Avilenasului (2020) - Sinhala Movie

Today's movie lovers in Sri Lanka are in love with movies not because of Sinhala movies nor because they love the theater experience. Most people watch movies at home in TVs, PCs or mobile devices than in a theater. That's why we have to face some specific issues while watching a movie in theater. For example, when you watch a non-Sinhala movie with a subtitle and if you miss a dialogue, there is no way to backward it for a few seconds. And if a particular scene takes too long to process in mind, we miss the progression. Because of these things, watching a movie in a theater is a different experience than watching a movie in any other private way. In a theater, our comprehension and processing ability are tested.

I wanted to tell this because there were many occasions I felt the need to backward the movie few seconds and re-watch. This was not because of a processing issue but because I simply wanted to re-watch the scene. And it's the first time this happened while watching a Sinhala movie. That's because it's frames and camera work was excellent. So, till I watch the movie in the future in another format, I thought of writing down some thoughts about it. Actually, this is not entirely about the movie. Just a few things I felt later about the surroundings of the movie.

I realized that I was not alone in meeting Tarantino and David Lynch in the movie after reading some relevant material about it. The style of the scenes, the use of colors, the music used, the nature of the events and the violence are some features I spotted in Avilenasului. I've seen almost all the Tarantino movies, but only seen a few of Lynch's. I wanted to clarify what I saw in Lynch’s movies so what I read and watched helped me to understand Awilenasului a bit more. I have not properly learned about these things. Therefore, these ideas may not be 100% fundamentally correct.

Lynch is considered a surrealist moviemaker. He talks about an idea that exists outside or inside what is actually seen on screen in his movies. Sometimes he takes the person who watches the movie, into the movie. An improbable event or object constructs events of the movie. Understanding them also depends on the capacity of the person who watches. Lynch presents a series of events rather than a perfectly standardized story. Interpretations can vary according to what each person feels and understands through those events. And I have not heard that Lynch explained any of his movies. He says that he makes a movie in the language of movies. They cannot be understood in any other language. In that sense, he is a director who never gives the audience any chance or forgiveness.

Avilenasului is technically a nearly perfect Sinhala movie. The camera operates at a range never seen before in a Sri Lankan movie. It is a new experience to see such frames. There is certain loneliness behind the colors. It is very rare for a local movie to express itself in colors. Like I said before, there were a number of scenes that I felt I should watch again. Overall the look of the movie is attractive. It's a quality job.

I heard the same quality in the music. ‘Manike mama aye gedara enawa’ is a theme in a way. Anyone can link to the repetitious consent in the song to the movie. The small part of Priyantha Sirikumara among the actors pops up differently from the rest. He should be given more opportunities.

Usually the fantasy of the Sri lankan cultural people is to get married. 'Then' make children, take care of them and spend the cycle of nature. But there is very little cultural talk about the challenges after that 'then' section. It says that problems of the family should keep inside the family. As a result, one is less likely to know about the unpleasant situations and stress that he/ she may face when living together for a long time. People live on the ground and understand the rules can manage this. But I think the chances of that not happening are very high. By now, social media is absorbing some of that family pressure. However, even after being released on social media, one cannot predict the decisions one will make regarding a difficult family situation. Avilenasului kind of ignited that thought inside me.

We Sri Lankans are grown with stories. Stories with a beginning, a middle and an end are the common type of stories we’ve heard. Many people become movie lovers as an extension of the desire to listen to and enjoy stories. Serious movie lovers are constantly on the lookout for different types of movies. Enjoy different flavors along the way. Awilenasului is a film with a different flavor that was developed in Sinhala cinema. If you go for a story behind it, it'll be a mess for you. This is more of a series of events than a story. May be you’ll feel that there are several stories behind it. Or are there two instances of the same story? Or two representations of the same story? A present encounter with the past? Or is it a simple story that includes only what you see and nothing more?

It is up to the person to sort it out. Even if you go to the theater with a group, the movie gives you a personal experience. Yes, all the movies are like that but this is extraordinary.

