3 Idiots: A must watched movie.

I've written some movie reviews here in my blog before. If you'll notice, I always discuss how the special effects make the movie so thrilling that you wanted to watch it again. Most of them came from Hollywood, but how about Bollywood? I resisted the offer of my classmate to watch 3 Idiots twice. I said that Bollywood is not my cut of tea. I would rather just watch another sci-fi or fantasy. However, it's too early to judge. Don't judge the book by its cover.

3 Idiots is about three engineering students, namely Rancho, Farhan and Raju. Together, they engaged in adventurous and stupid yet humorous walks along life. They encounter joy, hatred, and all the worse. However, Rancho is always lifting their hope, giving reason to everything and that it should not obstruct or destroy them.

There are tendencies that humorous films lose the message they want to convey. 3 Idiots is different. Though funny, it is intact with values and teachings on how to never give up and just keep going.

As a graduating high school student, I learned many things from this movie. I want to share it with you in an ordered list.
1. You don't need to seek success as success will chase you. For us who are in the time of choosing which path to take, we want to choose the right and secure path. The one that will bring us to success. However, seeking success means no happy life. Live on what you want to do because if you really love your field, success will be the one to chase you.
2. True friends are true. I learned a lot from Rancho. To admit it, I want to have a friend like Rancho. A friend that never take life as a negative but always have a reason to awaken you up. Despite him being a stupid and idiot sometimes, I can say that he a very true friend to his friends.
3. Do what you want and do not let others hold the pen to write your life. As of now, you may have a career in your mind. But the question is, is it the one you truly wanted to be? Is it you passion? Rancho taught me to choose the path that I know I will be happy. The path that will not bring frustrations and regrets.

I will say that 3 Idiots is one the films that has true sense and meaning. It doesn't have perfect visual effects but it has an almost perfect moral. It may not be flawless, but 3 Idiots conveyed what it wanted to convey. It may not teach us how to behave properly but it will show you how you must handle life.

From the history of me watching movies, I never watched a film like 3 Idiots. A very inspiring and motivating film.

This is a must watched. I'm sure that you will not regret anything from watching this film. Just say to your heart "all is well"

Tell what you think if you ever happened to watch this film.

Stardust (2007): The fastest way to travel is by candle.

What is it with immortality? It's not just in fiction like Voldermort but also in real life. Is a never-ending life is something worth living for? Yesterday I just watched the film adaption of Stardust by Neil Gaiman and I would like to say that I really illy love the story. However, nothing is perfect or was made perfectly.

Stardust (2007)
directed by: Matthew Vaughn 
adaption of Stardust by Neil Gaiman

First of all, I haven't yet read the book so my views and opinions is solely based on the movie.

In the village of Wall, as named after a nearby stonewall, Dustan Thorne foolishly tricked the wall guard and crosses the border despite the guard's warning. He then came into another world where she met a girl. Eight months after, a baby was delivered by the guard to the house of Dustan. He's name is Tristan. Eighteen years after, to win Victoria's hand for marriage, Tristan crosses the wall to find a fallen star using a Babylon candle given to him by his mother. However, he ended in an unexpected adventure and soon, romance.

The only book from Neil Gaiman that I have read was the Graveyard Book which I super like. The main reason I think is the lightness of the story yet has a very heavy meaning and lesson to be told. The same with Stardust. I like the world of Stormhold. Though it does not have mythical or inhuman creatures, Stormhold was magical. For example is the three sister witches which I think was an allusion to the Grey Sisters. (the three witches with one eye.)

Again, the story was very light. It was not complicated that's why we can easily join into their world. Every concept is magical itself. Babylon candles, voodoo dolls, witches, stars, kingship, and romance - all in one.

If we were to talk about the characters, I think the cast has some trouble expressing what expression they should be expressing. I like the medieval ideas of the gentlemen over the ladies, their customs and the like. But when it comes to expression, the cast seems to be troubled. There were times when the scenes was supposed to be serious, like swordplay, but Tristan looked like he was about to burst into laughter because of the expression of his partner.

But when it comes to the character itself, disregarding the actors and actresses, I would say that they developed through the time frame of the story. Tristan, living in a folly of infatuation to Victoria, learned to contrast infatuation and love. He saw who he truly should love. Yvaine, the fallen star, on other hand, did not developed so much but she was vital to Tristan development. She, herself, developed to become more human that a star.

