owners fostered a conducive environment for communist and Maoist ideologies. Perumal becomes entangled in this.

The factory owner and his henchmen routinely exploited the tribal women for their carnal gratifications. When one of the husbands from a newly married couple stands up, Perumal finds himself caught in the crossfire. In his attempt to serve as an intermediary between the police and the rape victim's husband, Perumal is betrayed, becomes a fugitive, and is ultimately apprehended.

Perumal's perspective unfolds as he is escorted to the border, where he is to be formally charged. Everyone understands that Perumal will be executed along the way. Among the police team, there is anxiety within the ranks, each fearing that their own wrongdoings will be exposed. They attempt to eliminate one another.

Meanwhile, Perumal explains that the train bombing was meant to serve as a threat. Ample warnings were issued to defuse it, yet the alerts fell on deaf ears within the web of bureaucracy.

 

Perumal's men managed to intercept the police party and rescue him. In the ensuing clash, he was captured again and brutally shot at point-blank range while in police custody.

 

Viewing the film as a neutral observer, it positions itself as a sympathiser of leftist and caste politics. This is exemplified by its endorsement of the Red (leftist) flag and the Black (representing the atheistic anti-Hindu rebels of E.V. Ramasamy) flag. The combination of red and black in a flag would signify Dravida consciousness.

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What goes through the synapses?

Queen of Hearts (Dronnigen, Swedish; 2019)

Director: May el-Toukhy

https://www.filmaffinity.com/en/film115292.html

This tale reveals two truths: defenders of justice are not exempt from breaching the very laws they ardently uphold, and one cannot put a price on the matters of the heart.

A lawyer, Anne, who champions the plight of an abused teenager, is herself embroiled in an affair with her young adult stepson. Anne is married to a physician, Peter, and has twin daughters. Peter's troubled son, Gustav, from his first marriage, appears at their doorstep. Gustav has never liked Anne for taking his father away from his mother. The relationship between Gustav and Peter is not fantastic, and his academic performance appears poor. For amusement, Gustav stages a break-in at Peter and Anne's house.

Although the police could not identify the culprit, Anne confronted Gustav to reveal his recklessness.

Anne and Peter's marriage had lost its spark over the years due to their respective work commitments.

The sexually deprived Anne starts a clandestine incestual relationship with Gustav, threatening to squeal to Peter about the fake burglary if he tells his father about their affair.

There comes a time when Anne wants out, but Gustav is too vested. This is the part of the movie at the height of suspense. The tension between Gustav informing the father and Anne threatening her stepson is intense.

When Gustav finally opens up to his father, Anne displays an emotional outburst that is so convincing, denying that an affair happened at all and that Peter accepts Anne's innocence. Using her feminine charm and passive-aggressive methods, Anne gets Peter to think that Gustav just creates stories out of the air. Anne assumes that everything will die down as it is time for Gustav to return to college.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Gustav goes missing and is found dead, presumably after a suicide.

Matters of the heart are intricate. Unlike other worldly exchanges, they do not operate on a quid pro quo basis. It is not as straightforward as "I do this, and you do that, and we're even." Sometimes, the other party may perceive it differently, and the outcome could be heartbreakingly devastating. The signs of depression can be pretty subtle and easily masked. No one truly knows what goes on in the synapses.

P.S. In addition to meaning someone's sweetheart, the title 'The Queen of Hearts' could also be a subtle reference to the character of the same name in Lewis Carroll's 1865 book 'Alice in Wonderland'. The Queen is foul-tempered and quick to sentence her subjects to death for the slightest offence. At one point, Carroll admitted that the character was loosely based on Queen Victoria. With her majestic and nurturing aura, she embodies the force of unconditional love and the nurturing spirit. In psychological terms, the 'Queen of Hearts' is egoistic and narcissistic. She possesses a cold heart and shows no qualms about beheading her enemies or anyone who refuses to obey her commands. She is a bully.

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How to normalise free sex?

Anora (2024)
Director: Sean Baker

https://thefutureoftheforce.com/2024/10/31/review-anora-2024/

I was nearly knocked off my socks when I heard that 'Anora' won five Academy Awards, including Best Film, Best Actress, and Best Director. However, receiving the Best Film award is beyond any rational justification.  

