I’m quite excited about Windows Azure that was launched last week. I can finally talk about what I’ve been doing for more than a year now
For the technically interested folks: Heres a good Introductory video

I’ve been a part of the core team building the Fabric Controller component of the Azure platform.

quoting TechWorld

 

and

Quoting Ted Dziuba:

Who would you rather buy your cloud resources from?

1. A company whose main business is books
2. A company whose main business is text advertisements
3. A company whose main business is business software

 

 

What is this Fabric Controller?

Azure’s secret sauce. It manages services including deployments, upgrades and configuration changes. It views data centers as one big environment of shared resources, and it orchestrates changes automatically based on the models developers create that define their services, such as how they should be implemented and how they should perform

US gun culture is not enviable. Its a known fact about how easy it is to buy a gun. Its accessible, and not a big deal.
I got to visit a shooting range a few hours ago. Its right in the middle of the city, a place set apart to cater to what can only be called a public sport. Just like bowling. You can go in, rent a gun, buy some bullets, get into an enclosed range and pop some caps. No fuss. As I left the place, I was quite surprised to see how easy it was to get in. You would expect it, but there were no ‘background checks’. There was a form I had to fill up, but no one bothers to check if that info is even true or legit. There are rules that you have to follow, and cameras around to keep an eye out. But you’d surely hope there was something more.

The weirdest part was to see that the form to sign had a very interesting clause: ‘If you are below 15 years old, you need to be accompanied by a guardian’. And I go, “What?! You actually allow children below the age of 15?”
And to think that this age limit for a guardian is put at fifteen! Not old enough to vote, smoke, drink or watch adult, but old enough to shoot?? Common, the least you would expect is that there be a limit on children coming to this place!

Just when I was thinking that there would be no sane guy who’d bring their children to a place like this to shoot live ammo, I see what looked like a 10 year old girl with a guy who looked like her dad coming out of the enclosed shooting area. They had done their share of ‘poppin’ and walked towards the counter. I caught her eyes as she stood there. Through a flushed face and what looked like watery eyes, I could see that she was totally awed. I should say more shock than just awe. I lost her gaze, and heard her dad as he commanded her to put her protective glasses on the counter and say thanks to the guy behind it. She stood there a little confused and didnt motion forward. The dad raised her voice again and told “leave the glasses on the counter and say thanks”. She tamely did so and they walked away while he picked up his set of private guns with him. I could heat him admonish her as they were walking away, “see what happens when you dont listen to me?…”

You know that some memories will haunt you later. This is surely one of them.

Ah, but the thrill of new experiences almost every day…

We’ve all been there: times when we have these recurring ephiphanys of self reclamation while sipping coffee by yourself, wondering just what the heck we are doing with ourselves and our lives.

And yes, its normal.

I’ve always held fast to the thought that humans have two ‘basic’ needs that we all strive to achieve: the satisfaction of the needs of self-preservation and procreation. I’ve gone as far as to say that these basic needs drive all other emotions and needs within us. Evolution and quirk of probability has formed in us a veneer around these basic blocks of needs and give them a less ‘animilistic’ flavor. But the underlying selfish self and genome centrist pov is more evident through observations than just being appealing to logic.

Not just because this idea could be depressing to be content with, consenting to higher planes of need-satisfaction may not be a dilution to this unequivocal rule. The point of realisation is that these basic needs are after all a true indication of the test of being an ‘alive being’. We as humans through growth into adulthood, paint over these blocks a new set of needs that turn to be basic. Falling back to evolutionary terms, its just probabilistic that we are hot-wired to have made these choices of extending the bare-basic blocks and forming that sugar coating. Self-preservation does not include just the needs of hunger and thirst, but also the need to be healthy, need of rest and even self-introspection. Procreation induces more than just sexual needs and imbibes itself into the needs of friendships, relationships, family and esteem.

Its tempting to form a hierarchy of these needs and identifying these as roots is a first step. But the question still remains as to where these feed into. The quest of all of us trying to see where we are in life is the quest to be in the highest plain of need satisfaction: where pursuing these needs is being undertaken to the best possible extent of that beings capability.

This is the quest for self-actualization.

Its been more than two years since I wrote something. At least as a proper blog post. And so much has happened since, one blog post wouldnt do justice. And if a book were written about me (oh! common, dont tell me you dont dream of a book being written about you!) then these two years would be a little more than a couple of chapters.