A while ago I mentioned about meanings and lessons to be told. One issue that was discussed throughout the book was immortality. It is not just an issue with works of fiction but also in our real life. We all have an expiration date (death). Some of us when asked about death, they will say "I'm ready to die." or "I'm not afraid of death." Other will complain why there is such thing as death. If you come to realize, one day of no internet, no books, no money is boring. Then multiply those days to eternity. Immortality is boring. You will die of boredom but since you are immortal, undead better suits you. As one quotation always say, "Too much is bad." We should accept that will end someday. Just hope that you are happy that day.

Rating: 4/5

Star Trek 2009 "Live long and prosper."

I have never watched other versions of Star Trek, only thing 2009 version. So I want to tell that I'm going to review this as a stand alone and not relate it to the original one.

Star Trek (2009)
Directed by: J.J. Abrams

As a fan of sci-fi films, I mostly want disaster films where Earth is going to be hit by a freaking asteroid and the hero save the world just in time before we all got toasted up. I've never watched space wars. (I think I've watched Star Wars before but I can't remember. I have no idea what it was about before.)

In the current star date, USS Kelvin investigates a "lightning storm" in space. Minutes later, a huge Romulian ship emerges and lock missiles to them almost destroying the Kelvin. To save the crew on shuttle crafts for evacuation, acting caption Kirk engaged collision course of Kelvin to the Romulians while his son is being birthed by his wife on an escaping shuttle.His son, Jim, will face a very thrilling combats with Nero, Spock and himself.

I can tell you that when I was watching this film, I can't get my eyes off the screen. It's like I'm lock to it.
The special effects are great. The ships of look very real like it was really up there ready to travel in maximum warp. The sequence of events, although I became so confused about the people from the future, are also very great and logical (speaking in Spock tone.)

My concerns, however, are on the characters. Though this a film, characters must remain round. Jim and Spock, for me, are very flat in this film. They don't have any progress. What they are in the start are still them in the end. Jim, a full of humor yet intelligent guy, still the humorous and intelligent guy.

I'm, somehow, satisfied with Spock. He learned to be human despite wanting to put logic first. He learned to express his feelings. Love and hatred.

Nero, the villain, is also somehow flat. The reason he became bad is because his planet was consumed by an exploding star killing his family. So he seek revenge to the Federation planets. But is that so? There's nothing in the film showing his feelings. Just him commanding to send missiles while he seat on his cozy romulian caption seat.

Overall, I think is still a nice movie. I'm giving it a 3.5/5 XD. I think that's fair.

Becoming Jane: Jane Austen's Life

This is not a review. This post is mainly about things I want to say about Jane Austen's life, the movie and the inspiration.

So yeah, I recently watched Becoming Jane starring Anne Hathaway (my crush actually, HA!) and James McAvoy. The movie mostly revolved in the love life of Ms. Austen with Tom Lefroy.

I am very proud of Jane Austen, though we not share the same ethnicity, I'm still proud of her. She define love that it should have affection. Yes that's true. Mostly now, there are many couples who only explore the bodies and not the real feelings for each other. Feelings is what we need to fuel our relationships. Not the body of our mate.

Soon, she fell in love with a lawyer with bad reputation, Tom Lefroy. Anna and James have real chemistry in this movie. They should do more movies together. Back to Ms. Austen, after so much years of no love, she first felt it with Tom. They became so much in love but struggles are always on their way.

Jane sacrifices so much, even love. She knew that Tom supports his family and with her, he will not be able to do it at the same time. Though Tom said that he can still support them, Jane leaves him broken hearted.

I actually have tears in my eyes when I was watching the part when she sacrificed. She is willing to give up all. That's one thing I learned from her, to sacrifice if needed and not just think about yourself.

After several years, they met again but Tom already have a daughter. But even though, they show that they still love each other.

I recommend you to watch it.

Angels and Demons

I just recently watched Angels and Demons. I'm really late because this film was released 2009 and look, it's 2011 now. But anyways, I think it's good to do a review of this movie since I like it.

The movie was about the attacked of an old Vatican enemy, the Illuminati. They kidnapped the four cardinals that is likely to be elected as the new pope and published a threat that they will be killed in the Path of Illumination. The Vatican the turns to Prof. Langdon, a symbol expert, to help them uncover the mystery together with Dr. Vetra. It then turned out that everything was plotted by 'men of God'.

