December 27, 2008

• If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion… love actually is all around

  Sorry I’ve been away for a few days.  The holidays, work, as well as playing with my new iPhone and Rock Band 2 have been giving me plenty of distractions .

  Christmas was at once not special and special this year.  My family didn’t set up Christmas decorations nor a Christmas tree, and we also didn’t give out wrapped presents this year.  Perhaps it was laziness or maybe we just aren’t big Christmas spirit people.  Nonetheless, we still got each other presents.  I got my parents new tennis rackets, got my brother Rock Band 2, and I got myself the iPhone with the money I received from family and relatives.

  The thing that surprised me was that the best thing that came from Christmas day was when my parents, my brother and I all went out to the local tennis courts to play tennis as a family.  We rarely get together nowadays like that, so it was so refreshing.  I don’t know why that memory puts a big smile on my face, but it really does.

  I had to get up at 4:45am for work the day after Christmas, so I got ready for bed by 8pm and watched Love Actually right before sleeping.  You know, I think I’ve actually (har har) watched Love Actually around Christmas every year recently.

  Is it super cheesy, sappy, and completely unrealistic at times?  Hell yes!  However, it’s also amazingly hilarious and a great feel good holiday rom-com movie that I can watch over and over again.  It has a great cast and many awesome cameos, as well as a fantastic soundtrack.  For a rom-com, the movie was surprisingly very crass with a lot of adult jokes that could almost rival certain Judd Apatow comedies.  Funny enough, I can also relate to a lot of the self-deprecating ways of a lot of the characters in this movie.  I definitely have had silly arguments with myself outloud while walking away from something I wish I could have done differently.

  I’ll admit I’ve had quite a few influences from this movie.  I noticed I’ve started to say “right” and “rubbish” more often than before.  And of course, I may have “borrowed” ideas from one particular character in this movie.

   

  Shhh, don’t tell the movie producers!

  I know it’s not the perfect movie.  It runs pretty long and I wish they could have shortened or cut out a few of the subplots, but overall the movie really works for me.  My favorite story has to be between Jamie (the writer) and Aurelia (his Portugese housemaid).  That entire plot is so hysterical and romantic (although even I think that ending was way too overtop haha). 

  This scene rocks me each time, especially the last part:

  [neither understands the other's language]
  Jamie:  [in English] It’s my favorite time of day, driving you.
  Aurelia:  [in Portuguese] It’s the saddest part of my day, leaving you.

  Yeah, I think I’m gonna keep the tradition of watching Love Actually near Christmas each year.  It has way too much charm to it that I can’t stop.  As the little boy Sam says in the movie, “Let’s get the shit kicked out of us by love.”  Sure, why not?  (don’t answer that btw )

  • 11:31 am
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