Sunday 30 January 2011

Inspired

I just watched the movie The Romantics. I had never heard of it and I clicked on it because I thought the poster or movie picture seemed interesting and also, the title. Plus, I was just looking for some kind of romantic, melodramatic movie to see and thought this would satiate some of the thirst. I was right...it did.

However, I was surprised to find that critics did not agree. I read one review and although I liked the way the review was written and agree with most observations, I would disagree with its conclusion that the movie, just like its characters, is exactly as the main guy says in one scene: "We are all uninspired.". Well, let me tell you, I was inspired precisely because of this particular speech/one-liner. I was inspired to write here. That should say something...especially for somebody like me who is lazy and never wants to write....afraid of not being a good enough writer, much like one of the characters in the movie.

I wanted to say that if you do randomly see this movie somewhere and you are turned off by the reviews, don't be. Watch it! I liked the cliche story (although more twisted than most romantic ones), the dark undertones, the melodrama, the scenery, the dynamics between the characters, the sappy indie love songs, the  hipster clothes (so true to today's after-college society), the dialogues and even the cheesy poem-reciting. I liked it all. Maybe because my own life resonates with theirs, maybe because I can understand the duality or ambiguity of emotions and actions of each character and I appreciate the low-budget camera work that seems to give it personality and intimacy, I like it all. In fact, I wonder...why is it getting such bad reviews?
Could I possibly be so shallow and superficial? Perhaps. However, I still wonder why the author of the review at Slant Magazine would call the movie "turgid faux indie". I agree that it might give the feeling of fakeness, as if it is trying so hard to be indie and perhaps it is. However, it is still beautiful and thoughtful and I just don't understand why it would be viewed as so superficial. Perhaps I am not deep enough. Or perhaps, movie critics cannot shed their bias towards celebrities and properly appreciate an indie, even though its cast is choke-full of celebrities. Perhaps...

There are a lot of guessing in this post....but one thing is for sure: I liked the movie just as much as I liked its soundtrack. In fact, I would like to say that when it comes to movie, it's always best to watch it yourself and be your own judge. Movies are art; therefore, very subjective and personal. Don't let somebody dictate what you should like or feel...don't follow it, even though I always use it as a guide in my choices so am being a bit hypocritical here. You watch it and you judge for yourself....and the analysis? Well, you leave that to those who do that for a living, those whose profession is to do so. Your purpose in watching the movie is to enjoy it. That is why...read this review as well, maybe this way you are able to better understand the movie and your own feelings or judgements.

Happy watching!

Monday 24 January 2011

Cafes

You know what is the allure and beauty of cafes? The fact that for three bucks (the standard price of an americano or large coffee), you get to sit inside a cute place for three hours or more, laugh it out with friends, have the time of your life playing cards, study, stalk, stare, observe, watch movies on your laptop, chat with friends, browse the internet, meet people, have a date, have a meeting, have everything....just for three bucks!!!

Let's also mention that cool cafes that are of quality, will not only have good quality java, but they will also provide decent sweets and good food. Yes, cafes are what students love, people love, I love...and for good  reason. Reread the paragraph above. Where else can you do all of that - almost the same stuff you can do at the comfort of your home - for such a low price? You go to a restaurant, you are almost guaranteed to pay 15 bucks and above and definitely feel awkward if you linger for more than an hour. In a cafe, the social rules are more relaxed, the people are friendlier, the atmosphere more lively and yet somehow soothing, the opportunity to meet a cute stranger, definitely higher.

I had an amazing time yesterday at Aroma Espresso Bar, a chain cafe in Toronto that gives good food, good pastries and pretty good coffee. You order the food and coffee, wait for your name to be called and then you pick it up; basically self-serve. The interior is red, the seats are red, the tables black and the people? Well, the people range from young adults to the elderly...but there is one consistency though, these are mostly fashionable, well-dressed, well-off peeps. You gotta make the bucks to come to this cafe for it is not cheap. However, it is still worth it...at least for the convos :)

Thursday 20 January 2011


No one tells you that when you grow up, you will become a miserable being with less of a heart, accompanied by a big pile of muddled ideals and a crapload of cynicism. No one prepares you for the hurdles of having to be an adult, no one tells you of the shortfalls of debt, the scars past loves leave and mutate into, the constant struggle of looking cool or productive in a society obsessed with image and success. Yes, no one prepares you for these...but you somewhat have an idea. You somehow can expect these when in high school your guidance counselor asks you what you would like to do and how to prepare for it (in my case, the ghetto high school I went to, it was more of a "please, try not to get shot"). But....you enter university and you forget just how miserable life really is. You immerse yourself in ideals, alcohol, weed, good conversations, foreign films, documentaries that confuse the shit out of you, constant articles and essays that bore the fuck out of you, and heedless sessions of making out with random strangers whom you call friends.

