Family First

i just finished watching "Ang Tanging Ina Nyong Lahat." although i consider the first installment to be the funniest, i find this movie to be entertaining. for some reason i missed watching filipino movies. hay.

anyways, i just like how, in spite of the political setting, this movie did not at all dwell on politics. instead, it chose to highlight the filipino family and values. come to think of it, isn't that the right place to foster change? instilling good morals, values and ways within the family is, for me, a more efficient way to bring about change rather than relying on the government or politics per se. yun lang.

Twilight

i know, i know. i'm waaay too late to post something about the hyped movie that is Twilight. i admit that i'm one of those who liked the movie. but more than the plot, i liked the cars and the Cullen's house more.

see the pics below:

photo credit: arch daily

such a beautiful architecture wouldn't you agree?

The Wheelers

this is another movie entry. i just finished watching Revolutionary Road starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. this is one draining movie. read on.







Those who were waiting for the romantic reunion of TITANIC's Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet may be surprised by what they find in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. The movie begins with a sweet scene where... Those who were waiting for the romantic reunion of TITANIC's Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet may be surprised by what they find in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. The movie begins with a sweet scene where Frank (DiCaprio) and April (Winslet) meet at a party, but the rest of this drama based on Richard Yates's novel is devoted to watching the destruction of their marriage and their selves in 1950s suburbia. Frank works at a job he hates in New York City, then commutes home to two children and a wife who feels none of them belong in their cookie-cutter town. Their realtor (a fine Kathy Bates) recognizes their specialness and introduces them to her mentally unstable son (BUG's Michael Shannon, in another good, unhinged performance) in an effort to establish some normalcy for the man. However, Frank and April's marriage is not as perfect as it seems to the outside world, and the audience gets to witness their downfall. With its commentary on conformity and finding identity, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD bears more than a passing resemblance in both theme and tone to the TV series MAD MEN and director Sam Mendes's previous film AMERICAN BEAUTY. The characters here may live in a polite age where men wear ties and hats and women clean the house in skirts and heels, but the dialogue often enters brutal territory. Less capable actors wouldn't have been able to capture the volatile chemistry between Frank and April, but DiCaprio and Winslet are as wonderful at uttering sweet nothings as they are at tearing each other apart with verbal barbs. Mendes, directing his wife, Winslet, for the first time, is a perfect match for the source novel's lack of sentimentality and its wry commentary on life in the 1950s that still resonates half a century later. from RottenTomatoes

like what i said, this is one emotionally-draining movie. it makes you ponder if happiness is really that elusive or even perhaps only an illusion? come to think of it, when you get the things that you thought you want, is everything supposed to end there? it's human nature to crave more but it's also true that one can't have it all. where do you draw the line? some may say contentment. others though, say that the day you stop wanting is the day you stop living. my own two cents worth? you never really know. someday it will just hit you that even though you still want to do a lot of things and achieve more, deep within you already have this tranquil and assuring feeling. a sense that although another step forward is surely welcome, all in all you can honestly say that you're already at peace with where you are standing. the only thing that you want to do now is just chill and enjoy the view.

Once

some good things come out of bad circumstances. a couple of days ago when my computer was busted, i was forced to watch some of the DVDs that i bought months ago. i've just been keeping them unopened as most of the time i'm busy with the tv shows (Californication, Fringe, The Big Bang Theory, Brothers and Sisters, Grey's Anatomy and yes, Lipstick Jungle hahaha) and movies that i download.

one movie i really liked...Once

read the synopsis here

basically, i liked it because the story is very simple but yet universal. the movie is devoid of any mainstream spectacle which makes it a breathe of fresh air from commercial films. also to be noted is how the leads, both of whom are really musicians and not actors by the way, were very effective in delivering the depth of their character's idiosyncrasies. and oh, the music is good too. i've yet to download the soundtrack but i'm guessing that the songs from this movie will be a staple in my playlist for sometime.

this movie slightly rekindled my being a frustrated musician. but i have to come to terms that some things are just not meant to be eh....as difficult as it is to accept! hahaha

Rise Of The Lycans

this is a must-see for me. watch the trailer here. does any one now where and how to get the comic books?

