Death note - A nail biting thriller to the finish!

                    While old school anime fans may pronounce One Piece, Naruto and Bleach as the collective quintessence of shounen anime, they often tend to relegate Death Note to the lower rungs. By golly, I beg to differ! While the touted three deserve all the attention owing to their intriguing leads and great character development, Death Note, despite its modest number of episodes, is on par with them all. The makers of DN have successfully driven home the point that number of episodes isn't necessarily proportional to character development or a fine story for that matter. Now that's something to be heartily commended! Do the math fellas. An overwhelming 700+ episodes Vs A meager 26 episodes! So, what makes Death note neck and neck with the revered three? Read on to find out.

The story follows Light Yagami, who can breeze through a formidable exam stifling a yawn and who has the looks to make the ladies swoon. One day, his life changes forever when he finds a death note belonging to a death God named Ryuk. As it turns out, Ryuk was bored to tears in the Shinigami realm and decided to spice up his otherwise boring agenda by dropping the death note down to earth in order to study human behavior. Light, being the righteous guy who flouts the crime infested society, begins a precarious quest, passively aided by Ryuk, to eliminate all vile elements in the world. As he feverishly kills the world's most dangerous criminals with a delusional sense of justice, his actions attract the attention of the world's greatest detective L. Thus begins a high octane cat-and-mouse chase between the two that's more of a battle of wills than a display of brute strength.

The main characters Light Yagami and L are absolutely intriguing personalities with their own unique, highly contrasting traits. Though the line of difference between the hunter and the hunted is blurry, Light and L are disparate in characters. Light fears death like anything and is only focused on neatly dispatching all those who oppose him on his way to become "The ruler of the new world". On the other hand, L doesn't have second thoughts about putting  his life on the line and is determined to bring Kira (Light's alias) to justice at all costs. I refrain from going into further details on L, for I prefer that you savor the mystery till the moment he's introduced into the picture. All I can say is, L redefines blase badassery and will definitely blow you away! :D As for Light, it's affecting as we see his intentions go astray and deteriorate into malice. Light's shrewdness and ruthlessness are of fearsome proportions, and makes him utterly loathsome, thus making him an unforgettable antagonist! (Haters gonna hate.. :P) The supporting cast lends themself well to the cadence of the story and is well developed enough to influence the plot arc consequentially. One of my favorites of the supporting cast is Light's unsuspecting father, who goes all out to find Kira, while the culprit plays right under his nose. The rest of the cast can't be brushed aside, for they contribute substantially in the development of the story. It goes without saying that for a crime thriller anime of such stellar caliber, the pacing is appealingly fast.

The background music aids well in accentuating the crucial scenes where L apprises his sagacious inferences to the task force who work under his guidance. Also, the music facilitates a permeation of tension in the air during key confrontation moments between Light and L. The first set of opening and ending songs serve well in depicting Light's unshakable tenacity and greed for power. The English dub is pretty good and wouldn't give any reason, even for a purist, to roll his eyes. L's voice in the English dub is the icing on this awesome cake!

The art design is sufficient and there are no qualms about it. After all, this anime is about Light concocting deadly plans to send L and his ilk to their maker, and L parrying his moves cleverly at every turn as he strides closer to capturing Kira. There are no pompous sword fights or gun fights here. Neither are there any overt exhibitions of supernatural powers. DN sticks as close to reality as possible and yet this conglomerates well with the fantastical aspects of the series. 

Verdict: Death note is deservedly an entry in the altar of the shounen genre of anime. If you're looking for a roller coaster ride that would educe thrills and chills purely from a mental warfare, look no further!

Death defying love

WARNING: Delving into gothic territory!!

When I breathe my last and they bury me in the soft, brown earth, 

Stay behind when all have mourned and left,

Cry with angst against the howling wind, cry with all your might..

Cry as thunder roars and lightning streaks across the dark sky,

Let a teardrop fall on my grave and I shall revive.. 

Back from the dead, I'll resurrect, all healthy and anew.. 

And as we hold each other again, 

I shall assume my earthly self to be with you..

Such is the power of the true love that we share,

So potent that mortal minds can't bear..

