Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Journey to watch Vishwaroopam




The film is been released and successfully running in the neighboring states, except Tamil Nadu. From the reviews that’s sailing in the online community it is a “thumbs up” for the style and substance of film. I haven’t seen any negative remarks about the substance of the film. 

I hope this film will get released in Tamil Nadu by next week.


Some reviews from my fellow bloggers in Tamil. These bloggers had taken a journey to watch the film, invested their precious time and money, if the film is bad or defame a particular religion they would have written upfront.

http://www.cablesankaronline.com/2013/01/blog-post_26.html
http://worldcinemafan.blogspot.in/2013/01/blog-post_26.html
http://idlyvadai.blogspot.in/2013/01/fir.html

Look out for a video review by Prashanth..


Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Vishwaroopam - II





TN govt suspends Vishwaroopam for two weeks, which was about to release on 25th Jan. ( I have a doubt-  Two weeks kalichi release panna law-order problem varada ? ).

As the tickets are already booked for 3 – 4 days for Vishwaroopam, the theaters can’t refund the money to ticket holders; instead they will show Alex Pandiyan. Enjoy it!!

I guess this is something not related to this article.. :-)

கா கா briyani சாப்பிட்ட கா... கான்னு தான்  குரல் வரும், பின்ன Unni Kisnan குரலா வரும் 

Monday, January 21, 2013

America = Mixed bag









I am not the one who go gaga over America. After working closely with the Americans and sometimes people from other countries  for past six years, I feel there is not much difference between the fundamental mindset of people, everyone want to lead a good life ( at least have good money ). So universally there is no exception from Americans. We all have same aspirations. 

The day, when Barack Obama swearing for the second time, I felt it’s a good time to talk about US in the Tea Shop.

Although I have disapprovals with it culturally and ethically, anthropologically there is more liking in me for America.  

The sheer word “New World” brings interest to anyone. The natives were there some 15,000 years ago, but the “new man” entered there just over 500 years ago and this period is so minuscule in the history of man and earth. 

Even though it was Europeans who landed there second (First, paleo-Indians), it kind of attracted the entire world- post 1500’s to pre WWII. 

The country became a mixed bag of all the countries and culture- Europeans, Asians and Africans immigrated to US in search of pursuit of happiness. It is the collective minds and effort of these people who built the nation. 

Human Migration Chart


A Tribal in South India
Siddis - thehindu.com

To get a sense of how far US and its tentacles has spread worldwide- There is a small group of tribal called Siddis in Karnataka, South India. Sources say their lineage is traced back to Africa and they are proud that someone from their descent has become president of United States.

All the best Barack.





http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/siddis-celebrate-obamas-win/article4327795.ece

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Vishwaroopam might be last Tamil Film by Kamal Haasan

Kamalhassan  - Viswaroopam Poster


The film Vishwaroopam is about to get released in theaters on 25th January. This is a tri-lingual film, Tamil, Hindi and Telugu, so we can expect a grand opening in India and oversees. There is some news popping-up about the movie and post-Viswaroopam for Kamal.

First is the fact about using Auro 3D. It’s the first Indian film and just 2nd film world-wide using this technology.  The other news is interesting, which I found in a blog,

  • Viswaroopam is going to beat all records and will be the highest grossing film in India.
  • This might be the last film by Kamal Haasan in Tamil and the next stop for him will be in Hollywood. 

I am not sure about the first one; the second is more likely to happen as there is no movie signed by him after Vishwaroopam. The blogger quotes his reliable sources. I wish this might happen.

Refer the links,

http://worldcinemafan.blogspot.in/2013/01/blog-post_19.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/telugu/news-interviews/Kamal-Haasan-to-launch-Mani-Ratnams-son/articleshow/17523119.cms?

Friday, January 18, 2013

Cricket getting ( more ) crazy


Pic taken from a forum - www.ausgamers.com



The Aussies are going ahead in out-of-the-box thinking in cricket. Not the way in which they play, but the way in which they view the game.

If you are watching the on going Big Bash League ( BBL ). You can see two strange things, the camera on the umpire's hat and the glowing stumps and bails. 

The camera is kind of cool than the glowing stumps, but the view is curved, it will be hard to see for long time, as we tend to get dizzy with the curved view.




