Thursday, June 21, 2007

Two Loathsome Genres

Apart from profound films like Deepa Mehta’s Earth, Fire, and Water, I cannot watch Indian movies. Yes, I know that they have changed. I just do not enjoy the idea of people breaking out into a colorful dance between scenes. Their garments are lovely, the actors are beautiful, but it is a bit too cheery for me, although some dance or song scenes are done without the mandatory rain, corrupt police lurking in the background, or heroes surviving after a 100 meter cliff fall.

Once, a handful of my friends managed to drag me to an Indian movie in Kuwait. Unlike me, they are avid fans of such Indian movies. They know all the actors’ names, information about their personal life, lyrics to the songs they lip-synch, and much more. In the first half of Chalte Chalte – yes, I still remember the name - I sat there and tried to get into the movie. After cracking a few jokes (FYI: I'm not one to talk during movies but the main actress had major sweat stains during one of the dance scenes and she kept lifting her arms up...I had to say something!), I looked at my friends’ faces. Their teary eyes were transfixed on the screen. “What am I doing here?” I thought. With that, I excused myself out of the two something hour long drag of a movie and had a lovely cup of coffee outside while my friends watched the rest of the wretched movie. Never again.

Another thing that I cannot swallow is anime. How and why? Even their art turns me off. The last abnormally wide-eyed cartoon character I followed was Kabamaru, and that was a very long time ago. What I find peculiarly interesting is the amount of grown-ups who consider themselves anime buffs. I did not know about this fact until my good friend in college said, “Yeah, Billy is going to some anime movies…” I gave my friend an awkward frown, “Anime? You’re going to watch it together?” Needless to say, my mind was somewhere else.


MP3's...
Bjork - Hyperballad (Massive Attack Slow Jungle Mix)
Charles Aznavour - Formidable
Frank Zappa - Don't Eat the Yellow Snow

at 12:25 AM

7 Comments

  1. Blogger MiYaFuSHi posted at 5:07 AM  
    I feel the same way, although I do like the anime pics, they look so cheeky ;)
  2. Blogger Jelly Belly posted at 12:40 PM  
    guilty of both ;P
  3. Blogger Reema posted at 4:16 PM  
    Stop watching Indian movies long time ago ago but Anime, well let's just say it's in my blood ;)
  4. Blogger EniGma posted at 4:28 AM  
    i don't like indian movies for reasons that are the same as yours. As for anime, I only like (well love) the ones malot sneen el 6wa3eeen like Kabamaru and Ranzi and hal swalif
  5. Blogger Erzulie posted at 1:30 PM  
    miyafushi: All right, I'll give you that, anime pics do look cool but there's not much...diversity? It's like the same face with a different hairstyle. Moving on!

    jelly belly: Again...moving on! :P~~
    Well, if you enjoy it, I say go for it, be it the handsome Tony Babu in "Die Hard Mumbai" or the squeaky voiced, wide-eyed and pink haired girl in *insert Japanese characters*

    reema: 'Guess blood is thicker than water so chances of washing anime out is down :P Some look neat, but I don't think I can ever buy an anime movie (are there anime movies?) and actually sit down and watch it without falling asleep or getting bored.

    enigma: Yeah, those are classic :)
  6. Blogger Ansam posted at 10:10 PM  
    OK.. Indian movies are long.. I saw some but I dont go to the theater anymore. Last one I went to (dragged like you) was Mohabbatain, I thought it was beautiful but TOO LONG! One Mohabba is ENOUGH! Mohabbatain was LOOOOOONG! heehee

    I like their clothes, their beautiful faces, but you know!! hmm I saw more at home with my sisters.. but not a big fan.. may give it another chance, we are going with our cook ;-)

    As for Japanese Animations, I like'em. I am Ranze Eto heehee
  7. Blogger Erzulie posted at 12:31 AM  
    ansam: Lol, agreed, one Mohaba is enough. And I heard it was one of THE classic Indian movies to see but again, 4 friggin' hours? Plus, most of these films are filled with personal tragedies, people dying and crying, as if our lives need another downer during our spare time.
    *Erzulie smiles before googling Ranze Eto*

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