दी बीएफ़ज़ी (THE BFG): तिलिस्म बड़ा, इमोशंस छोटे! [3/5]

परी-कथाओं को आपके बचपन से खींच कर परदे पर सजीव करने में डिज्नी को महारत हासिल है. और उसी मासूम बचपन को सिनेमा में सबसे बड़ा कैनवस देने में स्टीवन स्पीलबर्ग को. डिज्नी की फिल्में अगर मीठी-मीठी चाशनी में लिपटी हुई रंग-बिरंगी कैंडी जैसी होती हैं, जो जबान पे देर तक अपना रंग छोड़ जाती हैं तो स्पीलबर्ग की फिल्में आपको अपने जादुई ख्यालों के बेलगाम उड़ानों से भौंचक्का कर देने का दम रखती हैं. बच्चों के लिए लिखी गयी ब्रिटिश नॉवलिस्ट रोआल डल की कहानी पर बनी ‘दी बीएफ़जी’ इन दोनों की दुनियाओं में एक साथ, एक नज़र से झाँकने की कोशिश है. हालाँकि यहाँ दोनों की अलग-अलग छाप आपको साफ़ तौर पर देखने को मिलती है, पर फिर भी कहानी में कहीं न कहीं भावनाओं का वो उफान, वो बहाव नहीं दिखता जो आपको बेरोक-टोक, बरबस और बाकायदा बहा ले जा सके.

अनाथालय की चश्मिश लड़की सोफ़ी [रूबी बर्नहिल] को रात में नींद नहीं आती. अपने बिस्तर में घुस कर टोर्च की रौशनी में बच्चे उठा ले जाने वाले दैत्याकार राक्षसों की कहानियाँ पढ़ती रहती है, जब एक रात वो सचमुच एक ऐसे ही बड़ी इमारतों जितने विशालकाय दैत्य के सामने गलती से आ जाती है और वो उसे अपनी दुनिया में उठा ले जाता है. शहर से बहुत दूर एक गुफा में इस बूढ़े दानव ने अपना एक अलग लैब बना रखा है. छोटे-छोटे मर्तबानों में अच्छे-बुरे सपने कैद करके रखना और बाद में इन सपनों को बच्चों में बांटना, इस बूढ़े, मायावी पर दिल के अच्छे दानव का यही काम है. और ये सपने उसे टिमटिमाते जुगनुओं की तरह उड़ते हुए मिलते हैं, उस बड़े से पहाड़ की चोटी पर खड़े बड़े पेड़ के इर्द-गिर्द मंडराते हुए. सोफ़ी इस दानव के साफ़ दिल को टटोल कर उसे नाम देती है, बीएफ़जी यानी बिग फ्रेंडली जायंट. पर उसकी दुनिया में सारे दानव उस जैसे नहीं हैं. 9 और दानवों की एक पूरी टोली है जो बच्चों को खा जाती है. अब दोनों को एक-दूसरे को उन दानवों से बचना और बचाना होगा.

स्पीलबर्ग अपने ‘लार्जर दैन लाइफ’ विज़न और ‘वाइल्ड’ इमेजिनेशन से आपको चौंकाने में कहीं कोई कसर नहीं छोड़ते. फिल्म उन दृश्यों में ख़ास तौर पर उभर कर आती है जहां सोफ़ी और बीएफ़जी के शारीरिक कद के बीच का अंतर आपको सिर्फ दिखाया नहीं जाता बल्कि महसूस कराया जाता है. बीएफ़जी के टेबल पर एक गंदी लिजलिजी सब्जी काटने का दृश्य हो, जहां सोफ़ी छुरी के हर वार पर बचती-उछलती रहती है या उसका बीएफ़जी के पर्स में घुस के छिप जाना; आपको इंडियन टीवी कमर्शियल का वो बच्चा ज़रूर याद आ जायेगा, जो डाइनिंग टेबल पर बड़ी-बड़ी पूरियों से बच कर निकलता रहता था. बौढ़म बीएफ़जी के उटपटांग शब्द जो वास्तविक शब्दों में बेवजह दो-चार-छः और अक्षर जोड़ कर बनाए गए होते हैं, आपको हर बार गुदगुदाते हैं. मसलन, क्रोकोडायल को क्रोकोडाउनडिलीज़ कहना! फिल्म में ब्रिटेन की महारानी के महल में बीएफ़जी का ब्रेकफास्ट वाला दृश्य भी बहुत सामान्य होने के बावजूद हंसने पर मजबूर कर देता है.

