Between Dhuwan and Maalik: Ashir Azeem in retrospect

 

Ashir Azeem is a Pakistani writer and actor, who rose to instant and immense in the 90s, with a smash hit drama ‘Dhuwan’. It involved a group of friends who formed a vigilante force by night and had professional lives by day. After which he left the media world to focus on his own career as a civil servant. In the last few years his contribution to Pakistani cinema was a hit film by the name of ‘Maalik’, which in the footsteps of his drama, focuses on the nature of corruption in Pakistani society, had good dialogues and had enough action to keep the scenes interesting and cinematically appealing.

This interview was originally done for an online magazine, which does not exist anymore. So I’m putting this interview for everyone to read.

 

 

 

1. How are you?

Ans: I am Good

 

2. How was life, growing up for you?

Ans: The best childhood one can have. I grew up in wilderness and mountains deep in Baluchistan. We were not wired to computers or restricted to four walls. Ran with the wild and breathed fresh air. Hence my lifelong love for wide open spaces, nature, animals, human spirit, dignity and undiluted freedom and independence.

 

3. What kind of a family setting did you grow up in? Was it strict or liberal?

Ans: I am eldest of four siblings. I grew up completely unrestricted. We did not live in a joint family so completely unaware of politics and intrigue of any kind.

 

4. How did you develop an interest in films?

Ans: Quite frankly, I don’t know. I guess one thing led to the next. My complete independent nature with no preconceived notions about anything and the desire to experiment with and experience everything has led me to very interesting things in life. Film, being one of those.

 

5. Were you active in school plays? Did that help you grow as an actor?

Ans: Not really. I did do a play or two at school but wasn’t really interested.

 

6. You are a talented writer, so what books do you read? Any favorites?

Ans: I read everything, from technology to philosophy, history, fiction, politics, religions, you name it. But I love physics and astronomy the most.

As far as favorites are concerned, I guess you get to those when you are approaching the finishing line; I have too much stuff to read yet to decide the best.

 

7. You seem to be fond of the army, and often write about characters that are in the military. Where did that come from?

Ans: Military takes you away from the mundane ordinary life to a world of extreme. You experience everything to the limits, Camaraderie, Loyalty, Rage, Courage, Fear, Pain, Endurance, Strength, Discipline, Respect, Dignity, Honor, Compassion the entire spectrum of what makes you tick. It turns you inside and out and shows you what you are made of and capable of. Once you know yourself then you have the choice to do what you wish with it.

I think everyone owes it to themselves to undertake a journey of self discovery. This is why I was in Pakistan Air Force for a few years, I needed to test my limits, to read my owner’s manual.

I enjoy writing about characters that have discovered themselves.

 

 

 

8. How are you such a good actor?

Ans: Forget Camera and Light. Forget it’s a movie. Immerse in the situation and go with it. If you want to be a good actor, don’t act, live the role.

 

9. Are there any actors that inspire you?

List is too long and ranges from Hollywood to Bollywood to Lollywood.

 

10. Which movies or dramas do you like?

Ans: Instinct 1999, Saving Private Ryan 1998, Vertical Limit 2000, The Patriot 2000, 3 Idiots 2000 . . . the list goes on and on

 

11. You wrote a drama yourself, Dhuwan, which was a great success. What was experience like? Because it was the first time you wrote a script.

Ans: Close your eyes and write what you see on the screen of your mind. You will end up with the screenplay, dialogues, props, cast, editing sequence, sound etc. Now go on and make it.

12. Maalik, your movie is fantastic, what was the best part of being the heart and soul of it?

Ans: Being the heart and soul of it. To be answerable to yourself, have the freedom to do as you please and take responsibility for it. No retreat, No regret, No surrender.

 

13. There is a lot focus of society and its ills in the film, do you believe that movies help in bringing social awareness about things that matter?

Ans:  اندر گھر کی ایک دیوار کے، اور کوئ دیوار نھیں، سوچ سے زیادہ ھتھیاروں میں، اور بڑا ھتھیار نہیں. An idea is the most powerful weapon. Today there is a conscious effort to divert focus of society from the real concern to a false sense of happiness and escapism. Not unlike drugs. Maalik focuses on real issues, poverty, access to justice, democracy, role of institutions, rights and responsibilities of citizens etc.

Issues are like disease, the longer they are ignored the worse they get.

 

14. How did the public react to Maalik?

Ans: For me to respond is conflict of interest.

 

15. Where you ever afraid of being as honest as you were in the film?

Ans: Nope.

