The Cryptic Aura of the Golden Glee

You wake up in the morning. Get nattily dressed and scoot off to work, grudgingly, despite the groaning Monday Blues which hits you swiftly on the face like a slammed door. You have no recollection whatsoever how your ephemeral weekend just vanished like a trace of bullet. Voila! But, you are there sitting smartly in your workplace and waiting for your boss to give his clarion call for the agenda of the day which will set in motion a significant chain of events that will eventually last for a week, month, quarter and, ultimately, the year! 

Come hell or high water, you have your heart set on the objectives, however realistic or unrealistic, and achieve it with flying colors by keeping your nose to the grindstone and hanging in there till the very end until you can see the 'd' in 'end'! I am sure you would have or are undergoing or will be undergoing this situation in your life. And when you receive the 'Outstanding Performer Award' (OPA) after you have stopped at nothing to meet your yearly targets, you experience a colossal swell of untold pride and unspeakable happiness which literally makes you dumb with joy!

The Oscars are the Corporate equivalent of 'OPA' to actors and actresses who sweat it out in difficult conditions and go to great pains to make true-to-life movie with their expressions. For all those romance birds, February symbolises Valentine's Day. But, to ardent movies buffs, the second month of the year connotes that the best in the business meant business for their better part of 365/366 days spent on punishing schedules and exacting directors. 

Take for example. Leonardo Di Caprio. Whenever his name gets nominated in the Best Actor category, his fans are more delighted than him for the way he transforms himself on the screen. Though it was just fleeting, no one can forget the brief and impact cameo he played in the Django Unchained. 

For such a versatile actor to be snubbed time and again by the Jury, the Revenant finally broke the damned jinx. Please do check out my review here: Di Cap's capping moment..! 

The year is 2017. Yeah. The Present One. Everyone is gung ho about 'La La Land'. Mind you. The film is as fantastic as the songs and performances in the movie which thoroughly warms the cockles of your heart despite the climax silent nod between the 2 lead actors which was akin to 'Whiplash's end. 

                                           The Eye Lock - Fletcher - One of my favoo char

Even though the 'La La Land' is the overpowering favorite and predicted to sweep the majority of the Oscars this year, 'The Hacksaw Ridge' would be a better option keeping the best interests of the American people as far as the Best Picture is concerned. The reason is quite simple.

The Hacksaw Ridge is the perfect movie that will galvanize those who are averse to war by taking Doss as a prime motivation to see to it that the great American boundary is not infringed by any manner and means. Also, with the current murder of an Indian in Kansas, the committee could also show the world that not all Americans are hate-mongers but rather positive and friendly people by handing over the award to 'The Hacksaw Ridge' as there is a particular scene in the movie where Doss also saves the Japanese even in the heat of fire and death.

Likewise, the Jury has almost at all times preferred 'War Films' that has highlighted the American soldiers in good light, pun intended. The rationale behind it is also extremely valid as the war-based movies will be a source of abounding inspiration for the young men and women to gallantly involve themselves to serve their country in their best abilities and also that the majority of the voters come from that era.

I am not making up this theory. 17 war-based movies in the past have won the Oscars till date. Though not all war-themed nominated movies have gone all the way like Zero Dark Thirty, there have been 17 years till 2016 where the Jury favored war dramas thus deeply establishing the pattern and when you put yourself in the Jury's shoes - Of course, you want your country to do better and be the best so that the young people can look up to your country as the greatest thing that could have ever happened in the world. When you put two and two together, the 'why' to the occurrence of pattern was as simple as counting numbers on the fingers.

Patterns are as extremely powerful as Veritaserum potion in the Harry Potter. They reveal the hidden and private secrets when you know how to rightly join the dots. It is no wonder that data mining will be the subject and object of hot topic even in the coming years as it is a complete money spinner when you understand the dynamics and the nuts and bolts of the existence of a pattern. But, when you essentially understand the 'why' part, you can bend that particular pattern to your will as long as the core motivation that drives the pattern is interpreted correctly.

I will just give an example here. As we are on the eve of the Oscars, with the above pattern decoded and its intrinsic reason, anyone can close their eyes (Read: Me) and accurately predict to 99% certainty that 'Dunkirk' will win the Oscar in 2018 either for the Best Picture or Best Director even though the movie has not been released in the first place. 

One director in the contemporary age who deserves to hold the glittery aureate is Christopher Nolan, who like Dicaprio, has been at the receiving end from the panel for quite some time now. I am sure everyone would be familiar with the phrase 'Dunkirk spirit' and its origin. So, there is no element of surprise that the 'Inception and The Dark Knight Trilogy' ace director has set his eyes on the golden trophy once again after his magnum opus 'Interstellar' failed to generate and gather enough appreciation for him to hold the coveted award. 

