FILM: Eat, Pray Love

Alright, so my mum, my sister, my (friend who entertains the thought that she's my) adopted sister and I went to see the new Julia Roberts film, Eat Pray Love. So obviously from the trailer it's about a woman trying to find something to fulfill her life. This, my friends, is her journey and why the film is called "Eat - Pray - Love".

Before the Title
So before Liz (Roberts) goes into her big epiphany-spurned adventure, she has to deal with all the clutter of her life. Realising she's not living the life she wanted she make her way out her marriage bed into another man's. But when her divorce is final and the guys she thinks is a good fit for her starts becoming square, she realises that enough is enough. Throwing everything she's ever known away, she buys three tickets and head of for a year...

Eat
Italy: Rome, The Eternal City.

There's nothing like a good bowl of past and a massive serve of pizza on the side, not to mention the number one therapist - wine. Here, Liz discovers the art of doing nothing. She has the freedom to do what she likes and explore the wonders of one of the greatest cities in history. Here, she is able to just be Liz - to attachments, no complications, just Liz and her food.

Pray
India: The Guru's Temple

Switching pesto and dough for spices and a little bit of elbow grease, Liz finds herself in India. Trying to calm her spiritual journey, she commits herself to the hands of an Indian guru. But in the midst of the cleansing, she finds that in order to clear out the clutter, you have to deal with the dirt. Starting with David (James Franco) and eventually Stephen (Billy Crudup) too. In dealing with her clutter, Liz finds her inner peace in wishing her young friend a good and happy marriage.

Love
Bali: Ketut

At the end of the year, Liz has had all the adventure she can take. Settling in a condo and taking her lessons with Ketut, everything is just utter bliss. When it comes time to love again, Liz's heart isn't too sure whether it should remain guarded or let romance take the lead. Has everything boiled down to the point where she can really love again?

***

The thing about this movie is that it shows a really great journey. I knew from the start that it's not about finding God at all, these films are always about finding something new about yourself or re-discovering who you are apart from every body else. Why am I saying this? Well, I walked out pretty pleased with the film, good story great cast, entertaining...etc..

But my mother and "two" sisters started talking about how, "The ethics were wrong" and "She wasn't looking for God in the right way", valid points of course. My sister pointed out that, "she was never really looking for God," which I think is true. She never really found God, or if she did, the "I am" that she did find was the "I am...". What's the difference?

God is undoubtedly the "I Am" - the almighty being and creator of all. The "I am (dot, dot, dot)" is the prefix to a sentence where we describe our wants, needs and feelings. "I am going to buy a new TV", "I am going to get something to eat", "I am sick". It's the definitive "I am...", so when Liz says, "God is in me, as me," she's really saying, "I am god."

Besides that concept, the entire film was great! Leave me a message on what you thought about the film or the concept of "God is in me, as me."

sL star rating: 4.5 stars

Next on sL: TBA (Exams coming up - BUT: Watch this spot!)

FILM: Charlie St. Cloud // Moa's Last Dancer // Diary of a Wimpy Kid

By far, this was the most disappointing movie that I have seen this year - and as you know, I've seen A LOT with you guys this year. But what was so disappointing was that it was just so linear! What I mean was I felt like I was sitting in Amityville Horror back in 2005! I literally could pinpoint what was going to happen as I sat in my seat. It's was so straight forward that I have no shame in telling you the entire story, but I won't because I'm sympathetic to all you "Efrans" - yes that's probably not a new fan name.

But it's not even about bad acting or bad casting or whatever, you can have the best cast and still have a bad movie. I don't know, leave me a comment about a movie you saw that was bad and tell me why it was bad.

sL star rating: 1.5 stars (Sorry Efron fans.)

