vhong navarro

vhong navarro - deniece cornejo - cedrick lee brouhaha became a national issue. and with this comes #laughtrip memes!

oz

i finally saw oz the great and the powerful! haha! i wanted to see this in one of those biz trip flights but for some reasons, i always ended up either watching another film or falling asleep.

building up on themes from the 1939 film, oz the great and powerful was about oz,  “a small-time magician is swept away to an enchanted land and is forced into a power struggle between three witches.” oz (james franco) encounters theodora (mila kunis), the good witch of the emerald city who turns into the green-skinned wicked witch after evanora tricks her into biting a magical apple. evanora (rachel weisz)  is the true wicked witch, who poisoned the king, glinda’s father. glinda (michelle williams) is the good witch of the south and together with oz, led the good citizens of oz to defeat and banish evanora and theodora from oz.

most people said that this movie fell short of the expectations. some said that james franco and mila kunis were flat and the story and dialog were lame. and i agree with them. but this one is totally better than alice in wonderland that featured johnny depp, anne hathaway and helena bonham carter. first, oz’s visual effects had the wow factor. it gave the viewers a vivid, dazzling and colourful world of witches, flying baboons, quadlings, munchkins and tinkers. then its references to the 1939 film gave it interesting characters such as finley (voiced by zach braff), the flying monkey and china girl, a living china doll. mariah carey's almost home was also played at the credits of the film. and of course, they had the “delicious” villain in rachel weisz as the evil evanora and michelle williams provided the very capable contrast to evanora and theodora’s wickedness with her ethereal presence and quiet, virtuous bearing. the fight scene between these two is one of the highlight of the film.

it wasn’t a great movie but i was entertained. it didn’t ask to be taken seriously and it’s a fun way to spend a monday evening.

   

glinda: [as the bubbles are flying towards the shield] the shield allows a good-hearted person to pass.

oz: [panicking] i'm gonna die!

a separate peace

outlined articles, readings in bullet points and short articles are almost always my thing. never i were a fan of long readings… and unfortunately these include books. even during school days, i won’t read line per line. instead, i would just scan over pages of books and try to get some key words or sentences that would stick with me and be able to make do with these information in time for an exam or a paper.

so i was surprised with myself when i actually finished a book! on my way to bangkok in january of last year, i brought with me a copy of a separate peace by john knowles. i was just thinking that i would have something to be busy with during the flight when the movies being shown would not be interesting at all.

  

i got this book in fully booked bonifacio high street in one of those solo flights. the cover had a quote by aubrey menen saying that this john knowles novel was written and designed well that began with a tiny incident among ordinary boys but ends up by being deep and “as big as evil itself.” and true enough, the book kept me glued as if i was watching an outstanding telemovie. similar to more formal reviews of the book, knowles’ novel is “a model of restraint” and “deeply felt.”

gene forrester remembered his days as a 16 year old in an elite new hampshire school when he came back to devon, his school where he met his friend and roommate, phineas (or finny). a tree by the river became a central character in gene and finny’s friendship. finny, the school’s best athlete, likes to jump from the tree into the river and always dares gene to also take the plunge. from here, the suicide society was born, with finny as the de facto leader, cementing gene and finny’s bond. however, gene started to feel that finny is deliberately preventing him from becoming the best student in school as finny pressures him to go in with all of the former’s activities, especially that of the suicide society. gene’s unspoken hatred of finny grew, especially when he failed a math test. once again, finny coaxed gene to go jumping into the river. when both of them were in the high branch of the tree, gene spontaneously jolted the branch causing finny to fall.

finny’s legs were shattered, putting an end to his sporting career. finny had to go home to recover, where gene visited him. during this visit, gene confessed to finny that he brought about finny’s fall when he jolted the branch. finny did not believe gene’s confession. by becoming close to brinker hadley, gene opts to enter military service. this plan evaporated with finny’s return, who declared that the war isn’t true and gene should train to become an athlete to join the 1944 olympics. one evening, brinker and the other members of the suicide society brought gene and finny to mock trial, where finny learns of his friend’s guilt. he furiously left the room and fell on the stairs.

as he broke his legs again, finny was brought to the infirmary. when the two got the chance to talk, finny asked gene whether he really meant hurting him or not. gene admitted that he acted without resentment and what happened was a result of impulse, which was accepted by finny. finny dies during the operation. gene felt that a part of him also died with finny – it was the part of himself that secretly held deep envy of his friend’s sporting achievements. he understood that deep within him, he had ill will towards finny, which was his real war at devon. with finny’s death, gene got his peace, a separate peace.

