Befriend & Bemused

Deiva Thirumagal

2011-08-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

"Hi! This is Cheeyan Vikram. And neenga kettutu irukkiradhu Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM !" That's all he has to say. But, he can't even say THIS in a straight, good-humored voice. He brings in an American accent & announces this like an Alattal girl on Sun Music! And the alattal continues in all his interviews: "I may act in few movies, But I know I'm the best.." Even Kamal is more humble. But, Victor Kennedy @ Vikram is so Boastful that he's nauseating. Boy! I hate proud ppl. But, even I concede that after all that over-acting in Bheema, boring Kandhasamy & horrible Raavanan, he's acted tolerably well in DTM.

But, I give all the credit to Director Vijay, 'cos he's given a lot of space for other actors also to act. Anushka shimmers in the second half as the struggling underdog lawyer fighting a mighty veteran. Sandhanam ushers in a friendly feel to the movie. But, the scene-stealer is the beautiful little girl (Sara) who is so spontaneous that we just surrender our hearts to her simple charm.

My only grudge with the Director is that he should have mentioned, "Thanks to 'I am Sam' & Sean Penn" along with the names of all those Bankers during the title credits. But, the good thing about him is that unlike sadistic Bala or the weepy/whiny Cheran, he doesn't squeeze every tender scene to wring out every drop of tear from our eyes. Our eyes water in several scenes, but strangely, they are NOT sad scenes, but happy scenes: we feel the bountiful love between father & daughter ourselves.

The climax is so poignant, there is hardly anybody left in the theater without dabbing their eyes. And when the entire audience get up & applaud the movie, we KNOW this is a Great Movie. Sure, we need such subtle reminders now & then to tell us that Life is not about our money, status and power, but the true Love that we show among each other...!

127 Hours !

2011-02-28T09:18:00.000-08:00

Joel Schumacher made a movie with the premise of a guy stuck in a 'Phone Booth' for 2 hours: a sniper dot pointed on his chest & the warning that the bullet will follow if he hung up the phone.

But, it takes even more talent to narrate the story of a guy stuck in a crevice in the Grand canyon for 5 days. I'm sure, audience anywhere in the world would be bored to watch a guy standing in the alcove with one hand under a rock for 90 min. So, Danny Boyle gives a Prologue, an Epilogue & also picturizes Aaron's hallucinations to make it interesting.

Yes, this movie is as racy as any fast paced thriller can be. Fast cuts & peppy music may make this seem 'not real'. But, brilliant, dynamic acting by James Franco elevates this true story to an enriching experience. He gets us to KNOW & UNDERSTAND the real Aaron Ralston. He is rash, brash, over-confident, short sighted - but he doesn't assume even an iota of self-pity, even when he gets trapped. He retains his sense of humor though no one's around to appreciate it. He calmly accepts his fate & records his feelings on the camcorder. He is so human.... just like one of us. He has his fears, he cries his tears... He remembers his father bringing him to the Canyon for the first time. The hypoglycemia, ketosis & the fatigue drag him into a delirium & he hallucinates having a son, interacting with him. And the will to survive gets kicking again... he becomes resourceful enough to extricate himself, LITERALLY from this doom that be-fell him.

I hope I'm not giving away a plot-spoiler, cos everybody knows the story. Well, the self-amputation is not so gory at all. He breaks both the bones in his forearm one by one levering them under the rock & cuts through the soft tissue with a small blunt knife. He does what he ought to do & we want him to escape..

Danny Boyle's flashy cuts, unlikely angles & racy editing and Rahman's lively music bestow a restless rhythm to our hearts as we watch the events unfold before us.

As I write this review, I'm reminded of that Mexican lady, Ines Ramirez Perez who was stuck up in a remote farm house with no one to help her. She was in labor pains and couldn't deliver the baby owing to a large head. She laid on a table, cut open her abdomen & uterus with a kitchen knife and extricated the baby at the right time. Then she sent her older son to get help. Baby & mother survived !!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In%C3%A9s_Ram%C3%ADrez

http://www.theunnecesarean.com/blog/2009/11/2/ines-ramirez-perez-and-the-mythical-self-cesarean.html

127 Hours may not be Oscar material. But, it's a much necessary recording of a fellow human's endurance & resourcefulness in a Dead-end situation.

Not Gory..! But, Glorious indeed..!

I agree with the film's tag-line: There is No force on Earth more powerful than the Will to Survive..!

All...izz...well !

2010-02-22T23:46:00.001-08:00

Its difficult to put my finger on what exactly I liked about '3 Idiots'. But, I relished every moment of the movie, yes, including the dumb part when a deeply asphyxiated new-born baby (delivered by a vacuum cleaner) takes a rescue breath & gives a Ronaldinho kick to Aamir when the students start chanting "All..izz..well ! All..izz...well !"

Chatur is an NRI who is the chief rival of our 3 idiots. He has opted to give felicitations to the Principal at the Teachers' Day function. Aamir gets hold of his speech on the computer and substitutes 'balaatkar' (rape) in the place of 'chamatkar' (shine) which appears several times in the speech - and this leads to the funniest scene in the movie - it has us roaring with laughter !

Without being preachy, this movie touches upon the tremendous pressures imposed on our students by our absurd educational system & the un-realistic expectations parents impose on their children, not allowing them to follow their dreams. The script is only about 20% of Chetan's book '5 Point Someone' and the rest is Rajkumar Hirani's (Lage Raho Munnabhai) original writing.

Very sincere acting by the 3 Idiots - Aamir, Madhavan & the other guy, and Boman Irani as the Principal has this permanent contemptuous sneer on his face - we detest him even before he has spoken a word ! Kudos to this talented actor! He breaks down in one scene and immediately we start sympathising with him ! The only mis-fit in this movie is Kareena, who is completely de-glamourised, but still doesn't look nice. (I don't know why I hate her.)

A thoroughly enjoyable screenplay, Great music and a feel-good element that runs throughout - what more can we ask?!

And now, I have a suggestion for you. At times, if at all u feel anxious, disturbed or worried about something: aapke Dil mein (read: left side of chest) haath rakhiye aur kahiye:- 'All..izz...well !' - tapping ur heart gently 3 times along with each word; it gives a beautiful sense of relief ! It really works, believe me.!

The Brink of Orgasm !

2010-02-22T23:37:00.000-08:00

Its about this song, 'Marching Bands of Manhattan' by Death Cab for Cutie.... Its nestled itself.. snugly... deep into my brain like a Cysticercus. Its one of the sweetest songs I've ever heard...

And its the most inadequate song too...

The rhythm of the beautiful guitar builds up steadily octave by octave and it feels like soaring up...and right when its about to reach the crescendo....it side-steps, drops and begins again....This happens again & again.. throughout the song!

Boy! Its killing..! Its like teetering and lingering on the very brink of Orgasm..! Without reaching it ---like Forever! But, its very addictive and we feel compelled to listen to it from the start... again & again!

I don't know if the band did it on purpose. Anyway, on these Orkut communities for Death Cab, most of the fans have mentioned this song as their most-favourite!

The Chorus goes like this:

Sorrow drips into ur heart,

Thru a pin-hole,

Just like a faucet that leaks,

but there is comfort in the sound,

And while u debate

half-empty or half-full,

It slowly rises and

ur love is gonna drown.

This song has a semblance of a closure, courtesy of the piano that smartly takes over with a sweet chord and ends it with a clink!

Go to mp3raid.com . Key in : Death Cab - Marching Bands . It zips down in 1 - 2 mins.

Another song that tortures similarly is 'Grey Street' by Dave Matthews Band. But, I think there's a lot talent that goes into composing these kinda songs!

Paa

2010-02-22T23:31:00.000-08:00

What can I say? The year has come Full Circle !
Dec 2008 - Poo (Wonderful movie !) Theme : Forgiveness
Dec 2009 - Paa (Wonderful movie !) Theme : Forgiveness

Co-incidence ?!!
In Poo, the innocent village girl forgives, forgives & FORGIVES her beloved mama though he breaks her heart.
In Paa, the Mom finds it hard to forgive the father, but the suffering kid leads by example & changes Mom's heart.

Again, Paa's story is ages-old. Boy bumps into girl (literally, here!). And one night of 'unprotected' passion, proves her PregCard : Positive.
Boy says : 'Abortion!'
Girl says : 'No !'
F.F.>> 13 yrs : Boy befriends the kid (afflicted with Progeria) unaware that he is his son. And the rest is Chemistry!

But, yes, the package is delightfully different this time :

1. First of all : Paa is tightly edited & is wonderfully short for a Hindhi movie.

2. Melodrama has been restrained appreciably for most part of the movie. But, they make our eyes water at the end.

3. Whatever adjective, we may choose, its not enough to appreciate Sir Big B's performance : We just fall in love with Auro - His gimmicks, his mischief, his total lack of self-pity, his fragility, his anxiety to unite Mom & Dad, his eyes that speak volumes of emotion...!
- I can only say, 'There's NO replacement for Amitabh Bachan'.

4. I never knew Abishek could act so well ! Controlled underplay throughout & his silences convey so many unspoken feelings with shimmering clarity !

5. Vidhya Balan ! Right from Parineeta days we were attracted to her... the Airtel ads made us drool & drool and now she totally knocks us down..arrested & shackled...we're glad to submit to her charm! Her eyes seem so deep - bottomless! Even in just-woken up crumpled cotton sarees, she looks so sexy. (My friend said that he was just staring at her neck all the time!)
Anyway, her character in this movie reminded me of Suhasini in 'Vanaprastham' - that Mohanlal movie. (And a little of my own Celine too!) These girls are intelligent & warm, but when they become resolute, its impossible to reason with them, to break their resolve !

6.And the Maestro: Raja rocks ! There are only two full length songs and two short cover-versions of our own cherished melodies from the 80s. They are all done so well. And the background score tugs at our heart strings and elevates the movie to an ethereal level.

Don't miss Paa ! Don't watch it on DVD! Appreciate this movie on the Big screen. We need more offerings like this next year too !

The 3 Door Problem !

2010-02-21T03:41:00.000-08:00

I read 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time' about two yrs ago. I was astonished at what it has achieved. I went to Odyssey, bought two more copies and gave it away to like-minded friends. Needless to say, I gave my book away too.

Its authored by Mark Haddon, an English man. It tells the story of 15 yr old Christopher Boone who sets out to solve the mystery of the murder of his neighbor's dog. He is an Autistic child and he narrates the story.

As u know, Autism is a neurological disorder characterised by severe impairment in Social development - the ability to interact and communicate. Many of the kids I have seen have never talked even at 12 yrs. But, strangely, many people who were supposedly suffering from Autism have exhibited extraordinary intellectual and creative capabilties - Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Beethoven, Mozart, Edison, Bernard Shaw, Henry Ford, Bill Gates. I think P.C.Sreeram is autistic too. Have u seen him speaking? And what about Forrest Gump?

In our story, Christopher's numerous peculiarities help us to understand Autism better. This guy is a mathematical & logical genius. Here, he discusses Monty Hall's 'Three Door Problem' which is astonishing in itself !

