The Mistress and MyThoughts

Went to see the last full show of "The Mistress" on its first day of screening and I have to say that this is the kind of movie that makes me want to believe in Pinoy films again. If perfection ever does exist in visual cinema, "The Mistress" has got to be it--a masterpiece of mainstream cinema! 

The story is so good, script was fabulously great--well written, direction and editing are so right on target. Casting is impeccable and acting is beyond words--John Llyod Cruz and Bea Alonzo were both palpable! I am so glad the role of Eric Torres went on to John Lloyd Cruz and not to the first choice actor who later moved to another network. Honestly, I couldn't think of any other actors who can give justice to the roles of Eric and Sari but these two.

I love the subdued but intense acting of everyone that perfectly compliments the very raw and genuine emotions of the script. I love the right amount of tantalizing embedded through out the entire narrative creating the perfect balance of sensuality--it's so EROTIC! 

Finally, I love that the ending didn't betray the main premise of the movie as well as its characters and their conflicts just to give in to what Pinoy moviegoers would want to see. 

Yes, it's painful and often times we question why but it's a bittersweet reality of life that we can't always have what we want cause had it been the other way around, probably there's really hope for world peace. But at the end of it all, I still find myself asking--should we really hold back on love just so we won't hurt the feelings of others around us? Can we really equate the common rules of right and wrong to LOVE? And given that LOVEis still governed by these principles--who determines what is right and what is wrong in its inexplicable nature or should we really just settle to the sad reality of "hindi dahil gusto mo, makukuha mo"? 

P.S. John Lloyd Cruz killed my heart over and over again through out the movie's almost 2 hours and 10 minutes. I SWEAR HE'S GIVING SEXINESS A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT DIMENSION it's so HOT!

Kimmy Dora and the Temple of Kyeme

5/5

Not only is it comedy at its best, Kimmy Dora and The Temple of Kyeme is also what sequels should be!

It’s common knowledge that creating a sequel is one of the greatest challenges in film making let alone create one that even surpass its predecessor in terms of quality and substance but this sequel to Kimmy Dora does just that.

The screenplay is one of the bests I’ve ever watched in Pinoy comedy movie. The plot is simple and almost shallow to its core but it was written very well along with a very funny script that there’s no boring, corny factor in it. The comedy it presented is very fresh and natural that it will really transport you to the world it created negating the out-of-this-world feel we usually get from mainstream cinema. I’ve always been a fan of Chris Martinez. His 100 is still my favorite movie of all-time. I also applaud his Last Order Sa Penguin as well as his other hits like Here Comes The Bride and Ang Babae Sa Septik Tank, and I must say that this movie just made me admire him even more.

The seamless blending of comedy, drama, and horror in this movie is also one for the books. It was perfectly manifested in the entire film. To be honest, the “gulat” factor is more defined in this film than Joyce Bernal’s overrated “Segunda Mano” last December. Lighting and Cinematography are equally amazing. The shots really made me love South Korea. Even the special effects were done excellently and believably. This movie knows its strengths from the script, to the over-all screenplay, to its actors and it instinctively capitalized in all of it creating all-time highs of the movie.

As far as the lead star’s acting is concern, I have nothing to say but WOW to Eugene Domingo. Acting in two different characters is hard enough but to portray two extreme characters at the same time with the perfection she does is just genius! Seriously, thank God for a Eugene Domingo in Philippine cinema! She’s outstanding and remarkably the ONLY one. The most poignant scene of the movie is actually the one where Dora is giving back her engagement ring to a half-awake, comatose Johnson and knowing the character of Dora, there will probably be the slightest part of you who would want to laugh but I swear believe me when I say you will be carried away. The scene lasted for just a minute or two but you can feel the genuinely innocent pain of her Dora character there. That’s how brilliant actress EUGENE DOMINGO is!

In conclusion, Kimmy Dora and the Temple of Kyeme is a must watch comedy. In my own honest opinion it’s funnier than the first Kimmy Dora and if you enjoyed it I guarantee that this one will exceed your expectations. I truly hope that more Pinoy comedy movies with substance and wit like this will be produced. Enough of the Wenn Deramas shitty crap comedy that’s so prevalent in mainstream cinema today, please!

No Other Woman

5/5

Sizzles with passion and, full of heart and soul, fall for the temptation of 2011’s biggest movie event of the year. No Other Woman is a must watch movie that explores the guilty pleasures of infidelity.

Ram (Derek) is a handsome furniture supplier who through his charisma and undeniable looks has charmed many of his clients. He is married to Charmaine (Christine), a pretty, doting housewife who learns of her husband’s infidelity with the gorgeous temptress, the other woman…Kara (Anne). Ram soon finds himself caught between his marriage to Cha, and his passionate relationship with the alluring Kara as the two ladies gives the fight of their lives for his love.

Upon seeing the trailer I knew right there and then that this movie is something. This intuition was cemented when the Grade A of the Cinema Evaluation Board came out. It was polished dry when I was captivated by the script and acting in the comfort of a sold-out, last full show screening.

We are now living in a time when more than delivering a movie or a story per se that’ll become a classic when the time comes, producers more than ever are just interested in generating profits that when a movie like this comes we really need to stop and celebrate the event. I say this because this movie is not your typical rom-com or passable comedy movies they say is what the market now is looking for. No Other Woman actually somehow takes you back to the 70s and 80s, which for me is the golden age of Philippine Cinema. This movie is like the modern day version of the 1982 classic “Gaano Kadalas Ang Minsan”.

It delights me to analyze now that this movie actually has its very good story to tell. The plot is nothing new. We’ve all heard about a beautiful happy couple whose marriage is suddenly shaken by the arrival of another woman to complete a triangle. But what sets this movie far above the movies of today is how brilliant the execution of modern day infidelity in the story. It took a lot of realism from our society today bearing it upon the backbone of its sole plot and into the beings of its main protagonists and antagonist. With this, the movie so much so veered away from the expected predictability of a rehashed story. A note of praise goes to the Director, Ruel Bayani for his fine treatment and execution.

