The closing months of 2008 were Hollywood's busiest when last minute contenders were releasing their films for the upcoming awards season. Films like Changeling, Australia and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button started the awards buzz. But here in this side of the world, the only buzz we heard of was Ploning's bid to make it to the Oscar's Best Foreign Language Category.

Eventually, Ploning did not even make it to the shortlist. And by mid-January, the Golden Globes fueled the buzz by making Slumdog Millionaire & Vicky Cristina Barcelona as Best Picture winners in drama & comedy respectively, surprising Kate Winslet with a back-to-back win as Best Actress in a Drama & Best Supporting Actress, and awarding a posthumous Best Supporting Actor trophy to Heath Ledger.

January 22, all the buzzing stopped as the nominees for the 81st Oscars were announced. Shortly after, a new kind of buzzing started because the REAL race for the Oscars started.

Now, I try to play a fictitious character named "Oscar" whose predictions for the upcoming Oscars can only be a hit or a miss (duh!) and whose only AMPAS-required credential is more than 30 hours of viewing nominated and would-have-been-nominated films; all but only one--Rachel Getting Married.

 

AND THE NOMINEES ARE...

The Academy snubbed Leonardo DiCaprio for Revolutionary Road bigtime and Clint Eastwood for Gran Torino. Well, Clint has a museum of Oscar trophies, anyway. But Leo has nothing but a museum of nominations.

IF I WERE OSCAR, I would give Leonardo DiCaprio the curious Benjamin's spot anytime.

It’s going to be a tough battle between the wrestler and the gay activist. The Golden Globes went with Rourke's comeback performance, while the New York Film Critics Circle Award & the Screen Actors Guild Awards went with Sean Penn. Usually, the SAG predits the Oscar acting winners. So, at the moment, Penn leads 1-2. But if there’s going to be an upset, it will come from Frank Langella's impressive portrayal of Nixon.

Brad Pitt is never going to win for his non-acting in Button. And if in any twist of malicious fate that he does, it's just the Academy's make up for his non-nomination for Babel two years ago. But that's just complete bullcrap.

IF I WERE OSCAR, I would give Sean Penn's 2nd Oscar statuette.
BUT I'M NOT. So, Mickey Rourke will have his first Oscar.

 

( Read more... )

 

I LOST MY PHONE.

I freakin lost my chippy phone. My dated but dependable phone.

There's a reason why for 5 long years, I kept that bulky old phone. I am a commuter. And i love being one. And being one means that I am forever at risk of losing my phone, whether by force or by stupidity. So having a non-glamorous phone lowers that risk.

But hell. Today, pinagtyagaan ng mandurukot ang phone ko. I DONT THINK THEY'RE EVER GONNA SELL IT FOR MORE THAN A THOUSAND. I MEAN, HELLOOO??? It was a Nokia 35somethingidunno. May bibili pa ba niyan sa Greenhills??? Bigyan nalang kita ng 1thou, just give me back my phone. Or SIM. I'm not a postpaid user. And I'm never gonna get my number baaaack. And this is why I'm ranting. Well, besides the fact that I never thought my phone was nakaw-able.

Why me??? Why my phone??? I bet, sa sinasakyan kong bus kanina, may naka-N Series dun. Or yung may TV na cellphone. Why did you even bother stealing mine? One that doesn't even have a camera. Wala kang scandal na maeenjoy sa phone ko! Tanging "Happy loviedovie birthday" message lang from Sir Yason ang nandun! HUWAAAAAY???
Oh damn it. I'll be going to Greenhills tomorrow. Gonna buy my phone back. WAHAHAHA.

 

Sign up na!!!

Let me start by saying this has to be the worst MMFF in recent years. As if the Festival is not the worst one there is.

So, here's how I rank the MMFF entries in order of personal preference and my two cents:


upside:
-Guilt-free laughter.
-Technically pleasing. Decently made.
-Direction is present. Handling of support cast and minor roles is well-attended to.
-Disbelief is suspended for exaggeration and humor, yet the main text remains believable.
-Strong collaborative performance from Aiai Delas Alas and Eugene Domingo.

downside:
-Unresolved subplots
-In-your-face product placement in the end


upside:
-The movie resembles 'Jologs' but the concept revolving around sex, lies, secrets, and hypocrisy makes for a strong plot.
-Alternative storytelling for taboo subjects.
-The handheld camera movement worked well with the editing. Documentary style of cinematography allowed a closer look to the scorned life of the characters, giving it a sense of 'reality'.
-Good performances from Alessandra de Rosi, Paolo Contis, Ricky Davao, Manilyn Reynes, and Joross Gamboa.

