Okay, first of all, how did they photograph this? We all know that Lindsay Lohan has no twin. But this is what Parent Trap was all about, Lindsay changing character and costumes almost every time. When I was younger I actually thought that Lindsay Lohan had a twin! Anyways, Parent Trap is a movie about identical (supposedly) twins, Hallie and Annie, who were separated at birth when Elizabeth James (Natasha Richardson) and Nick Parker (Dennis Quaid) divorced and live at the other ends of the world. The twins reunite again after eleven years unbeknownst to them that they were related and are identical twins. They just assumed that they dead ringers of each other. They meet each other in camp and become mortal enemies until one day they were forced to spend in a cabin until the end of camp just by themselves. Thanks to the cabin, they got to know that they were twins with the help of the casually ripped picture of their mother and father’s. Seeing that as so they then decided to switch places so that they could feel what it was like to live with their mother and vice versa and to bring them back together. An ingenious plan yet ruined by the sudden appearance of Meredith Blake (Elaine Hendrix), a woman who only wanted Nick for his money. But in the end, they had a good ending with their parents finding the love they had for each other once again.

Parent Trap is one of the Disney movies that I keep on watching and never get tired of. Sometimes I’d even recite the lines together with the twins, I was that addicted. It is a movie that will make you laugh, especially in the earlier parts of it where the twins were still at odds with each other, especially when Annie went skinny dipping and got her ears pierced, Annie seemed to always have the short end of the stick. There were also some scenes that would make you smile like when the twins finally found out that they were twins! These eleven year olds sure know how to spice things up by pulling pranks on Meredith, communicating but still hiding their identity, finding sneaky ways to make their parents meet and acting like each other.

All in this entire movie has a great story, if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have watched it for a thousand times. This movie had believable actors, in my opinion, there were no bad actors. The musical scoring was great, too, since they included works of Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole. At the end of the day, I’d have to say Parent Trap is a movie that suits all our tastes; it has comedy, drama, family and romance. After almost 9 years of watching it, I would want to watch it again and relive the moment.

Picture taken from ratings.7ya.ru

O'hana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind...
or forgotten.

Who could ever forget these lines in the year 2002 when we were caught off guard with a movie that involved an extraterrestrial being? Little did we know that this movie would stay in the deep corners of our hearts.

Lilo & Stitch is a movie which I prejudiced to be belonging in the sci-fi genre. But I was wrong. Sure, it might have involved a few scientific terms like experiments, spaceships, planets, etc. but these were words that I was able to fathom. Moving on, this movie started out in Hawaii where Lilo was a girl who desperately tried to make friends but no one really made an effort to know her better. She was orphaned, she was lonely and you can’t help but want to reach out and hug her (which is impossible). In a way the perfect word for her would be “alienated”, which brings me to our alien friend, Stitch. In the movie, Stitch or fondly called by Jumba as Experiment 626 was banished to an asteroid but being that he is cleverly evil, Stitch took over the ship and ended up crashing in Hawaii and finally in the dog pound where it was found by Lilo. Stitch’s heart softened up because of the realization of his being alone and the need for love and acceptance, which is the same situation at where Lilo is in. Both characters were considered to be “alienated” (no pun intended) but still they found the love and acceptance they needed from each other. With this I say, Disney never and will never lose its touch.

I know I can proudly say that I am not too old to watch Disney movies. Disney always finds its way to get to me. They can make you tear up over a scene you usually imagined you wouldn’t cry at, that’s their power. They have a way of telling a story that makes you think and feel hard about it. Lilo & Stitch isn’t just a movie about aliens and Elvis Presley. Despite the fact that it included some sci-fi themes, it carried the reality of a lonely person, of how hard it is to be alone and to be not loved. With a great theme and a plot that will keep you chewing on your popcorn without noticing, Lilo & Stitch is a success. Great sounds from Elvis which is a treat for the ears and great cinematography, which I expected from Disney, you’ll love this movie whether you’re young or old.

Picture taken from

www.if.com.au

Grease is a well-known movie/musical that is being revived up to now. I still remember reading pocket books about the usual teenage life having auditions for the musical, Grease. It was really popular and to think a person who was born in the year 1991 knew about this movie which was introduced in the late 70s, or precisely 1978. The time when it was made was the time when my parents were teenagers, and, guess what; my mom watched this movie in theaters together with her girl friends and raved about John Travolta like any normal female would do during that time. But I’d have to say John Travolta was very pleasing to the eyes.

