ReelTreat -Reviews

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows

2012-01-11T09:58:00.000+05:30

My review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows shall follow, but for now want to leave you with this awesome quote from the movie-

Mounaguru

2012-01-07T23:40:00.000+05:30

Directed by Santha Kumar and produced by M. K. Thamizharasu, this movie is quite offbeat amongst the run of the mill, romance, villain strewn movies churned out by the Tamil Film Industry...

I was sceptical when i heard it starred Arulnithi, but with names such as John Vijay, Iniya, and Uma Riyaz Khan, and a few good reviews from friends, i told myself it will be worth a watch!

Last night, marched into PVR and got set to watch this "Crime thriller" as many had labelled it... From the beginning to the end, the movie was well chalked out and i was quite impressed with Arulnidhi's acting....

it is the story of a college student Karunakaran[Arulnidhi] who is a good student, but gets into trouble often. Due to this, his mom moves bag and baggage to Chennai where her Older son gets admission for Karunakaran at Aruldoss college, with accomodation in the hostel. His wife's sister Aarthi [Iniya] is living with them and so their apartment is quite crowded. What starts off as initial teething trouble soon becomes a nightmare and Karunakaran is caught up in a scam for no fault of his.

4 policemen - Assistant Commissioner Marimuthu (John Vijay), Inspector Rajendran (Madhu), Sub-Inspector Selvam (Balakrishnan) and junior policeman Perumalsamy (Krishnamurthy) are crooks down to the T. when they stumble upon a car crash, they open the boot to discover a bag filled with money, decide to loot it, and even go to the extent of killing the driver who is still alive...

From there on, begins a snowball effect, to hide their actions, they keep passing the blame onto others. One lady the AC has sexual connections with records his actions in her bedroom in an attempt to blackmail him and get rid of him. But this proves fatal for her, and she ends up losing the camera and her life.

Amidst all this drama, love blossoms between Karunakaran and Aarthi... but that is known only to his mom.. One day, during the holidays when Karuna returns to the hostel [ he is alone as others have gone off home], he finds a bag outside his room, pours out its contents and while wondering whose bag it is, is caught by the 4 crooked cops.. They were infact waiting to see who the student was who had called and blackmailed them about the murder and money...

One thing leads to another, and finally karuna ends up in a mental asylum. Cops and the psychiatrist convince Karuna's family that he has lost his mind. The twist comes in the form of Pazhaniammal [Uma Riyaz] who is investigating the murder and stumbles upon the truth. And finally, just when they have everyone caught and guilty, she is given orders to let them go as the murder could lead to issues between the 2 states.

karuna then takes matters into his own hands, kills all the cops and then gives in and goes into the mental asylum....

The movie is well paced and quite well scripted. There are no cliched scenes in the crime or the romance, just subtle nuances. But, i did think the end was going to be different... Wonder why the director chose this path!!! ... All in all, its a good watch... And one more grouse i have with movie theaters- We dont need intervals in all movies, especially English, Animated and Such thrillers... it just cuts into the flow of the movie!!

Overall Rating - 4/5

Yes i love cars....

2012-01-07T11:12:00.002+05:30

I am one of those who gets a high watching shows on Cars, Gadgets & Gizmos.... Fashion & jewellery could never match up to these!! Cookery- eh,.. maybe!!

So, i sit up late into the night, doodling on my laptop,with one eye looking out of the corner at the TV screen or the clock on the Laptop screen.... I am waiting for TOP GEAR!! I have seen earlier episodes online, thanks to friends, but the TV shows are to die for as well... Each episode is fascinating in its own way, but this one featuring Rowan Atkinson, the man we know as Mr Bean & Johnny English was howlarious..

The 2nd episode i enjoyed immensely was at the Icelandic volcano...

If you liked these, then click here for some more action...

Scammed by Anonymous

2012-01-06T17:12:00.002+05:30

Book: Scammed

Published by Grey Oak/Westland

Pages: 182 pages

When i picked up this book, i read the brief synopsis and wondered what it would be about. But i must tell you, the author had me in for a surprise, as there was quite a bit of twist and turn within the 1st few pages.

The protagonist of Scammed is Hitesh Shah, who is an accountant and quite vexed with his current job. Like every other hard working person, he waits patiently for that glorious moment, when his boss, also a friend Sahil will call him into his office for the appraisal and offer him a promotion. Alas, it is not to be so. he discovers the promotion has gone to another woman in the office, who is much less deserving. Unable to take a decision, and yielding into his boss's offer that 6 months down the road Hitesh will be promoted, he goes on with his day, being miserable. Working on the accounts of a client, he discovers there is quite a bit of muck and underhand jobs going on, added to the fact that the partner assigned for the project Sandra is most of the time missing.

Through the client, he discovers Sandra has been having illicit affairs under the pretense of being ill. Fed up with people around him, Hitesh decides to complete the assignment for Supreme Motors and look for something better. He goes home to a mother who is worried about him and always trying to hook him up with some girl or the other, and a father who is never happy and always looking for a quarrel, disagreement.

Hitesh approaches the client, Venugopal Reddy with the findings of the audit and also with a proposal. Venugopal is quite a sleazy businessman who also has quite a bit of Political connections. This is also when Hitesh reconnects with his School sweetheart Sushma, they go around, go out, he buys her fancy things, and even asks her to marry him. Around this time, Venugopal fires and takes into action all those who had been cheating him, and ropes in Hitesh to launch the Rental car company, which comes as a much deserved break for Hitesh, who goes on to quit his job at Smith & Donald.

Supreme Motors does well, infact the company grows beyond dreams, giving Hitesh a new lease on life. However, like a stack of playing cards, things start falling apart. Complaints pour in from Franchisees, people are talking about abusive drivers, franchisees approved without Hitesh's go ahead and just about everything else one can dream of. Amidst all this, Sushma breaks up with him saying she has a flourishing career ahead of her.

One morning, Hitesh is woken up and told that one of the members of Supreme Motors Mohan Babu has committed a murder and things are going from bad to worse for the company. Like many Bollywood movies, people run, some disappear, and others are blamed for no fault of theirs. If you have seen/read Pelican Brief, you will know what am talking about. With the help of Payal and another employee, Hitesh goes into hiding, just till things settle down. Angry and upset, he tries to figure out a way to solve the mess that has unfolded. Sushma and Sandra file case on Hitesh saying he abused and sexually harassed them.

With no other option, Hitesh runs from town to town with no one but Payal by his side. He gradually falls in love with her, realises how valuable she has been and goes on to marry her! With the help of the Chief Minister, he clears his name, and brings out all the trash to open, killing the chance that all the crooks had of instigating him and getting away scott free.

The book was quite engaging, i read it in one go and quite enjoyed the pace!! Yes, it did feel filmy, but i must give it to the author for maintaining pace, and keeping it real!!

Rajapattai- Old wine old bottle new shelf & packaging..

2012-01-03T12:42:00.000+05:30

A friend and i were spending time catching up and as we headed out of Amethyst, she asked "do you think we'll get movie tickets? any movie??" Taking a chance we headed over to Satyam cinemas, and lo behold got tickets for Rajapattai... There were no other shows at that time... Crossing our fingers, hoping the movie is bearable, we located our seats and got comfortable....

I had seen the Madan's show on TV the previous day where he interviewed Rajeevan, the Art Director and Susindran, the Director... Crossing our fingers, hoping the movie is bearable, we located our seats and got comfortable....

... Vikram is back , unfortunately with no bang.. it is only a Crash boom bang, painful landing, all thanks to a weak plot .. He has acted well, essayed off the various roles well, looks good in the fights and the awkward romance scenes!! I have become wary of his movies, not including Deivathirumagal .. Since Kanthasamy, he seems to be taking on the wrong kind of movies, that do nothing for him as an actor and the versatile actor he is known to be!

This movie is all about the good guy beating the bad guy, except here the good guys are all stunt men, and wanna be villain actors... While the bad guy, is a bad lady, something that seems to have become a trend from Swarna akka character [forgot the name of the movie she featured in]

Vikram and his protege are all doing small stunt roles in movies when he chances upon an old man sitting alone in the temple. The Thatha's son wants him to write over the Orphanage he runs to the Bad lady, in return for which the son was promised a MP/MLA seat... The son is after the dad and the dad-Dakshinamoorthy [K Vishwanath] seeks refuge with Anal Murugan [Vikram]. The group who hangs around with Vikram are quite sweet, sometimes funny too.. infact, the movie wore on to a point where the Thatha was the entertainer and rest were just side kicks...

Oh, lets not forget the heroine, rather so called heroine of the movie- Pooja [Deeksha Seth], she cant act, she cant dance, well she pretty much cant do nothing... I think she was a model who accidently landed this role.. In the movie, she has probably 4-5 dialogues, in ALL!!

My friend who's worked with a leading name from the Ad industry has met most of the actors from north and south, she chimed "these stunt actors are so soft and sweet in person... they just seem scary because they are big/tall"

The 1st half was well paced and had us engaged, but post interval, the movie lost direction and went haywire.. They suddenly introduced a Character- Vapa, who was behind the bad lady... One fine day, vikram and his clowns track him down, plan to take him down right there outside the Mosque.... After a bit of struggle, they manage to kill him, only to arouse the bad lady's anger further....

There are a few comic scenes , and then the antics by Thatha to help Vikram land the woman he has been eyeing... But beyond that, the movie is passe.... Wait for it to be screened on TV!!

I liked the sets that had been created for the movie... esp the one with the small windmill with butterflies for the song.. Apart from that, nothing worth remembering or talking about! Susindran has taken on a challenge, but not sure if he has delivered through.... He had Vikram, wish the story was better thought out and made use of Vikram's versatility!!

My Grandfather's stick -Children's book from Tulika

2011-12-28T14:02:00.000+05:30

My Grandfather'S Stick [Tamil: Yenn Thathavin Oonrukole]

Children have such a vivid imagination that they leave us stumped most times. Show them a pencil and they will show you atleast 5 different uses to it besides writing on a paper. Such is their power of imagination. In this book "My Grandfather's stick"[published by Tulika], the author takes us on a journey where the little girl makes use of the stick for things beyond helping a person walk.

One moment, she transforms into a horse rider, flying off into air on the stick[that has become her horse] .. And then, she is off camping in the wild with the stick holding up her tent while she gazes at the stars in the night sky.

Zip zap zoom!! the stick is now a Magic wand and she is weaving magic all around... or maybe the stick will grow a pair of wings to help her fly high above the sky all the way to the moon.

Oh wait, she is not done yet! She uses the stick as a magical pencil to draw in air- a beautiful house, slide to play in, an elephant or a cycle, flowers, birds, they all come alive through the stick. When she is feeling playful, the stick becomes the line that she has just crossed on the athletic field to become the Champion!! :)

Now, how about a ride in the river, lets use the stick as the oar to move the boat along.. Row row row the boat...gently down the stream...

Wonder what next....

She dreams the stick becomes a tall finger so she can reach for the star, maybe even touch it..oh wow! But finally, when her grandfather uses the stick to help him walk, she is the happiest... Such simple pleasures of joy derived.

The next time you see a child playing with a stick or a box, pretending it was something else, dont interrupt them. Let them enjoy their dream, ask them to share their dreams with you... You never know, they might give you ideas! :D

Such simple words written in both English and Tamil, the book is perfect for those who are just beginning their reading journey.. And for parents who wish to teach their child both English & tamil... Nandini Nayar weaves magic through words yet again... :)

Story- Nandini Nayar

Age - 3+

Pictures- Kshitiz Sharma

Translation- Malarvizhi

Published- Tulika PublishersLanguage- English/TamilFormat- Paperback

Price: Rs85

The review was also posted on BookRack....

The Saiyuki Trio

2011-12-21T17:19:00.004+05:30

It was one of those emails listing down the events of the day across Chennai. I always skim through them, and delete the mail. But last evening, for no reason, the words "Saiyuki Trio" caught my attention. I read on to discover it was a concert to be held at Alliance Francaise at 7pm and it was open to all. The thought then faded away as i got busy with work and other activities. Around 6.45 i suddenly remembered "Saiyuki Trio", and made a dash to get to the venue. Since it was short walk from home i wasnt too worried!!

But it was the very evening when Madam Chief Minister, Jayalalitha had decided to grace a Christmas Celebration happening near home. And the streets looked like the entire city had been kicked out of their homes, there were people everywhere, along the bridge, on the street, up and down the staircases and just about everywhere. Resembled an army of ants crawling across a piece of cake, trying to sneak in a nibble.

So, i was there at the Edouard Michelin Auditorium on the top floor, only to hear the MC announce "we are running a bit behind schedule as many are stuck across town due to unavoidable circumstances [read as JJ's visit across town]... So, i sat there and waited .. waited... and finally, 7.20pm the trio came onto the stage set for them.

[L to R]Prabhu Edouard, Nguyen le and Meiko Miyazaki...
[Image courtesy: nguyen-le.com]

It was one & half hours of beautiful soulful music.. Each piece was unique, and it was a different kind of an experience... There was a piece they performed called "Sangamam" [which literally translates to Confluence, coming together] that had been composed by Prabhu....

Sangam.. Sangeetham..Sabdam..Santhosham..

Sangam... Ananda Sangam... [was how the verse went]

The Trio from various corners of the world have come together, and the music that was born out of their confluence was truly divine.....

The Trio were-

Mieko Miyazaki from Japan who played the Koto, a large String instrument with such ease. She has been playing this since the age of 9 and has won many accolades back in Japan... A petite lady, she also had a voice that had us all mesmerised....

Nguyen Le, born in Paris to Vietnamese parents played the Guitar... He is renowned for the album Purple that was released celebrating Jimi Hendrix's music...

and finally, our very own Prabhu Edouard who hails from Trichy, but has made France his home [been there since 1975] who plays the Tabla among other similar instruments.. He also plays with Hindustani flutist Hariprasad Chaurasia. He had the audience zapped, chanting, singing, clapping and ofcourse laughing away with his quirky comments...

The Koto [Japanese instrument]

[Image Courtesy: http://www.dimensionsguide.com]

There was this one piece composed by Mieko which she narrated as a story...

"Many many years ago, there was only One God.. he then created two gods- a man god Isimagi, and a woman Isimani....

One day the husband looked at his wife and asked her "My Darling, how is your body?"

She replied "My darling, my body is good, but i feel something missing"

He then told her "My darling, but i have something too much in my body, i will give you some of it to make that something missing go away"

[now, we all knew what she was talking about and there were a few surprised gasps and chuckles among the audience..... ]

And then Mieko blushed and told us how "The husband gave his wife some of the too much that he had and then she made many babies, who are believed to be the islands of Japan"

During the course of the song, there was a section where Prabhu and Mieko belted out words and sounds that described the scene going on between the husband and wife.... It was amazing at how they were able to bring out such strong feelings through simple words and chants....

Prabhu then took the mic, and made light of the performance that had just happened saying He and Meiko were just artists, their relationshop was purely professional and that after the show he would go home to his wife and she to a different hotel... hahah..fun moments during the concert........

Here is one of the pieces they performed- Sweet Ganesha....

You can listen to some pieces here and some of their other performances here

The Edouard Michelin Auditorium is a fairly small one, but i have seen it go through transformation over the years, now there is Air conditioning, nice plush seats have replaced plastic chairs and the ramp outside replaced with stairs, a nice door and an overall good feel. Oh, they have also installed an Elevator...

Mentor Your Mind, Tested Mantras For the Busy Woman by Mamta Singh

2011-12-04T23:34:00.001+05:30

The book i received had a very interesting title, albeit long, it had me curious to see what the pages held within... It was-

Mentor Your Mind, Tested Mantras For the Busy Woman

by Mamta Singh

Genre: Self help

Pages: 168

Published by Sterling Publishers

This book is a guide, rather a handbook for every woman who feels she is busy and has no time for life! There are some woman who am sure will call this book their Bible, it all depends on how much it helps you or not!

I found it quite fascinating. Within the first few pages, it becomes evident that the Author has done her share of research or belong to the sect of women who needs some insights and tips on dealing with their crazy schedules and lives.

For the urban women, the women of today, who look forward to carrying off the corporate job, and manage their homes, taking and maintaining their body is an essential aspect, it is not enough just being healthy.

This book is divided into three broad categories- Mental Fitness.. Physical Fitness and Spiritual Fitness! Each of these talks about the areas that fall within and that needs to be addressed....

We see in our daily lives how many people inspite of being "Fit" fall ill, or suffer from ailments. This is primarily because of the unhealthy lifestyle, eating habits, or no control of the mind. The book talks about how valuable it is to ~~control our mind,~~ rather to mentor our mind, give it the guidance it needs to help detox the body, mind and soul.

Be it Meditation, or Physical Exercises, the chapters contain not just guidelines or explanations, there are surveys and questionnaires to allow us, the readers rate ourselves. This gives much more depth to the lessons held within the pages, the words make more sense and they help us get clarity on what we need to do, or which direction to take.

In the chapter" How can you tell it is time to see a doctor", the Author talks about various circumstances and how people react to each of them... With a little summary at the end of every chapter, there are little points given that will help make ones life better, giving them better health , both physical and mental...

There are interesting quotes scattered through the book, take a minute to read them, think about them and see what they really mean....

“The walls we build around us to keep sadness out also keeps out the joy.” ~Jim Rohn [this is a quote at the beginning of Emotional Fitness Category]

If work or life has been bogging you down and you are looking for something to help make your daily life better, then i suggest you pick up this book and spend some time reading through the words.... There are tips, guidelines, schedules, examples, surveys and so much more that will help us define our lives and work towards making them better!