The last I left the blog world, I was in bangalore, rooming with who are now good friends, and ranting away from work which I had started after finishing undergrad a couple of years before that. Well, I went back to studying. And I left my room-mates. And I left Bangalore.

Because Stanford happened. Getting the email of being accepted to the graduate program at Stanford University will always, always be a moment in my personal history I couldnt forget. I still owe Dash about 10 dinners in Leela palace for making it through, but he was the first guy who heard about the news; he was just a few cubicles away.

The two years at Stanford got me to work harder than I’ve ever worked before, see experiences and people that I’ve never felt or seen before, open doors that might not have ever opened before, taught me like I couldnt have learnt before and start another life like I never thought I’d be starting again. And I’m not just talking academically mind you. Gates, hoover, quad, blackwelder, gcc, palo alto bowl, tgif, cs140, scooby, 515, late nights, all nighters, open book exams, grading, tinx, multiagent, optimal subsets, armp, … some great memories!

In the break times, i managed to see a few places around in the us too: san fran, vegas, san diego, los angeles, seattle, redmond, mono, yosemite, san jose, new york, boston, yale, connecticut, hartford, boulder, napa valley, berkeley, mt raineer, lake tahoe…

Some research and a couple of paper publishing also happened at the side. Some of which I was paid to do, and some got done out of interest:
And then a few weeks ago, I started work again. I interned at Microsoft over the summer of ‘06 in the (cool sounding) building 42, but shifted teams for my fulltime to work with what is called the Advanced OS group, and is more well known as a part of Windows Live Core. We’ll be creating a new platform that is sounding like a lot of fun! But I wont be able to write about it unfortunately because its sorta confidential. But hey, thats cool too!

And thats where I am now. Microsoft headquarters, Redmond, WA. From East Kamakshi Hospital, Mysore five years ago, to getting to experience Stanford and working on the next OS for Microsoft now. Its been quite a journey!

In the meanwhile, its back to write some posts.

lol. The strangest title for a movie I’ve ever come across. And no, it doesnt make any more sense after you watch the movie. The movie is apparently a parody of other ‘life in the hood’ movies, and the name of the movie is a mashup of the names of those.
was decent fun watching the movie

One wouldnt have too much about John Huston. You would have heard of him for this movie though. Touted as the greatest detective movie ever made, this was quite a good watch and a good change from the hitchock style of movie making. Quite refreshing except that I found the dialouge quite convoluted at times and the story line hard to follow because of it. But its a very well executed movie. An unsual main character, and interestingly put up. Worth watching.

Btw, John Huston has directed movie names you might remember from recent past: Casino Royale (1967) and Moulin Rouge (1952), and has also acted in a tv version of The Hobbit (1977). Still looking forward to catch The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

Most war movies would tend to talk about World War II. They’ll talk about Hitler’s Germany and the likes of what happened then. I’d agree that the second world war was more ’spectacular’.
But there was no World War II in 1930. And this was when the original movie was made, and this is why it can talk about the War effort without any hint of what’s coming up.
The explosions and effects and real. Bone chilling real. These were not special effects. And it makes this movie so great to watch just for it being so ahead of its times.
Thats movie making for you. This movie is a great education! Waiting to catch Paths of Glory though..

After seeing too many serious and profound and arbit and deep and technical and well-known movies, with 2046 being the breaking point, I decided to ease my troubled mind with something fun. Gladiatress sounded like one such movie, and it lived up to what i wanted. I was smiling because it was fun and felt a little light in the head. It may not be the best made movie, but it sure was a welcome break. Maybe i’ll watch a few more of these

Had to catch this one because I stumbled upon it, and more so because it was Hitchcock’s earlier (british land) works. This movie is apparently better than the remake of 1956, but I dont think I’m gonna try to watch that.
I do miss characters of the likes of both Peter Lorre and Bob Lawrence in present day movies; they make movie watching fun

I’ve been looking forward to seeing this movie. I’ve always heard how Marlon Brando is considered to be ‘the greatest actor of all time’, and was quite interested to see him do Tennessee’s good old play. Its true, he does take over the screen when he’s in the scene. Its kind hard to miss this fella when he’s performing. And theres this certain ease about him, that makes it look so natural and makes it look like the role was made with just him in him mind. A good movie to watch for its acting Vivien Leigh and Brando make it worth the watch. A good rendition of the play too I’d say.

