Great Thriller Movies... with a Twist!

I don't know about you, but when I'm watching a thriller, especially a whodunit, mystery, or crime one, I expect a twist in the end, that unforeseen situation that leaves you speechless just when you think you know all the answers. I mean, there are thrillers that work well without a twist at the end (more about that in another post), but, mostly, let's just say I'm a bigger fan of thrillers with a twist than those without one. Here are some amazing ones I have watched and I'm sure you'll enjoy as I have.

1.Taking Lives (2004): In this mind-blowing psychological thriller, an FBI agent (Angelina Jolie) searches for a serial killer who takes on the identity of his victims.

2.The Skeleton Key (2005): A supernatural horror thriller about a young hospice nurse (Kate Hudson) who gets entangled in the mystery involving the dark past and the inhabitants of a house where she's employed.

3.The Sixth Sense (1999): A supernatural horror thriller about a boy (Hayley Joel Osment) who communicates with the dead and the child psychologist (Bruce Willis) who attempts to help him with his troubles.

4.Unbreakable (2000): In this superhero thriller, a security guard (Bruce Willis) discovers that he is extraordinary after a fatal accident. This movie also stars Samuel L. Jackson.

5.The Others (2001): A psychological horror thriller about a woman (Nicole Kidman) who lives in an isolated house with her kids and is convinced that her house is haunted.

6.Perfect Stranger (2007):  In this psychological thriller, a journalist (Halle Berry) goes undercover to try and find proof that a businessman (Bruce Willis) killed her childhood friend.

To be continued in next post :)

Part 2: Great Thriller Movies ... with a Twist!

Without further ado, here are the remaining great thrillers with a twist at the end.

7. Saw (Parts 1 to 7; 2004 to 2010, respectively): A personal note here: I do realise there are seven parts to this movie, but believe me once you watch part 1, you won't stop until you watch part 7! The movies revolve around a vigilante who rather than killing his victims outright involves them in a series of tests to gauge their willingness to live.

8. Passengers (2008): In this psychological thriller, a psychotherapist (Anne Hathaway) becomes suspicious when her clients, victims of a plane crash, begin to disappear.

9. House of 9 (2004): A thriller in which nine strangers are kidnapped and locked up in a house to involuntarily participate in a maniac's reality show, with a cash prize of five million dollars for the survivor.

10. A Little Trip to Heaven (2005): Another personal note: in all honesty, this movie does start a little slow but it picks up in the middle (or is it more towards the end?). In this thriller, an insurance adjuster (Forest Whitaker) investigates a suspicious fatal accident and the beneficiary of the death benefit (Julia Stiles).

11. Red Riding Hood (2011): This dark fantasy thriller revolves around the identity of a werewolf which terrorises a village and its relationship with the 'Red Riding Hood' (Amanda Seyfried).

12. The Village (2004): In this psychological thriller, the people in an isolated village believe that their peace treaty with mythical creatures living in the woods bryond them has come to an end.

Okay, so that's it FOR NOW. Be assured that there will be more (perhaps I can emulate Saw and make it seven installments ;)) as I continue my exploration and enjoyment of thrillers with a twist!

A Rant about Scholarships

Okay, this really is a rant about scholarships - specifically applying for and not getting it.

I mean, I do appreciate that there might (the operational word is 'might') be people that are more worthy of the scholarship than me, but... hey, all is fair in love and .... No, that's not the quote for this rant. Wait, why is there even a quote for this rant? I already feel I'm digressing.

Back to my rant. Anyone who's ever applied for a scholarship knows how difficult it is not to get it.
You know you were worth it, you know your proposal was strong enough, you know you met the criteria... so why in the world did they pass up on you? Was there some wizened professor who spread snot on your personal statement section? Did your application slip into a shredder before it could be assessed? Who was that person who was more qualified than you? Why... there are so many questions, and no answers.

Personally, I do not believe in coincidence and so I believe everything happens for a reason, but it doesn't stop the resultant anger, confusion, and the whole avalanche of rant-inducing emotions that you suffer.