Consider this :

The host invites U on to the stage and there are 3 doors on the stage. Behind one door there is a Car. The host knows that door. There is a goat behind each of the other two doors. U are challenged to choose the door with the car behind it and the car is yours. U choose one door, but u are NOT allowed to open it. Then the host opens one door and shows that a goat is behind it. Now, you are allowed to either stick to the door u chose first or open the third door. What will u do?

Most of us would be of the opinion that now we have a 50-50 chance of winning the car and so choosing the third door or sticking to our first chosen door would not make any difference. But, this is NOT TRUE ! Answer: We must SURELY choose the third door now ! It has more chance of having the car behind it than if we stick to our first door.

Explanation:
We will assume that there is a winning door and that the two remaining doors - A and B, both have goats behind them. There are three options:
U first choose the door with the car behind it. U are then shown either door A or door B, which reveals a goat. If U change ur first choice, u lose the car. If u stay with ur original choice, u win.
U first choose door A. U are then shown door B, which has a goat behind it. If u switch to the third door, u win the car. Otherwise, u lose.
U first choose door B. U are then shown door A, which has a goat behind it. If u switch to the third door, u win the car. Otherwise, u lose.

So, the probability of winning the car is 2/3 if u change ur choice and only 1/3 if u stick to ur original choice !

Curious, but true, isn't it?

Meet me on the Equinox !

2010-02-11T03:29:00.000-08:00

Equinox :
Like an eclipse, Equinox too is an astronomical event. It occurs twice a year when the tilt of the Earth's axis is Bang! perpendicular to the transverse axis of the Sun. So, the Sun comes vertically above a point on the Equator.
It usually occurs on March 20/21 and September 22/23.

The Scenario :
The Vampire boyfriend decides to blow himself up by stepping out into the Sun when the Equinox occurs. 'Cos his human girlfriend has acquired a new guy now. And the girl starts racing to the venue to stop him. That's when the song starts (at least in the video!). But, Man ! What a song! Starts at mid-tempo and quickly builds up speed as it ploughs into our aural fields...
Meet me on the Equinox,
Meet me halfway,
When the Sun is perched at its highest peak
In the middle of the day !
Let me give my love to u,
Let me take ur hand,
As we walk into the dimming light,
Oh! Darling understand !
That everything.. Everything Ends..!
Pay attention and u hear the two lead guitars chasing each other in a mad frenzy, but the relentless piano with its haunting refrain is pursuing them without missing a beat ! All of only 3:30 min, this is one of the Best songs of 2009. - Performed by the Indie Rock band 'Death Cab for Cutie'. It appears on the O.S.T. of the movie 'Twilight II - New Moon'.

Indie Rock or Independent Rock is a sub-genre of Alternative Rock. These bands produce & release their albums on their own small record labels and so only a few thousand copies are released initially. They usually don't attach themselves to corporate recording companies.

The channel 'Bob' on World Space radio plays a lot of their songs which I found very intelligent and enjoyable. I downloaded 3 whole albums by Death Cab - Transatlanticism, Plans & Narrow Stairs and every single song is of the highest quality. Some other great Indie Rock bands are :
1.Dashboard Confessional
2.Better than Ezra
3.The Decemberists &
4.The Doves

Dig into Death Cab, guys..! They are as good as Coldplay !

Black, White & Grey..!

2010-02-11T03:27:00.000-08:00

Gnani's 'O' Pakkangal :

I'm a big fan of this Gutsiest tamil journalist and his weekly column. Last week he had condemned our CM's act of giving away 50 lakhs to KamalHassan for conducting a 2-day Seminar. And I was arguing with my friend Vijay for he was defending the CM. This argument went on for 45 min over the phone. I was irked at his defence of something that was obviously an excess on the CM's part. The next day I said,
" I like ur attitude, though I don't agree with you on some issues."
And he said, "I don't disagree with you at all."

I thought he was making peace with me by agreeing with my view. The next thing he said deflated my ego completely :
"The issue of agreeing & disagreeing does not arise at all. That's ur view & this is my view !"
He said this sincerely, really meaning it ! This was an eye-opener for me. He looks at everything from a broader angle that seems to simplify any issue.

Yes, Why do we always have to agree or disagree? Why can't we just accept? This seems to be a better adherence to the adage, 'Live & Let Live', isn't it?

Can True Love ever fail? Can we say it failed just because the lovers couldn't marry? NO ! If both of them had realised and understood how much they both love each other, that itself is a Success.

I realise that any issue we encounter has two sides - even an affair in a marriage ! Even a War that seems justified from one side.. Have these wars yielded any Solution? We can defend our country tooth & nail. But, going to War seems useless.

Take any issue :- pre-marital sex, extramarital affairs, manner of bringing-up kids, limits of parental advice , any social issue - the dividing line between right & wrong is fading fast - its becoming murkier, overlapping & confusing for people like me who always look at things as Black or White. This overlapping of ideas in shades of Grey ! - What do we make of it ?

This Grey Area : Is it an ambiguous area created especially for ppl to indulge in questionable moralities? Or is it a small area for broad-minded ppl who are inclusive enough to accomodate both the views across the dividing line ?

Guys..! What do you think about this ?

The Greatest Murder Mystery !

2010-02-11T03:07:00.000-08:00

Feels good to be back, guys..! Had been pushing off to 'some place else' every week-end. But, I kept on reading with renewed frenzy - finished 3 books recently :

1. The Bible - from Genesis to Revelations (5th time)

2. Six Suspects - by Vikas Swarup (the individual narratives are good, but the way their lives inter-mingle seems manipulated and the climax is a let-down)

3. 2 States - by Chetan Bhagat (His own love story- Punjabi guy falls in love with Tamil girl and they decide to convince their parents - He's been very honest about his parents' short-comings and the quirkiness typical to the Punjabi & Tamil cultures, but most of all - his narrative is satirical & rib-tickling in most parts)

But here, I wanted to recommend you guys to read 'The Murder in the Orient Express' - by Agatha Christie. She is STILL my Most Fave Author and I've read about 68 of her books.

This book was written in 1934. The Orient Express is a Trans - European train that journeys from Istanbul (Turkey) to Calais (France) via Bulgaria, Yugoslavia etc. The brilliant Detective Hercule Poirot boards the train after completing an important mission in Syria. In the pantry car, he is met by a middle-aged american, Ratchett, who demands his services as a Security Guard, 'cos he feels he has some threat in the train. Poirot is turned off by his crude and high-handed manner and refuses his offer. That night, Ratchett is murdered by someone - stabbed viciously, more than 10 times..! The train had stopped the previous night due to an avalanche of snowfall on the tracks and so the murderer is still on the train. So, Poirot starts his investigations and enquiries of all the other passengers in their coach.

This coach is filled with people of various nationalities and occupations - other than Ratchett's Secretary & valet (both americans), there is this French Conductor of the coach, a retired British Colonel, Princess Dragomiroff - a Russian Dame, her German maid, an Italian car salesman, a Swedish missionary lady, an English Governess, a Hungarian Royal couple, an old quarellsome American lady who is an opera singer etc.. And there are several confusing clues also - a hanky with initial 'H' on it, a pipe-cleaning stick, a coat- button, a partially burnt scrap of paper etc. Poirot's ONLY TOOL available is Conversation. He talks to all of them one by one and extrapolates his inferences at the end.

Statement No:1
If u think the murderer is among those 13 passengers in the coach, you are Absolutely Right.

Statement No:2
WHOEVER you might pick up as The Murderer, you are Absolutely Wrong.

You see, some of the stab wounds have everted edges indicating they were made on live flesh. But, some wounds have stiff straight edges indicating, they have been made after Rigor mortis had set in. Means : Somebody went in & stabbed him to death & after sometime, another person went in and stabbed the dead body.

Statement No:3
WHICHEVER TWO of them, you might pick up as the two stabbers, you are Absolutely Wrong.

Feeling Dizzy?!!

Statement No:4
In case you feel ur options are closed and decide that the murderer came from another coach or if you are over-smart and decide that Poirot himself could be the murderer, you are pathetically Wrong.

Poirot propounds two solutions to this mystery at the end.

Ist Solution : Some unknown persons climbed into the train, killed Ratchett and got down before the snow drift stopped the train. He himself admits, this is a FALSE Solution.

IInd Solution : Like a Magician and an Artist, he beautifully presents the FACTS and reconstructs the events that happened the previous night. And we are dumbfounded at the audacity of his conclusions..! (Keep a de-fibrillator handy, u might need to use it on urself..!)

But, he decides to go with the First (False) Solution and lets the murderer go scot-free..!

Statement No:5
If you feel that Justice has been accomplished by this murder and letting the murderer go unpunished, you are Absolutely Right.

Third Eye Blind

2009-11-10T02:48:00.000-08:00

Non-Dairy Creamer - from 'The Red Star' E.P. :-
Thud, Thud, Thud - goes the foot-pedal of the Drums. The tangy guitar riff begins and blends with it. Stephan Jenkins starts crooning : "They call it KFC, 'cos its not really chicken.." The clapping starts & the rhythm picks up - its astonishingly beautiful. The Chorus goes :"So, How's it gonna be?Are u real to me?Or Are u Non-Dairy...Creamer?"
(He asks : Are U a fake, like milk powder?)
This was like a downpour in the desert for me after yearning & craving for anything 3EB for 6 long years. I adore them with All my heart.
I bought their self-titled first album 11 yrs ago, 'cos I truly loved the song, "How's it going to be?" after watching it on CHanneL [V]. And the album & the band captivated me - hook, line & sinker !
Alternative Rock is an acquired taste - just like learning to eat Crab - feels icky at first, very rewarding once u learn to appreciate it ! Hmm! Yummy..! Bring me some more..! Third Eye Blind (3EB)'s songs are solid, truly enjoyable compositions - that take unpredictable turns - its truly astonishing - cos u never know which direction the song is proceeding - but, its sheer beauty at every turn ! Brilliant, catchy, addictive Chords & Riffs by the two lead guitars, supported & contrasted by the intelligent Bass guitar, superlative Drums, hummable choruses & Stephan Jenkin's reassuring 'Best Buddy' vocals. Their Great, Great, Really Great Lyrics stand out from others in the rock scenario. In various songs u will use any of the adjectives to describe them - powerful, revolutionary, romantic, reassuring, celebratory, insightful, post-modern, philosophical, corny, horny etc..
They have released 4 albums & 1 E.P.
1.Third Eye Blind (1997)
2. Blue (1999)
3. Out of the Vein (2003)
4. Ursa Major (2009)

