Big Screen Breakdown: The Lake House

This is a 2006 production that I just happened to watch on Popcorn Wednesday this evening :P

(image courtesy of Internet Movie Posters Awards website)

Some critics had gone on and on about the inconsistencies and the logic and time paradoxes. Whatever! Grossing USD 13.6 million in its opening weekend simply shouts- "We viewers LOVE it!".

To a romantic, like me, it's a definite two thumbs up! The chemistry still exists between Keanu and Sandra since Speed of 1994 and it plays a big part in moving this story.

When viewing, concentrate on the emotions and situations arising. The relationships (not just between the two main characters only, the supporting characters add more flavour to it), the hoping, the desperation, the frustrations, the disappointments, the love.

Don't get too distracted though, you'd need to be alert enough to be marginally aware of the timeline and time difference to appreciate what the main characters are going through.

Though it seems to be a no-brainer, but it kept me just slightly off-balance to be unsure if the ending would be happy or sad. It is light entertainment with enough of a twist to keep it interesting.

To other romantics out there, if you haven't seen it, do give it a try.

Now I get it...

Do you ever wonder why you react a certain way when faced with certain things?

I wonder no longer...

I always blow up, get irritated and even downright defensive when I need to stand up for what I believe in.

Looking back, I realized that as a teen, I almost never win an argument with my parents.

My thinking was less matured, of course, and if I my feelings weren't burning so strongly, I would have been able to see the validity of their argument.

One may think, it happened such a long time ago that it no longer affect us.

In fact, it left such a big impression on me that I always have this unshakeable feeling that I will lose any argument when standing up for myself.

Thus, I get all worked up and angry for no apparent reason.

However, that does not mean that my parents were always right. Valid reasons do not necessarily make the right reasons.

For example, my move to a different high school after Form 3, to a better school by far , but I failed to thrive there.

In fact, I got even more emotionally messed up and performed much less than expected, academically.

I understand that parents want the best for their children. And they make decisions based on their pooled experiences and knowledge. But is it enough?

It may be the best we can do as parents but it may not be the best for our children.

So this is where du'aa comes in. Pray like anything that you've made the right decisions for your children in the long run.

To those parents out there, remember that our children learn mostly from their main carers who are supposed to be us, parents, by the way, so there's only ourselves to blame if the kids start emulating characteristics from bibik- but that is another story.

Individual personality and external factors do play a role but ultimately, it is:

1. The way you, Moms and Dads, treat each other

2. The way you treat your children

3. The way you treat other people

4. The way you react to things around you

that will be the basic model for how your children will behave.

And the hardest thing to remember is that there is NO WAY that parents can treat their children the same!

Each child is different and it is our job to find out how to handle each one, balancing it just so that you fulfill the needs of each child while none feel neglected in any way.

Tough, huh? So what did you think the institution of marriage is all about?

It is not just a simple matter of getting the license to f***

It is all about building future generations...

P.S. Why is it that when I start out to write one kind of entry, it ends up as a totally different kind of entry altogether?

Onegai...

Ya Allah

baru terasa betapa lemahnya kami ini

~

Teman baikku tenat

namun sekadar dapat memandang

serta memanjatkan doa

Walaupun doa satu kekuatan

akhirnya penentuan tetap di'tangan'Mu

kami hanya dapat menerima seadanya

~

Pilihan hatiku memilih yang lain

berusaha seluruh upaya menerima

namun makin kuat ingatan kepadanya

Pasti menjengkelkan baginya

sapaan yang tidak diundang

mengganggu tidak kira waktu

Kelmarin aku nekad

mengirim kepadanya 'bukan kemahuan fikiran'

tetapi hari ini aku menyapanya lagi

~

Dihimpun usaha menggunung

mengharap tugas semakin bahagia dan berkat untuk semua

hanya mampu maju selangkah dua

~

Ya Allah

baru terasa betapa lemahnya kami ini

~

Oleh itu kumohon... onegai

berikanlah kesabaran

kekuatan untuk redha

ketabahan untuk terus melangkah

Amiin

Mengapa menangis?

Semalam air matanya tumpah jua.

Mengapa perlu sedih jika kehilangan manusia itu?

Adakah sudah betul-betul kenal dan sangat rapat dengannya?

Tidak juga.

Bahkan tidak sampai sebulan perkenalan mereka.

Bersua muka pun tidak lagi.

Tapi ada sesuatu yang membuatkan kehilangan itu begitu terasa. Sesuatu tentang dia.

Redhakan sahaja. Sabarkan sahaja.

Baru dijentik sedikit sudah menggelupur.

Sungguh kau ini manusia yang kurang bersyukur!

Losing...

I am recently reminded of this movie scene, where a guy unexpectedly meets his ex-wife and found that she had remarried.

"He must be some kind of guy," he said to her; meaning to say that the guy she married must be someone really great.

"No," she countered off-handedly, "he's just my kind of guy," which explains that her new husband is just like any other guy but to her he's truly special.

Relationships are very much based on compatibility.

If you find yourself struggling to maintain a conversation, or if the other party has totally no idea what to talk with you about, then the two of you are probably incompatible.

I turned out to not be that person's kind of guy.

I lose again... :'(