http://benoit.gaillard.aricie.net/UserProfile/tabid/2042/userId/7418/Default.aspx
Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Triple Frontier movie review: Netflix delivers the best Ben Affleck film in many, many years
Triple Frontier has that 'something for everyone' quality that could either work in its favour, or be its undoing. It constantly keeps reinventing itself every 15 minutes; it goes from gritty drug drama to slick heist movie, and then transforms into an old-school Western, and ends as a survival thriller/ chase film. Understandably, this may be too much for an audience looking for cheap thrills, but for Chandor and his cast, it's an excuse to play in five movies instead of one, and to use genre to make important subtextual statements about violence, vengeance and warfare. the Triple Frontier trailer here Five former military veterans, bitter about the sorry hand they've been dealt by their country despite literally taking bullets for it, plan to take down a larger-than-life Mexican drug lord and keep all his dirty money for themselves. That is about as much as you need to know going in, and it is roughly a summation of what was shown in the film's trailer. Immediately after having seen it, I remember thinking that the trailer had essentially revealed the entire film's plot. But it turns out that Netflix has taken the Marvel approach to marketing this film, in that what we've seen so far is - to make an informed guesstimate - mostly footage from the first 30 minutes. The element of surprise has largely disappeared from modern mainstream moviemaking. And one of Triple Frontier's greatest accomplishments is how confidently it topples the expectations of a wary and weathered audience. It swerves around into strange and wonderful new directions in its remaining hour-and-a-half, piling set-piece upon set-piece, balancing action (of different styles) with deft character work and brazen political ideas. Pedro Pascal, Garrett Hedlund, Charlie Hunnam, and Ben Affleck in a still from Triple Frontier. ( Courtesy of Netflix ) And although Ben Affleck is (understandably) the top-billed actor in the credits, Oscar Isaac is ostensibly the film's lead. It is he who plays the Bruce Wayne-style role, and rounds up his old brothers for the job. Charlie Hunnam is delivering 'inspirational' speeches to future recruits, and for the first time his typical wooden delivery makes sense. His (actual) brother, played by Garrett Hedlund, is an MMA fighter. Pedro Pascal is once again playing one of his snaky charmers, and Affleck is peddling real estate. They are united by their feelings of resentment towards what they have sacrificed for their country - personally, physically and professionally - and what they have received in return. They are promised that the drug lord Lorea - an unseen entity who lingers like a spectre in the film's opening act - has a stash of close to $75 million, which will be more than fair compensation for all their troubles, past and present. Triple Frontier is part-morality tale about selfishness and greed and corruption, part-parable about the perils of military intervention, but more importantly, it's an insanely entertaining movie. Of course, it's slightly off-putting that it's so bashfully masculine (especially in this day and age), but that can be largely credited to writer Mark Boal's creative inclinations. Ben Affleck ("Redfly") in a still from Netflix's Triple Frontier. ( Courtesy of Netflix ) Boal, the Academy Award-winning writer of recent Kathryn Bigelow films such as The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty and Detroit, is in many ways the only constant in Triple Frontier's long and precarious journey to the (small) screen. Numerous actors - Tom Hanks, Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Tom Hardy to name a few - have signed on and dropped out, several directors were attached before Chandor, including Bigelow, and the film moved from Paramount to Netflix. It'll be interesting to know just how majorly (or not) Boal's original screenplay has changed in these years. One would imagine every lead actor having suggested certain adjustments to tailor the role to suit them, but something tells me Affleck just went along for the ride. He is, for the first time in many years, visibly enthusiastic about acting - and at the very least, he doesn't have that look of pure contempt that was plastered on his face for most of Justice League. Dailyhunthttps://www.mobypicture.com/user/seenmeenees
Madhuri Dixit back in the groove!