1. Red Star (2008) - is an E.P. (Extended Play) album with only 3 songs that was the Godsend for die-hard fans like me last year, till Ursa Major was released 2 months ago.
Every album is thoroughly good. 'Jumper' is a song that was used by Amnesty International on their Campaigns against Suicide.
"I wish u would step back from that ledge, my friend
You could cut ties, with all the lies
That you've been living in
And if u don't want to see me again, I would understand..!"
Their Most Famous songs must be 'Semi-charmed life' and 'Deep inside of you'. You couldn't have missed them if you up-date urself on VH1.
'10 days Late' is about Unplanned Pregnancy: Straight- to the-point title, when u learn it refers to the girl's periods ! The boy wants to bail out and abort the baby..
"I'm in trouble now,
And it cannot wait,
She's 10 days late !
Boy! my life got complicated
Well, I can't wait,
To see this through.
She's 10 days late !"
The bridge of this song is so weird - with the baby in the womb imploring the guy not to abort -
"Time has come for u to choose,
Baby Daddy, keep your Boo !
Many blessings come to you,
Baby Daddy, Keep your Boo !"
'Slow Motion' (from 'Blue') is truly a violent song about a guy who shot his teacher's son and does not regret about it. Funny to think that it was released in the U.S. with the vocals erased out, but when I got the album in Pondicherry, the vocals were intact!
'Darwin' is their weirdest song, Are they really singing about failure to mutate..?
"A chromosome divides, multiply & thrive,
And the strong survive,
And the strong survive.
The Space man f*cked an ape,
And cut out on the date,
Now, its too late,
The Spaceship has escaped!"
I would suggest, you listen to 'Out of the Vein' album first. It is their BEST album so far. Its a thoroughly delicious album from start to end. Every single song vibes in sync with our heart - its Delicious ! - "Crystal Baller", "Misfits", "Blinded", "Palm Reader", "Wake for Young Souls" - you'll appreciate them.
'Ursa Major' is the zoological name for the bear, but it actually refers to the Constellation of stars in the Northern Hemisphere. Its a more radical album and would require at least 3 listens to get the hang of it. Its pure hard work and its Brilliant!
All these songs from all these albums are downloadable on mp3raid.com. Dig in guys to Third Eye Blind, its Great music from a talented rock band !

A Lullaby, a Tragedy & a Comedy

2009-09-03T04:27:00.000-07:00

Kandhasamy :-

I cannot judge this movie 'cos I dozed away about 2hrs of its running time of 3 & 1/2hrs :- 1 hr before intermission & 1 hr after. And I swear that I was not stoned by booze. It was tee..di...ous & bo..ri..ng & I was so tired after a hectic day. But, if u ask me, sleep is an opinion too. The only good thing I remember was that Shriya was so.. so.. sexy inspite of that silly, shabby haircut & androgynous voice. But, the best part of the whole thing was : it was past 2am when we left the theatre, there was a biting-cold wind. But, since the roads were empty, I was singing out loud, joining the 'Signal Fire' song by Snow Patrol on my mobile. The snoozing security guards at the ATMs woke up with a start & the street dogs started chasing my bike, and I was laughing uncontrollably...

Seven Pounds : -

Can a story be depressing & endearing at the same time? Will somebody go to THESE lengths to achieve redemption for their one un-intentional mistake, even though it had serious consequences?

Will u insult a hard-working blind man so badly in order to EARN a few curses from him 'cos u feel U deserve them? How will u feel if he remains polite, like in the movie? Why do we have this strange foreboding of tragedy inspite of those cheerful scenes of kindness & giving that Will Smith goes about, in this movie? Will anybody connect Will Smith's little acts of kindness before the end? Won't the girl remember all her life, every moment of their love-making amplified a 100 times, if her lover, Will Smith goes & does THIS the next day?

Doesn't the title have a connection with Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice' - Seven Pounds of flesh? Is Will Smith suffering from Guilt Complex or is he justified in his decisions? Can we quantify the RIGHT MEASURE of GUILT that should be apportioned to a mistake that we've done?

Man, why is this movie so disturbing the more we think about it? And why do I feel that everyone should see this movie atleast once?

The Hangover :-

- an immensely enjoyable, mindless comedy in the lines of Panchathanthiram & Saroja.

2 days before his Wedding, the Bridegroom Douglas pushes off to Las Vegas for his Bachelor's Party with two friends Phil the school teacher, Stewart the Dentist and his big, fat brother-in-law, Alan. That night, they climb on to the roof of the 5-star hotel & the booze - guzzling session begins.

The next morning these guys wake up with a hangover & find their Deluxe suite in tatters! Alan enters the loo for a leak and finds a live tiger about to pounce on him, the Dentist has a front tooth missing, there's a chicken running around the suite & there's a baby bawling in the cupboard. The Dentist is also missing his ring which he had intended to marry his girlfriend with. To crown it all, the BRIDEGROOM IS MISSING.

They have 24hrs left to piece together the events of the previous night and trace Douglas. But, the proceedings become more bizarre when the parking valet brings a police car when they handover their parking ticket, they learn that the Dentist had MARRIED a prostitute the previous night, Mike Tyson appears in their room to bash them up for flicking something from his house, there's a naked Korean Mafia lord in the boot of their car.. it goes on & on. The next morning, they call the bride and ask her to call off the Wedding - they've lost the Bridegroom. But, then, in a truly dramatic fashion, Alan has a brainwave, they trace Doug & make it to the Wedding in time!

This movie is guaranteed to cheer u up! Watch it with a big gang of friends - all boozed up!

Always Enchanting - II

2009-07-26T03:04:00.000-07:00

The Places to visit :
The 4 important towns in the Nilgiris are:
1.Ooty
2.Kotagiri
3.Coonoor
4.Gudalur
- in their ascending scale of temperatures. But, the villages and small towns are charming too.

I' m sure you can't miss all the popular places like - the Botanical Garden, the Lake, the Rose Park (very unique with numerous species, now), Doddabetta, Shooting Hill, Pykara etc. But, its the off-beat places that are so enchanting...

The deciduous forests, the 7th Mile, Glen Morgan - are all on the road to Pykara. Near the 7th mile, four of us friends, we parked our bikes and entered the forest- it was so eerie, reminded me of the Blairwitch Project - but, we kept on walking and came to a small hill. We climbed the slippery slopes and descended down & Voila! - it looked like the Promised Land - a calm lake with yellow flower bushes & horses grazing on the shore! Utter silence! It was ethereal to behold and had a sense of timelessness to it.

From Kundha on Pykara road, if u take a right turn to Masinagudi road, u are in for a treat - but not without an ordeal. It has 36 hairpin bends- some of them very steep descents, and when u return, u are truly done for, if ur engine is not in its elements. Anyway, its a glorious ride, with panoramic views of the North of Nilgiris. Near the 7th bend, there is a small ancient church. And in between the 16th & 17th bends, we have the Kallaty Falls. U have to walk thru dense bushes to reach the falls. Its always lovely out there. Its splendid during the Monsoon & the aura of the place is so psychedelic, u won't have the mind to leave it.

Places like Avalanche & Emerald can be accessed only with the permission of the Forest Dept. Lovedale is a small village some 6 to 7 kms from Ooty - famous for the Lawrence School - in movies like Minsara kanavu, Manadhai thirudivittai etc. It has a beautiful station. But, I adore Ketti station the most - its very peaceful to just go and sit there for a while and we can walk along the tracks into the jungle also.

There are some very beautiful places around Coonoor and Kotagiri too unknown to the tourists. The Tiger Hill with its beautiful Cemetery and tall fir trees is a very solemn place near Coonoor - it has an ancient stone archway with an atrium, shallow stone walls with ferns growing in their cracks and the tea gardens that start just outside them. What a place to Rest In Peace ! Kodanad near Kotagiri has a view point from which u can see the Bhavani Sagar Dam and the course of the river down below.

After about 5 yrs, I would have covered some 15 - 20% of the beautiful places in the Nilgiris and I cheerfully look forward to future sojourns.

Stay :
Very decent hotels with rooms ranging from Rs.1500/- to 3250/- are located on the up-hill road adjoining the Church opposite to Ooty Collectorate. They are :
1. King's Cliff
2. Zest (Mahindra's)
3. Monarch
4. Holiday Inn- Gem Park
5. Willow Hill
Here, u can take a nature walk early in the morning.

But, hotels like Darshan & Lake View (both near the lake), Rainbow Manor on Pykara road etc. too are good family hotels. But, don't check into any of the hotels at Charing Cross or Garden road, 'cos among all the hustle-bustle its like being in the middle of a city.

Some Precautions :
1. Drive Carefully with optimum speed. Some of the hairpin bends are treacherous, because buses & trucks always go to the extreme RIGHT when they have to take an anti-clockwise upward bend and if u are coming down, you'll have to move to ur right too. Its tricky.
2. Be prepared for the land-slips during a heavy downpour.
3. Jeans are messy during the monsoon, we can't avoid getting wet.
4. Avoid starting a Forest fire.
5. Avoid plastic.
6. Keep away from rogue elephants.
7. Keep ID on you while trekking in the jungles.

The Nilgiris stirs up the spirit of adventure in all of us. Don't ignore it. Take courage & indulge. Its the thrilling journey of discovery that makes the Nilgiris so endearing, so enchanting...

Always Enchanting - I

2009-07-26T02:58:00.000-07:00

May 1982 - I was 7 yrs old. It was the Summer Holidays for Std.II. I was travelling to Kotagiri in the Nilgiris with my Uncle and other cousins. Farm Tea Estate, (about 235 acres) is owned by my Athai (father's elder sister), managed by another Periappa. I found it to be a truly enchanting place. 13 of my cousins used to meet there in Lucy Athai's Bungalow every year and we had a gala time for one month. We played hide & seek in the tea factory - used to bury ourselves among the tea leaves, we used to climb the plum trees and pear trees & eat fresh fruits sitting on the branches.I remember one year, we won 16 cups at the Ooty Flower Show. When we played badminton on the lawn, the evening mist was so thick, we couldn't see our opponent - just the shuttle zooming in suddenly!

We collected the ice pouring down during the hail one day, in buckets and ate it with delight. We used to jump over walls, breaking the carnation and gerbera stalks, getting reprimand from Athai - "My flowers are my first children". We used to frolick on the lawns with the numerous dogs & cats in the Bungalow. And on some days, I used to slip away alone, cutting thru the pathways among the tea bushes to go beyond that hill. But, I never went far. The fear of the unknown always brought me back. I never visited Kotagiri often after 1989 (IX Std.).

15 years later, in Oct 2004, we came to do D.N.B. in Coimbatore, and by the Grace of God, we settled here since Celine got posted at Mettupalayam G.H. Again now, the Nilgiris is close-by, always inviting, always enchanting...Now, I'm in Gounder Mills area, that is 25 kms from Mettupalayam which is the foothills of the Nilgiris. I have made some 19 visits to the Nilgiris over the past 4&1/2 yrs.- most of the time on bikes, a few times by car. And every visit has been memorable.

Here, I give u some info about this beautiful place, and I invite u to come, visit often.

