The Thing

I haven’t seen many horror films because I am not a fan of this genre. In my recent memory, the only horror film I truly enjoyed is “28 Days Later”, because only most horror films, whose only purpose seems to be scare the shit out of the audience, “28 Days Later” touched me on an emotional level. There is human truth in that movie, when the main character and his friends trek through perils and deaths in order to reach their “promise land”, only to find out that the promise land is a worse place, and they have seek strength within themselves to defeat the demons.

I saw only one small moment like that in “The Thing”, and it wasn’t well earned. The premise is interesting (and hence the remake, I suppose) - a group of scientists have to find out who among them are replicates created by the aliens, and eradicate them before the virus-like replications spread to the rest of the world. Kate, the main character, is smart and brave, and she does not give up. However, as she conquers the demons one after another, she becomes more and more paranoid, and she loses her trust in any human beings, until at the end she kills her only companion, who is actually a human.

But most of the movie that leads to that moment is filled with nothing but blood and gross, twisted bodies. The computer graphics are amazing and believable, at least to my untrained eyes to special effects. They are revolting, which serves the sic-fi/horror tone of the movie well. However, I couldn’t really see how Kate’s character transforms from a normal brave person to someone who can’t trust just about anyone.

My 9 favorite moments in "Love Actually"

"Love Actually' is one of my favorite romantic comedies and ensemble pieces.

1. Juliet comes to Mark's apartment hoping to get the video Mark videotaped on her wedding with his best friend Peter. Having help secret feelings for Juliet, Mark has been cold to his best friend's fiancee. When Juliet unexpectedly shows up and watches the video, she realizes that all the shots are of her. An unspoken confession of love in a perfectly justifiable situation. It's moving, funny, and heartbroken

2. Writer Jamie, who moved to the countryside after his girlfriend cheated on him with his brother, hires Portuguese girl Aurelia as his housekeeper. When Jamie is writing by the lake, Aurelia accidentally has his script blown to the lake and both jump into the cold water to salvage the pages. After the rescue, they have coffee after changing into dry clothes. Although Jamie and Aurelia don't speak the same language, they talk each other nonetheless, as if they could understand each other. Their dialogue transcends the different languages because their hearts and minds are connected. What a wonderful way to show the connection between 2 people in spite of the language barrier.

3. When Harry attempts to buy a necklace for Mia, his secretary at work behind his wife Karen's back, he encounters a perfectionist jeweler Rufus, who insists on making the perfect gift wrap for his anxious customer, as Karen is coming back to the scene any minute.

4. When Karen realizes that the necklace Harry bought isn't for her, she realizes that her husband may be having an affair. She excuses herself from him and the kids and retreats to the bedroom. In the brief moment she told her family she was in the bathroom, she cries at the photos she took with Harry. But she doesn't have enough time - she has to come out and be excited with her kids just in time so they won't know what she is thinking.

5. Colin, who thinks the reason he can't get laid is because he is in England. He travels to Wisconsin on the leap of faith and ends up in a country bar in the middle of nowhere. Who would have thought he meets 3 smoking hot girls the minute he walks in. Here the most unlikely event becomes the most hilarious, and the viewer is more than willing to believe it as unbelievable as it is.

6. Sarah has had a secret crush on her colleague Carl. When she finally realizes that Carl also has feelings for her and she gets to make love with the man of her dream, her mentally ill brother keeps calling her and totally ruins the moment of her life. She goes to the hospital. A slight disagreement angers the brother and he tries to slap Sarah with the back of his hand. She blocks his blow expertly and calmly. It tells me she has been hit before, yet she still cares about her brother, even after he destroyed the best moment of her life. Very moving.

7. Daniel's wife just passes away and he is left to take care of his step-son Sam on his own. As if that's not hard enough, Sam is deeply depressed because he is hopelessly in love with his classmate Joanna. Daniel encourages Sam to pursue his love, as young as he is. At the airport, when Joanna is on her way back to America, Sam outruns the security guards and gets to see Joanna one last time before she boards the plane. Much to his surprise, Joanna not only knows his name, but also likes him. She comes back to the security check gate and gives Sam a peck on the cheek. Sam looks at his stepfather and smiles. Truly lovely moment to see the connection between the stepfather and the stepson.

8. Jamie travels to Portugal in order to propose to Aurelia, having learned just a tiny bit of Portuguese. The whole village gathers at the restaurant where Aurelia works to behold the Englishman proposing to Aurelia. As Jamie proposes to Aurelia in ridiculously broken yet comprehensible Portuguese, Aurelia responds with brief but also broken English. Funny and magical.

9. The end of the movie. A typically cheesy moment of people hugging each other at the airport becomes so uplifting and intoxicating after the interwoven stories well told throughout the movie. As we continue the moments of love to strangers, unknown people at the airport, I am more than willing to believe the world is full of love.