2012 and the new world from the chinese arks

extra large solar flare eruptions disturb the solar system that sends heat waves of epic proportions. This causes the earth’s core to boil, steaming the birth of chaos and havoc to mankind. tremors occupy the earth as tumbles and rips in many directions. tectonic plates and continents moves as titanic tsunamis invade the planet. somehow, somewhere, in the midst of all the apocalyptic scenarios, a family (together with thousands of other people) struggles to survive as they inch their way to the mountains of china where the world powers have secretly built modern arks that are supposed to save the world should another great deluge pays the world a visit. no, this is not the exact mayan prediction about the apocalypse of 2012, these scenarios are from ronald emmerich’s sci-fi movie 2012.

i almost doze off during the first quarter of the movie. thandie newton used to excite me but she bores me from the very first frame that i see her till the closing credits roll. it is a struggle to keep an eye open. drinking non-stop from the extra large soda cup does not help. i have to keep stuffing my mouth with popcorn to keep my facial muscles busy, hoping that doing so could help bring back my attention to the movie.

and then i saw john cusack and family’s car evading and racing through the chaos-punched streets of los angeles. the visuals are actually good. that hooks back my focus on the film. the whole scene where you see buildings and cars crashing, the roads ripping, trees uprooting, and just everything tumbling up and down the metropolis is like a good amusement park ride. yeah, it could pass as one of those computer generated visual rollercoaster like the simpson’s ride at universal studios hollywood.

there is a general theme in apocalyptic films like these that shows the various reactions of mankind in times of hardcore extreme trouble. people will do anything to survive, even if it takes to kill, even if it entails sacrifice.

the movie is a miss and can be chaotic in many levels, but its focus on certain family values like sacrifice and love salvages it from the rubbles and oceans of apocalyptic debris.

a tryst of grace with death on chris martinez’s 100

there are hundreds of things to do on my list but which should be accomplished first? given the premise that each passing second that ticks in our life is another step closer to death, which will prioritize before you meet death right smack in the face?

the character of joyce (mylene dizon) reminds us to review our bucket list (the list of things that we want to do before we die or let’s put it this way, the things we want to do while we live) in preparation to death’s often unannounced visit.

in the movie 100, joyce is one of those lucky individuals who have been given the chance and the opportunity to put things into order days before her rendezvous with death. her knowledge about her sickness allows her to sort things with herself, with her family, and with her friends.

“how come everybody wanted to go to heaven but nobody wanted to die?” –joyce’s dad

“if i am 100% sure that i will go to heaven, i can die anytime.” -joyce

despite its fame, death has been one of the most eluded and feared topics since the existence of mankind. the association of death with fear, evil and the dark forces of this universe can be attributed to most people’s perspectives regarding it. incomplete bucket lists, shattered hopes, unfulfilled dreams, the birth of the what could have beens, the spring of regrets- most of these things happen because of death. that is according to most people i know who have seen and experienced death among their friends and families.

upon joyce’s journey towards the date of her death, we can see how she was able to reconcile the issues of her past, the dilemmas of her present and the stability of the future of the people around her.

chris martinez’s 100 is a spiritual comedy that tickles the soul. isn’t this is a movie about death? isn’t it supposed to be sad and gloomy as you witness how the character deals with her remaining days on earth, fulfilling her 100 things to do on post-its? it is sad, actually, but the brilliance of the script and the genius of the acting of mylene dizon and eugene domingo makes me smile and laugh during the most unexpected scenes.

one of the most poignant and bittersweet scenes of the movie is when joyce and ruby (eugene domingo) visits the grounds of their gradeschool to reminisce the past. the lingering memories of the fun times of the yesteryears in contrast to the present never fails to summon a smile coupled with a slight pinch at the heart.

contrary to what a friend remarks about the simplicity of the film, i think the element of simplicity works. the simplicity of the movie, which the friend thinks is at par with mmk (maalaala mo kaya) episodes, works in such a way that it moves me in different levels, and it has inspired me to want to face death with grace like joyce.

the friend argues that indie films are supposed to be different, or gay, or something way out of the ordinary. 100 is just too ordinary for him, given the simple topic of death and dealing with it. i am no film expert, but for me, the difference between indie and mainstream is their scope in terms of distribution and audience. the effectiveness of the film lies on its power to at least trigger something within the audience. it doesn’t necessary have to be a positive feeling, but as long as the film has acted as a catalyst of change, encouraging chemical reactions to the body and possibly pushing neurons into exercise, it is effective.

the final scene, where the audience can see the camera panning and fading on joyce overlooking to her family in a tranquil state is this film's scene for the win.

joyce’s life is the climax itself. the whole film, each act of fulfilling her post-its is a gracefully executed step by step denouement to her demise.

