movie marathons over the long weekend

one thing i love about long weekends, is that i have the time to watch movies. yes, this time, it's plural. and like last time, the movies i watched are already watched by lots of people.





first movie: a christmas carol

and it was only when i have watched the film when i realized that this was an adaptation of one of charles dicken's classic novels. made me realize how pathetic i am when it comes to classic literature. anyways, i'm here to critic the movie.

the film introduces us to Ebenezer Scrooge (voiced by Jim Carrey), a miserable old man who can't appreciate the spirit of christmas joys due to his gloomy state - unprofiting state, a business partner who died on christmas day seven years ago, and an inexistent lovelife among others. until on the eve of christmas that year, when the ghost of his business partner Jacob Marley haunts him and warns him of the fate that awaits him, and how he can avoid it. soon enough the prophecy is set in motion as three ghosts - the ghost of christmas past, present, and yet to come - visits him and let him realize the true essence of christmas, before it's too late.

it's my first time to watch a movie, much more an animated one, in digital 3D. i find it nice that i can wear lady gaga-like shades inside a movie house, hehe. though i somehow hate the feeling that the film im watching is too close for me, too close in fact that i seem to avoid the trees during a scene where the ghost takes scrooge to his school. i pretty much annoyed the person on my right while doing that. tsss, pathetic me. but then, i soon enjoyed it, i mean  rialto-like experience haha.

hang on!

some commendable moments. i love the portrayal of the three christmas ghosts. the ghost of christmas past, especially. he does this some sort of head movement ala rihanna/beyince knowles on their videos disturbia and single ladies, respectively. makes him the least scary among the three. the ghost of christmas present seems like a younger version of santa claus, with brown hair and beard, glowing (but not literally) eyes, and a boisterous laughter that seems a bit wicked when listened to repeatedly. and the scariest is the ghost of christmas yet to come. well we all are scared of the future right? well, the film's portrayal is a look-a-like of a dementor in azkaban. yes, no visible head, and yes, no voice. quite funny actually since the only thing he did at scrooge is point at things and chase him to his grave on a black chariot.

overall, i must say the movie is not really for the kids, though the title suggests it. i think the ghosts are too scary for the kids, and besides, the lesson is applicable to the old people who don't seem to appreciate the essence of the yuletide season. if you haven't seen it or read the novel, you'll realize what i'm talking about. if you have read or watched it, then you'll understand where i'm coming from.

some quotable quotes
 > "If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population." (Scrooge to one of those charity workers after being asked for christmas donations. talk about using economics, lol)
 > "Bear but a touch of my hand there, and you shall be upheld in more than this." (ghost of christmas past to Scrooge before taking flight into the past)
 > "If things do not change, the boy will die" (ghost of christmas present to Scrooge when asked if Tim will live)
 > "God Bless Us, Everyone" (Tim, the son of Scrooge's clerk Bob, towards the end of the film)


second movie: 2012

just when i thought i got over The Day After Tomorrow, Apocalypse, and Deep Impact, along came this. and in fairness, we are currently in a period where "signs" have been eminent. 

we were warned. and for how many time already

the movie shows how a big solar flare could mean the end of the world. and how that end would look like, and how mankind can save himself.

i must admit, it's almost an animated movie. how else can you depict the end of the world on a global scale but with the help of special effects. and the main character Jackson Curtis, played by the ever sexy John Cusack, is one lucky guy. Imagine being able to lead his family out of their house seconds before it collapses, escape destruction of their town by just a hairstrand, fly a plane courtesy of his divorced wife's new lover (who is actually a doctor), and illegally go aboard a huge ark in China, whose seats are sold at a whopping 1 billion euro each! imagine!

the good points. overall the movie is great. it's one of those wake up call movies at what nature can do to us, how merciless it can be towards us, the way we become merciless towards her. special effects are simply scary and amazing. and there's this cute russian pilot who flew them to china (unfortunately, he ended up being a hero as he stayed inside the plane before it nose-dived down a cliff), and a hot chinese construction worker who is a brother of a monk who saved jackson's family on the mountains after the plane crashed (he injured his leg during their attempt to enter the ark). thank god i watched this! ok, now why do these hunks get hurt! tsss. lol

now the bad points. it made me realize how helpless an ordinary person who doesn't have 1 billion euro be left out to die. it's just so unfair. there was a even a scene where the scientist who discovered the disaster two years ago was left with his family to die just because the plane who is supposed to pick them up didn't come after all. and how can people in power can keep such mayhem in complete inexistence, ugh. (it's been 5 minutes now since i'm thinking what to write next, but it seems i'm still too much affected by this that i can't type in more). if it wasn't for Jackson's connections to Yuri (who was able to pay the seat for 3), and for the weirdo guy he met on yellowstone national park (where he got the map to where the arks are built), he and his family would've died! 

ok, now the quotable quotes, i decided to cut this argument as i am not one of those people who enjoy being depressed. ok maybe just sometimes.
 > "When they tell you not to panic, that's when you run!" (Jackson telling his ex-wife to pack their things as their town is about to be destroyed)
 > "The moment we stop fighting for each other, that's the moment we lose our humanity." (forgot the name of the scientist, but he said this when faced with the decision of letting the other people enter the ark)
 > "eeeeeeeeeeeverybody shut up....engine start" (Yuri, yelling at everybody to shut up in order for his audio controlled vehicle to start. classic!)


third movie: kung fu panda

ok, fine. i watched this one in the comforts of my house. and of course thanks to HBO i got to watch it twice.

and since i think everyone who's reading this blog has already watched the film, so i won't write the synopsis.

the good points. animation and sound effects. it's nice to watch an animated movie if it has good animation. the sound effects are superb, especially the boing sound of Po's belly. the chopsticks fight between Po and master Shi Fu - classic. the bridge fight between the furious five and Tai Long is epic. the landscape - superb. i love every bit of it! or maybe it's just the child in me that made me remind of how i do kung fu while lying in bed before i go to sleep (yes, people, i do that but that's a different post altogether).

bad points. why are pigs, rabbits, and ducks the common animals in the story?  why can't they include dogs, cats, rats? and they're also part of the chinese zodiac. anyways, it's just a thought typed out loud.

find mantis in this picture :)

now the quotable quotes:
 > "There is no charge for awesomeness... or attractiveness." (Po, in his dreams during the first part of the movie)
 > "One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it." (master Oogway to Po during the meeting at the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom)
 > "You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the 'present.'" (master Oogway to Po)
 > "I stayed because everytime you threw a brick at my head or said I smelled; it hurt, but it could never hurt more than everyday of my life just being me. I stayed because I thought if anyone can change me, can make me not me, it was you! The greatest kung fu teacher in all of China!" (Po to Shi Fu when he was trying to leave)
 > "To make something special you just have to believe it's special" (Mr. Ping, Po's father, to Po, before the battle with Tai Long)
 >  "And it was my pride that blinded me. I loved you too much to see what you were becoming, what I turned you into. I'm... I'm sorry" (master Shi Fu to Tai Long during their battle)
 > "I'm not a big fat panda. I'm THE big fat panda." (Po, to Tai Long in their final battle)


there. three movies, three weekends. awesome. and would you look at that? it's already 24 days before christmas! get ready for my christmas list :D

P.S. credits for the pictures:

http://www.filmofilia.com/2009/09/15/new-a-christmas-carol-teaser-poster/

http://hiscrivener.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/the-q-dog-of-2012-has-a-bark-far-worse-than-its-bite/

http://andrewgaug.wordpress.com/2008/08/