Rock of Ages – Something to Look Forward in 2012

Click here for the Trailer

I’ve been wanting to see this broadway musical eversince I saw snippets of it being performed in Tony Awards. Finally I get to see it in big screen with Tom Cruise and Catherine Zeta Jones. Definitely something to look forward to in 2012.

I Died Of Excitement!

Ang laki laki na nila Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Nakakatakot talaga si Nagini!

Ang cute nung Seven Potters scene…

Excited na ko! Super!

November 19! Gow!

How To Be Alone…

Will definitely be taking cue from this video, since I think I’m damned to be alone for the rest of my life.

Legally Blonde Finally!

Finally saw the Philippine production of Legally Blonde the musical, I was a bit hesitant at first in seeing the show since I practically memorized the MTV production of the musical baka kasi it would fail in comparison. Well, it did’nt, I so love Atlantis Production’s take on it, very refreshing!

The show was actually late for almost an hour, I kinda anticipated that since when I left the house (Bulacan), Nikki Gil was still on ASAP, I was silently praying na sana hindi yung understudy ang mag-play kay Elle Woods.

I was with Mr. O and his officemates, our seat were the best, right in front of the stage fifth row from the front which I guess is better than the front row since were actually leveled with the stage.

Taken while we were going down to our seats. pasimpleng shot, the stage design was really amazing, though not as elaborate as the one in the Broadway production, it was ingenious, ang cute nung mga chairs na books.

The cast was fantastic as well, Nikki Gil is so lovable, Geneva Cruz had her moments in Whipped Into Shape, the Greek Chorus deserves a standing ovation, Nyoy Volante is a disappointment, Cris Villonco is lovable as well even if she plays Vivien and Jett Pangan is sexy!

Mr. O made some pasimple shots using his phone while they perform the “Legally Blonde Reprise”. Ang cute talaga nung stage design!

I want to make saway Mr. O while he was taking the pictures kaya lang naisip ko, I need photos for my blog. hehehe!

It was nice seeing the musical on it’s last day, the cast have really mastered their roles and are already experimenting with other attacks on their delivery, we got the best seat in the house since we booked the tickets like a couple of months ago and of course the celebrity sightings since it’s the last day.

Till next one! ( Meeoow! )

Emir: Surprisingly Terrific

I was blown away by Emir. I was actually expecting a “failed attempt” musical film but from the very start until the movie ended, Emir stood it’s ground as a world-class film.

Never mind that it has a loose plot, that the story wasn’t developed to it’s fullest potential, Emir managed to break out of the usual “cheesiness” musical usually get stuck with if poorly executed. The production design is flawless, as I’ve heard, the film costs 30 million pesos and you can clearly tell that the budget was maximized, the costume looks authentic and set designs are done tastefully.

 The story revolves around a young Ilokana girl is forced by poverty to seek employment abroad. She lands in the home of an influential sheik in an Arab emirate, where she is given the honor of being the nanny of the Sheik’s only male child. Away from her family and home, she begins to build a new life in this foreign land, finding new family in the people around her.

One of the reason I fell in love with Emir is it’s music, it’s richly pinoy, no attempt to make it sound foreign or pop, the melody of each song is soaring with either energy or melancholia which ever is needed. The love theme song, the song about the moon and the mayordoma’s exit song are some highlights with the best melody and lyrics combined, the happy song such as the “bawal ang tamad”, isang dosenang pasko and international yaya are brimming with energy, Lyrically, the songs were magnified by the rich play on the Filipino language, Tagalog and other dialects, the words of the songs were mesmerizing and nostalgic at the same time. Besides the great songs, the script is luminous with taunting one-liners, short and snappy but it carries the weight of the emotions it has to tell.

The cast is what makes this film perfect. Farr is a revelation in this film, the girl can really act and she managed to pull off aging effortlessly. Dulce as the mayordoma steals several numbers from the entire cast. Kalila Aguilos is as always great, given a meatier role this time and a chance to display her vocal prowess, the moon scene is superbly haunting because of her. Clarete, Salviejo, Dujunco and Batucan, is not to be missed as well, giving their best perfomance yet to date.

Here’s a sample of one of their song with the cast…

Dulce and Farr sings one of the films finest number…

Notable scenes are; The moon scene, The “Kayod ng Kayod scene, Dulce’s Exit, the love song scene and the war scene. Winner ang execution ni Rono!

Here’s the full trailer of Emir…

Simply put, Emir is a film that can’t be missed, It’s a rich quilt of the Filipino culture, tradition, values, struggles and victories, a film that made me proud that I’m a Filipino. Kudos to Rono and his cast and team, You guys made history!

