THE HOST” MOVIE REVIEW. A Full Dose of Pretty Young Things.

“THE HOST” PRESS PREVIEW

Quirky, bewitching, mesmerizing.

These would be the superlatives you may wish to pile upon “THE HOST”.

It’s like a poetic romp into the fairy tale splendor of “ALICE IN WONDERLAND”.

It’s liken to leafing through a VOGUE magazine fashion spread, where every single shot is ultra-perfect and oh-so-beautiful.

In the film, the young actors are draped in the latest colors of fashion, sashaying singly or in a pair, a la catwalk-style, in the middle of a desert.

You have group tete-a-tete, where everyone sits or stands in carefully planned synchronized poses.

You are treated to extraordinary panoramas, beautiful sunsets, fabulous sands, mountain caves and elegant sport cars such as the Lotus Evora zooming showingly, amid sprawling landscapes.

The Director-of-Photography ROBERTO SCHAEFER certainly work wonders to usher you into his world of aesthetics.

And of the film director ANDREW NICCOL?

Focusing on so much beauty, he probably lost his sense of bearing and direction.

“THE HOST” is lauded a dud that has more fluff than buff.

To be devoutly honest, I’ve never truly fancied any of STEPHENIE MEYER novels.

 I am way out of her sphere where her target audience is concerned, despite that she has the whole teen world swooning at her feet following the successes of her gawky “TWILIGHT” vampire romance series.

If  you relish dainty sweetie pies and hunky dreamboats, then you find a swarm of these aplenty in all her movies.

“THE HOST” is STEPHENIE’s classic example that bestows you with a full dose of pretty young things.

It’s a futuristic movie.

We have the Earth dominated by blue-eyed aliens who called themselves Souls, and they are so far succeeding in making the planet a living haven by eradicating cruelty with kindness. Just picture a lovely world with its inhabitants dwelling in harmony.

There’s a snag though.

The Souls would first have to inhabit the human body, killing the original personality in order to execute their plan. Which means the entire human race would face extinction in due course, save for a few defiant groups of rebels.

Melanie (SAOIRSE RONAN) continues to fight for her life even after she’s captured, with her body taken over by a Soul called Wanderer. This is where our story starts.

 We have her involved in  a love triangle with two beguiling young hunks.

And the parable continues as the creator knows it would.

Really.

SMILE and THE WHOLE WORLD SMILES WITH YOU. SMILING is INFECTIOUS.

Hong Kong ACTOR BYRON PANG in a skittish moment with his bosom buddy.

The wide smile exudes straight from his heart.

Ain’t I cute?

Ain’t I pretty?

HEY, I am SMILING !

Ha ha ha !

SMILE AND THE WHOLE WORLD SMILES WITH YOU.

Tra la la !

Smiling is uplifting and is really infectious in this sad, forlorn world.

Wear your best smile this weekend, beam widely at, and with as many people as you come across.

Let every one feel the power, radiance and joy your smile can bring.

You will be surprised that even the mere stranger will smile back at you in surprise.

TRY, pass the happy baton around.

And the world can be a wonderful place.

LESLIE CHEUNG (張國榮). 10 long years passed. This One’s for the Memory.

LESLIE CHEUNG  (張國榮)

NOW, SAY HELLO TO YESTERYEARS.

It had been 10 long years since LESLIE CHEUNG, Hong Kong cantopop singer and award winning actor departed this earth on April 1, 2003.

Yet it appears so like yesterday.

No one can stay forever young and don’t count on it that you are never going to grow old.

This is the path everyone has to trudge, whether you like it or not.

Tarry no more, look around you, hug someone you really care about and tell the person you love him dearly so.

The one you care about may be here today, gone tomorrow. He may not be around waiting for you.

Lest you forget, folks.

This one is for the memory.

LESLIE CHEUNG might have nosedived to his death from the 24th Floor of the MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL in HONG KONG on April 1,2003.

Yet until today, he had left behind many unanswered questions.

Despite relentless coverage by the paparazzi, his private persona had always been shrouded in mystery the way he wanted it.

And right to the present, the world is still gaping in consternation and clueless at his choice of abrupt departure on April Fool’s Day 6 years ago.

