| Life is a Trap | |||
| 09:52pm 30/06/2009 | |||
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The Cultural Center of the Philippines opened the fifth year of Virgin Labfest. This event sponsored by the Writers’ Bloc and the Japan Foundation gives opportunity to stage new plays. Fifteen new materials will be performed at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute from June 23 to July 5, 2009. There are five sets that consist of three plays each. Last Saturday, I was able to see “Life is a Trap” which were all about in search of escapes. Truths stirred by humor can make one sit through three amusing plays in a Saturday night. First in the three plays was Paigan. It brings us to the US-Filipino War when the US Government sent African-American troops to fight against the guerrillas. David Fagen defected from the US Government and fought side-by-side with the Filipinos. Liza Magtoto, the writer, presents the dilemma to the audience to identify who your enemy is. Filipinos are still in a war against poverty and money will be our way out of it. Hate Restaurant is a work by an Australian, David Finnegan. Toby, a chef who works in a local diner, came to work to find her employer Lucille unfit to work for the day. She needs to cook for 70 guests for a breakfast conference. She juggled between minding the demanding guests and her crazy waiters. Light yet tragic, something like Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell in theater. Nick Pichay’s Isang Araw sa Karnabal closes the night with a political drama set today. The play gives us a chance to eavesdrop to a lover’s date in the perya. Despite the festive mood of the carnival, they just cannot escape their grief over the loss of loved ones. Gripping from their painful past, they cannot see beyond building a family in society filled with injustice and political harassment. IMAX boasts of its images and Dolby surround sound. Theater gives you better because the actors show you tears and feel their anguish as they throw their lines. Audiences elicit their immediate response from the performance on stage. This set of plays apparently used real knives as props. Personally, I was scared that there might be an accident waiting to happen that night with bolos and chopping knife were used in the set. Audience can make a successful performance. But sometimes, it can spoil it too. Last Saturday, my laughter was pre-empted by the audience. The punch line was not yet delivered but they already were laughing. I don’t know if they were the performers or any of the writers’ guests. Other than that, I enjoyed the plays and I’m looking forward to watch the others. Life is an obstacle course but there’s a way to go through it. Never be afraid to solve its puzzle. You may commit mistakes but you can always correct it. Don’t take life’s problem too seriously and leave some space for laughter. Before you know it, you’ve unraveled something marvelous and you can write about it on the next Virgin Labfest. |
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| Angels and Demons | ||||
| 09:30am 19/05/2009 | ||||
 It was another hit though DVC didn't get positive reviews when it was shown in 2006. I didn't expect much but so far it delivered a more action packed and interesting story line that keeps the audience at the edge of their seat. Improvements: Robert Langdon has a better haircut or shall I say toupe. There were less storytelling and more action sequence like explosions, car chases, gun shots, etc. Complaints: As usual, changes in characterization and plots have to take place that offended those who have read the book. I didn't really mind how the screenplay was changed. I like Ewan Mcgregor's approach as the Camerlengo. He was effective as the ambitious and scheming antagonist. He surely knows how to put on a show. I bet he has a pool of researchers and writers under him to come up with a plot that would make Dona Dionisia Pacquiao envious that she will throw another birthday party for herself. Sometimes, it is better to go and see a movie to be entertained than over analyzing it. It simply spoils the fun. Go and watch Angels and Demons. |
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cheerful| Living it up and paying the price | ||||
| 03:53am 06/04/2009 | ||||
Before we adored holywood and local stars, people were just enthralled with the lives of the high society. The rich members of the upper echelon. In England, subject of gossips are the queens, kings, lords, dukes to name a few.  