would've liked it.

Today is my mom's birthday.

Today she turned off her phone, so she wouldn't be expecting any birthday wishes.

Today I accompanied volunteers from China, an AIESEC program in my campus.

Today I finally watched the movie everyone's been positively ranting about (some record themselves playing keys of the original score, some snap their Spotify screen)
Today I also, finally, got to taste the famous PABLO cheesecake and I must say... it tasted like sin.

About the notorious La La Land

Some may think it wasn't a proper ending for the characters. They don't deserve that! But I say, it was the perfect ending. It is because of the bittersweet ending that the depth of the movie left us all in a sorrowful awe.

From what I saw from Instagram stories, photo captions, blog posts, Youtube, and such, I kept finding similar reviews: that they all left speechless (as if the movie was out of the limitations of complimentary words) and hungover for days. Like breaking up on good terms with the sweetest guy ever met. At least, that's what I got from the emotionally unstable reviews.

I got so captivated by a few scenes that I thought I'd crush my hair clip between my fingers. One of them was when Sebastian deviated the usual score at the restaurant. I never thought I had enjoyed jazz so much until that scene. My friend, who had watched it for the fourth time and was still awed by the motion, though that I, too, was in that weird hollow state after watching it. It was either he hadn't known me well enough or I was such a natural actress (prefer the second one) that he didn't notice how much I faked my speechlessness. I didn't do it merely because I was too tired to argue with him if I had said, "It was... so-so, I mean..." but partly because I wanted to convince myself to like this movie; to be as speechless as most people did.

Perhaps I didn't want to face the reality that I am one of those people who aren't fond of art and couldn't appreciate great movies other than the ones with lots of actions, horror, and mind-blowing visual effect. Someone who is mainstream and dislike unique alternatives. Perhaps this is all just personal preference.

I personally didn't like the characters. I repeat, personally. I would fairly say that the characters' development, how one is connected to another, how each is portrayed, and how each falls into scenes was spotless. But the two main characters wouldn't be my favorite people in real life. If Sebastian was just an average looking, not Greek God-like, man, he would be such a pain. The typical idealist artist (well, it is the luxury of an artist, is it not supposed to?) And if Mia was as average looking, she would be a fussy grumpy actress wannabe.

But who am I to judge?After all, I was given the satisfaction that each character maturated beautifully, the scores and choreography and motions are flawless, and the ending... well, it was suitable (couldn't google a better word to say it).

Maybe I would have liked it if other variables were fit; if I wasn't sore after a long day outside, if I wasn't hungry, if I wasn't thinking about my diminishing ATM balance, if I didn't come with such high expectation of the movie.