You forget that this is the best period of your life; so you abuse it, you love it and then you can't wait to get it over with and become the much-awaited adult that "they" and "you" have been preparing all this time. Then that moment comes and you are slapped with the harsh reality of the boredom and disillusion of "making it on your own". You learn student loans are the devil, interest rates will choke the life out of you, graduate school (if you want to be a "normal, respected" person) is an imminent cloud of rain on your parade, dating (shithole) is the biggest bitch out there, and of course, you need to deal with the looming precipice of marriage as well.

Ah, life is good. So good!!!
You are finally making some shitty money (where 35% of your miserable entry level position gets eaten up by taxes), wasting it all still on booze and friends (university life is hard to get rid of), clothes to look like you are more accomplished than you are, and oh yes...in my case, supporting your whole fucking family. That's right, can't you see rainbows over me? I can taste the bitterness of emancipation and 45,000dollars investment in nothing except some good parties and a few bits of information shared.

Where has real education gone? Where is my money's worth? Canada, why did you promise me a fake dream?

In the words of the sailor within me: FUCK YOU!

Monday 17 January 2011

My Oksana

She is only 21-years old....
but she beats me,
in being cold...
cold-hearted, that is.

She is white-teethed,
red-lipped,
small-breasted,
sweet dispositioned,
in appearance only, that is.

I am 26,
stupidly complicated,
cowardly,
yellow-teethed
big-breasted
foolishly romantic,
inside, that is.

I am bitchy,
strong,
happy,
smart,
forgiving,
in appearance, that is.

She is manipulative,
sexy,
sensual,
fun,
selfish,
interest-driven,
she is undeniably,
just a darker version of me.

I am white,
she is black,
I am lost,
she is lucid,
I am naive,
she is superficially so,
I am in love,
she does not even know the feeling.

Damn girl....you sexy bitch!

Sweet Disposition - Ellie Golding (The Temper Trap cover)



Sweet disposition
Never too soon
Oh reckless abandon,
Like no one's watching you
A moment, a love
A dream, a laugh
A kiss, a cry
Our rights, our wrongs
A moment, a love
A dream, a laugh
A moment, a love
A dream, a laugh
Just stay there
Cause I'll be comin' over
While our bloods still young
It's so young, it runs
Won't stop til it's over
Won't stop to you surrender
Songs of desperation
I played them for you

Friday 14 January 2011

Heartless

Did I ever tell you that you are heartless? All those years alone, your heart must have grown cold. All those bodies embraced, holes entered, none warmed you up. All those nights in different beds, all those kisses given, none electrified the dead muscles of the one organ you know nothing about. I pray that maybe one day something will wake it, I hope that maybe one day you will be able to make use of it, I wish that one day I can witness it...


Friday 7 January 2011

Starbucks at Brookfield Place

Dear non-existent readers,

Things have changed and I now work for a consulting firm (that just opened a new office in Saudi Arabia, me very interested <3) located in TD Canada Tower, Brookfield Palace. It is a fancy, beautiful, grandious place with fantastic architecture and a rich history. It makes sense to have all of the above, especially since this is the tallest building in Toronto and also the Wall Street of Canada.

Also, you can imagine that this is the hub of suit-wearing, coffee-jugging finance guys and girls...or better said, men and women. Brookfield Place, unlike the other surrounding buildings, has all of the tops CEOs so it's mostly middle-aged to older men and women.

 There are few young men and ladies, but the few that are...are smartly dressed and oh-so snobby, everyone tries to look more serious and important than they are (yours truly included). However, what I would like to share is the craziness that goes on in the morning. Everyday at the time between 8:30am-9:30am, you see these same rich, smartly-dressed, serious people attack Starbucks like hyenas and fight over milk/coffee cream/ half&half at the sugar table, the whole thing is quite a sight. The table is a mess, the jugs are empty and we are yelling as to where are the new ones because we all need our caffeine fix and we all need to go back to our office to keep on slaving away in front of a computer screen so our companies can make money, consequently, us.

Yes, corporate life is hilariously serious. Just another day in the life of Canada's most depressed city...