The Girl Below (2012)

after spending 10 years in New Zealand with the hope of reuniting with her remarried father, 30-year-old Suki returned to London, where she grew up in. she walked by the old building where she once lived with her parents. out of curiosity, she visited Peggy, a neighbor and family friend that still lived in the building. Peggy was bedridden with old-age, where Pippa, her daughter hired a nurse, Amanda to attend to her. when Amanda left, Pippa asked Suki to stand in for her, which she accepted reluctantly due to failing to find herself a job in the meantime. later Suki was introduced to Pippa's family, her chef husband Ari and rebellious son Caleb.

from time to time i got confused, until i sort of got used to the strange parts that took place only after Suki was asleep, where she would mysteriously went back in time, to the night of a costume party her parents threw in their garden 20 years ago. Suki was an awkward and pathetic character, so distant and having no ability to cope with her life at all. she got disowned by her father's new family, dumped by men, abusing drug and alcohol, and can't even get herself a decent job. but as she tried to help the family through their difficult time when Peggy lingered on her deathbed, she became useful just being at the right place at the right time. despite the strangeness and possibilities of where the storyline of The Girl Below (2012) could be heading, i felt somewhat abandoned and left hanging when i reached its final page. though not exactly a bad book, The Girl Below (2012) was probably just different.

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Edward Scissorhands (1990) was one of the very fist film that Tim Burton and Johnny Depp worked together. Edward was an artificial man, partially completed by an inventor who died of heart-attack before giving Edward a pair of real hands over the currently scissors. years later, Edward was taken from his home into the town by a saleswoman. he became friends with the family and fell in love with Kim. the neighborhood was impressed by his hedge trimming skills and came to him for haircuts. a few of the townspeople dislike him and attempted to chase him out.

the film was truly a masterpiece, one of the very first peculiar and unique creation of Tim Burton. it was like a fairy tale, simple yet in depth, drawing our interest and liking towards Edward quite easily. the good and bad in humanity were separated into a clear portion. unfortunately, the fairy tale ended with a sad ending, but it remained beautiful until the very end. his imperfection was physical, where his heart was definitely whole.

Matchbox Twenty: North (2012)

North (2012) is the forth album by Matchbox Twenty. it was released on September 2012. its first single She's So Mean (2012) was released on June 2012. second single "Overjoyed" (2012) was released on August 2012. the albums they released previously were More Than You Think You Are (2002), Mad Season (2000), Yourself or Someone Like You (1996); while Rob Thomas, the lead vocal of Matchbox Twenty, came out with his personal album named Something to Be (2005) and Cradlesong (2009).

Accel World (2012) アクセル・ワールド

Haruyuki was often a victim of bully in his school. to escape from the reality, he often spent his free time in games, hiding in the virtual reality. one day, he was approached by Kuroyukihime, the most famous girl in school. she gave him a mysterious program called Brain Burst, introduced him a virtual reality called the Accel World.

as the main character, Haruyuki was far from being likable. despite being unattractive, he was constantly bullied, while he compared himself to some of the attractive friends he had. as much as others tried to help him, he would soon just ended up as some pathetic character not worth spending time over. the Burst Battle repeated itself with every chance it had, very much predictable. Kuroyukihime was a perfect character, beautiful and intelligent, who also happened to be a gamer that noticed Haruyuki's existence. then again, why did she when no one else does?

Survive (2012)

Jane was a suicide seeker. she came from a family of depressives and suicidals, her father killed himself by putting a bullet through his brain, his own parents, even grandparents died unnatural death. after spending years in Life House, an mental institution specifically for disturbed teens. she earned points by being nice and predictable, knowing she had to cheat her way out of the place to be successful at her next attempt to kill herself. finally, Jane was sent home for a week, to spend Christmas with her mother. inside the plane's bathroom, just before she could swallow a lethal dose of pills, the planes hit turbulence and crashed. Jane woke among piles of wreckage and bodies on top of a snowy mountain. she was stranded with a boy named Paul. with his help, Jane was inspired to fight for her life for the very first time in her life.

