Jimmeroo

Hut. Hut. Hike!

2012-02-04T19:57:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow is the biggest and most watched television event of the year, Super Bowl XLVI. It's the New York Giants vs the New England Patriots. My friends obviously know that I'm rooting for the Giants like I always do. Because first and foremost, it's my team, and the Packers too, and ugh, I have to say this so I won't be mobbed by the townspeople, geographically and forcefully, the Skins. Second, I have proclaimed my undying love for Eli Manning numerous times. Numerous times. I looooooove Eli Manning! At least I can call him my boyfriend during my REM sleep stage. LOL. Sorry Pats fans, I have nothing against the Patriots and Tom Brady, I just don't care about them.

Images courtesy of Getty Images

Besides those calorie-fic Super Bowl parties thrown all over town as we glare at our TVs with our loud oohs, ahhhs, and WTFs during the big game, let's not forget that tomorrow is also a big day for advertising, $3.5 million for a 30-second spot, really expensive yet very advantageous. Last year's ads were pretty boring but hopefully this year's ads would be more promising, you know Mean Joe Green kind of good. From the previews the past few days, some ads seem exciting especially Matthew Broderick's Honda CR-V ad channeling his most iconic and famous film role, Ferris Bueller.

Baseball and boxing are probably the sports with the most great films made but football has its fair share too. So for GameDay, here are some football films I would most likely end up watching before the big game tomorrow night.

Rudy, 1993

Image courtesy of TriStar Pictures

It's Mikey from The Goonies, just a little bit older and for the younger generation, it's Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings but he's a bit younger. Anyway, based on a true story, Rudy is not just a typical football film, it's most definitely an inspirational film. All the kid wanted to do is play football for the Fighting Irish and he worked his way through it regardless of his physical, financial and emotional obstacles that's keeping him from playing the game. This film is most definitely a concrete representation of "If there's a will, there's a way," the spirit of the game and most of all, humanity.

Remember the Titans, 2000

Image courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Remember the Titans is another football film based on a true story, set during the 1970s in T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA and it touches down close to home, and I mean really close, 10-minutes away close. This film is not just inspirational, it's also somewhat historical and social because it showed how the team identified, dealt and worked together against the racial struggles and barriers that they are faced with during those times. Denzel Washington, playing Coach Herman Boone, is always good at what he does, his character will never back down.

Horse Feathers, 1932

Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

The Marx Brothers and their films are always fun to watch, talk about Duck Soup. One of their films, Horse Feathers is a comedy of errors, if you may, about college football. This film probably has the most hilarious fictional football game I've seen, it involves bananas, a dog, a chariot, multiple balls, a few tricks under their sleeves and of course, a winning win. Besides their usual comedy acts and some little song and dance numbers, Horse Feathers is something a football lover would want to watch, funny and most definitely, stress-free.

North Dallas Forty, 1979

Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

This film may be the closest semi-fictional peek we can get into the lives of football players when they're away from the yards of the field. North Dallas Forty, loosely based on a book by a former Cowboys player, looks into the relationships of the players and the coach, their distractions and behaviors, the physical measures they take to be able to handle playing the game and the reality they have to face, they get old, weaker and replaced. This film is very real, it may have focused on what's on the sidelines but that perspective showed the parallels of the emotional and physical requirements a football player goes through for the love of the game.

Heaven Can Wait, 1978

Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Some may think that the supernatural and football may not be a good cinematic mix but with Heaven Can Wait, it worked just fine. A loose remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan, and did he come back, the film is about Joe Pendleton and his untimely death. Since he was plucked out of earth by mistake, he inhabited the body of a millionaire who was later shot dead, and then he finally and successfully inhabits his final body, another quarterback. And of course, what I love about this film, besides how hilarious the plot may seem, is the love story. This film isn't just for the boys after all.

I think tomorrow's gonna be a good day and hopefully America will be able to watch an amazing game. It's 2008 all over again. GO GIANTS!

It's more fun in the Philippines!!!

2012-01-10T20:16:00.000-05:00

The new tourism campaign of my motherland, the Philippines, is something I'm really proud and excited about. Controversial as it is, with some people disagreeing with the new slogan, I sincerely adore it. It's always fun in the Philippines, more so, exciting! The campaign is a chance for all Filipinos to be able to contribute and promote the fun and great things that people can do and experience in our lively and beautiful archipelago.

Images courtesy of Philippine Department of Tourism

With the scenic landscapes, bizarre delicacies, one-of-a-kind adventures and undying hospitality, Filipinos have been scouring their photo stocks to personally add up and show the world the funnest things people can do in the Philippines. The "It's More Fun in the Philippines" campaign went viral on the web, not only did this campaign show amazing things about the Philippines, it also proved how creative Filipinos are.

To see more "It's more fun in the Philippines" creations, check this article out by Spot.ph:

Image courtesy of Spot.ph

And if there's one thing I can say about the "It's more fun in the Philippines" campaign:

Image courtesy of Philippine DOT, Caption: Mine

Official website: http://itsmorefuninthephilippines.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DOTPhilippines

Facebook: It's More Fun in the Philippines (Official)

Food Check: Central Michel Richard

2012-01-04T19:11:00.000-05:00

My BFF's birthday was on New Year's Day so before she turned the big two-*bleep*, I decided to treat her for her birthday brunch to one of the hot spots in town, Central Michel Richard. The food is heavenly but the place is always packed. The price is definitely worth it since the servings are more than enough to satisfy a hungry stomach.

Must-try Picks: Michel's Chocolate Bar, Fried Chicken with Mashed Potato

Cheese puffs

Braised Chicken in Red Wine Sauce Pasta

Fried Chicken and Mashed Potatoes

Michel's Chocolate Bar

I definitely enjoyed the day with my best friend. We chilled in the Smithsonian Castle like homebodies. LOL. Give us a break we walked the whole day and it was cold out.

I love this photograph. Candid and real.

"Gosh, I love your lip balm!"

Flick-ing to the New Year

2011-12-30T21:46:00.000-05:00

2011 will be bidding us a bittersweet farewell and just a tick away, 2012 will be greeting us with a big warm hug. Time has been flying by faster than the Concorde, it's the New Year again! So to end my year in films, I've picked the first five films that popped in my head that involves the symbolic holiday of new beginnings, New Year's Day, or more appropriately for this list, New Year's Eve parties.

Sunset Boulevard, 1950

Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Billy Wilder beautifully told the tragic downfall of Norma Desmond, a fallen silent-film star, in this ageless American classic, Sunset Boulevard. A story about Hollywood, loneliness, acceptance and the power of human emotions, whether it's real or reel. In this film, it was at a New Year's party where Norma's delusion led to her lowest point, which will eventually lead us back to the beginning of the film... a murder. Besides, Gloria Swanson leisurely playing the Tramp, to me, is something wonderful to see.

When Harry Met Sally, 1989

Image courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Considered one of the essential films in the history of date movies, with the ever classic "I'll have what she's having" scene, When Harry Met Sally, is probably one of the best RomComs ever made to this day. And if you've seen this film, which I bet a lot of people have, you'll understand why it's one of my New Year's films to watch, a happy beginning from a lifelong exchange of love and friendship. Spoiler: They finally hooked up on New Year's Eve.

200 Cigarettes, 1999

Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

With all due respect to Garry Marshall, if there's a film trying to weave the lives of different people during New Year's Eve, his film, aptly named New Year's Eve, is still inferior to 200 Cigarettes. It may not be an all-star cast back then, but the cast are way bigger now than what they were considered, unknowns and upcoming stars, when the film was released. Following the lives of different sets of young people before they attend a New Year's Eve party, 200 Cigarettes sums up the diverse lives and kinds of people in the the city that never sleeps.

The Apartment, 1960

Image courtesy of United Artists

The film is about the love story of a man who's in love with the elevator operator who happens to be the personnel director's mistress. The Apartment will make the hopeless romantics love C.C. Baxter as he swallows and openly witnesses Ms. Kubelik's unrequited love. And it's in the New Year, in a New Year's party, when Ms. Kubelik realizes who genuinely loves her and when C.C. Baxter finally had the courage to tell her that he loves her. And like some of Billy Wilder's famous films, The Apartment ends with a lasting line, "Shut up and deal!"

The Gold Rush, 1925

Image courtesy of United Artists

One of Charlie Chaplin's masterpieces and best portrayals of his iconic alter-ego character, The Tramp, The Gold Rush is a wonderful silent film guised in the genre of comedy about love and fortune. Set during the Klondike Gold Rush, the lovable Tramp satisfyingly entertains the viewers as he used to do. One of the scenes in the film is in New Year's Eve, wherein the Tramp fantisizes that he had his "friends," including the woman he loves, over for New Year. But in reality he was all alone, as this scene is juxtaposed with a huge and festive New Year's party in town. You can never go wrong with Chaplin, his poetic messages lies in his ability to create valuable and heartwarming stories through moving images.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Food Check: Zaytinya and Co Co. Sala

2011-12-21T18:27:00.000-05:00

Zaytinya is definitely one of my favorite favorite places to eat at. It's at the perfect location, a few steps away from the Verizon Center and the hustle and bustle of the nation's capital. One of the things I love about this restaurant, besides their uber delish Mediterranean food, is their mezze sized servings, simply put: Mediterranean tapas. That's why my friends and I chose to eat here for our holiday dinner. You can never go wrong with good food which fuels good conversations with good friends.

The fried eggplant is heavenly, it doesn't taste like eggplants, I'm not even a fan of eggplants but I loved it! The hummus is the perfect spread. Unfortunately, we weren't able to take pictures of these two dishes because we chowed them down right after it was placed on our table. They also have the best brussel sprouts dish I've ever tasted.

Must-try Picks: Crispy Brussel Afelia, Bantijan Bil Laban (Fried Eggplant) and Hommus

Cocktails definitely: Pom Fili and The Associate

Complimentary and unlimited oh so good Pitas

Falafel

Crispy Brussel Afelia

Whole Wheat Couscous

Octopus Santorini

Lamb Bahar

Moshari Souvlaki

Turkish Delight

Chocolate Rose

Turkish Coffee Chocolate

After eating dinner, we had a sudden craving for JUST DESSERTS. So we ended up at one of the main dessert places in the area for our post-holiday dinner, Co Co. Sala.

Churros with Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Dip

'Some More Co Co

Chocolate Onyx

Happy Holidays!

Edible Indulgence: Cupcakes and more cupcakes!

2011-12-17T20:21:00.001-05:00

For Honey

In 2000, Carrie Bradshaw ate cupcakes, 11 years later, everybody's obsessed with cupcakes. These cute balls of sweetness became the fad during the last decade and it looks like this fad is here to stay! Whether it's from a commercial cupcake shop or one sole bakery in the entire nation, people patiently fall and wait in line just to grab a hold of these cute cup-sized cakes.

When I was younger, cupcakes are just plain 'ol cupcakes, I didn't care where they came from, they're just basically cupcakes. And now, cupcakes are like specialty food that they have to come from a particular bakery before they become deliciously legit cupcakes.

So I tried to make a list of cupcake places I've tried, almost all of them are located in the DC Metro Area since that's where I live but I bet there's a whole lot more good cupcake places in the nation that I have yet to try.

All I can say is… NOMS!

Georgetown Cupcake
Before it became this big popular franchise, I always go to this little cupcake store in Georgetown that make heavenly cupcakes. Now, that little cupcake store moved to a bigger place, always flocked by tourists and has a reality TV show.

Red Velvet Cupcakery

Red Velvet is probably one of the most popular and coveted cupcake flavors. In DC's Penn Quarter is a cupcake place named after that flavor maybe because that's what they're good at, making Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Sprinkles Cupcakes
One of the most popular cupcake stores in America, there's basically a Sprinkles store in every major city in the United States. Their cupcakes have that signature two-colored round fondant and a slightly bigger than usual cupcake size.

Cakelove
The owner was the commencement speaker during my college graduation, just sayin'. Cakes made from scratch is the tagline, but I have to say the cupcakes are good enough for me. The Red Velvet and the Salted Caramel cupcakes are the best I've tasted from this place.

Hello Cupcake!
Located in Dupont Circle, it's one of the first cupcake places I've tried in the area. The Princess Cupcake, vanilla cake with strawberry frosting, is my favorite flavor from this cupcake shop. Very friendly and helpful staff too.

Crumbs Bake Shop
Definitely one of my favorite cupcake places ever, this bake shop makes a variety of creative cupcake flavors. The Signature size, the big one, is you-have-to-share-it big and they also have Taste size cupcakes which are cute small bite-sized versions of their cupcakes.

Baked and Wired
More known for their baked goods than their cupcakes, Baked and Wired is definitely one of my favorite bakeries in town. And the cupcakes in this bakery definitely lives up to the name, they don't disappoint.

Cupcakes Actually
Tucked on a quiet shopping center in Fairfax is another small cupcake place. The dipped cupcakes are definitely a must try especially the Actually Dipped Caramel Cupcakes. They have a variety of flavors that they change every week.

Magnolia Bakery
But when it comes to the best cupcakes I've ever tasted, it has to go back to where it all started, 5 hours away from the DC power scene is Magnolia Bakery, located in a chic neighborhood in New York City. This bakery is the ultimate boss when it comes to cupcakes.

Melmaidman: Artist, Designer, Friend

2011-12-11T22:02:00.000-05:00

This is a way way way overdue blog featuring my awesome artist friend Melissa Arandia. Just in case you're wondering, Mel is the artistic mind behind my blog banner. In early 2011, around April or May, I asked her if I can commission her to do a simple artwork for my blog because she's really one of the talented artists I know. So she said yes, and surprisingly for me she did it for free which will make me grateful to her forever, not because it's free but because she did a really amazing amazing job!

Mel and I go way back from being Pangkat Badjao-mates to being buddies. She's Randy, as I humorously named her during our younger days. I actually uncovered a really old photograph of the both of us, it's pretty funny.

Anyway, I really can't describe her work process but knowing Mel, she really has the talent for making fun and awesome art, whether it's a simple drawing, a sketch, or just mundane doodles. Mel would create magic using pencils and paper and if she wants to, she would add more magic by adding more color and life to her work through Illustrator. Digital or not, creativity is drawn all over it! Now, she's making a living doing what she loves to do. With permission from Mel, here are some of her awesome artwork:

Pencil draft and the finish product through Illustrator

Medium: Ink and Watercolor

Medium: Marker Pens

I'm really really impressed with her work and now she's doing illustrations for a local magazine in the Philippines. I'm very proud and glad to see Mel on her way to greatness. If she hits it big, and I know she will, I'm definitely honored to own a Melissa Arandia original and I'm hopeful for a discount too. ;)

Mel's illustration for Total Girl Philippines

Last but not the least, a personalized Mel Arandia illustration of myself. ☺

Check out more of Mel's illustrations on her personal blog and portfolios:
Blog: http://www.justdoodle.me
Coroflot: http://www.coroflot.com/melmaidman
Dribble: http://dribbble.com/melmaidman

Klaatu Barada Nikon

2011-12-05T19:38:00.000-05:00

Last March, I said that I didn't want a DSLR camera because it's big and heavy, but now, I'm taking my words back. I finally purchased a DSLR camera after years of contemplating and deciding if I really wanted one and most of the time, the I-don't-really-want-it-I'd-rather-get-something-else argument wins. That being said, as far as late adapters go, I am the latest of the latest adapters, everyone I know has a freaking DSLR but me.

So yesterday, I purchased Gort. I named it Gort from Robert Wise's The Day the Earth Stood Still, with the same logic behind why I named my Canon G12, Doris (from Meet the Robinsons), because it's the first name of a robot/computer that popped in my head. Give me a break, I'm a girl and I like to name things.

Meet Gort, my new Nikon D5100

At first, I was trying to decide between a Nikon D7000 and a Canon 7D. The Nikon D7000 looks perfect but when I tried to play around with it, I just didn't feel like using it, it's too advanced and really bigger than what I expected! FYI, my research the other night between the two cameras seemed useless. So after basically an hour of browsing all the cameras at Best Buy, I decided between Canon T3i and Nikon D5100. The guy said they're basically the same but I ended up getting the Nikon, because it's less heavier and it seems like its easier to navigate and play around with, especially for first time users and late adapters like me. I'm actually happy with my decision and I spent lesser than what I thought I will be spending. Not bad at all!