1984 (sometimes Nineteen Eighty-Four, which is how the title appears on screen) is a British film based upon the 1949 novel of the same name by George Orwell; the film was made in the year imagined by the author. Its based of the dystopian novel which we all know well. And it actually is a pretty good rendition of it. Two other books worth reading on similar concepts: Brave New World and Darkness at Noon: Both really really good books! (Thanks Dash for introducing both )

The movie of choice to get over 2046. Maybe its me, but i’m getting interpretations in this movie too

An American Werewolf in London is a comedy/horror film released in 1981, written and directed by John Landis. The movie won the 1981 Saturn Award for Best Horror Film. Although there are several straightforward horror elements to the plot, it is also knowingly funny and ironic, an example of a tongue-in-cheek humour.

Kar Wai Wong’s best, was also my breaking point to watching abstract movies
After all these abstract movies, I found this really hard to keep up with

Ah the big movie. I’ve read the book, and wanted to see how HAL would look. A totally abstract movie, interpretation left to the user

Its an influential 1968 science fiction film directed by Stanley Kubrick. The screenplay, written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, deals with themes of human evolution and technology, artificial intelligence, and extraterrestrial life. The film is notable for its scientific realism, pioneering use of special effects, and reliance upon ambiguous yet provocative imagery and sound in place of traditional techniques of narrative cinema.

Btw, do check out Deodato version of “Also Sprach Zarathustra”, the soundtrack rendition.

Four Hundred Blows. After Spiderman III, this was a welcome relief to movie making. Of course, no one in their right mind would compare Sam Raimi and François Truffaut.

The story is autobiographical, reflecting many of the events of Truffaut’s own life. One of the defining films of the French New Wave, it displays many of the characteristic traits of the movement. The story revolves around Antoine Doinel, an ordinary adolescent in Paris, who is thought by his parents and teachers to be a trouble maker.

I wont be commenting on this movie. But yes, I will tell you that rating on IMDB as of now (7.7) is _not_ worthy of the movie. Allright, the effects are good. They are really good. And maybe its the best of the three Spiederman movies. But i have to tell you I wanted to get out of that theater the minute it started. Its hard to believe such a turn off bad acting can be.

Append: the rating on IMDB has come down to 6.7. Thats more like it. I think it should be lower.

Its a Spielberg movie that people sometimes miss. But a critically well known movie, gave manj and me a lot of good vibrations while watching the movie. An epic tale thats really well done.

“The Color Purple is actually an epistolary novel. The film follows the life of a poor African American girl, Celie (Goldberg), whose abuse begins when she is young.

The film was nominated for 11 oscars (including Best Picture, Best Actress for Goldberg and Best Supporting Actress for both Avery and Winfrey) but saw none of them awarded.

Without a doubt, one of the best movies that I’ve seen over the last so many months. I’ve never before been smiling at how deftly and beautifully the movie reflects life and its crazy truths. An absurd concept, with surrealism at its best. No one but Luis Buñuel could have done this better The symbolisms are laden in every other scene, and if you are patient to decifer it, you’ll be touched in so many different ways by this movie. There was no DVD of this. But luckily Stanford Library has Video cassettes which they rent too. It was a black and white.

The plot is weird if anything: During a formal dinner party at the home of Señor Nobile and his wife, Lucia, the servants unaccountably leave their posts until only the major-domo is left. After dinner the guests adjourn to the music room, where one of the women plays a piano sonata. Later, instead of leaving, the guests remove their jackets, loosen their gowns, and settle down for the night. By morning it is apparent that for some inexplicable reason, they are trapped in the room….

Better known as Midaq Alley, i remember having seen a lot of parts of this movie back in india on TV.

“Don Ru (Ernesto Gómez Cruz) owns a local cantina where his son Chava spends most of its time. Güicho’s son, Abel (Bruno Bichir), dreams of working in the United States to make enough money to date the beautiful Alma (Salma Hayek), his neighbor. Alma does not wait for Abel when she meets José Luis (Daniel Giménez Cacho).

Alma’s mother Doña Cata (María Rojo) reads tarot and tells one of her clients, Susanita (Margarita Sanz), that she will meet the man of her dreams. This man turns out to be Güicho (Luis Felipe Tovar), the bartender at Don Ru’s bar. Suffering from mid-life crisis, Don Ru cheats on his wife Eusebia with Jimy Ernesto Soberanes. When Chava finds out he beats and almost kills Jimy.”

