of stars and infinities

I HAVE DECIDED that John Green's The Fault in our Stars is fairly far from just an 'okay' read. I find it funny, tragic, and mentally stimulating. Frank as it is honest, it encourages the reader to see things logically, within reason, but not lose the 'heart' aspect of things, and through Gus and Hazel, Green was able to create a third space in which these two realms combine and are reconciled - a tiny infinity which should be experienced by everyone with someone, at least once, in this life so fragile.

the perks of watching "perks"

I REALLY THINK there are books that are not supposed to be adapted into films, that there are stories that speak most loudly within the silent confines of the written word, and I thought "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky was one of them,

...that is until I watched it and walked away from the theater with a stupid grin.

'Perks,' the book, is a very simple read written in a minimalist style. You can read it in one sitting. The story is simple - a coming-of-age story where the protagonist, Charlie, a very shy 15-year-old, tries to find himself in the hostile social climate of his first year in high school...and then he met friends who let him in (Surprise! Surprise!) The concept is not that original. We have read about it, watched about it (like a lot), but what makes this particular story really special?

This book's strength lies in sentimentality. It is a very intimate and personal read, and if you're a shy and socially awkward guy or girl, you could easily identify with Charlie's character from the very first lines alone. I know I did. There are these big ideas, crucial even, that are delivered in a simple, straight-forward way, and how a confused teenager would muse them. It somehow reminds me of the things I used to muse about when I was growing up; back to the time before the advent of the internet, to the world of mix tapes, handwritten letters, and 90's love songs. I made a list of the books Charlie was reading and currently building up a Charlie playlist (Asleep by the Smiths and Landslide by Fleetwood Mac are my favorites).  Funny, sometimes dark, and full of heart, 'Perks' is one of those books you wish you have read back in the times of your youth.

Now that it is now translated into a film, it's impossible not to compare the two media. Fortunately, I am done with my "book purist" phase, so the risk of being disappointed has gone down.

One thing that worked for this film was the screenplay, and there was no better person to write it for the big screen than the author itself, Stephen. Being a movie buff, I do think the greatest movies are the ones that were directed and written by the same person, Dancer in the Dark (2000) by Lars von Trier and Memento (2000) by Christopher Nolan to name a few. I think the novel being an epistolary and its simplistic style gave Stephen a breathing space to work with, like the story now could breathe in film - the pieces left to the imagination are projected before your eyes.

Chbosky's characters are so colorful, and full of personality. The main cast really did a great job. But one of them really stood out - Patrick (Ezra Miller). He is simply epic! Who would've thought he was the same psycho kid from Let's Talk About Kevin (2011) and made Tilda Swinton's life a living hell? In the book, he was very subtle as a gay character, but in this movie, he was gayest as can be! He's a very versatile actor. Let's now talk about her sister. I WANT TO talk about Sam, played by Emma Watson. :) I am very thankful that she played the role; otherwise, I would've just resorted to waiting for a decent download. The first time she appeared on the screen, I swear I was grinning from ear-to-ear, teeth reflecting light from the screen. Anyway, watching her movies as the witty, beautiful witch Hermione in the Harry Potter films, and seeing her now taking on a different role (without an English accent!), I think she has really matured in her craft. Logan Lerman (Charlie), at the other end, really redeemed himself with this one after that 'Lightning Thief' stint. I have read from somewhere that he actually locked himself in his room for weeks to get an idea of what's it like being 'alone.' And it was worth it. He gave a brilliant performance. The "snow angel" scene was powerful. It takes only a few frames, but the way he spread his arms and how pain was etched on his face...I really felt like he wanted to escape, to disappear.

I am very particular with music, especially with films. Music is a form of art more potent when set along brilliant photography. The tunnel scene was beautifully shot. But there is one scene, at the party when he was hallucinating (?), when everything appeared psychedelic. I like how the music and the pace of the images lengthened and stretched the moment. I somehow doubt that that is how it feels like or looks like, being drugged. Michael Brook's score is post-rocky. Post-rock is a beautiful genre of music. Here is the track list for the OST. Will someone leak this already!? This soundtrack makes you really nostalgic.  

