The Mistress and MyThoughts

Went to see the last full show of "The Mistress" on its first day of screening and I have to say that this is the kind of movie that makes me want to believe in Pinoy films again. If perfection ever does exist in visual cinema, "The Mistress" has got to be it--a masterpiece of mainstream cinema! 

The story is so good, script was fabulously great--well written, direction and editing are so right on target. Casting is impeccable and acting is beyond words--John Llyod Cruz and Bea Alonzo were both palpable! I am so glad the role of Eric Torres went on to John Lloyd Cruz and not to the first choice actor who later moved to another network. Honestly, I couldn't think of any other actors who can give justice to the roles of Eric and Sari but these two.

I love the subdued but intense acting of everyone that perfectly compliments the very raw and genuine emotions of the script. I love the right amount of tantalizing embedded through out the entire narrative creating the perfect balance of sensuality--it's so EROTIC! 

Finally, I love that the ending didn't betray the main premise of the movie as well as its characters and their conflicts just to give in to what Pinoy moviegoers would want to see. 

Yes, it's painful and often times we question why but it's a bittersweet reality of life that we can't always have what we want cause had it been the other way around, probably there's really hope for world peace. But at the end of it all, I still find myself asking--should we really hold back on love just so we won't hurt the feelings of others around us? Can we really equate the common rules of right and wrong to LOVE? And given that LOVEis still governed by these principles--who determines what is right and what is wrong in its inexplicable nature or should we really just settle to the sad reality of "hindi dahil gusto mo, makukuha mo"? 

P.S. John Lloyd Cruz killed my heart over and over again through out the movie's almost 2 hours and 10 minutes. I SWEAR HE'S GIVING SEXINESS A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT DIMENSION it's so HOT!

No Other Woman

5/5

Sizzles with passion and, full of heart and soul, fall for the temptation of 2011’s biggest movie event of the year. No Other Woman is a must watch movie that explores the guilty pleasures of infidelity.

Ram (Derek) is a handsome furniture supplier who through his charisma and undeniable looks has charmed many of his clients. He is married to Charmaine (Christine), a pretty, doting housewife who learns of her husband’s infidelity with the gorgeous temptress, the other woman…Kara (Anne). Ram soon finds himself caught between his marriage to Cha, and his passionate relationship with the alluring Kara as the two ladies gives the fight of their lives for his love.

Upon seeing the trailer I knew right there and then that this movie is something. This intuition was cemented when the Grade A of the Cinema Evaluation Board came out. It was polished dry when I was captivated by the script and acting in the comfort of a sold-out, last full show screening.

We are now living in a time when more than delivering a movie or a story per se that’ll become a classic when the time comes, producers more than ever are just interested in generating profits that when a movie like this comes we really need to stop and celebrate the event. I say this because this movie is not your typical rom-com or passable comedy movies they say is what the market now is looking for. No Other Woman actually somehow takes you back to the 70s and 80s, which for me is the golden age of Philippine Cinema. This movie is like the modern day version of the 1982 classic “Gaano Kadalas Ang Minsan”.

It delights me to analyze now that this movie actually has its very good story to tell. The plot is nothing new. We’ve all heard about a beautiful happy couple whose marriage is suddenly shaken by the arrival of another woman to complete a triangle. But what sets this movie far above the movies of today is how brilliant the execution of modern day infidelity in the story. It took a lot of realism from our society today bearing it upon the backbone of its sole plot and into the beings of its main protagonists and antagonist. With this, the movie so much so veered away from the expected predictability of a rehashed story. A note of praise goes to the Director, Ruel Bayani for his fine treatment and execution.

This movie takes great pride from its brilliant, masterful script. It gave the movie so much soul with its heartfelt dialogues interspersed with clever wit in a language relatable to everyone. BRAVO! Marvellous marvellous script! Also what I love about it that it didn’t go overboard. It’s generous at times and keeps silent when the emotion of the scene calls for it.  Great thumbs up to screenplay writers Kris Gazmen and Jay Fernando for this incredible script. You’ll know that a movie is a hit when its script and much of its remarkable lines stay to movie goers and eventually become quotable quotes copied in street conversations, in text messages, in social networking sites, etc. and I’m sure most of this movie’s quotable quotes and confrontation scenes will be indulgently remembered. The script alone will make this movie a classic for generations to come.

Much to this movies delight, the clever script is matched with notable acting from its lead cast. Anne Curtis is fabulous in a role almost tailored fit for her. I believe by this time she’s already established herself as an actress and this movie proves it all. She has almost done every role yet still gives justice to all of them.  One thing about Anne Curtis as an actress is that she’s fierce! She’s not afraid to do whatever the role or the story asks for. This is very evident in all her past works and most especially in this movie. This is her best role portrayal to date! And my goodness she wears any fashion with unmatchable “fabulousity”! Derek Ramsay is the perfect leading man of today who’s not just all looks and body; he is an actor of great calibre! He is the complete package perfect for a leading man. He has that awesome- to-die-for hunk body which goes along with that handsome-angelic face, and to top it all up that genuine and sincere acting. His eyes are his greatest acting asset that at times when words can’t contain the emotions already, his eyes alone says it all. Christine Reyes on the other hand shows tremendous improvement with her acting in this movie. Yes, there are still a lot of times that she can’t match the acting given by Anne and Derek but I have to say she’s gone a long way from her Eva Fonda days, in fairness to her.

This movie is one of the best modern day dramas I’ve seen since 2009’s “And I Love You So”. No Other Woman is a must watch movie; a story to reckon, characters to love and hate, and dialogues to ponder on. This is the kind of big screen spectacle that’ll stay in you and you’ll remember even as the years pass by. The story of No Other Woman is a quick-witted reminder of how dangerous it is to play with fire because you might be captivated by it that you don’t know when to hold back and let go, you’re already burned. Finally, No Other Woman reminds us of the fact that this whole world is a big love battle field. Love drives us all mad and we damn right fight for it especially when ours is being threatened and I say we really should because amidst all its complexities, LOVE is always worth it all. We can choose for all we want, we can even succumb to temptations once in awhile but always do remember that hearts gets broken along the way for in a love story of two, there can be no other one! All is fair in love and a triangle sure as hell isn’t fair. Fidelity is the soul of relationships! 

Wedding Tayo, Wedding Hindi!

3/5

A good laugh that’s smart and makes a lot of sense!