Who can forget Princess Diana who was married to the Prince of Wales. She died a tragic death with her boyfriend in Paris while running away from the paparazzi. Who would have thinked that her life can be parallel to one of her relatives, the Duchess of Devonshire. Keira Knightley plays Georgina Cavendish who was married to William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire. Her mom wants the best for her child which is a good end but the means she took to get it was rather questionable. She sold her daughter to Duke William (Ralph Fiennes). A marriage of convenience would make this brilliant lady miserable. All that is important for her husband is to produce a male heir. She was given all the luxury she wants but left on her device. Bored out of her wits, she amuses herself with social gatherings and gambling. They say that all London is in love with the Duchess except her own husband. In a vacation, she met Lady Elizabeth Foster and developed a fondness of her. Under the protection of the Duchess, she didn't realize that Lady Elizabeth slept with her husband. She pursues a love affair with Charles Grey who would later on be Prime Minister. With her popularity, she campaigned for the ambitious Charles as a member of the parliament. Their dalliance bore fruit and a scandal broke out in London's high society. The duke asked her off to the country while she's carrying the child and was asked to turn over her baby to the Greys. Living it up can be glamorous but there's a price to pay. In the end, she died penniless because of her gambling problems. Despite having rich relations, the duchess accumulated so much debt that she was not able to pay. |
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contemplative| Vicky Christina Barcelona | ||||
| 02:10pm 05/04/2009 | ||||
In his latest offering, he draws his inspiration from Spain. VCB features Academy Award winner Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem with Scarlet Johansson and Rebecca Hall.  Allen portrays artists as passionate, indulgent and impulsive opposite regular people who try to live by the norms of society. Vicky (Hall) is engaged to be married while Christina (Johansson) jumps into one relationship to another. While Vicky has set up her plan for the future, Christina does not know what she wants but only knows what she dislikes. In their Barcelona holiday, these two American tourists met Juan Antonio (Bardem) and were invited on a weekend in Oviedo. Due to impulsive behavior of Christina, they left with Juan Antonio. Bardem exudes sex in this film that you want to rip his clothes off. Though it is not an award worthy role, he didn’t shortchange his performance as a Casanova who can charm any woman to bed. It helped that he was dressed up in just shirt and jeans that show off his still impressive physique. I particularly like Rebecca Hall’s attack on her character. She knows how to use non-verbal cues to convey how vulnerable she is. Scarlet comes off weak opposite Miss Hall but I think that role of Christina needs to be developed more. It was not clear why she was so uncertain but I guess it is part of the mystery. Penelope won this year’s Oscars for her role as Maria Elena, the crazy yet genius ex-wife of Juan Antonio. I’m not jumping up and down with her performance in this film. She was her usual sexy self. Nothing extraordinary for me. It was just like a travelogue with sex. It didn’t want to prove a point after all even after how the characters pondered on the meaning of love and passion. Allen didn’t even bother to answer the questions posted. I think he just wants to tease his audience and I believe Woody succeeded in his goal. |
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pleased| Changeling | ||||
| 02:08pm 05/04/2009 | ||||
 Changeling is based on a true story that happened in the 1930’s. Christine lost her son and the police returned a different kid to her. In the effort to get good publicity, the City Police Chief refuses to admit their mistake and put the poor mother in a mental asylum. You cannot play around in a story like this but tell it as it is. As usual, this Clint Eastwood film is pretty drawn-out. It gives hope to people that amidst the evil and corruption in society, there is still hope. Strangers can be good Samaritans and rally with us in our cause. There were not much characterizations made for the villains. It was not established why Northcott kidnap and kills children. But then again, it was not the focus of the story. The crime was just the catalyst and made the Miss Collins fight for her son and to bring justice back to their city. Art direction and production design succeeded in bringing the 1930s back to life. From the vintage cars, flashing and exploding cameras, they help bring consistency in telling the story. Let’s not forget to mention fashion and make up. Angelina looks very classy in her short hairdo in this film. She wore hats that were in during those times. The characters, both men and women, were appropriately dressed. Overall, it was a good movie. It is the usual fare that you would see Angelina in but Changeling is a welcome change for her. |
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creative| Hills, Rain, Sand and Sea | ||||
| 08:00am 30/03/2009 | ||||
