"What other shenanigans could I possibly get upto???"

16-year old Juno MacGuff is quirky, laid-back, armed with a razor-sharp wit and a cynicism that sits well on her petite shoulders......and she’s also pregnant. The father is her best friend Paulie Bleeker. After running through a gamut of options, she decides to settle for the most pragmatic one : putting the baby up for adoption.

Enter the seemingly perfect couple: Vanessa and Mark Loring. An effluent yuppie twosome living in the suburbs, they seem earnest about adopting Juno’s baby. Things move quickly and pretty soon a closed-adoption contract is worked out. Therefore, Juno will have no contact with the baby, once she gives it up.

While Vanessa is a bit uptight and anxious, her husband Mark is more laid-back, willing to go with the flow. In him, Juno finds a kindred spirit.....a fellow lover of grunge music and horror movies.

As the movie traverses the four seasons.....Juno’s perception of the world around her and her relationships with her parents, Paulie Bleeker and the Lorings develop along with her advancing pregnancy.

An independent flick that captured the world’s fancy.....Juno is a droll and adorable movie. Teen pregnancy has been given a whole new treatment. Gone is the usual circle of angry recriminations…ugly confrontations... buckets of tears and the constant nagging guilt. In it’s place are supportive parents, cheeky but well-meaning friends and a sensible if slightly hysterical teen mother. The movie's strength lies in it's cheeky dialogue, loaded with wit and surprising insight.

Ellen Page as the quick-talking Juno is a delight to watch……her seemingly detached attitude towards her pregnancy might grate on your nerves, but then you realize that she’s just a teen facing a rotten situation but handling it in her typical “JuneBug” way.

A terrific ensemble cast, all of whom are lovable and memorable.....this is one movie that hits all the right buttons and makes you come out of the theater with a big fat smile on your face.

The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials : Book 2)

"Northern Lights (a.k.a. The Golden Compass)" ended on a note of infinite possibilties. Lyra's father, the saturnine Lord Asriel managed to rip an opening into a new world and Lyra followed through. Her main aim......to find out more about the elusive concept of "Dust".

While the first book was set in an alternate world very like ours, "The Subtle Knife" begins in our own world. It revolves around Will Parry, a 12 year old boy who lives in modern-day Oxford. Burdened with responsibilities and wiser beyond his years, his only wish is to find his Explorer-father, who went missing on an expedition to the North.

As he embarks on this seemingly impossible task, he comes across a startling discovery. A rent in the air, almost invisible to the human-eye proves to be an entry into a different world. And in this new world he comes across Lyra Belacqua (now called Lyra Silvertongue). Lyra with the help of her alethiometer, is to play a key role in the search for Will's father.

Along the course of their adventures, Will becomes the reluctant bearer of "The Subtle Knife".....a knife with extraordinary and devastating powers.....a knife capable of cutting across different worlds.

The second book is predominantly a passage between the first and the third of the trilogy. Will Parry is a promising hero...fuelled by an odd mix of bravery and desperation. Lyra reprises her role of the head-strong girl who is unaware of the great destiny in store for her.

The book also throws light on the main conflict. The eternal war is between two principles...that of Authority (God/ Rigid Destiny) and a Human's free will. Which shall reign supreme is something that we will know in the third and concluding part of "His Dark Materials"

27 Dresses....and nothing to wear!!!

A no-brainer, 27 Dresses is your average chick-flick and holds no surprises. It revolves around Jane Nichols (Katherine Heigl); a reliable, never-say-no, general dogsbody. She adores weddings and all the sentimentalism that goes with it. Which ofcourse translates into being a bridesmaid at 27 weddings, doing all the dirty work and wearing some perfectly hideous dresses. Her filofax is jam-packed with wedding details and she scurries from one crazy-scene to another, while effectively maintaining a cheery front.

