On the way to getting a life back.

I caught Below over the last weekend. And man, do I recommend that film. Very cleverly plotted and well executed and no wonder, one of my heros, Darren Aronofsky(Requiem for a Dream) is on the writing team. Below was more than just a suspenseful horror film, it was a very insightful movie on haunting as two conflicting issues, a supernatural phenomenon versus the psychological implications of a guilty or overactive imagination. The characters, after all, are stuck in a tight space within a war submarine, submerged underneathe the dark, cold waters of the ocean. There was a very clever incorporaton of a literary symbol. In one of the scenes, Paige, the rescued Brit nurse and the only woman character in the film, stumbles upon a copy of Macbeth that fell in the hallway mysteriously, from the skipper's quarters. Readers of Macbeth may know that Shakespeare's famed evil protagonist suffered hallucinations of daggers and ghosts of those whom he had murdered. It was a rather clever way to make references to one of the main thematical conflict of the story and also subtly inform the audience that a possible murder might have taken place or is about to take place. I was blown away by the climax and the ending was really powerful. I was rivetted during the entire film.

My job contract ends this Friday!! Woohooo! They had actually wanted to extend it but I decided not to go ahead with that. Besides wanting to go back to my status quo as the Leading Lady of Leisure *hehe*, I also got stuff to prepare for the coming year. Hmm, I haven't broken the news to some folks yet but I guess I'll blog it when I feel it's the right time. Anyway, can't wait for this Friday to arrive, it'll be like the uber TGIF in a long while! =) I've been reading a lot of Streats and Today lately. And there's this one commentary by a forum contributor that really pissed me off last week. He was being such a chauvanistic caveman about local women. So, I sent in a comment, rebutting his very stereotypical insight on women. But sadly, they didn't publish my entry. Oh well. And today, a columnist on Streats let out her steam about a particular contestant on last Sunday's The Weakest Link, commenting that he was being a huge chauvanist. I didn't watch the episode so I couldn't be sure. But importantly, the issue of gender war is such a sore one. I'm all for woman power but I also believe in peace between the two sexes of course. But I feel we've still got quite a journey to embark before everything or almost everything at least will be hunky dory. Anyway, since I'm feeling extra empowered by my womanhood today, I shall shamelessly plug 3 films I feel has grrl power!

The Hours- Based on a novel of the same title by Michael Cunningham, it revolves around the lives of 3 women from different eras who are connected to the classical novel, Mrs Dalloway by Virgina Woolf. Laura Brown an expecting housewife planning a party for her husband but is too occupied with reading Mrs Dalloway; Clarrisa Vaughn a modern woman throwing a party for an author friend of hers suffering from AIDS; and Virginia Woolf herself who is in the midst of writing the said novel. I haven't read the book and I've only managed to watch the trailer. I find films with parallel storylines unravelling simultaneously, very fascinating and from what I gather, it promises to be a very insightful look into what it takes to be a woman approaching life. Stars Nicole Kidman, Meryl Steep and Julianne Moore.

Far From Heaven- Now this one looks really good. I love Julianne Moore, I can believe she can be so self decrapating to her career. I feel she's one of the actresses who's done marvellous work and has her intergrity as an actress in tact when choosing her roles. She portrays Cathy Whitaker, housewife from the 50s whose living out the American dream. Y'know..a successful husband, great kids, social status and just the perfect life. But it all falls apart when she chances upon her husband engaged in adultery...with another man. In her grief, she befriends her gardener, Raymond, a black man and such relationships then were taboo. As the story unfolds, Cathy has to come to terms with her husband's homosexuality and her growing feelings for Raymond and thus deal with reality itself.

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle- The first teaser trailer just hit the www yesterday I think. Ok, I totally love the first Charlie's Angels. And those who figured it's nothing more than just a bimz-fest so completely missed its true purpose of subversive humour against all testesterone overload spy movies. Anywayz, the teaser is one bad-ass trailer, pun fully intended. =p

That's it for now guys. Oh yeah, the French Film Fest starts today. I've got my tix already and rearin' to go this Sat. Have you guys gotten yours yet? =) And tomorrow I'll be attending Faust at the Esplanade. Been looking forward to that for a while now. Until the next madness...y'all come back now, y'here!