> > > So far, year 2011 has been friendly for making me really generous in accepting great, and not so great, works of cinema. It's already the second-half of the year, yet I have been glorious for watching some of the great films ever. I'm a fool for not recording seen-films for the first two months of the year. By that, I've totally forgotten what I watched. But since the succeeding month which was March, I make sure to record films I've seen monthly. And of all the best cinema-related things I encountered so far this year, nothing may top an actor with a vast repertoire. A legendary figure who was gone many years ago, but will still lingers within the cinematic world forever. A remarkable man who was once Charlie Chaplin.

- "City Lights" is a wonderful, heartfelt, funny, romantic, memorable, and other suited-adjectives it may be movie made for heavenly viewing. The undisputed greatest character in motion picture history known as "The Tramp" is pure excellent in every way. Here, he's still the usual cane-holding, penguin-like walking, smirking dweller who finds surroundings as stage for whimsical showings. Equally divided into zany scenarios, The Tramp finds himself in situations such as saving a suicidal friendly-whenever-drunk millionaire; Doing catastrophic antics in a restaurant; Sleeping on a ready-to-be-publicly-revealed statues; Being falsely accused of theft; Joining a winner-takes-all boxing bout; And ultimately falling in love with a beautiful blind flower vendor.

- As much as I love his other three masterpieces namely, "The Kid", "The Gold Rush", and "Modern Times", "City Lights" may be the most endearing. He showcased his immortal character as an everyman who found his life's direction when he saw the "Flower Girl". He made it very clear that his main goal is not for himself, but to help the lady to be able to see again. As for the comedy aspects, it's all here; And it may has the fullest of his trademarks among his features. And as for technical matters, the musical score is brilliant and uplifting throughout. This film just ousted "Roman Holiday" as the best romantic film I've ever seen. As I conclude, "City Lights" is a classic in every sense, and is the kind of film you have to see to officially declare yourself a true apostle of the cinema.

> BestMoment:
- The ending when The Tramp smiles as Flower Girl says she can see now.

> BestQuote:
- The Tramp: "Can you see now?"
Blind Girl: "Yes, I can see now."
(Since it's a silent film, I chose a dialogue that popped to the screen.)

> > > February 20, 2009. Gosh. A date that I'll never forget for the rest of my life. It's our school's senior prom (we hadn't had a junior prom the year before due to some problems), and for pity's sake, I hadn't had a single dance with any of the damsels in sparkling cocktail dresses. I just sat on a bench the whole time being as guys teased me for being such a poor coy. Some girls I overheard wanted to have dance with me, but I just ignored it. I blamed myself heavily that night, and it caused me sleepless nights. 'Till now, the thought of a once-in-a-lifetime-dance-got-wasted haunts me. I know I can't bring it back and undo the miserable experience. By that, this is one instance why I want, and still believe to the invention of time machine and Doc Emmett Brown's non-fiction existence.

- A young and dashing John Travolta stars in the "ultimate disco flick" which is "Saturday Night Fever". Travolta is Tony Manero, a paint salesman by day, and becomes the king of the dance-floor by night. It's pretty much the outline with many showdowns and a dance routines; Yet it includes an aptly paired dramatic scenes with his peers going through enigmatic behaviors.

- While the opening credits shows a pair of walking legs with leather shoes, accompanied by the most electrifying song ever recorded called "Stayin' Alive", it warns us of a killer soundtrack; And I believe it is the film's greatest asset, especially more of "The BeeGees" tracks. Travolta's energetic, synchronized moves is perhaps the best dance performance anyone has ever done. It's a decade-defining character, and film overall. Remains to be one of 70's unspoiled identification, and best films.

> BestMoment:
- Tony and Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney) rehearse dance at a dance studio to the tune of "More Than a Woman".

> BestQuote:
- "The only way you're gonna survive is to do what you think is right, not what they keep trying to jam you into."

> > > Magnetic are coming-of-age movies to me. I'm a liar if I say it's nothing for recurring images and themes are mostly about drugs, sex, partying, rebellion, and other of bad influences. But I'm honest in saying that it hep me a lot in discovering my intangible assets. Especially in my mid-teens I appreciated the significance of this kind of movies. May it be the likes of "American Pie", or the likes of "Dead Poets Society", all were very helpful. An now I'm nearing expiration of being teenager. But I asure nothing will change on how these films will continuously help me.

