India Fun Facts!

I would like to share some fascinating tidbits about India with you:

MTV India doesn't play any music videos either.

For denizens, it's not "hot" until its 120 degrees.

Shave, haircut and delightful head massage: $1

Long cricket matches have a mandatory timeout for "tea time".

Department store employees don't smile. It is sad.

Wearing plaid shorts in public will cause people to stare at you.

It is safer to swim across a river infested with rabid crocodiles than to drive a vehicle in Indian traffic.

Everybody drinks chai and eats mangoes all the time.

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Broadcast TV - Poll Recap

You were asked which broadcast network you most regularly watch. These results are going to be interesting, since the average demographic of this blog is presumed to lie between the ages of 18-49, which is also the demographic most sought after by advertisers.

Example: CSI is the most watched scripted (non-reality) show on television. Yet, advertisers would be more inclined towards its Thursday 9pm rival "The Office", which has a very high amount of 18-49 viewers. Thus, CSI's success among old retired people is irrelevant.

ABC - 22%

Understandable, as ABC makes it a point to attract viewers across all demographics. You have "LOST" for all ages, "Grey's Anatomy" for under-30 women, "Scrubs" for twentysomethings, and "Desperate Housewives" for middle-aged homemakers.



CBS- 0%

Interesting result, since CBS is widely known as "America's most watched network." Yet everyone who watches redundant crime procedurals such as "CSI" and its various iterations tends to be older. Young people don't want to see the same solve-a-murder-within-60-minutes TV show each week.


NBC - 33%

This makes the most sense. NBC has shows skewed directly towards the 18-49 demographic, especially its entire Thursday night lineup with "The Office" and "30 Rock." They're too unconventional for older generations, but they fit perfectly with our generations comedy tastes: a mixture of subtle and physical humor with no laugh track. Additionally, shows like "Heroes" and "Chuck" have low overall ratings but are big hits among university age folk.



FOX - 22%


"American Idol" is watched by over 21 million people. FOX brilliantly programs off-beat shows right after the reality juggernaut in order to boost their ratings. This has created a consistent viewership in shows like "House" and "Bones, and more recently, "Fringe." Now if FOX could put "Dollhouse" after Idol next year...And there's always "Family Guy" and "The Simpsons," both beloved by college-age kids.

PBS - 22%

Liars! Just because you want to look smart...

CW - 0%

The only people who watch the CW are college freshman who love "Gossip Girl." And none of them read this blog.

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Wolverine Review

It was a great idea to give Wolverine his own "origin" movie. As the shining star of the X-Men trilogy, it would have been ideal to see the man tear it up without the hindrance of Rogue's relationship troubles and the philosophical musings of Charles Xavier. As expected, the result is a satisfying escapade with thunderous action and a merry band of characters, but struggles to overshadow narrative annoyances.

Beginning in 1845 with the first appearance of young James Howlett's bone claws, the film then fast-forwards through James' participation in major wars alongside his brother, Victor (Liev Schreiber, Defiance). This sequence, shown during the opening credits, is energetic and entertaining; enough so that their wartime adventures could satiate an entire film. James and Victor, for some annoyingly inexplicable reasons, stopped aging in their mid-30's and look the same in the present as they did during the Civil War.


Herein lies the paramount flaw of the movie. The title implies an explanation of Wolverine's mutant abilities, but his lack of aging, healing powers, and claws are just thrown at the audience without a lick of clarification. Instead, the film narrates how James ended up as we found him in the X-Men trilogy, with his metal claws and amnesia. It all has to with a confusing series of bloody events and bad decisions, after which James is given an adamantium skeleton by the U.S. military, which proceeds to hunt him down.

The hunter turns out to be Victor, who has the same retractable claws and self-healing powers as James. But the two share a classic sibling contrast: James is calm and detached while Victor is bloodthirsty and insane. Their strained, violent relationship is compelling, but it is sadly abandoned once James gets his metal implants.

It's always a bad idea to think too much during comic-book movies, but the critics need to say something. Wolverine scores with its countless spectacular action set-pieces, from the Alaskan throwdown between the brothers to the breathtaking finale on Three Mile Island, where every mutant gets a chance to showcase their abilities. But there is a new level of expectations after The Dark Knight, which has raised the bar for superhero movies - perhaps unfairly, since every movie can't have its psychological complexities and legendary villains.


Comic book nerds, such as myself, will drool at the sight of various characters from X-Men lore, from The Blob to Emma Frost to John Wraith (as well as a few others that won't be spoiled). Even with the onslaught of cameos, the film manages a tricky balance - pleasing the geeks without confusing the rest of the audience.

Often times,it feels like Wolverine is serving as an "origin" for other properties that will spin off, much like Wolverine did, into their own feature films. There's Gambit, one of the most popular X-Men from the comics, who is bluntly thrust into the story with little cohesion. It's great to see his staff and card tricks in action, but it's obvious that the Cajun charmer was added for the hell of it. The other offender is Deadpool, whose smarmy wisecracks are a perfect fit for the naturally droll Ryan Reynolds. His astonishing sword skills steal the spotlight from Wolverine, and his lack of major screen time is a clear sign that the filmmakers have bigger plans for the character.

Admittedly, I would be first in line to see Gambit and Deadpool movies (already announced!), but next time, let's stick to just Wolverine, so his befuddling questions can finally be answered. Memorable action aside, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is hampered by its narrative banality and lingering inquires, but it's still fun fluff.

*** out of *****

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Five U.S. Representatives Arrested

This happened last Monday.

"WASHINGTON - Eight activists protesting the expulsion of aid groups in Darfur have been arrested in front of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington.

Humanitarian leaders and five U.S. lawmakers, including Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison and Maryland Rep. Donna Edwards, were led away in handcuffs Monday from the embassy after crossing a police line."

I was proud when I read this. The five U.S. Representatives are:

Donna Edwards (D-MD)
Keith Ellison (D-MN)
John Lewis (D-GA)
Jim McGovern (D-MA)
Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)

"The activists are urging world leaders to take a stand against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir's decision to expel 16 aid agencies from Darfur.

Ellison says it is wrong to deprive aid to what he calls "the most vulnerable people on our planet."

The United Nations says up to 300,000 people have died in Darfur, where ethnic African rebel groups have been fighting the Arab-dominated national government for six years."

I tip my hat to these members of Congress. John Lewis was arrested 40 or so times during the civil rights era, and now he has been arrested twice over Darfur. I'm a fan. Stand up for what you believe in.

Have a good day.

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Kavi is Done With School and Mad as Hell

Freshman year is over yippee so look for this blog to be more consistent over then next few months.

Let's start with my anger over the last poll.

What is you most anticipated May release?

Wolverine: 36%
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past: 0%
Star Trek: 0%
Angels and Demons: 45%
Terminator Salvation: 18%
Night at the Museum 2: 0%
Dance Flick: 0%
Up: 0%
Drag Me to Hell: 0%

I am incredulous that, even with arguably one of the strongest months for summer movies in Hollywood history, the top vote-getter was ANGELS & DEMONS.

Wolverine has dancing sensation Hugh Jackman as the loveable-yet-gruff mutant with crazy hair and berserker rage.



Star Trek features a young James Tiberius Kirk, who commands a starship and kicks Borg butt.



Christian Bale stars as an older John Connor, who must lead a motley band of resistance fighters against Skynet and giant freaking robots.



And yet, readers of this blog chose Tom Hanks and his bad hair as he takes on Catholic priests. I am saddened.



And how did Up get no votes? It's a Pixar movie so you know it's going to be amazing. I'll be back soon with a review of Wolverine and previews for the next few months.

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