Blood Diamond

This is the movie that I've heard lots about, read lots about and know lots about and I've kinda "sworn" not to watch as the usual comment that I have, "Aiyah ... I know what's all about already."

That statement is true though. I've heard about it from Oprah's interview with Leonardo DiCaprio & Djimon Hounsou. Then, a friend of mine has also told me about the story from the beginning till the end complete with its gory details (thinking that I will not going to watch it). And hence, I really know about the movie ... or at least the story about it.

But it's not by chance why I ended up watching this movie. I was supposed to watch "The King" with my friend - The Cooking Pot, my awesome student and her friend. As I was buying the ticket, the sales person told me that it's R21 (only people 21 yrs old and above are allowed to watch) ... then I was shocked. As my students are only ... 18. Hence we finally decided to watch Blood Diamond.

How's my experience with it?
Simply put, it's an eye opener and I don't regret watching a single bit of it even though I know all about the story line and details. Yeah, it's that good. And most importantly the movie carries an important message that needs to be heard by most diamond consumers in the world.

Super Short Synopsis
If you've seen the trailer or even heard about it. It's a journey of 2 men with 2 different objectives but both are related with the pink diamond. Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) a smuggler who needs the diamond to pay his debts and of course to make much much more money. Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a fisherman who's in desperate mode to find his family. Both are working together by looking for the big diamond that Solomon hid during his slavery in the diamond mine.



Tips

• Don't be shocked when you encountered the gruesome facts of civil war, child soldiers and the blood diamond itself. It's necessary and you can't miss any bit of it no matter how horrific it may seem. Because you may be having one of them on your body.
• Appreciate the great talent from Leonardo DiCaprio. His accent is so convincing that at one moment I really forgot that he's Leo the Romeo. Haha.
  

My Take

• Being aware of what people can do just to attain material wealth even though it may cause other people blood and even civil war.
• Child soldier is cruelty. No wonder there's reason why we need to be children first before we become adults.
  
• Sometimes the people you are accused of something are not really the main culprits. One very powerful scene that meant a lot to me from this movie was when Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) spite Leonardo for being a smuggler and whether he feels anything for the cause of so many people's life in his quest of wealth. But he said, the real people to be blamed are people who consume the blood diamonds. People who dream about fairy tale wedding and to have that piece of rock on their fingers. People who saved a year of that salary just to make their dreams come true. So profound.

Trailer


Related Link

See how this 17 year old girl lost her both hands to rebels shootings at Sierra Leone and more information on Conflict Diamonds.

Perfume: The Story of A Murderer

I've been in a movie marathon this weekend. Caught 3 movies in total:

1. Blood Diamond
   
2. Babel
3. Perfume: The Story of A Murderer
   

I'll be sharing all in this blog but for now I'd like to start with Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, because ... it's the last one that I watched :p.

Super Short Synopsis
Based on the best-selling novel, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Suskind, about a man, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, whose olfactory (smelling) sense is the strongest of all and his quest in preserving those smell that captivated him, forever.



Tips for those who hasn't watched the movie:

• Be there with open mind. I can't stress how important and crucial this is. There are some stuffs that most people who just can't accept especially morally. Take it you are watching a piece of art and sometimes, art just doesn't know boundary. If you think you can't take it, don't watch. It's pointless to bitch and be so unhappy about a show after you've paid money for it
• As this is a movie about scent and smell, it's definitely to capture its essence and experience through our visual and auditory elements. But try to feel which ever way you can. Be creative and most importantly, be imaginative. Including those which looked super gross ... it's an interesting experience if you just let it be
  
• There are few creepy scenes. Though it's not a horror show but it still gives you the creeps. It's fun though haha ... Better than lousy horror movies for sure. :p ...
  

(WARNING: Spoilers may be lurking but not to the extent it'll spoil your enjoyment if you choose to watch the show)

The Super Short Flow
The first scene, Jean- Baptiste Grenouille, was announced to be sentenced in front of the public by destroying all his limbs on the cross. What happened after that, was his journey towards his goal in creating the ultimate perfume and the continuation from the gruesome announcement.

My Take
I haven't read the novel before but it's so acclaimed that the novel is really good. So I took a look at the last chapter of it yesterday. :p .... And the words are so profound and captivating. But the movie has done it a justice (at least for the last chapter) though there are a few sentences that I think should have been included in. But oh well ... you can go to any book store and read about the last page. As it sums up about the moral of the story.

