Videos from the Paralympics Opening Ceremony

 

The sheer euphoria when Team GB came on the scene!

 

 

 

Team GB doing their lap of glory

 

 

 

 

 



The Bourne Legacy

Starring Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz

Star rating: ***

When i heard this film was coming out, i wasn't sure what to expect. I am a huge fan of the Bourne trilogy and i didn't know whether this film would carry on the legacy, pardon the pun. The trailers hinted at a typical action packed film that Bourne films are famous for but no sign of Matt Damon which made my heart drop a little bit, would this film deliver?

This film runs along side the third Bourne film where Jason Bourne is still on the run and The Guardian journalist Simon Ross has been shot dead after threatening an expose on the CIA's projects including their experiments with neuro-physiology. One of Jason's fellow agents Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) is away on an assignment in Alaska when the decision to kill off all the agents is made through various methods. Cross narrowly escapes and heads back to the US to find the scientist who has been providing him with medication to keep going. Dr Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz) is busy in her lab when the project termination is decided and one of her own is turned to assassinate everyone involved in the experiments with agents. Cross gallivants to her rescue and there begins their run from the CIA to try and keep hidden to stay alive.

Story wise this film is not something new to Bourne fans with the car chases, motorcycle stunts and leaping through shanty towns in a third world country, this time it's the Philippines. Matt Damon always made Jason Bourne seem invincible with nothing but his fists and his immediate environment as his weapons, putting James Bond to shame. Though the plot for this film is a bit all over the place, Renner does sell himself to the audience bringing with him a grittiness to the character. He has weaknesses and his addiction to the transplanted medication from the CIA into his body is one of them. Instead of looking for outright revenge like his predecessor Jason Bourne, Renner is looking for answers as to why he is the way he is. Weisz does a reasonable job playing the damsel in distress and she looks bewildered and out of breath throughout the film. It will be interesting to see where this film takes us as the audience and whether Cross and Bourne will ever meet. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing it.

Shopping Haul at Zara

White embellished blouse from Zara (£39.99)

Now i am not usually a big shopper at Zara, i find it very pricey and frankly half their clothes don't seem to be designed with girls like me in mind. I like colour in my wardrobe and i cannot be bothered to spend so much on a couple of items when i can get similar for a lower price. However, i walked in today and found this gorgeous white blouse with an embellished collar (see below for details). I have been looking for a formal work blouse since absolutely ages and i fell in love with this, the minute i walked in. It can be dressed up or dressed down and the detailing means that it on trend too!

Detailing on the collar

Met Ranbir Kapoor today!!

I met Ranbir Kapoor today and interviewed him for his upcoming film Barfi! He was such a lovely guy and so down to earth. My interview with him will be up soon here so keep an eye out.

BizAsia Showbiz

Hi all,

I just thought i would write to say that i do also write for BizAsia Showbiz alongside my blog so please do keep an eye on that for some more articles from me, mainly features and bollywood film reviews.

The latest one i have done is a film review for 'Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi'

http://www.media247.co.uk/showbiz/movie-review-shirin-farhad-ki-toh-nikal-padi

Happy reading!
Sanoobar

Primark Shopping Haul

After not been shopping for quite a while now, i decided to go Primark to go and buy some essentials. I haven't really been buying much from Primark as of late because it hasn't been of great quality and frankly, they are starting to charge the same prices as places like Forever 21 and H&M, two shops which i adore. However, when i went to my local branch in Westfield Stratford, i was pleasantly surprised!

Pink Blouse with lace detail and bow (£12)

Blue blouse with own print and studded collar (£12)

Black bow cross body bag (£8) Very Marc Jacob, don't you think?

Grey skinny jeans (£11) They are super soft!

Rabbit print pyjama bottoms with cuffed legs (£5) so cute!

Cross body bag (£8) Matching purse (£4) I love the fact these are in pastel colours!

Hello Kitty Chocolate Figurine

One my lovely friends Francesca, bought me this really cute Hello Kitty for my birthday this year. It is the most gorgeous figurine i have been given and i loved it. As it is getting close to its expiry date, i think it is time for me to eat it but i had to put it up on my blog as a memory of it. 

The Expendables 2

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgen, Chuck Norris, Jean- Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Liam Hemsworth and others
Star rating: *

When the first film of 'The Expendables' hit the cinema, audiences were caught out. The big starrer film was filled with the action heroes of the 1980s with the likes of Stallone and Statham toting their big guns in a defiant nod to their now obsolete statuses.

The Expendables are back on a mission set by Mr Church (Bruce Willis) to retrieve a case from an abandoned plane in the mountains. On a relatively easy task, the men lead by by Stallone bump into the bad guys lead by Van Damme and the story begins to try and retrieve the case and the plutonium being stolen as a result of the map telling them of the location.

This is definitely a film for the guys and it is hard for me to see the appeal of the guys blowing things up and creating a huge body count. There are surprises along the way with unexpected action heroes of the past creating a special appearance. Bruce Willis is probably the only actor who has been asked to act with a real script. The rest of them seem to show off their bodies and jump around shooting and blowing things up on cue. A great film for the boys but don't go there expecting watch anything remotely intellectual.

