Bye bye Munnabhai

In my imagination, there's at least one reader who is desperately awaiting my review of Lage Raho Munnabhai. Well, please exhale. Unfortunately, the fabulous folks who bring Hindi cinema to Nashville grossly underestimated the level of interest which resulted in only one showing that was sold out long before it started. Arrgghh! Note to organizers: Do not pull any poor planning drama when Dhoom2 comes to town because I will not be so easily deterred! (For obvious reasons.)

Furthermore, I was not alone in my dismay! Dear Susan and Rachel were suffering with me AND, if statistical samples are to be believed, it would be safe to assume that each disgruntled customer represents at least 10 more...

Finally, in a shallow attempt to get more dots on my ClustrMap, I have to ask, Are there any Bollyfans in upper Russia or central Africa? (Liberia, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia) Or Cabo (Cape) Verde for that matter? <--- shoutout to my Motherland!

Black Moment of the Week :0)

Similar to the Holocaust memorials in many major American cities, the US is finally getting on board by facing its own trangressions as a few historical sites plan memorials to American slaves.

One such site is The President's House, George Washington's former home in Philadelphia. The project is in the design phases. They've narrowed it down to five finalists. If you're in the area, you can vote on which ones you like best otherwise, you can check the designs out one the web here. (Click the name of an architectural firm on the left sidebar to see the team's design and description.)

I like this one. (It reminds me of pennies or something.) The transparent document is a copy of the slave census of 1799.

Black Moment of the Week :0(

I don't know if it's so much a sad moment for black people as it is a sad, sad moment for hip hop. In fact, before watching this video, if you have any love for hip hop at all, you should observe a moment of silence. I'm guessing Harlem is trying to compete with the ATL on lame beats and songs...

On the other hand, there is a part of me that is extremely grateful to see children doing a song and video that can be enjoyed by the whole family. (As long as no one's worried about killing their brain cells.) No foul language or raunchily inappropriate lyrics here! No siree! Just soup, soda, rain, and washing. Heck, we all know how much I appreciate dancing. So really, I guess what we have here is the new Loco-Motion. Mom would be proud...

Presenting: Chicken Noodle Soup (with a soda on the side) by 19-year-old DJ WebStar & Miss Little B.

Mission Kashmir (2000)

Strangely enough, when I popped this one in the dvd player, I hadn't realized I would be watching my second V.V. Chopra story of the month...

This is a really good film. There are things about this movie that are not very good but I made it to the credits with an overwhelmingly positive feeling. The cinematography was fabulous! Since Mission Kashmir features none other than Bollywood Boyfriend #1, (and I have too much time on my hands today), I've included several photo highlights with appropriate captions. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times...

1. Oh snap!

It's a prick, not a snake bite.

No nibbling on exposed digits allowed!

*Breathe! Breathe!*

2. The word is FoINE, not feminine!
Since I'm holding back, I will simply mention that this is one of the worst (best?) displays of diminished masculinity ever displayed on a non-drag queen. [Now obviously, I don't know the choreographer Rekha Prakash personally. However, should we ever meet, my first question will be: Was Leroy from Fame the inspiration for this particular dance piece?]
Boo, it's hard to keep defending you when stuff like this pops up. Good thing I'm loyal. ;0)

Furthermore, what's up with FIVE Rogers & Hammerstein dream sequences anyways?! Recognize. You only get ONE of those per film. [Truth be told, it's the head snap and alternating toe touch that's taking this move to George Michaelish proportions...]

3. If the genes fit...

[warning: ebonics ahead]
Why Hrithik mama (Sonali Kulkarni) look like Halle Berry play cousin?

4. Note to Hrithik:
Please, please do not ever, EVER come to my house in the middle of the night--soaking wet--staring through my window with puppy dog eyes.
I like Suzanne. Your wife seems like a really nice woman. Y'all got kids now and everything so--

I can't be letting you up in my house like this.

Most of all, I was impressed with Hrithik's acting. There's a scene where he convincingly confesses his love to Preity in one breath then with no sign of distress, makes two phone calls that set off a bombing. I don't like to cuss, but damn! damn! damn! That was cold! And far too well executed. Also, Hrithik opted to do that muscle spasm thing with his face (like in Krrish). How, I don't know. It does however, add credence to the distress of a horrifying nightmare.

All in all, I'm hoping I'm not just a sucker for adoption stories. At least I didn't cry this time...

Blogger Beta!

While there are things about the new Blogger that I like, once again I've discovered a drawback: I can no longer leave comments on any blogspot blog that has not been transferred to beta!!!

I'm not sure how much longer they expect users to suffer through this madness...

