SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE... BEST MOVIE OF 2009!

I saw Slumdog Millionaire the other day -- and what an impressive film it was. It is brilliantly directed, wonderfully written and sees delightful actors bring what was written on the pages to life beautifully well.

Slumdog Millionaire is so superior to all the other contenders selected for the Oscars this year in every imaginable way -- so much so that I foresee it will win all the Oscars in all the categories it has been nominated in: Best Cinematography; Directing; Film Editing; Music Score; Music Song; Best Picture; Sound Editing; Sound Mixing; Writing (Adapted Screenplay)!

Through the ages, it is not for no reason that people who have visited India have a renewed outlook on life after visiting that vast land where the cycles of life and death, sadness and laughter do a hypnotic jive -- and the film manages to transfer a bit of that Indian je ne sais quoi onto the silverscreen quite impressively.

Go see this Danny Boyle film if you have not seen it yet. Slumdog Millionaire is going to change the face of the world of cinema!

MOVIE TRAILER REVIEW: CRANK 2

HAHAHAHAHAHA! One of my favorite movies, Crank -- has now got a sequel, Crank 2. The first Crank was the best in the genre of preposterous actioners (yes, a sense of humour on the part of the filmmakers, the actors and the audience is crucial for the film to work!) with the brilliantly demented and funny Jason Statham and now Crank 2 looks set to up the ante in the amount of mayhem that Statham's action hero can cause! Talk about an adrenaline rush! Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and the film has the funkiest soundtrack -- just go to Facebook or the Crank 2 website proper at http://www.crank2.com/

MOVIE TRAILER REVIEW: THE SOLOIST

Wow! It is quite an experince indeed to be able to just watch bit and parts of a movie and be totally blown away! I just saw the trailer to the upcoming film, The Soloist, which stars two of my favourite (and very talented!) actors: Robert Downey Jr and Jamie Foxx. It is a profound tale of friendship and life that is rich and, as a drama, it is going to be the best film to be released this year.
Photo is from New York Times.

TRAILER REVIEWS -- A VERITABLE TRAILER PARK, FOLKS!

YUM... What can I say except YUM! indeed after watching a collection of movie trailers for upcoming movies. These trailers have appeared thanks to the American Super Bowl -- that annual mother of all American games -- when the best commercials and movie trailers are shown. We in this neck of the third world woods (which is being fast burnt down by illegal logging!) get to see this trailers thanks to the wonders of the Internet, of course.

Here's a quick verdict of the new movies....


STAR TREK.... This J.J. Abrams vehicle looks promising. The trailer is speed edited to look sumptuous -- the effects looks good, all the actors and actresses are hotties and the cinematography looks inspired. Can't wait for this to open!

G.I. JOE... Inspired by toys, this super-slick actioner looks like it has enough jaw-dropping moments to keep action lovers drooling in delight in the cinemas. Yes, we want our action fast 'n' furious -- and PUHLEASEEEEE spare us all the melodramas and just give us the goddam firepower and stunts to keep us happy! Oh, the scriptwriters and director obviously heard us, by the looks of things! Yay!!!!!

FAST AND FURIOUS... The new chapter with Vin Diesel back in the driver's seat is looking sizzling hot. Again, it is all about stunts, stunts and stunts (forget about that LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION drivel!). The trailer simply says, just sit back, fasten the seat belts and rev the engines boys! (and girls)

LAND OF THE LOST... That Will Ferrell is possibly the funniest man in movies (after Adam Sandler, of course!). Will Ferrell plays the most delicious overgrown immature types so well -- and he is no different here. He looks like he is a mentally stunted and slightly imbecilic scientist in this new sci-fi special effects movie and his over-the-top antics look set to bring out the laughter! The trailers has aliens, giant crabs and dinosaurs aplenty and excellent cinematography. The comedic timing also looks spot on. Bring it on Will Ferrell!

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN... Good grief -- the trailer is so awesome that all you can do is sit and watch and hit the replay button over and over again. The trailer is so good you can eat it! More of the evil Transformers crash land (onto the mighty ocean faring carriers, no less!) on planet Earth to save their leader and the good robots look like they really do have their hands full this time around! That Shia LaBeouf looks all primed to carry this film -- and him being such a likable lad, this movie would do well on his very own drawing power alone! And if you add those majestic robots -- there's no way this Michael Bay film can do any wrong!