downside:
-The ambience from the start to end is monotonously high-pitched. Agit lahat ng tao. Although it seems to be the movie's intention.
-Stereotyping of homosexuals as parloristang bakla and suicidal maniacs.
-Camera tilted up under Chokoleit's nose isn't really a nice shot.


upside:
-Pinoy na Pinoy. The talent is overwhelmingly present. If this is the future of Filipino animated movies, then it's in good hands.
-Technically brilliant. Although me thinks, given more time and resources it could've been made better.
-Perfectly voiced. Nash Aguas is one hell of a talent.
-Story is so-so.

downside:
-Excessive product placement!!!


upside:
-Beautifully photographed. And colored. The only two things that saved the movie. Kudos Lee Meily and the post-prod people.
-The movie has actually nothing more than aesthetic pleasure in it.
-Strong performance from Jericho Rosales.

downside:
-The story suffered from a very uninteresting material.
-The movie is excruciatingly long. If that's the intention, it succeeded. But why make it the intention? Is it to justify that the movie is an Epic? But then again, it fails to be larger than life.
-I could have ranked Baler on the top spot if not for its inappropriate ideological subtext.
-Poor casting. The Filipino characters look more mestiso/mestisa than the Spaniards: Anne Curtis, Nikki Bacolod, Joel Torre. Authenticity of the Spanish Guardia Civils also failed. One of them looked American/German but most of them looked Pinoy. And the Spanish officials who persuaded Ryan Eigenmann to surrender were freaking Mexicaaans!!!
-Production Design. Okay, the costumes and props may be authentic but hell, they all look new. Even the greasy clothes look newly greased.
-Musical Score. The score during the exodus scene says it all: WTF.


-The movie has a high entertainment value.
-Ruffa Mae Quinto saved the movie from it's damned director.
-Topless men and bulging notes for the girls and gays. Boobs overflowing their bras and Marian Rivera for the boys.

downside:
-Just as the movie's title, it is a desperate attempt to portray the modern Filipina.
-Ogie's Luga Luda is nothing but a deus ex machina. A hilarious one, I must admit.
-Dubbing sucks BIGTIME!
-I don't know but, the movie is completely wrong. Blame it on Joel Lamangan.


-Simple. Non-pretentious. Straightforward.

downside:
-SEXIST! Boo! Ang backwards ng pagiisip ng pelikulang ito!
-Jinggoy Estrada
-They could have given Daboy a more proper tribute film. Not as told by Jinggoy.


upside:
-Class Picture, the second short, is the most decent of the 3. The atmosphere and the right pacing gave the other 2 stories a real scare.
-Marian Rivera is in her element in Nieves, the 3rd short.

downside:
-Emergency, the 1st short, is a complete shipwreck.
-It's been more than 20 years for SRR and there's no progress. The bar is kept lowered every year. The best SRR's remain to be the old ones. If this is the case, the franchise better be ended with the tenth anthology.


upside:
-It's safe to say there's none.

downside:
-It's safe to say, the movie itself.
-The movie has nothing to do with the classic series except for the characters. For a more vivid description, think of old slapstick TVJ movies updated with your everyday Eat Bulaga and a pointless sidetrip to Ankor Wat.
-That enormous Chanel bag can't hide how big Sharon Cuneta is.
-What's the deal with putting Ryan Agoncillo in the movie? If you can't kill him in the box office, you kill him in your movie? WTF?
-And finally, THERE IS NO FILMMAKING INVOLVED IN THIS MOVIE. It is a slap on the face of every student enduring 4 years (or more) in film school. It is a disgrace to the film industry. And it cheapens the sensibility and humor of the Filipino audience.



BEST PICTURE
What should've won: NONE
What won: BALER

BEST DIRECTOR
Who should've won: JOSE JAVIER REYES (One Night Only)
Who won: MARK MEILY (Baler)

BEST ACTOR
Who should've won: JERICHO ROSALES (Baler)
Who won: CHRISTOPHER DE LEON (Magkaibigan)

BEST ACTRESS
Who should've won: AIAI DE LAS ALAS (Ang Tanging Ina Nyong Lahat)
Who won: ANNE CURTIS (Baler)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Who should've won: RICKY DAVAO (One Night Only) / JOROSS GAMBOA (One Night Only) / CHRISTIAN VASQUEZ (Desperadas 2)
Who won: PHILIP SALVADOR (Baler)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Who should've won: EUGENE DOMINGO (Ang Tanging Ina Nyong Lahat) / MANILYN REYNES (One Night Only) / ALESSANDRA DE ROSI (One Night Only)
Who won: MANILYN REYNES (One Night Only)