1. The Samples - Could It Be Another Change

2. Dexys Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen

3. Galaxie 500 - Tugboat

4. New Order - Temptation

5. The Innocence Mission - Evensong

6. The Smiths - Asleep

7. Cracker - Low

8. Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot

9. XTC - Dear God

10. Cocteau Twins - Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops

11. Michael Brook - Charlie's Last Letter

12. David Bowie – Heroes.

Anyway, this film is feel-good and awesome and all, but if I were the director I would've made a few changes: (1) I would've cut the last few frames and let it all end with Charlie, arms outstretched at the tunnel at the crescendo of Michael Brook's last score. It would've been much better if the screen went dark and your lungs are filled with air...and then you exhale. (2) Too many kisses, especially between Sam and Charlie. It somehow diminishes the significance of their first kiss.

I think that's all about it  Whew. It feels good to let it all out of my system. 'Perks' garnered an 80% Certified Fresh rating in Rotten Tomatoes :) I really don't recommend this. Haha.

me singing a song of ice and fire

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.

inspirational saw

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...

choose love

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.

i open at the close

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.

undesirable no. 1

yep. another potter trailer

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

norwegian wood international 'teaser' trailer

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

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

norwegian wood

"Memory is a funny thing. When I was in the scene I hardly paid it any attention. I never stopped to think of it as something that would make a lasting impression, certainly never imagined that 18 years later I would recall it in such detail. I didn't give a damn about the scenery that day. I was thinking about myself. I was thinking about the beautiful girl walking next to me. I was thinking about the two of us together, and then about myself again. I was at that age, that time of life when every sight, every feeling, every thought came back, like a boomerang, to me. And worse, I was in love. Love with complications. Scenery was the last thing on my mind."

--Toru, Norwegian Wood

IT'S BEEN AGES since I last read a book and finished it. I have this bad habit of reading one and then impulsively start another. Needless to say, I have now five novels of different authors (mostly borrowed from Hales); all of them accumulating dust and silently wishing to be passionately read till their last pages. Unfortunately for them, I met Haruki Murakami and got my own laptop.

Two weeks ago, I went to my bestfriend’s place and conducted our usual trade of resources; they usually range from audio files, latest movies we’d seen, and television series we follow. That day she offered me her e-book collection she got from her colleague. The collection included Chuck Palahniuk, JD Salinger, Joseph Heller, Ian McEwan, Kurt Vonnegut, Jack Kerouac, and Haruki Murakami. I accepted of course. I’d take anything from Hales. That’s how much I trust her aesthetic taste in things.

Murakami. This name came out twice or thrice already on my blog-hopping. And so from the seven authors, I chose to read him first to see what the fuzz is all about-- Intellectual curiosity. I decided to start with Norwegian Wood because Haley won’t stop raving about it on her Tumbler. It’s been adapted into a movie and is due to premiere in Japan this December. It stars “L” from the Deathnote movies. This should be interesting!

Norwegian Wood is a simple love story; no extravagant, mouth-dropping plot twists or car chases across Rome. It was just a sheer honest piece of fiction, very gentle but grips hard on you. It was my first time to witness Murakami’s brilliance in story-telling. The narrative parts were made very tasteful with poetic words, enabling him to conjure this vivid image of the world through the eyes of the main character. He also made an excellent job in amplifying each character’s personality through engaging conversations. The novel is written in an autobiographical approach. I love novels written in such way. It’s easier to step on the character’s shoes and relate to the story. The version of the book I’ve read was translated in English by Jay Rubin, since it was originally written in Japanese. It’s incredible really. However, it makes me wonder how it would be like to read Murakami in its original context. Imagine if Bob Ong’s works were to be translated in English. Doesn’t feel right, is it?

Norwegian Wood, (Yep, the Beetles song) is about Toru, a conflicted young college student who fell in love with two girls: his classmate, Midori, and his dead bestfriend’s girlfriend, Naoko. To whom did he end up with? Well, I suggest you read it. The guy’s clearly confused, because I got confused too which I is exactly the point I think.

I am now currently reading Murakami’s After Dark. Awoo!

bored in wonderland like crazy

HALEY AND I decided to brave Wonderland yesterday afternoon and got out of it disappointed. It was really hard at first to conclude that it was shallow because it would mean wasting 500 pesos. The storyline was very simple and absolutely unoriginal. Even the supposedly mind-blowing 3D visuals could not make up for the film’s ridiculously simple plot. I have grown loving Tim Burton’s movies but this is just a flop for me.

