High School Musical 3

Final year at East High School is almost over. Separation with loved ones becomes a certainty. How will school basketball star Troy and his girlfriend, Gabriella; and his teammate and best friend Chad spent their lasts days together besides juggling the new opportunities that lie before them?

Well, they sing and dance their way out in a tree house, school garden, garage, school auditorium, etc., in this high-energy Disney production.

Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron reprise their roles as lovers Gabriella and Troy and they look comfortable in every bit. All the stars make it look as there is no problem at all when it comes to dancing in high heels. The dance in the Wildcats victory party involving hundreds is perhaps the best choreographed dance in this film. The plot involves a simple love story besides East High's 'Paris Hilton' Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) attempts to steal the best songs for herself in the school's drama creation. The nature of the plot makes the film moves quickly and it doesn't take too much time to disclose the feelings of the pensive youngsters.

High School Musical 3 is jolly entertaining with an eye-catching young talented cast and a well-rehearsed collection of music.
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High School Musical 3 (Senior year)
English (U)
Cast: Zac Efron, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman Director: Kenny Ortega

Merry Christmas

Have you ever seen Germans and the Allied forces hanging up their rifles and chatting side by side in any world war movies? If not, this is the right time to get yourself a ticket to PVR Cinemas this week for one of the most moving story on humananity in a cumbersome situation.

‘Merry Christmas’ (originally titled Joyeux Noel) screened at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2006 Oscars is based on a true story that took place on the Christmas eve of 1914.

Three armies (Scottish regiment, French and German) are just a few metres away from each other in their trenches on the cold Christmas eve. Suspicion is in the air even as the Germans, led by their prized tenor, begin to sing their version of ‘Silent Night’. It was a night none had expected. Eventually, the three forces gathered together at ‘no man’s land’ to have a mass after their commanders declared an unofficial ceasefire.
The men drank, shared food, buried their dead, talked, sang and exchanged addresses. They found that their enemies were not so cruel after all. However, the circumstances leading to their “most memorable Christmas” come with consequences and they must accept what is stored for them.

The sorrows of war is resonanated strongly in the painful music composed by Philippe Rombi. The keyboard has been employed with great expertise to bring out the agonies of the men at war.

With regard to the acting, Gary Lewis as the Scottish priest, Guillaume Canet as the French lieutenant and Benno Furmann as the German tenor are central to the film’s mood and they carry it pretty well. Perhaps the most hard-hitting fact shown in this film is the religious angle in which the Allied forces are indoctrinated by priests to fight and kill ‘to save democracy and protect God’s given freedom’!

The film celebrates the true spirit of Christmas — love and brotherhood. A must watch.
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French/German/English
Cast: Gary Lewis, Guillaume Cane, Steven Robertson and Robin Laing, Benno Furmann, Diane Kruger
Director: Christian Carion

The Day The Earth Stood Still (Film Review)

This movie is a remake of the 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still, based on the short sci-fi story Farewell to the Master by Harry Bates. The film sticks to the original storyline about a humanoid alien coming to the earth to destroy human race for the sake of preserving other lives. However, there are numerous additional inputs with newer technology and unpardonable changes in the script.

Klaatu (Keenu Reeves), the humanoid messenger, lands in Manhattan Park from the outer space alongwith a giant robot in a huge crystall ball like-object. The self defensive-destructive robot will start its work if humans fail to listen to Klaatu’s warning for changing their destructive lifestyles that are harming other living organisms.

Among the scientists who are summoned by NASA to examine the mysterious Klaatu and the object is Helen Benson (Jenifer Connelly), an astro-biologist. The US army wounds Klaatu and is admitted to a hospital where he adopts a human form. After coming to his senses Klaatu tries to reason with US secretary of defence Regina (Kathy Bates) that he had come to convince world leaders (refer UN Assembly) that humans need to change their ways. But the secretive US administration refuses to fall for his story except for Helen who somehow strikes a note with Klaatu.

Klaatu is taken to a detention centre but he escapes and calls up Helen who comes with talkative stepson Jacob (Jaden Smith). Klaatu, now convinced that humans will not change their ways, tells Helen to keep on driving until they reach a forest where he initiates the process of destroying human species. To be precise, the only good thing in this film is the core idea that the earth also belongs to other forms of life besides showing that there are still some good souls left on Earth which gives enough reason that human race need not be wiped out.

However universal the theme may be, this film falls apart as there are many loopholes in the storyline. The first scene which shows Reeves in the Karakoram mountain itself makes no sense at all. So are the steel-like insects that destroy everything on their path. Aren’t they supposed to kill only humans? How come so many of the giant crystal ball-like objects (modern day Noah’s Ark) that propped up all across the Earth suddenly were never discovered by scientists? Even the Indian promo poster which has Taj Mahal is misleading.

These are just a few of them. But the most annoying thing is that it deviates too far from the original. Result: you have a foreshorten film in which the director and scriptwriter never really understand each other. Even the grace of versatile actor Keanu Reeves cannot save this film because of its weak script, directionless direction, cluttered editing and passable visual effects.
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English (U)
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith
Director: Scott

Transporter 3 (Review)

Transporter has become another iconic action flick series with actor Jason Statham taking the up role of ex-commando turned transporter Frank Martin again in this ‘threequel’.

Frank (Jason) is now retired in Marseilles. But when a mysterious car crashes into his hut, he is drawn into a ‘game’ involving climate change and toxic waste. Industrial groups have hired Johnson (Knepper) to ‘persuade’ the green-activist Ukrainian minister to sign a deal that would allow dumping tonnes of industrial waste into the sea.

As Frank takes the driver seat with the minister’s kidnapped daughter Valentina (Natalya Rudakova) beside him, they criss-cross Europe until they reach Odessa where Johnson suddenly decides to terminate his deal with Frank. The plot never really explains but it’s simple enough to grab it when you are made to wear bracelets that will explode if you go too far away from the car that you ride.

Good things first. The direction is excellent with believable sets, right amount of wit and beautiful car chase scenes. Hate him or love him, Jason as an action hero can surely deliver stylish punches and kicks that spell broken ribs. First he uses his coat, tie and then pure muscles; all of which become the trademark of this film.

Nataliya is not too hot but her freckled face and irritating acts tell us that we are seeing the real Ukrainian lady.

