Tracks trailers

thanks to Apex..

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2 Responses to “Tracks trailers”

apex Says:
May 4, 2014 at 9:05 AM

‘Tracks’ & ‘All is lost’

“Camel trips, as I suspected all along, and as I was about to have confirmed, do not being or end: they mere change form.”

Love adventure & travelogues. Had heard of this journey & was aware of Robyn Davidsons book (that I obviously didn’t read). So when an opportunity arose to watch a special preview, I was game for it recently. After Sandra Bullock getting lost in outer space and Robert Redford battling the high seas, Mia Wasichowska (playing Robyn) takes a long 9 month arduous journey across nearly 2000 miles across the Australian outback with a dog and four ‘trained’ camels (not to forget, some ‘demons’ from the past!).

Mia’s idea of the trek gets funded by the National Geographic under the condition that she gives access for an exclusive photo-feature to be filmed by a photographer Rick Smolan (Adam Driver) who joins her at various stages. And proves as the only human contact during this epic journey, providing some irritation and much needed ‘support’ to her in crucial stages. Adam Driver acts well and tries to break down her barriers & her reticence to fellow humans. Her friendship with an aborigine who ‘talks’ to her with only a couple of English words is also enjoyable.

“I just want to be by myself,”
was what Mia says on being asked why? Also reminded me of Alia bhatts recent ‘adventure’ in Imitaz Alis Highway (Bollywood, India). Unlike the latter though, Tracks travels relatively ‘light’ on the emotional baggage front. There are some slow-motion flashbacks pointing to some childhood conflict and trauma. But it’s not delved into in detail and only lends as a support rather than an ‘explanation’ (leave alone an ‘exhaustive treatise’).

Mia’s stubborn withdrawal from society as well as her natural affinity for animals is a hallmark that ties in with her other recent perfomances like “Stoker”. There’s no urge for the viewers sympathy and the ‘enigma’ is never completely unravelled. This was a role which Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman were to do at some point of time. But Mia nails it. The good thing was that there was no nudity thrown in -am tired of this ‘natural’ nudist necessity that serves a ‘distraction’ usually than any value addition.

Exquisitely filmed by Mandy Walker captures the dry aridity and the rugged terrain along with the changing seasons and even the diurnal variations of the outbacks. Mia’s own appearance changes ie gets more dishevelled and sun-damaged all alone. This is also based on the photographs provided by Smolan- a palette that had predominance of oranges and reds. The beauty, relentlessness, unpredictability of the Australian landscape is perfectly captured. Unfortunately landscapes can’t act–Mia fills in remarkably and doesn’t overdo it.

Gravity-Is a whole different topic in itself and may tackle it later (if memory permits)

All is lost
Robert Redford is an icon and a personal favorite. Flicks like “all the presidents men” had him in his prime. Here he is an old guy helplessly struggling and waiting for his death in the lonely seas. I watched this film on a flight, was very tired and could barely stay awake. Maybe there was something good in the film that I could have found later. But there was likely something wrong in the narrative and style which failed to keep me awake and inspite of attempts, all I could was -zzzz.

There comes a stage in every icons career when both him/her and the viewer knows it’s all over.
Good bye Mr Robert Redford…

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apex Says:
August 10, 2014 at 8:39 AM

UDAAN

This “Tracks’ thread seems apt for another ‘finding yourselves’ themed flick. My film-viewing habits have been ‘dormant’ lately. I do watch the odd promo & hear some soundtracks on the go. Started watching this flick whilst doing ‘other stuff’ but got hooked and was forced to watch most of it. That in itself speaks volumes of its merit perhaps (ha)
Vikramaditya Motwane (director), Amit Trivedi (background score), Ronit Roy & Aaryan (acting) deserve credit here. Not to forget brilliant Anurag Kashyaps influence in co-scripting & supporting this

I had heard good things about it and it (nearly) fulfilled the promise. Theres a hint of amateurishness in Motwanes approach and his exuberance with the camera but lets be fair–its his first film (i think). There are some intentional “pauses” and exaggerated silences and close-ups that i could sense but this should get better with some more “seasoning” on Motwanes part.
Jamshedpur (of Tata fame) becomes a character and the milieu is captured well.
In a refreshing change, there are NO females here (except the “ladki” like protagonist and the “naamard” fatso jimmy)

Its basically a story of four guys –the protagonists Rohan is kicked out of school due to some “misdeeds” (that i missed since i zoned into the movie a bit later) and who besides being a young poet at heart is a ‘normal guy’ for his age. He is played well by Rajat Dharmecha though i was not bowled over by his performance. There was more scope and (unrealised) potential both in terms of the graph of the character and the portrayal. For e.g. both Alia and Mia were better in Highway and Tracks respectively, but these two weren’t debut performances.
The second is Rohans (uncle) dads younger brother the “fatso” Raam Kumar (Jimmy) who also does a good job of being empathetic to Rohans plight at the hands of his dad. but somehow he doesn’t really nail that part (nor does he really look the part)–but these qualms rare relative..
But the movie surprisingly belongs to the negative portrayal by Ronit Roy delivering a near pitch perfect performance. This draws parallel to Randeep Hoodas tour de force in Highway and though this is supposed to be a “negative villainous’ turn, Ronit nails it (unlike the other two performers). Fittingly, Ronit works in his steel factory which fits in with the army disciplinarian bit with the barbed wires around the house, and the insistence on the fitness regimen and calling him “sir”. The regimented tour he takes his son showing him the main places e.g. tatas statue etc were well done as well as when he asks Rohan had he “done sex”. Some “justifications’ have been given for this behaviour though i felt this aspect could have been developed much more. Ronit has a certain sense of “manhood” (which isn’t totally incorrect actually imo). In an unintentionally hilarious sequence, he taunts his younger bro for being ‘a fat impotent” proclaiming that adopting a kid won’t treat his “naamardgi” (lol)
After all his excesses. in a scene he ‘apologises’ to his two kids for his behaviour and the ‘resolution’ is that Rohan leaves school to join him at work and the kid gets packed off to a boarding school. While poor Ronit gets a new (third) wife..
In a way, Ronit, Rohan and Arjun may have been the same person in different phases of life.

But the real scene stealer of the show ( and i don’t think anybody has mentioned this or feels this way) is Rohans younger half-brother Arjun. Arjuns interactions with Rohan and Ronit formed the high points and the kid won all those. The way the kid captures the essence of every scene he is in and nails the body language and every nuance spot on is a sight to behold. He gave a master class to all the aamirs and abhishreks and Nawaazes of what is acting. The silences, the glances and the half-nods…and it seemed that the kid was being brought up by himself …

This film falls just short of Shekhar Kapoors Masoom but the kid Arjun doesn’t …

–.when the movie was over, the visual of that kid Arjun playing alone with his ‘superman’ figure & walking alone with the water bottle hanging from his neck stayed with me…..

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