I did a few test shots inside my apartment and it did what it's supposed to do, take more than average photographs.

I have to take Gort outside soon enough and be able to fully utilize it to take more photographs. I'm actually excited to use this camera and test every possible feature in it. And I got it pimped, I got a cool strap and a case!

I'm a more than satisfied customer! ☺

Fall TV Picks

2011-11-28T21:29:00.000-05:00

I haven't really been in touch with primetime television since the writer's strike a few years back. During the past couple of years, I basically payed attention to these crazy reality shows that are entertaining, not that they're good, but they were my guilty pleasures. I'm talking Jersey Shore and The Real Housewinves of Beverly Hills/Atlanta/New York.

Most of the shows that I watch now are the ones that are airing when I turn on the TV, that is the case with The Travel Channel, NatGeo, and Discovery Channel, since they're probably the only TV channels that I watch where I don't channel surf.

But I'm still in touch with some shows such as a Micheal Scott-less The Office, the almost The Cosby Show good Modern Family and the most lovable murderer, Dexter. I also planned on watching a whole bunch of shows but I just don't have the time to start watching them from their pilot episodes, shows such as The Walking Dead and Homeland.

However, when it comes to new TV, I actually started following 3 new TV series, which I think are good enough to catch when they're airing their new episodes rather than wait for it on Hulu the next day.

New Girl, Tuesdays, 9pm/8pm c, FOX

Image courtesy of FOX

We're all familiar with Zooey Deschanel when she starred as the lovable Summer alongside my forever crush, Joseph Gordon-Levitt in (500) Days of Summer. In New Girl, which Deschanel produces and stars in as Jess, we still see the colorful, quirky, free-spirited character she epitomizes. The premise of the show is that Jess moves in an apartment with three men after she moves-out of her house after she caught her boyfriend cheating. The show has this routine plot line of Jess or one of the guys having an issue that they can't seem to agree on, a little mishap here and there as they try to deal with the problem, and at the end of the episode, they all get together and have each other's back, yes, that includes slow-motion dancing on a wedding. What also gets me hooked to the show is the romantic tension between Nick and Jess. As much as I want both of them to hook up as early as now, I don't want to see that yet, because if they do it, it will either make or break the show, now what will happen to Schmidt and Winston? Although, if they ever planned that they will hook-up, please don't make that romantic tension too long that it will never happen because one of the characters decides to leave the show (*ahem Law and Order: SVU).

American Horror Story, Wednesdays, 10pm, FX

Image courtesy of FX

When I saw the preview of American Horror Story, it looked good but you can't really judge a series' quality based on that because most of the time the parts that they put on previews are the only good parts of the show. I started watching the show about 2 weeks in since the pilot episode aired, and surprisingly, I actually liked it. American Horror Story is about a family who moved to a haunted house in LA to rebuild their lives after the wife caught the husband cheating…that's when the weird, crazy and creepy mayhem ensues. People who died in the house walk around like real poke-able humans with very intriguing, deranged and psychotic histories. But it's worth giving the show a try, what makes it watchable are the visuals, the premises, the characters and the revelations rather than the ghosty aspect of a typical ghost story such as poltergeists and ghostly apparitions. My only concern with this series is that with so many things going on, it's sort of starting to be all over the place that it could tire out the audiences, but so far so good, they just need to keep doing what they're doing right.

Once Upon A Time, Sundays, 8pm/9pm c, ABC

Image courtesy of ABC

The title is already a giveaway on what to expect in this new TV series, move over vampires and zombies, fairytales are making a comeback! From the writers of LOST, the show has a lot to live up to. It's a creative yet very ambitious concept but amazingly, they were able to pull it off. Once Upon A Time is one of the shows that I have to watch during its airtime. Trying to explain it is a bit complicated and difficult without getting confused, I tried to make my friends watch it and it's quite a task to explain it to them. Anyway, the show is about fairytale characters living in our world but they don't know who they are because of a curse and it's up to Emma, Snow White and Prince Charming's child, to save them from the curse. It's a really interesting show because all the fairytale characters that we grew up reading and watching are interacting and have relationships with each other, whether in the fairytale flashbacks or even in our world. I love how they've woven different fairytale stories together and relate it to the fairytale characters' lives in the real-people world. Another thing that gets me watching the show are the back stories of every fairytale character, my most favorite so far is Jiminy Cricket's. It's a serious fairytale fantasy drama, and it's getting really good by the episode. And what's really keeping me hooked is that I wanna see how the future events will unravel.

P.S. The upcoming season of Arrested Development is something I'm really looking forward to. Thanks for that Netflix!

Food Check: Busara

2011-11-24T21:49:00.000-05:00

Hidden right across one of the busiest malls in Northern Virginia, in the bustling Tysons Corner neighborhood, is Busara. It's a really nice Thai restaurant that serves good Thai food for a reasonable price. So my friends and I tried it and all I can say is we have moved on from the usual Thai restaurant we always frequent that's not even a mile away.

Papaya Salad with Grilled Chicken Breast

Beef Satay

Shrimp Pad Thai

Pad See Ew

Better food + more servings = Happy Tummy.

Edible Indulgence: Deep Fried Oreos and Ice Cream Sundae

2011-11-19T16:30:00.000-05:00

I'm starting my "Edible Indulgence" series. It's basically delicious food that I've indulged in which made my taste buds panic.

So for my first entry, I give you... Serendipity 3's Deep Fried Oreos and Ice Cream Sundae.

1580 calories of sweetness, made of deep fried oreos, cookies and cream ice cream topped with hot fudge and marshmallow sauces, lots and lots of whipped cream, and of course, cherry on top. My best friend and I felt the need to order one and we were in for a surprise, it was a lot, first and foremost, and it's also really really sweet but really really good! So if there's anybody with sweet cravings, I suggest that you stop by Serendipity 3 and choose any of their drugstore ice creams... huge servings, delicious and for a reasonable price!

Bag Bets: Satchels

2011-11-08T21:11:00.000-05:00

I was actually looking at multi-purpose satchels the other day because I think I need one. What I like about satchels is that you can wear them as cross-body bags while traveling or when sight-seeing around town. It's a win-win situation, if you're tired of carrying the bag with your hands, just use the strap and voila, a messenger bag! It's very convenient. You can wear these satchels dressed up or dressed down, it works both ways. And it can be a regular handbag that you can use at work, at the mall or even for business meetings. They're not too bulky to carry but they're very spacious inside.

Now I have these two satchels that are currently the apples of my eye:

Mulberry Alexa
I love the simplicity of the style. It's looks spacious inside which would be a benefit for me because I bring my apartment in handbags. I can wear it around my shoulders, with my hands or across my body. When I saw it, I was like, this looks like the perfect tourista bag. Alexa doesn't have a lot of buckle metal detailing which makes it seem really light and a bliss to carry around.

Alexa

The very spacey interior

Proenza Schouler PS1
Probably the most popular bag in the brand, I love this bag! I really really love the school girl style of the PS1. Another thing I like about this bag is that it has a lot of compartments. I like organizing things in my handbag and these would really make it easier for me to know where my things are in the bag and to be able to grab them with ease.

PS1

Check the compartments inside and outside the bag

It's the Great Pumpkin! He's rising out of the Pumpkin Patch!

2011-10-31T23:56:00.000-04:00

It's Halloween once again folks and blokes! Personally, it's one of my favorite holidays because it's obviously fun, we get to be surprised on how creative people can get and of course, the accumulation of sweets, talk about overdosing on candy corns and bite-sized chocolates! Noms!

So this Halloween, I went to work as Kelly. Kelly who? Just Kelly, it's the first name that popped in my head this morning so I decided to be Kelly. I'm not really a fan of dressing myself up for Halloween now that I'm older, but I've been Michaelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for years during the peak of my childhood. So for Halloween 2011, here's my Jim Halpert inspired Halloween costume. It's basically just the name sticker, and I still have to dress up appropriately for work anyway.

I also ended up doodling my little Halloween creation. Since there weren't any colored white board markers at my job, I just used a pink highlighter to color our sassy jack-o-lantern.

As part of our cultural tradition, the past week, including this past weekend, became an opportunity for every TV channel to run their Halloween specials. It's that weekend wherein all they air on movie channels are horror films or thrillers, some are classics, some are not but I'm not complaining. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, even Gus van Sant's horrible frame by frame remake of the film were aired. Classic slasher films such as Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th are sure bets on every TV channel. You'd see everything out of this world in horror films, and the film industry created a whole lot of good ones!

Which leads me to the best part of Halloween, in my case… my newly coined "Laptop Filmfest." It's my own film festival on my Mac. So here's the featured films for Jim's First Annual Halloween Laptop Filmfest '11:

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, 1921

Image courtesy of Studio Babelsberg

I have been raving about F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu since the first time I saw it. But I haven't given the same amount of attention to another masterpiece during the silent film era, Wiene's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. A killer on the loose controlled by a mad doctor seems like a perfect plot for a psycho thriller however, this film didn't have to depict graphic images of violence and buckets of blood to produce a very effective horror film. The film's use of distortion through its set design added beautiful visuals that gave impact to the film and in the end, discloses the state of mind of the storyteller. I have to give it to the German's for being the bosses in these kinds of films during the Silent film era, consider Wegener's The Golem too. But overall, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a great film to see, not just because it's Halloween but because it's a cinematic masterpiece.

Suspiria, 1977

Image courtesy of International Classics Inc.

Dario Argento's Suspiria is probably one of the most surprising films I've seen. By surprising, I mean you'll jump off your seat kind of surpising when you least expect it. The first 15 minutes is already an appetizer on what to expect in the film as it is filled with suspense, gore and the right amount of shock. The story centers around a ballet student from the United States who enrolls in a ballet school in Germany, but little did she know, the school is more than what it appears to be. The musical score is commendable whether it's the creepy music or just pure silence. There are gross out parts such as the maggots on rotten food or a rising corpse. It may not be the typical feel good movie but it's like a rollercoaster ride, the sigh comes after the the ride stops.

Evil Dead 2, 1987

Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures

It may not be the godfather of zombie films because that goes to Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978), but it's good enough to have all the ingredients of an awesome horror film. The sequel to The Evil Dead, this film delivered what the audience expected when it comes to young adults running around awaiting to be zombified, killed or be the hero. It has corpses, blood, dizzying chases, surprises, and whatnots. With classic scenes such as Ash, played by Bruce Campbell, cutting off his possessed hand, this film has the recipe for success of being horrifying and at the same time, humorous. It's not the kind of zombie film where you'll laugh because it was poorly made, this one will make you laugh with the characters.

Let the Right One In, 2008

Image courtesy of Sandrew Metronome

Since it's the season of vampire love stories, I decided to watch a more contemporary but more legit and watchable vampire film, Let the Right One In. Based on the book by John Lindqvist, who also wrote the film's screenplay, this film is about friendship and adolescent love, if you may. The main character Oskar is bullied by his peers and he finds a friend through Eli, a vampire. What I like about this film besides the vampire character not sparkling, is that the two main characters perfectly compliment each other. Oskar and Eli find what they're looking for through each other, and that's what makes the story of the film. It centralizes on the human aspects of survival as deeply as possible and they showed it through the hurdles of a 12-year-old and a 12-year-old looking vampire. But yes, it does include lots of bloody instances.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, 1966

Image courtesy of CBS

Let's give kids the chance to watch something for Halloween that wouldn't traumatize them in their dreams. With that I give you the ever classic, It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I mean it's Charlie Brown, what could possibly go wrong?! Linus firmly believes in The Great Pumpkin, he writes him a letter and waits for him in the pumpkin patch, contrary to others' beliefs and discouragement. I've seen this special several times and it still makes me laugh. I guess, as a child, it's just the good 'ol cartoons but as I got older, I get to uncover more meaning and messages from all the Charlie Brown specials. It's for the kids and the kids at heart. The Great Pumpkin allows you to appreciate the simple joys of Halloween, it's a celebration and it's an occasion to have fun.

I've seen mad men, witches, zombies, vampires and of course, pumpkins. It's quiet, simple but most importantly, I enjoyed it. ☺

25 Facts of Random Randomness

2011-10-22T21:45:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying that the photo in this post was caused by a sudden spurt of vanity which only happens once in a blue moon.

Everyone's been doing this famous "25 Things About Me" thingamajig which has been going on for years in different social networking sites, so I guess I'll jump on the bandwagon once again. *facepalm*

1) I can spend the whole day watching Discovery Channel, NatGeo or The Travel Channel, even The Science Channel or History Channel. I'm such a curious dork. I have Mythbusters on DVR. I anticipate Great Migrations and Shark Week. I'm a huge How It's Made and Cash Cab fan. But besides these, I can also watch TCM for an entire day, I love watching Robert Osborne before a feature film begins.

2) I'm not European but I like dipping my fries in ketchup and mayo. Some people find it weird but trust me, it's delish! And I also love dipping fries on chocolate hot fudge sundae, mmm, mmm, mmm.

3) I cry in movies but not in real life. Weird, I know. I'm also not a hugger.

4) I need my dipper wherever I go. I bring it with me when I travel. It's the first thing I pack. You can always get new clothes, but you can never find a sturdy tabo!

5) I have this compulsion to arrange things in my bag by size and group them together. My iPad or whatever book I'm reading will be at the far end of the bag, my planner next, then my check and my wallet. Then on the side would be my vanity kit, eyeglasses, lotion and umbrella. It just has to be ordered that way, it just has to be.

6) I haven't eaten in McDonald's for 5 years, but a few months ago, I finally succumbed and bought Chicken McNuggets. But I'm still not going to eat any of their burgers.

7) When I buy groceries, I get what I need and I'm done in a snap. One of my pet peeves is when my mom would ask me to go with her to the grocery to buy ONLY milk and eggs or something else. So I will be programmed to just buy less than 15 items, go the the express lane or self check-out and out of the grocery. But my mother being her usual self, would spend an extra hour or two browsing every single aisle and items that are not part of the grocery run. What the hell happened to the milk and eggs?! SMH.

8) I hate cooking. Anything with more than two ingredients and would take 10 or more minutes to prepare, screw it, you won't see me near the kitchen! FYI, water or oil is already included in my 2-ingredient cooking limit. So whoever ends up living with me in the future better know how to cook because I'm not cooking for anybody.

9) I have a really bad attitude towards being pissed off. The more you piss me off, the more I piss you off. The more I get nagged, the more I won't do what I'm being nagged about.

10) I'm such a nerd, I was joyously humming The Star Wars theme when I was opening and unboxing my Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-ray set. I did the same thing with The Godfather Trilogy, and I might do that same thing with Harry Potter.

11) It's not that I'm fickle-minded but once I believe in an ideology, I stand by it. But I do take back what I say sometimes, when it's academically and statistically disproven, or if I don't believe in it anymore.

12) I've had a crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt since forever, it all started with Angels in the Outfield. ;)

13) I don't like being talked to in public transportation. I always have earphones with me and put them on my ears whether or not I have my iPod. I know it looks stupid but that's my non-verbal way of communicating that I don't want to be talked to. Don't get me wrong I'm not anti-social, I'm just being on the safe side.

14) I'm a very loyal friend. I'm the "your enemy is my enemy" kind of friend.

15) I can speak gibberish French and Chinese. It's not really French and Chinese but to those who don't speak the languages, they might actually think it's legit.

16) I suck in giving directions. First of all, I don't remember street names, I remember landmarks. So if you ask me for directions I would just end up getting you lost. But don't get me wrong, when I'm driving I know where I'm going, I really do. And I'm the I'd-rather-get-lost-first-before-I-get-familiar-with-the-place kind of person. Honestly, you'd really learn more about a place by getting lost.

17) Did I say that I love cinema?

18) I'm one of those people who firmly believes that a simple act of kindness can have a great effect on someone. A smile or just being pleasant to a person you meet or cross paths with can make a difference, huge or small.

