Eason- Switch Off and Read
An outdoor campaign by Irish bookseller, Eason.
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The Revenge of the Junk
Can you scare people into being litter-conscious? That’s the thought that led to this inspired prank that is part of an urban cleanup initiative by- guess who- the folks behind a junk cleaner app.
Eton Mess: David Cameron’s Alternative Memoir
Hats off to the folks behind this. For those who haven’t been following, this piece excellently sums up the project. Be sure to watch the 2 minute online video.
I have been especially amused by some of the suggestions, both in that piece as well as across other websites, as to what could be done with the book.
Once read, use this book as a notebook to vent your frustrations.
Buying a copy not only means you get your hands on a first edition of political history, the book can also be used as a doorstop, toilet paper or firewood.
…the book provides ample blank space to scribble down your angry thoughts about Brexit. Or to doodle images of the Hulk crushing Boris Johnson.
Finding Steve McQueen (2019)
This is what one reviewer had to say about the movie, and its director, Mark Steven Johnson:
Johnson's latest effort, “Finding Steve McQueen,” isn't perfect. Or halfway perfect. Or even one-quarter perfect. But he does take what would have been a rather bland heist story and mix it with a mediocre love story to create an enjoyable final product.
To me, that sums up the movie perfectly. All I would add is that it had me smiling throughout and frequently elicited some chuckles.
Here’s a link to the trailer.
Something Wild (1986)
This is a cult classic that is funny, sweet, and entertaining. And as one reviewer put it, it is a “one-of-a-kind film that garners a lot of momentum out of the fact that you often have no idea where it’s going.” Still, it might be best to keep expectations in check. Compared to the high energy start, the ending may appear to be underwhelming. Nevertheless, it is absolutely worth checking out.
I feel that the movie is best enjoyed by knowing as little of the plot as possible. If you still feel like wanting to check out the trailer, I recommend the Criterion trailer (and not the theatrical trailer).
Simba- Made for Peace
Whoever would have thought that a nuclear confrontation would be the basis for an ad for… well, perhaps it’s best if you see it for yourself. Here’s a link.
Dame Stephanie Shirley- Interview
For someone who has been a trailblazing entrepreneur, there are very few audio/ video recordings of her talks or interviews, in the public domain. Her recent interview on BBC HARDTalk is, in my opinion, masterfully structured in the way it scopes the breadth of her extraordinary life- professional and personal. In addition, I was struck by her clarity of thought and expression, and her amazing energy and body language, especially given that she is well above the age of eighty.
Highways England- BikerTek
Targeted at bikers, this ad campaign gives a whole new meaning to the term “performance parts”. The print ads didn’t quite resonate with me but I thought that the online film makes its point pretty effectively.
The Mustang
This 2019 movie is set against the backdrop of the ‘Wild Horse Inmate Program’- an actual program that seeks to rehabilitate prisoners across 6 US states, by getting them to break and train wild horses for adoption. It tells the fictional story of one such inmate, played by Matthias Schoenaerts, and his search for redemption.
This is an understated gem of a movie, and one of the best that I have seen this year. While the plot is fairly straightforward and mostly predictable, what truly elevates the movie is the writing, the performances and its sense of authenticity. Schoenaerts, who starred in Bullhead (which I wrote about, a few weeks ago) gives a terrific performance. Jason Mitchell and Bruce Dern are excellent in supporting roles. The movie was shot at the historic Nevada State Prison, Carson City (which closed in 2012) and alongside the actors, features actual inmates who participated in the Wild Horse Inmate Program.
Here’s a link to the trailer.
Husbands: Rethinking the Suit
A 3 minute video in which you hear the philosophical musings of the founder of Husbands, a Paris-based menswear brand. Consider this:
In the life of a man, you have a quest and the end of the quest is when you meet your tailor.
Never Look Away
This is the latest movie from Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who wrote and directed The Lives of Others, a movie that I regard as a masterpiece.
