10. The Adventures of Tintin: This pretty much looks like a generic poster that I described above. However, what elevates is the message that it communicates. The image Tintin has is that of a globe trotting reporter with Snowy with him always & that fringe of hair on the front standing up. However, the distinguishing aspect from any generic poster is the fact that Tintin’s face is kind of shrouded in darkness, so that you dont see the full aspect of it. Also, keeping in mind the general adventure theme of Tintin comics, we have the flaming plane and the the ship. And as nod to the fans of the comics, the ship is the Unicorn tying in with the title of the movie. The globe referencing the travel that Tintin undertakes. kind of points towards the fact that Tintin as a character is more popular across the world than America.

9.  The Rum Diary/ The Mechanic – Both of these movies kind of have a similar theme behind their posters, expressing the movie title/theme through the use of the props that kind of define the movie.  The Rum Diary, a movie that lurches from one drunken situation to another, pretty much uses the Rum bottle to sum up the movie poster. Rum bottles of every kind forming the title of the movie. Pretty quirky. Mechanic, on the other hand, is about an assassin. So the distant image on the poster is that of a gun. Breaking it down further, one sees, its made up of other smaller guns & each leading up to an important part of the gun (Cliche alert), the lock, stock and barrel, the trigger, the safety et al. The color orangish-red for all the guns denoting the spilling of blood

8. The Tree of Life: One of those posters that really stand out because of the lighting and the image on the poster. Keeping in with the theme of life, a new born baby’s feet nestling in the hands of his dad. Its an amazingly striking image & the light effect adds to the appeal of the poster

7. The Devil’s Double: How does one make a movie poster about the over-the-top psycho that was Uday Hussein & by association, his double. A guy all about power & wealth. You make an over-the-top poster. The Gold patina to the poster represents the wealth that Uday had to play with & the guns, a direct representation of the analogy, that power flows from the barrel of a gun. Also pointing to the general debauchery of Uday Hussain, the poster is also suggestive with regards to Uday’s seating posture. Quite a brilliant eye capturing poster & loaded with details.

6. Anonymous: Another detail loaded poster. Anonymous’ premise that Shakespeare did not write his plays, finds outlet through the poster. An ink splattered image, the quill of the writer & the writer himself in hiding without showing the face. Quite a brilliant poster

5. Real Steel: One particular reader of my blog will be extremely happy that this movie has been included . Quite an awesome poster too. For a movie about an underdog boxing robot that refuses to give up, the poster does a phenomenal job of displaying it. The wearied, almost beaten robot that still refuses to give up. Dangling on the ropes but still willing to use it to strike back while all the time the audience roots behind it. The logo on the Real Steel almost being the metallic types. A lot of details in what is essentially a simple poster

4. Shame: A simple & stark poster. Disturbed bed sheets on a bed pointing towards just one thing. And for a movie that deals with sexual addiction that Micheal Fassbender suffers from, its quite an awesome representation. Lest it not be mistaken, the poster also depicts the depression on the bed on both sides, quite indicating that there were 2 people on the bed

3. Midnight in Paris – A quirky movie that demands for a quirky poster. For a movie dealing with the past as much as it does with the present and also dealing with the arts, the poster is a playful mix of a painting on one end and a photoshopped image at the other end and Owen Wilson as the guy caught in middle. Also, can be taken as an indicator of the time. The painted image of the past is an indicator that the past can be colored to give any image you want, in this movie, a very exalted image

2- Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Remember one of my pet peeves about movie posters that I had mentioned before of lead actors on screen just giving you a hard angry look & how they seem extremely generic. The same look if done correctly can really make an impact & this poster does exactly that. It is different because of the subject in this case, a simian. You have Ceaser (the ape) looking at you with almost undisguised hostility but at the same time there is an intelligent pensive quality to the way he looks out. Plus the whole blackening out of the background really brings the face into focus and you cannot look anywhere but at the face. Stark.

1 – Ides of March –  Wow. There are simply no words enough to describe what an outstanding poster this one. Especially considering how it in ties back to the movie, this is simply a breathtaking piece of creation. The half and half profile, of Clooney & Gosling, fits perfectly. The symmetry in their face shapes is almost uncanny like the 2 actors were cast since they fit the poster. The caption of the time magazine also is quite apt. Who is the real power in this relationship? Clooney or the man behind, Gosling. Just check the attention to small things on the poster. The side swept hair of Clooney just merges seamlessly into Gosling’s hair. At an extremely meta level, check the way the magazine ends on Clooney. The ME in Time stand out over Clooney. Sensational poster. Terrific movie.