19) I love reading! Books are the next best things that comfort me besides cinema and food. I love reading literary classics and masterpieces. Gabriel Garcia Marquez is undeniably my favorite author. I can also read Catcher in the Rye, Catch-22, the Harry Potter series, Wuthering Heights, 1984, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Fight Club and whatnot, time and time again. I'm definitely open to peruse new and promising books. I still read my textbooks from college, if I have time. Anything informational, touching, inspirational, artistic and entertaining won't have a problem in my books.

20) I'm such a tomboy in high school, people actually thought I liked girls. Hahahahahaha!

21) I like going to movies alone and sit at the very front row. I get more immersed in a film without someone bugging me with: what I think will happen or what the heck just happened or who is that or can you please explain this and that.

22) I love charity work, if only the world was perfect and I have all the money in the world, besides making and viewing films, I would probably be really busy hosting and donating to charity events.
But simple charity work such a volunteering in the soup kitchen, reading books to kids, or even stacking bricks to help build a house for the homeless are all worthwhile life experiences. They make me feel really good at the end of the day.

23) My dream vacation is in the private island of Mustique.

24) I'm a closeted shower concert artist.

25) Last but not the least, I'm a proud Filipino and I'm really committed in helping make the Philippines be the nation that our national heroes dreamt of and fought for.

I felt the earth move under my feet!

2011-09-29T23:52:00.000-04:00

Summer 2011. What a summer that was!

NORTHEAST EARTHQUAKE, THE HEAT AND IRENE
R.E.M. said it well, "It's the end of the world, as we know it"... I don't think so. If you ask me, the world will not end anytime soon, not tomorrow, not next year and not in the next 10 years. Who knows, we'll see. Which leads me to August 23, 2011, Tuesday afternoon... there was an earthquake in the Northeast. I thought a train passed by me, and to make things comically worse, I was in the potty. Anyhoo, it was surprising because the earth never shakes in Northern Virginia. With a 5.8 magnitude, the earthquake's epicenter in Mineral, VA was felt as far as New York and North Carolina. It's now widely known as the East Coast Earthquake. Not fun.

Devastation

The hottest days ever in my entire life was this summer. It wasn't just hot... it was OVEN hot. I'm not exaggerating, the air was on max in my car, I was bringing a gallon of water to work instead of the usual 20 fl oz., but it was just for that weekend, the other days were bearable enough for me. Too much heat can really be dangerous, the chances suffocating from the air quality and dehydration are higher. Don't get me wrong, I do love summer.

Felt like: 115˚F

The next day it felt like: 120˚F

Then not even a month later, came the widely covered Hurricane Irene, which caused panic to Northeasteners… again. Mother Nature is at it! People really overeacted including myself but I'm just so glad and thankful that it didn't live up to the hype.

Can you say panic buying?! This was at a local grocery.

FOOD SUNDAYS
The Sunday Group is still eating and munching on food ergo summer weight added to last year's holiday weight which I still haven't lost. I am doomed and I want to fit my clothes again. It's just difficult to discipline myself when food is around. Poor me.

JAPANESE

KOREAN

Seafood Pancake

Bulgogi

MEXICAN

Shrimp Ceviche

Chicken Fajita

CHILDHOOD LOVES
After wondering for yeaaaars, my childhood crushes have resurfaced! Gregory Smith from Small Soldiers had a summer series called Rookie Blue and he's still as pale and looks the same as he was from years back. And of course, the godfather of Tiger Beat magazine in the 90s, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, more popularly known as JTT! He's still looking fine. He apparently went to college, impressive.

More than 10 years later...

VIDEO EVENT OF THE YEAR
I finally got my own copy of Citizen Kane! Orson Welles' epic film masterpiece turned 70 this year. If Fritz Lang's Metropolis was my most coveted video copy for 2010, for 2011, it has got to be Citizen Kane, probably the best film ever created in American cinema! It's one of those films that gets you curious and makes you discover something new everytime you watch it. Every shot has an interpretation and a meaning. A very visually detailed narrative of the life of Charles Foster Kane. You will never forget "Rosebud."

IMAGINARY PLANNING
A very worthwhile trip is in the works, still imaginary but the probability of it happening two years from now is a must! Pardon the language, but we just got so excited and we want it to happen, and WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SEASONAL FOOTWEAR
Fall is here... and it made its presence felt earlier than expected. So I prematurely unearthed my Uggs and bid farewell to my spring/summer footwear. I basically bought every possible colored Toms in early spring because they were so comfy and light.

Hello...

...goodbye.

SKYPE DATES
Skype was very helpful for summer survival! In my case if your closest girlfriends is half-way around the globe, it's the best way to communicate, and it's free. Boy am I glad these technological advancements made communication easier and more efficient.

The Teleserye faces

With Hunneh Bunneh and Rizza Pizza ♥

A two and a four

2011-09-26T19:14:00.000-04:00

Birthdays are affirmations that life is worth living and that every individual in this planet matters.

It's really been a good and amazing year for me. Things have gone to a direction that I'm more than happy about. It's never easy but with positivity, persistence and patience, everything will fall into its place. I won't say that everything's where I wanted them to be but it's better than I what I expected them to be. :)

I had an awesome birthday weekend!

Definitely started the day with the most important birthday meal: My birthday Pancit, for long life!

As requested for my birthday, Homecooked Chicken and Beef Korai from my officemate. It was sooo good.

My more than awesome and delicious birthday cake!

For my birthday dinner, I strategically chose Chef Geoff's at Tysons because it's located right across Louis Vuitton and Hermes, and it's right beside Tiffany & Co. LOL. But kidding aside, the food was great!

My birthday drink, since I'm older, I chose Pinot Noir

Crispy Oysters in Granny Smith Apple Slaw

Big Shrimp and Very Gouda Grits

Grilled Filet Mignon

Chocolate Panna Cotta Cake

On my birthday weekend the girls and I decided to eat at Hana Tokyo, an awesome Japanese Steakhouse, the food was good and we definitely had a great time!

Cocktails (L-R): Laughing Buddha, Long Island Iced Tea and Mai Tai

Crazy Dragon Roll

Our Hibachi chef

His hands were quick and slick

Trying to catch the shrimp

They use Rum to clean the Hibachi grill... SMH

It was an awesome birthday year but it would've been more awesome if I was able to celebrate it with the four ladies who's been there for me through thick and thin and can stand the loudness of my belch. Drama! But seriously I miss them.

Hunneh Bunneh, Shana Banana, Cam Bam and Rizza Pizza. ♥

There's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York

2011-08-14T00:43:00.000-04:00

The following verse in Frank Sinatra's ever classic song perfectly describes what you feel when you're in New York:

These vagabond shoes,
They are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it
New York, New York

My friend and I have been planning to go to New York for the longest time but we've been too busy, we never really had our much needed vacation. So finally, finally, finally after months of imaginary planning, we were able to manage to squeeze in a little bit of New York to our schedules. We were there for the weekend which I have to say isn't really enough to roam the city but we did our best to make the most out of it. Our main goal: Little sight-seeing and EATING, mostly eating.

We arrived in the city and headed straight to out first food stop, Junior's, who just happens to create the best cheesecake I have ever tasted, located at the iconic Grand Central terminal.

Ever busy but always a beauty

Junior's Plain Cheesecake. Rich and scrumptious, best ever!

We then walked our way to the The Rockefeller Center and went to the Top of the Rock, which delivered a breathtaking view of New York City. Amazing and beautiful.

30 Rock

At the Top of the Rock

We dropped by Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum which was fun! And right outside is the famous and always busy Times Square, which is a delight at night! Energetic and sooo alive!

My boy Justin and my boyfriend Eli. LOL. :D

Right through the very heart of it

As our bellies started growling, we decided to have dinner at Inakaya, a Robata grill in Times Square.

From the "Legggo!" faces to the "We need food" faces.

The view from our seats

Chicken Skewers

Dragon Roll

King California, Spicy Shrimp Tempura and Eel Avocado Rolls

Mochi, compliments of the Robata dudes

Japanese Waffle with Red Bean Sauce

Layered Mochi Ice Cream in Red Bean Sauce

At the end of the day we climbed our way to the Observation Deck of The Empire State Building almost literally, since the wait for the elevators is an hour long, we just decided to use our feet to get to the top and it was worth our energy. New York City at night is a sight!

Observation Deck, Empire State Building

The next day, we decided to go Downtown, walk down Wall Street and take a glimpse of the New York Stock Exchange where money never sleeps.

The view from our hotel window

Wall Street

NYSE

Definitely stopped by to visit Lady Liberty.

The New York City Skyline from Liberty Island

And we decided to walk our way to Chinatown to eat some legit dimsum.

Now this is Chinese!

TAHOOO!

Then we walked around Central Park just to chill, feeling all groovy and hippy.

We topped the day off with a quiet and heavy dinner at Spice.

Thai Iced Tea

Papaya Salad

Phuket Pineapple Fried Rice

The never-ending Pad Thai

Green Curry

Honey-glazed Duck

Lemongrass Seafood Combo

The next morning, we ended up eating brunch at Pastis.

Eggs Benedict

We walked about 2 blocks down to the famous Magnolia Bakery to get a bite of their heavenly cupcakes.

As we shopped our hearts out in SoHo, we ate our afternoon snack at Mariebelle, where I get my favoritest chocolates everrrr.

Strawberry Crepes

Mariebelle's devilishly good chocolates. Gianduja is my favorite!

After dropping our stuff off at the hotel, we ended up eating at Pop Burger.

Then walked 2 more streets up to get our midnight desserts from Serendipity 3.

Those are some cool ceiling lamps

The famous Frrrozen Hot Chocolate

"Can't Say No" Sundae

I left New York with a slice of heaven.

Strawberry Cheesecake, where else, from Junior's of course.

3 fullfilling and gastronomically satisfying days.

I'll say it once and I'll say it again, I LOVE NEW YORK!

It all ended

2011-07-17T00:26:00.000-04:00

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much." This is the very first sentence in the Harry Potter series. These are the first words that we encountered when we opened Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the first time. The first 18 words of the book that captivated the imagination of a generation.

It's been 12 long years since I was introduced to Harry Potter, I was in sixth grade. And now, I'm almost twice as old as I was when I first read the book, and it's a bittersweet feeling that something from my childhood, something that I grew up on has to come to an end. I know it sounds so dramatic and cheesy, but this book has really been an essential part of my culture growing up.

So today, I finally saw the last Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. I have always maintained even from the beginning that the books and the films are two completely different things, and they are. And I have to admit, I'm a bigger fan of the books than the films.

We know that films are only summarized versions of a book. There would be details and events that we deemed important that would be left out in the film. There would be scenes that we are not familiar with and sometimes modified, just so the story can faithfully be told to fit the playtime. So arguing that the films aren't always accurate or that they are inconsistent adaptations are already facts laid out to us.

Like I said, I'm more inclined to the books, than the film. But I have to say, the films can be given the same amount of respect as the books in their own right. These films are the Star Wars of my generation. The films broke box-office records, became its own entity and in a way, reaffirms and tried to put into visuals the events playing in our heads when we first read the Harry Potter books, no matter how different they are from what we thought.

I saw the very first Harry Potter film in 2001, and honestly I was a bit dismayed, because of the loyalty I had for the book, I was expecting that all the details and events that took place in the book would be shown in the film, but some are left out. Nevertheless, I still liked the film, and even though I knew what the next book was or what will happen in the next book, I still anticipated the next films, one after the other. And at that time, I never really thought of the day when the last Harry Potter film will be shown. I guess it was more of an anticipation of the journey and the story but not the ending of the story.

If I go back to 2001 and see the very first Harry Potter film, we will notice how young the main actors are, they grew right before our eyes. And in all fairness to Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, they gave justice to the characters and as they grew up, they gave maturity to these characters. The very first film was whimsical and full of colors, but as the series progressed the films got darker especially the Deathly Hallows. It was more of a horror film than a fantasy film. And this is just an opinion, the Harry Potter film franchise ended with a bang. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, is the best Harry Potter film I've seen. As much as I know how the events will unravel, and I do know what will happen, the film still had me at the edge of my seat.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was a dark representation of last events in the Harry Potter series. It was basically a battle between good and evil, between right and wrong. It showed a tale of bravery, loyalty, love and most of all friendship. It may be a horror-fantasy but the themes that were used are so universal and sometimes, metaphorically representative of the struggles we go through with reality. The action that the film showcased was greatly executed knowing how special effects had a big role in those. There are parts that you can't help but cry such as the scene where they showed the dead bodies of Lupin, Tonks and Ron's discovery of Fred and George's lifeless bodies in the Great Hall. It seemed sadder in film than in the book. Even Snape's pensive memory, had me teary-eyed. But I guess it was the last part of the film, that really struck me, the very last scene where I had tears rolling down my cheeks. It was that last scene, that straightened out the facts that Harry Potter has really ended, and it's time to bid the story farewell.

We all know that the last book was released in 2007, and that in itself was bittersweet. But what makes it worse is that the films reiterates the reality that Harry Potter's story has truly ended. We spent 10 years of our lives waiting for the next book or the next film, and now, there's nothing to look forward to anymore. But all good things come to an end, as much as we still want to be a part of Harry, Hermione and Ron's journey, we're pretty lucky to have been spectators and readers of the magic, the creativity, the imagination, the fantasy and of course the story of their world.

Although the series and the franchise have ended, and bid their respective farewells, the genius behind it all, J.K Rowling tearfully said, "Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home." It may have ended but we can always go back and revisit Harry Potter again and again, as much as we want, how often we want. We can always go back to the beginning and start once again with "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much."

All was well.

Ron, Hermione and Harry pensively looks in the distance towards the departed Hogwarts Express.

Fade to black. Credits roll.

Images courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures

The See-food Diet

2011-07-13T20:49:00.000-04:00

This is how The Sunday Group rolls on a weekend. Forget hours of Yoga, Pilates and the gym. Because when we see food, we eat food.

NOMS!

We decided to try the new Florida restaurant that just opened in Tysons. Seasons 52.

They change their menu every season.

Dining essentials: Cocktails.

Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli

Caramelized Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms

Lemon Grass Salmon Salad

Cedar Plank Roasted Salmon

Desserts

The next day, we tried this hip dimsum place in DC, Ping Pong Dimsum, which to our dismay doesn't have dimsum carts but the food wasn't bad at all.

Strawberry Lemon Crush

Dimsum Feast

Honey-glazed Ribs Seafood in Coconut Rice

Spinach and Mushroom Dumplings Seafood Cake

Scallop and Shitake Dumplings Pork Shu-mai

Crabmeat and Prawn Dumplings Seafood Dumplings

Crispy Shrimp Wontons Roasted Pineapple and Coconut Spring Roll

And for dinner, after shopping at Georgetown, we decided to drop by Bistro Francais and satisfy our lamb cravings.

Cocktails of course.

Soupe à l'oignon (French Onion Soup)

Leg of Lamb, Sautéed French Green Beans and Potatoes in Red Wine Sauce

Lamb Steaks, Sautéed French Green Beans, Pommes and Watercress Butter

Tarte aux Pommes

Banana Royale in Melba and Chocolate Sauce

Mille-feuille (Napoleon)

Good food, amazing people but the most important thing is talking and spending time with friends through food!

Strawberries and Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-07-07T21:31:00.000-04:00

My friends and family know that I hate, with I hate, I mean dislike, will not do and will not try COOKING. Anything that requires more than 2 ingredients and 10 minutes of my time is considered cooking to me. I'm that kid who would rather clean the house and wash the dishes rather than cook.

So, if you're like me who dislikes cooking, there are ways to enjoy eating without any hassle and too much energy.

One of my favorite 2-step munches is Strawberries (better if frozen) and Cream Cheese Frosting.

All you need are:

Ready made Cream Cheese Frosting

Fresh strawberries

Preparation:
a) Get a cup, then put the Cream Cheese Frosting with the fresh/frozen strawberries
OR
b) Just dip the strawberries into the frosting

A B

And there you have an awesome, no cooking necessary dessert!

Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?... Anyone? Anyone?

2011-06-11T23:53:00.000-04:00

25 years ago, in 1986, John Hughes created an iconic film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The 80's was my decade, the decade of amazingly cool music, political upheavals and crazy bright fashion. And I'm proud to be an 80s baby. Film wise, it's the decade of high school flicks involving life, romance and individuality. John Hughes mastered this genre with the ever classic The Breakfast Club, young love in Sixteen Candles and Some Kinda of Wonderful, and love and social class in Pretty in Pink. More teen fims such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High didn't only contribute Spicoli to pop culture but it discussed teenage issues and dilemmas. Say Anything will always be as romantic as Lloyd Dobler raising a boombox playing In Your Eyes outside the Diane's window. And even the murderous Heathers is a classic in it's own right.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of those transforming films of the 80s. People I know who were old enough to be aware of the 80's, my generation, even my brother's generation, who weren't even born yet in 1985, mention this film as one of their all-time favorites. This isn't just a film about a charismatic high school student who regularly skips school, it's way bigger than that. It's about freedom, a celebration of life, and growing up.

There's so many reasons to love this film besides it being still undoubtedly entertaining after the nth time of viewing. It isn't just a narrative about what Ferris and his friends did, where they went and how they got through skipping school without getting caught. It's more of a narrative of how Ferris tries to savor his moments with his friends before he leaves for college, and how he wants to save Cameron from snapping and to simply just enjoy his life.

"You're Abe Froman… the sausage king of Chicago?" Chicago, housing a city with great architecture and amazing art museums, is more than just a setting in the film but also a character in itself. This film is a tourist guide to anybody planning to go to Chicago! Shot in broad daylight and bright lights, John Hughes beautifully tours the viewer in a happy, energetic and lively city through the excursion of Ferris, Cameron and Sloane. The film explored The Sears Tower as it shows a panoramic view of Chicago. The three friends explores the Art Institute of Chicago exhibiting famous paintings such as Hopper's Nighthawks, Picasso's The Red Arm Chair, and of course, Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The film also included the three friends watching a baseball game supporting the Chicago Cubs, a peek at the Mercantile Exchange and of course, the famouse parade scene where Ferris sang and danced atop a parade float singing Twist and Shout. That particular scene was so Chicago because John Hughes decided to show real people from the city dancing and singing to the music.

Another great thing about Ferris Bueller's Day Off is how the supporting cast became classic pop culture icons in their own right. It catapulted Ben Stein to popularity with his epic Voodoo economics scene as he comically lectures in his monotonous voice. Ed Rooney is the high school principal who got what he deserved as he pursues Ferris Bueller skipping school, not to mention, Grace, the glue sniffing secretary. Ferris' oblivious parents and jealous sister are definitely great supports for the film even the Maison D'etre in "Chez Quis" and the stoned and young Charlie Sheen as Jeanie's precinct love. John Hughes made sure that in this film, every role, no matter how small it was would make an impact to the audience, just take the faces of the students in the classroom scene, perfectly raw and natural.

But what Ferris Bueller did was not skip school just because he wanted it, he skipped school just in time to pull the stick out of Cameron's butt. Cameron Frye, portrayed by Alan Ruck who's way beyond his teen years when the film came out, is a young man who needed an assurance that he is cared for, loved and important. And this is what the "day-off" was about. This is how the film ironically shows Ferris' unselfishness and loyalty as a friend, by forcing Cameron to do the things Ferris wanted to do and to see that Cameron is not what he perceives himself to be.

Ferris is just a kid suffering from separation anxiety. He leaves for college and he simply wants to savor his last moment with his best friend, so both of them can have fun, take advantage of the time they have left in high school and look at the the finer things in life together. And it's his mission that before he sends his best friend away, he should save Cameron from self-destruction.

Cameron is terrified of his father who happens to be an unseen character in the film probably because the antagonistic car-loving father should be shaped in the audiences' minds of how terrible he is as we can see through Cameron's character. But it took Ferris the guts to borrow one of Cameron's father's prized possessions to prove to Cameron that he is worth more than a Ferrari. And Cameron realizes this when he accidentally pushed the car out of his father's showroom when he finally decided not to care, when he finally decided to stand up. This is the first time we see Cameron's face brighten up as all his worries and demons were slowly flushed out of his body. It was definitely in him and definitely his decision to stand up but he needed Ferris as a catalyst to trigger his emotions and self-worth.

So this film is more than just a comedy about a kid who's favorite subject is hookie, it's a film that shows us that life is worth living. It shows us to take a stand. The film encourages us to do things we are scared of doing and it makes us realize that "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

"I am not going to sit on my ass as the events that affect me unfold to determine the course of my life. I'm going to take a stand. I'm going to defend it. Right or wrong, I'm going to defend it." -- Cameron Frye, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, 1986

Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures

It's time to live in a scattered sun

2011-06-04T23:19:00.000-04:00

2011 was an eventful year and it's not even half-way done and I must say, what an eventful spring it was, globally and personally.

I love the warmth of spring weather, if only the sun showed up more often and if the weather wasn't so crazy, but it was definitely an eye-opening season.

THE ROYAL WEDDING

Image courtesy of Associated Press

"Ladies, speak now or forever hold your peace!" No one spoke and women all over the world just decided to hold their peace because Prince William finally got married to his longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton, now known as Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, and the future queen of England.

Image courtesy of EPA and Sipa Press

Her dress was the perfect "simple yet elegant" wedding dress and totally reminiscent of Grace Kelly's. Sarah Burton is now a household name.

It's definitely an event to watch because Kate Middleton, ahem, Duchess Catherine, entered the Westminster Abbey as a commoner and when she stepped out, she's a princess. She got her fairy-tale ending, it just so happened that her Prince Charming is a real prince. But remember, you don't need a real-life prince for your own fairy-tale ending. And please, as much as I hate to say it, William is balding! Now that the world's most eligible bachelor is off the market, Prince Harry… hello, hello!

THEY'VE ID'd GERONIMO
"No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama Bin Laden…" As the whole world was caught up in the media hoopla of the royal wedding, somewhere 5-minutes away from home, President Barry and his staff was just too darn busy trying to kill Bin Laden. And they have succeeded. His death may not be the end of the fight against terrorism but it's the start of a bigger battle to achieve world peace.

This image from The White House is definitely something we will never forget, intense and powerful:

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

TORNADO WARNING
We did get something new this spring… a real tornado warning. It was a serious tornado warning, I took it seriously.

An image from a local news company:

Cyclone sighting somewhere in Stafford, VA

THE RAPTURE
"Don't you know, it's the end of the world?" Yeah right. May 21, 2011, 6:00pm… nothing happened. Our environmentally challenged world is still intact. No earthquakes and no person disappeared.

SVU

Image courtesy of NBC Universal

One of my favoritest shows ever, have officially jumped the shark. This came to an announcement by NBC that Detective Elliot Stabler will not be returning to Law and Order: SVU... ever. Besides the on-going story line of a stranger finding a dead body, the detectives asking questions, then finding a suspect who's not really the suspect, more questions and investigation, a trial and 10 minutes before the show ends, the entrapment and revelation of the real murderer, the romantic and sexual tension between Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler is what's keeping me hooked to this series. Like seriously no hook-up?! That's really the only thing I'm waiting for. There's really nothing to look forward to in SVU, unless Stabler comes back divorced and begs Olivia to love him and marry him, and bam, series finale.

HALF YEARLY-REPORT

COLLEGE SENTIMENTALITY
I can't believe that it's been a year since I've graduated from college. I'm really getting old!

This was good old college life.

Library life

***Since my university has its own concert venue, I always pass by at the back to go to class from the parking lot just in case I would have some artist sighting, don't care who they are.

Parked on the back are tour buses.

This sums up my academic life every semester. Oh the vicious cycle.

Doodles in class + studying while driving = A+ test score. Say whut?!

***I happen to have an awesome major ergo cool, lifelong readworthy text books. But I don't miss textbook prices, frakking expensive!

***The most cliche college experience of all... parties. Beer pong, flip cups and the ever epic flashlight tag!

THE BIRTH OF THE SUNDAY GROUP
My friends and I formed The Sunday Group. Our main goal is to simply eat, drink and be merry. So far, we've been accomplishing our goals and a little bit more.

ROLLIN'
I finally went to an amusement park and rode roller-coasters after a long long long time. I missed the thrill of riding roller-coasters, this is my beginner course for sky-diving which will hopefully push through this summer.

MY NEW FRIEND
Ever since I started having a "normal" life being in the workforce and as they say, a legit adult, I've made a new friend…. PINOT GRIGIO it's called. Half a glass is relaxing as it is. And on the weekends, a glass of pinot and a subscription to The New Yorker never fails.

The funny and random things in life never ends.

STRICTLY BUSINESS
Business meeting for an unknown business venture with my girlfriends in Manila still end up becoming Chismis meetings. I love it!

Shana Banana!

HEALTH SCARE
On the day of the Royal Wedding, I was ER'd because I thought I was having an attack, which I'm glad I wasn't having. But it was a result of a deadly migraine, a nerve spasm and hypertension, which wasn't really a good feeling if they happen all at once! So I ended up getting numerous medications, more trips to my physician, watching my above average cholesterol levels and the struggle to be physically, physiologically and anatomically well. And next week with high hopes, I would finally be off my medication.

In the Emergency Room

*** I had to carry my meds around for more than a month in medicine bottles in a Ziploc, so I decided to upgrade to a weekly medicine box, hence, it still made me feel like I'm a 60-year-old woman. Not fun. :|

THE NOLI AND EL FILI
I've started reading my Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo copies from Penguin classics. A timeless novel about the history of the Philippines and the work of the genius of Jose Rizal. In tribute to the Philippines' national hero's 150th birthday this coming June 19th, I will read these novels again. We discussed Noli and El Fili during my junior year in high school but it took me a lot of brain work to understand the Filipino translation, shameful I know. But my Panitikan teacher explained the novels and interpreted the novels well enough. But I wanted to read, understand and interpret these novels on my own. And these masterworks are definite must-haves in every Filipino's bookshelves.

Noli and El Fili, Penguin Classics Edition

FUTURE
The research to write for my Graduate School writing samples have resumed and is in fluctuating throttle but it's already getting baked in the oven. Honestly, I'm torn between Cinema Studies, Communication and Public Policy. But I'll gather as much resources, and write and research as much as I can so when I've finally made my decision on what to study and where to go, I'll just send my application and the required 15-page writing samples. Yep, I plan on writing 6 articles, 2 for each concentration. I'm taking this Grad school thing seriously, believe it or not.

My work area.

❁❁❁

So that was spring. Not too itense but memorable enough. What's in-store for summer, I have no idea but I am so ready to find out!

In Motion with the Asian, Week 4

2011-05-28T12:21:00.001-04:00

TAIWAN

A CITY OF SADNESS, 1989

Image courtesy of Era Communications

I don't know much about Taiwan. But the award-winning director Hou Hsiao-Hsien, who also directed another moving and great film The Time to Live and the Time to Die, conveyed a very powerful statement about Taiwan through his masterpiece A City of Sadness. I learned about Taiwan, what it's been through and its history. A very moving account of the most turbulent and challenging times in Taiwan was told and justifiably shown through the story of a family. As the story of the four brothers are told, the film beautifully narrates the story of that period in Taiwan's history. Tony Leung played the fourth and deaf brother, which was a powerful portrayal and the catalyst that showed the kind of government and rule Taiwan was going through. The country has been through so much and throughout this film, we appreciate their resilience and strength as one family.

YI YI, 2000

Image courtesy of Kuzui Enterprises

Edward Yang is a genius in weaving stories together to create a coherent and poignant story. Like his other great film A Bright Summer Day, Yang was able to deliver another great film with the same techniques in his last film. Yi Yi is an easy yet compelling film to watch. Yang wonderfully tells the story of a family wherein there's a story for every character. It tackles first love, lost love, death, innocence, family, life, even friendships. Yang was able to focus on a character and every emotion, while maintaing coherence in this 3 hour masterpiece. The most memorable character is the youngest son Ying Ying who gave the most moving part of the film and the most memorable idea, he takes pictures of the back of people's heads because he wants to help them see what they don't see. A simple yet very deep thought. The film emulated that thought by creating the subplots and through the individuality of the characters rather than focusing on the family as one. The audience was able to see what they don't usually see, and what other characters in the film don't usually see and know. A funny and dramatic tale of what a family goes through, nothing more, nothing less but beautifully told.

THAILAND

SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY, 2006

Image courtesy of Fortissimo Films

I was introduced to the beauty of Thailand during my sophomore year in high school because of a play we did about one of its heroines Thao Suranari, and that led to the discovery of the wonderful cuisine of Thailand and the ever sentimental song "Loi loi Gratong" we sang it, instead of the more proper and correct Loi Krathong. Anyway, I became very intrigued and curious about an independent film director in Thailand, Apichatpong Weerasethakul (yes, I have to double check my spelling) after watching one of his films Syndromes and a Century, which I had to watch twice to be fully immersed in. The film is mysterious, non-linear and surreal as it can be. The film focuses on the moments in the story rather than the story created by the moments. The moments that are shared but experienced differently, real or surreal. It's a mystifying journey to watch Weerasethakul's film, you have to be in the moment with the film, in the moment with the emotion and it doesn't attempt to make you think but simply just to go and feel the flow. I have yet to see more of his films such as Tropical Malady and the very recent Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. There's more Thai films to discover, I'm just getting started.

VIETNAM

CYCLO, 1995

Image courtesy of Prooptiki

I saw my first ever Vietnamese film last month as a recommendation by a friend who happens to be a Vietnam native. She lent me her copy of Tranh Anh Hung's Cyclo. With an element reminiscent of De Sica's The Bicycle Thief, and an aspect which reminded me of Mereilles' City of God, Cyclo managed to create it's greatness on its own. With a style on its own, Cyclo was able to tell the story of a struggling young man, who got the short end of life as he was innocently thrown into the pit of a corrupt society. By joining a syndicate, and his sister thrust into prostitution, the film used the context to show the most humanly side of life through beautiful emotional and poetic outbursts of color. A beautifully shot film that tells an amazing story.

☀☀☀
Hopefully in the next year, I would be able to view and learn more amazing Asian films. There are films that I have missed for certain Asian countries and there might be countries that I missed completely, however, I will definitely try my best to learn and discover great films from all over Asia and the Pacific.

Sari-sari

2011-05-27T18:57:00.000-04:00

Today, I ended up going with my mother to one of my most favoritest places to shop for food... The Filipino Store. It's what I call home away from home because you can get anything Filipino there except a Mr. Taho Guy serving fresh and hot Taho, which I wish they have, but you can buy ready-made Filipino delicacies, snacks, the infamous Balut, Filipino-made beauty products even DVDs of Filipino films.

Here are the stuff I love to buy at The Filipino Store

1) Nata de Coco: I like munching on these, and eat them as it is. That's why we keep on running out of these when my mom makes Buco Pandan.

2) ChocNut. Tell me who doesn't love ChocNut?!

3) Champorado, I definitely grew up eating my grandmother's Champorado made from scratch but since my grandmother is kinda old to cook, and since I don't cook, shame on me, I buy the ready made Champorado, you just need to add it on boiling water and voila!

4) Dried Mangoes. I can eat them forever.

5) Instant noodles. Work food and no-food food.

6) Chichiria. Though the mixed nuts snack may be inappropriately named, it's definitely a decent munch at night while watching TV. But Mallows is a sure fave!

7) And last but not the least, the staple in every Filipino pantry, the PANCIT CANTON. This thing is money!

In Motion with the Asian, Week 3

2011-05-21T11:07:00.000-04:00

INDIA

PATHER PANCHALI, 1955

Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

The first film in the epic The Apu Trilogy is about the family of a boy named Apu. Apu's family is very poor however the film shows the ties between Apu and his older sister Durga. They're have the typical brother and sister relationship with arguments here and there. But a very powerful and beautiful scene is when they ran through the cornfields as they get mesmerized by what they hear, then slowly, they follow where the smoke comes from and run towards it. Apu and Durga saw something they have never seen and experienced before because of the constraints of the world they live in. It's moments like the train scene that makes the film as human as it is. It's little moments in life that are weaved together which formed the film, some are sad, some are happy and some would be life-changing. It's definitely a powerful film to watch. To see the world in the eyes of a child is something else, no bias and pure truth.

