No Smoking

No Smoking (2007) Directed by Anurag Kashyap, written by Raj Singh Chaudhary, Anurag Kashyap

I loved this film to bits. Not only the cinematography was just to my heart's content, I liked the story and the whole cast. Kudos to Anurag since I think this is John Abraham's best performance. If this was the only film I have seen him in, I'd have taken him as a very talented actor. And Paresh Rawal is exceptional. The songs were also very good especially the last one. This film is not everyone's cup of tea but it sure made this viewer very happy.

Kalifornia and Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

Kalifornia (1993) Directed by Dominic Sena, written by Stephen Levy and Tim Metcalfe
It was better than I expected. It is one of those films Americans do very good. Juliette Lewis shined. Brad Pitt's accent was bad though I think he would have been better in David Duchovny's part.

Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008) Directed by Dibakar Banerhee, written by Divekar Banerjee, Urmi Juvekar and Manu Rishi
I liked it very much. Lucky is an interesting character and Abhay Deol was perfect for the part. Paresh Rawal is the real hero in this though- acting wise.

Oh I almost forgot, last night I watched

Paap (2003) Directed by Pooja Bhatt, written by Manesh Bhatt, J.P Dixit and Nirenhan Iyengar

Inspired by Witness, it was not bad but a bit pretensious and the romantic scenes were not good.
I liked the first song Intizar though.

13 B

13B (2009) Directed by Vikram K.Kumar

This is the second Indian horror film I have watched and I liked them both very much. Clean cinematography, neat camera tricks and a nice story with good actors. I was a happy viewer.

Nuvvu Nenu Prema

Nuvvu Nenu Prema (?) Directed and written by Krishna.

I got this Telugu film without really knowing anything about it other than that it is starring Surya (who is a hot Telugu or Tamil actor but not that hot for me to want to watch all his films). The film ended up being a bad one. I enjoy watching over the top action scenes Tamil Ghajini was great for instance but this one I could see the wires and not just in one cut either. I spotted them at least three times one even lasted more than a second. I need to learn to screen cap. The two female leads are fine but all in all the story was huh? variety and this was not a good blind purchase.

New York

Thank God that I decided to use some of my annual leave since I couldn't get up for my pre fast meal last night. I watched:

New York (2009) Directed by Kabir Khan

This is one of those so so films, not really good but not really bad either. It was just not a fulfilling film. It has a good story, nice message and a bit of lip service. The actors were the same as the film: so so. The cinematography on the other hand was very good and the action scenes handled nicely. But there were few of them since this is not an action film. Anyway it didn't put me to sleep.

Cain and Able - End and a few films

I have not been able to write since Ramadan and laziness. Now I have to catch up.

I'm still reading Stephen King's short stories and it is going fine.

Finally finished Cain and Able today and sadly I admit that it was not a good purchase. No matter how cute So Ji Sob is. And he is cute. Also he is a decent actor but something didn't gel in this drama. I didn't even cry. Ok at one point I shed a few tears but it is mostly due to Han Ji Min's acting. She was crying so bad (and for a good reason too) that it got to me. But this is a 20 episode drama and it is filled with sadness. Anyway I don't recommend this and I'd be happy to give it to someone who'll appreciate it more than I did.

I have watched more than half of Speed Racer and I liked it much better than the rest of the world did. Also re watched Keeping The Faith and liked it just as well as I did the first time. Hmmm what else? Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. This film was stupid and long but my cousin's twelve year old wanted to watch it and we watched it with him. I also watched a few episodes of Law and Order: Criminal Intent. I like this show and both of the male leads. I have a soft spot for Jeff Goldblum since Jurassic Park.

Cain and Abel Episodes III - VI

Cain and Able is not so good. There are so many plot holes that it is simply not possible to really care for the characters. The production values and the cast is excellent and I love the fact that China was one of the locations so far but I can't get into the story. Having written all these, I still watched three episodes last night despite the fact that I had to wake up and go to work! Addiction...
The villain is a bit funny rather than hateful or pitiful. He leaves his adopted brother in a Chinese jail knowing that he would be deported to Noth Korea and for what? For a hospital and a girl who deeply loves the brother in jail. And the villain has a brain tumor.

Stephen King is such a good writer.

