'Rio' - a riot of colors, a feast for all!

'Rio' (directed by Carlos Saldanha, produced by Blue Sky Studios & Twentieth Century Fox Animation) is the latest family animation flick that has hit the screens here in Kolkata, and has won the hearts of young and old alike. 
It has been wooing audiences all over the world; naturally, as the film is a real treat, a feast for the eyes and the ears, and a feast for all.








Watching it in theater, in 3D, is so much fun. One should not miss this experience first-hand. Even the skeptical and the cynical ones won't escape the warmth of a film like this. Take it from me, 'Rio' is every bit enjoyable, and worth the price of the multiplex ticket. The colorful visuals are simply mind-blowing, and, though the original musical numbers may not be absolute classics by themselves, the music has an infectious energy that will positively have its grip on the audience. 3D animation can be experienced in all its splendor as one watches the computer generated animation that glows lavishly.
The best thing about the film is surely the wackiness that peppers the script. Making the dialogues resonate in more ways than one for the diverse range of viewers is something that's been continually experimented with in animation features in recent times; here, the wit just sizzles perfectly. The birds and other animals and the human characters are equally charming and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. From the nerdy-friendly macaw named Blu (voiced flawlessly by Jesse Eisenberg), the wide range of other feathered beings whom he gets to meet (voiced by a stellar ensemble that includes Anne Hathaway, Jamie Foxx, Jermaine Clement, George Lopez, Will i Am), plus the bulldog Luiz (voiced by Tracy Morgan) to sweet Linda (Blu's companion, voiced by Leslie Mann) and Tulio (the ornithologist voiced by Rodrigo Santoro) - the characters enthrall us for the running time of ninety-six minutes.
No wonder, I found the kids with rolling with laughter, the adults chuckling gleefully, and the youthful romantics swaying to beats of Samba and tapping their feet as the Carnaval unfolded on screen. And my personal 'favorite' connect: the use of the Lionel Richie song 'Say you, say me' and the glib comment thereafter, "Lionel Richie, always works!"

A tête-à-tête with Shoaib Ibrahim

Shoaib is one of my very first e-friends.
We befriended on Orkut, and now we are pals on Facebook as well, and even though our interactions haven't been too regular in all these years, he has always come across as unassuming, friendly and responsive. He has been pursuing a career in modelling rather seriously, and, to be very honest, his natural charm would easily appeal to anyone who vibes with him. Contrary to the narcissistic froppery and snootiness that some male models are known for, Shoaib is an easy-going lad. Here, for the readers of my blog, I have had a candid chat with him, essentially on his modelling dreams and pursuits:

Hi Shoaib, first, I would like to know about your initiation into modelling..... how did it all start?

My sister, who is also a fashion designer, and my brother ....they both saw the potential in me and encouraged me to get into this and made sure that I had my portfolio done..... that was how it all started.

Tell me, who inspired you?

None other than Salman Khan....

Really? That's interesting.

Ya, I have always looked up to him as my role model... I really like his style, his charisma, his acting, everything about him, and have always wanted to do the same... You can say, I am a die-hard fan of Salman Khan.


Did you have any mentor or guide to help you groom as a professional model?

No, I think you don't need any grooming as such. You develop the spark within, that inner strength of yours on your own.... with your inner confidence you are the one who can actually change yourself.

That's true, but what do you think are the pre-requisites for a successful model, apart from the natural good looks which you are blessed with?

Hard-Work , a positive attitude, focus and patience - these are the key factors for one's success in any field, and modelling is no exception.

Do you love to function more as a ramp-model, or for television commercials or for the print medium, any preferences?

Ohh.... I enjoy all of them so no personal preferences as such.

When you are on your own, what are most comfortable in?

My denims and a cool t-shirt.

That's cool! Buddy, would you say male models have more competition than female models? I mean, are the opportunities less?

Well, I don't think so. As far as I am concerned, I have never felt that kind of insecurity, and I truly believe that one should be his own toughest competitor.

Any personal favorites or idols amongst the male models, who you look up to?

