Commented on own review
Feb 22, 2004 09:34 AM
I hope that means we part (for now! :) ) as friends. Maybe I will lock horns with you at another time, in another place, on another topic!! It has been interesting, this.
Commented on own review
Feb 22, 2004 09:34 AM
I think again you have misconstrued the essence of what I was saying. The apple/oranges analogy was just that, an ANALOGY to show how certain things (music included) are more about personal preference than others. I guess you did not understand that otherwise you would have seen it as an analogy and... not an isolated discussion.
You have not understood that many points in my argument were leading to a result and not meant to be taken in isolation. I think most ppl would¡¦ve understood that but maybe I am mistaken. In any case we have some fundamental differences in opinion like you believing that ONE review ¡§Just a single music review on a film would give a decent idea about the musical acumen or the lack of it¡¨ and I seriously believing that it cannot.
But it is not worth bickering over small things again so it is nice that you are amiable at least. Just one point, the so called ill-feelings were not against you alone.. like I said 'Of course, what else can be expected of a supposedly self-proclaimed pseudo-reviewer for whom music has got nothing to do with melody but only has to do with the high-pitched, nerve-wracking stuff.¡¨ Doesn't look very objective to me and anyone would say you were the one harbouring ill-will agt me and not the other way around.
Incidentally I was upset that you deemed me ¡§unsuitable¡¨ to have an opinion on music because you felt I wasn¡¦t as ¡§musically enlightened¡¨ as others. I wasn¡¦t upset because you had a differing opinion. If you think that, you need to read my comments again. I think personal attacks are sufficient cause for refutation and that¡¦s what I have done.
But hey, at least you realized (maybe as a result of this or maybe you already did) that ¡¥anyone including me can commit mistakes in offering opinions and the same holds good for you also¡¦. I hope that means we part (for Read More
Commented on own review
Feb 13, 2004 02:44 PM
Ok, for all others, I understand this is getting tiresome... so here it is.
I did not think much of the musical aspect of this film. If you have a different opinion, hey good for you, I am not going to convince you that the music is 'bad' you have your own reasons for believing that it is top-not...ch and I understand and respect that as a fellow reviewer. Moreover, I feel happy that there are so many different insights to this one topic and also for the fact that,save for a few, most reviewers are non-condescending, tolerant and striving to make mouthshut.com a really indispensable wealth of information, objective or otherwise. :)Read More
Commented on own review
Feb 13, 2004 02:35 PM
Can you give me a very objective, logical review on life?
As for “Rating “Virumaandi “ soundtrack as fair, by itself shows your musical acumen / insight.” How convenient it is that you believe that one review on one film has outlined my entire preference on such a vast su...bject as music. Tell me, since you know so much about my musical acumen/insight. What *IS* my opinion, oh sorry, review, on ‘Strawberry Fields’ by the Beatles? Tell me, whom do I like better, john Lennon or Paul McCartney, Simon or Garfunkel, reggae or hip-hop, punk or classical? Do I think that the Clash were possibly the greatest punk rockers ever or just a lot of hooligans in ripped tees trashing their musical instruments and generally making a lot of noise.
No matter how objective you are in answering those questions, mranalyst_v, there will always be a large segment of people who disagree with you. What a pity then, that these people do not share your objectivity in music. Why don’t you set them straight because I would love to listen to your objective answers.
P.S- For someone of your established calibre and standing in music, I was surprised to find not a single review written by you! This is a totally unrelated train of thought, of course...Read More
Commented on own review
Feb 13, 2004 02:35 PM
I understand that and I try to do so to the best of my ability, and while I encourage constructive criticism it is my opinion that your comments do not constitute constructive criticism. You have resorted to attacking the reviewer rather than the reviewed piece.
Secondly, for someone harping on ...objectivity so much, this doesn’t look too objective to me “Of course, what else can be expected of a supposedly self-proclaimed pseudo-reviewer for whom music has got nothing to do with melody but only has to do with the high-pitched, nerve-wracking stuff.” I think I am not the one with the problem here... you are. Maybe you need to wake up to reality and realize that *gasp* there are other people here with an opinion, and hey, they may be ‘wrong’ in the sense that they differ from you and maybe even the majority, but you are one person out of a billion. If everything was so ‘objective’ why don’t you write a letter to the president telling him why we don’t need democracy and voting since he can instead just outline all the objective qualities of the candidates and elect someone of his own accord since, you believe, that every subject can be objectively viewed and there is no room for difference of opinions.
In a nutshell, I believe that every person who has an opinion, no matter how “wrong” contributes something. When I want to make a decision based on a few reviews I would not want to be lectured on by some people who claim to be the high-priests of music. I would also like to hear the opinion of people on the street who also love music and enjoy music and after reading all the differing reviews come to an informed decision and even THEN, be prepared for something completely different from what I expect… for the simple reason that certain subjects, no matter how much you would like to believe it, cannot be objectified.
