Hari Puttar And The Copyright Lawsuit

Listening to:
"Stars In Your Eyes" by Armor For Sleep
[Smile For Them]

Well, the news around the entertainment industry is that Warner Brothers is intending to file a lawsuit against Bollywood film Hari Puttar: A Comedy of Terrors due to the movie title bearing obvious similarity with the famous Harry Potter, boy wizard. Apparantly, chief executive officer of Mirchi Movies, Munish Purii, had this to say in defence: “There is absolutely nothing to link Hari Puttar with Harry Potter... Hari is a common name in India and puttar is Punjabi for [the word] son.”

Unlike the Harry Potter plot, Hari Puttar recounts a narrative about an Indian boy fending off his house from burglars and baddies while his parents are on vacation.

Personally, I don’t even think Warner Brothers is in the wrong here. It’s understandable that they would want to defend any of their franchising products, more so if it’s the Harry Potter one. Most Bollywood directors almost always tend to take everything from American movies to gain more viewers anyway. Whilst Hari Puttar may have no link to Harry Potter, it’s just so blatantly obvious that the former is trying to ride on the coattails of the famous franchise for publicity! There are infinite possibilities to which they could’ve named their movie: why even choose that one? It’s basically like vendors advertising bags that say Louis Wuitton [or something] on them to get the consumer’s attention solely because of the couture status that comes with Vuitton .

But then again, didn’t a person say that bad publicity is good publicity? Maybe with all this fuss, the Bollywood producers are getting what they wanted in the first place?

♥ lovestoned

Well, It's About Time

One Night Only - Started A Fire [2008]


You can’t deny, One Night Only has been steadily catching the eyes of both critics and public alike with their debut album Started A Fire released earlier this year. This indie band from Helmsey, New Yorkshire had originally started out playing cover songs in memorial halls five years ago before beginning to settle down to pen down some “proper songs” and have never looked back since.

The first thing that comes to mind when you listen in to this album is the startling resemblance in sound to fellow Vegas rock band The Killers [no big surprise that they're one of their influences, eh?]. Even young [he's only 18! ] lead vocalist George Craig sounds a hell of a lot like Brandon Flowers. One Night Only's newest release comes off as uninspired and run of the mill: there’s nothing really spectacular that makes this band jump off the page [album cover aside]. That’s not to say that you should pass this one over; there are a small number of musical gems littered here and there: ‘You and Me’ is just indisputably catchy whilst ‘Sweet Sugar’ is a fresh of breath air from the standard monotony throughout the tracks. Alas, these songs are few and far between, and not even that can save the public from Started A Fire's overall mediocrity.

Indie pop lovers would be much safer [not to mention, more satisfied] picking up the newest Kooks album instead. Just as their band name goes, One Night Only is good for... well... one night only. Also, call me immature but I personally find it hilarious and remarkably befitting that their acronym should be ONO.

♥ lovestoned

Just...Whoa

We The Kings - We The Kings [2007]


Not many people would’ve heard of this band from Florida but that sure doesn’t stop them any. Hailing from waaaaaay back when they were in the middle school of Martha B. King [hence their name], the quartet, consisting of Travis Clark (lead vox, guitar), Hunter Thomson (guitar, background vocals), Drew Thomson (bass) and Danny Duncan (drums), came up with an record that was sure to grab public attention. Their self-titled album, with its catchy guitar riffs and memorable melodies, is one that will be sure to have you subconsciously head-bopping through it all.

At first glance [or listen, in this case], We The Kings might not seem all that special: just another power-pop band with lyrics of regret, pseudo-angst and just a slice of that regular emo [“Cause if you jump, I will jump too…” Skyway Avenue]. However, the amount of energy poured into this album is simply infectious. Songs like Secret Valentine, Stay Young and Don't Speak Liar... is sure to get you up from the get-go. Granted, their lyrics may seem a little contrived at some points but nevertheless, the band more than makes up for it by showcasing their talent for composing melodies that just make you want to rock out on that air guitar of yours.

This is just feel-good sing-along pop-punk in all its glory. Honestly, what more could you want?

