Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017 Film Review)

When I heard that Jumanji was playing in theatres, I first thought: Oh, yet another remake. Wasn't there a film named Jumanji made years ago? The one with the board game and animals? I vaguely remember watching it on television or something when I was a kid. Has Hollywood run out of ideas again? (My boyfriend, however, has not seen the 1995 film before. He has no childhood)

After doing a quick Internet search, I found that Rotten Tomatoes rated the 1995 film at 50% while the new one was rated around 80% (at that time), so I was quite keen to watch and it see how have they improved on it. On the whole, I was not disappointed. It was surprisingly entertaining. At certain moments of the movie, I gasped and held my breath to see what would happen next. During other parts, I was laughing together with everyone in the cinema, which was pretty packed since I watched it on Christmas Eve.

At first, I thought that movie was going to be so shitty. The story starts in 1996 at a beach, a reference to how the board game was discarded in the 1995 film. Somebody picks up the board game, brings it home and gives it to his son, who immediately goes like, "Who plays board games?" and goes back to his video game. And I was like, wait. What? Isn't it 1996? People still play board games, don't they? I would know; I mean, I grew up in the 90s! I had board games AND video games! Erm...

Later, when the kid is sleeping, he hears the drumbeats, and anyone who has watched Jumanji knows that that isn't a good sign. Every time you hear the Jumanji drumbeats, I would be thinking, uh oh. We're in the trouble. Sure enough, the boy wakes up and takes out the Jumanji board game, which has somehow turned into... a video game cartridge?

Erm... Okay... I had two misgivings about this. First of all, I didn't watch the trailers or anything like that. I didn't even know that they were remaking Jumanji until I decided to find out if there were any other movies to watch other than Pitch Perfect 3. I had originally wanted to watch Pitch Perfect 3 because, well, I liked the first one and I like Anna Kendrick. Although the second one was bad, I thought I could still watch it for Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and other cast members. But it was rated 28% (at that time) so Jumanji seemed like a better option.

Anyway, since I didn't watch the trailers, I didn't know that it was going to be a movie about a video game. I thought they were going to keep the original concept of a board game coming to life or whatever. Secondly, HOW IN THE WORLD CAN A BOARD GAME TURN INTO A VIDEO GAME CARTRIDGE? This is why students are writing compositions that do not make sense AT ALL. 

And to make matters worse, instead of FREAKING OUT like a normal person would, the stupid boy decides to insert the video game cartridge and press play. Yeah. In the middle of the night. Wasn't he sleeping? A normal person would just rub his eyes blearily and think, "Omg I must be dreaming" and just flop back onto the bed. But no. This kid is as cool as a cucumber and plays a video game in the middle of the freakin' night. No. This is unacceptable.

As I am still trying to wrap my head about how stupid the movie is starting to seem, we cut to the present-day where kids are using SONY phones (hello, product placement) to take selfies or whatever it was they were doing. I was still feeling EXTREMELY CONFUSED about the previous scene and so I felt like they needed to explicitly state that it was no longer 1996. But I don't think they did. Or maybe in my confusion, I missed it. I have no clue. But I was thinking, if their version of 1996 was different from mine (you know, the one where kids dismissed board games), then who knows? Maybe movie logic dictates that kids could have smartphones in 1996?

But okay, that wasn't the case. It's 20 years after 1996 and there are four annoying teenagers who get sent to detention for different reasons. Let's start with the boys. Spencer, a typical nerd, wrote an essay for Fridge (that's his nickname) who is some kind of jock. They meet in front of what they call a "freak house" and Spencer passes him the essay that Fridge was too lazy to complete on his own. They get sent to the principal's office because, surprise surprise, Fridge's essay sounds like the one Spencer wrote.

The two girls who are sent for detention are Bethany and Martha. Bethany is your typical blonde bimbo character who doesn't care about anything or anyone else but herself. She gets caught video chatting with her friend in the middle of a test (who does that?), loudly complaining to her friend about how this guy didn't like her photo (again, who does that?). Martha, on the other hand, is a rude rebel who tells her gym teacher that she doesn't want to take part because she thinks that gym class is pointless and she doesn't wanna end up becoming a gym teacher. Ouch. I agree that PE sucks, but did you have to be such a tactless bitch?

So apparently, as you can tell, I think that all four teenagers are stupid. Let's face it. At this point, I'm unable to like any of them. It's not because I've become a grumpy old lady. I know how I was like as a teenager but I still cannot relate to their so-called problems, apart from hating PE. I take pride in writing essays on my own, especially for History. (That was my favourite subject! Apart from Literature) And I wouldn't do homework for others because that's just dumb and a waste of time. 

The four teens have to remove staplers from magazines that would be sent for recycling as punishment but since that's lame, they find an old video game console with Jumanji still attached to it. Since playing an old video game beats removing staplers, they decide to play and choose their avatars. I especially love how Fridge selected Franklin "Mouse" Finbar, thinking that he was gonna be a strong guy since he read it as "Moose" and not "Mouse". Bethany chose Professor Sheldon "Shelly" Oberon because he was described as a "curvy genius", but she ends up being a fat middle-aged man.

Instead of the game coming to life in the 1995 film, the video game sucks them in and they transform into their avatars. Martha becomes Ruby Roundhouse, a sexy martial arts expert who wears a crop top and short shorts in the jungle. Ugh. This always happens in video games, doesn't it? Somehow, the female characters have to be sexy even when they are badass! The same goes for female superheroes! And Spencer becomes Dr Smolder Bravestone, a tough guy who is played by none other than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

I have to say that I love the casting. The actors really portrayed themselves well, as teenagers trapped in bodies of video game characters. Karen Gillan is stunning as Ruby Roundhouse. She also played Nebula from Guardians of the Galaxy but of course, she was painted blue and her head was shaved, so she looked really different. With comedians like Kevin Hart as Fridge/Moose and Jack Black as Shelly the cartographer/Bethany, things became funny real quick. Bethany really stood out, since she was the only person who switched genders. Initially, she was annoyed by her own ugliness and disoriented because she did not have her phone with her. But she quickly became fascinated with her dick and at one point she was teaching Martha how to flirt and seduce men. And mind you, she was played by Jack Black. Naturally, hilarity ensued.

As they play the video game, Spencer learns to be brave and more confident. Martha realises that she shouldn't shut people out immediately. Bethany becomes less self-obsessed and in fact, quite selfless at one point. Fridge realises the importance of having a backpack. Okay, just kidding. Fridge was a big dude who became a little one. He hated it at first but he reconciled with his ex best friend Spencer and he probably realised that being strong isn't everything. I mean, he thought it was cool to be a brainy zoologist who was able to defang a snake. And because of game logic, he could rattle off facts and provide crucial information when it was necessary.

Okay, so in short, four teenagers who were trapped in detention were now trapped in a video game, and they had to work together to win the game in order to return to back to their normal lives. In the process, they learn more about one another and about themselves. Hmm. Sounds familiar? If you take away the part about the video game, it sounds like The Breakfast Club. Teenagers. Detention. Stereotypes. Self-discovery. Except that I hated The Breakfast Club. Absolutely nothing happens in The Breakfast Club. The only reason why my roommate and I watched it in Sydney was because of Pitch Perfect. Beca watched The Breakfast Club and she cried. Maybe she cried because she had fought with Jesse and she missed him. That's the only logical explanation I could think of, because after watching The Breakfast Club, the only reason why I would cry would be tears of joy. Finally! The boring movie is over!

