Here I Go Again!

It was pitch dark, as midnight should be. The air was cool, as an operative air-conditioning unit should provide. The only thing to focus on in the darkness was the screen in front, as a good movie should be viewed. Against the backdrop of rippling water, a sweet voice sang, and I was instantly captivated, as a beautiful song should mersmerise. And my journey to a fun, enjoyable movie began - Mamma Mia!

Although the volume was turned to the top for maximum enjoyment, my seven-years-old son was sleeping soundly next to me, unperturbed throughout the movie.

The screen was slightly wider than thirteen inches, no more than two feet away and the sound reached me through a pair of earbuds, in my bedroom. That's where and when I first watched Mamma Mia! - on a computer in DVD, when everybody's asleep, a few months after its theatrical release.

As much as I wanted to, I didn't catch the movie in the cinema, because my wife is not a fan of ABBA and I didn't want to crack my head explaining how a person can have three possible fathers to my two young children. So I waited for the DVD.

I didn't know about Mamma Mia the musical before the movie premier and the musical setting foot in Malaysia. I was curious in how they would break into songs and dances in the movie. And when Sophie sang "Honey, Honey ..." amidst a monologue, I felt it was slightly uncanny. But as soon as she went "he's a love machine ... oh he make me dizzy!" shaking her head cheekily, I was head over heel into it. From then on I need no convincing to ride along the fun-filled excursion - the noisy reunion of old friends, the serendipity of strangers' gathering, the lavish monetary fantasy, the butterfly of heartbeat in meeting old flames, the merry singing and dancing of a bunch of women ...



I was singing and dancing silently as I was taken through the familiar ABBA songs, and the sentimental fool of me even had tears in my eyes when the songs reached their climaxes, even in songs like Dancing Queen when the beats resonated so closely to the strings of my heart. When I didn't have tears in my eyes, I was smiling. The only thing I didn't do was break into songs and dances. I was so into it ... until Pierce Brosnan sang with Donna Sheridan.

Pierce Brosnan. Not Sam Carmichael. When the character sang SOS, there was a slight pause in the flow of my thoughts. That's when my mind resurface from the sea of make-belief for a brief moment.

Sam Carmichael talked the way he talks and sang the way he sings. I guess nobody can be critical about it. But when we see Sam Carmichael as Pierce Brosnan, we had expectation. When he leaned against the wall and filled in "When your're gone!" to Donna's, I felt the "awkwardness" and was being critical for a while. But I was quick to fall back into the movie again. Still, I think Brosnan was sweet when he sang "I can't conceal it ..." on one knee in the chapel, and sentimental when he sang "Here's to us, one more toast ..." during dinner. And on subsequent viewing (to date, four times within one month!), I found his singing pleasant, even on SOS, and need no convincing from my parts. And it's easy to watch it over and over again too. What's not to love about Mamma Mia!?

It's a summer romance set on a scenic island, with charming and lovable characters roaming and dancing around the piers, the villa, the beaches; familiar ABBA songs ringing in the air; yachts sailing in the breeze, jeeps roaming on sandy roads; the days were basking in sunshine, blue sky and summer breezes and the night was shrouded in colorful and mysterious veil - a perfect place for a romantic escape. It was easy to be captivated by the freedom in the air, the beauty of the island, the charms of Donna, Tanya, Rosie, Sophie, Sam, Bill and Harry, and of course the wonderful ABBA songs - it was engrossing.

In fact, I was so engrossed with the movie the first time I watched it, my awareness was totally swept away. I didn't notice that the name of the place was Villa Donna; I didn't notice when Donna had a drill in her hand before she went "Down boy! Down boy!"; I didn't realise what's Harry wake-up call was; I didn't catch all the gay-indicative moments of Harry; I didn't realize "Aphrodite" is the word that was heard when the water sprouted from the cracked ground towards the ending ... and I guess I'll find more details over my repeated viewing of the movie. And I will be watching it over and over again, until my crush over it tapers off.

In retrospect, I was probably right in waiting for the DVD too, or else I would have a really hard time in controlling myself from dancing in the cinema and looking like a fool in front of the public.

"Honey, honey, how you thrill me, uh-ha ... Honey, honey ..."


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I Like to Move It, Move It - Madagascar 2

It’s a world where lions and hippos get to walk upright on their hind legs, and, perhaps unfairly, giraffes and zebras still have no hands for gesturing; a lion can dance as gracefully as a ballerina, perhaps even better; a giraffe can fall in love with a hippo; a zebra can crack jokes like a black man; and all animals speak the same language, ours.

It’s an entertaining world if your imagination is able to run loose, more so if you watch it with your kids, and an easily entertained crowd.

