Analyze This

“You, you…you took a bullet for me?!”

“You, you…you took a bullet for me?!”

A very odd friendship between a psychologist and a mafia gang lord, Dr. Ben Sobel and Paul Vitti, but I tell you this is an ideal one if we talk about the necessities of rich and genuine relationship, especially between friends.

Tagline: New York's most powerful gangster is about to get in touch with his feelings. YOU try telling him his 50 minutes are up.

A mafia gangster who’s suffering from an emotional breakdown, having a hard time doing his usual stuff like… killing? He asked a professional advice from Ben who really went nuts attending to all his whims even to the point of being woke-up in the middle of the night because of his inability to get an erection. From a simple car crash to the exchange of personal secrets, Ben and Paul are an admiring tandem with opposing characters yet made a radical change in their lives including…changing for good.

It does pay when you pay attention to somebody that can possibly lead to something we don’t expect. Ben didn’t look at Paul as a scary gang lord in that sort but somehow a person who just simply needs a professional help. As he perceived him as a helpless individual, he catered his service without judgment in his heart, and yet he proved somehow that in-between him and Paul, he is the Boss.

We sometimes overlook situations we’re facing because we’re too busy looking only to our own needs. We tend to easily ignore people, who we see as less interesting because they aren’t part of a good society, doesn’t fit within our interests, or simply they are not in our priority. But as we close our door to listen to others, we also deprived ourselves a chance to be known and understood. We might just only be contented squatting on our own un-purchased space, unrecognized. But somehow life can be more funny and challenging if we welcome people regardless of their indifference or oddness, we can still learn something from them!

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Jagshemash! Family retardation and sex within the family is not considered funny in America … and anywhere of course! LOL! I chuckle every time this movie enters my mind, and of course I laughed like hell the first time I watched in it DVD (not from cinema). It’s too original with unadulterated plot, side-splitting scenes and … *chuckle* *chuckle*

Kazakhstan…a beautiful country I believe, having those cool mountains and lakes as seen on the movie …and the adorable town Kuzcek. After being introduced to the town mechanic, the town rapist and his sister, Borat is on a mission to visit the US of A to learn things more about the nation’s culture along with his producer, Azamat. But then the mission went unlikely as he fell in love with Pamela Anderson when he saw her on TV then later convinced his producer to go to California instead to locate and marry her.

On the way to California, Borat met different kind of people from politicians, hip-hoppers, homosexuals, evangelists and even a prostitute. His journey made him understand what the country has to offer, the realities and experienced it by him self and not just through scheduled interviews and meetings as planned. And what did he learn that would benefit his country Kazakhstan? Nothing. Haven’t been in America yet I already concluded that it’s no superior country among the others; they also have their own hardships and good days to deal with, just like the rest. Culture adaptation is not that easy to embrace, as for American culture is for Americans just like Asians for Asian culture.

He went back home along with a new wife and an I-pod. But he also brought with him a lesson that he learned during his stay in the USA, the ups and downs…the fight with his producer, and especially the fact that he just can’t put a woman on a sack because he wants to marry her. So sad there is no sequel for this!

If Only

Sniff, sniff…tissue please … I mean the whole box!! *Sobs*

Yes, this movie made me cry even on the fourth time I watched it…really! I’ve seen many love stories coated with some fantasies but this one made me feel like ... I’ll cry again the next time I watch it. It’s a London set-up story about two lovers living together and having a good time until a tragedy came in and that left the man in dreadful pain as his girlfriend died of car accident.

Tagline: “He loved her like there was no tomorrow”. Was it a premonition? Or another bit of fantasy that made Ian correct things in order to save his girlfriend’s life from a certain death … in exchange of his? This is one good love story that tells everyone to appreciate people in our lives while they’re still there for us, and it’s terribly regretful if we lose them without telling how important they are with too much remorse in our hearts.

He was given a second chance to correct things. In less than 24 hours before he knew Samantha will meet her fate, he did everything to show her how much he appreciate, love and support her. This made Samantha feels strange somehow because for all she knew, Ian isn’t really like that and she even believes she loves him more than he does. In few minutes before the time will meet the end for Samantha, Ian did something that changed everything, he sat himself to where his girlfriend should be.

The end of it Samantha left sorrowful after losing Ian, without knowing that he took a fate that is supposed to be hers. They have been separated but somehow there are neither laments nor regrets to consider anymore, just untainted love.

sniff…

Return of the Jedi

I’m a big fan of this James Cameron saga… and the force is still with me after 26 years. This is actually the last installment of Anakin Skywalker’s love and battle story that was shown in cinema just right after I received my grade school diploma, and now I’m working and enjoying the recently regressed episodes of this film.

When Anakin was still young, he was already sensed differently by some Master Jedis but was considered a danger as well by the others because of his remarkable attitude …so emotional. Don’t correct me on this, he really was! He’s a gifted boy at his early age, easily flares-up, quickly fell in love with a woman, a mama’s boy, a devoted but insane lover … and lastly, the best father of all.