Sorry, I digress. Back to Jumanji. In the 1995 movie, there's a man (Alan Parrish) who got trapped in the board game for 26 years (played by none other than Robin Williams). In this version, the kid trapped in the video game is none other than the idiot who decided to play the video game WITHOUT EVEN QUESTIONING ITS TRANSFORMATION IN THE FIRST PLACE. Ahem. He kind of deserved it. Anyway, the kid's name is Alex, and his avatar is played by Nick Jonas, who's supposed to be a pilot. The other teens realise that he's the kid who disappeared 20 years ago, which is why his father became an angry old man and their house became known as the freak house. Alex saves the four from a spot of trouble and brings them to his hideout, which was apparently built by Alan Parrish when he was trapped there! It was great that they made a reference to Robin William's character.

The five of them manage to complete the objective of the game, save Jumanji and return to reality. Oh, and everyone else in the game, like the evil villain and his henchmen, are NPCs. Rhys Darby plays Nigel, the guy who greets them and introduces the story to them. He also appears later on to shake their hand and congratulate them. (I remember Rhys Darby's performance in Yes Man as Jim Carrey's boss and he was so funny in that movie too!) As an NPC, he started repeating himself. Just like how Skyrim guards always tell you about how they were once an adventurer like you before they took an arrow to the knee.

Back in the real world, Bethany surprises her friend by saying that she wants to go hiking. Spencer and Martha kiss (properly, this time) and all of them remain friends. They find out that the freak house is no longer a freak house, because Alex was returned to 1996 and he had never disappeared. Like the 1995 film, there's this "time travel" component sort of a thing. They didn't travel back in time, but what the characters did changed certain things. Alex was seen getting out of the car outside his house. For him, 20 years had passed. He has his own family and his father looks happy. Alex greets the teenagers who are passing by and remembers their names. He even named his daughter Bethany, after the girl who saved his life. Aww!

It's best not to think about the "time travel" thing too much. Because once I did, I started to think about how Alex would have to purposely donate his video game console to his old school and hope that the four teenagers would find it. He must have done so, right? If he did not, would he suddenly cease to exist? Argh. Stories that mess around with time always try to wrap things up neatly but ultimately everything doesn't make sense. Apart from the logical issues in the plot (there is a limit to game logic and movie logic too okay), the movie was generally a good one.

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa (Book Review)

I just finished the book! The first chapter already caused me to tear up so it was not surprising to find tears streaming out of my eyes as I got closer to the end. The cat cafe, Neko no Niwa, had published an Instagram story about the book and I told my boyfriend that I would love to read it. Parts of the book were written in the cat's perspective and I thought that it was cute. So after watching Jumanji on Christmas Eve, he bought it for me and gave it to me as a surprise! 

When I start reading a book that appeals to me, it is very hard for me to put it down. I could even wind up reading the book all the way to the end and sleep an ungodly hour. Thankfully, I had to travel to town today so I read the book on my way there and on the way back. It was apt that I had found a bookmark that had been given to me when I first visited Neko no Niwa. And of course, I continued to read back home, after greeting and playing with Shadow, my own adorable feline.

The Travelling Cat Chronicles is a simple and heartbreaking story. On the surface, it could seem boring. Satoru, the protagonist in the book, is going on a journey around Japan to find a new home for his cat Nana. He does not reveal why he has to give up the cat. At first, this was puzzling. It quickly becomes clear that Satoru and Nana love each other very much, so what was the "compelling reason" that Satoru had? What were his "unavoidable circumstances"?

However, the story drew me in because it was about so much more. Though Nana is also the main character in the story, the book is not just about cats. It's about friendship, love and family. When Satoru visits his friends with the pretext of trying to find Nana a new home, they reminisce and there are flashbacks written in the third person perspective. And Nana, his intelligent feline friend, was going to do everything in his power to avoid ending up in one of their homes.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

FINDING HUMOUR IN BAD SITUATIONS

Nana used to be a street cat before Satoru took him in. He takes pride in his excellent hunting skills, loves boxes, and hates going to the vet. A typical cat, in other words, but a remarkably perceptive one. Although I cried while reading the book, there were many humorous moments. In elementary school, Satoru pretended to run away with his best friend, Kosuke, in an attempt to convince the latter's parents to take in an abandoned kitten that was later named Hachi. The entire episode was hilarious! Satoru flatly announces to his mother that he was going to run away from home "for a while", believing that his plan would work just because he had read a story that was similar. 

Without these light-hearted moments which frequently involve cats, the story would have just been depressing. Every time Satoru explains the origins of Nana's name to a passing stranger, it was as if  I could feel Nana rolling his eyes. It was amusing to imagine how Yoshimine rudely grabbed Nana by his neck to check if he was "a real cat" and how Nana tricked Chatran, the kitten Yoshimine had rescued, to adopt a fighting stance in order to impress Yoshimine when actually Nana was getting the humans to believe that they did not like each other. Nana's reaction to the sea was hilarious too!

Satoru and Nana had to board a ship and sail to Hokkaido. Nana had to stay in the pet room full of cages, with a Chinchilla cat and other dogs, and it was so funny because Satoru kept coming back to check on Nana. And when Nana left, the Chinchilla cat said "good luck" to him a foreign language! English, I presume, but it was spelled in a way that perhaps people (or animals) who are more comfortable with the Japanese language would pronounce. Also, Satoru's aunt, Noriko, sent multiple emails to her nephew because she was uncertain if she had sounded curt and that was amusing as well.

FRIENDSHIP

Satoru is possibly the best friend you could ever have. When Satoru tried to "run away" from home with Kosuke, it shows how naive Satoru was as a child. However, it also demonstrated that he was a true friend. He just really wanted to help Kosuke convince his father to accept Hachi. In return, Kosuke was a good friend too. On a school trip, Satoru had to leave prematurely. Kosuke, not knowing the reason why Satoru had to return home, decides to help his best friend buy Satoru's mother the souvenir that she had requested from her son. 

It was truly heartbreaking to discover how Satoru's parents died in an accident considering how the souvenir Satoru had bought for his father was a keyring with "Road Safety" written on it. Satoru, who seemed to be putting up a brave front at his parent's funeral, only breaks down when Kosuke passes him the blotting paper his mother wanted. It must have been worrying for Noriko to have seen how distant her nephew seemed. With strangers, it is easy to put up a false front but with the walls come down when you're with your best friend.

This happens again in the second chapter, when Yoshimine confided in Satoru about his parents getting a divorce and eventually starts to cry. Both Yoshimine and Satoru are well-behaved kids from broken families and they just clicked ever since the day their teacher introduced Yoshimine to the class. It was awkward because the teacher told everyone about Yoshimine's family situation and asked them to be friends with him. Perhaps, in the entire class, only Satoru understood Yoshimine's annoyance with the teacher. Although the teacher merely wished to help, she was quite insensitive. Nobody wants to people to befriend them just because they are pitiful. I imagine the same is true for celebrities. They probably don't want others to be friends with them just because they are rich and famous.

