Happy Wednesday!!! I am still up at the lake house, but being lazy. So all I am doing is sitting on the couch/porch watching the lake. Still better than being in the city!
I’ll start!
Watching: Finished the first season of Loki, that was a trip! And the new season of Modern Miss Fisher, still recommend it. And in the middle of watching Toofan, yes I will be reviewing it.
Reading: I’m dabbling in Ngaio Marsh. She’s fun, your standard 1930s gentleman detective who works for Scotland Yard kind of stories, but well-written and good mysteries and stuff. And very soothing, as these books always are, because the worst thing that happens is a murder but then the murderer is caught and life goes back to normal.
Thinking: I am psyching myself up for hosting this Saturday. I invited a co-worker up to the lake house with her two kids, 10 and 9, who have been trapped in house arrest for the past year and a half (her son is a transplant survivor so they really can’t do ANYTHING). I am anticipating an enormous burst of energy and emotion as the excitement of seeing people who are not-relatives at a place that is not-home comes upon them. It’s gonna be like trying to steer a car without brakes.
Listening: Himesh Resha-whats-it’s birthday is coming up! I really like his soundtrack for Son of Sardaar.
Now, question for you! First, for those of you with children, beyond having lots of caffeine and preparing my interested “yes, show me again how you can stand on your head/count to 100/run really fast” face, what else should I do to prepare to be the exciting non-parental adult?
Second, it’s Naseerji’s birthday week!!! What is your favorite Naseerji movie/performance?
I like Asambhav! It’s a big dumb action movie with Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra and Naseerji and Tom Alter get to play aging gangsters and best buddies and you can see they are just having the BEST time.
dontcallitbollywood 
Govinda has a new wig/hairpiece and I HATE IT. The hairline is weird, it’s flat, the colour is awful and the texture is weird. I wish I could submit a complaint somewhere. Every time I see it I just get really angry.
Anyway, guess what I’m watching? Surprise, it’s more Christopher Lee movies, all of them bad.
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How many movies did that man make????
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Either 213 or 281 according to wikipedia and imdb respectively. That’s more than Shashi Kapoor! Although obviously Shashi’s career was like 40 years shorter.
I keep unearthing all these weird obscure ones in fan rec lists, and they always have some super weird detail that makes them irresistible even though I really should know better.
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So happy you will be reviewing Toofan. I was expecting a lot from Farhan after Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and don’t think I got it. First half was fine, then…I don’t know, a different movie?
As to the kids, I have 10 and 12 year old grandsons. They visit with their phones and I don’t have to do a thing but make sure they put them down long enuf to eat.
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Yeah, and even first half wasn’t as good as it could be. Second half was weird. Sultan had a similar structure, but SO MUCH BETTER DONE!!!!
I think these kids are more likely sick of devices, after a year and a half inside. Their Mom warned me to expect running, screaming, and crying.
On Wed, Jul 21, 2021 at 9:10 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I just finished watching the second season of Never Have I Ever and it was BRILLIANT! Anyone who wants to disagree with me can bring it on!
I also just finished watching Midnight Run, which was a perfect road trip screw ball comedy and State of Play, which annoyed me beyond belief!!!
Favorite Naseeruddin Shah movie without thinking too much is probably Karma!
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I always hear people saying “hey, Midnight Run! It’s pretty good!” And here you are, another person. I shall watch that someday, and Never Have I Ever, and avoid State of Play.
Also, this Karma?
On Wed, Jul 21, 2021 at 11:02 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Ha! Yes, that Karma. No one besides me would pick that as their favorite Naseeruddin Shah film and if I were to think more I’m sure I could come up with others but he is over the top in it but also touching and I love it. I think he does so well with an ensemble cast. He stands out without taking away from others. Plus, the movie has Dilip Kumar in it so maybe that’s also why it was on my mind.
My dad recommended we watch Midnight Run on his last day here because he remembered it being very entertaining. And guess what, he was actually right. It’s just plain fun!
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Favorite Naseer movie is probably Masoom. Urmila posted this sweet photo wishing him. I love the fact that he’s played father to both kid and adult Urmila.
Love him as an actor, and it’s always entertaining to read his opinions, because he’s such a singular personality. He’s taken potshots or thrown shades at all major stars, commercial cinema, the industry, because he just doesn’t seem to grasp the way people view and relate to films and stars in India. He is like the grumpy uncle of Bollywood who makes you mad at times, but you can’t stay mad for long!
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I really wanted to pick Masoom for this Friday! But it is so LOOOONG! Much longer than I realized, which is a compliment, because while watching it felt like the time just flew by.