BEST CHILD PERFORMER
Who should've won: NASH AGUAS (Dayo)
Who won: ROBERT VILLAR (Shake, Rattle & Roll X)

BEST STORY
Who should've won: ONE NIGHT ONLY
Who won: ONE NIGHT ONLY

BEST SCREENPLAY
Who should've won: ANG TANGING INA NYONG LAHAT
Who won: BALER

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Who should've won: BALER
Who won: BALER

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Who should've won: BALER / DAYO
Who won: BALER

BEST EDITING
Who should've won: ONE NIGHT ONLY
Who won: BALER

BEST MUSICAL SCORE
Who should've won: DAYO
Who won: DAYO

BEST SOUND
Who should've won: DAYO
Who won: DAYO



Now, where do I reimburse my tickets?

 

Christmas Day 2008 is done and once again in the "Texting Capital Of The World", text traffic was as crazy as EDSA, SLEX, and Katipunan Ave at 4 in the afternoon on a schoolday combined. Okay, exagg. Imagine a whole country texting, forwarding, GM-ing "Merry Christmas" to loved (and sometimes, hated) ones.

But there are some who made a little more effort to deviate from the simple 2-word greeting, may it be in English or Tagalog or Taglish or Fagalog (Fag+Tagalog). Personalized and wittified.

So here are interesting Christmas greetings I received that deserve this year's Christmas Greeting Awards.


The FIERCE Greeting Award
goes to...
JUMAR YAP

To all my ever beloved fierce Cineastes,
A fierce, merry christmas to you and your family!!!


The RUMARASON PA Greeting Award
goes to...
SARA SEBASTIAN

hindi ako bumabati dahil naka-unli ako.
pero oo, cge, aaminin ko, naka-unli nga ako.
mahirap kasi ang buhay.
buti na lang, andyan ka.
salamat, ha?
maligayang pasko!
:-)


The IN DENIAL Greeting Award
goes to...
GLENN DIAZ

i hate christmas,
but i love you!
have a merry one guys!


The ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE Greeting Award
goes to...
ALELI MESINA

Million dollar listing.
Top chef.
Project runway.
And nachos.
It's the perfect xmas eve yo!
eat and be merry.
I love you hos!


The DEDICATED TO CATHOLICS, TO IGLESIA NI KRISTO & TO ATHEISTS Greeting Award
goes to...
JOHN FRANCIS "KEPI" LOSARIA

Isang mpagpalayang araw ng tradisyon sa mga ngdriwang,
d mkpagdiwang, at sa mga kinalimutan nang magdiwang.
Anupaman, isang mapayapang kapaskuhan senyo.
rakenrol :D


The ISINABAY LANG SA PASKO or GINAMIT LANG ANG PASKO Greeting Award
goes to...
MARELLA CASTRO

Meri xmas!
Pero mas ito ung gusto kong sabihin:
maraming salamat sa pagkakaibigan!
Yakap at pag-ibig!
=)


The COPY-PASTE-EDIT Greeting Award
goes to...
EKA FUKUSHIMA & HERSHEY VARDELEON

No matter how [insert negative adjective here]
our lives may be, how [more nega] and [isa pang nega] we are,
LIFE is still short to waste so let's stop being [emo is applicable] for a while.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
-pag-ibig only, EKA FUKUSHIMA

No matter how [insert negative adjective here]
our lives may be, how [more nega] and [isa pang nega] we are,
LIFE is still short to waste so let's stop being [emo is applicable] for a while.
Eat. Drink. Kiss. Smoke. Make love!
What else are better ways to spend the night.
Cheers!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
-pag-ibig everyone.
Hershey Vardeleon


The TIWANG Greeting Award
goes to...
NONE OTHER THAN THE TIWANG HIMSELF, JEFF CABRAL

Bet mo pumunta dito!
Kain ka and let's drink.
Keri mo?


The PRAISE THE LORD HALLELUJAH Greeting Award
goes to...
KRIZ GAZMEN

Let's not forget the whole point of tonight's celebration--
the birth of Jesus and how He was sent to save us,
including you, because He loves you so much.
Have a meaningful Christmas!
-Kriz Gazmen


The ACCEPTANCE SPEECH Greeting Award
goes to...
MAITA LIRRA LUPAC

As we celebrate the birth of our Lord,
i want to take this oppurtunity to thank you
for being a blessing to me.
Thank you and i love you!
Merry christmas!
-Maita


The MAPAGKUNWARING Greeting Award
goes to...
VINGAYE PIZARO

Kunwari i care.
Kunwari hindi ito korni.
Kunwari close tayo.
Merrygrizmas!
bow.