FAMILY

The story keeps coming back to the idea of family. Satoru tragically loses his parents in a car accident and his aunt has to take care of him. Even though he loses his parents, he does not lose sight of the importance of family. Hachi, his first cat, had always been considered as family to him. In junior high, Satoru and Yoshimine tried to travel to Kokura to visit Hachi, who had to live with distant relatives ever since Satoru's parents died. In high school, he is motivated by the same desire and takes up a part-time job at Chikako's family's orchard to save up for the trip. Although he doesn't make it in time, he still manages to visit and mourn the death of Hachi. Later in the book, Satoru also visits his parents' and grandparents' graves.

Perhaps the death of his parents, his cat, and his own impending death had caused Satoru to become emotionally mature. Satoru insisted that Kosuke could not take in Nana for the wrong reasons -- Kosuke wished to adopt Nana to lure his estranged wife home and to get back at his father for not allowing him to adopt Hachi in the past. Whatever it was, Kosuke was not the right human for Nana and it seemed like Satoru's visit helped him realise that he had to make things right and mend his relationship with his wife.

Noriko, who was brought up by her elder sister, values her family very much too. She felt like she owed her success to her sister and wished to do everything she could for Satoru. In the end, she finally stepped down from her position as a judge so that she could live with Satoru again in the days that led to his demise. She even took down notes on stroking Nana and prepared a new cardboard box for him! Even though these actions were unnecessary, she was trying her best for Satoru.

LOVE

Pet owners love their pets, but do their pets love them in return? In the book, the answer is a definite yes. In the third chapter, Satoru arrives at Sugi and Chikako's hotel, all ready to meet their dog and cat. However, the Kai Ken named Toramaru instinctively knows that his owner, Sugi, sees Satoru as a threat and barks at him instead. Tora doesn't want Nana around because his humans would be reminded of Satoru and tells Nana that his human smells like "he isn't going to make it" which causes Nana to strike him with his claws. This is probably the first obvious sign that Satoru wasn't laid off; he was going to die. When humans are in danger or in ill-health, animals seem to instinctively know. Both pets were standing up for their humans out of love and devotion. And when Satoru was reaching the end of his life, Nana runs away from Noriko and stays outside the hospital, waiting to greet Satoru when he comes out for walks. (Reminded me of Hachiko!) Nana loves his human so much!

There was also a classic love triangle during Satoru's high school days. Sugi and Chikako were childhood friends and he had liked her. After Sugi and Satoru save a Shih Tzu from a ditch, Chikako took in the dog and the three of them became friends. However, Sugi was always wary of Satoru and envious of him. He tried to make it seem like he found the Shih Tzu around the same time Satoru did. He told Satoru that he liked Chikako so that Satoru wouldn't confess his feelings in high school, and even when they were in college, he begged Satoru not to tell Chikako that he used to like her in high school. Sugi wished he had said that Chikako was cute first instead of Satoru, and wished that he was as thoughtful as Satoru when Satoru returned from his trip with souvenirs that Chikako liked. 

Ultimately, Sugi was not confident about himself, and Satoru could see that. Sugi admires Satoru for being such a strong and kind person, feeling as if he could never measure up to Satoru. However, Satoru tells him that Sugi's relationship with Chikako is stronger than he thinks. I wouldn't say that Satoru was selfless while Sugi was selfish. Satoru simply valued his friendship with Sugi and Chikako more while Sugi's insecurities caused him to react negatively. At the end of Satoru's visit, he tells Chikako that he used to like and they all laugh. Later, however, Sugi gains a little more confidence when his wife tells him she would not have known who to choose. His sense of inferiority must have caused him to think that Chikako would have definitely chosen Satoru over him. Since Satoru is quite a perceptive person, as Nana points out, Satoru must have known this and by telling Chikako that he used to like her, he was helping Sugi out before he passed on. In the end, Satoru's love for his friends and his aunt brought the characters together too.

BEING SENSITIVE/INSENSITIVE TOWARDS OTHERS

The dogs that were on board the ship to Hokkaido did not seem like a sensitive lot. The Chinchilla cat spoke up for Nana when the dogs teased Nana for being pampered and feeling lonely. It claimed that Nana's owner was lonely and since he smelled like he was dying, he wished to spend more time with his cat. They were being such insensitive mongrels! Kosuke's father was the worst though; he was not even apologetic about his insensitive remark to Kosuke's wife after her miscarriage.

Nana and Satoru seemed to be the most perceptive creatures in the story. Satoru was able to see that his form teacher had kind intentions even though what she did was quite insensitive. And Noriko may seem like someone who is too blunt but he understands that she means well. Noriko, in contrast, is shockingly insensitive towards others. Apparently, almost right after adopting Satoru, she delivers the news to that he was not related to his parents by blood and that his real parents did not want him. She does not taken into account Satoru's feelings and only regrets telling him after seeing the look on his face. He was just a kid and she dropped a truth bomb on him just like that! She even neglects her boyfriend's feelings by taking in Satoru without even discussing it with him first. 

I think it was important to include the cat's perspective to show how important it is to be sensitive towards animals as well, not just other people. As the title of Chapter 4 suggests, Noriko learns to be a more sensitive and loving person. Initially, Noriko was insensitive when she touched Nana's tail instead of petting him on the head and she also freaked out with Nana rubbed himself against her legs, which caused Nana to feel annoyed because he was just trying to greet her. Noriko also admits that she didn't understand how much Hachi meant to Satoru and somewhat makes up for it in the end because she brings Nana to Satoru's death bed despite the matron's protests. By the end of the book, she is sensitive to Nana's needs and even takes in a new kitten of her own.

People should put themselves in the paws of a cat once in a while. If they did, there would be no such thing as animal abuse. I mean, how would you like it if someone pulled your tail or if someone threw things at you? Sometimes, humans are disgusting.

His GF vs Your GF (PUI AH)

I just watched one of the stupidest videos I've ever watched in the longest time. It appeared on my Facebook page (one of the worst places to find videos, another reason why I hardly use FB anymore since YouTube actually gives me what I want based on my subscriptions and not what my friends post) and I was consumed with such anger that I felt compelled to write this post.

First of all, the video was published by a Singaporean YouTube channel months ago. I have unsubscribed to that channel long ago (thank goodness) and after watching it, I feel ashamed to call myself Singaporean. For those who are unfamiliar with the video in question, the video is titled "His Girlfriend vs Your Girlfriend" which is already ridiculous. Why are people comparing girlfriends in the first place? In the video, "His Girlfriend" seems to be "perfect" while "Your Girlfriend" seems like she's not the type of girl you should date. That's the general idea that they're going for.

While the video could have actually been funny, I found myself growing angrier by the minute. Instead of depicting relationships in a funny manner, they were showing impressionable viewers toxic relationships. They were also giving people unrealistic standards of relationships. I know that students watch Singaporean YouTube channels and even admire some of these YouTube celebrities, so this adds on to my annoyance as well. You could be thinking, "Eh! You're reading into it too much lah! It's just a video what!" But whatever. I'm entitled to my own opinion and feelings.

