Movie Blog: Life of Pi: Story of Faith and Hope

"I suppose in the end the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye."

“Even if God seemed to have abandoned me, He was watching. Even if He seemed indifferent to my suffering, He was watching. And when I was beyond all hope of saving, He gave me rest, and gave me a sign to continue my journey.”

When I saw the trailer for the movie, Life of Pi, I honestly didn’t know what to make of it. It had a very intriguing basis with an excellent director, namely Ang Lee. Obviously I haven’t read the book so I didn’t really know what to make of it. However, if trailers are any indication of a film’s brilliance, then Life of Pi promises to be a captivating film that’s visually breathtaking. Thankfully, the trailer got it right.

I hope everyone has had a chance to see Ang Lee’s adaptation of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi. If you haven’t seen the film I recommend you do. I read somewhere that this was described as the film that was unfilmable, because the main characters are a boy and a tiger trapped in a small boat. But the filmmakers have worked their magic and it comes to life on the big screen. Lee has created a visually magnificent fable that transfers the book’s imagination to the screen.

Life of Pi opens in Montreal where an older Pi Patel (Irrfan Khan) meets with a young writer (Rafe Spall) interested in hearing his life story. In flashbacks, we are taken back in time to young Pi's youth in India. Pi's insatiable desire for knowledge and understanding leads him to take a deep interest in Catholicism and Islam. When a teenage Pi (Suraj Sharma) is forced to leave India along with his family at his father's request, the youth struggles to come to terms with an event that he has no doubt will change his life forever. Financial pressures force them to move, and at the age of 16 he boards a freight ship to Canada, along with his father, mother and elder brother. During the night, a torrential storm upends the ship, leaving Pi stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a zebra, hyena, orangutan and a tiger named Richard Parker and drama ensues!

Yes, now you know why it is so intriguing. How a young man will survive on a small boat with a large tiger is a story that you don’t see every day. Taking the reins of this unique story is the talented Director, Ang Lee. Thanks to his steady hand, the film takes on a visually stunning perspective that’s truly a delight to experience. He is able to combine the calm beauty of nature with the vicious force of the elements. He is able to maintain the intensity of the story, but also mix some essential light-hearted moments.

Life of Pi is without a doubt a visual feast, a film that revels in the art of storytelling. The film is just outstanding especially with its technical accomplishments. The visual effects just take the scenes over the top and create a fanciful world for its audience. The combination of Ang Lee’s ability to create an enthralling story, an excellent narrative that keeps you on your toes, and special effects that weaves masterfully with reality makes the Life of Pi movie a tour de force, and definitely one of the best movies of the year. In most cases, movies that focus on being a spectacular visual feast usually lack in other aspects like acting and story. However, in Life of Pi, the plot and the acting are the real spectacles and it is amazing to see all these elements play out on the silver screen. The pacing of the film starts out a little slow. Nothing really happens in the first 15-30 minutes but things take a huge leap the moment Pi starts talking about his adventure with a Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker.

But of course, visuals aren’t everything about a movie or otherwise Avatar would have actually been a good movie instead of a derivative bore. What about the story? The story in terms of plot is as simple as it can get. Boy and tiger get stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean, boy tries to survive. A simple plot which is what it should have been. The thrust of the movie is the journey of self exploration that the boy goes through as he reflects on the meaning of truth and the existence of God. The journey with him as we try to unravel the answer to the deepest questions about life. These questions about the role of religion in our lives are the main draw of the movie. And personally speaking, being someone less religiously inclined, I was very impressed with the answer the movie came to.

Life of Pi is full of questions that the movie does not seek to answer. Pi gave two stories about what happened to him after the ship sank. One was fantastical and practically unbelievable with tigers and flying fish and floating islands that devour animals (carnivorous island). The other is more sensible and reasonable. The question is which story is TRUE? I honestly was quite taken aback by some of the late-game twists in the story, and I was left with a nagging, persistent feeling of "wait, what?" after seeing the film. What did it all mean? However, the answer is it doesn’t matter. Regardless of which is true, the ship still sank and Pi still lost everything especially his family. Some claim that the movie tries to convert people into believing in God or to turn people away from God. I believe the story is about it’s up to you to choose what you want to believe. Faith cannot by definition be proved or disproved as neither of Pi’s stories could be proved or disproved. But regardless of which is true, they’re all in effect telling the same story, they’re all sides of the same coin, and they’re all different paths that are diverged yet eventually intertwine into the ultimate conclusion. What you choose to believe is up to you, there’s nothing wrong with picking the story you’re most happy with and we should all respect each other’s decision on which story to believe in. If more people acted like this, the world would be a much happier place.