The KUMU-QUOTE PA Greeting Award
and
The KUNG AGAWIN MO NAMAN ANG SPOTLIGHT NG PASKO FROM CHRIST Greeting Award
go to...
MAX CASACLANG

It's such a shame that you can't be with me tonight.
-Sandwich, Two Trick Pony
Merry ChristMAX!
May the love and happiness of the season be with you :)
Enjoy the holidays to the MAX ;p


The AGAINST ALL ODDS Greeting Award
goes to...
RICHMOND GARCIA

I may have had the strongest of flus
and coughs for weeks and so far
THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER,
but it still wont stop me from greeting you all!
Eat. Kiss. Drink. Smoke. Love!
Merry Christmas!
-Rich Garcia


The HALLMARK GREETING CARD Greeting Award
goes to...
JERWIN ESPIRITU

Wishing you all the timeless treasures of Christmas.
The warmth of home,
the love of family and
company of good friends.
Joyeux Noel!


The DI KO ALAM KUNG BUMABATI BA OR NANGIINSULTO Greeting Award
goes to...
EUNICE CRUZ

Merry ho ho!
Happy holidays from one cineastes bitch to another.
Love you drei!


The CONSISTENT SA RELIHIYON Greeting Award
goes to... it's a tie!
MONIQUE "BAKA" BALDEMOR & BARBIE ESTRELLA

*no greeting sent*


The MAKAWASAK KIPAY Greeting Award
goes to...
JOHN RAMIREZ

Thanks Andre!
Merry rockin' christmas to ur family!


The MAS MAKAWASAK KIPAY Greeting Award
goes to...
JOSE IBARRA "MANDY" GUBALLA

Buddy!
Maligayang pasko!
I miss you!


AND THE MOST COVETED AWARDS...

THE PINAKA IN-EFFORT-AN GREETING AWARD
and
THE WITTIEST CHRISTMAS GREETING OF THE YEAR
go to...

*drumrolls*

IT'S A TIE!!!
FRANCES MORTEL & SANYA COO

Happy halloween sa mga giniginaw,
happy puso sa may kaakap,
happy april fools sa mga umiiyak,
happy labor day sa mga kumakayod pa,
happy thanksgiving day sa mga magreregalo,
at happy birthday sa mga magbubukas ng regalo.
Gusto kong maghappy birthday to me
kaya pwede pa kayo humabaol magthanksgiving.
Apir!
-Frances Mortel

MARIE christmas to my BEBEs!
May this SISON give us RICHes and AGUINALDOs!
enJAI this day to the MAX!
ANDREmember i love all YAPeople!!!
-Sanya Coo

 

Barack Obama sweeped to victory becoming not only the 44th American President but the first black person to win a white house.

Today, history is made and I was able to watch it unfold. Since last night, I was tuned in to CNN. I slept with the TV on and woke up to the first poll results with Obama leading. I just love marathon coverages, hehe. At around noon, when West Coast polling stations closed, CNN already projected Obama to win with the remaining States considered to be Obama strongholds.A few minutes later, McCain and Palin conceded. An hour later, Obama finally appeared before a huge crowd in Chicago and made his victory address. Seeing Oprah and other blacks teary-eyed in the audience, I felt the big-dealness of the event. It's the most important turning point every African-American had been waiting for since they obtained equal rights. It's the fullfilment of Martin Luther King. It's the realization of Morgan Freeman who played US President in a number of films. Everything was emotional.

This is F-U-C-K-I-N-G history. When Sidney Poitier won the Oscars, I wasn't even alive. Today, when the first African-American won the White House, I had to pause from eating my lunch and witness it on live TV.

I hope I would live to see the day when a Latino and an Asian follow the steps of Obama.

 

Mag-Ingat Ka Sa... Kulam
(Regal Films, 2008)
Direction | Jun Lana
Cast | Judy Ann Santos, Dennis Trillo, TJ Trinidad, Ces Quesada, Sharlene San Pedro, Irma Adlawan, Kris Bernal, Mart Escudero


Your first clue that the film you are about to watch is bad is when the opening credits roll and it is over-scored. The title flashes. Fades out. Lead star's name appears, then her leading man's name replaces it. And so on. Virtually, nothing has started to happen. NOTHING. But then, you really are bothered by the clashing music of a creepy cathedral organ, pulses of very low bass, echoes of thunder, high-pitched Grace Nono-ish tribal chanting, and whatever sounds conceived by paranormal happenings. There's no organization. It is as if all forms of music come together for an Annual Horror Symphony Convention, playing under the baton of a conductor who is either heavilly drugged or deaf.

