Justice League (2017) - Movie

Justice League (2017) - Movie.

A movie is a flop (read crap) if you see it and don't want to talk about it with anyone. Imagine they can make a bad movie with half a dozen super heroes in it and a heck of a huge alien villain too. DC has actually lost the plot altogether, they need new writers as well as new Directors. Earlier they made me question my own loyalty when they put two of my favorite characters against each other, Batman VS Superman. And then they killed one, C'mon man, fine, that was OK, now the one who is responsible for others death wants to revive him back to save the world (Yes, we are kids, let it come). Two hours of run-time and only thrice it actually made me smile and feel a bit happy. First of-course is the Wonder Woman's entry and sequence saving the hostages, terrifically shot and Gal Gadot is a darling, so sweet on the eyes and terrific in character, she is actually the saving grace for me for this movie at least. Second that little guy Flash has some good lines, reminded me of new Spider-Man :), but how much he could save. And the villain too was no good, Guess Loki could have done the job better.

I just cant believe my eyes that our own Super Heroes could get this boring. I mean I just couldn't make out what was wrong with this Batman (Ben Affleck) he looks so tired and out of character as if he is forced to work in this movie, they really need to put him on steroids for upcoming parts or fire him altogether and get Bale back (I so much wish). I still cant forget "The Dark Knight" where my loyalty kept shifting between him and the joker but in the end joker wins by a huge margin still some sympathy remains for Batman too. That earth shattering Bat-Mobile, who could forget that, they are still beating it, now it can fly, crawl and what not but isn't a thing of Awe anymore. I remember the goosebumps it gave me in Dark Knight and I cant even put my feelings to words when the Bike comes out of the crashed Bat-Mobile. How much they can screw a character? I just couldn't believe it. This is another of those Super Hero movies which has no repeat value and I for sure am never watching it again. On top of that I am glad that I didn't take my Kiddo with me to this one or else she would have grilled me by asking if this is THE Batman that I loved and carry a tattoo on my body. Unbelievable.

I have no idea, how much they spent on this crap but I am sure they must have made millions profit on the movie including my contribution :) but they are losing fans big time and breaking hearts in the process. Unfortunately the movie freak that we are, we will still be watching the next and still be looking forward to our much loved characters to be revived back to glory once again. It feels so sad to not to recommend a movie with my own favorite characters in it. I am sure if you have loved them the way I do and have seen the movie, you will agree with me. Did it work for you? Do let me know if you like it.

The Origin of Species - Charles Darwin (Book)

The Origin of Species - Charles Darwin.

I have read about 175+ books in last two years and not exaggerating that almost every tenth book mentions either Darwin's theory or the book in question one way or the other. So much so that I was very curious for almost last two years to pick it up myself and read what actually he had written way back in 1859. I was shocked the way it gets mention not only in Non Fiction (mostly), but also in Fiction and even in a love story (Imagine it gets mentioned in a Jojo Moyes book too). But when I read Yuval Noah Harari's (Sapiens) and followed it with a book written way back in 60's about a court case where they debated over Bible Vs Darwin, it was simply too much for me to resist it anymore :). And then, my favorite Dan Brown came out with his new book called "Origin" exploring "Where do we come from" and "Where are we going". Curiosity actually killed the cat and I picked it up some 15 days ago, mind it, it isn't an easy read like any other book but way too interesting. Specially if you have any interest in "Origin", History, Geography, Biology and even Science, this is a must must read. Even if those subjects do not interest someone, it can be read for its literary merit too, I totally loved it. Although after reading I can claim that this book is actually a summary of his findings and these 700 pages are way too short to explain everything, going by his writing I am doubly sure that the actual theory must not be any less than 10000 pages for sure as he mentioned at so many places that he wasn't going in great details due to space constraints. On top of it, his findings weren't finished by the time he started writing this and as his health wasn't too good, his good friends and colleagues forced him to come out with this. Unbelievable that is to know and surprising is the entire book.

I had no idea before reading the book that what I was getting into, this isn't just a book or a theory given by the great Charles Darwin but an encyclopedia of his theories about the origin of life on planet earth. How everything came to be and moved from one place to another, mind-blowing is his research, theory and conclusions which he kept open to debate with people and imagine even after 150 years, we are still debating on it. I just couldn't imagine what kind of Lab he must have at that time and how far and wide he must have traveled to gather the data he has put in his theory, unbelievable. Another fantastic thing about Darwin was, not once he was afraid of giving credit to so many of his colleagues, eminent scientists and professors as he kept mentioning their names with what they thought and how it helped him to come to the conclusions that he had drawn, simply too good. Starting from the bacteria's to germs to insects, birds, animals, humans and even dinosaurs, he hasn't left anything which doesn't gets a detailed mention in this book. I really wonder how deep and terrific would be his actual detailed findings which may not be available for us lesser mortals but the scientific community must have access to those works. Although those details may not make any sense to us unscientific and god fearing people, but he was always open to other parallel theories too and never made fun of them.

