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#Poker in South Delhi
008-rrr · 1 year
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South Delhi Club
K adjusted her starched saree, checked her perfectly curated curls, and gingerly walked into the club. You could smell adrenaline oozing out of the palms of the pundits holding their cards close to their chest, as if their life depended on them. Everywhere she looked there was a pantomime of human emotions on every poker table revealing the mood of each person. For her, this was the playground of players who had made it in life. The foul taste of not having enough to becoming this goddess doused in Anais Anais, wrapped in Satya Pauls saree glistening like the jalidar golden kada that adorned her wrist, screamed K had arrived.
If ever you want to win an argument with an Indian, feed him or her. K knew that her husband stomach was bigger than his heart and the SDC chef’s culinary skills were formidable. The way to a mans heart is through his stomach, they say, but too much of anything even food for the soul starts to rot.
Whilst it was fun to watch a few ladies dressed elegantly in the best chiffons, silks and cotton sarees sharing their domestics woes, one could not miss the unsettling feeling of money exchanging hands. Even the family reunion was poker faced or shall I say based, on one side the cousins exchanged stories and on the other uncles and aunts’ currency notes. It is fun when goddess Lakshmi is smiling on you and frustrating when she misses your deep pockets. Soon the in-house kitty parties of laughing aunties, bustling kitchen became a launching pad into the dark nights of the club.
There is a lot at stake when you scale the social ladder and yes you got it, there is no free lunch. Imagination and reality are strange bedfellows, there is no right or wrong dosage prescribed in the drama of life. Yet how it circulates in your grey matter defines you. K, grew in class, confidence, and elegance, reveling in the fickle male gaze flicked from disgust to adoration. It was intoxicating all of it the feel of acceptance in the high social ranks, the sexy touch of the green paper in the handbag and the drowning lap of luxury. She became literal embodiment of the goddess she believed in and did not hesitate in sharing the good fortune with her siblings, forgetting that unlike Lakshmi, she had a limit on her credit.
Bollywood is the holy grail, the ray of hope, the ultimate dream catcher for the Indian audience and K was just a character living in that blockbuster movie. 
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livepokerclub · 4 years
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play real money online poker with safe and secure.
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playpokerguru invites you to play real #money online #poker with safe and secure deposit and cash out options. Fast #Deposit & #Withdrawals Cash Out/Deposit #Anytime To 10K/20K/30/50K Buying Minimum TO #Play Daily #Tournament http://playpokerguru.com | +91 9999924385
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pokerindelhi · 2 years
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Let’s fun with Full action Live Poker Games at the best poker club in delhi.
join poker in delhi
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livepokerdelhi-blog · 5 years
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LIVE POKER GAME IN DELHI | DELHI POKER CLUB
If you want to play live poker game in Delhi, at home So here the best place to play the poker Game. Join live poker schedule in Delhi call on this number 9999924385 and site http://www.playpokerguru.com Find all the details
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playpokerguru · 5 years
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 Play the Live Cash Home Poker Games in South Delhi
The poker game is a very Famous and interesting Game. Many Peoples wants to a play poker game online and offline, there is much difference between offline and online poker game but you can play both online and offline poker with Play Poker Guru. We are providing the cash Home games and regular cash game tournaments in Delhi for more information call on this number + 9999924385 and visit on this site  :  www.playpokerguru.com
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lorancesblog · 2 years
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In their announcement press release they stated that
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The card values are based on the respective Indian state capitals which include Delhi, Mumbai or Hyderabad which respectively represent Delhi Valley or South Asian Capital City.
Andar Bahar is an Indian gambling game that is played in the 90s and around 2000 is a big hit in India. Andar Bahar Online Game is one of the many games that are popular in India.
Andar Bahar Online Game (abbreviated as ABO) was a game of chance and chance elements in India, which was played at the turn of the twentieth century. The game has been popular since then, mostly in rural areas.
It is an online gambling game that offers a chance of winning money. Besides games of chance, the board game Andar Bahar can be played in real time.