So the next day, he brought me food that was cooked in ghee.' Madhuri Dixit The actress has been in the news for her films after her stunning comeback with Dhamaal. 'Yes, Dhamaal has done well. It feels good. It is the love of the people,' she says. Her pairing with Anil Kapoor certainly worked out, and the same is being anticipated out of her reunion with Sanjay Dutt as well! 'The expectations of our audiences drive us. Our audience makes us want to deliver,' says the actress. After Madhuri's stunning dance with Aishwarya Rai in the Devdas number Dola Re, she is now being showered with praises for her performance in the song Ghar More Pardesiya from Kalank. 'There is a synergy when you perform with other people. Sometimes, it's all give and take,' she smiles. — Sanskriti Media ... Dailyhunthttp://actionangler.net/ActivityFeed/MyProfile/tabid/62/UserId/165659/Default.aspx
Left Front announces candidates for two more candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Bengal
However, Left Front Chairman Biman Bose, in a statement, said if the Congress decides to withdraw candidates in two of the Lok Sabha seats -- Raiganj and Murshidabad -- that the CPI(M) had won in 2014, then the Left, too, might take a "positive step". It would be as per a previous agreed policy of no mutual contest in the seats that both the parties had won last time. "Never did we discuss any alliance between two parties. The discussions have been limited to seat-sharing deal in the state to ensure maximum pooling of anti-BJP and anti-TMC votes. It was also decided that there would be no mutual contest in the six seats -- two of the CPI(M) and four of Congress -- that both the parties had won last time," Bose said. The Congress created confusion by putting up candidates in the two Lok Sabha seats -- Raiganj and Murshidabad, Bose said. His comments comes in the backdrop of the Congress Wednesday blaming CPI(M) for the failure of the seat-sharing talks between the two parties in West Bengal, maintaining its decision to go it alone in the state. "We have decided that we would also put up candidates in Jangipur and Malda North seats. But, if the Congress decides to withdraw candidates in the two seats won by the CPI(M) last time, then the Left, too, might take a positive step regarding it and might reconsider its decision," he said. Senior Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya earlier in the day said: "The seat-sharing talks failed as CPI(M) and Left Front were not keen on a formal alliance. They just wanted a seat-sharing deal for this election. We were not ready for such a marriage of convenience. We were not ready to forge a seat-sharing deal by compromising our dignity." There is no question of going back on the list of candidates for 11 seats in the state that the Congress announced on Monday night, he said, adding, the party will fight the coming Lok Sabha polls on its own in the state. Dailyhunthttps://www.aeriagames.com/user/sikendergunm/
Tips and tricks to help home-buyers in the new financial year
Here's what to look out for. An eye on the polls This is a deciding year for real estate, particularly with the general elections in May, says Muddasir Zaidi, executive director at realty advisory Knight Frank. If you're looking to buy a home immediately, he recommends waiting until after the poll results. 'If a strong coalition government is elected, there could be several changes in property sale policies.' For example, if one party is for reducing prices by introducing policy changes, and the other party favours developers minting profits, they will arrive at a solution and that may or may not be helpful to buyers, he explains. If the elections do cast a shadow on the realty sector, it will be for a limited time, mostly because there are fewer sales during the period. Developers typically prefer to sell unsold stock rather than launch new projects, says Anuj Puri, chairman of Anarock, a property consultancy firm. 'It might be a good time for home buyers to do some hard bargaining,' he says. Skyscrapers rise, will prices drop? A big change, is the trend of developers willing to negotiate prices with buyers, says Pankaj Kapoor, managing director of Liases Foras, a real-estate research organisation. 'As the prices of inventories are inflated, and most of them remain unsold, we are seeing sellers ready to reduce prices.' Moreover, there will be a slight decrease in the home prices anyway because of the liquidity crisis, he adds. But if you're looking to buy a home simply to get great returns on it in the short term, say the next three to four years, this might not be such a good time to splurge on a flat. 'It is unlikely that there will be appreciation of prices in that time,' says Kapoor, explaining that it is a fallout of the prevailing liquidity crunch. 'But if people are buying their first house or upgrading from a small house to a medium-sized one, now is the time to reap the benefits.' The Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFC) crisis also means developers are also offering various incentives to spur demand, says Abhinav Joshi, Head of Research, CBRE India, a realty consultancy. Most buyers today will look for a home loan. Experts advise taking a second look at home loan repayment rates across various banks. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has slashed the repo rates recently, which prompted a few banks to slash their home loan rates, says Puri. 