Dreams Are Made of HUGO (2011)

The latest Scorsese film did it again. It inspires; it enlightens; it lives.

Apparently, I’ve a thing about movies made after books. They usually have such amazing stories to tell… including this one, written by a Mr. Brian Selznik. The cast of young actors is extraordinary and there’s magic on every level of the story. Just not the kind of magic you’d expect… for magic is in the eye of the beholder.

Secrets of Zelda: Best and Worst Movies of 2008

It’s time for another ZELDA installment!

If you don’t know the story, here’s the basics: A long time ago, in a folder far, far away from any major data congregation, an idea was born. The Creator called her Zelda. For many years, Zelda faithfully stored the good, the bad, and the dungy films without drawing any attention to its brilliance.

One day ZELDA decided to reveal her SECRETS, countdown style. She gave you the 2010 and 2009 overviews, and now she presents the 2008 titles that will rock your world. Or possibly tip it a little.

The Answer Man: Inspiration Comes in Many Forms

Not everybody knows this about me… but I am a sucker for a good inspirational story. I make lists of inspirational movies and songs, and then I cherish them for a long time. I cry, I laugh, and I look to the Heavens, thanking God for these little blessings.

So today I’m proud to present the first part of my Soul Stories Series, and in each part I’ll share a story -- or a few (be it in written, cinematic, or musical form) -- of my choosing that has inspired me. I’ve called it Soul Stories because this is the name of the Tumblr blog I started a while back, but never truly committed to. I’ll post each installment on a Saturday, and sometimes on a Tuesday if I feel like it.

Themes & Lessons of How to Train Your Dragon

I never thought I’d say this, but I just watched an animated movie better than Finding Nemo! It has elements of The Lion King, Jungle Book, The Rescuers Down Under, Lilo and Stitch (same director), and others, but with dragons! And it’s not even Disney! It’s DreamWorks. You go, Chris Sanders!

So you know which one I mean, don’t you? How to Train Your Dragon (2010).

Greatest Film of All Time: Forrest Gump (1994)

Warning: SPOILERS AHOY!

I watch a lot of movies. I like about 20% of them, but only 5% really stick and leave a lasting impression. Once I tried to make a top 5 list of my favorite movies, and it was so hard that I dropped the project before I could narrow down the top 20 movies I came up with.

But the moment I saw Forrest Gump in 2009 (15 years after its release), I knew I had my new favorite movie, and I bet it stays that way for a very long time. Naturally, it’s a book adaptation and according to a friend of mine the book (by Winston Groom) is quite amusing.

Secrets of Zelda: Best and Worst Movies of 2009

This post is coming to you a bit late, but you know what they say…

So this is the second installment of the ZELDA compilation, a.k.a. Best and Worst movies of 2009. In my mind, 2009 will always be the year of Avatar, and if you’re not a fan, then I’m… not so sorry because I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. It’s also the year of The Blind Side, a.k.a. Sandra Bullock’s first Oscar, which she totally deserved, and I was happy that she finally chose a good role to show off her talent.

And hey, she played in the Proposal too! She was on fire in 2009.

How Super Was Super 8?

I was going to write a film review on Super 8 today. But I found myself thinking about reality and happy endings instead. I will, however, share a few thoughts on the movie’s value before I kill the cat.

(Cat lovers, I apologize about this image. I’ll go hug my own cat now.)

Moving on. When I watched the trailer, I expected something completely different. You know… when I saw the alien cube and the train crash, I imagined some kind of Smallville scenario where the alien substance gives people superhuman abilities. And I thought the title referred to 8 kids with those powers.

Soul Surfer: The Story of Bethany Hamilton

Two years ago I read one of the most inspiring true stories I have come across in my life. I read it in Cosmopolitan magazine. Ever since I have used (and abused) this story as a go-to reference whenever I wanted to kick my friends out of whining and into acting. In fact, I always offer the story to anyone who’d say something along the lines of ‘it’s too difficult’ or ‘it can’t be done’.

Worse yet, a lot of people seem to use the word impossible these days.

The Value of Ugly: Bridesmaids Review

Warning: Inconsequential Spoilers Ahoy!

I think it’s safe to say that Monday will be movie day from now on.

So I watched a romantic comedy today. You know how there’s a point where the movie has just ended, and for a moment, you feel like you’re in fairytale limbo?

Well I hate this moment. I hate feeling like my life’s never going to be this good or glamorous. But you know what? I stumbled upon a movie today that did not make me hurl a little in my mouth. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good love story as much as the next gal, but sometimes life makes you want to mock those movies because they’re nothing like real life.

Bridesmaids (2011), however, did not make me hate it one bit.

If I Were Gay... Celeb Yum-Yum Chicks

 

If I were gay, I'd jump your bones in a heartbeat!

I probably should have stopped at yesterday’s male celebs, but that’s not how I roll. I may not be gay or bi-sexual but I usually like a certain type of girls more than others…. you know, visually. So if I were a guy, my Magic Woman List would look something like this:

Secrets of Zelda: Best and Worst Movies of 2010

Remember I told you about ZELDA on Monday?

Here is the first instalment, a.k.a. all the best, worst, and in-between movies of 2010.

Or at least the ones I’ve seen so far. Don’t worry. I’ve added a list of the ones I MUST watch as well. The categories are: Zelda, the Excellent; Zelda, the Good Witch; and Zelda, the Dung-Beetle (the wicked sisters of the West). I’ll explain five of my choices for each category and list the rest underneath. Get ready for some spoilers, rants, and gushes.

Also, I’ve taken the liberty to give awards for the BEST and the WORST movie of 2010. Just because I can. To be honest with ya, this award-giving might go to my head and make me mad with power. I hope you guys will keep me grounded. *wink*

The Best, Worst, & Dungy on Film

So... I decided to share something with you guys. No, not naked pictures, this is not that kind of blog. Are you ready?

On my computer, there’s a folder. I haven’t given it a proper name yet, let’s call her Zelda. Inside, there’s a wondrous world of... movies. See, I have a system. And if you’ve read about my OCD tendencies when I write, you know what’s coming.

At first the system was random (hey, even I am not perfect!), but later somehow I made order out of chaos. Basically, Zelda contains every movie I’ve EVER seen. Don’t ask me about the number though; I tried to count them once and gave up. The movies are separated by years. On the basis of the folders-within-folders concept, each year contains three folders called ‘excellent’, ‘good’, and ‘crap’ (because ‘bad’ is not bad enough). And... that’s it. *avoids eye contact*