Movie Review: Angels and Demons

After I read this book by Dan Brown, I've been eagerly waiting to watch this movie and it finally released in India yesterday. The book was definitely a good read, it had everything that a mystery/thriller novel should have. (Click here to read my review of the book). My first impression was that the book was more apt for a movie becoz of all the masala and high intensity drama...so I was all the more keen to watch this translate into the big screen...

Whoever said 'dont judge a book by its movie' said it right! I didn't enjoy the movie as much as I liked reading the book. It is obvious that a 600page book cannot be made into a 2.5hr movie with that level of detail. But there was a serious lack of adrenalin in the movie. I was also a bit disappointed with the change of plot and the drastic reduction in Vittoria Vetra's (the female lead) role. It was almost as if she was insignificant. She played a very important role in the book and her revenge against her father's murder was the main focus. But that was completely removed here and she was made to look like a redudant actor. I had even expected a different climax but was glad that it wasn't completely different from that of the book. Even though the story was altered, it was at least weaved in well to reach a logical ending...

Tom Hanks as harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is quite impressive though the script doesnt do enough justice to showcase his ability of solving those cryptic puzzles to find the path of illumination. Last but not the least, I loved the visuals and effects. It was a treat to see those monuments, churches, symbols, statues etc described in the book! That's probably the only part of the movie that I liked. I'd anyday prefer the book over the movie :)

Thursday Tidbits: #3

I've been drinking a lot of green tea off late and hence googled up facts on it to gain more insights...Here are some random facts about Green tea.

Did you know....

• Types of green tea - Chinese, Japanese, Decaf, Asian, Herbal


• A cup of green tea should only steep between 2-3mins whereas black tea needs 3-5mins and herbal teas about 5-6mins


• Green tea tastes the best when the water is just below the boiling point whereas Black tea is best with boiling water


• Green tea is made from the same plant (Camellia sinensis) as other teas such as black and oolong, but with a different process.


• Green tea is green because it is not fermented. Hence green tea retains more health benefits than black tea because fermentation causes destruction of more nutrients


• Green tea has been shown to increase calorie burning and fat oxidation and hence used widely by people for weight loss


• Green tea contains compounds known as flavonoids, which are also found in broccoli, grapes, and red wine, and which are known cancer fighters


• Beneficial molecules in green tea may protect the liver from toxins, including those from tobacco smoke and alcohol.


• Green tea also contains natural flouride, which is a known cavity fighter.

So..what are you waiting for? Go Green! :)

Keep Off the Grass..

"All of them had some version of the same advice that I intuitively believed in, but was glad to hear from folks who had lived it. Ten years from now, none of my present concerns would matter. Would I care whether I was ranked in the top five or the bottom five of the class? No! Would I care whether I learnt finance, operations or marketing at the IIM? No. I realized that the only thing I would care about after graduating from here would be whether I had been happy at the IIM or not. Did I have experiences I would remember? Did I have relationships that would stand the test of time? These would be the only things I would look back at, and judge my level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction during my time here"

These lines from the book Keep off the Grass, echoes *exactly* my thoughts about B-school life :) I absolutely loved these lines...Sometimes you feel overwhelmed when someone else can express thoughts on your mind so easily and so well...

Click here to read my review of the book

Short notes..

Watched some good unconventional hindi movies over the last few weeks..

Gulaal - One more compelling movie by Anurag Kashyap after Dev-D, full of political drama which takes democracy to a different level, has perfectly etched characters combined with a powerful plot and superlative performances by every actor. With a lot of violence and a Shakespearean ending, the movie is definitely not for a mass appeal. I admire Anurag Kashyap for making such bold and different movies like Black Friday, Dev-D and now Gulaal. Glad to see that there are a few directors who dont care for commercial success alone!

Barah Aanah - is again not a 'typical hindi film', more of an experiment, with a short and simple story of 3 unlikely friends who are not happy with their lives. It's definitely not a comedy as the makers make it out to be. Naseeruddin Shah is the main attraction, delivers a good performance mainly through his facial expressions, though he has a very few dialogues but the maximum screen time. The pacing of the movie in the first 1 hr is very slow and can test your patience. However, with no songs, the movie is kept short and crisp and definitely worth a one-time-watch.

Straight - another light-hearted yet low key hindi movie based on homosexuality after Dostana & Fashion, which cruises through some untrodden paths. Vinay Pathak delivers an awesome performance with a great timing for comedy. There are several Laugh-Out-Loud moments as well as some sweet sentiments. The script has an interesting idea but fails to explore it deep enough and settles with a safe ending. Again I wouldnt classify it as a great movie but it's not unwatchable either.

