kritikal kritiks

This year is undeniably one of the busiest summer movie seasons that has found its way to the Philippines. There are really great movies left and right! Well, for my taste anyway, I can't seem to get enough of the films coming out one after the other.

Last night, we watched the Incredible Hulk. I did not get to watch the Ang Lee version on the big screen but despite its lackluster performance in the box office, it was an enjoyable version, depicting the Hulk as a very powerful and agile character. The current version, however, makes the Hulk a more believable character in that it does not dwell so much on the Hulk's angst but the Bruce Banner's continuing battle with his inner demon and his search for a cure is given equal screen time as the famous green giant. In the previous version, a lot of time was spent as well on telling the story of how Banner came to be the Hulk, and that part was over and done with in the introductory sequence in the new movie and more time was thus available for plot development.

THIS PARAGRAPH HAS SPOILERS IN IT.
I also like how they are trying to link the movies together. Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr. a.k.a. Ironman) appears in the movie to talk about the S.H.I.E.L.D.'s initiative to form a band of super heroes. Another fun part is the appearance of no other than Lou Ferrigno, the Incredible Hulk of the hit TV series in the 80s! And the years has been kind to him; it looks like he did not age much! Edward Norton likewise fits the Dr. Bruce Banner persona, although being an 80s kid, I still like the TV version of Bruce Banner, Mr. Bill Bixby :-). However, I rather thought the pre-Abomination soldier's acting was a bit bland.
SPOILER STOPS HERE

Overall, I loved the movie. I actually thought Liv Tyler will suddenly mutter something in Elvish and have some water horses come rushing down any time in the movie (she's quite the Elf personified) but she's quite a beauty, isn't she? The plot, character development, and how everything is being fit together into one HUGE production (read: AVENGERS!) makes the movie even more interesting and engaging. After watching, I can almost feel the electricity from the comic book enthusiasts in the audience as they discussed what will happen in this franchise. Yep, comic book people are having a field day with Marvel movies these days.

[cross-posted in watson.online/]

What makes something special "special"? Is it an added ingredient to a recipe? A signature move to a skill? Putting in a lot of flowery words to a speech?

This question was eloquently answered in the movie, and this ultimately decided the fate of the Valley as their powerful enemy Tai Lung escapes the heavily-fortified prison and plans to get the Dragon Scroll - which keeps the secret to becoming the all-powerful Dragon Warrior - by force.

Unnervingly placed in the predicament is Po, a happy-go-lucky Panda Bear that loves martial arts and dreams for adventures while helping out his father run the noodle shop, a family business. Such is fate, for you should be careful of what you wish for or you just might get it. Po got his wish, but not the approval of the five Martial Arts Masters who trained hard to protect the village and ultimately, each desiring to be chosen as the Dragon Warrior.

Excellent animation, action, and lots of humor make this a family favorite. At first I thought only Jack Black was the only actor lending his voice to the movie, but was surprised to learn that other famous people were behind the other voices as well: Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Ian McShane, David Cross, Seth Rogen, Michael Clarke Duncan, James Hong, Randall Duk Kim. And here's another trivia: our very own Sam Concepcion sang the song "Kung Fu Fighting" for the movie! Isn't that grand?

(The toys from Mcdonald's are real nice too!)

Never a dull moment. This is the epiphany of awesomeness. Go watch it!

I have just finished watching The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Today is the first day of showing and I simply cannot pass this one by, even if I had to watch it alone.

The scriptwriter and director took some liberties at telling the story and adapting it to the big screen. But I must say, they did a pretty good job at it. Not like the Harry Potter movies where some elements just have to go away for lack of time, Prince Caspian somehow managed to keep the essence of the book intact.

But of course, having read the books for quite a number of times now, I can't help but compare it with the movie. So here are my observations, without trying to divulge too much:

- Aslan comes much later in the movie. I think this is for dramatic effect. In the book, the kids meet Aslan even before they head to Aslan's How.
- The book spends a considerable number of pages narrating the merriment that happens after the battle. That is changed in the book.
- The River God is grander and so much more dramatic in the movie
- There were more fight scenes in the movie than in the book
- I don't recall the Minotaurs making an alliance with the Narnians in the book, though the twist they did in the movie was a nice touch indeed.

