The House of Flying Daggers

The House of Flying Daggers was not a film that impressed me the firs time. I probably purchased this from the bargain bin because Takeshi Kaneshiro looks really good in it (but he always looks good). It was a blast from the past but I still got giggles in the end, instead of the intended tears (the heroine just wouldn't die! Everytime you think she is dead, she comes back and this happens three times). This film is pure eye candy though since the sets, the locations and Takeshi Kaneshiro were all marvels to look at. 

The Marriage Contract

The Marriage Contract is yet another highland romance novel. This time our highland hero is half English and our heroine is married to him by proxy. Of course once she got used to his barbarian ways (wearing kilts and blue paint etc.) they fall for another and live happily ever after. This one was not to my taste. I didn't feel for the couple, the intimate scenes were very limited and completely chaste and there was not much of a prose to make me get over that. 

Barfi!

Barfi! is one of those Indian films where whimsy is mixed with plagirising along with melodrama etc. I knew it, yet I still got it from the bargain bin who knows why. I like Ranbir Kapoor, the male lead, but not enough to get every film he has acted in. I don't like Priyanka Chopra, who tries hard and I appreciate her efforts but she just doesn't have it. And the new girl was not bad. The story is of deaf and mute Barfi (Murphy but everyone calls him Barfi) and the two loves of his life. First he meets and falls for Shruti, an engaged girl who falls for him nonetheless but in the end doesn't have enough love or courage to follow her heart and as he is nursing his heartbreak, his father becomes really ill and as he is dealing with financial problems to get his father treated, his second love enters his life. Jhilmil is an autistic adult who needs being looked after and she imprints (for the lack of a better word) on Barfi. So they ran away and live together and as Shurti comes back into Barfi's life (she is married now but not happy) Jhilmil goes out of it.

This film blatantly takes scenes and ideas from The Notebook and Sympathy for the Vengeance. It pays homage to Charlie Chaplin in his capable male lead. And it made me cry a lot but not good tears. I was sort of unhappy with myself crying over this film.  

Sprited Away

Spirited Away As I'm totally bored with Survivor All Star (it was bound to happen and they escalated it by airing it every single night of the week, seriously) I started to get my film viewing groove back (hopefully). This one was at the shelf since I'm still trying to organise my dvds (totally gave up on trying to catalogue them) and this is a film I'd not move to the attic. Of course the dvd brought back memories. I got it in Osaka at my first trip to Japan.

Ok back to the film, this is one of the finest examples of Studio Ghibli films and one of my favorites directed by Hayao Miyazaki (actually I love all his films). It tells the story of Chihiro who wanders into a spirit town with her parents after they got lost moving to a new town. And as her parents taste the food on display, they turned into pigs. Luckily someone looks out for her in this alien environment, Haku is a mysterious boy who is hot and cold towards her but saves her from a lot of trouble. Chihiro's purpose is to get out of there after saving her parents and expectedly she falls in love with Haku (and he with her) along the way. Yubaba is the ruler of the spirit world and she has no inention of letting Chihiro (or her parents) go.

This is a wonderful animation that would make you feel good (and probably minus a few tears if you are like me).

You Got Mail

Photo credit: http://www.onthesetofnewyork.com/

You Got Mail One of my all time favorites, it came to rescue during fasting. No matter how many times I have watched it (probably more than 5), it still moves me and entertains me. Also I think this is the last time we see Meg Ryan before she became totally plastic (and in a bad way). It is a classic. 

Taken

Photo credit:http://metro.co.uk/

Taken This second viewing was OK. This is a high tempo action film with a lot of plot holes, the kind that you notice as you watch along (rather than think of after the film ends). Anyway it was timepass and that was all. Interestingly this is a French production so despite being very American in nature, it is categorised as France in here. 

The Heart of The Matter

The Heart of The Matter is the first Graham Greene novel that I have read and I liked it very much. Internal conflicts is usually an attractive subject for me in fiction and The Heart of the Matter has it in abundance. I also liked the fact that one of the main conflicts was about religion. Our protagonist is Scobie who is a deputy police commissioner at a North African (?) British colony. His wife is not happy that he is passed over for promotion but he liked being there and likes his work too. Their daughter died years ago and the trauma still haunts them and Scobie feels responsible, not logical but emotions usually aren't. Well in trying to help someone he steps on the way to corruption and as events unfold his only option is to continue. He is a good man but also a very flawed one. The funny thing is as he becomes corrupted (both in his private and professional lives) he gets that promotion in the end. However everything becomes too much for this gentleman who only asked for some peace of mind and just gives up.

