New Combo Meal: Taga-Ilog Special

Monday, November 23, 2009

ASAP, ASAP!

Complete video of the opening number here and more pictures here.

Last Saturday, when I was about to watch the “Sweeney Todd” staging in Greenbelt Onstage, I got an emergency text from a friend. She mentioned that eight slots to the musical variety show ASAP 09 for the next day were up for grabs. I started texting the usual suspects and got positive replies. After the play, the availability was trimmed down to five.

Starbucks

With Jen, Joey, Mel and Mel’s sis Pam, we met Joy at Starbucks inside the ELJ Building at 8:30am the following day and settled some under-the-table stuff. You see, tickets for the show are like gold. It’s either you book this early to catch it in 2011 or be a TFC subscriber. The other little known option is to be shortlisted as a member of a fan club from any of the mainstays. We took the liberty of being Sam Milby fans for a day. And Mel was not complaining, of course. At ten minutes before 9, we were already heading to the Audience Entrance along Mother Ignacia St.

Queueing

There were roughly 30 people in the area that time. Minutes after we arrived, the guard asked the passes-holder to queue. Joy, by the way, divided us (five of us plus Patricia, Joy’s friend) into two, with three, given with passes, and the rest, as part of a “guest list”. Mel, Pam and Joey were the designated passes-holder so they were asked to get in first along with 15 other patrons. That was the first pass.

After a while, the remaining guest listers were then ushered to get in. I overheard that Sam already arrived, that’s why. Joy stayed put while Jen, Patricia and I got in. The guard joked that they’ll “enjoy” Joy for a few more minutes. Second pass near the entrance was another guard with a registry. We were asked to give our names and the fan club we represent.

While having a few more meters’ walk away from the second pass, we were halted again by another security personnel and were asked to wait. The event marshall mentioned that the queueing would be fixed accordingly to give way to those with tickets. That time, we’re allowed to visit the nearby cafeteria and to freshen up. At close to 10am, the marshall started giving a short talk on safety measures and started rolling out the sequence of the queue. Joey’s group was called first and we later on joined them after walking our way near the studio.

Long Wait

What followed was close to two hours of waiting under the Sunday morning heat. From the building opposite the studio, we saw some VIP-looking guests being given the chance to board in first. The TFC subscribers and the participants of the studio tour followed suit. In the middle of that, we also caught PBB Double Up’s ex-housemates Princess and Tom passing by. Patricia then got a call from Joy asking to meet her at the toilet near the studio. Don’t ask me what was that for. We just reconnected with them later in one of the best sections inside the studio (facing the stage, left most, roughly three or four rows away from the front).

National Television

ASAP 09 started at 11:45am and ended at 3pm. Energy was high all through out, complete with a little balloon in hand. We valued our seats a lot since most of the performers passed by our side (Joy must really know the place by heart). This gave the opportunity for Mel to take the long overdued picture with Sam. Twice. On personal note, I enjoyed the show, too. I can say that it was one of their better episodes even without the presence of the heavyweights. That's on top of being on national television for two seconds, of course.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Philography File # 001: James Jean

Accomplished last November 21, Saturday, roughly at 9pm, in Fully Booked – Bonifacio High Street branch. More pics of the event and James Jean’s little artwork exhibit here.

Ilang Poser Thought Isang Linggo Matapos ang Pagkapanalo ni Pacquiao sa Laban kay Cotto

Wala naman akong masyadong alam sa boxing. Or let me rephrase that. Wala akong alam sa boxing in the same manner na wala rin naman akong alam sa mga sex scandal dati (pero may sinabi ako sa isyu ni Hayden Kho). Gusto ko lang ulit mag-share ng mga naisip ko n’ung maging historic ang pagkapanalo ni Pacman n’ung isang linggo.

1. Ang pinaka-corny sa lahat: we should all strive to be doing our best. Ganyan ang nakita ko kay Pacquiao. May sense of faith s’ya, na tipong it’s all up to God kapag meron s’yang hindi na kaya. I guess merong magandang point dito. Just dig deeper;

2. Masarap maging kapangalan si Manny Pacquiao. Nakiki-ride talaga ako sa kasikatan n’ya. Pinatulan ko yata lahat ng status update sa Facebook na nagko-congratulate kay Pacman. Sabi ko, “thank you”. Umeepal lang. Minsan nga, sa Starbucks, n’ung tinanong ako ng isang female staff kung anong pangalan ko (para ilagay sa in-order kong kape), sumagot ako ng “Manny, as in Manny Pacquiao”. Napa-wow ang chikas. Sabi ko, mga one month akong sikat. Napangiti lang s’ya. Ang sumunod sa pila ko ay parang lolo na at may pangalang Erik. Sabi ng staff, “Ah, Erik Morales!”;

3. Ang yaman-yaman na lalo ni Pacman. Kung ako siguro ang mananalo, lilibutin ko ang buong mundo at hindi ako magpapatalo sa poker (though I understand na nakaka-high ding manalo). Pero ang sad note dito ay ang papalapit na eleksyon. Naaamoy ko na kung saan mapupunta ang kanyang premyo. Kung paano natin pinagbibigyan ang pagkanta ni Manny ng “Sometimes When We Tats” ay parang ganito rin ang luho na hinahayaan natin s’yang pumasok sa pulitika. Nakakalungkot lang mabahiran ng dumi ang isang bagay na malinis. Kung ako sa kanya, iha-hire ko na lang si Manny Pangaruy upang mag-take charge sa mga projects na pro-Filipino. In short, ayoko talagang maging congressman si Pacman. Tama na ang maging isang history. Well, kung si Snooky ay kakandidato, pipigilan ko rin s’ya;

