The eternal V for Vendetta

Remember, remember the 5^th of November, the gunpowder, treason and plot. I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.

On the 5^th of November 1605, Guy Fawkes and numerous others planned to blow up the houses of English Parliament. He was put in charge of the explosives, however he was caught and the ‘gunpowder plot’ came to be known as the ‘failed gunpowder plot’. Despite this Guy Fawkes is sometimes referred to as the ‘last man who entered parliament with honest intentions’ and this is the idea that can change the world after hundreds of years; the idea of freedom.

Artists use lies to tell the truth while politicians use them to cover the truth up.

We are told to remember the idea, not the man, because a man can fail. He can be caught; he can be killed and forgotten. But four hundred years later an idea can still change the world.

And this is what ‘V for Vendetta’ stands for; an idea. The only thing that makes this movie eternal is the idea. While vendetta actually means a feud or getting equal or revenge or vengeance, which basically sums up the movie, the though left on our minds is freedom. How this futuristic world of the movie applies to every single one of us and every single nation out there is what makes this movie eternal. The movie released in 2006 and I watched it in 2014 and it is set around 2020, yet this movie is relatable to all till the end of time for as long as mankind exists, so will the struggle for power. 

The people should not be afraid of their governments. The governments should be afraid of their people.

‘V’ blew up parliament on the 5^th of November. He blew up a symbol of despotic power in front of thousands, giving them hope and power to fight for a better future. He made them believe it was possible to live without fear as he took his last breath. His vendetta was against a few but he made it to be against power, against rules, against fear and against hopelessness. He blew up a symbol of despotic power and gave thousands the idea of freedom and revolution. This idea was and is eternal.

A building is a symbol, as is the act of destroying it. Symbols are given power by people. Alone, a symbol is meaningless, but with enough people, blowing up a building can change the world.

This movie is inspiring yet deeply saddening. While it gives hope and power back to humanity, it makes you question if humanity even exists? But it is breathtaking to see a man who lost everything to retain a part of his humanity, even if it resides in his vendetta mixed with bloodshed, it is breathtaking to watch a man who has lost everything to hold on to hope. And there you have the answer; yes humanity does exist for a man who has lost everything fights so that no other loses the most important parts fo their souls; their integrity and their hope. So in the end, this is not the story of a man who had a vendetta rather a story of hope; hope which lies in ideas, hope which is bulletproof.

Beneath this mask there isn’t just flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea and ideas are bulletproof.

Here, I want to leave you with idea of fighting for what you want and believe in. What you do with it is up to you…

credits for persuading me to watch- Vivaan :')

SHERLOCK Season3; careful Sherlock your humanity is showing

Sherlock season 3 is one of two things: either a complete disaster or a pinnacle in Sherlock’s emotional history. 

Some people might find it to be a disaster because instead of focusing on the iconic ‘Sherlock Holmes’ ;his continuous battle to find the answer, solve the puzzle, prove himself right, test his intelligence and be a genius, it focuses on the relationships between Sherlock Holmes, John Watson and Mary Morstan. Some might fall in love with it because it grounds Sherlock in the real world with real feelings and relationships. This season shows the human side of the otherwise extraordinarily intelligent, emotionally unavailable and inhumane Sherlock Holmes. 

THE EMPTY HEARSE

In Season 3 Episode 1; “the empty hearse”, the terrorist attack takes a back seat in contrast to the revival of Sherlock and John’s relationship and becomes important only when John’s life is put in danger. 

 Looking beyond the mystery this episode gives Sherlock Holmes an unconventional depth. After 2 years in exile, away from the people he cared about, he finally realized their worth and stopped taking them for granted. He missed John, Mrs Hudson, Lestrade, Mycroft, Molly, Baker Street and London. The way he tries to surprise John, the way he says sorry and expects everything to be okay and the way he imagines John commenting even when he wasn’t there shows the emotional innocence of Sherlock for he never really grew up in that sense and the precise reason why he needed these people in his life. They were his moral compass and without them he was incomplete. He missed his life. He missed, as John put it, being Sherlock Holmes. This realization after 2 years of parting defines the rest of his actions and the rest of the season. But Sherlock is still Sherlock because he makes John forgive him at bomb point(I feel for the poor guy).

THE SIGNS OF THREE

Season 3 Episode 2; “the signs of three” focuses primarily on John and Mary’s wedding and how it affects Sherlock. Yes there is an attempt to fit in a good mystery in and around the wedding but the fact remains that that mystery takes the backseat and is made to adjust according to the wedding making it unlikely, less believable and lacking of the extraordinary feeling of a Sherlock mystery. 

