September 23, 2004

FILM
I had zero interest in watching Starsky & Hutch, the latest 70s TV show to be retooled for the big screen. I don’t think I ever watched a complete episode of the original series and whatever I did see of it I didn’t particularly care for. Plus, while I generally like Owen Wilson (he plays Hutch), Ben Stiller (Starsky) can be up and down for me and his latest movie outings have veered towards being repetitive.

So I was going to give S&H a pass. But for lack of anything else to watch and an impending review deadline, I popped in the DVD into the player and found myself having a fairly amusing time. I suppose my lack of affection for the original series — a standard buddy-cop action TV show — helped in this regard because I didn’t particularly mind the movie being turned into an outright spoof-comedy that pushes hard against the fourth wall.

Wilson and Stiller do have a certain chemistry (this is their 6th movie together) and their playing to type – Stiller as the frazzled, frantic one and Wilson as the coolly laconic and charming guy – actually helps. The two also have on hand a few of their usual partners in crime like Vince Vaughn (as the main bad guy Reese Feldman) and Will Ferrell (who turns in a typically hilarious performance as a prison convict with decidedly different sexual preferences) and the man at the helm is Todd Phillips, who also directed Old School and Road Trip. Starsky & Hutch won’t change your life but it might help in passing a couple of hours.—Khusro Mumtaz

OR
Man On Fire, starring Denzel Washington, directed by Tony Scott (Top Gun) and based on A.J. Quinnell’s novel, is two movies in one. The first, a moving tale of a lost man’s redemption through the love of a young girl, is a very good one. The second, an almost routine action-revenge thriller, is well below par.

Washington plays Creasey, a washed out, alcoholic ex-CIA man haunted by his nightmares. Creasey is hired to protect a little 10-year-old Mexican-American girl, Pita (Dakota Fanning) in Mexico City where, we are told in the beginning of the movie, kidnapping has become a very common occurrence. But Pita’s almost immediate adoration of her new security guard starts to break down Creasey’s defences and he starts to rediscover his own humanity and a reason for living.

Scott’s jagged camera work and a thumping score underline Creasey’s fragile mental state and his transformation and growing friendship with Pita becomes entirely believable, helped in no small measure by excellent performances from Washington and Fanning. But once the movie moves into action-revenge territory and Creasey turns into an increasingly violent and almost sadistic Terminator-esque super-hero believability is lost and we just wait for the movie to reach its long, drawn-out end that leaves a bad taste in the mouth.—K.M

SINGLE
There are very few songs that had the impact of Firestarter by (The) Prodigy. Released in 1997, it electrified clubs and won critical and fan raves. Now the beloved band has released their new and fourth album Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned, and the disc is excitingly jam-packed with plenty of groovin’ hip-hop, disco and funk tracks, in addition to the band’s signature acid house and punk rock sound. However, it is single Phoenix with its slick Arabic influence that is making the most impact. Hailed as a later release on the CD, it’s actually the best track on the disc.

Jumping on the East-West musical combo bandwagon, group leader Liam Howlett deftly fuses the two musical cultures into one of the band’s best singles. Memorable beats and almost hypnotic vocals blend with inter-cultural melodies. However, what makes Phoenix distinct from so many other fusion tracks is its acid techno base. Sexy Middle Eastern sounds and frantic jungle beats create a fury of musical sensation and the best of both worlds. Simply brilliant.—T. U. Dawood

SERIAL
Pani pay naam is a 13-episode serial which focusses on the story of Sara who is serving a seven-year sentence in jail for killing her stepfather in self-defence but is not able to prove it due to lack of witnesses. She is helped by a lawyer and her sentence is terminated when evidence is provided. Her real story begins once she steps out into the world to live an independent and respectable life. She meets a politician whom she later marries. In between, many plots hatch and true happiness comes after a lot of heart breaks.

Pani pay naam is popular with women as it is about an oppressed girl who suffers at the hands of society. But through sheer will power she overcomes insurmountable obstacles, giving a positive message to the other oppressed women of society.

The central idea of the story has been adapted from the novel Malice, written by Daniel Steele. Scripted by Farheen Choudhry and produced by Kazim Pasha, the serial is aired by PTV on Sunday at 8pm. The cast includes Izhar Qazi, Saadia Imam, Mahmood Akhtar, Ishmal and Naveed Rana.—Amir Syed

ALBUM
L.L. Cool J. (Ladies Love Cool James) is definitely not getting better with age. The once fresh and spot-on performer is now desperately trying to hang on to his legendary status. He has just released his latest album The DEFinition, and while he boasts of the disc No need for ghostwriters/Every year I get tighter, in actuality the artist’s music is far less toned and honed than his washboard abs. Nonetheless, the rapper-R&B artist wisely drew upon the assistance of “It” producer Timbaland and the result is a fair effort, if not anywhere near the artist’s best work.

This eleventh album is saturated with urban street vibes. The chorus-driven Headsprung has its moments and the funky Move Somethin’ is worth a listen. Still, overall the disc is quite weak and too many tracks, especially Apple Cobbler, sound like Missy Elliot wannabee numbers. There was a time when L. L. Cool J. was a leader in his field. Representative Queen helped make mainstream a whole new genre of music and Mama Said Knock You Out had a pure “in your face” Mohammad Ali-like attitude that once was the trademark of this artist. So, while The DEFinition is a so-so disc and far better than his last album Ten, it’s really only worth buying if you are a die-hard fan. Otherwise, give this disc a miss.—T. U.D

WEBSITE
For all the snooker buffs, one snooker website which is highly recommended is www.worldsnooker.com. This site provides you with some extremely tricky tips to play the game and those who are not acquainted with the game at all can check out the basics sections, which highlights the main rules and norms of this game. The design of the site is quite visually appealing with the snooker balls in the background on the green table. The site also contains the latest news and stories regarding snooker and its players. Moving a little further you come across the player’s profiles and links to the other cool snooker web sites. The section About the game, teaches you how to play this game right from scratch. Rules are discussed regarding equipment, standard table etc. Then some of the definitions of things like frame, match, balls etc., are given in order to familiarize the visitor with the terminology as well as some general ideas about the game. Description about positioning of the ball, stroking, potting, fouls and miss are also given which will enable you to play the game in a much better way. Advice on the issues like Time Wasting, Penalty, Unfair Conduct and Absence during the game are also there. All in all a must- check for all the snooker players.—Azeem Haider

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