4. Hindi ko masyadong maintindihan kung bakit parang na-shock ang mga Pinoy na merong Krista Ranillo ngayon. Na kesyo heto nga’t nagdala ng bacon si Pacman ay intriga naman ang ibinabato ng tao. Hindi ko lang gets. Alin ba rito ang nakakagulat? Ang isang personality na merong ganyan kataas na antas ng celebrity-dom eh magnet talaga ng kung anu-anong dirt. Nagsasalita ang fame dito na parang isang karinderyang bukas 24 oras. Marami talagang kustomer ang kakain. Ang analogy nga, though medyo malayo, ng isa kong kaibigang mahilig sa artista eh tingnan daw si Kris Aquino. Hindi lahat ay nasa kanya. In short, fair naman ang Diyos; at

5. Sinasabi ng mga akda ni Neale Donald Walsch, particularly ang “Conversations with God” series, na ang tao raw ay di na kailangang magdagdag ng kaalaman. Lahat daw ng pwede nating malaman ay nasa atin nang katawan at kailangan lang itong i-tap para lumabas. Very New Age ‘yung ideya at di ako magugulat kung Walsch fan si Pacman (tulad ko). Basta ang alam nating lahat, you know.

Cinema Ewan 2009

This year’s Cinema One Originals film festival at the Gateway Cineplex was not as smooth sailing as its previous counterparts.

First, the schedule. The organizer/programmer seemed to exclude a weekend spot for Ray Gibraltar’s “Wanted: Border”, the festival best picture, without the presence of his/her brain. This was a major drawback for those working on weekdays and very advantageous to bummers (no offense to them).

Next upset was the “absence” of the organizer. Let me elaborate. I went to the venue 30 minutes before the screening of Milo Tolentino’s “Si Baning, Si Maymay at ang Asong si Bobo” only to be overwhelmed by the kilometric queues in any direction you could think of. There’s an allotted one for the festival but the one in charge was on break (read: probably snacking or visiting the toilet). Really, really good timing. The solution was another no-brainer: ask the festivalgoers to join the special queue for “2012” and Pacquiao-Cotto fight. This prompted me to report to the organizer on his yellow muscle shirt standing in front of the theater entrance and got an assurance that he’ll fix it. The trick was he wasn’t trying to move at all. He even asked us to tell the people in the special queue to just proceed to the theater. Whoa!

Third blow was getting disappointed with a sold-out film screening of “Paano Ko Sasabihin” on its premiere. I had to kill roughly two hours to wait for my supposedly third film. Thanks to Erich Gonzales fans though I suspect that it has something to do with the crazy queueing scheme. I had no choice but to come back the next day (which I did). Lesson here is don’t open a film festival on a Friday, the 13th.

But then again, nothing (or no one) can stop me from watching the following films:

1. Milo Tolentino’s “Si Baning, Si Maymay at ang Asong si Bobo”. From the critical success of his two short films “Andong” and “Blogog”, Milo Tolentino tries his luck in a full-length feature. Still with kids as subject, the movie tells a story of a small seaside neigborhood seen in the eyes of youngsters Baning, her bestfriend Maymay and her brother Paeng. Bobo happens to be their drunkard neighbor’s pet dog. The film runs for roughly two hours without having much event or complication happening except for the message on every kid’s right to have a proper education. Maybe that’s the whole gist, that a kid’s world is undeniably simple and basic.

2. Melvin Brito’s “Bala-Bala”. This one started as a tale of deception when a young agriculturist started to discover that he could cure sick people in a far-flung barrio somewhere in Batangas. Little did he know that the healing power came from a Santino-like deaf kid who kept tagging along. Upon discovery, the miracle boy suddenly bursts into a blinding light. He, after all, is something like a firefly creature. I understand that the filmmaker tries to impart a very New Age wisdom regarding our composition as a human being. It asks the audience through one obvious scene if we already know what we are made of. And I appreciate thoughts like that. It so happened that the message is not properly coursed through. Acting and production design are decent enough.

3. Nap Jamir II’s “Maximus & Minimus”. As a sex comedy that is rarely seen in contemporary Philippine cinema, the film introduces two interesting characters. Maximus is a fat girl who is very much sexually active. Her insecurities only arise when a man she consistently meets shouts “Barney” in the middle of a heated sexual confrontation. Minimus, on the other hand, is a nice looking and intelligent lad who happens not to be gifted down there. His search for life is mostly preoccupied with his search for a perfect penis enlarger. The paths of these two star-crossed individuals intertwine as they ontinue their own journey to unravel. I like the film being glossy and all. My only comment goes out to the Minimus character played by Mikel Campos (this year’s Best Actor). I don’t understand his sexuality at first, thanks to a poorly devised sequence involving the first time meet-up and another scene with Soliman Cruz.

