JUNE BUG

So as promised.. here's my take on Juno.

A friend made me watch it while I was at Bombay. He had already seen it but he didn't mid watching it again with me. That itself raised my expectations because this guy is very finicky about movies. Anyway, so we go to Marine Drive and buy tickets that could've bought us amazing lunch and jeer at the shallow yuppies driving in with 'panache' as they call it - the beach blonde overdressed-for-a-matinée socialite waiting for her guy to get out of the car and open the door for her. Then we kill some more time on the heavily shot, screened, referred to and cliched marine drive curb in the Bombay afternoon sun. Soon it is time for the movie and we walk in.

I am smug as soon as the titles begin with that song. I know I'm in for a quirky ride. Every dialogue - so matter of fact, so in your face, doubled up with another one soon after, doesn't give you much time to crack up. You are overwhelmed by how OK people are with their 'situations'. And yes, one should be that way.

Ellen Page is Coolness Personified. And I bet that if she reads this she'd say "How lame.. Jeez Poo.. " or something on those lines. I am deliberately skipping the not-so-appropriate parts of her reaction. But I'm sure you can fill the blanks.

"This is one doodle you cannot undo"

"This pink plus sign is so unholy"

"All that's missing is your bas***d"

There are the really deep ones too, but I don't wanna list them out and kill it.

The movie drifts through autumn and winter and spring. But the red and golden athletes keep running. As for those, Juno's vivid description of 'that' can screw any mind over.

The best part about the film is that none of the emotions are out there in the open, but you still get a whiff of them. No one gets cheesy. But everyone gets taken care of. The step mom stitches the special pants for Juno and hits back at the sonogram technician so hard, Juno has to say, "Jeez Brenda! Get a d***!"

And still the movie doesn't miss out on the pain, the longing and the love. Motherhood is taken seriously. And so is a teenager.

The songs are another plus. All of them are cool in their own weird way. Some of the lyrics are downright absurd, the others, just plain gross. But they blend in the movie's undercurrent so well, that you can't think of any other number that could replace them.

In the song "Anyone else but you", one of the lines go "You shook a li'l turd off the bottom of your pants"!! Yes, this is movie is not for the beach blonde who couldn't get out of her own car. It's for you and me. Watch it. Laugh. Get Disgusted. Cry. Cringe. I don't care. But if you are still un-juno-ed, you're missing something.

Joker in the Pack

I read this book a year ago. It starts with the line - "Shekhar Verma has finally arrived." I now know what that means.

As per my last blog, the last week was going to determine my next five years. Hell yeah!! it did. I'm there.

I still don't want to sound high flown. I still don't know half of what's in store for me. Yet, I am smug.

The future blogs will definitely be about more generic issues. It's been long since I talked sense here.

Sneak Peak: A take on one of my frequently watched films - JUNO

Random Thoughts in Bed

It's been really long since I wrote about something impersonal. The last few entries have been quite complacently about myself. And I'm afraid the blog is gradually turning into a quirky journal of sorts. But what the heck, the idea was to speak my mind. And if of late, all that's on my mind is not Hugo Chavez or Fidel Castro or Sarkozy or Ho Chi Minn, then be it. I have been so preoccupied with my life for a change, that I haven't really bothered about people who feature in my life only through Business Line or Google News or Economic Times.

I would like to go on talking about myself, but I'm wondering what. I signed in today because I didn't have anything to write about. Coz, I'm frankly quite confused. It's a funny phase. I am at a point in life that could determine the next five years. The choices I make in the next week could make up what I become within 5 years - 5 years! That's a long time. And who knows what these 5 years have in store for me. I am also at a place where I am discovering myself. I'm finally figuring out what I want from life by ticking off what I am sure I don't want. Till now, I was looking towards family and friends to guide me through these 'tough' decisions. Now, I think I'll do just fine by listening to my heart.

I can take a stand now. A stand to be on my own. I had been looking for someone to look up to. Someone I could depend on. Someone who had the upper hand. But fortunately, spine is hard to find. So I walk alone. And quite a walk it shall be.

I can now revel in the spotlight. My eyes don't cringe anymore. Two hoots!

I can stare them in the eye. Because I am not in the wrong. They are. I have the courage. They don't. I am made of stronger stuff. They may have luck and a good disguise on their side, but I have truth and integrity on mine.

People could swindle me. They could take me for a ride. People can take advantage of me. And yet, I forgive and forget. Some might call me foolish. I happen to think likewise. But I can't change that. I will not. That's what makes me what I am.

I can speak my mind. And I always will. I may regret it. But I am born to do that. Have always, will always.

I can take chances. I can be adventurous. I can stop thinking. I can do much more. And I love it!