Something different

Some new finds of the "oh so soothing" kind

Secret Love - Buddha Bar


Remembering the light - Kevin Kern


An improvisation on the canon - Robin Spielberg


Childhood Remembered - Kevin Kern


Romance

A Good Year

What is it about some movies that make you want to watch them over and over again? Is it the story? the actors? or is it just a state of mind?
Got back late after a really bad day. A day which began bad, half way through it nose-dived further, more complications around 4pm. Yeah it was one of those fun days.
Finally it ended well, so should I say 'All's well that ends well?' nah... not yet the end of the day.
Was so frustrated after I got back home, needed something to calm my mind. Then what happened was A Good Year.

I picked up the DVD for Russell Crowe, but this movie is nothing like Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind or Cinderella Man. This is a movie, where you can just lose yourself - get lost in the beautiful landscapes of Provence, splurge in the luxuries of a French chateau, admire the beautiful people and enjoy the haunting music. A feel good movie that's very beautifully made. I notice I've used the word 'beautiful' so many times in the previous sentences... that is just the word that describes this movie.

An investment banker from London - shrewd thus successful. All that he can think about is money. When he hears about his uncle's death and that he consequently has inherited an estate along with its a vineyard - he's all set to sell it and make quick bucks. Going to Provence, a place he has not visited since summer breaks in his childhood days, staying at his uncle's house, interactions with the care-taker and his wife, an unexpected visit from an American girl who claims to be his uncle's daughter - a possible heir, his attraction to the lovely French cafe owner... will all this change his way of life?
More pictures of Provence from Flickr here
This song from the movie is the one playing in a loop currently. Moi Lolita by Alizee

One more movie added to the list "The Holiday"

Hans Zimmer with yet another amazing soundtrack. I love the part from 01:05 on...

What makes you happy?

Music. I would like to spend more time concentrating on music, because it gives me so much happiness.

Travel is another item on my list. Travel where? Oh I have a lot of places in mind.
'No time' is no excuse. I realise this after years of experience of having no time to do things that I enjoy.
Will things change? I know not, but I would like them to.
So this would mean I have to change - Yes I'm willing to.
Will I change my mind soon - Maybe, but only to find something more to do :)

Life's too short to be taken seriously. I've told myself this over and over again. This I guess is something I need to be constantly reminded of. Dream... and go live your dream!

Inspired by Sharon and Pooh's thoughts :)

50 movies to see before you die

UTV World Movies brings 50 movies hand-picked by the who's-who of the Indian movie industry.

This series kicked off last night with The Great Dictator - chosen by Mahesh Bhat.

Charlie Chaplin plays double role, one as a barber and the other as Adenoid Hynkel, the dictator. The thoughts and details gone into making this 1940 movie is something to be appreciated. For instance the symbol similar to that of the Nazis, Hynkel's way of uttering gibberish - compared to Hitler's style of speaking, Hynkel showing off his army and troops, wanting to become the dictator of the world, the names chosen for Hynkel's aides - all show the level detail.

The names of the aides of Adenoid Hynkel are parodies of those of Hitler's. Garbitsch (pronounced "garbage"), the right hand man of Hynkel, is a parody of Joseph Goebbels, and Field Marshal Herring was modeled after the Luftwaffe chief, Hermann Goering. The "Dig-a-ditchy" of Bacteria, Benzino Napaloni, was modeled after Italy's Il Duce, Benito Mussolini. (Source Wiki)

Though comical for most part, the movie brings out the plight of Jews during the Nazi reign.

The parts that I best liked in the movie are:

~ The scene where the barber gives a customer a shave with Brahms playing in the background

~ Hynkel dancing with the baloon in the shape of the globe

~ The touching speech the barber (mistaken to be Hynkel) gives the nation. this I understand was a personal plea from Chaplin to stop the attrocities. (source Wiki)

I agree with Mahesh Bhat when he says "You can't leave this planet without seeing Charlie Chaplin in the Great Dictator" :)

Next week its going to be 13 Tzameti - chosen by Anurag Kashyap (of Black Friday fame) . Will have to wait and watch

aaaaagh!!!!

Why why why ?!?

Hilary Hahn

Let her music speak for itself


Mozart Violin Sonata - A beautiful blend of violin and piano
Der Erlkonig - It depicts the death of a child assailed by a supernatural being (Source Wiki)

a book, a movie

The book
Haven't read too many books by Indian authors, but picked this one up because of the title, the cover design, and the synopsis that goes something like this:

What do you do when you are a 25-year-old Yale graduate earning half a million dollars a year as a hotshot investment banker on Wall Street? You stay the course, and become a millionaire by thirty, of course. Not if you are Samrat Ratan, born in the USA to immigrant Indian parents; you quit and embark to India on a search for your roots instead.

The author's writing style is very entertaining - there are quite a few paragraphs, reading which I literally burst out laughing . Like the one where he describes his number crunching work at the investment back. In all a good read!

PS: 'Grass' in the title has no connection whatsoever with green/lawn etc but has to do only with dope :)

The Movie

Very crisp storyline, realistic character portrayal, good looking men & women (for once), no unnecessary emotions/drama
Remember Luke Kenny from Channel V? He's in the movie, speaking fluent hindi :) I used to like his playlist on TV (i.e. in those days when I used to watch endless amounts of music television)
Another notable point - most of the songs are sung by Farhan Akhtar himself. So you wont hear a different voice depending on the situation of the movie - Romance - Sonu Nigam, Betrayal - Hariharan, Fun - Udit Narayan et al.
For most part of the movie, you will be able to relate to it... except maybe for the 5star home or a sea-facing office-room view (at least not yet) :)
Rock On!

Genius

This one's equally hilarious :D