Oscar Winning Movies 2014: The stories with a difference

A memoir of the struggles of a nineteenth century slave, a man who falls in love with his computer, an insight into the life of backup singers, the story of a lady who took to recreation at the worst of times, an old-time novelist going down the memory lane on a walk down the road, a positive attempt at treating an impossible human condition, and an account of an AIDS patient fighting out his tough times. Such are the themes of the Oscar winning movies of 2014-the ones that made it large at this year’s Academy Awards.

What is the most striking is the range of offbeat films we get to know about every year. Thanks to the Oscars! In fact, many people who claim to have fine tastes and do not have time every Friday to watch the most widely anticipated film of the week, just wait for the list of the Academy Award winning movies or at least have a look at the Oscar nominations movies to choose their brand of picks to invest time on. Not that those who use this method don’t miss out on some really good movies, but such is the trustworthiness and reliability of the selections of the Academy Awards.

Another common aspect with all the Oscar winning movies was the fact that most of the movies that got recognition were based on real life events. Filmmakers are now turning to reality rather than fiction for inspiration. Most of the films portrayed powerful characters, their strength and courage to fight through tough situations.

All the stories were unconventional and not the usual happy-go-lucky kind of fairy tales that mass audiences would enjoy. Here’s a  brief look at the award winning movies and the themes they are based on.

(1) 12 Years a Slave, the movie that won the best film award this year, is a true story based on the life of Solomun Northup, a New York negro, who is trafficked and sold to a New Orleans plantation owner to work on his estate. The film focuses on his 12 year-long struggle before he finally gains independence and returns to his family. With music by the legendary Hans Zimmer, the movie turns out to be a gripping account of the miseries of racism at its peak.

In a world freer and more democratic than ever to sit back and look at such issues of the past, the makers of the film ensure that the presentation is good and the fine treatment of such a delicate issue is why I’d suggest you to watch it rather than just read this. The film also won Lupita Nyong'o the award for best actress in a supporting role and best Writing – Adapted Screenplay for John Ridley.

(2) Her, which won the award for best original screenplay, indeed boasts of a unique story, in which a man who is a master of an intelligent computer falls in love with its operating system and its female voice. This film proves that with the evolution of technology and the scope of human imagination widening, man will have enough places to find love in the future.

(3) 20 Feet from Stardom, which won this year’s best documentary, focuses on the lives of background singers, the ones who really matter, but whose efforts often go unnoticed and names get lost forever in the background.

(4) The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life, which won the best short subject documentary, is based on the life of Alice Herz-Sommer, the world’s oldest holocaust survivor and pianist. The film emphasises on the power of music and its influence on the lives of people, how it started as something that would save her life to something she couldn’t live without. The great lady died just a week before the ceremony, but this recognition has certainly made her immortal, if she wasn’t already.

(5) The Great Beauty, an Italian film which won the best foreign language film, is based on how a once-famous author walks down the lanes and looks back at the most precious moments of his life, reliving each of his memories to the fullest.

(6) Helium, which won the award for the best live action short film, is another inspirational story of a man who helps a child dying in the final stages of his life to look at things positively by filling his mind with an imaginary world filled with balloons, to the extent that the boy spends the last moments of his life imagining himself as indeed a part of this imaginary world.

(7) Frozen, which won the award for best animated feature film and best original song, is the story of a princess who fights all odds in a kingdom cursed with eternal winter to rescue her sister with the aid of her friends and others who help her in this mission. The story shares elements with Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale The Snow Queen.

(8) Mr. Hublot, which won the best animated short film, is a futuristic film that again shows how odd characters develop an attachment for each other, and I better not write more, else I might take more time than you would to watch this 9-minute movie.  

Other Oscar winners including acting performances also brought the stories with a difference to the forefront. Here’s a look at them:

(1) Dallas Buyer’s Club, which earned Matthew McConaughey a best actor award, is based on the life of Ron Woodroof, who is diagnosed with AIDS and takes to all sorts of desperate measures to cure or rather prolong it. In the process, the brash and boisterous cowboy develops sympathy towards people of various sexualities, and runs a club where he sells the same drug that cured him, though against law.

Jared Leto, who played a transgender woman in the film, won best actor in a supporting role. The film also won an award for best makeup and hairstyling.

(2) Gravity, the space fiction starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, is a depiction of how astronauts stuck in space post a mid-orbit destruction try fighting their way back to earth. The film ended up with a majority of the technical awards and ended up as the film with the maximum Oscar wins this year, including a best director award for Alfonso Cuarón.

(3) Blue Jasmine, the film that won Cate Blanchett a best actress award, is a princess to pauper story of a girl, the challenges she faces in this phase and how differently she starts looking at life.