Now to the bad things. The original character of the Transporter was more of a macho action thriller but this film has given Transporter a more feminine touch. No one can blame Jason or the director for the love angle to seep in especially when you now have James Bond falling in love! The scene in which Valentina forces Frank to strip is absolutely inexcusable. It is watchable for it’s sensible no-nonsense stylish action scenes besides the smashing editing which sometimes may be too fast for some.
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English (U/A)
Cast: Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova
Director: Olivier Megaton

Max Payne

Based on the 2001-hit videogame Max Payne the film follows DEA agent Max’s (Mark Wahlberg) desperate attempt to find the killers of his wife and daughter.

Max now working in the ‘Cold Case’ department of the NYPD discovers that the case involving his wife’s killing involves a much deeper conspiracy. The US military had signed a contract with Aesir Pharmaceuticals to develop a serum to boost its men morale in the fight against terrorism. But the drug failed with only one man reacting positively, so the military scrapped the project. However, Max’s father ex-partner B B Hensley (Beau Bridges) tried to profit from it by selling the serum as a drug. That’s when Max’s wife came in the way of B B. Max looking for a lead unintentionally bump into Natasha Sax (Olga Kurylenko, the sexy lady in the latest Bond film Quantum of Solace) in a club. She tries to seduce him but Max throws her out only to find that she would soon become another victim of the ‘gang’. Then Max and Natasha’s sister Mona Sax (Mila Kunis) join hand to have their revenge.

Mark looks comfortable as the hardened man whose only purpose of living was revenge. Mila Kunis is a perfect accomplice but Olga Kurylenko is totally wasted even in her appearance as a seductive drug addict for about 5 minutes.

Die-hard fans of the game must have been eagerly waiting for this film but ‘disappointment’ is a word many have to accept when it comes to the film’s lifeline — the script. The storytelling is painfully slow, considering it is an action movie. There are devils, fires, sparks and bad boys who are not well explained. For instance, the question on Mila’s life, who she really is and what she does, remain a puzzle. Even the numerous flashbacks do help much. On many occasions, the film almost falls apart but the cinematography and some stylish action scenes literally keep it afloat.

Overall, Max Payne is watchable only for its star presence, action cuts, sound effects and to satisfy your curiosity.
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Max Payne
English (A)
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Beau Bridges, Olga Kurylenko
Director: John Moore

Killer English!!!

Enough scope for fun in English even when it is wrongly used. Here are some sentences which a friend of mine forwarded me today.

Principal to student..." I saw u yesterday rotating near girls hostel
pulling cigerette... ? "

Class teacher once said: "pick up the paper and fall in the dustbin!!!"

Once Hindi teacher said: I'm going out of the world to America.."
"..Don't try to talk in front of my back."
Don't....augh at the back benches... otherwise teeth and all will be fallen down.....

It was very hot in the afternoon when the teacher entered.. She tried to switch the fan on, but there was some problem. and then she said, " Why is fan not oning" (ing form of on)

Teacher in a furious mood: "write down ur name and father of ur name!!!"
"Shhh... quiet... the principal is revolving around college."

My manager started like this:
"Hi, I am Madhu, Married with two kids"
"I'll illustrate what i have in my mind" said the professor and erased the board"
"will u hang that calender or else i'll HANG MYSELF"

Librarian scolded: "If you will talk again, I will kneel down outside."

Chemistry HOD comes and tells us: "My aim is to study my son and marry my daughter"
"Tomorrow call ur parents especially mother and father."
"Why are you looking at the monkeys outside when i am in the class?!"

Lab assistant said this when my friend wrote wrong code: "I understand. You understand. Computer how understand??

Seing the principal passing by, the teacher told the noisy class: "Keep quiet, the principal has passed away"

Death Race

The post-industrial economic crisis in the US provides ample ground for the business savvy woman-warden of the dreaded Terminal Island Prison to turn the place into a money minting place. She pitted inmates against each others in a deadly car race which is broadcasted as “Death Race” to the world via a paysite on the internet. The winner, if there is, any at all, could win his freedom after going through the final stage!

Jensen (Statham) a decent husband and father is framed for murder and sent to Terminal Island prison. The warden (Allen) offers Jensen his freedom if he beats challenger Joe (Gibson). But Jensen thinks that he had met another competitor (Ryan) somewhere before he landed in the prison cell. So with his racing coach (McShane) and bombshell navigator (Martinez), Jensen trumps up an escape plan even as the race takes place under the watchful eyes of the prison warden.

Death Race is full of deafening roar of the cars, big guns and even bigger explosions. Statham looks astonishingly cool in his well toned muscles and sexy Martinez keeps you glue to the screen. The jaw-dropping car chase scenes and actions resemble the making of another part of The Fast and the Furious but with poor scripting and messy editing Death Race looks more of a videogame masquerading as a movie. There is too much special effects that the film could use toons and not actors.

Death Race is a mockery of the 1975-original film, but it delivers extreme fury and action to ensure that it remains entertaining if you deactivate your brainpower.
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English (A)
Cast: Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Ian McShane, Tyrese Gibson, Natalie Martinez
Director: Paul W S Anderson

Embracing male sexuality

Gentlemen: A Lighter Look at the Male Viewpoint
Author: Anil Abraham, Unisun, 2008, pp 90, Rs 150

Bangalore-based doctor Anil Abraham’s Gentlemen is a sidesplitting monologue on the Indian male psychic on sexual transformation. If you have seen the classic play of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, you’ll find that you have been to similar grounds. Gentlemen traces the four stages of sexual identification process of the Indian male, particularly that of a South Indian, in a pleasurable way minus vulgarity.

The monologues are divided into five parts — four on men themselves and one by a woman. The first one called ‘The Impotence of Being Earnest’ concentrates on a gentleman’s horror at the realisation that his ‘Mohanlal’ had betrayed him on the night of his marriage to a ‘complete stranger’, despite him having had a ‘hard’ and ‘healthy’ life all through.

Then we have ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ in which a budding young man instead of playing violin plays with his stuff at the discovery of his sexual identity on a rooftop. There’s a lot to look back and grind at the little home-truths here.

Now, a sexually active married man in ‘The Last of the Red-Hot Lovers’ hits out at the ‘needless’ condom. There are some catchy dialogues like “When there is rain an umbrella is OK. But what’s love with a condom? Don’t you think it’s a little out-of place?”

Finally ‘To Pee or not to Pee’ is a satire on the dysfunctional of men’s ‘most guarded tool’. It’s a story about an aged man and how he had to deal with his ever youthful mischievous mind.

Dr Abraham then chooses to have a ‘happily ever after’ play with a no-nonsense woman in ‘Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf?” What’s life without women after all? This section serves as a reminder to all men that with all their machismo, by being born the way they are, their ultimate happiness lies with words like Men-struation, Men-opause and finally Wo-men!