I'm eager to read more Graham Greene now. He is not Thomas Hardy but still...

Gone

Gone was ok I suppose. Amada Seyfried is an actress I like and it was nice to see a resourceful female as a lead. However the whole thing was a bit weak, not enough to put you to sleep but not strong enough to leave an impact either. 

Still Alice

Photo credit: www.metacritic.com

Still Alice  really slayed me. I was crying and crying and this is not good when you are fasting. 

The story is about a smart language expert who teaches at Colombia University and married to a smart scientist. She has three children, the eldest, a glam career woman, one of those  she is very close with, the middle child is her only son who is a doctor and her youngest daughter is an aspring actress who lives in LA and doesn't want to go to colleage despite Alice's constant sound advice. They have a friction between them. But when she is diagnosed with Alzheimers (an early onset type that is hereditary) it is the youngest who leaves her budding career (she just got a good deal with a powerful agency) to take care of her mom when others are too busy with their own careers, children etc. As much as it was heartbearking to see this intelligent, lively woman to fade away bit by bit, the thing that got me most was how her daughter stepped up and came to take care of her. It shouldn't have been easy but she did it. I loved that. 

Loose Cannons (Mine Vaganti)

Photo credit: www.beyazperde.com

Loose Cannons (orginital Title Mine Vaganti) was a film I have actually recorded and then found that it was on Dvdigi. Ever since Fasten Your Seatbelts I have little crush on Ferzan Özpetek films and it doesn't look like it will go away. There is some Almodovar in there (oh no where near impactful or powerful) but overall this is a director with gentler sensibilities and he has different issues with life. Here we have a rich old family of pasta makers and they have two sons who are both gay. When the eldest came out during a business dinner (after his little bro came out to him and told him that he'll come out at that same dinner) he is cast out of the family. And the younger son has to stay and try to act straight and interested in the family business. There are quirky side characters, a manipulative soundtrack (that totally worked on me) and decent actors who look like real people and some of them are really good looking without looking plastic.

I was in tears at the end (but good, happy tears) and my crush still goes on strong. 

The Wedding Singer

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The Wedding Singer is probably the first Adam Sandler film I have watched and since then I'm hooked. I loved it the first time and I still love it when I watch it again. He is a very good wedding singer with song writing aspirations. She is a waitress at the wedding hall and she is engaged to a very dislikable man.

He got stood up at the altar but he is such a nice guy that eventually ends up helping her wedding preparations. Of course they fall in love but there are misunderstandings, horrible exes, doubts etc. And in the end they declare fabulously on a plane with Billy Idol helping out (I love Billy Idol, a side effect of being an 80s teen).

In the above pic he gets back to work after being dumped and is singing Love Hurts to a bunch of very unlucky wedding guests.

This is recommended if you love rom coms, 80s, Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.

Men, Women & Children

Photo credit: http://entertainthis.usatoday.com/

Men Women & Children was on Dvdigi and even though I remember it being slammed by everyone, I had a feeling that I was not going to hate it and I didn't. It is not a good film but one that didn't put me to sleep.

This is one of those ensemble films where the lives of teenagers and their parents interwine (and sometimes not) at a small town in USA.

And yeah there is Adam Sandler, not really giving a good performance. But he was not alone in this.
Anyway I usually like film directed by Jason Reitman. Well maybe not enough to watch them again *but I definitely enjoy them while I'm watching. Anyway approach with care but it ended up being a nice timepass for me.






*The exception to this is Young Adult. I love that film and saw it more than once.

Ramadan Day 1

Yes it is that time of year. And because it is summer now we have to stop eating at 03:20 something a:m and not start again until 20:55 something (these are not exact times but differ only a handful of minutes).

Despite having  muffin top now I don't really feel hungry. But the real problem for me was never hunger. It is water and not having enough time to sleep. But at the moment I neither feel thirsty nor hungry. And I don't want a cigarette.

