I watched Govindaya Namaha in Milpitas, California. It was a pleasant experience watching with other Kannadigas. I enjoyed the movie. If you like Jaggesh/Komal type of humor, then this is the movie for you.The movie is a delight and is light hearted fun. The humor is not crude, even those involving double entendre. It is a treat to watch Komal's comic touch as well as his natural acting during emotional situations. Songs are good. Pyarge agbbittaite takes the cake. What I liked most was that it was original Kannada movie. Pavan Wadeyar has done a commendable job with story, screen play, dialogs and direction.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Movie Review: The Descendants (2011)
Title: Descendants (2011)
Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Robert Forster
Story: Kaui Hart Hemmings (Novel)
Director: Alexander Paine
Verdict: I loved this movie. I thought it was a very realistic portrayal of how a dysfunctional family deals with its problems. The movie is sincere and does not indulge in escapism. The film has some inappropriate language and behavior - some even by children. But that is consistent with the plot. Great performances by George Clooney and others. The director has managed to insert a layer of comedy in this movie about a serious topic.
Score: 8 out of 10
Descendants is a very powerful movie about familial relationships and bonding. It starts with the protagonist Matt King played by Hawaiian Resident George Clooney attending to his comatose wife who was injured in a surfing accident during his absence. Matt has a teenage daughter and a preteen daughter. As the movie progresses we see that his is a totally dysfunctional family. Matt's absence as a father due to his preoccupation with his business as a lawyer, is a prime factor. Matt now wants to change and be a good husband and father. But since his wife is in coma he now goes on to being a parent and finds himself at a loss not knowing how to do the things parents do. Add to this, his wayward teenage daughter and her equally juvenile boy friend and he is under tremendous pressure.
At the same time Matt is also attending to a family inheritance issue. He is the trustee of an ancestral property which dates back to several generations of his family - the King family. All the descendants of the King family are about to make a momentous decision to sell the property.
The above plot provides the framework to explore family ties, parenting and interactions with rebellious kids. There are many situations in the movie in which the kids' behave so obnoxious that I was getting angry at the kids. It was very good to see how the characters in the movie handle them.
Even though the movie deals with a serious theme, there is a lot black comedy that comes out when the characters deal with their difficult situations.
The acting is superb. George Clooney plays to perfection the role of a harried father. Shailene Woodley as the teenage daughter turns in a mature performance especially since her character has to display wide and disparate behaviour and emotions. Robert Forster as Matt's father-in-law, Nick Krause as the immature boyfriend. Amara Miller as the preteen daughter and others turn in good performances.
The movie is sincere and does not indulge in escapism. It gives a very realistic portrayal of how a dysfunctional family deals with its problems.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Raising Feminist Boys and Confident Girls
On this mother's day, I salute all mothers who are raising their children to be sensitive to gender equality.
These are my thoughts after hearing Anna Quindlen the author of a new book 'Lots of candles and plenty of cake'. She is a Pulitzer prize winning columnist for New York Times. She was being interviewed by Terry Gross on Fresh Air on NPR. She is an active feminist and a mother of two boys.
She talked about the disadvantages of being a female in the US culture. She mentioned that girls are told that they are not capable of doing certain things and are not allowed to develop the same level of confidence that a male child gets. So she decided to raise her boys as feminist boys. Then she went on to explain that such boys would treat women as equals. Other than that she has taught her boys not to expect special treatment because they are white men.
Lot of thoughts went through my mind on hearing those comments. The one that hit closest was the view that girls are at a disadvantage in the US. Since I have two girls I did worry if it is going to be very challenging to them to compete with men - let alone white men, who the author alleges, have a certain entitlement mentality. America is thought to be the most advanced nation in the world. One would think that being a woman would be easier in US. So it is puzzling to me when Americans lament with statements like 'in a conservative culture likes ours'.
To it's credit women enjoy lot more freedom and equality in US than in most countries in the world. Women have also demonstrated their capabilities by reaching higher positions in the corporate as well as in public life in US. So what does the author mean when she says women are told they can't do certain things? I am aware of the fact that women are driven to think that science and math are not for them. We see there is a strong imbalance in the science and technology areas, in favor of men. One study says that for every five persons graduating with a degree in science only one is female. I think this social conditioning depends on the environment in which the girl child grows up - home as well as external.