For me, the most powerful moment of the Life of Pi is when Pi finally make landfall and the tiger disappears into the forest without so much as a backwards glance. It’s such a simple, graceful expression of man’s desire to project humanity onto an indifferent universe. Moments like that only serve to make the clumsy, forced ambiguity of the ending all the more frustrating. Richard Parker…..Oh! Is a beautiful, magnificent, magestic tiger and is the most fierce and beautiful creature you’ve ever laid your eyes on. He’ll make you love him and hate him at the same time. But, still you’ll find yourself defending him when he’s in need. You will feel the urge to hold him in your arms and love your pet even more. I’ll ruin the spoiler for you; he does not die in this movie. So be happy!

Another of its strong points, the story delves into areas of faith, hope, belief, determination, courage and struggle. The strong script and pacing keeps the film together, doing away with the possibility of boredom especially since we see no one else than Pi, the tiger and the sea for most parts of the movie.

There are a lot of breathtaking moments with wide shots you've never seen before in cinema. The water reflecting the sky, the absolutely beautiful lighting, the lush and rich islands and the very well made animals. I swear at some points I didn't know if Richard Parker (the tiger) was real or not and I didn't have to know because it didn't matter. It all looked so great on screen.

In Life of Pi, you are given the opportunity to "Believe the Unbelievable". The story teaches us how to survive even at the worst situation. God's will is always unpredictable. Just when we lose hope, He makes us assured He is watching and is there to help us, thru human or animal or something else. God never gives us challenges which we cannot face. And in this story, God never left Pi alone even when he thought he was abandoned. God gave him all the strength and courage to move on and survive the trial, in the form of the tiger, his only companion throughout the journey. It wasn't just beautiful but there were a lot of moments where I felt tense. I really do not know how Ang Lee and his crew managed to overcome all the technological hurdles in making those tense scenes and how the actors did such a great job at complementing them.

Overall, Life of Pi was a great movie. It had amazing graphics and visual flare. It had a decent and touching story. For the most part, the acting was great. The film’s casting was perfect. The dialogue was convincing enough. The story is very appealing. Viewers get to feel a wonderful mix of emotions -- happy, sad, scared, inspiring, even an overwhelming feeling of...I don't know exactly Haha :) It's a great movie to watch! Beautiful cinematography, elicits different emotions, and it spiritually touches you :)

Movie Blog: The Amazing Spiderman

While I haven't too vocal about it, I am a fan but not a hardcore Marvel comics fan so I have not much knowledge of what happens to these characters other than what I see on the big screen or what I stumble upon online.

**SPOILERS ALERT!!!!!**

Last weekend me and my BFFs ventured out to see The Amazing Spiderman and although I was looking forward to finally seeing the film, after many months of talking about the film, I must confess that I was not all that excited. I am more excited to see The Dark Knight Rises. I was only kinda interested in seeing Spider-Man. Even right up to ten minutes before the film started in the lobby of the cinema, I just couldn't muster up any excitement for it. It's not that I didn't think the film could be good. With the "The Avengers" dominating  box office records worldwide and with the "The Dark Knight Rises" set to definitively close the book on the most epic cinematic chapter in superhero history, everyone has been wondering what room is left for Peter Parker to spin his web once more. Well, nevertheless we have "The Amazing Superman", a film that retells the story we saw just ten years ago, about a boy, a spider bite and some great responsibility. 

