Another inspiring movie, LIFE OF PI

We decided to watch "Life of  Pi"  over "Sinister"  movie    because of  the  very good review from different critics.   We first  played  the latter  but at the beginning of the film, it looks thrilling but boring so we stopped.

In  the first twenty minutes of  "Life of Pi",  my two daughters wanted to fast forward the movie where they expect  Pi and the tiger  at the ship wreck  living together.   I kept my eye  focused  from the first minute  to the end.  The movie is simply amazing,  It's not just about survival at sea but  perseverance and  faith in God.

"Life of Pi"  is  movie  based on  Yann Martel's novel of the  same title.  At least thrice in the movie, I've felt my eyes were cloudy.   I couldn't  say a word to describe but  it really affected my whole life emotionally on a higher level.

I like the part when Pi decided to  live in the same boat with Richard Parker, the tiger.  In order to survive, he said   that  they need to learn to communicate with each other and respect each other's territory. 

We can't get over  with the movie and has a been a topic for  the whole day and maybe the whole week.  I can't stop thinking how amazingly the movie is.  How beautiful!  It's still on my mind. 


It could be really fantastic  and  I bet if I were the  interviewer  who'd write the story I would have a second thought  about  the survival story with animals in the same boat.   But as  I've  watched the whole film, it made me believe that nothing is impossible if  you have faith in God and  a strong will to live and one should never give up til the last  step of  the journey.


 “The reason death sticks so closely to life isn't biological necessity; it's envy. Life is so beautiful that death has fallen in love with it, a jealous, possessive love that grabs at what it can.” -Yann Martel, Life of Pi
 
 
I have no doubt  why the movie  had eleven nominations in the 85th Academy Awards.  We regret that we did not watch it at the big screen in 3D.

image source: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

It's important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise you are left with words you should have said but never did, and your heart is heavy with remorse. That bungled goodbye hurts me to this day. I wish so much that I'd had one last look at him in the lifeboat, that I'd provoked him a little, so that I was on his mind. I wish I had said to him then - yes, I know, to a tiger, but still - I wish I had said, "Richard Parker,  it's over. We have survived. Can you believe it? I owe you more gratitude than I can express I couldn't have done it without you. I would like to say it formally: Richard Parker, thank you.- Yann Martel, Life of Pi

OZ The Great and Powerful, review

I was one of the Nuffies (Nuffnangers) who was privileged to watch the special screening of  Oz, The Great and Powerful  last night at Shang Cineplex. I got four tickets, so even on a late  weekday night,  I tagged along  my two daughters for this RATED G  movie  date.  It's  a Disney movie and my daughters were the ones who affirmed of  going to see it  on a big screen. I  love all Disney movies.  As expected, the movie is full of unimaginative and colorful scenes.  At times, I can only  hear a few people reaction to  the scenes where I am most  amazed.  I believe these moviegoers are high critics and want to make a  movie review seriously.   There are some  slow  paced scenes  and wish I could fast forward  as I already know what to happen  in the next  part.  

I  will not spoil  the flow  of the movie   so I  only added general info from Wikipedia.  If you haven't seen it  it,  go and have fun  with your family.  It's a movie that  your whole family will love. It's not only about magical powers, but the magic of believing to achieve greatness!


Oz The Great and Powerful shows that ordinary people can achieve greatness and that you don't need to have real magical powers to become a great leader or become the king of your own universe. Oz the Great and Powerful is a 2013 American fantasy adventure film directed by Sam Raimi, produced by Joe Roth, Grant Curtis and Joshua Donen and written by David Lindsay-Abaire and Mitchell Kapner. The film stars James Franco as Oscar Diggs, Mila Kunis as Theodora, Rachel Weisz as Evanora and Michelle Williams as Glinda. Based on L. Frank Baum's Oz novels, Oz the Great and Powerful is a spiritual prequel to Baum's 1900 introductory novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and indirectly to the 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of Oz. The film was released by Walt Disney Pictures on March 8, 2013, in conventional 2D, as well as in the Disney Digital 3D, RealD 3D and IMAX 3D formats.

Plot
When Oscar Diggs, a small-time circus magician and con artist with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he's hit the jackpot - fame and fortune are his for the taking - that is, until he meets three witches, Theodora, Evanora and Glinda, who are not convinced he is the great wizard that everyone has been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity - and even a bit of wizardry - Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.
(Source: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia)

Oz the Great and Powerful special  movie screening was sponsored by  Nokia Lumia, Abenson and Nuffnang Philippines.  Three winners of Nokia Lumia went home with  big smiles.  I was wishing I would win a Nokia Lumia  too but  luck was not on my side last night  but   luckier  though  for  winning tickets to the special  screening.   Thank you,   Nuffnang,  Abenson and Nokia.

Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank)

I've heard a lot of good reviews about this movie Ang Babae sa Septic Tank but I have no idea about the story of the film before I watched the special screening the other night. I was so excited primarily because I know that Eugene Domingo is a good actress and that she has proven enough in several films where she won an award. She won the Best Actress Award in 7th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival last July 2011 for this film Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank)

The story of the film started when three young filmmakers set to do a production meeting at Starbucks. They were discussing about the title of the movie and came up with the title "Walang Wala." The scene when another director came in between their meeting was risible but I cannot paraphrased here the line as it was ludicrous but it does make sense.

The brainstorming on choosing who would best play the role of a poor mother in the film whether Mercedes Cabral, Cherry Pie Picache or Eugene Domingo was justified in the movie projected. In one of the scene where Director Rainier (Kean Cipriano), Producer Bingbong (JM De Guzman) and Production Assistant Jocelyn (Cai Cortez) were scouting for the location, they got excited when they discovered a perfect spot and even planned to put a crane for a perfect shot only to find out later that their car was burglarized in the slum area where they parked the car.

It's the first time I watched a movie with a story about indie filmmaking but I have watched several indie films in the past and this movie turned me on. I got unwittingly surprised with the story within the story. I can't think of anybody else to play the role of "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank other than Eugene Domingo and the best part of the scene is when she played the three kinds of acting. It was hilarious and I caught myself in big awe.




The acting and voice over are perfectly acted upon by the characters in the movie. The film is a comedic genre which portrays misguided ambitions, art of making art and poverty.

Two-thumbs up to the director of the film, Marlon Rivera and the producer CHRIS MARTINEZ. It's the first time for Marlon Rivera to direct a full length film in Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank). The movie won several awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress and Audience Choice at Cinemalaya 2011.