Time of visit :-

Contrary to popular belief, I would say March - May is the worst season to visit the Nilgiris - its teeming with tourists, compounding traffic snarls, flying tempers, parking blues, exorbitant prices, ubiquitous garbage and unpleasant days. By late May or early June, the S.W. monsoon sets in & the tourists start petering out & the Blue Mountains heave a sigh of relief ! Phew ! Sudden sharp showers do occur during the off season, but its not relentless like the Oct - Nov N.E monsoon. Even winter is beautiful up there - may be not too many flowers in Dec, Jan - but the weather is peculiar - Ooty town dips down to 5 to 7 degrees at night and some places like Chamraj Estate and Kundha go -minus 3 to minus 5 degrees. U would have seen the white carpet of frost if u had visited at that time.

A good plan :

Plan a week or at least 5 days for the Nilgiris if u are coming from far away.

Conveyance:

Even if u come by car, u can rent a bike in Ooty on the Centenary Rose Park road, near Alankar Theatre. Dhoni & John Abraham have endorsed bikes as cool style statements, but more than that, we can take all the small diversions and reach poorly accessible areas only on bikes. But, if u start from Mettupalayam on bikes, the entire 50 km climb is a thrilling ride.
Taking the NMR (Nilgiri Mountain Railway) is also a very memorable experience. Everybody should take it once, if not from Mettupalayam, at least from Coonoor to Ooty.

The Climb:

You have 2 choices from Mettupalayam :
i) Kotagiri - 27km; then on to Ooty, another 30 km.
ii) Coonoor - 32 km; then Ooty, 18 km from Coonoor.

The Kotagiri route has less than half the traffic of Coonoor route, and is full of tea gardens. The Coonoor route is more scenic with picturesque valleys, view points, silver bridges, waterfalls etc...
The dictum is : The Journey is more important than the destination. Every Km alongthe way is enjoyable - the areca palms at Kallar, the silver bridges, the Law Falls at Glendale, the fruit shops at Barliyar where u can get passion fruits, mangosteens, kiwi fruit, pears, plums, peaches etc.., the sheer drop at the view points, the Jacaranda trees with their lavender colored flowers....Get down to the wild brooks and streams, take voluntary diversions off the main road and explore places where no one goes...
Night rides can be really dangerous - with frequent elephant herds on the roads that are merciless sometimes and wild animals like black panthers that stray on to the road.
Don't forget to have tea and hot bajjis at the old lady's tea shop near the Law Falls at Glendale(about 3 kms before Coonoor). U can go to Ketti during the climb or come back down the next day.

The Reader

2009-07-21T05:51:00.000-07:00

1954, Germany (9 yrs after World War II):

16 yrs old Michael, from a wealthy family, is returning from school one evening and he suddenly starts throwing up on the street and collapses in front of a dark & dingy apartment. Hannah Schmitz (Kate Winslet), a 30 + lady helps him and takes him home. He recovers from the Scarlet Fever after 2 weeks and goes back to Hannah's home to thank her. She discovers him playing Peeping Tom while she's dressing up & decides to teach him some lessons - in exploring his sexuality. Thus begins an affair between this strong-willed, but frustrated lonesome woman and timid, well-mannered, curious boy. Every evening, after school, he becomes her lover & then her Reader. Because she can't read or write, he starts reading various classics to her from his home library-The Odyssey, the Lady with the Dog...even Tintin comics.

She works as a Tram Conductor and one day she gets transferred and she just ups & leaves the city without even telling this heart-broken boy. The affair had lasted just a summer.

8 yrs later :

Michael is a Law College student and one day, they are taken on a Field trip to the Court, to observe the trial for Nazi criminals. And he finds her as one of the accused. She was a guard at the Nazi Concentration camp at Auschwitz & all the 6 female guards are on trial. The first five women deny all the charges. Then comes Hannah.

Judge : Every month 60 of the inmates were selected from your prison and sent to the death camps. Were you a part of the selecting process?
Hannah : Yes.
Judge : Did you not realise that you were sending these inmates to their deaths?
Hannah : Yes, but there were new arrivals all the time & so the old ones had to make room for the new ones. We couldn't keep everyone. There was no room.
Judge : So, to make room, you just picked these people one by one..?
Hannah : What would you have done? I was working there as a guard and I was doing my job.

The other five guards conspire and accuse her as their leader and that she wrote the reports every day. The Court has those reports and ask her to write on a paper to compare the hand-writing and,
Hannah replies : No need. Yes, I wrote those reports.

Her pride prevents her from revealing her illiteracy and so she is sentenced to Life Imprisonment (20 yrs) while the others get 10 yrs each. And our Michael who is the only person there who can reveal her truth gets tongue-tied 'cos he can't own up to their affair.

After about 15 yrs :

Old flames never die. And Michael still thinks about Hannah though he is married & divorced and has a beautiful daughter. One day he goes to his ancestoral home and finds all those books he read for Hannah. He becomes the Reader again : this time, he reads and records them on tapes and sends them to the prison along with the original books. She compares his reading with the letters in the books & slowly teaches herself to read and write. She writes letters to him and he is thrilled.

After 5 yrs :

Hannah is about to be released. The warden lady calls up Michael and gives him the good news & says, "The new world will be frightening to her when she steps out. You are her only contact. Can you kindly take care of her?"

And barely few days before her release, he goes to see her face to face for the first time in 20 yrs (He saw her in the court) !

Watch the movie to know what happens next. What did they talk? What was her reaction to see him in person after 28 yrs in person and after listening only to his voice for nearly 5 yrs?

This is a wonderful movie and the poignant ending tells us NOT to judge anyone harshly. I read somewhere once, ' Do not judge anyone whose burden you have not weighed'.

Though Kate Winslet won the Best Actress Oscar for this movie this year, we start wondering how this movie lost to Slumdog Millionaire for the Best Film !!

PLOT SPOILER :
For those friends who think this is not a great story / who are never going to waste time seeing this movie, scroll down for the ending :

When they meet in prison a few days before her release, Hannah finds Michael still unforgiving for the Nazi crimes. And she is heart-broken that he doesn't understand her burden. Back at home, Michael undergoes a change of heart and prepares to meet her at the prison gate when she is released.

On the morning of her release, Hannah stacks up the books Michael sent, one on top of the other. Later, the Warden takes Michael to Hannah's cell and there he finds her hanging above his books.

Updates - Sirens, Sancho & Songs :

2009-07-21T05:33:00.000-07:00

Rakhi Sawant :

I first saw her in that 'Coffee with Karan' show, may be a year ago. She had wrapped herself in a golden - brownish saree to go with a golden sleeveless blouse.... Stunning..! Yes. But, it was her demeanour and her retorts to Karan's foolish queries that made me think, "Well, this is one sexy brainy woman, carefully disguising herself as a dunderhead and enjoying herself watching the men go 'paagal' around her". And she didn't speak fluent english, she talked in rural Hindhi and made him talk in Hindhi too. But, I never got around to see her in the movies.

But, recently, I saw her in that Muthirai song, "The night is still young"....Boy..! She is STUNNING..! (Deserves All Caps.) After five years of that morbid, flatulent, cushingoid Namitha.. - Rakhi..! We welcome you, Stay here for some more time..!

I heard that she is conducting a Suyamvar in Udaipur's Fatehgarh Palace - to be shown in NDTV's Imagine Channel. 12,515 men applied and were ruthlessly whittled down to 16 potential grooms now. 'One India'- the entertainment web portal says, "They will be put through a series of challenges to showcase their personality, character, physical fitness and talent - all in an endeavour to demonstrate their love for Rakhi." I'm sure, she is having a whale of a time laughing at all this madness - these stupid 'grooms', the producers, NDTV, the sponsors, celebrities and ultimately the viewers. But still,.. Rakhi..! We are with you, ma !

My Friend Sancho..! - by Amit Varma

Are u a Grisham fan? Then, u'll like this book too. The author is a journalist who has penned his first novel with his protagonist from the same profession too. The story is told in first person.

Abir Ganguly from Kolkata, now settled in Mumbai works in the Crime Beat section of an upcoming Newspaper. He has connections with the local police who give him regular feeds for his reporting work. Abir accompanies them on one of their ambushes which goes horribly awry with the police gunning down the wrong guy - who happens to be this perfectly law-abiding old man, Iqbal. The Newspaper assigns him the job of interviewing his daughter Muneeza (pet name: Sancho) and write a series of articles on social justice in India.

Instead of going about this story in a serious manner, the author has brought a breeziness throughout the book, by way of the quirkiness of the narrator, Abir. He is never serious about anything, he exaggerates ina funny manner throughout the book, he is lazier than the sloth, keeps his apartment untidy and has conversations with the lizard on his kitchen wall. He falls in love with Muneeza slowly when due to certain circumstances, she comes to stay in his apartment.

I liked this book better than Chetan Bhagat's 3 novels, 'cos this is much less melodramatic, much more humorous & reminded me of my fave Grisham a lot.

mp3raid.com :

Great website to download all the songs that u always wanted. It provides links to other sites & blogs that have posted the requested song. If u have 4 MBPS broadband, even a 5 minute song gets ripped in, within 1 to 2 mins, in either of the two ways :
i) click download & the song gets directly saved on to ur desktop or requested folder.
ii) the song gets bufferred first by mp3 raid's software & then u gotta save it by clicking download.
A word of caution : Always download the mp3 format and not wma, cos then u may not be able to play it on ur stereo or ur mobile.
And u can download tamil songs too. I typed 'Kadhal' and got 10 pages with 10 songs each.

The Fray :

They have soulful piano leads, melodious guitars & great vocals. They sound like a mellowed down Linkin' Park. Guys, this is just glorious music ! Their hits include How to save a life, Over my head, Look after you etc..

Kings of Leon :

This is considered as the Best Rock Debut of this decade. Great rhytms on a hard rock base, superlative guitars & percussion, Great Great vocals & innovations on the layering never done before. Dig into their songs, at least these 4 from mp3raid.com - i)sex on fire, ii)Use somebody iii)Charmer iv) California waiting
U might have heard howling, wailing, screaming in rock songs, but have u ever heard Shrieking ? Listen to 'Charmer' - u're sure to get zapped.

Lionel Richie :

Even the Boss (Bruce Springsteen) seems to have lost his magic, but Lionel Richie still retains his golden voice and writes beautiful melodies. 'Just Go' is a beautiful new album thru' and thru'. It has endearing songs - very melodious, very hummable. Trust me on this one. Buy this album at all costs !

Green Day :

-They are the only torch-bearers for Punk rock now. Where are The Offspring & Blink 182, we don't know. But after all the hype ' 21st Century Breakdown' doesn't break any new ground. Very ambitious - but other than 4 or 5 decent songs, this album sounds fatigued.

Still, I consider 'American Idiot' as the Best Green Day album.

Sambo..! Sivasambo..!

2009-07-21T01:14:00.000-07:00

I couldn't believe my eyes at Central Theatre last night- it was like opening day for Dasavatharam- overflowing with vehicles & people. Maybe, it's the Subramaniapuram effect. Two of my friends were waiting at the entrance, "You are always late, hurry up. Only 5 min. to start."