When I first noticed this situation I was puzzled. During my school and college days in India, the ratio of boys to girls in a class was roughly around 60 to 40. This was true even for engineering and medicine which required good understanding of science. Even though Indian women have lesser freedom and are subjected to greater neglect and ill treatment, I think women have established themselves well in the fields of science and math. In the medical field many expert doctors and surgeons are women. In the corporate world it is common to see women engineers and bosses. This is more true in IT companies. In politics there are significant number of women Chief Ministers like Mayawathi, Jayalalitha, Sheila Dixit and Mamatha Banerjee. India even has the bragging rights for having had a woman president Prathibha Patil and an iconic and powerful Prime Minister in Indira Gandhi.
Such being the case I was puzzled by the fact an advanced country like US with impressive advances in women's social situation, would not pay attention to the fact that women are under represented in the work place. Not just that, according to the author, men act as if they are a gift from god. It appears that it is more than a man's world is US. Even when it comes to a man-woman relationship the woman appears to be the one who is trying hard to win the man. Going by popular media portrayal, middle aged single woman appear desperate to land a man. (Of course, media portrayal is not the true indicator and I hope it is incorrect. In the Indian context we have not seen middle aged women appearing to be desperate. There is an obvious explanation for this. Firstly women in India are more inhibited in these matters. Secondly there are not many middle aged single women in India)
How can this situation be improved? One way as the author Ana Quindlen says (whom I mentioned in beginning) is for mothers to raise feminist sons. That means such sons will be more sensitive to the idea of equality between the genders. The author even suggests that she reminds her sons that they need to be extra mindful of the fact that they have a lot of privilege being white men in America and they should be cautious about not taking undue advantage of it.
In the Indian context parenting is still more traditional than scientific. I mean people raise their children based on how they themselves were brought up. They may change their ways in keeping with the times. For example they may allow their daughters more freedom that their parents did. I hope now parents are veering towards showing a deliberate interest in raising their children such that they are sensitive to women and treat everyone as equals. One need not fear that such children will turn out be less of a man. In fact there is an advantage, The author says her sons thank her for raising them as feminist boys by saying "Chicks dig it" . (OK, that is one valuable tip for all my brothers out there)
At the same time it is also important to raise girls in a way they turn out to be confident individuals. There is a lot of pressure from the society that tells girls that they should not try to break out of their traditional demeanor. This is what forces little girls to hide their intellectual abilities and pretend to be less smart in order to get popular. That is why from a very young age girls should be taught to confidently express their thoughts. They should be taught to expect respect and to have the conviction that their ideas and thoughts are valid and are worthy of consideration. Ask for their opinions and ideas. For example, if you want to play with your daughter, ask her what game she wants to play. And just agree to what she says. Avoid saying things like "I have a better idea". When playing with any child always let them win. Interact with them at their level. One very simple thing to do is kneel down to their height when you are talking to them. You appear less intimidating that way.
So on this mother's day I salute all moms who are teaching their boys to be sensitive women, resulting in creating men who will becomes and raise their daughters to be confident in their lives and in their interaction with their male counter parts.
These are my thoughts after hearing Anna Quindlen the author of a new book 'Lots of candles and plenty of cake'. She is a Pulitzer prize winning columnist for New York Times. She was being interviewed by Terry Gross on Fresh Air on NPR. She is an active feminist and a mother of two boys.
She talked about the disadvantages of being a female in the US culture. She mentioned that girls are told that they are not capable of doing certain things and are not allowed to develop the same level of confidence that a male child gets. So she decided to raise her boys as feminist boys. Then she went on to explain that such boys would treat women as equals. Other than that she has taught her boys not to expect special treatment because they are white men.
Lot of thoughts went through my mind on hearing those comments. The one that hit closest was the view that girls are at a disadvantage in the US. Since I have two girls I did worry if it is going to be very challenging to them to compete with men - let alone white men, who the author alleges, have a certain entitlement mentality. America is thought to be the most advanced nation in the world. One would think that being a woman would be easier in US. So it is puzzling to me when Americans lament with statements like 'in a conservative culture likes ours'.
