Celebrated my new-found freedom by doing what I missed doing the most during testing period that was exams: Movies and books.

Sat for last two papers yesterday and have been basking in the glory of movies ever since. First up, there was a free screening of Osama at college held by Amnesty International. Osama tells the tale of a 12-year-old girl who had her hair cut short to look like a boy in order to work and feed the family under Taliban-oppressed Afghanistan. The girl-turned-boy-to-help-family premise reminded me of Mulan but Osama is nothing like Mulan with its haunting soundtrack and deeply moving storyline. It's one of those films you just have to watch even though it can get draggy at some point.

I totally love this other Disney movie: The Lion King. Watched it once a very long time ago when Papa brought me and my brothers to the theater not knowing that the film had been dubbed into Cantonese (a Chinese dialect I still have hard time understanding despite staying in KL and its environs for almost two years). So, we went through the movie not understanding half of what was going on. Watching it for the second time in its full glory; witty dialogues, cool soundtrack and all, I can't help but to rave about how good this decade old animation is. Some trivia found on IMDB: Zazu, the annoying bird assistant to Mufasa is voiced by Rowan Atkinson. And get this: Mufasa is voiced by James Earl Jones who happens to lend his deep voice to Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies.

I find that I enjoy second-time-arounds. Am savouring Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code once again and totally enjoying it. The Special Illustrated Edition makes reading Da Vinci a total experience; there's the engaging plot, of course, and the amazing photos to accomodate our longing for a total experience.

If you've watched Roger and Me, you might find that last bit somewhat familiar. Ripped that off from Roger Smith's Christmas speech. Who's Roger Smith? He was CEO of General Motors and Michael Moore had a few bones to pick with him in his debut documentary, Roger and Me. True to his style, Moore juxtaposes Roger Smith saying how Christmas is a time of joy and hope and of kindness with scenes of a family getting evicted for accrued rent when Christmas was just around the corner. That family used to work for GM before it closed its plants in Flint, Michigan because it made more economic sense to set up factories in a country with relatively cheaper labour. The shut-downs triggered a chain reaction; unemployment was sky-high in Flint and raising crime rate ensued. Moore was understandably pissed off at what was happening in his hometown and he blamed it all on Smith. Characteristic of Moore's films, Roger and Me is funny, thought-provoking and leaves you chockful with emotions. If you haven't watched any of Moore's documentaries, you don't know what you're missing! By that, I don't mean his stuff is absolute truth; there are times when his arguments are hardly impeccable. Just watch them with an open mind and be entertained.