15 minutes into the movie - I was saying, "Mokkaiya kudukkuraingaley da.." But, everybody seemed to be enjoying the simple jokes & the first two kuthu songs. But, slowly the story gathered momentum and shifted to top gear... and the whole theater was electrified when 'Sambo..sivasambo..' started just before the intermission. 'Nadodigal' is indeed nice yaar ! Not to be missed !

The theme of the movie is : Friendship : Going all out to help ur friend, trusting ur friend's decisions, a friend of ur friend is ur friend too, issues regarding falling in love with ur friend's sister, losses incurred while helping a friend, coming to terms with those losses, a friend's betrayal etc.. And the story is natural, devoid of melodrama and cheesy dialogue. In fact the dialogue is the cutting edge of the movie - sharp and intelligent - the audience appreciates every declaration about the faithfulness of friendship.

When Karuna's friend from college days, Saravanan seeks his help to unite him with his lover, Karuna's village friends Pandi & Chandran join him and the three of them storm the rich girl's security cordon and unite the lovers. In the process, they incur a lot of losses. Refraining from lamenting their losses, they gather up the pieces of their lives and settle down again, when they come to learn that their sacrifices were in vain. It looked like the movie was heading to a bloody climax, but cleverly the director opts for a more reasonable, happy ending. He delivers a poignant message to newly-wed lovers about the inevitability of irritations creeping into the relationship after a few months of marriage and the patience required to overcome them.

Subramaniapuram's Sasikumar shines in this character of Karuna - who has so many dimensions - a loyal friend, a brave and cool warrior, an understanding brother and a level-headed lover. He doesn't take hasty decisions even during his grief & loss and even when he is angry at Saravanan's betrayal. And Barani (from Kalloori) as Pandi steals the scenes with his cool humour throughout the movie - he doesn't complain even after becoming deaf and continues to make everyone laugh. Both the heroines are very good-looking, homely girls : Ananya & Abhinaya . Abhi is casual in her brother Karuna's T-shirt and a simple gown throughout the movie & bubbly Ananya with her un-inhibited love for Karuna is very endearing.

The highlight of the movie is its theme song : Sambo..Sivasambo..! which has roaringly uplifting beats and high-pitched rendering, its impossible to stop ourselves from singing it during the intermission & while we come out of the theatre. It has montage shots of fast-paced, tightly-edited action scenes and takes the movie to its crescendo.

I like this movie better than Subramaniapuram 'cos its more humorous and it has a happy ending. Guys, don't miss this movie. Its really good !

Pasanga

2009-05-21T05:51:00.000-07:00

Pasanga Pichi odharittainga ! Pattasu kelappittainga !

I've seen it twice already! It was like re-living my school days. "Indha adiya naalaikku varaikkum marandhudathey.." etc..

We have only a handful of movies about kids in tamil. 'Pasanga' takes us on a journey through one academic year in the lives of the VI std. kids in a small town Govt. school. Its honest and very interesting in its portrayal and is totally devoid of self-pity. Humour runs thru' & thru' the entire movie and the theatre is filled with laughter from beginning to end.

The plot of the movie is interesting and keeps us engaged with anticipation throughout. And the happenings in the households of the 'hero' Anbukkarasu and 'villain' Jeeva are told in a natural heart-warming manner. The love story unfolding between Anbu's uncle and Jeeva's sister is hilarious and full of classical 'kindal & nakkal' (teasing) between the two, that is endearing.

The movie deals with the feelings of the kids - their feelings of jealousy, their pride, their yearning for encouragement, their fears when parents quarrel and their forgiving nature. It has a palatable message for quarrelling parents. Though there is unwarranted high drama at the end, this movie has a Happy Ending.

Most of us would have said and done all those things they show in this movie. I'm happy, I can relate to them well.

In my practice, I find that parents spend very little time with their kids these days and also they have no clue about their feelings. Its because their priorities have changed. They become fixated on accumulating material things more and more. They don't realise that 'The Best Things in Life are Free'.

A good motto to adhere to would be: 'Grow up; but don't grow up!' We need to retain our child-like zest for little things that bring true happiness - like getting wet in the rain, playing with kittens etc..

Don't miss 'Pasanga'. Its a happy movie and it guarantees to lift ur spirits !

The Greatest Band in the World

2009-05-21T05:38:00.000-07:00

U2.

It is a sweeping statement, I know. Arguable, I know.

I have always had this slant of affinity towards Irish bands - U2, Boyzone, the Cranberries, Snow Patrol... Maybe, its because, I can identify with their music that is borne out of perpetual conflicts and civil wars. Even among them, U2 stand apart.

It is THE ONLY BAND IN THE WORLD that is sticking together with the same foursome that started out in the first place - for 30 YEARS! They are Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen.

At least, their one theme that everybody would be familiar with, is the theme of 'Mission Impossible'. I think, it would have passed thru' most mobiles during the monophonic era.

They have released 12 studio albums over the past 30 years and numerous other singles. The songs filling these albums belong to the contemporary genre' that we are familiar with : pop, rock, a few alternative and electronica too. I would describe their music as : very pleasant, intelligent, repetitively appreciable music with responsible, meaningful lyrics, immensely likeable to any number of generations. All their albums are good - not a single dud.

Though, I grew up listening to my brother's music, I got hooked on to U2 relatively late. The songs from Joshua Tree & Achtung Baby are my early memories. I didn't pursue U2 then. I was a die-hard fan of Bon Jovi during our college days. Again, in 1997, when I heard 'Staring at the Sun', I was truly baited - hook, line and sinker ! Its a soft rock song about the horrors of war, about the people who are afraid to see the horrors and would rather stare at the Sun and go blind.This opened my eyes to the beautiful world of U2. I went out and bought that album - titled 'Pop'. Man! What a great album! Discotheque, Gone, Last Night on Earth, Playboy Mansion, Please!...Every song was different-sounding. Every single song was Great!

'Please' is a song for people with inferiority complex - "Please..Please..Get up off ur knees!" 'Playboy Mansion' is about today's mindless consumerism, our extravagant indulgences and vanities. 'Last Night on Earth' is about this fast girl who is living a hap-hazard, high-voltage promiscuous life as if its her Last night on Earth.

Boy! You gotta listen to 'If you wear that velvet dress'. Its Unique U2. It has the sounds of the night in the background - crickets chirping... and it conjures up images of lying down on the deck of a boat in the night... and this beautiful girl appears wearing a velvet dress and slowly stripteases for you! Its always this balkan/celtic girl - you know, and years later, I got the shock of my life when I saw that Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale - Boy! This is the girl who appeared that night....Talk about deja vu'... The song goes like this ...

" Its a private show, No one else is gonna know... I waa..ant you" Its the only erotic song that U2 made, and I assure you that its not profane or kinky. Its beautiful for Beauty's sake!

- All this happened when we were doing our Housy in KRMH (1997).

Then I bought their 1992 album - 'Achtung Baby'. Boy! This blew me away! Its a 7 Star album!

I was surprised to see the word 'Achtung:' in one of the ventilators in RMMCH Major O.T. Then I learnt its a German word meaning : Caution. The songs in this album have high-voltage searing lead guitars, spirit elevating percussion & Bono's reassuring vocals that are as capricious as the case of the song demands it to be. It is a thoroughly good album. The album works in our mind on different levels. 'The Fly' is a favourite song of mine that has layers of revelation in it :

" Its no secret that a friend is someone who lets you help.."

- But Everybody's All-time U2 Favourite is 'One' . It is the 3rd song in this album:

" Are u feeling better?

Or do u feel the same?

Does it make it easier on u now,

that u got someone to blame?.."

- We don't want this song to end. We want it to go on & on ...

U2 released their 12th album last month (March 2009) : 'No line at the Horizon'

The first single from that album is 'Get on ur boots' - it has an unconventional layering of music that is not easy to comprehend at first. After a few listens, we get their idea. 'Breathe' & 'Magnificent' are real catchy, infectious songs - going to be great hits in the following months. But, the most beautiful and intelligent song in the album is the last one : 'Cedars of Lebanon'. Its about this man who goes after his girl who has left him and his search has brought him to Lebanon. When we listen on the earphones, we find that they have incorporated the street sounds of he Middle East into the song - a hawker selling his wares etc.

The Best attributes of U2 are their Generosity & humility. They are not greedy at all and they are humble even when they win 5 Grammys - every year when they release an album. They continue to do Outreach work in Africa and various IIIrd world countries like Cambodia & Vietnam tirelessly. They are zealous supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi and they propagate her ideas and speeches. Liberation of Burma is on their primary agenda. Bono was named 'Man of the Year' by Time magazine.

They have never used profanity in any of their songs and they are still going strong.

Sample the taste of U2 music. I'm sure you'll love it! And as they sing,

"It's a Beautiful Day..!

Don't let it get away.!"

The Art of Forgiving

2009-05-05T06:51:00.000-07:00

Martin Luther King III, who was in India recently reiterated his father's famous words, "We have a choice between Non-violence and Non-existence" and the time to decide is Now !

The terrorists attempt to justify their attacks saying, some of their people were wronged and suffered. But, how does snuffing out the lives of totally un-involved innocent people mitigate their misery? In my opinion, the virtues of tolerance and forgiveness are the solutions to end this vicious cycle of violence.

The art of forgiving is something very valuable that we have to teach our children. It was my mother who taught me to forgive - by gentle advice and also by example. She used to say, "You must forgive those who don't apologise also. That's what Jesus did on the cross".

A recent movie that had 'Forgiveness' as the theme was 'Poo'. The first 3/4th of the movie is something that we've been seeing since the days of Vaidhegi (who was waiting..!) - the village girl pining for her murai maman... But, all those scenes depicting Mari's immense love for her mama- Thangarasu are necessary here to understand the enormity of the disappointment and pain she experiences when he explains he can't marry her, citing the risks of bearing a Cerebral Palsy child - which happened in his close friend's case.

It's from this point that Mari truly shines :
1. She decides never to commit suicide, 'cos that would create a life-long guilt in her Mama's mind and she would never give him that pain.
2. She declares to her friend that Thangarasu is golden-hearted, though he never loved her and her love was always one-sided, he apologised to her for not marrying her.
3. When her mother throws up the sand, cursing Thangarasu, she runs to the village deity praying, he should not come to any harm.
4. When her family decides to insult Thangarasu by not attending his wedding, she pretends to commit suicide and declares that she will live only if somebody from her family attends his wedding.
5. And in order to give him that honour, she agrees with her brother to marry the man he brings for her, and happily live with her husband.
6. She declares to her friend, though she has unclasped her hands from Thangarasu, she would continue to be affectionate to him.
7.This girl who doesn't cry bitterly even when she took the blow of disappointment, breaks down and cries her heart out, when she discovers that her mama is not having a happy married life.
- I think, this is a wonderful movie. They don't hammer these facts into our heads. They just let us feel how beautiful a forgiving heart is !

In my opinion, the Top 5 movies of 2008 are :
1. Poo
2. Abhiyum Naanum
3. Varanam Aayiram
4. Anjathey
5. Jeyam Kondan
- Dasavatharam engey,pa ?