Remakes. Reboots. Reimaginings. There are so many remakes in the works right now, and not just little films but big ones. Classics. Is that Ok?? I had a bit of a rant the other day regarding all the remakes and probably will continue to do so in the future. Then I see the trailer. Then, I see the film. Then, it's OK......sometimes! :)) 

Upon seeing the trailer, I've felt that this new remake is far too close to the original series of Spider man films that have already been released and I suppose, I didn't think this new spider man film is all that necessary.

The spider man films are an iconic, unforgettable benchmark of the Golden Age of superhero cinema. They represent the beginning not just of mainstream acceptance, but of mainstream embrace of these characters being truthfully represented in the big screen. To put it in context, "The Dark Knight" came out a year after "Spider man 3" and now the "The Dark Knight Rises" is coming out the same summer as a Spider man remake. It's seems like it too soon. I'm going to warn you all now that comparisons between this films are going to come thick and fast, as there's just not really any other way of looking at the film. 

Every last speck of integrity and endurance that makes Peter Parker a hero comes from Uncle Ben and Aunt May. His actual parents being dead was just an excuse to came up, in order to give Peter extra baggage on top of all of the problems he dealt with as teenage superhero. 

When I first heard that Andrew Garfield was going to play as Spider man, my thoughts: why are they replacing Tobey Maguire in the first place? Won't it be confusing? and Andrew Garfield? As Spider man? Eh. Then, I found out.....it's a different approach to the story of Spider man. 

Chief among the high points of this film is Andrew Garfield himself. Garfield injects an honest integrity and web-swinging electricity into Peter Parker, completely submerging himself in the role with brilliance. His performance is wonderfully toned and layered to the point where you fall in love with Peter as a real person and not as a cartoon classic. Peter is no longer the stereotypical nerd he was in the previous films and is far closer to the complex, socially challenged techie in the comics; his bedroom, his belongings and his very mind constantly cluttered with weird little inventions, his hairstyle and the general sexiness of his brand of geekiness. 

Who wouldn't love a nerd like him? :))

Actually, I think I just got used to Tobey Maguire as Spider man. After all, he did do three movies of Spider man. Honestly, he wasn't the hot type. His character then was really the geeky/nerdy kind.....but I did like him. Andrew Garfield was the hot kind of geeky/ nerdy......and I love him!! Another adds up in my list of crushes. Hehe

Like the evolution of comics characters, Spider man's humour always feels like a natural; development as a result of the confidence Peter's new identity gives him. Spidey's still not quite the comedian he is in the comics, but I was genuinely delighted by the three-dimensionality of Garfield's portrayal. For me, he is as close to the definitive Spider man as we've seen so far and I look forward to watching him continue to grow and develop over the course of more films. 

Emma Stone is predictably enjoyable as Gwen Stacy and her chemistry with Garfield is right on the track. It gives Gwen much more to do than MJ ever did in the other films and it's a delight to have such a strong female character a bit bookier; more prim and proper. 

Rhys Ifan is fine as Curt Connors/ The Lizard, the plot about cross-species and turning into a giant lizard creature is all done as well as it could be once again we're given the same tired mold of villain that Peter faced. Connors is an intelligent mentor to Peter before some science happens and he begins hearing voices that tell him he has to be evil and kill Spider man. This is exactly the same as Green Goblin and Doc Ock right down to the sinister voices in their heads. Can we please have just one Spider man film where the bad guys don't discover his secret identity? :P 

There's a scene near the climax of the film where a wounded Spider man is having trouble getting to OsCorp building to fight with the Lizard, so a group of crane workers set up a more convenient swing-through for him. It's funny, sweet touching little scene designed to show how much New York really cares for Spider man despite the negative press he receives. 

Simply put, I enjoyed "The Amazing Spiderman". I didn't see it in 3D, the inclusion of 'Spidey-Cam' was clever albeit a little head turning. The special effects were well done, Connors transition looked impressive. 

While watching the "The Amazing Spiderman", I suspected on a number of occasions despite its flaws, it might be the best Spider man film ever. Its devotion to fleshing out the the previously explored characters and giving a grittier examination of hows and whys of Spidey's weird life really impressed me, as did the high-flying special effects. The movie lived up to its name with the fast-paced action involved. It was really amazing! With the trick of making spider man's movements fast, made it look like he was a real spider. 

