Pokerstars for ios.

Now that's fun! They finally made it for iphones and ipads. I've just downloaded pokerstars app from the appstore and the design feels good. Tried some sng and it feels goods. I think I know what I'll be doing tonight with my ipad. Thise of you who are pokerplayers must certainly know it and waited for it to come sooner or later. Now enjoy!

Weird stuff on blogger.

I'm not sure if I did anything wrong, but I tried to update all my posts so that it will have a universal layout and page font and everything... Somehow it got my older post "American Reunion" and posted it as new :) So, don't be angry... it's just some mistake which I don't know. Just enjoy my most recent post about other movies and shows I want to write. It's fun this way :)'


By the way, I've completely changed the design, by using all that they got here and I think it'll be much easier and simpler this way. Pageview like before wasn't that comfortable... I hope you'll enjoy this one better. Thanks!

American Reunion.

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Updates on movies and shows.

I recently watched several movies. It's being a long time since I could watch it all in several days. Usually it comes to new movies in nearest cinemas. So, I was on this short business trip to Dubai and had a chance to finish "Curb Your Enthusiasm" season 4, enjoy "The Descendants," "Four Lions," and most of all when I came back I could enjoy 'based on true events and altered for dramatic effect" - "Moneyball," and a jaw-dropping "American History X." Well, yeah, it's all about the shows and movies that people have watched already, it's past history... But still, feel like it's worth writing about. 

Curb Your Enthusiasm - hillarious show where each character is just fantastic! The very fact that most of the scenes are improvised is just brilliant. It's not only about "I'm the Seinfeld co-creator Larry David," it's about every single one of them! And even guest stars are just as cool. To note some - the usual Ross-Schwimmer, Ben "exploding" Stiller, and Jason "George" Alexander, and Elaine, oh, no... and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss :) And many other more... Well, I still got a lot to watch. Ted Danson :) Richard Lewis... etc. etc. etc.... Most enjoyable comedy show that I really can't stop watching.

The "slightly" manipulative Descendants... That's what I think. Well I actually have much respect for Alexander Payne and I won't say much until I see that movie for a second time, and until I finish "Sideways." I just read so much positive reviews about "Sideways" that I feel I'd be very dishonest if I don't see that movie. It's just that this itching feel that this movie (based on a novel) deliberately puts you in that artificial situation so that you feel cornered in many ways. You end up disliking everyone, and at the same time you're sorry for everyone (especially the littlest one, Scottie - this one I empathize, 'cause she'll learn more as she grows up - and that could be a different story - perhaps a better one). Although it attempts to put you in a real life situation - it still feels artificial. But, enough is enough, after I finish "Sideways" I'll have more to say. Perhaps it's more of a director style thing :) By the way - I enjoyed that small episode with Matthew Lillard. It's been a long time since I saw him... well anywhere. It's a small episode, but his looked much more effective in that that Clooney himself. All those lies and confusion, and fear, and love for his wife - all at the same time, in five or six minutes just great acting. Two thumbs up for Lillard! (Just like what Ebert would say :) )

"Four Lions" - is one of the best tragic comedies that I saw recently. And not many are coming out these days. It's quite well crafted. You must be very masterful so that you can start it with a comedy, with an absurd, and finish it all up with the tragedy. Hey, that's one movie that goes well along with my blog - absurd :) I think I gotta pay more attention to that. So, it's decided - it'll be the first movie to write about.