'Fearing delays, stalled projects and an added cost of stamp duty and taxes, homebuyers have also been preferring ready properties that are exempt from GST charges.' And the reduction in GST prices will pave way for more buyers. Zaidi says the GST will be reduced from the current 12% to most likely 5% but will be confirmed after the GST council finalises it on February 24. This will relieve buyers up to some extent. 'The move by the government with the election around the corner is aimed towards buyers as it clearly does not benefit the developers,' he adds. Is cheaper always better? With the affordable housing segment growing, buyers might seem like there is a bonanza for cheap homes. But Puri advises additional vigilance about selecting the right property in the right location and by a builder of good track record. In the last 2-3 years, the affordable-home concept was in its nascent stage. Now every builder wants a slice. The years 2019-2020 will see more builders coming up with affordable projects. 'While cheaper options are available in far-flung areas, investors must opt for locations that have good connectivity to the city,' says Puri. People should be aware of the schemes available in the affordable housing segment too, cautions Zaidi. 'Developers, big and small are all entering the segment. There can be houses tagged 'affordable' due to their size and criteria, but won't fetch any government incentive for the buyers. For instance, the Haryana state government clearly defines the size, price and area of an affordable housing that can help customers get some leeway in their home loans.' Dailyhunthttp://realstate.0and1.com/UserProfile/tabid/42/userId/93501/Default.aspx
From Brexit to Balakot: Countries, companies, and the age of unstoppable commerce
ercenary British governments are, of course, a matter of vintage. Making a business opportunity out of people wanting to visit the UK might just be ahead of the curve, just as the East India Company was, in late medieval India. The revenue-hungry UK home office in this sense marks the closing of the loop - from company to empire and back to company. Albeit this time, the company makes its money out of commercial ingenuity sans the plunder. This is the modern, rule of law State visualizing itself as a profit-making enterprise.While the Indian government has not caught onto the diverse revenue-generating opportunities that visas might afford, its relationship with companies is primordial - since Independence, it has run several key companies itself as public sector undertakings. The PSU was once the crown jewel in a new nation's quest for stability, growth and prosperity. Today, it symbolizes the slow death of the ancien régime where ardent national interest alone was believed to be sufficient in driving commerce. Except a few notable outliers and natural monopolies, most PSUs can neither compete, nor are they efficiently governed. The prime example of PSU non-performance is Air India. So bleak are its prospects that despite having a significant fleet, prime slots at airports, a reputed brand and being part of the Star Alliance network, not a single bidder submitted an Expression of Interest to the Government of India during Air India's latest divestment process in 2018. Its corporate governance framework, like several other PSUs, reads like a laundry list of exemptions from the law. Unsurprisingly, the airline is expected to make losses between 1.5 to 2 billion USD over the next two years, possibly funded by the Indian taxpayer. This is over and above the successive bailouts using taxpayer money to keep the cash-strapped airline afloat. The Maharaja in the skies is a national embarrassment, a living sign of State failure in running a company. As States run companies and become increasingly company-like, companies are becoming increasingly State-like in their demeanour and public posturing. In a wide-ranging blog post recently, Mark Zuckerberg announced his 'privacy-focused vision for social networking'. The vision is grand in its ambition. It promises a new type of personal communication based on private messaging that is encrypted, safe and private. It claims to respond to popular concerns with Facebook and build several features that allow individuals to communicate without being afraid of snooping governments, data thieves and leaving a trail of embarrassing photographs. Facebook now wants to be more than the digital town square where people can broadcast their views. Armed with its group entities, WhatsApp and Instagram, it is also shaping up as the digital living room where people can talk to each other in private. Four parts of this vision are particularly striking. First, despite the furore over Cambridge Analytica and the sharing of personal data in unexpected ways, Facebook's strategic shift was not primarily prompted by legislation or regulation - it was a product of introspection. Facebook responded to popular pressure; most governments merely postured but failed to act decisively. Second, in the entire vision statement, the key audience is not the Facebook shareholder but, rather, the general public. Zuckerberg has himself taken on the mantle of defending privacy and freedom of expression of every internet user so that, in his own words, "people can speak privately and live freely." Third, the move towards privacy is not a fundamental change to the way in which Facebook itself operates. In fact, nothing in this vision says that Facebook will stop advertisement-based revenue that is contingent on the collection of personal data. Instead, it will additionally provide safe private messaging and value-added products like payments on that application. Like a lot of political messaging, its silences are as critical as its