Following are the excerpts of my question & answer segment at Yahoo:
Bluffmaster: Should India support USA in its movement against Iran?
Zendog13: No. In fact, the USA should make no move against Iran. If necessary, we should go in with a multinational force and the blessing of the UN. The brutal truth is that our armed forces cannot mount another unilateral campaign. And the fact that ALL of the players are nuclear powers means that we need to really exhaust the efforts of diplomacy — not make believe, like we did leading up to the invasion of Iraq.
Joseph: India is no little child that needs to suckle on America's tit! We are quite capable of taking down Pakistan on our own, we did it without the US three times. Let Iran join the fight for Kashmir, I doubt they have any reason to. Kashmir is an issue that goes back to the time of independence for both the nations (India & Pakistan). India is neither liable to the US nor is its lap dog.
The Indian government has stated that the US need not interfere with intimate Iranian matters of state. The US swiftly acted on that decision as irrational and threatened to stop US investments in India. India has always been a follower of NAM (Non aligned Movement). Which is a safety stand for a developing nation. We get oil form Iran and we have never had bad ties with any Muslim nation other than Pakistan, we want to keep that track record straight. It's easier to do business that way. India should in no way be a subject to bullying and we won't.
Sandislandtim: India should choose its own path, and does not need to align itself with the US on all issues. But India should also understand that its and the US' interests are the same in so many ways. The US government deals with India as a partner and equal; we do not wish to see any sovereign democracy become our "lap dog."A nuclear-armed Iran would be much more dangerous to India than to the US, because Iranian ballistic missiles have the range to hit India but not the US. There is long-simmering resentment in the Muslim world because of perceived repression of Muslims all over India. Then, of course, there is the dispute over Kashmir.The free nations of the world, including both India and the US, should unite in their push to stop the tyrannical theocracy of Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.There are many areas of diplomacy, trade, military matters, etc. in which cooperation between India and the US would be fruitful for both countries.
24 February, 2006
Get A Life, Bracewell
John Bracewell, you bastard! You unethical sportsman. You are a disgrace to cricket! Asshole! When you dropped Astle after 90* vs Sri Lanka last month, you talked too much to media and even tried to find flaws in his match-winning knock. Then your selectors were forced to recall him because of injuries to other players. Since your moronic blabbering he has made the following scores (source wisden cricinfo): 90*, 47, 90, 2, 118*. Much to your misery, has just scored 118 not-out, including 3 sixes off last 3 balls. So what are you going to say now? Will you drop him again, sucker? Get a life!
18 February, 2006
Citizen Kane
I read the following review at Yahoo! Movies, written by a user named accattone_rof. It's as good as the movie itself. A classic example of thorough evaluation:
Yahoo! Movies
by "Accattone_rof "
25 October, 2003
There is a scene in the middle of the greatest film ever made, where Mr. Kane, his wife, his mistress and Big Jim Gettys are gathered in an apartment. Having discovered the affair, Gettys offers Kane the option of stepping down from the governer's race in exchange for secrecy. Kane refuses. As the governer walks away, Kane shouts out, "You can't do this to me! I'm Charles Foster Kane!" This sums up not only the arrogance and folly of the character, but also the arrogance and folly of his creator, Orson Welles. For the greatest film ever made would be the downfall of Welles.
Nearly everyone is familiar with Citizen Kane, whether by viewing, or simply reading about it. The film is almost universally recognized as the greatest. But a surprising number of people haven't seen the film. So let me attempt to explain why this film is so worth seeing.
The most striking feature of the film for me is the cinematography. This must be equally attributed to Gregg Toland as to Welles. Never before had the camera itself been so integral to the story. There are so many techniques at work here: tracking shots, deep focus, forced perspective, low angle, high angle, trick photography — and all done with careful precision. This was done at a time when the camera was typically stationary in motion pictures. There was really nothing like it.
Consider the use of low angles. During this time period, low angles were not used indoors for a very simple reason: the sets had no ceilings. Thus, this was one of the first films, if not the first, to feature ceilings. Granted, the ceilings were no more than cloth hiding the microphones. But it was still quite revolutionary.
Big deal, you might say. That's common nowadays. Well, so is the inability to hear what the actors are saying over the many layers of foley. But I digress.
A favorite scene of mine involves the young Kane. His mother is signing the papers of ownership to the gold mine they are acquiring. Charles can be seen playing outside, through a window. Inside the house, the camera does a nice little track backwards, from the window to the living room, and on into the kitchen. Then, it tracks back into the living room. The entire time, both the principals in the house and Kane are in focus. This is what is called deep focus, and it looks incredible, especially given the tricky tracking shot done at the same time.
