The DSIR Spring Issue 2022

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the

DSIR

Summer Issue 2022

CASINO

GANGS OF NEW YORK

RAGING

THE WOLF OF

BULL SILENCE WALL

ISLAND

STREET

THE AVIATOR

SHUTTER

THE

DEPARTED

CAPE FEAR THE FAMILY

THE IRISHMAN

HUGO

MEAN STREETS

TAXI DRIVER

GOODFELLAS

AFTER

HOURS

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

NO DIRECTION HOME

The Doon School Information Review

EDITORIAL GURMEHAR SINGH BEDI Pop culture is a medium of expression, a form of escapism and a moment of deliverance. For this issue of the Doon School Information Review, we explore the diversity of popular culture across space and time to allow you to appreciate the impact it has had on our community. The review of Fight Club and a comparison of the Star Wars sequel trilogy to the original allow you relive the experience of watching timeless classics. Pachinko and the Silent Voice provide a glimpse of Asian cinema to the community, and sit in striking contrast with the reviews of movies such as Casino and Goodfellas from the Scorsese Section which have stood the test of time. Speaking of the Special Section, each article makes a deliberate effort to delve into thematic and directorial elements and fights shy of providing you with a mere summary of the plot. This is done to deconstruct and consequently, celebrate the work of a visionary whose work has managed to captivate audiences for decades.

However, before I let you go, I must, with immense unhappiness, convey a disturbing trend that I have observed over my four years on this publication.

School magazines were once tools to add meaning to the collective understanding of this community on any subject, but, over time, there has been a serious decline in their ability to do so. The passion to write for a magazine or even the fervour to join its editorial board appears to be missing. Why? My guess is as good as yours, dear reader. However, one thing is apparent. Something must be done about this worrying trend and fortunately, the solution is entirely in your hands. Think more, read more and write more. So as I implore you to do just that, I hope you view this issue as our step in that direction.

I hope you enjoy reading!

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CONTENTS 03

The Woes of Sequels

09

The Platform

05

Looking back at the Grammys

11

Top Boy

13

Rescued by Ruby

30

Pachinko

36

Peaky Blinders

38

Franz Kakfa

40

Fight Club

42

The Adam Project

44

A Silent Voice

SPECIAL SECTION

18

GoodFellas

20

Casino

22

The Wolf of Wall Street

24

Hugo

26

Scorsese’s Potayal of Masculinity

28

Gangs of New York

The Doon School Information Review Star Wars; A legendary movie series that defined a generation.

Star Wars has ingrained itself in our pop culture like no other movie series ever has. Its popularity is unmatched, especially in the original trilogy. However, when you get to the prequels and sequels made after, reactions are rather polarised at best, from both critics and audiences alike.

But how did this come to be?

Surely with bigger budgets and better technology, the newer films should have brought greater success than the original trilogy and the infamous Prequels. Let’s take a deep dive into why the sequel trilogy (ST) was only able to partially deliver on the promise of jumpstarting the Star Wars Universe; bringing it into the 21st Century.

with simple straightforward plots, they were complicated in their own right, however, the ST were more complicated. What the original trilogy managed to do right was to have a decently complex storyline to keep the audiences on the edge of their seats and flesh their world out in a steady manner. Make sure to not overload the audience with expository lore. The ST on the other hand over-complicated the plot far too

many times. They made the mistake of not following the golden rule of showing and not telling, something which shows like “The Mandalorian ‘’ don’t make the mistake of doing. When you show and not tell, it creates drama in a scene; the phrase “actions speak louder than words” then rings true. The original trilogy pulls this off well as it manages to flesh out the trio of characters with just 3 movies. They show that Luke is

The sequel trilogy was not like the original in terms of the writing process involved in it. What many don’t know, the original trilogy was written as one script that was then divided into three scripts due to time and monetary constraints. This meant that the flow of the movie was great due to it being written as one, this made the movies more cohesive and gel well with each other. Another point of difference was the simplicity of the plot as compared to the ST, don’t get me wrong, the original trilogy was not movies

The Woes of

Sequels

5

“They made the mistake of not following the golden rule of showing and not telling, something which shows like “The Mandalorian ‘’ don’t make the mistake of doing.”

beyond compassionate by displaying his anguish when Obi-wan dies at the hands of the antagonist, or when he forgave Darth Vader for all the pain he caused to the galaxy. He also told the dying Darth that he still loved him, after everything he had done.

Another factor was the overarching plot of the sequel trilogy, a single movie in itself was very disjointed. It had no singular vision. It

Picture Credits: JoBlo

Anant Kakkar presents his views on the Star Wars sequel trilogy, while comparing it to the original.

also killed off beloved characters left right and centre, from Han Solo to Princess Leia, who was killed in the sequel trilogy. The plot also seems rushed, with the supposedly main villain (Snoke) being killed too quickly and easily to make him a credible threat.

Then comes another plot point that seems ripped off the original, Rey being revealed to be a Palpatine and her killing off her father?

Clone donor of her actual father?

The plot is rather messy regarding what she is in terms of her relation to Palpatine. However, all of this is done and dusted in one half of a movie, making it seem rather lacklustre and unimaginative. There is no dramatic reveal, no signature lines like “No, I am your father” and just no build-up to it, it’s just there. Just like Palpatine being alive, there is no explanation beyond just the force.

That is not to say that the ST does not do something right, they religiously follow George Lucas’s vision of what a space battle should be in the universe, with dog fights and bombing runs, based on WW2 air battle tactics.

The ST also managed to sort of bringing the Star Wars universe to a new generation even if it was messily. All in all, even though the ST was only able to partially deliver on the promise of jumpstarting the Star Wars Universe; bringing it into the 21st Century it still managed to revitalise the universe enough to bring us amazing shows set in the universe like “The Mandalorian”. And at least prevented the light of Star Wars from slowly but surely dying out.

The Doon School Information Review Artists often spend hours, months, and sometimes even years to perfect their craft and ensure that their music is well received by fans and critics alike.

The pinnacle of music, the Grammys, is agreed to be one of the most prestigious entities that validate the hard work of artists and music producers alike.

The last year was unlike any other for the music industry, as the entire landscape of music changed after the pandemic. However, like always, the award ceremony brought with it criticism, ranging from undeserving winners to a poorly conducted ceremony.

Last year, Olivia Rodrigo came onto the scene with a sensational single, driver’s licence, and she soon became a household name. Her fame was further cemented by the commercial success of her debut album, Sour. This put her in the running for the four major categories: song of the year, record of the year, best new artist and album of the year. However, to everyone’s surprise, Rodrigo was awarded just the best new artist. While that in itself is not a trivial feat, her commercial success, paired with her musical ability, led viewers to believe she was snubbed.

The Grammy for record and song of the year went to the R&B duo Silk Sonic for their Internet-viral record Leave the Door Open. The duo lived up to their name, as their silky tones and vocal-heavy song deservingly did the double over Rodrigo.

On a sadder note, the Grammy awarded to Foo Fighters for their recent masterpiece Making a Fire was dedicated to drummer Taylor Hawkins, who had tragically passed away in March. The heartwarming tribute to him was another highlight of the evening.

On the other hand, Tyler the Creator won his second Grammy for Best Rap Album for Call Me If You Get Lost, adding to his previous Grammy for the same category for his critically acclaimed Igor. A recurring problem for the Grammys, however, has been the gross misrepresentation of hip hop and its culture.

Very few rap performances took place this year at the Grammys, and only one rap album made its way to the Album of the Year nominations, which was Kanye West’s Donda. To further aggravate things, two rap categories had very few nominations, going as low as 4 in certain categories. Previously, Tyler the Creator had also voiced his opinion about hip hop and Grammys. His groundbreaking album Igor was called “genre-bending” and a major deviation from his eccentric, obnoxious style of rap that was censored in the UK and New Zealand, however, the Grammys still awarded it the best rap album, to which Tyler responded by implying that his race could have prompted his Grammy nomination in that category.

