Thursday, July 30, 2009

COLIN!!!! I love you!!!

Mamma mia! Soundtrack - Our Last Summer

Get this Mp3 @ soundzet.com


I can still recall
Our last summer
I still see it all
Walks along the Seine
Laughing in the rain
Our last summer
Memories that remain

We made our way along the river
And we sat down in the grass by the Eiffel tower
I was so happy we had met
It was the age of no regret
Oh, yes
Those crazy years
That was the time of the flower-power
But underneath
We had a fear of flying
Of growing old
A fear of slowly dying
We took our chance
Like we were dancing our last dance

I can still recall
Our last summer
I still see it all

In the tourist jam
Round the Notre Dame
Our last summer
Walking hand in hand
Paris restaurants
Our last summer
Morning croissants
Living for the day
Worries far away
Our last summer
We could laugh and play

And now you're working in a bank
The family man, a football fan
And your name is Harry
How dull it seems
Are you the hero of my dreams

I can still recall
Our last summer
I still see it all
Walks along the Seine
Laughing in the rain
Our last summer
Memories that remain

Troupa-paaa, troupa-paa...

03 Super Trouper.w...


Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I won't feel blue
Like I always do
'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you
I was sick and tired of everything
When I called you last night from Glasgow
All I do is eat and sleep and sing
Wishing every show was the last show
(Wishing every show was the last show)
So imagine I was glad to hear you're coming
(Glad to hear you're coming)
Suddenly I feel all right
(And suddenly it's gonna be)
And it's gonna be so different
When I'm on the stage tonight
Tonight the
Super Trouper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Smiling, having fun
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Feeling like a number one
Tonight the
Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I won't feel blue
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Like I always do
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you
Facing twenty thousand of your friends
How can anyone be so lonely
Part of a success that never ends
Still I'm thinking about you only
(Still I'm thinking about you only)
There are moments when I think I'm going crazy
(Think I'm going crazy)
But it's gonna be alright
(You'll soon be changing everything)
Everything will be so different
When I'm on the stage tonight
Tonight the
Super Trouper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Smiling, having fun
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Feeling like a number one
Tonight the
Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I won't feel blue
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Like I always do
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you
So I'll be there when you arrive
The sight of you will prove to me I'm still alive
And when you take me in your arms
And hold me tight
I know it's gonna mean so much tonight
Tonight the
Super Trouper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Smiling, having fun
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Feeling like a number one
Tonight the
Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I won't feel blue
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
Like I always do
(Sup-p-per Troup-p-per)
'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you

One more look... and I forget everything... o-o-ohh

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I've been cheated by you since I don't know when
So I made up my mind, it must come to an end
Look at me now, will I ever learn?
I don't know how but I suddenly lose control
There's a fire within my soul
Just one look and I can hear a bell ring
One more look and I forget everything, w-o-o-o-oh

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Mamma mia, does it show again?
My my, just how much I've missed you
Yes, I've been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go?
Mamma mia, now I really know,
My my, I could never let you go.

I've been angry and sad about things that you do
I can't count all the times that I've told you we're through
And when you go, when you slam the door
I think you know that you won't be away too long
You know that I'm not that strong.
Just one look and I can hear a bell ring
One more look and I forget everything, w-o-o-o-oh

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Mamma mia, does it show again?
My my, just how much I've missed you
Yes, I've been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go?
Mamma mia, even if I say
Bye bye, leave me now or never
mamma mia, it's a game we play
Bye bye doesn't mean forever

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Mamma mia, does it show again?
My my, just how much I've missed you
Yes, I've been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go
Mamma mia, now I really know
My my, I could never let you go

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Six Degrees of Colin Firth

Wow. I never knew he's so big that he's being set as a benchmark against rising young British actors. This is like Shah Rukh all over again (another similarity for my mad-fan collection) except that it's not depicted as childishly as the Indian media does it, with their endless seriously rendered *stars' wars* fictions. Anyway, this sort of comparison, if taken in a fun spirit, can be quite amusing.

Here's another interesting post. He's on the cover of Durham magazine. I think the feature article is this one, right? What sort of magazine is that? Apparently, having him as their cover boy brings in a lot of orders from as far away as Germany. Firth mania? I thought they term it Firth frenzy nowadays. Not that I'm complaining coz the latter is so difficult to pronounce. Can you say it very fast? Come on, say it! :P

I found this video. I want to ask him to marry me too! Dem.. is it leap year this year?

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Christmas goodies.. in September?

I love Jim Carrey, and in this movie, he plays almost everyone~ ..frankly, I don't understand what is this reluctance the OSCAR committee people (or whoever he is who gets to decide whose names are in or out) had of even nominating the guy. But I know who I like, so you buggers can go eat your precious statues for all I care...


Jim's singing! Nice voice..mmm


But if it's in a 3D format, fat chance of me getting a DVD later on and trying to enjoy it in its full capacity. I want to watch this one in the cinema! *sulks*


Cannes Film Festival


This one is somebody's taping of the TV show, but I'm not complaining..


Part Two

Nanny McPhee - Colin Firth interview

I've just watched Mamma Mia!

And it was a blast! Now this is what watching movies is all about... complete entertainment. None of them sad, depressing movies for me, unless Colin Firth is ensconced somewhere in those sad, depressing scenes, of course. I thoroughly enjoyed myself watching Mamma Mia!, thank you very much.

There was one scene with Colin Firth singing "It's magic~~~" while enthusiastically glomping a Greek god that literally kicked me out my sofa with mirth. One minute I was laughing hysterically at his passionate declaration to give his 'daughter' away at her wedding, and the next minute I was rolling around on the floor. Oh, oh.. and why must Colin Firth be wet in almost all his movies?? Yes, I'm soooo not complaining about this (hehe).

But my favourite Colin Firth moment has to be as he's glancing down when he's being tied during the 'Gimme, gimme, gimme a man' song. Freeze that, and we have all the reason why Mamma Mia! is now my very very precious Colin Firth movie.

I'm still figuring out which two scenes that had Mark Kermode in tears. I couldn't even sincerely feel sad for Sophie or Donna ...or for any of the characters, really. I have this policy of never wasting my sympathy on those who've had a more fulfilling lives than I have, and I think despite having only each other for 20 years without a jaculation to call husband or father, that mother-and-daughter team has done quite alright, don't you think so?

I was not at all bored with the many many songs. Which is my favourite from the ones in the film? Super Trooper lights are gonna find me... la la la la. Man, that song had me on my feet and dancing in my living room. And this is why I should NOT watch a movie with anyone. I'm insane and my 'involvement' in a movie will drive everyone around me bonkers.

Get the video and watch it today!

Why didn't I know this??

