Elizabeth Taylor - the legend

Elizabeth Taylor has passed away yesterday, but she lives and breathes in her films, in all her stunning portrayals, she lives in the hearts of all cine-buffs.

Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 - March 23, 2011)

(in 'National Velvet')

She was the ultimate Hollywood beauty.

There shall never be another Liz Taylor.

(in, and as, 'Cleopatra')

(with James Dean in 'Giant')

(My favorite screen couple: Liz and Paul Newman)

(with Michael Jackson - may their souls rest in peace)

Happy Birthday, Aamir 'Babloo' Khan!

Happy Birthday to you, Aamir!
This time, you are rocking the small screen with your latest commercial for Tata Sky, where you have become Babloo - the cricket fan who watches cricket in HD clarity and does what can be described as 'remote umpiring'. It is a hilarious of yours, once again. And the commercial is a big hit not only on telly, aired along with the ICC Cricket World Cup telecast, but also on Youtube.

More power to you, Aamir-da...... keep rocking!
Here's wishing you a prosperous year ahead - you are surely going to be busy with your new films - and I wish you all the success for the years to come.

'Hereafter'

Last night, I saw a film called Hereafter.
It had bagged a nomination at the Oscars this year, for visual effects, and I was keen to check it out earlier, before the Oscars ceremony.
However, it was difficult to come across at the video library.
It hasn't been released in theaters here, in Kolkata, and I do not expect it to get released too. Hereafter is a film by Clint Eastwood. But it is not the kind of film that one would expect from the director. Though, I have to say, that I am quite thrilled by the diverse subjects and genres that Clint Eastwood has explored as a director, and would also like to add that, as an avid follower of his films, I did notice some familiar sub-terrains in all his films, including this one. 'Hereafter' is not an easy film to watch, for most viewers (and that seems to be the reason it has met with a tepid response, especially in America) but watching the film was a handsomely rewarding experience for me.




Hereafter was screened as a 'special presentation' at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, 2010.
The film stars Matt Damon, Cecile de France, Bryce Dallas Howard, Lyndsey Marshal, Thierry Neuvic, Jay Mohr, and the twin brothers Frankie and George McLaren.
It is classified as a supernatural drama, however, that does not say much about the content, with three separate storylines that move as parallels, till the climax, when they are shown to merge.
It delves into something as mysterious and controversial as 'life after death', but it does not get too maudlin or melodramatic on the premise. There have been umpteen films that heighten the drama while skimming the surface of the enigmatic topic. Hereafter is different in that respect. The characters will fascinate you, the situations will move you, and, hence, I'd recommend it to my readers.
I have loved many of the films that Clint Eastwood has directed, and topping the list of my favorites would be Million Dollar Baby, Invictus, A Perfect World, The Bridges of Madison County, Mystic River, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Changeling, Unforgiven, Flags of Our Fathers, and Letters from Iwo Jima. Hereafter may not be the very best of Clint Eastwood, but it would surely feature among the favorite Eastwood films of mine.