 

16. As a writer, what is the moral of your movie?

Ans: Take care of your present and future, no one else will do it for you.

 

17. How did you feel when Maalik was banned from cinemas?

Ans: Obviously I felt bad, but I knew I will win. یہ تو چلتی یے تجھے اونچا اڑانے کے لیے

 

18. Do you have any work that we will be seeing in the future? Because we want more.

Ans: Yup. I am already working on finalizing scripts.

 

19. Do you have message for Pakistan and its people?

Ans: I have written and produced Maalik as a message for Pakistan and its people. They should see the film if they want the message.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the Red Radiance of Perfect Blue

 

 

‘Perfect Blue’, is a 1997 psycholgical-thriller, horror,anime film directed by Satoshi Kon. His best and most mesmerizing work, ‘Perfect Blue’ is a movie unlike any other that plays with the viewer’s senses of reality, leaving them undone and shaking. And to think this was his attempt at animation.

The movie starts of on both a slow and up-beat mood, as our protagonist Mima Kirigoe, as she makes her last appearance as a pop idol, as she will soon be making the jump to becoming an actress. From there forward the movie takes a turn so subtle but so striking that one wants to stay till the end, but having done so, might not want to watch it again, only to be pulled in back by the brilliance of the story.

The story and movie if full of layers, so everyone seems to have their own theory and idea about it, but overall everyone agrees that the movie is about losing one’s grip of reality, being overtaken by the public’s opinion, pop culture and it’s effect on humanity, the male gaze and the lines between fact and fiction.

Mima seems to struggle with shifting her career, as many people around her are not happy with her decision, and that displeasure or discord manifests itself in the form of an illusion that taunts and scares Mima. Mima is divided both internally and externally as the the new Mima and the old Mima, and those who prefer the new Mima are being murdered. Mima herself is unsure is unsure of it all, and her distress is not verbally expressed but manifested in the art around her, or how she is framed. She is silent and shy for the most part and allows others to speak for her and about her, as no one really consults her, which is reflective of how icons have no control over their image. The pressure is causing her to loose grip of time and reality which is what the movie focuses on, but the truth is that Mima is not the only one at a loss of sanity. She is but one in the spectrum of society that is unable to fight a concept.

 

What’s unique about this movie is that the use and involvement of  visuals and sounds, it it something that needs to be experienced and not just watched.  It is something that plays with your mind, and like Mima, those watching do not know what to believe and for the most part are afraid and cornered. The color red is a great aid, as it is synonymous with the dissent to the the unknown. The camera movements also create the feeling of uneasiness, and the soundtrack generally is enjoyable and energetic, but the silence is the unnerving catalyst.

I suppose it is a look into the trauma and abuse the female form encounters in a male dominated business and audience, where the wills of the audience and executives is what one has to follow and please. Mima’s pop-idol fans who are mostly men are unhappy that she is leaving, and talk a lot about how she has lost her innocence by becoming an actress, but the directors and writers want to completely change her image, something more sexual is what they want- so she is caught between two male ideals and fantasies and is uneasy about it. By attacking the male gaze, the movie does leave a a mark, and it’s rather interesting that the eyes are almost invisible.

Mima goes through violence, objectification in a wide variety in the movie, which is interesting because in most horror films girls are just body counts and the audience is made to be uncaring of their deaths, and the villain becomes the hero, but Mima is full of humanity, and like the villain in her life, the audience is allowed to live through her and lose track of her humanity. Mima for the most part is fighting to gain back her self from the persona that has been trying to crush and serve other eyes with her as a vessel.

 

But more than the subject ‘Perfect Blue’ is a criticism on the then decadent culture of pop culture, and in the bigger picture on the concept of celebrity. We see that first hand that everyone wants Mima to be what they want her to be, it’s as if they belive they own her, having no shame in what they do to protect that image. She is essentially like a brand and religion, and it only causes her to suffer, and that is the moral horror of the film, that it is all too real.

How many celebrities and politicians are out there selling themselves, only for the masses to wait as the truth comes out after they die, like President Kennedy wasn’t a family man after all. But specifically on Mima , it is prevalent that people are unafraid of hurting her or moving in on her space and sanity, which is not unusual in all of our celebrities and stars. The fact that Saba Qamar got death threats for acting as Qandeel Balouch for an otherwise good and decent drama.