This movie takes great pride from its brilliant, masterful script. It gave the movie so much soul with its heartfelt dialogues interspersed with clever wit in a language relatable to everyone. BRAVO! Marvellous marvellous script! Also what I love about it that it didn’t go overboard. It’s generous at times and keeps silent when the emotion of the scene calls for it.  Great thumbs up to screenplay writers Kris Gazmen and Jay Fernando for this incredible script. You’ll know that a movie is a hit when its script and much of its remarkable lines stay to movie goers and eventually become quotable quotes copied in street conversations, in text messages, in social networking sites, etc. and I’m sure most of this movie’s quotable quotes and confrontation scenes will be indulgently remembered. The script alone will make this movie a classic for generations to come.

Much to this movies delight, the clever script is matched with notable acting from its lead cast. Anne Curtis is fabulous in a role almost tailored fit for her. I believe by this time she’s already established herself as an actress and this movie proves it all. She has almost done every role yet still gives justice to all of them.  One thing about Anne Curtis as an actress is that she’s fierce! She’s not afraid to do whatever the role or the story asks for. This is very evident in all her past works and most especially in this movie. This is her best role portrayal to date! And my goodness she wears any fashion with unmatchable “fabulousity”! Derek Ramsay is the perfect leading man of today who’s not just all looks and body; he is an actor of great calibre! He is the complete package perfect for a leading man. He has that awesome- to-die-for hunk body which goes along with that handsome-angelic face, and to top it all up that genuine and sincere acting. His eyes are his greatest acting asset that at times when words can’t contain the emotions already, his eyes alone says it all. Christine Reyes on the other hand shows tremendous improvement with her acting in this movie. Yes, there are still a lot of times that she can’t match the acting given by Anne and Derek but I have to say she’s gone a long way from her Eva Fonda days, in fairness to her.

This movie is one of the best modern day dramas I’ve seen since 2009’s “And I Love You So”. No Other Woman is a must watch movie; a story to reckon, characters to love and hate, and dialogues to ponder on. This is the kind of big screen spectacle that’ll stay in you and you’ll remember even as the years pass by. The story of No Other Woman is a quick-witted reminder of how dangerous it is to play with fire because you might be captivated by it that you don’t know when to hold back and let go, you’re already burned. Finally, No Other Woman reminds us of the fact that this whole world is a big love battle field. Love drives us all mad and we damn right fight for it especially when ours is being threatened and I say we really should because amidst all its complexities, LOVE is always worth it all. We can choose for all we want, we can even succumb to temptations once in awhile but always do remember that hearts gets broken along the way for in a love story of two, there can be no other one! All is fair in love and a triangle sure as hell isn’t fair. Fidelity is the soul of relationships! 

Crazy, Stupid, Love

5/5 

A brilliant romantic comedy that delivers to all ages, the saving grace of this genre!

Cal (Carell) gets the shock of his life when one night, his wife for 25 years, Emily (Moore) asks for a divorce after sleeping with a co-worker. Cal then had a downward spin as he tries to understand what has happened to their marriage. Frequenting a bar to forget and talk about David Lindhagen (his wife’s co-worker whom she slept with), to just about anyone in the bar. This bar rant of all his bitterness have led for him to be noticed by Jacob (Gosling), a hot bachelor determined to mentor him into today’s dating world. Jacob repackaged him into a whole new Cal but despite this new found world of womanizing, can he really be happy when he’s still caught up with Emily?

Crazy, Stupid, Love is different from almost all the romantic comedies of the past decade for it presents a realistic perspective of what love and relationships are all about. Typical elements of a romantic comedy were still present in this movie but it sets itself apart from all the others with the way the geniuses of directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa executed on screen a formulaic plot we’ve seen a million times before. There’s still the understandable feel of predictability given its genre but they complemented this with hilarious twists in the story. With this, they were able to still create a certain level of suspension in disbelief which is very rare in romantic comedies these days.

In fact, the glory of this movie is in the way it capitalized on its characters and not the general feel of love euphoria aka kilig that most movies of this genre tend to focus on. Instead of relying on kisses all over the place, it revolved around the real, genuine drama of a couple going through a divorce, or a new found intimacy with someone, or the bittersweet madness of a first love. The movie presented the conflicts of the plot in such a way that it highlighted the personalities and inner struggles of each character. It is also more than worthy to point out how cleverly thought the connections of each characters are. It’s almost seamless that it did add to the movies attempt at humor. What’s also so lovable about this movie is how it didn’t try to exaggerate everything. The few words and those little moments of silence that disguises as a dramatic scene were actually the highest points of romance in the movie.

A big credit of this movie goes out to the calibre performance of its cast. Steve Carell gave a very good performance in this movie. His acting and profoundness in facial expressions gave the character of Cal depth in terms of sincerity. Julianne Moore is without a doubt an actress who can give any role justice. Her wisdom as an actress matched Carell’s wittiness on screen. Their talents gave the pairing and the story so much authenticity. Ryan Gosling sizzled in this movie and gave the hot bachelor-womanizer-sex addict role a deeper sense of worth. The character of Jacob is in every word perfect for him. Just by his new all-buffed up image the character is already perfect for him, this is still excluding his acting. Ryan is definitely one of the most versatile Hollywood actors of today. Emma Stone gave an equally good performance as Hannah and exuded a great deal of chemistry with Gosling on screen.

Crazy, Stupid, Love is a romantic comedy that knows what it wants and delivers perfectly the message it’s trying to impart. It tackles different faces of love in a broad and general sense that it caters to a very diverse audience. This movie distinguishes itself from other movies of its genre because it doesn’t try to solve each love problem there is. It also doesn’t paint a picture of an unrealistic happily ever after story but it does give its viewers a grasp of the realities of loving. Crazy, Stupid, Love also solidifies the idea of a soulmate. It tells the story of how CRAZY and mysterious it really is, it shows us how STUPID we all become chasing that elusive one great LOVE of our lives…THE ONE!