We should not think of these automated writing assistants as robots who will just write the content that we want. They are meant to automate the task, so that content can be generated quickly and efficiently. play andar bahar online
Andar Bahar is played with 52 cards. A player starts with 6 cards in his hand
Players of Andar Bahar, a lottery-like game, can decide the probability of seeing certain outcomes.
Poker is a popular card game. People play it for fun and also for entertainment purposes
The idea behind Andar Bahar is that the more dice you throw and the more cards you draw, the chance of winning increases.
Andar Bahar is a competitive online gambling game where you play and lose money hand to hand against other players.
Andar Bahar is an online card game where players compete with each other to collect the most of points. The winner is determined by predicted outcomes and wins exclusive prizes.
If you play andar bahar online then you will know what it is all about. Andar bahar is a card game that can be played by thousands of people at the same time. It has been popular in India for several years now.
It is a very popular game, which has been made available to players in India on multiple channels, including mobile and internet platforms. Unlike other gambling games, Andar Bahar isn't a gambling table like poker or roulette, but rather a card game that revolves around betting on your cards every time you play.
The risk with this kind of gambling is the fact that – when your chips are shaken up or the bell rings – there's an element of luck involved with every bet. Players can also lose their coins in the process; it's not
Andar Bahar is a virtual card game that has been on the online market for more than 10 years now. It was launched in 2004. The person who manages the game's operations, Ankit Mehra, is a serial entrepreneur.
He had worked with a number of gaming companies and developed Andar Bahar into its current form thanks to his experience with online gambling sites. The game's core is that you can play it only if you have enough money to bet on it.
With recent regulatory changes, the gaming industry has been facing a challenging market. The big players in the industry are now facing new challenges such as threats and regulations.
We should not think of these Online casino games as “casino games”. These are very interesting and revolutionary gambling games that have recently started to show up around the world, especially in India and Europe.
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bloggvalley · 4 years
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Social Media Influencer, Her Friends Snatch $3,300 In Delhi, Arrested
Social Media Influencer, Her Friends Snatch $3,300 In Delhi, Arrested
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Case was registered under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code, police said. (Representational)
New Delhi:
A 26-year-old social media influencer and her two friends were arrested from Goa for allegedly snatching USD 3,300 from a man in south Delhi, police said on Thursday.
The accused used the money to stay in five-star hotels in Goa and play poker in casinos, they said.
The media…
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bbbnews · 4 years
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Social Media Influencer, Her Friends Snatch $3,300 In Delhi, Arrested: Police
Social Media Influencer, Her Friends Snatch $3,300 In Delhi, Arrested: Police
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Case was registered under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code, police said. (Representational)
New Delhi:
A 26-year-old social media influencer and her two friends were arrested from Goa for allegedly snatching USD 3,300 from a man in south Delhi, police said on Thursday.
The accused used the money to stay in five-star hotels in Goa and play poker in casinos, they said.
The…
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livepokerclub · 5 years
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pokerindelhi · 2 years
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Looking for live poker in Delhi NCR? Here is the best place to Play for live poker games in south Delhi, call on +91-9999924385
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gatilab · 4 years
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Sports Betting in India: The Beginner's Guide
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Do you know what exactly sports betting is? Is sports betting legal in India? What good or bad forms of laws & economics are attached to sports betting in India? Let's start, but before you ask for much - sports betting is mostly illegal but there are some catches. Read on to learn. First of all, sports, like cricket, have a special place in the hearts of Indians. And so does the game of betting. Betting is mainstream in India. Not just in sports, gambling has its own ways for its existence in the corner of some street, at homes or at any public gathering. From penny-stakes gambling to underground betting, it's all in there. Betting has been a big billion-dollar industry which is mostly illegal. Talking about how legal sports betting in India is, let us take a deeper look into it.
Is Sports Betting in India Legal or Illegal?
Gambling is for Asia. Many countries in Asia use their legal gambling sources like casinos, to be more specific, to attract tourists. That is a big part of their revenue system. Countries like Singapore are setting the level of inspiration for others to go for it. South Korea, Sri Lanka to Philippines, are all into maintaining similar gambling places.
