Manners Make a Movie

So it all started with this movie poster:

Talk about boy toys...

At first I thought it would be another mindless action movie with absolutely no creative taste when it came to choosing its actors. Then, I coincidentally got a glimpse of the movie trailer:

And I was like woah... They got me at the "umbrella shield" part and I was like, "Who would have even thought of inventing that?" and "That's bloody awesome!" at the same time. Then I saw something that really got me wanting to watch this film in the big screen:

Oh my fangirl heart... <3 >.<

So technically yeah, they got me there. But it turns out that the film also consisted of "old school savviness":

Kudos to my mum... ;)

So before this blogpost turns into a fangirl tribute, I'll probably move on to the movie review now. First, characters and actors, with Eggsy being this juvenile delinquent... Taron Egerton fits the role perfectly with his boyish charm. Colin Firth showcases his charisma as Harry; and Samuel Jackson distinctly portrays the evil Valentine with his somewhat lisp and borderline, eccentric sociopathic craziness.

Plotwise, "Kingsman" is the cliché "Good guy saves the day". But before we got there, we had these really major twists (which got me a couple of times...).

Special Effects: boy, you're in for a ride! The opening credits of the film shows it. And of course the action, which to me is a fresh approach contrary to protagonists having their asses kicked before their said victory. And our good guys all do these in a pinstripe suit with classy reading glasses, so cheerios to that!

All in all, I can't help but wait for a sequel 'cuz I really haven't gotten enough of those tux-wearing Kingsmen. ;)

The Mind of a Wandering Blogger

So I recently read this book, which I finished in one night. It's titled "Wander Girl" by Tweet Sering which I found out was published by Summit Media back in 2004. That was like 10-11 years ago and I would definitely never have understood this sort of book back when I was only 8-9 years old. This is the sort of "finding yourself" book wherein you're finding out your purpose in life when your also stuck in a pit of "now what?". For some reason though, I'm glad I still found an ebook copy on Amazon since this book isn't available in local bookstores anymore, nor is it available in local e-book markets like Buqo.

Talk about "low resolution"... -.-"

So back to the story, "Wander Girl" starts with our main protagonist, Hilda, and we're given the impression that no self-respecting girl should let any setback stop her from following her heart. That's why Hilda sets off on a journey that takes her through days of pining for the perfect job, over rough series of heartbreak and disappointment (not to mention bad sex), and even into foreign territory: passionate Frenchmen, adventurous half-Maoris, witty Brits. Armed only with an honest map to her own heart, it's a journey that eventually leads her to her true calling, her true self, and true love. (Synopsis brought to you by Goodreads).

So in the end, I found Hilda as a very relatable character. She gave off that nostalgic sense of emotion when talking about her childhood and family, I also found her "eureka" moments amusing. Another character favorite of mine was Hilda's younger sister, Hannah since even though she was at least 5 years younger than our 24 year old protagonist, she still gave off that "old-soul" feel and that she knew what she was talking about. Of course Hilda's whole family was amazing in their own way and they made Hilda who she is as an adult. There was also the awesome best friend, Lulu, who I find amusing due to her spunkiness.

All in all, "Wander Girl" made me cry and laugh at the same time, and it also got me thinking about my own future and my "hilig" as Hilda would call it. Would I be as brave as Hilda too when it comes to following my dreams whenever I'm faced with a wall? I hope so. But one thing I've learned from Hilda when it comes to following one's dreams, it's to follow your heart.