In the silly video, "Your GF" was trying to peer over the shoulder of her boyfriend to see if he's texting a hot girl. He was trying to tilt the phone away from his girlfriend which makes her even more insecure. If you're in a stable relationship, what's there to hide? How can this be considered an "undesirable" trait of a girlfriend when it's clearly the guy who is behaving in a suspicious manner? A few scenes later, "Your GF" surprises her boyfriend at his house and checks his bedroom. Obviously, she was opening the cupboards and lifting up the blankets to see if he was hiding another girlfriend somewhere. This, dear viewers, is how you can drive your girlfriend up the wall and make her become an insecure bitch. 

Apparently, females should not be allowed to have an opinion. When the "ideal" girl (aka "His GF") apologises, all she says is "I'm sorry". When "Your GF" apologises, on the other hand, she fiercely makes her point after the apology. No shit. That's what people do when they disagree. How is the behaviour of "Your GF" not ideal? Do you want a girlfriend who has an empty brain and no opinions of her own at all? This is emphasised in the very next scene when the "ideal" girl just tells her boyfriend that she doesn't want to talk to him anymore and gives him the cold shoulder when they are having a fight, while the "crazy" girlfriend actually shouts at her boyfriend and throws cushions at him. Honestly, the "ideal" girl doesn't even seem to care! Would you rather have a mute girlfriend or someone who tells you exactly why they're feeling frustrated? 

The video also reinforces gender stereotypes. Apparently, "ideal" girls are supposed to be weaker than their male counterparts. They should run slowly and they should refrain from drinking alcohol. Erm, excuse me? Are we living in the 21st century or are we not? We should be also concerned for "His GF", who is trying too hard to be perfect for her guy that she is coming across as fake. Perhaps she's even scared of her boyfriend, or perhaps her boyfriend is so controlling and such a male chauvinist pig that he expects her to behave like an angel. For instance, who actually risks being late for work just to get breakfast for her boyfriend? Unless he's really ill, which does not seem to be the case in the video, that's just ridiculous. Your life does not revolve around your man. If you are being manipulated to behave in this way then get out your toxic relationship asap.

In short, if the people who made this video think that "ideal" girls should have no personality at all, they have done well. It's simply disgusting to see that such a shitty video has 1.6m views. Thanks Facebook friends, but I'll stick to YouTube videos by comedians who are actually funny.

Coco (Film Review)

Hector and Miguel from Pixar's Coco

Coco is probably one of the best Pixar movies ever. I have just watched the movie and I simply cannot stop raving about it. Before the movie was even released, I did not even think about the watching the movie. Somehow, I did not watch a single trailer and the movie was going to slip past me. Thankfully, a colleague of mine watched it with her daughter. She recommended us to watch it and claimed that we would cry. And she was right.

I'm always excited about new Pixar movies. My boyfriend claimed that he knew me "inside out", so I started referencing Pixar movies. As we walked towards the shopping mall, I told him how we had to go up to the cinema and how I hoped that the movie would be incredible. (Geddit?) Along the way, there was also an insect which annoyed him, so I had to slip in the phrase "a bug's life" too. Couldn't help myself. (He tried to say that there used to be a monster in the area, but I told him that he was being too obvious)

Anyway, first things first: there wasn't a Pixar short before the movie. Instead, audiences were "treated" to "Olaf's Frozen Adventure". Unfortunately, this "short" was not short at all. According to the Internet, it was twenty-one minutes long. Pixar shorts are usually about 5-10 minutes long, and there are usually more meaningful (E.g. La Luna, still my favourite one of all time). Don't get me wrong though; I'm not one of those Frozen haters. "Olaf's Frozen Adventure" is all about how Elsa and Anna realise that they don't have a Christmas family tradition. After ringing a huge bell in front of the townsfolk, Elsa and Anna would usually still be separated from each other because of, well, poor parenting. Olaf heads off (with Sven) and finds out how other people celebrate so that he could find a tradition for them. In the end, they realise that Olaf is their tradition! Aww. I like the idea, but I don't like the way it was executed. It came off as too cheesy, the songs were not memorable, and obviously, I went for a Pixar movie expecting a Pixar short, NOT DISNEY. Yes, I know that Disney bought over Pixar, but when I did not see Luxo Jr. I felt disappointed. (And also, I did not purchase the movie tickets, my boyfriend did. I did not look at the ticket stub so this was not what I expected.) This so called "short" should have been aired over Disney Channel or perhaps before the start of another Disney movie. 

Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, on with the review! The film starts off with a little story (narrated using paper cutouts, aka papel picado) about how a man had deserted his family to pursue a music career. The man's wife had to turn to making shoes, and that's how the whole family business was set up. Miguel, the protagonist of the film, is part of this family and they absolutely hate music just because of his great-great-grandfather of his. However, Miguel loves music and he admires a dead celebrity, Ernesto de la Cruz. He even has a secret shrine of him (or should I say ofrenda) and a secret, self-made guitar. By staring at the screen of his secret television set, Miguel was able to learn to play his songs (maybe being musically gifted is in his blood) and could even quote Ernesto's lines from old black and white movies that he had starred in. As I was watching the first part of the movie, I thought that it was obvious: Ernesto de la Cruz was Miguel's great-great-grandfather, and the movie is about following your dreams. Boy was I so wrong!

The story takes place in Mexico and on the Day of the Dead. I was completely fascinated because I did not know that Mexican culture was similar to Chinese culture. The Day of the Dead reminds me of Hungry Ghost Festival and Qingming. It is no wonder why the film is doing so well in China. In the movie, we see Mexicans setting up ofrendas for their deceased family members, putting out offerings and visiting their graves. During Hungry Ghost Festival, this happens as well. Spirits are thought to be released from hell, free to roam the Earth and to gobble up all the food and drinks that are left out for them. In Coco, we see skeletal ghosts grabbing food, watching their descendants, and just having fun. There are Mexican marigolds everywhere, which would become extremely important in the movie. Someone from Miguel's family could give him his or her blessing and send him back to the human world if he touches the glowing orange petal.

I love how beautiful and colourful the land of the dead was. Miguel's dead family members bring him over the marigold bridge and we can see how the dead have to go through a scanner to see if their photographs have been put up on ofrendas. If their picture is not located, they would be unable to leave! Immediately, we see Hector being dragged back to the gate by security guards when he tries. Imelda, Miguel's great-great-grandmother, was unable to get to the other side since Miguel had taken the photograph. When we first meet Imelda, it is hilarious because she was at the Department of Family Reunions or something and she was hitting the computer with her shoe.

Since Imelda's blessing comes with conditions which would hinder him from becoming a famous musician like his idol, whom he now thinks is his great-great-grandfather, Miguel decides to run off and get Ernesto de la Cruz's blessing, thinking that the two of them would see eye to eye. He strikes a deal with Hector, who just wants his portrait to be displayed so that he can see his daughter again. Hector and Miguel visit the slums of the land of the dead, where skeletons hang out and pretend that they are family members because no one in the land of the living remembers them. We even see some Hector's friend fading and disappearing (kind of like a second death) because he has been forgotten. 

