Itinerary
SFO (12/25) - > NYC (12/26) - > DC (12/30) - > SFO (1/3)
The particpants: Prajakta, Priyanka and Sai
Objectives: Priyanka and Prajakta's first trip to NYC and the first trip for all of us to DC.
Expectations: Visiting a big city like NYC (and trying to get a Mumbai type feel) and a well planned and politically significant city like DC (and trying to get a Delhi type feel) provided the weather holds up. There are always the museums and the in winter feel to look forward too.
Challenges: Add a new blog update everyday. Not lose my temper :) and having a good time before a hectic q1 2010.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
1 Idiot or Why There Can Never be another Dil Chahta Hai
So I watched it today.. the 10 pm show at NAZ8 Fremont. And no, contrary to probably what is going to be popular opinion, I did not like it.
To be honest I did like it in parts: Madhavan's character, Sharman Joshi's totally unrealistic job interview...I did not agree with it one bit, but admired the conviction with which he delivered such BS, the Millimeter character.
The hydel power plant of this movie, to take an analogy from Swades (my major gripe with that movie...but that's a totally different blog post) is the birthing machine Aamir devises to help (a very irritating) Mona Singh deliver her baby. Obviously engineers have no idea about the life sciences and Kareena Kapoor had to demonstrate via flash video and charts what everything meant. Also the HD video quality on Cellular network based Internet was an amazing scam, but as Indian film makers time and again assume that the Indian cinema going audience has the lowest IQ, we will lap that Rajkumar Hirani, the true Idiot of this movie. (and I use that word in its true sense, not some dumb acronym)
That's not my main problem. My biggest gripe is that of all the things Aamir could do to redeem himself (for stealing exam papers) Rajkumar Hirani picked the birthing machine.....and I absolutely hate the over use of the jaadu ki jhappi of this movie (which BTW I liked in MBBS) "aal iz well". It started really well, but the baby kicking everytime it hears that was just lame.
Other lame things about the movie: the Javed Jaffery storyline, the total insensitivity with which they handled Sharman's paralytic father, and the names of Madhavan's books. Also show me one Indian (no matter from what part of the world) who speaks Hindi like that Chatur Mahalingam. South Indians either speak Hindi really well, or they don't at all.
There were some exceptions to the lameness: Viru's opening speech about cuckoos (although his character pretty much drifted to unbelievable insanity as the movie went on), the last scene when they realize Aamir's real name and Madhavan and Sharman reacting in one way, while Kareena being on a total tangent worrying abt what it would imply for her own name, Millimeter's opening scene and the ragging scene for some part of it, the spontanienty of dialogues at times. I even felt guilty about laughing (so much that I almost messed myself) where they switch words in Chatur's Hindi speech, but this was humour more of the slap stick kind.
Overall the film lacks the spontaniety and down to earth ness of Dil Chahta Hai, something all film makers should aspire to while making a youth cross over comedy. That movie will be among the greatest movies I have ever watched.
This one sadly (and much contrary to a review I just read where this movie has been hailed as the best of the decade!!!!!) does not even come close :(
To be honest I did like it in parts: Madhavan's character, Sharman Joshi's totally unrealistic job interview...I did not agree with it one bit, but admired the conviction with which he delivered such BS, the Millimeter character.
The hydel power plant of this movie, to take an analogy from Swades (my major gripe with that movie...but that's a totally different blog post) is the birthing machine Aamir devises to help (a very irritating) Mona Singh deliver her baby. Obviously engineers have no idea about the life sciences and Kareena Kapoor had to demonstrate via flash video and charts what everything meant. Also the HD video quality on Cellular network based Internet was an amazing scam, but as Indian film makers time and again assume that the Indian cinema going audience has the lowest IQ, we will lap that Rajkumar Hirani, the true Idiot of this movie. (and I use that word in its true sense, not some dumb acronym)
That's not my main problem. My biggest gripe is that of all the things Aamir could do to redeem himself (for stealing exam papers) Rajkumar Hirani picked the birthing machine.....and I absolutely hate the over use of the jaadu ki jhappi of this movie (which BTW I liked in MBBS) "aal iz well". It started really well, but the baby kicking everytime it hears that was just lame.
Other lame things about the movie: the Javed Jaffery storyline, the total insensitivity with which they handled Sharman's paralytic father, and the names of Madhavan's books. Also show me one Indian (no matter from what part of the world) who speaks Hindi like that Chatur Mahalingam. South Indians either speak Hindi really well, or they don't at all.
There were some exceptions to the lameness: Viru's opening speech about cuckoos (although his character pretty much drifted to unbelievable insanity as the movie went on), the last scene when they realize Aamir's real name and Madhavan and Sharman reacting in one way, while Kareena being on a total tangent worrying abt what it would imply for her own name, Millimeter's opening scene and the ragging scene for some part of it, the spontanienty of dialogues at times. I even felt guilty about laughing (so much that I almost messed myself) where they switch words in Chatur's Hindi speech, but this was humour more of the slap stick kind.
