Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Streaking!

Hands up all ye who find badly streaked hair totally annoying.

I am not talking about folks with gorgeous natural looking highlights - nor about the casual highlights that liven dull looking hair.

I am specifically referring to certain desis who seem to believe that having unnatural, ugly, blonde streaks make them look Caucasian! Hello. Oh! Let's not forget that artificial, twangy, horrible put-on accent too.

Did you honestly think you would get away with this "disguise?"

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

...of Simon Baker and bit parts...

Simon Baker is more known for his role as the unscrupulous, but extremely charming Christian Thompson in the "Devil Wears Prada". That role was so inconsequential that any seasoned actor could have just gone through the motions.

However, I found his bit-role as Petengill in "Red Planet" much more intriguing. It might have been a bit-role but it asked for much. A team from Earth lands on Mars - and owing to various mishaps - they all know they are going to die in about a quarter of an hour and in those last stages Petengill inadvertently pushes Santen to his death. And this happens - about 55 million kilometers away on the desolate redscape. Guilt-ridden Petengill re-joins his other comrades - but lies to them that Santen jumped off the cliff. Gallagher and Burchenal don't quite believe it but let is pass - they are all about to die anyway - since their Oxygen supply has almost run out.

However, they discover to their surprise they can breathe after all - Mars seems to have a thin but sufficient layer of oxygen. One would think at this stage remorse would set in and Petengill would redeem himself - but no - he continues to move along his selfish path - and in true movie vengeance meets a gory, horrible death.

Nicely acted part that.



Another good role was in "Something New". That movie had a lot of potential - but was totally spoilt by trying to hard to present a upper-middle-class black woman (Kenya) trying to level both the racial and sexist playing field. Simon Baker plays her counterpart - white, low-class, not-so-well-to-do Gardner (landscape architect - my foot!).

Throw the couple into a hot inter-racial relationship. Kenya has to work hard to overcome her prejudices - she is expected to date a successful, educated, upper-class BLACK man - you see. Baker as Brain on the other hand is unbelievably sympathetic and readily puts up with Kenya's tantrums. To screw up matters further - into the fray enters - the perfect black man that Kenya had been searching for before she met Brian.

Unfortunate - this movie could have done so much better. The racial aspect - stands so blindingly out - that it seems to be a mockery. And there was no need to add that extra character - just to show what Brian is not.

Anyway, coming back to Simon Baker - I am not a fan of his. It was just the co-incidence of seeing him in one movie after the other that prompted this post.



Simon Baker aside - Carrie Ann Moss (of Matrix fame) stars in Red Planet - she carries off the role well. But I think her best role is that of Natalie in "Memento".

Friday, May 13, 2011

I wonder...

...how many folks:

saw "An Affair to Remember" after seeing "Sleepless in Seattle?"

read "Q & A" after seeing "Slumdog Millionaire?"


made inevitable comparisons between "Stepmom" and "We are Family" and agreed that the kid in "Stepmom" was really cute - but the kid in "We are Family" was equivalent to nails screeching on the blackboard?


used to love listening to "Careless Whispers" and then their kids (who think - trust mom to like a barfy song by such a LOSER) show them this...

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

..of cabbages and kings...

Watched an old movie "Mission to Mars". D-uh! While the cinematography was really great - can't say the same of the story. A really advanced civilization waits for eons for human contact and that really advanced civilization - cannot distinguish who's come knocking at their door? Besides it would be so easy for them to make a quick trip to Earth than wait like this. And they have a really crude "weapon" system?? In a timespan of one year a single astronaut is able to create a self-sustaining greenhouse that produces oxygen?????? Also the lead actress imitates Annette Benning right down to the short clipped hair. Most irritating.

Read "The Way Things Look to Me" by Roopa Farooki. Surprise - it's about a character with Aperger's. But I will say the book is well-written no unnecessary melodramas! It was refreshing to see the characters despite being Irish-Pakistani - don't have a "cultural identity" conflict.

Stopped like a responsible citizen at the "Stop" sign. It was my turn to go - but an impatient driver didn't want for me to pass and zoomed off. I ignored that "violation". Suddenly a patrol car zoomed up from the left and chased and stopped that car. Did I feel vindicated - nah! It didn't really matter to me at all. You see when I really want something like that to happen when it matters it doesn't. Gah!

Saw "Adjustment Bureau" - I felt Matt Damon wsn't up to par. Emily Blunt was really good. Also saw "Source Code". Was trying to tell my friend that "Source Code" was like a combo of "Groundhog Day" and "Avatar" and asked her if she had seen "Groundhog Day" to which she replied "Many times!" LOL.