So today it was a Ready Blu Ray, carrying on with my be a Salman fan crusade.
Salman, as always - brilliant. Some good action, and a lot of Salmanism, especially some nice takes on older movies. Asin was also fresh and pretty, and complimented him well.
But, unlike Wanted, the story, the screenplay and most of the comedy is loud, stretched, and over the top.
But now I do get it. If you are a Salman fan, all these other infractions can really be forgiven!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Things Do Look Big In Contacts, After All!
So I wasn't wrong. I did some googling and realized a lot of others have faced the same question as I have - why do things look bigger in contacts?
So here is what happens. With glasses used to correct near sightedness, things do start appearing smaller than they are - and after years of continuously wearing glasses, the brain actually accepts and expects objects to be smaller than they are! However, since the lens is on the eye in case of contacts, there is no such aberration. So when you wear contacts, you see objects as they are, and for the "adjusted" brain, they look much bigger. The higher your spectacle power, the more pronounced this effect is.
For me, the last 36 hours have been so amazing. People, my own hand, the TV, my cat, even the fork and spoon, the DVD, the paperbacks... things look so huge compared to what I have been used to seeing them as. Unbelievable, more so knowing that they have always been that way, and I have found them to be so much smaller!
So here is what happens. With glasses used to correct near sightedness, things do start appearing smaller than they are - and after years of continuously wearing glasses, the brain actually accepts and expects objects to be smaller than they are! However, since the lens is on the eye in case of contacts, there is no such aberration. So when you wear contacts, you see objects as they are, and for the "adjusted" brain, they look much bigger. The higher your spectacle power, the more pronounced this effect is.
For me, the last 36 hours have been so amazing. People, my own hand, the TV, my cat, even the fork and spoon, the DVD, the paperbacks... things look so huge compared to what I have been used to seeing them as. Unbelievable, more so knowing that they have always been that way, and I have found them to be so much smaller!
After 1-1, 1-0
India lost the first one dayer at Chennai, failing to defend a fighting 227, after Mahi's captain's knock of 113* gave them some sort of respectability following a disastrous 29/5 in the first 10. The Indian bowlers failed to make any in roads, though Bhuvaneshwar had a dream debut scalping a wicket on the very first ball.
Hoping India can pull back the next two!
Hoping India can pull back the next two!
Movie Review: Wanted
Ek Tha Tiger and Dabangg 2 converted me into a Salman fan, and Wanted simply pushed that to the next level. There is something so innocent and real about this guy; it's no wonder his millions of fans simply lap up everything he has to offer.
(That said, I really think Bodyguard sucked for most part)
Salman looks amazing, whether as the goonda, the IPS officer, or the shy lover. The songs are memorable, and the lead pair looks very cute together. The action scenes are awesome, a lot of toning down of the Dabanggness. And Salman's dialogues and one liners would have sent the theatre crowd hooting and clapping. I have always liked Ayesha Takia, she's an amazing actress (see Dor, for her best), and she looks very fit and pretty. Her chemistry with Salman is also great, especially in the funny scenes. Prakash Raj is fantastic as the villain, a precursor of his much appreciated role in Singham, and just like in the Devgan starrer, you almost feel sorry for him, inspite of all his evilness.
Overall, a fantastic entertainer!
(That said, I really think Bodyguard sucked for most part)
Salman looks amazing, whether as the goonda, the IPS officer, or the shy lover. The songs are memorable, and the lead pair looks very cute together. The action scenes are awesome, a lot of toning down of the Dabanggness. And Salman's dialogues and one liners would have sent the theatre crowd hooting and clapping. I have always liked Ayesha Takia, she's an amazing actress (see Dor, for her best), and she looks very fit and pretty. Her chemistry with Salman is also great, especially in the funny scenes. Prakash Raj is fantastic as the villain, a precursor of his much appreciated role in Singham, and just like in the Devgan starrer, you almost feel sorry for him, inspite of all his evilness.
Overall, a fantastic entertainer!
Movie Review: Heroine
Had missed this in the theatres, finally caught it on DVD.
Kareena looks stunning, and puts up a very convincing performance. Arjun Rampal, Divya Dutta, Randeep Hooda, Shahana Goswami, Govind Namdeo and Ranveer Sheorey have small but well delivered roles. And while everyone looks good, some of the dialogues and screenplay look very artificial, as if the director is trying really hard to make some points, and could do with a dash of subtlety. Too much in-your-face bitching and back biting and the whole "fashion and glamour industry is full of gays" line. The story line also needed some ironing.