A split tale movie by Julio Medem.

“The story is that of a waitress named Lucía (Vega) and her relationship with an author, Lorenzo Álvarez (Ulloa), as well as a host of other characters whose lives converge on a mysterious island. The main focus of the story is on the different aspects of sex. Julio Medem shows the complexity of sex by showing its relations with love, hate, friendship, joy, happiness, sadness, depression, excitement and loneliness”

In the Mood For Love
A Wong Kar-wai movie. The prequel to 2046

“A complex, shifting, virtually plotless web of dreams within dreams within dreams”. This one written and directed by Luis Buñuel

is a definite watch if you enjoy surrealism. Its not about the acting, its about the story (or the lack of it) and the direction and the weaving together to bring about an idea that is complex and inexplainable.
Enjoyed the movie nonetheless.

Another François Truffaut that was recommended, and was a good watch! I’ve always liked to know about how things are made, and a movie about how a movie might be made and all its problems was quite nice

I went to this movie with three other friends. Two of who are not very frequent movie goers. And it was great to see them actually leave the theater half way though the movie because they thought the first part was so Gross.
I’ve never before enjoyed watching someone leave the theater

These two back to back movies with the amazing trailers in the middle and the beginning have it all: lots and lots of gore and blood and pus and boils and body parts flying all over and heated car chases, people dying, being shot, pourpuseful missing reels, cheap romance, lots of action, guns, hot women, wit, corny dialogues, some amazing cars, no acting, absolutely no moral of the story, and nothing to take back when the three hours are complete. lol. And thats the fun in it all

Frankly though, I was not too excited about Tarantino’s movie. I did expect more from his capabilities. Rodriguez on the other hand, gave quite a stunning movie. A total nonsensical, humorous all fun and violence and gore movie.

I thought I should watch a little bit of François Truffaut. I’d started reading Ray Bradbury’s book a few years back but had stopped reading it in the middle of my moving to Stanford. Though its never been the case that i’ve been happy with a movie after reading the book, I thought I’d anyway see this Truffaut movie. I’m sure the book would have made more effective the thoughts that Ray wanted to put across, but Truffaut didnt make a bad job of it at all.
Bradbury has said that Truffaut “captured the soul and essence of the book,” although he disliked the double omission of Faber and the Mechanical Hound.
I had a decent time finishing the book through this movie

When tarrentino procaims a movie as a must watch, you know what youre gonna get to watch. A recent set of allegations of the mass murder in Virgina Tech point to the resemblence of some of the stances and scenes to this movie. Startling indeed, but the VT killer was a paraniod, delinquent foolish idiot comments on whom are not worthy.
The movie is shocking in the end moments as the viewer gets to unravel the mysteries of Dae-su Oh along with Dae-su Oh. A great movie to watch especially if you can watch someone eat a live octopus. (it actually is shown clenching to his cheeks while he’s eating it. not something for the weak hearted)
The ending is deliberately ambiguous, and the audience is left with several questions. Try the movie.

Yeah, I watch family guy. I also watch southpark. I know what the two think about each other I also used to watch beavis and butthead. I liked ‘beavis and butt-head do america‘ a lot. But I also believe that its very hard to make a good movie from an episode driven series. Familiy guy presents… was one such attempt. But its almost as good as the episodes anyways. I had a good time watching the movie nonetheless. A good break of monotony in the night. You’ll live if you dont watch this one.

I’ll be in vegas from 18th to 22nd. So I guess there’ll be no movie watching for these days.
hey, vegas is one real life movie anyways

Its true. I’ve hear a lot of people tell me this. Dutch movies are not always the best. French mabye, american maybe. But dutch movies have not always been on the top for most people. But I had absolutely no problems with Simon. It was a very refreshing movie to watch. Its got your grass/weed, homosexuality and gay marriages and is a nicely told story looking a little more into euthanasia. A strange concept, that I personally do think is OK is shown in a way to show the distress and mental make up necessary to deal with it. I do believe the topic of mercy killing was a little more like suicide in this movie, it still shows some of the issues with it : without trying too much and without too very dramatic acting. I did enjoy this movie

Up on tv-links.co.uk, I found a title that I couldnt resist watching. This movie was classic jackie chan style. The fight sequences with Jackie could not have been better. Enjoyed watching this one quite a bit
Somehow, this movie was a better indication of the style and capabilities of jackie when compared to his new era movies.