To Summarise- The book address 6 key mental maladies, 6 of the worst emotional afflictions and offers 7 spiritual self-service techniques that the urban woman are most commonly faced with. And this has been done via - 3 simple self-evaluation questionnaires; 13 easy-to-follow step-wise action charts, and illustrations; 20 mentoring based schedules; and then there are the detailed 16 explanatory tables.... I can promsie you this- the book is not boring, the book is not preachy or like a lecture! It is interesting and well chalked out...

Hats off to the Author Mamta for coming out with this book, keeping it simple and straight forward!! Good luck!

Missing Varrun by Amar Agarwala

2011-11-29T11:13:00.001+05:30

Format: Paperback
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd
No. of Pages: 326

Genre: Fiction

On reading this book, i realized it was all about the beautiful connection between a husband and his wife, a father and his daughter; a father and his son; and a grandfather and his grandson.... it was all about Bridging the distance... Reconnecting with people who mean a lot and about a family that is living in different parts of the world and their stories.... !!

The book opens with the protagonist waiting to meet his wife Amaya on her last day at the school. The story then goes towards the home she has created in Ceuta and her circle of friends and family and ofcourse him...

He hails from Bengal, lives with his mother but through a mysterious act of fate meets this charming Spanish girl, falls in love with her and makes her his wife.. Their love goes beyond religion, nationality, lifestyle and so much more, which is what brings them together and keeps them apart...As their marrried life progresses, they pick up a small flat where they move to, stretching the little money he makes, while she goes on to look for opportunities. And one such lands on her lap, albeit it is in Spain... He agrees, she goes back to her hometown with their 2 children and he visits once a year to spend time with them. Yes, they live apart pretty much through the year...

Living alone, he gives up their apartment, moves back in with his mom and continues to pass each day.... The story weaves beautifully between the dusty lanes of Kolkata and the scenic sites of Spain... The big farewell get together they have at home the day Amaya retires, the way the entire family comes together, their love, connections... As days progress, Amaya tells her husband she wants to return to India with him, and she is sure of her decision... He hesitates, but relents... No sooner does the couple get back together that destiny plays a evil game and Amaya passes away, leaving him alone once again...

He returns to Kolkata, gets on with his life, all the while missing his wife and his kids and grandson Varrun... The skype calls, the emails and chats continue and so does their life... he reminisces of the children growing up in Kolkata, his son's best friend who is a reason for him to visit once again[for her treatment] and their chauffeur, who has been around forever, who was at Amaya's beck and call..

Amar has woven a beautiful tale via this book, he has managed to capture the emotions and turmoil that people go through when relationships are broken, the difficulties in a long distance relationship and that of a yearning man who wants to reach out to his family but is dealing with life.... Its a good read, and am sure looking forward to Amar's next book...

Mayakkam Enna

2011-11-28T09:04:00.001+05:30

So, it was weekend and we were looking at the movies that had been released to see what we could catch... Since my Saturday was packed, we decided to hunt for tickets for Mayakkam enna for sunday.... The only theater that had tickets was AGS, Navalur OMR.. "What the heck, lets go check it out" we said in unison and i went on to book the tickets!!

The ride from Nungambakkam to Navalur took about 40mins, the theater complex is beyond Sathyabama College and Asiana Hotel... It sits majestic but only on entering did we realise it was barren [ empty...] but for the 5th floor with movie screens and the floor below- meant for Food court with 3 outlets..! The theater was huge, but the crowd was a very local crowd.. Infact two guys who came and plonked in seats behind us were DRUNK and belting out all the choicest colourful Tamil swear words!!

We sat back, sipped on our drinks and hoped the movie was worth the drive.....

Starring: Dhanush, Richa, Sundar Ramu and a whole host of others i have never seen before!!
Director: Selvaraghavan

Selvaraghavan and Dhanush have come together to release a movie that is all about a young boy finding his dreams and the hurdles he has to overcome and the people who stand by him through the ardeous journey.... Just that i get the feel Selvaraghavan has this streak in him to mess with people's head along the story....

The Story-Karthik Swaminathan (Dhanush) is a young boy who is passionate about photography, living his life on his own terms.. His friends call him "genius" and pretty much all they did through the movie was sit around drinking and bad mouthing others.... The same happens when Sundar brings his new girlfriend Yamini [Richa] who is met with sneers and flurry of not so pleasing words!

Anyways, back to the plot, Karthik works hard, takes photographs of just about everything that catches his eye, but it fails to give him a break.. He works hard and wants to leave a mark as a photographer. Though he does portfolio and weddings assignments, his passion is wildlife photography.

Even though their 1st meeting was bitter, for some reason Yamini is drawn to Karthik and tries getting close to him, going on to tell him she loves him and not Sunder.. After quite a bite of drama between the friends, Karthik & Yamini get married. Karthik one day goes to meet a renowned photographer Mathesh Krishnamoorthy [Ravi Prakash], who gives him a project to prove his worth.. Alas, Mathesh kicks Karthik out saying his photographs were crap, but then one day Yamini asks Karthik to pick up the National Geographic magazine in which his very photograph is published but with credit to Mathesh.. This drives Karthik over the edge, he falls down, and becomes mentally unstable- an angry violent drunk young man!!

Yamini sticks with him no matter what, sends out his photographs to every magazine and publication in hope of getting him a break.... Which eventually happens via the Kumudam magazine at an ad agency...

In between, there is a lot of drama between the couple, the scenes that had me wondering what is up with Selvaraghavan, why does he want to mess with our heads like this? show some gruesome scenes[ a miscarriage, blood stains on the floor] and sights..... But i guess that is the turning point in the movie where even though there is a rift between the young couple, there is a breakthrough in Karthik's life and he goes on to reach great heights....

The movie is painfully slow, very dark [literally- no lighting] in many scenes and sometimes you wonder where the fastforward button is... But one thing for sure, the movie is packed with emotions and drama...

I loved the locations and cinematography wherever there were scenes with Danush heading off for a photo shoot... The lighting, settings were lovely in those locations!!

But there were some scenes, little things that had me wondering "Why oh why... what do the directors think when they are making the movie...." Do all movie makers assume Audiences are stupid, or that they dont notice these small nuances?

The maple leaves falling in the forest....
A Cormorant posing for Danush in the middle of a forest
The mystery behind what happens to the cars? [in the scene where Danush goes to pick up Yamini who is stranded with a car breakdown in a bus stop and then he runs away the minute they kiss which is interruped by a call from Sundar]

Newcomer Richa has done a good job of being this "stiff upper lip, i have an attitude" kinda girl.... Danush has acted well, essayed the role to perfection i would say.... but this is not a movie for all...

If you enjoy movie about Friends
If you like Danush...
If you have been humming the songs from the movie..
If you enjoy watching people sit around drinking for hours
And if you are prepared for selvaraghavan's style... Go watch Mayakkam Enna!! else, give it a miss!!

Ides of March

2011-11-26T17:13:00.001+05:30

Starring- George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei
Directed by - George Clooney

Trivia on ides of March :-
The Ides of March (Latin: Idus Martiae) is the name of the 15th day of March in the Roman calendar, probably referring to the day of the full moon

In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was killed in 44 B.C. Caesar was stabbed (23 times) to death in the Roman Senate by a group of conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus.

The Movie

The Ides of March takes place during the frantic last days before a heavily contested Ohio presidential primary, when an up-and-coming campaign press secretary (Ryan Gosling) finds himself involved in a political scandal that threatens to upend his candidate's shot at the presidency.

The movie is a thriller that is centered around the political campaign of Mike Morris [George Clooney], the Pennsylvania governor who is also a Democrat eyeing the President post. Before he can go on to acquiring the President's seat, he needs to win the Ohio elections, where it is evident he needs the support of the influential Senator Thompson (Wright).

The campaign is managed by veteran Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and the younger smart Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling). Thompson, the senator seems to be leaning towards Morris' rival Senator Ted Pullman, whose campaign is managed by Tom Duffy (Giamatti).

. Though Paul agrees that Duffy has the “brains”, Paul continues to maintain that he has the “balls" along with the brains, which is Stephen. Stephen does what he believes in, unlike Paul who will do anything to WIN... As the campaign progresses, one fine day Duffy invites Stephen for a meeting and offers him a job, which is where the twist in the movie takes place. And before Stephen could share news of this meet with Paul, the story hungry reporter Ida Horowicz (Marisa Tomei) threatens to publish news of the meet about Stephen consorting with Duffy, which he rebukes in return getting blackmailed by Ida to squeal something from the inside...

Stephen gets close to Molly, an intern with their campaign office, eventually discovering a deep dark dirty secret related to Morris... This however does not end well, Molly dies and Stephen then takes this opportunity to corner Morris...

The Ides of March is a movie that is slow, but yet paced well.. Every scene has been thought through, every dialogue delivered after much planning.... Each of the cast has done a commendable job, keeping their emotions in check, delivering crisp dialogues and emotions...

George Clooney has held the role of Governor Mike Morris, a politician with a drive to win beautifully.. The interview on TV where he talks about banning death penalty and yet when asked about how he would react if someone attacked/misbehaved with his wife, without batting an eyelid he replies he would avenge her dead and go to jail...

Ryan Gosling has proved he can take on versatile roles and deliver them with finesse. I recently saw 2 other movies of his- Drive and CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE....

The movie is based on a stage play, Farragut North by Beau Willimon, George Clooney and his co-writers Grant Heslov & Willimon (who had infact spent quite a bit of time working for Hillary Clinton) have beautifully crafted the movie, where the main role has been essayed with ease by Clooney...

Ides of March Trailer...

Velayutham

2011-11-16T15:44:00.001+05:30

Oh here is Superman, well not really
Oh wait, is he Robin hood, nope, not really
Oh then he is a man in disguise, doing good, nope, not really
he is simply Vijay... the actor!!
and then there are a zillion others who come and go in the scenes!!

The Story is of how a imaginary character created by Bharathi [Genelia] comes to life via Velayutham[Vijay] and fights against all the evil [the muslim terrorist, fake note printing, corrupt consciousless Home Minister...]

The movie opens with Bharathi and her two friends [journalist] working towards bringing to light the evil going on underground, but the villains kill her friends, and hurt her pretty bad, tossing her into the river, assuming she is dead.. She manages to write a note saying there is a person who is born to kill all the evil and signs off saying "velayutham" seeing the Vel in a nearby temple.. Much to her surprise, there is a man named Velayutham who seems to be doing exactly what she had in mind....

Velayutham is a milk man from a small town, creating havoc in the name of love for his sister [ Saranya Mohan] much to the chagrin of the villagers, who are just waiting to kick him out. The antics he does for his sister are howlarious and heart warming to see the amount of love. He has taken care of his sister since their parents left them, bringing her up, and getting her married to a suitable boy. Oh, and there is Vaidehi [Hansika Motwani], the pretty village girl who has a thing for Velayutham but he does not bite the bullet and keeps dodging her...

The movie then moves to Chennai where Vijay lands to encash the chit he had been collected over the years for his sister's wedding where he meets another investor, and ofcourse Santhanam, the small time theif who is terrible at stealing... Under the pretext of taking care of Velu and his family, Santhanam gets them to stay with him in hope of doing away with the 15lakhs once Velu encashes the chit fund....

The twists and turns that occur from the time Velu lands in Chennai to his sister's wedding is a mix of uneblieveable acts, gimmicks and acrobatics... Director Raja seems to have been inspired by Vikram's Anniyan to a point where he gets Velu into a costume complete with a sword and has him flying in air, riding a horse out of nowhere and discovering evil men everywhere he lands.... Starting with Velu getting off the train and riding off a bike parked in the station waiting for someone to pick it up, which had a bomb that explodes just as Velu abandons it in the chase after Santhanam, to returinng a suitcase that his sister spots in the crowded Ranganathan street, leading him to follow the bad man and return the suitcase, wherein the bomb explodes at their abode where they are busy stashing away Fake notes....

The grand finale that takes place in the Stadium where the Home Minister promises to reveal the identity by making the Muslim terrorist dress up in Velayutham's outfit and conning the audience, which fails miserably leading to the truth coming out in the open...

There are so many scenes in the movie that made me wonder - what was Raja thinking when he took on this script....

No Doubt this is a good come back for Vijay... but there are so many parts in the movie that are just wierd, unbelieveable and funny[not in the haha funny, but what the hell kinda funny]...

A meeting called by the Home Minister with NOT a single COP in sight
An auditorium full of people and not a single guard
A knife plunged into Genelia, but she comes out like nothing happened
A fair and city bred looking Hansika who is the daughter of Bhaskar in a village

Good to see Pandiarajan back in the big screen...

and there is only so much that Santhanam can also do to keep the audience awake!! :D

Too much ....I just dont buy it!!!

Tower Heist

2011-11-09T23:22:00.001+05:30

There is Eddie Murphy... Wait, there is Adam Sandler... Oh, hold it there, there is Alan Alda too.. Now, a movie with such fine actors has to be fun filled right? Well, that is what i thought before sitting down to watch Tower Heist... What i ended up thinking towards the end.. well, read on...

The movie opens with Arthur Shaw [Alan Alda] who plays chess daily with Josh [Ben Stiller] and who promises to help triple the pension money of all the staff at the Tower apartments faking a kidnapping, which is when his true colours are unveiled.

Apparently, he was faking a kidnapping to flee the country to escape from all the frauds and federal charges. Josh and others feel it is a mistake, but soon realise it is indeed True and that Shaw has made all their money vanish into thin air...

Since all the Tower employees are good hard working souls and they trusted Josh with their pension, it is now Josh's turn under the spotlight where he is made to feel guilty for trusting Shaw with the money... When Shaw is put under house arrest, Josh along with the new elevator operator Enrique Dev’Reaux and Charlie, the concierge with a very pregnant wife march into Shaw's apartment under the pretext of making breakfast enquiries and bash up the Ferrari he has parked in his apartment that he claims belonged to Steve McQueen... The trio are fired and banned...

That night while getting drunk with FBI agent Claire [Tea Leoni] that he gets an idea on how to set up a Heist and get back the money Shaw stole from them... he puts together his Oceans Team, oops heist team - Enrique, Charlie, Mr. Fitzhugh [Mathew Brodrick who seems to have aged and looks 200],ex-wall street guy who has just been evicted from his Tower apartment,Slide [Eddie murphy], his next door neighbour who is forever getting into trouble and decide to break into Shaw's apartment and hunt down the Safe where he feels the money is tucked away....

As the movie rolls, we get such strong traces of Oceans 11 that it is hard to focus on Tower heist.... The plan, the tricks, the little twists and turns are all good, and well chalked out which keeps us in the edge of our seats, sometimes rolling with laughter and other times wondering will they pull it off... Pretty soon we discover the other characters who are part of this plan... Lester, the adorable doorman and the spunky lock picking "i want to get married to retain my visa" Odessafrom Jamaica....

The scene where Eddie Murphy orders them each to shoplift an item worth $50 is howlarious....

For some strange reason, i was also reminded of Ben Stiller in Night at the museum while watching this... probably his style of acting or delivering dialogues....

This is a movie you will enjoy while you are watching it, you just might not remember it too long, or go around recommending your friends watch it... but what the heck.. value for money :)

Go enjoy.... just dont have expectations.. any!!

I Am

2011-11-01T19:35:00.000+05:30

I had been listening to I Am's OST for a few months and finally i found the movie, it was one movie i was looking forward to watching...!! The movie is about 4 individuals, it is 4 stories, it is 4 lives, ... it is all about PEOPLE!! Though the people involved in the plot are from different corners of the country- Kolkata, Bangalore, Srinagar and Mumbai, with the stories ranging from artificial insemination, child abuse and gay prostitution, they're connected by a common thread of disenchantment.

Onir's I AM opens with a Rabindranath Tagore's quote from Gitanjali, 'Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high...'

Meet the ‘I’s:

I am Afia

The 1st story opens with Afia [Nandita Das] looking for a sperm donor to fulfill her wish of getting artificial insemination done. She meets her doctor, and insists on meeting the man before taking a call, which is how she meets Purab Kohli. They spend time getting to know each other, breaking barriers before going ahead with the procedure. Their relationship goes through a transformation at the fertility clinic while waiting for the doctor to come in.

I Am Megha

Megha [Juhi Chawla] is a Kashmiri Pundit battling with life and emotions after having been chased out of Jammu & Kashmir when the military took over the land. She goes back, meets their Muslim family friends Manisha Koirala but interacts with them quite curt and to the point. There is a lot of anger and resentment in her voice during the one day she spends in town.

I Am Abhimanyu

This is a story on Child abuse..the victim is Abhimanyu [Sanjay Suri] who grew up abused by his step-father on a day to day basis... He grows up bitter, severing all ties with his family, quite unsure of his sexual preferences.. The entire movie flows through the stories, while showing the different phases in Abhimanyu’s life, as the abused child going on to a manipulative adolescent and thence to whining adulthood, in a very short share of the total running time. It is only when his mom calls to announce his step father's death that he finally confronts his demons and lets it all out to her...

I am Omar

This is probably the most devastating story in the movie, the one that will shake you up. It is about Gay relationships and this plot is about Jai (Rahul Bose) and Omar (Arjun Mathur)... Jai, who is obviously doing well in life meets Omar at a coffee shop one lazy evening. He is drawn to Omar, takes him out and giving into his strong feelings, wants to go all the way. Omar convinces him to just get naughty in his car, only to get accosted by a vulgar homophobic cop, who scares Jai beyond repair. It is later than Jai comes to know Omar is a con and was playing him all along... Abhimanyu Singh as the cop was so ruthless and brutal with his foul language and crude behaviour, quite revealing how people react when they come across a Gay guy...