This latest Star Cinema offering, Wedding Tayo, Wedding Hindi! is a story of two cousins who are on different crossroads of their lives but together, they lamented the different facets of love, relationships, marriage, and annulment. Precy (Eugene Domingo) has left her husband and two kids and is filing for annulment to nullify her marriage. Belay (Toni Gonzaga) is a japayuki who returns to Manila to marry her childhood friend, Oca, who proposed to her three years ago before she left for Japan. As their personal lives are on totally opposing sides of the spectrum, the two try to convince each other of their different views about love in a hope to salvage each other from a life of misery.

There is nothing remarkably new in this movie. Same plot, same predictability, but what sets this apart and makes it a must watch movie is the genius of Director Jose Javier Reyes who also wrote the screenplay. Like all his other masterpieces this movie showcased a very witty yet insightful script. This is what I love most about Joey Reyes’ movies, the script alone is a spectacle to behold.There is always an attempt to be real and genuine with the emotions and the choice of words. It’s always good to watch characters on the big screen say things as it is, as any normal human being in a dialogue would do. This treatment on a material that’s already so predictable and a plot that’s nothing but ordinary really makes movies like this entertaining and enjoyable.

Yet, the greatest downside of this movie is the very evident poor editing and almost rushed scenes perhaps to meet a scheduled play date. I understand that it’s mainstream comedy yet everyone who knows me know that I hate endings where all the characters just magically get all their happy endings. So cliche! Up to the last 10 minutes of the movie I really thought it will have a big twist at the end just so the movie won’t be typecast. But too bad, of course producers need their money back so just give the ending that majority of the Filipino viewing public would want. Thankfully, the brilliance of Joey Reyes made it bearable by finishing up every subplots and plotlines neatly concluded.

Much to this movies’ delight, the quick-witted script by Direk Joey Reyes is complemented with superb acting from two of the country’s best female comediennes of today. Eugene Domingo I believe is already a legend when comedy is concerned. She is theatre trained and undeniably an actress in her own right. She knows what she’s doing and she’s always on target, whether it be comedy or drama.You can always see the authenticity of her acting. In terms of spontaneity, Toni Gonzaga is a pro. This is her forte--street wise comedy is what she does best. She is a revelation in this movie. Her brand of comedy is just so natural. Just imagine how real and genuine the dialogues of these two when they share the same scene, it’s so believable. It’s almost not acting at all. Their spontaneous exchanges of dialogues are always a laugh fest spectacular. Zanjoe Marudo gave an equally outstanding performance and is really a good actor who’s just waiting for the biggest break of her career. Zanjoe can really act.

This movie is not something I will say superb in all aspect. Yes, it’s hilarious and makes a lot of good points to ponder on, yet it’s not the kind of story or movie for that matter that you’ll remember or will be a classic as the years pass by. It could have been so much more what with a very rich story backbone but it just didn’t exhaust its potential. What’s really admirable about this movie is that it gives what the audience wants…fun and entertainment but with a sense. Yes, I do recommend this movie if you want to laugh and be entertained because in all fairness this movie delivers and you won’t be disappointed. Its type of comedy is really smart and rightfully works. It also instils in its viewers that at the end of the day, after everything that’s been said and done it all boils down to the question of whether you still love the person you’re with or not anymore. As simple as that. 

Catch Me...I'm In Love

4/5 

Predictable and out of this world yet still, “Catch Me…I’m In Love” is one of the best feel good movies I’ve seen in recent years that will sensibly make you smile and twitch your heart in a good way.

The cinema was jam packed on its opening day; some people were even sitting in the carpeted stairs inside. Thankfully this movie didn’t disappoint. The success of any romantic comedy can only be attributed to one thing: CHEMISTRY! And I am telling everyone this movie is oozing full of that irresistible chemistry between Gerald and Sarah.

The first team-up of Gerald Anderson and Sarah Geronimo, “Catch Me…I’m In Love” tells the love story of a simple lass who’s working for an NGO (Helping Hands) dedicated in servicing kids of less fortunate families and those in remote areas of the country, and the spoiled, conceited son of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. Opposing each other from the first time they met, Roan Sanchez (Geronimo) was tasked by the President (Christopher de Leon) to facilitate the immersion of his son, Erick Rodriguez (Anderson) to make him realize the value of government projects and servicing the country. And sooner, an unexpected attraction blossomed but will they be brave enough to fight for love amidst the complications of the vastness of extreme differences their worlds have?

You do not need a genius or the best film critique in town to tell you that this movie is predictable but there is something about this film that makes it very enjoyable and won’t waste a minute of your time. The rawness and authenticity of the script makes it so genuine and close to home. The premise of the movie is already out of this world as it is, a story you’ll dare say, it only happens in the movie. But Mel Mendoza del Rosario penned a script that made an out of this world love story so close to reality that it’s very relatable and believable as true. The last thing you would want for a formulaic rom-com is a script full of flowery and mushy lines. What I love about this movie is that it free us all of that tackiness and instead presented a love story that honest to goodness is a one in a million likelihood to happen in real life but with a script that is sincere, you have a cliché that looks and feels fresh. It also helps that the characterization of both main characters were both flawlessly solid and that’s just one of the best things to back up a plot of this genre.

For a movie that wrapped up shooting three days before its nationwide screening it is just commendable how Director Mae Cruz executed this movie. There was not much fanfare in each scene but trust me it worked and it made things in the movie as real as it can be. Cinematography is admirable and mind you editing was seamless. It was great!

Sarah Geronimo is not really fit for drama. This is the genre where she excels and you can tell that she’s already a pro in it. She’s just so natural and spontaneous. You can count on Toni Gonzaga in terms of spontaneity of humor in a romantic comedy movie but if eliciting that instinctive uncontainable feeling of kilig, that’s Sarah’s forte. I’m not really a fan of Sarah G. but she is very lovable here. There’s no point elaborating and talk like a broken record just how good-looking and HOT Gerald Anderson is. It’s too obvious that I adore every inch of the guy! Acting wise, I maintain my opinion that he’s one of the best actors of his generation. Next to John Lloyd Cruz he’s the best for me. The role of Erick Rodriguez is hands down perfect for him. I also have to say that one of the things I love about Gerald is that he can portray whole lots of versatile roles so convincingly. He can do kilig-kiligan like this one, he can be a drama actor, and he’s very good in action and that for me is an ACTOR. Trust me, no one can match the handsome vain, self-conceited, and over confident aura of appeal he exudes on screen the way he does.