This image is of a DVD cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the DVD or the studio which produced the DVD in question.

My labmate Nicolas was astonished to hear that I hadnt seen this movie. Ashamed as I was, I had to watch this one. The movie is set to bring out the age of those who are in their twenties now. It was supposed to show me how I was feeling and that its a feeling that is felt by the entire race of twenty year olds.
To quote a review: “It is a film that speaks to an entire generation. 1947’s “The Best Years of Our Lives” spoke to our grandparents. “The Graduate” spoke to our parents. “Fight Club” spoke to our older brothers working dead-end jobs in the 90’s. But it is with the arrival of “Garden State” that our generation is spoken to, those of us born in the early-mid 80’s who are in our late teens and early twenties trying to make it by in a environment that seems all at once to strange and yet so familiar”

I did indeed enjoy the movie, though I wouldn’t go as far as the reviewer in my accolades to the movie. Maybe because I dont share the same feelings as young americans do. But what I did enjoy was the choice of music for the movie. They were just so right for the movie. I had to go and get the OST for this movie. A little more investigation into Zach’s movie told me that this movie won the Grammy for choice of music in a movie. An apt choice I would say.

Hitler is a character that will fascinate any of us even though we werent around the same era as him. To be set in a war that shaped so much of history, and to see up close the cruelest man that used to be and to see the mind of a man drowned in his greatness and contorted vision, was an awesome treat. The last four to five days of his life, and the near japanese style of suicidal men around him was indeed interesting to watch. In the meanwhile, wikipedia helped me get to know a few more names of the era and their atrocities and lives. A great movie well made – a touchy topic where the director does not hesitate to take an opinion of what he thought about Adolf Hitler

This image is of a film poster, and the copyright for it is most likely owned by either the publisher of the film or the studio which produced the film in question.

The Birds finishes up the left over Hitchcock movies that I wanted to catch up with. The dvd version had a bonus feature talking about how the movie was made. And the presentation of “all about the birds” was a wondrous thing to watch. I watched it before I saw the movie – something that I always do after watching the movie. The hour long presentation of how they made the movie made me appreciate the movie a lot more. The lack of present day technology overcome by using brilliant ideas. The strive the make it look realistic is extremely commendable.
I will go as far as saying that without keeping in mind the time and prevalent technology at the time the movie was made, you’d balk at some scenes where the super imposing is obvious. But once you realise that theres no cgi and that at times the movie makers had just One chance to get the editing and blending together, you appreciate the movie and the three years it took to make it.

The final shot of the movie is a mix of 32 separate shots. And this culmination of the movie is not that the story had ended but is the tribute to the art of the making of a movie.

Another movie that I’ve been hoping to catch up watching. Had heard a lot about this one, and was indeed a treat to watch this. From a suspense thriller to an obsessive romantic angle was something unexpected in a movie. Among psycho, north by northwest and rear window, this one will remain the better one for me.

Its been very long since I saw Dial M for Murder, and might just catch it sometime later.

img credits: VERTIGO© 1958 Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions Inc. Renewed 1986 Samuel Taylor & Patricia Hitchcock O’Connell as co-Trustees.

Clint Eastwoods best: this almost un-western depiction shows a different face of violence and the west. It doesnt glorify the same concepts that the other westerns do. Through the Kid who joins two oldtimers, the price of killing is examined and shown to actually leave an unforgiven mark on the soul. Its good to see that a killing is not easy as the western’s used to show it to be.

A good movie to watch after watching a good number of wild west movies to get back to reality.

A.R Rahman’s Chaiyya Chaiyya is played in the opening credits of this movie, and this made gJump member Sajiv Jose ask the question as to its relevance in the movie. I had to ofcourse watch it to confirm what I knew was director Spike’s decision to add it to the movie inspite of a lack of any connection to the movie.
Other than the opening sequence (for the sake of the song), it was a just about a decent movie to watch. Another perfect roberry attempt movie with a catch in the end. Made for a decent time spent, and not too boring but nothing more. If you enjoy heists, then you’ll possibly like it.
I found myself wanting to watch Dog Day Afternoon again half way though the movie though.
One thing that I did enjoy was the flash-forward scenes, which gives the hint of the ending without actually showing the ending.

