(500) Days of Summer (2009)

"Absolutely Breathtaking!!! (not the movie...I was talking about Zooey!)" - summit10

 If this is what reality should be...so be it!

The film exudes with wit, charm, depravity, the feeling of being used, heartache, yearning and the need to move on with one's life!

Nobody said it would be easy and getting the easy way out was something that you just put into your system making it whole and binding it with you, then you spit it out just like that for no reason at all! People do have the tendency of being inconsistent and that what makes us human.

As the narrator said this is not a love story but it's a story about love!

Let us break it down to the minor and major details of the film shall we!!! And move along with the milestones!

Being Normal = Being Happy equation, wherein Tom and Summer doing flip cards of days that takes us to their journey of love and loss...

Day 1 - at a office presentation, Tom meets for the first time Summer, the girl of his dreams! While summarizing the womanly characteristics as shown on her daily travels in life, it is therefore concluded in the statistics that once in your life you will encounter the other species and ask yourself: Where you have been all my life?!?!

Day 3 - Really, she's a bitch? you'll find out why they are given this type of moniker!

Day 4 - Elevator fever, I could still recall how I laughed so hard with their first casual encounter, it was so surreal that I gave it one of the best scenes of the film! I used to find someone so attractive that I had no choice but to make her mine...now she is my fiancée :)

Day 8 - Second casual talk (much longer this time), and I really never got that joke, but it was used as a term for being clean love the irony though!

Day 154 - When we're in love we can describe so many details even the trivial ones would be a piece of cake since there is much to say to the person your heart beats for... but there was a warning though...hold your breath people!

Day 11 - Are you bizarre??? You talked, you shared the same thoughts...Oh I forgot you're in love...I’m sorry my bad!

Day 22 - It's over...the emotions start to fire up their defences, feeling the not her type thing, even your heart screams out for her!!! Right!

Day 27 - You're not listening, everyone is coming! Every guy has that feeling of not joining in the group outings because you’re avoiding someone or you just don't want to get hurt with all the right intentions. For all the reasons that you want to come...yet you still find a way in the dragon's nest!!!

As you do find your way... a little trip can go a long way (down I mean!)

Day 28 - this is the moment so to speak, you were able to get a quick attention from her looking for you...expecting you to come! Points given my friend!

Only thing is she is not ready and wants to be alone... Pop quiz hotshot, what do you do!!!

Here is what you do... be yourself, let her understand that you can wait because you know it will be worth it in the end! Girls and their fish baits, I wouldn't mind if it's you on the other side!

Day 31- a moment of silence...then suddenly your world is in chaos!!! In Homer's famous lines: What the?!?!?!

Day 282 - girl is out of words to say, bored and not enthusiastic anymore...you have to keep up the phase, be diverse and never ran out of tricks because if you do... the spark will go out and there is nothing you can do about it!

Day 34 - back from the past... everyday life seems so fun when you're young and new, don’t let it be the basis of your relationship it means more when there is so much to look out for.

Day 303 - i did have my case on this, where I will be able to write a book for the girl that i loved but all I was able to do was write songs and poems which is given life if only that someone can hear it! But that's no excuse!

Until she breaks your heart...

Day 45 - it's not the series I was after, I didn't care about the humming on the phone, but how they did the scene was hilarious! Maybe it's just Summer humming...sigh!

Day 87 - don't say that no one loves you; in fact even Ringo has someone who loves him awwwww!!!

Day 95- Architectures gives you reasons not to focus only on streets, but rather something more palpable when you look up!!! It only incites why they see more on a larger perspective...because they have a good view from the top of the hill! (this is meant on how Tom sees his life and around him)

Day 109 - when the girl that you love tells you something that is out of random, sharing more stories that you ever shared with when you’re with her... it means that you’re in second base!!! This is the art of conversation, you get to know more of the people your with and trying to find out how you can cope up with the life you’re going to be with...

Day 118 - it could never be more degrading than someone, especially a girl would tell you to stop whining and do what you need to do!!! (and ask nicely ok!)

Day 259 - love is not a one way street, another saying is it takes two to tango, and emotions will really hurt if love is just felt by one person...

One thing that does heal it, if you say with all honesty that you were sorry and it hurts also on your part for acting that way!

Day 191 - one of the worst things that could happen in your relationship if it starts to fall apart and the pieces don't fit anymore!

Day 314 - Misery loves company! Don’t say you’re alone, when you feel down and out, when depression strikes... you do have a shoulder to cry on!

Day 321 - the way of the card, how ironic it hurts more to say it from someone else's mind!

Day 167 - One man show... nothing beats a man who is in love!