Source

Shah Rukh Khan airdashed quietly into Mumbai from his vacation in London and even before B-Town got a whiff of his presence, the Bollywood Badshah had taken a flight out to Kuala Lumpur. Why Kuala Lumpur? Because he was the guest of honour at the birthday celebrations of Prime Minister Datukshri Najib Tun Razak of Malaysia on Saturday.

Speaking to BT from Malaysia, SRK said, “The Prime Minister and his wife Datinshri Rosamah were very kind to me when I shot Don here. As a friend, I was invited to spend an evening with them.’’

In 2008, Shah Rukh was conferred the Malaysian title of Datuk — equivalent to a British knighthood. He is the first foreign actor to have been given this honour. This is the first time he is visiting that nation since his ‘Datukship’. “It made me feel special and it also provided me an opportunity to carry on a relationship with a country that is culturally close to ours,’’ said SRK. Apparently, passions ran high at the birthday celebrations and SRK sang a bit of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai “because there are still some great fans of the film who wished this”.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Dorian Gray and my recent online splurge

Pride & Prejudice is up for grabs at Amazon.com at so much less than its actual value! HERE

In a moment of insanity, I also ordered "Where the Truth Lies". I'm intrigued with the 'Unrated Theatrical Release' label. Anyway, that movie will very much likely to be unavailable in my country and I very much want to watch Colin Firth in the leery insatiable sex fiend avatar cozying up unclothed next to a man I find gruesome, i.e. Kevin Bacon. Yep, so not a fan. In fact, I anticipate the whole spectacle to be so gruesome, I just have to watch it.

Can you imagine watching Mr. Darcy right next to Vince Collins? The contrast is so mind-boggling that someone has to sacrifice herself and carry it out. Maybe I'll just do a marathon... 6 hours of pining for Mr. Darcy, then wham! Vince Collins and his pathetic, unsuccessful attempt to shag a bloke who looks like Kevin Bacon (okay, he IS Kevin Bacon in real life ..errrp). Oh, I forgot to mention it's a sandwich with a bacon filler... woah, I've always wanted to say that LOL. Not to mention watching a scene in which Colin Firth, the eternal mild-mannered gentleman, beat someone up so viciously in a foul temper. Awesome trip.

I'm looking forward to Dorian Gray as well. It's one of my favourite Oscar Wilde stories so I'm very thrilled to see Colin Firth in the role of the corrupting influence in Dorian's life, Lord Henry Wotton. I think he'd do corruption exceptionally well and people who disagree with this should just go away. I've been reading arguments tinged with disappointments (upon their preview of the trailer) on how Dorian Gray's preference is not supposed to lean towards the fairer sex. Excuse me, but I thought he leans towards all kinds of sexes and vices. He probably does bestiality too, for all we know.

Dorian Gray pretty much does everything that can be done to corrupt a soul. I doubt he holds back on anything at all. Oscar Wilde did not need to tell us everything Dorian does, we're supposed to fill in the blanks ourselves with our active imagination. I wonder why there's no modern adaptation of Dorian Gray. It's premise is ripe with possibilities on modern insensibilities.

So I'm psyched about the film. And I'm the last person to go to for an objective analysis on any Colin Firth film, really. I enjoy everything he does. Even while silently complaining about all sorts of details and trivia about the way he played the character or the way the movie was filmed, I'd be squealing fangirlishly and staring wide-eyed with fascination at everything he does on-screen.

I'm not so much into Ben Barnes though. His eyes always express emotions beyond what the character is supposed to offer. He's too self-aware. He needs to tone it down and learn to control it a bit. But other than that, I'm willing to go along for the ride. Hey, it's another film adaptation of my favourite author's story with my favourite actor in it! I'll reserve my judgement until I can watch it, but I think the verdict will be a very veeerrrry lenient one.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Blake Morrison: "And When Did You Last See Your Father" interview

Source: Blake Morrison - interview

You say in a later afterword to your book that you were surprised how many readers contacted you and treated you as an agony uncle. Do you expect the same again?

Well, I think they’ll be writing to Colin instead of me! I’ve had some emails from the film’s website from Colin’s fans, and this morning I had one from someone who asked: ‘How accurate is Gina McKee as your wife as I think I could have done that really well, especially with Colin lying on top of me…’ You realise what the poor guy’s up against.

I didn't want to sleep so I went to look for a movie to watch...

...and I felt like watching this one: And When Did You Last See Your Father. I'm pasting the last episode. The link to part one is up in my uploaded movies post. I cried big wet tears during the embracing scene. But I have a reason for weeping like a lost child.

I find that Colin Firth is so good at conveying things that reflect what you yourself feel about a certain scene. He can stand there and stare at Jim Broadbent, not really doing anything overtly physical, and you can see what you feel about Blake's father reflected back to you. None of the actors I've fancied is quite like him. I'm so glad he's in his prime while I'm old enough and young enough to catch him on-screen. He's a treasure. I wish somebody had filmed his stage performances.. drat it. I'd very much like to watch those as well, especially in Another Country (I really want to see him play Guy Bennett!) and in that one by Harold Pinter.



I've loved all Colin Firth's movies that I've managed to watch so far, but this one is closer to home so it's more special. I lost my mom to cancer of the colon, an area in the body not very far from where Blake's father was suffering from. And my grandmother too, although being such a long time ago nobody could really confirm it. We did suspect it's from the same type of cancer. So that scene ...where Blake was asking his mother whether his grandad died from the same cancer and his mom told him not to worry, he has some days left ...sent me on a near catatonic journey through my own labyrinth of terror. My way in dealing about it is to pretend as if I would live forever.

When she died, I felt numb. I didn't know what to feel, how to feel, or if I ever would feel anything ever again. After some time had passed, I did notice one thing though. The prevailing recognizable feeling seems to be of anger. Which is stupid, and unwanted, and uncalled for. But it's there all the same. We didn't part on such a great note, my mom and I, thanks to some sibling meddling. But even without a petty squable from a third quarter, we had not got on famously. I guess being the eldest daughter and having a baby sister who died during childbirth right after you then growing up to be an antisocial lazy bum around the house did not exactly endear you to your mother, did it?

Mom never did make it home from the hospital, and she died without any of us around. It was so sudden, one day her operation was a success and she was making plans about what to do when she got back, the next day she was wheeled back unconscious into the ICU. I keep telling myself, it's over now... no use fretting about what can never be. But it doesn't make a difference. I'm still fretting. And I'm still getting pissed off everytime I remember anything about her, in relation to me. Maybe it's not her I'm angry at, and I can't be angry at God either coz death is a non-negotiable fact of our existence. But there you have it... as a human being, I can't help feeling angry at... something. Then I'll feel guilty about feeling angry. Which brings despair right around with anger at its heel. I wonder whether this cycle will ever stop, and if yes.. when?

