Review: The Great Gatsby

First of all, it occurs to me that the story has been common knowledge for some and for a great lot of years, that it is acceptably included in many of the ‘books to read before you die’ list I scattered all over the web. Yet still, I remained clueless on what the story is about. To be more honest about it, I watched the movie without the knowledge even that Gatsby is a mister, moreso a person. For that, I apologize.

Out of a 10, I’ll give it a 7.5. I would say it’s not so bad, but since Leo diCaprio is in this film, you can say it’s not one of his best. The level of expectation for THE Leonardo diCarpio is clearly up in the sky, so I wouldn’t be surprised that he didn’t win an Oscar for this. I think it matters that Leo has done so many characters already that whenever he changes emotions, I am seeing his past characters in my head. When he loses his temper, I see him in Shutter Island. When he had a scene in the swimming pool, I suddenly remember Jack in Titanic… but older. Moreover, I don’t have an idea how Mr. Gatsby is portrayed in the book so I can’t judge if he has done justice to the character. One thing remains though, he is still gorgeous and it is hard not to get lost in those bright blue eyes.

So what did I like about this film?

• The soundtrack! It is phenomenal!!! I can’t believe it’s possible for most of my favorite artists to join in one album. With tracks from Florence + the Machine, Lana del Rey, The xx, Sia, Gotye, not forgetting JayZ and Beyonce and more, I am totally sold on the idea. There is actually a party scene where the people of the 20s era go wild to JayZ’s tunes. I don’t know for some, but I really loved it.
• The colorful costumes and the extravagant setting! The landscape on Gatsby’s house is insane. I loved their wild and vivid interpretation of the 20s-30s.
• Carey Mulligan! She was amazing, even if I hated her character, Daisy, with a passion.
• Joel Edgerton, who played Tom Buchanan, or Daisy’s husband. He played it so well, I was so drawn to the character. I am now a fan.
• This is also the first time I am seeing Tobey Maguire in a film after Spiderman 3, so I was excited and happy that he did well as Nick Carraway.

I just really hate stories where the bad guys don’t get what they deserve in the end, so I went out of the cinema sad and pissed. The moment the credits rolled up, I just want to read the book immediately. There were a lot of times that I found myself mesmerized with the character’s lines that truly struck me terribly. I should really spare some time to read the book.

All in all, it was worth it. My cousin’s 7 pounds didn’t go to waste. It was a lovely treat.

Foals – My Number

“You don’t have my number. We don’t need each other now.“

Back to classics

We went for a three-hour drive southeast of London and into Portsmouth for Gunswharf Quays. I was happy to find, aside from uber-gorgeous Brits enjoying their weekend at the harbour, a book sale at Works! The collection up for grabs was limited but I was lucky enough to snatch me some classics.

For 6 pounds or roughly 360 pesos, I was able to buy four fantastic classics:

• Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, because I want to read it again and I know I’ll never get tired of wanting to read it again so I want to secure a copy with me all the time. Due to luggage issues, I decided to leave my first and favorite copy at home.
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I was intrigued by this book ever since, so might as well put a stop to the mystery soon.
• Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I had a mental brawl whether to buy this one or Our Mutual Friend, but then I read about the former being known for the best Dickens’ has written, so I took it.
• and The Best of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which is a compilation of 20 Sherlock Holmes short stories handpicked by the British writer, David Stuart Davies. I started reading it while in the car going home. And as much as my personal belief to never read when moving, I went against myself because I just couldn’t put it off the moment I started.

Daft Punk got soul.

People saying that Daft Punk’s comeback after seven years with their album ‘Random Access Memories’ failed to live up to the hype must not know them well enough or not at all. I may not be a fan of them before, being that their Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger track is the only I know, but I am kinda digging their new music. They may have disappointed some of their fans, well they can’t please everybody, but bravo for being brave, they also earned new listeners like me who are more than ecstatic to have their new music in my iPod.