                                                                                                                     - Ajay Shaan

50/50 - A modern day masterpiece overlooked by many

               As the folks at tinseltown deviate from producing movies with intriguing plots and artistic eminence, and complacently invest billions on pretentious special effects, it's a sight for sore eyes to see movies like 50/50 surface from the cesspool of deteriorating hollywood. Indie movies like these are what deserve the spotlight, but which instead are shadowed by the banal mainstream films. Ugh! If only the tasteless moviegoers are incarcerated in a large chamber for a few weeks and subjected to fine cinema with the aid of a huge screen and speakers, would they realize how egregious their tastes in movies had been previously! It's a shame that the majority of moviegoers, unbeknownst to themselves, get mooned and farted in the face by the conniving directors.

Egghead in the making!

Inspired by a true life story, 50/50 spells 'awesomeness' in every single frame! The plot revolves around Adam, a mild mannered, good willed, upright guy who gets diagnosed with a rare form of colon cancer. When he learns the bad news, his whole life starts going in a downward spiral that threatens to lead to the abyss of hopelessness. Adam's inept therapist Katherine brings him hope, if not at first, and gradually becomes instrumental in changing him for the better. She soon becomes the light at the end of the tunnel for Adam who has always isolated himself from his overprotective mom and Alzheimer's inflicted dad for want of independence. Kyle, Adam's best friend, stands by him through his ordeals and is as pivotal a character. Despite his blithe demeanor, Kyle proves to be Adam's guardian angel, in addition to Katherine being a more passive one. 

Joseph Gordon Lewitt plays his role with finesse and awes us with his realistic portrayal of Adam. Any other actor, even of the same caliber wouldn't have suited this character this perfectly. Right from his sense of vulnerability to his reciprocal of his parents' affection, Joseph delivers with panache. Seth Rogen does a decent job as Kyle and serves more than just to provide comic relief. The bond of friendship that the duo share would belittle Damon and Pythias if they were to be alive. I wouldn't be surprised if one would severe ties with all friends and desperately yearn for a true friend like Kyle who'd always look out for oneself. Anna kendrick charms us with her adorable maladroitness. Her unique trait of social awkwardness is something some of us can relate to, and this makes her character Katherine more grounded to reality than the supposedly introverted female characters in a gazillion other movies. Bryce Howard as Rachael excels in the brief time frame she gets. The confrontation scene (you'd know when it happens) between Rachael and Kyle doesn't fail to elicit angst and pity from the viewers and is easily one of the most simple, yet tragical moments in the history of cinema.

Adam in a therapy session with Katherine

The choice of soundtracks adheres well with the crucial parts of the movie and a few are catchy for a good hum. The cinematography is simplistic and it's best left that way, owing to the realism factor. The strongest aspect of 50/50 is apparently the characterization. There's no room for one-dimensional cartoonish characters. Everyone of them, from the main cast to the supporting actors, is well fleshed out and weaves impeccably with the fabric of the story.

Some movies are just worth a watch, and some should be subjected to multiple viewings to relish every nook and crevice of its wholeness. 50/50 is compelling enough to be tagged under the latter category.

Note to readers

Folks, I'd like to bring to your notice that I'm currently predisposed to reviewing movies that etch a niche for themselves in my heart. However, I'm willing to partake in reviewing movies and anime of your choice on request. Just comment and consider it done! :) Please be mindful that I'm not easily riveted and have very low tolerance for trite. Peace. 

A very long engagement - Cinema can't get any better than this!

                   From acclaimed director Jean Pierre Jeunet who brought us the indelible Amelie, comes this fine French film. Folks, time and again it's been proven that the French are miles ahead of their American contemporaries in the art of film making. While Indian movie makers still struggle to catch a glimmer of making a movie, and the Americans bank on bombastic visualizations to rope in the audience, The French bring forth spellbinding movies that usually go unnoticed by the global audience. A pity!

There's still hope Audrey! There are still sane moviegoers left!

Be warned though. This movie depicts realistic war scenes that may make the squeamish cringe. Also, for the casual viewer the pace may seem pretty slow. But persevere and you'll be rewarded! ^_^ I've no inclination towards recommending this fine movie to the pea-brained who wet their underpants over Robert Downey's sarcastic, exasperating one liners. This one's strictly for movie lovers!