Honestly, this is what I love about Star Cinema rom-coms, you know the formula: boy meets girl, they fall in love, then a complication arises, they break up for a while, they make up and end up living they’re happily ever after, but somehow they are able to present love stories of such typecast with rawness and sensibleness that will stir in you a realization of some sort. I am not saying “Catch Me…I’m In Love” is the best feel good movie of the year. I’m simply saying it’s worth your time and money.

It’s the feel good movie that will really make you feel good. And once in a while it’s great to feel that irrepressible kilig deep within. Most importantly this movie is a great reminder that we can choose a lot of things in this life but we can’t choose who our heart loves. Ultimately who determines our compatibility with the person we love is ours to make. Who cares what the world says when people will each have varied opinions. True love nowadays is such an elusive emotion bestowed to but a few of us and so you take it where you have it. You go for it and fight for it because at the end of the day, the opinion that matters the most in a relationship is the ones of those in it.

My One Tree Hill Love Affair

I sometimes hate it that I’m a very emotional person. But on the other hand, I also think that it’s a good thing because it makes me more human to be able to feel emotions as they are. I get infatuated so easily. I get attached to something or someone so easily and too much it hurts. I just finished One Tree Hill’s Season 6 in DVD and it made me cry a lot. At 4 a.m. I was crying my hurt out watching the last three episodes of Season 6. Maybe I’m just too emotional this mid-morning or these past few days but it sure felt so great to be able to cry and let loose with my emotions in the confines of my room; alone in the dark while being carried away in a beautiful narrative. One Tree Hill is very close to my heart. Somehow in ways I couldn’t even bring myself to explain, but to try and be objective about it, I love its plot so much because it presented different aspects of friendships, triumphs and failures, and most importantly (my favorite), love and relationships in a very logical manner yet still maintaining its emotional sensitiveness.

I started watching One Tree Hill November of 2008 around two in the morning and I finished five episodes of the first season in one seating. Of course, as expected I was drawn and very much in to Lucas Scott and knowing me, I will eventually be infatuated not to the character that is Lucas but to the actor portraying him, Chad Michael Murray. And it started yet again one of my many foolish not to mention really ridiculous infatuation debacles with another actor. I think I’m going to discuss how bad I am when infatuated in another blog entry. Believe me it’ll be an effort talking about it and definitely a sympathetically weird post.

Anyway, going back to One Tree Hill, I was crying a lot while watching the season finale of the sixth run because it’s Lucas and Peyton’s wedding. I don’t know what is it about weddings that always make me cry. May it be on TV or in real life, they always do. Maybe it’s the overflowing love you see from the bride and groom. Maybe it’s the overwhelming feeling of joy when you see genuine love between two people who were so brave to fight for love and so lucky to have found that magic, that miracle. And here goes the hopeless romantic Dave again, forgive me, please; I’m still overwhelmed with so much emotion right now. But think about it, at the end of the day, yes it is cliché and crap but LOVE is all that matters.

I’ve seen how One Tree Hill’s narrative transcended over the years but most importantly, I felt the emotional maturity and evolution of all the characters and that to me is the basis of a good television series. The season 6 finale more than anything centred on dreams and how we should always believe in our dreams. Hold on to it, never lose hope on it, work your ass off on it because in the end it’s all gonna be worth it!  It just made me realize that whether it is in career or in life or in love, dreams do come true and you need to have faith and believe because this world never runs out of opportunities and surprises. Believe that miracles happen every single day. Believe in your dreams.  Never stop chasing them!

These lines from the Season 6’s finale struck a chord in me and I am so touched that I’d like to share it with everyone:

“Remind yourself to be happy because you deserve that

and believe that dreams come true every day because they do.”

I love love love Season 6 because as shallow as it may sound, this season introduced me to Julian Baker. It has been years since I last felt this cringing and crippling feel inside the deepest corners of my heart while watching an actor. I love the character because Julian Baker personifies my ideal guy in his full accurateness and preciseness; the kind of man I dream of loving and growing old with. Watching him made me realize just how much I really long for a man’s love. And he reminds me a lot of Boy-next-door. But of course, he’s just a TV series character born out of Mark Schawahn’s imagination. I wish a guy like him exists in real life… in the gay world. I can only dream (but hey, didn’t I just say hold on to your dreams?!) hahahahahahaha.

P.S. Of course it follows that I am not only infatuated with the character that is Julian Baker but more so to the actor portraying Julian, the cute boy-next-door, AUSTIN NICHOLS. God my heart stops beating with his every grins and with that expressive, bedroom eyes not to mention that cute, scruffy face. Damn! How I wish I’m Sophia Bush!!!  

Till My Heartaches End

5/5

Not your typical Pinoy romance movie, this one’s brilliantly made and can go head to head with the well-loved classic, “One More Chance”.

Till My Heartaches End is the love story of a barista, Paolo (Gerald) who’s ambitious and somewhat over confident and falls in love with Agnes (Kim), a no-boyfriend-since-birth province lass who’s here in Manila to pass her Nursing licensure exam. The two first met on the cafe where Paolo was working. Destiny made its way and by chance they met again at Recto. Soon, they fell in love and everything seems to be going smoothly until Paolo finds a new job. As a Real Estate Agent, not only was he able to level up his living but also open himself up to a more high class crowd. An environment Agnes doesn’t feel she belonged. Conflicts arise in their relationship as Agnes feels more and more irrelevant and unimportant to his new world and Paolo for his part, felt his love is no longer enough to make her happy. In the face of these conflicts and struggles, will they be strong enough to fight for their love or will they give up and just move on? Will destiny still matter?

I’d like to begin this review with praises to the Director, Direk Joey Reyes for yet another masterpiece. He doesn’t only know what he wants, he captures them so perfectly. To me, that’s the true mark of a brilliant Director, being able to depict on silver screen the realities of human emotions without bias and exaggerations. This is his forte as a Director. He creates movies that are honest and sincere; movies that doesn’t give you the, this-only-happens-in-the-movies kind of feeling. As a film maker, he’s one of those we can call a true blue genius!

Viewers can easily relate to the story because of the wonderfully written script also by Direk Joey Reyes. The script’s rich insights of the human emotions draw viewers to be emotionally invested in the love story of Paolo and Agnes. Once again and I have to point this out, the biggest come on of the script is its use of genuine human emotions of kilig, hurt, frustrations, and disappointments. No sugar-coating, no corny cliché lines that makes Pinoy romance movies unbelievable and so untrue. The script of Till My Heartaches End is like any other Joey Reyes’ films were dialogues and conversations are plain, simple, and direct to the point. They were all constructed and chained in a manner that doesn’t make you feel as if you’re watching a movie at all. The story, the plot, and the script are all so believable.