This book maybe small but the issue it contains is much bigger than the phallus — men’s ‘most guarded element’. It is a candid take on men’s sexuality which rarely gets into Indian performing arts and public discussion. Even as the dermatologist in Abraham brings out the often regarded taboo topic in a refined manner the teacher in him equally tackles the issue without impropriety.
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Days of Glory

This French drama based on the lives of Algerian youths who enlisted themselves in the French Army during the World War II is a touching tale of defeat and hope, in the face of victory.

In 1943, four Algerian ‘band of brothers’ join the French Army to fight against the Nazis. These ‘Arab’ soldiers were made to believe that they were fighting for justice, liberty and freedom but regarding their own situation, they discovered that they were less than equal to their French counterparts. Though equally patriotic and ready to lay down their lives for the country, they even had to fight for tomatoes forget about promotion.

The picturisation on fear and courage of the men; the discrimination and also a warm smiles from the French people recounts the love-hate relationship that exists in wartime France and after.

The cinematography is one of the best any war-based films can boast of. The film was nominated for a host of awards including the Academy Awards, for the Best Foreign Film and the Independent Spirit Awards, for Best Foreign Film.

A sincere tribute to the souls of Algerian French war heroes and a look at the inscrutable and ungrateful successive French governments which refuse to give pensions to them despite the Supreme Court’s order. It is said that the French government finally decided to honour them only when the then president Jacques Chirac watched this film. The thematic presentation of the plight of French war veterans aroused the universal hard truths many people had to face when race comes into play.
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French (A/U) (with English subtitle)
Cast: Jamel Debbouze, Samy Naceri, Roschdy Zem, Sami Bouajila, Bernard Blancan, Mathieu Simonet
Director: Rachid Bouchareb

Shortcut to Happyness

English (U/A)
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Kim Cattrall
Director: Harry Kirkpatrick

Based on the classic adaptation of Stephen Vincent Benet and Archibald MacLeish's classic The Devil and Daniel Webster, this film reminds you of how you had taken that long route to miss a C-grade film that your sex-driven friend offered to take you along just because he wanted to see a 'A' graded film.

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Are Dogs and Books man’s best friends?

"You just call-out my name and you know wherever I'm ,I'll come runni'n to see you again Winter, spring summer or fall…All you have to do is call and I'll be there …You got a friend…"

All ye book and dog lovers who wish to take a morning walk with your dog in the Cubbons or cuddle in your study with some books. On this year Friendship Day invest in friendship because it's worth.

A dog is often said to be a man's best friend. There are also others who say books are man's best friend. These epigrams sometimes make me wonder if no human being could ever become another man's best friend! I had been 'friends' with both dogs and books.

I had shared with my dog my biscuits and morsels of food at the dining room. We would go to parks on weekends and Sundays for flirting. I had seen him falling in love and he was a witness of me going gaga over the same.

He would leap into my bed every morning to ascertain whether my alarm clock perform its assigned task. We also had misunderstandings and bad days. We pretend to ignore each other despite fully knowing that we feel terribly inside. By the end of the day, we knew reconciliation was always a better option than going to sleep with a heavy heart. Once we settled our differences we would feel alive again and looked ahead to start a brand new day together.

However, my dog died when he was only 3 years old. I was depressed. I loiter alone along the lonely lanes and parks we had frequented. The worst thing was that I no longer have the courage and enthusiasm to take in another dog. I feared, I would not be able to bear another sorrowful event of losing another 'dog friend'!

One day as I was sitting in a park, I overheard an old man telling his young grandson: Papu, you know what, books are the best friend you can have, they never betray you… and lastly they never leave you alone lonely.

Believing the old man, I translated his words into practice. I started collecting books from friends and neighbours. Besides, I also bought some pirated books sold on the streets! Within three months I was in the company of some 80 'book friends'. Some of them lay on my table, some sleeps inside the bookshelf waiting to be woken up, some under my pillow while others lay on the kitchen shelves!

Books and books were all I could think of. My brother thought I was getting paranoid. My mother somehow managed to tolerate my 'book friends' laying all around the house. My father suggests I get a new dog. My sisters wants me to bring them Mills& Boons and not the "boring literatures".

As time passes I began to realise that my 'book friends' were becoming selfish. They always want me to read into their 'mind' or dust them clean. I began to have second thought on what the old man had said. Was he just another depressed man like me, at that time, who also had just lost his dog? As my weary mind starts churning out the possible answers to the vexed question on 'best friends' it becomes more obvious to me that the old man had said those 'wise words' simply to lighten up his heavy heart.

The more I get closer to my 'book friends', the less time I spent with my family and human friends. Conversation with them becomes as rare as a dodo. I began to feel the emptiness in me. I feel cold in my squared room with all my 'book friends'. They shared me their jokes, I forgot to laugh. I read their thrilling stories, no longer do I get excited.

Had it not been for the saviour word— introspection— I would have blackout. As my mind races back, images of support and encouragement by family members and human friends appeared before my gleaming eyes. They were the one who had stood by me at all time.

Though I love my 'book friends', I finally decided that I have had enough time with them. Now that my mind and senses are clear, I can see and feel that dogs and books can only be man's 'part-time friends' and not a 'man's best friend'. They can never replace human beings.

A dog is often said to be a man's best friend. There are also others who say books are man's best friend. These epigram sometimes make me wonder if no human being could ever become another man's best friend! I had been 'friends' with both dogs and books.

I had shared with my dog my biscuits and morsels of food at the dining room. We would go to parks on weekends and sundays for flirting. I had seen him falling in love and he was a witness of me going gaga over the same.

He would leap into my bed every morning to ascertain whether my alarm clock perform its assigned task. We also had misunderstandings and bad days. We pretend to ignore each other despite fully knowing that we feel terribly inside. By the end of the day, we knew reconciliation was always a better option than going to sleep with a heavy heart. Once we settled our differences we would feel alive again and looked ahead to start a brand new day together.

However, my dog died when he was only 3 years old. I was depressed. I loiter alone along the lonely lanes and parks we had frequented. The worst thing was that I no longer have the courage and enthusiasm to take in another dog. I feared, I would not be able to bear another sorrowful event of losing another 'dog friend'!

One day as I was sitting in a park, I overheard an old man telling his young grandson: Papu, you know what, books are the best friend you can have, they never betray you… and lastly they never leave you alone lonely.