And that is just the topmost tip of the iceberg. There is really nothing in it that says, this is a film graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board. IT ISN'T EVEN ABOUT FREAKIN' KULAM!!!

Mag-Ingat Ka Sa... Kulam is nothing but one of those Regal Shockers you've seen in the 90s, rehashed, then updated with a bleak concept of local witchcraft, and given an awful time-lapsing CG clouds. This, perhaps, belongs to the new movement of horror films called, Regal Chakers.

Asian Horrors of recent years have developed distinct characterisitcs and have proven its popularity with Hollywood remaking some of them. But joining this new wave of filmmaking does not mean putting the same white lady with long black hair in your film. That to differentiate her from Sadako, make yours wear a rebonded wig and blue contact lenses. Sadako and her clones are so tired! And if it weren't enough, borrow scare tactics from Shutter. Put your ghost not in a photo but in a video. For a change? COME ON! What a bright idea. Whoever thought of that must be kidding bigtime.

Asian Horror is subtlety and style. It is not shock-and-awe one after another. And definitely not hard-locked doors that magically open in a ghost chase. Asian Horror is rich, local culture. It is not a cabinet of porcelain dolls nor a book that mimics Harry Potter's Marauder's Map. Asian Horror is vengeance and wrath. It is not a twisted twin sister who doesn't know what she wants nor a suicidal business partner who crazily holds on to a promise made by an amnesiac.

If there is one thing Mag-Ingat Ka Sa Kulam has achieved, it would be that the film is scary. Scary that this crap of a film is still being made and by the same old crap of a producer.

To end this is a very memorable line from the movie. Dennis Trillo to Juday: Mira, anong ginawa mo sa bodega? Alam mo bang dun nakatago ang mga gamit na galing pa from various generations? ---VARIOUS GENERATIONS?!?!?!


rating:

1 out of 10
heart failure!

 

***photo exclusively from teresa barrozo

 

for the first time
(star cinema, 2008)
direction | bb. joyce bernal
cast | kc concepcion, richard gutierrez, phillip salvador, candy pangilinan, tj trinidad

fresh from the box-office success of a very special love, star cinema is cruising its way to a major movie flop for the first time this year.

for the first time is supposed to create an important milestone in the philippine film industry as having a handful of firsts: the first studio film to feature a rival network's exclusive actor (as an effort to hush the rivalry between abscbn and gma), the first full-length film of mega daughter kc concepcion, and the first filipino full-length film to be shot in greece.

however, what for the first time succesfully creates is a tragic waste of miles and miles of celluloid, that could have been put into better and more worthwile use by starving artists and underbudget film students.

the first tragedy: story & screenplay
what the hell is up with the creative minds of star cinema? we have just seen the story of an "heir to the family business empire, struggling to prove himself worthy" in a very special love, and now we are served with the same story only replacing the heir with an heiress. it's either we have loved koreanovelas so much that we want to linger in this storyline for the rest of our movie-going lives OR we are just too fond of experiencing deja vu.

the screenplay is worse. has the writer ever thought of cohesion and progression? the movie spurts out event after event in all directions. the storytelling is disjointed. following the story (or what is left of it) only gives headache to the audience. we are running out of film or funds or time or whatever! let's bring the story back to manila and leave greece! and just insert the same greek footage here and there! because greece is so pretty! it will make the whole film look pretty!

new characters sprout from nowhere. and just when candy pangilinan lifts you up from boredom, she suddenly disappears and is never to be seen again. POOF! just like that.

the second tragedy: cinematography and post-production
starting from the scene where kc concepcion, candy pangilinan, and nor domingo are running up and down the greek hillside en route to a greek wedding party, up to almost 30 minutes after that, the picture is FUCKING OUT OF FOCUS!!! everything's a big blur!!! (no, it's not the theater projector's problem. a friend who's part of the crew did tell me they were suprised it came out like that.)

dubbing is so over the place. the lips don't synch with what you hear. you don't even hear kc's phone smashing onto the ground.

my god! if you brag about shooting in greece, might as well make it a point to do it decently! or you could've just went up to tagaytay and shoot at the picnic grove. then the movie could have had showed a little love for country.

the 3rd tragedy: kc concepcion's acting
she inherited her mother's singing but not the acting skills. maybe she got it from her dad.

please, stop her when she cries. it's like hyperventilating, having sex and giving birth all at the same time.


favorite scenes:
*close-ups of richard gutierrez
*yummy shots of richard gutierrez

heart-o-meter:

1 out of 10
heart failure!


