Inception

"Your mind is the scene of the crime".

Inception was one of those movies that I was desperately waiting for. Being a Christopher Nolan movie, it was highly anticipated and much hyped. Before going for the movie, my expectations were high and so were the apprehensions that come bundled with an over hyped movie. But Inception made to list of those rare cases where a movie delivers what is expected out of it or probably more.

(No Spoilers)

Right from the start Inception keeps you occupied. There is too much happening and you consistently try to solve the puzzle that it throws at you. A story unfolds within a story. By the time you figure out the first one, the second one is in the process of giving way to another one. The first of half the movie goes into building the framework and laying out a detailed description of the phenomenon that rules the movie. And the second half is too hot to handle. Just imagine yourself completely glued to the seat, constantly formulating answers to all that Inception had to offer. The second half is packed with all the ingredients that make Inception ever more special. There is enough action and special effects to make any Sci-Fi feel proud; enough thrill and surprise to keep your mind occupied and more than enough complexity to challenge you. Moreover, the emotional depth that the main protagonist has exhibited makes Inception stand apart from similar kind of movies. Barring a few scenes where the set up looks absurd, Inception does not offer even a single dull moment. Well, there is always a scope for improvement J…

Anyways, let me come to the artistic side of the movie. The phenomenal blending of the background score makes the whole presentation very engaging. As usual, Christopher Nolan delights the viewer with his uncanny skill and imagination in storytelling and direction. Leonardo DiCaprio, once again, has proved his ability to understand the intricacies of the situation and to devote himself to the character he is playing. Michael Caine, though plays a small role but, is as composed as the Alfred in The Dark Knight. Ellen Page charms like the smell of the fresh air with her little assignment. Joseph Gordon-Levitt rises much above his role of a confused and grieved lover in ‘500 days of Summer’. Overall, the cast delivers all that is expected from a Nolan movie.

After watching the movie, I wanted to know what Mr. Masand had to say about Inception. In a nutshell, he described Inception as a movie that challenges its audience and expects them to dive in for a mind boggling ride. And I just couldn't agree more. I hate to say this but I do feel that you need to watch this movie twice to understand all the subtle things that make it really special. It might remind you of Memento and Matrix, but it goes into an even deeper and more swirling matrix. If you want to see a movie that is simple and unsophisticated action, then please don’t watch Inception. You will come out of the hall with a frustrated and tired mind. But if you have the willingness to try something new & weird and you are bored of the mundane movies that have nothing to offer except archaic concept of love, then Inception is made for you. Go and judge it for yourself. You may or may not like it, but you will have an experience of different cinema and that is the USP of the Inception.

I will go with 8.5 of 10 for Inception.

Two years of Irony

The clock had struck twelve and officially a new day had begun – 30^th June 2010. Exactly two years ago, I was being inducted into TCS in an Initial Learning Programme (ILP) at Trivandrum. A week into the programme and realization of my mistakes had struck me. It was shocking, frustrating and confusing to find myself in a place where i thought I would never go. But there was no time to waste or to brood over past. I had to move on and pessimism had to go to make room for hope and optimism. Thus, a plan was in put action that would make sure an early and successful exit from TCS. Plan was an unambiguous one and all efforts to make it successful were unadulterated and synchronized. But the results were ironical. The exit strategy was supposed to work but it did not. Consequently, I found myself in TCS after two ironical years.

Looking back, I do see a lot of anguish, pain and hopelessness in these two years. I find it hard to remember the number of times I felt like a loser. Perhaps it was a reality check. But it does not matter anymore. Whatever it was, the good it has done must be taken into account e.g. I never knew I had the courage to go on and on even after feeling uninspired and I had no idea about my ability to fight till the last moment. I had never restrained and disciplined myself so much. These two years have tested me in many aspects and have made me resilient.

Moreover, I have come to a better understanding about what drives me and satisfies me. I do realize that nothing can satisfy me more than a fully exhausting, dedicated effort towards something meaningful even if I don’t get the desired result. The hard work that goes in pursuit of a Goal energizes me and helps in saving me from the negativity that a failure brings with it.

Well, irrefutable fact of life is that the bigger and painful the fiasco is, the more it toughens up you for the game called life. And something called ‘HOPE’ keeps driving you towards a purposeful goal.

Hmmm.. I must sleep now. Once again, I have poured more than I initially set out to do. If I have to recapitulate the whole thing in one line then i would just refer to this dialogue:

“The night is darkest just before the dawn. And the dawn is coming” – The Dark Knight

:) Signing off.

-Tarun

PS: Next time I go to an Interview, I will say that I am passionate about the dialogues of the movies that really captivate me.