Yalin makes it BIG in Bollywood

17 Feb 2008 11:03 am CST Chicago, IL: Variety reports that famous singer based in the UK, Yalin Solmaz, has made it big in Bollywood. The rumor has it that Solmaz has signed an exclusive deal with a major studio in Mumbai to star in four of their upcoming line-up in 2009. When asked about his sudden success, Solmaz mentioned a few names who have helped him along the way, the director Jimmy being the most prominent for his Bollywood endeavours.

Below is a clip of Solmaz's award-winning performance from "Indian Cowboy" directed by Jimmy with famous co-star Natasa Gligoric.

Depp moves into Fleet Street with Success

Sweeney Todd - 4,5 stars

Burton's screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's Broadway hit is extremely polished, fascinating and entertaining. Considering it's Burton, these qualities shouldn't surprise anyone as he is one of the most creative and detail-oriented directors out there. From the camera work to the color scheme, the period costumes to the eery make-up, Sweeney Todd is a wonderful film to watch, albeit a bit bloody.

His almost-exclusive relationship with Johnny Depp, which started with the Corpse Bride and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, seems to be paying off as the pair keep putting out high-quality work. With the addition of Helena Bonham Carter, who also starred in the Corpse Bride, the cast is top-notch, and boy can they sing! I also want to add how great a pair Depp and Carter make on screen so I hope to see them together in other films (hopefully directed by Burton again!).

No one else could have attempted to match Burton's take on the famous serial killer and his partner-in-crime and make it such a success at the box office too. The way he tells their stories, dreams and desires prove to be emotionally strong accompanied by the musical pieces. Burton effectively manages not to be bound by the music but to use it to his advantage for full effect. As a director who uses music extensively in his work, he has become a master at integrating it in his films and has proven once again that he should be watched closely. I can't wait to see his take on Alice in Wonderland due to be released in 2010. I wonder if Carter will play the little Alice herself...

Cancun - Little America

Having spent almost a whole week in Cancun, Mexico, I can now join the ranks of vacationers everywhere who descend upon this Caribbean spot during the winter. 27-30 C temperatures for winter sound great to me. No humidity, white sandy beaches, palm trees and drinks at the pool...and not to forget, the jet skis. Aaahh, the resort hotel experience. My one concern about Cancun is that it doesn't feel like you've left the US at all. All the American chains (food, coffee, clothing, you name it) are in Cancun, they accept dollars here so no need to get any Mexican pesos, the tourists are segregated to 20 odd miles called the Hotel Zone outside of downtown. The experience is pampering but there is no Mexican culture involved in Little America, Cancun. They don't even collect your US departure card when you leave for Mexico for less than 30 days. It's as if you've never left the US, even for the government!

After days of meetings in the hotel (work function), I made sure that I spent enough time at the beach, saw the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, and ate as much Mexican traditional and fusion food as possible. All in all, this was a successful and relaxing time. All I needed before enduring another month of snowy Chicago. The crazy snow storm that hit the city today meant that my flight had to be rerouted to St. Louis for refueling and waiting until the Chicago airport reopened. Chicago never fails to make my trips more adventurous than they should be. :)

Check out the photos!
http://picasaweb.google.com/ysolmaz/CancunMexicoFeb2008

Havada Bulut Yok - First Recording

I finally got around to encoding my performance at the 2005 Colors of Rhythm concert at Oberlin College. It has a lot of value for me as it was my first time singing a traditional Turkish turku ever, and it consequently led to my interest in flamenco. Many thanks to Savas, who is playing the guitar, BOzlem, who pulled the Turks of Oberlin together for this performance, Asli, BOzlem, KOzlem and Sercil for the choreography. I encoded two versions of the performance, one with only the song and another one with both the song and the dance sequence.

Turku Only


And here's the link for the version with both the song and the dance sequence:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVkW-hneHXM

Enjoy! There will be more to come! ;)

Money Making Monster

Cloverfield - 3 stars

Looking at the Box Office numbers, Abrams' money has been well-invested. In its first weekend, Cloverfield shot to the top of any January release by raking in more than $40 million. This BO accomplishment comes on the heels of horrific reviews from NYTimes, Variety and a sleuth of other film critique publications. It seems Cloverfield's main premise of a fake documentary of a monster laying waste to Manhattan has hit the cords with entertainment-seeking movie-goers. I don't blame them. Cloverfield manages to be quite horrifying while being funny at the same time, given the fact that it's a monster film at heart.

The hand-held camera obviously contributes a lot to the horror, as the viewer's vision is shaky, limited and grainy, ensuring complete immersion in the action. One of the best scenes of the film is when the group is attacked by the smaller ilk of the monster in the subway tunnels. It truly is a sequence of amazing power because it seems so natural, so real. You almost believe these people are run over by aliens; that is until the cameraman starts blaring out another round of stupid remarks. That brings me to the screenwriting, which is good on average, except for these rounds of stupid dialogue initiated mostly by the cameraman.

Despite its shortcomings, Cloverfield entertains and satisfies as a monster movie. The hand-held camera, the special effects, and the monster all make this one a crowd-pleaser. Hollywood is of course happy too. This one is nothing special but fun to watch.