The 11 nominations by Jon Batiste for We Are were

obviously a miraculous feat, however, they were no fluke. His rich music was appreciated by fans and critics alike. The biggest controversy arose from BTS going home empty-handed. Their fans and several others believed that artists of their stature deserve at least one Grammy if not many. The Grammys provided a centre stage for several artists such as Doja Cat, HER and SZA, who have been monumental to the recent era in music. While a few were snubbed and others awarded plentily, the Grammys gave the viewers a plethora of emotions, ranging from solidarity for the people suffering in Ukraine, to nostalgia and melancholy.

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GRAMMY

THE

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Picture Credits: The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter

GRAMMYS

VIHAN RANKA

th

E 64

The Doon School Information Review

Record of the year

Leave the Door Open (Silk Sonic)

Album of the year We are (Jon Batiste)

Song of the year

Leave the Door Open (Silk Sonic)

Best New Artist Olivia Rodrigo

Best Music Video Freedom (Jon Batiste)

Best Global Music Performance Mohabbat (Arooj Aftab)

Best Pop Solo Performance driver’s license (Olivia Rodrigo)

Best Pop Vocal Album SOUR (Olivia Rodrigo)

Best Rock Song

Waiting on a war (Foo Fighters)

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THE DSIR POLL

Should there be seperate categories for males and females in music awards such as the Grammy’s?

60% 40% 40%

No

Yes

Picture Credits: Consequence.net

202 members of the school community were polled.

The Doon School Information Review

KRISHNAV SACHDEV

The Platform is a relatively unknown film, yet in my opinion, it’s one of those rare films that fall into the category of pure genius. It offers a unique cinematic experience by taking us on a journey alongside the main character in a dystopian world which plays with the established stereotypical tropes of its genre.

The film is set in a world where one can get almost all they want just by serving a sentence inside the ‘Vertical Self Management Centre’, a sort of prison. From what I could infer through the limited information the screenplay offers, this centre is a gauntlet meant to test the body and the mind, with the latter also applying to the viewer.

The main character Goreng, brilliantly portrayed by Iván Massagué, wakes up on level 48 of the centre or as the characters refer to it, ‘The Pit’.

The film follows his 6-month journey through this trial,

Picture Credits: Forbes

Galder Gaztelu-Urrutias expertly executes his vision through the limited lens of the world depicted in the movie and delivers a film that allowed me to expand my own vision.

The Platform feels like a direct narration of Urrutias’ perspective on society and it dissects dystopian tropes such as religious conflicts and Heaven vs.

Hell. It highlights the disparity between personalities, and how they change, depending on what floor a person is on.

A more inflated ego for those closer to the top, and a more

defeated tone for those under them. These same differences lead to the lower floors feeling like hell, void of hope or any positive emotions, and all those trapped down there can do, is wish to be shifted to a higher floor next month.

11 which he undertook to get a diploma that allows him to become a Professor. As I learned throughout the film, having no more information than Goreng himself, ‘The Pit’ is a series of vertical cells with two people each, and in the middle of each room, there is an opening shaped like a square. This hole is meant to be a passageway for the platform, after which the movie is named. Each day, at the same time, the platform starts working its way down the cells one at a time, stopping for 2 minutes only to provide the only meal of the prisoner’s day to them. It starts at the top with enough food to feed everybody, but the people on the higher levels take more than they need, and thus there are barely even scraps left for the people on the lower levels.

The blatant disregard for others displayed by the lucky few who were put on the upper floors is akin to a mirror being held up to society. It reflects how those at the top of the ladder of life, don’t care about those under them. Each month the survivors are placed on a different floor or are removed from the premises if their duration is up. This coin flip luck determines one’s chances of survival. One of the main extended metaphors throughout the movie revolves around this concept and how the circumstances of where you start your journey will closely dictate most of your life. The same coin flip is part of what makes this movie so impactful because you can’t help but be anxious, fidgety, and stressed when the time comes about for our main character to switch floors. You find yourself

wishing that he’d be on one of the upper ones so that he’d finally be able to have peace.

But, every great psychological thriller must have at least one pivotal moment where the audience is extremely close to satisfaction, and then everything is ripped away. The Platform not only delivers on that quota but overshoots it by a mile. This happens when after five months of physical and psychological torture, Goreng wounds up on floor 6, but instead of enjoying the delights of such a high number, he fixates on a new goal, to speak up against the norms of The Pit and get food to the bottom.

This mission also gets quickly subsumed by the idea of delivering a message straight to the top, leading to more pain for both Goreng and us.

Eventually, led astray by his conviction to go through with the mission, Goreng is left stranded at the very bottom, with no escape and no hope.

Whilst I found the ending flat and straightforward, taking it at face value then, the number of possibilities the open-ended denouement bore, which I kept wondering about for a long while after the movie, added to the other-worldly mental trip this film took me through. All in all, this movie is a must-watch for those who like slow-burn psychological journeys and for those who are just looking for another piece of brilliant media to enhance their views on our society.

The Doon School Information Review Today’s television industry is plagued with a number of ‘crime dramas’, and the genre is only increasing in popularity.

In my opinion, however, there are very few that stand out.

‘Top Boy’ is a diamond in this rough; it manages to encapsulate the problems of a specific culture while delivering a powerful message to captivate a wider audience. Moreover, it achieves this in under three seasons, with a fourth seemingly underway. What makes it a great crime show is the fact that, beneath the guns, gangs and violence, there are social issues embedded in the plot that people can relate to, leading to an utterly addictive viewing experience.

‘Top Boy’ is the accurate portrayal of a lifestyle that exists within the confines of London, a raw street culture that most people are oblivious to. We usually associate London with wealth and urbanisation, but this show tells a story that conveys quite the opposite. It introduces the audience to London’s drug gangs that openly compete with each other to earn the most money, as they try to survive in an intense environment while juggling the problems they face in their personal lives. Within these gangs, a question of loyalty always surfaces–giving rise to a variety of situations that form an entertaining episode.

In an attempt to become the richest man on the block or ‘Top Boy’, fresh bonds are forged, rivalries are ignited, and lives are lost. Although I am miles away from London, I can still connect with the thematic aspects of the show that make it enjoyable to watch.

Over three seasons, we are introduced to characters who evolve as the show progresses.

Although the main plot of the show is based around three main characters– Dushane, Sully and Jamie, it is the depth of sub-plots that makes it even more enjoyable to watch. My eyes were glued to the screen at all times, with unexpected twists and turns becoming a frequent occurrence. The storyline attached to each character is uniquely curated in such a manner that there are no ‘bad’ or ‘good’ guys, just individuals with their own reasons for breaking the law.

Moreover, characters are removed throughout the series, even if they go through major character development in previous episodes. This is where the show accurately reflects the nature of the real world.

Just like families lose their children to the harsh realities of knife crime every day (especially in these local communities), the audience is robbed of characters who they have developed an emotional attachment with, making it a cathartic experience. The heavy use of violence and profanity may seem overly dramatic at first, but it is a projection of things that happen every day.

The main cast of the show consists of actors, artists and musicians who have actually grown up surrounded by the local culture, and perhaps experienced some of the things that are being shown on screen.

Their acting is naturally powerful as they are aware of the real-life complexities that are being portrayed in the show.

The directors were able to con-

vey the message of the show through simple dialogues, elevated by the performance of Black-British actors like Kane Robinson, Michael Ward, David Omoregie and Ashley Walters. As an admirer of comedy, I particularly enjoyed the casual injections of humour as well.

Music rarely plays a consistent major role in crime shows, and understandably so. However, the daring producers of the show use hip hop sounds of the local culture to fill the empty dialogues between scenes. Famous British rap artists like Burna Boy and Central Cee also feature on the soundtrack. I feel that this elevated the show to another level, as I often found myself nodding uncontrollably to the funky beats of grime music.

All in all, the brilliance of this series can be attributed to powerful acting, realistic setting, and immersive soundtrack. The show will teleport you into a world that you have never experienced before. I can assure you that you will laugh, cry and sweat over the course of its three seasons and that ‘Top Boy’ will definitely be worth the watch.

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Picture Credits: The Independent

A RJUN PR A K A S H

The Doon School Information Review

Picture Credits: Netflix Life

S I D D H A N T S R I V A S TA V A

15 Rescued by Ruby is a film that expertly exhibits the product of hard work and determination, pairing it with the daunting notion of being unique in a cruel world, all in 90 minutes. The film, based on a true story, directed by Katt Shea and distributed by Netflix, follows a Rhode Island State Trooper, Daniel O’Neil (played by Grant Gustin) on his quest to join the elite K-9 unit. Daniel O’Neil, the protagonist struggles with dyslexia and hyperactivity, yet yearns to save lives alongside a canine companion, a companion he finds in Ruby, a shelter dog.