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India, on the other hand, is still playing with their laws. According to the Public Gambling Act, 1867, a law even older than Mahatma Gandhi still rules, owning the operations of any gambling house, entering a gambling place, or having a gambling device is prohibited. It does have an exception, though. To be more specific, there are two games in sports betting, the game of skillsthe game of chance The ‘game of skills’ is simply the fantasy gaming arena where you can play using your skills and intelligence, Dream11, Rummy, Horse betting, online poker being some examples. The games of skill require your skill and knowledge. And this is supported by the government. According to the law, if a game can be affected by the knowledge and skills of a player then it is legal. Fantasy sports like rummy and horse racing are legal in India. Meanwhile, the ‘game of chance’ is stated to be affected by the luck of the person playing. This is illegal, according to the legislation. It does seem to be an issue handled by the central government, but is rather governed by the state legislations. So that means, all states can make their own rules and regulations depending upon their scenarios. Of course, almost every state has made the skill over chance ratio a prohibition, but as you say, exceptions are everywhere. According to the Goa, Daman and Diu Gambling Act, 1976 , casinos and other games of chance are permitted. Similarly, in Sikkim, Telangana and Assam, there aren't specific restrictions. There is a penalty and imprisonment under the gambling acts of other states, but this variation in laws does not seem to support the prohibition altogether and hence, somewhere, supporting it all.
The Motivation
Talking about the sources that forces Indians into gambling and sports betting, India has a societal factor. It is in the culture of some community to gamble. The festival, Diwali, is meant as the festival of lights and gambling. It is just one factor. Some are more characteristic. People agree that their loneliness is a factor that they put themselves into gambling and sports betting. Betting on matches gives them the opportunity to have conversation and connection with new people. Some take sports betting to get rid of their tiring routines. This psychological factor draws sports betting to a different level. Adrenaline rush is yet another kind of psychological factor. The uncertainty of winning a bet makes some people get an adrenaline rush, they start putting higher capital into risk. Extreme cases, as you must have found irrational, is an outcome of this thrill-derived mentality of a few bettors. They keep this illegal business going. Some bettors ‘bet’ on the fact that after putting money on some match, even the most boring part of the game becomes so interesting and thrilling. This is the reason half if the times, which encourages them into betting. But the main reason is the monetary factor that motivates most of the betting and gambling business. Spending money to earn money still tops the chart. Due to the perception that betting can end up in a quicker earning of money, it tempts more and more people. They keep on losing money and still bet to recover the losses from the betting. That is how this industry works even after the prohibitions are put on it. It is not new for anyone. Everybody, especially the vulnerable, has access to it through the news and the celebrity support it gets. How? The biggest news story, which questioned the loyalty of many cricket celebrities to their game, came out in the year 2013. The Indian Premier League spot fixing and betting case where Delhi police found Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan guilty in connection with a bookie, were suspended and faced a ban from cricket. Again in 2015, the IPL superstars Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were given a two-year ban from the Indian Premier League by Board of Cricket Council of India (BCCI). The team members were accused of betting and corruption. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a celebratory series where cricketers from almost all of the country's teams unite and play. The money it legally requires to host such an event every year is minus the money which involves underground betting. While cricket betting is the topmost source of gambling in India, IPL tops everything in this category. An estimate says that one international cricket match can raise up to 200 million dollars in a day.
Why is Sports Betting Unhealthy?
Not bluffing, but, there has been no ban on online betting operated from outside India. This loophole has been perfectly utilized the offshore betting companies by giving betting freaks a platform. And websites in India has been hooked up to these offshore websites to make it much easier. Example given: indiabet.com. This advisory website told a newspaper that they don’t claim to do sports betting but help the bettors get in touch with the betting websites. Go to the link they provide, register and bet on the match you like. Sports betting is not just betting on the winning or the losing team, it is about everything that happens in the match. If cricket, it may include betting on the toss win, what the captain will choose for, the catch drop, misfields, strokes and what not. There is no question how it arose to this extent. But it is unhealthy, even after all this income and popularity. The reasons include a lot. The government cannot successfully track all the resources from where the money is bet and hence sometimes it ends into a black market. Where almost all of the underground sports betting is illegal, there is no concept of government putting tax on it. This can be a big chance for India to grab huge revenues from this big income. As already mentioned above, betting corrupts the sport. Moreover, it corrupts the finances of Indians, when they end up putting everything into betting and gambling. They are least productive and henceforth, a threat to the economy of nation.
