50 First Dates - Though its old movie, thought of writing a review after i watched it now :)

50 First Dates is a romantic-comedy featuring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. The plot of the movie revolves around the character Lucy, who has short-term memory loss due to a car accident. Adam Sandler, who plays Henry, starts off as a man who fooled female tourists in Hawaii to sleep with him. This all changed when he met Lucy at a café. This is where Henry wooed Lucy at first with his humor and charm, but little did he know that the next morning for their breakfast date, she would have absolutely no idea who Henry was. Henry then found out from Lucy’s father and brother that she had short-term memory loss and that they had no intentions for Henry to ruin there plans of reenacting all the events that happened the day she got in her car accident. Lucy’s father and brother printed out hundreds of newspapers that were printed the day that it all happened, which was her father’s birthday. Soon after Henry made a videotape showing all the details of what had happened to her through out the year she had had missing, and showed it to her every morning when she woke up. She then would realize whom Henry was every morning from the cassette and Henry would make her fall in love with him all over again. Lucy then broke up with Henry because she didn’t want him to live a miserable life. After time went by and Henry was off to sail to Alaska, he realized that Lucy had to have remembered him if she sang while he away from her because she only sang when she thought of him. Lucy then revealed that she would paint pictures of him because she would see him in her dreams. They then get married and have a kid and end up sailing to Alaska together while having her watch the videotape of her incident every day when she woke up.
After watching this movie numerous times it made me realize how horrible it must be to have either short-term or long-term memory loss. No matter how much the father and brother of Lucy in the movie, kept a happy smile in front of her, it is a real burden having to go through that everyday. Another thing that I realize is that not everyone is as lucky as Lucy was in the movie to remember things for a whole day. Others like the other character in the movie only remember what happens within 10 seconds and then forgets again.
This movie was a great balance of making it enjoyable yet a loving plot to watch and hear about, but it also had the intensity of the life of a person who had short-term memory. The dialogue in the movie made me actually laugh out loud, the humor was very accepting. I’ve always enjoyed romance-comedy movies such as this one because of the lightness of the story and the mood it gives me. The whole concept of Henry trying to make Lucy fall in love with him all over again everyday is very romantic and cute. It makes you realize about how many people out there, boys and girls who have situations like these happen to them and they continue to love these people. I loved how Henry went from being a type of man-whore, who slept with other women to have sex, to a loving guy who fell in love with one girl who couldn’t have been more different, but he accepted her very easily.

Nice movie...!! Enjoyment guaranteed...

Cheers,
Sudhan

Kodaikanal trip

There’s nothing like visiting a new place to remind us of who we are.

In my heart I know that this is what being in Kodai did for me. I mean, prior to the trip I knew I was burnt out exhausted, was demoralized by the on-goings in my workplace. It was clear to me that I needed to slow down, take a real break and breathe; even if it meant doing more work, work I love , to get there. Ironic, I know. But welcome to my world of full plates and multi-tasking. Take a seat and stay awhile.

Anyway, so, I did know all that before getting on the van, that I was tired and grumpy and not myself at all. That’s why I was so excited to get out of the city. I needed some distance and perspective but boy did I receive so much more. Because clarity comes when you least expect it and sometimes, the you that’s truer than true, appears behind the lens, beside friends, in a breathtaking, unassuming, unsuspecting super place.

The best part about Kodaikanal was that not only did it remind me of who I was, it made the best version of me quietly and without drama, appear. Being there, being away from what I knew, being submerged in a different culture, pressed to collaborate and work with 15 friends, detach and not have easy access to the reassurance and comfort of the grid, I exhaled and well, just let everything be.In the process, we worked as we communed with nature and brainstormed and planned as we ate, met people, took pictures and happily experienced Kodai’s identity.

In the end, the trip was a success, which was a good thing. That was why we were there in the first place,right?

But there was something else. I began to notice that I had a huge smile everywhere I went. That I talked to everybody, it didn’t matter who. That I made mental notes of what felt different but gave a voice to everything that was somewhat like home. I noticed that I listened more intently to what people were saying and had nothing but nice things to say. And it’s not like I didn’t do these things before. I guess it was what was happening inside me. There was a bearable lightness of being. It was refreshing and relaxed and I knew that this was what feeling happy and contented meant. It’s like a warm fuzzy cum culture shock and the best after taste in your mouth. Kodai really took me by surprise and it will always have a special corner in my heart.

Thanks again my friends for allowing me to discover myself in the most interesting, most productive and most fulfilling of ways.

Yes, I was there. Exactly where I needed to be.

Important information for tourists if you're going to Kodaikanal.

1. Don't take bath in the falls.
2. Have sweater with you since the climate is very cold.
3. Few tourist spots have entrance fee at a nominal rate.
4. Make the city green and clean.
5. there are also some tourist spots like Berijam lake, Berijam valley etc which can be accessed only if you get permission from the forest office in Kodaikanal.


Cheers,
~Sudhan