- Using single-day structure, Dir Richard Linklater chronicled the last day of school of a bunch of high schoolers, primarily seniors and freshmen. The pic introduce us to several students with different perspectives on various things. There are the seniors who are confused on how their futures will be after graduating. From highly recommended opportunities to take, to being the same old bully again, are just some of their many options to continue living. On the other hand, freshmen are the ones who are dazed by what they have learned hanging around with the seniors during the whole day. Learning that high school is an easy job, and that they get to experience hazing freshmen by the time they're on senior level.

- This movie is relevant for all students. It's two things this film wants to ask: Will you take education seriously, or for granted? "For granted" meaning being a slacker, hanging out with peers more often than going to classes. But form my point of view, Linklater's screenplay heavily favors the "for granted" side. It focused on students free of the pressure of always good future. As students. we are always reminded that education is the easiest and proudest gateway to success. But what this film expresses is that it's not forever education. We all have the free-will to decide for ourselves. Some of the film's characters discuss the repetitive flow of society, and what would be their role upon finishing college. According to one, "it's all for preparation". Preparing for roles lots of people before them have taken. They want to shift the course of the usual cycle. Linklater partially based this on his own high school experience. And I've been meaning to find out if he took it seriously, or for granted.

> BestMoment:
- Floyd (Jason London) declining the football pledge and tells his coach that watching the Aerosmith concert with his friends is his top priority.

> BestQuote:
- "Well, all I'm saying is that I want to look back and say that I did I the best I could while I was stuck in this place. Had as much fun as I could while I was stuck in this place."

> > > James Cameron's overly budgeted movie is arguably the most popular ever made. I watched it for over five times already, and next year, the tragedy's centennial anniversary, I will definitely watch it again as Cameron planned to re-release it again in theaters; only this time in 3D. I'm just four years old when the movie originally came out in 1997.

- Described as "the ship not even God could sink", the film bring us to a fictional love story of heaven and earth proportions. The unfortunate events as we all know, did happen between April 14 and 15 1912. The ship's Atlantic maiden voyage from Paris to New York was suddenly met by a formidable iceberg. This resulted to the breaking and sinking of the vessel; taking lives of thousands of people. The real dramatization of the tragedy however, is overshadowed by the made-up romantic affair of Jack and Rose (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, respectively). Two people of different social class, who just met at the ship's deck when Rose was trying to jump, and Jack saved her.

- The fictitious accounts really worked. What more genre could beat romance in making such a true disastrous event so memorable? The DiCaprio-Winslet pairing is unforgettable, that'll be more and more well-known for generations to come. Cameron's direction was remarkable, that the visual effects itself is quite realistic. Even what most critics say that the screenplay is pretty obvious, it's given for this kind of film. It wasn't too complicated to had a busy script for we all know what'll be the outcome. If it wasn't for the Jack and Rose tale, the movie would be another one of those trite disaster flicks which mere focusing are on the counts of dead people, and amount of property damage. Bonus is the essential Celine Dion song.

> BestMoment:
- As the ship finally sank, Jack tells Rose not to let go.

> BestQuote:
- "So this is the ship they say is unsinkable."

> > >If I want to be part of the bad guys, I'll rob a bank. It's still easy these days with the hi-tech surveillance cameras and all, for slick toughness is still the cherry on top. But that's just my wicked imagination. As far as peace is concern, I wish for better security amongst banks.

- The late Sidney Lumet directed this film starring Al Pacino based on a real story. Pacino stars as Sonny Wotzik, the unprepared, loud, and emotional robber; backed up by his nervous, quiet accomplice Sal (John Cazale). A supposed-to-be simple and quick heist gone circus is the overview. A day of hostaging and demanding that'll lead to a shocking end.

- Screenplay really is the flowing blood of a film. Frank Pierson wrote one that is clever and funny. Lumet's work in this solidified him as one of film-makings premier guns. Pacino and Cazale's affectionately engaging and zany on-screen partnership was unmatchable. Working together in "The Godfather" films, that really made their tandem so special. As the film inspire numerous heist films that followed, and to be made, it's unforgettable. For its inventiveness gets fresher and fresher every time. A classic film for ages!

> BestMoment:
- Crowd cheering for Sonny when he shouted "Attica! Attica!"

> BestQuote:
- "He wants to kill me so bad he can taste it!"