Believing the old man, I translated his words into practice. I started collecting books from friends and neighbours. Besides, I also bought some pirated books sold on the streets! Within three months I was in the company of some 80 'book friends'. Some of them lay on my table, some sleeps inside the bookshelf waiting to be woken up, some under my pillow while others lay on the kitchen shelves!

Books and books were all I could think of. My brother thought I was getting paranoid. My mother somehow managed to tolerate my 'book friends' laying all around the house. My father suggests I get a new dog. My sisters wants me to bring them Mills& Boons and not the "boring literatures".

As time passes I began to realise that my 'book friends' were becoming selfish. They always want me to read into their 'mind' or dust them clean. I began to have second thought on what the old man had said. Was he just another depressed man like me, at that time, who also had just lost his dog? As my weary mind starts churning out the possible answers to the vexed question on 'best friends' it becomes more obvious to me that the old man had said those 'wise words' simply to lighten up his heavy heart.

The more I get closer to my 'book friends', the less time I spent with my family and human friends. Conversation with them becomes as rare as a dodo. I began to feel the emptiness in me. I feel cold in my squared room with all my 'book friends'. They shared me their jokes, I forgot to laugh. I read their thrilling stories, no longer do I get excited.

Had it not been for the saviour word— introspection— I would have blackout. As my mind races back, images of support and encouragement by family members and human friends appeared before my gleaming eyes. They were the one who had stood by me at all time.

Though I love my 'book friends', I finally decided that I have had enough time with them. Now that my mind and senses are clear, I can see and feel that dogs and books can only be man's 'part-time friends' and not a 'man's best friend'. They can never replace human beings.

Book Reviews Coming Soon...

Today, i received three books for reviewing.

The books are:

1. The Black Silk Road by Janet Wise
2. Dearangements by Rajorshi Chakraborti
3. Gentlemen-Alighter look at the male viewpoint by Anil Abraham

The first one is quite thick and seems to hold a thrilling and compelling story of imperial treachery. The second book appears to be about the author take on himself, but i have to see it for myself. Finally, the third book looks like a tiny handbook that tells you what it is to look from a man's point of view.

I expect to complete reading these three books in the next two weeks and snippets of the reviews will be here in this blog.

Meanwhile, let's hope you enjoy browsing through the blog.

Flashbacks of a Fool

'Flashbacks of a Fool' could touch anybody’s heart with its good-simple storyline coupled with the stunning locations.

This psycho-drama has Daniel Craig (the current James Bond) in the role of Joe Scott, a faded movie star in a sea of joyless sex and drugs.

In the first half we have the flashbacks of Joe, as a 15-year-old boy growing up in an English village and experiencing rites of puberty - mooning over his first love and then discovering the joys of sex with a housewife next door.

Director Baillie Walsh then enters the emotional game by knitting the loose ends of the characters’ lives.

As you may expect, grown-up Joe revisits his old home, so you can be sure he will not let lust take over him again this time. Real love rules, right?

The film boasts of terrific sound and performances of the actors are convincing.

But the plot feels rather blunt, never quite sticking to the mark as the script tries to sermon on every aspects of life.

The film is provocative and thoughtful even though it is not convincingly strong enough to make you a convert
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English (A)
Cast: Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, Eve, Olivia Williams, Jodhi May, Helen McCrory
Director: Baillie Walsh

Babylon AD

The future is bleak with wars and refugees. The world is fit only for hardened mercenary Toorop (Vin Diesel) who lives by a simple code; kill or be killed. The XXX star in this film meets a new challenge as he plans to smuggle a ‘parcel’- a young woman Aurora - from a convent in Kazakhstan to New York City.

Toorop, Aurora (Melanie Thierry) and her guardian Sister Rebeka (Michelle Yeoh) embark on a journey from delipidated Europe, through a refugee camp in ‘New Russia,’ across the Bering Strait, Alaska and Canada, and finally to New York. As Toorop gets to know more about Aurora during their journey he must now decide whether he should handover Aurora - who is the only hope for the survival of mankind - to her ruthless mother. There’s a lot of reasons not to love this film: it’s too shallow. The plot is unclear. We have a young woman with psychic and telekinetic powers but from where she came is a script entirely gone awry. The climax is most upsetting as it makes no sense. The fight scenes suffer from an extremely confused editor. However, the film boasts of the most unpleasant grainy set which is really effective in sending a message that this is not a world that any of us would like to live in. It implores mankind to act and start changing things.

The camera takes are pretty good with characters almost coming down on your face. There are a number of shots to take your breath away.

Overall, the film is supposed to be an action flick with morally binding tale of struggle for survival. But it misses the former while negotiating the latter
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Babylon A. D.
English (A/U)
Cast: Vin Diesel, Gerard Depardieu, Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Rampling, Melanie Thierry
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz

Hellboy - II: The Golden Army

English (U/A)
Cast: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Luke Goss
Director: Guillermo del Toro

Remember the gentleman from hell with horns who was trying to save mankind from wicked forces? Yes, that's the Hellboy we know since 2004 when he first makes his big screen debut in Hellboy. In this second edition of Mike Mignola's Dark Horse comics Oscar nominated-director Guillermo Del Toro brings back Ron Perlman and Selma Blair together as Hellboy and his girlfriend Liz Sherman.

As the world witnesses the rise of a despot ruler Prince Nauda (Luke Goss) the ancient armistice between mankind and the invisible kingdom of the fantasy world is broken. Unless that is fixed the Earth will turn hell again.

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Deception

A film with two hot male actors, Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor, plus hosts of sexy women is definitely equals to a racy melodrama-suspense thriller.

In this film of cat-and-mouse game a bored accountant Jonathan (Ewan McGregor) meets a suave corporate lawyer Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman) who compels him to take time off and have some good fun. As the two explore New York’s night life they developed a deep friendly relationship, so deep that a new chapter awaits Jonathan’s life.

When the two ‘accidentally’ swap their mobile phones Wyatt told Jonathan that he could use his mobile phone since he was out of station. On repeatedly hearing all the “Are you free tonight?” tantalising ladies call from Wyatt’s mobile Jonathan is finally drawn into an anonymous sex club. There he falls for a woman named “S” (Michelle Williams), which is against the rule of the club. As “S” disappears mysteriously Jonathan discovers that Wyatt is not what he seems to be. What then follow is a saga of kidnapping, murder and blackmail. For once this is a film which one can safely say that there are too many turns making it difficult to straighten them in the end. Some of them just snapped into silliness.

But in terms of aesthetic value Deception is gorgeous to look at. The camera work, editing and sound are first-class, and so are the actors. Deception is an escapist entertainment. So you can expect a fair amount of sex and some skin. However, remember this is India — you can’t get a decent scene.

