Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Tiresome

For me, the 75th Hunger Games proved to be as tiresome, and no less unfulfilling, as the 74th. Barely have Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and her cohorts returned to their impoverished District 12 after their victory in Hunger Games 74 and embark on the victory tour when they’re caught up in President Snow’s plot to […]

Mass Hysteria for Hunger Games: Catching Fire

America has gone mad over the second installment of Hunger Games – Catching Fire. Starting Thursday, theaters across the U.S. are running a gazillion shows for Hunger Games: Catching Fire. I watched the first episode of Hunger Games and wasn’t impressed. But then I’m among the rare few that can distinguish class from crass! Why […]

White Valentine – Another Korean Gem

I stumbled upon the Korean film White Valentine (Hwaiteu ballenta-in, 1999) yesterday while desultorily scrolling through the selection of Asian movies on the streaming site Viki.com. Beautiful Jun Ji-hyun What grabbed my attention was the name of the movie. No serious movie buff would scroll past an alluring title like White Valentine without pausing, right? […]

SI Thrilled – Ram Leela Scores Big at BO

I’m pleased as punch! So pleased and thrilled that I’ve opened a bottle of Soju to celebrate, my poor health notwithstanding. Bollywood director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s lovely film Ram Leela has done remarkably well at the U.S. box office. Pssst, Ram Leela has done better than even the super-hero film Krrish 3. For the opening […]

Cockburn on a Corporate Cocksucker

I don’t think Obama is a real fighter. He’s too pretty, and he doesn’t want to get his looks messed up. – Writer Alexander Cockburn on Barack Obama (in 2008) Source: New York Times, November 12, 2013 The majority, including, alas, yours truly, were taken in by Barack Obama. Irish-American writer Alexander Cockburn was among […]