Big B - movie

Being a fan of Mamooty and not wanting to miss a chance of watching 'Big B' (malayalam) in Central Theaters (Coimbatore), I went for the night show on Saturday. To say that this movie was bad would be an understatement. This movie was awful. Earlier last week Benoy Chettan had recommended 'Big B' over 'Chota Mumbai' (starring Mohanlal). I should watch the latter and see how it fares.

"Big B" is simply a collection of disconnected images masquerading as a movie. It's a story lifted off the Mark Wahlberg starrer "Four Brothers". It's pace is dismally slow, the screenplay is a jinx which doesn't settle down nor redeem itself. Songs in the movie are good and the action sequences are shot well. Background score is done well too but I felt it was too loud and the surrounds in the cinema hall were pounded for all and sundry. I'll stop here with a quote from a review on this movie in sify.com.

Mammootty's Big-B, is a stylish and technically savvy film from cinematographer turned director Amal Neerad. It is a fast paced entertainer, which is packaged like Amal's guru Ram Gopal Varma films, aimed at the youth audience.

What a farce!

Malayatoor - the spiritual quest

We started at 2300 hrs IST on Sunday night from Coimbatore towards Malayatoor via Palakkad, Thrissur, Chalakudy, Angamaly & Kalady. The 175 kilometre journey took us about 4 hrs and 30 minutes which included a 45 minute stopover at Mannuthy (near Thrissur) for a midnight dinner. There was this nice place that served tasty chicken legs roasted, mutton fry and gravy with chapathi and omlet to boot.

The trek from the base to Marthoma Mandapam on the hill took about 65 minutes. It was very tiring given the fact that all of us (Sam, Kanja & Tim) are not as fit as we once used to be. I remember running up the hill 5 yrs ago when I went there the first time, compare to the slow walk and you know how much of fitness you should regain. After completing the prayers we spent some time sitting on top of the hill overlooking the forests below.

We got down to the base by 0700 and went to the Periyar river for a long bath. We started towards St.George Church, Edapally at 0930 and stopped over for breakfast in Mezban in Kalamassery. We were served idiappam, pathiri, channa curry and fish curry. The food was tasty and filling. After completing prayers in St.George at 1100 we started back to Coimbatore abandoning our plans to visit Arthunkal. Overall the 5h year to Malayatoor was a grand celebration of the power of prayer and friendship.

I already look forward to the next year's trip.

McLaren updates - 2007 - Malaysian Grand Prix

It looks like Vodaphone McLaren Mercedes team has finally got it's act together. An almost flawless race today in Sepang saw the team taking the positions 1 and 2 and Lewis Hamilton deserves special mention for showing steel will in the start of the race and keeping his cool till the very end, especially in the closing moments when challenged by Kimi Raikkonnen. "Some time this year I am going to win one of these", that was his message to the team after crossing the finish line. A good sign of things to come from a confident driver whose head is firmly on his shoulder.