I think that is interesting that we generally defend nudity or provocative actions for our females icons, as a sense of freedom of speech or expression, or that it is a part of their job and that we should just accept it, but ‘Perfect Blue’ clearly shows how these starlets don’t have control over their image, they have managers for that. They all could be essentially being manufactured into an image just to cause shock value. So maybe we should look closer and see how genuine these actions are, and if these women actually enjoy any of it. Even Mima pretends to be okay with the change but we see how she truly feels.

I would like to conclude that, ‘Perfect Blue’ is a masterpiece that will stand the test of time, and it should be respected as a work of part. It is also not appropriate for Desi audiences at least not at this point, so I would prefer them to read articles on it, or watch video essays on it.

 

 

 

 

‘Slackistan’ – Still in the face of Sanctions

 

 

 

‘Slackistan’ is an art film written and directed by Hammad khan, way back in 2010. It was at that time really popular and buzzy among the select few rich kids of Pakistan, but I wasn’t aware of it back then. I saw it a few weeks ago, and I liked it.

‘Slackistan’ is the burger equivalent to the drama, ‘Humsafar’, as the entire cast was full of people on their way to fame in either singing or acting. Many of them who I like and are extremely talented and one that I do not like. Hint he only has one scene. Anyway watching the movie almost ten years down the line, I found myself asking – Has it really been that long?

The movie follows several young graduates of Islamabad’s elite, or something along those lines. Our main narrator and character is Hassan. Who is really cute. As the movie goes on Hassan talks about his friends, his life and shares his thoughts on the country and what’s going on around him. There is no main plot and all of the characters are going through something, which made them feel real. This is a very real depiction of our teenagers, and how things were back then, and in a way still our for us.

It was filmed in a manner which is unique and innovative for Pakistani audiences, as our mainstream movies typically deal greatly in male and female driven heroic love stories, which have dance songs and extended shots of riches and well obviously come of as romantic and fantastical. You watch them and are transported into a fantasy place, but with ‘Slackistan’ you are in the place you want to get away with.

I guess because it was very different and verbally bold for our general audience it did not get a lot of attention, and it was actually banned. Many stated that it was not a family picture, as if that was a bad thing. But I am happy that they went against the classic desi block buster formula, and made a movie that has something to say, and keeps the tempo mellow and soft.

The shooting style could have been better, and the music was nice, again, it was very different and refreshing, but there weren’t many Urdu songs – just the one. By the end I did find myself identifying and feeling a connection for the characters, and I wanted to know what would happen to them.

Social commentary

Pakistani films, and the directors seem to be under this great pressure to address every social issue that society. Every movie, is under the pressure to satisfy and appeal to everyone, and it has to have everything or else why even make movies?

I think this pressure is prevalent because people feel like giving morals or something justice based will give the movie more respect or authority, but that is not true. You can’t mix everything into an hour. There is nothing wrong with addressing problems, but not at the cost of the characters or their development. Shoaib Mansoor’s films have that in them, the issue is stronger than the character, so the human connection is bleached. I still like them, but this is how I feel. The same can be said about some dramas.

‘Slackistan’, actually handled this very well, they showcased the issues through the main characters eyes, and for the others things they showed the characters were going through those issues. Their mild reactions to the things they are unable to control is natural and the real thing, it’s not like all of us our heroes. This way they were able to feel through a lot and mold the growth and change in the characters.

 

Social Decadence 

As a people we have been dealing with terrorism for many years, in result of which we have become desensitized to the sight and the extent of the violence around us. This was portrayed very well in the movie, for the most part the boys and girls don’t know what to do, and have internalized a lot, as everything is falling a part.

As a part of dealing with the trauma or shock of everything that is going on around them, they do what all of us do, they ignore it. As a defense mechanism we ignored a lot and maneuvered our way into existence, we live in denial, then some terror attack happens, we get scared for a while, but then we get over it. I don’t any other country in the world has gone through the kind of terrorism that we have.

It was a very honest show of how Pakistani people deal with things falling a part, which Western films and media has always denied us. I feel like anyone to watched that trashy show, ‘Homeland’ should also watch ‘Slackistan’, just so they can see what Islamabad actually looks like. It actually is a good movie for Western audiences, it has tropes that they might like.

Sanctions and Censorship 

As mentioned ‘Slackistan’ like most of our movies was banned as soon as it was released on the big screen. This only happens to movies that actually have something to say, and want people to form an opinion, since they never ban any Bollywood movies. On the bright and ironic side, the act of banning them, actually makes the movies more popular. You think they would have learned that.

It was banned for having profane language, and for it not being child friendly.

