Roooooolllllller Coaster

Next 5 days are going to be action packed - 3 theme parks in 5 days and of course, Miami and Key West. Being in Florida for 3 and a half years, I think its high time I made it to the Keys - Snorkelling and skurfing are definitely on the list. Now I'm thanking for those forced swimming classes which I had in my school back in my 4th grade. And of course, Miami - the king of night life cities - though if you don't drink, thats half the fun gone, I still think I'd get to see some kind of entertainment.

Last and most special - my last use of the annual pass to Busch Gardens - Sheikra - Here, I come! And my first visit to Universal - again, I'm looking forward to the HULK.

Wishing the junta an action packed holidays and of course, a happy new year.

P.S: My biggest blog supporter, Nirmal will turn 25 this Dec. 29th - he wants to be mature and responsible and all that, but ennoda serndha apram epdi adhellam (of course I'm still some way off that dreaded number... he he)? ;-) Here's wishing you good health and lots of cheer, Nirmal. Indha year avadhu unnoda committed kanavugal palikkaattum! :P

The Game will miss you...

Gentleman coach and a fantastic spotter of talents - Mike Holmgren - Good bye!

(Courtesy: http://www2.jsonline.com/packer/)

Mini Marathon

Did my first 10 mile run on the road - muscles hitherto inconspicuous by their dormancy gave their attendance during the night's sleep - I still have some minor cramps and all that - but it feels quite good to have been able to run the distance.


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Slumdog Millionaire

The best movie from/about India this year. The casting, screenplay, background Score (ARR, who else?) and the plot are quite good. And the biggest irony was that I got free passes to a pre-screening of this movie and to think that I spent $10 on Rab Ne Bana......

Recently, Indian films have been subject to hyperboles as far as audience reaction has been concerned. A dumb-ass movie like Dasavadharam had email forwards which had Kamal Haasan laughing his way to his multiple bank accounts. And you had movies Anjadhey or A Wednesday which did not become as acclaimed as they needed to have, in spite of being good. But here comes a movie which is unpretentious and does not flinch from showing a few nasty truths (the Amitabh Bachchan autograph scene was quite grotesque and could have been toned down) and some disturbing visuals (the eye scooping one).

The story is about 3 people - Jamal, Salim and Latika, all muslims in a slum in Mumbai where riots strike and change the already pitiable lives into far worse. The story is shown from Jamal's perspective, who is currently on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" show and is on the threshold of winning the full monty. The game show host, played by Anil Kapoor, produces the show and is not able to believe how a person like Jamal can make it so far in the show and asks the police to interrogate Jamal to ascertain that he is not cheating. The cop played by Irfan Khan replays the video of the show and Jamal tells his tale in pieces about how he came to know the answers to the questions, at the end of which Irfan Khan remarks, this is "Bizzarely Plausible". The screenplay has to be seen to be believed.

The background score by Mozart from Madras, A.R. Rahman is surely going to make sure that he is goin' to win the Golden Globe this year. The first BGM bit for the scenes which involved the kids being chased by the cops, was simply mindblowing. Rahman is back to the Thiruda Thiruda, Kandukondein(2) and Dil Se form for the BGM. See below for the uploaded versions.

There has been considerable thought process that has been given to the casting and the kid who acts as the young Jamal is exceptional - he is simply cute, in spite being of unbathed and generally, dirty.

Check out this link to see if your city has the promotional screening by Fox Searchlight: Free Screenings .

Verdict: D) It is written (See the movie for this to make sense)

OST - Slumdog Millionaire

Dreams On Fire - Slumdog Millionaire

Gangsta Blues - Slumdog Millionaire

Millionaire - Slumdog Millionaire

Aaj Ki Raat - Slumdog Millionaire

Latikas Theme - Slumdog Millionaire

Liquid Dance - Slumdog Millionaire

Ringa Ringa - Slumdog Millionaire

Paper Planes (DFA Remix) - Slumdog Millionaire

Paper Planes - Slumdog Millionaire

Riots - Slumdog Millionaire

O...Saya - Slumdog Millionaire

Jai Ho - Slumdog Millionaire