Jungle Book - Run Mowgli Run

Jungle Book - Run Mowgli Run.. and boy he runs fast..

The new avatar of good old Jungle Book got a complete make over by Disney, including amazing CGI and 3D visuals.  It's hard to believe the entire movie was shot in Disney studios, California.

I believe this is the first time a Hollywood movie is being released in India before North America. Kind of makes sense as the movie has India written all over it.  It takes place in India and the sole human character in the movie to all the animals,  all have Indian names.

The new Jungle Book has new treatment.  There is only one human in the movie and that is Mowgli (ignoring the brief appearance of his father) and the theme is revenge.  Disney has given a new treatment to the old story and has spun it around revenge and red flower.  How Sher Khan was injured by Mowli's father with 'red flower' and the reason why Sher Khan is after Mowgli.

Needless to say, movie has stunning visuals and the 3D viewing takes you deep inside thick forests of middle India.  You jump, run, wade thru water with Mowgli but never once in the 106 minutes you feel scared.  I don't know what the censor board of India found 'scary' to give this movie a U/A certificate.  This movie is as benign as it can get as compared all the violence one so casually sees in U rated Indian movies.  It's probably time, Censor board authorities wiped their glasses and see movies 'clearly'.

Verdict - Must watch movie for its amazing CGI & simple yet strong story line.

5 Stars out of 5

ps: I saw this movie at S2 spi movies in Thiruvanmiyur.  I wish I had gone to a theater with better parking and more importantly good sound system.  Parking was a mess and I made mental note to take Uber next time.  But more than parking, what irked me was seating and sound system.  My view was summarily blocked by let us say a 'well built' guy sitting before me and the sound system left lot to be desired.  For some reason it felt 'dull' and below par.

Kapoor & Sons - Different

Sunday Movie Review - Kapoor and Sons

I am a movie buff but have not been regular for several reasons with the main reason being the availability of tickets.  With the limited multiplex options in Chennai, one has to book tickets for the weekend by the previous Wednesday, when the reservation opens.  Otherwise, options gets limited and even 'bad' movies become unavailable.

I am slowly learning this trick of booking tickets by Wednesday.  So far, I have been successful for the past one month and at my daughter's prodding, I am trying my hand on reviews as well.  Let's see how long I keep up with it.

Kapoor and Sons is a different kind of movie on many fronts.  It's dialogs are bold and pushes the envelope unheard of in Tamil movies. (yeah, its a Hindi movie and I could most of the dialogs.  I admit my Hindi is not that great but do follow 'Ek Gaon me ek kissan raghu thatha').  Director has taken three generations 'Kapoors' and have woven a complex relationship story where everyone has something in their 'closet'.

It's a low budget movie and to my surprise was based in a Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.  This may be because, Rishi Kapoor (Grand father in the movie) must have been associated defense services.  My Hindi isn't that good to catch this nuance!!!.  

Talking about Rishi Kapoor, he has done a marvelous job of playing that role.  Though his makeup could have been better, Rishi does an excellent job of waiting to die but not 'actually' dying.  In fact, one of biggest 'non event' in the movie was Grand Father's Death.

Another interesting twist to the story was about the death of someone I didn't expect.  Just as I kept expecting Grand father's death, a twist occurs in form of sudden death of his Son.

While the death of the Son give a sudden twist to the movie storyline, it does have a 'happy ending'.  Movie does have several other stars, including Alia Bhatt, but I enjoyed Rishi Kapoor the most.

Verdict - Feel good, enjoyable movie.  Watch it for Rishi Kapoor.

3.5 stars out of 5

Million Dollar Arm - FDFS and FT too..

I saw a movie on the first day first show (FDFS) for the first time (FT) ever. All it took was 50+ years!!!  Make no mistake,  I have tried to watch some of the Diwali releases on the first day during my school days.  Most of the times I wouldn't get tickets and when I did get one, was driven away.

One Diwali, I spent more time standing in the movie line than bursting crackers and managed to get the prized ticket for 'Enter the Dragon'.  But my euphoria of winning the 'lottery' lasted hardly 10 minutes.  The 'gatekeeper' by theater entrance drove me away saying the movie was 'Adults Only'.  I was crestfallen, but was more bitter because my friend and classmate Venkatesh got in.  Needless to say, he gleefully went in, saw the movie and gloated for ages.  Venkatesh - wherever you are.. I finally managed to see a movie on FDFS..

