More Thank You and The Great Gatsby

I have to force myself not to exceed three episodes of Thank You last night, of course it being 01:30 a:m helped. I can't get enough of this show.

God willing I have decided to read The Great Gatsby next and started it. I have read it years ago and it didn't mean much to me then but it is an all time of one of my all time fave writers Murakami Haruki, so I have decided to give it another chance and so far so good.

Thank You, Outsourced and The Englishman's Cameo - End

Last night I have watched three more episodes of Thank You and I love it. The sign of a K-Drama to my own heart is that I want to watch the next episode right away and I constantly experience it during Thank You.
I have also rewatched

Outsourced (2006) Directed by John Jeffcoat, written by George Wing, John Jeffcoat.
A great film which depicts India really well, of course it teases with its quirks but it does it the other way around for Americans too. Good story telling, even my mother was really into the film.

I have finished The Englishman's Cameo and despite the fact that I figured out one of the suprises (I'm getting kind of good at this) I liked it very very much and it feels very good to be able to tell it to the writer :)

Thank You

Last night I have started to watch yet another Korean TV drama.

Thank You (2007) Directed by Lee Jae Dong, written by Lee Kyung Hee
The first three episodes were really good. I liked both the leads (Jang Hyuk as the male lead and Gong Hyo Jin as the female lead) and the comic side plots. The main story is very interesting too and thank God that the little kid is not of the annoying variety (sometimes they can be so you know).

An Englishman's Cameo

I have not been watching films lately, well I tried to watch Satte Pe Satta but fell asleep towards the end.

I started a new book called "The Englishman's Cameo" written by Madhulika Liddle and it is very entertaining. Good mystery giving details of Mughal life in 1600 India. A very clean prose with detailed descriptions. A book to my own heart. I was a bit worried since I read the writer's blog on old films and enjoy it a lot but the novel is much much better than the blog.

A Couple of Films and Doors Open - End

I have been away for one night and didn't feel like logging in yesterday. I have watched

Love Aaj Kal (2009) Directed and written by Imtiaz Ali
I loved it despite the fact that the male lead (Saif Ali Khan) was too old for the role and the female lead doesn't have anything else but her good looks (which are a bit disturbing btw). The story is one we know and love and it was told beautifully. I actually was in tears while watching a song during past segment. Good work.

Made of Honor (2008) Directed by Paul Weiland, written by Adam Sytzkiel, Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont.
It was a lame rom com. Not worth one's time.

And I have finished Doors Open which was a good book,still I missed Rebus a lot while reading it.

Forbidden Love - Random Episode

Last night I have watched a Turkish show on TV called Ask-ı Memnu (lit.trans.Forbidden Love). It is adapted from a classic Turkish novel of the same name. It is not that nice a show but this episode was alright with lots of intrigue, betrayal and of course love.

Doors Open is going good but I miss Rebus.

Fracture

Fracture (2007) Directed by Gregory Hoblit, written by Daniel Pyne and Glen Gers

I liked it a lot and kind of had a crush on the lead character while watching the film. Ryan Gosling is not my type but he is a good actor. Anthony Hopkins gave his usual performance, good technique with some flair.

Veer-Zaara and Doors Open

Veer - Zaara (2004) Directed by Yash Chopra, written by Aditya Chopra.
This is a melodrama classic and I cried buckets of tears in this second viewing. Shahrukh and Preity were great and Rani is always welcome as far as I'm concerned. I love the soundtrack too and the songs really brought even more tears. Fantastic film, if one likes melodrama that is.

I have started to read Doors Open written by Ian Rankin. It is not a Rebus novel (those are my fave) but it is very interesting all the same.

Kaminey and Q & A - End

Kaminey (2009) Directed and written by Vishal Bhardwaj, other writing credits include Abhishek Chaubey, Sabrina Dhawan and Supratik Sen
I loved it. To my suprise even the actors I don't care for (Shahid Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra in this case) were excellent and the cinematography with its muted colours and that clean look I like the best was excellent as far as I'm concerned.

I also finished Q & A and liked it a lot, especially the ending. It is a good book and the film did the idea justice but told a different story altogether.

Kambakkht Ishq

Kambakkht Ishq (2009) Directed by Sabir Khan, written by Ishita Moitra and dialogues by Anvita Dutt Guptan.
This film turned out to be a dissapointment. It was lazy and silly but I liked one of the songs (Bebo Main Bebo) and Akshay Kumar is good eye candy. Actually it was a waste of two good actors.