Tell me mranalyst_v, what is your take on life? Can you give me a very objeRead More
Commented on own review
Feb 13, 2004 02:34 PM
mranalyst_v, I understand that 'A review is an evaluation, an examination, an appraisal , a critical analysis of the subject' but if all reviews are so objective then there would be no reason to have a consumer's review would there? Going by your theory, all reviews MUST be objective and since the n...ature of the subject cannot vary, only the nature of the reviewer, all reviews must be one and the same thereby eliminating the need for a forum.
Don't you think it is arrogant to assume there is only ONE right answer to everything, ie, YOUR answer?
I believe music and film have a certain ethereal quality which is the reason why people listen to the music not merely to observe all the musical notes falling in place, but to be transported to a different plane altogether on the wings of music. It tugs at the heart and soul of a person, mranalyst_v, not merely his mind.
You cannot ask someone ‘what do you like better, apples or oranges?’ and then reprimand them for differing from your opinion. I think you need to step back and look at the big picture. People usually ask ‘what movies/music do you like?’ because they understand that such things evoke different response from different people and if you can’t handle that…. Well, I don’t know what to say. For someone who is so intolerant of other people’s views, maybe you should just start your own objective website where no one else can penetrate with their unworthy opinions.
Unlike some people, I do not think that it is my life’s objective to go around chastising others for holding an opinion. So while one can be objective in her review of something like ,say, a 12-piece china set, it would be foolish to expect her to be objective toward something whose every ‘likeability’ lies in its indefinable quality.
AS for “People do not just look for X or Y’s preferences in reviews, they look for a decent, objective analysis.” I understRead More
Commented on own review
Feb 06, 2004 07:39 AM
Hi mranalyst,
You are right, Maybe I lack the musical knowledge in the real sense especially what’s needed for appreciating rural music and the melody content which is truly missing currently in tamil cine music nowadays.
But then again, maybe I don't... and I am just one of the millions... of people who base their likes and dislikes on their own preferences and not the national consensus (after all, that's why it's called lavanya's review!) One man's meat is another man's poison :) Just a little food for thought...
Kepp writing y'all, Nice to see so many comments here!
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Commented on own review
Jan 16, 2004 06:09 PM
I can see why the 5 stars are baffling, to be very frank, I would give it a 4.5 but that option is not given to me.
The plot does vary. I mentioned the various half-baked sub-plots as one of the cons of the film.
The love-making scenes were excessive as you pointed out, but like I said, when I... thought about it afterwards... they added another dimension to the character which I cannot pin down in words... I thought naivete and passion came close.
Thanks for your comment. It is appreciated :)Read More
Reviewed Virumandi Movie
Jan 16, 2004 12:14 PM
10540 Views
(Updated Jan 16, 2004 12:15 PM)
I watched this movie at the preview held the day before the release. Even before I got into the theatre, there were drums and dancing and shouting happening outside. I wondered if the movie would live up to its hype. It did.
Virumaandi is a good film, it’s not exceptional, but it’...Read more
Commented on own review
Nov 04, 2003 09:13 AM
Yes, I *was* pissed off at first for your personal attacks on my character because frankly, you have no right to go around making half-baked assumptions and judging people (based on ,of all things, a review of a film! After all, you can’t claim to know fully the character of a person by readin...g an article by him)
However, i did explain in the following comments that THAT was the reason behind my anger and not your argument about the film. But even when I did clearly state what exactly in the film and your comment I did not like, you obviously feel safer dismissing it as “feline hissin and spitting and frothing around ranting and raving viciously”. So, you’re right, a healthy argument with you is not worth it, I might as well throw pearls before a pig.
P.S – Let me draw your attention to the fact that after my initial incensed reply, I have addressed 2 comments to you which have been nothing but civil and been magnanimous enough to let the past bury its dead AND also taken steps to initiate a healthy discussion instead of this childish battle. Your wordings on the other hand range from “if anybody dares to differ,i’m gonna get really hysterical.so shut up and get out” to “feline hissin and spitting. If you’ve got so much time to go frothing around ranting and raving viciously” in their depiction of me. One wonders, who’s the hysterical one now?
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Commented on own review
Oct 15, 2003 07:58 AM
One last thing, we cudve gone thru this in 2 diff ways
1) I write a review
You disagree with my opinion and say so with your reasons
I either agree with ur viewpoint or defend my opinion
This leads to a stimulating and refreshing discussion
2) I write a review
You disagree with it AND ca...ll me a hypocrite
I call you a moron
We resort to name-calling, tempers flare, ppl get hurt
What’s happened has happened, if you’re willing, I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. I am open to any disagreements or diff views u have on the movie or any other topic which you would like to air, provided you stop with the personal attacks… and maybe I’ll try not to sound like a homicidal maniac : )
P.S – A more appropriate title I thought would be uncut, uncensored remarks (changed from review) This entire review/remark piece btw, was provoked by the director’s statement that ppl didn’t like it becuz they couldn’t handle the truth. That was, I felt, wrong to a large extent (I gave examples of what specifically I did not like in the film BESIDES the nudity sexual references etc) AND insulting !!
