FILMS THAT CURE (or at least offer some relief): PART 1 OF MANY SEQUELS

A few things in life are recession-proof.
One of them is food, and for yours truly, another is “movies”.

I was hanging out with one of my dearest friends and she suggested that I write about films that inspire me.

So to ScarletRose, this one’s for you.

• AMELIE (directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet): when you need a dose
of joy, magic and mishief.


• MARATHON (directed by Yoon-Chul Jeong): when you
have too many excuses.

*thanks JC for giving me this movie

•THE TASTE OF TEA (directed by Katsuhito Ishii): ): when
your family's driving you crazy.


•WALL-E (directed by Andrew Stanton): when you crave
the perfect gentleman.


•THE KILLER (directed by John Woo): when forgiving yourself
is the hardest thing.


•LARS AND THE REAL GIRL (directed by Craig Gillespie): when
you want to know all about LOVE.


•MOULIN ROUGE! (directed by Baz Luhrmann): for tired eyes (and hearts). Special nod to Rei who is several notches more obsessed
than I am over this film.


•300 (directed by Zack Snyder): when you need to believe
against all odds. And if you happen to be a creative,
this will also take care of the rut.


•SEX AND THE CITY (any episode from the series. Ok technically not a movie, but the series was better): (for the girls) when you miss your friends and they are nowhere near you. Take at least 2 episodes, and feel sane again.


•SABRINA (directed by Billy Wilder; the one with Audrey and Humphrey): when you have become all about the overt–––time to see the subtext.


•LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE (directed by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang): for LIFE revisited.


•MEAN GIRLS (directed by Mark Waters; can be substituted with CLUELESS): sometimes you just need a guilty pleasure.


•CINEMA PARADISO (directed by Giuseppe Tornatore): when… heck,
you don’t really need a reason. The multi-vitamin of films, you should just watch it because it’s good for you. One of my top 5 favorite films
of all time, it also has my favorite theme song of all. I cry everytime.


•THE PROFESSIONAL (directed by Luc Besson): when you’re doubting your capacity to nurture someone else.


•ZORRO (directed by Rouben Mamoulian, the black and white with Tyrone Power): when you’ve been watching way too much UFC.


•THE PRESTIGE (directed by Christopher Nolan): when you are surrounded by idiots (at work or otherwise) and desperately need to believe in the intellect of mankind again.


•MAGNIFICO (directed by Maryo J. De Los Reyes): when you need to find your childlike faith. Special shout out to the writer of this film, Michiko Yamamoto, whom I had the pleasure of befriending in Manila,
thanks to Carissa.


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CAUTION:
•TAKE WITH A SUPERSIZED SODA, BEER OR WINE FOR MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS.
•MAY CAUSE MICHAEL BAY FANS SOME DISORIENTATION, FOLLOWED BY A SUDDEN ACUTE AWARENESS.
•CONTINUED INTAKE MAY LEAD TO DEPENDENCY AND TARDINESS AT WORK.

READY OR NOT

Most of our lives are spent constantly preparing for something.
But between you and I, I think most of the time, we are never quite there.
In fact getting to a state of feeling perfectly ready could prove to be elusive. Sure, we can wait...and wait...until one day we feel all is just perfect, just right. But isn’t it a terrible heartache to constantly be "preparing" and never fully immersing in everything that life has to offer right now?

Our minds tell us too frequently that we need more time, more money, more preparation. And while I do agree that there are skill sets to be developed, strengths to be harbored, rejuvenation and revitalization to go through, I have also recently realized that sometimes we just need to confront the task and let our hearts bite the bullet. Because the truth is sometimes all of us are hiding behind the “not being ready” level. Because it is a comfortable and safe zone to be in. There we can claim we are doing something, while simultaneously being protected from both failing and succeeding (I remember what they say–––people’s greatest fear is not "in failing", but it’s actually "in succeeding").

A year or so ago, I could have officially left my company and followed my heart. I told myself let me be stable first, let me study first, let me save up first. Well more than a year has passed since then. And now the economy has tanked, I haven’t nearly taken all the classes I still need to take, and it’s not like I have that much savings to show either. Quite frankly, nothing much has changed really. But see this time, I decided to finally choose to dive in and quit. Arguably, you can say that I needed that much time to get mentally and emotionally prepared. Others might deem it foolish. But in my heart I also know that I just merely needed to look inside of me and have faith. Faith in God…in myself.

Once I believed that, I just needed to buckle up tight for the ride.
Because either way, I know I have chosen the more interesting and thrilling path.