The film is full of these amazing shots. The filmmakers carefully crafted each scene, and there is never any wasted space in the frame, not even in the busiest of shots. The mise en scene is impeccable. Every frame of film is a work of art. The attention to detail is something that is rarely seen much in film these days. Of course, it's known that Orson Welles was a stickler for these details, to the point of annoyance. But it's worth it to the viewer.
As a result of this, the picture jumps out at you, because it's like nothing you've seen. Instead of focusing on some actor's "good" side, the camera is really telling the story.
And that story also endears this film to people. At the time of its release, Citizen Kane was already doomed because of one man: William Randolph Hearst. I won't elucidate on this, as there are plenty of sources available that do it just fine. The story in the film concerns Charles Foster Kane, a newspaper magnate who rose to the top, and fell. In the beginning of the film, he dies, leaving behind just one word: "Rosebud". A reporter is put on the case to find out what this word meant. From there, we move back and forth in time, reliving key moments of Kane's life, as told by his friends and his enemies (of which he has plenty).
What angered Hearst, apparently, was not the thinly-veiled attack on him. He was angered by the portrayal of his second wife as a drunk. Whatever the case, he tried to suppress the film, and mostly succeeded at the time. But in the end, the film became bigger than the man himself.
Yet this film is not just about Hearst, or Kane. It's about power, arrogance, and the corruption of values that they bring. It's about one man's attempt to leave his mark in the history books. And it begs the question; can a man's life be summed up in a single word? For me, the answer is yes.
I say yes because "Rosebud" does seem to sum up his life. What Kane always talked about wanting was love. But it was always love his way. He could never really find it. He was never satisfied. However, there was a time when we saw him truly happy; his youth. At the moment he was taken away from his mother, his life fell apart. In the end, money can't buy anything, and after his second wife left him, he realized that all he wanted was to be back home in Colorado, living his simple life with his mother.
Back to the point I made at the beginning of this review. The cast of Citizen Kane was comprised mainly of Mercury Players, who worked on Orson Welles' hit radio shows. They put in some fine performances, and some, notably Joseph Cotten, went on to long careers. But this film belonged to Orson Welles. He immersed himself into the character as if he was playing himself. And in a sense, he was Charles Foster Kane. Like Kane, he was very gifted in what he did; he was given the keys to the kingdom without really paying his dues, and he stumbled very badly when he got to the top, unable to handle the adulation and attention. He thought he was too big to fall. He was quite wrong. Perhaps he went down screaming, "They can't do this to me! I'm Orson Welles!"
Source: Yahoo! Movies
Yahoo! Movies
by "Accattone_rof "
25 October, 2003
There is a scene in the middle of the greatest film ever made, where Mr. Kane, his wife, his mistress and Big Jim Gettys are gathered in an apartment. Having discovered the affair, Gettys offers Kane the option of stepping down from the governer's race in exchange for secrecy. Kane refuses. As the governer walks away, Kane shouts out, "You can't do this to me! I'm Charles Foster Kane!" This sums up not only the arrogance and folly of the character, but also the arrogance and folly of his creator, Orson Welles. For the greatest film ever made would be the downfall of Welles.
Nearly everyone is familiar with Citizen Kane, whether by viewing, or simply reading about it. The film is almost universally recognized as the greatest. But a surprising number of people haven't seen the film. So let me attempt to explain why this film is so worth seeing.
The most striking feature of the film for me is the cinematography. This must be equally attributed to Gregg Toland as to Welles. Never before had the camera itself been so integral to the story. There are so many techniques at work here: tracking shots, deep focus, forced perspective, low angle, high angle, trick photography — and all done with careful precision. This was done at a time when the camera was typically stationary in motion pictures. There was really nothing like it.
Consider the use of low angles. During this time period, low angles were not used indoors for a very simple reason: the sets had no ceilings. Thus, this was one of the first films, if not the first, to feature ceilings. Granted, the ceilings were no more than cloth hiding the microphones. But it was still quite revolutionary.
Big deal, you might say. That's common nowadays. Well, so is the inability to hear what the actors are saying over the many layers of foley. But I digress.
A favorite scene of mine involves the young Kane. His mother is signing the papers of ownership to the gold mine they are acquiring. Charles can be seen playing outside, through a window. Inside the house, the camera does a nice little track backwards, from the window to the living room, and on into the kitchen. Then, it tracks back into the living room. The entire time, both the principals in the house and Kane are in focus. This is what is called deep focus, and it looks incredible, especially given the tricky tracking shot done at the same time.