But something good really came out of it. Well, I get to hang out with my bestfriend again after three or four months? Plus I get to finally meet his boyfriend. It was kind of awkward meeting him because I don’t know how to break the ice. Well, first, he’s a Korean and second, I’m not sure if I could converse in straight English without having nosebleeds.

A funny thing happened when we got out of the cinema. We chanced upon our closest college friends: Neen, Jesha, Steph, Mitchy, and Shane. Apparently, they have fallen victim to the I Miss You Like Crazy hype. After a brief catching up and cam whoring, Haley and I departed from the group. As we walked on, Haley remembered our food stubs from purchasing Alice in Wonderland tickets. We decided to go back and claim our popcorns and drinks hoping they could fill the void inflicted by the movie. It happened that food stubs are also exchanged in the Snack Section of Cinema 2, showing I Miss You Like Crazy. We presented our stubs to the guard and he let us pass WITHOUT CHECKING. He didn’t even ask if we have tickets for the movie or we haven’t. We lined up for the counter. It was taking so long. The guard was kind of preoccupied checking the line for the movie. It only took us one mischievous look to each other to know that we were about to do something really bad. I motioned for the door behind me and Haley followed.

We soon joined our college friends on the balcony. Both of us, felt a little paranoid and a little proud of our mischief. For a person who almost always plays by the rules, it was really something new and fun. :P I was enjoying the movie actually. Bea’s fake laughs, John Lloyd corny dialogue, and the people clapping to the cheesy scenes really made it fun for me and Hales. Hehe!

But after thirty or so minutes, we decided to go. We bid our goodbyes to the group, dodge the guard at the entrance, and meet up with Hales' boyfriend. I soon said my goodbyes to both of them and Hales said in crisp Tagalog with eyes full of warning:

“Huwag mo akong hahalikan!”

I gawked at the giant beside her and said to myself: Point well taken. I want my popcorn!!!

the author's side of the story

I WAS BROWSING through cable channels yesterday afternoon when I chanced upon an NBC special aired by Dateline from the 2nd Avenue Channel. The word 'mason' caught my attention and got intrigued in an instant. To my surprise Dan Brown appeared on the screen and started talking about his latest book-- The Lost Symbol. Yeah I know. I wouldn't stop talking about it. But if you're too lazy to read the book, just watch these videos from YouTube. However, if you're planning to read the book. I am warning you: Essential spoilers ahead.

It's really cool to know the comments from those involved in Dan Brown's novel. I was able to view the book in a Masonic perspective. I agree that The Lost Symbol had revived the mysticism to the ancient brotherhood that has been eluding people from the very beginning upto now. It also brings the origins of American history in a whole new light.

vampires, werewolves, and insecure boyfriends

HALES AND I WENT TO THE CINEMAS to watch New Moon. I had no great expectations about the movie because I found the book from which the movie was adapted shallow. I was just curious as to how it would turn out on the big screen; the same reason I watch all those movies based from the novels I’ve read. Plus, my birthday was fast approaching so I figured I’d give my bestfriend a treat.

As expected, the lines for the tickets were ridiculously long and on them were mostly kids, giggling girls, and couples taking advantage of the hype brought by the sensationalized movie phenomena. All girls were wide-eyed and pupils dilated in anticipation for the pale body of Edward Cullen (except Hales of course. She’s on Team Jacob. And I think she got the right team. I mean who would want to make out with a talking cadaver? :P)

1:45 PM—We haven’t had our lunch yet and the movie was about to start at 2:10 PM. After buying the tickets we ate lunch at Chowking. We we’re forced to just shove the food down our throats and swallow or else we would miss the beginning of the movie, given that it was not a free-seating show (Hales was still chewing when we started running towards the cinemas. I hate it when I don’t get to watch the trailers before the show or when I begin a movie at the middle. It destroys the over-allcinematic effect. :P

When we got inside the theater, there were no more decent seats left. The only ones available were on the first row—just a couple of steps from the screen. So we decided to just occupy the center aisle of the theater even though we looked totally stupid, sitting there alone. Well, a hurting back and ass were much better than a severe headache and a stiff neck.

