another earth

WHAT IF the world suddenly replicates itself, that somewhere out there is another you?

they're killing us

…that one time when you saw a film that made you so angry, more so at yourself for feeling so inadequate because you can’t do anything about it, that there is an illusion that it’s already a thing of the past, irrelevant, when in fact it is not. As if freedom is only a trick of light - to be free, but in truth you’re paralyzed.

the perks of watching "perks"

I REALLY THINK there are books that are not supposed to be adapted into films, that there are stories that speak most loudly within the silent confines of the written word, and I thought "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky was one of them,

...that is until I watched it and walked away from the theater with a stupid grin.

'Perks,' the book, is a very simple read written in a minimalist style. You can read it in one sitting. The story is simple - a coming-of-age story where the protagonist, Charlie, a very shy 15-year-old, tries to find himself in the hostile social climate of his first year in high school...and then he met friends who let him in (Surprise! Surprise!) The concept is not that original. We have read about it, watched about it (like a lot), but what makes this particular story really special?

This book's strength lies in sentimentality. It is a very intimate and personal read, and if you're a shy and socially awkward guy or girl, you could easily identify with Charlie's character from the very first lines alone. I know I did. There are these big ideas, crucial even, that are delivered in a simple, straight-forward way, and how a confused teenager would muse them. It somehow reminds me of the things I used to muse about when I was growing up; back to the time before the advent of the internet, to the world of mix tapes, handwritten letters, and 90's love songs. I made a list of the books Charlie was reading and currently building up a Charlie playlist (Asleep by the Smiths and Landslide by Fleetwood Mac are my favorites).  Funny, sometimes dark, and full of heart, 'Perks' is one of those books you wish you have read back in the times of your youth.

Now that it is now translated into a film, it's impossible not to compare the two media. Fortunately, I am done with my "book purist" phase, so the risk of being disappointed has gone down.

One thing that worked for this film was the screenplay, and there was no better person to write it for the big screen than the author itself, Stephen. Being a movie buff, I do think the greatest movies are the ones that were directed and written by the same person, Dancer in the Dark (2000) by Lars von Trier and Memento (2000) by Christopher Nolan to name a few. I think the novel being an epistolary and its simplistic style gave Stephen a breathing space to work with, like the story now could breathe in film - the pieces left to the imagination are projected before your eyes.

Chbosky's characters are so colorful, and full of personality. The main cast really did a great job. But one of them really stood out - Patrick (Ezra Miller). He is simply epic! Who would've thought he was the same psycho kid from Let's Talk About Kevin (2011) and made Tilda Swinton's life a living hell? In the book, he was very subtle as a gay character, but in this movie, he was gayest as can be! He's a very versatile actor. Let's now talk about her sister. I WANT TO talk about Sam, played by Emma Watson. :) I am very thankful that she played the role; otherwise, I would've just resorted to waiting for a decent download. The first time she appeared on the screen, I swear I was grinning from ear-to-ear, teeth reflecting light from the screen. Anyway, watching her movies as the witty, beautiful witch Hermione in the Harry Potter films, and seeing her now taking on a different role (without an English accent!), I think she has really matured in her craft. Logan Lerman (Charlie), at the other end, really redeemed himself with this one after that 'Lightning Thief' stint. I have read from somewhere that he actually locked himself in his room for weeks to get an idea of what's it like being 'alone.' And it was worth it. He gave a brilliant performance. The "snow angel" scene was powerful. It takes only a few frames, but the way he spread his arms and how pain was etched on his face...I really felt like he wanted to escape, to disappear.

I am very particular with music, especially with films. Music is a form of art more potent when set along brilliant photography. The tunnel scene was beautifully shot. But there is one scene, at the party when he was hallucinating (?), when everything appeared psychedelic. I like how the music and the pace of the images lengthened and stretched the moment. I somehow doubt that that is how it feels like or looks like, being drugged. Michael Brook's score is post-rocky. Post-rock is a beautiful genre of music. Here is the track list for the OST. Will someone leak this already!? This soundtrack makes you really nostalgic.  