The plot twist comes with Miguel finally meets the famous singer. He sneaks into de la Cruz's party and falls into a guitar-shaped swimming which his idol saves him from. When Miguel claims that they are related, Ernesto de la Cruz takes his word for it without even questioning the boy! Obviously, he just wanted to look good in front of the crowd by saving Miguel and going along with whatever Miguel said. Ernesto de la Cruz even suggested that Miguel stay for his sunrise concert. He did not seem the slightest bit concerned that Miguel was slowly becoming a skeleton. Finally, Hector appears and confronts Ernesto and accuses him of stealing the songs that he had written! Miguel and Hector realise that Ernesto had poisoned Hector (which was the truth behind his death, not because he choked on chorizo, which was what he had been mocked for) and even used the same, exact line in one of his movies that was conveniently playing in one of the screens of his mansion. Narcissistic much? It also shows that Ernesto is not creative at all, since he can't write songs or movie scripts.

Hector gets dragged off by security and so does Miguel. They meet at the bottom of the pit that they had been thrown in. It is heartbreaking to find out that Hector was betrayed by Ernesto de la Cruz just because he felt homesick and wished to return to his wife and daughter. I initially thought that Hector was just pretending to know Ernesto de la Cruz to get out of trouble! And thankfully, Hector is Miguel's great-great-grandfather, not Ernesto, who would do whatever it took to become famous. His seemingly positive motto, "seize the moment", turns out to include murder. I did not expect this and I was glad that Pixar managed to catch me off guard. It also makes sense for Ernesto not to give Miguel his blessing, since they weren't related and it would not have worked anyway. Ernesto just wanted Miguel around to worship him. If you think about it, Ernesto shows Miguel the mountains of stuff that he has because tons of people remember him in the human world and send things to him via offerings (like how we burn paper money and objects to our ancestors). However, Ernesto doesn't actually go back like everyone else. He throws lavish parties and holds concerts instead! He's so self-obsessed that he doesn't care about his family and he probably doesn't even have one, so at the back of his mind he would have already known that Miguel was not related to him at all.

With the help of his family, Miguel manages to set things right. Apart from the skeletons, there's also Pepita, Imelda's spirit guide which looks like a huge cat with wings. Miguel's faithful companion, Dante, becomes a spirit guide as well! Although Dante seems like a goofy stray dog, he's actually the one who caused Miguel to think that Ernesto was his great-great-grandfather in the first place. This makes me feel that he was probably meant to guide Miguel on his journey all along. I think it is fascinating for Pixar to include all kinds of Mexican folk art in the film. The way spirit guides were designed to look in the movie was inspired by alebrije, which are sculptures of brightly coloured mythical creatures. Calaveras are used everywhere (there was a skull on the guitar and the characters are skeletons, obviously) because it is a movie about the Day of the Dead, but that is probably the only reason why I had a Halloween vibe about the movie. Dante, the Mexican hairless dog or Xolo, has also been aptly named since when I think of Dante, I think of the poem and his journey through hell (and also the video game Dante's Inferno). Besides, the appearance of a black dog is a symbol of death in Europe. (Just ask Professor Trelawney about the Grim)

When Miguel and the rest of his family try to get Hector's photograph back from Ernesto, they confront him at his sunrise concert and his true colours are revealed to his (deceased) fans live on camera. In the end, Miguel did not manage to save the photograph but he did get back to his family. Using his great-great-grandfather's guitar, he plays the song, "Remember Me" to Coco, Miguel's great-grandmother who seems to be suffering from dementia and losing her memory. Even though it was quite obvious that Miguel was going to do that so that Coco does not forget her father, it was difficult to hold back tears at this point. Later, we see Coco and Hector reunited in the land of the dead (after Coco passes on, of course). It would have been a real tragedy if Hector had disappeared just as Coco died and appeared in the underworld.

I really like how Coco kept all the letters that her father sent her, and how Ernesto was dealt with in the land of the dead and the land of the living. With the letters, Miguel was able to prove to the land of the living that Ernesto was a murderous fraud, and he was able to give credit to Hector for writing such wonderful songs. The letters were displayed along with his guitar for all to see. In the land of the dead, Ernesto is pelted with rotten tomatoes and whatever else the audience could find. Pepita grabs him and throws him towards a tower, where he is crushed by a bell. I'm not sure if you can actually die in the land of the dead (apart from vanishing because you have been forgotten). But it is still satisfying to watch because this was also how he died in the human world. All the wrongs have been righted in the end, and Miguel learnt that his family and his dreams are both equally important.

Descendants 2 (Film Review)

The movie was rotten to the core, and here's why.

1. Songs that do not make sense

Before the Disney Channel Original Movie was released, the song "Ways to be Wicked" was uploaded onto YouTube. The actors also performed it on Dancing with the Stars. And guess what? It turns out to be a completely unnecessary song that does not even move the plot. When the song ends, the camera zooms in on Mal's eye and then zooms out to Mal with blonde hair, being bombarded with questions by nosy reporters. So the song was just Mal's daydream and therefore meaningless. Erm, okay? I thought apples were going to be important in the story but it was just a pointless song and an excuse for a musical number at the start of the show.

"What's My Name" was another song that Disney tried to hype up before the movie was aired. The audience is introduced to Uma, Harry and Gil, descendants of Ursula, Captain Hook, and Gaston respectively. Before singing, Uma asks Harry what her name was. Um, what? Why would she do that? Doesn't he know her name? They were obviously flirting with each other throughout the song. Harry says that "Uma's so hot, they get burned if they look" while Uma says "Hook me" and winks at him several times. So they clearly know each other well. The lyrics are just weird.

Uma sings a little bit of "What's My Name" after a rap battle and a supposedly epic sword fight between Uma's gang and Mal's gang. The rap battle was strange because Mal refers to her group as "VKs", which stands for Villain Kids. However, this doesn't apply to the situation since Uma and her pirate crew are VKs as well, and Mal actually has Lonnie on her side, who isn't a VK at all. But the weirdest part is when Mal and her friends manage to escape. Mal pushes down a bridge and Uma is unable to chase after them. Uma then angrily pushes Harry and sings "What's My Name" in a frustrated manner. It's like OMG. JUST. WHY.

Was it supposed to be a reprise of the song? To quote Wikipedia, "reprises are any repetition of an earlier song or theme, usually with changed lyrics and shortened music to reflect the development of the story." The movie Tangled is a great example. Rapunzel sings "When Will My Life Begin" at the very start of the film, showing the audience how bored she is to be cooped up at home. When Flynn brings her out for the first time, she sings again but the lyrics are changed. She sings about grass, dirt and the summer breeze. Similarly, the song "Mother Knows Best" is sung twice. The first time Mother Gothel sings, she portrays herself as a nice lady who is just looking out for her daughter. However, when the song is sung again, it becomes more like "Rapunzel Knows Best". Mother Gothel continues to insult and guilt-trip Rapunzel. The song is more sinister than the last, since Mother Gothel is looking older and more desperate than ever.

Why couldn't Disney do something like that for Descendants?

2. Part of the movie do not make sense

There are some little things in the movie that disturbed me.

For instance, Harry actually puts a piece of gum that Mal was chewing on into his mouth. Again, apart from making me feel grossed out, I don't see the point in this scene.

The song "Chillin' Like a Villain" contained impressive choreography and I particularly liked Evie's line about losing a fight to an alley cat. However, when Carlos says "if you don't, you're gonna get us caught", the three villain kids stared straight into the camera. Um, is it necessary to break the fourth wall here?

