Life Has Move On

Looking back, I realized I have started writing way before when blogging was considered hip and huge by today's standard. I started writing, not wanting even to have an audience in mind, to read what I write back then. It was merely my passion for writing, for documenting all my thoughts in life, and how I see it. 

How life has evolved and changed. These days, I blogged about films on our wherestorymatters blog here. I started blogging about lifestyle, fashion and beauty and all things I love at LUMINNEJ here, since last year. It has been great. 

But mymomentswithin will always be that very first blog I started with, harbouring all the love and personal thoughts I have for life, and beyond. I will definitely miss this personal space I have created for myself. Perhaps I will come back here, once in a while, to pen my racing thoughts that will always occupy my thinking brain! If you were one of the few audiences that had been following my journey here, I sincerely apologize for not writing for such a long time, I feel as though I have let go of our grip, but forgive me for I never knew that I had friends here in the first place... I felt like I have led a secret life all these while, revealing myself here, yet not completely share every ounce of me. like the amazing film that I love so much, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Hope life has been treating you well. Take good care, whoever you may be and wherever you may be out there. My love is to you, always, though I may not have felt your obvious presence.

See you at my other new spaces! 

Love In Each Day

"The echo of your laughter, the lingering of your words, the intimacy of your thoughts, as if embracing each space across those time we shared together, so vivid yet distant, so familiar yet almost like a stranger, each time we meet, on that ONE DAY. Are you a friend who speaks the truth that cuts right deep into my psychic or are you my love who fills up all my senses whenever you are around me, and make me all nervous and jittery. Your whispers into my ears, your voice at the end of the line, they fade away more and more, as the years go by. Do we still share the same innocent moments when we first met, or have we fallen into the entrapment of boring conversations to fill the gap of formality? Have my love for you faded away, so very gradually as each moment passes me by? I could not bear that very thought, yet I am helplessly hopeless in bringing you closer, bringing you back to me. But I have never dreamt that there would come a day I dread seeing you, I could not believe that I could even say such words, "I love you, I just don't like you anymore!" How could that be possible? We went our separate ways, we even fell in love with different people in our lives. But are you happy? Am I truly happy in your absence. I tried, I tried very hard to forget you, but your image haunts me, your shadow chases me down memory lane, like a persistent stalker and hunts me down, fiercely. How am I to resist? How could I let go of so much that we seem to have and share. Life is our ally, but time is our enemy. When I thought I could finally be with you, after all these years, life comes and takes me away from you, forever, on that very split second. Goodbye my love. Love me for the brief moments we were finally united, but more so, love me for those times I spent loving you, away from you for each of those time were my most difficult, not being able to be with you! I have loved you and I will always love you..."

If I were Em (played by the talented Anne Hathaway), this would be the letter I would write to Dexter (played by Jim Sturgess). A hypnotic, haunting and painfully beautiful piece of work. I love the film for its simplicity and realistic portrayal of two people's lives and buried love for one another. Lone Scherfig's style of storytelling is sensitive yet straight forward - sugar-coating yet direct, poetic yet honest. You are pulled into the course of their development in life and relationships. You have come to believe and vested in their progress and love for one another, through the years, though unspoken, yet solid and true. Only time can heal and only life can tell such great love story. I am impressed. One of the most memorable love story I have seen this year! Great acting and performance by the both of them. 

Feeling A Little Blue

Been waiting for an interesting film to come by lately, which have yet to happen. I know I should go watch THE LADY, but somehow it seems very heavy. Maybe I will get around watching it, eventually. A family wedding is coming right up, in fact, this coming weekend. It's always great have a get together with family again, with special occasion to celebrate. Tomorrow is yet a very different get together with my family, one that requires much strength to stay strong together, as a family, for someone really dear and close to me, to all of us. I know it will be a challenging journey ahead, especially for her, but I will try my best to be there for her, emotionally and psychologically. I truly hope that I could have done more, truly! I LOVE you so much, even though I hardly say that, out loud.