Twisted with KFC Twisters: The Fish Twister

As a regard to my promise to taste all the KFC Twister, I had the new Fish Twister this afternoon for lunch. Though I love the palatable taste of the sweetness and sourness of cucumber being enhanced by the creamy flavour of cheese, this is my least favorite of all the KFC Twisters. Fourth in the series of eight flavors they’re going to release, this Fish Twister lacks the wow factor that’ll make my tongue come back for more. There’s nothing new about it and seriously just tastes like the California Maki Twister the only difference is that it is fish and not KFC’s signature crispy chicken fillet. And as everybody knows, I’m more into chicken than to fish so obviously I’d go for the California Maki flavor than this one. Hehe. Although I must say, KFC’s fish fillet is good enough with just the right crispiness and ample thickness of fish inside the crispy starch coating. I honestly didn’t expect that they’ll be including a Fish Twister in the series and this is becoming ridiculous because OC me is really flipping my mind wondering what the next flavors will be. I’m in a guessing game! Hahahaha.

127 Hours

5/5

An astonishingly powerful true to life story that metaphorically reminds us of what it means to live and survive. A true masterpiece no one should dare miss!

127 Hours is the story of Aron Ralston played by James Franco who in 2003, went on an adventure trip in the Robbers Roust Canyons in Utah without telling anyone of his plans. Unfortunately, he met an accident when an 800-pound boulder traps his right arm in the canyons. With just a few hiking stuffs with him, Aron knew it’s impossible to be rescued by anyone, at least not until he’s still alive and breathing. So with much courage, Aron knew he needed to save himself and after five days of being trapped, amputating his lower right arm, he magnificently extricated himself from the canyons and had a second chance in life.

Words are not enough to compliment a movie like 127 Hours which, if not for the genius of a director like Danny Boyle, would just be a nice but dull story we’ll probably chance upon watching in National Geographic or Discovery Channel. But the Slumdog Millionaire Director once again proved that with the right idea and a masterful technique in execution, a story like this is definitely a Hollywood material. It’s pretty evident that a narrative like this of 127 Hours will otherwise be boring adding to the fact that it calls for a location and an environment that’s already dull as it is. But Director Danny Boyle made used of the magic of split screen and manipulated images of representations, flashbacks, and imaginations in order to create mindful imageries of icebreaker to an otherwise dragging plot. This technique also provided Boyle a tool on how to give the audience a peek on what’s going on inside Aron’s mind and not only the thoughts that he verbalizes or the emotion Franco expresses.

The screenplay always play a vital role in any movie narrative and the stakes are higher in this one because in a movie that’s 95% monologue, you need to have a simple, direct to the point yet full of authentic emotion kind of script that thoroughly send its message of life importance to the audience. And this movie raises the bar on that. This is also one of the many advantages when the director is also the one who penned his movie’s screenplay. There is very minimal possibility that the message the narrative is trying to convey will be lost in translation.

Also, it is very important to note that this movie wouldn’t come out this way if not for the incredible talent of James Franco who practically was a one-man-show in this movie. Though accolades speak otherwise, it is undeniable that James Franco is one of the best actors among the young ones in this generation. His acting in this movie is flawlessly natural and every emotion is convincingly credible to the roofs beyond any critical objections. His portrayal is just as authentic as it can be. I believe Boyle hit bull’s-eye here in giving the part to Franco. The stable and dependable talent he showcased in this movie is just awesomely great!

127 Hours’ plot is very simple and it’s the kind of movie that really depends on how the entire narrative will be executed in the big screen. Favorably for this movie, everything fell in to place: a very rich story, a wonderful script, a genius Director, perfect execution, and a brilliant actor, what more can you ask for?

There’s much talk about how graphic this movie is when it comes to the depiction of the actual amputation scene and a lot will probably go and see the movie for this particular reason. But aside from the dauntlessness of this movie, it is also consequential to hear out the message it conveys. Of course, aside from the obvious never set out on a trip without anybody knowing where you’re going, Aron’s experience in the canyons in Utah is reminding us two very important realities. First, is that everything in this life is predestined. The paths we’re going to cross, the people we meet, our sets of fortunes and misfortunes, they’re all bound to happen and it’s just in our freewill how we’re going to react in all these. It’s one of the most significant realizations Aron had while still trapped in that deep ravine—that boulder, that particular space in that canyon had been waiting for him all his life—he was destined to be trapped in that canyon. It was part of his fate. And finally, 127 Hours shows us just how great and powerful a person’s collective courage and will power can do to save his own life and survive. Aron’s story is urging us to never lose hope and make use of whatever is laid down on us to value life and fight for it because the breath of life is a precious gift where every second counts.

My One Tree Hill Love Affair

I sometimes hate it that I’m a very emotional person. But on the other hand, I also think that it’s a good thing because it makes me more human to be able to feel emotions as they are. I get infatuated so easily. I get attached to something or someone so easily and too much it hurts. I just finished One Tree Hill’s Season 6 in DVD and it made me cry a lot. At 4 a.m. I was crying my hurt out watching the last three episodes of Season 6. Maybe I’m just too emotional this mid-morning or these past few days but it sure felt so great to be able to cry and let loose with my emotions in the confines of my room; alone in the dark while being carried away in a beautiful narrative. One Tree Hill is very close to my heart. Somehow in ways I couldn’t even bring myself to explain, but to try and be objective about it, I love its plot so much because it presented different aspects of friendships, triumphs and failures, and most importantly (my favorite), love and relationships in a very logical manner yet still maintaining its emotional sensitiveness.

I started watching One Tree Hill November of 2008 around two in the morning and I finished five episodes of the first season in one seating. Of course, as expected I was drawn and very much in to Lucas Scott and knowing me, I will eventually be infatuated not to the character that is Lucas but to the actor portraying him, Chad Michael Murray. And it started yet again one of my many foolish not to mention really ridiculous infatuation debacles with another actor. I think I’m going to discuss how bad I am when infatuated in another blog entry. Believe me it’ll be an effort talking about it and definitely a sympathetically weird post.

