Cultureasaurus-Your Book and Movie Review Blog

Mel Gibson's Apocalypto

2006-10-08T10:32:00.000-04:00

They say it's not easy to be a pimp. The same can be said for being an anti-Semite.

Mel Gibson will now be going onto Good Morning America to prevent an Apocalypto of his career.

Bravenet Post

2006-10-08T10:23:00.000-04:00

La Boheme: NYC Opera For All

2006-10-07T07:57:00.000-04:00

Last night, Lucky and I saw La Boheme for the first time. It was her first opera. It was my third.

The house was packed. I and many others took advantage of the special deal offered by the New York City Opera. I paid $25 per ticket for any seat in the house. Of course, we ended up in the fourth ring. However, we sat in the center so we could at least see the faces of the singers.

We did a lot of reading. Since we speak at best two words of Italian between us, we had to read the supertitles above the stage. Lucky found a good method for reading. She would read the sentences as quickly as possible and then look down at the singers and focus on the action. I found myself doing that by the third act.

The singers were very good. Shu-Ying Li, who played the title role of Mimi, sang very well. She gave the necessary gravitas to the dying woman she played. James Valenti also gave vigor to the role of Rudolfo. He really seemed like a young intellectual in Paris. Elizabeth Caballero was a hoot as Musetta, the free-spirited woman whose chief role in life is making her lover Marcello jealous. Caballero's voice soared into the rafters.

I also liked the scenery and the lighting. The scenery was spare to evoke the austerity of the lives of these characters. The claustrophobic room they were in really gave one the sense that these people lived in poverty. In addition, I noticed that there was no spotlight when Mimi first arrived on the stage. It was a good touch. There is no spotlight for starving intellectuals on Paris's Left Bank.

The City Opera also did a good job of explaining the production to the audience. The Opera showed short films about the staging and the opera itself. For Lucky and I, people without much knowledge of opera, the films helped to truly understood what we were seeing. It was a good touch.

The only downside to last night's experience were the seats. I told Lucky, "I feel like I'm in tourist class on a 747." Oh well, you can't have it all. In addition, these seats were not designed for a 6 foot 2 man who should have been a basketball point guard.

When we left, Lucky told me that she wanted to come back. We will.

Technorati

2006-10-06T07:45:00.000-04:00

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Celebrity Baby Names

2006-10-05T07:40:00.000-04:00

Finally, a normal baby name! Maggie Gyleenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard named their child Ramona. After Apple and Suri, we have Ramona. This child is lucky. She will not be abused at school by the other kids. She was not named after a fruit or the kabbalah. Finally, some celebrities with common sense. There is hope for the world.

All Hail the Queen!

2006-10-04T07:39:00.000-04:00

I had the great pleasure of watching Part I of Elizabeth I on DVD the other day.

Helen Mirren gave such a wonderful performance. Playing a queen, she provided the right combination of strength and vulnerability. Her Elizabeth was a real, breathing human being. It was so wonderful to see a great actress at work.

I am eager to see The Queen. It's only fair to visit the second Elizabeth after having seen the first.

Hollywoodland-Adrien Brody's Movie

2006-10-03T07:52:00.000-04:00

As I said above, this was Adrien Brody's film. Even though Ben Affleck somehow convinced the people at the Venice Film Festival that he should be best actor of the year, the real honors should go to Adrien Brody.

His performance in Hollywoodland was stellar. When you compare him to the Holocaust survivor in The Pianist, the difference could not be more marked. His character is so sleazy and so lacking in decency that you cringe. However, it has a great effect. He is the heart and soul of this film. He provides the atmosphere. Brody joins the rank of our great actors like Russell Crowe and Edward Norton.

Kudos should also go to Bob Hoskins. I have been watching that man's performances since Mona Lisa in 1986. I think the best scene he ever acted in came in Hollywoodland. The scene where he tells Diane Lane that she is beautiful and safe with him is just fantastic. I could watch that scene again and again. There is so much feeling and calculation in that moment that you are just drawn in.

As for Mr. Affleck, he was just adequate. I think Lucky's verdict on him sums it up. "Ben Affleck is a bad actor."

Writing a Historical Novel

2006-09-30T07:51:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I pushed the personal and dispensed with the historical in my novel.

I looked at my first draft and saw more history lesson than novel. I had a scene where I described the funeral of Stonewall Jackson in Richmond. I also had paragraphs describing the actions of the Twentieth Massachussetts regiment on Day 2 of the Battle of Gettysburg. I eliminated them. It seemed clear to me that I was showing off my research. That can happen to history writers. You spend so much time researching a subject that you cannot resist the temptation to treat the reader to an info dump. I am always reminding myself that I am telling the story of my characters, not the history of the Civil War.

I think Louis Menand put it perfectly in The New Yorker. He said,"Conventionally, a historical novel is a personal story with a world historical rear-view projection."

I could not have put it better.

Oliver Stone Says Bush Set Back U.S. By Ten Years

2006-09-29T07:31:00.000-04:00

Big mistake, Oliver. If you think this will get you some attention, you're sorely mistaken. We Americans do not like our politics mixed with our entertainment. Entertainers are meant to do one thing: entertain. That is how we Americans like it.

Charles Frazier's New Novel

2006-09-28T07:38:00.000-04:00

So Charles Frazier's second novel is coming.

I have to confess that I wasn't too excited about Cold Mountain. I tried to read the novel and found myself unable to continue past the second chapter. Obviously, other people were. I was in the minority. Cold Mountain was one of those rare situations where I found the movie to be better than the book.

Perhaps Frazier's writing style will have evolved. We shall see.

Berlin Opera Pulls Mohammed Scene

2006-09-27T08:18:00.000-04:00

Mozart has become the new target of self-censorship. If only Wolfgang Amadeus had known it two centuries ago, he would not have composed his opera Idomeneo. It would have been politically incorrect.

It seems that Islam has become the new religion to be protected. You can blaspheme Catholicism (The Da Vinci Code). You can also cast aspersions about Jews (The Passion of the Christ). However, Islam is sacrosanct because we have to show sensitivity.

Or is that really it? Aren't we just cowards? The truth is that we're afraid of what extremist Muslims might do if we offend them. Moderate Muslims like the leader of the Turks in Germany have said that a piece of art should not be subject to religious dictates or we're just going back to the Middle Ages. He could not be more right.

How long will the West try to appease these extremists? When will we stand up for what we profess to believe in?

Fiasco by Thomas E. Ricks

2006-09-26T07:56:00.000-04:00

This is a good book that could have been excellent if the author had waited five years more to write it.

The problem with this book is that it tackled the war in Iraq while its chief instigators are still in power. I'm sure there are documents and memos in classified form that would be available once a new Administration comes to power. The author focuses on the generals and lower level military people precisely because he did not have access to the higher level. That is what I think is missing from this book. I would like to know at what stage the top level decisionmakers made the choice to go to war and when. I'd be interested to know what factors led them to their fateful mistake. You do not get that information from Fiasco.

Ricks makes the statement that responsibility for the war lay with President Bush's incompetance and arrogance. I knew that Bush possessed these traits but I don't think Mr. Ricks does a good job of showing how Bush is responsible for bringing us to war. If anything, Bush is a peripheral figure in this book. Donald Rumsfeld and Colin Powell are bigger players in this volume than the President. That is why I think this book was written too soon. We will not know Bush's role until he leaves office.

However, Fiasco is good at reinforcing what instinct and sketchy news reports have already told us.

It's clear from the numerous studies and expert opinions from before the war that Saddam Hussein was not a threat to the U.S. and that the Administration manipulated the intelligence on the war. The book also debunks the idea that Bush's team was a victim of bad information.

Furthermore, it cleared any doubt from my mind that President Bush is a figurehead. It was Cheney in the summer of 2002 who set the policy to go to war, not Bush. The book makes it clear that Rumsfeld has been in charge of the day-to-day running of the war. Bush did not even pick the CPA administrators in Iraq, John Garner and Paul Bremer. Fiasco puts to rest any doubt that this is the Rove-Rumsfeld-Cheney Presidency.

The book also makes the reader understand that like most disasters, this one was entirely preventable. The authors made me comprehend the two cardinal rules of warfare, mass and unity of command. He also makes clear the requirements of counterinsurgency. He also shows how our invasion and occupation of Iraq violated these concepts and we are paying for it.

I felt that the book was rather repetitive. I think the author felt that if he made the same points continually, he would make the reader understand. I did but at times, the writing becomes tedious.

Furthermore, I feel that you don't get a strong sense of the characters in this book. Ricks writes about several of the generals and the soldiers. However, the reader does not become too engaged in these people. Ricks is better at illustrating the military aspect than at illustrating the cast of characters.

Nevertheless, Fiasco does a competent job of explaining what went wrong in Iraq and how. However, this is not the definitive work on the war.

Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur: The Real Purpose

2006-09-25T07:40:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Lucky and I performed the Tashlich, the symbolic casting of our sins into the water. We went to a park in my hometown and threw pieces of Wonder bread into a pond. The ducks came and enjoyed the salt of our sins.

However, as I threw the bread into the water, I thought about my sins and what I needed to do differently this year. I reflected on how I could be a better person to the individuals in my life. I think that is the primary purpose of the Jewish High Holidays. We recognize that we are sinners and we need to reflect on how we can be lesser sinners. I realize that I need to listen more and be more patient with the people in my life. It's very important to listen and understand to others.

These traditions are nice and important but simply following the letter of the rules without observing their spirit is a waste.

I'd be curious to know the experiences of others and their thoughts about what I've just written.

Matt LeBlanc Gets Divorced

2006-09-23T09:41:00.000-04:00

So Joey has gotten divorced.

I think there should be a revision in the law concerning marriage. We should have two categories of matrimony: celebrity and non-celebrity. For celebrities, marriage should be a contract up for renewal each year, like a magazine subscription. If you don't want to continue, you can always fail to renew.

Average American Home Has More TV's than People

2006-09-22T07:43:00.000-04:00

No one said we Americans lacked for entertainment. We can now be sure of it since there are more televisions than people in our country.

Entertainment has become our reality. I remember a paralegal at one law firm where I worked. The topic of the conversation was the Middle East. She knew nothing about the situation over there or the actors involved. However, she gave me a very detailed description of an episode of West Wing where the Arabs and the Israelis made peace. On 9/11, I'll never forget the comment made by several people, "This is like a movie."

The entertainment society needs its televisions. Thank God we've got them.

Metropolitan Opera Joining Sirius Radio-A Great Idea

2006-09-21T07:41:00.000-04:00

I just read of the Metropolitan Opera's excellent idea to join with Sirius Satellite Radio.

This is a brilliant plan on many levels. First, we live in a country where entertainment and its organs are the primary educators. By placing its historic broadcasts on satellite radio, the Met is educating a new generation about opera. Second, the Metropolitan Opera will create another revenue stream. Not only will it make money from tickets to the Opera itself, it will earn from the purchase of subscriptions to Sirius Radio. Third, placing the broadcasts on Sirius will help shed the image of opera and classical music as an elitist medium. In the nineteenth century, opera was enjoyed by the masses in Europe. Though the Met will be joining such illustrious folks as Howard Stern on Sirius, the Metropolitan Opera is taking a wonderful step in bringing opera to our 21st-century masses.

