Open Water: A couple on vacation goes for a scuba dive in open waters, along with a bunch of other tourists. They get left behind, unnoticed. And drift into the ocean and are lost. The movie has no other characters and is entirely shot in the ocean. It isn't as elaborate as Cast Away, or dramatic as Jaws, but is stark, realistic, simple, and brilliant!!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Sunday, November 19, 2006
M for Maggi
Casino Royale is being claimed as the "Batman Begins" of 007 movies. Going back in time, rediscovering the early stages of the career of the agent. It does have more emotions than the last 5 of them put together, and Daniel Craig proves lot of people wrong with his acting - this Bond at least show some signs of heart. The hairy chest is missing as some one said, but he is near perfect.
But for a normal fan, lots of things are missing: the gadgets, the chases, the sidekicks, the dames, the theme music - *all* of it. All of it. Screenplay is pretty boring and loose for its story line (which itself isn't very compelling), and even worse than those ones that didn't have any. But action sequences are more raw, and you have to see to believe. As usual, the opening stunt (5/5), and the one on the stairs stand out.
But at the end, you don't leave the theater in awe like after Batman Begins, where also the hero was dissected and explored through the action sequences. First day first show is expensive, add to that the caramel corns, and the what-ness of the movie made me cancel the dinner plans and settle for a pack of Maggi. M was good.
(The world say 4.5/5, I say 3/5)
But for a normal fan, lots of things are missing: the gadgets, the chases, the sidekicks, the dames, the theme music - *all* of it. All of it. Screenplay is pretty boring and loose for its story line (which itself isn't very compelling), and even worse than those ones that didn't have any. But action sequences are more raw, and you have to see to believe. As usual, the opening stunt (5/5), and the one on the stairs stand out.
But at the end, you don't leave the theater in awe like after Batman Begins, where also the hero was dissected and explored through the action sequences. First day first show is expensive, add to that the caramel corns, and the what-ness of the movie made me cancel the dinner plans and settle for a pack of Maggi. M was good.
(The world say 4.5/5, I say 3/5)
Monday, November 06, 2006
Creativity & Education
Gordon MacKensie, the former creative director at Hallmark Cards used to visit public schools to talk about art.
When he asks kindergartners, "How many of you are artists?" all the children raise their hands. Among first graders, a third of the hands no longer go up. Half of the second graders raise their hands. By fifth grade, no hands go up.
In six years, school has managed to beat the creativity out of its pupils.
When he asks kindergartners, "How many of you are artists?" all the children raise their hands. Among first graders, a third of the hands no longer go up. Half of the second graders raise their hands. By fifth grade, no hands go up.
In six years, school has managed to beat the creativity out of its pupils.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Life takes over
My friend, newly married, didn't know how to accomodate cooking into their life. They both hadn't cooked in their lives, were both working, had to travel 45 minutes to work (in different directions), hated hotel or packet food, and on top of these, it was an arranged marriage. Suddenly they had too much to handle, but you have to eat, right? So they sat down just a few days after marriage to figure out a plan.
The husband had an early morning shift at the factory and had to leave before 7AM to work, she an hour later. So they decided to get up around 5 in the morning and cook for the day. For a few days, both of them did. The husband would chop vegetables and the wife would cook.
But the early morning cooking, the day's work, the travels and romantic evenings were taking a toll on them. Getting up at 5AM was tough. And then you had to work. By the second week, the husband became an observer in the process, by thrid, only extended moral support from the bedroom. Guilty, he found another solution.
He would chop the vegetables after dinner and keep it in the fridge. So, he didn't have to get up. Voila! He slept well, without feeling guilty of not taking part in the now 5:45AM process. But not for long. With the wife getting up everyday, he feared that his extended sleep might affect the romance.
So he suggested the best solution -- cook at night and refrigerate it! The mornings were normal again, hence the days and the nights. Smiles were back on their faces.
An year later they moved closer to one of the work places and saved some more time. Come home for dinner, he would call up and say. All the well set plans went for a toss when they decided to have a baby. It was a new plan all over again - life does take over!
The husband had an early morning shift at the factory and had to leave before 7AM to work, she an hour later. So they decided to get up around 5 in the morning and cook for the day. For a few days, both of them did. The husband would chop vegetables and the wife would cook.
But the early morning cooking, the day's work, the travels and romantic evenings were taking a toll on them. Getting up at 5AM was tough. And then you had to work. By the second week, the husband became an observer in the process, by thrid, only extended moral support from the bedroom. Guilty, he found another solution.
He would chop the vegetables after dinner and keep it in the fridge. So, he didn't have to get up. Voila! He slept well, without feeling guilty of not taking part in the now 5:45AM process. But not for long. With the wife getting up everyday, he feared that his extended sleep might affect the romance.
So he suggested the best solution -- cook at night and refrigerate it! The mornings were normal again, hence the days and the nights. Smiles were back on their faces.
An year later they moved closer to one of the work places and saved some more time. Come home for dinner, he would call up and say. All the well set plans went for a toss when they decided to have a baby. It was a new plan all over again - life does take over!
Thursday, November 02, 2006
“They never fail”
A colleague - in California - took his son for kindergarten admission. While enquiring, he was a little alarmed to find that the boy has to give a test. The woman who manages admissions assured him that it is a basic test to figure out if they can handle school. He wasn't convinced and wanted to know the details.
The test is simple, she described -- kids have to remember some numbers in a given order, build some blocks as asked, answer some simple questions about home and parents, a small bunch of tasks. That sounded like too much for a 3 year old to handle. What if the chap fails? How will he take it? What about the impact of failure on his tiny mind?
She said that the boys will have to go through a preparatory session. Wait a second. Boys? So what about the girls? Well, she said, I have been here for 8 years, and not a single girl failed to do the bunch of tasks. In multi-tasking, they never fail.
The test is simple, she described -- kids have to remember some numbers in a given order, build some blocks as asked, answer some simple questions about home and parents, a small bunch of tasks. That sounded like too much for a 3 year old to handle. What if the chap fails? How will he take it? What about the impact of failure on his tiny mind?
She said that the boys will have to go through a preparatory session. Wait a second. Boys? So what about the girls? Well, she said, I have been here for 8 years, and not a single girl failed to do the bunch of tasks. In multi-tasking, they never fail.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Cooking Tips
Did you know that adding a pinch of sugar while frying onions make them brown faster? Or that turmeric stains can be removed by rubbing orange peel on them? Or to remove the strange odour from cooked cabbage, all you need to do is add a slice of bread while cooking? (And remove it afterwards)
I am yet to try these, but I realized that reading "home" mags can be enlightening at times. Of course, discard tips like buy large eggs so that you can use one for two kids. Which mother would want to do that? But adding a spoon of milk into egg while you beat *does* make the omelet fluffy.
I am yet to try these, but I realized that reading "home" mags can be enlightening at times. Of course, discard tips like buy large eggs so that you can use one for two kids. Which mother would want to do that? But adding a spoon of milk into egg while you beat *does* make the omelet fluffy.
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