Lately, Bohol has attracted backpackers, Pinoys and foreigners alike, because of its picturesque terrain and warm people. I was so thrilled to go with a seasoned traveller like my boyfriend. Writing for a travel show for quite a while now, he planned the trip from the plane tickets, itinerary and lodging for five days Forums and blogs helped us in our planning stage. We have to be mindful of our budget without sacrificing comfort. Oops Bar and Restaurant was recommended by Walter. The Bar and Restaurants has six cottages (fan rooms) made from sawali typical of the houses in Bohol. We stayed in a single detached bahay kubo with its own bath and toilet. The place was simple and well ventilated. Going around Bohol's tourist spots is in our list of activities. There are vans and cars that can be rented for the whole day that will take you to old churches, Loboc River and to the famous Chocolate Hills. But it doesn't mean that it is the only way to go about the tour, right? Arlo challenged me to rough it and I step up to the challenge. Going around the island by a motorcyle made it feel like Roman Holiday (feeling Audrey Hepburn) in the tropics. You get to enjoy the sun and the wind as we visited hills, the river and the tarsiers. I was a bit worried going around on our own. We simply have to follow a map and ask the Boholanos for directions. It's a good thing that the roads are already concrete and the points of interests are just along the way. Sometimes, you have to go through some alleys but just following the road won't get you lost. There are other vans going there so you just have to follow. We stopped at the Blood Compact monument but I have observed there was another marker claiming it is where it happened. Talk about historical rivalry, eh? We again saw Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, who succeeded to claim the archipelago for Spain. Our last encounter with the "Adelantado" (a title he was given) was in his sarcophagus in San Agustin Church in Manila. Our next stop was the Baclayon Church. It's a really old church made from coral stones. Dramatically located by the sea, it was used as a watch tower for incoming pirates. Next chuch was dedicated to San Agustin, it's the Albuquerque church. These churches are open that you can enter anytime and take pictures. They still have the pulpit where priests stand for their homily. The last church we visited on our day tour was the Loboc River. It was dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. It's bell tower is detached from the main church. It was across the street beside the Loboc River. They say that the sound would travel faster in water. It serves as a call for the people whenever there are pirates attacking the island back then. We had lunch at the Loboc River serenaded by a local singer. He sounds really good and sang Visayan folk songs, OPM and old classics like "Moonriver." Song and dance number from locals where also a part of the Loboc cruise as we stop by the river bank to watch them perform. Food was great but it makes me wonder why the island failed to develop their own cuisine. We thought that the land was not as suitable for farming as the plains of Central Luzon. On our way to Carmen, where the rolling Chocolate Hills are, it started to rain. Rain drops can really be painful when it seems to prick on your skin when it falls really hard. We have to stop twice before getting there because it's getting hard to see already. Along the way, we saw the Bilar man-made forest. It was enchanting to say the least. The canopy of trees brings drama as you traverse the road. It is like enterring a time warp and it's so romantic. We arrived at the Chocolate Hills by 3pm. Since the clouds didn't seem have any interests in stopping bringing in the rain, we stayed only to take some pictures and leave. We didn't want to on the road before it gets dark. I was also worried that Arlo might be getting tired. I was praying really hard because we have to pass by the blind curves and ravines before getting to Loboc. Plus, it was raining so hard. It's a good thing that there are other riders so it made me feel at ease. We noticed that other foreign tourists chose to rough it like us. It only stopped pouring torrential rains in Baclayon Church which is our second stop. We went home tired but we really enjoyed the moment. |
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bored| Jay | ||||
| 08:14am 10/02/2009 | ||||
Paano kung ang kwento mo eh tapos na? Kailangan mo na lang i-retell sa national television? Ito ang kwento ni Jay. One of the most talked about indie film in Cinemalaya last year. It features the equally controversial Baron Geisler. Si Jay Santiago (Geisler) ay isang segment producer ng show na tumatalakay sa mga heinous crimes, think of Calvento Files. Ang feature nila ay si Jay Mercado na pinatay sa Sampaloc, Manila. Natagpuan ang kanyang katawan na may 8 saksak sa likod. Ninakaw ang kanyang cellphone. Ang suspect ay isang masahista dahil sa lotion at alcohol na matatagpuan sa tabi ng kama. We would get a glimpse how a story is weaved to make it TV worthy. Filipinos are hooked on drama and it has been as staple as rice on our dinner table. We love to see people bawl their eyes out in interviews. It’s like a fiesta when a celebrity “washes her laundry in public.” That would surely bring every reporter at your doorstep even in the wee hours of the morning. Di ko alam kung matutuwa ako sa character ni Baron. Kung boss niya ako, bibigyan ko siya ng raise dahil talagang dedicated siya sa work nya to the point that he’s being unscrupulous. Kung kailangan i-tweak ang story para maging maganda eh gagawin nya. Yung isang scene sa movie, muntik ng makawala yung suspect dahil sa kagustuhan nyang lagyan ng drama ang pagkahuli nito. The director showed how some people loved to be in the spotlight. They don’t mind if they are exploited already. Noong una, parang hesitant si Nanay Luz (mother of the victim) na magpakuha sa kamera. Pero makikita sa isang eksena na nag-retouch pa siya bago ang take 2. “Jay” exposed another face of reality. Movies and TV series are based on real life but sometimes you have to bend some truths to make it look better. |