Even as the film falls apart in the plot and screenplay it looks fabulous.
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Deception
English (A)
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Natasha Henstridge, Maggie Q, Charlotte Rampling
Director: Marcel Langenegger

A Wednesday

The message is loud and clear — the aam admi (common man) is angry with serial blasts. Debutant director Neeraj Pandey’s A Wednesday maybe fictitious but it draws inspiration from the realities of our time.

The film concentrates on the strange encounter Mumbai’s Commissioner of Police Prakash Rathod (Anupam Kher) has with a frustrated common man with no name, played by Naseruddin Shah.

Shah plants four bombs and demands the release of four dreaded terrorists, all of whom are languishing in jail after being convicted for various blasts across the country.

Shah plays his game through a mobile phone and a laptop from a rooftop and makes the police believe that he wants the freedom of the terrorists.

However, when the police comply to his demand he does something which surprises all.

As for the casting, Shah, Kher and Jimmy (as a die-hard policeman) are all convincing, but Deepal Shaw as TV reporter Naina Roy looks totally out of place. If one looks carefully into the set you will also notice certain flaws, like the wireless phone antenna being up in one scene and then pulled down in the next.

However, the best part of this film is that it makes you think as to who this common man is and what are his real intentions. Finally, unlike many typical Bollywood film A Wednesday gives you the opportunity to reflect and be your own judge when it comes to terrorism.
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Hindi (U/A)

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Rajpal Yadav, Jimmy Shergill, Aamir Bashir, Deepal Shaw, Gaurav Kapoor nklageDirector: Neeraj Pandey

Highway To Trouble

Among the many things not running smooth in Manipur, India's Jewel, are the roads. The transport system in this north-eastern state for more than a decade, has been a matter of concern for most Manipuris, especially the Hmar tribe living in Tipaimukh sub division of Churachandpur district. With the impending 'Mautam' (famine due to Bamboo flowering) in the region, villagers in the sub division are a worried lot as there are practically no government office functioning in the area to turn to.

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(Written on December 16, 2007)

Righteous Kill

The promo of the film runs like this: ‘Most people respect the badge. Everybody respects the gun’. It should have been ‘Most people like to see big actors. Everybody prefers a good film.’

In what could be a passable film of the year, two NYPD veterans confuse the department while trailing a serial killer.

Turk (Robert De Niro) and Rooster (Al Pacino) who have worked as partners for 30 years are pushed to work with young detectives Perez, Riley and CSI Karen Corelli, when a serial killer starts killing bad guys after courts let them free due to ‘lack of evidence’.

But when all fingers point to Turk himself to be the killer, Rooster begins playing his own game.

As the suspense continues Jon Avnet shows us Turk’s confession through a grainy video which somewhat lacks credibility, only to know later that it is a part of the film’s climax.The supporting cast is good enough especially when you see Carla Gugino as a sex-crazed detective.

Leguizamo and Wahlberg are convincing as the young cops who believe Turk is behind the killings.

Though Righteous Kill is not the best it still has got the right ‘masala’ — big actors and a brilliant promo — to get you to the theatre.
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English (A)
Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, 50 Cent, Carla Gugino, John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg
Director: Jon Avnet

Mamma Mia!

The storyline of Mamma Mia is simple: A daughter who is all set to marry feels she missing is a very important person in her life — a father who will give her away on her big day.

So, she sends an invite to three of her mother’s ex-partners with the hope of finding her real father. Guess, what, all the three turn up and that’s when things begin to go awry. Will she get to know her true father? How will her mother reacts when she meets her former beaus-of the ABBA era? Will she get her Greek fat wedding? All these questions will be answered in Mamma Mia.

A big cast in the form of Meryl Strep as Amanda Seyfried’s mother, is supported Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth.
The screenplay truly fictionalises the story and sets an aura of a desirable fantasy world.

As far as the musical part of this film is concerned you just can’t prevent your feet from tapping or hum along with Swedish band ABBA’s evergreen songs like Mamma Mia, Money Money, Supper Duper, I Have a Dream, etc., which are well choreographed. Though some times, the film lacks the punch of the stage musical, you can’t just let down the infectious songs of ABBA.

As the film also celebrates mother-daughter relationship and friendship it would be wise to take along your friends, to truly enjoy the movie.
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English (U/A)

Cast: Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Colin Firth

Director: Phyllida Lloyd

You Don't Mess With The Zohan

This is the story of Israeli secret agent Zohan (Adam Sandler) who fakes his own death to pursue his dreams of becoming a hair stylist in the US of A. As Zohan makes out with his old women clients in the back room of his saloon, his cover is finally blown. So, he must protect his newfound career, yes; guess what, in the funniest way possible.

In the first 15 minutes you see Zohan performing his superhuman abilities to show his manliness. He plays ping pong, engages in crazy sexual acts and catches the bad guys!

The film seems to promise a whole new genre of comedy but the silly jibes that follow thereafter are simply stupid. The storyline also seems attractive but as the film rolls on to show the Arab-Israeli conflict along with Zohan’s love interest one can easily spot the end of the story.

The stunts and sounds work but the cinematography that apes Agent 007 films fails miserably.

In fact it is blunt. The jokes on people from the Middle East however have their own charm, though. In addition, the happy ending in every scene, like the 80s comedy shows, may well go well with some.

Sadly, it’s easy to mess with Adam Sandler’s You Don’t Mess With The Zohan. Special appearances by Kevin James, Mariah Carey and Kevin Nealon reminds one of some B-grade Bollywood films where you need a star guest to light up the screen space a bit. Their performances are passable but the film’s ‘rare of the rarest’ funny scenes merit at least one view.
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English (A)
Cast: Adam Sandler, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui
Director: Dennis Dugan

Three Monkeys

Servet (Ercan Kesal), a politician facing re-election, is involved in a hit-and-run case. Fearing an electoral debacle, he calls up his driver Eyup (Yavuz Bingol) and convinces him to take the blame with a promise to pay him a hefty sum after he is out of prison.

As Eyup serves his nine-month jail term, his son Ismail (Ahmet Rifta Sungar), desperate to find a job, asks his mother Hacer (Hatice Aslan) to take the money in advance from his father’s boss.

However, after frequent visits to Servet’s office, Hacer falls in love with him. Then, one thing leads to another until her son finds out her illicit relationship. The disastrous drama unfolds when Eyup, after his release, finds out that his wife had been having a fling with his boss. However, in order to avoid responsibilities and stick together, the family, like the allegorical three monkeys, chooses to ignore the truth: refusing to see, hear or even talk about it.

