on the coffin rock

basta

2012-01-10T06:46:00.000-08:00

I am really happy for you. I really am. Although, I have to admit, a secret place where I have kept you all this time is collapsing in itself, and for the first time, I was able to step beyond the line which you have drawn, and which I should have crossed a long time ago. And now, all I have is the memory of you-the faint tug on my sleeve, the fleeting sensation between my lips and your face, your hand in my clammy hands, your name resounding and fading through and back the thin sheet of rain, the fantasy hanging on my wall set in waves of water-washed colors.

I may not be able to convince you, because this is a truth embedded beneath the deepest limits of my consciousness, so out of reach like a memory of a dream fading into the distance. Even I cannot summon a smile to convince myself that what I am saying is true. But I know it is, because in the end, the thought of you having found happiness is all what matters to me. You have wandered beyond and away from the divide we have made for each other. I pray I would have the heart to do the same. You will always be my first love, because even if I get lost to the ends of the earth, or whoever I meet, to love is to remember you and your subtlest ways that opened a window to true, innocent, and pure happiness.

Thank you for such a beautiful gift.

-Basta

she went quietly

2012-01-07T00:40:00.000-08:00

Another reason to update my TV series playlist.

She went quietly.
She didn't make a sound.
She went quietly
With the wish not to be found.
She went quietlywithout a word of where.
Just a note that wrote:"Forgetting is easier."

- She Went Quietly, Charlie Winston

i'm here

2011-12-11T08:48:00.001-08:00

I REMEMBER when I first watched this, I could actually feel my heart breaking inside my chest. Love sometimes may appear stupid or irrational, but if you're living in a place like what Spike Jonze had conjured; a world where everything is bound to be broken beyond repair, to love is a risk more worth taking.

I'm Here premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival to great critical acclaim.
.

grow till tall

2011-11-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/iframe&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

You'll know when's time to go on

You'll really want to grow till tall

They all, in the end, will fall.

- Jonsi, Grow Till Tall

me singing a song of ice and fire

2011-08-28T05:22:00.000-07:00

My bestfriend has been ranting all about it and her talks of how really good it is and how it somehow resembles Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is enough for me to add this to my already cramped up list of series to sink my teeth into. Like I always say, I value her aesthetic taste in things :)

A Game of Thrones is based on George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy saga, A Song of Ice and Fire. I am currently half-way reading the first book for which the whole series is named. Martin has created a mystical world where summers last decades and winters a lifetime; a Middle-Earth-like world in a time of kings, ladies, horselords, wildlings, and magical creatures whose fate were interwoven snugly by political conflicts, romance, and magic. Like LOTR, what made this really interesting (and quite a headache to read) is the intricacy of the history, the different cultures that make up the fictional universe.

I am really excited that HBO decided to develop this for television. HBO has a reputation for producing series with bold screenplay (bold meaning "Keep away from children." This is teeming with explicit sexual acts, mutilation, blood, and blood, and blood which I think is necessary to make the screenplay deem effective) and extravagant production perfectly capturing the essence and overall feel of the series.

I am done with the 10-episode first season, and I am really happy that Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) just won a supporting-role Emmy. I love his shady character; simply my favorite in the sreies. GoT garnered 13 nominations in total including Best Drama series along with Mad Men, Friday Night Lights, to name a few. Sadly, it didn't win. I was also really rooting for FNL (Congatulations to Mr. Kyle Chandler for pulling that upset to win the leading-role Emmy), but Mad Men has proved yet again that there is no competition in this category.

Season 2 of GoT premieres next year, based on the second book of the saga - A Clash of Kings. Winter is coming.

shirk

2011-08-20T23:25:00.000-07:00

A perfect blend of genius choreography, high level of technical skills, and a piece of great music has always been the formula to capture the artistic quality of dance...

Dancers: Lauren Froderman & Marko Germar

Style: Contemporary
Music: "Shirk" by Meshell Ndegeocello
Choreographer: Tessandra Chavez

dear coffin rock

2011-07-27T19:47:00.001-07:00

Dear Coffin Rock,

I am sorry I've been fickle lately, but I assure you I am aching to just to pour my insides in here just like the old days. It just shows that time moves faster when you decide to actually live (meaning work). :)

Without wax,

Luke

when stones come to life...

2011-06-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

"Every once in a while...a number comes along that is so magical and when everything happens one with the universe."

And indeed everything became one with the universe when my two favorite dancers, Melanie and Marko, performed a Travis Wall contemporary routine in the first live episode of So You Think You Can Dance Season 8.

It was like watching some Greek god and goddess creating an artwork through precisely calculated and harmonized movements. It is poetry in motion--poignant and pure.

The combination of superb technique and stunning choreography was just breath-taking and emotionally-enthralling. The chemistry, dynamics, and emotions emanating from the routine was amplified through the use of a great piece of music- Turn To Stone by Ingrid Michaelson (This song was perfect for the routine. I fell in love with this song when it was featured in the Grey's Anatomy finale where Izzy married Alex).

I remember watching this performance three nights ago and I could feel my pulse racing, hands sweating, and eyes wide to what was happening in front of me; that usually happens whenever I am exposed to rare remarkable form of art.

This will win an Emmy. Mia Miachaels may not be here this season, but I am really glad that Travis Wall is truly becoming a master of his craft. Two highly technical dancers and a genius choreographer- What do you expect to see? :P

This season is shaping to be the best so far, and for the first time in SYTYCD history, no one got eliminated from the results show...because they were that good!. I am really excited for this season, but I hope they change the stage. It seems to lack the illusion of space. Hehe. Anyway, go Melanie and Marko! (Marko is a Filipino did you know, and Tadd, the B-boy).

What a gloomy day... so perfect. :)

so you think again

2011-06-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

The new season of the Emmy-winning dance reality show So You Think You Can Dance is finally here, and so like my downloader, the right side of my brain is going haywire. No other show can capture the artistic and entertaining attributes of dance than this, the way it showcases new talents and mind-blowing choreography (I am looking forward to Dee's, Sonya's, Travis' and of course Mia Michael's).

One of my favorites this season is an art major from Fordham University, Melanie Moore (She looks like Dr. Sarah Tacredi of Prison Break, doesn't she?). I fell in love with her the first time she danced a contemporary piece to Alexander Desplat's The Meadow. I just adore her technique, but I love her quirky personality more.

Another standout for me is Marko Germar, the one with a bullet still lodged in his right shoulder bone because of an encounter with an armed robber. He seems really cool and I love the way he blends hip hop and contemporary in his movements. I loved his audition. I may be a bit biased though because he danced to James Morisson's If You Don't Want To Love Me on his audition.

And what a way to open the new season with a captivating contemporary piece by Stacey Tookey to the tune of In This Shirt by the Irrepressibles.

The amalgam of great technique and artistic choreography is just breath-taking and dynamic--a piece of heaven indeed.

elephant in the room

2011-05-11T02:55:00.000-07:00

Discovering a new artist is like listening to a whole new different genre of music. It's musically liberating, to hear such words and melodies that are often heart-felt, honest, and unadulterated.

How heavy are these words?
They're heavier than air
That rushes past your face as you drive away from me again.

How heavy are these hands?
They're heavier than blood
That rushes to my head as you walk away from me again.

And I hope you can see
I'm more than this, this heap at your feet
Who are you to judge me?

-Richard Walters, Elephant in the Room

this is it. are you ready?

2011-05-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

I am expecting a finale that will rival Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Am I expecting too much? :P

Nonetheless, Harry Potter will go down in my book as one of the best series translated on the big screen. It would be really bittersweet to walk out of the cinema after watching this. But I guess, there is still the Wizarding World in Universal Studios-Orlando to cheer me up--my very last Potter frontier.

to build a home

2011-04-26T00:50:00.000-07:00

There are only few songs that could bring about happiness, artistically wrapped within a melancholic symphony of loss and the bittersweet concept of letting go.

And I built a home
For you
For me
Until it disappeared
From me
From you
And now, it's time to leave and turn to dust.

-To Build A Home by The Cinematic Orchestra

a robot lovestory

2011-03-02T20:00:00.000-08:00

Francesca: Do not do that!

Sheldon: I'm gonna do it!

Francesca: NO DON'T!

Sheldon: I'M GONNA DO IT!!

Francesca: I'm not asking for this.

Sheldon: Okay.

Francesca: Don't I have a choice?

Sheldon: No, you don't. Because I had a dream last night and in my dream, you needed a leg and everyone in the dream was trying to give you that leg but I really wanted you to have mine. In my dream, you picked my leg. You made me so happy. It was the best dream in the history of dreams.

Spike Jonze's I'm Here (2010) is a 30-minute short about the love story between two robots- the timid Sheldon (Andrew Garfield) who works in a library and the cool, free-spirited Francesca (Sienna Guillory). Set in a universe where humans and robots coexist, I'm Here is a bittersweet testimony of how love works within the fragility of life; in a world where everything is bound to be broken. It is a tender portrayal of sacrifice and boundless courage for love despite impossible circumstances. For in the end, love is what you take home with you.

The song There Are many Of Us by Aska Matsumiya just perfectly captures the sweet melancholic essence of the film, along with a very delectable sountrack which includes artists like Sleigh Bells, Gui Boratto, Christopher Owens, and The Lost Trees.

I love short films because they are short. Downside is, they're very hard to find since most of them rarely makes the mainstream media. I am glad I stumbled upon this one. Heart-breaking, and hopeful, I'm Here is a neat slice of love captured in film. It's the best robot love story ever... :)

and the Oscar goes to...

2011-03-01T03:52:00.001-08:00

The time to give out naked golden statues to writers, directors, and actors of the outstanding films of the past year has finally arrived. And much to everyone's surprise, Tom Hooper's The King's Speech bagged the award for Best Picture. It's quite unexpected but this particular film is as potent as it is passive. It might look boring to some eyes, but its strength greatly stands on brilliant acting. And what an ensemble to make up this film with the triumvirate of Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham-Carter.

The King's Speech is an autobiographical account of King George VII (who struggles with a speech disorder brought by trauma he acquired from childhood) and his relationship with his speech therapist, Lionel Logue. With the support of his wife, the king braves the paramount responsibility of leading his country that sits at the dawn of World War II. The King's Speech garnered a 95% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

I stayed up all night watching the Red Carpet coverage till the end of the main ceremony. It was too darn long, but watching an Oscar awards night has always been fun. It's my goal to watch all nominated films (I failed as usual) and it's thrilling to know who gets what. By the way, what are your thoughts about this years Oscars? Well for me, it's really entertaining in general except for the hosts maybe. I love James Franco's performance in 127 Hours but he sucks at hosting (the drag costume was pathetic), and Anne Hathaway didn't help either. If it weren't for the comical presenters (The old man with a cane was epic!), the night would've been dull.

The opening of the night was really entertaining as it featured a video clip presented mostly in an Inception parody. I was laughing my ass off watching this clip. Best Oscar opening ever!

The event also showcased auto-tuned scenes from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 1, Toy Story 3, The Social Network, and Eclipse. My favorite was Tiny Ball of Light by Ron and Hermione, and He Doesn't Own A Shirt by Bella, Edward, and Jacob. :P

One aspect of the Oscars I always look forward to is the stage, and I am pretty impressed with what they've done this year. I'm not sure if they used tons of LCD screens but I think they opted to use 3D projectors like the ones in this year's Grammys. It's visually stimulating and elegant. I liked the way they included tribute to iconic movies in the presentation process. I got excited when I saw a significantly enlarged Heart of the Ocean gracefully sinking down the sea with the Titanic theme in the background. The Lord of the Rings tribute was simply arresting especially with Cate Blanchett presenting the award.

Here is the complete list winners.

THE KINGS SPEECH

Best Picture

Best Actor - Colin Firth. I was silently hoping that Jesse Eisenberg would win, but it's a long shot, especially if against a veteran and brilliant actor like Colin Firth.

Best Director - Tom Hooper. I was rooting for Darren Aronofsky. But what the hell! I love this film too.

Best Original Screenplay - David Seidler. Chris Nolan should've won this award. His story is the most original and way out of the box. No. Nolan doesn't have a box.

INCEPTION

Best Cinematography - Wally Pfister

Best Visual Effects - Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley & Peter Bebb

Best Sound Mixing - Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo & Ed Novick

Best Sound Editing - Richard King

THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Best Adapted Screenplay - Aaron Sorkin

Best Original Score - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. What happened to Hans Zimmer people?!

Best Film Editing - Angus Wall & Kirk Baxter

THE FIGHTER

I am discouraged to watch this because of the boxing thing. But I think I should see this.

Best Supporting Actress - Melissa Leo

Best Supporting Actor - Christian Bale

TOY STORY 3

Best Animated Feature Film. Very well deserved. I was fighting off tears watching this. I think it's the most moving animated film I've seen. The melancholic aspect of this movie is reminiscent to that of Up (2009). Great job, Pixar!

Best Original Song - We Belong Together - Music and Lyrics by Randy Newman. This was a very surprising outcome. I was almost sure that 'I See The Light' from Tangled would win. Anyway, I was looking forward to see Chuck sing and he didn't disappoint. He's a really good singer but I'm not digging the hairstyle though. He looks weird without his curly hair. Actually, the hair reminded me of Simon! Another highlight of the event for me, was when Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, performed 'I Will Rise' from 127 Hours, instead of Dido. Her song 'Cosmic Love' made her a breakthrough artist and I just love her eccentric personality and haunting voice. She should hang out with Imogen Heap. :P

ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

I hate this movie. Helena Bonham-Cater is the main reason why I decided to watch this movie. Off with his head!!! Haha!

Best Art Direction - Robert Stromberg (Production Design), Karen O'Hara (Set Decoration)

Best Costume Design - Colleen Atwood

BLACK SWAN

Best Actress - Natalie Portman. An obvious winner, but I am quite surprised that this film only won a single award.

THE WOLFMAN

Best Makeup - Rick Baker & Dave Elsey. Poor, Harry Potter. The end has come yet still no Oscar for you.

IN A BETTER WORLD (Denmark)

Best Foreign Language Film. I was rooting for Biutiful. But I'd like to see this one.

INSIDE JOB
Best Documentary Feature. Too bad Banksy didn't win. I was hoping that if he did, he would accept the award personally, sleeked-up with his mask and all. Hehe. I guess Inside Job is more controversial and impactful.

GOD OF LOVE.

I love shorts, because they're short. Downside is, they're very hard to find.

Best Short Film (Live Action) - Luke Matheny.

STRANGERS NO MORE
Best Documentary (Short Subject)

THE LOST THING
Best Short Film (Animated) - Shaun Tan & Andrew Ruhemann

Truly, it was another great year in film. I'm really hoping for better films this 2011 especially with Norwegian Wood, Restless, and Deathly Hallows, Part 2 in line :)

DLSU Lady Spikers reclaim UAAP title

2011-02-27T19:31:00.002-08:00

La Salle capped a dominating season with a 25-18, 25-17, 28-26 victory over University of Santo Tomas Saturday to win the UAAP Women’s Volleyball championship at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan. It was payback time for the Lady Spikers as they lost to this same team in the finals a year ago.