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| Spice, Bland and Sweet - Three Haikus | |||
| 06:19am 07/02/2009 | |||
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Finely chopped chillies Like heat exuded by the Sun ov’r the garden Chilled white noodle dish Like silence in deep river Cleanses your palate Berries bloom from spring After a long cold winter Sweet yet a bit sour. |
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| Atang: Isang Dulang May Musika. | ||||
| 11:09am 04/02/2009 | ||||
Sino nga ba si Atang? Eh ang kilala na lang ng mga bata ngayon eh si Bella at Edward, si Blair and Serena, si Angel and Piolo, si Richard and KC. Mahirap siguro ipakilala sa ating henerasyon ang isang artista na sumikat noong nagsisimula pa lang ang pelikulang Pilipino. Kinilala si Honorata “Atang” dela Rama bilang National Artist for Theater and Music noong 1987 ni dating Pangulong Corazon Aquino. The recognition puts her in the league with other artists who gave major contributions to music, literature, dance and visual arts. Ngunit ano nga ba ang halaga nito kung wala namang nakaalala.  Ang dula ay mula sa panulat ng premyadong mandudula at director na si Floy Quintos. Alexander Cortez directs the play which had its first run in the last quarter of 2008. Taong 1987, tatanggapin ni Ka Atang ang parangal bilang National Artist. Sabay nito, isasapelikula ang talambuhay ni Atang na bibigyang buhay ng ambisyosang artista na si Gia Almonte. Bilang gampanan ang papel ay binisita ni Gia si Ka Atang. Binalikan ang kanyang simula sa pagtatanghal, pagsikat, mga pag-ibig at pasakit. Weaved between the repartee are kundiman songs made famous by Atang dela Rama. It takes chemistry and good timing to pull off the material. Ayen Munji-Laurel delivered a good performance as the ambitious Gia Almonte who wants to leave her nymph image. Frances Makil-Ignacio gave a “back breaking” portrayal of the legendary Queen of Kundiman. She was both comical and stirring act in her delivery of her lines. Both actress brought energy to an easy Sunday morning show. Aside from the lead actors, Bituin Escalante stole the show as Katy dela Cruz. Kauna-unahang superstar bago pa dumating sina Ate Vi at Ate Guy. Malaking recording at concert artist bago pa si Megastar. Bago pa pinagkaguluhan ang kagandahan ng mga babaeng nakahubad sa FHM at Maxim, nabigag na ni Ka Atang ang puso ng mga kalalakihan kahit naka baro’t saya ang lola nyo. Nakakaaliw ang batuhan ng linya ni Ayen and Frances kaya naman natatawa naman sa mga punch lines ang mga nakakabatang audience. Parang musical education na rin dahil inawit ang ilang makabagbag-damdaming kundiman. Malinis ang pagkaka-awit ni Ayen sa mga klasikong awitin. Bonggang bongga din ang mga terno na suot nya the whole show. At wag nating kalimutan, ang mga diamonds! Masakit sa mata pag tumama ang ilaw….nakakasilaw! Ano ba ang nakuha ko sa play? Para sa akin, it talked about legacy. Ang tao madaling makalimot, ang kasikatan ay kumukupas. Sana bigyan natin ng halaga ang mga kontribusyon na iniwan sa atin ng mga bayani, manunulat, kompositor, actor, atbp. Isa pa, may natutuklasan tayong mga bagay na minsan ay sisira sa alaala ng mga taong tinitingala natin. Madalas, mas nabibigyan nang pansin ang mga bagay na ito at natatabunan ang tunay na dahil kung bakit natin binabalikan ang kanilang nakaraan. Gumawa tayo ng sarili nating kontribusyon sa ating pamayanan. Matuto sa mga aral ng nakaraan at pagandahin ang bukas na darating. |
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content| Baler | ||||
| 09:50am 07/01/2009 | ||||
Mahal ang budget sa isang period film. Kailangan mag research ka talaga para maging makatotohanan ang kwento, tama ang detalye ng mga costume, ang mga dayalogo ay ayon sa panahon ng salaysay, atbp. Mahirap sumugal dahil di ka rin sigurado kung papatok ito sa panlasa ng Pinoy audience. As we all know, talo ng Holywood films ang mga locally produced films. Sa ganda ba naman ng mga special effects at galing ng marketing eh talaga namang papasukin mo ang mga foreign films. Metro Manila Film Fest na lang yata ang naghihikayat sa mga film producers para gumawa ng pelikula. This year, Viva Films official entry is “Baler.” Casting pa lamang perfect na! The very Filipina looking Anne Curtis will essay the role of a barrio lass who fell in love with a Spanish mestizo soldier played by caramel skinned Jericho Rosales. Di pa ang saya!  