The Three Monkeys is a slow surrealist film with its shabby set. It is more of an art film. The second half, however, picks up the pace a bit, when Ismail discovers his mother’s affair with his dad’s boss. Some of the intriguing questions the film poses are: Is our behaviour defined by our emotional relationship more than by rightful actions? Are we likely to close our eyes to the dead on the streets whom we barely know?

Are we ready to sacrifice ourselves for the survival of our family, at all cost? Though the film is a depressing view of humanity many of us would say, ‘this is the real world.’

It also potrays a woman’s longing for freedom. Hacer tells her son that she never does anything without his father’s permission when he asks her for the money, because it just makes him angry. Therefore, Eyup’s nine-month jail provided Hacer the most wanted freedom in her married life. Having tasted the freedom, Hacer finds it hard to step back to the ways of a demanding husband.

The film’s grey and brown palette perfectly portray the gloomy and oppressive view of our belief that society rests on deceit.

The film is set to test your patience with its slow pace. However, it is worth the time and the money.
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Turkish (A) (With English subtitles)

Cast: Hatice Aslan, Yavuz Bingol, Ercan Kesal, Ahmet Rifat SungarDirector: Nuri Bilge

The Secret Friend

Chris Mooney's The Secret Friend gives me a deja vu. The storyline of this book is strikingly similar to the Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins-starrer Silence of the Lamb in which a young FBI agent, Clarice Starling, tries to catch the psychopath Buffalo Bill, who kidnaps young women and then murders them.

However, in The Secret Friend, instead of having Dr Hannibal Lecter, we have a former FBI agent, who leads a young woman, Crime Scene Investigation detective Darby McCormick, to trackdown a psychopath-murderer.

Darby is asked to investigate a body found floating in the Boston harbour. Her instinct and skill make her believe that the murder is linked to the death of another young woman, Emma Hale, the only daughter of a rich and powerful man.

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Just Prof Mohamad!

During the two years course in Communication and Journalism we were assigned to bring out a daily campus journal. One day, one professor from the department of Sociology passed away leaving the faculty and friends in sorrow. As usual, the Communication students were busy trying to figure out how to profile the deceased.

We started editing his profile when suddenly we realised that we had doubts over his full name. Some of my classmates said, "I think his full name is Professor Mohamad bin Ahmed." Another one quips in, "No, it's only Professor Mohamad." After much confusion the student editor sent me to do the great detective work of finding out the full name of the professor.

I went and got his name from his department. Being in a hurry to escape from the class I barged into the lab and said to the editor, "I got him, His full name is just Professor Mohamad Ahmed."
The news editor typed in the keyboard and within a flash on the computer monitor comes: 'Just Professor Mohamad Ahmed was a lovable….'

I instantly noticed the 'JUST' and told the editor that the professor's name is just simply PROF MOHAMAD AHMED and not PROF JUST MOHAMAD AHMED.

We all had a good laugh. However sad the occasion maybe to the family members, we can't help it. But we gave him a good send-off in our obituary-profile. Nice man makes people smile even when they finally lay down to rest.

*Real name has been changed to protect the identity of the departed soul.

Mush Musing Hard!

The General's Way Out.... ???

Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf efforts to cling onto power clearly shows that he is a desperate power-hungry dictator. Since his bloodless coup by toppling the democratically elected government of Nawaz Sharif, Musharraf has made several promises to step down... But the corridors of power have so many paths and he happens to to take what most politicians have taken- The Corrupt Route.

Pakistanis have now began questioning him in public about millions of dollars which Pakistan receives in aid from the United States. He is now accused of misappropriation of $700 million by the ruling coalition.

Musharraf had blamed leaders of the regime he crushed as well as the Bhutto family for corruption earlier. But in his attempt to stay in power as long as he deem fit lets him sacrifice his ethos — he struck a deal with the late Benazir so that he can have the presidency.Musharraf could have taken his accusation seriously by initiating prosecution against those whom he called “Swiss Bank account holders”. But his thirst for power has not only rendered him weak but also landed him in ‘Corrupt Path’ like most politicians.

Under the present circumstances Mush's position does not look good. He has created many enemies over the time. First it was the terrorists, followed by the judiciary, then the tribals and now the people of Pakistan which is represented by the coalition government. These days Mush must be musing all day long in his chamber as to what will be the safest way to exit... opsss... to cling on to power.

Pipi's Mango Tree

By Nahai

What comes to your mind when someone mentions something that is superb, juicy, tasty and very colorful fruit? A tomato or jackfruits maybe close to the answer, but the answer will be definitely none other than the ‘King of fruits’- Mango. It is for this that the mango tree, the one that has stood behind my grandmother’s house that brings sugary reminiscences whenever someone speaks of mangoes.

The villagers would either refer to the tree as Pipi Theihai (pipi’s mango tree) or simply as ‘Sweet mango tree’. Maybe they do not have time to learn what is Mangifera indica Dussheri, Chosa, Langra, Safeda, Kalmi, Alphonso, Amrapali (some varieties of mangoes) like we do. The only thing they were worried about were the recurrent hailstones during the flowering months of early spring as heavy winds and hailstones would come which meant lesser ripened mangoes left for them to savor.

There are several species of mangoes but the genera of the mango tree never bother children and the village folk of Patpuihmun. Instead they would look onward eagerly for the huge tree to bear its fruits. Children do not care as long as their little hands could reach to plug their favourite fruit, of course with permission from Pipi (grandmother).

Pipi Theihai is a tall tree now growing almost up to 100 ft; a dense, heavy crown of branches has a spread of around 100 ft. The evergreen drooping leaves resemble those of the peach tree. Coppery to purplish-red at first but becoming green at maturity, they are lance-shaped and slightly curved. It has witnessed many summers and according to the village elders it could be as old as 100 years. What is amazing is that the fruits are as sweet as before. Its ivory colored small flowers are still numerous with fruit clusters hanging outside the foliage canopy.

The small yellowish flowers would appear. Children’s knew that soon they would have those little mangoes again. Now those flowers produces a volatile substance which in some little kids it would cause an allergic reaction and respiratory problems. Mothers would scold their kids for being glutton. The few lucky ones who were permitted by Pipi did not have to fear the volatile substances for they do not have to fear her rebukes for not taking her permission before climbing the tree.

