8 Lessons I learnt from "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards" - Soren Kierkegaard
(words that appear in the movie trailer)

Time : 2 hrs and 47 min
Theatre : Orchard Cineleisure
Ticket price : $8

The themes centre on love, time, aging, youth, changes, death, the impermanence of life and the reality of relationships and bonds that last a lifetime.

Mark Twain once wrote: “Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18.” In a way, it is like saying "youth is wasted on the young". Upon this quote a story was born (a story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald) and thereafter a movie was made.

For me, this is an epic tale that makes one contemplate the wonders of life, of birth and death, and most of all, love. It touches on questions we ask ourselves and choices we opt over the course of a lifetime. The backbone of this story is the developing relationship between 2 individuals, Benjamin and Daisy. And the plot is the tension that brews as Daisy grows older while Benjamin becomes younger each and every day.

I am deeply awed by the way the movie unfolds itself. The story begins in New Orleans at the end of WW1 in 1918 with the unveiling of a giant clock in the grand central train station. The clock runs backward in memory of the fallen soldiers who will never know a future. It was a heart-broken scene. He was a father, and so am I. I can identify his heartbeat.

Lets look at the individuals. They all represent something to me.

The central, emotional core of the movie is, of course, Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt). He represents for me a man, like anyone of us, who is unable to stop time or reverse it (unlike the clock-maker). However, he is also a man who has a life unlike any others. An extraordinary life journey. His is the odd condition that makes him grow younger instead of older.

Interestingly, just like the story of Forrest Gump, a sense of wonder is a trademark of Benjamin's personality. From start to finish, this character tries to be himself, accepting his flaws and celebrating his strengths as a human being: "It's never too late or too early to be whoever you want to be."

Daisy (Blanchett) represents the life of anyone too caught up in the drama and excitement of career and friends (the artistic kind). More importantly, she embodies a woman, who has to make peace with the idea of growing older while the person she loves is getting younger. She represents everybody's common fear of growing old, and losing the ability to maintain or hold on to life's various positions and demands.

Queenie (the woman who adopted Benjamin) gives the story it’s grace and warmth. Her unconditional love toward Benjamin and others is breathtaking. In fact, she is probably the only woman who ever really deserves Benjamin's love. She is the true heart and soul behind Benjamin’s story and without her it would never have carried the emotional weight it reached. She represents our parents or folks who love us unconditionally, and have a genuine interest in our well-being, without any selfish personal agenda.

Thomas Button (Benjamin's father) represents a kind of successful but lonely man in this world, and eventually an old man who is dying and wants to reconnect with the boy he ditched years ago. Thankfully, instead of showing anger or seeking revenge, Benjamin treats him with kindly compassion for he has come to realize that death is a tender moment that must be treated with respect and dignity.

Some segments of the story that deserved contemplations due to their ironical prepositions:

One of these is when he turns away Daisy as she makes sexual advances towards him while the two are in their 20th years of their lives. With her at the age of 20s and him physically closer to 60 it was a sweet and poignant decision on his part. Later, when they are closer to the same age (both in their 40s), he does not reject her advances proving he was wiser about when to accept her into his arms then instead of when she was at the younger, more foolish age.

Another focuses on the part that preaches the belief of fate. There is a line of dialogue that states our lives are predetermined and you go where fate takes you. Much like chaos theory in reasoning. The scene describes an accident that could have been prevented if only one of a large number of incidents had occurred differently. I would say that if only she turns and checks on the on-coming traffic the entire outcome would have been altered. There is no need to read too much too far behind. Period.

Still another one focuses on the brief but highly charged affairs between Benjamin and a British spy's wife. It is ironical that a spy didn't pick up any sign or signal from his "radar" that his wife was fooling around. While he is checking our the enemies, his wife is checking out Benjamin. And like any spy, she disappeared quietly too.

Lastly, it is the part that Benjamin left Daisy and his daughter. When a person is growing younger and watches their child growing older, it can cause fear and, while Benjamin explains his honest belief that what he is doing is right, it seems to be the worst thing he could do at the time. Even looking back and seeing he might have been right in this important decision, it still seems selfish as he continues his life free from the responsibilities he should be bearing. Ironically, he did exactly what his father did years ago - abandoning the child.

Lessons learnt from the movie:

1. It doesn’t make any difference whether you live your life backwards or forwards; it’s how you live your life. Choose your guiding principles wisely and live by purpose.

