The MRT is the Dominatrix and We are All Her Bitches
It started off as a normal commuting morning. I got my usual seat in the usual car of the MRT. Yes, I am obsessive-compulsive like that. I had my earphones on, and I was in my usual commute slumber. I was awakened by the sudden change of temperature, and by angered voices. Then, the driver announced over the PA, To all passengers. Next train na lang po. Defective train po ito. Oh, and it broke down at Cubao station, aka. Commuter Hell.
I then decided to just take the bus, since another guy announced on the PA that the clerks stop selling tickets. Traffic went on smoothly up until Ortigas, but come Shaw, it was at a snail's pace. So I thought, fuck that, I won't get to work on time (I was late as it is.), I'll get on the MRT again.
Hence, my first statement. Either pick a mode of transportation that's fast, but breaks down frequently, or a mode of transportation that is slow, but reliable.
I hear that the Dominatrix is going to start charging her bitches extra.
I, along with my two friends, went to the Pink Film Festival 2004. Why the seemingly inappropriate use of italics? Jittery Announcer Guy said, 'Welcome to the Pink Film Festival 2000!' Yeah. Great job! 'Announcer' Guy. So after watching the Pink Festival video (which consists of veeeerry slow panning of a shirtless man's nipple to his armpit, his face to his arm, his elbow to his armpit (Again.) to the tune of, you guessed it, I Will Survive) being played ad nauseum, we finally got on to the film.
We watched Cheun Gwong Tsa Sit (Happy Together), a film that is known to be really very good, and Inter.m@tes, a film that is known for Ian Veneracion doing a gay role (and after watching it, for the extremely bad dubbing).
Dysfunctional gay couple Lai Yiu-Fai and Ho Po-Wing go on vacation in Argentina to see Iguazu Falls. Vacation turns out to be sucky, they run out of money, they break-up. The now ex-lovers try to work it out in Buenos Aires to save up money to return to Hong Kong. Individually, of course. Yiu-Fai works as a door man and later, a short-order cook, and later still, at an abattoir, and Po-Wing as (as his surname ironically suggests) a hustler.
Honestly, after the first ten minutes of this film, which included the sex scene (Shut up.), I wanted to walk out of the theater. The picture was black and white, and the pacing was excruciatingly slow. I had to stare at the Iguazu falls for almost two minutes. "Great! Two minutes of filler!" I thought. I really wanted to give this film a chance, so I stuck around, hoping that it would pick up, and it did. In a big way. Majorly. Is 'majorly' a word?
Let's get the camerawork out of the way, because as much as it is a big part of this film, it's the aspect of the film that I can say least of. Not because it sucked, but because of my lack of knowledge. All I can say is that most of it was beautiful. Very nice, creative shots. I don't know about the two minute waterfall filler, but still, it works. The detail is great, but subtle. Case in point? Slippers. I won't try to explain it.
By the way, if the anvil hasn't dropped on you yet that I'm being vague here, because I want you to see it? Then *klonk*, there's the anvil. Hitting your head.
So, on to the actors and characters. Nobody could've played Yiu-Fai and Po-Wing better than Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung (God bless his soul) respectively. Leung has that look of a straight man. Of course, I'm not talking heterosexual, but more of the honest, concerned, good doing, every man. Cheung has that look of a mischievous, high-maintenance bitch. Their portrayals of what I just described, are dead on. Yiu-Fai always has that 'I am carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders" scowl, while Po-Wing is all ''Sall good. Now feed me, bitch!" Even Chang Chen as Chang, Yiu-Fai's co-worker who he befriended was good. He made his character exude this ambiguity that would make you wonder what will happn in the end of the film.
The best aspect of the film, aside from the wonderful acting (Hi Tony Leung!) are the allegories. I loved how they used smoking to depict at which point in their relationship Yiu-Fai and Po-Wing are. At the beginning of he film, the two would be smoking like fiends, trying to suck in all the nicotine they can. A lot of times you will see them lighting up a cigarette or taking a drag at their cigarette. When something happens to Po-Wing and he ends up staying at Yiu-Fai's place, they didn't smoke a lot. And if they did, it was more of a liesurely manner, than at the beginning wherein you could sense their tension, and you'd want to have a cigarette yourself. Another good one involves Iguazu Falls, and a lamp. Beautiful set-up. It fills me with sadness, though. Again, I'm being very vague. Watch. This. Movie.
You need to use your brains for this one, folks. It's a fun challenge to absorb this movie.
Next: My mangling of Inter.m@tes. Seriously. It's spelled like that. Yes. They released it like that.
Jake Gyllenhaal is My Boyfriend and I Will Love Him Forevaaaaaaahhh!!!
Okay. So, not really.