I AM is more than a movie, it is not exactly a documentary either. It tells the tales of people we meet on a daily basis, but whose lives are so deep, and go beyond what we see on the surface. Each and every story has its own unique rhythm. The emotions and feelings, the experiences that each of the actors portray is quite surreal, making us think while the credits roll on the screen at the end of the movie...

Cast : Sanjay Suri, Radhika Apte, Shernaz Patel, Anurag Kashyap, Rahul Bose, Arjun Mathur, Abhimanyu Shekhar Singh, Nandita Das, Juhi Chawla, Manisha Koirala, Purab Kohli & Anurag Basu
Music : Amit Trivedi, Vivek Philip & Rajiv Bhalla
Director : Onir
Producer : Onir & Sanjay Suri

Siya Seth Decides to Die by Sneha Mehta

2011-11-01T18:21:00.002+05:30

Siya Seth has committed suicide. After her death, she decides to bare it all, telling the world her story. Siya, a school girl [17 years of age] was a victim of parental abuse since she was 8. Though she tries doing everything possible to gain her some peace and comfort, her hidden secrets keep haunting her, not letting her rest, driving her over the edge at the end.

Review of Siya Seth Decides to Die...Pages 255. Rs 100

Publisher- Diamond Books, Delhi

When i 1st read the title, i was taken aback. Made me wonder if the author had been inspired by Paulo Coelho's Veronica Decides to Die, but as i read through, i realised this is fairly different.

The opening lines -

“Life sucked me dry. I felt like a diagonally parked car in a parallel universe. People rolled up, collided, had accidents, and recovered; while I lay bruised. externally and internally. Seen and unseen. I committed suicide. For my own good.”

had me engrossed.. Though i kind of knew where the story was headed, i was curious to see how Sneha's novel would be...

Siya seems to be a a regular teenage rebel, one who is very bold, and yet on other hand she is coming to terms with adulthood, trying to deal with changes in her physical appearance and inside of her. She goes on with life, with only a best friend- Reva.

Although she has it all, Siya does not seem to live in peace. There is something that is haunting her, giving her sleepless nights and endless nightmares. She even dates the good looking Randeep, which does not sit well with her best friend Reva. She bunks school, bribes a policeman in Marine Lines, bluffs her way through the day, visits a man who is proficient in Past life related issues, who claims to heal her soul for just Rs999. But, none of this seems to help... And we, the readers wonder why?!

Siya is a depressed teenager who has a dark secret buried deep inside her heart. She is depressed, lonely and sad. She is also stinking rich, an only child and has servants attending to her day in and day out, so nobody can understand why a filthy rich and good looking teenager could be miserable. As readers we do know it has to do something with her dark secret.

No prizes for guessing what Siya’s dark secret is..you will know it if you have read the blurb on the back cover of the book, or if you read through the 1st 50 odd pages. The book starts off strong, but after a while makes us wonder where it is headed. Siya takes her own sweet time in revealing the truth, and what was really going on in her life, and why she committed suicide.

The abuse, the victim and the culprit, the emotions running high and the society's role in all of this could have been highlighted better. I felt the plot kind of fizzled out after a point, and the extent of Siya's trauma dint come through the pages. Also, there were quite a bit of grammatical errors and typos here and there, which the author and editor should spend time in polishing!

But hats off to Sneha for taking such a sensitive and prevailing issue and attempting to bring it out to the world!

About the Author

Sneha Mehta is a student of organizational psychology and a freelance writer.

Vaagai Sooda Vaa- Its all about Learning!

2011-10-18T11:12:00.001+05:30

Direction: Sargunam

Music: Gibran
Cinematography: Om Prakash

Cast: Vimal, Iniya, K. Bhagyaraj, Ponvannan, Thambi Ramaiah and others

After watching Kalavani and enjoying it, i knew i wanted to watch Vaagai Sooda Vaa... Vimal and Sargunam seems to be a good combo...

As the screen came to life and the movie began, it was obvious this was a movie set in the 1960s or 70s... Bhagyaraj is seen making a promise to his wife that he will get his son a Job with the Government office, that of a teacher atleast and have the family name held high among his clan....

While waiting for the Government job to fall in place, Veluthambi[Vimal] joins the Grama seva and aims at spreading the value and importance of education. He is sent on an assignment to the desolate village called Kandeduthankaadu near Tanjore. Though he is reluctant, his father[Bhagyaraj] urges him to take it up atleast to gain experience as they cannot afford the 100Gms of Gold asked as bribe for the Government job. He lands in this village that is filled with families who are into Brick making.

He is offered the shack that was used to store the goat, much to the chagrin of the man in charge of the goats[ few scenes where the goat is sent to chase him around are so howlarious]...Anyways, back to the story, he then seeks out Madhi[Iniya] to offer him meals daily [she is quite the cheeky one, gives him pot of ragi porridge with green chillies and when he goes complaining to the women of the village, sneaks in and replaces chillies with some meat only to take them away again as soon as the women leave]... Madhi falls in love with him, dreaming of their life together....

With time, he realises the kids in the village would rather play around or go work in the Brick stacking unit than come study.. he tries to lure them by offering to tell stories, but he is unable to come up with an interesting story....

And in between all this, there is one man [Elango], who looks insane , walking around chanting "i hear birds, i hear them all around me" living near the entrance of the village.. One night he comes to visit Velu telling him "you should not go, i shall leave" and the next morning passes away...

There are powerful enemies lurking about... The local bigwig JP (Ponvannan) who treats the villagers like slaves and demands they repay him if they say a word against him... and the last thing he wants is for them to learn and become educated. It is only when Velu puts out a challenge to the villagers on the number of bricks laid out that the villagers understand how they are being conned and the women instantly agree to send their children to study...

The arrogant owner (Ponvannan) now locks horns with Velu, sending out his goons to kick Velu out of the village. but he is saved by the gang that opposes Ponvannan, the man who redeems the villages of their dues as well.

Meanwhile, Velu gets a letter that the Government job has come through and gets set to leave the village... As he is bidding goodbye, he tells the kids who have by now become attached to him that he will be back soon... One kid, comes upto him shows a slate with his mother's name written on it [albeit with a tiny error] and then drops some coins into his hand and tells him to bring back a notebook to write in... This tugs at Velu's heart and he goes to the bus stand and tells his father he cant leave this village now... Not when they are ready to learn...

Alas, he returns to the goat shack only to be told by the village medicine man that a letter came for velu, which he read that said the Grama Seva is unable to pay him what was promised and that he should pack up and leave....

Having given up the Government job and with no pay from Grama Seva, Velu continues to teach the children of the village... The beautiful turn of events is when the villagers come together and payhim from their petty earnings.

The movie has quite a few touching scenes and moments...It has been set in a village that is in the middle of nowhere and is completely barren.... It is a slow movie, but gains momentum in the 2nd half... I enjoyed the movie immensely... Do watch it!

Muran- sleek and smooth...

2011-10-14T17:33:00.001+05:30

Genre: Thriller
Directed by: Rajan Madhav

Cast: Cheran, Prasanna, Jayaprakash, Nikitha, Hari Priya, Suma

The story is fairly simple: it is about these 2 guys, who are poles apart in terms of their personalities and how fate brings them together, leaving one of them no choice but to follow suit... The 2 men are Nandha [Cheran] and Arjun[Prasanna]

The movie opens with Cheran and some others sitting in a table having a drink while Prasanna is standing on the ledge asking a waiter to count to 3 so he can jump down and hopefully fall into the Swimming pool.. he is piss drunk and not in his senses, but hell bent on doing this feat...

And the following day it so happens that Arjun gives Nandha a ride to Chennai when his car breaks down [no thanks to a bunch of drunk driving rash on the highway].. With time, they start sharing their life stories... As the flashback unfolds, Nandha passionate about music, plays the guitar talks about being married to Indhu (Nikitha) who hates music, wont give him a divorce till she gets her hands on her father's possessions and is possibly having an extramarital affair. Nandha is vexed with his marriage, but then he smiles once again when he meets Lavanya (Hari Priya) with whom he develops a strong bond and possibly even love.

On the other hand, there is Arjun, son of a millionaire and, all he wants to do is party and blow money [kinda like Ranbir in Wake up Sid]. He talks about how his father Devarajan (Jayaprakash) has ruined his life, the love he had for Linda [who worked in his dad's office and who was forced to have sex with his dad during an official trip and thtereon committed suicide].. Arjun talks about how Nandha can move on with Lavanya if his wife was taken out of the equation and how his life would be better when his dad is removed from the picture.

Arjun loves Thrills, while Nandha is a "play it safe" kinda guy. But Nandha realises Arjun is serious about this plan of his... But then, he walks away giving Arjun the number of a leading psychiatrist to seek out!!

This is where the movie takes quite a turn and twist.... One day, as Nandha goes about his routine he receives a call that his wife met with an accident and has died.. He is stumped and shocked.. That evening, he receives a surprise visitor... no prizes for guessing.. it is Arjun who comes to say "no need for Thank you" :-)

It is then that we feel chills down our spine, wondering what is Arjun really capable of! Arjun has actually put his words into action, proving he was serious and that he now expects Nandha to do the 2nd part of the deal- kill Devaraj.... Nandha does try, but fails and then calls it quits!

And as days go by.... he comes to know what Arjun is capable of , the extreme he goes to which leaves Nandha with no choice but to follow suit and go kill Devaraj based on the plan laid down by Arjun... What happens next is the grand climax and finale... let me not spoil it for you....

A friend mentioned that the movie was inspired by Hitchcock’s film, Strangers on a Train (1951).. Now since i have not seen this, i quite enjoyed it and felt the movie had a very Hollywoodish touch to it, the sleek neat way of execution, with each scene flowing smooth...

Its a movie that will have you glued to your seats, wondering what next.. who will kill whom... if Nandha or Arjun will get caught....

The songs are ok, i dont really remember any of them...

Plot is good, the pace is maintained through the movie...

Cheran and Prasanna have done an amazing job, doing justice to their roles to the dot.. Prasanna as a bad guy is quite a feat, it suits him!!

Let the rain kiss you by Vibha Vyas

2011-10-06T14:39:00.000+05:30

The book is about a girl, rather girls, and about how in a family of girls, each one is of a completely different personality. The book is also about siblings, the relationships , the mother daughter connection, and the impact Rains have had on this Sahni family.

Narrated through the voice of Kittu[Kirti], the tomboy of the family, the one girl who stands out from the lot, the one who has made it on her own, with grit and gumption.

The story is about Kiran who commits suicide giving into a battle that she feels she has lost and has no idea how to deal with failures.. It is also about her father who shuts himself out on her death, stays in her room but eventually proves he cares and loves his other daughters.

It is about the mother, how she favours one child over the other, how she treats the one daughter, Kajal who is fair and beautiful better than the others, how the girl, Komal who is dark and not so pretty is made to do all the cooking and other errands around the house, while others enjoy a carefree life.

There is also the tale about the grandmother, a mother in law, and a mother, who is the backbone of the family, who has been through a lot, had to deal with the battles of the country, seperation from her family, the sister who makes an appearance later [who has converted to a Muslim with whom Sumitra breaks all ties then and there]

And then there is the rain... Sweet little drops of water that dont seem to bring anything but bad luck and pain to this family. Everytime there is a wonderful function or moment about to happen, the pitter patter of rain is a sign that things are about to go wrong. Everytime it rains, the mother and grandmother are petrified and hold their hearts in their mouth with fear, anticipating the worst.

The characters in the book are-

Sumitra: The matriarch, the woman who holds the Sahni Family together.
Krishnakant: Sumitra's son who often leans towards the mother when battling with the wife.
Naina: The mother, a very frustrated wife, and with big dreams for her daughters
Kiran: Naina and Krishnakant's first daughter. Smart, talented, good at studies, but knows nothing but winning.
Kajal: Second daughter, very beautiful, and very aware of her beauty and the power it has over men

Komal: third daughter An average[dark] looking girl. Extremely talented in singing, but does not sing at home since her dad bans it, stammers when nervous and an amazing cook
Kirti (kittu): the youngest of the Sahni clan. A rebel, a fitness instructor by profession and hell bent on creating her own identity
Ranbir: A businessman who was chosen for Kajal but ends up marrying Komal.
Vinayak Kapoor: A family friend of the sahnis.
Urmila: Vinayak's wife and almost a member of the Sahni family , who encourages Komal in her singing pursuits.

The book is a good read , it is a book that will have you wondering what next in the pages...

Engeyum Eppothum

2011-09-27T12:16:00.001+05:30

My uncle called asking "ethavathu cinema irukka, nalaikku polama?" and that was all i needed.. After a quick check with some friends on which movie to pick, i spoke to uncle, mom & dad and booked tickets for Engeyum Eppothum at Satyam Cinemas 12.15pm Show... It was the 1st time Dad and uncle were heading to Satyam, so there was an added splash of excitment amidst us.

After watching the movie, i am sharing my review ...

Directed by M. Saravanan
Produced by A. R. Murugadoss

Starring : Jai
Anjali
Ananya
Sharvanand

Even before the credits rolled in, we saw the Fox Studios come alive on the screen. Must say, it was a proud moment to see Fox coming into the Tamil movie scene as well.. This is Fox Star Studios' first Tamil production in association with A R Murugadoss!! Kudos!!

So, what is the movie about?Well, it is a love story, not one, but 2, oh wait.. i think it is 3 or 4 :-)
And then there is the Bus accident that kind of ties everything together

Whats the big deal about this, you might think.. But you need to watch the movie to know why!!
Everyday we watch new channels showcasing incidents of bus accidents and train colisions and we feel sorry for those who lost their lives and for those who have been left behind. We do wonder what kind of life they had led, or what they were embarking on the journey for.

Well, this is exactly what M.Saravanan has done through this movie. He takes us forward, giving us a closer look at the lives of those who were in one such accident, and shows what their lives were like, the work, romance, problems they faced before and why they were on the bus in the 1st place..

With just a handful of characters, the director has created a movie that is not only fun, filled with life, humour, romance, emotions and one that has the audience reacting in every scene.. What begins at the Bus stand is a journey with so many twists and turns, that at the end we are all holding our hearts in our hands,wondering where this is going....

The Movie

Amudha (Ananya) comes to Chennai from her village to attend an interview. Stranded in CMBT bus stand, she takes her sister's advice and seeks help from a stranger Goutham (Sarva) to find her way around the city and reach her interview on time. She is very scared and reluctant at the beginning, but soon warms up to him to a point where she gets him to take her not only to the interview, but to her sister's place.. She insists on travelling by Share auto, reports to her sister about her suspisions about him, and judges him through the day..

Amudha returns to Tiruchy eventually, but realises she has fallen in love with Goutham. She then heads off to make the journey to Chennai to find him[so much so she does not even know his name], just when Goutham boards the bus to visit her in Trichy[ all he knows is her name and that she is from Tirchy]

As a new day dawns, in Trichy, another romance is spurting off between Kadhiresan (Jai) and Manimegalai (Anjali). They aare such contrasts in their personality that it makes us chuckle everytime they meet, and every dialogue Manimegalai thrusts on him.. Their romance takes off rough, but soon finds smooth roads, and finally they decide to visit the village near Trichy to meet Kadhiresan's parents.

This is when tragedy strikes... Near Villupuram, both the buses collide. What happens then is the crux of the movie...

The director takes us back to each of their lives, giving us a glimpse of what was going on before the accident before he brings us back to the scene of the collision...

It is amazing to watch Manimegalai take charge and order people to be taken to hospital, including Kadhiresan, who is hurt and bleeding from his ears... Goutham spots Amudha on the bus, injured and sends her off to a hospital... The finale is at the hospital.... Do the couples unite or do they have to go their ways heart broken? Who survives? who doesnt? Who are the other passengers on the bus and what was their connections?

Watch the movie to know more..

Good stuff

The movie is probably the only one i've seen in years that is as close to reality as possible...

Very well made ....

And the characters are all etched out perfectly...

The Govinda Song

Downers:

Wish the director dint show so much goriness of the accident, but i guess its needed to hit the reality button home

In the scene where Amudha and Goutham travel around the city to get to the place of her interview, the maze thry travel left me puzzled.. ---->>> From CMBT to Egmore [saying it is Kilpauk]---> from there they seem to go to R A Puram and then to Nungambakkam high Road and finally to Ethiraj Salai [which is supposed to College road]

Again in the scene between Manimegalai and Kadhiresan WHO ARE IN TRICHY, she takes him shopping to ESPIRIT, Khader nawaz khan road[spending 150bucks on auto], blows Rs6000, and then hops across to Barista [above Best wishes, nungambakkam high road] and then she heads off home [in Trichy] and he goes home[in Trichy]

Movie makers- please understand that your audiences do NOTICE things, minute details and we are not DUH!

Mankatha- Game of In or Out

2011-09-10T10:03:00.002+05:30

"Mankatha"- the title says it all... Ajith has pulled off quite a performance in his 50th Movie and Arjun along with the rest of the team adding to it, although i wonder what was the reason behind making this movie in the 1st place!

After Chennai 28 that was based on Cricket, Venkat Prabhu has taken on yet another sport as the theme for his next movie-"Mankatha".. It is based on the sport that involves Money and the Men involved.

Vinayak mahadevan [Ajith], a cop suspended for letting a Terrorist go is the KING MAN in this plot... He plays a Bad ass who is focussed on nothing but MONEY.. The movie is Ajith all the way- with his loud laughs, body language, suave moves, and dialogue delivery.... and ofcourse it shows very obviously that Venkat Prabhu has tried very hard to portray Vinayak as Danny Ocean from the Ocean Series, and it kinda obviously falls flat...