I could let the previous two examples slide, but the worst was the unnecessary arm wrestle between Uma and Mal. At this point of the movie, Uma has captured Ben. Then Mal is asked to meet her at Ursula's Fish and Chips. When the two girls meet, they arm wrestle. Uma claims that Ben can leave if she wins. However, this doesn't even make any sense. Uma has the upper hand! She already has leverage over Mal, so why partake in arm wrestling? What if she loses? She would still be able to carry out her plan but she would have embarrassed herself! This is just a really bad plan on Uma's part, and it makes her seem like a joke.

3. Characterisation of Mal

Mal is the female protagonist that I'm supposed to like and identify with, right? Wrong. Apparently, Mal's behaviour is extremely inconsistent. In Descendants 2, she misses screaming at people and making them run away from her. I'm sorry, what? Did I hear right? Is this the same Mal who, in the previous movie, convinced her friends to choose good over evil? Character development from the last movie was flung right out of the window. (This is starting to sound like How I Met Your Mother and trust me, you don't wanna go there.)

It honestly doesn't make sense for her to run away to the isle just because she quarrelled with her boyfriend. Since she already chose to leave that life behind, why does she not choose to go somewhere else? Audrey was cut out of the movie and it was explained that she was on a spa vacation with Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. As much as I detest Audrey's bitchy personality, I think she got it right. Instead of feeling frustrated in Auradon Prep, Mal should go on a well-deserved holiday. Instead of breaking up with Ben, she should just tell him that she needs a break! After all, it is clear that she still loves him. She's just cracking under pressure and that's understandable. Instead of stress talking and having random outbursts in front of her friends, she should just honestly tell Ben how she feels. Ugh.

There are also a few other minor bits that annoyed me. 

The script was pretty terrible. When Ben talks to her at her locker, Mal didn't even know that it was Thursday. Yet, she claimed that she needed to get to class. If she didn't know it was Thursday, how would she have known which class to get to? She would have gotten her timetable all wrong!

After saving Ben, Mal mentions that her spell book is not with her. But she doesn't even panic! And also, when did she realise that her spellbook was left behind? It was as if she left it there on purpose.

4. Unnecessary scenes

Evie, Ben, Carlos and Jay ride a limo to the isle to look for Mal. Ben speaks to Mal and tries to convince her to come home, but Mal insists that she doesn't fit in. She says she's a terrible influence and doesn't say "I love you" back to Ben. 

At this point of the movie, I was still feeling annoyed that Mal ran off to the isle because her actions simply do not make sense to me. Honestly, this entire scene should be cut out because it just establishes what we already know -- that Mal still loves Ben but dating the king comes with a crazy amount of stress. 

Ben should have immediately been kidnapped by Uma and her crew after the song "Chillin' Like a Villain". It would save a lot of time. The movie is about 1 hour 50 minutes long. Perhaps better Disney films are not as long because they have a tighter story.

Oh, and there is another unnecessary scene. After Jay makes Lonnie the captain of some sword fighting club (Apparently it's called the Swords and Shields team. Whatever), she commands the team to do ten push ups and then... dismisses them. I'm all for making Lonnie captain and I like how she gets back at Chad for being stupid and sexist, but the extremely short training session was ridiculously lame. 

5. Cutting from scene to scene

It seems like the film was not edited properly. Sometimes, the camera cuts from one shot to another, but it is inconsistent. For example, during "It's Goin' Down" aka the rap battle, Harry tries to intimidate Mal. The audience first sees Mal's hair being touched by the hook. Then, the scene cuts back to Harry, but his hook is nowhere to be seen. Inconsistent much?

Also, at the cotillion, Evie shows up with a blue dress. It is so long that it looks like it sweeps the floor. Mal, on the other hand, appears in a yellow and blue dress, which are the school colours. It makes sense for Mal's dress to change. I mean, Mal did become a purple dragon, so I guess she is entitled to a purple dress. And it shows her progress. Instead of trying to hard to fit in, she is finally ready to be herself. That being herself means having green eyes, purple hair, and wearing a purple dress. OK.

But for the last musical number, Evie's dress becomes short and Mal's dress changes from a more elaborate purple dress to a simpler one. What gives? Why did the dresses change? Did the girls have a spare dress to change into in case they wanted to break out into song and dance? Did they know that Uma was going to splash water onto the ship and so long dresses were a bad choice? 

You may think that I'm paying too much attention to their clothes, but it's not my fault. Since Evie was shown working as a fashion designer, obviously I'm going to pay more attention to the dresses. 

--

Although the movie wasn't that great, here are some things I liked about it.

1. Character development

Ahem! *Clears my throat* Ahem! I'm looking at you, Mal. Apart from having love interests, the VKs discover what they like and their passions in Auradon. Evie has fashion, Jay has sports and Carlos has his pet dog. What does Mal have? Ben. It's no wonder why Mal isn't a relatable character. 

Since this is ultimately a kids movie, it's important to portray characters children can look up to. Evie started out in the first movie as a superficial, vain princess wannabe. In the second film, she is working as a fashion designer. She is the mature one who actually advises Mal to donate her spell book to the museum just like she donated her mirror! Not only does she give fashion advice, she also gives relationship advice to Mal (who doesn't actually listen and continues to lie) and advises the king as well. At the end of the movie, she provides King Ben a list of kids from the isle (including Drizzy, daughter of one of the evil stepsisters from Cinderella) who deserve a "second chance". (I'm putting this phrase in quotation marks because the children were kept on the isle just because their parents were villains so technically, they have not done anything wrong yet. So it's more like a first chance actually) She is a great friend who doesn't hesitate to go back to the isle for Mal and she tells her friends that their experience at the isle has made them who they are. Who cares about the fairest of them all? I'd say Evie is the wisest.

As for Jay, the first movie showed that he has stopped stealing. Instead, he channels his energy into sports. In the second movie, Jay has been appointed the captain of the sword fighting team. He's fitting in so well that he's becoming the typical jock at a high school, and many girls seem attracted to him. However, after Evie tells him, Carlos and Mal that their experience back home counts for something as well, he decides to bend the rules by making Lonnie the captain. He's not breaking the rules since the rule book specified that they needed a captain and eight other men, and I totally approve. It's a wonderful loophole that should be exploited.

Carlos wasn't actually very evil to begin with. In the first film, he provided us with laughs because he was so afraid of dogs. When he realises that Dude is actually a lovable creature, he adopts the furry dog and they're always seen together. Thankfully, Descendants 2 allows for more character development. He initiates what he calls "girl talk" (quotation marks since that was in the script. However, I see it more as a heart to heart talk that girls and boys can both partake in) and shows Mal that they support her. He gives great advice too: if he doesn't love you for who you are, he's not worth it. Dude, the talking dog that had consumed a truth gummy, repeats his words and Carlos finally plucks up the courage and asks Jane out.

In Descendants, Chad and Audrey were just assholes. They harbour prejudice against villain kids from the isle and it's just like xenophobia. In the sequel, Audrey isn't around but Chad continues being a douchebag. He's sexist as he's the one telling Jay that girls aren't allowed on the team. He has an inflated ego and thinks that he would be a great king. Chad even resorts to making a copy of the key to Jay and Carlos's room just so that he can use their 3D printer. The worst part was probably when he was caught making a miniature figure of himself. I think it's hilarious that he didn't manage to complete it and it ends up being headless. His head is too big for the figurine anyway. 