I'll recommend this movie to anyone who has parental issues, or lack of them.. issue(s) or parent(s). It's nice, tells it as it is, and most importantly, dispense with all the preachiness... which I can't stand in any work of fiction or biographical/autobiographical, urgh. And it has Colin snogging more than one woman and in a bathtub doing ...something interesting (am still wondering about the lack of splashing). What's not to like? Watch it before youtube executives takes it off, the nasty buggers.

Mamma Mia! Here I go again.. na na

I bought the video today, yeay! Now to wait until my house is people-less so I can scream fangirlishly during Colin Firth moments without worrying about getting committed to a mental ward.

I tried to find BJD but the only version I found would cost me around RM60. Not that much to a lot of lucky people with higher currency exchange but that's a serious dent in mah wallet. I'll look elsewhere later.

I do want to find Girl with a Pearl Earring though but it wasn't there. I went through the whole rack (like for nearly an hour while constantly shooing off my significant other and bribing him with some videos he's wanted that I found during the hunt) while doing some little steps to Michael Jackson's songs playing in the background. Ever since the King of Pop died, his tribute videos have been playing incessantly in our local mall. Someone up there must have liked him very much. Or maybe they need the 24-7 promotion to move the videos.

Anyway, I found a press conference video of Mamma Mia! This is Part 2 with the female cast (or is it just Meryl Streep?).

Mamma Mia! - Exclusive press conference report 1 - kewego
The male stars of the film, including Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, talk about making this Abba-tastic musical.


...another stuff:


Mamma Mia! – Behind the Scenes Dance Moves - More amazing videos are a click away

...and I know I've pasted this somewhere here but... "It's my blog and I'll repaste if I want to, repaste if I want to, repaste if I want to" LOL. Well, this one is a clearer clip, really.

Post of the eternal links

I can't embed any of these darn videos.. demmit. So I can just paste the links here and you have to go to all the respective sites for them coz I'm not that dedicated to download the streaming video, upload it on wherever and embed later.

Colin Firth exclusive

Colin Firth on 'Bridget Jones' role

Hollywood Direct – Colin Firth talks Mamma Mia!

  • Don't let the title fool you. Colin's bit is only from about 1:23 - 2:08. The rest are blathers about all sorts of people I know almost nothing about, and even a story about a stolen laptop. Word to that guy... for something that important, you're supposed to keep backups! You don't need us to spell that out, do you? Yeah.. I'm an unsympathetic cynic.
The Mamma Mia! premiere

  • With a giant picture of our curly-haired gorgeous man, with his wife.. sorry all you Darcy fantasists (which includes me really *coughcough*). There's a video down there if you care to move your lazy fingers on the mouse a bit.
Chat & Talent Parkinson ITV Entertainment - Colin Firth: The actor talks about his relationship with his father
  • What's this about not being allowed to watch the vid if you're not currently residing in good old England, aye?? I'm being bamboozled by this, I rather think so. What if I were to move to the country tomorrow and I still couldn't play the video huh? Anyway, I'm pasting this for the lucky 'uns. Us miserable sods (read: non-UK residents) will just have to bear with it then.
  • But Sir Michael Parkinson had this to say about Colin Firth, and I guess all is forgiven now between us: "I had wanted to interview Colin Firth ever since my wife fell in love with him as Mr Darcy in Pride And Prejudice. I was hoping he would turn out to be a puny man with a badly fitting hairpiece. In fact, he is tall and exceedingly handsome. What is more, he is charming and self-effacing. Damn him." (source)

Colin Firth and Lucy Siegle present the Observer ethical awards, where Sir David Attenborough was honoured with a lifetime achievement award

I dunno how to embed this clip in my blog so you have to go there if you want to watch it. But I love what Colin Firth had to say at the end:

"Millions of people living on less than a dollar a day who are in affect, I know it sounds like a deductive thing to say, but you can actually make a case that they're bankrolling our lifestyles with their own poverty.. by virtue of the trade rules, by virtue of the fact that we control their economies, you know.. in a way, we've got a lot of nerves to say that someone's playing the system and skimming off few ..(I can't get this one).. when we're actually doing something very similar ourselves."

I was like.. Thank you, Colin! For saying it so matter-of-factly without beating about the bush like some people (read: politicians) are wont to do.

If anyone from the "developed" nations are in denial about the fact that their leaders control the economies in developing nations (or the so-called 'Third World' countries. God, I hate it when they lump my country under that category. I always have the urge to ask: so which ones are the First and Second Worlds then??) ...look at what the currency scare did (and is still doing) to world trade. Every time America experiences recession, the whole universe runs amuk in a panic. Thousands of people in my country, especially factory workers, are being laid off during the current recession.

It's really frustrating to hear your friend talks about how her brother's got laid off along with his wife (coz they work in the same plant) and not being able to do anything about it coz it's happening across the board and you're just as helpless as the rest of them. And all because of housing property issues in a country half a world away from us. I hate being vulnerable, but even trying to break away from our dependency on the US currency means that we're gonna have to shack it up with the Euro. You can't escape these two western giants when you're living in a small country like ours. No matter how big our leaders think we are (with all those "Malaysia Can" campaigns on TV), we're still gonna get hurt when the goliaths do their thing at the stock exchange on any given day.

Friday, July 24, 2009

colin..colin

Is it just me, or did the women calling his name at the end say it in such an annoying voice? Gah!

He looks just like a professor of English, or of History. Tell you what, if someone as gorgeous and charming as Colin Firth were teaching in my univ at the time when I was a UG, I'd change course (I did enginering). I think only the guys would understand his classes completely while us girls would be having problems and had to go for extra tutorials.. kyaaaa! :P

Actually, there was a lecturer like that when I was a UG and good news was he taught our class, yeay. He's probably about 30 years older than I am, but o boy did I have a big crush on him. I had to focus extra hard to understand what he was saying coz I was always sitting in the second row staring wide-eyed at his every facial and body movement. But it's okay if I didn't understand quite a bit coz I could go ask him whateva at the end of class (hehe). To this day I remember his face and voice. I miss the bloke. I wonder if he's still alive. It's been a while.

And what's with choosing THAT particular Valmont picture to give him for signing autograph on?? LOL. These fans are so cheeky. Oh, the woman beside him is his wife, in case anyone's wondering.


At one point, he introduced his wife to the guy asking for his autograph. You know, one cool thing about Colin Firth is what a regular bloke he is in real life, actually. As long as you're not wearing your Darcy-tainted glasses, you'll see that very clearly. And a nice regular bloke at that. Yet, he's managed to hold my fickle-natured self in attention for more than a decade despite seemingly being ordinary.