Moneyball is just great sports drama that you also don't see recently. The way it's filmed is all great. You're watching it and undrestand well that good oscar-like drama. That's good oscar-like directing. That's good oscar-like anger on Pitt's face. Although it significantly differs from what happened in reality, for the movie, it's dramatic effect is all good that's good about good cinema. I re-read what I wrote before and it looks a bit like teasing, well it's not. At least I need to say more about it when I review it. But all this drama is meant to inspire, while in the end, whatever they created didn't work. Therefore it's worth mentioning that "composite character" for the oscar nominated Jonah Hill - Peter Brand was not necessary. If it started from reality that Beane in fact "inherited" that "economic" approach from a previous GM you could have easily used the real guy behind Hill-Brand, the real economist Paul DePodesta. No wondre he refused to let his name use, because reality was quite significantly altered. In general - great drama, but certain things need to be mentioned. Powerful acting with Pitt as always, good acting from Hill (I was rather surprised to see him in that role and even more surprised with that oscar nomination). Good directing, cinematography, good sports. And as I am from Kyrgyzstan who has no idea about baseball and perhaps many other people too, I found that movie and sports very thrilling thanks to all that above-mentioned.

And finally, "American History X" - well that's something special. Most critics (and I'm not) tend to give movies stars or pluses or as many Thumbs as they have or can borrow from other people who are also critics and I don't like that for certan movies. I actually like that guy from Russia - Alex Exler - who for certain movies, great movies, important movies, movies that make you think and are one of a kind - doesn't give any of that crap. He simply says: This movie is a masterpiece, I will never give this movie any rating at all. I think he said such things about "Once upon a time in America," "Godfather" part 1 and 2, and some other really important and influential movies. So, on "American History X" I'm with him. Well, I think he said the same thing about that movie. It's truly a masterpiece that will always be important for many generations to come.

Edward Norton as Derek Vinyard

pic from: http://static.megashara.com/screenshots/765460__american_history_x_avc.mkv_003347051.jpg

to finish it on a positive note: Tasteless, but funny. (pic from fugly.com)

The Borgias are back!

Cesare Borgia by Francois Arnaud

That's another good show. The first episode is out, and I'm not gonna spoil it by watching today. I'll watch it while I'm on a plane to Dubai. That's the best thing I can do on a plane. Afterwards I'm gonna write a review for the first season, and the first episode of the second season. Must note: Francois Arnaud is a scene-stealer in the show, most interesting actor there.

Game of Thrones. S2.

Stannis Baratheon by Stephen Dillane

Watching Game of Thrones season 2. Everything is great about the show. I'm enjoying every bit of it. Great casting. New characters are impressive. Stannis is just like he's in the book, cold, not a talker, but doer, and Stephen Dillane does great depicting him. Can't stop watching, it the third episode already. Will miss it once it's over, but will wait eagerly for a third season.

It's good that the creators were able to secure with the HBO. It's a pity that Potter's movies were just 2 hours short. As the book series progressed and became much more complex it was harder and harder to put it in a cinema. The only good decision they made (commercially motivated though) is to break up the final book into two movies.

George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire is huge. It's complex, it's hard to put into a two hour movie. That's why I think HBO made the best decision in their lives for us, the fans. :) Big books should be made into stories like this - 10 episodes, each 50 minutes. This way you don't cut much from the book, and have the ability to explore more than just story. You explore the characters. 

I've finished four books, now I'm reading Dance with the Dragons. I've never enjoyed reading so much recently. Nothing really excites me. But once I saw the Game of Thrones I started reading the books. And I remembered what was reading all about. Last time I got excited reading Chingiz Aitmatov's books - A day last longer than a century.Author's imagination has no boundaries. Martin is very cruel, especially when it comes to characters that you like. He kills them off and you feel screaming: "What the hell are you doing? How could you do that?????"

Brienne of Tarth by Gwendoline Christie

The only thing about Game of Thrones is that in season two Brienne of Tarth is no ugly. She is quite pretty actually. And that ruins it all.Gwendoline Christe is too nice for that role.

Mad Dogs. Season 1.

If for some reason you haven't seen it yet, do it. Those of you who may have read my blog just a bit, may wonder that I'm writing only positive reviews, but more is yet to come. After all my blog is only 3-4 weeks old. I still have a lot to watch, a lot of crap, but now I'm writing down everything I've seen recently and which impressed me. Yes, I know, I wrote something positive about American Reunion, but the great thing about your own blog is that you write whatever you want. That's exactly what I'm doing. 

