Stranger than Fiction - 2006

Category: Movie

Genre: Comedy / Fantasy

Writer: Zach Helm

Director: Marc Forster

Producer: Columbia Pictures, Mandate Pictures, Three Strange Angels

Cast: Will Ferrell, William Dick, Guy Massey, Martha Espinoza, T.J. Jagodowski, Peter Grosz, Ricky Adams, Christian Stolte, Denise Hughes, and more

Tagline: He's not crazy. He's just written that way.


Harold Crick is an IRS agent, with a life so monotonous, boring and repetitive.  One day he hears a voice of a narrator who predicts what was just about to happen. He then realizes, he is a book character and that the narrator plans to kill him off. But, before the author does that, he has a chance to find the author and convince the author not to kill him.


Too strange for me. Or maybe I watched it at the wrong time. Not my kind of film, but it was quite unique and not to Holly-woodish if I may say so. Worth watching... only because of it's uniqueness or there are not many too strange films out there - right? The script is really quite funny, I have to hand it to the writer.

Aleph - Paulo Coelho

Category: Book

Genre: Literature / Drama


Author: Paulo Coelho



This book describes the journey Paulo Coelho took from March to July 2006 via the Trans-Siberian Railway to meet his readers across Russia. Coelho had mentioned that this has been one of his most personal novels to date. It starts with Coelho asking his master "J" about his struggles and the spiritual crisis he is going through and he feels stuck in his spiritual growth.This is also similar to the beginning of his previous work: The Valkyries.

I finished reading this while listening to Tomatis (an audio therapy I am taking).

It's an interesting read this time about his journey to the past. And its not just about the past which happens in the current life but of something regarding a previous lifetime, that still haunts him. It's about the mystical term called the "Aleph", a Jewish Kaballah mystical term. It mixes different spiritual traditions as always with a Coelho.

This book also makes me want to go on an outward journey on my own to make my inward journey unfold! The question... where to? :P

The Accidental Husband - 2008

Category: Movie

Genre: Chick Flick

Director: Griffin Dunne

Writer: Mimi Hare, Clare Naylor

Producer: Yari Film Group, Blumhouse Productions, Team Todd

Cast: Uma Thurman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Colin Firth, Sam Shepard, Lindsay Sloane, Justina Machado, Ajay Naidu, Jeffrey Tedmori, Nick Sandow, Michael Mosley, Brooke Adams and more.

Tagline: Falling in love ... even the expert is confused.


The ex-boyfriend of one of the callers of a hit radio talk show in New York, Patrick sets his eye for revenge on the woman responsible for it - Emma Lloyd (the radio host). He became the accidental husband and it appeared as somewhat like a "computer glitch" which can also ruin Emma's loving relationship with her fiance, Richard.

I had loads of fun watching this movie. Although I recommend that you don't bother getting into the technicalities and how it can be not-so-real and all that because it really can be somewhat silly. However... it's a good film if you want entertainment and a lil hilarity here n there. :)

Before Sunset - 2004

Category: Movie

Genre: Drama / Romance

Director: Richard Linklater

Writer: Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy

Tagline: What if you had a second chance with the one that got away?

Cast: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Vemon Dobtcheff

Overview and Review of the movie Before Sunset directed by Richard Linklater and written by Ethan, Julie and Richard. :) A sequel to the movie Before Sunrise....

Jesse(Ethan Hawke), who is now an author of a best selling book from the US, and Celine(Julie Delpy), a Frenchwoman working as an activist for an environment protection organization, met nine years ago on the train from Budapest to Vienna, and they meet again when Jesse arrives in Paris for a reading of his new book at a bookstore.

As they have only a few hours until his plane leaves, they stroll through Paris, talking about their experiences, views and about the "connection" they have for each other.

I've noticed they were much wiser and were talking almost Zen-like, about living in the moment. That the happiness is in the doing, not the destination. They still have the connection and they conversed real good, it was as if they've shared their whole lives together. and yet, to think they've only been physically together once... and never shared numbers or anything.

This movie also got me to thinking about marriage and all that. Specially, when Jesse was talking about his: " I feel like I'm running a small nursery with someone I used to date." I clearly dont want to marry someone who is not IN LOVE with me. *Sigh* I also like this line: "I'd rather be alone than be with someone else and feel lonely."

It's a nice, unique movie. And I like the ending.... it was an open one.. like they did before. Brilliant movie, I have to say. Brilliantly simple! Engaging, although might have been boring to some. ;)

Also.. it was also literally exactly after 9 years when this was movie was released... Before Sunrise was 1995. Yay!

Lines I Love:

Celine: They enjoy the goal but not the process. But the reality of it is that the true work of improving things is in the little achievements of the day.

Celine: You can never replace anyone because everyone is made up of such beautiful specific details.

Jesse: At least now we don't have to pretend that each new sexual experience is a life-altering event.
Celine: I know. By now, you know, you've stuck it in so many places, it's like about to fall off.
Jesse: Yeah, you know, and I can't realistically expect that you've become anything but a total ho, at this point.
Celine: Yeah, thank you.

Jesse: I heard this story once about when the Germans were occupying Paris and they had to retreat back. They wired Notre Dame to blow, but they had to leave one guy in charge of hitting the switch. And the guy, the soldier, he couldn't do it. You know, he just sat there, knocked out by how beautiful the place was. And then when the allied troops came in, they found all the explosives just lying there and the switch unturned, and they found the same thing at Sacre Couer, Eiffel Tower. Couple other places I think...
: Is that true?
Jesse: I don't know. I always liked the story, though.