***
i feel sad for bb. joyce bernal. someone from the inside has told me the pulitika behind the production of this movie. tsktsk. sadness. oh well, 'till the next kc-richard movie! hahaha.

 

after years of being number two to roger federer, rafa finally becomes the world's top professional tennis player. woohoo!!! inuman naaaaa! haha.

 

i didn't get to watch the opening ceremony live. but i think it's not a bad thing. i heard na almost every 5 minutes daw nagkocommercial break. haha! bummer ang solar sports.

waking up the next day, i got to see the replay. pero parade of athletes na yung naabutan ko. tamang tama lang, i saw the philippine contingent with manny pacquiao as flag bearer. kahit na di naman siya magpaparticipate sa any olympic event.


in fairness sa attire nila. skyblue na barong. walang sinabi ang ralph lauren ng team usa! hahaha

pero yung inaabangan ko talagang makita sa parade ay sila rafa nadal of spain and roger federer who is the flag bearer of switzerland.


i liked the swiss uniform best among all the team uniforms. preppy pero sporty pa rin with the red shorts. and the fugliest of them all is host country china. c'mon what the hell were they wearing??? paki explain nga to:


i downloaded the opening ceremony so i could watch the performances. all 3 gigabytes of it! and nung napanuod ko na, i dunno why, pero it was a bit of a bore. hehe. i mean, yeah, it was uber extravagant and almost over the top. the lights show was cool. the fireworks were also great (but did they need that much more of fireworks, considering na ang polluted na nga ng hangin nila, hehe). the countdown in the beginning of the program gave me goosebumps. pero after that, nabore na ko sa performances.

here are the few parts that i loved:


but the part that i hated the most was when sarah brightman (who looked like mariah carey) and this chinese singer sang the theme song on top of a hightech globe.


ok na sana yung globe eh. ang high-tech. tas biglang ang lame lang nung kanta: you and me... from the world... we are family... pang preschool!  nakakaloka! hahaha.


halata naman talaga yung zhang yimou-ness ng opening eh. kulay pa lang ng costumes and props. zhang yimou na zhang yimou. masarap sa mata. magaling din yung paggamit ng technology like nung lights displays. i just don't find the storytelling to be cohesive and concrete. and the fact na super hyped up ang opening ceremony, i sort of expected more. the fireworks and the bird's nest stadium saved the day for beijing.

i will give the show a rating of 7 out of 10 stars. and i'll rank it only second to athens 2004 opening ceremony. athens pa rin. simple lang pero ang lakas ng impact. and the best cauldron lighting pa rin yung sa barcelona 1992 opening ceremony (the first ever olympics i've seen), 2nd yung sa athens 2004, and 3rd lang itong sa beijing.

 

heidi is back from auf wiedersehen!!!

it was only like yesterday when season 4 of project runway wrapped up with Fierce-Ooh-Tranneeeh winning the crown. then all of a sudden, season 5 has arrived. which means i have to delete them old torrents for them gigas of diskspace. but sadly, i dunno, i really wasn't impressed with the pilot. the contestants lack gigas of creativity. although they really look diverse. they've got straight guys as contestants. oohla.

i've already my favorites: the liberian girl who looks like jennifer hudson and that hottie-geeky guy who wears kepkep shorts and looks like vic basa. hahaha. i hope the next episodes will be waaaaay better. natalie portman guest-judges for the second ep. can't wait.

project runway australia also premiered with its first season. the host is hot. nakaka-tibo. but i don't know her. she looks like what's-her-name the host of america's most smartest model. so far, the show's good. their australian accents are bearable. but everyone's tooo gay. it's like a million christian syriano's on the show.

oh and the nominees for this year's primetime emmys are out!!! and these are my bets:

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES - Damages ...man!!! damages is my weekly orgasm.

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES - Glenn Close (Damages) OR Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters) ...hmm, this one's tough. i guess i'd go more for glenn close since sally field has already won for B&S last year (or was it in the golden globes that she won?)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES - Rachel Griffiths (Brothers & Sisters) ...emily van camp should've also been nominated!!!

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES - Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) ...i love the piemaker

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES - Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies) or Amy Poehler (SNL) ...but i'd still go for olive snook!!! *singshoplesslydevotedtoyou*

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES - Pushing Daisies ...please please please give it to pushing daisieeeeeees!

OUTSTANDING REALITY PROGRAM - Project Runway ...isn't it obvious why? haha. amazing race has won a lot already. and besides, project runway 3 was a great season.

OUTSTANDING REALITY PROGRAM HOST - Ryan Seacrest (American Idol) ... well, heidi's sometimes more for the eyes than the ears. i think ryan hosts better.

yey, keeping my fingers crossed...

