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Frank Miller’s 300 – Of course, with the movie release and all, it’s quite expected that the original comics would go up in price. Issues 1-5, the first prints that is, are selling for about 120$, last I checked. A CGC 9.9 copy of issue 1 sold for 287$. ( CGC or the Comics Guarantee Corporation is a third-party grading service that grades the condition of a comicbook based on certain parameters and then slabs it in a plastic bag. A CGC rating of 9.8 is really, really high, and 9.9 is the best ever. I think the number of comics that have been graded 10 would be less than the number of fingers on your left hand.)

The 300 hardcover is currently the fifth overall bestseller on Amazon, but is surprisingly in short stock all over America. Seems this has been a consistent problem following Dark Horse movie releases – there was a shortage of Hellboy and Sin City when the respective movies came out.

Your mindboggling art link of the day: Frank Frazetta concept painting for an animated Dracula film in 1975, on sale for 69,500$ by Lewis Wayne Art Gallery. The detail of the image is right here. Remember to exhale.

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I bought Daywatch off Walden recently. No discount, but I got a 500 Rs gift voucher from my other flat-mate, which brought down the price down quite a bit. Just got started, looks like the principal protagonists are different in this one. Which reminds me I haven’t watched Night Watch yet, inspite of buying the 2-disc edition. Bah!

And I’m playing Ultimate Spider-man: The Game and my thumbs are sore from all the button-pushing. Double bah! Though I did manage to clear the first race against Johnny Storm after about thirty-five attempts ( after which I figured out a move which allows me…er…Spider-man to web-jump onto rooftops.)

Opened up my crate of old Gotham comics. Rereading some of the super-specials, pleasantly surprised to find that one of the back-up stories on Hulk: The End is this Ennis-McCrea two-parter called Hulk Smash!. Not much of a Hulk story, this one, more of an Ennis war yarn and midway through it, I remembered reading it from before. Enhanced pleasure due to the fact that I am buying a key splash page in that issue very soon. Hyuk hyuk.

Saw four movies over the weekend – Woh Lamhe, one of Mahesh Bhatt’s autobiographical versions of his history with Parveen Babi and her schizophrenia. The lead in the title is a director named Aditya Garewal, who has graced the cover of Time Magazine and, in an introductory scene, heckles the lead actress to the point where she takes off her panties in public and throws it at him. Mahesh Bhatt needs serious help, I know. But the movie is not that bad, either, Kangana Ranaut and Shiney Ahuja are fairly non-cringey in their respective roles. Shiney Ahuja probably is following a career path involving roles in which girlfriends commit suicide. ( Zindaggi Rocks, baliye)

Bas Ek Pal is semi-lifted from Almodovar’s Live Flesh, minus the deviant bonking in the latter. The film plays quite well, drags a lot, and ultimately proves that Urmila Matondkar should avoid roles that involve a lot of crying. This will probably go down in Indian cinematic history as a film with completely unlikeable characters.

Sunday, I watched two Telugu movies. One was Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana ( ‘If You Call Me, I Will Come‘) directed by Prabhu Deva and starring Trisha and Siddharth, and had a jolly good time. The film is like a distillation of every feel-good Indian film you ever saw, and yet manages to avoid being a cliche. I wants my weekly dose of melodrama, sweetums!

The other Telugu movie was one called Anand, which had received rave reviews from quite a lot of friends. The film starts off well, and dissolved into a completely amateur mish-mash of ideas. The editting is terrible, and while the film has its heart in the right place, Sekhar Kammulla really needs to work on his storytelling. BWAH HAH HAH, I didn’t say that last line – I can’t believe I am getting into this serious-review-mode. Phooey!

But I need to watch Nijam. My Mahesh Babu Filmography is going really well – I finished Athadu, Okkadu and Pokiri this year – I bought this one recently and need to see it fast enough.

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8 thoughts on “

  1. Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana was a funny film, especially because how I saw it. With Sasi giving a scene-to-scene translation! :D He insisted it is inspired from Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, while I stayed put on MPK. Hahaha!

    And, of course, I owe a big one to Brainz! :D When will he send me the other Siddharth movie? :((((((((((((((((((((

    • The other Siddharth movie – Bommarilu – isn’t out yet on DVD. DOn’t worry, I am monitoring its release and the day it releases, I will buy two copies. :-)

      I watched NN on DVD recently, with proper subtitles. :-D

  2. Nijam, AFAIK, is terrible. Skip it, if you can.

    Okkadu is real fun. Vrikodhara will vouch for it. :) It’s more fun if you see it on a big screen. Damaal-dameel dishum dishum movie.

    Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana – “If you say you would want to come, would I say no?!”

    Has 300 released there? It’s quite graphic (some nudity too). I wonder how much would slip past through the cencors.

    • Nijam, AFAIK, is terrible. Skip it, if you can.

      Can’t! I am on a Mahesh Babu trip! :-D

      Okkadu has already been vouched for by The Vriko with his unbroken 47-views record. I was waiting for a version with subtitles, and am glad I did.

      Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana – “If you say you would want to come, would I say no?!”
      Yes, the other flatmate also clarified the same. :-)

      300 has released, and thanks to , tonight I dine in Hell. Dunno if this version of the movie is censored, hope not!!

      • Anonymous says:

        Vanaja

        Feels good to be writing on this space again ……….

        Vanaja is being screened as part of Hyderabad International Film Festival. It will be screened in Prasadz on 25th, Sunday, at 11 AM. But I guess, you will need to manage a pass for it.

        I was also very eagerly looking forward to this movie. Infact, I paid a visit to their production house in Banjara Hills, near KBR part (The building just adjacent to IGate). Its actually the house of the director. I was not fortunate enough to talk to the director in person yet, but had the pleasure of interacting with a few of the crew / team during my two visits till now.

        Believe me, they are just ordinary people, no professionals at all.. who are all driven by the passion for good cinema with Rajnesh as their inspiration. They were cordial enough to manage an application for me to get the Pass for the Film Festival. I was told that after the screening of Vanaja, there will be an interactive session with the director participating in it.

        Harsha.
        PS: Thought I will share my online address with you. http://www.flickr.com/photos/harshapvss/

        • Re: Vanaja

          Thanks for the tip, Harsha. I will do my best to get the passes. Will catch up with you if I am there. Have heard quite a bit about the movie, and would love to see it.

          And I saw your photos. Damn, there are some INCREDIBLE ones in there. Will spend some time looking through them later….

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