Rang De Basanti: Oh. My. God.

If you happened to be at a certain Bollywood theater tonight, at around 11:45 pm, and you would have peeked at the Ladies' Bathroom, you would have seen a white girl crying.

Rang De Basanti had just finished.

Oh. My. God. It's probably my favorite Bollywood movie in a couple of years, at least since Yuva. I've been losing a bit of interest in Bollywood lately, simply because nothing exciting has been coming out, not for ages. I haven't even seen any new release since Taj Mahal because none of them sounded interesting. But after RDB? I am back in the fold.

Oh, Aamir. I am so glad you came back to making movies. And not just because RDB reminded me of how fucking hot you can be through sheer demeanor (because looks? You are OK, but people won't stare at you on the street). And not just because DJ, as acted by Aamir, came across as one of the realest people I've seen on Bollywood screen in a while. But because I really love your choice of movies. First there was The Rising, which I know a number of people didn't like, but I thought that even though it was flawed, it was interesting. Now RDB. And Fanaa coming up. And all of these aren't the same old same old recycled 17 times movies you normally see out of Bollywood. Agree with them or not, dislike them or not, but they do have something to say.

( Raves. With spoilers )

Rang De Basanti: Oh. My. God.

If you happened to be at a certain Bollywood theater tonight, at around 11:45 pm, and you would have peeked at the Ladies' Bathroom, you would have seen a white girl crying.

Rang De Basanti had just finished.

Oh. My. God. It's probably my favorite Bollywood movie in a couple of years, at least since Yuva. I've been losing a bit of interest in Bollywood lately, simply because nothing exciting has been coming out, not for ages. I haven't even seen any new release since Taj Mahal because none of them sounded interesting. But after RDB? I am back in the fold.

Oh, Aamir. I am so glad you came back to making movies. And not just because RDB reminded me of how fucking hot you can be through sheer demeanor (because looks? You are OK, but people won't stare at you on the street). And not just because DJ, as acted by Aamir, came across as one of the realest people I've seen on Bollywood screen in a while. But because I really love your choice of movies. First there was The Rising, which I know a number of people didn't like, but I thought that even though it was flawed, it was interesting. Now RDB. And Fanaa coming up. And all of these aren't the same old same old recycled 17 times movies you normally see out of Bollywood. Agree with them or not, dislike them or not, but they do have something to say.

( Raves. With spoilers )

Rang De Basanti: Oh. My. God.

If you happened to be at a certain Bollywood theater tonight, at around 11:45 pm, and you would have peeked at the Ladies' Bathroom, you would have seen a white girl crying.

Rang De Basanti had just finished.

Oh. My. God. It's probably my favorite Bollywood movie in a couple of years, at least since Yuva. I've been losing a bit of interest in Bollywood lately, simply because nothing exciting has been coming out, not for ages. I haven't even seen any new release since Taj Mahal because none of them sounded interesting. But after RDB? I am back in the fold.

Oh, Aamir. I am so glad you came back to making movies. And not just because RDB reminded me of how fucking hot you can be through sheer demeanor (because looks? You are OK, but people won't stare at you on the street). And not just because DJ, as acted by Aamir, came across as one of the realest people I've seen on Bollywood screen in a while. But because I really love your choice of movies. First there was The Rising, which I know a number of people didn't like, but I thought that even though it was flawed, it was interesting. Now RDB. And Fanaa coming up. And all of these aren't the same old same old recycled 17 times movies you normally see out of Bollywood. Agree with them or not, dislike them or not, but they do have something to say.

( Raves. With spoilers )

Hana Yori Dango: Fantasy and Reality of Romance

OK, now that I've discovered a thing for Hana Yori Dango, you'll have to put up with a few posts about it.

I do like what it has to say about fantasy v. reality of romance and crushes and things. Because what Tsukushi finds out when she finally goes on a date with Rui, her dream guy, the one she's been pining for for 20+ episodes, is that if you crush on a boy because he is quiet, mysterious, elusive et al, when you actually have to spend time interacting with him, these qualities will make for a really boring date.