 

 

and i'm jumping on my bed because it's wimbledon season again! well, jumping and grunting in disappointment because five days into the games and a handful of my favorites has already been eliminated.

this is what i missed:














tangenaaaa. ang hot nila dito together! i want them both! NOW! hahaha.


DAY 4

day 4 came with big surprises for 6th seed andy roddick and 3rd seed maria sharapova after both were eliminated by low ranking players.

DAY 5
day 5 is another day of upsets.


#11 marion bartoli was eliminated. she first caught my attention from last year's wimbledon where she defeated former #1 justine henin to reach the finals, which she lost to venus williams.


current #1 seed anna ivanovic also lost to a low ranking chinese player. it's sad to see her first defeat after being the new world number 1.

but after these disappointing defeats, there still are some good plays courtesy of two former #1 players serena williams and amelia mauresmo.


williams defeated mauresmo.


and safin continues to win (my heart) after defeating itallian player andreas seppi.

this year could be a hell lot of interesting if marat safin, #2seed rafael nadal, and #1 seed roger federer all reach the semifinals.


but being a big rafael nadal fan, i want him to be this year's wimbledon champ. if there is someone who deserves to end federer's five-year reign, nadal is it. and i think it's time.

 

 

ow my. i am diagnosed to have it. the jeffersonvcabral disease. commonly known as tiwang.

when love begins
(star cinema, viva films, 2008)
direction | jose javier reyes
cast | aga muhlach, anne curtis, christopher de leon

for starters, i say that when love begins is not the kilig movie as i have expected. because if it is intended to be a kilig movie then it fails bigtime. instead, i see the movie as having a more serious approach to the romance genre. and it's not a bad thing. when love begins stimulates more of the brain than the heart. but there's a catch. it comes to the point where it becomes tired and monotonous. but i believe it's exactly what describes the relationship between aga and anne. a relationship that follows the brain or logic or practicality over the cheesiness of falling in love. that in time, it gets tiring because of the lack of commitment and obligation. it is monotonous because one party refuses to put the relationship into the next level. until they both get entangled in a web of conflicts of interest of their jobs. which provides the pivotal moment of their relationship's survival.

i particularly liked the characterization of aga who is the older one but is the one more childlike and dependent. while anne who is younger comes more matured and dominant. another ironic thing is that aga is a lawyer but anne always wins in arguments.

the movie is talky. there are just too many dialogues. however, the punchlines and cliche lines are not well delivered and they aren't memorable.

there's also something wrong with the movie's editing. the support cast is not that brilliant. neither is the main cast. nothing really remarkable in aga and anne's performances.

oh and i dunno but i just have this feeling that the movie would've been better.

favorite scene:
*probably, seeing aj dee and rafael rossell in boardshorts is what comes close to as my favorite scene

heart-o-meter:

5 out of 10



ploning
(panoramanila, 2008)
direction | dante nico garcia
cast | judy anne santos

ploning is visually stunning, emotionally powerful, and outright beautiful.

i strongly suggest that you stop reading this and head towards the cinemas and experience ploning. yes, EXPERIENCE it.





but since you still are reading, let me continue and share a few more things.

i fell in love with the opening sequence. the lamps on the sea. two human bodies supposedly making love. ugh. perfect.

everything was given justice to: story & concept, visuals, acting. the story isn't really complicated but it wasn't brainlessly simple. it starts out very slow and idyllic juxtaposed with cuyo island's serenity. the progression from the middle to the end is overwhelming. the cinematography is breathtaking. simply AAAAAAAAAARGH!!! production design is equally great for a period film. i'm just out of words. i heard that the movie paid hefty for postprod and it shows in the color of the film. actors' performances are so remarkarble. judy ann santos in lead role is awardwinning. the support cast is perfect: eugene domingo, gina pareño, mylene dizon, ronnie lazaro, tessie tomas, tony mabesa. the non-actor kid who portrayed digo is charming.  to sum up, direction is strong.

once again, i was walking out of the cinema crying. ploning is touching. moving. endearing.

my only qualm is that there are two scenes which i think lack footage that long shots are used and the dialogues are voiced-over. these happen first between judy ann & mylene dizon in a scene on a rocky cliff and second between tsuy & muo sei in their farewell scene on the beach.

