Realignment

I used to set myself a time frame that I would watch a movie to realign myself with God. That time frame was six months, and the purpose is because I know we being humans, tend to _take things for granted too easily_.

It had been very long since I last passed that six month time frame. My guess is more than year in fact. I wanted to set time away just for this movie and today seemed like the perfect day for it.

The movie, if you had not guessed it already, is "The Passion of the Christ".

I just want to gather my thoughts and place them in proper into one post because I am truly, richly blessed by it each and every time. Try as you might, some things are indescribable beyond words or reasons.

And God's love is one such thing. :)

Isaiah 53:5 (NLT)
He was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.

We always proclaim in Jesus' name that by His stripes we are healed, and while we know that is true, how many of us actually understand the extent of the flogging that He actually went through for us?

John 15:18,20 (NLT)
18 "If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. ... 20 Do you remember what I told you? 'A slave is not greater than the master.' Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. ..."

We are lucky to be in Singapore where we are able to openly announce our relationship with God and not be afraid of being persecuted. Should a day come when such persecution happens, I pray that by God's strength I will be able to withstand anything that comes.

John 13:34 (NLT)
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

Matthew 5 (NLT)
43 "You have heard the law that says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? ..."

Not only should we have love for fellow siblings-in-Christ, we should also love our enemies. That is probably something that I find to be the most hard to do. Though I try to forgive and forget, there are still some grudges from the past that's still holding me back. I really have to pray for a breakthrough in this area with Lord Jesus as my model.

Luke 23:34 (NLT)
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing."

Even unto death, my Lord was still praying for His "enemies". How much more do we have to pray for others that trespass against us?

John 14:6 (NLT)
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. ..."

Matthew 26 (NLT)
26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take this and eat it, for this is my body."

27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, "Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.

Next Sunday is going to be communion Sunday. With remembrance to what Jesus had done for us, and the blood that He shed to protect us, let us remember Him, and affirm in our hearts that He is our Lord and Saviour. He now sits at the right hand of God, interceding for us every day.

The bible, being only words, is very often too easy to read. Read the following:

John 19 (NLT)
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face.

...

18 Here they crucified him... .

In just a few words, it tells of Jesus' sacrifice of us. However the extent of what He went through, no one except Him knows. Not only has my King died for me, He conquered death, and won against all odds and traps that the devil had plotted. He was tempted like every man, yet He never sin. He bore our iniquities and gave us a chance to come back to God. No other love is greater than this.

John 3:16 (NLT)
For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

And on the day when we meet our Saviour, the holes in His hands will still be there, bearing evidence of the nails that He took for us in His hands and feet. All praises be to the Name above all names, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords, Jesus Christ. Amen!

Revelation 21 (NLT)
4 "... He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."

5 And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!"

I Didn't Like Batman

I still remember when I was still a little boy, I didn't like the Batman movie series, or their lame TV series with the *kapow~* overlays. If you remember those, you can probably guess my age (if you dint know already :P).

In short, I was never a fan. I never liked Batman, and I dint see why or what would make me change my opinion. I neither read the comics, nor did I see the cartoons. They were mentally seared with the BORING brand even before I gave them a chance (that's what you call prejudice? I love Wolverine so much more! :D).

Batman further became the butt of one of my classic jokes when I popped this riddle (very long time back if it interest you), "If Superman wears his underwear on the outside, who wears it on the head?" You get the idea. *lol~*

3 years ago when Batman Begins first came out, it's just my usual self to think, "Huh?? Now still show Batman? Who want to watch?" Obviously I dint bother to waste my buck on it during its lifetime in theatre.

A year later, things changed. :)

A friend lent me the DVD in 2006 (even though I initially resisted) and kept telling me that it was a very good movie, a must-see. So after a couple of days, one fine night with nothing better to do, I popped the DVD into my laptop with a simple expectancy: kill the hours.

2½ hours later, I officially became a fan. :D

For the first time in my life, I thought Batman was seriously cool and awesome! I used to think that the equipments that he used were lame, and I would even question the minutest detail: those bat ears on the hood, what good are they? And how could he suddenly just spread his "wings"? All my aged long questions were answered, and I even got to know how he calls forth his allies (a.k.a. the bats) after the movie!

