Friendship Has Its Benefits
by Issa Perez de TagleNo Strings Attached (2011)
D: Ivan Reitman
S: Natalie Portman, Ashton Kutcher“Can sex friends stay best friends?” This movie’s tagline asks the perennial question of whether or not two people can have sex without love getting in the way. Now, I’m sure that there are many of you who can testify in the affirmative. Unfortunately for this film’s leads however… they can’t be part of that concensus.
On paper, Emma Kurtzman (Natalie Portman) and Adam Franklin (Ashton Kutcher) had every excuse to keep things strictly “business”. Emma was a Medical intern with major intimacy issues, working crazy hours. Adam just got badly burned by his own father who seemed to think it was a great idea to hook up with his son’s ex. Most importantly, they’ve been friends since summer camp days, randomly meeting each other every few years through sheer coincidence. So basically, they’re both horny with a lot of baggage, and they’ve known each other since forever but not really. Then why, to quote Portman’s character, can’t they just have sex?
Maybe it’s like looking for missing keys or socks. When you’re looking for them, they’re nowhere to be found but give yourself a few days to forget about them, and voila! There they are in plain sight. The point is, both Emma and Adam stumble upon something neither of them was searching for. But it’s really more of how each character deals with what they find that makes this rom-com a little better than the others of its ilk. (Although maybe it helps a lot that Jennifer Aniston isn’t in this.)
Again, Portman proves what a gem of an actress she really is. She delivers laughs, blushes and tears in all the right places and brings a rare touch of depth that typical rom-com characters don’t have. Watching her stuff her face with donuts while weeping to “Bleeding Love” is perhaps the best moments in this film.
As for Kutcher, I believe it’s an accomplishment that he managed to NOT completely annoy me throughout this movie. I was honestly afraid that he’d drag Portman down to his vulgar level but instead she lends him a bit of her class.Their chemistry might be a bit on the bland side though. For two extremely hot actors, they didn’t really generate much heat together. But the coupling is pleasant enough that it won’t bother you too much.
One could argue that the main formula deviation of No Strings Attached is the role reversal: the guy is the clingy one and the girl has all the commitment issues instead of the other way around. Although that may be partly true, they also have the advantage of having a decent script and a likable supporting cast to help them along. Or maybe Portman is just that good. I haven’t quite decided.
Honestly, I think this is a chick flick that guys can take their girlfriends to watch and not feel completely tortured for an hour and a half. Not to say that it doesn’t have the usual rom-com pitfalls. It still suffers from cheap jokes, severe predictability and obvious lack of originality — just not as glaringly as the others in the same genre. It even manages to pull some of them off. I actually really laughed in some parts.
Obviously, there are very few commercial rom-coms that I truly find endearing these days. But this one… I have to say, wasn’t half as bad. So I think it’s safe to conclude that Emma and Adam aren’t the only ones who’ll find themselves pleasantly surprised by the time the credits start rolling.
Lovi Poe and Solenn Heussaff on the cover of the latest issue of Digital Photographer Magazine.
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Solenn Heussaff and her fascination with tattoo art
by Rommel R. Llanes
When asked what got her into tattoos, she replied, “For me, it’s an art, and I’m also an artist. I appreciate that kind of art. I appreciate it as long as it has meaning.”
“And I like the pain. I like the feeling. That’s why people shouldn’t get tattoos because once you get one, you’ll get addicted for sure.”
Solenn related how her Virgin Mary tattoo artist, Chris Garcia (the same guy who did Miley Cyrus’ “Just Breathe” tattoo) was impressed by how she endured the pain of the tattoo needle vibrating and rapidly going up and down the skin over her rib cage.
That part of the body is said to be very sensitive to pain, yet the cover girl of FHM Philippines’ March issue said she didn’t feel a thing.
“Sabi nga ni Jamir [rockband Slapshock’s lead singer and Chris’s brother], ‘How’d you do it?’
“Ewan ko. Baka I have no feelings!” Solenn quipped.
She admitted, however, that she’s not into guys whose bodies or limbs are covered with tattoos.
“I don’t understand the cover your whole body up,” she said. “If that’s what they want, I’m not gonna go against them. Pero if it stops them from doing…like Jamir’s okay because he’s in music. Or if you’re a tattoo artist, okay lang.
“But if my husband is a businessman, ‘tapos he wants to get a tattoo? No, no, no,” Solenn said, waving her finger.
She would also think twice if a tattoo would have an impact on her job.
“I wanted nga sana a new one here,” she pointed to her right inner bicep. But, no endorsements pag ganon. So, huwag na lang.
“I still want to look normal with my clothes on. And I don’t want my kids to see their mommy that way.”
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Photo credit: Anna Hyde/UNO Magazine](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkci2dfo441qe9n64o1_400.jpg)
Solenn Heussaff and her fascination with tattoo art
When asked what got her into tattoos, she replied, “For me, it’s an art, and I’m also an artist. I appreciate that kind of art. I appreciate it as long as it has meaning.”
“And I like the pain. I like the feeling. That’s why people shouldn’t get tattoos because once you get one, you’ll get addicted for sure.”
Solenn related how her Virgin Mary tattoo artist, Chris Garcia (the same guy who did Miley Cyrus’ “Just Breathe” tattoo) was impressed by how she endured the pain of the tattoo needle vibrating and rapidly going up and down the skin over her rib cage.
That part of the body is said to be very sensitive to pain, yet the cover girl of FHM Philippines’ March issue said she didn’t feel a thing.
“Sabi nga ni Jamir [rockband Slapshock’s lead singer and Chris’s brother], ‘How’d you do it?’
“Ewan ko. Baka I have no feelings!” Solenn quipped.
She admitted, however, that she’s not into guys whose bodies or limbs are covered with tattoos.
“I don’t understand the cover your whole body up,” she said. “If that’s what they want, I’m not gonna go against them. Pero if it stops them from doing…like Jamir’s okay because he’s in music. Or if you’re a tattoo artist, okay lang.
“But if my husband is a businessman, ‘tapos he wants to get a tattoo? No, no, no,” Solenn said, waving her finger.
She would also think twice if a tattoo would have an impact on her job.
“I wanted nga sana a new one here,” she pointed to her right inner bicep. But, no endorsements pag ganon. So, huwag na lang.
“I still want to look normal with my clothes on. And I don’t want my kids to see their mommy that way.”
Photo credit: Anna Hyde/UNO Magazine
Tattoo 1/6
Solenn had this tattoo done in Tahiti during her 17th birthday. It’s a Polynesian turtle with a tiki god on the shell and a manta ray around it. It means reincarnation of the gods of the oceans. Solenn said that she also wanted to be a marine biologist before, and has even studied diving. She has earned four cards in diving, from a master divers’ school. For her, the tattoo also means that whatever happens in the ocean is magical.
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