(500) Days Of Summer

I’m not a big fan of romantic-comedy film, its a bit cliché for me. But I can’t believe I missed seeing this film in cinema. Gladly I got the chance to finally watched it after it’s blu-ray release. It is one of those low budget film who makes a sleeper hit in-spite of a less promotions. It is really a rare film who has it’s unique way of telling a story. The story begins in telling how it will end, a big warning from the narrator saying “it is not a love story” will give viewers a fair idea of where it is going. But it did a great job keeping viewers like me interested and entertained in-spite of knowing a possible sad ending. The way it tell the story get me caught up in a delightful journey rather than the destination.

The story was told from Tom’s point of view which makes Joseph Gordon-Levitt the main view of the entire film. He has some kind of task to carry the whole movie, which I think is perfectly accomplished. Tom’s character is likeable and Gordon-Levitt portray it with much justice. He’s hopeless romantic and heartbreakingly good as Tom. Zooey Deschanel as Summer doesn’t require as much depth but she has a tough job in keeping Summer lovable despite her questionable actions within the central relationship, but overall the actress completes the task well. They are both charming and have a real chemistry that it feels that they should be together in the end of the film and any other result is just smacks of tragedy and misfortune.

(500) Days Of Summer explores new ways to tell the world’s oldest story into an honest and realistic experience. It utilizes non-traditional ways of story telling from the nonlinear narrative way of story telling, animation, representation like when they put the grieving Tom into foreign films, and perhaps most effectively, the split screen segment emphasizing the huge difference between Tom’s “expectations” and “reality”. The animation scene particularly the bird when Tom is dancing on the street because of so much happiness is a bit weird and funny for me at first but I still enjoy watching it. It’s one of those moments where weirdness works properly.

Overall the film is good and refreshing. It made a simple and most common story interesting to watch. For all its objections about not being a love story, (500) Days of Summer is still a story about love. Maybe not a traditional love story with typical happily-ever-after ending but it still convey the message of love, the love of Tom and Summer. Their different views about love is the whole point of the story. It promote the ideas of fate and soul-mates in a more realistic and somehow blindly optimistic ending.

Chasing Dreams

I won’t admit defeat
No matter how hopeless
I  will not give in
Even if it takes all my strength

I will do my best
No matter what it demand
I will chase the dream
Even if it means I die in my sleep

This is the way I know
And the way I prefer
This is much easier for me
Compare with pain of regret

I will choose my own battle
And fight for the win
I will live my own life
No matter what they all say

Little Bird

Little bird you should fly
You got your wings on your sides
Don’t you want to try,
To see the world up high?

Up above you will feel
The cool breeze of air
You will see the beauty
And view from heaven sight

I can describe the view
And explain how it feels
But you will never understand
Unless you experience it by yourself

So go on little bird
Spread your wings wide
Discover your strength
And experience life

When You

When I talk so much,
you listen.
When I feel so alone,
you stay.
When I lose my battle,
you cry.
When I fight a good fight,
you rejoice.
When I am losing my strength,
you help.
When everything seems so dim,
you light.
When I was about to lose my faith,
you believe.
When I hurt but don’t show it,
you know.
When I turn away to hide my tears,
you see.
When no one seems to be listening,
you hear.
When I feel like I can’t get through,
you understand.
When I was about to say Thank You,
you smile.

Ganid

Mga ganid ng ating lipunan
Nagpapakasasa sa yaman
Ginagamit ang kapangyarihan
Upang makamtam ang yaman

Kinakasangkapan ang walang muwang
Inaabuso ng mga may katungkulan
Ginagamit ng walang kaparatangan
Makamtan lang ang kaligayahan

Nagmamarunong na tila henyo
Pina-iikot ang mga mangmang
Nangangako ng kung anu-ano
Matakpan lang ang kalokohan

Walang batas na sinasanto
Pagkakasala ay nalulusutan
Dinadaan sa bayaran
Kahit buhay pa ang kailangan

Twilight Saga New Moon

I went to see the premier of Twilight Saga New Moon last Friday night at SM Megamall with Rica and Bunnz. Rica is lucky enough to get a free four tickets while we got some shirts of Edward and Jacob before the movie screening. The movie start late than I expected because of some programs & games. Most of the games are like a voting polls which make you choose which is hotter between Edward & Jacob. I have to say that the majority of the movie goer inside the cinema are Team Jacob. I am not really a fan of Jacob Black nor the second book of the saga New Moon. I actually find the second book boring when I first read it, maybe because of the absence of Edward Cullen in the story. Though I still went to see the film hoping that they will add more of him but unfortunately for me, the writer just stick on the book basically. Her script is very much a direct adaptation of the novel. Watching the film is like seeing Stephenie Meyer’s words in action. Most of the lines are just plainly by the book.

“This is the last time you’ll ever see me,” Edward Cullen says to Bella Swan.

Edward is as good as his word in that dialogue and New Moon suffers as a result. His lesser appearance make the film tedious. Constrained by the plot of the novel, the film keeps the two lovers apart, robbing the story of the crazy-in-love energy that made Twilight such a guilty pleasure. The Cullen family has a little exposure in this film. The funny, comedic, vampire moments that made Twilight bearable are no where to be found. No more exciting game like the vampire baseball game in Twilight. I wish they expand the scenes of the vampires specially the Cullens and also the Volturi at the end of the film. Obviously this film is for Jacob Black and the werewolves pack.