burst your bubble

"Well, I don't want to burst UP your bubbleS! - Dee #laughtrip

vanilla cupcake

“I've never met a problem a proper cupcake couldn't fix.” - Sarah Ockler, Bittersweet

supervillain

may ilang buwan ding nanahimik ang demona. nahimbing yata sa piling ng mga sumasamba sa araw. natutulog din pala ito?! o puwede rin namang nag-ipon lang ng lakas. o di kaya ay tumuklas ng bagong kapangyarihan. maaari ring muling nagkarga ng pampalakas para lalong maging potento ang kanyang kamandag.

kung anuman ang ginawa ng lamanlupa nitong nakaraang buwan ay subok ang bisa. dalawang piyon na naman ang tuluyan nang humandusay at naulaol. dalawang linggo lang halos ang itinagal ng dalawang ito pero di kinaya ang mabigat na atake ng mandragora. gaya ng mga naunang nagsialpas, tiyak na nilukuban ang mga ito ng di maipaliwanag na dilim. nanakit ang kanilang mga kalamnan. nanginig ang kanilang mga tuhod hanggang sa di na makatayo. matatapos ito sa paninikip ng dibdib at pagbigat ng batok. sa puntong ito, karamihan ng mga napailalim sa demona ay may isang kahihinatnan lang – madaliang alpas. kung di nila gagawin ito, tuluyan silang mawawalan ng malay at pagkagising nila ay swisaydal na sila! kahit na nga may sangkalupaan at kipot na naghihiwalay sa dalawang piyon at sa mandragora, nahagupit pa rin sila ng galamay ng lamanlupa!

iilan lang naman ang nakahanap ng antidoto sa kamandag ng mandragora di ba? sa kasawiang-palad, di lahat ay mayroon nito. lalo na nga kung bago ang piyon. pero nito lang nakaraang linggo, malakas ang ugong na isang establisadong piyon ang nakatakdang magpaalam na rin bago pa man ito tuluyang magpatiwakal. nasa gitnang lebel na ang babaing ito kaya nakagugulat na malaman na suko na rin pala ito. sa katotohanan, umalpas na ito dati. ang rason ay ang kamandag ng mandragora. bumalik ito matapos malinlang ng demona na nagbalatkayo bilang isang refrigerator. napabalik naman ang ga-tingting na piyon at napapayag nga nito na gawin siyang panggitnang lebel. lumipas ang mga buwan, tila maayos naman ang tunguhan nilang dalawa. hanggang nito ngang dulo ng nagdaang taon. tumaas yata masyado ang lebel ng demonisasyon ng demona, mukhang nawawalan ng puwersa ang tingting. ang balita ay di ito makalunok at laging nabibilaukan dahil pinuntirya ng demona ang lalamunan ng tingting. bukod sa lalo itong namamayat, nagmumukha itong hukluban dahil sa sa pagsipsip ng demona sa kanyang tuwa’t galak. ang siste, nagsimulang gumalugad ang tingting ng ibang lupain. dumating na nga ito sa pangalawang raun ng panayaman.

pero tulad ng sa isang malebolenteng supervillain, nasagap ng demona ang balitang ito. di ko alam kung may palantir din ito o dala ng mga ispiritung lagi niyang kausap, nalaman at dagli-dagling umaksyon ang demona. kaagad nitong ginamit ang makamandag niyang mga salita upang wasakin ang buong pagkatao ng tingting! walang awa nitong pinangalandakan sa ibang pangkat na walang anumang dunong ang tingting. kesyo puro pera lang ang habol nito at di mapagtitiwalaan sa anumang bagay lalo na sa pagiging lider sa pag-iisip. siyempre pa, gumana na naman ang isa pang katutubong kakayahan ng demona – ang pang-iislander at paninirang-puri. dahil dito, di na nga kinunsidera ang tingting sa bagong posisyon doon sa kabilang pangkat. tagumpay muli ang demona! nagbigay na ng palugit ang tingting pero totoo sa pagiging lamanlupa, sinagot lamang nito ang tingting na, “bakit di ka pa lumayas ngayon?”

sabi nga ng mga taga-quezon, “ay kainaman” ang panget na ito! nakukuha niya ang anumang gustuhin dahil nga hawak niya sa leeg ang dambumbay. bagamat maykapangyarihan din ang dambumbay, hinahayaan lang nitong mangwasak ng buhay ang lamanlupa kapalit ng pag-aakyat nito ng kaperahan sa kaban ng bayan. siyempre magrereklamo pa ba naman ang dambumbay kung puro ++$ ang inihahatid ng demona? pinsalang kolateral na lamang ang mga gaya ng dalawang piyon at tingting sa mas malawak na layong panatilihin ang kita. sa paningin ng dambumbay, hangga’t positibo ang akyat ng salapi, wala siyang pakialam kung ilang piyon pa ang magpatiwakal bunga ng kasamaan ng demona.