i absolutely loved Survive (2012)! it made my tummy flipped, gave me such adrenaline rush, and even had me cried my eyes out. it was so unbelievably engaging that i felt in pace with Jane and Paul on their struggle of survival. the rawness of their emotions and the pains created by family members they loved so dearly, in return had them exposed so completely naked in front of each other. and despite their unlikely characteristics, they bonded and created a relationship so beautiful yet fragile that made one cherished it even more. unfortunately, despite their hardships, the ending wasn't tied perfectly in a pink bow, yet it still felt so good to be a part of their story. Survive (2012) was very well written, straightforward, fast paced, and definitely enough drug in there to be addictive. the heartbreaking part of it only made the tale further more delicious to be devoured.

Alpha Dog (2006)

Alpha Dog (2006) was a true story of the kidnapping and murder of 15-year-old Nicholas in 2000. however, the characters in the film were given fictional names. Johnny was a young drug dealer, his father supplied him with Marijuana, he made a fortune and owned a house for parties and meetings. Frankie owed Johnny but refused to pay the debt. one day, Frankie and his friends decided to kidnap Johnny's younger brother, Zack for revenge. Zack made little effort to escape and formed an unlikely friendship with Frankie.

the film mostly followed the lifestyle of a bunch of drug seller, showing their messed up life. there were so much vulgar in the dialogues that it was almost impossible to tolerate. i couldn't imagine how true it was for people to be calling each others so many names in just one conversation, nor did it felt believable. at some point, the film was a huge confusion of different gangs, with everyone acting like gangster-wannabes, who also looked too similar to differentiate from which gang were they truly from!

Matchbox Twenty: She's So Mean (2012)

She's So Mean (2012) was the first single from Matchbox Twenty's forth album named North (2012). the single was released in Jun 2012, its video in July 2012. having been a fan of Rob Thomas's unique vocal, i thought they had quit. She's So Mean (2012) was their very first single in 5 years. the video featured the band singing while a girl (Stephanie Corneliussen, Danish model) came wrecking everything.

Zetman (2012) ゼットマン

the world was separated into 2 forces, the Zet and the Alphas. the Zet had the ability to transform into superhuman to defend humanity; while the Alphas used extreme technologies to defend justice. Jin was a Zet who lived under the bridge with a debt-ridden old man; while Kouga was an Alpha who would one day inherit his grandfather's wealth. as different as they initially were, together they were able to protect humanity by destroying an abomination called Players.

the story had a refreshing plot that evolved around genetically modified beings who escaped captivity and dangerously wiping out humankind, lurking within the city. Jin and Kouga was brought up in a different environment, making them a completely opposite character. although it took quite a while to get the background straight, it was intriguing enough to be interesting. however, it didn't last. unlike its first episode that dragged on for a little too long, the rest of the episodes went by in a flash. i didn't feel engage with its character, nor did i care how they turned out to be.

The Thing About the Truth (2012)

Kelsey got kicked out from Concordia Private School and was determined to get her future back on track while attending Concordia Public School. her old friends were acting all weird around her that eventually she stopped looking for them. Issac had been kicked out from more schools than he can remember. but since his father was the state senator, he got welcomed at everywhere he went. the first time Kelsey and Isaac met, she saw him as some spoil brat, he saw her as some stuck-up snob. it surprised them when they started to fall for each other. they were finally happy for the first time in months, but things immediately got out of hands when they discovered the secrets and lies that they told each other

Kelsey and Isaac were like the perfect duo, completely unrealistic and unattractive. The Thing About the Truth (2012) felt forced, writing in perspectives, switching between Kelsey's and Isaac's; while at the same time, jumping in between the past and the future. while it seemed to try very hard bringing out something, maybe stunning or unsuspected, nothing happened. despite being mysterious by starting the story in the future setting, it all came down to one sex that Kelsey denied having when she and Isaac were making out; and Isaac who slept with countless girls from countless schools had to act all gentleman at that very second, saying how much he respected her if she wasn't ready, etc. what could be more cheesy and predictable than that? other than the unattractive storylines, Kelsey and Issac were terrible characters, just some overly good-looking snobs that messed things up for themselves. oh, surprise, surprise.