TRAILER REVIEW: TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

Good Lord! The first Transformers film already totally had me hook, line and sinkers.

Now, having seen the trailer for the second Transformers film, I must say that the first thing I did was see the trailer over and over again more than 30 times straight! It gives such a satisfying fix. I am completely sold on the trailer for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the sequel to the most excellent Transformers film -- both films star the likable Shia Labeouf.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen looks impressive, the action looks bigger and the direction looks superb. The sequel's trailer is simply Excellent!!!!!
And c'mon, admit it -- the tagline for the sequel, "Revenge of the Fallen", is so very very VERY cool and classy!

Is Vladimir Putin the most despicable man of the modern age?

The new year rolled on with a chill in more ways than one. While a real battle was being waged by Israel and Hamas against one another in the Middle East, Russia made Europe shiver in its boots in one of the coldest winters in the modern era by shutting off the precious gas supply that reached Europe by pipelines in Ukraine.

Russia had accused Ukraine of stealing gas that passed through the Ukrainian soil. Ukraine, of course denied any kleptomaniac tendencies.

But the interesting thing is this -- when the Russians launched a war on Georgia on the day that the Olympic Games was launched in Beijing, China, in August last year, those of us not on the receiving end of the missiles, tank artillery and other destructive firepower were perversely fascinated by the precision-timing of the war. Here was the world at that time distracted by the Olympic games and the attack on Georgia was akin to a stealth attack on the unsuspecting in the quiet of the night. The whole world sat up momentarily and looked at Russia's action -- but the pull of the Olympics was far too great.

However, that assault on Georgia was also a time when the world saw hints of the real man behind the power structure of the Russian regime: Vladimir Putin. There's something mesmerizingly ruthless about the man. His is a mien of a man who can be utterly unfeeling in felling others. I suppose a solid KGB training would do that to any man.

Putin is the Prime Minister of Russia and Dmitry Medvedev is the President of Russia.

Now, with the recent gas crisis -- it is very clear that the man with God-like power in Russia IS Vladimir Putin, without any doubt whatsoever. Mevedev is merely his puppet, meant to do all of Putin's bidding. But guess what? No one likes Putin at all anymore. Neither do people find him even remotely charismatic or fascinating as a leader. Through his actions, he has simply come across as an evil man who is unscrupulous and deludes himself into thinking that the time to strike is either when the world is distracted or the people are brought down to their knees by something or another (like the cold did the Europeans in December-January).

What has really set me off against Putin is the brutal killing/assasination of journalists and human rights activists in Russia. Putin is downright despicable, as far as the world's intellectuals are concerned.

Photo caption: Vlad the Impaler -- is that you PUTIN on the Ritz?
Photo credit: picture of Vladimir Putin from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-486897/Head-Russian-secret-service-accuses-MI6-plotting-Putin.html

BARACK OBAMA -- I HEREBY CHRISTEN YOU "THE INSPIRATION"

What can you do but call a highly inspirational man like President Barack Obama THE INSPIRATION!!!!! This tall, elegant, eloquent, compassionate, very able leader is now the leader of the most powerful nation in the world.

Only great things can be expected from President Barack Obama. And we know he will live up admirably to all out aspirations and expectations. Sigh, what a historic day this is -- the day President Barack Obama's swearing in as President. It is a proud day indeed to acknowledge our humanity and what a great world this world can be.

Photo caption: President Barack Obama: truly the face of a new generation -- for the whole world.
Photo credit: Barack Obama portrait by Martin Schoeller

AMERICAN IDOL IS BACK! AND IT'S A TRUE WORLD EVENT.

The euphoria that has been coming regularly every year is back again -- the 8th Season of American Idol is back.

The judges are at it again -- SImon, Paula, Randy and the new gal Kara RioGuardi -- continue to make American Idol highly watchable.

What American Idol does also -- besides unearthing an incredible array of raw talent -- is show the world the true face of America. And the true face of America today is a multiracial one.