56f

on frame: my sister. random shot to kill boredom

winter air will start to pierce you with cold stares.

my semi-auditory pacquiao-cotto experience

pendong peace!

november 14 2009, pacific standard time

dad was out to watch the fight with his newly found friends. sister went with her look-alike friend’s house to witness the match in live action. i was left alone at home, cooked dinner, and heard the booming speakers of the mexican neighbor’s hd tv broacasting the pacquiao-cotto fight live.

jonalyn viray and the la divas sang the philippine national anthem.

ramiele minus the malubay surname sang the star sprangled banner.

i heard the rocky theme song being played for pacquiao. i guessed it was the intro part for each fighter.

the exhaust of the kitchen stove and the defective fire alarm drowns the sound of the fight.

cheers from the speakers dominated the airwaves.

i hear filipinos shhouting manny! manny! on the background.

round 8 the mexican neighbors’ loud “yeah!” “go!” and “ah!” defetaed the sound from the tv speakers.

wow. those neighbors are also rooting for manny.

round 8 .11 secs left, i found a streaming a live site online. the channel is in spanish. but who cares. i muted my computer’s audio and relied on the neighbors power speakers.

pacman and cotto hugged.

cheers from the neighbors.

manny! manny! from the crowd on tv.

back at the computer, i saw the distorted, blood-smeared face of cotto.

mexican neighbors shouted like they were filipinos.

i joined the “yeah!” and “go manny!” and shouted in unison with the crowd.

round 12. more cheers from the neighbors. i chanted “go manny! go manny!” all by myself.

commentators verified the victory of manny.

the announcer declares manny pacquiao’s victory.

i hear manny answering interview questions.

then the sound of the super speakers of the neighbors deadened.

i just heard and witnessed another historical event.

congratulations manny pacquiao for being the 1st boxer to win 7 world titles in different weight divisions.

mabuhay ka manny!

officially gleek

met some of the glee cast (finn-corie montieth/ tina-jenna ushkowitz/ artie-kevin mchale/ kurt-chris colfer/ puck-mark salling)last weekend for the autograph signing of their soundtrack cd- glee: the music (season 1).


i was rooting to see rachel and quinn but unfortunately, they were not present during the autograph signing session.

it was one of the most peaceful queue that i've been so far.
thank god uber excited screaming, and hormonally charged a la twilight fangirls and boys were not present.

glee is the new highschool musical/comedy/drama show from fox that features the lives of the people at the fictional william mckinley high school's glee club.

the show showcases a wide selection of songs and production numbers ranging from pop, rnb, broadway, contemporary and alternative genres.

can’t say i love you, not just yet

vivendi entertainment’s new york i love you is like a dynamic jigsaw puzzle where each piece that completes the big picture moves and changes in random. you see moving images, you see people, you see places, but you will find it difficult to decipher the image that you expect to see.


the best way to enjoy the movie is to entertain yourself with the cityscapes and the relationships built among the myriad of lives and culture in the city.

from the 11 shorts featured, some definitely stand out from the rest.


one of my favorites is the story of the guy who dates a girl on the wheelchair during his prom night. turns out, the pretty girl on wheels that acts as the key that unlocks the doors of his virginity, is a new york theatre actress on practice.

the scene between maggie q and ethan hawke outside the restaurant is one of the wittiest written comedy from the bunch.

kudos to natalie portman’s heartwarming short that features the story between a man nanny and a young girl.

walking with the old couple who rants about their relationship, their life and their anniversary is probably the slowest short from the whole. yet, your senses will bathe in the sweetness and the sincerity of their relationship that will make you go awww in one way or another.



the ladies- natalie portman, shu-qi, maggie q, rachel bilson, olivia thirlby are all for the win!

the attempt to showcase the diversity of lives and culture is there, but new york i love you still gives me the feeling dissatisfaction. it was like going around the city by cab without actually going down the street, without walking on the pavement, without running around the corners and experiencing the city itself on your own. although in some occasions there is that fleeting feeling that the level of experience is somehow limited, new york i love you still works better for me than paris, je t'aime (paris i love you). i enjoyed my experience with most of the individual pieces of the puzzle and for me, it is new york i just like you.

watching the movie compensates for my postponed trip to the city, which, by the way, reminds me of cubao- the melting pot of culture and people from various cities of the philippines.(imagine transportation stations to and from various cities of the country are based at the area)

ok, i miss cubao.

voicemail 2

in the absence
i feel your presence
in the silence
i hear your voice

thank you.
this will suffice before i hit the sack.

119090911

yesterday all my senses bathe at the ecstasy of your presence. it was yesterday but i can still feel you today. the kisses you plant on my nape, the calm and comforting embrace of your arms, the sweet scent of your breath, the warmth of your body, the intensity of your spirit- i can still feel you despite the hundreds of miles distance.

i hate how the lingering smell of your sweat and perfume haunts me. i hate the slideshow of our memories playing at infinite loop inside my brain. i hate how you manage to turn my world into you. i hate how this eruption of feelings dominates my mind and body since the alarm woke me at 6. i hate how I repress myself to express the overwhelming tides of emotions. i hate how these sentences start with “i hate” when in fact most of them actually starts with “i love.”

tomorrow i know i will still wallow at the pleasure of your existence. the memories of yesterday could cover up for your physical absence. the trail of kisses you leave on my body, the heat of your embrace, the sweet vapors of your body, and the strength of your spirit will remain and be cherished until we meet again. who knows.

evening preparation for tomorrow’s lunch

quick! fingers cut the shrimp head
blood jumps to water
life escapes, the tail turns black

ohsoulsday

someone prays for a part of his soul that cannot be trusted.
may it be touched with the hands of a soul filled with faith.

let us pray for the unnamed souls wandering the earth, wondering when they will meet justice in the face.
may someone help them find justice by recognizing and blessing them with their names.

somebody prays for a part of his soul that longs to be wanted.
may that soul let go of the feeling and learn to live by the day without any expectations.

let us pray for those whose souls find pleasure in causing damage to others. that includes those who trick others for money, and those who ruin lives by their selfishness.
may they find their respective places in hell, asap.