THE GOLDEN COMPASS- A GRAND ENTERTAINER OF 2008

The Golden Compass is an Academy Award-nominated fantasy film based on Northern Lights (also known as The Golden Compass), the first novel in Philip Pullman's trilogy His DarkMaterials, and was released on December 5, 2007 by New Line Cinema. THE GOLDEN COMPASS IS a part of the His Dark Materials film series. The project was announced in February 2002, following the success of other recent adaptations of fantasy epics, and at $180 million is one of New Line's biggest-budget projects ever after a series of box office disappointments preceding the release.

STORY:
The story concerns Lyra, an orphan living in a fantastical parallel universe in which a dogmatic dictatorship called the Magisterium menaces to dominate the world. When Lyra's friend is kidnapped, she travels to the far North to rescue him by again joining his uncle.

Before its release, the film received criticism from secular organizations and fans of His Dark Materials for the dilution of the religious elements from the novels, as well as from some religious organizations for the source material's perceived anti-Catholic and atheistic themes. The film was met with mixed reviews, and failed to meet expectations at the U.S. box office, but its international performance more than tripled the U.S. figures, surpassing $250 million for a total of $321.5 million
it was released on 25th january 2008 in india and successfully running in theatres

Directed by Chris Weitz

Written by Philip Pullman (novel)Chris Weitz

Starring
Daneil Craig

Dakota Blue Richards

Ian McKellen

Ian McShane

Sam Elliott

Eva Green

Music : Alexandre Desplat.

Editing : Anne V. Coates.

trailer

PADMA SHRI AWARD IN 2008(SACHIN AND VISWANATAHN ANAND CHOSEN 2ND HIGHEST AWARD

India batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and world chess champion Viswanathan Anand have been chosen for the nation's second highest civilian award Padma Vibhushan, the government announced.
The government hands out civilian and military honours on January 26 every year, India's Republic Day.
Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the finest batsmen to grace world cricket while Anand regained the official world title and rose to world number one last year.
India soccer captain Baichung Bhutia was selected for the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, along with women's distance swimmer Bula Chowdhury, whose achievements include twice swimming the English channel.

other people receiving the awards are

. Ms. Asha Bhosle Art Maharashtra 2. Justice (Dr.) A. S. Anand Public Affairs Uttar Pradesh 3. Mr P.N. Dhar Public Affairs Delhi 4. Mr Pranab Mukherjee Public Affairs Delhi 5. Dr. E. Sreedharan Science and Engineering Delhi 6. Dr. Rajendra Kumar Pachauri Science and Engineering Delhi 7. Late Mr. Edmund Hillary (Posthumous) Sports New Zealand 8. Mr Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar Sports Maharashtra 9. Mr Viswanathan Anand Sports Tamil Nadu 10. Mr Lakshmi Narayan Mittal Trade and Industry UK 11. Mr N.R. Narayana Murthy Trade and Industry Karnataka 12. Mr P.R.S. Oberoi Trade and Industry Delhi 13. Mr Ratan Naval Tata Trade and Industry Maharashtra

SHARAPOVA TRIUMPHS AUSTRALIAN OPEN

SENSATIONAL SHARAPOVA VANQUISHES AUSTRALIAN OPEN


AFTER a terrible setback and the most-lopsided losses in a Grand Slam final, Sharapova wrapped up her third major title with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over fourth-seeded Ana Ivanovic on Saturday.

The 20-year-old Russian didn’t lose a set in seven matches at Melbourne Park, which includes wins over three of the top four ranked players, removing 12 months worth of painful memories (due to the shoulder injury, in the wake of her 6-1, 6-2 loss to Serena Williams last year.

From 3-3 in the second set, Sharapova ran off the last three games again, breaking Ivanovic for the fourth time to finish the match.

sharapova claimes third grand slam of carrier with a 2-set win against ivanovic.

she wished to spend her prize money 0f $1207709 with her mother and yelena.

Sharapova, seeded fifth, struggled with a shoulder injury last year and slipped from No. 1 to outside the Top 5. She rallied to make the final of the season-ending championship, losing in three long sets to top-ranked Justine Henin.
The Russian star said when her coach and hitting partner Michael Joyce’s mother died, it helped her put her cope with the hard times.

ADAM GILCHRIST BIDS ADIEU TO CRICKET

AUTRALIAN VETERAN WICKET KEEPER BATSMAN GILCHRIST ENDS HIS CAREER IN CRICKET

Gilchrist said he would retire from Tests after the ongoing match against India and will quit ODI scene after the forthcoming Commonwealth Bank tri-series.

HE ALSO BIDS THANKS TO the Western Australian Cricket Association and Cricket NSW for providing him the opportunity to play First-Class cricket and for the support over the many years.

