Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara—Reviewed!

Mili?

So I saw Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) today. If you're expecting me to go on about the value of life and how you must live each day as your last, I'm sorry, that's just not happening. Not right now, at least. I mean I do give spiels about life and how you must cherish it from time to time, but this movie didn't really make me go "OMG I GOTTA DO SOMETHING WITH MY LIFE!!!1!!!!1111"

After viewing the trailors and listening to the music from the movie, I knew that this movie will garner either of the two reactions from me—absolute hate or absolute love. Absolute hate because I am not really a big Hrithik Roshan fan. Ever since Dhoom 2, I've cringed each time he has opened his mouth to speak, specially in English, with that horrid accent (hey, he even pronounces his name Row-shun and not Raw-shun! Oh well...). In fact, I don't think I have even seen a Hrithik Roshan movie post Dhoom 2.

Absolute love because, well, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy made me fall in love with the music of this movie. Each track is quite hummable, especially Khwabon ke Parinday and Señorita. Also, the cinematography and the colour scheme of the movie (Quite The Hangover-ish, by the way) looked like a very promising premise. I still went to the movie with a clear and open mind, and decided to judge the movie only once it ended.

I won't spoil the movie for you guys, but the only thing I got out of the viewing experience was the fact that I want, nay, need, to go to Spain. What a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious place! I have been wanting to go there ever since I witnessed my beautiful La Furia Roja defeat The Netherlanders in the FIFA World Cup 2010, and ZNMD just gave me a bonus incentive of sorts. I have even prepared a 'Spain ka Dabba', where part of my salary will go towards saving up for a trip there! Kudos to you, Carlos Catalan, for that fabulous cinematography. The beautiful locales of Spain were made even more breathtaking, thanks to your camerawork. My favourite was how the La Tomatina festival at Buñol was shot. Beautiful.

The editing was great too, specially during the high-adrenaline scenes. Anand Subaya, I swear my heart was in my mouth during the sky diving scene in Seville. Wow, really. And the bull run at Pamplona. Phew. Neato Burrito!

Now, to the acting. Abhay Deol, what is up with that gay demeanour of yours? Not that I have a problem with homosexuals, but were you playing one in the movie? What happened? Apart from that, I like you. Really. I thought you were quite believable. Farhan Akhtar... that voice. Urgh. Like a frog mating with a cheese-grater. The cherry on top of this rancid cake is getting him to read out those poems on a regular interval through the movie. Good idea Zoya Akhtar. Not.

Hrithik left me pleasantly surprised. As mentioned above, not really a fan, but he got through the movie without annoying me once. No accent, not trying too hard, quite sweet, really. Katrina Kaif is beautiful, Kalki Koechlin needs braces, but yeah, overall, good stuff.

I believe the purpose of this movie relates to the title - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. For me, the purpose was defeated. I got more 'I need to do something with my life' out of The Bucket List (the 2008 comedy-drama starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) than I did with ZNMD.

So if you ask me how I liked the movie, I'd just go "Meh."

Go ahead, ask me!

Side note: Did you know that Katrina Kaif's introduction scene was shot on a nude beach? She wasn't naked, of course (did I just hear a de-boner?), but I wonder how shooting went that day.

Side Side note: At the theater, during the interval: Mom - "Bobby Deol ki acting kitni achchi hai." (referring to Abhay Deol). Me - "Haan, lekin mujhe Javed Akhtar ki acting achchi nahi lagi."

The Exorcist

Eep!

Let me begin by saying I am not a fan of the horror genre. In fact, on any normal day, I would not touch horror by a barge pole. I have religiously and happily avoided watching or reading anything that was remotely close to horror and I was quite pleased with my progress. Until...

I was reading a blog post around Halloween, where the entry spoke about must-read books from the horror genre. As I read the details about the books listed, I could not help but be intrigued. I had never really read a scary book (unless you count Goosebumps!) and the ones mentioned in the blog were downright classics. I finished reading and curiosity got the best of me - I ordered three books from flipkart. The Shining, The Exorcist and IT.