Madagascar 2:

(Warning: following contains spoilers (even though the movie doesn’t need one) and loads of craps.)

Four urban animals (a lion, a zebra, a hippo and a giraffe) that were stranded in an island a long, long time ago (like in its prequel), finally got to go home in an airplane that was piloted by none other than the birds that can’t fly, penguins.

Right at a few thousand feet above Africa, the fuel of the airplane ran dry and they bungee-jumped and crash-landed into no other place than the birthplace of our main character, the lion. There he was happily reunited with his long lost parents and his clan, who all had great looking hair that Elvis would be proud of. The zebra found his brothers who all had the same number of black and white stripes, same pattern, same hair, same height, same legs, same tone of voice, same humour, same … same everything. The hippo found her clan where being big and very big were beautiful. And the giraffe found his mates who, to his horror, didn’t have a doctor amongst them.

With their new found family, a scenic water place as their home and the protection of the place being a reserve, all was well and rosy, until they need some twists and turns to stretch it to a 90 minutes affair.

The lion was conned and banished from the clan, along with his mother and father, who happened to be the alpha lion. The zebra found out he’s not unique, and all of a sudden had an identity crisis. The giraffe found a brown spot (amongst many others) behind his neck and thought he had only a few more days to live. The hippo … well, she’s happy, gotten to date a six-abs hunk with cute butts.

But all’s not lost (except for our times). God, or in this case, the movie makers, always had something uplifting spiritually saved for the last for those with bravery and perseverance, to stay until the end of the movie.

The waterhole at the reserve was running dry. And nobody had, or should have, a clue regarding what to do, except for our heroes.

The lion saw a chance to redeem himself and his parents, and boldly took up the challenge. After convincing his zebra friend that uniqueness was all in the mind and not in the eyes (he’s white stripes with black, as opposed to the black stripes with white of the other zebras), they ventured into the wilderness to remove the block in nature’s water piping.

As sure as the ozone layer was getting bigger and bigger day by day, they found out the source of the problem and its perpetrators - us human, who does not spare thoughts for other inhabitants on the earth, and claims ownership on everything that is on it.

At the end, with some smooth dancing moves, a father and son collaboration, a wing-flapping airplane, some great stunts from a giraffe and a hippo, a few penguins and loads of monkeys, they saved the day, and their waterhole, and a fish who was able to hold his breath on dry land longer, way, way longer, than I can hold mine in the water.

Our heroes returned as heroes to the reserve and decided that the reserve would be their home and lived happily ever after. And the penguin leader wed his beloved wooden bobblehead doll.

And if you find yourself leaving the cinema twisting your butt while humming “I like to move it, move it …”, you’re probably enjoying a bit too much of the movie. If you leave doubting the logic in a shark’s ability to hop from the sea to the beach, through the forest, up the mountain, and into a volcano; or the technically able mind of the penguins, or their organizing skills, or their shrewdness on the negotiation table; or how a zebra could switch on an iPod with his hooves, you’re probably not loosening enough the rein on your imagination to enjoy the movie.

I never had any control over my imagination, and my kids liked it, so I found it to be an enjoyable experience.

I like to Move It, Move It ...


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Wall-E

Wall-E is not that good, I thought.

And I blame it on all the reviews I read before I went to the movie.

It’s been a long while since I started to go for movies regularly. So long that I forgotten my movie-going golden rule no. 1 – do not read any review of the movie you intend to watch. Without expectation, I always find that I would be able to enjoy the movie, even if the critics say otherwise. Simple entertainment – that’s what I look for with the ticket I pay.

I only realized that I’d breached my golden rule when I was wondering why I was left a bit flat by the movie coming out of the cinema. I set my expectation too high.

Still, coming after so many CGI movies, Wall-E doesn’t seem to provide any breakthroughs.

After toys, ants, grasshoppers, cars, trucks, rats, panda, snake, praying mantis, etc were being made to walk, talk, fight, dance and suffer through emotions like us, I’d expect some ground breaking animation with robots (again I blame all the reviews I read). Apart from the angel looking Eve, I don’t think I’ll remember Wall-E for its robotic cuteness (didn’t Wall-E looks a lot like a shrunk Johnny Five?).

And when the sky, or outer space, or the outer of outer space is the limit with CGI available, I thought the storyline could be a bit more outrageously creative. I don’t think I’ll remember Wall-E for its storyline, either. But then again, this is a movie for kids. And maybe I’d already known the plot before I went into the cinema (and again, I blame those damned movie reviews).

But there was something that caught my creativity-seeking antenna when I watched the movie. I just couldn’t pinpoint it when I left.

On our drive home after the movie, as I was blaming all the reviews I read earlier, the movie’s "creative breakthrough” lurking in my mind surfaced.

