3-Movie-Marathon

It was after the exhibition presentation thing and we thought we should really indulge in something as a form of celebration (nevermind the consecutive submission dates in following weeks). Weee~ 41 and I went on a three movie marathon. We wanted to do four, but due to delay in printing Marketing creative brief, and taking a wrong turn on the way to Midvalley, we could only watch three.

So, movie reviews!

Up first, 'Letters to Juliet'. In picturesque Verona, the place where the famous Romeo and Juliet story was set, women flocked the place writing letters addressed to Juliet, spilling their hearts out. There's this group of women, known as Juliet's secretaries, that actually collect all these letters and answer them, offering advice and support. Against this backdrop, came Sophie, a New Yorker who's there on a pre-wedding honeymoon with her fiance. Since her fiance was too busy to bother spending anytime with her, Sophie was left to her own devices which ultimately led her to discover this group of people. While helping out, she discovered a letter kept hidden which was written fifty years ago by a woman. Of course, Sophie replied the letter not knowing if it's even going to reach the woman. And of course again, the letter reached the woman which prompted the old lady to Verona in search of her lost love together with her strapping grandson. It was hate at first sight between Sophie and the grandson yada yada they went in search together for the old lady's lost love all over Verona yada yada and then spark flew between Sophie and the dude... and it all ended rather predictably.

Final verdict, a really predictable storyline. But but but... I will recommend it for the expressive eyes of Amanda Seyfried (the girl in Mamma Mia), the rather cute looking grandson (he looked scrawny at first, but his looks do grow on you) and the beautiful beautiful city of Verona. I am going to put that place into my list of places to go.

Next up was 'Crossing Hennesy', a Hong Kong movie starring Jacky Cheung and Tang Wei (the girl in Lust Caution). Do not expect a straight forward contemporary love story. The relationship between the two leads grew subtlely and is criss-crossed with matters happening to people around them. It's as much a story about love as it is about family, past relationships and growing up (for a forty-one year old man). Truth be told, it was rather boring. I guess I was expecting a tear jerker like 'Echoes of the Rainbow' and was let down.

Lastly, we went for 'Shrek Forever After'. The first Shrek was pure genius. The second, fine, how bad could it be since the first one's that good. The third, pass. The only reason I watched the fourth was because it's the last one in the series, and it could be a good closure. Surprisingly, it was a really fun watch. I did not expect it to reach the heights of genius like the first, it did not, but it was a good and hilarious watch if you would just lie back and chill. I couldn't get over how stupid Shrek was for signing the deal with Rumplestiltskin though. It's just him being a complete fool to bring down so much trouble upon himself.

To end the day perfectly, I got myself two romance paperbacks from MPH. I've devoured the first one in a day and am halfway through the second one. It might seem as though I am very free but the truth is, I'm still slacking. Once the exhibition presentation was over, the fire in me simply extinguished.

Tomorrow. I'll start tomorrow. (hah... the curse of a procrastinator.)

*edit: Shiau Fong and Tingting joined for the last two movies. Tingting slept during Crossing Henessy while Shiau Fong... erm... while Shiau Fong refuse to eat the popcorn I intended to share with her. (additional edit required by Tingting =D)

Movies: You've Got Mail

I do not remember the last time I watched a romantic comedy and went 'awwww...... oh my God...' when the two leads finally get together in the end. I have not watched 'You've Got Mail' in ages. This is absolutely one of my favs and I am glad to be reminded why.

They don't make romantic comedies like this anymore. Let's take some recent ones shown as examples. 'Ugly Truth' concentrated too much on the sex jokes to remember that it's supposed to be romantic too. 'The Proposal' had two leads which I think have zero chemistry between them, and the whole feel of the movie just fell flat. 'Ghosts of Girlfriend Past' had some of it all, good leads, nice story, funny jokes, but the thing is, it's nowhere near memorable.

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks together is simply too good. There's this scene in the movie when Tom Hanks is supposed to finally meet Meg Ryan in a coffeeshop. But he stood her up upon realizing she's the girl he has been chatting online with. I used to think the reason for that is he got disappointed coz the girl he liked turned out to be the one he's always fighting with everytime they met. But watching this again after so long, I had a different point of view. He didn't back off coz he's disappointed in her. He backed off, coz he's afraid that she's going to be disappointed in knowing he is the online guy.

Maybe I was too young to realize all the little subtleties in the movie. But I am certainly enjoying and appreciating them now.

Movies: Departures

"Academy Award® Winner for Best Foreign Language Film of the year, "Departures" is a delightful and sensitive journey into the heartland of Japan and an astonishingly beautiful look at a sacred part of Japan's cultural heritage.