I liked the first movie because it portrayed people like Chad and Audrey, kids from supposedly happy, married couples. Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty might have had their happily ever after, but their children are spoiled rotten and narrow-minded. I really liked how the Auradon kids were the actual villains in the first story. Perhaps the movie was trying to show that children from dysfunctional, broken families tend to be more mature. However, it's hard to say and it's not right to generalise, since Ben probably had everything he wanted too but he isn't like Chad or Audrey. And Jane is alright as well. She has become a lot more confident in the second movie and is mostly seen planning the royal cotillion instead of being awkward and nervous around the villain kids.


2. Toxic relationships

In the first movie, we see how the villain kids have toxic relationships with their parents. Maleficent educates her daughter about how wonderful it is to be evil and pressurises her to steal fairy godmother's wand. Carlos hears a bunch of lies from Cruella de Vil, mostly about how evil dogs are. She screams at him a lot as well. Jay's father just wants him to steal a bunch of stuff and rub them to see if they are magical lamps that contain genies. Evie had been brainwashed into thinking that appearances are extremely important, and that she should marry a prince and live in a castle. This is terrible advice since Evie ends up doing Chad's homework for him, hoping to eventually live in his castle. (Really glad that she is with Doug! He tells her that she'll eventually make enough money to buy the castle she's always wanted, and Evie tells him that she doesn't need a prince. Aww, such a sweet moment)

In the second movie, the toxic relationship is actually between Ben and Mal. I'm not quite sure what is up with Ben but he seems to have low self-esteem and is intimidated by Mal. Maybe he just really wants to impress her. But obviously he's trying too hard and overcompensating by giving Mal a surprise almost everyday. He corrects her and says it's every other day or rather on even days, because she's even more perfect than he thought. What a cheesy and fake line. Right from the start, it's already hard to buy into their lovey dovey act. Besides, a purple scooter is way too big a present for teenagers to just be casually giving to one another. And I don't care if said teenager is royalty.

And on Mal's end, she lies so much that she could become the next Pinocchio. She uses her spell book to whip up a meal, dye her hair blonde and she memorises books using a speed reading spell. She's trying too hard to fit in and to be perfect, since Ben always praises her for being so perfect. I feel that the most basic thing that a relationship should have is honesty and trust. As mentioned by Evie, Mal should not be keeping secrets from Ben (and vice-versa of course). She's trying to keep her whole identity from him and that's not who he fell in love with in the first place.

Thankfully, this toxic relationship isn't that toxic. I mean, it's not like Mal was forcing Ben to buy her things and it's not like Ben was forcing Mal to change. But I also wouldn't mind if they chose to split up. I think that Evie is a more interesting character and she stole the show. I know that Descendants 3 is going to be a thing but they should come up with a better plot next time. 

10 Disney Songs We Can Relate To

Disney concept art for Tangled. (Image from Tumblr)

Here is a list of Disney songs that we all can relate to -- even without the context of the movie. Which means I'm not talking about songs where you sing about feet like you've never seen them before, or singing like you were a handsome street rat who's able to get away with stealing.

I mean, as much as we all want life to be like a Disney movie, we can't be a princess or a mermaid, or a mermaid princess. And in your daily life you wouldn't be singing about life under the sea or asking God to help the gypsies. You can't be a monkey asking about the secret of man's fire and we aren't gonna defeat the Huns and we can't all be snowmen dreaming about summer. We aren't fairy godmothers saying nonsensical magic words too. We aren't genies who can grant wishes or servants wanting more than dusting.

This means no duets; in real life, you don't just come up with a well-composed song and expect a random prince or princess to harmonise perfectly with you out of nowhere. Especially not on a magic carpet ride.

Also, I'm not talking about lame connections like singing "It's the circle of lifeeee! Humans are at the top of the food chain!" in front of your steak and have vegan friends stare at you. No.

1. Reflection (Mulan)

Look at me

I will never pass for a perfect bride

Or a perfect daughter

Can it be

I'm not meant to play this part?

I'm sure everybody can relate to Mulan when she start singing. It is so difficult to live up to the expectations of others. This is especially true for Mulan as the movie takes place in ancient China!

But I'm sure most of us can relate to Mulan. We may have traditional parents who expect us to fit into the mould of a typical daughter or son. Society also expects us to behave in a certain way, depending on your race, class, and gender. But what if we've tried, and we just can't do it? Why can't we go against social norms for a change?

2. I Won't Say I'm In Love (Hercules)

(Image from Tumblr)

If there's a prize for rotten judgement

I guess I've already won that

No man is worth the aggravation

That's ancient history, been there, done that

This is for anyone who's ever been in love. And when someone whom you like comes along, you're afraid. You deny that you're attracted to him/her. But deep down inside, you know you are. The inner voices inside your mind are like the Muses, telling you to just admit it and go for it.

Of course, unlike Meg, in the real world, the situation is much safer because at least you didn't sell your soul to Hades to save your ex-boyfriend's life before he left you for someone else. Ugh, men.

3. Colours Of The Wind (Pocahontas)

You think you own whatever land you land on

The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim

But I know every rock and tree and creature

Has a life, has a spirit, has a name 

You think the only people who are people

Are the people who look and think like you

But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger

You'll learn things you never knew, you never knew

Ah, this is a classic. First of all, Pocahontas is telling us not to be so materialistic. Why are we so  bothered about what type of house we live in or what clothes we wear? Ultimately these are just dead things that we can claim as our own, but it doesn't make us happy.

Secondly, we should not judge others based on our own expectations. For anyone who has studied history, John Smith is a typical coloniser here, judging natives by his Western standards. Yuck.

But basically, this logic still stands. What's that cliche saying? Don't judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes.

For all the animal lovers out there, yes, animals are people too! Well, sort of. Remember that scene where Pocahontas stopped John Smith from shooting a bear, and it turns out that she's a mother bear with cubs to look after? I love that part. Animals are living creatures with souls and feelings. Why are we always competing with nature and destroying natural habitats? We should put ourselves in the position of animals too.

4. I'm Almost There (The Princess and the Frog)

Trials and tribulations

I've had my share

But there ain't nothing gonna stop me now

'Cause I'm almost there

Tiana represents the working class. The people who put in the most amount of hard work and backbreaking kind of labour, who slog their guts out all day and all night to get what they want. This song is for people like Tiana, who will aspire to achieve success someday.

5. Go The Distance (Hercules)

I am on my way

I can go the distance

I don't care how far

Somehow I'll be strong

I know every mile

Will be worth my while

I would go most anywhere

To find where I belong

Sorry, another one from Hercules. But I love this song! With every verse, there are changes to the lyrics to show the hero's progression. He starts off with a dream, feeling unsure about his place in this world. But he knows he'll "find his way". Then his adoptive parents point him in the right direction and he starts his journey, and the lyrics change to "I am on my way". In the last verse, he is absolutely confident about himself and sings that he will "beat the odds" and "face the world". This is powerful stuff. I always get goosebumps.

6. Let It Go (Frozen)

The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside

Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried

Can you blame me for including this song? I know it's been overplayed but it is still so good. We can relate to the snow queen -- sometimes we feel like we are alone, or that we have to hide how we truly feel. Obviously we don't have any deadly ice powers to hide from the rest of the world, but what if the rest of the world has been holding you back from unleashing your true power? Shouldn't we just embrace ourselves for who we are?