Ruby is almost deemed unadoptable by the shelter owner until she is finally taken in by Daniel.

Despite seeming like a film for younger audiences at first glance, the film masterfully portrays the idea of being an underdog, or simply being different from others, pairing two ‘underdogs’, (one literal, the other figurative), Daniel and Ruby, creating a poetic relationship between a dog and its master, something that pertains to adults and children alike. The film uses relatable problems to characterise the film, placing them in the real world, making it possible for the viewer to imagine the struggles of owning a dog, (especially one very well depicted in a scene where Ruby chooses to ‘mark her territory’ inside of Daniel’s house, even though she had just been walked for the same purpose.

In a particularly comical scene, where Daniel’s wife, Melissa, a kindergarten teacher, is correcting her students’ homework and Ruby decides to eat the homework, or rip it up at least, giving new meaning to the phrase, ‘my dog ate my homework.’

Gustin, widely known for his role in CW’s ‘The Flash, fits the role incredibly well and convincingly captures the essence of the real Daniel, a modern-day hero of the K-9 unit for having saved the lives

of multiple people. His portrayal of Daniel is immaculate, going as far as capturing Daniel’s sporadic stutter, fits of hyperactivity and overall timid nature. Ruby is played by not one, but two dogs called ‘Bear’ and ‘Shiloh’, who tug at our heartstrings throughout the film, and perform each stunt with absolute perfection.

The film makes use of colourful cinematography and wide angles to create a world of fantasy.

The perspective of Ruby, a low placed viewpoint, takes the viewer into the world of Ruby, helping the viewer perceive her observations with ease, possibly conveying how her entire world resides within Daniel, her master. The use of sound and music is impeccable, creating the perfect ambience for this feel-good dramedy, that invokes various feelings in the viewer, either calming the viewer down or making the viewer’s heartbeat out of their chest.

Side characters such as Melissa, (played by Kaylah Zander) and Seamus Brady (played by Tom McBeath) add value to the film by serving as guiding figures for Daniel. Melissa provides a sense of warmth to the film, we observe a tremendous change in her attitude toward Ruby through the course of the film, initially being sceptical of Ruby, possibly even thinking of her as a liability, to letting Ruby sleep in the same bed as her, showing remarkable character development.

We must not overlook Seamus Brady, the enigmatic sage-like figure, whose very existence may be questioned due to the fact that he is only ever seen interacting with Daniel, leading us to believe that he is but a fragment of Daniel’s imagination - an imaginary friend, once again reflecting Daniel’s childlike disposition and possible intellectual disabilities.

It is hard to criticise a film that predominantly features a dog, how-

ever, without disclosing too much, there comes a stage in the film where Shea, the director has tried to create conflict, yet this conflict is far too prolonged and is mostly redundant since the suspense being created does not prove to have much gravitas. Though the film is not perfect, Rescued

by Ruby makes the viewer feel a variety of emotions through the course of the film, mostly due to the human disposition to feel vast amounts of affection for dogs.

Ultimately, Rescued by Ruby proves to be a terrific watch, the film is light and easy to take in, all the while being dramatic enough to engage the audience.

Though the plot remains fairly predictable, the happy-go-lucky appeal of the film is neatly balanced out by the introduction of graphic elements such as human remains (the K-9 unit’s search objective) and the grimmer realities of police work in general.

SCOR SPECIAL

SESE

SECTION

The Doon School Information Review

V I VA A N S O O D

CASINO A ROLL OF DICE

W

hat is the one thing in common between the mafia and Las Vegas? Both are elements that exist outside of the rules and are known for their expediency. Las Vegas was the perfect playground for the mafia. Anything and everything had a price. People felt optimistic and were not averse to letting go of their money at the chance of becoming a millionaire.

Often they did strike gold, but other times, they would lose it, and for people making deals with the mafia, that was never a good idea. That was the idea of the mafia and Las Vegas. Neither would survive without the idealism and optimism of millions of people.

And that is what Casino is about.

The movie opens with Sam Rothstein having his car blown up with him in it, and subsequently recapitulates his story up to that point. Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein, played by Robert DeNiro, is a gambling expert and is asked by the Italian Mafia to oversee operations at the Tangiers Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.

He is supported by his eventual wife, Ginger (Sharon Stone) and friend Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci).

The cinematography in the film is such that the entire film moves at a singular, breakneck speed, with snappy editing, as well as narration by different characters to facilitate the movie’s flow. Trademark Scorsese freeze frames, and expressive camera work, moving it into unconventional places and angles, create a dynamic atmosphere for the audience, and give us an epic routine of scenes over and over again.

This ceaseless narration put the audience directly into the minds of the characters, intensifying the relentless tone of the movie.

Sam Rothstein is portrayed all

throughout the film as a methodical, and often aggressive gambler, who somehow always wins. This methodical behaviour is evident from the scene in the movie where he tells the casino cooks to put “exactly the same amount of blueberries in every muffin.” Despite his nature, he often betrays himself and makes mis~takes in the movie that only serve to hurt him the most, solely because of his misplaced trust.

The conflict in the film is created when the two closest people in

“Casino is in essence a gangster film, but balances the activity of the Mafia with straight-edged casino business, with both elements feeding off of each other, to help them grow into something wicked, eventually damaging each other in an unavoidable way.”

Sam’s life, Ginger and Nicky, start creating trouble for him. Nicky is a killer and a thief, and as stated in the film, “Las Vegas was like the wild west for him.” He reflects the sinister and gory side of the mafia and gang life. The feisty and often unpredictable Nicky Santaro often creates some moments of homophobia and racism, inexcusable today, however, it adds to the assertive authenticity of the character and his reckless ways.

On the other hand, Sam’s wife, Ginger, signifies the archetype of a femme fatale. She is often

19 manipulative and helps Sam in his more discreet dealings with the casino and the mafia. Rather than relegating her to the role of a one-dimensional wife, Ginger is a character with depth and complexity, a woman in the world of the male-dominated mafia, whose perseverance and grit allow her to survive. She refuses to allow herself to drown under the chaos of the mafia, and instead uses her position as the wife of a casino owner to her own advantage, indulging in her desires.

Casino is in essence a gangster film, but balances the activity of the Mafia with straight-edged casino business, with both elements feeding off of each other, to help them grow into something wicked, eventually damaging each other in an unavoidable way. These two elements fail to coexist, as the walls of Sam Rothstein’s life come down in an almost destructive and violent manner, catalysed by his own supposed friends. It seemed that Sam Rothstein’s winning streak has come to an end.

The Doon School Information Review

“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.

To me, being a gangster was better than being president of the United States.”

- GoodFellas

“The two leading actors do a superb job of bringing these characters to life,” Janet Maslin wrote in The New York Times. “Mr. Liotta, such a menacing villain in ‘Something Wild,’ makes Gino a touchingly devoted figure, a man willing to sacrifice almost anything for his brother’s welfare.”

- New York Times

“He was, and probably always was, totally himself. This might sound like a bit of a nonanswer, but it’s very rare to interview an actor who doesn’t bullshit you a little. After all, they’re trained to perform, to be liked, to get applause. “ - The Guardian

“Playing Goodfel order, be characte different complic Ray was scene of shoot.”

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A TRIBUTE TO R A Y L I O T TA Ray Liotta, known for his role in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Goodfellas’, has passed away aged 67. Liotta’s publicist Jennifer told The Hollywood Reporter he died on Wednesday night or early Thursday in his sleep in the Dominican Republic where he was shooting for ‘Dangerous Waters’. “He’s way too way young to have left us,” Liotta’s ‘Goodfellas’ costar Robert De Niro said.

- InShorts

g Henry Hill in llas was a tall ecause the er had so many t facets, so many cated layers, and s in almost every f a long, tough - The Times

Good The Doon School Information Review

R O H A N TA N E J A

The American Mafia has inspired some of the most influential and iconic films of the 20th century, making guns, mobs and the lust for money staples of American Cinema.

