This is it

2 weeks limited release, last moments of Micheal "wierdo" Jackson on stage etc etc. It was too ghoulish for me to even think of going. Besides I could catch it on DVD and if the producers were greedy (as they always are) it will run again. But on the last day, for the last show, I was convinced to go watch it. Now I must mention here that I watched it at Inox Chennai and it had the worst screen in my experience, dirty, splotchy and grainy. For 30 rupees I have watched many a movie on a better screen, in my thatch roof movie hall in Angadipuram.
Back to the movie or documentary or obituary or whatever it was. It started with a Star War like description . I was already fidgeting in my seat, wary about what was going to come on next. I was always immensely discomfited by Micheal's (I'm on some other planet) interviews and scary plastic face. A black man turned into a zombie from one of his earlier Thriller video turned into chimpanzee lover, elvis son in law, brooke sheilds date etc. Plus there were all the pedophilia rumors and lawsuits. He had turned into one of the worst examples of celebrity excess and scandals.

I was pleasantly surprised. It was not a documentary or an obituary or a movie. It was just Michael, doing what he does best - sing, dance, innovate and entertain. All done very professionally, creatively and with a lot of passion and politeness. In all the stomach turning revelations and wtf moments we had forgotten his genius. The songs that we would have played a hundred times, the moves that every kid on every street corner in the world had memorised. We had forgotten his creativity and his breaking of barriers. For the length of this homage, when song after song that made him what he was, played, I forgot to hate him and be repulsed by him, but just enjoyed, got entertained and of course, felt the love.

The very few snatches of conversation there are, just illustrates (deliberately edited by the director or not) that he still had it. Ideas that seemed brilliant in contrast to the stupid choices he made in life. He was polite and surprisingly agile for his age. He danced with the best dancers in the world unintimadated and still shone.  I must say though it is very weird to see a white looking man dancing very black, if you know what I mean. He didn't have the manic energy that characterises a usual Micheal Jackson show but he was great. I'm disturbed to say, I loved every moment of it. I tapped my feet, sang along and laughed. God Bless You, Michael wherever you are.

The Hollow Man by Dan Simmons

I actually bought this book fueled by Mr Stephen (I have written and sold a million books and movie rights) King's blurb. The description at the back was intriguing and it was a rainy evening, perfect for a cup of hot coffee and a semi intelligent book.
Well, for once(and maybe the last time) I thanked my higher mathematics education, for about 2/3'rds of the book was pure mathematics. Sine waves, and fourier forms and equation struggled with the written word, just as the protagonists wife did. It was a sci fi, fantasy, drama, mind reading rollercoaster rolled with a thick layer of hardly believable mathematics. But he did hold my attention and some of the theories seemed good. The science in the science fiction or rather maths fiction was great, the garnish or religious comparison was reasonable(I even went a step further and compared it with Hinduism- with the same results)
The plot in itself is ok, its a very badly stitched together character driven story, sometimes looking very laboured.A mind reading couple torn apart by death. The man leaving everything and going on a journey that puts him through hell and back, all the while going back to the story of him meeting his wife and his mathematical research into explaining every damn shit on earth. It all holds together -but barely. The ending was not surprising. All in all 5/10

Kandein Kathalai

A very faihful translation of a Hindi movie into Tamil. If you have seen Jab we met, then ignore this movie. Even Kareena's costumes are copied by Tamannah, who if it wasn't for her fresh looks and peaches and cream complexion(thanks to ponds cream)would have been the most irritating actress in recent movies. Bharat is the usual with an extra 5 kgs of biceps and triceps. I got the feeling he was trying to imitate surya- the corp head in Ghajini. The other thing about Bharat,I dont know if you have noticed are certain very weird protrusions on his face. Namely the nose and lips, both look like they have been stung by bees. Bee stung lips may be the craze, but among the female of the species, darling Bharat. And rhinoplasty could be savior, since you already seem to be enjoying the benefits of lip plumpers.

Back to the movie, Santhanam saves the day and if you did not pay for the overly priced, last row tickets like I did, you may even go back home satisfied at a timepass movie.