This is not a movie that suits everyone. But if Sri Lankan cinema is to develop, films like this are needed. That diversity is essential to attract Sri Lankan film fans that enjoy international cinema with a variety.

Soosthi (2020) - Sinhala Movie

I went to the theater in an empty background about the movie without even watching the trailer. All I could remember was that it was a road trip movie starring Dasun Pathirana. Until about fifteen minutes into the movie, I thought Dasun would play a main character. :P

If you take the whole idea I had about the film, I have to say GREAT! If polished a bit more, it would have been REALLY GREAT! Right now, a significant number of people in Sri Lanka are at least internationally familiar with quality movies and teledramas. So you can't fool them. It's something that can be felt by a person who usually watches any type of movies. So that's what I think. It’s a great job. A little more polish would have made it really great. Nevertheless it's great as a movie made in Sri Lanka. Soosthi is not the kind of movie that most people would watch anyway. But further efforts to diversify the tastes of the majority must continue. No need to be stuck in two ‘thousand five hundred’ and ‘five hundred and fifty’. Soosthi is a film that can appeal to traditional audiences as well. So it should be promoted by the non-majority who has tasted it. This effort is for that.

‘Soosthi’ is a film that will not fool the audience who are looking for diversity in cinema. I've seen a lot of Hollywood or European movies like this, but this is different. Because behind this road trip, they were able to catch the current truth in Sri Lanka right now. ‘Susthi’ is a film that punch our face with the nakedness of the society. I love this emerging branch of Sinhala cinema and I wish it to be strong. Because this movie comes from a study of films and society. It doesn't seem to have come out just because there are tools to make films. Such a thing would only come up completely if people watched it in theater.

I knew about Kalana's writings because I had read that he had published a book of poetry. After watching an interview on YouTube, I had the idea that he was a man with a reading about the whereabouts. So there was hope for his writing.

The writing is in a very good place, but I have the impression that it could have been done better. The dialogue that develops within the film is advanced. But behind some dialogues I got caught at one or two places that are not practical. It feels like a glitch in a video. I don’t know if those conversations within the movie could be brought down a bit more. Maybe the extension of their discussions about this film will come out in the next production as well.

Much of what was said above is negligible due to the performances of Kalana and Samanali. I have never seen a Samanali act before and I have not even watched Kalanas Koombio teledrama in its entirety. I think Samanali's acting is wonderful throughout the film. Kalana's dialogue delivery is probably very natural maybe because he wrote it himself. Both of them understand the character and realized they are in the scene.

On the other hand, I don't think characters of parents need in this. Those few scenes break the flow and the fact that they didn't exist doesn't bother the theme of the story. Perhaps Kushan and Kalana wanted to put an unreadable angle behind the film during the discussions between the two lead actors.

The vibe is great with the music and the lyrics. Camera operation is a next level job. There were several scenes that were filmed for quite a time in a single shot. I had never seen Sinhala films with such work before. The dialogue behind those long scenes means that the group has taken the work seriously.

I think the current social change in our country (and perhaps in the world) is due to the disruption of education. There are many people who do not know words like patience and discipline. They do not understand how to look at a problem from different angles, and do not understand how to work with mutual respect. It was not an instantaneous thing. With the change in the economic and social systems, the methods of adapting to them are not updated. It is now widespread throughout our society. Something that is so ubiquitous and repetitive. Someone who is tired of all that and bored might want to kill him/ herself. Would a second be enough to make you want to see life differently?

I think this film is an experiment in a way. The distance that a script like this can go in Sri Lanka is being tested. Although there are action level creations about politics, I have not seen a film that was made from a philosophical point of view. I think this is a good approach to work like that. A film that puts a headline reading and conversation about society. Since everyone is a socio-political analyst these days, I think this one would have value. This is what Sri Lanka needs.

The Newspaper (2020) - Movie!