What was really great about this film was that there was a great balance of politics and ballet - it wasn't one or the other. I really loves the fact that everything happens in two separate spheres - Lee's past life and then he's future - and then how the two spheres are bound by the climax. It was really heart wrenching and it was a movie that kept you interested. If you like Canter Stage and War/ Political films this is for you.

sL star rating: 5 stars

Yes ladies and gentlemen, I have managed to score a ticket to see yet another PG film, but, in my defense, this (after Toy Story 3) is one of the BEST films you will see this year. Believe me! The humour in this film isn't your usual I'll-laugh-because-it's-a-family-movie, but it's genuinely HILARIOUS! The story, characters and cast are just so believable that you sit literally thinking, "That's so true!"

With Kick Ass's Chloe Moretz and rising star, Zachary Gordon. This is one film you can't miss regardless how old you are!

sL star rating: 5 stars

Next on sL: Eat, Pray, Love – the journey of finding God, only to find out you were looking for yourself instead.

BLOG: McFly's SUPER CITY

They're always saying how the kid of today have been born into the "Information Age" - a world where everything we want to know is at the click of a button. What they never really say, but too often think, is that kids are born into the world of "Virtual Alternatives" - a world where fantasy is better that reality.

With the birth of the internet also comes the birth a parallel universe. If we thought getting to know a person face-to-face was hard, imagined trying to get to know a person screen-to-screen. In a place where you private life is not so private, the world just gets smaller and smaller.

McFly's Super City - the ULTIMATE band site (2010)

I clicked on this video because I'm an active subscriber of McFly. Since the screening of Just My Luck I have loved their music, and if I was being honest I even had a crush on their lead guitaris, Danny. But I was a bit put off by their upcoming website launch. Their new band site is not the typical "get your paraphernalia, subscribe and win competitions", it's a whole new social website. It operates like any other social site where members can chat to other members, make friends with everyone and get the perks of anything the can earn (like Farmville).

McFly have given their fans the ULTIMATE gaming experience, social networking and fan access. Don't get me wrong, I mean the site isn't launching until November 1, 2010, but this is slightly over the top. I may have to review this site after the launch to give you McFly fans a chance to either agree or disagree with me. I personally think it's a bit over the top for both the band and their fans, I mean we're talking about 24/7 access to the band, the world does not wake and sleep at the same time - but I suppose they've already figured that out. :P

sL star rating: TBA - I'll have to see the FREE section first, so I'll re-evaluate the site in exactly a month. :D

NEXT on sL: Playjerise [Review no longer available.]

BOOK AND FILM REVIEW: House Rules - Jodi Picoult // Easy A

So I've been meaning to post a blog for a while. Well, since I finally have time to do so, I will talk to you guys about TWO amazing things that I enjoyed simply for my leisure.

1. Jodi Picoult's (author of My Sister's Keeper) novel:

House Rules

2. New Release:

EASY A

Let's start with...

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Ever thought you were, strange, odd, estranged, detached…DIFFERENT? Well, "different" doesn't even to begin to describe Jacob Hunt. He's an eighteen year old with a mind of a genius. He can name several known facts in a drop of a hat and he has a fascination for crime fiction. But what really makes Jacob different from all the other kids is his medical diagnosis.

Jacob is diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. It's a syndrome on the other end of the Autistic Spectrum. It practically means unlike other children with Autism, he wants to be in “our” world rather than being in his own imagination. But for Jacob being in our world is a little difficult because it's full of sarcasm and odd sayings that he takes literally.

If you told him to "get lost" he wouldn't know what you meant because he knows where he is at all times. He wouldn't understand that you're not asking him to "go away", he'd think you're asking him to place himself in a situation where he doesn't know where he is – that, in it's irony, is where the complication lies. If he "gets himself lost" how did he do that in the first place? Wouldn't he simply re-trace his own steps to be "found" again? Hence NEVER really being lost in the first place.

But when his obsession with criminology gets him into trouble. If he thought "getting" lost was hard, how about being tried for murder? Accused for being his tutor's murder, Jacob has to find a way for the judge, jury and even his own lawyer to believe his story. He has to paint the picture in black and white where the grey lines have been blurred by fancy colours of well manipulated sentences and over analysed scenarios.

***

I'm a big crime buff myself and I loved the concept the moment I read the blurb in BORDERS. I thought it was a fresh take on the usual CSI, NCIS, Law and Order cases, I mean you get the odd bipolar cases or someone with a mental disorder, but I thought the concept of "innocent until proven guilty" is well weaved into this novel.