First of all, I'm a Roman Catholic. I really like movies that feature the Vatican City since I like to visit it one day. I didn't take this movie/story as an attack to the religion which I think is good. It actually favors the side of the Catholic Church, but not so much.

You don't need too much brains to understand the movie. That's an advantage since we are not experts in symbols and church history (which makes the Da Vinci Code movie hard to understand). Everything was explained in the movie. When they are talking about a certain topic that you don't know, the characters give you a little background of it.

The computer effects are also great. The movie was not shot from Vatican City but in Sony Studios instead; since the Catholic church don't allow shootings at their facilities anymore. But watching the movie, you will really think that the whole set was shot from the real Vatican. Everything is detailed, the statues, the houses, even the St. Peter's Basilica. Well, I will tell you that my favorite part of the movie was the explosion of the anti-matter bomb. The effects are so real.

Acting of the actors are also great. I would like to commend Ewan McGregor, the camerlengo in the movie, for his acting. He can carry you in the movie. He can make you believe that he's innocent, the good guy which actually not the real him. Very great acting!

Overall, I will say the movie is great. It strengthen my faith to my own religion. It also convinced me to visit Vatican City someday. Which I promise myself I will do.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Since I'm a little child, I like fantasies. Like the Grim's Fairy tales. Now, I like those stories with magical concepts like the 2010 movie, The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

Sorcerer Balthazar traps Morgana and all Morganians including Horvarth in an inescapable prison called the Grimhold. But prisoning them doesn't remove the threat of Morganians rising again and destroy the world. He needs to find the Prime Merlinian, the only one who can kill Morgana. He will travel for several years finding Dave, the Physics nerd who is the destined Prime Merlinian

Morgana,  Merlin's enemy, was trying to get the spell that will rise all the dead sorcerers. Using them,  she will destroy the world. Merlin try to stop her but unfortunately he was killed. Morgana, after stealing the spell, also try to kill Balthazar but was stopped by Veronica by putting her soul unto her. But Morgana is much more powerful triggering Balthazar to prison them in the grimhold. He traveled a very long time to almost all over the world finding the Prime Merlinian.

Dave, the prime merlinian, first doesn't want to do the job but after battling one of the Morganian, he felt like he like the job. So Balthazar trained him to kill Morgana.

This movie brings up the life of history and ancient literature. Some of you may already know that Merlin and Morgana are characters from the Arthurian legend. Morgana was known to be a sorceress but not Merlin, although in some versions he is. The movie is a combination of existing ideas combined together to form a story. That is the thing writers should avoid. For me when writing, you should write new and original. It's not bad being inspired and having the same style but having the same ideas is not that good at all. It makes the story 'second-hand'.

If we will focus on the movie, it is a very thrilling movie at the end. During the last minutes, I cannot sit properly in the theater. I felt that my nerves were acting abnormally. My nails are too short because I nibble on them when I'm thrilled, too bad. I think the story is very common. The concept of having a big responsibility then hating it then liking it is very common now. In television. movies or books. Well it is not bad but having that style but as we said, new is special

The Last Airbender by M.Night Shyamalan

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Released By: Paramount Pic.

Premier: July 1, 2010

Brief Summary

The story started with Katara and Sokka discovering Aang in a block of ice with Appa. Aang as the Avatar was captured by banished prince Zuko; But immediately escaped. Katara, Aang and Sokka decided to travel to the Northern Water Tribe. In their journey, they will pass through the Earth Kingdom and help some tribe to be free from the hands of the Fire Nation. When they reached the Northern Water Tribe, here comes commander Zhao which is hungry to power and want to colonize the tribe at the same time capture the avatar. The avatar shows here power to save the tribe and they won. The story continue to the Earth Kingdom.

Review

I know that when a film was adapted from a certain source like book or animation, some scenes are edited. In animation, Iroh already know that Aang is the avatar but in the movie he needs to make a test putting the elements in front of him then if those move, he is the avatar. The scene also which is equivalent to the Imprisoned chapter of the animation, Haru was caught because the old man that he saved told the fire nation soldiers that he is an earthbender. In the movie, he was caught because Haru was throwing rocks on the soldiers and they not stated that he uses earth bending.

The acting of the characters is also a great disappointment. You will feel that how they stated their dialogs, there is no feelings. It is like just talking with a friend. In a movie acting should be the priority.

Shyamalan depended on the CGI effects which he think will encourage people to watch. The reason why many people watch it because of the advertisement but when they go out of the theater they will say the movie is a fail.

Rating: 2 good