On the journey

Over the years, I have become a very harsh critic of movies; I have set such high standards that it’s very hard to please me. So if someone doesn’t agree with my review, I won’t be surprised at all.

This year, especially with Bolywood movies, was not good for me at all; I hardly enjoyed any. I had my hopes pinned on new Amir Khan’s movie Ghajinni, after all I am a great fan of Amir Khan’s diverse acting credentials.  Also, Taare Zameen Par (recent Amir Khan’s movie) was on my all time best list. I was hoping that Ghajini will act similar to an economic stimulus package to get me over this  recession of Hindi movies

In the movie, Amir Khan as usual is great with the acting, and so is the new girl Asin: she is drop dead gorgeous and equally good with acting. However, the whole package (movie) didn’t click for me. Following are my reasoning’s:

1. Amir Khan has set such a high standard that anything lesser (independent of his acting) would be hard to swallow.

2. Seeing the Hollywood movie Memento, from which Ghajini is somewhat inspired, doesn’t help either. You constantly keep comparing between those two movies.

3. Amir Khan has put up splendid effort to build up his physique; but thanks to his relatively smaller height, the new muscular addition gives him an impression of  Rey Myesterio (especially during the fight scenes).

4. The movie is awfully long, I would say the editing is poor. I would have completely eliminated numerous scenes from the movie.

5. The movie constantly flickers between the past (which is bright, colorful, fun, and romantic)  and the present (dark, grey, tense, and violent) of the main character. This is where I felt the biggest problem with the movie lies, the contrast between the ‘past’ and ‘present’ is so deep that once you get in to one you don’t feel like getting out. For example if they are showing the past, you get very itchy knowing the violent present will be following it; once in the violent present, then it’s equally hard to slide back to beautiful past again.  It’s like serving Whiskey and Milk together, both are special drinks, but I doubt anyone relishing to drink those two side by side. I am not saying get rid of past or present, that’s impossible for this movie, but decrease the proportion of either past or present.

In summary, if you have to watch the movie, don’t get your hopes high. But as I said before, I don’t expect you to agree 100% with me either.

Wow, finally three day weekend (Memorial Day). I really had a blast because I did absolutely nothing , and I enjoyed every minute of it. I have to head to work tomorrow but I know four more days and there would be another weekend around the corner.

I went to see a movie though, Pirates of Caribbean: At World’s End. Johnny Depp was at his ever best, Kiera Knightley looked ever hot, and locations were ever exotic. But still I spent most of my time yawning and waiting for the movie to end. I didn’t enjoy Spiderman 3 either. I am unsure if it has to do with me aging or sequels carrying the burden of over expectation.

Come August, there is another sequel lined up for release: Bourne Ultimatum. I am still great fan of past two versions (Bourne Identity and Bourne Supremacy), so I have even more expectation from Bourne Ultimatum. I am hopeful this movie won’t let me down, or else it’s the end of sequels for me.

Oh yes, other thing that I did this weekend was browse for tickets to Nepal for this winter. One thing that I can’t seem to understand is how can a travel agent offer me a lower price for tickets from the same airlines that showed me much higher rates when browsing through their official websites???

Overcoming my blood demons I gave blood again, twice in my life now. But, since this was the first time I gave blood in US, I had to spare 15 minutes answering their questions before I could give blood. American Red Cross has a protocol, listing the names of different countries (which included certain restrictions); one can only be eligible for donation if they pass those restrictions. For Nepal, there is restriction for people who recently (less than a year) been to Nepal outside of Kathmandu in high elevations. I don’t know why that is.

Friday, I saw Spiderman 3, movie was good if you appreciate the effects, but may be as my hair starts turning gray I have lost appetite for those kinds of movies. Today I watched ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’, I enjoyed that more than Spiderman. It’s simple comedy that instigates the values of ‘Mahatma Gandhi’. Even me, who am not an Indian found that movie very inspiring.

