MovieNotes: Avengers: Endgame

Title: Avengers: Endgame (IMDB) 

*ing: Thanos, The Avengers, A Raccoon & many other superheroes big and small, but most importantly a Rat. 

Directed By: The Russo Brothers 

Language: English 

Genre: Fantasy, Comic Books, MCU 

Preamble 

The conclusion of a 22-movie saga spread over 11 years. And also resolving the cliff-hanging shocker of a dusty end to last year’s Infinity Wars.

Basic Premise 

The remaining world population adjusts to life after the Snap. While the bunch of heroes try to figure out a way to undo the effects of the Snap and defeat Thanos! 

MovieNotes 

[Spoilers Galore – Intended for those who have seen the movie. Its been a whole week since the movie released and as the $1.2 Bn opening weekend suggests, lots of folks have already seen it. And given the blog's limited readership, this post is unlikely to spoil it for anyone]

Firstly, the questions from Avengers: Infinity Wars. Let’s see whether I could figure out the answers 

• Are they really dead? Seems so, rather in a suspended animation state. 
• If they are not dead, where have they disappeared to? Not answered! 
• How will they return? By using the infinity gauntlet. 
• Is time travel involved? Yes, more on this later. 
• Now that he has achieved his mission of “removing” half of the universe’s population, what does Thanos do next? Destroys the stones, tends to his garden. And is killed off in his very first scene. 
• Does he sit on his throne, wait for the population to grow back to a certain level and snap again? No. 
• Does he use the soul stone to resurrect his loved one? Resurrection is not possible! 
• Does the Snap destroy all living creatures? Yes, half the living creatures disappear. 
• The missing ones – Where were Hawkeye, Antman, Wasp, Valkyrie, Mordo, Hela, the Ravagers? Did they survive the carnage? Will they have a role in the next installment? 
• Hawkeye – At his home with family. Yes. Yes. 
• Antman – In the quantum realm. Yes, Yes. 
• Wasp – Sending Antman into the quantum realm. No. Yes 
• Valkyrie – No clue. Yes. Yes 
• Mordo – No Clue. No clue. No 
• Hela – Seems to have died during the events of Ragnarok.  
• The Ravagers – No idea. No. Yes 
• Why did Dr. Strange not use his power? That was the only way of stopping Thanos! At least as we learn. 
• Why can’t Dr. Bruce Banner change into Hulk? Probably shock. 
• Is it a new trick from the master of trickery, Loki himself? No. 
• Where did the fighting rhinos of Wakanda disappear? No idea 
• And could they not have closed the gap in the dome after a while? No idea. 

Well some answered, many remain unanswered. And now for the highlights reel from a spectacle full of them.

• It all began with a mouse. That’s how Disney went on to become the biggest entertainment empire of all time. Fittingly in their biggest creation – the resurrection of the Avengers began with a mouse! 
• The movie was a fitting farewell to the original Avengers cast. Some sacrificed themselves, some retired, yet all managed to make peace with themselves their past. All this while, the movie also managed to compile a retrospective video of the greatest moments of the team. Though we might still see Thor and Hulk in the future, most of them have handed over their roles! They have passed on their batons! 
• Finally, the Avengers Assembled – the greatest star-cast of all time – even bigger than Ellen’s famous selfie (incidentally taken by Bradley Cooper aka Rocket!) 
• During Infinity Wars, the men had their ego battles sizing each other up, while the women show camaraderie from the word go. Here, they take it to a whole different level. The A-Force (comprising all the female superheroes) assembling and protecting Captain Marvel as she takes over the gauntlet. All except Black Widow - the original Marvel superheroine was missed there. 
• Coming to the biggest problem of the entire spectacle - Time travel or rather time heists, as they are called. Travelling back and forth from the past while passing through the Quantum realm is an easy way to explain things if you ignore the complications it can generate. The movie makes fun of every time travel movie ever made. Yet, it creates its own time travelling loopholes. Like a character from killing off their past self in their present, Or someone choosing to stay back in time, somebody going into the future after they have already been killed! Let’s say it’s a discussion best not entered! [After all it is a comicbook storyline]
• The movie is funny and serious and knows some self-deprecating humor. Also, it can shock you. Like killing off Thanos in the very first scene and realizing there is no remedy left to the situation. 
• Special mentions
• Thor adding weight to his role 
• Captain America wielding Mjolnir after previously pretending to be unable to lift it! 
• The Avengers Assemble battle-cry 
• Captain fighting himself 
• Professor Hulk 
• The ultimate line - "I Am Inevitable"