Di ko akalain na ang lahi pala natin any may natural na mamula-mulang buhok at ganda talaga ng bagsak ng buhok. Kahit hard water ang pinaliligo natin noon ay mukhang alagang salon ang buhok ni Anne. Walang effect sa kanya ang sunburn at paglalakad sa araw. Sana man lang ginawang mukhang pinay ang bida. Ano ba naman ang gumamit ng dye para paitimin ang buhok. Gumamit ng bronzer para maging morena si Anne. Si Ogie nga nagpa make up ng dark para maging Luga Luda sa Desperadas. Sabi naman ng friend ko na nag Spanish classes, di tama ang enunciation nila Baron Geisler and company sa mga Spanish lines nila. Pwede naman siguro kumuha ng language coach. Daming areas for opportunity ang “Baler.” It could have been written better. Di ko rin masyadong gusto how the women are portrayed sa film kasi di man lang nag-display ng sense of nationalism ang mga babae. Umiibig lang sila, yun lang. Sana man lang sinulat na gusto rin nilang maging malaya at wakasan ang pang-aabuso ng mga Kastila. Gusto ko yung “Crying Ladies” na dinirek ni Mark Meilly kaya naman na-disappoint ako sa movie na to. Weak ang story telling nya dito. Mas fluid yung nauna niyang work. May narinig nga akong mas mukhang period film ang low budget na indie film na “Concierto” kesa sa Baler.  Sana lang bigyan talaga ng artistic freedom ang mga director, writer at crew para mas magawa nila ng polido ang isang pelikula. I believe that we have great artists that would shine here and abroad given the budget and free rein on their craft. |
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moody| Moral | ||||
| 07:42am 01/01/2009 | ||||
Written by Ricky Lee Pinalabas noong early 1980s, isa na ito na maituturing na classic ng Filipino cinema. Noong mga panahon na iyon, makabuluhan ang mga ginagawang pelikula ng mga producer at tinatangkilik naman ito ng mga tao. Hindi ko pa napapanood ang “Moral” kasi wala na akong makitang kopya. Di ko naman maabutan sa cable kung maipalabas man ito. Nakita ko lang ang screenplay sa bahay ni Arlo at binasa. Paumanhin sa stereotype, akala ko puro sex lang ang laman ng movie kasi nga “Moral” ang title. Weird ko noh? Moral nga ang title so it has to be about morality pero inisip ko sex at violence ang content. Katatapos ko lang din basahin ang unang nobela ni Ricky Lee, “Para Kay B,” kaya dun ko na lang ipapasok ang insights ko tungkol sa nauna niyang likha. May mga napansin kasi akong mga pagkakapareho ng dalawang akda kahit na halos 26 years ang agwat nila. Parehong mga babae ang lead characters ng novel at ng screenplay. Di sila mga babaeng tulad ni Mara at Esperanza na sobrang bait, may mga hang-ups sila sa buhay. Si Kathy (Gina Alajar) ay bilib na bilib sa singing talent niya na siya lang ang nakakapansin. Si Sylvia (Sandy Andolong) naman ay may anak at hiwalay sa asawa nyang bading. Si Maritess (di na sya active ngayon) ay sunud-sunuran sa asawa niyang ang pangalan ay Dodo. Joey (Lorna Tolentino) ay walang permanent address kasi ayaw mag stay sa magulang nya. It follows siguro na mag fall siya kay Jerry na naging aktibista na eventually naging NPA. Sila ang mga karakter sa moral. Parang Gimik or TGIS (para sa new generation Dawson’s Creek, 90210, Gossip Girl) na may social relevance noong 1980s. Samahan ng barkadang babae na may iba-ibang trip. Eh bakit nga ba “Moral” ang pamagat? Kasi may mga sitwasyon na napasok ang mga karakter when they need to weigh kung ano ang tamang gawin. Moral ba na magpa-abort ng bata? Papayag ka bang ibigay mo ang katawan mo sa asawa mo kahit pagod na pagod ka na? Sapat na ba na sumikat ka kahit di ka naman ganun kagaling? Ok lang ba maging number 2 or number 3? Masama bang maging kaibigan mo ang lalaking pinalit sa yo ng asawa mo? Yun ang mga pinag-daanan ng mga pangunahing tauhan sa pelikula. May mensahe siyang pag-iisipan mo at talagan namang importante pero na deliver naman siya na di pilit. Ang mga tao kasi ayaw ma-sermunan. Mas maganda siguro na magbigay ka ng aral but let them realize ang tama kesa ipipilit sa yo. Sana mapanood ko rin ang movie. Sunod ko susulat yung tungkol sa “Para Kay B.” I’m still digesting it eh. |
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| Read 1 - Post | ||||
| Thanksgiving | ||||
| 10:49am 26/12/2008 | ||||
You don’t always get along with everyone in the office, but you just have to learn how to deal with them rather than stress over things you cannot control. Routine office work can get really boring. Coaching agents who never really appreciate their work can be frustrating when their scores affect your assessment. On the other hand, these challenges may bring about new ideas on how to approach them. Be creative. Relationships with siblings may improve as you grow older. Gone are the days when you fight over who sleeps on top of the double deck or gets to control the television. Looking back, I always ask my parents for allowance. Now, I support the family but it’s a good thing that I have a brother who is now working. My brother is in UP while my sister is in a public science high school; both are scholars. I am gaining weight and that bothers me. But come to think of it, it’s better than I’m losing weight and looking older than my age. I just need to watch what I eat and exercise to keep healthy. I hope my parents and relatives stay healthy. Getting a raise feels really good. You just need to know how to manage your finances. With the doomsayers predicting a hard year ahead, it is better to spend wisely. Aside from family, you need the support of your friends. Though I have friends who left the Philippines to try their luck abroad, I’m happy that all of them are happy and successful where they are. We still keep in touch as much as possible. It is very important to learn how to nurture relationships. You learn from each other and enjoy every moment. My friends have been discovering and developing their talents. Ver is taking Spanish language classes and culinary arts. Marjo has been busy with work and his fashion design. He even showed his works in a fashion show a few months back. Jowin flew to Singapore; Cassy was sent for training in Guatemala; Arvin taught English in Indonesia; Iyay married and gave birth to a cute baby girl. Arlo finished another hit game show this year. He is now playing tennis with Peter. Our brunch group has its new member. I have seen many brilliant performances all over the metro within this year. Overall, it’s been a great year and I’m looking forward for more in 2009! There’s abundance for everyone. The best in life is mine now and forever! |