2. You have people and things for a certain amount of time, and then you have to be okay with letting go. You can take what you can from it while it’s here, but it’s never yours. Time can be cruel or kind to different people at different times. The only way to walk this journey is with an open heart and thankful spirit. Open to recieve, thankful when let go.

3. There was never a pity party for Benjamin. So must we. Learn to love yourself and appreciated the fact that you are different but never let your handicaps stop you from doing or achieving what you want to achieve in life.

4. I am reminded that love goes beyond age and beauty. It involves a connection between individuals. I will seek to build and nourish that connection with my loved ones, and significant others.

5. Benjamin learns how to let go and not to cling to anyone. But more importantly, to cherish those that are still around us. An old lady in the retirement home told him "We're meant to lose the people we love. How else will we know how much they meant to us?" For that, I would add that he who lost much, love much.

6. I have learned the most, strangely, from this odd duck called Captain Mike. His famous wisdom was in his dialouge with Benjamin, and I quote, "You can be as mad as a mad dog at the way things went. You could swear, curse the fates, but when it comes to the end, you have to let go." Atlas, letting go. Something so important yet so difficult to practise, isn't it?

7. I have learned to enjoy watching sunrise. I will make plans to do it at least once every year.

8. I have learned the importance of one-to-one bonding, through late night kitchen rendezvous. I will schedule regular tea or coffee time with my wife after my boy boy falls asleep. Ritualizing routines rekindle romance! For me, dating my wife all over again is not only necessary, but essential! Remember this 4 'R's :) but do it with the right woman, okay :P

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button reminds us that the best thing we can do is make the most of our journey and be thankful for the people we meet along the way. It's all a gift. Benjamin embodies the zest for life described in one of my favorite quotations by Diane Ackerman:

"The great affair, the love affair with life, is to live as variously as possible, to groom one's curiosity like a high-spirited thoroughbred, climb aboard, and gallop over the thick, sunstruck hills every day. . . It began as mystery, and it will end in mystery, but what a savage and beautiful country lies in between."

Benjamin also reminds us that life is what we make of it - no matter how different we may be from what people expect, no matter who leaves us breaking our heart, or doesn’t choose us because of how we look. Instead, life is just moments to be enjoyed, a story to be told. Take things as they come and you can always learn something new no matter how old, or in this case young, you may get.

The best part of life doesn't just came at the beginning, nor the worst part at the end. I see Benjamin's journey as a privilege, just like mine. If he did not consider and consent that he's got the worst of both worlds, we should not.

Believe.
Press on and live.
Fight against the odds.
Rest if you must, but don't stop.

Carpediem - Seize the Day! (and time as well!)

My First Movie of the Year 2009 - Inkheart

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"Every Story Written is just Waiting to Become Real"
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Mo Folchart (Brendan Fraiser) is a "Silvertongue" -- one of a rare few who can "read" characters out of books and bring them to life. Sadly, he discovers this trait one night while entertaining his wife Resa (Sienna Guillory) and their daughter Meggie (Eliza Bennett). While indulging in a passage from the fantasy novel Inkheart, he unleashes fire juggler Dustfinger (Paul Bettany) while accidentally sending his spouse into the tome. Now, 10 years later, Mo is still looking to save her, even though his efforts have let loose more fictional faces from the book, including evil master thief Capricorn (Andy Serkis). But the criminal is not content with being a viable member of the real world. He wants to rule all of mankind, and wants Mo to help him in this horrible pursuit.
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It's a conceit of the movie that, whenever a Silvertongue releases something from the world of books, someone disappears from the real-life world and enters the world of story. The last time he read characters into the world, his wife disappeared! Some viewers may be hoping that their mother-in-laws disappeared instead!
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Unfortunately, there are two negative consequences of this switch-and-subtract story element. The first, of lesser importance, is that it introduces a logistics problem that is never resolved. What happens to the people who are stuck in the fantasy world? Do they get to influence the world of fantasy and change the course of literature?
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The second, a much deeper problem, is that the device takes the one imaginative and potentially delightful aspect of the film - the prospect of story characters coming to life - and subdues it.
What we're left with is hardly inspired. Twelve years after the disappearance of his wife, Silvertongue is pursued by the wicked characters he released. They need his reading powers to loose yet more evil beings from the underworld, and once they capture him and his now-teenage daughter, the movie adopts the typical contours and landscape of an action movie.
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Yet "Inkheart" is even worse than most action movies in that it keeps a toe in whimsy, and this turns the film into an unpleasant hybrid - a children's fantasy in which everything has a sour cast, an action movie in which nothing is to be taken seriously. There's no heart, no working metaphor to the story.
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Helen Mirren turns up as Fraser's aunt, an outspoken bookworm. Midway through the movie, the aunt announces that she is going home and leaving the adventure. Later, she makes a perfunctory reappearance. Fact is, hers was probably the most striking character of all the cast!
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Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire penned the bigscreen adaptation of German author Cornelia Funke's fantasy novel, the first of a trilogy. "Inkspell" was published last fall, and "Inkdawn" will be out next year.

