A Serious Man. 2 Oscar nominations - for screen play & best picture! Seriously?!

This movie is a classic example how the audience will automatically assume value in a work of art, just because it came from successful creators - The Coen brothers, who gave some notable films like Fargo and No country for old men, which won 4 Oscars.
Their forte is exploring fate and circumstances in a man’s life.

This movie is a dark comedy; about a small town Jewish teacher who goes through a series of problems he is unable to comprehend - job, marriage breaking down, out of control children, financial problems, automobile accident and the list goes on.

Many see this movie as an existential exploration of pessimism and nihilism (wow... I always wanted to use those words and appear wise!) ... Unfortunately I just saw an absurd chain of events and a confused ordinary Joe.

OK... There are some amusing moments like the aimless story of the dentist finding Hebrew engravings on a patient's teeth and the old wise rabbi quoting some rock song lyrics. Like the hero Larry, my reaction was "What the hell... why are you telling me this!"

I was reminded of some vague abstract statement coming from a Zen monk and we start thinking "Hmm… that should mean something... If I don’t say I comprehend it, people around me are going to assume I am shallow and stupid"

Well, you can assume I am shallow and stupid... I just felt I had wasted 2 hours, as if I watched a TV mega serial. At least they don’t have pretensions of being philosophical.

6 Oscar nominations - UP IN THE AIR - Smart study in urban angst

The net feeling one is left with, at the end of this fast paced movie, is EMPTINESS.

Why most American movies have this underlying urban angst is an interesting question. I don’t notice this obsession with meaninglessness in movies from other countries.

George Clooney is in his elements as an urbane, suave charmer; juxtaposed with two very absorbing females, who evolve in a surprising manner. As they say, the essence of good storytelling is characters evolving in a believable and probable manner, but still managing to surprise you.

Thoughtful dialogues peppered with smart one-liners. Director Jason Reitman has sustained the successful pace and treatment of his earlier JUNO.

Like any good work of art UP IN THE AIR throws up lots of interesting questions, but doesn’t come to any conclusions.  

Watch it. The movie brings up lots of thoughtful smiles, especially for George Clooney buffs.

Japanese "DEPARTURES" - Oscars for Best Foreign language film

Saw 3 movies in 3 days..

Mel Gibson in “Edge of Darkness” – a smart ‘cop revenge for his daughter’ story, with a background of the highly influential but shady American arms industry

The stylized Chinese “Divergence” –  A cop, a lawyer and a mob sniper triangle with a woman in the middle.

Both these movies were smart, big budget and left a feeling of “Hmm.. that was 2hrs worth”

The 3^rd was “Departures “- a simple Japanese movie about a failed musician trying to adjust to his new career, that of preparing the dead for their coffin.

Was bowled over by the lyrical simplicity of Departures. Later learnt it was the 2008 Oscar winner for Best Foreign language film… hmm..no wonder.

HOW “DEPARTURES” SURPRISES ONE?

With a morbid theme one would expect a serious dark movie, where the character is either talking philosophically or is brooding like a sage. Actually throughout the movie I caught myself smiling often. 

Director Yōjirō Takita does a balancing act of giving simple rounded characters trying to lead a normal life with an underlying poignancy that surface with just a hint. No rubbing it in like,” See I got a great knot, now I will milk it to the maximum.”

THE SCRIPT

Daigo (Masahiro Motoki) is an aspiring cellist in a Tokyo orchestra which suddenly is dissolved. He moves, with his young wife, to a small town– the place where his single mother grew him up; since Daigo’s dad had deserted the family when Daigo was six years old.

To make ends meet, reluctantly, takes the job of an “encoffinator” – the Japanese ceremonial tradition of cleaning and preparing the dead. He conceals his job from his wife since it’s not a respectable profession.

Then on the story moves at different levels, all dovetailed smoothly.

WHERE ‘DEPARTURES’ DEPARTS FROM THE ORDINARY – DIFFERENT LEVELS

PERSONAL
Daigo’s personal struggle adjusting to his job - is DEAD dirty?
His loving wife’s rejection of his career choice

MORAL
Daigo’s anger at his dad, who rejected his mother in favour of another woman; forgoing his responsibility as a Husband and as a Father.

PHILOSOPHICAL
The relationship between the LIVING and the DEAD.
Here mention should be made of the tongue-in-cheek performance of Daigo’s boss -   Tsutomu Yamazaki , the veteran from the movies of Akio Kurosawa.

And MUSICAL
Joe Hisaishi – A great name in Japanese film music explores without any pretensions.

CONCLUSION -
Many say they cry when they see this movie.. But I smiled often. 
I don’t know why... But it’s equally cathartic.

Oscar Winner “Best Picture” & “Best Director” THE HURT LOCKER

THE SCRIPT –
Based on the observation of a war journalist “.. War is a Drug” .
Three varied personalities working together in a high octane job of Bomb disposal.
Add to that, the average American’s confusion of what he is doing in Iraq.
It’s a simple recipe! By Mark Boal

THE TREATMENT -
Simple linear story telling which doesn’t demand any great effort from the viewer. You can feel the heat, the dust and the smell of carbide.. thanks to some on-your-face camera work by Barry Ackroyd
The grittiness is juxtaposed with some ‘personal’ moments making the main characters that much more human. A very obvious device but it serves its purpose.

THE HIGHLIGHTS  -
Kathryn Bigelow does a great balancing docu-drama act. Shocks us predictably!
No attempt at sermonizing.. the prolonged action sequences themselves convey the futile meaninglessness of all this courage and bravado. Probably that’s the best translation of the observation the movie starts with “ … War is a Drug”