1. The Samples - Could It Be Another Change

2. Dexys Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen

3. Galaxie 500 - Tugboat

4. New Order - Temptation

5. The Innocence Mission - Evensong

6. The Smiths - Asleep

7. Cracker - Low

8. Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot

9. XTC - Dear God

10. Cocteau Twins - Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops

11. Michael Brook - Charlie's Last Letter

12. David Bowie – Heroes.

Anyway, this film is feel-good and awesome and all, but if I were the director I would've made a few changes: (1) I would've cut the last few frames and let it all end with Charlie, arms outstretched at the tunnel at the crescendo of Michael Brook's last score. It would've been much better if the screen went dark and your lungs are filled with air...and then you exhale. (2) Too many kisses, especially between Sam and Charlie. It somehow diminishes the significance of their first kiss.

I think that's all about it  Whew. It feels good to let it all out of my system. 'Perks' garnered an 80% Certified Fresh rating in Rotten Tomatoes :) I really don't recommend this. Haha.

a kamikaze's letter

“As I write this letter, the ocean breeze feels cool on my skin; the very ocean is soon to be my grave. They tell me I will die a hero; that the safety and honor of my country will be the reward for my sacrifice. I pray they are right. My only regret in life is never telling you how I feel. I wish I were back home. I wish I were holding your hand. I wish I were telling you that I have loved you and only you since I was a boy. But I am not. I see now that death is easy. It is love that is hard. As my plane dives, I will not see the face of my enemies. I will only, instead, see your eyes, like black rocks frozen in rain water. They tell us that we must scream, “Banzai” as we plunge into our target. I will instead whisper your name and in death, as in life, I will remain forever yours."


- Hiroshi, Restless (2011)

i'm here

I REMEMBER when I first watched this, I could actually feel my heart breaking inside my chest. Love sometimes may appear stupid or irrational, but if you're living in a place like what Spike Jonze had conjured; a world where everything is bound to be broken beyond repair, to love is a risk more worth taking.

 

I'm Here premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival to great critical acclaim.
.

this is it. are you ready?

I am expecting a finale that will rival Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Am I expecting too much? :P

Nonetheless, Harry Potter will go down in my book as one of the best series translated on the big screen. It would be really bittersweet to walk out of the cinema after watching this. But I guess, there is still the Wizarding World in Universal Studios-Orlando to cheer me up--my very last Potter frontier.

a robot lovestory

Francesca: Do not do that!

Sheldon: I'm gonna do it!

Francesca: NO DON'T!

Sheldon: I'M GONNA DO IT!!

Francesca: I'm not asking for this.

Sheldon: Okay.

Francesca: Don't I have a choice?

Sheldon: No, you don't. Because I had a dream last night and in my dream, you needed a leg and everyone in the dream was trying to give you that leg but I really wanted you to have mine. In my dream, you picked my leg. You made me so happy. It was the best dream in the history of dreams.

Spike Jonze's I'm Here (2010) is a 30-minute short about the love story between two robots- the timid Sheldon (Andrew Garfield) who works in a library and the cool, free-spirited Francesca (Sienna Guillory). Set in a universe where humans and robots coexist, I'm Here is a bittersweet testimony of how love works within the fragility of life; in a world where everything is bound to be broken. It is a tender portrayal of sacrifice and boundless courage for love despite impossible circumstances. For in the end, love is what you take home with you.

The song There Are many Of Us by Aska Matsumiya just perfectly captures the sweet melancholic essence of the film, along with a very delectable sountrack which includes artists like Sleigh Bells, Gui Boratto, Christopher Owens, and The Lost Trees.