(4) The Great Gatsby, a period drama based on the life of a highly-inspiring business magnate and his influence on other’s lives, rightly won the award for best costume design and best production design.

What does a book mean to you?

What does a book mean to you? For me its something that links you to past. It’s a window to peep at a different world. A friend of yours who knows you inside out. And something that appeals to your emotions makes you smile, makes you cry, makes you angry, makes you happy, shocks you and surprises you. You will have a book for any topic and on every topic. There can never be a dearth of books. To put in another words, Not every book is here for everyone but everyone has a book.

There won’t be any city in the world without any bookstore or library. Whether you like fiction novels or a non-fiction one, romantic novels or tragic one, books on sports or on business, the choice of reader varies from one another but they get what they want in plenty. Neither is there any dearth of readers nor of writers. Let’s discuss some group of readers and the kind of books they like to read.

• Sportsman: How can you expect a sportsperson to read books amid his busy schedule? When should he read the book while running or while lifting the weight? Jokes apart! To be a successful person you need to find someone who has already achieved what you are aspiring for. An Athlete would definitely like to read books based on legendary sports persons to seek inspiration or to achieve that position.

  

  Seek inspiration!

• Teens: Sports?? Science?? Entertainment?? Politics?? Whether a boy or girl, the teen today is very curious and wants each and every answer right at the moment the question arises. They satiate themselves with the satisfactory answers via books. They generally prefer reading books on each topic mentioned above starting from story books to science-fiction, General knowledge to entertainment. Funny novels to Inspirational one.

  

  Know about everything!

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

• Adults: If you are an entrepreneur, you would definitely like to read books based on business, businessman or books by business man. If you are an aspiring writer, you would definitely like to have books all-around you from all the corners of the world. If you are an artist for example: an aspiring singer you are going to read books related to music and great musicians.

  

  Get the whole world!

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

• Kids: How can we forget kids in this approach. Although kids don’t like to read anything. In fact, they consider books as their greatest enemies. However, the moment they see a comic book it becomes hard to detach them from the very enemy.

  

  Kids have their own taste!

Literature is a medium where different cultures converge, where you get to see the reality of times you were not present. Books become voice of many suppressed voices and they find their readers the moment they come out. A curious reader looks for the new books of his choice in various bookstores. The busy ones download the books to read it on the go. They attend many literary fests to hear some words of wisdom from great authors, novelists, professors, artists and also to participate in many literary activities.

Well, here is your opportunity to attend one of the much awaited literary fest that is, “Huddersfield Literature Festival”. It’s going to be there till 16th March. This time the festival is all set to cater to the needs of all kind of readers. And ,of course, the entertainment part is going to be there to edutain you!

Reading Is To The Mind What Exercise Is To The Body

It is very well said that reading is dreaming with open eyes. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. It gives us some place to go when we have to stay where we are. Books has a whole world in itself. We can fantasize of having a ride on the world’s biggest roller coaster, visiting our prince charming who comes riding on the white horse, diving into the deep blue ocean, swimming in gold coins, tasting the best world cuisine and what not..This is what a book does to us. There are various reasons why reading is considered as the best hobby ever. Books are the only best friends who will never leave us alone even on an isolated island.

Books expand our horizon. Every time reading adds something new to life with perfect blend of diverse subjects. Start by picking up the book on the subject of your interest and then slowly climb the stairs of complex subject. There are different genres of books available today. These are Science, Fiction, Satire, Drama, Romance, Mystery, Horror, Self help, Guide, Travel, Children's group, Religious, History, Mathematics, Anthologies, Poetry, Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Comics, Art, Cookbooks, Diaries, Journals, Prayer books, Series, Trilogies, Biographies, Autobiographies, Fantasy etc. Whether we are reading fiction or reality, books can never bring boredom.

Books broaden the outlook and enable mind to grasp new concepts easily. It increases the power and extent of imagination and gives us creative ideas. Reading is very healthy for the brain and keeps it active 24*7 hours. Not only theory, but the practical part can be well achieved through reading. Reading at early age sharpens the mind. It increases our vocabulary and improves pronunciation. We get to learn number of new words plus their meaning. We start framing better sentence structure with proper tenses, prepositions, adjectives and conjunction. It is very well said reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Reading is a complete package of fun with learning.

In the hustle bustle of the world, peace is something we all need. Reading is a very peaceful hobby. We can enjoy reading books in complete silence either on our bed, sofa, in the garden or while traveling. We enjoy reading any where, any time and any place for that serene and tranquil atmosphere. Books take us to the journey of inner thoughts. Books can take you to any decade from ancient time to medieval period or modern time. Similarly it can take you to the place you have always fantasized for. Your thirst of traveling can be very well quenched by reading books. Do you know anything else that offers such enjoyment?