More Questions 

• So if you need currently inaccessible, trace its history, jump into the past, take it, use it in the present and then go back and restore it into its original timeline? This is just creating big trouble!
• What exactly happened in Budapest? 
• Does the Soul Stone consider self-sacrifice? 
• What about Gamora? Died in previous movie. And is currently in the future where she is already dead? And does it leave a loophole to bring Black Widow back?
• If you kill your past self, what happens to you? 
• Also, what if you slip into a different era and live your life accordingly! 
• Where do the unsnapped people reappear? 
• How do people deal with half the populace reappearing after a gap of 5 years?
• There is a New Asgard created on Earth – Is it a note to the world politicians about how they handle the global refugee crisis? 

What Next… 

• After this hell of a ride, what next for the series? Pretty sure, they might not be able to pull off another saga like this one. Certainly, cross-references will continue. Some going on their own way, some combining, just like in different comic-books 
• What I would definitely like to see – Luis explaining the events with Rocket and Drax in the audience, adding their comments!

Rating: 9/10. For a satisfying conclusion to a saga. One mark taken off because they used time travel as a plot device which just leaves plot holes! 

Previously on MovieNotes: Kissa Kursi Ka

BookMarks #53: A Gathering of Friends

Title: A Gathering of Friends – My Favourite Stories 

Author: Ruskin Bond 

Genre: Fiction, Anthology 

Setting: India specifically in and around Uttarakhand 

Published: 2015 

BookMarks 

It’s a collection of Ruskin Bond’s best 21 short stories. And why do I say best? Because the selection has been made by Mr. Bond himself! And what a variety he presents. We see many autobiographical tales from his days as a young boy to a grown up writer trying to fend for himself and some stories from around his home. Some stories present a picture of an Anglo-Indian community left behind in India trying to assimilate itself into the newly independent country. And there are others which narrate the passages of life. 

My favourite part of the collection is that the stories do not necessarily have a beginning or an end. Many are just passages from journeys. Which is just an allegory of our lives as well. Nothing really happens in the story itself but the writing is compelling! And every paasage has enough potential to develop into full feature films (and a few of the stories have been put onto celluloid). 

A really good collection of tales. 

Prevously on BookMarks: I Do What I Do http://nishantzworld.blogspot.com/2019/04/bookmarks-52-i-do-what-i-do.html

MovieNotes - Kissa Kursi Ka

Title: Kissa Kursi Ka (IMDB) 

Released: 1977

*ing: Manohar Singh, Shabana Azmi, Raj Kiran, Surekha Sikri

Director: Amrit Nahata

Language: Hindi

Genre: Politics, Satire

Basic Premise

The story of a politician’s corrupt rise to power and how he turns it into a dictatorship.

MovieNotes

Its election time. And this old political satire becomes a must-watch. How politicians manipulate the common man and then play their own games in their lust for power. All this while professing to work for the Common Man, who is personified as a mute woman in the movie. 

The movie depicts how politicians cling onto power - manipulating elections, horse-trading, corrupt practices in government agencies from top-down, coverting with self-proclaimed godmen and industrialists, indulging in hyper-nationalistic banter with the neighbouring countries, even having a façade of war, manipulating and censoring media and resorting to all sorts of constitutional and under-hand tricks. Meanwhile the janta is exploited while the rich becomes richer. It also shows how people are expendable in this race for power!

The movie maybe four decades old but the message still resonates. No wonder the then government burnt the prints of the movie and banned it! And yes, in this politically charged up times, it is a grim reminder to the common man to make a learned choice and see through the façade of promises and fake news floating all around!

Rating: 8/10. A movie which stands the tests of time.