To it's credit women enjoy lot more freedom and equality in US than in most countries in the world. Women have also demonstrated their capabilities by reaching higher positions in the corporate as well as in public life in US. So what does the author mean when she says women are told they can't do certain things? I am aware of the fact that women are driven to think that science and math are not for them. We see there is a strong imbalance in the science and technology areas, in favor of men. One study says that for every five persons graduating with a degree in science only one is female. I think this social conditioning depends on the environment in which the girl child grows up - home as well as external.
When I first noticed this situation I was puzzled. During my school and college days in India, the ratio of boys to girls in a class was roughly around 60 to 40. This was true even for engineering and medicine which required good understanding of science. Even though Indian women have lesser freedom and are subjected to greater neglect and ill treatment, I think women have established themselves well in the fields of science and math. In the medical field many expert doctors and surgeons are women. In the corporate world it is common to see women engineers and bosses. This is more true in IT companies. In politics there are significant number of women Chief Ministers like Mayawathi, Jayalalitha, Sheila Dixit and Mamatha Banerjee. India even has the bragging rights for having had a woman president Prathibha Patil and an iconic and powerful Prime Minister in Indira Gandhi.
Such being the case I was puzzled by the fact an advanced country like US with impressive advances in women's social situation, would not pay attention to the fact that women are under represented in the work place. Not just that, according to the author, men act as if they are a gift from god. It appears that it is more than a man's world is US. Even when it comes to a man-woman relationship the woman appears to be the one who is trying hard to win the man. Going by popular media portrayal, middle aged single woman appear desperate to land a man. (Of course, media portrayal is not the true indicator and I hope it is incorrect. In the Indian context we have not seen middle aged women appearing to be desperate. There is an obvious explanation for this. Firstly women in India are more inhibited in these matters. Secondly there are not many middle aged single women in India)
How can this situation be improved? One way as the author Ana Quindlen says (whom I mentioned in beginning) is for mothers to raise feminist sons. That means such sons will be more sensitive to the idea of equality between the genders. The author even suggests that she reminds her sons that they need to be extra mindful of the fact that they have a lot of privilege being white men in America and they should be cautious about not taking undue advantage of it.
In the Indian context parenting is still more traditional than scientific. I mean people raise their children based on how they themselves were brought up. They may change their ways in keeping with the times. For example they may allow their daughters more freedom that their parents did. I hope now parents are veering towards showing a deliberate interest in raising their children such that they are sensitive to women and treat everyone as equals. One need not fear that such children will turn out be less of a man. In fact there is an advantage, The author says her sons thank her for raising them as feminist boys by saying "Chicks dig it" . (OK, that is one valuable tip for all my brothers out there)
At the same time it is also important to raise girls in a way they turn out to be confident individuals. There is a lot of pressure from the society that tells girls that they should not try to break out of their traditional demeanor. This is what forces little girls to hide their intellectual abilities and pretend to be less smart in order to get popular. That is why from a very young age girls should be taught to confidently express their thoughts. They should be taught to expect respect and to have the conviction that their ideas and thoughts are valid and are worthy of consideration. Ask for their opinions and ideas. For example, if you want to play with your daughter, ask her what game she wants to play. And just agree to what she says. Avoid saying things like "I have a better idea". When playing with any child always let them win. Interact with them at their level. One very simple thing to do is kneel down to their height when you are talking to them. You appear less intimidating that way.
So on this mother's day I salute all moms who are teaching their boys to be sensitive women, resulting in creating men who will becomes and raise their daughters to be confident in their lives and in their interaction with their male counter parts.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Movie Review: Miss Bala (2011 From Mexico)
Movie: Miss Bala (2011 From Mexico)
Starring: Stephanie Sigman, Noe Hernandez
Director: Gerardo Naranjo
Verdict: 8 out of 10. A gritty movie which shows the tough and violent life in Mexico,a victim of violent drug wars. It has the feel of 'City of God' (Brazil, 2002) and is equally effective.