William Jones Orientalist - Great Works and Controversies

Sir William Jones a great scholar, a historian, a lawyer, an orientalist and a linguist is remembered not only for his great works but also for the controversies which some of his great works generated. As a western scholar, he had contributed immensely to the Indo-European languages. He is widely acclaimed for the development of comparative linguistics. William Jones is regarded as one of the greatest of the Orientalists. He holds the reputation of adding hugely to the body of Oriental studies.

 

Works of Sir William Jones

 

William Jones knew sea of languages such as Latin, Greek, Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Hebrew, Arabic, Turkish and Persian. His command over vast number of languages was unparalleled and unmatched. Under the commission of the king of Denmark, he translated into French, the history of Persian Conqueror, Nadir Shah. This goes as his first published work. His another ground-breaking work was the “Grammar of the Persian Language”(1771).

William Jones mastery in Sanskrit makes him one of the greatest western scholars in Indian History and laws. It all began when Jones got an Indian post in 1783. He landed in Calcutta with the designation of a judge at Bengal Supreme Court. Though he was a great scholar but his persona cannot be disassociated with his colonial connection. As a judge at Bengal Supreme Court, he had to promote colonialism. Jones founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal. He studied sanskrit to understand Hindu laws.

Jones tremendous mastery over Sanskrit made him delve into the Indian literature and study history, society, culture and tradition in India. His practice and skills in law as a jurist and his scholarship in sanskrit sailed him all the way in the realms of Hindu laws which formed the backbone of Indian society. Jones served as a great British diplomat. Critics say, he interpreted the Hindu laws to support the colonial legacy in India.

Jones translated the Manusmriti (the Hindu code of Law). Manusmriti, a discourse given by ancient Indian law-giver Manu, is regarded as the code of law that governed the ancient Indian society. He became the first to translate this Hindu scripture. Jones reached new heights of acclamation with his translation of Manusmriti. But at the same time his translation drew controversy.

Indian critics of Jones said that that Jones’ interpretation of Manusmriti was to justify the presence of British colonial rule in India. The British tried to portray India’s social and economic conditions in poor light to justify their presence. Jones translation of the verse in Manusmriti which says that a woman is never independent but are dependent first on parents, then on husband and later on son showed women were oppressed in ancient India.

The subjugation of women in Jones translation reflects the the rights denied to Hindu women. Many Indian nationalists criticized Jones for portraying miserable plight of ancient Indian women to support British rule. They argued that the British tried to present themselves as rescuers of Indian women from the clutches of patriarchy in India.

William Jones translation of Manusmriti brought both acclamation and criticism from all quarters and circles. His translation of Manusmriti became controversial and fuelled debates. But this does not overshadow Jones scholarship in languages and his great contribution to Oriental studies. His other renowned works include translation of Indian dramas Sakunta or the The Fatal Ring (1799) by Kalidasa and Gita Govinda by Jayadeva (1789). Jones has made immense contribution to history and establishing the family of Indo-European languages. Sir William Jones can rightly be called one of the founding father of comparative linguistics.

Importance of Music Education

It is very well said, “music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flights to the imagination and life to everything.” If music is really our passion, putting our hobby into profession and realizing the importance of music, is the motto. Music training helps in the development of brain and gives boost to our language, reasoning and esthetic sense. The first and foremost step is definitely to go for music training from the very childhood since children grasp everything very quickly.

It is not only that students of art are only creative but the hair raising effect of listening to the music and tapping to the rhythm denotes that we are ready, keen, passionate and understand importance of music. Music theory beginners are considered as lucky ones so as to put their creativity right into their profession. Music theory is a kind of journey that is full of excitement, fun and challenges. Starting may be a bit difficult but when once you are in it, you are on it. Music can never be learnt by force. Excelling in music involves following:-

• Finding the right place to start with real sound professionals.
• Gathering the resources that can boost our skills.
• Understanding the music theory textbooks.

First of all have a look at the music theory basics page for over-viewing the basic articles to understand the importance of music. This will cover up the major elements of music theory.

• The first chapter will consist of music alphabet. This will build up your base in the music notation systems. It also gives an idea about the working of music scales. In music, a scale denotes any set of musical notes that is ordered by pitch or fundamental frequency. This is really helpful and very easy to learn.

• The second thing we must learn is scales. Scale gives us an idea as to which direction we are heading to. Scales are often supported by real life examples.

• The very next step is “reading music”. There is absolutely nothing to worry about since it is as simple as learning a new language. And then get set go…