I went to the 12mn showing of Watchmen last night.  And I was happy with my decision to not read the last chapter of the novel because the ending of the film made up a big part of the reason why I loved the movie.

I shall return to the book to finish reading later but for now, here’s my review:

I loved the film because it is not your typical superhero story. It is not simply a matter of good versus evil; people perceived the Watchmen to be evil.  The only hero that had extraordinary powers came about not even because he was born with it, but because of a terrible accident in a physics lab.  And maybe Nite Owl’s ship, which is apparently not a hero.  Beyond that, I loved the various ways one can interpret the story and its ending. Why the Watchmen exist is pretty clear- to try to save the world from the destruction it is creating for itself.  But the means by which these individuals accomplish this goal is somewhat different from Batman, Superman or other superheroes.  It is a notch or two more controversial.

This is a story of ends justifying the means, of the need for sacrifices, of the struggles of humanity and what they are capable of doing without some form of mediation, of the need to sometimes keep silent, of sometimes compromising… The story truly presents not a complex plot, but more importantly, a complex look at human nature.  I…(read more)t did not blow me away as much as The Dark Knight did (I personally thought it somewhat lacked the umph!) but having political references (including Nixon, the Cold War, even Fidel Castro was there!) and the closer-to-humanity story there is than other superhero films personally added to the appeal.

I agree, however, what others say.  That without having read the novel first, some might get lost. After all, it was as close an adaptation of the book as it could get. But overall, it was a really entertaining film.  The voice-overs, the beautiful perfectly-selected songs, the gruesomeness (at some point beating the brutality of Kill Bill)… I just loved it.  B+/A-.  Whether it upgrades to an A is still to be tested. Wait until the movie comes out.

Meet Vicky…

…and Cristina

…in the romantic city of Barcelona.

In the latest installment by Woody Allen, Vicky Cristina Barcelona tells the story of two friends, who decided to spend one summer in Barcelona to escape the complex life in New York City. Vicky, who’s engaged to a wealthy man and believes she has everything she could ask for, and Cristina, who’s been unsuccessful in keeping relationships, met a guy both of them unexpectedly fell for. In trying to get the two of them to share the bed with him, Juan Antonio showed them the beauty of the city of Barcelona. I went for the movie with no high hopes and expectations; my only goal was to find out the reason behind Penelope Cruz’s Best Supporting Actress victories from just about every major competition.   Indeed she was worthy.  Playing as the suicidal ex-wife of Juan Antonio, played by Javier Bardem, Penelope’s character exposes you to the extraordinary skill and flexibility she has as an actress.  I was drawn towards her portrayal of a mad ex-wife, before switching to become the romantic spouse she never was and in her sanity, a great companion to Cristina as she explores the city, only to go back again later on to be mad and jealous.

The movie easily exceeded my expectations. Whether I call this my favorite movie is still to be tested, but I am certain it is almost right up there with every other movie I can easily watch over and over again.

Fall in love with the characters. Fall in love with the arts. Fall in love with the strum of Spanish guitar that tickles the senses. And fall in love with the idyllic scenery only the city of Barcelona can uniquely offer.

Alfredo said, “Life is not like the movies. It is much harder.” And this is the very story that Cinema Paradiso presented. A man helplessly in love with a woman fails to witness a fairy-tale ending to their love story. It was one that wasn’t lacking nor in excess of romanticism. The secret meetings, the waiting and hoping, and even the traditional writing of letters were all there. This could only cover one of the many themes Cinema Paradiso was able to encapsulate throughout the 3-hour running time of the movie. If there was one prominent theme here, it was that of love. But it wasn’t just about love for a woman.

Amante. The romantic love that lingered between two characters until their old age is one of the strongest proofs that even as time passes by, despite the number of people we meet, the heart surely never forgets.

Amigo/Amiga. Salvatore’s relationship with Alfredo shows a bond as strong as that which could exist between a father and son. Given their age gap, the old man witnessed how the young man Toto transformed from being a nuisance to a responsible man who saved his life to a man in love. The kind of love they had for each other is one that is beyond what normal friends have. It was a love between two best friends who have grown to rely on each other as if they are family.

Famiglia. Resembling the parable of the prodigal son, Salvatore’s return to his hometown to once again see his aged mother and sister tells us that despite abandonment, family is perhaps the only one we can return to when everyone else has turned their backs on us. Toto’s mother felt it was he who rang the bell that one day, signaling that the long wait for her is finally over.

Interessi. Toto’s passion for films encouraged him even at a young age to pester the old Alfredo as he does his job at the cinema. The same led him to spend what was given by his mother for milk in movies, staying there until the cinema closes, oblivious to the worried mother waiting right outside. The old Alfredo grew up and got old doing just the same thing over and over and over again. Yet Toto’s passion for movies (and need I say kissing scenes) was the very same thing that brought him success.

Sconosciuto. Occasionally, even without the intention, our love for things not only creates happiness within ourselves but also among other people who receives the blessings of our dedication and efforts for the things we are most passionate about.

In this movie, we are reminded that sometimes, no matter how hard we forget, love for someone is the hardest thing to do. In the same manner that our love for family and friends is one that can stand the test of time- no matter the difficulties, through the good times and the bad. Finally, it is our passion for things that keeps us going, even with the countless roadblocks that we face. For as long as we believe in what we want and extending that belief to the notion that we can do it, we are not only making ourselves happy but also the others who share our happiness with us.

A friend recommended this movie and without a clue as to what it’s about, I obediently downloaded it. Not even exerting some effort to look for the plot, I quickly watched it after it finished downloading. Even with some work that needs to be done, I thought this is probably worth spending some time on. It had an interesting title.

In this movie “In Bruges”, I personally thought Colin Farrell did an amazing, and interesting, acting in this movie. The expressions, the witty remarks, the humor… Gotta love the Irish guy in this movie. Add to that the irony that is found between the violence/goriness/thrill and the fairy-tale-ish/romantic/idyllic scenery that is Bruges.

Watch the trailer and it might interest you as well.

PS I thought “Bruges” was some foreign language that meant something… interesting. At the risk of sounding stupid, I even read it “Bru-ges”. Perhaps the most unsophisticated way of reading it. HA. HA. HA. I didn’t know a place as such existed in Belgium. Plus it was recommended by a German lad. I must be forgiven…