Heroine takes active product placement to the absolute max (oh, I forgot the Fevicol in Dabangg 2!), and many of the scenes look more like a commercial break than a part of the movie. Guess Heroine didn't need box office success to rake in the moolah.
Madhur has given us some hard hitting movies, but Heroine is not his best.
Kareena looks stunning, and puts up a very convincing performance. Arjun Rampal, Divya Dutta, Randeep Hooda, Shahana Goswami, Govind Namdeo and Ranveer Sheorey have small but well delivered roles. And while everyone looks good, some of the dialogues and screenplay look very artificial, as if the director is trying really hard to make some points, and could do with a dash of subtlety. Too much in-your-face bitching and back biting and the whole "fashion and glamour industry is full of gays" line. The story line also needed some ironing.
Heroine takes active product placement to the absolute max (oh, I forgot the Fevicol in Dabangg 2!), and many of the scenes look more like a commercial break than a part of the movie. Guess Heroine didn't need box office success to rake in the moolah.
Madhur has given us some hard hitting movies, but Heroine is not his best.
Shades, Finally
I got my first pair of shades. More than twenty years after I first got my specs, I finally managed to muster the guts to go for contacts, and with them, my first dark glasses. With my high powered lenses making larger sized frames a complete no no, and not wearing glasses not even a remote possibility, I could only salivate when I saw others flaunting their eyewear.
Now, coming to the interesting bits...
While I am yet to get used to the idea and technique of getting a foreign film into my eyes, it's really been so much easier than I imagined. No dryness or irritation, no tears, no discomfort. So, for all those out there evaluating options, go check it out for yourself. I waited too long, worried about imaginary problems. However, and maybe I am jumping the gun, I think the inconveniences - all that cleanliness, the careful storage, all the don'ts (no sleeping, no dust, no rubbing) - push the deal in favour of the chasmas!
Another very interesting experience for me - things nearby look so much bigger in contacts, than in my high powered specs. People's heads, the laptop screen, my TV, my cat - looks like everyone's got a shot of whatever it is that blew up the kids!
Now, coming to the interesting bits...
While I am yet to get used to the idea and technique of getting a foreign film into my eyes, it's really been so much easier than I imagined. No dryness or irritation, no tears, no discomfort. So, for all those out there evaluating options, go check it out for yourself. I waited too long, worried about imaginary problems. However, and maybe I am jumping the gun, I think the inconveniences - all that cleanliness, the careful storage, all the don'ts (no sleeping, no dust, no rubbing) - push the deal in favour of the chasmas!
Another very interesting experience for me - things nearby look so much bigger in contacts, than in my high powered specs. People's heads, the laptop screen, my TV, my cat - looks like everyone's got a shot of whatever it is that blew up the kids!
Friday, December 28, 2012
Drinking and (No) Driving
This is just a friendly reminder about drinking and driving this festive season.
I went out last night and left my car at the pub and took the bus home. I was very proud of myself this morning as I had never driven a bus before.
By the way, Tcabs (www.tacabs.in) in Pune is providing a very nice service to help all of you reach home safely after NYE (and into the new year too)! Do check them out...
I went out last night and left my car at the pub and took the bus home. I was very proud of myself this morning as I had never driven a bus before.
By the way, Tcabs (www.tacabs.in) in Pune is providing a very nice service to help all of you reach home safely after NYE (and into the new year too)! Do check them out...
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Cut And Paste
A blonde went to the electronics shop and angrily threw her new laptop on the desk, furious that she had been cheated. I cannot even transfer a file from my previous laptop, she screamed.
Salesman: Madam, can you please try in front of me.
This is what she did...
1) Right clicked the mouse on the file which she wanted to transfer and selected CUT option.
2) Disconnected the mouse from that PC.
3) Took that mouse carefully and connected it to the other PC where she wanted to copy that file.
4) Right clicked the mouse and selected the PASTE option.
When she turned around, the salesman had fainted.
Salesman: Madam, can you please try in front of me.
This is what she did...
1) Right clicked the mouse on the file which she wanted to transfer and selected CUT option.
2) Disconnected the mouse from that PC.
3) Took that mouse carefully and connected it to the other PC where she wanted to copy that file.
4) Right clicked the mouse and selected the PASTE option.
When she turned around, the salesman had fainted.
Traffic Snarls
The tourist season is on in Goa, and even while everyone is worried at the apparently low turnout this year, traffic snarls on the approach road into Panaji are a common site already. With Sunburn coming up, and a busy new year, the Parriker government is pulling out all stops to ensure a happy and safe season!
Meanwhile, the Calangute - Baga is seeing some action, finally, on road widening and removal of encroachments. One only wishes this had been taken up and completed before the season really kicked in...