MOTHER INDIA, 1957

Image courtesy of Mehboob Productions

Mother India is considered the most classic of Indian cinema. The film tells Radha's story from her early days as a young bride, then becoming a mother of young children then years later men, and how people see her as the mother image of her village. The film is a powerful narrative that encapsulates the struggles of a person, the culture of India's society and the power of their values. We see a mother's love for her children and the joy her children brings her. The film, in my opinion, is also a metaphor of changes in the Indian society, from a purely traditional society to a modern society. The music in the film are melodious and beautiful. The imagery used to show a woman's power is amazing.

PHILIPPINES
The Philippines. I'm a proud Filipino so it has to be one of the countries I will feature in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage month. A developing country that will surely go a long way. The Philippines is a land of beauty and talent. Though mainstream cinema's quality is not as good as the ones during the 60s and 70s, the Filipino independent film scene have contributed impressive feature films that are starting to revolutionize Philippine cinema.

ANG PAGDADALAGA NI MAXIMO OLIVEROS, 2005

Image courtesy of Unitel Pictures International

As much as I hate to say this, I haven't seen all the great films in Philippine cinema but I'm trying to be resourceful enough and watch and feel those one by one. Too many films, so little time, but I've seen a decent amount of Philippine films, I've seen mediocre, pointless drama and comedy films, and I've seen promising and poignant classics. Before I left Manila in 2006, I saw Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. The title definitely caught my attention. The film is about a gay teenager who lives with his father and brothers, whose stealing sprees are their source of living. The film shows Maxi's growth as a gay teenager as he develops a crush on a police officer who he sees as his knight and shining armor. This fateful meeting opened his eyes to the harsh world of poverty. The film focuses on the colorful life of a young boy living in a dark subculture in the Philippines. The film's witty yet poignant dialogues put things into perspective on why his family do what they do. The irony of the audience feeling the pain of the offenders rather than supporting societies supposed defenders, the police. It's a very entertaining film and it catapulted the awareness of mass audiences in the new wave of film-making in the Philippine film industry.

HIMALA, 1982

Image courtesy of Experimental Cinema of the Philippines

Ishmael Bernal's Himala is probably considered one of the most popular and iconic films in Philippine cinema. The film stars one of the country's prized actresses Nora Aunor who played the role of the lead character, Elsa. Claiming to have seen the Virgin Mary on a hill, Elsa started healing people. Followers, believers and tourists flocked her little town, even the media became interested in the spectacle that is Elsa. Elsa was the hope of the hopefuls and the sick. Did she miraculously heal them? No. But did they believe in her healing power, yes. Elsa was their hope but not the answer to their problems. Bernal gave the audience the impression that Elsa was the real deal, that she has the god-given power of healing but in the end, Elsa exclaims that there is no miracle, instead, we create our own miracles, curses and gods, a short but very powerful line in the film. The last part was a beautifully made scene, because it talks to the Filipino, it calls for action. When Elsa gets shot, it's as if their hope died, but the people held on to her, they held on to their hope. The Philippines being majorly Catholic, the film used religion and faith as a social commentary about Filipinos. A country corrupted by an epidemic that was contagiously passed on from generation to generation, no god can heal a diseased society without action and change from the people.

MAYNILA: SA KUKO NG LIWANAG, 1975

Image courtesy of Cinema Artists Philippines

But of all the Filipino films I've seen, I have to say that Lino Brocka's Maynila: Sa Kuko ng Liwanag is the best thus far. This is Filipino film at its finest. This is the film that should set the bar for future Filipino filmmakers. The story of Julio Madiaga is a powerful drama about the struggle of laborers and the perception of Filipinos during those days, that Manila is where the dream will become a reality. In this tragic story of love and sacrifice, we would feel for Julio as his dreams are shattered when he went to Manila. The film makes you an eavesdropper on Julio's life, from viewing his life as a mere observer and as the film progresses we become more acquainted to him. The use of raw sounds of construction and milling gave life and the urban vibe to the film. The imagery of Julio and his girlfriend Ligaya's life in the province are shot with brightness and color contrasting the dark and dull colors in Manila which represents the life that welcomed Julio in the city. As a Filipino, the great films would be the one who would speak to the audience not as a woman or a lover, but the film would speak to the audience as a Filipino, to open our minds to the status quo and for us to do something in our own little way to improve society.

SOUTH KOREA

THE HOUSEMAID, 1960

Image courtesy of Kuk Dong

Probably one of the most suspenseful films I've seen, it's like the Korean equivalent of Psycho, they might have different plots but both have the same surprising effects. A story about a psychotic maid hired by a composer to help around his house. The maid is sinister, weird, deceptive and just plain creepy. A very memorable scene was when the maid decided to trick the son to drink poisoned water, from a friendly trick to a violent attack of an adult to a child. Adding the surprise is the use of small narrow places on almost every scene, giving the audience the most unsuspected and shocking source of fright. The eerie music definitely adds a creepier effect to the black and white, and constricted shots in the film.

OLDBOY, 2003

Image courtesy of Show East

A great psychological-action thriller from Korea is Oldboy. A man that was imprisoned for 15 years was finally free and seeks revenge and answers. It's one of those films that literally keeps you at the edge of your seat as the story progresses to a more climactic event and an intriguing, controversial revelation. The action scenes are so well executed that it will definitely blow your mind. Unlike most films with violence, Oldboy is one of the films where you will understand the necessity of the fights and action sequences. It's a poetic masterpiece with beautiful shots and flawless sequences. The hallway fight may not be as slick as the Kung-fu fights but the part where Oh Dai-Su stood and fought a group of men attacking him and he still endures it and fights back in the most humanly way, is definitely one of the most awesome scenes I've seen in action cinema. Besides the physical action, it's also an emotional journey as it peeks through the power of human love and emotion and the actions they are capable of doing.

In Motion with the Asian, Week 2

2011-05-14T23:48:00.000-04:00

CHINA

SPRING IN A SMALL TOWN, 1948

Image courtesy of Wenhua Film Company

A postwar film about a Chinese family and how they dealt with the past, present and potential future of their lives. It was directed by Fei Mu, who's considered to be one of China's greatest directors. The thing I love about Spring in a Small Town is how each character was given equal amounts of importance and impact to the film. It's that kind of film where you can associate, understand and feel the characters' pain, happiness and hopefulness. The love-triangle where you can deeply feel the pain of those involved. When we first see their characters in the film, it gives us an assumption of the kind of characters they are, what to expect from them, and what's great is how you'd fall in love with them instantly, how you'd relate with them instantly. And with Spring in a Small Town, the only thing that the family is going against is destiny. The film was remade by acclaimed Chinese director Tian Zhuangzhuang as Springtime in a Small Town and it was also praised by critics, I have yet to see the remake.

THE HORSE THIEF, 1986

Image courtesy of Xi'an Film Studio

Since Tian Zhuangzhuang has been mentioned, my next Chinese film is one of his best works and his only work that I saw which is The Horse Thief. The film is about a Tibetan horse thief Norbu, who does it to provide for his family. Honestly, I had to watch the film more than once before a message struck me, I'm not sure if that's the director's intention or it's just a perspective I gained on my own merits but the film, just like Norbu just wants to be accepted, to be understood through time. Zhuangzhuang's masterpiece is a beauty in cinematography. The vibrant colors contradicts Norbu's loneliness being outcasted, rejected and neglected by his group but it surrounds him infinitely as his only companion throughout the film that he isn't in a blackhole of loneliness. The colors and the shots guide the audience through the film and accompanies Norbu as his story unfolds. It's a film you have to understand deeply to be able to appreciate. But how can you not sit through a film where every pause from the play button and every shot unravels amazing exquisite photographs of a character and of life.

RED SORGHUM, 1987

Image courtesy of Xi'an Film Studio

An intriguing, intimate, bold and tragic film by the great Zhang Yimou is Red Sorghum. A very playful and juvenile beginning and a very tragic and heartbreaking ending. Red Sorghum tells the story of a young bride played by one of China's great actresses Gong Li and how she was able to inspire the people around her in a distillery, told hrough the voice of her grandson. The red wine represents everything the film is about, besides being the catalyst in the film, the red sorghum brought the characters together and prompted their interactions with one another, it represents the passion of the characters and it represents the demise of the distillery and the woman who served as the mother and inspiration for the film. The last part was a very moving and powerful scene, the tragedy and the colors that the director used including the eclipse during sunset worked well together, to convey the sadness and at the same time goosebumps. Ju Dou and Raise the Red Lantern are two other tragic but brilliant films from Zhang Yimou, but I think Red Sorghum is his best.

FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE, 1993

Image courtesy of Miramax Films

Farewell My Concubine is another film besides being controversial and having its own story, it explores the rich world of the Peking Opera and the Cultural Revolution in China. The story is about a young boy brought up to play a role of a female, and the struggles he went through as a child and as an opera star. The love story that was told is as tragic as it can be but it's a very strong love story of sacrifice and unrequited love. A very bold and epic tale about life in China during the hardship of society and life during that era. The film starts and ends with the two men on stage at the same time, but at the end we finally know who they are, what they are, we finally know the faces and the characters behind those costumes and the act. It was unraveled to us through a tale of fortitude, love, sacrifice and art. Another intriguing and powerful film from China.

HONG KONG

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, 2000

Image courtesy of Block 2 Pictures

Definitely one of the most revered directors in Asia is Wong Kar-wai, with his amazing films such as the cerebral and colorful epic Chungking Express, even the romantically frustrating yet audience satisfying Days of Being Wild, Happy Together and In the Mood for Love. One of my favorite romance tales is the one told in In the Mood for Love. A romantic tale of two people who are destined to be together. It's the story of a beautiful friendship that blossomed into romance but the people involved are fighting those feelings out of moral issues and perception issues. The whole film tells their love story, as friends who act like, talk like and fight like a couple but they aren't. It's a romantic tale that doesn't need lust but restraint to become the love story that it is. The beautiful Maggie Cheung and the dashing Tony Leung were perfect for the film. Like I said before, a great love story doesn't end in a happily ever after, it ends with the tale with a questionable thought lingering in the minds of the spectating and eavesdropping audience of why and how they can never be together.

COME DRINK WITH ME, 1966

Image courtesy of Shaw Brothers Studio

Martial arts is one awesome awesome thing that the Chinese had shared to the world. Just watching martial artists is definitely one of the most impressive things I've seen. King Hu is definitely the master of Wuxia films. Way before Ang Lee's epic Crouhing Tiger Hidden Dragon, there was King Hu's A Touch of Zen and my most favorite Come Drink with Me. King Hu has perfected the use of vibrant colors to accompany the choreography. The seamless editing and the intensity of the sequences are just amazing to watch. Not only is the film solely amazing in itself but the protagonist is a powerful female who we journey with. Every time she spins that sword, flies through the air and battles her enemies, you just can't help but say "You go girl!" King Hu's amazing fight choreography is perfect and mesmerizing. When I think of the technicalities in film, I am just wowed at the effort and work they've done in this film to achieve flawless fight scenes. The heroine Golden Swallow, played by Cheng Pei-pei is a sight to watch, that woman can manage her swords pretty well. She can really kick butt. Remember Jade Fox from Croughing Tiger Hidden Dragon, that's her!

PEKING OPERA BLUES, 1986

Image courtesy of Golden Princess Film Produciton

Peking Opera Blues is awesomely hilarious! It's the jack of all trades of Hong Kong cinema. Besides taking you back to the early 1900s and demonstrating the art of Peking Opera, it also gives you the classic entertainment of laughter, drama and action with the underlying societal issues in the early days of China. The set is so colorful as the film itself. The costumes are very extravagant and beautiful. But the fight choreography, the story, the comedy it provides through the characters' facial reactions and body language are a sure win! Another great thing is how the story revolves around three strong-willed women who through the patriarchal society of China, were able to emotionally and physically show independence and strength. A great historic and art film to be discovered by all generations.

PROJECT A PART 2, 1987

Image courtesy of Golden Way Films Ltd.

Jackie Chan. Hong Kong's great Jackie Chan, actor, producer, director, comic, fight choreographer and martial artist extraordinaire. In his Project A films, it's the the golden days of Jackie Chan, not only did he star in them, he also directed them. The best of the two Project A films, is the sequel, aptly titled Project A Part II, also stars the gorgeous Maggie Cheung. Here we see young Chan at his finest, quicker, slicker and more energetic. This film is modern slapstick at its finest. Chan perfected the role as a policeman who happens to have awesome martial arts skills. The sight of Jackie Chan moving and fighting combined with perfect comedic timing, makes the movie what it is. This is why I love Jackie Chan, he's not only some dude who kicks and jumps high, he mastered this really difficult practice of choreographed fighting which isn't a really easy task, besides a wrong move causing disaster, it has to be flawlessly executed to create a sequence that's fast and full of action. So if you wanna appreciate more Jackie Chan, quit watching the Rush Hour films and watch him in his heyday, you'll love him and appreciate him more.

THE ACTRESS, 1992

Image courtesy of Golden Harvest

Last but not the least is one of the best Hong Kong films I've seen, Stanley Kwan's Centre Stage or The Actress. This is Maggie Cheung's role of a lifetime as she portrayed silent film star Ruen Ling-yu in this biopic about the life and demise of the actress. The film included interviews of the those involved in the production, real film footages of Ruen Ling-yu and of course the recreation of her life. Maggie Cheung was beautiful and graceful in this film. She was able to convey her emotions through her gaze and controlled body movements just like the life of the woman she's portraying. The great thing about the juxtaposition of the footages, interviews and scenes even the colors is that it creates a better understanding and image of Ruan Ling-yu for the audiences. She may be recreated but can never be replaced. The last few minutes of the film was heart wrenching, as we draw near the end of the film, we also knew that she was about to cut her life short. Ruan Ling-yu lived and died with silence but The Actress gave her the voice.

Yahoo! Identity Thieves

2011-05-11T18:22:00.000-04:00

In this world of high technological advancements and discoveries, life on earth became more efficient and easy but with that comes a price, IDENTITY THIEVES.

So, I was talking to my friend earlier and I found out that her Yahoo account got hacked. Yahoo, seriously, step up your game! This isn't the first time it happened because it happened to me too some two years ago.

Because of college, I scrapped my cutie patootie email addresses so I would look more professional when I 'm applying for internships, so I changed my email to my name, my FULL NAME. Everybody knows the famous and widely-used instant messaging service, Yahoo! Messenger. So one day, like I usually do, I would go online to chat with my friends. And what welcomed me on my account were lesser friends and to my surprise, unfamiliar Yahoo IDs of people, probably people I have never met in my entire life! And with the identity thieves' very slick move, when I tried to sign-in the next day, I couldn't sign-in anymore. Was it a stalker who wants to destroy me (my paranoid self-talking, here)? Maybe. A robot created to hack into people's accounts to get credit information? Maybe. I really don't know how it was hacked. But what ticked me off the most is, it was my name, my FULL NAME on that email/Yahoo ID. So if someone, had any contact with a janelle_mojica@yahoo.com between 2008 to present, I'm saying it now, you are not communicating with me.

Anyway, it happened to my friend too. Same scenario, same email ID issue. And it sucks because it happened to our YAHOO! accounts which we have used to communicate with one another since we became aware of the internet until a certain period in time until it got trumped by Skype. Thankfully, I have my reliable Gmail email and I have been introduced to the wonderful world of Skype.

So, just to make things clear, I don't have any active YAHOO! accounts anymore, thanks to these Yahoo! Identity Thieves. I wish them well in their hacking ventures, I hope they get hacked too.