A few minutes of polite talk was all that was required to find out that they both inhabited completely different worlds. His was the make believe world of books, movies, games & music, Her’s was the world of corporate meetings, partying, & spending a lot of time outdoors. His center of thinking was purely emotional; Her’s was rational, especially with the big decisions. They tried hard to find common areas to talk , to get to know each other. He bought out the books, the movies, & lastly (and with little hope) sports. He drew a complete blank. She went direct, talking about her career, what she wanted to do in her life, her work & started quizzing him on his plans, things that he only thought about (& even then creatively globed about) during job interviews.  The strain of this conversation was clearly having an effect with none having cracked a smile after the opening exchange. She looked frustrated while he looked bemused more than anything. Clearly at a loss of things to discuss, it was a good time to close this meeting and leave.

What a waste of time was the common theme running through them. As they began to bid farewell to one another (& secretly hoping never to see each other ever again) with meaningless empty platitudes, his phone started ringing

“Why this kolaveri kolaveri kolaveri di?”

And they both started smiling, looking at each other.

Stepping down the hot tarmac from the army transport into a seething cauldron of flying bullets, bombed out runways & the smoky after remains of artillery shelling, he hurried made his way, crouched low to avoid presenting a target, to the nearest manned ATV (all terrain vehicle). The driver had already gunned the vehicle & started moving before he could strap himself in. Burnt out, smoky buildings dominated the skyline obscuring even the sun. 15 years & it seemed nothing had changed

Comfortably lounging back in the well stocked limo, he brought out the most prized possession of the company. A suitcase containing detailed security operating guidelines, the Holy Grail for his security consulting firm. Providing high end security service to the oil rich sheikhs was quite a step up from his sniper days, crouching in the sun in hot dry dusty dirty conditions & doing the dirty work, he mused, a general feel of contentment spreading

Hunched in the front seat of the ATV, he clutched his one & only prized possession, his trusted, immaculately maintained M95, the deadliest sniper rifle in existence, across his chest. Once a sniper, always a sniper, he philosophized darkly

From anonymous unseen sniper to a celebrity sniper to a hot-shot security consultant & CEO, his success story was however dwarfed by the success of the city opening in front of him. Glossy billboards, a concrete jungle with a skyline dominated by towering structures, the malls, the best that the West had to offer, everything that anyone wanted was here. All this for the exchange of a few billion gallons of oil to the West. And all it needed was an accurately placed bullet from just over 800 meters, to the head of the dictator who had severely oppressed his country & his people

From anonymous unseen sniper to anonymous guilt racked security guard & back to an anonymous bitter alcoholic sniper, his collapse was however dwarfed by the collapse of the thin veneer of the civilization that led to a brutal civil war that finally had gotten the attention of the world, that had initially remained a mute spectator as long as the oil supplies were secure. Rotting, sometimes burnt, carcasses piled all over, kids totting guns, various factions, religious & otherwise, fighting for the desiccated husk of a city, even the conservative estimate of the toll of this civil war ran into a few million lives. And all it required was an accurately placed bullet from just over 800 meters, to the head of the dictator who had held all the numerous factions at peace through sheer terror & fear

As the morning mists cleared away & the light reached what snipers called the firing light, the sniper snapped out of his reverie, the 2 futures coalescing into one single moment that was the present, the single hand rolled high velocity bullet already chambered. As the dictator stepped out, unaccompanied by any of his security forces, to start the day off smoking his customary Havana, the sniper made the last adjustment on his telescopic sight. Dropping his left arm to caress the barrel of the gun, almost sensuously, the sniper gradually started to apply pressure on the trigger, exhaling gently. And he hesitated……..

1) Kudos of MS Dhoni & The Indian Cricket Team. Irrespective of the comments from the experts & past players, India being No.1 is no joke. The Indian team deserved this on the basis of consistent performance as well as the fact they have displayed signs of chucking the tag of bad travelers with some awe inspiring performances. Before all the former greats start moaning, they would be wise to take a step back & check where Indian cricket was during their playing days. India’s rise to the top was driven by a resourceful, charismatic, captain cool aligned with a once-in-a-lifetime middle order, a very strong & capable of taking the fight to the opposition opening duo, a new found emphasis on fast bowling led by an astute bowling captain & last but not the least, grit, resilience & valuable runs from the lower order. A team that had sufficient belief in themselves to mount fightbacks, rear guard actions & as well as display a sense of ruthlessness. Last but not the least, the role played by Gary Kirsten & his team.