This is a trailblazing step which others should follow.

Broadway: Revivals are on the Horizon

2006-09-20T07:34:00.000-04:00

I'm not much of a Broadway person, but I cannot help but notice the spate of revivals on the Great White Way.

I listen to WQXR, the classical music station here in New York City. Many of the commercials are for Broadway shows, old Broadway shows. For instance, I've heard ads for revivals of A Chorus Line, Les Miserables and Mary Poppins. I know that Mary Poppins was always a movie, but I think it counts as a revival because it's not an original idea.

I guess the economics of putting on and promoting a Broadway show are driving the situation. It probably costs millions to mount a production and further millions to advertise it. In addition, there probably is not a large crowd of theatergoers demanding new and original entertainment. Most of the Broadway viewers are tourists. I can sort of understand how producers would not like to risk millions on untried and untested ideas. When there is a lot of money at stake, it's human nature to want to hedge your risks.

So it's out with the new, in with the old.

Writing: Techniques

2006-09-19T07:43:00.000-04:00

I have to write a difficult scene today where one of my female characters suffers a miscarriage.

I read some literature online about the subject.

However, I decided that I simply did not know enough about the subject. I decided to ask a woman I know about it. She told me about the pains she felt and the sadness after it happened. Basically, I interviewed her. I now have a sense of how it feels to suffer such a misfortune.

Yesterday, I didn't feel ready to write this scene. Thanks to this mini-interview, I can.

Technology: How We Become Dependent

2006-09-18T07:45:00.000-04:00

I spoke with an attorney in court last week about his Blackberry. I looked at it and he told me that he could not imagine living without it.

That conversation made me think about how we become dependent on these gadgets. Our parents in the 1970's and our family members beforehand did not have cell phones and they managed to survive.

I think I know how it happened. First, we become sucked in by the convenience. For instance, cell phones allowed us to talk almost anywhere. It gave us opportunities to carry out business or have conversations more often. We enjoyed the increased productivity and access to others. It was also very easy. Eventually, we succumbed to the ease of storing a person's phone number and pressing a button (I've forgotten most of my friend's numbers by now). Suddenly, we cannot imagine life without our cell phones and the convenience of it.

The other key factor is the fact that every one else has a certain gadget. Again, let's take the cell phone. I have a friend who resisted having a cell phone. However, most other people bought one. Soon, everyone communicated through one. If you don't have one, you're out of the loop and in terms of business, uncompetitive. Even if you want to resist having one, you're compelled to get one because then you're not part of the ever-larger professional or social circle that has one. In high school, we call it peer pressure.

As you can see, my friends, it is not just what we do, but what our friends and acquaintances do. Through peer pressure and convenience, we become dependent.

Lage Raho Munna Bhai

2006-09-17T12:01:00.000-04:00

What a wonderful movie! This was one of those rare films where every element was perfectly in sync.

The acting was excellent. Arshad Warsi's performance as Circuit was just a panic. He was the comic heart of the film. Sanjay Datt did a good job as Munna Bhai. Vidya Balan was very charming as Munna's love interest. The actor who played Gandhi hit the right note as the Mahatma.

The comic situations were great. The beginning was hilarious when they kidnapped a man in a parking lot and Circuit began claiming that the man was there to steal his radio. From that moment, the tone was set. The situations were not too manic or over the top as in other films like Phir Hera Pheri or No Entry. The balance was there and it worked.

In addition, through the comedy, the film hit some good social issues. The Mahatma and Munna Bhai are the voices of conscience in the film. What happens to a country when it strays from its founding principles? How does a nation find its bearings again? These are key questions the film seems to be asking. As an American, the film made me think about my country and how we have gone astray. This was a very thought-provoking film.

Yesterday, I went to a party at the home of one of Lucky's relatives. We spent ten minutes discussing Lage Raho Munna Bhai. We talked about the different scenes we liked in the film. If the movie is a success in Indian living rooms, you know it must be good.

I am going to own this movie. Enough said.

All the King's Men-A Historical Document

2006-09-17T11:41:00.000-04:00

I think All the King's Men will eventually become a bit of a historical document on what New Orleans looked like before Katrina.

The film was shot in New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana in the months before the hurricane came to the city. Just like the films which showed New York with the World Trade Center in the skyline, All the King's Men could give people a sense of what New Orleans looked like before Katrina.

Inadvertently, this film, regardless of its artistic merits, could give the viewer a bit of history.

Writing: Researching a Historical Novel

2006-09-14T07:36:00.000-04:00

It is not easy to research a historical novel. You have to possess a driving curiosity and determination to nail down a vast array of details. You have to draw up a detailed research plan and follow it with discipline. However, the barriers are primarily mental.

In addition to the preliminary work, there is the research that you do during the writing of the novel. For that stage, I suggest a two-pronged approach. This is what I do. For my Civil War book, I have assembled a large Civil War library. Whenever I need to verify a detail or look one up, I look inside one of my books and find it. If my books do not have it, there is my fallback: the Internet. I am always amazed by the vast amount of information in cyberspace. People have created websites on the most arcane matters. Two weeks ago, I looked up the use of pens in the 19th century. I found the answer to my question after a twenty-minute Internet search.

We 21st-century authors are blessed to have such resources at our disposal. There is no limit to the information we can find to enrich our work. Research has never been easier.

Bollywood Movies on 777-FILM

2006-09-13T08:39:00.000-04:00

For lovers of Bollywood in the U.S., I recommend that you check out 777-FILM: for laughs. The other day, Lucky and I wanted to know the schedule for Lago Rago Munna Bhai. The guy who says,"Hello and welcome to Moviefone" had a very creative pronunciation for the film's title. He said, "Lago Rago Munnaa Bhaieee..."

We've had fun before with Moviefone. A year ago, we went to see Parineeta. The Moviefone guy had a creative pronunciation for this film as well. He pronounced it, "Pareeeneetaaa." I said to Lucky,"What is this a Mexican film now?" If you listened to him, you would never know it was an Indian movie.

For creative mispronunciations of Indian film titles, Moviefone is the place to go.

Technorati

2006-09-12T12:50:00.000-04:00

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The Illusionist

2006-09-12T07:45:00.000-04:00

It's good to see Ed Norton again in a movie. I remember that he was everywhere several years ago. Lately, his appearances have become sporadic. I suppose every great actor goes through a period when Hollywood does less with him. As in every other performance, Norton conveys such energy in his role as Eisenheim. He is so enjoyable to watch. Throughout his career, he has shown such versatility and skill. It was good to see him again.

As for Paul Giamatti, I know he has been the hot thing since Sideways. I think he has little range. He seems to play different variations of the same character. I've seen little difference between his roles in Sideways, Cinderella Man and The Illusionist. Compared to Norton, he is not nearly as interesting.

This was Ed Norton's movie.

9/11: Reflections

2006-09-11T07:30:00.000-04:00

On this fifth anniversary of our national disaster, it is hard to say anything distinctive but I will try. I will not belabor the political points. I'll let other people say them.

If anything, September 11th reminds us of life's fleeting nature. I'm sure none of the victims had any premonition of their deaths. Before that day, we lived our lives with the full expectation that we would live for a long time. Tragically, three thousand of us were proven wrong. For this reason, I think it is so important to have good relationships with your loved ones. That can be hard. Like people, relationships acquire baggage. However, I think it is vital to always try and make that extra effort for the people you care for.

I also believe that 9/11 should inspire us all to a greater degree of civic duty. We should always vote and follow the news, even if it's for five minutes a day. It's clear that so many officials failed in their duties in the lead-up to 9/11. However, that does not give us, the citizenry, the right to do the same. These politicians only care about their seats. They will not be vigilant if we aren't. Democracy is participatory and cannot work if the citizens are not doing their duties as well. We can only be safe and have a relative degree of security if we go out and vote for those politicians who will give it to us. It is up to you. You can only have the kind of country that you work for.

Tomorrow, we have a primary day here in New York State. I will vote in it. I want a good society and I will labor for it. I will remember those who perished on 9/11 and do my duty.

Sascha Baron Cohen: The Next Great Comic Actor

2006-09-10T11:35:00.000-04:00

Sascha Baron Cohen is destined to be the next great comic actor to appear on the scene.

I see the different comic roles he has played and I see his talent. On Friday night, I saw him as Jean Girard in Talladega Nights(the poor man's Anchorman). He perfectly played the part of the Frenchmen we Americans love to hate. He hit the stereotype perfectly. It was wonderful and hilarious. Two months ago, I saw Madagascar, where he played the voice of the animal King ("I have an announcement to make, so everybody shut up!"). The man has got some comic acting chops.

I think it's important to understand the difference between a good comic and a comic actor. There are some great comics out there, like George Carlin and Chris Rock. However, most great comics are not terribly good actors. It's rare where a comic can do stand-up and play a variety of comic roles.

At this moment, I think there are three comics who can play a variety of roles: Eddie Murphy, Dave Chappelle and Steve Carrell. I believe that Sascha Baron Cohen is about to join their ranks.

Brad Pitt: The Cause-Driven Celebrity

2006-09-09T08:00:00.000-04:00

You know that an actor's career is beginning to go downhill when you hear more about his personal life and causes than his work. We Americans generally want our actors to entertain rather than educate us. Just ask Tom Cruise.

Bollywood: The Difference Between Men & Women

2006-09-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Last week, Lucky and I watched some old episodes of Koffee with Karan. In one interview, Karan Johar interviewed Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan. In the other show, Rani Mukherjee and Kareena Kapoor were interviewed.

In the Big B/Baby B interview, Karan asked the leading Indian actresses which Bachchan was the sexiest. Tabu's statement stood out. She said,"I like Abhishek. I hope he can do a film with me, have an affair with me."

This response was in stark contrast to what the leading actors' comments about Rani and Kareena. Fardeen Khan said,"Rani, you have a great ass, but Kareena's is better."

When I heard that, I turned to Lucky and said,"Dear, did I hear what I thought I heard?"

We talked about it later and Lucky mentioned what would happen if a Hollywood actor said that about an actress.

She said,"There would be a panel to discuss it. It would be on TV all day."

I said,"Yeah, it would be on the Internet all day and all night."

In India, barely a whisper.

So it's not just a difference between men and women, but between two cultures as well.

The Suri Cruise Coming-Out Party

2006-09-07T07:34:00.000-04:00

I'd like to thank Paramount Pictures (and their cancellation of Tom Cruise's contract) for this Suri Moment.

Krrish or Bakwas in Flight

2006-09-06T12:41:00.000-04:00

It's good that Rakesh Roshan made the first or among the first Indian superhero movies. It was fun nonsense.

The acting with one notable exception was very good. Hrithik played his parts well as Krishna and his father, the genius scientist. I liked Naseruddin Shah as the evil scientist. He did not play it too over the top. He hit the right note. Rekha was quite good as Krishna's grandmother trying to shield him from the wrath of the outside world.