Pipi Theihai also provides lots of dense shade. And at high noon everybody in the village of Patpui* would seek its company looking for superior cool shade it offer. It also had lots of visitors. The first to arrive during the flowering were a flock of chattering bulbuls that trying to impress their mates. These bulbuls were then be followed by other smaller birds. Pipi Theihai is not just a Mango Tree now. It is more like an individual in the little village where people would come together whenever they need to find relief from heat and of course not forgetting the ripe juicy mangoes.

Its huge trunk provided a strong limb children used to put bamboo ladders to climb it with. Everyone loves to sit by its lowering branches. They would even talk to the tree wishing for more shade and more fruits.

Due to its excellent succulent taste and its fresh yellow colour, Pipi Theihai is simply known as the ‘Sweet Mango’. Called it Am (Hindi) or mavina hannu(Kannada) Pipi’s mango will still retain its form, size, color, scent, taste and quality. There are over 500 named varieties of the mango. The colourful cheek, tasty, juicy, flavored fruit that Pipi’s Theihai bore is now known all over the surrounding villages.

The villagers from other villages would asked for the dry flat elongated fibrous seed from Pipi in the hope that a new ‘pipi theihai’ would grow behind their huts as well. But the folk would regret sadly that none of the fruits that come up in their garden taste as good as the one on Pipi’s.

Pipi’s Theihai is however like any other mango trees when it comes to putting up with nature calamities, pesky black birds, bugs, insects, bees, and is susceptible do getting mildew. Yes, that is what all that black stuff all over the trunk, leaves, and fruit. But nobody cares about the mildew when Pipi’s Theihai is laden with plum juicy fruit. They would throw stones and pick and pick all the ones that were just right.

Each time I look back in fondness, I am saddened because Pipi’s Theihai lost its largest branch facing the east last monsoon when it was struck by lightning. But then a good Mango tree can last for 300 years and still fruiting great tasting Mangoes- the kind you love to eat.

From Northeast to Southwest: Home Away From Home

Who cares about language these days as long as they are used for artistic things? Language issue is of secondary importance to music unlike in politics where language is a priority. This is why many young boys and girls in remote Mizoram and Manipur hummed to Hindi film songs even without knowing the least of what it meant.

Art and music defy language as a means of expression. Same is with the ‘high pitch yet full of feeling’ voice of Lalrindiki, better known as Daduhi. Beautiful things go beyond word to express and bypass the language barrier across nationalities. It is for this reason that we appreciate the music of heavy rock and roll music though you may never understand a word of their lyrics! ;)

Daduhi brought with her a unique style in pop music in Mizoram and popularized contemporary music to be followed by many new entrants. The music scene in Mizoram is way ahead of its and people irrespective of their languages hummed to the catchy tunes. I don’t know much about music and its notes neither was I aware of this woman who could unite passion and feeling in her songs, but certain events in life bring us to understand what you thought you will never understand.

It was in early July 2005, in Karnataka, one evening; I went to a laundry to get my clothes washed. The laundryman was listening to certain music which I thought was familiar from the distant. As I went to his shop, there it was, clearly and distinctly the very voice from the land where ‘I came from’. The song was Kar hla Di!I still remember.

But I never knew that it was Daduhi until the announcer from All India Radio declared that it was Daduhi. I was surprised to hear not just the song but why the people in Karnataka listen to Mizo songs. “I just love it, of course not the lyric because I cannot understand a word … but the tunes and music and this girl voice are nice,” said the laundry man.

I asked him whether it was just incidental that Mizo songs were broadcasted from AIR station. The laundry man told me that since, he don’t know the language he cannot be sure if other songs are played but several songs like this used to be broadcast from AIR. From that day on we became good friends and answered several questions he on had about Mizoram and the Northeast. Don’t forget I still had to pay him for his laundry work.

At that time I thought that there was no one from Northeast, except me, in this ‘remote’ coastal city of Mangalore. Even if there were there would not be any Mizos, I assumed. My guess became partially true till today with not more than five Mizos in Mangalore.

Now I no longer go to the laundry man and I don’t know if Mizo songs are still broadcasted.
But I do know that Daduhi’s voice was a great comforter and connects me to the people with whom I was to stay for the remaining two years. Being my first time from out of Northeast India and that too from North East to South West I feared that might not be able to make myself at home during my stay here. But life changes unpredictably.

Daduhi’s Kar Hla Di’ pledges to stay faithful to the lover and wishes for togetherness sometimes echoes in my mind. And I too wish that my “thinlai(will) a dam ngei ang”, sooner or later. Until then, “…Tawng leh ni her chhuak ang…Run hmun leng dun ve Nan” will comfort me with a note that I am not so far away from home. After all I am amidst people who appreciate the same music as I do.

Why I got a mobile,How I lost it, got a new one and err…someone’s call…

By Nahai
Having a mobile phone became a necessity once I sat foot on India’s IT capital- Bangalore. I had to receive calls from …er…you know. So, I got myself a new Nokia handset sometime back. But I found by the end of one month that it was eating up my pocket as it turns out to be me who do all of the callings— instead of receiving calls. For the next two months, I reminded myself not to recharge every week but the service providers get me hooked by offering me new schemes… an offer I can’t refuse to let it go. So I gave up and talked as much as I could.

Sometimes, somebody at the other end of the line would just say, “You’ll be spending too much…” to which I would simply shrugs off saying, “ Don’t worry about that I got great offers to call you!”

I spent lots of time talking over the phone. The handset must have been very tired sometimes— if it were human. If ever, it were to complain, it would surely have done it or throw me a punch right on my ear!

Last week, somebody up there must be feeling pity for my overworked phone. It was finally relieved from my very own pocket under my very careful instinct. It happened when I was looking for a ‘safe house’ to rent it out as someone, you know, was coming to stay with me. Instead of finding a safer place, I landed up in an area where pick-pockets make their living.

I was returning in an over-crowded Bangalore Mahanagara Transport bus, constantly putting my right hand in my pocket to feel the presence of my ‘slave’ mobile. But as I was about to get down from the bus three people also tried to get down pushing me… the next moment I put my hands into my pockets I realised that my mobile had been taken away from me.

I saw one of the guys, who was half drunk, putting something under his armpit. I chased him and the bystanders looked at me as if they have never seen a Northeast lad running after a Southern crook. I caught him and frisked his pockets but I didn’t find my handset. Before I could tell the policeman who had been watching from the distance all the time, another crook hurried over to the next side of the road never to be seen again.

Not knowing exactly what to do, I went to the public call booth at the bus stand and called up my number. The thief picked it up but spoke in Kannada — a language I wish I could drive with my tongue.

