Golden (Globes) Night in Hollywood - Part One

Sunday evening 4 pm:
Grocery shopping for the week - check
Spot of cooking for the week - check
Golden Globes Red Carpet - here I come. I am writing this blog as I watch the red carpet and the show. This first post is dedicated to the red carpet. Part Deux will be more about the show itself - Ricky Gervais as the host - am certain it will be fun. Enjoy!

E Channel had Giuliana Rancic and Ryan Seacrest working the red carpet and interviewing celebrities as they came in. They are veterans now at chatting up the stars and did a good job as expected. Billy Bush on the other hand was blundering his way through the red carpet on NBC - I swear that the guy sometimes does not know what to say. Natalie Morales did a decent job and tried to hold fort.

Some of the standouts on the red carpet for me: the lovely Emily Blunt looking like a vision in pink, Courtney Cox for once looking good - she usually takes risks on the red carpet and has never managed to pull it off except for tonight in my opinion, Kate Hudson and Kristen Bell looking pretty in white, Lisa Edelstein from House was gorgeous in silver. Sandra Bullock was in a fetching colour. The cast of Glee looked very well put together - I hope they do well. Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson took potshots at NBC regarding the late night fiasco going on currently. Jennifer Garner looked pretty but alarmingly thin to me. Regarding the guys I really have nothing to say unless someone comes in wearing a garbage bag - the guys do well if they have a suit or a tux on.

Now for the "What were they thinking" - Tina Fey - love the gal but hated her outfit. She needs to sit down the stylist for a serious chat. Mariah Carey - never know what he is thinking but she had her globes out for the night (could not let that opportunity to take a shot pass). I think she would have looked better if she covered them up. I was not a fan of Sofia Vergara's outfit - I think the bow thing was not working for me. Heather Graham's outfit would have looked better if she had gone with an outfit with a symmetrical length but that girl will look good in anything. Absolutely did NOT like Patrcia Arquette's outfit but luckily the gal had a smashing accessory in the form of her handsome husband, Thomas Jane, on her arm. I had no idea what Quentin Tarantino had on.

So those were some of my likes and dislikes - let me know what you thought. Click here to check out some of the red carpet arrivals.

Some pics for you:

Beautiful People

For the longest period, at least since I can remember, Indian television did not have too many chat shows - and by chat shows I mean, a one-on-one with a celebrity where everything is unscripted and "real". I remember we had Phool Khile hain Gulshan Gulshan with Tabassum as the hostess and I was maybe 10-12 years old then but I was a fan of the show. In more recent times, we had Simi Garewal's Rendezvous which was another big hit and for a while the only show out there. Of late however, we have been subjected to chat shows on every channel and it suddenly seems like everyone is a chat show host. Of the myriad shows out there, I particularly loved watching Vir Sanghvi's Star Talk and Karan Johar's Koffee with Karan (2 hosts with completely different styles by the way, but both completely entertaining). It's been a while since I saw a chat show of similar calibre - I did enjoy Sajid Khan's Sajid Superstars and Farah Khan's Tere Mere Beech mein and continue to watch On the Couch with Koel when time permits but I recently discovered CNBC's Beautiful People with Anuradha Sengupta and it has fulfilled the need for my weekly dose of celebrity pop culture- at least for the present.

Anuradha Sengupta does a great job as the host and interviewer. This far, I have watched the episodes (links added for your convenience) where she interviewed Rajkumar Hirani, Shobhaa De, Amitabh and Kareena Kapoor and I must say that I like her style (and her subjects too - it was an absolute delight to see Sanjana Kapoor on tv after a long long time). She does not mince words - be it in relation to addressing the interviewee's latest controversy as she did with Raju Hirani or in confronting them with their propensity to only go after "soft" targets as she did with Shobhaa De (on a side note, Shobhaa De by the way looks completely weird - I have a feeling she got herself one Botox injection too many and her forehead appears to be rendered immobile - for her sake I hope she does not go the Dolly Parton/Priscilla Presley way), Anuradha Sengupta does her job thoroughly. She asks the questions most viewers would want to ask, she does not shy away from pushing her subjects to reveal more than they would originally want to reveal and does a good job with her research. I for one, am excited to have discovered this show and will continue to explore and watch all the episodes out there.

For the folks out there who are like me and enjoy a good tete-a-tete with interesting conversation, this will be a fun watch. Watch it on CNBC in India or online at www.youtube.com.

