American Sniper, Movie Review

 Note: This article was originally published on ARY News blog-site on January 21st, 2015 and on Express Tribune's blog-site on  January 22nd, 2015.

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/25833/american-sniper-another-hurt-locker/
http://blogs.arynews.tv/movie-review-american-sniper/

American Sniper tries to embody and exemplify Chris Kyle’s jingoistic patriotism albeit almost to a fault.

American Sniper is a biopic action-drama picture directed by, the accomplished spaghetti western cowboy hero turned director, Clint Eastwood. It is inspired from the autobiography and real life memoirs of Chris Kyle  titled,American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History.

On the celluloid format of the cinema, Bradley Copper plays the protagonist and puts himself in the shoes of the larger-than-life persona of Kyle and does full justice to his role in the process.

Photo: IMDb

To the uninitiated and those lacking insight into who Kyle was, he was considered as one of the most lethal and deadly snipers in American military history, with well over 160 confirmed kills to his credit. He was able to amass this huge tally during the duration of his four tours of duty in Iraq from 2003 to 2009 due to his excellent proficiency, dexterity and prowess with the long barrel rifle. He belonged to the elite Navy SEALs division of the United States Military.

American Sniper tries to embody and exemplify Kyle’s jingoistic patriotism albeit almost to a fault. Kudos to Cooper for emulating Kyle’s character on the big screen with tactful nuance – from copying his Texan accent and mannerisms with such exactitude, to putting on 40 pounds of additional weight to look the part on screen. Having said that, Eastwood, in his pursuit to give Kyle a befitting hero’s tribute, sometimes goes a tad beyond the realm of belief. He tries to focus more on the myth that enveloped him rather than the real man – a man who was heroic and courageous but not devoid of personal shortcomings.

Photo: IMDb

Digressing from that, holistically, the movie is more about the depiction of a soldier coping with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how he struggles to adapt to the normal life back home, away from the ravages and horrors of war in the war torn Iraq. It depicts how combat impacts a person and the emotional toll it can take on him; how, apart from the obvious physical harm inflicted, it can suck the vitality out of him. To that degree, the director has somewhat succeeded, but the heart and life of the movie remains in those tense, adrenaline-filled action sequences that have been masterfully crafted. In these instances, Eastwood comes into his own but they are few and far between.

Although, in my opinion, there is a dearth of action sequences in the movie, when they do appear, they complement the gritty narrative of the movie brilliantly. It will be a delight for action enthusiasts. Among such action scenes is the pursuit of, self-proclaimed, Butcher of Fallujah and the hunt for the Mustafa (Sammy Sheik), a Syrian-born Iraqi insurgent sniper whose sniping skills challenge and rival those of Kyle’s. Although there is no clear antagonist or villain in the movie, the Iraqi sniper comes close to being Kyle’s nemesis.

Photo: IMDb

The movie is not seething with violence as that aspect has been kept to a minimum, but it is a visceral experience nonetheless, with adequate but restrained blood, gore and death. The only difference is that these graphic scenes aid the overall progress of the movie story-line and are not present for the sake of an action sequence.

The highpoint of the movie is set in the backdrop of a rooftop battle and an impending sandstorm in which Kyle manages to eliminate the Iraqi sniper. This particular scene, however, is not a figment of the director’s creative imagination but inspired from a real life event in which Kyle eliminated an Iraqi insurgent in Sadr City.

Photo: IMDb

Sienna Miller (Taya Renae Kyle) portrays Kyle’s initial love interest and eventually becomes his wife. I don’t think her true acting potential was tapped into in this movie and is mediocre at best. She is either shown crying, worrying or being tormented by her husband’s presence in the unrestrained death trap that is Iraq. One might say that it is perfectly understandable, as logic dictates that a wife probably garners these sentiments when one’s husband is serving in such a hostile place, but the audience will notice that after seeing the quality of acting being displayed by Cooper, anything that precedes it, in terms of acting, is equivalent to being white noise.

Photo: IMDb

Another overbearing feeling one will experience when watching the movie is the stark familiarity with the film The Hurt Locker. One can’t help but draw an outright parallel between these two as both are set in Iraq and portray characters from American military armed forces. However, the action drama interspersed with emotional depth of character(s) is explored more efficaciously in the latter. It is rather sad that a director of Eastwood’s calibre wasn’t able to truly elevate this movie like he did with other works like Million Dollar Baby,Gran Torino or Unforgiven.