Only Nolan will know for sure whether he was 'Oscar Baiting' when he made 'Interstellar' which interweaves and infuses Sci-Fi and Family - one of  America's fundamental core values - to the fore. Oh. By the way, the Jury has always had a soft spot for films revolving around familial sentiments as well. Prime Examples would be ET, Babe etc.

By having 'Dunkirk's release in July, Nolan has wisely** and effectively escaped from the clutches of those who cries 'Oscar Bait' whenever a film hits the screen by December with the sole intention to grasp the attention like the case of The King's Speech. You can check it out at your own leisure how The King's Speech ticked all the boxes for the ideal 'Oscar Bait' recipe. The facts speak for themselves.

Whatever maybe the case, it is the artists who put in their herculean efforts to bring life to the character and soul to the script to provide sheer delight to the audiences and wins at the end of the day along with their entire team who have also worked tirelessly on and off the stage.

May the best bait, I mean film, win.

Whatever it is, Chris Nolan is worthy enough to hold the coveted award and make his speech that's been due for a long while.

PS:

All the opinions like those on 'The Hacksaw Ridge' and Chris Nolan are solely mine by combining the current and long-standing facts and patterns that have been firmly put out into the open by the Oscar Jury whenever they had either nominated a film or given it the much vaunted "Preciouuuuuuussssssssssssssss" status. 

PS 2:

** =>  I said "wisely" because it could also mean that Nolan might have had framed a fantastic strategy in such a manner that Dunkirk is released intentionally in July and not in December so that the bashers do not accuse him of 'Oscar Baiting' when the Academy Awards return in 2018.

PS 3:
'Dunkirk' is yet another war film that happened really during the second world war. So, is this another 'Oscar Baiting' by Nolan?? Only time will tell.

PS 4:
All the facts and patterns have been unearthed and inferred with the help of Google. And so are the relevant memes.

Planet Earth 2...So Rivetiinnnnggggggg....Part 2

Ten years down the line and with the number of episodes halved from the previous Season, Planet Earth 2 embarked on a grand mission to showcase the awe-inspiring and real wonders that are happening in the different, remote, isolated and inaccessible parts of our world just like its predecessor. However, there was to be a monumental change in the way the pristine and natural events were played out in the current season. And the change was for the better. In fact, best. So, how did the producers differentiate themselves in PE 2?

PE 1 was high on facts and information but less on raw muscly action. The reverse was to happen in PE 2. It was not that PE 2 was starved off or dieting on facts but the level to which the attention was focussed and concentrated on the jaw-dropping ventures of the sturdy and extremely powerful animals, birds, reptiles etc. in their feral setting was truly breath-taking to say the least. I will elaborate on this later. But, first things first.

From Islands to Mountains to Cities, the entire crew along with the ever magical and appropriate rhythmic tones of Sir David Attenborough definitely ensured that the viewers were swept off their feet completely. By a Huge margin as well. The 4K catapulted the visual experience especially the close-up shots of the untamed and unbridled domicilians to mind-boggling richness that it surely left the audiences craving for more like a big, creamy Black Forest! 

It would be highly impudent and imprudent if I were to leave out the stellar background score by Oscar Award winner Hans Zimmer (Remember Lion King, Pirates of Carribean, The Dark Knight, Inception??) who has literally stringed up with his mesmerizing beats which elevated the entire mood of the scenes to another dimension just like the intensely tense, incredibly exciting and big time tautly nervy music when the Iguana escaped from the clutches of the snakes. Likewise, the complete team of PE 2 have gone the extra mile, pun intended, and above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to patiently waiting and capturing the wildness in their wilderness when the redoubtable animals were engaged in fascinating brutal action that I am positively sure those individuals would have felt they were privileged to witness such a wondrous spectacle in their lives at that moment of reality. 

Speaking of spectacles, it would be extremely presumptuous on my part if due credits were not given to the way the camera men had tremendously risked their lives to shoot the spine-chilling and absorbing footages when the majestic beasts were in full throttle for survival. Take for example. We have heard and used the term "Hawk's eye view". But, these guys have literally made it possible when they closely glided behind a swiftly swooping magnificent eagle in the harsh, snow-filled and cold terrains of the mountains when it was in search of its prey. It was simply sublime to see how an eagle sees from such a high ground! Of course, the men would have been obesely paid for their audacious clicks. Still, it takes immense guts to be face to face with a glowering leopard or be frozen to death awaiting in a tent for the arrival of the eagles by enticing and attracting them with a carcass.

There have been lots of hilarious moments, adrenaline rushing epic scenes, stunning chases, sensational escapes and formidable fights during the course of all the episodes. The standout, according to me, are as follows:

1) The top honors has got to go to the baby Iguana who is naturally put under a life and death situation, literally, as soon as he opens up his eyes but desperately fights his way out to live another day amidst the multitudes of crawling of the merciless and ruthless snakes waiting in ambush for their prey. I still have no idea how the troop managed to be at the right place at the right time to get such an incredible shot. Maybe a divine prophecy?