What holds in future for sports betting?
It is not easy to make the gambling and the underground sports betting totally legal, it might affect the citizens’ livelihood and the society. The least specific laws and the taste of gambling have made it more easy and likely to bet into the sports. The fact that it is not guilty and money for money is not wrong, sports betting has been into India having deep significance. Obviously, it is not easy to eradicate it too easily, it is so mainstream. The above mentioned were the main reasons why sports betting has made its position tightly glued as the gambling practices in the country. Read the full article
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playpokerguru · 6 years
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Poker Tournaments in Delhi | Poker Club in Delhi | PlayPokerGuru
Poker has witnessed an explosion of popularity in the past couple of decades, and new players begin playing the game daily. Even though most poker games are fairly straightforward, there are scores of poker variants that can get confusing for new players. This Guide will provide you summaries of these principles for the significant poker matches:
Texas Hold’em Rules
Texas Hold'em is the hottest poker game on earth. Each participant receives two face cards down, and also the player's wager according to their hand power. Afterward, the dealer shows three face-up cards in the center of the desk. -- These cards are called the "Flop". Players bet, and after the round is complete the dealer shows the other face-up card on the desk, known as the "twist". The hands then have yet another round of betting, until the dealer shows the previous face-up card, also called the "River".
The players may combine their hole cards together with that five community card (the flop, the turn (and the river) to create the best five card poker hands. Players bet one final time, and when any players stay in the close of the hand they have a showdown. Whoever gets the best five-card poker hand wins all of the cash in the bud.
Omaha Poker Rules
Omaha Poker is another popular poker game that's extremely similar to Texas Hold'em. Every player receives four face-down cards, and the players have a betting round before the trader shows three face-up cards that are collectively called the "Flop". Players bet, then the trader shows another face-up card, also called the "Turn". Players wager that a next time and the dealer shows the last face-up card, also called the "River".
Even though Omaha players each hold four hole cards, they still must use two of those cards no more, no less. Omaha is occasionally played at a High/Low variant, in which the pot is divided in half with one half going into the most effective top poker hands and the other half moving into the most effective low poker hands.
Seven Card Stud Rules
Seven Card Stud is a conventional poker game which is not quite as popular as Texas Hold'em or Omaha poker game. Whoever gets the cheapest face-up card has to pay the bring-in, and it is a tiny forced bet that's set up to take actions. Other players need to match the bring-in if they'd like to keep in the hand. After the initial betting round, each player receives a different encounter card, commonly called "Fourth Street", which can be followed by another betting round. Each betting round from today on begins with the player who's showing the maximum hand.
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Players then obtain another encounter card, commonly called "Fifth Street", and also have yet another betting round. Players get the last face-up card, commonly called "Sixth Street", and also have yet another betting round. Staying players get a face-down card and also have a final betting round.
Five Card Draw Rules
Five Card Draw is just another old poker sport which is less applicable in today's poker world. Each participant receives five confront poker cards to start the hand. The gamers have a betting round, and upon conclusion of this betting round players may swap cards from their hands for new cards from the deck. This is known as the "tug".
Following the draw, players possess yet another betting round and then the hands finish with a showdown.
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lorancesblog · 2 years
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It depends on random factors.
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The aim of the game is to try to get as close to equal odds as possible within a time limit, by making sure that you have at least one ace hand during your turn (a sequence of cards with no pairs).
The card values are based on the respective Indian state capitals which include Delhi, Mumbai or Hyderabad which respectively represent Delhi Valley or South Asian Capital City.
Andar Bahar is an Indian gambling game that is played in the 90s and around 2000 is a big hit in India. Andar Bahar Online Game is one of the many games that are popular in India.
Andar Bahar Online Game (abbreviated as ABO) was a game of chance and chance elements in India, which was played at the turn of the twentieth century. The game has been popular since then, mostly in rural areas.
