No Country for Old Men

No country for old men is a critically praised American crime thriller. The movie is adapted from  the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name. The Movie is directed and screen played by Joel and Ethan Coen, with starring actors Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin. Its a story about an ordinary man to whom chance delivers a fortune that is not his, and the ensuing cat-and-mouse drama, as three men crisscross each other's paths in the desert landscape of 1980 West Texas. The movie examines the themes of fate and circumstance the Coen brothers have previously explored in Blood Simple and Fargo. What ever may be the reason: the story, the direction or the star cast, the movie was awarded with numerous awards, garnering and four Academy Awards: for Best Picture, Best Director (Joel and Ethan Coen), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem), three British Academy of Film awards, two Golden Globes.

Budget	$25 million
Gross revenue	$171,627,166

 Casts:

	Tommy Lee Jones	:	Ed Tom Bell
	Javier Bardem	:	Anton Chigurh
	Josh Brolin	:	Llewelyn Moss
	Woody Harrelson	:	Carson Wells
	Kelly Macdonald	:	Carla Jean Moss
	Garret Dillahunt	:	Wendell
	Tess Harper	:	Loretta Bell
	Barry Corbin	:	Ellis
	Stephen Root	:	Man who hires Wells
	Rodger Boyce	:	El Paso Sheriff
	Beth Grant	:	Carla Jean's Mother
	Ana Reeder	:	Poolside Woman
	Kit Gwin	:	Sheriff Bell's Secretary
	Zach Hopkins		Strangled Deputy
	Chip Love		Man in Ford

Story:
The one who have already read the book might have expected a lot from this movie. Even though it didn't live up to your expectations it did hit your hearts.The story begins with a small introduction to West Texas. West Texas in June 1980 is desolate, wide open country, and Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) laments the increasing violence in a region where he, like his father and grandfather before him, has risen to the office of sheriff.
Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), hunting pronghorn, comes across the aftermath of a drug deal gone awry: several dead men and dogs, a wounded Mexican begging for water, and two million dollars in a satchel that he takes to his trailer home. Late that night, he returns with water for the dying man, but is chased away by two men in a truck and loses his vehicle. When he gets back home he grabs the cash, sends his wife Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald) to her mother's, and makes his way to a motel in the next county, where he hides the satchel in the air vent of his room.
Hitman Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) has been hired to recover the money. He has already strangled a sheriff's deputy to escape custody and stolen a car by using a captive bolt pistol to kill the driver. Now he carries a receiver that traces the money via a transponder concealed inside the satchel to Moss's hideout. Bursting into the room at night, Chigurh surprises a group of Mexicans set to ambush Moss and murders them all. Moss, however, one step ahead, has rented the connecting room on the other side, so by the time Chigurh removes the vent cover with a dime to grab the cash, it is already back on the road with Moss.
Tracking the satchel to a border town hotel, Chigurh's pursuit climaxes in a firefight with Moss that spills onto the streets, leaving both men wounded. Moss flees across the border, collapsing from his injuries and waking up in a Mexican hospital. There Carson Wells (Woody Harrelson), another hired operative, offers protection in return for the money.

After Chigurh cleans and stitches his own wounds with stolen supplies, he gets the drop on Wells back at his hotel and kills him just as Moss calls the room. Picking up the call and casually raising his feet to avoid the blood on the floor, Chigurh promises Moss that Carla Jean can be saved only by returning the money. Moss remains defiant.Moss arranges to rendezvous with his wife at a motel in El Paso to give her the money and send her out of harm's way. She reluctantly tells Bell to try to save her husband, but Bell arrives too late. He sees a pickup carrying several men speeding away from the motel and finds Moss lying dead in his room. That night, Bell returns to the crime scene and finds the lock blown out in his suspect's familiar style. The scene shows Chigurh hiding behind the door of a motel room, observing the shifting light through an empty lock hole. His gun drawn, Bell enters Moss's room and notices that the vent cover has been removed with a dime and the vent is empty. In fact, we see that Chigurh was not present in the room when Bell entered, indicative of the aging sheriff's rising sense of anxiety and fear.
Bell visits his Uncle Ellis (Barry Corbin), an ex-lawman. Bell plans to retire because he feels "overmatched," but Ellis points out that the region has always been violent. For Ellis, thinking it is "all waiting on you, that's vanity."
Carla Jean returns from her mother's funeral to find Chigurh waiting. When she tells him she does not have the money, he recalls the pledge he made to her husband that could have spared her. The best he can offer is a coin toss for her life. She refuses to play, instead stating that the choice is his alone. Chigurh leaves the house alone and carefully checks the soles of his boots. As he drives away, he is injured in a car accident. He leaves before the police arrive.
Now retired, Bell shares two dreams with his wife (Tess Harper), both involving his deceased father. In the first dream he lost "some money" that his father had given him; in the second dream, he and his father were riding horses through a snowy mountain pass. His father, who was carrying fire in a horn, quietly passed by Bell with his head down and was "going on ahead, and fixin' to make a fire" in the surrounding dark and cold. When Bell got there, he knew his father would be waiting. Then he woke up.