Avatar - A Review

On a blustery cold evening, the hubby and I decided to watch Avatar with my cousin and her fiance in Rhode Island. I was not very enthused about the idea because I had heard mixed reviews though some aspects of the movie were really hyped up and it has generally been my experience that the more the hype the more the disappointment plus the weather was such that you would want to sit indoors - so I just went along with the plan because the others were keen on it. Boy was I happy I did! Move over Robert Pattinson, hello Sam Worthington.

But first, the plot of the movie - simple story with some romance and action blended in. The flick is set in the planet Pandora, inhabited by the Na'vi. They have this rare mineral/metal aptly called 'Unobtanium'. A big Corporation run by humans is after this Unobtanium and will stop at nothing to get it. As a ploy to infiltrate the Na'vi, they have designed these 9-feet tall beings with human DNA blended in to look and act like the Na'vi. These beings called Avatars are controlled by the human mind and take on the 'driver's' personality. The movie starts with Jake Sully, a paraplegic ex-marine who is offered his dead twin brother's spot to go to the planet Pandora and operate one of the Avatar's that can only be driven by him since he shares his twin brother's DNA. Thus begins the adventure. Jake Sully finds himself on the planet and befriends Neytiri, the daughter of the tribal chief after she saves his life in the forest. The Na'vi decide to teach Jake their way of life. As he is educated in the Na'vi way of life, he begins to start to empathize and identify with them rather than with the humans that want to destroy and take over the planet.

The story is simple and uncomplicated - the special effects out of this world (pun unintended) and mind-blowing. I would highly recommend that this movie be watched in 3D - if its an IMAX 3D combination, even better. Pandora has been painstakingly designed and developed by James Cameron and crew with great attention to detail - what with the plantation, the animals, the Na'vi characteristics (apparently they even developed a language for this movie), the mountains etc. James Cameron has revolutionized film-making for the ages and I read that he literally had to build tools and equipment to enable him to shoot this movie to match his vision. Here is a link to a youtube video that talks a bit more about the making of Avatar.

Regarding the cast and crew, the casting is spot on. Every one of the actors has been cast perfectly in their role. Sigourney Weaver does an able job as Dr. Augustine, the Research head of the project. She initially clashes with Jake but eventually becomes his biggest supporter. Zoe Saldana is an actress to watch out for. I have liked her since her Center Stage days. She does a great job as Neytiri. The chemistry she and Sam Worthington share is palpable. Again, initially she is not a fan of Jake Sully but eventually she falls in love with him. She has portrayed her character's disbelief at the betrayal when she finds out that Jake Sully is actually an infiltrator, with sensitivity and emotion. Now to comment on Sam Worthington - he is an actor who has been pulled from relative obscurity (he starred in a few Australian movies) and catapulted to world fame. He has the right attitude and defiance needed to pull off Jake Sully. You can feel his confusion as he starts to identify more with the Na'vi way of life and comes to stand as one with them. I loved the movie and the inherent message to stop the plunder of Mother Nature. The effects as I mentioned before are quite awesome. They have captured the mannerisms of the actors into the Avatar bodies to the T. All in all, my recommendation is 2 thumbs up - but watch in 3D.

All Izz Well

Yes - I watched 3 idiots this weekend but before I begin, a very very happy new year to you all. My wish for all of us for 2010 is optimism and joy for the new decade that is upon us.

Now onto the movie - 3 idiots is a Hindi movie that used to come about very rarely but I am happy to say that it is not as unusual an occurrence any more. The movie is based loosely on the book 5 point Someone by Chetan Bhagat (I've added it to my request list at the library - am waiting eagerly to read the book).

The movie starts with 2 friends looking for their third pal, with whom they have lost touch since their graduation from Engineering college. Via flashbacks, the story of their friendship and days in Engineering College ICE (supposedly modeled after IIT) is told. Their long-lost friend Ranchordas Shyamaldas Chanchad (played remarkably by Aamir Khan) has an alag point of view which is evident from the moment he walks into the hostel and befriends his 2 roommates. He is not afraid to take on the system and question age-old teaching traditions which earns him the ire of their principal played by Boman Irani. The movie moves forward effortlessly with their comic capers and antics of their fellow students (especially Chatur played by Omi Vaidya - the darling of their principal affectionately dubbed Virus). After their journey to reach Rancho, they are shocked to find out that Rancho is not who he said he was. They then decide to continue their journey to discover the truth about their friend. Along the way they manage to stop Rancho's girlfriend Priya's (played by Kareena Kapoor) wedding in the nick of time. She also joins the quest for Rancho. Will they find Rancho? Will Priya and Rancho have their happy ending? To find out, you will have to watch 3 Idiots.

