Snow Patrol's You Could Be Happy

You could be happy and I won't know
But you weren't happy the day I watched you go
And all the things that I wished I had not said
Are played in loops 'til it's MADNESS in my head

Is it too late to remind you how we were
But not our last days of SILENCE, screaming, blur
Most of what I remember makes me sure
I should have stopped you from walking out the door

You could be happy, I hope you are
You made me happier than I'd been by far
Somehow everything I own smells of YOU
And for the tiniest moment it's all not TRUE

Do the things that you always wanted to
Without ME there to hold you back, don't THINK, just do
More than anything I want to see you girl
Take a glorious bite out of the WHOLE world

:*(

Books vs. Film Adaptations

“When you reread a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in you than there was before.”

- Clifton Fadiman

Reading always seemed like a hassle to me, especially if it’s schoolwork; however, I have phases when I would bury my nose in a book and read it until my eyes get tired. And then there are times I would restrain myself and make a book last for a few weeks/months as if I’m watching a series on TV.
A little suspense is always good.

I enjoy getting lost in a huge bookstore (not library, ‘coz they tend to be a bit creepy) and realizing that I’ve spent an hour moving from shelf to shelf scouting for interesting finds. I do have a bad habit of buying books more than I can read, though.

The thing I like about reading is that your mind is free to make your own lil’ movie.
You get to be your own actor, director, set designer, casting agent, and even the special effects guy. And what's even better, is when the book is adapted into a film because then you get to picture in your head how it’s supposed to be played out and you get to compare what you have imagined the story would be like to its cinematic equivalent.
That’s the freedom that I love with reading. The freedom of the imagination.


I know it’s unfair to compare the book and its film version since they are two wholly different things but it’s just fun seeing how much of what you have imagined is synonymous to what is actualized-- like when I read J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (a fun read, but not my cup of tea), I was amazed at how similar the visuals were to the ones in my head.

Books aren’t necessarily a lot better than its movies, though.
Take for example Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook or Lauren Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada. They didn't compare to their film versions.
I didn't really enjoy reading Devil Wears. I know chick lit's are supposed to be just a light, fun read, but after 360 pages, I still couldn't find a concrete storyline and it seemed redundant at times. But the movie, I loved.

And as for The Notebook, it has got to be one of the most romantic movies I have seen even though the book was a little boring. And frankly, watching a breathtaking scenery of a swan-filled lake is a whole lot better than just reading about it.

***That's also one thing I look for in a book: Great setting and sceneries. Because then when it is translated into film, it will definitely satisfy the aesthetic eye.

On the other hand, Nicholas Sparks' Message in a Bottle-- one of my favorite books- was much better than the movie. (I remember picking up the last copy dusty since it was behind the other books, ignored)

I preferred the novel because you can see how the story is built up, page by page. You are able to process it all in completely as opposed to absorbing everything in in just under 2 hours.

And most often than not, changes are made in the script in order for them to squeeze all of it in, which consequently degrades the quality of the story.

This is probably why I could never bring myself to watch a movie unless I have read the book first. (Or maybe because I'm just too lazy to read once I've already seen the film.)

Books on my shelf that I have yet to read and see:

Feel free to comment on which books/movies you have read/seen are worth reading/watching. Thanks! :)

Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha
Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife
Boris Pasternak’s Dr. Zhivago
David Nicholls' Starter for Ten

E.B. White and Garth Williams’ Charlotte’s Web
Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights
Frances Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun
Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera

Helen Schulman’s P.S.

Ian McEwan's Atonement

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility

Jean-Dominique Bauby's The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Melissa Banks’ The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing
Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient
Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie
Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity
Philippa Gregory's The Other Boleyn Girl

Robert James Waller’s The Bridges of Madison County

***Currently reading Cecelia Ahern's P.S. I Love You.
Premise is unique and interesting. A definite tearjerker. I'm only at page 42 and I've never cried as much as I did with Nicholas Spark's Message in a Bottle.

Can't wait to see the film next year!

300

This blog has mostly been about pretty, girly stuff that it's a little unusual I post something about a movie that's pure machismo.

300, though, is an exception.
















There are so many things I love about this movie.

First, ofcourse, is Gerard Butler's portrayal of King Leonidas (abs or no abs, I was hooked the first time I heard him speak). He had so much charisma and presence onscreen he'd make you believe he was the King of Sparta. (And so did the rest of the actors, especially Queen Gorgo, even though the movie was full of unknowns.) I love how he speaks with his eyes and manages to pull off witty one-liners in one scene and be all macho in the next.

The fight scenes, albeit gory, were so well-executed that it made spearing a human being in the chest look so graceful. I was smiling silly while watching the slow-mo's because I was so amazed at how beautifully shot and choreographed they were with the flawless special effects, perfect lighting and tones, and fitting background music. I tell you this movie is like nothing you've ever seen.


There are tons of unforgettable scenes in 300. These 2 are my absolute favorite. (It was hard to narrow it down since I enjoyed every minute of it.)

(***SPOILER ALERT***)

First is the "This Is Sparta" clip that had been constantly playing in my head even before I saw the film, thanks in part to YouTube.
Gotta love that voice.















And the second one is the latter part of the battle where King Leonidas valiantly throws his spear targeting Xerxes up until the heartbreaking scene where he utters his last words: "My Queen, My Wife, My Love."
















300 is one of those films you just have to see in the movie theater. Watching it on your TV won't do it any justice.

And if you're still unsure whether you'd want to see it or not, here are two of the many reasons why you should:
Gerard Butler and that deep raspy voice of his.


Now who wouldn't consider that pretty?