Honestly, I should be stressing out about finishing my final project report and preparing for thesis defense AND applying for an internship, but, you know, Christmas is upon us all and it's finally yule hols after a long semester (that actually feels really short, but was exhausting all the same) and I want to just relax and have good long sleeps because it's technically rainy season and rainy season is the best time to have a good long sleep.
You can say that "sleep is only for the weak" and I can comfortably admit that I am the weak, okay?
Also, when I'm not busy sleeping and relaxing, I ended up having lots of movie marathons. Technically, it's still related to my education and my future because I'm pursuing a degree in filmmaking, so, yeah, I don't feel too guilty about it. It's for, ahem, references, amirite? Well, I keep telling myself that but I'll still bless myself with strings of profanities near the deadlines when I'm not even halfway done with my shits, but whatever!
It's the season of feel-good movies, and I'll share my top five all-time favorites with you cheeky readers! My criteria of a feel-good movie is quite similar to my idea of a perfect crush: 1) beautiful (not necessarily visual), 2) good for my soul, 3) can be seen over and over without being sick of, and 4) yes chick-flick moments.
According to that criteria (but not entirely following that, because I'm an indecisive bastard) here's my top 5 beautiful-soulful-addicting-yes chick-flick moments movies:
1. Ten Inch Hero (2007)
This might be inappropriate for the season because of the summer vibe and the beach, but frankly, this is one of the most beautiful rom-com my heart has ever came into contact with. It came with a plethora of journey to self-love, a topic which I am quite fond of, and it comes with a happy ending, which makes me really happy, because it gives me the closure I need. Seriously, sad open ending is so overrated. (Although I do like sad open endings too, if it's what's best for the story).
Anyway, the format is kinda like omnibus, except the stories are linear and conjoined? There are several stories from each characters, all of which work in a sandwich shop together. Each character's archetypes are different, some of them are from the opposite of the spectrum, but somehow, each of them work like a puzzle. I like the dynamic between the characters, the wit, the backhanded affection, the conspiration theories, the cheesy dialogues that don't feel cheesy at all because they fit the characters, and I like the funny-looking Jensen Ackles (Yes, I like me the Jensen Ackles) with his character's sassy t-shirts.
Somehow, even though I don't own a sandwich shop near the beach, a blue-green mohawk plus a lot attitude, a daughter I gave up for adoption, a friend with benefit so in the closet he won't admit his feelings for his roommate, or a handsome internet boyfriend from LA I've never met, each character is quite relatable that I can sympathize with them. And in the end when all of them found their own true love, because it's what's this all about really, I can feel happy with them too. It feels good to see that everything do work out in the end. <3
PLUS:
2. The Breakfast Club (1985)
A classic, really. This movie sets the bar of expectation about high school real up there for me. Like, come on, they make a detention session looks really fun (also, suddenly deep and sad but let's not talk about that)! (Which, after I experienced high school myself, is really fake, sad face).
You might see the pattern of my preferences here, haha. Another movie with diverse characters with insecurities, all of which represent the high school cliques we all know and love. I adore their bubble of issues and how typical all of them are, because it's kind of relatable, especially when I was around the characters' age. There's a lot of expectation for us to conform to, you know what I mean? And we don't even know where those crappy expectations came? Like, why can't we just go through our teenage years smoothly and happily? Who defined the criteria for the title "social pariah"? And why, really?
Ahem. Back to the film:
Honestly, the synopsis in the poster just totally spoil everything. Huh.
PLUS:
3. Flipped (2010)
One of the must watch for me and my close friends when we have a sleepover (other than The Notebook, which makes them cry horribly every time). There's something pure and innocent about this movie, even though the genre is actually rom-com. I mean like, the protagonists are teenagers and they talk about boyfriend-girlfriend things but it's so cute? And they have a lot of childish feuds and misunderstanding but in the end, I feel like the movie isn't really talking about love in a romantic kinda way.
I like the exploration of the triggers for the conflicts in the progression of the movie. Most of them are simple, like a tree and eggs and a stupid basket boy auction, but they have several punchline too, like bullying and mental illnesses and other stuff. I also like the way they narrate the story. It switches between the POVs of the male and female lead, but the transition is seamless. AND, the ending is so lovelyyy I can't help but coo at them every time.
This film just feel so good, right in my heart. <3
4. Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl (2015)
I stumbled upon this movie randomly when I am browsing in PopcornTime. The title intrigued me, so I decided to watch it, and I never regret any second of it. And I repeated, and repeated, and repeated, but I never regret any second of every single repeat of it. The story is crazy good. And the movie posters are really funny, you should look up for all of them, hahaha.
Actually, no. The main plot is really cliche, because I someone asked me for a logline, it'll be something along the line of this: "A broody high school social butterfly (and I use the term loosely) teen got his life topsy-turvied because of a terminally ill, jaded, high school teenage girl." OKAY, but that lousy logline DOES NOT give this film any justice. This film is really, really, really beautiful in a witty, biting, charming, harrowing, heartbreaking, occasionally funny kind of way. My feelings just went ASDFGHJKL!? every time, hahaha.