Anyway, going back to One Tree Hill, I was crying a lot while watching the season finale of the sixth run because it’s Lucas and Peyton’s wedding. I don’t know what is it about weddings that always make me cry. May it be on TV or in real life, they always do. Maybe it’s the overflowing love you see from the bride and groom. Maybe it’s the overwhelming feeling of joy when you see genuine love between two people who were so brave to fight for love and so lucky to have found that magic, that miracle. And here goes the hopeless romantic Dave again, forgive me, please; I’m still overwhelmed with so much emotion right now. But think about it, at the end of the day, yes it is cliché and crap but LOVE is all that matters.

I’ve seen how One Tree Hill’s narrative transcended over the years but most importantly, I felt the emotional maturity and evolution of all the characters and that to me is the basis of a good television series. The season 6 finale more than anything centred on dreams and how we should always believe in our dreams. Hold on to it, never lose hope on it, work your ass off on it because in the end it’s all gonna be worth it!  It just made me realize that whether it is in career or in life or in love, dreams do come true and you need to have faith and believe because this world never runs out of opportunities and surprises. Believe that miracles happen every single day. Believe in your dreams.  Never stop chasing them!

These lines from the Season 6’s finale struck a chord in me and I am so touched that I’d like to share it with everyone:

“Remind yourself to be happy because you deserve that

and believe that dreams come true every day because they do.”

I love love love Season 6 because as shallow as it may sound, this season introduced me to Julian Baker. It has been years since I last felt this cringing and crippling feel inside the deepest corners of my heart while watching an actor. I love the character because Julian Baker personifies my ideal guy in his full accurateness and preciseness; the kind of man I dream of loving and growing old with. Watching him made me realize just how much I really long for a man’s love. And he reminds me a lot of Boy-next-door. But of course, he’s just a TV series character born out of Mark Schawahn’s imagination. I wish a guy like him exists in real life… in the gay world. I can only dream (but hey, didn’t I just say hold on to your dreams?!) hahahahahahaha.

P.S. Of course it follows that I am not only infatuated with the character that is Julian Baker but more so to the actor portraying Julian, the cute boy-next-door, AUSTIN NICHOLS. God my heart stops beating with his every grins and with that expressive, bedroom eyes not to mention that cute, scruffy face. Damn! How I wish I’m Sophia Bush!!!  

Twisted with KFC Twisters: The Cheesy Bacon Twister

I am a true blue Kentucky Fried Chicken fan and I believe that its one of America’s greatest gifts to mankind. I love fried chicken and theirs my favorite. I can live for two months just eating KFC foods every meal without getting used to it. Back in college, my best friend and I almost ate lunch at KFC Taft Ave.  every day for about a month. I’ve tried all their foods and actually enjoy all of them. The first KFC flavored Twister was launched in late 2009 and when I saw the KFC Twisters ad I promised myself that I will taste all eight of them. First there was the Pizza Twister which by far is my favorite of all three available flavors. The California Maki Twister, second in the series came about last year. It was ok but not totally superb. The new flavour, Cheesy Bacon Twister was made available last week and I just had it for dinner. I’ve always loved the succulent flavor of cheese. To me, it makes every dish or snack for that matter extra tasteful. I loved the flavor of melted cheese in the strips of bacon and crispy chicken fillet in this Twister though I maintain that the Pizza Twister is still my favorite. KFC just really whet my appetite all the time and I am really excited for the other flavors that’ll come out. The anticipation feels like waiting for the next instalment of a popular book series. :)

Eat Pray Love

5/5 

Exceptionally great and encompassing, Eat Pray Love is one of this year’s most remarkable films. A real must see!

Based on the bestselling book by Elizabert Gilbert, Eat Pray Love tells the story of a woman who despite of her almost perfect life feels confused, lost, and unhappy. Realizing that this is not what she wants, she gets a divorce, took a risk of leaving everything behind, and took off to a journey of finding herself again. From finding the “sweetness of doing nothing” at Italy, to discovering the peace of meditation in India, and finally finding the perfect balance to love again in Bali, Liz Gilbert shares one of the most compelling stories of self discovery.

I’d like to start by saying that  Eat Pray Love the book tops my list of favorite books ever since I've read it. I was very critical about this movie adaptation when I heard about it because I really want it to not turn out like other books to movie adaptations. I have to confess that as early as chapter 3 of the book I already thought that no one can ever play the role of Liz Gilbert but Julia Roberts. I can’t even think of any other actress who can play this role. It’s absolutely tailor made for her! I think Julia Roberts’ portrayal of Liz Gilbert is beyond words astonishingly amazing! The Oscar winning actress was perfect in every scene, in every emotion, in every line. Her mere presence in every frame is a spectacle in its own right. Julia Roberts is and will forever be THE ACTRESS!

What I love about Eat Pray Love the movie is that it stayed loyal to the book. I have to say that this is by far one of the best movie adaptations I have ever seen. The book is rich with deep expressions of emotions and devotions coming from the innermost corners of the heart. And it’s good that they took some of Gilbert’s remarkable lines to be part of the script. It made the script more authentic and believable. It’s always best to include the author herself in the production of the movie especially in building the framework of the script. I have to give due respect to the director, Ryan Murphy for a job well done as far as execution is concern.

One of the highlights of this movie is the breathtaking sceneries it was able to capture as it brings us to the romantic backdrop of Italy, culture-abundant India, and serenity of nature in Indonesia. I have to commend this movie’s cinematographer for the wonderful picturesque it was able to depict in the movie. I’d have to say that the only downside of here was when some of the story’s solemn, reflective power was lost in translation. It’s also noteworthy to say that some key turning points in the book weren’t part of the final movie like the time when Liz Gilbert went to Venice or including more of her reflections and how she resolved her conflict in terms of love before opening herself up again for it. But despite all these I have to say that this movie was thoroughly made and these are all but understandable considering that it’s really impossible to fit an almost 400 pages book into a 2-hour movie.

Eat Pray Love is a movie for people who can appreciate it because at some point he/she have gone through a somewhat similar situation in life. It is for someone who needed to get a way, for someone who needs change, for someone who for a moment needed to take risk and rearrange her life again. Eat Pray Love is for someone who needs the courage to step up, make a stand and let go of the past for the promise of a happier future. Its story may seem too self-gratifying at times, depending on how you look at it but the journey to self discovery that Liz Gilbert shared, of letting yourself go and finding YOU again is an honest and compelling attempt in embracing your innermost being.