My first impression of it when I viewed it was that it seemed like rubbish. It reminded me of the numerous B-grade films that excited teenagers in the 1980s when they gathered around their friends' VHS players to watch Koo Stark in 'Emily'.

The plot is thin and predictable, and the storytelling fails to present anything new. The storyline has been told and retold in numerous other films, though it serves more as a subplot. For context, this narrative follows a pole dancer who also works as a prostitute and finds herself infatuated with the debauched son of a Russian oligarch. According to her, the correct job title is exotic dancer. They dive into a whirlwind of romance filled with plenty of sex, drink, and other intoxicants. The allure of a grand mansion, a yacht lifestyle, and casino living proves too tempting. So, what is the next logical step? Get married in Vegas, of course, where the chapel can wed anyone 24/7.

This astonished his bodyguard, who was unaware of what was unfolding despite being in charge of his safety. His guardian was notified, and the oligarch parents arrived, eager to resolve the commotion. Next came the amusing part, as they dashed about attempting to annul the wedding. 

The film prides itself on not depicting Russians as mere mobs but rather imbuing them with personalities and emotions, particularly the henchmen, who are not shown as bumbling Russian nincompoops (albeit slightly).

I believe the entire premise of the film is to normalise prostitution as a profession. It is entirely acceptable to be high three-quarters of the time. One can still function normally after perpetually drowning oneself in casual sex, cocaine, and alcohol. Sex workers are portrayed as having their own agency, leaving their 'professions' whenever they choose. Perhaps they neglect to mention the pimps and human trafficking associated with the sex trade. Or is it women empowerment to choose to be a sex worker?

It is an award not for acting, but for how much drapery one can shed and how convincingly one can simulate coital activity. Nothing more, nothing less!

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Baby, baby, it’s a vile world!

financialexpress.com

Society wants us to believe that it is progressive. It gives the impression of being open to new ideas and radical changes. It uplifts us when we think outside the box and are bold enough to express the unthinkable. It encourages us to break unspoken societal barriers. In the modern era, where clicks and likes determine financial returns and the popularity of a social media channel, subscribers cheer and indirectly push the boundaries of what can be spoken and done. 

The presenter on the other end will be enveloped in the illusion that he is the most significant discovery since Columbus found the New World. This is what fame offers us: an inflated, infallible feeling that nothing can go awry. We believe that our entire fan base has our backs covered. Sadly, the opposite is true.

This, Ranbeer Allahwadia discovered the hard way. After ascending the ladder of fame through his informative podcasts and YouTube videos, he went as far as to receive national awards for being a role model to young people. His guests include high-ranking ministers, academics, and even figures of faith. 

Alongside this, he was also invited as a guest on other shows. In one reality show, Ranbeer thought he would try his hand at comedy. His choice of comedy, plagiarised from a Western sketch, turned out to be the worst decision of his career. The joke was deemed too vulgar for public consumption in India. His fall from grace was set in motion. The house of cards started crumbling. People who had initially piggybacked on his platform for public exposure and self-promotion became turncoats. They started a vile campaign against him. Left-leaning channels with opposing views to Allahbadia's revelled in the scandal. They even went so far as to dig up and analyse dirt of the past, even involving his parents. Allahabadia's parents, as gynaecologists, had an ovum donor die of Ovarian Hypersimulation Syndrome (OHSS). Suddenly, now it is a big issue to emphasise that the boy is of bad stock. No one talks about the good things he has done.

Now Ranveer stands alone out in the cold, despised by everyone, dropped by advertisers, facing interrogation and responding to legal notices. 

It is a cruel world. The very people who lift us onto the palanquin will be the same ones who lay us to rest. It merely reinforces the old adage, 'the higher the climb, the harder the fall.'

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The generational gap?

Mehta Boys (Hindi, 2015)

Directed, Written and Produced by Boman Irani

https://www.indiaforums.com/movie/the-mehta-boys_7313

This problem is frequently observed these days. As baby boomers live longer lives and share their experiences, clashes often arise between them and younger generations. The boomers are eager to impart the knowledge that benefited them. In their view, they do not want to be like their fathers, who sat aloof, refusing to engage in conversation with the children. The boomers believed they were doing the younger generation a favour by offering free advice. The problem is they assume that this is the only effective approach. The younger ones see things through a different lens and adopt a more relaxed attitude.