Family Tree of Wing Chun Boxing

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To all the Ip Man fans and Wing Chun fans :)

My Last Movie in 2008 - Ip Man

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In this bio-pic, Ip Man, one of the earliest Wing Chun martial arts exponents credited to have propagated its popularity, gets portrayed as the best of the best in 1930s Fo Shan, China, where the bustling city has its own "Martial Arts Street" where countless of martial arts schools have set up shop to fuel the craze of kung fu training. With each new school, the master will pay their respects to Ip Man and to challenge him to a duel. Ip Man, an aristocrat who spends most of his quality time developing and perfecting his brand of martial arts, will take them on behind closed doors, so as not to damage his opponents' reputation nor embarrass them in public. His humility is his virtue, and his style is never violent or aggressive, which often gets assumed and mistaken for being effeminate, since Wing Chun after all was founded by a woman.

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The bulk of the story gets set in the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese war, and it's not all fight and no story. With this historical setting, at times it does seem that there is an air of familiarity with the type of stories told, with how the Japanese Imperial Army had made life really miserable for the Chinese, and how the Chinese being fragmented in spirit, fail to unite during dire straits. More often than not, martial arts become a unifying force.

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I'm no Wing Chun practitioner, but Donnie Yen has this marvelous calm and zen-like approach with his Ip Man character in taking out his opponents quite effectively with the minimal of moves. Like Huo Yuan Jia, he doesn't deliver the killing blows to friendly opponents, but rather simulates the various hit points, which actually calls for some astonishing control of strength and precision. This approach will change, of course, as the opponents become anything but friendly. And unlike the usual martial arts stance of crouching low, here we see him standing tall and striking with such precision and efficiency, it's like poetry in motion with some astounding closed quarter combat utilizing plenty of upper limb strength.

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What a way to bring 2008 to a cinematic closure with this wonderfully crafted show. Bravo to Donnie and Master Ip!

Best Movie for Q3: The Dark Knight

One of the best for 2008 - I enjoyed every minute of it! I must say that the real character to watch is the Joker.

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“The Dark Knight” is not a simplistic tale of good and evil. Batman is good, yes, The Joker is evil, yes. But Batman poses a more complex puzzle than usual: The citizens of Gotham City are in an uproar, calling him a vigilante and blaming him for the deaths of policemen and others. And the Joker is more than a villain. He’s a Mephistopheles whose actions are fiendishly designed to pose moral dilemmas for his enemies.

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The key performance in the movie is by the late Heath Ledger, as the Joker. Throughout the film, he devises ingenious situations that force Batman, Commissioner Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent to make impossible ethical decisions.

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The plot involves nothing more or less than the Joker’s attempts to humiliate the forces for good and expose Batman’ secret identity, showing him to be a poser and a fraud. He includes Gordon and Dent on his target list, and contrives cruel tricks to play with the fact that Bruce Wayne once loved, and Harvey Dent now loves, Assistant D.A. Rachel Dawes. The tricks are more cruel than he realizes, because the Joker doesn’t know Batman’s identity.

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For an indepth review, you can visit:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200855996637

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Quotes from the Joker:

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I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger.

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The only sensible way to live in this world is without rules!

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See, I'm not a monster...I'm just ahead of the curve.

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See, I'm a man of simple tastes. I like dynamite...and gunpowder...and gasoline! Do you know what all of these things have in common? They're cheap!

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You'll see, I'll show you, that when the chips are down, these uh... civilized people, they'll eat each other.

