Ever since I have started work on my first assignment in US, I had my first long weekend after 4 months. It was Memorial Day today. An occasion which commemorates the members of the United States armed forces who were killed in war.

If you look at the US holiday calendar, there are only a set number of holidays and they are fewer in number. True to their reputation, American's work hard and party harder.

I watched the movie Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time this weekend. Long long ago before the white man colonized most of the continent there was a great kingdom called Persia which stretched from Mediterranean sea till the borders of India. You're transported to a different age and time when technology was non-existent.

Prince of Persia is based on a video game which has a similar namesake. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina and Steve Toussaint the movie spins its magic on the audience. You have the special effects however they don't overwhelm the story. Gemma Arterton as the Princess Tamina has a meaty role. Gemma's exotic charm, her oriental look combined with a mean streak makes her an effective counterfoil to Prince Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) who not surprisingly can't take his eyes of her and so can't we :) Ben Kingsley as Nizam (the king's brother) is a surprise package. I wonder why we don't see more of him.

(Image courtesy: http://cache.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/170124_S/Prince-Of-Persia-Movie.jpg)