Category Archives: Directing Business

1-By Laksh, Directing Business

Thor: The Dark World

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The first installment of ‘Thor’ that was released in 2011 makes a pretense of a story (around step-son and real son rivalry), aided by spectacles. ‘Thor: The Dark World” comes out of this inhibition and focuses primarily on scale and special effects. And it delivers on these counts.

Each and every aspect of of ‘Thor: The Dark World’, from gigantic scale of the action and the sophistication of the visual effects to the production design and costumes, plays to the IMAX and 3D crowds.  With action shifting between the world of gods to that of homo sapiens, or ‘realms’ as the movie puts it, all the crafts come together well, to deliver a visual spectacle that keeps the audience interested throughout.

Accomplished senior actors like Anthony Hopkins and Rene Russo, manage to make their presence felt, with a few scenes thrown in just for that. Tom Hiddleston gets to play a character that has a blend of several archetypes, notably that of the Shapeshifter and the Shadow. He does well. Chris Hemsworth is adequate as he was in the first Thor. Natalie Portman?

In the end, one has to wonder at the ability of Marvel Studios to churn out one blockbuster after other, centered on comics-bred superheroes.

Here is an excerpt from a Forbe’s article on Marvel

It’s hard to think of anything in the history of Hollywood that compares to what Marvel is doing right now. The scope of the company’s film and TV world just expanded with an announcement that Netflix has bought four live-action series and a miniseries to air starting in 2015. That’s on top of a string of films, including The Avengers, which have grossed almost $5 billion at the global box office over the last five years. Marvel’s latest film, Thor: The Dark World, has already earned $110 million overseas and is expected to top the box office in the U.S. when it opens this weekend with $90 million, according to Exhibitor Relations.

Here is the link to the complete article. Marvel’s Magnificent Money-Making Machine

 

Books, Etc., Leadership, Management

How to manage outrageous talent…

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His (Jose Mourinho) skill at handling genius became apparent during his first spell at Chelsea, where he struck up a series of friendships that anchored an array of world-class talent. He arrived at Stamford Bridge aged only 41: a comparatively small age difference from his players. “In terms of mentality, I’m not much older than them – I think I have the ability to put myself at their level. I think it is important to understand. The more you understand them the more you can lead them – there is leadership and leadership, as you know.

I never liked the leadership where the boys say, ‘He’s my leader, I have to respect him.’ I prefer them to say, ‘I respect him and he’s my leader.’ It is a completely different thing. They can say, ‘I do that because he tells me to do that and I have to.’ I prefer them to say, ‘I believe in him so much, and trust him so much that everything he says I want to do!’ I prefer much more this kind of empathy.”

Click here for complete article at Business Standard

 

 Kindle version on Amazon.com available here

1-By Laksh, ET, Leadership, Movies

‘ENDER’s game’: From a gENius to a LeaDER…

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Enders game is based on eponymous novel by Orson Scott Card, which is set in Earth’s future, where the military prepares for attacks from an alien species. The military recruits and trains child prodigies to thwart a third invasion.

Enders game takes us through the journey of Ender Wiggin, who has to succeed in several difficult games including some in zero gravity, and hone his leadership skills by working with unruly peers, highly competitive fellow teams and mentors who want nothing but best out of him.  But most  important, he has to bear the cross of being a genius and the ostracization that it brings.

Asa Butterfield as Ender delivers a poignant performance, and carries the audience with him in his travails and successes. His evolution from a introverted troubled genius to a leader who finds his mission, is pretty neat.  Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff, who believes in winning is all that matters, and Ben Kingsley as Mazer Rackham, who almost annihilated the aliens in previous attack, bring the solidity that the movie requires.

The movie scores big time on special effects and a haunting music score (‘Battle room’ and ‘mind game’ are my picks; Steve Jablonsky’s score is available here on iTunes for Rs.120). It succeeds in building and integrating the themes of leadership, military training, war strategy, child prodigies, and most importantly the political/social perspective of  wars.

Understandably, the movie becomes a little heavy towards the end, when Ender ‘thinks’ beyond war and realizes his true mission. But may be that’s what true leaders do. When they conquer, they don’ rest on laurels or get carried away by other’s opinions. They ponder, and seek another mission. King Ashoka?