I would just like to say that there should be public respect for artistic freedom for our own artists and writers. Hollywood, Bollywood and Turkish media gets away with too much, it is an insult that our own are not even allowed to get their foot through the door.  Just because they made one person angry.

Pakistani people have a right, weither they like it or not to a variety of media and opinions, they deserve to have information that makes them think and reflect. Not every movie is just there to entertain or become the voice of justice. Some movies are there for the sake of culture,art and to show you how different people exist. And there needs to be a surplus of films, dramas, reports, vlogs and documentaries for the sake of maintenance.

Besides that, we cannot have our cake and eat it too. If we are tired about all the wrong and negative media or representation we get from the Western world, then we have to make our own media and drown out the falseness. We need to speak for ourselves, and this one of the ways that we can, and we must be a part of the conversation.

 

In conclusion, this is an art film which will become more popular and nostalgic with time, and we will look back at it and say, I can’t believe times used to be that bad.

 

 

 

” Paisa pays- Truth Talks”, On Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan’s issue.

Hi everyone. For this blog post we are going to talk about Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik ( not so bright) Roshan. Both of them are pretty successful and talented Indian actors, but we won’t be talking about any films, instead we will be focusing on a legal issue that has been prevalent for the last three years.

Just to give a little background to the issue, Kangana and Hrithik were once in a secret relationship which nobody really knew about in the media, and they broke up without anyone knowing about it just the same. The frenzy started when Kangana Ranaut mentioned an unnamed ‘silly ex‘. That got Hrithik Roshan angry, and he came out twitter exposing himself and afterwards saying that he never was with her.

 

After that Hrithik sent a bunch of notices to her, and later ‘exposed’ her by leaking thousands of emails, that he alleged that Knagana sent to him, over the past years. Well in that time there was a big legal fallout and Hrithik came out losing the hearing, because there was nothing criminal in those emails, and that impostor he continuously he talked was never found.  Kangana came out clean, and I won’t be showing  or talking about the points that defend her truth or showcase her innocence, because she did that all on her own. And the public loves her for that and we can see truth with the points and logic she put forth.

If you want to see how she did so and hear out you can watch her interview that sparked the recent interest in the issue.

For Urdu and Hindi speakers.

And for English speakers.

 

What we will be talking about the dynamics that were prevalent in the whole situation, self-serving nepotism and how money and influence was used to control the narrative, and if we have time, internal guilt.

Apparently Hrithik was so ashamed of being an ex that he went out to dig his own grave. He and his rich father, went around saying things that they would expose Kangana. During that time her family was threatened and harassed. Knagana was put through all kinds of hurdles and she practically mocked, insulted and defamed and suffered several attacks at her character and her career. They got her old ex to lie about her and call her a witch and they would not let her side of the story on magazines. And at the end of the all the Roshan son father duo, had nothing to stand for and lost the case. But that’s not what they got the media to say, they paid away papers to say that nothing actually happened with the case. And after all this time, Kanagana has finally talked about what she faced, and to the whole exposing comment, she strongly says that ‘It’s been a year I am still waiting for him to expose me’.

This has brought out to the public the terrible face to media politics that hurts people who don’t a rich father to run to clean their own mess or save their careers. If the Roshans are truly innocent why did they have to go through that trouble and buy the words of people to attack a self-made actress who did nothing to them. What were they afraid of? If they are so rich that they can buy narratives and if the industry is so tight-knit that nobody had Kangana’s back, instead they teamed up with them and scared her? What were they afraid of ? She did even take Hrithik’s name, what was he so guilty and scared about. It has been week since Kangana spoke her truth and he has remained silent. There is no point in the Nawab to be silent now, he did this to himself. He opened the issue he made this an issue, he did not care about damaging the girls career or well-being. Why now that he has lost that he decides to stay silent and avoid his mess.

They Hrithik and his father should publicly apologize to her and come out and expose everyone else that they paid to help them defame her. It would be good for the community because it would   empower that boy and girl who are being bullied and used by these big names and families. It would allow girls who are being harassed by ex lovers or husbands that they can get through the injustice and stand in their truth, because in our societies it worse for women to be framed or ‘badnaamed’ then to actually have done anything criminal.

I also had a chance to go through the interviews of other actors  and actresses about this case. They should be ashamed of themselves. None of them could express their true feelings, and instead laughed it of and prayed that it clam down. They were all being diplomatic, which is what we can expect from an army of Stepford wives. They are so caught up in not losing a job that they cannot stand up for someone in a clear-cut case of injustice. I mean I can understand but still, there should be a limit. All those people and they have the exact same no answer answer. Something like this is never going to happen to the Kapoor girls and we all know why.