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Do I really look like a man with a plan, Harvey? I don't have a plan. The mob has plans, the cops have plans. You know what I am, Harvey? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one. I just *do* things. I'm a wrench in the gears. I *hate* plans. Yours, theirs, everyone's. Maroni has plans. Gordon has plans. Schemers trying to control their worlds. I am not a schemer. I show schemers how pathetic their attempts to control things really are. So when I say that what happened to you and your girlfriend wasn't personal, you know I'm telling the truth.

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It's a schemer who put you where you are. You were a schemer. You had plans. Look where it got you. I just did what I do best-I took your plan and turned it on itself. Look what I have done to this city with a few drums of gas and a couple bullets. Nobody panics when the expected people get killed. Nobody panics when things go according to plan, even if the plans are horrifying. If I tell the press that tomorrow a gangbanger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will get blown up, nobody panics. But when I say one little old mayor will die, everyone loses their minds! Introduce a little anarchy, you upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I am an agent of chaos. And you know the thing about chaos, Harvey? It's fair.

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If you're good at something, never do it for free.

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You have nothing to threaten me with. Nothing to do with all your strength.

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Let's turn the clocks back. A year ago, these cops and lawyers wouldn't dare cross any of you. I mean, what happened? Did your - did your balls drop off? Hmm?

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Never start with the head, the victim gets all fuzzy.

Must Love Dogs

Plot:
Sarah Nolan, a preschool teacher in her thirties, is recently divorced. Her family's new pet project is to find her a boyfriend. After a series of disastrous, but hilarious, dates she decides to swear off dating for good. Her well-meaning family and friends are not going to let her give-up quite so easily though. Her sister enrolls her in on-line dating and includes the description of "must love dogs." She loves dogs but doesn't own one of her own, so she borrows her brother's dog to meet Jake Anderson at the dog park; he, too, had to borrow a dog. It's a hit-and-miss beginning - but could true love wag its tail for these two? You bet.
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As always, the movie had a happy ending. One of the best line I heard came from Jake:
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"I think your heart grows back bigger ya know, once you get the shit beat out of you. And the universe lets your heart expand that way, cause thats the function of all this pain and heartache that you go through and you gotta go through that to come out to a better place."
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In the movie, Jake experienced the heartache of relationships & the pain of rejection. Truth is, all true lovers have in one way or another attended lessons from the school of pain. Fact is: Many don't complete their training well or graduate. They drop out, then drop in later ... People fall in love, get hurt, then fall out of love...then in love, hurt again, then out of love. In my time, people call it repeat. You don't get to advance to the next level until you fulfill the current level of training.
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You see, as in the movie, my heart will grow back bigger (and stronger) everytime I bounce back from a hurting relationship. It will expand to accomodate the future as I embrace it one step at a time. I believe pain has its purpose: to instruct us in matters of the heart, to be emotionally mature and volitionally strong. Let Pain be your tutor. As for me:
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I will go through it.
I will let my hurting heart expand.
I will come out and discover a better place.
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I will.

Transformers: Optimus Prime

Name: Optimus Prime
Affiliation: Autobot
Sub-Group:Deluxe Vehicles, Leaders, Micro Vehicles
Alternate Mode: Peterbilt Semi-truck
Function: Visionary & Leadership
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Motto: "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings"
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Character Description:
Optimus Prime, Optimus or Prime for short, is a fictional commander of the heroic Autobots & the main protagonist from the Transformers universes. He has become the most recognizable Transformer of the series. He is the powerful, wise leader of the Autobots, a faction of heroic robots from the planet Cybertron who wage their battles to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons, for control of their homeworld, & by extension, peace in the universe. The immensely kind & compassionate Prime puts all his talent to use to improve the world around him, & has dedicated himself to the protection of all life, particularly the inhabitants of Earth; he will battle his foes with unyielding resolve to uphold this belief. In power & intelligence, Optimus Prime has no equal, known as one of the greatest heroes on both Cybertron & Earth.
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PS: I always leave my best hero for the last!