A silent observer to her spectacle is Kevin Doyle(James Marsden). Kevin is the writer of the local newpaper's "Commitments" section. Penning one more engagement/wedding announcement is likely to make him head screaming for the hills. In order to finally make it to the front-page and get out of what he calls the "taffeta-ghetto", he decides to write a feature on Jane, the eternal bridesmaid.

Adding to the sorry mess if the fact that Jane has been nursing a forever-crush on her boss, George (Edward Burns). But when Jane’s flighty baby-sister swoops into town, she manages to sink her polished claws into George and even draw out a marriage proposal from him. Jane does what every non-self-respecting heroine does. She accepts the inevitable and gets down to the thankless job of planning her sister's wedding and generally getting her feelings trampled upon.

Nothing new and we obviously know what’s going to happen next. But Katherine Heigl as the harried Jane lights up the screen with her effervescent charm and classic Hollywood looks. It’s a bit hard to imagine that such a pretty lady would have to play second-fiddle to her sister. James Marsden looks delightfully messy and keeps up the witty banter admirably.

27 Dresses is not great cinema......but it is light-hearted, frothy and has some mighty-interesting dialogues. You empathise and associate with the heroine.......hope that there's a Kevin Doyle around the corner and have a few laughs thrown in for good measure . Not a bad deal indeed!!

I am a woman....I am invincible.....(and just a tad bit exhausted!!)

Along cameWoman’s Day, and I was itching to write an ode to the smarter sex!! Something simple yet sublime.....sentimental but not schmaltzy. And the only topic that kept popping into my head was this: “A Woman’s Laughter”.

There’s something innately charming about a woman laughing.....whether it’s a happy gurgle.....an impish grin.....a hastily muffled chuckle.....an inelegant snort that was jus’ waiting to get out.....the incessant giggles or the Grand Poo-bah of them all.....the let ‘er Rip.....full-blown guffaw!!

And the reasons behind that laugh...........innumerous, ranging from the mundane to the ridiculous to the down-right memorable...

to name a few....
 a baby’s happy gurgle in response to the funny-faces being pulled for her entertainment.
 the plump l’il girl who chuckles with delight, when that equally plump puppy licks her button nose.
 the instant attack of the giggles that inflicts a bunch of teeny-boppers…when that oh-so-cute guy deigns to send a smile their way.
 the first time a woman meets her Prince Charming (and she knows it) AND (and he doesn’t disintegrate into Kermit’s distant cousin!!)
 enjoying an after-work soirée.....unwinding.....swapping juicy gossip.....remembering the moments of small victories and big accomplishments......chuckling wickedly when a particularly anal-retentive colleague gets his come-uppance!!
 making new friends and patching up ol’ differences.
 reunions……a time to remember, miss dem ol’days and laugh at our younger, uncomplicated selves…

……and this is jus’ the tip of the curvaceous iceberg.....there are so many more......

All I can hope for is that all the lovely ladies in my life……those I have met…and those I have still to meet.....always ALWAYS keep flashing their pearly whites.

May they always find reasons to celebrate.....always have a trusted confidante to share their woes.....always have that special someone who brings that secret smile to their lips and most importantly......always find excuses to just act plain silly and laugh uninhibitedly!!!

Here’s to our own personal Utopia!!

HAPPY WOMAN'S DAY, ladies!!

All Hail the Mighty King Roshan!!

A regal emperor, Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar and his fiery Rajput Queen, the lovely Jodhaa.....this is their little-known love story.

What starts off as a political alliance between two vastly different cultures and religions steadily grows into a sublimely beautiful romance. Interspersed with glimpses into how the benevolent king ruled his kingdom justly while effectively dealing with the pitfalls on his road to ascension….the film is a concise and well-encapsulated take on one of the finest figures in Indian history.

Lavish sets.....savage battle scenes (vaguely reminiscent of Troy).....the unhindered explosion of Rajput colours and the mesmerizing music score by the ever-reliable A.R.Rahman make the movie, a veritable feast for the senses!!