As he crosses that road, an unnamed tuneless song seems to be playing in my head.. you know, the one that goes like, "I see him coming towards me in the crowded room lalala" ..yep, I totally made that song up. But seriously, I was screaming along with the teenagers in the video and at the end of the clip I had teary eyes. Well, not too teary ...but still a bit too wet for my tough, mature self to bear. He's so so so nice! And he was totally flirting with the girls... in a nice way, of course. So polite and cute! Okay, I'll stop embarrassing myself now and shut up.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

More Mamma Mia! interviews

I'm skipping school to dig up and paste all these juicy bits in this blog.. ha! As if this kind of 'job' needs any coercion. My supervisor'd have a hard time prying me away from my laptop and router. Anyway, don't let the title of this clip fools you. The part with the Mamma Mia! cast is very little to find in this interview and the rest is filled up with other blathers. So unless you're interested in Mike Myer's Love Guru, I suggest you hit the pause button after the 2-min time limit is over and move on to something else.

This is another interview I found. Colin's in his usual classic black and looking gorgeously yummy in the sun. What can I say, he's edible material.

Jimmy Fallon and the eternal parody of songs...

...in that, if this guy had wanted to, he could go on and on with this stuff. He's so bloody talented it makes me sick. Why does one person get so much of "IT" and the rest of us get none? Anyway, these two gags nearly blew me out of my chair with laughter, literally. I was wide-eyed with wonder at the bit with the MC Hammer's song. I can't believe someone actually goes out there and finds out about this kind of stuff... like matching various songs to a tune and making a hilariously funny show out of it. Awesome.



Suddenly, I have a craving for Justin Timberlake

I have always had my eye on only Justin in all the Nsync video clips I've ever watched. The other boys could be backup singers and dancers for all I care. After he went solo, I've sorta abandoned him.. not coz he's no longer as good as I found him before.. just that I was doing my own share of growing up. I was spending less & less time listening to American songs and more & more time watching Brit dramas on telly coz that's the dimension I found myself located in at the time.

But as the years went by, turns out that Justin Timberlake was doing just fine without me... ha! (lol). I love all his later songs that I manage to catch online. In a way, for me at least, he's like Britney Spears in that he's never done a project that I haven't liked yet. He's not very brilliant in interviews though, but comparing all the stars on talk shows to the likes of Colin Firth and Shah Rukh Khan is unfair, I guess. Not everyone has the vocabulary, the articulacy, and the wit those two have. Not to mention the brilliantly controversial one-liners.

Btw, I thought it's awesome that Eminem did a colab with Justin. Eminem with Justin?? Far out, man! Although, if you think about it from the ex-girlfriend angle, it sorta makes sense. Eminem has always had a thing with not having a thing when it comes to Britney, and Justin's always having a thing for Britney that he'll be forever in denial about. So the project is like karma waiting to happen. Oh, and Eminem is also another artiste whose project I just cannot dislike. Whatever he dishes out, no matter if the lyrics are simply incomprehensible to me (and everyone else in my planet, to tell the truth), I'd still be riveted to the material. He is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

When I think about it, people who stay the longest and the most successfully employed in the creative industry always seem to be those who have the "IT" factor. It's either you have "IT" or perish trying to acquire it, really. "IT" seems to describe that inexplicable, indefinable, intangible quality that jumps out at a crowd from a far distance... whether out of a silver screen, a TV monitor or an iPOD... grabs them by the neck and makes them want to 'be' with you all the time. Anyway, I'll stop blathering and paste the clip now (this is Justin's original music video for the song)

Justin Timberlake being a laugh riot performing with a bunch of other tightly dressed guys and Beyonce for Single Ladies in Saturday Night Live

Colin Firth on how he was offered a role in Mamma Mia!

During the Dutch premiere of Mamma Mia in Cinema Tuschinski in Amsterdam.

Mark Kermode Reviews Mamma Mia - BBC Radio 5 live

His review is tremendously funny. I was laughing uproariously on more than one occasions, and I really like the Star Trek analogy. The diate..whaaa crystal?? You can tell that I'm not a Star Trek fan, can't you?

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Colin Firth singing "Our Last Summer" in Mamma Mia

How is it that he can sound so heavenly? Or maybe my heart was jumping about in my ribcage upon listening to this song because I'm just this biased fan who loves everything about him. I wish he'd sing the whole song though... but I'm not complaining too much.

The lyrics is pasted on the original youtube page. It's a song that inspires a sing-along. Come on.. you know you want to. (I can still recall our last summer... la la la).



This has got to be the most fun interview of the cast. I think I've pasted it in one of its incarnation somewhere in the blog, but this is the full version of the interview: This Morning with Alison Hammond.

Colin Firth! Colin Firth! Colin Firth!

I love this guy. I especially like what his co-star had to say about him at the end of the clip.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

I love Calvin & Hobbes!

I don't remember the exact year I stumbled upon this comic strip, let alone the exact date. But I remember feeling awed by Calvin's vocabulary. And the art was wow. I especially like it when Calvin goes into his fantasy trip.


I think the first C&H book I bought was right after I got my first job. It's expensive with our currency exchange rate but it's okay coz I can often read it over and over without feeling bored. I wonder how Bill Watterson did it. The strip has magic!


Not just a funny page, it also contains the most touching story I have ever read in the funnies. I cried. And I still have wet eyes whenever I read it (better resolution and the rest of the story is here):


I want to buy the complete collection. Need to conserve some money first....

Fed up with windbag actors advocating for the poor and needy? Me too. But shutting up is worse

Source: Like it or not, I'm involved

Colin Firth guardian.co.uk, Sunday 5 July 2009 23.00 BST Article history

Why do you have to hear it from an actor? I have a profound dislike of activism. I don't enjoy hearing dispatches from the crisis zone delivered by actors and rock stars. I get no joy from fundraising events, op-eds, posters, speeches, slogans. I'm tired of it. And I'm tired of the crisis in Africa.

If your profession gives you a public voice, you have a new relationship with those who don't. Your voice becomes a cherished commodity. Not for its merits but for its sheer volume. You may have nothing to say, but those who do – the wise, the desperate and the better informed – all clamour to make use of your media connection.

We are not in a position to choose whether or not we have a relationship with our own society or with the world's poorest people. We can choose the nature of those relationships, but either way they're there. We're business partners. If we choose to ignore them we are simply choosing to make that relationship a negligent and destructive one. As voters and consumers we are directly complicit in the misery of the millions we do business with. If we let our governments and businesses think we are indifferent to their cynicism they will go on practising it on licence from us and every cup of coffee we drink and every piece of cotton we wear will continue to be an act of cruelty.