The movie kept my engaged throughout and the pace did not slack anywhere. However, I take issue with the whole storyline related to Priya's sister delivering her baby with the aid of Rancho and his friends. That to me was a little far-fetched. Our movies have a problem with staying away from melodrama. That said however, the movie is thoroughly enjoyable - I loved the ending. Everyone has done full justice to their roles. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi who play the 2 buddies have done a good job. Boman Irani is really good playing a caricature of a college principal, staying completely true to his atrocious character. Kareena Kapoor does a good job in her brief role as Priya. Her song and dance routine with Aamir Khan is an enjoyable throwback to Hindi cinema of the 60s and 70s. Aamir Khan is simply awesome. Other than some of his earlier movies where he was a newcomer trying to establish a foothold, he is yet to make a wrong choice in recent times. He is fabulous from start to finish. As a director Rajkumar Hirani has done an excellent job. He is another director who is yet to fumble - his track record as director so far has been unblemished what with this movie following the Munnabhai movies. Vidhu Vinod Chopra must be laughing his way to the bank.

A must watch for Bollywood enthusiasts.

2009 - the year that was.

My last post for 2009 because tonight the hubby and I get on a plane and head to the other coast to meet up with family for the holidays... Before that, here are some of the highlights (and some low-lights) of 2009 (boy was it tough to pick just a few moments from the myriad of events making up 2009).

In no particular order:
1. Susan Boyle - Without a doubt, she was the biggest surprise of 2009 - the skepticism of the audience and judges on Britain's got Talent, before she opened her mouth to sing, was very palpable as was the shock and awe once she started singing. Here is a link to her video if you want to revisit that first performance.

2. Slumdog Millionaire's million dollar run at the 2009 Oscar's - this little movie that could, came out of nowhere in 2008 and bagged a total of 8 Oscars out of 10 nominations in March 2009. For me, I was just happy that the movie introduced the genius that is AR Rehman to the world.

3. It was a sad year too for the world saw the demise of Michael Jackson, Farah Fawcett, Brittany Murphy, David Carradine, and many others. But the show must go on.

4. I bet Kanye West completely regrets that cringe-worthy moment at the 2009 VMAs when he ran on stage, completely out of control, and grabbed the mike from teen Taylor Swift to add his 2 cents about Beyonce. This move caused many seasoned stars to show their support to Taylor Swift via their blogs and Twitter. This incident almost helped catapult Taylor Swift to stardom (she was already on her way there - this incident gave her a major push so in some twisted way she has Kanye West to thank).

5. And no 2009 list will be complete without the mention of Octomom and the debacle that is Jon and Kate plus 8 - first, let's start with Octomom. This woman is truly insane. And the sad part is that she is responsible for the welfare of 14 innocent kids. Here are some snippets of her interview on NBC. All I can say at this point is God help those kids. Now on to Jon and Kate - I actually was a fan of this show before all the craziness began. I thought Kate was a bit high-handed but on the other hand she was responsible for 8 kids and her household. I get stressed when I invite a few folks over for dinner so can just imagine the effort to have dinner on the table everyday for 10 people. That said though, the couple did not handle the divorce gracefully. Both of them came off as complete idiots who are after fame and money. I just hope the 8 kids get through all this public scrutiny okay.

So that folks was my highlights list for 2009. Leave me a comment and let me know if you had any other noteworthy moments to list.

Happy Holidays and wish you a lovely and wonderful 2010.

Forget Paris

My third attempt to watch this little gem of a movie - for some reason, although I have always wanted to, I never did get the opportunity to watch this movie - until last night. By some stroke of luck, this movie was playing on HBO and I seized my chance and recorded it (did I mention how much I cherish my DVR?).

The movie stars Billy Crystal as the hotshot basketball referee Micky Gordon and the awesomely talented Debra Winger as Ellen Andrews, an airline employee working in Paris - they meet in Paris where he is trying to inter his dead father and the airline loses the body. Paris works its magic and they fall in love. Their love story is narrated by one of their friends to his fiancee in a restaurant as they are waiting for the rest of the friends to join them (does this sound familiar? If yes, it's because in recent times Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na copied this aspect of the story - exchanging the restaurant for the airport). It's not all smooth sailing because it turns out that Ellen is married (but separated and confused) - once they get over that hurdle and she quits her job and moves back to the US to be with Mickey, she ends up resenting him for his job which entails a lot of traveling and so on. In short, it is a story of a marriage told in flashbacks - a marriage where two people love each other a lot but also struggle to hold on to their own individual identities, sometimes at the cost of their mutual happiness. Do they end up together or do the realities of life drive them apart?

