Yes people, this is about HIMYM again. I just want to back up a little bit, and reminiscence the first time HIMYM got me. So I started to watch it from Season 6, but I watched it for the laugh, and the cast (yeah I love NPH!). The episode that first got me hooked was S07E09: Disaster Averted. This was because there's a very big twist at the end which involving my favorite character Barney. Yeah, S06E13: Bad News also had a big twist and played earlier, but it was Marshall, not Barney.
And I also got hooked by the song in this episode: Hey - Pixies
Yes up till now.
When life gives you lemons, give it to others. Because you don't like to eat fruit.
When life gives you lemons, don't eat it, it's a trap!
When life gives you lemons, sell it to those who need it.
When life gives you lemons, swallow it whole.
When life gives you lemons.. "Screw your lemons, now hand me your money"
When life gives you lemons, you choose Apple. Because Macbook always wins!
When life gives you lemons, just remember that life has given you that chocolate bar before.
When life gives you lemons, keep the faith that life will also gives you the blender. But, later~
When life gives you lemons, you make this post. lol
Caution: I don't own all this post, but 50% of those maybe.
Just say thanks to Google and Lemon and Life ;)
First of all, I just want to emphasize here that I do not make this post to mock or criticize others work. Off course they're all great people and I myself cannot compete with them at all. I write these just to share my thought and one of the thing that I love so much, movie. So no offense, these all are not the weaknesses. However, every movie has its own beauty, that's what makes us love movies at the very first place.
What I mean by saying "cliché" is not a bad thing here. It's more like saying that the subject have their own formula which is used in many times and it's not because they don't have other great idea. Sometimes they use the "cliché" because it is simply their own uniqueness. It is what define them, the thing that makes people can identify and watch them. Look at it based on category. Here we go:
BY GENRE
Action movie we know it when we see something explode, a lot of fight or weapon, usually involving chasing scene either by foot or car or motorcycle. The main cast is either have the skill to fight or just suddenly can fight spectacularly. The main cast is outnumbered by the amount of the antagonist shooter but suddenly he/she has a-never-empty-bullet and he/she can shoot precisely. At that very unbalance fight, he/she usually doesn't wounded at all, or having a few wound in unimportant part of body, like the arm or leg and continuing the fight like they don't feel anything. Or they do have severe wound but they suddenly have that big energy to finish and win the fight before they die.
Superhero movie sometimes has that similarity with action movie. The enemy usually is a bad person from the beginning or a good person who involves in some fail experiments and change to be a bad person. The threat for the superhero is usually, either his girlfriend/family in danger, but it's a better thing if you can include the safety of a larger group of people like all people in the world or all people in the city, or maybe as simple as -all people in a bus. The more people the better. The superhero character usually has a rich emotional backstory like an orphan, a dying uncle, a child who was left by his father when he was a child, or simply a geek and being bullied by his friends. Oh yes and the latest trend is to gather the group of superhero into one movie.
Musical movie
will required the main cast to sing, sometimes with a cheerful
choreography. There's a lot of high school element, or fairytale, or
maybe the main cast work at music industry. Suddenly their soundtracks
hit the billboard and have platinum certification. Great way to score
more money~
Romance movie meanwhile (usually) has that perfect charming attractive protagonist pair. Starting from the meet-cute, has some problems in the middle and realizing everything and love each other at the end. Or, it can start with the main cast hate each other so much and when they're about to be in their separate way, they realize how they love each other, and there will be some chasing scenes (sometimes at the airport) and they pour their heart to each other (suddenly having a very brilliant and touching word for each other).
Dance movie always has the same thing as its backstory, you know, the school is almost closed, the protagonist is banned by his/her father to make a career out of dance, fighting between two gangs to use a place as their dance class. And don't forget, there will be a pair who dance romantically at the sunset. Yeah well, we know.
Horror / Thriller movie honestly, I almost never watch this genre. Not my preference. But I remember the old time when I still watched this genre, they like to end the movie with a cliffhanger. Either the ghost is still alive or something like that.
BY CAST
When you need an actress who:
- Miserable life-hater in pain = Kristen Stewart
- Sexy and powerful, somehow evil = Angelina Jolie
- Sexy naughty rebellion = Emma Stone, Scarlett Johansson
- Brave Rebellion = Mila Kunis, Cameron Diaz
- Classy independent brave = Emma Watson, Keira Knightly, Anne Hathaway
- Happy-go-lucky quirky but still an american sweetheart = Zooey Deschanel
- Not-so-intelligent blonde = Kaley Cuoco, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Coolidge
When you need an actor who:
- Womanizer cocky party lover = Seann William Scott, Neil Patrick Harris, Russel Brand, Robert Downey Jr.