Yeah.... Shawar Ali Bhai.

I think, he has been one of the most successful male models from India, in the league of Milind Soman, Arjun Rampal, Dino Morea, and Zulfi Syed.

True. Plus, he has been around for so long!

Yes. Now, would you like to share some interesting/funny/bizarre experiences as a model?

Every moment in this field is interesting, every shoot, every assignment comes with its own share of excitement.... so, nothing in particular.

Many think that modelling as a career option is not so lucrative despite the quick bucks and the glamour, as the shelf-life of a model is quite small. Would you agree?

Yes, you can say that if you want to limit yourself only to this as a career.

You are quite accomplished even academically, as you are a dentist as well.....

Well, even if one wants to diversify in showbiz, one can easily move into films and television. So, it all depends upon the thinking and the determination of an individual to make it big. This is the way it is ... I mean, one does require to look beyond and move on in life, one should always look for betterment. Hence, to remain in the limelight for a greater span, one cannot afford to limit one's growth as just a model.

I agree. By the way, talking of films, do you find a bias amongst film-directors who are of the view that male models are too vain to emote comfortably in front of the camera?

Actually, I have a different opinion on this. Such a generalization would not be proper. I can tell you that I have seen the perspective vary from individual to individual. I won't say that there's a general reservation on the part of the directors to use model-turned actors.

Finally, tell me what you look forward to achieving in the future, any special dream or aspiration that you'd like to share with my readers?

Hahaha.... my future plan.... rather, my only dream is to get into films and to become successful actor eventually.

Okay.... that's superb! Here's wishing you all the best. May all your dreams come true, and may you have a contented life, buddy.

A Historic Victory!

It has been a historic win for Team India at the ICC World Cup final in Mumbai. All those who witnessed the match - be it at the stadium or in front of their television sets - shall cherish the euphoric victory against Sri Lanka for the rest of their lives. And the men-in-blue, the champion cricketers who made it happen, shall be revered forever by this cricket crazy nation.
The entire tournament, from start to finish, had been too exciting, but a billion-plus Indians just prayed for the ultimate victory yesterday night. Not that we had been the strugglers, not at all, we lashed out in full force against so many of the top contenders - England, Australia, Pakistan amongst them - and, after the triumphant glory of ousting Pakistani team at the semi-final in Mohali, emerging as World Champions seemed very much possible. Yet, in yesterday's match, after the Lankans managed to score 274 runs, having batted first, we felt the heat.

On hindsight, it seems that the spectators were more under pressure than Dhoni and his teammates. Our captain Dhoni in composure personified, and it is this attitude of his that makes him my personal favorite. Sehwag was dismissed for a duck in the opening over, and Sachin, the Master Blaster, too got out rather early. And this is when the men of mettle - Gautam Gambhir, Dhoni and Yuvraj - batted like heroes and made our win a reality.

At the end of the match, many of our cricketers were too overwhelmed, they were in tears, it was genuinely an emotionally charged moment..... there were celebrities like Rajinikanth and Aamir Khan in the stands, ecstatically cheering, there was absolute frenzy in the air.

Somebody rightly commented that the win was cemented by the huge support garnered by our team as the match was being played in our homeground. However, the same factor could have added pressure and affected our performance had we not put a decent effort to clinch the victory.
The Sri Lankans had batted in glory, especially Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Dilshan and Kulasekara, and Lasith Malinga bowled superbly to get the early wickets.
For Team India, the victory means a lot, it is a boost to the youngsters in the team, and is a fitting farewell to the outgoing coach, Gary Kirsten..... but, above all, it is a tribute to Sachin Tendulkar, whose talents have made Team India battle odds for so many years and, as it is evident that he won't be playing in the next World Cup, this glorious chapter had to be made part of his cricketing career which has otherwise been iconic already.

Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh and others carried Sachin on their shoulders and ran along the boundaries, to the spectators' delight. The teammates must have partied all night.