We wanted to see this Sinhala film in the theater because Sarath Kotelawala and Kumara Thirimadura have never failed us before. That's from their acting. We expected that they would do a great job as directors as well. That's why I went to the theater without reading a single note posted by people who had seen this. I watched the trailer while writing this post. Actually I had missed it.

This is a movie that made a pretty perfect impression. Nearly Perfect. As far as I understand, it is a work in which all the artistic and technical aspects such as acting, screenwriting, editing, art direction and music have contributed equally and to the fullest. As if there were no flaws and that should be told at the beginning.

As a Sinhala film, this feeling of perfection came to an end after 'Ho Gana Pokuna' and 'Komali Kings'. I did not go to a theater and watch a Sinhala movie after those, so there is no way I can get caught in a good sinhala movie.

This raises optimism about the future. Now there are two other directors who can work for Sinhala cinema. If their first job is successful enough, they will continue to work hard to make Sri Lankan movie fans as well as the world.

The screenplay is often the first step in making a film a success. Depending on the country, it may vary. I don't think there are fans in Sri Lanka who go to theater because of actors and actresses. They want a story. A story they can connect with. This is not about people who are drawn to royal stories and religious stories anyway. It's about a significant portion of people who face life in a different way, people who are watching a movie for a little fun, or for change while living a harsh life. It is not an easy task to write a screenplay that can bring together those people and the fans of the religious/ royal stories alone with those who are not in both categories. 'Newspaper' is a work of that level.

It is no coincidence that two or three years ago I was caught up in the magic of Malayalam movies. A significant number of those films are about the lives of the people of Sri Lanka as well. Those stories are our own stories. The stories of the rural Malayalam culture are more a story in Sri Lanka than the stories of any other culture. When you see people drinking arrack with tap water, pre planned drinking parties, wearing rubber sandals and coming home with the sound of chirping after washing face from a river or a well, that's how we've seen Sri Lankan village. Sri Lankan people. And for a long time, that naturalness of pure life missed from sinhala movies. Newspaper is something that felt like a movie that fills that void.

This is run by Sarath and Kumara and later by Mashi but even in a very small role, the best actors in the industry scores. So it builds our confidence in the film. The crew has managed to keep that belief intact throughout the film. Especially Sarath Kumara (single name). The heartfelt friendship we feel behind the chemistry of the two actors is the factor that fascinates us throughout the film. Whatever it is, we feel safe with the idea that they are there for them. The graphics, the moment-to-moment music, and the silly interludes all help to maintain this feeling. The fire of all this can melt your eyes and flow in the final scene.

I thought Lewis' character should have developed a little more. At times, I even thought that they could have given him more dialogs without being that dumb. To me he is a character that is not clearly described. It's not an easy character to build. In any case, Mr. Thirimadura's acting is excellent. Lewis' words are gold in a difficult situation.

Usually the essence of a film is hard to put into words. It is something to be understood with a great philosophical and social study. However, in the end, it's the part of the film that stays in our memory and shocks us. Movies that have no such essence are quickly forgotten by us. We watch essence rich movies over and over again. We try to get a little more of that essence into our lives. The 'Newspaper' is a movie with a soul. The feeling we feel throughout the film connects us to those characters. We feel their feelings. Those bonds become our bonds. Behind that, there may come a moment where we judge ourselves.

This is a movie about dust. Dust none of us care. Likewise, this is also a story of people who are neglected. This movie shows it only need just a moment for anyone to be dust. Those who have power and wealth get rid of it, but it is not easy for normal folks to stay out of it. The ideals we believe in, the people who get paid to listen to our complaints, and the many people we trust will not come forward for us in such a moment. But too may often come forward to dust us off. That's what usually happens to us. So this is our story.

Finally, this is not a review. Just howl of a raven that has tasted something good. If you want to see a Sri Lankan movie, spread about this movie for others.

This is a modifies google translation of my Sinhala note about the movie.