I love short films because they are short. Downside is, they're very hard to find since most of them rarely makes the mainstream media. I am glad I stumbled upon this one. Heart-breaking, and hopeful, I'm Here is a neat slice of love captured in film. It's the best robot love story ever... :)

and the Oscar goes to...

The time to give out naked golden statues to writers, directors, and actors of the outstanding films of the past year has finally arrived. And much to everyone's surprise, Tom Hooper's The King's Speech bagged the award for Best Picture. It's quite unexpected but this particular film is as potent as it is passive. It might look boring to some eyes, but its strength greatly stands on brilliant acting. And what an ensemble to make up this film with the triumvirate of Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham-Carter.

The King's Speech is an autobiographical account of King George VII (who struggles with a speech disorder brought by trauma he acquired from childhood) and his relationship with his speech therapist, Lionel Logue. With the support of his wife, the king braves the paramount responsibility of leading his country that sits at the dawn of World War II. The King's Speech garnered a 95% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

I stayed up all night watching the Red Carpet coverage till the end of the main ceremony. It was too darn long, but watching an Oscar awards night has always been fun. It's my goal to watch all nominated films (I failed as usual) and it's thrilling to know who gets what. By the way, what are your thoughts about this years Oscars? Well for me, it's really entertaining in general except for the hosts maybe. I love James Franco's performance in 127 Hours but he sucks at hosting (the drag costume was pathetic), and Anne Hathaway didn't help either. If it weren't for the comical presenters (The old man with a cane was epic!), the night would've been dull.

The opening of the night was really entertaining as it featured a video clip presented mostly in an Inception parody. I was laughing my ass off watching this clip. Best Oscar opening ever!

The event also showcased auto-tuned scenes from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 1, Toy Story 3, The Social Network, and Eclipse. My favorite was Tiny Ball of Light by Ron and Hermione, and He Doesn't Own A Shirt by Bella, Edward, and Jacob. :P

One aspect of the Oscars I always look forward to is the stage, and I am pretty impressed with what they've done this year. I'm not sure if they used tons of LCD screens but I think they opted to use 3D projectors like the ones in this year's Grammys. It's visually stimulating and elegant. I liked the way they included tribute to iconic movies in the presentation process. I got excited when I saw a significantly enlarged Heart of the Ocean gracefully sinking down the sea with the Titanic theme in the background. The Lord of the Rings tribute was simply arresting especially with Cate Blanchett presenting the award.

Here is the complete list winners.

THE KINGS SPEECH

Best Picture

Best Actor - Colin Firth. I was silently hoping that Jesse Eisenberg would win, but it's a long shot, especially if against a veteran and brilliant actor like Colin Firth.

Best Director - Tom Hooper. I was rooting for Darren Aronofsky. But what the hell! I love this film too.

Best Original Screenplay - David Seidler. Chris Nolan should've won this award. His story is the most original and way out of the box. No. Nolan doesn't have a box.

INCEPTION

Best Cinematography - Wally Pfister

Best Visual Effects - Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley & Peter Bebb

Best Sound Mixing - Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo & Ed Novick

Best Sound Editing - Richard King

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Best Adapted Screenplay - Aaron Sorkin

Best Original Score - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. What happened to Hans Zimmer people?!

Best Film Editing - Angus Wall & Kirk Baxter

THE FIGHTER

I am discouraged to watch this because of the boxing thing. But I think I should see this.

Best Supporting Actress - Melissa Leo

Best Supporting Actor - Christian Bale

TOY STORY 3

Best Animated Feature Film. Very well deserved. I was fighting off tears watching this. I think it's the most moving animated film I've seen. The melancholic aspect of this movie is reminiscent to that of Up (2009). Great job, Pixar!