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thankful| 100 | ||||
| 06:12am 09/12/2008 | ||||
Written and directed by: Chris Martinez Summary: Mylene plays a woman in her prime diagnosed with cancer. She kept a list of things to accomplish before she dies. Her list contains the most mundane to important documents like land titles and settling credit card debts. She resigned from work, transfers the ownership of a property to her mom, ended her liaison with a married man, and searched for her one true love. Review: For a movie that talks about death, it’s a breath of fresh air. It’s light and warm. It will make you laugh and cry at the same time. It’s well written and the cast were great. Chris’ lead character is not a saint but human all the way. She nags her employee, engages in a relationship with a married man with a pregnant wife but she loves her mom and best friend. The film talks about how to make most out of her remaining days. It’s important for her to enjoy what’s left rather than drown in her miserable state. She wants to clear her conscience so she broke up with her lover. Finding her ex-boyfriend was also part of her list. One of my favourite parts was when she bequeathed her cat to her nephew. The child prefers a dog than a cat. Mylene told him that cats are independent. “Makikipag-laro sa ‘yo ang pusa, pag gusto nya. Pag ayaw nya, di ka niya papansinin. Eh ang aso, uto-uto. Ikaw, gusto mo ba ng alagang uto-uto?” In a way, she’s comparing herself to the cat. She refuses to be a burden for her mom. That’s why she prepared her to accept her death. Mylene has been one of the underrated actresses in the country. She can be your “api-apihang bida” yet she can be your “glamorous contrabida.” In this movie, she has to be both strong and vulnerable. Her character has to be strong because she doesn’t want her mom to worry about her. Dizon displays her vulnerability as she makes love with TJ Trinidad in their steamy bed scene. She failed to control herself when she hugged her ex-boyfriend who was a priest. Eugene mastered the craft of perfect timing when she throws her punch line. Though it’s a supporting role, she owns it and makes it relevant to the story. One of the reasons why I watched this movie is because of her. She has many memorable scenes in this movie and one of them is when she came to her rescue after she felt severe abdominal pain. Eugene tucks her to bed then she finds a black boxers. “Eh kaya ka naman pala nanghihina eh, napakalandi mo lang!” Tessie Tomas shows that talent knows no age. You suddenly feel that she’s Mylene’s mom. She delivers her lines very naturally. You just enjoy their chemistry on screen. A good film is not without eye candies like TJ Trinidad and Ryan Eigennman. It adds to the production value. I can say that for an independent film, this is an expensive one. The condo unit where Mylene lives was in Ortigas and it was fully furnished. Hong Kong served as their overseas destination. They even went to HK Disneyland. 100 shows us that life should be cherished. Find the good things in life and enjoy it with your family or friends. We never know when it will be taken from us so we just have to keep a positive attitude. It’s not the how long we live that matters but the quality of life that matters. The film was wonderfully written, the actors ‘performance was commendable and the quality was great. |
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| Phenomenon | ||||
| 01:04am 04/12/2008 | ||||
Demands your attention as you gaze Worship her beauty, her escort And father, Zeus His power seems to fade Beside his daughter that sprung from the sea Mindless of the wrath of Hera That might be lurking in the dark Heeding her father’s call Mighty Diana, the huntress in the night Watching over the secret affair Until her brother Apollo takes over Standing by each other Shameless in sin Ignoring karma |
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sympathetic| Not my cup of tea - A review of Twilight | ||||
| 05:05pm 01/12/2008 | ||||