I love the incorporation of past crimes that have been recorded in time to suit the plot of the story. I love how you receive the entire action through every single character. I also enjoyed knowing the truth and having to read the book through Jacob's eyes, but at the same time I was asking, "Oh, but did he do it?" The novel gives the reader that kind of suspense that constantly has you questioning, “What's going on?”, but it also drives you keep reading until the end is how the other characters see how the story unfolds. It reflects Jacob's own ritual of watching his Crime Busters show, hoping that the results are different each time he watches the same episode. As the reader you hope that someone will pick up the clues that you’ve picked up a long time ago.

The ending is the most chilling part though...but I won't spoil that for you!

sL star rating: 5 Stars

***

Easy A starring: Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley and Alyson Michalka

The thing about this movie it that it is freaking H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S!!! What makes it so funny is that it epitomizes high school. You have the annoying people, the anonymous people and the outcasts. A few things that I loved:

1. There were no distinct "popular" people - they were mentioned, but never really "put out there."
2. They took a concept - "the absolute truth" - and allowed it to develop the plot line.
3. They took literary works and made them understandable and let those readers out there know that they're not the only ones who do the ancient way of opening what we now call, "a book". :P
4. How satire was used to exaggerate Christians.

Call me a blasphemer, but I love laughing at how the world portrays us Christians; it just reminds me how so many people out there refuse to really get to see what we're about. But at the same time it makes me think, if satires exaggerate the truth there must be people out there who really get into peoples' nerves just for the sake of it. As Christians we have to remember that offending someone is never a good thing, but in saying that, there will be someone who will always be offended. We have to remember that everything has to be done with love, and characters in these movies that portray all Christians as "You're going to hell" should reminds us to do everything out of love.


sL star rating: 4.5 Stars

Next on sL: The New McFly "Super City" website

NEW SINGLE: McFly - Party Girl // Cody Simpson - iYiYi

Aiight people, here's the thing, when it comes to music we all know that "evolution" is NECESSARY. If you don't have anything new, you're black listed as a "one hit wonder".

McFly - Party Girl

This video is only the promotion add for the video clip. if you want to watch the real thing (and I'm warning you, it's worse than this video) click: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrn6BbM0TRQ - I'm still sitting on the fence with their techno-electric shift. McFly have been music geniuses for a long time and I was even fortunate enough to see them LIVE here in Sydney last year.

It's great that they've done this whole shift and their videos have always been inventive, but my beliefs contradict what their video portrays - regardless of the vampirical context.

sL star rating: 2 stars

Cody Simpson - iYiYi

Ok, seriously - what is up with young boys singing about puppy love? This is annoying as! "iYiYi" - I mean seriously! - you couldn't find a better name for your song?!! This kid is like TWELVE - or something. Although tops to him for giving Justin Bieber a run for his money - Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! (Is that ironic that I'm Filipino and I'm saying that?)

Nevertheless...it IS a catchy song.

sL star rating: 2 stars - for NOT meeting the age appropriation.


Next! on sL: Getting an EASY A by following a few HOUSE RULES.

BLOG: WORTH IT

Ok, so I was suppose to see Disney's Toy Story 3 last night, but the the non-3D screening was SOLD OUT and the only other screening was in 3D. So it got me thinking...'WORTH'. What does 'WORTH' mean in a world where everything from what you wear and what you use to listen to music is all about the name?

If you're a cheapo, like myself you'll probably already know the following thing's I'm going to list, but for those who prefer to buy things either "impulsively" or because of their brands and often find yourself frustrated when you see the item you just bought $20-$50 a few months or weeks later, here's the secret.