Her 'dream' date is uncomfortable (as she is on pins and needles from worry), awkward, and they are always out of sync. Hint: if you are out on a date and you aren't enjoying yourself and he doesn't get your jokes, and you don't really have a conversation, and he is so absent minded that he doesn't even notice when you bump and hit your face but keeps on walking? He might be a nice guy, but chances are you aren't going to work out. Your crush just might not stand up to reality of daily interactions. These qualities of otherworldly detached elusiveness which make him so attractive and appealing in fantasy will, in RL, make him a bad companion (at least for Tsukushi who is all about the real and now and practical).

And I do like the fact that Rui is a nice guy. He isn't secretly a white slaver, or a horrid womanizer, or a violent bastard. He is exactly what he appears to be, an introverted, somewhat passive, rather nice guy (certainly at his baseline, he is far nicer than Tsukushi's other admirer Doumyouji). Nothing wrong with that, but Tsukushi has to realize (and I assume she does eventually) that much as it's nice in the abstract, this just doesn't work in real life for her. They just aren't compatible.

( Yet more thoughts )

Hana Yori Dango: Fantasy and Reality of Romance

OK, now that I've discovered a thing for Hana Yori Dango, you'll have to put up with a few posts about it.

I do like what it has to say about fantasy v. reality of romance and crushes and things. Because what Tsukushi finds out when she finally goes on a date with Rui, her dream guy, the one she's been pining for for 20+ episodes, is that if you crush on a boy because he is quiet, mysterious, elusive et al, when you actually have to spend time interacting with him, these qualities will make for a really boring date.

Her 'dream' date is uncomfortable (as she is on pins and needles from worry), awkward, and they are always out of sync. Hint: if you are out on a date and you aren't enjoying yourself and he doesn't get your jokes, and you don't really have a conversation, and he is so absent minded that he doesn't even notice when you bump and hit your face but keeps on walking? He might be a nice guy, but chances are you aren't going to work out. Your crush just might not stand up to reality of daily interactions. These qualities of otherworldly detached elusiveness which make him so attractive and appealing in fantasy will, in RL, make him a bad companion (at least for Tsukushi who is all about the real and now and practical).

And I do like the fact that Rui is a nice guy. He isn't secretly a white slaver, or a horrid womanizer, or a violent bastard. He is exactly what he appears to be, an introverted, somewhat passive, rather nice guy (certainly at his baseline, he is far nicer than Tsukushi's other admirer Doumyouji). Nothing wrong with that, but Tsukushi has to realize (and I assume she does eventually) that much as it's nice in the abstract, this just doesn't work in real life for her. They just aren't compatible.

( Yet more thoughts )

Hana Yori Dango: Fantasy and Reality of Romance

OK, now that I've discovered a thing for Hana Yori Dango, you'll have to put up with a few posts about it.

I do like what it has to say about fantasy v. reality of romance and crushes and things. Because what Tsukushi finds out when she finally goes on a date with Rui, her dream guy, the one she's been pining for for 20+ episodes, is that if you crush on a boy because he is quiet, mysterious, elusive et al, when you actually have to spend time interacting with him, these qualities will make for a really boring date.

Her 'dream' date is uncomfortable (as she is on pins and needles from worry), awkward, and they are always out of sync. Hint: if you are out on a date and you aren't enjoying yourself and he doesn't get your jokes, and you don't really have a conversation, and he is so absent minded that he doesn't even notice when you bump and hit your face but keeps on walking? He might be a nice guy, but chances are you aren't going to work out. Your crush just might not stand up to reality of daily interactions. These qualities of otherworldly detached elusiveness which make him so attractive and appealing in fantasy will, in RL, make him a bad companion (at least for Tsukushi who is all about the real and now and practical).

