Hmm, okay.

I'm having second thoughts about blogging about this. 'Cos I know people would just roll their eyes and go, "Another hate post about NUS". So, I dun think I will... BUT I will just mention something. I AM INFURIATED by the NUS bidding system. It is just the most horrible and stressful thing EVER. And I can't even comprehend my anguish when I was fighting for my modules. Sometimes, things just go completely wrong and the bidding system just screws yo over.

And by 'you', I actually mean me.

I managed to get my mods but at a very high expense. And it was all 'cos somehow, my logic backfired on me. I picked a class which was really early in the morning, eventhough I am not a morning person at all, thinking that most people would want the afternoon slots. So I thought they would be alot cheaper. But turns out, the bidding got totally out of hand such that I spent an ASTRONOMICAL amount of points to attain my French Module. And my friend, (whom I took the morning class 'cos that's the one that doesn't clash with her classes), got outbid. So I am alone in that class, when I could have just chosen a later class, if I had known that they would be cheaper and that my friend couldn't make it.

I just hope that my future modules won't be so costly. I may have to take more unpopular modules next semester to make up for this STUPID mistake this sem. Honestly, the entire thing irks me to the core. I'm always so unlucky with the modules, having chosen the most popular class or being outbid or having to choose alternative modules that I am not necessarily interested in...

Okay, okay, okay!! I realized that my small mention has somehow become a long story. I honestly can't help it. I was too livid last night when I saw my bidding results.

The good news is that I got my French module. And my other modules are still pending but most are alright, so I would get them. Right now, I am contemplating the thought of the new semester and the thought of going back to school. It's really a horrible feeling knowing that I only have two more days before I would have to survive the pressure cooker that is NUS.

Another thing I wanna talk about today are movies. And every holiday season or 'semester break', I would catch up on all the movies and shows that I've missed while I was too busy with schoolwork. So, I would watch a movie a day and catch up with the entertainment industry. And as you know, I am someone who LOVES movies and tv shows in all forms and all languages. But I have been extra extra happy this year 'cos one of my fave directors released a new film and I almost died watching it last night 'cos it was SO EFFING BRILLIANT, I can't even.

I really love all of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's work. I honestly love ALL of his movies and I think they are all works of art. He is my kind of director. For those of you who dunno him, he's an Indian Film director (specifically hindi films). AND HE IS A GENIUS. At least, I think so.

His artistic tastes are very similar with mine. (That sounded like I was praising myself. HAHA!) As in, his movies are EXACTLY what I would want out of any film. I like extravagant sets, elaborate costumes, great acting and shots that are designed and edited to emphasize the aesthetic beauty. I like music scores that are haunting and filled with emotion. And a bit of theatricality in cinema is always a weakness of mine (like all of Baz Luhrmann's movies). Most importantly, I like poetry in films, be it in visual forms & symbolism or in the dialogue itself.

Guzaarish (which means 'Request' in Hindi), his latest film, was rather controversial as it was about euthanasia, which is a big no-no in many countries. And especially so in Asian countries as we are known to be rather conservative and traditional as compared to our western counterparts. It stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Baadchan, who are two of the most gorgeous bollywood actors in the industry. Plus, they've got the acting chops as well. The story is about a once-glorified magician who had a near-death experience when one of his tricks went wrong (it was actually a sabotage) and he became a quadriplegic. For 12 years, he fought hard and remained positive, being an inspiration to many with his loyal nurse, Sophia, by his side. Until he realizes that his internal organs were failing as well, and as he felt that he had lived a full life and he didn't want to depend on a machine to stay alive, he files a petition for permission to take his life. We then see his struggles and his past glories as well as Sophia and Ethan's (that's his name) love for each other.




I gotta say: Props to my fave director for telling such a wonderful story in such a lyrical manner, yet again. It was a total JOY to watch all the heart-felt performances. I dunno why people always give Sanjay Leela Bhansali such a hard time. It is understandable that he makes films are not exactly the usual commercial brand that bollywood is used to, but that is the BEST part about his movies in my opinion. Guzaarish was packed with emotion and visually stunning, with top-notch acting and a beautiful music score. I almost DIED at some scenes 'cos my heart was aching so bad for Hrithik's character. Especially at the end. My eyes were swollen like two tomatoes and I was bawling but it wasn't depressing. Rather it was inspiring and filled with courage.

It baffles me how people can still give him crap and why people would rather watch 'Dabangg' (which is one of the most successful film in Bollywood 2010, but in my opinion, it was complete shit) rather than his films. For instance, I can't understand why 'Saawariya' (which means 'My Love' in hindi) was deemed as a total failure and everybody seems to hold that over his head.


I LOVED THAT STORY!! I thought that film was GREAT!! The storyline was subtle and romantic, the script was poetic (as usual) and the sets and visual... Don't even get me started. It's just such a feast for the eyes. Great performances by the two lead young actors too, Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor. Plus, I loved all the songs in that film. The entire story is about unrequited love, but not once was it too heavy with melancholy. And the ending was sad but optimistic at the same time. A rare combination, really.

So, I dunno why they would brand this film a failure.

I know I'm going on and on about this guy, but I just wanna let everyone know how much I love this director and all his movies. His films have such a huge impact on me, all the time. And he has been getting alot of crap lately from the media who keeps bashing his films for under-performing in the cinema. If you do have the time, I highly recommend ANY of his films. They are ALL GOOD. My favourite is Devdas, but that is only 'cos of my extreme bias for the cast, Shahrukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit. Haha! I look forward to his next film and I hope that he stays true to his style and himself, given all this bullshit around him.

He never fails to inspire me. =)