It is an online gambling game that offers a chance of winning money. Besides games of chance, the board game Andar Bahar can be played in real time.
We should not think of these automated writing assistants as robots who will just write the content that we want. They are meant to automate the task, so that content can be generated quickly and efficiently.
Andar Bahar is played with 52 cards. A player starts with 6 cards in his hand andar bahar online game
Players of Andar Bahar, a lottery-like game, can decide the probability of seeing certain outcomes.
Poker is a popular card game. People play it for fun and also for entertainment purposes
The idea behind Andar Bahar is that the more dice you throw and the more cards you draw, the chance of winning increases.
Andar Bahar is a competitive online gambling game where you play and lose money hand to hand against other players.
Andar Bahar is an online card game where players compete with each other to collect the most of points. The winner is determined by predicted outcomes and wins exclusive prizes.
If you play andar bahar online then you will know what it is all about. Andar bahar is a card game that can be played by thousands of people at the same time. It has been popular in India for several years now.
It is a very popular game, which has been made available to players in India on multiple channels, including mobile and internet platforms. Unlike other gambling games, Andar Bahar isn't a gambling table like poker or roulette, but rather a card game that revolves around betting on your cards every time you play.
The risk with this kind of gambling is the fact that – when your chips are shaken up or the bell rings – there's an element of luck involved with every bet. Players can also lose their coins in the process; it's not
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Effective At Slot Devices - Slot Device Cheat Strategies
Amongst the newest models featured in such film we have the fully tailored 2003 Honda Accord, the 2005 Ford GT, 2005 Shelby GT500, 2006 Mazda RX-8, the 2005 Dodge Viper SRT10, the 2003 Nissan Fairlady, the 2005 design APR Mitubishi Lancer Development VIII MR, etc.
Paradera Park is amongst the most popular hotels in the island. It lies in Oranjestad and uses a per night stay for $115. The hotel area is fantastic and the service and personnel is expert and well mannered. Delhi Ocean Club of Marriot is also among the most exceptional hotels. The per night stay is offered at a rate of $350-$525. The awesome place is matched by hotel's expert and welcoming staff.
The $87 million opening likewise quickly exceeded the $67 million opening of "Quantum of Solace" in 2008 and might put "Skyfall" on course to become the highest grossing Bond flick ever. Worldwide, "Skyfall" has currently taken in $518.6 million so far. For viewpoint, "Quantum of Solace" made an overall of $586 million overall while "casino Royale" grossed $594 million in 2006.
Facilities and services at the Grand National Golf Club include a full pro shop, sandwich shop and driving range as well as the Grand casino royale which is right next door and hotels. This 72 par, 4 tee, 18 hole public golf course is among the finest courses here in main Minnesota. The best part is that it lies only 20 miles east of where I live here in Minnesota. Although I do not consider myself a devoted golfer, I have had the chance to golf Go to this site at the Grand National Golf Course a variety of times. My spouse and his buddies utilize it regularly.
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There are lot lots of variations in poker having the same base but different formats or little change in guidelines. There are typically three different ranges of poker. Categorized on the basis of card-dealing and wagering.
The island of Saint Martin is part of grand casino the Netherland Antilles and is situated East of Puerto Rico and just south of Anguilla. The little island is divided in between two nations with the southern part St. Maarten coming from the Dutch and Saint Martin on north coming from the French.
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When the huge conventions are in town as this can suggest greater rates and a scarcity of airline company seats, if you are flying into Las Vegas also be mindful of. Early March, mid-April and mid-November are prime times. Check with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
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'I completely lost it': the movie scenes that made our writers weep
New Post has been published on https://writingguideto.com/must-see/i-completely-lost-it-the-movie-scenes-that-made-our-writers-weep-2/
'I completely lost it': the movie scenes that made our writers weep
From Toy Story 2 to Under the Skin, writers pick the cinematic moments that made them cry and explain why. Spoilers ahead
Aunt Lucys trip, Paddington 2
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On the face of it, Paddington is a fairly broad kids film franchise about the hijinks of a CGI bear, and so probably shouldnt make a grown human cry hot, salty tears. But that description ignores the fact that Paddington is a really, really well-made kids film franchise about the hijinks of a CGI bear, one that completely gets the pathos of its central character, a little lost immigrant searching for something resembling a family. Both films ably tug at the heartstrings, but the second film got me sniffling as early as 15 minutes in when Paddington imagines giving his only living relative, Aunt Lucy, a tour around London, something that in reality is impossible as shes stuck thousands of miles away in darkest Peru. When at the end of the film spoiler alert Aunt Lucy arrives on the Brown familys doorstep and she and Paddington hug, I completely, unapologetically lost it. Lord knows what surprises Paddington 3 has planned for my tear ducts. GM
When She Loved Me, Toy Story 2
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Just before writing this, I put When She Loved Me from Toy Story 2 on YouTube once again, just to check. Yep. Just as always, I choke up, in the same abject, lip-wobbling, head-bowed way. It still has that terrible power.