Never Look Away is a multi-layered epic set against the backdrop of Germany from the late ’30s through the early ’60s. At its core, it is the story of a young artist on a journey of self-discovery. It follows him from his scarred childhood in Nazi Germany, through his coming-of-age in East Germany, to his escape to West Germany, just before the Berlin Wall came up. It is also a haunting war story and a touching romance. Along the way, it gives you a lot to think about, from human nature to perceptions of art, and its power to heal.
It is a superbly scripted, breathtakingly beautiful movie. Still, its gentle pace and 3 hour plus running time, along with the need for subtitles (it’s in German), may be daunting for some viewers. Personally, I found myself so immersed in the story, the performances, and the visual beauty and the background score, that I didn’t feel any weight on account of the movie’s length. In fact, it is by far, my favorite movie of this year.
I should mention that while the narrative has some key plot points that appear to be contrived, there is a lot more truth to them than one might imagine. The story has been inspired by the early life and career of the renowned visual artist, Gerhard Richter. A part of the inspiration came from stranger-than-fiction events in his life.
Here’s a link to the trailer.
Destroyer
This is a 2018 movie that is directed by Karyn Kusama, and stars Nicole Kidman. It is a well-crafted, deliberately paced thriller, but by no means easy to watch. It is a grim movie from start to finish. Personally speaking, I was riveted.
At the heart of the movie is a transformative performance by Kidman. She plays an out-of-control, self-destructive cop, haunted by her past, and tortured from within. Her portrayal is stunning, and easily ranks as one of the best of the year. It is also one of her best performances ever.
But there is more to the movie than just her performance. There were three things in particular that stood out for me. The first is the narrative structure. The movie switches between the present and the events of seventeen years past, slowly unfolding clues that help understand why is Kidman’s character obsessed and driven in the way that she is. The second is the cinematography, especially in the way it captures the sprawl of Los Angeles. Last but not the least, are the action/ fight sequences, which are sharp and brutal.
Here is a link to the trailer.
BazarChic Ad
For those who may not know, BazarChic, based out of France, has a members-only website that offers bargains on luxury brands. Their latest ad has left me baffled. Before you read any further, I suggest that you take a look at the ad and see what you make of it.
I didn’t know what to make of the message of this ad, or even how it helps the company/ brand. But after reading their explanation, it seems that their idea was to target online shopping enthusiasts and suggest that it’s pointless to look for best deals when everyone else is doing the same- at the same place and the same time.
Under the Silver Lake
This is a 2018 movie, written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, and starring Andrew Garfield. My quick take: interesting but unsatisfying. It’s certainly not for everyone. There’s a lot of assorted weirdness in the movie that many will find hard to sit through.
In its visual style and surrealism, it’s inspired by David Lynch. In its trippiness and stoned outlook of the lead character, it reminded me of Inherent Vice. Those references are also a good way of assessing whether one will like the movie or not. Anyone who enjoyed Blue Velvet or Mulholland Drive, for instance, is more likely to feel at home here. Anyone who didn’t, will have a tough time appreciating this movie.
Nevertheless, as someone who liked Inherent Vice and loved Mulholland Drive, I still had issues with this movie. It is a gorgeous looking movie that I found very watchable. My disconnect was with the way in which the narrative married the real with the surreal.
Here’s a link to the trailer.
Anon
This is a 2018 movie, written and directed by Andrew Niccol, and starring Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried. My quick take: interesting but disappointing.
What I liked about it: The premise, the setup, the stunning visuals, and the atmosphere. Niccol is very good at imagining plausible futuristic worlds, as illustrated in The Truman Show (which he wrote), and Gattaca and In Time (both of which he wrote and directed). Here, too, he presents us with a fascinating world in which, what each of us sees, is stored as a record that can be accessed and replayed. This becomes the backdrop for what has the makings of an intriguing neo-noir mystery.
What I didn’t like: The storytelling and the writing. Ideas are tantalizingly put forth but not explored. No real motives are offered for the actions of key characters. Most of all, I felt that the resolution of the mystery was simply awful.
Here’s a link to the trailer.