Now back to Million Dollar Arm..
I saw this movie over the much more hyped Godzilla for AR Rahman and the Tamil Song.. but was disappointed on both fronts.  Though it was the first day, there were hardly 10 folks in a theater that could easily hold 250+.  This pretty much sums up the popularity of this movie in US, I guess..

The only similarity with the other wildly popular Slumdog Millionaire ends with the title.  This Million neither has the drama or the engaging story that made the Slumdog a hit.

This apparently 'true story' is about two Indian kids making it big time in baseball in US in 2008.  Not sure what happened to them after that or what they are doing now.  But the story about the discovery and the transformation of the Indian kids into major league baseball pitchers.

First half of the movie happens in India.  An out of luck US sports agent comes to India and launches a million dollar contest to discover the next big thing in baseball.  I kept hoping that the story would move to Chennai and would get to hear the Tamil Song.  But, the story stuck to Mumbai and North India and never moved to Chennai.  So the wait for the Tamil Song continued..

Second half moved to LA where Indian kids get baseball training.  After some predictable twists movie ends in சுபம். Still, there is no sign of the song I was waiting for..

AR Rahman's score was distinctly Indian and would even say distinctly South Indian.  However, I couldn't connect to the music.  It may be because, I was expecting more or possibly because the score was neither Indian nor Western and the fusion didn't jell well.

So what happened to the Tamil Song?  It did not come till the movie pretty much ended and people started walking out.  But I hunkered down and waited.. and then it came.  It came along with the credits at the very end.

So, if you are planning to watch this movie for AR Rahman, you could safely skip it.  There are plenty of other movies where he has done better job.

But, if you are planning to watch the movie for the Tamil song in a Hollywood movie then indulge, but wait for the credits to appear in the very end.

Movie Marathon @ 37000 feet

For the first time in many of my recent long haul flights,  I saw three very different movies.  I had originally planned to catch up on some work and get some sleep in my Emirates flight from Geneve to Dubai.  But the airline had refreshed its entertainment offering and I ended watching movies doing neither of things I had planned.

Emirates, perhaps has the best on-board entertainment called ICE (Information, Communication & Entertainment) that offers plenty of choice even in the 'cattle' class.  Recently, I have been getting my Hollywood fix via ICE and my today's non-stop kondattam was two Hollywood and one Bollywood movie.

The Last Stand - This must be Arnold Schwarzenegger's come back movie after his california political stint. Masala to the core and not much to write about... Watch only if you have nothing else to do.. you would end up wasting time anyways.

The Guilt Trip - A comedy released last year.  This movie is about a road trip that mother and son take together across USA and their discovery about each other.  Enjoyable and touching at places though predictable at times.  Watch it if you are in the mood for a decent flick and want to feel time well spent.

Oh My God (OMG) - Of the three movies, I liked this the most.  I am not an Akshay Kumar fan but this movie was refreshingly different.  This is about an atheist who sues God for destroying his shop in a earth quake.  Though my Hindi is 'Ek Gaon mein ek kissan rahta tha'.. I thought the dialogs were pretty incisive and thought provoking.  The movie doesn't tell you if there is God or not.. But says enough to make you think and come to your own conclusions.  Regardless of your belief in God, if you believe in Good movie.. see this one.

Now off to Chennai.. where it is 'Semma hottu machi'..

7ஆம் அறிவு - Tamil Jingoism in top gear

7ஆம்  அறிவு - Tamil Jingoism in top gear

Thanks to my friend Jaya and Shankar,  we got to see the much awaited Tamil movie of the year yesterday. As with any movie with such sky high expectations, there is bound to be divergent opinions and mine is not flattering.

After Gajini became a super dooper hit in Tamil & Hindi, expectations were running high as AR Murugadass, Surya and Hariss Jayaraj teamed up again.  With a open checkbook from Karunanidhi family, 7ஆம்  அறிவு has been shot in exotic locales and in a grand scale. 