The first of the lot was The Shining by Stephen King. Stephen King is often times considered master of the horror genre, and has written several books in the same. The Shining is considered one of his best, and was made even more popular when Jack Nicholson played the role of Jack Torrance from the book. The book also received a mention in F.R.I.E.N.D.S, when Joey got so scared of the novel, he stored it in his freezer! After reading the book though, I wouldn't say that Joey may have exaggerated. The book is that scary. There are some truly spine-chilling moments in the book, where I felt my heart beating a thousand beats per second. There were also times when I put the book away because I was too scared to go further. In the end, however, I finished it, saw the movie version (didn't like it as much as the book!) and I felt satisfied!

Then came gulp The Exorcist. I remember seeing fragments of the movie version a long time ago. I knew the story, I knew what was to happen, yet I was not prepared for the book version. The way the author has described the paranormal, horrific incidents were so disturbing and revolting at times. I read the entire novel with a blank expression on my face, where my mom would ask me several times - what is wrong with you? As I reached the climax, I felt my hands going cold and trembling and finally the book ended, however my adrenalin rush would not settle. I swear I started hearing noises and felt movements. I could not sleep at night. I was thoroughly shaken. Will I see the movie though? Highly doubtful!

Now I am reading IT by Stephen King. The book is a massive 1376 pages, so it will take me some time to finish. But I'm sure I'm going to enjoy every bit of it.

So, have I become a horror convert? Perhaps!
Am I going to see horror movies? At present, HECK NO!

Aisha - The Review

Here's a confession for you - I love a good chick flick. They transport you to this wonderland of sorts where everything is possible. They all start happy chirpy, then there's a drop in the middle where the chick faces a moral dilemma, a climax where the hero and the chick kiss passionately, and a happy chirpy end. This tried and tested formula has been satisfying lonely, heartbroken girls for the longest time.

Then there are the bad ones. The ones that are so bad, you feel like tearing your hair apart in annoyance. You know the ones where, in spite of being so bad, you can't stop watching just because you've already seen it halfway. I saw Sex and the City 2 last week, and I was actually crying because it was so bad. But I will save my rant on the atrocious shitty movie for another post. This one's about Aisha.

To be honest, before I watching this movie, I had expected to absolutely hate it. (maybe SATC 2 has marred my chick flick experience for life?) I thought it will be 2 hours of L'Oreal, Christian Dior, Salvatore Ferragamo, Louis Vuitton; and how the chick can afford those shopping sprees and we can't. Honestly, it's a bit of that along with a so-called adaptation of Emma by Jane Austen.

Sonam Kapoor plays Aisha, the ditsy, nosey matchmaker from a rich Delhi background. Her best friend Pinky Bose (Ira Dubey) is mean, spunky and wears clothes that look like Andy Warhol threw up on them. Then there's Shefali Thakur (Amrita Puri), a talkative "behenji type" Haryanvi girl who has come to Delhi to find a boy for marriage. Aisha takes it up on her self to find a match for Shefali along with giving her a makeover (which includes 'subtle' L'Oreal product placements).

The men in this movie are Abhay Deol as Arjun Burman (who Sonam Kapoor calls Arjan throughout the movie with her weird accent), Aisha's next door neighbour and her complete antithesis. Cyrus Sahukar (cast brilliantly as Randhir Gambhir) is an heir to a mithai dynasty and has a soft spot for Aisha, but fights continuously with Pinky. Then there's the really really hot Dhruv Singh (Arunoday Singh..super smokin' hot shirtless!) who flirts outrageously with Aisha.

The movie basically involves Aisha's meddling ways in trying to get Shefali to hook up with guys she thinks are right for her. Arjun warns her of the consequences, but she doesn't listen. There are camping trips and people getting high, shopping, match making gone wrong, hot girl (Lisa Haydon) taking Arjun's time, making Aisha jealous, fights, punches, babies, more shopping, realizations, etc. etc. etc. Finally after two hours the movie ends, and I'm left thinking I've seen this movie before.

As it turns out, Aisha is not an adaptation of Emma, but an adaptation of Clueless, which was a 1995 comic adaptation of Emma. Clueless starred Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz, and Aisha's character is based on hers. I saw the movie again yesterday, and noticed a lot of scenes and character traits in Aisha have been lifted straight from Clueless.