Meanwhile Q & A is going brilliantly. It is a very good novel that pulls me into its world.

The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising

The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising (2007) Directed by David L.Cunningham, written by John Hodge adapted from a novel by Susan Cooper.
Nothing to mention much really. Saw it on TV and stuck to it till the end.

Page 3

Page 3 (2005) Directed and written by Madhur Bandharkar, additional writing credits to Nina Aurora,Sajeev Dutta, Manoj Tyagi
It was OK and certainly not as depressing as Chandni Bar and not as out there as Fashion. It was watchable but there is something fake about this director that doesn't really fit his so called realistic films.

Q and A

Last night I was busy loading up all the India & Nepal pictures so didn't have time to watch a film. Felt really sleepy and went to bed at 22:30...
I have decided to start Q & A written by Vikas Swarup and enjoying it very very much. I wanted to read it before watching Slumdog Millionare, adapted from this novel but I couldn't find the novel in Istanbul. So watched the film first. It didn't really matter though since the book is different from the film. The idea is there but the events are different so far.

Dil Bole Hadippa and 2 States - End

Dil Bole Hadippa (2009) Directed by Anurag Singh, written by Java - Aparajita
It is an OK rom com. Rani is fantastic as usual, she even made me cry at some stupid scene but I can't warm up to Shahid. His happy expression is so unappealing.

I have finished 2 States and loved it just as much as Five Points Someone. Now on to a new book but I'm wondering whether to continue with the Indian theme and start Q and A or shall I return to Ian Rankin...

Return from India

I have returned from an excellent trip to India (and Nepal)yesterday. Apart from visiting the historical places and getting a feel of the country I have also read books and watched films (two at night in the hotel room, two on the return flight). Of course I went a bit channel crazy over there and gave the remote controls at the hotel room good work outs. Now on to what I have read

The Bridesmaid - written by Ruth Rendell
I love the writer and I love this novel as much. I have seen a French film adaptation of it some years ago but, as usual, the novel is much better (although kudos to this film too)

Vurun Kahpeye (lit.trasnlation "Hit the Bitch") - written by Halide Edip Adivar
I have read this novel - like every Turkish girl who likes the Republic and the independence war) but I liked it better when an adult. It is a bit of a propaganda but effective prose nevertheless. Halide Edip Adivar is a good novelist. Maybe I'll re read some of her other novels too.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - written by Haruki Murakami
I rarely read non fiction but when it comes to Murakami, who am I to resist. And I'm very happy that I did.

Five Points Someone - written by Chetan Bhagat
Bought it while in Nepal and it was the perfect choice since a) one of my favorite Indian directors, Rajkumar Hirani made a film inspired by it and b) it was great time pass while waiting at the crowded and mismanaged Kathmandu International Airport.

At the moment I'm reading 2 States by the same novelist, I bought in anticipation of a good reading while waiting at the airport (this time Indra Ghandi airport in New Delhi) but it turned out I met an interesting lady in the Smoking Room and had a wonderful chat. And the films on the flight were interesting... It is a good -sort of- follow up to Five Points Someone so I'm still happy :)

Now on to the films

Lady Hawke (1985) Directed by Richard Donner, written by Edward Khamara, Michael Thomas, Tom Manckiewitz, David Webb Peoples

This was a good rewatch since everything about the film were as good I remembered. Loved both the leads and was even able to tolerate Matthew Broderick (yeah I don't like him).

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) Directed by John McTiernan, written by Alan Trustman, Leslie Dixon, Kurt Wimmer.

I love this remake and think it better than the original. Great leads with tonnes of chemistry, a killer soundtrack, lovely visuals and a nice going rythm.

Scandal Makers (2008) Directed and written by Kang Hyok Cheol.
Great entertainment. The director played me like a puppet, I laughed and cried exactly when he(or she) wanted me to. The male lead was great, I have not liked him this much since My Sassy Girl.

Looking For A Star - Yau Lung Hei Fung (2009) Directed by Lau Wai Keung, written by Cindy Tang, James Yuen and Louis Koon Nam.

This had potential but turned uninteresting towards the end. It is one of those rom coms where the side stories are a lot more interesting than the main one. Good thing I like Shu Qi since Andy Lau was his usual self.