First the good stuff..

Udyanidhi Stalin (producer) 'proudly' presents this movie and it shows in the movie.  He has spent lavishly, be it for exotic locales or for outlandish fight sequences.  Besides the open checkbook, producer also seem to have given his prized possession for the film, car.  Udayanidhi's Hummer is the villan's transport in the city.  

The marketing engine of Red Giant has gone all out to hype this movie and if one were to just go by the media buzz, the change in power (from DMK to ADMK) doesn't seemed to have affected this movie at all. 

Suriya (lead actor), as usual has worked hard for this movie and it shows in every frame he appears.  He clearly compensates for  the lack of charisma with his sheer hard work.  He must have worked really hard to get and retain '8 pack abs' all thru the movie.  Suriya has come a long way in the last few years.. well done Suriya.. I applaud your dedication and hard work.

Thanks to AR Murugadass for putting the spotlight on Bodhi Dharman.  I wouldn't have known or read about this 6th century Tamilian if not for this movie.

Fight sequences have been shot on a grand scale and are riveting.  I particularly like the crashing of vehicles and theme in the fight.  I also liked the first fight sequence in a Chinese village.

I liked the elephant ride sequence and the song sequence shot in the busy Ranganathan Street.  Also, several portions of the film have been shot in South Chennai and I personally could relate to some of those.. like IITM, Thiru Vi Ka bridge, Vet clinic, Elliots Beach etc.,

Now the not so good stuff..

Harris Jeyaraj music is just passe.  Expect for a couple of songs, his music score is very average and the background music is jarring in many places.  I expected much more from Harris.

Shruthi Hassan, the famous daughter of a famous actor debuts in this movie as a actor and does a decent job.  But she should have gone for voice over.  She pays glowing tributes to Tamil in a heavily accented delivery which takes the sheen away from the message.  Brush up you Tamil & delivery before you attempt to lend your voice again for Tamil movies.

Plot - AR Murugadass's treatment of the story line is very shallow and weak.  He shows China as attempting to launch a biological war on India but fails to show the motivations for such diabolical war.  Worse, he wants you to believe that it can be handled by a lone scientist with no broader Govt. involvement.  And what will this scientist do? She will do DNA re-sequencing on a living human being.. never mind the fact that it has never done before.

Jingoism - AR Murugadass has put the spotlight on the forgotten Bodhi Dharman, but in the process he has shown the present day China in a poor light. I wonder why?  What was the need for that?  Also, there are factual inaccuracies about 1962 Indo-China war, which India lost badly. 

AR Murugadass shows Tamils as victims in many parts of the world and talks about the துரோஹம் perpetuated on Tamils in Sri Lanka by a group of 9 countries... where is he getting the facts from? 

AR Murugadass also gets very preachy urges Tamils to 'Awake & Arise'.. and that perhaps is the 7ஆம்  அறிவு?

Overall I give ** (out of 5) for this movie.

Naan Kadavul - Well Below the Mark

நான் கடவுள்
Bala has a penchant for showing the underbelly of the society without adding any color or sprucing it up. Whether it was his depiction of mentally challenged people (in Sethu) or depiction of an orphan growing up cremation ground(in Pithamagan), Bala has always taken the less trodden path and has made a mark for himself.

However, Bala has missed target by miles in Naan Kadavul. In this movie, Bala deals with a Agori (sect that calls themselves God) in Varanasi and moves the story to a town in southern Tamil Nadu. Bala then interweave the unsavory dealings of begger mafia with the Agori and has tried to provide an interesting mix.

Bala must be congratulated for his guts in taking a story line that many wouldn't touch even with a mile long pole. However, Bala could have scripted the story tightly. Arya was asked (by his Guru) to go back to his family to disengage from all 'blood relationship' and return. However, once Arya returns to his family, story takes a different line and his family abruptly disappears from the story. Also, Puja is shown going to a church and being preached.. but what is not shown is how that relates to the story. Similarly the climax fight between Arya and Thandavan wasn't 'story lined' well. In summary, Bala started would well in the first half but struggled to keep the story line in the second half.