And the film began to roll. As I’ve said, there’s nothing W-O-W about the movie (But the soundtrack's really good! I downloaded it before I went home). I think I enjoyed the people’s reactions more than what were happening infront of me. The highlight was probably this one lady gasping “Oh Shit!” whenever Jacob appeared shirtless on the screen. She sounded torn between whispering and shouting outlout. Hales and I had a great laugh out of it. And when Edward said the magic words “Will you marry me”, the venue suddenly erupted in a unified sighs, shrieks and gigles. Haley and I looked at each other and realized we were so out of place. Let’s get out of here.

Then, Haley’s phone rang. His boyfriend called, inviting her to watch New Moon with him. Then, there was a flash-backward. A faint trace of a love triangle appeared out of nowhere, which shouldn’t be there in the first place. And Haley was once again faced with an old ordeal—How to fake her expressions in watching a movie she’d already seen. I have a bad history with my bestfriend’s boyfriends. All of them seemed to be jealous of me. I can’t still figure out why they’re so insecure of me! Hahaha! I have yet to meet this new guy in her life and I deeply hope that he’s different from the rest. And because I don’t want to place Haley in an impossible position once again—that she needs to choose between a friend and a lover. But most of all, I don’t want to lose her ...again.

“He wants to watch New Moon with me.” she said, a faint trace of worry in her voice.

“Just say ‘Oh Shit!’" I adviced.

the secret is how to die...

FACT:

In 1991, a document was locked in the safe of the director of the CIA. The document is still there today. Its cryptic text includes references to an ancient portal and an unknown location underground. The document also contains the phrase 'It's buried out there somewhere.'

All organizations in this novel exist, including the Freemasons, the Invisible College, the Office of Security, the SMSC, and the Institute of Noetic Sciences.

All rituals, science, artwork, and monuments in this novel are real.

--Fact Page from The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

I'M FINALLY DONE perusing the pages of The Lost Symbol—the latest installment of the world-renowned thriller writer, Dan Brown, and with no surprise my brain was once again stimulated by symbols, codes, and secrets. A lot of thanks to my Haley for lending me the book.


The Lost Symbol would be a good read unsurprisingly, especially if you love novels impregnated with historical and scientific facts, and mysteries, impeccably intertwined with an excellent fictional story-telling. Dan Brown is very well-known for blurring the lines between fact and fiction—which had proven successful in raising certain peoples’ eyebrows. Well, for me I don’t give much thought anymore as to what’re considered facts or fiction in his works. As long as they could tease my curiosity and could make my mouth hang open, I’m totally cool with it. I applaud Brown for his skill in connecting parallels that he could use for his story and for setting the flow of the plot in a lightning-paced mode. These are the key factors that made his novels into gripping page-turners and fall into nothing short of interesting.

If you happen to like his other two novels that featured the Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon, Angels and Demons and the controversial The Da Vinci Code, you’d probably enjoy The Lost Symbol. However, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities and the recurring themes, and approaches Dan Brown had used to tell his novels. Perhaps, I was just expecting too much from this book or that I hoped that Dan Brown could outwrite himself this time but I think The Lost Symbol is the weakest from him since the Deception Point. The characters were flat. I am not sure if this was because of the pace of the story. The twists and the revelations in the end weren’t strong enough. They fell short of the buildup, I think. It’s an easy book to read, the trivial arguments were effective, and the process of discovery was thrilling but Dan just didn’t have new and fresh ways to deliver it.

One thing in the book that tweaked my curiosity the most was the science known as Noetics. It basically aims to prove ancient mystical knowledge using modern technology and science, focusing primarily on the untapped yet powerful potential of the human mind and how intangible thoughts can affect physical entities. Telekinesis immediately popped in my head when I first encountered this. Just imagine if a thought has a certain mass. And as we all know everything that has mass has a certain gravitational force. It basically pulls anything that has mass towards it. But what if all people think of the same thought, hence the thought increases in accumulative mass, and therefore gain a gargantuan gravitational force and pulls entities in the physical realm. I can’t exactly picture how it works but it’s really mind boggling don’t you think? And what if I tell you that even a soul has mass? Very curious indeed.

I have a feeling the Christian community will have their brows raised once again because the Holy Bible was put in a pedestal in this novel. This novel is bombarded with a lot of Bible passages. Also it explains certain Biblical events differently as compared to what the Church had taught the masses. Some topics include the Apocalypse, The End of the World, miracles, and the Bible being the ultimate cipher book.