The Five-Year Engagement

Starring Emily Blunt, Jason Segal, Chris Pratt and others

Star rating; ***

I have to say that when i saw trailers for this film, i didn't know what to expect. It had the beginnings of a British style comedy with some real sarcastic humour from both the actors and as romantic comedies go, it seemed to be taking the route of what happens next after the honeymoon period is over. 

On one new year's eve, after a year's romance, Violet (Emily Blunt) and Tom (Jason Segal) get engaged with an unconventional proposal against the backdrop of the famous bridge in San Francisco. The couple have the traditional engagement party with the embarrassing family and friends and then things change. Just as  people in their lives start pushing for a wedding date, Violet gets an offer from the University of Michigan to be a research student in experimental psychology. After a very impulsive discussion, they up root and move leaving behind their jobs and families. Whilst Violet starts to excel at her new post at the university, Tom finds it harder to fit in and goes from the highly paid chef in San Francisco to working in a sandwich. This is where the cracks in the relationship start to show and their engagement gets longer and longer.

What i like the best about this film is that it is not a conventional romantic comedy and does talk about the realities of life. It is all very well for the couple to have their dream engagement but it is what happens afterwards that has the most appeal. Their lives change as they move to a new city but they start changing too as people from the influences of others around them. Blunt and Segal have some great chemistry and they do mesh well as the odd couple with the fat funny guy. It is when they are apart from each other that the film does begin to wane a little. It is a good film to watch and really does take a very realistic view on couples settling down.

Ek Tha Tiger

Starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif

Star rating: **

When the trailers first released for this film, it was hotly anticipated. Despite it being a Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif - a pairing not seen in ages, the songs were hitting the airwaves with aplomb. 'Mashallah' and 'Laapata' were featured in the trailers and the prologue sequences showed Salman running through the streets of Istanbul calling himself a 'tiger'. The music added to the hype and the film was being described as an action thriller. The few scenes that were being shown in the trailer, the chemistry between Salman and Katrina was being shown to be a mystery and left more for the audience to discover.

Tiger (Salman Khan) is an intelligence officer who acts as an assassin hunting down rogue agents all around the world taking on one assignment after the other. On his next mission, Tiger is sent to Dublin to befriend Zoya (Katrina Kaif), a part time housekeeper for an Indian science professor. He is told to keep an eye on the pair to try and discover what the scientist is working on. Whilst on this mission, despite his fellow spy warning him not to, he begins to fall for Zoya. He soon finds out that Zoya is Pakistani spy implanted to do the same mission as him but for the enemy country, Pakistan. He decides to follow his heart and aims to start a new life with Zoya and fight for his love.

This film is touted as an action thriller but i am hard pressed to find it a thriller. Following the lines of 'Bodyguard' and 'Wanted', Salman Khan is set up as the action hero but it is sad to say that despite the obligatory topless scene, he is showing his age. His one-liners come across as cliched and the action scenes seem to be solely made using CGI and stuntmen. The action sequences show clear inspiration from Hollywood from the likes of James Bond and the Bourne Trilogy. Katrina Kaif for her part does her best at a role that she has done before countless times in the first half of the film. When she is revealed as the spy, her dialogues seem to vanish out of the window and she goes back to being the pretty face. It is a shame as she really could have had a bigger role playing the spy. Aditya Chopra is playing with rough waters, releasing so close to the Indian independance day and playing with the India-Pakistan relationship. The enmity between the two countries does make uncomfortable viewing and it is worrying that both countries are never shown to find common ground in the end.

A one time wonder i'm afraid and it sad to say this but Salman really was a 'Ek THA Tiger'. A lot more could have been done with this film with a younger hero and Katrina should have been given a bigger part in the film. 

A Yash Chopra Romance - Releasing November 13 - Teaser

OMG OMG OMG I am so hugely excited for this film. Having seen it being shot at various locations around London, the teaser trailer for this film has finally released. Though the title is still not decided, Shahrukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma all star in what seems to be the romance to end all romance films. As it is a Yash Chopra production, no doubt, it will be fantastic!

London 2012: Wrestling

London 2012 Wrestling Arena

Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck

Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck £28.50 for 50ml (The Perfume Shop)

I know i don't really do beauty blogs but i had to do one for this perfume. It does seem like every pop star under the planet now has a perfume and most of them do frankly smell like bubblegum. However when i smelt Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck, i was pleasantly surprised. It is musky but has a fresh fruity smell to it and is perfect as a summer scent. The best part, it comes with a free bag which as freebies go, it is useable and i will be using it on a daily basis for a while. 

Wonderstruck bottle with charms

London 2012: Hatwalk project

On my travels around London, i bumped into a statue wearing a hat and then remembered that for the duration of London 2012,  famous statues around London are being given a hat. They are rather odd to see but definitely noticeable. Let me know if you spot one! 

London 2012: Celeb spotting!

Evander Holyfield (guy who's ear was bit off by Mike Tyson)

Gold medal winner for the Weightlifting

London 2012 : Excel London

Just walking around previously deserted parts of areas around the Excel London, i was surprised to see how much they have changed. The Emirates Airline is a novelty to London and it is great to see that it has bought a variety of new people to a very quiet area. 

West Silvertown

West Silvertown

Docks near West Silvertown

Emirates Air Line

Some sports supporters from Thailand

London 2012: Weightlifting