We are involved with Africa, whether we like it or not. Of course, I'm aware of famine, drought, poverty and corruption, but I also see the statesmanship of Mandela, Joaquim Chissano, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf … the works of Achebe, Okri, Soyinka … the music of Fela Kuti, Cheikh Lo and Angelique Kidjo.

My own children will inherit all this together with the children of that continent. Within 15 years they'll be trading or fighting with each other, exchanging diplomacy or whatever other relationship we might have set in motion. They will also share the triple crisis of a global economic slump, high food prices and climate change – all of which will be addressed (or not) by this year's G8 in Italy.

Italy is another relationship I can't wish away. My wife and children are Italian. I am completely in love with that country for better or worse. I was decorated by the Italian ambassador as an exhortation to promote Italy's image abroad; an easy task when it comes to food, wine, architecture, etc … but one which will be made almost impossible if Silvio Berlusconi does not improve his lamentable record on aid. For this reason Oxfam issued me with call-up papers once again. I've held the giddy title of global ambassador for Oxfam for a number of years now.

So, with an all too familiar sinking feeling, the ambassador agreed to go to Italy to try to do something to persuade the G8 leaders to deliver on their aid promises and prevent the overwhelming number of preventable deaths taking place daily on their doorstep. No problem.

It's tempting to look for ways back to a decorous silence. To try to return to a pleasing and well-
argued belief that actors should shut up. But you can't unknow what you know. NGOs have a way of inviting you to be a firsthand witness. And once you've seen what a well-placed or well-timed word (by anybody) can do, shutting up starts to require some painful mental contortions.

I had dinner with Bob Geldof a couple of weeks ago. I explained that I felt I had to be judicious about when and when not to speak out, that I wanted to hold fire and keep under the radar so as not to blow all credibility. He said, "Fuck that, you've got to just go!"

If everyone did that, we could finally do away with long-winded actors.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Colin Firth - Press Conference Film "Genova" 2007 (he's absolutely yummy in Italian)



I also found a page that lists some of his interviews. Beats having to collect all the links on my own blog. So yeay!

Stop the death penalty: Worldwide abolition now (narrated by Colin Firth)

Even though I'm pasting it here, it's a known fact that my country does practice the death penalty and it's also a punishment recognized in my religion for murderers and adulterers. I do acknowledge and agree with one thing said in the video, that the legal process leading to the execution may be flawed and authorities may be executing innocent people.

But what are we to do then? No way anyone can make me agree that child murderers and drug traffickers should be released back to the society after serving their 10-20 years sentence. Many cases exist due to repeat offenders.

Are we supposed to worry about how to answer to the families of the criminals who were executed, instead of worrying how to answer to the families of the victims they killed? And it's the tax payers' money that keeps those prisoners well-fed and educated inside their prisons. Educated! Wtf are we doing sponsoring the education of murderers and drug pushers??

I have conflicting feelings about the death penalty. I think instead of blindly abolishing this method of punishment, we should spend more time and money looking into our respective legal systems. Stop installing corrupt officials to uphold justice... IMO that's a start in the right direction.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

The Neighbouring Hunk

Wow.. you can find anything on youtube, even the first drama by your favourite Thailand actor. I can't believe it's his first drama... he was so good in it. I fell in love like a brick.

But it's so difficult to find Thailand drama boxsets here, I wonder why. They're just next door.
Our national TV usually picks up the more popular ones to air here though, so that's okay. Their movies are easier to hunt down.



This is the drama I was talking about... Soda & Ice Tea. The heroine (Pin Kejmanee) was okay, but the character is not sassy so I just sort of ignored her and focused on Tik. Man, this is a breath of nostalgia. I really like him in this story. It led me to a search of his movies, and I found The Iron Ladies. It was a nice movie, but not really for family consumption... well, my family anyway.

O really?

I just found out through Feedjit that my post was upped as a lone thread in the Firth Sisters! That's rather cool. While I was browsing around one of the sections in the forum, I found this. It looks amusing and started me on a trip through the whole Loose Women archive in Youtube. There's quite a lot of it, really... and most of the episodes are brilliant. I hope whoever they are, they'll keep uploading coz I can see myself getting hooked on the program.



Having said that... BJ3?? Will Colin Firth (and Hugh Grant, I guess) be in it? Coz if he's not, then the whole trip is just a waste. I hate it when women are whining about trying to decide whether they want to be mothers or not. As if it's up to us to decide. If this movie were ever going to be made, I hope it's sensitive to the plight of couples who can never have children no matter how much they wish to or how hard they try to conceive. As one half of a couple, I've never been much sold to the idea of having children for the sake of having children so I don't even fit into the 'trying hard to conceive' category. Children are one of those 'treasures' that will stay with you forever however they turn out to be in the future and I'm too much of an individualistic bitch (at the moment) to care for that much responsibility.

We do get pressures from all sides though. I'm so used to it by now that I've managed to turn every answer into an opportunity to embarrass my interrogators or to amuse myself with their earnest reactions or just to have a laugh. But occasionally there have been very, and I mean VERY, well-intentioned individuals who pursue the line of questioning until it turns into one of those semi-counselling sessions with a large dose of medical advices thrown in for good measures from professionals and non-professionals alike. And I especially hate it when they use the 'biological clock' card in an attempt to get me registered into a clinic like.. the next day! That's rather unfair, seriously. Don't even do that to someone you hate coz you're being unnecessarily cruel. I do want to know what all these 'discussions' about my sex life and whether or not I have 'problems' can possibly benefit them. Fug it if my friends are married or breeding by the dozens or single... good for them! I hope they're all happy in their respective lives! Lay off the inquisitions, please!

It's never occurred to them that I might not be that interested in the lifestyle they're suggesting. I look like how any conventional Malaysian woman is supposed to look like and as such, I must desperately desire babies! I want so much to tell them that if I could get them naturally, I would have no choice in the matter, would I? I'd be breeding like rabbits by now coz my religion forbids me from having an abortion and contraceptive means don't always work for those determined wigglies. Just one of them is enough to get you bloated, really. But to go through all sorts of pain with a 20% success rate medical procedure that can easily cost me 10 years of savings for something I'm not even sure I want? The whole thing sounds too involved and awefully tedious. I don't think I'd like to travel down that path, thank you very much.

But of course I can only write this in a blog. To say such things to very well-intentioned individuals who happen to be your immediate family members or an old friend you've not seen for nearly 20 years seems like callousness. My last resort to make them shut up is nodding and agreeing whole-heartedly to their POVs. That usually works. Oh, and ask them some questions about it too... that can definitely make them think I've seen 'the light' or 'the errors of my ways'. Some responses can also be used to change the turn of the talk, and I'm usually creative at this sort of thing. Most of them don't have enough energy or care that much to follow you up and see whether you've taken their suggestions seriously and 'do something about it'. Frankly, the issue is probably bandied about like it's the most important thing in the world for them in the first place coz they're not well-read enough to come up with intelligent topics of conversation, and I'm too polite to turn the spotlight on them for a change. I can be vicious if I wanted to, but then I'd feel shitty about myself and it's just not worth all the sleepless nights spent staring at the ceiling wishing I could take the words back.