Coming back to the story, Vinayak goes about his days meeting people, and enjoying a carefree life, that also includes his gilfried Sanjana (Trisha) who is the daughter of an influential local goon Arumuga Chettiyar (Jayaprakash of Yudham Sei fame).

Vinayak is a fun guy, who will do anything for money, but goes about it quite smooth- befriending the right kind of people, tech savvy enough to plant bugs to learn about the plan others are making and all the while living his life to the full...

The movie loosely involves the Betting that goes on in the IPL matches... Assistant Commissioner of Police Prithvi (Arjun) is given the case to end the betting scandal.

Arumuga Chettiyar discovers that Rs 500 crores is the money involved in the betting for the Final IPL match. He uses his nexus with underworld in Mumbai and tries to route it through his recreation centre- Golden Theater in Mumbai.

He has a team of young guns, amongst who Sumanth (Vaibhav) is Arumuga Chettiyar's protege. Sumanth makes a plan with the Police officer Ganesh (Ashwin) to loot the money. Also joining them in the plot are Mahanth (Mahanth), who runs a bar in Mumbai and Prem (Premgi Amaran) an IIT pass out who's recently landed in Mumbai with money dreams in his eyes.

Vinayak comes to know of their plan and takes over as the leader guiding them through the loot, till one morning he along with Ganesh and Sumanth land at the place where the booty is stored to discover it all gone! Mahath and Prem have gone missing which makes it obvious that they have disappeared with the cash.

This is when Arumuga Chettiyar begins the hunt for the treasure, interrogates Sumanth by threatening to hurt his wife and chases after the gang to repossess his loot. Vinayak follows every move of Arumuga Chettiar, and this is where the chase begins to heat up ...

Some interesting dialogues in the movie--

* Thappu seiyurathellam sernthu senjuringa aana thandanai mattum thaniya avanukka?

* Sathiyama inimey kudikkavey kudathu da.

* Oh.. Sanjay Ramasaamy.. Mel maadi. Avar marakkurathukulla pooidunga.

* Inimey namma ellam thanni adicha, orey brand aa maintain pannanum. Mix panna kudathu.

* The King!! No no no.. The King Maker!!

* Over confidence udambukku nallathu illa King Maker.

* Cha cha cha cha Ivan ippadi solla mattaney? Yeppudi solluva sollu…

* Money money money money money Ummah

* Vaada Bill Gates!!

* Action King!! I’m impressed!! Gimme More!!

Let me not reveal the spoilers... but Ajith and Arjun have managed to pull off the twist in tale quite well... Venkat Prabhu has created a movie that shows of Ajith's various facets... which have also been delivered well.. The movie has strong traces of Ocean 11 series, and Italian Job as well.. It does have a Hollywood style direction as well, which was good to see in a Tamil movie...I know i have said this earlier, but heck, i cant get over the similarities ....

I wish movie makers realise they can create movies without song sequences and the audience will still enjoy them... A background score would have been good enough.... In this movie, i felt there was no need for a heroine leave alone half the tracks belted out, some of which made no sense..!! Again, Venkat Prabhu has created another song like the Saroja Samaa nikalo with this "Machi open the bottle" for Premji...

The bloopers during the credits are worth a watch... yet another 1st in the Tamil film industry!! This was the best part about the movie!! but then being able to endure 3hours just for a few laughs?!!

You Can sell by Shiv Khera

2011-09-02T13:50:00.000+05:30

"If you think you can - you can !

If you think you can not - you can not !
And either way........you are right !"
— Shiv Khera

After the success of You can Win, Shiv Khera is now back with You Can Sell... The front cover of the book has the title You can win and the byline- "Results are Rewarded, efforts arent" , which is the crux of the book.. which is the truth of the world!!

If you want to:

Gain success and avoid pitfalls

Meet and exceed your goals

Establish credibility and grow

Gain a competitive edge

Learn the qualities of a winning professional

This Book is For you! [is what the back cover starts off with........]

Shiv khera sure has a way with words and well, am sure many are eager to learn the Art of selling for who this book will be a bible!

Giving a brief sneak into those Who are not selling, Shiv Khera goes on to talk about how our mind works, how we should think, and the ideas that need to be encouraged from within us for us to succeed in life.

This book is a hardcore seller when it comes to giving people little tips=- starting with one's physical appearance, the attitude, posture, the way we smile and the art of convincing others to buying what we are selling.. It could be a product, it could be a strategy, it could be a service... The bottom line is, if you want to sell something, anything, you need to be convinced enough to talk about it.. You need to beleive in it before you can sell it to others..

Dont simply sell the product, sell the experience

Dont simply talk about the benefits and advantages of a service, convince the other person they cannot grow/develop/excel without it

Dont sell blatantly, but smooth talk to have the other person BUY!

I felt the book was a bit too much, maybe its just me, but i did get comments from others i spoke to on how Shiv Khera's words are worshiped.. So, if you are looking for something to carry in your pocket, to give you an instant boost of adrenalin or give you a helping hand in dire situations, then go ahead, read this book.. Otherwise, keep this to refer in case you have doubts or going through a rough patch to give yourself hope!

Blinkers Off by Andaleeb Wajid

2011-08-19T23:25:00.003+05:30

The cover of the book had me fascinated and so did the title... Blinkers off by Andaleeb Wajid is the kind of book you should read after a packed tiring day.... The book is light, while being deep; It is fun while being serious and it makes for a breezy read.

While reading this book, i realized once again it is not necessary for a book to be heavy duty, filled with high tech words and have complex characters for it to be interesting.

The book is all about "Noor". Like every other college girl, Noor goes through her set of conflicts and ideas.She dreams of becoming a screen play writer, ergo taking the documentary making classes very seriously. When she comes across Dennis, the suave good looking guy who is almost like a Knight in the shining Armour, her heart skips a beat and emotions run amok. And then, there is her family... She is out late working on projects, her parents, especially her mom is unhappy with this and even comments that Noor should stop the course. And then there is her team mate Supriya, who is anything but a team mate, quite the contrary!

The day she is paired with Supriya, she wonders what is going to happen.. She is frustrated when Supriya does not even bother to contribute, but is beyond excited when the Professor picks her script to be made into a documentary. She is assigned a team of 5-6 members, all of who come with their set of baggage, all of which needs to be dealt with if the documentary gets made...

Supriya bugs her to no end, her Diva like attitude, good looks and of course the fact that she is all over Dennis... But, it is thanks to Dennis that Noor is able to get through the ordeal and get her documentary done and finished. Noor has to not only manage her team mates, but guard the Bride's dark secret, put up with Supriya and her tantrums, keep her feelings to herself and remain focussed on the taks at hand- The Documentary! As things come to a head during the wedding, Noor realizes there is no easy way out or a solution in sight, and i guess that is the curx of Blinkers off.

The Characters are all very real, and we can relate to quite a few of the incidents in the book.. I was also left wondering if guys like Dennis actually existed in the real world and if so, where were they!! :D.. Andaleeb, any leads on this? ;-)

Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph

2011-08-18T01:04:00.001+05:30

After reading the "Maximum City" by Suketu Mehta, "Love and Longing in Bombay" by Vikram Chandra and ofcourse "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts, I was now onto reading yet another book on the Buzzing city of Mumbai- "Saraswati Park" by Anjali Joseph.

This book has been nominated for the Vodafone-Crossword Award for 2011 under Fiction category!

Saraswati Park is a fascinating story about a simple family who call Bombay their home. The book is a vivid description of the city and how many lives are entwined within it..

Saraswati Park is the colony where the protagonists- Mohan & his wife Lakshmi reside. It is where Mohan wakes up every morning and makes tea for himself and his wife without making too much noise, though no matter what lakshmi wakes up and complains of all the clanging :)

Saraswati Park is where Ashish goes through a transformation.

Saraswati Park is the place that is the hub of emotions, personalities and a reflection of the city that is alive through the day.

Saraswati Park is like the train journey to Churchgate....the moments where one fights to find a seat.. while other times the train offers solace ...

Saraswati Park is a book that is Mohan’s story. Mohan Karekar is a letter writer who helps translate others thoughts into words day in and out, sitting outside the post office. He loves to read, aspires to write a book one day and is very concerned about the changes happening around him.

Lakshmi got up when he opened the cupboard to take out a clean shirt. ‘Every day,’ she observed. She picked up the covered cup of tea and regarded it at arm’s length. She sighed. Mohan began to do up his buttons. The shirt was crisp; it hung at a polite distance from his body. He started to roll up his sleeves, and followed her to the kitchen to point out, ‘But I didn’t wake you.’ She poured the tea into the saucepan and lit the gas. Her eyes were still heavy. ‘That’s what you think,’ she said. ‘You think I don’t hear you, clanging about in the kitchen.’

Mohan and Lakshmi lead a very simple and almost staid life, what with their children being away from home and his job being a monotonous one. Though everything looks happy and dandy, there is a lot brewing underneath, that causes quite a bit of tension between the couple, and it is visible their marriage is crumbling like the words that are stuck in Mohan's mind.

A group of pigeons flew out of the old tree and into the sky, their wings making the sound of wind on the sea; they criss-crossed each other and made for the west. He tucked the new book under his arm and returned to the station, where a Harbour Line train was pulling into platform two.

Things do change a bit when Ashish, Mohan's nephew comes to live with them and hopefully turn his life around, especially studies. Ashish is a 19year old teenager majoring in English literature and going through a confused phase, primarily related to his sexual preferences.

Saraswati Park, the book takes us along the journey that these three different characters go through, giving us a glimpse of what each of their lives are like and what is it that holds them together, or not.

The crux of the book is when Lakshmi's brother Satish passes away, and Mohan is left to take care of organising the last rites, to being there when the will is executed. Satish leaves all his posessions to Ashish, who is not a blood relative but someone he cares about. With each passing day Mohan immerses himself in the books and writing, almost ignoring Lakshmi and her desiers. Using this as an excuse, Lakshmi goes away to her hometown, leaving Mohan wondering if she is alright and if he has done something to upset her.

After a brief spell of seperation, Mohan finally gives in and goes to bring Lakshmi back where she belongs. All the while Ashish is going through his own set of worries and turmoils, not to forget Professor Narayan who is tutoring him not just in English Literature but on life as well. He is torn between feelings for the Professor, which ends up in heart break when his professor ends all ties with him. Thanks to his friend, Ashish matures and moves on, going to USA for further studies, trying to put the professor episode behind him, albeit with one final phone call while waiting for his flight to board.

Anjali has managed to keep the flow going beautifully, giving us readers something to ponder on with every page. Though the pace of the book is slow and some parts seem lame, it is overall a good read. For people who have been to or lived in Mumbai, the spirit of the city will definitely have them smiling and reminiscing.

Good luck on the award, Anjali!!

MetroPlus Theater Fest 2011 is here...

2011-08-11T11:15:00.000+05:30

The seventh edition of The Hindu MetroPlus Theatre Fest 2011 will happen this August. the Fest — which was launched in Chennai in 2005 and held annually ever since — will run in five cities. Over the month, it will feature 20 performances in five cities.

The 7th Edition features 7 Plays from across the country and the world....

Kkok-Du by Creative Group Noni from Korea,
Chasing My Mamet Duck by Evam from Chennai,

The Real Inspector Hound by Quaff Theatre from Mumbai,

The Interview by Akvarious Productions from Mumbai,

The Travelling Circus by Mind Adventures Theatre Company from Sri Lanka

Success by Theatre MXT from USA and

The Blue Mug by The Company Theatre from Mumbai.

If you are a theater buff, heck if you are someone who has never been to a PLay before, its time you set aside an hour one evening and head over to Sir Muthu Venkata Subbarao Hall in Lady Andal School, Harrington Road!!

Here is the detailed schedule and snippet on the plays

For tickets, click here

I Am Kalam

2011-08-06T09:09:00.004+05:30

Cast: Harsh Mayar, Gulshan Grover, Pitobash, Laxmi[the camel]

Director: Nila Madhab Panda

There was something about the movie poster that drew me to the movie and so when i won a ticket on an sms contest, i was excited! I have always enjoyed watching movies, more so those based on true stories and revolving around Kids- Tara Zameen Par, Stanley ka Dabba, etc.....

I am Kalam is the endearing story of a little boy who transforms from Chottu to Kalam and has big dreams for himself. His one aspiration is to wear a Tie, and be respected by many :) The movie reinforces the "Keep dreaming and keep aspiring to fulfil those dreams"

A truly Inspiring movie, 'I am Kalam' is not a documentary or preachy. No way, it is far from that!! There is so much life in the movie, that we are completely engrossed... We laugh with the actors, we chuckle, we cry, we want to reach out ....... It is a heartwarming movie...

Chottu[Harsh Mayar] is a bright eager to learn kid who is left at a Dhabba[in the outskirts of Rajasthan] run by Bhati[ Gulshan Grover] by his mom so he can earn some money. He wins the heart of not only Bhati, but all the visitors, especially the foreigners, and makes sure to learn something from each of them. The enthusiasm and zeal he has for learning is just infectious. And then there is Laptain [Pitobash from Shor in the City]. Chottu spends the few minutes he gets between cleaning up dishes and serving customers.

One day while watching TV late in the night, Chottu listens to a speach by the then President Abdul Kalam on how important education is for children and there is no age limit to learn... Thus is born Kalam, and he makes it a point to tell all that he is no longer to be called "Chottu" :)

The innocence is seen when on the tea rounds to the nearby Haveli, he becomes friendly with the young prince named Ranvijay (Husaan Saad) and their bond is deeper than toys... They teach each other, play, run around, and connect.... The excitment in Chottu's face when Ranvijay gives him a gift is a truly priceless moment...

Lucy (Beatrice Ordeix), the french tourist who had held Bhati captivated breaks his heart when she tells him she is married and her husband is in Delhi. She infact promises Kalam that she'l take him to Delhi but leaves in a hurry, breaking his heart as well..

Chottu Alias Kalam is an example to every child who wishes to grow and study... Shows if you are determined, you too can succeed...

To know more, watch the movie!! Here's a clip to get you started...

Every scene in the movie is endearing, makes us smile and feel good for Kalam and his attitude. Then, there is Laxmi, the Dhabba camel which becomes his best friend :-)

The little tiffs and clashes between Chottu and Laptan show the jealousy and anger within Laptan[ the Hindi film obsessed worker at the Dhabba]

I enjoyed Chottu's acting and this is probably one of Gulshan Grover's finest pieces as well...

Rating:

La la la la la lalala la go The Smurfs

2011-08-01T18:40:00.002+05:30

I watched The Smurfs yesterday morning with a friend and her son.... The theme song is just so annoyingly addictive, have been humming it non stop since then.... here it is,

Enjoy this, while i go get the Review written!! Oh, and here's the trailor as well :)

Toodle Doo....

Finally we met!

2011-07-28T09:51:00.001+05:30

Yes, the fateful day finally did appear.... I was excited and looking forward to the evening. It was not cos of the book, nor the author, nor the others who were there, but the for the sole reason that i was going to meet with something i had been looking forward to for a while... The Madras Book Club!

I love books... I love reading... and therefore, i wanted to be a part of the Madras book club, attend their events and meet more book lovers and writers.. :-)

Last evening, i did just that... Attended a book launch, signed up for a membership and now i am the proud owner of the Madras Book Club membership card.. Yipee!! Here's to more dates with books!

Rules Kidaiyathu... 180.. Nootri Enbathu

2011-06-27T23:00:00.000+05:30

Couple of days back, 25th June to be exact saw 3 good friends, bloggers march into Escape Cinemas in Express Avenue and get all set to watch the movie 180- Nootri Enbathu... We had all seen trailers, all but me had been tripping on the music and now we were curious about the story, the plot, the acting, etc...

Cast: Sidharth, Priya Anand, Nitya Menon, Mouli, Tanikella Bharani, Gita, MS Narayana, Laskhmi Ramakrishna, Janaki Sabesh, Sricharan, Misha Ghoshal, Cees Van Toledo, Xango Henry, Manager Cheena аnԁ others
Director: Jayendra

Music: Sharreth

Here is how the movie went...

Ajay or Aj (Siddharth) is sitting on the foot steps of Ganges river in Varanasi while a small kid performing the last rites for his father plays around with a toy car... We then come to know that Ajay has come to India when he moves into a space in Mouli-Geeta's house.. He pays them 6months rent in advance and says he is going to be there for only 6 months. He befriends the paper boy, is one day seen ironing clothes, the other day racing an auto driver who demands an exhorbidant amount from an old lady... No one really knows who he is or what he is upto? It baffled us to see him throw around money like he was a millionaire and yet not see him do any work.

One day, Vidya (Nithya Menon), a photo journalist spots Siddharth, is fascinated by what she sees and tracks him down. They get friendly, start hanging out, pretty soon Vidya falls for him... Every now and then we see Ajay go into a blimp, spaced out and lost in thoughts. It does make us wonder what the story behind that is, but we are kept captivated by his naughtiness and liveliness....

All is well till Mouli tells Ajay 6months is up and the very next day, he is off with his bags packed, ready to scoot off into the horizon.. And then, there is the photograph that the ironwala kid hands over saying he found it in Ajay's trousers..

You can also listen to Rules Kidaiyathu here

The 1st half is quite enthralling, with amazing visuals and fun songs.. The photography is simply wow.. As my friend Gils said, we were getting 3D effect at 2D rates!! :D

Anyways, let me not digress...