200

Ah! I just noticed that this is my 200th post after 3yrs of starting this blog :)

Why is it a big deal? Well, it's really not but it's just a small milestone and we all know the importance of milestones in life. It's these small targets that act as checkpoints through which we keep track of our progress and they remind us that we are on the right track of achieving the larger goal...in any aspect of life. They are small yet significant events (or turning points) which indicate that we are moving closer to our destination. So go ahead and set up these small milestones to fulfill bigger dreams in life!!

The best way to mark this post is with this pic I took a few months back at Hesarghatta :)

Bikhre Bimb (Odakalu Bimba)

I've been wanting to see this play for over a year now and finally made it to Rangashankara yesterday. What an AWESOME play it was! I am truly at a loss of words here. For the first time I felt that a play was worth a lot more than what it was priced for (100 bucks). Believe it or not, it runs full house every show even today, years after being created...

Bikhre Bimb, which means Broken Images, is a one-act play written and directed by Girish Karnad originally in Kannada and later translated into Hindi as well as English. Now, if the hindi version itself was so good, I am sure I'll love the Kannada one ("Odakalu Bimba") even more. Original versions always have the maximum impact, dont they? :)

For starters, Arundhati Nag is the sole actor of the play who delivers a spectacular performance leaving the audience mesmerized with her talent! The play is a portrayal of a professor & a kannada short story writer-Manjula Naik who achieves success, wealth and fame overnight with her bestseller novel in English. The script moves on to tap into her inner soul and slowly the story reveals the truth about her book, marriage and her personal life in a very intricate and powerful way. The television image, call it the character's self image, alter-ego, conscience or the inner soul, is like a co-actor on stage whose job is to interroagate the character to reveal her true self. At the end of the play, there is a blur created between the real and the self-image and you are unclear on where one starts and the other ends. The story by itself is not unique but the way technology is used (multiple TV sets on stage) to unveil the true story bit by bit and the PERFECT timing & co-ordination between the actor and her image on TV will just leave you speechless!! It was truly a wonderful experience watching Arundhati Nag's effortless yet brilliant performance on stage...

I was surprised to learn that this play was Girish Karnad's first directorial venture in the theater space. His understanding of the character and the plot is extremly intuitive and the language of the script is pure and marvelling. It's a true reflection of what a gifted playwriter he is.

If you are a theater person and you still haven't watched it, then what are you waiting for??? Make sure you dont miss out on the next show!!

You can book tickets online for the play at http://www.indianstage.in/

Thursday Tidbits: #2

Today's tidbit is another useful website that I found:

http://www.saleraja.com/

I came across this site which has a consolidated list of all the sales and promotions currently going on in the city in various categories - Apparels, Electronics, Household, Footwear etc. So if you are looking to shop and want a good deal and plan which shops/malls to visit so that you can optimize your time, this site might just help you! You can also search by Locality and Brands, in addition to the item categories. The drawback is that the site currently caters to 2 cities only - Delhi and Bangalore.

Talk about being crazy!

Came across this piece of news on domestic violence...A new law in Saudi Arabia. Now, if this isn't being crazy, then what is! I'm amazed at where the world is heading into!

"Husbands are allowed to slap their wives if they spend lavishly, a Saudi judge said recently during a seminar on domestic violence, Saudi media reported Sunday. Arab News, a Saudi English-language daily newspaper based in Riyadh, reported that Judge Hamad Al-Razine said that "if a person gives SR 1,200 [$320] to his wife and she spends 900 riyals [$240] to purchase an abaya [the black cover that women in Saudi Arabia must wear] from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment."

Quote for the week

I can so totally relate to this! Feel like this more often than not...

Thursday Tidbits: #1

I realized that my blogging frequency has gone down recently...to keep it more regular I decided to start this new weekly column, every thursday where I'll share some piece of useful info that I come across - it could be anything - like a useful website link that not many people know about or some health tips, articles worth reading and so on...So, don't forget to visit this space every week! :)

Here's the tidbit for today:

http://www.investmentyogi.com

I came across this pretty cool website that has multiple tools!

1. Budget calculator - helps you in planning your budget. You can track your income and expenses and organize them under various categories.