The film is full of these amazing shots. The filmmakers carefully crafted each scene, and there is never any wasted space in the frame, not even in the busiest of shots. The mise en scene is impeccable. Every frame of film is a work of art. The attention to detail is something that is rarely seen much in film these days. Of course, it's known that Orson Welles was a stickler for these details, to the point of annoyance. But it's worth it to the viewer.
As a result of this, the picture jumps out at you, because it's like nothing you've seen. Instead of focusing on some actor's "good" side, the camera is really telling the story.
And that story also endears this film to people. At the time of its release, Citizen Kane was already doomed because of one man: William Randolph Hearst. I won't elucidate on this, as there are plenty of sources available that do it just fine. The story in the film concerns Charles Foster Kane, a newspaper magnate who rose to the top, and fell. In the beginning of the film, he dies, leaving behind just one word: "Rosebud". A reporter is put on the case to find out what this word meant. From there, we move back and forth in time, reliving key moments of Kane's life, as told by his friends and his enemies (of which he has plenty).
What angered Hearst, apparently, was not the thinly-veiled attack on him. He was angered by the portrayal of his second wife as a drunk. Whatever the case, he tried to suppress the film, and mostly succeeded at the time. But in the end, the film became bigger than the man himself.
Yet this film is not just about Hearst, or Kane. It's about power, arrogance, and the corruption of values that they bring. It's about one man's attempt to leave his mark in the history books. And it begs the question; can a man's life be summed up in a single word? For me, the answer is yes.
I say yes because "Rosebud" does seem to sum up his life. What Kane always talked about wanting was love. But it was always love his way. He could never really find it. He was never satisfied. However, there was a time when we saw him truly happy; his youth. At the moment he was taken away from his mother, his life fell apart. In the end, money can't buy anything, and after his second wife left him, he realized that all he wanted was to be back home in Colorado, living his simple life with his mother.
Back to the point I made at the beginning of this review. The cast of Citizen Kane was comprised mainly of Mercury Players, who worked on Orson Welles' hit radio shows. They put in some fine performances, and some, notably Joseph Cotten, went on to long careers. But this film belonged to Orson Welles. He immersed himself into the character as if he was playing himself. And in a sense, he was Charles Foster Kane. Like Kane, he was very gifted in what he did; he was given the keys to the kingdom without really paying his dues, and he stumbled very badly when he got to the top, unable to handle the adulation and attention. He thought he was too big to fall. He was quite wrong. Perhaps he went down screaming, "They can't do this to me! I'm Orson Welles!"
Source: Yahoo! Movies
Edit: Sunday, 13-6-2010
I don't know what's the matter with Yahoo Movies. They have tweaked the dates of the reviews. For e.g. the above review was written in 2003 but now it reads 2008. The reviews that I had written in the year 2005 have been changed to 2007, 2008 or 2009; the dates and months, too, have been changed. Strange.
05 February, 2006
The Brave Police
Delhi police should get a life. I despise them for ending Hansie Cronje's career, which ultimately lead to his death. His only fault was that he spoke the truth. On the contrary, the real match-fixing king-pins are living freely.
Is catching bookies really that important? Now you people are waiting to pounce on Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje for match-fixing inquiries — a matter which is dead and buried by now. You are invoking unnecessary controversies that are of no relevance anymore. Is match-fixing more important than national security? Aren't you supposed to hunt for dreaded criminals, terrorists, rapists etc. instead of catching bookies and people like Herschelle Gibbs? What should get the priority? Look at the alarming increase in the rate of inhuman crime like rapes. According to Times Of India's statistics, forty-eight rapes take place everyday in India. Ninety-five percent of the accused in rape cases walk free due to corrupt judicial and social structure. Delhi is one of the most unsafe places for women. And here you are only concerned about trivial things like match-fixing, MMS cases, harassing youngsters sitting in parks etc. Spare the kids, at least, you hypocrites! There are surely more meaningful and imperative things to do.