2) The battle of supremacy for the ladies and the waterhole between the beautiful stallions was a treat to watch in slo-mo. It had grace, elegance, fierceness and an unadulterated horse power, pun definitely intended, that was like divine music. Though it lasted briefly, the impact was lasting enough.

3) The transparent frog protecting and shielding its offsprings from the onslaught of the deadly wasps was nature in full ballet mode.

4) The flamingo parade was as rib-tickling as the British wry humor. No more to say more than that.

5) The Starlings brilliant murmurations over the architecture marvels of Italy was like Picasso playing with his colours on the drawing board. Exquisite. Period. 

6) Dad penguin's noble, selfless, caring and brave act to battle the tempestuous waves to feed his family was something truly remarkable when we learn from the Sir that those penguins has to defy death every time they venture out into those rampaging waters for food.  

PE 2 has transcended its own benchmark by quite a distance and it is safe to assume that it could be eclipsed and surpassed only by PE 3.

Although, any words of pledge or commitment to safeguard the environment and the planet would be forgotten in a day like how most of us renege on our New Year resolutions, we could at least try to mitigate and minimise the damages that we are causing to the ecosystem so that PE 3 can make a return in their next outing. 

                                                      

                                                          X---Concluded---X

The Grand Tour - An Exquisite and Lavish Vroooommmmmmmm - Part 2

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (BVS) have always been an integral and inherent part in the day-to-day affairs of almost every Hindu living in the planet sans the atheists. Whether they had really lived or not is an iron strong bone of contention that is entirely dependent on the conviction of faith of an individual. Every person is unique as does every situation. So, as how I see it, the absence of evidence for any event, place or person does not mean it did not happen. Likewise, the presence of evidence is no concrete proof that the event had actually happened. In the current world of photoshop and other advanced softwares in the market, it can make and take even a laity to quickly sift through the 'Help' to create artificial yet ostensibly genuine morphs according to their own whims and fancies. However, what is not indisputable, as per the Vedas, Sastras and Puranas, is the fact that Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva had their roles clearly defined as the Creator, Protector and Destroyer of the world. The three men knew exactly what they need to accomplish for the benefit of mankind and executed their objectives to perfection by overlooking their own self-interests in the process. How does the Hindu Holy Trinity fit in the context of an Mototainment Show?

Just like BVS, Clarkson, May and Hammond proves to be perfect foil for each other by continuing in their complementary and rock solid skillsets from The Top Gear into the GT as well. Take for example. The Beach Buggy adventure where they had to traverse the harsh desert terrains of Namibia which was akin to their Patagonian exploits in the Top Gear but only on a much more lively, spirited, dashing in terms of narrative and exciting piece of action in the GT. The show also had its elements of 'cheap thrills' like placing 'crocodile zone' boards in one of the episodes when basic common sense mandated that the 3 fine gentlemen wouldn't have taken such a huge risk to cut across the winch in their cars with the scaly and terrifying crocs floating below silently. 

Also, the presence of beautiful cars as Bugatti Chiron, Bentley, Rolls Royce etc. were captured splendidly in the 4K format. It was such an eye-candy that certain picturesque sceneries like the German landscape deserved to be IMAXed! The drifts, donuts, special ops training, battleship game to name a few made me wonder as to how many takes and retakes would have gone into making the film to its immense fruition.

Not to mention the barrage of information during their chinwags in the "Conversation Street" was an eye-opener especially the segment concerning the Ford-Ferrari partnership. Ever since it was highlighted by the trio in their roomy tent, I wondered what might have probably happened had the Prancing Pony agreed to Ford's terms. It would have been a different matter altogether and History may have been rewritten in some other way.  Any way, one important thing that caught my eye was that there was always a good-looking woman just behind Clarkson's shoulders whenever the camera focussed him during their friendly banter and plenty of repartees in the "Conversation Street"!

You know when "Celebrity Brain Crash" segment fluidly slips into the programme that the mentioned icon will somehow fail to reach the destination place and the hosts had to resort to their Plan B which was utterly humorous like the way Hammond played a sensor.  In a nutshell, The Grand Tour was a complete package replete with action, fun, entertainment and informative courtesy the drei performers who I am pretty much certain would have been insured lump sum by Amazon for their calculated daring escapades.

As May rightly points out every time "Does it mean he will not be coming over" whenever a celebrity meets a ghastly end, I bid adieu to a wonderful Season 1 with a heavy heart now but wait with intense anticipation of how great the next season will be when it airs later in the year.


