007 Book (James Bond)

I may not be the most ardent fan of the James Bond series, but finding out that there’s a book available which lists the locations that James Bond movies were filmed at sort of caught my attention. Martijn Mulder has compiled and created On The Tracks of 007, which comes in Black and White print (cheaper) and a Full Colour print (obviously more expensive – limited edition!). 007 enthusiasts would have access to the ladies man’s hotel lists, travel film stories, hundreds of photos, background information, etc.

Surely there are ways to enjoy the film aside from watching the reel!

Did you know that there exists already a Halong Bay tour where they’ve filmed one of the 007 movies? This is in Vietnam.

I am quite excited to see the upcoming 007 movie! Daniel Craig is such a hottie! :D

Jane Austen Book Club

It's been a while since I've blogged about my movies. (Watched, rented, love or hate)

Watched the Jane Austen Book Club on DVD last night and I kinda like it. I don't actually know all the books that Jane Austen wrote, but I am thinking of reading her book "Persuasion", just because I think this is interesting. Well, based on the movie at least.

Put together a bunch of people with different personalities and views, mix them with a common goal, which is to read and discuss Austen's book, you will get the Jane Austen Book Club. Brought together by something, they discuss downright real issues about love, lust, marriage and relationships. Love can lead to marriage. Relationships don't mean there is love. Marriage can be a lasting myriad of everything between love and lust.

The book club met at different venues in the 6 months they agreed to have their book club meetings at, for the 6 books they picked to talk about. They had it at some of their homes, starbucks, the hospital, a formal dinner event, the beach. A nice variety if I may say so.

Overall, the quick pacing of the film will entertain the audience, even though you haven't read any of Jane Austen's book you would still find yourself relating to their topics and constant debates. It could have been a movie that has a lot of talk in it. But, if you catch the flow of it, you would not get bored. I found each character witty, charming and appropriate.

I love how the film is shot at the very end. Simply sweet.

Pride and(/or) Prejudice, the Movie

Don't we all have pride and prejudice issues?!?

I've been eyeing this movie for a while but have only got around to watching it a few days ago. (I had the CD with me for about three months now!)

I'm one of the few who never read Pride and Prejudice in High School. I know that was one of the choices for endless Book Reports in High School, but for some reason I was not really that much into classic love stories then. I always chose to review some other book.

I regret now that I have just watched this movie, or for that matter, that I have never read the book. I'm pretty sure the book might have been more romantic! Nevertheless I enjoyed the film. Keira Knightley belongs to a certain class of actresses. I am partial about her though. She is a good actress but sometimes just lacks a little bit of "it" for me. Maybe its because of the roles that she's given? Or must just be me and my preferences. But, in this movie she looked and acted great!

I love one particular scene when Mr Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen) and Elizabeth Bennett (Keira Knightley) exchanged witty statements about one being Proud and the other Prejudiced (I would say that both characters had a little bit of pride and prejudice in them). Such an engaging scene where I had to close my eyes to understand their heated play of words. Little did they know based on their first meeting that they would later on end up a couple.

A typical classic love story that had the ladies behave in a reserved manner, with of course the exception of a few pretty rebellious one/s. Truly a coming of age story for women who discovered real love. As much as the story had great male figures, I think the way that the film (or even the book) may have been presented, created rich and deep female characters.

Another angle of the story which kept me on my toes was about trying to keep track of the family tree. So many connections and relations among characters which just add to the whole seemingly simple but embracing story line.

Jane Austen's a great writer. Although I have not read the book, I tried to interpret the film as if I was reading the director's script. Watching the film as if I was reading someone's interpretation (or book report) on a great classic. Maybe one day I would read the book and come up with a new perspective. Meanwhile, I just really enjoyed it. So call me a classic girl... Overall, this film made me miss me three sisters..

Whats your Home Address: London Gatwick Airport Terminal

It's been reported in the news that a homeless unemployed chef lived in London's Gatwick Airport South terminal for three years. Anthony Delaney has camped at the terminal for three years, sleeping and taking showers at that London address inspite of countless run ins with UK Police. He'd only leave the terminal to collect his unemployment benefits, this was all inspite being banned from entering the Airport. What made him do this? Sheer act of desperation probably.

Did you know that movie The Terminal was inspired by a real life man who was at a waiting zone (detention) in Charles De Gaulle (CDG) Airport in France. Mehran Karimi Nasseri, an Iranian born man who appealed a number of times as a refugee into the UK, Italy, France. From 1988 to 2006, he lived at CDG airport's Terminal One Departure lounge. During this time, he's become friends with the airport staff, who donated a sofa for him to sleep on and offered to wash his clothes. While at the airport, Nasseri had a daily routine to wake up at 5AM, wash the public toilets, listen to the radio, read a book, and write in his journal. This journal has been turned into an autobiography called the Terminal Man. It has been said by the Sunday Times that this book is both disturbing and brilliant. Hmmmm. This is interesting. I have always loved the movie with Tom Hanks, The Terminal, and so reading this may interest me.

