Writing Prompts

Chemical HeartsWhere do I even begin? This film was exceptional from start to finish. The writing and the quotes were absolutelyremarkable. Some of my favourite quotes include:

"You only say something is beautiful if you don’t understand it."Grace says this to Henry when he calls the poetry beautiful. I genuinely believe there’s truth in this—that sometimes we fail to grasp the full beauty of something until we’re in the thick of it. That’s what true beauty is: raw and profound, only fully understood when we’re vulnerable.

"People are just ashes of dead stars, atoms that come together for a brief point in time, and then we all fall apart."This line felt like life-changing poetry. When you think of life in this way, it makes everything feel both significant and insignificant at the same time. It’s a comforting perspective—you don’t have to be so hard on yourself because, in the end, we’re all just atoms.

"The world tells you to be mature and express yourself, but the minute you do, they tell you to shut up."Grace delivers some of the most thought-provoking quotes in the entire film. What struck me about this particular quote is how, even when given the opportunity to truly express herself through her editorial, Grace ultimately chooses not to. She keeps her expressions and her words to herself, perhaps as a way of protecting her own pain.

"Adults are scarred kids who were lucky to make it out of limbo alive."I couldn’t resonate with this more. Sometimes it feels like there’s no room to breathe, no way to escape the past. I often fear I’ll never fully heal. But the truth is, scars remain—they are part of who we are. Grace’s physical scar from her accident mirrors this truth: some wounds fade, but they never truly vanish.

"I’m not like one of your vases."This line hit me harder than I expected. The art of kintsugi—repairing broken pottery with gold—symbolises Grace and Henry’s relationship perfectly. Henry tries repeatedly to "fix" Grace, to help her move on from her ex, but in the end, he can’t. She’s not someone he can fix, nor was she ever meant to be. The most meaningful thing they could do for each other was to love and accept one another as they were—broken and imperfect.

Fly Me to the Moon is one of the best films I’ve watched recently. It’s rare to see masterpieces like this being released.

I love how the premise of the story centres on a conspiracy that actually unfolds within the film.

The film is comedic, witty, romantic, and tragic. It delves deeply into the lives of the two main characters, Kelly and Cole.

Although Kelly is introduced as a strong female character, driven by deception to achieve her goals, we see how her lies eventually come back to haunt her. At the same time, we witness how her charm is enough to win over anyone.

As the story progresses, cracks begin to show in her seemingly flawless porcelain façade. This is where we meet the real Kelly—a woman who has endured tragedy and rebuilt herself from the ground up.

While Kelly makes some extremely questionable choices, it’s refreshing to see how she turns things around, ultimately playing a key role in ensuring the true moon landing is recorded.

On the other hand, we see Cole as a broken soul, mourning the loss of his brothers in Apollo 1. His transformation throughout the film is the perfect counterpoint to Kelly’s.

We watch this strong man, haunted by his past, form an exceptional bond with Kelly, leading to a blossoming relationship.

Cole’s passion and determination inspire those around him, highlighting yet another contrast to Kelly. While Kelly uses deception to achieve her aims, Cole remains steadfast in his moral code, which is both admirable and compelling.

Review of We Live in Time

All stories have a beginning and an end. But sometimes, that’s not reality. Little pieces of our past selves always linger with us in the present.

It was beautiful to watch the timelines of Almut and Tobias intertwine, almost as if fate had orchestrated every moment.

From the very start of this movie, they were destined to bump into each other—did you catch my joke? What are the odds that three separate pens wouldn’t work, forcing Tobias to head to the shop, only to be run over by Almut? That brings me to my favourite quote from the film:

‘Sorry, but do we know each other?’ asked Tobias. ‘I ran you over, sorry,’ replied Almut.

Chef’s kiss.

Fate's intertwining continued throughout the film, like when Almut received the life-changing Bocuse d'Or invitation on the same day as her diagnosis.

Symbolism of Eggs

Eggs played a central role in this movie, appearing from the very beginning to the final scene. My favourite 'egg' moment is when Tobias falls deeply in love with Almut as she shows him the best way to crack one.

The symbolism of eggs—fertility, creation, and fragility—runs deep here. Fertility is a major theme, as we witness the joy of Almut bringing new life into the world contrasted with the dark reality of her slow battle with ovarian cancer. The eggs’ dual symbolism—life and death—adds layers of poignancy to the narrative.

A Touching Detail

One of my favourite moments was when Almut suggested getting a dog to help their daughter, Ella, cope with her mother’s impending passing. By the end of the film, they did get the dog, which I thought was a lovely touch.

Critiques

While I loved the movie, I did have some issues. From the start, Tobias knew Almut didn’t want children, yet he continuously framed the baby discussion around his own feelings. He stayed with her, hoping she’d change her mind, which she eventually did. However, the pressure he placed on her felt unfair.

It’s also worth noting that if Almut had opted for a full hysterectomy, she might not have relapsed. Her choice to have a child may have been the very thing that hastened her death—a tragic and ironic twist.

Another frustration was the lack of communication between Almut and Tobias. If they had talked openly, Almut could have balanced her wedding and the Bocuse d’Or competition instead of neglecting her wedding entirely. I understand how important the competition was to her, but a little communication could have gone a long way.

The Ending

The ending was pure nostalgia. Almut’s love for figure skating, inspired by her father, made it fitting that she said goodbye to her family on the ice rink. It was a heartfelt conclusion that tied everything together beautifully.

Lingering Questions

A few things I wish the film had clarified:

How did Almut know Tobias had a wife?

What happened to Tobias’s role at Weetabix?

What did Tobias write in his engagement speech?

What became of their wedding?

Final Thoughts

Lastly, I have to say, it was a delight to see Florence Pugh in the role of a chef—especially since she’s an excellent cook in real life. It added an authentic touch to her performance.

Kai hated destinies with a passion. It didn’t help that their mother was one of the Shaman leaders in charge of reading the villagers' destinies. Kai couldn’t escape their own, even if they tried. Oh boy, did they try. Their destiny was to find their true love, who would be the reason for their success in life. Kai hated that most of all. Why should their success depend on some random person they have never met?

Today, they despised more than any other. Today was their christening. Today, they would be brought before the Aethers to be shown their true nature.

There was a time when humans were only found on Earth, but one crazy tyrant had a dream. Her destiny was something she wanted. No one would forget her name, but everyone would fear it—even if it was Daisy. How ironic!

She was responsible for the expansion of the universe and time through her children. It’s a long-winded story that would require much more time than we have to cover. It’s even crazier that she’s still alive, kept frozen in an unknown location while her children rule the galaxy. They are known as the Aethers.

With human expansion, they wanted all their people to live in environments meant for them. It brought out the best in society, and from the advancements the worlds have seen in the past 100 years, it definitely has been working.

"Deep in an enchanted forest, a hidden door leads to a magical realm. Write about a person who stumbles upon this door and the adventures that await them."