Love That Man

Directed by Tom Ford, starring Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode and Nicholas Hoult. Music by Abel Korzeniowski

When you love that much, you forget who you truly are, yet that intensity of love remains ingrained in your heart, like a piece of that written note left in the drawer of your memory, waiting to be rediscovered one day. When you love that much, the sheer absence of that special someone in your life no longer holds the significance of how you feel in their absence, but more of how well and how much you could remember of that person, your recollection of the person's once existence in your life. Anguish, pain, loneliness, suffocation, happiness, blissfulness, contentment, all feelings that you are entitled to, should be right in front of you, when you contemplate suicide. You can no longer bear such pain of emptiness. I could feel how Colin Firth's character is feeling, through the vivid portrayal of him playing a man who has lost the love of his life, in the film. Can the brief encounter and appearance of another person in your life make any difference? It can and it won't at the same time. It can alter your perception towards how much you have missed your special someone (Nicholas's role as Kenny makes Colin changes his intention of ending his own life), it won't simply because you intend to keep those memories of yours private anyway (yet Colin will always love his lover, played by the charmingly handsome Matthew Goode). It is amazingly intoxicating to see how Tom Ford, in his first debut as a director, manages to capture such minute details of emotions in a man and how this man (Colin Firth) then inches his day, hours, minutes, seconds, towards his own death (intentionally or otherwise). Tragic ending indeed. Julianne's performance has always been that top notch. Completely mesmerized by the way the story was told, by the way it was shot, by how the music sounded, and how sensitive Tom Ford is in peeling the layers away to reveal true human emotions, at times buried so deep within that it is screaming on top of one's lung to break free. Brilliant casts, beautiful visuals and haunting music. Stylishly done!

WUXIA

Directed by Peter Chan, starring Donnie Yen, Tang Wei and Takeshi Kaneshiro

Nudged by my hubby to go watch WUXIA, I went into the theatre without any prior notion of what this kung-fu film is all about, except knowing the director, Donnie Yen, Tang Wei and Takeshi. They made up of some of my favourite people in the film industry, hence I gave it a go. My my I was in for a ride. It was such a different kind of kung-fu film that it made me think hard and fast. Hard was the fact that it reveals itself not like your typical Chinese martial art film as it was very investigative, almost detective-like, similar toCSI crime solving film. Thinking fast was the fact that the action sequences came really fast and swift when watching Donnie Yen fight. I was impressed. I love how this martial art film disguised itself smartly by heavily concentrating on the character(s) development and storytelling. I have not seen Donnie Yen played his character in such a understated manner and tone. It almost seem out of this world. Takeshi takes on a very complex role, investigating this case related to Donnie Yen, but at the same time, he pulls himself out from those re-anacted scenes to look at how each fight scene unfolds, a 3rd person point of view, which makes his character the more engaging and interesting. Tang Wei's performance has always been subtle yet powerful. The film explores the notion of one's judgement and decision to leave the past behind, and change for the better. But can you do so when the past seems to be catching up with you? I love the simplicity of the film, yet, I adore the many levels and layers that it presented and how it was told. I am sure many kung-fu fans may find this hard to digest as it is not your typical fight film (actions all the way). It has a heart, and a soul, and most definitely, smart. Definitely one of my favourite kung-fu films this year!

A Date With Destiny

Lined up and wired, you are predestined to walk this path, or are you? Some of us believe in the notion of a bigger force seemingly guiding us along our walk of life, almost everything that have happened, going to happen have already been set, yet, there also seems to be certain areas of our lives we feel we are in control of, or are we? I belong to those who believe in both, the bigger picture and the smaller puzzles which needed to be assembled by ONESELF in order to enjoy the beauty of the whole. I may not know what's in stored for me just yet, but making a change in life can bring about a different set of results (at least, that was what my hubby told me when we decided to move, it did change our lives). I love the whole notion of the film - The Adjustment Bureau, taking on a subject matter that is so delicate and heavy, yet the director is approaching it in such a grounded and realistic manner that it made me wanting for more. One will definitely be absorbed by the incidents that are revealing themselves as we follow these two amazing characters played by Matt Damon and Emily Blunt along their quest of "changing their fate and destiny". By the way, great chemistry there I must say. It makes an engrossing love story. Which woman would not fall for a man who takes the bus every single day for the next three years hoping to meet you again?? Gosh! I would melt:) I simply love the sense of realness in the film. It successfully marries dramatic storytelling and a brilliant love element in one nicely presented film. Definitely one of my favourite philosophically inclined love stories this year, so far. I think my life is being adjusted as I write:)

