Immunity to immunisations

If there is a law, it gets enacted,and the guilty are punished,
If there is a person who is immune to that law, who is He or Who are they?
Friends of law makers, those who have power and money behind them.

I got this triggered to my mind again following the vaccine injury cases, i just can't seem to get this out of my mind, for better or for worse.

The large powerful drug industry with tentacles to areas least imaginable, are able to get immunity to their vaccine injury, even if the patients are able to prove the effects following the vaccine, and worse the supreme court even seems to accept their verdict.

3rd Week Feb

Gone Baby Gone (2007) [* * * *] - A child is kidnapped and the police department is complicit in the crime.

Across the Universe (2007)[* * * *] - Perfect for so many of us who like to sing along with the Beatles set in an activist 60s USofA with a romance to stop the Vietnam war. Quite a lot of fun.

The Brothers Bloom (2009) [* * * *] - Two brothers, con men, are growing apart. Its very interesting to see how relationships die on you. This one does it with a bang.:)

Fido (2007) [* * *] - A zombie movie where zombies are treated like dogs are today.

Death At A Funeral (2010) [* * *] - A funny bunch of events at a funeral.

Lymelife (2008) [* *] - A boring story about divorce.

King of California [* *] - A treasure hunt, but not a very interesting story either for kids or adults.



Hindi
Wanted (2009)[* * * *] - I really don't like Salman Khan, but this movie was tight. You can really see the difference when a movie has all the backing.

All The Best (2009) [* * * *] - Ajay Devgun made this comedy and though it is formulaic, it is funny as hell.

Wake Up Sid (2009) [* * *] - A very modern romance, starting between two friends in college. Watchable.

Tum Mile (2009) [* *] - Average acting, below average everything else in this romance.

Death Proof (2007) [* * * * *]

I usually hate Tarentino movies (like Kill Bill), but this one was a cliff-hanger that I loved inspite of the gore!

Stuntman Mike goes about in his 'deathproof' car - reinforced like stunt cars - and kills women on the road for kicks. He is merciless killing them.

He finally stalks one set of women (who are models and stuntwomen) and meets his match. He hunts and drives them to the ground. They turn around and follow him. That car chase is the best I've ever seen and the ending is unmatchable. (Yes, the women slaughter him.:)

I know now why guys think Tarentino is a feminist movie maker and in this instance I agree. The women do something that is really unusual to women - they're as unforgiving as men - and twice as vengeful, being women. Gawd, even I got a kick out of seeing them hunt him down! lol

World's Greatest Dad (2009) [* * * * *]

Most parents tolerate their children because they love them, even when they know their genes may have created an antisocial, misogynist pervert. But iparental love is distorting. I've always wondered if there are parents out there who realise how they live through their children by making up personalities for them.

In this thought-provoking film (a euphemism for tear-jerker:), Robin Williams is a failed writer trying to get published whose son is a pervert. The son dies by accident masturbating to porn using suffocation. The father writes a suicide note to protect his son from ridicule. The note becomes famous and the whole school become fans of the boy they once knew as a jerk. The father takes advantage of the popularity and continues to invent his son as a writer, someone worth knowing, and almost gets published before he breaks the bubble of stifling, reflected fame for normalcy.

I think its educational for parents who distort their children's image to make them more palatable for public consumption - for them to acknowledge their shame which makes them inventive and that only the truth can set them free. Can't say I loved the movie, but it was real to me.

Frost/Nixon (2008) [* * * * *]

Nixon is reviled as a failure by the US for what his administration did and every presidential scandal is post-fixed with 'gate' after the Watergate of his time. But what really angered the nation seems to be that he never apologized or explained himself ... until David Frost interviewed him. That historical interview, where you see the man, the genius that was Nixon, and his apology is what this movie is about. I ended up loving Nixon!:)

'Watergate' is a term used to describe political cover-up. The origin was a break-in at the Democratic office in the Watergate Complex to steal their candidate list. Nixon was away on holiday when it happened - though some say he was aware of it - but when he returned, his staff tried to pay off the perpetrators and unfortunately Nixon tried to protect his staff (which was the coverup). He couldn't see a good way out of the situation, and the congress went for the kill threatening impeachment. The snowballing mess ended when he resigned, the only american president to do so.

To me he came across as a wonderful man caught in a painful dilemma - loyalty, honour and responsibility shackled him to his fate. I know how people can gang up and the press can crucify an individual and that is what I believe happened to Nixon after watching the movie (and the original interview on youtube). David Frost with his genuine love of people brought out the human in Nixon, a proud, unreachable man, and made history.
[Keeping in mind that Nixon was responsible for the US napalming entire villages in southeast asia for a senseless war in Vietnam ....]

2nd Week of Feb

The whole week seemed to be about teens and american teenage aspirations - it brings home to me how much I've grown old and beyond.:)

The.Wackness (2008) [* * * *] - An interesting friendship between a teenaged drug dealer and a psychiatrist makes both of them better able to deal with the reality of their loneliness. It always astonishes me to see how the US perception of drugs has changed to acceptance since their sources became canadian and afghan.:)

Mystery Team (2009) [* * *] - A group of teens avoid dealing with reality by solving mysteries.