The weakest link was Priyanka Chopra. That woman cannot act. She's beautiful and good to look at. However, she cannot do comedy. Her timing is terrible and her facial expressions barely register. Perhaps she will improve with time, like many other Bollywood actors. However, as of this moment, the woman is on the level of Esha Deol.

All things considered, Krrish was harmless fun.

The Kevin Problem

2006-09-02T17:11:00.000-04:00

Mr. Britney Spears

Congress should pass a law. When the husband of a female star tries to become a celebrity, as a preventive measure, his name should be changed to that of his wife.

A Well-Timed and Opportune Apology

2006-09-02T17:02:00.000-04:00

When a star loses his movie contract, it's time to apologize!

Verbal Fireworks from the Enlightenment Guys

2006-09-02T16:36:00.000-04:00

I have been reading a book of Enlightenment philosophy and I wanted to share it with you all.

"...[H]e may wish to enjoy the rights of citizenship without being ready to fulfill the duties of a subject. The continuance of such an injustice could not but prove the undoing of the body public."-Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the bewigged fellow above

"As soon as public service ceases to be the chief business of the citizens and they would rather serve with their money than with their persons, the State is not far from its fall."-the same bewigged fellow above

Sounds a bit like America today, doesn't it?

"Freedom is a declaration of liberty followed by an assertion of force."-Voltaire, the smiling guy above.

That statement has some relevance for today, as well.

Here are some my other Enlightenment favorites:

"...[B]y knowing the things that have been, we become better able to judge the things that are..."-Lord Bolingbroke

"No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its power of acting and reasoning as fear."-Edmund Burke

"Liberty consists of the power to do what is not injurious to others."-French Declaration of the Rights of Man, 1789

Good stuff, eh?

Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna

2006-08-30T19:18:00.000-04:00

No one said that adultery was sexy and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna proves it.

Lucky and I drove from New York City to Hicksville, Long Island to see this film. Lucky had an exam to study for so we couldn't get to our usual spot, the Imaginasian Theater on 59th Street. It was a blessing in disguise because we missed the hectic crowd that usually accompanies a Bollywood film opening there. We sat, had our Starbucks coffee and then repaired to see Rani, Shah Rukh, Preity, Abhishek and of course, Amitabh.

The acting was excellent. Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee played their parts brilliantly. You could see the neediness and pathetic nature of the two lovers. Their tryst in a hotel room shows how depressing and sad these two people were. Abhishek Bachchan was very good as the loving but cuckolded husband. From Yuva, to Bunty aur Bubli to this film, the man's range is impressive and growing. Preity Zinta has some good lines in the film. I love it when her character says to Rani's character, "You think living alone was punishment. Try living with Dev (Shah Rukh)." Amitabh was very entertaining as lonely player sampling the call girls of New York.

The songs were very good. I liked the title song Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna.

However, I agree with those who did not agree with the ending. The game of adultery generally does not lead to a union of souls. The result is generally a barrenness worse than the emptiness that led to it in the first place. There is a selfish need to it that militates against people coming together. Perhaps I'm a moralist but I did not see love between Rani and Shah Rukh's character. I saw weakness and insecurity desperately seeking a cover.

Nevertheless, I do not think the film was overlong. I saw some of my fellow viewers becoming restless. However, I do not believe the film had a wasted minute. I stayed awake though Lucky and I saw the late show.

KANK is good entertainment if not exactly a morality tale.

Freakonomics

2006-08-10T16:49:00.000-04:00

I never knew abortion blunted the crime wave of the 1970's and 1980's. Thanks to Freakonomics, I now know.

This was a fascinating book. It was interesting to learn the economics of the crack trade. Who knew that crack dealers kept financial books of their illegal activity? The points made by the two authors were so thought-provoking. I also liked how the authors were unafraid to offend both right and left. No shibboleth was untouched. I also learned a bit about economics. I finely learned what a correlation was.

I hope these guys write Freakonomics 2. I look forward to their debunking of other streams of conventional wisdom.

Why I Like Piers Morgan

2006-08-10T16:40:00.000-04:00

Piers Morgan is a cool dude. Thanks to Lucky, I have been watching a good number of episodes of America's Got Talent. Here are several reasons why Mr. Morgan is fun.

1. His South England/London accent. He is the Simon Cowell clone for this show.

2. His use of the Queens English. He uses SAT words that I can barely pronounce.

3. His employment of British slang. For instance, he told Leonid the Magnificent,"You're not going to start lubbing it are you?" Or, another favorite example is when he told this children's group, "If it's anything I have a weakness for, it's little cheeky girls." If I ever go back to England, I will be sure to talk like Piers.

4. The man is brutally honest. It seems like Brandy, the Paula Abdul clone, likes just about everything that enters the stage. Hasselhoff also likes most everything. Piers is the integrity of the show. He could tell an eight year-old that she can't sing. He's the kind of man who would tell a woman that her baby is ugly.

5. He passes any solo female act where the performer is wearing skimpy clothes. The ultimate example is when he and Hasselhoff passed the Snow White stripper to the Semi-Final Round.

I will be watching Piers for the rest of this show. He's fun.

The Judgment of Paris by Ross King

2006-08-08T07:42:00.000-04:00

It was definitely interesting to live in Paris in the 1860's. That is made clear in Ross King's The Judgment of Paris.

I learned some interesting facts about my favorite artists, the Impressionists. I always knew that these artists were in disfavor during the 1860's and 1870's. However, I never understood why. The Judgment of Paris makes clear that the expectations about art at that time were different from those today. A painting had to tell a clear and coherent story. That is why the artistic authorities at that time preferred a canvas about Napoleon or a mythological scene. The concept of the Impressionists, to paint their view of an outdoor scene at a precise moment, was completely alien to the men of the Salon. This gives you an idea of how revolutionary the art of the Impressionists actually was. Their paintings were a complete break in the history of art.

I also learned about Ernest Meissonier, an artist whose work I had seen in museums but knew nothing about. He happened to be the most popular and profitable artist of his day. Now, a fan of art history like myself knows nothing about him. During the 1860's, he was the star of the art world and the Impressionists were despised. However, as the years passed, Meissonier become obscure and people now think of the Impressionists when they consider art in the 1860's and 1870's. It's fascinating how fame in one's life can become infamy upon death and vice versa.

In addition to the artists, it was interesting to learn about Emperor Napoleon III and the whole story of the Franco-Prussian War and its aftermath. It seemed that the emperor was one of the few people in France who did not want to go to war. In addition, I learned a lot about the suppression of the Paris Commune in 1871. The forces of the Third Republic executed 25,000 Communards with machine guns. The French are always so quick to label others with "disproportionate" responses. Their suppression of the Commune was a textbook example of overwhelming force. I never knew it was so brutal.

On the whole, The Judgment of Paris is a good sketch of that era and the artists who worked in it. The book is worth the price of admission.

Little Miss Sunshine

2006-08-07T08:16:00.000-04:00

I am not too fond of the dysfunctional family narrative. I've never found it that funny. However, Little Miss Sunshine has proven me wrong.

The acting in this film is superb. Steve Carrell, Mr. Office and 40 Year-Old Virgin, was very good as the depressed, suicidal "No.1 Proust scholar in America." The scene where he buys gay and heterosexual porn in a convenience store and meets his male love is hilarious. Greg Kinnear is convincing as the failed father and motivational speaker. Alan Arkin's cameo as the grandfather is very funny as well. I love the scene where he advises his fifteen year-old grandson to sleep with as many women as possible. Tony Collette is very convincing as the long-suffering wife struggling to keep her family together. I also liked the little girl who played the seven year-old Olive, who is determined to win her Beauty Pageant.

In addition to the acting, the writing is excellent. The situations set up by the screenwriter are intelligent. The dialogue is so well done. You sense that different characters are talking in this movie. The lines are excellent. For instance, Alan Arkin justifies his heroin habit by telling Greg Kinnear, "When your my grandson's age, you're crazy to do heroin. When you're my age, you're crazy not to do it."

Altogether, this is a smart and witty film. In addition, my friend who went with me to the film pointed out, "This movie has a lot of sentiment, but it isn't sentimental." Little Miss Sunshine is definitely worth it.

Mel Gibson

2006-08-03T07:47:00.000-04:00

I'm glad Mel Gibson is suffering a little passion of his own for his anti-Semitic remarks. As the member of a religious group that according to him has caused all the wars in the world, he should suffer.

His behavior is typical of Hollywood stars who have misbehaved. They act badly, issue an apology and try to move on. I remember Maggie Gyllenhaal and her remark that 9/11 was due to U.S. policy. The comment sparked a shock wave and her publicists ordered her to apologize, which she did. Like Gyllenhaal, Mel Gibson is seeing his career flash before his eyes and he is suddenly contrite.

God bless alcohol. It makes people say what they really think. Despite all his denials, Mr. Gibson is an anti-Semite. He made this movie about Jesus's trial and crucifixion in which he quoted selectively from the Scriptures and which Catholics like Jon Voight stated was anti-Semitic. Mr. Gibson's father is a prominent anti-Semite. Mel is showing his true colors. His apology is no more sincere than Maggie Gyllenhaal's.

I agree with Barbara Walters. I will never see another Mel Gibson film, past or present. Since we are playing the game of political correctness in this country, it should be applied to everyone, black, white, Jew or Gentile who makes racist or anti-Semitic statements. Mel should not get a pass.

Omkara

2006-07-31T07:50:00.000-04:00

Lucky and I joined a legion of other Indian moviegoers and saw Omkara on Friday night. Our regular movie theater, the Loews Cineplex in Times Square, has been shut down, either permanently or for renovation. As a result, we had to find a new movie theater. We repaired to the ImagiAsian theater on 59th Street. We arrived early and got onto the ticketholders' line. The queue extended into Second Avenue.

As always, Indian Standard Time prevailed. The movie should have started at 7pm. They started seating us at 6:50pm. People floated in until 7:20. As a Jew, I am also familiar with Jewish Standard Time so IST doesn't faze me in the least.

The movie itself was quite good.

The acting was excellent. Ajay Devgan, whom I used to refer to as the Indian Kevin Costner (always moody and miserable) is showing that he's got some good acting chops. His Omkara was a volatile mixture of love, anger and vengeance. You see the affection and the danger at the same time. Saif Ali Khan was an excellent Iago. You sense the evil and snarling humor in that character. You just wanted to kill the little bastard. The woman playing Saif's wife was very good as well. She delivers her sarcastic lines extremely well. As for Kareena Kapoor, I agreed with Lucky when she said, "Even Kareena Kapoor was good." We're still in that mode of condescending approval towards Miss Kapoor.

I loved the dialogue in the movie. Saif has some very good lines. He starts the movie with an important rhetorical question, "What is the line between a fool and a moron?" I also liked Saif's wife's dialogue about the key to a man's heart. Kareena Kapoor is cooking and she says, "My grandmother told me that the key to a man's heart is in his stomach." Saif's wife replies, "I think you should aim a bit lower." Those quotations are just an appetizer to a feast of good dialogue.

I also liked the cinematography. The shots of Uttar Pradesh are just beautiful. The colors are stark and lyrical.