4. Ray Gibraltar’s “Wanted: Border”. This year’s best picture went to this sophomore film from the same creator of “When Timawa Meets Delgado” (a mockumentary on Philippines’ plight of the BS Nursing course). The unconventional narrative shares a similar premise with Sweeney Todd’s Mrs. Lovett’s meat pies. This time around, it’s not about revenge but just a random take of violence. Rosanna Roces remarkably plays a disturbed carinderia owner/cook who invests on the meat of her poor victims. The big stink however originated from a very bleak past, from childhood to years spent as executioner to suspected activists. The film is dedicated to Alexis Tioseco and I’m pretty sure that wherever he is now, he is very proud of this film. On personal note, I was surprised that Ray Gibraltar can accomplish a film as well made and focused as this one. I can say that Cinema One Originals survives 2009 with the help of this important work of art (and please disregard the title of this blog). A must-watch.

5. Richard Legaspi’s “Paano Ko Sasabihin”. I did not complain when I heard that this entry received the Audience Choice award. It stars popular teen stars, the beautiful Erich Gonzales and Enchong Dee, as two souls trapped in a dilemma of mistaken identity (both are pretending to be deaf). The plot may be too thin for an indie film festival but I appreciate the honest direction. Here’s hoping to see a more challenging material from the director in the future.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Life is an iPhone # 018

Clockwise from top row:

1. Ode to Joy. As part of the “Manny is the new Barney” campaign from Kat, I gave in to this Joy-ously sentimental (?) billiards and gin party at Louie’s place. Before that, we tried our best to keep everything in secret (from grocery shopping and pancit buying, etc.) up to the scripted act at the very end. It was raining then and typhoon was fast approaching;

2. Where’s Little Prince? Last November 1 weekend, mom showed me this 50 franc bill. I think I gave it to her after my very first onsite assignment in Paris. I kept it because of the Little Prince. Now that franc is replaced by euro, this piece is now very valuable;

3. Storming Santi. I took this photo on the dawn of typhoon Santi, right before boarding the van (generically called Garage to Terminal, or simply GT, Express) to Lucena. My goal was to capture the mood. It was 9:30 in the morning;

4. Cherry Cheesecake. This sinful piece of sweet meat from Burgoo is just a Scarlett Johansson to my tummy. Diet just said “ouch”!;

5. Hainanese Chicken. Served by Good Earth (in Burgos Circle) and taken while having Friday lunch-out with Lunchmates. I kinda miss Singapore;

6. Road to Galleria. This walkway in progress will soon connect EDSA and Robinson’s Galleria. Taken on my way to the chapel area;

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Life is an iPhone # 017

Clockwise from top row:

1. Gaudi, Is That You? Everytime I pass by Market! Market!’s open space, I am always reminded of Parc Guell in Barcelona. The bench is distinctively Gaudi. Let me share a pic;

2. Balloons! This one’s taken in front of St. Andrew Parish Church along Reposo. Behind in the fence is a cemetary;

3. Where Our Taxes Go. While waiting for a cab on my way to work, I noticed this newly painted pavement. This means that the election is near. But no, this wasn’t done by a five-year old;

4. Nude Burger. In accordance to an ongoing (if not for lifetime) diet, I have to be picky with food choices. It so happened that no one can refuse a burger so I tried this Nude Burger from Burger Avenue (three burgers in one sentence, yahoo!). The lettuce that you see serves as the bun. It’s messy to eat but the beef patty is so worth it;

5. Choco Bug. Tell me. Who can say no to Goya-like chocolate dressed as a lady bug? This one was off to a Halloween party;

6. Halloween-Themed Donuts. This one’s a bit dated to be included here but I like the colors. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, life’s a box of Krispy Kreme donuts. You don’t know what you gonna get;

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Movies from the Land Down Under

The 7th Australian Film Fest held at Greenbelt 3 was similar with the recently concluded Spanish Film Fest (tickets at P65 each, with reserved seating, etc.) except for the number of films to be shown and the limited period. Only six films were screened from November 5 to 8 (then from November 9 to 14 in Ayala Center in Cebu City). It’s a pretty amazing deal as opposed to having an overwhelming array of films, too overwhelming that you can’t really watch everything if you’re keeping an 8-to-5 job.

Out of six, I only watched three:

1. Jeff Balsmeyer’s “Danny Deckchair”. Imagine a live action equivalent of Pixar’s “Up” with a man sitting on a chair tied with a dozen balloons. The lead character Danny (the great Rhys Ifan, Hugh Grant’s housemate in “Notting Hill”), a loser, is on the verge of fall-out with his wife. He feels that he’s got nothing much to contribute in life. After the accident of being lifted from one city to a quiet town, his world made a turn. He meets a lonesome policewoman played by Miranda Otto and receives the recognition he deserves from the townspeople. It’s a rom-com and the take is Hollywood all over. Aside from the guilty pleasure that it’s enjoyable nevertheless, I appreciate the flying part that is both magical and stupid.

2. Robert Connoly’s “The Bank”. The festival flyer tags this film as a political thriller. It’s initially blueprinted as a controlling-guru-meets-an-amateur kind of film. Heading the cast is the radiant Anthony LaPaglia (who also stars in one of my favorite Aussie films “Lantana”) as the head of the bank who hires a boy wonder played by David Wenham (I think he’s the bad guy in “Australia”). The film may not be the edge of your seat type but it has its own set of chills and twists. Its statement on industry giants like the bank are evil is something that is worth noting about.