I highly recommend this book but if I were you, I’d wait for the paperback version due early next year.

praise for the 'prince'

I SHOULD'VE WRITTEN THIS POST AGES AGO, but given the crisis (I’ll probably talk about this one on my next post which will be posted only God knows when) my family and I are going through, I wasn’t able to do so. This blog is very lucky to be alive. If it weren’t for my drafts saved on my hard drive, which once included the last three entries you see here, this blog would’ve been rotting at this very moment—dead without any guarantee of immediate resuscitation.

If you’re a Harry Potter fan or just simply a curious fellow updated with the most recent flicks and blockbusters, you probably have already seen the Half-Blood Prince. You may have already written your own review of the movie but thought writing one would only be a waste of time because you found it ‘depressing’ and ‘sleep-inducer’. Well here is mine. I just can’t watch it and set my opinions aside. But I have to warn you that this post maybe a little biased, and way different from most movie reviews floating around. I’m a fan of the books (no longer a purist! Hurray!) and the movies, and thus, I just couldn’t get myself to hate this one. Or perhaps the long waiting and fanaticism for the ‘Prince’ somehow clouded my objective sense. But whatever! I like the Half-Blood Prince. Watched it twice in Promenade Greenhills and once in IMAX-SM North Edsa.

Here’s some ideas which I think would’ve made the movie better:

• They should’ve made the ending a little less ‘hanging’. It’s just a little disappointing to not see the wizard fight between the death eaters and Dumbledore’s Army.

• They should’ve explained why Snape became the Half-Blood Prince; I will not be surprised if non-readers would think of Snape as some sort of a wizarding royalty. Producers probably wanted them to think that Snape just took the title for personal use.

• They should’ve extended the cave scene, where Dumbledore conjures a firestorm to fight off the Inferis. I was just about to open my mouth to say “WOW” when the scene suddenly ended.

• They deleted the other Horcrux memories (i.e. the one concerning Ravenclaw’s cup.) I just wish they’d have a clever way to insert the missing pieces in the last two movies.

• They should've distributed the 30-minute (or less) 3D scenes all through the movie. I would've liked to see the Quidditch match and the "Firestorm" in 3D.
  

Here are the positive points of the movie:

• The dark tone of the movie reflected the ominous plot. The tone is somewhat reminiscent of Azkaban. I think it’s very artistic and dynamic. Harry Potter is no longer a kiddie movie.

• The visual effects were brilliant! The cave and Quidditch scenes were stunning especially the opening were where death eaters flew over the London streets and Apparated in Diagon Alley. I felt a little queasy watching this on IMAX which is probably the point. Bloody cool!

• The movie is teeming with hilarious romantic and comical sub-plots. I love the Luna-Lavender tandem. They somehow made the movie multi-layered. The train scene with Lavender was my favorite. Won-Won! :P

• Nicholas Hooper did a fantastic job with the musical score. Select tracks were very dark, but less dark than the Lord of the Rings’. But I somehow miss John Williams’ style.

• I applaud Helen Carter’s (Bella) nasty hag performance and Alan Rickman’s (Snape) ‘snake-acting’. Maggie Smith (McGonagall) and Michael Gambon (Dumbledore) were just stellar with their craft. The young Tom Riddle was really creepy. And how fitting that the child actor was Ralph Fiennes’ (Voldemort) nephew.

The Half-Blood Prince, I think, is the best Harry Potter movie yet, just next to the Prisoner of Azkaban. My brother and I share the same sentiment. :P

I opened a new poll by the way. Which Potter movie do you think is the best so far? Kindly check the sidebar. See you later! :P

angels, demons, and pizza

[WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD]

AT LAST, I was able to watch Angels and Demons on the big screen—twice in one sitting. Hales was not with me though. It’s been awhile since the last time I enjoyed a blockbuster in a movie house alone. She already watched it and blatantly gave a warning, telling me not to waste time watching it (which I think could be categorized as a mild form of a spoiler). But how could I not? I’ve anticipated for it for so long. I’ll not get disappointed till I see it for myself.

After more than four hours on my favorite seat along the aisle, occasionally taking a bite of a regular asado siopao (the only decent snack I could afford due to my dire financial status) without taking my eyes off the screen, I can say that it was a good watch, at least way better than its predecessor—The Da Vinci Code. It even toppled Star Trek in the box-office. While watching, I was trying desperately to detach the book purist in me so as to keep myself from whining about:

1. Leonardo Vetra becoming the Silvano guy.
2. Maximillian Kohler being erased from the script.
3. Trashing the legend of the Illuminati Diamond.

