|
|
|
April 27, 2006
Eight Days a Week
FILM
The excellent Changing Lanes took the bones of a thriller and turned it into a morality play, plumbing the material for unexpected depths and insights into personality flaws and moral uncertainties. It was a powerful film, thoughtful and thought-provoking and though it didn’t win any major awards, it was, in my book, one of the best movies of 2002.
Mollywood’s Taxi Number 9211, is essentially a remake of the Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Affleck starrer, with a few cosmetic changes thrown in. It is definitely not a comedy as its promos and first few scenes may suggest. The movie chronicles a day in the lives of Jai Mittal (John Abraham), an heir to billions, and Raghav Shastri’s (Nana Patekar), a poor cab driver. Their paths cross but in less than ideal circumstances leading them to become each other’s worst nightmare. A cat-and-mouse game of one-upmanship develops that could prove disastrous to both.
The movie has been adapted well by director Milan Luthria though it doesn’t quite have the power and emotional intensity of the original. Certain illogical plot elements and a few implausible sequences also hurt the movie’s credibility. But overall it remains watchable throughout.
The two main performances are strong –– particularly Patekar’s ––- and Abraham continues to improve with every movie. Also, Sonali Kulakarni, as Patekar’s wrong-suffering wife, turns a smallish role into something special. Kulkarni’s been around a while doing mostly supporting stuff (she was Saif Ali Khan’s romantic interest in Dil Chahta Hai) but here she shows that she could be a future Shabana Azmi or Smita Patil. Certainly an actress to watch out for in the future. The movie also has a couple of catchy numbers. Check it out for something different from Mollywood. Or better yet –– go rent the original. — Khusro Mumtaz
OR
Philip Seymour Hoffmann superbly channels the author of “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”, Truman Capote, in Capote. But his Oscar-winning performance isn’t the only reason to watch the film (based on the book by Gerald Clarke). This isn’t the standard bio-pic which begins with its subject’s impoverished childhood, chronicles his rise to fame, riches and glory and then depicts the eventual decline (and perhaps redemption). While it does manage to work into it the bare bones of Capote’s life and psychological landscape (a lonely childhood and a difficult relationship with his mother that would forever leave an impact on him, the darling of the party set and the literary world but forever an outsider, if for nothing else but his sexual orientation and his effete ways and high-pitched lisp) and captures the essence of his personality (brilliant and witty but also vain and selfish) it basically does so by focusing on the six-year period that the writer devoted to writing his most famous work, In Cold Blood.
That book created a whole new literary genre (the non-fiction novel) and made Capote one of the most famous men in America for a while. But the process of writing the book and its eventual success also came with consequences. For his art (and for his vanity), Truman Capote had to sacrifice at least parts of his soul because to get the ending of the book that he wanted also required him to betray (in a way) the subjects of his work ––– the two drifters who had killed a family of four in a lonely, Kansan town. The betrayal was particularly difficult for Capote because he had formed a close bond with at least one of the men, Perry Smith (Clifton Collins Jr.), with whom he is (perhaps sexually) fascinated and whose life could have mirrored Capote’s own (and vice versa) but for certain twists of fate. The effect of Capote’s duplicity turned out to be crippling because, as the ending of the movie suggests, it basically finished him as a writer.
The movie captures Capote’s anguish but it also gets bogged down in its last third as Capote waits for the resolution of the case as the killers go from court to court, appealing their conviction and death penalty sentence. The case dragged on (hence delaying Capote’s ability to finish the book) and therefore so does the movie. But its devastating ending makes up for the lack of energy in the preceding 20 minutes. Capote also has a stellar supporting cast which includes Catherine Keener (as Harper Lee, Capote’s childhood friend and author of To Kill A Mockingbird), Chris Cooper, Bruce Greenwood, and Bob Balaban.—K.M.
SINGLE
Rihanna,18, native of Barbados, is teen queen of the pop music scene right now with her smash party hits Pon De Replay and the too-fly SOS. The latter track samples the classic `80s favourite Tainted Love and has made her a star. Now, she has just released her third song and first ballad Unfaithful, which shows a softer side to the diva-in-the-making.
