The Popcorn Story by Ivan the Freelancer
The Popcorn Story Contents
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Ivan's Journal - A PLACE TO STAY - A PLACE TO SHARE
They say an art comes from the heart to the brain. If it comes just from the brain, it’ll be just logic. Our earth along with all its living beings is a work of art. It’s the art from God Himself. But what can we do as humans? – As we’re merely his work of art too…
The experts made a forecast that the ocean level will increase due to the rise of temperature of our climate. The ice will melt and many islands, cities, and nations will be threatened by massive and deadly flood. This catastrophe is close in the near future and we all know that. The question is how close and how bad?
The truth is we do not have to be an expert to be able to predict what will happen to our earth, if we still carry on living with our “poisonous” way of life. Thank God, while we’re busy destroying our own world, there are still people out there who can come up with solutions.
A Belgian architect named Vincent Callebaut managed to create ideas and put them into pictures and words. The ideas, pictures, and words turned into a project called “Lilypad a Floating Ecopolis for Climate Refugees”. No, it’s not a flower or a plant. It’s a gigantic amphibian city – half aquatic, half terrestrial.
This awesome floating city is said to be able to accommodate 50.000 people, pollution free, and have its own abilities to produce all the resources we need – even recycle our wastes. The design of this floating city is inspired by Amazonia Victoria Regia leaf. Imagine if we can build many of these floating Lilypad cities…
You can find further complete and reliable information about the Lilypad project by visiting http://www.vincent.callebaut.org
Will humans and nature finally manage to live in harmony? Many people think that this is an impossible project and can only exist in our dreams. But I believe that all the possible come from the impossible and the reality comes from a dream. It is about how to make the impossible become possible.
Truly an inspiration… I wonder, what can we do to help?
My Butterfly, thank you for sending me an email about this.
Ivan the Freelancer
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
HUMAN NATURE
I say this with regrets, but it’s not human nature to forgive others. We tend to fight back rather than letting go. We say we forgive, but we don’t forget. The problem is… we tend to remember the bad things rather than the good things about what other people have done to us. Forgiving is often the hardest thing to do in life. Maybe that is the one that differentiate us from God Himself. God is merciful but we humans don’t. After all, we are only humans… Please forgive us… Forgive me too…
The war against terrorists started from a long time ago and took place almost all over the world. The big question is what triggers it in the first place? Is it really true that we are fighting the bad guys? Or maybe we are just fighting at each other? This question must be asked from both sides and both point of view.
The Kingdom tells a story about a team led by an FBI agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx) who was sent to investigate a terrorist attack at the housing compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Terrible bomb incidents took place at the compound and killed many locals and foreigners. Ronald Fleury took off along with his team members Agent Sykes, Janet Mayes, and Adam Leavitt on a revenge mission with an objective to find and stop the mastermind behind the bombing.
Upon arrival at Saudi Arabia, the elite team was supported by Colonel Fariz Al Ghazi (Ashraf Barhom). Fariz and Ronald slowly became friends and along with the team, they tried to unravel the horrors behind the bombing act. The mission got more difficult as they only had five days, given by government, to solve the case before they had to leave the city. The city was being watched. In fact their every move was being monitored. Ronald thought he only needed a Kevlar to protect his life until he realized that the city was too hostile even for an experienced FBI agent like himself. They needed full firepower just to stay alive.
This is a movie about human nature – A mixture between action, drama and politics. You will get different moral story depends from your point of view and perception. Hope you can get and absorb the positive messages from this movie.
Sometimes a war is inevitable, but a war is always useless...
Ivan the Freelancer
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Ivan’s Journal – MATCH SELLER GIRL
Men used to smoke their cigarettes after lunch, but not me, cause I don’t smoke. Suddenly, in the middle of our conversations, there was one thing that caught my attention. A blue-and-yellow-colored matchbox full of matchsticks was laid on the table. Not many people used it nowadays because there’re so many easy-to-use lighters sold everywhere.
The match reminded me of a story that I used to listen when I was little. There was this cassette that contained a bedtime story about a little girl selling matches on a windy and snowy night – One of the saddest stories I’d ever heard in my entire life. Some of you may already hear / read about this, but let me share it anyway. There’re many versions of this story, but this is what I remember. Since it was only a cassette, you could only listen to the sound (dialogs, songs, and music). But I’ll try to tell you the story here by writing it.
It was a cold, windy and snowy night at Christmas when a little girl was walking around alone in the streets selling matches to the people around. The wind is so strong and snows fell to the ground. Nobody noticed a little girl trying her best to offer and sell matches just to get something to fill her empty stomach. Having no one to give her shelter and no home to give her warmth and comfort, she struggled to face the cold snowy night.