On the technical side, the cinematography was horrid, some scenes being completely out of focus. Music is fun, upbeat and fresh, quite enjoyable. Cyrus Sahukar is fun to watch, Amrita Puri is annoying, Ira Dubey is bleh, Sonam Kapoor is ok but needs help with that accent and Abhay Deol is flawless (and useless at the same time!)

All in all, this one's an ok movie, can be enjoyed with a big group of girls. Guys, avoid.

Final three word review of Aisha: Clueless was better.

2/5

Love, Sex aur Dhoka - The Review

I was excited about the release of this movie for the longest time. Not a single known actor, and most importantly, the movie was shot in digital format - Security cameras, spy cams, digital video cameras - the whole shkabang. Finally, taking full advantage of the Vodafone Tuesday offer, I dragged my mum along to see the movie with me (no one else was available!)

I'm glad I took mum along with me, because anybody else would have been an irritant. She dozed off within 15 minutes of the movie, and I was caught in attention by every move the genius Dibakar Banerjee was making.

Love, Sex aur Dhoka challenges mainstream Bollywood movies, and their portryal of love. Dibakar has divided the movie into three parts, each part dedicated to love, sex and dhoka respectively, though all three parts have elements of each. All three stories and characters are interwoven with each other.

WARNING: Super Spoiler Alert. If you haven't seen the movie, don't read any further! Skip this section completely!

The first section is an out and out challenge to Bollywood's notion of love, how everything works out for the hero and heroine, against all odds. The young aspiring movie director who falls hopelessly in love with the daughter of a rich businessman, sounds cliched, doesn't it? The young man is a huge follower of the Yash Raj school of filmmaking, and his diploma movie 'Mehendi tere naam ki', is a tribute to 'Adi' Chopra. He falls in love with the lead actress so much so, that he even begins calling her Simran. So far, everything seems like the perfect Bollywood plot, even the leads begin to think so. Dibakar has juxtaposed real life versus the cotton candy Bollywood life wonderfully in the first section. However the love story ended, Dibakar simply left it on the audience to interpret and choose what life they'd like to live.

The second story is, I think, the best combination of all three parts - love, sex, aur dhoka. A broke 'MBA', a store clerk, and things that go bump in the night. What I took away from this section was that in such times, who do you trust? The person you love? Does he/she really love you? Can you let yourself go completely? Do things truly work out in the end? This part had some of the most risque dialogues and 'bold' scenes.

The third is all about 'dhoka'. A jaded dancer wants to take revenge against the Punjabi pop star Loki Local (the best performance in the movie!) who used her in exchange for an appearance in his music videos, which he never goes through with. Fate brings together the dancer and an equally jaded 'sting operation expert'. Together they plan a sting operation against the pop star. What happens next? Find out!

SPOILERS END

The movie is gritty, gripping, and brutal at times. There isn't a boring moment in the movie, it engages you from the beginning to the end. In terms of movie-making, it is truly revolutionary. It has some of the best dialogues and superb music. Dibakar has created some very memorable characters, and in my book, they are going down alongside heavyweights like Hanz Landa, Michael Corleone and Darth Vader!

It is unfortunate that Dibakar is a director from Bollywood. This movie will not be sent for Oscar consideration, nor will it receive the Filmfare for the Best Movie. He will of course be given a Critics award for his efforts, while Shah Rukh Khan laughs his way to glory and wins best of show. Sigh.

So here's 4/5 for Dibakar Banerjee's Love, Sex aur Dhoka. Watch it for pure cinematic excellence!

Movie Review 2 - Wake up Sid!

Super cute!

Wake up Sid is, to put it in the simplest terms, heart warming. It's a coming of age story about a boy, with an aimless life, and how he turns into a man.

Sid (Siddharth) Mehra is a quintessential rich kid. He has no ambitions in life, spends his father's money by the truckload, and lives for a day at a time. His friends are the most important to him in his life. He has a very cushy life, and it all comes crashing down, the day he fails his exams.

Relationships are severed, and he moves in with struggling writer, Aisha (Konkana Sen Sharma). It is through this experience, he learns to stand up on his own feet, and make something out of himself. In the process, he finds his true calling, and someone to love.

Ranbir Kapoor has done full justice to the role - the transition from spoilt brat to smart chap was smooth. Ayan has successfully created his character graph. Konkana Sen Sharma was gorgeous! She essayed Aisha perfectly.