Ajay is off to the bus stand when Vidya comes looking for him, to profess her feelings. She chases him on her bike, and as we watch, she meets with an accident.... This is where the past is revealed and we learn more about this elusive Ajay.. Vidya has a spine injury and Dr Ajay kicks into action, taking charge and getting his Chief in USA to be prepared to operate on her.

His past involves his friend Sam and sweetheart Renuka(Priya Anand). He's a well accomplished doctor in USA who falls in love with Renukam marries her and has a fairy tale life till things take a turn completely. This is the stage where we understand why the movie is called 180. It signifies the 180days he has left to live...

As he discovers news of his illness, he distances himself from Renuka

Decides to disappear from her life

Packs his bags and leaves the country......................

he almost fakes his death and remains invisible to all those he knew in USA!

And now, because of Vidya's injury he was back in USA... Was he ready to reconnect with Renuka? or will he choose Vidya and start a life with her? Does he live or does he die? The director decides to take us on a journey so long and winding that at the end of the movie, we felt like we had been sitting in the theater for 180hours!! uff....

My Analysis:
The movie starts off light and fun, but suddenly goes through a tunnel and comes out after what seems like forever. The director got caught and dint know how to cut the chase... Wish the movie was crisper and shorter, more to the point...

The visuals are amazing... it shows that the director has an Ad background.. The colours, outfits, camera, photography are simply amazing.....

Positives:

Camera work.
Siddharth, Nithya, Mouli, Geeta, Priya have all acted very well...
Rules kidaiyathu song picturisation was fun!!
The final Climax.

Negatives:
The story.
Dragging 2nd half

Unnecessary twists...
Overacting in some places...

Overall rating: 2/5 [merely for the camera work]

Wait for it and watch it on DVD or TV!!

[Movie] True Grit

2011-02-21T11:32:00.000+05:30

True Grit... Had picked up the Dvd few weeks back at my regular store and it had sat abandoned in my shelf till yesterday noon...

The Summary on the DVD: A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer.

Main Stars: Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon- NOw these are names we know.. but the one that caught my attention and had me glued to the movie was Hailee Steinfeld. That little girl sure can act, and she has a voice and grit that stood out through the movie through Mattie Ross!

My Review:
This little girl walks into town with her head held straight and conviction on her face. She is determined and ready for battle. The motive: She is looking to kill Tom Chaney, the man who killed her father.... She decides to take matter to her hands when the Sheriff just shrugs her off. Standing outside the loo where "the toughest U.S. Marshal "Rooster" Cogburn" sits, she works hard to convince him to take on her case and help her find Chaney.. A smart cookie, she also manages to make a trader part with his money for the ponies her dad had bought and for his saddle...

Cogburn is an old, one eyed drunk, who does nothing but act as a Bounty hunter, killing scums, and making some money in the process. He takes on Mattie, promises to help her , and sticks by her side till the mission is accomplished.

The morning after, she wakes up to find Cogburn gone.. Racing on her horse, she finds that she is refused passage on the ferry that took Cogburn and LaBoeuf across.. Determined, she crosses the river on her horse.. She then learns that the two men have agreed to split the Texas reward for Chaney. Accusing him of fraud, Mattie threatens to have Cogburn arrested for breaking their agreement. Cogburn reluctantly agrees to let her come along, but does nothing to make it a comfortable one.

More than anything, the movie is about how Mattie goes against Cogburn's wishes to stay put in town while he goes on the search, and her determination every step of the way. The trio find themselves battling through heat, unfriendly goons, and nature where their grit is put to test.

Rate: 4/5 [absolutely amazing watch]
A true blue American Western flick....

Infact, this is an adaptation of the movie that was made in 1969 starring John Wayne. Am curious to see the earlier version, to see how different it was!

[Movie] Black Swan

2011-01-16T12:26:00.000+05:30

After a brief hiatus, i am back!! Been catching up on Movies- in theaters and on DVD..One movie that i saw few days back was Darren Aronofsky’s The Black Swan

Black Swan is not a run of the mill movie, and not a lame Ballet based movie either.... it is an intense movie, filled with multiple layers of symbolism, psychosexual metaphors, and rich thematic undertones.

Watch the Black Swan Blossom on stage

The story is a twist on Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Portman plays Nina Sayers: a protected, single-minded ballerina in New York City who finally gets a shot at stardom when the director of Swan Lake Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) casts her as to play both the White Swan and the Black Swan, replacing Prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) . Nina, who’s goal in life is to attain perfection, she breezes through as the White Swan, but has a tough time trying to let go, and bring out emotions required by the Black Swan. As Tomas taunts her of her emotional shortcomings, Nina in turns faces sharp rivalry from Lily (Mila Kunis), another ballerina who is all about the darkness that Tomas is looking for in the Black Swan.

Teetering on the edge of madness, lust, paranoia, frustration, and jealousy build as the pressure on Nina intensifies, culminating in a stunning finale which takes place on opening night, when the world is finally introduced to her black swan, and when all her worst fears are realised.

It's a flamboyant movie, Aronofsky has created a deep screenplay thats just as powerful if not more as his earlier Requiem for a Dream.

The beautiful cinematography by Matthew Libatique, breath taking background score by Clint Mansell, and the highlight of it all is Natalie Portman’s phenomenal performance lets you wander into the magical world.

The Black Swan is an al out Natalie Portman's film, and she delivers the performance of her career as Nina. It's no surprise that the camera loves her, but this may be her most subtle and nuanced work yet, perfectly capturing Nina's physical and mental meltdown.

Music and Music Lovers

2010-12-28T23:41:00.000+05:30

I dont even remember when my last visit to a Concert in the December music season was... All i know is it was lost in the past, and this concert i attended 2days back was a whole new experience for me!

My friend who's come down from Bombay called asking when we were meeting, and during the course of our conversation, she mentioned going for concerts, almost daily. And a secret voice from somewhere within me popped out asking her what the concert was the following day..and before i knew it, i had requested my friend's hubby to pick up an extra ticket for me... I recall hearing in a blur "Aruna Sairam"...

Armed with strict instructions from Ar to reach the venue- Music Academy, TTK Road by 3.30pm, i was there at the gates by 3.20pm.. The whole place looked transformed, and looked quite swanky...Ar messaged around 3.30 saying they were on their way and that our place was in 2nd floor... I dint knw there was a 2nd floor..damn!! Went to 1st floor, saw a snake like long queue going into space...

The troops came, joined me in the queue, hugs hi hello follwed by a slow crawl up the stairs that kept going till we reached the rooftop, no jokes!! and then wound into the auditorium, and then again making our way down the gallery to find a spot to sit where we could see Aruna sairam and not something that looked like a dot... :-D

There were quite a few seats empty around the hall, but they had names stuck on them. N told me those were reserved for members, who invariably either came late or dint show up at all... Dont understand this attitude of people!! Do they become high and mighty???

And then there were the hoards of elderly who could barely walk, leave alone climb stairs and they were forced to walk up and down, squeeze into a filled row to get to that one seat available at the other end... felt really bad...there was this elderly man, who had a walking stick and was made to walk literally all the way to the other end, he was shaking all the way through... Since there were no seat numbers, it was all First come first serve basis!!

At 4.15, screens opened and Aruna Sairam came alive.... the next 2 hours went off in a haze, with one song after the other... She has such a powerful voice, so much energy and is simply amazing.... I am not too much into carnatic music, but i quite enjoy her style of singing...

The violinist had us mesmerised.... "konjithu" as we say in tamil, it was caressing our souls.... The Gatam, Mrudangam were no less.... Before we knew it, time had flown and it was 6.45 when she ended her last number..

The music lovers were so visible through the evening.. the hand movements, head nods, some armed with books on raaga, songs, and compositions.. The aunties with brochures of various concerts, already planning their next day agenda... Was quite amusing to watch..

There were a few who i am guessing are regulars, armed with their shawls, cloves[to pop in to avoid coughing or as mouth freshener], notebook pen to write down song names, and binoculars [yes, saw quite a few]..

Wait,the evening isnt over yet... How can we leave without a stop at the canteen to sample a few of the yumm treats... Ordered for Mysore bonda, but had to settle for Dosas & hot filter coffee, since the bondas were all sold out..

All in all, it was one awesome experience for me!! will i go for another concert? Damn right, i will.. infact, already looking fwd to Kadri gopalnath concert tomorrow evening... :)

Dont Stop............Sony Ericsson Walkman Ad

2010-10-21T12:28:00.000+05:30

There are some beats and words that catch our eye and we keep humming them

there are others that we just dont remeber or care too much about...

and then there are those which sound familiar and our mind wonders what it sounded like....

There are ads we watch day in and day out
Some we remember for the images
Some for the models
and
Some others for the music/background score...

The Day i saw this Sony Walkman Ad on TV, i couldnt get the music off my head. Kept humming, singing these few words over and over... Finally, i gave in, hunted for the ringtone and pulled it into my phone...

While doing the research, i discovered it was a piece from the song Tik Tok by Kei$ha.... Curious to know what the whole song sounded like, i googled that and found this video...

Honestly- i dint like the song one bit.... the lyrics put me off.. the video was just trashy... but yet, the piece that Sony had chosen for their ad was perfect and peppy.....

Creativity & Content :

Sony Ericsson had used water and colours and a gorgeous model/dancer. They had made it look like we were watching a live performance, when the finale shows the video as being screened on the Sony Ericsson Walkman's OLED screen..

Recollection:

You bet i remember the ad even today...

It has been days since i saw it 1st and dont think i've seen it too many times after that...

The music does the trick here....

The dance in the rain does the trick....

Amazing clarity

Amazing sound

Sleek and smart looking....

The gadget had it all ...

It reminds me of Step up and Street Dance movies , the moves and grooves are simply too hard to forget... After a long time, this is an ad that i shall remember for a long time to come!! :)

[Theater] 39 steps

2010-10-14T23:30:00.002+05:30

Richard Hannay meets this gorgeous woman who out of nowhere pulls out a gun and shoots into the air during a theater performance. She then invites herself over to his house, following which she gets murdered. A murder that Richard is caught into for no fault of his, a series of chaos, clumsiness, and characters is what 39 steps is all about.

Today, got an opportunity to watch the preview show of 39 steps by Evam and Radaan. Dint have to do anything, dint have to pay anything, went watched gave my feedback and got back!!

Based on the movie 39 steps by Alfred hitchcock, which was in turn loosely based on the adventure novel The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan.this play went on for over an hour and had us in splits, gaping, wondering and wondering how fine tuned the final show going to be.

4 actors play more than 10 characters.. switching between roles in seconds, alternating between being a man and a woman, moving the furniture on the stage around...

Agreed, there were a few things that could be tweaked, could have been made better, but the team has over 2weeks to fine tune and am sure by the time they perform to the audience, it will be near perfect!!

For information about the play and tickets, click here and here is Evam's Blog

Need more reason to believe Hitchcock is hilarious?
29th October- 7:30 PM
30th October- 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM
31st October- 3:30 PM and 7:30 PM
Tickets available at all Landmark outlets. Online booking at http://www.indianstage.in/EventDetails.do?eventId=1140.

Contact 9840444916, 9840612333 for more details!

[movie] The Good the bad the Ugly..

2010-09-13T08:59:00.000+05:30

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, a movie made in 1966, that i watched sometime in the 80s but remember vividly till date....

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, a movie with a catchy theme song, that used to be my ring tone, that i still trip on....

Recently discovered The Good, the Bad and the Ugly theme song performed by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and it is sooo amazing, been listening to it everyday , multiple times!!

Its amazing how a movie from decades ago is fresh and cherished, but there are some that i watched few days ago, that left no mark!!

[Music] Earthsync - Sunset in Akkarai

2010-05-14T22:17:00.000+05:30

As i listen to this track Sunset in Akkarai[ remix version] by Earthsync, my heart soars and mind just wanders into the world i would love to live in.

Sunset in Akkarai [Desert Dwellers Dance Remix]is filled with soothing beats that transform with the slow Ghatam and rhythm in every breath. It is as if one walks along the beach, and feels the waves washing up on their feet. The smooth waters, the chill breeze, and the subtle saltiness all combined into one. A beautiful composition that had me hooked, giving me a breather from stress of crazy work schedule that i was caught up in, this particular track leaves me enchanted. I wondered what it was like before the remix, but then that thought was shrugged away.

Part of the New Day- Laya Project, this track works well as it does not sit into one particular genre, but blends well various kinds of music and brings together a wide gamut of instruments as well.

Smooth listening
Soothing for the soul
Rhythm divine!!

[Gizmos] New Toys in town!!

2010-04-19T00:08:00.003+05:30

Wow, i have managed to write 74 posts, and this will be my 75th post on this blog!!! :)

Gadgets have always fascinated me.- either reading up on them, or analysing something new at home or just keeping myself updated on whats new in the market across the world!! This does not mean i bring home everything i oggle at, nah, am too much of a practical person for that!! [psst, aother reason is i cant afford em all now can i?]

In the past 10yrs since i started working, i have been through 4phones, actually 3, the 1st one was my granpa's- a big chunky Motorola that will today pass for a walkey talkey!! :D The joy of earning , saving up and buying something on your own is simply divine.. and thats the way its been for me!! Starting with the basic Nokia 3315 to Sony Ericsson w550i [ a swanky phone that swivels that had many an eye turn and too many wonder how to open and use;)] and finally my N95 8Gb....

Nope, i dint lose/break/throw any of my phones, actually never thrown anything expensive, or anything that falls into the 'gadget' category!!! About a month ago, my N95 started giving me problems - the backlight on screen kept flickering and then one fine day it died, leaving me in a mini state of panic...

*Calm breathes*... went to Iconnet, the guy took 20mins, pulled it apart[was totally fascinated], replacedc the Slider cable and said "here you go, and ummm, be careful" As luck would have it, i went to Blore and in 2days, the screen blanked out on me again!! Nothing helped.. so picked up a basic[ as basic as it can get] Nokia phone, used it for a couple of days while contemplating on a new phone/ fixing my N95...

Thats when the Twitter buds [@Macdeepak and @SridharSuresh] came into action, helping me decide and ta da..in 2days flat i was holding my Blackberry Curve 8520..

Never have i spent so little time and bought a phone in few hours!! My friends' friend called, spoke, said he knew someone.. called back saying bring the cash, take your phone!! Voila!! what fun!!! And well, i love it...

Verdict: The Blackberry Curve 8520 is probably a basic model[ amongst the new range of BBs] but it is a beauty and am loving it!! Infact another twitter friend - @Avni_Iyer has also bought the same thing few days ago and written about her Phones/gadget experiences so far here

Price - Inexpensive.. Rs13000 to Rs14000 - Damn good deal when compared to how much i shelled out for my N95

Features- Well, it pretty much has it all ,-

Email sync- upto 10email ids

[yep, thats mine..isnt the butterfly background cool. :-)]

App world - thru which one can download various apps- Twitter, FB, Gtalk, BBM[blackberry messenger to keep in touch with fellow BB users], linkedin and some more. Today discovered there is an F1 app for it- keep track of timings, schedules, winners, etc!!Other messengers are also available!

Applications: Notepad, Tasks, Ms Office and some more..

Keyboard - This model has a qwerty keyboard, which is fairly fun to navigate [ exact same as the E63,E71, E72 and the Samsung B7320]

Weight: Very light weight [again when compared to my N95, this feels weightless]

Camera : 2mp.. decent pics [cant compare to my N95.. that was Carl Zeiss lens, 5MP, but heck i have my cybershot:)]

Music: Yep, you can download or transfer songs from other phones/computer and listen... good speakers!!

Phone book: Phew,if i had to fill in all entries for contacts, i'd grow old even before using the phone :) You can store multiple numbers for a person and it has a smooth search option as well..

Ease of use - Totally.. very easy to find your way around and use the features , plus you can once again alter the position of folders, apps and arrange them in a way that suits you.

Once you load your Sim into the BB, all you do is call your service provider and ask them to activate BIS and choose a plan depending on your usage... :-)

Battery life - Good.. as good as my Nokia.. 1.5days easy!!

Rate : 9/10 [ dont ask me why not 10/10.. just like that!! ;o)]

For more information and reviews you can check out this

===========

Time to move to another gadget, that i got to play with...Dont jump to conclusions, not just yet!! A new gizmo that has been released in USA, not in India, but i managed to get my hands on it... A friend had left a FB message that the iPad rocks and i replied saying " I wanna see, hasnt it been long since we met?" and the dear
friend that he is called right away and we met for lunch at another friend;s house the next day!! :)

Walked into A's house, said hello to her dad and saw it sitting there pretty on the sofa.. But dint want to seem too desperate, and turned left, said hi to A, V and R[owner of the 64Gb iPad].. Managed to have some lunch and next instant was on the iPad fidgeting and firing questions at R....

Verdict: This new baby from the Apple's basket is a bigger version of the iPod Touch... Took me to my childhood days when we used a slate to write, only thing missing in the ipad was a chalk stick!! :D

Weight: It is about .68gms, and dint feel heavy inspite of my holding it for nearly half hour

Keyboard: Same touch concept, and very easy to type[ atleast i found it easy for am used to the pop up touch keyboard on my iPod touch] to type long notes/messages, i found it convenient
to place the iPad on my lap and type- cos i use both hands to type!

Features: Exactly as your iPod touch... Touch screen....mail, photos, music, etc etc...

Missing: Camera, USB slots, Drives and the App store does not work yet in India, maybe when it is officially launched, it might kick into action

Price: well, my friend got it for a deal...But MRP right now is high, so wait for official launch!!

Rate: 7/10 [ you will agree with me when you see/play with one!! ]

You can read the Review of Ipad here

Coffee and Tweet pal

2010-03-25T15:43:00.000+05:30

A coffee pub that wowed me...