I also noticed something else that was interesting. As most of you know, the Censorship Board in India always has to approve these movies. I noticed that the date of approval was July 20, 2006. Lucky and I saw the film on July 28th. We in the U.S. are getting our Bollywood films a bit sooner now. It's good. We're no longer at the end of the gravy train.

36 China Town

2006-07-28T07:25:00.000-04:00

I've just returned to my Bollywood watching. Lucky and I saw 36 China Town. It's a nice combination of comedy and murder mystery.

The acting is just superb. Akshay Khanna was very good as the cool and suave police investigator. I like his Hercule Poirot style unmasking of the criminals at the end of the movie. Paresh Rawal was a scream as the reformed gambler trying to escape the police's clutches. Johnny Lieber was hilarious as the wastrel and gambling husband. Even Kareena Kapoor was bearable in this film.

I loved the gags in this movie. It was hilarious to watch Akshay Khanna's deputy continually fail to light his chief's cigarette. Finally, the lighter becomes a blow torch. That was good stuff. In addition, Johnny Lieber's tossing the wrong suitcase off a train was very funny. This was a genuinely amusing movie. The actors made it so.

Lucky made an interesting statement the other day about Kareena Kapoor. She said, "I'm starting to like her. If she's good in Omkara, I'll accept her." Well, we shall see. We'll have to see Omkara then.

Forty is the New Thirty

2006-06-29T08:30:00.000-04:00

I've heard an expression at work, "Forty is the new thirty."

When I heard that, I told my colleagues, "One hundred is the new ninety."

Talent Show Rules

2006-06-29T07:35:00.000-04:00

I've noticed the rash of talent shows modeled on American Idol. Last night, Lucky and I watched America's Got Talent and caught a bit of So You Think You Can Dance.

After watching an hour of the two shows, I've decided that there are certain rules governing these programs:

1. One judge will always be a has-been pop star (ex. Paula Abdul, Brandy).

2. Another judge will be a man with dubious acting or miscellaneous credentials (ex. David Hasselhoff)

3. The third judge will always be British who uses SAT words that we Americans have never heard of and will be downright rude. However, because he speaks with a British accent, his insults will sound charming.

4. Simon Cowell will be the producer of the show.

5. Try not to insult the judges when they vote you off the show.

6. If you are a Russian drag queen and you've told the world that you live in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, get a bodyguard.

A.B. Yehoshua

2006-06-28T07:23:00.000-04:00

So A.B. Yehoshua thinks we Jews in the Diaspora cannot truly fulfill our Jewishness.

I would like to remind Mr. Yehoshua of certain facts. For two thousand years, there was no Jewish State for Mr. Yehoshua to fulfill himself in. If not for us Diaspora Jews, there would be no Jewish people. In addition, he says that being Jewish involves being Israeli rather than being immersed in Judaism. If not for the Jews around the world being good religious Jews, the Jewish people would not have survived. It was our portable religion that allowed us to remain. We did not have the luxury of a Jewish nationality until 1948. We had no choice but to negotiate our competing national identities and our Jewishness. I also believe that David Ben-Gurion and Theodore Herzl were European Jews, not sabras.

That is the past. Let us now talk about the present. If the Diaspora is so bad and Israel so fulfilling, why have over half a million Israelis left their homeland to live in the horrible Galut? In addition, if the Israelis are so fulfilled and self-sufficient, why are they taking $2.4 billion a year from the United States in military and economic aid? If we Diaspora Jews were so unJewish and unfulfilled, why does Israel need the help and lobbying power of American Jewish organizations like the JNF and AIPAC?

The bottom line is that the Diaspora Jews and Israel need each other. One cannot do without the other. Mr. Yehoshua should think about these essential facts before he denigrates the people who help him to be a proud Israeli.

Remakes, Remakes and More Remakes

2006-06-27T07:28:00.000-04:00

The remakes are everywhere. You cannot escape them.

The latest one will be coming out soon. Superman Returns will soon be released. I think after four Superman films with Christopher Reeve, he would have returned enough. Batman has come back to us five times. The Omen has come back to haunt us, with a scene by scene rendition. Hollywood is becoming like the movie Ground Hog Day. We are now condemned to see the same movies that our parents were subjected to in the 1970's.

I've decided that I will not see a remake. I have no problem with sequels. However, if I'm going to give my ten dollars to Hollywood, they had better work for my money. I call these remakes a lower form of laziness.

Soccer and Baseball: The Importance of Defense

2006-06-26T08:30:00.000-04:00

I have been watching a bit of World Cup Soccer. I've noticed the importance of defense in baseball and soccer.

I think defense is absolutely vital in both sports. In soccer, it's very hard to score a goal. The defense is stronger than the offence in the game. In addition, once you do score a goal, the defense helps to defend your advantage. I saw in the match between Portugal and Holland yesterday how the Portuguese scored one goal and then defended their gains with excellent defensive play. The same principle holds true for baseball. The pitching and the fielding are a team's defense. Like in soccer, the defense is absolutely vital in protecting your offensive gains. As I've noted in my previous post, the New York Yankees lack an effective defense. Without good pitching, the leads they gain by hitting cannot be maintained.

Clearly, defense is vital in both soccer and baseball. I find these parallels to be very interesting.

About the New York Yankees

2006-06-26T08:25:00.000-04:00

And now, I will comment about a subject I have not explored before: sports.

I've been watching the New York Yankees in the past weeks and I've concluded that it is a certified miracle for them to be doing as well as they are. I have a friend who is a Yankee fan and we agree that the Yankees have no pitching. This same friend characterized the Yankees' strategy as "Getting as many runs as you can and pray to God it holds until the ninth inning." In addition, it seems that half the team is injured. However, they still occupy second place in their division. It is a testament to their ability as a team. Given their disabilities, no pitching, injuries, and Steinbrenner, they are doing remarkably well.

I would not be surprised to see them win their division. As for the playoffs, I would not hold my breath. The lack of pitching will kill them there.

Thoughts about Ajay Devgan

2006-06-26T08:17:00.000-04:00

Lately, I've seen two movies that have caused me to rethink my opinion of Ajay Devgan. Until recently, I've considered him to be the Indian Kevin Costner. He always seemed nauseous and miserable in every film. By the look on his face, he seemed to want to be in any place but in front of the movie camera.

After seeing Company and Yuva, Devgan has given me reasons to change my mind. He is such a ruthless bastard in Company. His character is so horrible that he is ready to kill children to complete a contract on a politician's life. This in complete contrast with the idealistic young crusader in Yuva. The character in Yuva is ninety miles away from the mobster in Company. I think good acting is about versality and the ability of an actor to disappear into a role. Ajay Devgan has that ability.

I hear he's coming back with a new movie soon. I'm there.

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

2006-06-25T21:00:00.000-04:00

This book is a cautionary tale on several levels. Without question, the life of Robert Oppenheimer sets off alarm bells on the societal and individual level.

The surveillance of him and his eventual humiliation in 1954 should be a warning to us in the present day. Considered a national security threat due to his left-wing politics in the 1930's, the FBI followed Oppenheimer and engaged in illegal surveillance of him, much of it without warrants. I found it interesting to note that red-baiting did not begin in the late 1940's. J. Edgar Hoover began it during the 1930's. He set the stage.

This is a parallel for today. I largely avoid political commentary in this blog but after reading Oppenheimer, I feel that I have to say it. Our government is currently engaged in electronic surveillance without obtaining warrants. Like the FBI under J. Edgar Hoover, the government is doing it under the premise of national security. I believe that much of this surveillance is necessary because we are faced with a genuine threat. However, allowing it to be unwarranted and free of any legal constraint creates the strong possibility of abuse. Communism in the form of the Soviet Union was undoubtedly a threat to the United States. However, the FBI's surveillance and the later McCarthy witchhunts were employed against people with dissenting opinions. It is only a matter of time before the government officials use their newfound powers to monitor their domestic opponents. It has happened once before in our history. When we become afraid, the Constitution becomes a straw fence against a fire. We should heed the lessons of what happened to Oppenheimer and the other victims of McCarthyism and not repeat the mistakes of the past. We should make the government's surveillance subject to warrants and some form of Congressional review.

Oppenheimer's experience is also a cautionary tale about what it is to work for the government. Oppenheimer's advice was welcomed so long as it did not clash with then-prevailing opinion. Once he called for international supervision of nuclear technology and the nondevelopment of the hydrogen bomb, his enemies began scheming his downfall. It is impossible to remain a government insider unless you hold the opinions of the people in power. If you don't, your tenure in government will end within a matter of time.

After reading Oppenheimer, I am in awe of the power of scientists to predict the future. Oppenheimer's mentors and colleagues predicted a number of developments that eventually came true. One of his teachers urged him to quit smoking, citing its negative health impacts. This occurred during the 1920's, before any Surgeon General warnings. Scientists in the late 1930's foresaw the use of quantum physics as a means to creating an atomic bomb. They urged the government to develop this technology before the Germans did. The scientists of the Manhattan project foresaw the bomb's destructive impact and the future arms race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. They are now stating that global warming is causing climate change. Perhaps we should heed them. They have such a good track record.

However, the authors try to make the specious argument that dropping the atomic bomb was unnecessary. They cite the Magic intercepts of Japanese government communications in 1945. However, that is only part of the story. Before our atom bomb attacks, the Japanese government had armed hundreds of thousands of civilians in preparation for an American invasion. This is not the act of a government planning to surrender. After the atom bomb droppings, it required the personal intervention of Emperor Hirohito to compel the Japanese government and high command to surrender. Even after the decision was made, elements within the Japanese Army tried to prevent the capitulation. Furthermore, the Magic intercepts are proof of almost nothing because the authors seem to misunderstand the nature of Japanese government. Decisions in Japan, even today, are made by consensus. The powers that be in that country must reach common ground before a momentous decision is made. That was especially true during the Second World War. Simply because one or two Army generals muttered aloud that their country should surrender does not mean that the entire government and armed forces would have capitulated. The dropping of the atom bombs were necessary evils and no amount of revisionist history will change that fact.

Nevertheless, Oppenheimer is a good book that deserves to be read. If anything, it is a tale of the past that provides a glimpse into our present.

Too Many Award Shows

2006-06-25T09:47:00.000-04:00

We in America are suffering from an interesting illness: too many damn award shows.

I was walking in Manhattan the other day and saw a sign for the MTV Movie Awards. Who gave MTV, a music channel, the right to judge movies?

How many awards shows do we have now concerning cinema? Let's see. There are the Oscars, the Golden Globes and the Drama Critics Circle Awards. Of course, there are the miscellaneous award shows that tangentially concern cinema. For instance, we have the BET Awards, the Essence Awards and the aforementioned MTV Movie Awards.

There are of course other awards shows. For television, we have the Emmys and the Golden Globes. For music, there are the Grammys and the MTV Music Awards. And I'm certain there are some that I'm forgetting.

I think excellence should be awarded. However, I think this plethora of award shows is like the grade inflation in universities today. If everyone is excellent, then no one can be mediocre. In addition, how great is excellent if everyone seems to be? Aren't we debasing excellence when every performer is complimented as such?

