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Just keeping a log of the latest movies seen so far.

The Fountain
The Fountain is an art film more than a movie. It was a relaxing experience really. However, I’d understand if people won’t get it. The running time for The Fountain’s plot is excessively longer than it should’ve been in my opinion. I’m also not sure if this is good for rental…

Apocalypto
Finally I was able to catch this one. I was expecting a more violent and gory film knowing Gibson's trip. This isn’t also as tragic as Braveheart or The Patriot. I was also expecting more pyramids and the likes. For the uninitiated, they’d have the impression that the Mayans lived in an extremely violent civilization. It looked like they consulted everything on a single documentary I watched years ago on National Geographic and didn’t bother looking into other sources.

Although everything in the movie was probably accurate, a lot of the aspects of Mayan culture must’ve been left out. Like the fact that they were also very advanced in terms of astronomy, calendrical cycles, mathematics and measurement.

I was expecting an answer to the question “How did the Mayan civilization vanish?” and I’m not sure if it was addressed in the movie. There was a hint of the Spaniards but I’m not so sure they were there when the Mayans flourished. Common sense would have possible answers though. Unlike the Egyptians, the Mayans didn’t think of building their major cities along side a flowing river like the Nile. An absence of free flowing water will result in the following: drought, excessive loss of natural resources, poor/no waste management, diseases and a lack of swimming recreational activities which drove them to sacrificing each other simply because they were bored.

Ironically they turned to sacrificing prisoners of war to appease their gods because they were running out of natural resources and were getting sick. And how do they dispose of their decapitated sacrifices? They just dump them on a massive pit near their city – thousands of rotting corpses and they don’t bother burning them. This was the theory presented on the National Geographic documentary. There were accounts of writings that told of the stench whenever a trader would pass by their cities.

Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider would always be my favourite comic character. One because he actually kills his villains and not just take them to the cops like Spidey does. When I was in first year high school, the school organized a Superhero Art Contest and I quickly signed up. I didn’t have to think of who I will paint for my entry. Ghost Rider. First because I knew that a guy in bright-yellow flames with red backdrop will definitely stand out among the other entries unless someone was entering in with Phoenix which was unlikely. I won. From that moment on, I knew he’ll be my hero.

However, the character I followed on the comics was Dan Ketch. The second Ghost Rider after Johnny Blaze. For the movie, I didn’t care as long as it’s still the guy with the flaming skull I’m watching. Apparently, Ghost Rider was an unexpected hit reaching #1 in the US box office last week with 45 million USD’s in one weekend. It’s really not as bad as I would’ve expected except for Cage’s funny acting “Look into my eyes…”

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The last quarter of 2006 brought in 2 films very close to heart. The Prestige and The Illusionist. Both period films centered on the industry (and art) of magic and illusions. Unfortunately by reasons I do not know, The Illusionist never reached Philippine cinemas. The Prestige would have to be one of the best films I’ve seen for 2006 next only to The Devil Wears Prada. However, after watching The Illusionist last night, I’d have to move The Prestige a notch lower on the ranks.

While some reviews said The Illusionist has similar plots to The Prestige, I’ll have to disagree. The Illusionist is a love story through and through. The Prestige is The Count of Monte Cristo done with theatrics, smokes and mirrors. I’m guessing The Illusionist must have had a great twist in the end for viewers that are not as analytical as me when it comes to producing films. Maybe it’s just that I have too many plot twist experiences that I now know what the writers were thinking. Nonetheless, it’s a lovely artistic film.

The only thing I did not agree to was the use of CG to enhance the effects and illusions presented in the movie. The special effects used on The Prestige were minimal that the tricks performed were more realistic (the illusions could be done in real life) while The Illusionist felt the need to raise the bar to illusions performed during the Victorian period. Well, even on our time the effects presented on The Illusionist might still be impossible to accomplish.

Hmm, I think there’s a hidden agenda on Hollywood and Las Vegas to promote the magic and illusions industry. Lately, magic has been reduced (or minimized) to street magic level with the likes of Blaine, Criss Angel and Derren Brown and perhaps the stage illusions were not selling as much.

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Below is a friend's letter to me. I don't care if I've adviced her wrongly or for the better, I just feel that she can't forever live in her current state... You can't love someone if you can't learn to love yourself first - Bliss, 1997. I don't really know. I just need this outlet...

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"... my daughter was still a baby when I observed how close she was to her dad. Until now that she’s four years old and I have her custody and I’ve already separated with her father, there was never a time when my little girl would not remind me how much she liked her father better than me. On my part, it is very painful to think that I’m doing everything for her although it has been very difficult because of my situation in life. But in the end, whatever I do tend to be always wrong for her.

Even if she gets scratched, wounded or whatever, as long as she’s with her dad, it’s ok. But if she were with me when she gets these accidents, I’m automatically the mom from hell. I feel my daughter loves me but I also feel she loves her dad more.

Her dad recently contacted me just to tell me how worthless I am and that I can never be a mother to my little girl. It has always been my fault. Even though I’ve thrown away everything just for her. A lot of times I want to just give it all up. She’s the only one, she’s the only reason I’m still working to get a better life and it’s unfair that the only reason you’re living for is the same person who hates you.

At times I also think what if I send her back to her dad… Start my own new family without them - Hoping that they will love me better. It’s not all the time my friends are here to support me through life. Honestly I’m tired and I can’t move anymore. No, I don’t want to move anymore.

My ex-husband and my sister eloped years ago and now, they also want my daughter. Even though I’m thinking of finally giving up custody for the sake of my daughter’s happiness, I’m also thinking nothing will be left for me. No history, no life, no reason to live.

Maybe you’re right. Maybe I should let my daughter decide for her happiness for the moment and just hope that she misses me when she grows up. I can’t have her hating me everyday…

Perhaps like you said, I should surrender everything to fate this time and give myself freedom to breathe. You’re right when you said I won’t be able to help my daughter when even I can’t fix myself up. I just don’t know if I’ll ever survive the loss and missing her. But maybe, I do need this time for myself…"

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