The Day After Tomorrow isn't really about the world coming to an end. It was about the end of, well, most of the northern hemisphere's population, due to a big-ass shift in the climate. Weatherman hijinks ensue. Kidding. Cataclysmic weather activities ensue.
This movie stars Dennis Quaid (Hee!), Jake Gyllenhaal (Heeeeee! Eee!), and a bunch of other actors. I love these two guys here, because both of them play the type of man that I really like -- cute geeks. Jake Gyllenhaal's character, Sam, is the more endearing of the two, because you can see his transition from smartass to loving son. And because he's played by Jake Gyllenhaal.
A nice surprise, in my bid to watch the post-Lord Of The Rings work of the LOTR cast, is that Sir Ian Holm (The Lesser Known Sir Ian) is in this one. There are two familiar faces here: Anne Hathaway, and Dash Mihok. And, oh, wait. No, that's not Anne Hathaway. That's the girl who played Sean Penn's daughter in Mystic River! Hello, Anne Nothaway! No. Emmy Rossum. We remember Dash Mihok as Rhea Perlman's son in Pearl. Okay, I remember Dash Mihok as Rhea Perlman's son in Pearl. Most of you remember Dash Mihok in that Alanis Morissette where they danced. Well "danced". Yes, that big lug danced. Sela Ward plays "Mom" again as Sam's mother, and wife to Dennis Quaid's Jack (who, I forgot to mention, is a bigger geek than Sam). Oh, Sela Ward. Once and Again? No.
First off, I really liked the concept of this movie, and themes that it exhibit. In my head, I have this thought that nature is going to get back at us in a really big way, and this is it. I like the fact that there wasn't any way to stop one disaster after another from happening. Instead, the characters just have to survive and rely on what has been presented to them in their current situation. I also liked that the director showed the vulnerability and the frailty of seemingly indestructible places like Los Angeles and New York. This also works on another level, wherein seemingly indestructible America is devastated by the weather and is humbled by the havoc. I was amused to no end in that scene where Mexico closed off the border, blocking the American refugees. Major reversal.
The plot is a little thin. Basically it's about people being changed by one weather disaster after the next, while trying to live through it. I almost teared up a little in the end. Yes, I have a heart. Shut up. I so do have a heart. Most likely, there are a lot of factual errors with regards to the weather, climate, rate of the shift in climate, blah blee bloo. But you know what? It's a MOVIE! There is definitely going to be some un-truths here for entertainment value. As for the wolves, well, the wolves are another story. The wolves are overkill. Extremely unnecessary. It's a bad choice as a device of conflict when Sam and the gang went to get medicine and supplies.
The verdict: it's worth watching, but there's no replay value. I'd probably buy the DVD, though. Why? The Gyllenhaal.
Looking at your payslip and seeing that oh so glorious phrase, "Other Bonuses Non-Taxable". Note that this is for June. Right after the month that I got my midyear bonus, which has slipped through my fingers already.
Woo!
Yahoo!Mail upgrading my account from 10MB storage to 100MB storage! And, it's still FREE!
Yahoo! Rather, Woo!
Sorry I haven't updated this thing. For the past week(s?) either I've been fixing my computer at home, or out, or just plain lazy. But don't fret dear readers ( Yes, Andie, you're not alone anymore!), I owe you reviews for Dawn of the Dead, The Day After Tomorrow, and an account of Linkin Park: Live in Manila.
The magical kiddies return for another year at Hogwarts. Although, they're not really kiddies anymore. Daniel Radcliffe, well, see above. Rupert Grint has become the tallest of the three, and Emma Watson is blossoming very nicely. Tom Felton looks old. Adult old. Other noteable physical changes in the cast include Devon Murray (Seamus Finnegan) looking more and more like a duck. A leaner Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) growing 10 feet taller. Oliver and James Phelps (George and Fred) sporting mop tops. And growing even taller. Also, Sean Biggersta--oh. Wait. He's not in this one. Nope. NOT even a SINGLE frame! We'll get to that later.
Dan, Emma and Rupert have really improved with their acting. Especially Rupert, whose comic timing is dead on. As for the faculty, the most noticeable change is Dumbledore, who is now played by Michael Gambon. New Dumbledore has more color in his hair and beard and has a bit more spring in his step than Old Dumbledore (Richard Harris, bless his soul). It is a welcome change, though. Dame Maggie Smith is consistent as Professor McGonagall. So is Robbie Coltrane. And Alan Rickman. Sidenote: Alan Rickman can do no wrong. Yes, dear Alan. Even Galaxy Quest.
