Happy Good Friday! I am celebrating by seeing Arjit Singh live tonight (WOOT!!!!). But I don’t want to totally ignore the massive religious celebration going on all over the world. So, in honor of Jesus, let’s look at some hot men. Who kind of look like Jesus (as presented in American pop culture).
Long time readers may have noticed that my news round-up posts have been less common lately. I am sooooooooo busy writing up Hindi Film 101 and answering Monday questions and all my other new-ish features that I haven’t had as much time for news. But today there were two big things that I just can’t ignore! Both of which I learned about through twitter (I do still follow @iamsrk and @karanjohar and all the other big newsmakers of the industry)
Thank goodness for Netflix! I can get this movie on DVD and watch it at double-speed and finally check it off my Shahrukh list. Without all the pain of actually paying for it, even as an individual rental.
I don’t know what was up this winter, but everyone I know got sick! I got sick twice, and like really really sick, not just “a little tickle in the throat” sick. And among my friends I heard everything from bronchitis to walking pneumonia. But it is supposed to be over now! Right? Because it is officially Spring? And to celebrate, lets have one last orgy of Vitamin C!
Is that a controversial statement? Not the birthday part (can’t really deny that), but the best SRK-Rani part? I don’t think so, they’ve worked together a lot, but they haven’t actually been the main “jodi” in most of their films. It’s really just this one and Paheli and Kabhi Alveda Na Kehna. So, okay, you can fight with me over whether this is a better movie or Paheli or Kabhi Alveda Na Kehna.
(this is an updated post from last year) To celebrate this strange Valentine’s in the middle of the week, here are some strange love songs in the middle of movies that really shouldn’t have love songs. If you follow a strictly Only Romances rule, you may never even see them!
Thanks to the nice commentators here, I was alerted that Shahrukh had just done a podcast with AIB, and it was a hoot! I watched the whole thing, in two parts, and it was very enjoyable. But most of it was in the kind of “it’s the way he said it” way, so I can’t exactly recreate it. But there were 5 interesting things that came up that I want to discuss.
Is this just a thing now? Shahrukh always keeps back one song for luck, and then posts it a week later? Because he’s done it again!
Part 5! I always forget how much faster it moves once I get into the second half. Because I’ve already done all my discussion of the underlying motivations and blah blah, and I can skip all that. I have great hopes of finishing entirely in one more part! (part 1 here and part 2 here and part 3 here and part 4 here)
I took a couple days off, because I had to go see Raees again which killed 5 hours (travel to the theater and back plus trailers), which was also my 5 hours when I could have been writing recaps. But now I am back! And hoping to get well into Shahrukh and Nawazuddin’s first mental duel. (part 1 here and part 2 here)
That statement is less impressive than it sounds, because I am counting a song and a “song” that comes right next to it. But I’m going to try to move even further past that as well, we’ll see how I do. (part 1 here)
Okay, I did a mini-spoiler review, a no spoiler review, and a full spoiler review. Now it’s time for the scene by scene shot by shot breakdown!
So, I saw Raees for the second time last night! Some things were better on this watch, and some things were worse. But, knowing how it ends, I was able to pay more attention to various hints and clues that were dropped along the way, and I think I have a better sense of how the whole thing was built piece by piece. So I can do my “real” spoiler review, instead of just a mini one.
I already put up a quick SPOILERS review late last night for everyone who’s already seen the film, now I want to put up a NO SPOILERS version for those of you who are debating whether or not you want to watch it.
I’m tired, it’s late, but I also really want to start talking about Raees with you guys! And I want to do it in a place where we won’t spoil it for those poor people who haven’t been able to see it yet. And thus, a mini-review! I still get to write and put up a better review sometime tomorrow, but this is just something to hold you over until then.
I’m just going to say it, Deewar is the best written film in the history of Hindi cinema. It deserves an epic detailed perfect discussion. That is not this post. This post is a very superficial and not detailed discussion as it relates to the upcoming release of Raees.
The final (probably) Raees song has just been released. And it is the Mika Singh song that is apparently required in every hit film now (Mika or Yo Yo or Badshah). Tough and a little Bhangra mixed with hip-hop sounding. Less hip-hop in this case, more 80s style.
Happy Raees Week! I was considering not even including Don as an option, because it was so extremely different from the kind of film it looks like this will be. But on the other hand, it is Shahrukh’s most famous “bad” role, so I really should talk about it.
Let’s see, I need something really phenomenal this week, don’t I? Hmmm. Hmmm. Oh! I have it! A new twist on the original classic!
DVDs are out, yaaaaay! And I was able to watch the deleted scenes! And now I can report back on them, so you don’t have to go out and buy your own DVD.
UPDATE: And I forced my friend who understands Hindi to watch and give me better translations too!!!!
Is that his last gangster role? It feels like it is anyway. Not counting Don, where he is more a kind of globalized loner gangster, and less a gritty street fighter gangster. Which is what he plays here. Very very poorly. This is not a good movie.
I just watched Dear Zindagi straight through for the 5th time. With my friend who missed it in theaters. And who had also suffered through Josh with me on an earlier movie night. And suddenly, IT ALL MADE SENSE!!!!
dontcallitbollywood 