ang tanong, ano nga kaya ang nagpapalakas sa mandragora? kung si popeye ay kumukuha ng lakas mula sa spinach, ang mandragora kaya? medyo mahirap tukuyin kung anong pagkain ito. pero ang malinaw ay lalo itong lumalakas kapag may napayuyuko. lumalakas ito mula sa paghigop ng kasiyahan ng ibang nilalang. nakupo! mukhang ito na nga. namana nga ng mandragora ang kakayahan ng mga dementor na higupin ang anumang tuwa at galak ng ibang tao. sipsipin ito at kapag nahigop na niya ang lahat ng ito, pinapanumbalik nito ang lakas at sigla ng demona. maaari rin namang pinatutuka ng dambumbay ang mandragora ng maysalamangkang butil na lalong nagpapaigting sa dahas ng demona.

sa bagong yugtong ito, ano pa nga kaya ang burak na ibubuga ng demona sa mga darating na panahon? ating abangan.

good news

mabuting balita lang
'yun ang habol sa 40 minutong ito.

pakialam ng tao sa tigre't kabayo
'yun eh kahunghangan lang.

karaming palabok
'yun ang pinangalandakan.

kaperahan at kaperahan
'yun naman talaga ang mahalaga.

wala ba talagang good news?

rec

hilakbot na “first-person” at “shaky cam”ang pambenta ng rec. at ito ay talaga namang tagumpay sa kanyang layuning brutal na manggulat at hilahin ang manonood sa katatakutang lalo lang tumitindi habang papatapos ang pelikula.

 

kukuha lang sana ng ilang clips para sa isang segment ng when you’re asleep, isang reality serye sa telebisyon, ang tambalan ni angela (manuela velasco) at kanyang cameraman na si pablo. sinundan nila ang mga bumbero na reresponde sa isang bilding kung saan may isang matandang babae na na-lock sa kanyang yunit. normal naman ang lahat pagdating nila, nandoon na ang mga pulis at nag-ipun-ipon na ang ibang nangungupahan sa lobi. pero introduksyon lang pala ito sa terror na bumulaga sa mga pulis at sa midya. may kung anong impeksyon ang dumapo sa matandang babae, naging bayolente ito at inatake ang mga pulis at bumbero. sa kuwento ng isang health officer, ginagawang bloodthirsty ng kung anong mabalasik na virus ang mga taong naimpeksyon nito. ang aso ni jennifer, isa sa mga nakatira sa bilding, ay dinala sa beterinaryo dahil sa sakit ngunit pinagkakagat nito ang ibang mga hayop at ito nga ay natunton pabalik sa bilding na ito.

sunod-sunod ang mga nakagat at naimpeksyon hanggang ikwrantin na ang buong gusali. napadpad naman sina manuela at pablo sa penthouse kung saan nila natuklasan na ang lugar pala na ‘yun ay pag-aari ng isang ahente ng vatican na inutusang magsaliksik at mag-isolate sa birulenteng virus. ang virus na ito ay pinaghinalaang bayolohikal na epekto ng pagsapi ng isang demonikong elemento sa isang tao. ito ay napatunayan namang umiiral sa katauhan ni tristana medeiros na ginahasa ng isang grupo ng mga pari. di nagtagumpay ang ahenteng masawata ang virus at ini-lock nito si tristana sa yunit upang mamatay mula sa kagutuman. sa puntong ito, nadaanan ng camera ang dayupay nang si tristana at may hawak itong martilyo. inatake niya si pablo at isinunod si manuela. habang nangyayari ang lahat ng ito, di tumigil ang pagrolyo ng camera.

di mapapakali sa takot ang manonood ng rec. mula sa eksena ng matandang babae hanggang sa hilahin ni tristana sa dilim si manuela, all-out kumbaga ang katatakutan. di naman maiiwan ng matagal ang hilakbot nito sa iyo pero ibang klase ang dadanasing kasindakan sa walang patumangga at in-your-face na takot.  ang isa pang maganda sa rec ay di ito masyadong mahaba. tamang-tama lamang ang mahusay na pagbusiksik nito at may angkop na daloy at bilis. kakaibang sinematikong ekspiryensya na puno ng tensyon at nakapapagod sa mabuting paraan.  

o apostolo

whether it is claymation or stereoscopic stop motion picture (or even both), i don’t care. haha! what’s important is i enjoyed this gothic and satirical treat from writer/director fernando cortizo. i saw o apostolo from last year’s pelicula (2013 spanish filmfest) and i was really entertained. i didn’t even read the synopsis as its out of the ordinary poster already drew me in.