                                                            X---Concluded---X

Planet Earth 2 - So Rivetinngggggggggg.....Part 1

Extinction, like Karma, is the greatest equalizer on Earth that balances and safeguards the forces of nature without giving any regard to the destructive and ruinous effect that it may have upon an individual, family, community, society or the world. When it happens, it just happens and razes everything to ground leaving very few clues to the future generations to figure out how the event might have transpired to trigger and collapse the multitudes of diverse species to dust and fossil.

There have been 5 major extinctions in the past that has completely wiped out and washed away even the slightest traces of footprints of many organisms, including the Dinosaurs, from the face of the Earth. Scientists are still searching for the exact solution to unlock the mystery that has obscured the past beyond recognition like a thick fog on a road. What's in it for a layman other than reading about the unresolved and always-revising pieces of scientific puzzle as a mere fact for marks at schools ?

As how I see the power of information to be, however frivolous or indispensable.

The secrets decoded will be extremely helpful to learn from the mistakes of our predecessors to not repeat them again. Also, we can be much equipped to handle such an eventuality if it tends or shows any signs to happen in our lifetime. Ultimately, survival is the key no matter how much money you have in your bank account or the plenty of laurels and accolades that is showered upon a person. Fight or Flight mode can be judiciously used by proper Sense&Respond when any cataclysmic event hits the Earth.

One might argue that if Death is certain because of a catastrophe then how can the deeply buried knowledge of the past will be of any help. It is very simple. The knowledge could at least help mitigate the pain and suffering endured while dying if not negate the final act to meet God completely!

How does extinction fit in the context of Planet Earth 2 where the latter is more about discovering the wilderness in its natural and pristine form? It will be answered soon.

Chill Man and Woman..

Planet Earth 2 created enough ripples when their new trailer was launched prior to the first episode's airing. 

          The Osssssuuuuummmmm Extended Trailer that set ablaze the 6 episodes in this season  

If Planet Earth 1 was a revelation and mind-blowing, then PE 2 just got better and better like the wine stored in a barrel. The trailer was simply spectacular stuff that it immediately created a sense of mighty strong appeal and evoked interest of inordinate proportions as the previous installment to not just float and swim but deep dive into the wondrous beauty of our Mother Earth along with the ever passionate narration of David Attenborough. Some of the scenes shown in the trailer like the Stallions battle for supremacy (More on it in Part 2) was so breath-taking that without any iota of doubt, PE 2 would have easily outdistance the glory of PE 1 by a parsec!

The daring duel and racy escape of the century..Dealt further in Part 2!

Because of our excessive and outrageous parasitic mind set to leech away anything and everything in sight for our avarice to monetizing the resources, we have become thoroughly oblivious and stupendously blind to the fact that the magnificence of our distinct and diverse planet is in a peril as deep as Mariana Trench.  But, we just know it without bothering to understand its ramifications in our hasty pursuit towards societal appreciation, reputation, status and prestige which is important but not as critically essential as the survival of our children and grandchildren who will definitely give us all an earful when the consequences of our actions befalls their generation. 

Where will we go and hide our heads in shame when they ask us explicit and heart-hitting questions as:

a) How could you let this kind of devastation happen to your own sons and daughters?
b) Why didn't you take any measures to stop or prevent this murderous mess?

It's no rocket science but elementary science that we learnt (Read: conveniently forgot!) in our schools about the complex inter-relationships and interdependencies between and amongst the entire living beings in our planet. We have literally become blinkered and cocooned into our own false sense of comfort that we have taken the Earth for granted that she will always provide us with what we want and desire at any point in time by overlooking some hard hitting facts.

Take for example. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It is said by scientists that the worst bleaching has happened last year due to excessive pumping of CO2 in the atmosphere by us which has resulted in the temperatures of the oceans to rise thereby having an adverse effect on the flora and fauna inhabiting the reefs. The impact will not be just a death knell to a myriad marine life but also to us in terms of economics and health as we are utterly disrupting the natural steady and constant flow of the food chain on a never-seen-before massive scale.  I guess the time is just round the corner where we will rename Great Barrier Reef as Great Barrier GRIEF!

If this is not evidence, then people will still say it's photoshopped so as to be in complete denial mode to the effects of global warming.

Likewise, scientists all over the world aver that we are on the cusp of a sixth extinction that is heading our way at an alarming rate due to the extensive and widespread human activities which is propelled by our lust for greed, power, self-image and money that we are losing track of the reality happening around us which would ultimately mean the suffocation and extermination of millions, maybe even billions, across the globe. This is not to paint a gruesome or macabre situation. The fact is that the scientists are pegging the rate of extinction at 1000 times faster because of our fingerprints firmly imprinted across the deceased and to-be dead species which might include even you and me if the grim situation remains and persists in such an uncontrollable and unacceptable fashion.

Sure to happen . No questions on it. Unless.....