Salute to Eat Pray Love!

In My Life

5/5

Acting in its finest! Just when you thought a movie almost close to perfection will never be possible again in Philippine cinema, comes Star Cinema’s “In My Life” which in my opinion, is the Best Movie of 2009 and one of the Best Movies ever produced in Philippine Movie History.


Shirley (Vilma Santos), a librarian, annulled, and mother of three is a lady who has been stuck with the old ways. She’s so used to the comforts of her life’s routines that she has blocked any new changes in her life and in the lives of the people around her. Everything has evolved with time except Shirley. But her life soon welcomes change when she moved to New York and lived with her gay son (Luis Manzano) and his partner, Noel (John Lloyd Cruz). As Shirley adjusts to life in New York, unconsciously, through the exquisitely deep and special romance of two men, she’s been able to open her life to a fresh new start and gradually allow change to consume her for the better.

I am trying to deduce something wrong or at least irrelevant with this film and I can’t think of any. I can’t even think of something that went wrong with this film. The script is just perfect. It’s never inadequate nor is it overly exaggerated. What’s truly remarkable about the script of this film is that it’s as real as it can get. The scriptwriter did a magnificent job for I never felt like I am watching a movie. The script’s honesty and grasp of genuine human emotions made me feel as if the scenes were really happening right in front of my very own eyes. Every line was perfect. Every confrontation scenes and dramatic moments were all straight pierces to the heart. Every dialogue was just flawlessly choreographed and as truthful as it can possibly be. The plot and all the inciting incidents of the movie were properly laid down and were brilliantly executed. Director Olive Lamasan didn’t do a wonderful job but an almost perfect, unbelievably great direction. The execution of the film’s dramatic voice was breathtakingly awesome! Every scene was perfectly placed in its right sequence. The editing and the entire motion factor were just excellent in every aspect of the film.

You would expect that the milieu or what we call the general feel of the movie is just a tear jerking, overly dramatic feel but what a perfect offset to the heavy drama are the sensible humor carefully intertwined with the story’s narrative. Also, this movie’s realistic narrative and story telling is superb beyond any description I can possibly think of.

Also, I have to mention that one of the best characteristics of this movie is the exceptional character building especially with the core characters. The fictive world of the movie is very much humanized because of the excellent character building. The Core Characters’ internal and external conflicts were properly ironed out even their quirks which are a very very important aspect of character building to create character hooks.

I can go on and on and on pointing out all the best qualities of this movie, “In My Life” but I think everyone will agree with me that the biggest come on of the movie, is the acting of the three major characters. For two hours I didn’t saw Luis Manzano, John Lloyd Cruz, and the great Vilma Santos. I was so drawn to their characters and they gave life to their respective characters in such a way that the audience will totally forget that they’re only portraying fictitious movie characters. WOW! And again I say WOW to acting in this movie.

Luis Manzano is the biggest surprise of in terms of acting. We know Luis as a good host and comedy actor but a dramatic actor? Some may have doubts; some may even raise an eyebrow. But lo and behold, he can act. He can cry. As a matter of fact one of the scenes that made me cry was when he was apologizing to Ate Vi in the park for once again disappointing her as a son. For his first dramatic movie, Luis Manzano did a good job!

John Lloyd Cruz is without a doubt one of the best if not the BEST ACTOR of this generation. He is the only actor who has the right to spit on Christopher de Leon’s (Maging Sino Ka Man, 2007) face and slap Vilma Santos in a scene. I bow down to this man. Wow! Every facial expression, every gesture, every dialogue, this man… this actor… has perfected his acting in front of the camera. He deserves every aspect of success his career can ever achieve for without a doubt, he is one of the finest actors in Philippine Movie History. Again allow me to say, JOHN LLOYD CRUZ IS JUST THE BEST!

I am a true-blue Vilmanian ever since I was a kid and liberating myself with any biases, I believe every Filipino, and even a Noranian can never deny the fact that MS. VILMA SANTOS is one of the GREATEST ACTRESSES in the history of Philippine Cinema. A VILMA SANTOS only comes once in a lifetime! WOW! ATE VI never fails to leave moviegoers in awe. Just when I thought she has already showcased her acting prowess in its every dimension of it with her tons of past movies, I am so wrong! Her acting in this movie is not only new but mesmerizingly inexplicable no matter how I turn my head around. She doesn't even need to cry hysterically but you can feel every bit of her character’s pain. She flawlessly gave genuine emotions to Shirley’s character in every body movement, dialogue, facial expression, etc. WOW! Just WOW! To everyone she’s The Star for All Seasons but to me, SHE IS THE ACTRESS! THE GREATEST of them all!

I believe it’s about time a story like this penetrates mainstream cinema. Gay relationships are so profuse nowadays that it deserves a serious narrative that’ll show the ups and downs, the genuineness, and the sincerity of gay romance. This is another look to gay relationships. Totally veering away from just the comedy dimension mainstream Philippine cinema has created for it or the indie movie understanding that gay relationships are just all about sex. It’s about time gay relationships are taken seriously in Pinoy movies. And maybe, I hope, this is one vehicle for Filipinos to see relationships of this kind as nothing but just the same as heterosexual relationships and treat it with proper respect that it deserves.

I watched this movie in its opening day, I’ll watch it again this Sunday and yes, I can get enough because I’ll still secure a copy when the official DVD is released. “In My Life” is the kind of movie that no one should ever dare to miss. It’s not every year that a movie as good as this will be produced. It’s not every year that a movie produced is as worth watching as this one. If there’s one movie you shouldn’t miss in your entire life, it’s this one. You’ll be missing a lot if you never watch this movie. It’s one of the BEST!

Kimmy Dora

4/5 stars

Comedy at its best!