Previously on MovieNotes: The 15:17 To Paris 

The Road Not Taken

So there I was keeping myself occupied/distracted/busy on a lighter work day. During the course of my random readings came across Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and got thinking. 

Life is all about the choices we make, every single moment. At this precise minute, I am typing out this blogpost, while there could be something else which I should have been doing and have made a conscious choice not to!

We always talk about not having enough time! But, then with so many things to be done, so many distractions all around us, where will the time appear from? After all every action, every thought is the road taken preventing every other activity /thought from occupying precisely that moment. And as time travel has still not been invented, like Mr. Frost we will never come back to the road not taken.

And that is precisely how the journey of life goes on. Every choice made leading to the next choice, while discarding the alternates! Hopefully some lead us on the path of self-improvement and some keep us just meandering along! And that is what makes all the difference to us and our environment! Just like the Butterfly Effect!

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost (1916)

BookMarks #52: I Do What I Do

Title: I Do What I Do 

Author: Raghuram Rajan 

Genre: Non-Fiction, Economics 

Published: 2017 

BookMarks 

The book is a collection of speeches and articles by the former RBI Governor, Dr. Raghuram Rajan. Some of the works are from his tenure as the RBI Governor and some from his work in the Academia. The articles provide a glimpse of the work done by the RBI in shaping monetary policy, working with Government to control inflation, while occasionally facing off with the very same government! Other articles provide Dr. Rajan’s views on the world economics and the pros and cons of various monetary policies and their potential impact to the global economy. 

Overall an interesting read, specially since Dr. Rajan also clarifies his stand on the demonetization exercise carried out in November, 2016.

I particularly liked this line from the book on the global financial crisis of 2008 - "A crisis offers us a rare window of opportunity to implement reforms - it is a terrible thing to waste." 

Previously on BookMarks: The Sworn Sword

MovieNotes: The 15:17 to Paris

Title: The 15:17 to Paris (IMDB)

Released: 2018 

*ing: Alek Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone 

Director: Clint Eastwood 

Language: English 

Genre: Drama, Based on real events 

Basic Premise 

Three friends save a train full of people from a terrorist loaded with guns.

MovieNotes 

The main lead protagonists are played by the real persons themselves. This was certainly the most interesting bit abo ut the movie. This has its pros and cons - the acting looks terrible and yet has a real-world feel to it! e.g. the protagonists doing touristy things like taking Instagram-worthy selfies! 

There is more time spent on the background of the heroes than the actual action. The main event on which the movie is based on hardly lasts a few minutes. So there is hardly any build-up in that. Which in itself is not a bad thing. As the New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern said recently, the killer was a terrorist and need not be named. The movie depicts the life of the heroes only. How they ended up at that moment. The terrorist is just incidental. 

The message is clear. In times of crisis one must act! 

Rating: 6/10. Nothing to remember by though. 

Previously on MovieNotes: Stree

BookMarks #51: The Sworn Sword

Title: The Sworn Sword 

Author: George RR Martin 

Genre: Fantasy, Graphic Novel 

Setting: Fictional continents of Westeros and Essos in the medieval times 

Published: 2003 

Summary 

The story is one of the many adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall, a hedge knight, and his 10-year old squire Egg, who is in reality, Aegon Targaryen, the prince of Westeros. 

Ser Duncan is in service of Ser Eustace, who faces a water dispute with his neighboring lands, which is ruled by Lady Rohanne, the red widow. Dunk attempts peaceful solution for the problem, but in the end, amidst charges and counter-charges and raising of the past bad blood between the parties, the resolution is through a trial by combat. And in the end, a disappointed Ser Duncan and Egg move on to travel to the Wall. 

BookMarks 

The second part of the series “The Tales of Dunk & Egg”, the graphic novel provides a background tale to George RR Martin’s universe of “A Song of Ice and Fire”. Egg moves on to become King Aegon, the ruler of Westeros while Dunk becomes the Lord Commander of his Kingsguard. 

Water disputes between neighbouring lands. Well haven’t we heard that before and are still hearing! 

Even though its just a graphic novel, it does provide a good commentary on the feudal system of the medieval times. Loyalties are switched around at the drop of a coin. Survival is the major aim of life, while belief in superstition is rampant. 