'A very long engagement' portrays Mathilde's relentless search for her fiance who's presumed dead from the WW1. Manech, Mathilde's fiance gets condemned for self mutilation which he did to avoid military service. He finds himself charted off to the diabolical 'No man's land' that's cited between the French and German trench lines, along with four other men. It's claimed that all five perished in this constantly nuked region. However Mathilde refuses to believe what she hears. Her intuition says otherwise, and she embarks on a long quest, accompanied by a private investigator, to find the truth behind the story and discover the whereabouts of the love of her life. As quoted by the untitled narrator of the movie "If Manech were dead, Mathilde would know", Mathilde's determination manifests as she assiduously climbs the spiralling steps of the light house and reaches the top to behold the sunset with undying hope in her heart, as if to tell the departing sun to bring back her Manech the next day. Sigh.. Simply spectacular! :') Along the way, she learns about the lives of people that were intertwined with Manech's.

Mark my words people. Decades later, when Downey and the ilk get superseded by a younger generation of actors, artists like Audrey shall shine forth, inspire the impressionable and go down in history! Audrey, in the acting department, can be referred to as the Anne Hathaway of France. Gaspard does justice to his role as Manech, the love of Mathilde's life. The supplementary actors turn out to be graceful in their endeavors too. They hold intricate stories of their own which impart important clues to Mathilde. The rich ensemble of cast expend every last shred of acting in them to make an overall stellar performance. As is the wont of Jean Pierre, the close up shots of the actors during consequential narrations add to the touch of realism and make us empathize with the characters.

Audrey as Mathilde

 As I mentioned earlier, the pacing is a bit slow for the average viewer. However AVLE is a heartwarming tale of undying love and hope. Despite its slow pace, you'd be treated to glimpses of the lives of those linked to Manech, in addition to the rudimentary plotline. This movie successfully drives home the futility of war and portrays the aftermath through the eyes of its victims. It's a funny thing how in wars, there are no perpetrators at all, but only the victims. Does it make an ounce of difference? Yes, it strikes dread and misery in the hearts of these victims and their families. Nothing more. No glory. No pride. Period.

The French films can be incontrovertibly associated with fine music. The music in AVLE lends itself to the scenes very faithfully. Be it the gruesome, macabre war scenes or the comical parts, the music is lively and very appealing to the senses. The cinematography oozes class from its every pore! By and large, the sepia toned premise is visually arresting and aggrandizes the beauty of this fine film.

You can't afford to miss this movie at any cost! Watching this will redeem you for the time and energy wasted on countless other trite that masquerade as movies.

A day to remember

                   Three years ago, on the same date, my life transcended to lofty heights. Out of the 7 billion that walked the earth, I found the one who held the key to my heart - My beautiful Armzie. :') Ever since, there was no looking back. We fell head over heels for each other and our love keeps growing stronger each day. Here's OUR poem that I proudly want to dedicate to my Armzie on this momentous day. Kindly note that the following poem was written by Fred Burks and I take the liberty to quote it here.

In the deepest depths of you and me,
In the deepest depths of we,
Lies the most beautiful jewel,
Shining forth eternally.

Within that precious jewel,
Within that priceless piece of we,
Lies a time beyond all time,
A place beyond all space.

Within that sacred source of radiance,
Lies a love beyond all love,
Waiting
            Waiting
                        Waiting
Ever so patiently.

Waiting for you, waiting for me,
Waiting patiently for all to see,
The beauty that is you inside of me,
The beauty that is me inside of thee.

In the deepest depths of you and me,
In the deepest depths of we,
Lies the love and wisdom
Of all eternity.



Happy anniversary luv!! :''D

Love and other drugs - A riveting drama with minor flaws

"Sometimes the things you want the most don't happen and what you least expect happens. I don't know - you meet thousands of people and none of them really touch you. And then you meet one person and your life is changed forever."

                            - Jamie Randall to Maggie Murdock

                   Hollywood, like its Indian counterpart is turning banal with each passing day. I've never been impressed by explosions, heavy gunfire and all the cliched glamour associated with hollywood movies before. And now, the technological advancements in computer generated graphics have only made things worse. It has become a matter of style over substance, with the substance quotient measuring pathetically low in many movies. Though such movies go on to become box office hits, if you break them down, they turn out to be nothing but froth and drivel. At this point, it wouldn't be fair of me if I refrain from remarking on the romantic movies these days. This beaten-to-death theme has become so mundane to the point that even discerning movie buffs have resigned to predispose towards watching them earnestly, with no rebuking comments. Sad. :(

However, there are movies, of any genre for that matter, that stand out from among its contemporaries. These fine aberrations are what serve as tributes to the art of making cinema. Given that most movie directors these days are slaying the slain with the theme of love, it was a refreshing treat for the eyes to behold 'Love and other drugs'. LAOD has much going for it. But there are a few, minor aspects that pull it down from becoming sensational. DISCLAIMER: THIS MOVIE'S STRICTLY FOR ADULT AUDIENCE. IF YOU'RE UNDER 18, LOOK ELSEWHERE.