Fortunately, documentaries like Planet Earth are the perfect wake up to all of us to really care about the environment, feel that our world has a space and place for each and every sentient being, big or small, to co-habit peacefully and live harmoniously with nature as it is. We ought to hammer the fact into our heads like a nail to a wall that the Earth can survive and sustain without us for any number of years but there is no way whatsoever that we could exist without her. Some might say that if the Earth becomes irreparable, we will colonise Mars or the nearest planet with our available technologies.

Actually, the meme should read "Planet first". But, you got the message. That's more crucial here.

So, what happens if Mars also becomes uninhabitable due to our insatiable appetite for self aggrandisement?  No. I am not being pessimistic here. Since we have already set a precedence to Earth by rendering her sterile and inhospitable which resulted us to jump ship, sorry Rocket!, to Mars, there is every chance that we might again end up making the Red Planet to beg on her knees by our plunderous and ravaging attitude. 

If the Red Planet were to be a person at that point of time..

In short, there is simply no end to the nonsense unless and until everyone one of us strongly pledge and commit to a purposeful cause that we will use the natural resources responsibly, wisely and prudently just enough to cater to our needs and not our greeds. Businesses can still grow, develop,mature, flourish and prosper by making hefty profits without actually wreaking havoc to the splendours of our planet or mercilessly eliminating other living creatures which will not only have disturbing branch outs but also disastrous reverberations on the entire food web thus ultimately affecting us in the end once when the point of no return is breached. After that, there is absolutely no use in crying over spilt milk. 

                                                            X---To be concluded---X

The Grand Tour - An Exquisite and Lavish Vroooommmmmmmm - Part 1

"Sugar. Spice and Everything Nice. These were the ingredients chosen to create the perfect little girls. But, Professor Utonium accidentally adds an extra ingredient to the concoction - Chemical X. Thus, the Powerpuff Girls were born. Using the ultra superpowers, Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup have dedicated their lives to fighting crimes and the forces of evil".

If my memory hasn't decayed like an Radioactive Isotope, this is the introduction for The Powerpuff Girls that was aired on Cartoon Network in the late 90s.

What does the 3 action heros, okay heroines!, has got to do with the famous and popular trio from the much vaunted and immortalized The Top Gear (TTG)? Let's speed ahead along the Eboladrome, Okay the blog!, sans the timing and publishing the results on the lap board!

Amazon's staggering deep pockets has ensured that Clarkson, May and Hammond returns in their new avatars as none other than Clarkson, May and Hammond - Yeah! Basically themselves! - but captured rather brilliantly in the Ultra HD format unlike their quondam selves when they were a part of the BBC's acclaimed show. The Grand Tour kicks off, Okay geared into motion!, from what seems like their former employee's address and accelerates at breakneck speed into the desert along with a sea of carcade that would have definitely left the producers of Mad Max:Fury Road to be mad and furious with themselves for not giving the gobsmacked spectacle that Amazon literally wowed the audience on the small screen.

You need to watch the intro to FEEL the Magnificence in its full Splendor

BBC brought in together the Three Musketeers in the early 2000's much the same way as Prof. Utonium who decided to create his own little girls with his special ingredients and vault-safe formula. Largely thanks to the chemistry of the three men in front of the camera and behind the wheels, the show shot to instant fame dom which was sustained to close than a decade to such magnitudes that success was wheeling behind the series than otherwise.

But, a certain "Chemical X" during their engagement with the BBC had resulted in their unfortunate departure from the original recipe into a much renewed, immensely visual rich and more fun than a barrel of a monkeys experience in every episode that their new Mototainment show - The Grand Tour (GT) - is like TTG fully on Nitro Booster!

For starters who are totally new to GT like a small child to alphabets, the show revolves around  the triumvirate giving their expert verdicts by testing and riding the relatively upmarket to-be-on-road to on-road beauties-on-wheels that will definitely be the object of envy of every fashion contestant! On top of that, you have segments like Conversation Street and Celebrity Brain Crash which is more of a upgraded and entertaining rehash from their earlier rendezvous with BBC.

And as ever, you have the most exotic locales, crazy themes to complete like the eco-friendly car episode and the ever verbal friendly tug of war between Tom, Jerry and Spike (TJS) that had splendidly set the tone right from the first episode to its triumphing fruition with just one episode left in the bag, I mean the studio tent! And of course - I referred TJS to Hammond, Clarkson and May but who is what - That I leave it to you!

Like Bubbles, May is sweet, soft-spoken, la las at will like a masterly musician and the go-to man when it comes to being risk-free that he would stand first for the safest person badge of honor award! It was indeed a pleasant surprise when, in the previous episode, his Bentley screeched like a squealing mouse under a tyre! Akin to Buttercup, Hammond is a truckload of flamboyance with abundance of wry humor under his hood. How Blossom manoeuvres her troops to save the city, Clarkson marshals his car soldiers to uncharted territories on the orders of the mayor (Read:The Producer).