Last Hurray For This Summer

This summer didn’t turned out exactly the way I want it to be. Some unnecessary bad event happened and I got caught in it nevertheless it has some highlights, specially that Pangasinan trip.

So, before the summer vacation officially ends, Mr. O and I went out to watch Sex and the City.

We watched the farewell special of Sex and The City for the series while on the road. Mr. O want to go to Greenhills, he’s bored with Trinoma already.

while waiting for the movie, we whiled the time at Fully Booked. That girl scared the hell out of me! biglang bumulaga!

I found this. It’s a something something for chefs’, a stationary or a plan guide if they’re trying something new in the kitchen.

And here’s how it looks inside. I wanted to buy it but I’m in TIPID mode since I’ve been a bum for two months already.

This book also looms me, parang nagpapabili talaga. Well, I’m not done with The Carrie Diaries yet, so this one has to wait.

Then off we went to buy Mr. O gift to his niece. We went to Toy Kingdom.

A cute personnel assisted us. I tried to take a photo of him. nahihiya kasi to ask him to pose e. hehehe!

After we bought the gift, Mr. O went looking for a Burger King outlet. Wala. Nalibot na namin ang buong Greenhills. We decided to have Brother Burgers instead. I didn’t take any photos na kasi naiinis na ako. We’re running late for the screen time of Sex and The City. We literally sprinted/run just to get there in time, luckily we did!

Sex and The City 2: A Fantasy Sequel

I love Sex and the City. I’ve been a fan eversince I caught an episode way back in the 90′s on RPN-9. I love everything about it. The girls, the city, the witty lines, the fashion, the storyline… Everything!

I mourned when the series ended, just like any addiction I tried to find new shows to to fill the empty space SATC left. Desperate Housewives, Cashmere Mafia and the likes came but it never been able to fill the shoes the way SATC had but after sometime and a quite few, well not actually few, reruns and watching the entire series again in DVD, I was happy that Sex and the City ended the way it has. It was just perfect. The girls left the viewers with a hopeful ending. The modern princesses finally have their “happily ever after”.

Just like any other fans, I was ecstatic with the news of a SATC movie. I can never have enough of the girls! The first movie was a treat, it further the “Happily Ever After”, Carrie got married, Charlotte got pregnant, Miranda’s marriage survives a test and Samantha… well, is back to being single. It was already a perfect epilogue to the series, though I really don’t approve of Samantha getting single again.

Comes the second movie. I had fun and still is a fan after watching it though I think of the second movie as a fantasy sequel, it’s a dream, it nerver really happened. Hahaha! Come on! It’s not Sex and The City anymore!  It felt like an entire new universe!

First of all, I miss New York. It’s always been considered as the fifth main character. Abu Dhabi is crazy, fantasy crazy. I literally whispered to myself “Oh no, they won’t” when the Arab women reveal their designer dresses, that’s way too camp. As in. Come on!

The only scene that I can remember that’s really a SATC scene to it’s purest form is the bar scene with Miranda and Charlotte, that’s what they really would do if they’ve got problems they talk about it over brunch or over martinis not run around Abu Dhabi.

It was a brave attempt fo the team to actually get out of the fairytale mold, SATC 2 is the girls life after “Happily Ever After” and it’s a bit sad to see them not that “happy”.

But just like any other fan. I love it. Yes, it’s flawed in so many ways but it’s nice seeing old friends. Do i want more of SATC? Hell yeah!

The Big Gay Musical

Glee + Queer As Folks + Birdcage = The Big Gay Musical.

The trailer says it all, it seems like a very sensible, funny and hot movie. Sana ipalabas naman dito sa Pinas.

At aminin! ang gwapo ng mga bida. I want! I want!

The Carrie Diaries: Bradshaw Before Sex and The City

They say a lot can happen in a summer. Or not. it’s the first day of senior year, and as far as I can tell, I’m exactly the same as last year- Carrie Bradshaw, first line in the book.

This is an accidental purchase. I needed to burn time awhile ago inside a mall. I went to National Bookstore to check some books. Medyo nangangati yung kamay ko na bumili ng Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief kahit meron ng kopya si Mr. O…. While contemplating if I’m gonna buy Percy Jackson, this book bursts out into my sight!