Best Original Song - We Belong Together - Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman. This was a very surprising outcome. I was almost sure that 'I See The Light' from Tangled would win. Anyway, I was looking forward to see Chuck sing and he didn't disappoint. He's a really good singer but I'm not digging the hairstyle though. He looks weird without his curly hair. Actually, the hair reminded me of Simon! Another highlight of the event for me, was when Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, performed 'I Will Rise' from 127 Hours, instead of Dido. Her song 'Cosmic Love' made her a breakthrough artist and I just love her eccentric personality and haunting voice. She should hang out with Imogen Heap. :P

ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

I hate this movie. Helena Bonham-Cater is the main reason why I decided to watch this movie. Off with his head!!! Haha!

Best Art Direction - Robert Stromberg (Production Design), Karen O'Hara (Set Decoration)

Best Costume Design - Colleen Atwood

BLACK SWAN

Best Actress - Natalie Portman. An obvious winner, but I am quite surprised that this film only won a single award.

THE WOLFMAN

Best Makeup - Rick Baker & Dave Elsey. Poor, Harry Potter. The end has come yet still no Oscar for you.

IN A BETTER WORLD (Denmark)

Best Foreign Language Film. I was rooting for Biutiful. But I'd like to see this one.

INSIDE JOB
Best Documentary Feature. Too bad Banksy didn't win. I was hoping that if he did, he would accept the award personally, sleeked-up with his mask and all. Hehe. I guess Inside Job is more controversial and impactful.

GOD OF LOVE.

I love shorts, because they're short. Downside is, they're very hard to find.

Best Short Film (Live Action) - Luke Matheny.

STRANGERS NO MORE
Best Documentary (Short Subject)

THE LOST THING
Best Short Film (Animated) - Shaun Tan & Andrew Ruhemann

Truly, it was another great year in film. I'm really hoping for better films this 2011 especially with Norwegian Wood, Restless, and Deathly Hallows, Part 2 in line :)

another 'little miss sunshine'

Elissa Down's The Black Balloon (2009) is a heart-warming and tender portrayal of a family struggling to deal with autism. The story centers on Thomas and his relationship with his autistic brother, Charlie. Thomas embarks in an emotional journey when he meets, Jacky, while dealing with the pent up frustrations toward his brother and the crisis his family is going through.

If you're a fan of Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and the very recent The Kids Are All Right (2010), you'll have no problem liking this one. I think it's a little more melancholic than the two, but the core essence is pretty much the same. The witty blend of comedy and drama will take you in an emotional roller coaster, and leaves you with that familiar fuzzy warm feeling in the end.

Can't Unsee: The large eyes and hairstyle of Jacky, Thomas' girlfriend in the film, remind me of Amanda Seyfried. Hehe! Anyway, The Black Balloon received a 90% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

i took the exit through the gift shop

Exit Through The Gift Shop (2010) is a documentary directed by the well-known and very elusive graffiti artist, Banksy. Hilarious and informative, the film gives a firsthand look into the underground world of the movement known as street art and aims to validate it as a legitimate artform. It garnered a 98% rating in Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

The film centers on Thierry Guetta, a French immigrant who has an obsession of carrying a handheld camera wherever he goes. A series of events led him to some world-renowned street artists such as Invader and Shephard Fairey and many others who thrive in danger of expressing their passion for their craft. But Thierry finds a new obsession when he met Banksy.

Banksy is a British political activist and painter, infamous for his satirical street art and subversive epigrams that combines with dark humor and crafted using distinctive stenciling technique. His true identity is still unknown till today. His face is blurred and voice altered throughout the movie.

What I love about Banksy's film besides the amazing craftwork from some of the world's finest street artists, is how it manages to conjure humor and yet brings up intellectual questions regarding the true nature of art; What could be considered art and what is not? In a way, the film takes the audience to that fine blurred line and let them decide for themselves...

Exit Through The Gift Shop is nominated in this year's Oscar for Best Documentary Feature together with its rival Waste Land (2010) which also deals with art. I hope Banksy wins because that would be really interesting. I mean, would he personally receive the award if he wins?

I got all the photos from Banky's site. I encourage you to visit to see more of his works.

awk-berg!

