BW: Bride and Prejudice, Luck By Chance & indian food

I saw Bride & Prejudice when it came out and I remember disliking it for being almost one thing but not quite another. I had no idea what Hindi cinema really was at the time, but I knew that B&P was awkward b/c it wasn't Bollywood enough. It just made me uneasy. Five years out and it still does. Sarah, whom I've been educating as far as I can in Hindi films, insisted on seeing this so I put it in my queue.
Non-boat floaters (I've chosen not to say "bad things" b/c to each his own, whereas the floating of one's boat is completely individual):
English; some how super cheesy songs work if they're in Hindi, they're excruciating in English
Darcy; Sarah and I agreed that Martin Henderson was, like the film, almost one thing but not quite another, these things being Matthew McConaughey and Luke Wilson
no shirt but slacks pool side; overall the western costumes were pretty disastrous, the main issue being fitting
Ashanti's Hindi= horrible.
Boat Floaters:
Anupam Kher as Mr. Bennet. I can't think of a better actor to play this role.
The overall family dynamic in general, they got the Bennets pretty dead on.
Kholi, an amazing take on an amazing character, priceless. Also, his Ammer-ik-an accent he uses once in L.A. "Mr. Darrrrcy"
Wickham: he was disgustingly perfect as the epic sleazebag
Amritsar: I'm learning that I really enjoy Punjabi locales; big fan of salwar kameezes.

So bottom line, not a bad adaptation of the orginal. Also not a bad try to get Western audiences interested in Hindi films, but I think it'd leave a lot of people more confused than anything, as to what was Austenian satire and what were Hindi hallmarks. Good for a laugh. It's a conversation movie (meaning you don't miss much if you engage in conversation during it).

Luck By Chance: A struggling and aspiring young couple tries to make it in Film City.
I REALLY liked this one because...
a) I love looks backstage/behind the lens
b) I recognized the Heck out of all the cameos
c) SRK descends from on high to impart his sage-like wisdom when the hero's being a real dirt-bag
d) the ending was fantastic
e) it was a fun but serious look at the conflicts between old and new ways of thinking (old v. new bollywood) and also a good look at the cut throat arena of film. I'm so glad I want to be behind the camera only and not have to fight my way to be in front of it.
f) Konkona Sen Sharma as the lead female was precious. She was gorgeous but real.
e) They gave due nods to not just the actors and directors. Manish Malhotra made an appearance and costumes were discussed numerous times.
Point of Interest: Isha Sharvani playing the Bollywood princess, had THE most translucent, fair skin I've ever seen on an Indian or probably anyone. Kind of unbelievable.

I really want to learn to make Indian food, but don't know the name of any Indian dishes besides curry and naan. I'm interested in expanding my cooking capabilities in general, but ingredients are so expensive! I think it'd be fun to learn more about regional internat'l dishes, like gumbo is from the Louisiana area, Maryland has crabs and Philly has cheese steaks. All I know is that I get really hungry when they have meals in Hindi films.

BW: Dev

Just a short note a/b Dev. Amitabh Bachchan and Om Puri are best friend cops on either side of the Hindu/Muslim conflicts in Mumbai. Fardeen Khan and Kareena Kapoor play the tug at your heartstrings face of the minority.



Overall pretty straight up ridiculous in a really violent, awkward, Kareena and Fardeen smashing their faces together(yes! a mouth kiss!) and Big B being unavoidably lopsided kind of way.



It had a good message but tried to say too much w/o saying much of anything. I found myself wondering why some scenes were included and wished that others had been. It overreached.

Good things a/b Dev:
Kareena Kapoor w/o make up. She actually looks human.
Dev's doctor of a wife, played by Rati Agnihotri, was a gem.

email switch?

should I switch all my emailing things to my gmail account? It's currently my professional account, but it's annoying having two. I have nothing against my Yahoo account and think it'd be a pain to get everyone to use my gmail, but I'll have to switch over eventually. I don't want to go into grad school w/ my address from seventh grade. My blog is even w/ my yahoo account, and facebook, and all my professors know my yahoo account, but I guess the best time to change would be at the beginning of a new school year. Heck, I'll be confusing everyone w/ a new phone number soon anyway.

