Over The Hedge movie review

Since we enjoy watching animated movies (Grave of the fireflies, Nausicaa, Finding Nemo, Shrek, Kiki's Delivery Service, Spirited Away, etc.) and that is what brought "Over The Hedge" to our family room. Insofar as technical aspects are concerned, the movie is extremely well done - DreamWorks does a good job at that.

As we debate whether global warming is even happening, I wonder if they also argue if suburban sprawl is happening. That is the heart of this movie. As we make room for bigger and bigger homes, strip malls, and restaurants, we are also making it difficult for animals to live (I know that for sure that I get more deer in my backyard than I want). So when a group of animals rise from their winter hybernation, they realize that almost all the land that they "owned" is now behind a hedge with a huge development. Their biggest problem is how to find food. The movie then shows the stuggle of animals versus men.

The movie starts off really well and has what we appreciate about family movies - pure fun that both adults and children can enjoy with some messages that everyone can take away. In "Over The Hedge," however, within 15 minutes or so you find out that it is a great movie for the kids but offers nothing substantive to adults. We still finished the movie because we want to appreciate the creativity of animation but unless you need to give company to your kids, don't bother with this one.

Treatment of widows in India

Despite all the hype about India turning into an economic and military superpower, the Indian society still does a terrible job treating women, particularly widows. The same Indian men that are hired by multi national companies and work on breakthrough technologies that impact lives of people worldwide, act like pets in front of their parents - not only their parents pick the woman that they are going to marry, they also make unreasonable dowry demands. It is also no secret in the Indian society that countless women are tortured in the country for failing to bring sufficient dowry (not just at the time of wedding but for any weddings, funerals, and festivals in the future) - in some cases, these women are simply murdered by the husband and/or his family.

The story of widows is even worse. Within moments of the last breath of her husband, these women are treated worse than animals, and forced to work like slaves the rest of their lives tending to others in the family. They cannot be invited to weddings or any festive occasions, many women would not let their children near them (for the fear of a curse), can only wear simple white clothes, and can never do anything that will make them happy - forget about remarrying.

I came across this commercial, which is quite funny, but exposes the ugly side of India.

Widows in India

How to fight global warming?

If you are one of those who have accepted the reality of global warming, well, thank you, but your work is not done. If you are still in denial about global warming, we hope that you will look at the data with an objective mind and change your mind. And if you are one of those evangelical Christians proactively destroying the environment so that Jesus Christ can return sooner, we hope that you will read the Bible again; this time paying attention to what is in the Holy Book.

In any case, you should do our part to protect the environment and here is what we do:

Reuse: This is even more important than recycling. Before you dispose something off, try to find new uses for it. For example, empty pasta sauce bottles can be cleaned and used to store stuff in your kitchen.

Do not use disposables: While we have never understood how some people serve their guests in disposable dishes at a party in their homes – if you don’t want to clean dishes, don’t hold a party (to us disposables only make sense during a picnic or in college dorms or other similar events) – they are an environmental mess. Those polystyrene cups almost never decompose. You might also bring your own shopping bags rather than having to deal with the “Paper or Plastic” dilemma.

Shop smart: Try to minimize how many appliances you need; very few people need two refrigerators. To stay fit it is better if you go more often to the supermarket. Similarly, change your light bulbs and buy energy-efficient appliances.

Borrow, beg, and gift: Chances are many things that you need can easily be borrowed from friends/family members or even perfect strangers on the web. Similarly, if you need something, ask if anyone is willing to just give it to you. We all get so much stuff as gifts, giveaways or freebies that is just lying around the house causing clutter. Check with your library if you can borrow a book or a movie. In case you do buy them, donate them to the library or if you are cheap, sell them on Ebay or Amazon.

Don’t print: To the extent possible, try to make your life more digital. Always print both sides of paper.

Donate: Whether you do some or all of these things or not, make a contribution to a charitable organization that is trying to protect the environment (or else we might end up in the same world as that in Grave Of The Fireflies movie).

Valentine Day gift ideas

I thought this was expensive, until I found out that Jim Trippon puts together a list each year of the most expensive Valentine's Day gifts.

• Bombardier Global Express XRS executive jet - $48 million
• Phuket private island in Thailand - $23 million
• Renee Strausse for the Bride diamond encrusted wedding dress - $12 million
• Neil Lane sapphire and diamond necklace & diamond drop earrings - $2 million
• Tiffany & Co. 7.5 carat diamond and platinum engagement ring - $845,000
• SSC Ultimate Aero sports car - $654,500
• Honma 24k gold and platinum plated golf clubs - $52,938 per set
• Fendi Pink Crocodile Spy Bag - $25,700
• Golf round at Sandy Lane in Barbados - $1265
• Bling h2o water - $40 per bottle

I wonder what should I get for Lorena!

America Ferrara in Brian Reyes dress

We wrote previously about how Jennifer Hudson is one of the people that we admire. You can add another name to the list: America Ferrara. The program Ugly Betty has been remarkably successful despite the fact that so many situations in it are unreal - there are hardly any offices where everyone (except Betty, of course) is so gorgeous, but it is one program that was marketed extremely well. That is why it was nice to see America win a Golden Globe.

And what do we think of her dress?
The draped gown by designer Brian Reyes in a deep indigo color was simple, elegant, and easy-to-miss (photo copyright: HFPA). It is not something that we will talk about much in the future. Even the actress thought that it was simply "young and easy” and that is why she chose it.

We think that if you are not a diva yet and just starting out (this applies not just to red carpet moments but to all life situations), stay away from anything bold. The Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi, who was on the red carpet for the first time in the US, clearly should have not chosen that Chanel dress - it simply attracted too much attention and everyone forgot that she is a good actress.

Stepford Wives movie review

Lorena and I like our morning (good-quality) coffee in bed, but that is possible only once in a while when we are staying at a luxury resort and they can bring it to our room. On most other occasions, one of us has to get out, come down the steps to the kitchen, grind coffee beans, brew it, and then walk back to bed. By this time, the fun is gone for one of us. So we have often fantasized about developing a robot (or even better - an android) to do just that. Since none of us is a robotics guru, we are still dreaming.

That dreams of ours has been realized in ways that we don't morally support, but nonetheless, it is done in a very funny way in "The Stepford Wives." While I wonder how someone thought of declaring Stepford is in Connecticut (as someone who has spent years there, I was not amused), it is a movie that we enjoyed a lot considering that we love Nicole Kidman and she never seems to disappoint - though she is so much better in "The Hours" or "Cold Mountain."

Christopher Walken and Glenn Close decide that we need a place where everything is wonderful, men are gentlemen, women live to please men, and there is love everywhere. So when Joanna Eberhard (Nicole Kidman) loses her job as a media executive, she and her family move to Stepford to work on their marriage and have a more laid back life than they did in Manhattan.

Everything in Stepford is too perfect (and tacky too), women are always cooking, smiling, being nice, while men just have a great time being men. Something is not right, though, it seems. Two of Joanna's best friends in community get transformed into something she cannot believe - what is going on? That is what Joanna finds out.

If you have seen the first version and loved it, don't watch this one - you will spend too much time comparing which one is better. If you have not seen it and want to watch a light, funny movie with a little bit of science fiction and social commentary thrown in, this is a good combination of them all.