For me personally, I could relate to several parts of the movie, and that's why it worked for me. However, I don't think this movie would sit well with people above 40, cause they will not find substance in the movie. Which, in some parts, is true. The movie, as a whole, didn't really have a strong story to begin with. The plot has been done to death a billion times. Also, the climax of the movie is complete rip off of the climax of the movie 'Never Been Kissed.' But it is the performances that drive the movie home.

The cinematography is superb. I loved the song sequence 'Kya karoon'. The music is apt and SEL have done a good job with it.

3/5

Final verdit: It's a good movie to watch with your friends. Avoid going with parents!

P.S. The girl who played Tanya (I don't know her name!) was in the audience with her friends, and whenever she would appear on screen, the group would hoot loudly. This irked me a little (frankly, I was jealous!) and I shouted "Yeah, we know Tanya is in the audience. Now shut up!" That was not a very nice thing to do. So Tanya (whatever your name is!) I'm sorry for doing that. Good luck, and all that! :)

Movie Review 1 - Inglourious Basterds

What a movie, I say!

There were two reasons why I was super excited to see this movie:

1. Quentin Tarantino just happens to be my favorite director.
2. This would be the first Brad Pitt movie I'd ever see!

The movie is set in German occupied France, and is seen through the eyes of several characters. There is Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and his rag-tag team of Jewish-American soldiers, out to kill all the Nazis. There's Shosanna Dreyfus, a Jewish woman, plotting revenge against the Nazis, Hans Landa in particular.

Being a film student (two years ago!) I kept my eyes open for references Tarantino would use in the movie, since this is one of Tarantino's specialty. But I got so engrossed in the performances, and Tarantino's sheer art, that I was transfixed throughout.

The plot of the movie is seamless. Not a single scene, sequence, dialogue seems out of place. For me, however, the most outstanding performances were by Christopher Waltz as Hans Landa, and Brad Pitt as Aldo Raine. Christopher Waltz, in particular, was par excellence in his portrayal of the "Jew Hunter". His opening scene with the French farmer was heart pounding. Landa's silent cruelty sends chill down the spine. And of course, to put a cherry on the cake, Waltz received the best actor award at Cannes 2009! Brad Pitt, with his southern drawl and his under bite is simply masterful!

There is another important character in the movie - Shoshanna Dreyfus, played by Melanie Laurent. I suppose her character was shaped as a means to show the world Tarantino's immense knowledge of movies. Her character oozes noir. The best scene featuring her is where Landa asks the waiter to get her a glass of milk, when they share a Strudel. And there is her epic plan to kill all the Nazis, including her pursuer, Frederick Zoller.

To conclude, the movie was superbly entertaining. Even my mom enjoyed it! The actors were magnifique, the screenplay was superb, the story was...I'm really running out of words here! So let me just give this movie 5/5, because I really did not find anything wrong with it. It is Tarantino's best film since Pulp Fiction.

Final verdit: MUST WATCH!

9

Man (?) vs. Machines

Good vs. Bad

This is the basic theme of the movie, simply titled '9'. The movie is directed by Shane Acker, and produced by Tim Burton (he is a genius!). I had seen the trailer for this movie a long while back, but was truly blown away after I saw the movie.

Summary:
9 is a post-apocalyptic action-adventure, set in earth, which now lies in ruins. It is up to 9 'stitchpunks' to serve a purpose, set by a scientist who sort of foresaw the events that would lead to the ultimate destruction of life as we know it. The movie is mostly seen through the eyes of the titular character '9'. He was the last of the stitchpunks' to be created, and perhaps the most important of the lot of stitchpunks. The others are 1 (the oldest), 2 (the inventor), 3 and 4 (the twins), 5 (the healer), 6 (the artist), 7 (the warrior), 8 (the strongest) and finally, 9. Without them knowing, the scientist has sent them on a mission to end the rule of the machines. It is only when they come together and work in unison, they manage to find an end to the machines.

My take:
The movie is visually stunning. The detail in which the stitchpunks are animated and brought to life is simply amazing. The machines look deadly and life like. The musical score of the movie adds depth to the various heart-pounding scenes in the movie.