Meh... I can't even muster enough passion to continue writing about this. Maybe the 3rd installment of BJD is a good idea after all. I can watch it and be a passive observer to someone else's impregnation drama for a change, albeit a contrived one.

The Videocon logos bugging Shah Rukh & co. at his shoot

It's a measure of love for someone that however ridiculous his antics are, you'd still melt with love for him and exclaim.. ohhh, how cute! ..several times while giggling very teenaged-ly at what's unfolding in front of you.

This is the same video but with extra lovely bits at the beginning and end. Source here.

Dancing Goddesses - Devdas

Friday, July 17, 2009

Only the Strong... the movie that got the world started on the Capoeira craze

Mark Dacascos will always be the man who introduced Capoeira to us: my siblings, my country, heck... the world! It's thanks to this movie that the beautiful art became a craze among martial arts enthusiasts. I remember how my big brother, who's the one responsible for introducing me to the love of martial arts, was so gung-ho about it. And I love to dance, so naturally it attracts me ..the beauty and the savagery of it all... although unfortunately I'm too self-conscious to actually immerse myself in it. When Mr. Stevens took a hold of that 'parang' (or short sword) in the final fight, it just hit you with a bang that this is actually a deadly sports if taken into that territory... not just a few kids having fun jumping and somersaulting around a room without a clue.

The movie was in 1993. And no one knew at the time that it's going to start a culture around the world... certainly no one in Malaysia predicted that the culture is strong enough to open a Capoeira school in Kuala Lumpur in 2007. It's called Escola Brasileira de Capoeira, or The Brazilian School of Capoeira (EBC) and the classes are held in several places. There's even a drop-in session, so it's perfect for people who want to try it out and see whether it suits them or not. Check out the website link I pasted for more details. One of this days, I'd probably go to one of them myself and watch a few demos.




NEXT

BFI London Film Festival Day 8

St Trinian Blooper



If you're wondering why I laughed so hard watching this clip or why Colin's being an unusual pervert who can't seem to stop mollesting his co-star's breasts in a decidedly violent fashion, that's Rupert Everett in a dame's get-up and those wobbly bits are fake rubber or styrofoam or whatever. After a few times, I still can't watch this clip without taking off my headphones and gasping for breath.

Lost in translation... or lack of it, really



Colin expresses things in Italian almost the same way he does in English. The fact that I don't understand a word of it adds on to the melting feeling I have while watching this interview. He is absolutely gorgeous. I want him.

Tom Felton is such a babe!



Daniel in the 6th HP interview

All I could think of as I was watching him talk is.. oh, what's that? Harry Potter has chest hair! ..yeah, I know I'm shallow. Sorry about that.

Daniel Radcliffe sounds like a well-grounded young man. I look forward to the kind of movies he'd be involved in post-HP

Colin Firth for Oxfam America



Mamma Mia in Amsterdam

Moving Pictures interview with Colin Firth at 2008 Toronto International Film Festival

Colin and Stellan

Several interview clips I pasted just automatically play themselves everytime I open this blog! This is getting a bit annoying.. XDD"

Anyway, here's another one. I love Colin Firth, and Shah Rukh Khan actually, in interviews because they always give a rather simple question an answer that no one else can give in quite the way that they can give it. Just the way they explain things.. argh! I could lick the words that jump out of their mouths. Very brilliant, these guys.

I was very amused with Stellan's facial and verbal reflexes to some of the things Colin says. I think they've developed into buddies during the filming. I wish they could have managed to gather all the three 'tottery' hunks for an interview. That would be quite nice.

Aishwarya Rai in The Last Legion



It's the only mention of Aish I could find by the Indian media... given in that snobbishly condescending, more-English-than-English way ex-colonialized Asians often have when gleefully describing their fellow countrymen's failure to reach a standard they've set for them.

For me, I don't understand what this splashy big waves thing that they want her to achieve. I personally think she's the best thing in the movie. And that's saying a lot seeing that I'm there mainly for Colin Firth. There're scenes when, while screaming fangirlishly at anything Colin does on-screen, I found myself silently criticizing his posture or his dialogue delivery or his sword skills. In fact, I caught myself thinking (quite a lot of times too, and while ogling him in his Commander apparel) ...what is the reason behind the filmmakers choosing Colin as Aurelius? He'd make a better Merlin, a much better one than Ben Kingsley, actually.

There's almost none of that non-verbal complaints playing like a broken tape recorder inside my head when Aish is on. I was too busy gaping in lovestruck awe. She's a demon in the sword-fighting scenes and very rawrly sexy when she's strutting around in that guard uniform. I have no problem at all when a warrior woman appears overtly sexy in a film, if she could give me a decent fight. And Aish fought good. I rewinded her fighting scenes so many times. She'd look hot wielding the blades alongside Xena, I bet. Her emergence from the water is very Ursula-ish, if I may say so myself. I especially liked it when she stamped all over the Commander's head. His face during the scene is so precious LOL!

Thing is, I have never understood how to watch a movie in the enjoyment of continuity or story as a whole. I've always been attracted to particular scenes or particular actors. I can catch a tiny fragment of a film and if it evokes deep emotions, I can cry big buckets of tears or laugh uproariously. Which is why I don't like watching films with people for the first time, or any time really. I tend to get too critical if I take a movie seriously and it robs me of the entertainment value the film has to offer.

The Last Legion is a very entertaining movie for me and I came out of the experience enthusiastically declaring that there's no way I can say the money I spent on it is a waste. Even with the crow-picking-a-severed-finger and Wilfula's face-banged-on-the-side-of-an-axe scenes intact, it's suitable for family viewing... well, my family anyway... and I'd definitely recommend it to my younger siblings and my dad (he's a history teacher so he'd most probably enjoy the Roman bit) when they come to visit next time.

Colin Firth in Shootout



Thursday, July 16, 2009

10 Things I Hate About You

My introduction to Heath Ledger. I fell in love with him in A Knight's Tale but I always remember this movie with fondness, esp the part where he suddenly sings to the girl. I hate it when my favourite stars ODed themselves. First it's River Phoenix, now it's Heath. What is it with these Hollywood stars and addiction?? Can't they concentrate more on the work and less on the stardom? If they have to be addicted to something, why can't they get addicted to the internet like the rest of us? Lay off the booze and the pills!



NEXT

Hoshiz...

