W.E. (2011) Review

 A couple of weeks ago I watched  Madonna's W.E. It was magnificent, breathtaking, and alluring. It is basically about the story of Wallis Simpson and prince Edward -aka David, to his close friends. It also shows the story of Wallis Winthrop, a woman named after and obsessed with Wallis Simpson in 1998.

To be honest I've never heard of Wallis & Edward's story before watching the film. I haven't seen The King's Speech yet either. Now, I'm hooked. I want to know everything about Wallis and prince Edward, I want to read about their lives before, while, and after the were together. I find their story fascinating to say the least. I think I'm going to order their correspondence letters book and their biographies.

As to the film itself, it is pretty AWESOME. I mean the costume design is just perfect; the clothes are to die for and the hair and makeup is spot on.

 
And the casting is spot on, as well. I mean, they could pass as siblings.

In the film, there is a scene in which Wallis is on a yacht with prince Edward and he presents her with a tray. She lifts the lid and finds a beautiful silver cross with the most beautifully cut stones you've ever seen. He actually gifted her several which she wore in a beautiful silver chain bracelet. Madonna wears a replica of it.

 

To tell you the truth, this film has now become one of my favorites -as if you haven't guessed that already. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful, although there were a couple of transition frames I hated. The pacing of the film wasn't too slow or too fast, it was very smooth and evenly paced, which I like in films. The colorful scenes weren't overwhelming, and the scenes that lacked colors weren't depressing.

As for the story of 1998's Wally Winthrop, it is very predictable. We've seen her story a million times and more, but we've never seen the decisions made by the influence of a dead duchess.

final rating: 5/5

"Another" Anime Review

After watching Madoka Magica and liking it -for the most part- I asked my friend Alaa -who is the biggest anime fan- to recommend something a bit more mature for me. She recommended I watch Another.

Another is a horror/mystery story based on a novel by Yukito Ayatsuji. The story follows Sakakibara Kouichi, a boy who moves with her grandparents to the city of Yomiyama. Basically, there is a curse on the 3rd class of ninth graders. It started 26 years ago when a student died but his/her classmates pretended that he/she didn't. With that, they invited death to that classroom. Each year after a death will occur to the students and their immediate relatives in that class in what will be knows as class 3 calamity. I won't go into further explanation of the calamity because

spoilers.

The series is only 12 episodes, each is about 25 minutes long (roughly 5 hours), so it's pretty easy to wedge into a weekend if you're not busy.  The theme song -as usual in anime as far as I can tell- isn't related to the storyline of the show itself whatsoever, and nor does the name of the anime. Then again, that is the usual problem with translated materials.

The art wand graphics for the series were very normal and mundane, I would have loved to see more risk taking in this aspect in particular because the story has a supernatural element to it.

The characters are portrayed distinctly and are very much one dimensional. Not two characters in the same show share one quality or habit.

still don't get what the dolls have to do with anything

Kouichi is very dull, he is probably the Japanese spokesperson for Gryffindor (no offense to all you roaring lions out there). Misaki Mei is a childish weirdo, Teshigawara is flirtatious jock, Mochizuki is helpful and quiet, and Akazawa is strong, willful, assertive, and takes no one's crap.

no.

The first episodes are a bit confusing cause you don't know what's going on yet, but once the first death happens the show picks up its pace and things start to ravel to Kouichi and the viewers.

this poor kid actually falls down the stairs her umbrella opens and the pointy end goes right through her neck. It was actually pretty epic.

The story line is pretty decent, you can see how this was a book previously. The last two episodes are awesome, the class goes on a trip and the students figure if they kill each other maybe they won't die and a fighting rampage erupts by those 15 year old kids. Which, Japanese people, why is it always middle school kids that die?

I should mention that I have very poor tolerance and resistance towards horror and scary things in general. I still remember an episode in Charmed back in 4th grade which had people haunting the rooms in a painting of a house. To this day I find paintings of buildings creepy. I can actually count on one hand the names of horror movies I've seen (3 if you count sci fi genetic move, The Fly.) When I saw that this anime was rated in the horror genre I was like, "please, as if." They are not messing around. This is very creepy and scary and has ghosts and what not in it. If you can't handle your horror movies do not watch this. Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit.