इंसानी हो या इस दुनिया से अलग, स्पीलबर्ग जिस तरह की रिश्तों में गर्माहट और इमोशंस की मूसलाधार बारिश में भिगोने के लिए जाने जाते हैं, उस तरह की अनुभूति के लिए आप इस फिल्म में तरसते ही रहते हैं. ज्यादातर वक़्त आप सिर्फ उस मायावी दुनिया की चकाचौंध और तिलिस्म में ही फँस कर रह जाते हैं, और फिल्म के दोनों प्रमुख किरदारों के बहुत करीब जाने में झिझकते रहते हैं. यही वजह है कि फिल्म अपने दो घंटे के सीमित समय में भी आपको कई बार अपनी एकरसता से उबाने लगती है.

अंत में, स्टीवन स्पीलबर्ग की ‘दी बीएफ़जी’ एक प्यारी सी फिल्म है, जिसकी कहानी आपको बचपन में सुनी तमाम अविश्वसनीय, अकल्पनीय कहानियों की याद दिलाती है, और उस तिलस्मी दुनिया में ले भी जाती है. जब तक आप थिएटर में हैं तब तक की तो पूरी गारंटी है पर फिल्म के बाद, आप फिल्म के साथ कितने दिन और कितनी देर और जुड़े रहते हैं, वो देखने वाली बात होगी. [3/5]

TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION : Strictly Average! A tighter and smarter script could have done better! [2.5/5]

Intrepid-enterprising-invincible hero, uncontrollable baddie, his almost never-ending line of goons, superficial writing with dialogues hardly having any weight to it, a paper thin plot, lots of heavy non-stop action and an exhaustingly killing length of almost 3 hours…isn't it what we all are watching every month or so gift-wrapped as a new bollywood release; either a south-remake or just a remake, how does it matter?? So, what precisely is the property besides being labeled as a ‘Hollywood’ film that makes any distinction in case of Michael Bay’s TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION? Well, it sure is the bigger canvas to showcase splendid execution of gasping action and the next level in thrilling visual graphics. Yet, the outcome is very much like those fun-rides in amusement parks that leave you all drained out.

Despite being sociable to human race, Autobots are now declared fugitives and being hunted down by government agencies. The human loss in the Chicago invasion surely had its consequences. Meanwhile, a small time inventor-cum-single father of a teen Yeager [Mark Wahlberg] buys a junky truck as a piece of scrap that turns out to be none other than the most imperative transformer, loved as Optimus Prime. Now the battle is against the government backed Decepticon Lockdown and Galvatron- a re-embodiment of Megatron created by a hardcore businessman Joshua…and the world will witness another massive act of destruction of sky-high buildings getting all smashed, streets being blasted into dirt & dust, bullets roaming in the air like bees on the loose and men running for their lives. Wait; there is more in the box! The gigantic robotic dinosaurs enter to make it bigger than ever before. I wish the plot would have been heavier in substance than lengthier in implementation.

TRANSFORMERS is a series loved for its well-designed action sequences and this latest in the line is no exception. Mostly difficult to sit through, partly impressive to approve! Like in a particular scene, the blasts happen in such rhythmic and photographic manner that it looks more like a bombing celebration. Though it’s momentary but it stays with you as a scenic beauty you have ever seen on screen. What one misses the most is an effective interlacing of emotional perspective. The bonding of a totally caring & concerned father with his teenage daughter and her boyfriend is so done in the past. Instead watch out for the Autobots rejoicing the return of their chief Optimus Prime. It’s more heartwarming reunion. Dialogues are very regular and of sub-standard. You rarely bother yourself to clap your hands or remember it after leaving the premise.

Of the performances, Stanley Tucci as the businessman who desperately wants to make transformers of his own succeeds in generating some likability. Mark Wahlberg is seen doing this earlier before. The visual effects and the 3D elements are worth praising the efforts but for how long could you keep busy yourself doing that is completely upto your level of excitement, patience and fan-fare. 

At the end, the bigger is not always the better. TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION is strictly average action entertainer that will become a part of history sooner the next superhero movie enters with another advance level visual graphics. The worst thing about technology is that it never stays for long...emotions do. I wish it would have relied on that more! [2.5/5]      

GODZILLA: Monstrous Homage to good old-times! Revisit and relive… [3.5/5]

The creature porno is probably one of the very first impressions I had of Hollywood. As small-town kids, then JURASSIC PARK was our only point of high-on-excitement source of entertainment on VHS. GODZILLA (’98), though wasn’t much ably equipped & remarkable to overshadow Steven Spielberg’s classic, was the second most popular in the segment. Evolution is what time offers to the mankind. 16 years later, this mammoth creature known for mass destruction and damages that bring your guts out is again on loose, only to bigger the excitement and better the entertainment.

