tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post5821531306702335806..comments2024-01-07T09:36:51.796-08:00Comments on Chess, Comics, Crosswords, Books, Music, Cinema: Prashant C. Trikannadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-42802825280153221722012-10-10T09:11:59.937-07:002012-10-10T09:11:59.937-07:00Thanks for your appreciation, Yvette. I like NOTTI...Thanks for your appreciation, Yvette. I like NOTTING HILL and similar feel-good movies like MUSIC AND LYRICS. I thought Hugh Grant acted well and better than Julia Roberts though, as Charles pointed out, Grant has been stereotyped in most of his films. You're right, his friends in this film were intentionally crazy and eccentric, especially his sister's blonde boyfriend who reveals Anna Scott's hideout. The dialogues in the final scene, as quoted above, were done well and Grant's boy-next-door character carried it off well too.<br /><br />MAID IN MANHATTAN wasn't funny but it was nice to see Lord Voldemort play the dignified lover, though he was pretty scary in SCHINDLER'S LIST.<br /><br />Yvette, there are some very good Bollywood films with similar endings, "enjoyable if slightly unbelievable." Never take a Bollywood romantic drama seriously, if you know what I mean—they seldom make sense even now.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-5748260509426543212012-10-10T08:48:43.966-07:002012-10-10T08:48:43.966-07:00Ron, I remember watching IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT on ...Ron, I remember watching IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT on TCM a few months ago. I'd almost forgotten Clark Gable's role as a reporter in this film. And I think I have seen LOVE ACTUALLY, too; it's telecast quite regularly on cable TV. I think it begins with Bill Nighy "singing" LOVE IS ALL AROUND by Wet Wet Wet. A good star cast overall and a few love scenes too. <br /><br />There are plenty of matrimonial agencies that bring prospective brides and bridegrooms together and one that cuts across caste lines is not unusual. There are progressive communities in India that are open to the idea of marrying into different castes. A positive sign. In fact, these agencies hold "melas" (fairs) where bachelors and spinsters are brought together and even married on the spot under one huge canopy. <br /><br />I watch parts of NOTTING HILL every now and then, mostly for the humour and the Grant character's crazy bunch of friends.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-80953384652432635692012-10-10T08:22:12.633-07:002012-10-10T08:22:12.633-07:00I enjoy watching screwball comedies even if they o...I enjoy watching screwball comedies even if they often don't make sense. Besides, you don't have to concentrate and it's a bit like slapstick. <br />Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-54278821032412270372012-10-10T08:18:56.958-07:002012-10-10T08:18:56.958-07:00Charles, I don't like Roberts in some of her f...Charles, I don't like Roberts in some of her films though she was quite good in the two rom-coms NOTTING HILL and AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS. I agree, Grant plays the same character in most of his films including MUSIC AND LYRICS opposite Drew Barrymore. It had some good music, though.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-51270393445773828932012-10-10T08:07:14.108-07:002012-10-10T08:07:14.108-07:00Sergio, in Bollywood films nearly every reunion be...Sergio, in Bollywood films nearly every reunion between a hero and his girl happens in public, literally. I liked both these movies though I'd rate NOTTING HILL several notches higher than MAID IN MANHATTAN. It has some great humour and one liners. I didn't know the other film was based on a story by John Hughes under the pseudonym of Edmond Dantes. I need to see both MANHATTAN and WHEN HARRY MET SALLY again to relive the time-tested formula, as I don't remember the ending of either of the films. Thanks for mentioning them, Sergio.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-51645348834826093572012-10-10T01:29:01.106-07:002012-10-10T01:29:01.106-07:00Todd, no question, ending with a chase and a weddi...Todd, no question, ending with a chase and a wedding is not new (PALM BEACH STORY would have to be my favourite), but it suddenly struck me that the romcom genre seemed to have become very rigidly codified of late, especially after MANHATTAN and WHEN HARRY MET SALLY - I think you and I may have longer memories than most ...Sergio (Tipping My Fedora)http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-501538067141129342012-10-09T15:10:10.705-07:002012-10-09T15:10:10.705-07:00I love NOTTING HILL, it's one of my favorites ...I love NOTTING HILL, it's one of my favorites though I always get the feeling that Hugh Grant's friends in the pix are purposely eccentric rather than genuinely - if you know what I mean.<br /><br />Still, I LOVE THE ENDING!! I'm a big Hugh Grant fan.<br /><br />Reading your post makes me want to see this again.<br /><br />MAID IN MANHATTAN I wasn't so crazy about. Ralph Fiennes as a modern day dashing romantic doesn't quite cut it for me. He looks ill at ease to me.<br /><br />But I like your comparison with Bollywood, Prashant. I've only ever seen two Bollywood films and found them very enjoyable if slightly unbelievable. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-57934431390270471362012-10-09T14:45:27.592-07:002012-10-09T14:45:27.592-07:00For screwball comedies, the first to pop into mind...For screwball comedies, the first to pop into mind is IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT. I believe there are at least 2 public proposals in LOVE, ACTUALLY -- Hugh Grant (again) proposing to my favorite member of the cast of EASTENDERS, Martine McCutcheon. And Colin Firth, in an Italian restaurant. The kid also runs after a girl boarding a plane at Heathrow.<br /><br />Funny coincidence, today there was an item on the TV news here about an agency in Indian that helps young people who have fallen in love across caste lines.<br /><br />NOTTINGHILL is wonderfully written and cast, btw. I don't think I've ever seen more than parts of it on TV, but I've enjoyed them. Ron Scheerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15357501069513854664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-318378022640709372012-10-09T09:49:13.162-07:002012-10-09T09:49:13.162-07:00Sergio, screwball comedies have been doing that so...Sergio, screwball comedies have been doing that sort of thing for decades going on a century...Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-78639961290681023842012-10-09T08:28:46.701-07:002012-10-09T08:28:46.701-07:00Julia Roberts was cute when she was younger but sh...Julia Roberts was cute when she was younger but she doesn't do much for me anymore. I've always rather liked Hugh Grant, though, even if he plays something of the same character in every movie.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1169151311037688512.post-89857501990162894902012-10-09T07:15:28.634-07:002012-10-09T07:15:28.634-07:00Fascinating to compare the formula with the Bollyw...Fascinating to compare the formula with the Bollywood equivalent. I'm not crazy about eother of these though they are undeniably fun (did you know MAID was based on a story by John Hughes but appeared under him Cunt of Monte cristo pseudonym of 'Edmond dantes') - in most Romantic Hollywood comedies there public and embarassing declaration of love now seems to always be preceded by some sort of race or chase at the end - I think it first started with the ending of MANHATTAN, Woody Allen's classic comedy, and then took off in the very Allen-style WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. Sergio (Tipping My Fedora)http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com