After watching Munna Bhai I came up with an idea, why not make a big Nepali serial showcasing the life of martyrs, beginning from Sukra Raj Shastri to the recent one who died in Kalanki (that amplified the Jan Andolan II movement). It’s pretty shame that I don’t even know his name. I feel it’s utterly unfair that they are given a generalized respect once a year by few corrupted leaders. I believe disseminating the life of those martyrs, one by one, in screen will give more justice to them than just a common garland in ‘Sahid Gate’. It will also pay tribute to their families and keep Nepalese in their toes, reminding what martyrs did for us and stop some burglars (so called Neta’s and bureaucrats) from looting the country.

I don’t know if I am being impatient or peace/developing process takes this long. From my eyes, a layman view, I can clearly see all the “peoples” leaders engaged in ensuring the publicity/power of their parties rather than peace process. I won’t say they are not working, I simply feel they have made people’s aspiration secondary to their power hunger. I am strong advocate of establishing a public domain where each MP’s and Ministers have to publish their monthly report of what they have done each month, and equally strong structure of verifying their published reports. They are salaried from tax payer’s money, which aren’t free so we deserve to know. I know all Nepalese are way far from accessing the internet (perhaps start a paper bulletin), but at least it’s a start. Does anyone recall any leaders because they did something good? I don’t think so, if yes then they are just handful. We only know leaders like Khum Bahadur et al, because of their infamous deeds. I assume that with a public website documenting their work we can judge them by their good deeds (if they do any).

Sometimes I even feel why am I wasting my brain on these stuff, does anyone have slightest of confidence that they would change, I don’t think so. But I feel that’s the least I could do. I have very small circle of people that read my blog, but maybe we all contributing slightly from our part can create some resonance.

At this moment I wish all the leaders in Nepal at least watch “Lage Raho Munna Bhai”.

When you move to a new city it takes a very long time to find friends that has similar taste. I am struggling with that too after moving to Lafayette. I did not have to adjust much moving from Kathmandu University to Southern Illinois University, maybe being a student helped a lot. As I mentioned in previous blogs I am not that big a movie fanatic but I certainly like to go to the theatre once in a while. Since moving to Lafayette (since April 2006) I have been to Mission Impossible III, Pirates of the Caribbean II, Talladega Nights, and Borat. I had to work very hard to find someone with similar movie taste to go with me to the theatre.

I really wanted to see ‘Departed’, but I couldn’t find anyone to go with me and now that movie is gone from the theatre. When I shared my frustration with my officemate’s they asked me why I don’t go by myself. When I explained it’s weird to go alone they asked me if I go to a theatre to watch the movie or talk to my friends. Still, I found that idea very awkward, how can anyone go to the movie alone? I had never been to a movie alone and I bet most of you too. I wanted to go see the new James Bond movie since it was released and no one seem interested in that movie. After trying for weeks to get someone interested and failing, I took a gutsy step yesterday; I went to the movie alone.

I was feeling odd as I took my seat alone, but when I looked around I could see other singles too, happy to know that I was not alone. I still had that bizarre feeling till the movie started, I guess that’s the moment when you are busy chatting with your friends and eating popcorns, after that it went smooth. As soon as the movie ended I got out of the theatre, like I normally do, and drove home. So the only difference I found going to the movie alone compared to with friends is the period when you are about to enter the theatre and moments before the movie starts. Rest is just normal, unless you are used to hanky panky stuffs when it gets dark.

This movie has been on top of the chart and shows no signs of toppling. I am neither a movie critic nor a very keen movie follower. The hype about the movie lead me to the movie theatre. Although I laughed a lot in the theatre, I found the movie shallow and sometimes gross.

This movie said to have ridiculed the American culture, but I saw this movie portraying more about the underdeveloped countries living life as cavemen. I believe not a single person, from any underdeveloped country would have acted like Borat did. Though Kazakh’s certainly feel offended, I believe they definitely won’t mind the global recognition.

One interesting aspect of this movie is that they have fooled the people presented in the movie in believing that Borat is actually a Kazakh and making a documentary for his country. A law suit also has been filed by two people appearing in the movie as members of a fraternity. These two people who appeared in the movie making raciest comments were convinced by the movie production that it won’t be shown in USA.

If you want to get some laugh and won’t mind some gross visuals it’s certainly worth watching once.