S.W.A.T. (2003)

officer Jim was sent to stop a gang of robbers with partner Brian. Brian disobeyed an order and wounded a hostage. they were demoted and Jim were sent to work in the storage while Brian quit. 6 months after the incident, Sergeant Hondo reorganized the SWAT division and put together a new team. Jim was one of them. the team trained together and was successful on their first mission. at the same time, a druglord named Montel was being held captive for being an international fugitive. when he was being transferred to prison, his associates assulted the polices in an attempt to free him. Hondo's SWAT team was directed to escort him to prison.

though unoriginal, the film managed to stay enjoyable. there were a lot of men sizing each other up wanting to come out on top. while the second half felt like the main focus of the film, there were also the new team forming and training for characters introduction. Jim however, doesn't stand out as the main cast. he seemed to blend into the background, having no significant role. overall the film was entertaining enough being categorized in the action genre.

Legal High (2012) リーガル・ハイ

lawyers were often considered heroes, bringing justice by investigating the truth, releasing the falsely accused and sending the true criminals into jail. for Legal High (2012), all that impressions were thrown out the window. Kensuke was a stubborn, sarcastic, and mean lawyer. he lived a wealthy life, never lost a case in his life due to his intelligence in building strategies. he strove for perfection, fame, money, and women; often loathed by other lawyers. one day, Machiko barged into his life. she was overly earnest to save the weak, yet incapable of planning ahead. though her clumsiness often brought them troubles, they soon got adapted to each other and became an "almost" perfect pair.

Legal High (2012) was definitely unique. despite the exaggerated acting, which often turned out to be annoying if not frustrating to watch, it was surprisingly suitable and entertaining. releasing the good guys and sending the bad guys into jail was not always the case for this drama, though we were not always given the absolute truth. for Keisuke, the person that paid him must be released, innocent or whatnot will not effect the result. while we expect them to investigate the truth, he only focused on finding facts that will back his client up and defeat the opposing lawyer. this point alone was enough to hold my interest episodes after episodes.

Kuro Majo-san ga Tooru!! (2012) 黒魔女さんが通る!!

Chiyoko loved the occult. one day, while summoning Cupid for her friend, she summoned Gyubid instead due to her flu. Gyubid was a black witch, who decided to train Chiyoko to become a black witch as well. other than balancing between her training and school, Chiyoko had to keep an eye on Gyubid, stopping her before it was too late from getting into all sorts of mischief.

with every episode being only 7 minutes long, Kuro Majo-san ga Tooru!! (2012) can be entertaining if one doesn't mind the exaggeration and loudness. Chiyoko was a fifth grade student, which made her a child, which also made the exaggerated facial expression and loudness far more acceptable than seeing that very same facial expression on Gyubid, a ghost of some black witch that should have died decades ago. there weren't much storyline either, just some random occurrences that they happened to stumble upon.

The Unquiet (2012)

Rinn was a bipolar, with mood swings that threatened the safety of those around her. after the death of her grandmother who was left burning to her death while Rinn watched dumbfounded outside, her mom Monica moved them to a rural town where Monica grew up in. while Rinn settled into her new home, she found out that the previous owner had hung herself to death in the attic, now Rinn's bedroom, and her granddaughter Annaliese drown in the school pool, where they claimed she continued to haunt. while one incident after another happened to her new friends, Rinn was even surprised to find Monica being connected to Annaliese in more ways that she could imagine.

Rinn was a character that brought life to The Unquiet (2012) in every ways. with medication, she was like any normal teenager, but without the medication, there were some oddness about her that set off an eerie vibe. she was believable due to her bipolar sickness. despite the mass amount of characters introduced, they stood out among one another, each with their personal signature that set them apart from one another. it took quite a while for each character to mess up their life one way or another, but in the end, the waiting was made worthwhile, so were the deaths, which increased the level of spookiness whenever Rinn entered the school pool area. the connection between Annaliese and the adults of their rural town was a satisfying twist, if not an unexpected one.

