Games

After months of waiting I am happy to report that I have finally laid hands on my very own copy of The Hunger Games movie on DVD. Fled to the mall immediately after a job interview a couple of days ago to buy it! Never got the chance to see the it in the cinema when it came out, you see. I meant to, but partly because I was not a fan yet at the time, it was not clear to me how much I was going to miss if I just waited for it to come out on DVD. Until I had decided to finally read the books - got completely hooked, devoured all 3 in a month, and became obsessed with it. It was too good. Really an ingenious trilogy. Then I was itching to see the movie. But I loved the books so much I figured no ordinary clear copy was going to cut it for me. No, I had to get myself an official DVD. There are very particular things and materials in this world that I consider worth spending for/investing in and this just happens to be one of those. Haha. And hey, great material like it needs to be supported. Now whether the movie was any good an interpretation of the book was a different story. That I had yet to see, and was really looking forward to it. So, this was around mid-June, I did my research and found out that the DVD was not set to be released until mid-August. Did not think I could wait another 2 months. Just reading the word itself - AUGUST - made me impatient. I nearly caved and settled for a clear copy. But ultimately convinced myself that it was going to be worth the wait. So I did, and I survived the 2 months. Hahaha. There were a lot of other things to get preoccupied with anyway. The couple of months just flew by.

The reason I am going through all this detail is because it all makes the moment I finally got my DVD so much sweeter. This is most probably not the best time to apply this, but I will anyway because it is true and I can really feel it now: nothing worth having comes easy. Also, good things come to those who wait. Haha. You know the satisfaction of finally getting something you have waited for for so long - no matter how small? I do not think it could really be fully explained in words. It's just something you just feel and know when it's there. And it's such a glorious moment.

Anyway, I popped the DVD in as soon as I got home. I will not give a review of the movie anymore as I do not think it would matter at this point, and reviews are not really a strength of mine (yet, maybe..) anyway. But I will say that it was good. I doff my hat to Gary Ross and his crew, and the actors for a job well done bringing the pages of the book and the characters to life. The copy I bought is a 2-disc special, with features and behind the scenes interviews and footage. I saw just how massive this whole project really was - how long such a large team worked on it and how much effort they put into it to make sure everything was perfect, down to the very last detail. Also how Gary Ross made it work for the fans, the target audience and market far better than if someone else had been chosen to direct it. True to the books, he chose to shoot it to show Katniss' POV and her "movement in this world" (as they put it in the interviews), through rough handheld shots, allowing the audience to feel what she feels at any moment in the movie. This, as opposed to very polished, choreographed shots that would have made it all look merely a show. It captured the truth of the story, told through Katniss' POV. Jennifer Lawrence made a great Katniss, and Josh Hutcherson, Peeta. Also, I have to say, they make a handsome couple. As for Gale, well I never really had any particular affection for his character. And in the movie, I found, he really did nothing significant. So. But fellow fans know there's more coming. But yeah, I do not really care that much for Gale's character so I will look forward to the next 2 movies whatever or however they decide to portray him on screen.

The movie as a whole was executed perfectly. I mean, a project of this size and weight could have easily gone astray in the wrong hands. Although for some reason I can not quite put my finger on I felt like it left me hanging a little. Possibly because I have read and finished the books already, my mind was waiting to see the rest happen. But anyway, I am looking forward to Catching Fire, and all its bigger-and-betterness. As it should.

Cheers!

August Rush

Today I decided to stop waiting on some things that most probably have very slim chances of happening in the very near future, and just make the others happen (for the meantime). Better to take little steps, albeit towards a different direction, than none at all. I'm a strong believer in gut and instinct anyway, and I believe my gut is telling me greater things are out there just waiting to happen, if I just put myself out there and open up to whatever happens along the way. So, Universe, here I am! Letting your magic take effect ;)

But let's not waste a perfectly fine although plain and ordinary afternoon on yuppie drama. I say the afternoon is perfectly fine because I'm feeling lucky for a few reasons - most possibly including the aforementioned decision I've made.

And because I am in such a mood, I thought I might share another playlist! Through this, I hope you - whoever you are and wherever you may be - feel as much peace, love, and understanding as I do at the moe.

But first, a disclaimer. You will notice that this playlist contains mostly records from the uber amazing Scottish-Northern Irish band Snow Patrol. I am feeling perfectly awful for having missed their show here earlier this month, you see. I've seen The Script, and hints have been dropped about a possible upcoming Coldplay show (shall our prayers finally be answered?) - so I'm eagerly waiting and saving up for that - but Snow Patrol, another ultimate favorite of mine I missed! Tsk tsk. So I've been listening to them a lot lately, and they have helped me through so much this month. Spirits up! So aside from the big hits like Signal Fire, Run, Chasing Cars, and You Could Be Happy, below I list a few more of my personal favorites from them.      