Despite the Tigresses holding fort to a 24-19 lead in the 3rd set, the Lady Spikers showed poise down the stretch to hammer out this come-from-behind win. Captain Cha Cruz, who was named the Finals MVP, collected 14 hits, including four blocks, while Michelle Gumabao and season MVP Jacq Alarca combined for 25 markers.

Though they are officially 16-1 in season 73, the Lady Spikers are technically undefeated as their lone setback was a forfeiture due to an eligibility infraction.
“Hindi namin inisip na may talo kami. Inisip namin na 17-0 kami, talagang pinaghirapan ng mga bata ang championship na ito,” said a jubilant coach Ramil de Jesus, who has guided La Salle to all of its 6 UAAP championships including a 3-peat from 2003 to 2005.

Maika Ortiz had nine hits while Maru Banaticla added eight markers for Tigresses.

An outside hit by Abigail Maraño allowed UST to move closer in extending the game to a 4th set. But the Lady Spikers did not wilt under pressure as they mounted a rally to regain the upperhand 25-24. The Tigresses were able to tie the count twice, the last was at 26-26, after Ortiz scored a running spike. However, Gumabao scored a kill, while Cruz scored a hit which UST setter Rhea Dimaculangan failed to dig in which sealed the win, and the championship for La Salle.

Aside from the MVP plum, Alarca was also adjudged Best Spiker and Best Server. The other awardees from La Salle are Mika Esperanza (Rookie of the Year) and Michelle Gumabao (Best Blocker).

Source: greenarchers.ph

million steps

2011-02-22T05:58:00.000-08:00

He was walking away, confused legs in ambivalent motion and aiming towards the horizon that led directly opposite the love his heart harbored for many years. He was moving away from her in small steps, heart taking giant leaps backward with every beat, ever wondering what could've been, what was lost. He raised the white flag in his fight against change, finally opening his eyes from a perfectly conjured illusion, so real and so true. He was breaking away from a dream that had become his world while battling the rush of pain hoping to stay awake.

He looked at the golden skies ahead, bathed by the last light of the day. He watched as the high winds shape and mold the clouds that eventually grew dark, disintegrating against the black space of night as the sun hid behind the hills and around to the other side of the world. He imagined the remains of his emotions ebbing away from him and back. He imagined his love retreating like how the somber light of the sunset crept back from the dusk. It was almost unfathomable how it once effortlessly covered the stretched boundaries of the heavens and that within a blink of an eye be reduced into a simple sad reminder that everything ends, that everything fades; leaving in its tracks an expanse of empty nothingness, so wide that not even a conscious happy thought could wade.

He walked on and stared at the sharp silhouettes of power lines blunting in the daylight's demise. For a moment, it was completely dark. He stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes from everything. He fully sensed the cold wind rushing against his face, whispering turbulent sounds in his ears, egging him to go back. But he wouldn't. He waited for something to disturb the monotonous hum of unknown possibilities he was in.

Where to go?

When he opened his eyes, bokeh lights hovered ahead, slowly shrinking, sharpening as his pupils adjust to the dark environment. Stars revealed themselves from above, like sprinkles of hope he could not taste--destinies etched criss-crossing in the face of the universe, bridges of chance for hearts to love, and to be broken, and to heal and to love again. But he couldn't see it that way for he still had to take a million steps away from a love that was great and was true and ten steps more from the loneliness he would carry in his journey through and around that wide expanse of nothingness to the other side where abstract dreams and solid reality collide under a shining new sun...

another 'little miss sunshine'

2011-02-20T08:30:00.000-08:00

Elissa Down's The Black Balloon (2009) is a heart-warming and tender portrayal of a family struggling to deal with autism. The story centers on Thomas and his relationship with his autistic brother, Charlie. Thomas embarks in an emotional journey when he meets, Jacky, while dealing with the pent up frustrations toward his brother and the crisis his family is going through.

If you're a fan of Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and the very recent The Kids Are All Right (2010), you'll have no problem liking this one. I think it's a little more melancholic than the two, but the core essence is pretty much the same. The witty blend of comedy and drama will take you in an emotional roller coaster, and leaves you with that familiar fuzzy warm feeling in the end.

Can't Unsee: The large eyes and hairstyle of Jacky, Thomas' girlfriend in the film, remind me of Amanda Seyfried. Hehe! Anyway, The Black Balloon received a 90% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

hell week's finest

2011-02-18T04:53:00.000-08:00

As promised the Hollywood Week Group Round had lived to its expectations- Full of drama and unexpected cuts. And just like that, the journey ends for some of my early favorites which includes Paris Tassin, Emily Ann Reed, Adrienne Beasley, Janelle Arthur, Rob Bolin, and Chelsea Oaks.

Some stars fall down, but some just keep on shining brightly.

THIA MEGIA, 15. I luuuurrve her. Period.

LAUREN ALAINA, 15. Her powerful voice and how she plays with it is just truly engaging. She sounds like Kelly Clarkson or perhaps Adele. Definitely a front-runner.

As grueling as the Hell Week can be, it's also my favorite part of the competition for it showcases stunning solo performances and puts a spotlight on promising talents that weren't featured on the previous episodes.

ASHTON JONES, 24. The song choice is pretty generic but her voice stood on it's on. Very powerful.

KENDRA CHANTELLE, 22. There is a jazzy tone in her voice that is just lovely to listen to.

SOPHIA SHORAI, 28. Her voice and hair remind me of Haley from Paramore! :P

JACOB LUSK, 23. He has great vocal range and technique. My only concern is his facial expressions. They're very distracting.

Another cool thing about the solo performances is that the contestants are given the opportunity to play their instruments, and clearly those who have this kind of talent have the edge among the lot. It's really amazing to see them within their elements, rendering their artistry to be significantly exponentiated.

JULIE ZORILLA, 20. A beautiful girl that plays the piano. I've seen her before--The perfect girl in my dreams. :)

CALEB HAWLEY, 25. Another guy with a guitar and messy hair. It's the first time I really saw him perform and I say he's a natural artist. I'm putting a tab on this one.

COLTON DIXON, 19. Hmm. Let's see... He plays the keys, with popular-sounding voice (in the tune of David Cook's What About Now?), young, and not bad to look at. Stardom is written all over this guy.

BRETT LOEWENSTERN, 16. He just keep on proving that he belongs in this competition. I love the tone of his singing voice.

ROBBIE ROSEN, 16. This guy is bursting with soul and seeing him perform within his element, well, it's just stellar. I love his rendition of my all-time favorite song Gravity by Sara Bareilles.

CASEY ABRAMS, 19. I think anyone who can make playing the baho de arco cool is an automatic standout. I love this guy!

JOHN WAYNE SCHULZ, 23. His unassuming behavior and country voice makes him very likable. He gave a passive performance that was calming and very easy to listen to. Kind of reminds me that good music comes from a place of truth--no need for runs or complicated shifts in notes. Two thumbs up for his song choice, the classic Landslide by Fleetwood Mac.

Next week the remaining contestants will proceed on a special round. They will take on the songs by The Beatles. Eventually, cuts will be made and the Top 24 will finally be revealed...

tree hill superheroes

2011-02-16T07:26:00.000-08:00

Behold! The Kick Ass-inspired superheroes of Tree Hill have come to protect innocent people from bullies and evil stuck-up bitches!

Alias: B-DAZZLE

Real Identity: Brooke Davis-Baker, Fashion Designer and Housewife

Supersowers: Well known for her home-made liquid smoke...and she owns a French-speaking fighting car.

Alias: SHUTTERBUG

Real Identity: Quinn Scott, Photographer

Superpowers: She blinds villains with the flash of her camera and collects their photos as trophies. Don't mess with her.

Alias: BABY MAMA (She hates it. Prefers MasterMind)

Real Identity: Haley James-Scott, Housewife, Musician, and Record Label Manager.

Superpowers: Super smart and knows everything- a power that she acquired from an asteroid that fell from the sky (well, that's just according to B-Dazzle). She uses her unborn child as a shield.

This is what happens when you're watching too much Kick Ass and you're bored out of your skull. Very fun episode this week :P

dante once wrote...

2011-02-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

"Remember tonight, for it is the beginning of always. A promise. Like a reward for persisting through life so long alone. A belief in each other and the possibility of love. A decision to ignore, simply rise above the pain of the past. A covenant, which at once binds two souls and yet severs prior ties. A celebration of the chance taken and the challenge that lies ahead. For two will always be stronger than one, like a team braced against the tempest civil world. And love will always be the guiding force in our lives. For tonight is mere formality; only an announcement to the world of feelings long held. Promises made long ago in the sacred spaces of our hearts..."

hollywood week: sudden death

2011-02-10T23:30:00.001-08:00

It's the Hell Week once again on Idol, and so far my favorites proved their talents could really take the pressure as they performed brilliantly through this week's sudden death round...well, except for some, sadly :(

SARAH SELLERS, 28. The performance was not featured but her audition with Adele's song is still stuck in my ears.

STEVE BEGHUN, 27. The singing accountant's rendition of Michael Buble's Haven't Met You Yet was just plain weak. It's a happy song and his voice didn't get that through.

NICK FINK, 19. I heard promising potential in his voice with that smooth Michael Buble tone in his audition, but his song choice in this crucial round failed to showcase it. After the verdict, he practically begged the judges a second chance- a sight quite uncomfortable to see.

Almost half of the 300+ got cut from this round but, there is a couple of aspirants that really stepped up from their performances on their initial auditions.

ROBBIE ROSEN, 16. I can't believe I overlooked this one.

HOLLIE CAVANAGH, 17. I remember her first audition. She was so nervous and was all over the place. But this time, her voice just soared with confidence. I have my eyes and ears on this one.

Hollywood Week continues next week with the dreaded Group Round!

voices worthy of a golden ticket, week 4

2011-02-09T22:44:00.000-08:00

It's the last stop of the season- San Francisco, CA. Among the pool of talents, these five really stood out.

MATTHEW NUSS, 25. A musical director. It would be a shame if he didn't know how to sing.

STEFANO LANGONE, 21. Remember Danny Gokey when he first auditioned with Marvin Gay's I Heard It Through The Grapevine? Well, this guy's version is way better. With powerful and fluid vocals, I think he will do well in this competition. And he plays the piano! I'll be waiting for his Hollywood Week performance.

JULIE ZORRILLA, 20. I'm not so crazy about her song choice but I really like the texture of her voice and the way she controls it. She's gorgeous, no?

EMILY ANN REED, 26. She has by far the most original and unique-sounding voice this season- old school and jazzy. Slightly eccentric and has this singer-songwriter thing going on with the guitar an all. But it's just too bad. No folk artist survives the popular standards of American Idol.

JAMES DURBIN, 21. He's the one with Tourette's and Asperger's Syndrome. I've seen the comedy-drama film Adam (2009) and it's about this guy with Asperger's, a high-functioning autism and it looks really really tough to deal with. And to see someone overcome that, have a family of his own, (plus a Tourette to boot) is just inspiring. I really do hope he comes through even though his voice is reminiscent of Adam Lambert. Not a big fan of him.

Hollywood Week tomorrow. I know exactly where my bets would go. :)

threads

2011-02-09T06:43:00.000-08:00

The heart writes words unabashed,

Colors washed away by time in flight.

But on tip toe they stand, they sneak

Through fractured walls of thought,

And into a wide expanse of calm

Creating ripples I dared, once fought.

She walked through threads of memory

And broke them with ease.

I followed suit putting it all together--

Find the ends and tie without cease.

My feet finally caught on tangled strings

Stumbled hard on knobby knees

I watched as she walked on,

Eyes locked where time actually freeze.

jamie's best man speech

2011-02-08T18:04:00.000-08:00

Brooke is finally married to Julian and while I was watching the episode, my fingers were crossed that out of nowhere, Lucas and Peyton would show up. But they didn't. It was a very emotional installment and the moment Jamie gave his best man speech threw me back to days when One Tree Hill could easily tug on my heartstrings. Haley got it right. It was the most honest and memorable best man speech I've ever heard...

J.K. Rowling once wrote: "The consequences of our actions are so complicated, so diverse that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed".

J.K. Rowling was right. But what most of you don't know is Julian was able to do it. He knew a long time ago that he would find Brooke. When Julian was my age, which was a very, very, very,very long time ago,he went to a county fair, and he met a girl...not Brooke. But they went on a bunch of rides together, including the Octopus--irrelevant to the story. But that night, Julian felt a crush for the first time, a real crush. Relax, Aunt Brooke. He was my age. So at the end of the night, they decided to break this bumper-car token in half. Julian has kept his half all these years, not because he missed the girl, but because he knew somewhere out there was the other half, his perfect match.And he was right. Today Julian married my Aunt Brooke. She's probably the coolest girl I know and the girl Julian's been waiting for since he broke this bumper-car token in half a long time ago at a county fair. And today Julian gave me this token. He said he didn't need it anymore because he found his other half. Congratulations, Julian. I think it was worth the wait...

the addiction continues...

2011-02-08T04:12:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought I am running out of television series to satiate my viewing pleasures, that is when I discovered a faster and more convenient way of downloading from file-hosting sites. The days of using torrent files and purchasing of low-quality pirated DVDs to fulfill the urge are long gone. The emergence of HDTV and Blurays and the fact that they can be ripped and upped made the addiction even worse. There is no stopping now.

Currently, I'm having weekly doses of One Tree Hill, Grey's Anatomy, House, and Chuck (I've given up on Glee. The story is just spinning out of control and writers are stuffing it with celebrity guests which in my opinion is really sucking the potential out of the material. And Smallville too. Is it on its 100th season already? Well, I've lost my appetite for it since Lana Lang got erased from the script). You may think that's too much television... but not for me. My shortening attention span compelled me to start the following series:

DEXTER

If you're feeling squeamish in the sight of blood or mutilated bodies, this show is not for you. The series centers on Dexter, a forensic expert on blood spatter analysis (which I think is a very cool job by the way) for the Miami Metro Police Department, living a double life as a law enforcer during the day and a vigilante who kills at night. The dynamic of the story is how he struggles to balance these two sides of his life. I was really surprised that I could easily relate to Dexter's character (Nope. I am not a killer. I'm a pacifist I assure you). I mean, each of us has a dark side right? And we're doing everything we can, struggling to hide it in plain sight. I'm done with the first two seasons. Three to go :P

THE BIG BANG THEORY

I love geeky comedy and so the reason why I like it is a no brainer! This series is about this four scientists--Leonard, Sheldon, Howard and Rajesh, whose geekiness is contrasted to the social skills and common sense of Penny, a beautiful aspiring actress. I'm still on the first season though.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Urgh! Need I say more? This is the most emotionally captivating series since One Tree Hill. It's like OTH except the sport is football, it's more dramatic, and everybody speaks with a southern accent. One more thing that did it for me was the music. I can't get enough of the post-rock musical score! I am now on it's 2nd season and they just won the State Championship! :P Clear eyes. Full Hearts. Can't Lose! Go Panthers!