They did not have to do anything, but they could have at least said something. Is it really that hard for the industry works now?

Lastly, Hrithik is a good example of how harsh men can be. This was a man who was a relationship with this woman, loving or not, there was probably some affection or trust there. What was thinking when he went out to destroy her life, what kind of grown man who has money, fame and comes from a powerful family does that? Why did grown man have to stand behind his father and why can’t he go fight someone who is his equal in society?

And this is  common there are lots of women who felt deeply for their lovers, only to have them go out and damage them. These men can do everything except let a woman go and live in peace, it is as if they have to go out an destroy her and turn society against her before they can sleep at night. This is terrible, frightening and it needs to stop.

We salute Kangana Ranaut for her bravery and for standing up to the system and power structure that steps on the lives and feelings of millions of people everyday, and she get the apology she deserves.

‘Laputa: Castle in the Sky’ (1986) Review

Hey world, I haven’t done a movie review in a while, so here it is. I will probably do a lot of that when the magazine comes out. With that I’ll learn to write more professional movie reviews but for now let’s keep it friendly.

For this review we will be talking about a classic,Japanese favorite of mine,Castle in the Sky.

 

‘Castle in the Sky’ is a movie directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki, who is one of the most respected and famous animators to come out of Japan. And with good reason to, because his work is beautiful, heart-felt, nostalgic, conscious of the environment and  breathtakingly inspiring.

In this film we are taken to strange fictional world, where the period is both old and new and air ships are used. The conflict in the first scene  captures our attention really fast so we are curious and in suspense as to why all this trouble over a girl with a necklace. As the lovely music based soundtrack carries us away from time and allows to dwell deeper as this mysterious little girl falls from the sky and begins to float.

I would say that the entire was very well-balanced and that the characters were all unique and likable and easy to enjoy and have feelings for, plus the grand scale of the art style was always pleasing. There was a pretty amount of blue and green landscapes, and the architecture again provided a nice emptiness which added on the feeling of nostalgia. Plus the pacing was perfect, there were slow heartfelt  moments where the characters got to bond well, but I feel like every scene was like real life because it was linked and had a bit of all the emotions people go through. Like even in the slightly romantic scenes there is an element of fear, a sensation of courage and adventure, an addition of visual comedy in the company of expressive dialogues.

 

So I loved the movie, as you can tell, and I have loved it ever since I was a little child. It is one of those movies that you want to watch to feel how time has passed you by, and also it is a movie that grows in meaning everything you watch. The message is different when you watch is as an adult compared to how it was an epic adventure when you were a kid.

The plot basically consists of two kids who are thrust into this search for an abandoned and almost forgotten city that floats in the sky. But also in this pursuit is the army and a family of pirates. And in the process the characters come face to face with their fears, and grow as they get closer to the city.

 

Thematically the movie talks about love, dreams, peace and power and the fate of mankind.

 

Love of any kind because we get to watch are two adorable protagonists, Sheeta and Pazu, become closer and save each other. Relationships and expressions of love are handled in a unique way in Miyazaki’s films. There are no abrupt confessions, or flashy songs, or obvious reasons or even set gender roles when it comes to a growing relationship or understanding. I like that they are able to communicate with each other fully and that they take care of each other, where as in most other movies the biggest cause of a problem is the lack of common ground between the lovers, or lack of communication.

Miyazaki even said so himself in an interview.

“I’ve become skeptical of the unwritten rule that just because a boy and girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue. Rather, I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live – if I’m able to, then perhaps I’ll be closer to portraying a true expression of love.”
― Hayao Miyazaki

The other kind of love in the movie is spiritual love or the love for nature, and making peace with the earth and its ways. Sheeta says this as Muska points a gun at her.

“The world cannot live without love”

Castle in the Sky may be an innocent movie  and it does not have anything vulgar in it, but there is a very good and reflective portrayal of the evil in the hearts of men, and how those forces of greed and selfishness can lead to the destruction of mankind. Which speaks a lot about on the current situation the earth is in now. Even if people don’t believe in global warming, they can see the change when Lahore has lost most of it’s for trees to urban construction. They can see how the tigers are being killed in India, and sense the heat or the sting in the air. And most of this is our own fault, but all these big corporations just want what benefits them with no concern of the land.