MOVIES
(DVDs and Blu-ray; New Release and Bargains)

1. NEW RELEASES: always, always, always W.A.I.T. The reason why movies start of with prices that range from $25-$30 is because their prices depend on how popular the movie was. If they've been on the screen usually their DVD prices will start at $20-$25, if they've been good on the bid screen then they'll cost $25-$30 (sometimes even $35) for your small screen. Often it's the same of Blu-ray.
2. "SALES": Sale prices range from $7-$30 dollars. Depending on what you're buying, the under $10 price range are often found in stores like Target and Big W, the only problem is, these stores don't really account for what films they have in the store - especially at these prices. JB Hi-Fi and Sanity stores account for their items, but their price range don't really go down as far as $7, they maintain the $10-$20 "sale prices". The good thing for JB Hi-Fi is the fact that their prices often reflect the quality of their sales - ie. you're paying for the rating of the film and the opinion of the store - and therefore you often find the best prices in terms of box-office quality.

Aiight...IS IT WORTH IT?

HOW TO BUY DVDs and BLU-RAY

Between the two options, it depends on what you have, DVDs are often cheaper than Blu-ray, but if your new TV comes with Blu-ray, I say why waste what's comes with your screen? So here we go.

You know that a DVD/Blu-ray is worth if...

1. It comes with SPECIAL FEATURES. This may sound stupid, but it's the truth. You want to know why people download their movie from the internet? It's because sometimes that's all you get in the DVD/Blu-ray disc - JUST THE MOVIE. If a movie is priced $20 on a sale it's either because it was: a) a really good movie or b) you're paying for the actual disc and the cover it's in. Though this may be subjective it's the truth. Look, personally, if you want "JUST THE MOVIE" get it legally on iTunes or Graboid.
2. If the price NEVER changes. If you're like me and have paid $30 for a movie just because you could only to find out 6 months later it was half the price, then you know how good it feels to by $15 DVD and 6 months after that it still the price you bought it for. If the price never changes - which is VERY rare, then you know it's a good buy. Often their the ones that are popular no matter what happens, like Mean Girls or The Notebook.

Vital Tips:

1. WAIT until you know the price isn't going to get any lower.
2. Always compare the prices, if there's a lower price somewhere else, you get to save more.

CDs
(Music)

1. NEW RELEASES: Wait, often $25 CDs go down to $15 in a matter of months. NEVER rush into buying anything.
2. SINGLE/ALBUM: The Album is better, but if you only want that one song, I suggest you get an iTunes card that way you don't waste $5 on 3 other versions of the song you don't even like.

HOW TO BUY ALBUMS

1. Be sure that the CD comes with a LYRIC BOOKLET. This may seem like another stupid thing, but think about it, you're forking out $20-$25 on a CD, I mean you could buy a lot with that, but instead you decide to use it for a CD. You want the MUSIC, and therefore, often want to SING ALONG with the songs, so that means, you're not only paying for the song, you're also paying for the RIGHTS of the lyrics. You don't want a piece of paper with their faces on it, if you wanted their face you could go to their website and save them. You want to sing along, 50% of the time the internet lyrics are wrong and take time - buying a CD with lyrics kills two bird with one stone.
2. Be sure that you like MOST of the songs. If you only like 5 out of 14 then you're better off with an iTunes card. Don't pay $20-$25 on something you wont even listen to that often. Get an iTunes card that way you know which ones you want and you can use your money on other songs and items too!

Vital Tips:

1. Find someone with the CD you want, see if it's got the lyric booklet and have a listen to the CD.
2. YouTube is often a good source too, you can usually ask the vloggers questions about the album/ single you want.

iTunes
(Music and Movies)

iTunes is a great place to purchase your music and films. As much as I seem to promote it, iTunes is just like any store. Sometimes their prices are not the best and sometimes it's better to wait for the DVD price to go down rather than the iTune price. I prefer to get my music on iTunes because it's often cheaper, if not I buy the actual disc. Movies on iTunes are best if you just want the movie.

Vital Tips:

1. Just SEE the prices. If you think it's best that to buy the disc rather than downloading it's up to you.
2. Compare the prices. Sometimes iTunes it really good to see the worth of your items - songs especially.

I hope it's been helpful, if not just go on with your shopping ways. :D


Next on sL: "Toy Story 3" and the Top 10 CHILDHOOD classics.