Cain and Abel Episodes I to almost III

I have started Korean TV drama Cain and Abel and so far into almost three episodes. I managed to fall asleep at the final minutes of the third episodes. Not because the drama is bad, I was just very tired and too stubborn to quit watching. So far we have two doctors who are almost brothers. One is the natural born son the other is adopted but loved very much by the father. Hopefully I'll write more in the upcoming days since Ramadan is starting on Friday and instead of sipping ice tea and having a smoke I'll be fasting :)

8 X 10 Tasveer

8 X 10 Tasveer (2009) Directed and written by Nagesh Kukunoor
I loved it but it is neither a good film nor a successful one. But the clean, tidy, uncluttered cinematography is a treat and I enjoyed watching it.

The Korean drama I have ordered finally arrived thank God. And I'm looking forward to it. It is called Cain and Abel and presumably tells a story of revenge. Revenge theme always appealed to me in fiction, maybe because I find it so useless and unrewarding in real life.

Two stories later Stephen King continues to delight me.

Andaz Apna Apna and Just After Sunset

Andaz Apna Apna (1994) Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, written by Rajkumar Santoshi and Dilip Shukla
It was hillarious and I laughed out loud throughout the whole thing. Everything in it was in tune and the silly comedy totally worked.

I started Stephen King's short stories. The book is called Just After Sunset and I'm so far in the second story and loving it. It reads as if it is the old King and he is one of my all time favorite writers.

Heart and Soul - End

It ended very nicely and as usual I kept wanting to read more! Thanks Ms. Binchy :)

This is Spinal Tap

This is Spinal Tap (1984) Directed by Rob Reiner, written by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Henry Shearer, Rob Reiner

I saw this today and the film is a riot, especially if you are into rock, which I am.

Also Heart and Soul is going great, and it is especially good if you read other Binchy novels since some of the characters are also in this one.

Garam Masala

Garam Masala (2005) Directed by Priyadarshan, written by Priyadarshan, Neeraj Vora
It was a well executed farce but I didn't really like the story and one of the main leads, John Abraham was not on par with the two others, Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal. This sort of weak link i the cast can take a lot from a comedy genre such as this one.

Heart and Soul is going great, it is not even halfway yet and I have already shed tears...

Chupke Chupke and Heart & Soul

Chupke Chupke (1975) Directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and written by a bunch of people including Gulzar, Upendranath Gangury, D.N Mukherjee, Shakeel Chandra, Mohini N. Sippy and Biren Tripathy (some of these people share different credits such as story, dialogue writer etc.)
I liked it very much despite not knowing Hindi and most of the humour is language based. It is a sweet story and gentle comedy with an excellent cast.


I also started Heart and Soul written by Maeve Binchy and the beginning doesn't dissapoint. But then again I'm a fan and read most of her books my favorite being Circle of Friends. I like her optimistic, no nonsense prose and end up with a duly warmed heart after each book.

Ambition and Punishment - End

I finished it today and it was good to the last page.

The Aviator (and Ambition and Punishment)

The Aviator (2004) Directed by Martin Scorsese, written by John Logan.

I liked it very much but then again I love the film making of Martin Scorsese especially his use of light. And Leonardo DiCaprio is a wonderful actor (and a great looking man). The film lost some of its goodness due to the presence of the known characters, if they were not so in your face (to be honest I have no idea how to do that since this film is based on real events and people) then one would not compare the actors to the stars since even though they all did a good job, it kind of took away from the film.

Meanwhile Ambition and Punishment continue to be good. The satire, like all good satires contains some sincere emotions as well and these are like the salt of a good dish.

All About Eve 19-20 End & Crazy/Beautiful

I have finished All About Eve last night and I even cried to the fate of Young Mi. I don't know whether to believe she lost her memory really but she seemed in peace with herself and stopped doing bad things to people. Stupid OTP got together in the end but I really didn't care for them.

I also watched

Crazy/Beautiful (2001) Directed by John Stockwell, written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi.

Second viewing and I liked it even better this time. Jay Hernandez is not only good looking but a good actor too and same goes for Kirsten Dunst.

Also watched half of Sabrina remake and I still like it.

All About Eve 11-18 & Jerry Maguire

Yeah I was watching All About Eve until 5 o'clock in the morning. And I really don't know why. It is just not that good a show but the lost dvds played in the computer and I could watch everything. Young Mi is most definitely crazy now. And things don't look very good for her. The OTP finally cleared their misunderstandings and now happily together. Woo Jin played a good part in getting them back together.

I have also rewatched Jerry Maguire and the fact that I didn't like it as much as the first two viewings did not stop me from crying. Tom Cruise, I finally admit to myself, is a good actor.

