Don't Live Your Life a Cripple!
After the whole time of fellowship at Lynn's place, and after the whole discussion about people with uh hem.... *unique* sexual orientation, 4 of us, my leader Sharon, Eunice, Dale and I proceeded down to town to catch Ray at Lido, and another one of my friends proceeded to join us.
Dale and I were mercilessly exchanging epithets among each other, calling each other "gay boy" and "gay partner", all in the name of fun of course. Still, I guess it can't be the most biblical of things to confess such unhealthy stuff. So I guess I'll stop doing that from now!
Proceeded down to cineleisure first, where I was trying to resolve some matter involving them wrongly charging me for booked tickets which I cancelled. Their customer service wasn't the best I've seen, but I'm definitely not the kind to make a huge ruckus unless they are exceptionally rude to me. Thank God Cathay Cineleisure's customer service officer and I reached a rather amicable settlement. After that Eunice, Dale and I walked down to Lido, and on the way passed the massive crowd because of all the blocked traffic caused by the whole Chingay Parade. What's with the parade anyway? It's always the same old thing every year, and with each progressive year they have to zap their brain cells coming up with more "innovative" performances. My word to the organizers: Save the trouble man.
After what seemed like a eon, 4 of us (including another friend who joined Eunice, Dale and I later on ) managed to settle for a 9.15 show at Lido for Ray. I have to say that this movie is undeniable one of the most powerful films I've seen. It was not super inspirational, but it had a rather strong impact on me. In case you're a martian from outer space and oblivous to all the Oscar hype surrounding the movie, here's a brief summary. The movie is a biopic about the late Ray Charles, a rather popular blind singer who was huge in the 50's and 60's. The movie builds up in suspense slowly, showing carefully Ray Charles' character flaws, as well as his eventual exposure to smoking and drugs, as well as womanising ways. his drug addiction got really serious and started taking a toll on him. His womanising ways returned to haunt him and the repercussions were really great.
The most enjoyable parts of the show, (and most important scenes in my opinion too) are the flashbacks to Ray Charles' childhood. We later find out what is the true reason behind his constant hallucinations. We find out the things haunting him, perhaps pushing him to a permanent state of guilt and grief, though it may seem rather subtle at first.
In one of the flashback scenes of his childhood, Ray's mother told him that he has to be strong, to be able to stand on his own 2 feet, and not live his life as a cripple. Ray managed to overcome his own handicap of being blind, becoming a huge musical sensation of his time. ( And perhaps even greater one when it's after his time. He just won a Best Album Grammy Award this year, a couple of months after his death.) However, he soon succumbed to drugs and let it rule his life, though eventually his super amazing wife managed to get him to quit drugs after after many failed attempts, and after years of pain seing her husband waste his life away to drugs.
Then came the scene where I loved most. Ray suddenly had a vision of his mother talking to him. She said that she was proud of him, that he was strong, and came far and went places she never imagined he would go. "But you know what son, you are still a cripple." was her words, referring to him beign a slave to drugs, not being able to stand on his own 2 feet.
I really loved that part because so many people nowadays do not realize that to stand on your own 2 feet, you need family, friends and definitely God too. So many of these people in the world today do not have the strength to live their life a victor, and in liberty. Many are crippled, slaves to drugs, smoking, perhaps sexually exploitative relationships, etc.
I shan't go on preaching, but please do watch the show. Jamie Foxx is an amazing actor, and Ray Charles has spent the last 15 years coaching jamie Foxx for this year. Which is why I believe with all my heart that Jamie Foxx deserves a Best Actor Oscar. Definitely far more deserving than Leonardo DiCaprio in the Aviator.
I will not live my life a cripple and I will learn to stand on my own two feet. Ray Charles in one scene, when he was new to the world of sightlessness, fell down in his house. His mom intentionally did not heed his cries for help, wanting him to learn to stand up on his own. And stand up he did. Likewise in our lives, I believe we all will fall down many times in specific areas because we are flawed. But in life it doesn't matter how you fall, it only matters how you stand up again. Do not choose to let your weaknesses and mistakes cripple you!
