Listing a few quotes from some of my favourite movies...please add to the list in your comments.....
From the movie The Prestige (2006),
Cutter: Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge". The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn". The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it, because of course you're not really looking. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn't clap yet. Because making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That's why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call "The Prestige"."
This is the opening and closing line of the movie....delivered by Michael Caine who I believe has amongst the finest voices in Hollywood.
Alfred Borden: Are you watching closely?
The climax between Angier and Borden is mind boggling...both in terms of acting and unfolding of the plot.
Nikola Tesla: Have you considered the cost of such a machine?
Robert Angier: Price is not an object.
Nikola Tesla: Yes, but have you considered the *cost*?
Sarah: Alfred I can't live like this!
Alfred Borden: Well, what do you want from me?
Sarah: I want... I want you to be honest with me. No tricks, no lies, no secrets. [pause]
Sarah: Do you... do you love me?
Alfred Borden: Not today. No.
I didnt quite understand this line till the end...and when the meaning hits you, it hits you hard!!!
From the movie V for Vendetta (2005),
Evey Hammond: Who are you?
V: Who? Who is but the form following the function of what and what I am is a man in a mask.
Evey Hammond: Well I can see that.
V: Of course you can. I'm not questioning your powers of observation I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is.
Evey Hammond: Oh. Right.
V: But on this most auspicious of nights, permit me then, in lieu of the more commonplace sobriquet, to suggest the character of this dramatis persona.
V: Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. [carves V into poster on wall]
V: The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. [giggles]
V: Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.
Some of these words I am sure dont even figure in the GRE word list....it took me many dictionary references to 'finally fully follow' the lines.
V: Tell me Evey, do you know what day it is?
Evey Hammond: Um, November the 4th.
V: [midnight church bells ring] Not anymore. Remember, remember the 5th of November. The gunpowder, treason, and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.
Impecable dialogue delivery from Hugo Weaving.
From the Matrix Trilogy (1999 onwards),
With layers of meaning, metaphor, and symbolism in every scene, it's pretty difficult to distill the trilogy down to simple, punchy one-liners. Every one of the 3 movies needs to be watched and dialogues listened to with careful attention to detail to distil the hidden meanings behind the movie...Can put in but a few lines in here...
Morpheus: What are you waiting for? You're faster than this. Don't think you are, know you are. Come on. Stop trying to hit me and hit me.
This line has inspired me to no end...marks the start of the transition from Mr. Anderson to Neo...says that the will of the heart is more powerful than the will of the mind.
Neo: What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets?
Morpheus: No, Neo. I'm trying to tell you that when you're ready, you won't have to
When Neo becomes the One, you understand what the line means.....the world is but a 'Matrix'
The Architect: Hello, Neo.
Neo: Who are you?
The Architect: I am the Architect. I created the Matrix. I've been waiting for you. You have many questions, and although the process has altered your consciousness, you remain irrevocably human. Ergo, some of my answers you will understand, and some of them you will not. Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent, you may or may not realize it is also the most irrelevant.
Neo: Why am I here?
The Architect: Your life is the sum of a remainder of an unbalanced equation inherent to the programming of the matrix. You are the eventuality of an anomaly, which despite my sincerest efforts I have been unable to eliminate from what is otherwise a harmony of mathematical precision. While it remains a burden assiduously avoided, it is not unexpected, and thus not beyond a measure of control. Which has led you, inexorably, here.
Neo: You haven't answered my question.
The Architect: Quite right. Interesting. That was quicker than the others.
This is probably the most critical scene in the movie. Everything that's come before in the 1st Matrix and half of Matrix reloaded is put into question by what the Architect says, and everything yet to come in Revolutions will be influenced by his message.
The Architect: Humph. Hope, it is the quintessential human delusion, simultaneously the source of your greatest strength, and your greatest weakness.
Again.. talk of underlying faith and the will of the heart
Morpheus: All of our lives, we have fought this war. Tonight I believe we can end it. Tonight is not an accident. There are no accidents. We have not come here by chance. I do not believe in chance. When I see three objectives, three captains, three ships. I do not see coincidence, I see providence. I see purpose. I believe it our fate to be here. It is our destiny. I believe this night holds for each and every one of us, the very meaning of our lives.
Delivered by Laurence Fishburne (he was absolutely meant for the role) to the three captains and their crew in Matrix Reloaded in their mission to help Neo enter the Matrix Source.
Morpheus: This is a war and we are soldiers. Death can come for us at any time, in any place. [Scene switch to the Vigilant under attack]. Now consider the alternative. What if I am right? What if the prophecy is true? What if tomorrow the war could be over? Isn't that worth fighting for? Isn't that worth dying for?
From the God Father,
I am going to make him an offer he cannot refuse.
Behind every great fortune lies a great gamble.
Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.
From 300 (2006)
Messenger: Choose your next words carefully, Leonidas. They may be your last as king.
King Leonidas: [to himself: thinking] "Earth and water"? [Leonidas unsheathes and points his sword at the Messenger's throat]
Messenger: Madman! You're a madman!
