No Going Home

There is no going home.

There is no going back.

There is no same place.

In fact, even tomorrow is different.

The next several seconds are different.

The moment you breath in and out are different.

The city that you left is now different despite the same name.

The people in it are different.

The temperature is different.

The sky line is different.

Nevertheless, you're different.

Instead of going back, you're moving forward.

Instead of going home, you're going to a new place where new adventures await.

Instead of same routine, you're exploring every new chance that life offered in every second.

Instead of thinking, "It's over," you'll be thinking, "Oh, there's another door."

And instead of closing the book, you just add them up.

Because, my dear friends, life is not simply hopping back and forth. It's rolling forward no matter how you try to replay your history.

Because, my friends, what we wish to be eternal, will always be eternal and will keep adding up.

Because, my friends, we have learned how to treasure the present.

Just like the grass that will keep growing upward no matter how passionate you cut them.

...In fact, they may still grow despite you pull them out.

Man of Steel

For those who are worried about spending money on watching the newest Superman movie on 3D or IMAX, don't worry, it's totally worth it.

At least that's how I felt after my 3D experience. As you know, due to my poor eyesight, I had to wear a prescribed glasses under my 3D glasses, which didn't bother the fat that I enjoyed the movie.

Superman movies have been remodeled and twisted way more than we think. Big screen movies, TV shows, cartoons, you name it. The blue tight costume with red cape that is also shifting along the movement of the Superman phenomenon. For me, it is.

I used to watch some of the Superman cartoons in CartoonNetwork and slightly enjoyed the highly morale, wisdom, quirky, and randomly hunky Clark Kent/Kal-El followed the movies before this newest one, with that Brandon guy as the actor. As always, he was good looking, had beautiful eyes, more like a model than your regular Daily Planet reporter. Well, I guess working in Daily Planet will either make you a supermodel or a superhero. My latest response to the previous Superman movie was that I pretty much enjoyed it (and him) to the extent that I collected pins of the movie, and I still have 'em now!

Superman movies are always (so far, for me) complicated. If you follow along the cartoon storyline, it was pretty simple and pretty child-like plot. In movies, they have to make the plot progressively interesting and unpredictable yet made the audience longs for more, more, more. The people that are involved in making them always try to find ways to make their own version special and different, one of the reasons why I found them complicated.

The previous Superman movie--I couldn't recall the title--was basically about Superman coming back to his Earth life after leaving behind Lois Lane and basically his world. I forgot why he came back, but when he came, Lois Lane apparently had gotten herself married to someone and had a little boy. Storyline went on, I forgot most of them, but they did have some kryptonite scene where the Superman got stabbed by it. And I think Lex Luthor was the bad guy. And apparently, Lois Lane's little son was actually Superman's son. Wonder how and why.

Time goes on, Christopher Nolan--producer of Dark Knight series--and Zac Snyder--director of 300 (which explain why Russell Crowe played in this movie)--decided to come together and made another DC superheroes movies that hopefully will turn out as good as the Dark Knight Series. They casted Henry Cavill as Kal-El, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Russell Crowe as Jor-El. And the main antagonist is not Lex Luthor--yet. It's General Zod--or however you write it.

Henry Cavill--to me--turned out to be a quite suitable Superman, he sometimes looks like Christopher Reeve--probably the hair. He has this good looking and naive and quiet vibrant from his personality and you totally can see that during his Unscripted interviews. For a visual show, I'd rate ten out of ten for his good looking and charm, although he looks slightly weird when he smirks or smile, but he's still good looking, and not skinny at all. Hunky piece.

The story line slightly confused me, as again, this is a different twist of Superman plot. They showed the origin of sending Kal-El away, his natural parents, the planet's destruction, etc. Then it immediately hopped to a new timeline where Kal-El/Clark was an adult, living from place to place to hide his secret and also to help people out. Nearly three forth of the plot is about jumping back and forth through Clark's life and his struggle.

I cannot say that Henry Cavill is the best actor to play Superman, though. Although he did tremendously well, I know that for some reasons, there are scenes that he just didn't know how to portray it as a Superman. I mean, I myself cannot really imagine how Superman would react when he figured out or met his parents, or meeting Lois Lane for the first time, or losing someone that he loves. At this point, I feel like Superman is pretty emotionless about it.