All About Eve 7-10

Watched a four episodes of All About Eve last night. Now that I'm half way through this drama is good but not sensational. I don't think I'll suffer from any withdrawal symptoms. One reason for that is the characters. I don't feel close to any of them. I never liked a villain (except Snape, Zuko and the one in Old Boy but then again only one of them turned out to be a real villain) and Young Min is suitably evil to hate but at the same time pathetic and slowly going mad. Sun Mi is a nice girl but she is too indecisive for my taste. Woo Jin is a good guy but there is nothing special about him. Hyung Chul is great looking and charismatic but he is also a bit kiro (I really don't know how to translate that word to English). For what its worth I like the comic side plot but there is not enough of it.
I'm going to stick with it though since it looks like I don't remember much about my first viewing and I'm curious whether the dics will play on the laptop or not. Also a drama store mixed up my order. Instead of Beautiful Life and Delicious Proposal Japanese Drama I got Beautiful Days and Delicious Proposal Korean drama!!!

All About Eve 5-6 and another novel

Episodes 5 & 6 were decent. Sun Mi won the host competition by popular vote and Young Mi was furious. She put acetone in her face water but best friend of Sun Mi used it instead (I'll call her BF from now on). Sun Mi understood that Young Mi is the one who did this but no one believed her since she had no proof. On the day of the host competition Dad and Mom had a small accident without any injuries and Young Mi heard this while Woo Jin and Horny Friend were talking on the phone with Dad and Mom. She made Sun Mi believe that the accident was serious so poor Sun Mi rushed to the hospital while Young Mi became the host in the second half of the show. Sun Mi blamed her but again no one except Mom believed that Young Mi knowingly misinformed her. Mom tried to break Woo Jin and Young Mi up since she hates Young Mi for good reason but Young Mi made Woo Jin drunk and took him into a hotel room and they spent the night together. Later Young Mi pretended that she got an abortion and with this she has won victory over Mom and Mom had to accept that Woo Jin will marry her after one year. Young Mi is scary and the actress plays her such that sometimes she resembles those evil ghosts in scary Asian films.
Meanhwile Hyong Chul returned to Seoul since his father is very ill and we understand that his family actually owns MBS. Sun Mi is glad that her friend is back and since she doesn't know that he is in fact owner of one of the prominent TV stations in the country, tries to get him find a job. Sun Mi and Young Mi apply for a job in MBS and they both pass the test.

I have started a novel called Hırs ve Ceza (lit. trans. Ambition and Punishment). It is written by Ayca Sen who is a DJ, columnist, singer and this is her second novel. I loved her first one and this one is even better. The story is about a woman who quits her job to become a writer. It is a very funny satire and I'm enjoying it very much.

All About Eve Ep.1-4 and Amat

All About Eve is a nice drama. It didn't leave that much of an impression and the cinematography is not really that good but the story is interesting and the dynamics are good. This time the rich and spoiled girl is not the evil one. Sun Mi is nice and friendly, in love with her father's girlfriend's son for years. Her mother died when she was young but her father is a really good guy who takes care of her and although in a steady relationship with a woman Sun Mi likes. Woo Jin is the son of that woman (I'll call her Mom) and they would have made a good couple, he wants to be a cameraman and she a newscaster. But he only sees her a sister.

Enter Young Mi, a woman whose father was a part time worker in a village and he dies while working for a project for Sun Mi's dad. Dad is impressed with Young Mi's hard working and ambitions to make something of herself. She is to go to the same university as Sun Mi. Feeling guilty for her father Dad decides to help Young Mi out by letting her stay for free at Woo Jin's and his horny friend's studio. But since Young Mi is a very beautiful young woman he decides it would be better to hide this from his girlfriend and Sun Mi. Woo Jin agrees and befriends Young Mi. But of course this secret doesn't remain a secret for so long since Mom visits often and one day sees them talking.
Anyway the main guy meanwhile is London staying away from his dad since he left him and his mother when he was a teenager and remarried. He hates his dad but in general not a bad guy at all.
What happened is that now Young Mi and Woo Jin are in love, Sun Mi went to England to get away from them. Met Hyong Chul (the main guy) there and returned back to declare her love to Woo Jin. But Woo Jin told her that he is in love with Young Mi.
Young Mi is an ambitious woman. Her mother left her when she was young and her father was a drunkard. She studied hard though and decided to be a newanchor. She also had a relationship in the village with a shady guy who followed her to Seoul. She tried to end the relationship but the guy threatened to beat Woo Ji (the guy is a gangster and he operates a bar) if Young Mi does not work in the bar drinking with guys and kissing them on their cheeks. Young Mi's activites are known to Mom who never liked her. And she doesn't want Woo Ji to go out with her. Young Mi is very jealous of Sun Mi and her lucky life, rich loving father, an uncle who is a senior in MBS (a TV station). Meanwhile this Uncle and his co anchor lady are good friends with Hyong Chul. Anchor Lady even is sort of in love with him and visits him in London but he gently tells her that he doesn't plan on loving anyone. But he meets Sun Mi and even though it is not yet love, there is a good friendship and some affection between them.
In the university there is a competition for hosting a show - both girls study mass media- and they both want to be the host of the show now.