A premiere symphony orchestra in Tokyo disbands, leaving Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) suddenly unemployed. With wife Mika (Ryoko Hirosue) in tow, he moves back to his home town in the northeastern prefecture of Yamagata.

Spotting a Help Wanted ad featuring the word “departures,” he is excited about the prospect of trying a new career in the travel industry. The company owner, Sasaki (Tsutomu Yamazaki), hires him on the spot. Daigo finally ventures to ask what is involved, exactly, and is stunned to learn what he has gotten himself into: the ceremonial “encoffination” of corpses prior to cremation.

In desperate straits, Daigo overcomes his initial trepidation and begins to travel around Hirano with Sasaki. True to Sasaki’s expectations, Daigo develops a deep respect for life in all its variations, and a profound empathy for people trying to make peace with the finality of death.

Too embarrassed to tell his wife about his conversation-stopping profession and admit that he has fallen in love with the townsfolk, Daigo vainly tries to keep his new life secret. As their relationship hangs in the balance, the big question is how he’s going to react to surprising news she brings, as an encoffineer, as a husband, as a son and as a human being. It is Daigo’s turn to deal with life and death among the people who are dearest to him."

I do admit I was a little nervous about watching this film. From the beginning, I didn't know what it was about besides a story about a guy who works in a mortuary (in the end, it was not a mortuary, but an "encoffiner" - someone who cleanses and dresses corpses prior to cremation).

I figured my discomfort stemmed from a life long learning that death itself is a taboo. In my lifetime, I have been to funerals of relatives and strangers. Most of these ceremonies are filled with rituals and protocols. For Chinese (Buddhist/Taoist), when a body is lifted into the coffin or when the coffin is moved in any way, spectators have to turn their eyes away or turn their backs facing the scene. Everytime when something like this happened, there was this slight irrational fear that if I managed to sneak a peek, what would happen to me? Eternal bad luck?

I was in awe of the ceremonial “encoffination” of the Japanese portrayed in the movie. Their deep respect for the deceased moved me so much.

I haven't shed tears in a movie for a long time.

Movie: The Ugly Truth

Is it me, or am I talking a little too much about irony these days? I had these two FREE movie passes to the screening of "The Ugly Truth". The movie was good, but I have a feeling a major factor of it being good was due to the crowd in the cinema. Anyway, prior to the movie, I had dinner with Chia Yinn at Bubba Gump. It cost a freakin' bomb and far.. far.. far.. from being satisfying. There. The irony of the night.

And oh, since we spent so much on dinner itself and stuffed ourselves full on shrimps and nachos, I could only stare with longing at the pictures of desserts in the menu. I don't care.. will go back there for the dessert, if not the food.

Anyway, the main reason for this post: THE UGLY TRUTH

I was oh-so-fortunate to be blessed upon by Mr-busy-busy-but-still-got-time-to-win-tonnes-of-radio-contests-who-is-also-a-blogger. Thus two free passes to the movie.

I have wanted to watch this movie since I saw the trailer. Main reason: Gerald Butler (like, duh, hello?!). So utterly mesmerizing in Phantom of the Opera and incredibly charming though sounded kinda funny with the fake Irish accent (or was it real?) on P.S: I Love You. He looked pretty good with Katherine Heigl on screen. The trailer was just sizzling with the chemistry between these two.

I like the second poster. Goes to show how women rationalize love with the brain while to men, love is all about going down south.

The movie, was in truth, a disappointment. Take away the great crowd from the cinema, take away the willingness to simply enjoy the flick and put in those expectations from earlier, the movie was nothing to shout about. I can go into how I find Katherine Heigl's acting was a little too forced, how the jokes were not really that funny, and how this supposedly romantic chick flick was not romantic at all. But then again, what for?

I am not saying that the movie was a total flop. It did have its moments. The chemistry between the two leads, a delectable eye-candy who is destined to never get the girl, plus some sweet moments that though did not make the movie, but were good enough that they were there. Oh, and don't forget the fact that I laughed non-stop. The movie was only a disappointment in the romantic sappy sense.

Anyhow, it was a great night out. It was my first time seeing so many bloggers gathered at the same spot. My first time sitting in a couple seat (albeit with CY; her first time too, mind you, albeit with me). The first time I have seen CY ever since she dropped me off at my place when I first got into Damansara eons ago.

