How evil are you?

MOVIE WHORE

In Manila I often watch in Greenbelt or Glorietta because it is the most accessible cinema to our place. So movies would often cost me between P100 to P150. Being a lover of media, I indulge myself sometimes watching two or three movies a Saturday. Except my bro pays for at least one.

Here in Davao, it’s 45 in the deluxe section and 55 for the premiere. So a movie in Manila is equal to three here. Of course it isn’t THX here. But then it is only movies like LOTR that really has to be THX. I get to watch more movies here. Even movies I probably won’t consider watching in Manila.

Like Buffalo Soldiers. I wouldn’t watch it in Manila unless my brother asks me and pays for my ticket. Then it would be more enjoyable, not only because its free, but because my bro understands the possible nuances. He is a great companion for spy and conspiracy movies. But since it’s just 45 bucks here, I watched it on my own.

I do miss Artfilms though. I hope to God they show Calendar Girls and Seabiscuit here.

The trick though is to watch a small movie on the opening day because it could possibly be pulled out the next day. Last night, I watched Sky of Love during the 5 PM showing. But since I wasn’t able to start it, I watched the first ten minutes. When I got out, they were closing the cinema already so there wasn’t any last full show anymore. The same thing happened with Amelie. It just ran for two shows and got replaced already!

BEARING WITH VICTOR FRANKL

We studied him for Philo of Man in junior college. But I don’t think I made much effort to really understand what he has to say. Now that I found a copy of his book, I tried re-reading him again. This time in a more comprehensible english, instead of translated deep Filipino.

I finished Stephen King in a week, reading him at nights. Man’s Search for Meaning has been on my headboard for almost two weeks already. He has a lot of interesting anecdotes and points, but I guess, I really am not the non-fiction, educational reader type.

But I resolve to finish the book. And the others I bought. How long I will read Plato and Acquinas, I do not know. I just hope I learn something valuable with the “trouble” I am getting myself into trying to play smart-ass.

*****
SOMETHING TO READ

Jim Paredes lists “Memoirs of a Geisha” as one of his top ten books. It has always caught my attention when I pass by it in Powerbooks, National or Goodwill Bookstore. After watching “Last Samurai,” I thought of the book again.

Maybe I will buy it sometime middle of this year since I resolve to buy from bargain bookstores for the first half of the year while I am saving up for something.

*****
AFTER WORK ACTIVITY

I am thinking of taking up some activity. Maybe dancing or martial arts or boxing. I just have to get out of this “katam” so I can start inquiring and looking for a school. There is aikido every T, TH, S in Matina Town Square and I am a green belt according to my sensei in Mindoro. But then there aren’t any competitions for aikido because it is a defensive martial art.

SANA’Y WALA NANG WAKAS
Our cable has been down for several days already. Don’t know why. But honestly, even before that since I got sick, I have been watching the daily soap operas on Channel 2. (PROUD TO BE JOLOGS!) I never liked Diether nor Kristine Hermosa, but the past days they have been filling my need to be kilig. Their developing love story has been quite interesting and creatively done (ah, yes! the wonders of TV… a controlled romance). And I am not easily pleased with Filipino romances, but SWNK got me hooked.

STEPHEN KING
… is a wonderful and masterful story weaver! I just have to say that. I love his stories! I am already midway through “The Body.” And as far as I can tell, “Stand by me” barely changed anything in the movie. They did remove some and added some but on a forgivable level. And I love the story as much as I love the movie.

BRIDAL SHOWER
Honestly, I think this movie deserves to be Second Best Picture and that Jett Jetuirian would be a good alternative to Mark Meilly’s as Best Director. Storywise, it has more substance than Mano Po 2 and Filipinas. Those two movies might just have made second and third best picture by theme rather than actual story telling and direction.
It is somewhat a Pinoy version of Sex and the City, where women are as open of their sexual needs as men. Even with the gradual liberation of women nowadays, generally that topic remains taboo in this Christian country.
The movie is witty and funny without having to be slapstick. Characters are real and interesting. And they seemed to have done their research well. The three girls work in an advertising company and they were able to use the terms correctly. Or when Joebert the macho dancer tries to become an insurance agent, my mom (who sell insurance also) was happy about hearing the 10-3-1, garden and harvest terms. She was nodding all throughout the insurance training scene.
There were still some missing parts in the movie. It was never really able to establish who the real father Francine Prieto’s child was. And that was something I kept looking for in the movie. But then at the end, you just have to live with the fact that it wasn’t a point Jeturian really wants to make.
Cherry Pie Picache, as usual, does well with her character. She was supposed to be overweight in the movie and the loser among the three, I honestly thought she was the most beautiful. Dina is a hot mama, but I honestly do not find her that sexy. But when you remember how old she is, then you realize she is. Good thing she got this movie instead of Mano Po 2. (The character she and Lorna Tolentino were fighting about? It isn’t that great. I don’t see why they had to fuss .)
I see the future of Philippine Cinema getting brighter.

Except we still can’t come up with the same level of political dramas Lino Brocka and Behn Cervantes was able to do back in the 80’s. The attempt of Hubog (movie interjected with Edsa Tres scenes) and Filipinas ( along with every political problem you can think about). But at least, we are making our movies simpler, fresher and with more impact than before.

I still get affected when I see Ali Sotto interviews. It's good to hear that more Pinoys are willing to donate their organs after the Miko Sotto incident.

By the way, I did not know he studied in Benilde. Poor kid.

After more than one month, I finally used the bathroom where my cell phone got flushed in. Not by choice though, the bathroom upstairs got locked so I had to use the one downstairs. My thoughts... that phone must be really small. It has been a month and it has not clogged! Hehehe!

I'm back to work. Sick leave. First day seem fine though I have occasional headaches and drowsiness. At least I can start doing something. Hopefully, I will be in tip-top shape soon so I can go around Mindanao again.