In Motion with the Asian, Week 1

2011-05-07T23:39:00.000-04:00

May, the fifth month of the year in the Julian calendar, the peak of spring, the month we celebrate the much needed Memorial Day weekend and it's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

So in celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders, I will be posting entries honoring Asian Cinema throughout the month of May. Keep in mind, Asians also pioneered and created amazing artistry in the world of cinema. The Western hemisphere may have the dominance in all the great films ever created starting with American and European cinema, but you can't ignore the presence of a number of films that heralded from the Eastern hemisphere.

JAPAN

IKIRU, 1952

Image courtesy of Toho Company Ltd.

Let me start with a film by one of the greatest directors who ever walked the planet, Akira Kurosawa. From his epic masterpieces such as the heroic tale of Seven Samurai and the mysterious and innovative Rashomon, to the lesser known yet beautifully shot and one of the best homages to Shakespeare's Macbeth Throne of Blood, and Ran, where we see how Kurosawa, at the wonderful age of 75, create flawless sequences of fights and battles. But my favorite Kurosawa film is Ikiru.

Though not the kind of film with samurai battles that Kurosawa is best known for, it is a very uplifting and emotional tale of a man who, in the most cliche description of inspirational films, tries to change the world and make a difference. The story is about Kenji Watanabe who lives a routinely mundane life but everything changes when he finds out that he is terminally ill with cancer and his time is running out. The main character, though not played by Kurosawa's favorite leading man Toshiro Mifune, was perfectly portrayed by Takashi Shimura. Shimura gave humanity to Watanabe who came to life just as he approaches death. Shimura's portrayal seeps through the viewer allowing you to feel what he's feeling and react to what he's doing. Though the film's premise is wrapped around sadness, it gives the audience a life lesson: It's never too late to do something to make a difference and to make the world a better place. No matter how small that act of kindness is, it will change someone's life.

SPIRITED AWAY, 2001

Image courtesy of Toho Company Ltd.

Japan, is known for it's distinct animation style that not only created a cult following but created a genre in its own right. Anime shows have made it's name in main stream television and anime films are now reintroducing anime as an art form not only for the anime fans but also to the rest of the world. An example would be Isao Takahata's moving war drama Grave of Fireflies, and Katsushiro Otomo's sci-fi masterpiece Akira about teens gone wild during the apocalypse. So, my second film, an animated masterpiece and one of my favorite animated films, is Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, who also created another amazing animated film called Ponyo.

I was introduced to Spirited Away by my Literature teacher when I was a high school senior. Doubtful of the film's capacity to entertain me since I'm not a manga or anime fan, I watched it just because I had to. Though my first experience with Spritied Away was an installment because class time wasn't enough to watch the entire film, it got me excited for every Literature class because of the entertainment and awe the film gave me. It didn't make me an anime fan, but it made me pay attention and appreciate anime. Spirited Away, is a metaphorical fantasy coming-of-age film, very reminiscent of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, about a young girl, Chihiro, who journey's into another world gaining self-identity and discovery as she tries to save her parents. The vibrance of colors gave life to the world of the dead, where Chihiro journeyed and accumulated experiences through different entities and obstacles. Giant headed witches, ghosts, bouncing bearded heads, shapeshifting love-interests and oversized babies may have given this story the fantasy factor, but these represent the people and experiences we meet as we start a new life or start a new phase in our lives. Some would give us the support, the trials and the hope as we discover ourselves. We are always forced to face difficult and challenging life experiences, it enables us to think for ourselves, make wise decisions and realize that life shouldn't be taken for granted. It's always best to see life in a child's eyes, plain and simple but full of wisdom.

FLOATING WEEDS, 1959

Image courtesy of Daiei Motion Picture Company

I've only seen two films by Yasujiro Ozu, but one thing I can say is how photographic and serene his cinematic style is. With the most minimal camera movement and emphasis on space, he can visually provide intensity and capture a moment in life. A great film he made was Tokyo Story, the story of an elderly couple trying to reconnect with their children. But it also gave emphasis to a value Asians treasure most, respect for elders and the importance of family ties. But I would like to talk more about Floating Weeds, another great film I've recently discovered.

Floating Weeds starts off with a group of traveling Kabuki actors whose owner and lead actor Komajuro stops by a town. The story revolved around family and love yet one thing that struck me is how the story can center not on the characters but the characters' intentions to be genuine to what they feel and to who they're relating those feelings to. Maybe there was a reason the main character's role is an actor. Ozu may be trying to tell the audience that the world is really a stage. There are actors in life, there are characters in life but what we need to know is if these characters we see are genuine human beings or plain and simple, just actors. Ozu, gave still spaces with no movements, I feel like this is his stage, the still space on the screen, his stage that he tries to identify with life, calm but when you let people in it, the play can't be told by anybody else but you.

UGETSU, 1953

Image courtesy of Daiei Motion Picture Company

Kenji Mizoguchi is another priced Japanese director, from what I've seen in his films and read about him, he has mastered and perfectly executed long-takes and meticulously planned every shot and sequence in his films. Mizoguchi's films are perfect examples of attention to detail. And with his crafted mis-en-scene, he can effectively translate the story, the emotions and describe the characters just by looking at one still. Mizoguchi's films are masterpieces such as the tragic Sansho the Bailiff, the heart tugging The Story of the Late Chrysanthemums and the humbling Ugetsu Monogatari.

Ugetsu is definitely one of my personal favorite films. It's a classic story of love and life. The film is about ambition and dreams as a story and as a premise. Mizoguchi flawlessly made the supernatural and the real harmonize to tell the story of Tobei and mostly Genjuro. Both ambitious, Tobei desires to be a samurai and Genjuro just wanted a good and happy life for his family. The scene where Tobei's wife Ohama sings as they paddle across a lake is a very enigmatic and poignant scene and in my opinion, is the turning point in the film. That's when the men started achieving what they wanted while their wives are being left behind and being attacked physically and emotionally. Genjuro starts an affair with the ethereal Lady Wakasa and later on finds out that she is a ghost who died without being loved by a man. The last scene, the most powerful in the film, is when Genjuro returns home to his son and wife but when he wakes up, he realizes that it was a hallucination and that his wife had been killed by the soldiers. The characters in Ugetsu dreamed but lost the foundation of why they started dreaming once their dreams were at the tip of their fingers. And sometimes, you have to wake up from your dream to have a real grasp of what you're doing, and in Genjuro's case, it was too late before he opened his eyes.

TOKYO OLYMPIAD, 1965

Image courtesy of Toho Company Ltd.

When I was in college, I took an extra credit to research Leni Riefenstahl's life, and for some reason I came across Kon Ichikawa's Tokyo Olympiad, maybe because it's reminiscent of Riefenstahl's groundbreaking film, Olympia, both about the olympics and both amazing and historic. The great thing about this film is how Ichikawa made it a human body event. The focus on the body parts emphasizes the movements and parts in action, as the athletes compete in their respective events. The emphasis of the raw sound as the shot puts were thrown gives the emotion and physical demands that these athletes felt during competition. It's a film I highly recommend for documentary aficionados, it's humanly amazing.

RINGU, 1998

Image courtesy of Toho Company Ltd.

Lastly, we can't ignore the Japanese film industry's talent for creating mystifying, and absurdly creative horror and suspense films. Ringu more popularly known as The Ring in the West, initiated my admiration for Japanese horror films. Simple production yet scary effects. Ringu achieved the unexpected element of surprise and shock to the audience. Japanese horror films like Ringu or Ju-on (The Grudge) may not be as grotesque and graphic like Audition, which also happens to be a good Japanese thriller, but just the simple and abrupt focus on a fingernail would give you the creeps you never expected in that moment.

Cougar Crush

2011-04-15T17:39:00.001-04:00

If mothers are gushing and swooning over that butterfaced werewolf (now here goes the mob!) on Twilight, and the Biebz, which I adore in a you're-so-cute-I-want-to-pinch-your-cheeks kind of way, I have officially developed a "cougar crush" on a teen sensation. Hahahahaha! As embarrassing as it may sound, I do have a "cougar crush" on Nick Jonas. Hahahaha! Adored the JoBros but was never a fan until I saw the youngest play Marius Pontmercy in the 25th Anniversary Concert of Les Misérables. He's all grown up! Although his acting needs a lot of work, he looked angry all the time, I didn't realize that he has that big of a voice, totally and way different from his voice in that "when you look me in the eyes..." song, which is probably the only JoBros song I know. LOL.

Check him out:

And since I'm talking about Les Miz 25, here's the amazing Lea Salonga! Incredible as always.

March Madness

2011-04-05T19:29:00.047-04:00

March Madnessssss!

My bracket had a premature death when Kansas lost to VCU but yay VCU! Mason obviously had a bad match up, I mean Ohio State, you gotta be kidding! It would've been a good championship game between U. Conn and Butler had the game not sucked, big time. But I have to say I get more excitement watching March Madness than NBA Playoffs. So here's my dead bracket, hence, it's the best I've predicted since I started doing March Madness brackets since college.

But March was really mad. It was a sleepless and busy month. I've started to do research for my grad school writing samples and I'm not even close to where I wanna be at this point. But the month was good to me, my social life didn't die.

March highlights:

The constant thrill to eat edible goodness! Everytime I see something good, I keep forgetting the fact that I have to bring my cholesterol down.

And Cherry Blossoms. If the weather permits, it would be a great kick-off for Spring!

Happy April everybody. Blast off!

It's a beautiful day, don't let it get away

2011-03-17T23:11:00.004-04:00

I was finally able to get a day off and I spent the entire day with my BFF! Everything was awesome, the weather is amazingly beautiful! It was a day full of simple and priceless moments. Anima and I just ate, talked, sat and lied down on the grass. It was so relaxing, just what we needed. It was also St. Paddy's so everybody were just pleasantly happy! :)

First stop was Paolo's for some awesome food.

Lime Mojito, something green for St. Paddy's!

Fried calamari!

Tortellini Rose

The oh so scrumptious Pizza Margherita

The devilishly delicious Tiramisu for dessert

Feeding ourselves delicious food was heavenly!

We walked the fats off and headed to the mall to chill, talk, watch people and relax. It was a beautiful beautiful sunny day. I wish U2 was around so they can just play Beautiful Day the whole time we were there. It was such a 70s vibe, just chilling like hippies. :)

The Mall

Chill mode

Our pseudo leprechaun. LOL.

Peek-a-boo!

It's a beautiful day!

Spring forward!

2011-03-13T15:01:00.156-04:00

Today we spring forwarded. I never liked losing 1 hour of precious sleep time but SPRING is HERE! Hello warmer weather and hello COLOR!!! I love Spring and Summer! So, for this Spring I just want everything in multicolor, a colorful outlook and a bright season ahead.

So here I go with my Spring bling: bright colorful watches!

I am so in love with Michele Watches' Tahitian Jelly Bean line! Sporty, colorful, simple, fun and luxurious! Definitely a great accessory for Spring.

Image courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue

My other favorite watch for Spring is the always cool, shock and water resistant Baby-G by Casio. I've been a fan since I was in 4th grade, and I'm still a fan up to now.

Image courtesy of Casio

And last but not the least is my cool new discovery, the iPod Nano Watch. This is the first cool gadget I've seen in 2011 and I just had to get myself one! There's a colorful array of straps to choose from iWatchz' Q collection. I've made my iPod Nano my everyday watch! And since the weather is warmer, it would be a great opportunity to just run outside! Forget iPod arm bands, just wear the Nano watch and there's an instant work-out watch and music player! I am sooo in love with mine!

Image courtesy of iWatchz'

I got mine last January and I love it!

Just slide the iPod Nano and it's good to go.

And since Spring is the time we can finally enjoy the outdoors, comfortable and bright or pastel colored footwear are essential to me.

The classic Chuck Taylor's. There's a huge selection of design and colors of Chuck Taylor's, pick whatever you want or create whatever you want. It's like the denim of footwear!

Image courtesy of Converse

Here's one of my favoritest footwear ever. Fitflop! It's the comfiest flip flops in the world. It's definitely made for walking. With its Micrwobbleboard technology, it's like effortlessly working-out while window shopping in the mall or strolling around the city.

Image courtesy of Fitflop

It's time to put those Ugg boots back to the closet but not the Hunter Wellies because with Spring comes rain, and I hate it when I get my feet wet. So these are a must!

Image courtesy of Hunter Boots

And I need to have my Toms for Spring. I've been using my Toms Shoes almost everyday to work. Not only are they comfy but they can camouflage as dressy shoes under my dress pants. So it's not really a dress code violation. But Toms can go with anything such as khakis, jeans or shorts. And for every pair you buy, a child in need also gets a pair of shoes.

Image courtesy of Toms Shoes

Spring is full of life and color! Have a great spring season everyone! :)

Meet Doris

2011-03-06T20:20:00.080-05:00

I got my new camera in the mail today. I got myself a Canon G12. I know I'm starting to sound all gadgety but to be honest, it took me almost a couple of years before I decided to get a new camera and what camera to get, I had other priorities. LOL.

Doris, my new camera.

Let me say first and foremost that I DO NOT in any way consider myself a photographer, I'm not an aspiring photographer but I love taking pictures. So I want a camera that would take beautiful and quality photographs. I was thinking of getting a DSLR but it's heavy and huge, I am not carrying another bag for that camera, put it in my handbag, or let it hang around my neck wherever I go. I wanted a HANDY camera that would take good pictures.

I checked some cameras online. I loved the Leica M9, I was ready to buy it! The reviews were good and I like the vintage feel of the camera BUT when I saw the price, I had to start from zero again. Leica M9 is so expensive, too expensive I'll-just-buy-myself-a-Birkin expensive.

Leica M9

Then I came across the website DP Review which seemed legit enough to read reviews, it's a good site to go to if you're thinking of buying a camera. So I checked some DSLRs, but I'm not willing to sacrifice my handbag space for those. Then bam! on the gold rating was Canon G12. I checked and compared it with other cameras and I just loved its features. I liked it a lot. I then checked CNET since they're notoriously known as a gadget review site, and the G12 ranked well. I really wanna make sure that the camera I'm buying is worth everything because I will be using this camera in years to come, like 5 years or more... so I decided to buy it.

Here are some of my test shots.

Ninja!

Ninja and friend.

It's a pretty good camera for a reasonable price. I'm impressed and I'm loving it! :)

iPad 2

2011-03-02T18:07:00.061-05:00

The iPad 2 was announced today. I'm kinda waiting for it because I do need a tablet, let me correct myself, I WANT a tablet. The iPad, the not so old one, was okay but I didn't get it because I didn't like it that much and I know and predicted, since it's so predictable anyway, that Apple will be releasing a new and much improved iPad the following year. I was right, it was a year later and it is much improved.

Say hello to the iPad 2!!!

It's slimmer and lighter.

The Smart Cover seems pretty cool but back protection is needed too!

And I'm willing to drop money on this one.

My friends know that I would totally pass on gadgets and get other stuff instead, but when I saw the iPad 2, I really really wanted it. Even though, and I'm guessing iPad 3 or maybe an iPad 2.1, will be out in 2012, I've made up my mind that I will be getting the iPad 2, in white. It comes in white! But I'll never waste my time falling in line on March 11th, I'll wait when the hype dies down, and my friend Sue and I have decided to get our iPad 2's this April, definitely not before they release the newer iPad.

Images courtesy of Apple Inc.

Oscar Smoshcar, Academy Shmacademy.

2011-02-28T20:33:00.004-05:00

Yesternight was the Academy Awards, the Superbowl of American cinema. An award show so prestigious that if you are an actor plucked out of obscurity and you get nominated, your career will be on the fast lane, ahem, Jeremy Renner, Ellen Page and so on.