3. Elissa Down’s “The Black Balloon”. Sorry to peg this on Lasse Hallstrom’s “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”, a family drama about coping on life’s challenges. It stars Toni Collette as the mother of two kids (one is autistic and the other, on his puberty). The POV of the film is mainly told through the eyes of the adolescent character (played by Rhys Wakefield) as he copes with the Herculean task of being a brother to an adult with autism and discovers young love along the way. The final product is not as low-pitched as “Gilbert Grape” but it is durable enough to tell a good story about family hardships and acceptance.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Biyaheng Langit

Biyaheng Lupa
Direksyon: Armando “Bing” Lao
Iskrip: Armando “Bing” Lao
Mga Nagsiganap: Allan Paule, Jaclyn Jose, Eugene Domingo, Coco Martin, atbp.

ISTORYA

Unang una, concept-driven ang pelikula. Ganitong halimbawa ang tipong mahirap isulat ang synopsis dahil hindi na masyadong mahalaga kung ano ang itinakbo ng buhay ng mga karakter dito. Kung hindi man mahirap isulat ay napakaiksi lang ng pwedeng sabihin tungkol sa istorya nito.

Isang bus mula Maynila ang bumabyahe papuntang Legazpi (ayon sa signboard na nakalagay sa harapan). Lulan nito ang iba’t ibang pasahero at ang kanila-kanilang bagahe, literal at figurative. May ilang sumakay sa daan, may ilang bumaba, may ilang umabot hanggang dulo, may ilang bumalik. Umandar ang pelikula at nabuhay sa pagsara at pagbukas ng pinto. Dito na makikitang habang nasa loob ng bus ay “nagsasalita” ang isip ng mga pasahero. Nawala ang mga speaking line na kadalasang napapanood sa isang “normal” na pelikula. At dito na nakikipag-usap ang mga karakter sa mga manonood.

ANG BUHAY SA LIKOD NG GULONG

Hindi ganun kadaling pasanin ang trip ng pelikula lalo na para sa mga manonood na nasanay sa Hollywood, Star Cinema o maging sa mga pelikulang isinulat na dati ni Bing Lao. Ibang iba ang “Biyaheng Lupa”. Bagong bago. Maliban sa mga sadyang tsismoso na nais makinig sa mga kuwento ng mga karakter, limitado ang maaaring maka-relate sa pelikula. Isa na ako rito.

Kinakailangan ang sensibility ng isang biyahero upang madaling masakyan ang konsepto. Hindi bago sa akin ang mahabang biyahe sa bus katulad ng madalas kong gawin kapag umuuwi sa Lopez, Quezon (na ang sementeryo ay ginamit sa pelikula). Totoong nakakabagot ang biyahe para sa isang baguhan. At sa aspetong ito ay mas makabuluhan ang English title ng pelikula na “Soliloquy”. Ang lima o apat na oras na pagkakaupo sa bus ay magtutulak talaga sa ‘yong magmuni sa sariling buhay habang nakatingin sa mga puno, dagat o kalsadang binabagtas, mag-isip ng kuwento ng mga kapwa pasahero o matulog. Napangiti ako sa isang eksena kung saan isinalang sa player ang isang videoke piece at nagpasahang “kumanta” ang mga pasahero. Sa totoo lang ay naisip ko na rin ang gan’ung sequence sa isa sa aking mga pag-uwi. Walang ganitong luxury ang sinumang hindi pa nakakaranas ng gan'un kahabang biyahe.

Bagamat kahanga-hanga ang pag-devise ng material at ang posibilidad na maging pelikula ang ganito kataas ang lipad na konsepto, si Bing Lao bilang direktor ay parang sanggol na gumagapang pa. Sa tingin ko, marami pa s’yang iinuming gatas upang lumutang ang kanyang tikas sa aspetong ito. Halimbawa, sa tingin ko, mayroon pang mas magandang anggulo, o mas fluid, sa mga eksena sa loob ng bus. Ang eksena rin, halimbawa, ni Coco Martin na umiiyak ay tila walang kontrol para sa kanyang karakter na sa isang eksena ay nanapak ng bading (Andoy Ranay) sa CR. Hindi ko rin masyadong maipaliwanag ang mga pasaherong maagang bumababa para sa isang bus na papuntang Legazpi. Kadalasan, biyaheng Lucena o Guinayangan lang ang sasakyan mo para sa mga short trip.

Dala na rin marahil ng pagiging concept-driven ng pelikula, natabunan na nito ang iba pang aspeto. Maliban sa direction, halos hindi na rin mapupuna kung gaano man kahusay sina Jaclyn Jose, Angel Aquino, Eugene Domingo, Shamaine Buencamino, Julio Diaz, Archie Adamos at maging ang baguhang si Carlo Guevarra na gumanap bilang pipi. Ganito rin ang masasabi ko sa sound design o cinematography.

KONKLUSYON

Noteworthy ang pagiging fresh ng pelikula. Hindi pa yata ako naka-hitchhike sa ganitong klaseng biyahe, lokal man, indie o world cinema. Naalala ko ang ilang komento tungkol sa “Bringing Out the Dead” dati ni Martin Scorsese. Medyo bago rin ang konsepto ng pelikula at n’ung panahong ipinalabas ito sa sinehan ay hinulaang hindi pa ito matatanggap ng manonood. Kinakailangang gumugol muna ng taon bago ito tuluyang maunawaan. Ganitong ganito ang konklusyon ko sa “Biyaheng Lupa”. Hindi ako magugulat kung sooner or later ay gagamitin itong template sa isa pang bagong material.