Twins Kimmy and Dora (both played by Eugene Domingo) are heiresses to the multi-billion Go Dong Hae empire. Conflict arises mainly caused by the differences between the twins’ personalities. While Kimmy is all-brains and ruthless, her sister Dora is caring and thoughtful although a little slow, mentally. The twins’ personalities always clashes as Kimmy is very much jealous of the attention and special care Dora is getting from their father, Luisito Go Dong Hae, and from Johnson (Dingdong Dantes), the apple of her eyes. As peculiar events transpired, Kimmy and Dora finds themselves switching places with Kimmy in the hands of kidnappers and Dora now the CEO of the Go Dong Hae empire.

I’d like to say that this movie didn’t disappoint at all. There was enormous hype and promo for the movie and it’s all worth it. This movie stands apart from all the other comedies the Philippine movie industry has been producing these past few years because this particular movie actually offers a different type of Filipino humor, a comedy that has value. It’s not the cliché overly corny comedy we’ve all watched a thousand times before. Kimmy Dora actually tells a story with a perfect blend of stuffed comedy and passable drama.

There was never a dull moment in this movie and I never felt as if scenes were just included to fill-in the time as many mainstream comedy movies in the Philippines now do. I have to point out that though Kimmy Dora falls under the comedy genre and it’s obviously produced just to entertain and make moviegoers laugh, producers made sure that the storyline and the script itself is actually worth watching. And it proves that not because this is comedy, the narrative flow of the movie is already unimportant. I say kudos to its scriptwriter, Chris Martinez. I am so a fan of the works of this man. Editing was also worth mentioning above others because every scene was perfect in the story’s time line and this is a very important aspect many comedy films nowadays take for granted. With a beautiful editing like this, audiences will be drawn deep into the story even though the plot is just very very light. This is the only comedy movie Direk Joyce Bernal directed that I actually enjoyed. I am a big big fan of her romantic-comedies and only now can I say that she’s also good with comedy movies.

EUGENE DOMINGO IS THE BEST! A STAR IS BORN. I am a fan of Uge since time immemorial. If I admire her talent before, I adore it now. I believe everything with regards to this movie is perfect timing. This is the perfect launching material for a talent like Eugene’s. In my opinion, she deserves every title being given to her today because she’s really a one of a kind actress. Her comedy is genuine and spontaneous. And she can affect audience with her drama. With her versatility and innate acting abilities, I dare say, EUGENE DOMINGO IS THE ACTRESS of all our lady comedians nowadays. She is a precious talent and really THE ONE AND ONLY! Hail to the Diamond Comedy Queen and hopefully, the 2009 Box Office Queen!

Kimmy Dora is in every aspect a worth watching movie because aside from the laugh it’ll give you, it’ll also unconsciously touch you in many ways. And hello naman just for Uge’s talent being showcased in this movie it’s already a must watch. I am saying this now, this movie is worth every peso you will pay for it and I believe this comedy movie will be one of the classics Philippine cinema has ever produced. Super congratulations to Spring Films and Ms. Eugene Domingo.

And I Love You So

4/5 stars

Full of emotions, romantic, and sexy, “And I Love You So” is this year’s HOT movie everybody shouldn’t miss.

24-year old Pres-school teacher Lara (Bea Alonzo) suddenly lost her almost perfect husband Oliver (Derek Ramsay) when he suffered brain aneurysm on the very day of her birthday. Grief-stricken by the passing away of her first and one great love, Lara didn’t know how to pick up the pieces of her heart and continue living when the one person worth living for is already gone. Dying together with the love of her life is her will to continue living. For her every waking morning is another day of misery. But like any other widow, she forces herself to move on and carry over the pain. Starting over came hand in hand with other life problems for Lara and in a series of chance encounters she met Chris (Sam Milby), a hot, playboy, newly-separated from his wife club DJ who will tremendously help her in starting a new beginning. As they grow closer to each other and romance made its way, can their love survive the conflicts of their broken hearts? Can Chris really help Lara let go and make her fairly love him too? And ultimately, will Lara be able to open her heart and give love a second chance?

Director Lauren Dyogi’s big screen comeback, I must say, showed a lot of improvements from his other films namely, “All My Life” and “Now That I Have You”. There were of course glitches but at least his execution is improving. I just have to point out that probably one of the few problematic executions in the film was Bea’s realization that she’s been mourning for quite sometime already. What? Just by looking at her engagement ring and wedding ring? It seems too raw for a turning point like that.

The build up of romance in my opinion is admirable. Its execution is very good. I saw and more importantly felt how first it was just attraction from Chris and gradually falling for Lara and finally he fell in love; the same goes for Lara’s character. I am pointing this out because it is very important in a love story or any stories for this matter that there’s proper implementation of the sequence of events. In that way the emotions of the audience flows along with the story. I also have to mention that the kilig moments in this film were really WOW. I can’t help but bite my lips giving in to so much kilig.

The movie’s main plot and script is very remarkable. The story itself is not new to us, we’ve probably seen it in another movie or perhaps on TV but because of a very beautifully written script, you wouldn’t notice that this story has been done before. Again, I regard Star Cinema and the script writer, Vanessa Valdez (I hope I got it correctly) for a script that’s not cheesy and not at all exaggerated. This is the kind of script that of course because of its genre, there are portions which seems to be out of this world already but what I’ve noticed with Star Cinema over the years is that their scripts are more and more realistic as time goes by. Genuine human emotions are depicted and stories are very realistic. I am so glad that the Philippine film industry today, Star Cinema to be specific has veered away from the “I love you I can’t live without you. Please don’t leave me” kind of scripts. It’s so refreshing and now Filipino love stories have become sensible enough.

Another high point of this movie is its take to a very heavy story and yet you don’t feel like it’s too much for you to bear. The drama in this movie is just enough. The addition of certain comedians to the cast is also a wise move because it balances out the tone of drama and pain already set at the beginning of the movie. As I’ve said it is very praiseworthy of Director Lauren Dyogi of how properly he executed the screenplay in such a way that even though the movie is dealing with drama and at times comedy, still, the romantic element of the movie is intact and dominating the entire movie.

