Fusilli & Isles

Rizzoli & Isles

U.N.Owen's Rating: 2.5/5

"Who is Henry Deduboto?"
"Ted Bundy!"
"That's five letters too many for that anagram"
*sarcasm* "How do you do that" *sarcasm*

These lines basically sum up what was & will be a potentially good show. 'Rizzoli & Isles' is based on author Tess Gerritsen's books & her characters. Feisty Boston detective Jane Rizzoli(Rizzoli - sounds like Fusilli!) teams up with quirky yet super genius Medical Examiner,Maura Isles. The first season comprises of only 10 episodes (guess the show producer's were scared in case it flopped!) of fun-filled mysteries. Well the mystery part is scarce,in fact it's plain non-existent. With competition from other comedy/crime  shows like Castle & House ( i know it's mostly medical-crime; if there is such a genre) , Rizzoli & Isles  need to really step it up for the next season.

The basic premise of the show involves Rizzoli & Isles solving crimes in the most wacky & goofy (Maura!) ways. From the very first episode, the viewers are introduced to a very sinister nemesis from one of Gerritsen's famous (the first in fact!) books: The Surgeon a.k.a Charles Hoyt.Usually, I don't like shows where a recurring villain makes his/her appearance in the very FIRST SHOW, but I decided to give this one a pass. Turns out Books 1 & 2 ('The Surgeon' & 'The Apprentice') of Mrs.Gerritsen is the basis for episode 1: Bummer! However, as the season progresses (10 episodes is a season?!?!) the episodes & "mysteries" (CAUTION: loose terminology!) get better. With each episode, you get to know a bit more about the characters: Rizzoli's family & their plumbing business, Dr.Isles & her love for clothes, Rizzoli's partners, even Hoyt. Sasha Alexander potrays the "goofy" Dr.Isles, brilliantly while Angie Harmon acts well..bad! Her tone is quite off-putting, one minute she sounds feminine & the next like Yogi Bear. Also, if they were trying to potray Rizzoli as a feisty,brave,"kick-you-in-the-you-know-where" detective, Harmon doesn't pull it off. She sounds whiny & vulnerable at times. Even Lorraine Bracco has acted well as Mrs.Rizzoli. The redeeming factor - rather saving grace , would be its humor. Some of the one-liners & comic exchanges between Rizzoli & Isles are really very funny. Overall, a good first season which could have been a bit longer, episode-wise & mystery-solving-wise.

Verdict: Season two looks promising with the season one finale ending like that! But if I were at the helm, I would kick in the crime-solving aspect & yet retain it's comedy. Worth a watch, if you're bored.

127 Hourszzzzzz!!!

Movie: 127 Hours
Starring: James Franco
Director: Danny Boyle
Producer: Christian Colson, John Smithson, Danny Boyle
Music: A.R. Rahman
U.N.Owen's Rating: 3/5

Academy Award Winning director Danny Boyle teams up with another Academy Award Winner, AR Rahman, yet again. However, this time the movie is not solely adapted from a book but also based on a true story.


The movie begins with blaring music (courtesy Rahman) & glimpses of a hyper-active man. Enter Aron Ralston, daring & adventurous, who decides on a whim to pack his bags & prepare himself for some canyoneering. Armed with his trusty video recorder & a music player, Aron blazes through the desert-like lands on his bike & relishes the moment. He then stumbles upon two lost hikers, Kristi & Megan, who are apprehensive at first to trust him & accept his offer to guide them to their destination. They finally agree & begin to warm up to his quirky nature. After having fun with the two girls (falling through a gap into an underground jump), he bids them farewell & continues on his journey to Blue John Canyon. Once he reaches the canyon, horrible turn of events ensue. Aron falls through a narrow passage & finds himself wedged between the walls of the canyon, with his hand stuck to the wall. Futile attempts to free himself & his hand from the rock occur but they’re all in vain. As days go by, Aron struggles with his dwindling resources & suffers through the mental torture. He begins hallucinating about his family, friends, his girlfriend , his mistakes – he even records an impromptu “talk show” to control himself from completely “losing it”. With little to go on, Aron decides to do the inevitable – amputate his arm with his dull “cheap-a$$ Chinese knife”. Having done the impossible, Aron limps his way through the canyon & finds a bunch of hikers who save him. The movie ends with a montage of Aron’s (the real one!) life with his wife.


Now on to my criticism, I found the movie a tad bit long. It could have been cut short by about 20 minutes atleast, saving us from his babbles & unending hallucinations. Also I felt, Franco’s enactment of the amputation scene was not believable. Sure anyone would be exhausted but amputating without an anaesthetic let alone with a dull knife would make anyone scream & howl like a rabid animal. Apart from these minor glitches, I felt the movie was taken well. Cinematography was top-notch; the panoramic view of the canyon & the scene with the “my feet touching sunshine” deserve special mention. AR Rahman’s music & score was passable, not award-worthy material. However, with the current Oscar nominations for a film score, I think “If I Rise” will win! Apart from strong similarities with Spanish tennis star Fernando Verdasco, Franco’s acting was good if not award-worthy (second time I’ve used the word).


Verdict:-  Watch it or Skip it? If u want a dose of “adventure-gone-wrong” with a pinch of “Snoooze-flashback-effects” then you might find 127 Hours watchable. My verdict: Skip it or rent the DVD!

PS3 Move : (M)enacing,(O)bduro & (V)ery (E)ffective

U.N.Owen’s Rating:  4/5

Bought my PS3 Move a while back & I have to say I’m quite pleased with the results, not over the moon, but pleased. Move is Sony’s version of “motion-sensing” controller for the PS3. Rivaling the Wii with its nunchuck, the PS3 Move has gotten off to a good start.

The first thing  you would notice is the big “bulb-like” orb on top of the controller, I mean its “HUGE” & it changes color during game play. Compared to the Wii-nunchuck it feels a lot heavier. The Move-Bundle comes with a Move controller, Camera (PS3 Eye),USB cable & a demo CD. I bought a navigation controller & “Sports Champions” in addition to the bundle. When you get all geared up with the controller, you will notice  6 buttons: 4 usual PS3-SIXAXIS buttons (triangle, circle, cross, square) on the front , a PS button to sync it with the PS3 & a large “Move” button occupies the centre part of the controller. On both the sides, the Start(right) & Select (left) buttons are available. On the underside, an analog stick/trigger (T) is present and of course, at the tail end  there is a wrist cable.

Once you connect & configure (just follow the manual) the controller & PS3 Eye, calibration is necessary. Now you’re all  set to play your first motion-based game on the PS3. I would recommend all you first-timers to pick up “sports Champions”, its really good & fun. I would even recommend you all to buy a second Move-controller, playing solo is no fun.

Verdict: Sony is going in the right direction. They have already stamped their authority in the gaming world, with the “Move”, they seem to be leaps ahead of their counter-parts (OK, X-Box 360 is getting Kinect soon!). With more Move titles being released in the future, this one is a sure-fire winner.