MOVIE REVIEW: The Lovely Bones

I first came to Peter Jackson through The Beatles: Get Back, so I wasn’t prepared for how The Lovely Bones would hit — and wow, it hit.

Movie Poster/Still

Watching it with my lovely one helped me cope, at least a little.

(The Lovely Bones, with my lovely one. Had to.)

The film was a chilling, disturbing, and gut-wrenching trip. Disturbing was watching Susie get led to that underground pit — we had our lungs out screaming at the screen for her not to go. Gut-wrenching was the sister’s tense, heart-racing chase scene with Tucci’s Gacy/Dahmer hybrid of a character. And chilling? Every moment Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz were on screen and just… not vibing.

(Or maybe I’m just used to seeing her spark with Brendan Fraser and real-life partner Daniel Craig. Man, the screen’s gonna miss Craig’s Bond.)

The blend of dreamy fantasy with real-world horror was unexpected, and honestly, a breath of fresh air in terms of storytelling. But what's really striking about the film is how it avoids sexualizing Saoirse Ronan’s character, focusing instead on her emotional depth and journey, which is both rare and incredibly refreshing in this genre.

Needless to say: watch it! 

But make sure you’re not alone, okay? 

Thanks for this recommendation, and of course, watching it with me, lovey!

21st

 (08 / 21 / 21)

    August 21st marks the commemoration of the death of Filipino hero, Benigno Aquino II, or simply, Ninoy. But also, August 21st marks a unique date being that we are in the year 2021.

    Here's a little something about peace, love, and everything in between.

To want you is to want to have you accompanied

For the whole infinite journey

Never going back to zero

Proving I can be your hero

To do that is to do all things possible

Everything that I can control

Rest assured they'll be delivered

I'll always have you under my cover

To see you smiling is to see a heart filled up hard

One smile is already the utmost reward

One hug assures I'll always be on your side

One kiss ensures enjoyment for a lifetime

To fail in doing these is to fail miserably

You can argue I don't love you too deeply

Yet I'm banking on having a second shot

On giving your daily dose of love, care, and whatnot 

x

Human: You, Man, is Flawed.

"Richard Cory" is a poem written by Edwin Arlington Robinson. The titular character seemed to have it all, the luxury and all the fortune that anyone would want to have. Still, he shot himself dead.

Reasons for Cory's deadly deed were not given and were just left for the reader's perception. However, if we would put some clarity to it, one possible justification was that Richard Cory was just human, like all of us. Even with all of the luxury and fortune he had, life was not complete as he wished it could have been.

It was easy to recall the story of that poem because it was adapted into a song by musicians/songwriters Simon and Garfunkel into a song. It still had the same tragedy that the poem had, also in the POV of someone who envied the life of Richard Cory.

However, a remarkable difference made in the song was the effect that the final chorus had on the song. The chorus went "But I work in his factory, and I curse the life I'm living, I curse my poverty, oh, I wish that I could be Richard Cory" and it was given another shot even after the event of Richard Cory taking his own life. 

This part of the song spoke of another human flaw that most of us seem to have: the act of looking over at someone else's graces without looking into the flip side of the coin.

People who envied the life of Richard Cory saw the brighter side while neglecting whatever could be lurking on the opposite side. Little did they know that Richard Cory had a great amount of uncertainty which ultimately led to his demise. 

At times of despair and uncertainties, it couldn't be helped to resort to the thought of having the life of someone else. However, it should not linger so much it would turn into something that couldn't, or shouldn't, be realized.

Look beyond your shoulders only to be inspired by your neighbor's triumphs. Better yet, be an inspiration to those who would look over at your exploits. Also, always seek for true happiness. 

Below is Edwin Arlington Robinson's "Richard Cory".

Richard Cory

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,

We people on the pavement looked at him:

He was a gentleman from sole to crown,

Clean favored, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,

And he was always human when he talked;

But still he fluttered pulses when he said,

"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich – yes, richer than a king –

And admirably schooled in every grace:

In fine, we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,

And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,

Went home and put a bullet through his head.

x

Love Them While You Can

Even with the most impressive technological advancement today cannot give the solution to this very scary thing: mortality.

Yes, every living thing here in the world has its own time limit. Once reaching that moment, you can never go back and change what happened to maybe stop it from happening. The only thing you can do is either to lay there and wait for your final moment or to make use of your receding seconds to say your final goodbye to everyone (just as they do in the movies).

My point is that if you have the chance to show love and compassion and everything you got to someone, do it. Do not hesitate nor procrastinate. Whether it is to your lover, to your wife, to your husband, to your mom and dad, to your brothers and sisters - do not hesitate.

Tell them you love them and that you are grateful that you are able to say it because there is no need to worry as long as there is love. Also, try to actually show love and not just say it. Actions speak louder than words, right?

Photo by Nick Fewings from unsplash.com

The worst thing that can happen to someone is getting ill, especially when that illness leads to deterioration and death eventually. Most of the time, medical practices can delay, or even heal, such consequences, but there are also times when they cannot. Those instances are beyond our control and at such a moment, miracles of Biblical proportions are the only things we can cling to.