Transformers: Megatron

Name: Megatron
Affiliation: Decepticon
Sub-Group: Micro Vehicles, Leader
Alternate Mode: Cybertronian Jet
Function: Leadership thru fear
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Motto: "Peace through tyranny!"
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Character Description:
The missing Decepticon leader held frozen by Sector 7, Megatron desires power over the Allspark & hates organic lifeforms. Megatron is the primary fictional villain of the Transformers franchise throughout the various "Generation 1" series. Megatron is a Transformer robot, giving him the ability to modify his body's structure into other objects, the original "alternate mode" being a custom Walther P38. It is said that his name is derived from the Greek To Mega Therion (Τὸ Μέγα Θηρίον), which means "The Great Beast" and is a reference to the Book of Revelation. Furthermore Metatron is one of the archangels.

Transformers: Ironhide

Name: Ironhide
Affiliation: Autobots
Sub-Group: Deluxe Vehicles
Alternate Mode: Cobra HiSS Hummer
Function: Security & Military Strategist
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Motto: "High tech circuitry is no replacement for guts. Being fast is an asset, but nothing replaces guts!"
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Character Description:
A tough, weathered soldier, he is always the first in battle. Ironhide is one of Optimus' oldest friends, but has a grittier outlook on life. A weapon specialist & old-fashioned warrior, Ironhide is the big stick that backs up the soft steps of Optimus Prime. Paint scarred & chrome chipped by shrapnel from hundreds of battles, he is the oldest of the Autobots. His right hip is a mass of bypasses & temporary solutions, his power core & timing system are irregular, & his idle is set way too high; but his optics are the sharpest on Cybertron, & his cannon arm is as steady as ever. Optimus Prime relies on him for tactical advice & a cool head. As long as they keep making missiles compatible with his cannons, he’ll keep fighting, until every last DECEPTICON is a smoldering wreck.

Transformers: Starscream

Name: Starscream
Affiliation: Decepticon
Sub-Group: Deluxe Vehicle
Alternate Mode: F-22 Raptor
Function: Air Superiority
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Motto: "Conquest is made of the ashes of one's enemies."
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Character Description:
Megatron's second-in-command. Megatron & Starscream do not get along well. Ruthless, cold-blooded, & capable, Starscream makes no secret of the fact that he wants to replace Megatron as leader of the Decepticons. The fastest flyer among the Decepticons ranks & one of the most dangerous warriors ever to grace the skies of Cybertron, he is still something of a coward. He cares too much for his own skin to ever take the risks the overthrow of Megatron would require.

Transformers: Bumblebee

Name: Bumblebee
Affiliation: Autobot
Sub-Group: Deluxe Vehicle
Alternate Mode: Chrysler ME 412 (Classic Legends)
Function: Espionage & Spying
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Motto: "The least likely can be the most dangerous."
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Character Description:
Bumblebee is an honest & friendly soldier who befriends humanity, namely Sam, in his efforts to find the Allspark. He has difficulty speaking after he was attacked by Megatron & communicates with a radio. Small compared to most other Transformers, Bumblebee more than makes up for through his incredible bravery & willingness to go places larger robots won’t. Capable of aerial & underwater missions, he is more versatile than many other Autobots. His eagerness to do his part leads him to above & beyond the call of duty, often placing him in grave danger. It is a testament to his skill that he has never been captured. Sent to Earth by Optimus Prime ahead of the other Autobots, this tough robot’s job is to do what he does best: gather information, find the keeper of the secrets of the AllSpark & remain hidden. BUMBLEBEE works best in silence & solitude, acting as an unseen guardian over his assigned target. Don’t let the fact that he likes to remain hidden fool you though – when it comes to a fight, he rushes in, both plasma cannons blazing!

Transformers: Bonecrusher

Name: Bonecrusher
Affiliation: Decepticon
Sub-Group: Deluxe Vehicle
Alternate Mode: Buffalo Armored Vehicle
Function: Demolitions
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Motto: "Hit it till it stands no taller than dust."
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Character Description:
A Decepticon warrior who hates all others. He is only subservient to Megatron, whom he fears. Bonecrusher is a chaotic madman who lives to destroy. He belongs to a broader group called the Constructicon Devastators. The four other combination Decepticons are: Long Haul, Hightower, Scavenger & Scrapper. When they combine, they wreck havoc.

Transformers: Ratchet

Name: Ratchet
Affiliation: Autobot
Sub-Group: Micro Vehicle
Alternate Mode: Hummer H2
Function: Search & Rescue
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Motto: "You break it, I'll remake it. All life is precious"
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Character Description:
The medic & scientist, Ratchet has a strong sense of duty to protect life. When there are other robots in danger, & nothing will save them except a foolish charge into the dangerous & unknown, it's always Ratchet that gets called in.