Once in a while comes a film that tweaks these staples to redefine the Hollywood gangsta, or at least expands the scope of what a gangster movie could be.

‘The Godfather’ for instance added a whole new layer of depth to the mafia by showing the importance of family, tradition and responsibility, while films like Scarface pushed the limits of goriness while exploring what can be handled by the audience.

It was in the aftermath

of two successful Godfather films, when people seemed to know what to expect from a gangster film, when Scorsese released GoodFellas - a gangster film with guns, mobs, money and drugs, yet, a film like no other.

Based on the non-fiction book “Wiseguy” by Nicholas Pileggi, GoodFellas is an account of life in the mafia, as narrated by Henry Hill, an Italian-American kid whose earliest, and only, ambition was to be a “wise guy”, a gangster. M o r e

than anything, GoodFellas is a study of a lifestyle - the life of a Mafioso. It’s an exploration of a mafioso’s power, and what being one means, or should mean. All three main wise guys engage in activities society would morally question, though there is more than what meets the eye. Tommy DeVito loves his mother more than anything but is a violent sociopath that loves to kill. Jimmy Conway is a kleptomaniac, and Henry Hill cheats on his partner. These are not just quirks added for the element of interest, but rather pieces of the characters’ identities, a prominent theme of the film.

Crime is glorified and these activities are normalised to the extent that Tommy’s brutal killing of a man is the subject of laughter, but reasonably so, given that the narrator for most of the film is Hill himself. To stress this contrast and irony, Scorsese makes the violence as brutally realistic as possible with no censorship.

The bare display of broken identity cannot be explained without the existence of a high degree of power which is beautifully displayed through Scorsese’s lens.

GoodFellas is known for pioneering the long track shot that involved Henry taking his wife Karen to a concert from the backdoor, through the kitchen and backstage, without intervention. Aside from being a beautiful piece of filmography, this one-shot quantified the power Hill had because of his association with the mafia. Like

llas

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Picture Credits: NewYorker

More than anything, GoodFellas is a study of a lifestyle - the life of a Mafioso.

It’s an exploration of a mafioso’s power, and what being one means, or should mean. many of the other characters of the mafia, Henry held no position or office, yet held more power than he would ever need.

To him, being a mafioso meant having a licence - a licence to kill, a licence to steal, a licence to do whatever is it that he wants to do. This element of ultimate power is often explored through the perspective of Hill’s wife Karen, who narrates multiple parts of the film and is supposed to adapt to her new life as an indirect associate of the mafia. Aside from an exploration

of the mafia’s power, Karen also explores the bonding and loyalty that exists amongst the mafia and their families. Even though Karen didn’t have a choice but to adapt to this life, from her point of view we see how lucrative Scorsese shows this life to be. Who wouldn’t want to have ultimate power, wealth, a community and a brotherhood?

People think that the title is meant to be ironic. The men of the mafia steal, lie, cheat and beat people left and right, but

are still called “GoodFellas”.

Henry explains that the term is simply a way to refer to one of your own, a line that is often underappreciated. I think Scorsese never meant for this title to be ironic. Instead, he believed that these GoodFellas are actually good people who have been devoured by their own attraction to life in the mafia. Henry may cheat and organise heists, but he is still sympathetic to Tommy’s victims. Tommy may brutally murder anyone that ticks him off but still loves his mother like a baby. Jimmy may steal everything in his way, but he still loves Tommy and Henry like his own sons. These are not cold-blooded monsters, but rather people who are too deep into the system to come out of it. A system they love to be a part of.

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M

artin Scorsese’s “The of Wall Street” is e ing yet exhausting, ing one perplexed as to wh they’re appalled or enthralle the end of the movie. It’s a film made about not-somen. It’s the story of a com man turned into a greedy brute man. The “Wolf” is so en, that Leonardo Dicaprio pared his story to that of Ro tyrant Caligula. The three h pass by like the last thirty min of Scorsese’s other hit, “Goo las” as every frame in the m is like a pointillism artwork multiple details to explore. spite the movie’s portraya debauchery and use of prof the story itself is quite fascin and leaves the spectators velling at the skill of the ac

It starts off showing a middleman, who, at first tried to ge in the stock market through th thodox way of working as a b in a firm under a rich and sh less, ever-grinning douche pl

by Matthew McConaughey. some time under him loses his job a firm due to market cras ‘87. While the quest another he di

e Wolf excitleavhether ed at great -great mmon y and o drivcomoman hours nutes odfelmovie with . Deal of fanity, nating marctors.

-class et rich he orbroker hamelayed After m, he at the o the sh in e on t for job iscov-

25 ers a quaint penny stock selling office and plots his big break.

He takes over this “firm” and gives it a traditional money name, calling it “Stratton Oakmont” in order to gain the faith of the middle and working-class and scam them into investing their money into worthless stocks. Around this time, he leaves his honest, loving wife for a more desirable and “younger woman” played by Margot Robbie.

The title fits the movie appropriately as the use of “Wolf” generates an essence of “alpha male” and barbaric energy, representing a carnivorous animal who treads proudly as it destroys humans, strikingly similar to the men whom this movie is about.

As they too seem to be simply animals dressed in designer clothing, with DiCaprio playing Belfort as the “Wolf” who is simply a designer dressed jock who keeps on cheering his guys up by calling them all “killers.” He is also shown to attract women with his baby face looks and charm and by flashing green, hence feeding the narrative of a supposed “Wolf ‘’ or a sort of pack leader.

This film, like most of Scorsese’s works, isn’t really about money or the animalistic beast under the human hide nor is it about simply Belfort’s story. This movie is Scorsese’s masterpiece on addiction.

The addiction to money, the addiction to stimulants, the addictions to lust, addictions to all things that

blemish the purpose of humanity.

Originating from Scorsese’s heavy cocaine addiction back in the late 80s, he successfully displays how deep addiction has been drilled into modern-day American capitalist society through not only the storyline but also the cinematography and characters. The film doesn’t depict Belfort as the ideal man but instead does quite the opposite by depicting him as a brute beast, and we can hop to that conclusion through the onpoint camerawork. The wide-angle shots, slow-motion zooms, and distorted, blurry shots in the middle of a fast-paced film, play a vital role in showing these flawed characters as revolting and depict this society that we live in as pure chaos. Especially the Quaalude trip scene where Belfort and his prized sidekick are displayed so pitifully, the movie descends into comical madness. Belfort, in a paralyzed state, struggles to reach his car, after a worrisome call about his money, like an animal who is on the brink of death after almost being prey to roadkill. He is shown as a helpless creature enslaved to his sins, representing society as the same. This scene also shows how easy it is to fall into addiction and lose one’s bearings, as Belfort and his right-hand man Donnie Azoff seem so controlled by these substances as Donnie throws up and passes out crawling everywhere, it shows what a poor state of addiction renders humans

SAI ARJUN

in. The directorial peak though is McConaughey’s only impactful scene as Belfort’s first boss Mark Hanna, who in this scene is drumming the beat of Bobby McFerrin’s “Thinking bout your body” which is a perfect teaser to the movie as it is a tribal war song, symbolising the barbarity.

“This film, like most of Scorsese’s works, isn’t really about money or the animalistic beast under the human hide nor is it about simply Belfort’s story. This movie is Scorsese’s masterpiece on addiction.”

However repulsive and sickening we find ourselves at the end of this movie, it is crucial that it dawns upon the viewers the realisation that men like Belfort represent the society we live in, The characters epitomise the modern avaricious society where people have become slaves to their baser emotions and end up losing everything they have ever loved. In the end, we see Belfort transformed into a motivational speaker but it is obvious that he still longs for his past life and is unapologetic about everything save getting caught. This is where Scorsese proves his mettle- he doesn’t give in to a hypocritical and false depiction of the incorrigible human instinct and leaves the viewers with a reality check.

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Picture Credits: IMDb

UDATHVEER PA S R I C H A

27 Home. Some may call a mansion their home, while others may call it the roadside, but in the case of Hugo, home would be the antique clock in the Paris train station.

