Cinderella Man

"SeaBiscuit with gloves", said NYTimes about Cinderella Man (quote further reiterated by a friend's friend, when invited to the movie). I liked Sea Biscuit and I liked Cinderella Man even more! Fine direction, finest acting by Russell Crowe & Paul Giamatti.

You know the story, you know the ending - its a boxer's fall from grace and then re-establishing himself and rising to the top again, defying all odds - there.. But, when you put yourself in the protagonist's shoes, imagine how life must've been during the Great Depression (see Central Park looking like a slum), that's when the movie takes you to a whole new level. There are some movies, which are far removed from reality, but are enjoyable nevertheless; this is an attempt to get the audience to ride the lows and highs with Crowe's character, rooting for him at the edge of your seat in the final match-up. Crowe delivers a beautifully understated, classy acting performance - no other actor could've pulled this role off any better!

A mentor once told me - "The human body can endure an unbelievable amount of strain and effort, its all about pushing yourself. Its all in the mind.". The thought kept popping up in my mind throughout the movie. Its true - there are times when I have stretched myself to limits that I didn't know I was capable of. Hopefully, I can do that more often, going forward..

Watch it!

Way under-age

Thats how I felt at the Santana gig last night at the MSG. Me and my friend were the only 2 on the favorable side of 30 in our section of the crowd! Most of them were right out of Woodstock; they had just taken 30 years off to age some. Where were the young'uns?? Has Carlos Santana lost out on favor with them? Don't too many of us youngsters appreciate that kind of music?

The concert itself was phenomenal! The opening act by Los Lonely Boys set the stage (they were really good!) for The Master to thrill the audience with some of his popular numbers (Jingo, Smooth, Maria, Black Magic Woman, etc.) interspersed with some not-too-well known Spanish numbers (which were just as good too). The vocalist, Andy Vargas did a great job and the rest of the ensemble..wow! 3 percussionists, a sax player, trumpet, bass, another guitarist, keyboard, piano - super stuff! Hardly realised 4 hrs passing through - wonderful music!

Song of the night: hmm..Oye Como Va

Been over 4 weeks since..

..my parents and sister came to visit me in the US
..I have been spending quality time with family - travelling, shopping, and all that good stuff.
..I have been eating delightful mum-cooked food
..I last had to clean my room, wash any dishes, do any cooking, iron any clothes
..wake up to the annoying sound of the alarm
..I was elevated to be AmericanExpress' customer of the month for most swipes on a credit card in one calendar month
..I walked at a pace anything more than an amble, leave alone run
..lifted anything apart from heavy suitcases, leave alone weights
..I let any alcohol slip past my lips
..I watched any movie (Star Wars, Crash - all relegated to DVD at some point down the line)
..I spent any time wondering where my life is heading
..I submitted my worthy thoughts and actions for your kind attention here

The self-imposed hiatus is over. Back to blogging irregularly..