And I do like the fact that Rui is a nice guy. He isn't secretly a white slaver, or a horrid womanizer, or a violent bastard. He is exactly what he appears to be, an introverted, somewhat passive, rather nice guy (certainly at his baseline, he is far nicer than Tsukushi's other admirer Doumyouji). Nothing wrong with that, but Tsukushi has to realize (and I assume she does eventually) that much as it's nice in the abstract, this just doesn't work in real life for her. They just aren't compatible.

( Yet more thoughts )

Thoughts on books and reading habits.

Oi, Fushigi Yuugi! I should have a running counter with "Times Tamahome has seen Miaka's breasts." Because? This is a show in love with that concept. So far, at 8 episodes, the tally is at 3 (not to mention the nekkid scene in the credits). No wonder he is so devoted.

I was thinking about the reading/watching habits of people on my friendslist. Let me explain what I mean. Basically, I will finish a book or a movie even if I don’t care for it. I will keep on going hoping it will get better, or just to complete it, out of sheer doggedness (this applies to shows like Escaflowne or Farscape which have one story arc, but not to shows like Veronica Mars which are a variety of stories, yearly (or less) and which aren’t available all at once).

The only times I’ve ever stopped reading or watching is either when I found the book offensive (I tried to get through Leopard’s Spots, a book on which Birth of a Nation is partially based, and I couldn’t and finally stopped reading in disgust) or when it does a psycho number on me (I stopped reading a book about the Warsaw Ghetto uprising because it was giving me nightmares). But other than that, I guess I am a hopeless optimist. The thing is, it does pay off sometimes (with Hana Yori Dango, I kept persevering, and about 19 episodes in, my liking for the thing finally kicked in and I am quite enjoying myself. Of course, I wouldn’t have tried so hard if I didn’t know aliterati and katranna liked it so, so there had to have been something there). This late blooming love doesn’t happen often, but enough to keep me doing it. But how about you? Do you try a book and if it doesn’t grab you within the first 20 pages you are done? Or if a show doesn’t appeal after a couple of episodes? How does it work?

In semi-related topic, I am in love with Jude Morgan’s Passion, a novel about the four women important to the romantic poets: Augusta Leigh, Byron’s half-sister, Mary Shelley, Shelley’s wife, Caroline Lamb, Byron’s mistress who dressed as a boy to follow him, and Fanny Brawne, Keats’ fiancee. It’s an amazing book, a series of vignettes about the lives of these women, and somehow it manages to tie four not too connected narratives into one beautiful book (quite impressive considering the women themselves are so different: the placid optimist that is Augusta, the passionate, overindulged Caroline, the intellectual uncompromising fierce Mary, and (my favorite) the vivid joy and common-sense courage of Fanny Brawne). Somehow the book works and it actually reads like a beautiful poem itself. Sample:

Samuel continually weeps, confronting the simple outrage: ‘Where is Papa?’ But Fanny notices, cumulatively, other absences. The applelike shine on the end of the windsor arm-chair where he would sit, his thin hand rubbing meditatively, begins to fade to dullness. The books he was reading-always two at a time, as if mistrusting that one might mislead him-are put away, their marker spills used to light the candles. The sound of male footsteps on the path outside empties of meaning, becomes an inexpectancy. Mr. Brawne, the light-boned, well-mannered, unremarkable five foot six of him, makes a great substraction from the world.

Thoughts on books and reading habits.

Oi, Fushigi Yuugi! I should have a running counter with "Times Tamahome has seen Miaka's breasts." Because? This is a show in love with that concept. So far, at 8 episodes, the tally is at 3 (not to mention the nekkid scene in the credits). No wonder he is so devoted.

I was thinking about the reading/watching habits of people on my friendslist. Let me explain what I mean. Basically, I will finish a book or a movie even if I don’t care for it. I will keep on going hoping it will get better, or just to complete it, out of sheer doggedness (this applies to shows like Escaflowne or Farscape which have one story arc, but not to shows like Veronica Mars which are a variety of stories, yearly (or less) and which aren’t available all at once).

