Rainy season blockbusters! LOL! It may be summer in Hollywood, but it's been raining here almost everyday. Just three movies and nothing else, but I thoroughly enjoyed all three. But if you have to choose only one, then watch The Dark Knight. You cannot miss this one on the big screen!
More blockbusters in the queue, and theater season has started—I hope I'll be able to watch some this month.
Almost pathetic. I've been so stressed out at work, I hardly went anywhere during the month of June. One movie and one art exhibit—that's it. And I just realized that it's almost halfway through July and I haven't had a blog post yet. I sure hope things change soon.
Duetto
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
I was going to say that May was probably my most miserable month. First, I pulled a hip muscle and had to go through physical therapy. The doctor prescribed six sessions, but I had only gone to two when I caught that awful bug that laid me low for four days, after which the cough and cold persisted for another two weeks. Then at the end of the month, and the start of the workshop I had to attend, I got sick again—either food poisoning or a stomach flu. Whichever it was, the effect was the same.
But then I went through my planner, and realized that we actually did a lot despite the days stuck at home. We went to our bookworm friends' wedding and I went to the opening of an Australian artists' exhibit.
We also got to try out three new restaurants: Napoli Pizzeria (with old-style brick, wood-burning ovens), Blissful Belly (vegetarian), and Big Oli (Italian fastfood).
And even on the days that we couldn't leave the house—my husband caught the bug after I did—we watched four movies at home: Persepolis, Shake Rattle & Roll 9 (a Filipino horror film), 3:10 to Yuma and My Blueberry Nights.
So looking at the whole of May, no, it wasn't miserable after all. Maybe just the health part, and since we've finally gotten our flu shots, hopefully we won't catch any serious bug again for another year.
Oh, and we also watched two movies on the big screen:
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal SkullNo plays. Only one theater group staged a play and I missed it. No bands. I'm not young anymore and I promised myself to cut down on weeknights out because a full day's work after not having enough sleep is just a bit too much for me now. Just two really fun movies!
And… I spent three days in Tagaytay City for a retreat. My husband and I spent a weekend at a hotel. And my office spent a day in a farm resort for our annual R&R.
And… Let's not forget the eating out! My college girlfriends and I ate at a Thai seafood restaurant. Had pizza and pasta (and more) at a little Italian trattoria with some English Department faculty. And the entire family of my husband—parents, children and spouses, grandchildren—had lunch one Sunday at an Asian curry restaurant.
Most people put on music while doing their chores. I pop in movie DVDs.
Yes, I know it's weird. I can't really watch when I'm changing bed sheets, putting away clothes and linens, or giving myself a manicure or a pedicure. But that's what I do anyway. Here are my top three movies while I'm doing any of those things:
Aside from my job, shopping, errands, and eating out with family and friends, these are what took me out of the house in January 2008:
Last night of the three day weekend, we decided to watch one more movie. This was after I kept all my purchases of the day before, cleaned all the shoes I used last week (something I really should be doing daily, but obviously don't), changed the bedsheets, and bathed the dog (and myself!). Something light and fluffy, since I have work the day after and didn't fancy any drama or anything serious.
Ocean's Thirteen
Yummy, yummy, yummy! The only way to describe a movie that has George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Andy Garcia (I'd put in Al Pacino too, but he really is a little too old for me now). Those boys alone will ensure that I'll enjoy the movie. But I've really always enjoyed the Ocean's franchise, and 13 was no exception. The particular heist in this third movie, however, wasn't as complex as in the first two. Nor were the characters as funny or witty. But still, fun, light entertainment was what I was looking for, and that's what I got. Not to mention lovely dreams after.
Joy of joys! I got to stay home two weekend nights in a row. Of course, instead of tackling any of a hundred and one chores I really ought to attend to, I decided to curl up in bed and watch movies instead. I did some chores during the day anyway, so I figured I deserved a little treat.
Blood Diamond
I've always thought that Leonardo DiCaprio is a terrific actor. For so many years though, the acting was eclipsed by his cutesy boy good looks and his social life (Titanic and The Beach didn't help either). I'm glad he's a little scruffier looking now and I like what he's done the past few years, beginning with Gangs of New York.
I also like him in Blood Diamond where he plays a gun-runner and diamond smuggler in civil war-torn Sierra Leone. Djimon Hounsou plays the fisherman whose village is raided and destroyed by rebels, he becomes a slave in a diamond mine and finds a huge pink diamond. The story revolves around this pink diamond—everyone wants it. This main part of the story was okay. As usual, I found the romance part ick. It has its purposes, I guess. One is definitely to show the humanity of DiCaprio's character. But, really, this can be shown using some other device! I suspect they really just wanted to stick in a pretty girl (Jennifer Connelly) in there somewhere.
Beyond the story though, the movie is mighty depressing because of the issues it raises. Boy soldiers, conflict diamonds, civil wars, refugees, gun-running, poverty, greed… the list is very, very long. The question of conflict diamonds (diamonds used to finance arms and civil wars) itself can be extended to so many other products. Wood and timber, cacao, coffee, cheap toys and clothes. Illegal logging, slave labor, child labor, hazardous working environments, human rights violations. The movie's right in that last explanatory line it displays, which I'm altering to encompass more than conflict diamonds: It is up to the consumer to insist that the product she is buying was produced without harm to humans, animals and the environment. But that leaves me at a loss: how does one find out for sure?
Casino Royale
To be honest, I was disappointed and skeptical when Daniel Craig was announced as the new James Bond. I'd gotten used to Pierce Brosnan and didn't think that Craig was at all good-looking enough. Now that I've finally seen him in the movie, though, I take back all that I was thinking then.
Meet a young (being Asian though, I really can't tell age with Caucasians—they always look so much older!), newly 00-d, and much more realistic Bond. This Bond is buff, sweats, shows how difficult it is to kill someone with your bare hands, and gets all dirty, bloody, cut up and roughed up after a fight. Seeing how the producers want the franchise redirected, the choice of Craig makes perfect sense. They've definitely geared up for a new run: in this movie, Bond's just gotten his 00 status but M refers to the aftermath of 9/11. I'm already looking forward to the new movies.