I love that some tracks sound a little bit like something Earth, Wind, and Fire could pull off, thus smooth and soulful. I could dance to Get Lucky feat. Pharrell, groove to Give Life Back to Music, or drive off with Fragments of Time feat. Todd Edwards.

iTunes is heaven-sent for allowing a free preview of their album! You guys should really take advantage of this 40-minute Daft Punk revelation here.

Hey future husband

If ever we have a daughter, I want to name her Olivia or Charlie. Thank you for not making a big issue about this. After all, if we have a son, I’ll let you decide on his name. Well, as long as it makes him look handsome and nice-smelling and it doesn’t make him look dumb. Let’s also buy a pug and name him Beautiful. That’s all. : )

Cumulonimbus

There wouldn’t be anything as inconsistent as London weather. It’s sunny in the morning and then it suddenly rains around 2 pm. It’s not something I’m really fond of because it really changes my mood and I begin to miss sunny Philippines more. But then, London won’t be London without the gloomy weather. The picture above shows the House of Parliament and the famous Big Ben clock tower earlier today when it was about to pour.

My cousin and I walked along South Bank and Queen’s Walk which is beside a harbour point. It wasn’t as cold as I’d expected and the view of St. Paul’s Cathedral was actually nice.

 

We went inside Tate Modern, a museum showing contemporary art and this piece really caught our attention. “It was just too deep.” Haha! My cousin and I stood in front of this painting for a long time while a group of “hipsters” huddled near us. It’s called ‘Waiting’ by Lucio Fontana. He explains that through this art, “I have not destroyed, but created something”. Well, sometimes I really don’t understand art!!

Busy Soho! We had the wrong timing going there because it was rush hour and Brits in suits were everywhere.

After buying sushi at Yoshino (their California Spicy Tuna, Crabstick California roll, and Crabstick salad are awesome!), we had bubble tea at Bubbleology! Their Matcha is not so bad at all. I suddenly miss that every corner in Manila has a milktea stand.

Too butterflied to make a proper title

Looking at the mirror, my face has lost its edges. It has become rounder, just like my belly which day by day continues to protrude even more from under my rib cage. The vacation has grown comfortably on me. As a matter of fact, too comfortable that I need to end it soon or else I’d wake up looking like the present Kim Kardashian and sit on myself while I’m at it. It’s not funny.

Lately, I’ve been sleeping really late. Late in the form of six in the morning because I am getting addicted to reading contemporary young adult fiction I found on Goodreads (Slammed by Colleen Hoover is good! But if you want more lust, there is On Dublin Street by Samantha Young). I’ve been gobbling up books like I haven’t read in a decade, because that is actually how I feel. Staying up late, reading young adult romance novels while Mumford & Sons sing on the background, and eating Twix and Haribo non-stop, it only explains the zits on my face the next day. Did I just get dumped by a non-existent boyfriend? No! But my current lifestyle feels like I’ve been. Today, I ate two plates of spicy tuna spaghetti for lunch and minutes later opened a bag of fried onion rings and ate it all. Mind you, I’m not even on that time of the month. Seriously, I’m getting scared I might be reaching rock bottom.

This is the problem when you have so much time in your hands, in my case too much reminders of the future which I try to evade, you tend to fall back on unhealthy distractions. You fall in a rut and you don’t notice it until you turn into an elephant or someone who gets sick when he sees sunlight.

My dad is sending me constant e-mails on where to find a job. My mom is already warning me of the chores waiting for me at home. Even if I’m on a vacation, I feel that they’re already trapping me with a life that I am not yet ready to swim into. So what do I do? I let myself drag my ass into a rut. Now I’m an elephant and I can’t stand the sunlight.

Oh it gets harder everyday because I know that I have to be responsible soon and I’m scared of things that I can’t control, of rejections, of failures, of not being good enough, of being too young, of being too inexperienced. There is so much to fear about the future and I know it’s going to kiss me in my face soon. But I’m still here, sitting ugly in my rut even if I don’t like what I see in the mirror.

But don’t you worry, child. I’m getting out of it soon.

Really.

Hopefully.

After I finish this bag of Doritos.