The only times I’ve ever stopped reading or watching is either when I found the book offensive (I tried to get through Leopard’s Spots, a book on which Birth of a Nation is partially based, and I couldn’t and finally stopped reading in disgust) or when it does a psycho number on me (I stopped reading a book about the Warsaw Ghetto uprising because it was giving me nightmares). But other than that, I guess I am a hopeless optimist. The thing is, it does pay off sometimes (with Hana Yori Dango, I kept persevering, and about 19 episodes in, my liking for the thing finally kicked in and I am quite enjoying myself. Of course, I wouldn’t have tried so hard if I didn’t know aliterati and katranna liked it so, so there had to have been something there). This late blooming love doesn’t happen often, but enough to keep me doing it. But how about you? Do you try a book and if it doesn’t grab you within the first 20 pages you are done? Or if a show doesn’t appeal after a couple of episodes? How does it work?

In semi-related topic, I am in love with Jude Morgan’s Passion, a novel about the four women important to the romantic poets: Augusta Leigh, Byron’s half-sister, Mary Shelley, Shelley’s wife, Caroline Lamb, Byron’s mistress who dressed as a boy to follow him, and Fanny Brawne, Keats’ fiancee. It’s an amazing book, a series of vignettes about the lives of these women, and somehow it manages to tie four not too connected narratives into one beautiful book (quite impressive considering the women themselves are so different: the placid optimist that is Augusta, the passionate, overindulged Caroline, the intellectual uncompromising fierce Mary, and (my favorite) the vivid joy and common-sense courage of Fanny Brawne). Somehow the book works and it actually reads like a beautiful poem itself. Sample:

Samuel continually weeps, confronting the simple outrage: ‘Where is Papa?’ But Fanny notices, cumulatively, other absences. The applelike shine on the end of the windsor arm-chair where he would sit, his thin hand rubbing meditatively, begins to fade to dullness. The books he was reading-always two at a time, as if mistrusting that one might mislead him-are put away, their marker spills used to light the candles. The sound of male footsteps on the path outside empties of meaning, becomes an inexpectancy. Mr. Brawne, the light-boned, well-mannered, unremarkable five foot six of him, makes a great substraction from the world.

Thoughts on books and reading habits.

Oi, Fushigi Yuugi! I should have a running counter with "Times Tamahome has seen Miaka's breasts." Because? This is a show in love with that concept. So far, at 8 episodes, the tally is at 3 (not to mention the nekkid scene in the credits). No wonder he is so devoted.

I was thinking about the reading/watching habits of people on my friendslist. Let me explain what I mean. Basically, I will finish a book or a movie even if I don’t care for it. I will keep on going hoping it will get better, or just to complete it, out of sheer doggedness (this applies to shows like Escaflowne or Farscape which have one story arc, but not to shows like Veronica Mars which are a variety of stories, yearly (or less) and which aren’t available all at once).

The only times I’ve ever stopped reading or watching is either when I found the book offensive (I tried to get through Leopard’s Spots, a book on which Birth of a Nation is partially based, and I couldn’t and finally stopped reading in disgust) or when it does a psycho number on me (I stopped reading a book about the Warsaw Ghetto uprising because it was giving me nightmares). But other than that, I guess I am a hopeless optimist. The thing is, it does pay off sometimes (with Hana Yori Dango, I kept persevering, and about 19 episodes in, my liking for the thing finally kicked in and I am quite enjoying myself. Of course, I wouldn’t have tried so hard if I didn’t know aliterati and katranna liked it so, so there had to have been something there). This late blooming love doesn’t happen often, but enough to keep me doing it. But how about you? Do you try a book and if it doesn’t grab you within the first 20 pages you are done? Or if a show doesn’t appeal after a couple of episodes? How does it work?