Some of my favourite lines/moments from this movie are:

Andy: Marriages don't work when one partner is happy and the other is miserable. Marriage is about both people being equally miserable.

Mickey: You just had one of those 'I glued a bird to my head' days.

Mickey: [Mickey on finding out that Ellen is married] You don't do this to a person, you know? You don't walk around being fabulous when you know you're not available.

Mickey: [after finding out about Ellen's husband, still in shock] Is he French?
Ellen: Yes.
Mickey: Is he handsome?
Ellen: Yes.
Mickey: Is he rich?
Ellen: Yes.
Mickey: Does he have a sister?

Lucy: See they had a fundamental problem with their marriage - one is a man and the other a woman.

On his way to the IVF clinic, Micky hits a spot of traffic and gets ready for a bit of daring driving: Strapping the passenger-side seatbelt around the bag with his *stuff* in it screaming Hang On Boys was a laugh-worthy moment.

I liked this movie a lot - at the beginning, it is peppered with witty one-liners and good humour and the second half, while a bit serious, is still realistic with simply wonderful acting (which is at the same time suitably subtle and understated). You root for this couple to succeed because you can't help but identify with them - with their love for each other, their quarrels, their frustrations with themselves and each other. It's a great watch for the married folks for sure but it's also a fun watch for the single ones. Watch the movie for the screenplay and the acting and I am certain you will like it.

2009 Bollywood - year in review

Back from the hubby's company Christmas party last night, this morning promises to be a lazy Saturday morning. Since the year is almost over, I was going over a program on TV listing their top picks for Bollywood for the year 2009 which gave me the idea to review my own picks for this year - now by no means can I claim to have watched each and every Bollywood flick released last year but of my own population of movies viewed, here is my list.

Most entertaining movies of 2009 (in no particular order):
1. Kaminey (stellar performance from Shahid Kapoor and great songs - what is a Bollywood movie without hummable music)

2. Wake Up Sid (loved Ranbir and Konkona in it - one of the few movies that has established Ranbir Kapoor as a force to reckon with despite his disastrous debut in 2008, loved the iktaara song from it - my current obsession)

3. Love Aaj Kal (while the story was a bit confusing with its back and forth flashbacks what with Saif essaying the role of a young Rishi Kapoor in addition to his own role in the movie - it was quite entertaining. I'm still not convinced that Deepika Padukone can act and am completely convinced that Saif cannot dance - if you don't believe me watch his bhangra numbers and the twist karein song - terrible dancing!! I'm glad the movie introduced us to the Chor Bazaari song - loved it.)

4. 99 - Small movie with Kunal Khemu and Soha Ali Khan in the lead ably supported by Cyrus Broacha and Boman Irani - I'm only sad that this movie got lost among the myriad of flicks released in 2009.

5. Luck By Chance - introduced us to first-time director Zoya Akhtar. (This is one heck of a multi-talented family. Mom Honey Irani, actress & script writer, Dad Javed Akhtar script writer and lyricist extraordinaire, brother Farhan - awesome director who proved to us that he can also sing and act)

6. Dilli 6 - I found the movie to be a let down (coming as it was from the director of Rang De Basanti). However I enjoyed Sonam Kapoor's acting skills and the songs (zara hatke gaane especially Masakali and the title song)

7. Dev D - people either loved it or hated it - I kind of liked the modern take on Indian classic Devdas - I am a huge fan of Abhay Deol - he is amazing. The movie felt like it was made on a shoestring budget but I enjoyed the slick direction, the folksy songs and the acting of Mr. Deol. He is my favourite Deol hands down.

Now for the films that one goes what were they thinking?

1. What's Your Rashee - complete disappointment
2. Chandni Chowk to China - the less said the better
3. Kambakht Ishq - another Akshay Kumar gem
In addition to these there is a large number of movies that I didn't even want to watch based on everything I heard - the 3 hours of my life spent watching each of these is much too precious to waste - Billu, 13B, Short kut the Con is on, Wanted, Blue, London Dreams (although I have heard some good things about this movie but since I am not a fan of Ajay Devgan or Sallu bhai, I have to pass), De Dana Dan (rule of thumb - movie has Akshay Kumar? If yes, this is not the movie for me), Radio (Himmesh Reshammiya in the lead - enough said)etc.

Some of the 2009 movies on my yet to watch list - Paa, Kurbaan, Main aur Mrs. Khanna (though I have a gut feeling this will go on the second list), Three Idiots, and Rocket Singh (maybe)

If you stop by this blog, leave me your faves and not so faves from this year that is passing us by!!