I haven’t read a word from the book but since palabas na sya last Wednesday so go and watch kami last Sunday. Gusto rin mapanood ng Monica, my sister, so sinama na namin siya ni Arlo. Di ko kasi siya napanood ng High School Musical kaya hinayaan ko na syang manood ng Twilight. Tapos sinabi pa niya na required daw sila to watch it on their English class. They have to compare it with Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. Twilight pales in comparison with Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles (no pun intended), but we cannot deny its popularity with the teens. It’s the first in a series of books so the author was still introducing and building the characters. Nabagalan lang talaga ako at naantok ako sa ilang parts. Di ko naman na experience yung lull na yun while watching the first parts na Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Alam ko with vegetarian people, they need to take supplements kasi they miss some key nutrients from not eating meat. Ganun din ang naisip ko with the vampires pero it’s different with Twilight. I don’t understand how Edward and his clan easily killed a vampire who doesn’t deprive himself with human blood. I know that vampires are beautiful pero di ko na realize na aside from having very fair skin eh may naka-implant palang mga swarovski crystals sa mga balat nila. Gawa kaya ito ng special diamond peel they undergo with a vampire Vicky Belo? Hehehe. Di naman ako masyadong na-impress with the movie. Ibig sabihin ba nito ay matanda na ako kasi pang teenagers ang target market ng fim noir na ito? Di ko matanggap! Hindi!!!! |
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thirsty| Sponge or Stone? | ||||
| 11:12am 27/11/2008 | ||||
 Yesterday, Mo Twister had a special guest from Mensa. They are inviting people on their event at Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street on Sunday, November 30. They are looking for new members to join their organization which comprises the top 2% of the smartest people on earth. You just need to pay 500 PhP to take their examination and if you pass you are privileged to join their prestigious organization. You could hang out with the smartest people in the planet. Imagine that! Is it really important to be intelligent? Yes! It could get you many opportunities and even make you rich. But, we have to remember that aside from high IQ, you have to balance it out with EQ. Now, our team has our hands full with new hire agents. We need to focus on these agents to identify who will be absorbed by Operations. Evaluating these new hires can be really stressful. They take too much time on their call and you could feel their nerves on the phone. Some calls even get escalated because the customers sense their inexperience. Amazingly, the new hire agents assigned to me have been very receptive in coaching. They listen and show improvement in their performance. You just need to guide them so they would be consistent. Some TSR are not sharp as the others, but you could sense their potential because of the effort they exert. I have one agent who needs communication skills training but I can see that he tries to follow the tips I have been giving him during our coaching sessions. However, we also have agents who hate following guidelines, especially the tenured ones. They have developed their style and habits that are already hard to break. It is just up to their QAAs on the strategy to move them on the right directions. While others show their dedication, some representatives treat their customers as crap. You could hear it in their voice, they sound monotonous and bored. They leave their customers on hold longer and they take their sweet time to provide resolutions. I’m thinking of giving a sponge bob award on agents who can absorb what they have learned in their coaching session. On the other hand, I would give boring and lifeless stones on agents who don’t seem to learn. I know it’s silly but I’m still in the process of developing this idea. Well, sponge bob is a model employee. He surely gives his heart and soul in every patty he serves his customers. This nickelodeon cartoon character may not be the most brilliant one in TV but he surely shows that good attitude can be more admirable than being a Mensa member. |
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chipper| Change has come to the Philippines? | ||||
| 07:18am 12/11/2008 | ||||
As early as now, you may have seen “public service” ads by Senate President Manuel Villar and Senator Loren Legarda. BF has been very vocal in his intention to seek the highest office of the land. He even joined a reality singing contest so he can have funds for his campaign. VP Noli de Castro remained on the top spot on surveys conducted by SWS. Supporters of Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay even urged him to run for the Presidency calling him the Pinoy Obama. Though these people are seasoned politicians, the Filipino people have still a lot to learn in selecting public servants who will run this country. While we have to focus on national issues that need to be addressed, some prefer to vote based on personality. Erap received the highest mandate in Philippine history. The masses apparently were still mesmerized with his appeal that they could not differentiate him from the role he immortalized in the silver screen. It lead to an impeachment complaint and later on his eviction from Malacañang. On the other hand, GMA proved that she is a hardworking president. She started her political career using her resemblance with Nora Aunor. But her appeal with the public has seen spiralling down, her image has been tarnished by scandals left and right beginning with the First Gentlemen. Moreover, her