I also have to mention how beautiful the shots were. Scenic view was just awesome. Cinematography was also a two thumbs up. I personally love the scene where Lara was letting go of Oliver and while she’s saying her final goodbye before she threw the locket where she’s kept Oliver’s ashes, Bea was in a boat with big cliffs of rock in her background, wow! It’s amazing!

Bea Alonozo and Sam Milby’s overly publicized love scene was shot very very well. Cinematography was just perfect. It was fierce and passionate but romantic in many ways. Skillfully done I must say. And yes, this is probably Bea’s most daring love scene to date.

In a recent interview Bea expressed her anxiousness about this movie because it is her first time to be paired in the big screen with other leading men after her consecutive box-office movies with love team John Lloyd Cruz. Also, this movie is her coming off age movie. She said she did this movie because she wanted people to see that she’s now a lady, an actress in her own right. I’d like to believe this movie did justice to that. Bea has arrived. Her acting is magnificent. Not over acting, not hysterical, just enough for her to convey Lara’s angst, fears, and pains. Indeed, this story is perfect for her. Director Lauren Dyogi was able to let the lady in Bea Alonzo shine.

There’s so much improvement in Derek Ramsay and Sam Milby’s acting in this movie. Truly, these two actors have come a long way. Not only is Derek Ramsay sizzling hot but hey the man can really act. His eyes are his best acting asset. Maging Sino Ka Man really honed Sam in many ways. One moment he’s the hot, irresistible bad boy then he’s the charming boy-next-door you’d love to bring home to mom. For two hours inside the movie house I forgot a Piolo Pascual is existing for boy oh boy Sam Milby is HOT!!! Also, aside from Derek and Piolo, Sam has the best abs among the actors in our generation!

“And I Love You So” is not the type of movie that’ll later on be a classic. Its plot has been depicted in visual arts many times before but this movie I have to tell everybody is the one you wouldn’t wanna miss. It’s a breather from all the romantic-comedies these days. It’s a sensible movie that’ll teach you how to deal with the pain of a lost love. It’ll show you that there is life after mourning and that ultimately, at a certain point, we all have to LET GO and open our hearts again. After all, LOVE ALWAYS DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE.

The Proposal

5/5

Enjoyable, funny, and filled with just enough romance, “The Proposal” is a romantic-comedy at its best!

Addicted to romantic-comedies as I am, it is a given fact that I will watch this in its opening day. I was actually aiming to see the sneak previews last week for I really can’t wait but I didn’t get the chance. After months of eager anticipation, this movie didn’t disappoint me at all. As a matter of fact, it’s now one of my all-time favorite romantic-comedies.

Facing an unexpected deportation after her visa renewal was denied, antagonistic, bitchy, and unsympathetic publishing house editor-in-chief Margaret Tate (Bullock) forces her hunky, naïve assistant, Andrew Paxton (Reynolds) to marry her. With a promise of promotion to being an editor, Andrew agrees with Margaret’s charades setting his own conditions. When government intervened, the two were forced to head to Alaska for a weekend with his family. Totally selling the lie, Andrew and Margaret were faced to an impromptu wedding at his hometown. Little that they know, as they spent more and more time together, they’ve gotten closer on a personal basis and have fallen in love. But at the eve of the wedding, Margaret couldn’t bring herself to stick to their plan and deceivingly say ‘I Do’ in front of Andrew’s family she’s come to love…

Being predictable is an inevitable element of a romantic-comedy. But what differentiates this movie among others was that there was a substantially rich story, cleverly written script, and excellent acting from the actors all rolled into one. The great combination of these three cinematic elements created a movie that made use of the cliché romantic-comedy formula but making you forget its predictability. Once you watch the movie, you will not notice time for you’ll be simply drawn to the story as it unfolds. It was hilarious at a certain extent and you’ll notice how fresh the comedy the story is offering. It veered away from the cliché comedy we’ve already watched in hundreds of romance-comedies over the years. There was ample amount of romance to stimulate our hopeless romantic side. Also, I wanna point out that the build up of romance between Andrew and Margaret didn’t appear as a rush. That’s one of the reasons why this movie sets it apart from other movies of its kind because the romance was properly executed. You as an audience wouldn’t question how the characters fell in love that fast as a matter of fact, while the romance was building up, you will feel how the fictitious love story is possible in real life. Just like with her 2008 hit, “27 Dresses”, Director Anne Fletcher was able to execute a love story that’s not so larger than life impossible. She was able to show it with so much realism in it.

There was an undeniable chemistry between Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock. A romantic-comedy will never be successful without this fundamental element and make no mistake Bullock and Reynolds’ chemistry will make you believe that this love story is happening in real life…right in front of you. Their acting was just enough for what every scene demands. Sandra Bullock with her charisma and wit is gorgeous and just right in this movie. Ryan Reynolds…a new matinee idol is born! He’s perfect for the character of Andrew and his innate calm, innocent humor was just the best, flawlessly combined to his boy-next-door appeal. And boy can I just say he’s jaw-droppin’ HOT HOT HOT!

With its wonderful balance of romance and comedy perfectly woven to a fantastic story, very well written and never exaggerating script, fine acting, and properly executed love story in camera, “THE PROPOSAL” is the romantic-comedy event of 2009! It is a love story that tells us love can never be boxed in how long or short time you’ve known a person for you to love him/her. It can happen overnight, over a weekend, who knows? But when love happens, it just does. You just gotta deal with it in every possible way. This movie is worth the wait and certainly worth the 160 bucks.

21 Things I’m looking forward to do now that I’m 21

It has been a year and almost two months since my last blog post. Those 13 months (July07-August08) of my life can be best described as a total roller coaster experience. Those subscribed to my fantxt knows this. I have been up and down. I have fallen in and out of love. I have triumphed and failed. A lot has changed in my life since July of last year and I believe as time pass by, I have also evolved and matured in so many ways.

I celebrated my 21^st Birthday last Friday. Now that I’m 21, I can say that there are a lot that I want to accomplish in this lifetime. There are so many things I wanna do, I wanna change, and above all, I wanna prioritize. So as I turn another year older, I want to share with everyone THE 21 THINGS I AM HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH NOW THAT I’M 21.

