August Rush
Tuesday, August 5, 2008 1:06 PM
"Listen, can you hear it? I can hear it, the music is everywhere. It's in the wind, in the air, in the light. It's all around us, all you have to do is open yourself up, all you have to do is, listen."
"And I think if I learn how to play it, they might hear me. They might know I was theirs, and find me."
"I believe in music. The way that some people believe in fairy tales. I'd like to imagine that what I hear came from my mother and father. Maybe the notes I heard are the same one they heard, the night they met. Maybe that's how they found each other, maybe that's how they'll find me."
"So, what's your story Lyla?"
"I don't know. I'm...me" "What 'cha looking at?"
"You."
"What's the point in singing Marshall? She's not gonna hear me."
"The music is all around us, all you need to do, is listen."
August Rush trailer
This movie is the epitome of "music connects people". Boys who talked to the moon, journeys embarked on led by music, and it all comes into one through music. Freddie Highmore is going to make it big one day. That kid can really act! AND Jonathan Rhys Meyers singing with a guitar. 'Nuff said.
This Time - One of the most beautiful song ever
Wheeee, another Once and Elizabethtown type of movie!
Labels: august rush, jonathan rhys meyers, Review
Red Cliff + Brokeback Mountain = Brokeback Cliff?
Sunday, July 20, 2008 12:40 AM
Been having a bit of movie marathon this few days.
1st it was The Dark Knight on Thursday. It was totally not what I expected but in a good way. Don't want to give out too much here just in case, but yeah, who says the villain always lose? Well, maybe The Joker did lose in a way, but on the other hand, those fighting for the goods doesn't exactly triumph too. It makes you think. And must I say, Heath Ledger portrays the character to perfection, BUT I wouldn't want to remember him like this. It's scareyyyy. *runs to my Brokeback Mountain DVD* I prefer Ernie del Mar more.
Watched Hell Boy with my brother yesterday. Like Hancock, it is not that kind of movie that I would want to watch twice. Well, it's your typical superhero movie. But I have to admit the soundtrack of the movie provides some really good laugh throughout the movie. Especially the beautiful freak part and the can't smile without you singing session between Red and Fishstick. Not to mention that moment is a bit gayness too.
Gayness, brings me to the 3rd movie which I watched with my brother and some friends earlier today, Red Cliff. I'll come back to the gay part later but all in all it's a great movie. I think that's pretty much expected when you have a movie starring a bunch of great actors. All of them portrays the historical characters well. Tony Leung is extremely good I thought. And so is Hu Jun and Takeshi Kaneshiro. But, I think John Wu has lost it for a few scenes between Zhu Ge Liang(Takeshi) and Zhou Yu(Tony Leung). It was supposed to be scenes which portrays the understanding they have regarding warfare, and it was supposed to be very manly. BUT the "jamming session" between them(supposedly Zhou Yu is using the music to tell Zhu Ge Liang that he will join Liu Bei's army), and that balcony scene where Zhou Yu asked Zhu Ge Liang "what are you thinking?" is so GAY. Not to mention all the meaningful exchanging looks between the two throughout the movie. It's almost like Chinese version of Brokeback Mountain. And it is not fun trying to contain our laughters during scenes like this in a fully packed cinema.
Labels: Hellboy, Red Cliff, Review, The Dark Knight
What is your destiny?
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 1:28 AM
You wouldn't believe how much I love Alberto right now for recommending this book to me.
It's about a shepherd boy's magical journey to find the treasure of the world. A boy who loves traveling. A boy who pursue his dreams regardless of what is perceived and expected of him.
In essence, it's about discovering our own destiny and sticking to it. And at the same time, it's about questions, faith, happiness and every other thing in life.
I've finished part one of the book. And, I don't want to be the sheep in the story, but at the same time I will always go back to the sheep when I'm on my way, as everything is one.
The book is so thought provoking that even a simple line like "So, what is Salem like?", "It's like it always has been." embodies a deeper meaning. I'm in a different place when I read the book. Never once have a book spoken to me like this, I'm NOT exaggerating.
And yes, I know exactly why you recommended this book to me Alberto. So, muchas gracias.