1. Called Out in the Dark - Snow Patrol

2. If There's a Rocket Tie Me to It - Snow Patrol

3. In the End - Snow Patrol

4. Open Your Eyes - Snow Patrol *most feel-good song at the moe. It's so simple yet so "big" if you know what I mean.

5. Every Car You Chase - Snow Patrol/The Police (by Partyben) *A heaven sent mash-up, heard on Adam Sandler's 'Just Go With It.'

6. White Winter Hymnal - Birdy

7. Hall of Fame - The Script *Their first single off album #3. This is brilliant! A new sound/style for them, mega inspiring. And the duet with will.i.am makes it a real badass track! Official music video here.

8. Anything Could Happen - Ellie Goulding

9. We'll Be Coming Back - Calvin Harris feat. Example

10. Human - The Killers

God bless us and all our dreams. Fellow yuppies, most especially.

xx N

Thank God for Prejudice

Screen grab of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy (Universal Pictures, 2005).

Sweet high holy heavens, could there be a love story/novel any more perfect than Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice? I think not.

I have not actually finished the actual novel - for a young lady like myself found the 19th century words and sentence and paragraph constructions of Miss Jane - the whole of the novel's contents - to have a somewhat daunting nature; rather difficult to understand sometimes. Well, you get me, don't you? But that was then. I reckon the last time I tried to read past the first 2 or 3 chapters I was only probably 15 or 16. I have not given up and my faith remains, I will finish the novel - and possibly this month, at that!

But the movie is magical fantastic SUBLIME. I am talking about the 2005 one directed by Joe Wright starring period-piece princess Keira Knightley and the uber dashing Matthew Macfadyen, for which I am forever grateful. Really, thank you God and Universe for such perfection. Jane Austen herself would have been proud if she saw the movie!  

It's one of my favorite movies of all time. It's quite difficult for me to talk about it because I really can not say any more than it is brilliant and you have to watch it to see and feel it for yourself, but in reality I could go on and on about it. I will talk you down into watching it, I tell you. (And later to read it too, when I've done so myself.)

If you are anything like me at all - a big sucker for romantic novels and movies, and classic stories - then I promise this movie will be one of the best 90 minutes of your life.

I only wish there had been another novel, and therefore another movie - a sequel - about the life of Mr. Darcy and Lizzy after they'd married.

The modern world needs more Mr. Darcy's and Lizzy Bennet's. Really.

In an Unexpected Turn of Events

Yesterday I went to apply for this job that pretty much my whole family had been pushing me to try out. Said job was never really my first choice but after much ballyhoo from everyone around me, I started to see the good in it and all the possibilities it could open up for me. It was, I had decided, a good means to an end. So I did what I had to do, filled out the forms, fixed my requirements, and prepared for application day. 

Little by little, as it drew nearer, I grew more excited about the job and convinced that it was the right thing to do, that it was the best step to take to get on the right path to my dreams. As cheesy as that may sound haha. So come yesterday, I put my best foot forward and went for it.  

It was a long application process, where panel after panel would go through your credentials and asses your potential. Modestly speaking I think everyone (family and friends who knew about it), myself included, was confident that I would qualify and get in. I was not too nervous about the whole thing, either, to be honest. Because I am a geek who enjoys interviews and relating with people, and I find that I thrive when I speak and converse. But as life would have it, I was turned down early along the way. Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you when you think everything's ok and everything's going right. It was a big blow to my family who had been in the same industry since time immemorial. I know this because of a similar experience years ago. Needless to say I was also rather disappointed. Just when I had finally warmed up to the prospect (and semi-planned my next move/s in the next 2 or 3 years based on it), it all went the other way. And I did not even get the chance to actually speak in the process! That's just too bad. It's probably the one thing that really annoys me about it. So, for the record, it all seemed so promising and for a moment, yes, I wanted so bad to get accepted. But please just let it be known that I would rather work where people would actually take time to hear my ideas and opinions. 

I am not bitter. Just expressing what I think and how I feel about it.

Naturally, my family would like me to try again, maybe for a different company but for the same opportunity. They do not want--can not--to let it go without doing something about it. And that's understandable. But we can not say I did not try. At least I got an answer for one of my many questions, that's one good thing that came out of it. I am less confused now, and I believe it's best to move on with my other options. Life has a funny way of helping you out.

I am hopeful and optimistic, too, for all my fellow applicants who did not get accepted either yesterday. One option down, we are all closer to where we are meant to be. Good luck to us!

Fingers crossed and hoping for the best, onward we march!

x N