Aishwarya Rai is the only woman who has cozied up, albeit only on-screen, to the two men I adore the most. Gah! I hate her! LOL ..naaa, just kidding. She's a goddess. How come this film was not talked about among her foreign projects? She's so handy with swords, isn't she? No wonder she wielded them in Jodha Akbar with such ease. If I could say so, her life on and off films really has the feel of a fairy tale... complete with the violent and unpredictable famous movie star ex-boyfriend. Now she's married a really sweet famous movie star whose family is probably the most powerful team in the Indian film industry.

And Colin Firth is as ravishing as always. I've realised that Colin has the kind of face and figure that can pair up with any heroine as a couple. I absolutely love him with Nia Long in The Secret Laughter of Women. I don't understand why journalists never mention that movie in their articles whenever they go on and on about Colin being a romantic lead. I think it's his second most romantic role (the Darcies will always take first place) to date. I can watch him in it again and again.

I can't believe I have this DVD in my living room. Yeah, I haven't watched it yet. Go figure.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

I have decided...

I'm not going to read any future article ON Shah Rukh. They're such crap! What the hell were they thinking when they were writing columns with titles like.. "Is Shah Rukh going to end up like MJ" or "Shah Rukh may quit acting because Karan Johar thinks he would make a good director". I mean, they're senseless.

Seriously, I'm fed-up. From now on, if the article does not include his quotes or if it's not an interview-based article, I'm not going to touch it with a 10-foot pole. And since he's gone into hiding, probably until it's time for him to promote the MNIK movie, there won't be much content in this blog. I don't like dealing with stupid tabloid shiz just to fill up this space.

But I tell you, MNIK is going to be quite explosive in terms of public reaction. There are so many things they can drag Karan Johar and Shah Rukh around with. I do wonder though, I mean.. what with New York and its issue of the unjust imprisonment of muslims only manages to wrangle endless discussions about John Abraham's fully bared butt.. is MNIK going to be inundated with petty discourse too?

To tell the truth, I quite like it if MNIK goes the KANK way when it got discussed about like it's a breakthrough movie on infidelity in 'We the People'. That was fun.

He's singing! He's singing!

Am I the only one who thinks Colin sounds divine? It's easy to see why I'm so infatuated with Colin when he's on-screen (and when he's rambling on and on in interviews, really). I was actually screaming during the 'Harry' bit in this clip. I need to buy this video. I'm sure it's here somewhere coz it's quite a popular movie worldwide. In fact, the Mamma Mia play hit our shores last year, so I'm sure Malaysia is affected by this movie too. Malaysians like to be affected by a worldwide phenomenon. It makes us feel like we're living on a big, important land rather than an inconsequential strip of earth jutting in the middle of much bigger and more powerful countries.

I can't embed it, so here's the link to the interview.

Peter Jackson, are you listening?

Victor/Victoria

God, I remember watching a bit of this film when I was in high school and somehow it has stayed in my memory ever since. Something about it. Probably my first lesson in irony. You know.. a woman impersonating a man impersonating a woman. Oh, and the eternal life's lesson: People see only what they want to see.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Colin got stopped by fans in America

If this were the size of fan crowd for Hollywood stars, I understand why the authorities were flabbergasted when they had to close down a train station coz of the massive 'fan attack'during the shooting of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna.

Anyway, I love stars who are nice to their fans.



NEXT

I Capture the Castle

I read the title and a little bit of the synopsis somewhere b4 (I think it's the book, not the movie). Don't remember how the story goes, but I thought it's worth a watch since it's lingered in my brain after all this time.

Mansfield Park (1999)



NEXT

Genova - TIFF

Colin just rambled on and on adorably. I wish the sound and visual were clearer..

Easy Virtue special



NEXT

His accent turns me on...

Colin Firth in Italian

Mamma Mia interviews (mostly Colin's of course)



Others:

Mamma Mia Star Colin Firth on Wedding TV
Mamma Mia Stars Reveal All
Mamma Mia becoming a singer
Colin Firth on singing in Mamma Mia
"Mamma Mia!" press conference in Stockholm - part 1, part 2
colin firth and meryl streep on rove

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Where the Truth Lies

In which Colin Firth's character tries to poke into a reluctant hole and gets severely reprimanded (more like yelled at quite loudly). I actually feel sorry for the guy, the way Colin played him in that threesome scene that doesn't progress much into anything.

Anyway, I found an interview with the two but I couldn't embed it.

The Last Legion

I found the DVD at the mall when I was out shopping for curtains today. What else could I do but buy it? It has Aishwarya as a bonus... who on earth could resist that?

I hope the movie is any good. Or else I'd have to spend the entire time staring at Colin Firth. Oh wait... I do that even when the movie is excellent (lol).

I've been going through the list of movies I found on youtube and I have Nanny McPhee in my hard drive. So I'm good. I'm still looking out for BJD and BJD-EoR though. I'm sure they're here somewhere since they're very popular commercial hit movies.

I still can't get over how good Colin is on screen... and how he's snogged so many women. Wish I could have a slice of that too. Life is rather unfair, huh?

Friday, July 10, 2009

'Dr.' Shah Rukh Khan


Full article: Source

“Education is not a preparation for life but is life itself.”

“It makes me think seriously about what I do and what I have done over the past 20 years in my career. The feeling I get is that I should utilise this recognition to further the cause of those underprivileged children who do not get the opportunity to educate themselves. I promise to dedicate a large proportion of my time to do whatever is (in) my capacity to further the cause of education amongst these kids as a way of expressing my thankfulness and gratitude for this honour — starting with my kids who are highly uneducated.”


...you know, whenever I read articles written by journalists who take whatever Shah Rukh said literally and then try to sound clever by pointing out his 'mistakes' to the readers, I want to giggle. Anyway, if you're one of those people who love to torture yourselves by finding out whether an 'honorary degree' means Shah Rukh has the right to have 'Dr.' infront of his name or not, here's a wiki on it for you. Have fun ~~

This is going to be a long one. Skip it if you don't care...

Apparently this topic has generated enough interest to my lurking visitors that they're coming out of their dark, shadowy corners one by one to express their opinions.

I'm not trying to defend Shah Rukh or justify his actions or words. God knows I've done enough justification in my own dealings, I don't need to take up others' as well. But I think there's something unhealthy with the way the muslims in India and Pakistan have approached this issue.

I remember a case where one of our senior actresses had spouted a serious insult on television towards the Prophet's wife, Siti Khadijah. Malaysian muslims were in an uproar and the station was slammed with emails and angry comments.

A lot of us wrote in, including yours truly, and wanted her to be banned from appearing on that station in the future. She was clearly heard saying the words, a clip of it was even uploaded on youtube so viewers who missed the program could watch it.

