Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Few memorable hindi movies

An obvious choice for any hindi movie buff. A path breaking movie, much ahead of its time.
Amitabh Bachchan again. An inspiration for most of the action, family dramas, lost and found movies released in late 70s and early 80s.
Might not have heard of this movie. One of the pioneers of its genre. College politics started from here. Shiva, Arjun, Haasil etc just followed the trend.
Jeetendra's only movie which made any sense :). An incredible, simple, sweet story. An inspiration for "Hum hain raahi pyaar ke"!!!
Gulzar. What a way to highlight the atrocities caused by government during Punjab crisis!! Why isn't he directing any movies now a days? After Hu-tu-tu, it seems he got busy with his lyricist job. We want more from the person who gave us gems like Mere Apne, Koshish, Angoor, Parichay, Aandhi....and a few others.
Can you name a single movie released in last 5-10 years which created such a huge impact on people's conscience as it did?
Re-defined the hard hitting crime genre movie. Mumbai ka KING kaun -- "Bhikhu". RGV's most complete work till date. Company, Sarkar seems pale in comparison, even though they were good, but Satya was just a MASTERPIECE.
SRK!! won't we be pleased to see him in roles like he did in Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Darr etc.
Every time I begin watching this movie, I leave only when the end credits roll.
Sanja Leela Bhansali's best work till date. Was a commercial failure, though.
A movie conveying a strong message. Amitabh was not known for doing this kind of movies in his prime.
Madhu, Arvind, Pankaj Kapoor, Mani Ratnam, AR Rehmaan. What a powerful creation!!!
Its music still haunts us. Its message is still relevant to our times.

Honourable mentions:
Mumbai Meri Jaan, Lagey Raho Munnabhai, Dil Chahta Hai, Jab We Met, Dor, Black Friday, Golmaal, Chhoti Si Baat.
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Memorable Foreign Movies


My compilation of the memorable movies, out of the thousands I watched till date.

1. The Shawshank Redemption
One of the best movies ever made. Ratings at IMDB is a glaring tribute for this wonderfully made movie.

Tense court-room drama about 12 juries deciding the fate of a child convicted for murdering his father.

Could be said to be the best ever foreign (non-english) movies made and in crime genre the best ever including all of those produced from hollywood.


Outsmarts all of the super-heroes movies ever made. JOKER, a character from movie was recently voted 3rd best of all the characters portrayed ever in a hollywood movie.
Sweet romantic movie about a jewish family in a German concentration camp during second world war.

Jack Nicholsan at his best.
An inspiring/brave tale of a person (a German businessman) who saves lives of thousands of jews at the hands of his fellow Germans during second world war.
C'mon, don't tell me you haven't watched this movie!!
Coen brothers at their best. A simple, serene crime investigation.
Fight between Boston mafia and MA police department. How will you find the rat?
An encouraging tale of a musician during second world war.
If you are a drug addict, watch this movie. Will definitely force you, stir you out to think "is it really worth"?

14. The Prestige
Two magicians outsmarting each other. Chritopher Nolan's ascendency to the greatness began with this movie.

Animation movies can't be better made.
A gladiator's tale of his rise and fall and then rising again from the oblivion.
Best ever movie made on Bapu. And mind you this wasn't made by an Indian. Another surprise was the actor portraying Gandhi was not an Indian.
A boxer's biography.
Don't watch it on small screen. You won't admire it as much as others do.



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Thursday, July 24, 2008

What is in the grammar? Part - 1

Why one should know about grammar?

Grammar can be defined as the structure in which one can put his words to express his thoughts.
From our childhood days we are using english language in different forms.
So, it makes much sense to discuss some of the common mistakes we usually commit while communicating with others.

1. Difference between effect and affect?
Effect is a noun.
Affect is a verb.

2. When to use continual and when continuous?
Continual refers to successive actions with occasional cessations.
While continuous is unbroken, uninterrupted movements or series of actions.

Continual rain can have short spells of fair weather intervening between the frequent storms.
But, continuous rain means that it never stops.

3. Sense should be followed by 'in' when it implies logic or sensibleness. However, if sense signifies meaning, it should be followed by 'of'.

What is the sense in arguing?
Can you get the sense of that poem?