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Commented on own review
Oct 15, 2003 06:56 AM
I am not hysterical because you thought my review was misleading, yes, you do have every right to differ in your opinion from mine, what irritated me what your statement that I was a hypocrite based on nothing but my review.
As for not leaving the theater, like I said, I was at a special screening... which meant that the audience consisted of people who had worked closely in the film and to walk out in the middle of a preview show that you had been invited to, is at the very least, bad taste.
In any case, do you really think that a person’s wish to sit thru a film till the end despite hating it is hypocritical? Have you never sat thru a bad film just to see if it turns out better in the second half? There are no doubt, countless films that start out slow or unremarkably and then finish up with a big bang.
So just to clear things up, my ‘hysteria’ is based on your personal attack. While I am all for freedom of speech, there exists a fine line between attacking my arguments/opinions and attacking me or my character.
No offense (I am merely stating my opinion when I say) I think it best we close this train of arguments or whatever.
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Commented on own review
Oct 14, 2003 08:04 PM
not those of the collective female population of the engineering college I happen to go to. Btw, WHAT difference DOES is make if they like it or not. Are you telling me that I should start basing my opinions on women who happen to go to the same university as I do?
Btw, no offense taken... ;)
Commented on own review
Oct 14, 2003 08:03 PM
It would have had a better impact if it were a crisper execution. And this attitude of mine is not solely reserved for Tamil films as you may think, I hated Patch Adams for the same reason, Robin Williams for all his antics cud not save that film becuz it was so intent on playing on and manipulating... the feelings on the audience. It tried every trick in the book to get the audience to have a good cry, dish out good money and keep coming back to the theater. Frankly, I didn’t care much for the characters and the long-drawn camera shots and mournful music indicating to the audience “guys, its time to cry now” now made me more irritated. Same with Boys, Good point, bad execution.
As the review clouded with red, failed to see any of these positives, it is to be deemed extremely misleading even though excellent language and scholarly vocabulary may have influenced ppl into agreement.
I see, so now you are speculating as to the mental balance of the ones who agreed with me. Wow, if you were president you’d probably kill everyone who had an opinion differing from yours!!
Hold a sec there, Maybe you should re-assess your attitude. It’s a free country you know, I am so sorry that my personal opinion is not coherent with yours, but my review saw red cuz that’s what I saw in the film. As for your insistence that it’s a GOOD film and anyone saying otherwise is either a hypocrite or led by “excellent language and scholarly vocabulary? How well do you know me or the ones who have agreed with my review to make such a pretentious statement on my moral fiber and their mental capacity?
PS: it could be a gal thing but heard from a reliable source that a batch full of femmes from the Anna univ. loved the film. The uncensored one
Gee wow really? Maybe I shud follow in your footsteps and lambaste them for having an opinion. NOT! Just one point, this review is based on my opinions, not thRead More
Commented on own review
Oct 14, 2003 08:03 PM
went down the drain so I have every right to have an opinion on my movie.
Secondly, my opinion is that the first half of the film was just overly-long and it feels like Shankar has tried to compensate by really cutting short the last part. For the movie with such Excellent songs, I was looking fo...rward to seeing more of their rise to stardom. While I do understand that the director’s vision is differing from mine, I was the one, in the end, who paid to watch this film and I'm the one who has every right to have an opinion on it.
People who had watched the movie without a weight of expectation and/or a highly charged passionate bias will acknowledge the essence of what is meant.
Good for them. I'm not one of those people so sue me.
Bout the lengthy monologues….Ever got bored at any point?
To answer your question, yes yes and YES! It was nothing short of excruciating to come expecting a nice enjoyable teen flick (that WAS how it was projected) and have to sit thru lecture and lecture. Btw, please READ my review before airing your comments becuz I have said clearly that “Had it been executed better, it would no doubt have opened the eyes of the parents in the film as well as the audience”
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Commented on own review
Oct 14, 2003 07:58 PM
gotten R ratings becuz they’ve shown a little nudity (in good taste) while AP3 has a scene where one character farts and then speculates on whether it was agas, liquid or solid mess he made in his pants. You think the theater roars with laughter for such an English film? I walked out halfway t...hru and wrote a scathing review for it.
I do agree that the storyline is no spark …not like a sore thumb as seems to be the suggestion.
Once again, are you going to lambaste me because I have a brain and an opinion that differs from yours? Tell me, how DO you judge whether a movie is good or not? Are you trying to tell me that there can be only ONE answer to that question (viz. yours?).