Ah... if only I could end the night with hot chocolate pudding with melted center served with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with caramel. Yum~

Movie: My Best Friend's Girl

Tadadadada~

Isn't it any wonder how I can still find time to go watch a movie? It's a stupid move but I enjoyed the movie tremendously. It's a chick flick starring Kate Hudson and Dane Cook. I watched it with Tzeyee and it was nice not having to make up excuses as to why we want to watch it. You know, normally when there is such a movie up the first thought would be to go buy the pirated version and keep the RM11 for a blockbuster or something that will do the big screen justice. Either that or you make up excuses why you wanna watch a chick flick, as if liking mushy movies showed you in a bad light or something. Those excuses being "I haven't watched anything light in a long time" or "I need something silly to release stress". Heck, watch it if you like it. You don't have to make up excuses. I am a chick flick lover. Guilty as charged. I'm glad to brush past all that and just watched it with Tzeyee whose only reason for it is that she liked Kate Hudson.

The synopsis of the movie is this: Tank earns some side money by being the rebound guy from hell. Guys who have recently being dumped by their girlfriends payed him to date their girlgriends. After showing those girls a date from hell by the rebound guy from hell, those girls will gratefully turn back to their boyfriends, who seemed to be great after a comparison to Tank. So, when Tank's cousin's profession of love to his girlfriend was blown off, he turned to Tank to make his girlfriend appreciate him more. Is there any need to say that Tank fell for that girl, Alexis? It's all in the chick flick package, cliches and all.

I didn't hold too much hope for this movie. I haven't watch a good romance in a long, long time. The last one I watched was Maid of Honour, and I dare say Best Friend's Girl is better. These two are not really romance flicks, for they are not in the least bit romantic. However, the thing that worked in BFG's favour is the jokes. They are dirty, crude, laugh-out-loud sex jokes. I believe it was this that made all the guys in the cinema laughed. One more thing, I have never encountered such a loud crowd in a cinema. Seriously, everyone laughed so much at this movie.

If you're there to watch Kate Hudson, be ready to be disappointed coz there's not much of her. Though she's the female lead, the story was heaped heavily on Dane Cook, who looked so old and haggard at the beginning (which made me wish that he's not the lead) but once I got used to looking at him, really rather handsome and charming (which made me frantically take back that wish).

However, due to it's sexual language and content, a lot of scenes have been cut. I can't wait to get my hands on a "cheaper" un-cut version. So if you just wanna have a good laugh or you're just into chick flicks, I believe this one is a good choice. But please, don't expect anything romantic.


That done, let's look at my progress so far. Read it only if you wanna be tainted by my negativity. IF you're feeling all bubbly and looking forward to the day, skip it. Don't wanna spoil your day.

Omg~ it is already Nov 2. I'm so sick of all the assignments. To think that I have to keep doing them just makes me feel like puking. It is not easy at all to pull them all through the "Done & Dusted" gate of bliss. I still have some final-and-never-gonna-finish details on the packaging. The more mistakes that crop up just made me feeling like throwing up my hands and scream "You Win!!" and chunkig those stupid laminated card boards into the pile of rubbish that is accumulating at the coner of my room. Plus, I have a newsletter which I have no idea where it's gonna go! It's supposed to be easy. Last but not least, the stupid typography thing. Not hard. At all. I don't know why I'm bitching about it here. Quoting Evelyn: I'm scared but unmotivated. I hate this feeling. However, I'm not exactly scared. Just demotivated. And frustrated. This always happen when the end of sem is near. You want it to end so much and yet, time seemed to just drag. OR maybe it's the pace in which you work that is dragging, but time flies.

Really. I have to stop. I know I am already better off than a lot of people. I'm supposed to have polished it all off my working table now. Just a little bit more. Just a lil' itsy bitsy more. Hang in there!!

Drama Review: I'm Sorry I Love You

First off, I want to say this to Tze Yee, "I'm sorry, I love you."

I'm sorry is because for doubting you everytime when you said that this drama is very good. I love you for giving me this drama to watch.

Oh man, this drama is so good! Maybe on the outside, it seemed like just any Korean tear jerker with the supporting actor being better looking than the lead. But just being quarter of the way into it, I was already entranced by the storyline and the lead actor, So Ji Sup. Haha.. me knowing the name of a Korean actor is a big lead into how much I love that person. The only other actor whose name I bothered remembering was Kwong Sang Wu (correct spelling, I think), whom I was introduced to in Stairway to Heaven, another of my favourite Korean drama.

This was my third attempt in watching this. The first time I watched like maybe five minutes and felt the chinese sub was too tiring to follow, so I gave up. The second time, I watched the ten minutes in the beginning, couldn't figure out what the story was about, then gave up. The third time, I finished the first episode, thought it was nothing special and didn't like the Australia setting that much. To get an idea on the story, I searched for it online. Got to Wikipedia and read the whole story plus ending. You can say that the ending was spoilt for me but it didn't detract any of the drama's appeal.