One thing I love about the main villain is that he's not evil because of his pure lunatic and antagonist nature. He holds certain values and dignity to the extent that he committed such crime in order to hold what he thinks right--which I think some people should learn from. I'm gladly happy seeing him lose but won't feel bad about seeing him coming back, which I don't think so.

Amy Adams played quite a great Lois Lane, although I felt just enough curiosity out of her, which I think, if you're talking about Lois Lane here, she's depicted as someone who's full of eagerness and curiosity like a child, pretty hyper herself. Amy Adams portrayed Lois Lane as a composed, slightly stubborn, caring companion for Superman. Which is not bad. 

If you're asking for reasons why you really should watch another Superman movie--other than the great actors in it, I can mention some. Go for:

The great visual effect

This particular movie has a terrific and sometimes scarily tremendous visual effect of the super fighting amongst the Kryptons. They just had a wonderful job on processing the movie that I enjoyed every little bit of the scene in it, especially the rough parts. They exaggerated his flying, his punching, everything. Totally worth to watch, I couldn't even describe.

Epic sound

Or music, you name it. It just added a sense of epic-ness in the movie, whatever the plot is. You feel like you're watching something that is historically important.

Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe

Uh, did I already mention about the actors and actresses? Oh, by the way, Kal-El's natural mother, Lara, was so pretty as if she does come from Krypton.

Superman's epic hair

You'll be left wondering for the whole movie: why on earth is his hair not moving at all? One of his trademark, I guess.

Dumbfounded people in the end

This is always the major question in any Superman show: why people cannot even realize that Clark and Kal-El are basically a same person that's different because with or without glasses? In here, Lois Lane is the only one who realizes that he's the Superman, and nobody does. New guy in the Daily Planet, they said. And how come, with even his charming glasses face and hunky body shape, nobody has no crush on him, other than Lois Lane? This is the best question ever for Superman.

You'll want more

This movie is more like a historical documentary of Superman's life. The cinematography of the movie is so family-friendly and nostalgic and you felt as if you're looking into someone's memory, with human eyes instead of the camera shots. You jus beg for the second and third ones, just like what happened to Dark Knight.

Christopher Nolan with his epic visual effects just like in the Dark Knight and Zac Snyder with his marvelous massive way to give out such a hysterical effect just like in the 300, who would not want for a second one?

Congratulations, freshly-Graduates!

Congratulations!

The hype of finishing high school is basically everywhere. Despite the fact that I couldn't graduate along my class both in Indonesia and America didn't affect the fact that I'm truly thrilled to be part in the graduation ceremony, although I couldn't be part of the graduation ceremony in Indonesia.

Seeing (most of you) smiles for this somewhat sacred ceremony made me think about what I have graduated myself from. My exchange year. All of you both busy preparing for college, exams, and so on, and us--the exchange students--were busy preparing our departure, getting along with people, getting busy, fulfilling projects, and lastly, preparing to go home.

Despite the major difference of what we're graduating from, there's no doubt that we are finally going to hop in to the other doorstep that will bring us to the other adventure. No, I mean, literally. It's like getting off the toilet seat (I couldn't find a better example). No matter how comfortable you feel, at one point, you have to get up, flush it, go out from the bathroom, and start doing different things.

And that's how's life going to roll. Because in the end, the warm toilet seat that you deeply enjoy will eventually be uncomfortable, the warm, hot shower will start to suffocate you, and the bathroom's temperature will start to go down. And when you finally decide to move on, people around you will notice, that you are committing yourself--ready or not--to the new adventure, by smiling in that stage, receiving your diploma, maybe take some edgy pictures while shaking hands with the principal--made you feel more important once in a while--go down and smile again for the same of your mother's camera, and slowly but confidently, walking towards your seat.

And, and, despite that your moment of importance only lasted for not even five minutes, and now you were seated back to the same seat before you had your moment of importance, just realized that life is changing as easy as walking down the stairs. Life is even changing although you're still sitting on the same seat. And life will not ask your permission to change, because it will roll on, and on, and on.

Whatever that we just have gone through, just one of those small roll-one that is happening in the present soon-to-be past. We may want to make it last longer by taking pictures with friends, having special dinner or whatsoever, fine, do that, but do realize, no matter how hard you want to keep that moment of importance, life is changing. 