King Leonidas: Earth and water? You'll find plenty of both down there.
Messenger: No man, Persian or Greek, no man threatens a messenger!
King Leonidas: You bring the crowns and heads of conquered kings to my city steps. You insult my queen. You threaten my people with slavery and death! Oh, I've chosen my words carefully, Persian. Perhaps you should have done the same!
Messenger: This is blasphemy! This is madness!
King Leonidas: Madness...? THIS... IS... SPARTA! [Kicks the messenger down the well]
Ah...the arrogance, valour and courage of a Spartan is legendary
Friday, February 29, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Book Review: The Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Review: Foundation
This was the 1st book written by Isaac Asimov in the original Foundation sci-fi Trilogy in 1951 though it was followed much later by its prequel in 1988.
For those of you who think this book will be all about gizmos and space adventures, you would be in for a surprise. What started as a journey in science and mathematics in Prelude to Foundation continues more as a treatise on Galactic political ambition and maneuvering. Foundation describes the fall of the galactic empire that had thrived and survived for 12000 glorious years and the slow rise of the Foundation as an economic political power to reckon with in the edges of the galaxy. The legendry Hari Seldon, who appeared in the prequel as a self-doubting young man, now appears supremely confident having carefully chartered the path on how his Foundation will become the Second Empire once the anarchy following the fall of the 1st one is over.
The book is neatly divided into 5 distinct sections and spaced 30-50 years apart from each other covering about 200 odd years of the 1000 year anarchy that follows the decline of the Imperial Empire. It starts out with Hari Seldon predicting the decline and fall of the Empire in a trial and being banished along with 100000 other scholars to a distant planet Terminus to set up his Foundation to preserve the knowledge of mankind to reduce the period of anarchy following the eventual fall of the Empire. The 5 sections in the book describe who at various points in time played a critical role in the Foundation not only retaining its independence from the barbarous kingdoms in the Galaxy periphery, but also slowly dominating the political frontier. The Foundation manipulates itself into a position of dominance over the kingdoms in its periphery by casting itself at different points of time as a center of religious faith, nuclear power (do we see a parallel in the real world!!), and later as a merchant economy capable of engaging in economic warfare which none can defend against (pretty much like Jews in America!). Pretty much the feeling you get on how any country tries dominating the other in today’s times.
For those of you who think that sci-fi as a genre is simply too techie and cannot be understood (read Nayak!!!), Foundation just isn’t about that. There are no green Martians or viruses that threaten mankind. What you do get are intricate political plots and characterizations (unlike Prelude to Foundation!) all adding up at the end just like how Belgian detective Hercule Poirot explains his case. In a nutshell, I did like this book and planning to finish this series.
I do wonder at times whether Foundation is a timeless classic just for the heck of it. Fact of the matter is that this book was written over 57 years ago and must be treated as that. Had this book released in today’s age, it is unlikely to have met commercial success. For instance, if 'Towering Inferno' or 'Shree 420' were to release today, audiences may not have found it appealing.
This was the 1st book written by Isaac Asimov in the original Foundation sci-fi Trilogy in 1951 though it was followed much later by its prequel in 1988.
For those of you who think this book will be all about gizmos and space adventures, you would be in for a surprise. What started as a journey in science and mathematics in Prelude to Foundation continues more as a treatise on Galactic political ambition and maneuvering. Foundation describes the fall of the galactic empire that had thrived and survived for 12000 glorious years and the slow rise of the Foundation as an economic political power to reckon with in the edges of the galaxy. The legendry Hari Seldon, who appeared in the prequel as a self-doubting young man, now appears supremely confident having carefully chartered the path on how his Foundation will become the Second Empire once the anarchy following the fall of the 1st one is over.
The book is neatly divided into 5 distinct sections and spaced 30-50 years apart from each other covering about 200 odd years of the 1000 year anarchy that follows the decline of the Imperial Empire. It starts out with Hari Seldon predicting the decline and fall of the Empire in a trial and being banished along with 100000 other scholars to a distant planet Terminus to set up his Foundation to preserve the knowledge of mankind to reduce the period of anarchy following the eventual fall of the Empire. The 5 sections in the book describe who at various points in time played a critical role in the Foundation not only retaining its independence from the barbarous kingdoms in the Galaxy periphery, but also slowly dominating the political frontier. The Foundation manipulates itself into a position of dominance over the kingdoms in its periphery by casting itself at different points of time as a center of religious faith, nuclear power (do we see a parallel in the real world!!), and later as a merchant economy capable of engaging in economic warfare which none can defend against (pretty much like Jews in America!). Pretty much the feeling you get on how any country tries dominating the other in today’s times.
For those of you who think that sci-fi as a genre is simply too techie and cannot be understood (read Nayak!!!), Foundation just isn’t about that. There are no green Martians or viruses that threaten mankind. What you do get are intricate political plots and characterizations (unlike Prelude to Foundation!) all adding up at the end just like how Belgian detective Hercule Poirot explains his case. In a nutshell, I did like this book and planning to finish this series.