4. Which one you prefer to use?
What kind of a day is it?
or
What kind of day is it?

The word 'a' is considered unnecessary following 'what kind', 'what sort' or 'what type'. It is rarely used in educated speech.

So, always ask:
What kind of job are you looking for?
What type of dress I should wear?

5. Difference between 'principle' and 'principal'.
Principle - Rule, truth, law of conduct or action (is a noun)
Principal - Main (is an adjective)

Principal may be used as a noun when referring:
- to a sum of money
- to a person who is chief of any organization


6. Difference between 'hung' and 'hanged'.
Anything which is suspended is hung.
- Pictures are hung on the wall.
- Clothes were hung out in the sunlight.

Hanged is used to describe execution by hanging.
- You will be hanged if caught cheating. :)
- He hanged himself.

The murderer was hanged and his corpse was hung until it was cut down.

7. Correct (plural) forms:
Mothers-in-law
editors-in-chief
attorneys general
men of war
notaries public
passers by

8. "Do it good" or "Do it well".

'Good' or 'Well' is modifying a verb 'do'. So, it should be an adverb as adverb is one which modifies verbs, adjectives or another adverbs. Good is an adjective, so it must be modifying nouns not verbs.
So, well is the correct form.

So, always use:
Do it well.

"Go slow" or "Go slowly".
Slowly is an adverb. However, slow is acting as an adverb here.
So, either of the forms can be used.


9. Difference between 'incredible' and 'incredulous'.

You sound 'incredulous' when you show skepticism.
Something is 'incredible' if it is difficult to believe.

Credulous person believes what he hears.
Something is credible if it warrants belief.

Don't look so incredulous when I tell you what happened to me.
You are too credulous. You should distinguish facts from fancy.
The climate at equator is incredibly hot.
It is a perfectly credible story.


10. Some other correct (plural) forms:
spoonfuls of sugar
cupfuls of rice
handfuls of pulse
glassfuls of tea



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Decorator Design Pattern

The decorator pattern can be used to make it possible to extend (decorate) the functionality of a class at runtime. It is an alternative to subclassing. Subclassing adds behaviour at compile time whereas decorating can provide new behavior at runtime.

This works by adding a new decorator class (ActorDecorator) that wraps the original class (Actor). This wrapping is typically achieved by passing the original object as a parameter to the constructor of the decorator when it is created. The decorator (DancingActorDecorator or SingingActorDecorator) implements the new functionality (Singing or Dancing), but for functionality that is not new (Acting), the original class(SimpleActor) is used. The decorating class (DancingActorDecorator or SingingActorDecorator) must have the same interface (Actor) as the original class (SimpleActor).

A simple example will illustrate the pattern more clearly.


// Actor interface
interface Actor {
public void act();
public String getDescription();
}

// implementation of a simple actor without any extra skills.
class SimpleActor implements Actor {
public void act() {
// Acting implementation
}

public String getDescription() {
return "I can act.";
}
}

// abstract Decorator class
abstract class ActorDecorator implements Actor {
protected Actor decoratedActor;

public ActorDecorator(Actor decoratedActor) {
this.decoratedActor = decoratedActor;
}
}

// the first concrete decorator which adds dancing functionality
class DancingActorDecorator extends ActorDecorator {
public DancingActorDecorator(Actor decoratedActor) {
super(decoratedActor);
}

public void act() {
dance();
decoratedActor.act();
}

private void dance() {
// Dancing implementation
}

public String getDescription() {
return decoratedActor.getDescription() + " I can dance too.";
}
}

// the second concrete decorator which adds singing functionality
class SingingActorDecorator extends ActorDecorator {
public SingingActorDecorator(Actor decoratedActor) {
super(decoratedActor);
}

public void act() {
sing();
decoratedActor.act();
}

private void sing() {
// Singing implementation
}

public String getDescription() {
return decoratedActor.getDescription() + " I can sing too.";
}
}

// test class
public class DecoratorPatternTest {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// create a decorated Actor with singing and dancing skills.
Actor decoratedActor = new DancingActorDecorator(
new SingingActorDecorator(new SimpleActor()));

// print the Actor's description
System.out.println(decoratedActor.getDescription());
}
}
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