She Watches: Dark Shadows (2012)

'Dark Shadows' according to IMDB is, "An imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins, is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection." It's a little bit more than that but that aptly sums it up.


When I first saw the trailer for 'Dark Shadows' I was super excited. After all, I enjoyed most of Tim Burton's movies and they always had some magic vibe to it and some clever fun lines thrown in for good measure too. Plus there is Johnny Depp which is always a plus although he can be quite a strange one. 


Like B sometimes says... some trailers are better than the actual movie and sadly 'Dark Shadows' is one of them. The trailer made me quiver with anticipation, however yesterday when we went to watch 'Dark Shadows' with our friends, I felt that the movie did not quite meet my expectations. There were of course good parts, witty dialog, dark bits, funny bits and the like but mostly the story line and execution kinda wasn't as nice as I thought it would be {me being quite polite}. Oh well... there are always other Tim Burton movies that I would probably enjoy more *smiles* but sadly 'Dark Shadows' ain't one of them. 


NEW Watch it only if: You were a die hard Johnny Depp fan, Tim Burton fan {just so you can tell people you watched ALL of his films ever} or if you have nothing to do or all the other movies at the cinema were full.


NEW... Star rating from DW: 2.5 stars out of 5 stars for 'Dark Shadows'.

We Bought A Zoo

“We Bought a Zoo” is the story of Benjamin Mee (Damon), a devoted father and husband who, during a turbulent time for his family due to the death of his wife, decides to relocate his family. Consisting of 14-year-old Dylan (Colin Ford) and five-year-old Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), Benjamin buys a run-down Zoo in Southern California but soon realizes he may well have bitten off more than he can chew as not only must he take care of his disjointed family, but 200 animals, rising debts and his new staff of zoo keepers, including Kelly (Scarlet Johansson). Benjamin is not deterred and is determined to succeed in his new life and to rescue his family.

While this might sound like a story dreamed up by Hollywood, the film is actually based on real life. “We Bought a Zoo” is a book by British Journalist Benjamin Mee who documented his family’s decision to purchase Dartmoor Zoo in Devon back in 2006. But unlike the movie, it was the death of his father and his mother’s desire to move which prompted the purchase. 

It wasn’t until 3 months after moving into the zoo that his wife, Katherine, 

unfortunately passed away and the enormity of the task began to hit home.

The real Benjamin wrote in the Guardian back in 2007 “as the grim living conditions, bad weather and lack of money came home to roost fending off creditors became a full-time job.” Not very glamorous at all, but it seems that Crowe has managed to produce a feel good movie without compromising his indie style. What more would you expect from a director that has been called the “great heart of American cinema”. {from Groove Korea} 

I thought it would just be a "bleh" movie to be honest but I was mistaken. This is a really feel good movie which touches on letting go, exploring, going on adventures, forgiveness, lost and friendship. There were several scenes in the movie that moved me {yes I got weepy eyed!} and it was good to see B enjoying the movie along with me. The beagle in the movie reminded me of Belle though Belle is heaps naughtier. Beagles just rock! Anyways, just wanted to say that this is an awesome family movie and even if you don't have a family and would like a heart tugging movie, get this movie *smiles* I wonder how it would be like to own a zoo and have such a grand adventure... its seems like hard work but heaps of fun. 

The real Benjamin is wonderful.

I am sure all the animals thank him for not giving up.

Read more at Groove Korea, The Good Review, 

The Focused Filmographer,  Wikipedia and

We Bought A Zoo Movie Trailer.

{Images and text taken from these websites}

Staying Creative

29 Ways To Stay Creative!!!

I love this!

Hope this inspires you.

I am starting with no.27 *snickers*

Waiting for Forever

Seen @ Teaser Trailer

I thought this would be a chick flick.

An easy watch ~ I was wrong.

It is not an average love story nor is this a chick flick.

This movie resonated with me.

Touched on what happiness means.

About growing up. About the way the world just is.

And about how sometimes, it's okay to be different 

as long as you are happy doing the things that you love best.

These words from the movie echo in my mind:

"Bad love letters beg for love back. 

Good love letters ask for nothing."

"I have enough of you in my head to last forever."

"If i had one wish, it would be that your life 

brings you a taste of  happiness 

that you have brought to me, 

that you can feel what it is like to love."

The music from the movie was great as well. 

It was from a band called The Mostar Diving Club.

Visit their site to listen to their music.

I heart.

Remember: "Hoarding & Collecting is not a crime. It is an art!" 

August Rush

Seen @ Movies Meter

"Sometimes, the world tries 
to knock it out of you. 
But I believe in music,the same way some people 

believe in fairytales."

- August Rush -

{I loved the movie. I loved the soundtrack. It's awesome possume}

Extraordinary

Written on 11 November 2010 after a successful event in Kuching.

I am sitting very comfortably wrapped up in a cosy comforter with soft feathery pillows (which I believe is how clouds would feel like should they be turned into pillows) propping me up. There are a couple of hours before work begins again so am taking a breather in the Grand Margarita Hotels in Kuching - the rooms here remind me of the Thistle Port Dickson hotel - hich is actually a pretty nice hotel. ‘Ave Maria’ is playing and I feel emo when I hear this awesome song being song by Beyonce. Her voice is so crisp and full of emotion, definitely one of my fav songs from her.

Seeing that I had some “breathing time”, I decided to watch one of the movies in my hard disk ‘Ramona and Beezus’. I saw the trailer a couple of months ago and couldn’t wait to watch this movie. It’s a really ‘family’ type movie which most people my age would scoff at. But I am drawn to them like how ants are drawn to the sugar pot. The story lines are simple with moral lessons thrown in for good measure.

‘Ramona and Beezus’ is definitely one show that will be in my good books. Besides a pretty good cast, the movie talked about how it was okay to be different, that sometimes we should take bold steps to do the things we really wanted to do before “real life” crept in, that sometimes the little quirky things that we do are extraordinary to others, that a good imagination is meant to be cultivated instead of ridiculed and that having an understanding and loving relationship between husband and wife is so vital to keep a family together.

Besides that, the family life that the Quimby’s (the family in the movie) have is awesome. I would want my children to be close to my future husband and I. I would want us to be able to work together to make things work and to be a close knit family. It’s really hard to explain the kind of dynamics that the family but its just awesome (minus the teenage angst) and I hope one day my family will be like the Quimby’s… if not like them, better - I best prepare the patience needed to start a family though.

I think the best part of the movie was that the Quimby parents encouraged Ramona to be different and to let her know that it was okay to be different and that she was extraordinary. This is a lesson that all of us can learn and remember I believe, I sure will.

P.S: I recommend this movie to for Family TV Nights or for girls women like me, who just want to have that feel good feeling or who has the imagination that is sometimes just out of this world *smiles*