If you haven't seen David Fincher's critically acclaimed film, The Social Network (2010), you should (and probably see Facebook in a whole new light :P Well, I did!). It's definitely one of the best films of the year and its Oscar nomination and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture were well-deserved. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a whooping 97% rating.

Jesse Eisenberg, who plays the role of Mark Zuckerberg in the film, gave a breakthrough performance even though the external feel of his acting didn't change. probably because of the type of the character he's playing-- the geeky, unassuming, and innately hilarious. No wonder he's always compared with Michael Cera. I like geeky characters... because they simply rock! :P

But what would happen if Mark Zuckerberg meets the REAL Mark Zuckerberg? Jesse Eisenberg's monologue in this Saturday Night Live episode is just epic!

nick's poetry

Nicholas walked along the aisle, his footsteps bouncing off the silence of the room tainted with murmurs from his classmates. He was hesitant of course to share what's he's written. They wouldn't understand. Not those idiots. But still he walked forward, faced the class and sat on the teacher's table. He took a breath and opened his mouth...

Day burns down to night,

Burns the edge of my soul

In the night I break into sparks of suns

And becomes fire and the dust of bones

Night knifes my breaths,

Swallows whole my tongue

Turn back

Reverse

Return

In the night I see the real

Concealed in the day's bright lie

Eyes stitched shut

White teeth smile

Sleep walks and talks

And feet mark time to the drumless beat.

---

I couldn't take much off of the movie The Invisible (2007) by David Goyer except for this haunting piece of poetry and Deathcab For Cutie's I'll Follow You Into The Dark in its soundtrack.

my top 3 nolan films

The nominations for this year's Oscars just got out very recently,

and I was really incredulous that Christopher Nolan got snubbed for Best Directing...again! Just to refresh your memory, Nolan is the director and screenwriter of Inception (2010) and The Dark Knight (2008) just to name a few. He is one of my favorite screenwriters/directors along with Gus Van Sant (Elephant, 2003) and Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 2004). Christopher Nolan is well-known for his films' non-linear sequencing of events and fragmented storyline, which could be quite mentally demanding, but guaranteed to be intellectually satisfying and enthralling. If you're a fan of the series Lost with its flash-forwards, flashbacks, and flash-sideways as motifs, you'd know what I am talking about. It's like you're encouraged to discover the story on your own, like solving a bizaare puzzle. And everytime you watch his films, it's likely that you'd discover new things in it. He deals with the psychological and mental potential of a film, always engaging and out-of-the-box. I haven't watched all his films yet but I am starting to get the trend. He has this fascination with time-twisting, and the world he creates somehow revolves around some rules or guidelines that give the the story a cohesive structure. And very shocking twists too! Anyway, here's my top 3 films from this genius of a writer and director:

3. Following (1998)

This film is in black and white. I know what you're thinking, but trust me. This is the first black and white I've seen in the modern era and I loved every second of it. The monochromatic tone actually sharpens the mysterious feel of the whole film. This is about the story of Bill, a frustrated writer who follows random people (shadowing as he calls it) to develop his characters. But things start to unravel when he decided to follow a man, who turns out to be a burglar named Cobb. Why does that name sounds familiar? :P It got a 78% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

2. Inception (2010)

This is a mix of everything, from Freud to Occlumency to Matrix! What's mentally demanding about this film are the complex and intricate rules that govern the dream state, but they are also the ones that made this movie so fascinating. It's strength lies in the whole idea of it-- the smart, innovative concept. The stunning visual effects is just the tip of the iceberg. This is the best dystopian/sci-fi film I've seen in years. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 86% rating.

