Blown Away

I caught the Pixar movie, UP during the weekend and I must say I haven't caught a movie that moved me in so many ways since 'Life is Beautiful'.

The premise of the story is simple, an old man who wants to escape from it all by flying his house away with balloons. It taps into the child in every adult. We have all had those crazy ideas that we hope would somewhat happen- living on another planet, being able to fly with wings, being Harry Potter. But this is not just a typical animation movie. Pixar ought to give themselves a huge pat on their back for being able to come up a animation movie with so much heart, Miyazaki would be proud.

In many ways, UP makes you cry, laugh, think. Beneath the absolutely charming idea of having a house fly away to 'Paradise Falls', the place grandpa always dreamt of going with his late beloved wife, the movie has underlying themes of loneliness, procrastination, sickness, abandonment and cruelty, seemingly unapt for an animation movie. But they hit you subtly, makes you walk away from the theatre with a bittersweet feeling. How many of us have always wanted to do something, but always put it off? And before we know it, decades have passed? Grandpa had a young, bright-eyed and eager boyscout to show him the way eventually, but it's scary to think just how many of us are so afraid and scared to move out of our comfort zone.

Highly recommend this movie. If the guy sitting next to me could be moved to tears, it must say something.

Why Do Men Fall Asleep After Sex?

If you are looking forward to an exciting blog post regarding this topic, well you are in for something…At least that's the title of the book I just finished reading.

The book contains answers to many questions that you are too embarrassed to ask and questions you have been curious about all your life and just waiting for someone to provide you with plausible answers. Well, for mummies-to-be, good book to pick up in case the kiddos ask you random questions they pick from the sky.

Some intriguing questions asked:

• Why do we have pubic hair?
• Why do older people fart more?
• Will a watermelon bush grow inside you if you swallow a watermelon seed?
• Can u breastfeed with fake boobs?
• Why does my butt itch so much?
• Why do we get a shiver when we pee sometimes?

It's not purely scientific; it's injected with a sense of humour too, making it a very enjoyable read, on top of making yourself more knowledgeable. At least now I know why my butt itches.

The Last Laugh

Heath Ledger totally rocks the new Batman movie.

I confess. I have never been a huge fan of superhero-type movies made with exorbitant budgets, much less Batman. But Heath Ledger stole the show, and was the movie's saving grace. This is arguably his best movie YET. Not even his performance in Brokeback Mountain can rival that. Apparently he isolated himself in a hotel room for a month to perfect his role, learning to move, think and behave like the freak he was playing. His commitment to the role is to be admired, but sadly it might have taken away part of his sanity and ability to sleep, resulting in him OD-ed on medication of all sorts.

Still, the movie excels. The plot reads more like a human drama, rather than a cliché hero-saves-the-day kinda plot. We are faced with Batman's shortcomings and flaws (after all he is just a human being with a cape), and the ending may not be all that happy ever after all. And one of Tinseltown's most intriguing villains is born. Too bad he passed on too soon. R.I.P.

Foreplay is Over

My fave four is back!

I don't care if it's all part of popular culture, but I love everything about the show. I mean, I have watched all 6 seasons like 3 times, and it just keeps me coming back for more. I like the fact, the show doesn't try to disguise us women as victims, but rather we are truthful and upfront about what we want, be it extravagant shoes, expensive labels and rich boyfriends. I think what really makes the show so popular is that it is so frank to the point that it makes you think. When Carrie keeps going back to Big, yah you think she's a sucker but aren't we all suckers at some point when you meet The One?

Back to the movie, it's a chick flick, everyone else appears, but I can't help but feel something is missing. True, you can't compare it to the series, cos' it's 2 hours cramped up together, but it's so glossified that you hardly recognise some of the characters anymore. The huge part of the fun was seeing all four of them, but with the focus very much on SJP, the essence was just somehow lost. Samantha lost her vibe, Miranda gets a new haircut, new wardrobe, the person she never quite was, well at least Charlotte stayed consistent.

