My Kids Might Be Ugly
My brother’s children are beautiful. I know this is what every aunt should say of their kin, but mine are particularly beautiful. My nephew is turning 10 this year and he’s already got the makings of a heartbreaker.
And then there’s my sister’s kid and, well, his face just screams Baby Gap commercials.
So I started thinking: if 3 out of 3 of my sibling’s children came out pretty, what are the chances that I’ll spawn something that looks anything like human? My older siblings totally did me wrong; they went ahead and populated the world before I could and in doing so, nabbed all the good genes for themselves. (Yes, that is my understanding of how genetics work).
But I got news for them! I strongly believe in nurture vs. nature. So, while they can tout their children’s pretty faces to society, my genetically disadvantaged children will be groomed to take over the world…problem solved.
Inspiration in an Unlikely Place
I’m usually very predictable. My every reaction, every thought, every move is all part of a boring and expected script that God-knows-who has written to void me a life of surprises and wonder. (Okay, maybe that was a bit too dramatic). My point is that “impromptu” is not a part of my world; I have my box and I’m perfectly fine staying within it.
Let me take a step back and preface this blog post more appropriately. You see, as an American 20-something-year-old who has watched her fair share of Hollywood movies, my list of the most beautiful people includes the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal and, the most recently added, Robert Pattinson. So, imagine my surprise when I’m watching The Warlords, and I just couldn’t keep my eyes off of “Little Brother” in the movie. Who is that man? Instinctively, I went on a Google stalking mission and, friends, my life has since then changed.
Enter: Takeshi Kaneshiro.
Wikipedia has taught me that Takeshi Kaneshiro is a major Asian movie star (and that he’s 5′10 and speaks 4 languages fluently—you know, the important stuff). I know you’re wondering where I’m going with this, and I promise there’s a point here. Until this moment, which was about a week ago, I’ve never idolized or even came close to admiring an Asian celebrity. Not that I wasn’t looking, but my options were quite limited. I had my choices of martial artists-turned-actors, or beautiful–yet, terrible–actresses who mostly fulfilled jail bait roles in cheesy action movies. I’ve passed on all of them. Then, this unfamiliar face pops up in a surprisingly good Jet Li movie and—just like that—my dear Jake Gyllenhaal gets dethroned.
Youtube has taught me that Takeshi Kaneshiro is an eloquent speaker during his interviews, even when he’s struggling with the English language. It went on to teach me that he has no desire to ever become a star in Hollywood and has turned down roles for the very same reasons why I’ve never had an Asian idol. How sad is that? I don’t know how else to say it, but I’ve never been more inspired to write, and to write well. This isn’t just an attempt to lure this beautiful man into coming to the states; it’s an honest desire to produce better material for Asian actors, American or overseas. I never thought I’d go down this route, but I think I found my niche. Takeshi Kaneshiro, my unlikely muse.
So there you have it. Mr. Kaneshiro, I will soon have a screenplay that will make use of your acting chops and your lovely face. Please don’t rule out Hollywood entirely.
House of Flying Dagggers
The Warlords
Red Cliff
Perhaps Love
You are so welcome for the pictures.
When We Were Young
I’m turning 25 this year—in a few months, actually—and I feel like I’m turning 40. I don’t mind getting older, but it bothers me that I haven’t felt young in a very long time. And I can only blame my sense of responsibility for that. Damn my innate nature to get things done! Damn my maturity!
Look at my nephew below. Look how freakin’ happy this kid is. When did my own excitement for and wonderment about life escape me? It may be too late for me to relearn how to laugh again, but there’s still hope for him. I hope he never loses this kind of happiness, the kind that we all experienced when we were young, when we just didn’t know any better.
Run, little Edison. Run away from adulthood as fast and as far away as you can possibly go.
This Is It
This Is It is for the fans. If you’re not one of them, or if you don’t have even a grain of curiosity about the superstar that is Michael Jackson, then do yourself the favor and skip this movie. For the rest of us, This Is It is the much needed last glimpse of the Gloved One.
He sings, he dances, and most memorably, he laughs. All preconceived notions of the man and of his health during the timing of this movie and everything leading up to its release should be left at the door. He put his all into this production and it shows. The audience is treated to a backstage pass for over-the-top performances and an intimate showcase of his vocals.
The only moment of eeriness comes when the ending credits begin to roll. Michael Jackson’s song, appropriately titled “This Is It”, begins to play. The song is hauntingly good. The lyrics start with: This is it/ Here I stand/ I’m the light of the world/ I feel grand. It’s such a beautiful song that perfectly closes out the movie and the sad ending of such a musical genius. After watching Michael Jackson perform in his rawest form and seeing him give his soul to this work, the movie ends and the magic is taken away—the man is taken away. And you’re left thinking: This is it. This really was it.
Bottom Line: The man did still have it.
Top Ten Reasons Why He’s a Keeper
You know he’s a keeper when…
- You disturb him in the middle of his very last quest in Valhalla Knights 2 and all he does is let out a dramatic “Nooooo”, then proceeds to do the favor you interrupted him for.
- He shops for your favorite puzzle games whenever he’s at GameStop so you won’t hate his xBox so much.
- He doesn’t raise his voice at you after you accidentally mess up his decks of magic cards—the same decks that he spent weeks on putting together and raving to his friends about. (It’s also a good sign when you’re not afraid to tell him that you bent his favorite Flying Creature card because the most he’ll do in retaliation is unleash a world of tickles on you.)