Greg, the main character, feels so close to my heart. That fucking awkward bastard! He's annoying and tactless in an endearing kinda way, somehow. Thankfully, he has Earl, his so-called co-worker, who balances him, slaps the reality hard into his face, and redeems every social faux pas he made. And the dying girl, what can I say about her. Well, her name is Rachel, she has Leukimia, but no, she does not die.
Spoiler much? No, I swear it's not a spoiler. I am not sorry.
Last but not least, the audiovisual is off the chart! The filmmaking techniques are there. The script and dialogues, the soundtrack, the framing, the production design (so hella goals), and the editing is on point. They also combined a lot of techniques, like stop-motion and stuff. It is a gift for the eyes. I am so blessed. <3
PLUS:
5. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)
Total epic epicness, truly. I heard that it is adapted from a comic book, but I haven't read the comic book yet. The storyline is the epitome of crazy absurdity, but I enjoy everything. It does not really make sense, but not everything has to make sense, right?
The League of Evil Exes. Seven evil exes. What a ride. I think I laugh from the beginning to the end. It is very dazzling and witty and sometimes even the unexpected things are funny. I mean like, Scott is in a band called Sex Bob-Omb, and they have hilarious songs including "We Are Sex Bob-Omb" and "Garbage Truck" - they are funnier than Mudslide Crush from Lemonade Mouth. :")
(Also, Sex Bob-Omb is legit on Spotify, guys, haha.)
I think they managed to capture the essence of comic book storytelling really well? The visual effect is VERY GOOD! The format is kinda of similar to an RPG video game, with battles and fighting sequences and superpower techniques. It is very comical to watch. Everything is so eye-catching with bursts of raining rewards coins on top. The VFX also cover even the smallest details, like the first time they showed Wallace's place (where Scott live/crashes) and they give tiny bitty descriptions about the things in the room.
PLUS:
SO! It's the end of the top 5 list and ugh I got writer's block several time because I can't just express how I really feel about these films. I hope you can enjoy them as much as I do. Laterz! <3
You can say that "sleep is only for the weak" and I can comfortably admit that I am the weak, okay?
Also, when I'm not busy sleeping and relaxing, I ended up having lots of movie marathons. Technically, it's still related to my education and my future because I'm pursuing a degree in filmmaking, so, yeah, I don't feel too guilty about it. It's for, ahem, references, amirite? Well, I keep telling myself that but I'll still bless myself with strings of profanities near the deadlines when I'm not even halfway done with my shits, but whatever!
It's the season of feel-good movies, and I'll share my top five all-time favorites with you cheeky readers! My criteria of a feel-good movie is quite similar to my idea of a perfect crush: 1) beautiful (not necessarily visual), 2) good for my soul, 3) can be seen over and over without being sick of, and 4) yes chick-flick moments.
According to that criteria (but not entirely following that, because I'm an indecisive bastard) here's my top 5 beautiful-soulful-addicting-yes chick-flick moments movies:
1. Ten Inch Hero (2007)
This might be inappropriate for the season because of the summer vibe and the beach, but frankly, this is one of the most beautiful rom-com my heart has ever came into contact with. It came with a plethora of journey to self-love, a topic which I am quite fond of, and it comes with a happy ending, which makes me really happy, because it gives me the closure I need. Seriously, sad open ending is so overrated. (Although I do like sad open endings too, if it's what's best for the story).
Anyway, the format is kinda like omnibus, except the stories are linear and conjoined? There are several stories from each characters, all of which work in a sandwich shop together. Each character's archetypes are different, some of them are from the opposite of the spectrum, but somehow, each of them work like a puzzle. I like the dynamic between the characters, the wit, the backhanded affection, the conspiration theories, the cheesy dialogues that don't feel cheesy at all because they fit the characters, and I like the funny-looking Jensen Ackles (Yes, I like me the Jensen Ackles) with his character's sassy t-shirts.
Somehow, even though I don't own a sandwich shop near the beach, a blue-green mohawk plus a lot attitude, a daughter I gave up for adoption, a friend with benefit so in the closet he won't admit his feelings for his roommate, or a handsome internet boyfriend from LA I've never met, each character is quite relatable that I can sympathize with them. And in the end when all of them found their own true love, because it's what's this all about really, I can feel happy with them too. It feels good to see that everything do work out in the end. <3
PLUS:
- The setting. THE BEACH TOWN. I always like the look of a suburb near the beach. How hippie yet undeniable cozy and homey it is, the view of the beach from a cliff, the small sandwich shop, the night fair, the everything else. Lovely, just lovely.
- The diversity. It's just heartwarming. They are totally my #squadgoal. Teehee.
- The audiovisual is absolutely brilliant. The color, the sets and props, the soundtracks. Hell yes.
- It's really cheesy, I guess, in a totally worth-it cheesy kinda way. So obviously it's not that bad of a minus point, ok?
- Tadd and Brad are fucking assholes.
2. The Breakfast Club (1985)
"But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, and a princess, and a criminal."First of all, the film has nothing to do with breakfast. :( Up until now, I don't know why they're called The Breakfast Club. Maybe I missed some points of the movie somewhere around the crazy sneaking out and smoking weed scenes.