I have finished Amat and enjoyed it very much. A mix of myth, fiction, religion with a dose of symbolism and the little details of life in the Ottoman Empire, it is a delightful read. According to the book Amat is the pronunciation of hebrew word Emet which means the truth.

All About Eve and Amat

All About Eve (2002) This Korean TV Drama is one I have seen a while ago but two discs in the set refused to work and I ended up watching the ending but four episodes before that I was not able to see. Now I'm giving this presumably Malay set another chance in the computer and I started from the beginning. This is a loved drama starring Jang Dong Gun and Chae Rim as the OTP and there is the evil girl who is also the lead. And a good secondary guy. I'm planning 2 episodes a night and so far our OTP didn't even meet yet!

Amat is still going great and it got even more interesting.

The Naked Kitchen

The Naked Kitchen (2008) Directed by Hong Ji Young and written by Hong Ji Young and Lee Kyong ee

It looked like rom com but turned out to be one of those gentle films that go nowhere. I don't mind those really but this one was odd and I ended up not liking it except the make out scene in the gallery which unlucky for me was at the beginning of the film.

This was not the actors' fault though since all three leads and secondary characters were very good - as usual with the Korean actors. And congrats for the costume and hair department for making Shin Min Ah, one of the most beautiful women in Asia to look unintentionally ugly.

Thank God that Amat is going great. I'm halfway through and enjoying every page.

K-20 and Amat

K-20 (2008) Directed and written by Sato Shimako (adapted from the novel written by Kitamura So)

The story is in AU Japan and the hero is a mixture of Batman and Robin. The villain is suitably villainous. The female character was very good since she was the smartest of them all and furthermore she has figthing and other skills. I didn't like the actress much though for the silly reason that she looked stupid with the air goggles. But Takeshi Kaneshiro has got to be the most handsome man in the world. And he is a good actor. It gives me such a delight just to look at his face and his dimple when he smiles. The villain was Toru Nakamura, a capable actor and he doesn't seem to age!!!
Today I have started a new novel (took a break from the short stories). It is a Turkish novel called Amat (I really have no idea what it means, it is the name of a ship). The novel is a period piece in 1600, an Ottoman ship going on the Aegan sea. The writer is Ihsan Oktay Anar and his language is a delight in many many Ottoman words... I'm enjoying it as much as I did enjoy the two novels of his I have read. (Puslu Kıtalar Atlası - lit.trans. Atlas of Hazy Continents and Suskunlar - lit.trans The Silent(s))

Rough Cut

Rough Cut (2008) Directed and written by Hung Jang

I liked it despite its flaws and this is mainly because of its two great leads, Kang Ji Kwan and So Ji Sub. They made me care for the not really well drawn (and a bit cliché) characters and I wanted them both to be happy. Also I didn't care for the lighting but it may be due to the cheapo vcd of it I purchased.

Frozen Flower

Frozen Flower (2008) Directed and written by Ha Yu

This box office success in S.Korea was indeed a good film and not just because it has great art direction. It made me compare the dynamics of sex and power. In the film the King is in love with his chief bodyguard/lover. He is the passive one in their love making. Since he is unable to make love like a man he orders the bodyguard to sleep with the queen and produce an heir for the throne (his rule is threathened with the excuse of the lack of an heir). The bodyguard only made love to the king all his life and it is the first time he makes love to a woman and what do you know? He is actually a hetero and furthermore falls in love with the Queen who duly reciprocates his feelings. King is so upset with the whole thing that he destroys the poor the bodyguard and the Queen with her misguided love and compassion helps the King to do just that.
So the bodyguard is the dominant party in both sexual relationships but he ends up being crushed by the royalty. Why is it so important to get what one wants? True love is not about ownership, is it?
The controversial sex scenes were indeed really explicit. The man to man ones include french kissing and kind of yuck... And the make up was really not very good. The actors looked a lot better in the special features.