This version of Spider man showed different genres in one -- action, romance, family, drama and even comedy. I don't know if it's just because of Andrew Garfield that I became biased but for me, the story of The Amazing Spiderman is much more interesting. The Back story of Peter Parker and his parents gave viewers a clearer understanding of where the story is going. We all know that Peter Parker will try to uncover the secrets left by his parents and save his city from criminals of any kind.

With such a heavy story.....they were able to come up with calmer scenes that made it comedic in a way. Like when Spider-Man and Lizard were fighting in school, particularly in the library and an old man was there but didn't know anything that was happening behind him coz' of his earphones listening to classic music. Haha. The background music made it soooo much funnier!! :))

Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield love team really clicked! Their every scene made me giddy! :D

With that being said, "The Amazing Spiderman" is almost as good as it could possibly be. Despite a few serious problems stemming from a cliched villain and a really shabby mystery that does nothing but set up the sequel, the film does an admirable job at reawakening the web-slinger and what he stands for. I was pleasantly surprised at how well-executed the film was and would be quick to recommend it. It didn't blow me away totally and its flaws were considerable, but I'm glad to say that spider man is back and that it looks as though he'll be around for another while longer. 

I feel like this post is mostly about Andrew Garfield. Hehe. :)) than the movie itself. Oh well, Andrew Garfield is Spider man and Spider man is the movie, so I guess it's fine! He's amazing! The movie is amazing! It's The Amazing Spiderman! 

So yes! go see the film! even if you are a fan of the others, especially if you're not. As per most Marvel films, keep an eye and stay for the extra scene during the credits - I smell a sequel. I'm going to give this film an 8/10. 

Here's the exclusive 4 minutes SUPER PREVIEW: 

Disclaimer: Do not own all the pictures featured on this page. All images from google. 

AAL IZZ WELL!!

3 idiots: Life lessons to be learnt. Follow your dream.

Honestly, I don't like watching Bollywood movies maybe because I'm kind of judgmental and always underestimating Bollywood movies but now I can say after watching this it changed it all and it keep me really amazed. I didn't expect Bollywood movie to be this good. Actually, this movie is been recommended by a friend because she told me it has a good story line which specifically focuses on dreams and friendship.

Bollywood movies are amusing, though some scenes can be ridiculous. As of this writing, I finished watching 3 idiots starring Aamir Khan. He's so adorable.

I hope that Bollywood would influence Filipinos like Koreanovelas and J-doramas did. Life is all about listening to your heart and chasing your dreams. That's the essence of 3 IDIOTS. Let me come to the point right away.


There would always be a hero and a damsel in distress.
And a villain. Either we save others, we kill others or we ask help from others. Life makes us choose a role for every situation, and we cannot be two persons at the same time.

The sing-and-dance portion.
Literally, I didn't expect that there will be a sing and dance portion, where the main characters would lip-sync and dance in beautiful costumes with lots of back-up dancers. I love daydreaming. I think everyone loves it too. It's never wrong to dream for the ideal that how we wish that life would be just a sing and dance routine with always have a happy ending. :)


The unending search for love.
The characters would search for the partner at all costs. Pia (the main female lead) escaped on her wedding day to look for Rancho (the hero), who ceased all contact for ten years. It is always cheesy, but aren't we guilty for cheesiness when we're in love??


3F's: Forgiveness, Family and Friends. 
The 3F's. Love is something minor. The 3F's are the major issues. Even the mortal enemies in the movie learn to forgive. Even the hard-hearted dads let go of controlling their children.
If only people could learn that life is a lesson to be learnt, the world will be a better place. Every scene is special and brings with it something that's out of ordinary.

The movies is such fun! I enjoyed the unique storyline and the mind - boggling twists and turns. Plus, there is the meaningful moment that you see coming but still feel the heart strings plucked anyway. This movies has it all, the comedy that makes us laugh out loud, the tearjerkers scenes, the singing and dancing that makes '3 Idiots' a complete Bollywood movie that will make every people who would watch it would love it.