This movie is a lot different from all the other local romance movies produced prior to it for it was successful in deviating from tradition. The movies’ narrative flows by the use of a third person technique. Where viewers are given access not only to the thoughts and emotions of the main characters but also with what the people outside their relationship (family and friends) thinks about Paolo and Agnes’ different personalities that greatly affects the relationship. I commend Direk Joey Reyes for using this technique and for flawlessly executing it in the big screen.

Above all, this movie is remarkable because unlike most of the romance movies Filipinos are accustomed to, this one doesn’t betray its characters and the story itself. There’s enough room for suspension of disbelief. At same time, it doesn’t give us a speedy ending that after all the conflicts the characters faced, something happens in an instant and their conflicts are magically resolved. Instead, it leaves the viewers an opportunity to create their own conclusion to the story. It leaves room for the imagination to decipher what really happened after the closing credits.

It’s also noteworthy to give due credits to the cast especially to the movie’s main stars Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson. Their undeniable chemistry provided an easy vehicle for viewers to be instantly captivated with the appropriate emotions one should feel in every turning point of the narrative. Truly, these two actors have graduated as the teeny-teeny boppers we’ve known them to be. Gerald can really act as evident to his great portrayal of JR in the hit teleserye “Tayong Dalawa” and in his numerous MMK portrayals. Kim on the other hand is equally talented in acting. Her maturity and versatility as an actress has amazed not only her fans but her critics as well. She just needs the right material at the right time and who knows she can soon level with Bea Alonzo, acting wise. The ensemble of supporting characters also provided much enjoyment and essential acting in making the narrative more effective. Most notable supporting characters are those of Matet de Leon who’s very very brilliant as an actress! Desiree del Valle, Boots Anson Roa, Mark Gil, and Kakai Bautista are equally awesome in their roles.

After watching this movie, I have to say that among all the movies I’ve seen this year, Till My Heartaches End has got to be the one that touched my heart the most. It touched the deepest corners of my heart and I am being honest that writing this review proved to be an effort to me. I guess it’s pretty obvious that my next statement will be I highly recommend this movie to everyone but not because I relate too much with the story instead, because the movie is very good. One of the best films of its genre!

The movie will awaken in its viewers a lot of suppressed and repressed emotions we’ve already hidden/forgotten deep in our hearts. I’m sure anybody can relate and will remember someone after watching this movie. It reminds us what destiny is all about—an idea almost unfathomable but so true. It’s been written that our life here on earth is already pre-planned for us. All the people we meet, all the heartaches, all the experiences good and bad. And this movie proves to be a great reminder that while some things are built to last, some are bound to end. We just can’t help it for everything is destined in this life.

Going the Distance

3/5

Bold, funny, and romantic. “Going the Distance” is a perfect weekend movie treat!

I’ve been meaning to watch this ever since I saw its trailer when I watched “A-Team” some three months ago. I have to say that for a rom-com super fan like me, the movie didn’t disappoint.

Having troubles with commitment and understanding the female language, Garrett (Justin Long) was dumped by his girlfriend. Trying to cheer him up, his friends took him out to a bar and there he met Erin (Drew Barrymore). Erin is an intern at a major New York newspaper company and she’s only staying in New York for summer. The two hit off right away and began a no strings attached summer fling, dating every night and breakfasts during mornings. Their characters fit perfectly. But summer ended and Erin has to go back to San Francisco. Realizing that they’re both crazy in love with each other, they decided to continue what they have and bring it to the next level though now, they have different time zones and miles of distance between them. Can they make it work?

In my opinion, this was the kind of romantic comedies meant for young adults. It veered away from the clichés and mushiness of typical rom-com movies we’ve gone accustomed to.There’s a sense of balance in this movie that will make guys like it as well. The usually dragging and often times predictive plot of a romantic comedy was made honest and more realistic by the repetitive use of vulgar and cursing words in the script.

I have to say that this movie’s script is admirable because it didn’t flood its audience with tons of mushy, verging to yucky professions of love through words. It’s also noteworthy to point out that the movie’s story was perfectly executed in the big screen. Though what was depicted of the difficulties and struggles of a long distance relationship in the movie was not half as much of how hard it really is, I have to say that the movie did quite a great job in trying to show its conflicts. People should remember that this is a romantic comedy and as much as it tried to be the mature kind, it still is a romantic comedy. Thus, expecting a plot that will enumerate and make a rundown of the problems that will arise in a situation like this is a no no. The movie balanced it out with enough humour to make it feel light and fun. After all, this is a feel good movie. It’s supposed to make you feel good and not burden you further.

The on-screen, very natural chemistry of real life sweethearts Drew Barrymore and Justin Long provided the biggest come on of this movie. It gets kinda dragging sometime but the lovers’ chemistry makes you feel as if what you’re watching is really happening. They’re laughs, body language, and most importantly their acting is so natural and genuine. It very much helped the plot of the story. It provided authenticity to the otherwise very predictable storyline. Drew and Justin’s acting were also great. No overreacting expressions and half-baked what the hell is that acting all about. The material perfectly fit Drew and Justin.

The only downside of this movie for me was the conclusion. It started fine and the stability carried over up to the last 20 minutes of the movie. Important turning points were all present and never would you feel as if the story is being rushed. There’s proper timing and the build up of the love story was properly executed. But something went wrong with the movie’s ending. Though I liked the fact that they didn’t show a one month after scene to show what really happened to the characters and left it to the moviegoers’ imagination, the entire ending appeared to me as a hastened one. That all of a sudden, that’s it, let’s do this, end of story. The resolution to the story’s conflict was resolved so easy that you’ll have yourself questioning, why did they even bother to make it as a problem when they could have done that early on? It somehow betrayed the characters themselves for at the end, you don’t need to be a genius to figure out what should be done to make the relationship work after all.

Despite its glitch in the resolution part, I still recommend this movie especially for young adults like me. The movie’s honesty and not to mention superb wittiness makes it one of the best, matured romantic comedies I’ve ever seen. It’s the kind of movie that will make you laugh and ponder while watching. It’s totally a breather from all the overly dramatic infatuated kind of romantic comedies. This movie will entertain you and will definitely remind you the hardships, struggles, and pain of being in a long distance relationship. The movie is a reminder of the greater responsibilities when you are in this kind of relationship. Yes, it is a challenge to make it work but in the face of true love, no amount of time apart or miles and oceans between you can ever hinder its power. Especially in this day and age of technology, long distance relationships are bearable. The key to make it work is ultimately, TRUST and COMMITMENT. Without these two, a long distance relationship and relationships in general is doomed. Finally, this movie will make you realize that if it’s true love, fate will make its way.