decisions do not sit well with everyone. I reckon that, as early as now, we can start educating the public about the importance of elections. Knowledge can empower us so we can utilize our privilege wisely. We can start with defining the job description of each post and the requirements to be eligible to run for office. I know that this is taught in school but I doubt if even 10% of the voting public even remembers what they have studied in Social Studies in High School. As voters, we can observe the performance and lifestyle of aspiring presidential candidates. It is our responsibility to be vigilant so we can make right decisions come election time. We have to get leaders who have vision and good work ethics. How can you trust people with decisions on national issues that have more leaves than days present in Senate or Congress? It is one thing to appear makamasa and another thing to have a genuine compassion and offer action plans to improve their standing. Being a President, you need to put national interests in mind that’s why it’s tough to balance clashing advocacies like the issue on reproductive health bill. Let me quote Chester Bowles, “Government is too big and too important to be left to the politicians.” In running this country, we work hand in hand with the government. Exercise our rights, be aware of the issues, and work hard rather than just blame our miseries to one person. |
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| Occupational Hazard | ||||
| 05:18am 06/11/2008 | ||||
Hazards can happen everywhere and the office is no exception. I work with Quality and people from Operations tag as fault finders and police who gives them tickets for every mistake they make. With these labels on the back of my mind, I make it a point to give feedback using positive words and phrases. Trainings are even developed like motivational coaching to aid us in our coaching sessions. Despite my effort to sandwich negative between positive feedbacks, you can’t help but get hostile reactions every once in a while. As I came back to my station one Friday, Joanne told me that she received a call from IT asking if she can give recording application access to an agent. She was confused why this agent (let’s call her Britney) is asking for access on our recording tool. Apparently, this agent thinks that we are choosing bad calls to audit. Britney has been very vocal about how she never got a passing grade. Whenever I coach her, I asked her if anything is unclear but she said none. However, you would hear all her complaints from other agents. Being the bigger person can really be a challenge sometimes. You really have to know your place so you don’t stumble down to her level. It would be pretty messy mistake and it’s not worth it. |
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bitchy| Banapple | ||||
| 08:58am 22/10/2008 | ||||
Cuisine: Desserts Location: 225 Katipunan Ave., Blue Ridge, QC  It's our first time to visit Banapple on our search for a great breakfast place. We visited a friend in Blue Ridge and asked if he knows a good place to eat. So we went to Banapple. It's an interesting name and desserts came to my mind. They offer breakfast and we tried the staple tocino and tapa. Their serving is good enough to make you satisfied. It comes with creamy omelette with some herbs. We paired it with 3 pieces of blueberry pancakes. Pancakes were hobbit like if I compare them with Heaven and eggs but it tastes really good as well. I love it as it melts in your mouth. Bits of blueberry bursts as you chew the pancakes. We had pecan pie for dessert at home for our sunday lunch. The pie crust has a milder flavor than the plum flavored syrup and pecan nuts. It looks good as it's yummy. I wanna go back and try their savory pies and sandwiches. Their prices are pretty reasonable and food is great!  |
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| 09:15am 11/10/2008 | ||||
Last year, Teri Hatcher’s character caught the ire of Filipinos when she said “OK, before we go any further, can I check those diplomas? Because I would just like to make sure they are not from some med school in the Philippines.” Ten years ago, Claire Danes came to Manila to shoot scenes for Brokedown Palace. She described the city as “ghastly and weird city.” City of Manila banned her movie from being screened here and declared as persona non grata. These incidents just prove that we can put our lives in the line to protect our reputation and image to the public. Some individuals take justice in their hands while the others prefer to settle the issue in a civil manner. But generally, no one will take these insults sitting down. But I guess in every rule, there is an exception. Let’s take Mamang Pulis as an example. The Philippine National Police has been doing their best to give our cops a better image. However, how are they depicted in local television and in the movies? When there’s a crime, they’re the last team to arrive. The powerful and rich villains in teleseryes can easily bribe policemen. Policemen were portrayed as goons, rapists, and trigger-happy. But, we don’t see anyone complaining about this. I think they need to have a better PRs. |
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