Dear Sherlock Holmes

Dear Sherlock Holmes,

It's me here. I read about your adventures here and then. I watched movies about you, and I'm really into the BBC Sherlock series in which Benedict Cumberbatch is starring. I mean, you're so cool !
( Well, Ben gets the credit too though )

The first time I " met " you was when your best friend,  Dr John Watson compiled your adventures into a nice book, and I read them all. Yup, I know it's something not very proud when " The Woman" OUTWITTED YOU. But honestly, I think you're the best consultant detective EVER.

As a result of that, I began to hunt after your stories in the form of movies and series. Robert Downey Jr. portrayed you as a person who knows how to fight, and has a great reflex. While Benedict on the other hand, portrayed you as a DRAMA QUEEN. Indeed, which I think it's very acceptable, given your talents and character. I have yet to watch Elementary though, which starred Jonny Lee Miller.

Your observation skills , peculiar methods  and , science of deduction fascinate me, and makes me think OUT OF THE BOX. I sometimes impress my friends when I tell them things that I have observed about them. Thanks to our common hobby: OBSERVING.
But of course, my skills in this field is way below yours. And if you were to have me as an apprentice, you probably just need to make me Mrs Hudson's assistant. I can help out in some daily chores, if you don't mind.

I have just read The Hound of Baskervilles , and it is one of the most intriguing case I have ever read about you. Clearly, you can always count on Dr Watson to assist you, and he is a reliable person.
In the beginning I was a little lost and short sighted because I cannot see the connection between a stolen boot and the whole case. Why would someone want to steal Sir Henry's boots ? Then slowly I began to see the different relationships and social circles which overlapped the whole case. And the hound. It really does exist. And, I love the part where you and Dr Watson realised that it was actually a Baskerville who is the mastermind behind all this murder and suspense. I promise you, I'll read it again.

If there is any advice that I would give you, it's most probably just one. Go easy on the pipe please. Maybe it makes you more focus , Mr Holmes, but I think you're smart enough to deduce that it will cost your health soon.
Oh I forgot, you have a doctor as your best friend, so there's nothing to worry about, I presume ?

By the way, I have just completed watching the third season of Sherlock, and I will write my review soon. I wonder how you'll react if you were to watch it yourself.

P/s : Nevermind, if you didn't exist, your methods and adventures will stay as one of fiction's masterpiece.

Yours sincerely,

Joycelyn Ong

The Hobbit ( Book Review )

This is the second book that I am reading among the books that I have bought from the bookfair.

And my goodness, I just love this story.

It's a beautiful yet simple story, and it's easy to understand why LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit have so many fans around the world. I can easily imagine myself in Middle Earth and it's as if I'm going through the same journey with the 14 of them.

My favourite character is of course Bilbo Baggins. I mean he is so much like me. We prefer our old comfortable life , relaxing, carefree , without any worries and all. But deep down inside, we long for ADVENTURE !!
( But seriously I prefer another kind of adventure though, TALKING TO SMAUG ???  Thank you very much ....)

I can't believe I can identify myself with Bilbo to that extent, because at times in life , sometimes I feel as if I longed for an adventure and when it really happened, it just changed me from the inside out.

I too, like the company of friends. Maybe because you don't live with them , so there is less conflict with each other, compared to your own family. I like the fact that Bilbo dislikes some of his relatives, and favors some of them, particularly Frodo, which later became the main character in the LOTR trilogy.

The only disappointment I have while reading this book is regarding the death of Smaug. I was expecting Bilbo to slay it, ( SERIOUSLY I KNOW I THINK TOO MUCH ), it was the Bard who killed him, with some arrows ?? ( I need to re-read this part again ), and then HE DIED !!!!
I WAS LIKE , "  HE DIED JUST LIKE THAT ???"

Clearly Mr Toiken is not a fan of EXTREME DRAMA like Yours Truly. =P

But overall, I love this story, and I can't wait to read the LOTR trilogy.

Rating : 4.7/5

Emma by Jane Austen

I must admit that it would have been a greater pleasure to read this book if I have not watched the movie first. My bad.

Nevertheless, I insist to read the unabridged version out of respect to my favourite author, Jane Austen, and because I want to know the details of the whole story. 

I must say, this is the most cheerful story that Jane Austen ever written. 

Really curious, was she in love when she wrote this story ? It's just plan funny and sweet. 

Meet Emma Woodhouse, single, clever and beautiful. She is one who acts according to what she thinks,and she does it HER WAY. And guess what, she loves match- making. 

In  terms of characters, I think Jane Austen has done a great job to let the readers have a love/hate relationship towards Emma. You really dislike her when she makes rash decisions, and at times acting very rude towards the elderly of those " below " her. 

One trait mark in every Jane Austen book is that she emphasize the practice of finding someone of equal or higher social class or noble family line for matrimony purposes. She doesn't adore this practice, but she simply made it clear that it was very MUCH practiced THOSE DAYS. And in her novels, she proves that LOVE should never be bound by social class and family backgrounds. LOVE is about mutual respect, sacrifices and understanding one another. 

