Julia Roberts Character's Break-up E-mail from the Movie Eat Pray Love

Since it's Valentine's Day, I thought of posting this bittersweet e-mail sent by Julia Roberts' character (Liz) to David (played by James Franco) when she went to Italy. I know the book was based on the author's experiences, but I reckon this letter will apply to those who have no dates today LOL.

Dear David,

We haven’t had any communication in a while, and it’s given me time I needed to think. Remember when you said we should live with each other and be unhappy so we could be happy? Consider it a testimony to how much I love you that I spent so long pouring myself into that offer, trying to make it work. But a friend took me to the most amazing place the other day it’s called, The Augustium. Octavian Augustus built it to house his remains. When the Barbarians came they trashed it along with everything else. The Great Augustus Rome’s first true great emperor. How could he have imagined that Rome, the whole world as far as he was concerned, one day would be in ruins. It’s one of the quietest and loneliest places in Rome. The city has grown up around it over centuries. Feels like a precious wound, Like a heartbreak you won’t let go of cause it hurts too good. We all want things to stay the same David. Settle for living in misery because we’re afraid of change, of things crumbling to ruins. Then I looked around in this place at the chaos it’s endured. The way it’s been adapted, burned, pillaged, and found a way to build itself back up again…and i was reassured. Maybe my life hasn’t been so chaotic, It’s just the world that is. And the only real trap is getting attached to any of it. ruin is a gift. Ruin is the road to transformation. Even in this eternal city. The Augustium showed me that we must always be prepared for endless waves of transformation.

Both of us deserve better than staying together because we’re afraid we’ll be destroyed if we don’t.

Liz,

Rise of the Planet of the Apes Film Review

Gateway Cinema 2 - 199 w.d

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Starring: James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, Andy Serkis

This was the first time that I’ve seen any “Planet Of The Apes” films. It started with Will (James Franco), a scientist who is trying to develop a cure for Alzheimer’s disease hoping that it would cure his father who is suffering from the it. They experimented the virus with chimpanzees and it mutates giving the chimpz a human level of intelligence. One of the subjects who secretly gave birth became upset and causes chaos into the lab and into the board meeting where Will was presenting, thinking that her baby is in danger. Will’s boss, Mr. Jacobs orders to put all the chimpanzees down but Robert, who was tasked to do it cannot bring himself to kill the baby so he gave it to Will who names him Caesar and raises him in his house. From then on, Caesar displayed the intelligence of a human that he inherited from his mother.

The film was actually a nice combination of technology and human emotions. The Chimpanzees all look real especially Caesar. Andy Serkis who played Caesar was very effective in portraying all the emotions that his character felt. I didn’t get much of James Franco but I love his command on the film. The whole “evolution becomes revolution” thingy was a very interesting plot but I find it too anti-climactic. The “revolution” was like 30mins of the film only. I love how the chimpz terrorize the San Francisco Bridge. Tom Felton was actually really good in here playing the cruel son of the primate facilities where Caesar was brought to after causing havoc at Will’s neighborhood.

Other than my cravings for more “Chimpz Terror,” I’d say the film execution was actually good. The graphics are amazing! I just wished that the film didn’t end like that, or perhaps – there would be a sequel huh?

Rating: 8/10