What we have here? Mad Dogs. We have a great ensemble cast - John Simm as Baxster, Mark Warren as Rick, Max Beesley as Woody, Phillip Glenister as Quinn, and most of all the scene stealer Ben Chaplin as Alvo.We've got everything that makes up a good psychological drama where average people are placed in a high adrenaline situation. Long time friends, who seem to like each other, their friendship has its roots since they remember themselves. Well I'm not sure if they know each other since they were kids, but they are friends from a long time ago: they have some common views, common ideas, and most important they all share common past.

Alvo (Ben Chaplin) is the protagonist in the very first episode of the show (four episodes in a season). And although they are all good friends, we see from the very beginning that Alvo is the agressive group leader of sorts. He's successful, he's angry, he's over the top, he's insulting everyone around him the way he wants, and acts as if no one can reproach and stand against him. And that guy, as I said before, is a scene stealer from the very beginning. He's quite repulsive, but his "gentlemen" friends somehow do not feel to attack him, until it's too late actually. It such a pity that his character was (not a spoiler since a third season is being already ordered) killed off in the very beginning. But his character is the main starting point for the rest of the show. Now we have four ordinary men struggling with the problem that Alvo left them to deal with, and four of them have so many troubles, unsaid stuff among themselves that not only do they have to deal with the major problem of Alvo's death, but solve their own group problems.

Max Beesley as Woody

John Simm-Baxter - a lawyer who's license was revoked. Mark Warren-Rick - a family guy who cheats on his wife and hides all the possible marriage problems from himself and his friends. Philip Glenister-Quinn with his marriage in tartars is still in love with his oldtime girlfriend, who's Rick's wife. And finally Max Beesley-Woody - with this guy everything is so unclear that his troubles are yet to come.

Now these guys are dealing with difficulties that we need to explain just a bit. They came for a vacation to visit their rich businessman friend Alvo, they had their fun, they are relaxed. Then unexpectedly Alvo steals a boat and that makes them uneasy. All of a sudden a mysterious masked man comes and kills Alvo right in front of them, threatens to kill them and leaves their place in a police car! Shocked they realize that they cannot trust anyone! And once they find a lot of money on a boat that Alvo stole - they can't trust each other. Add all the intergroup troubles here and you have a mind-blowing story!

Mark Warren as Rick

I like that show. I've still got the second season to finish, but the first one was impressive. I see here four great actors, actors I like (the fifth being Ben Chaplin, unfortunately I haven't seen him in other movies and I'm going to catch up with him). Mark Warren - yeah, that impatient, but smart crook from Hustle. It was a nice change of character, although I must admit, I've just started watching British shows (I'm a fan of Doctor Who, I've seen Hustle, New Sherlock, just started Life on Mars, IT crowd, Black Books... well that's about it). Once I've seen more of them, perhaps I can be more objective as to their range of acting. Max Beesley is ok, but as I said, we must wait for more about him.

John Simm as Baxster

And two most impressive actors are John Simm, and Philip Glenister. (Life on Mars is where they both appear, I'm eager to watch it after finish off second season of Mad Dogs). Let's talk first about John Simm. I first saw him in Doctor Who as a villain - The Master. He was great as the Master. He was that megasuperdruperMANIAC that you may rarely meet in movies. That happened several times in Bond movies, but good villains are scarce, and he was that jem in the final episodes where he attracted more attention than the Doctor himself. His Master was so appealing that's it's my inner wish for the villain to win the hero. It rarely happens. John Simm is so versatile, so different that I can't help myself liking him a lot. The Master was a maniac, and he showed it superbly. Now Baxter is not that simple. All characters are multi-layered, and Baxster as a lawyer without license is a simple guy, but a bit rotten. The first one to lay seeds of feud amongst friends. He's a rat, he's scared, and when he's scared he acts like a rat would do, save his own soul. Which means that season two and three will have a few more surprises.