My friends and I, who are obviously cinephiles in training, decided to have an Oscar pool. Here's my pool results:

FYI, I didn't win. My friend who let his nephew do his picks won, with only 4 misses. SMH. So anyway, I wasn't upset because I lost the pool, I was upset because The Social Network lost for Best Picture. I'm not saying that The King's Speech sucked, it is a good film, but The Social Network is a GREAT film. Huge difference! It's a film that defined this generation. A film that deviated from all the conventions but it was so beautifully made, aesthetically and technically. Steven James Snyder, TIME's Associate Editor summed it all up by saying:

The upset bugged us so badly that we actually compared the award show to a VH1 countdown. But this isn't the first time a great was defeated by a good. Orson Welles' Citizen Kane, which we can all agree on, is the greatest film ever made, lost to John Ford's How Green Was My Valley, Peter O'Toole lost his bid for Best Actor when he was nominated for his epic performance as T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and Martin Scorsese lost his Best Director nomination for Raging Bull, which also lost for Best Picture. It's something we have to get used to, it always happens.

Film is an art form, so great, so inspiring and so immersive. Awards are surely quintessential to cinema, but I've come to realize that the winners are just there for the title, it's the recognition of finest that's really important. :)

2011-01-11T23:26:00.000-05:00

IT'S MY YEAR! THE YEAR OF THE METAL RABBIT!

LET'S WORK HARD THIS 2011 AND

LET'S MAKE THINGS HAPPEN!!!

☺

The Best 10 of 2001-2010

2010-12-24T02:03:00.004-05:00

Since everybody made their best of the decade lists from 2000-2009, that is 10 years after all, I would be making my best of the decade from 2001-2010, because of this simple reason, I am no mathematician but I don't count from zero to nine, I count from one to ten. :)

So what makes a great film? There are many elements that make a good or a great film: acting, direction, cinematography, sound, even costume and make-up that's why each are part of a category in prestigious awards. It took me a while to make this list up because I have to be as objective as I can be, because my favorites aren't always the best, but I tried to be as objective as possible in making this list. And films are subjective so I'm not calling my list accurate, I'm just saying that in my opinion, these were the best films made in the last 10 years. If you ask me what my favorite film was in the last decade it would be Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amelie and it's not on my best list.

So here are my top 10:

10. Waking Life (2001): Richard Linklater's rotoscoped philosophical film was definitely a great film. You can quote every line in that film. A film that would not only make your minds work but it's a film that would bring you to a philosophical journey and give you different and profound opinions about life, dreams and existence. Truly a pensive film, that won't be hard to forget. You would see familiar people in this film, such as a grown Wiley Wiggins who played Mitch Kramer in another Linklater classic, Dazed and Confused, and Jesse and Celine from Before Sunrise.

"The trick is to combine your waking rational abilities with the infinite possibilities of your dreams. Because, if you can do that, you can do anything."

Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures

9. Juno (2007): A surprise hit in 2007 is a little film called Juno. The witty screenplay written by Diablo Cody, who won an Academy Award for this film's screenplay, was the foundation of how the film became one of the best of the decade. But let's not forget Jason Reitman's amazing direction and the revelation that is Ellen Page, who I think did a perfect job playing Juno McGuff, and yes, the dreamy Michael Cera too! Released during the year of "unexpected pregnancy" movies such as Knocked Up and 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days it made the serious social dilemma of teenage pregnancy funny without taking out the fact that this issue is really really crucial in these times. Juno takes you with her as she tries to overcome an ordeal in her teenage life, that is way beyond her but she does it with grace.

"You should've gone to China, you know, cause I hear they give away babies like free iPods. You know they pretty much just put them in those t-shirt guns and shoot them out at sporting events."

Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures

8. The Hurt Locker (2008): There are war films that takes me a lot of courage to sit through but this film was not one of them. I think the three major factors that made this film one of the best is the direction, editing and Jeremy Renner's acting. Kathryn Bigelow flawlessly directed the film, every moment, every shot is crucial and the focus on the movements, even if they were just a twitch of an eye, gave the film the intensity it needed. Jeremy Renner's acting was just superb. An intense and great account of the war in Iraq.

"I wanna buy another DVD. But, if it's shaky - look at me - out of focus, or any way not 100%, I'm gonna chop your head off with a dull knife. How do you feel about - I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding..."

Image courtesy of Summit Entertainment

7. Mulholland Drive (2001): Sometimes films that can't really separate reality from what is surreal can be a cinematic failure but David Lynch mastered that genre and made a great film out of it. The film that launched Naomi Watts' career is a surreal masterpiece. It's film noir revisited. A story about a fallen actress whose subconscious brings her to see different things that may have happened or just her imagination. Something complicated but worth thinking about, it gets you to want to watch the film more and more as you try to find holes and gaps to solve this subjective mystery that may be created for the film or a mystery created in your mind. Mindfuckers like this and Memento can really work, just find the right formula.

"Wilkins! Wilkins! If that damn dog craps in the courtyard one more time, I'm just gonna bake his little butt for breakfast!"

Image courtesy of Universal Pictures

6. The Son (2002): A masterpiece by the Dardenne brothers. It's as simple as a human need. The need to fulfill something. The need for revenge. The need to cope with sadness and loneliness. The need for human's to survive. This film narrates the story Olivier and Francis, both playing tug of war in their lives. The acting was just great. Really great acting. The characters showing emotions that are very raw and natural gave the film the intensity of seeing the struggles of these characters to fill the void in their lives.

Image courtesy of Archipel 35

5. No Country for Old Men (2007): Though I would still think Fargo is the Citizen Kane of the Coen brothers, this was actually one of their best. I've said before that this film is a modern day redefinition of a Hitchcock kind of caliber. Javier Bardem can really give you chills as a ruthless serial, compulsive murderer. The way the shots were made are so clear and bright but it is just a facade of the darkness surrounding the town.

"I don't want to push my chips forward and go out and meet something I don't understand. A man would have to put his soul at hazard. He'd have to say 'Okay, I'll be part of this world.'"

Image courtesy of Miramax Films

4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): Love and memory. A really romantic movie starring Jim Carrey like we've never seen him before and the gorgeous Kate Winslet, in a love story filled with surrealistic moments and destiny. Although Clementine and Joel have erased each other in their memories, they still found a way to connect with each other but the most amazing part of this film is the suppressed desires that Joel has was beautifully shown in a surrealistic yet metaphorical way of how we might miss and love someone. Maybe we can forget that loving feeling but the memories can never be removed.

"Too many guys think I'm a concept, or I complete them, or I'm gonna make them alive. But I'm just a fucked up girl who's looking for my own peace of mind, don't assign me yours."

Image courtesy of Focus Features

3. The Social Network (2010): A surprise hit in 2010, it definitely defined this generation. A film about the creation of Facebook, took it to the next level and created one of the great films of this decade. Sorkin's genius screenplay was gloriously and perfectly executed by David Fincher and the acting was just superb. The Social Network will be what this generation will look back to, appreciate and understand. Critically acclaimed and an audience favorite, this film has got information, entertainment and humanity in it. I had a feeling The Social Network will do great, and it did, just by seeing the trailer, it's a short film by itself.

"You know, you really don't need a forensics team to get to the bottom of this. If you guys were the inventors of Facebook, you'd have invented Facebook."

Image courtesy of Columbia Pictures

2. Lost in Translation (2003): Sofia Coppola is more than just Francis Ford Coppola's daughter, she may not have succeeded as an actress but she is surely making a name for herself as one of the best female directors in film. Her screenplay and directorial job in this film is exceptional. Being the third female nominated for Best Director in the Academy Awards is surely an achievement. The film focuses on coping and adaptation. The setting in the colorful and busy streets of Japan is brilliant. Bob and Charlotte's characters stood out yet it's the context that they were in and how they adapted to it and found companionship with each other that made the film all powerful. Strangers finding a connection in a foreign land.

"Can you keep a secret? I'm trying to organize a prison break. I'm looking for, like, an accomplice. We have to first get out of this bar, then the hotel, then the city, and then the country. Are you in or you out?"

Image courtesy of Focus Features

1. City of God (2002): I'll say it once and I'll say it again, I think that this is the best film of the decade. A powerful account of a child's life in a place where his childhood was marred by gangsters and it was all about a struggle for survival. Fernando Meirelles did an amazing job of giving each character life and importance. The characters would give you a strong connection that you wanted to be involved in their actions. There are intense scenes that may be graphic in nature but Meirelles didn't fail to intensify the emotions of the characters involved in that act. It's a choice of life or death, a choice of survival and they haven't even seen enough of life yet, they are just growing up but the demands of a society and environment so deprived of the necessities of life, they may not be food or shelter but just safety and the act of just being able to play. But everybody wants to play god.

"You need more than guts to be a good gangster, you need ideas."

Image courtesy of Buena Vista International

13 Days before Christmas, 13 Favorite Films

2010-12-11T10:07:00.265-05:00

It's 13 days before Christmas! And it sure is beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you go! And like Filipinos often say Pasko na naman, oh kay tuling ng araw. So since I wouldn't really be having any sentimental, cheesy, christmas-y thoughts this holiday, I'm just going to share 13 of my favorite Christmas films, since it's 13 days before Christmas. They won't be in any particular order but the last one is definitely my #1. There's a lot of awesome Christmas films let me tell ya, and I'm not saying that these are the bestest Christmas films ever, they just get my holiday spirit going. So if you have some time, drink a cup of hot cocoa, lay on your bed, grab your Snuggie to keep you warm and watch some holiday classics!

A Christmas Story

My holiday season cannot go on without me watching this film. It's a classic! And a classic it is, every channel basically airs this film during holidays. I love how life was so simple back in the day, I mean, all Ralphie wanted was a BB Gun. But it wasn't that easy despite the simplicity of his Christmas wish because everybody told him "You'll shoot your eye out!" It sure is a great Christmas story. Just make sure you stay away from poles these holidays or you'd get your tongue stuck on them. ;)

The Nightmare Before Christmas

This Tim Burton masterpiece may not have the usual blueprints we find in holiday films but I love it, it's still about having Christmas spirit. Jack Skellington is definitely a character to remember. Awesome musical numbers too. I love how the film's visuals are so dark and un-Christmaslike but you'll realize that it's still a celebration of the holiday.

The Shop Around the Corner

Sounds familiar? No it's not Meg Ryan's shop in You've Got Mail but this is the film where they got her shop's name from and based that film on. Anyhoo, this may not have the musical numbers but this is a beautiful romantic film set during Christmas time. Definitely a personal favorite and puh-leease, a fairly young Jimmy Stewart stars in it, who just happens to be my favoritest actor everrr!

Christmas in Connecticut

Another romance set during Christmas time but man, the tension this film gives you when Elizabeth, played by the amazing Barbara Stanwyck, and Jones just can't get their eyes off each other when they thought they actually can't be together is just so numbingly romantic! Don't worry they'll get together in the end, it was worth all that cheesiness. ;)

Elf

This is definitely one of my favorite Christmas comedies. I mean Will Ferrell is just hilarious in this film. If you think of it, the premise is kinda sad, Buddy isn't really an elf, so he doesn't really belong there, yet when he arrives in New York, the world where he should belong, he is the odd one out because everything in the city is new to him but they made this premise in an amazing comedic manner that we forget how sad Buddy's situation is, and we just laugh along with him. Definitely an LOL Christmas film.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

You know it's a classic when it gets remakes but I personally think nothing can beat out the originals, there may be exceptions to some films, but the 1947 original of Miracle on 34th Street, with a very very young Natalie Wood in it, will always be the best version in my opinion. Okay need I say more about this film? Well, when I was younger, when I still believed in Santa Claus, (did I spoil anybody's Christmas here?) I thought Santa's name was really Kris Kringle and not Nicholas. Oh well, but Miracle on 34th Street will always be a Christmas classic. Santa, children, gifts and family, it's all in the pot!

White Christmas

Headlined by Bing Crosby, now, this is undoubtedly a Christmas musical, and a good one! Based on Irving Berlin's classic song White Christmas, to most people this is like the most christmasy Christmas movie of all time. But the musical numbers really made this movie one of my favorites! I just have this thing for musicals. Although, they are wishing all of our days to be merry and bright, I'm not really fond of their other wish for us that all our Christmases be white. But hence, it made snow look good.

Scrooge

Obviously from the title, it is a film based on Charles Dickens' classic novel A Christmas Carol. I personally think this is the best film adaptation of the classic novel. I think Alastair Sim brilliantly portrayed Dickens' Scrooge, his performance just sucks you in on the entire film even if you already know the story and have seen a million versions of this novel. Simply a Christmas classic you can't get off your list.

Joyeaux Noël

An amazing story about friendship, civility and peace. Even if this film is set during World War I, the plot is just so darn moving. French, Germans and the Scots agreed on a cease-fire and got together and accompanied one another during Christmas eve. Something unbelievable yet true. There's love in all of us, it's just that pride we just have to bury sometimes. But this film is just incredibly moving.

Meet Me in St. Louis

Another Christmas musical? Yes. But it's not very often that we get classic Christmas music from films. Judy Garland and her divine voice just killed it in this film. When she sang Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas to Tootie, you'd just drop everything and just listen to her sing! It's got the amazing musical score, romance and family ties. It's a feel good Christmas movie for everybody. I love it and I can watch it even if it's not Christmas.

Holiday Inn

I'm not talking about the hotel chain, I'm talking about, yes another musical! I tell ya, Christmas and music just go together. Now here's comes the movie connections, Bing Crosby actually debuted White Christmas in this film and it was such a hit, it became it's own film. Anyway, Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Do I really need to say more? I mean to see Fred Astaire dance is good enough for me, and it sure will make my Christmas merry! But if you talk about the romantic angle of this film, we got love triangles after love triangles, but since the film starts and ends during Christmas, it will all be merry and bright. ;)

Home Alone

Now, this is a childhood favorite! Well, John Hughes' creations are mostly my favorites. The plot is hilarious, I mean, who accidentally leaves their child alone during Christmas, such negligent parents. Good thing Kevin McCallister is one smart kid. He beat the eff off Harry and Marv who happen to be grown men. But it's not just about the bad guys, I mean he realized that their neighbor wasn't as bad as he thought he was and becomes his friend later on. Yes, the film may mostly be slapstick but it still emphasizes the family and some naughty tips and tricks for children in case they were left home alone. ;)

It's a Wonderful Life

Alright, this is one of my favoritest films ever and it sure is my favoritest holiday film everrr. I love Jimmy Stewart and I think this is one of his best performances but it's the story that always gets to me in this film. I totally believe in my so-called "It's a Wonderful Life Theory." I believe that our existence is always important, we may think we're invisible but we do change lives not realizing how really wonderful our lives are. It's a great great film, I've seen it a million times and I still get amazed every time I watch it. Just an epic tale of love and life.

Harrry Pottah...

2010-11-21T23:54:00.001-05:00

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Page 377 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was... BAM! Had they not included that essential part of Book 7, I would've written to Warner Brothers and complained. Gladly, they stuck with the book and it was better than I expected (that part of the book, I mean).

HARRY-HERMIONE. Nuff said. But I respect JK Rowling's creative decsion.

HP was my childhood, and it's no denying that I'm a fan! ;)

Finally?

2010-11-16T12:51:00.007-05:00

♬♩You were only waiting for this moment to arise...♫♪

Not really, but good for iTunes. As if we we didn't have/had The Beatles in our iPods, CD Players, Vinyls or even Walkmans. But it's good to know that the iTunes generation can have access to the The Beatles' catalogue.

Image courtesy of Apple Inc.

Project Bergman

2010-11-04T11:58:00.000-04:00

L.A. in 2 or maybe 3.

When you sing you begin with Do-Re-Mi...

2010-10-29T23:16:00.000-04:00

Image courtesy of Harpo

So yesterday, Oprah had the cast of The Sound of Music, which everybody knows is my favoritest film ever. All 7 children and, of course, Maria and the Captain were there! I was at work, and I missed it because A) I didn't know there's such an Oprah special and B) had I known, I would've recorded it in on my DVR and watched it, so I ended up staying 'til 2 this morning to watch the reunion show. You have no idea how ecstatic I was!

I was 4 when I first saw The Sound of Music. I always watched it with my aunt almost all the time, which probably made the film more familiar to me. I know the songs by heart and I can speak the characters' dialogue as I have seen the film for god knows how many times. But I didn't love it then, I just knew it.