Aside from these, I consider the changes forgivable and woven in a way that even non-readers could connect to. I like how they twisted the story by sparing Cardinal Baggia, one of the preferiti. It gave an element of surprise to the readers and non-readers alike.

I think the movie did well on the technical aspect. I love the visual effects and cinematography. The St. Peter’s Square shots were amazing especially when the antimatter finally annihilated at the climax of the film. The musical scoring was superb. It’s obvious that they adapted it from the Da Vinci Code soundtrack but it still set the mystical and ominous tone of film. The movie was fast paced and exhilarating—the way it should be. The cast did their part very well. Ewan McGreggor who played the role of the Camerlengo was superb. The woman who played Vittoria was gorgeous even though her performance lacked a little personality. Tom Hanks played it cool this time adding the right amount of humor to the chaotic plot.

When the movie ended, I observed the crowd’s reactions. They don’t look satisfied. It made me wonder if I liked the movie just because of my insatiable fanaticism for the book. But anyway, I went home with a smile thinking I didn’t waste a hundred pesos. I concluded the night watching a Korean comedy flick, 100 days with Mr. Arrogant, while binging on tons of pizza left-overs from the fridge. It was a fun-fun-fun day! Peace out! :D

blah

I WAS LITERALLY BITING MY NAILS as the American Idol results show was transpiring last week and I was so relieved that Matt got saved by the judges in the end despite of his not-so-brilliant performance. I think they have decided to use the ‘judges’ save’ because apparently, America knows how to vote—so far. Considering the pros and cons in saving Matt, it was still a gamble. Imagine if Danny or Adam would get the lowest votes this week. It’s very unlikely but still possible. I think Adam, Danny, and Kris will win the top three spots. Lil or Matt has the highest probability to get voted out. But I still think Matt is a very talented guy. The poll on my side bar corroborates this. The poll is still open by the way :D

The first official full theatrical trailer of the ‘Prince’ is finally out. I’m just out of words for this one. My brother downloaded a copy in HD last night and I can’t help but play it on a loop on our DVD player. There are a lot of new footages on this one. Click here for the video.

A clear look of the Inferis was finally revealed. I love the scene where Katie Bell plummets into the air screaming in agony as she suffers a deadly curse—really creepy. I like the tone in this one—dark and mystifying. The ‘Prince’ is my favorite installment in the 7-part series and to watch it this July 15 would be a great cinematic experience definitely worth the wait.

My mother finally went through with her first (hopefully the last) Electronic Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL) Treatment. It was the recommended treatment since she was advised that there is no longer need for an invasive surgery. Apparently, the ‘stones’ had already shrunk and non-invasive laser treatment should be sufficient enough to break the liths that blocks her ureters—less invasive, with less complications, and only done in an OPD basis. Some diet changes, lifestyle modifications, and strict drug regimen should completely restore the patency of her urinary tract.

I’ve been doing some blog-hopping lately and have stumbled upon very interesting sites that I would like to follow. It’s just really frustrating because for reasons unknown, I can’t leave comments on some of them (You know who you are :D). I can’t leave messages on those sites with this type of message box:

I am not sure why and I think the only solution is to change the layout. But the question is, will you change your layout for me? Hehe :D Just use a layout that do not utilize such comment box or change it if it’s possible. Please T_T

The sound device of the PC in my room got fried; hence, I can no longer play my music or watch movies in it. I can still watch movies but I am really not good at reading lips. I’m no computer expert either so I consulted my brother about the problem. He told me that its sound device is embedded in the motherboard and to fix it is to replace the motherboard itself. How he figured that out, I have no idea. And in an act of desperation I burned all my music files on data disks so that I could play them on the DVD player. I wish it could still be fixed without costing so much. Not being able to enjoy music and movies in the privates of my own room is unacceptable!

It rained so hard earlier this afternoon. Advantage—cooler weather. Disadvantage—we were flooded. T_T

para kay lucas

Lucas,

I finally pulled my nose out from the pages of your stories last night. I was trying to find myself in one of your characters but I couldn’t, instead I found myself in you. I thought they were about how those women got crippled by love, but in the end, it was all about you--the only and sole casualty in your own story.