Lost In Time

Lost in time, writing has become a stranger of a lost soul, a soul that drifted in the daily grind of pursuing what is necessary, but longing that much more for a glimpse of space, a space to be free to let the thoughts just flow, to just be. It was never the intention of the writer to do so, but it just naturally did, unconsciously. She tries so very the hard to regain that little of control over time, but some times, it just slips through her fragile little fingers. She was never to remember why she started writing in the first place, yet she can't seem to forget the pleasure and satisfaction that comes with it. Stressed, pressured, those intense moments are emotions that she fear not to be left alone, for now she is bestowed with that much more of responsibilities to do more, and more, each time she moves on with her life. She feels helpless, weighed down with such great expectation, yet she could not seem to release herself of such tasks. It makes her wonder if there is more to life than just what it is now? It is forever an on going quest, a burning question still left unanswered. Let there be an end to all these, let there be a purpose to it all.

Black Swan

Directed by Darren Aronofsky, starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel.

The inner yearning to excel in one's own craft feeds so deeply that it hurts right down to the core of the heart and soul of an artist. The burning desire to BE the part fuels her to do whatever it takes to achieve such high quality of performance and showmanship. Such intensely psychological reflection of her and her split personality buries dark revelations of hopes, disappointments, expectations and commitments and reveals the best and worst of a human being. Is she being wrong for searching for perfection in her craft and attainment to be the impeccable White Swan, Princess Odette? Or is she being right for dwelling deeper and deeper into the dark soul of her evil character, Odille, Black Swan and eventually brings the show to the ultimate pinnacle of success? Fashionably stylised, brutally real yet intimately voyeuristic, we fall hard and fast into the magnetic and poignant life of a ballad dancer. flawlessly played by the talented Oscar winner actor, Natalie Portman. I love her in most of the roles she played, from the overly adult kid role in THE PROFESSIONAL, to an intensely free-spirited-lover in CLOSER. She exudes such grace and emotions that not many female lead is capable of, at her age. I can't help but feel helpless for Nina, we rejoice with her for getting the lead role in Swan Lake, yet my heart aches to see her fall more and more into the abyss of her own created illusion of perfection. Such powerful performance that the film left me speechless and breathless at the same time. The only time I felt such great suffocation, pain and heaviness from a film was when I watched Swedish director, Ingmar Bergman's PERSONA. It left me with such a big hole in my heart that it can't seem to heal itself after a few days. Intoxicated, intense, psychological and brave - these are some words that I could think of for such an amazing film.

The King's Speech

Long long long pauses, silence fills the air, sips through the spaces between those rambling thoughts of not worthiness of a position bestowed upon him, it must have been deafening and alarming at the same time. Sometimes, we don't really have the best in life, but things can always be changed and improved upon, as long as we have the will to do so. Watching Colin Firth playing this part is utterly empathetic and excruciatingly painful, yet, it yields the most fulfilling feeling that one can triumph over physical predicament after all. I believe the bigger obstacle that Colin's character has to overcome was never his stutter, but of meeting the expectation which was put upon him from the very beginning, of living up to that standard required of him, as a public figure. It must have been tremendously mortifying. I felt all these feelings while watching the film. Such great acting of his, and not forgetting, Geoffrey Rush! The sparring between the two was extremely amazing, such fine acting from both of them. I absolutely adore the art direction, the set design (the peeled wall in Geoffreys' clinic) and the whole look and feel of the entire film - such romantically hopeless in its colour palate, yet so warm in its element of humanity. Definitely worthy of an Oscar Best Actor Award and Best Director! I guess we all need to find our own place in this world, and in this life time ultimately, be it you are the king or just mere mortals like you and me:)

Fallen

Was working on a trailer last Sunday night, not realizing it was way pass sleeping time, but I don't like to stop when I know I can finish it in one session as it was quite short a video. Ended up having sore throat the next day...am still having it, hope to recover soon. Creative work is indeed exciting, as well as exhausting at the same time...but all is well, I love the outcome of it, and I am glad that my client feels the same way too...maybe what I need now is a nice cup of warm tea to soothe my itching throat and ease my stress of working on preparing proposals and planning for our next move in the very near future...moving place is never a fun thing for me, but moving into a new space could be something good for a change...instead of looking over the city skyline and shopping malls, will be facing the greenery's of the hills instead, a nice refreshing change, maybe?

