The Basics: If a failed 'motivational speaker' dad, a suicidal gay uncle, a stressed mom, a heroin-snorting grandpa and a Nietzsche-loving brother were not enough, little Olive Hoover has a quirk of her own. She wants to win the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. When Olive gets selected for the finals, the Hoover family pack into their Volkswagen mini-bus for a two-day road trip to California.

What I think: One of the reasons I loved Little Miss Sunshine was that it featured a dysfunctional American family, not the Lived-Happily-Ever-After ones usually depicted in Hollywood cinema. And though the Hoovers go through several distressing events on their way to California, you can only laugh as they deal with one problem after another.

A dark comedy that warms the cockles of one's heart, the film is both funny and touching. The characters are flesh-and-blood human beings and I found myself warming to each of them.

Regrets: Alan Arkin didn't quite deserve an Oscar for his role as Grandpa. Am not finding fault with his acting but then he's barely there for 15 minutes. Am being mean but probably the Academy wanted to honour the veteran actor before he passed away. That said, the film deserves a separate Oscar for Best Ensemble Cast.

Rating: ****

Remarks: Feeling blue? DO NOT MISS IT

Better check your tea

There might be urine in it.

Or vice versa.

Cricket World Cup: Of free beers and prison riots

Free beer! That's what an Australian fan named Tony has won after he grabbed a one-handed catch beyond the boundary when Ricky Ponting hit a giant six during the World Cup thriller against South Africa on Saturday. With that historic six, Ponting became the seventh player to cross the 10,000-run mark in ODIs. It's celebration time also for Tony, an electrician, coz he's won free beer for the rest of the tour.

The crowd might have noticed Tony grabbing the ball but they were oblivious to a prison riot barely 400 metres from the stadium. Apparently, some prisoners escaped into the yard by using furniture in their cell to break down the door. Looks like they really wanted to watch the Aussies in action.

March 2007 archives

Kongregate rocks!!!

Has anyone tried out Kongregate? I feel it's gonna be the next big craze after You Tube. Check it out.

Glamour girls scramble for piece of India

Did anyone notice that a bevy of international beauties made a beeline for India in recent months. Scarlett Johansson visited slums and schools in Delhi as part of an Oxfam project. Ashley Judd was here espousing women's rights and the fight against AIDS. Elizabeth Hurley chose to get married to hubby Arun all over again in picturesque Jodhpur. Angelina Jolie and beau Brad Pitt flew down to India for filming 'A Mighty Heart'. Now, singer Shakira would be performing in Mumbai. And what of celebrities turning up unannounced like they did some years ago? Remember how Kate Winslet roamed about sans make-up and evaded shutterbugs.

March 2007 archives

How Steffi Graf aced a spectator

And we are not even talking about her tennis. (Link via Kiruba)

Will voters sway the same way sans bribes?

Uttar Pradesh is heading for elections and we are in for yet another round of booth-capturing, politicians using money (to bribe voters), gangsters using muscle (to intimidate voters) and something exclusive to 2007 - Amitabh Bachchan appearing in television ads extolling the virtues of the state (or rather its government).

How would Indians react if political parties stopped bribing voters during elections? Well, the Chinese should show them the way.

March 2007 archives

Dhoni to stay back in Trinidad?

Crazy Journo claims that a miffed Dhoni has decided to make the Caribbean his permanent abode after irate fans went on the rampage at his newly constructed house in Ranchi. Believe at your own risk.

March 2007 archives

Fear and flight

Animated tale of a man who wouldn't give up on his dream