However unrealistic this sounds, Scorsese sells it, begging the question; is this really what ‘home’ means? This question is the premise for the film which Martin Scorsese aims to answer through the portrayal of an orphan named Hugo, who lost his father in a fire unexpectedly. The movie explores the need to decode a message left to Hugo by his father. Scorsese, who doesn’t generally make family-friendly movies, uses this movie to represent the disparity between the haves and the have nots and to explain the concept of finding happiness in little things.

Towards the beginning itself, there is a sense of ambiguity after the doting combination of father-son is broken up. Scorsese elucidates this by offering a puzzle. A last wish by the father. Such an element of remembrance is very common in family movies, and similar to Hugo, it is upon the child to make what he can of this puzzle.

Like every other film, Hugo too is faced with numerous problems, the biggest one presented in the form of the station master. Due to the era and scene portrayed by Scorsese, it becomes extremely evident that this is a representation of the real world around him.

Scorsese uses the station master as a symbol of character growth using the virtues of sympathy, empathy and the concept of humanity to show the gradual change that he goes through. From trying to put Hugo in prison, to save his life, Scorsese embodies the cliche of ‘All’s well, That ends well’.

Isabelle, a girl who Hugo meets unexpectedly, presents a feeble sense of hope to an otherwise ill-fated boy. An immediate spark is seen within the minds of the viewers when the two meet each other; it is as if they com-

plete each other. This concept of completing each other, in theory, is touched upon practically also when Hugo sees Isabelle carrying around a pendant, on which rests a key, which completes the puzzle set by his father. It was literally as if they were made for each other. Scorsese diminishes any concept of any possible romantic involvement, as Isabelle is portrayed more like a guardian angel than anything else.

Scorsese uses Hugo to explain the virtues needed to survive in this otherwise cruel and treacherous world. That being said, the thing that Scorsese does differently from any of his previous movies is his commentary on finding solutions. While he may have done this in the past using films such as ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ and ‘Silence’, there is no sense of ‘happy ever after’ present in these films. He pays emphasis on the boy having a great end, which to the viewers is completely heartwarming. He does this despite not compromising on his famous, dark and extreme scenes which are frequently present throughout the film.

Martin Scorsese shows, through the platform of this movie, that with one of the greatest writers of all time, nothing is impossible.

Despite apprehensions by critics, there is a reason he is where he is today, and that with him, no stone will be left unturned. Every genre was explored. I think with a director of his calibre, it is our fault as viewers to expect such restricted content, for, with Martin Scorsese, we should expect the unexpected.

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Scorsese’s potrayal of

Masculinity V I N E S H U N I YA L Martin Scorsese has probed the male psyche for four decades now, portraying its brutal bravado in films like Goodfellas and Mean Streets and its lecherous and avaricious intentions in The Wolf of Wall Street. He has a certain fondness for depicting terrible humans as protagonists and has the ability to make the audience question whether relatability holds more significance than likeability. Yet, his most brilliant films truly shine when it comes to addressing the vulnerability of masculinity, exposing certain flaws in the often abstract concept.

In fact, in my regard, two of his best films: Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, delve into the role of masculinity in an ever-changing world, making one reflect on whether the traditional roles of men have evolved at all. Although both these films have different plots, the themes, especially the concept of savage masculinity are identical and relevant to this day and age. They are about men who conform to conventional social stereotypes and adopt the violent and aggressive form of masculinity thereby making lives miserable not only for themselves but for others too.

Picture Credits: The Guardian

Raging Bull recounts the story of Jake LaMotta, a boxer, and his inability to comprehend a woman other than in terms of the only two roles he can assign to her: Madonna or whore. Jake has a complex about women that Sigmund Freud about a century earlier, had referred to as the Madonna-whore complex. Women are unapproachable, virginal ideals for LaMotta until they are tainted by physical touch (with him), at which point their integrity becomes questionable. A prime example of this is his relationship with his wife. It is fraught with insecurity and jealousy. The viewers realise that his wife was merely an unattainable sexual fantasy and his touching her, tainted her. In turn, he is tortured with delusions about his wife’s infidelity, his own insecurities making

him suspect every word and every glance she might exchange with someone. Crippled by his anxiety, he chooses to express himself the only way he knows- through violence and aggression, utilising these negative feelings during boxing which he sees as a form of penance for his violent actions. Unfortunately, he uses these feelings to justify beating his wife even though he has never caught her indulging in infidelity, yet he acts as if his suspicion proves her guilt. It is the sheer brilliance of Scorsese that in spite of the revulsion that the viewers feel at this point of the film, they still hope and yearn for him to let go of his delusions and rectify his mistakes.

On the other hand, Taxi Driver visualises the story of Travis Bickle, an ex-marine and Vietnam war veteran. Loneliness drives him to become bitter and resentful, transforming him into a crazed and disturbed cowboy. He epitomises the masculine and aggressive characteristics of America before WWII when being a man entailed being all the things we no longer value in a postmodern society. He is alienated as a result of being born into a world of poverty, materialism, superficiality, and an ever-changing cityscape that necessitates a dissociation from reality.

Thus, his ignorance leads him to rely on hyper-masculinity as a solution. This hyper-masculinity is based on ancient heroic notions, such as being a physical knight who saves princesses. His ignorance contributed to his decline into hyper-masculinity, but it also contributed to his descent into madness. He is unable to adapt to a changing environment, and is bewildered and disillusioned with what his country has become, seeing himself as society’s saviour while envisioning ‘cleaning up’ the depraved capital of New York. Thus,

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Taxi Driver is a prime representation of masculinity at its most extreme — violence.

His treatment of women is that of a western cowboy as he wants to “protect” Betsy, his love interest, as she walks down the street and saves Iris, a 13-year-old child, from a life of prostitution. And though Travis is aware of these attributes, he continues to indulge in them, maybe suggesting that Travis’ cowboy male persona is important for him to cope with his loneliness.

While we do have such an iteration of masculinity in full display in the Taxi Driver, Scorsese presents other male characters who incorporate different styles of masculinity. For example Sport, a pimp, who in contrast to Travis, lacks heroic masculine principles and is depicted as manipulative in his treatment of Iris. While the presidential candidate, Charles Palantine, is the archetypal American workingman of the 1970s: bland and weak. Masculinity appears to be in crisis throughout the film. Yet, the film appears to suggest that society is in desperate need of a hero, a violent hero which comes in the form of Travis Bickle.

Even though we as an audience may not be able to connect with these characters through sympathy or empathy, we can use these characters as cautionary tales. I think that all of us are capable of horrible deeds, and can continue on the toxic and disastrous path that they were on. These movies are a showcase of unchecked jealousy and how it can lead to our failings while honestly portraying the bipolar disposition of humans, and portraying the defects of hyper-masculinity.

The Doon School Information Review Martin Scorsese’s 2002 gory, historical crime drama, Gangs of New York, is a minacious saga of hatred and vengeance set against the backdrop of Five Points on the lower east side of Manhattan in the mid-nineteenth century. It is an ambitious project that talks about an ugly page of American History. The film is based on Herbert Asbury’s book of the same name and has become a canon for the directors of the ‘Crime Drama’ genre.

The movie opens with a theatrical gang-war between Priest Vallon (Liam Neeson) of Dead Rabbits and Bill the Butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis) of The Nativists. The battle scene is brutal and scary and is extremely well shot. The battle ends with Vallon’s death at the hands of Bill. Scorsese makes it abundantly clear in the first few minutes of the film that it is not for the chicken-livered! Scorsese and Michael Ballhaus, the director of production, create a convincing world of mean streets rampant with raging bulls where there is no space for the GoodFellas! Movie puns aside, the film showcases the hatred between the two gangs reaching Shakespearean proportions where people start killing each other for sport! The director weaves a gripping Dickensian mosaic of thieves and pickpockets where families are stacked up on dingy shelves and little children and young adults work under extreme conditions.

The film primarily revolves around the life of Amsterdam (Leonardo DiCaprio) who is lusting to avenge his father’s death. He wins Jenny’s (Cameron Diaz love and she re-

mains faithful to him throughout. The plot becomes more Hamletesque when he confronts the killer of his father, Bill and starts working under him. The first half of the film is very gripping and well-paced.

The performances of DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz are somewhat flat and bland but Daniel Day-Lewis is the star of the show and delivers one of the best performances of his illustrious career.

