The digital age, with all the latest innovations and advances in audio and video technologies, is now capable of delivering us a breathtaking movie experience right within the comfort of our comfy couch in the drawing room. So how would you feel when you go paying for the ticket to a movie hall, to experience in large the audiovisual extravaganza of the latest Harry Potter movie, but then only to discover in alarm that the picture in the screen is clearly lacking in proper illumination(!!) - it has got too much noise in it - the audio is so full of noise that at some places you completely miss what is being said and then lastly, you desperately start scanning the hall ticket looking for that "Dolby Digital" or "DTS" sign...!!
Under such circumstances, even the most prudent and careful ones risk an element of bias while forming the opinion about the movie, and yours truly (the individual in the situation being none other) is but a common movie-goer lacking in all the finer aspects of movie appreciation, with which the critics are fortuned. Consequently, every care will be taken to keep the opinion of the movie as neutral as possible.
First of all, the cast is more star-studded this time. Also the prime roles (the young actors) have grown up, both in age and acting, keeping pace with the book characters. The performances of the other characters seem very much like that of the previous ones. In terms of adhering to the original plot of the book, this movie definitely ranks before all its predecessors. Curtailing details are a must when the book has to be shown within three hours, but the choices seem to have captured perfectly the all the important aspects of the book. This is unlike previous releases, when some of the important events have invariably been blundered each time.
The tricky part, of course, is commenting on the audio and video special effects. In spite of the detestable hall conditions, using a bit of imagination and a bit of rationale, the video effects can be considered at least as good as, if not sometimes even better, compared to the previous Potter releases. There are certain breathtaking scenes during the 'TriWizard Tournament' - in which Harry is a participant. The audio experience was simply bad but that can probably be safely attributed to the hall. It is highly unlikely, and also unheard of, that an excellent video treat has not been accompanied with matching audio treatment.
So in total, this movie scores above the previous Harry Potter releases, and if someone had enjoyed those, he/she will definitely enjoy this one. The only checklist - of course - be careful while choosing the hall!!
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Exams Over - But Still Wrapped Up!!
Exams are over. Time should have been ample, but they are not. Have got to do a still lot more stuff than I had to manage during the exams. I'm leaving for Sandakphu trekking on 27th. That gives me just three days in the immediate present. Three days to manage a lot. Well, one of those days is over and I have managed some. In the next two days, I have to do the planning for the journey, do shopping, pack up my stuff, visit the tourism department office for information (the nature and orientation of the journey being completely new), complete a due office work and also spend some time with friends. Hope I haven't missed anything there. Today I did some shopping and visited a friend's place. Err... where is my time for resting? My last exam was yesterday.... and even yesterday, I had some work to do after the exams. I miss the loong one full day's sleep I normally indulge myself with, after exams and sorts.
Its been a tight schedule for me right from the start of December. Practical exams started then, and unlike the other times, this time I did not beforehand know my practical stuff. They were also such, that unless I knew the theory, I would not be able do the practicals, and so I had to study. Then, of course, the theory exams started and I had to study strenuously - having never studied the whole semester round. And this time the subjects were not easily done, or known - except only two (or maybe three) papers out of six in which I had previous introduction. And now after exams are over, it seems I have got a tighter schedule. The trek tour would last till maximum 7th Jan, after which I am attending a course on 'Soft Computing' at Center for Soft Computing Research at ISI Kolkata from 10-15th January. So, as soon as I come back, I have to start studying full-time on this topic - I expect the level of discussion up there to be of proper standards (the list of participants includes all the good institutions like IITs, NITs, etc - with both faculties and students). So, I guess, if I want to understand anything of what will pass, I'll have to do proper homeworks. And after 15th January, I again have to get indulged in my college Tech Fest activities, and along with that, I also have a office work already scheduled. Again, tightly wrapped!! And yeah - the words are out there that the campussing will start from February this time. And I'm totally unprepared - my technical status is at one of its minimum - haven't studied seriously anything since I got in MCA - just have done only enough to dodge the exams. Now if campussing really starts in February, that would be the cream of the lot!!
If that does happen, chances are really sour that I'll see through the technical round (leave alone the HR round - wont even reach that, I suppose) - and I wonder how I would be then, considering the air with which I have been walking around all these time, completely denouncing the current standards being followed in college and everywhere, not at all taking seriously the exams and marks, saying that marks mean nothing - the real stuff is inside you and the companies test that only, as if I have all the real standards and I know all the real things, and very few people were my equal (sic!). Funny - I feel queer even imagining that. Now, even with all my liberal mindset, that is an experience I surely do not want to taste - I'm positive about that.
Will I be really relaxed and free in February even? Probably not, because already I'm hearing talks about new office works, and I have stated that I wont be able to take them up before February. So, I'll have to improvise, I guess, as usual.
Well, before this becomes much too longer, I'll end this here. I'm writing after a long time though.
Its been a tight schedule for me right from the start of December. Practical exams started then, and unlike the other times, this time I did not beforehand know my practical stuff. They were also such, that unless I knew the theory, I would not be able do the practicals, and so I had to study. Then, of course, the theory exams started and I had to study strenuously - having never studied the whole semester round. And this time the subjects were not easily done, or known - except only two (or maybe three) papers out of six in which I had previous introduction. And now after exams are over, it seems I have got a tighter schedule. The trek tour would last till maximum 7th Jan, after which I am attending a course on 'Soft Computing' at Center for Soft Computing Research at ISI Kolkata from 10-15th January. So, as soon as I come back, I have to start studying full-time on this topic - I expect the level of discussion up there to be of proper standards (the list of participants includes all the good institutions like IITs, NITs, etc - with both faculties and students). So, I guess, if I want to understand anything of what will pass, I'll have to do proper homeworks. And after 15th January, I again have to get indulged in my college Tech Fest activities, and along with that, I also have a office work already scheduled. Again, tightly wrapped!! And yeah - the words are out there that the campussing will start from February this time. And I'm totally unprepared - my technical status is at one of its minimum - haven't studied seriously anything since I got in MCA - just have done only enough to dodge the exams. Now if campussing really starts in February, that would be the cream of the lot!!
If that does happen, chances are really sour that I'll see through the technical round (leave alone the HR round - wont even reach that, I suppose) - and I wonder how I would be then, considering the air with which I have been walking around all these time, completely denouncing the current standards being followed in college and everywhere, not at all taking seriously the exams and marks, saying that marks mean nothing - the real stuff is inside you and the companies test that only, as if I have all the real standards and I know all the real things, and very few people were my equal (sic!). Funny - I feel queer even imagining that. Now, even with all my liberal mindset, that is an experience I surely do not want to taste - I'm positive about that.
Will I be really relaxed and free in February even? Probably not, because already I'm hearing talks about new office works, and I have stated that I wont be able to take them up before February. So, I'll have to improvise, I guess, as usual.
Well, before this becomes much too longer, I'll end this here. I'm writing after a long time though.
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