When She Loved Me is the song written by Randy Newman and sung by the devastated toy cowgirl Jessie and in fact performed, beautifully, on the soundtrack by Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan. The song is Jessies way of telling Woody why she has grimly decided to submit to the airless world of the toy museum, because it is better than the inevitable heartbreak and delusion of loving a fickle human child. She reveals her anguish that her owner, Emily, has fallen out of love with her outgrown her, in fact. As Emily entered the world of adolescence, pop music and boys, Jessie was left under the bed and finally dumped.
When I first saw this scene and misled by the size disparity between toy and owner I thought it was a parable for a childs anxiety over being abandoned by the parent. But now that I am a parent I can see the truth which is completely the opposite way around. It is about the parents fear of being abandoned by the child: the terrible fear, actually the terrible certainty, that the kid one day wont want to play with you. They will grow up and want something else. This song is utterly devastating. It is modern cinemas equivalent of the Vesti La Giubba aria from Pagliacci the tragic clown smiling on the outside but crying on the inside. Im afraid to watch it too often. I dont want to break down over and over again. But I also want to preserve its power over me. PB
Ruths death, Fried Green Tomatoes
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In many respects, Fried Green Tomatoes is not a movie for the modern age. It is a story about racism in the deep south told largely by way of eliciting our sympathies for wealthy white characters; it is a story about a lesbian relationship that had to slide its lesbian relationship in unnoticed, by presenting it as a very close friendship fulfilled by food fights, poker games and heads leaning meaningfully on shoulders. But I am deeply fond of this 1991 Sunday afternoon classic. Ive seen it more times than is healthy, and so I know exactly what is coming and when, and yet am still unable to resist the inevitable guttural sobbing that comes with the death scene.
There are plenty of teasers for it, too: Buddy on the train tracks, even Mrs Threadgoode talking about the death of her adult son. Nothing, however, can prepare the viewer for Ruth asking Idgie to tell her the old story about the frozen lake thats now somewhere over in Georgia. It doesnt so much pull on heartstrings as play a full symphony on them, and its devastating. As Sipsey puts it, a lady always knows when to leave. RN
The rooftop dance, Eat Pray Love
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While I was repelled by the mere existence of the Eat Pray Love book, I found something strangely charming about its big-screen translation. It was a mixture of glossy food porn, glossy travel porn and glossy Julia Roberts emoting porn (she remains one of the best fake criers in Hollywood) all wrapped up in a rather unique tale of a woman trying to unshackle herself from the men in her life. But while that all provided mostly surface-level enjoyment, one scene cut deeper and the extent to which it cuts surprises me still.
As is often with the case with movie tears, these were tied to a real-world experience that had happened not long before I sat down to watch. I was dumped by a long-term boyfriend without much of an explanation and without any sort of warning. I was heartbroken and seeking some form of closure that was kept cruelly out of reach. I didnt understand why it had happened and it was the not knowing that felt harder than the break-up itself.