In semi-related topic, I am in love with Jude Morgan’s Passion, a novel about the four women important to the romantic poets: Augusta Leigh, Byron’s half-sister, Mary Shelley, Shelley’s wife, Caroline Lamb, Byron’s mistress who dressed as a boy to follow him, and Fanny Brawne, Keats’ fiancee. It’s an amazing book, a series of vignettes about the lives of these women, and somehow it manages to tie four not too connected narratives into one beautiful book (quite impressive considering the women themselves are so different: the placid optimist that is Augusta, the passionate, overindulged Caroline, the intellectual uncompromising fierce Mary, and (my favorite) the vivid joy and common-sense courage of Fanny Brawne). Somehow the book works and it actually reads like a beautiful poem itself. Sample:

Samuel continually weeps, confronting the simple outrage: ‘Where is Papa?’ But Fanny notices, cumulatively, other absences. The applelike shine on the end of the windsor arm-chair where he would sit, his thin hand rubbing meditatively, begins to fade to dullness. The books he was reading-always two at a time, as if mistrusting that one might mislead him-are put away, their marker spills used to light the candles. The sound of male footsteps on the path outside empties of meaning, becomes an inexpectancy. Mr. Brawne, the light-boned, well-mannered, unremarkable five foot six of him, makes a great substraction from the world.

Yet more Hana Yori Dango thoughts: it's Pride and Prejudice. On acid.

Yes, yes, I posted about HYD once today already. Sorry. I got addicted. I am halfway through though.

Oh, Hana Yori Dango, why must you toy with me and title an ep "Their sleepless night together." Instead of anime porn all I got was angst. Mmmmmmmm, yummy angst. Favorite angsty moment so far? Tsukushi meeting Doumyouji on a street at night, and she tries to have some sort of chit chat and is babling out of nervousness, and all of a sudden he hugs her and tells her that all she has to say is that she loves him, just once, and he'll cancel the match (this beeing teenybopper anime version of Bollywood, there is a basketball match to settle whether Tsukushi and Rui get kicked out of the school. They will if Doumyouji's team wins, and they clearly will. I muse admit, I'd tell him even if I didn't mean it, because hey, get to stay in fancy school). Awwwww. And she won't say anything and he grabs her shoulders and leans in to kiss her and she freaks and he is all upset and slumping against a wall and is is all "woe is me, is that so distasteful to you? Why did it have to be my best friend that you preferred to me and cheated on me with? Woe, angst, I will brood" And then he is kinda sweet and wistful with her and leaves.

And of course, during the game, Rui manages to get quite an advantage by pretending to be publically affectionate with Tsukushi which makes Doumyouji see red and commit fouls. Heeee. And then, when it's clear Tsukushi and Rui will lose anyway, he quits on purpose and tells her she can stay. Which is sweet, but cancelled out by the fact that he was the one agitating for her to get kicked out in the first place. Heh.

The more time goes on, the more I like Rui as a character, in all his messed-up, passive-agressive glory. But hey, Tsukushi, hint: probably losing your virginity to a guy whose attitude towards the business is "I don't mind" and admits that he is still in love with someone else is not really worth it. Glad to see you figured it out (though come on, Rui. If you didn't really love her, it's kinda wrong to steal her from your best friend). But hey, I like Doumyouji better (though in RL if any child of mine wanted to date him, I'd ship her out of the country). But then again, Tsukushi's parents are horribly useless (Mrs. Bennet has nothing on them).

I have to say, Tsukushi says "Doumyouji" more than Miaka says "Tamahome." And she doesn't even have the "she is besotted and menaced" excuse. Heeee.

Yet more Hana Yori Dango thoughts: it's Pride and Prejudice. On acid.

Yes, yes, I posted about HYD once today already. Sorry. I got addicted. I am halfway through though.