The fortunate ones who watched Batman Begins would have known how good, and how solid it ended. I was totally sucked into the thought of watching the sequel when it comes out. Fast forward 2 years later to the beginning of 2008, I was saddened to learn that Heath Ledger died. Ironically, it was also when I learnt that he played as The Joker in the latest Batman sequel, The Dark Knight.

A couple of months before the launch of this movie, I kept watching the trailers over and over and over again. The craving was insatiable!

And then, _it_ finally came.

Take That - Rule The World

Not too sure if you've watched Stardust, but it was an absolutely delight in my opinion. It was one of the rare movies that sucked me right into its magical story, and made me want to be part of the adventure. :D

So I was surfing around and stumbled upon a link that brought me to this song, and now that I watched the featured four minutes from this video, it brings back so many sweet scenes from the movie.

Gosh, if you haven't watched it, please do. You're missing something really really good. :)



This is the official music video, so the song sounds crispier. ;) (although I still prefer the version on top. :P)

Enchanted

I still remember the moment when I first saw posters of this movie in AMK MRT station, my mind already concluded that this show would be crappy and corny. Animation mix with real actors? Hmm... plus the expressions in the posters dint really make stuff look any more interesting. :S

Then the time came when out of curiousity, I checked the rating of this movie on imdb, and I was shocked! 7.9??!! :O

I couldn't help myself but to get this movie and now after watching it, just how wrong I got!?! This movie is simply stunning! The aftermath made me super duper high and happy, and I nearly wanted to watch it for a second time in a row! Every single touch of it was great to the details. :)

Guess I'm the kind of person who always looks forward to feel-good movies, that's why this one stood particularly strong above the crowd. From an adult point of view, I totally enjoyed the concept, the acting, and not to mention the songs! :D Oh how I adore Amy Adams' singing scenes! Reminds me of my visit to Disneyland even! :D

Leaving me so entertained, I simply can't imagine the joy it would bring to children! So what more can I say, Walt Disney proved themselves once again with this masterpiece of wholesome family entertainment!

Rocky Balboa

Rarely has a film so inspired me. Rocky Balboa is already in his fifties, but to pursue his burning passion, he decided to come back from retirement and get in the ring with the current heavyweight champion, Mason Dixon.

This dialogue between Rocky and his son, particularly moves me. His son was complaining that his dad, getting into the ring at his age, was a joke, and he being his son, will also be made together with the joke. Here's what Rocky said:

The world ain't all sunshines and rainbows.
It's a very mean and nasty place,
and I don't care how tough you are,
it'll beat you to your knees
and keep it there permanently if you let it.

You, me or nobody...
...is gonna hit as hard as life.

But it ain't about how hard you hit.
It's about how hard you can get hit,
and keep moving forward.

How much you can take,
and keep moving forward.
That's how winning is done!

Now, if you know what you're worth,
then go out and get what you're worth.
But you gotta be willing to take the hits.

And not pointing fingers saying
you ain't what you wanna be
because of him, or her, or anybody.

Cowards do that, and that ain't you!

I can't imagine how I'll feel if my dad tells me such powerful speeches. T_T

Kudos to Sylvester Stallone, for writing an amazing script that develops the characters, producing it, and finally, being himself. I think after shooting five movies about Rocky, he must have put his heart and soul with him as the character while making it. Absolutely amazing.

It ain't over 'til it's over.

The World's Fastest Indian

This movie managed to moved me even though I'm not a lover of motorcycles. Can't imagine if someone like Arul watches this movie. :P

Burt Munro, an ordinary man with extraordinary determination, had an ambition to set the land-speed world record using his 1920 Indian motorcycle. His passion overcame all difficulties, obstacles, barriers, and even to the brink of risking death.

In 1967, he finally sets the under-1000 cc world motorcycle land speed record, which still stands today, at Bonneville Salt Flats with his self-modified Indian motorcycle that originally could only run at a top speed of 86.90 km/h (54 mph). His official record?

295.44 km/h
~183.58 mph

Burt Munro
If you don't follow through on your dreams, you might as well be a vegetable (not your regular cabbage kind of veg! :D).

