Die Hard: Part 2
Topic: Movies
Much much better than the part 1. Plot is really well executed. Climax is simply superb. Bruce Willis seems to have perfected his acting. Airport cops and their chief are really funny.

4 stars

Cheers!

Now to watch an oldie from 1970s "Jeene Ki Raah". seen it before. but old hindi movies are simply good. especially of Jeetendra, Dharmedra, Rajesh Khanna and all those buxom heroines....real women :)

What day is today?
today is 420 (4/20, April 20)

420 is a special number. Used in several contexts. 420 is used to label some one as 'chaloo','fraud','one who takes people for a ride' etc. Also used for Casanovas who are good at fooling around with girls.

420 originates from Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 420 which reads as - "420. Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property

Whoever cheats and thereby dishonestly induces the person deceived to deliver any property to any person, or to make, alter or destroy the whole or any part of a valuable security, or anything which is signed or sealed, and which is capable of being converted into a valuable security, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine."

from http://www.indialawinfo.com/bareacts/ipc.html#_Toc496765304

Cheater Monya is the most popular current 420 in Dharwad if you go by his 'karnama' from news papers.

Die Hard
Topic: Movies
Die Hard starring Bruce Willis. So much hype about this and dubbed as an action classis. Agreed that some scenes are good but do not understand that much hype...

I would rather watch Kannada movie 'Nishkarsha' on the same lines directed by Sunil Kumar Desai. I liked this movie so much more than Die Hard. Since I was given to understand that Kannada movie was copied from Die Hard, I was expecting it to be much better but it did not live up its hype.

Yes, Kannada movie borrows the original idea from Die Hard but direction is on a totally different plane there. Desia uses B'lore's Manipal Center as the place for the drama. Vishnuvardhan excels as the commando...some scenese are simply great especially the one in which they release a whole bunch of pigeons to confuse the attackers.....Suman Nagarkar was also so good in that movie. Pravin Shet as her boy friend provide good humor......

Other than the theme there is no much copied from Die Hard. Another reason to congratulate Desai. He is the best director off late. Unfortunately does not have much finanical clout and does not compromise on the quality.

Cheers!

Mid life crisis as heard on NPR
Mid life crisis is when you realize that you are at the top of the ladder. But, also realize that ladder was on the wrong wall.

Or when you scale a wrong mountain.....

Cheers!

Executive Decision
Topic: Movies
Executive Decision - nice action flick. If you have liked movies like Air Force 1, you are going to like this. Well executed mid-air rescue of an hijacked airliner.....

Slick flick !

3 stars !

Ugadi get-together party
It was really a pleasure to attend Havyaka Ugadi get-together yesterday at a friend's place. Ugadi marks the beginning of Indian new year. Havyaka is the community that I was born in. Very unique sub-culture of greater Kannada speaking culture. More information at www.havyak.com.

Met havyak folks who live in New Engalnd area. Unfortunately, many families could not attend for whatever reasons. But, it was very nice to socialize with those who attended.

Good food from the pot-luck.

Highlight was viewing a CD sent by the Swamiji of Ramachandrapur Math. He is the official spiritual head of havyaka community. His message was simple and very uplifting. His plans for social service are really noteworthy. I am glad that my family back home is extending their support to his many initiative. Hope we get many more such progressive spiritual leaders. Refreshing to see spiritual leaders adapting to changing world. Swamiji had sent a video recording of his message and blessings thru one of his desciples who toured US recently.

Overall a very nice gathering.....

Cheers!

Ray Charles
Who composed the state song for the state of Georgia?

Ans: Ray Charles....his 1979 hit my sweet Georgia was adopted by Georgia as it's state song....

For trivia junkies....

Bad Company
Topic: Movies
Bad Company starring Anthony Hopkins, comedian Chris Rock etc....average movie....with some funny dialogs...too much action.....

CIA - crack in ass....a pearl of a dialog from this movie...what less to expect from something where Chris Rock is there......:)

Cheers!

Virumaandi
Virumaandi....tamil movie....starring Kamal Hasan..

Kamal is one of my favorites....thus chose to watch this movie....but this movie simply disappoints...there is no Kamal's magical touch here....total waste....total rural violence crap...may be people who understand Tamil well can pick up something good in it...but for someone who simply likes to watch good movies of Kamal irrespective of language...this is a total waste movie....vyanda...vyanda...vyaare movie...next....

Looking forward to Kamal's latest movie Mumbai Express....hope that's better....

Cheers!

West is West
Topic: Movies
Average movie....guy comes to US....his struggles....a gori to rescue....what else...

If you want to see 'actor' Gowitrikar who has now made a name as a director....watch this...so so......