A place that has beautiful ambience

Funky seating arrangements- some of them quite innovative and Interesting

A name that was hard to pronounce, inspite of asking a waitress...

Am talking about the new Coffee shop in Bangalore -Matteo Coffea

Situated in Church Street, off Brigade Road, the coffee shop has a rich brown colour, plenty of outdoor and indoor seating space.

Met @winniethepoohi outside Magazines store and we walked towards the Cafe, walked in, spotted a seat in the corner- a purple sofa and two comfy chairs.. Settled in, and began exchanging info about each other..Oh, forgot to mention,we were meeting the 1st time.. Dint even know her real name till half hour before meeting!!

A chinko waiter came to take our order [now, why do all coffee places employ chinkos???] and only he could understand what he was saying... Told him to give us a few minutes before coming back asking for our order!!

Started talking, and hopped skipped jumped topics and kept at it till finally the waiter came back interrupting our fun conversation..

Anyways, we ordered a Hot chocolate and Cold coffee something [forgot the name, it looked like a tall glass of cold coffee with cream] and a Paneer wrap... My hot chocolate was absolutely delicous, rich and creamy. The wrap was filling and subtle spices.herbs, and very filling.. Had paneer, capsicum, onion and tomato wrapped in something like a frankie wrap or roti, served with coleslaw on the side!!

They have quite an extensive coffee menu- hot, cold and something called Shakeroos, and Iced Tea as well. Apart from this, plenty of eats to choose from- French fries,sandwiches, bites, wraps- veg & non veg!!

[Pic: Burrp]

In an hour or so, we were ready for another round of Coffee, and this time when we asked about Coffee of the day- we grinned hearing Filter Coffee.. Ordered one grande and a tall one, with milk on the side.. It was hot, divine and totally worth it..

Time wore on, and there was not a moment silence between us, nor were there awkward pauses. We realised we had way too many things in common and hit it off on so many levels..!! Amazing to think i'd come across her just a few days ago...

We spoke in length about our blogs, writing, the various writing clubs that we were part of and good/bad things that happened out there. :-) Mind blowing discussions....

As our conversation flowed, we grooved to the music playing [every single track had us humming the tune and smiling ].. Went to a point, i couldnt resist, and asked the waiter about the CD, for which he brought along not the list,but the manager..:)

Alas, the clock stuck 8, and she had to go somewhere, on the other end of town, so with heavy heart, we settled the bill [thanks girl for the treat].. and saw the Manager once again.. He enquired about where we were from and promised to make us a copy of the music playing!!! Till we go again... Enjoy your cuppa!!

Ambience *****

Choice of drinks and eats -****

Service - ***** [absolutely prompt and polite]

Crowd -**** [wasn't very crowded , and the place is so spacious that it can never get crammed]

Price - ** [bit expensive, but worth it considering you are getting a comfy wonderful experience]

Indibloggers met..

2010-03-21T16:33:00.003+05:30

March 20th seemed to have come faster than i thought. Was in Blore when i got the news of the Univercell Chennai Indiblogger meet, decided i shall attend it, and thereon registered, bla bla... And then life went on as usual...

And finally, the D Day came, what a morning it had been- was so crazy busy, just on a rampage to finish errands and work before 2pm.. only focus!!

As i reached the venue- GRT Convention center, silence was all i heard outside the hall, but the minute i opened the doors, ta da... welcome to the Blogworld it seemed to scream..

Once again, had to register [discovered i was among last few..pffut..sheepish grin].. found some seats in the front [thanks to indiblogger team] and got set for the evening to take off...

A Time to Meet and a Time to Greet

What began as 30secs of fame became 5mins for some,while others took less than 2secs... Amidst a flurry of tweets and bloggies sharing their thoughts, came to know there was so many interesting bloggers out there .. A HR , A content writer had my radar perking up, paying attention!!

There wasnt any fixed agenda, and so post the introductions, there was a mini networking session... we were each given a chart paper to wear on our backs, walk around, collect comments, urls and info about others we meet/greet... i called this the "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" :) It was a good opportunity for us to meet other bloggers, and connect with those who intrigued us...

I err, umm had quite a few complimenting me on my tattoo, and giving memore of the "Oh, my god, wasnt it painful? why would you wanna do that to yourself? and the infamous -Is it Real? " Aaargghhh!!

Thoughts run haywire

Then came the discussion on New media... which was quite interesting, except that at some point it became more of a one on one debate.. hunger pangs started hitting a few, and we could see tweets flowing free..

The minute the session ended., all we saw were hungry souls rushing towards the buffet... and Coffee/tea tables!! :)

Phones and bait

Ramesh from Univercell took the mike to brief us on their motive behind hosting the Indibloggere event and thanks to them, we got to fidgit with some cool new phones.. An interesting offer awaited gizmo junkies as well... Write reviews, and win the post of becoming Univercell's blogger!! :)

Time wore on... and it was nearly 6.30 when like kids waiting for the school bell, we heard the announcement - OK, pls go grab your Tshirts from the Registration desk .... poof...instant vanish from the seats...Hahaha... what fun it was....

The evening was good fun .........

Meeting new and familiar faces -- Rumjhum, @preethikag @narayananh @Soumya Ray @itosuckysucky @SoravJain and sooo many others...............
Discovering the varied topics blogged about...
Interacting with some cool bloggers
Spending a few mins talking about phones [with Ramesh from Univercell ]
Receiving a surprise greet from @shilparathnam from way behind [ and it was the 1st time i was meeting her.. he he]
Having my Tattoo photographed... commented on...complimented...[works as a good conversation opener as well] ;-))

New kind fun experience, enjoyed more than i thought i would ....

Looking fwd to next meet..!!Beautifully organised... way to go Indiblogger team!!

The WOW. factor...

2010-02-13T17:25:00.000+05:30

Last Saturday was the much awaited Wow! The Extra Terrestrials show in Chennai... Had booked tickets directly with Mr Hariharan of the event management company- Showspace Solutions

[Pic from etwow.in website]

Date- 6th Feb, Saturday

Reached the Venue: Music Academy

Checked the Time: 5.45pm

Where were our tickets? - With Mr Hari [ who was in a meeting with a client]

[Pic from etwow.in website]

Once the other 5 eager souls had arrived, i got a bit frantic and called Hari again, but no response.. We waited... waited... patiently waited... After a few mins, my phone rang and i went on a mini goose chase, rather ticket chase with Hari- trying to locate his car.. looking for my wallet, pulling out cash, etc etc.... Victoriously returned to teh troops, and hauled them upstairs to the gate... Now, here comes the drama....

Not bad for a shot taken from far far away..

The volunteer guys who were chking tickets, pulled out mine from the envelope and began punching them in... one punch, two punch.... stop.. pause... - "Ma'am, these are for 8.30pm show and not 6pm", he said....

A mini act by 3 women.... not v clear as we sat far and not enough lighting

Jeez [ what the heck... what now.... looking from one soul to the other, looking at mom.. and then called Hari, who was apologetic but said he unfortunately couldnt do anything as the shows were running houseful]... eeeks.... mom, Srivats and G3 were ok to stay back, kill 2hrs and come back, but Apar was clear - I cant , i'll get going, A jr will sleep off..will get late..and she had come by Bike.... few mins passed and suddenly the volunteer guy called us and said - there are some seats vacant behind, just go and sit... :D

We rushed in, gleefully found 6empty seats right at the back and got comfortable... were happy we got to see the show.... :)

The show began on the dot.. and it was truly WOW.. Acrobats.. gymnastics... circus acts.. call it whatever you wanna, but the 8 performers were WOW, amazing talent.... [Took some videos, will upload em on youtube and share the link soon]

Vishesh's take

Review in The Hindu

Following the show, we went and had a yummy dinner at Palki Restaurant inside Amaravathy campus, across the road.... Thanks for a great time guys!! :)

ET comes to Town

2010-01-27T11:03:00.000+05:30

If you love dance

if you love art

if you love going to shows

above all...

if you wanna have some fun...

Check this out... go for it if you can!!

Else wait for me to attend and share my views and you can read and go green with envy!! he he he

Extra Terrestrials are coming to Chennai...

75mins of acrobatic moves, grooves and dance steps....

Its all happening between Feb 3-7th -3 shows daily- @ Music Academy!!

To know more... or to book your tickets, click on Events or their main website- Etwow..

Giraffes in Chennai....

2010-01-26T13:11:00.001+05:30

If anyone were to ask me “don’t you wish you were living elsewhere and not in this drab city?” I just might give them a thwack and send them packing!! I love Chennai!! Yes, there were times when I wished I was elsewhere, but that was only cos I hadn’t travelled much, but now that I am sprouting wings and exploring new places, am extremely happy living here... Ok, I got to be honest, Chennai is more than home... it has become a city of action[not, not ref to Political chaos or stunts in Kollywood movies...]... There is something or the other happening through the year...

How can I not mention the infamous December Music season, followed by the Dance festival? Not to forget the various other cultural activities held across the year- starting with the Chennai Sangamam in Jan[spread over a week] , to Shakti Concert & Earthsync in Feb, to the Metro plus Theatre Fest and Music fest, the various International film fests, active theatre performances, International music concerts and so much more..... All these events are not a one off thing; they are sprinkled through the year, every year!! How do I know? Well, I try to keep myself updated on what is happening and attend as many as possible.... Ok, won’t go on and on... Shall do another post on “Fun in Chennai”

The most recent experience has to be the Chennai Sangamam’s Bon Jour India’s Les Giraffe [ in asssociation with Alliance Francaise]... Jan 15^th evening, 6.30pm, Venkatnarayana Road was all we knew, and we were there at 6pm, waiting for the mysterious Giraffes to make an appearance....

After the initial quenching of curiosity, clicking random shots around the Sangamam, venue of Natesan Park, we plonked ourselves right near the median, armed with our cameras and necks stretched out looking for the act to make an appearance!!

There they came... Woww!! Tall, majestic, towering high... Red giraffes, with pretty light rings on their necks, glided across the road... wait, they were headed towards Burkit Road, and not us... Darn it!! Do we go ahead or stand ground? No, we stay put, we decided!!!

They paused at the junction, did a bit of an act- Saw some fire rings, a man on stilts or was he on a platform? Weren’t sure!! Anyways, it was exciting... In a few mins, the giraffe were looming large, over our heads, and stood within a few meters waiting to start their performance... It was beautiful...

Nothing over the top, but the sheer size, idea, design, concept and synchronisation, and the woman standing on a podium belting out Opera numbers, the Clown/flirt/ groom on drums, flitting about took our breath away!! About 10 French men, the singer, and few others helping in the ground had the act running smooth as ice rink....

Even after the act was over, and the Giraffes had moved on to the next stop, we followed them, talking to some others in the crowd, sharing thoughts, while our cameras were rolling through the evening... What fun it was!!!

Chennai Sangamam is one awesome way of not only showcasing Chennai/Tamil Nadu’s rich culture, art, folk, food but also a way of bringing in people from other towns, promoting tourism and educating the locals about how beautiful the state is.... Hats off to Kanimozhi for this effort!!

Bookworm Rampage

2010-01-18T14:26:00.001+05:30

I go through these phases... Am sure all of you also do!! There are days when i do nothing but work, and then those when fun plays a bit part of my day... The latter is what i enjoy, cos it gives me a sense of calm at the end of it all... The past couple of weeks have been such - maybe cos workload isnt that much or i've just made a subconscious choice to include plenty of fun during my busy daily routines - outing with friends, just chilling out at home with an interesting book, grooving to music on my iTouch , watching a movie or jus about anything that i am upto !!

Books have been a part of my life for as long as i can remember.. Even when we were living in Tirunelveli, i used to pick up books from chennai, people who visited us brought me books - Enid blyton, Mystery of five find outers, Naughtiest girl in school, Archie comics, Chanda mama, Sense &Sensibility and what not!! .. This awesome habit has stuck with me, infact mom keeps saying- its because of this reading[err, reading in the dark, with improper light] that you wear glasses.. Heck, it doesnt matter~!! :) Infact its thanks to family that i got into music as well - specifically english music....

Couple of weeks,or a month ago, Apar gave me a whole load of books.. What joy i felt cant be expressed in words.. A colleague was leaving the city, and left behind all his books for grabs! Amazing right?!! There were plenty by 2 of our favorite authors - Lee Child & James Patterson. [here's a whole list of James Patterson's books]

Was introduced to James Patterson last Jan, during the ride to Pondy with friends! Murder mystery, cop, thriller kinda writer who has me going till i finish the last word on the last page.. Infact same holds for Lee Child, who was introduced to me by another friend... :-)

Here is a collage of all the books by these authors that i have read till date.... !! each of them are fabulous, atleast i enjoyed them thoroughly... !! :)

Another author I've been reading a lot is Jodi Picoult... Every visit to the library, will have me clutching a book by this amazing author!! Waiting to watch My Sister's keeper movie to see if its just as the book or altered... But most of her books are about kids, parents, and health related issues... !!

and before you ask.... Yes, i've read 'em all .... hahaha~!! Reading some more, but that shall come in another post...!!

[Movie] A Christmas Carol

2009-12-04T22:45:00.001+05:30

Its gonna be a week since i saw this movie, so thought its about time i wrote about it... A Christmas Carol , the last show was what we managed to watch, that too Sunday morning 9am show.. Can you beat that? And we feasted on it in 3D style~!! :-)

Starring: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Robin Wright Penn, Cary Elwes, Fionnula Flanagan

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Did you know that A Christmas Carol is actually a book by Charles Dickens? I discovered that piece of trivia only recently, and was mighty curious to watch the movie to know more...

In Disney’s A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is not a man people want to be associated with, they hate him- for his grumpy attitude, misrely qualities... He shouts and bah humbugs at everyone who wishes him Merry Christmas!! His partner at work has recenlty passed away!!!

He returns home on Christmas Eve only to be confronted by a series of ghosts. They take him through life, showing him various scenes involving people around him and how their lives are. How difficult his clerk's life is, and how inspite of all that, and the pittance he earns, he praises Scrooge during the Christmas meal... Each of the ghosts teach Scrooge a lesson - about hiimself, about how others view him and what he can do to change his fate....

The part where the ghost takes him to his nephew's place where the dinner party is being hosted is beautiful... How his own nephew mocks him, bringing to light what people actually think of Ebenezer and the effect these playbacks have on him is the bottomline of the movie.... We saw it in 3D, and there were scenes with snowfall and i could literally feel them on me.. wanted to put my hand out and catch a few.... !! A beautiful tale of how people's attitude changes the minute your approach/outlook/attitude alters is what the movie teaches us....

It is a children's movie, but meant for adults as well, there are quite a few scenes that kids just wont understand... But i was amazed at the boy sitting 2seats from mine, his dad next to me.. the kid was full of vigour and was literally narrating the tale to his dad [who sadly wasnt too interested in the movie, but was more into his phone...] :-)

[Movie] Michael Jackson - This is it!!!

2009-11-16T10:59:00.000+05:30

Directed - Kenny Ortega

Produced - Paul Gongaware, Randy Phillips

Starring - Michael Jackson and his group of dancers, singers, musicians, performers...

This is it released on 28th Oct and was gonna be in Theaters for only 2 weeks.. I was hoping to catch it and i sure did... the last day it was being screened, at Sathyam Cinemas.. And what an experience it was.... !!!

I grew up listening to Michael Jackson's songs and the day he died, i felt very sad... Like someone i knew close was gone... After watching this movie, this tribute, i miss him more..!! Here's why..

The movie opens to show his dancers and backstage guys sobbing and talking about how much they were looking forward to the shows, and how close they'd gotten to MJ during the practice sessions.. From there, it is an amazing rocking beautiful soulful music filled tribute to the Man himself.. Rehearsals for various songs, dancers setting the floor on fire, the film editing, singing, vocal sessions, and so much more is what we get to see during the 2hr movie...

It's amazing to watch MJ control every nuance of the performance, from the dancers' cues to details in the music that goes unnoticed most times... even how he describes his earpiece hurting -"it felt like "fists in my ears, but am trying to get used to it"... The little "God Bless you"s he says every now and then to his team and to the director....

The part when the music director makes a joke about bringing more booty into the song, Jackson sort of walks away giggling like he'd heard a naughty joke. When Ortega tells him that the cherry picker he's on is only on the low setting, he laughs and says that Ortega shouldn't have told him that because Ortega knows he'd just want to go higher. :-)

Be it Beat it, Earth Song, Man in the Mirror, I just cant stop loving you, The way you make me feel, each of the songs shown, each step they practice had us engrossed.... Woww!!! Words fail to describe the amount of effort that goes into a show [ i know this much effort goes into every show, but not many you get to see, right!!?] The footage they shoot for Thriller is just mind blowing, almost like they've recreated the video as it were... hey were working on and the music video intro shoot for "Smooth Criminal" that uses '50s movies with Jackson merged into it. I am curious to know if Thriller was finished after Jackson's death, because the doc shows him and Ortega watching the screen wearing 3D glasses as it's being filmed, and we're shown a 2D, more final version.

Audiences are given a privileged and private look at Jackson as he has never been seen before. Michael Jackson's "This is it" captures the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, creative genius and great artist at work as he creates and perfects his final show........... It was like watching a live performance, actually a live rehearsal i should say... had me singing along with the songs, grooving to the beats and wishing He was alive....