I've gone through and labeled my BW posts, mostly just for fun and maybe for those of you who want to read all my extensive entries on SRK as a set, haha yeah. Hopefully I can start from now labeling other topics as well. FYI: a lot of the movie titles are abbreviated to save labeling space. Mainly K3G (Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham), KKHH (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai), KANK (Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna), RNBDJ (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi). Shah Rukh Kahn is SRK and Karan Johar is KJo.

I just got back from Arkansas w/ my sis. We went to her friend's wedding and had a fun time driving back. We stopped at the George Washington Carver Nat' l Museum (warning, peanuts in use) and the Precious Moments Chapel (no jokes). It was pretty great.

I'm so sick of the tone both sides of the aisle take with each other. I've kind of zoned out when it comes to national politics b/c I can't stand to hear either side. Blasphemy I know. I really should find the time to compare sources and come up with my own opinions, but as it stands I'm pretty okay w/ sporadic listenings to NPR and viewings of Jon Stewart and Colbert.

BW: Dostana

Dostana deserves its own entry. I was disappointed and shocked at how tacky it was, but I guess I shouldn't have expected much from a movie w/ the same premise as Chuck & Larry.

Abhishek Bachchan plays male nurse Sam, John Abraham plays photographer Kunal. Both are womanizers looking for apartments. They pretend to be gay when Neha (Priyanka Chopra) will only accept female roommates. Of course hijinks arise when they must prove their gay-ness, when other gay men are invited over, when of course they fall in love w/ smokin' hot Neha (just b/c she's hot, no other real reason is given) who falls for her boss (Bobby Deol). I'm not going to lie, I laughed my head off at many parts (mostly Abhishek's b/c he's HILARIOUS and I love him), but mostly the gay jokes were very offensive, to a straight, and I'd assume a gay audience. Blatent sexual jokes were no where near the tongue and cheek they were going for half the time, and there's only so much Miami flesh one can stand in 2 hours. I understand this is kind of a big deal in Indian cinema b/c of the sexuality issues, but I don't think such a tacky film will persuade many to one side or the other of the issue.

Good things a/b this film:
Abhishek, so endearing and attractive
Boman Irani playing Neha's gay boss, only b/c it was such a change from his character in Don

Really awful things a/b this film:
John Abraham having the gawl to reinact SRK/Kajol scenes from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai w/ Priyanka, who do they think they are?!
Sam and Kunal's ethics all together.

BW: Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan & Aas

While searching instant movies on Netflix I stumbled on Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan (1959) starring Rajendra Kumar and Meena Kumari. A doctor, when left widowed w/ a son gives his new infant to a widow that lost her own son after childbirth, unbeknownst to her. Four years later complications arise when the doctor's new wife, Minoo Mumtaz,(whom he married to avoid scandal created by her), who is barren, schemes to inherit the doctor's fortune that is only given to his children.
What can I say?! This movie was FANTASTIC!! The pace was perfect, the songs were sublime, Ratna (the widow) and Raju's (the son's) interactions were delightful. Rajendra Kumar was dashing and Meena Kumari was stunning. Raju of course was the cutest brown baby I've ever seen! Fun fact, Honey Irani, the ACTRESS that played 4 year old Raju wrote the screenplay for Koi...Mil Gaya and Krrish. The movie was just fantastic.

I also watched Aas (1953), w/ Shekhar, Kamini Kaushal, and Om Prakash. Basically a widower marries the governess but his meddling/evil housekeeper schemes to get rid of her. Another shocking example of how easily persuaded Indian men are by mother figures against their wives (Jodhaa Akbar anyone?)

"The Mission Field"

There's a singles' ward baptism tomorrow morning. I'm excited. I have no idea who's getting baptised, but I think it's important to attend convert baptisms to strengthen you as the attendee and the convert so they know they're cared about. We had a baptism in my winter ward at BYU, but for the most part that's the exception in that part of the world. I'm definitely enjoying the chances I have to go out with the Sister missionaries while I'm home and be around investigators and new converts. One of the perks of being home I guess, besides free room and board.

And speaking of the opposite, I'm thinking of writing some balling cover letters and sending my resume to whoever I can think of involved in Don 2. I highly doubt their filming will be on schedule and am hoping that I could maybe just stay on in Europe after my London classes are over. That'd be the day. Also, Farah Khan and Red Chillies needs to make another movie, and I need to be a part of it. By the end of next school year I'll have taken all the costume classes offered, and 2/3 make up classes. I'd be pretty helpful on set.