If you have watched The Powerpuff Girls, you will know why I mentioned the mayor reference. So, the threesome, No! NOT THAT!!, perfectly compliments each other with their strengths and lifts the show high above the ground like a Jack! Don't ask where Rose is! Abysmally Pathetic Joke!!

This should probably be your reaction right now after reading that PJ!

Jokes apart. What is actually missing in the razor sharp to and fro banter amongst the hosts is the presence of a sultry and sensual blonde wearing a red dress with a bright carmine lipstick who would have provided an ideal partner to Hammond's audacious ideas and energetic rhythmic honks during his drive through the road tunnels.

Since such a woman is not present in the show, 'on that terrible disappointment', stay tune for the final and concluding part.

                                                               
                                                            X---To be concluded---X

   

Westworld - Truly Occidental

Michael Crichton (MC) has been one of the prolific story-tellers when it comes to dealing with sci-fi themes by presenting facts and fiction weaved and inter-weaved in such a gossamer-ish cobweb that it is sure shot to confuse even an expert spider and get them entangled in their own web, pun intended! His novels have always carried the trope of willing suspension of disbelief which forms an intricate and integral core in all his books. 

Let's take Jurassic Park as a prime example as I am sure almost everyone would have watched the blockbuster countless number of times, if not read his book, by revelling in the mesmerizing world created by the ace director Steven Spielberg. Scientists have fire extinguished MC's seemingly probable and realistic theory that the Dinosaurs can be resurrected from mosquitoes preserved in amber. However, the way he had put forth the possible idea that the DNA could be retrieved to create these magnificent beasts was something remarkable that you can only get it when you read his work or watch it on the silver screen.

So, it was no surprise that when HBO announced Westworld was to be premiered and helmed by Jonathan Nolan, remember Memento, The Prestige?, I was as super-thrilled as the electrons in an atom when they are in excited state. The chief reason also being that Westworld was a movie in the 1970s by Michael Crichton who, I think, might have woken up on one fine, sunny morning and decided to directly direct a film instead of writing a book first and then adapting it! 

It was extremely evident from the first episode that the androids uprising was imminent much in the same way as in The Matrix where the human beings, led by Neo, rebel against the machines to live and lead a consciously free life.  By the fag end of the last episode in Westworld, Dolores and Maeve ensured that the putsch was on when the hosts shoot an incredulously amazed, awed and bring-it-on expression given by the Man-in-Black that it was like a student hiding their pleasant and uncontrollable happiness when a teacher says that a class test is called off.

It was indeed like a bolt of greased lightning striking the ground when the beans was spilled out that everything was actually the work of Ford who decided to carry on the legacy of Arthur's work to instill consciousness in the hosts which made me to beg the question "Was Ford the real Ford when he was shot dead by Dolores?" in the Season's finale. 

In the earlier episodes when Bernard kills Theresa in the basement on the watchful eyes of Ford, we are shown that there is some kind of activity happening in the background which made me to ponder and wonder whether the Ford who was murdered by Dolores - a robot or the Anthony Hopkins in flesh and bone. As we are on the talk on Anthony Hopkins, the old man is as good as gold being a ruthless, scheming and always having an ace up his sleeve by holding all the cards close to his chest knowing that Charlotte and Co. were at all times on the lookout to bring him down. 

Likewise, Bernard and Maeve simply sizzles on the screen when they project their internal struggles and conflicts to come in terms with their lives. All the machinations for the power struggle that's prevalent in a typical organization is also a part of the grand design as envisioned by Nolan through the various characters - on and off the theme park.

Just like the Westworld's maze which was the subject and object of curiosity to everyone, the entire script of this western Sci-fi drama was also an elaborately complex maze that challenged your thinking powers to decode the innumerable sub-plots and plots like Sherlock Holmes as to who are the real people and who are not in this visually brilliant and stunningly created sets of the themepark. The shot where Maeve ascends the elevator on her short tour in the corporate headquarters was as mind-blowing as the library scene with Sam in the last episode of  Game of Thrones.

                           From 0:36 to 0:42...Impressive is a bit of an understatement 

Likewise, the background score was as fresh as daisy and colourful as tulips when they hit the right chord for each and every scene matching and capturing the mood with consummate ease. Ramin Djawadi continued his brilliant work from Westeros into creating the westerly mechanical and artificial lilts that makes you actually feel for the droids especially Dolores.

As her name, Dolores is always shown with melancholia and sombre expressions in her Disney princess blue costume which made me to think and relate to Rachel's bubble gum pink dress in Friends:

                                              Phoebe's Laughterrrr...Priceless.. :)

                                                    1:19 to 1:21..Nailed it..!