A duet with Ne-Yo, Unfaithful will appear on her upcoming second album A Girl Like Me. Penned by Ne-Yo, the track is phenomenal, but the island native struggles with her vocals at times. Still, she pulls off enough for this single to be a hit. Unfaithful is a big change from the artist’s previous work as it is much slower in tempo and full of piano strokes, as compared to the hip-hop combined with fast pop driven nature of her previous singles.
Signed by Jay-Z and Def Jam Recordings, Rihanna has the talent and support to continue to rise in the industry.––T.U.Dawood
ALBUM
Pop and adult alternative music is back in a big way with the runaway successes of James Blunt and Daniel Powter. The Goo Goo Dolls for the past decade have been beloved for their pop-rock sound and their new album Let Love In couldn’t have been better timed.
Their tenth studio album, Let Love In joins the band with hot producer Glen Ballard and is full of their trademark anthemic romantic music. At moments the disc borders on purple, but at other times, it hits just the right note. Better Days, which was released officially late last year as a preview to the album, is full of hopeful lyrics and a catchy melody. Second single Give a Little Bit picks up where Better Days leaves off, but new single Stay With You is a keeper. Other strengths on the album include title track Let Love In with its perfect pacing, lavender-like calmness and hint of uplifting sorrow.
Unfortunately, there is nothing on this disc that compares to the group’s best hits Iris and Name. — T.U.D
TV
Two hours of infotainment, Morning with HUM showcases different segments like Exercise Track with Samina Baadshah; Astrology; Cooking; Power Mind – in which Prof. Moiz Hussain discusses human psychology — and Interview Corner where well-known guests from different walks of life talk about their life and experiences.
It also has a segment called Change life with HUM in which make-overs; fashion related issues; what’s in, what’s out; and new outlets are highlighted. Directed by Yasir Siddiqui, on HUM TV every morning at 11 am.— Shanaz Ramzi
CEREMONY
The Jinnah Award function is taking place on April 30. The awards will be conferred on Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan (posthumous) and Dr Ishrat Husain, former governor, State Bank of Pakistan for outstanding services to Pakistan. Following the speeches and conferring of the Jinnah Award, there will be a multi-media slide presentation with a live talk show with the audience by Dr Ishrat Husain. The programme will take place at Pearl Continental at 7pm.
POETRY
The English Speaking Union of Pakistan is holding a poetry session on April 28 at 5.30pm at Beach Luxury Hotel. The poets are Adrian Hussain, Salman Kureshi, Shirin Harun and Moeen Farooki.
EXHIBITION
Nabahat Lotia, who has earned the reputation of being the only ceramist in Pakistan to use Raku, a Japanese technique of firing clay black and glazes to metallic colours, is opening her solo exhibition at Canvas Gallery on April 28 from 5 to 8pm. The exhibition will remain open until May 2.––S.R.
SEMINAR
A joint seminar of 21st Century and OUAC to meet Senator Nisar A. Memon, is being held on April 30 at 8pm at the Country Golf Club, Karachi. The programme which is being hosted by S. S. Haider will be followed by dinner.
FILM
Film Taj Mahal is making history in Pakistan by being the first film to be shown here after a ban of many decades on Indian films on the big screen. Amidst burning ambitions, a power struggle and a dark conspiracy, the budding romance of the two teenagers blossomed as Prince Khurram went on to ascend the throne as Emperor Shah Jahan. Their relationship lasted 19 long years, until 1631, when the Empress passed away giving birth to her fourteenth child. Deeply struck by this tragedy, Shah Jahan devoted 22 years to have a monument made in her memory. When it was completed, it was named the Taj Mahal.—A.S.
RECITAL
An evening of western classical music The Sonatas in Spring, a piano recital by Asad Anees, is taking place on April 30 at 7.30pm at 36, 17th Street off Khayaban-i-Mujahid Phase V, DHA, in Karachi. The pianist Asad Anees is 17 years old and began playing the piano at the age of six. Hosted by Sohail and Shaiyanne Malik.—A.S.
|
|
|
|