Day 322 - remember the flamboyant words that you made earlier (see Day 154)...I think someone's angry today!!!

Day 345 - what are you babbling about...your drunk again!!! So it's over???

Day 402 - this was the most awkward part for me in the film, here you are trying to move on and yet you still find here in your premise and you still hang out with her! jeez, what's wrong with you??? (i forgot you're in love with her sorry!)

But don't expect too much!

Day 440 - still didn’t know where the Day 408 went??? hmmm!!!

Day 441 - sunrise... sunset... another day to be alone! Alone, alone, alone!

Day 441 1/2 - nothing beats cold drink and snacks (couch potato with alcohol)

Day 442 - material things do make us suffer more, that's a fact!

Day 450 - when you look back at the past, don't just look at the bad ones, look at the good ones which can make you stronger (ok, you can cry for now, but later be a man)

Day 456-476 - Moving on my friend good job! Don’t let that girl bring you down!

Day 488 - an old place for an old friend! (Not literally though!) We come to realize that life is like a wheel that sometimes you’re up sometimes your down! But the main thing is, we need to assert in ourselves that we do come to our senses in our perfect time and it will definitely hurt at the moment you have let go, but it is the only way to keep your sanity, meaning it we really love a person we have to show them the we can be better without them and be able to move on! Thank them for all the times they were able to make you happy, though given on false hopes that you can never be together, it will have to do to say that I loved you and it was a wonderful journey that I will always cherish in my heart!

Getting over someone especially if they said that i was not you that they were never sure of...think of it as something that makes you stronger and knowing that somebody else will have the heart to say that she was one the one instead! I'm going to look forward to that someone...someday!

God it hurts so much!

Day 500 - it is true that something of significance can be as much more a little thing to someone and the other way around... it was the day that Tom realized that the Earth didn’t stop revolving and if you look around long enough, you will notice more what life is to offer and that will be a reward worth waiting for... as sure as day follows night, as a rainbow shows after the rain, there will be always an Autumn after each Summer!

Thank you for reading!

With all my Heart,

Summit10              

The Rock (1996)

"Conspiracy Theories is just being paranoid... not to Mason! (but look where it got him!)" - summit10

 A General in a verge of mutiny to give American soldiers what was due, a proper military burial and compensation for the family who survived them!

To make things complicated, throw in an unwilling prisoner who has been taught to be the only survivor who escaped Alcatraz in his time and have him give the directions underneath it's tunnels, 81 hostaged tourists and rockets that will hit San Francisco's intended scores of people.

There were lots of gunfight and explosions as usual, nothing new that will amaze fans and action junkies alike! I was impressed by the film's action sequences and banters between Cage and Connery. I saw the film years ago but it still gave a wonderful experience seeing a star studded cast. Cage, Connery and even Harris are applaudable and made a great effort to give the film a remarkable output!

It even got hints on some conspiracy theories of the United States, but we won't know won't we?!?

The film was directed by Michael Bay, the so called "king of slow motion capture underneath the actor then circ*mferencing to a perfect angle screen shot!" That was a mouthful! I really thought that it gave me more of an impression on how Directors applied their "signature" moves for the films they make! But maybe it won't hurt if he does more delivery on his style since everyone has their own repertoire!

To finalize, watching these films from Bay before made it to my great lists of films, but after seeing Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys 1 and 2, Armageddon and don't forget the Transformers franchise, I'm ambivalent of whether he can rise up to the challenge and make a decent film once more!

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

"Is this the end of Spider-Man?" - summit10

The story revolved around Peter’s darker side giving a pathway entry for his nemesis to come to life.

After years of saving New York City, Peter Parker has come to terms for being the superhero everyone adores! Not only that, he is preparing to be engaged to the love of his life Mary Jane Watson.

But happiness isn’t meant to last when Peter’s past comes haunting him back, the real perpetrator from his Uncle’s death had escaped from prison and gave levity to the back story of the franchise. Not only that, as he is well over his head, he had shown mixed emotions of grief, aggressiveness and hunger for power in the middle of the film, making him more distant with his Aunt May and his friends. As he is locked on with two bad guys, a friend in hostage and another reluctant to help him with his predicament Peter must find a way to save them but he must come to realization first to save himself from his own dark inhibitions!

Pretty much of these films are overhyped that they tend to blow if out of proportion in viral marketing, media and getting it way over their heads in beating sequels. The story was dragging, though the plot was intended to be in that direction, it just makes no sense just to overdo things to make life more miserable for Peter Parker, though he was able to pull it off with friends by his side, it was not without sacrifice. The story ended with another dead person, a whole lot of rectification and forgiveness and lastly, an open ended finish... but it doesn’t mean the story has come full circle!!!