Overall the film lacks the spontaniety and down to earth ness of Dil Chahta Hai, something all film makers should aspire to while making a youth cross over comedy. That movie will be among the greatest movies I have ever watched.
This one sadly (and much contrary to a review I just read where this movie has been hailed as the best of the decade!!!!!) does not even come close :(
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Phases
My life (and pretty much anyone else's life, I believe) has always had these phases where I tend to do one or two or three things more often than others.
I would say as a kid, playing games and sports were the best things ever. What I played at any given time was decided by the season: The rains meant "hand tennis" on the basketball courts, winter meant cricket in school and badminton at home, the summers meant cricket in the morning and badminton in the evenings. Then as I grew older (in the higher standards) my performance at school competitions meant phases of Chess (I used to play 20 match championships with my sis and friends and stay up late to watch whoever Gary Kasparov was playing in the world championships then).
At all other times it was either TV/books. I took up to reading at a very young age, partly because there weren't so many people my age to play with as a kid and partly because there wasn't much on TV. Then satellite television and cable entered my life and changed it forever. Books were kind of relegated as something to be read when there is nothing interesting on TV or on a train trip (but never on a bus/car trip with all my motion sickness). I also started playing video games at my cousin's place and thought of how nice it would be when I could move into the "video games" phase.
School also introduced co curricular activities and cultural activities in which I was particularly good at quizzing. So obviously there was a quizzing phase and towards the end of secondary school even a dramatics phase.
As I entered high school, there were very few ppl my age to play with, so I used to play imagine cricket (either pretend as a bowler in a purple patch taking all 10 wickets, discover a new delivery/pretend as a batsman facing deliveries bounced off a wall and score the fastest century to save your team from collapse) all alone/invent board games based on sports. I entered the video games phase at this time, where I would try to one up my sister at Mario and try to team up against the game at Contra.
Also at this time, I hit the "music phase", where I started to develop a sense of music and bought a lot of audio cassettes.
So by this time the playing went from playing sports to video games, TV was still going pretty strong and Reading was beginning to co exist with music.
And then computers happened. And life was never the same again... Actually at that time..all this meant was more games and movies on VCDs and later DVDs[:)] and some programming and some photoshop....
So now I'm in college and in the "Music+Reading+Games+Videos" phase. This phase pretty much continued thru my work life and thru grad school, and my transition to a sedentary worker was completed [:)]. Also I had moved from PC to PSP at this time for games.
In 2007, I played my first euro game. (I had played board games before and had been in that phase at some point of time but this was limited to Monopoly, Scotland Yard, Mastermind and some of my own invented board games.) I was instantly hooked, this was my true calling. Although I never played a single game of Ticket to Ride since, I jumped in with both feet and now own more games than all my friends combined:
Settlers of the Stone Age,
Power Grid (most played),
Clue,
Thurns and Taxis,
Space Alert,
For Sale,
Dominion (Original + Seaside + Intrigue)
Several card games,
Power Grid Factory Manager
Not a lot of my friends (not even my wife) share this enthusiasm of games, which has caused me to play online starting at YourTurnMyTurn.com and more recently BSW.
I have also moved on from PSP to PS3 and this also includes playing RockBand (my usual set is WonderWall + Jeremy + Don't Speak + Pretty Fly for a wise guy + Uncle John's band)
My reading has graduated from plain text literature to graphic novels and experimental books.
Observations
My phases have actually all stuck with me. Some of them have merged:
Music + Reading + Puzzle/mystery solving -> Video games
Reading + Videos/Games -> Graphic Novels
Music + Video Games -> Rockband
Video games + need for interaction + strategy - > euro games
At this point of time, I spend my average day (what's that?) (and yes my day starts after work ends) either playing video games (Arkham Asylum/Rockband) or playing boardgames (Dominion/Power Grid on BSW) or badminton or table tennis. Sometimes I play a tune on my keyboard or watch free to air TV / hulu. And sometimes I even read a graphic novel or two.
Hobbies you say. Just phases according to me. So many options, such few hours.
Disclaimer:
I do the things mentioned above only when I'm not doing the more important things in life: spending time with my wife, eating/cooking, talking to my folks back home in India, watching cricket or watching college football. Sleep, as always, is optional.
I would say as a kid, playing games and sports were the best things ever. What I played at any given time was decided by the season: The rains meant "hand tennis" on the basketball courts, winter meant cricket in school and badminton at home, the summers meant cricket in the morning and badminton in the evenings. Then as I grew older (in the higher standards) my performance at school competitions meant phases of Chess (I used to play 20 match championships with my sis and friends and stay up late to watch whoever Gary Kasparov was playing in the world championships then).