2. Tax calculator - quick and easy tax calculator which helps you estimate your taxes

3. Tax Planning - helps in planning your annual taxes with information on income tax slabs, tax covers, etc
4. Financial Plans, Insurance needs, articles and lots more!

So what are you waiting for? Go and explore the site! and let me know if you found it useful :)

Book Review: Angels and Demons

Author: Dan Brown
Pages: 610
Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Fiction
Rating: 4.0/5

I was a bit let down by this book as compared to The Da Vinci Code coz it seemed more like watching a highly dramatic bollywood movie. But hey! it's supposed to be a Thriller, so I can discount this fact and say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book which always kept me on the edge of my seat with its share of surprises and a never expected nail biting finish. I dont mind suspending my disbelief if the story is well written and it can keep me hooked till the last line of the last page!
[Click here to read the complete review]

:-)

Miss Wormwood: What state do you live in?
Calvin: Denial
Miss Wormwood: I dont suppose I can argue with that..

Calvin's quotes *always* put a smile on my face :)

"When someone is searching", said Siddhartha, "then it might easily happen that the only thing his eyes still see is that what he searches for, that he is unable to find anything, to let anything enter his mind, because he always thinks of nothing but the object of his search, because he has a goal, because he is obsessed by the goal. Searching means: having a goal. But finding means: being free, being open, having no goal... You, O venerable one, are perhaps indeed a searcher, because, striving for your goal, there are many things you dont see, which are directly in front of your eyes..."

Loved these lines from the book Siddhartha (by Hermann Hesse) that I am reading currently...

Orbis Terrarum Challenge - 2009

Bethany is hosting the challenge once again this year! It has started March 1st and goes on till end of Dec 2009. I had a lot of fun participating in this challenge last year and I even won a book :) It got me interested in a lot of genres and gave a kick to my reading habits! If you want to see the list of books I read as part of this in 2008, here it is.

I am already done with my book for the month of March (A Flight of Pigeons by Ruskin Bond) and will be posting all the reviews of the books I read on my book blog.

Here are the details if you wish to take part in this challenge.

http://orbisterrarumchallenge.blogspot.com/2009/01/rules-and-regulations.html

Main Challenge Rules:

*The Orbis Terrarum Challenge begins March 1 2009(you are welcome to join later) Through the end of 2009.

*For the challenge each reader is to choose 10 books (for the 10 months).

*Each book must from a different country, I have decided to go by the country of origin of the author, or the country he/she lives in is fine as well.

*You don't have to have a list, that means you can change your mind at any time. As long as there are 10 from 10 different countries, written by 10 different authors: Anything goes.

The bottom line: choose 10 different books, written by 10 different authors, from 10 different countries.

Earth Hour - Do you want to make a difference?

Switch off the lights between 8.30 to 9.30pm on March 28th
For more information and to sign up for the event, visit www.earthhour.org

Two years ago, a movement called Earth Hour was started in Sydney. Millions made a statement by switching off their lights. Just for an hour.This year, on March 28 we the citizens of the Earth, will make a pledge to do the best we can. Earth Hour will reach global proportions!
Close to a billion people from 930 cities across the world will join this show of solidarity against climate change. They would turn off the lights of their homes and offices for an hour between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm (in their respective time zones) to tell the world leaders they want something done... Participating in Earth Hour is easy, fun and absolutely free!

So, what are your thoughts?

Dev D's music...

I never bothered to listen to the songs from Dev D till I watched the movie recently. The only song that was given limelight in the promos/trailers was 'Emotional Atyachaar' which didnt appeal to me much, though it was different and funny.

But when I watched the movie I realized that it has lovely music - not just one, but a lot of good tracks!!! I would have really missed it out if I hadn't seen the movie. I guess thats why the initial marketing/promos is very important to sell the movie, especially its music. With the busy lives that we all lead, not many of us go buy CD's or download songs of all the movies that release. It's either through word of mouth or something catching your attention in the trailers.... I feel Dev D's music didnt get all the credit it deserves only because one song got all the attention and buzz.... what a waste!

Amit Trivedi, who has earlier composed for the movie Aamir, has made some marvellous tunes for Dev D. He has tried just about everything - rock, pop, bhangra, fusion, classical...and more! There are about 18 sound tracks but I have fallen in love with the 2 songs 'Nayan Tarase' and 'Paradesi'...both are folk fusion tracks. While Paradesi has a slight western touch to it, Nayan Tarase starts with a classical touch and progresses a bit towards rock...Amit gives his own vocals to Nayan Tarase; his voice adds to the lovely music. Toshi (one of the favorites in Star Voice of India show) does an awesome job with the song Paradesi...I absolutely loved his voice.

