Of Slumdogs and Buttons

That was how I spent Friday the 13th and Valentines' Day. Also known as CiNDi's day offs. I'll go back to work on a Sunday. It's pretty shitty, but that's what interns are for no?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was a life journey never expected to be told in this way. Starting out as an 86 year old infant, growing younger as he passes by time, Benjamin Button begins his life's journeys told only in his way.

I must admit, the narration by Brad Pitt was so good. I'm starting to have a change of views on him. Nevermind his bloody relationship with Angelina Jolie. Brad's the real man who grows with charisma over time. They made America evolved through all those times, from the Great War of 1918, to the World War II, to his surroundings growing in a old folk's home, living along with the blacks, having grace and faith in Lord Jesus, believing that his condition is irreplaceable, to finding his true love coming back to him.

What I love about that movie was the way they address each other. Nearly none. They never said they love each other. But it was evidently shown that they have unrequited love the way they tell each other Good night. You need to watch it to believe the whole concept of their love being told by saying Good Night.

Although when it was almost the end, I was disrupted by some fuckers who just cannot stop laughing. It wasn't even fucking funny. Ok la, if you must know, it's the scene whereby Daisy was old and Benjamin was really young, like "Meet Joe Black" kind of photoshopped young man. It was really a enduring and saddening scene. But guess what?

Fuckers called Beng Beng and Lian Lian just have to spoil the whole thing by laughing at Daisy's wrinkles. That's not funny! >_> Them idiots and their immature and childish brains cannot shut up, then might as well not watch the movie. It'll ruin their delicate mind because they cannot think straight looking at Daisy's wrinkly butt. (go watch yourself if you want to know about Daisy's butt)

But my ratings for it was good. 8.5/10, due to the whole storyline concept. His life was nothing ordinary to some, but he seemed very nonchalant about it. In fact, he accepted his life very well. Until somebody arrived in his life, but nevertheless he have loved that person unconditionally.

That was my Friday the 13, also one of the unluckiest days of my life. Met up with so much shit I was practically shouting by the time I reached to fetch Ephyon. That's how bad my trip was. Never seen so many bad things happen at once. >_>

Ah Valentines' wasn't anything worth shouting about too. Mostly due to the fact that Ephyon had classes to attend until 2pm. "On a Saturday?" Most people would ask. Yes, on a Saturday. As if it wasn't a tradition before this.

But the best thing of all was to not watch what GSC Cinemas offered for their Valentines' promotion. Some "Marley & Me" promotion that was supposedly for couples to feel the Valentines' vibe.

My boyfriend and I (actually it was me, Ephyon became too busy with his assignments), opted for the other movie whom everybody never heard of, until it won numerous awards in the Golden Globe Awards. I was watching it live from my desk, Them numerous times who emerged to take their prize, thanking the audience and the journalists' votes (this is where I felt so perasan). No one knew a story about a poor Indian boy raising to fame in such a peculiar way could be such an endearing story. So endearing, it garnered another 10 more Academy Award nominations. Yes, I wanted to watch Slumdog Millionaire on a Valentines' Day, and I did.

It beats any of the current movies. I'm certainly not pleased that it's only shown in the GSC International screening due to the language. Even though the production crew was English, but somehow they have distinctively captured the Indian taste, the Indian style of making a Indian movie out of it. And I dare to say it because I grew up watching Hindi and Tamil movies. Those 2pm shows on TV3. I've never failed to watch them, and back then the subtitles were the only source of finding out what they were saying, but it doesn't matter.

Speaking of the subtitles, I like Danny Boyle's way of putting the subtitles. It's no longer just at the bottom of the screen, with white text translating what they are saying. But rather, they were EVERYWHERE. The subtitles followed the young stars as they speak. It appears by their side, on top of them, Just next to them. And these texts have different colour backgrounds, to me it looked like a vibrant of India's famous colours. It was innovative. And yet it made the whole movie looked grittier.

Yes, the movie was gritty. It felt gritty to me because I've read through their history, and some of the scenes depicted were actually really sad, despite the fact my boyfriend and I have reassured ourselves they were reflective of India's past, seeing the scene being played still hurts me. Such a boy who have to endure all those things in life.

That could also be the only reason why this movie is a hit. The West, pardon to say, they've never seen poverty to that extreme extent. I bet they couldn't either. They claim they can help the Africans but I bet sometimes when they try to understand the poor's situation, they were so horrified with that kind of poverty they decided, "This movie is worth it!"

Not to say that it is not worth it, but you know how the West works sometimes....lalala....

But the best reward I've gotten from this? A.R. Rahman.

"O....Saya" is such a song that compiles traditional Indian drums, traditional singing, with modern mixing, and English raps from famous Indian rapper, M.I.A. Sorry to disappoint a certain Pixar fan, but I'm rooting for this song to get the Oscars instead. Jai Ho? A bit too generic Bollywood-ish aftertaste for me. Especially since me and Ephyon didn't expect THAT ending. Danny oh Danny, you truly surprised us.

This movie is a 9/10 in my books. I've always liked Hindi/Tamil movies. This gave me the reason to believe in loving Indian movies again =D.

My Valentines' was very homey. After the movie, we just head straight to my home, cook a very nice cabonara pasta served with cheesy sausages and grilled beef pastrami. The boyfriend did most of the cooking this time. I just boil the spaghetti. A nice touch compared to what I had last year.

Lets see, I have tons of other movies waiting for me to watch. Burn After Reading (just to see Brad Pitt be a blonde cute dopey idiot XD), Frost/Nixon (Because I admire David Frost alot after watching him in Al-Jazeera English), ooh ooh! City of Ember (symbolism and mystery solving freak la me), The Reader (maybe, if it wins the Oscars), Monsters vs Aliens (because Seth Rogen make me smile in the trailers), Coraline (the trailer alone freaked me out so badly I want to watch it =D), Watchmen (because I believe in Zack Snyder. Unfortunately my boyfriend can never remember his name).

And what will happen to the big movie names like Terminator Salvation! Transformers 2! Punisher: Warzone! ?

I don't know. Ask my boyfriend on that part.

Ciao ciao =D. Oh happy me with movies =D.