And to top it all, I have dentist appointment today. So I won't be getting home at 18:15, say afternoon prayers and then fall asleep until the eating time. I have to say the aftertoon prayers and be at the dentist at 19:00. Now it is just a veneer and maybe a little filling and cleaning too so I think my fasting will be intact.

I'll not say what I ate in the evening since I had been eating all day. But for breakfast I had pita bread the size of my hand with white cheese and a small bowl of granola with milk. Had few sips of tea (now even half a cup). But managed to drink some water and despite the fact that I was thirsty when I woke up, a nice shower relieved me of that right away.

And there's not much to do at work thank God.

I hope that it will keep on like that for this month. 

Faithful Place

Faithful Place is a novel that got me interested for a couple of reasons. First I love the first two novels from this writer and second there was a preview read at the end of the second one The Likeness. And I was hooked even with that. But the novel entirely suited to my tastes. As it frequently happens nowadays I guessed the killer right at the beginning. But this novel has so much more than its mystery. One of the reasons I like Tana French is that she writes great character. One can understand and even if not sympathise, at least can empathise. This story is about first love, family, sisters and brothers and the hard facts of life. Especially the love story was so good. And this is one of the nowadays rare books that actually made me forget sleeping and almost everything else. I just kept reading.

I'm eager for the fouth novel now. 

The Quiet American

Photo Credit: http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog

The Quiet American was a film I saw years ago and liked (no wonder with great cinematography and all the close ups) this second viewing left an even better impression. I liked the story so much that I immediately wanted to read the novel. I have never read a Graham Greene novel before. Thank God that I actually purchased one early on and started to read The Heart of the Matter (a totally different story but I can recognise some of staples already) right away. 

Spoilers

Our main character is Thomas Fowler. An old ex pat in Vietnam (just when there is civil war) doing some journalism but not really caring for anything other than staying there and living with Phong, his much younger and prettier mistress. His wife is Catholic and won't divorce him so he is not able to take Phong to UK (Phong wants to leave the country). Times are turbulent but he stays neutral. A nice enough man with small wants. 

And then he meets Alden Pyle who came to Vietnam from USA with a medical care group, providing eye care to locals. He is the eponymous quiet American (as opposed to alcohol soaked USA expat who constantly complains and tries to hit on local girls). Alden is soft spoken, respectful, kind hearted, young and handsome. Actually Thomas really likes him since he is interested more than the facade and very respectful to his mistress and her relatives. An all around good guy. 

Or is he? 

We all know he'll fall for Phong (and the voice over informs us right away). And he is very tempting. At first Phong remains loyal to Thomas (and one of the few things that I didn't like is how they actually voiceovered Phong being an analogy of Vietnam and not only that Alden comes right out and says it towards the end). However scaredy Thomas, aware that he is not only limiting Phong's future but also that he is very old and Alden is not only young and great looking but also educated, cultured and smart and most importantly kind hearted. While he is on a medical mission and while Thomas is after a story - since he is told that he actually needs to work if he wants to stay there - Alden actually saves Thomas' life at one point. He was open and honest to Thomas about his intentions with Phong and talked to Phong in Thomas' presence. 

But as the film progresses Thomas and the viewer get to understand that Alden is always hanging around shady (meaning spy seeming) embassy officials and is involved some sort of customs scheme that allows some very bad men to import dangerous components. Then bombs explode and people die right in front of Thomas while he is having his morning coffee. And he spots Alden in the mist, speaking perfect Vietnamese (no one knew he was able to do that) and actually managing the aftermath (while wiping blood from his trouser cuffs. Yeah the light bulb illuminates and Thomas and we figure out that he is actually CIA and all the other shady officials (who Thomas warned him off of) work for him. 

Meanwhile Thomas lies to Phong that his wife accepted a divorce (she refused Alden before knowing that) and when Phong shows the letter to her sister (who is definitely team Alden) she tells her the truth. So when Thomas figures out the whole Alden identity, Phong is living with Alden and is actually happy (but not as carefree as we saw her with Thomas). 