Day-Lewis as Bill is a man of extremes, he is torturous, menacing and ferocious on one hand and ethical, admirable and honourable on the other. He is loathed by his enemies and revered by his men!

The actor’s stylised, extensive diction, his impeccable nasal voice and his accent, which is a strange concoction of De Niro, Pacino and McConaughey, remain unbelievably consistent.

The camera absolutely loves him and he sucks you into his vicious persona. Daniel Day-Lewis is to this film what Brando was to The Godfather or Pacino was to The Scarface.

The director, who confessed in an interview that he had wanted to make this film since the 1990s, seems to somehow lose control of the narration, especially in the second half.

The build-up is rock-solid, the denouement however is a touch scrambled where knives and sabres often replace dialogues in the 168 minute-long film. The romantic subplot is a titillating distraction from the bloodthirsty world but is very conventional in its treatment.

The protagonist, Amsterdam (Leonardo DiCaprio) enters the world of the mobster, Bill

31 and walks out triumphant almost unscathed like Dantès from Monte Cristo. The movie is unparalleled in parts but in certain scenes, it also treads along the borders of the ordinary.

Barring those paltry foibles, the writers - Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian and Kenneth Lonergan do a great job in pulling back the narration in place, which coupled with Day Lewis’ flawless performance and Howard Shore’s magical score still cements this film as one of the greatest of its kind.

All in all, Gangs of New York, which orchestrates the rage of the Native Americans against the Irish Catholics, might not be Scorsese’s Magnum Opus but it does succeed in telling the grey ineffaceable history of New York!

Picture Credits: Google Images

GANGS OF

MR. ABHINAV MISHRA

NEW YORK

The Doon School Information Review It is inevitable that some meaning is lost in translation between works of differing languages and covering up this gap can sometimes lead to an artwork losing its soul. At the time of Japan’s iron colonisation of Korea, Korean practices and rituals were brutally suppressed, banning Koreans from wearing white thus cutting off over 5000 years of heritage through clothing, as well as changing their worship to that of the Japanese Emperor; Kim Sowol’s literature and poetry remain from that chaotic time some of the most beloved, having been written in combination with regular poetry and folk songs. This poem was published in 1925, in the middle of Japan’s tyrannical rule over Korea, which is when one half of the series Pachinko is set, the other set in 1989.

Each 1-hour long episode out of 8 focuses dually on the life of Kim Sunja, and Solomon Baek her grandson, the lives of whom are distant in terms of scope, time and luxury, but similar in subtle ways. Throughout the series, Sunja is fighting to see a world beyond her own in Yeongdo-gu, Busan in the 1930s, and her grandson Solomon Baek struggles to receive his due in Shiffley’s - an international investment banking company - in the late 1980s because of discrimination inherent in the minds of both the Japanese and the Americans.

While the outright partitions between countries and people may have been broken down, the walls in a person’s heart may last a lifetime and there is no clearer distinction between the Japanese working at Shiffley’s Japan branch and Solomon, who is most commonly shot alone, or at most, with few other relatives.

Pachinko is a timelessly powerful show, with intimate emotions seeping into every shot. The author of the book this show is based

on wrote the book not basing it on a singular true story, but on multiple stories; reading through personal accounts, ethnographies, and war diaries, and meeting people who lived through the time. The show itself is a stunning reproduction of the times, where every custom and every prejudice is conveyed through the screen.

The actors are phenomenal, Kim Min-Ha as Kim Sunja, a blend of caution and wit, and Jin Ha as Solomon Baek a filial son albeit in the dark about his own heritage. Despite how far their family has come, problems still abound, though silently in the dark halls of human relationships. Solomon simply cannot understand the struggles that his grandmother Sunja went through and misunderstands her tears when she cries after eating rice from Korea with another immigrant. Even in her old age, Sunja tries her best for her grandson not only having raised him in the absence of his mother who died but in the absence of his father making a living off of running pachinko parlours in Osaka.

For me, Pachinko is a mixed machination, while the shots and scenes are brilliant, mixing symbolism across times and spaces, the script isn’t nearly as much.

The director’s attention to every shot imparted unto me his care and passion for his craft but certain dialogue left me feeling unsatisfied. Perhaps its meaning was lost across translation but the script at times was too specific, talking about emotions that would’ve added depth to scenes if left unmentioned and left to the audience to decipher.

I would definitely recommend watching Pachinko because though these subtle mistakes exist, they don’t take away from the story Kogonada is trying to tell.

The director, Kogonada, most often switches shots of the present and the past, intertwining problems and making comparisons between the problems being discussed. About how they used to make their own kimchi, and now they can buy it for 300 yen at the corner store in Osaka, or about how they would grow white rice and the enforcers would take it from them. But now they eat white rice every day, always full, and don’t even notice. Kogonada highlights problems antecedent and contemporary, illustrating class contentions through buildings and most notably fashion, and the divide between men and women, gaining ever more significance since the story of colonisation is told from Sunja’s perspective.

Picture Cre

33

PAC H I N KO

redits: Film Affinity

YA S H A D A LT I

The Doon School Information Review

Hold my hand Lady Gaga Release Date: 6 May

‘Hold My Hand’ adds to the career of icon Lady Gaga, and is the lead single to the ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ soundtrack. Aligning with the movie’s sentimental themes, Gaga’s intention was to write a love letter to the world which she achieves with a powerful vocal performance.

Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers Kendrick Lamar Release Date: 13 May

Kendrick Lamar’s latest album “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” was announced this April and has been highly anticipated.

It is Lamar’s 5th Studio Album and is releasing after the artist’s 5 year-long hiatus. Lamar has released some cryptic information about the album on his website and has also revealed that this will be his last album under the TDE label.

So Far So Good The Chainsmokers Release Date: 13 May

“So Far So Good” is The Chainsmokers’ fourth album and their first since 2019. It will feature 13 songs and will include the already released singles “High” and “iPad”. The duo stated that the album’s title is derived from a quote in the 1995 french film “La Haine” and is one of their most genuine works.

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Come home, the kids miss you Jack Harlow Release Date: 6 May

Harlow’s rise into hip-hop limelight is nothing short of sensational. The American rapper’s second studio album ‘Come Home The Kids Miss You’, consists of 16 songs, with each producing a unique sound to complement Harlow’s style. Additionally, the album includes decorated artists like Drake, Pharrell Williams and Lil Wayne.

the dsir MAY MUSIC RELEAS Harry’s House Harry Styles Release Date: 20 May

British singer-songwriter Harry Styles is a consistent figure in the pop industry. His music is refreshed with his third studio album ‘Harry’s House’, consisting of 13 songs. Following the success of his 2019 album ‘Fine Line’, and with a worldwide fanbase, we can expect this album to achieve a similar level of success.

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THE ART AN

MARTIN S

15th November, 1967: Who’s That Knocking at My Door is released, his directing debut.

19th January 2003: Won the Golden Globe Award for Best Director (Gangs of New York).

1975: Won the BAFTA Award for the Best Film (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore).

5th March 2006: Won the Oscars for Best Director (The Departed); Nominated for best director (Gangs of New York, The Aviator); Won the Grammy Award for Best Music Film (No Direction Home).

19th September, 1990: Goodfellas is released which is known for pioneering the long track shot. Won the BAFTA Award for the best film, best direction and best adapted screenplay.

13th November, 1991: Cape Fear is released, Scorsese’s first film to gross over $100,000,000.

22nd November, 1995: Casino is released, starring Robert De Niro.

Based on a true story, it is well-known for how realistic it was.

6th October 2006: The Departed is released, boasting a star-studded cast including Mark Wahlberg, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio.

19th February 2010: Shutter Island is released, well known for it’s chilling mystery, often referred to as a psychological thriller.

It is regarded as one of Scorsese’s best movies to date.

25th December 2013: Wolf of Wall Street is released, Scorsese’s highest grossing film to date at a whopping 392 million dollars.

2002: Leonardo DiCaprio and Scorsese work together for the first time, the start of a relationship that continues to be one of the most financially successful collaborations ever.

2022: 2022- Killers of the Flower Moon is set to be released on Apple TV+, featuring Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio.

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ND LIFE OF

SCORSESE

The DSIR Poll

Do you watch Martin Scorsese’s movies?

61% 39%

Yes

No

202 members of the school community were polled.