The way it covers the Human Origin timeline and the life on planet earth is just superb. Darwin was sure that no one can predict the exact time how long life has been here on this planet (at that time). The way he calculates the life as well as what data do we have in our hands as of now a mere negligible that we haven't yet explored an iota of what is actually there on this planet is simply mind-blowing and convincing too. This will now be one book that I am going to force every teenager that I know to read without fail, more than for sure Blyton's and Dahl's. Its an amazing encyclopedia on Darwinism that everyone should read. I am glad and sad both to have read a Kindle version of the book. Glad that I could actually access the meanings immediately by tapping on the terms that I had never previously heard and sad that it didn't had any of the diagrams that he made which should be available on a paperback :(. Also, now, I guess I have to go ahead and read Yuval Noah Harari's "Homo Deus" which takes it all to couple of steps ahead where Darwin left it. Surprisingly when I bought this book (almost a year ago) it was absolutely free on Amazon (for Kindle).

If you have read this, do let me know how you like it, if not, you've got to read this without fail. This will now-onward be one of my all time favorite Non-Fiction for sure. A very highly recommended back for all.

Wonder Woman (2017) - Movie

Wonder Woman (2017) - Movie.

Finally, I saw Wonder Woman today and regretted big time for not seeing it on big screen while it was running. The movie sort of sent me back in time about 31 years when I saw my first Super Hero movie back then in 1986 while in sixth standard and instantly fell in love with Christopher Reeves for playing the awesome hunk "Superman" (Part 2). Wonder Woman was actually that much fun after a long long time. it came quite close to my all time favorite movie(s) that includes SuperMan (Part 2), Terminator: Judgement Day, Matrix and of-course the daddy of them all "The Dark Knight". No movie (read Super Hero movie) in the last decade has come any closer to any of them that I would look forward to watch it again. And seriously I have lost count as how many times I have seen these movies in the last so many years. Latest I saw was T2 on 3D as they re-released it and totally loved it on big screen.

I really wonder why they keep churning out Super Hero movies back to back almost every month now with no heart and almost nothing new to offer, that me as an audience will cherish for sometime before moving on with the new or upcoming one. I have stopped watching them of-course as is evident because the speed with which these movies are coming and almost all are throwing the same old story of world coming to an end or a villain hard to defeat and almost all the super heroes will come to make a team to kill the menace. But Wonder Woman was different, the movie has a heart and at the right place. Pace and background is extremely good, totally loved it the way they do not hurry up anything and let it grow at its own pace. Gal Gadot is a superb choice for the character and the girl is expressive, loved her expressions when she comes to "our World" from "her World" and finds it in chaos to her shock and amazement making her mothers belief true that "we don't deserve her", too good.

Entire story and even the action sequences are done in such a subtle way, never going overboard, works so well for the movie, totally loved it. From a little girl with determination to the "Wonder Woman" who herself doesn't know of her own powers, it was a superb joy ride as I had no idea what to expect rather had zero expectations after so many run of the mill disaster Super Hero movies that has been thrown my way in the recent past. Two of them are still running in theaters that I am yet to make up my mind to watch or plainly ignore (Thor Ragnarok and Justice League). And I guess an Avenger outing is right round the corner before the year end spoiling it further for me.

No doubt the movie has gone on to break some important records from the recent past and has become including the highest-grossing live-action film directed by a woman, the biggest domestic opening for a film directed by a woman, the highest-grossing superhero origin film in the United States and worldwide, as well as the largest opening for a female-led comic book film. Even the length of the movie around 2 hours and twenty minutes later as it came to an end, I was actually asking for more. End up watching the seven minutes of credits too in the hope of something to look forward to next but to no avail :).

An Infamous Army - Georgette Heyer (Book)

An Infamous Army - Georgette Heyer.