******************************************************************************
*super belated Valentine's Day message*
I send moi love out to E104, Xiuzhi, Jiajin, Kenneth, Caleb, my 2 bloggers and , my readers! Thanks for supporting me and my blog.
Dale and I were mercilessly exchanging epithets among each other, calling each other "gay boy" and "gay partner", all in the name of fun of course. Still, I guess it can't be the most biblical of things to confess such unhealthy stuff. So I guess I'll stop doing that from now!
Proceeded down to cineleisure first, where I was trying to resolve some matter involving them wrongly charging me for booked tickets which I cancelled. Their customer service wasn't the best I've seen, but I'm definitely not the kind to make a huge ruckus unless they are exceptionally rude to me. Thank God Cathay Cineleisure's customer service officer and I reached a rather amicable settlement. After that Eunice, Dale and I walked down to Lido, and on the way passed the massive crowd because of all the blocked traffic caused by the whole Chingay Parade. What's with the parade anyway? It's always the same old thing every year, and with each progressive year they have to zap their brain cells coming up with more "innovative" performances. My word to the organizers: Save the trouble man.
After what seemed like a eon, 4 of us (including another friend who joined Eunice, Dale and I later on ) managed to settle for a 9.15 show at Lido for Ray. I have to say that this movie is undeniable one of the most powerful films I've seen. It was not super inspirational, but it had a rather strong impact on me. In case you're a martian from outer space and oblivous to all the Oscar hype surrounding the movie, here's a brief summary. The movie is a biopic about the late Ray Charles, a rather popular blind singer who was huge in the 50's and 60's. The movie builds up in suspense slowly, showing carefully Ray Charles' character flaws, as well as his eventual exposure to smoking and drugs, as well as womanising ways. his drug addiction got really serious and started taking a toll on him. His womanising ways returned to haunt him and the repercussions were really great.
The most enjoyable parts of the show, (and most important scenes in my opinion too) are the flashbacks to Ray Charles' childhood. We later find out what is the true reason behind his constant hallucinations. We find out the things haunting him, perhaps pushing him to a permanent state of guilt and grief, though it may seem rather subtle at first.
In one of the flashback scenes of his childhood, Ray's mother told him that he has to be strong, to be able to stand on his own 2 feet, and not live his life as a cripple. Ray managed to overcome his own handicap of being blind, becoming a huge musical sensation of his time. ( And perhaps even greater one when it's after his time. He just won a Best Album Grammy Award this year, a couple of months after his death.) However, he soon succumbed to drugs and let it rule his life, though eventually his super amazing wife managed to get him to quit drugs after after many failed attempts, and after years of pain seing her husband waste his life away to drugs.
Then came the scene where I loved most. Ray suddenly had a vision of his mother talking to him. She said that she was proud of him, that he was strong, and came far and went places she never imagined he would go. "But you know what son, you are still a cripple." was her words, referring to him beign a slave to drugs, not being able to stand on his own 2 feet.
I really loved that part because so many people nowadays do not realize that to stand on your own 2 feet, you need family, friends and definitely God too. So many of these people in the world today do not have the strength to live their life a victor, and in liberty. Many are crippled, slaves to drugs, smoking, perhaps sexually exploitative relationships, etc.
I shan't go on preaching, but please do watch the show. Jamie Foxx is an amazing actor, and Ray Charles has spent the last 15 years coaching jamie Foxx for this year. Which is why I believe with all my heart that Jamie Foxx deserves a Best Actor Oscar. Definitely far more deserving than Leonardo DiCaprio in the Aviator.
I will not live my life a cripple and I will learn to stand on my own two feet. Ray Charles in one scene, when he was new to the world of sightlessness, fell down in his house. His mom intentionally did not heed his cries for help, wanting him to learn to stand up on his own. And stand up he did. Likewise in our lives, I believe we all will fall down many times in specific areas because we are flawed. But in life it doesn't matter how you fall, it only matters how you stand up again. Do not choose to let your weaknesses and mistakes cripple you!
******************************************************************************
*super belated Valentine's Day message*
I send moi love out to E104, Xiuzhi, Jiajin, Kenneth, Caleb, my 2 bloggers and , my readers! Thanks for supporting me and my blog.