Enter the communists. Actually it happens that Thomas' local aide in the office proposes that Thomas invites Alden (who never goes anywhere without body guards now) to dinner to have a man to man discussion. Both Thomas and the aide know that this will be an attempt to assasinate Alden. He struggles and they arrange a signal to signify his decision. He asks Alden to his house and confronts him. Alden far from being ashamed of his intentions on Vietnam, actually defends them to Thomas. Thomas asks him to go to USA taking Phong with him but he says no. And Thomas gives the signal to the communists who promptly assasinate Alden on his way to meet Thomas.

Here things get a bit shaky as the police somehow suspect Thomas (seriously?) and his alibi etc. are really flimsy. 

Anway in the end Thomas gets Phong out again, from a dance for money establishment where she had to go back now that Alden is dead. And he decides never to leave Vietnam again and live with Phong. 

Michael Caine is excellent in this role. There isn't a single thing wrong in that performance and he also has wonderful chemistry with his co stars.

Brendan Fraser I think is one of those actors who are hindered by the way they look. He is hunky but despite the Mummy and everything, I always have the impression that he is more of a character actor who is better suited for that type of role. He is fantastic as Alden.

All in all this film is very good and very well suited to my viewing tastes.

Wicked Ties

Wicked Ties is yet another erotica I have got at an online secondhand book shop. It was alright and despite being vanilla in comparison to the rest of the stuff I have read I enjoyed the whole facade of making it as a love story and a mystery and an action novel all in one. It didn't really work but it was entertaining. I'll probably want to read more from this writer. 

The Girl Next Door

The Girl Next Door I love Ruth Rendell's novels (except for some reason the Wexford ones) and this novel is no exception. Our characters in this are all in their 70s and I loved their interactions and how they lives changed after someone found a box with two hands in it. It is a mystery but also a character study and all in all a lovely addition to my kindle. 

True Blood - Seventh and The Final Season

True Blood ended very sweetly. It is one of the rate shows I loved each season and loyally watched them all. Oddly I read the novel long before I even knew that they were going to adapt it and didn't really care for it all. In fact I barely remember it. But the show was just to my taste. With great visuals, lots of horror, hot men (Alexander Skarsgaard - sigh) and impossible situations escalating season by season, the final was subdued in comparison but really sweet and one of my favorite characters came back (Hoyt) and that OTP was the sweetest. Vampire Bill got a fitting end which left me in tears and Sookie found a sort of happiness. And I loved it that Eric and Pam continue to thrive and be their adorable selves (I wanted Eric to live).

Tara's scenes, Lafayette, Arlene, Jason all felt so good and despite the fact that I wanted Bill and Sookie to end up together, I'm glad that they decided not to go that road. Everyone acted true to their characters so far and nothing felt out of place. Good for you True Blood and yeah just like the dvd cover says, it was true to the end.  

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Photo credit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

The Grand Budapest Hotel I know I had recently said that The Royal Tenenbaums was the true Wes Anderson masterpiece but now that I have watched this lovely film yet again, I want to change my opinion. This film is a masterpiece of cinema and I think my favorite in Anderson's filmography. I wouldn't change a thing in it. The visuals, the story, the cast (oh the cast!) and the wonderful mise en scene, the art direction and the costumes and the lovely script... Everything about it is perfect. Ralph Fiennes is an actor who won me over and he is magnificient as Gustave. This film is a keeper. 

Fantastic Mr. Fox

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Fantastic Mr. Fox was the only Wes Anderson film I had not seen and I had the chance to remedy that this Sunday. It is no surprise that I liked it very very much. I have not read the source material (a Roald Dahl novel) but I liked the story and how Wes has made it his own. I would have known he directed it even if I had not seen his name in the credits. Voice actors were great and I highly recommended whether you like this director or not. 

Not That Kind of Girl

Not That Kind of Girl was not on my to read list but when I saw it at the little store inside Andaz Maui (yeah that's how I rolled then :) ) I decided to get it on Kindle for no particular reason. I never watched Girls and was not eager to find out about Lena Dunham but this book has showed up on so many websites I regularly checked so why not? Well at first I was kind of ready to label it as a miss but as I kept reading during intervals, I stuck to it and ended up liking it, glad of the purchase.