Transformers: Barricade

Name: Barricade

Affiliation: Decepticon

Sub-Group: Deluxe Vehicle

Alternate Mode: S281 Ford Mustang police car

Function: Patrol & recee

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Motto: "To Punish and Enslave"
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Character Description:

The Decepticon hunter who masquerades in society as a symbol of the law. Chief function in recee & intelligence gathering. Barricade is a born liar. The greatest thrill in his life is knowing people trust him because of the human decorations on his door panels. The look of betrayal they get when they realize what they’re dealing with is as sweet as candy. The only thing he likes better is chasing down Autobots & breaking them into pieces with his powerful arms & crushing, hydraulic hands.

Transformer: Jazz

Name: Jazz

Affiliation: Autobot

Sub-Group: Deluxe Vehicle

Alternate Mode: Pontiac Solstice

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Motto: "Do it with style or don't bother doing it."

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Character Description:
The smallest & feistiest of the Autobots, Jazz is one of Optimus' best warriors, talented at learning new cultures.

Transformers: Blackout

Name: Blackout
Affiliation: Decepticon
Sub-Group: Micro Vehicle
Alternative Mode: MH-53 Pave Low Helicopter
Function: Infiltration & Destroy
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Motto: "He who cares for the opinions of others is lost."
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Character Description:
The largest Decepticon, Blackout is fiercely loyal to Megatron & can fire electromagnetic pulses, making Decepticon attacks easier. Most often seen looming silently over the right shoulder of Megatron, he is his leader’s hound. He pursues relentless efficiency, allowing nothing to stop him in his task. Those who defy him beware: his rage knows no bounds. He will fill the air with fire & burn the land clear to take his revenge. Few Decepticons have his single-minded focus. When he is given a target, he will stop at nothing to reach & destroy it, no matter where it is. Across a continent, or on the other side of the galaxy, Blackout will go, destroying whatever gets in his way, & in his wake leaving only ashes.

Finish the Game

The movie is about two squabbling brothers propelled into deepest, darkest space while playing a mysterious game they discovered in the basement of their old house. On their fantastic journey, they are joined by a stranded astronaut & must survive meteor showers, hostile lizard-like aliens, a rocket-propelled robot run amok & an intergalactic spaceship battle. But their greatest peril lies ahead. For unless they finish the game & reach the planet Zathura, they are doomed to be trapped in outer space forever.

Zathura is based on the best-selling book by the acclaimed children's writer Chris Van Allsburg (The Polar Express, Jumanji). The film stars Oscar winner Tim Robbins, Josh Hutcherson, Jonah Bobo & Dax Shepard.

Okay, sibling rivalry aside. What intrigued me most is the fact that without finishing the game or completing the cycle, you will never get home. My point is: Starting this life on earth is not my choice; finishing it well is. You should see the resolution in those boys' eyes as they raced to complete the game. They surmoned all their courage, casting aside their petty attitudes & differences, & strive towards the end point with deliberate focusness & determination.

I know where my planet Zathura is. I know how many more steps to reach that point. I just need to stay focus, turn the dial, make my moves one step at a time, & get to my desired destination.

Life is tough. There is no U-turn. You can't stop halfway. What you can do is to plow forward, & with each step, enjoy the adventure that life unfolds. You may be thrown into the middle of a meteoriod showers (stresses & demands); you may be chased by a mad robot (your boss); you may be haunted by hostile alien lizards (people that eat us for lunch). Hang in there.

Fight the fight!
Finish the game!!
And finish it well!!!

The Greatest Game Ever Played

A golf drama based on the true story of the 1913 US Open, where 20-year-old Francis Ouimet defeated his idol, 1900 US Open champion, Englishman, Harry Vardon.

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Near the turn of the 20th century, young Harry Vardon becomes a champion golfer but learns that his amazing skill is no match for the class boundaries that exclude him from "gentlemanly" English society. A dozen years later, a young American, Francis Ouimet, fights against the same prejudice, as well as his own father's disdain, for a chance to participate in the U.S. Open against his idol - Harry Vardon. The struggles of both men for acceptance provides the background for an amazing contest of skills.

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Notably Quotes

Eddie Lowery: You need this for 72. Read it, roll it, hole it.