The Eve of Lunar New Year

It's that time of the year now, my memory of Chinese New Year back in our small hometown was filled with activities like spring cleaning, putting up CNY ornaments (CNY new year cards received, paper cut-outs, ang pows, Chinese Calligraphy written by my dad, or at times me and my twin sister, hanging up lanterns), cooking and baking (flipping and folding kueh kapik in white gloves, in front of the steamy hot stove, cookies and more), visiting relatives and friends all around town and collecting ang pows. Chinese New Year has since evolved into something more subtle and less chaotic, with some of us not in town these days, family get together got a little smaller and simpler. Funny in a way, when you have more people and bigger family together, things tend to be merrier and so much more fun...I guess Chinese New Year celebration can still be fun, as long as you celebrate it with your love ones. It may not be as exciting as I remembered as a small little kid, but nonetheless, meaningful. Let's put on your best cheongsam, a bright smile on your face and go celebrate this 2011 Lunar New Year in great style and fashion. Talking about cheongsam, it will always remind me of Maggie Cheung clad in her beautifully body hugging one in my favourite film, In The Mood For Love. My old post on the film and 2046 here. Have a fabulous year of the BUNNY and may it be a prosperous one for everyone out there xoxo GONG XI FA CAI

Close My Eyes For Better Days

Out of all the anger, frustration and disappointment lately, just feel like watching a heart-warming love story on big screen (again, the foolishness of liking to be fooled and disillusioned). Why should we not live a beautiful love story in real life when you can fabricate all things pretty in an alternate world of fantasy and images, which is never close to real after all. But real love in real life is never as simple as being portrayed in the make believe world of empty promises. Why should there be expectation, why should there be commitments and responsibilities, why should there be obligations, why can't it be just doing it out of love, out of pure care and genuine concern for the other person? Why should it be told, why should it be requested, why should it be asked? Tired, exhausted, disappointed, fatigue and utterly speechless all rolled into one big balloon of questionable doubt, are all these still worth while after all these years? Who am I doing this for and why I am doing this again? Let's get onto the hot air balloon of wishful thinking and just float away, far far away, into the land of no return, away from all these meaningless expectations...away, away, away, away, away, away from it all, away from mySELF, away, just go, go, go away...that's all I need, that's all I want, that's all, that's just all. Too much? Never...

Tangled in Beauty

Tangled, The Rapunzel Tale is most beloved, one of the most beautiful animation films I have seen of late, laced with enchanting music and songs, filled with amazingly mesmerizing scenes, and topped with a little whip cream of laughters! A perfect mix for a perfect family viewing. Disney does make all dreams come true...and on dreams, I have recently also discovered some really beautiful blogs to have some crushes on - Modern Day Vintage, Lace and Tea and Inspiration. All shares very similar passion, the love for all things beautiful in life. Such moments in life are truly moments worth take a break and ponder on...life can be beautiful if you want it to, REALLY..

Bruce Lee My Brother

Amazing opening long take of the house where Bruce Lee used to grow up with the family, it almost already sets the tone and mood for the entire film to follow, and grabbed me right in my seat. One of my favourite scenes came right in the beginning, a black and white hallway shot of Tony Leung Kar Fai waiting patiently for the delivery of Bruce Lee in the hospital. The swirling smoke in the air, the anticipation, oh, it was a marvellous cinematic moment! Unmistakably stylish yet strong sense of storytelling which made this film a surprising one for me. I never thought that another Bruce Lee film could be that good, after all the many films that were made of this legendary figure. Thanks to Pat, who urged me to go watch the film, it pays great details to the art direction, the character developments of the family members in the story, as well the music score itself. I was definitely impressed and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I believe this was one of the best Hong Kong films I have seen last year...of course, this would not have been possible if not for the great performance by Aarif Lee, playing Bruce. Christy Chung is pretty good as well as the mother who needs to at times, hold up the entire family during the absence of the husband. Tony leung worked the father role refreshingly well too. Definitely a must watch!