               

News of a new guy to take on the superhero is in line, it would be a reboot focusing more on Peter’s high school life making the premise younger and hopefully more action as well as content in Spider-Man’s life! Andrew Garfield is the chosen one and I did saw a video clip of his movie Never Let Me Go and it looks promising. I really do appreciate actors with the ability to be diverse and well-rounded. I do hope that he can pull it off with his portrayal of the web slinger or he might get a few pumpkin bombs from the audience pun intended!

The Guardian (2006)

"So Others Will Live" - summit10

A story about heroism, sacrifice and knowing when to let go!

Legendary Rescue Swimmer Ben Randall (Kevin Costner), in a not your typical job film, where you can find it a bit perplexing that your job description is to save lives and your office desk is the whole freaking ocean!

Moments of desperation comes and goes just like a McDonald meal served for the whole day! Nothing can shake the nerves of this hero of the high seas, until one tragic mission...

There were fishermen who were found floating already and seeing that one was presumed alive, Ben came to the rescue but without sacrifice, a tidal wave hurled a massive container and the helicopter comes crashing down pulling the lone survivor into his deathly grave!

Wanting to save his partner Carl, they were sent a lifeboat before extraction and is was a little too late for his best friend and partner!

This trauma and a troubled marriage had brought more complications to his life. Ironic, he saves lives and yet he cannot save his own from his personal concerns. So, Coast Guard Captain William Hadley (Clancy Brown) offered 2 options is either walk out of here or take the desk job at A Point to school some new Coast Guards and to get back on his feet from all his emotional stress.

Enter hotshot Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher), show off, cocky but hilarious. A guy you just want to shut up. Goes into training camp and trying to beat every single record that Ben accomplished. Bar fights, casual dating and tremendous work out from the veteran himself gave him some epiphany in his life.

Though, there were few insights that Jake made him king of the hill, he never got point from wasting time. Soon all began to unravel when Ben understood what was bothering him and what tragic accident happened that left Jake wanting attention and some direction in his life.

Ben sees Jake as a potential not just in his class but for the rescue team his going to be assigned to, he can be the best of the best if he wanted to, he just need to understand how important his gift was and what reasons are left uncertain for his survival in the car accident with his friends.

That goes without saying how Ben kept him on the team for obvious reasons of having that opportunity to be alive and so others may live!

It was a story that inspires and shows people to never give up and make the best out of their lives no matter how bad is it!

To the US Coast Guard, truly the unsung heroes!

The Family Man (2000)

"I choose us and that's all that matters." - summit10

I watched this film back in 2000 after graduating from college, I just could not remember if I was alone... maybe I was! Longing for someone and be part of something special.

Didn't paid attention that time on how the film related to my dreams and aspirations and progress in life, my focus was to continue my job, support my family and be successful.

Funny thing happened...

Fast forward 10 years, been transferred from different companies, unsettled and working. I'm currently abroad, engaged for almost 2 years. I saw this film again on TV and it made me realize how important life is, the person I'm going to marry and what life is to offer me in the coming years ahead!

I work and I study and yet there is no fulfilment with these luxuries without her being at my side. I’ve grown weary to the false pretences of what I could achieve with these sacrifices, I do it because I am wanting to make sure that I get the chance to have a better life...not with what I’m doing right now but because someone is out there waiting for me to come home and marry her, have kids with her and make her proud of me!

At first I was too eager, about accomplishment, being financially stable, having this lucrative opportunity to become better in my field. But not without her, not for the one I love!

This film made me realize my glimpse of the future and brought tears in eyes knowing that I won't compromise my wife to be and our future kids with all the money in the world, because they are my everything, my gifts from above and I wouldn’t want it any other way!

To Nic and Tea and the cast, your movie is awe inspiring and it brought me to my senses even after a decade! My sincerest thanks!

Avatar (2009)

" ”I'm the King of the world" (oh, sorry wrong movie!)" - summit10

15 years for this story to skyrocket on top of the earth, pretty impressive you could say and well worth the wait!

I will not make a review out of this film the traditional way; it seems that it would be appropriate to give it more of a different approach and impression!

I could only tell that the film was very fascinating on how it was able to jumpstart something long forgotten and that is to our appreciation of life and the planet we live in.

This was only the concept I was able to divulge myself into watching the film. Seeing that it has its share of mixed criticisms and reviews from the people who've seen it has given me the same insight. For some could compare and say that this was a rip off of Ferngully, Princess Mononoke, Dances with Wolves and so on!

James Cameron made it clear that his story was going to be made in the right time, when technology is available to be used. I couldn't agree more, in fact it was the CGI combined with real screen shots of people that has given it fluidity and clear scope of what James had imagined in his mind!