Description from Netflix is as below:

West Is West (1989)

Indian immigrant Vikram's (Ashotosh Gowariker) excitement about his trip to California is cut short when U.S. customs officials approve a stay of just one month, instead of the six he planned. He's further dejected when the address where he was to live turns out to be an empty building and his request to study at a university is denied. But things begin to look up when he meets rocker chick Sue (Heidi Carpenter), who instantly steals his heart.
Starring: Ashutosh Gowariker, Heidi Carpenter, More
Director: David Rathod

Zehar......the poison
Topic: Movies
Zehere the poison - Mukesh Bhatt movie....starring IRfan Hasmi, Shamita shetty etc.....

Based on English movie....where a cop gets entagles in a murder....his wife who is also a cop investigates....I think Denzel Washington starrer English version was much much better....Udita Goswami sheds enough clothes.....good for front benchers.....

2 stars......

Long lost friend....
I am so happy to find a long lost friend. When I was in Tanzania from Oct 95 - Oct 96, Suhas Sawant was also an other expat working for the same company that I worked for. He and I became really good friends. Till Sawant's family joined him, he too was a bachelor and gave us good company. We had a lot of fun. Sawant was kind a of friend, philosopher and guide to all of us a bunch of bachelor which included expats like me and many local gujju bhais who have made East Africa their home for several decades. It was the time of my life. Laid back life style, good mix of Indian and African cultures, sense of total out of the world (literally), beautiful beaches of Indian Ocean, nightlong club hopping over the week end, sleeping all Saturday etc. Maaan....what a life it was......it was little too soon to settle down there, so I moved out and came to USA to pursue my career but if I ever want to retire Africa will be the place to retire. Tanzania may not be the best but I would like to check out some islands such as Mauritius/Seychelles.....

Btw, Sawant has been lucky to be able to continue working in Africa. After working in Tanzania for 5 years till 2000, now he is in Nigeria. Good for him. He founds me thru my website and sent me an e-mail....how happy that made me.....looking forward to speaking to Sawanti.......that's how kallus in Tanzania used to make his last name and we used to tease him Mr.Sawanti........

Cheers!

Zakhm....injury
Topic: Movies
Zakhm.....movie directed by Mahesh Bhatt....age old hindu muslim clash with masala added....nothing much abt this movie....

2 stars

Hotel Rwanda
Topic: Movies
Hotel Rwanda - what a great movie.....I have been waiting for its release on DVD and could not wait to watch.....

Movie is about the infamous genocide of close to 800,000 million people in a tiny country Rwanda in Africa. Rwanda is also famous for last surviving destination for mountain gorillas.

A former Belgian and other Euro colony has always been plagued by civil unrest. in 1994, it hit the new high with Hutus and Tutsi, two major tribes with hatred for each other. What followed is a genocide of unimaginable scale. What makes it more macbre is the cruelty with which it was carried out.

Hotel Rwanda is a story of a hotel manager in the capital Kigali who is the epitome of humanity and saves several hundred people by sheltering them in his hotel. His ingenuity, presence of mind and putting his limited resources to best possible use for the good humanity became legendary and are well captured in the movie.

This is one movie that will reinfoce that "he is blessed who lives for the rest".......

Superb screen play, excellent cast, and great acting....

Cheers!

Chocolat
Topic: Movies
One of the nicest movies abt West Africa from colonial era. French with Eng sub title.....very well directed....

description from Netflix

======
Chocolat (1988)

Based on director Claire Denis's childhood memories, Chocolat examines the devastating effect of French colonialism through the eyes of a young girl coming of age in 1950s West Africa. When a plane makes an emergency landing in the isolated colonial post where 8-year-old France (Cecile Ducasse) lives, a diverse group of whites and Africans is stranded and must stay with France's family, forcing sexual, social and class tensions to arise.
Starring: Emmanuelle Chaulet, Francois Cluzet, More
Director: Claire Denis

City Hall
Topic: Movies
City Hall - starring Al Paccino etc. What a nice movie?
Centered around political maneavoring in NY City. Plot is lil convoluted but direction is very good.

3 stars!

Patriot v/s terrorist
Patriot - I am willing to DIE for my country
Terrorist - I am willing to KILL for my country

Ash look-alike
Appears like Ash look-alike Sneha Ullal is making waves in the Bollywood...

For more coverage....visit....http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2005/apr/07sneha1.htm

Happy Ugadi
Greetings on Indian New Year....Ugadi....

Important tradition of Ugadi is to symbolically consume jaggery(sweet) and bitter neem(bitter)....to reinforce that life is a good mix of happiness and sadness....there is always a day break however long the night may be.....

Cheers !!! and wishing everyone a very happy new year !

Black, Bewafa
Topic: Movies
Black - Big B and Rani Mukherjee starrer. Relationship between a blind girl and her teacher....good screen play but gets boring at times.....

Bewafa - Anil Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Akshay Kumar etc...routine family melodrama....Elder sister dies while giving birth to twins...younger sister marries brother in law....old flame....and what not....so so....