I just remembered the poem we learnt in Std. X - 'The Quality of Mercy' , from Merchant of Venice :
' The Quality of Mercy is twice bless'd,
It blesses the giver and the receiver'

We have a choice at every turn.Instead of choosing bitterness or revengefulness, its better to choose Forgiveness.

The Newer Porns

2009-03-19T05:01:00.000-07:00

A few days back, I read an article in 'The Hindu', which gave a short-list of some of the words to be included in the new Oxford Dictionary. And one among them is 'climate porn'! We'll arrive at its meaning later.

'Naan Kadavul' is a society-conscious movie, its story revolves around the lives of marginalised people. The Indian middle class doesn't want to KNOW about them and the affluent class don't even want to acknowledge that they EXIST. To show the way of life of a group of handicapped beggars to the masses is good. But, why should the director make it more gruesome, by employing a heartless, wicked villain who tortures and further mutilates them?- To shock the audience with gory violence? This is what is called 'Torture-porn'. There are people who dish out such stuff and there are people who ogle at it too.

There's a long list of movies that stock-pile massive doses of this brand of in-ur-face-violence & gory torture : Final Destination series, Saw series, Hills have eyes, House of Wax etc. Curiosity kills the cat and I killed my curiosity after watching a few of the above, realising this stuff is toxic. Even our directors have this streak in them: Eg.Paruthi Veeran, Vettaiyadu vilayadu, even Shankar - remember the torture scenes in Kadhalan & Anniyan?

I think that people like us who really NEED to slog hard in life can't conceive of such evil depictions. Its those insatiated affluent or depressed sickos who see everything in shades of grey, who think-up this stuff.

Another porn that's cropping up all over the place these days is : 'Poverty porn'. The U.K. & other Western countries are accused of indulging in poverty porn - that movies like Slumdog Millionaire which show the abject poverty in India make them feel better about themselves. I don't agree with this. Its again people who don't want to know or show the have-nots who lazily sling this blame on others.

Coming back to 'Climate porn' : How I wish it would mean something as sweet as making out in the rain! But a google search lead me to wordspy.com which gave me two more new porns! Man, this is a Pandora's Box! Anyways I'll finish what I set out to do in the first place:

Climate porn : Extreme or alarming language used to describe the current or future effects of man-made climate change. Eg. the Global Warming predictions which are true.

Gadget porn : Images and text that glorify high-end or high-tech devices or gadgets.

Gastro porn : The suggestive pictures & prose used to describe recipes in cookbooks or restaurant menu, adjectives like succulent, mouth-watering, tantalizing, melt-in-your-mouth etc.

Man, I feel sorry for the Reddys - Narayan & Krishna Reddy (our Forensic Medicine authors) who might have to include this kinda sleaze in their subsequent editions!

Slumdog Superstar!

2009-02-11T04:50:00.000-08:00

After a hoarde of whimsical fantasies, soul-less action flicks & dubious biographies, we finally have a wonderful feel-good movie portraying stark reality, that has this rhythm of feel-good cheer pulsing through & through.
How slum-grown chai-wallah Jamaal Malik is able to answer question after question in 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' is told in a series of flash-backs - that are honest as well as interesting: the mad rush to see Big B, the communal riots of Mumbai, the life of the street children and the rascals who exploit them... But, Jamaal remains positive inspite of all these setbacks. We howl with laughter when little Jamaal explains to a tourist at the Taj Mahal how Mumtaj died!
Here again, the pulse of the story is the unrequited love of Jamaal for his childhood girl friend Latika. He goes after her again & again and his love is unconditional. He finds her as a concubine for a rich man. But he still accepts her. He is no superman. It is his brother who rescues her for him.
'Never ever give up on life however adverse the situation maybe ' is the moral of this movie. It is a celebration of toughmindedness. But the feelgood factor is ever-present because Jamaal doesn't judge Latika. There's a lesson there too.
In the end, it makes us feel that life is worth living. Its good to be just alive! This is a movie to relish & cherish all our lives!

A.R.Rahman's music fully deserves all the accolades its receiving. There is music of various genre here - peppy up-tempo songs when the kids are being chased by the policemen - reminds us of 'Thiruda Thiruda!', up-beat rap on top of the train, folksy at the red-light area, even Opera at the river banks. The haunting theme: the crystal-voiced humming that is at once sad as well as romantic melts even the hardest hearts! But, the brilliantly up-beat 'Jai Ho!' at the end remains with us for a long time and curious as the case maybe, 'Jai Ho!' is what echoes in my mind whenever I read about this film!

Button's Blasphemy.

2009-01-30T03:14:00.000-08:00

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button:
Curious I was naturally...maybe, a feline attribute- but, all my friends know I adore cats... Ok, it just didn't seem like a David Fincher movie. What is this...after all those flashy intelligent movies with an edge?!! The premise is easy to accept- the life of a man who is aging in reverse-at least in the beginning. I even turned off all those skeptic voices which raised some genuinely sane questions at the back of my head. But, it was impossible to overlook the resemblances to Forrest Gump(which is one of my all time faves)- both are retarded in some way, both have caring, understanding mothers (foster mother in this case), both fight in wars, both have love interests that start in their early childhood, both bear one child inspite of all those odds...you see?
But, Gump was so endearing while we don't feel sorry for Button at all. Eureka! NOW, I know. THE LOYALTY IS MISSING. Gump was so loyal to Jenny. He continues to love her though she dumps him again and again. He accepts her even when she comes back with AIDS at the end.Everything Gump did was a success because he thought straight, worked hard and harmed no one. But, Button who is born old, has a fling with a whore and then falls in love with Daisy who is a little girl of about 10 yrs. Button looks like a 60+ old man though he is actually only a few yrs older than her. She grows up and becomes a beautiful ballerina dancer. He ages backwards and becomes a handsome young man and then they come together. HE leaves her citing the obvious reasons. She delivers his baby girl and remarries - a kind, loving husband who accepts her first child too. But, when she meets Button again after about 10 years - he looks like he is 18 or 19 now, they meet in his hotel and sleep together again!
There is NO emotional connection in us for this adulterous love which has been TRIED to be packaged in a mushy-mushy manner. The wonderful camera work, brilliant music score, beautiful period artefacts - all go to waste. The only endearing person in the movie is Button's foster mother(Taraji.P.Henson). She is so spontaneous and she infuses hope in this otherwise boring movie. And I hope sincerely that she would win the Oscar for Best Supporting role for which she has been nominated. As for all the remaining 12 nominations- at least I hope this movie won't be given Best picture! It doesn't deserve it. Now, I know that most Oscars are as worthless as the Grammys.

David Fincher

2009-01-23T02:33:00.000-08:00

My most fave English Directors are :
1. Steven Spielberg
2.Manoj Night Shyamalan
3.David Fincher
4.Gore Verbinski
5.Charlie Kauffman-Spike Jonze-Kevin Smith combos
6.The Coen Brothers
When I saw 'se7en' in 1996, I found it to be slickly made and engrossing - not too many serial killer movies then. I noted David Fincher had style - had been a music-video director and he thinks out-of-the-box. His visuals are profoundly stylish - unthinkable angles with dark and gothic frame composition, the dialogue is laconic, intelligent, sombre or witty enhancing the scene's impact. And editing - that became a trend-setter : quick flashy cuts in some scenes, relaxed fade-outs in others. The friendship and respect between Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt's wife was the most endearing aspect of the movie.
In 'The Game' (1998), Michael Douglas, the stiff upright business man enrolls for the game - a reality show kinda recreation service and the game starts playing on his life- he gets reduced to his last penny, stranded in Mexico and when he realises who's behind all that... well the End has that unexpected twist which is good for him.
'Fight Club' (1999) is David Fincher's BEST MOVIE and its one of my all-time faves. I wrote a review for Fight Club that got published in a literary website called freshlimesoda.com . Its about reviving the survival instincts of numbed-out white collar job people by encouraging them to wrestle and fight in dingy basements. This movie too had that ultimate TWIST after 2/3rds of the story-which just changes the perception of everything we had seen till then! We have to see the whole movie from the first and now we see it from a totally different perspective! Great movie!
'The Panic Room' (2002) was a suspenseful, thriller about a mother and daughter who lock themselves in a secret room in their new house, the first night they had moved in- and 3 intruders who try to make them open the door 'cos what they came for, is in that room! The entire movie is the events of that one night.
When I saw 'Zodiac' last year, I wondered why Fincher had to make this movie - its based on the true story of a serial-killer who never got caught. It is told from the perspective of an investigative journalist who puts together the pieces of the mystery and zeroes-in on the killer- but it seems he was never jailed. The heartless murders were a turn-off. But, one scene where the journalist unwittingly goes to the basement of the suspected killer and clinches his inference there that HE is THE killer and he is waiting upstairs - it sends the shivers down the spine and the killer starts descending the stairs..!
Now, on to Benjamin Button...!

New Year & Joyce Meyer

2009-01-12T03:40:00.000-08:00

First Blog of the New Year! Last year was indeed a happy one. So many happy occasions - new-borns for cousins and close friends, Weddings, Happy News from all quarters... and Miracles..! A brother delivered from an intense illness, 2 brothers who got married to wonderful spouses against so many odds, so many miracles on my home front too..

There is so much to hope for in this new year too. And I know that, those who ask our Father in Jesus name, receive. I also know that "No" is an answer too. Maybe, what we're asking for, is not good for us. Maybe, this is not the right time to receive it. Maybe, our Father wants to give us something better!!!

Joyce Meyer's messages give a lot of clarity in things that are confusing in the background. And to hear certain truths bellowed out by her on stage - things that I was not very sure about - well, it's very reassuring. I try to watch 'Enjoying everyday life' every morning on Zee cafe or Zee studio. She is a shining example of how God can transform an abused, battered, confused person into an inspiring comforter for millions of people in various continents. But, all that happened because she chose to give up her thoughts and actions and chose to obey God and be led by the Holy Spirit. Finally one day she said on stage, (not verbatim) "I don't regret having a dreadful childhood because since I've gone through all that abuse, now i know how you feel and I stand as an example for you for what God can accomplish in you".

And as they say in 'The Matrix' again and again, 'We have to choose'.

Merry Christmas..!

2008-12-24T03:21:00.000-08:00

The year's coming to a close and I'm happy when I look back at 2008. A lot of alterations and adjustments I had to do to accomodate peace in the household. A few mistakes, a lot of hardwork, a lot of multi-tasking, and a lot of good luck this year. God was always by my side and I was able to overcome obstacles purely by His Grace. And again - a lot of miracles this year too. How can I enlist them chronologically ? And how many I've forgotten already?
It's Christmas tomorrow..and how different it is from what fun I had when my Grandparents were around! At the village..when I still believed in Santa Claus! Steaming Vivikas at breakfast... and crackers after that... Hmm.! Seems like eons ago..!

Not a W.B.....!