Atonement (2007)

the film was a British romance suspense war film, adapted from the novel written by Ian McEwan. Briony was a 13-year-old girl from a wealthy family. she happened to saw a heated moment between her sister Ceilia and Robbie, a servant's son. her young age mistakenly made her believe that Robbie was raping her sister. while he went off alone into the woods, she came across a man escaping after raping her cousin Lola. Briony returned telling everyone that it was Robbie, including the polices. everyone believed her except Cecilia and Robbie was sent to prison. 4 years later, Robbie was released and forced to join the army. he was reunited with Cecilia. Briony, now an adult, fully understood the impact of her accusation, visited Ceciilia and admitted that the man she saw in the woods was not Robbie.

despite the slight confusion with the story being told in a fast-forward manner, it left me feeling completely speechless and in shock. the movie was simply unusual, far from anything we had come across. it can be confusing at some point, showing especially the darker side of humans. as lighthearted as it seemed on the surface, the impact was astounding and painful, while the climax left us feeling shocked and awed even after the film ended, totally blown away by the experience.

Saba Doru (2012) さばドル

Usa was a 38-year-old high school teacher who taught classical literature at a Yankee high school. the students were mean to her, the teachers took advantage of her, but they didn't realize she had a hidden identify. after school, she would transformed herself into a popular 17-year-old idol named Mayuyu, appearing on television and radio, adored by everyone, including her students.

Usa/Mayuyu was a debut appearance of AKB48 Team B's member Watanabe Mayu. it was fun watching her being cute and adorable, training for their dances together, interviewing artists on her radio show, even having trouble getting along with her colleagues. but when the story returned to her supposedly "real life" of being a 38-year-old teacher, it was so dull and unbelieving that it was difficult to feel engaged. instead of a 38-year-old pretending to be a 17-year-old, it was much more easier to believe that she was a 17-year-old pretending to be a 38-year-old.

Recorder to Randoseru Do♪ (2012) リコーダーとランドセルド♪

Atsushi and Atsumi were siblings. despite being the younger brother and an elementary school student, Atsushi had the build and appearance of an adult man; while Atsumi the older sister and a high school student, had the appearance of an elementary student. due to his looks, Atsushi often got into trouble, being misunderstood as some pervert man who took advantage of a child. while Atsumi despite her look, took great care of her younger brother.

for the first few episodes, the siblings were cute to watch. but as the anime continued, it became a little cheesy and predictable. the humor wasn't at all refreshing either, making it lame at some point. on second though, it would be even more shocking to find others considering the jokes funny. fortunately it was a quick watch thanks to its short episodes that lasted about 3 minutes each.

My Life in Black and White (2012)

Alexa had always been beautiful girl and the center of attention. she had butter-colored hair a and perfect body that got her a group of friends, a boyfriend, even a promising modelling career in the near future. but one night, when she partying with her friends, she came across the scene where her boyfriend, Ryan was making out with Taylor, her best friend. it sent her running to Jarrod for a ride home. but Jarrod had a fantasy of his own, pestering Alexa to touch him while he drove. she fought back and that sent their car crashing into a tree, throwing Alexa out of the windshield. the accident disfigured her, thrashing her confidence, and her friends no longer knew how to talk to her without her pretty face.

My Life in Black and White (2012) was absolutely different and engaging especially emotionally. Alexa was a character so easy to relate to, a perfect girl whom only the privileged were allowed to get near to. the crash no only brought her back onto the ground, it gave her a much more beautiful energy and attitude that she was finally not some random self-centered character. thanks to her nerdy sister, Ruthie, she was able to progress through the change that made her an even bigger star among her friends, tightening the bonds that had long turned sour. Alexa's growth after suffering a traumatic event was what made My Life in Black and White (2012) outshone the other books in a breeze.