The boomers live with a siege mentality, assuming that the world is hostile and could turn upside down at any moment. They act as if they are facing impending doom. Their sole purpose in life is to save for a rainy day at the expense of enjoying themselves.

Consider, for example, preparing for a flight. The older generation would have packed, weighed, and locked the luggage well in advance—perhaps even a day or two before departure. Meanwhile, the younger ones tend to leave it until the last minute, scrambling to find their passport and visa. The same applies to meeting deadlines. The youngsters believe they perform best under pressure. Do they really?

This likely reflects the generational divide often discussed. The older generation insists that things should be done in a single way, while the younger ones understand that there are numerous approaches to tackling a problem. This dilemma is exacerbated in a patriarchal family.

This is the story of a recent widower with two adult children: a daughter in the US and a young architect struggling with confidence issues, working in the bustling city of Mumbai. The father, the widower, is compelled to relocate to the US by his daughter. Both children reunite at the family home to bid farewell to their father. The father and daughter were supposed to fly together, but due to a mix-up with the tickets, the father was assigned a later travel date. Thus, he must stay with his son for a few days before his departure to the US. The relationship between father and son has never been particularly close. The son's formative years were difficult, as the father was always hovering over him. Nothing the son did ever seemed good enough.

The following days marked a turning point in their relationship. The father met the boy's girlfriend, who got on well with him. Amidst some difficulties, such as the father losing his US visa and passport, they found a compromise.

A heartfelt tale of paternal love, ego, frustration, and reconciliation.

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Health for all?

X: The Man with Xray Eyes (1963)
Director: Roger Corman

Ray Milland, who first came to my knowledge through Hitchcock's 'Dial M for Murder', had a successful acting career. He was seen as early as 1929 and went through to the 1960s. The pinnacle of his career was winning an Oscar for Best Actor in 1945, 'The Lost Weekend'. This particular movie is a B-grade science pulp, but a rather interesting one at that.

I remember the umpteen comics I used to read at the barbershop during my childhood. All the comics had classified advertisements at the back, selling X-ray glasses, which were an adolescent boy's dream present. A pair of special vision glasses that could see through garments was something to get excited about. The only hurdle was postage, as the given PO box was in the USA. If only they had Lazada or Shopee, then...

The film effectively portrays how society treats members of the medical profession. Individuals enter the medical field with the desire to serve humanity and alleviate suffering. Unfortunately, things are not straightforward. Resources are finite, and healthcare is getting more expensive. Health workers and patients are at the mercy of those who control finance.

The business people have the money but not the compassion. What they see are dollars and cents as well as return on investments. Everything and anything can be done but at a cost. There is no place for charity. In fact, health providers are dangled with a carrot so enticing that they fall prey to material lures. They are given the illusion that they are serving the needy, but the selected target only serves to fatten the coffers of the financiers. No businessman is altruistic.

The film goes on to narrate the story of Dr Xavier, who discovers an eyedrop that extends the range of what the eyes can see beyond the usual spectrum of wavelength. He sees vast potential in his discovery, but the medical community is wary of its potential dangers. They want more research to understand its downside. Xavier has no patience for that. He wants to spread its usage as soon as possible. The concoction obviously has its side effects, making Xavier so impulsive; the effect of the ointment is so unpredictable.

In a tussle with his superior, he accidentally knocks him over a window, and he dies. Dr Xavier is now a fugitive. 

He tries to make good use of his discovery by practising as a faith healer, only to realise that he is being used by his host as a cash cow. Dr Xavier then tries to use his X-ray vision to win at the casino to win lots of money to fund and expand his ointment. The casino is not going to give him money lying down. They bring in the might of the police to hunt him down...

Hence came a tragic end to what could been a novel desire to indeed improve people's health and to bring technology to where it mattered most. Instead, like today, the greatest expertise is used to treat trivial and inconsequential ailments that may be self-limiting. The counterargument against this is that it frees the burden of public healthcare. Personalised treatment can be focused on seriously ill patients. The fact of the matter is it also helps the high-heeled to jump the queue and be uppity about sharing the same facility as the plebians.

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2025/01/11/can-private-hospitals-be-efficient-compassionate-and-profitable/

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