The novel through its flashbacks also reinforces that history is a winners’ tale. Which side is right and which one is wrong, is just a matter of perspective till the actual result of the war. Only the winner gets to decide right and wrong! 

Previously on BookMarks: The Displaced http://nishantzworld.blogspot.com/2019/03/bookmarks-50-displaced.html

BookMarks #50: The Displaced

Title: The Displaced – Fall of a Fortress 

Author: Freida Watts 

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Setting: mid-18th Century French Canada 

Published: 2018 

Summary 

Set in Louisburg, in mid-18th century, the book follows the life of Marie Levesque and her family and friends as they survive amidst class barriers and the British-French wars. 

BookMarks 

A nice engaging read of life in mid-18th century Canada, which is the new front of exploitation of the colonial powers. Wars have no meaning in the larger sense of life, but life does go on. Wars are futile, yet common people keep getting dragged in them. 

It is also a coming of age tale of a group of teenagers, from their adventurous pursuits of youths to the maturity as workers and soldiers living in turbulent times. 

The book also provides a glimpse of the class battles. For many bloodlines are more important than money. Lots of money will still not get the same societal status as lineage. 

Overall, a good depiction of the times it is set in. 

The book is the first part of a planned trilogy. Lets see what the author has in store for us in the later two parts. There are a few loose ends to be tied, and of course, life keeps moving on!

Previously on BookMarks: How To Invent Everything

P.S. BookMarks reaches the half-century mark!

#ClosedEyeGiraffe

The interwebs sometimes throw up interesting items amidst its regular supply of hate-mongering and fake news. Recently was scrolling through my Instagram feed. Stopped at what looked like a doodle. Read through the description. Somebody had decided to post a drawing of a giraffe. Nothing unusual, except that the drawing had been done with closed eyes! 

Now this seemed a fun activity. 

• So, work was paused. [It was already on pause]
• A single-sided printed A4 paper was taken [Aside – use single sided printed sheets for scribbling along in office, doing my little bit to save the environment]. 
• Paper folded in half. 
• A giraffe drawn with eyes open [Or what can pass off as a giraffe]
• Paper flipped over. 
• Eyes closed and a giraffe drawn [trying to be as similar to first one]
• And the result is… 

Conclusions 

1. This was fun! 
2. My drawing skills are terrible!! 
3. Sense of scale and position all gone haywire when eyes were closed. 
4. Enhance respect for blindfold chess players!!!

Fun experiment at the end of a working day!

Road to Tokyo: Episode 5

My Road to Tokyo series hit a speed bump. Not unexpected. But being a hobby blogger, doesn’t really affect the larger picture. Hopefully, where it actually matters, the athletes, it is all smooth sailing. Anyway, back after a 4-month hiatus with Episode 5. 

So, what has changed in the interim since the Asian Games? Well, we had the first quotas booked and some action at the Summer Youth Olympics.

Qualifiers

Anjum Moudgil & Apurvi Chandela have earned the Indian Shooting contingent 2 Quotas in the Womens 10m Air Rifle Event. However, it is the prerogative of the NRAI to decide which two shooters to award the Quota to. It depends on the form going into the Olympic year. However, well begun and we have the next set of Qualifiers for Shooting in New Delhi in February. Hopefully, home conditions will help India earn rich dividends.

Summer Youth Olympics

In the third edition Youth Olympics, India won its first Gold medal, and then added two more. To add to the sheen, these were all earned in proper Olympics events. Manu Bhaker & Saurabh Chaudhary winning Golds in respective 10m Air Pistol events while Jeremy Lalrinnunga lifted the Gold in 62 KG boys category. The young shooters’ continued golden run certainly augurs well for the future. We also got medals in Judo, Archery, Badminton and Wrestling. There were modified events in Athletics which earned medals but nothing to be read in them.

Team Sports

We are effectively out of running in Handball & Volleyball events, while the Womens Football team has made it to the next stage of the Qualifiers. 

Overall, still early days but its 2019 and jostling for Quota places will certainly hot up.

Links

• Road To Tokyo - Episode 4
• India at 2018 Summer Youth Olympics: Wikipedia