“Sir, will you buy these matches? Madam, please buy these matches. It can warm your body and light your fireplace at home. Please, buy one or two for your family. Does anyone need matches? ” The girl kept repeating those words but found no one who’s interested.
The night was getting late and the cold weather pierced to the bone. People started to go home and entered their houses. But the girl still could not sell even a single matchbox. She could barely walk as her stomach cried for food and her body started to weaken. She still tried to knock on doors to see if she could sell her matches. But no one wanted her matches because they had their own fireplace at their houses. They didn’t even realize that the girl was all alone and her body nearly frozen.
As the night got colder and colder, the little girl did not have anymore strength to walk further. So she tried to find a safe and warm place to get some rest. Tears fell from her eyes along with prayers that came out from her tiny frozen lips. “I’m dreaming of a warm house, full of food. God, I’m so cold and hungry.”
Suddenly, she had an idea to use her own matches to warm up her own body. She pulled one matchstick from the box and lighted it up. The fire emerged from the match but quickly washed away by the cold wind. “Oh, still cold, I’ll try to light three matchsticks all at once.” The little girl said. The fire quickly lighted up the matchsticks finally giving her warmth. The warm sensation brought up pleasant memories throughout her life – But not for long because her body started to freeze again as the matchsticks were burnt up.
One last hope, she tried to light up all of her matches. The fire gave her warmth that made her smile. It was a sad smile, knowing that no more matches left. “God, I’m so cold and hungry… Cold… Hungry…”
As the last match was burnt up, she fell to the ground. “I’m so sleepy… so sleepy.” Soon enough, she had visions – Visions of her grandmother who actually had passed away long ago, standing at a nice place with lots of food and warmth. “Grandma, is that you? Oh grandma, please take me with you… I am so cold…”
The little girl finally fell asleep and had the most beautiful dream ever. It’s a dream where she was with her grandmother – the person who truly loves her. They flew to a place, full of warmth and delicious food. She felt warm and happy – Little did she know it was a sleep that she would never wake up again.
Ivan the Freelancer
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
THE WORLD IS YOURS
This fantastic movie by Brian De Palma tells a story about a Cuban refugee named Tony Montana along with his close friend Manny Ribera (Steven Bauer) who managed to set their feet in the
The path in the dirty business went smooth for Tony and he quickly climbed to the top with lots of money filling his pockets. Manny seemed satisfied with the current condition, but apparently Tony had something else on his mind. He wanted more… and more… He wanted what’s coming to him, the world, and everything in it – truly a big ambition for small time gangster like him at that time.
But Tony found his way around pretty fast. He even had many quarrels with his boss, Frank, cause he always chose to play safe. So Tony began to take decisions by himself and set his eyes on the pretty but dangerous Elvira Hancock (Michelle Pfeiffer) for a wife. Finally when his boss gave orders to Tony, he replied, “The only thing in this world that gives orders is “Balls”. Do you have “Balls?” What happened next is only for you to see…
Tony’s power began to grow, and so did his ego and paranoia. Could he handle “The world and everything in it”? The man who wants too much may not get what he really wants. But a man who wants too little might not get anything at all… How about you? Do you really want to get the world and everything in it?
Ivan the Freelancer
Monday, June 23, 2008
PANDAMONIUM
Shifu with his big-fluffy-furry tail believed that one of the Furious Five would be chosen to become the Dragon Warrior. But Master Oogway had another thing in his head when he saw
Nearly at the same time, a bad and savage kung fu master, the snow leopard named Tai Lung escaped from his prison and demanded revenge for his exile. Tai Lung was very powerful and his skills in kung fu were superior. The Dragon Warrior was the only one who could defeat Tai Lung, and that choice had been put to
Time was running out, as Master Shifu had to give everything he got to train
Sweet Po gives us lots of fun and laughter – and we should remember him as a kung fu panda who could reach his dream – simply because he believes in it.
Ivan the Freelancer
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
LONG WINTER
Narnia is a place where the animals can speak, where the winter and summer can appear in the same time, and where dreams and magic can come true. But this world can only be seen by those who believe. As we all already aware of, that besides us humans, there’re also other living beings that walk the earth. What makes us more superior than those other living beings? In this movie, the humans as the sons of Adam’s became an important part in the survival of Narnia from its long-cold-freezing winter curse.
The story of Narnia is based on a classic novel by CS Lewis. Four kids – Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), and Lucy (Georgie Henley) – were sent and evacuated to another place by their mother, in order to avoid the war which took place in their homeland. Little did they knew, that they would face another war which was far more dangerous and epic in another world called Narnia. They were evacuated to a house of a mysterious professor. The house was huge but they found it dull and boring – until Lucy found a magical wardrobe that could bring them to a mystical land called the Narnia.