We have been able to recreate the magic of 1983 (many pointed out that the years 1983 and 2011 have the same calendar! No mean coincidence, huh?) and regained the coveted World Cup after 28 years. Captain Dhoni must be a proud man now, under his captaincy we have emerged as the number one Test team, and now we're the One-Day International champions too.

Here, in Kolkata, the excitement was palpable all along, and just as the match ended the city skyline lit up with fireworks, no one seemed to mind the loud noise of the crackers that were being burst till wee hours of the morning. Kolkata exhibits cricketmania (in fact, any kind of craze) like none else, and Kolkatans came out into the streets in hordes, shouting, singing, dancing, partying, celebrating..... madness all the way, I think even my fellow Kolkatans who aren't cricket-crazy won't mind it for once..... hahaha..... cheers!

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.

It's that time of the year again......

It's that time of the year again.........

Yes, it's the time for the Oscars!
Here's looking at a few of the films that are amongst the contenders (nominated in one or more categories):

Toy Story 3


True Grit


The Town


Rabbit Hole


The Fighter


The King's Speech


Alice in Wonderland


Black Swan


Winter's Bone


Inception


Blue Valentine


127 Hours


Other films in the list of the nominees in diverse categories - that I have been lucky to see till now - are, namely:

The Social Network
The Kids Are All Right
Tangled
Iron Man 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
&
Salt

Celebrating Arthur Guiterman

Brief Essay on Man
by Arthur Guiterman

"Aspiring Man, by learned pens
Once classed as Homo sapiens,
Is now, the poor, deluded chap,
Correctly labeled, Homo sap."

Recently, I came across the poetry of Arthur Guiterman, and I couldn't help going gaga over his brilliant social commentaries, so full of humor, and so pithy. I confess that before reading him recently, I hadn't heard of him, so I searched over the Internet and found that Arthur Guiterman was an American poet, born in 1871, and died in 1943. His poems are best known for the modern humor and the easy rhyme that make them so very accessible for readers of all ages. He has talked of modern progress in his poems, and his philosophy branches out from the way of things as they were getting shaped up in the early 20th Century. His rhyming couplets are way too funny.
[Sample these: "First dentistry was painless;
Then bicycles were chainless
.....
Now motor roads are dustless,
The latest steel is rustless,
Our tennis courts are sodless,
Our new religions, godless."
or
"The grizzly bear, whose potent hug,
Was feared by all, is now a rug.
Great Caesar's bust is on the shelf,
And I don't feel so well myself."]
He genuinely needs to be read by you, my friends, if you are unfamiliar with his works. Celebrate his humor. Laugh Out Loud!

When life feels off-kilter.....

I observe that the ones who are medically of sound body and mind, take being healthy to be such a given, a constant, that they do not spare a thought for the eventuality of being sick, being dependent on others, and realize how preciously gifted one is to remain healthy.
I have to admit that, when one compares one's life to the lives of people who have to struggle under the yoke of disability, ailment or infirmity, and then all of one's petty cares and concerns almost vanish into the thin air.
I certainly want to stress that a lot of our so-called petty cares and concerns grow from selfish exaggerations and false expectations. We need to streamline our wants and desires, and should attempt to declutter our minds. An assertive behaviour helps us gain the most. We should remember that we unless we take care of the overstuffed minds, we shall not be able to give adequate weightage to our relationships. Gratitude, humility, integrity and honesty must be emulated not just because these are virtues that have been celebrated over the ages, these are in-fact time-tested ingredients for a better life.
We should not take the privileges that we enjoy for granted. We should get in touch with our heart's desire, and prevent loneliness, or the feeling of being left out, to grab us all of a sudden. Being alone, being lonesome, becoming a loner - these aren't all the same. We need to rather fasten our grip on life itself, by improving on our stimulation and by nurturing our passion for life! We should initiate by just dealing with all the unresolved emotions, profitably.
If any part of your life feels off-kilter, just think about the ways in which you can restore its natural equilibrium.