1. Memento (2000)

This film is the one that catapulted Nolan to where he is right now. The film tells the story of Leonard, a former insurance adjuster suffering from antegrade amnesia, a condition preventing him from making new memories. With the aid of a man claiming to be his friend, a barmaid, his tattoos, polaroid photos, and notes, he hunts down the man who killed his wife. So how can you find someone if you can't make new memories? What's really cool about Memento though is that the plot is divided into two parts: One is moving backwards, while the other moves forwards, both eventually meeting at the middle. So basically, the middle is the end. Pretty cool eh? And "Ditto" says Rotten Tomatoes with a whooping 96% on its Tomatometer.

I'm planning to watch Insomnia (2002), review The Prestige (2006) and try to find some of his shorts. So...who's you favorite director?

snow white, the prince, and the two squids

I am now really starting to like Thai cinema, especially their romantic flicks. Some storylines maybe quite simple but are very compound in terms of their emotional aspects, just like the movie I recently watched, A Crazy Little Thing Called...Love (2010) by Puttipong Pormsaka and Wadin Pokpong. I know. The title is unbearably cheesy and so sweet to the point that it could actually hurt your teeth, but the substance is really quite moving. The tender, innocent, and melancholic tone with a sprinkle of teen humor could really make you smile, laugh and cry. Well, the story is really easy to relate to. I'm sure most of you still remember the first time you fell in love, right?

The movie tells the story of Nam, an ugly junior high school student who has a huge crush on Shone, an artist and a football player in their school. High-spirited Nam is willing to do everything to win the heart of Shone-- a feat that would challenge her identity and the bonds of friendship she'd made, which in the end, all part of the process of understanding what love really means.

Needless to say, this film's nothing short of nostalgic. It really brought me back to the memory of my high school days and that feeling of falling in love for the first time. Oh, the good old torpedo days! :P I could really relate to Shone, not because of his good looks or coolness

(I had nothing of those!) but the excruciating pain of really liking someone and for some dumb reason, you can't express it. I remember the awkwardness that lingers in the air whenever I'm with her, the sick stomach, the racing pulse firing my neurons into pure, warm, unadulterated bliss tainted by confused anxiety. I kinda miss that. And what's incredible is how it clings on you. It's impervious to the disintegration of time, lasting and persistent. I guess, that's how young love really is...

A shout-out to Billy for sharing this movie. I really tried hard to scour the Internet for clearer downloads but I end up unsurprisingly in You Tube. Click here for the links :) I really do hope you enjoy it too.

UPDATE: Found a DVDrip of this film. Download it here and its English subtitle here.

lesbians, laser, and the uptight girl

The Kids Are All Right (2010) tells the story of two middle-aged women in a gay relationship and their teen-age kids they conceived through artificial insemination. Eventually, things starts to unravel when their children, out of curiosity, decided to get acquainted with their biological father, the sperm donor--an event that would change and test their family dynamics.

I've been watching a lot of dramatic ones lately and the change of mood brought by this film was quite refreshing. Well, it's a feel good movie! The story and the script was well-written. I like how it takes the audience into the lives of this fictional unconventional family and shows how it would be like to live in such household. In a way, it is reminiscent of Little Miss Sunshine (2006). Yeah. It also has this interesting assortment of characters, with their issues, and the conflicts that arise between them, and the events that lead to their resolutions.

Funny and smart, The Kids Are All Right is an exquisite reminder of significant family values; that it doesn't matter whether you belong to a conventional or non-conventional family. The fact is wherever you are, the core function of the family doesn't change.

This film by Lisa Cholodenko is the recipient of the recently concluded Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) and garnered a very positive review from Rotten Tomatoes.

and the golden globes go to...

And just like that, the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards finally concluded. Despite the very tight competition this year, David Fincher's The Social Network still bags a majority of the coveted globes.

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
The Social Network. (Very well deserved!)

BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
The Kids Are All Right, (Haven't watched this one yet but it's already on my downloader)

BEST DIRECTOR
David Fincher, The Social Network

BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Colin Firth, The King's Speech (I was really rooting for Jesse Eisenberg and James Franco, but the experience and brilliance of Colin Firth was just outstanding. Got to download this movie too)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE
Christian Bale, The Fighter (Haven't watched this movie yet. I'm not sure that I'd want to because of the whole boxing thing)

BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Paul Giamatti, Barney's Version (Glad he won. He's one of my favorite actors)

BEST ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Al Pacino, You Don't Know Jack

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES, OR TV MOVIE
Chris Colfer, Glee (Kurt won! Wee! I really need to start the Season 2 Marathon)

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Natalie Portman, Black Swan (I knew it. Her performance in Black Swan was just a masterclass. Plus, she's hot. Really, really HOT)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE
Melissa Leo, The Fighter

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

BEST ACTOR, TV SERIES, COMEDY
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (Sheldon won! Geeks are celebrating right now!)

BEST ACTOR IN A TV SERIES, DRAMA
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire (Ding it! House and Dexter didn't win!)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES, COMEDY
Laura Linney, The Big C (I was hoping Nurse Jackie would win but I guess Laura's good too)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES, DRAMA
Katey Segal, Sons of Anarchy

BEST ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Claire Danes, Temple Grandin (I am quite prejudiced whenever Claire Danes is involved. Her comment on how rodent-infested and dirty the Philippines is stuck in my memory)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Jane Lynch, Glee (There was no competition in this category. If there's a category Best Villain, I have no doubt she'd win it)

BEST MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Carlos

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - MOTION PICTURE
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, The Social Network (I was rooting for Hanz Zimmer for his work in Inception. But these two also did a great job)

BEST SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network (I think Christopher Nolan deserve this award more than anyone. T_T Inception got snobbed!)

BEST TV SERIES, COMEDY
Glee (Oh look at that! No surprise there.)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
In A Better World, Denmark (I love foreign films! This should be a good one.)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Toy Story 3 (All right. I really need to shed my prejudicial tendency with this one)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG - MOTION PICTURE
"You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me", Burlesque (Too bad Carrie didn't win)

BEST TV SERIES, DRAMA
Boardwalk Empire (Now I'm really curious!)

To those who missed the live telecast this morning, there's a primetime replay at 9 PM (Red Carpet) and 10 PM (Awards Proper) in Star World.

inspirational saw

I was having second thoughts if I'm going to watch 127 Hours (2010) but its certified fresh critics'review on Rotten Tomatoes couldn't be ignored and so I had no choice but to watch it. I call this my Pathologic Movie Buff Compulsion Disorder. :P

The first 30 minutes were a bit dragging upto the point when I actually thought, How stupid could this guy get? But as the film rolls on, Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008) wittingly takes the audience into the mind of Aaron Ralston, a mountain climber who became trapped by a boulder in Robers Roost, Utah. The film mainly excels in its emotional aspect in its attempt to portray what goes on in the mind of a man in deep desperation and what he is willing to do to satiate his drive to survive; the way he dealt with regrets, sadness and flickering hope. The displaced humor, hopelessness and hope were concocted beautifully through the use of flashbacks and hopeful thinking, music and scoring (I was smiling when Sigur Ros' Festival started playing in the background. That scene was perfect!). James Franco gave a masterclass performance with this film--undoubtedly worthy of an Oscar or a Golden Globe. It's going to be a tight award season this year :)

This adaptation of the book Between A Rock and Hard Place is emotionally satisfying. It is a brilliant reminder of the strength of human spirit and the immeasurable depths of the heart that yearns for love and to live a life that's full of it...

choose love

I had been itching to download and watch Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go (2010) starring Andrew Garfield (The Social Network), Carey Mulligan (An Education), and Keira Knightly (Atonement). I was taken aback by the incredibly cheesy title at first but the cast is just undeniably superb and the movie got a fair Rotten Tomatoes review. That's why I opted to watch it.

