Coincidence, that's all anything ever is. Nothing more than coincidence...

Being that it has been a while since our first post, I decided that it was finally time to write a new blog entry. Since the start of Ramadan, my social life has been put on hold. Besides working, I have been watching lots of TV, movies, and random YouTube videos to pass the time. Eventually my random YouTube video viewings led me to the trailer of the film (500) Days of Summer. I have always wanted to see this movie, and since I had a good two hours before dinner, I decided to give it a go. From my initial viewing of the trailer, I knew this would be the kind of movie I would enjoy. Yet, I can honestly say, this movie surpassed my expectations...

Without wasting any time, the film lets the audience know the following: this is a story of boy-meets-girl, but you should know upfront that this is not a love story. This alone, makes it standout from other run of the mill Romantic Comedies crafted from Hollywood. The realistic dialogue and characters, cinematography, and killer soundtrack all demonstrate that (500) Days of Summer is more the thinking man and woman's Romantic Comedy.

The films stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tom) and Zooey Deschanel (Summer). Tom has grown up his whole life believing that he will meet "the one" and fall in love. Summer, on the other hand, holds a far more jaded view on the subject. Yet despite Summer's beliefs, Tom sees Summer as the girl of his dreams, and ends up falling in love. One of the reasons that this film is so brilliant is that it demonstrates how our perceptions and beliefs affect how we see others, and in turn - how we allow others to see ourselves. Also, realistically speaking - we all know people like Tom and Summer. Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel have great chemistry on-screen and they, along with a stellar supporting cast, portray their characters in an honest and relatable way.

The film does not chronologically follow Tom and Summer's relationship. Rather, the films goes back and forth to the good and bad moments Tom has experienced throughout his relationship with Summer. Thus, allowing the audience to develop a strong relationship with Tom and in turn teaches a valuable lesson: with love comes ignorance; meaning, we can love - or love the idea of - someone so much that it has the potential to make us completely oblivious to the true emotions and feelings that they have towards us. Ultimately, the film is a modernized version of unrequited love. I do not want to spoil the film for anyone, but perhaps the best scene in this film has to be where director Marc Webb aligns Tom's expectations versus the reality he faces at Summer's rooftop party. This is one scene that everyone has or will relate to. This scene shows us that there will come a moment when our expectations towards a situation or person will not align with the reality of the situation. It is simply an unavoidable universal truth that is beautifully and painfully unfolded on screen.

The film showcases the beatiful landscape and architecture Los Angeles has to offer. In addition, an incredible soundtrack - standout tracks are 'Sweet Disposition' by The Temper Trap and 'Hero' by Regina Spektor, a well-written and paced screenplay, seamless editing, and strong performances from lead and supporting characters, give it a thumbs up. Overall, (500) Days of Summer is a movie you should definitely check out because it is a realistic and bittersweet portrayal of love and relationships.

Already seen it? Please, leave a comment and let us know your thoughts...

- Sinem Tekin

Untitled.

All our lives - wether we would like to admit or not - we have always
been labelled; in turn, this label alots us into a select group,
category,
and community. Female, daughter, sister, single - the list is endless
really. Each of the labels mentionned can be used to
describe who I am today. Most recently, as of June 4th to be exact, I
became a member of an entire new group - 'post-grad'. Now, it's
important to understand
that the term 'post-grad' holds different meanings. For me, it meant
the end of written assignments, midterms, and required reading.
The end of a long commute.The end of being a "kid". The end of seeing
familiar faces, and random ones.
The end of frustration. The end of a chapter.

While it may seem that graduating has allowed me to breathe a giant
sigh of relief, as the summer comes to an end - I realize that I could
not be more wrong.
Like many other first time post-grads I have decided to take a year
off from furthering my education and work. Like other post-grads, I am
searching for a career
within my 'field' of study. As a Criminology and Justice graudate, I
can tell you that if your interests are outside of Policing,
Corrections, and Immigration -
your chances of securing your"dream job" are slim to none. Well, maybe
not none, but a lot like searching for a needle in a haystack.This
Criminology and Justice graduate has big dreams of making it as a
Broadcast Journalist. Meaning, this recent graduate finds herself lost
in a gigantic haystack.
As talk of going back to school begin to resume, questions about the
future keep me company day after day, and night after night.

I suppose this post can simply be summed up as a part of growing up -
meaning I am supposed to just deal with it. Yes, these decisions are
inevitable. Yet, times are
changing. This topic is perhaps one of the major issues youth face in
contemporary society. Sure these past four years have provided me with
many valuable life lessons - but
it is very unfair to think that in these short four years I will
discover who I truly am. As I decided to write this post, I asked
myself, "Who am I?".
Honestly, after four years, I do not know - and I have a feeling I am
not the only one. Four years are simply not enough to have it all
figured out.
In fact, if there is one thing I learned, four years later, is that
time only adds to the complications in our lives.


Nevertheless, with all these endings - comes a new beginning. That
being said, Jackie Opoku, and I would like to welcome you to our blog,
and remember that no matter what
life may throw at you never forget to Live.Laugh.Love