THE WALKING DEAD

Yep. It's a zombie series. I didn't expect to like this but it turned out to be really amusing and simply way better than all zombie movies I've seen put together, except for Zombieland (2009) maybe. That falls into a completely different genre). It is well-acted and its production value for a TV series is quite astounding and great make-up too. They're now on hiatus and will resume airing probably this month.

MODERN FAMILY

It's on the news. It's on blogs. And it won an Emmy and a SAG awards for Best Comedy Series. It's a comedic mockumentary about this three unconventional families. I'm now half-way through the first season and I enjoyed every second of it. I think it's the best comedy series since Friends. I got teary-eyed laughing on an episode where everybody got hung up with Dylan's song for Haley, In The Moonlight, which is needless to say my current LSS! :P

Baby, baby. I just wanna do you, do you.

Baby, you can do me, do me

Hahaha! I'm gonna shut up now. :P

hollow peace

2011-02-07T03:55:00.000-08:00

Truth comes from a place of silence. I don't get it because I thrive in chaos. When the loud sounds and the echoes they made finally dissipate, it's like dusts are settling from everywhere. A black night cracks, light seeping through them and revealing the real once concealed. It is in that gap that you can really see, and hear the resounding growls and endless murmurs within. The haunting thoughts sharpen, blades ready to slice through exposed weakened flesh. I'd have to deal with them. But I don't want to. I am too afraid.

And so I would fill my head again with anything to scramble the images, to complicate things, to hide what's really should have been on the surface. It's like throwing paint over a graffitied wall. The walls thicken as a result of the routine leaving splotches everywhere. On the ground. On me. On the people that face the same wall. They don't have the slightest clue of what's really on their faces. And in an act of pathetic display of cowardice, I would shout as loud as I can on the inside, the noise breaking through me and into the unknown leaving in its tracks a buzzing sound of hollow peace-that fragile moment where a strong wind troubles the fine grains of dust back into the air blocking every ugly figment of conscious thought. It is when the eyes lose focus turning everything into bokeh lights, well-disguised and beautiful. A conflicted moment when time stops and days pass in just a few beats of a troubled heart as years grow shorter including life itself and the promise of relief from such misguided deed.

the backbeats breakeven

2011-02-06T20:10:00.000-08:00

They may be only third best on the latest season of The Sing-Off but they were definitely my favorite. Well known for their emotionally riveting renditions of melancholic songs, The Backbeats set the bar with this a capella take on The Script's hit, Breakeven. Well, they're the primary reason why I would suddenly, out of nowhere blurt the line "I'm falling to pieces" in falsetto whenever my consciousness blur towards nowhere.

The strength of the team, besides their tight vocal harmonies, lies in the voice of its lead, Joanna Jones. It's really amusing to encounter such amazing talent. She can belt it all out but still has great control over the lower notes. I really do hope she'd be a given a break.

voices worthy of a golden ticket, week 3

2011-02-03T22:17:00.000-08:00

Idol features the Austin auditions this week and there were really promising voices that stood out from the lot:

JOHN WAYNE SHULZ, 23. His voice is as natural as him being a cowboy. Still lacks a little power but has really great potential.

NICK FINK, 19. I like the soothing and suave voice; sounds really classy. He has this Michael Buble-thing going on.

JANELLE ARTHUR, 20. Her voice is a little generic, but you've got to be impressed by her falsetto runs.

CASEY ABRAMS, 20. I have a theory: If you see a guy with an overgrown beard and an unkept hair, there's a 70% probability that he has an amazing voice. Take Damien Rice for example, and Ray Lamontagne, and William Fitzsimmons, and Wakey! Wakey!'s Mike Grubbs.

I am quite disappointed with the Los Angeles auditions in general. I mean, it should be a pool of talent, right? I guess not this season. But's there's still flickering voices that had shone through...

TIM HALPERIN, 23. This hardcore J-Lo fan can sing! Smooth and well-controlled. I like the tone and his falsetto is commendable.

JUSTIN CARTER, 27. He sang just a couple of lines but enough to showcase the quality of his RnB pipes.

KAREN RODRIGUEZ, 21. Her personality oozes out through her voice, I can tell. She reminds me of the singer from the old Freestyle band. What's her name again?

In general, I am a little tentative about the talents this year, but I am sure they'll develop through the course of the season. One city to go and then Hollywood Callbacks which starts next week!

i took the exit through the gift shop

2011-02-02T08:05:00.000-08:00

Exit Through The Gift Shop (2010) is a documentary directed by the well-known and very elusive graffiti artist, Banksy. Hilarious and informative, the film gives a firsthand look into the underground world of the movement known as street art and aims to validate it as a legitimate artform. It garnered a 98% rating in Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

The film centers on Thierry Guetta, a French immigrant who has an obsession of carrying a handheld camera wherever he goes. A series of events led him to some world-renowned street artists such as Invader and Shephard Fairey and many others who thrive in danger of expressing their passion for their craft. But Thierry finds a new obsession when he met Banksy.

Banksy is a British political activist and painter, infamous for his satirical street art and subversive epigrams that combines with dark humor and crafted using distinctive stenciling technique. His true identity is still unknown till today. His face is blurred and voice altered throughout the movie.

What I love about Banksy's film besides the amazing craftwork from some of the world's finest street artists, is how it manages to conjure humor and yet brings up intellectual questions regarding the true nature of art; What could be considered art and what is not? In a way, the film takes the audience to that fine blurred line and let them decide for themselves...

Exit Through The Gift Shop is nominated in this year's Oscar for Best Documentary Feature together with its rival Waste Land (2010) which also deals with art. I hope Banksy wins because that would be really interesting. I mean, would he personally receive the award if he wins?

I got all the photos from Banky's site. I encourage you to visit to see more of his works.

awk-berg!

2011-01-31T23:27:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen David Fincher's critically acclaimed film, The Social Network (2010), you should (and probably see Facebook in a whole new light :P Well, I did!). It's definitely one of the best films of the year and its Oscar nomination and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture were well-deserved. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a whooping 97% rating.

Jesse Eisenberg, who plays the role of Mark Zuckerberg in the film, gave a breakthrough performance even though the external feel of his acting didn't change. probably because of the type of the character he's playing-- the geeky, unassuming, and innately hilarious. No wonder he's always compared with Michael Cera. I like geeky characters... because they simply rock! :P

But what would happen if Mark Zuckerberg meets the REAL Mark Zuckerberg? Jesse Eisenberg's monologue in this Saturday Night Live episode is just epic!

nick's poetry

2011-01-31T05:14:00.001-08:00

Nicholas walked along the aisle, his footsteps bouncing off the silence of the room tainted with murmurs from his classmates. He was hesitant of course to share what's he's written. They wouldn't understand. Not those idiots. But still he walked forward, faced the class and sat on the teacher's table. He took a breath and opened his mouth...

Day burns down to night,

Burns the edge of my soul

In the night I break into sparks of suns

And becomes fire and the dust of bones

Night knifes my breaths,

Swallows whole my tongue

Turn back

Reverse

Return

In the night I see the real

Concealed in the day's bright lie

Eyes stitched shut

White teeth smile

Sleep walks and talks

And feet mark time to the drumless beat.

---

I couldn't take much off of the movie The Invisible (2007) by David Goyer except for this haunting piece of poetry and Deathcab For Cutie's I'll Follow You Into The Dark in its soundtrack.

the open closes...

2011-01-30T19:25:00.000-08:00

The Aussie Open closes after a fortnight of spectacular world-class tennis from top players all around the world. My eyes can now rest after two weeks of watching daily 12-hour live coverage of the grand slam event. Grand slams happen only four times a year, so as a tennis enthusiast, it's a compulsion to never miss a singles event match.

No Rafa and RFed in the Final this year (which sucks!). Rafa sustained hamstring injuries and still has the sickness he acquired from his last tournament in Doha. He was totally dominated by his fellow countryman Ferrer in the Semis but you'd be impressed on how he played that game despite everything. He's truly a fighter. Federer on other hand, was just simply outplayed by Djokovic in every aspect of the game. Too erratic semifinal for Roger as he kept on shanking the balls with his back-hand. Is he really starting to lose his touch? In the end, the Serbian Djokovic and the Scot Murray, had to set aside their friendship for a while to face off for the coveted title. Unfortunately for Murray, the Serbian found a new gear with his powerful forehand and defensive repertoire. Djokovic won the Men's Singles event in straight sets (6-4, 6-2, 6-3).

In the Women's draw, nothing could be more perfect for Kim Clijsters: No Sharapova or Justine Henin (other players dispatched them for her) but most importantly, no Williams sisters to threaten her game. Serena Williams was absent this year because of sustained injuries from her previous tournaments (This game could be really brutal!). Venus Williams also fell short of the competition for injuries she got from her match against Zahlavova. I think it's an injury on one of psoas muscles. People even booed the poor woman for retiring from her game against Petkovic just after six minutes of the game. People can be really idiotic sometimes noh?. In the end, Kim Clisters and Li Na dueled it out for the title. I was a historic event. For Li Na, she became the first Chinese to play in a grand slam final. (I am really starting to like her. She has this bright, quirky and comedic personality) But in the end, supermom Clijsters outplayed Na (3-6, 6-3, 6-3) with her masterclass ground strokes to win her first Aussie Open title.

voices worthy of a golden ticket, week 2

2011-01-28T05:41:00.000-08:00

I just recently discovered that you can download the latest episodes of American Idol on OneDDL, in high-definition and six hours before the live telecast. It's bloody cool! I can finally watch Idol whenever I want and without those annoying technical problems with the transmission. :P

There's a lot of promising talents this week. In the Milwaukee auditions, five aspirants stood out among the thousands that came with their hopes of becoming the next music sensation:

THIA MEGIA, 15. I like the song that she chose, Chasing Pavements by Adele, and she's one of our own, so I'll be rooting for her no matter what.

NAIMA ADEDAPO, 25. She's a janitorial staff that wields a very powerful voice. She exudes strong personality too. You can tell just by looking at her.

STEVE BEGHUN, 27. He is a certified public accountant and I admit, I didn't expect that he could sound really good. The element of surprise really worked for him when he nailed, The Man Who Can't Be Moved by The Script.

SCOTT DANGERFIELD, 22. Anyone who can pull off an Amos Lee song (in his case, Dreamin') deserves a golden ticket in my book. He could be really dangerous if he'd continue to deliver his talent this way.

CHRIS MEDINA, 26. His story is the most heart-breaking yet. He was about to get married when her fiance got into a freak accident that caused her serious brain injury. I was literally trying to hold back tears when I saw her fiance. I'd be rooting for this guy just for the fact that he chose not to leave her in this very trying time. You're the man, Chris! He sang Breakeven by The Script, my current LSS :P

The Nashville auditions. This is one of my favorite places in searching new talents because I love country music and I love the peoples' accent :P Five aspirants soar abo

ve the rest with their beautiful voices:

ROB BOLIN, 23 AND CHELSEE OAKS, 23. They are ex-lovers and now, they meet again to fulfill their passion for music, the same thing that brought them together in the past. Chelsee currently has a boyfriend, but who wouldn't want for these two people to fall in love with each other again?! Together, they create such good music. I love Rob's tone. It has this Ray Lamontagne-Alex Lambert-thing going on. Meanwhile, I love Chelsee's take on a Brandie Carlisle classic, The Story.

ADRIENNE BEASLEY, 22. Her voice is still rough on some places but you can feel that it's coming from a very sincere place within her, giving it an unnamed quality. She's a farm girl by the way. Could she be the next Carrie Underwood?

JACKIE WILSON, 28. She also has a very powerful voice with a hint of huskiness in it. I was just as surprised as Ryan when she kissed that old man, who turned out to be his boyfriend. Haha! Apparently, love doesn't really mind age.

LAUREN ALAINA, 15. So far, she's the clear front-runner bar none. She has the talent, the likable personality, and the looks-- trifecta for a potential country-pop superstar. And she's only 15! Geez. There are so many talented 15-year olds. They made a good call for lowering the age limit this season.

So...Who caught your ears this week?

my top 3 nolan films

2011-01-27T07:39:00.000-08:00

The nominations for this year's Oscars just got out very recently,

and I was really incredulous that Christopher Nolan got snubbed for Best Directing...again! Just to refresh your memory, Nolan is the director and screenwriter of Inception (2010) and The Dark Knight (2008) just to name a few. He is one of my favorite screenwriters/directors along with Gus Van Sant (Elephant, 2003) and Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 2004). Christopher Nolan is well-known for his films' non-linear sequencing of events and fragmented storyline, which could be quite mentally demanding, but guaranteed to be intellectually satisfying and enthralling. If you're a fan of the series Lost with its flash-forwards, flashbacks, and flash-sideways as motifs, you'd know what I am talking about. It's like you're encouraged to discover the story on your own, like solving a bizaare puzzle. And everytime you watch his films, it's likely that you'd discover new things in it. He deals with the psychological and mental potential of a film, always engaging and out-of-the-box. I haven't watched all his films yet but I am starting to get the trend. He has this fascination with time-twisting, and the world he creates somehow revolves around some rules or guidelines that give the the story a cohesive structure. And very shocking twists too! Anyway, here's my top 3 films from this genius of a writer and director:

3. Following (1998)

This film is in black and white. I know what you're thinking, but trust me. This is the first black and white I've seen in the modern era and I loved every second of it. The monochromatic tone actually sharpens the mysterious feel of the whole film. This is about the story of Bill, a frustrated writer who follows random people (shadowing as he calls it) to develop his characters. But things start to unravel when he decided to follow a man, who turns out to be a burglar named Cobb. Why does that name sounds familiar? :P It got a 78% rating from Rotten Tomatoes.

2. Inception (2010)

This is a mix of everything, from Freud to Occlumency to Matrix! What's mentally demanding about this film are the complex and intricate rules that govern the dream state, but they are also the ones that made this movie so fascinating. It's strength lies in the whole idea of it-- the smart, innovative concept. The stunning visual effects is just the tip of the iceberg. This is the best dystopian/sci-fi film I've seen in years. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 86% rating.

1. Memento (2000)

This film is the one that catapulted Nolan to where he is right now. The film tells the story of Leonard, a former insurance adjuster suffering from antegrade amnesia, a condition preventing him from making new memories. With the aid of a man claiming to be his friend, a barmaid, his tattoos, polaroid photos, and notes, he hunts down the man who killed his wife. So how can you find someone if you can't make new memories? What's really cool about Memento though is that the plot is divided into two parts: One is moving backwards, while the other moves forwards, both eventually meeting at the middle. So basically, the middle is the end. Pretty cool eh? And "Ditto" says Rotten Tomatoes with a whooping 96% on its Tomatometer.