The world of Narnia was not able to celebrate Christmas for a hundred years and the cold winter covered it with chilling snow. The source of the curse came from a White Witch named Jadis (Tilda Swinton) who was powerful enough to freeze almost the whole part of Narnia. Yet, a small area remained at summer and the forest was still covered with green trees. The forest was dwelled by the living beings who survive from the winter – the defender of Narnia – led by a wise lion named Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson).
The prophecy said that if the four sons of Adam’s came to the world of Narnia, then the battle to defeat the evil witch would come. Apparently Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy were the chosen ones in order to lead an army to defeat the army of Jadis the White Witch, and banished her for good. It seemed that the mighty Aslan and his army were powerful enough to bring Jadis’ curse to an end. But why did they need humans – the sons of Adam’s anyway? Let it remain a question for you until you see this movie.
Narnia tells us a clear message that humans are needed in order to bring peace and harmony to the world – any world that we live in. But look at what we do to the nature as humans nowadays. We create so many chaos and destruction. There’re too many “white witches” in this world today.
Ivan the Freelancer
Monday, June 16, 2008
LOVE BETWEEN TWO REALMS
They say love knows no border, distance, or limit – even beyond death. Although love can die or wither, the good news is love can also remain no matter what happen in the physical world. The proof is love will still be there although your loved ones are not. Although love can be painful, but it is actually the one that makes you feel alive. This is especially true in this movie called Ghost.
Sam (Patrick Swayze) had a great job at the local bank and his fiancée named Molly (Demi Moore) worked as an artist making ceramics. They were a happy couple who fell deeply in love. Things went fine as they walked the streets in
Sam chased Willie, but Willie managed to escape. Sam ran back to check on Molly if she’s alright. But when he got to Molly, he found her crying while holding his body on the street. How come he could see his own body being held by Molly while he was standing next to her? At that time, Sam realized a horrible truth – which he was dead, and now he had become a ghost.
As a ghost, Sam couldn’t be seen, heard, and touched by the living. On the other hand, he could not travel to another place that he was supposed to be after death either. His love on Molly somehow held him in this world. Not just that, Sam realized that Molly’s life was in danger. So he decided to become her protector.
Being a ghost, Sam couldn’t communicate like any other human beings. But fate led him to a woman who happened to be a spiritualist named Oda Mae Brown (Whoopie Goldberg). Oda could somehow communicate with Sam only by hearing his voices. Sam tried his best to be with Molly and protect her from harm through Oda. But could he do it? – As time was running out for Molly.
Ivan the Freelancer
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
FALLING STAR
Stardust tells a story about a man named Tristan (Charlie Cox) who was asked to get a star by a girl he loved named Victoria (Sienna Miller), and brought it to her. How can a man reach a star and bring it to the woman he loves? So Tristan ventured on a journey in order to get the star that was said had fallen from the sky. The truth was
It was not difficult for Tristan to find the falling star, but the real problem was to keep it. How come it’s difficult to keep a falling star? Was it too big or maybe too hot? No… It’s because the falling star surprisingly turned out to be a beautiful maiden named Yvaine (Claire Daines). Having no choice, Tristan had to bring Yvaine to
To make matters more complicated, it’s not only Tristan who was pursuing the falling star. A cruel and powerful witch named
Everybody wanted to get their hands on Yvaine, the falling star. But who would make it until the end? It’s hard to reach the stars at the sky, but keeping a falling star was not easy either. As they say, it’s hard to reach your hopes and dreams, but when you do reach them, it’s even harder to keep them. All stars are able to perform their best talent, that’s to glow and shine – But their light may attract many. Would Tristan managed to “keep” Yvaine? Did he get the star that’s truly meant for him?
Every journey gives us life experiences and we will never be the same person again as before. Every life experiences change our life and hopefully to a better state. In order to reach our own stars, we all have to venture on a journey in our life. A journey that hopefully will take you to a destination you’ve wished for.
Ivan the Freelancer
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
THE RABBIT’S FOOT - Mission: Impossible III
One night, when having a party with the family, duty suddenly called him to accept one of the most dangerous missions throughout his career. Between the job and the family, he must save his marriage and also accomplish the mission. He finally chose to accept the mission in order to save his former student named Lindsey Farris (Keri Russell).
Lindsey was captured by an international arms dealer named Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) – one of the most cunning villains Hunt had ever faced. This time Hunt was backed up by a solid team – but the question was how long could he keep his identity as a secret? – As Davian would try anything to strike Hunt back and also hurt the people he loves most.
The situation got worse when Hunt was able to catch Davian alive, but Davian managed to escape on the way back to IMF. There’re always many surprises in Mission Impossible and it seemed that you almost couldn’t trust anyone. Hunt faced a situation he feared most where Davian managed to overcome the situation by putting Hunt on a disadvantage.