At all other times it was either TV/books. I took up to reading at a very young age, partly because there weren't so many people my age to play with as a kid and partly because there wasn't much on TV. Then satellite television and cable entered my life and changed it forever. Books were kind of relegated as something to be read when there is nothing interesting on TV or on a train trip (but never on a bus/car trip with all my motion sickness). I also started playing video games at my cousin's place and thought of how nice it would be when I could move into the "video games" phase.
School also introduced co curricular activities and cultural activities in which I was particularly good at quizzing. So obviously there was a quizzing phase and towards the end of secondary school even a dramatics phase.
As I entered high school, there were very few ppl my age to play with, so I used to play imagine cricket (either pretend as a bowler in a purple patch taking all 10 wickets, discover a new delivery/pretend as a batsman facing deliveries bounced off a wall and score the fastest century to save your team from collapse) all alone/invent board games based on sports. I entered the video games phase at this time, where I would try to one up my sister at Mario and try to team up against the game at Contra.
Also at this time, I hit the "music phase", where I started to develop a sense of music and bought a lot of audio cassettes.
So by this time the playing went from playing sports to video games, TV was still going pretty strong and Reading was beginning to co exist with music.
And then computers happened. And life was never the same again... Actually at that time..all this meant was more games and movies on VCDs and later DVDs[:)] and some programming and some photoshop....
So now I'm in college and in the "Music+Reading+Games+Videos" phase. This phase pretty much continued thru my work life and thru grad school, and my transition to a sedentary worker was completed [:)]. Also I had moved from PC to PSP at this time for games.
In 2007, I played my first euro game. (I had played board games before and had been in that phase at some point of time but this was limited to Monopoly, Scotland Yard, Mastermind and some of my own invented board games.) I was instantly hooked, this was my true calling. Although I never played a single game of Ticket to Ride since, I jumped in with both feet and now own more games than all my friends combined:
Settlers of the Stone Age,
Power Grid (most played),
Clue,
Thurns and Taxis,
Space Alert,
For Sale,
Dominion (Original + Seaside + Intrigue)
Several card games,
Power Grid Factory Manager
Not a lot of my friends (not even my wife) share this enthusiasm of games, which has caused me to play online starting at YourTurnMyTurn.com and more recently BSW.
I have also moved on from PSP to PS3 and this also includes playing RockBand (my usual set is WonderWall + Jeremy + Don't Speak + Pretty Fly for a wise guy + Uncle John's band)
My reading has graduated from plain text literature to graphic novels and experimental books.
Observations
My phases have actually all stuck with me. Some of them have merged:
Music + Reading + Puzzle/mystery solving -> Video games
Reading + Videos/Games -> Graphic Novels
Music + Video Games -> Rockband
Video games + need for interaction + strategy - > euro games
At this point of time, I spend my average day (what's that?) (and yes my day starts after work ends) either playing video games (Arkham Asylum/Rockband) or playing boardgames (Dominion/Power Grid on BSW) or badminton or table tennis. Sometimes I play a tune on my keyboard or watch free to air TV / hulu. And sometimes I even read a graphic novel or two.
Hobbies you say. Just phases according to me. So many options, such few hours.
Disclaimer:
I do the things mentioned above only when I'm not doing the more important things in life: spending time with my wife, eating/cooking, talking to my folks back home in India, watching cricket or watching college football. Sleep, as always, is optional.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Rocket Singh Movie of the year
This is definitely the movie of the year. Although, it may not have the big names, it has just the right "partners" that succeed in making this 35% to 200% story very believable.
Ranbir Kapoor is amazing as HP Singh Bedi in this career defining movie. He gets into character so effortlessly, it's difficult to imagine the Ranbir of Wake Up Sid, or Ajab Prem.... or even Bachna Ae Haseeno. Most importantly he plays a honest goody goody, utopian guy without irritating even a tad bit. Shahrukh Khan can't do such a good job...man this guy is here to stay.
And all the others with maybe the exception of his "easy to fall for the surd" girl friend play an equally amazing hand in this "team work" of a movie. Special mention to the porn loving engineer, the sales manageresque receptionist, the shaana sales manager and the PC assembling chaiwalla cum peon. Even Prem Chopra on his seemingly tottering last legs does a commendable job. HP's friends are practical (unlike his wake up sid friends) and resemble people like you and me and try their best to keep him on his two feet.
There is a lot of honesty in this movie, no double meaning jokes, no unnecessary sound effects to make you laugh, no marginalizing of any community, no terrorism, no bombs, a movie that I can relate with...and maybe you too can.