An unpleasant moment

I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time today. It was the most unpleasant moment since…. Well, I don’t know… a long time. And to be honest, I have a sadly toned empty feeling that my appearance there made the moment more dirty. Though I had no other option, I had to stay dumb. And I have to suffer myself for that!

What if you were blamed by your superior in front of another colleague? Yes it surely is the most horrible thing to imagine at the office. And I’m sure that you’ll not agree on that without a second thought. Not only you and me, the management standards or anyone into the management study won’t agree with that. But it’s how the public offices run and hence the country runs!

An administrative officer (A lady who’s being prepared to be in civil service) with over 25 years of experience blamed on a young officer (A young girl who was doing her first job) with just one year experience. That was not fare to the extreme as I noticed. But I had no option as mentioned before. Her fault was not important but something she was been notified before. She had done it again with her mistake and had to take the blame and it was awful. I was doing a file search on the computer in the adjoining compartment which is separated with just a glass without window blinds. So the superior knew I was there and wanted me to get the massage as well, not because I’m doing the same mistake but because she wanted to show off. I couldn’t go away since I had to download the file for tomorrow's reference. Her voice was noisy of course. If I was not there at the moment, the girl might not have heard that much crap. (Thanks Ingirisi)

As I’ve learned, read and experienced, this is not an acceptable behavior by any superior and not the way to win the employees. Affirmatively not the best way for manage. She should have talk to the girl and explained. But all she did was shouting like she was having a pain in the ass. And that’s how the problems are being solved here. I guess this is the same with all the government offices. If not, hell you are a happy one.

The admin officer mentioned that the young officer should have read the protocols for the issue and first understand the situation before asking for advice from her. And she also mentioned that she’s not worth doing the subject and she’s the most unworthy person in the section. WTF! Does anyone say that to someone? I’m not that much educated but yes I understood it’s not good!

And the girl was crying for half an hour and was ashamed of facing me. I tried to be like I never heard anything but I was just fooling myself.

What’s important is what I thought later. If the admin officer is offending someone inferior as not qualified for the post. What about herself? Does anyone superior to her notifying that? I guess not, that’s the problem with the government sector. Unqualified people for decision making posts. And they take decisions hence drag the entire system to chaos.

All they have is a certificate which they earned from sleepless cramming. Have they got the human essence? How can someone expect efficient service from anyone if he’s not satisfied with the environment? But that’s how it is.

That’s how human resource is managed in government sector.

Living a lie!

A Friend who mistakenly happened to read my previous post is asking me whether I'm a religious person or not. And there was a fascinating discussion between him and me. I'm not gonna vomit everything here but some hilarious points, if I may say.

The friend was so much confused by hearing that I'm an atheist. (I do not prefer saying that because atheism has became something like a religion too. But I have no other words for what I am.) His confusion was fair because he saw me at my Father's and Aunt's funerals which happened during a year of time. He saw me worshiping monks rapidly then and there and smoothly getting done all the religious practices which are needed in a Sri Lankan funeral house. Also he had seen the pictures of me holding the Cheevaraya so devoutly at the Kathina Pinkama which was an event at my good friends place. He has been thinking that I was a very holy spiritual person and suddenly got confused by the post.

He asked me why all those religious rituals by me if I'm an atheist? The answer was simple. And it's a common answer for me in lot of cases. "This is Sri Lanka. And we are living in a community."

The community do not consider what really we are. All it needs from us is adhering to it's standards. So a religion for a person is a need and those rituals required by those religions are musts. In order to live in what we believe, we have to act a double. One is the real character with the believes of our true self and the other, the character community need in it's standards. Yes, it's a game of living among various other games we are in.

As my good friend Mr. Ganegoda say, living a lie is the game itself, with the system which prevents us living in our true selves. That scenario leaves us much to laugh. Mostly for the idiotic things we do by the name of the community.

So after all, I have a religion which comes handy with forms I have to fill, interviews I have to face and in any needed moments likewise. But still, I'm not religious by all means.