7. I Wonder (Sleeping Beauty)

I wonder, I wonder,

I wonder why each little bird has a someone

If you've been brought up by three fairies in a cottage in the woods you would probably be as desperate as Aurora was and start being jealous of birds as well. In reality, this happens to most of us. When we are looking for love, we see all the happy couples out there and we wonder to ourselves: when would that ever happen to me?

8. So Close (Enchanted)

A life goes by

Romantic dreams must die

So I bid my goodbye

And never knew

I feel so sad when I listen to this song! When Giselle and Robert dance knowing that they cannot be together because they come from different worlds, I just feel sad. I love this scene.

Sometimes life gets in our way. Sometimes we think that we've met the right person at the wrong time. Sometimes we are just not brave enough to take the first step. Sometimes life pulls people apart.

9. Everybody Wants To Be A Cat (The Aristocats)

Everybody's pickin' up on that feline beat

'Cause everything else is obsolete

I'm talking about this song without the racist part (why does the Siamese cat have to be some dorky Chinese talking about Shanghai, Hong Kong, and fortune cookies?). Besides, who doesn't want to be a cat?

With the Internet being crazy over cats, I think it's a pretty good time to be a cat. We humans are jealous of how cats can just lie around, be cute, and not have to do anything. And now, cat celebrities probably earn more than we do. I wish I were a cat!

10. How Far I'll Go (Moana)

See the light where the sky meets the sea
It calls me
No one knows how far it goes

I'm sure everyone has had a burning desire to get away from their usual, mundane lives. Moana feels like the sea is calling out to her for some greater purpose. Sometimes, we feel that way too. Maybe there's something wonderful out there, waiting for us. Or maybe the sea is calling out to us because we just need a vacation at the beach.

I know everybody on this island
Seems so happy on this island
Everything is by design
I know everybody on this island
Has a role on this island
So maybe I can roll with mine

Just wanted to mention that this verse sounds pretty much like Singapore, where everything seems to be running smoothly.


Other songs worthy of mention:

I was thinking about these two songs, When You Wish Upon A Star (Pinocchio) and A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (Cinderella). The message is similar: your dreams will come true if you keep on believing. They didn't make the list because I felt that these songs are quite cliche. Instead of just having faith and wishing upon stars, get up and do something about it!

A Spoonful of Sugar (Mary Poppins) reminds us that even if work sucks, if school sucks, and if life in general sucks, we should face whatever life throws at us with a positive spirit. Find a way to make challenges fun! Come to think of it, this sounds like Whistle While You Work from Snow White. (But I can't whistle. Ah well.) Again, they did not make the list because sadly, not everything can be made better with sugar or music. (And that's the gospel truth!)

More Things I did in Melbourne (Part 3)

11. More Shopping and Street Art!

Flinders Street Railway Station.

This is Melbourne's iconic, central railway station. 

Found some cool graffiti along Franklin Street. So colourful!

The horses looked sad! I didn't go on a carriage ride but I just wanted to take a picture with the horses, since this is not something you'd see in Singapore.

Melbourne Central Shopping Centre

I did not really think about visiting the shopping centres in Melbourne, but just look at that pretty tower and glass cone!

We chanced upon The Little Library and I love this concept! As you can see, The Little Library consists of just a bookshelf, where people can borrow or exchange books as they please. Simple, yet brilliant. But I think it wouldn't work here. In Singapore, people would just think that there are free books up for grabs and the shelves would soon be completely empty.

12. Moomba Festival

We stumbled upon Moomba Festival by chance. I saw theme park attractions from afar and wondered what they were. So my boyfriend and I just walked towards it and we found the entrance to this awesome, free festival!

There were rides, game booths and of course, typical food that you can find at a funfair!

You'd have to buy a ticket for each of the rides.

There were rides and booths on both sides of the Yarra River! We watched some water-skiing competition, and participants competed to see who could make the furthest jump.

Tried to get a Minion soft toy but we weren't lucky enough. Oh well.

Stayed for the fireworks!

If we had planned to go to the festival a day earlier, we might have witnessed some violence on the streets. If we had known about the riots that had occurred a day earlier, we might have avoided the festival altogether. Thankfully, we knew nothing about both at that time.

13. Phillip Island

For one of the days, we booked a tour to Phillip Island! But first, we stopped by the Wildlife Park to feed some wallabies!

Sniffing in a cute way!

Politely waiting for food

Awww so cute

The emus were demanding! Really had to be careful around them since they were so violent and desperate for food.

Sleepy Tasmanian devils

Kookaburra 

Kangaroos getting it on

They seem to be having a serious meeting.

 The swans are dangerous too! One of them pecked at my hand pretty hard.

A koala doing yoga

This cockatoo is so smart! It would say "Hello" to us for more treats.

Wild wallaby!

After getting a soft toy wombat, we were brought to The Nobbies!

These small wooden boxes were built for the penguins.

Look at this little one poking its head out of its home!

Wild rabbit spotted!

The last and final stop for the day was obviously getting to the Penguin Parade! The tour we were on had booked a pair of Penguin Plus tickets for us and at sundown, hundreds of penguins appeared on the coast! Photography was not allowed and besides, it was too dark to get a good picture. But there were so many cute, fluffy penguins! As we made our way back and strolled down the boardwalk, we could still see penguins waddling back to their burrows after a day of swimming.

14. Great Ocean Road

Last but not least, we visited Great Ocean Road. I did not enjoy this tour as much because of the twists and turns on the road! The tour guide did warn us that it would be a bumpy ride, and that he had encountered guests who puked along the way. Thankfully, I did not. But it was still an uncomfortable journey.

Before arriving at the Great Ocean Road Memorial Arch (pictured below), the tour guide wanted to stop and make us some coffee, but it was too windy so it didn't work!

The Great Ocean Road was built by men who served in WWI. It provided the returned soldiers employment and they worked with picks and shovels as seen in the statue next to this memorial arch. The road is dedicated to the soldiers who died in the war, making it the world's largest war memorial.

At our next stop, there was bird feed sold at a little shop nearby and you could put out your hand and feed the beautiful wild parrots! There were also wild koalas sleeping high up in the trees.

We had lunch at the cafe nearby before visiting Cape Otway Lighthouse. The wind at the bottom of the lighthouse was already so strong!

After climbing up the red spiral staircase, we enjoyed the view from the top!

The view of the path and the cafe we just had lunch at. I was so afraid that I would drop my camera! It was extremely important to grip the railings, the walls of the lighthouse, and hang onto whatever belongings we had because it felt as if the wind could just blow us away.

 

Along Shipwreck Coast, our guide told us about two teenage survivors from Lord Ard. Although it sounded like a romantic story about a boy who managed to save a girl, they did not fall in love and get married. No potential here for a Disney story, people. Anyway, the gorge was named after the ship, and so this is Lord Ard Gorge.

And of course, the Twelve Apostles, formed by the erosion of limestone cliffs. We were trying to spot the 8 stacks of rocks currently left in the ocean. From the picture above, you can still see the remains of the 9th rock stack that had fallen in 2005.

That's everything I did in Melbourne! I really wish I could return to Australia for another holiday.