Base sa directorial debut na ito ni Bing Lao, hindi ko alam kung ano ang susunod n’yang ipapakita. Concept-driven kaya ulit? Kung oo, paano n’ya maa-outdo ang pelikulang ito na tingin ko ay kalabisan na ng kanyang sarili bilang manunulat ang kanyang naibuhos? Pipiliin n’ya kayang tumahak sa daan na mas lilitaw ang kanyang papaging direktor, kamukha ng ginawa ni Chris Martinez sa “100” at Jun Lana sa “Roxxxanne”? Kahit ano pa man, si Bing Lao ‘yan. S’ya na ibinalik ang Pilipinas sa mapa ng world cinema. S’ya na kahit ano pa mang biyahe o kibot o utot ay susuportahan ko. Biyaheng lupa o biyaheng langit, sasakay ako.

Friday, November 06, 2009

Movie Digest # 065

RED CLIFF
Glorietta 4, Cinema 1, October 26, 7:25pm

It’s been a while since I last saw a John Woo movie (last being Mission Impossible 2, I can’t remember). This time, for a comeback project, he tried his hand on a Chinese saga (joining the likes of Zhang Yimou). The result for me, if not for the presence of the great Tony Leung, is just OK. So predictable that in some scenes, I almost fell asleep. And the English dub doesn’t help.

Friends who might appreciate it: Those who wish to see not another sequence involving a pigeon.

THE INFORMANT
Glorietta 4, Cinema 7, October 26, 10:15pm

On this film, Matt Damon plays an office employee who got involved in a myriad of lies. It is based on true events and it’s a restrained character study of a person with bipolar disorder. I watched this film on LFS and the dry humor kept me hooked. Since the film is directed by one of Hollywood great filmmakers, Steven Soderbergh, expect that gritty and dated feel.

Friends who might appreciate it: Small film fans.

THE UGLY TRUTH
Greenbelt 3, Cinema 3, October 27, 6:30pm

It’s a formula rom-com about a male chauvinist and a reserved feminist. From there, I guess you already know what’s in store with this one. It’s just a relief that it’s not irritating at all. I appreciate the last few minutes of the film particularly on two scenes. First, the confrontation scene afloat a hot air balloon and the lovers stop fighting the moment they see the breathtaking view. Secondly, the very last frame where Katherine Heigl is shown victorious after a good sex. That one alone says what the film is all about.

Friends who might appreciate it: Those who believe that women can fake orgasm.

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
Greenbelt 3, Cinema 1, October 27, 9:05pm

A bittersweet retelling of a modern day love story told through the perspective of a young man. It’s charming, sweet and very appealing to the now generation as evident in the editing gimmickry, Zooey Deschanel and that captivating OST. I don’t like it much but I highly recommend it.

Friends who might appreciate it: You know who you are.

PATIENT X
Glorietta 4, Cinema 7, October 28, 10:20pm

If you’re familiar with one of “Shake, Rattle and Roll”’s episodes about a hospital in the province being attacked by aswangs, the material is very much similar. This time around, the film attempted to humanize the blood-sucking creature by devising a love angle between the mortal and the aswang. It’s just disappointing that the logic and all the fear factor elements did not work, too bad for a filmmaker who just made a shot in Hollywood.

Friends who might appreciate it: Those who agree that Richard Gutierrez still can’t act and that Cristine Reyes is hot.

ANG BEERHOUSE
Robinson’s Galleria, Cinema 7, October 31, 7:30pm

I can say that it’s serviceable enough for a Filipino film about prostitution. If you think you’ve seen it all (“Prosti”, Lino Brocka films and the like), this one’s a little different. The POV is told through a customer and it is, above all, a love story. It’s not about oppression or or even a commentary about social classes. It is partly poetic and partly too mainstream. I like the concept about life being a cycle as suggested by the scenes with a little boy taking a peek on what’s inside the beerhouse. The only thing annoying for me is casting the mestizo Ryan Eigenmann as the Common Joe protagonist. I have no problems with Gwen Garci.

Friends who might appreciate it: Those who can’t pay enough for a VIP room.

ASTRO BOY
Glorietta 4, Cinema 1, October 31, 10:30pm

How to westernize an animé? Go and watch this film. Got nothing much to articulate about this honest-to-goodness film. I can’t say that it’s bad and I can’t say that it is that Pixar good either.

Friends who might appreciate it: Those who grew up watching the series on RPN-9.

THIS IS IT
Gateway Cineplex, Cinema 4, November 4, 6:45pm

This enjoyable documentary that collects the rehearsal videos of the King of Pop during his last days is something that has to be watched by his fans. It is something that could be appreciated by concertgoers, the pop culture and those greatly influenced by a humungous talent that is called Michael Jackson. This is not made for film critics and the Oscars. A must-watch.

Friends who might appreciate it: Those who think that MJ’s gone too soon.

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Withdrawal Syndrome from Cinemanila 2009

I hate that familiar feeling of facing the week again after a weekend of hectic film watching and coffeeless late nights. This normally happens when I run out of good films to catch and my system starts to look for films like drugs. Oh, well. Whatever the ickiness is, I enjoyed this year’s Cinemanila held at Market! Market! in The Fort.

