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.

The Art of “Silly”, Silly

I often thank my lucky stars for having the "easily amused" gene. It may seem shallow at times, but it’s really what I need to do to rise above and reach a certain depth in my everyday existence.


The ability to find delight in random little things is an act of survival. Without this, it's harder to bounce back from disappointments and challenges. Without this, we are less in tune with and less appreciative of what we have around us.

I like erasers. I admit I really do. As a child, I had this Danish Cookies tin box that I kept under my bed. In it weren't sweets, but rather a wide assortment of erasers in every shape and scent. I even put them perfectly in place in the plastic mold tray (ok, I just told you too much). I never really used them, but they were there for me to look at and be delighted. Silly yes, but I was onto something.

While I don't keep a tin can under my bed anymore, I do have a number of little things still around that make me smile when I need to. For instance, I have a "Chinese Combo Lunch" Robot set. One is a beef bowl 'bot, the other an Oolong Tea. Together they fight off alligators and Account Executives on my desk.


I don't mean to be constantly going nuts and raving joyously at anything and everything. That would be too annoying for everyone around you. What I do mean however is looking for joy, humor and value in unexpected places or situations. And when there's none, create it. This is why I love torturing one of my co-workers. In always trying to one-up each other in fun little ways, we find “comic relief” in an otherwise monotonous environment. I also smile at this homeless man's jokes every night as I pass him on my way home. Sometimes I even laugh out loud 10 seconds after, when finally I get the corny joke. And just like that, it could turn my day around. And his.

Every day will always be a constant battle for all of us to stay up and running, but when we find amusement in things or in people, it gives us a little boost to keep going. This is not silly, it's how we get a fighting chance at happiness in life. For only when we allow ourselves to laugh at ourselves, can we be prepared for the more serious stuff up ahead.

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things...

Like all creatives, I have a number of tricks to beckon my muse.
Some are tried and tested, some are spur of the moment discoveries in which my muse actually came and found me.

Here are the first 20 off the top of my head:
• fresh or dried lavender next to me
• new office supplies
• music, various kinds
• cooking. Particularly, mincing, dicing or chopping
(depends how much anger you need to release. Just be careful where you wield)
• eating a nice meal (mom and pop joints)
• the scent of cedar and grass after the rain
• a visit to Target (relatively new but believe me, very, very effective)
• the sight, the breeze and the smell of the ocean
• a baby's hard grip on my finger
(If he's my nephew, it's 200% more effective)
• Cinema Paradiso
• reading anything and everything
(note: drawing inspiration, good. Blatantly copying, not good)
• a good cup of Joe (jolts the snoozing goddess)
• great conversation
• a solo stroll (or a workout)
• getting a hair cut. It’s a weird thing, but I’m the opposite of Samson.
• competition. "Anything you can do, I can do better."
• awesome work from other creatives that makes me say,
"I wish I did that"
• awful work from other creatives that leaves me speechless
• sleeping, showering, brushing my teeth (very underappreciated, but very classic. This is called the “walk away and forget about it” tactic)
• everything in the Julie Andrews song except for the wild geese bit
(see: http://youtube.com/watch?v=c5dNV7a3vck)