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The Greater Nepal

"Paschim Ma Killa Kangra Purba Ma Teesta Pugetheu

Kun Shakti Ko Agadi Kahile Hami Jhuketheun"

The above lines describe the past situation of Nepal when the unification campaign of The Great King Prithivi Narayan Shah had extended Nepal's boundaries to it's extremes. Under the Sugauli Treaty, the Nepalese kingdom had ceded the territories conquered by the British East India Company that spanned from the Teesta River in the east, which are constituted in the modern Indian states of Punjab,Himachal Pradesh,Sikkim and West Bengal and Uttarakhand and including places such as Almora, Pathankot, Kumaon, Dehradun, Garhwal, Sirmur and Shimla and Kangra, located to the west of the Sutlej River in the modern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Nepal also ceded control over kingdom of Sikkim, whose local ruler, the Chogyal, had supported the British in the war, as well as the north of the Rajshahi division of Bangladesh. The re-acquisition of these territories is a goal held by several Nepali political groups,especially the parts of then Nepal integrated into India only because of the consequence of the Sugauli treaty concluded between British India and the Nepalese government.

The Greater Nepal is what we deserve....

The Greater Nepal was the result of continuous hard effort of all Nepali soldiers who fought bravely against other states. The very idea of "Complete (Greater) Nepal" motivates not only some Nepali nationalists but a majority of Nepalese academicians,who seek to extend the boundaries of present-day Nepal to include the very territories ceded under the Sugauli Treaty. As the ceded territories were not restored to Nepal by the British when freedom was granted to the people of British India, these have become a part of the Republic of India even though it was mentioned that the treaties on behalf of the East India Company or British India would not be valid anymore. Some Nepali politicians and activists accuse India of usurping Nepali territory and using the present border and territorial situation to dominate Nepal, which in the opinion of Nepali nationalists can be overcome by a "Complete (Greater) Nepal."Most law graduates claim that the Sugauli Treaty became null and void on August 15, 1947 when India obtained her independence from British Raj and by the 1950 Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty.Several Nepalese publications and activities claim the lost territories must be recovered since the Sugauli Treaty has in effect been void by article 8 of the 1950 Indo-Nepal Friendship Treaty and Anglo-Nepal Treaty. So looking at the facts we are the ones who deserve all the states not India.

 

Greater Nepal[Past]

Nepal[Present]

Greater issues of India trying to encroach our land are arising day by day, but the fact is: everyone is silent. They have placed their evil foots on our places such as Nalapani and Susta. It has been said that the dash gaja at the no mans land are shifted every now and then to the side of Nepal which means India is taking what is of ours slowly and steadily. If we stay quiet like this, in coming twenty years or so, the day is not too far when we have to call ourselves Indians. And I know that we will never give up what we are to become one of them, no matter whatever happens. Lets try to stop this by raising voice. Lets help Manoj Pandit in this process. Lets show them that we are still the same Nepali, the one whom the best of the bests feared. Jai Nepal.

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Introduction to Nepal

Edmund Hillary And Tenzing Norgay Sherpa

 No one is born without the feeling "Mother and motherland are superior to heaven". In the land of mountains where her every child enjoys the cold wind of enthusiasm  and wakes every morning hearing the sound of water splattering the stones in its way. Nepal [Federal Republic], is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India. With an area of 147,181 square kilometers (56,827 sq mi) and a population of approximately 30 million, Nepal is the world's 93rd largest country by land mass and the 41st most populous country. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the country's largest metropolis.