There are lessons in this film that hits me and keep in mind - Every bad situation can be solved and No such things as Bad Student, Only a Bad Teacher!! One of my favorites! Last word, one of the best friendship movies that ever be made.....I can guaranteed you that this movie keep you on the edge of your seat. A BIG TWO THUMBS UP for this movie!!! I would recommend you to watch it if you haven't already.

AAL IZZ WELL!!  :))

Movie Blog: Final Destination 5

"Death can't be cheated!"

I just watched this film last September 02, 2011 together with my movie buddy friend.

The last installment of the film is not that different from the rest of the Final Destination series - starting with a vision of death, and ending up being chased by it, which results to heart - pounding scenes and gruesome death of the "lucky ones" who have escaped from it. the opening credits tell you everything you need to know: random pompous objects (scissors, knives, fire extinguishers etc.), get chucked at you through smashing glass, in needle sharp, poke-you-in-the-eye. Although I kind of regret not watching it on 3D because there are some scenes which may look the best in 3D especially in the beginning of the movie.

The disaster start.....collapsing suspension bridge, where a bus-load of corporate retreaters are about to plummet to their deaths before a well-timed premonition. The whole death and fate concept is a very cool idea and it is creepy to think it might be true and when your times up, its up. This new film is no different from the others, the highlight being the major accident / death sequence at the start where everyone gets killed, always impressive, makes you wince and its fun in a rather morbid fashion.

Eye-catching credits starts us off and the excessively gross death were top notch, brutal, gruesome, and very cringe worthy beginning with a horrific bridge collapsed depiction that impressed me as well as the Lasic surgery scene which totally freaked me out. There are twists, turns, and scenes that made your stomach churn. Well, you get the idea.

I have to tell you that this movie is definitely only recommended and suitable for people above 18 years old of age, as there are many disturbing scenes from this film as expected. This is just such a vile and bloody ninety minutes of horror and humor all mashed together! Sorry for a bit of spoiler here! :P

I enjoyed the film but literally I still had the creeps and paranoia after watching this movie. When I saw the first death, I was like holding my friend and saying to her, "Why did we watch this again in the first place?!" LOL. As the movie goes deeper, I been saying, "Oh! F**k" for like a zillion times now! I keep on checking my watch to see how long this movie will end and trying to tell myself that it would be over. Sorry for being such a scared freak!! :))

Movie Blog: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Since, I was into movies lately! I decided to make a movie blog to share to you guys how this movies I've watched appears exciting! Looks interesting, right? Of course...I was really skeptical about watching this film because I was discouraged beforehand since I was told that it was only a remake of the past planet of the apes movie. However, I've read good reviews and my friends told me the movie is great, so I was finally convinced to watch it.

SPOILER WARNING!! The film opens with a chimpanzee called Bright eyes who is being used to test a drug aimed at curing Alzheimer's Disease (dementia) - a drug that coincidentally also vastly improves intelligence. Following a violent outburst, the trial has been terminated and the entire chimps involves in research are put down. Unknown to researcher that Bright eyes had a baby. So this is where the movie starts when Will Rodman (James Franco) takes home the chimp and named it Caesar, who was born to an experimental ape who was killed during a rampage. Caesar was raised, and discovered that Caesar inherited extraordinary intelligence from its mother. Caesar grew up showing human-like intelligence, which made Will decide to try the experimental drug to his father, who is suffering from dementia. Circumstances led to Caesar being admitted to a primate facility, which they are being mistreated. This led Caesar to create a revolution against the human.

Throughout the film I was struck by the ways in which Caesar was humanized. The resulting showdown between the apes and humans is thrilling. Overall, the movie is great. Both the story and the effects are exceptional, though I wasn't more particular with the story since this was a remake, this focuses on mistreatment of animals, particularly with using the animals for testing and poor maintenance of animal facilities. James Franco, as usual, is great. I should emphasize Tom Felton's abilities which made me hate him more (yeah, I still hate Draco Malfoy to this day). Also, notably when Caesar speaks for the first time. That part freaks me out too. At last, Caesar turned out to be still caring and chosen to stay at the forest which is originally their species' home.