Every-time I come across a new Author especially the Classical ones that I haven't heard so far, my happiness knows no bounds if I like their first work. This book too happened to me accidentally when a SRR brought it for our meet and described the book in one word "Beautiful" the way she stretched it with those facial expressions, I was totally excited. Now, the moment I started reading it last week, first ten pages made me cringe that its a big mistake. Totally not my type of book with at least a good 30 characters introduced in the first chapter itself. Plus the language which initially I just couldn't digest although it took me back in time to the Dicken's era and reminded me so much of much loved Jane Austen too. What I love about their books is the use of words like "presently", "Offices (when they are not talking about work)", "by the by" and so many others that we do not get to read in today's Authors works. As the story progressed it gradually made me fall in love by the time I had hit the page 100. And it became totally unputdownable after another 100. Trust me when I say this that by the time I was reaching the ending (another 200 pages+) I wanted it never to end and prayed that it should have a sequel. But let me tell you, the last 50 pages are simply outstanding, I have never and I mean NEVER read a more beautiful love story with the war as a backdrop ever. I anyways do not reach much war related books but now I've gotta get her other works and I am delighted to know and disclose that most of her works (Historical / Regency Romance) revolve around the same - thats such an amazing thing to know and guess what, this one is actually the fourth of a four book series :).

Also, let me tell you one thing very clearly that my words do no justice to neither the book nor the Author as I am totally incapable of doing the same with my super limited vocabulary so you've got to read this and her other works too. This one revolves around Napoleon Bonaparte's attack on Brussels (Belgium) where the story is set. The first half of the book covers up the drama part and the making of the love angle whereas the second part deals with the War and the end result of the affair in question. I mean this is one of the best love stories which turns into a thriller of sorts, goes through an epic war of the times, kept me totally engrossed (never over doing the war part ever to turn off a fragile guy like me) and ends on an amazing note. As it is a work of fiction what amazes me is that they all are super rich people a kind of fairy tale for us readers when they talk about the Colonel's, Princes, super rich and respected Dukes and what not. Although she had me in splits by the subtle way she refers to Napoleon as "Boney" during the entire course of the book, how funny is that someone calling a legend like Napoleon lovingly as "Boney". Love story of Colonel Audley with the ravishing beauty Lady Barbara (recently widowed and a totally frivolous character) grand daughter of the Duke of Avon. The legacy that they take forward, the way they talk, walk, eat and go for morning walks is so out of this world experience that is very hard to explain and let go so soon. I so much want to continue their story which unfortunately ends with this book. Gotta go back in the past and re read the whole thing.

It is totally unbelievable yet so damn entertaining even when the story goes around exactly 200+ years ago from today. A surreal unreal experience. If you have read this one, I am sure you must be smitten in love with the whole thing just like I am right now but if you haven't read this or her other work exactly like the way ignorant fool that I am, you know what you've got to do man. But if you have read her other works, do let me know how you like it and which one you recommend most to me that I can grab and travel back in time.

Oh! By the way, did I mention anything about the gorgeous book cover? Oh My God. I spent quite sometime looking at that beauty who I hope is no one else but lady Barbara :) but I am heartbroken that the book belongs to someone else and I've got to return it shortly. 

Ittefaq (2017) - Movie

I saw this movie with my Dad in Law, wifey and kiddo (11 years). Had no memory of Old Ittefaq and since I don't usually read reviews of the movies that I am yet to see, I had no idea what to expect. Hence this was a good surprise and an equally good entertaining movie.

I have always loved Akshaye Khanna when it comes to his looks and acting and he did impress me here too, no doubt on that. Sonakshi Sinha wasnt required at all in this movie, all she does is look good and look more good thats about it.
Sidhartha Malhotra is the surprise package, first time he really gets to act a little after a long time (from the sort of movies he has done so far) and as an Author on run with a name "Vikram Sethi" it was too good :).
Plus a movie which is supposed to be a suspense thriller with murder mystery is actually good, if you keep talking about it for hours after it finishes. In that department its a good movie but if you compare it with the movies that we are being served by Bollywood in the recent past, this one is a terrific watch.

Otherwise it felt more like a good to very good "Drama" served as a Suspense, Murder mystery and Thriller.
Ending did surprise me as I was expecting a different ending. Its served on a platter as we Indians are dumb idiots if our movie makers are to be believed. They could have left it to audience imagination but No, they have to satisfy everyone so they fail quite a few passionate people like us.

All in all it was a definite 3/5 and worth watching on big screen as on TV you will miss out a lot of fun and attention and it will be a total disaster. I will give it one star each for Akshaye, Story and Akshay's side kicks (both the cops).
A good family entertainer which invited some good discussions till dinner.