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!!

New Moon does not disappoint

As one of my birthday gifts, the hubby took me to watch New Moon this afternoon - he is well versed with my earlier obsession with the Twilight series (and I say earlier because I don't think I am as obsessed as I once was - it's a much more toned down version of how I felt when I had just read the books and I know this because I am not constantly trolling youtube for interviews with the cast - I still think Robert Pattinson is super adorable though) and decided to make the "sacrifice" and watch the movie with me.

That it would be better than Twilight was never a question - from the trailers itself, one could tell that it was much better crafted and had a bigger budget than the first movie. The make up was much better, the direction too (sorry Catherine Hardwick) as well as the script (Melissa Rosenberg's second script for the series). The script is the real hero of this movie because the book itself is one of the worst books in the Twilight series for me at least and the movie could have been really bad and sappy but the script moved the movie forward at an even pace and kept me engaged throughout.

This movie is by no means going to be a critically acclaimed film or win any awards (besides the MTV and People's Choice ones where avid fans will make sure that it wins a few accolades) but it left me pleasantly surprised. In a nutshell, the second installment in the series is about Bella Swan (played by Kristen Stewart) who is dumped by her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen (played by Robert Pattinson) for her own safety because he truly believes that Bella will be better off without him and the dangers that lurk around by default when one hangs out with vampires. She gets swept into a deep depression over her break up - enter Jacob (her best friend and werewolf) who helps her through it and rekindles her interest in life. Will Edward come back? Will Jacob and Bella be together? That is the crux of the film. In the process we get introduced to the wolf pack and the Volturi (the most powerful vampires and lawmakers in the supernatural world).

Of the cast, Dakota Fanning and Michael Sheen did a bang up job. They were fabulous and creepy at the same time. Robert Pattinson was not in the movie too much and when he was on screen he was adequately good - Kristen Stewart also did a believable job as Bella. Taylor Lautner did a good job and was appropriately buff to pull off his werewolf alter ego. I am still undecided as to whether all 3 are good actors though. Hopefully I will have made up my mind by movie 3. That said, I have to note that they were not bad by any means and much better than they were in Twilight.

My recommendation is to definitely watch it if you have read the books. I am not sure how enjoyable it would be if you are not familiar with the books, the story and the characters.

Nine on Oprah

Not sure if everyone is aware of this but the maker of the fabulous Chicago movie is coming out with yet another musical extravaganza called Nine. The cast of Nine reads like a who's who in Hollywood - the esteemed cast is led by 2 time Oscar winner Daniel Day Lewis, Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, Oscar winner Marion Cotillard, Oscar winner Penelope Cruz, Oscar nominee Kate Hudson, Oscar winner Dame Judi Dench, Oscar winnder Sophia Loren and Grammy winner Fergie (I wasn't kidding when I said it read like a Hollywood who's who).

The cast (Marion, Nicole, Kate and Penelope along with Daniel Day Lewis) visited Oprah and I thoroughly enjoyed their little tete-a-tete with the queen of daytime. Everyone looked ravishing except for Penelope - am not sure who chose her frumpy dress but on the flip side she more than made up for it by just being her charming self. Daniel Day Lewis - can't say enough about him. I remember watching The Last of the Mohicans and being completely taken in by his character in the film - a fabulous talented actor that words cannot do justice to. He revealed that he can fix shoes and can make furniture - who knew!! Nicole Kidman - as pretty as ever - I swear the woman never ages... is it nature or botox - who knows? They showed a few snippets from the movie and it was hard to believe that she had apparently done the movie a few weeks after having her baby. The unfortunately dressed Penelope talked about playing the sultry mistress and admitted to being terrified of singing and the complex dance moves. She has done this fabulous number with ropes and pink satin - she looks absolutely gorgeous... (it just struck me that Penelope dated Tom Cruise right after his divorce from Nicole Kidman when they worked together on Vanilla Sky... wonder how uncomfortable/awkward the first meeting and shooting was).