A change of pace after being convinced by Keya to watch something different.

I was quite impressed with the Lage Raho (the sequel to this movie) when I got to see it last summer in Redmond, and thought that I should catch this movie.

Would talk about it critically, but hey, it was quite good to have a change from the heavy movie watching.

I have to confess, before Million Dollar Baby, I wouldnt have guessed that Clint Eastwood could direct. After this movie, I guess I have to sit down and watch both mystic river and (how did I miss this one!) unforgiven. Letters from Iwo Jima is a beautifully crafted movie.

I am more attracted to the Japanese angle of the war, which I think is always rich with a very different sent of emotions to represent. It was great to be treated to this view from the baker (saigo) and the General in this movie. The sheer pressure of war forcing you to want to bring it to and end, even if it means to surrender; to have in you the willingness and pride to kill yourself rather than die at the hands of the enemy and still break down the image of the face of the enemy – emotions worth capturing in a war movie. Sam’s (the American prisoner) moms letter and the conversations showing that one should Do what is right because it’s right leaves you with enough philosophy.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, another great movie indeed!

A true epic. Without a doubt. The original uncut version had about 9 hours of footage. The almost four hour movie will be excused when you sit through this beautifully crafted movie. Even though it took me two sittings to get done with it, I could notice so many different levels and aspects touched and etched in this classic: romance, love, friendship, betrayal, crime, us history, cinematography and the many levels in which you can understand this in. The break-and-flashback approach and with its ending scene leads you to wonder whether the movie is a dream or if its just three different eras intermingled beautifully. But good movies have such multiple interpretation. Excuse the wild match, but somewhere in the end of the second cd, a want to read again Marquez’s Hundred Years of Solitude kept creeping in my stomach.

This weekend was back to back Sergio Leone movie, and you cant not love his style of movie making. The music is ofcourse the haunting one of unmistakable Ennio Morricone. De Niro and Jack Woods do a great job, and you’ll love the young Jennifer Connelly.

I’m thrilled with this weekends movie watches !

I’m looking for movie suggestions. please add your picks as comments.

So I’m stuck on old movies. But truly Once Upon a Time in the West is a classic in the true sense. Beautifully directed with extended shots, long drawn our suspense filled pauses and glares, the 7 second standoff with nothing moving in the screen with the two cowboys at the ends of the screen, the beautiful lady, the bad guys, no good guys, dry heat, wild west shootings, lot of extras dying, and a queer opening sequence with a housefly and the unnamed hero.

It’ll be hard to find a movie thats this long and can get away with the pace these days, but then the luxury of having a faithful audience for so long allows the director to get every nuance of feelings from the faces and to actually tell a good story. Things unfold slowly but firmly around the well fleshed out characters, and each of the characters are well fleshed out. Somewhere along the movie you start wondering who the movie is about: harmonica, or the girl.

Oh, well, eitherways, a true gem of a movie.

This 1959 movie has been eluding me for a long time. Been trying to get my hands on it, and just as Vertigo this always seems to give me the slip (i’m a lazy guy and prefer things online). Nonetheless, I finally found myself watching it in small parts, spread out at Stanford and with Kams in San Diego. It was a long day when i watched it in SD, and I slept through after the first half with a beer in hand. But this was more because of the long tiring day over at LA and not because the movie was a drag. Well, it was a drag compared to modern adventure. Its not exactly fast paced, and its got scenes that you’ve seen abused in Bollywood cinemas. But then you try pondering over why some call it Hitchcock’s best, and then you realise the best of tricks and mix of adventure, chase and romance.

There was a particular style which I did like a lot in the movie. Movie writers use some styles to create the suspense and thrill of movies. One is to give the viewer more knowledge about whats happening around the protagonist, and thus edging him/her to do something else. Another is to give the protagonist knowledge of something that the viewer’s dont: keeps you guessing. There was this distinct part in the movie where Thornhill et all device a plan to end the story of Kaplan over at Mt. Rushmore . Its amazing how in a few minutes, we the viewers moved from knowing a lot more about the story around the protagonist to knowing nothing of whats coming up. Gotta love Hitchcock.

Great movie to watch to get educated. Not so much if you are actually looking for an adventure of modern type.