He says i also thanks all my team mates and support staff who have given me the most enjoyable, fun career anyone could hope for and to the many officials and opponents I have come across. It has been terrific to play against you and more importantly get to know you.

HIS CAREER(1996-2008)

Gilchrist made his international debut in 1996 when he played the first of his 277 one-day internationals. He made his Test debut in 1999 and has played 96 Tests, scoring 17 centuries

HIS MASTERPIECE

He is the fifth senior Australian player to retire in the past 14 months, following Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn.

Cricket Australia Chairman Creagh O'Connor paid tribute to Gilchrist, describing him as one of the greatest players of all time.

Gilchrist scored the second-fastest century in Test cricket history (57 balls).

He also captained Australia in six Tests for four wins, including in the historic away series win over India in 2004.

He played in three World Cup triumphs, including belting an extraordinary 149 from 104 balls in last year's World Cup final.

he holds world record of most number of dismissals in test cricket........

The 36-year-old Gilchrist first caught Harbhajan Singh to equal the record of 413 dismissals held by South African Mark Boucher. Then he broke it by catching Anil Kumble

New South Wales wicketkeeper BRAD HADDIN is expected to take over the gloves for the Australian team.

BYE BYE GILLY...........................................

BHUPATHI-SANIA PAIR GO TO FINALS OF AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza, despite their limited experience playing together, outplayed Nathalie Dechy of France and Andy Ram of Israel, seeded eight, 6-4, 6-2 to make the mixed doubles final of the Australian Open on Friday.

Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza combined well to storm into the final of the mixed doubles competition at the Australian Open after scoring a straight set victory in Melbourne on Friday.
The unseeded Indian pair pipped eighth seeds Nathalie Dechy of France and Andy Ram of Israel 6-4 6-2 in the semifinal match.
The Indians will take on the winners of other semifinal match between fifth seeds Tiantian Sun of Chin and Serbian Nenad Zimonjic and third seed pair of Chinese Zi Yan and Mark Knowles of Bahrain.
In the juniors competition, Yuki Bhambri's campaign ended as he lost the boys singles semifinal to local hope Bernard Tomic.

WORLD NUMBER ONE ROGER FEDERER'S WINNING SPREE ENDED BY DJOKOVIC

THE INDOMITABLE TENNIS STAR ROGER FEDERER WAS TROUNCED BY the young and precocious 20 year old serb, novak djokovic, by points 7-5, 6-3,7-6 in two hours

The great man federer has achieved — 10 successive Grand Slam finals in a row,finally his spree was ended by djokovic.

This was the Swiss maestro’s first loss before the final of a Grand Slam event since the semifinals of the 2005 French Open and coincidentally it has come in this remarkable streak-snapping season down under — a week after the resurgent Indian cricket team ended Australia’s 16-Test winning streak at Perth.

It is an incredible feeling. He is one of the greatest players this sport has had. I am very, very proud of myself,” said Djokovic after making his second straight Grand Slam final. “It is very difficult to play against such a dominant player. I am amazed with the way I coped with the pressure

QUANTUM OF SOLACE- JAMES BOND'S NEW FILM

DANIEL CRAIG

THE NEXT JAMES BOND FILM WILL BE -QUANTUM OF SOLACE,will impress the james bond fans with more action, and more of strategy.

DIRECTOR :- MARK FOSTER CALLED BOND 22.

PRODUCED BY :- MICHEAL G. WILSON

STARRING:

BOND : DANIEL CRAIG

BOND GIRL : OLGA KURYLENKO

VILLIAN : MATHIEU AMALRIC

quantum of solace was the name of a story in jan flemings 1960 anthology FOR YOUR EYES ONLY.Its study does not involve plots or anything with spies.it is going to be a character-driven kitchen sink drama.

Filming began earlier this month at Pinewood, the franchise’s home west OF LONDON.

it is said to be released on 7th november 2008.

BOND'S MISSION

Bond’s mission is to track down the organization that caused the death of his girl friend Vesper Lynd.

ABOUT BOND GIRL AND OTHERS:

Olga Kurylenko, who plays Bond girl Camille in the film, said that she has yet to film any scenes, but was working hard preparing for her role.
"I'm doing weapons training and body flight training for aerial scenes and stunt work for fighting," she said.
"This girl is going to kick ass. She's on her own mission and she's driven by revenge."
But it is not clear whether Camille is a secret agent.
French actor Mathieu Amalric, who plays the villainous Dominic Greene, told reporters his character had "the smile of Tony Blair and the crazy eyes of Nicholas Sarkozy".
Actress Gemma Arterton plays an MI6 agent in the film and has already shot her love scenes with 007.

BOND GIRL