In the acting department, Arya as Agori and Puja as a blind begger have done commendably. More than these two, kids were wonderful. Don't know where Bala got those kids.. but they have done exceptionally well. It must have taken a lot to get them to 'act'.

In the music department, Illayaraja has produced some great numbers but two of them did not come in the movie. While the 'Om Sivoham' song seems to be the highlight of the movie, another good song/s 'Matha en kovilil' seems to have been omitted from the final version of the movie. While the songs were good, background score left much to be desired. It sounded jarring and disconnected at places.

In the Art department, the 'sets' in 'malaikovil' could have been better.. the inferior sets show their color and reduce the intensity of the movie.

It is said that Bala took 3 years to get this movie out.. he could have done lot better in the story department.

Net - I give this movie a "B" and that being very generous..

Bala: We expect a better movie next time and he sure will.. but let's hope he doesn't take another 3 years for it.

Ghajini - Damp Squib

I guess it happens when you have lot of expectations..

With so much media buzz around Ghajini and the moola it has already raked in, I expected a lot from this movie. Though, I had seen the Tamil version of this movie, I wanted to see to the Hindi version for the Aamir Khan / AR Rahman factor. Mr. Khan did not disappoint, but the movie did not have the polish and grandeur that the Bollywood movies generally have.

Seeing movie was not in plans today at all but things fell in place and I didn't want to miss an opportunity. I always try to squeeze in a movie whenever I go to Nanganallur and I went there (running) today to participate in a family event. it so happened that Ghajini was running right next door and the timing was convenient and tickets went abegging. While Ghajini is running to packed houses in the city, Vetrivel theatre was almost empty and Nanganallur is just 15 kms away. Go figure !!!

I felt the movie was dragging in places and certainly not need the three hours it took. Its an out and out Aamir Khan movie and his hard work shows in every frame. From his much talked about six pack abs to stylish Sanjay Singhania, Mr. Khan has done exceedingly well. However, he is little mature to be casted as a 30 something hero.

When you are watching a remake, comparisons are inevitable. I was looking for great music and chart bursting numbers from A R Rahman but he disappointed me. Only a couple of songs are hummable and the background music was jarring in many places. I felt the music director of the Tamil Ghajini, Harris Jayaraj had done a better job. Most of the songs in Tamil Ghajini were solid and the choreography and the cinematography added color to the songs.

In all, as my post title says, Ghajini was a damp squib. We have come to expect quality movies from Aamir Khan and Ghajni was a big disappointment in that regard. Ghajini definitely wouldn't qualify to join the ranks of Lagaan, Rang De Basanti and Taare Zameen Par.

Overall rating - B

Varanam Aayiram - A decent movie but..

Saw Gautham Menon's Varanam Aayiram last night at Sathyam, my favorite movies in Chennai. The movie experience at Sathyam is perhaps the best in Chennai, but for a small problem. One can't get in or out.. barring that everything else is super... Now back to the movie...

Varanam Aayiram is a decent movie but is awfully long and feels like rudderless in the second half. But to Gautham Menon's credit, he kept me awake for the whole 3 hours and particularly considering it was a late night show. (Unlike Aegan which I just slept through.)

This movie is actually the story of a son (junior Surya) but unfolds as a story about relationship between son and his father(senior Surya). The depth of relationship unwinds as the story spreads out on the screen. It comes through in a gentle but in an impactful manner. Thanks to Mr. Menon, we are spared of loads of dialog or buckets of tear.

Though there isn't any reason why Surya ought to be playing dual role in this film, he has done commendably well in both the roles. He compensates for what some folks would call as 'lack of charisma' with his sheer dedication and hard work, which is evident in every frame of this movie. In some places the director tries to over do it, like in the case of Surya's much talked about 'six pack abs'. They show Surya shirtless in many scenes just to show sell his body. It gets to be little tiring to see him shirtless, scene after scene.

Though it was Surya movie, one other actor has managed to stand out and that is Simran. She stands out taller than Surya in this movie both literally and figuratively. Her mature and dignified portrayal of a mother's role is bound to make her second innings (in the industry) stronger than the first one.