 

creepy, I tell you

 Final rating: 4/5

Okay, you should just watch this clip because it is ingenious.

This -if you ask me- is the best death scene ever, better than all the deaths in Battle Royale.

"Spread the Love"

My high school's Parents' council along with the student council came up with a mini event at the Bahrain City Center mall this past Saturday. They asked me to help and since I had nothing to do that morning, I did.

The whole project's idea was to give out flowers with a reason of why we love prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The flowers were arranged in this huge cylinder covered in the words "I love Muhammad" in a bunch of different languages.

There were also brochures, booklets, water bottles, and chocolates. I personally preferred to hand out the brochures because I'm a boring person who likes to read random brochures. We gave the flowers, chocolates, and brochures to security staff, cleaners, shop clerks, receptionists, and random shoppers and passerby-s.

People's reactions to the handouts varied, some were happy to take the flowers and brochures, asking us if we had any more different booklets. Some smiled and said grateful words like, "thanks, love", "thank you, dear", "cheers", and "shukran". Some people thought we were selling the roses and some refused to even look at us while we handed things out.

Somewhere around the third "no" some of the volunteers started to complain that those who refused were ignorant haters. I didn't believe that. I might read every brochure given to me, but that's only me. I know for a fact if some of the volunteers were given brochures about Judaism or Buddhism they will refuse them. Some of the younger kids just wanted the chocolates, some people thought the whole point was to exchange and choose flowers, and a couple thought it was the prophet's birthday, but all of that doesn't matter. What mattered were those few who said, "I got a book about Islam in my language but it was to deep for me to understand, thanks for this one" and those who said, "that is a lovely thing to do, what you're doing. thanks."

In the end, not everyone will read the brochures we handed out, the flowers will wither and die, the bottle of water drank and recycled, but some will remember the day a stranger gave them a flower or a piece of chocolate in the mall and smile.

Avalon High Coronation

When I was about 8 years old my dad tricked me into eating ketchup with eggs. I was -and still am for the most part- a very picky eater. After a glass of water I told him that I didn't like it. He told me that we should only say that about things after we've tried them at least once. With that little anecdote as an introduction, I've read manga for the first time today. I know.

I didn't jump into the deep Japanese stuff, though. I picked up the Avalon High Coronation manga, which is based on the Avalon High book by one of my favorite authors: Meg Cabot.

Seriously, I love Meg Cabot.

Meg Cabot's style of writing is very simple, she uses everyday words that don't require a dictionary to understand, and her stories are short and fluffy. In short, her books are quick, funny, and entertaining reads.

I don't like the anime/manga drawing style that much, to be frank. I don't like how everyone looks the same and how everyone seem to have perfect bodies. However, after reading the Game of Thrones graphic novel this one was not frustrating at all.

No high school student is this fit. Believe me, I was one.

The story follows Elle, a high school girl whose parents are both an Order of the Bear believers, which basically means her parents believe in a King Arthur reincarnation. Not only that, but they believe her boyfriend, Will, to be King Arthur. Of course she and Will don't believe that, because "what the hell?"

Anyways, they go on living their life until Will's brother, Marco, who is some other bad guy reincarnated, tries to kill them both. Actually everyone is just some old person reincarnated: King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Mordred, Merlin, The Lady of the Lake, and Elaine of Astolat. I didn't read King Arthur, but there is a characters' index in the end of the book.

Sandor Clegane reincarnated?

I liked how the idea was executed and the merge between the past and the future. I didn't read the original book but I have an feeling that I wouldn't like it. I think this medium serves the story well. I believe this idea reached its full potential in this execution, and beautifully so. I still don't know how I feel about the lack of colors in manga, but so far I'm not really bothered by it. There is still one final installment to the manga adaptations and I'll be sure to pick that up next time I go to the store, which was weird, cause this was the first time I buy books from the store, as in where we buy groceries.

This is a chapter cover. I love how we see the future in the reflection.

I don't know if this is in all mangas or just this one, but I really really liked the ratings at the back of the books, its really helpful if you don't know what the story is about.

I should mention that I finished both these books in about 45 minutes. As I said, quick reads that serve their purpose, entertainment. As for reading more manga, I don't really know. I'll just have to wait and see.

final rating: 5/5
now reading: A Feast for Crows