Is catching bookies really that important? Now you people are waiting to pounce on Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje for match-fixing inquiries — a matter which is dead and buried by now. You are invoking unnecessary controversies that are of no relevance anymore. Is match-fixing more important than national security? Aren't you supposed to hunt for dreaded criminals, terrorists, rapists etc. instead of catching bookies and people like Herschelle Gibbs? What should get the priority? Look at the alarming increase in the rate of inhuman crime like rapes. According to Times Of India's statistics, forty-eight rapes take place everyday in India. Ninety-five percent of the accused in rape cases walk free due to corrupt judicial and social structure. Delhi is one of the most unsafe places for women. And here you are only concerned about trivial things like match-fixing, MMS cases, harassing youngsters sitting in parks etc. Spare the kids, at least, you hypocrites! There are surely more meaningful and imperative things to do.
01 February, 2006
Bluffmaster's Picks
Seems to be a new trend in the blogsphere. So here's a list of my favourite movies in no particular order:
1. Scent Of A Woman (1992): When I heard of it, I assumed it to be a droning romantic film, because of its title. But it turned out to be completely different. Never in the history of cinema has anyone portrayed a visually impaired character with utmost perfection as Al Pacino. Whoooooa!
2. A Few Good Men (1992): "You can't handle the truth!" An excellent movie about a navy lawyer's struggle to unveil the truth behind a court martial. The script is close to perfection and Jack Nicholson the "misunderstood hero" is top notch in this thumping performance. Tom Cruise glows with brilliance. It has a series of other good actors like Kevin Bacon, Kevin Polak, Demi Moore, and Keifer Sutherland.
3. Schindler's List (1993): A Steven Spielberg classic about the real-life hero Schindler. The highlight of the film was, in fact, it's black & white cinematography. The climax is very moving.
4. Devil's Advocate (1997): I remember watching its ads on Star Movies back in the late 90s, but never paid much attention. Devil's Advocate is a modern parable with elements of mystery and intrigue. Al Pacino excels once again in a role that he seems to be born to play. I can't imagine anyone else fitting into this character. The unforeseen climax takes you by a jolt. Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, and Connie Nielsen are impressive as well. One must play close attention to Milton's hidden jokes.
5. Back To The Future I & II (1985-89): I have combined the parts 1 & 2 because they are in an essence the same film. Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis churn out a classic. It's a very humorous complemented with good acting by Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Their comical timing and face expressions are excellent. The part III was disappointing, but without any doubt Back To The Future I & II remain as one of the most memorable films ever made.
6. Forver Young (1992): An emotional, romantic tale with a twist that completely changes everything. Elijah Wood, ten years old at that time, is awesome.
7. Catch Me If You Can (2002): A real-life story of Frank Abagnale Jr. played aptly by Leonardo DiCaprio. It turns out to be another Spielberg classic. The good background music and skillful camera work add to the atmosphere.
8. American Beauty (1999): When I first saw it in 2000, I regarded it as an average film. But after watching it again I realized the essence and the beauty of this magnificent piece of art directed by Sam Mendes. It's not just a movie, it is life. The background score is haunting and Kevin Spacey shows a wide range of emotions at best. American Beauty captures the realities of the world on how we put false fronts to hide who we really are. A beautiful film indeed.
9. Road To Perditon (2002): Another masterpiece by Sam Mendes — completely different from American Beauty. It is a great revenge saga set in the era of depression. Cinematography is awe-inspiring. The mesmerizing background music reminds of American Beauty. Paul Newman, Tom Hanks, Jude Law are first rate.
10. The Living Daylights (1987): Now this is what you call Ian Fleming's Bond. The airplane action scene is brilliant. A good action film that veers from the customary artistry and gives more insight on Ian Fleming's 007, something that's missing from the contemporary films that seem to be dominated by visual effects and animations and they all have the same save-the-world theme. I also liked From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only, Licence To Kill, and Goldeneye.
11. Shawshank Redemption (1994): A very touching film about hope and friendship, followed by splendid swerve before the climax!
12. Mackenna's Gold (1969): A remarkable adventure/western classic with good performances by Omar Sharif, Gregory Peck and others. A memorable journey to the good old days. One of the most captivating and entertaining films ever made.
13. Raging Bull (1980): Raging Bull is an example of flawless direction by the legendary Martin Scorsese. From the initial inspired shot of Jake La Motta shadow boxing in the ring, we know that we are experiencing a work of true cinematic art. It combines brilliant and innovative film technique with a deep and provocative character study. Robert DeNiro's dedication to the role is astounding. He first worked hard to build a boxer's physique and competed in three boxing matches. Later on he gained 50 lbs to play the bloated Jake LaMotta. Raging Bull is one of cinema’s masterworks.
14. The Godfather (1972): A class act that is universally hailed as a masterpiece by everyone. Marlon Brando gave a sublime example of acting.