As for the newcomers, the Professor Trelawney in my head wasn't the same as the Trelawney in the film. My Trelawney was more of a daft fairy. Like pink, and chiffon and wings. Cuarón's Trelawney was, well, Big-Haired, Buck-Toothed Hobo Trelawney. Emma Thompson is still great, though. I've seen David Thewlis before, but I don't know where. I like his Remus Lupin, though. Very subtle. But still, where have I seen that guy before? Gary Oldman's portrayal of an almost deranged Sirius Black actually works, even if Sirius didn't appear to be so in the book.
So here's the deal, I read the books, and because of that fact, I thought this installment was kind of lacking. But! I think it was quite good, and still very enjoyable. I'd watch it again. And if you look at it from the perspective of a person who doesn't read the books, it's excellent. It doesn't mean, though, that I don't have any beef with Alfonso Cuarón. Again, we'll get to that later.
First off, the good. Cuarón has made this film look good. The colors are muted, and the look is darker. That's the most noticeable change in this film. Also, he has made the wizarding world look really big with the use of big sweeping shots outdoors. The camerawork is nice too, with the transitions. The Whomping Willow has been made into a transition tool to signify the changes of season, and it has also been made into comic relief, with a bird that's passing by, always getting victimized. The explosion of feathers is quite funny. One of the things that I really love about Cuarón's work in this one is the Marauders' Map. He hits this mark right-on. It's a great translation from book to visual. Also, the Dementors and Buckbeak look great.
Oh, and one more thing. In that scene where Harry, Hermione and Ron thought that Buckbeak was executed? That little threesome hug? What that an allusion to Y tu mamá también? Just a thought.
Notice that in the previous paragraph, there are no comments on plot. This is because it's all in the next one.
The lacking. Not really on plot, but backstory. It would have been nice to let the non-readers in on some of it. Like who Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are. Or why Harry's patronus is shaped like a deer. Small stuff like that.
There is one transition that Cuarón does, which annoys the hell out of me. In Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry faints. A lot. And in the film, when Harry faints, the viewers' perspective does too. There's just too much, I don't know, blank space with all of the black outs.
Some other things that are lacking are Quidditch, the awarding of the house cup in the end, AND Sean! Biggerstaff! He's the Quidditch captain! How can he not be in the game? And of course we know that he's not in Goblet of Fire anymore, so that's it. Good bye Biggerstaff?! Hee. Biggerstaff. Biggerstaff. Biggerstaff.
Anyway, I'll wrap this up. Watch it. Watch it, because it looks great, and the kids are great, and the effects are great. Watch it, but don't expect a lot of backstory. Still great, though.
I was out on training last Monday, so I wasn't able to get on Fan Forum. As I was walking to Ayala Station, I got a text from Gill, saying that I got the mod position. Of course, my initial reaction was to jump up and down like an idiot as I am wont to do, but I just maintained my composure, and just muttered, "No. Fucking. Way!" as I walked.
So now, my problem is how to get new episodes, but I guess I can duke it out with dial-up.
Last Saturday night. Me and a couple of people from FanForum met up and had dinner at Kroc(k?)odile Grill(e?) in GB3. There were 6 of us: Me, Kitt, Teena, Reese, Jem, and Honorary FF'er Lot. We had food that was either grilled or fried: Sisig, Buffalo Wings, Spicy Squid, Lechon Kawali. Clog them arteries while your still young, I always say. Soonafter, Paul, missing in action FF'er and Teena's friend joined us for a bit of chit chat.
We then checked out this brass band that was playing at the front of the now closed Aubar. The 'Brass Munkeys', they were called. I think. They were fairly good, although you couldn't hear the vocalist. Apparently, each instrument is hooked up, hence, they were louder, than the vocalist. Great job, 'Sound guys'. After the band's performance, we proceeded to Absinth for a round of drinks. San Mig Lights, Kurants, Bailey's Shakes, and a Strawberry Daiquiri abound. I was quite surprised when Reese had a Blow Job, for the road. You go, honey. There has been some coercing going on in the table. Mainly Paul, Teena and I coercing Kitt, Jem and Lot to go to BED with us (Reese had to go home). Too bad Lot had to go home already too, which led to Kitt and Jem going too. Next time, honeys. Next time.
Earlier that Saturday. I bought an 80G Maxtor Hard Disk and a Sony DVD ROM. Good bye, money.
I, along with my two friends, went to the Pink Film Festival 2004. Why the seemingly inappropriate use of italics? Jittery Announcer Guy said, 'Welcome to the Pink Film Festival 2000!' Yeah. Great job! 'Announcer' Guy. So after watching the Pink Festival video (which consists of veeeerry slow panning of a shirtless man's nipple to his armpit, his face to his arm, his elbow to his armpit (Again.) to the tune of, you guessed it, I Will Survive) being played ad nauseum, we finally got on to the film.
Oh crap. When did Radcliffe get to be so cute? He's fourteen years old! Stop thinking about how cute he is! Fourteen! 