There is something to be said about Harris Jayaraj and Gautham Menon combo that produces chart busters movie after movie. Most of the songs in this film are hummable and pleasant. I am no music connoisseur, but have a feeling that Harris likes to leverage Guitar the most in his songs. Several of the songs in this film too have Guitar base and that makes the songs personally appealing to me. Its unfortunate that Harris Jayaraj and Gautham Menon have split and will not be doing films together anymore... but then I am sure a talented director like Gautham Menon will continue to produce melodies anyone he teams up with.

The movie starts to meander aimlessly after the interval and would have been better off particularly without the kidnap episode and Army stint. Without them, the movie would have been lot more crisper, sharper and forceful.

Overall the movie is watchable for its melodious songs and Surya / Simran's performance.

Overall - B+
Acting - Surya & Simran - A (For solid performance)
Director - Gautham Menon - B+ (For decent story telling.. could have been better though)
Movie Length - B (For making us sit for three long hours.. one hour longer than needed)
Music - Harris Jayaraj - B+ (For melodious and memorable songs)
Story - Gautham Menon - B (For meandering story line)

பொய் சொல்ல போறோம் - Movie Review

பொய் சொல்ல போறோம் படம் பற்றிய சின்ன பொய் "படம் ரொம்ப நல்ல இருந்தது"

More later

தசாவதாரம் - Kamal ALL the way..

Kamal tends dominate his movies and in Dasavatharam, he dons 10 different roles to overshadow everyone and everything else in every second of this 3 hour long movie. One might question what was the need for Kamal to play 10 roles and I have the same question. But, he does them to perfection and carries the entire movie on his shoulders. Others, including Asin doesn't have any solid to role to play, they just come and go, including the Bollywood glamor girl, Mallika Sherawat.

From George Bush to Vincent Poovaragan to Avtar Singh, Kamal simply excels in all roles he plays. It is not just the makeup that differentiates the roles, but from body language to dialog delivery, Kamal has simply become the character he portrays. Kamal deserves an national award just for efforts.

But, unfortunately, Kamal's herculean effort is wasted with a weak story line which he himself has penned. The story is about a small vial inadvertently shipped from US to India triggering an international hunt for it. Its the usual good guy vs bad guys (two avtars of Kamal) chasing it. Sounds familiar ? It did to me.. looked lot similar to MGR's ulagam suttrum voliban (உலகம் சுற்றும் வாலிபன்). In that, MGR after inventing a 'nuclear' bomb MGR will run around the world to prevent it from going in to the hands of the bad guys, in Dasavatharam, Kamal does the same to prevent the bad guys from getting to his invention, a biological weapon. While trying to do that, the good Kamal chases the shipment from DC to Chennai to Chidambaram and all places in between with a Japanese twist.

But, the weak storyline has been well masked by the brilliant acting of Kamal and excellent production. All aspects of production looks impressive. From cinematography to art to editing, all departments have contributed and played well together to make this slick end product.

Yet, I am unable to understand why Kamal chose to start the story from the 12th century Saivaite, Vaishnavaite clash. What is the relationship between the (மூலவர்) big idol that what thrown in to the seen then and the (உத்சவர்) small idol that kamal chases around in the 21st century? What is the relationship between the 12th century King and the happenings now? The savior of a weak storyline again is Kamal (and crazy Mohan) with this witty and intelligent dialogs.

In all, Dasavatharam is a different kind of Tamil movie and a welcome one, even with its weak and non-existant storyline.

Direction - KS Ravikumar has done a good job of bringing the best out of Kamal. This is certainly a different kind of movie for him and will figure in 'life long' directorial achievement list.

Acting - Kamal at his best and everyone else don't seem to matter. I don't see a compelling reason by Kamal donned 10 roles.. but then I guess he did because he can.

Music - Liked two songs - 'Kallai mattum..' and 'Mukunda, mukunda..' rest is just passe..

Grade - B+ for a different theme and a slick production.

Bottom Line - Watch it.. Once..

ps: Thanks to KK, got to see this movie on the first week of its release. I wouldn't have gotten to see this movie without his connections and offer. So, once again Thanks KK.

Two Very Different Movies

I happened to see two very different movies this weekend.

One is a remake and the other is refreshingly new to Indian Cinema.