Song of the Moment:

Kaike Paan Banaraswala from Don '06

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiY9HJ-Y2yw

BW: New Ratings and Don 2

While trying to get a new background my gadgets were deleted so I had to redo my Bollywood list. This gave me an excellent opportunity to re-rate the movies I've seen, which I've been meaning to do b/c I think I've been too kind to some, and haven't given due justice to others. I still find it hard to believe that I have so many in the 4 range, but I guess I'm easily pleased. I find I'm swayed immensly by good acting even when a good script is absent (U Me Aur Hum). And I also can't be swayed by actors I dislike, even if they are good (Rani).

I just got done watching Don 2006, what the fish yo?! Seriously? I liked it, it was intense, only I hated the ending, although it was genius. Anyway, Don 2 is on my list of Bollywood movies being made in 2010 that I'm keeping an eye on for possible internshippery. Sources say Don 2 will be filmed in Dublin and Berlin May '10. I'll be in London for six weeks May through June!! Hmm...how to make this work...It's the only movie of SRK's on IMDB that's not already done filming. Berlin's even perfect b/c I speak (cough cough) German, sort of. Too bad I actually have to go to classes and stuff in London. I'll look into it.

Nauvoo

I spent the weekend in Nauvoo, IL; one of the many MotherLands of the LDS Church. During summers they have the "Nauvoo Pagent" in which hundreds of Cheerful Mormons sing and dance the story of Nauvoo for you. I decided I wanted to go b/c lovely Mary Jane from work is in said pagent everrr year. It was great! I love Mormons in Theatrical Mass.

Besides the fun of the Pagent on Saturday night we walked around Historic Nauvoo and learned a/b making boots, wainwrights and blacksmithery, bake-ed goods, and one room school types. I went w/ the sibs (Cakes and Bud, b/c the married ones are dead to me) and a group from Cake's Omaha ward and some Iowa City tag-a-longs (mmm...peanut butter). We got a baptismal session in at the Temple (HUGE FONT! and GORGEOUS marble!). They had the girls do 15!! baptisms each (for those of you who can appreciate that).


Another High Light of the trip was the boy from Nepal in our group. He speaks Hindi, no biggy, and I talked Bollywood w/ him. He was going to give me the names of some comedies and the address of the Indian store he works at in Omaha, but his psycho crush got in the way, but no worries, I toats FB'd him.


Also: I've gotten through the Hindi Alphabet! I just need to go over the conjuncts a little, then I'm on to the real dialogues and lessons! Huzzah!


A Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna song is playing on my bollywood playlist right now and I kind of want to puke because a)it makes me think of that movie and b)I really like the music from KANK!

BW: U Me Aur Hum

Kajol, you animal.

BW: Quote game!

Here are quotes from the Bollywood movies listed on this blog. No cheating w/ IMDB or Google. Comment w/ the correct movie titles. Some are pretty easy, esp. if you know your character names. Some you might not have seen, and there are others I wanted to use, but IMDB didn't have the quotes I wanted. Movies are repeated. Have fun!

1)Ma says sinners get punishment. I've done no sin, so why am I being punished? (Koi...Mil Gaya, thanks to Bec)
2)I know, I'm very sexy (Kal Ho Naa Ho, thanks to Hen)
3)Dad, what did you have for breakfast? --I don't know... I don't remember her name. (Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, thanks to my Indian Friend)
4)I hope you’re not trying to make a fool out of me. (Krrish, thanks to Hen)
5)Mind it. (Om Shanti Om, thanks to my Indian Friend).
6)How can you love me so much? How can anyone love so much?
7)After having 8-10 children, you come back to India and I'll carry you around the village on my bicycle. ---I'd be too fat by then to be carried on a cycle. ---I'll get you a tractor... (Veer-Zaara, thanks to Bec)
8)It's love, Taani partner. I swear to god, its true love. (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, thanks Hen)
9)It's all right, Senorita. In big countries, such small things happen. (DDLJ, thanks to Hen)
10)You’re looking is so good! (Krrish, thanks to Hen)
11)Ask for what? I've got you. Now I'm thinking about having three or four kids. And I'm afraid god's no help there, whatever has to be done will have to be by me. (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, thanks to my MOM)
12)Such vanity? Not even the Moon is as vain. ---How could it be? The Moon is scarred. I'm not. (Devdas, thanks to my Indian Friend)
13)There's only room for one bully on this team! And that bully is me.
14)Life is like a film, it always has a happy ending and if there is no happy ending it means that the film is not done yet. (Om Shanti Om, thanks to Hen)
15)Punjab Power, lighting up your life. (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, thanks to Hen)

Nice try w/ #6 Henevieve, but wrong. V. close wording though.