The theme of religion, science, and belief runs very strong throughout the movie. Before 9's arrival, 1 has created his cult of sorts, where he is the leader. Much like various religious leaders, he has a stronghold on the stitchpunks. His one true follower and henchman, 8, uses his brute strength to enforce 1's rules and regulations on everyone else.

On the opposite side of the spectrum lies 9, who eventually serves the scientist's purpose. The climax and the last scene of the movie are fantastic.

What I liked:
1. Visually Stunning
2. Superb story
3. Excellent voice acting

What could have been better:
The movie finishes in 90 minutes, so none of the characters turn out to be really well developed. I would have loved to know more of the nuances and depth of each of the 9 characters.

One final point:
At the end of the day, the movie has a superb message, and is one of the best animation movies I have seen in a while. Children will not enjoy this movie, so best watch without their company.

4/5
Excellent!

Tonight: Franz Ferdinand

Tonight: Franz Ferdinand - A Review

(Disclaimer: The views expressed below are mine, and mine alone. I am not very well versed with lots of genre of music. So if you find anything wrong below, please don't feel offended.)

I have always liked Franz Ferdinand. Their first two albums have been really good, so I did not think this would be any different! So I sat back, pumped up the volume, and enjoyed 42:43 minutes of really good music!

The album opens with the mind-blowing 'Ulysses'. The opening is so good, it just immediately hooks you in, and doesn't let go till the very last song! 'Turn It On' follows next, which is pretty good too. Listen to 'Katherine Kiss Me' and 'No You Girls' one after the another..they are two versions of the same song, though I liked 'Katherine Kiss Me' more! 'Lucid Dreams' reminded me a lot of 'Strawberry Fields Forever' by The Beatles (the best band ever, by the way!). The song is around eight minutes long, with the last two minutes pure beats, no words. If you're into it, you'll listen, though I skipped that part! ;)

Stylistically, I can compare them to The Killers, and in some ways, The Bealtes of the late 60s. It really takes a lot for a person like me to appreciate such music, but Franz Ferdinand didn't make much of an effort!

Rewind: Ulysses, Katherine Kiss Me, Twilight Omens
Skip: Lucid Dreams

Final Verdict: 3.5/5. Will definitely go back to this one!

10 Films To See Before You Die (Part une)

I am not a movie critic, nor am I an expert. Still, I have compiled a list of 10 movies you must see before you die for the sheer reason that if you can listen to Roger Ebert, you can listen to me too :) So read, enjoy, and if you ever get your paws on these 10 films, do me a favour, and WATCH THEM!


1. À bout de souffle:
Directed by: Jean Luc-Godard
Language: French
Released: 1960

Jean Luc-Godard's best work to date (according to me), starring Jean-Paul Belmondo as the young crook Michel and Jean Seberg as Patricia, the American reporter. The story unfolds mainly in the streets of Paris, though most of the important sequences are shot in Patricia's bedroom.

This film blew my mind away, with it's unstructured jazz feel, the jump cuts, all the 'easter eggs' of sorts which I could spot in the movie, the poignant acting, the deliciously good looking Jean-Paul Belmondo (seriously...when he runs his thumb over his lips à la Humphrey Bogart, I felt like jumping him) and for Michel's last words to Patricia before he dies: "C'est vraiment dégueulasse", which is a source of confusion even today, since no one has been able to translate what Michel really meant. Watch this movie, even if you have to watch it without English sub-titles!

2. Schindler's List:
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Language: English
Released: 1993

Those who know me, know my obsession with Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, Auschwitz and the Holocaust. My dad had first brought the movie's VCD a long time ago, and my sister and I were forbidden from viewing the film due to it's graphic nature and some sexual content. He also forbade us from watching the movie because after he saw it, he was unable to sleep at night.

I can honestly say, the same thing happened with me too, after watching it. Spielberg has done an excellent job in portraying Nazi Germany, and how it was living hell for the Jews there. How one man, Oskar Schindler, initially out of greed, saved the lives of so many Jews. I cried, and I cried, and I cried throughout the movie. The film left me with such a heavy heart, because after all, it was a movie. What would have happened in real life would have been far, far worse. I think everyone should watch this film out of respect for all those who died during the Holocaust, for the people who survived it, and for making sure that such acts of immense violence not repeat itself.