I bought it immediately kahit pa doble siya ng presyo ng Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief. Buhay ito ni Carrie Bradshaw, di na dapat pinag-iisipan! I scanned the pages, ibang style ang ginamit ni Bushnell, parang she adapted na how Sex and the City  the series works, honestly, I never finished yung Sex and the City book, too New York for me. I think this one is a bit lighter since Carrie is still in High School here.

I love the cover, it’s so LV’s Stephen Sprouse and it looks like a purse. cuteness! If you look closely, may initials rin na CB. Shushality!

I’ll read na. Bye!

Here Comes The Bride: Ppaakk!!

Here’s comes the Bride successfully brought smart comedy back into Philippine Cinema. Every element was intellectually organized to form a chaos. From the plot to the characters to the blockings, winner!

The Plot: five people meet a freak accident on their way to a beach wedding, the accident happened at Magnetic Hill (a peculiar spot on the way to the resort) while a solar eclipse happens, this then trigger the displacements of souls among the characters.

The Characters:

Precy played by Eugene Domingo
The Character: The romantically challenged, ageing yet smart godmother of the bride.
All she wants is: ROMANCE. Beyond her smart domineering exterior lies a heart that wants to love and be loved in return.
Her soul goes inside the body of: Medelyn

Medelyn played by Tuesday Vargas
The Character: The abused yaya of the ringbearer.
All she wants is: WEALTH. With debt over debt with her employers, She bears all the maltreatment she is having just to help her relatives back in the province.
Her soul goes inside the body of: Bien

Bien played by Jaime Fabregas
The Character: The rich but sickly grandfather of the groom.
All he wants is: YOUTH. With his deteriorating health and non-existent sex life, he craves for a second shot at life.
His soul goes inside the body of: Toffee

Toffee played by John Lapus
The Character: The flamboyant makeup artist (sorry… image stylist!).
All he wants is: BEAUTY. And all that comes with it. (boys!)
His soul goes inside the body of: Stefanie

Stefanie by Angelica Panganiban
The Character: The angelic and virginal bride who has long dreamed of her perfect wedding.
All she wants—the marriage of her dreams.
Her soul goes inside the body of: Precy

So, imagine the mayhem and chaos the switching of souls brought to these characters.

The humour of the film doesn’t rely on the age old slapstick strategy, it centers on the mishap that occured, how each actor savoured the characters they’re playing and the their character’s character playing.

The depth of the film plays on the notion that though all the characters knew that they swapped souls, some kept their silence because of their own reasons and needs, it’s only Stefanie who wants her body back. Though that plot was underplayed it nevertheless gave an emotional anchor to the film.

The cast was the ultimate treat, I’m glad that the director chose the actors not based on their popularity but based on their acting skills.

Jaime Fabregas always have been a solid actor, downright shining moment was the climax were they were trying to reverse the soul-swapping and several attempts brought the wrong souls. he was hilarious!

John Lapus wasn’t given his usual means for comedy, instead he was tasked to play a straight ageing sex maniac, which he delivered gamely. For me, it was a feat, since most gay comedy actors just rely on their being gay to bring out the laughs.

Tuesday Vargas did Eugene Domingo justice, favorite scene was when she came out of the bathroon with her employer’s belt. Winner!

Eugene Domingo’s performance was slightly reminiscent of her Kimmy Dora, Kimmy being Precy and Dora being Stefanie, nevertheless, Eugene made sure that her character would be memorable.

Angelica Panganiban is a revelation in this film. She’s the Maricel Soriano of this generation. No actress in her generation now has the guts to go where she’s gone. From her timid angelic Stefanie to her flamboyant Toffee she shines effortlessly! She is one of the reason the movie was fun. Her lines were most fun and quotable… the way she says “Phak!” everytime she strikes a pose, “achieve na achieve!”, “pagamit ng katawan mo, one time lang!” and of course the “Apir, apir, apir! Hindi na uso yan! Wisik wisik na lang. Masdan mo ang beauty ko, tataas ang kilay mo.”, all of them are for the book.

Chris Martinez direction was super fresh! I was actually imagining seeing it on live stage, Pang-teatro ang blocking, ang dialogues. It could really be funny if they do this on stage, mas interactive yung mood, mas nakakatawa. On the closing credits, I saw a clip wherein John Lapus perform the actions Angelica should be doing as Toffee, if Chris made the movie that way, well, more kudos to you! Since this is his first foray into mainstream film making, (100, being his last movie), i would like to congratulate him for a job well done.

All in all, it was an entertaining and fresh comedy film, some would say that it wasn’t that laugh out loud funny, some would say it was a bit dragging in some parts…. Well, it brought what promise to bring. I was smiling as I leave the cinema. ( :