Da Vincci Movie With SJ

Dear Diary,

Geez... another late post... hehe... sorry to keep all of you waiting...
anyway... had wanted to put up the post on the outing I had with Esjay...
it's the time of the month for our usual monthly meeting...(Geez this sentence don't sound right... hahaha...)

Nway, it was a rainy day i recall...Meet Esjay just outside California Gym..
We decided to meet cuz we both wanted to watch the Da Vincci Code very much...
Both of us read the book by Dan Brown.. and wanted very much to catch the movie despite the poor rating from the review...

Let's talk abt the movie..From director, Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, the Oscar?-winning team of A Beautiful Mind, and producer John Calley (the Oscar?-nominated The Remains of the Day), comes the film version of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, one of the most popular and talked about novels of our time, with a cast headed by two-time Academy Award? winner Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Sir Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jurgen Prochonow, Paul Bettany and Jean Reno.

I believe all that has read the book would agree with me.. it's the most awaiting blockbuster of the year opens in theatre worldwide on 18 May 06. Most movie-goers of the movie, like myself have read the best selling controversial novel (45 million worldwide) of the same name by Dan Brown prior to the movie.

The book was such a wonderful page turner, you just can't put it down! I suspect the novel is so successful because of the following reasons :

i) It's controversial. What's more, it contradicts the very essence of a faith with one of the largest no of followers in the world. Naturally, it attracts readers' attentions.

ii) It is engaging. Dan Brown wrote the book with so many twists with complex characters. Readers inevitably got drawn into the story, placing themselves as a third character who is trying to crack the case to pursue The Holy Grail together with Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu.

iii) It leaves you asking questions. Who is the Teacher?? Who is the mastermind? Is Mary Magdalene really Jesus's wife?


Thus I was so looking forward to the movie, to see the big action on the screen. The movie opens with some fanfare. There are protests among the Catholics. The movie is banned in some countries and during the filming of a scene at Rossalyn Chapel, a nun held a 17 hr prayers as it does not feel right for such a movie to be filmed in the chapel.

A good thing is that the movie passed uncut in Singapore with a NC16 rating as the authorities view the movie as purely fiction.

The movie, to me, does not live up to the expectations of the hype and the book itself. While the book is a page turner, the movie lacks the pace and excitement. I fail to feel that adrenaline rush and eagerness to get to the bottom of the murder. Instead, the movie moves slowly with little action and much dialogue.

While the book engages the readers by the process of code or anagrams breaking, the movie focuses more on 'history telling' of the templar knights, the pagan, Mary Magdalene and even Sophia and Silas' childhoods etc. The interesting thing is these histories are told through a flashback of powerful pictures in actions. Thus this mitigates the 'slowless' of the movie. I found myself missing the thinking process of code and anagram breakings which are prominent in the book.

Audience will also be left in awe by the sights of the Louvre Museums in the movie. In the night scene amidst illuminating lights, the pyramid looks almost breath-taking.

But the real star of the movie is no, not the Holy Grail, The mona Lisa or The Last Supper. It is Ian McKellen who acts as the obsessive Holy Grail seeker Sir Leigh Teabing. One cannot help but appreciates the humour in his speech and honestly, he provides more soul to the story.

The movie follows the storyline of the book very closely. The more noticeable difference is Captain Fache's (Jean Reno) link to the Opus Dei which is missing in the book.

In conclusion, the book definitely scores better than the movie. AS I long for more adventure of the Holy Grail, I think I will go home to re-read Dan Brown's novel.... I mean.. it won't be possible to show all the details.. but i was still expecting more...

Nonetheless, It was a good opportunity to view the nice night scenery of paris.. the disappointment was that I didn't get to see much of the artifacts as well as the evidence like the mona lisa.. and so on.. it's too briefly brought across... too much time was spend on the 2 lead roles childhood which was unnecessary... but there's a section of the movie that I thought was very well illustrated... it was the scene when Sir talks abt the Last supper... the computer illustration was perfect i thought... makes it much self explanatory... What I enjoyed from the movie though is how the images came alive and move in tandem with Langdon's (Tom Hank) thoughts while he attempted to break the cryptex's code'C APPLE. ... ha...

The scenes which left a deep impressions are those of the albino monk Silas (Paul Bettany) tightening his Clich' belt and flipping himself with the whip in acts of capital mortifications. The scenes showed an ardent Silas kneeling in front of a cross in much pain. Needless to say, the Opus Dei followers will be mortified.

If you guys haven't oredi catch the movie... buy the DVD and catch it... In general I still pretty much enjoy the movie...

Of course after movie we had long chats as usual...
Esjay shared his joy with me... and I was happy for him...
now we are both moving on to another chapter... though mine may not be what i really want.. but as least I am not stagnant there...

Nonetheless... the day was cool... and we took quite a few photos... what's new... hehe...

I had Waffle Ice Cream for lunch in the Jap restaurant.. and it's one of the few Hala Jap restaurant...it's at centre point...

Yeah... that's me.. hehe...I like my red highlights on my hair...

Esjay and his Ramen.. It's Extra spice...Looks good...

He ordered some sushi as side dishes...Yum...

How can I miss taking a shot with the sushi.. hehe
After the movie we had a chill out session at TCC...

Yeah... Esjay even brought the book out...We were discussing the details after the movie...

Don't I look studious... hahaha

I love this photo... I think I lost some weight... hahah..

SOme cool shots of esjay...



That's a Funcky shot of SJ...

That's me in his shades... I never thought I wld look good in big shades... but SJ proved me wrong.. i tink I look fine.. pretty retro...

More photos...



A full body shot...
That's all... Cheers.. till my next post... take care...