An interesting trivia: Cary Grant appears on the left side of the screen for almost the entire movie

If it weren’t for Steve Martin, I would have called it a goner. But Steve manages to get this movie a little bit of respect. Akin to light in a dark room from a key hole in the door. OK, maybe a little more than that: maybe the crack from an unclosed window.

Then again, maybe it was the beer that made it better. The Jerk is your ‘i’m-so-bored-i-got-nothing-to-do’ movie. It might make you laugh, but then you’ve seen better comedy for sure.

Not to make it sound that bad, the script was decent enough that you’d notice it, and some aspects of the comedy are sometimes witty. But the bottom line is that I’d forget this movie soon. Sorry Steve.

Its one of those movies more known for a scene in it. This is the movie with one of the guys killed by being fed into a wood chipper. Very cold scene that one.
The movie claims to be a true one in the opening sequences: an amazing lie that makes the movie so much more worth the first watch. But some more research shows that its a concoction and characterizations of a lot of true stories. This one didnt exactly happen all at once, and if definitely didnt have anything to do with the city fargo as such.
I love Frances McDormand in this movie. She brings about a nice cool but weird cop way of looking at things. Almost detached, doing her normal job enjoying her tastes in food, and a husband for comic relief :p
Its a lovely must watch movie for the great script and very good acting (in spite of the pronounced accents) and deserves the best actress. Though I’d say it should have picked up the one for direction.

A recommended movie by dash, The Fountain is kinda artsy with its three parallel stories running around Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. Hugh brings out the desperation and obsessive love for his wife. The quest for immortality and continued search for whatever he is searching for. The stories are entangled a lot and without warning its a bit of unwrapping to do as the movie progresses. Once you realise that its actually three parallel stories, things settle in, and the directors brilliance comes forth.I dont think I ever want to be that fanatical/obsessive about anything. But its a short movie worth its time: different, somewhere poignant and spiritual.

I just came off a trip of LA, universal studios and Santa Monica and it felt strangely ironic that today I should get a glimpse of this dark reflection of the worst of Hollywood as portrayed by the best of Hollywood. Sunset Blvd, the 1950 movie, was extremely refreshing and haunting and was quite surprised at its ‘meager’ 3 Oscar haul (of second level ones at it). Maybe not as surprising given the subject matter.I wont give you the usual banter and details about the movie. its best viewed

here and here.Anyways, this is not the first movie that I saw this quarter. But is a part of an ongoing effort to celebrate the hard work over the last couple of years; by catching up with lost and recommended must-watch movies. Posts will mostly be erratic, but am hoping to capture through these posts my progress over the ‘let me watch atleast one movie

a day this quarter’ challenge to myself.

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Long ago, when I was a kid, it doesn’t matter how old a kid I really was, I saw the rest of my family – bro, dad and mom wearing spectacles and looked at myself in the mirror and so wished that I had one of those things on my nose. Maybe it was an acceptance issue, I’ll never know, but I do faintly remember asking Him why I couldn’t have one.
Yes, you could say it’s silly to wish for glasses; but you have to forgive the innocence of a small kid. I vividly remember going to the doc and saying things like, ‘but seriously, I can’t see things that are far away’ and the doc would very wryly retort back: ‘you really don’t need to see that far’.
Like he knew better!

Many years later, and many doctors later, I come to today. The message might have reached Him late, or maybe my dietary habits went southwards, either way, with a quirk of fate, I got my eyes tested today. It wasn’t a childhood dream come true per se this time round, but the statement that I could not see farther objects clearly was finally certified true by the doctor. I don’t feel exactly on top of the world, but I do feel vindicated in front of all those previous doctors. A pair of prescription lenses to rectify the optical defect of 1.25 on both of my eyes is the word of the day to share with my friends (and restart my blogging?).

Truly speaking, it may be due to the many years added onto my hairline, or just plain realization and shared wisdom, I’m not looking forward to my face playing host to extra gear. Life turns its wheels in circles, or He just loves looking at this melodrama on earth. Forgive this question of a 23 year old young man, but I looked at him in near disbelief and say, ‘but seriously, do I really need to see that far away?’ and to think that when I heard the final statement that he was to make, even the child in me was not jumping in glee: ‘oh, you really need to wear spectacles!’
Sigh! Like he knew better!

So there it stands: I can testify.
God does listen to your prayers. He just has a huge backlog of things to handle before he can get to yours.
Not timely, but time for another ice age?

/ajay