With context to movies that are from the larger sniper-action genre, it fails to hold its own among films that have either a more intriguing story or action thrills. Movies like Enemy at the Gates, Shooter and Sniper fare far better in terms of delivering satisfying thrills. But then again, American Sniper tries to be more of an emotional drama coupled with little action. Unfortunately, while trying to portray this hybrid drama cum action film feature, Eastwood manages to construct a muddled affair that is neither a solid entertainer nor indulges those looking for some profound emotional gratification.

Photo: IMDb

It also does not portray how Kyle actually died in real life. Instead of dying on the battlefield, he was killed in cold blood and rather unceremoniously by a 25-year- old Marine Corps veteran Eddie Ray Routh at a shooting range in his home state of Texas.    

To explain this movie in appropriate analogy, American Sniper is like a bullet projectile fired from a suppressed tactical rifle which fails to hits its mark, and we cannot see the mark, whilst also acting as a glorified eulogy for its subject, Kyle.

I would rate it a 3.5 out of 5.

The hand that keeps on giving: Abdul Sattar Edhi

Note: This article was originally published on ARY News blog-site on January 24th, 2015

http://blogs.arynews.tv/hand-keeps-giving-abdul-sattar-edhi/

At the frail age of 85, while most men of that fragile age and disposition are either bed ridden or enjoying retirement in relative peace and calm. Abdul Sattar Edhi defies odds, he refuses to say no and quit the welfare work which he is known to be synonymous for so many years. Some people call him a philanthropist, while other call him a social worker but most importantly he’s a humanitarian through and through. He serves the down trodden masses without any discrimination, without any linguistic, tribal, ethnic or religious bias and favoritism.

Edhi came from humble beginnings, born in the city of Bantva which is now Gujrat. Edhi was no stranger to human suffering as he encountered it first hand when his mother suffered from mental illness and physical paralysis. In 1947, he decided to relocate to Pakistan, Karachi, finding himself without any resources or a roof on his head in a new city, he started his journey to dedicate his life wholly towards the rehabilitation and welfare of the common people who lives in abject poverty.  It is astounding what he has achieved in a time of few decades (60 years). He single handedly via his Edhi foundation transformed the face of modern welfare in Pakistan.

Ever since its inception Edhi Foundation, headed by Abdul Sattar Edhi, his wife Bilquees Edhi and their sons are running the largest welfare organization in Pakistan, if not in the larger South Asian Sub-Continent.

The numbers, the mere facts and figures are of immense source of happiness for any Pakistani and to make them soar with pride to know that Edhi Foundation has rescued over 20,000 abandoned infants, rehabilitated over 50,000 orphans and has trained well over 40,000 nurses.  Not only that, Edhi Foundation  also has the distinction of raising one of the largest fleet of ambulances that is owned by a private welfare organization in the world.

But at its core, Edhi is a guardian angel of the poor and of those that don’t have anyone to look after them. Such is the character, honesty and the integrity of the man that people from all walks of life, handsomely and regularly donates to his charity organization without the fear or worry that their donation would go in vain and not to the right deserving people.

Edhi’s selfless dedication and service to Pakistan’s poor come from a belief which is deeply embodied in his Muslim faith but his motto in charity is not just for people from the Muslim faith. Edhi says “No religion is greater than humanity”.

Today, countless Karchi’ites and Pakistanis credit Edhi for their survival and yet the man’s character remains firmly grounded and humbled. Even though he has been recommended by the Nobel Peace Prize, he vows to keep his mission of serving; Quote “…God’s children without any personal self-interest or discrimination.” End quote.

Yet today, it is sad to know that Mr. Edhi struggles for his life, finally his old age has caught up with him yet his determination remains ever so strong in servicing Pakistan’s people. It is without a shadow of doubt that people like Edhi don’t come so often and every so often, when they do, they change things, they change the status quo. It doesn’t matter if you agree with them or not, you can’t help but to stop and take note of their accomplishments. Edhi sure is without any doubt, is a hand that keeps on giving! And as Pakistanis are proud of him and thankful at the same time.

Shaandaar, or more like far from it, is a forgettable and sagging affair

Note: This piece got published on Express Tribune's website on 31-10-2015

5 CommentsShare thisPrintEmail

Sadly, the acting and story does not compliment the visual aesthetics and choreography. PHOTO: SHAANDAAR FACEBOOK PAGE

Shaandaar is a romantic comedy revolving around the subject matter of matrimony and nuptials, combined with the concept of a destination wedding set in London. Think of it as a big, fat Greek Shaandaar Indian wedding. 