A classic, really. This movie sets the bar of expectation about high school real up there for me. Like, come on, they make a detention session looks really fun (also, suddenly deep and sad but let's not talk about that)! (Which, after I experienced high school myself, is really fake, sad face).
You might see the pattern of my preferences here, haha. Another movie with diverse characters with insecurities, all of which represent the high school cliques we all know and love. I adore their bubble of issues and how typical all of them are, because it's kind of relatable, especially when I was around the characters' age. There's a lot of expectation for us to conform to, you know what I mean? And we don't even know where those crappy expectations came? Like, why can't we just go through our teenage years smoothly and happily? Who defined the criteria for the title "social pariah"? And why, really?
Ahem. Back to the film:
Honestly, the synopsis in the poster just totally spoil everything. Huh.
PLUS:
- It's really fun! Everything is all over the place and it was happy but suddenly it turned serious but it's an emotional roller-coaster I love and needed.
- THE MUSIC IS SO GOOD! Don't You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds is a great listen.
- The oh-so overrated (kinda) sad open ending with one of the main guy walking away into the bleak future ahead.
3. Flipped (2010)
One of the must watch for me and my close friends when we have a sleepover (other than The Notebook, which makes them cry horribly every time). There's something pure and innocent about this movie, even though the genre is actually rom-com. I mean like, the protagonists are teenagers and they talk about boyfriend-girlfriend things but it's so cute? And they have a lot of childish feuds and misunderstanding but in the end, I feel like the movie isn't really talking about love in a romantic kinda way.
I like the exploration of the triggers for the conflicts in the progression of the movie. Most of them are simple, like a tree and eggs and a stupid basket boy auction, but they have several punchline too, like bullying and mental illnesses and other stuff. I also like the way they narrate the story. It switches between the POVs of the male and female lead, but the transition is seamless. AND, the ending is so lovelyyy I can't help but coo at them every time.
This film just feel so good, right in my heart. <3
4. Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl (2015)
I stumbled upon this movie randomly when I am browsing in PopcornTime. The title intrigued me, so I decided to watch it, and I never regret any second of it. And I repeated, and repeated, and repeated, but I never regret any second of every single repeat of it. The story is crazy good. And the movie posters are really funny, you should look up for all of them, hahaha.
Actually, no. The main plot is really cliche, because I someone asked me for a logline, it'll be something along the line of this: "A broody high school social butterfly (and I use the term loosely) teen got his life topsy-turvied because of a terminally ill, jaded, high school teenage girl." OKAY, but that lousy logline DOES NOT give this film any justice. This film is really, really, really beautiful in a witty, biting, charming, harrowing, heartbreaking, occasionally funny kind of way. My feelings just went ASDFGHJKL!? every time, hahaha.
Greg, the main character, feels so close to my heart. That fucking awkward bastard! He's annoying and tactless in an endearing kinda way, somehow. Thankfully, he has Earl, his so-called co-worker, who balances him, slaps the reality hard into his face, and redeems every social faux pas he made. And the dying girl, what can I say about her. Well, her name is Rachel, she has Leukimia, but no, she does not die.
Spoiler much? No, I swear it's not a spoiler. I am not sorry.
Last but not least, the audiovisual is off the chart! The filmmaking techniques are there. The script and dialogues, the soundtrack, the framing, the production design (so hella goals), and the editing is on point. They also combined a lot of techniques, like stop-motion and stuff. It is a gift for the eyes. I am so blessed. <3
PLUS:
- The abundance of classic films parodies. Much witty, very funny.
- THE FUCKING PLOT TWIST.
5. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)
Total epic epicness, truly. I heard that it is adapted from a comic book, but I haven't read the comic book yet. The storyline is the epitome of crazy absurdity, but I enjoy everything. It does not really make sense, but not everything has to make sense, right?
The League of Evil Exes. Seven evil exes. What a ride. I think I laugh from the beginning to the end. It is very dazzling and witty and sometimes even the unexpected things are funny. I mean like, Scott is in a band called Sex Bob-Omb, and they have hilarious songs including "We Are Sex Bob-Omb" and "Garbage Truck" - they are funnier than Mudslide Crush from Lemonade Mouth. :")
(Also, Sex Bob-Omb is legit on Spotify, guys, haha.)
I think they managed to capture the essence of comic book storytelling really well? The visual effect is VERY GOOD! The format is kinda of similar to an RPG video game, with battles and fighting sequences and superpower techniques. It is very comical to watch. Everything is so eye-catching with bursts of raining rewards coins on top. The VFX also cover even the smallest details, like the first time they showed Wallace's place (where Scott live/crashes) and they give tiny bitty descriptions about the things in the room.
PLUS:
- "Bread makes you fat?"
- "I have to go pee due to boredom."
- "We are Sex Bob-Omb and we are here to make you think about death and get sad and stuff."
- "He punched the highlights out of her hair!"
- And the list of funny/stupid quotes went on.
• • •
SO! It's the end of the top 5 list and ugh I got writer's block several time because I can't just express how I really feel about these films. I hope you can enjoy them as much as I do. Laterz! <3