Hunt always had balls to risk his own life to the very limit – But could he do the same with his loved one Julia (Michelle Monaghan)? The more Hunt tried to defeat Davian, the more dangerous Julia’s life would become. Between Hunt, Davian, and Julia stood a mysterious thing called the Rabbit’s Foot. What’s Rabbit Foot? It was a very important thing for Hunt in order to rescue Julia from Davian.
This impossible mission is packed with great actions as usual. Could Hunt and Julia survive until the end? But the most important question is, will there be another impossible mission for Ethan Hunt?
See also
Ivan the Freelancer
Monday, May 26, 2008
CHIMERA VS BELLEROPHON - Mission: Impossible II
In Greek mythology, Chimera is monster which was made of the parts of multiple animals. It’s a mixture between a lion, a snake, and a goat – very deadly creature because of its strength and fiery breath. Chimera was defeated by a hero named Bellerophon. Bellerophon managed to slay Chimera by attacking its throat from the air.
Chimera virus or substance was able to kill a person in just few hours after infection. It’s even more dangerous if it’s released in the open air as it could infect all people within a vast radius. On the other hand, Bellerophon was the cure that was able to neutralize the diseases caused by Chimera.
Retrieving the Chimera and Bellerophon would not be easy as a ruthless terrorist and criminal mastermind Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott) stood in the way. Things got more complicated when the trust and love sparks between Hunt and Nyah had to be put to the test, because Nyah had to play as Ambrose’s lover in order to accomplish the mission.
Mission Impossible always reminds me the importance of teamwork. Whether how many people are involved, teamwork always make the impossible become possible. Hunt tried not to put Nyah’s life in danger, but he didn’t have any choice but to let her risk her own life. Would they finally able to maintain trust and save each other’s life?
Mission Impossible is never simple but it’s always exciting and enjoyable. Hunt said to his boss when discussing the mission, “It will be difficult”. The boss replied, “Well Hunt, this is mission impossible, not mission difficult. Difficult will be a walk in the park for you”.
See also Mission Impossible and Mission Impossible 3…
Ivan the Freelancer
Sunday, May 25, 2008
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE - Mission Impossible
Every Mission Impossible movies always come with unique scenarios and dangerous-thrilling-impossible missions. This big screen series is no exception either – this time it’s directed by Brian De Palma. Unlike James Bond who always work alone, these people always work as a team – as you know, working as a team has its own art and rules. This movie surely tells us to work smart – not hard.
Although Jim Phelps (Jon Voight) played an important role in the organization, the movie focuses its attention on a character named Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) as one of the IMF member. Hunt always play as a lead point in the missions – meaning he’ll be the one who face the most dangerous situations due to his excellent trainings and skills.
Trust, cooperation, and reliability are the number one traits that everyone should have in teamwork – but how about if there was no longer trust between the members? This is what happened in Mission Impossible 1, where the mission went sour and everyone had lost trust to each other.
Ethan Hunt was accused for the failure of the very important mission. Racing against time and his enemies, Hunt must find the real bastard without the help from his own organization. Few remaining IMF members still survive although in “disavowed” status, but could Hunt trust them? – And who to trust when everyone’s life was at stake?
Hunt tried to prove that although teamwork was very important, he was no less cunning and dangerous when working solo. It is
See also Mission Impossible 2 and Mission Impossible 3...
Ivan the Freelancer
Thursday, May 15, 2008
COMING HOME - The Bourne Ultimatum
As you watch this movie, be prepared not to miss the scenes even in a split second because everything moves with high speed – including the conversations. Also be careful not to let your eyes got to close to the screen as the scenes moved in a fast and quick rhythm and might make you feel a bit queasy. It seems like many scenes were taken using hand-held camera techniques, which produces rather shaky but terrific images / shots.
Bourne managed to eliminate few main actors in the agency in the previous series. But the true criminal mastermind hid himself behind the mask of CIA agency. As you can see from the previous series, not all people wanted Bourne dead. This time he got people helping him – although that didn’t seem to make his missions became less challenging.
The matters became more complicated as the news about Bourne’s runaway had somehow reached the press. A reporter knew too much about the case (Blackbriar) and his life was also threatened. Unfortunately, the reporter had an important clue about Bourne’s progress in uncovering the criminal mastermind. It would not be easy, as Bourne had to face the most deadly and well trained assassins, ready to pop his head.
I definitely should not tell you about the ending of this movie, as it will ruin your fun of watching it. Bourne finally learn something very important about his whole mysterious past – At last, it had come to a one big conclusion for him. Alone and still on the run… Is there going to be another Bourne’s movie coming up?
See also: The Bourne Identity ; The Bourne Supremacy
Ivan the Freelancer