YOU GIVE OUT TOO FEW STARS..!

“You give out too few stars while critically reviewing Dhivehi Films on ‘Filmy Udharess’, is the best criticism aimed at me since I started appearing on MNBC One. I totally agree with this comment by some of my professional colleagues in the critical circle, apart from the Film Industry.

If I totally agree with that then why I give few stars is the big question. Accepting this comment fully means I wanted to correct myself in relation to self reflection. I also accepted this comment (be it positive/negative) because I am a die-hard lover of films, in general. Nevertheless, there is a genuine egoistic vigor that runs in my blood that says, “Mustho.., hit the bull’s eye every time you review our films.” My curiosity in studying the psychology of films, its making and its impact on audience is purely a passionate venture.

Ladies and gentlemen!…No need to have worries…Keep on doing the good work..!

I love movies of any kind, culture or language, be it good or bad, whether they are being measured by any relative standard of human experience. Even I love the ‘bad movies’ in the eyes of many critics because of the so-called ‘badness’. They teach you a lot like those that won Oscars. All these terms are very relative in the best sense of Einstein.

When I started reviewing the movies on an invitation from MNBC One, I looked for my best professor’s maxims, theories I have learned and experimented and even what other experts have said about reviewing and criticism- what they said about this and that. My learning is a long journey and it is still continuing, despite I have a qualification of this and that or whatever achievement I have earned which is purely just another ‘hindsight’ for me.

Why I am critical of most of our movies is because I am an idealist when it comes to movies. This idealism is what I wanted to see as the goal we should reach in making films and my objective of criticism is to look rationally how we could reach that in the creative process of film making. It does not matter whatever contradiction you may find in this statement.

My rating in terms of a star or rather 0-5 point scale is based on this belief of mine. It is partly based on expert opinions that justify a movie's worthiness of watching, by seeing how much a movie maker has given justice to film genre, the creative process and what they promise to deliver on, for the audience.

If a movie is lacking in these aspects during my scrutiny, I will give a low rating…!

I also agree with the claim by some that the Maldivian Film Industry is in its infancy, at present. To substantiate this point they keep on saying like a crying baby that, ‘Mustho..! Come on..! Have a heart to them..They cannot reach to the level of Hollywood..Your rating is very biased’. These are genuine human emotions I understand quite well. But for me, these emotions are excuses of laziness and not willing to come out of one’s comfort zone. The irony is we have done everything that the Bollywood has done so far, while we refuse to seek other avenues.

However, in reflection to these views I find something interesting in the word 'biased'. Yes, some could say, from Loodhifa to Hithey Dheymee, my reviews and criticism were harsh and ratings too low. So what to do then..? Do I need to increase my rating a little bit in saving the Industry’s dying business and prompting the creative process of our artists?

If my criticism ruins your business and my doing otherwise helps to do a good sale then let’s be little humble. From my next target- Zahar onwards I will raise the lever, but if so I have to give a higher rating to the previous movies I have rated. Then, Loodhifa will earn a 4 star, Saza- 3 star, Hafaraiy- 1, Hithey Dheymee- 1 and Zahar 2.5 star.

But in future no further changes… Ladies and Gentlemen!

This is because I am simply in love with movies. No regrets. CHEERS.

A carnal desire

Yes, you were lost in a world of your own,
Sitting close by I watched every nuance of yours.

Those delicate fingers cleared the streak of hairs
that half-eclipsed your lustrous face from a fair glimpse.
The blink of the eyelids, a rush of redness at the tip of nose,
followed by a blush on the cheek, and down there,
a final tightening of the tender lips.

That ethereal wave induced a contagious zephyr around,
It was a moment of adrenal rush within me.
My vision sharpened, tongue dampened,
followed by a deep impulse within, that held my breath.

I envy, the dark mascara of those eyelids
that devoid those hazel eyes,
from the sight of their desired gaze.
The shudders no longer seem to capture my sight.

I envy, the light pin on the ridge of your nose
that absorbs the heated pulse of its smell,
before it senses its most sensuous aura around,
The sniffer no longer seems to sniff its elixir of life.

I envy the rosy foundation on your cheek,
that hides all genuine blushes that reign on them,
as they are true signs for the inducer of their smile.
The mirror no longer seems to mimic the dimple it desires.

I envy the pink gloss that shines on your lips,
that drains the warmth and wetness of them,
before their adored lustful kiss gives them moisture.
The flower no longer seems to bloom for its butterfly.

Alas, deep within me I m aware of the neglect,
they are the triggered disguise caused by a presence,
A presence that arouse you and speaks the language,
A presence that induced the ethereal wave,
A presence that then ignites us into the carnal desire.

Colours of Tears

Colours of Tears

Whenever you come to my decaying mind,

A twinkle reigns on my dull and dead cheek,

And awash all sorrows that prevailed

On mine, hardly making my future to be bleak.

Whenever mine provoked by your tears,

Those fall profoundly on your rosy cheek,

Let me shed your humble and sweet tears,

Before they fall on you, being a lively meek.

Though, real tears are those bitter and sharp tears,

Tears are sweet to those, who taste ‘pink and blue’ tears.

But, when tears make those faces blue, in the pink cheek,

Those ‘blue tears’ tear many apart revealing the weak.

Many a times, the unshed tears heal the 'blues' of the insane.

Rarely, true tears make hearts a slave, but more humane.

-written on 09^th August 2006.

THE FIVE RACES

In a poem,'Works and Days', Hesiod speaks of five races of man. The first was the Golden race who lived at the time of Cronus. They were like gods, living free from misery,pain and strife. Ageless but not immortal, they died easily in their sleep, after which they became pure spirits, inhabiting the upper levels, and able to protect men.
After them came a feebler Silver race who were childish and failed to honour the gods. These, too, passed away, but became the blessed spirits of the Underworld. Next came the Bronze race, made from ash trees. They were fearsome and strong, wearing bronze armour, living in bronze houses and using bronze implements. But they were so bellicose that they ended up killing each other, whereupon they descended wholesale into Hades.
After this came the Hero race. These were demi-gods and included all the great Greek heroes.Some died normally, but others like Heracles, were taken to the islands of the Blessed, which were ruled by Cronus. The last race of men was the present 'Iron'one.This was the most pitious race,but at least it could call on the heroes and the beneficent spirits of the upper and lower regions.
Hesiod, however, was not a creative artist like Homer,but an organizer. His work in collecting and systematizing the myths is invaluable, but some of the accounts contradict each other and in some places, too, he indulges in some personal-sounding homilies...