Movies, Movies, Movies!

It's been a long time that I've seen a movie on the big screen. The first time I watched, I had to see something really good...This one was highly recommended by a friend who is very choosy when it comes to movies. It's either she watches to release her tension (meaning for fun) or she's looking for something that will make her think. The second time she decided to watch it again, I told myself, " This is it. I have got to watch that movie."

So, off I went to that movie. Inception. I barely had any idea what exactly it was all about. I didn't care to listen and I didn't care to ask. I just told myself, it must be really good. It surely is and I've got to trust my friend everytime she recommends a movie. Well, it's about a group of 'dreammakers'lead by Leonardo Dicaprio (as the star). Superb plot and effects and very good acting by both Leonardo and it's not so stellar cast but stellar in acting. I was amazed by that scene where the neophyte (the trainee) was trying to fold up the city (you'll get what I mean when you get to see the movie). I also love that scene where they were in a series of dreams and the Japanese member of the team was about to get killed in the dream and be trapped in a limbo. Amazing and unimaginable dreams. Great scriptwritng, too. Tell you what, I've got a crush on the one who played Robert Fisher who was heir to the wealth of his multimillionaire father. His acting had real depth and I love his captivating eyes and red lips (must be the lipstick)...Uh-oh!

After, watching 'Inception', 'Salt' had seemed to me a B movie. If you know what I mean...a lousy plot with a lot of loopholes, poor characterization and unbelievable stunts. It was only a big movie I guess for the reason that Angelina 'Evelyn Salt' Jolie was in it. There's just something about trying too hard to make the movie artistic. Sometimes, the plot gets too messed up. But, I did love that scene where her Russian terrorist gangmates suddenly killed her husband. Not that I'm happy that he's dead but that all it took were her eyes to show the emotions involved in the scene. That was the only thing that impressed me...nyahaha!

More movies...

After that, I got the chance to see three other movies on dvd... Sex and City 2, Did You Hear About the Morgans and It's Complicated. Three really hilarious films, the most hilarious of which is 'It's Complicated' starring my all-time favorite Meryll Streep. I found her acting and character in 'It's Complicated' reminscent of the one she had in 'Julie and Julia' where she was also good in cooking and had a very optimistic approach in life. In 'It's Complicated' she was the messed up woman who rose from above it all.She never lost her grip on the comedy of life and she could laugh at the miseries of life. I learn so much about life from the varied characters Meryll Streep plays. Sex and City in its sequel has not failed to amuse me but I found it deviating a little from it's usual plot and characterization. I also didn't like the fact that it left a bad message about the middleasterners which is unfair ofcourse since it's always not fair to generalize. Curious about, 'Did You Hear About the Morgans?' Well, I got interested to watch it for a couple of reasons...First, it's got Hugh Grant in it. Second, it's got Jessica Parker in it. They're the usual hilarious Hugh Grant and Jessica Parker in it... The plot though I guess is not so usual. They were separated couples whose relationship was somehow reconcilable. They were sort of on the way to trying out what they can do to save the marriage but an unexpected event happened. They became witnesses to a murder. In a sense, it's like they were meant to be back in each other's arms as the event gave them no choice but to live in a safe place in an indefinite period of time. From New York, they had to be taken in a small house in Wyoming. For quite sometime they had to get used to being away from the stores and the city life, being near the bears and the country life.

Nothing beats the movies. Okay, let me check what's next on the big screen.;-)

Cavatina and Stanley Myers

I listened to some music downloaded by a friend. It included a music by Stanley Myers written for the movie "The Deer Hunter" entitled "Cavatina". It is a lovely piece of music and although I haven't had the chance to see "The Deer Hunter", I am quite sure that the music blended exquisitely with the movie starring Christopher Walken, Meryll Streep, and Robert De Niro. I fell in love with Cavatina...and with Stanley Myers. I listened to it almost endlessly even to a Youtube version of it....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwvDon1_iKs

It is absolutely lovely on guitar.

I started to google info about Stanley Myers and ended up sad to find out that there are very few materials written about him that are available online. This is the case, even with the fact that he had written a voluminous and excellent pile of film music. I wondered if he is still alive...I found out that he died in 1993. He wrote really beautiful music which I would like to be able to listen to and which also made me interested to see "The Deer Hunter". Surprisingly, I found out that he also mentored Hans Zimmer. Being able to listen to Cavatina, I think that he not only has beautiful music but also a beautiful soul.

The Rain

It's raining on a Saturday and I love it.

Firstly, I love the smell of the rain. Secondly, everytime it thunders I am reminded of the old joke that everytime it happens, St. Peter is playing bowling and lightning means that he knocked down the pins(strike!!!). The old joke and the thought of it makes me smile. Thirdly, it reminds me of my school days back in our country and heavy rains would oftenly mean that we won't have to go to school. Not that I didn't like going to school but that it meant I could have a day or two of rest from school work, stay at home, play, smell the rain and watch the raindrops fall. It also meant enjoying some native meals I love eating on rainy days---steaming hot tamarind soup, crunchy fried fish, boiled rice, boiled vegetables for dipping in shrimp paste. Yum!

There's joy in the little things for a little woman like me.

A Bad Dream and Fear of Death

I had a dreary dream last night about a disaster that struck a place that I could not exactly recall. There were sights of stiff bodies. In the dream, I touched a person's feet and they were cold. The place was reeking with smell of dead people.

I tried to recall what came to my subconscious that day and I had recalled having read an article on RD about caring for the heart. I thought about my father and his previous bout with stroke and fear of his sudden death came to me. He is stubborn and would not listen when it comes to caring for his health. He smokes and drinks and sometimes could not resist eating too much. Talk about bringing up parents...snicker.

I have sensed that there is still that resistance in me when it comes to letting go of things and welcoming them as they come. If there's anything I fear most about is having my family die before I do. On the other hand, I also could not bear the thought of 'going' ahead of them because by then, I can't take care of them.

The Summit Versus the Black Cat

Tough luck. I guess that's how they call it. It's a black cat.

Some people are lucky. They get almost everything that they want. Some work hard and yet some won't even need to raise a finger to get what they want. Some struggle hard and fail. They try...and fail. They try again...and fail. And you ask why?

The worse part is getting up. It's like getting lost in the woods and starting to sink in a quicksand. You want to panic but you know that you need to stay calm and positive. You have to let yourself stay believing that...somehow...you will get there. Yes, the black cat is hovering but, it is just in your head.

The summit and the the sunrise beckon you.

This is Fun

Dyandyaraaan! Guess what?! This is just my second entry in this blog and I already have three followers! Uh-uh-oh! (Sheepish smile) And guess who is the third one... ME.

This is fun.

Julie, Julia & Me

What is it you REALLY like to do?

I had a lovely time watching Julie and Julia. It's like I'm watching a part of myself on screen --- a chef and a writer wannabe. I was totally immersed with how both Julie and Julia had commissioned themselves to achieving their dreams---with Julia, getting her cookbook published and with Julie, getting to cook all of Julia Child recipes from 'the cookbook', making her blog famous with them, and making something unique happen with her not-so-special life. I dream of being both a chef and a writer someday. I thought about my dreams and a line Julie said in the movie had struck me which goes, " No one is a writer unless he gets his work published."

Make or break.