Madagascar 3

Last weekend, I was in need to be humored. To laugh. Or even relax and destress a bit, even if I wasn't stressed at all.

So, I summoned my hubs to get the tickets for Madagascar 3 and we watched it at the 9pm show.

Boy! Had I had a good laugh! No, make that a laughing out loud, wholeheartedly until my sides ached and my belly shook and the tears welled up in the eyes for me. It was THAT good! It had been a long long long long long long while since I laughed that good. Oh boy..

Well, remembering back to the scene, it wasn't really that funny. I really have no idea why or how I was so tickled. Probably you might even sail through it not noticing that humor part. But I'm so glad I had that moment. Go watch the movie and tell me if you were tickled at all.

I love Madagascar!

Smurfs movie

It was Sat night and we have 2 free ticket vouchers again. Almost every first Sat of the month, yeah~

We couldn't decide which movie to go to, Apollo 18? Contagion? Smurfs? Cars 2?

The review says that the first 2 are quite gross and not very suitable for young children. I was still undecided by the time I was at the counter buying the tickets, and made a hasty one at that last minute. Smurfs it was.

How do I find the movie? Really, it was the most boring show I had been to, but watching the 3 of them laughing their heads off was entertaining enough. Well, corrected, korkor says it should be just the 2 of them, he didn't laugh that much but still enjoyed himself.

It's amusing what kind of jokes to make them burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Just the bad guy shooting off right into the dustbin is deemed funny enough. And it was the first time meimei watched the whole movie from beginning to the end, without falling into slumber at all. So I guess, it was all worth it.

When we got home, I was soooo dissatisfied with not even an ounce of movie entertainment for myself on a Saturday night, I then turned on a movie called Hanna just to get some kick, hopefully. At the end of the show, though the pace at times were quite kancheong, I went to bed feeling kinda disappointed with it's whole plot which didn't seem to make any sense at all. That was one constipated Saturday night I had.

Movies movies and more movies

I admit, to say that last week I had been off the screen to spend quality time with the hub in the evenings, was not totally true. That's cos he was away in a business trip and wasn't at home.

So what did I do after I tucked the children to bed at 9? Well, I had been watching movies. A number of them, in fact!

1. Devil (that one was with hub over the weekend. Everytime I go into a lift now, I freak out a little! OMG!)

2. Going the distance and had a fuzzy nice feeling with the usual nice endings love story.

3. The Other Guys, and had a good laugh watching it myself. But hub couldn't get the jokes!

4. Inception (that was last night and I dreamed about being in one!)

And over the weekend, we had 2 movies in 1 day! Tron Legacy and Little Fockers, FOC! Nice! I wanna watch Tourist, mainly the sexy Angeline, before it ends. Who want to accompany me? Only for morning shows when the kids at school, ok?

A lousy movie I haven't watched for a long time.

Over the weekend, we went for a hotel stay and took the kids across the road to watch a movie. Saturday night. Simple pleasure family time. A reward for kor for his satisfactory improvement in his report book. Dd's not too bad as well. Both positions leapt from 3 digits to 2 among all their peers. I'm very proud, I must say. (Do I get some credit for that too? Well, what the heck! Good job, mommy! *pat pat on own back*)

I suggested to hub 2 movies to choose from, highly recommended from a newspaper critic and the other, a good friend. But he chose neither and went for "Skyline". Major disaster!

We bought 4 tickets, purposefully leaving an empty seat right beside the aisle, hoping no loser would buy that aloof seat and then, we could have it for free. Bugger! There's really such loser, I kid you not. On a Saturday night?? Get a life! (ok, I'm not talking about you, don't be so sensitive, ok?)

As we happily made ourselves comfortable in the cine, waiting for the story to unfold, man! I was so bored to death watching it! It was just feeling a high anticipation on how the aliens looked like, then watching fear among the few roles in the movie, then run, then hide, then scream, then shout at each other, then run again, and I was thinking... "just go die, will ya?". And when it finally happened, I was so relieved, getting ready to get up liao when the scene went to the inside of the alien spaceship. I muttered "dammit! Still not yet the end ke?"

And all of a sudden, THE END.

Totally wasted my Saturday movie night and 40 bucks. Don't watch it, ok! Don't even bother buying its DVD.