To a large part, I try to be objective in my reviews but may I point out that I am not reviewing the latest coffee-maker in the market, I'm reviewing a film which is WHY I differ in my opinion from yours. If I were to review a book, after I put the book down I will write my review based on how I FEEL. Not based on the grammatical construction or standard of English etc… while they do figure in my decision on whether the book is on the whole good or bad, the reason why good and bad are such relative terms is because books/movies have the ability to bring out strong emotions in us, which is why, 9times out of 10, we formulate an opinion on the movie based on our feelings of loving it or hating it or somewhere in between. So frankly, I think the movie sucked, you don’t. And you know what, I don’t care much for your opinions becuz *my* review is based on *my* emotional experience while watching the film, not yours.
Anyway how much can u fit into a 3 hr interval? We are not talking bout a hypnotic drowsy mega serial here are we?
No but I have a right to feel cheated when I pay good money to watch a film and realize that I just wasted time and money on such a shabby affair. It’s my 100buck-ticket that went downRead More
Commented on own review
Oct 14, 2003 07:57 PM
I see, so what you are saying here is that any down to earth sensible person is one who shares your exact views on the film. Right… so there is no scope here (in this site meant for REVIEWS, let me stress that once again) for any person to have a differing opinion from you, is there? That woul...d make them unsensible. Hmm,seems to me like YOU’RE the narrow-minded person here not me. I’m not the one personally attacking another human being and calling them names based on their VIEWS which I don’t share.
A la Englishy style. Ruminate a bit, translate the rest and think bout it like on a Yankee hilarious flick and presto, what a laugh…oh my! How I hate the attitude.
Please refer to my review where I said that not ALL English movies which try to make fun of sexual situations are successful. If its either top-notch comedy or a really sensual scene, nudity sex etc are acceptable and in fact, are probably vital to the storyline.
Case in point: for sensuality, look no further than Kate Winslet’s topless scene in titanic. That was beautifully crafted. For comedy: FRIENDS! Which is why we laugh at the sitcom, becuz its funny, becuz the quality of the material surpasses any feelings of discomfort. My mom, dad and bro all watch it with me practically every evening and we are NOT uncomfortable while watching it becuz we’re so busy rolling on the floor in laughter.
Your assumption that we “accept” it because it is English, is not only false and childish, it shows how quick you are to judge others and call them hypocrites before analysis your own narrow-mindedness and eagerness to fit ppl into stereotypes. A little FYI, I have voiced my objections to films like Austin Powers 3 which is an English film, and the reason is becuz that sort of MUCK shouldn’t have got anywhere near a theatre and the real issue I have with that film is the PG-13 rating. COME ON! Excellent and enlightening fims have goRead More
Commented on own review
Oct 14, 2003 07:57 PM
Rambling on as if prevented from leaving the movie hall by an unseen force as reel after bullshit reel grated those poetic nerves, smells strongly of the H word.
H- noun (disapproving) behavior in which subject pretends to have moral standards or opinions that they do not actually have.
I need t...o ask you here, do you know me? Have you actually any idea of what moral standards I have or do not have? I say, isn’t it a little arrogant, to say the least, to base your judgment of me as a hypocrite solely on my review of a film? I mean, who died and made YOU boss? May I also point out to you that mouthshut.com is a CONSUMER REVIEW website, which means that its meant for people to come out with their opinions on objects, movies, music and anything under the sun SO THAT other ppl who want to make a purchase or watch a film etc may get an idea of what they are in for by reading some of the many DIFFERING opinions stated.
What part of that do you not understand? You are basically calling me a hypocrite because I do not share your views on a film? (becuz I cannot see any other basis for your accusation, tell me, how well do you know me to make such a statement?)
Carey notices (ogles is more like it) a mom breast-feeding …Top class sensuality
Sensuality? Give me a break. I was totally grossed out.
Any down to earth sensible person would find only the groping around business and the nude histrionics objectionable. Downright nauseating stuff. The director is strongly condemned on that account.
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Reviewed Boys Movie
Oct 07, 2003 01:56 AM
13515 Views
(Updated Oct 15, 2003 06:58 AM)
''When the truth was depicted without pretense, some scenes were not acceptable to some and are hence removed''
This is the gist of what director Shankar wrote alongside a big ad claiming MUST-WATCH-FOR-THE-WHOLE-FAMILY for his latest venture.
Mr. Shankar's statement is an insult to the co...Read more
Reviewed Fabmart
Jun 26, 2003 11:19 PM
6694 Views
(Updated Jun 26, 2003 11:25 PM)
I have been shopping online for a long long time. Fabmart is no way near the best, and just hovering a little below average standards in my opinion.
The Pros
1.) Good collection of books
2.) Good reputation, you know you won't be swindled
The Cons
1.) They slip up sometimes. This ...Read more
