The Terminal

I was watching HBO NYC last Saturday and playing was The Terminal starring Tom Hanks as Viktor Navorski and Catherine Zeta Jones as Amilia Warren. I can’t help but reminisce because d movie was filmed in JFK International Airport in NY. It was around this time last year when I experienced the city.

In the movie, Hanks was tourist from Krazozhia while Zeta Jones played an ultra pretty 39 y.o. flight attendant. The story revolved around the fact that Hanks wanted to enter the US and dig this "get an autograph of jazz sax player Benny Golson at Ramada Hotel." It really seems unbelievable reason why he was endlessly refused entry by immigration. He was stranded in the airport temporarily taking shelter in gate 67 for 9 months. He couldn't go back to native Krakozhia because of the civil war that erupted. During that period, he befriended almost everybody in the airport and touched their lives, reason why he was like a star when he was finally "allowed" to leave the airport. While his wait time to gain entry took quite sometime, his official one day trip was fulfilling as he met his objective of getting an autograph from his father's idol.

For me, the movie was like the new Honda CR-V. It's a so-so movie in fact the ending was lousy but it was directed and produced by THE Steven Spielberg, starred by award winning actor Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta - Jones so people watched the movie. I did. The new CR-V is so-so SUV in fact the exterior is unimpressive but it's a Honda and it's a CR-V so that alone will make people buy it. I will.

SPIDERMAN 3 : Three’s a crowd

In New York, there is this pace, a feel. The audience knows they are really in New York – you can see it.” Ari Arad, Marvel Studios Chairman and CEO

I watched Spiderman 3 last May 3 at Glorietta 3. I'm not the movie buff type and am actually trying to avoid writing a movie review because my view in watching a movie is like eating - not everybody likes Chinese food. I'm writing this just to atone with Mr. Arad and to highlight the fine lines in the movies.

This trilogy is my first Spidey movie post US trip where I had the chance to see the Big Apple. While watching, I saw the Bow bridge and Flat Iron bldg. The Bow bridge is what Mary Jane Watson referred to as "Meet me at the bridge" which is located in Central Park, NY. The Flat Iron bldg. is where the Daily Bugle was housed.

In Spider 1, who can forget the line "With great power comes great responsibility." In this 3rd installment, the super arachnid is faced with 3 kontra-bidas (nemesis) and they are: New Goblin, Sandman and Venom. The quotable quote for me would be the line by Flint Marko a.k.a. Sandman delivered towards the end of the movie "I'm not asking you to forgive me, I just want you to understand."

The movie Spiderman 1 was good, the second one was better and the third one is so far the best. I have to find a superlative to describe the fourth edition.

Fast and the Furious

As a certified car nut, I’ve watched the Fast and the Furious at least 10 times; 2X in the cinema, 3X in HBO movies and the balance on VCD.

I especially like the line delivered by Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker) and Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) during a drag race scene about 10 minutes into the movie. Dominic won and Brian came in last. Despite the lousy finish, Brian mustered enough guts to say that he almost beat Dominic, who was considered the “king” of street racing. Here are excerpts from the movie:

Before the race:
Brian: So check it out it’s like this…I lose, winner takes my car, clean and clear. But if I win, I take the cash and the respect!
[the crowd says “respect?” Then laughter]
Brian: To some people, that’s more important.

After the race:
[Brian was smiling despite losing big time and thrashing his car]
Brian: Dude, I almost had you!
[Laughter]
Dom: You almost had me? You never had me - you never had your car... Granny shiftin' not double clutchin' like you should. You're lucky that hundred shot of NOS didn't blow the welds on the intake! You almost had me?
Extra: You Tell him Dominic. Get out of here
Dom: Now, me and the mad scientist got to rip apart the block... and replace the piston rings you fried.
[closes bonnet of car]
Dom: Ask any racer. Any real racer. It don't matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning's winning.

It’s a matter of perspective. For Brian, respect means a lot. Even if he “almost” beat Dominic, it was an accomplishment for a novice racer like him. For Dominic, it’s an on and off thing, it’s either you win the race or not. Another way to look at it is the experience factor. As you gain experience, your standards increase. You progress from being satisfied with almost meeting your objective to getting addicted to the prospect of always exceeding your set objectives.