Philip Glenister as Quinn

But the most dangerous character is Philip's Quinn. By the end of season 1 you may see that he's most dangerous, because he comes to understand that he's the only one who's got nothing to lose. His wife hates him, his daughter's don't wish to see him, love of his life is married to another man, his friend Rick, and he's finding it hard to see himself in that picture. His internal monologue not really shown in the first 3 episodes is finally ripe by the end of episode 4. He is desperate. He sees how meaningless life is and was, and realizes that he's the one to take the blow for all that happened, by doing his best - saving his friends. He's not talking much, but acts decisively. 

Don't worry, I haven't told you much, I hope so. No spoilers, only important info to understand characters and story line. What is also good about this show is that the story line and characters are very much developed and wooven into each other. It's rare to see a drama that has everything well balanced: story and characters. Everything looks organic, actors look as if they're acting themselves in real lives. 

Ben Chaplin as Alvo

I can't give any stars to that show, simply because I haven't finished it. It looks for a five, but not all may like it. It's quite slowpaced, there's more dialogue than action. You've got to be ready to watch that show. Get rid of everyone and everything that may distract you, watch it alone, or with someone who doesn't talk much and enjoy the idea that the creator wants you to follow. Even if you may not like the pace, watch it for the actors, they are great here. And if you've seen them before like I did enjoy the Master, you may like that they can act directly opposite their other roles.

(I used pics from: http://sky1.sky.com/mad-dogs/mad-dogs-the-best-of-season-1 . Hope they're not angry about it. I gave the link afterall :) )

Jimmy Poy.

It felt quite nostalgic yesterday listening to live performance to a couple singing good old Bollywood songs. I believe that Bollywood's influence in the middle 1980's on Central Asian countries was a nuclear bomb in the minds of all. What McDonald's did for Russia, Bollywood did for us. And most likely both - Burgers, Colorful Dances and Songs imploded us from within. Next time I'll write what I think about it - before we knew hollywod - there was bollywod. It's as if you knew only seven colors of the rainbow, and someone else shows you that there are thousands of them. The best form of escapism by the time collapse was near.

pic from: http://www.kino-teatr.ru/kino/movie/asia/21599/foto/164220/

Thoughts about Cameron's movies.

Cameron's Titanic is released in 3D this year, and to tell you the truth I'm going to watch it with my wife. To tell you the truth I haven't seen it until last year. I mean I tried to watch it several times, fell asleep every single time, and only once watched the ending, when everything went mad and people sank, and the ship cracked in half. Last year, I finally made it. I watched the whole movie beginning to end. It left me dazzled and confused. I realized that the story is a fairy tale of "pure" and utopian love story on board of a ship. But don't get turned off, I actually have more positive ideas to say than negative :)

Aren't all his stories simple, wrapped up in best visual effects of all time at the time of release? Yes, they are. Terminator (both), Aliens, Titanic, Avatar. The king of the box-office, genre maker, star creator and many more keeps his stories simple, almost childish. They are dreams that once we had, but forgot when we grew up. What is Titanic? Candy-sweet love story of a pauper and upper class lady. What is Avatar? Protector of the environment and inhabitat. What is Terminator? A story of robots and cyborgs and future.

But wait. Didn't we all dream once teens that we'll die for the one we love? Didn't we all dream that we would give up everything to protect a place we came to love? Didn't we all dream that one day we may realize that we are more than we seem and we are more important then everybody else? Didn't we all dream that someone will come from the future and tell you - you are the One, you'll save us all and you are in danger. :)

And that's exactly what is great about it. The simple stories that let us re-live dreams long forgotten. Just as I heard one radio talk show comment about two years ago about sports. It went something like this: "What is sports? Why do we really care about winning and losing? Why would people care about it, if they were not participants of either side in any case? And I'll tell you why. It all about the simplest emotions. It's all about feeling and bursting with pride or grief if your team is losing.  That can no one take away from you. It would seem that you shouldn't care about it, but yet, it's what people do. They laugh and cry, scream and curse, jump and run, shock everyone around with high emotions and get shocked if their team loses. It's all about the emotions."