Bad things wouldn't happen if we can prevent them and we would want to say the things we want before it would be too late.

Don't hold out on love, folks.

Four Movies That Killed Bond in the Pre-Title Sequence

    EON Productions has always assured to us Bond fans that there will be another James Bond film after the last one by stating that "James Bond Will Return" in the end credits of the films. But what they have not assured us is that whether the superspy would be killed or not in the Bond film, not until we reach the end and Bond would be seen with his lady.

Bond's 50th Birthday

    During the earlier Bond films, up until Octopussy, the next film's title is even stated already. Take for example this in the film "From Russia With Love".

Make way for Auric Goldfinger

    Another notable one is seen in the end credits of "The Spy Who Loved Me" wherein the stated next film is "For Your Eyes Only. However, due to the rise of the sci-fi era, "Moonraker" had to rise instead.

Where's Moonraker?

    With that, let's get to the main topic. In earlier Bond films, for some reason, the viewers were always hinted that James Bond - 007 would die in the film. But if you would think about it deeper, why would be the lead character of a rising franchise kill its main lead? Funnily enough, this trend has reached the Daniel Craig era in one of his outings.

    Here are four Bond films that tried to scare us about Bond being dead.

1. Thunderball. 

This is the least effective one in this list. The pre-title sequence starts off by showing a casket with the initials "JB".  However just seconds after, Bond is seen with a girl on a floor above the funeral rite. The one in the casket is revealed to be SPECTRE Number 6, Col.  Jacques Bouvar, who apparently died in his sleep. However, spoiler alert, the colonel is still alive.

"JB" for Jacques Bouvar snapshot from film

2. You Only Live Twice

From the title itself, you can easily think that this movie has a deal with Bond being close to his death. His apparent death happens in the pre-title sequence wherein a lady is shown aiding in killing Bond. Bond fakes his death for a mission. The reveal is made after Bond's "dead" body was buried at sea which leads to the remote MI6 office. 

Bond dying on the job from cinemaviewfinder.com

3. Skyfall

In this film, Bond has to get a file from Patrice containing a list of their agents in the pre-title sequence. The chase leads them into a train and then to a fight on top it as the train is moving. Bond is assisted by a woman agent (later to be revealed as Miss Eve Moneypenny, major spoiler alert!) who eventually unintentionally shot Bond in the chest after being pressured by M to "take the bloody shot". Bond falls and is swallowed down by the waters. Agent down.

Bond waiting to be rescued by Adele's swooning from businessinsider.com

4. From Russia With Love

In the pre-title sequence of this film, a Russian agent is seen waiting for this apparent James Bond.  The scene is intensified by the background music, as they make their way in the darkness of the area. The Russian agent sneaks up and reveals his garrote watch. Upon seeing Bond, he strangles him to his death. The British superspy is now dead! But wait, no. Another Russian agent takes off from the face of this dead Bond a mask. It's just a mask. Relax.

This scene shows to us how far can SPECTRE go just to destroy its enemies. What follows is an equally satisfying film with a great roster of villains.

Red Grant strangling a deep fake of James Bond from cinemablend.com

*Photos are grabbed from the Internet and all thanks are for those who own it. For sharing purposes only. Thank you for understanding.

Only the Good Die Young

These men of the music industry have proven that those who are so damn good in their crafts might not have the chance of fully enjoying it. They may not be remembered for the longevity of their music career; however, they will still be remembered because they are simply great that anyone may forget to cross their names off.

1. Chester Bennington, 41

This man was the latest reason why the world has come to unite again for mourning his loss. The man that gave voices to the songs that surfaced the genre "Rap/Electronic Rock" to the music scene took his life on the birthday of his good friend, Chris Cornell, who is also on this list.

Chester Bennington as Linkin Park frontman

2. Kurt Cobain, 27

Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain, was found dead with a shotgun and a suicide note, suggesting that he took his own life. Before the suicide of Cobain, he was put in rehab because of suicidal tendencies.

Kurt Cobain

3. Bob Marley, 36

Like everyone here in this list, this man also poured out his all in his craft. Think about reggae and the Rastafarian culture and you'd definitely think of Bob Marley. Cancer which developed under his toe nail was his tragedy.

Bob Marley

4. Chris Cornell, 52

Chris Cornell also excelled in his musical path and was on the top with Chester Bennington. Among his works was the critically-acclaimed Bond theme song "You Know My Name".

Like his friend, Cornell also committed suicide due to depression and substance abuse issues.

Chris Cornell

5. John Lennon, 40

There can be no one greater than John Lennon. Just as he was starting to make his comeback in the music scene via Double Fantasy, he was shot by a fan named Mark David Chapman after giving Chapman an autograph. The tragic incident ended all hopes for a Beatles reunion in the 1985 Live Aid (where only Paul McCartney showed up and played a piano-only version of "Let It Be").

John Lennon

*Photos are grabbed from the Internet and all thanks are for those who own it. For sharing purposes only. Thank you.