Nepal's National Flag

The country where Siddhartha Gautam [also known by the name "BUDDHA" all over the world], the light of Asia opened his eyes. Also known as the country with Multi cultures and Multi languages. The highest peak in the world Mount Everest[also known as Sagarmatha in Nepal] of height 8848m, signifies that we are above any human being. Kanchanjunga which is the third highest mountain of the world with the height of 8586m. We have Tilicho Lake at the greatest height of 4949m. Spiny Babler [also known as Kadhe Bhyakur in Nepali] is the bird only found in Nepal. We give life for our motherland and take lives for it whenever she asks for it. But the sense of brotherhood has never degraded from our hearts and we help the ones we believe are ours. Not just it, it is also known as Country with Peace[Shanti ko desh].

For several years Nepal stood as mark of bravery and victory. During the Great Anglo war, Nepal fought bravely against British Army and didn't allow them to take what was always meant for us. More specifically Gorkha troops were the most feared people at that time and even now in some cases. Our dignity, our sovereignty and our confidence has amazed the world. This might be the region why British recruit our people in their Army every now and then [called Lahure]. Nepali talent Araniko[real name Balabahu] was Nepali Architect born in 13th century won the heart of Chinese emperor Kublai khan when  he repaired an important bronze idol presented as gift by Song emperor. When Arniko finished, it looked so perfect that he earned the respect of some of the greatest artists in China.

National Bird Danfe

Nepal is a country that is blessed with nature. Even it has a very small land mass various species of plants and animals are found here. From the cold himalayas to the hot plain lands of Terai, Nepal is rich in almost every natural resources. Hence, it experiences all kinds of weather and climatic changes. Dense forests covering the hills and plains and about 4500 rivers and rivulets flowing throughout the country is an amazing fact to know. The tipless bamboos of Buddha Subba are the only one of its kind in the world. Several temple throughout the nation makes it clear that Nepalis are by birth Hindus. But it doesn't mean that there are no Christians, no Buddhists no Islams here. It only assures the fact that Nepal is a Hindu country[a secular one now]. The design of the flag a unique piece of art. No country has a flag like that of Nepal.

National Animal Cow

A variety of cultures reside here.Bramhins are known for their devotion in religion and beliefs. Chhetris are known for their interest in warship, horse riding, archery etc. Newari people are famous for their interest in feasts and jatras. The food they prepare is highly delicious and praiseworthy. Sherpas are best known for their fearless attitudes and for their tolerance to cold.

Nepal is a place you must visit. The major places your must visit are describes as follows:

Ghandruk

 

Lower Mustang

Muktinath

Kagbeni

Kagbeni

Jomsom

Kagbeni

Muktinath Temple

Upper Mustang

 

 

Annapurna Base Camp

Everest Base Camp

Tom Hanks

American leading actor Tom Hanks has become one of the most popular stars in contemporary American cinema. Born July 9, 1956, in Concord, CA, Hanks spent much of his childhood moving about with his father, an itinerant cook, and continually attempting to cope with constantly changing schools, religions, and stepmothers. After settling in Oakland, CA, he began performing in high-school plays. He continued acting while attending Cal State, Sacramento, and left to pursue his vocation full-time. In 1978, Hanks went to find work in New York; while there he married actress/producer Samantha Lewes, whom he later divorced. Hanks debuted onscreen in the low-budget slasher movie He Knows You're Alone (1979). Shortly afterward he moved to Los Angeles and landed a co-starring role in the TV sitcom Bosom_Buddies; he also worked occasionally in other TV series such as Taxi and Family Ties, as well as in the TV movie Mazes and Monsters. Hanks finally became prominent when he starred opposite Daryl Hannah in the Disney comedy Splash!, which became the sleeper hit of 1984.

 Audiences were drawn to the lanky, curly headed actor's amiable, laid-back style and keen sense of comic timing. He went on to appear in a string of mostly unsuccessful comedies before starring in Big (1988), in which he gave a delightful performance as a child in a grown man's body. His 1990 film Bonfire of the Vanities was one of the biggest bombs of the year, but audiences seemed to forgive his lapse. In 1992, Hanks' star again rose when he played the outwardly disgusting, inwardly warm-hearted coach in Penny Marshall's A League of Their Own. This led to a starring role in the smash hit romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle (1993).