Brexit Metaphor
Brexit has probably inspired more metaphors than any other recent historical event that I can think of. Among other things, it has been compared with escaping from prison, paying a bar tab, and taking an egg out of an omelette. Personally speaking, I found this restaurant metaphor (from about a month ago) to be especially amusing.
I'm not saying there wasn't a democratic mandate for Brexit at the time. I'm just saying if I narrowly decided to order fish at a restaurant that was known for chicken, but said it was happy to offer fish, and so far I've been waiting three hours, and two chefs who promised to cook the fish had quit, and the third one is promising to deliver the fish in the next five minutes whether it's cooked or not, or indeed still alive, and all the waiting staff have spent the last few hours arguing amongst themselves about whether I wanted battered cod, grilled salmon, jellied eels or dolphin kebabs, and if large parts of the restaurant appeared to be on fire but no one was paying attention to it because they were all arguing about fish, I would quite like, just once, to be asked if I definitely still wanted the fish.
BCF Australia- Camp Pain
The latest fun ad from BCF which describes itself as “Australia's greatest boating, camping and fishing store”.
Samsung- Alpaca
A recent ad for the Galaxy Note 10 that is an excellent example of imagination gone really wild.
Sword of Trust
This is an offbeat, low budget movie from earlier this year that is worth checking out.
Its narrative centers around a group of oddball characters who hitch their fortunes to a blunt sword that may or may not be a prized Civil War relic. In the current climate of questionable truths and conspiracy theories, it can be seen as a splendid satire. But even if you choose not to dig deep, there is a lot to enjoy. It is a consistently amusing experience, thanks largely to the performances by the leads as they play off each other with lines, that I gather, are largely improvised.
Here is a link to the trailer.
Spotify- Let the Song Play
Spotify has a history of turning consumer insights into amusing campaigns, mining the creative brilliance of different agencies, across countries. Their latest TV spot, which I believe to be an in-house effort, is another feather in their cap.
Mia Khalifa Interview
It’s rare to come across a 26 year old in public life whose experience and/ or opinions are worth listening to. She is certainly one of the youngest people whom I have seen interviewed on BBC HARDtalk. Here’s a link to her interview.
The Professor
This Johnny Depp starrer was released in May this year and was a box office disaster. Its reviews weren’t great either: the critics, almost uniformly, ripped it apart. What’s more, its trailer was a dud. In other words, there was hardly any reason for me to have seen this movie. But one little known YouTube reviewer, whose opinion I frequently seek out, had some very good things to say about it. That was all the push I needed to watch the movie. In hindsight, I am glad I did. This was probably the funniest movie that I have seen this year. In fact, I can’t remember the last time that I laughed out this much, or so often, in any movie.
To be clear, from a cinematic perspective, or even technically speaking, this is an unremarkable movie. Where it shines is in the writing, and in Depp’s exceptional dialogue delivery and comic timing. I must also mention Danny Huston, whom I can’t recollect ever seeing in a funny role. His comic brilliance was a revelation to me, and his scenes with Depp are among the highlights of the movie.
Bullhead
From where do writers dream up their characters? That was the question that flashed through my mind, when I first watched this 2011 Belgian movie. The reason: it features one of the most haunting lead characters that I have ever seen in a movie.
He is a 30 year old cattle farmer. Within the first 5 minutes, the movie establishes him as a hulking brute, pumped up on steroids. Then around the 40 minute mark, by which time we may think that we have the measure of him, the movie pulls the rug from under our feet. It presents us with a slice of his past- an event that is tragic, horrific, and disturbing. It causes us to re-assess what we think about this man. And from that point onwards, we are never sure what to make of him.
Matthias Schoenaerts’ devastating portrayal of this character is the reason to see this movie. Sure, there are other things to like about the movie, but they pale in comparison. The narrative is convoluted with no real payoff so don’t worry if you are unable to follow the multiple plot threads. Just bear in mind that this is not a movie for someone who is squeamish.
Here is a link to the trailer.