- Nice innocent little boy= Michael Cera, John Francis Daley
- Geek= Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jack McBrayer
- Sensitive deep love= Jason Segel
- Hot guy in school, girls always hysterical at = Zac Efron, Ryan Gosling, Robert Pattinson
- Sexy daddy = Gerard Butler, Geoge Clooney, Chris Noth, Patrick Dempsey
- Eccentric weird-face = Johny Depp
BY DIRECTOR / PRODUCER
Christopher Nolan will have a cerebral, often nonlinear story-telling style. He likes to make us think more before we can understand his movie, but once we understand everything, it tastes great! You usually can find a big plot twist by the end of the movie. Nolan doesn't like to just give us that simple happy ending that we always secretly want, he twists it. But don't worry, sometimes it will still be a happy ending in its own way. Nolan also likes to work with the person he is familiar with. We usually see that composer Hans Zimmer and actor Michael Caine in many of his movies. Nolan's notable works including Inception, The Dark Knight trilogy, The Prestige, Memento and the new one, Insterstellar.
Judd Apatow / Seth Rogen / Jason Segel meanwhile, speaking on cast formula, they like to use same round of people in their movie. Well let's say, Knocked up, we had Seth Rogen, James Franco, Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, Bill Hader. Superbad had Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen, Bill Hader. Scott Pilgrim vs the World and Year One had Michael Cera, Bill Hader. Forgetting Sarah Marshall had Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, Bill Hader. The-40-Year-Old Virgin had Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd. This is 40 had Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Bill Hader. I Love You, Man had Paul Rudd, Jason Segel. Pineapple Express had Seth Rogen, James Franco, Bill Hader. The 20's popular series Freaks & Geeks had James Franco, Jason Segel and Seth Rogen as regulars. And the main cycle of all is... This is The End starred James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Paul Rudd. You see, it's good to have that friendship group of actors. They could help each other.
Martin Scorsese whom i cannot tell his formula, but i start to feel differently when i watched his movie. He can give that old, classy, timeless, unique tone into his works. Just watch his Shutter Island, Hugo, The Wolf of Wallstreet and The Aviator which had that same atmosphere feel.
Alfonso Cuaron I honestly should tell that i don't watch much of Cuaron but i think he likes to make an ordinary simple story into something very very intense and thrilling. Well, let's say Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Gravity are a dark, ominous, intense movies.
Marc Webb used to direct some music videos in the past, so that's the reason he usually picked the right song for his movies. He could move the story into a more emotional dramatic tone. He also had the formula for the ending though. His own version of ending most likely ended by the main character couldn't be together, just like what he did to 500 Days of Summer and The Amazing Spiderman 2.
BY SCENE
- A fighting in the pouring rain. The girl ran away and the guy was chasing her.
- The-girl-bumped-on-a-guy kind of thing (and the book fell down the floor)
- The blind date didn't go so well so the girl pretended to go to the bathroom and ran away.
- The girl almost got hit by a truck when the guy stepped aside and stopped the truck by his hand (lol~we know what movie is)
- There was a giant green grass field and the guy asked the girl to lie down beside him, looking for the stars.
- The girl liked that perfect guy but it turned out that the guy whom she really loved was her own best friend.
- The meet-cute scene at the karaoke, and/or when the guy and the girl accidentally sang a duet.
- That beach romantic scene, at sunset.
- A group of teenager, looking for a place to have their fraternity party but instead trapped in a spooky and mysterious villa.
- The hatred and mockery which by the end- turned into love (what, like in three different movies? Yeah, good for you Katherine Heigl).
Love. It is a very confusing thing. It is a hundred thousand million of emotions.
Love is a contradiction. Love is a sure thing. Love is, you know it even when you first met him.
That guy, standing outside that book store. Blonde hair with fancy t-shirt and jeans. He's smiling at you. No, it's not him. Or that boy, walking alone at the park, in a company by his pet dog. No?
I am changing my mind. Love can be a sure thing, but it not always is. However, it still have a sign, or, many signs.
Like when he comes to your room at the office, asking you for his website design. Reluctantly introducing himself.
"I may heard that you are the head of graphic designer here, hey my name is Francis Bellmore. I am a new website developer in the IT dept. Can you help me with this?"
And at that very moment, you just cannot take your eyes off him. His blue eyes, his big smile, his brown hair. You just want to see him over again.
And without you have ever realized, one month has passed, you are closed to him than ever. You know he will come to your desk at the 3rd floor, bring you your favorite Macchiato and stay few minutes for a morning talk. It is usually involving the newest IT project he's been working on, or his sweetest 8-years-old cousin who lives with him, or my new project, or practically everything.
I really savor that moment.
And he will come around again at lunch. Basically the same things, but it never fails to make me happy. We talk, we laugh. We even have that much things in common. We learn that we both love the movie 500 Days of Summer, our favorite band is Pixies, our favorite food is Pizza, and we are afraid of cat. We both like the smell when it's rain. All that morning and afternoon conversation was not enough, we call each other every single night. Continuing our discussion, like it cannot be stopped ever.