It is directed by Vikas Bahl of Queen fame and is produced by Fox Star Studio. This movie would appeal to the younger generation as they may find it relatable to some extent.

Starring the newlywed Shahid Kapoor and the girl next door, Alia Bhatt, the movie is combined with what seems like a family affair. The cast also includes Pankaj Kapoor and making her acting debut, Sanah Kapoor.  Veteran actress Sushma Seth is also casted in the movie along with a cameo appearance of Sanjay Kapoor.

Photo: Shaandaar Youtube screenshot

The fundamental narrative of the story revolves around the backdrop of the wedding between Jagjinder Joginder (Shahid Kapoor) and Alia (Alia Bhatt), and how their two wealthy families agree upon a merger to seemingly benefit them mutually.

Added to that, there is also an eccentric love triangle in the mix. However, I won’t reveal too much regarding the love triangle or the rest of the story (convoluted and protractedly long albeit monotonous story structure at that) for the sake of keeping all the spoilers at bay.

Photo: Shaandaar Facebook page

On the other hand, despite the story being all over the place, the songs are a different matter altogether, and poles apart from the mundane narrative of the movie. All the songs are beautifully choreographed, melodic and hit all the right chords. But for me, Gulabo, Raitaa Phel Gaya and Shaam Shaandaar stand out a tad bit more.

With context to acting and directing, it is disappointing to watch two creative individuals like Shahid and Bahl play a part in a project like Shaandaar, after having worked in critically and commercially acclaimed feature films such as Haider and Queen.

Simply put, only Shahid and Sushma Seth in the guise as the hawkish grandmother manage to salvage the movie to some degree of what is otherwise a forgettable and sagging affair.

Photo: Shaandaar Youtube screenshot

Adding insult to injury is the fact that the movie goes downhill from the very beginning. The story is so loosely written that it makes you question the writers, the director and actors who agreed to play part in this sorry excuse of an endeavour.

Digressing from that, Bhatt yet again delivers her signature performance of a preppy and bubbly girl who means well, but things do not turn out in her favour. There’s no variation between her previous roles compared to this one. She should know better that this ‘act’ is getting stale and she ought to employ more depth in her future acting renditions. Perhaps she can take acting lessons or some career saving pointers from her father. Otherwise, her presence will support the notion that she only got into Bollywood because of her family background.

Photo: Shaandaar Youtube screenshot

If the trailers and the songs are to be taken as a barometer, then this movie looked really good. Many were looking forward to a wholesome family entertainer that had a wedding theme, which was specifically made for the youth. With respect to the visuals, it is gorgeous with beautiful English countryside vistas and grandiose medieval castles. But sadly, the acting and story does not compliment the visual aesthetics and choreography.

There is only so much a lone actor such as Shahid can do, especially when the film itself is dead on arrival, thanks to the sloppy script. An actor is only as good as the story of the movie. By the time the second half kicks in, the shoddy gimmicks, which are way too many, don’t seem to end and it all seems like a dragged down affair.

Photo: Shaandaar Facebook page

Unlike the movie’s name Shaandaar, this poorly executed, directed, acted and most importantly, written feature film feels anything but that. What a waste of a good ensemble cast!

I’d rate this movie a two out of 10.

The Mirage that could very well be “Naya Pakistan”

Note:  This article was originally published on ARY News blog-site on February 9th, 2015

http://blogs.arynews.tv/mirage-well-naya-pakistan/

The current air it seems these days is engulfed by the echoes of an imminent and an impending “revolution” of sorts. It has become increasingly difficult for anyone to be apolitical and apathetic in this combustible and charged up environment.Without going into the merits of choosing one side over the other, let us foresee what might this “Naya Pakistan” will have in store for the common Pakistani.

Why can’t it be a “Behtar Pakistan” instead, why must it be deemed obligatory that we need to completely and drastically change many aspects of the country we live in now. Agreed, lot of corrective measures ought to be taken & soon but pragmatically speaking incremental changes can be much more concrete and time withstanding  instead of radical and abrupt ones for the sake of taking everyone on board. This will enable people to acclimatize themselves.