Sex and the City 2

3/5

And they’re back!

Sex and the City was perhaps one of the best things that ever happened to TV. It was a phenomenon that helped shaped pop culture across the globe. Its ending was indeed, an ending of an era. Two years ago we were all CARRIEd away when we saw the reunion of the girls on the big screen. Now it’s 2010 and the girls are back with the glamour and fabulousness we’ve all come to love.

It’s been two years since Carrie became Mrs. Preston and married life proves to be a challenge for her. As Mr. Big likes to stay at home, watch black-and-white movies, and order take outs. Carrie misses the fun, the excitement, the chase she’s used to, being the outgoing party girl she is. Her friends also struggle with their own respective lives; Miranda is forced to work with a new boss who can’t handle girl power, Charlotte strives to the ups and downs of motherhood, and Samantha...is still Samantha—the bold, daring, funny sex addict who’s dealing with menopause. In this instalment of the Sex and the City franchise, the girls travelled to Abu Dhabi courtesy of an all-expense paid trip by Samantha’s supposed new client. And together with their outrageous fabulousness and allure of their characters, Abu Dhabi is caught off guard.

First and foremost, I will admit that Sex and the City 2 is by all means a movie for the fans. I’ve been reading a lot of bad reviews about the movie and I feel that many who watched the film was missing something--the idea that life even in a fictitious world of a movie must embrace change. Yes we’ve come to love Carrie and the girls because of the fabulous lives they depicted on the series but some failed to realize that they were on their 30s that time and, now, they’re already at their 40s, Samantha is even fiftyfuckintwo years old already. So literally, the bar hopping, on the go single gals we’ve come to love will never be present in the movie. The thing with Sex and the City 2 is that people failed to realize that this was the next stage, the more mature phase of Carrie’s life. We’ve been with her through it all, from Mr. Big to Aidan to Berger, to Alexander Petrovsky, to all the other guys she’s dated over the years. We’ve listened and related to her realizations and thoughts about love and relationship. Now, aren’t we curious how Carrie is as a wife?

In my opinion, Sex and the City 2’s main problem was not the plot or the storyline to which it’s headed. Although I have to admit that some scenes from the first half of the movie was somewhat dragging but I realized that that’s precisely the point. The movie started out boring and a bit tedious because the producer/director wanted to set this tone. He wanted to create an atmosphere that will make the audience feel the lack of sparkle Carrie was feeling in their marriage. But you see the second half of the movie was spiced with excitement; the chasing feeling we’re used to when we talk about Sex and the City. The downside of this whole film was not being able to communicate at first hand even before the film premiered that this time around, it’s no longer the fun, easy going gal, it’s now the WOMAN that Carrie Bradshaw is, whom you’ll get to watch on the big screen.

My anticipation for this sequel is inexplicable and after watching it last Wednesday, I have to say it’s worth the wait. I love it and I’m not in any way disappointed. It made me laugh at times and most importantly it made me feel the struggles of each and every character. I will never be a mother but somehow I felt Charlotte’s woes. I will never experience menopause but I felt Samantha’s difficulties. And I guess that’s the most important thing for a movie, for it to be able to communicate and make its audience relate. It’s so genius of Michael Patrick King to come up with a storyline like that for a sequel like this. It’s hard to show the maturity of every character and how far the girls have become especially for a series and characters as famous as Sex and the City but he was able to deliver that brilliantly.

Sex and the City and fashion go hand-in-hand and this instalment didn’t disappoint as well. Glamorous outfits, fabulous gowns, over the top accessories, magnificent shoes were all a sight to behold. The script was great-- perfectly intertwined with enough melodrama and hilariousness Sex and the City has been known for. Acting by all four main actresses was superb. Sarah Jessica Parker was still lovable and outstandingly great as Carrie Bradshaw. Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis were still both believable as Miranda and Charlotte. It’s remarkable how much these actresses have given life to the personalities of these four unique individuals. And I have to agree with my best friend, Korina that Sarah Jessica Parker may get top billing but Sex and the City 2 is a Kim Catrall movie. This is Samantha at her very best! Kim didn’t just give life to the character of Samantha, she was able to redefine what bold and daring truly means. Let’s face it, almost 80% of Sex and the City’s humour that made it such a phenomenon came from Samantha and Kim Catrall gave justice to every inch of Samantha’s character.

It’s been twelve years since the series’ pilot and till now, Sex and the City is still a part of many individual’s life. The essence of friendship that was depicted by Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda is the real epitome of what friendship is all about. Good and bad reviews of this film will surface but one thing is for sure, Sex and the City was able to affect millions of lives all over the world and it will continue to do so for the story and message of Sex and the City is timeless! It will never go out of style. It’s a classic everyone can relate to. Finally, what is so remarkable about Sex and the City is that its story is transcending. From looking for love to fighting for love, Sex and the City 2 tell us that after chasing love and finally settling down, the challenge is how to keep the romance alive.

Did You Hear About The Morgans?

2/5

It’s the first movie of 2010 I went out of my way and watched in the splendor environment of a movie house. For one because I’m a big Sarah Jessica Parker fan and also because I did love Director Marc Lawrence’s work on films such as “Music and Lyrics” and “Two Weeks Notice”. When I first saw the trailer I swore myself to watch this movie and so I did.

A story of a couple whose marriage is on the rocks, Paul Morgan (Hugh Grant) and Meryl Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker) have separated for a while. Determined to work on their marital issues, Paul asked Meryl to dinner and talk things through but an unfortunate event that happened after the dinner led the couple to enter the witness protection program. They were relocated to the country town of Wyoming as they were being hunted. Together in that small town away from Manhattan, they finally had the chance to work on and salvage their marriage despite the fact that their lives are still in danger.

I have to be honest that this movie wasn’t as good as Marc Lawrence’s previous works. The material is full of raw elements and clichés that the movie wouldn’t have as much of an impact to its viewers. The lack of romantic lovey-dovey scenes is understandable since the movie’s main plot is that of a mature married relationship already. But the movie’s predictability wasn’t managed very well that at most parts, dullness is very evident throughout the 1hour 45mins. The country setting that took up almost ¾ of the movie’s running time was a big factor in its dullness. What’s probably commendable about this movie though is its attempt to make dark and heavy issues appear lighter such as cheating on a spouse, murder, etc. Nothing is new in the sideline humor of the film but they’re such a relief for if not, this movie will make the top list of one of the dullest rom-com ever. The script in my opinion is very passable. It's not verbose but stuffed with one-liners full of thoughts. I think it was written very well but the problem resides on character build-up because frankly, the main characters and their conflicts were all so raw and needs a lot of polishing.