2) That being said, India as a world No.1 lacked the aura that the previous 3 undisputed champion teams lacked (Bradman’s Invincibles, The Great West Indies team of the late 70s to early 90s, Steve Waugh’s Aussies). However, this is true of the all the sides currently playing (Though England in their current form are beginning to develop an aura). The future No.1 team for some time atleast is likely be the first among equals. The No.1 ranking will be contested between 4 teams, India, England, SA & Australia. (A note for those heralding the rise of England, they still have much to prove in the subcontinent on the slow low designer tracks for spinners, where pace isn’t paramount & bounce, if any, is bound to be lacking)

3) England’s biggest strength lies in the pace bowling variety & depth as well as the ability to hunt in packs. Anderson’s swing bowling nous & his status as pack leader, Barbie (aka Stuart Broad)’s pace coupled with his new found propensity to pitch it up, Bresnan’s skiddy back of length seaming deliveries, Chris Tremlett’s bounce allied with a tendency to seam the ball away from right handers & Steve Finn’s pace & bounce make for an effective & varied bowling attack. It is indeed a measure of their depth that they can play only 3 of the lot.

4) While its too early & premature to get into a postmortem of this disastrous England tour, India did look distinctly under cooked (no pun intended) & under prepared. While it does seem, in this increasingly crowded schedule, farfetched to expect India to play more than 2 practice matches, it was needed in this case considering how most of the key members in the team have not played together since the World Cup.

5) Those (read English commentators) bemoaning how IPL is ruining Indian youngsters can kindly STFU. Agreed that the primacy of test cricket is getting affected, why would any sane human being refuse an offer running the in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for 6 weeks of cricket. Most of these comments seem to materialize from the fact that they could not make the same amount of money when they played. (For once, I am in agreement with Messrs. Shastri & Gavaskar, Hey, stop judging now. I just said once) Lest they forget, all I can say is beware of Americans bearing wads of money entering Lords in a helicopter to organize T20s flanked by former England & WI greats.

6) Injury & Fatigue management has to be a top priority for Indian cricket & the BCCI. Players dropping halfway through the tour, not appearing fit & looking seemingly tired are key problems that have to be addressed for India to be consistently on top of the table. Player schedule has to be addressed & it does no good when players are put in a position where they would have to select between a lucrative T20 tournament & a marquee tour.

7) Praveen Kumar has to be the find of the tour. For a man derided for his lack of pace, his ability to swing the ball either ways with no discernable change in action & control, accuracy & ability to check the runs when things are not happening are major pluses. That coupled with an attitude of a tear away fast bowler makes him a compelling competitor.

8. The No.6 position is again raising a lot of questions. Suresh Raina has not done enough to suggest that he is an answer for the position & his susceptibility to the short ball has not put to rest any misgivings. His ability to turn the arm over & bowl quick off spinning darts & presence in the field are pluses. However, his sole priority should be to score runs.

9) All things that could go wrong did go wrong in this tour of England. Openers injured, shuffle in batting order, a middle order that went off boil, a lower order that hardly put a fight, a bowling attack that could not sustain pressure for long periods of time, an out of form spinner, the list is huge. That being said, a major credit has to go the English team. Ruthless & executing a well thought of plan, the team does bat deep & hurts the opposition with its bowling & fielding

10) Zaheer Khan. Such a vital part of the Indian machine. His loss is not just his bowling but also his guidance & experience being passed on to the other bowlers. In his absence, there is a lack of leadership & hence, pressure is not being sustained for a period of time

11) Lastly, one bad tour is enough. We have been at the receiving end of quite a few bad tours but none as bad as this. It probably hurts even more now because of the good job & the heightened expectation that this team has raised. Had this been the team of the 90s, I am sure it would not have hurt that much. But what is now essential is to focus on the tour of Australia towards the end of the year. A tour to Australia is always a hard tour & despite Australia not being in the best of forms, they are a wounded animal at home. That tour has to be one that is very likely to also be a swan song from our fabled middle order. Its essential to prepare well for that tour & strike hard.

Yummy......