Although a fine comedic actor, Hanks earned critical respect and an even wider audience when he played a tormented AIDS-afflicted homosexual lawyer in the drama Philadelphia (1993) and won that year's Oscar for Best Actor. In 1994 he won again for his convincing portrait of the slow-witted but phenomenally lucky Forrest_Gump, and his success continued with the smash space epic Apollo 13 (1995). In 1996, Hanks tried his hand at screenwriting, directing, and starring in a feature: That Thing You Do!, an upbeat tale of a one-hit wonder group and their manager. The film was not particularly successful, unlike Hanks' next directing endeavor, the TV miniseries From Earth to the Moon. The series was nominated for and won a slew of awards, including a series of Emmys.

The success of this project was outdone by Hanks' next, Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1998). Ryan won vast critical acclaim and was nominated for 11 Oscars, including a Best Actor nomination for Hanks. The film won five, including a Best Director Oscar for Spielberg, but lost Best Picture to Shakespeare in Love, a slight that was to become the subject of controversy. No controversy surrounded Hanks' following film, Nora Ephron's You've Got Mail (1998), a romantic comedy that paired Hanks with his Sleepless co-star Meg Ryan. Although the film got mixed reviews, it was popular with filmgoers, and thus provided Hanks with another success to add to his resumé.


Even more success came soon after when Hanks took home the 2000 Golden Globes' Best Actor in a drama award for his portrayal of a shipwrecked FedEx systems engineer who learns the virtues of wasted time in Robert Zemeckis' Cast Away. Though absent from the silver screen in 2001, Hanks remained in the public eye with a role in the acclaimed HBO mini-series Band of Brothers as well as appearing in September 11 television special America: A Tribute to Heroes and the documentary Rescued From the Closet. Next teaming with American Beauty director Sam Mendes for the adaptation of Max Allan Collins graphic novel The Road to Perdition (subsequently inspired by the Japanese manga -Lone Wolf and Cub, the nice-guy star took a rare anti-hero role as a hitman (albiet an honorable and fairly respectable hitman) on the lam with his son (Tyler Hoechlin) after his son witnesses a murder. That same year, Hanks collaborated with director Spielberg again, starring opposite Leonardo Dicaprio in the hit crime-comedy Catch Me if You Can.

For the next two years, Hanks was essentially absent from movie screens, but in 2004 he emerged with three new projects: The Coen Brothers' The Lady Killers, yet another Spielberg helmed film, The Terminal, and The Polar Express, a family picture from Forrest Gump and Castaway director Robert Zemeckis. 2006 was a very active year for Hanks starting with an appearance at the Oscar telecast that talented lip-readers will remember for quite some time. In addition to helping produce the HBO Series Big Love, he scored a major international success by re-teaming with director Ron Howard for the big-screen adaptation of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code. His Playtone production company also had a hand in the animated feature The Ant Bully. That same year he filmed The Great Buck Howard co-starring his son Colin Hanks, and signed on to co-star with Julia Roberts in Mike Nichols' Charlie Wilson's War.

Tom Hanks with Oscar in his hands

Ranked by Empire Magazine as 17th out of "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" in October 1997, Hanks is married to actress Rita_Wilson, with whom he appeared in Volunteers (1985). The couple have two children in addition to Hanks' other two from his previous marriage. Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Aiptek Pocket Cinema V20

There's simply no competition for a portable Aiptek pocket cinema v20. Isn't it amazing that you can take it anywhere and watch movies and videos anywhere even if you travel far away from home? With its 2 GB  memory and 32 GB expandable memory it can act as a media player. The manufacturer claims that this projector can project a screen of up to 65 inches. Unlike its older sibling, which uses the conventional white LED as the light source, this one uses the newer RGB LED technology.

 The projector is bright enough to give you a decent 40–inch projection, but any larger would require a pitch dark room. The projector features a video player, MP3 player and a photo slideshow. The V20 can accept audio and video signals via a DVD player, media player or a camcorder using the composite AV input, while the VGA interface can connect to a computer or laptop. The VGA interface is not a standard D-sub, but actually quite similar to a mini-HDMI connector. So if the cable is lost or damaged, getting a replacement cable would be next to impossible.