I'm planning to watch Insomnia (2002), review The Prestige (2006) and try to find some of his shorts. So...who's you favorite director?

dark passenger

2011-01-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

The dark passenger slipped from me and through the gaps of my fingers, now silently drifting to the unknown and into the crowd beyond these walls. And soon it will be on everyone's mouth, in a loop on their prejudiced thoughts. Their lips will drip of the words I didn't dare speak out loud, contorted into sinister smiles I don't wish to behold.

Fear mocks what's left of my fortitude swiftly vanishing like the stars of the fading night. The daylight in turn will shine on me and I will burn--To be tested, down to the last tear I will shed. The cracks will grow and eventually reveal the monster and the hidden truth it holds. And it will cry like a hungry child in the depths of winter, sitting on the edge, between a reality and a long lost dream. Just there. Looking up the heavens stretching out above, waiting to be transformed, waiting for an absolution that may not come.

Has it reached you? The cold whisper tickling your unguarded mind? It finally slipped from my grasp and now it's out there, stepping on every sound and gliding through every lapse of reason. There's no way to get it back. Nothing left to do but to completely expose my palms and let everything fly, relinquish control, and wait... till it find its way back to me, and receive the kiss that would make me regret everything wrong that I have done...

snow white, the prince, and the two squids

2011-01-24T06:42:00.000-08:00

I am now really starting to like Thai cinema, especially their romantic flicks. Some storylines maybe quite simple but are very compound in terms of their emotional aspects, just like the movie I recently watched, A Crazy Little Thing Called...Love (2010) by Puttipong Pormsaka and Wadin Pokpong. I know. The title is unbearably cheesy and so sweet to the point that it could actually hurt your teeth, but the substance is really quite moving. The tender, innocent, and melancholic tone with a sprinkle of teen humor could really make you smile, laugh and cry. Well, the story is really easy to relate to. I'm sure most of you still remember the first time you fell in love, right?

The movie tells the story of Nam, an ugly junior high school student who has a huge crush on Shone, an artist and a football player in their school. High-spirited Nam is willing to do everything to win the heart of Shone-- a feat that would challenge her identity and the bonds of friendship she'd made, which in the end, all part of the process of understanding what love really means.

Needless to say, this film's nothing short of nostalgic. It really brought me back to the memory of my high school days and that feeling of falling in love for the first time. Oh, the good old torpedo days! :P I could really relate to Shone, not because of his good looks or coolness

(I had nothing of those!) but the excruciating pain of really liking someone and for some dumb reason, you can't express it. I remember the awkwardness that lingers in the air whenever I'm with her, the sick stomach, the racing pulse firing my neurons into pure, warm, unadulterated bliss tainted by confused anxiety. I kinda miss that. And what's incredible is how it clings on you. It's impervious to the disintegration of time, lasting and persistent. I guess, that's how young love really is...

A shout-out to Billy for sharing this movie. I really tried hard to scour the Internet for clearer downloads but I end up unsurprisingly in You Tube. Click here for the links :) I really do hope you enjoy it too.

UPDATE: Found a DVDrip of this film. Download it here and its English subtitle here.

voices worthy of a golden ticket, week 1

2011-01-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

The 10th season of Idol finally commences once again and the lack of a Simon Cowell in the panel becomes really apparent. To make things worse, the two judges are falling short of the expectations. Steve Tyler is acting like a rock star which means hitting on every girl who auditions (minors included). J-Lo on the other hand, seems a little lost in all this. Well, I guess she's a newbie. But she's really nice to look at so.. :) Randy is just being the dawg he's always been. But I bet he's missing Simon and Paula. I mean who doesn't? Hehe! But my fascination with Idol is not based on who's behind the judging table, but the amazing talent waiting to be discovered.

In the New York and New Jersey auditions, there were some promising talents, especially the young ones, but they didn't really took hold of my ears. In the New Orleans auditions, however, four voices stood out.

SARAH SELLERS, 28. I was thrilled that she chose "Make You Feel My Love" and sang it with a very Adele-ish style. She has a nice, sultry, and well-controlled voice. I like her personality.

BRETT LOEWENSTERN, 16. He's one of the many casualties of high school social culture in America. What's surprising about him is that his speaking voice which was really high-pitched and unmodulated (I think his voice box failed to develop for some reason), sounds very differently from his singing voice.

JACEE BADEUX, 15. He's 15, but he looks and sounds like a 12-year old kid. But nonetheless, he has a very sweet-sounding voice. His unassuming demeanor and innocent aura make him really likable. I hope he can take all the pressure.

PARIS TASSIN, 23. She has an inspiring story to tell. When she got pregnant with her daughter, the doctors diagnosed her baby with hydrocaephalus and advised her to terminate the pregnancy. She refused. Her baby developed hearing loss as a complication, and now Paris sings for the future of her child. Who wouldn't root for someone with a story like that?

out of shape

2011-01-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

Out of nowhere, my phone beeped. It hadn't been beeping for a long while and so I got curious. Who would be texting hermit me? It was Jeremiah. She invited me to play badminton with her and Mark and his colleagues from the community hospital. I've been bugging her about playing because I felt like my blood was starting to coagulate due to lack of exercise. I had to start pumping my system or else I'd die of a heart problem or a stroke in a decade. My last smash if memory serves me right was two years ago back in college, which feels like a lifetime ago.

A couple of hours later, I arrived at the courts and did the usual stretching... but not really. I was just so psyched about playing! I played for just a couple of hours and man, I couldn't be more out of shape! Thirty minutes in (playing Sir Carlo), I started to labor on my breathing. I was struggling to breathe in air into my lungs and I was feeling that sharp pain on the part of my abdomen where the liver is supposed to be. After that, I played doubles with Jem against Mark and Sir Carlo. As expected, I couldn't find the right timing to smash the shuttle and most of my drops fell short into the net. We won in 2 sets but I felt like I was going to collapse on the floor. I rested for a while and had a singles match against Mark. Everything was going fine at first until Mark started to send the shuttles to the baseline. I was literally dragging my feet, from the net to the back. My footwork's shot. Eventually, my hands turned clammy, which was not a good sign (I might be having a generalized vasodilation that could put me into shock). The game only lasted a set. I gave up.

I went home knowing my body would ache for days. And I was right. My hamstrings felt like they're really pulled to the limit. My forearm muscles hurt so much that I could barely bend my wrist, brush my teeth, or lift a dipper of water when taking a bath. Sitting upright from lying supine became such a labor. For some reason, my abdominal muscles felt so weak, like I'm going to develop a hernia. I even needed to splint my lower abdomen when I cough to lessen the pain (and probably to keep my intestines from from sticking out of my tummy or worse, into my balls!). But the pain is good in a way. Every night when I'm off to sleep, I feel like I just had an extremely hard full body massage. I was sleeping like a baby.

I really have to make a routine exercise but it's really hard, especially if you do not have someone to do it with. I am starting to consider doing it all in the gym, but I'm not really comfortable in such places. Is that weird? I guess it is since everyone is going in that place to buff themselves up. But me? In a gym? Gawd I'm weird!

fresh twist of the new year anthem

2011-01-19T07:43:00.000-08:00

Katy Perry's Firework...

Yeah, right? It's a very cool, melodic and inspirational song and is very much in tune with the new year. It's been on radio, the television, internet, and in almost all media invented by modern technology, playing in an endless loop to the point that it eventually became almost intolerable to listen to. And then Tyler Ward and Alex Goot put their heads together and decided, "Let's make a laid back version of this hit and give it a fresh twist without using any firework whatsoever bursting out of our chests. You Tube will do the rest."

With 1, 398, 777 views, their rendition is I think better than the original, currently on loop in my MP3 player enjoying till I get annoyed listening to it.

Tyler Ward's facial expression in this music video is really annoying though.

lesbians, laser, and the uptight girl

2011-01-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

The Kids Are All Right (2010) tells the story of two middle-aged women in a gay relationship and their teen-age kids they conceived through artificial insemination. Eventually, things starts to unravel when their children, out of curiosity, decided to get acquainted with their biological father, the sperm donor--an event that would change and test their family dynamics.

I've been watching a lot of dramatic ones lately and the change of mood brought by this film was quite refreshing. Well, it's a feel good movie! The story and the script was well-written. I like how it takes the audience into the lives of this fictional unconventional family and shows how it would be like to live in such household. In a way, it is reminiscent of Little Miss Sunshine (2006). Yeah. It also has this interesting assortment of characters, with their issues, and the conflicts that arise between them, and the events that lead to their resolutions.

Funny and smart, The Kids Are All Right is an exquisite reminder of significant family values; that it doesn't matter whether you belong to a conventional or non-conventional family. The fact is wherever you are, the core function of the family doesn't change.

This film by Lisa Cholodenko is the recipient of the recently concluded Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) and garnered a very positive review from Rotten Tomatoes.

and the golden globes go to...

2011-01-16T20:16:00.000-08:00

And just like that, the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards finally concluded. Despite the very tight competition this year, David Fincher's The Social Network still bags a majority of the coveted globes.

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
The Social Network. (Very well deserved!)

BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
The Kids Are All Right, (Haven't watched this one yet but it's already on my downloader)

BEST DIRECTOR
David Fincher, The Social Network

BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Colin Firth, The King's Speech (I was really rooting for Jesse Eisenberg and James Franco, but the experience and brilliance of Colin Firth was just outstanding. Got to download this movie too)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE
Christian Bale, The Fighter (Haven't watched this movie yet. I'm not sure that I'd want to because of the whole boxing thing)

BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Paul Giamatti, Barney's Version (Glad he won. He's one of my favorite actors)

BEST ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Al Pacino, You Don't Know Jack

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES, OR TV MOVIE
Chris Colfer, Glee (Kurt won! Wee! I really need to start the Season 2 Marathon)

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Natalie Portman, Black Swan (I knew it. Her performance in Black Swan was just a masterclass. Plus, she's hot. Really, really HOT)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE
Melissa Leo, The Fighter

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

BEST ACTOR, TV SERIES, COMEDY
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (Sheldon won! Geeks are celebrating right now!)

BEST ACTOR IN A TV SERIES, DRAMA
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire (Ding it! House and Dexter didn't win!)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES, COMEDY
Laura Linney, The Big C (I was hoping Nurse Jackie would win but I guess Laura's good too)

BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SERIES, DRAMA
Katey Segal, Sons of Anarchy

BEST ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Claire Danes, Temple Grandin (I am quite prejudiced whenever Claire Danes is involved. Her comment on how rodent-infested and dirty the Philippines is stuck in my memory)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Jane Lynch, Glee (There was no competition in this category. If there's a category Best Villain, I have no doubt she'd win it)

BEST MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Carlos

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - MOTION PICTURE
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, The Social Network (I was rooting for Hanz Zimmer for his work in Inception. But these two also did a great job)

BEST SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network (I think Christopher Nolan deserve this award more than anyone. T_T Inception got snobbed!)

BEST TV SERIES, COMEDY
Glee (Oh look at that! No surprise there.)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
In A Better World, Denmark (I love foreign films! This should be a good one.)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Toy Story 3 (All right. I really need to shed my prejudicial tendency with this one)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG - MOTION PICTURE
"You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me", Burlesque (Too bad Carrie didn't win)

BEST TV SERIES, DRAMA
Boardwalk Empire (Now I'm really curious!)

To those who missed the live telecast this morning, there's a primetime replay at 9 PM (Red Carpet) and 10 PM (Awards Proper) in Star World.

i am now a ophiuchusian. damn you, 13th zodiac!

2011-01-14T04:06:00.000-08:00

The news said there is now a 13th Zodiac sign. If that's true, then I would be an Ophiuchusian from now on. Oh wait... But I am a Sagittarian! All my life I've been one. But the news said... Oh no. What will happen to my Sagittarian identity!? Oh my! My life is now in chaos because the Earth moved! Apparently, the moon pulled it and changed its place in space. It's the moon's fault.

YEAH RIGHT!

Today’s media hype about Ophiuchus, “the new 13th Zodiac Sign,” has sent folks spinning into an astrological identity crisis. Um, too bad the whole thing is not even true.

“Ophiuchus has nothing to do with Astrology,” said expert astrologer Rick Levine. “It’s not an Astrology issue. It has to do with the stars -- it’s not a sign, it’s a constellation.”

What?! Really?

“There are four seasons each with a beginning, middle and end," Levine continued. "That makes 12 zodiac signs, and there’s no such thing as a 13th astrological sign."

So why are people freaking out, wondering if they went to bed last night a Gemini and woke up a Taurus? No worries, friends. Here are the answers you’ve been waiting for on this cosmic controversy:

What is Ophiuchus?

Ophiuchus is a large modern constellation commonly represented as a man grasping the snake represented by the constellation Serpens.

Is Ophiuchus the 13th sign?

No. It’s just a constellation. Even the founding text for Astrology (Tetrabiblos by Claudius Ptolemy written 170 AD only mentions 12 signs.) A few astrologers who practice the controversial sidereal (consellation-based) zodiac use it as the 13th zodiacal sign – and by a few we mean about 1 percent.

How did this whole myth get started?

It began when astronomy professor Parke Kunkle of Minneapolis Community and Technical College told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune about the procession of stars over time. He said “Three thousand years ago the Sun was 'in' whatever it was in. Now it's about a whole constellation off from that." Kunkle’s quote went viral and was picked up by FOX News and other media outlets because people mistakenly assume that Astrology is based on constellations. But that’s not true.

So what is the truth?

Astrology is based on the four seasons, not on constellations -- and the seasons don’t change. As Levine said above, there are four seasons, each with a beginning, middle and end, which adds up to 12 zodiac signs. There is no 13th astrological sign. Period.

What does this mean for you?

Nothing! Your horoscope sign hasn’t changed. If you were a Gemini yesterday, you’re still a Gemini today – don’t worry, you’ll never wake up a Taurus. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

What can we learn from this?

Listen to the experts, and don’t believe everything you read until you check your facts. There are a lot of people out there who think they understand Astrology when they really don’t.

Soure: www.dailyhoroscope.com

lady spikers sweep tigresses in straight sets

2011-01-12T06:37:00.000-08:00

After a one-sided finals last year, the perennial rivals of UAAP Women’s Volleyball, De La Salle Lady Spikers and UST Tigresses, faces each other once again in their first match up of the season. And with a very dominant performance, the ladies in green swept the ladies of España in straight sets (25-20, 25-19, 25-12).