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Picture Credits: Film Affinity

S VA N I K G A R G

39 ‘One final order of business, then we the peaky blinders rest…’ This iconic dialogue concluded arguably one of the best British TV series, the ‘Peaky Blinders’. Centred around 1920s Birmingham and onwards, the show outlines the life of Tommy Shelby as a ‘peaky blinder’ a family of bookmakers who look to expand their empire and face consequences and obstacles as a result. The first five seasons extended from their minor expansions to the Shelby Company Ltd. which dealt in exports across continents.

The kingpin of the show, Tommy played by Cillian Murphy, defines the plot with breathtaking sequences helping construct an ambiguous effect on the audience as the show traverses through an unstable yet rewarding journey of wealth and respect. The final season is an extension of the show’s aura, with a similar consistent theme through to the end. In short, the season builds on strong foundations and lives up to expectations, making the end a must-watch for any fanatic. With such high expectations with the end and the death of Helen McCrory (Polly) one would expect the show to scamper through, however, Steven Knight has nailed the end, making the entire show worth a watch just for the final chapter.

The season begins, where the last one left off with Tommy disappearing into the fog possibly to kill himself. The cliffhanger we were left on is finally unveiled as Tommy fails to commit suicide, courtesy of the lack of bullets in his gun.

He realises what he is doing is rather irresponsible and errat-

ic which results in a change of perspective within him. Fast forward a couple of years a new Tommy appears, calmer and much more responsible with an envious lifestyle.

The show builds towards the end from thereon, and albeit the lack of ‘Aunt Polly’, the alpha woman, Tommy takes complete control and is the showpiece of the season. Several new characters are introduced to heighten the tension and raise the ambition of the Shelbys, with Tommy facing new challenges as he tries to set up a safe future. The storyline continues however does not build into a tangential direction, but rather focuses on identifying where things for Tommy should end.

Heartbreak is synonymous with the season, as the expected death of aunt Polly stores a series of suffering for the blinders. Tommy and his family take over the social aspect of the storyline with the Peaky Blinders no more together as a whole. As the season is set in the war period, Tommy’s political ambitions take a centre stage which adds to the spice of the season, and the unforgiving colonial political system. Sequences are artistically directed with a seamless transition into a new season given the 3-year gap making it a remarkable piece of cinematography. If you possess an HDR screen, the quality of direction will be visible, enhancing your experience of the story. Steven Knight had to change the script and direction given the lack of a character, however, newer identities are defined throughout the season to efficiently fill the shoes of a show

icon Helen McCoy. At times you will miss the panache of Polly to support Tom, however, her absence lays no effect on the quality of the show.

Heartbreak is synonymous with the season, as the expected death of aunt Polly stores a series of suffering for the blinders.

Netflix is expected to get the show in late June or July for viewing in India, however, BBC one has it available in the UK. TV ratings for the show suggest the audience had a great interest in the show, despite the rather demeriting weekly episode structure, meaning once globally available outside piracy, viewing numbers will be through the roof. For every Blinder fan, this is a sad yet mesmerising end, for anyone looking to watch it for the first time, contrary to the masses, the end to this show is well worth watching the first 5 beautifully crafted seasons.

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Picture Credits: Amazon

Franz

Kafka

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S H O U R YA H A R S H VA R D H A N

‘Kafka’ is a single word that anyone enthusiastic about reading literature can recognize immediately. Known as being one of the most influential writers of the 20th Century, Franz Kafka creates scenarios in his stories that to this day, anyone who has ever had an encounter with any bureaucratic system, whether it be applying for college or filing a police complaint, can relate to.

Franz Kafka was born in Prague in 1883. He attended Altstädter Staatsgymnasium, an elite high school in Germany, and secretly rebelled against the authoritarian rule of the school and its policies, something which is conveyed in his works later in life. Kafka was known by his peers as someone charming, had a good sense of humour and was generally an amiable person. His father, an assimilated Jew, was a figure that he heavily loathed and therefore Kafka tried his best in order to cut all ties with him. In the short story, Das Urteil, Kafka directly references the broken relationship he had had with his father in his life. In 1923, Kafka moved to Berlin

in order to dedicate himself to the art of writing, however only a year later Kafka’s health severely worsened and he eventually died of consumption.

The hallmark of any story Kafka has written is portraying the absurdity and irritating nature of the bureaucratic system. In his short story, The Stoker, a 16-year-old European boy is forced to move to New York in the USA, where he is baffled by the new customs and norms he experiences there. In his last novel The Castle, Mr K. learns that gaining entry into an isolated dominion’s castle isn’t as easy as it seems at first glance, as every time Mr K. attempts to contact Mr Klamm, the castle keeper, he somehow always manages to evade him.

These recurring events in Kafka’s works serve to highlight the wildly complex and confusing nature of local customs all around the world as seen by an outsider, but also give them some slight exaggeration to emphasise these ridiculous systems and give them a nightmarish atmosphere.

This style of writing garnered itself a new name, Kafkaesque as it is the single most distinctive

mark Kafka puts on every single one of his texts.

It describes any scenario that is nightmarish, stressful and alienating to the extreme point where a character’s morale and resolve are eventually crushed and reduced to nothing as they travel through a perplexing bureaucratic system. All of his works have characters often reflecting inwardly, trying their best to find meaning and a sense of self-worth in a new place or situation, yet oftentimes failing to do so.

Kafka never actually wanted his most renowned works to be published.

He told his library executor, Brod, to never release these works to the public, an instruction which he disregarded given that we can read those very texts today. Without them, the world of literature would’ve been significantly different to what it is today, as Kafka’s novels and texts indeed have been fed a lot of appreciation by readers from around the world, and his style of having his works semi-grounded in reality and exaggerated echoes throughout the 20th Century.

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Fight Club Picture Credits: WallpaperFlare

KARAN AGARWA

b

AL

D

avid Fincher’s 1999 film Fight Club’ is a movie that leaves the viewer breathless, confused and positively fuelled with adrenaline, clinging to the edge of their seat as they watch Fincher’s cinematic take on the lesser-known ‘96 novel of the same name.

For those that haven’t seen it, Fight Club is a movie about an unnamed, sleepless employee in a car company that encounters a hypermasculine soap salesman named Tyler Durden.

They then start a back-alley fist-fighting club to make themselves feel more alive.

Eventually, the Fight Club expands, with new members joining until it becomes what can only be described as a “cult” for weak-minded masochists.

To any average male, the movie delivers a great sense of enjoyment, as two hours of fight scenes unfold. It’s easy to fall in love with the violent rhythm of such a movie and immediately start idolising a character like Tyler Durden, someone that embodies the primal instincts that many believe are inside them, yet that is where the movie fails in my opinion. It takes a genuinely creative idea, one that demonstrates the downfalls of anarchism and widespread violence, and dilutes the idea until the bulk of the movie is just fighting. It is only in the last 5 minutes that it appears that the movie is a deterrent, something that is meant to show everything wrong with

43 a Fight Club-esque world.

It almost feels like the ending is forced as if the director has a compulsion to add in an ending that makes the film seem deeper than it is.

“It almost feels like the ending is forced, as if the director has a compulsion to add in an ending that makes the film seem deeper than it is.”

The fact of the matter is that Fight Club rose to popularity for all the wrong reasons.

Viewers go into the movie expecting to see a movie about a fight club, and while Fincher delivers on that front, he fails to develop any real depth in the film and that’s all it becomes - a movie about a fight club. Largely this is caused by his suppression of important themes - like consumerism and existentialism- that add flavour and meaning to a film that is so deeply submerged in barbarity. It’s not a bad movie in the conventional sense, it gained rapid popularity and a high rating, but the broad appeal is because of the audience, not the quality of the work itself. As Tyler Durden himself said “ We’re the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. “ The real talent in the movie lies in the actors, Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. They do such a good job of portraying their characters that it’s easy to forget about the plot itself.

The character development is truly refreshing and fun to watch, and the chemistry between the two makes the entire story feel more authentic. Frankly, the duo save the movie and make it enjoyable to watch. The comedy is unapologetic and well-crafted, and Brad Pitt gives an iconic and memorable performance.