Woody and Buzz Lightyear.

Toy Story 1 and 2 had always been among my few favorite movies. I remembered I laughed until the side ached watching it together in the cinema with Hui Ling. Her laughter is so contagious that it was way more fun laughing our heads off together.

The 3rd instalment of Toy Story is equally good, not at all lacked of creativity or jokes. I laughed a lot again watching it with my children but apparently, I seemed to be the only one who did. Made me miss my friend so much too. I am sure if we had been together watching it again, we would encourage each other to laugh even more.

Love the ending so much. Very gumtoong Andy described each and everyone of his favorite toys and playing them for the last time before he goes off to college, being a little kid all over again. The ending is the best! I think it's the first time an animated movie can have that spilling effect over me. Spilling effect meaning I would be still thinking about the movie after it was over and having the feel-good feeling for a long long time. I'm so watching it again at home!

The picture above was taken when they brought Woody and Buzz Lightyear for photo taking sessi in Midvalley during the promotion tour. There were only meimei and I because I had curi keluar with her. I didn't intend to join the Q at first but we were, so to say, shoved to the Q like being stampeded and suddenly finding ourselves in the line. I didn't even have a camera with me and just whipped out the phone cam to take this picture. Am so glad that we did now.

Movies at home these days.

These days, I had been watching movies at home, after strolling out for a walk at the nearby night market last last weekend.

Sometimes, I just feel surprised at myself that I can just leave the TV alone for days, when some years back, I would be chasing tvb serials, or sitcoms, or watching something. Life when in Brunei, chasing the Astro WLT at prime hours seemed to be the highlight of the day, especially when a good one was showing on. Nowadays, TV is, most of the time, enjoyed by the kids or by the breadwinner, to destress at home after a hard day's work.

After coming home from pasar malam, I told them to shower and change into pyjamas, spread out the bed quilt on the floor and we watched Ice Age 3 together. It was such a cosy ambience and it made such a nice and simple family time. Meimei slept after awhile, but that was ok. Next morning she just said it was magic that she woke up from her own bed.

As for the movie, I had preferred Ice Age 1 however, maybe the expectations were too high after hearing many good reviews about it.

Few days later, korkor wanted to watch Night at the Museum, after which, I recommended the X-Men to him. Both were reruns for me watching those together with him. The younger 2 weren't very enthusiastic about them though and I had to admonish them for being a nuisance and disturbing the ambience. Consideration for other people! I told them, and from then on, they kept mumbling "must be considerate-TED!".

When they were ready for bed, I put on "He's just not that into you" while I left them alone in the room. It was a very entertaining one, and it reminds of "those" days when I would be turning every single little detail of what the guy I liked did and guessing like forever if he was into me. Oh boy! I'm sure glad those days are over.

When I finally went to sleep at about 2am, I found them all sprawled out everywhere with the lights on (just like the restaurant staff in restoran city when their energy level is 0) *grin*. They sure had a good time until they slept, while I had a good time watching that movie on my own.

Last Sunday night, I watched "Obsession" with my hub. Kind of similar to "Fatal Attraction". Enjoyed that too. Now, next movie please.

Late night movie with the kids.

Hub wanted to watch Transformers long before it was shown. And then he went to overseas business trip. And then we went back to Ipoh for the weekend. And so, last Friday was perfect to go for a movie, finally.

I let the kids slept thru passed 6.30pm on their afternoon naps that day, as the tickets I bought were for the 9.30pm show. Which means we would be only finishing off at midnight. That's quite a "first-time" for us indeed. First time for the kids to stay up till so late outside and first time for me to "loosen up" on their routine. It's a nice feeling though.

Hence, I was really looking forward to it. Still had time to cook dinner and wash things up. And we eagerly took a quick shower and change to half-pjs, half gaigai clothes to the cineplex. It was very cosy, as we sat at the 4 far right seats, with didi happily got his own seat at last. Both the boys enjoyed the show tremendously, didi shouting out jubilantly "YAY, Bumblebee saves the day".

During a scene where some ass was shown, koko quickly covered my eyes, which really tickled me. Why did he do that, eh?

On another scene, Obama's name was mentioned and both papa and koko instantly turned to me and muttered "OBAMA??".. Eh, I didn't write the script, ok?