My favorite awards are the Razzies. I follow the Razzies religiously. These awards recognize the worst performances and movies. God bless them. With this overdose of awards shows, we're going to need the Razzies to determine who is truly excellent.

Nestle Buys Jennie Craig

2006-06-19T19:29:00.000-04:00

What'll they think of next? I just heard the news today that Nestle is buying Jennie Craig. The chocolate people are buying the weight loss people. I'd be afraid for the folks trying to lose weight at Jennie Craig. That's like handing the White House keys to Osama. It just shouldn't be done.

What is Nestle's first move going to be? Chocolate bars for breakfast. Jennie Craig better increase their calorie count real fast.

Britney Cries About Being Famous

2006-06-19T19:23:00.000-04:00

There is nothing more pathetic about celebrities crying about being famous. I saw bits of Britney Spears's interview with Matt Lauer. I became nauseous when she began to cry about the paparazzi following her everywhere. Earth to Britney: You are famous and you will be followed. If you don't like it, you shouldn't have become famous.

This is in clear contrast with the reaction of Salman Khan, the Indian film star. Mr. Khan was indicted and jailed for one day for illegally hunting an animal on India's endangered species list. He stated that the press made a bigger deal of it than it was. However, he added that if the photographers fed their families by following him, then it was worth it. Mr. Khan did not complain about the endless coverage surrounding him. He accepted it.

You pay a price when you become famous and enter the public eye. Mr. Khan seems to understand that. Britney needs to learn.

Musings on Writing-The Dangers of Coincidence

2006-06-15T07:12:00.000-04:00

I read in Writer's Digest, a magazine for writers, about the dangers of coincidence in fiction. The author of the article explained that an excess of coincidence in a story detracts from the tale's believability. The author actually recommended having only one coincidence per novel.

I think that is actually a good rule of thumb. I am now revising Chapters 5-8 of my novel. I looked at my book and noticed a numerous instances of coincidence in it. I took the one in the aforementioned chapters and rewrote the scene. I want there to be only one coincidence in my book and I know which one it will be. I will save my coincidence privileges for that single scene. For those of you who eventually read my book, you will find out which one it is. Until then, you'll just have to wait.

Ann Coulter: The Reflection of Our Culture

2006-06-12T12:45:00.000-04:00

It would be obvious to condemn Ann Coulter's statement about the 9/11 widows. Her remarks were meant to be reprehensible, as of course they are. However, it's obvious that they were deliberate. You can now be sure that her book will be a bestseller.

That is our culture. The more outrageous you are, the better. Reflection, moderation and restraint are not qualities valued and rewarded in our society. The best example is Monica Lewinsky. She engaged in her behavior with the President of the United States and we rewarded her by making her into a celebrity. Become notorious and you can be a star.

If I want to promote my book, perhaps I should consider calling Abraham Lincoln a Nazi. I'll take my cues from Ann Coulter.

Fanaa or Kajol's Return

2006-06-12T12:38:00.000-04:00

And so Kajol has returned.

The movie itself was underwhelming. The story was a mess and relied too much on coincidences. Aamir wanders throughout the hinterland of Kashmir and manages to reach the one house where Kajol's character and her father live. Coincidence became absurdity here. In addition, I could tell that one of the songs lacked originality. In fact, it was a copy of the song Chack De from Hum Tum. I know that Yash Raj tends to recycle its songs, but it only subtracted from the film's impact. Lucky called the film bakwas. I found it passable.

The movie's strong point was the performances. Aamir Khan was very good as the confused but lethal terrorist Rehan. The character is complex and interesting. As usual, Aamir commands your attention. Kajol, as always, was charming and luminous in the first half. During her performance in the second half, you feel for her confusion and anguish that the man she loves is a traitor to her country. All in all, it was a good return for her.

I'd say that Fanaa makes for a good video flick.

What I Like About Bollywood Movies

2006-05-21T21:57:00.000-04:00

Good Bollywood movies have what our Hollywood movies lack nowadays: promotion of values. Our films in America have largely become these mindless bits of entertainment. If they promote values, they are usually with a deeply political tinge.

Indian films still promote certain old-fashioned values. For instance, Dosti is all about the friendship and devotion between Akshay Kumar's and Bobby Deol's characters. Another good example is Rang De Basanti, a film that skillfully interweaves the past and the present to craft a tale about the power of youth to affect change. Yuva also explores this theme. Even an action film like Dus promotes the value of sacrifice. Abhishek Bachchan's character gives his life to save others. I know that you Indians reading this might say that these are tired old cliches. However, these cliches are very valuable nevertheless. For better or worse, entertainment is the key educator in our world. Bollywood films, with their promotion of values, are educating their public.

Naturally, the grass always grows greener elsewhere. India is a country with deep problems and injustices. However, I think my country would be in better shape if cinema promoted certain values. We in America are beyond good and evil at this point. There is a danger in becoming too sophisticated.

R.K. Narayan-The Great Indian Author

2006-05-10T11:59:00.000-04:00

As the title says, I am now reading a great Indian author, Mr. R.K. Narayan. I have already read The Guide and Malgudi Days. I am now reading Volume 1 of a collection of his novels.

R.K. Narayan was an excellent writer. He created the city of Malgudi in his imagination. I find something so brilliant and inspiring in creating a fictional city. Of course, he isn't the only author to do it but he created a fictional universe of his own. In addition, he gave the reader such a great sense of atmosphere. You really feel that you're in Malgudi when you read him.

Right now, I am reading Swami and Friends, his first novel. It's rather episodic but it has some great lines such as, "It was Monday morning. Swaminathan was reluctant to open his eyes. He considered Monday specially unpleasant in the calendar. After the delicious freedom of Saturday and Sunday, it was difficult to get into the Monday mood of work and discipline." I often feel that way on a Monday morning.

Narayan gives the reader the true feeling of being alive. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of his collection.

Jhumpa Lahiri's New Book

2006-05-08T20:21:00.000-04:00

I have been reading Once in a Lifetime, a story by Jhumpa Lahiri published in The New Yorker. When Jhumpa Lahiri publishes a story in that magazine, it means only one thing: a new book is coming.

These New Yorker excerpts are great. They're like movie previews. You can decide whether you like the book just based on the magazine's little teaser. You can read eight pages and decide whether you want the book without having to spend twenty to thirty dollars (Barnes and Noble membership notwithstanding). I read the excerpt of the new Gary Shteyngart book, Absurdistan, and was unimpressed.

However, I liked the Jhumpa Lahiri story. Once again, you have Bengali parents and their American children. The tension between the two is there. However, the theme never gets tiring. Lahiri's fluid prose and power of description keep it interesting. I don't feel that way with Gary Shteyngart. I will not be picking up his new book. However, I will be the first in line for Jhumpa Lahiri's new read. I hear it's a collection of short stories. Whatever it is, I'm there.

Why Esha Deol Has to Go

2006-05-08T20:12:00.000-04:00

I just saw Dus with Lucky the other day. I enjoyed the movie notwithstanding the presence of Esha Deol.

I have a rather offensive opinion of that woman. At the end of Dus, Esha Deol and Abhishek Bachchan's characters die. I was sad when Abhishek died. However, when Esha Deol passed on, I told Lucky, "You know, the movie has a happy ending. Esha Deol dies." That woman is such a nonentity. She added nothing to that film. At best, you could say that she was just there. The same could be said about all of her films. In addition, if you look at her in Line of Control and then compare her appearance in Dus, you could see that surgical enhancements have been used. However, at best, she just looks plain. I'm not of the opinion that every person in cinema has to be attractive but they should at least be talented.

She bears no comparison to Sunny and Bobby Deol. She is the Indian Ashley Simpson.

That is why Esha Deol has to go. At least, Kareena Kapoor has grown on me a bit. I don't think I'll ever say the same about Esha Deol.

The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell

2006-05-06T11:52:00.000-04:00

I just got my course in the history of ninth-century England. The Pale Horseman has been my teacher.

The Pale Horseman is not only a tutorial on the history of early medieval England but a story as seen through the eyes of its warrior protagonist, Uhtred of Bebbanburg. What a bastard he is. He becomes a pirate and plunders and murders. He brings his mistress to his family's home. He insults and maligns practically every other character in the book. However, he sure is interesting. You cannot help but want to find what happens next to this miscreant.

I also like the narrative device in the novel. The older Uhtred is telling the story of his younger days. He comments on his past and current personality. He says, "I was an arrogant brute. I still am." I love the older man's wisdom or at least, experience, commenting on the younger man's deeds. It's very clever. In addition, the first-person narrative in the novel creates an immediacy to the plot. Cornwell is very skillful at evoking the experiences of Uhtred and making the reader feel and see what is happening.

I also found it interesting how England was fighting for her life in the ninth century. I never knew that the peace-loving Danes went out in the Dark Ages and almost conquered England. I suppose the English would have been speaking Danish had it not been for Alfred the Great. With each book, I learn something new.

Check out The Pale Horseman. It's a journey worth taking.

Banaras or Lucky Takes a Snooze

2006-05-05T22:46:00.000-04:00

Lucky and I ate dinner and went home to watch Banaras. We were not aware we would be taking a tranquilizer.

From the first moment, boredom set in. The film began with an excess of dialogue without any clear purpose. In our fast-paced era, the viewer has no time or patience to wait for a story to begin. The screenwriter and director of this movie ignored that lesson at his peril.

Immmediately, Lucky grabbed the video remote and the fast-forwarding began.

The first song came and the button was pressed. "I don't like this song."

The romantic couple met and Lucky pressed the FF button again. "OK, they met. They're falling in love."

The second song came. "I don't like this song," and again, we were in fast-forward mode.

"OK, now they're getting engaged. People are pissed."

We didn't make it past the engagement.

"Naim, do you want to watch the rest of this?"

"That's OK, dear. You can turn it off."

Lucky immediately called her sister. "Didi, Banaras is pakwas."

As I am writing these lines, Lucky is sound asleep from a long week of work and a bit too much Banaras.

2006-04-24T20:09:00.000-04:00

2006-04-24T19:56:00.000-04:00

Excess Celebrity Gossip

2006-04-23T16:09:00.000-04:00

I have a humble observation to make as I've observed the endless coverage about Bradgelina and Tomkat. It is always a bad sign when you hear more about an actor's personal life than his work. Obviously, these celebrities generate publicity about their personal lives to draw attention to themselves. However, it's clear that when they take such a step, the business has begun to forget them. I think this is what had started to happen to Bradgelina and to Mr. Cruise. Let's see if the "silent birth" translates into box office gold for Tom Cruise with MI-3.

United 93

2006-04-22T17:28:00.000-04:00

I don't know about all of you out there but I plan to see United 93 when it comes out next week.

It will not be pleasant viewing but I feel that we Americans need to remember what happened on 9/11. As Lincoln once said,"It is altogther fitting that we do so." We Americans are cursed with a short attention span so I feel that we should see shows and movies that remind us of what happened on September 11th. I want to support movies and shows that have such a good and noble purpose. I expect to suffer and be enraged by the film but I will go. I hope you do too.