One has been made four times (twice in Hindi and twice in Tamil), still the story telling was very shallow.

Other has successfully explored a totally new domain for Indian Cinema and has told it very nicely.

One relies entirely on Hero's star appeal, high glamor quotient and foreign locales.

Other relies entirely on story, a new kid and domestic locales.

One makes you yarn and go to sleep.

Other makes you laugh, cry and most importantly think.

One I want to forget..

Other, would see few more times..

If you still haven't guessed....

One is Billa 2007 a poor remake of Rajni's Billa which itself was a remake of Amitabh's Don. Director Vishnuvardhan got lot of ink time for this movie which seemed to have made aping Holly Wood. But, he seemed to have missed bus big time. He relies entirely on Ajith's star appeal and the high glamor quotient of Nayanthara & Namitha. The story telling is so bad that all ones remembers about the movie is the endless slow motion walks of Ajith, characters just starring at each other in photo op locations and endless car chase and guns. Mr. Vishnuvardhan could have done lot better than this and his audience deserved better.

Other is Tare Zamin Par by Aamir Khan. Mr. Khan has donned the mantle of the director for the first time and done exceedingly well. This movie is very different from the usual fare and relies entirely on the power of the story and story telling. There is no female lead actress, no fights and no sentiment. Just simple story about a dyslexic kid and his turn around. What the Schools and Government policies couldn't achieve, Mr. Khan has done through his movie. This movie has raised the awareness about dyslexia and the needs of the children afflicted. The actual hero of the movie is NOT Aamir khan but a 11 year old boy who makes you cry, laugh and shudder.

I saw a very unique thing today. Generally people would starting walking towards the exit when the movie ends and credits starts rolling. But after the end of Tare Zamin Par, majority of the folks just stood and watched the credits till the end. Hats off of Aamir Khan for making a such a wonderful movie. Though I know Hindi a little bit, I would have better understood the dialogs and its power had they been in Tamil. I wish Aamir Khan dubs the movie in Tamil and other languages.

Ratings
Tare Zamin Par - A+ (A must watch and is bound to impact you)
Billa 2007 - D- (Avoid, sleep instead)

Side Story
I saw both movies at Sathyam Cinemas. The New Zealand guy running the show at Sathyam has done a remarkable job of improving the movie going experience. From online booking, to refreshments to the courteous attendants to ambiance to plush seats. This guy has paid attention to everything and has changed them for better.

Now, only if he could replicate that outside the movie going experience would be lot better. The moment one steps outside the theaters, you are mobbed by the pushy auto drivers. Even if you escape them, chances are you will get stuck in unrelenting traffic grid lock.

But there is very little Sathyam Cinemas could do for that. They have changed a lot inside and it seems to be continually improving. Thanks Sathyam and the New Zealand guy for a pleasant movie going experience.

Rajni the BOSS

Many of us grew up in Rajni's shadow...if you were one of those favored souls, read on...

1. There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Rajnikant has allowed to live.
2. Outer space exists because it's afraid to be on the same planet with Rajnikant.
3. Rajnikant counted to infinity – twice.
4. When Rajnikant does a pushup, he isn't lifting himself up, he's pushing the Earth down.
5. Rajnikant is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.
6. Rajnikant doesn't wear a watch; HE decides what time it is.
7. Rajnikant gave Mona Lisa that smile.
8. Rajnikant can slam a revolving door.
9. There are no races, only countries of people Rajnikant has beaten to different shades of black and blue.
10. Rajnikant's house has no doors, only walls that he walks through.
11. Rajnikant can divide by zero.
12. Newton's Third Law is wrong: Although it states that for each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, there is no force equal in reaction to a Rajnikant turnaround kick.
13. When taking the GRE, write "Rajnikant" for every answer. You will score over 1600.
14. Rajnikant has 12 moons. One of those moon s is the Earth.
15. Rajnikant grinds his coffee with his teeth and boils the water with his own rage.
16. An old English dictionary dating back to 1236. It defined "victim" as "one who has encountered Rajnikant"
17. If you Google search "Rajnikant getting kicked" you will generate zero results. It just doesn't happen.
18. Rajnikant can drink an entire gallon of milk in thirty-seven seconds.
19. Rajnikant doesn't bowl strikes, he just knocks down one pin and the other nine faint.
20. It takes Rajnikant 20 minutes to watch 60 Minutes.
21. The Bermuda Triangle used to be the Bermuda Square, until Rajnikant kicked one of the corners off.
22. There are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, because Rajnikant lives in Chennai.
23. Rajnikant once ate an entire bottle of sleeping pills. They made him blink.
24. James Cameron wanted Rajnikant to play the Terminator. However, upon reflection, he realized that would have turned his movie into a documentary, so he went with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
25. Thousands of years ago Rajnikant came across a bear. It was so terrified that it fled north into the arctic. It was also so terrified that all of its descendants now have white hair .