Though, this over eagerness conceived by making films that raked millions (not to mention his Titanic), has become the target of insightful viewership.

To be honest, the story was so simple, we as humans by nature don't give a damn when it comes to sharing, we are made into territorial beings without any consideration for others. We have ransacked every possible resource in our own planet and we will need to look beyond our jurisdictions.

In this case, back story states that Earth is in peril and do need a certain mineral called unobtanium in order for us to survive ergo we have to explore new worlds, I repeat explore new worlds and colonize it (history does repeat itself) and let alone a moon called Pandora to taste our expressive salutations...how do aliens say it? "We come in peace" (or go in pieces)!!!

Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) together with Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver) were the people responsible to go and retrieve Intel on how the RDA can get the mineral supply they need. Until one mission gone hay wired with Jake missing in action. Enter, Princess Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), finds and saves him from peril. Jake wanted to be part of them and so was trained in their ways until they fell in love. To cut it short, the deal was compromised and RDA military personnel attacks the home of the Omaticaya Clan (tribe of Neytiri), this is where the battle lines are drawn from both factions (I even saw it as Starcraft’s Terrans versus Warcraft's Night Elves, what a riot!!!)

But the story also tells on how ironic that we are being given this type of treatment and yet we are still confounded to the spirit inside of us! I believe in that too, for many has given up on what we are and what we are capable of doing and still, we are bounded to our rights, to survive but not without any sacrifice or for that matter to respect and love what is given to us, not just the people we belong with but to the gifts that God provided us!

The film connotes heroism, courage, selflessness and to do what is right! That is enough for people to know and for James as well. It's clichéd and overrated...true but you can never keep a good man down for even if he is awake or asleep, he will keep his dreams alive!

The Dark Knight (2008)

"Let's put a smile on that face!!!" - summit10

“And here we go!”

The Dark Knight (Christian Bale), made more emphasis on how he places himself at the forefront and do everything to save Gotham City from tyranny and corruption. The idea of being able to sacrifice one’s life and yet not to be taken as a hero would be an understatement for the Batman... and still he does what needs to be done to protect his city! As stated, Bruce Wayne is the real mask of the character wherein it only gives him more instigation to have a personality that keeps him sane!

The Joker (Heath Ledger), he provided a pivotal role not just for being a character that is already well known but, also took villainy into his own likeness. The delivery of his character proves that it takes all the strength you can muster to conceive his insanity and menacing wickedness!

Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), took a big bite out of the mob and can’t chew it no longer (not with that jaw!) pun intended. He was the White Knight, a shining beacon for Gotham City but it was too much for him even combined with Commissioner Gordon and Batman. Every little thing is made clearer to him than what he knows and how he perceives it. As the Joker said “it’s all part of the plan”!

James Gordon (Gary Oldman), from Sergeant, as head of a special task force and now Commissioner not because he was the only option in a corrupted police force but knows where he is going and help clean up the city from its rotting core. As Commissioner Loeb was poisoned by the Joker, the city’s Mayor promoted him from his valued work and to help maintain control to all the chaos in Gotham.

Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), the ever supportive friend and logistics person for the Batman. He is one of the few people that know Batman’s true identity and has been helping him in coordinating targets and supplying armaments, weaponry and the latest technological advancements available! One thing had left me questioning though, will his last assignment be the end of their partnership?

Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), returning as city prosecutor in the crossroads with her affection for Bruce and her intimacy with hotshot Lawyer Harvey Dent have been proven fatal not just for her but for her suitors as well!

Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine), the Butler who stood by Bruce Wayne even if it meant more than his life, he condones and yet provides the right direction into which Bruce will learn to know how much more pain he can endure and embrace it not just with his mind but also with his heart!

This film made history and considered brilliantly made ranked one of the highest grossing films not just in the comic book genre but of all time!

The Dark Knight was a film that invigorated the populace with intrigue, smart storytelling and a whole lot of lip service! Shot in IMAX cameras, (a very lucrative decision indeed), Director Christopher Nolan was able to execute fantastic angles and capture elements of the film that gave it more horizon and depth. 

The performance was phenomenal, a cast to reckon with! It even made more significant undertakings on how the story was able to evolve into something more transparent, more disturbing and malevolent backdrop of the film!

The only downturn for me was Batman’s voice... which I believe can be somewhat irritating and slurred. Overall, the film was brilliantly made and fluid storytelling that takes you to different heights of suspense and excitement!

To the cast and crew, a job well done! To Heath Ledger, reimagining the Joker will always be etched in our minds! Rest in peace!