Amid the music from the car radio, my kids at the back were going, “Wa, Waa, Waal, Waallll, Eeeeee,” and then, “E, Ee, Eeeev, Eeeevvee,” in their squeaky voices.

Those robotic voices of Wall-E and Eve!

That’s what I’ll remember the movie for. I can’t seem to remember any more lingering voices of any animated figures than those two.

So, at least I was satisfied in one way. But I still blame the movie reviews I read.

I’m sure after I have watched Wall-E over, and over, and over again with my kids on DVD when we get it, it’ll boost up my admiration for the film.

Oh, did I mention? My kids love the movie. And they think it’s, “G, Gr, Grrre, Grrreee, Grrreeeeaaaattt!”

Movies

I like watching movies. And I very rarely have popcorn or soft drinks during movies, I like to stay totally hooked to the movie. And I’m usually one of the last to leave the cinema, reading all the credits, while listening to the soundtrack, just to soak up all the good feels of the experience. And I only watch movies at night. Coming out from the comfortable, cool, enchanting darkness into bright hot sunlight would vapourise all the imagination stirred up during the movie, it gives me headache too.

And it’s been eight long years since I last fully enjoy a movie.

After my eldest child was born, fatherhood had somehow diminished my interest in movies, and makes cinema a less attractive place than by the side of my children. It was not until my eldest girl was six and my little boy was four that we went for our first family movie, when I thought they were old enough to be introduced into the wonderful world of movie magic.

“Chicken Little” was the first movie we went together as a family, and the first after a 6-years-long hiatus. I was ready to enjoy movie again. Yipee!

“Why the soda give out gas when you shake them?”, “How come Chicken Little is so little and can swing such a big bat?”, “How come the pig so fat can go through the hole so small?”, “How come … ” - Q & A session.

Ooo…kay, that’s what it’s like bringing little children to their first movie. I spent half the time answering their questions while trying to hush them down. Needless to say, I didn’t get to enjoy the movie, but it’s a revelation.

So there was quite a long while before we decided to take the children for another movie again. “Spiderman 3” came along. That time, I invited my cousin and his family to come along. My 2 kids and his 3 kids would have each other for company sitting together. They would have a good time while I could enjoy my movie.

All was fine when there were fast and furious actions on the screen, However, when the audience was enjoying a quiet, romantic moment between Peter Parker and Mary Jane, they also had to endured our kids arguing about whose turn was it to hold the popcorn bucket. Ooo…kay, too many “cold” scenes, and not enough hot actions on the screen to attract their attentions. Lesson learned.

We sat through the movie trying to instruct, order, and even threaten the kids to shut up or turn down their voices, while hoping for more car chasing, web swinging, and villains fighting scenes on the screen.

There would be another long wait for the next movie. “Transformers”. That time, I made sure by consulting my friend who had watched the movie, “Good exciting actions from start to finish. Good show.” Ah … that’s the one. No cousin that time. Some expected Q & A sessions regarding the story. Tolerable. And just when we’re getting excited gearing towards the final showdown between the Autobots and Decepticons with Sam and Mikaela being brought to the secret base of Sector 7, a voice whispered in my ear …

“Baba, I want to pee-pee …”

“WHAT?” I screamed out at the top of my lungs … in my thought. “But they are going to fight soon, it’s going to be very exciting, you’ll like it,” I tried to persuade him to hold on.

“But it’s going to come out already …”

Ooo…kay, no more popcorn and soft drinks for movie, another lesson learnt.

A few more movies we watched recently during school holiday, “Iron Man” and “Indiana Jones”. Knowing what to expect, the pain and disappointment in not able to enjoy the movies become more tolerable.

Finally, “Kungfu Panda”. I expected the worst for this movie. Because we’re going with the family of my sister-in-law, 5 adults, 5 children, loads of popcorn and soft drinks. Ooo…kay, I’m ready.

However, as soon as I walked into the cinema, I had a good feeling. Children were everywhere (it was school holiday and it’s the second night after the premier) talking, eating, laughing and, of course, asking questions. Seemed like my kids were the more mature ones this time round. One down.

In the middle of the confusion in trying to get everybody seated, I was separated from my kids, by two seats, my wife and my sister-in-law. Shouldn’t be any Q & A this time round. Two down.

If only I could sit through the whole show with Mother Nature going AWOL on my kids, I would have a great time.

True enough, after being enchanted, and laughing together with everyone in the cinema, I was able to enjoy the whole movie for once, at long last. No Q & A, no fighting for popcorn, no toilet breaks, lots of laugh, loads of humour, kungfu in every other scene, nice atmosphere, .... Ah ... satisfied. Oh, I love movies.