Sameer Chandra

Archive for April 15th, 2009|Daily archive page

Movie: The Cake Eaters (2007)

In Movies on April 15, 2009 at 3:22 pm

The Cake Eaters

Cast: Kristen Stewart (as Georgia), Aaron Stanford (as Beagle), Bruce Dern (as Easy), and others.

Plot: Two families are brought together by the return of one family’s son — a reunion that conjures up old ghosts and issues that must be addressed.

Review: The Cake Eaters, is directorial debut by Mary Stuart Masterson (actress from Fried Green Tomatoes, Bed of Roses etc.). The movie is set in a small town, and moves at a very slow pace, through the lives of two inter-connected families. The Kimborough’s, a grieving family, survived by an old father, the town butcher, named Easy by the folks, his younger son, Beagle and older son, Guy! and another family dealing with a teenage daughter growing up with a debilitating neurological disorder (Friedriech’s Ataxia).

The story unfolds the inter-twined lives of the six main characters in the movie and their, lacking all the usual twists, but very real. A good work for the first time director, which has received accolades for this work on different film festivals.

Rating: 3.5 of 5.

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Material Possessions I cant live without!

In Random on April 15, 2009 at 2:56 pm

This morning one of the blogs that I frequent, asked a question to it readers “what material possession you can’t live without?

Going through the comment thread, I realized how much technology has taken over our lives. Most responses were associated with some piece of electronics, computers, phones etc. A whopping number of responses, admitted that they’re way to attached to their MacBook’s/MacBook Pro’s even more than their iPhones!

Since, my response was the same (my MacBook!) I wonder if this says something about Apple and it’s products. A friends of mine was web-hunting for a wireless router for his home. I suggested Apple Airport Extreme to him. Based on what I have read about it, there is nothing in the market that beats the feature sets. Yet, the usual response I got, was “It’s Over-Priced”. Sure, every product from Apple is comparatively expensive than it’s closest counterpart in the market. But, if you do think about it, it might make sense to you, as to why?

There is a lot of R&D that goes into any Apple product that hits the market! Most Apple products when they hit the market, create a niche for themselves, as there is nothing that comes even close! Yet, we compare mediocrity to something that’s close to perfection and label it “over-priced”. Really? or was it the knee-jerk reaction to anything Apple, attributed to “Apple-Tax”! But, ask anyone who has really been unbiased about anything Apple and compared products, Apple has always trumped the competition!

Woh! that was some tangent I went on! Let’s save that for another time. Coming back to the point, material possessions I can’t live without. Well, I wouldn’t go to the extremes of saying that I can’t live without something, that can always be replaced, by virtue all material possessions can be replaced! Yet, we cling to some things more than others, and would hate to part ways with them intentionally or tragically, but can survive the loss if it comes to it! For me these would be the material things I have in my life, that makes my life easier!

1. My MacBook

2. My Canon EOS 30D

3. My iPhone 3G

Everything else (and there are hundreds) that I would hate to lose, but their loss (and their utility) can be managed with the above three. However, the real things that are not so technology driven that I would definitely miss the following:

1. My Washer/Dryer & Iron – I like clean clothes, if I dont have them, it would be a disaster.

2. My Microwave – It serves me hot meal when I want.

3. My Truck – I Love this machine!

4. My Tools….I would really be able to do nothing without them!