Watching the show, it is obvious that the best that the world has to offer in terms of people have all migrated to the United States.
(Of course, America also has its fair share of weird and strange people and we get to see them on AMerican Idol also. Nothing's perfect -- America is not paradise! But I must add that the U.S. sure comes close to it, in terms of the opportunities given to people to be whatever they wan to be!)

Audiences also get to glimpse the world of families and friends -- there is strong bond between family members as well as friends and this year, there are multi-racial elements to friendships. America is truly akin to the whole world gathered in one place when it comes to the sheer magnitude of its diversity of people! And diversity, we all know leads to mixed marriages and it has been proven that kids from mixed marriages have a higher intelligence quotient than mono-ethnic kids.


Photo caption: Let's hear it for the judges... American Idol is back.
Photo credit: picture by Becker/Fox from http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/01/14/american-idol-returns-with-new-judge-dioguardi-zen-mantra-cavalcade-of-meh-singers/

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- NEIL PATRICK HARRIS FOR BEST CAMEO IN THE HAROLD AND KUMAR COMEDIES

Doogie Howser, the awkward teenage bright bulb who became a very young doctor was nattily played by Neil Patrick Harris on the small screen.

As an adult, Neil Patrick Harris has made some of the most memorable cameo appearances on the big screen in the hilarious and irreverent Harold and Kumar comedies.

(Caption: Come laugh with me!
Photo credit: Neil Patrick Harris by Jeff Minton for ew)

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- ELIZABETH BANKS AND KATE WINSLET THE SMARTEST WOMEN IN MOVIES

An appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is the official barometer to tell if a star is truly a star in every sense of the word.

Two women whom I saw on Jay Leno who easily are the smartest and brightest actresses of their generation are Kate Winslet and Elizabeth Banks. Both women appeared on Jay Leno's show (on different occasions) and they are both eloquent, have unsurpassed sense of humor, don't take themselves too seriously (TRANSLATION: feet firmly planted on the ground!) and -- MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL! -- can tell the studio audience a good story!

(Caption: Come, wanna make a porno with me?
Photo credit (Elizabeth Banks = mugshot): picture by Jeff Vespa for Wireimage.com on http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20186838,00.html)
(Caption: Come sit with me!
Photo credit (Kate Winslet seated): picture by James White on http://images.google.com.my/imgres?imgurl=http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/060928/104125__kate_l.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1540471,00.html&usg=__341CXEmiryEKdKN2pn-lomlNN0o=&h=400&w=300&sz=27&hl=en&start=12&um=1&tbnid=Yt9W74bSqEwbrM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=93&prev=/images%3Fq%3DKATE%2BWINSLET%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN)

BEST OF 2008: MOST POWERFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD: ANGELA MERKEL, GERMANY'S CHANCELLOR

I am a great fanof all things German and I am most happy to report that Angela Merkel is the most powerful woman in the world. As leader of the third biggest economy in the world, she has held the country together very well, keeping it on its moral trajectory (yes, yes, Siemens has paid for its corruption charges), and has poise and confidence in addressing world issues.

Angela Merkel has taken Germany to places that Germany has never gone to in the modern era: to the very top of global public esteem. I salute this wonderful woman!

(Caption: Powerful in the eyes of the beholders.
Photo credit: picture from: http://nazret.com/blog/media/blogs/new/angela_merkel.jpg)

BEST OF 2008: THE BEST NAMED CROOK: BERNARD MADOFF

Hahaha (instead of the more Christmassy Hohoho!) -- Bernard Madoff (pronounced "made-off", the Wall Steet crook has gloriously lived up to his name indeed -- and has "Made-Off" with billions of his clients' money!

(Caption: Here's looking at your billions, kid!
Photo credit: picture from http://business.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00450/Madoff_450787a.jpg)

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- TRANSPORTER 3: JASON STATHAM IS THE WORLD'S FAVORITE ACTION STAR

Quantum of Solace has put paid to the notion that Daniel Craig is a one-note actor in playing James Bond. What a disappointing film Quantum of Solace was.

Thankfully, the action quota for the year has now been wonderfully fulfilled by Transporter 3, the Jason Statham vehicle. The script is not a masterpiece, no surprises there. But the it does have many moments and the cast are good and the characters decently written and fleshed out.

