Boyle's Best

127 Hours tells the gripping true story of Aron Ralston. An engineer who found excitement in mountain climbing.

Director Danny Boyle recaps the events that took place in April 2003. Aron Ralston was going about his way climbing through the canyon, when a loose boulder fell and pinned his right arm against the rocks. The film captures Aron's struggle to fight for his life with the little supplies he had.

Now I remember hearing about the news at age 13. I don't think I reacted appropriately -- I mean, a guy cut off his arm to save his life. The words went in one ear and out the other. They had no semantics till I watched 127 Hours.

From the get-go, I was bracing myself for the inevitable arm-cutting scene. But before that could happen, we had to see Aron run out of "lifelines" in order to conclude that cutting his arm was the only means of saving his life.

He gets trapped early on in the movie, and since it runs for about 90 minutes, I was wondering how they would fill up the time. In fact, Boyle decided to throw in some flashbacks, which I found to be an interesting additive. It gives the audience a peek at what Aron's life had been like. Who his family was, who he'd loved, even what he had done the morning of the accident, etc. It's realistic to add in the flashbacks. I would think that if one was presumed to die soon, one would reminisce on the past and what could have been.

Finally I get to the moment I've been waiting for -- the arm cutting scene. I'm indifferent when it comes to blood and gore. I don't love it, but I can stand to watch it. Having said that, on this occasion, when there's much arm cutting, vein pulling, and bone breaking, I'll admit I was quite tense throughout. Thankfully, I was watching it in bed, so I watched from behind my comforter.  Great scene. Pivotal.

It's amazing how actors can use their talent to manipulate you to feel as their characters feel. James Franco delivers a performance that is Oscar worthy. I experienced Aron's triumphs and tribulations. When he attempted to push the boulder off his arm, I could feel my own teeth gritting as he pushed and struggled. It's a rare aptitude that few actors possess. James Franco proves once again that he is an A-list actor who can portray both a stoner and biological character with ease.

Bottom line: Boyle + Franco = a force to be reckoned with. Well done sirs.

Lucky 21

Wow, almost 2 full weeks went by without a new post. You know you're getting lazy when...


So this post will not be a movie review. My blog is about anything that I want to write about, so in lieu of my 21st birthday, I want to reflect on one of the greatest gifts I've ever received.

This is gonna get corny fast, so if you're not fond of sap or warm & fuzzies, perhaps you should wait for my next review.

Like I said, I'm reflecting on one of the best gifts I've ever received, and that would be my friends. God put such beautiful people in my life, all of whom I am proud to call my brothers and sisters. They're genuine, thoughtful, loving, and know what it means to be great friends. Most of them I've known since birth... some of them are newer friends. But I can't even begin to describe how much I love them.

So here's to being legal world-wide. And here's to great friends. Love you all. I thank the Lord for each of you.

True Hit

Following the murder of her father, a 14 year old girl hires an old US Marshal who has "true grit" to help her track down her father's killer in order to bring justice. Along the way, they meet a Texas Ranger. And the posse of three travel through deserts to find a killer. Based the novel True Grit by Charles Portis.

I think this is my first Western film. Wasn't sure what to make of it, but it's been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, so I decided to see what all the hype was about.

Jeff Bridges is even more badass than I originally thought he was! He portrays the Marshal as a man with a tough exterior, a drunkard at times, downright stubborn, and hard to strike a deal with. He is very convincing while doing so. I admit, I disliked his character at first, but I think a strong character like his like a strong cheese... It's an acquired taste. You grow to like it. I don't want to give too much away, but I ended up loving him towards the end.

A performance that I'd really like to praise is by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld. A 14 year old that shows a lot of promise in the industry. Like her character, she is also 14. She plays a very head strong young lady who has plans to avenge her father's murder. Her character's persistence and stubbornness is positively endearing, as she shows that she is passionate about only one thing. I hope to see Hailee in more movies. She has a bright future ahead of her.

While generally, I wouldn't pick a Western film to watch, I'm glad I chose to give True Grit a try. It broadened my horizons, and even exceeded my expectations. I'll admit though, I may or may not have fallen asleep after the first half. In my defense, I was exceptionally tired. BUT if I hadn't, the movie would have had more of an effect on me. And I liked it. Jus' sayin.

Valentines Day is fast approaching...

For better or for worse. One of the most important vows a couple makes, when they stand before God and before their friends and family, is to spend the rest of their lives loving each other. For better or for worse.
Ponder that for a bit...

Here we have Blue Valentine. The title is appropriate, as a certain holiday is coming up and being the sucker for romance movies I am, I gave this one a try.

Blue Valentine is about a married couple who find themselves at an impass. While thinking about what they can do to make their lives work, the audience is taken back to when the couple first met and see when they fell in love.

Dean (Ryan Gosling) is a 20-something year old man who finds a job as a mover for a moving company. Cindy (Michelle Williams) is on her way to becoming a doctor. Both paths cross when Dean catches a glimpse of Cindy as he is leaving a retirement home (where Cindy spends time with her grandmother). Dean instantly realizes that he has experienced love at first sight. About a month later, he revisits the home in hopes of running into his lady love again. He doesn't, but instead sees her on the bus he takes home. And thus the fairytale story begins...