3. Dumbo:
Directed by: Ben Sharpsteen
Language: English
Released: 1941

Like every other child, my growing up years were filled with hours and hours of cartoon viewing. I've seen every Disney movie there is, but none of them have had such a profound impact on me than what Dumbo has. Dumbo is a short story about an elephant who is different. He is very big ears, because of which he becomes the subject of ridicule from almost everyone. There is only one person who loves him unconditionally, and that is his mother. But due to some turn of events, he is separated from her, and then the story goes on to how he re-unites with his mother with the help of his buddy, Timothy the mouse.

This film feels so close to me, cause I've always felt like an outcast myself. The bond shown between Dumbo and his mother is done so well, you can't help but feel for Dumbo's plight. But the best part of the movie is the ending, where Dumbo overcomes everything and becomes a big star in the "circus industry" and re-unites with his mother. See the film, just for the sheer beauty of it. And see it with your mother. There won't be a dry eye in the house, I promise you!

4. Life is Beautiful:
Directed by: Roberto Benigni
Language: Italian
Released: 1997

Here's another Holocaust story, which I saw for the first time in 2007. This one stars Roberto Begnini as Guido, a Jewish Italian, who is taken into a concentration camp with his son, Joshua, portrayed brilliantly by Giorgio Cantarini. His wife, even though she is not Jew, goes to the concentration camp. Joshua is unaware of where they were going and why they were leaving, not understanding the gravity of the situation. So Guido turns the whole situation into a game, turning the concentration camp into a playground, where the person who get 1,000 points wins a tank.

This film has been made so well, and Benigni has made a twist in the way how the world percieves the Holocaust. Even till the end, Guido doesn't let Joshua know of how much their lives are in danger. Perhaps the best scene in the film is when Joshua comes out of the sweatbox, where his father had told him to hide, and comes face-to-face with an American tank. So in essence, Guido had not lied to him. This film is a must-watch, for it simply says that no matter how bad or how bleak things are, life is beautiful...La vita è bella!

5. Pita, Putra aur Mahayudh:
Directed by: Anand Patwardhan
Language: Hindi/English
Released: 1995

During college, I've had the privelege of watching three documentaries by Anand Patwardhan: Ram ke Naam (In the Name of God), Jung Aur Aman (War and Peace) and Pita, Putra aur Mahayudh (Father, Son and Holy War). From these, I've been moved the most from the third one. It is a two-hour long documentary, divided in two parts, which basically talks about the fact that in this "politically polarized world....the minorities get marginalized". It shows what people think are the ideals of "manhood". How in all the various wars around the world, women suffer.

There is not much I can say about this documentary, except that you must watch it. In fact, you'll be lucky if you get a copy, since this is one of his most controversial documentaries! He must be applauded for his courage, to push forth a subject matter that will be suppressed from all over.

This concludes Part une of 10 Films To See Before You Die. More tomorrow.

Mmm..Joey's Pizza!

The recommendation to order in from this place came from a very unlikely source -- My mother. She's usually a "wholesome meal" kind of person, but this Sunday evening, she let loose and decided that we order in from this new Pizza place.

So the place in question (if you haven't read the title yet!) is Joey's Pizza. Since we were ordering in for the first time, we decided to go all out and order some outrageous stuff! So I decided to go in for the "Chicken Mania", which had the toppings -- Chicken Sausage, Chicken Salami, Plain Chicken and Onions. Ok so it does sound like KFC exploded on the Pizza or something, but for a Chicken lover like myself, it sounded like Paradise. My sister, on the other hand, decided on "Joey's Special". No, it wasn't two pizzas, à la Joey Tribbiani from F.R.I.E.N.D.S, this one had Chicken Salami, BBQ Chicken, Roast Chicken and Onions. So it doesn't really sound so different from the Chicken Mania pizza...but hey, it was Joey's Special! So it was obligatory for it to live up to Mr. Tribbiani, since it derives its name from him!

Mom, being vegetarian, stuck to Veg. Delite which had Capsicum, Mushrooms, Corn & Paneer (She substituted Black Olives for Paneer..she doesn't like them!)