This match shone light on the critical differences between the two championed teams coming into the season. In the UST side, the loss of Din Din Santiago (middle blocker) and Angeli Tabaquero (open spiker) has become more apparent. Also, the absence of steady reception from Curato (libero) strained the team’s floor defense against the serves and attacks from the opposing team. Midori Hirotsuji, the rookie in the line-up could do a little better when it comes to attacking and defense—feats mostly developed from experience. It is crystal clear, that Aiza Maizo is the heart of this team. Ortiz, Caballejo, and Banaticla should step up if they really want to win this season. Meanwhile, everything from DLSU team seemed like an upgrade. Coming into the season with the team intact, Coach Ramil found a gem—a brilliant setter in the name of Esperanza. Unlike her rookie counterpart, she plays more confident and adds more height to the team’s defense (which was a problem when they still had Martinez as the setter). Reinforcing DLSU’s arsenal is Michelle Gumabao (utility spiker). Her high percentage attacks and towering height in the net made La Salle a more dominant team than ever before.

Statistics-wise, it is apparent that La Salle has the advantage to win it all, however, this is how La Salle started the last season; entering the 2nd Round without a loss only to be squashed by UST at the end. I guess their next matches against each other will stand as the true tests for these two teams, after making all the adjustments and fine-tuning every aspect of their game. And so the questions go: How will La Salle cope up to the pressure of being undefeated, and could UST keep their composure and beat their rival to win the championship? Season 73 couldn’t be more unpredictable...

clear eyes. full hearts. can't lose.

2011-01-11T20:33:00.000-08:00

"We will all at some time in our lives, fall. Life is so very fragile, we are all vulnerable, and we will all at some point in our lives, fall, we will all fall. We must carry this in our hearts, that what we have is special, that it can be taken from us, and that when it is taken from us, we will be tested. We will be tested to our very souls."

-Eric Taylor

Friday Night Lights is an American TV series, developed from the book of the same name authored by H.G. Bissinger, which tells the detailed events surrounding the Dillon Panthers, a high school football team based on Dillon Texas, and addresses the issues facing contemporary Middle America.

I've only watched a couple of episodes from the first season and I knew I would love it for a very, very long time. I remembered watching One Tree Hill for the first time, and yesterday, while watching the pilot of Friday Night Lights, I was brought back to that same place 5 years ago. It was quite nostalgic, really. In some ways, there a lot of similarities between the two, but the treatment of the material is quite different. FNL flows with this brooding, almost melancholic mood. And you could tell the story is weaved to satisfy in an emotional level.

There are three things that make a television series click. First, it should be founded on a unique. well-written storyline (It could be a little twisted but nonetheless outstanding). Second- There should be a diversified but clearly distinct characters (To whom the target audience can relate to). And finally, a good soundtrack and musical scoring. And FNL satisfied all these criteria, especially the third one. The series is filled with haunting music from Explosions in the Sky, an instrumental post-rock band that gained popularity through their cinematic and elaborately developed guitar work, narratively styled instrumentals, what they refer to as "cathartic mini-symphonies." I am also quite particular with the camera shots, and I'm digging the shaky camera! Needless to say, I highly recommend this series.

I think I should be going now. Live UAAP Women's Volleyball is up in minutes! Just always remember guys:

Clear eyes.

Full Hearts.

Can't Lose.

fake

2011-01-07T09:52:00.001-08:00

A promise hardened and eventually crumbled, its ashes carried by the wind that came from a mouth choking with lies. There was nothing I could do but to watch as the beauty I was holding disintegrate into non-being, and with it, the person I once was. I was the artist. It was my art. While you—You were the one thing where all the imitations came to life. And soon I was recreating a world that was made out of you—with that pristine smile, the smell of fresh flowers, the warmth of your body, the songs you sing hovering in the air we both once breathed. I sang with you till the end. And when the music finally ended, I still found myself singing.

The palette lay empty next to me. Stains permanently stuck on my skin, on the ground where I stood, on the walls where happiness used to hang. I was still living in this fake world, trying to expand it and make it as real as possible. But every attempt was futile because you… you were no different compared to these things, this world. I have forged everything from a beautiful imitation. And in the end nothing came out real. Behind it all, between the canvas and thick paint, there is nothing but an empty space. And that is where I am now. Looking at it, I feel hollow because no truth came out of what I did, except for the love I willed to accomplish my task. Looking at it all now, I feel ashamed. What an ugly world I have created…

i thought of you and let the world spin madly on

2011-01-06T23:21:00.000-08:00

"I hope that people will watch it and do have some sort of a moving experience. I am hoping that it just causes them to be introspective. And then whatever comes off that, comes off that..."

-Ryan Woodward

I was doing some backreads of The Creative Dork authored by the very talented Robbie, when I stumbled upon a post about this animation by Ryan Woodward. In this animated short, he creatively fused his passion for figurative works, 2D animation, EFX animation, and contemporary dance. Playing to the tune of one of my favorite songs, World Spins Madly On by The Weepies, Woodward conjured a simple yet beautifully crafted art piece that captures the bittersweet complexities of love.

As a fan of contemporary dance and folk music, I couldn't help but rave about this. The piece is just moving as it is subtle and pure. And it affected me in a very personal way. :)

Anyway, you can watch the video below and have a sneak peek of how Thought Of You was born...

inspirational saw

2011-01-06T07:50:00.000-08:00

I was having second thoughts if I'm going to watch 127 Hours (2010) but its certified fresh critics'review on Rotten Tomatoes couldn't be ignored and so I had no choice but to watch it. I call this my Pathologic Movie Buff Compulsion Disorder. :P

The first 30 minutes were a bit dragging upto the point when I actually thought, How stupid could this guy get? But as the film rolls on, Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008) wittingly takes the audience into the mind of Aaron Ralston, a mountain climber who became trapped by a boulder in Robers Roost, Utah. The film mainly excels in its emotional aspect in its attempt to portray what goes on in the mind of a man in deep desperation and what he is willing to do to satiate his drive to survive; the way he dealt with regrets, sadness and flickering hope. The displaced humor, hopelessness and hope were concocted beautifully through the use of flashbacks and hopeful thinking, music and scoring (I was smiling when Sigur Ros' Festival started playing in the background. That scene was perfect!). James Franco gave a masterclass performance with this film--undoubtedly worthy of an Oscar or a Golden Globe. It's going to be a tight award season this year :)

This adaptation of the book Between A Rock and Hard Place is emotionally satisfying. It is a brilliant reminder of the strength of human spirit and the immeasurable depths of the heart that yearns for love and to live a life that's full of it...

qi deficient

2011-01-04T21:23:00.000-08:00

So I have this symptom medically termed as scalloped tongue, and ever since I've first noticed it almost two years ago, I never had the guts to review possible diagnoses for it. I knew there must be a problem. I remember hearing the word from one of the lectures back in college but I couldn't remember which. The fact that I couldn't remember what disease or disorder it is associated made me quite anxious. I am not very good with dealing with the unknown, and I think it's because I am relying too much on what I already know. And so I became quite apprehensive thinking that out of thousands of lectures, I might've encountered it from our Cancer lectures and that some subtle symptoms could be caused by some very serious illnesses. Paranoid!

Yesterday, I finally got the balls to Google it. And it turned out, scalloped tongue could be caused by Vitamin B12 deficiency and hypothyroidism. That's a relief and way better than cancer! That could a problem with my blood formation. But it's no biggie. Vitamin B12 deficiency could be corrected through diet unless I have intrinsic factor problems. Hypothyroidism, however, could be maintained mainly through medication. But the interesting thing is when I stumbled upon an alternative medicine page, scalloped tongue means qi deficiency and lack of yang in the body. It says, that the qi/yang is responsible for the smooth movements and functioning of internal organs, and the tongue is the mirror of the internal state of the body. Apparently, it's the only internal organ that could be readily visualized. It could also mean water retention and that one is physically or mentally stressed. This deficiency in general suggests that I am lacking over-all energy or life force in my body. I am not sure about their pathophysiology (the main reason why I am quite a skeptic about alternative techniques) but for some reason, this lack causes the tongue to relax and bulge, which makes it easier for the teeth to leave indentations on the tongue's edges.

To make things worse, I woke yesterday morning with a dry mouth and a terrible itch up in my throat. It was hard for me to swallow and my head was pounding everytime I sniff watery rhinorrhea back into my nose. The symptoms are very classic of pharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infection. Noting I am the only one sick in the house probably means my immune system is shot. The cold temperature didn't help my condition either.

Anyways, I feel better now. Strepsils got rid off my sore throat. My congested nasal cavity is the one bothering me right now. Although, I still need to get some of my qi back...

choose love

2011-01-03T20:36:00.000-08:00

I had been itching to download and watch Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go (2010) starring Andrew Garfield (The Social Network), Carey Mulligan (An Education), and Keira Knightly (Atonement). I was taken aback by the incredibly cheesy title at first but the cast is just undeniably superb and the movie got a fair Rotten Tomatoes review. That's why I opted to watch it.

I think Never Let Me Go is one of those movies you will like not because of the actual content but because of the stunning photography (same thing goes with The Girl With A Pearl Earring, 2003, by Peter Weber). The locations were so dream-like and fit into the general serene and melancholic mood of the film supported by great musical scoring. I am not a fan of dystopian films, but I like the way they treated the material. They did not make it futuristic (I guess that's the way Ishiguro's book, from which it was adapted, delivered it) but clings to a setting to that of Atonement. I do not particularly liked the central idea to which the film revolves but the acting really carried the whole thing through.

In a life with very few choices, choose love- very simple, yet very powerful. I think that's what this film's all about.

happiness is a mood, not a destination

2011-01-01T08:02:00.000-08:00

I am not really excited about the new year coming. I know there's a lot of things that has got to change and I feel like unless I get the motivation and inspiration I needed to sort these things out, the new year would be just another stretch of unpredictable time.

What I was really looking forward to though was the New Year celebration. And as always, it was really fun. We welcomed the New Year with a bang. Fireworks here and there, cheering for the amazing displays from our very well-off neighbors. :P My brothers and I are geeky enough to play wizards duel using our 'lusis' wands! That's how Potter freaks celebrate the new year! Haha!

"LUMOS MAXIMA!"

After the media noche (with the Filipino style spaghetti as the main attraction as always), Kuya Mac and I did a Chuck marathon, while the others immediately went to bed.

I only had a couple hours of sleep before we headed for Quezon City. We usually spend our annual new year celebration at our grandparents' place. We spent the whole day eating, even indulged ourselves with some hard liquor. The parlor games was really fun (I particularly liked the LOL game. I am once again reminded of how poor my joking skills are and my embarrassing hypersentivity to the conriest of jokes). But I think the highlight of the day was the videoke singing competition. Mechanics-- The one who would be able to get a score off 99 would win a 500 pesos cash prize. Surprisingly enough, my younger brother won...twice! Ding it! I earned 150 pesos though with my take on The Fray's How To Save A Life (97) and Close (95) by Paolo Santos. :)

We finally said our goodbyes and soon we were homeward bound by 10 PM. and while everyone was asleep, a quote from Julian Baker came into mind. It was about happiness and how it should be perceived as a mood and not as a destination. He mused that happiness comes and goes like the tides of the ocean. And that day, we were happy without a care of what will happen next. I think that's the way everyone should do it. Take every chance to be happy and be happy, and extend the moment for more than just a moment as much as you can; to linger in the moment and setting aside the possibility of sadness.

I looked at my family, asleep and obviously tired and as euphoria crashed on me in waves. It was really nice to be with a family to greet the new year. The van finally stopped and we arrived at our destination. We were home.

synecdoche, new york

2010-12-30T10:04:00.000-08:00

Just finished watching Synecdoche, New York (2008), the directorial debut film of Charlie Kaufman, the writer of Adaptation (2002), Being John Malcovich (1999), and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). And I really applaud him for giving me a really good headache!

I think Synecdoche, New York is the most technical film I've ever seen in terms of complexity and usage of motifs. After watching it, I didn't know where to place it at first. I guess that's his thing. He'd play with your mind with these ideas so out of the box, sometimes dangerously tipping into the realm of weird but are always delivered fresh and thought-provoking.

Synecdoche, in terms of motifs, is Adaptation's brother in a way. Syncedoche uses a motif such as 'play within a play' (can't shake off Christopher Nolan's 'dream within a dream thing'), while Adaptation uses 'movie within a movie'. Forgive me if I'm being technically inaccurate. Well, in Adaptation, the whole movie is the final output of the adapted screenplay of a book by the protagonist, a writer in the movie played by Nicolas Cage. Huh? There, I tried explaining. Haha! It's just crazy how he was able to come up with such ingenious ideas. Well, I guess that's the writers' way of putting their signatures on what they do, especially in an industry with so many artistic writers and surrounded by never-ending cliches.

Overall, Synecdoche, New York is a little pain in the head, but it's really nice and I think I'm gonna watch it again and discover new things in it...

when the words finally fail

2010-12-30T06:10:00.000-08:00

Words fail and the refuge they once built crumbles down into small pieces, scampering in all directions on the floor. No more masks. No more flights. And most of all, no more lies to twist the truths. So this is how it feels then? The feeling of being completely naked. No clothing but your skin and the damages that have taken hold from hiding in the dark, riding time while playing with shadows. What will happen now? Next? The thought scares the hell out of me. Because for the first time, I'll expose myself into the light and I will burn- To either shine or end up in ashes...

the real glee

2010-12-29T03:47:00.000-08:00

The Sing-Off is an all-vocals singing competition that features top caliber a capella groups from various states in America. If you’re a Glee fan or have been a member of a chorale group, I think this is the perfect show to sink your ears into.

I spent my Christmas afternoon doing a season 2 marathon of the show with my brother… and it was a good 7-hour eargasmic experience of tight harmonies, fun, powerful and emotionally-rivetting numbers. The witty arrangements and choreography threw me back to my High School days when I used to be a member of the school choir. I miss the friendships bound by the desire to make good music.

The season only had 5 episodes but the quality of the performances could topple the much commercialized American Idol, I dare say. I am really quite surprised that they didn’t expand its format and the show as a whole. Oh well, I’m pretty sure it’s a matter of economics and station popularity. Hays.

One of the good performances (and I tell you they’re all good), was their group performance of 21 Guns by Greenday. I like the theatrical variation…

But my all-time favorite group performance was the Top 8’s rendition of Use Somebody by Kings of Leon. I am a KoL fan and I say the Sing-Off version is way better than the original-and they did it without any instruments, just pure, raw, and adulterated vocals :)

The Sing-Off is an annual deal that usually airs before the Christmas holidays. I can’t wait for the next season!

a man's life

2010-12-08T04:32:00.001-08:00

This emotionally riveting concept piece from Mia Michaels portrays time and the journey of life; the joys and the struggles that seem to pass in a blink of an eye...

Choreographer: Mia Michaels
Performed by: Billy Bell, Alex Wong, and Ade Obayami
Music: This Bitter Earth/On The Nature Of Daylight by Dinah Washington/Mach Richter

who is this girl?