It’s such a delight to see Sarah Jessica Parker again on the big screen. Don’t get me wrong because I’m a SJP fan forever it’s just that there’s nothing new in her in this movie. Her attack is still the same as what she used to do in Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw. At this point in her career I don’t know if Sarah Jessica can still star in a role that’s so powerful it can overshadow the character of Carrie even for just awhile. Nonetheless and I’m saying this unbiasedly that Sarah Jessica Parker gave justice to her role as Meryl Morgan. I am adamant about Hugh Grant’s acting. Though he’s charming in many ways sometimes his acting and facial expression can really be irritating. Still I think that Hugh Grant has one of the sexiest British accents I have ever heard so far. His accent is such a turn on, perfectly complimenting his lines.

Obviously, the movie’s target audiences are middle aged couples. This movie is actually perfect for married couples especially to those going through some tough times. I think there’s a lot to learn with the Morgans’ marital problems and how the characters resolved it. Cheating in all its forms whether intentional or unintentional is painful beyond any comparison but regardless of the pain the betrayal of trust brings, TRUE LOVE is always and will forever be deserving of a second chance.

Part 2: 2009 And The Lessons I Learned About LOVE LOVE LOVE

I write this while still waiting for that love which will shape and ultimately define the saga of my life’s love story. I write this while still waiting for that guy who’ll sweep me off my feet. I write this with the acknowledgment of all the pains I’ve gone through in the name of love this year. I write this with faith and hope in destiny that someday, LOVE will come and consume my heart and soul. I was deeply and passionately involved in two love affairs this year—one in fantasy and another one in reality. These love affairs have redefined my ideas and beliefs about love. Most importantly, they added another layer of toughness to my ever so vulnerable heart. And so here are some of the things I learned about LOVE this year.

LOVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART
In this day and age where relationships are becoming more of a liability than it should be, where the odds of getting your heart broken is as sure as the MRT train being late during rush hours, it’s so hard to lose grip and give your heart away completely. But if there’s one thing I learned this year, it’s that you should never hold back when it comes to love. The euphoria of being in love comes once in a blue moon these days. The joy of finding true love is like winning the grand price in a lottery. And so when you find love, in the smallest of possibilities it offer, grab it and let your heart guide you. Let yourself be consumed by it and love like there’s no tomorrow for life is so short and being too afraid to get hurt is not giving justice to God’s gift of life. Never be afraid of getting your heart broken cause at the end of everything, after all that’s been said and done, the only thing that matters is how much you have loved.

NEVER GIVE UP ON LOVE
I’ve been through so much emotionally this year. Everyone knows my obsession with boy-next-door, the guy in my dreams who happens to be a real human being in the person of our then neighbor at 13th Ave. as well as my overwhelming relationship with my ex-boyfriend, Dan. You see, sometimes loving and relationships in general can be so exhausting physically, psychologically, spiritually, and of course emotionally. You get your heart broken every now and then and sometimes you ask, what for? When you’re hurt so much by love, at times, you lose hope—hope that someday you’ll still be in the arms of true, unconditional love. To be perfectly honest, there are still nights when I cry myself to sleep thinking what’s wrong with me. I reached the point when I’m on the verge of totally believing that maybe I’m destined to be alone. Maybe I’m meant to be single for life. But as soon as this idea comes up, I am immediately killing it because I know that this feeling of solitude is not for long. I know that my mind is just entertaining that idea because it wants me to feel self-pity. Love will come someday. I certainly know that. Maybe not now but it will come. I never want to give up on love because I believe everybody deserves to love and be love in return. I never want to give up on love because though it has cost me much hurt and anguish over the years, still, there’s no better way to measure my existence by how abundant I was loved and how deeply I have loved.

CLOSURE IS ESSENTIAL
I’ve been to numerous relationships these past few years. I’ve professed time and time again to be in love and never felt that feeling before. But I believe the first time I ever really fell in love was last summer with Dan. Of course today the relationship seems more of summer fling than a serious one. I say it was the first time I ever did fall in love because it was the first time a guy made me feel that way. He treated me the way I want to be treated. Yes, I was head over heels in love with him. I really thought he was THE ONE. I really thought that relationship is for keeps already. I really thought he’s the one I’ll grow old with. He was the first real romance I could have committed the cliché, “I will love you and fight for you against all odds”. I swear I was madly in love with him that I can give up even my family for him. But as Mariah Carey perfectly sang it, “something got a hold of us and we changed” the relationship ended without the other party really knowing why they broke up. It’s torturing to think of what probably that “something that took hold of us” is, especially when you’re still crazy in love with him. What I’m trying to point out here is that two people shared love and built dreams together then when something went wrong with one party it’s inexplicably foolish and stupid of him to just end the relationship all at once without even talking it out with the other party. I mean hello?! You were two consenting adults who were involved in that relationship and in as mush as it’s his right to get out of the relationship for he’s not happy anymore, it’s also the other party’s right to know what went wrong. Did he cause the problem? Is there something wrong about him? It’s very hard for the one being left behind to move on and let go without him knowing what really went wrong. This year, I learned that in separations like what happened to me and Dan, it is both parties’ responsibility to give each other a nice and decent closure that honors what they had.

LEARN TO LET GO
Ending a relationship is never easy. Amicably or resentfully, break-ups in general are never easy because amidst all the hurt and pain, you can’t discount the fact that you two have shared love and intimacy. And sometimes relationships end though we’re still not ready to let it go. But things happen, relationships fail, love fades, and we can’t let ourselves be stuck on the memory of a love gone wrong. Eventually, no matter how painful it is, you have to let go. You can’t keep on wishing it’s still you in his heart. You have to let go completely, for until then, you won’t be able to shelter a new, healthy, and lasting relationship. It’s never easy accepting the truth that sometimes, relationships fail because it’s just not meant to be but you have to help yourself move on so when that new love comes, you will be able to give it the fairness it deserves. Letting go of all the dreams built together, of all the cherished memories, of all the pain, of all the love you’ve come to nurture is easier said than done but learning the art of letting go is the only way you could give your heart the ability to reach its total potential when it comes to love.