I like the fact that Mr Knightley is always beside Emma no matter what happens. Truly , Emma found her true love the HARD and most UNEXPECTED way. 

An enjoyable read. =) 

Rating : 4/5 

The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey

I have a little confession to make.
1. I hardly read any fantasy themed book.
2. Half of the reason why I actually watch this movie is because of Martin Freeman .
( aka  Dr John Watson in Sherlock )

And, I'm glad that I watched it. After buying the book , I needed a comparison and a visual back up.
(Just in case I don't really get it )

So, here's the honest movie review.

The movie started with a narrative by Bilbo Baggins, who was quite an elderly hobbit.  He then started to tell part of his life story - about an adventure that he never imagined he could experience.

I must admit that Bilbo's dialogues are the clearest of all actors. I don't know if it's about the sound system ( I watched it at home ) , or about the actors. But he has the most understandable accent and clarity in voice. I know a lot of people will hate me for this, but sometimes I just don't get what Gandalf is saying. But in terms of acting, he is definitely at his best.

The plot sparks a great imagination in terms of characters and animation. Stones that can move, oaks, wolves , elves , dwarfs......

Some action scenes are really unnecessary to me, but there was one scene that really intrigued me a lot. The scene where Bilbo had this riddle game with the Gollum. It was so terrifying!!! But very nicely done !

One of my favourite scene is actually towards the end, when Thorin hugged Bilbo after he saved the former's life !!! Awwww, I love it when  a tough guy hugs a not so tough guy.
( Well, you get the picture ! )

I have nothing but praise for the setting of the movie ! It was filmed in New Zealand, and it has many breath - taking scenery.

Well, it was meant to be a serious movie, but it has its jokes as well. My favourite one
( perhaps the MOST OBVIOUS ONE ) is when Bilbo requested the group to stop, just because he didn't bring his handkerchief out !! LOL !!!!!
( Well, you can't blame the hobbit because it was his FIRST adventure )

In short, The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey is an enjoyable movie. You 'll need to follow the plot and characters really carefully though to understand the life in MIDDLE EARTH.
=)

Books and movies

Alright, I broke my own record by watching The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey before actually reading the book itself.

For those who know me, or are familiar with my writings and habits, you know that my principle is READ FIRST, WATCH LATER.

I have four books to complete, and quite a number of movies to watch as well ! So, I gotta do it the MULTITASKING WAY ! Do both at the same time !!

And it's simply amazing to read Emma and The Hobbit at the same time. These two books are of completely DIFFERENT genre ( SERIOUSLY ). But very engaging. ( You gotta have the similarities )

I was tempted to read The Hound of Baskervilles at first, but I thought, since I am watching Emma Approved, I might as well read the unabridged version too. =)

Then , I watched The Hobbit. That's it. You can call me a fan now. =)

Movie review on the way. =)

Time to read

Just came back from Big Bad Wolf Book Sale today !!! Bought 4 books altogether !! =D

I'm looking forward to read all 4 of this books !!! 

Will post the reviews here as soon as possible !! =)

As much as I enjoyed the trip, there were a few letdowns though. 

I wished there were more choices for classics. 

I couldn't find the Anne of Green Gables series at all !!!

Nevermind, good things come to those who wait and SAVE !! 

Till next time, peeps ! =) 

Part 2 ( Penelope )

My dear friend, Jocelyn asked me to watch this movie a few years back, but I didn't watched it till today.

So happened that someone uploaded the whole movie on youtube , and I was pretty free today. Hence , I decided to give it a go !! And it turned out pretty good!!

I have to say, I hardly watched any chick flick ( is this what they call it ?) . But this movie is quite my cup of tea, because it is not that kind of boy meets girl, you like me, we kiss each other, and some over the top love scenes.

Seriously, does it have to be that way all the time ??  * Annoyed *

But Penelope is a decent movie that deals with accepting and loving yourself for who you are. And that love is more than just a physical attraction or infatuation.
I love how Penelope slowly accepts herself for who she is, and slowly let the public see her as she is. It takes lots of courage and determination to act as she did.

BTW, I love her scarf. And she speaks French too!! =) 

And, there's the guys. Yes , two guys to be exact that 

i ) Claims to love her ( He proposed )

ii ) Really loves her but didn't confessed at first. 

The first guy was the actor that played Mr Bingley in Pride and Prejudice ( 2005 ) 

He played such a nasty character in this one. 

Halfway watching Penelope, I was shouting

" How could you, Mr Bingley ?" 

I mean I like his hairstyle, but seriously I hated him in this movie.

Which means that he is a good actor. Oh well. 

And the second guy, 

Ahhhhhhhhhhh 

James McAvoy , blue eyes. Nuff said. 

My favourite scene 

Too bad I don't play chess. 

All I can say now , is that this movie has a happy ending. How ? 

You'll have to watch it yourself. 

Here's the link for the full movie. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhM6saBCEsw

Enjoy !