declarations. Finally, Facebook promises to roll out these changes in an open and participatory manner. This is quite like a democratic process where decisions are taken based on public reason and not on secretive boardroom determination.That each of these aspects is salutary for the future of Facebook and the internet is arguable, although beside the point of this piece. What is unarguable, however, is that taken together, they make Facebook more democratic and responsive, and Zuckerberg himself emerges as the self-anointed defender of human values worldwide. This is not just about Facebook. From Brexit to Balakot, as States unsuccessfully look to deliver the people's mandate on lightning rod issues, the everyday lives of people continue to be monopolized by private companies. From highways to communications, banks to schools, the decline of the State is palpable. As the continuing saga of Air India demonstrates, the answer to the failure of the service provider State was to attempt to privatize these services. But with the country fashioning itself as a company in the banal matter of visa processing on the one hand and the company taking on the mantle of a responsive, borderless governance behemoth on the other, we appear to be moving beyond mere privatization and seeing the early signs of the age of unstoppable commerce. We have been in this age before. In the 1680s, Elihu Yale served as the governor of Fort St George, the outpost of the East India Company in Madras. Yale ran Madras autonomously, imposing high taxes and administering the slave trade which firmly established the rule of the Company. His office made him enormously wealthy and the Company dismissed him for 'self-aggrandizement at company expense'. The most notable fruit of his riches was Yale University to which he made successive gifts, ultimately resulting in the university itself being named after him in 1745. The government was then, quite literally, a company, and Yale as its governor had a larger-than-life global footprint. Zuckerberg may not be running a province and countries may not actually be companies yet, but unstoppable commerce and its emanations, both then and now, are defining the course of human history. Dailyhunthttp://realstate.0and1.com/UserProfile/tabid/42/userId/92980/Default.aspx
Jet Airways crisis: Pilots look to board SpiceJet as IndiGo captains seek to abort their entry
The Gurugram-based SpiceJet, which has all its 12 Boeing Max planes grounded following the crash of an Ethiopian Airline plane early this month, is looking to hire pilots for its expansion plans and has also conducted walk-in interviews here, Wednesday. "As many as 260 Jet pilots, including 150 captains, appeared for the interviews in Mumbai today," a SpiceJet source said. Unlike IndiGo, which flies majorly Airbus 320s, SpiceJet has Boeing 737s in the fleet. On the other hand, it can be noted that majority Jet Airways pilots are trained and type-rated for Boeing planes, the source said. IndiGo is offering jobs to Jet pilots along with compensation for overdue salaries from the full-service airline. It can be noted that pilots at full-service carriers get higher pay and other benefits. With no assurance on the payment of their pending salaries, Jet pilots had Tuesday warned that they would stop flying from April 1 if the management failed to provide clarity on the revival plan along with a deadline to clear their salary dues by March 31. According to IndiGo, all job offers are in line with its current terms and conditions. But its own pilots have termed the move as "injustice" and "unacceptable". "They are taking us lightly. Offer to Jet Airways pilots is sheer injustice to us as they're being offered a two-month bonus along with the same designation-salary," argued an IndiGo source. Moreover, they have also been allowed to choose their operational base, which is unacceptable to the IndiGo pilots, the source added. Questions sent to IndiGo chief operating officer Wolfgang Prock-Schauer as also to its spokesperson did not elicit any response. "The management is saying it is not a bonus but it is compensation for their (Jet pilots) delayed salaries. Are we also not entitled to similar bonuses?" the source asked. Also, Jet pilots are joining with designation protection. So, basically, if a non-type-rated examiner is joining us, she/he will be joining with pay protection of the IndiGo examiner, pointed out the source. Alleging that the IndiGo pilots have not been given a hike since the last three-four years, the source also pointed out that after joining, the Jet pilots will again get a hike when Indigo revises the salaries of its existing pilots. Dailyhunthttp://echometer.com/UserProfile/tabid/61/userId/492809/Default.aspx
Drug Dept awaits Central word on ayurveda ads ban
"As the rules stand now, we cannot give permission to ads which come under the purview of sub-rule (1). It is for the Central Government to clarify on the rules and we have approached the Central Government in this regard but are yet to get a reply." When queried on the stipulation in sub-rule (8) that the State Licensing Authority shall process the application (if required, in consultation with the concerned technical experts) for advertisement for disposal within 30 days from the date of receipt of application along with complete information and shall allot UIN for the advertisement," Dr Sreekumar said that the department has only seven drug inspectors, who are burdened with other tasks. ... Dailyhunthttps://visual.ly/users/yozkelvozkeeneens17/portfolio
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)