Ultimately, I have mixed feelings about this movie, and understandably so. Part of what makes many movies popular is the era that they were released in, and I do not belong to that era. Yet somehow I still expected this movie to deliver on the deeper and more thematic front, where it ended up failing me. To quote the critic Roger Ebert, “ ‘Fight Club’ is a thrill ride masquerading as a philosophy - the kind of ride where some people puke and others can’t wait to get on again.”

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“T

he Adam Project”, in my opinion, encapsulates the spirit of a classic action-packed sci-fi adventure - combining amazing journeys and valuable concepts into a riveting time-travelling story. It delivers a message to its audience about coming to terms with our past and truly accepting the life we’ve experienced and the decisions we’ve made. The film deals with Adam Reed, played by Ryan Reynolds, a fighter pilot from the future who doesn’t particularly lead a happy and successful life. He steals a time machine in order to jump back in time and warn his dad about inventing time travel, only to overshoot and end up further in the past than he intended.

The film takes on new meaning when he meets his younger self, an aerospace nerd abused frequently at school. The chemistry between the two Adams is almost flawless. Their conversations give the film a humorous side as future Adam rediscovers what a fool he used to be. Younger Adam helps Future Adam get back on track and save the lady he loves. The movie takes time to build up. The use of special effects and action scenes which intensify after the unexpected reunion of Adam and his wife, Laura who had disappeared makes each event seem to be inescapable and keeps the audience’s attention glued to the screen.

You can also feel the great synergy between the actors and the director with Shawn Levy drawing out strong performances from his incredible cast. Ryan Reynolds is in top form as Adult Adam and while Reynolds plays his typical sarcastic character for laughs, he squares it out with a thoughtful, more controlled performance that reveals the actual story. With a fantastic debut performance, Walker Scobel matches Reynold’s spirit pound for pound. However, what uplifts the quality of the film for me is its amazing supporting

actors. Jennifer Garner does brilliantly as Adam’s mother with a deep mine of sympathy, and Mark Ruffalo who is no stranger to adventure sci-fi plays the role of Adams’ workaholic father. I admire how Levy tries to blend classic retro features while still providing a modern sensibility and a futuristic vibe to the film- like a modern approach to an 80s or 90s sci-fi family film. It’s perhaps to be anticipated from a filmmaker who has produced shows like “Stranger Things” and “Free man.”

What I enjoy about this film most are the heartbreaking but excellent representations of loss and the essential human need for a little more control over the endless march forward.

What I enjoy about this film most are the heartbreaking but excellent representations of loss and the essential human need for a little more control over the endless march forward. It feels like a meaningful, hilarious mixture of all of my childhood movies.

It’s packed with fight scenes that defy gravity and even has some touching emotional moments. It’s so beautifully executed, that this film hits on a level that Hollywood has been striving to return to for years. However, the thing that’s particularly disheartening for me is that there was clearly a better film in there someplace, but poor action scenes overshadow the film’s more effective elements.

This film is perfect if you are searching for something that is entertaining, heartwarming, and filled with action.

All in all, I feel this film is a onetime watch sci-fi adventure that enthusiasts and casual spectators will genuinely enjoy. It’s an effort to hook us with nostalgia and reminds us that time is elusive and unrepeatable. It’s mind-blowing how the film manages to contain a lot of indecipherable plot twists and mind scramblers in less than two hours. The excellent script, special effects, and phenomenal cast make the movie enthralling and unforgettable. Undoubtedly, “The Adam Project” is an epic adventure you have to experience.

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KRISHIV JAISWAL

Picture Credits: IMDb

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I

A

V I N E S H U N I YA L

n movies, bullies are usu stereotypical characters morally elevate the m characters, most often use either a comedy shtick o antagonist with absolutely personality. Yet what if a b being physically and psy logically tormented as an termath of committing horr deeds, seeks to make ame with the victim. Could we a audience empathise with bully and give him a chance forgiveness or redemption?

Tackling these perspectives Japanese animated film ad ed from a manga series of same name, A Silent Voice.

Silent Voice

It revolves around Shoya Ish a teenager who suffers from cial anxiety and self-loat due to his past heinous acti He decides that before c mitting suicide, he should m amends with a deaf girl, Sh Nishimiya, who he, along his friends, mercilessly bu during primary school w eventually caused her to tr fer to another school.

To make amends, he nerv ly asks for her friendship starts a journey of making friends and reconnecting former friends, soon bloss ing to compelling plot act and arcs as he slowly reg the ability to connect with ers and forgive himself.

What makes this movie un is its transparent portrayal o horrendous actions Shoya his friends committed aga Shoko. And, in an ironic t the one pinned for all the b ing is Shoya, which causes to be isolated and alienate others as his classmates, f ing morally justified, bully

ually who main ed as or an y no bully, ychon afrible ends as an the e for ? s is a daptf the .

hida, m sothing ions. commake hoko gside ullied which rans-

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47 while he accepts it as a form of karma. And though it should feel satisfying, it just doesn’t, because Shoya is not evil, rather he’s a flawed and damaged person, and the label stamped on him by society prevents him from becoming a better individual in the first place. It feels rather uncomfortable as we see him morph into a character who views himself as someone without any redeemable qualities, as someone who thinks that he deserves awful treatment.

“Creating parallels between the bully and the victim, in how both characters burden themselves, pulls the audience to view these characters grow and become better versions of themselves. “

Shoya feels unwanted, judged, uncomfortable in his skin,and feels that everything he does makes things worse. His absorption of hatred towards him makes him socially stunted to the point where he sees an X on faces which I thought was a wonderful touch of filmmaking.

It was a refreshing take on social anxiety, with the camerawork portraying Shoya’s perspective by magnifying on the feet or different objects. I particularly love that when Shoya strikes a friendship with someone, the X falls off, underlining that he has made a connection.

Shoya’s efforts to become a better human being make the viewer sympathise with him.

Shoko, the victim, is beautifully constructed in her arc where she condemns herself for Shoya’s loneliness and pain.

Even with the unjustifiable cruelty she received, what particularly struck me was how she always blamed herself as the root cause highlighting a particular facet of her character- the element of blame. She blames herself for every tiny thing regardless whether it was in her control, as we notice her constantly apologising throughout the film. It feels like a commentary on how society views her as a burden due to her disability; furthermore, it talks about how having a disability is often seen as shameful in society.

Creating parallels between the bully and the victim, in how both characters burden themselves, pulls the audience to view these characters grow and become better versions of themselves. The movie presents flawed characters trying to become better, exhibiting how easily it is to be judged due to your past misgivings. However, the journey to repentance and dealing with these mistakes ultimately defines who we are. At its core, A Silent Voice is about forgiveness, that there is more to people than past mistakes.

Another brilliant filmmaking touch was the use of sound and language, twisting the use of language outside normal conventionality. Shoya learned sign language and communicated with Shoko but, this was only one form of him understanding Shoko. Slowly, as

the movie progressed, Shoya could understand Shoko more.

In the end, Shoya understood Shoko in every way he failed to during his childhood- Hand movement, writing, expression, vibration and touch. The movie uses nuanced ways to portray the multitudinous facets of sound, creating a sense of tangibility to a rather abstract concept, highlighting that communication goes far beyond what we say.

The characters, regardless of their anxieties and insecurities, need help from others showcasing humans as imperfect and giving a brief overview of why we might be selfish or violent, at the same time, have the ability to be good.

Representation of the importance of empathy in a story that contains a raw but delicate description of the joyful and cruellest moments a person can go through whilst showcasing the cathartic feeling of someone understanding you makes this movie a beautiful and emotional one to watch.

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THE

OSCARS Best Picture CODA

Best Actor Will Smith

Best Actress Jessica Chastain

Best Director Jane Campion

Best Original Score Dune

Best Animated Feature Encanto

Best Original Screenplay Belfast

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E d i t o r- i n - C h i e f Gurmehar Singh Bedi

Editor

Shreyan Mittal

Chief of Design Rohan Taneja

Associate Editors Karan Agarwal Sai Arjun Siddhant Srivastava Yash Adalti

Senior Correspondents Arjun Prakash Sriyash Tantia Vir Mehta Vivaan Sood

Junior Correspondents Krishiv Jaiswal Pragyan Goel

Faculty Advisor Ms. Malvika Kala Mr. Dwayne Dcosta