Labels: paulo coelho, Review, The Alchemist
P.S. I Love You
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 1:22 AM
I have never feel so much emotions at once in a single movie. Just watched the movie and my hands are actually still shaking while typing this.
It was such a beautiful movie.
I know for a fact that I'm not biased because it's an adaptation of my favorite book of all time by Cecelia Ahern. When I first found out about this movie and Hilary Swank is portraying an Irish girl I was like "what the heck?! she better be able to do the Irish accent!". And then later I found out, oh no, they changed the story too. Holly is not an Irish in the movie as per the book, she is an American and she and Gerry actually met when she was traveling in Ireland. I was pissed alright, I was pissed. How can they adapt a novel like this?! Holly and Gerry are soul mates and they are both from Dublin. It's the only version of the story I want to watch.
But, I was moved at the end of the movie. For what it's worth, it is no less better than the book. In fact, it is as good as it gets. And Hilary Swank is just superb. She portrays Holly so well that she made people laugh and cry with her throughout the movie.
What can I say, the movie has got everything. The Holly, the Gerry, the Irish wit, the music, the scenery and oh, we get to see Jeffrey Dean Morgan singing too! Well, it was weird cause one moment he's in Supernatural hunting demon, and another in Grey's dying and now in here singing THE song in an Irish pub.
Too bad they didn't use my favorite quote from the book where Gerry said to Holly in one of the letters, "Shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you'll still be among the stars." Oh and also Ciara didn't play as much part and so didn't John. I was really hoping to see the pages of Gerry's letter to John on his birthday on screen cause that's one of my favourite moments in the book. But oh well, I can't have everything. As I have learn it the hard way.
All in all, it is a great movie. Up there with Once and Elizabethtown. And can I say I'm totally in love with Irish accent now after Once and this? Heheh.
Labels: P.S. I Love You, Review
Once - A simple story told beautifully
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 11:18 PM
It's a simple story. An Irish street musician meet a foreign girl. And their music connects them. But what is so beautiful about this story is beyond the story itself. It's how the story came about and how it evolves.
It all started when the director John Carney approached Glen and requested him to write some songs for a film called "Street Musician" they were making it with some big time actor and producer. They needed a Eastern European girl who plays piano, and so Glen brought Marketa who's a Czech for audition and she got the part. The movie went into making with reasonably big budget. And one day, the actor pulled out, and then the producer too. The movie looks as if its doomed then John said "You know what, let's do this. Let's finish this." After all, big budget isn't everything. All that is needed is a right story told by the right music and right people. With the songs Glen and Marketa had written, they continue with the film and called it Once.
The trailer with my favorite scene where the guy and the gal(yeah, we won't know their names throughout the whole movie) talk over looking the ocean.
What makes this film beautiful is the rawness and simplicity I guess. Throughout the whole film, you can actually feel that they are just being themselves because they are telling the story through the songs they wrote. And they are doing it without the special effect and it also adds to the beauty that they are both NOT actors. They are simply song writers doing a sorta home musical movie. It's so real and raw that there's this one improvised scene at the back of the bus which they did it in one take with the camera shaking. And because they are not actors but the director needs to make it work somehow, they are quite a few of these improvised scenes in the movie which even though it has depart from the script but still work out beautifully.
THE song - Falling Slowly. One of the most beautiful scenes in the movie.
And there is just so many crossing-lines in this film and makes it so real and interesting. The fact that Glen and Marketa did write the songs together, and that they are really close before and now they are a couple. So, during the film, even when the director goes "ok, out, music in", they are still being themselves. And the OST is just amazing as well. Some of the songs like Marketa's If You Want Me, is the original version. The 1st one they recorded at home.
Like one of the music critique puts it, this film doesn't only stood out, but it has come to stay. It is the kind of movie which changed the air in the cinema. You can feel it, the lights dimmed, and after 88 minutes, everyone is at this totally different place.
Labels: Once, Review
I have never feel so much emotions at once in a single movie. Just watched the movie and my hands are actually still shaking while typing this.
It's a simple story. An Irish street musician meet a foreign girl. And their music connects them. But what is so beautiful about this story is beyond the story itself. It's how the story came about and how it evolves.