1.   Did he intend his hasty retreat from mankind to be a cruel case of life imitating art?

2.   Was he suffering from an incurable disease as some cruel speculations say?

3.   Was he suffering from manic DEPRESSION?

4.  Was it an impending break-up with his boy friend of many years that drove him to this mindless act?

For this ACTOR-cum-SINGER extraordinaire, the secret was buried with him.

LESLIE CHEUNG‘s entertainment career started in 1977 when he wowed the judges at the ASIAN MUSIC COMPETITION organized by RTV(currently know as ATV).

He was Hong Kong’s prettiest boy hunk, a self-declared bisexual and his life mirrored a thousand facades.

He is an ASIAN cinematic legend taken after JAMES DEAN for both the good looks and chameleon moods.

We will always remember the charisma and the angst that he portrayed often in his songs and films.

LESLIE CHEUNG is one powerful, daring and seductive performer who will take your breath away.

An actor’s lot is beseiged with pain and angst,within and without – reel and real.

He also taught us that when you are in this world, everyone is living a role.

No one is what he seems to be.

Not even the closest one next to you.

And that in life, ever individual has a game to play.

There’s always a way out of anything.

Except the past.

That was his vision.

And when you finally realizes the truth, it may change your opinion forever.

WHAT PRICE LIFE?

LIFE isn’t measured in minutes.

It’s the MOMENTS that count.

Count your blessings.

Because whatever you may have today, it may not be around tomorrow.

SO ENJOY THE MOMENTS WHILE YOU MAY.

This 16-year-old girl named RACHEL WILSON, she penned a sad peom to herself. I was all at once stunned by the clarity and realism of  her words:

You said you’be there for me,

But when I really opened up to you,

You just don’t wanna see,

But when I have these thoughts and breakdowns I ring

and you’re never there.

I can’t sleep at night, can’t sleep anymore,

My constant pains, my constant heart sores

all the thoughts of death I have, and suicide,

I tell you about them,

Why do you expect me to  hide?

I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE ONE I COULD TURN TO

WHEN IT GOTTEN TOO MUCH,

Well, you could fool me,

My feelings you don’t wanna touch,

I WILL JUST STAY AWAY,

I GET IT – CRYSTAL CLEAR,

But one day suicide will take over,

Then maybe you will realize my FEAR.

Yah, there’s a stark difference between DEPRESSION and SADNESS.

When you are depressed, you do not feel like being with anybody.

You either sleep more than usual,

Or you can hardly sleep at all.

Your appetite is either non-existent or increases dramatically,

Your energy level goes way down

And you’ve a hopelessness about LIFE …

As difficult as it is,

It is also important that you get out of the house and seek help.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

My mentor, an Executive Film Maker befriendedLESLIE in 1978 in Hong Kong when he was just starting out as  a a rookie.

He remembered visiting LESLIE on set at theRTV‘s when he was filming his first cantonese drama series called DESTINY.

LESLIE was then under the tutelage of K.K. TAM(who was simultaneously managing DANNY CHAN, another Hong Kong singer).

But it was under the ace leadership of FLORENCE CHAN some good years later, that LESLIE‘s career really soared.

The rest is history.

I have downloaded LESLIE CHEUNG‘s rendition of Rita Coolidge’s WE ARE ALL ALONE from YOU TUBE for your listening pleasure here.

Not many of his fans know that LESLIE‘s first record was an album of ENGLISH covers.

And there is a rare gem here, a radio recording of LESLIE CHEUNG being interviewed inENGLISH.

TIME HAS REALLY FLOWN.

AND MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THESE.

LYRICS of ” WE ARE ALL ALONE “:

Outside the rain begins,

And it may never end,

So cry no more, on the shore a dream,

Will take us out to sea,

Forever more, forever more,

Close your eyes and dream

And you can be with me,

‘Neath the waves through the caves of hours,

Long forgotten now,

We’re all alone,

WE’RE ALL ALONE,

Close the window, calm the light,

And it will be all right,

No need to bother now,

Let it out, let it all begin,

Learn how to pretend.

Once a story’s told,

It can’t be but grows old,

Roses do, lovers do,

So cast  your seasons to the wind,

And hold me dear, oh hold me dear,

Close the window,  calm the light,

And it’ll be all right,

No need to bother now,

Let it out, let it all begin,

All’s forgotten now,

We’re all alone,

Oh, WE ARE ALL ALONE.