A personal review of AVATAR -the movie

Just managed to see the movie AVATAR in 3-D in Sridar theater in Cochin. I must say it was a good piece of work with the animations (the aliens) and real people (the humans) merging well into the movie. I expected fantastic 3-D effects..but that part (3-D effects) were a a bit of a disappointment. I have seen 3-D movies before, in Kerala..like the Malayalam film " My dear Kuttichathan" more than 2 decades ago, and the effects in that comparatively primitive local movie were fabulous. There were fireballs and missiles hurtling at the audience which made us sit at the edge of our seats.
But AVATAR with its massive budget could have done better for its 3-D effects. Agreed, the storyline was original and in tune with contemporary themes like the "war on terror" and the problems between indigenous peoples and exploitation of natural resources. But again, that could have been made more simplified.
One more thing, this is possibly one film (in Cochin) where most of the tickets (balcony) were sold out in advance , mostly online. See http://shenoys.in/
Overall, the movie was expensive priced at Rs. 115/- per ticket (including the 3-D glasses).
But I might purchase the 3-D DVD version if got the chance.
Out of a total of 10 points, I would rate the movie avatar- at +7
3-D effects I would rate the movie at + 6 out of 10.

2012: -- The movie and the facts

The movie 2012 - and its doomsday scenario is based on a lot many "facts" accumulated over the years by various researchers from across the globe. How real is the threat of a doomsday even in December 2012? The frightening part of the whole theme is the fact that this prophecy is now entering mainstream thinking. Watch this youtube video (a part of a series of 6 video clips), recorded from a documentary on History channel.
That a major TV channel considered a serious study of the Doomsday predictions of prehistoric man, from the ancient Mayan and Chinese calendars and finds common ground in such a possibility with Einstein's theories on Polar shifts of the earth, shows that the whole theme deserves more than scorn.
But, didn't the doomsday prophets predict the end with the Y2K bug (year 2000 bug) in computers and its disastrous consequences?
Joe.

Russian seaplane at work:

Enjoy this neat video...

Intelligent design versus evolution:

Did the world in general and life on earth in particular, just happen by chance as the evolutionists would have us believe. New thinking originating on the campuses of USA (mind you -these are serious scientists, not some junkies), says that evolution of life (on earth) is not very likely given the glaring contradictions of evolution theories. I saw a video documentary, consisting of discussions among leading biochemists and genetic scientists which says the possibility of life evolving from a "chemical soup" in the ancient oceans is nearly impossible. It describes the example of a unicellular organism like the paramecium and the flagella it uses to move. The single flagella it uses has been shown to be too complex a system to have evolved in bits and pieces. Consisting of nano motors and parts, (on electron microscopy), this organism's parts are at the forefront of new thinking. Why would the (flagellum's) motor first evolve and then be followed by part after part.. ?
So who put the most advanced life form on earth.. namely man, on this planet. Einstein tried to find the grand unification theory that could explain everything from life to chemistry and astronomy. I think today new thinkers might yet find answers in my lifetime.
Joe.




See this you tube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irVqVKdiohE

A short of video of the children's school dance

It was difficult to spot my daughter in this display of music and color.
She is one of those swaying to the notes of music playing out for the school annual day function.

Visit to a small dam in rural Kerala

We were a small group, my cousin and his kids with my family. The dam and its surroundings are a beautiful tourist spot in Kerala. This is the Malampuzha dam in Thodupuzha.
Enjoyed it.