However, in connection to the first episode, Sherlock’s actions are now driven by the realization of how important John is as his moral compass and as a part of his life. For him writing the best man’s speech is the matter of life and death now! That is how much John Watson means to Sherlock. As far as the mystery goes, while is it adjusted around the wedding, the direction is pretty clever and keeps the episode interesting till the end. This episode again gives Sherlock further depth in terms of human emotions for he now faces emotions like fear, nervousness, insecurity, loneliness etc. At the end, when he declares the signs of three i.e. a kid, he refers to himself as a kid showing that he feels like one too as he is now facing a whole new way of life and is overwhelmed as he is finally letting emotions take over.

THE LAST VOW

 

Season 3 Episode 3; “the last vow” lacks of a mystery completely! While Charles Augustus Magnussen could have been a great villain, he isn’t written well enough. Firstly, Sherlock makes mind palaces believable but Magnussen’s mind palace is just infinite and unbelievable. Secondly, the only bad thing that Magnussen does throughout the episode is blackmail Lady Smallwood and showcase extreme authority and arrogance. Thus, in contrast to the classist villain ever, Jim Moriarty, Magnussen just fails to meet the expectations or mesmerize or impress. Thirdly, Magnussen outsmarts Sherlock and instead of using his intelligence Sherlock shoots Mangnussen in the head, indirectly accepting his defeat and the fact that Magnussen was smarter than Sherlock. Wait a minute, how can the same Sherlock who almost took a pill that could kill him for the sole purpose of proving that he is right, kill someone who outsmarts him? Lastly, the worst thing Magnussen did was put John in a bonfire but he never really meant to kill him, all he ever did was threaten. Shelock, on the other hand, KILLS him! Who is the real villain again? Honestly, I don’t know how someone who was so impressed by Magnussen, despite the fact that he peed in his living room, kill him in the end in a fit of rage? What changed? What made Sherlock hate Magnussen so much? This only Steven Moffat and God know… Now let’s come to Mary Morstan, in the empty hearse Sherlock read Mary and deduced a million things about her and in the last vow all those things turn out to be lies! Again proving that Sherlock was wrong, since when did that start happening? 

 While this episode lacks a mystery, it is full of twists and turns which will keep you holding your breathe right till the very end. This episode again adds a layer to Sherlock emotionally. It shows that Sherlock does everything to the extreme. If he is to be intelligent he will go all the way to being the most intelligent man alive, he would probably die trying to have the last word, similarly if he is to love and protect John and Mary he will go all the way, he would even disregard his intelligence and kill to protect those dear to him. By killing Magnussen, he upholds his only vow of being there for John and Mary and protecting them as he says after killing Magnussen that now Mary will be safe. Didn't you all tear up at this? However through all this we still see Sherlock's emotional immaturity which keeps him true to the Sherlock of Season 1 and 2. This episode shows that Sherlock is finally facing his fears like the loss of his dog Redbeard and  maturing emotionally. While Sherlock's humanity is showing, his curiosity for knowledge is still burning as he deceives Janine to get to Magnussen. So breathe people, Sherlock isn't dying, he is just growing up.

This season of Sherlock focuses on human error, love and comic relief. In my opinion, this season of Sherlock is a disaster on the surface but if you look a layer deeper, it is still beauty. This season of Sherlock might have a lot of flaws but it is perfect on so many levels. 

Lastly, no matter how absurd it is that Moriarty is coming back from the dead, he is the best and the classiest villain ever and I would die to see him again. Looking forward to season 4. 

The Normal Heart

"Men do not naturally not love, they learn not to." - The Normal Heart 

 The normal heart, the normal human heart, is held accountable for emotions, actions and most importantly humanity. This is exactly what the movie appeals to. It appeals to the humanity of humans, it evokes sadness, anger and pain and most importantly urges people to do something, to fight and make a difference. Who would have known that Larry Kramer would give this simple term ‘normal heart’ a meaning that has been and will continue to move souls for generations and generations?

The play, originally written by Larry Kramer, was recently turned into a television film by Ryan Murphy. ‘The normal heart’ is based on Larry Kramer’s firsthand account of the 1980’s AIDS epidemic. It tells the tragic story of how an entire generation of young men was wiped out and the government didn’t even care. The movie while sending out a beautiful message and telling the tale of a tragic past showcases stunning performances by Mark Ruffalo, Taylor kitsch, Jim Parson, Matt Bomer and Julia Roberts.

The normal heart is an emotionally overpowering and heartbreaking movie which will leave you in tears feeling sad and enraged at the same time. However the movie is not ‘too much’ as this movie is supposed to break your heart, tear up your eyes and make you think and it serves this purpose beautifully! This movie has summed up 3-4 years worth of fighting and dying in a 2 hour movie and thus leaves you feeling overwhelmed with emotions. 

How can we tell someone who to love? How can we tell someone not to love? How can we deny someone the right to live? 

This movie is overwhelming because it shows the life of those who are actually asked not to love and not to live. Imagine if it were you! This movie will help you put yourself in their shoes and feel their pain. This movie is the first step towards acceptance and towards change. Thus everyone should watch this movie. This movie is the first step towards a future worth living for all humans alike.