Let me shortly count the ways. First, the location is sweet. It’s just 15 minutes away from the office (last year was the most challenging when they held it at Gateway in Cubao). As part of the tradition, Cinemanila always finds ways to bring in big names in the film world. Last year, they had Quentin Tarantino and this time around, it’s the great Paul Schrader (thanks for the autograph, by the way). There were still some mishaps with the schedule but it’s as minor as rescheduling “Coco Avant Chanel” to a later date and replacing Lav Diaz’ “Batang West Side” with the this year’s winning films. “Samson and Delilah” didn’t have English subtitles but the film’s strong visual language saved the day.

Tickets were regularly priced at P122 each and, as expected, this brought in some close to empty cinemas (tickets at Spanish Film Fest 2009, for instance, cost P60 each only). It just so happened that a filmmaker friend of mine gave me a filmmaker’s pass. Sorry Mr. Tikoy Aguiliz but it’s something that I couldn’t and wouldn’t resist. Please consider my way of paying back through the purchase of “Himpapawid” ticket that costs P200 and my frequent Facebook status change to promote your film fest. Plus, of course, an undying support that started 11 years ago.

And now, on to my harvest:

1. Ho Tzu Nyen’s “Here” (Singapore). What a way to start the festival with a concept-driven film about people in the mental hospital. I can say that it’s something that our very own Raya Martin would be interested of. Zen-like, therapeutic and rhythmic, expect to be healed after watching the film.

2. Caroline Link’s “A Year Ago in Winter” (Germany). First things first. It’s a decent family drama directed by the same person who megged the Oscar winning film “Nowhere in Africa”. The plot maybe a little tried and tested but it’s a good rollercoaster ride just the same.

3. Tomas Alfredson’s “Let the Right One In” (Sweden). The buzz is right: this one’s really, really good, if not one of the best films about vampires. I won’t dare compare it to “Twilight” but for the sake of describing the genre, the two films are on the same path. It’s just this Swedish film is very subtle and always treating its viewers as intelligent human beings. I don’t mind joining the bandwagon and recommend it to friends.

4. Lukas Moodysson’s “Mammoth” (Sweden/Denmark/Germany). This film boasts about the inclusion of our very own Marife Necesito as one of the main characters in the film. She plays a yaya to a daughter of a Caucasian couple living in New York. The plot is all about parents and the required time and love they need to attend to their kids. I almost liked the film if not for a little subplot about the father’s trip to Bangkok. For me, it’s not necessary.

5. Warwick Thornton’s “Samson and Delilah” (Australia). Given the fact that I watched the film without English subtitles (the original language, according to imdb.com, is Aboriginal) and managed to finish the film without any hunch that something is amiss, that is awesome. Take the film as a visual storytelling of two Aborigines falling in love and their journey to suffering and bliss.

6. Ray Gibralta’s “When Timawa Meets Delgado” (Philippines). It’s an artsy (sorry for the term) take on the plight of Filipinos who take up BS Nursing for the sole reason of earning moolahs abroad. There are two main characters here, Timawa, a filmmaker, and Delgado, a Palanca winner, who meet while applying for the course. The film is summed up of a comment from one of the interviewees: “Kung ang mga OFW ay tinatawag na “Bayong Bayani”, ano naman ang tawag sa mga Pilipinong piniling hindi umalis? Gago, martir o mga bayani rin?”

7. Diego Luna’s “JC Chavez” (Mexico). This one’s a glossy, clear-cut, fast-paced documentary on Mexico’s legendary boxer Julio Cesar Chavez. He is probably our version of Manny Pacquiao.

8. Sergey Dvortsevoy’s “Tulpan” (Germany/Switzerland/Kazakhstan/Russia/Poland). For me, this is sweetest entry from the festival’s line-up. It’s about a man who is under the pressure of getting married but the girl’s parents he is proposing with do not like him. What follows is a tale of proving his worth, in the midst of an arid land with sandstorm a flock of sheep to attend to. The scene where the central character has to help a ewe give birth to a lamb is very memorable.

9. Uberto Pasolini’s “Machan” (Sri Lanka/Italy/Germany). This one’s another favorite mainly because it’s slightly a black comedy and it’s based on true events. The film follows the lives of 16 Sri Lankans who invented a national handball team just to get a Schengen visa and travel to Germany. As of presstime, the government hasn’t found them yet. It may be filmed in a Star Cinematic manner but I like the final product and the aftertaste.

10. Bing Lao’s “Biyaheng Lupa” (Philippines). As for Bing Lao’s (notice the initials of the film and the filmmaker) directorial debut, it’s hard to do a capsule review of the film. It requires a full review which I will be doing real soon. For the meantime, in case you have a chance to see this film, go and see it for the experience.

11. Paul Schrader’s “Adam Resurrected” (USA). The film was intoduced by Paul Schrader himself and it was just a bonus. I have to agree with him that it’s a damn good film. Though it’s a film that borders on Holocaust, it didn’t stop there. It tries to explore (and exploit) more on the psychological side, done with a dash of Paul Anderson-ish central character. Jeff Goldblum deserves a Best Actor nod for this film.

12. Pablo Larrain’s “Tony Manero” (Chile/Brazil). Films like this one made me love Cinemanila. It’s a character study of a criminal who idolizes John Travolta’s role in the film “Saturday Night Fever”. The film is intense and done in almost muted colors, giving enough balance to the delightfully short dance sequences.

13. Ari Folman’s “Waltz with Bashir” (Israel). Aside from winning at the Golden Globe, I know nothing about the film. I was surprised that it was, err, an animated film. Not your Disney kind of cartoons, this one tackles post-war horrors as the main character tries to hurdle the dark side of it.