Have never seen my mom so engrossed in a show before.. Infact she called saying - can we go for a movie and when i was browsing through Satyam website, and saw MJ's This is it, i was tempted to ask her, but thought she might not like watching it.. Alas, who would have thought.. she picked that exact movie and said "chk if tickets are there and lets go"... Am so glad!!! She was engrossed it.. completely emotional... Infact i think the entire theater was glued in like never before... probably the 1st movie where not a soul [ apart from the ones sittig right in the front, they just pay Rs10 and come sit in theater for AC comfort i guess.. most of them look like that ]... Everyone was in their seat as credits rolled on and till the very last word was done with!!! Beautiful................

Only thing i felt could have been incorporated was his interaction wit others, few words from his family, an interview... something more than just practice...!!!

[Movie] Inglourious Basterds

2009-11-12T09:56:00.000+05:30

A name that kept resounding in my ears, a movie i had been wanting to watch but that hadnt hit Chennai theaters then... And finally, one day my uncle walked in home with the DVD in his hand... Aaaah.... *rubbing hands together and sparkle in my eyes, i grabbed it from him* ... what movie you ask -- Need you even ask[err, since i had put it up in the title of the post..hehe] .. it is Inglourious Basterds by Quentin Tarentino....

Infact, i took the dvd with me on my holiday thinking if i find time or am bored, i shall watch.. Alas, that dint happen... managed to watch it day before, here at home!!

Cast: Brad Pitt , Mélanie Laurent,Christoph Waltz

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Rating: ****3/4

Remember, its a Tarantino movie!!! So, watch out for a bit of goryness, full on action and plenty of blod shed... ;) You also need to remember to read the subtitles [since most of the movie is in French and German] and not to miss any of the action, verbal exchanges happening on screen...

Inglourious Basterds begins in German-occupied France, where Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema.

The film, divided into five chapters, begins in Nazi-occupied France. Landa, known as the Jew hunter, waltzes into a quiet farmhouse to flush out hidden Jews. After drinking two glasses of milk, Landa, quietly, chillingly, calls his men in and has them shoot a Jewish family hiding under the floorboards. Only the daughter, Shoshana, escapes, running for her life.

Chapter 2 introduces us to the Basterds --- Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. The Basterds pulverize Nazis by killing as many as they can, in the most hideous way possible, and then scalping them. To watch them actually do it has us takes quite a bit of grit...[but luckily these scenes are far and few]

The following Chapters are all about the clashes between the titans.... !!

Lt Aldo, the Apache demands 100 Nazi scalps from each of his dirty dozen.. Must make a mention of the "Bear Jew" played by Hostel movie director Eli Roth. After sneaking into France dressed as civilians to take down the Reich, the Basterds team with British soldier Archie Hicox (Michael Fassbender), a film critic assigned by a British general.. Adding spice to the movie is femme fatal German actress Bridget Von Hammersmark, who is now a spy for the allies. The two revenge plots converge at Shosanna's theater, which will premiere a propaganda film, Nation's Pride, and boast a red carpet walked by the Gestapo elite and the man himself, Herr Hitler (Martin Wuttke). Shosanna along with her Black assitance Marcel is all set and completely poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own.... :-)

What happens then is the climax of this gripping movie...

Hats off to Waltz, as the "Jew Hunter" of the SS, who dangles his host French farmer over the precipice of revealing what he cannot reveal numerous times, then pulls him back with obsequious lines of friendship and understanding. Every scene where he takes charge is amazing, has us amused at the way he gets the point across -- the opening scene where he switches languages so the Nazi's wont understand him, How he speaks fluent Italian and stumps the Basterds at the movie premiere or the scene where he has captured and confronts the Basterds trying to make a deal with them... the shot where he calls Bridget aside into the room and shows her he knows she was in the bar and was the one who escaped the killings... Absolutely brilliant acting...

A second sadistic German, well-played by August Diehl, functions as an important actor in the final plot twist. Diehl's Nazi Major, who has an ear for German accents, is almost as good as Waltz...... just about.. almost!!

A movie that i thoroughly enjoyed and wouldnt mind watching again...

[Movie] Air Buddies.

2009-11-09T11:56:00.000+05:30

Its been raining incessantly here in Chennai, and there was no way i could head out yesterday.. Sunday, spent at home driving myself up and over the wall.. Finally, decided enough is enough and pulled out my external hard drive and started scanning thru to see what movies i had on it...

The one that i knew would cheer me up was "Air Buddies"... What better movie than one with Dogs and pups!!! :)

Air bud, a succesfull ball player finds true love and they bring into this world 5 adorable pups- Air Buddies!!

The next generation comes along with five puppies. Budderball is crazy about football and all he thinks about is his next meal. B-Dawg plays basketball, isn’t exactly a team player, and speaks of himself in the third person. Buddha is into meditation, yoga and loves baseball. Mudbud loves playing in the dirt and is a mutt who enjoys simple pleasures, including volleyball. Rosebud is the only girl in the clan, loves soccer, and is a true lady, but one who will do anything to protect her brothers!! :)

Five puppies around the house, all of them active and rambunctious, turns out to be too much for the family. That’s made particularly clear when the nanny the family hires to look after the puppies gets tied in her chair and her blueberry pie completely devoured by the pups, while the family is at a basketball game.

The movie is all about the family wanting to give the pups up for adoption and they running away just so they can be with each other.. What follows is an amazing tale of how the parents go looking for their pups, and the twists and turns they encounter and what happens in the end has us all going "Awww, how chweet"...

Air bud and his girl are kidnapped all bcos a rich spoilt brat wants a pet he can play with... A tiger was the 1st choice, but Duh, whats the point of having a wild tiger for a pet, right? What follows it that the bad guys are sent to find the pups as well, cos they are worth quite a lot... This is when the plot thickens and the pups decide to go looking for their mom and dad[ parallely the bad guys are looking for them] , they come across quite a few interesting characters... But the 1st thing they do is to consult the town map to figure out where the bad guys are headed..The chase through the farm involving the billy goat is especially well done, and the showcasing 101 Dalmatians receives while at the movie theater fits in nicely. The dogs run helter skelter, proving to be more than a handful to the bad guys...!!

Even the silly Sheriff's Sniffer dog is adorable.. How he thinks a skunk's spray cured his sniffing problems... and ultimately helps lead the boys to their pups.. And how can we forget the wolf that takes the pups into his den and helps them find their way....

Air Buddies is a great family film.. how can it not be right? It has it all - Romance, drama, thriller, mystery, comedy... Was quite impressed with how good the head movements and body language of the puppies works beautifully. Not only that, but the character of each of the puppies is clearly defined and allows them to sound and act unique.

If you are a dog lover, do watch it..

Books books.. Am back to you, my love!!!

2009-10-14T22:07:00.001+05:30

Its been a while.. and now am finally back to reading like the maniac i am!! Had bought a couple of books at the newly opened Full Circle abt 2months back!!! And now those books keep me company at night before hitting the zzzzz..!! i love you booooooks.... every page is divine!!!

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

I have read his earlier books.. Blink, recommended by a friend, following which i read Tipping Point[ which is in fact his 1st book]...

In this book, he talks about what makes high-achievers different from others.... According to him, we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and not enough to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and even links their birthday or month or year to their success. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made Beatles the greatest rock band.

Just about 100 pages into the book.. will finish reading and write complete review!!!

The 2nd book i've started is Alexander Frater's Chasing the Monsoon... The cover looked appealing and it was related to India, so thought let me give it a shot!! Not bad i must say!! :)

Alexander Frater follows the monsoons-unsteady northerly progress, pursuing its bliss and destruction as well is his own family ghosts, Elegantly insightful and humorous, he captures the delirious celebration and relief with which India greets its liquid transformation. If all travel books were this good, everyone would just stay home and read.

The last book in the list was what i got day before evening-- Chai Chai by Bishwanath Ghosh

This book has me engrossed... its a super light read.. things we can relate to, identify with.... He decides to roam the towns beyond station yards — towns with unique names like Itarsi, Mughal Sarai, Arakkonam and Jolarpettai, Jhansi, and Guntakal.. All he does is mix with locals, learn about history, discover the lives of those who pass by that town.........

There's a discussion on this tomorrowe... Hoping to go for it... will be my 1st such book meet.... :)

[Movie] Wake up Sid

2009-10-13T22:25:00.000+05:30

Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Anupam Kher, Supriya Pathak, Rahul Khanna

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Music: Shankar Ehsaan & Loy

Rating: ****1/2

Verdict: Good light fun movie!!

“Wake Up Sid” was one delightful movie. The movie has a constant smooth flow throughout; no over the top or understated drama scenes; no ultra emotional strangulation of the audiences; absolutely no hippie-yuppie cool dude acting by Ranbir; and last but not the least, a very realistic, and refreshing story.

A movie that reminds you of those fun college days, where there is one guy who is the rich brat, not worried about anything in life, always surrounded by money and fancy stuff. Wake up Sid is the story of how Sid transforms from a spoilt rich brat to a responsible young man.. and the journey is so real and so so much fun, the audience is with him through the way!!!

While the film actually becomes really engrossing in the second half, the first half facilitates an adequate groundwork for the story to progress. As you watch Sid mature, and by the time he returns to his dad (Anupam Kher in a short but effective role), you realise that the destination was eventually met even as the journey wasn’t quite ‘on your face’ or ‘over the top’.

Meanwhile Konkona gets yet another complex role for herself. She is absolutely brilliant. Watch out for her in the interview scene with Rahul Khanna and the emotional outburst when Ranbir decides to go back to his parents’ house. Her irritation is so utterly believable and so are the tender ways in which she looks after him, and the slow process of falling in love with the guy she thought was her total opposite.... :)

The beauty of ‘Wake Up Sid’ lies in the honesty with which all the characters have been portrayed, bringing them so close to the real life. Be it the problem of English-speaking Sid not being on the same wavelength as his Punjabi-speaking Mom or the Sid who is simply wonderful with his friends, we identify with him completely. The simple dialogues of the movie make it all the more easy to relate with.The good part about the ‘transformation’ that Sid undergoes in the movie is that it comes over a period of time, not overnight or within the space of a song.

Yes, the character of Sid has various similarities to Hrithik in Lakshya, Aamir / Saif in Dil Chahta Hai but this movie will leave an imprint in your heart, and you will walk out of the theater humming Wake up Sid!!

Fav songssssss that i've been tripping on multiple times during the day... -- Kya Karoon?', 'Iktara', 'Wake Up Sid'

[Movie] The Soloist -"Based on a True Story."

2009-10-08T14:18:00.001+05:30

Director: John Wright

Cast:

Jamie Foxx (Nathaniel Anthony Ayers)

Robert Downey Jr. (Steve Lopez)

Catherine Keener (Mary Weston)

Tom Hollander (Graham Claydon)

Rating: ****3/4

The Soloist opens with Los Angeles Times Columnist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) riding his bike down a slope and crashing head first on the ground.... But the real story begins when he meets Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a talented musician who's been playing a two-stringed violin while living on the streets and battling mental illness[hears voices in his head] ...Instantly drawn to Ayers’s passion for music, especially Beethoven, Lopez begins to write a series of columns about his new acquaintance while attempting to get him off the streets and perform again.

The lady who sends the Cello she has used for 15odd years before Arthritis confined her to a chair, and how the Cello rides to Lopez is a beautiful scene... The way Nathaniel looks in awe at the New Cello, how he does not want to let go of it are heart wrenching scenes... Amidst numerous achievements and setbacks, Lopez and Ayers develop a friendship based on mutual respect despite their many differences, and Lopez rediscovers his humanity.

The movie uses sound and silence very well. Two great examples are a flaming car passing Nathaniel’s window in a flashback during the race-riots and Steve jumping into his fancy car to escape the sights and sounds of the homeless around him. This is a perfect way of showing two different worlds.

The voices in Nathaniel’s head give us an insight into how frustrating life must be for him but there are too many scenes with people sitting listening to him play. The sequence with neon colours flashing on screen while an orchestra performs has quite an effect on the audience...

The driving force behind this movie is, without doubt, the lead actors in the form of Foxx and Downey Jr as they prove to be a powerful combination. Foxx is left to run with his character of Ayers, whose only desire is to play music, and his performance is every bit as good as that in Ray.

Jamie Foxx- with his eyes darting, head bowed down, wacko sense of dressing, anger on a low simmer, doesn't cheat in his portrait of Ayers' illness. Something inside him will always remain unreachable. Downey's eyes finally come to reflect that acceptance, capturing the film's heart.

The Soloist isn't about Big fancy moments, a fairly slow movie, it leaves you wondering what happens next... even after switching the DVD off...!! beautiful is how i would describe the movie!!

[Movie] Prey

2009-09-29T14:44:00.000+05:30

I'd been wanting to watch this movie, Prey for some time. and finally it got released in Sathyam cinemas, alas i knew no one would want to come with me for this gory gruesome movie.. SO, went and bought the dvd and watched it last night.. One hellova movie!!!

Directed by: Darrell Roodt
Written by: Darrell Roodt, Beau Bauman and Jeff Wadlow

Starring:
Bridget Moynahan -Amy Newman
Peter Welleras -Tom Newman
Carly Schroeder - Jessica Newman
Conner Dowds - David Newman

Jamie Bartlett - Crawford

Rating ****1/2

The movie opens with a herd of female lions hunting in the dead of the night and scavenging on zebras and deers... The Newman family come to in Africa; Tom is there on work, and so rest of them decide to take a relaxing safari to see some of the wild animals. Unfortunately, the minute their guide/driver takes them "off the beaten track" do their troubles begin. David wants to take a leak, and the driver accompanies him out when they are attacked by a couple of hungry lions. David manages to rush into the car, while the driver is chewed up..Amy and the kids are now stranded, surrounded by these lions,who see them nothing more than a meal wrapped in a Jeep. As Tom returns, he finds his family missing, and the rangers talking about going for rescue operation in the morning only. He then takes it upon himself to contact this Mr Crawford who's supposedly the only man for the job, convincing him to help out...

A movie that has blood and gruesome scenes around every corner.. With every step, you think "This is it", "Oh God No, what is she doing"... and are left biting your nails, chewing your fingers till the very end...

Amazing locations... awesome cinematography had me glued to the screen, as i sat through it in the middle of the night...!!! Enjoyed it immensely... For those of you who like such movies, also watch Ghost and the darkness

Remember... " Out here, you're the endangered species..."

[Movie] Reel on.. II

2009-09-17T23:11:00.000+05:30

More Movies i've seen over the past 2 weeks!

Ugly Truth

Director: Robert Luketic

Starring: Katherine Heigl, Gerard Butler, Bree Turner, Eric Winter .

Rating: ***1/2

Abby Richter, an ambitious television producer in Sacramento hasnt had a boyfriend or some action in quite a while...one night when she is at home, her cat presses on the remote and "The Ugly Truth" by Mike Chadway is on, Abby calls in and argues with him on-air. The next day, she discovers that the station is threatening to cancel her show because of its poor ratings, and the station owner has hired Mike to do a segment on her show to boost the TRP ratings.

At first, the two are at war till Mike finally convinces Abby to listen to him to conquer the man of her dreams, a doctor named Colin who lives next door.She follows Mike's instructions step by step, with quite a few goof ups thrown in... and finally realises she is someone else with Colin, and has fallen in love with Mike... This is a movie whose humour is nothing ne, but its one of those feel good, light, Romantic comedy flicks..

Watch it for Gerard Butler... remember 300 and PS I Love you?? ;)Oooh!!!

====================

Death at a Funeral

Directed by Frank O

Starring: Matthew Macfadyen, Rupert Graves, Alan Tudyk, Daisy Donovan, Kris Marshall, Andy Nyman, Jane Asher, Keeley Hawes, Peter Vaughan, Ewen Bremner, Peter Dinklage, Thomas Wheatley, Peter Egan........

This was a movie i had picked up awhile ago, saw bits and pieces till finally last evening me and my friend decided to give it a go and cracked up completely..... It stars a mostly British ensemble bunch of actors, most of whom look familiar and yet are unfamiliar.

The death of the Daniel and Robert’s father and the attempt to hold his funeral is what the plot circles around.. the occasion brings a whole lot of dysfunctional family members together. And amidst all this, when a midget of a man shows up threatening to reveal the deceased man’s shocking secret[That their dad was gay and he was his lover] unless he gets some cash-15000 pounds, the two brothers are forced to figure out a way to deal with this blackmailer. With every scene, you are left laughing, completely flabbergasted at the chaos that is unfolding....

The hallucignic durg that Simon takes, making him go cuckoo, how Martha tries to keep him from jumping off the roof [ where he stands buck naked]... her useless brother, who was the reason all thsi happened [ who created the pill and put them in a Valium bottle] and so many other wierd members of the clan, each with their own set of problems and worries..!!!

A fun movie, that is not so much as original comedy, but you will definitely have a few good laughs...

Its being remade in Hindi as Daddy Cool!! God save Bollywood and the rest of the world that watches it in hindi!! wonder how it will be!! hehe...

[Movie] Reel on.. I

2009-09-17T22:08:00.004+05:30

The past couple of weeks, work has been good, busy but not crazy busy, so managed to catch quite a few movies.. Indian and Foreign.. Am just gonna go ahead put up the names and a mini review on them...!! :)

Kanthaswamy

Director: Susi Ganesan

Actors: Vikram, Shreya Saran and a host of others...

Rating: **

A movie that has been in the news forever was quite a disappointment and had way too many frills and fancy stuff.. After 3hr 15min, we walked out thinking had it been for an hour, it would have had quite an impact. the story is also nothing very new, or original, its all about how Vikram and his 10 buddies are the new age Robin Hood, taking from the corrupt rich and giving among the needy....Revolving around the Kanthaswamy temple, it is a movie where wishes made by Devotees on the tree comes true... Way too many traces of Gentleman and Anniyan is a bit of a spoiler here... !!