Marion Cotillard was as luminous as ever and so expressive - can't imagine how much more she could have conveyed in this interview if she had a better command over the language - don't get me wrong - she was fabulous and heartfelt. They showed a snippet of her song and she has a lovely voice. I also had no idea Kate Hudson could sing. She may have a backup career lined up. She was her usual bubbly self - definitely Goldie Hawn's daughter :). She did not reveal much despite Oprah's probing - must say I have a lot more respect for Kate Hudson for standing up to the talk show God; and she did it in a very very charming manner - she absolutely refused to go into it other than saying that she was happy - kudos to her.

Here's a link to the show's synopsis. Am looking forward to watching this movie (now to find a way to drag hubby to it ;)) - am usually not a huge fan of musicals but am definitely making an exception to watch this one.

My Sunday - all 'Fired Up'

This morning the hubby and I were flipping through channels and chanced upon 'Fired Up' - I wasn't sure that I wanted to watch another almost but not quite teen movie but we watched it anyway and I must say that it was surprisingly good.

The plot is all about 2 football jocks Shawn and Nick (played by Nicholas D'Agusto and Eric Christian Olsen) who hatch a fool-proof plan to meet girls and brighten their prospects, so to speak, by entering Cheer leading camp. While the plot is a bit cliched with their team being the underdogs and the boys actually bringing with them some much needed spirit and attitude to brighten their chances at the competition, the dialogue is very witty and better than most other teen movies I've seen. Of course the movie ends with the good guy getting the girl and the team not finishing up in last place as they've been wont to do in the past (which was another refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill movie ending which would have seen them finish in top spot).

I actually loved the chemistry between the 2 boys who play friends - their comic timing and dialogue delivery were on the mark. The crazy coach and the other men at cheer leading camp provided comic relief as well. On the whole, worth a watch if you are looking for a light but very funny comedy. As is my blogging tradition, here are some of my favourite lines from the movie:

Nick Brady: Hiya Dick.
Dr. Rick: It's Rick!
Nick Brady: Ah, sorry, I don't know why I keep doing that. You just look like such a Dick to me.

Nick Brady: [reading her nametag] Diora? I believe that's Italian for 'beautiful princess'.
Diora: No.
Nick Brady: Well it should be, I'm calling the dictionary people.

Dr. Rick: [after Downey punches Dr. Rick in the face] I hope one of you ends up in my ER one day, bleeding. I'll make you wait for days. Unless one of you has Blue Cross. That's a PPO, none of that HMO bullshit!

Dr. Rick: [holding up his hands] If these weren't tools for healing, I would crack you in the jaw.
Nick Brady: YOU'RE a tool for healing.

Coach Keith: Mediocrity deserves an applause - why don't we find a Ford Focus and clap around it?

Dr. Rick: You should get that mole checked out. I'd do it myself, but I don't have my bag on me.
Shawn Colfax: Your book bag?

Nick Brady: Do not poop where you eat, remember? That's why there are no restaurants called "The Bathroom."

Talk show moments

I am a fan of a good talk show - I enjoy seeing the stars being their "natural" selves - well as natural as tinsel town would allow. Talk shows also make for interesting moments in pop culture history. I thought I would dedicate this post to some famous (and not so famous) talk show moments since I've been watching...

1. Tom Cruise and the couch - I don't think anyone that watched this a couple years ago will forget the exuberance and craziness that was Tom Cruise on Oprah's couch as he proclaimed his love for Katie Holmes. I truly believe that his overdone enthusiasm really hurt his image of being this larger than life movie star. This is one instance where I actually wish I didn't have to see this side of him and that he would have retained some of the movie star mystique.

2. Sherri Shepard claiming that the world is not round - This was probably one of the most ridiculous things I've heard on a talk show - you can see Joy Behar openly laughing in the clip. Enough said! And yet (well clearly not enough said) - she probably makes thousands of dollars per episode of The View.

3. Joaquin Phoenix on David Letterman - Another ridiculous TV show appearance - I am not sure if Joaquin was high on something during this interview but I'm yet to sit through a more painful interview.

4. Chris Matthews groping Ellen - Ellen always asks her guests to dance - but I am sure she didn't see this coming. I have never laughed harder than when I caught this on my DVR - it was CRRRAZZY.

5. Sarah Silverman and Matt Damon - A completely novel concept - thoroughly enjoyed by all; which led to this response by Jimmy Kimmel that had so many stars doing a cameo.

These were the top 5 moments that came to my mind - if you have any to share leave the link!!