Firstly this is not a woman I felt a connection with. She is young and lives in a world that is not even remotely similar to mine. Her concerns and problems are not ones that I have experienced when at her age. But she can write. What got to me was her writing. The woman can tell a story and managed to suck me in. Kudos and all the best to her. I hope she writes a novel and I sure will put it on my to read list. 

Man on Fire

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Man on Fire I have watched this a second time and I liked it even better. Ok the shaky camera with lots of unnecessary visual tricks (RIP Tony Scott) is distracting and hurt the film more than benefitted it but the rest is really good. Dakota Fanning is a great actor and Denzel is I think at his visual best here. He looks so handsome and also gives off that suffering alchoholic at the end of his tether vibe so well (compare it with his performance of another alchoholic in The Flight and it is even more amazing) More importantly these two have excellent acting chemistry. The story is that Dakota's dad hires a cheap bodyguard for financial reasons and Denzel is only cheap, despite being the ultimate killing machine, because he is an alcoholic struggling with his conscience, and suicidal. Oddly these two become fast friends despite Denzel's surly attitude and resistance and when Dakota is actually kidnapped, Denzel despite being seriously wounded and all, will stop at nothing to get his revence (he thinks Dakota is dead).

I recommend this one if you like action and melodrama. I had cried the first time I saw it and I have cried this second viewing. These two are great actors and I think Rada Mitchel and Marc Anthony did good jobs too. Christopher Walken was also there gracing the film with his presence (this is meant as a good thing here) 

Photo credit: http://i.guim.co.uk/

Mortdecai was there and I had the morbid curiosity and I love Ewan McGregor so I watched it. It ended up being one of those films where the filmmaker aims and misses every single time. None of the jokes worked, there was no chemistry between any of the actors and everything was off. 

Much Ado About You

Much Ado About You is an alright novel. The weird thing for me is that I don't seem to like the novel as much as like the Author. Of course I don't know her but liked the way she looks at things and the point of view of the story. Alas I don't like her prose style and her conflicts seem not worth the care they have been given by the characters. And I don't like the way she writes the intimate scenes. But I like her a lot. 

Child 44

Child 44 I have seen on web at an article on books that will become films. And this is a serial killer novel at a time when Stalin ruled Russia. Firstly after a couple of chapters I have decided to treat it as an AU crime novel rather than try to absorb period details, mood of that time etc. The period details felt a bit in surface, aimed to shock you and told in a way that makes you question the loyalty to fact (now is the place to tell you that the author actually seemed to make a thorough research based on to read list he has provided etc.) As soon as I have stopped questioning the validity of the setting I was into it. This is an action novel with a mystery. Similar to Dan Brown novels. So if you like them then you'll like this one.

And I have just checked out the wikipedia page of the author (to ascertain his nationality for the post label) and he is really handsome if that makes a difference to anyone. 

The Royal Tenenbaums

The Royal Tenenbaums I think is Wes Anderson's masterpiece. Now I have seen all of his films and love them all. He has a distinct style of cinema one you would either will love or won't care for. And I love him ever since Rushmore. Still The Royal Tenenbaums is my favorite of his (even though The Grand Budapest Hotel comes a close second). This has a great cast, amazingly, I like everyone in it, a strong story with quirky characters (an Anderson staple, quirky characters) and some amazing art direction.

Also now that I have had the pleasure to see the house in the film in real life (it is in Harlem) I enjoyed the film even better in this repeat viewing.  

American Horror Story:Coven

American Horror Story Coven is considered by many the best in the series. And I agree. Having loved the first season (haunted house) and being impressed with the second season (an asylum where lots and lots of things happen) I of course wanted to watch this one. I wanted to see the fourth season too. It is called Freak Show and despite it not being my fave horror type - and neither is the witch lore- I want to watch it.

Coven is staged as New Orleans where there is a school for young witches. Do not expect Hogwarts though. There are only a few students and each and everyone of them are damaged to some degree. The school head is a nice lady with major mummy issues and the house keeper is really creepy. Everything stirs up as Supreme -who happens to be the mother of the nice school head- arrives. Her powers are receding and this means her successor is emerging. The drama is not limited to this though, there is a horrible sadistic woman who was dead for over 150 years, a mighty voodo priestess who has issues of her own. A nice frat boy who died an unjust dead a nice girl who lives in the swamps and a witch council and seven wonders and Steve Nicks etc. etc.