But we didn't burn her effigies or her posters or magazines that carry her pictures. We didn't take to the street to protest her appearances in other shows or channels. After she gave a public apology, the Malaysian muslims sort of just leave her alone. Nobody harasses her with all manners of demeaning articles. She's an actress, not an Islamic scholar. If she's erred and has apologised, what more could we want? Her head on a platter broadcasted to the entire nation?

Maybe the muslims in India and Pakistan, in their adulation of Shah Rukh, have probably forgotten that he's risen to fame through his acting career. His antics in movie songs with his leading ladies are really steamy... but apparently that's okay. I cringe everytime he gives his opinion of what Islam is, and what his view on God is... but it seems no one there raises an eyebrow. Or what about when he acts as a Hindu character, Christian character, Sikh character... and proceeds to 'pray' at all the respective places of worship in several scenes of his movies? In RNBDJ, he even gave a show of prostration in front of the Golden Temple! But I didn't hear any uproar from the muslim communities in India and Pakistan over it. Which makes this explosive reaction towards a misprint of his interview rather incomprehensible to me. And I want to laugh when I read that they want to annul his marriage... now? After all these years?

This is completely my opinion on the matter. If you don't agree, you can comment and give your opinion. But if you're going to be anal and hysterical all over my post, I'll delete your comment. Your heated argument is not as important as you think it is, you know. The world will go on as selfishly as it has for thousands of years even if none of us knew your existence.

I've loved Shah Rukh since I caught him in KKHH. When I read up on him, I found out that his wife is a Hindu and that he's married her in a Hindu traditional wedding. Later I read that he's married her in an Islamic wedding as well (you have to understand that I come from a country where marriages between muslims and non-muslims are forbidden, and with good reasons too). But I sort of ignored that and continued to be obsessed with him. Then, I had the misfortune of watching Guddu and I was so appalled that I left his fandom.

Fast forward 8 years, and I'm older and wise enough to understand that life does not function the way I want it to. The world is messy because humans are messy. We know we should do certain things but we don't because we can't be bothered. We know certain things have to be approached in certain ways, but we blatantly ignore it because it's too fussy. We know certain laws are in place because it's good for the general population, but we break them coz it's more fun that way. We know certain things are taboo because it has been forbidden, but we do it anyway coz it makes us feel good. We justify a lot of things because the alternative is simply something we can't live with. We want, we need, we desire... and all else can take a backseat because it should happen to someone else. Not us.

Shah Rukh is the product of his environment, as much as he is the product of his own good sense. Were he to be born in Malaysia, he would have been a different person. Even if he were to be a successful actor here, his life would have been different. The person he is now, I have to say this with complete sincerity, would not have existed.

There're quite a few muslim actors in India, but the only one who has ever spoken publicly and very affectionately of Islam is Shah Rukh. Others just sort of sweep it under the carpet. It's just a 'thing' they're born with that they can't do anything about. He's the only actor who has professed to reading books on Islam because he wants to understand his religion better. The change from the angry son who raged at God for taking away his beloved mother from him to a willing and eager student of Islam is breathtaking. It should be appreciated, not chided.

In the course of his discourse about Islam-related matters, he may have said things he shouldn't because that was his understanding at the time. It's like a pupil who, in his eagerness to show how he has improved, gives answers that may not be exactly what the teacher wants. But are you a 'teacher'? Do you know more about Islam than he does? If you are as ignorant as the next person, who are you to sit infront of your TV monitor and judge him every time he speaks?

I remember the case of a Badwi who pissed in a mosque. When the Prophet's companions wanted to turn the guy out, he said to let the guy finish pissing first, and then proceeded to turn the unfortunate incident into an opportunity to teach his companions how to clean up the mess. If this incident were to happen in India or Pakistan during the current political climate, what would have happened? Would the guy be lynched by an angry mob and his castrated penis burnt as example for those who dare to piss in our places of worship? You want one of your own to respect the Prophet, but you seem to have no frigging clue of the spirit in which the Prophet had conveyed Islam to us.

Regarding his marriage to a Hindu, I'm not saying it's right. In fact, from my POV, it's not. But see, you can't punish an individual due to a fault in the system. India has placed a regulation allowing marriages between muslims and non-muslims to take place. I don't need to tell you this, but Shah Rukh is not the only actor who has married someone not of his faith. If the officials were to succeed in annulling his marriage and make his children illegitimate, they would then have to go one by one through the whole crowd to annul everyone else's, including the senior couples in the industry. And that's only in Bollywood. What about the ones outside the industry? This is a case that can't be won simply because of the sheer number of the people who have the potential to be involved. Shah Rukh may be too dignified to drag others' names into the muck just to state his case, but the names are there for the taking just the same.

This is the way I've approached the matter about Shah Rukh and Islam. Whenever he says something that makes me cringe, I continually remind myself that this is his INDIVIDUAL opinion. It is not an admonition, nor is it a call for other muslims to do/say/think the same. It is certainly not a fatwa. And there're plenty of times when he's gonna say the wrong things, not because he wants to be insulting, but because he's simply made a mistake or because he understands certain things differently than I do. Or in fact, maybe because the approach in the mazhab he follows is different than mine. I was told there's a mazhab that allows the keeping of dogs in the household. I don't follow that mazhab, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go to the followers of that mazhab and tell them what they're doing is wrong.

And people, no matter how BIG Shah Rukh is over there... please bear in mind that he is an actor. Not a leader of the people. Not an Islamic scholar. And certainly not a spiritual adviser. He is probably the most brilliant public figure I've ever known, but he is not perfect. He does not have a 100% success rate in everything he does. Please allow him his apologies when he's made a mistake. He has already apologised over a mistake that he has NOT committed. It was a typing error by the magazine, and as such should NOT be laid at his door. I want him, as I'm sure we all do, alive and active for a very long time. And he's already so guarded in his interviews nowadays. Do you want him to shut up completely?

I read how much people in Pakistan love him, but I also heard that there'll be some sort of demonstration in Pakistan over this matter. It's the same thing in India. They love him, and yet there're all sorts of effigy-burning activities going on there as well. Naturally, as an outsider... I'm confused. These people need to know that their publicity stunts also did a lot of damage to their image, not just giving them their coveted 15-minutes of fame. Shah Rukh maybe Indian by birth, but he is also ours. We have the right to love him too and be angry whenever he's unjustly subjected by his own people to violent treatments that he does not deserve over a mistake that he did not do.

I can't control a raging mob who's bent on defending a cause that does not need defending. All I can say is, don't try to mask your ignorance and inadequacy with violence. Islam shines through our knowledge and taqwa, not through the flares of our unadulterated anger. Shah Rukh has also given a new interview that touched on topics of controversies, and as a person who experiences the other side of the spectrum on a daily basis, the things he said are always as phenomenally logical as only he can say them.