…I will stop this post at 3 reasons as to not embarrass my fiancé any more than I already have..
Shades of Ray
Shades of Ray is cute. Period. There’s no going around it. Its simple storyline is filled with humorous moments that arise out of an interracial marriage, and moreover, out of the struggle of an adult-child dealing with his parent’s cultural differences.
Zachery Levi (best known as the star of the TV show Chuck) takes on the lead role as Ray Rehman, a half-Pakistani, half-white male who has found the love of his life, a beautiful blonde from an upper-class family. But when his future wife-to-be delays giving him an affirmative answer to his marriage proposal, his Pakistani dad takes the opportunity to push his son onto a more traditional Pakistani woman. With a little push from his father (and the advice from his level-headed mother), Ray begins questioning fate and understanding the relationships that surround him.
Shades of Rey has all the elements of a warm dramedy that’s perfect for a relaxing evening in. The cast is loveable—from the easy-on-the-eyes lead character to the quirky father. Credit goes to the writer-director for being able to to shed some light on touchy cultural issues (and stereotypes) without the heavy undertones.
Bottom Line: A sweet and humorous depiction of an otherwise complicated love triangle.
Revolutionary Road
Another Kate Winslet movie; another tragic love story; another two hours of gloom. Kate Winslet dominates in this genre, and rightfully so, as the role of a 1950’s depressed housewife suits her perfectly in Revolutionary Road. Although viewers may be turned off by this dark drama, working-class Americans will relate to the story’s premise in one way or another.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet plays an unhappy married couple trapped within the box of their seemingly perfect suburban lives. The days of bold dreams and endless opportunities took a backseat to a corporate job, a kept home, and two children. After falling in love and achieving the “American Dream,” what follows is a series of arguments and much marital distress as the two constantly blame one another for the lackluster lives they lead. Resentment of their significant other ensues and self-pity for their own loss of potential takes the couple down a destructive and tragic path.
Both DiCaprio and Winslet deliver scenes with such conviction that it only adds to the movie’s relatability. In fact, Kate Winslet does too good of a job portraying an uninspired mother who can’t find joy even in the faces of her own children, so well so that she easily becomes the story’s antagonist—you just can’t find yourself rooting for her.
Unfortunately, the climax of this movie is in the last fifteen minutes. Just as the couple seems to accept their circumstances and almost manages to salvage their marriage, one decision ruins everything the two has created together. The scene that unfolds touches the heart and, subsequently, breaks it into a million different pieces.
Bottom Line: A heartbreak of a movie…just don’t compare it to Titantic.
Michael Jackson
We all have heard that Michael Jackson has passed away recently. It took a while to actually hit me. I haven’t thought about him in a long time and that’s mostly because the man has become a very sad character towards the end of his life. But who knew it was going to end at the age of 50? That’s too young—that’s way too young.
So, I, like most other people in this world, started to relive the Michael Jackson glory days. I re-watched all of his old music videos, his concert performances, and miscellaneous YouTube clips. I compressed 40 years of his life into a day of online streaming. I watched him perform the Moonwalk on Motown’s 25th Anniversary Special; I watched him get a standing ovation during the 1988 Grammy Awards for his compelling Man in the Mirror performance; and I watched him—strangely enough—literally turn from black to white. And that is when the sadness crept in.
I was always a fan, even into the early 2000’s when no one would admit they wanted to check out his new Invincible album. I caught the MJ fever on the tail-end of the Thriller era, then Bad came around and I was hooked! Whether you liked only a few of his songs or you were a die-hard MJ fanatic with your very own sparkle-encrusted white glove, you had to admire his celebrity. The man was bigger than life, and he had the talent to justify it. Unfortunately, his eccentricities eventually overshadowed his genius—the same eccentricities that built up his elusive superstar persona.
I’m sadden that it took his death for me to remember him at his best. I suddenly remembered how much I adored him and how much time I wasted putting tape on my fingers and imitating his dance moves…to no avail, of course. But at least he is remembered once again around the world for his 40+ years of hit songs and memorable performances. He was that little black kid that broke hearts when he belted out “Ben.” He was also one of the most girlish men in entertainment, but oddly enough, was loved by women the world over. And most importantly, he was a performer that broke down barriers and made it possible for other young black men (with half his talent) to have their chance in the limelight (I’m pointing right at you, Chris Brown).
Rest in peace, MJ. No one will come close to matching your success in my lifetime, but it’s good to aspire to such levels of greatness.
Check out my favorite Michael Jackson performance below. His delivery of the song towards the end of the clip is mind-blowing.
Unknown
Watch the trailer for Unknown and more than likely, you’ll be tempted to watch the movie.
The best part is, the trailer doesn’t even show half of what this movie has to offer.
Sure, the premise of the movie is a little far-fetched; but it’s true movie-making genius when viewers can forget about the reality of the events, and just focus on the characters. The movie pulls you into a crime mystery and it becomes a non-stop guessing game of who’s good and who’s not.
The brilliance of this movie isn’t in the story, itself; it tells a crime story that has been recycled over and over again on the big screen. Instead, the brilliance lies in the presentation, namely, the angle it chooses to present. The writer and those involved in this movie were clearly on a mission to crush the spirits of self-proclaimed movie know-it-all’s. Just when you think you got it all figured out and have boldly stated your predictions, you’ll most likely end up getting “pwnd” by Unknown.
Bottom Line: A gem for the suspense genre! One of the most clever build-up in a crime story with a more than satisfying ending.