Four Christmases (2008)

Brad and Kate were happy together, especially for being unmarried and having no children. they had similar family background, where both parents were divorced, siblings brought nothing but agony during childhood, causing them to suffer awkward memories and resentments. 3 years together and they still weren't comfortable sharing this past with each other. for past Christmases, they would avoid meeting the families by making up lies. but this Christmas, all flights were canceled and they were forced to visit the 4 families that they dreaded so much.

there was nothing special about the film, where most of the time it was predictable. but there were some fun moments and some really good laughs here and there. the 4 families were extremely crazy in their own ways, which also reflected Kate's charming personality while Brad was busy being a total jerk. they worked well together without the families, but once everyone got into the picture, the sarcasm was way too much for me, especially his attitude that leaves no room for discussion. but that also made all the begging to return to her side all the sweeter to savor.

Kagi no Kakatta Heya (2012) 鍵のかかった部屋

Kei worked for a security firm. he was collective and calm, often unapproachable when he started talking about physics. there were no key which he cannot unlock, which included mysterious murders that took place in a locked room. one day he was asked by Junko, a lawyer who worked in a huge law firm, to uncover the truth behind a murder. Junko was pure and sympathetic, with Kei's knowledge and insightfulness, they were able to reveal the secrets of murder cases that took place behind closed door.

having been a fan of Arashi (嵐) during younger times, i was surprised to see Ohno Satoshi (大野智) playing the main character for Kagi no Kakatta Heya (2012). it was a satisfying and consistent drama, with interesting murders and puzzles for Kei to solve. time flew silently by whenever Kei was onto something. Junko and Serizawa often bickered, although they were fun to watch at first, it soon became old as Serizawa got more and more interested in the cases while still pretending to be otherwise. in overall, there weren't many surprises for the drama, just following through the sequence of getting involved in cases one way or another, which will eventually led to solving it.

Mouretsu Pirates (2012) モーレツ宇宙海賊

Marika was a high school girl who lived with her mother Ririka. she was often busy with the space yacht club in school and a part-time job she held at a cafe. one day, 2 strangers appeared at the the cafe and inquired her interest in joining them in space. returned home, the strangers revealed themselves as subordinates of her dead father, who was the captain of a space pirate ship named Bentenmaru. Marika was the captain's direct descendant, thus making her the new captain of Bentenmaru.

having an unusual plot of a high school girl becoming a space pirate, Mouretsu Pirates (2012) was originally very appealing with its expandability. however, due to its seriousness and realism, intending to relate the story closely with our real world technologies, it became slightly dull if not long winded with all the technical terms flying around. it was also slow paced, dragging down the supposedly enjoyable and lighthearted series. there were little character development, even Marika that was followed so closely, felt forcefully cheerful for her perfect hero role. Chiaki however, was far more lovable despite her tough personality, had a weakness of coming face to face with parfaits, was what usually had us smiling.

One Moment (2012)

it was supposed to be a great summer, hanging out with 6 close friends that she grew up with, until the accident at the cliff. Maggie remembered climbing the trail with Joey, her perfect boyfriend of 2 years. despite her fear of heights, she decided that she was going to dive off the cliff with Joey, into the Jumping Hole filled with water while avoiding the ledge. but everything went wrong when they reached the cliff, with Joey ended up dead on the ledge and her cowering behind the trees on the cliff. her memories during those few vital moments were lost, together with Joey.

the story followed Maggie on her desperate journey of recalling what happened during the last moments before Joey's death. though One Moment (2012) wasn't exactly original, unpredictable, nor had much to expand its story on, the smooth flow brought out the best of the plot. some secrets once surfaced, gave the story a whole different direction to explore. it was grounded and realistic. Maggie being able to handle everything so perfectly was slightly unbelievable, but was definitely tolerable since it was an essential step to build a perfect end for the book.

Rendition (2007)

Douglas was a CIA analyst, who happened to be passing by when a suicide attack killed not only his colleague, but many locals. he was forced to take over his colleague's job and met with Abasi, a high ranked police official, who interrogate with techniques of torture. Anwar was a chemical engineer who lived in Chicago with his pregnant wife Isabella. on his way returning to the states, he was detained by Abasi, linking him to the suicide attack happened earlier.

watching the film gave us some frightful insights that explained many occurring that took place around the world. having seen films and books that thoroughly explained the torturing techniques used on suspected individuals, imagining it happened in real life was a terrifying concept. the film surprised us by implying such a powerful and sensitive issue and putting it on the big screen. it was absolutely engaging, even emitted a heavy atmosphere that put some thoughts in our head.