There is also another thing I noticed, they had fixed the heart beat calculator for the umpires. So when there is a appeal, the commentators check it to see how much it went up. ( Thank fully it calculates only heart beat !! ).

Some crazy ideas for future.

  • Keep the camera on the batsman helmet ( Looks like they are already considering for future )
  • Make a sensor in the bat, so when the ball hits the middle of the bat, the sensor will pass a signal to the sound box in the stadium and it will give a big thunder sound.
  • Laser lights on top of the stumps- So there can be a laser show in-between overs.
  • Camera inside the ball.
  • Replace umpires with robots.
  • Alas, scrap the game and play golf.

Read more here.. on the Cricket Australia site

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Metro Train Construction

Moron drivers keep honking as if they are chased by a mad dog.                                                            .


Pic - www.thehindu.com


It happened again this week. A 36 year man  lost his life in an accident when the crane fell over him in Mount Road. 

Accidents are bound to happen, but this has become frequently and a norm, at least one accident per month. 

Almost 65% of the metro go as a elevated lane and just 35% is underground. As far I see accidents are happening on the construction site only on the elevated sites. I don't understand, the northern part of the metro is underground  the reason- the area is crowded. The mid and south sections are elevated, because they have enough space to construct !!!- Why cant they make the entire metro underground irrespective of you have space or not. With still half distance to cover, no one knows how many lives has to be lost.

I am deliberately avoiding the places in which these constructions are taking place along the 100 Feet Road and Mount Road. But sometimes it becomes unavoidable. Few months before there was an accident near Vadapalani, fortunately no one got injured or dead, it was afternoon and the traffic was less, still it was shocking for me when I heard the news, as I just passed the particular place few minutes before the accident.

Commuting after 10 PM in the night becomes too risky in these areas as they close down a section of  road and make another section for a two-way movement of vehicles. 

If there is a crane or a big construction vehicle moving on the road, there is only one ( Just one!! ) construction worker with the Light LED Baton and he trying to stop the fast-moving vehicles who are impatient to stop for few minutes. Some moron drivers keep honking as if they are chased by a mad dog.

I feel on a whole we lack the "Culture of Safety". ( IN ALL MATTERS ).



Friday, January 4, 2013

The Tracker ( English, 2002 )


Image Source:- africandiasporavideo.com












Language: English 
Country: Australia
Year: 2002
Director: Rolf de Heer
Starring: David Gupilil, Gary Sweet, Damon Gameau
Genre: Drama


This film is set in the turn of the 20th century Australia, directed by Rolf de Heer (Film Bulb reviewed one of his films before Ten Canoes). The story line is pretty straight, three white men want to hunt down a native aboriginal man who is accused of murdering a white women. The three had to get the help of The Tracker, who will lead them to capture the murderer. 

There are no names uttered, but just referred by their characters, Tracker (David Gupilil), Fanatic (Gary Sweet), Follower (Damon Gameau) and Veteran (Grant Page).

From left: The Fanatic, The Tracker, Veteran and Follower.
Image Source:- filmpressplus.com

The quest of the four men in the Australian outback is said with the racism involved in it. Fanatic is the leader, he trusts the Tracker to lead them to find the murder. Follower, a young bloke, who initially skeptic about the Tracker’ intention in finding the murderer. The Fanatic grows really fanatic, on their way, he murders innocent aborigines. The killings are actually portrayed by series of paintings rather than showing the actual killing. By seeing the Fanatic’ fanatic killing, the Follower rebels at him and chains him so that he doesn't unleash more terror.

One of the painting in the film. Image Source:- sensesofcinema.com

Finally, they find the murderer, who has taken refuge in an aborigine group. The gist of the film is not tracking the murderer, but to tell the weirdness in the mind of the people on how they view the other race. 

The soundtrack the film is good. The lyrics, instruments et al tries to bring the mood of the characters. The film uses series of songs which were sung by an Australian singer Archie Roach, which were written by the director himself. For example, in a scene where the Fanatic kills the aborigines, the camera takes a deep focus on the Tracker (who is also an aborigine, but somehow left to grow in the new man’s world) and we can hear the repetitive lyrics in the background, ...my people, my people… More about the songs in the film, Click here.

Sometimes slow, but still watchable as it’s a universal theme.

YouTube Trailer



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