The Wire: Season One

The Wire

TS Eliot said, "Humankind cannot bear very much reality." The reason why The Wire fails to make it to the popular crowd is not the lack of exciting drama or your/my kind of comedy; rather it is like facing a mirror that magnifies the blemishes and scars and makes you feel that not only your exterior but your insides are rotten and mangy as well.

The story of The Wire becomes complex as it progresses. Never too boring and never too fantastic, the realism is always taut and tight. Set in Baltimore, Dominic West plays officer McNulty who has issues with authority but is devoted to getting the criminal behind bars. His passionate enthusiasm and dedication brings all around him to be infused by the same spirit, with some complicated compromises and challenges.

The best way to enjoy The Wire is to open your ears and your eyes and immerse yourself in the nervous laughter, hasty revelations, the continuous conspiracies, constant fear and the cautious excitement. The best way is to let yourself be swept away in this small and dirty puddle.

Rating: 4.5/5

Strengths: Good storyline, gripping drama with frequent doses of humor, strong characters.

Weakness: The first time I saw episode one I hated being put in the situation of media res. But the second viewing was much more pleasurable.

Could have: I don't know. Set it in India perhaps.

Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince



Being an avid reader of the Harry Potter series, I always dread watching the movie version. The movie squeezes out all the juicer parts of the book, magnifies them and leaves out the essence of the book.

This time it was no different.

David Yates' rendition of the HBP book was as he described, "sex, potions and rock and roll.' The first scene of the movie opens with Daniel Radcliffe being charmed by a waitress in a coffee shop. This turned out to be one of the deviations that Yates added to the movie (Others being the burning of the Burrow and the famous Harry-Ginny kiss, among others). But as the movie picked up pace, these incidents seem to harm less.

I consider HBP to be the best Harry Potter movie till date. With skillful artwork and effects, Yates shows the grim colours of the magical world that collide with the muggle world. The balance is always maintained between fluttering heart and the threatening evil. Daniel Radcliffe has shown tremendous progress as Harry; gone are the days of Prisoner of Azkaban where his acting would make one cringe a bit (at some spots). In HBP, he shines as Harry and the jewel in the crown is the scene where he gobbles up the Liquid Luck and acts all barmy!

The supporting cast has done well too. Emma Watson and Rupert Grint portray the awkward couple with ease. Bonnie Wright, who plays Ginny, was in a way thrust towards us, along with the romance she evokes; but that should be alright for the book fans. Tom Felton is a revelation as Draco Malfoy, the prodigal son with a task-at-hand and weariness-at-heart.

The Potter saga has just reached its climax in the film. The next two films are, according to me, the real test of metal. This movie/book, although packs a punch and reveals some shocking details, leaves us hankering for more fights, romances and the final culmination.

Rating: 4/5
Strengths: Improved acting, CGI effects, exceptionally funny (than the other five)
Weakness: Loose storyline, assumption that everyone in the audience has read the books.
Could have: Added depth to some scenes, added a few more minutes (that's always a complaint!)