2008-11-27T06:11:00.000-08:00

No, it's not a bad spell of Writer's Block, but my own time mismanagement that has caused this long silent void. Resolutions, I've made today. And, I'm determined to keep them. I've changed my work-place and so I'm commuting less now : 8+8 kms, rather than 27+27. I have already adapted to the new place. The journey to this new place is all-green, I've taken some shotz on my mobile. I finished reading, 'Veronika Decides to Die', by Paulo Coelho. I think I'm growing up because I didn't get carried away by the philosophy this time. Sure, there are some ideas that could straighten certain skewed out-looks. For eg. You don't need to seek the approval of others for everything you do. But, its not a new idea. I know that we don't have to keep looking at the faces of others all the time to know that WE are alright. But, the book itself has some skewed ideas about Adam & Eve's disobedience, moral issues regarding sex etc. People with conflicts in their minds about moral issues might happily embrace this books justification to continue in their indulgences without guilt. The good thing about this book is that it urges us to LIVE our lives while we are Alive. I remember my first Rock Hero Bon Jovi crooning something like that in one of his songs...

4 Years!

2008-10-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

Thank You, Dear Lord! Its four years since that day when I disembarked from the bus on a rainy dawn - October1, 2004! I never thought that day that I would make this city, my home town. Coimbatore has been good to me. I thought I'd do my DNB course and go back. I didn't get the seat. I got a Passport, scored Band 8 in IELTS, registered and cleared PLAB-I, but I just didn't make that trip to the British Embassy. Two years had flown by and the city absorbed me. I didn't plan anything. It is God's plan. It's a good thing, I submitted myself to His Will. I'm happy in Coimbatore.

Articles in magazines always mention that Coimbatore has 'salubrious' weather. I looked up the word- it means 'Health-giving'. But, it is not true of the city. Its as polluted as any other Tier-II city. But the sub-urbs are good - Eg. the ones on Siruvani main road like Madhampatti etc. But, the Temperature is lesser than any other city in Tamilnadu. On that day in May 2007, when Chennai was scorching at 111 Deg F., we were at 95 Deg. Usually we have good rains here. During the last week of May2006, it rained for 7 days non-stop - that is an alternative downpour & a drizzle. This year the monsoon played truant.

The best thing about Coimbatore is the proximity to a number of nature get-aways - Anaimalai Hills- Valparai( the rainiest place in TN) & Topslip, Siruvani Hills, Vellangiri Hills, Tirumurthy Hills(near Udumalpet) and ultimately the Nilgiris. All these are very relaxing, truly 'salubrious' places. That picture is that of Siruvani Falls (Kovai Kutralam).

Quite a number of industries out here - the standard of living is better because of employment opportunities and better literacy rate. This is the only district with two Corporations - Coimbatore & Tiruppur.

The number of accidents in this city - is horrendous. The risk of getting run-over is much more than that Casino game- Russian Roulette. And these dubious contractors who cut down trees on the roadside and now even in Gandhi Park - why can't we arrest them?!

I really believe that if we are close to God, we can be happy anywhere. I'm already committed to give back something to this city. I feel very much at home here.

Creepers..Raptures!

2008-08-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

Last evening, I was riding back home from work at about 4 pm. It had been cool all day long. I passed a derelict spinning mill with green creepers growing all over its windows. I stopped, turned my bike to go back to the window and clicked the frames on my mobile. The cool breeze was heartening, when the skies opened and started pouring down. I stopped at 'Golden Bakes', had a coconut bun and a tea while I watched the downpour and said to myself, "Boy, I'm happy at this moment in this place!" I got happily wet before I reached home.

God knows me better than I do. He knows what would make me happy and where I would be happy. When I submit myself to His Guidance and advice, He gives me the most excellent ideas. I always say that it is better NOT to choose or take decisions based on our worldly experience or the advice of others. If we are willing to obey God and ask for His advice, surely He speaks in our minds. It's very simple.

08.08.08

2008-08-08T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm not THAT excited about the date, but the FM channels were blaring out that suggestion about the 'Global Warming Awareness Silence' that we should try to observe at 8 pm today for 8 minutes, switching off all electrical appliances in our homes. Ah! again, I'm disturbed when I think about the consequences...
Just today I'm back from a trip to Ooty. I never get tired of the breath-taking views during the climb. We stopped at one of the silver bridges for a photo-shoot, then we went to Tiger Hill at Coonoor. The lonely cemetry there has a stone archway - a kind of Atrium with a silver-grill gate. The graves in the sunken garden surrounded by tall trees, the stone walls all around with ferns growing in their cracks, the tea gardens starting just next to the walls, the utter stillness and icy cool breeze make this place enchanted. At Ooty, we didn't visit the regular places. The pine forests near the dam, the most-peaceful 7th mile, Pykara, the hill with yellow flowers... I drank all the scenes to my heart's content... It was very cold even at 11 am there yesterday. God, help us to preserve the Nilgiris.
My list of tasks to be completed seems to be growing everyday. But, I KNOW that I can finish them fast if I spend enough time in prayer. God gives a clarity to my thoughts and new ideas to do my work productively. Now, I've changed my work schedule, sure I can find time to pray peacefully. I'm eager and I'm happy that I can spend time with the kind Lord.

Angles..!

2008-07-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

I realise that so many problems can be solved and pain resolved and sins averted by changing the angle from which we see things. Mostly, we have a choice of 'angle'. Once we find ourselves in a situation, we can take time to analyse and choose the angle wisely. Its not too late to change our angle too.

I meet a lot of people who complain about their loveless marriage, forbidden infatuations, tiresome children, dead-end jobs and stressed out situations. All these can be changed if they stop justifying their stands and blaming their situations. And looking at their situation from different angles that would help them to see the various aspects more clearly. The best solution would be an easy pick after that.

I remember reading in 'What Katy Did' by Susan Coolidge(as a kid) that 'Every person is like a heavy thing with two handles - one smooth and firm and the other rough and rusted. If we choose the rough handle, it would hurt our palms and it would prove hard for us to pick. Conversely, the smooth handle would render it easy to pick up.'

I KNOW that working out all this is really easy when we choose after asking for God's advice. He always answers prayers.

O what peace we often forfeit,

O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry,

Everything to God in prayer.

Strategy for Strength

2008-07-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

I just took one more job as a Consultant in a nearby Multi-speciality hospital, visiting for one hour, and it is costing me more than just time. My precious Bible study is the biggest casualty. Satan knows where I gain strength. I'm trying to pray more, when my mind is at its clearest best - at 3 am. I used to do that before I joined my Post-grad. and I was more peaceful and I felt God's Presence by my side all the time. I got that idea from Dr.Lilian Stanley's book - 'Goodbye Satan'. But, even without an alarm, I used to get up at 3am sharp on my own. Before that about 80% of my prayers were being answered. Amazingly, after that the track record was 100% and I started asking all my friends for things to pray for. I told them, "The lines are free. Nobody is calling Him. Please tell me if there is anything I should pray for." Ah! I really want to go back to those times.
And, I really really want to obey God implicitly. My friend at Coonoor says, " Danny, you are talking about obeying all the time." The Good Lord has been so kind to me. He Has NEVER let me down. Miracles have become a way of life - they are too many to enumerate. My family and my close friends know that. And I want to obey Him implicitly.
Today, I got this SMS :
We are trying to substitute praying for obeying and it simply will not work.Prayer will become effective only when we obey God's Word. - A.W.Tozer.
The truth is that God gives us the strength to obey Him if we ask Him. And God gives us Faith if we ask Him. "Ask and ye shall receive".

Long Time, no write..

2008-07-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

Stupid header, huh?! Lots of things have been 'happening'. But I've not watched the movie yet. To my utmost chagrin, Shyamalan-bashing has reached its brutal worst and my heart bleeds for him. He is one of my MOST FAVE DIRECTORS. I loved 'Lady in the Water' so much. I watch it again & again.

I resolve to web-log more often. I'll pretend I'm the only one who reads this, which may be the truth for all I know...

Long Live Life !

2008-06-24T03:25:00.000-07:00

Again, how much do we take for granted during our reasonably long stay in this temporary home.! How much we whine and grumble over apparent hardships which are actually the expected harvest of our Greed! How beautiful our Mother Earth actually is! How much peace, happiness and fun we can have if we all communicate only in the language called, "Love".
Remember Osho's ideas on a cup of tea? "Observe & enjoy its colour and aroma. Watch the bubbles floating on the surface. As you sip, visualise the tea gardens where it was plucked, the people who plucked it, processed it.." That's good.
Remember Frida Kahlo, the Mexican Painter..? She was struck with polio and a broken spine. She endured pain for decades and instead of getting depressed, she painted the famous 'Viva La Vida' painting - that means "Long Live Life."
And Coldplay selected it as the title of their 4th album. It sure is a celebration of life. The songs have to GROW in u, in order to appreciate their true beauty - the intricate composition, and big-hearted rendering. Surprisingly, this album has NOTHING in similar to their previous albums. Its TOTALLY a new arrangement. The strangest thing about this album is its Double-songs - 'Lovers in Japan', 'Yes', 'Death & all his friends' are all double-songs. And the two parts of the double-songs are so different from each other, but blend so beautifully. The album as a whole starts and ends with the same music loop. What lies in between are 10 SWEET, SOULFUL, SCENIC SONGS. They are so beautiful.
I understand, that the intricacy and the beauty of Coldplay's compositions can be appreciated only if u have listened to a lot of the other various genre on the music scene - locating the corn among the chaff. It's not too late. Coldplay sure make life worthwhile. Long Live Coldplay. Long Live Life.

Coldplay- III

2008-06-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

Coldplay’s Live shows on DVD are very preciously heart-warming. ‘Moses’ has only the live version and it is one of their best. It has the TANGIEST guitar riffs with ADDICTIVE Percussion beats & vocals of VARIED RANGES. After 3/4th of the song is over, Chris Martin stops singing & starts howling, “Ooh..ah!”. It’s the MOST BEAUTIFUL HOWLING ever heard on the music scene. It has to be seen & heard to be believed! I’ve seen this song about 100 times on DVD & still have NOT grown tired of it.

These guys sing honest, soulful songs that are of great beauty. It is GENIUS WITH GENUINENESS AND GOODNESS and this accounts for their GREATNESS. They are British, not Americano.

In my opinion, they are the Second Best Band on Earth, the first one being U2, who are Irish.

Now, reach out & grab Coldplay. It’s your own treat. The albums are :
1. Parachutes
2. A rush of Blood to the head
3. X & Y
4. Viva La Vida (Long Live Life)

I’m getting the 4th album tonight and that’s why I had to write about this fave
band of mine who have given me so much beauty to behold and cherish in my mind.

Coldplay - II (X&Y):

2008-06-20T07:44:00.000-07:00

I was excited to fever-pitch when X&Y was released in July 2005. It is truly a mind-blowing album. EVERY SINGLE SONG in X&Y was TOO GOOD. I never believed in the adage ‘TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE’. Why shouldn’t something be too good? X&Y is a perfect example!

