booknewb

It's the third of Richard Linklater's "Before" trilogy. There's still a signifying thread with the first two. I figured it out. It's long walks and conversations. I vaguely remember the first two. Maybe one of these days i'll arrange to watch the first two again. Just to get an overall sense of this movie. But if this movie was separate, it would seem like a family movie. Or just the daily comings and goings of parents; a brief insight of a married couple in the middle of their lives. As always, the conversation between partners and other couples are insightful. I think that's the biggest lure in all the three movies. You actually feel like you're learning something. If this is a possible future one could have. It's not so bad.  I now realize more than ever, there is no perfect person. No perfect relationship. You are going to have rough stretches.

Once This movie is awesome. I can't even begin to describe how much heart this movie has.  There's a screaming subtlety to it. Like, do you ever catch yourself in times when you feel like everything's active. Like everything's clear and calm. I made a term "a quiet kind of happiness." There's no big plot twists. No major turns. It actually seems real.  This is easily a favorite. Begin Again The characters were great; Very well rounded. I could easily identify with them; or at least know they're good people. I think that's important that the watcher gets to have some sort of connection to the character.  I don't get Levine's character though. I don't know. The story was great. A bit like Once, but highly Americanized, I think. I was wondering what would happen between the two main characters. It's built for you to be on their side. And the ending was good. Reminds me of a business move Louis CK made with his specials...

It's hard to put your finger to what really happened. In no way whatsoever does the story offer any clue to why things are happening. They are just happening.  And you are being told as events unfold right at the middle of it. Your perspective is Raymundo "Mong", A person in the broadcasting industry, seeking to fulfill a promise to his dead mother. He goes back to his roots, Magapok.  There he finds people from his past, the new town, and his old childhood love, Filomena. Other themes are given light: local politics, a career in the media, the military, etc.  While these topics are given a brief life, the events unfold without failing, without reason. Just about when you thought you've figured out what's happening. You haven't.  "Maybe this is that. No, it's isolated." You find yourself cursing at what's happening.

Christmas is just around the corner. I have some of my best memories around this period. Maybe it's the time spent in that period. Maybe it's the people around. Maybe it's the food, the gifts. Maybe. Anything you feel throughout the year, this is amplified through this 2-3 week stretch. That's why it's easy to feel sad, or even depressed during this time.  It's not impossible that some people spend the holidays away from home.  There are parents working outside of the country. There are brothers or daughters sacrificing for their own sons and sisters.  There are people in graveyard shifts in the Outsourcing industry, whose Christmas or New Year's leave is denied. There are families who may have lost a parent, a son, a daughter or a relative. There are people that are alone. They need warmth the most during this period.

I happen to be browsing Youtube. Found this interesting interview. The following are excerpts from Piers Morgan's interview with Bear Grylls. On being a son (What were the values do you think he instilled in you?) He just really encouraged me to love something. You know and when he saw that i loved to climb. He really encouraged that.  On being a father (Of all the things that you've achieved in your life. What do you think he would have been the proudest of?) Our boys and the fact that i'm still married to Sharra.  Genuinely you know, I think the other stuff is so transient really. You know people go "oh you climbed to the top of this. you served that". You're always much more interested in things like the SAS, Everest than i am to be honest. You know it's part of my history. I'm super proud of it. I'm proud of the relationships, But the pride of my life isn't that stuff. It really isn't. You know, the pride of my ...

My internet connection's terrible right now.  It's like a version of a Chinese water torture where the victim is held, while inconsistent droplets of water fall to the head. Except in this case, the connection is the droplet. It could also be psychologically. I just realized if you focus on a purely external output, the connection is the reward, the disruption is the punishment.  It's a buildup of a terrible impulse. This feels bad. Now what? I don't know why the Telco's are acting like this.  A version of what Louis CK may have said. "You're losing nothing. You just feel bad." That's true in this moment. Grrr. Pesky connection.

Money rents happiness. It doesn't buy it. What truly buys happiness? I dont know. I think that if your meaning of happiness stems in Money, you will never have enough .