Mexico is making really good movies these days. 'Miss Bala' loosely based on a real incident is one in that list. It is set in Baja California the Mexican side across San Diego in US. The plot involves a young woman Laura who is from poor working class background. Miss Bala refers to her attempt to contest and win the 'Miss Baja' beauty pageant. Unfortunately she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. When she and her friend go to a dance club they get caught in a shootout between rival gangs in the drug business. She becomes witness to this crime and as a result gets caught up in the web of drug mobs. As an innocent, helpless and simple minded young woman she becomes a pawn in the hands of a ruthless drug boss. Incidentally 'Miss Bala' means 'Miss Bullet'
The story itself is gritty. But the movie takes this story and does a fantastic job of laying bare the tough and violent side of Mexican society which is inflicting untold suffering on innocent people there, as a result of years of fighting between rival gangs and the ineffective and sometimes corrupt police. The movie has an exciting pace while paying attention to details. There is one shootout in a town square which is one of most fantastic scenes I have seen in such movies. The movie also exposes the involvement of the US in aiding the drug business in Mexico.
The acting by Stephanie Sigman who plays Laura is very delicate and she portrays conflicting emotions very beautifully. Noe Hernandez as the drug boss Lino, looks so menacing and real that it is hard to believe that he is acting.
The scenes are so full of detail and elaborate sequencing, one has to tip the hat to the script writer, photographer and sound departments of this movie. The director Gerardo Naranjo has set for himself an ambitious goal and I am convinced that he has achieved his goal in full measure.
Every time I see such movies I experience two emotions in tandem. I am first happy for the thrilling experience these movies offer but at the same time I can't help feeling a bit discouraged that I am just a constant spectator of such wonderful efforts. When will I be a player?
Ode To My Alma Mater UVCE
(I wrote this as a first post to the yahoo group which we created for the classmates at UVCE - 1988 Electronics batch. These are memories of my college days at UVCE. If you are from UVCE you may connect with some of my memories. Even other wise I hope you will find it interesting)
Ode To My Alma Mater UVCE
'twas an early morning in the winter of 83
with T-square on my shoulder, my mind clean and free
I put on my lab uniform and got on my cycle eagerly
And rode away to my new college called UVCE
BL Teraja wrote the bible for AC/DC
Having VKM, made it all the more EEEZ
Power electronics and material science had many repeaters
Babcock and Wilcox were boilers and not heaters.
Fortunately or unfortunately,
CNM scolded elaborately
While teaching the lab for Analytical chemistry
"It's a test-tube! Not a killer's dagger in a mystery"
Parabola hyperbola made you dizzy in the head
3 hours in the drawing hall, left you nearly dead
Chiseling and drilling was what we learnt in fitters
Smithy, carpentry and foundry was not for quitters
O how much I flip flopped the pages of Millman and Halkias
Wanting to digest the frequency response of coupled amplifias
15.2.36 is the magic formula they said
X is R, y is C, go to 4.3.5 to find out zed
Antennas by nayak at 720AM were very stressful
Last man when present you better be careful
achuth, akota and shEshaayee to escape his wrench
The safest bet was actually to sit in the first bench
At 225 outside the electronics lab
A bunch of students was waiting to grab
The few CROs which were so hard to trigger
But HSV did it, with his thumb and index finger
We cotton to electrical machines with BD
His dress was always white and tidy
You can digest back-emf, torque equation and motor speed
Watch the motion of his hands and that is all you need.
Reminiscing about those days makes my spirits lift
Lets all share what has been our gift
Please join in the effort to put back this 1988 troop
Welcome! Relax and enjoy in our UVCE_KATTE group
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The Killing
Watched the complete first season of AMC's 'The Killing' on Netflix streaming. It is set in gloomy, rainy Seattle. It is a murder mystery. It is slow paced but at the end of every episode I wanted to check the next one. It does not have a narrow focus of just solving the murder. Instead the show casts a wide net in which you see sub plots in the lives of its characters. In this show I like the detective work which is realistic but not necessarily glamorous. It has a cult following and I liked the first season. My Week with Marilyn
Watched the movie 'My week with Marilyn' (2011). It is based on the memoirs of Collin Clark. In 1956 Marilyn Monroe goes to England to make a film 'The Prince and the Show girl' with Lawrence Olivier . Collin Clark was the third assistant director to Sir Lawrence Olivier. Collin is a young British lad who is an ardent fan of Marilyn and during the movie shoot gets to interact with Marilyn a couple of times. The movie follows their romantic moments. Along with that, the movie also gives the viewer a glimpse into the life of Monroe - her glamorous personality, charm,her erratic behavior, insecurities and her hidden sadness. Great performances by Michelle Williams,Kenneth Branagh who received Oscar nominations. Others include Eddie Redmayne, Judi Dench. It is a pleasant movie.
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