15. Psycho (1960): There's a lot more to this film than the shower sequence. Psycho was purposely shot in black and white, because Hitchcock knew it wouldn't work in colour and he was, of course, right. It is a visual treat that leaves you spell bounded. Who can forget the Psycho house.
It is difficult to compress the list to 15. It comprises several other masterful pieces.
1. Scent Of A Woman (1992): When I heard of it, I assumed it to be a droning romantic film, because of its title. But it turned out to be completely different. Never in the history of cinema has anyone portrayed a visually impaired character with utmost perfection as Al Pacino. Whoooooa!
2. A Few Good Men (1992): "You can't handle the truth!" An excellent movie about a navy lawyer's struggle to unveil the truth behind a court martial. The script is close to perfection and Jack Nicholson the "misunderstood hero" is top notch in this thumping performance. Tom Cruise glows with brilliance. It has a series of other good actors like Kevin Bacon, Kevin Polak, Demi Moore, and Keifer Sutherland.
3. Schindler's List (1993): A Steven Spielberg classic about the real-life hero Schindler. The highlight of the film was, in fact, it's black & white cinematography. The climax is very moving.
4. Devil's Advocate (1997): I remember watching its ads on Star Movies back in the late 90s, but never paid much attention. Devil's Advocate is a modern parable with elements of mystery and intrigue. Al Pacino excels once again in a role that he seems to be born to play. I can't imagine anyone else fitting into this character. The unforeseen climax takes you by a jolt. Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, and Connie Nielsen are impressive as well. One must play close attention to Milton's hidden jokes.
5. Back To The Future I & II (1985-89): I have combined the parts 1 & 2 because they are in an essence the same film. Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis churn out a classic. It's a very humorous complemented with good acting by Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Their comical timing and face expressions are excellent. The part III was disappointing, but without any doubt Back To The Future I & II remain as one of the most memorable films ever made.
6. Forver Young (1992): An emotional, romantic tale with a twist that completely changes everything. Elijah Wood, ten years old at that time, is awesome.
7. Catch Me If You Can (2002): A real-life story of Frank Abagnale Jr. played aptly by Leonardo DiCaprio. It turns out to be another Spielberg classic. The good background music and skillful camera work add to the atmosphere.
8. American Beauty (1999): When I first saw it in 2000, I regarded it as an average film. But after watching it again I realized the essence and the beauty of this magnificent piece of art directed by Sam Mendes. It's not just a movie, it is life. The background score is haunting and Kevin Spacey shows a wide range of emotions at best. American Beauty captures the realities of the world on how we put false fronts to hide who we really are. A beautiful film indeed.
9. Road To Perditon (2002): Another masterpiece by Sam Mendes — completely different from American Beauty. It is a great revenge saga set in the era of depression. Cinematography is awe-inspiring. The mesmerizing background music reminds of American Beauty. Paul Newman, Tom Hanks, Jude Law are first rate.
10. The Living Daylights (1987): Now this is what you call Ian Fleming's Bond. The airplane action scene is brilliant. A good action film that veers from the customary artistry and gives more insight on Ian Fleming's 007, something that's missing from the contemporary films that seem to be dominated by visual effects and animations and they all have the same save-the-world theme. I also liked From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only, Licence To Kill, and Goldeneye.
11. Shawshank Redemption (1994): A very touching film about hope and friendship, followed by splendid swerve before the climax!
12. Mackenna's Gold (1969): A remarkable adventure/western classic with good performances by Omar Sharif, Gregory Peck and others. A memorable journey to the good old days. One of the most captivating and entertaining films ever made.
13. Raging Bull (1980): Raging Bull is an example of flawless direction by the legendary Martin Scorsese. From the initial inspired shot of Jake La Motta shadow boxing in the ring, we know that we are experiencing a work of true cinematic art. It combines brilliant and innovative film technique with a deep and provocative character study. Robert DeNiro's dedication to the role is astounding. He first worked hard to build a boxer's physique and competed in three boxing matches. Later on he gained 50 lbs to play the bloated Jake LaMotta. Raging Bull is one of cinema’s masterworks.
14. The Godfather (1972): A class act that is universally hailed as a masterpiece by everyone. Marlon Brando gave a sublime example of acting.
15. Psycho (1960): There's a lot more to this film than the shower sequence. Psycho was purposely shot in black and white, because Hitchcock knew it wouldn't work in colour and he was, of course, right. It is a visual treat that leaves you spell bounded. Who can forget the Psycho house.
It is difficult to compress the list to 15. It comprises several other masterful pieces.
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