My version of “Naya Pakistan” does include all those factors which PTI talks about in its manifesto – swift, timely and inexpensive access to justice for all, equal opportunities for all of its inhabitants (not just the privileged ones), a dynamic and a burgeoning economy, a country free from ethnic, social, linguistic and religious bias and then some. But it also means taking along the “Purana Pakistan” on board alongside with it as well. Where not “supporting” one specific party doesn’t necessarily means that one is inapt and lacks political acumen.Naya Pakistan should also include “waiting”, waiting patiently for their turn. Those parties that have grievances against the system or electoral process, should not be hell bent upon the removal of “one person” or one party.

PTI had the golden opportunity to give us its version of Naya Pakistan that we so often hear about in Khyber Pakhtaunkhuwa. Instead they embroiled themselves in this current state of affairs. KPK could’ve proved a fertile ground for incubation & trial and error purposes. After having completed 5 years and by bringing unprecedented growth and prosperity to KPK  , people themselves nationally have seen the fruits of PTI’s labor & elected them in office. If only they could’ve been more wiser, more patient!

While the optimist in all of us wants, prays and hopes that potentially what has been promised will be delivered and sees the light of day. That the status quo will be broken but the pessimist and the naysayer in all of us sees these promises with a pinch of salt. For, we Pakistanis have been shown this same scintillating road paved with gold bricks many a times before. Maybe it was not associated with the title of a “Naya Pakistan” but the promises made were more or less the same and yet here we are chasing the dream yet again. Who is to say God forbid that this dream won’t turn sour as well?

When one sees the faces of individuals standing next to PTI’s charismatic leader Imran Khan, we are again bitterly reminded by the fact that these same faces were in different political parties during different time frames. What has made them so different now? Have they undergone some sort of political baptism that made them absolved of those past mistakes and political sins (case in point: supporting dictatorial regimes) that they’d made when they were in those parties? ; How’s this fathomable to a layman that those people that were termed as “personae non grate” when they were not in PTI have suddenly became righteous and celestial beings again so much so that they will deliver us from all of our current miseries and suffering?

Even if PTI along with their newly founded political cousins PAT do manage to come in power in future, both of their ideologies are 360 degrees opposite and poles a part, their alliance can be only seen as nothing but a marriage of convenience.

PTI even still represents a large populace of Pakistan and managed to emerge as one of the largest political parties in 2013’s general election. PAT however talks about repealing the constitution altogether and to establish People’s Parliament. How will both of these parties see eye to eye pertaining to the setup of a basic democratic process when they can’t even agree on the basic building blocks of it?

PTI today, is what PPP was in the 70’s, a maverick party with a nonconformist political ideology and doctrine coupled with an enigmatic leader. Similarly, PPP in its infant years was seen a party of the youth and the educated class, same holds true for PTI today. Perhaps, they will become successful in bringing out true grass level change in Pakistan, but they need to distance themselves from the politics of PAT & its leadership.  With all due respect, there’s a wide gulf between what Mr. Tahir-ul-Qadri says and does. At times he can only be seen as playing to the gallery, valiantly showing one’s chest to prove that one is not wearing a bulletproof jacket during fiery speeches is another thing but during the same speech getting scared like a new born baby due to a minor bursting of a short circuit in a close by speaker is an entirely different affair altogether.

Additionally, Mr. Qadri said time and time again that if push comes to shove, he’ll be leading the march,  that he will be taking the first bullet and when things went out of control during their march towards the PM house, we saw Mr. Qadri comfortably cocooned in his bulletproof fortress of an SUV. The blood of all those innocent civilians that lost their lives on that gloomy day is as much on the Government’s hand as it is on Mr. Qadri’s that incited violence and emotionally charged his crowd and followers.

PTI should play all of their remaining cards right now to bring their promise of Naya Pakistan to fruition soon. Lest, we see another leader emerged in our national politics in the next 10 years or so that is pointing the fingers towards Bani Galla as Mr. Khan is doing now on Raiwand.

If social media is waste of time or not

It depends whether the usage of social media per say based upon a person , how he/she utilizes the media that can be said as whether social media is a waste of time or a productive thing altogether. Today social media is revolutionizing social interaction & it is for sure a good thing that is enabling people from all walks of life to have feedback and a dialog process at large 

The Martian, Movie Review

Note: This article appeared on ARY News blog-site on 13th October, 2015.

http://blogs.arynews.tv/the-martian-movie-review/

The Martian is a science fiction feature film directed by the renowned and legendary Ridley Scott who has brought us many cult science fiction classics such as the Alien series and movies such as Blade Runner. The film is based on Andy Weir’s 2011 novel The Martian. It is in a nutshell, a story of survival, of defying all odds and not giving up in the face of hopelessness and when it all seems lost.