The story is interesting, the casts' performance is impressive, the scenes are engaging, the climax is awesome. I could say that the movie is worth watching, and the effects is a good combination. Never at any moment of the film that I feel bored watching at. The whole thing is just exciting!

Thumbs up! :) All hail Caesar!! :))

From Good Lines...

A few movie lines quite heart-melting I must say. If you got something to add, go on. And if you got your own version, let us hear it. Be cheesy! ;) Share some love. Let me share some of my well-loved quotes or lines from Nicholas' Sparks movies/books. Enjoy them as much as I did...:))

A Walk to Remember

"Love is always patient and kind. Love is never never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes."

"I held her close to me with my eyes closed, wondering if anything in my life had ever been this perfect and knowing at the same time that it hadn't. I was in love, and the feeling was even more wonderful than I ever imagined it could be."

"Knowing there's one thing I still haven't told you: I now believe, by the way, that miracles can happen."

"There are moments when I wish I could roll back the clock and take all the sadness away, but I have the feeling that if I did, the joy would be gone as well. So I take the memories as they come, accepting them all."

"Our love is like a wind...I can't see it, but I sure I can feel it."

The Notebook

"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will be soon forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough."

"I love you. I am who I am because of you. You are every reason, every hope, and every dream I've ever had, and no matter what happens to us in the future, every day we are together is the greatest day of my life. I will always be yours."

"We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we did, something rare and beautiful was created. For me, love like that has only happened once, and that's why every minute we spent together has been seared in  my memory. I'll never forget a single moment of it."

"So it's not gonna be easy. It's going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me...everyday."

"...But in spite their differences, they had one important thing in common, they were crazy about each other."

"You are my best friend as well as my lover, and I do not know which side of you I enjoy the most. I treasure each side, just as I have treasured our life together."

Message in a Bottle

"Nothing that's worthwhile is ever easy. Remember that."

"Without you in my arms, I feel emptiness in my soul. I find myself searching the crowd for your face - I know its impossibility, but I cannot help myself."

"Thank you for coming into my life and giving me joy, thank you for loving me and receiving my love in return. Thank you for the memories I will cherish forever. But most of all, thank you for showing me that there will come a time when I can eventually let you go."

"I have come to realize that destiny can hurt a person as much as it can bless them, and I find myself wondering why---out of all the people in all the world I could ever have loved--I had to fall in love with someone who was taken away from me."

"As a girl, she had come to believe in the ideal man -- the prince or knight of her childhood stories. In the real world, however, men like that simply didn't exist."

The Last Song

"Sometime you have to be apart from people you love, but that doesn't make you love them any less. Sometimes you love them more."

"Truth only means something when it's hard to admit."

"Life, he realize, was much like a song. In the beginning there is a mystery, in the end there is confirmation, but it's in the middle where all the emotion resides to make the whole thing worthwhile."

"In the end you should always do the right thing even if it's hard."

"The pieces all fit together. Yet everything was falling apart."

Nights in Rodanthe

"Before we met, I was as lost as a person could be and yet you saw something in me that somehow gave me direction again."

"While I sleep, I dream of you, and when I wake, I long to hold you in my arms. If anything, our time apart has only made me more certain that I want to spend my nights by your side, and my days with your heart."

"I've been thinking about you constantly since I left, wondering why the journey I'm on seemed to have led through you. I know my journey's not over yet, and that life is a winding path, but I can only hope it somehow circles back to the place I belong. That's how I think of it now. I belong with you."

"As hard as it was, as terrible and unfair as the way things turned out, I wouldn't have traded the few days I spent with him for anything."

"I finally understood what true love meant....love meant that you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be."

"Our story has three parts: a beginning, middle, and an end. And although this is the way all stories unfold, I still can't believe that ours didn't go on forever."

"Part of me aches at the thought of her being so close yet so untouchable, but her story and mine are different now. It wasn't easy for me to accept this simple truth, because there was a time when our stories were the same, but that was six years and two lifetimes ago."

"No matter where it is in the sky...No matter where you are in the world...the moon is bigger than your thumb."

"I love you, not just for now, but for always, and I dream of the day that you'll take me in your arms again."