One of the disadvantages of living in a country that is obsessed with football is that during the world cup or the European cup the country pretty-much comes to a standstill entertainment-wise (the upshot being that evening traffic is much reduced). Movie releases are postponed by months because the attendance figures in cinemas drop, and that is why, much later than the rest of the world, Superman Returns only opened here this weekend.

Just back from seeing the entertaining, exciting and utterly soulless 150 minute trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End, otherwise known as Dead Man's Chest.

Yeah.

I really, really loved the first Pirates. It was like The Secret of Monkey Island only on the big screen, with one heck of a great central character in the form of Jack Sparrow, an epic scope and a wonderfully paced, dense storyline with real chills and spills. Pirates the Second has all that, and more: Jack's back, the Monkey Island references are back (nobody tell Ron Gilbert, okay?), the plot just goes all over the place and is filled with thrilling action sequence after action sequence... except... except...

I was somewhat skeptical when the alarmists started crowing about India banning major blog sites, and I was right -- turns out it wasn't a case of boneheadedness on the government's part (this time), but on the ISPs'. Isn't it fantastic that supposedly world-class companies like Tata and Reliance can't block individual blogs, so have to get the whole domain?

The pilot episode of the animated version of The Amazing Screw-On Head is here. Watch. Now. NOW!

The poster for The Fountain looks good. In this day and age, we really should be getting more medium budget science fiction and fantasy films like we did in the 70s and 80s. Confession: I have never seen a Darren Aronofsky film. Anyone?

It seems that Mumbai, as usual, just keeps on ticking. Trains services are back. Schools and Offices are open. People who don't want to use the train are apparently being offered lifts by just about anyone on the street with a car or bike. The city was last on a list of 'Politest Cities' just a couple of weeks ago.*

I'm Okay (well, as okay as can be watching the news from 2000km away),
all the family I have in Mumbai is okay. Phone lines are jammed or
down, so things are a bit of a mess and can't get in touch with people
except through the net of all things, but haven't heard any bad news
yet.

At least, y'know, other than the obvious.

Natalie Portman may be playing Indiana Jones's daughter in Indy IV (no, no, not Fate of Atlantis, this is a movie). As if Ms. Portman wasn't a Geek Queen enough with three Star Wars movies, V for Vendetta and the infamous SNL rap sketch.

Apparently Vin Diesel is not going to be Silver Surfer. That's a relief. I have nothing against Diesel -- I'm one of the few who actually liked The Chronicles of Riddick -- but he was just the wrong choice. Look, just because someone is bald and has muscles doesn't mean they're a shoo-in for Silver Surfer.

Make with the clicky.

Paper-thin Shape Memory Cellophane. I can't wait for the day when I can make origami birds and horses that can actually move of their own accord. (this is similar, but not quite what I'm thinking of)

Fabian Bielinsky, the director of Nine Queens, has died. If you've never seen it, Nine Queens is a taut, gripping Argentinian movie about the machinations of low and high level confidence rackets told in a the span of a single day.