Eddie Lowery: Easy peasy lemon squeasy.

Eddie Lowery: Okie Dokie Private Smokey.

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Harry Vardon: [to Lord Northcliff] Let me tell you something. I came here to win a trophy. And on the face of it Ted Ray or I should carry it off. Not for you, not for England, but for sheer bloody pride at being the best, that's why we do this. And if Mr. Ouimet wins tomorrow, it's because he's the best, because of who he is. Not who his father was, not how much money he's got, because of who he bloody is! And I'll thank you to remember that. And I'll thank you to show the respect a gentleman gives as a matter of course.

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Eddie Lowery: You gotta' settle down Francis.

Francis Ouimet: Yeah, & how do you expect to do that?

Eddie Lowery: [looking at Francis] You just havetuh play better. [backing up]

Eddie Lowery: Keep your head down!

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Francis Ouimet: All I want is a chance.

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Most powerful phrase

There are 2 kinds of golfers: Those who keep his nerve & win championships, & those who don't.

- Harry Vardon

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Facts

Harry Vardon won six Open Championships, a record that still stands today.

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Francis Ouimet (1893 - 1967) won the 1913 U.S. Open. He also won the U.S. Amateur Championship twice, in 1914 & 1931. He played on the first eight Walker Cup Teams & was Captain of the next four for a team record of 11-1. In 1951 he became the first American elected Captain of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews & in 1955 was the first-ever winner of the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. Ouimet has been named to every Golf Hall of Fame, & has a room named after him in the USGA Museum. He remained an amateur for his entire golf career.

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Eddie Lowery (1903 – 1984) was an American caddy, amateur golfer & businessman. He is best known as the 10-year-old caddy of Francis Ouimet during the 1913 U.S. Open. He became a multi-millionaire as an auto dealer in San Francisco.

Lowery & Ouimet remained life-long friends & when Ouimet died in 1967, Lowery was one of the pall-bearers.

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Key Lesson

A major theme that runs throughout the movie is friendship. When the Open committee members suggested to replace Eddie with a more experienced caddy, Ouimet objected, turned to Eddie & said, "It's between you & me. We are a team. They don't get a vote in this." With this words, Eddie & Francis raced off to take the championship.

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In life, we all need a friend & buddy, or be one, just as Eddie is to Francis. This "caddy" principle carries our burden, sharpen our perspectives, provide guidance to us in the golf course of life, & keep our nerve together when we are under pressures. Looking back, I am thankful I have quite a few of these "caddies" in my life. Up till now, I have been a beneficiary of their love & friendship. I hope I am one to many others too.

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Together, let's hit some birdies & eagles!!!

Confidence and Dreams

"Every dream has a beginning."

- Tagline of the movie Goal! (2006)

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"The only one who can tell me I'm not good enough is you. And even then I may not agree with you."

- Munez to his Coach

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If you like rags-to-riches fairy tales, you'll love this movie. Santiago Munez struggles to make his dream come true much to the disappointment of his father. Leaving his life behind, Munez boards a plane & heads to English Football Club Newcastle United. The trials & tribulations that Munez faces as he tries to achieve his dream will test every fiber of his being.

“Goal!” is basically like every other sports film before it, as a young hero does all he can to make it in the big league. Sports films are like romantic comedies we have seen the same thing a million times but that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy the journey. This is a beautiful film that focuses much on themes like integrity, honesty, discipline, friendship & love.

Movie Review: Lord of War

Lord of War is a 2005 film written & directed by Andrew Niccol & starring Nicolas Cage. I chanced upon this movie on HBO and decided to research more. Cage plays the antiheroic protagonist, an illegal arms dealer with a striking similarity to real life Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Plot: Illegal Arms Dealing, & Lies
Place: U.S.; Russia; Africa
People: Yuri Orlov (Arms-Dealer), Jack Valentine (Interpol)
Punchline 1: Where there's a will, there's a weapon.
Punchline 2: He sells guns... & he's making a killing.

The movie begins with Yuri Orlov (Nicolas Cage) standing in a sea of spent shell casings (empty bullet) matter-of-factly stating, "There are over 550 million firearms in worldwide circulation. That's one firearm for every twelve people on the planet. The only question is: How do you arm the other eleven?" The opening credits follow the life of a bullet: from a munitions assembly line in Ukraine, to various arms dealing intermediaries, & ending in the head of a small African boy.
The rest of the movie is told in flashback, starting in the 1980s & ending in the completion of the opening scene.