First off I love Jessica Lange, always had. And I love it that her face remains her own without any obvious enhancements. You can see the wrinkles, sags etc. and these don't take away anything from her. Also this season had Angela Basset (love) and Kathy Bates who are both great actresses as well as the usual cast in different roles. There was Gabourey Sidibe as the human voodo doll witch (she cuts her arm and you bleed instead of her) and Emma Roberts as the first Supreme candidate.

All in all this was a really good ride.  

The Bride

The Bride ok I'm at a romance novel kick right now and ruined the project (of finishing most of the books and films and shows I have before purchasing new ones) by ordering some at a second hand book shop on line. Anyway I have purchased second hand The Secret since The Bride was not available. Well I loved The Secret and got The Bride on Kindle when in Kauai. Well it turns out that I liked The Bride but liked The Secret better (unlike a lot of people on goodreads).

First off this is one of those romance novels that objectifies the Scottish men (according to wikipedia this is the correct way to call them - rather than Scotch that is-) and there is a reason why these books are a very popular sub sub genre in historical romance sub genre of romance novels genre - wheew. There is something about them. For me I'm not into that macho, kilt wearing, outdoorsy, heather smelling epitomes of manhood. But two of my favorite actors Evan McGregor and James McAvory are Scottish so there must be something to it. The common thing about these novels are (and I'm including The Outlander although it is sort of one notch above the rest) gruff men who are mysoginist but the heroes have golden hearts and smart heads and in the end they fall for the heroine so much that they will do anything for her. Julie Garwood does not break the mold. As for her heroine she chose a type that is very pretty and capable but kind of clumsy and awkward in an odd way. She is a healer (looks like that is the way to the Scottish man's heart) and she is one of those kind hearted cute women who are secretly competent and she unifies Scotland in the end too! Oh there is a murderer on the loose but I'm not going to write anything about that side plot - this is clearly not a mystery or an action adventure novel.

Apart from loving Barbra Cartland  and old Mills and Boons(side effects of reading everything and anything as a child) I'm not very expert in this jungle of romance but I have my preferences and it seems that I'm not very much into "cuteness" jokes and quirks are alright but it seems I need my angst and in high doses. The Bride was too cute for me but having just written it I read it very easily and have found myself returning to it every chance I got.

So this is not a must read but at least a decent one. 

In & Out

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In & Out is a film I have watched years ago in theater when I was watching everything in theater. I was not particularly into Kevin Kline then (and I never warmed up to him since) and Tom Selleck is just not my type of man. Anyway the film is entertaining with a good message and I have found out that I still liked it enough to watch it till the end. 

Funland

Funland  Richard Laymon is one of my all time favorite writers. I like horror genre and his style is not only dirty and gory but also good. His characters and stories are interesting to me and I love how he writes like a teen boy full of hormones. The sleazy doesn't harm when it is paired with good prose and powerful storytelling. This one is about the crazy killers in a fun park and crazy killers who attempt to kill those killers (to his credit, the crazy killers who try to kill the real crazy killers are more often than not just as nasty as the crazy killers themselves). And this one had a happy ending of sorts. 

What Maisie Knew

Photo credit: http://thedailyquirk.

What Maisie Knew was available and it had Julienne Moor and Alexander Skarsgaard in it (and he is one of the two of my go to fantasy men) so I had to see it. And the pleasant surprise for me was that I'd have liked it even if it starred different people. The story is told in segments that are witnessed by a 5-6 year old child. And we get to see what she sees and draw our own conclusions. Alexander was not only good but his character was so so good (if I had any tendency to give birth e would have been the one who exploded my ovaries)

The directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel both did a good job and I enjoyed the film.

10 Years

Photo credit: http://honeycuttshollywood.com

10 Years  This one interested me because it starred Channing Tatum and Chris Pratt (it is an ensemble piece) I like both actors (Pratt I think is hot, Tatum I admire his physique but he doesn't do anything for me, I just like him). And the film turned out to me more of a project where actors who are friends come together and do. There was not a lot of point to it but I liked it.