2010-12-01T21:58:00.000-08:00

Enoch read with intent under a lamplight. Flipping through the pages, he was carefully savoring every word as how a connoisseur would taste a decade-old wine. His brows were curving to meet. When reading, this usually means only two things for Enoch: One, that he is either challenging a truth an author claimed, or two, there’s something distracting him from his reading. In this particular case, it was for the second reason.

The distraction sat two tables away, silently reading a book. Enoch cautiously watched the culprit from his seat. She was wearing eyeglasses, typical for a school girl who reads a book in a library. She had short hair, neatly clipped from one side to reveal a pretty face. Behind the glasses were chinky eyes, calm but oddly full of expression. Enoch was drawn by them-the kindness that seemed to be churning within them. For a moment, he was thrown into a warm reverie, like he was sitting beside a crackling fire in a cold winter night. However it ended in an instant, as the girl’s eyes rolled in their sockets and looked directly at him.

Utterly taken off guard, he almost threw the book he’s holding in the air. Embarrassed, he immediately shoved his head onto the book and pretended to read. He actually tried to get back into reading but he couldn’t. No thoughts or wisdom in printed words could detach him from the moment. The distraction was too overwhelming than what he’d anticipated. He couldn’t do anything but sigh while thinking, “Who is this girl?”

The girl continued to read silently. The only sounds she made were that of paper grazing another everytime she turned a page. Heart-pounding, Enoch would periodically glance at the girl’s direction, sometimes watching her from behind his book, or when he would reach for his pen he intentionally dropped on the floor. Frustrated, Enoch closed his book and walked toward the mysterious girl.

Hesitation could be vividly heard in his steps - rubber on wood echoing off the walls of the dimly-lit library. There were no definite thoughts in his head as he walked along the aisle. He was walking out of impulse that seemed to come out of nowhere. The choice to move was so unpredictable and brisk, that he even considered the thought of being remotely controlled by someone.

And so he walked on. Four meters. Then, Three. Two meters. One. He had a split-second glimpse of the book she was reading: A Murakami. And then, with one great beat of a heart in distress, he suddenly regained voluntary control of his limbs, walked past the girl and to the book shelves ahead. He hid behind them cursing in silence, lips moving to read “pathetic idiot” in a loop, while his heart thumped against his throat.

As he calmed himself, he watched the girl through the gaps of the shelves, admiring her silhouette, beautiful against the yellowish lamp light. And while he did so, a curious sentiment dawned on him: This girl was his type. He didn’t even know he had a type until that very moment. The thought surprised him because he never felt that way before, and that, in a way, gave him a sense of excitement. He was about to cross a bridge of chance for the first time, waters churning underneath as did the elating, fearful emotions within his heart.

He closed his eyes, muttered something in the dusty air, breathed in deeply as if sucking in all the courage offered by the Universe, and then out. He walked from the shelf and towards the girl. His steps, this time, were steady and determined. It didn’t take long before he reached the girl’s table. He smoothly pulled a chair, sat opposite the girl, and hid his face behind his book. Remembering a line from Murakami's Sputnik Sweetheart, Enoch quoted, “In dreams, you don't need to make any distinctions between things. Not at all. Boundaries don't exist.”

And then came silence. The voice that conjured the words hung in the space between them, a flickering beacon pleading to be kindled. Enoch waited.

“So in dreams there are hardly ever collisions. Even if there are, they don't hurt. Reality is different. Reality bites.” The girl spoke back in a soft voice that seemed to reverberate against Enoch’s heaving chest.

Impressed, Enoch slowly lowered the book and was greeted by the girl’s shy smile, his unfounded fears dissipating in rhythmic waves of euphoria.

“Hi. I’m Enoch,” He offered a clammy hand, reaching, hovering across the table.

“I’m Isobel.”

Two hands conjoined over the table. Eyes locked in wonder and destinies colliding in a burst of words that would take them a hundred lifetimes to fully comprehend.

your beating heart

2010-11-29T23:08:00.000-08:00

One of the pleasures of watching television series from the US, besides the diversity and quality of the stories, is being exposed to good fresh music. It is because of my addiction to such series that I've learned to love more subtle but beautiful genre of music such as folk and post-rock.

So if you're growing tired of listening to Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, and those Korean K-Pop sensations, you might want to watch some US series to cleanse your ears.

My latest discovery was Brendan James, a singer-songwriter. I first heard him from the 8th episode of One Tree Hill S08 with his song, Your Beating Heart. But I suggest you watch him perform live. His voice, the soft music, and sentimental lyrics are just inescapable...

Your Beating Heart by Brendan Jason

Beauty picks me up then throws me to the floor;
I may never know what I was searching for.
Like a beggar on my knees,
Never knowing what I now believe.

Like a drug, I took the walk back to your door;
I had had enough, but I always want more.
There was something I was needing,
Something you were keeping.

And then, with the rest of my days before me,
I broke down and fell asleep,
To your beating heart...

'cause i have made mistakes today

2010-11-25T06:45:00.002-08:00

I almost cried when I first heard this. Sometimes, regrets creep their way back to us without warning, and in my case, through this song.

Bearded with messy hair, monster at the piano, and a genuine voice. A true artist indeed.

Brooklyn by Wakey! Wakey!

I guess it’s safe to say
We both could use this fire escape
Cause I’ve been breathin’ ashes in
And I’ve been waiting for somethin’ to carry you away
Cause i have made mistakes today.

i open at the close

2010-11-21T09:43:00.001-08:00

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 - Bloody brilliant, isn’t it? Or not? :P Well, personally, I like this movie adaptation. I am really glad that it remained true to the book, which was the way it’s supposed to be, so good call Warner Bros. for splitting the final instalment into two parts. The sequencing moved with the events in the book. Now that I think about it, the events were almost exactly how I pictured them in my head. Hence, I can’t really say anything negative about this movie (Geez. I am that biased!) Even the boring scenes in the book are still boring in the movie!

Okay. Positive points (since there are no negatives to be said). I really like how they managed to squeeze some element of surprise. That’s a hard feat especially to those who’ve read the book. I particularly liked the animation for the Tale of the Three Brothers. That was ingenious! I think the inspiration derived from Thai shadow-play puppetry and watercolour art. I wish I could learn how to do that kind of animation.

I am pretty impressed of how they managed to blend in comedy into dark plot of the film. Misplaced maybe but really effective. Let’s thank Ron Weasley’s comedic muscles in action for that. That recovery mission into the Ministry of Magic was really amusing!

The creepy and disturbing parts are commendable; the woman, with her body bent while hovering over the table and Nagini posing as Bathilda Bagshot were really disturbing. They made me cringe in my seat. I also liked how they translated the destruction of the locket—visually stunning. I wonder if Daniel and Emma really kissed, or was it just CG? Hmm…

The trio are really maturing in their craft, aren’t they? I felt most moved by the tent scene where Harry tried to cheer Hermione up through dancing, though at first, I thought Harry was trying to take advantage of Hermione’s vulnerability (Haha! Dirty mind talking!). Bellatrix Lestrange is just perfection. I can’t imagine anyone playing that role besides Helena Bonham-Carter.

The ending was magnificent. It maybe a little frustrating, but in way, it provokes the audience to feel that ominous events are coming. Harry has no decent wand while Voldemort wields the most powerful of all. Obvious mismatch.

Overall, I think the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 is emotionally satisfying. It’s a great way to start the end of the series I’ve loved for a decade.

hometown glory

2010-11-17T22:39:00.000-08:00

The assisted run is just breath-taking!

Choreography: Mia Michaels

Dancers: Katee and Joshua

Music: Adele - Hometown Glory

balangingi

2010-11-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

I first encountered this short film when I stumbled upon Jenny's blog: The Love Project. It really made quite an impact because I was able to relate to Xoo, who's character basically resonated how an atypical guy I am. And it's a pleasant feeling to know I'm not the only atypical in this planet. Haha!

Balangingi (Nosebleed) by Jason Paul Laxamana

Synopsis: Balangingi (Nosebleed) is a Kapampangan short film that takes a peek into the life of Xoo, a young Filipino "pilosopo" who is forced to attend a blind date set by his nephew. He attempts to suppress his intellectual side but gives in and shows his true color to his date.

Subtle, funny, and informative, Balangingi (Nosebleed), a Kapampangan short film, is the recipient of the ETC Best Short Film Award, 1st Philippine Digital Awards.

I wonder what it would be like to date a philosopher. Hmm...

when the dragon swallowed the sun

2010-11-05T08:01:00.000-07:00

Why hasn't Tibet been freed? Who is keeping the movement from going forward? From director Dirk Simon, When The Dragon Swallowed The Sun is a groundbreaking documentary that examines these questions in a quest to understand why the world is still dealing with unsettled issues like the Tibetan cause and what can really be done to eradicate them.

Seven years in the making, When The Dragon Swallowed The Sun is the first inside look at the Tibetan movement to free Tibet from Chinese occupation, its internal conflicts and contradictions. The combination of full HD footage from India, China, Tibet and the US along with a prologue narrated by Dennis Haysbert and an original soundtrack by Philip Glass, Thom Yorke and Damien Rice make this the first film that presents the complexity of the struggle with such emotional impact. The film features Richard Gere, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the 14th Dalai Lama, the newly crowned 18th descendant of the Great Religious Kings of Tibet, some of the most prominent Chinese contemporary artists, and all the key figures of the exiled Tibetan freedom movement and their followers.

Source: www.whenthedragon.com

undesirable no. 1

2010-11-04T22:43:00.000-07:00

weightless

2010-11-01T01:17:00.000-07:00

He gazed into the eternal abyss of her eyes, searching. The answers should be there somewhere he thought; embedded deep beneath the beauty and chaos that faced him. He could already sense them—the words threatening to spill from behind her trembling lips. He fought the urge to kiss them as she starts to lose the battle to contain the emotions in her chest accumulating like fine dust. It was only a matter of time—the kind that freezes on you when you want it to fly.

They stood opposite each other as the day melted into a dark starless night. He held the girl’s hands and tried to feel the last drops of affection that might still be circulating in her body. He wanted to shake her, rack her brain, her heart. But he knew the attempt would be futile. Nothing would come out of her but impacted sorrow for breaking a heart—his heart. He didn’t need such sympathy. Instead, his soul craved for pain in the form of the most potent lie she could muster… or just the one absolute truth; anything that could shock his core and arrest his senses. But she wouldn’t give him any.

The winds began to whisper finality to the moment. Hands grew cold and pulses raced in the anticipation of the inevitable. But he was in love and in pain and everything that filled both extremes. Sadly, for the young man, irrational hope springs with love. Once it plants itself on someone, nothing else matters. Even reality plays in a blur and in a twisted series of captured moments in time. And he was in it, taking it all in heaving deep breaths.

The film finally started to roll again and time woke up from what seemed like a deep slumber. Tears cascaded from the girl’s eyes, hands clenched tightly on his. The young man couldn’t wait for the answers any longer. Hope-driven, he drew the girl closer and leaned slowly forward. He took a last glimpse of her glassy brown eyes before closing his and planting a gentle kiss on those lips he loved so much. A flickering sense of bliss engulfed him—a window in time that remained open for only a flutter of a hummingbird’s wings.

Tears escaped his eyes the moment he felt the girl’s unresponsive lips. On his tongue stuck an indelible taste of loss, bitter and paralyzing. Warmth vanished from his grasp as the girl’s hands slackened and finally left his. He was collapsing on himself. He felt weightless. He wanted to fall and crash on the ground. But he wouldn’t. The girl gave him one last look before she turned her back on him. And then she slowly walked away, mouth brimming with the only words that could’ve set him free from the weight of the love that had become his gravity.

restless

2010-10-27T21:24:00.000-07:00

A Walk to Remember clashes with the artistic mind of Gus Van Sant, director of Good Will Hunting, Paranoid Park, and Elephant. This is one great film to start the new year!

Restless premiers on January 28, 2011.

vaka

2010-10-21T00:24:00.000-07:00

This is one of those videos you watch and say to yourself: I’d like to be a director one day. I think Sigur Ros is still one of those under-rated artists out there. And it’s just sad. How can you watch this and not be moved? Great haunting music and amazing photography packed in 7 minutes… It’s art in its most potent form.

Sigur Ros - Untitled 1 (Vaka)

And pebbles send them dancing off
In ripple rings of sun burnt cloud and windy blues
And maybe we will fall in love
Before the day is through

Untitled 1 , later named Vaka from () or The Untitled Album won The Best Video in the 2003 MTV Europe Awards, and the audience seemed like they didn’t even care.

the villains that live within us...

2010-10-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

The heroes were finally revealed and now comes the time to know their enemies. Gawd! The cinematic brilliance of this trailer makes the villains way much cooler! The LXD: The Secrets of the Ra premieres this fall in US territories

against gravity

2010-10-08T09:22:00.000-07:00

Pull me back and push the past away from your sight. Let me stay in the fragile-walled mystery that lured me into your world. Let me dwell in the secret place where words diminish and turn into lyrical movements of the heart, beating murmurs of love, stroke on our veins pulsating with rushing joy and hope. I look upon the starry night wondering if there’s still a patch of heaven where we could fly, wings mightily stretching against time and gravity of unspoken words that holds us back, burying our feet cold and stuck on the ground. Nothing could nourish us in this barren land, I tell you. No colors to distinguish happiness from smiling white teeth. No water to quench the thirst of our roots struggling to cut into rocks and murky truths. There’s nothing here but monotonous and chaotic buzz threatening to dampen the sounds of our heartstrings.

So, take hold of my hand. Don’t dare to let go. Let us fly and search for our place in the skies, where your colors strive, stimulating my sense to live. And to love. I will be the breath under your wings and the air in your breathless lungs. And you will be the words that will become my story; like the gentle wind under the soft fabric of a curtain by an open window. We’ll crash in the abyss of the above that if destined to fall would take another eternity for it to end. We would be like ashes hugging the breeze and each other—a thing of beauty that will never fade even through the absolute shadows of nothingness.

this moment

2010-10-06T07:41:00.000-07:00

This is just pure genius. It just shows that wherever Mia Michaels go, she makes sure to bring her talent with her. I love the concept of this piece. The visual is reminiscent of moths attracted to a flickering light bulb. Mia's vision holds a deeper meaning that transcends the lyrical movements. The trance music, by Nic Chagall just seals the moment, giving it a majestic polish.

I really do hope Mia comes back for Season 9 as a regular choreographer.

stabbed

2010-10-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

From bestfriends to enemies - I think this is the most powerful piece by Travis Wall. He's finally proven that he really belong to the upper echelon of artistic choreographers, which includes the like of Mia Michaels, Wade Robson, and Sonya Tayeh. Performed by Kent and All-Star, Neil, the routine speaks of friendship and betrayal.