And without you ever realize, three months has passed. Three months of happiness. You start to be familiar of his smell, his touch, the sound of his laugh. That warm feeling when he's around. And your stomach.. butterfly
And how he never fails to make you happy.
--------------
He looks very happy. I scroll down that pre-wedding photos. There is no bigger happiness in the world rather than by seeing him happy. It is honest and sincere. It is the truth.
I put down my pen.
"Would you marry me?"
I
look deeply into his eyes. The most beautiful thing in the world.
Francis is kneeling with a diamond ring in a small-velvet-box. I want to cry.
"I
can never live without you. It has been a thousand times I said it, you
know that. My flight will come in a few minutes. Marry me?"
I wish he would stop asking. I wish he would just be silent.
But
it is just three months. How I can just stop working, moving around the
globe with him, throwing away my career because of a guy that I have
just known for, three months?
This
is my shortest relationship so far. I had two four-months, even one
three-years relationship. But it feels different. This is the happiest I
have ever felt.
"Francis, I am so sorry. I cannot answer to this now. I need some time."
And
he understands. He will take one-hour flight every friday. I pick him
up at the airport this friday, like every other fridays before. I really
do hope that he won't ask the same question soon.
But it does happen on the fifth friday.
"You think about it, what's your answer?"
And I knew my answer. I knew it for a long time. But it doesn't make me easier to say it to him.
"No."
And he never gets back on friday.
Sometimes
I check my cell on friday. But it never rings. I never go back to the
airport to pick him up anymore. That greatest friday happiness has gone
in instance.
I hate friday!
Have you ever been in farewell before? What do you feel? Sure, you can do whatever you want to convince yourself that you are fine.
And it has been six months since he's gone and never come back. I start to reach the word "well" in farewell. It really hurts at first but then I raise again and move on.
Even though that "what if" question still popped up in my head few times.
What if I say yes to his proposal?
If only I could go back to the past..
You know, time sometimes can be very tricky.
Have you ever see the opening scene in the movie when a boy bumps on a girl? The girl is holding some books and her books then fall down the floor. That boy bow to help the girl, taking her books and they stare at each other.
You know what, I have never asked to have a life full of drama, but that scene happens to me, for real. However, there is a slight difference. He is the one who has that papers.
I help him gathering all his papers and stand again. There he is, staring at me with his blue beautiful eyes.
"Francis"
And that is not awkward at all. I cannot believe on how easy we talk and laugh again. Just like the old times. I can feel that familiar warmth on my heart. I realize that it was very cold all these times. He says, it is very nice to hear again from me, we talk a lot. And apparently he would be in town for the next two months.
"I will go back to Brooklyn on April, so please come. I really am happy that you're doing well." He gives me one of his thick paper and smiles and leaves.
It is an invitation.
My eyes are burned. My heart beats twice than usual. That cold air covers my lung, chokes me up from the inside. I feel like I wanna throw up.
I thought I have moved on all this time, but this new detail stings a little bit.
I should have known that I just lied to myself before. How can you call yourself "move on" if you still consistently have that "what if" thought in your mind?
I am not fine and I just have to accept it.
I open my Facebook search and type the girl's name from the invitation. No, I cannot do it. My head is dizzy. I hope this is just a bad dream. I would wake up and everything will be fine. But it is a reality. The hurt is real. It stabs through your heart, stays there with its poison. It is inevitable.
I grab my pen and start writing from the very beginning. How I met him, how I loved him, how I finally could let him go. With a letter, I could just faking "move on".
"..and there is no bigger happiness in the world rather than by seeing you happy. Thank you for everything. Have a great wedding."
- Fiona Bradshaw
Yeah, that's all. I will send this, so I don't have to show up on his wedding. But I really need to see the bride's photos. So I re-open my browser. And there it is. A collection of their pre-wedding photos.
I scroll down that page, see all their photos, one by one. There he is, with that girI beside him. He looks very happy, like the luckiest man on earth, staring at his fiancee eyes, full of love. It is honest and sincere. It is the truth. She is the real one for him.
This is the end. I finally know the real answer to my "what if" question.
What if I say yes to his proposal?
I would be in the wrong marriage right now. I would suffer more than anything ever happen in my life.
But it didn't happen. I am here, I am strong. Someday I will find the right one, just like him.
I did it! I answer it. I know I would never ask that question again, ever.
It is solved now.
I see their photos again. I smile without realizing it. That big burden in my heart is finally lifted. I surprise on what I feel right now. Light and relieve.
This is the freeway, I can see it now.
I put down my pen.
I throw my letter to the trash.
Whatever, I'll go to that wedding!