14. Ravi Bharwani’s “Jermal” (Indonesia). I was reminded with Ralston Jover’s “Bakal Boys” when I first ran through the synopsis. It’s a father and son story set in a remote manmade “island” that serves as an illegal port for fishing. The film’s good with the drama part but I was wishing that the filmmakers (yes, four of them) had pushed more to be socially relevant.

15. Claudia Llosa’s “Milk of Sorrow” (Spain/Peru). I wouldn’t be surprised if I caught an alienating film or two in this years Cinemanila. This is a good example but not in a condescending way. It tells a dragging story about a woman who just lost her mother as she finds means to bury her. Magaly Solier’s screen presence alone is worth the admission.

16. Bui Thac Chuyen’s “Adrift” (Vietnam). Here comes another personal favorite from the line-up. It contests love in marriage and explores the frailty of it. Well acted, decently directed and very Asian in all aspects. I wouldn’t mind watching this film again. The use of natural lighting is very much appreciated.

17. Cui Jian and Fruit Chan’s “Chengdu, I Love You” (China). For me, this is the weakest among the films that I have watched for this year’s Cinemanila. It is divided into two episodes: one is set in the future while the other, during the 70’s. I understand that the intention is to depict love transcending time but it isn’t pulled off well.

18. Yesim Ustaoglu’s “Pandora’s Box” (France/Germany/Turkey/Belgium). Here’s another good harvest from the festival. It’s a film that I wouldn’t be surprised with if the Oscars consider it in the Best Foreign Language Film race. It’s a heart rending tale about a mother with Alzheimer’s disease, her kids and the search for that proverbial thought that “mothers know best”.

19. Anne Fontaine’s “Coco Avant Chanel” (France). Somewhat similar to the biographical “La Mome” about the French music icon Edith Piaf starring the great Marion Cotillard. This time, it’s Audrey Tautou’s turn to give life to another iconic figure in the name of Coco Chanel. It’s well made and, no pun intended, the costumes could be merited in next year’s awards race.

20. Francois Ozon’s “Ricky” (France/Italy). Ozon always makes it a point that he treats his audience with something radical and new. This 2009 film is about a couple who is gifted with a baby who can fly (read: with wings like those of a chicken or an angel). The ultra realist filmmaking take is a coy as the idea of a flying baby seems to poke fun on the films of the same genre. Personally, I enjoyed it.

21. Juhn Jaihong’s “Beautiful” (South Korea). I like the anti-vanity take of the film, the concept that beauty could sometimes be more of a curse than a blessing. My problem with this film is that some sequences are either too superfluous or too lousy. I was expecting that in search for a cure to destruction, the main character should have opted to ruin her angelic face.

22. Nadine Labaki’s “Caramel” (Lebanon). Perhaps this is the most Star Cinematic I’ve seen among all the entries that I’ve watched. But it’s a good one. It’s a tale about Lebanese women living in France are now fully adapted with their new world. They laugh, they cry, they fight, they bond and they are all beautiful in every aspect of the word. Caramel in the film, by the way, is used for hairwaxing.

23. Raymond Red’s “Himpapawid” (Philippines). This serves as the closing film of the festival. It’s inspired by the accounts of a man who once hijacked a domestic plane and jumped in thin air. As expected, Raymond Red’s visuals are mesmerizing. I can’t say the same with the script and the acting.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Multo ng Isang Palabunutan

Pagpasensyahan ang aking munting tribute sa blog na Apendiks.

Habang nagpapatila ng ulan slash nag-aabang ng balita kung passable na ang daan papuntang Quezon, heto at dinalaw ako ng isang alaala. Alas-tres na ng umaga (sa generation ngayon na wala nang alam sa Spanish, 3am ang ibig sabihin n’yan) nang multuhin ako ng isang munting bagay na nilamon na ng kabihasnan. Huli ko yatang nahawakan ito n’ung nasa Grade 4 pa ako. Pwede ring Grade 2 o Grade 3, kaya lang ay memorable sa akin ang taon na ‘yan sa grade school kaya ‘yun na lang ang default ko kapag gustong sariwain ang kabataan. My gulay, ganito na pala talaga ako ka-dinosaur (Kat Santos, masaya ka na? Hehehe)!

Ang tinutukoy ko ay ‘yung palabunutan (sa amin, ito ay “pabunutan”, nakaltas na ang “la”) na merong premyong pera. Isa itong yari sa karton na mas malaki ng isa’t kalahating pulgada sa standard size na coupon bond. Kung hahatiin mo crosswise (parang test paper lang), ang itaas na bahagi nito ay isang movie poster ng karaniwang kakapalabas pa lang sa mga sinehan o ‘yung medyo mainit-init pa sa takilya. Ang natatandaan ko mostly ay mga pelikula ni Lito Lapid o Chuck Norris o ‘yung mga tipo ng “Palabra de Honor” ni Danny Zialcita o “Working Girls” ni Ishmael Bernal. Ang nasabing movie poster ay nilagyan ng iba’t ibang laki ng hugis na bilog. Sa loob nito ay may dalawang figure: ang winning number at ang halaga ng premyo. Mas malaki ang bilog, mas malaki ang premyo para mas makaagaw ng atensyon. Ang buong imahen ng itaas na bahagi ng palabunutan ay nagmumukhang comic strip minsan dahil sa mga bilog na parang thought bubble.