What? A powerful man's daughter has been kidnapped? He shows us why he is powerful -- while cleverly buying time in abiding by the demands of the thugs, he dispatches his people to track down the baddies and comes to know who exactly is pushing the baddy buttons. The next time the baddy calls with instructions -- he refers to the baddy by name! And that's just one of the side characters!

Jason Statham, is charismatic as ever and it says a lot indeed that when the audience cares whether our hero lives or not! And in the meantime, with his signature black transporter, the gorgeous Audi, he takes action to its ridiculous heights -- one minute he is a terminator in a suit and the next he is peddling his bicycle like an ace X-gamer! Not to mention, he drives like an F1 driver who'd popped a bucketload of Ecstasy!

The car chase scenes in Transporter 3 are breathtaking and heart stopping.

It is enough to say that Jason Statham's hero is meant to transport a woman who was taken hostage by the baddies and he is hell bent on making the baddies pay the price for their bad hand. The combination of his impeccably sharp suits, beautiful cranium and the devilish Audi will take the audience for a spin they will delight in!

Oh, and the repartee between Jason Statham's Frank Martin and his pal the French Inspector Tarconi (played by the lovable Francois Berleand) about Russians and why they are always depressed is priceless and easily one of cinema's greatest highlights!

Go watch this if you like action films! Transporter 3 does not pretend to be anything it is not. It is pure adrenaline-rush fun.

(Photos: Jason Statham mugshot from http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24077310-5003420,00.html, Jason Statham in Transporter 3 movie still by Magali Bragard for Lionsgate)

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- REAPER: HOTTEST SHOW ON TV

Irreverence, humor, a good script, a likable cast, good (if intentionally cheesy special effects) -- there are plenty of all these on my favorite television show, Reaper.

This is a show that has classic and cult written all over it and the audience demographic is one of the most influential in TV-land (20s to 40s). The appeal of the show is global.

(This is my favorite Reaper photo of the cast from http://www.tv.com/users/PKtechGirl/profile.php?action=show_blog&entry=m-100-25365766&print=1)

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- BMW Z4 COUPE

Can anyone honestly say that they are not instantly in love with this chunk of metal hunk? This is the BMW Z4 coupe and it has set many hearts afire! A dream car if ever there was one. Sigh!

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- ACTUALLY, THIS IS A 2009 STAR: THE 2009 DODGE CHALLENGER

AMERICANS MAKE THE BEST MUSCLE CARS. And that is the truth. Just look at this beauty from Dodge -- the 2009 Challenger and see the jaws drop!

Oh, besides its muscular body, the round headlights are winners. Round headlights are simply beautiful!

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- STEUBEN GLASS MAKES THE MOST COVETABLE HOLIDAY GIFTS

One look at the sheer class is each Steuben Glass piece is enough to convince you that it is all you need to make this yearend holiday complete!

Here, have a look at some of Steuben Glass' latest creations and judge for yourself!

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- GOOGLE: THE MOTHER OF ALL SEARCH ENGINES!!!

Google is the best thing since sex. And that's the truth of it! With Google, knowledge is at everyone's fingertip. And the global map is accessible to everyone -- true democratization of knowledge and information has arrived.

Even more important than all that jazz -- you can now Google friends and see if they are on Facebook so that you can drop them a line and hook up with long lost pals.

(Google logo as interpreted by modern pop artist Jeff Koons)

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- FACEBOOK: THE GARGANTUAN SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE

Oh wow, until I got onto the Facebook bandwagon, I never realized how magnificent it really is! Facebook is a virtual behemoth that has brought long lost friends together and expanded the universe of friends for everyone and is one of the most amazing phenomena to have washed over mankind. The future is here folks!

BEST OF 2008: GLOBAL STARS -- MICHAEL PHELPS: AN INSPIRING OLYMPIAN

The man who now wears more gold medallions than black hip hop stars is, officially, Michael Phelps. This young American captured the imagination of the world when he won 8 gold medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the swimming events.

In person and in interviews, Michael Phelps has won audiences with his charm and sweetness and gentle nature. Michael Phelps' appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno after his superhuman Olympic feat in Beijing 2008 proved that he's the real deal when it comes to America's Sweetheart.

(Photo of Michael Phelps from people.com)