So what do I learn from this movie:

• Even though you have that invincible power that may allow you to control the world, it all will fall apart when you don't have the ability to love and to be loved
• Self identity is another important message this movie trying to tell. You've to know who you are in whichever way you are defining it and not based on others' definitions. Because when you are not, when even a dog can't sniff the essence of you, you are just another lost soul.
  

Beautiful Quotes
I may not have captured it correctly, but it says something along the line of ...
"The soul of every being, lies in its sense."

Trailer:



Related Link
If you are interested in how the perfumes are being made, I've found a website that went back to Grasse (where the movie took place) and followed the footsteps of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille.

What If You Had a Universal Remote Control … That Controlled Your Universe?

Would you want it?

Oh come on, don’t be shy. Take it. IT’S FREE!

Well, for those of you who’ve watched “Click” starring talented comedian, Adam Sandler, you’ll definitely understand what I’m going to share below. For those who don’t, I beg you to watch. BEG …. *down on my feet*. Please don’t miss sucha great movie. Yeah, I know Adam Sandler’s shows tend to be crappy but trust me it always has meaning behind it and this time it is showcased brilliantly. So, please watch. If you still don’t like it … hmmm … I’ll see if I can get a Universal Remote Control, and I’ll record your life instead. (Joking la ….)

I’ve watched this show 2 weeks ago. I remembered I’m begging my friends to watch with me but last minute, almost no one could make it. I seriously determined to watch it myself till one of my friend came to the rescue. :D …. *Thank you very much for that*

I’ve heard lots of good review from people who’ve watched it. Most of them said,”It is very meaningful.” But I’ve also read bad reviews from magazine and newspaper, saying it’s another slapsticks comedy with no substance. BLA BLA BLA.

Guess what, the moment I saw the preview even before anybody has watched the show, I know I’m in for a good ride. When “The One Up There” kinda theme is involved, normally the show can’t go too wrong. Though it’s stupid, it’ll still try to convey a message that’s more profound than eyes can normally grasp. (OK OK, let me be humble. I just like stupid show. I even like Spongebob Squarepants! Oooppps…..)

(Image courtesy of www.theepochtimes.com)

So, I began my journey with Adam who’s an architect who thought life will be better when he got his promotion. He neglected his family and put all his heart into his work, thinking when my work has stabilized, I’ll have more time for my family. (How many of you can relate to that? I sure can.) The Almighty heard his cries when his works were so overwhelming and gave him a Universal Remote Control that could make him go back to the past, fast forward the unpleasant part of his life, stop the time, and can even turn on TV, fan, etc. What a bargain.

I’ll not reveal too much what happens in the movie as I understand some of you will choose to watch it and experience it yourself. But what I’d like to draw out from the movies for those who plan not to watch it is that, Life is not just passing by and getting to the final destination. But it’s every moment and every second of it that really count. Yeah, some of the moments are not pleasant … (may be I’m being too nice to use the word “pleasant”) let me re-write … some of the moments are just CRAP. It can be painful, humiliating, disappointing, terrifying, killing … you name it. But, living it and giving it 400% of what you’ve got by even just experiencing it and brace it, will make you grow 800% more. Cry to the maximum. Fail to the maximum. Enjoy to the maximum too. When everything has passed, then you look back or look down or look from wherever you want, you can proudly tell yourself,” I’ve given my very best and I lived with no regrets” (Eh! I suddenly sound like William Hung (the Fallen American Idol who sang “She Bangs”. Look what happened when he too has given his best. Think he made more $$ than some of the top 20 idols.)

Life is indeed beautiful, with or without its make-up on. J Live it awakened!

“He's always chasing the pot of gold, but when he gets there, at the end of the day, it's just corn flakes.- Morty” (Quote from “Click”)

D.D.'s Introduction

Hello

My name is D.D. (or that's how I'd like to be called :-)). I'm a simple girl who lives in the simple universe and decided to reside (currently) at Singapore (a FINE city).

I love watching movies A LOT. I used to say to myself that movies are my LIFE. I could watch 8 movies in one weekend last time ... but now 3 movies per one weekend is quite a happy record to myself.

I always find that every movies has a significant lesson for us to learn, be it the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly ... no matter how lousy or badly rated the movie is, one can still discover a gem out of it.

Hence I'm creating this blog to share about movies that I've watched and the gems I've picked up along the way.

Hope you'll enjoy my sharing and learning.

I hope you will enjoy my sharing and findings.

Have a great life, everyone.

Sincerely

D.D.