The.Bad.Lieutenant.Port.of.Call.New.Orleans (2008) [* * *] - A drug-addicted policeman, Nicholas Cage, in post-Katrina New Orleans muddles through every situation to getting lucky and being promoted.

Charlie Bartlett (2008)[* * *] - An interesting story about a teen who sells drugs and psychotherapy in school to make friends. The US is in an 'accept difference' fad since the 60s.:)

Ping Pong Playa (2007) [* * *] - A chinese teen learns to deal with reality by helping out his family's ping pong sports business.

Pirate Radio (2009) [* *] - The camera swung around so much to imitate the sea that I got seasick and couldn't watch. A teen-run radio on a ship.:)
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The Promotion (2009) [* *] - About two guys competing for a managerial post at a grocery store.

The Messenger (2009) [* *] - I hate movies about the Iraq invasion and this was about a soldier who carries news of the death to the families in the US, so I didn't enjoy it.

In the Loop (2009) [* *] - A british political satire.

Women in Trouble (2009) [* *] - A bunch of women and their stories. Unfortunately, American women don't really have stories except about sex. The sad reality of affluence.:)

Young People Fucking (2009) [* *] - A bunch of couples and their stories .... about sex. (lol!)

The Story of Anvil (2009) [* * * * * *]

I've been such a fan of rock and metal over the years that I've seen many documentaries - The Who, Led Zeppelin, etc. - but this must be the best I've ever seen.

For the first time in the history of music, you see the real struggle behind the passion to perform. There are so many things that can go wrong that it just isn't about the music anymore - its an industry.

Anvil, which inspired many bands like Metallica, Anthrax, etc. missed the boat when it came to fame. And in this movie you see them growing old, in their 50s, but not giving up. And you wish with all your heart that it pays for them eventually!

I loved it. In the movie, the band goes on a failed tour of Europe, struggle to make money to pay for the next album, then find all the record labels reject their work and leave them in debt! What stands out is their talent, incredible relationship and unbeatable optimism.

They fight, make up, cry, do crappy jobs, love their families, worry, hurt and yearn and fear -- its all so real you could be one of them, or it could be your life. And their fans come through for them - the documentary is made by one of their fans.

Don't miss it! And the irony is that the critically-acclaimed documentary brought them the fame that they so richly deserve - they've had great success since. lol

1st Week of Feb

I saw a bunch of Jet Li movies that I'd rate at an average of 4 since I really like kung fu - but they're only for kung fu fans - not much for anyone else.
Shaolin Temple (1982) [* * *] - A very young Jet Li saves Shaolin after putting it in grave danger with a local warlord.
Hero (2002) [* * * *] - This was pretty interesting and lovely to watch. It covers a historical assassination attempt of the ruler of Qin who lives on to unite China and build the Great Wall in 227 BC. A lot of 'The Art of War' in it.
The One (2001) [* * * *] Chinese Kung fu Sci fi! and so good too. A very interesting look into the multiverse concept. A supercriminal tries to kill every other one of himself in the other universes and jeopardizes the structure of existence.
 Jet Li is interesting because he practices a particular style of kung fu called wushu - interesting to see how the chinese culture preserves its elements through movies.

Why doesn't Bollywood and Kollywood attempt Sci fi? We Indians lack a certain fear of the future because of our belief in Karma.:)
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The Big Bang (2010) [* *] ugh, dun watch.

In Bruges (2008) [* * * *] - fabulous, if you like black comedy. Two hitmen are asked to hide out in Bruges, Belgium, until the heat is off. They both have to deal with their demons and a new assignment for one to kill the other. If I didn't give it 5 stars its only because I dislike black comedy.

Taken (2008) [* * * *] - A father goes to Paris to rescue his daughter from a slave trade racket that permeates every level of authority. Very, very interesting. If I didn't give this 5 stars its only because it was smooth and had nothing startling - we've gotten addicted to shocking twists in plots, I guess ...

Jackie (2010)[Kannada][* *]

I'd like to admit straight off that I hardly watch any indian movies, so this is a one-off. I was astonished at how little I liked the movie. That got me thinking about how far away from my own culture I've grown to find a fairly popular film crass, crude and sad.

The hero is ordinary looking, ugly even, talks ugly, and his acting is atrocious, but he's related to a very popular star, the late Dr. Rajkumar, so he could swing it. I guess that's the thing about dynastic caste-based India; in films, politics and business, all you need to do is be born into it. (George Bush Sr. and Jr., the Kennedys, ... caste isn't limited to our country.:)

The movie was shocking in so many ways - corrupt cops talking about how they do their rounds to collect bribes from all the vendors, vying for tv appearances, playing judge and jury and shooting perpetrators. It was quite a statement about the corrupt government in Karnataka. Shame on them all - the actors, directors, writers and producers - for winking at such disgusting misappropriation of power in a great democracy.

But ... perhaps I judge too harshly because I live here. As for the movie, the camera quality was poor, the actors couldn't act, the script was a pastiche of disjointed events - even the songs and fight sequences were ho-hum. Where've all the good movies gone? Rajkumar even had better-looking heroines and line-dancers behind him ... 50 yrs ago!