Films Seen in 2010: Top Ten - and more

As the year 2010 comes to a close, here's looking back at all the films seen, be it on television, on home video, or in theaters, and, as per tradition, I offer my readers a selection of the very BEST from amongst them.
The Top Ten films are as follows, ordered according to personal preference:
1) Mr Nobody (2009)

2) A Single Man (2009)

3) Wonder Boys (2000)

4) Udaan (2010)

5) Peepli Live (2010)

6) The Kids Are All Right (2010)

7) The Social Network (2010)

8) Les Roseaux Sauvages / Wild Reeds (1994)

9) The Hurt Locker (2008)

10) The Wings of the Dove (1997)


As I have seen 300 films the whole year, the above listing required some deliberation and some re-appraisals. However, there were so many exceptional and interesting films that comprised my movie viewing experience this year that it would be sinful not to doff my hat to some of those films. Hence, I would love to have them randomly culled from memory. I am sure some of my readers would settle for many of them in their own listings, and I would be more than happy if they do. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them. And, here, they all get a special mention:
Inception,
Normal,
Bolt,
Love Sex Aur Dhokha,
Arekti Premer Galpo/ Just Another Love Story,
Little Children,
Crazy Heart,
Up,
All the King's Men,
An Education,
Good Dick,
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee,
Assassination of a High School President,
Final Destination,
Clerk,
The Freshman,
The Wendell Baker Story,
Abohoman,
Ishqiya,
Havoc,
Dorian Gray,
Breaking the Waves,
The Men Who Stare at Goats,
Alice,
Confessions of a Shopaholic,
My Beautiful Laundrette,
The Time Traveller's Wife,
The Lovely Bones,
Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge,
The Other Boleyn Girl,
Were the World Mine,
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day,
Alice in Wonderland,
Precious,
Deception,
Elegy,
Well Done Abba,
Can't Think Straight,
The World Unseen,
Little Ashes,
Pankh,
The Japanese Wife,
Romance and Cigarettes,
The Imagination of Doctor Parnassus,
Twelve and Holding,
Mumford,
Creation,
Becoming Jane,
Control,
Bombay Talkie,
the Open Road,
Ambulancen,
G. I. Jane,
Up in the Air,
Last Life in the Universe,
Shutter Island,
Brothers,
Gone Baby Gone,
2046,
Me & Orson Welles,
Blindness,
Room to Rent,
Never Been Kissed,
Shrek Forever After,
The Draughtsman's Contract,
Step Up,
Half Nelson,
The Indian Runner,
Hotel Rwanda,
Exam,
Gerry,
You Can Count on Me,
Rumble Fish,
Penelope,
I Love You Phillip Morris,
It's Complicated,
Rails and Ties,
Grey Gardens,
Newcastle,
Killers,
Tere Bin Laden,
Incendiary,
I've Loved You So Long,
Shukno Lanka,
Pineapple Express,
Athadu,
Coraline,
Greenberg,
My One and Only,
The Brothers Bloom,
Paris, je t'aime/ Paris,
The Informant,
Hollywoodland,
The Boy in Striped Pajamas,
Y Tu Mama Tambien,
Los Abrazos Rotos,
Peacock,
Aashayein,
Lafangey Parindey,
Nowhere Boy,
Bin Jip/ 3 Iron,
Smart People,
The Witches of Eastwick,
Big Bang Love - Juvenile A,
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,
Frozen,
Knight & Day,
Get Him to the Greek,
Bully,
The Dreamers,
The Boys Are Back,
Autograph,
Zwartboek / Black Book,
Eat Pray Love,
Do Dooni Chaar,
Despicable Me,
Mahanagar@Kolkata,
Chatroom,
Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging,
The Boat That Rocked,
Fifty Dead Men Walking,
Band Baaja Baaraat,
The Town,
Moner Manush,
Phas Gaye Re Obama,
Marley and Me,
Mirch,
Head-On/ Gegen Die Wand,
District 9
and
Donnie Darko.

'Donnie Darko'

Happy movie viewing in the coming years, friends. Long live cinema, and the magic of cinema!
Wishing all a Happy New Year in advance!