Oh, Hana Yori Dango, why must you toy with me and title an ep "Their sleepless night together." Instead of anime porn all I got was angst. Mmmmmmmm, yummy angst. Favorite angsty moment so far? Tsukushi meeting Doumyouji on a street at night, and she tries to have some sort of chit chat and is babling out of nervousness, and all of a sudden he hugs her and tells her that all she has to say is that she loves him, just once, and he'll cancel the match (this beeing teenybopper anime version of Bollywood, there is a basketball match to settle whether Tsukushi and Rui get kicked out of the school. They will if Doumyouji's team wins, and they clearly will. I muse admit, I'd tell him even if I didn't mean it, because hey, get to stay in fancy school). Awwwww. And she won't say anything and he grabs her shoulders and leans in to kiss her and she freaks and he is all upset and slumping against a wall and is is all "woe is me, is that so distasteful to you? Why did it have to be my best friend that you preferred to me and cheated on me with? Woe, angst, I will brood" And then he is kinda sweet and wistful with her and leaves.

And of course, during the game, Rui manages to get quite an advantage by pretending to be publically affectionate with Tsukushi which makes Doumyouji see red and commit fouls. Heeee. And then, when it's clear Tsukushi and Rui will lose anyway, he quits on purpose and tells her she can stay. Which is sweet, but cancelled out by the fact that he was the one agitating for her to get kicked out in the first place. Heh.

The more time goes on, the more I like Rui as a character, in all his messed-up, passive-agressive glory. But hey, Tsukushi, hint: probably losing your virginity to a guy whose attitude towards the business is "I don't mind" and admits that he is still in love with someone else is not really worth it. Glad to see you figured it out (though come on, Rui. If you didn't really love her, it's kinda wrong to steal her from your best friend). But hey, I like Doumyouji better (though in RL if any child of mine wanted to date him, I'd ship her out of the country). But then again, Tsukushi's parents are horribly useless (Mrs. Bennet has nothing on them).

I have to say, Tsukushi says "Doumyouji" more than Miaka says "Tamahome." And she doesn't even have the "she is besotted and menaced" excuse. Heeee.

Yet more Hana Yori Dango thoughts: it's Pride and Prejudice. On acid.

Yes, yes, I posted about HYD once today already. Sorry. I got addicted. I am halfway through though.

Oh, Hana Yori Dango, why must you toy with me and title an ep "Their sleepless night together." Instead of anime porn all I got was angst. Mmmmmmmm, yummy angst. Favorite angsty moment so far? Tsukushi meeting Doumyouji on a street at night, and she tries to have some sort of chit chat and is babling out of nervousness, and all of a sudden he hugs her and tells her that all she has to say is that she loves him, just once, and he'll cancel the match (this beeing teenybopper anime version of Bollywood, there is a basketball match to settle whether Tsukushi and Rui get kicked out of the school. They will if Doumyouji's team wins, and they clearly will. I muse admit, I'd tell him even if I didn't mean it, because hey, get to stay in fancy school). Awwwww. And she won't say anything and he grabs her shoulders and leans in to kiss her and she freaks and he is all upset and slumping against a wall and is is all "woe is me, is that so distasteful to you? Why did it have to be my best friend that you preferred to me and cheated on me with? Woe, angst, I will brood" And then he is kinda sweet and wistful with her and leaves.

And of course, during the game, Rui manages to get quite an advantage by pretending to be publically affectionate with Tsukushi which makes Doumyouji see red and commit fouls. Heeee. And then, when it's clear Tsukushi and Rui will lose anyway, he quits on purpose and tells her she can stay. Which is sweet, but cancelled out by the fact that he was the one agitating for her to get kicked out in the first place. Heh.

The more time goes on, the more I like Rui as a character, in all his messed-up, passive-agressive glory. But hey, Tsukushi, hint: probably losing your virginity to a guy whose attitude towards the business is "I don't mind" and admits that he is still in love with someone else is not really worth it. Glad to see you figured it out (though come on, Rui. If you didn't really love her, it's kinda wrong to steal her from your best friend). But hey, I like Doumyouji better (though in RL if any child of mine wanted to date him, I'd ship her out of the country). But then again, Tsukushi's parents are horribly useless (Mrs. Bennet has nothing on them).

I have to say, Tsukushi says "Doumyouji" more than Miaka says "Tamahome." And she doesn't even have the "she is besotted and menaced" excuse. Heeee.