A casting coup of sorts.....Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan do full justice to their roles. They exude grace and confidence..so much so, that it wouldn’t be hard to imagine them ruling over a full-court back in the sixteenth century!! The best scenes by far.....are the ones where the couple light up the screen with their elegance, shared glances and the subtle romance that exists but never over-powers.

Wars have to be fought, traitors be knocked off, evil foster-mothers dealt with and justice meted out. And his Royal Highness does it all…..with style, flair and supreme class. Amidst all the chaos, you appreciate the tenderness and respect that he showers on his new wife. Aishwarya, as a nervous yet feisty princess, plays her role with finesse. Gone are the mindless giggles and painful over-acting!!

Among the supporting cast, Ila Arun as the silently menacing Maham Anga deserves special mention. Also deserving pride of place is Sonu Sood as Prince Sujamal. While more attention could have been paid to his character, when he does appear on the screen.....he plays his grey role with all the uncertainty that it demands.

And finally as the narrator Amitabh Bachchan proclaims.....the love-story of Jodha-Akbar may not have gone down in the history books as one of the all-time great romances. However, silently and gracefully……their love left it’s indelible mark.

.....and they lived Happily Ever-After!!

The lovely Giselle is an animated, honest-to-goodness, true-blue Disney Princess. She looks like a dream and resides in the mystical land of Andalasia. She sings... day-dreams...lives in a multi-storeyed tree-house...prances about with a meanagerie of cutesy-pie wild-life and generally awaits the arrival of her handsome Prince in shiny tights!!

And arrive he does. The handsome Prince Edward hears her dulcet tones and promptly arrives to find “his heart’s true-desire”. Along the way he slays a pesky ogre and manages to hum a soulful ballad (talk ‘bout multi-tasking!!!).....and the Happy Dent couple decide to live happily Ever-After!

But what’s a fairy-tale without the truly wicked Step-Mother. Enter Queen Narissa. Fearing a threat to her ascension to the throne, she sneers, snarls and decides to throw a spanner into the works. With a fair-bit of deviousness, she promptly tosses the unsuspecting Giselle her into a waterfall. Our damsel in distress plunges through a never-ending chasm which infact is a portal into the real world.

Say hello to the now real, flesh-and-blood Giselle! And also say hello to a culture-shock of gigantic proportions!! With her rosy attitude towards life...her cheerful and freakishly-optimistic nature...her debutant princess demeanour and her tendency to break into a song (a throw-back to the happy times in the sun-dappled glen!!!) at the drop of a hat…she is a charming misfit in a cynical and grimy New York.

As she tries to find her way back to her "Prince in Poofy Clothing", she befriends a world-weary divorce lawyer, Robert Philip and his adorable l’il daughter……and I guess we all know where that story is heading,

But ofcourse before Giselle has her fairy-tale ending and rides off into the sunset, she has to deal with her charming but empty-headed Prince Edward; a conniving lackey,Nathaniel; the smart-mouthed chipmunk Pip and the prospective MONSTER-in-law!!

A charming, modern-day fairy tale with all the right ingredients, fantastic characters and jus’ the right splash of humour makes for good family viewing. Amy Adams and James Marsden who play Giselle and Prince Edward respectively are nauseatingly happy and over-the-top. But that’s what the roles demand and you can’t help but empathize with them. Patrick Dempsey as the “been-down-that-road-before” lawyer is a deliciously handsome male lead. He is the perfect blend of bewildered father and reluctant good-samaritan. The fact that he lights up the screen with his rakish charm, doesn’t hurt ofcourse!! Susan Sarandon as the evil step-mother Narissa is glorious. She dazzles, thunders and blazes across Manhattan and would make any self-respecting, virginal princess head for the nearest tree-hollow to cower in fright!

For all lovers of classic Disney fare, this movie brings back fond memories as old yarns are re-discovered and effortlessly weaved into a feel-good, magical tale.