(Just to be sure.. I did not come up with this list.. It's a email forward.. that too from my boss)

Spirit of the Marathon

I found this clip inspirational and eagerly waiting for the full motion picture this fall..

Spirit of the Marathon is the first ever feature-length film to capture the essence, drama and unique spectacle of the marathon. Featuring five runners - three amateurs and two elites - as they train for and ultimately run the Chicago Marathon, the tremendous challenge of the 26.2 mile race is brought to life by many of the most remarkable athletes in the history of sport.

More than a sports movie, it is an inspirational journey of perseverance and personal triumph; a glimpse into the world of ultimate human potential first exemplified more than 2500 years ago in a place mythically known as the land of the gods.

via: Andy.. Thanks a bunch..

Sivaji Adventure

Even though I am not much of a Rajini fan, Sivaji bug has stung me as well and was looking for an opportunity to see the much talked about movie in US. I first attempted to see it in Dallas but was surprised to see it showing in Little Rock, AR but not in Dallas. I was able to catch up with Sivaji in NYC but not without a little bit of an adventure.

I am staying in close to Central Park and figured out concierge would be able to locate the cinema. I gave myself about 2 hours for commute and thought would be sufficient to reach in time for the 3:00 PM show, but that wasn't enough for the surprises in store.

First the Hotel staff didn't know the exact location of Bombay Theater and the best they could do was to point me in the direction of Jamaica subway train. I figured, I could figure out from there, but that was not to be.

After a long commute in F train to Jamaica station, I couldn't find a soul who knew this theater. One guy who appeared to know this place suggested I take Q17 bus to Flushing and ask the driver who would most likely know.

After a long wait, I did board the Q17 bus, but the driver did not know about this place at all let alone the theater showing Indian movies. As I was contemplating my next move, I heard few folks talking in Tamil in the back of the bus and quickly went up to them to seek help. They knew about the theater but didn't know where it was. They were kind enough to call one of their friend to find more information, only to tell me that I was in the wrong bus going in the opposite direction.

They advised me to trek back and catch Q30 bus to Utopia and 69th Ave. So, I was pretty much back to square one, but wasn't going to give up, at least not as yet. For some strange reason, I resolved to get to the theater even if it was going to be well past the start time.

I walked back to the subway station and was looking around for some help and a Indian newspaper vendor came to my rescue. He suggested me to take a cab instead of waiting for the bus. I decided to take his advise and to my delight a cab station was right across from the station. A Hindi speaking cab driver readily took me to the theater for USD 8. He knew the place like the back of his hand and drove to the place while chatting in a heavily accented Hindi with someone in his mobile phone.

I felt a sense of accomplishment as saw the rundown Bombay Theater. I quickly hurried into theater, paid USD 15 and quickly went inside a almost empty theater to see Rajini singing Ballelaka song. Mission accomplished.

So, was the Sivaji movie worth 7 hours and USD 31 (4 - subway, 4 - samosa & coffee, 15 - movie ticket, 8 - cab). The movie was not.. but the adventure was..

Director Shankar has taken a pretty serious subject of bribery / black money but has treated them in a very casual manner. Sivaji has lavish sets, gravity defying fight sequence and unnecessary romantic dream songs. And oh by the way, it also has a thin story line around bribery and black money.


Bombay Theater is a pretty old rundown place but attracts affluent Indian community and their fancy cars. The crowd you see was for a Hindi movie. Sivaji which runs just one show a day had very sparse or no patronage.