The device is battery-operated using a 3.7 V 1700mAH battery, which lasts barely half an hour. It can also be powered via the bundled power adapter. Movies, photos and music can be transferred to the projector using the mini-USB port, which also charges the unit. File formats supported are JPG, MP3, MPEG4 and AVI, but video files have to be converted before transferring by using the ArcSoft MediaConverter software, which is bundled along with the product. The files take quite long for transcoding and the size of the files increases to almost four times the original size. For example, a 42 MB short film was converted to the required format for the projector and the final output size was 143 MB large. A single 700 MB DivX movie would fill up the built-in memory at 1.7 GB. Transferring the videos to the projector takes ages, with data transfer speeds that barely reach 3.3 MB/s.

The build quality of the PocketCinema V20 is way below average. The shell is rugged, but the overall feel of the product is of a typical “Chinese” product. The case is a black-brown plastic shell with a chrome plated layer around the body. The top face is glossy black and can be scratched very easily while handling and transportation. The top panel features a touch control panel, which is backlit using white LEDs. These consist of the menu, back and a D-Pad arrow keys. The interface is very sluggish and navigating the menu is very cumbersome.

Also featured above the control panel is a 0.5 Watt mono speaker for audio while watching movies or listening to music. But the audio output of this speaker is lower than a regular wristwatch speaker. You would need to connect headphones or an external audio amplifier to get a higher audio output using the AV-input jack which doubles up as an audio out jack. The front has the projection lens, which has a fixed lens, but a small rotary wheel on the side helps with focusing the screen very well. The projection lens does not have any lens cap or door, which makes it prone to dust and fingerprints. The rear features the mini-USB port, while the other side features an on/off switch and the MMC card reader slot. The bottom houses the battery, but the battery fits in very loosely and the retention lid is flimsy. A tripod mounting provision is available on the bottom to fix the projector to the bundled 6-inch mini tripod or any other conventional tripod.  

The V20 plays video files, photos and MP3s without any effort, but the projector gets pretty warm within a few minutes of turning it on. As we mentioned earlier, the battery lasts barely half an hour, and so the manufacturer has included power injectors in the VGA cable itself. These are two additional USB connectors that draw power from the laptop or the computer to keep the projector running for the whole show or presentation. The performance was very unsatisfactory. Though the images are sharp and focused, the color reproduction is a mess. As it uses RGB LEDs as its light source, the color banding of the three colors is noticeable. Green, red and black colors have very high saturation, which makes the video look completely unnatural. The contrast ratio gets better with a smaller throw distance, but as the distance increases, the colors and brightness are completely lost.

Another thing we witnessed is the absence of keystone adjustments. This makes it compulsory for the screen to be projected perpendicular to where it is placed. So if you need to project the screen onto a higher wall, the projector would need to be mounted on a really high tripod. The menu interface only has selections for audio, video and photo, apart from few settings for the projector. These include options for keyboard sensitivity, auto-off and a few more basic settings. While you play a movie from the memory card, the menu changes to offer you settings such as brightness, contrast and saturation, which are useless because the maximum change is of around 15 to 20 percent. The bundled remote control, which is the size of half a credit card, was completely useless too as it features the same functions as the control panel and can be operated only from the right side of the projector, which sports the IR receiver. Additionally, when the projector is connected to a VGA interface, the remote refuses to work.

Bundled along with the Aiptek PocketCinema V20 are VGA and composite cables, a power adapter, ArcSoft MediaConverter software, an IR remote control, a miniature tripod, a protective sleeve, and a zipper travel pouch. Considering the overall features, build quality and performance of the projector, the premium price of Rs 29,990 is not justifiable.

Verdict

The PocketCinema V20 from Aiptek ipriced at Rs. 29,990 and s a very handy gadget for marketing or sales professionals to conduct instant presentations while on the move. The projector is good enough only for text and photos, but if you are investing on this one for projecting movies, we would advise you to look elsewhere as the overall performance and features are underwhelming.