Don't think I have not tried other avenues to come up with money on my own. Believe me, I have tried all possible (moral, I should add) avenues; many of them utterly laughable - business ideas that have fallen as flat as pancakes, working overtime with the few pennies it adds to my already meager savings, attempting to sell personal belongings, even random thoughts about busking (it definitely gives another meaning to 'it's the thought that counts'). Lest I forget, there's even trying to win the lottery!

All I know is that this year will not pass me by, by fire by force!

That's the spirit we ought to adopt though, isn't it? I mean, what are the alternatives?

I guess all I have to do now is wait for some philanthropist to accidentally stumble on this blog and 'reach out' *wink, wink*.

I wonder if I should post my phone number... just in case!

Five Myths International Students Believe

As someone who's been an international student, I have to say there are perks to studying abroad, not only do you get to increase your academic knowledge, you also get to interact with a wide range of other people and cultures and hence learn more about the world. You become... what's the word? Aha, 'enlightened'!

On the flip side, there are things that are non-perks. Subsequently, there is the characteristic disappointment once some people find out that many of the things they expected to experience are elusive. The problem here might be those unrealistic expectations aka myths fuelled by glossy advertorial  brochures, some word of mouth lies, or just plain wishful thinking.

These are five of those myths that international students:

1. You will instantly make friends and blend in: Not! Contrary to what you see in all those glossy brochures and leaflets, that is not true. In short, you will suffer some degree of culture shock, whether you are Mr. or Ms. Friend-maker or not. There will be times when you will feel alone, misunderstood, and just plain stand out like a red snake in green grass.

2. You are guaranteed a job by your university during and after your study: Yeah right! Some universities DO tell you this to attract you to their schools. As much as universities' career units help you to try and get a job, the majority of the work depends on you (and maybe the economy *wink*). Do not expect automatic jobs and don't be surprised if you don't get a graduate job after graduating.

3. The pictures aren't always real: This is when you call me Captain Obvious. I mean, the very nature of advertisement, most times, is to present something far duller in reality in a more pleasant and 'shinier' light. However, just for the sake of those who still believe that the pictures depict exactly what is obtainable in reality, prepare to be disappointed.

4. You won't need to study that hard: Hahahahahahahahhahah. Pardon my laughter. It does go without saying that you are a student because you are studying, but I know many people including yours truly who thought it would be easy-breezy. My advice - prepare to study HARD!

5. Your dreams will come true: To this I have to say, hmmm *turning my hand left and right*. This is not entirely a myth, but don't expect this to just happen by virtue of your studying abroad. There ain't no genie waiting at your hall of residence with three wishes at the ready for you.

Okay, so I'm not trying to be Liz the Downer here, but I guess I'm just trying to make your expectations more realistic, and, of course save you from disappointments. So, welcome international students!!

Part 2: Baba Said (The Offering of a Writer's Block Sufferer)!

When he lifted his head and looked with the corner of his eye, he discovered the eyes were no longer there. Surprised, he scanned the counters. Their eyes met as soon as he discovered her, and he hissed aloud and turned his head.

When he scanned the place again, she was gone. He almost whistled aloud in relief.

In two seconds, he tried to decide whether to run or wait. He decided on the latter, strengthening himself with the fact that he was a man. He frowned heavily and hoped she would get the message.

"You see say ya wife don go, abi?” The man to his right aptly said. Benji even smiled at him.

However, when Benji got to the bank’s gate, a strange voice stopped him.

"Excuse me… excuse me, please…” he heard. The staccato tone made him turn because he could not tie it with the woman’s face. But, it was her. The eyes. It seemed she had been waiting for him. She smiled as she moved quickly towards him.

"Baba said it’s you o," she said as soon as she got to him, her staccato voice mixed with obvious excitement made her sound like a character from a nightmare. But what made Benji open his mouth was what she had said. He had certainly not expected that.

"Excuse me?” he said, thinking quickly that he must be witnessing the beginnings of lunaticism.

"Are you not an Igbo boy?" she looked down at his trousers. “Are you not wearing black jeans? Ah, Baba said it," she chuckled to herself.

"Benji was sure she was going irredeemably mad. He certainly did not want to be her first victim. He began to turn to leave. One gateman briskly walked towards them.