And meanwhile, meimei fidgeted all over me and expectedly, didn't quite enjoy the show. I wished it was papa she was sitting on, but she didn't want him. That's one disadvantage of her being clingy to me the most. Anyway, I am not complaining. Will be patient for her to grow up bigger and enjoy watching movies later.

2 good movies.

Watched over Fri and Sat night: Slumdog Millionaire and Changeling.

The former one, I guess it need not any intro already. And I would say it's not the best movie of the year for nothing. It's a very fresh idea and very meaningful story, definitely calls for a celebration of life though how tough the going gets to be. A must-see, ok?

As for the latter, the story tagline goes "To find her son, she did what noone else dared". Starred Angelina Jolie. Boy! She's really looking better as she ages. I watch until lau-hau-sui. No flesh was bared, please, people.

It's a story which would tug the heartstrings for many moms. I totally feel the heart-wrenching moments in it.

So tired now, have to sleep early tonight. Must.

What a movie!

This afternoon I watched a movie called "Cape no. 7". It's in Chinese mostly, sprinkled with a Taiwanese dialect and Japanese lines here and there. Now, I can't even understand Chinese, what with the stupid dialect and Japanese language, what was I doing watching it? Can't rely on the subtitles as it is even more complicated to understand than the dialogues.

But somehow, I laughed at some parts of the show, slept through midway of it, cried at the ending and loved the song at the last part of the show. Though, I STILL did not know what the whole damn show was about. This is indeed the first time in history I watched a movie and then only googled it to read what it's all about .. (ohhhh.. sodeska, now I know!)

Have you heard or watched it before? If not, maybe you should! Try doing it the same way like I did. And the song at the end, you'll love it. I did, it was really beautiful.

2 movies in 2 nights

After lepak-ing around for those days, we chilled out at home most of the time apart from the breakfast and the planned ahead Breadtown tour with some good friends of mine. After eating out for the last 2 days, we just had dinner at home, after frantic desperate attempt to burn off the extra calories in the pool in the evenings.

Hence, we have some few hours to kill at nights, after tucking the kids early to bed at about 9. Bought some new movies home to watch after going paktoh-ing at the night market. It's confusing why businesses in night markets flourish as I don't see their prices being anything lower than the hawker stalls, coffee shops or other similars. But it is good to walk around in the open air once in a blue moon, browsing leisurely, though the sight of beggars in 1-family-big-small sitting around on the walking paths is just depressing.

So I came home, put in the movie in the player and watched Angelina Jolie in an x-rated show with her big boobies, before she was femes. The storyline wasn't very exciting, a few minutes into the show, I was about to press the stop button, but somehow, something just kept my attention (not the boobs la) and eventually, I finished watching the whole thing.

The show is apparently a true story about Gia, the first supermodel who became a hit almost instantly, and it weaved her life story of how she succumbed to AIDS. I rate this show 6/10, half of it solely because of it's Jolie (and the 2 tetek), whereby I think she's really attractive and giving quite commendable acting of a newcomer.

Hubs was busy playing his online game and asked me what the story was about as I think he was pretty surprised that I had stayed awake for the whole movie. After briefing him, he said "Cheh, so simple storyline only ah? Anything juicy? Can just jump to that part only?" Men!

Last night, I watched another one called "Taken". And yes, I think it's good, capturing my attention until the end. In fact, this one do spill over in the sense that I would think about the story even until now. Get it and watch for yourself. Though it might seem impossible to have just one man going through the odds and fighting off another 100 to save her daughter, it's anyhow interesting to see how resourceful he is to overcome the obstacles. And being a mother to a daughter, it surely tugs the heartstrings watching the scene where she was abducted. OK, anyhow, I sure am a bit more of the emotional kind.

And that concludes my movies review for the day.

A night with Bong, Jimsi Bong.

Last friday night, just the 2nd day of the opening date of this much hyped about Bong new movie, I eagerly bought 2 tickets online to go dating with my lover.

I love Bond movies. Love his hamsup ways, love his death-defying escapes at the last minutes, love the gadgets, love the song (tum tum tum tum... Bond song playing in my mind now), love the sexy gorgeous girls, love the signatory circle thing following Bond, then *bang* (bullet sound)...