Taxi No. 9211

2006-04-22T16:30:00.000-04:00

Lucky and I had to choose between two films we rented from the Indian video store: Taxi No. 9211 and Being Cyrus.

I chose Taxi No. 9211 since it was the end of the week and I was tired.

It was a fun flick. Nana Palekar was very good. He is a very skilled comic actor. I loved the scene when he infiltrates John Abraham's apartment pretending to be his opponent's friend. I loved Nana Palekar's performance in Bluffmaster. Nothing can match the scene where he worships himself in the mirror. Taxi 9211 was a good follow-up to that earlier performance. As for Mr. Abraham, he was good as the spoiled rich kid scrambling to head off disinheritance.

Lucky and I are looking forward to Fanaa or the Return of Kajol. We will be there.

When Do We Eat?

2006-04-15T18:13:00.000-04:00

Speaking of secular seders, Lucky and I just saw When Do We Eat?

Lucky hit it on the head when she called it a "time pass" movie. This is an Indian term for a fluff film without much other redeeming value.

When Do We Eat? certainly falls into that category. The family in this film, the Stuckmans, are a byword for dysfunction. One daughter is a prostitute, another is an angry lesbian, one son is a druggie, the other is a hacker and one son made baal teshuva and then proceeds to have sex with his cousin in his parents' house. The film has funny moments, for example, when the father is going through his Ecstasy trip. However, the family's problems weigh down the comedy. It is almost as if the screenwriter struggled and groped to find humor in this material. Though well-acted, the Stuckman family's problems seem too depressing to be amusing.

Lucky promised not to tell recommend the film to anyone. She may be right. It's a time pass.

The Secular Seder-The Abridged Version

2006-04-15T18:00:00.000-04:00

The purpose of the Seder at my parents' house is to get through it as soon as possible so that we can engage in the main purpose of our Seder: eating.

My father has made abridging the Seder into a fine art. He has become adept at skipping several pages at a time. During various points of the Seder, my father could be seen turning the pages to see how much further we had to go. Another tactic includes speed reading. Since my father is Israeli, he ran through the Hebrew passages in lightning speed.

My family also has other ways of speeding up the Seder. The search for chometz is nonexistent. Washing the hands is something done before the meal, not in the midst of it. Though we managed some singing this year, anything that is not strictly read is generally forbidden. My uncle and his wife initiated the singing and received a scowl from my hungry father.

In addition, since we are a family interested in current events, my father feels the need to make political comments during the Seder. My father and I are on different sides of the current immigration issue. He thinks all immigrants should be legalized. I oppose illegal immigration. We reached the passage where it was mentioned that the Prophet Jacob went to the Land of Egypt to flee famine and ended up staying. My father said, "Yeah, he went on vacation and got lost." I shot back, "He came on a tourist visa and decided to stay."

After a world record half-hour, we reached page twenty-eight and began the Festive Meal. My mother served turkey and stuffing. Like I said, the search for chometz simply did not occur. However, we'll try again that again next year. In our case, I have a feeling the Prophet Elijah will take one look and flee for holier climes.

What Israel Means to Me

2006-04-11T18:45:00.000-04:00

I had a conversation yesterday with a non-Jewish colleague at my job.

He was about to read the novel Mila 18, by Leon Uris. I told him that the book is sad and tragic and tells the story of Poland's Jews during the Holocaust. He didn't know anything about the Holocaust. I explained to him that it was Hitler's attempt to destroy the Jews of Europe in which 6 million Jews perished. He was flabbergasted by what I told him.

I also explained to him why the State of Israel is so important to Jews. I explained to him that for many years prior to the Holocaust and during the years of the Shoah, we were an exiled people without a land of our own. I told him that we owed our security and even our existence to the good will of local rulers or the people around us. The lack of a State of Israel made the Holocaust possible.

I said that the State of Israel has changed that forever. I explained that Israel is about the Jewish People taking control of its destiny. We would no longer be living at the behest of the people around us. We could live proudly with the knowledge that we always had a place to go. Israel is more than an insurance policy. It is a source of strength that extends itself to every Jew on Earth. Wherever we are, we know that there is a strong hand and at times, an outstretched arm, that represents Jews everywhere.

With Passover coming, we should remember that the State of Israel is the Jewish People's liberation from the terrors and trials of our Exile. We no longer have to fear for our ultimate existence. We are still a people of struggle. However, Israel makes it possible for Jews to live in relative safety in the Diaspora. Jews and non-Jews understand that the strong hand is always there.

When we think of Israel, we should always remember what it was like for Jews before its establishment and that will give us some perspective.

The Rebels of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd

2006-04-08T19:54:00.000-04:00

I just got my tutorial in recent Irish history. I read The Rebels of Ireland by Edward Rutherfurd.

I think this book does an excellent job of conveying the drama and passion of the Irish past. Obviously, the main purpose of this book is to tell the history. It is a novel that masquerades as fiction but is really a work of history. However, unlike other books of historical fiction whose main purpose was to tell the history, Rutherfurd makes the reader care about his characters. The people he creates are vivid and memorable. In certain historical novels, like Louis De Bernieres's Birds Without Wings, the characters become mere vehicles for telling the history. The fiction becomes crushed by the history. However, that is not the case with The Rebels of Ireland. I found myself wondering what would happen to these characters. In his case, Rutherfurd does a skillful job of balancing the history and the fiction.

I enjoyed learning certain details about Irish history that I had not known before. For example, I did not know that there were Old English families who remained Catholic and who shared the fate of the native Irish Catholics. In addition, I found it interesting to learn that the Ulster Presbyterians were as eager to revolt against the English as the Catholics in the late 18th century. From the current news accounts and recent history, it seemed as if the Ulstermen had always been the bulwark of British rule in Ireland. However, it was interesting to learn that the change in their views and stance came when they received their emancipation in the 19th century. Suddenly, they turned from hating the English to becoming their close allies. As my Civil Procedure professor in law school once said, "Where you stand depends on where you sit."

Though its length is daunting, The Rebels of Ireland is well worth the time and effort. It is a history lesson that does a grand job of entertaining.

Water or Deepa Mehta's Latest

2006-04-08T19:44:00.000-04:00

Lucky and I just saw Water last night. Let it never be said that Deepa Mehta does not tackle controversial subjects. With Fire, she dealt with lesbians. Hindu extremists torched theaters. With Earth, she tackled the terrible partition of 1947. She took a break with Hollywood, Bollywood. And now, it's the turn of the widows. Threats of extremists also played a role in the filming of this movie.

She does a good job of tackling this subject. I find that her films have a poignancy to them. I think it's partially because she is the writer of most or all of her films. I find that films where the director doubles as the screenwriter are often very effective. In Water, the viewer really feels the pain of Indian widows. Mehta gives the viewer an excellent sense of the indignity and degradation of their plight.

I found the acting to range from good to underwhelming. Seema Biswas plays her role with skill and finesse. She gives her character a range of emotions. You sense how her character struggles to square her conscience with her religious faith. Her struggle is grand. However, Lisa Ray and John Abraham fall short in their performances. Lisa Ray is unable to convey her emotions in an effective way. There is little sense that she truly loves John Abraham's character. By the same token, John Abraham does not make you understand why he falls in love with Lisa Ray's character. You get no sense that they are a couple who love each other. Their performances were the weak links of this film.

However, the film is worthwhile for its good writing, skilled direction and the performances of Seema Biswas and its new child actor, Sarala.

Ek Ajnabee or Amitabh's Killing Spree

2006-04-08T19:36:00.000-04:00

I just saw Ek Ajnabee with Lucky the other night. This comes on the heels of my seeing Sarkar and Family.

I have to say that Amitabh is one bad dude in these films. This is especially true in Family. After seeing that film, I was concerned that the subcontinent would be depopulated. You wouldn't need a birth control program. Amitabh's characters will decrease the surplus population.

Amitabh's performances in these films have been excellent. I especially liked him in Family. His was a negative character with few redeeming qualities. What range Mr. Baachan has. In Ek Ajnabee, I really liked his character. He did an excellent job of playing a tortured soul who finds redemption as a surrogate father of a kidnapped eight year-old girl.

I highly recommend seeing each of these films. You get to see a sample of Amitabh's talent for playing the Devil.

Thank You for Smoking

2006-04-02T20:19:00.000-04:00

I just love politically incorrect movies and I had the pleasure of seeing Thank You for Smoking this afternoon. The movie was such a hoot in so many ways.

As an author, I loved the writing in the film. The lines were wonderful. I enjoyed the main character's description of himself. He said,"You know that guy who can pick up any girl? I'm that guy on crack." The dialogue is just great. I enjoyed the scene when the main character, Nick Nailey, is asked by his son why he told his secrets to a female reporter with whom he had an affair. The boy says, "Why did you tell her all your secrets?" Nailey replies,"You're too young to understand." The writing was just wonderful.

The acting was great as well. Aaron Eckhart played this handsome sleaze brilliantly. He also conveys the complexity of the character by showing the man's care and concern for his son. Eckhart has wonderful presence. He is also backed by a great supporting cast. Robert Duvall showed what a superb actor he is by adding yet another diverse character to his ensemble of roles.

My friends and I were cheering. I will own this movie when it comes out on DVD.

The Illuminator by Brenda Rickman Vantrease

2006-03-28T21:33:00.000-05:00

This book is what historical fiction is all about.

It has everything. The love story is interesting. Each of the characters are fascinating. The author does a great job of portraying life in 14th-century England. Vantrease's sense of atmosphere is excellent. Above all, her prose is wonderful. I found myself reading and rereading some of her mellifluous sentences.

This is a book that should not be missed. The Illuminator is a novel that truly deserves to be a bestseller.

Find Me Guilty or Vin Diesel Can Act

2006-03-28T20:25:00.000-05:00

The man who gave us The Chronicles of Riddick is now playing a mobster.

Vin Diesel gave a very good performance as Joey DiNorcio. He completely revised his image to me. I think this was the first Vin Diesel movie I had seen. I had never thought of him as an actor, but as an action star. I completely believed him as this small-time gangster. He really carried the movie.

As for his supporting cast, they were excellent as well. Linus Roache, the British actor, gave a very good performance, as the hard-charging prosecutor. I also liked John Tinklage, the defense lawyer who needed a stand each time he spoke to the jury. Despite that man's small stature, his presence was ten feet tall.

Find Me Guilty is very good filmmaking. Check it out.

Memoirs of my Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

2006-03-27T20:22:00.000-05:00

This book was not about the most wholesome topic: the deflowering of an adolescent virgin by a ninety year-old man. However, a master like Marquez manages to make it interesting with his grand prose. As a writer, I cannot argue with the quality of this opening sentence, "The year I turned ninety, I wanted to give myself the gift of a night of wild love with an adolescent virgin." How very provocative and interesting.

In addition to the quality of the prose, I think the central message of the novel is quite beautiful. The protagonist becomes alive again due to the caring and love he feels for this teenage girl, Delgadina. He does not know her real name but he gives her a name of his own invention. I found it lovely how he became so vibrant and alive when Delgadina becomes the center of his life. I found it inspiring.

I would recommend the book for the quality of its prose alone. However, its message is something the whole world should hear and heed.