In the film, Roberts character has left her flighty husband and remains haunted by the heartbreak shes caused. On a rooftop in Delhi, a vision of him appears and they dance to Neil Youngs heart-grabbing Harvest Moon, the song that was supposed to accompany their first wedding dance. She reminds him that she did love him. He tells her he still loves and misses her. They cry and continue to dance. At the end, she tells him that it wont last forever, nothing does. Its a short scene but it hit me like a bus, it still does now. My tears are for the film but theyre also for something deeper: the sting of loving someone who stopped loving me and the ache of an ending I was never allowed in real life. BL
The thunderstorm, Click
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Adam Sandler can make me cry harder than hes ever made me laugh, the true test of a clown. Yes, even in the underappreciated comedy Click about a dad who finds a magical remote control in the Beyond section of Bed Bath & Beyond.
Sandlers workaholic architect fast-forwards through the worst parts of his day the dull weeknight frozen dinners with his family, the repetitive arguments, the gross times everyone gets knocked out by the flu in order to get to his next promotion so he can buy his kids whatever they want. His plan doesnt go well, of course. But whats shocking is how gut-rippingly painful it is to see Sandler hit play on his life only to realize hes skipped past everything that matters. His bodys been present, the bills have been paid, but his emotional engagements been staticky a trade-off too many of us can understand.
In the climax, old man Sandler sobs in a thunderstorm as he arrives at his daughters wedding only to learn shed rather her stepdad walk her down the aisle, and his son has grown up to mimic his job-first, family-second example. I rarely cry at unavoidable tragedies where no ones at fault. My weakness is characters regretting choices they cant rewind. Click isnt Ingmar Bergman Sandler gets a happy ending but I barely saw his relief through the rainstorm on my face. AN
The courtroom, Kramer vs Kramer
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By all accounts, Robert Bentons film Kramer vs Kramer skews heavily toward Dustin Hoffmans Ted, whose wife Joanna has left him and their six-year-old son Billy. Billy and Ted make french toast together, or argue about eating ice cream before dinner, or visit the nearby jungle gym. Were it not for Meryl Streep and the trenchant, intuitive way she humanizes a woman who, in the 70s, would have otherwise been made to seem mawkish and unstable Kramer vs Kramer might be just a schmaltzy panegyric on fatherhood.
But leave it to our greatest living actor to turn a film on its head with a single scene. You know the one: Joanna, during the custody hearing, is subjected to a string of sexist questions about her failure as a wife and a mother. When asked why shes seeking custody of Billy, she blinks three times, beginning the monologue Streep herself wrote in an effort to redeem her character, who she initially perceived to be an ogre, a princess, an ass.
Billys only seven years old. He needs me, she says, reciting the word need with a whispery uptick as she glances at her ex. Im not saying he doesnt need his father. But I really believe he needs me more. After catching her breath, she becomes more emphatic: I was his mommy for five and a half years. Since I was about Billys age when my parents got divorced, ergo, too young to understand or even care, Ive always been astonished and, by proxy, moved by how compassionately Streep plumbs the depths of Joannas truth. JN
The beach, Under the Skin
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Little focuses the mind more effectively on human distress than the arrival of your own kids; scenes in films which I might once have snoozed through now induce boggle-eyed terror OH MY GOD, DONT LEAVE THAT BABY NEAR THAT COFFEE TABLE, IT HASNT GOT A CORNER PROTECTOR! But nothing has topped at least, not yet the scene in Under the Skin where Scarlett Johansson murders a swimmer and drags him off to eat him.
Its not the murder thats so epically upsetting, though its gruesome enough: Johansson, playing an alien visitor permanently on the lookout for human nutrients, simply bangs him over the head with a large stone as he lies prone and exhausted on the beach. Its what goes on in the background that is so awful. A woman goes into the water to try and rescue her drowning dog, and her male partner instinctively rushes in after her, leaving their toddler alone high on the shore. Johanssons chum the only other adult on this lonely Scottish beach goes to help too.
With the speed of falling dominoes, a nice little day out unravels: the mother and father are swept away to who knows where, and the alien takes her chance to acquire their would-be rescuer as a food source. Meanwhile, the suddenly abandoned kid is shrieking in terror as the night closes in. Another, less astute film-maker, might cap the scene with the alien scooping the kid up and adding him to her dinner menu, but what Glazer contrives is absolutely horrifying. Johansson-alien simply ignores it, and leaves it alone. The film moves on, this incident consigned to the past.