To tell you the truth, I didn’t really see myself watching this movie. I’d have to blame it on High School Musical. No offense to the fans, but its plot was very predictable and I think the reason why it received attention was because of its musical content. In my opinion, Grease soars higher than High School Musical, way higher. When you look at High School Musical, it was no surprise that it was inspired by Grease. Gabriella was based on Sandy’s (Olivia Newton-John) character, the goody-goody person, while Troy was copied off from Danny’s (John Travolta) character, the popular guy. This just shows how great Grease is that up to the present time people are still reviving it.

The movie wasn’t boring; it didn’t have any parts that would’ve forced me to fast forward it. I love the musical scoring; especially the song “Summer Nights”; this film also showcased the musicality of Olivia Newton-John. The development of the characters was seen in the film, even though Sandy and Danny were the main characters, the others were still given significant parts that completed the all-out effect of the film. Even though the plot of the film might be a bit cliché in the end it proved me wrong. Danny, who genuinely tried to change himself for the better, so that Sandy would take him back, joined the Track team at Rydell High while Sandy dressed up as a “greaser”. It gave me a message that in a relationship, the both of you have to make an effort to adjust and to change for the better.

Grease is the word!

That image above seems quite familiar, right? Like something we did during an English period a few days ago when Char shouted, “Gaya gaya!” I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist. Dead Poets Society, a movie which all teenagers can relate to. (I’m sure you already know about this, Ms. Platon, but I’d still type the synopsis, or rather copy it from a site, which I will credit.)

Painfully shy Todd Anderson has been sent to the school where his popular older brother was valedictorian. His room-mate, Neil, although exceedingly bright and popular, is very much under the thumb of his overbearing father. The two, along with their other friends, meet Professor Keating, their new English teacher, who tells them of the Dead Poets Society, and encourages them to go against the status quo. Each, in their own way, does this, and is changed for life. (Taken from IMDb.)

In my opinion, this movie is powerful. It tackles the tangible setbacks of teenagers and how with the right guidance, teenagers can outlast them. Like Todd Anderson who finally found his voice through literature, specifically poetry; Charlie Dalton a troublemaker but a true friend; Neil Perry, a person who in our standards is perfect, but his father has him wrapped around his finger and in the end commits suicide since his father wouldn’t allow him to do something he really wants.

What I learned from this movie is, “Carpe Diem” or to seize the day. Those words might sound so simple, but most of the time we don’t really live out these words. We limit ourselves to what has been offered to us instead of looking for what we really want and need. This movie gave me a sudden burst of courage and it made me feel that I have the responsibility to make things happen for me. Even though I am so young, it made me think about how I should live my life and how I should enjoy it to the very last. This movie is probably one the best I’ve seen with an intense plot, great actors and morals to boot.

Carpe Diem!

The Beginning is the End is the Beginning
Smashing Pumpkins

Send a heartbeat to the void that cries through you

Relive the pictures that have come to pass

For now we stand alone

The world is lost and blown

And we are flesh and blood disintegrate

With no more to hate

Is it bright where you are?

And have the people changed?

Does it make you happy you're so strange?

And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame

We can watch the world devoured in its pain

Strange

Delivered from the blast

The last of a line of lasts

The pale princess of a palace cracked

And now the kingdom comes

Crashing down undone

And I am a master of a nothing place

Of recoil and grace

Time has stopped before us

The sky cannot ignore us

No one can separate us

For we are all that is left

The echo bounces off me

The shadow lost beside me

There's no more need to pretend

Cause now I can begin again

I am now currently typing another new beginning for my media log’s last flight. I found a fitting song to aptly start the last chapter of my media log. This song is quaintly titled “The Beginning is the End is the Beginning” by Smashing Pumpkins. I was actually enticed by its title, which is a bit weird, ambiguous and confusing. I read it out loud lots of times and I wondered whether there were missing words in order for us listeners to truly understand the song. But I heard that there is another song which is very similar to this which is heard on the soundtrack of the Batman and Robin movie. In all honesty, I really just chose this song because of its title, seeing that I will type my last introduction. But when I glanced at the lyrics, I was in a big surprise about how cryptic it was. It just gives me a vibe of a broken person finding love. Well, that’s my take on it.