Don't be mistaken, it's still quite fabulous, if not for the outfits.

Now it's back to re-runs.

Never Trust a Skinny Chef

You may not be a fan of Jamie Oliver, but boy, his books are just so pretty!

I received his latest book, Jamie at Home, as a present from my bf, and I am totally in love with it. It talks about his gardening adventures, growing fresh produce, such as zucchinis, tomatoes, potatoes and the marvellous receipes that make use of these veggies. In case you think it's yet another recipe book, then you are wrong. There are anecdotes and little snippets about how he gets down and dirty in his backyard and oh so lovely pictures. Plus it's hard cover which I totally dig. Excellent coffee table book. But pretty hefty a price tag. About 70 plus.

Guess where it all started? I fell in love with his books, ever since I purchased another one of his books, Jamie in Italy. It details his trip to Italy and how he experimented with authentic Italian dishes with the locals. Beautiful, beautiful pictures. Must-read if you are in love with Italy, like I am. Now, let's just wait for the DVD release :)

A Thousand Splendid Suns

I am sold. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini must be one of the best books I have read in a very long time. It's becoming almost impossible to put the book down.

It depicts the national and personal tragedies that befall two women in war-torn Afghanistan and how they form an unique, special bond. I must admit, I was moved to tears at certain parts.

A review from Publishers Weekly:

Afghan-American novelist Hosseini follows up his bestselling The Kite Runner with another searing epic of Afghanistan in turmoil. The story covers three decades of anti-Soviet jihad, civil war and Taliban tyranny through the lives of two women. Mariam is the scorned illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman, forced at age 15 into marrying the 40-year-old Rasheed, who grows increasingly brutal as she fails to produce a child. Eighteen later, Rasheed takes another wife, 14-year-old Laila, a smart and spirited girl whose only other options, after her parents are killed by rocket fire, are prostitution or starvation. Against a backdrop of unending war, Mariam and Laila become allies in an asymmetrical battle with Rasheed, whose violent misogyny is endorsed by custom and law. There was no cursing, no screaming, no pleading, no surprised yelps, only the systematic business of beating and being beaten. Hosseini gives a forceful but nuanced portrait of a patriarchal despotism where women are agonizingly dependent on fathers, husbands and especially sons, the bearing of male children being their sole path to social status. His tale is a powerful, harrowing depiction of Afghanistan, but also a lyrical evocation of the lives and enduring hopes of its resilient characters.

Pirated Piece of Shit

Do not watch Pirates of the Caribbean 3. I repeat, DO NOT watch Fucking Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Well, unless you do enjoy spending your money on a piece of blockbuster trash with all-too-expensive mega sets, pretty faces who can't act for nuts, a lame plot and confusing characters (don't they have better things to do than to go round picking fights?).

I headed out for my first movie in Siena, in a hauntingly dilapidated cinema, in Italian. No popcorn, no colas, no dolby surround sound. Interestingly enough, there was even an intermission of 5 minutes, when the screen goes blank all of a sudden, in the middle of a fight scene. Not discounting technical faults, senza sound.

And I hate, hate, hate Keira Knightly, that emaciated bitch. All that hype about her. I just don't get it. She and Orlando Bloom are the perfect match made in hell, you just feel like shooting them.

Where is the L-O-V-E

'The Art of Seduction' by Robert Greene, a book I bought over the weekend, is decidedly creepy...and eeevil. With tips on tapping into one of humans' greatest weaknesses - desire for pleasure, it teaches you the ropes in manipulation and mind games to get your man/lady . Fun read but whatever happened to good'ol fashioned romance?

Brings to mind another old movie I recently watched on DVD - Dangerous Liaisons, http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1005199-dangerous_liaisons/, with one of my fav actors, John Malkovich as the irresistable Valmont. Grand displays of affection, declarations of love, makes me wonder if we can really trust those words these days.

Where is the L-O-V-E?