 

But nature eventually does win. We get to see that when the kids land straight in Laputa. They are met with a rusty robot, who is all alone and takes care of the animals and plants in the city. This was one of favorite scenes, because of the art and the message those movie stills leave behind. Laputa as we are told really was a great power of legend, and there in the clips it is empty and at peace like the ruins of any other civilization we have here among us. Even in its death it is alive, but the feeling is bittersweet, it’s like looking at those pictures of the ruins of Egypt. Which was once a great power in Africa, and it was also looted time and time again by Europeans, and been robbed of something.

Which leaves one to believe it is truly best to leave these cities and buildings as they are, and protect them.    The city floats away in the movie, and the only thing that is ever left of any nation is their children. An old house is never really used as a house ever again.

But even so there needs to be an appreciation of the past and a personal bond should be developed with nature if we are to survive. Castle in the Sky just reminds us of that. It is all this and a lot more.

And again the amazing art work deserves a class award of its own, because it brings the entire concept to life. And the soundtrack doesn’t need any words to justify it.

So I would recommend everyone to watch it. Watch with your family and your kids, and be swept away on an amazing journey and yeah be inspired.

 

 

Heathers , The Review

When it  comes to good art,books  and movies there is this idea that when they hit the market, they will be an instant success and bring in all the money . 

That however is not always the case, now American classic , The Great Gatsby, did not receive much recognition when it was first published .  It was only after some  years that the public really got absorbed into the unappearent depth of the story. 

Same is the case with the 1988 teen angst film , Heathers , starring Winona Ryder  and Christian Slater . A movie about popular and miserable Veronia Sawyer ( Ryder) who is tired of the strict and harsh social structure she is a part of , and wants to see some change . Then she comes across Jason Dean or JD (Slater ) and things turn into a suicidal, political, nihilistic,superficial pree-prom , death note teen flick. 

And I just loved it . 

I think like most movies out of the 80s , there was this sense of decadence , because they often take images of high society and nursery rhymes and place them up against the harsh reality of the real world. A slightly dramatic real world ,but I think they did a good job with getting the basic message across. This movie starts of with such a rhyme to , a Doris Day song and a slightly aristocratic setting , with three girls in a garden. But that soon changes when we meet our protagonist, Veronica , who narrates the tale as a diary sequence.  

I would also like to add that they’re are three types of teen movies. One being the generic teen movie where the popular guy in a jerky way gets with the underdog. Full of typical one dimensional characters and the same plot line again and  again.  Then there are the sweet John Hughes type movies which are about love and innocence and the characters are adorable . Then you have the  Heathers type movies and these are no sugar coating true facts of life dark movies. I think they are  the most realistic. 

The thing about this film is that its honesty about society and more importantly high school. In Veronica’s opening monolog she repeats what the main Heather in her groups says ,

If you wanna fuck with the eagles , you better learn how to fly .

And throughout the dialogues are shamelessly superficial and honest,  all around Veronica who wants something more. 

All the characters ranging from the three Heathers, Veronica, JD , teachers,  bullies and minor characters are well layered and have a past but they are all id based. 

In psychology, well the Freudian one , the id is the basic level of our wants and desires without any ethics or filter. The characters are not crazy,  but they are very open and the small gestures they make really  leave an impression. This movie is very planned and directed because no scene goes wasted . Every little thing is important and propels the plot forward without feeling forced . It does take a little time for the real story to begin but when it does , you’re hooked. Which would be when Veronica and JD accidentally kill Heather and make it look like a suicide.  

Veronica :I just killed my best friend. 

JD : And you’re worst enemy. 

Veronia : Same difference. 

However,  that is what Veronica sort of wanted , and JD seems to be making all of her wild dreams come true , enough to make Veronica realize that nothing actually changed , and that this is dangerous. She learns how hollow and dumb people are regarding tragedy,  they the teachers just treat Heathers apparent suicide as a trend and are either detached from it or milking it.

There is also this scene between Veronica and  her parents where she complains about the situation . 

Veronica : we just want to treated like Human beings. 

Mother : When teenagers want to be treated like human beings it’s normally when they are.

But eventually Veronica stands up to JD and beats him at his own game by saving the school,  and in epic fashion,  might I add. 

JD may be the bad guy , but he is the best thing in the film. His intelligence shows how criminal geniuses work and maybe the media in general , someone who just wants to watch the world burn. He has some of the best lines and is charming in like a young Leonardo Dicaprio sort of of way . 

Chaos is great ! Chaos is what killed the dinosaurs darling. 