Lucky you? Or, Lucky me?

The other day I watched Lucky You, the movie featuring Eric Bana (as Huck Cheever) and Drew Barrymore (Billie Offer - - what a name).

Huck, a compulsive gambler meets Billie, an innocent local girl. It was not your typical love story, as it gave so much information on the game Poker. If you are not familiar with the game, you will need to listen closely to understand what the movie is about. Huck was an emotional poker player who was very good with cards, but whose life was in the pits. Living in the shadow of his dad, LC Cheever (played by Robert Duvall) who was an all time Poker player guru that never gave in to make his son win. As much as the movie was a love story, it was about father-son relationship.

At one of the poker games, a scene made me think about the whole game of cards : Which gives you an edge in real life : your lucky cards? Or, your skill? Is luck enough to make one succeed? Or, can skill compensate for one's lack of luck? Which would you rather have??

A lesson that Huck learned towards the end of the movie was about giving (in), in order to gain something even more. At the final poker tournament, he realised this. This brought him to his real love, finding out for himself about what really matters to him : Billie and gaining his "control in life" back.

Shall we??....Dance?

How can I not love this movie? Richard Gere is just amazing... Those eyes... Untiring. To think that he is not that young, but he was able to pull this movie off. Really gracefully. And not just because it was a movie about dancing.

The movie talks about a mature man's journey to rediscovering himself and his passion. In the course of finding himself, he struggles but successfully ignites his love for his wife, and for life. In general.

Sometimes, in the journey of life we find ourself too immersed with the routine of life that we forget to enjoy the companionship of people close to us. This trap particularly catches people who are part of a couple. What is seemingly harmless in nature/goal being quite good even, can lead to something destructive.

The movie showed a really nice relationship (outcome) between husband (Richard Gere) and wife (Susan Sarandon). There was a scene wherein the detective asked Susan Sarandon's character about the essence of a marriage (or something along that line of thought)...And she answered, that it was really about one person committing to the other by being the prime witness to their life. And that no matter what happened, his life would matter to one person (the wife). Each thought, action, word that he says, does, thinks would not go unnoticed by the significant other. How lovely the thought is, to know that at least to one person you mean the world.

The movie also showed the bonding that happened between Richard Gere and J Lo. So much that they were able to create such passionate dance scenes, without having to portray an affair as such. In each of their "love" dance scenes, one could feel the intensity and passion without malice. It made me even love Richard all the more. Having the balls to stand against temptation especially at a crucial time in his life. I just wish this is the case in real life. But, no, only at the movies can you ask someone to dance with you passionately. And yet still keep that healthy distance.

THE BOOK OF LOVE

Chocolat The Movie

Watched Chocolat on friday night, after a very long and crazy day at work where I had no lunch break, and stayed back at work for two hours.. Hmp. When I got home, I played the movie. It was a perfect contrast to my day. The movie suited my mood. Perfect calm and slow paced movie for the evening. Perhaps, if I watched it on any other night, I would have turned it off after five minutes. But, it was perfectly all right that night.

Chocolat the movie, was about a young mom, Vianne opening a Chocolatiere in a small and traditional French town. New as she was, she was frowned upon because she was everything that the local town's people were not. She had a child, and no husband. She does not go to sunday church, and does not practice fasting. Timely, she and her daughter arrived the French town during the lenten season, when everyone in the village was expected to abstain from eating "unnecesarily" or were expected to give up something for lent. It was also believed that having chocolate would awaken the passion within. This posed a challenge for the villagers, as they passed the Chocolatiere quite often. In the beginning, a lot of the villagers would resist the temptation because they fear that it will be an unacceptable behaviour. The persistence of the lady chocolatier to be able to reach out to the townspeople's desire, instinct and truth would succeed in the end.

The movie is about unleashing the one's passion and inner truth. The inner truth which was not always the most acceptable thing in society. The truth that would allow one to think for oneself, and realise the need to just let go, and do what they know is right for them.

A Good Year for you?

There comes a time in one's life when work eats every single waking moment, breath and energy. And it is no longer healthy. Being one who thrives on pressure and a fast paced atmosphere, this can be addicting. Food for the body. But can make the soul weak.

Watching A Good Year, would touch you right on the spot and hopefully make you think about taking life slower. Enjoy the ride and appreciate people. Make use of gadgets less, and spend more time to be one with nature, listening to the sound of silence and take in the vast magic of the beautiful surround.

Taking in the movie's great big pretty scene...Peace and serenity is not just literally a place, but a state of mind. You can achieve this without travelling the distance, but just taking the time off each day to reconnect with your inner self that longs for solitude.

And, all this happens with the help of a pretty love character and great wine.