However, Dolores was smoking hot when she transformed herself into a cowgirl shedding away her Alice in Wonderland attire. But, the way she turned and went into a mean, bullet firing spree at the end showcased how her corked up feelings were vented off like erupting steam in a geyser. No wonder George R Martin wanted to be the writing captain of this fast-lived and hedonistic amusement park which was right up his alley to bring in the experiences to the fore as a result of Game of Thrones.

Like a kid dashing out of the gates as soon as the final school bell rung, Westworld's initial and early episodes created the sense that it is going to be extremely unique and different coming from the brainy cells of Jon Nolan. The plot seemed like losing the plot, pun intended, in between when the bots were eternally shown to be in caught up in a perpetual web of die-repair-reactivated loop and it was close to pushing the audience (Read: Me) to the borders of boredom if not for the eye candy visual and nirvanic aural treats.

However, the train picked up its lost speed and gained momentum when the season was on its last legs (final 3 episodes) with their plentiful secrets were out in the open like an enormous oil spill from a tanker ship especially the big reveal of the Samurai coats in the finale's cliffhanger moments. That particular scene made me to breathe a heavy sigh of relief that Jon Nolan was also on the lines of MC when the latter created his version of the adult and sybaritic 3 theme parks - Westworld, Medieval World and Roman World.

With the hosts being given the ostensible power of free will, God only knows, okay! Jon Nolan does!!, what actually is going to happen in the so-called Samurai World as well when WW makes its return in 2018. 

                                                                

                                             The wait is worth it.

  

Travel Diaries - Dashing & Dizzying Dubai - Part 2

It started. The car purred like a mighty lion, whirred like a roaring helicopter and snarled like an angry tiger. The driver was seated behind the wheels with lots of confidence to such a degree that he could have easily cracked the toughest question in Google Interviews! He was a cheerful person who said he had specialized in the art of driving through the sand dunes on a regular basis. And he really was an expert. The way he handled the speed of the car and manoevered it on the widely undulating terrain of the desert with so much ease and finesse was something remarkable that it made my heart skip for a moment or two on certain stretches when the car was descending downhill a colossal sand dune. The turns, twists, ups and downs was like a thrilling roller coaster ride that is sure to make you thank the driver for such an unforgettable and indelible drive in the sand of time, pun intended.  

To top it, I was seated right beside the driver which gave me, other than the driver,  the unedited and unfiltered full view of what was coming and what was going to come on that dry patch of smoking hot land. To make matters worse or interesting, the other drivers were competing with each other to overtake, heedless and mindless of the risk, that even one small slip or slide can send the car along with the passengers toppling and tumbling down like a boulder on a sloped mountain. Luckily, no cars had to face the brunt and brutality of that eventuality as they were all seasoned drivers who had a pre-determined route to reach the dining place where we had the ravishing dancer performing her steamy, seductive, sensual belly moves that would have left Shakira open mouthed, the light ablaze Tanura dance and the scintillating fire eaters in the chilly evening of my first ever desert night which ended with a decent dinner and drop to the hotel again.

I had the slight apprehension that the menu would be only non-veg and that I had to go on an empty tummy to sleep. Luckily, they had vegetarian options, however only handful, it was like a blessing from the Angels in the sky and I sunk my teeth into whatever that was available. The situation was not as bad as it was in Hong Kong where either the veg food was extremely expensive or it had some kind of fish or prawns in it or they had no veg item at all - at least in the vicinity where my hotel was. That was the moment I felt being a veg was a curse on occasions if you don't eat anything apart from fruits and vegetables. I had to request the order taker and make him understand that I did not want any fish or prawns or squids in the soupy noodles but just plain noodles. Till date, I have no idea whether what I told him repeatedly for more than half an hour helped me to get a pure veg meal but it certainly created a lasting effect that whenever there is a normal buffet that I ask it's veg or non-veg when the placards aren't placed. In fact, I was left with no other option but to sustain myself on chips, coke, chocolate and water during my entire stay at Hong Kong. This is one biggest advantage in Singapore where I had the luxury of plentiful restaurants to choose from to satiate my vegetarian hunger. Singapore was a home away from home in every spirit of the letter of the word - Maybe the location of my hotel was such that - Still from whatever I had heard from my friends there, Singapore has no paucity for veg food throughout their country.

Coming back to Dubai now, the following morning was spent in a day tour which included Dubai's incredible achievements in the museum, beach-whose-name-I-forgot, photo stops at important landmarks like the Palace and a final drop at one of the I-forgot-name places where Indian restaurants were aplenty in Bur Dubai. Not wanting to waste money unnecessarily on a hired cab, I took an abra - Dubai's wooden boat - and travelled across the Dubai Creek from where it was walking distance to my hotel. If the morning was good, the evening was even better as we had a leisurely relaxed, pleasantly calm, peaceful atmosphere to go hand in hand with the soothing winds and enchanting music played in the Dhow Cruise and its delicious sit down buffet. After what seemed like more than an hour, the Cruise cruised to dock leaving me with a good, restful sleep and munchy dreams.

