To Simba.

"The flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow dies;
All that we wish to stay
Tempts and then flies.
What is this world's delight?
Lightning that mocks the night,
Brief even as bright."

- Mutability, by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Simba passed away today. He was one of my cats, so named because of his sleek orangish-brown fur.
Life is so fragile. It’s frightening.
Rest In Peace, Simba.
We'll never forget you.

My Epitaph.

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

That sounds uncannily accurate. (I'm a hopeless driver.)
I'm doomed. *wails*

My Obituary.

'What" will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

'Hilarious death' - that sounds about right, but why Kid Rock? I'd prefer to be terribly missed by Pink Floyd, or even Meatloaf. *grin*

Requiem For A Dream.

Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem For A Dream" is easily one of the bleakest and most depressing films I have ever seen. It's not the first film to deal with the subject of drug addiction, neither will it be the last, but it is one of the best. It tells the story of four people, and how they fall deeper and deeper into the dark abyss of drug abuse.

Ellen Burstyn, excited about 'being on television', who becomes addicted to prescription diet pills, and starts suffering from paranoia and hallucinations. Jared Leto, her son, who is addicted to heroin, and is driven to inject it even when his arm is infected. Jennifer Connelly, his girlfriend, who starts selling herself to support her drug habits. And Marlon Wayans, who just wants to be a good son to his mother, and ends up a drug addict.

The movie is brilliantly made, the background score haunting, and the rapid montage scenes wonderfully executed. Each performance is stunning in its own way. Burstyn's performance is probably the most powerful, you can't help but feel pity at her transformation, from her normal self to an emaciated woman with smudged makeup, and eyes wide with fear at the refrigerator jumping out at her.

Yes, the movie has its faults and shortcomings, it even has a few mistakes, but what movie doesn't? There is a tendency to go over-the-top, but didn't Kubrick do the same with A Clockwork Orange?

The last half-hour of the film is very intense. It shows the crumbling of relationships, the dehumanization of the characters, and finally the utter wretchedness that they have brought upon themselves. The drug-use scenes are wonderfully done, the focus of the pupils, the snorting of cocaine, and the puff of weed.

And lastly, the ending of the movie. It doesn't end on a happy note- but therein lies the message of the film. Drugs Are Bad. If You Don't Control Your Addiction, It'll Control You. The ending of the movie left me shaken up. I've never smoked or done drugs in my life, I've never felt the slightest inclination to, and this movie has made me even more firm in my stance.

Requiem For A Dream is depressing. Disturbing. Powerful. Grim. And completely unforgettable.

I wonder if I shall have the courage to watch it again.

Fight Club.

I started watching Fight Club last night, with, to be honest, pre-conceived notions. I'd heard about it from friends, and I thought it was one of those movies that glorified violence, the type whose philosophies I wouldn't agree with, the kind whose portayal of blood and gore would make me feel queasy. But twenty minutes into the film, and I was riveted. And by the end of it, I was blown away.

If you're the type for romantic comedies, take a break from the You've Got Mail's and 13 Going On 30's. If action-packed thrillers are your type, pause Transformers for a while. And if you get high on horror, switch off Hostel for the time being. Because this is one movie you MUST watch.

It doesn't glorify violence. Its blood and gore didn't make me feel queasy. But the movie was mindblowing in a completely different way. It talks about one man, played by Edward Norton, who is absolutely frustrated at his life. He meets Brad Pitt, who changes his life. The movie talks about an entire generation of men, aggravated and discouraged at their own lives, with no sense of direction, depressed and practically emasculated, and how their lives find meaning with Fight Club.

You must watch this. It's one movie that is worth watching, I guarantee it. Earlier on, I thought Brad Pitt couldn't act, that he was merely eye-candy in most of his roles, but this movie has totally changed my opinion. He was fantastic. Edward Norton's acting was pure genius as well, and Helena Bonham Carter was impressive.
The ending is... well- stunning. I was left with no words. It comes and hits you in the face. For those of you who have seen the movie, you'll know what I'm talking about. For those who haven't, I won't give the ending away.

There is a dialogue in the movie, which is "Only after disaster can we be resurrected." It's frightening how true that really is.

Go. Watch the film. I'll give you a copy if you want. But watch it. It's definitely worth a watch. I promise you.