So, a very basic understanding of the story. Please bear in mind that the spelling for the names are not totally correct. The lead, was Mu Hyeok, or something like that, a guy who was abandoned as a baby. He went into a foster family in Australia but then ran away from that place. From then on, he sort of grew up into a thug on the streets, cheating tourists and doing all sorts of low stuff. In episode one, he met this girl, Yin Chai (haha, mandarin pin yin), who was the assistant to a Korean singer, Yun (this have to be right!). She and Yun were childhood friends and she had fallen in love with him without him knowing. Anyway, something happened to Yin Chai and Mu Hyeok helped her. This set the introduction of the two leads.

Mu Hyeok had a girlfriend who was getting married to a rich man. At her wedding, the rich man's enemy ordered sent an assassin. Amidst the gun fire, to save his girlfriend, Mu Hyeok shielded her and got shot in the head. He was lucky to survive but a bullet was lodged in his brain. It was told that at the most, he had a year to live. Driven by remorse, his girlfriend gave him money and asked him to return to Korea to look for his brith mother and not just die on the streets.

Upon returning to Korea, he found out that his birth mother was not a poor woman forced to abandon him as a baby. His mother was actually a wealthy woman and has a singer son, who was Yun. Mu Hyeok got very bitter at this discovery and plotted to revenge against this woman who was his mother.

That is the basis of the story.

The pace might be slow but you just don't get bored watching it. So Ji Sup was a very good actor, able to cry at a whim. I think this is probably one of the requirements for Korean actors, to cry. But the thing that made me really admire him was the energy he portrayed in those explosive scenes. When he was angry or hurt, you can actually feel it along with him.

I simply love this movie. I only did cry a bit at the last part. In the end, all the characters simply endeared you to them. This was another worthy thing to note. Some of the charcters may seem stereotypical at first but as the story evolved, you see their change and that made the story richer.

Love, love, love this movie! One of the reasonsthat deterred me from my assignments. :P

p.s: To Hooi Fong, you remembered when I asked you if this drama was good in MSN? Though you haven't watched it you commented that So Ji Sup was not good looking. I guess this was one of the reasons you haven't watch this? Well, he might not be handsome, but he is certainly attractive!! Watch this, watch this, and I dare you to disagree with me, haha...

Movie Review: Mamma Mia!

My Gosh!

I haven't watch such a happy movie in a very, very long time. What would have made the experience even better will be watching this with fellow tc09ers.

Guys, if you're reading this post, you would have remembered the late night chat we had on MSN. It was such a rare thing for all of us to gather online at the same time (minus Ms. Ong, who had her TGIF and couldn't be bothered with us). I had such fun talking about trivial stuff like make ups, catching up on songs and movies, best of all, drilling you-know-who on her new love. Rui must be ecstatic to hand over the hot seat to the poor new victim. Consider yourself lucky, you-know-who, I doubt we gave it our all that night. Haha..

I guess watching the movie after having the virtual gathering was what made me connect to the movie so much.

Okay, a brief background update on this. I think, without a doubt, many will recognize this as the on-screen reproduction on the famous broadway hit. Yes, go into the cinema expecting them to break out into songs and dances, so if you're caught unaware, please stop the groanings that will spoil the movie for other musical lovers, such as your faithful here. The movie began with a girl, Sophie, sending out three letters to three different men who might be her father. She wanted to meet them to find out who her real father is so that he can give her away on her wedding. This gave a shock to her mother Donna, who didn't expect three of her past lovers appear at her doorstep, or goat house, if you're very particular about the details. This is a movie on relationships and loves. Love between a mother and daughter, between age old friends and lovers.

I love this movie. Prior to it, I read from Kookie Jar that Pierce Brosnan couldn't sing to save his life. Evelyn confirmed by saying though he didn't neccessarily have the voice, he sure do have the Bond charisma to make up for. It came as a no wonder that I was dreading the moment Pierce Brosnan will open his mouth to sing. And when it came, though nothing to go excited about, I thought it was okay. Not very, very bad. But not bad. And he did look good on screen.

Evelyn also warned me that one will have the tendency to sing along in the movie for the songs are recognizable. Spot on, Eve! I wanted to sing out loud so much, thanks to the English subtitles at the bottom that to me, made the big screen seemed like karaoke in Red Box.

Love the songs. Love, love, love the songs. Though the way those back ups seemed to crop out and the dancing looked corny, the songs were the best!