I pleaded him to bring back the mobile and even offered him something… but he cuts-off the line. I tried to call several times but I could only hear, “This mobile you are calling is not reachable. Please try again.” I got tired after several attempts so I went to my office in the afternoon to start the days work. But I miss my mobile… that’s for sure as I could not concentrate properly on my work. I gave some extremely hilarious and overtly serious headlines. My colleague, quite a mused, by all the headlines send me a note (via the intranet): Robert, did ‘someone’ call you up? I replied saying, “ No, I had just lost the tool…damn it.”

During office break, using a colleague mobile, I called up the customer care service to block my SIM which they could not do under new guidelines for registration of lost mobiles and number blocking. The customer service man politely explained his helplessness and advised me lodge a police complaint.

The next day, I went to a police station, located in quite a posh residential area. There, my Northeast or ‘foreigner look’ gave the police constable the liberty to asked me Rs 100 — a fee for filing a police complaint!

I never knew that there was such provision in the Indian law, but when I reasoned with the constable he took me to the sub-inspector who was also expecting the same ‘fee’ from me. But he made a big mistake of asking me my job and profession. When I told him that I belonged to the media fraternity and working as a jounalist in the city, he quietly took my complaint paper and signed his acknowledgement!

Clutching the paper, I walked my way to the nearest Airtel showroom telling them that I have got the police note to confirm my claim. They, as customer friendly ever, politely expressed their regrets for the lost of my mobile! The lady at the desk assured me that I could get my same number and a new SIM card at no extra charge. “ Sir, your new SIM will be activated within three hours,” she added.

On my way back home, I bought a new Nokia again, inserted the new SIM card and eagerly waited for the assured time. At exactly one minute past three hours it was activated leaving me to ponder over the way the police station and an Airtel office functions in providing service to the people. Before, I could give any judgement to what I was thinking, a call finally comes from that… someone: U Malsawm, Thank God I could reach you finally. I’ve reached Guwahati… don’t worry too much about me. I will reach Bangalore on Tuesday.

Life: Never Stop Learning

Never be so stubborn about what you think you’ve learned about success.
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My first work for Integrated Media Practice during my MA course in Mass Communication and Journalism at Mangalore University’s Department of Mass Communication and Journalism involved changing the page design of Campus Courier by using QuarkXpress. It was a long, tedious effort, but ultimately accepted.

Afterward, I admit to being somewhat smug. I knew some were not for change. Part of this smugness came from the fact that some of my groupmates had come from earlier campus courier assignments that had purported to use the same copy design on QuarkXpress, but were (in my then mind) not practicing it correctly. Several of the practices introduced early into our project, were not much like QuarkXpress as commonly discussed in the class (or practiced by newspaper copy editors), and did contribute to some early adoption issues we encountered. By shifting towards a more typical QuarkXpress descriptions of those practices, we got attracted, and ultimately success.

Now I knew what QuarkXpress is.

So, on my next project, I tried to introduce those new features as in the last project only to find that they were now completely wrong for the team. I concluded that the problem was context-specific.You see where this is going. It was four issue (five if you count the ideas that seeded the first), before I began to realise that you can’t separate context from implementation of practices or otherwise. Each time I found certain principles carried over, but I also found that while there were similarities in implementation (to a greater or lesser degree) there was little (nothing really) that when cookie-cutter applied in the new situation netted the same results as on the previous issues.

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And this was for the marginally successful practices. It took me even longer to realise that this mind-set was appropriate for the most successful practices as well. Just because something was a smashing success didn’t mean it was immune to this re-examination on the next project.

There have been several more projects other than Campus Courier since then, but I still struggle with this today. While rationally I feel that I would be willing to abandon or modify any practice if it wasn’t helping us. I bring into each new project, and an inevitable ‘Aha’ moment when I realise how that prejudice is blinding me to what will help most. Mainly that moment just happens sooner.

I believe that this pattern applies to practices, values, and even principles: what works for us in the past, what we feel makes us successful, or even who we are is based somewhat on the accident of experience (or chance), and may prove disastrous when blindly followed in an inappropriate circumstance. Prejudicial thinking is difficult to notice in oneself. How much harder it is to detect when reinforced by culture, early experience, and prior positive outcomes.

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These days, I believe the key difference between practice, value and principle (something much talked about at one time in the classes) is simply how likely we are to adjust them if things are going wrong for us (i.e. practices change a lot, principles rarely). But none should be immune from our consideration when our actions result in negative outcomes.

Experience tells me not to look for advice on starting projects, but plans to work it out for myself; Start each project with a blank process sheet. View the ideal process as a seamless flow of projects from the one who assigned to one of us who does the project. Find what’s gumming up that flow; apply the contents of your experience toolbox to the rough spots until things run smooth. Never stop looking for new things to add to your idea.

Always know what your goal is. Never stop learning. Never believe you’ve got it all figured out. Most importantly: never be so stubborn about what you think you’ve learned about success, that you aren’t willing to change. It is for this that the practices we cling to most stubbornly in inappropriate circumstances are the ones that have served us best in past situations.

Crossed Tracks

You may have got your French kiss, but what about experiencing a real French suspense thriller which is totally based on realism cinema?

Crossed Tracks by Academy Award winner director Claude Lelouch, and an all French cast, is a witty thriller in which every characters reveal nothing as to who they really are.

This romantic suspense drama involves best-selling crime novelist Judith Ralitzer (Fanny Ardant) who has all her books written by a ghostwriter, Louis (Dominique Pinon). And Huguette (Audrey Dana) who is abandoned by her fiancee at a petrol station.

A petrol station — That’s where the characters and the story crossed their tracks. Huguette meets Louis in the midst of a frequent FM radio news updates about an errant schoolteacher who left his wife and a pedophile serial killer who has escaped from prison.

As the tale zigzags between these three characters, the narrative doubles back and forth to reveal their identities. The real problem starts when ghostwriter Louis decided to come out of Judith’s shadow by trying to put his name in the novel he currently writes for her.

The film plays out like a poker game. You’ll never be quite sure what is what and who is who, until the very last cut — the hallmark of a successful thriller. However, Crossed Tracks needs your full concentration and of course sharp eyes to read the English subtitles, if French is Greek to you.

Other than that, this film gives you the drama you wish to follow, the melodrama you can appreciate, a brilliant comedy to make you grin earnestly, but most of all it is the presentation skills that keep this film way ahead of others in its genre.
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French (with English subtitles)
Cast: Dominique Pinon, Fanny Ardant, Autrey Dana, Zinedine Soualem, Michele Bernier
Director: Claude Lelouch