Yuri Orlov describes how he first became an arms dealer. Yuri & his family came to U.S. from Ukraine when he was a young boy. His family owns a restaurant. After Yuri sees a Russian Mafia boss kill his two would-be assassins, he decides to provide another necessity: guns. He partners up with his brother, Vitaly (Jared Leto), & begins selling arms. Yuri keeps his multiple identities & paperwork in a security container. He starts small & begins selling Israeli Uzis & M-16 rifles that the US Army left behind from the 1982 Lebanon War.

As he grows, Yuri tells of his first incident with Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke), an Interpol agent who cannot be bought with money. During his latest business deal with a Bolivian drug lord, Yuri is paid in cocaine instead of cash. Vitaly is unsure of what to do next & asks Yuri what to do. Yuri answers by saying "let's celebrate." They both end up snorting cocaine, but Vitaly becomes addicted, & Yuri takes him to a rehabilitation center.

From then on, Yuri conducts the arms business alone. Shortly after this episode, he begins to court Ava Fontaine (Bridget Moynahan), a successful model who came from the same neighborhood. They marry, move into Manhattan and later have a son.

Yuri gets his big break when the Soviet Union dissolves. Yuri rushes to Russia after watching Gorbachev's Christmas Day 1991 resignation speech on television. He contacts his uncle, Dimitri, a general of the former Red Army, & begins buying Dimitri's tanks and AK-47s to expand his inventory. Shortly after this, Yuri moves on to selling arms to the West African dictator of Liberia, André Baptiste. Baptiste, pleased with the relationship, proclaims that Yuri is a "Lord of War".

Meanwhile, Jack continues his pursuit of Yuri. He discovers that Yuri will soon be making a cargo run to Sierra Leone & intercepts Yuri's cargo plane. Yuri instructs the pilot to land the plane on a dirt road. To destroy the evidence, he gives the entire arms shipment away to passers-by. When Jack finally arrives, the plane is empty, & there is no evidence of the arms shipment.

One day Jack reveals to Ava that Yuri is an arms dealer. At first, she does not believe him, but eventually realizes the truth. Ava confronts him about his business; he promises that he will stop. He makes more legal deals to exploit the resources of poor nations, but complains that the margins are low & competition is high. Six months later, Baptiste & his son come over & visit Yuri (on their way to United Nations headquarters for a peace talk) with another arms deal offer. Yuri initially refuses, but when Baptiste indicates that he will be much more generous than usual, Yuri relents.

He takes Vitaly along to the deal, which turns out to be in Sierra Leone. However, during the deal, Vitaly becomes distressed: he sees men kill a mother & child in a nearby village of unarmed civilians. He pleads with Yuri to cancel the shipment. Yuri tries to convince him that someone else will sell the weapons if they do not; he also argues that both of them will be killed if they try to cancel the deal. Vitaly pretends to agree. However, he takes two grenades, destroys half of Yuri's shipments, and kills Baptiste's son before nearby guards kill him. Yuri only receives half of the payment due to the destruction of the weapons. He then delivers one of the film's most memorable lines, "They say that 'evil prevails when good men fail to act.' They ought to say 'evil prevails.'"

Yuri ships his brother's remains back to the U.S.. He pays someone to remove the bullets from Vitaly's body & forge a death certificate, but one bullet remains, & Yuri is stopped by customs. Meanwhile, while being followed by Jack, Ava finds Yuri's security container, finally establishing the definitive proof of Yuri's guilt. Ava takes their son & leaves him. When Yuri calls his parents, his mother says, "Both my sons are dead."

Jack detains Yuri & tell tells him that he has a long jail sentence ahead of him, but Yuri abruptly brings him back to reality. He then proclaims himself as a "necessary evil," as he does transactions that the United States federal government is afraid to do. Yuri also explains that the U.S sells more guns than he does & that a trial would reveal these embarassing truths. Yuri is released as a result.

A free man again, & without his family and friends, he returns to selling arms without guilt. The movie ends by proclaiming on-screen that it is "based on actual events" and that, while arms traders like Yuri Orlov continue to thrive, the U.S., the UK, France, Russia and China (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council) are the world's leading arms dealers.

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)