So how do they end up in such a rut? When do people start falling out of love? Is that even possible? Having seen my own parents break up, I think about it from time to time. Throughout the movie, when it goes from present day to the past, then back again, I get frustrated because I just don't see how this couple can fall out of love. If I wasn't watching this alone, I probably would have been more vocal with my frustrations.

Bravo to Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams on stellar performances. I found myself fighting for each character on separate occasions. That's what you're supposed to do as an actor right? Make the audience feel the emotions you (the actor) are trying to convey?
At times, I would be so enamoured with their lovey-dovey-ness. At other times, I just wanted to slap them both in the face and give them a piece of my mind.

Now I don't know what the message of the movie was, but what got me the most was when Dean confronted Cindy and said, "For better or for worse. You broke your promise..."

When I started watching Blue Valentine I was expecting an epic love story. Instead, I get this Debbie-downer of a movie that gets me thinking all about the downsides of love. Just what I needed this holiday. But in all seriousness. I'm not bashing the film. It's well done. The acting was great. I was really invested in the characters (maybe a little too invested) and it was worth watching. Just maybe not this close to Valentines Day...

With that aside -- I want to wish you all a very happy Valentines Day. Much love.

Love, Drugs and Parkinsons?

I saw the trailer for Love & Other Drugs during the summer and almost immediately thought it was going to be a bust. So I avoided seeing it in the theater for fear of being disappointed.

"So what made you decide to give it a try?" you might ask... Having written many midterms over the past week, and overcome a stupid illness (I still don't know what it was) -- I needed to blow off some steam and just enjoy a movie. I mean, I don't have class till 4 tomorrow soo why not?

First off, this movie is just under 2 hours. It is up to you to decide whether or not that's time worth spending watching a chick flick. I'll leave it at that.

Usually, I'd say 2 hours is a bit long for a chick flick. But this movie was pleasantly enjoyable. I'm a sucker for Jake Gyllenhaal's puppy dog eyes and goofy smile, and I'm not gonna lie, I kind of have a girl crush on Anne Hathaway. They're both pretty to begin with, and putting them together just works. I'm not going to pretend to know what I'm talking about because this is probably bull spit.

Having worked together on Brokeback Mountain, I'm assuming that they'd be comfortable enough to shoot a whole other movie. And goodness I hope they were, 'cause this movie required them to be a bit more intimate. Yep, they gotta do the nasty, and Anne Hathaway's gotta show her, umm, assets. I'm not sure if it's completely necessary for the plot, but it's a little somethin' somethin' for the poor fellas that are dragged out to see a girl movie with their significant others.

Sex aside, there were moments where I would melt and hear an "Awwwwwww" float out of my mouth. Others where I'd LOL for real. And "WHAT THE F--- WERE YOU THINKING" would cross my mind here and there. You know, all that wonderful roller-coaster-of-emotion goodness that all good chick flicks need.

All of the above comments are brought to life by two actors who are gifted in their craft. Golden Globe nominations were in order for their performances. By no means is this movie Oscar material, but nominations for Globes were well deserved. Hathaway plays a 26 year old woman who lives with Stage 1 Parkinsons, and Gyllenhaal plays a pharmaceutical rep who falls in love with someone who sees him as a good person who is worth something.
She nails the tremors that come with Parkinsons, and he does a great job at falling in love with Anne Hathaway. But let's get real, that's not very hard is it? Hahahaa I kid, I kid.

Overall? I think Rotten Tomatoes should give this movie a bit more credit. Having received more "rotten" reviews than good ones, I was hesitant. I normally heed RT's warnings of (lack of) freshness, but I believe Love deserves to be watched and enjoyed.

Give 'er a try. Fall in like with Love & Other Drugs.

I left my heart in South Africa...

Photo Cred: Lelaine Ching

...and I never got the whole thing back.

Though it's been nearly 6 months since my return from South Africa, the things I learned, and the people I met often cross my mind, and words cannot begin to describe what I experienced in my short time there.

Ever get that feeling you get when you know you're doing something you're meant to do? Truth be told, as cliche as it is, I felt that every morning I woke up. Despite the fact that I was sick for the majority of the trip, nothing the Devil threw my way would stop me from showing God's love to people who don't know Jesus and orphans.

Man, those kids. Just thinking of them gives me a sweet feeling of the warm and fuzzies in the part of heart I have here in Canada. They are abandoned, orphaned or even abused, yet they still find joy in life. It takes a lot to heal, but by His healing hand, and the love of their house parents it's only a matter of time. Though each child has their baggage and story, they are still incredibly precious.

I want to keep this short, so I'll conclude soon. Truth is, I never really considered going on this missions trip till I was challenged to do so. I was so used to living my cushy Canadian life. I have a comfort zone, and I'll admit it, South Africa was way out of it. I mean, I'd have to pay to get shots, and medicine. Not to mention, find a way to pay for it. But what I learned from this experience is that when God's called you to do something, He'll have every detail taken care of.

Price of travel doctor visit: $130
Price of airfare: ~$2000
Price of experiencing/sharing God's Love: priceless

Cheesy I know... I miss South Africa. The memories created there I will always cherish. Those children? Forever loved by their Father, and especially by me.

So this one's for Africa.