Papadol (2012) パパドル

the drama was taking a whole new approach by having the actors act under their real names. Ryo was a member of a popular idol group named Kanjani8. one day he came across Haruka, divorced with 3 children, but fell madly in love with her. when he approached her family asking for Haruka's hand for marriage, Haruka's elder daughter rejected the idea of having an idol as her new father. to make things worst, Kanjani8's manager found out about his relationship and demanded him to choose between marriage and his career in show business.

having followed closely the Johnny Jr. years back, the familiar faces were nostalgic to watch. being fully grown did brought out an unexpected side of them. Papadol (2012) started out being fun and hilarious, with Ryo awkwardly approaching Haruka's family, which every member was so unique that they appeared far from normal. Ryo was then forced to juggle between work and family, seeking desperately for a balance to strive. Sho Sakurai (櫻井翔) and Ohno Satoshi (大野智) of Arashi (嵐), Joshima Shigeru (城島茂) of Tokio made a little guest appearances, a little eye-candies for the fans while boosting their juniors along.

Jormungand (2012) ヨルムンガンド

Koko was a young arms dealer who sold weapons through an international shipping corporation. she was the company's unofficial weapon dealer, secretly selling weapons to many countries while avoiding the local authorities. she had with her a personal team of bodyguards, and the latest addition to her crew was Jonah, an emotionless yet skilled child soldier. however, he aimed to find the arm dealer responsible for his family's death.

despite the dull colored visual and intense plot of underground groups of weapon dealer, there were tones of humor in the dialogues, sometimes adding a little more craziness, making it lighthearted and at the same time avoiding heavy swearing and excessive gore. times were spent on going in depth on the backgrounds of each character, which had us felt engaged, understanding their starting point.

Never Enough (2012)

Loann and Claire used to be very closed sisters. Claire was pretty and popular, often surrounded by friends and her boyfriend Josh. Loann watched enviously, longing to be her perfect sister. one day Josh started flirting with her and people from the popular group started showing interest in her, even stopping by the cafe where she and her friend, Marcus worked. Loann was eager to step into their world, eager to experience the world her sister was in. but soon she discovered Claire's world was a difficult place and nothing was as perfect as it seemed. at the same time, Clare was rushed into the hospital with stomach problem.

Never Enough (2012) was heart-wrenching to read. i found myself crying in Loann's place, feeling her pain and lost. it was shocking to know how eating disorder could threaten not one life but destroying the whole family along with it. even though Loann was able to discovered Claire's secret, she didn't know how to help nor could understand the extent of the problem. it was also surprising to know that Claire too, was jealous of Loann in her own ways. Never Enough (2012) had my attention throughout the whole book, it was engaging and pulled me strongly into their world. despite having my heart broken while reading, it gave life a whole new perspective, and love is never too far away.

Inkheart (2008)

Mo was a bookbinder, he had the rare gift of reading while things or characters from the books would emerged into the real world. however, he didn't have control over what went in or out. one night, he read a book called Inkheart, to his wife, Resa. he accidentally put Resa into the book n drew some evil characters out. one day after their daughter, Meggie, grew up, she found the book Inkheart, which his father refused to talk about. the moment he started reading that book again, more characters were drew out, n they realized that the evil characters that he drew out from the book the last time he read it had been stalking them.

i heard from many that the adaptation was very loosely based on its book. like most film that was based on books, details were often scrapped, making the audiences felt like something was missing. fortunately, i have yet read the book Inkheart (2003) by Cornelia Funke, thus able to experience the film freely. having Fraser played his typical Hero role was getting a little boring. his expression remained the same like every film, n same goes for the acting. if compared, Bennet was a much more believing daughter. however, it was mostly the mystical creatures that was fascinating in this film. it gave magical atmosphere every now n then, n the CGI was awesome for a fantasy tale! other than that, it was mostly running around, rather confusing since little explanation was given. to me, the film felt Rushed.