The next day was something which I was awaiting with eager anticipation like our Board exam results. We had to traverse through Abu Dhabi to reach the Yes Mall where Formula Rossa - the world's fastest roller coaster - was sleeping silently until awakened abruptly from her slumber. It was unbelievable. The initial thrust to get the momentum, the wild rush of wind through you when the ride is in progress, the free fall of all the potential energy converted to kinetic energy at that mind-blowing speed - It was a dream come true. You are also given specially designed eyewear to protect your eyes from the flying insects during the whooshing course of the exhilarating spin. However, the calculated scientist in me wanted to test the waters as to why the boards said 'Don't keep your arms open' by defying it and instantly I understood why the boards read the danger sign. The pressure applied on my hands by the speed of the coaster was such that it was next to impossible to even raise the hands. It was like you try to stand up but an invisible force forcefully knocks you on the head and makes you sit down! The rest of the mall had real F1 Ferrari cars and its engines, Ferrari on-road cars like Enzo and some rides that were good but not as cracking as Formula Rossa. The driver cum guide made his pitstop at the hotel again after a very long and tiring day where we covered Abu Dhabi with its palaces, one white mosque, picture stops at hotels and Yes Mall.

And the big day, pun intended, arrived. A stunning view was awaiting from the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa with their one of a kind Augmented Reality Telescope where you can compare yesteryear's Dubai with the present one. More to the gorgeous views and telescope was the holographic projections of how the towering engineering marvel was constructed along with the timelines that is surely make your head spin like a top. Also, they claimed that their elevator will make its trip to the 124th floor in one minute and the claim was actually true when I captured the duration of the descent and saw it for myself.

The rest of the day was to spend the day at the Dubai Mall. It was so big that I felt like walking endlessly on escalators, stairs and floors. Having just glimpsed one section of the mall and the famous Dubai Rink without actually involving in the sport, it was high time for me to bid adieu to the never-ending house of all the world-famous brands under one roof so that I could get sufficient time to immerse myself in Miracle Garden - the world's largest flower garden.

From many shapes, sizes, colors, architectures and designs, all the flowers were exquisitely and intricately arranged that it was an extremely beautiful delight to feast upon the multifarious hues and contrasts in the vast mass of concrete and sand that occupied the majority of the place. After a thoroughly mesmerizing outing with the flowers, the sun was slowly dying down and I was told by the guide, who dropped me @ Burj Khalifa, that Global Village is another place which shouldn't be missed out.

Hiring a cab on my own again and making a good half an hour journey distance by wading through the traffic, the Global Village presented itself with a dazzling display of lights, rides, foods, stalls. acrobats, and country themes that is sure to wanting to leave you for more when this extravaganza keeps carrying into the night. Bidding a relatively early tearful farewell, there was one more thing which was on the to-do list before I left Dubai the next day  - to catch up with a movie. I heard from the receptionist in the hotel that the Mall of Emirates is yet another place that shouldn't be missed out. So, I decided to watch a movie in the Mall of Emirates by hiring another can from the Global Village.

Sipping into the whacking great Haagen Dazs Vanilla Shake with a tub of Caramel Popcorn to keep me company, Concussion was not that great a film but the ambience provided by the theatre was freaking fantastic that it wanted me to watch Alvin and Chipmunks in 4D. Unfortunately, as I converted the ticket price to rupees, it was staggering that I decided to hit the bed after hiring another taxi.   

After a dead tired day and having slept well, I woke up on the last day to do a neat packing for the return journey back home. Still left with time for the departure, I proceeded towards the Jumeriah Beach by the train as I had the hard experience from the previous night that the cabs were not that cheap when converted into rupees. Lazing in the beach for some time, it was a mad rush towards the hotel by the return train as the time was fast approaching to say goodbye to Dubai and its wonderful memories though there were other escapades which was missed out in this trip which I will definitely give a try if I get an opportunity to visit once more permitting time and money:

a) Sky Diving
b) Recently opened Bollywood Theme Park
c) Go around the complete Dubai Mall including their Aquarium and Rink
d) See the entire city under lights from atop the 148th observatory deck
e)  Any other place of worthy attraction that comes up in future in this fascinating place for tourists

To conclude, Dubai is a MUST visit place for everyone at least once to see for themselves how a nothing place has radically transformed itself into a buzz of activity with a wealth of Black Gold and an oasis of labour at their disposal thus providing safety, security and growth to everyone.
                                                               
                                                                 X---Concluded---X

PS:
If you don't want to believe me how beautiful Dubai is, kindly watch Jacobinte Swargarajyam... :)