Some of the other good songs to look out for - Yahi meri zindagi, Saali Khushi, Duniya and Dhol Yara Dhol...

TV Meme

After movies, it's now time for a TV meme :) I found this on Amy's blog and I just couldn't resist myself from posting it here! It's pretty interesting if you enjoy watching sitcoms/TV shows..
(These are answered based on the shows on Star/ZeeCafe... haven't considered any of the Indian TV shows)

1. Name a TV show series in which you have seen every episode at least twice:
Friends, Seinfeld (Most of them), Mind your Language, Different Strokes, Full House, Small Wonder, Who's the Boss, Bewitched... Not just twice, I've watched every episode more than 5 times I guess!!

2. Name a show you can’t miss: Scrubs (As of now)

3. Name an actor that would make you more inclined to watch a show: I dont think any one actor would make me watch a show... The show must be interesting, funny and good overall

4. Name an actor who would make you less likely to watch a show: None so far!

5. Name a show you can, and do, quote from: FRIENDS!!

6. Name a show you like that no one else enjoys: Hmmm...I guess if you dislike any show you will surely find someone or the other who likes it! So I have no answers :)

7. Name a TV show which you’ve been known to sing the theme songs: I would love to sing the one in Scrubs...though the complete song is not aired on TV...it's there on the DVD :)

8. Name a show you would recommend everyone to watch: Scrubs, for sure! and also Who's Line is it Anyway

9. Name a TV series you own: As of now... Seinfeld, Friends, Scrubs, Sex and the City. Will be adding more soon.

10. Name an actor who launched his/her entertainment career in another medium, but has surprised you with his/her acting choices in television: Can't think of anyone...really!

11. What is your favourite episode of your favourite series? - Both parts are tough to pick! If I consider FRIENDS, then it would be the episode where Ross gets a tan :)

12. Name a show you keep meaning to watch, but you just haven’t gotten around to yet: There are more than one actually.... Grey's Anatomy, Monk, 30 Rocks, Shark

13. Ever quit watching a show because it was so bad? If I can count the reality shows, then it's definitely 'The Moment of Truth' !!

14. Name a show that’s made you cry multiple times: None so far..

15. What do you eat when you watch TV? Hmmm... sometimes dinner else nothing!

16. How often do you watch TV? Everyday! :) Sometimes I leave it on while I blog or read a book...so it's usually there in the background without being given much attention. But I never miss my favorite shows!

17. What’s the last TV show you watched? I'm watching a lot of repeats...So I have no idea which one to pick, really!

18. What’s your favourite/preferred genre of TV? Drama with a pinch of comedy (something like scrubs).

19. What was the first TV show you were obsessed with? Full House (when I was in school)

20. What TV show do you wish you never watched? Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives (had seen an episode of each of them)

21. What’s the weirdest show you enjoyed? Cant think of anything...I have either liked a show or disliked it completely...

22. What TV show scared you the most? Tried watching an episode of X-files long back and it scared me off! Maybe that particular episode was bad!!

23. What is the funniest TV show you have ever watched? Mind your Language.. It's hilarious!!

Movie Meme

It's been almost 3 yrs since I started blogging but I haven't tried even one blogging meme so far! That's strange considering the fact that meme's are pretty common in the blogging world. But not all meme's are fun and I'm too lazy to put in thought and answer all the questions! I found this movie meme today while reading blogs and I really got pulled into it..so I had to post it here! :)

This one is a list of "top 100 greatest american movies of all times" from the AFI (American Film Insititue) list on their 10th anniversary (1998). You highlight the ones that you've seen and add three more of your choice at the bottom.. I've just watched 7/100 which is pathetic!! :( Well..the only solace is that I've seen more of the latest movies than these old ones...so am trying to find a list for that :)

Want to check if you are a movie buff? Then feel free to pick this up and link back to this post or leave a comment!