Welcome To The Dark Side

i just read that Jessica Zafra already saw "The Dark Knight" on it's premiere at IMAX in Mall of Asia (she raved about it). i'm sooo looking forward to watching it when it opens here in china. i don't care if i have to spend for an overnight stay in shanghai and even if movie tickets here are waaayy more expensive than in manila. i MUST see The Dark Knight.

* these are one of the downsides of not being in manila where we have an easy access (and a cheaper one at that) to things and events such as movie premieres. hay buhay!

ugh! why so serious? eh ang mahal ng sine dito! crappy.

Shanghai Shenanigans

being a long-weekend, huey and i went to shanghai last saturday to "chillax." we stayed there for three days and two nights. it was a really good trip. saturday we bought some dvds, i got several movies (The Other Boleyn Girl, Once, Breaking and Entering etc.) and some tv shows (Skin and Moonlight). that should keep me occupied for some time hahaha. then we had lunch at Parkson's Crossroad in Huaihai Road (the malaysian noodles is really nice!). that afternnon we went for a facial (vanity, vanity), got my haircut then had a healthy (well, sort of) dinner at coffee bean. haven't been to coffee bean for the longest time. i really like their food. so much so that the day after, we had lunch in coffee bean too, this time in Xintiandi. over-all, it was a really relaxed long-weekend. i enjoyed it a lot.....and did i mention i got a new bag?! hahaha.

"Across The Universe"

just finished downloading the soundtrack of "Across The Universe", one of my favorite movies. it is superbly dope!! hahaha. a must-hear!

The Kite Runner

i watch movies a lot (as you might have noticed from my posts). this morning, i just finished watching "The Kite Runner". it is indescribable! i will not post a synopsis this time as i want you guys to watch it. the movie is about 2 hours long but you will not notice it.

i'm a modern guy, i always want to see a technology or a thing that is familiar to me. something that is new and up to date. that's why i don't like country music. it's so, country. boring. makes me feel that i'm in the provinces or in a farm. this movie, though set in early kabul in afghanistan, did not bore me at all. aside from the fact that what was shown is a totally unfamiliar culture to me, hence my curiosity, the actors also did a believable job in giving their characters life and depth. overall, this movie succeeds in giving us a peek into the lives of muslims. i've always been curious about how intense they are when it comes to islam and their religious beliefs. i still find it refreshing that some people can be so passionate about they're spiritual conceptions amidst all the new sciences and morals that are surfacing.

but ultimately, this is a movie about love. the love of a father for his children, the love of a child for his parents, the love of a citizen for his country, the love of a person for his spouse and the love of a friend for his brother.

as the movie's tag line goes: "There is a way to be good again."

Feast of Love

i just finished watching the movie "Feast of Love". this is one of the movies that left a lingering impression on me. i'm a romantic, but not the typical love-story kind of romantic. i like movies, books, music and other media that evokes love, friendship, hope and optimism. but at the same time longing, loss, tragedy, dark twists and drama does it for me. i love movies that doesn't have a happy ending or a movie that leaves you hanging and guessing what might have happened. this movie, however, is different. it doesn't end in tragedy. but instead, after all the losses, it finishes with hope and a brand new start. i can't describe it enough but, as for me, it pinched a familiar feeling. so, here is it's synopsis from imdb:

Bradley (Greg Kinnear) owns a coffee shop in Portland, Oregon called Jitters. He has been married for six years to Kathryn (Selma Blair), a tomboy-type who loves softball. Bradley introduces her, after a game, to his favorite customer, Harry (Morgan Freeman), a professor who is temporarily on leave from his job, due to the death of a child. Harry, a very intuitive and wise man, married to a loving lady (Jane Alexander), sees immediately that Kathryn has eyes for another female softball player. In short order, Kathryn calls it quits with Bradley, leaving him very despondent. However, a beautiful real estate agent named Diana (Radha Mitchell) soon warms his heart again. But, alas, she is having a secret affair with a married man named David (Billy Burke), even though she becomes quite close to Bradley as well. Then, too, Bradley has two young employees, Chloe and Oscar, who soon fall in love and move in together. But, Oscar's abusive father, The Bat (Fred Ward, very scary), makes things difficult for them from time to time. In fact, how strong are the chances for happiness among these fine people of Portland? If you saw the trailers, you might think this was a romantic comedy. Not so, not by far. It is a romantic drama with some comic elements but a great deal of in-your-face depressing reality, too. That is not to say it is not worthwhile, for it is, but no one will be humming a tune when he or she exits the theater. All of the principal players are quite good, bringing depth to a story that could be dismissed, at times, as being overly melodramatic. As for the Portland scenery, it is lovely, as are the costumes and camera work. Benton, the director, has not been at the helm of a film for quite some time but he clearly shows he has not lost his touch. On the other hand, this film is rated R and for good reason, as it definitely has some sexually-charged scenes. In brief, if you are drawn to films that include romantic drama and sharp character studies, this movie might do for you. Also, fans of the cast will want to see it, too. But, be forewarned that some tears might fall and that the experience overall will be bittersweet.

