Another movie I’d recommend that all of you watch:
Yes, that’s “Rent,” the movie, an honest, gritty broadway musical turned movie last year.
I missed it in the big screen and merely watched it via DVD last Sunday. Boy, was I totally blown away!
From the first few tunes of the entire cast singing Seasons of Love to the end credits, “Rent” touched on the most controversial social themes such as the bohemian lifestyle, cross-dressing, homosexuality, lesbianism, AIDS, poverty, drug abuse, and death — without totally going overboard, even though there were numerous opportunities to do so.
Frankly, I haven’t enjoyed watching a musical this much since Nicole Kidman’s, “Moulin Rouge.” What’s more, as the director Chris Columbus (yes, the same producer of the Harry Potter series films) wisely decides to hire all of the original broadway musical cast except for two, all the cast members cannot only act, but can dance and sing at the same time. 🙂
To give you how unjudgemental this movie was, the beginning scene includes the homosexual cross-dresser Angel, helping Tom Collins up after being mugged. As Angel does so, he/she quietly confessed, “I have AIDS” as if warning the man of his/her lethal medical condition.
Whereas other people would recoil or give a sermon on the dangers of being homosexual and HIV positive, Collins however replied, “So do I” — a reply to a controversial issue said so matter-of-factly that it rubs off any negative connotation to the disease.
Despite touching on the most controversial topics in society today, Rent doesn’t dwell on these issues. Despite being poor, homosexual, lesbian, or HIV positive, the characters are not judged for them. They are not looked down on, or stereotyped into these characteristics.
Instead, as the tagline shouts, “No day but today!” the movie emphasizes the beauty of living, being human, of friendship… and of living in the present.
The theme song, Seasons of Love, further pushes this point across by asking us:
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Moments so dear
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure – Measure A Year?
In Daylights – In Sunsets
In Midnights – In Cups Of Coffee
In Inches – In Miles
In Laughter – In Strife
In – Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure
A Year In The Life?
Their answer?
How About Love?
How About Love?
How About Love?
Measure In Love
Yes, we measure a year of our life with love.
When we look back in our OWN lives, we realize that we’ve only lived lives worth living when we also give a part of ourselves and share our love with others. 🙂
So what are you waiting for?!
Rent Rent while you still can!!!
Shout-outs:
* Last weekend, I have experienced some frustration in the organization I’m in. Some people have served a year and want to step down from their positions. Now, I completely understand their condition, but do they have to be complete *sses when they do so?
I am not intentionally holding them back; thing is, I don’t know anyone at hand who can replace them since their responsibilities are very tech-based. So it irks me when someone comes and tells me, “Well, I only have till this time to do this. If you can’t find anyone, well, tough.“
Wow.
Not that I don’t appreciate all the hard work he’s done in the past, but my gosh, do you have to be so callous in stepping down? At this point, am more concerned about the fate of the organization, and what happens when there’s somebody who isn’t updating the website after he steps down. It’s becoming a big pain in the neck. 🙁
* Aiyo, been bargain shopping so much lately!!! But who can turn down a great bargain?!
Yesterday, I was on my way home when I came across Animals in Taiwan garage sale at Grandma Nittis. Boy, were there bargains: NT$10 for books, NT$50 for 2nd hand Nine West shoes, 3 for NT$ 100 for clothes.
Wow, I bought a nice G2000 suit coat for NT$30, which I used in a meeting today, and a qi pao that I need to alter a bit. But overall, happy with my expenses!
Till tomorrow! 😀