I have to confess I was absolutely blindsided by the scene; mostly, I think, because of the its sheer unexpectedness. I think I was gripped by a kind of internal hysteria: shock, hyperventilation, a feeling the back of my head might explode. (I cant say I actually cried though I may have, but in the confusion I cant really remember.) I certainly had to hold on to the seat to stop myself bolting out of the cinema then and there. I am aware theres a some degree of self-indulgence here: the fact that my daughter was about the same age as the kid in the film undoubtedly super-sensitised my reactions. But everyone has their weak spot; this is very much mine. AP
The birth, Cheaper by the Dozen 2
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Cheaper by the Dozen 2, if you havent seen it you probably havent, why would you have? is the sequel to the remake of family comedy Cheaper by the Dozen, and Im sure it was made because Steve Martin, the star of the franchise, needed to pay his mortgage. The main gist of the movie is that Martin and his wife, played by Bonnie Hunt, have 12 children who get into various japes. Its asinine. But during a time in my life when I was making a lot of transatlantic flights, Cheaper By the Dozen 2 was always an option on the British Airways seatback televisions, and one day I found, because of the frequency of my flights, I had watched all of the other films.
What choice did I have? At the climactic scene, where the oldest daughter, played by Piper Perabo, gives birth, and then names the baby after her father because he has shown her that there is no way to be a perfect parent, but a million ways to be a really good one, I cried so much the man sitting next to me regarded me with what appeared to be real concern. There may have not been enough cocktail napkins on the whole plane to dry my tears. Was it the recycled air? Was it the two miniature bottles of white wine? Or was it that a joyful childbirth scene can warm the cockles of even the coldest of hearts? JHE
The accidental reunion, Manchester by the Sea
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Weve got a real talent for repression back in Massachusetts. Kenneth Lonergans searing Manchester by the Sea plays out a 15-minute drive from my childhood home and, true to life, the characters all struggle to articulate the perfect storms of emotion raging within them.
When Lee (Casey Affleck) has a chance encounter with his ex-wife Randi (Michelle Williams), the shared history between them is literally unspeakable. They sputter out fragments of sentences that act as a shorthand for vast reservoirs of guilt and self-loathing they cant bear to express, and because they know one another so intimately, they can intuit all the meaning they have to. Theyve both shoved a lot deep down inside just so they can look at themselves in the mirror, and when in the presence of the only other person on the planet who understands what theyve been through, some of it has to come out. Randi does most of the talking, inviting Lee to lunch so they can get some closure, and he ends the conversation by walking away. Shes ready to face her past and be fully present in the new life shes built for herself. Lee, a North Shore boy born and bred, feels more comfortable starting a bar fight as his form of therapy. CB
The hotel, Unrelated
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Joanna Hoggs first film, Unrelated, has had something of a second life on account of being the debut of Tom Hiddleston, and set during a Tuscan summer, which means swimming pool, which means toplessness, and lots of it. Its nice to imagine the Loki-lovers streaming this masterpiece of English upper-middle-class excruciation. As its ending shows, specificity is no barrier to emotional oomph.
The story sees a woman in her early 40s, Anna (Kathryn Worth), holidaying with old friends and their teenage children. She finds she prefers the company of the kids, especially the charming Oakley (Hiddleston, then 26, playing eight years younger). The holiday implodes. Anna goes to stay at a grim airport hotel. Her friend visits, crossly wanting to know whats behind her behaviour. Anna explains that, quite recently, she thought she was pregnant but no, in fact, it was an early menopause. Shell never be able to have children. She sobs and bends double on the bed. It is shot in one take, from the middle distance, acted with a banal frankness which feels like eavesdropping.
When I saw it a decade back, it floored me: a twist I hadnt foreseen, a pain I could only imagine. A few years ago, I began consciously avoiding the film, fearful a similar fate awaited me. Now I can safely watch it again or, I thought I could, but Hogg is much too superb and mysterious a film-maker for that. It isnt simply the information which is terrible, it is the dreadful catharsis of its expression, coming after so much obfuscation. The stifle has gone; instead there is the most awful sadness. Buttoning up is often the bravest way. CS
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