Plot: Jamie Randall, a handsome young medical rep, falls for Maggie Murdock, a lively girl suffering from Parkinson's. What starts as a relationship with no strings attached becomes a complex love story that's endearing to say the least.

In the beginning, you've Jamie, the young medical rep working under zoloft, charming the knickers off young ladies for the kick of it and sometimes based on an ulterior motive. This motive involves getting into the good books of Dr.Knight and persuade him to prescribe zoloft instead of prozac- the arch rival of zoloft. Ultimately, Jamie gains the favor of Dr.Knight and one day, donning a doctor's white coat, he meets Maggie in Dr.Knight's consultancy room. Life will never be the same again for Jamie. The story progresses with Jamie and Maggie slowly falling for each other and finding strength in each other.

Anne Hathaway steals the show! Anne's easily one of the best actresses out there and is a joy to behold on the screen. Believe me. My appraisal has nothing to do with her skin show in LAOD. We've seen her act up a storm in 'Rachael getting married' and 'The devil wears prada'. And this time, she has outdone herself with a powerful performance. Jake fits the pretty boy role to a T. Nothing impressive about him at first, but he does a decent job in the later parts. However, the chemistry between the two is almost magical, as they breeze through from one frame to the next. The character development is realistic and pushes the right buttons. Despite their flaws, Jamie and Maggie make an odd, yet lovely duo. There are scenes that make you gulp down the lump in your throat and cry your heart out. In a nutshell, the relationship between Jamie and Maggie stands out gloriously.

The cinematography and lighting are adequate. The cinematography shines during the scenes shot in Maggie's snug yet messy apartment. As I mentioned earlier, what pulls back LAOD from being hailed as the epitome of romance drama is the jarring, blatant sex scenes that are uncalled for. These scenes (involving Jamie and women other than Maggie) exhibit the grotesque, amorous nature of Jamie. Showing Jamie as a casanova initially and making him a douche who hits on every being with a XX chromosome are two different things. If not for this particular disturbing characterization, this movie would have become a timeless hit! Either way, I strongly recommend this movie for serious movie lovers who don't cringe at or drool a river over explicit scenes of nudity. ;) 

Pride and prejudice

“The piano keys are black and white
but they sound like a million colors in your mind."

                                                                - Maria Cristina Mena

The following is a poem that I penned down an year ago. This expresses my resentment towards racial discrimination and prejudices that plague ignorant minds across the globe.

Huddled inside his feathery frame,
basking in his mellowing warmth,
behind the horizon the sun rose and dawn came,
and the dove awoke with fright and alarm.


She had to fly for none must know,
that her heart's with the raven.
And she flew leaving her heart behind,
only to wear a mask among her own kind.


She played along as they tweeted with voices loud,
their diction coated with malice and disdain..
She could do nothing but to their every word bow,
while her tender heart bled and pained.


Tangled in their rusted chain,
she waited till the first star spawned.
Bidding goodbye with a smile that she feigned,
she wound the clock to the time before morn.


As the sun crept to the other side,
the dove lost herself in his love so wide.
With their body and soul now entwined,
they made love, when everything was so beautiful and fine. 

                                                      - Ajay Shaan

Full moon wo sagashite - A heartwarming gem of an anime

                        The realm of anime is what I earnestly wish my waking life would be like. I could walk, spout badass one liners, cast a vibrant smile all with my eyes closed and still look suave. I could get to experience epic moments in slow motion, basking in the glory and ecstasy. All this could happen nowhere else but in the anime world. In my opinion anime has the upper hand over cartoons in delivering the emotional goods, and most times I find myself empathizing with anime characters manifolds greater than I empathize movie characters. Without further ado I'd like to review one of the greatest anime ever made - Full moon wo sagashite (Searching for a full moon).