The movie’s basic premise/plot gyrates around an astronaut named Mark Watney (Matt Damon) who gets left behind on the planet of Mars during an exploratory expedition by his crew members because he is presumed dead/lost when they get caught up in a middle of a severe sandstorm on the planet of Mars. How he survives the alien planet and endures the physical and mental strain that comes with being basically the only person stranded on a hostile habitat such as Mars is what the entire movie is about.

As far as the acting in the lead role is concerned, Matt Damon yet again proves and reasserts his acting caliber as he is truly for a lack of a better word, “remarkable” in his role as an astronaut being marooned on Mars and he fully delivers all the attached emotional gravity that comes with such an exhaustive role. Devoid of cheap sci-fi thrills just for the sake of it coupled with a usual Alien plot-line is nowhere to be seen thankfully because this has been done so many times before. As was the novel this particular movie is based upon, the movie feels a lot more grounded and humanized despite being setup in such a grandiose and huge narrative.

The Martian is homage to human tenacity and perseverance. This movie is deeply moving, we are rooting for the lead protagonist to successfully go back to Earth yet it is equally horrifying to imagine a human being stranded millions of miles away from his homeland. A thought that will give us all Goosebumps, the mere thought of this occurring as the audience will see this movie is a testament of how good this movie is.

The fundamental and quintessential essence of this movie is that The Martian subtly and craftily defines how a science fiction genre based movie ought to be made.  Consider this Homer’s Iliad equivalent space odyssey novel made even better in celluloid format by its director Ridley Scott. As human beings it is in built-in in each of us the need to not only survive but thrive in the face of insurmountable odds, the movie truly reflects a struggle of a man against the most extreme of circumstances. As the renowned fictional character from the Star Trek universe, Spock used to say “Live long and Prosper”, one can’t help but think of that Vulcan salute as the movie concludes. Must watch movie in my opinion, I’d give it a rating of 9/10

When the ‘city of lights’ turns into the ‘city of survival’

Note: Syndicated piece. Originally published in the following newspaper outlets:

1) Express Tribune, August 18th, 2015 http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/21568/when-the-city-of-lights-turns-into-the-city-of-survival/

2) ARY Blogs, January 26th, 2015 http://blogs.arynews.tv/karachi-will-endure/

3) Samaa TV, April 15th, 2014   http://www.samaa.tv/blogs/2014/04/can-karachi-endure-any-more-differences/

Karachi will endure not just because it has to, but because its inhabitants refuse to call it quits and give in to the face of adversity, for it is the people that define Karachi, and their resilience in essence embodies the spirit of Karachi.

Karachi belongs to all of those who seek refuge beneath its bruised and battered but bountiful shade, irrespective of what walk of life they come from.  Karachi is not just owned by the political parties that represent it in the provincial or federal echelons, rather, it is owned by its people.

There was once a time not so long ago, when  everyone who came to Karachi for a better life was welcomed with open arms regardless of what their political, religious or ethnic orientation was. It was not seen as a line in the sand or a point of contention, but rather as a mixing pot of culture and ideologies, where everyone was tolerant of each other views.

In every sense of the word, Karachi was a loud, boisterous and lively place once that brimmed with life resonating everywhere. The only thing that resonates now is the deafening echo of bomb blasts coupled with sporadic gun fire and the blaring sound of the sirens of ambulances rushing towards the troubled area.

Karachi- Torn Apart

There’s no denying the fact that we as the inhabitants of Karachi stand divided and callous, for a lack of a better word. Divided and segregated in terms of our creed, our language, our ethnicity, our race, our social status and our lifestyle.

Yet it still survives and will continue to do so. It is high time to put our petty and minuscule differences aside and focus on the larger scheme of things, so many precious lives have been lost in our dear city while we sit idly, bicker,  quarrel and oppose each other. We must rise from our differences, our insignificant and petty quarrels that divide us, until we lambs become lions.

Perhaps we should find solace in this particular extract from the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley. These words stand as a testament to Karachi’s resolve and perseverance and the people that it harbors. 

“Under the bludgeonings of chance,

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears,

Looms but the horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years,

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid…”