Madhur Srivastava
Explorer | Traveler | Book Worm | Writer | Photographer
Must Watch Movies
The Godfather
What is the most American movie? For the US citizens, it is debatable. For the rest of the world, it is undoubtedly Godfather, Godfather and Godfather! Produced in 1970 and set in 1950's, the movie deals with the complexities of Italian mafia family via father-son duo. Covered in the envelop of business empire, crime, deceit, family values, betrayal and promises, the movie is a recipe that illustrates strength and helpnesses at the same time. You can be the Godfather, but yet have to resign to the fate that bestows upon you.
Take Michael Corleone, the son with a military career who wants to live a normal life. He is not interested in violence, but ends up being the most violent, including killing his own brother and brother-in-law. He demands absolute loyalty, but his own loyalty in doubt. Or take the family patriarch, the original Godfather, Vito Corleone, who seems to be in control and yet fails to find out who attacked him. His aura is gripping, yet he is helpless. A family man who keeps the vows, yet betrayed by his own gang members.
The two-part movie is as American as it can get. It focuses on immigrants and their lives and their system. They trust their tribe more than the institutions. They have past that contantly begets them.
The movie is a master class that needs to be watched again and again, albeit for different reasons. First time, it is the aura of the scenes, characters and story. Second time, to understand the minute events that were set up in the past. It is like an academic paper, where one needs to go back and forth to know what is going on. And third and more times, just to enjoy each scene as it goes by. Like a Shakespearean play, it is fresh every time.Ever wondered how one's journey have traversed through time, just watch Michael sit in his dining table, smoking and remembering all the chatter and family warmth at the same time with all his brothers, sister and family members. Time passes and we become the person that we hated the most.
Must Watch Movies
Ocean's Series
Despite being morally wrong, there is something in stealing that makes everyone gets glued to it. Or why else there are so many movies on "heist". But making a movie on heist is not that easy task. The plot needs to be compelling; villian and heroes needs to be well-defined (just because you steal doesn't mean you are the bad guy; recall Robinhood); what needs to be stolen should be precious (i.e. large sums of money, antique jwellery or ancient artifact, to name a few); how it is stolen should be impossible (but our hero still accomplishes it!); the motive behind the stealing should be convincing; and most importantly, after the heist, the hero should always remain free and the villian should die or go to prison. A bit of romance or passionate sex adds to the thrill. A starcast of elite actors is a plus. Ocean series somehow manages to bring everything together. But it does more, it adds style to it and a teamwork between the thiefs that is carefully thread together with storyline and is hard to replicate in every scenario. If the male version of the series is breathtaking, wait for the female version (Ocean's 8), which takes heist to the next level.
Must Watch Movies
On Wall Street
Wall Street is both loved and hated. Everyone wants a pie of money made by the Wall street, but hated for its people and culture. The words egomanics, greed, selfishness, corrupt, and immoral are commonly used to describe the Wall Street. The following movies shows inside working of the Wall Street, both proving and disproving the popular perception. One thing that is pervasive and not mentioned anywhere is that sleep is a luxury in the Wall Street. Late night meetings are the norm and nobody complaints about 100+ hours of work week. These are both strange and admiring.
Margin Call
2011
During the 2008 financial crisis, a financial firm realizes that its exposure to mortgage is unsustainable and could lead to the firm being bankrupt. Its mortgage portfolio is practically junk, and needs to be off-loaded before other firms realize. The key is how to convince morally and ethically driven investment bankers to follow the route.
The Big Short
2015
There is always people who benefit from a financial crisis. We call them devil, but they are people who identify the flaws in the system early and risk their money betting against the market; in this case economy (2008 financial crisis). This is a story of financial insiders and outsiders who got it right, when establishment was being too clever by half.
Too Big To Fail
2011
The two investment banks, Lehmann Brothers and AIG, are about to go bankrupt. They need a buyer for them, through which 2008 financial crisis can be potentially avoided. The behind the scenes drama of the real life events reveal how the financial system work. Petty the treasury secretary, who has to be both gentle and enforcing.
The Wolf of Wall Street
2013
Being an active investor is not for faint of hearts. In many cases, one has to do things over and beyond the law. Worst types just use the system to their advantage. This film caters to such an investor, who opened a successful firm, made a lot of money for himself and his team, but eventually lands in a prison, for all the shady things he did.