And who says Luke is the star in this film? Not even Han Solo or Princess Lea, they just appeared in the last (first?) 3 episodes but Anakin was in it all the time and the season really evolved in him. From being a boy mechanic, a Jedi apprentice, a Jedi warrior, an evil Darth Vader and later ended-up as a plain father who weren't able to stomach seeing his own son electrocuted by the Sith emperor.

Let’s say, he wasn’t that bad after all. He could have done some terrible mistakes by selling his own soul to the dark side just to save his girlfriend’s life but at the end, he still did the right thing to straighten his past boo-boo. This movie somehow made me believe that anyone can change in time. No matter how nasty or unlikely an attitude is, time can change anything and anyone. Well of course it just ticked on the right situation if the person decides to change.

The Forgotten

I don’t like this movie… but then I’ll go a bit further and share what disappointed me here. It’s about a devastated mother who lost her son and grieved for a year and everyone around her thinks she’s insane including her husband. She even went to see a shrink to help her recover from her miseries and yet only to give tips on how to deal with hallucinations. This persistent mother is Telly.

With some evil alien who bumped into the middle of the story that somehow gave answers to Telly’s search for her lost son, but then…where is this dude came from? And even her shrink who’s been convincing that she’s inventing a son in her thoughts knows this unexplained character. They should have told the viewers from the start about these experimenting people who suck anyone from the sky testing humans on “who easily forgets … mommy or daddy?”

Tagline: “You'll Never Forget the Ones You Love”. These two parents, Telly and Ash, who both lost their son and daughter in a mysterious plane crash worked together when they realized something wrong is happening around. But what made Ash forgot he has a daughter and it was Telly who made him remember everything? Does it mean that a mommy doesn’t easily forget but a daddy does? I think so…based on my own experience but not applicable for all I guess.

This is how I simply understand this...this… ok let’s call this a movie for Julian Moore’s sake. If not for the reason she appeared in one of Hannibal Lecter saga, I would surely mock this flick. And mostly, I didn't drop a jaw nor a piece of popcorn when I watched it. This film is soon to be forgotten I think...and it does already.

Wall-E

A robot love story … actually not really. I can say this movie tells something more than emotions developed by squeaking and bleeping robots. It is more of a warning for over-consumption in this world that might end up all of us residing in space someday. And also, please watch on your diet, you can’t just sit the whole day in your life and everything you do is chat with people on screen and anything comes to you automatically, laziness it is. Well actually I’ve been seeing these nowadays; people are getting big with all the junk they eat and not stretching a limb to make them fit or sweat at all. A movie of the only surviving robot fixing all the trashes in the world along with his pet, cricket; enjoying a collection of plastic spoons and forks, lighters, rubix cube and a Hello Dolly musical video. Actually his life is quite settled already until this smart, specially designed robot Eve came to the world to look for a sign of life particularly a plant. I love the scene when the song “La Vie en Rose” was played, sweet! It could be a sign of true love, between robots? Oh c’mon don’t give me those craps.

Ok, ok it’s a joke for us but it could be an abstraction of what real love is. When you finally found that one; you will definitely do everything, patiently wait, follow that person to a place you’ve never been, and even get struck by a lightning several times. Awww, that is fatal. Ok we’re not robots but let’s just note what Wall-E exemplified in this movie. Not collecting garbage of course, not just the love, but his hopeful attitude to go back to earth even when Eve lost her interest to do so. I won’t forget the scene when Wall-E put his thread on M-O’s face that made the latter freaked out!

Untraceable

@$#*&!!! I don’t know why I have to put this on my blog, this is actually the sickest of all sick movies I've ever seen in my life! After watching this flick I found myself cursing all the fake gods and goddesses of middle earth, an old neighbor who took my cat and my pressure went 220/170 in spite of my cholesterol is below average! Whew! I need a paper bag!

“Tagline: A cyber killer has finally found the perfect accomplice: You.” No way! How can I be an accomplice if my ISP has to do the first thing not to make such stupidity be online? Could it be human nature to enjoy watching people getting tortured? This is sick indeed. Just the thought of seeing someone I know getting killed online would surely make me faint. This movie is all about a heartless cyber killer with hardened-stomach online visitors who enjoys torture scenes including those in the FBI’s. And what the hell it can’t be traced? What technology are they running? Way back from the 60’s? This movie I think is one nice-try copying the Silence of the Lamb stuff.

Oh c’mon, who can be worst than Hannibal Lecter as a movie villain? Ok Diane Lane is fine but the role isn’t compromising, being Unfaithful still works on her I think. How could I possibly know the email addresses of those who created this plot to send tons of angry comments without me being traced? Sending a message like “hey you talent less freaks, you’re a disgrace to yourselves” or “did u guys ran out of idea to make a new decent film?! Make a career change, try selling umbrellas!”

Grrrrr…