After having decided the orders, I called in at exactly 8:30, and placed my order. The phone operator told me that the pizzas should reach us in about 40-45 minutes. Thinking it would hold true to its promise, all of us waited in baited breath, already drooling at the prospect of tasting potentially excellent pizzas.

9:10, and no pizzas. I became a little annoyed, since Dominos would usually have delivered the order by then. Still, we decided to wait for 10 more minutes.

9:30, and still no pizzas. I became much more annoyed, scowling at the menu card, deciding whether to call them or not.

9:40, nope, no pizza. I'm way beyond annoyed now, and so is everyone else. I decide to dial, when suddenly the bell rings. An angel arrives at the doorstep, taking the shape of a Pizza-delivery guy. The bill is paid quickly (495 bucks...not bad!) and we're ready to pounce at our pizzas.

The boxes are opened swiftly and skillfully (yes, we have experience!), but then confusion sets in. Which one is which? The boxes are not labelled, so you can't tell which one is which. One pizza is white, while the other is red. "Is that Chicken Sausage?" I ask, pointing at the red pizza. "I think that's my pizza cause it has onions!" my sister says, pointing at the white one. "Dude, both pizzas have onions!"

We finally sort things out, and eventually, the red one ended up with my sister and the white one with me. I dove into the chicken laden pizza and take a bite. What came next was almost a daze. I was in Pizza heaven! The succulent base, the soft melted cheese, the delicious chicken --- all came in perfect harmony to make a perfect pizza. Even Joey's Special pizza was delicious! Tribbiani will be proud! The size of the pizza was also so huge, I couldn't finish it all and had to save some for the next day!

Enough to say, Joey's has left me truly impressed. Dominos can go take a hike!

However, there are some downsides also.

1. Service can be faster!

2. They don't have any beverages!

3. For some strange reason, this particular branch serves NO PORK..so that means I can't have my favorite topping, Pepperoni! So I guess Dominos can stay back, because they make a good Pepperoni Pizza!

All in all, I'm certainly going to shift my loyalties a bit, and eat from Joey's whenever I can!

All hail Junk Food and Trans Fat!

Book Review: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

There are only a few books in this world that can stir you, shake you, make you sit up and read at a stretch till the very end. This is the effect that will have upon you when you started reading 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' by John Boyne.

The title is misleading. Is it a funny book? Is it meant for children? According to the writer John Boyne, he has written this book for children, but what is surprising, is that this is a book for children with a subject of the Holocaust.

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!
If you do not wish to know what happens in the story, stop right here!Skip to the next red fonts.

Bruno, a nine year old boy, is the protagonist of the novel. His father is the Commander of a Jewish concentration camp in 'Out-With' (Auschwitz). He has to leave his comfortable five-story home in Berlin, his three best friends for life, his cushy life to live in a whole new place, where nothing is like it was back home. Outside the window of his new home, he sees a long fence and men everywhere, all wearing identical striped pyjamas and caps.

He is confused and lonely. His elder sister, Gretel (The Hopeless Case) offers no solace, instead teasing him like she always did. He hates Lieutenant Kotler, who thinks he is in charge, but really isn't.

One day, Bruno decided on doing some exploring, his favourite activity. He walks along the fence, and finds a boy on the other side. He wears striped pyjamas and a cap, like everyone else. The boy is Shmuel and comes from Poland. They also find out that they were born on the same day. Since that day, they form a friendship, and Bruno comes to meet Shmuel everyday.

Slowly, Bruno forgets his old house in Berlin, and his best friends for life, whose names he even forgets. Soon, his mother gets frustrated of living in Out-With and decides it was time that she and the children went back home. Bruno is sad as he wont get to meet Shmuel anymore. He goes to visit him one last time, and Bruno climbs under the fence and goes to Shmuel's side.

SPOILERS END HERE. SPOILERS END HERE. SPOILERS END HERE. SPOILERS END HERE.

The last two chapters are heart wrenching. Even though there is no detailing of the horrors that prevailed during those times, it is understood to the readers. The writing, though it seems simple and straightforward, is filled with chilling subtexts, especially the last three lines of the book:

"And that's the end of the story about Bruno an his family. Of course all this happened a long time ago and nothing like that could ever happen again.

Not in this day and age."

An amazing read, one which you could go back to over and over again.

4.5/5

~Supriya