First, I fell in love with ‘Talk’ – the mind-blowing, up-lifting, unbelievable, alternative guitar riff begins 3 minutes after the start of the song – and I kept on asking, “HOW CAN THEY MAKE SOMETHING AS GOOD AS THIS?” and “WHY?” – Truly, I was over-whelmed & happily ANGRY about the beauty of that song. Listen to this song on ur i-Pod or Sony Walkman phone at full-blast & you’ll KNOW what I mean. It cannot be described aptly with mere words. It’s an experience like NO OTHER..!

‘Fix You’ was next – here too the crazy guitar riff starts after the 2:30 mark. A love song as a very addictive anthem – that’s what it is! The video- Chris Martin singing the slow lyrics on the streets of a deserted London night, then suddenly he starts running…we follow him & he arrives on stage of the full Stadium. The heavy drums & the beautiful guitar riff begin & he starts swinging the lights on stage…

‘Square One’ is a powerful multi-layered song – starts with the piano, then the drums, then the guitars jump in one by one and it is a wonderful, heart-warming journey from there on.

‘Speed of sound’ is everybody’s favourite – neither fast nor slow – it flashes all the colors under the sun when listened with eyes closed…probably, it happens to me because of it’s video- the band performing in front of a huge screen with beautiful palette of colors appearing on the screen – matching the moods of the various stages of the song.

‘A Message’ is probably the best ballad by coldplay – profound lyrics, a lullabyesque rhythm, interspersed with sweet guitar interludes – on the walkman, the guitars travel from right to left, back & forth continuously – we start to feel something crawling in an arch between our right & left ears..! “You don’t have to be alone” is the theme.

‘Low’s rhythm is very strong & regular – pulsating. ‘The Hardest Part’ – a laid-back beauty has beautiful lyrics, very sweet piano & guitar leads. But u have to watch its video to fully appreciate it – an Old Gymnast couple(they are both 70+), performing their Gymnastic Dance to this song on the sea-side with a white yacht in the background in front of a live audience, with the band on the side-lines.

‘Swallowed in the sea’ : Its IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO FALL IN LOVE with this song. These guys can even turn candy-sweet, clichéd lyrics into a thing of immense beauty.

The album closes with the Hidden Track at the end- ‘Till Kingdom come’. Like a truly great band, they prove that they can deliver a song with minimal instruments and still render it beautifully.

Coldplay - I

2008-06-19T06:39:00.000-07:00

Maybe its like Mom's kiss that makes kid's medicine taste better... Coldplay always makes me behave & react better.

I found 'In my Place' to be a very attractive song after repeated listens in my new WorldSpace radio way back in 2002. The guitar riff and Chris Martin's vocals were soothening. Hence, I set forth to buy the album - 'A rush of Blood to the head'. It was their second album and it was so..so..soulful to listen to.

'Clocks' has very addictive piano loops that blend so naturally with the guitar and drums. I used to close my eyes and delve deep into the finer details of the song - it provides a psychedelic trip - a sort of very fast merry-go-around that makes u dizzy and awakens all the hibernating parts of your brain with its audible hues & shades.

Then one day, I saw the video for 'The Scientist'. Chris Martin wakes up on a mattress & starts singing this beautiful song. Then he gets up and starts walking backwards... The whole song is shown in Rewind mode! It has been shot forwards & then edited backwards frame by frame! We see people cycling backwards, cars moving backwards etc.. Chris walks backwards crossing railway tracks & enters the forest... Then we see what happened there, that led him to the mattress in the first place. But, the beauty is that..though everything is shown backwards, his lip-synch (mouthing) of the lyrics is exactly correct! During the shoot, he had lip-synched backwards & so after the rewind, it matches the lyrics exactly!

'Green Eyes' and 'Warning Sign' were my other favourites.

Their first album, 'Parachutes' had simple heart-warming songs. People went ga-ga over 'Yellow', but 'Spark' & 'Trouble' were my faves. 'Spies' is a strange song that says, "Spies come out of the water.." It reminded me of 'Tintin & the Lake of sharks' where a spy in scuba suit comes out of the bottom of a well.

'Everything's not lost' is an ever-green anthem. Cont'd..

Easy ways to fight Global Warming :

2008-06-06T07:12:00.000-07:00

1. Let's get educated more about Global Warming.
2.Let's PLANT more tree saplings in our streets and around our towns - AND NURTURE AND PROTECT THEM to adult Treehood.
3. Let's form NGOs and Convince our Municipalities & Corporations NOT TO CUT any more trees. Let's take tree-counts; they've started it in Ernakulam!
4. Let's minimise the use of paper. Use recycled paper. Rent a book that u r likely to read only once.
5. Let's RECYCLE more. Let's NOT throw away things. Let's NOT buy things that we WANT, let's buy only things that we NEED.
6. Let's generate less garbage.
7. Let's BAN PLASTIC SERIOUSLY. Use cloth and jute bags. Buy refills for coffee etc., not a new pet jar every time.
8. Let's Use more of Public Transport. Cycle more. Walk to the neighbourhood store. Organise Carpools.
9. Let's Increase our car's Fuel Efficiency - check tyre pressures regularly, change air filter every month..
10. Let's Switch to hybrid cars at least for local use - the Reva for example.
11. Let's BAN THE INCANDESCENT BULB. SWITCH TO CFLs - COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMPS.
12. Let's replace old, energy consuming appliances. Buy 4 or 5 star - rated energy saving appliances.
13. Let's cross-ventilate our rooms - new windows, if necessary. Let's plant trees all around our houses and switch off that A/C.
14. Let's buy locally made & grown products. Transportation energy is saved.- U.S. (Uzhavar Sandhai) was a good idea after all!
15. Let's Vote for a Government that has Global Warming as a chief concern.

Aetiology of Global Warming :

2008-06-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

Natural Causes :
1. Solar Activity
2. Forest Fires (could be man-made too..!)
3. Volcanic eruptions
Man-Made Causes :
5Increased Production of Green House Gases :
1. Increased planes, trains and automobiles.
2. Increased Industries emitting pollutant gases.
3. Increased Refineries
4. Increased Thermal Power stations
5. Increased use of Generators
6. Increased use of A/C
7. Increased use of electrical appliances
8. Increased use of Plastic
6 Decreased green cover :
- Due to cutting down trees and forests for Housing projects, Industrial projects, Road expansion and new roads, for Timber etc.
- Cutting down trees to make way for electrical cables, better visibility of Hoarding boards, fear that they may damage compound walls, Vasthu generated fear etc..

The Green House Effect :

2008-06-06T06:32:00.000-07:00

We've seen Green houses in gardens in the Hills - to grow certain plants that need more warmth. The sunlight penetrates the Glass roof and heats up the soil in the Green house, thereby heating the air close to the ground too. This warm air stays inside the Green house, providing a warm environment for the plants inside.

The gaseous emissions from our cars, trains, planes, industries, power plants etc. form a Gaseous layer around the Earth's atmosphere. Sunlight penetrates through this layer and reaches the Earth's surface. But the heat waves from Earth's surface are prevented from leaving the Earth's atmosphere and retained within this layer by these 'Green House Gases'. So, the Earth is getting 'over-heated' everyday. This cascades into all the complications of Global warming - Desertification of green areas, melting Glaciers, rising sea levels and disastrous catastrophe like Extremely high temperatures, cyclones, typhoons etc.. Water vapor, CO2, CH4, and O3 (Ozone) are the main Green House Gases.

World Environment Day - June 5th.

2008-06-06T06:05:00.000-07:00

I realise that we whine & brood over umpteen things that we deem uncomfortable. But we are throwing away the biggest blessings of our lives. Ours is a very beautiful home. We don't even have time to look around - and that's a pity. Why don't we travel more for pleasure rather than 'on business' or 'personal work' ? Our villages, our water-fronts, our jungles, our hills, our sea shores...they are all enchanting. And we've got to preserve them that way.

We know the aetiology, pathogenesis & complications of 'Global Warming'. But newer complications are emerging. and so, we need to treat this illness fast & initiate the steps of prophylaxis too.

Accidents :

2008-06-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I came across a picture of an accident in a Tamil daily - depicting a luxury car that had split into two!! - believe it or not!, somewhere near Perundurai, I think. The front half with two wheels was lying ADJACENT to the rear half with its two wheels.As usual it was a bus that had hit them. Four people - a father, mother, their kid and a grandma had died. We see these sort of accidents day after day.
Can't we do ANYTHING about this? We talk and talk about the 3 E's reqd. for preventing accidents - Education, Engineering & Enforcement. But the truth is, there is NO Education, FAULTY Engineering and a LETHARGIC and DUBIOUS Enforcement.
All the cute slogans - ' Better be Mr. Late rather than Late. Mr.' and all that don't bring about an iota of change to the scenario. If the C.M. who also holds the Home Ministry portfolio has a Panel Discussion with the common man, daily commuter, Bus owners, Drivers, Police Officials, PWD officials...and NGOs laboring for road safety, we can formulate useful laws, bring about changes in the system. At least we can join these NGOs and help move towards this goal. Its important that we make this world a safer place, at least for our children.

Initiate

2008-05-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

Befriend & bemused : My! My! What a title to justify !

Maybe, its not too late to start this Blog, when the genuine intention is to befriend.

All the cliches tumble down now - 'A friend is a gift u give urself' etc... Setting them decidedly apart, I feel that communication is the key for befriending anyone. Remember, how the song, 'Civil War' by GunsN'Roses starts? - "What we've got here is failure to communicate.." What an album that still is! - 'Use your illusion- II.' When will they release 'Chinese Democracy'? Anybody got any idea? - Please don't fail to communicate it to me.

Does a Blogger really need to strip himself bare on his first blog? Makes me wonder really - Am I a pawn in the conflict between the material and spiritual world? Am I an adult who has not outgrown his childhood? No, I'm not schizophrenic and I don't labor under delusions... I think a lot during the day and sleep like a babe during the nights. My conscience for the most part is clear these days. I'm striving to keep close to God and He helps me in wonderful ways.

My real world Heroes are - Hugo Chavez, Suu Kyi, Al Gore, Gnani (O Pakkangal)

My fave Music - U2, Coldplay, Nirvana, Jewel, Hootie& the Blowfish, Third Eye Blind

My fave Directors - Spielberg, M.Night Shyamalan, David Fincher, Gore Verbinski

I dumped Bob Zemeckis for co-producing the ultra-sadistic 'House of Wax' and for directing the ultra-violent 'Beowulf.' Though his 'Forrest Gump' is my all time fave movie, he seems to be losing his magic - Even 'The Polar Express' was strangely depressing only.

My fave Authors - Agatha Christie, John Grisham, Mark Haddon(After 'The Curious Incident..', even 'A spot of Bother' is very promising.) I adored Ayn Rand after reading 'We the Living' and 'Fountainhead'. I began to see through her ruse when I read 'Atlas Shrugged' - it was pure poison to anyone who fell for her philosophy.