Amazing are the words that gushes out from a broken heart. I understand why your characters were so miserable, and lost, and unhappy. It is because you were. The bitterness in your heart contorted your version of love that made your book an omnibus of tragedies instead. I love tragedies. I think that’s one reason why I easily got lost in those tales written by your frozen fingertips.

I know the feeling of writing for someone you love. It’s like immortalizing a sublime feeling into words that screams through the edge of time; an endless and echoing gesture of love printed on paper; a bottled scent of passion and affection sprayed, lasting in the air. But sometimes I wonder if the words that I breathe are the same ones that are holding me back, choking me.

I agree in what you said. Writers are powerful. They can do anything they want. They could reveal every dark secret, raise the dead to life, or even make time machines so that one could undo things, revise sad endings and replace them with happy ones. We love wide and blank spaces so that we could fill them with anything we want. But everything is not fiction. Imagination is proven lacking and insufficient. We are powerful but only to a world standing opposite the realm of reality. To the real world, we’re helpless and ordinary. Vulnerable. And as a way of coping with this fact, we write, hide ourselves in letters, poetry, and make-believe stories of what could’ve been and alternate endings to melancholic conclusions in our lives. We revise and twist things in a world where revisions are not allowed.

I want to ask why you gave up on love. Why did you drop your pen and walked away? Is it her still? If that’s the case, then I would understand. Perhaps you were just not able to let go of her. I can’t tell you the right thing to do. Most right decisions that we could make are not necessarily easy and most often, love is more than a choice between what is right and what is wrong. I just wish that you would’ve been able to love again and change the end of your story, not of the Lucas in your works, but you. Because that is what I am trying to do right now. Loving and writing in the hope that when the right person comes, my words would lift me from the floor, not a care on what the end would bring.

I give you thanks for inspiring me. How I wish there’d be still hope for you. I wish you well, Luke.

Always,

. . .

I’m done reading “Para Kay B” by Ricky Lee. I had fun reading it. You might enjoy it too. Let me give a shout out to my friend Steph, the very reliable bookworm who recommended this pink-colored book.

a normal post

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN PRETTY DEPRESSING and I am bored out of my skull. No TV. No internet connection. Nothing new to watch. I am broke. And just to keep my sanity intact, I resolved into watching movies I already watched and write stories that didn’t really happen. Having said that I think I just lost it. I mean what kind of sane person does that, right? Hays. Imagine my delight when I learned that the results of the November 2008 Nursing Licensure Examinations came out today! : P

As expected, my Haley James nailed the examinations. There was no doubt in my head that she would make it. I just smiled when I saw her name on the roster (But before that, my heart was pounding out of my chest!). It had been tough on her given that she was working and studying at the same time. But you see? She’s definitely one of the smartest and independent people I know. She might appear small but she’s really big in so many ways.

Len-len made it too. I am really glad that she came through. No one deserves this more than her considering the tribulations she had gone through. Of all her beautiful attributes it’s her spirit that I admire the most. It is indeed inspiring to see it slowly being realized.

A lot of my batch mates who took the boards passed too. I was so thrilled when I saw their names posted on the online inquirer. Since most of them survived the grueling 2-day exams answering 500 questions, this calls for a lot of thanksgiving parties! Woohoo! And parties mean food! A lot of food! And late-night drinking sessions and of course---a lot of singing! Hehe!

I think the videoke machine is one of the most ingenious inventions ever made. This is a glimpse of what happens when you let me hold a microphone. Haha!

See that guy with the arrow? He looked depressed didn’t he? That fate awaits those who hear me sing. It’s as if their souls get sucked out of them though their ears. Haha! My LSS nowadays is Kundiman by Silent Sanctuary.

I was on you tube the other day and I saw these:

I can’t wait to see kristin kreuk do that helicopter kick! I just love her. Too bad she’s no longer in Smallville anymore.

May 15 is the day when the Illuminati will resurface again and destroy the very core of the Christian faith. This trailer gave me goose bumps!

And later this year, the Half-Blood Prince will premiere to rule the box-office for sure. Enough said.

I am so happy I get to write a ‘normal’ post again. My life is pretty boring lately you see, so forgive me if I scarcely write anything related to what happens to me in real life. : P Peace out!