 

o apostolo is about ramon (voiced by carlos blanco), a convict who escaped from prison in pursuit of treasures hidden by a fellow prisoner. this led him to xanaz, a remote village located on the pilgrimage path to santiago de compostela, galicia. galicia in spain is the country’s land of mists and legends and is very known for its gothic architecture. upon reaching xanaz, ramon was welcomed by a strange group of elders, apparently the only residents of this misty and blanketed town. he easily figured that the town residents are doing sinister night-time activities. but it was too late for him to steer clear of the town’s olden curse – the galician horror legend of santa compaña. he unknowingly became part of santa compaña, the procession of the dead, led by a living man who holds the cross, going around streets of xanaz. ramon or whoever is leading the procession will slowly die unless he is able to pass the cross to another.

the movie did zigzag a bit before finally opening up about santa compaña. not a problem for me ‘though because the movie provided an awesome spectacle of a setting. its stop motion illustrations were elaborate. xanaz and the replica of the cathedral were magnificent. even the characters were made to look like the actors voicing them. the highlight for me was the cutout animation telling the starting point of xanaz’s curse. the musical score completed the eerie and gothic feel, especially the score that accompanied the santa compaña. the satire’s height was reached when the worldly and haughty archbishop ended up taking over ramon as the holder of the cross of the procession of the dead. with a new pope who shuns materialism installed not too long ago, cortizo’s archbishop provided an apt contrast. the “major major” point of o apostolo is that sometimes even the so-called almighty’s emissary choose not to follow what’s good and let themselves wallow in worldly riches, constantly looking for riches ala ramon.

peace

wallflower

another coming of age film. yup. but the perks of being a wallflower is definitely not your average coming of age film. it is so much more than the usual insecure youngster who embarks on his first year of high school. it is moving and despite mature and serious themes such as mental illness, drugs, alcohol and sexual abuse, it still gave me that feel-good vibe.

it daringly plunged into issues such as homophobia, depression, incest and death. what’s very good with this movie is that these issues did not feel manufactured at all. all these were interspersed with funny moments, which flowed smoothly, springing one sarcastic but happens-in-real-life lines and then moving to reflective and poignant moments. its enjoyable moments will make one reminisce and look back at happy times of your not-so-past past. while the characters are dealing with serious issues, there were no agonizing scenes to illustrate the gloomy experiences of the characters. there were only authentic scenes from its authentic characters and the filmmaker tells it upfront and somehow candidly but with strong emotions. charlie (logan lerman) was not aiming to get even with school bullies or even to be cool unlike in other coming of age movies. it’s not everyday when you have a protagonist who just wants to be just like everyone. this is the landmark of the film, thanks to the masterful handling of its director, stephen chbosky (also the author of the book) and its well written screenplay with great dialogues such as below:

Charlie: Why do nice people choose the wrong people to date?

Bill: Are we talking about anyone specific?

[Charlie nods]

Bill: We accept the love we think we deserve.

Charlie: Can we make them know they deserve more?

Bill: We can try.

Charlie: I don't know if I will have the time to write any more letters because I might be too busy trying to participate. So if this does end up being the last letter I just want you to know that I was in a bad place before I started high school and you helped me. Even if you didn't know what I was talking about or know someone who's gone through it, you made me not feel alone. Because I know there are people who say all these things don't happen. And there are people who forget what it's like to be 16 when they turn 17. I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We'll all become somebody's mom or dad. But right now these moments are not stories. This is happening. I am here and I am looking at her. And she is so beautiful. I can see it. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you're listening to that song and that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite.

its awesome soundtrack and musical score completed the whole experience. the “mix tape” songs aptly provided the mood and complemented the characters’ frame of mind, aura and feelings.

i only know logan lerman as percy jackson. yes, that forgettable movie i must say because i fell asleep watching it. but what a complete turnaround the perks of being a wallflower gave him. his charlie was a charming but fragile person and he successfully embodied the character. for me, logan lerman’s true highlight was during the last 20 minutes of the film when charlie descends into depression and finally confronts the painful childhood horror he’s had. emma watson will forever be hermione for me. she still has that bookish/librarian air in her although sam is supposed to be a liberated and free spirited one. anyhow, her sam is a good start to finally break away from the iconic character. ezra miller was the clear standout. comic relief if you may but his patrick was such a great one, balancing comedy with heartwarming characterization. his professor-imitation and his confrontation with brad in the cafeteria showed how great his talent is. now, i really must see we need totalk about kevin.

  

the perks of being a wallflower strikes a remarkable look at the usually inescapable gawkiness of adolescence. while the movie had teenagers as central characters, it is by no means a teenybopper film. this flick wonderfully grabbed hold of the funny side, angst, energy and heartbreak that come with one’s teenage years. and because of this, it won over a lot of mature audiences such as me.

70

platinum na pala kumbaga sa bilang ng mga taon. 'ika nga, sumitenta na. sa loob nito, 38 naman ang isa pang magic number. sa mitolohiyang norse, simbulo ng ibayong katapangan ang 38. 38 din ang mga pusang bantay ng sinumang na-mummy na paraon. 

bilang ng mahika!