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Information Source: http://tech2.in.com

BendDesk

Bend desk is nowhere near other desks and different as well. For most people from many different disciplines a desk is the main workspace. A typical desk is composed of at least one or more vertical displays that show digital content and a larger horizontal area, containing input devices, such as mouse and keyboard, paper-based documents, and everyday objects. These two areas are clearly separated which makes it hard to move documents from one surface to the other. Furthermore, each area employs a different interaction technique. For example, we use the mouse for drawing on vertical displays but physical pens to annotate paper-based documents. BendDesk is our vision of a future workspace that allows continuous interaction between both areas.

BendDesk is a multi-touch desk environment that seamlessly combines a vertical and a horizontal surface with a curve into one large interactive workspace. This workspace can be used to display any digital content like documents, photos, or videos. Multi-touch technology allows the user to interact with the entire surface using direct manipulation and multi-touch gestures. We took special care for ergonomics. Users can comfortably sit at the desk and place everyday objects on it.

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Kymera Magic Wand

What great can it possibly be rather than the gadget that looks similar to a magic wand be used as a universal remote controller.Universal remotes are a dime a dozen and usually are overpriced.  They are also notorious for being excessively boring.  That is except for the massive ones meant to be a joke about someone’s age or being blind.  Instead of going with your usual gray remote control with too many buttons, you could go a slightly more magical route.  Instead of pushing buttons you could wave around your magic wand to make the channels change.

The Kymera Magic Wand is known for its unique motion sensing capacity that can be flicked up or down in order to change the channel.  If you need the volume up or down you turn it in a clockwise motion.  It has a total of 13 “magical functions” in order to perform actions on your TV.  The wand is battery powered and they’re kind enough to actually include the batteries for once. 
The Kymera Magic Wand is available from Think Geek for $89.99 (or in the UK at Firebox for £49.99)

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The Ultimate Gaming Chair

To improvise the gaming experience the gaming chair might play a very important role. With about 12 vibration motors throughout the chair that are synchronized with the games action, this gaming chair provides potential gamers an environment where they feel like they are part of a game. Seems to be a little cool . As far as sound goes, you can use your stock headphones from a MP3 player etc, or plug the chair into your home stereo system to get full surround sound. There are adjustable 3D stereo speakers built into the chair as well.


Any type of gaming accessory will probably work with the chair, including steering wheels and custom controllers.Comfort was definitely not overlooked when this chair was designed. It’s all leather material, has an adjustable headrest, leg rest, and even a beverage and remote controller holder. Oh, and I forgot to mention that this chair will give you a nice massage, too. Seriously.

Quite a few game consoles are compatible with the Ultimate Gaming Chair, including the PS2, Xbox, Gamecube, PC, Mac, PS1, and Xbox Live. For audio only, you can use all those and your iPod, DS, PSP, or generic MP3 player.Just to recap, you get a massage chair, beverage holder, stereo sound, vibrators synced to the game, and a remote holder. If you’re a serious gamer, price means nothing, but if you’re not, the $400 price tag might give you some second thoughts.

Into the wild

A movie about life, emotions, frustrations, love, sentiments, family, survival. In totality, an obvious winner of the hearts of people worldwide. After graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire life savings $24,000 account to a charity and starts his journey to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Starring Emily Hirsh in the Lead role, this movie is all about Christopher's Journey far away from his frustrations and family to Alaska. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.


CAST:

• Emile Hirsch as Christopher McCandless / "Alexander Supertramp"
• Marcia Gay Harden as Billie McCandless
• William Hurt as Walt McCandless
• Jena Malone as Carine McCandless
• Catherine Keener as Jan Burres
• Brian H. Dierker as Rainey
• Vince Vaughn as Wayne Westerberg
• Zach Galifianakis as Kevin
• Kristen Stewart as Tracy Tatro
• Hal Holbrook as Ron Franz
• Thure Lindhardt as Mads
• Signe Egholm Olsen as Sonja
• Jim Gallien as Himself
• Leonard Knight as Himself

Plot

In 1990, Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch), a college graduate from Emory University, rejects a materialist, conventional life, and his parents Walt (William Hurt) and Billie McCandless (Marcia Gay Harden), whom McCandless perceives as having betrayed him by entrapping him in a future of traditional lifestyle. It is shown that the family is rich but unloving. McCandless destroys all of his credit cards and identification documents, donates $24,000 (nearly his entire savings) to Oxfam, and sets out on a cross-country drive in his well-used but reliable Datsun toward his ultimate goal: Alaska, to experience life in the wilderness. However, McCandless does not tell his family nor his sister Carine (Jena Malone) what he is doing or where he is going and does not communicate with them thereafter, leaving them to become increasingly anxious and eventually desperate.