Meanwhile, the Calangute - Baga is seeing some action, finally, on road widening and removal of encroachments. One only wishes this had been taken up and completed before the season really kicked in...
Premier Padmini Fiat
Saw this beauty in Panaji the other day - we had one for 10 years, and then another one for another 7-8, before we finally succumbed to the seduction of a Maruti. Can you believe it, way back in the mid 80s, when I was barely 10, and my sister was maybe 7, my dad packed us into one of these, and along with a driver, we set off on a 15 day road trip from Goa down the West Coast all the way to Kanyakumari - covering Mangalore, Cochin, Manipal, Trivandrum, Ernakulam along the way - and then back through Madurai, Hasan and Bangalore. Amazing trip - I still have some crystal clear memories. How I wish we had video cams and other devices back then...
Inox - Memories
The Inox at Panaji is built at the site of the old Goa Medical College, many of the old buildings still majestically standing there, renovated and repurposed as the offices of the IFFI and other associated bodies.
A very attractive complex, this is a magnet for many film shootings.
Around 35 years back, this is where my sister fought a long and painful battle against a head injury when she was barely a few weeks old. I was 3, and I still remember some of those painful trips to the hospital. In the late 70s, the docs at the "old goverment hospital" did a fab job!
From The Rooftop
 |
| 007 would love to ride over these... all the way to the Mandovi bridge far in the background |
 |
| Captain of Ports building on the banks of the Mandovi |
Movie Review: Dabangg 2
For some, a meaty script is necessary. For others, method acting is critical. For the King, it's the eternal romanticism. For Salman Khan and his countless fans, it can take as little as a belt doing the jig to guarantee a 100 crore hit. Unleash the Salman magic for a whole 2.5 hours, and a record is on the way. Love him or hate him, you cannot ignore him.
Chulbul Pandey is in Kanpur this time, taking on Bachcha Bhaiyya, the local goon turned politician and his cronies. With Arbaaz Khan as director, the movie gets a little more polished, the action more meaty. Chulbul Pandey is even more lovable than in the first installment - he looks fit and in top form in his uniform and shades, his humour and dialogues entertain without getting too loud. His dance adds more amazing routines - pulling up the pant's legs, his belt dances by itself, you get the idea.
Sonakshi delivers another meatless role, looking pretty but with nothing really to do. Prakash Raj actually disappoints and could have been used a lot better - after Singham, one thing is sure - that guy can add tremendously to the villain's character, in addition to being the punching bag. Arbaaz, and more shockingly, the "talented" Mahie Gill, perform the most ridiculous, most unnecessary "cameo" I have ever seen in a movie.
Too many songs, and while a couple including the famous-by-now Fevicol advert, are interesting, the rest simply distract.
But all said and done, Salman delivers some good entertainment - pure and wholesome, of the keep-the-brains-at-home-and-let-go type.
Definitely worth a watch! Hell, maybe even a couple of times!
Chulbul Pandey is in Kanpur this time, taking on Bachcha Bhaiyya, the local goon turned politician and his cronies. With Arbaaz Khan as director, the movie gets a little more polished, the action more meaty. Chulbul Pandey is even more lovable than in the first installment - he looks fit and in top form in his uniform and shades, his humour and dialogues entertain without getting too loud. His dance adds more amazing routines - pulling up the pant's legs, his belt dances by itself, you get the idea.
Sonakshi delivers another meatless role, looking pretty but with nothing really to do. Prakash Raj actually disappoints and could have been used a lot better - after Singham, one thing is sure - that guy can add tremendously to the villain's character, in addition to being the punching bag. Arbaaz, and more shockingly, the "talented" Mahie Gill, perform the most ridiculous, most unnecessary "cameo" I have ever seen in a movie.
Too many songs, and while a couple including the famous-by-now Fevicol advert, are interesting, the rest simply distract.
But all said and done, Salman delivers some good entertainment - pure and wholesome, of the keep-the-brains-at-home-and-let-go type.
Definitely worth a watch! Hell, maybe even a couple of times!
Thursday, December 20, 2012
End Of The World
The world is coming to an end tomorrow and we still don't know what is Victoria's secret, who let the dogs out, what is love and who the fcuk is Alice!!!
By the way, what's your plan for the D Day?
By the way, what's your plan for the D Day?
BJP or Congress? Who Won?
Modi won a third consecutive term in Gujarat - but actually lost two extra seats to the Congress, compared to the last election. The Congress meanwhile, wrested Himachal from the BJP.
Who will be happier tonight?
Who will be happier tonight?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)