New Trend in Bollywood

2006-02-26T21:28:00.000-05:00

Where have the songs gone? That is my question about Bollywood movies these days.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to notice it but I've seen fewer and fewer songs in Bollywood movies these days. I just saw Rang De Basanti and there were no songs crooned (or rather lipsinked) by any of the stars. There were barely any dance numbers. This is a change from just several years ago. Kal Ho Na Ho had six. However, the past year's top movies had very few. Bluffmaster had two. Black had none.

I view this as an alarming trend. Naturally, certain films will not have any. However, I believe the songs and the dancing make Bollywood films unique. I'm an American and it took me a while to understand the whole mixture of song and dance that makes comprises a Bollywood film. Nevertheless, I sense a creeping Americanization coming to Indian movies. Of course, Hollywood is the predominant film industry of the world and no country's movie sector could fail to be influenced by it. Despite this obvious reality, I believe Indian films should stay unique in their own way. The songs and the dancing make Bollywood cinema special. Let's keep them there.

My New Publication

2006-02-25T08:30:00.000-05:00

Folks, I have published another story. My short story Avenue of Escape has been published in the Dispatch Literary Journal. The web address for the journal is www.litdispatch.net. The way to reach my story is as follows: 1. Click on the Dispatch home page, 2. Click on "Click here" on the second paragraph announcing the publication of Dispatch One (their name for the journal's first literary issue), 3. Click on "Click here" on the top, 4. Scroll downward until you see the name "Avenue of Escape", click onto it and read my latest foray into the literary world.

This is a great blessing.

I want to thank the members of my literary group for their help and comments in making the story a good one. Above all, I want to thank Lucky for her unending support.

I hope everybody enjoys my latest work.

Team of Rivals or Lincoln was Great

2006-02-22T20:10:00.000-05:00

Abraham Lincoln was a great man and Team of Rivals only confirms what I already knew.

It was good to read the story of our greatest President again. I learned a number of details that I never knew before. Since this book is the story of the President and the men around him, I also acquired a number of facts about the men who composed his Cabinet.

However, I feel that our Father Abraham triumphed over Doris Goodwin's writing style. The endless quotes inhibited the fluidity of her writing. You would be reading a sentence or two before you faced a bombardment of nineteenth-century quotations. In addition, I think there is a laziness in the excessive use of quotes. Other people's words should be used sparingly and in a certain order. It is almost as if Goodwin was trying to impress us with the breadth of her research. Info dumps are never that interesting. Fortunately, Abraham Lincoln was her subject.

She has written better books, specifically No Ordinary Time.

However, it was worthwhile to read about the man who gave us a great country. I was reminded of why I live in awe of Abraham Lincoln.

Mao: The Unknown Story

2006-02-18T16:01:00.000-05:00

Mao was a bastard. And after reading Mao: The Unknown Story, I'm convinced he was even more of a bastard than I thought he was. I'm sure the Communist Party in China will take a dim view of this one.

I found it fascinating to see the myths punctured about Mao and his rule. Basically, the Chinese Communist Party was a Russian front. It had no legitimacy whatsoever. I also thought it was fascinating how the book deflates the myth that the Communists did more fighting of the Japanese during the Second World War than the Nationalists. In fact, the opposite was true. In addition, I was mortified by the fact that we Americans saved Mao and his Communists by our own stupidity. I also found the author's description of how Chiang Kai-Shek fell from power to be fascinating. Finally, it was interesting to learn about Chou Enlai's true character. He was not the benign statesman we in the West wanted to see.

I think Mao went a bit mad. When you have that much power and can make anything happen at your whim, your sense of reality becomes warped. It's happened to our celebrities (e.g. Tom Cruise). Anyone who can starve millions of people with absolutely no remorse must be a little crazy.

The book was painful but enjoyable. I recommend it.

Rang De Basanti

2006-02-18T14:58:00.000-05:00

So Amir is making movies again. That man is hitting the paydirt. First, we had Mangal Pandey and now Rang De Basanti.

The film was quite moving. I liked the parallel between the independence heroes and the five friends who would eventually kill a Defense Minister. I liked the message that there are two kinds of people: those who work to improve society and those who accept it as it is. The movie made me think of America. We too have a military-industrial complex. We have our little adventure on the Tigres and Euphrates. I liked the spirit of passion that sweeps through the film. I wish we Americans had that passion. The movie really made me think.

As I watched, I could predict the narrative arc of the movie. Just as I expected, the first half of the film was light and frothy and then it made an abrupt turn to tragedy and pathos. We went from humor to super-seriousness. I was not disappointed. After four and a half years of watching Bollywood, I know what I'm getting.

If you haven't already, check out Rang De Basanti. It is entertaining and meaningful.

Oprah Strikes Back

2006-01-26T19:23:00.000-05:00

I am very happy to hear that Oprah berated James Frey for his fabrications in A Million Little Pieces.

I know she did it because of the uproar over her defense of Frey. She needed to salvage her own credibility. However, it's very important for a celebrity to condemn such behavior. People will listen to someone like Oprah. If such lies aren't combated, then other writers will do the same. People are often not good or bad. It's an issue of their incentives. If you give incentives to such bad behavior, you only encourage it.

It's a good day for our society.

James Frey better start saving some of those royalties. He will soon begin to have a cash flow problem.

A Million Little Pieces

2006-01-19T20:20:00.000-05:00

At Lucky's request, I read A Million Little Pieces by James Frey.

I found it to be gripping and engrossing. James Frey writes very well. He makes you feel the torments of an addict. I am now terrified to even touch an alcoholic beverage, let alone a crack pipe. I'm going to make my kids read this book. He tells his story very well. His struggle continues from the beginning to the very end of the book. I even found A Million Little Pieces to be thought-provoking as well.

However, I want to weigh in on the controversy. I think it's rather despicable how he shopped around his novel as a memoir (I only learned about the controversy after I purchased the book). It's clear that he did it because he could not get the book published as a novel. I think that's unacceptable. I know what it's like to face the rejection of a book. It happened to my first novel. However, I did not dwell on the failure and I engrossed myself in the research and writing of my second novel. I think Frey should have looked in the mirror and faced the truth. Instead, he took the easy way out and lied. I do not plan to read anything by him again. Frey simply has no integrity.

However, I don't think it will matter. His book is well-done and entertaining. In addition, Oprah give her imprimatur. In our country, entertainment will trump reality any day of the week. Entertainment and celebrity are the higher truths of our society. That is a fact of life. At the end of the day, only intellectuals like me will care about artistic integrity. For the rest of us, it is a pedestrian concern.

Like Faust, James Frey sold his soul. However, this being America, he'll get away with it.

The Golden Globes

2006-01-19T20:11:00.000-05:00

At Lucky's urging, I watched the Golden Globes on Monday night.

Despite my expectations, I really enjoyed it. I found it far superior to the Oscars. The speeches are better. Somehow, they are more spontaneous and interesting. The comic actors are honored so we get some really funny speeches. Steve Carel's speech thanking his wife three times was hilarious. In addition, I think the Globes are a more diverse and inclusive series of awards. They include film and television. I think that's very good. Actors give performances that deserve to be honored on the big and the small screen. In addition, the set-up is better. It's in a hotel dining room. It obviates the need for the unnecessary shows and performances that add unnecessary length to the Oscars. Finally, it's shorter than the damn Oscars. We people on the East Coast have to down some strong coffee to make through the Academy Awards. For the 2000 Oscars, I went on the Internet, brushed my teeth and even took a shower to make it through the show. Unlike the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes ceremony gets its business done with efficiency and dispatch.

It may the poor man's version of the Oscars, but the Globes are better.

Bluffmaster or Bunty Without Bubli

2006-01-14T21:15:00.000-05:00

Lucky and I journeyed to the Loews Cineplex Theater in Times Square to see Abhishek's Bhachan's latest foray into comedy. All I could say was, "Where is Rani Mukherjee when you need her?"

I'm being facetious. Abhishek was quite good as the Bluffmaster. Priyanka Chopra was good as his scheming yet caring girlfriend. The real standout was the actor who played the Indian mobster whom Abhishek is attempting to con. The scene where he worships himself was hilarious. In addition, the scene where he says,"I haven't worshipped myself in four days" was equally funny.

Lucky and I also liked the soundtrack and the videos. Watching Abhishek rap was good fun. I loved the title song. I adored the line where the singer croons, "The whole thing..." and then breaks into Hindi. Lucky and I have been singing that song to each other for days.

I recommend this movie as a good laugh. It's worth it.

The White Countess or Ralph Made Us Cry Again

2006-01-01T19:04:00.000-05:00

I saw The White Countess yesterday and once again, Ralph Fiennes showed himself to be the King of All Things Tragic.

He gives a very good performance as Robert Jackson, the blind ex-diplomat trying to create an insulated space for himself away from the outside world. He not only plays a very convincing blind man but you see him at the end of the film as a man stripped of his illusions. He loses everything materially but gains spiritually.

As for the rest of the cast, they gave grand performances as well. Natasha Richardson is wonderful as the fallen Russian countess. She gives the viewer a very good combination of tragedy, beauty and charm. I also liked the Redgrave sisters as former princesses and countesses who have lost everything but the memory of what they were. I really liked Hiroyuki Sanada as the Japanese diplomat who befriends Fiennes's character. He is this bestower of great evil who does a solitary good deed for his friend Jackson. He helps to initiate a Japanese invasion of China but helps Jackson to make his saloon a success. His character is this interesting mixture of guile and kindness. It's always interesting to see how people compartmentalize their lives.

The film itself has this sense of tragedy everpresent. Bad tidings seem to always be waiting in the wings. Nevertheless, it's a good finale for the Merchant Ivory team.

As for Ralph Fiennes, as a friend told me, it's time for him to make a raucuous sex comedy. Mr. Fiennes is in danger of becoming boring. He must start to make us laugh.

Brokeback Mountain

2005-12-25T19:59:00.000-05:00

"I don't like independent films. They're just about gay cowboys eatin' pudding." That quote from Eric Cartman in South Park ran through my head as I went to see Brokeback Mountain.

Above all, I went to see it because Ang Lee is one of my favorite filmmakers. You cannot argue with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Eat Drink, Man Woman and The Wedding Ceremony.

I think Ang Lee got a fantastic performance out of Heath Ledger. This actor, who has played medieval knights and a Victorian soldier gone cowardly, is utterly convincing as the tight-lipped Enos. This Australian really makes you believe that he is a cowboy from Wyoming. The sadness of Enos's state is conveyed on Ledger's face. He should be nominated for this one. Ledger's performance is so moving and devastating.

As for the photography, you feel the austerity of that part of America. The pictures of the mountains make you realize what a harsh place it must be. Lee captures it so well. That austerity and narrowness makes you see how impossible it is for the two main characters.

I have always felt a certain sympathy for gay people. It bothers me that there are places in our country and in this world where a homosexual cannot live because of his sexual orientation. Brokeback Mountain conveys the hardship and dilemma of being a homosexual.