I just watched THE CUTEST movie, NOT BOLLYWOOD. Arranged is about an Orthodox Jew and a Muslim, each teachers at a NYC elementary school that become friends and go through their respective arranged marriage processes. It was fantastic, really subtle and well done. Just wanted to say. It's available on Netflix for immediate viewing.

The Fourth & BW: Don '78

I spent the past two days painting trim @ Riss' house. She was kind enough to let me watch Don w/ Big B on her big screen yesterday. The children were kind of alarmed at how long it went. "How long is this movie?"
"Very"
"Is it going to be over soon?"
"Probably not"
Ellie Belle watched most of it with me actually. I asked her what was going on and she said that there were Happy People and Bad People and the Bad People were doing Bad Things. I paused it and asked if Vijay (when we was playing Don) was a Bad Person or a Happy Person. She said he was a Bad Person, tricked her! but then she corrected herself and said that he was a Happy Person. Smart girl. I asked her if the movie was in English and she said that it was. Apparently she's so smart Hindi gets filtered through her genius 3 year old brain and turns into English. She's cute.

Don was pretty fabulous; much better than almost all the movies that came out of Bollywood in the 70s. It had a fluidity, vibrancy and intrigue that the Bonds of that decade severely lacked. I mean, it's dated for sure, but so much better than any of the Roger Moores. It was interesting that there was little to no Indian identity in it. No saris, a few dhotis, but really it was straight up gansta. Amitabh rocked.

The Fourth was celebrated w/ a BBQ, Wipeout, and mild fireworks at Jer's. We then went to The Parents and watched the ridiculous show our three neighbors went in on. TRUNKS full of fireworks. Pretty fishing fantastic. We had a prime spot on our street to catch their show, Yankee Hill's and whatever funtimes happened to the north. I love everyone's Staycations and their need to escape from the recession through colorful explosives. No doubt the best Fourth I've seen.

Grad School!

So I have two years left at BYU, but it's never too soon to look at grad schools right? I don't know why I chose today necessarily to pick up the search, but looking at UCLA after finding out I didn't get many dollars from BYU for next year does not pick up my spirits much and I am aware of how skewed of an idea of the cost of college BYU students have.

Anyway, I pretty much need to choose btwn theatre and film costuming before I choose a graduate program. A couple of months ago I was leaning heavily towards theatre costuming b/c there are a lot more places in the country w/ theatres whereas film is concentrated in L.A. and New York and it's a lot more family friendly (as fam friendly as the either industry can be). But then Bollywood hit! and why not work film internationally even? Bollywood aside though, film is looking more and more appealing to me and I toats need to try it out before I make a decision.

I was looking at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne (or is it Champagne-Urbana?). My sister got her Masters in German from the UofI and is currently getting her PhD from there as well. Right now this looks good for theatre studies. Its facilities and program is comparable to BYU's. Its senior professor taught my associate dean and costume professor, but he's retiring soon and there is a hiring freeze....I like Illinois, the campus is beautiful and Champagne-Urbana is a nice place to live. Chicago is fairly close and in the end I could stick around and still be close to home.

For film I've discovered that Deborah Landis (of Thriller costuming fame, among many other things) is Co-Chair or something of the costume design program at UCLA. She also has mad theatre cred so this is looking very desirable. I'm not too keen on living in California for the time it'd take to get my MFA, but I think there'd be a more fun, diverse set of people at UCLA. Also, as far as leaving the feeding grounds of BYU goes, California would have more marital prospects for me than Illinois (believe me, I've been to Whit's ward...).