If you haven’t read the series, the plot line of this New Moon film may be deem. The first 80 minutes of the film is dull. Everyone sort of ambles around with no purpose as the story tries to unfold. I think Twilight had a greater sense of arrival and better storytelling compare to this one. In Twilight, scenes between Bella and her father were quite touching, and Bella’s alienation was easy to understand. It gave her a reason to be drawn to Edward Cullen. In New Moon the reason can’t be found. There is so much content jammed together that we don’t have time to see the relationships or tension build gracefully or to unravel any of the mysteries. It’s a very straight up adaptation, but in comparison to Twilight New Moon is paler than the Cullens.

Good thing about New Moon is the casting and acting. It improve a lot compare to the first movie though it is still not the best. The chemistry between the three lead roles is clearly seen. The special effects here is also better thanks perhaps to a bigger budget. The makeup is more acceptable than the first entry of the series. Overall, I still enjoy the movie, after all I got to watch it for free and I didn’t get sleepy because I’m too busy explaining to my companions what is happening. Seeing the ending of the film makes me excited to see Eclipse, the third part of the saga.

Books and Reading Meme

1. What are you currently reading?
Life’s Little Instruction Book.
2. What are you reading next?
Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom.
3. Fiction, Non-fiction?
I love to read both fiction and non-fiction books.
4. Hard copy or audio books?
I prefer hard copy than audio books.
5. Keep, throw away, or sell?
Keep as much as I can, but sometimes my friends borrowed them and never return it so I’ll end up giving it to them.
6. Buy or borrow?
Buy. I don’t have lots of friends where I can borrow books. I don’t also visit library now a days.
7. Short story or novel?
Either. Though most of what I’m reading lately are novels. But I love short stories too specially in self-help books.
8. Series books or stand alone books?
No preference. I like both!
9. New or used?
New of course unless there’s no way I can have a new copy. And if it is already used at least it looks like new.
10. Do you snack while you read?
Sometimes. I am just more cautious not to ruin my book.
11. Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
I used to write on my textbooks when I’m still studying. But for my books now, It will horrify me for sure.
12. Do you ever smell books?
Of course! As if I can refrain smelling it when I’m browsing the pages. The smell of new books is nice.
13. Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?
Any peace & quite place is the best. But since I don’t usually got that place, anywhere & anytime as long as I like to read.
14. How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
Bookmark or any object in hand I can used as bookmarks like cards or receipts. I lay the book flat open only if I’ll get back to it in few minutes.
15. How do you organize your books?
In height, genre and authors.
16. Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
I can pick it up and put it down at any point.
17. Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
I usually read more than one in different genre. Like one fiction, self-help and some technical books. Depends on what I feel reading at the moment.
18. If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
No. Just read in context.
19. Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
None. I don’t usually recommend books unless I know more about the person or If they specifically asked me.
20. Last book you finished reading?
The One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard & Spencer Johnson.
21. Last book you bought?
The Lucky One By Nicholas Sparks which I bought few days ago for someone as a gift.

Untitled

Hindi na maalala kung paano nagsimula
Bakit sa ganitong sitwasyon tayo napunta?
Isang araw namulat na lang at nagtataka
Tinatanong ang sarili habang nakatulala

Ilang beses na pinilit na umunawa
Nangangatwiran at pinagtatanggol ka pa
Pero paulit-ulit na lang tayo sa wala
Di ka naman natututo sa iyong mga sala

Nakakasawa at nakakapagod na
Hindi naman ako santa o masokista
Masakit man na ikaw ay mabaliwa
Umaasa parin na ikaw ay di mapariwara

Balang araw ay magsisilbing tanda
Lahat ng iyong mga pagkakadapa
Sana’y di magtagal at iyong magkita
Mga tunay na sa iyo’y nangangalaga

Huwad Na Sukatan

Mulat ang diwa sa mundo ng buhay
Mundong itinakda ng kapaligirang maalam
May sariling sukatan at husgahan
Sa bawat bagay at may buhay

Lipunang sumusukat sa karangyaan
Salapi at kasikatan ang siyang batayan
Lipunang kinikilala ang yaman
Hindi ang husay at ang kalooban

Batayan na siyang nagtatakda
Sa mga nilalang na maging huwad
Huwad sa katotohanan at husay
Nagpupumilit na makibagay

Nabubuhay sa mundo ng pagkukunwari
Mundong itinakda ng lipunang mapanuri
Na walang hangad kundi ang humusga
Sa nilalang na nagmumukhang dusta

You Told Me

You told me to shout freely
And hear my voices loud
To understand myself better
And clear my voices out

You told me to climb mountains
And see the world on top
To appreciate the beauty
And be thankful for what I got

You told me to run the miles
And let me catch my breath
To experience the speed
And understand my needs

You told me to be humble
And keep my feet on the grounds
Be among the needy
And see things the way they did

You told me I had wings
And showed me how to fly
You let me try the breeze
And spread my wings wide

You told me I can dream
And make my dreams real
As long as I believe
Everything is real

You told me to live my life
The way I want it to be
And enjoy what I have
And use it for what I want