I was in 6th grade when I watched The Sound of Music again during an annual family vacation in Northern Philippines. I watched it because I was bored. And for some divine reason, I fell in love with the film. Regardless of how many other VHS tapes we had in our vacation house, I focused solely on The Sound of Music for 4 straight days. I never got tired watching it since then. Now, I would watch it numerous times a year. I watch it when I'm feeling down, I watch it when I'm bored, I watch it when I'm happy and I watch it when I simply want to watch my favorite movie.

Anyway, so when I found out that Oprah did this The Sound of Music special it was instinctive that I watch it ASAP. It's like losing a memorabilia yo! I love this film so much, I have a VHS, 2 Soundtrack CDs, and 3 DVDs, a regular DVD, the Five-Star Collection DVD, the 40th Anniversary edition DVD, and I already pre-ordered my 45th anniversary Blu-ray set, and I won't be surprised if I buy a hypothetically ultimate collector's edition 50th anniversary special box set. Oh, I have a copy of the screenplay too. :)

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

I love The Sound of Music in its entirety. Every character is special, every scene is magical and every song is the "happiest sound in all the world." I would watch the opening of the film as Maria runs on the green meadows as she belts out "The hills are alive with sound of music…" I would still get chills every time that scene welcomes me to the film. Julie Andrews' voice is beyond amazing! I would watch the nuns singing Maria, which happens to be my favorite song from the film and undoubtedly sing along with them. I would sing with Maria as she scours the streets of Salzburg siging I Have Confidence.

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

The ever classic introduction of the Von Trapp children will be more epic as ever as I watch it more and more. The handsome yet intimidating Christopher Plummer would get handosomer every time I watch it. I still get kilig over Rolfe and Liesl's rendezvous on the garden and I would belt out Sixteen Going on Seventeen. I would still hysterically laugh and sing-along in My Favorite Things.

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

I would always be in awe of the beauty of Salzburg everytime the DO-RE-MI montage plays. I would be overly touched when the Captain joins his children as they sing to the Baroness. I would enjoy the fanciest house puppet show during The Lonely Goatherd. I would melt when I see the stares between the Captain and Maria when he sings Edelweiss. I would be on the most kilig mode ever as the Captain and Maria would dance the Laendler during the party. I could go on and on and on about this film and I can serioisly go on forever.

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

The comfort the film gives me is just amazing, I cannot explain it. It may not be the best film ever made, but it's one of those films that has touched me through my soul. I guess one of the reasons I love and cannot and never will let go of this film is because it reminds me of the fondest memories I have with my aunt. She passed away when I was 7, so every time I watch The Sound of Music, it takes me back to the days when my Aunt and I would watch it and sing-along with it, she has an incredible voice, by the way. And when I was younger, I genuinely thought she looks a lot like Maria. So maybe this is one of the reasons I love the film so much. It triggers important childhood memories, and I feel like the film loves me back.

And trust me, I made all my friends watch The Sound of Music. I always tell them, if you haven't you just missed half your life. But I am right, it's infectious, they fell in love with it. And with that I can say that somewhere in my youth of childhood, I must've done something good. :)

The Social Network

2010-10-02T00:01:00.348-04:00

Image courtesy of Sony Pictures

The Social Network is what Modern Times is to the Industrial Revolution. It is what The Grapes of Wrath is to the Great Depression. It is what American Graffiti is to young adults. It's what Singin' in the Rain is to the birth of talking motion pictures. The Social Network will be that film for the Digital Age. Like what the National Film Registry famously states, it is a "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" film. A great film that is aesthetically superb and culturally defines this generation.

When I heard about a Facebook film, I thought it just wouldn't work. How can you make the audience understand terms and dialogues in an intellectually superior subculture? It would just be difficult. But The Social Network is not about that. The film is about the creators, the creation and the relationship of the creators to one another and to what was created. The Social Network narrates the story of how a socially awkward college student and his college friends dealt with the consequences and results of their creation, a creation so ludicrous and so phenomenal, it didn't just affect their lives but also the lives of 500 million other people.

The first scene in the film is so powerful. It is a pub scene wherein Mark Zuckerberg (Eisenberg) and Erica Albright (Mara) are out on a date doomed to fail. The dialogue in this scene is a verbal representation of what Facebook is about, splattered comments on thoughts and ideas, change in relationship statuses, human connection and communication. Whether Erica Albright is real or fictionally created, this scene served as the foundation for the film and Facebook. If Erica didn't break up with Zuckerberg, what would trigger the following events which led to the creation of a website that affected the lives of people in the oughts? At the same time, this scene showed the character we expect Mark Zuckerberg will be, fast-talking, witty, smart, a bit arrogant, sometimes apathetic yet motivated.

The great thing about The Social Network is how the dialogue worked and quickly resonated with the audience. The witty remarks, comebacks and one-liners played a huge part on why this film worked. Aaron Sorkin amazingly wrote the screenplay and presented a subculture so technical, algorithmic and coded, comprehensible for a lay man.

David Fincher, on the other hand, who directed the cult favorite Fight Club, did a great job in directing this film. Fincher put the intensity on the different scenes which made the movie watchable. It's a transition from a good scene to another good scene to another good scene, there's no dull and dragging moment in this film. The visuals are beautifully crafted, that every scene felt so conceptualized and precise. He made typing as exciting as car chases.

I was definitely impressed with the cast. A great ensemble composed of promising newcomers headlined by Jesse Eisenberg. It definitely is Eisenberg's shining moment as he plays another socially awkward character like he did in Zombieland but gave this stereotypical movie persona more depth, as someone, who like any other character we find in movies, wants social acceptance. On the other hand, Andrew Garfield, who portrayed Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of Facebook, and Armie Hammer, who played the "Winklevi" twins, are sure revelations by their remarkable acting as people who felt that they were robbed of their financial, emotional and intellectual investments. Even, Justin Timberlake delivered good acting, which I didn't really expect from him, knowing how terrible he did in his previous films, as Napster founder Sean Parker, who mentored and paved the way for Zuckerberg's Facebook to become what it is today.

The Social Network isn't just a biographical film about the creators of Facebook, it's a film that showcased the technological lifestyle of this era. The film showed how this generation heavily relied on technology. A revolution in communication and interaction through the use of emails, texting and something one person can't live without, social networking. The film even portrays the never-ending struggles of a student trying to survive and make it as a productive and successful member of society. The film also incorporated the individualistic and very career-driven culture of Americans.

So Facebook is what it is to Zuckerberg and his friends, their billion dollar company, their brainchild. But it created an impact in this society. People use Facebook to reconnect with old friends and to enhance communication with new friends. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't check their Facebook accounts. A network that was designed to connect a university, now connects 207 countries. A network created by a better idea caused by spite is now a source of joy and solace for some people.

The first and last scenes were made to parallel one another yet we see two different Zuckerbergs sitting on the same side of the screen, slouched and worried. First, we see a rejected Zuckerberg angry and arrogant then, in the last scene, we see a Zuckerberg in the middle of two lawsuits, in front of his laptop humbly trying to await the friend approval of the same person who rejected him years ago, Erica Albright.

What I got from this film is the most usual and common value we need to have in order to be successful, humility. We need to look back. We need to keep our feet on the ground. It's what Zuckerberg finally understood. Despite all the codes, logic, time and money he had spent working on Facebook, he needed humility, not just to settle the lawsuits but he needed it to finally get a grasp of the situation. He may have started as an asshole, but he ended up just trying hard to be one.

I didn't have high expectations when I watched The Social Network. I was definitely blown away and surprised on how good the film is. A film that's clever, adventurous, fast-paced yet an intense account of how a phenomenon can be created and how this phenomenon started a revolution and affected the lifestyle of an era. The film that would make you relate and sympathize with every character. Another good film by David Fincher, and can I'm gonna call it, probably a nomination for Aaron Sorkin for Best Adapted Screenplay. It sure will make it as a Best Picture nominee. It's the best film I have seen so far this year.

Life throws things at us. Life puts us in situations but like any other friend requests, there are only two things we can do, it's either to accept it or to ignore it.

The Eve of my 23rd

2010-09-21T23:53:00.002-04:00

"The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved -- loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves." --Victor Hugo

As the calendar flips through the next day, as the clock ticks and strikes at midnight, as the Earth rotates and revolves around the sun and as the first day of fall starts, I will get another annual reminder that I am older and have survived another year of what's always going on... my life.

Birthdays, they say, is a celebration of our life and ourselves. It's the day that's devoted to us. The day the world is allowed to revolve around us. In my case, September 22nd is my day, the day the world revolves around me. Thanks for the opportunity but as I'm older, and hopefully wiser, I feel that it's the day that my world should revolve around the people that keeps my world revolving and keeps my life going.

Yes, it's my birthday, a celebration of my life but I cannot celebrate the life I have right now if it wasn't for my wonderful family and friends. These are the people who have made me who I am. These are the people who have helped me become what I am. These people are parts of my life. To be able to fully celebrate my life, I have to celebrate every part of it, I have to celebrate them too.

I'm at that age when I've realized that the lavishness and the grandiosity of birthday celebrations are irrelevant. Not a ten thousand dollar handbag can fulfill the joy of a birthday greeting. Not an expensive birthday party can reach the level of a simple and quiet home-cooked dinner. The presence of a hundred acquaintances is not as satisfying as the presence of family and closest friends.

So as I celebrate another year in my life, I also celebrate my family and friends. I celebrate their influence, presence and love. I celebrate the times and I celebrate the memories.

I'm looking forward to another year full of great moments. I may not have everything, but I know how to make the best of what I have. It's just a matter of knowing what's important in life and taking care of it. We may always want more but if you have the bestest family and the bestest friends, asking for more is not even an option, because it's the greatest gift you can have. It's the greatest gift I have received, I couldn't ask for more.

☺ ☺ ☺

☀☀☀

2010-09-15T21:56:00.002-04:00

UNWIND. FOCUS. THINK POSITIVE.

Inception

2010-07-18T01:54:00.004-04:00

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

When I found out that Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Leonardo DiCaprio will be in a movie together, I made sure that I will watch it, regardless of the genre or even the quality of the movie, because I've had the longest crush on both them. But I doubt it that they're gonna work on a bad movie, after all, Joseph and Leo still haven't succumbed to the infamous child star curse and Inception will never make these two succumb to any curse.

Inception is a film about dreams, ideas and reality. The movie starts with a dream within a dream within a dream. It may sound confusing but that's the good thing about the movie, it makes you think. The first sequence of the film is already a warm-up for the audience, because the movie is it's own labyrinth. Cobb and the extractors aren't the only ones trying to work their way in this confusing and complicated puzzle, the audiences are too.

Basically the story is about Cobb (DiCaprio) who makes a living out of extracting ideas from peoples dreams. Cobb being in a really complex situation, decides to make a deal with Saito (Watanabe). The deal is to put an idea into the son of Saito's business rival, the inception, and in return, Cobb can come back to the United States without any trouble. Cobb carefully plans this mission but throughout the process and the execution of the job, ideas, realizations, and projections would make it more difficult for him to complete the end of the maze.

Nolan's story and execution made it comprehensible for the audience to actually make their way throughout the movie. If you remember any ancient mythology, Ariadne helps Theseus throughout the Minotaur's labyrinth, and in this film, a character, coincidentally or intentionally named after her guides Cobb and helps the audiences understand the basics on how dreams can be infiltrated. Ariadne (Page) was hired as an architect to build structures on different layers of dreams. Ariadne has two functions in this film. First is she makes the audiences realize the basics of the story, as a newbie in this subconscious business. Second, she supportively guides Cobb in his mission. Once you get the gist of it, the audiences can finally get involved.

As an action film, it's one of those films where car chases, and shooting sprees aren't just commercial strategies to get people to watch the film, they actually are necessary in the story. These sequences were meticulously executed throughout the film that they actually make sense.

Another good thing about this film is how the visuals accompanied the different levels of their mission. The first level still resembles reality and as they get deeper and deeper within the dream, the setting gets more detached from reality, lesser colors from the exteriors can be noticed. The presence of bright colors were missing on the second level and the dominance of white on the third level of the dream. The use of snow covered mountains shows that getting to that state in the subconscious is difficult yet it contains the simplest and purest thoughts we have. Another good visual are the costumes. If you try to notice it, the color of the characters' clothing are synchronized with their backgrounds showing how they belong in and understand their own reality, may it be on the dream or in their reality. But it's different in Cobb's case. There is a contrast in some of his clothing and his background, this shows his instability and his struggle of whether he belongs in his dreams or in the real world. It's also interesting to note that scenes involving Cobb's fondest and most beautiful memories with his wife, Mal (Cotillard) and his children dominantly uses lights from the sun to fill in the room the scene is being set.

The last few minutes of the film will have you glued to the big screen and have you at edge of your seats. It may be the longest 2 minutes of your life, because Nolan already made the audiences part of the mission and the journey. Will they make it or will they fail? It's not just about the situation of completing the mission, it's also about the survival of the characters. And the last scene, ends with a question, is he or isn't he?

The film showcases that it's hard to manipulate our subconscious because it may make us or break us. The film shows the strength of our mental capacities as individuals, our ideas that are constructed and our choices and decisions in life are guided by our own survival, personal mission and matters of the heart. The movie will make you think from start to end.

It's amazing how movies involving the subconscious such as Richard Linklater's Waking Life or Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, challenge us with questions, and Inception is added to that list. Maybe movies like these should start a new trend because they have been great so far.

I would have to give Christopher Nolan a standing ovation for this film. His breakthrough film Memento may have been mind-boggling, but Inception tops it all. The meticulous story, stories within the story, and the way he made the film comprehensible for the audience despite the complexity of the plot and situation. A best director nod, probably. Nolan has his niche as a director, that if you see a film, you know that it's a Nolan film, it's his attention to detail and depth whether it's the visuals, the characters, the plot, the setting or the story. It may be overworked but you get it, you understand the message and the story.

With the concept in the film stating that 5 minutes of real time is 1 hour in dream time... wouldn't it be swell if we realize that an entire lifetime can only be a dream?

Now with 10 films running in the Academy for Best Picture, I think Inception will make the cut. We'll see, we have 5 more months. To date, it's the best movie I've seen for 2010. Inception has what it takes to be a good movie. It's that kind of movie that if you watch several times you will always find out something new about it. It's that movie wherein the questions are remained unanswered for the audiences to keep their head and minds working.

We may have guides through our own mazes, but it's up to us to decide whether to prematurely finish it or to keep going. And we shouldn't be afraid to dream bigger.

❁ ❁ ❁

2010-07-15T12:47:00.002-04:00

REFRESH!!!

For Chace

2010-06-03T21:44:00.003-04:00

Meet the future Executive Vice President of The Gordon-Crawford Company, Remie Bien Palamos. Creative, intelligent, outgoing, funny and a good friend. :) EICHOWS! Graphic Designer extraordinaire. She designed Eco-shower's logo, and ads. That's why I got an A in my Ads and promotion class! Her patience during the design process tells a lot about her work ethics. This isn't just for Mr. Crawford, Mr. Efron and Mr. Milby... I highly recommend her to her future employers too! So Q... tsk tsk tsk, *shakes my head* Can I add... she's got the most witty and hilarious comebacks, that's why she's a WINNER. Lots of WINNER moments too.

FRIEND, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

So if Chace dreams about you he can search your name and he'll find this blog entry for real.

Search words: Remie, Bien, Arby, Palamos... then bam! He can finally "chace" you. :) LOL!

Click here to check her designs. (friend! I really posted it! Sikat!)

Virginia Beach

2010-05-30T21:07:00.000-04:00

My friends and I went to Virginia Beach the other day. It was fun, got a nice tan but it became really chilly in the afternoon that we had to pack up early but it was a good day. :)

flip-flops... check.

boogie boards... check.

VA Beach boardwalk. they have good restaurants. :)

cute!

the beach. 31st street area.

LMAO! the only person trying to stay away from the sun on the beach.

ice cream break. Ben and Jerry's!

the waves.

The water was a bit cold but it was fun riding the waves until it became really cold in the water. I think another beach trip would make the cut, it's still spring after all. :)