NEVER REGRET A FAILED RELATIONSHIP
Sometimes you look back and question, with your strings of failed relationships, what have I got? But along with the hurt and anguish a break up brings, are lessons learned so that next time when you fall in love, you’ll be able to do things differently and who knows, that relationship might just be the one. I think Kris Aquino said it very well in one of her shows, “Lahat tayo nagkakamali along the way pero lahat nung pagkakamaling yun pala is part of the path that will lead you to where you should be.” so more than considering them as a disadvantage, better to think of them the other way around.

HE’S NOT FOR YOU, SUCK IT UP
I can’t begin to count the many sleepless nights I’ve spent questioning why I am not the one for boy-next-door. Thinking about it, I am so much of her girlfriend except one thing—she is a girl and I’m not. When already in this state of mind, I start to think of all the other guys I adore, who, given the chance, I would definitely give up anything and everything just to be with him. I’ve fell in this emotion of being infatuatedly obsess with a guy I really really admire. I dunno if it’s just me or other people also experiences this as extreme as I do. I feel so weird already that I get attached so easily to guys I find attractive. I say it’s weird because most often than not, my attraction to a guy, both attainable and unattainable makes me sad and very depressed. It’s incomprehensible to be a broken Bea Alonzo record line, “bakit hindi nalang ako? Ako nalang…” in my part, it’s painful every time a guy I think is so perfect for me crosses my path and yet he’s not mine and he will never be mine because to me, infatuation always borders to obsession. But then I realize this is life. You can’t wallow on bitterness questioning ‘why in the world is he not meant for me?!’ I’ve been a victim of being deliriously depressed because of this phenomenon over the years and that’s the sad thing about life and love, you can’t always get what you want and it doesn’t follow that if you love someone, he’ll also love you back. This feeling will never end, this longing will never cease till I find THE ONE who will love me for as long as he lives. At the same time, I can’t stop cute, HOT, yummy guys from leaving their homes just so I won’t get depressed. And over the years, I swear, the roller coaster emotion of being easily infatuated has brought me so much pain than I ever could imagine. Yes, it’s so hard to be at peace with the truth yet I realized that this is just God’s balancing equation. How rowdy this world will be if your object of affection/infatuation can instantly be in love with you? I can just imagine! And seriously, with humans’ unending struggle with discontentment backed up by human nature’s greatest fear of aloneness, I feel it’s so selfish of me desiring so badly to be with THE ONE I THINK IS PERFECT FOR ME while God on the other hand is busy preparing THE ONE HE PERFECTLY CHOSE for me. I just need to strengthen my faith and have overwhelming patience because in the end, it’ll all be worth it.

FIGHT FOR LOVE
You cry endlessly because of the pain yet still hunger for love insatiably. Human beings are designed to be this way. Anyway, no one ever said loving is easy. Love and pain is a package deal. One can never love without getting hurt so as willingly we accept and take love, we must also be willing to take pain. Live by the idea that everybody gets hurt. You’re not a precious one to just be the one hurting. Though love takes a lot of compromise, hurt, risk, and sacrifice, I promised myself that come what may, I’m going to fight for it till the very end for I believe that love is worth all the pain. Also, excluding everything, no matter how much you cried the entire night, nothing beats the feeling of waking up in the arms of love.

LOVE IS AN EVERYDAY DECISION
It’s never an assurance that a good start has a fairy tale ending. It’s never an assurance that being together for a long time means you will never go separate ways anymore. I know a gay couple who’s been together for almost 25 years but still, recently, they just parted ways. Love requires full commitment and effort to couple up in this uncoupling world. If you’re not put up for it, spare your victims from heartache. With relationship’s sometimes unreasonable demands of hurt and pain, you always have to be certain that you can still keep up with love’s untiring stamina.

DESPERATE LOVE WILL NEVER DO YOU ANY GOOD
It’s true that not all kinds of love are right. Some of it is wrong upfront. Some of it is just too painful and unfair for someone to even bear living with it. After being in and out of relationships over the years, I realized that maybe one of the reasons why my relationships aren’t the kind that’s lasting is because I always choose to have a desperate kind of love. I used the word choose because really, loving gives you a lot of choices and one of these many choices is what kind of love are you going to share to somebody. Love for it to be able to grow and last long needs a healthy foundation and so much so a breathing environment. While it is indeed true that love is all about compromising, it is also very important that you don’t lose your individuality in the process. Relationships are sharing of mutual emotions such as love, trust, and above all, respect. You can’t love believing that if you don’t do that or do this, your boyfriend will be unhappy and leave you. You need to have your life outside of him. Your world shouldn’t revolve solely on him.

In many ways, loving first and foremost is acceptance. Accepting the person you love for who he is along with all his imperfections. You can’t be in a relationship that sacrifices so much of your life just so your boyfriend won’t leave you. That’s not compromising at all, that’s desperately begging for love. Do not be afraid to be who you are and who you’re not in a relationship because a relationship is a partnership between two individuals with two different beliefs, characters, and values. It’s a give and take process and if you feel like you’re relationship is already unfair because it seems you’re the one always doing the giving, do something about it. Be wise enough to see through the blinding haze of love.

Base from my experience on my realized relationship pattern, desperate love is exhausting and it will never last long because after sometime, it drains you and all you just wanna be is to be out of that relationship. It is of utmost importance that before being in a relationship, you make sure you are mature enough to handle one. Love should never complete a person. It should only add color and excitement to your already accomplished, complete, and individualistic life. Doing the opposite will just make you clingy and needy which is the risky and slippery road leading to breakup. Love yourself first. Reach for your dreams first. Be an independent, consummate individual first in terms of career, emotional stability, etc. before you commit to a relationship. More so, your happiness shouldn’t be dependent on love. Because for one, love is a fleeting emotion and anything can happen in a relationship overnight. So ground your happiness on something sturdier. It should come from within that if something happens like a breakup; you won’t be distraught feeling you’ve lost not only your source of happiness but your life as well.

As I look back now, I find it ridiculous how I’ve manipulated my life to solely revolve on my love life. These past few months I saw how my name is already synonymous with (better if it’s only love but no eh…) love, boys, and kalandian among many others. I wish to change this world’s perspective about me this year 2010. I am now convinced more than ever that indeed there’s more to life than romance. Also, while it’s true that I do want to have a man in my life and be in love again, I know that now is not the right time. As I’ve already shared, I believe that there is a right time and a purpose for everything. There is a reason why I’m still single today. There is a reason why boy-next-door or Dan or any other guy I’ve been infatuated with this year were all not meant for me. I know at the right time love will come and seize me until then I’ll just keep my faith and prepare myself for LOVE LOVE LOVE’S arrival.

