August 31, 2011

New-Old found movies.

As a graduating student I don't have much time to go to the mall and spend time with friends that often, I'd rather go to my room and sleep and enjoy at least 6-8 hours every weekend. One thing about being a student in the world of Communications (Advertising, Broadcasting, Communication Arts and Journalism) is that life can much be revolving around projects and productions and countless thousand-words of articles needed to be submitted. 

And me as a Journalism student of the most awarded Communication Institution in the Philippines is more than happy to get an average of 4-6 hours of sleep per week (4-6 hours means luxury!). For me, also being a Nocturnal I spend most of my free time, usually Sundays to watching movies whether with my cousins or just myself.

Watching movie for me is like an unofficial course because after I watched "Schindler's List", I've had this hunger for meaningful and deep movies, I didn't just want traditional comedy, I wanted comedy made with passion.

To tell you the truth, I'm not a movie buff but what I can brag is that I have taste for movies. So here's some I watched recently, it might be old movies but it was new to me.

#10 - THE GRADUATE (1967)

A scene in The Graduate
Starring a very young Dustin Hoffman and Katharine Ross, this is a Classic romantic movie. It's was weird how I was introduced to this movie, my friend Thea chatted me in Facebook (<---Hey Facebook! That's a free advertisement for you!)  and she seemed like in a hurry like "Omg have you watched "The Graduate"? It's Dustin Hoffman - I was like "Who the hell is Dustin Hoffman?!" and then when I searched for it I was like "Oh, him!".

What makes this movie a classic were the soundtracks used from the Folk-Rock duo of Simon & Garfunkel's soothing music and it fits perfectly to the mood of the Romantic movie. 

I won't tell how the story goes because you have to see it for yourself, but it includes very seductive scenes. How the women in the movies would flirt around guys.

#9 - MAN ON THE MOON (1999)

Jim Carrey as Andy Kaufman
I've been a fan of Jim Carrey movies in all my life and Man on the Moon is one movie I've never seen before, probably because I was only nine when the movie was released, I grew up watching Ace Ventura and Liar Liar that made Jim Carrey my favorite Hollywood Comedian.

This is a Biographical film portraying the life of the great Andy Kaufman. This movie talks about the struggle of having a career and sacrificing the thing one entertainer loves to do. Creative Control and Ratings rarely meet each other and Andy Kaufman is the man who loved practical jokes and his career suffered.

When he got ill he even went to the Philippines because the so called healing miracle was here, thus this movie should not be missed.

#8 - THE BOY IN STRIPED PAJAMAS (2008)

Friendship barred with a fence.
This movie may well go down to a classic anytime, 2 kids each in their different worlds. One enjoying the free and luxurious life while the other enjoys a corner in a prison. Different strangers met by fate and would start an extraordinary friendship that will be tested from time to time.

The movie talks about the innocence of children during the last world war. This movie talks about Love to humanity and the horrors that is brought to all races during wars.

This movie also shows that not everyone approves the war, even some are just not into it, you know what I mean? Not all Germans are bad, but not all Jews are good either. It's the way life is, you can't just label races for mostly showing one similarity, you have to look inside the person itself.

#7 - BIG FISH (2003)

They say when you see the Love of your Life time stops, and that is true.
Big Fish is based on a 1998 novel with the same title. At first I didn't really actually know what to make out of this movie, I didn't see the value of the movie in the first few minutes.

Then it gets interesting afterwards with each story unfolding and I realized the beauty of the story was.

Life can really be extraordinary for others, not to brag but I think my Life is a beautiful one in terms of my hopeless romantic life and my roller coaster student life, I've been to a lot of potholes in life and each time I'm down there, I pull myself up. 

#6 - LOVE ACTUALLY (2003)

Excellent Casting for this movie!
Love Actually, this is a movie I stumbled upon while I was reading Philippine TV Celebrity Bianca Gonzalez's blogspot account and in her recent blog she said it was one of her favorite movies, well then I should watch it quickly I said to myself - especially if you have a crush on her (Haha I feel embarrassed for saying that, but who doesn't have crushes anyways?).

The movie tackles Love in different aspects and situations in Life, it might be infatuation, a crush, true Love or pure lust. It shows a lot of sides in Love, even a kid's point of view and it is fantastic to see that.

It is actually with no bias at all, one of my favorite romance movies of all time! 

#5 - JUST GO WITH IT (2011)


Now here's a movie by middle aged actors for teens and soon to be couples! This movie speaks for those who are afraid to fall for someone they never knew they would Love unconsciously. Here's is a guy (Adam Sandler) who sleeps with the finest women around but never gets this feeling of being in Love ever since she was dumped by her would be wife.

This really happens in real life, I mean someone old woman that I've talked to in one random day I was walking around Manila (Photowalk, People-watching or just plain wandering is one of my stress relievers, and I walk alone a lot to think and ponder on some things.) 

She told me that one day they were crazy with each other, she was excited when she got married, then they tire, they bore, then eventually Love is lost to most but to them what's extraordinary was that they were close friends before and that's why they never tired, got bored or really had a serious fight together.

Wow, sometimes Love is not enough but connection with the other person plays a great role in a relationship.

#4 - BLUE VALENTINE (2010)


Blue Valentine is indeed a Blue Movie, a story of craziness to lost of Love. Quite sad but it ranks high to me because it is realistic, it is strong and a lot of people experience this.