The Return of "The Bear"

New girl in town, Elaine ‘Ellie’ Harrison can’t believe her astounding luck! Senior class president cum star QB cum all-around-nice-guy, A.Will Wagner shows more than just a passing interest in her. A bit surprising; considering the fact that he’s hotter than hell and is dating the stunningly pretty cheer-leader, Jennifer Gold. Little does Ellie know that when Will says, “I feel we have met before in a different lifetime”, it’s more than just a cheesy line!!!


Unlikely as it seems, the “Legend of Camelot” still lives on! Odd parallels between their current lives and the Arthurian Legend make cynical Ellie accept the fact that the long-dead King Arthur had been reincarnated as Will Wagner.As if that wasn’t freaky enough, Ellie appears to be ‘Elaine of Astolat’, born-again!!!


Avalon High seems to be teeming with historical characters and startling coincidences. As the dark forces rise once again to crush King Arthur, Ellie finds herself plunged headlong into devious plots and fatal situations.A fantastic blend of medieval magic and contemporary teen-angst, the book is packed with chilling surprises.


It manages to provide a spanking-new look at the life and times of one of the most discussed kings of history……Arthur Pendragon.

Northern Lights / The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, Book 1)

A small, vivacious 11-year Lyra Belacqua is a resident of Jordan College, Oxford. But it is an Oxford set in a universe parallel to our own. It is a different world, where a certain kind of magic works and where the unexplainable is nothing out of the ordinary.

It is a universe where every human being is accompanied by his dæmon…an embodiment of the individual’s soul. An animal form, it constantly shape-shifts (in the case of a child) which best represents the person’s current frame of mind.

Lyra, with her beloved dæmon Pantalaimon, is the quintessential wild-child. She believes that her parents were killed in an airship crash. Consequently she is reared by the scholars and residents of Jordan College. Her life is a mad whirl of inconsistent formal studies…running amok on the vast limitless grounds of Oxford, unearthing it’s hidden secrets…picking fights with the collegiates and the rough and hardy townspeople, called Gyptians. The one man she respects and fears in equal measures is her uncle, the powerful and saturnine Lord Asriel.

Her unending curiosity leads her to overhear a conversation between Lord Asriel and the resident scholars that will soon tumble her into a whirlpool of adventure, chaos and destruction. When her close friend, Roger the kitchen-boy goes missing (believed to be captured by a fiendish group called the Gobblers) Lyra vows to find him.

On the eve of her departure she is given a strange instrument.....an Alethiometer. A rare and painfully-intricate device, it turns out to be much more than just an ordinary compass. It is infact a truth-measurer and goes on to be a strong and worthy aid to a child on a seemingly impossible mission.

Her subsequent findings reveal that her search will end in the bleak and bitingly-cold North. Along the treacherous journey she encounters unique and multi-faceted characters….the deceptively charming Mrs.Coulter, the Gyptian chief, John Faa….wise and caring Farder Coram, the wise and eternally young witch Serafina Pekkala and the magnificent armored bear, Iorek Byrnison.

But the true pièce de résistance is the unique concept of DUST..... and it’s sinister and intriguing connection with theological concepts. When brilliant minds settle down to unravel nature’s mysteries, put their own twisted interpretations to religious doctrines and meddle with destiny……chaos reigns and supreme.

This is the first in a trilogy (HIS DARK MATERIALS) and it is a must-read for all who have savoured the mystical world’s of Narnia, Middle-Earth and Hogwarts.

THE PROPHET ~~~ Khalil Gibran

In an strange and mysterious land, a prophet is about to embark on a journey back to his homeland. He lacks material possessions....and yet, he wants to off er a token of his appreciation to the people who have housed him and provided him with love and affection.

So the gift he gives is valuable, simple insights into life, love, work, joy, sorrow and numerous other factors that we encounter in every-day life.