I want a Magic Hug!

In preparation for this weekend's viewing of Lage Raho Munnabhai at the Belcourt on Sunday, I pushed Munnabhai M.B.B.S. (2003) up the old Netflix cue.

SIDE NOTE: Does anyone else want to pimp slap the folks who disabled the chapter button at the beginning of EVERY Eros dvd?! Golly gee whitakers!!!

I liked this movie. It won't quite make it to my favorites list but it was pretty entertaining. I like the way Circuit beat the crap out of the other goons for every infraction. For some reason, that makes me laugh...I'm not in the mood to do a proper review so I'll pose a few poignant questions:

1. Have you hugged your janitor?
2. Why does Munna look like 60 years old, trying to kick it with a girl who might be 30? (Is that the casting director's fault, or does no one care?)
3. What the heck kind of name is Chinki?!?
4. Did Munna really need to cuss out all of the professors at the college?
5. Does Sanjay Dutt know he can't dance?
6. Most importantly, why did the lil' stripper girl at the hospital look like a bootleg Aaliyah? Inquiring minds want to know. I mean, were those cornrows in her head?!

Hopefully, I'll really enjoy the movie on Sunday. If not, I'm sure I'll enjoy talking through the whole film like I usually do.

Does it Matter?

On a regular basis, I read several Chinese forums and blogs written by/for expats. Over time I've become increasingly amused by the complaints of Westerners living as minorities in an overwhelmingly homogenous society for the first time in their lives. I don't have the energy to properly develop the parallels between their many statements about the unwillingness/inability of those in the majority so see beyond their characterizaton as "normal" and the subsequent effects of otherness on those who are not part of the majority with the sentiments expressed by minorities in the U.S. [An execellent example can be found here under the heading "A few of those bumps."]

The difference between China and America is the United States' ideological positioning as an inclusive, multicultural society. However, ask almost anybody who doesn't live in the US, and American=white. Like any disfunctional family, we in the US imagine ourselves to be something other than we are while comparing ourselves to more disfunctional societies around the world and patting ourselves on the back.

All this brings me the piece on black-white dating in the New York Times yesterday. It's called, Race Wasn't an Issue to Him, Which was an Issue to Me. (Check it out here.) The article talks about the desire, or lack therof, to engage in discussions about race and the effect that has on a dating/marriage relationship. I think her bottom line was, if you don't care to address issues of race, you shouldn't be in a relationship with someone who does. The author's point of view is interesting as her ex-husband is white.

Bombay (1995)

Ok, I won't make any sweeping generalizations about South Indian film based on the few I've seen but I will say that Mani Ratnam has a knack for keeping it grounded.

A few things I noticed:

• Manisha Koirala's character is ridiculously docile and submissive. (I’m not hatin’. I’m just sayin’.)
• LMAO on grandpa putting a tikka on the twins' heads when he sees the in-laws coming!
• The song with the kids asking for a baby is TOO cute!!
• Man in sari = scary! (I love how the kid is not the least bit freaked out though...)

[On a personal sidenote, I have to admit, my biological clock kicked in this year—right about May or June I think—and I’m not doing well with really cute kids between the ages of 4 and 7. I want to throw them over my shoulder and run home with them! They’re still small enough to be cute but big enough to wipe their own butts. Cute & clean - very much my style!]

So y’all, I'm watching the second half of this movie on my way to visit my family for vacation and I’m about to cry at the airport. I really can’t watch a little boy get trampled AND then see him lose his brother! OMG!!! I had to push pause.

Also moving, were the scenes where they're walking through the hospital/etc. searching for the twins. It reminded me of the Angolan film, O, Heroi when people were in standing in lines, waiting for an opportunity to inquire about family members they could no longer find.

Random Question: What's that song they’re singing at the Hindu rally? This is the 3rd or 4th time I’ve heard it and I feel like I should be singing along...

A new discovery

Hmmm. In trying to educate myself on the ways of South India, I stumbled upon this fellow: Vishal Krishna Reddy. There's so little information on him, it's rather disconcerting. Maybe he's so difficult to find because he only goes by his first name.

Apparently, he was in a film called Thimiru which, alas, is no where to be found on imdb.com or Netflix.

He looks so serious in this photo. I had seen a couple of other photos of him in which he reminded me of Hrithik, with less angular features.

Suffice it to say, I'm intrigued.

Beautiful Blackness

In a search for opportunities to "right" my historical wrongs, I realized that I've not shared any beautious black men. For shame! For shame!

Presenting:
Model, Tyson Beckford


Actor, Djimon Honsou


Actor, Boris Kodjoe