The whole movie was so beautiful. The location, the seas, and rocky cliffs. The location they chose where to hold the wedding was so breath taking and romantic. It made me day dreamed that if I were to marry one day, I'd like a ceremony at just such a place. And then I thought of all the old aunties and uncles I had to invite and doubted they could make the climb up. Oh, well.

As mentioned, this movie was made so much better for it reminded me of the friendships back home. Sophie herself had two best friends who came especially for her wedding. Her mom, Donna, had also two old best friends who she asked to come for the wedding. The way they reunited and talked about the past and the easy caramaderie made me miss my friends back home so much! All those gigglings, teasings and crazy singing out loud remind me of you girls.

Hooi Fong, Adrienne, Kang Rui, Evelyn and Chia Yinn (ms ong, when i said singing out loud, i meant you). Yes. You girls.

Another thing that moved me was the love between mother and daughter. This reminded me of my mom. Dank... I'm too home sicked for my own good.

I laughed from the beginning till the end. I enjoyed every corny dance, sang along in my mind to every song, feast my eyes on every setting and left the cinema with a warm feeling despite the cold in the cinema.

Is this movie recommended? You bet it is!

p.s: Xiao Lu er watched this with me. She thought the whole thing was boring. I guess this is another reason why I miss the company I missed. :)

Movie Review: Jodhaa Akbhar

When I was doing my research for which historical queens to feature in my packaging, I came a cross this Bollywood movie. It is a historical depiction of a Muslim Mughal Emperor who is to marry a Hindu Rajput Princess. Back then, it was a big controversy for a muslim to marry a hindu, especially for the emperor. It is a marriage of alliance. Hritik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai starred in the roles of the Emperor and Princess respectively.

My lecturer told me to do a research on Jodhaa Akhbar for it is reputed that she contributes a lot to her husband's kingdom. Thankfully I really did dig further, and only then did I find out that this story is largely mythical. The movie itself is like the typical Bollywood romance and didn't exactly touch a lot on the historical aspect.

I love Hritik Roshan. He's so good looking. I especially enjoyed watching him in this movie. Another thing I loved are the costumes and posters. Just look at the costume Aishwarya Rai is wearing. It's so elaborate and detailed. The posters are designed very attractively. I especially love the colours and how dramatic everything looked.

The movie was four hour long. I watched it in a span of two weeks. I watched one vcd a day, taking long breaks in between. I guess this is one of the problem of the movie. There is no rush for me to get back to it quickly. Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed the attraction between this two main characters.

Besides the relationship between the emperor and princess, there is really nothing much worth noting in this movie. The way the emperor being depicted was too ideal. I guess he is honourable to a point where it is a bit hard to swallow.

In terms of Bollywood film, this is certainly not one of the best. But it definitely is a good eye candy to feast upon Hritik Roshan. Haha...


p.s.: Hooi Fong, if you're reading this, I know you're itching to borrow the VCD, hehe..

Movie Review: Painted Skin

I watched "Painted Skin" today with Xiao Lu er.

I heard the review on 8tv quickie . It was said that the film is one of the most horrifying films of the the year. Being a sucker for good reviews, I was really fired up to watch this film. Donnie Yen in the starring role only made me want to watch this all the more. I thought he was fantastic in that kung fu film, dragon tiger something.

Xiao Lu er was not keen on watching this. She did not like the idea of watching horror movies at night. Furthermore, she was bored by all these movies by China which constantly ran around the same style. Anyway, I managed to persuade her to go watch it with me (nevermind the fact that there are limited choices in the Mines TGV).

This story was one of many in "Liao Zai" (I have no idea if this is the correct pin yin), a Chinese compilation of stories regarding the supernatural. Basically it was about this female demon who wore a skin and needed to eat human heart to prevent the skin from rotting.

Not that I had very high expectations on this. The film didn't disappoint but it didn't leave me in awe either. There's nothing horrifying about the movie at all. In fact, it seemed more like a romance drama. I was kind of let down not seeing Donnie Yen in some high flying kung fu stunts. Plus, he was not really the main character. The title role went to Zhao Wei, who acted really well.

The make up of the ladies in this film were very light. They all appeared to look pale yet attractive. Maybe it was due to me just finishing my photography assignments, I really appreciated the different angle shots here. Some of the scenes were beautifully shot.

Considering this being a Chinese film, I was elated to find that there was no artsy fartsy nonsense here. Nothing such as long quiet still moments all in the name of art though I would prefer a faster pace.

I had a good time watching this. Not bad but still left a lot to be desired.