Speechless

Such a day this was...I had nothing else to say. Words have run dry, feelings can not be mended...at times, I feel as though I am a runaway train, hailing behind me a truck load of weights...I hope tomorrow will be a better day, it always will be by the morning:)

View From Our Bedroom Window

Since we moved our bed facing the other way, thanks to my hubby, we have a much better view of the happening malls right infront of us, and most of all, the vast area of the skyline, as far as our eyes can see. Sometimes, it's great to just have something to look forward to everyday, especially at the end of the day! Though it's still not my most ideal view of a window, but it will have to do for now:)

Your Friend Forever

"I am all alone, the world out there is a cruel place, no one can ever understand how I truly feel deep down inside..."

I was at such a place, long long time ago, while growing up in a small town at the East coast of Malaysia, at a place that is so deep and dark that I could almost feel like I can never exist another second on this earth. As if everything else in this world spells disaster and ultimate sadness. Most of all, hopeless. That pain, that feeling of alienation and loneliness is deafening, and heart-breaking...I can almost feel how he feels. Owen is our character in this movie, LET ME IN, who is trapped within his own world of cocoon. To make matters worst, he is constantly being bullied by some boys at school. Then comes Abby, a skinny little long-haired girl whom he befriends but later turns out to be a vampire, who somehow protects him from all harms, at all cost. A strange sort of friendship develops, so special that neither of them could comprehend, or want anyone to know. For me, it was really really sad. The only friend whom Owen has turns out to be non human after all! Of course, secrets are meant to be discovered, especially one that is so vividly BLOODY. One can almost smell it coming...but as we strip away all the eeriness, violence and blood (I almost fainted), yes, it was creepily EERRRIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE for me, my heart was weighed down with so much pain and sadness that it affected me few days after watching it. I was completely drained, emotionally. Such a heavy film...though I love the film tremendously, I am not too sure I could ever sit through it all over again...ever again for I could not bear to be brought back into those days of teenage angst. By the way, excellent acting by both the leads, amazing chemistry there.

A Brand New Blog

I have decided to start a brand new blog on all things dreamy and beautiful - fashion, arts, images, designs, interior and everything else that makes me happy and lovely. I have sort of make it a space for imagination, a space to dream all I want. It can be dreams I want to achieve, or it can just be some wishful thinking of mine. It is simply liberating. I hope to be able to maintain more than one blog at a time...so wish me luck. See you there too...oh, by the way, it's called Dream A Little Dream By Jenn.

A Fresh New Friday

Ryan turns 10 today. 10 years is most definitely a milestone. What have I accomplished for the past 10 years? Gave birth to two lovely sons, established our own business of film and television, getting to know myself better along the way, among other ups and downs in life. I am still on this journey, a journey I truly believe is never-ending. There is always something new to be discovered each passing day, like a day like this one. I accidentally realized how to do certain things better, how to tweak this blog of mine into something new and refreshing, an improved version. I guess it's a tradition, to make a small little change to my blog every year. I am very pleased indeed, for I now believe, and have always been, there is always new things to be learnt, to be discovered, to be treasured and great memories to be remembered. My feelings now? Truly ABOVE and BEYOND! Happy Happy birthday, my dear Ryan. Love always and forever, your mommy:)

New Discoveries

Browsing through the internet has its wonders. One tends to discover gems along the way. I found these two sites really captivating and inspiring - Simply Seductive and Plush Palate. One on all things nice and lovely, and the other is a blog on fashion, interior designs and the RUE magazine. I believe all of us, in one way or another, appreciate beauty in its rare and multi dimensional forms. It can really lift our spirits and emotions up to a happy state of mind. Amazing discovery. Life is, after all, about the small little wonders we discover each passing day. If we can't even stop to admire such beauty, what else more to life?