"Please, you will have to go outside... no loitering,” he said as he pointed to a wooden white post with said statement.

Benji was first to get outside, he was about to cross the road when the woman held unto his arm.

"Will you get your hands off me, you mad woman," he yelled and people stopped to look.

"Please, let’s not create a scene," the woman implored quietly, looking worriedly at him. "Just hear me out, abeg."

Benji determined to hear what she had to say, since she seemed so anxious about it.

"So, what’s it? Look, I don’t have time!” he said harshly.

"You see, Baba… one Baba told me I would see the man that would be my husband this week… that he is Igbo and he’ll be wearing black jeans… and,” she had been looking down all the while, but she looked at him now, excitement in her eyes,  “that’s why I said Baba said it’s you.”

Benji was sure that she was mad, and even if she was not, that she was some dumb, desperate woman who had been played on by a charlatan. He was sure if she really looked around well she would see several Igbo men wearing black jeans trousers.

"The lunatic was talking to herself now, and Benji thought it was the right time to escape.

"It has to be you Baba was talking about…you are Igbo, I noticed the accent when you greeted the man you sat beside, and even the way you look… and it’s already Saturday …Baba said…”

Benji was rushing blindly to cross the road, hoping only to get away from the lunatic. He did not even see the car that hit him.

When he came to, he heard the staccato voice muttering about how he ought to get well for her. But he refused to open his eyes. He knew that he was in a hospital. He simply did not want to see her. He wondered if his fiancée would still be in the house now, wondering why he had not returned from the bank since morning. He wondered if she had even tried to call him on his cell phone. The phone ought to be in his wallet, but he could not open his eyes for the life of him.

He felt so helpless under the intensity of her gaze, even now that his eyes were close.

He felt so helpless that he could not stop the tears from slipping between his shut lids. The woman wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of her hand and smiled broadly.

Baba Said (The Offering of a Writer's Block Sufferer)!

I am suffering from writer's block these days, but I needed to share something on this blog, if only to convince readers the blog is still alive (Lamide, thanks for the 'push'). So, I have decided to post one of my short stories 'Baba said'. I would have to also blame watching 'The thin line between love and hate' for the 20th time today for influencing this decision. The story has a Nigerian flavour, enjoy:

The woman bent over the motionless male form tenderly. She was murmuring things to him as though he were listening.

“Darling, you’ll be okay soon… honey, it will be okay… sweetheart, you’ll be fine…” she kept murmuring in a staccatoic accent. Looking at the scene, one would think they had known each other for a long time. However, they had only just met that morning.

Benji had noticed the woman’s more-than-normal attention on him as soon as he had sat down on the bench at the bank where he had gone to withdraw some money, waiting his turn. It was the sensation that someone was staring unflinchingly at him that made him turn sharply to his right, only to encounter a pair of feminine eyes boldly staring back at him. The look was so possessive and assured that Benji shuddered unconsciously. The man beside him turned to look at him and Benji muttered a sorry.

She was sixth on Benji’s right and had leaned forward and turned her head solely to look at him, it seemed.

Benji turned again to look at her, wondering if she was someone he knew who was waiting for him to recognise her. But even as he turned to look at her again, he met the same eyes and realised that he did not know her. No one would have encountered those eyes, even momentarily, and forgot their owner.

The next two hours of waiting for the woman’s turn so he would be delivered from her optical torture were quite excruciating for Benji.

As the woman leaned forward to continue her unconservative regard, Benji leaned back against the wall. The woman leaned back too and Benji leaned forward. Now, almost everybody was looking at the both of them. The woman beside Benji even tittered, obviously thinking it was some kind of game. Benji did not think so and fired her a deadly look. He even contemplated leaving the bank, but thought against it when he remembered that he had no money at home, and had to send some money to the village for his critically ill mother through a friend who would be leaving for the village very early the next day.

"Stupid cash machines," he muttered. If they had been working he would not be in here. He looked down at his empty wallet and sighed. Perhaps that was what he ought to be doing. Looking down at the reason for which he had come to the bank and totally ignoring the witch’s inexplicable stare.

(to be continued in next post ;D)