Jesse: You want to know why I wrote that stupid book?
Celine: Why?
Jesse: So that you might come to a reading in Paris and I could walk up to you and ask, "Where the fuck were you?"
Celine: [laughing] No - you thought I'd be here today?
Jesse: I'm serious. I think I wrote it, in a way, to try to find you.
Celine: Okay, that's - I know that's not true, but that's sweet of you to say.
Jesse: I think it is true.

Jesse: Oh, God, why weren't you there, in Vienna?
Celine: I told you why.
Jesse: Well, I know why, I just - I wish you would have been. Our lives might have been so much different.
Celine: You think so?
Jesse: I actually do.
Celine: Maybe not. Maybe, we would have hated each other eventually.
Jesse: Oh what, like we hate each other now?
Celine: You know, maybe we're - we're only good at brief encounters, walking around in European cities in warm climate.

Jesse: Oh, God, why didn't we exchange phone numbers and stuff? Why didn't we do that?
Celine: Because we were young and stupid.
Jesse: Do you think we still are?
Celine: I guess when you're young, you just believe there'll be many people with whom you'll connect with. Later in life, you realize it only happens a few times.
Jesse: And you can screw it up, you know, misconnect.

The Valkyries - Paulo Coelho

Category: Books

Genre: Spirituality


Author: Paolo Coelho

Overview and Review of The Valkyries authored by Paolo Coelho.
This is an autobiographical book, but told using the third person.

Why do we destroy the things we love? It was the question Paolo asked during this journey.
This journey involved looking for angels and in order to see them Paolo with his wife Christina must seek out the advice of The Valkyries who roamed the area. They traveled to the Mojave Desert for the 40 day Quest. An authentic story of being in the darkness, seeking out the light, and having a mentor.

This is a nice book about finding your angel and a wonderful spiritual journey at that. An enlightening book and a delightful read. You would cherish all the words that you would read next. There are a lot of "symbolical" events in the book as well. This book is a lot of things really. Its about love, light, angels, life, death, darkness, fear, rituals, and very spiritual it is. It can certainly touch your heart, mind and soul. A modern day magical, enchanting adventure..



April 30, 2008

Sleepers - Lorenzo Carcaterra

Category: Book

Genre: Non-Fiction

Author: Lorenzo Carcaterra

Overview and Review of Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra a true story.

*It has a movie already.

The true West Side Story.

Sleeper

1. Out of town hit man who spends the night after a local contract is completed.
2. A juvenile sentenced to serve any period loonger than nine months in a state managed facility.

Hell's Kitchen is a place where everyone knows everything about everybody and everybody could be counted on. This is the West Side streets of Manhattan, where secrets lived and died on it. An area pretty much populated by a blend of Irish, Puerto Rican, Italian, and Easter European laborers.

John (The Count), Tommy (Butter), Michael (Spots), and Shakes (Lorenzo). Four boys inseparable, content and happy to live within the closed world of Hell's Kitchen in Manhattan. Having friends were important as neighborhood loyalty in Hell's Kitchen. They gave them an identity and a group one could trust that extended the bonds of family.

These four friends finds solace with each other's company since they can't find it in their own homes where their mothers are beaten and some of their fathers are out romancing other women. These four boys shared a common interest, like reading books, watching movies, listening to music, collecting classic illustrated comics and baseball cards, listening to Sam Cooke, Bobby Darin, Franki Valli and the Four Seasons on portable radios and playing pranks.

One prank would change their lives forever. One prank that would cost a man's dream to fade and a man to never walk again. One prank that could send them to a facility with multiple horrors to endure and one they would never forget. A mistake that would give them a heavy consequence.

It's a great "true-to-life" book. One that you could never put down and one that would make you read and read until the end. A story one could not forget and a horror you couldn't quite fathom if you live seeing the world in rose-colored glasses. One autobiography that never fails to put you in the edge, to bring tears in your eyes and make you laugh every once in awhile. It's amazing how he builds up the story up until the end. You would actually envy the way he depicted their childhood friendships. The bond they had when they were still young. I like the way he describes things. Everything seemed so important and so you want to read every line.

About Coffee Milk (Espresso Break).

This is Coffee Milk or Espresso Break.

Why Coffee Milk and Espresso Break?

*When I was still a kid I really love my coffee with milk. *yes. I drink coffee ever since I was a kid.*Coffee with Milk - to strike the balance. Until now, I have a thing for coffee with milk. I'm not really a caffeine addict or anything but I love sipping coffee*with milk* specially when I'm reading a book.

Since, I am involved in a Network Marketing business that offers a Healthy Coffee I got the term "Coffee Break" from the company's monthly newsletters. Since, the coffeebreak is not available I coined it "Espresso Break" instead.

What is this?

This is a review blog.

Anything that needs a review, It could be a book I've read, a movie I've seen, a restaurant I've tried and even food I've eaten. Or just about anything under the sun that needs a review.

Writer’s Note: Please be reminded that ALL REVIEWS are based on my outlook and may differ from yours. You might like a certain movie that I rated low and you might dislike a certain book that I rated high. My tastes in food may vary as well as music I listen too and books I am reading.

I understand we all have different opinions and tastes… and these are mine. Feel free to give out yours using the comment boxes. I assure you, I would respect your opinion and would not just cast it aside.

There's More:

Aside from placing just reviews here, I also placed the answers from "personality quizzes" I took. From Tickle, Quizilla to Blogthings.

More info about the author - Blogger profile
Her Friendster - Tina's Friendster
I have a Multiply account too. - Tina's Multiply
To check out my real life blog posts - Angelblush