Saturday, February 28, 2015

Losers and winners in the Oil price drop

As you all know that the oil prices have literally crashed from a high of 120 U.S. dollar to a barrel to 60 U.S. dollars to a barrel. Most of the people who have followed this price drop attribute it to mainly the Shale gas boom in the United States which has turned that country from an importer to net exporter after several decades. At least I believe that many more people like me are happy about this price drop as we are able to pay less money for the gas (Called Petrol in some countries) in our vehicles and leaving much needed money for our other necessities. It is like literary you are have gotten a raise in your salary as the price at the pump keeps on dropping to lows not seen in many years. I hope it stays this way for the foreseeable future. So the consumers are the biggest beneficiary of this price drop and consumers I mean us ordinary folks. But apart from this the poor countries and also developed countries who were spending huge chunks of their budget on importing oil have also been huge beneficiaries of this drop. But on the other hand the oil producing countries of the Middle East and other areas whose economies mainly depend on their capacity to sell oil have been the biggest losers (along with their citizens). And also the big oil companies whose revenues and income made them at the height of their oil price boom bigger than some big industrialized countries (not to mentioned smaller countries) are feeling the pinch with their share price dropping, investors hurting and oil workers getting laid off. As in every situation there are losers and winners and I am glad that I am on the winning side being a consumers saving money at the pump.

On the lighter side-Movies-St.Vincent (2014)-Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy

A little boy moves in with her mother in a new house and immediately develops a bond with his grumpy old neighbor in this heartwarming and funny movie. Highly recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Big Hero 6 (2014-Animated)

Winner of the best animated feature of year 2014, this is a 3D animated action comedy animation in which a young genius boy band together with this friends and an inflatable robot to fight a masked villain. Highly enjoyable for kids and adults. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)-Jason Bateman

Sequel to the hit Horrible Bosses, this time the laid off guys try their hand at starting their own business with disastrous and sometimes hilarious results. Funny and enjoyable. Recommended

Sunday, February 22, 2015

On the lighter side-Movies-Love in the time of Monsters (2014)

Two sisters travel to a resort where one sister’s boyfriend is working and end up being chased by guys dressed as big foot who have been exposed to toxic waste. Cheesy and fun to say the least but not for all tastes. Recommended with caution

On the lighter side-Movies-Birdman (or the unexpected virtue of ignorance) (2014)-Michael Keaton, Naomi watts

An actor who used to play super heroes in movies try to salvage his career and become relevant again while battling his inner demons and other cast characters in order to stage a play on Broadway in this excellent drama. Great acting by all especially Michael Keaton. Highly recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-The theory of everything (2014)

Biography about one of the most famous scientists of our time Stephen Hawkins and this wife from the time he was at Cambridge and going through his married life. Beautiful acting by lead character. Recommended

Monday, February 16, 2015

On the lighter side-Movies-The Guvnors (2014-Britain)

The conflict between the young and the old generation of hooligans as played out in the streets of Britain in this hit or miss movie. Recommended with caution

On the lighter side-Movies-Alexander and the terrible, horrible, No good very bad day (2014)-Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner

A fun filled family movie about a disastrous day in the life of an eleven year old and his supposedly dysfunctional family. Recommended for fun

On the lighter side-Movies-Julia (2014)

A rape victim takes revenge against her rapist in this dark horror movie which is not for all tastes. Not Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Hell Fire (2012)

A person who thinks he is Anti Christ is abducted by four prostitute and taken to a secluded house where all hells breaks loose in this weird, crazy and bloody horror movies with girls fight galore. Recommended for sheer craziness

On the lighter side-Movies-The Interview (2014)-Seth Rogen, James Franco

The infamous (famous?) controversial movie about the North Korean leader which sparked the famous hacking of the studio that made it and many cinema chains refused to show it is a harmless piece of comedy which is not the funny at all. Two reporters are offered to interview the North Korean leader and try to assassinate him in the process. Recommended only for curiosity sake.

On the ligher side-Movies-Wyrmwood: Road of the dead (2014-Australia)

An Australian Zombie movie as a guy searches for his abducted sister in zombie plagued Australia. Good zombie movie and with good effects. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Nightcrawler (2014)-Jake Gyllenhaal, Renne Russo

A man desperately looking for a job creates his own work by doing crime journalism with dubious means and results. Recommended

Sunday, February 8, 2015

On the lighter side-Movies-Camp Massacre (2014)

A reality show based on fat people losing some weight becomes the target of an unknown killer in this overlong (for a horror movie) campy horror comedy movie. Fun to watch. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Kill Zombie! (2012-Netherlands)

A crazy zombie comedy from Netherlands which has to be seen to believed. Bloody but different with offensive stereotypes about races. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Guardian (2014)

A martial arts woman tries to save a young girl from death at the hands of her crooked politician father in this unrelenting action movie with both Indonesian and English dialogues. Recommended for action fans only.

On the lighter side-Movies-Wolfcop (2014)

A cop has been transformed into a werewolf and he investigates who did it to him in this horror comedy. Campy but fun. Recommended with caution

On the lighter side-Movies-John Wick (2014)-Keanu Reeves

An ex-hit man comes out of retirement to track down the criminals who took his late wife’s given dog and his beloved car in this violent thriller. I loved the action. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Ouija (2014)

A blockbuster horror movie that should not be. A game board brings about the evil side of people who play it and tricks them into doing things terrible. Recommended with caution

On the lighter side-Movies-Dracula Untold (2014)-Luke Evans

The origins of Dracula as told in this epic horror movie with great special effects. Recommended

Sunday, February 1, 2015

On the lighter side-Movies-Gatchaman (2013-Japan)

A mysterious organization controls half of earth and is bent on the annihilation of the human race. Enter another organization that discovers stones which can only be harnessed by certain individuals. And it is these individuals who take on the task to save humanity in this standard Japanese Science fiction movie. Watch at your own risk. Not Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Fury (2014)-Brad Pitt

A lone U.S. tank goes all out war to hit the Nazis in Germany at the end of World War II in this gritty and good war drama. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Before I go to sleep (2014)-Nicole Kidman

A woman wakes up every day not remembering what has happened in her past and with the help of an expert tries to piece together what happened that had made her lose her memory. Good actors but boring story. Not recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-.357 or six bullets for revenge (2013)-Fred Williamson

A woman running from a murderous family has another encounter with them as her husband is killed at wedding night. She pawns a gun and start learning how to take revenge from a kind hearted Vietnam veteran in this standard actioner. Nothing new that you have not seen before. Not recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Everly (2015)-Salma Hayek

A Mexican hit woman barricades herself in her apartment and protects herself from assault from her former lover and assortment of assassins. Pretty bloody but nothing special about it. Not Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Mystic Blade (2014)

Standard Martial arts thriller about an assassin who falls in love with a woman and when this former boss kills his wife takes revenge. Nothing special but thankfully not that long. Not recommended