In 2D without any special rays blu or otherwise 'Life of Pi' was quite enjoyable. Very engaging from the start and told in a manner of Malgudi days with computer imagery to enhance the story telling was watchable with our 10 year old. That it comes from a Taiwanese director is I think key to how certain aspects of the story are handled. It has also become a financial success with multiple awards including some Oscars and over half billion dollars at the box office in worldwide sales.
I am not sure if it was rated by the MPAA as child friendly but is clearly a cross between The Black Stallion and Castaway (of Tom Hanks fame) or more recently Canadian born Survivorman-isque narrative. That it has a message for the masses of the mature variety towards the end is perhaps its departure from merely being a tale of animals and survival.
A variety of individuals from different backgrounds made up the cast from Gerard Depardieu (Frenchman) to an Englishman who interviews Pi about his story to the amazing cast that makes up the team from India. Irrfan Khan has an almost cameo role but delivers it with a sense of purpose and makes for the story to be engrossing.
Suraj Sharma the new talent discovered on accident does not have much of a dialog to deliver but comes through with enough drama to lend credibiltiy to the role of a distraught yet curious kid far mature for his age. I am not much aware of Tabu (who is an accomplished actor in India) and her role while brief also provides the right female balance in this otherwise male character driven film (at least in the human form).
The CGI is okay - sometimes cheesy - perhaps wearing fancy goggles would make it more realistic or edge of your seat exciting - but having not worn the said accouterments - the impact is driven by the engaging story telling.
Although some of the story time on the water could have been contained to avoid draining my interest toward the end I was able to take advantage of a predictable few minutes to step out and drain myself without missing the boat.
Cool cat the Japanese are Tokyo at dusk My second visit to this land of the rising sun after almost a decade. Back then clearly I was wet behind the ears product manager and likely didn’t pay attention to all (efficient) things Japanese. But today I did and of course continue to be impressed. It is as much the obvious stuff like on time travel that is both clean and comfortable and all that which makes it possible. The impressive landmark and landscapes that these humans have put together despite their cramped (or because of it) surroundings and precarious geological conditions could amaze a novice architect among us. But it’s also the little things that someone had to think about which have a phenomenal impact on day to day lives that make the Japanese stand apart. Below are few random examples- 1. Providing a very fine machined wooden toothpick in every packet of wooden chopsticks. The said chapsticks are simply set on the To Go counter of any food vendor/ convenience store wher...
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