And all you need to do is stir where it should go. To become the important present that you valued once. To become the now that you always brag about. Most of all, to be excited of what always happen, that what used to happened.

Anyway, this rambling is mostly because of my excitement of graduations everywhere. For those who are graduating for any educational institutions, great job in finishing one of your great adventure, hope you'll do great in the next adventure, as always. For you, my dear exchange students comrades, congratulations in (nearly) finishing your yet-another great adventure. Another blank book is waiting for us to write, sketch, ramble in it, as that's what exchange students do--we make epic stories. And we mad our present epic, too. Good luck ahead!

For Denisse, Adrian, Jaki, Davidson, Sarah, Sharon, Laura, Pavel, Morgan, Nick, Josh, (another) Sarah, Lena, Tatyana, Cortney, Briana, Kylie, Marshall, Kristen, those whom I can't mention since I'm so terribleat remembering names,

For Ayu, Manda, Khodi, Lidya, Irin, Abduh, Ocha, Ayudew, Tatwadhika, Dika, Erysa, Yoan, Tasha, Jo, Maudi, Adit, Deandra, Dita, Kiput, Muthi, Syifa, Endah, all #fiesta, #simaung, debaters,

For all Class of 2013 around the world,

And especially for you, my fellow exchange students,

Have a (yet-another) great adventure!

Star Trek: Into Darkness

I wrote this as soon as I arrived home after watching the movie. Okay, before I wrote how I think about it, I need to confess...

I read the summary of the movie in Wikipedia before watching it. Well, some. 

BUT! Nonetheless, it's not like I understand the synopsis that much, there were just a lot of things going on I couldn't even process it clearly. But surely, that kind of messing up my expectations. And I truly regret the fact that I took a peek.

Anyway, personal opinion: KYAYAYAYAAYAYAYAAKHAAAN

I might be one of the die-hard Benedict Cumberbatch fan... Well, not that much. But I'm eager to see him in any kind of movie. I've watched his depiction of Stephen Hawking and I thought that was brilliant. Of course I've watched Sherlock, like, duuuuh.

Okay, need to stop fangirling.

About Star Trek, I just started watching it when they made the new version of it, with Chris Pine in it. Not that I like Chris Pine (well that's true, though), but I am not that well associated with space movies, so when they started having the new version and I was happened to be around, I started to follow it. And to frank, I might like Star Trek way better that Star Wars (also due to the fact that I don't follow Star Wars at all).

The first Star Trek movie, I felt like it was okay-good-great space movie. Especially there's quite a lot of dilemmas in it, but basically about building relationship. Well, I don't remember the first one that well anymore.

The second one... Umm, how should I put this, since I kinda took a peek (curse you inner temptation!), I was slightly guessing while enjoying the movie, which totally ruined me. Although I'm still pretty happy about the movie, but if only I didn't take a peek...

I felt that the movie was sort of like an on and on problems and questions going on. It was slightly confusing in the middle, since I couldn't really figure out who's helping who and how they're going to end it, and whether Benedict Cumberbatch is the main evil guy... Nah, he has that evil vibe, so it must be him. Sometimes I felt like in the middle, it was slightly like Bond's Skyfall, where the evil guy also surrendered only to destroy from the inside. Sort of.

Going along the whole movie, you kinda have the idea about how each problem will be resolved, for example how Khan will be defeated, how Kirk will be saved, how Spock will see the world, how (everything else) because the answers were there. This is the type of movie to amuse and amaze you and to make you want to go to aeronautics so that you can join NASA and probably if they ever thing about doing stuff like Star Trek, join their starship, too.

...at least it made me think that way. For the whole entire movie, I couldn't stop cheering and "kyakyakya" the whole time. Pretty embarrassing.

For the enjoyment that I had during the movie, I would rate this movie 4 stars. Because again, it amazes you about how complicated space life can be, and that's it. Benedict Cumberbatch also played along pretty well, although it's quite hard to separate him from his Sherlock side, and you do sometimes see that side of him. And I surely miss his curly hair in Sherlock.

And! They also gave away a possibility for the next movie, that's what so good about this, Star Trek is sorta continuing from one to the other, but it's still an individual adventure.

Seeing Star Trek kinda reminds me of the UN.

OH! I got Khan's poster, too!