AMERICAN SNIPER (ENGLISH) (2014)

While widespread trail of death, destruction and displacement are the visible effects of war, its real brutality is in the less visible, or often invisible, albeit pronounced effects on the psyche of those who survive. For, it is they who have to live with the scars of war, picking up the shards of their shattered life. As against those who die and are consumed by the war, the survivors face the pain of death on a daily basis as they are relentlessly haunted by their commissions and omissions which could have made a meaningful difference.

In American Sniper, veteran director Clint Eastwood narrates the real life story of Chris Kyle (an excellent Bradley Cooper), an ace marksman of the US Navy SEALs, who in his four gruelling missions during the Iraq war, is credited with more than 160 confirmed kills - the highest ever for a sniper.  The film is largely set in the wreckage of Iraqi towns where the invading US marines had to engage in deadly urban combat with deadly insurgents from the al-Qaeda. The nature of urban warfare necessitates the services of snipers like Chris Kyle who is perched in a position, far and high from the battleground, keep an eagle eye to protect his mates from any incoming threats. 

While this setting provides for several thrilling and action packed moments, especially when confronted by an Olympian sniper from the other side, the focus of the film remains firmly on the psychological aspects of the war on Chris - Why he came to be what he is and what is he going through..? Even as he is highly effective in his role as a sniper in the battlefield and is celebrated as "THE LEGEND", we find that the war quickly consumes his psyche entirely. He is unable to shift his focus away from it even during his well deserved breaks away from the war zone when he is safely ensconced in the warmth of his home with a loving wife, Taya (an effective Sienna Miller) and his newborn son. The battle continues to rage on in his mind and brings on a firestorm of guilt and helplessness that singes his very soul and almost upends his normal family life which was moving on an even keel. As the distant war continues to cling on to him like an unyielding parasite and can he quell the very real threat it poses to unleash a turbulence on him and his loving family...? Check out the movie to know the answers.
  

Despite being an one-sided narrative which does not care to focus on the other side, Eastwood's movie which has strong resonance with his earlier westerns raises difficult, yet pertinent questions about the whole idea of heroism and violence. And, in a beefed up Bradley Cooper, he has an actor who has embodied the character so deeply with all its vulnerabilities and nuances that makes this movie tick as an almost meditative exploration into the troubled psyche of a celebrated war hero.

A VERY GOOD WATCH !!

RATING - 3.5/5

FOLLOWING (ENGLISH) (1998)

While the greatest of journeys begin with the first short step, it is the hallmark of legends in the making that their brilliance shines through distinctly from the crowd even in those nascent steps. Such is the case of Following, the feature directorial debut of Christopher Nolan who is reckoned among best filmmakers of our, nay, all times. Before Nolan emerged as the master of the big budget brainy / psychological thrillers, he began his career with a spartan debut film which, despite its minimal settings, served as the harbinger of the great things to follow.

Following tells us the story of Bill (Jeremy Theobald), a young wannabe writer in London, who obsessively follows random people, supposedly to research / find a spark to kindle his writing. He makes stringent rules for himself on this activity which borders on a voyeuristic pursuit as to who to follow, for how long, etc. It is in the course of one such random pursuit he follows the charismatic Cobb (Alex Haw - (does the name of the character ring a dreamy bell deep in your mind ??)), a burglar and gets drawn to him when he discovers they share a similar passion for following strangers. 

Cobb persuades Bill to accompany him as an understudy during his serial burgling expeditions. Despite being a burglar, Cobb shows minimal interest in his victim's belongings and rather, appears to revel in the shock and awe of his victims when they return to find their residence burgled. Enamored by Cobb's attitude and style, Bill's lifestyle  undergoes a sea change as he dives deep into what he finds as an adventurous new world. When an enigmatic blonde, a violent gangster, a murder and some blackmailing are added to the proceedings, we have a potent recipe for a thrill-ride. 

Being a debut feature, Nolan did not have the luxury of any big studio funding which enabled his mega projects like the The Dark Knight series, Inception or Interstellar. Yet, operating in a shoe-string budget of roughly $6000, Nolan donned multiple hats as the writer, director, cinematographer, editor, and producer of this movie which he completed over the course almost a year as mainly weekends project with the home of his parents as the principal location. His actors, who had other weekday assignments, were put through a drill of rehearsals spanning six months before the filming could commence which is evident from their convincing performances. Nolan shows early symptoms of what is now his signature style elements of intrigue, non-linear narratives, dives into the depths of darkness inherent in human nature, crisscrossing chronologies which peel away at the mystery layer by, carefully constructed, layer even as he teases the viewer to guess and second guess with an engaging screenplay. Nolan's masterclass is evident all through as he constructs a captivating noir in elegant monochrome frames with some nifty hand-held shots. 

Clocking a crisp length of seventy minutes, this engrossing thriller is the earliest gem from a master when he chose to step out of the shadows. 

AN EXCELLENT WATCH !!

RATING - 3.5/5

P.S. - As a bonus, check out Doodlebug, a 3-minute short from Nolan, made in 1997. This telling short, again in his signature style, showcases the seeds of much more magnificence and magic that was to follow.