Ataru (2012) アタル

Ataru suffered from Savant syndrome, thus having the ability to observe and analyze microscopic evidences of otherwise unsolved cases. one day, an explosion occurred and the investigation team concluded that it was an accident, but Ebina had her doubts. she went to the site seeking evidence, but met with Ataru instead. he mentioned a few keywords that Ebina couldn't understand. she looked up those words and discovered by putting those words together, it became the key of solving the case.

for every episode, a different case was presented for Ataru's analyzing skill to put to use. the processes were absolutely captivating, while the humors were equally entertaining. it was surprising to see Nakai Masahiro (中居正廣) from SMAP portrayed Ataru so perfectly that it was difficult to imagine that he was just playing the character instead of really having the disability himself. as its main attraction, the cases lured us episode after episode, wanting more while enjoying the unique partnership between Ataru and Ebina.

Nagareboshi Lens (2012) 流れ星レンズ

Risa was a high school girl who fantasized for love. she listened to her friends' stories, imagining what it was like while looking forward to having a boyfriend. one day, she had an encounter with Yuugure, one of the popular boys. they started going out, learning more about each other, and falling helplessly in love with each other.

it was a fairly simple and predictable story. the characters weren't explored thoroughly, leaving me feeling nothing towards them nor their relationship. it was mostly the surface where the story touched, little things and actions that were only possible between couples, getting shy over every little things, and getting comfortable exploring each other. it had a unique artwork though, something that i haven't come across in a very long time, and the experience wasn't bad at all.

Dark Companion (2012)

Jane grew up in a foster home in a run-down town called Helmsdale. when she was offered scholarship in an elite school with her own living quarters, it was too good to be true. at Birch Grove, weird things started happening. soon she suspected that the elegant headmistress and her sons, Lucky and Jack, were hiding secrets. Lucky was the gorgeous perfect boy that everyone was after, while Jack the slightly puzzling one. the longer she stayed in Birch Grove, the more she found out about the disappearance of Bebe and Claire, both she soon discovered, were from Helmsdale.

Dark Companion (2012) had a different vibe and pace compared to other Gothic novels. Jane was an awkward character that made friends surprisingly easy in Birch Grove. she relaxed around them and became such lovable character. but when Lucky was involved, her emotions became strangely unstable, even though she can be herself around Jack. the good and bad guys were obvious at this point, but the secret behind their strange behaviors was withheld for so long that when it was finally revealed, it doesn't quite match up with the anticipation nor gave enough satisfaction in return. despite the downside, Dark Companion (2012) was different thus entertaining.

Johnny English (2003)

a bomb wiped out Britain's secret agents, leaving only Johnny English behind. as confident as he was as a spy, he was careless and often make a mess out of his missions. now that he remained as the only spy, they were forced to assign him the missions. English took over the case of the stolen Crown Jewels with his assistant. during the investigation, English was attracted to a mysterious woman called Campbell. he later discovered that the theft was performed by a rich descendant, whom the head of security refused to believe. English was forced to chase after the thief to proof his case.

the plot was predictable and it was easy to see some funny moments approaching, though still managed to humor us to some level. Johnny English was an interesting character, often intelligent when it came to looking for excuses, yet most of the time expectantly stupid. his assistant however, managed to have us laughing quite hard several times, throwing in real humor when it was least expected. the film could have been better. as a Rowan Atkinson's fan, we could have expected too much out of his first film.

Katy Perry: Wide Awake (2012)

"Wide Awake" (2012) was taken from the album Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection (2012). it was specifically written for Katy Perry's film Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012). Wide Awake (2012) was released on May 2012 as the second single from the re-release of Teenage Dream (2010). while the lyrics talked about breaking up and moving forward, the video showed nothing similar. its goth feel however, was absolutely stunning. from one way or another, we were pleased with her recent maturity, her songs became much more acceptable and definitely more relatable.