I think Never Let Me Go is one of those movies you will like not because of the actual content but because of the stunning photography (same thing goes with The Girl With A Pearl Earring, 2003, by Peter Weber). The locations were so dream-like and fit into the general serene and melancholic mood of the film supported by great musical scoring. I am not a fan of dystopian films, but I like the way they treated the material. They did not make it futuristic (I guess that's the way Ishiguro's book, from which it was adapted, delivered it) but clings to a setting to that of Atonement. I do not particularly liked the central idea to which the film revolves but the acting really carried the whole thing through.

In a life with very few choices, choose love- very simple, yet very powerful. I think that's what this film's all about.

synecdoche, new york

Just finished watching Synecdoche, New York (2008), the directorial debut film of Charlie Kaufman, the writer of Adaptation (2002), Being John Malcovich (1999), and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). And I really applaud him for giving me a really good headache!

I think Synecdoche, New York is the most technical film I've ever seen in terms of complexity and usage of motifs. After watching it, I didn't know where to place it at first. I guess that's his thing. He'd play with your mind with these ideas so out of the box, sometimes dangerously tipping into the realm of weird but are always delivered fresh and thought-provoking.

Synecdoche, in terms of motifs, is Adaptation's brother in a way. Syncedoche uses a motif such as 'play within a play' (can't shake off Christopher Nolan's 'dream within a dream thing'), while Adaptation uses 'movie within a movie'. Forgive me if I'm being technically inaccurate. Well, in Adaptation, the whole movie is the final output of the adapted screenplay of a book by the protagonist, a writer in the movie played by Nicolas Cage. Huh? There, I tried explaining. Haha! It's just crazy how he was able to come up with such ingenious ideas. Well, I guess that's the writers' way of putting their signatures on what they do, especially in an industry with so many artistic writers and surrounded by never-ending cliches.

Overall, Synecdoche, New York is a little pain in the head, but it's really nice and I think I'm gonna watch it again and discover new things in it...

i open at the close

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 - Bloody brilliant, isn’t it? Or not? :P Well, personally, I like this movie adaptation. I am really glad that it remained true to the book, which was the way it’s supposed to be, so good call Warner Bros. for splitting the final instalment into two parts. The sequencing moved with the events in the book. Now that I think about it, the events were almost exactly how I pictured them in my head. Hence, I can’t really say anything negative about this movie (Geez. I am that biased!) Even the boring scenes in the book are still boring in the movie!


Okay. Positive points (since there are no negatives to be said). I really like how they managed to squeeze some element of surprise. That’s a hard feat especially to those who’ve read the book. I particularly liked the animation for the Tale of the Three Brothers. That was ingenious! I think the inspiration derived from Thai shadow-play puppetry and watercolour art. I wish I could learn how to do that kind of animation.

I am pretty impressed of how they managed to blend in comedy into dark plot of the film. Misplaced maybe but really effective. Let’s thank Ron Weasley’s comedic muscles in action for that. That recovery mission into the Ministry of Magic was really amusing!

The creepy and disturbing parts are commendable; the woman, with her body bent while hovering over the table and Nagini posing as Bathilda Bagshot were really disturbing. They made me cringe in my seat. I also liked how they translated the destruction of the locket—visually stunning. I wonder if Daniel and Emma really kissed, or was it just CG? Hmm…

The trio are really maturing in their craft, aren’t they? I felt most moved by the tent scene where Harry tried to cheer Hermione up through dancing, though at first, I thought Harry was trying to take advantage of Hermione’s vulnerability (Haha! Dirty mind talking!). Bellatrix Lestrange is just perfection. I can’t imagine anyone playing that role besides Helena Bonham-Carter.

The ending was magnificent. It maybe a little frustrating, but in way, it provokes the audience to feel that ominous events are coming. Harry has no decent wand while Voldemort wields the most powerful of all. Obvious mismatch.

Overall, I think the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 is emotionally satisfying. It’s a great way to start the end of the series I’ve loved for a decade.