This latest instalment, they took away ALL of those! So imagine my disappointment. The few hours made me blurred like hell, there wasn't any storyline at all, that's ok, not so bad, but how could they took away all the "Bond" elements. Not even a sophisticated, crazy, impossible gadget to show. And both of them looked deadly bored and sad throughout the movie (Jimsi Bong and his girlfriend).

I am betting on Madagascar to be a much better choice.

Mamma Mia!

Yay! I watched it yesterday after numerous sleepless nights looking forward to it. Initially, I would think that it shall not be my banker's cup of tea, I would be better off getting someone else to tag along, but I had noone to ask *sob* (so pathetic)

Anyway, I told him if he doesn't want to watch, it's ok, I just die-die get someone to accompany me (even if it meant my dad, who's here on his holiday! Absurd, isn't that so?), he said to me he's ok watching it with me. (I wonder if he is too loving, or too freaking scared I'll ask one of my ex-dahlings or what?)

So, last night, we went to the 9pm show (seldom being out so late on a Monday night) and when seated, he was wondering to me how long he would sleep throughout the show! Sometimes, I really do not know if I should love or hate this guy.

And the show was just great! There were lyrics throughout the whole entire show, and I could hear everyone singing along, it's like a huge karaoke session taking place! But it was really fun. How I wished I could just get up and dance too, as it was really jivey.

I'm even pondering to watch that again! Anyone wants a companion?

Feb 29

This year is a leap year, and today is the additional day we have in February.

Happy birthday whose birthdays fall on this day. I do think it's very special if you are born on the 29th Feb. Anyone?

Things seem to be not very flourishing lately. Dh not getting his salary increment he's expecting and plans not working out as we wished for. Sien.

So, we did something drastic to break away for awhile; we just dropped everything we were working on and went to watch a movie!

Now for the movie review. Heard of "Before the Devil Knows you are Dead"? I didn't, right before I was searching gsc.com.my for showtimes. There were a couple of selections, all of which I haven't heard of, names of stars I have ever come across, and I was lost as to which movie I should go for.

Only then I found out even wikipedia has a summary of plot, production, crew and global review of movies.

Critical reception

The film received very positive reviews from critics. As of January 18, 2008 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 135 reviews.^[5] On Metacritic, the film had an average score of 84 out of 100, based on 36 reviews.^[6]

Well, that would be quite a fair indication of what movie we should look out for, right? Instead of just relying on individual's review, for one man's meat might be another man's poison and it's just not the same cup of tea for all.

As such, "Before the Devil Knows you're Dead" it was and I came out from the cinema, gloomier than before I went in.

Well, not that the movie is not good at all. The story is ironically very "real".

A couple worked from rags to, well comfortable retirement, had 2 sons and 1 daughter in the years together, kids grown up, left them independent to make their own living, retired to enjoy life comfortably. Sons struggling to survive in the dog eat dog world and ended up being some rotten apples and in the end, landed in trouble.

I think the father killed his own son at the end not for the sake of seeking revenge for his wife, but rather to end his (son's) punishment from the law. Hence, the title of the movie, which comes from an Irish saying (info taken from wikipedia) "May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead".

Well, what left me gloomy was that, I kinda, relate being in the shoes of the old couple, as I have 2 sons and 1 daughter myself, and we are working so hard now to raise them up and have a better life. I told that to dh, and he replied "Choiiiiii"

Pessimistally speaking, even though we love children, but we do think that if we can't provide for them comfortably, why should they be brought to this world to struggle for survival?

Anyway, no turning back the clock now, the 3 of them are already here, and I just hope they would be good, if not doing great, when they grow up. Catch the show if you can, and tell me what you think about it.

Watching Transformers is like...

... experiencing "deja vu". The story, the settings, the meaning: all so boring and similar. It's like "been there", "done that" and "same old ending", you know, the usual good vs. evil, good wins despite the odds, small fry boy after hotalicious girl... sigh...

Feelings over the movie is also the same as towards my spouse. Just can't help feeling love and hate at the same time.