This is where I had to get off if I had taken the right bus. I did manage to take Q31 back to subway station on my way back though..

An Inconvenient Truth - Dead Mouse on the Table

I got to see few good Hollywood movies in my recent travels and An Inconvenient Truth was definitely an eye opener for me.
This movie is basically a documentary but doesn't feel like one and is quite gripping. Its pretty much Al Gore movie and I can definitely vouch for one thing, his communications skills have vastly improved since his vice presidential days.

Global warming is the theme of the movie and Al Gore makes a compelling case for all of us to look at our life styles closely and make small changes which will go a long way in preserving our planet. Yes, some of the issues raised in the movie are more US Centric as the consumption of energy in USA is grossly disproportionate to its population there (it is the highest in the world). But, countries like India and China also have to recalibrate its life style and policies to reduce consumption as its economy improves.

Unfortunately, Global warming issue is one of those holy cows that no political leader wants to touch. From US to India to China, this important issue has been conveniently swiped under the carpet. Its presidential election time in US and the aspirants, Hillary Clinton to John McCain, no one is talking about it. This is what I call the dead mouse on the table which everyone is conveniently avoiding. Well, it can be avoided only for so long as the stink from the dead mouse will become unbearable very soon.

Bottom line: You owe yourself to watch this movie.

Mozhi - A Must Watch

Finally got to see Mozhi last night. We have been wanting to see this movie for a few weeks now but couldn't get tickets online, hence the decision to go in a weekday. I was mildly surprised to a full house even for the late show on a weekday but then that shows the popularity and the success of the movie even after 4-5 weeks.

Mozhi is a path breaking effort by director Radha Mohan and actor / producer Prakash Raj on several counts from the typical Tamil Cinemas:

1. There are no fights or 'item numbers'
2. Women are portrayed as equals and strong
3. No vulgar / double meaning dialog that makes one cringe
   
4. Simple story line handled with much finesse and told in a entertaining way.

Jyothika is the anchor for this movie and has been so, without saying a single word. Yes, she plays the role of deaf and mute person in this movie. She is strong and just wants to be treated like 'normal people'.

I understand this movie wouldn't hit the screens if not for Praksh Raj's timely intervention. He rescued the project by stepping in to become the producer when the original production team went belly up. I am glad Prakash Raj took on teh producer mantle and i sure hope he feels the same way too. Mozhi is doing well commercially and is bound to bounce him from earlier failures including the one he produced for his Guru K. Balachander.

The gap in production does show up in few places in Jyothika and Prakash Raj. Both of them appear in different hair styles at different parts of the movie and it show.. Also, I would have liked to see fewer songs but then, they aren't as abrupt and intrusive as other movies, so will ignore that..

Rating:
Direction - A (For Radha Mohan's wonderful and clean story telling style)
Casting - A (For selecting the right person for the right character - except for Swarnamalya who appears to be kind of out of place in that movie)
Acting - A (with the best coming from Jyothika)
Music - B (VidyaSagar is good but was discordant and loud in some places)

Bottom Line - A (Must Watch with the family)

Casino Royale

In a off the cuff decision, we skipped dinner for this latest Bond movie. Thinking back, we would have been better off with the food.

We went to Galaxy 10, expecting long lines and possibly a full house but was mildly surprised to see tickets (USD 8.25) freely available. yes, I hear you, the warning signs were loud and clear, yet we saw the movie anyway.

This movie has a new Bond. Daniel Craig brings a new dimension to his roll and charts his own course which is kind of refreshing. Besides that, the movie has all too similar Bond fare. This time, the plot takes Bond to Madagascar, Montenegro and few other exotic places. The movie has its fair share of breathtaking shots, car chases, romance and stuff. Yet, at over 2:20, this Bond movie comes perilously close to looking like an Hindi movie. If it had some songs and family sentiment, then it would have sure made the cut as a Bollywood fare.

Despite of the grand locale and breathtaking shots, this new Bond movie failed to keep the audience engaged. Just when you thought the movie was over, it chugs along dragging far too long.

Over all rating: B
A disappointment even for hardcore Bond fans.