Penelope...Most recent movie that I've watched

OK, I admit. I haven't been into movie house in a while. Why? I simply don't like the movie house in our place, it's like wasting money for nothing. Unfortunately, there's only one here. Now I'm thinking how to watch transformers. Aw...I so miss the movie houses in glorietta and SM in times like this.

Good thing we have a mini home theater that my sister bought abroad that's why I am always excited to see what's new in HBO or Cinemax or in Starworld every Saturday or Sunday night. The most recent movie that I saw was Penelope starring Christina Ricci and James McAvoy. This was shown in theaters back in 2006. (Say what?? it's been 3 years since this movie was shown in theaters! So now you can imagine how long I haven't been into a movie house. hek,hek,hek...) I'd rather watch movies on TV rather than to rent or buy a pirated copy that has no quality. The only thing that sucks watching movies on TV would be some of the clips have been cut off.

Anyway, in the movie, Penelope (Christina Ricci who I remember mainly from Casper, and Sleepy Hollow) is the victim of a family curse that forces her to be born with a pig snout. Her family tries to find her a husband in order to break the curse, but they fail consistently. The curse has a resembleance to the curse in Shrek, the whole “curse cannot be broken unless girl finds love”… only in this plot, the love she must find has to be an "aristocrat" (demanding???) They seem to be in luck, one day, when one young man (James McAvoy who played the "goat" in Narnia) doesn’t run after seeing her face.

Written by Leslie Caveny and directed by Mark Palansky, this romantic fantasy would hit home with audiences of all ages and, in particular, teenage girls. What? I'm still a teenager at heart! Haha!


The Story
Poor Penelope. Born with a pig’s nose as the result of a curse, all of her family’s wealth can’t disguise the fact the first-born daughter of the upper-crust Wilhern clan resembles a pig. In order to shield her from the cruel taunts of children, her parents have kept her pretty much a prisoner in their home. Penelope’s days are spent studying music and art, reading the classics, and dreaming of the world beyond the locked gates of the family’s estate - alone. The poor girl doesn't even know what a vespa is!

Attempts at plastic surgery are unsuccessful; doctors said it would kill her. The only way to get rid of snout is to find true love with one of her own kind (someone from an equally well-off family, not someone with piggy qualities). Penelope’s mom, obsessed with the idea of getting her daughter married so that the horrible curse will be broken, invites every eligible bachelor around into their home to meet Penelope. She has set her daughter up with a dating agency (aw cmon, this is hopeless!), in hopes to find a rich man for her daughter, however there have been numerous attempts, and each and everytime Penelope reveals her snout-face, her suitors are given the fright of their lives and race out of the room… or in some cases, out the window (crash!)

One particular man (Edward), escapes without signing a legal constraint which states that he cannot mention Penelope’s existence to anyone… and he tells the police. Immediately being branded as “crazy”, he leaves to tell the papers of this “monster” he’s seen.

But there is hope for our heroine. Max (James McAvoy - who was surprisingly cute in this movie) arrives at the Wilhern house along with a batch of guys better dressed and seemingly more suitable. Penelope enters the room, men fly out doors and windows, but Max stays put. She thought that Max did actually stay after seeing her. But the truth is, he was distracted when Penelope made her entrance. Retreating behind a one-way mirror before Max has another opportunity to see what caused everyone else to bolt from the premises, Penelope engages Max in a lengthy conversation believing he knows about her nose.

Penelope finds herself attracted to the disheveled, witty character and works up the courage, after a few more visits, to talk to him nose to snout. When Penelope finally decided to get out of the room to meet Max, he was surprised that he almost broke the chinawares behind him! Me and my siblings laughed when we saw his reaction. It's like he saw a ghost. Haha!

That's when Penelope knew that Max isn’t who she thinks he is. Max has a strong interest in stealing and gambling and was only bribed by a journalist to meet her. When Penelope ask Max to marry her, he said NO (Ooh, that hurts). But no he’s not just being a bastard! The reason is answered later on. LOL.

Max is a decent guy, just down on his luck, and takes off not because of Penelope’s nose, but because he doesn’t want to hurt her. But Penelope, used to being treated like a pariah, believes he’s just another man in the endless string of men who find her repulsive.


Then Penelope, after suffering heartache and rejection, leaves her home and her sheltered life, striking out on her own, declaring her independence as what was said in the movie. Penelope sets out to discover the world and herself with the help of a new friend (played by Penelope’s producer Reese Witherspoon) and a very colorful scarf. When everyone knew about her being Penelope , to her surpised, everybody liked her.



This new found acceptance, makes Edward have to rethink his plans. After being talked to by his father, he realizes he has to sort everything out, and he decides to marry her… Though truthfully he thinks she’s still a monster who should be locked up and he feels so dreadful about it.

But as fate would have it, her first real love Max turned out that he actually liked her (kilig!)… The only problem is (here’s where it all is explained and gets good)… is that he’s not Max. He’s Johnny Martin, the son of a plumber. The true reason he won’t marry her is because he is not “one of them”, so he can’t break the curse. He’s just a poor guy. Remember the condition of breaking the curse? Penelope needs to marry an "aristocrat" guy (stupid, right?!).

So as Penelope’s going along with this wedding, and Johnny’s out by the lake wallowing in his own self-pity, the truth is leaked to Penelope’s mother about Max - no wait! - Johnny’s true identity, but she chooses not to tell her daughter (again, because not a true love will break the curse - marrying a rich guy would).

However, Penelope herself rightfully calls off the wedding. And decides, she is actually contented being herself. Then, her self-acceptance leads her to… losing the pig-nose! Magic huh.




As the movie reaches its end, no James McAvoy was seen. I really thought it would end just like that because it shows that Penelope is now a teacher, making things on her own. But when she found out the truth about Johnny, she realizes she was wrong. Off she goes to find him at a Halloween party outside his house. Yeah, he really was that poor. When she knew the reason why he wouldn't wanna marry her (oh, I so love this part!) they confess their feelings, and… kiss. It’s a brilliant kissing scene!

“And they live happily ever after.“

I was watching this with my 15 year old sister but while watching the movie I was the one giggling, not her. Haha! This movie has a simple yet, quirky plot…and not to mention, pure sweetness. hehe...

Now go watch it if you haven’t already! Enjoy!

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No, I am not trying to become a movie critic or something. I am just sayin'!

How was I able to relate on this movie?

I have always thought that I am not pretty and attractive. Just like Penelope, I never imagined that someone as cute as as Johnny will come accross my way to say that I am beautiful. I have always been locked up - not in our house - but inside myself because I have a low self-steem. It was so hard to overcome it, simply because I don't accept my ownself.

Just like Penelope, I have tried to see the world ahead of me and found out that in one way or another, people can actually like and accept me for who I am. And now, I am proud to say that even if I am not as pretty as other girls can be, I am independent and making things in my own way.

Penelope is not ugly. Regardless of having the nose of a pig, her inner beauty, that consisted of traits such as being kind, unassuming and free from guile, made her a likeable human being one would want as a friend.

What did turned me off about this movie?

Of course movies as good as this can't be perfect all the time, it has flaws too. What I didn't like was as soon as she finally accepted that she likes her ownself, she lost her pig-nose. I mean like, the shallow idea/importance of being perfect and beautiful as a whole package was still shown in the movie. I dunno, I guess I would appreciate it more if Johnny and Penelope did live happily ever after amidst her pig-nose. (bitter??? LOL) wink*

References:
http://penelopethemovie.com/
http://tianaworld.wordpress.com/
http://movies.about.com/