1. CITIZEN KANE (1941)
2. CASABLANCA (1942)
3. THE GODFATHER (1972)
4. GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)
5. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)
6. THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)
7. THE GRADUATE (1967)
8. ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)
9. SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993)
10. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952)
11. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)
12. SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)
13. THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957)
14. SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)
15. STAR WARS (1977)
16. ALL ABOUT EVE (1950)
17. THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951)
18. PSYCHO (1960)
19. CHINATOWN (1974)
20. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975)
21. THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940)
22. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)
23. THE MALTESE FALCON (1941)
24. RAGING BULL (1980)
25. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)
26. DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)
27. BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)
28. APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)
29. MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939)
30. THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948)
31. ANNIE HALL (1977)
32. THE GODFATHER PART II (1974)
33. HIGH NOON (1952)
34. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)
35. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934)
36. MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969)
37. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946)
38. DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)
39. DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965)
40. NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)
41. WEST SIDE STORY (1961)
42. REAR WINDOW (1954)
43. KING KONG (1933)
44. THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915)
45. A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951)
46. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
47. TAXI DRIVER (1976)
48. JAWS (1975)
49. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)
50. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)
51. THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940)
52. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953)
53. AMADEUS (1984)
54. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930)
55. THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965)
56. M*A*S*H (1970)
57. THE THIRD MAN (1949)
58. FANTASIA (1940)
59. REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955)
60. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)
61. VERTIGO (1958)
62. TOOTSIE (1982)
63. STAGECOACH (1939)
64. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977)
65. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)
66. NETWORK (1976)
67. THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)
68. AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951)
69. SHANE (1953)
70. THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)
71. FORREST GUMP (1994)
72. BEN-HUR (1959)
73. WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939)
74. THE GOLD RUSH (1925)
75. DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990)
76. CITY LIGHTS (1931)
77. AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)
78. ROCKY (1976)
79. THE DEER HUNTER (1978)
80. THE WILD BUNCH (1969)
81. MODERN TIMES (1936)
82. GIANT (1956)
83. PLATOON (1986)
84. FARGO (1996)
85. DUCK SOUP (1933)
86. MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935)
87. FRANKENSTEIN (1931)
88. EASY RIDER (1969)
89. PATTON (1970)
90. THE JAZZ SINGER (1927)
91. MY FAIR LADY (1964)
92. A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951)
93. THE APARTMENT (1960)
94. GOODFELLAS (1990)
95. PULP FICTION (1994)
96. THE SEARCHERS (1956)
97. BRINGING UP BABY (1938)
98. UNFORGIVEN (1992)
99. GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (1967)
100. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942)

My 3 picks - ( so that makes it 10/100! )
101. Twelve Angry Men (1957)
102. Trainspotting (1997)
103. The usual suspects (1995)

Book Review: Black Friday - The True Story of Bombay Bomb Blasts

Author: Hussain.S. Zaidi
Pages: 290
Publisher: Penguin Books
Genre: Non-Fiction
Rating: 4.5/5

The whole world had witnessed the most brutal serial bomb blasts that shook Bombay on 12th March 1993. There have been probably many more such unfortunate events in the city and the rest of the country but this one is supposed to be one such incident, which even today, after more than a decade, can shake the readers as much as it shook the entire nation then. [Click here if you wish to read my complete review]

Rehman does it again!

I have always been a big fan of Rehman's music, from the days of Roja. I can never forget the songs 'Chinna Chinna Aasai..' and 'Pudu Vellai Mazhai...' They'll always remain in my favorite list..

I feel he is one such guy in the industry who has something fresh and unique in every piece of music that he composes. Hmmm...some people are just gifted in life! Waiting for his music does seem worthwhile to me...

After working his magic with 'Kabhi Kabhi Aditi...' in JTYJN and winning the Golden Globe award for Slumdog Millionaire, Rehman is back again to pour his charm in Rakesh Mehra's Delhi-6. It has about 10 tracks which is a fusion of various genres. He is never scared of experiementing... you can see a dash of rap, hip-hop, alternative rock and jazz in his compositions. That's the best part of his music, u get variety...!

The promos of Delhi 6 opened with the song 'Masakali..Matakali'. Obviously then it was thought to be the best of the 10 songs... I absoutely loved it!! The music is very playful and chirpy with a fluttery sensation and Mohit Chauhan's (front man of the band Silk Route at one point) voice adds a rustic charm to it and makes it even more desirable...It's sometimes impossible for me to proceed into the album to listen to the rest of the numbers, without playing this on Repeat mode...I just love listening to this over n over again...

I also loved the song 'Arziyan...' which has a Sufi touch to it. It's simplicity, melody and lyrics impeccably echo it's heartfelt emotion... Now, it's kinda difficult to choose the best between these two :)

Let's just hope the movie is not a let down and does as good as it's smashing sountracks!