I am aware of the connotations given to this piece but who cares? The whole thing just seem to echo... like a piece of reality converted into a dream-like series of movements. And how about that song by Devotchka, How It Ends? Another SYTCD song I need to download :)

The embedding for the clip has been disabled by request, so just click here to watch it.

the uprising begins...

2010-10-01T09:56:00.001-07:00

Finally! The LXD is NOW available here in the Philippines. So don't think, just go to TheLXD.com and watch the first episode.

Still unswayed? Well here's something for you. LXD + Vitamin String Quartet = MURDER!

yep. another potter trailer

2010-09-30T03:42:00.000-07:00

I have a really good feeling about this movie. I wonder why. Haha! I'm gonna shut up now. :)

phonebooth revelation

2010-09-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

He was sitting on a bench by the side of the road one snowy night. The street was empty and a hollow silence slithered on anything that had no life. In fact, the only sounds were of his breathing, the muffled beats of a heart, and the noises pulsating in his head. He looked at his hands and watched as flakes of snow fell on them, each one instantly dissolving upon contact. He looked up and observed the graceful movement of the snow against the soft wind, against the gravity that was pulling them. It was a stunning sight. They looked like ashes, golden as they passed the stream of light from the lamp post beside him. Their descent was so slow as if they wanted to just linger in the air like winged fireflies. But they were meant to fall, one on top of another and accumulate on the ground. Everything has its place in the world, the man thought.

And then suddenly, from the deep solemnity of the moment, a phone rang. The crisp sound pierced the thick silence like sharp scalpel across flesh, eerie and unsettling. The ringing wouldn’t stop. It went on and on and on, each causing the man burgeoning anxiety. It should stop, he thought. And so, he stood up and tried to figure out where the mysterious sound was coming from. He walked down the road, leaving dents on the sparkling white snow. The ringing grew louder. He was getting closer. But every step he took felt like he’s moving against a strong wind. Was it fear? He was alone in the middle of the night. No one knew he was there. Someone was calling but no one wanted to answer. But the ringing had to stop. With senses heightened, he walked on towards the sound, questions gurgling loudly within him. Those had to stop too.

He stopped in his tracks. A phone booth stood a few paces in front of him by the side of the road. The ringing persisted so was the anxiety and the curiosity that had tainted his peace. He waited hoping the ringing would stop. But it didn’t. Instead, it went on with impatience, indifferent to the world sound asleep. Slowly, he walked towards the phone booth. It looked like it hadn’t been used for a long time. He walked over the threshold, took a deep breath of chilly air and reached for the phone. He hesitated. He exhaled, wrapped his fingers on the handle and lifted it. Slowly, he placed it against his ears.

“Hello?” There was no answer but someone was on the other side of the line. The sound of its breathing was deep and raspy on his ears.

“Why are you there?” A man’s voice spoke.

“Who is this?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am. What’s more important is who are you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“Look, I shouldn’t have answered this call.”

“Wait. Is anyone there with you?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

His eyes instantly surveyed his surroundings, scouring the place for any signs of human presence. But there wasn’t. Everything was still except for the falling snow.

“You don’t belong there.” Said the mysterious man on the phone, followed by a dead dial tone and the birth of a truth, reverberating, gnawing on the part of him that's still awake.

photo imsage by julian fraser

shedding layers

2010-09-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

This routine I'm going to rave about is again choreographed by the great Mia Michaels. It's really mind-boggling how she's able to come up with such artistic and emotionally riveting choreography. I like the concept of shedding layers and the portrayal of a race between the two dancers. It really captured the essence of the finale.

This is one of my favorites from 5th season of So You Think You Can Dance, performed by Jeanine and Kayla. Kayla is just perfection for me. She should've won the competition. I mean she's hot and she never left the Hot Tamale Train throughout the entire season. But I also had to agree that Jeanine really nailed her solo at the finale.

hoppipolla

2010-09-14T01:43:00.000-07:00

Sigur Ros is known for their haunting and melancholic music, but one of their songs, Hoppipolla, directs anyone who listens to it to a happy place. This is my current happy song and one of my favorite music videos from the post-rock band from Iceland. Whenever I watch it, I am always thrown 50 or 60 years forward, wondering if my friendships today can withstand the decay of time...

Hoppipolla - Sigur Ros

Jump into puddles with no boots
Completely drenched with no boots
And I always get a nosebleed
But I always stand up

dancing

2010-09-12T01:19:00.000-07:00

Another powerful routine, choreographed by Mia Michaels and performed by Kameron and Lacey. The song by Elisa perfectly melted into the essence of the dance. Definitely one of SYTYCD's best.

Dancing - Elisa

I'm dancing in the room as if I was in the woods with you
No need for anything but music
Music's the reason why I know time still exists
Time still exists

melted art

2010-09-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

You were the dream that penetrated the walls of my consciousness in deep slumber, painting colored thoughts on the canvas of my vulnerable state of mind. My skin burned from every stroke of your face on my chest in your attempt to draw an image of us—permanent stains on me that I loved so much that I wanted to tear my skin off of me. I couldn’t scrub it all away even if I had to. I didn’t want to. And I didn’t want to wake up. But time crawled its way into your heart and the colors melted from your beautiful art, forming cascades of candle tears on me. And yet, it was still tragically beautiful. I watched them flow from me across the floor and down to a drain where you went one day and never came back. I found myself naked but I could still feel your warmth enveloping what was left of me.

A light went on. A heart shattered, echoing in the dream you slithered into and then disappeared. My eyelids opened, pupils constricted in a struggle to accommodate the truth that I am still alive and awake in a world where you don’t exist; alone with the faint memory you left burning in my hand that used to hold your heart…

photo image by:Soffia Gisladotir

the hummingbird and the flower

2010-09-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

Ever since Mia Michaels' Bench Routine, I became a fan of So You Think You Dance. And I'm loving the show more and more for how they're showcasing great diversities of talented dancers and incredible choreographers.

In Season 3, one routine stood out from the lot- from the twisted mind of Wade Robson and performed by Hok and Jamie. Absolutely original and creative. Wade conjured an artform in motion with this piece.

samskeyti

2010-09-03T01:48:00.000-07:00

"I wish there was some way for us to go back and undo the past. But there wasn't. There was nothing we could do. So I just stayed silent and trying to telepathically communicate how sorry I was about what had happened. And I thought of all the grief and sadness and fucked up suffering in the world, and it made me want to escape. I wished with all my heart that we could just leave this world behind. Rise like two angels in the night and magically... disappear."

Mysterious Skin (2004) by Greg Araki

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 84%

Synopsis: "The summer I was eight years old, five hours disappeared from my life. Five hours, lost, gone without a trace..." These are the words of Brian Lackey, a troubled 18-year-old, growing up in the stiflingly small town of Hutchinson, KS. Plagued by nightmares, Brian believes that he may have been the victim of an alien abduction. Local Neil McCormick however, is the ultimate beautiful outsider. With a loving but promiscuous mother, Neil is wise beyond his years and curious about his developing sexuality, having found what he perceives to be love from his Little League baseball coach at a very early age. Now, 10 years later, Neil is a teenage hustler, nonchalant about the dangerous path his life is taking. Neil's pursuit of love leads him to New York City, while Brian's voyage of self discovery leads him to Neil -- who helps him to unlock the dark secrets of their past.

-
Quite disturbing, but art is art. That's all I needed to say I think. Moreover, this film is not recommended for very young kids (let's preserve their innocence for as long as we can shall we?) and closed-minded people. Moving performance by (500) Days of Summer guy- I think the best I've seen from him.

Untitled 3 (Samskeyti) - Sigur Ros

My favorite part in the movie was the coda- great narrative, made powerful with the tune of Sigur Ros' Untitled 3 (Samskeyti or Attachment) from their Untitled Album. Samskeyti still remains as my favorite instrumental piece from the Icelandic band. Dynamic, ever haunting, and melancholic auditory experience...

fallon's freakin' hilarious tribute to LOST

2010-08-31T07:52:00.000-07:00

I woke up early for the Live Coverage of the Primetime Emmy's but I was really disappointed that LOST got snubbed. For a ground-breaking series, it was frustrating that it didn't get even a single Emmy this year. But then came Jimmy Fallon's tribute to LOST, and suddenly, it all became clear to me! It was freaking hilarious! Hahaha! This became the highlight of my day:

Another show is gone ‘cause LOST is overdue
Locke was the smoke monster and Jacob was some dude
Goodbye to Kate and Sawyer, Hurley, Ben, and Jack—
He grew a crazy beard and said:
WE HAVE TO GO BACK!
WE HAVE TO GO BACK!

The island, it was mythical but in the end they died
I didn’t understand it, but I tried.

I'm still in denial that LOST is over. Hays.

of dreams, death and stone letters

2010-08-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

Departures (Okuribito, 2009) by Yojiro Takira

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 80%

Synopsis: Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki) is a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved and now finds himself without a job. Daigo decides to move back to his old hometown with his wife to look for work and start over. He answers a classified ad entitled "Departures" thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a "Nokanshi" or "encoffineer," a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial and entry into the next life. While his wife and others despise the job, Daigo takes a certain pride in his work and begins to perfect the art of "Nokanshi," acting as a gentle gatekeeper between life and death, between the departed and the family of the departed. The film follows his profound and sometimes comical journey with death as he uncovers the wonder, joy and meaning of life and living.

--
Urgh! Heart-wrenching and deeply moving this movie is. The score alone brought me into a warm and gloomy place. But more importantly, it made me remember how grief feels like. It's really curious how such emotion manifests itself differently to those who experience it, and yet be universal at the same time...

chuck bartowski: the spy, the geek, the singer!?

2010-08-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

I didn't know Zachary Levi sings! Needless to say, I am HUGE Chuck fan. Hehe! Long live the geeks! :P It's also really nice to hear again from Katharine Mcphee :) And kudos to Kara Dioguardi for a beautifully written song...

Terrified - Katharine Mcphee Feat. Zachary Levi

You set it again
My heart's in motion
Every word feels like a shooting star
I'm at the edge of my emotions,
Watching the shadows burning in the dark
And I'm in love
And I'm terrified

i sort of disappear...

2010-08-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

Just one last question. Can I ask you, Billy: What does it feel like when you're dancing?

Don't know. Sort of feels good. It's sort of stiff and that...but once I get going...then I, like, forget everything...and...sort of disappear. I sort of disappear. Like I feel a change in me whole body. Like there's a fire in me body. I'm just there...flying...like a bird. Like electricity. Yeah...like electricity.

Billy Elliot (2000) by Stephen Daltry
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 85%

Synopsis: The life of a miner's son in Northern England is forever changed one day when he stumbles upon a ballet class on his way to boxing lessons. Joining the class and keeping it a secret from his widowed father and overbearing brother, 11-year-old Billy finds himself in dance, demonstrating the kind of raw talent seldom seen by the class's exacting instructor, Mrs. Wilkinson. She encourages him to try out for the Royal Ballet. But when his father and brother find out and forbid him to continue, Billy is torn between his responsibility to his family and to the gift with which he has been blessed. His overwhelming desire to dance has become much more to him that simply a means of self-expression. It is his passion and it is his destiny.

--
Watched it again! This film never fails to make me feel good. First saw it when I was just a freshman in High School and ever since then, it became the most moving film I've ever seen. When I watch it I always find myself saying- How I wish I could just be like Elliot, and be able to dance everything away...(Too bad my limbs are pathologically uncoordinated. Cerebellar injury- that's a good differential diagnosis! Haha!)

i didn't know alex has a single!

2010-08-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

Remember Alex Lambert, the folk singer from the latest season of American Idol? The one who sang Beautiful World by James Morrison and Everybody Knows by John Legend? He didn't make it to the Top 12 though. But anyways, he's back.

I Didn't Know - Alex Lambert

"I tried so hard to push away your heart when I should've let it through."

norwegian wood international 'teaser' trailer

2010-08-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

The video served it's purpose very well- yeah and that's to tease! Aaargh!

love: a rocket science

2010-08-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

"Eventually, all of this would pass and the memory of it would give way to embellishment, and fantasy, and outright distortion until it was hard for Hal Hefner to remember what he was really like back then-when he still carried in his head the sound of a made up perfect voice, the voice that could speak its heart, the voice he used to wish he had, until the day he stopped wishing he sounded like anyone else and just started talking as he was..."

Rocket Science (2007) by Jeff Blitz
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 84%

Synopsis: Hal Hefner is an average sophomore at Plainsboro High School in New Jersey. He stutters and suffers the daily indignities of a typical teenager. With only a little encouragement, Hal falls in love with the star of the debate team, Ginny Ryerson, and finds himself suddenly immersed in her ultra competitive world of high-school debating, with its players, its politics and its own set of rules.

glosoli

2010-08-19T02:44:00.000-07:00

Glosoli - Sigur Ros

I wake from a dream
To find my heart pounding, hair tousled
Step out in front of the bed and see filthy shoes
And here you are, I’m feeling
And here you are, Glowing Sun

totem

2010-08-17T20:32:00.000-07:00

Ever since I watched Inception, I've been racking my brains of what totem to have. Consequently, I remembered this piece of wood, a remnant of a key chain I used to have. I searched for it for days until it finally resurfaced, and with it, a silent amusement of how such a tattered piece of artifact could hold so many memories.

For those of you who haven't seen Inception yet (and those I caught their eyebrows raised on the sound of my message alert tone), a totem is a personal artifact used by the owner to confirm his existence in reality-- that he's not in a dream. Ironically, my totem serves a quite different purpose. Holding it right now reminds me of a dream, a fantasy rather than realism or of concrete reasoning. However, it makes me remember a reality that I once lived in, something real...

()

2010-07-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

The words shiver in fear. I can feel them tremble, crammed inside the pen I hold, point hovering on a piece of blank paper, dry and thirsty for ink. The words are etched clearly on my mind but I find myself doubtful of the consequences their truths will hold for me. I might as well be pointing a gun to my head. To face death and truth seems like the same thing and dying is the only undisputed way to liberate myself into life.

The lines were blurred and both paths converged into a single thought—a question that required an immediate answer, which incontrovertibly led to a choice. And that choice is in here, in my hand, quivering in terror. Putting it into words and immortalizing it within the durable nature of printed letters is terrifying—the finality of it and the unmistakable evidence that it exists. It’s like giving a ghost a face or an eerie darkness a name. But I am doing this in the hope that I will find peace beyond this hostile territory of fear and indecision. All I need to do is to scribble the words and take a step over onto the other side of this line that divides the air breathe.