Shreya- dont even get me started on her.. Not only does she not look good[ some mite beg to differ..] but Suchi's voice is a total mismatch... Flat with zero emotions... And whoever did dance choreo for Shreya needs to take dance classes.. The best scene acc to me is the Fight in the corn field and ofcourse the En Peru

meenakumari dance by Umaith Khan.. Her dance, lip sync and movements were soo awesome, i loved it...

Watch the movie if you are a crazy Vikram or Shreya or Shankar Fan... dont expect too much, you wont be disappointed!!

=======================================

Quick Gun Murugan

Direction: Shashanka Ghosh

Cast: Rajendra Prasad, Naser, Raju Sundaram, Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Rambha, Anu menon aka Lola kutty..

Rating: **

Quick Gun Murugun is an unlikely Superhero with sufer Gun powers. A Sincere South Indian Cowboy who considers it his duty to serve and protect all around him. All i knew of this character were the little snippets shown on MTV and the Ennada rascala in Om Shanti Om!!

The movie basically revolves around [mis]adventures of Quick Gun Murugun and his fight with his arch villain Rice Plate Reddy!Not to forget the Rowdy MBA and Mango Dolly who are all part of his clan!! Rice Plate has a bee in his bonnet because he wants to be the supreme overlord of Dosa-makers, and kidnaps anyone who possesses the perfect recipe for making lip smacking Dosas.

Though i dint really enjoy the movie, or wasnt laughing my head off, there are some funny scenes , only one i remember is the take off on Clint Eastwood's 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' parodied in Carnatic mix... A movie meant for those who like Slapstick comedy, and dont mind seeing Southies being ridiculed!! maybe if i were a northie, i mite enjoy it more.. who knows!! :)

==============================================

Ninaithale Inikkum

Director: Kumarvel

Actors: Prithviraj, Karthik Kumar, Shakthi, Priyamani

Music :Vijay Antony

Rating: ***

Ninaithale Inikkum is a remake of the Malayalam film "Classmates".... Its just a tough guy with a heart of gold Shiva beats up bad guy Vasu. He has the support of friends Shakthi and Bala.

On the other side is Meera , the daughter of an MLA and she opposes Shiva at every turn. Then there's Sethuraman the silly hostel warden, the cook Subramani and a pointless lecturer character who make up the college side of things. Completing the troop is Shali a quiet Muslim girl, who at the end you see a completely different side to... The story just ping pongs between present and past, making you wonder what you are watching... and if this is the today or yesterday!!!

Loads of bits and pieces for the audience to remember, until the end where they finally fall into place..
i've heard the mallu original is a beautiful movie, after watching this 2hrs of "makes no sense, songs start off for no rhyme or reason" movie, i think i'll take a peek at the Mallyalam version to understand the story!!!

============================

[Movie] Achchamundu Achchamundu

2009-08-01T23:43:00.002+05:30

Debutant director: Arun Vaidyanathan

Cast: Prasanna, Sneha, John Shea;

Music: Karthik Raja;

Achchamundu Achchamundu is a one of a kind movie, infact i dont think i've seen any other on this subject made in the Tamil movie industry!! What is it about you ask ? its about child abuse and paedophiles!!! Yes.. no, dont shirk away and say "Chee, i aint gonna watch this movie"... You need to... Its a kind of an eye opener for people who think anybody who smiles and is nice to their child is simply being loving and caring.. yes, most people are, biut there are the other kind who we ignore.. or are unaware of!!

Set in New Jersey, its the story of Senthil Kumar (Prasanna), and his happy lamily-- wife Malini (Sneha) and child Rithika [Akshaya]. They have all acted well, except most scenes the accent and style portrayed seems very fake and just doesnt sit well with the audience. During the first half hour, i kinda got bored, the movie seemed to be in bits and pieces, untill it progressed eventually giving us no clues where it was headed...

This is where, a painter Robinson (John Shea) enters the story, he is a psychotic paedophile[For those who dont know the meaning, pls click on link -- they are people who lust affer children.and sexually abuse them] . The minute he agrees to paint their basement for a throwaway price of $1000, the couple trust him with not just their home, but the security code to their home alarm system. He is sweet towards Rithika, and so she spends time with him unaware of his ulterior motives.. Through the movie, there are subtle hints here and there on Robinson's character.. A child is shown tied up in the boot of his car, another boy goes missing after Robinson gets him an ice cream, but because of his external portrayal, he gets away with it!!

Meanwhile, Malini gets pregnant and it is time for Senthil to go to Florida for a conference, but the night before that he spots a thief of sorts trying to attack his house. He then takes Malini's fears seriously, cancels his trip and decides to stay put at home with his family [ figuring that is the only way to protect them] .

Unable to resist further, Robinson decides to make his move into their home, and how Senthil saves his family from the clutches of the psychotic child abuser forms the climax.

Arun Vaidyanathan has to be applauded for choosing such a sensitive theme. and presenting it well. Not in one scene do we feel wierd or disturbed.. Towards the end, there are news /newspaper clippings, and statistics on Child abuse across the world shown on the screen...

The movie is not gripping or has some mind blowing scenes, nor have the actors been utilised to their max, but the way the director handles his theme leaves much to be desired.!!

[Movies] Offbeat

2009-07-28T11:20:00.000+05:30

I buy dvd's, and yes, some are good, whilst others are bad!! I dont read ahead of the shopping expedition... Infact,very rarely do i know what i am going to Buy..

I BUY ---

If the name looks interesting

If the cover is appealing

If i like one of the actors

If i get a gut feel about the movie

If its a movie someone has reccomended [ these are few and far between] :)

In the latest batch, i had bought this movie called Funny Games... and went on to watch the movie,..

Director: Michael Haneke

Writer: Michael Haneke (written by)

Cast
    * Naomi Watts as Ann
    * Tim Roth as George
    * Michael Pitt as Paul
    * Brady Corbet as Peter
    * Devon Gearhart as Georgie
    * Boyd Gaines as Fred

The movie opens with George, his wife Anna, their son Georgie and dog Lucky arriving at their lake house. Their next-door neighbor pays a visit, accompanied by two young men, Peter and Paul, whom he introduces as friends. The two men begin imposing themselves by coming over asking for eggs, breaking batch after batch, eventually a frustrated Anna demands that the men leave, asking George to get them out. What happens next is what baffled me... Peter breaks George's leg with George's golf club and the two men take the family hostage.

They force the family to participate in a number of ugly sadistic games in order to stay alive. When some of the other neighbors arrive for a visit, Anna passes the men off as friends until the visitors leave. How they torture the couple, playing mind games with them has us cringing, wondering what is going to happen next!!! One by one, they kill the members of the family, starting with the dog, the last victim being Anna!!!

It's a thriller movie but very different from the run of the mill ones. Sort of satire, I think. If you're sick and tired of de'ja`vu film-making this one is just for you.

=================************* =================

The 2nd movie- Ghosts of Girlfriends Past we saw at my friend Anita's place post the yummy Potluck lunch....

Director: Mark Waters

Cast:
* Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead

* Jennifer Garner as Jenny Perotti

* Michael Douglas as Wayne Mead aka Uncle Wayne

* Emma Stone as Allison Vandermeersh, the Ghost of Girlfriends Past

* Daniel Sunjata as Brad

* Noureen DeWulf as Melanie, the Ghost of Girlfriends Present and Connor's assistant

    * Breckin Meyer as Paul Mead
    * Lacey Chabert as Sandra Volkom
    * Anne Archer as Vonda Volkom

* Amanda Walsh as Denice
* Camille Guaty as Donna

I wouldnt call it a Chick flick.

Nor a romcom.. romantic comedy flick

hmmm.. what can we call it??? i dunno!!!

Connor Mead, the playboy hops from one woman to the other, leaving behind quite a trail of unhappy women... The day he goes to attend his brother Paul's wedding rehearsal dinner , the complete world comes toppling down... Meeting Jenny [the one woman in his life who has always seemed immune to his considerable charm.] after all this time, trying to keep his lusting thots to himself, he finds he is given one last chance by his late Uncle Wayne [who tells him its not too late to change]... He meets one Ghost after another, who take him thru his life, starting with childhood to the future....

Through the journey, Connor realises this is the only chance he is going to get, and finally decides to confess his love to Jenny ... The world is then set right and all are happy!!!

A movie that would have been fun had it not been stretched so much.. it just goes on and on and on and on............................ watch it if you have NOTHING else to do!!! :)

[Movie] Masilamani

2009-07-03T23:29:00.001+05:30

Maasilamani by RNR Manohar

Starring- : Nakul, Sunaina, Pavan, Karunas, Santhanam, M S Bhaskar, Raj Kapoor, Santhana Bharathi, Delhi Ganesh and many others.

Music: Imman

The movie opens with Nakul chasing a man down the streets and getting sentenced to fine or term in jail. Masilamani [Nakul], living in Rani Anna Nagar is not the usual romeo or run of the mill hero. He is a social activist goes after anyone who does wrong, be it a case of eve teasing on the bus, cheating an old couple in a property sale or chain snatching. One day, he catches sight of Divya [Sunaina] confronting some guys who tease her students, and in the process he falls head over heels in love with her.

However, the hunky dory romance hits a dead end the day he causes mayhem at her dance concert, when all he wanted was to meet their area MLA requesting for assistance in clearing up a sewage problem. One look at his angry face and Divya lables him "Rowdy" . She mistakes his character and assumes he is a crook, despising him from that minute on!

Invariably from thereon, everytime their paths cross it is when he is beating someone up or chasing a thief. He even jokes to her about this. Knowing there is no way Divya will love Masi, he adorns the role of Mani, a soft spoken sophisticated guy.

With the help of his two friends, he stages the whole drama and wins over Divya's family and subsequently her as well. This is where,Bhupathi [Pavan] comes into town taking over as the Sub Inspector of Ashok nagar police station. After a run in with Masi, he vows revenge, but is left confused whenever he tries to prove Masi and Mani are one! Infact, the residents of Rani Anna Nagar, where Masi resides come together to establish that Mani is different from Masi. The day Divya decides to test him, a simple text message has his friends jumping into action and helping him strengthen ties with Divya!! It is one amazing scene that leaves us all stumped. So, is the one at the hospital when Bhupathi brings in the Masi's sister's daughter, while Masi is pretending to be Mani and the way the situation is handled deserves a lot of praise.

As the movie progresses, Divya comes to know that indeed Masi and Mani are one. She must now decide who she loves and if she will marry Masilamani!

Laced with sharp dialogues, plenty of action, and romance, the movie goes on tell the tale of how Masi as Mani convinces Divya he is a good samaritan and truly loves her. The entire plot has been beautiful crafted by the director and executed very well by Nakul and rest of the Rani Anna Nagar residents!

With every scene, Nakul has proved that he can act, dance, do comedy and is good at it. Suniana looks beautiful, and there is a certain grace in her acting as well. In certain scenes, she does come acrss flat, but overall good performance. Bhaskar , Santhanam, Karnas and Srinath provide just the right amount of comedy, without going overboard!!

Music by Imman is enjoyable, especially ‘Odi Odi’ track, it is quite a peppy number. The other songs have variety and vigour to keep the audiences glued to the seats; however all of them are a tad too long. Song locations and cinematography was good.

All in all, Masilamani is a romantic thriller, filled with intense moments and rib tickling comedy!!

[Movie] Monsters VS Aliens

2009-05-03T23:29:00.001+05:30

A movie for kids...

hang on, thats not right...

A movie for kids and adults and everyone else who loves animated stuff... :)

A movie that must be seen in 3D..

Saw it in 2D format in Bombay, and then when i saw it last evening in 3D style here in Chennai, i realised its gotta be seen this way...

Wearing the cool 3D glasses, watching the characters come alive, the effects, the dust...absolutely amazing!! I was excited, more than my friend or her 4 year old son!!! :D

Btw, this was my 2nd 3D experience!! :)

Whats the movie about?

Its about Monsters [ who are chemically modified normal people and insects] battling to save the world from the invasion of Aliens [ Ruled by Galaxor].. A movie that has all that it takes to keep us glued to our seats, is fun, serious., thrilling., hilarious, nail biting and some more!!!

It all starts when Susan [ voice by Reese Witherspoon] is hit by a radioactive meteor on her wedding day... She transforms into a towering, giant and is then captured and taken to a place where there are other wierd/odd creatures. Re-christened as "Ginormica," Susan meets amphibious Missing Link (Will Arnett), the green blob B.O.B. (Seth Rogen), and the brilliant, genius Doc, Dr. Cockroach (Hugh Laurie).

They are all released from captivity when a massive alien robot sent by the scheming Gallaxor (Rainn Wilson) sets foot in San Francisco. with time, Susan starts loving her new friends, the power she has and works towards saving the world from the alien... in the process, she learns the truth about Derek, the man of her dreams [ atleast thats what she was thinkin till she realised he was just a selfish jerk!!]

The way the movie has been made is what sets it apart from others!!

Do watch it to enjoy every scene.. every move... every fight... every funny moment!!! :)

[Books] To read....

2009-03-24T15:10:00.000+05:30

A friend of mine mentioned this book was recommended at her book club....

Speaking of India: Bridging the Communication Gap When Working With Indians by Craig Storti....

Interesting title.... anyone read it???

[Movie] Women and life...

2009-03-23T23:40:00.002+05:30

Last week was hectic.... or was it the week before? Nah, i think every week is almost the same story...

Work...Home.. chores... cooking,etc... and well, tonnes of fun weaved between all this!!

Saw 2 beautiful interesting movies... actually saw 3, but this post is about 2.. both related to WOMEN...!! :)

1st one was an Israeli movie called Aviva, My love! [me and a friend of mine caught this at the South India Film chamber]

Aviva --

Works in a hotel, yearns to write, jots down ideas on a small writing pad

Takes care of her family

Puts up with her jobless husband,

who, she loves, but has been cheating on her [with her own sister]

Cares about her sister and

wants her away from her abusive husband

[knows she still is secretly in love with her ex boyfriend]

Aviva--

Takes her writing to a famous writer [or rather once upon a time famous, Oded]

Tells her, - he will sell her stories as his

in exchange for a decent sum of money....!!! [ the f@$% B!@%#]

A son, confused and lost

A daughter, stubborn but sweet

Another son, glued to the TV....

Aviva ---

Dealing with a psychotic mom

a dad who loves her, but is not respected

[cos he once cheated on her mom]

A doctor who says -" let me look at you"

in exchange for not being able to pay for her son's treatment...

Finally... Aviva -

The woman, who takes charge of her life

The woman, who finds joy in writing

The woman, who is loved and respected by her family......!!!

=============================

2nd Movie - The Guitar

The movie by Amy Redford [Robert Redford's daughter] slides through the journey of this one woman - Melody "Mel" Wilder!!! She is diagnosed with a terminal illness, given 2months to live, fired from the job, dumped by the boyfriend. ...

What does she do ?

Leaves her home... Moves into an expensive Loft apartment for 2mths [on rent], shops like crazy[ all from the comfort of her new home], buys the most expensive materials, fabric, clothes,and everything else you can dream off!!!

Makes friends with Rosco, the delivery man and Cookie, Pizza girl... What follows are the scenes filled with plenty of lovemaking..[all candlelight and exotic linens galore] ....... Melody doesn't connect to people as much as she does to her most extreme purchase -- a red electric guitar she's longed for since her unhappy childhood (shown thru streaks of flashbacks) .... With sudden realization of how much time has gone by, Melody visits the doc where she discovers-- Thanks to her complete transformation[of life], the tumor knows not where it lives and has gone away..............!! Oh shit, What happens to melody? What does she do with all the stuff? the payments??? watch the movie to know!!! :D

[Music] Jazz all the way!!

2009-03-16T13:02:00.001+05:30

Louis Armstrong.... Ella Fitzgerald.. John Coltrane.... Duke Ellington are some of the famous Jazz musicians i had heard of... here are a few more i shall be adding to this list....

On Friday, we went for a Jazz concert at Museum Theater, Egmore... Though the show started few minutes late, it was well worth the wait...

1. Chennai based Yodhaka

They were into fusion jazz, using Sanskrit slokas as the base.. very nice, melodious and rhythmic.... Loved the voice of the lead singers- Subiksha and Pradeed[who also played the slide guitar..]

Towards the end of their performance, Pradeep belted out the famous Mudakaratha modakam[ ganesha slokha]- it was truly soulful...!!!

2. All the way from Baltimore - Duende Quartet

The four wizards of LATIN JAZZ had us enthralled for over an hour, leaving the audience wanting for more.. the only hitch [ nothing to do with the performance] was the sudden chill within the auditorium.. The Air conditioner was either working full swing or something was up.. we were all nearly freezing in there... :)

Apparently they were the winners from a whole bunch of people who vyed for the post of being a jazz group... Not only did they get to play here in chennai, they are on a world tour ... Fronted by Latin Grammy winning pianist Harry Appelman, the quartet includes bassist Josh Schwartzman and percussionists Mark Merella and Sam Turner ........

Sam is the one who remains in our minds even after the show is over - not just because he was black/Jamaican but he had the audience clapping, tapping their feet, singing along[ words that sounded like chants] till the end of the show... I guess that is the difference between an artist and a showman.... how involved the audience gets with them!!! :)

On Saturday, after a mini meeting with the Caferati clan, i headed over to Citi center for a bit of Jazz and some retail fun ;)

3. The Ellington Suites [Netherlands]

Eight member team, named after the famous Duke Willington's album performed for free at Citi center lobby.. [Thanks to Landmark ]. Saxaphone, Clarinet, Drums, Bass guitar and another instrument that i dont know the name for was what they used to create music....

What a weekend it was....