Of course this is still a ways away, but I'm kind of feeling like I'm very close to being done w/ BYU. I do have two years, but check it:
Fall '09 almost finish w/ gen eds minus a dance class etc.
Winter '10: do my own show in the Margettes!
Spring '10: London! my last English credit and one of my last Theatre requireds
Summer '10: Intern in L.A. on a set, or try to get on a Bollywood set
Fall & Winter '10 and '11: Have my senior show, finish up my last little requirements. As it stands I think I'll only have like 4 required classes to take my senior year...
April '11: GRADUATE!!

I mean, it's two years but I'll be busy and it'll be over before I know it!

BW: Fanaa, Chalte Chalte, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna

Fanaa: pretty fantastic. The whole second half, which was a complete turn around from the first, was unexpected but pretty great. Of course Kajol was fabulous. I marvel at that woman's ability to play anywhere from 19 to 30 something. She's just gorgeous! This was my first exposure to Aamir Kahn. He's not attractive, but is charismatic, only he doesn't use this to his advantage as much as our beloved goofy-faced SRK. Rishi Kapoor and Kirron Kher as the parents were great, esp Rishi. I haven't seen anything from his hay-day (Dewaana doesn't count) but I like him in older paternal roles. I was a HUGE fan of their mountain cottage and the tongue twister song. I liked the Muslim Kashmiri Indian angle. It ended well.

Chalte Chalte: I've decided to see the movies that Rab Ne's Phir Milenge is based off of, one of them being Chalte Chalte. This was produced by SRK's first production company he started w/ his buds Juhi Chawla and Aziz Mirza and apparently was their first film that didn't flop, but it flopped with me. I'm not a huge fan of Rani Muhkerjee. Of course she left a bad taste in my mouth as Tina, I don't care how instrumental she was in getting Anjali and Rahul back together, and in K3G through no fault of her own she got in their way again, even for so small a moment. It's a little inexplicable, but I just don't like her much. Basically her character Priya runs into SRK's and he's instantly in love, but she's heading back to Greece to get engaged to her childhood friend. He follows her and she chooses him. But that's only the first half! Then the marital problems and pig-headedness come into play. Raj and Priya are both heavily flawed but refuse to correct themselves for the long-term. I wasn't convinced by the "happy ending". SRK's performance reminded me of many others, mostly Devdas. Johny Lever played the town drunk that sang DDLJ the whole time. I didn't realize that Raj's song he sings for the gma is the title to the movie! Now I can pronounce it! but only if I sing it...

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna: are you joking me?! Good gravy, if I thought Chalte Chalte was a downer w/ an unlikable SRK this was 100 times worse. Two marriages, neither entirely blissful, but ok until one husband (SRK) and one wife (Rani) decide to be "friends" and help each other's marriages, only they end up being completely selfish and only helping themselves. There was not enough punishment and too much moral indiscretion w/o remorse. I refuse to believe this had a happy ending. I really hated Rani, but hey, I always have, and REALLY hated SRK. Imagine Devdas (the character's name is Dev, ha) and Raj from Chalte Chalte times a million and that was how unlikable and self destructive and pig-headed this character was. Mad props to KJo for making such an unlikable character out of SRK, and for playing emotions like a violin yet again.
Good things about KANK:
-Amitabh Bachchan plays the PIMP father that wears exquisite furs
-Abhishek Bachchan plays Rani's husband and Sexy Sam's son. He's a dear and has impeccable suit jackets that he flips the collars of, revealing fantastically colored under collars. At first I was like WAH? and then I was converted. Props Manish Malhotra, mad props.
-Preity Zinta was SRK's wife. She's my second fave after Kajol.
-Kajol had a cameo and shook her groove thang like no body's bizz-nezz.
-John Abraham was the D.J.
-Kirron Kher played SRK's mom, she's great.
-The costumes were fantastic.
-I bought this so I have the case and all. When you open it you pull down on this dealy and the discs are revealed by this crazy pop-up book mechanism, like you pull the bottom of the case and another disc holder pops out of the top too! It's straight up redick.
Question: How much is My Name Is Khan going to cost if KANK beat out K3G? Gosh Karan, you got some mad dough.

That's it really, I could rant more, and I'm sure the only people who care at all have seen these, but I don't want to spoil too much. My Hindi's going well. I practiced my dependent vowels today. Sometime I'll actually start the dialogues after I'm done w/ the miserable alphabet!