Burt Munro took 25 years to realise his dream.

How far are you willing to go for yours? :)

The Prestige

The prestige, the final act of the three acts of a magic show, the act that will leave the audience astounded, mystified, shocked and overwhelmed. With the success of a prestige, acclaimed magicians will always want to find out that secret, how the trick was being done.

Robert Angier and Alfred Borden were two friends when they began their career as magicians. Through an accident that caused the death of Angier's wife, their friendship turned into hatred, which leads to rivalry. With the prestige of an ultimate trick, their rivalry evolves to a battle that promises to tear their lives down and affect everyone around them.

Intense. That's the word to describe the movie. It keeps you to the edge of your seat through the brilliant performance by Hugh Jackman (Robert Angier) and Christian Bale (Alfred Borden). To see both in a movie was almost *dreamy*, as I admire both actors a lot. Hugh Jackman is best known for being Wolverine in the X-Men series, whereas Christian Bale as Batman Begins (which I love thoroughly, can't wait for the sequel!).

This is a must watch for people who love drama, thrills, twist and turn of plots.

Charlotte's Web

How many people had grown up without reading Charlotte's Web? haha.. Well, I'm one of those few. Since young, I really dint like to read, which probably explains why my English is horrible! :P

As I said, since this is the first time I get in touch with this story, on many levels I'm not distracted by what the book actually wrote, how the plot unfolds, and more importantly, no spoilers. :D

The story is a simple and straightforward one. Of trust, loyalty, and sacrifice between friends. Do not judge a person by its cover, like how Wilbur sees Charlotte. Charlotte in turn teaches us that promises made are to be kept. Their dynamic relationship creates a spark that changes everything in their town, both human and animals.

If we apply those precious lessons to our lives, wouldn't that make our world a better place to live in? ;)

The Illusionist

When was the last time I watched a magic show? haha... This movie though, is many levels more than that. The plot was intriguing, and the ending carried such a twist it blew me off.

It was a direct pit of intelligence, between Eisenheim (the illusionist), the chief inspector and the crown prince, as Eisenheim tries to use his powers as an illusionist, to secure a future with his lover, a woman who is well above himself in regards to social status.

Prepare for the ride and be mystified. :)

The Pursuit Of Happyness

Inspired by a true story based on the life of Chris Gardner, this movie shows the struggle of a father trying to hold the family together despite of the tremendous daily difficulties that he face. His sales job was going downhill, his wife left him, his inability to pay his fines landed him in jail, he had no money for daily expenses and eventually, homelessness. In spite of these, he was determined for a career change to be a stockbroker.

The love between Chris and his son was also extremely moving. It almost seems that Chris motivation behind his daily struggles was his son, that he wants his son to be happy. In one scene when Chris was teaching Chris Jr., this dialogue left a very deep impression in me and I felt it captured the essence of the movie.

Chris Gardner
Don't ever let somebody tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you you can't do it. If you want something, go get it. Period.

After months of being deep in mud, struggling with life and at the brink of depression, Chris finally have a chance at happiness with life when he got chosen to be a stockbroker out of the 20 that applied for it. That joy that he had was incomparable.

That joy moved me to tears.

300: True Measure Of A Man

Official Trailer

A good 300 seconds from the movie.

Have you watched 300 yet?

Admiration for them Spartans. Simple fact. If Singaporeans are like Spartans, no one would ever dare to invade us. hahaha...

Madness???

THIS

IS

SINGAPORE!!!!!!
(followed by a powerful kick to foreign powers into Singapore River)

hahaha... pengz~

All of us who served the army will probably know that Singaporeans are mostly 软脚兵. For the benefit of my non-chinese friends, that's wobbly-legged-soldiers. haha... Ok not trying to defame SAF here.

==============================================
Disclaimer: I did not say those myself! Don't sue me! Don't beat me if you're a 软脚兵! cos I'm also a 软脚兵!!! If you're not a 软脚兵, don't beat me either! I'm versatile I can change! I can also NOT be a 软脚兵!!! haha...
==============================================

Anyway, this movie really rocks. They really showed what a true measure of a man is. Fearless, dare to stand up for own rights, not retreating, no surrender, glory till death. Not to mention those admirable, drooling 6 packs! WOW!!