this is a line from the movie that struck me the most: "God doesn't hate us. If He did, He wouldn't have made our hearts so brave." - Greg Kinnear to Morgan Freeman after a close friend died.

come to think of it, it's true. God won't give us something we can't handle. however tough or pressing a problem maybe, it is happening for a reason. and surely, something good will come out of it.

12 All-Time Favorite Foreign Movies

in no particular order:
Across The UniverseBefore Sunset The Dreamers School Ties Under The Tuscan Sun
Underworld Underworld EvolutionY Tu Mama Tambien Interview With The Vampire
AtonementThe Spanish ApartmentSomeone Like You

Eternal Summer

watched this movie a couple of days ago and it has easily become one of my top favorites. i like it because of the plot, the undertone of real love without being mushy or corny.

one may think that the story is usual, a love-triangle between two guy best-friends and the new girl in town. what sets eternal summer apart though, is the simplicity yet complexness and deepness of each character. the movie sans the usual visual aesthetics found in mainstream blockbusters. it, instead, focuses on evoking human feelings that were previously considered taboo. it highlights that expressing one's true self, even if considered as an anathema, is liberating and often leads to otherwise unexpected positive turn of events. this is one of the few films i've seen where the characters need not say anything to convey their despondency, glee and state of being.

to sum it all up, this movie is subtly powerful and arresting....especially if you're a hopeless romantic.............

like me! hahaha

L'Auberge Espagnole

today i watched the movie "L'Auberge Espagnole" (The Spanish Apartment). it instantly became one of my favorites. i remember seeing this movie in HBO but only caught the last half of it and wasn't able to get the title. i happened to see the dvd of this in the pirated-video store that we always go to in shanghai.

it's a story of a french guy in his mid-20's that, like myself, is unsure of what he wants to do with his life. to be able to get accepted to the job in the european union that he's eyeing (more like what his parents want for him), he needs to learn spanish. and what better way to learn a language than to go it's country of origin. so xavier went to barcelona, spain to study economics more and learn spanish.

there, he lived in an apartment with six other students from all over europe. there was an italian, german, danish, english, belgian and a spanish. it was an eclectic mix of personalities, sensitivities, languages and cultures that ensue an interestingly colorful school year. everybody has his own quirks and issues but at the end of the day, they're friends. not just the let's-have-a-drink-and-party kind of friends, but REAL friends. but as they say, some good things never last. after a year, school in barcelona was over and xavier went back to paris. back home and back to his old life, only to realize that things are not the same anymore. he's a different person now, older but still unsure.

there is this line in the movie that i totally can relate to. xavier said during the first time he walked the streets of barcelona:

"When you first arrive in a new city, nothing makes sense. Everythings unknown, a virgin... After you've lived here, walked these streets, you'll know them inside out. You'll know these people. Once you've lived here, crossed this street 10, 20, 1000 times... it'll belong to you because you've lived there. That was about to happen to me, but I didn't know it yet."

the first time i came here in zhangjiagang, everything was foreign. aside from the fact that i cannot speak mandarin, the setting here is at variance as in manila. nothing seemed familiar until i saw a shell gas station with chinese writings (i just recognized the shell logo). then i thought, it's not so bad here. hahahaha.

like xavier, being in a foreign country, away from your family, your loved ones and your friends is hard. it's even tougher than you think. but sometimes it helps to get away from everything that is familiar to you, your comfort zone to figure things out. to get to know yourself better, find out what you want and to discover the roads that you never thought you can travel on.