On Wed, Jul 21, 2021 at 6:00 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Apart from a brief detour for Haseen Dilruba, I’m only watching old Hollywood classics. Watched some Barbara Stanwyck-Henry Fonda movies, some of the Thin Man movies, few more Hitchcock ones, and some Cary Grant of course. There’s something soothing about being immersed in such a different time. The charisma, the star-quality of some of the stars – I didn’t realize I would find this world so enjoyable, being such a novice until recently!
The ending of Haseen Dilruba was spoiled for me, so I couldn’t experience it the way it was meant to, but it was still fun. I have to say Taapsee was the hottest of the three leads, right? Her outfits were beautiful and she wore them so well.
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Have you watched The Mad Miss Manton? I love The Mad Miss Manton! I know it’s not as good as The Lady Eve, but I still love it. Also, check out Ball of Fire if you haven’t yet, sooooooo sexy and delightful.
I love all the Thin Man movies, but After The Thin Man might be my favorite. That’s the one with Jimmy Stewart. Try just watching every single Preston Sturges movie, he did The Lady Eve, and all his stuff is amazing. Sullivan’s Travels clearly helped inspire Pyaasa, and Palm Beach Story, Miracle of Morgan’s Creek, Hail the Conquering Hero are just all time classics. the rest of his stuff is a bit too weird, but those 4 are brilliant.
Also, try to find The More the Merrier if you can. And Easy Living. And Three Smart Girls. And thank you! Thinking about all these movies cheered me right up! I love them.
If you want something musical and different, try Good News. Peter Lawford is dreamy.
On Thu, Jul 22, 2021 at 11:19 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Thank you for all the recommendations! Yes I loved Miss Manton and I think I like it even more than Lady Eve! Lady Eve was such a complete Barbara Stanwyck show that everyone else paled in front of her. Hence I enjoyed the chemistry more in Miss Manton. I watched the first three Thin Man movies and I too liked After the Thin Man best. I felt like such a fool when it got to the end because I keep forgetting the rule that the most famous person in the cast is always the culprit! I’d like to see more of Jimmy Stewart, I’ve only seen Shop Around the Corner (delightful!) and Rear Window.
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Let’s see, Jimmy Stewart. Going backwards through his filmography from most recent to oldest, here are the ones I like: Bell Book and Candle (Jimmy Stewart and a Witch in 1960s New York), Harvey (small town story about a man who sees a giant rabbit), You Can’t Take it With You (Rich young man falls in love with a woman from an eccentric family), Vivacious Lady (Botany Professor falls for showgirl). There’s also Mr. Smith Goes to Washington which I don’t like as much myself but is his classic, and Destry Rides Again.
The Ex-Mrs. Bradford is a super fun pseudo Thin Man movie with William Powell and Jean Arthur. And since you liked the Mad Miss Manton, I’ll give you another one from my “obscure but I like them” collection, Something to Sing About.
And of course, here is my Mad Miss Manton rewrite: https://dontcallitbollywood.com/2018/09/16/silly-sunday-quickie-recasting-writing-of-stuff-only-i-care-about-murder-she-wrote-terry-pratchett-and-shahrukh-khan-and-mad-miss-manton/
On Thu, Jul 22, 2021 at 1:53 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Oo the Thin Man! You guys keep liking stuff I like, as well scads of stuff I’ve never even heard of, this is great! Love Ngaio Marsh, the theatre ones may be my favourites, her love of behind the scenes life shines through.
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I am so enjoying Ngaio Marsh! Partly because they are so light and fast, I can find out who the murderer is in just a few hours of reading.
On Thu, Jul 22, 2021 at 4:54 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I randomly picked The More the Merrier from your list and was looking it up. It’s nice when I can connect movies and actors to other things I’ve seen. Jean Arthur was with Cary Grant in Only Angels Have Wings and Talk of the Town (both good!) and Joel McCrea I just saw in Foreign Correspondent. And Cary Grant stars in the remake, ha!
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I love the More the Merrier! And if you haven’t seen Walk Don’t Run yet, you should, I love that one almost as much as the More the Merrier.
On Thu, Jul 22, 2021 at 6:16 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Taapsee was so sexy! And I loved how her character used clothes to communicate – the cleavage flash, the dressed up saree when she wanted to draw attention or assert herself, the sexy lounge wear in the bedroom, comfy jeans when she switched to action mode.
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And once she and Rishu made up, she hardly wore make-up, no need to dress sexy when she felt sexy.
On Thu, Jul 22, 2021 at 11:43 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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