For all those wondering what the fuss is all about, check this article: http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/18/stories/2011061865782200.htm

Its always been one of my greatest desires to have a really awesome bookshelf, overflowing with books of all kind. The one which is spacious but is still sagging under the weight of the books it has to bear. So when I shifted to my new place in Hyd almost 1.5 years ago, one of the things that I really loved about the place was the wood worked showcase. It seemed to be calling out to me to be filled up with books. A challenge I took on gamely. Time passed & books filled it up. And after spending the best part of today morning & afternoon cleaning, ordering & sorting it out, here is the end result. Enjoy

Fantasy Fiction with a smattering of Sci-Fi

Indian Authors with 1 Pakistani & 1 SL author plus overflow from below shelf

Assorted

My pride & joy - Comics

Serious Stuff

Author-wise collection

“It is a very difficult thing to do, that: to lower your defenses, express yourself not just from the head but also the heart.

Because, each time you do that, you reveal a bit more about yourself. And the more you reveal, the more vulnerable you make yourself, the more you expose yourself to hurt, to ridicule.”

Source: http://prempanicker.wordpress.com/2009/11/03/open-and-bleeding/

However, I would tend to disagree on a few adjectives especially around the disorganization part. I am not disorganized, I am just uniquely organized(!). My room often presents the appearance of a bombed out WWII shelter but ask me where things that I use are located & I can locate that before you could say “The Eternal Sledgehammer of Truth & Justice”. In fact, the most complaints I have got is when people copy stuff from my hard disk (especially music & books) & end up whining “Its not organized”. (Thats actually the part that surprises me a lot, since the closest I get to conventional ordering & organizing sense is with my books & music collection ).

Coming back to the point of being careless, again it really depends on what is important to me. For instance, my electronics collection of laptops, ipods, kindle, hard disks, speaker systems, camera, headphones et al will always not look great (in fact, might have a layer of dust in some cases) but they have NEVER been roughly handled by me. Simple fact: Dirt & Dust are temporary but Cracks & Bumps stay on forever.

Now, what got me started on this rant. One Minor & one major incident.

Minor incident: Manager on one of my projects with a manic desire of keeping everything neat, clean & organized objected very strongly to the mess of papers & print-outs I had strewn all over MY place, saying it was affecting her concentration. Turned fairly nasty as I cannot work without some kind of mess around me & I had information & notes on most of the paper strewn around me, which I was trying to link. I compromised by saying that this “mess” would be cleared at the end of each day. Manager disagreed & both of us stuck to our own guns. As a last option, found a place away from her eyesight to continue working.

Major incident: Of all my possessions, I would rate my ipod as the closest to my heart. Not a day goes by when I dont use it & I am (inordinately) proud of my music collection as well as the collection I have in the ipod. The 35-40 mins walk back home with my ipod switched on is always almost the best moment in a day. It also helps that, unlike others, the ipod is not judgmental & does not really raise an eyebrow shuffling from Maha Ganapathim to Katti Pudi Katti Pudi da to Rulaka Gaya Sapna to Aati Kya Khandala back to back. To cut to the chase, one of my friends had come home the other day & that , considered by some (whose names I am not taking), as an extremely organized, conscientious, thoughtful, mature, individual, “accidentally” ( I will call it carelessly) knocks my ipod & phone off the ledge , while opening the bookcase. Now, the guy, instead of apologizing & checking up on the damage caused, does not even bother to say sorry (Not that a sorry would help) & instead giggles (yes, giggles) his way & continues to browse the titles on my bookcase, picks up a book, makes small talk & leaves. Now, when I check the ipod, I find that the headphone is very badly damaged, the screen is scratched and, the inner screen liquid has leaked. The cruelest of cruelest heartbreaks ever. It is losing a good friend especially one who has been through all kinds of shit with you & the worst thing is that the individual is not even aware of the damage he has caused. Now, who is careless & sloppy eh?

So, yes, one can guess what is my current mood right now & if I am even more biting, wicked, impatient & sarcastic, this is the reason why. I had to get this one out & I also rest easy in the fact, that the said individual does not read my blog.

Dude (you know who you are), if you are reading it, I certainly dont bear a grudge against you & I will be my usual normal self when I meet you next (I am eminently capable of acting like things are normal at any given time) but a nice pair of headphones & taking some responsibility will certainly be appreciated.

Filed under: Rants & Cribs ]]>