Even though we don't really celebrate Christmas but I guess it is one of the favourite occasions, apart from Chinese New Year. The mood it brings during this time of the year is almost magical and inspirational, with all the decorations, lights, Christmas trees, carols, stage performances all around the shopping malls in town. This is also one of the best time to go shopping! We love to bring the boys out to join in the fun. This year, it is extra special for we get to meet my grandmother who comes all the way from KB, as well as a get together with my uncle and auntie who are flying in from the States. A time to count the blessings and have a joyous time.

Lions For Lambs

Directed by Robert Redford

Starring Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise, Robert Redford, Michael Pena and Derek Luke

The power to move and therefore inspire is one of the greatest gifts one could ever wish to have. Tom Cruise's character tries to push forward his political campaign which he strongly believes, at the end of the day, has a fair share of personal political agenda attached to it. Robert Redford's character tries to move himself closer towards understanding what teenagers these days are looking forward to, in return, makes him understands that he too has the power to move and change his environment and the people around him. It makes one feels good when one knows that he/she is in the position to transpire change in others, especially if it is a change for the better. The character that Meryl Streep plays moves towards finding the truth, believing that Journalism truly should be doing what it is supposed to do - uphold the justice of truth for the people, to serve the people, after so many years of only "doing her job", she finally realizes how she is being trapped in the illusion of so called freedom of journalism. Each one of them is yet again, being challenged by the choices that either they have made, or they are about to make. I love how the three seemingly unrelated stories, initially portrayed, gradually unfold and eventually make a lot of sense towards the end. Michael Pena and Derek Luke characters are the ones that anchor all the stories down and link them together. It is also the most selfless as you see them eventually sacrificed their lives for something that they believed, that moved me a great deal. It is about politics, but layered with a very human way of telling it, from various points of view. It is even more so about how we as individual deals with the issues around us and the decisions that you make, which could ultimately change your life. It is very easy to be judgemental towards the political ideology behind it, but take on a different perspective of looking at it, it is also simply a philosophy of the understanding of humans desire to be in control, to make decisions and choices, but also, like how Meryl Streep puts it, very easy to NOT make those choices in life. Heavy yet poetic in a way, not a film for everyone, but a film that I would include as one of my favourites this year! Simply adores the acting in this. A bold step for Robert Redford to make such a film. I salute him for that.