The extreme always makes an impression. 

Our love is god , let’s go buy a slushie. 

So basically this is a very good movie which over the years has developed a cult status and  it even has a musical adaption.  I haven’t seen the musical but I’ve heard its amazing to.

Heathers with all its damage gets 4 out of 5 stars.  

Mockmentary : On Documentary Now

They say that some of the best things happen  by accident, or that some of the best ideas come out of play, when people are enjoying themselves instead of stressing over the next big idea. 

That , or maybe they come out of a drinking spree while on the road . 

Earlier this year three big names on the former SNL (Saturday Night Live ) cast got together and came up a creative idea for a new show called Documentary Now . 

A series that takes iconic documentaries and transforms them into mockmentaries , but with a little more dignity and visual appeal.  And so far we love it. 

When you get comedy geniuses like Fred Armisen, Bill Hader and Seyers Meyers together,  you better some magic and your stomach and muscles  tired from laughing.  Fred and Bill are ofcourse two amazing actors/comedians/accent experts and Seth Meyers are charming host and amazing writer. 

This really is a show I think many people should give a chance, for several reasons, like the writing is extremely good with very direct and simple lines, which go well with the format . 

It’s not educational exactly but it does give someone exposure to a different culture or knowledge of a documentary that the public enjoyed. I don’t  think someone has to be a documentary lover to enjoy this because all the episodes are complete and comical in there own like extended digital shorts  . But for the people who do enjoy documentaries this is going to a trip  , when the spell is broken and they can appreciate how silly everything is. 

I personally believe that’s one of the most amazing aspects about comedy . A joke can make something complicated very simple and break down logic in such a way that it loses its power over the mind. Nothing is dramatic or emotional anymore it’s still deep and humanistic but not serious,  which is a good thing,  because laughter is what people need. 

Ofcourse not everyone was happy with the series or concept, because generally a documentary is treated with a lot of respect and considered a high art or something respectable that should be taken seriously . Which is understandable, but there is a fine line between mocking something and making a joke about it. It’s not easy to  be able to differentiate between the two unless one is an expert or  at the other side of the joke or just not in on the joke. An example would be of the Sandy Passage episode which is a parody of Grey Gardens . Grey Gardens was a heartfelt look into the decline of a once almost royal family , a mother and daughter of eccentric natures dealing with issues ; and Fred Armisen and Bill Hader basically turned them into crazy cat ladies who are full of themselves and crave attention while feeding a racoon. 

And that might seem offensive to some people,  but I think the joke is not the subject of the documentary,  it’s on the nature of documentaries. Here the enemy of comedy is cheap sentiment ; which is how a documentary normally works with dramatic lines , awe inspiring music and artistic  cinematography.  But it’s all a trap or part of the trick sometimes.  

There are lots of small documentaries on the Internet and some award winning documentaries that have logical flaws and are historically inaccurate but since they have their own soundtrack people buy into the story .

Documentary Now shows the audience that very thing . This is not an attempt to rewrite history or mock anyone it’s more of a play of cinema and visual media , while maintaining a level of conformity with the original form. By using the same colour pallettes or lens to get the same look but fulfill the basic goal of making people laugh. 

So this is a tv show you have to watch out for and give a chance, because I think season two is coming out soon. 

They get four stars out of five because I like them.  

Hate Crime

​It’s seem to be far from 

To turn your back on yourself 

This is what you made 

This is what you are 

And it hurts me 

To think I let this happen 

Rebels are born 

They are not made 

Desperation turns saints into whores 

Words can turn killers into heroes 

And because they hold more power 

We say nothing 

What is  terrorism 

Was it that plane that crashed into the towers 

Was it everything that followed 

Was it that innocent paid for the criminals 

Was it when the swastika was pulled up ?

Or when the Confederate flag was not pulled down ?

Was it when nobody listened 

Nobody listens 

Nobody sees

Culture Claus

Cultural fluidity .
Hi , I want to talk about something that till last month was eating me on the inside , about what my writing sounded like . Basically to a lot of people it did not sound desi enough.
And I agreed with them in the beginning since we all know this criteria for being this , this and that etc.
This is Pakistani that is Indian , this sounds American or this tastes Italian. A martial arts movie has to be Chinese or French kid has to be fashionable .
The thing is  we all have these stereotypes of what some cultures are and  what they are not – but most of the time that idea or perception of what something is , is just for us . Like in most pop  culture depictions India turns into this yoga kingdom without cities where everyone talks and sounds in what Americans accepts as Indian .
Then ofcourse Pakistan suffers the same mistreatment of depiction. There is nothing wrong with the India thing that I mentioned the only problem is that Indians mostly do not see themselves like that – they know how diverse they are when it comes to dialects .
I am tired of having muslims being called terrorists . But its hard to let that image die in the media . It has this power to sort play with the image you have in your head.
Back to my month early problem .