1 I’m going to maintain my current physique. I would say that 2007 was my fattest year to date. I don’t know if I was just stressed out that time and I resorted in eating to cope up or I just simply want to eat. When I started writing my thesis early this year, I started losing weight also. By the time I finished my thesis, I went from 147 lbs. to my current weight now which is 130 lbs. Though it is not easy, I will continue on my diet to maintain this. It’s not easy to lose weight especially if you love to eat but if you look in the mirror and see the change, it’s all worth it!

2 I’ll indulge myself to reading. I’ve been very busy with my studies during the past 13 months that I have deprived myself of leisure reading. Last July when we moved to a new house, I’ve realized how many books I have horded already so now that I still don’t have work and I have the time to read, I’ll read them one by one. Some of the titles that I’m going to read in the coming months are: Paulo Coelho’s The Witch of Portobello, The Devil and Miss Prym, Like The Flowing River, The Zahir; The Death of an Ordinary Man (Glen Duncan); Orosa-Nakpil Malate (Louie Mar Gangcuangco); James Patterson’s Mary Mary, Honeymoon, The 5^th Horseman; Candace Bushnell’s Sex and the City; and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ “Love in the Time of Cholera”.

3 I will now read the entire Harry Potter series before watching all the movies.

I will also read the latest craze among book readers, Stephanie Mayer’s Twilight saga. My best friend Reese said it’s a true guilty pleasure and so I’m really excited to finally meet Edward Cullen.

4 I will pay tribute to Dr. Jose Rizal by reading his two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. I have Leon Ma. Guerrero’s english translated version; I have always dreamed of reading the two novels that played a big role for the independence we have today.

5 I will watch the entire first season of Gossip Girl over a weekend DVD marathon. They say it’s sexy and totally irresistible. I can’t wait!

6 I’ll catch up with my DVD addictions, Grey’sAnatmoy (season 4), Desperate Housewives (season 4), Brothers and Sisters (season 2), Ugly Betty (I’ll watch the first season na, promise!), Prison Break (I have the complete first season already), and One Tree Hill (I have the complete first three seasons).

7 I’ll try to change my sleeping habits. My insomnia has gone from bad to worst. I now sleep at 5am or worst, 9am. I do believe that I already need medical help regarding this so now that I’m already graduating, I will seek professional help at the Medical City’s Sleeping Disorder Institute.

8 I will try my very best to drink 2 liters or more of water everyday. I love salty foods, if I can, I’ll munch on potato chips every minute but I can’t. Lately I have been having problems with my kidneys which will be taken care of next week also at Medical City.

9 I’ll try to be more giving. I am a believer of the saying to whom much is given, much is expected in return. I look around me and there are just so many people in need of help especially financially and materially. I’ll try helping to the best that I can. If I can, I’ll join a charity. Oprah’s Big Give really inspired me.

10 I”ll continue collecting jeans! I love love love maong jeans. Whenever I’m down, stressed out or I just want to feel better, I buy jeans. I don’t know how many I have at this point in time; I just know that it’s close to a hundred.

11 I’m going to write and write and write more. I’ve recently watched an Oprah episode wherein her doctor friend and show’s house doctor, Dr. Oz was guest and he said that making writing a daily habit can make your life 5 years longer since it releases stress and tension. More so, it produces healthy cells in our brain.

12 I’m going to learn how to cook. My mom loves to cook and she has been forever nagging me and my sister that it’s very important that we know how to cook. Indeed, I have realized that living in this globalized world is still not a reason for you to just leave a sumptuous meal to fast food chains or restaurants. They say that cooking is a very fulfilling hobby and so I want to try it. I know that it takes time to learn how to cook but for a person like me who helps his mom in the kitchen every Christmas eve, I’m sure it won’t be hard. This likeness to learn how to cook was awakened when my friend Jammy told me that after graduation she’s going to Singapore to study culinary. I was really inspired. And also, I realized, isn’t it a plus point for you to your future partner if you know how to cook?

13 I will try to regularly watch the live telecast of The View airing weekdays at 11pm on Sky Cable’s Velvet. I super love Barbara Walters. (I am watching it right now while doing this)

14 I’m going to catch up with my favorite talk shows on TV that I’ve been missing these past few months since I was very busy doing my thesis, moving to a new house, and finishing my internship. From Boy and Kris to The Oprah Winfrey Show to Ellen, I’ll be a talk show freak now!

15 I will watch Regine Velasquez and Lani Misalucha’s back-to-back concert at the Araneta Coliseum on February 2009 entitled, The Main Event: The Duel of the Divas.

16 I will never tire to learn and discover things. I believe that it is the pursuit of knowledge that makes every human being truly noble and the absence of this passion to learn is the signal of death.

17 I will look for a nice and decent job that pays good enough to provide for my needs and wants. Of course it has to be something I love doing.

18 I will tell the people I love how much I love them as often as I can. I want the people I value the most to feel how much I appreciate and value them. Love should be expressed as often as we can for it might be too late for you if you let a chance slip away.

19 GOODBYE ONLINE GUYS! I won’t entertain any guy who’ll message me in the World Wide Web anymore wanting to know me better and the usual getting-to-know-each-other chow chow. I’ve been there; I’ve done that and look at me now. I’m still alone. What have I got? Heartaches and yes, lessons but let it stop there. I’m done with this. Let’s just face it, internet is not the best place to find a man to have and to hold. Though it’s one of the ways, it’s just not for me. I mean this. And for the record, I DON’T HAVE AN ACCOUNT IN ANY OF THE GAY SITES IN THE WEB.

20 I will be open to falling in love, to men (not from the internet), to new lessons I’m going to learn from future relationships I’m going to enter. I will not be afraid to be hurt for it is through pain that we learn. I will welcome love in every possible way. Only now, I will TRY to be more rational about love. I will TRY my best to not always put my heart above my head.

21 I’ll be more positive towards life. I will be grateful for every day of my life. I will embrace every experience and cherish every encounter. I will apply lessons I’ve learned in the past. I will not be afraid to take risks. I will live life to the fullest. I will live my life without regrets. Life is short and I want to make the most out of it.