And thus begins Khalil Gibran's most appreciated work....The book is neatly divided into miniature chapters devoted to different subjects. The preacher does his desired job. Through charming comparisons, lucid words and a deep sense of understanding.........he delves into the minds of men and provides a way to deal with life and all it's little foibles.

While one reading is definately not enough...the one's that stayed in mind and made a bit of sense to my heathen soul are listed below:

ON MARRIAGE:

".....but let there be spaces in your togetherness

Love one another but make not a bond of love"

~~~

ON CHILDREN:

"You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you."

~~~

ON WORK:

"You have been told also life is darkness,

and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.

And I say that life is indeed darkness

save when there is urge,

And all urge is blind

save when there is knowledge.

And all knowledge is vain

save when there is work,

And all work is empty

save when there is love

And when you work with love

you bind yourself to yourself,

and to one another,

and to God"

~~~

ON REASON AND PASSION:

"Your reason and your passion are

the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul.

If either your sails or your rudder

be broken, you can but toss and drift,

or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas.

For reason, ruling alone,

is a force confining;

and passion, unattended,

is a flame that burns in it's own destruction.

Therefore let your soul exalt your reason

to the height of passion;

that it may sing;

And let it direct your passion with reason,

that your passion may live through its own

daily resurrection,

and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes."

~~~

ON RELIGION

"Your daily life is your temple

and your religion.

Whenever you enter into it

take with you your all."

~~~

ON JOY AND SORROW

"Your joy is your sorrow unmasked"

~~~

And so on and so forth........the little book is quite inspirational. And even if you do belong to the cynical brigade that scoffs at all things remotely spiritual, have a peek anyways. You come away feeling a little lighter and more at peace with all the chaos around you!

Undead And Unwed

And no, that is not a reference to my current status of singleton!! This was my first-read of the New Year and the most unexpected genre for me.....Paranormal Romance.

Normally, I shy away from anything remotely horrifying……blood and gore, severed body-parts, departure/return/makeover of the zombies/mummies/werewolves, calls from "inside-the house" and other such similar hair-raising and teeth-chattering stuff.

However, if you still have that reluctant fascination with the "nether-worlds" and need to snap out of the heebie-jeebies, then this is the way to go!!!

"Undead and Unwed", the first installment of a long-running series by Mary Janice Davidson is a hilarious parody of the oh-so-dark, Vampire World. And heading the proceedings is one of the whackiest characters to grace the horror marquee in a long time.

Meet Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Taylor, a six-feet tall, blonde ex-model and fashionista extraordinaire. She has just been sacked from her dead-end job and that too on her birthday. Since things are definitely going downhill, the day is made complete by Betsy getting hit by a car , smashing into a tree, fracturing essential body-parts and promptly dropping dead........

But rather than stay dead and go off to the great big Neimen-Marcus in the sky, she rises from her coffin and discovers that an unfortunate mugging incident in the past has turned her into a vampire. And not your ordinary garden-variety one either, but a super-amped Vampire Queen who can sashay easily into churches and withstand holy water, crosses and broad daylight. Armed with stupendous strength, magnified hearing, a remarkable sense of smell and all the other attractions that go with the (unwanted) job, Betsy soon realises that she will be a reluctant crusader for oppressed and subjugated vampires.

Dealing with a whole new lifestyle in your after-life is hard enough. But coupled with wise-cracking wannabe-sidekicks..... a nasty, sweaty centuries-old villain and a super-smooth, sinister yet easy-on-the eye romantic interest, Betsy soon realizes that "Rest-In-Peace" is really just.....A BIG FAT LIE!!

Smashing vampire myths left, right and center....."The Queen of The Undead" is vain, immature and not exactly the smartest cookie in the jar. But what she does possess is a smart-mouth, spunky attitude, witticisms galore, and the quintessential heart-of-gold.

A fun, leave-your-brains behind kind of book, this is an ideal read to drive away the winter-blues!!