The problem I had was not thinking my stories or characters were Pakistani enough – not that anyone told me that . But generally people in every country are very strict and vocal on what Pakistani , American, Latin, British or Japanese is . Yet at the end of the day how much of your culture plays into controlling what other people are ?
We are all different because despite everything we are raised differently and unique events and studies shape our thoughts and unless we strive to go ahead of what we are told to see – that bubble aint ever going to pop.

Lahore by Night – or just a little

During the early winters of last year , I had found a new wasteful but enjoyable pass time.  Photography was something new for me , it was not something anyone ever associated me with , no , I was always poems , writers , something beautiful from the past , the moon child who just didn’t seem to bloom  like the others had .

And I was not very good in the long beginning,  most of my friends said it was a flop of a pursuit,  but  it didn’t matter , because I was sad and writing was common and lonely, photography was new and full of people.  Eventually I got better and people liked my stuff,  and I spent most of those winter nights praying in strange scenarios for a proper, professional camera. I still dont have one , but one day I might , and when that day comes I’m going to take my picture projects to the next level.

Two years earlier,  I came across this article about Brassi and his Paris de nuit ” pictures.  I fell in love with them , so it was fun when I tried out his concept .
Besides it was better and more applicable for me , since most of the photographers for Lahore jump into the old city or the market areas. I don’t live close to those places , the city is too big and full of excess . So in the night , in the light winter chill with the birthday phone I set out to keep my mind busy with cold hands and heavy white breathing , not to mention the pale shade of berry pink all over my face .

Well ,  I did have fun. The strange part is the streets seemed empty.  I always hear about Lahore as the city that never sleeps and the people just stay busy all night and basically the festivities never stop for them , unike Islamabad.  Islamabad has a fixed bedtime but when I was there the night was just as charming – up there right on top of the mountain restaurant. Monal , everyone loves that place , mostly because of the view and the city lights . Right down on the ground,  dazzling , sparkling like the belly of the sea .
Let me show you.

Anyhow, the food was okay , and the waiters were stuck up and rude. Nothing comes out completely perfect , not even a fancy dinner with an epic view of the capital .

Back to Lahore , I started of with nightime lights and sometimes even cars or motorcycles because I think they look romantic at night.

The roads were silent,  very silent,  so I suppose my attempt of using photography to get more social in the real solid world did not go so well. In the virtual world its like a whole new world opened up for me and I made lots of new friends,  friends like myself.  It was a good playful time with no hard feelings , which is good because whenever things get painful I tend to abandon the whole thing and wipe it out of memory.

Ofcourse as with all arts , you begin to judge yourself.  Especially when everyone seems to be so much better and famous for it compared to you . Leading you to wonder what it must be that you are doing wrong .

But that’s okay . This is probably the point in your life where you get hurt or overwhelmed by the weight of the world , when your parents think its a good thing not to be protecting you anymore . Maybe its good to let you fall and break a little and stich back the fabric with what ever you can find while trying to hide the scars .

The nights were like that to cold ,present , covering yet lonesome . Often you just find yourself alone looking at the people who are going towards the mosque  or going on a walk with headphones on , or some boys driving around a lot faster than they should with the music on loud . Too loud but in a nice way. Somewhere in the dark of the park you’ll find chain smoking teenagers dealing with addictions and being rebellious like we all were . And close to them someone will be on the swings , rocking the chains up and down , a rather cringe worthy sound – you can hear from a far away distance. Back in the streets you can find small kids playing outside their houses while their parents are inside discussing the revolts in Islamabad.  What a time it was to be alive . Like a couple of months ago when it felt anything was going to happen , and maybe it did .

Im still waiting for something to happen. Something to just break inside of me so I wont be dead anymore.  Because even a dead night if full of wonder and complexity.  And that air was full of change which anyone could breathe except me . Stagnant as the sea and hopeless as the desert,  waiting and waiting.

Will it happen ? That moment of closure and growth – or will it always be like this? ;
For the city it will all change , my father reminds me everything when we drive around how much everything has changed since he was young . Fields turned into housing plots and donkey carts turned into cars .
I wonder how much it will change for me .