He's Just Not That Into You

4/5 stars

Filled with enough drama and obvious humor with sufficient mix of fine acting, every chick flick fan in town shouldn’t miss this movie at all! I’m a self-confessed one so first day, first screening, I went and watch it at Gateway Cineplex 6.

Based on the self-help book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, He’s Just Not That Into You is a story of love and relationships in general. It tells us that men after all, were not that complicated. If he didn’t call you back after the first date or didn’t bother at all to call you after the first encounter, no need to obsess about figuring out why he didn’t call. It’s as simple as what the title implies.

What is very very remarkable about the movie is the way it was adapted. The book is a self-help one and how they created a wonderful plot and how the lives of each character are intertwined is awesome.

Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) is a girl who longs for love but lives under the impression of our society’s stereotypes that if a guy does this, that means he likes you. Obsessing about why her latest date Conor (Kevin Connolly) never called again after the first date, she started stalking him and laying down all the possible reasons why he never called. In a sudden work of fate she met Alex (Justin Long) who happens to be a friend of Connor’s, Alex then enlightened Gigi of the reasons why his friend never called and gave her pieces of advice why most of the time, men never calls after the first date. On the other hand, Gigi’s officemates have their own relationship problems with the men in their lives. Beth (Jennifer Aniston) is committed into a long term relationship with Neil (Ben Affleck) but doesn’t want to marry her. Neil is friends with Ben (Bradley Cooper) who was forced into marriage by his wife Janine (Jennifer Connelly), who’s also an officemate of Beth and Gigi. Ben felt that his marriage was a torture. He then met and slept with aspiring singer and yoga instructor, Anna (Scarlet Johansson), who’s friends with Mary (Drew Barrymore), a girl who doesn’t mind looking for Mr. Right in Myspace. Together, they unraveled the ecstasy and misery of being “in a relationship”.

He’s Just Not That Into You is one of the best chick flicks I’ve ever seen for it doesn’t only entertain but it also tackles many relationship issues that almost everyone can learn from. This movie is not only enjoyable but somehow, it answers basic issues and questions about love, relationships, dealing with the opposite sex as well as the same sex that we tend to obsess about. This movie also reminds us of how simple some things in life can be if we just go with the flow and stop obsessing about it. If it happens, it happens. As easy as that. Ultimately, the movie proves to us how complex relationships gets but no matter how crazy and problematic they are, all of us still longs to be “in a relationship”.

There are two lessons I’ve deduced from the movie that I personally can relate to: first, if you’re single and you’ve tried almost every possible way you can think of on how to find love and the man for you, maybe it’s time to shift focus. Maybe it’s time to move on from looking for love and believe that there are other things bigger and brighter for you and love will come eventually. Sometimes we are so overshadowed by the idea of looking for love that we are missing a lot on the joys and surprises it gives us when love is the one who’ll come knocking at our doors.

Finally, love comes to those who never tire to hope, who never lose faith that someday, somehow, that special someone who will treat you as the sole exception to all his rules will sweep you off your feet and prove to you that you are capable of loving and being loved.

He’s Just Not That Into You is not only a movie worthy of your time and money but more so, it is a reminder to us all that no amount of disappointments, failures, heartaches, and pain can ever stop us from risking it all for LOVE’s sake.

Marley & Me

5/5

Marley & Me is the first movie I’ve seen in the grandeur of a movie house this 2009. I went to watch it at Gateway Cineplex a week after its premiere. I am not an animal lover especially, dogs. I grew up fearing dogs; considering them as a threat that could end my life anytime. I know that Marley & Me is a story about a dog but when I saw the trailer in late December 2008, I told myself that I’m gonna watch this movie because underneath the central story of a dog, the movie hits a couple of valuable lessons that are all close to home and are inspiring in their own ways.

Based on an autobiographical book essay collection of columnist John Grogan, Marley & Me followed the life of John (Owen Wilson) from the time he and his wife Jenny (Jennifer Aniston) got married, the glory days of his career as a columnist, to the time they had children and moved to another state. The highs and lows of the story started when the couple isn’t ready yet to have a baby and so they adopted a dog and named him after the singer Bob Marley. Beyond the lovable features of Marley, he turned out to be the world’s worst dog. Unruly and stubborn, Marley humps to people and chews almost everything in his way. Even a trainer has given up on him. But despite this downside, the movie balances Marley’s bad behavior with candid and tender dog and human bonding moments. As the family grew, Marley learned to adjust with it too. Being a constant companion in private family moments, his presence though at times annoying became a must for John Grogan’s family. Their moments with Marley also became the most cherished moments of their lives. Years passed and with the help of the boisterous behavior of Marley, John and Jenny’s family learned some of the valuable lessons in life coupled with precious family memories they will all carry in their hearts forever.

I refuse to be technical about Marley & Me for it is good as it is. Instead, I’ll share some of the lessons I learned from the movie:

1. Sometimes, the worst characteristic of a person is what makes us love them. At times, we think we hate it, we hate them, but as we dig deeper, we’ll realize that these qualities are actually the magnet that draws us to them and makes us love them whatever their flaws are.

2. Relationships, specifically marriage entails with it responsibilities that doesn’t only require love and understanding but most importantly, commitment and dedication in the most profound sense of the words.

3. Letting go is as important as the air we breathe. Nothing is permanent in this world and as we live our lives, attachments, whether it is physical, emotional, or psychological, at one point in our life, has to say goodbye and we have to be ready for it. This doesn’t mean not allowing yourself to experience these emotions but knowing when to stop and say goodbye is the key.

4. Lost is a tool for us to be better. We’ve all experienced loss. Loss of a once magical love, loss of a loved one, loss of victory. Loss. It’s never easy and we may not understand the analogy there is but these failures that caused damage in us are nothing but instruments for us to struggle and be the best that we can be.

5. Family. We may not approve of them all the time. We may not always be in harmony with each other. But at the end of the day, we are still thankful that we all belong to one. For no matter how crazy we are, in the midst of whether stability or turmoil in our lives, they are the ones who have and will forever make us feel special and extraordinary.

Marley & Me will surely make it to everyone’s list of favorite movies for it is a movie that hits close to home. Everyone can relate to it one way or the other. It’ll not only make you laugh and cry at the same time but with its heartfelt story, it’ll surely touch everyone. THIS MOVIE IS A MUST WATCH!