Slumdog Millionaire, a supersoldier and a tycoon

I am pleasantly settled in the afterglow of the course :) We had our first follow up where Saroja and Renuka treated us to great food, which was after a long kriya and a  superb talk of Guruji (Dealing with Fear). Bimlesh had an amazing comment "Keval yahan Art of Living mein hi aapko log aapki kamiyon ke saath accept kar lete hain. Aur kahan yeh hota hai?") We are all working for the next big course, from 10 Feb.

Mum and me watched "Slumdog Millionaire" yesterday. I had my misgivings about watching a movie shaped by a westerner's cliched view of India as a slumdog nation, but I have to admit that this was one of the most impactful movies i have seen in a long time. I was amazed by one aspect of the movie - the movie is based on absolutely fantastic events. It is too much for all this to happen to one person. Yet, by avoiding any hyperbolic dialogues, by clever editing, and sharp dialogues, Danny Boyle has created an experience that is not only completely believable, it is also immersive. I felt like a part of the movie while watching it. -5  stars for showing India as a place where only the tough survive (okay -3, as there is a hint of truth to this). but 5 stars for the dialogue, acting and cinematography. Though i hated it, the image of Ram branded in the mind of Jamal as he watched his mum killed in riots is left in my mind. It serves as a reminder to me on why I must keep organizing Art of Living courses. As Guruji says "Transcend religion and embrace spirtuality" - it is the only way.

 Speaking of immersive, I have also been playing Metal Gear Solid 4 . The thing about video games is that they can offer a level of immersion no other artform can hope to match. And if videogaming is an art, the MGS series is like the Eiffel tower, it is a vernerated monument of the medium. MGS4 marks the last installment in this epic franchise, and the word epic can unabashedly be used to describe its perfection. Critics and gamers alike have unanimously claimed it to be the greatest accomplishment in video gaming history. I was understandably excited. I had heard of how everyone - fans, media, critics were in a tizzy over its release . I also read how the launch of the game upped the sales of the PS3 by 180%, with people buying the machine only because MGS4 was on it. 

I have completed 3 acts of the game so far (yes, it runs like a Quentin Tarantino movie, divided into chapters and acts), and i feel that the noun 'game' doesnt do justice to this technical masterpiece. The game blends cinema and gaming tightly, with narrative sequences and gameplay flowing seamlessly into each other. You could be watching an action thriller movie going on, and suddenly, you are in the middle of it! 

All praises said, however, the game really has a strong message. It leaves you feeling grey, gloomy. Mr. Kojima has repeatedly tried to assert in the different cutscenes on how war is a depressive, tense affair where there is no winner, and even the survivors are only left with scars. I appreciate his direction towards this as most other First person shooters revel/ gloat in killing.

On another note, i also discovered a jem of a game called "Railroad Tycoon 3". The 

mission of the game is as the title suggests - create and run the business of railroads and create a massive, profitable business empire. On the way to becoming a tycoon, you would dabble in the stock market, purchase and run factories, and do a lot of stuff. I just finished the tutorial yesterday and absolutely loved it. I seriously recommend it to all those who intend on doing business on thier own. This game has captued, in a simplified way, what it takes to be a tycoon. And although not nearly as complicated as real life, it does familiarize you with business basics much better than a book ever could. Defintely thumbs up for this PC game. 

So this was a hatke post...would add more soon.