Memoirs of a Geisha

2005-12-25T19:30:00.000-05:00

It is very hard to make a good movie out of an excellent book. Memoirs of a Geisha is a proof positive of that challenge.

I think the filmmakers succeeded in making a good movie but it was due to the performances of the actors. Gong Li was excellent as the vicious and vengeful Matsumoto. She had such a strong and intense presence. She was the highlight of the film. Michelle Yeoh did a good turn as Zhang Ziyi's mentor. Ken Takakura, though he had little to do, gave an effective performance.

As for Zhang Ziyi, I don't think she was quite ready for this role. Zhang Ziyi's specialty since Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has been playing passionate and intense women consumed by their feelings. You see it in Crouching Tiger, The Road Home, 2046 and The House of Flying Daggers. I think she has the talent to play this role but she could not convey the subtlety that this part needed. In ten years, she would have given an excellent performance. However, she was just adequate in this film.

The film itself also simplified the plot in a major way. When I see a book that is being made into a movie, I expect a different animal than what I read. However, I think the book's plot was too simplified. Too much of the original material was jettisoned.

Walk the Line

2005-12-07T21:45:00.000-05:00

Based on the recommendations of my buddies, I went to see Walk the Line. I think it's worth the price of admission.

The acting is excellent. Joaquin Phoenix is superb as Johnny Cash. He is becoming an amazing actor. The trajectory of his roles from Quills to Gladiator to Walk the Line has been wonderful to watch. He is a different character in each of them. He is a far better actor than his brother ever was. As Johnny Cash, he has this fearsome, brooding presence which spews massive eruptions of energy. I hope Phoenix is nominated for this role. As for Reece Witherspoon, she was quite good. After seeing her in Legally Blonde, I had a hard time seeing her in a serious role. However, she carried it very well. This movie is a good step for her.

I also liked the music and the screenplay. As a Northerner with little exposure to country music, the film was a good tutorial. As for the screenplay, Cash is convincingly seen as a rough-edged but talented man. I loved the line in the film, "We're recording a live album so you can't say words like hell or shit." I also liked the last scene where Joaquin Phoenix looks at Reese Witherspoon and receives a smile from her. Any man who has been in a relationship knows the importance of getting that smile, whether he chooses to admit it or not.

It was good stuff so check it out.

Ushpizin

2005-11-17T20:35:00.000-05:00

Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of seeing Ushpizin.

I liked two things about the film. As a secular Jew, I got a sense of what it means to be an observant Jew. After seeing Ushpizin, you understand why Orthodox Jews follow traditions down to the smallest detail. For them, these little observances fulfill a larger and grand purpose. Ushpizin makes you understand that observance is about being a part of God's plan for this world. In addition, the film shows the beauty and grandeur of religious observance. I also liked the relationship between the husband and the wife. The husband, played by Shuli Rand, cannot live without his wife. When she leaves him, you can tell how much he loves her by the look on his face. The relationship between them (they are actually married in real life) is just beautiful.

Ushpizin is a lovely movie. It is a celebration of Judaism.

Good Night and Good Luck

2005-11-16T21:48:00.000-05:00

This film is more message than story.

David Straitharn as Edward R. Murrow treats to a long preachfest about the role of dissent in a free society.

You do not feel for the characters in this movie. The viewer feels nothing as Patricia Clarkson and Robert Downey Jr.'s characters are fired from their jobs. Edward R. Murrow seems to be a one-note individual whose sole facial expression seems to be a scowl. George Clooney's character is completely superfluous. The only individual in the movie who seems to show any life is Frank Langella's cold and heartless Bill Paley.

There is little dramatic arc in this film. McCarthy is identified as bad in the film and he is eventually taken down. Little or no tension accompanies this progression. It was a struggle to remain interested.

Finally, this movie disregards Murrow's role in removing William L. Shirer from his job in CBS in 1947. Murrow is portrayed as this knight in shining armor when in reality, he was anything but at various points in his career.

Garam Masala or John Abraham's Advent into Comedy

2005-11-16T21:07:00.000-05:00

That's right, folks. John Abraham is doing comedy. From the man who brought you Jism and Dhoom, we've got Garam Masala. The only thing missing from this movie is Bipasha.

But seriously, folks, Mr. Abraham did a good job. He had some good comic timing. My favorite scene occurred in the bar when he refers to Akshay Kumar's numerous girlfriends as connecting airline flights. The men in the bar then assume he's a terrorist. Our boy John then resorts to Karate Kid type maneuvers to get himself out of trouble.

On the whole, it's a good time-pass movie. Akshay Kumar and John Abraham make a good comic team. The supporting actors were very good as well. Neha Dhupia even managed to give us a good item number. Lucky liked the soundtrack so much that we went out and bought it.

I highly suggest that you check it out.

Diwali: The Movies and the Bombing

2005-10-30T07:15:00.000-05:00

Folks, Diwali is coming and that means the Bollywood movies are coming. We've been in hibernation for about a month. Nevertheless, in a week, we are kicking back into high gear. I look forward to it.

However, we face a pall of sadness. We deeply mourn the victims of the terrible bombing in New Delhi. No one should ever have to face death when they are shopping for their holiday. I hope that the Indian government will track down and annihilate those responsible. These terrorists have to be killed. This is not the Dark Ages. People should not take up the sword and kill innocents to redress their grievances in life. Any doctrine that extolls the taking of innocent life for the benefit of the cause should be cast aside. These murderous ideas have to be destroyed in the same way that fascism and communism were defeated. Why? Because ideas do kill.

My Indian friends, let us enjoy the movies that are coming. You and I will enjoy these films but let us never forget what has just happened.

David Liss's A Spectacle of Corruption

2005-10-15T18:27:00.000-04:00

I never knew Merry Old England in the 18th century had so much corruption and intrigue but David Liss's A Spectacle of Corruption corrected any misconceptions.

This book is the follow-up to A Conspiracy of Paper.

While Conspiracy was about the stock market, this book is about 18th century politics. It was fascinating to see the author portray the means in which votes were bought and sold in that era. It is an interesting reflection on our representative democracy.

The writing style is very fluid. It takes the form of a memoir by Benjamin Weaver, the protagonist of the novel. The first person narrative works brilliantly here. In addition, Liss does a very good impersonation of an 18th-century writing style. The dialogue also seems true to that century.

Finally, after reading his second book The Coffee Trader, you can see the author's development as a writer. This book is head and shoulders above the second one. You see it in the plot development, the writing style and the complexity of the characters. The plot setup is similar in the sense that you have a character who is surrounded by antagonists eager to do him harm. You follow Benjamin Weaver's exploits with an even greater interest than those of the protagonist in the second book.

A Spectacle of Corruption is rewarding in every way. I hope to write historical fiction with as much skill one day.

Daniel Craig-The New James Bond

2005-10-12T15:18:00.000-04:00

If you believe the latest rumors passed off as news, Daniel Craig will be the new James Bond.

Being an American, I have not been too well-exposed to Mr. Craig. I've heard that he is a regular on British TV. However, I did have the pleasure of seeing him in Layer Cake. He was excellent in that film. I loved his line, "Make a plan, stick to it." Those are words to live by, my friends. It seems as if the producers of the Bond films made a good choice. He is a very good actor but not too good.

I think considering the choices, he is probably the best. Ewan McGregor is an excellent actor but he's too good to be James Bond. 007 and excessive talent do not mix (just ask Timothy Dalton). Orlando Bloom is too young and in the films that I saw, he was barely a presence. Clive Owen would have been a good choice but Daniel Craig is definitely a superior actor.

If the New York Post and the British newspapers are correct, we shall have a good new Bond.

As for Mr. Pierce Brosnan, I find it amusing how he initially said he was tired of James Bond. Within the past few months, he has suddenly changed his tune. He now says that he would happily return to the role. I guess Mr. Brosnan is experiencing symptoms of hype withdrawal.

Capote

2005-10-11T08:30:00.000-04:00

This film is about three ruthless people: the two killers and the writer Truman Capote.

I think this is the best film of the year.

Philip Seymour Hoffman gives a great performance as Truman Capote. He inhabits the man. Hoffman provides a brilliant portrayal of a writer on a ruthless quest for a story.

The story of Capote's manipulations is incredible. It's clear that he used the killers in the worst way for his own ends. You see how he manipulated the story and the latter half of the film, becomes devoured by it. If you take the film at face value, In Cold Blood destroyed Truman Capote as a writer and as a man.

I also loved the cinematography and the lighting. The harrowing close-ups and the dark hues that dominate the scenery are excellent. They give the viewer a feeling of claustrophobia. The drama of the film is thus intensified.

Capote is a great drama and should certainly be seen.

2005-10-09T23:37:00.000-04:00

Tracy Chevalier's The Lady and the Unicorn

2005-10-09T23:12:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading Tracy Chevalier's The Lady and the Unicorn. I have also read Ms. Chevalier's The Girl with the Pearl Earring and I have to say that I am impressed with her development as a novelist.

I really liked the structure of the book. It is entirely in the first person. Each of the main characters tells the story from his perspective and advances the story. The author does an excellent job of relating the narrative with the individual voices of these characters. It is so well done.

The characters were also very vivid. You can see them before you. I was moved deeply by the character of Alienor, the blind girl. You got a great sense of her feelings and her deepening love for that scoundrel, Nicolas des Innocents. You felt for her. I was also impressed by that lusty teenager, Claude. You got a sense that this was a girl emerging into her prime and ready for romantic adventure. Both the male and female characters are so well-drawn.

I know this book is already in paperback and has been out for a while. Nevertheless, I cannot help but recommend it.

Philippa Gregory's The Virgin's Lover

2005-09-27T13:40:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading The Virgin's Lover by Philippa Gregory. Of her three books I have read so far, this one is the best. I liked The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool but this novel is superior in a number of ways.

I really like the characters. Lord Dudley is by far the most interesting. He reminded me of Bill Clinton, with all his charm and ambition. You just hate the man for his selfish ambition but he brings out a visceral reaction in the reader. He is so interesting. As for Elizabeth, you see a human side to a historical character who is often seen as a precursor to Margaret Thatcher. After all, she was England's first Iron Lady. I also found William Cecil to be very interesting. He is truly Elizabeth's teacher and guide in the ruthless ways of politics and statecraft. The actions he takes are shocking and evil but you see the true politician in him. I found Dudley's wife Amy to be a bit boring, but then again, perhaps she was a simple but deeply tragic woman. In every sense of the word, she was a victim.

I loved Gregory's use of language. It was very descriptive yet lovely. She uses it to good effect in her description of the structure of the Tudor court. She writes, "Power flowed into the lesser tributaries of the great positions of the court and from there was divided and subdivided." I could not help but reread that sentence.

Finally, I liked her descriptions of the true nature of politics. For instance, her explanation of Dudley's preparations for Elizabeth's coronation are very interesting. Gregory shows how Dudley stage-managed the adulation and love of the English people for their queen. You also see from Cecil, Elizabeth and Dudley's actions that politics is a truly vicious and ruthless game. The kind and the fainthearted need not enter. I applaud Gregory for showing the political game for what it really is, rather than what we would like it to be.

All in all, The Virgin's Lover is an excellent book.