Burton blows you over...

Ahem... It was a long time back, when I picked up Roald Dahl's 'Will Wonka And the Chocolate Factory'. It was a childish fetish for chocolates and the exciting flavours and forms of chocolate portrayed in that book, which made me ponder for days about owning a chocolate factory, or at least, enter one. Hollywood chipped in to materialize my blurred imaginary visions, by changing words in Dahl's masterpiece into a feature film... 'Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory', made in the year 1971, showed me the world of Willy Wonka, whom I held as my superhero for a week after reading the novel in 6th grade... Ah! It was pleasant to watch it. An experience, in short. A well made film, in toto...

Come 2006, One of finest film directors in the history of Hollywood, teamed up with one of the most convincing actors ever. Out rolled Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, a film, both colourful and dark in parts.

Tim Burton, has been an amazing storyteller. Evident in his 'Nightmare Before Christmas' and 'Sweeney Todd'. Burton brings about narration in a child-like fairytale manner. Something, which many directors have failed miserably at. Most of em, get engulfed in technology, (no offence, Mr.Michael Bay!), losing sight of their primary goal of delivering a well told story. But Burton, has been a pioneer to those who depend on the storyline for their films.

Johnny Depp,A class apart in every aspect. 'Blow', Whats Eating Gilbert Grape, POTC, Secret Window, Donnie Brasco. The actor has been one of the finest ever since Orson Wells, Marlon Brando and Al Pacino... His ability to pull of a comedy , or the hideous Jack the Ripper (From Hell), has been his strength. The portrayal of the character of Willy Wonka by Depp, was simply mesmerising and fantastic. The dark and lgood sides of Wonka, aptly explained in the novel ,were brought to life by Depp...

And the Oompa Loompas, their peppy songs, the ever colourful Chocolate Factory (not to forget the choco waterfall which churns the chocolate!), were enhanced from its '71 version... Everything, was so positive and nice about the film.

Oh! I almost forgot. The movie literally revived my fetish for chocolates. It's a magical feeling to see films, so well told. It takes you back to the days your grandma, rested you on her lap , patting you gently, and narrated you a nice story, to put you to the soundest of your sleep! Burton... Hats off to you!

Eek! Its the Exam Monster...

Ha Ha He He Ho Ah Aha.... And I thought pain was something external... It has been always the 'round-the-corner' phenomenon and will remain to be so for many more decades to come.

Exams... Something which grips you hard for a week and lets go, generally low in morale and squeezed out physically as well, once its done. So, when my friends and I started pondering over a feeling which looms over a student once the exams are done, we were caught up in a trap where we posed multiple questions, only void of answers.

What exactly goes through the mind of the Student, once its over? He wants to freak out, maybe go to the top of a tall tower and shout his lungs out... But, no, its exactly the contrary in practice. One tends to be dull and totaled once its over. Its not something I infer at the fit of the moment, it has happened 'n' number of times by now...

But Why? Well, just look back and you might find an answer close to convincing... It is an accepted fact, that one does most (if not, all) his preparation a couple of days prior to the exam. This stands undisputed (Beep! Nerd Alert!), apart from the bookwormish nerds who do it on a daily basis. Now, for the average student, who banks a lot on burning the midnight oil prior to the exam day, it's like the myth of David vs. Goliath, and every student sincerely wishes if he could have the slingshot to fame, by cracking the exams in full swing...

Now, the student faces a helluva lot of pressure those 5-6 nights, prior to the examinations. One might argue, its more ideal to split 'em up and knock 'em down on a daily basis. But as I said, It wont happen, because, Studies, as such is not a pleasant thing, to many of us. When the Student faces the Exam Monster, all he has as his weapons (or atleast, hopes he does), is his memory to retain what he studies, and the meek hope that what he omitted from his course material , would not find its way into the paper next day.

A lot of speculations, a lot of sweat (er... for those 6 days). Relationships made for class notes. Friendships broken for some peaceful time, to make up what one lost in the entire semester. A lot goes into it, and ultimately, its over, after quite some pain and pressure (worser than a woman delivering a child!!! :D)

What we see from the above 'act' of preparation on road to the examinations, is the slow and steady growth of the Exam Monster with every passing day, spent in gossips and fun... And ultimately, when you just thought, you had defeated the Exam Monster, on succesful termination of its weapons (the question papers)... Just when you thought you had made it through, you find, you lost more than what you won (this is strictly in relation to 11th hour persons like me!).

So, what is the solution to break this complexity? Its Simple! Study every day! God damn! Parents were right... So were our teachers...