A little nostalgia

Did you know Jurassic Park was released in 1993??? 25 years ago!!

Gosh, I should say, I feel old. But you know what, I actually don’t. I still remember sitting in my seat for Jurassic Park in iconic Eros theater exploring the independence of being allowed to go out for movies with my friends and no chaperone... well one chaperone!

I remember being scared, looking over my shoulders and rationalizing that this could really happen in the future! Dino's felt real, the movie felt real and the fright of the shaking Jello as the Dino walked... felt real. It made me read most of the Michael Chricton books at the time

And it's this nostalgia that makes me go back for-every-single-movie-installment over the past 25 years. Even though its not Steven Speilberg! My husband happily obliges every few years and this time around, we made it to the preview show, sitting in the front rows and enjoying the pop corn.

The movie had too many people and very few dino's. And the dino's that were there were shown locked up for the better part of the movie. There were lesser scary scenes and more empathy scenes towards the Dino. Of course the Dino's were bad, some good, some massive and some cute critters just because! But nostalgia makes me like the movie none the less!

As I sat in the theater on the preview night, I was again a little kid sitting in the theater, but this time with no chaperone.

I am awaiting the 2021 edition of the movie and I imagine, My little dino's holding their hand as they experience the Fright of the T-rex with me as their chaperone of course!

The feel good ones

Here's the thing about feel good movies, you can watch them over and over again and you always finish with a smile.

Top ones on my list are- Serendipity, P.S. I Love you, Hum Tum and  of course Something's gotta give.

Recently on a long flight,  no better thing than watching a movie you can never go wrong with. I watched 'something's gotta give' for the millionth time!

But some how this time when I watched it, I payed a lot more attention. The subtleties, the contrast, the difference but still the unity in the movie is brilliant.

She likes French music, he owns a hip hop record label. She considers herself older than she is, and he is the suave, makes you weak in the knees type of 63 years old. The house, she is all white, beach house and serene. And he is in the middle of the city, all black, exciting. Her sheets are white, his black. His floor is multi levelled, and hers single  storied. She is not scared of being in love and he cant even commit to sleeping on the same bed. And the best difference in them. She is a Mac and he a PC.

I mean seriously?

Brilliant movie, brilliant casting and this time after watching it, my love for the movie grew a tad bit more! Till next time!

Recovering...

From a very delightful weekend. This weekend goes in one of those I call: "Memorable".
It ranges from lone time in rajai, a good book "Lunch In Paris" and warm tea to all the hooligan madness of Holi which I played after a decade and was V's first time as well. Good times. We met a lot of friends, enjoyed family brunches which took me back to India just like I was at my parents home, we stayed in bed and cuddled V and had V jump all over the bed with a monkey in her hand. We went for a movie Hop with V thanks to Allied Integrated Marketing (AIM) for offering preview tickets to my family just in time for Easter. It is a delightful movie for kids. Wait for April 1 and then definitely take the kiddos for it. We enjoyed a lovely Holi dinner with friends and smacked on the yummiest Pakoda Kadhi ever. Seriously Ever. It was fun seeing the kids just go round and round and sing 'I Like to Move it, move it" thanks to the Madagascar Show we went for.
Yes all in a weekend!
It was wonderful.
A city is not fun for the weather, the rents, and the tourist attractions. It is fun with the people that surround you and make the experience memorable. I am happy to report, as a family we are blessed with delightful friends and lots of shoulders to carry V around when she just wants a little extra 'hugs'.
As I always say: I heart Chicago

I am a movie snob!

There I said it!
I call it: "I have low tolerance for crappy Hindi movies" but.. I have been told (to some extent rightly) I am movie snob.
I can’t just pop any movie on DVD/ In Netflix or go in theaters and come out happy. I need to do my research, get feedback, possibly read Wiki about the said Hindi Movie and then say- Hmm.
Minus the cult classics and the ones I KNOW will have to be watched no matter what, I am a movie snob!
Sumit on the other hand is a movie addict. Any movie, he'll watch it. Sleep through it, wake up, rewind and watch it again. I think the only movie he willingly turned off in less than 30 minutes was Kites.
But back to the point- He is my movie list creator. He will watch a lot of movies and then shortlist the ones that I should/ must watch. Then he will watch it again with me and really be tensed through it- hoping, that I am enjoying the movie.
Now cut me some slack, I am not tyrannical- I won’t be cussing or shouting- "What the hell is this!" But he will know- The shudder, the eye roll, the quick yawn! And I feel bad for him, I really do. Poor fellow. Yes now you can sympathize with him.
So after all his hard work of creating my “Must Watch List that snobby Garima might enjoy”- I am happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed the following
- Atithi tum kab jaaoge
- LSD
- Band Baaja Baraat (Loved this one…. A lot! A refreshing change.)
(And please excuse that I am reporting not recent movies now.... my snobbery has resulted me in watching them now)
The next on my must watch list (prepared painstakingly by husband!) is
- Phus gaya re Obama
There are others which are under review and will be shortlisted for my viewing pleasure shortly.
Sumit, Thanks a million for being patient and finding that one real gem of a movie in the tens of movies you endure. I love you for supporting my 'movie snobbery'

Note 1: There are others that need notable mention like-
Rajneeti (minus the crappy ending- Imagine this ending: They show Katrina as the politico and giving the shrewd look, like take that, it was my master plan to begin with!)

Note 2: Cult classics to me are movies which I can watch anytime, over and over again- Sarkar, OSO, Golmaal, Kabhi Kabhi, Silsila, Andaaz Apna Apna, Yuva, Omkara, K2H2, DDLJ, the 70's 80's generation movies. I am sucker for those... aaah.> Dharam in his romantic roles- Chupke Chupke ANyone. Amitabh in any of his roles. ..> I even enjoyed Shahn Shah, Rishi in the amazing amazing amazing chocolate lover boy with a soul, and the music of his movies... D. Anand- older classics.. and nothing can beat those

Note 3: For new releases.... I might watch them; it is very 'on mood'. Recently a bunch of my girls were going for No One Killed Jessica... and I bailed out last minute. I really was in mood for a lighter movie instead! But now that it’s on Netflix, I did watch it after ample feedback!

Note 4: Yes, I am pampered! Any recommendations from you, promise I wont bite!

Pre-conceived notions are sometimes wrong

Especially about movies

Case in Point: Star Trek.

Hubby watched it and recommended I watch it as well. Me, having my pre-conceived notion about it said: Oh no, I'd rather not. I don’t know the different characters and somehow have not followed the series. He was like, that’s exactly what I thought, but it’s really nice and you must watch it.
And I did, I loved it, every minute of it. The story, the graphics, the language, the alternate-reality concept, the thought and above all the line "Vulcan culture is preserved but we have lost a civilization"
Very nice movie... I am now contemplating catching up on the series. Let’s see.

Second case in Point: Sherlock Holmes.
I had read a few of Sherlock Holmes series as a kid. I enjoyed them then. Above all FB and other review sources didn’t speak highly about the movie. So I was double minded. But, on a snowed in Xmas afternoon with cozy blanket, it seemed like a perfect choice. And I enjoyed the movie a lot. I loved the simplicity and above all the depth that the different characters portrayed in the movie. I loved the representation and how small details can reveal so much about a person. Nice movie.

So that’s what my Xmas weekend was. Daughter enjoyed the new play-blender immensely. And we enjoyed good board games and then some more board games. Nice lazy weekend!

So, tell me which movies recently unexpectedly exceeded your expectations?