♥ lovestoned

All You Need Is Love

Across The Universe [2007]


Okay, so just about every girl is gushing over Jim Sturgess [Not that there’s anything wrong with that of course: the boy is only drop-dead gorgeous!] ever since the actor got spotted playing key roles in hot movies this past year or so such as The Other Boleyn Girl and 21; the latter of which was only released in Singapore just this summer. Truth be told, this movie had been gathering figurative dust on my figurative shelf for a disgraceful amount of time before IMDB did its magic and I found out that the lovely lovely Sturgess was lead starring in it. So yes, it was for shallow reasons why I ended up watching the brilliant film [Admit it: you originally watched Wanted because of Angelina Jolie right? I rest my case] but it sure wasn’t said reasons why I ended up loving it.

Across The Universe is one of those films where you end up either loving it for all its poignancy or hating it because of the trippy way the message comes across. An emotional musical taking place in the 1960s, Across The Universe follows the lives of a few close acquaintances just weathering out the decade through both the good and the bad. Expect psychedelic scenes of flamboyance, revolutions and rock ‘n roll in all its yummy goodness. What really sets this musical apart from the rest is that it incorporates and covers melodies originally sang by The Beatles that work themselves seamlessly into the plot. Be sure to also look out for those sly references in the character's names as well .

Jude (Sturgess), a disgruntled factory labourer in Liverpool, decides to ship himself, beret and all, to the US of A in which he finds fast camaraderie in college dropout Max (Joe Anderson) before falling in love with Max’s younger sister, Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) in the decadent city of New York [think Rent] despite their vast backgrounds. The three of them meet several other individuals throughout their stay in the Big Apple, including an unlucky-in-love lesbian (T.V. Carpio), a Detroit guitarist (Martin Luther) looking for escape after his younger brother’s death, and a rising superstar (Dana Fuchs) on the go. One of the main trials in this motion picture include the turbulent times of the Vietnam War, especially when Max finds out that he has been enlisted to join the armed forces, which ultimately spark emotions and riots as everybody struggles in their respective fight for what they believe in.

The Verdict
It is clear from the start that director Julie Taymor possesses a penchant for whimsical vibrant imagery. Unfortunately, in some times, her focus may seem rather nonsensical and misplaced. In addition, some characters do not provide enough depth to make a considerable contribution to the film. The prime example? Prudence (Carpio): sure, the initial layers are there, with her being an Asian homosexual, but her role in the film is thin and seemingly unfounded other than trying to add a little racial diversity and sexuality. Even so, Across The Universe proves to be a masterpiece film that is both empowering and captivating to watch. The actors are all absolutely phenomenal [Anderson, especially, nails it bang on as charming playboy Max: not to mention he serves as delicious eye candy! ] and the entire motion picture more than makes up for the minor flaws. Personal highlights of the movie would have to be the heart-wrenching rendition of 'Let It Be’ sung by a lone African-American boy in the midst of chaos in Detroit and the jazzy, bass-driven cover of ‘Come Together’. Also, who could forget the unique take of ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ in the military base? Trust me when I say that if you’re not already a Beatles fan, you’re sure to be one after watching this.

♥ lovestoned

Okay, here's the deal...

Listening to:
"The Words" by Psapp
[The Only Thing I Ever Wanted]

So this is definitely breaking point: "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em". Well, either way, it's high time lovestoned made it on the blogosphere. What exactly can you expect from this solo blog project? Well, as the title goes: be sure to expect music reviews, movie recommendations, gaming info, celebrity happenings and basically anything and everything about pop culture in itself! What can I say? It's the words that thrill me.

Perhaps a little justification is due: so maybe it probably is a little superfluous [absolutely absolutely fav word of the month, by the way] to dedicate blog space on something so vapid as...urgh, celebrities. Beg to differ, Confessions of an Entertainment Junkie isn't some gossip blog [no offence, Perez Hilton] but a blog that maintains objectivity. No celebrity, band or movie is safe from the eyes of lovestoned: she just calls it like she sees it. Besides, we offer a little something for everyone out there, so there'd always be something to tickle you pink!

Just a little reminder to all you lurkers out there: don't hesitate to just drop in a comment or two on things that catch your fancy, alright! Your say is important too. If you have a blog or a website, be sure to comment with your url in its respective place so we can show some love back to you. What goes around comes around, does it not?

So sit back, chill, have a martini [on the house] and stay tuned in with Confessions of an Entertainment Junkie where you can obtain your neat little fix whenever you want!

Rollin' on out!
♥ lovestoned