I do wonder at times whether Foundation is a timeless classic just for the heck of it. Fact of the matter is that this book was written over 57 years ago and must be treated as that. Had this book released in today’s age, it is unlikely to have met commercial success. For instance, if 'Towering Inferno' or 'Shree 420' were to release today, audiences may not have found it appealing.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Review: Prelude to Foundation
This is the first book by Asimov I ever read, and it has definitely left me wanting to read more of him.
The Foundation series is one of the most famous and highly rated science fiction series.
Similar to Star Wars, this prequel was released many years (1988) after the 1st book was published in 1951. Prelude to Foundation is the story of young mathematician Hari Seldon in the year 12020 Galactic Era (G.E.) and describes his adventures as he tries to make his theory of psychohistory (statistically predicting the future of large social systems like that of the Galaxy) practical. This is the world of the future where quadrillions of people inhabit 25 million worlds around the world and the concept of the single planet ‘Earth’ where civilization started is but a myth. The book begins with the journey of Hari Seldon from his home planet ‘Helicon’ to ‘Trantor’ to deliver his paper on psychohistory (a science he considers possible but not practical) in a mathematical convention. This arouses the interest of the Imperial Emperor Cleon I and his aide Eto Demerzel. When a journalist meets Seldon to suggest that Imperial interest means personal danger, Seldon finds himself in a flight across Trantor trying to hide from the Emperor and figure out how to make psychohistory a practical science. The bizarre and diverse societies of Trantor with their rituals, social structures, foods, and ways of living, engross you to no end. Asimov does touch upon how even in the distant future, humanity has never entirely given up on caste discrimination (‘Dahl’ sector), and gender discrimination (‘Mycogen’ sector).
I found Hari’s approach to solving the problem of psychohistory remotely resembling Mathematical Induction i.e. shift back to a time when the world was much more simple (n=0 in the case of Mathematical Induction) and create a workable solution for the simple system which can then be used to solve the problem for larger systems.
What I liked was Asimov’s vivid imagination of society in the future where most scientific inventions and discoveries have been made. Also, what were remarkable were his depiction of the social structures within the various sectors in Trantor and what role each sector played in the functioning of the planet (pretty much how countries today play a role in the functioning of the world economy).
What I definitely did not like about the book was the shallow character setups which made me unable to relate with them. Even at the end, I could never really figure what kind of a person Seldon was apart from his passion to solve the problem of psychohistory. Also, what was surprising is that there is no mention of animals or any other species in the book which made me wonder. Also, in most part, everyone seemed to be vegetarian.
On the whole, I found this book refreshing from the regular novels I read and I look forward to reading the remaining books in the series.
This is the first book by Asimov I ever read, and it has definitely left me wanting to read more of him.
The Foundation series is one of the most famous and highly rated science fiction series.
Similar to Star Wars, this prequel was released many years (1988) after the 1st book was published in 1951. Prelude to Foundation is the story of young mathematician Hari Seldon in the year 12020 Galactic Era (G.E.) and describes his adventures as he tries to make his theory of psychohistory (statistically predicting the future of large social systems like that of the Galaxy) practical. This is the world of the future where quadrillions of people inhabit 25 million worlds around the world and the concept of the single planet ‘Earth’ where civilization started is but a myth. The book begins with the journey of Hari Seldon from his home planet ‘Helicon’ to ‘Trantor’ to deliver his paper on psychohistory (a science he considers possible but not practical) in a mathematical convention. This arouses the interest of the Imperial Emperor Cleon I and his aide Eto Demerzel. When a journalist meets Seldon to suggest that Imperial interest means personal danger, Seldon finds himself in a flight across Trantor trying to hide from the Emperor and figure out how to make psychohistory a practical science. The bizarre and diverse societies of Trantor with their rituals, social structures, foods, and ways of living, engross you to no end. Asimov does touch upon how even in the distant future, humanity has never entirely given up on caste discrimination (‘Dahl’ sector), and gender discrimination (‘Mycogen’ sector).
I found Hari’s approach to solving the problem of psychohistory remotely resembling Mathematical Induction i.e. shift back to a time when the world was much more simple (n=0 in the case of Mathematical Induction) and create a workable solution for the simple system which can then be used to solve the problem for larger systems.
What I liked was Asimov’s vivid imagination of society in the future where most scientific inventions and discoveries have been made. Also, what were remarkable were his depiction of the social structures within the various sectors in Trantor and what role each sector played in the functioning of the planet (pretty much how countries today play a role in the functioning of the world economy).
What I definitely did not like about the book was the shallow character setups which made me unable to relate with them. Even at the end, I could never really figure what kind of a person Seldon was apart from his passion to solve the problem of psychohistory. Also, what was surprising is that there is no mention of animals or any other species in the book which made me wonder. Also, in most part, everyone seemed to be vegetarian.
On the whole, I found this book refreshing from the regular novels I read and I look forward to reading the remaining books in the series.
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