Ang ibabang bahagi ay ang mga binubunot mismo. Kasing laki lang ito ng kuko sa hinlalaki at masinsin itong nakahanay sa isang 6x13 (estimate lang) na pagkakaayos. Gawa lang ito sa papel pero hindi ‘yung pangkaraniwang papel na madaling masira. Ito ang s’yang nagsisilbing ticket para sa mga premyo. Sa likod nito ay nakatago ang numerong iyong hahanapan ng katumbas sa itaas na bahagi ng palabunutan. Kung wala ay sa susunod na baon ka na lang bumawi.

Hindi ko na masyadong matandaan ang halaga ng nasabing palabunutan o kung magkano ang isang bunot. Ang sigurado lang ako ay puwedeng bawiin ang puhunan sa pinakamalaking premyo kung mabebenta lahat ng ticket. Lugi ka kung sa umpisa pa lang ay napanalunan na agad ang jackpot. Pero dito na papasok ang pagka-strategic mo. Siyempre, kailangan mong isikreto na meron nang nanalo para marami pa rin ang umasa at bumunot.

Kung hindi ako nagkakamali ay sinubukan ko ring maging businessman noon sa palabunutan. Hindi na lang masyadong malinaw sa akin ngayon kung kumita ba ako o sadyang naaliw lang sa movie poster sa palabunutan. Noon pa man ay sureball na ako isang bagay: mahilig ako sa sine.

Wala lang. Nakakatuwa lang isipin na ang klase ng kaligayahan noon ay napakababaw. Hindi nakakagulat na hindi na na-preserve ang gan’ung pop culture. Marahil ay kasabay ng pag-unlad ng isang lahi ang pag-unlad din sa kalidad ng kaligayahan ng tao. Sigurado ako na at this age ay wala nang makaka-appreciate ng ganyang klaseng libangan kahit pa bayaran mo ng P500 para magnegosyo ng palabunutan.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Life is an iPhone # 016

Clockwise from top row:

1. Happy Halloween! I took this photo roughly two weeks ago at the entrance of Glorietta 4. Got nothing more to say;

2. P25 Worth Hotdogs. The poster says it all. It so happened that there was a stall in the Market! Market! cinema area and it came handy when I was trying to theater-hop;

3. Cotton Balls. Just got fascinated with the newly coined words: “Bulak Balls”. Sounds like cutting classes to me;

4. Riverbank. There’s something therapeutic in watching a serene river. It’s like everything is alright and no harm is in sight especially after the metro’s recent bouts with typhoon Ondoy. Very, very reassuring;

5. White Forest. I was amused with the idea that Black Forest has a conterpart. And why not? White chocolate is a pleaser but I kind of miss the brown chocolatey taste of the original version;

6. Up Until 5am. It’s been a long while since I went to a weekday gimmick that lasted this late. Read: Saguijo before midnight then videoke at Top Grill until dawn. I thought I couldn’t make it to the office after two hours of decent sleep but I did. And with flying colors! As always, the most difficult part is the afternoon and I couldn’t have my coffee fix;

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Life is an iPhone # 015

Clockwise from top row:

1. Message Board. Found this one in Glorietta, near Food Choices. It’s a real time message board from Globe wherein you can send an SMS or MMS and have it posted on the board. I tried sending the message “Guwapo ako. – Manny P” but did not bother to wait for it to be displayed. Just check out the message on the left and yes, the Manny there is me. Jeman was trying to assemble his flock in time for screening of “The Age of Stupid”;

2. 20% Off. I’ve been holding up my self from buying a pair of Sanuk for close to two years already. It ended when they offered a 20% discount on all the products. I’m just human and I love my new blue Mutiny;

3. Globe Tattoo’s Big Brother House. There’s this gimmick (also from Globe) wherein a pair called Tattoo Icons share a small transparent room right in the middle of the Market! Market!. What you can do is type in a task request for them on a PC (where a Globe Tattoo wireless broadband is attached) near the booth. Then the couple receives the request through their mobile phones. I submitted one entry asking them to do the PBB dance and it’s an epic fail. They did “Ocho-Ocho” instead with two other volunteers;

4. Two Beers. It’s one of those nights when it felt like a beer or two had to be finished to cap the night. All by myself, I just observed those groups in other tables singing some videoke pieces and enjoyed it. I left after an hour;

5. Da Who!. This one’s taken during the body fat check in the office and guess who is wearing this very functional pair of socks. Cute, eh? Just call him the Blue Man;

6. Fifty Pesos. I was surprised that I can get a P50-meal from a mall food court. It’s even cheaper than the carinderia food along our street! It’s got two dishes namely sweet and sour meatballs (it’s their bestseller and a must-try) and ginataang langka, rice, pansit bihon and a small serving of iced tea. The name of the stall, by the way, is Brod Pit;

This is one way of knowing me (or if you're into Yoga thing, I would rephrase that into "searching my soul"). The easiest way, perhaps. Hindi kasi ako makwento. Instead of replying to an IM or SMS asking me "Kumusta na?", my blog, this blog, is as convenient as 7-11 or an ATM. I have nothing more to say (always remember that after digesting some of my entries). Just read on, enjoy my back-to-back sarcasm and oxymoron and be perplexed.... Do me a favor, call it "The Duh - Episode One".

: Name: Kiko Matsing at ang kanyang Monkey

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