Pocket main rocket hain...pocket main
Ranbir Kapoor is amazing as HP Singh Bedi in this career defining movie. He gets into character so effortlessly, it's difficult to imagine the Ranbir of Wake Up Sid, or Ajab Prem.... or even Bachna Ae Haseeno. Most importantly he plays a honest goody goody, utopian guy without irritating even a tad bit. Shahrukh Khan can't do such a good job...man this guy is here to stay.
And all the others with maybe the exception of his "easy to fall for the surd" girl friend play an equally amazing hand in this "team work" of a movie. Special mention to the porn loving engineer, the sales manageresque receptionist, the shaana sales manager and the PC assembling chaiwalla cum peon. Even Prem Chopra on his seemingly tottering last legs does a commendable job. HP's friends are practical (unlike his wake up sid friends) and resemble people like you and me and try their best to keep him on his two feet.
There is a lot of honesty in this movie, no double meaning jokes, no unnecessary sound effects to make you laugh, no marginalizing of any community, no terrorism, no bombs, a movie that I can relate with...and maybe you too can.
Pocket main rocket hain...pocket main
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Kurbaan ko Kuro ban
The only thing this movie has going for it is its so bad, it made me feel like writing a blog. I mean I have watched a few dumbass movies in my life, and Kaminey was one such recent movie. But none of them were this bad.....
I don't know where to start.
First of all this movie by Rensil produced by Karan Johar doesn't know where it stands.
If its trying to be pro Islam and peace...it makes such a hash of it...
If its trying to portray life from the other side.... it's made an equal hash of it too....
If its trying to be all post modern and yuppie, well it sucks there too... there are so many inconsistencies and gaping idiocies.... man are we seriously catering to a dumb Indian audience...
the same audience that knows how tough it is to get an American resident visa...let alone a job at NYU.... Saif manages to do that so easily
the same audience that knows to call 100 in India and 911 in America in case there is a threat to life.... The smart Kareena that gets called back to NYU and teaches at DU can't string these 3 digits together when in danger
the same audience that is very much aware of 11/26..and is tired of pro or anti terrorist movies... tired of watching train stations blown up by blind fanatics....stop giving them any propaganda...good or bad.... terrorists are inhuman and have no religion. And they kill only innocent people....
When will our film makers realize that there is no other side to this story... at least none that we want to listen to.
Why do our film makers talk about all this oppression for a certain religion, when almost every Asian undergoes the same oppression. And is turning to terrorism the only answer to combat this oppression? At least that's what the director has tried to justify. Mumbai has been under attack since 1992. Do you see Mumbaiikars turn to terrorism? Should they? Aren't there any other topics left to discuss under the sun?
The movie shows women as mere puppets and child making machines. Seriously? You want us to believe that, something you could easily overlook, while you were making your movie "techincally" strong.
At the end of the day, I believe the director should go back and watch his own movie and see if this is really what he set out to make. The actors should go back and see if they really want to be asociated with such crap. And most importantly the reviewers, whom a lot of people blindly follow, should check if this is the very movie they reviewed.
Kurbaan ko Kuro Ban!!!!!
I don't know where to start.
First of all this movie by Rensil produced by Karan Johar doesn't know where it stands.
If its trying to be pro Islam and peace...it makes such a hash of it...
If its trying to portray life from the other side.... it's made an equal hash of it too....
If its trying to be all post modern and yuppie, well it sucks there too... there are so many inconsistencies and gaping idiocies.... man are we seriously catering to a dumb Indian audience...
the same audience that knows how tough it is to get an American resident visa...let alone a job at NYU.... Saif manages to do that so easily
the same audience that knows to call 100 in India and 911 in America in case there is a threat to life.... The smart Kareena that gets called back to NYU and teaches at DU can't string these 3 digits together when in danger
the same audience that is very much aware of 11/26..and is tired of pro or anti terrorist movies... tired of watching train stations blown up by blind fanatics....stop giving them any propaganda...good or bad.... terrorists are inhuman and have no religion. And they kill only innocent people....
When will our film makers realize that there is no other side to this story... at least none that we want to listen to.
Why do our film makers talk about all this oppression for a certain religion, when almost every Asian undergoes the same oppression. And is turning to terrorism the only answer to combat this oppression? At least that's what the director has tried to justify. Mumbai has been under attack since 1992. Do you see Mumbaiikars turn to terrorism? Should they? Aren't there any other topics left to discuss under the sun?
The movie shows women as mere puppets and child making machines. Seriously? You want us to believe that, something you could easily overlook, while you were making your movie "techincally" strong.
At the end of the day, I believe the director should go back and watch his own movie and see if this is really what he set out to make. The actors should go back and see if they really want to be asociated with such crap. And most importantly the reviewers, whom a lot of people blindly follow, should check if this is the very movie they reviewed.
Kurbaan ko Kuro Ban!!!!!
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