My AVATAR review

Sci-fi and big budget action thrillers are meant to amaze and wow the audience into submission.If Avatar had wanted to do just that it would have been out in the theatres a lot earlier. But Avatar goes beyond the ephithets associated with this genre.The tagline "Enter the World" provides us with a clue about what we will experience with the vision and cinematic prowess of James Cameron.

Let's forget about the technology used or the special effects,it's the experience which leaves you flabbergasted.If imagination is a gift,then James cameron has used it perfectly to conceptualize and present his dream. Jaw dropping landscapes and breathtaking visual effects numb your mind when you go aboard Pandora.

The meticulous detailing of the pandorian landscapes and of the Na'vi (pandora indigenious people) sacred sites is a first.Some reviews earlier said that the movie does not have a great storyline but I beg to differ.As we have seen with the Abyss,Terminator and Aliens,Avatar has it's share of subtle messages and a story which moves you.

It's surreal that in 2154 the humans (skypeople) still don't care a lot for climate,people or even planets.Everything,everywhere it's still commercial gains first and humanity last. At a time when the world is struggling to agree at the climate summit,avatar gives us a looking glass to see where we are headed.

The movie fascinates your senses,making you feel at home with the Na'vi and their bonding with nature. No one noticed the 2hrs 45 mins running time,and all we could do is ask for more.
Yes James Cameron we can't wait for the sequels,prequels to Avatar.

The bar has been raised and a benchmark set yet again. It will be biased but we are going to compare other upcoming movies through the prism of Avatar. Go and enter the World of Avatar and watch it only in 3D.

My Zombie Days

There is something very peculiar happening inside us when we think about the weekend. To some it's like manna from heaven to escape the harsh realities of Monday to Friday. However most of us who don't party every day would beg to differ.

In Thailand,Bangkok in particular..every work day,week day is like a milestone. Every single seat at pubs ,restaurants is taken at the end of each work day.One would wonder if for thai people every day is an excuse to celebrate.

Johnnie walker,sangsom,100 pipers,regency,singha are the favorite playmakers on tiring weekdays.Weekends are more for rest and rejuvenation.

My weekends for the past few years start late in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday. Thus effectively I utilize only a part of the weekend,which by the time I realize it's manic monday again.

I have to get myself rescued from this zombie culture. Every weekend has to be a journey ,a discovery of new unknowns but alas the travesty of life..some things just don't happen the way you want them.

I do have a new passion,twittering,it's much better than chattering. Express your views and delight in the musings of others. Be a free Twitter bird in twitterverse.

BTW...hope next weekend will be bigger and better...yes coz it's a long weekend..

Cheers

Prem

Sunday musings

Holiday season 2009 is just round the corner...streets,malls,institutions you name it..everyone is geared up.

Retailers worldwide are confident that this year sales will be back to status quo. Optimism is omnipresent..we thrive on it.

Yesterday there was a serious debate on BBC about Obama being awarded the Nobel peace prize. One gentleman from Cambridge remembered the time when Mahatma Gandhi did not get the Nobel ...yes it did not create a very big controversy during that time.This year Obama getting the prize certainly proves that two wrongs certainly don't make it right.
The panel was unanimous in their opinion that although there were more deserving candidates..the choice was an inspiring one..and the ramnifications of which will be truly known in the not too distant feature...

Listening to Sunday bloody Sunday by U2...Bono what a guy and a real activist at heart..maybe someday U2 may get the peace prize ...they have my vote...

Gawshh...why is wave fm playing Duran Duran now after U2...

Cheers everyone

I'll see y'all later

Prem

Weekend retreat...

Feels kind of surreal to be experiencing a whiff of winter air in Bangkok . It's been a late Saturday morning after a really late Friday night watching reruns of all tv shows this week.

Weekends make one feel liberated from the rigours of the entire week...but does it really matter...party..sleep late..get up late and before you know it's Monday morning.

Hope I can salvage some fun and games during the remaining 36 hours..cheers to that mates..

Chaos Theory

It was just another routine work day,the only day when i skim rather than read through emails. We're spending thousands of dollars on the best firewall software and yet atleast 30% of incoming mail constitutes spam. I can't really blame the networking team,as they are trying their best,blocking out messages without subject lines of fictitious emails. All said and done a big loss in efficiency and productivity.

Read a report on how a certain cyber espionage network originating from China has hacked into government run computers across 103 countries.Classified documents have been stolen from embassies and foreign offices across the globe. Seems like stealing candy from a baby to these guys.This is a serious threat but governments across the world are busy these days in anti-recession tactics so no one has taken this seriously.

Thailand is still on the boil,protests by the pro-thaksin UDD entered its 5th day with no sign of any compromise.Hopefully the situation will not escalate to the idiosyncratic levels of last december. Fingers and everything else crossed....

Cautious optimism for next year's benefits and increments..last day of company's fiscal year tomorrow. Recession or not,it does pay to be an optimist.

cheers

Prem

Can't wait for Monday!

Its been a futile weekend of sorts,nothing has gone as planned. Missed cricket practice on Saturday,missed the book fair as well as the motor show. I'm beginning to feel that even the weekend hours have been hit by the global recession.

Saturday was rather uneventful to start with,knowing that i had got up at 10 am. Went for a quick trip to novotel lotus to check out my booking in early july. Well it took about 3 hours to get things sorted out,thats where it went wrong. I couldn't make it to the cricket nets at 3.00 pm, and ended up havin' loads of biriyani and mutton kebabs. Finally made it to the gym at a little past 8 pm.Guess what the sauna had closed and i was feelin way too groggy to go for a decent workout.

Dinner was another culinary disaster, fried fish (thai style,plaa' nil),with shrimp fried rice and pepsi.The belly was definitely goin for a toss.Tried in vain to search for a new bollywood flick. I donno what has happened to bollywood,hardly any decent movies for the past couple of months.

Finally i hit the jackpot at 12:00 am,tried downloading Ek-the power of one,nana's name was enough for me to get goin.I was at it till 1:30 am and the movie just kinda ate me up. Dragged myself to bed at 2:00 pm.

Sunday morning started for me at half past 12,no wonder it took such a long time to get all that food recycled. Just about managed to catch 30 laps of the Australian Grand Prix.It was a an awesome race,too much drama and tension but the best team won in the end. Brawn GP,I'd put my money on them this time round,hopefully if a certain Lewis Hamilton has other plans.

The rest of Sunday was too hot to venture out,36 degrees in the shade,summer's here and in full force.Left for Silom at around 5 pm and i think i deserve a pat in the back for takin the sky train, traffic was movin at a snail's pace.Not that it saved me any time,took a taxi back home and came back to the old telly with bits and pieces of 28 Days later,Maid in Manhattan and Definitely,maybe. Was keen on a light dinner,but ended up having lamb chops and french fries and more pepsi. Can't wait for monday to burn off these extra pounds of carbs n calories.

ciao

Prem