Back to the movie, I do think the girl, Mikaela is as good an eye candy as can be, and the boy... cute. But I really do wish the storyline is not so cliche, and more actions or transformers rolling in, rolling out, rolling in... that was what I was looking for. I think it's the only "high points" everyone in the cinemas were waiting for. Alas, I missed the "climax" when the big evil sprang back to life, as I was.... in the loo, taking my little girl for her poo-poo... what a waste!

Despite all these, I can't help falling in love with the cute little sophisticated robots (they google everything they need to know through the internet too), I am so so so tempted to buy one of those little transformers being sold right now outside of C4. It REALLY can do the work of transforming, mind you. But, so so so pricey, should I? For once?

Snakes on a Plane

We watched "Snakes on a Plane" last Friday evening. The synopsis looks ok, the caption reads "Sit back, relax, enjoy the fright". Soon, after munching half of the "Large" bucket of caramel popcorn later, and some previews including of Spiderman coming soon in May/June/July 2007, I was thinking if we went into the right place when it began. The show began with people having a fun time in a beach in Hawaii, and the song blasting away sounds something like "Kokomo". When does action thriller movie start off that way?? I must have been out of the movies for a long time?

Anyway, slowly the story began to unfold. A cute young guy witnessed some bloody murder, and before he even know what is going on, he was tracked down by the mafia and the FBI. Soon, people were boarding THE plane, and mafia fella came with a brilliant idea to bring the whole plane down with some boxes of poisonous snakes.

The snakes started to wriggle their way around, attacking all the "sensitive" areas.. it was like all hell broke lose after awhile, National Geographic snakes enjoying their limelight in Hollywood style. Jeez... I won't like to be in a 4D cinema in that kind of movie. Makes my bulu roma stood up seeing all those reptiles. However, there were some scenes where it was so TOTALLY FAKE! Like how would a big long snake coiling out from a guy's mouth?? Come on... the snake should be EATING IT up, not venturing into its mouth and stomach to see what is in there??!! And the other scene where out of nowhere, there came this HUGE ANACONDA!!!! (Jaws dropped, head shaking, really couldn't believe it!)

Anyway, being a mom, I can't help feeling "kan cheong" to see little children in danger. There was a mom travelling with her baby, and there were 2 brothers, the elder looking over the younger one and they were travelling as minors. Miraculously, the baby wasn't hurt a bit though people were dying around him, and many snakes partying around. As for the 2 brothers, the "ko ko" protected his little brother from any harm, and gave him support and warmth, which made me feel "oh.. I wish my sons would have a bond like that..."

I don't know, I think I would feel very heartbroken going home if these kids were harmed in the movie. I think the director knew it's not going to look good if he makes us mothers cry all the way home from the cinema. And I now know I won't cry in other love stories anymore but cry ever so easily seeing little children safe and sound at the end of a movie.

As for the verdict, I won't say it's an A+ movie, but it has its thrills. As long as I can take a break from the routine, no children dying in the movie, the good triumphs over evil... I am a happy woman.

Side track a bit, on a different note..

We went for a course over the weekend, it's something to do with negotiating skills in "something" (we were sworn to absolute secrecy!). Anyway, now, something very unlikely happened in that event.

When the course began, the speaker wanted to "break the ice" and came out with his idea of a little "lucky draw". There were 20 of us in the audience, some of us just put some name cards in, while those without cards (like me!), just wrote our name on a little piece of paper and put that paper with those cards.

Now, both KT and I weren't ever so lucky in lucky draws. We put a few "tens" of entries for lucky draws when we were staying in Brunei, and never ONCE came out a winner of any of those prizes before. So, I wasn't anticipating our names to be called.

But hey, you probly can guess it now, yes, KT came out the first person drawn, both of us were like, "oh wow!". The 2nd fella was called, and hey, the 3rd lucky person was ME!!!

Well, to have one of us drawn, well, we considered, unlikely, but possibly. BUT.. to have both of us in that draw... how do you count the probability?? 1/20 times 1/18?? To me, it never EVER crosses my mind. So, I think both of us were VERY lucky that day...

Don't ask what the prize is.. that's not important. The important thing is THIS really happened! Nevertheless, I didn't go to buy 4d, or what-have, we went home, ate dinner, took the kids for a ride on the monorail to BTS and rewarded with Joshua's statement when we were going home, "Today is a happy day".