Thinking is a dangerous thing. There had been too much time and I spent most of it pondering and wondering. I don’t want to think. Not anymore. Reason itself had taken hold and corrupted my thoughts and I no longer have the heart to argue with it. I am trapped. I solely based this decision on instinct and what’s left of my conscience. The moment it felt like time wouldn’t run out, was the same moment it felt like the world had stopped. And so I am here, pointing the gun to my head, a quivering finger posed to pull the trigger. The heart races, preparing to take flight into the unknown. My breathing frantic in anticipation of a foreshadowed reality, where the air is ever clean as the souls who breathe it in. My pen is the barrel of the gun hoping the bullets would penetrate every functioning sense and carry me over to the other side—where time flies fast and the world spins madly on…

The point finally made contact on the paper’s surface, and very slowly forged cursive letters, elegant and perfect despite the uncontrollable tremors in my hand. I gawked at them, surprised for they were not the truths I was expecting. Pupils dilated, breathing stopped and blood grew stagnant in the absence of a functioning heart. Death at last…

…and then life.

full official trailer of harry potter and the deathly hallows [HD]

2010-06-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

your love is a song

2010-06-26T01:55:00.000-07:00

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

I hear you breathing in

Another day begins

The stars are falling out

My dreams are fading now, fading out

I've been keeping my eyes wide open

I've been keeping my eyes wide open

Your love is a symphony

All around me

Running through me

Your love is a melody

Underneath me

Running to me

Your love is a song

The dawn is fire bright

Against the city lights

The clouds are glowing now

The moon is blacking out

I've been keeping my mind wide open

I've been keeping my mind wide open

Your love is a song

With my eyes wide open

I've got my eyes wide open

I've been keeping my hopes unbroken.

Title: Your Love Is A Song
Artist: Switchfoot
Album: Hello Hurricane

---
First heard this song from the 7th Season of One Tree Hill. Now that Hilarie Burton and Chad Michael Murray are no longer part of the show, the soundtrack plays a major part in keeping the whole thing afloat in my opinion-- and that includes the alternative music of Switchfoot. I love them. Need I say more?

absolute

2010-06-21T23:33:00.000-07:00

HEAD TILTED BACKWARDS, my thoughts moved forward into nothingness. My head was as empty as the bottle of wine sitting on the coffee table in front of me. It felt strange because I am usually burdened with too many things, but not that night; not that moment. Within that gap in time, I was weightless. All was clear. Nothingness. But the ironic part was that in that moment of clarity, my senses seemed to have shut down. I saw a ceiling where shadows of trees danced against the wailing wind. The rain crashed against the windows and poured like bullets on the roof. I perceived the things I saw, the things I heard and smelled, but I couldn’t make sense of them. They just passed through me and into a void, without leaving any trace or echo to validate their existence. What was left was just a blank expanse of quiescence, so potent that it silenced even the roars of thunder brought by the storm. All was clear. All was quiet.

But then from the very center of that clarity, came a rumbling sound. It stemmed from my chest, sending tremors into my throat, posing like drum rolls resounding in the hollows of my consciousness. The blank universe slowly broke and in the center of it all, stood a memory. It revealed itself as a fine dust at first. With no definite shape, its colored particles moved randomly towards everywhere. And then very slowly, it collapsed into itself to form a solid image. It was so beautiful. What stood before me collided with every functioning sense and defied every ounce of reason. Conflicted waves of euphoria washed over me; bittersweet and sharp. I looked at her, memorized every line, every curve. I inhaled every detail like a drug. In an instant I was addicted, detesting anything that could inspire sobriety.

I was smiling under the shadows as I continued to revel in her presence, all the while trying to keep reason at bay. I wanted to pluck her out of my thoughts into the real world. I wanted to open my eyes to see if she’s really there but I didn’t. I was afraid I might lose her if I did. She looked so fragile. My breathing was shallow because even a soft gust of wind could sweep her away. She wouldn’t talk. I couldn’t make her talk. I couldn’t dare to touch her because I didn’t want to break her, all the while fighting the idea that she’s real.

She came back to me that stormy night like a ray of light and lingered for a brief moment. And then she went into shadows, whispering false hope from the dark. Eyes closed, I watched as the details blurred; her smile, her lips, her love. And finally it burst into a puff of smoke, disintegrating, succumbing into nonbeing. She was gone. And as she went, my senses crept back. The alcoholic taste of wine returned on my mouth. The rainwater forged music against everything it touched. The shadows on the ceiling looked like permanent stains I would never be able to scrub away. Thunder bullied the skies. Flashes of light illuminated the night and finally the cold blade of loneliness seeped through.

I longed for how the memory burned inside me. And so I closed my eyes once again, but she wouldn’t appear. Not anymore. The moment of clarity had gone. My mind was once again cluttered, recoiling to its usual chaotic state. They say that the truth is easier than a lie or any form of evasion. It’s easier to deal with; easier to live with. But not this one. No lie or fantasy can break it. There’s no way of evading it or hiding from it. She will always find me, and be with me, without any promise of staying. The truth I was facing was absolute—I fell in love with a memory. And each time I remember; each time I see her face when I think of her, I can’t help but fall…over and over again.

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image by copycat_s

before sunrise

2010-06-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

HIS SILHOUETTE is sharp against the bluish gray skies and the murky-colored lake. The sun hasn’t risen yet and a ghostly panorama envelops the harbor. His gaze falls on the horizon. But there is something in his eyes indicating he’s not looking at something at all. Hands in his pocket, he mulls on a melancholic thought; his brow curves and his lips purse, occasionally parting and billowing white vapor into the chilly morning air. He stands on a wooden dock, a couple of inches from the edge. He pulls out a hand and takes a look at his watch. There it is again. In his eyes is an unmistakable sadness; a deep sea barely calmed by a thin sheet of hope. He puts his hand back in his pocket and fixes his gaze ahead. He stands so still as if the world will freeze by doing so.

She rolls down the window. Cold seaweed-scented air immediately crashes against her face, enfolding her, filling her lungs. Outside is the familiar ghostly sight of the harbor. From the distance, she can see the young man—as motionless as a sculpture carved in black stone. The girl looks at him with eyes burdened with the same desolation. She opens the door of the car and walks out into the gravel pathway towards the harbor. Her hair dances gracefully against the wind, revealing her beautiful face. She walks on till she reaches the wooden dock. Her heart beats fast wishing the world and everything in it to stop.

The young man lost in his own reverie hears footsteps. He closes his eyes for a moment tilts his head backwards and opens them again. He sees feathery white clouds and gulls disrupting the dark-colored sky. Even with the sounds of the birds above him and the waves crashing on the breakwater, and the echoing horns of ferries, the sound of the footsteps is very distinct in his ears. As he listens to it, the loneliness that drowns his heart abates like a tide retreating from the shore. Then, the footsteps stops cueing his heart to skip a beat.

“You probably thought I’d left without saying goodbye.” She says.

“Almost.” He turns around and gives the girl a gentle smile.

The girl gives a shy smile, walks to his side and sits on the edge of the dock, her feet dangling just above the water’s surface. She looks upon the horizon now turning into a cyan color. The sun is about to rise. The young man sits beside her and looks at her face. His eyes are now replaced with wonder, sorrow, and flickering joy.

“You’re doing it again.” The girl says with eyes still straight ahead.

“I’m sorry. I’m just trying to memorize everything.” He looks at her, carving the image into his soul—an attempt to permanently stain his memory with the beauty that lay before him.

“I will miss you.” She meets his gaze with glassy eyes.

“I miss you already. So much I almost can’t bear it.” He says. Their expressions become mirror images of each other, crumpled with loneliness. The girl turns her gaze back to the horizon, her lips slightly quivering in the attempt to delay the cracking floodgates of emotion.

“Do you regret knowing me?” She silently asks.

“Yeah. Sometimes.” The guy held the girl’s hand. “But right now, I don’t understand why such thought found me. Maybe because I knew this day would come. And there are times when I don’t know how to deal with the thought of us apart. I will never be able make sense of my world without you in it.”

“It hurts, doesn’t it? To love someone and knowing that separation is inevitable.”

“Just looking at you right now is torment beyond words. And now that that day is upon us, I again find myself at that point where I do not know what to do with it. It hurts. But I don’t regret knowing you or loving you. I just wish there’s a way to keep you forever.”

The girl turns to wrap her arms around the guy, who in turn embraces her, tightly like he’s not letting go. He breathes her scent, her presence, taking in as much as he can.

“There should be a reason why people hurt when they love. There must be. And I think there is. The sorrow is what makes our love real. And I think knowing that’s the kind of love we have is enough. And if it’s true, we will always find our way back.” He says in her ears. He can feel tears flowing across his face.

“Love should be simple. For something powerful and sublime, it shouldn’t be this complicated—Love and life. But apparently, they aren’t. And that scares me.” She says with a broken voice.

“I’m scared too. And I think we are afraid because there are still much we have to learn. It’s the ignorance that makes us feel inadequate in a way. But we will get there, I promise you.”
“I don’t want to go.” The young man releases her from his arms and cups the girl’s face with both hands.

“I don’t want you to but I won’t let you stay either. I’ll be just here, alright? One day, when all your dreams are finally realized, I’ll make sure I am the one standing next to you, celebrating my own dreams with yours.”

The first ray of light bursts out from the horizon. Everything it touches immediately bursts into life. The mist hovering over the surface of the lake retreats, revealing a silver plain of sparkling water. Two figures stand by the dock, hands joined before a new sun ever wondering what ventures lay before them and the love they hope to kindle through the darkness of the unknown beyond.

--
image by Kathy

when you find me

2010-06-07T03:38:00.000-07:00

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Something is said

It sits in my head

It's been there too long,

It's killing me slow

It's rolling around,

It's pushing me down

It's keeping the good part of me closed

My only weakness is knowing your secrets

And holding them close, and hold them tight

I know the way to silently make you smile with my eyes,

When you're trying to fight

Can't you see that when I find you, I'll find me?

I need you to know today--

I'll wait for you always.

Title: When You Find Me
Artist: Joshua Radin
Album: Adam Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

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First heard this song from the movie Adam. It's a fantastic movie by the way. It's about this guy named Adam and he has this disorder that made him difficult to interact with people. And then he fell in love. This song was perfect for the movie. I like Johua Radin's music. Makes me love folk even more. Thanks OTH for introducing new and great artists!

poisons and antidotes

2010-06-02T01:34:00.000-07:00

I AM STUCK IN REVERSE, thoughts reeling backwards from the day you decided to take back the heart you placed on my hands. As I watched you walk away, your back on my face, the world began to spin the opposite way. The day grew darker till it completely faded into night. And I was left there alone like I usually am until you came. And I am still here, alone, drinking a cocktail of sadness brewed with my own hands—a poison to the soul I wish I could suck out of my system but couldn’t. Because in truth, you’re the only brand of happiness that could intoxicate me. You’re my antidote.

I need you and I want you back. I am mustering what’s left of my pride to choke out these words because I have no right to implore for anything. It is wrong for me to ask for forgiveness or any form of absolution. I am stripped of everything when I took that wrong small step that caused you a big deal of pain. And for that, no one should be blamed but me. It would be poetic justice for you to just loathe me for what I’ve done, and look me in the eye as you watch me slowly die in misery. I will leave you without harboring any trace of neither hate nor bitterness in my heart because you have given me the opposite. You have given me love, as sweet as any true love can be. And that what makes the separation much more unbearable. Because I fail to understand the reasons why I was able to give you hurts as much as I give you love.

There are people who believe in second chances, and those who don’t. I sincerely hope that you belong to those who do. Because if there’s still a sliver of chance, no matter how small it may be even to the point of almost impossibility, I’d still take it and bridge the struggles that I need to take for me to hold you in my arms again, facing new days with faith and hope renewed. I have betrayed your trust. And I don’t think there are right words to earn it back. But if you don’t believe and your door is already sealed shut, I will not barge it down. You deserve a safe haven free of lies and deceit, and selfish desires—a sanctuary where you can find healing from all the wounds I have inflicted upon you. I will not knock, but I’ll wait by your doorstep till you open the door and let me in, with nothing but a flower and a promise of always being there for you. But until that moment comes and we see each other somewhere in the future, I would look at you with joy and reminisce how we spent that one night basking underneath the flickering lights of the stars.

I am sorry and I love you—I hope these words would fail to diminish the true essence of what I am trying to say. Because in my heart, these two things stretch as far as the heavens and I hope they would reach and kindle yours and still find in it a special place for me to stay.

LOST Finale: How could I be so stupid to watch it wrong?!

2010-05-29T02:42:00.000-07:00

If you don’t watch LOST and are not planning to, well you may continue to read. But if you do and haven’t watched the finale yet, you should close this page NOW!

Anyway, I watched the final episode of the series last night and my reaction was—WHAT THE HELL?! It didn’t make sense (particularly the events that occurred in the flash-sideways timeline). I was so frustrated and confused of the thought that the series that thrived on giving questions would end with a very big one. And so I browsed the net for an explanation and there it was as clear as day—I watched the whole season wrong. I didn’t think such a thing was possible.

It turned out, my interpretation of the flash-sideways was wrong. I thought the explosion in the final episode of season 5 (thank you Juliet. May you rest in peace) not only brought everybody to the present but also made an alternate parallel universe wherein the plane didn’t crash on the island and everybody got to live happily ever after. I assumed that was the case because of the term flash-sideways, which was very misleading I think. It even made me miss crucial literary figuratives to understand the episode. I thought the original timeline and sideways timeline were occurring at the same time. But they’re not. In fact, the sideways phenomenon was not caused by the bomb. It was a purgatory universe or limbo where they stayed to deal with their unfinished businesses. So in short, they all died. Surprise! Surprise!

And so with this crucial knowledge, I watched it again and finally, it made complete sense. It was like watching it for the first time. I almost cried on the scene when Jack was dying and Vincent, the Dog stayed with him. T_T. I got emotional when Jack finally got reconciled with his father. In those moments, it made me feel like death isn’t a bad thing; that beyond the pain, a great thing awaits all of us. It was a great ending. It perfectly went with the series’ theme of redemption and forgiveness.

I think LOST will go down as one of the greatest series in the history of television and it will take time before something could at least match the brilliance of the story. It’s very intricate and very well thought of—the dynamics of the characters, the mythology, the mysteries, the questions, and the answers. LOST is like a big puzzle. You will be given pieces of events from different timeframes: from present to flashbacks, from flash-forwards to flash-sideways, and it’s very intellectually stimulating and thrilling to put them together to finally reveal the whole picture. But then again, it’s not the answers that make it very engaging. It’s the anticipation of them. Some answers will not be satisfying to everyone (especially to hardcore fans). Some are demystifying but just because the buildup of the enigmas and mythos was excellent. There are still partially-unsolved mysteries and questions left unanswered, but I think that’s okay as long as they aren’t detrimental to the core of the story. But like solving puzzles, it takes patience to finish this series. I am not surprised that some people give up watching (or not at all) because it serves tons of mind-boggling questions and answers come in trickles, not to mention the non-linear course of events (like Memento but way more complicated). A magazine even called it The Worst Series Ever. I guess it takes an open mind to appreciate it. I mean it’s hard to love what you already hate. As for me, I started to love it the moment that polar appeared in the middle of that tropical jungle.

I’m definitely watching this again!