I'm gonna set myself a goal now. haha.. The actors trained their bodies up in 6 weeks, so I give myself 3 months. haha.. If I DO get 6 packs, I will post a photo up! wahahahaha...

Arul do with me! Get 5 packs and 3D will give you a kiss!!! :P
I'll give you a treat myself! haha..

Over The Hedge

Over The Hedge focuses on how a group of animals, after hibernating from winter, found that the forest that they used to know is no longer as it had been. We see things from the animals point of view as we saw their fear when a long wall of bush (hedge) was been erected ever since they had hibernated.

Being the usual forest-type animals, they had no idea what this "hedge" is, and upon walking over, discovered a whole new whole, the world of humans. Humans had cleared away their only source of food with their settlement, and survival became a problem. Right at this time, another character, the raccoon, came into the picture to "educate" them the new way to survive, by stealing food from the humans.

What the others do not know though, was that the stash that they stole from the humans was actually for the raccoon's own survival. Because of this, they ended up in a lot of intense stealing and escaping schemes that often put you to the edge.

Personally, I think partly the reason is that the animals are so cute and you just feel for them and hope nothing wrong happens (they are really cute!). The humans being portrayed in the movie are of an evil nature and it certainly contributes to us siding with the animals.

Storyline aside, the movie was very well animated. There were several instances whereby they exaggerated things, like when a packet of nachos was opened, they portrayed it as an atom bomb explosion of senses. It was so funny but I can definitely relate to the fact that forest animals had never tasted snacks like nachos before. =P

Seeing from the animals' perspective is really unique. It is both realistic and hilarious, especially on the way we handle food and our way of life. You'll be guaranteed to have a good fun-and-laugh session.

There are a couple of lessons to be learned here though.

• Humans' acts of deforestation are affecting the survival of forest animals.
• To accomplish big things, cooperation is essential.
• Being in a family means looking out for one another.

The Descent

This film is scary. But that sounds like a serious understatement. This should be a better fit.

Extreme horror.

It's no wonder why the movie was rated R. For the amount of scare I got, if I had high blood pressure, I would have died. I almost fell off my chair throughout so many scenes! My hands found their way to covering my ears to prevent any more sudden burst of bloodcurdling sounds from getting in for more than half of the movie.

This movie answers to the question that I always have. Why did I never like the idea of adventuring? I know it's either of these 2 things. Either I watch too much of such movies, or that I'm really just a non-adventurous kind of guy.

My point of view of the former was affirmed, and I'm not going for any sort of "adventuring". Ever. I have no idea why but I seem to believe that in deep caves, there will be another life form. Something unknown, something that had evolved specially for survival in the darkness. Be it either animals or human, it's just too much for me.

I'm even wondering now if I'll be able to sleep tonight. The scenes are still so fresh in my head it sends chill down my spine.

This IS, 1st class horror.

History of Violence

Just watched History of Violence last Saturday but haven't got the time to write a review about it till now.

History of violence is a very good movie. How true that everyone has their own past, dark or light.

It's about how this mild-mannered, nice looking family man (Viggo Mortensen) became a local hero in his town after saving his stall from a broad nightlight robbery.

Troubles start knocking at his door the next day as people from his past recognise him after his bravado was broadcast over TV. They came looking for him and shook his family life way of its foundation. Well, the rest of the story, if I put it in words, will just degrade it.

It's dark, it's great. One of the kind that will stick in your head for quite some time. At least for me.

The Butterfly Effect

I must be crazy. Look at the time! It's 2am in the morning and I have to work the next day.

Can't pull myself away from my monitor though. I was just watching the dvd version of The Butterfly Effect. Man... Incredible.

For those of you who didn't have a chance to watch, it's highly recommended by me! Not that my review is oh so important, but it's really great to watch it. I remembered catching it in the theatre when it came out a few years ago, and I was already thinking what a mind blowing film it was.

Today, I watched the alternate ending. Still as great, though not as much a happy ending as the theatrical version. I'm not going to say anything other than this though, don't want to be a spoilers bringer.

Go watch it if you can. It'll be worth your time.