It also shows that not all men are the ones who give up first in a relationship. Just like in my case (although I haven't been into a relationship, I don't give up that easy unless it's really not worth it anymore - now that's emotional.) 

Being spontaneous in life could lead to a failure in the future. You have to watch this.

#3 - ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004)


Here's another Jim Carrey movie that I didn't know about, I'm ashamed that I feel like a hypocrite when I say that Jim is my favorite comedian but I don't even know this movie.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind creates a comedy-romantic-drama genre and to top it up, Kate Winslet is in it! I knew about this movie through a friend who also suggested me the movie "The Boy in Striped Pajamas". She said that I needed to watch this movie because it was meant for those who "have a hard time moving on" - Excuse me! I've already moved on! Years have passed and I've forgiven that girl already I just don't want to speak to her again because I lost my trust in her!!! - (Sorry for the rant my friend but I'm just clearing that up, and I Love you dearly don't worry even if you said I can' move on).

So this movie packs a life of joy and sorrow, love and despair altogether. The creativity of this movie and the gravity of the situation even if it's in a fantasy themed movie is spectacular and it is one that needs to be watched!

#2 - MY SISTER'S KEEPER (2009)


This movie should be declared as a classic for its tackle in morality and Love for humanity. At first I thought this was a chick flick movie after seeing so much trailer from HBO, I thought they were hyping it and eventually it would be one boring falsely advertised movie. BUT HELL NO I WAS WRONG! This movie gave me my first tears in watching a movie in the house!

The struggle of surviving by a patient, the Love of a mother to a daughter, the Love of a Father to a daughter and the ups and downs of a extraordinary family. I don't want to spill a lot so you have to watch this film.

Note: A total tear-jerker.

#1 - A.I. - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (2001)


The top movie goes to this futuristic drama "A.I." starring the charming kid who was also in the "Sixth Sense". I've watched this before when I was young, probably when I was around 11-13 years old and it didn't matter much to me, it was like "ooh cool toys and robots!" for me way back then.

Then one night while surfing tumblr, I saw a photo and recognized it was a scene in the movie so I watched it again and my God I realized the awesomeness of the story! How David (the kid robot) dreamed of becoming a real boy just like in the story Pinocchio and how he dearly Loved her non-biological Mother.

A story that has touched my Heart for portraying such a wonderful character, the movie inspired by Love and chasing dreams even to the limit of possibilities. I ended up sobbing, yes I sobbed in tears with this movie.

- So there you have it, my top 10 recent new-old found movies and it's amazing to watch these films and realize something in Life. I never recommend unless it is really good but I advise you to watch this movie with a open Heart and Mind, without any bias and I guarantee you will feel what these movies are trying to say.

August 15, 2011

Hard to Move On - My Nostalgic Life

They say it's easy to forget things and "move on" with Life, that the reason for leaving people or things behind our lives is that they don't deserve to be in the future. That may be right in some cases but I think not, it's because we are hurt of those people and those things remind us of our sad past.

Today, I'm 20 years old and soon will celebrate my 21st, I remember my days as a kid. Although it wasn't that much fun being a kid (because most of what I remember was that I drowned in a pool, got bitten by a dog, cried a lot from slipper whips and scoldings) I still remember some things and moments that made me look back at the past and cherish once again the little and unlikely things that made me happy.

They say that a child's imagination is like no other? That is absolutely right! I've had the best imaginations in my life and some of it made me look like a looney and some actually helped me reach my dreams.

This picture I just found that I'm in it, really small, those are my cousins sitting while my Mom is holding me.
I am a man who doesn't forget the small details. It was hard for me telling stories because the small stuff I remember when I tell it to my friends, they don't remember a thing of it and they all started calling me a liar and I was making stuff but until now it is clear in my memory, because it is their humiliations I can still remember! :)

I used to imagine that this convertible chair was my boat and I fight of pirates with a wooden sword.
Imagination, is to some an escape to reality, to some it is a vision but to me? It is another world where it is an empty notebook and ready to be filled with my stories, how things I want to be! I want to tell tales of how I save my true Love from a Japanese prison camp and I am a soldier that is fearless and damn good! I would even imagine myself with the woman I Love and how we would spend each day if given the chance, I would imagine even in the middle of the class during my High School years! Daydreaming about my crush and stuffs like that until my teacher gives me a good verbal lashing.

The old basketball court.
I remember our basketball court in the house, it was once the venue for our 3-3 street game tournament every summer and weekends. Our neighbors would flock at our house every Sunday noon and play  till 7PM and then my grandparents got older and so they had to move the court in the street and since then our court became silent. I don't even play in it anymore, I also remember every night my cousins and I together with my siblings would play basketball regardless of our Genders.

The little garden, the most solemn place around our house.
The garden how could I forget? I wrote a lot of songs in this place, sometimes at night it is the only place where I can see the sky from inside our house. The moonlight would enter this side of the house and it is where we pet stray cats. This place is quiet always and I remember it is also the site of our pets' final resting place. Tisha the white dog was buried here, my brother's rabbit and other past dogs.

Other things I kept in my room: Old Painting I made, Letters and correspondence, My Reggie Miller cards and my ticket when I first when to Coron, Palawan. 
But times have passed and we must now move on, these things and places reminds us of how simple it was back then and how life was a little bit slower.

To end this blog, watch this video I made. Listen to the past.