A 15 year old boy desperately in love would give up his life just like Jack died for Rose. Because he knows (egoist though) that she won't betray his love and carry on his image through years, even though she might marry. Many boys and girls know that they are so special that one day they may even save humanity from their ownselves and their creatures like cyborgs, or from the ravenous desire to suck all the Earth resources and other ecosystems. You are that very teen that Schwarzenegger once held out his hand to and said: "Come with me, if you wanna live." In all that futuristic world where "greed is still good", you are Ripley and Nute at the same time who defy (paraphrasing Dostoevsky) "all the world's riches because they are not worth a child's tear." (Well although we know that it was much more insired by "Starship Troopers" army of the future, than Nute who's an important, but not principal character to the story.) 

So, all in all it's just like sports. It's all about the emotions that we buried long time ago and forgot, but once we see all that - we re-live. We are family people, we have kids, wifes, husbands, obligations, "we do not indulge ourselves exactly because we are adults" (c) Dr. James Wilson from House M.D., we do not fight, we do not risk our lives. But once we decide to go to Titanic 3D we know deep down inside we are that simple Jack blinded by love, who doesn't want to die, but dies. We are Rose for whom Jack gave up his life so she could carry on. 

Many critics, especially in Russia, don't like Avatar and SHAME on THEM! For they will never protect a Tree! For they are senseless and empty trunks of a dead tree :) As for those who like let's revamp those tiny hidden dreams we had when we were 13. :)

pic from: http://www.mir3d.ru/news/8252/

It makes it much more interesting. :)

Now that I figured out the way to publish my blog to twtt and facebook accounts it seems much more interesting. I can write stuff :) I'll certainly enjoy it :)

"Prince Charming"

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is "Prince Charming." That's the first thought that occurs to you when you see Jaime Lannister in season 1 of Game of Thrones. Throughout the season you can't get rid of this annoying idea when you see his charismatic smile  that resembles "Schrek 2" character. The way he pushes the kid from the rock saying "The things I do for love..." twists and turns you upside down. It's immediate disgust with the Kingslayer's cynicism and arrogance that make the character unfortunately quite one-sided. Afterwards you may see that evil is evil, good is good. Well isn't that all too simple for a highly acclaimed "Ice and Fire" series? Certainly not.

Mr. Coster-Waldau's character is more than just a handsome man who can fight, court women (only one actually) and speak to the rest of them as if they all were earth worms regardless of their nobility. In fact, he may find it a hard task to portray a rather complex character revealed in later books. Who are we about to see? That's not a spoiler, not at all... We shall see a compasionate (oh, yes!) Jaime, a Kingslayer who disregards a lifetime oath punishable by death for love of a family, a Kingsguard who betrays laws for love of a little brother hated by everyone, a warrior who still dreams, a traitor (blast from the past), a simple man who would risk his life for someone other people would never risk lives, a man eaten alive for things he does and things he's done... In the end "the things I do for Love" may not sound as cynical as you would think.

I've seen Coster-Waldau in "Headhunters," and I truly believe that his stardom is yet to come for this Danish actor has a lot of talent unexplored, unrevealed. His Jaime is just like that. More surprise is to come while your hatred may fill with more understanding of the hard choices he had to make in his life.

That's what makes "Ice and Fire" so special. I wish Nicolaj all the best in that quite daunting task to show how colourfull his character is. The tough thing is you have to wait a lot if you want to see it onscreen, because it won't be in season 2, but much later, season 3-4, or read a book. Nevertheless Jaime will attract a lot of attention onscreen and you will not regret it.

pic from: http://www.radiatorfilm.com