Along the way his automobile is caught in a flash flood and he abandons it to hitchhike instead, after burning what remains of his dwindling cash supply at the side of Lake Mead, Arizona. He then assumes a new name: Alexander Supertramp. Along his travels, he encounters a hippie couple, Jan Burres (Catherine Keener) and Rainey (Brian H. Dierker), with whom he forms a friendship. As McCandless continues his travels, he decides to work for a contract harvesting company owned by Wayne Westerberg (Vince Vaughn). However he is forced to leave after Westerberg is arrested for satellite piracy. McCandless then travels to the Colorado River and, though he is told by park rangers that he may not kayak down the river without a license, he ignores their warnings and paddles downriver, eventually all the way into Mexico. There his kayak is lost in a sandstorm, and he crosses back into the United States on foot. Unable to easily hitchhike, he starts traveling via freight train to Los Angeles. Not long after arriving, however, he starts feeling "corrupted" by modern civilization and decides to leave. Later, McCandless is forced to switch his traveling method back to hitchhiking after he is beaten brutally by a railroad bull.



McCandless then arrives at a hippie commune, Slab City, and encounters Jan and Rainey again. At the commune, he meets Tracy Tatro (Kristen Stewart), a teenage girl who is attracted to McCandless and flirts with him. After some time, McCandless decides to continue heading for Alaska, much to everyone's sadness. McCandless then encounters a retired man, Ron Franz (Hal Holbrook), in Salton City, California, who recounts the story of the loss of his family during his service in WW2. He now occupies his time in a workshop as an amateur leather worker. He teaches McCandless the art, resulting in the production of a belt summarising his travels, and ending in a letter "N" which he explains means "north", i.e. Alaska. After spending several months with Franz, McCandless decides to leave for Alaska and Franz takes him the first 100 miles and gives him camp and travel gear. On parting Franz offers to adopt McCandless as his grandchild, but McCandless tells him that they should discuss this after McCandless returns from Alaska, and Franz emotionally watches him depart.



Nearly two years after leaving his family, McCandless crosses a stream in a remote area of Alaska and sets up camp in an abandoned Fairbanks Transit bus which he encounters. Initially McCandless is exhilarated by the isolation, the beauty of nature around and the thrill of living off the land as the spring thaw arrives. He hunts wild animals with a .22 rifle, reads books, and keeps a diary of his thoughts. At first he is willing to make sacrifices, sparing the life of a female moose when he spots her offspring. However life becomes harder and he becomes less discerning; his supplies start to run out and although he kills a moose he does not know the correct process for smoking the meat; as a result it is all spoiled and infested with flies and maggots (on his journey he was specifically warned of this problem). He realizes that nature is also harsh and uncaring. Ultimately on his journey of self-discovery, he concludes that true happiness can only be found when shared, and in the pain of realization seeks to return from the wild to his friends and family.

However, to his despair, McCandless finds that the stream which he crossed in the snow has become wide, deep, and violent due to the thaw, and he cannot return. He is forced to return to the bus-shelter, but now as a prisoner. Having previously insisted on being self-sufficient he is no longer in control of his fate and can only hope for help from the outside.As his supplies run out, he is forced to gather and eat roots and plants. He has a book to help him to distinguish edible from inedible, but he confuses similar plants and becomes violently ill as a result. His book informs him that his mistake will cause him "starvation and death". He then slowly and painfully starves. In his final hours, he continues to document his process of self-realization and accepts his fate, as he imagines his friends and family for a final time, and writes a farewell to the world.



The epilogue states that two weeks after his death his body is found by moose hunters. The movie ends with a picture of him, found undeveloped in his camera from before he died (depicting an identical scene towards the end of the film). The epilogue also states that his sister carried his ashes from Alaska to the eastern seaboard by plane in her backpack.


Written by: Jon Krakauer
Directed and Screenplay by: Sean Penn

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