Mitsuki all packed to go to school

The plot revolves around the trials and tribulations being faced by a 12 year old girl Kouyama Mitsuki who's been diagnosed with throat cancer. Even though her days are numbered in the literal sense, as blurted out inadvertently by the two lively Shinigami Takuto and Meroko, nothing deters little Mitsuki from becoming a highly acclaimed singer. Her primary motive behind her aspiration is to reunite with her first love Eichi, who was compelled by circumstances to part her and leave to America. With the help of her other-worldly friends Mitsuki realizes her dream of becoming a pop icon by switching into her 16 year old form whenever the situation calls for. 

To tout this anime as excellent will be a gross understatement, for this is one spectacular work of art that makes you laugh hysterically at times and bawl for hours at other times. Being a show targeted towards music, FMWS strikes the right chords (Pun unintended). Every one of the songs is indelible and there's no question of any of them getting mundane. The soundtracks are an eclectic lot and are unique in their own ways. What makes these numbers more emotionally charged is their picturization and the medley of strong sentiments and convictions wrapped up in them. Even if you watch the episodes at a stretch you'll never be inclined to skip the opening and closing tracks unless you've a perverse aversion towards quality music.

Given the intricate plot that would conveniently demand sympathy from the viewer, FMWS surprises. Though you can portend something plaintive to occur ahead of the story, you can't help but squeal in delight as Mitsuki rules the day with her optimism and adorable innocence. There's no instance fellas, not once where you'd feel underwhelmed by the melodrama! And mind you, Takuto and Meroko are not mere props to build the story arc but are pivotal characters that share center stage with Mitsuki. They're a lot more than just elements for comic relief. Without the staid Takuto or the vivacious Meroko Mitsuki's life would've been pitiful and too depressing to behold.

Meroko and Takuto in their Shinigami forms

I've looked out for deviations from the original manga and though there are plentiful aspects that the anime strays away from, I've reasons (that can't be divulged without spoiling the story) to believe that the anime version is the better. Another welcomed feature of FMWS is that it barely has any fillers. Even those elements that don't develop the story are pleasing and needless to say, inspiring without getting preachy. 

The artwork's sumptuous and satisfies the requirements for the shoujo genre generously. The character designs are rendered staunchly based on the manga, but for Meroko's attire. Overall, there's nothing to complain about the animation rendition in FMWS. It's fluid, appropriate and simply delivers.

Laid on an affecting premise, the pacing is to be analyzed to properly gauge the emotional factor. A touching plot with a fast pacing would fail to make the right impact on the viewer, and on the other hand a snail's pace would irk the viewer, making him skim across the episodes precipitously to get to the end. Once again, Full Moon triumphs gloriously! The pacing strikes the right balance. You find yourself sailing along with Mitsuki and her ethereal pals smoothly, as you drink in every moment that her ingenuous senses perceive. You would be oblivious of the pacing of the narrative, and would instead derive pleasure from the mileage of that particular episode. 

Well, I can't stress more on the splendor of this anime, nor can I extol more about the sheer greatness of its songs. To miss out or overlook this masterpiece would be a mighty shame.

My first step towards blogging

                

           It's a fine evening to venture on blogging. The weather's amiable and it's surprisingly cool for a summer day. As I lay in my dorm bed with legs outstretched and my back reclined against the wall, I'm thrilled to write my first blog. Alright, here's something about me that you ought to know in order to invest time and interest in reading my blogs to come.

They call me Shaan. At least most of them. Though one can easily mistake me for an eccentric individual or a hipster according to your lexicon, it can safely be said that I'm just a simple man with complex tastes; I'm fascinated by martial arts as much as I am by poetry and other forms of literature. I love watching anime and quality cinema as much as I love cycling. You get the idea. I've tastes that don't necessarily complement one another, but if you sum them up they form an interesting amalgam. I'm very passionate about writing in general. It makes me wonder why I never considered blogging in all these years. The answer is just a matter of indolence. I get bored very easily and I'm quite positive that I hold the record for yawning the most number of times in a lecture. If I'm not inspired enough to do something, I would think twice before displacing a finger. 

So, to consolidate my hobbies, I love listening to music, singing, writing poetry, reading novels from time to time, hardcore gaming, watching good movies/anime etc. I'll have you know that I'll be reviewing movies/anime, music albums and games in my blogs, in addition to writing random stuff. I promise they'd be insightful and would make a good read. 

There's nothing like spending such a pleasant evening sprawled in bed, texting my lady love to no end. I hope I've painted as authentic a picture of me in your minds. It's time for me to sign off now. Peace fellas!