favorite scenes:
*when digo (the kid) innocently asks eugene domingo, "nay kelan ka mamamatay?" and the scene that followed where digo was tied to a tree by his brother as punishment.
*when tony mabesa explains to digo why he is always washing ploning's white dress
*when digo's brother is teaching him how to swim and tells him: "hindi kita hahayaang malunod, kapatid kita eh"
*when the grown up digo does that to the grown up brother (ronnie lazaro) at the end sequence.
*gina pareños "salt" monologue: VERY INTENSE!!!
*when ploning chases digo running away from the esposada: beautifully shot.
*tessie tomas at the cemetery at the end of the film
*the town's fiesta and the vignettes that happen simultaneously
*the last few sequences

darn, i'm forgetting some more scenes... well, it wouldn't hurt at all if i watch it again. and i guess i'll really be watching it again. starting may 7, ploning is no longer exclusive to sm cinemas and will be shown to other theaters.

heart-o-meter:

9 out of 10

 

the forbidden kingdom
(lionsgate, the weinstein company, 2008)
direction | rob minkoff
cast | jackie chan, jet li, michael angarano, liu yi fei, collin chou, li bingbing

the forbidden kingdom is primarily interesting because it stars the two most prominent kung fu actors for the very first time: jackie chan and jet li. that alone is what the film needed to catapult it to box-office victory but it is also has a massive entertainment value from visually orgasmic kung fu scenes and witty comedy from both jackie and jet li. although, the story is quite a let-down. linear and predictable.

the forbidden kingdom is historically important as it is jackie chan and jet li's first collaboration. and it is interesting to see how much homage this film has given to kung fu films which are also called as wu xia. it's opening billboard included images from old wu xia films. i can only distinguish and recall come drink with me as one of them. the characters also refer to popular wu xia characters: jet li is the monkey king, reminiscent of the monkey king film. jackie chan is a drunken master, reminiscent of one of his former movies with the same title. other wu xia themes such as the battle of good and bad inside an inn are also shown in the movie.

all in all, the movie is highly entertaining. definitely worth of a jackie chan-jet li starrer. it follows the traditional way of wu xia filmmaking but given a light comedic treatment and a hollywood point of view.

favorite scenes:
*jackie chan and jet li's kung fu exhibition inside a temple: a very looooong sequence but in fairness, is tastefully and flawlessly made. definitely the movie's crowning glory.
*jet li peeing on jackie chan. yes, literally.

heart-o-meter:

7 out of 10



shutter
(20th century fox, 2008)
direction | masayuki ochiai
cast | joshua jackson, rachael taylor

i'll just go straight to the point: this hollywood remake puts all the logic to the fright and weaves the film into a cohesive story. but the original thai movie is scarier.

what somehow saved this movie are its good cinematography, editing, and special effects.

and the rest, as simon cowell puts it, is forgettable.

favorite scene:
*i don't recall any

heart-o-meter:

3 out of 10



superhero movie
(dimension films, metro goldwyn mayer, 2008)
direction | craig mazin
cast | drake bell, sara paxton, christopher mcdonald, leslie nielsen, pamela anderson


superhero movie is brainlessly hilarious. but i think that the trailer was more fun than the real movie. it was nice to see superhero movies spoofed this time. a break from the horror and teen comedy spoofs. i wonder what's next in the hollywood menu. period dramas, perhaps?

quite interesting is that the closing billboard consists of what are supposed to be bloopers. but they are actually not. they are intentionally shot so as to parody the movie itself.

one more thing i noticed about the film are its implied thoughts of anti-feminism and racist comments. which worries me.

favorite scene:
*the tom cruise impersonation at the movie's end.

heart-o-meter:

3 out of 10



the other boleyn girl
(columbia pictures, focus features, 2008)
direction | justine chadwick
cast | natalie portman, scarlett johansson, eric bana, jim sturgess

i must say that natalie portman and scarlett johansson gave a very impressive, outstanding, and believable performance in the other boleyn girl. i bow down to the boleyn girls.

the story of the other boleyn girl is actually simple and can be deduced to your usual family drama. only it is set in a historical context. the movie is fast-paced and it leaves the audience to catch up only in scenes where heavy drama is heightened by slow music.

the end is really depressing. and i remember covering my wide-open mouth in awe from the end sequence until the credits are midway through.

what i really liked about the movie is the rawness and reality of the emotions from almost every character. from natalie's ambition and envy, to scarlett's affection, jim sturgess' vulnerability, and eric bana's strength and weakness, they all felt real.

favorite scenes:
*natalie portman and jim sturgess' breakdown-in-bed scene: emotionally charged.
*natalie's court trial
*natalie at the stake, her sentence to be carried out: shock and awe.
*queen catherine of aragon's court trial
*scarlett's first night with king henry
*juxtaposition of scarlett giving birth and natalie seducing eric bana

heart-o-meter:

6 out of 10