Gareth Edwards’ GODZILLA works mostly on the fear of unknown. You never actually see him rising to its fullest till the later part of the movie. You’re always made sure of its presence being felt around from the first frame but as quick as the plot goes thicken, Godzilla’s found track gets all hazy and blurred with shifting focus from this one legendary monster to a couple […and a quite romantic one] of new additions; gigantic Mutos. Mutos that find their energy-boosters in radioactive materials and are capable enough to gulp down all the electricity, Las Vegas would need to produce its glamorously lit shine & sheen.

The winged male Muto and the mechanical-looking female Muto must get stopped before they could breed another set of Mutos to create massive destruction of human civilization. The only way out is nuclear detonation but hold your horses as this newer version of GODZILLA is also a gifted surprise. So if you are going in with pre-conceived expectations of having just another monster-movie, you might come out enjoying a super-hero flick. And this super-hero is none other than the age-old bulky-scaly Godzilla!

Where the second part is mainly dedicated to the nerve-wracking, nail-biting and terrifying final combat between the three monsters, the first half is quite a slow effort to build up the most frightening situation mankind could ever face. Graphically constructed Godzilla is definitely bigger, better and scarier than its previous version. With the roar filled with angst, the thumping walk and the immeasurable scale of its huge built; this is the most evolved creature seen in recent times. If you could sustain the boredom at places while assembling all the excitement towards the much awaited intensifying of the leading force, you would sure find all of it worthy enough to stay back; at the end. 

On the 3D front, it is more of an atmospheric addition to be in the same league and not for just some attention-grabbing tricks to create fake experiences. So, don’t really expect much from that part. Performances are also strictly regular. The visual effects are top-notch. Watch out for the power-packed finale that leaves you breathless and filled with a delightful entertainment. After all, it’s better late than never! GODZILLA is a monstrous homage to good old times. Revisit and relive it! [3.5/5] 

12 YEARS A SLAVE: Dark, depressing, tragic tale of survival that fails to overcome & overwhelm! [3/5]

Sitting in an air-conditioned auditorium of a multiplex & holding a bucket full of buttered popcorn in one hand and the iced cola glass in the other, if I would dare to confirm that I could actually feel the pain of slavery in the proclaimed measure, either I would be lying or the creation is truly empathetic. I would save myself from going either ways. Steve McQueen’s potential sweepstake at Oscars and a real-life drama ’12 YEARS A SLAVE’ does make me uncomfortable with the impact of brutality in the storytelling. It also succeeds in evoking my angst against this unkind, inhuman ill-practice called slavery but not the way Tarantino orchestrate in DJANGO UNCHAINED or Spielberg embraces in AMISTAD & SCHINDLER’S LIST. I am not overwhelmed.

Based on the memoirs of Solomon Northup, 12 YEARS A SLAVE is an inspiring survival saga of a free Negro’s journey through 12 years of unfortunate times in the custody of slavery. Kidnapped by two of his acquaintances, Solomon is now forced to live the life of a slave. His past as head of the happy family of a loving wife with 2 beautiful kids haunts him to make a run for life but the necessitate of survival keeps him forever on trade-board from one master [the generous & bighearted William Ford played by Benedict Cumberbatch] to another [Michael Fassbender playing Mr. Epps- strong believer of slavery and inequality of all kinds in human race]. Meanwhile every pain and sufferings Solomon and his people go through become a significant part of Solomon’s memoir.

12 YEARS A SLAVE doesn’t stick to linear narrative and moves back & forth on the timeline to create an effective after-effect of the change in circumstances. Film’s strength is definitely the ruthlessly real portrayal of brutality. Man & women getting stripped and whipped till their skin peels off and showing it on screen without having any apprehension is bad enough to make you feel gnashing your teeth in anger, desperation and anxiety. Background score makes varied impressions with thumping sounds, grasping silence and instrumentals that form ripples of emotions in you. Camerawork is superb. It takes out something from you in those horrific scenes of torture, rape and hopelessness and fills you in with conspicuous visuals in daylight especially.

All these and then the performances! Chiwetel Ejiofor is more than just flesh & bone to Solomon Northup. His gazing empty eyes with a little ray of hope to find everything in place in the end are totally engaging. He deserves every inch of Oscar trophy in the category. Film also gets a certain somber touch of realism with shots that long more than a couple of minutes. In one, you get to see Solomon being hanged by neck to a tree and he sweats like anything to find his feet on muddy surface. This one sequence goes on and on till you feel suffocated by yourself.

Good for some but then this less dramatic approach with all dark, depressing, gloomy feel & pace to it turns regular and routine after a point when nothing actually comes forward as a solid storyline and rests merely on series of incidents. Even the climax comes out of nowhere and merges into the end very conveniently. The actual events might have happened like that but if not cherished as awe-inspiring celebration of life at the end, it would be difficult to rejoice as a good comfortable viewing. Watch it for the performances! [3/5]