How long was it since the first movie? A couple of years? But how they have grown! Especially Lucy. There was a theory that they did this movie after the first one because they were trying to catch up with the kids' growing up, and I think that's it.

The movie was grander than the book and had more action in it. I am quite dismayed by a couple of things, though.
- When Aslan joined the fight only later on, all he could say as the reason was "It doesn't happen the same way." A better explanation could have been better. So many Narnians died!
- I didn't like Prince Caspian's accent. It sounded forced.
- Also, Prince Caspian looked utterly bewildered when he first sets sight on a couple of Narnians. He was so much wiser in the book.
- I was kinda hoping I'd see the dance of the naiads and draiads and Pan, but I guess drinking-induced dancing would have been a no-no for a PG movie?

But there are sweet highlights as well.
- Ripeechip's a delight! I swear, if an action figure of him comes out, I'll buy one.
- It's great seeing the White Witch again, even for a moment (this is no spoiler; this was revealed in the trailers).
- I loved the battles with the hippogriffs, centaurs, minotaurs, fauns.

I enjoyed the movie. There were dramatic moments, humor, and lots of action. It's sooo good to return to Narnia again.

cross-posted in watson.online/

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is one of the highly-anticipated movies in my list ever since I heard that this movie was being produced a couple of years ago. And how time flies! Today is the first day of showing and I just had to watch it tonight.

Well... what can I say? This movie brought me back to the good old days when sleuthing was the coolest thing thanks to Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and the Bobsy Twins. And Indiana Jones was the ultimate detective, solving riddles that tested man for centuries.

Like always, I will not divulge much in terms of plot in this review. But the good old Indiana Jones goes out once again for ancient artifacts and legends, and that things are not always what they seem to be.

This adventure is centered on a mystical crystal skull, said to have been taken from El Dorado, the lost city of gold. The setting of the film is in the cold war era, and right behind Indy's every move are the Russians trying to get hold of power to rule the world.

There are the action scenes with cars and guns in them. Great show! And of course, there's the exploration bit in jungles and solving ancient puzzles and slipping through traps. It's what I expected an Indiana Jones movie to be!

I really, really want to touch on the storyline right now so I'll just stop and say that I enjoyed the movie. Now begs the question: which of the four films is my favorite?

I'd still say that Raiders of the Lost Ark is still be best Indy movie, principally because it centered on something we can relate to (the Ark of the Covenant), and it had just the right magic touch to spurn the imagination of the kid that was me all those years ago that I still feel the adventure whenever I watch the DVD. Second is the Last Crusade, followed by this latest installment, and then Temple of Doom would be the fourth. But that's not to say that this film is a measly third. In fact, if Raiders of the Lost Ark were a 99%, then the Last Crusade would be a 98, and Crystal Skull a 97, and Temple of Doom a 96.

It's sooo good to watch an Indiana Jones movie on the big screen once again! Hats off to Steven Spielberg!

[cross-posted in watson.online/]

Watching films like this sometimes make me wonder how easy life must be in the Land of Opportunity. I mean, here's a dude who works for his father but he simply goofs around and he still gets to keep a really huge apartment. Then there's this girl who works in a busy trading floor but still has time to plan every bit of detail for her loved one. And then, just like that, they pack up and head for Vegas. What a life.. it's like they have no care in the world.

Yeah, it's time to slap me a couple of times so I can get thrown back to reality. Movies don't exactly portray real life, don't they?

At any rate, the premise of getting married to a person you knew for a very brief period exemplifies how life can make a turn for the worse, and then suddenly for the better... or is it? Well, the trailers show this anyway so it's no secret that the movie is about a couple who really want out of an instant marriage suddenly end up wanting in because of a 3 million dollar prize money. But their marriage isn't exactly a bed of roses. It's more like a bed of thorns. But the six months of hard marriage could be the most interesting highlights of their life yet as they try to outwit, outlast, and outplay each other. Wait... that's another show.

We certainly enjoyed watching this movie. Lots of laughs, lots of heart. Cameron Diaz is one of my favorite actresses, and Ashton Kutcher certainly played his character as a bum-turned-responsible citizen to a tee.

Ok, I admit it. I'm a sucker for superhero movies. Save for Punisher and Elektra, I have watched the Batmans , Supermans and X-Men and eagerly anticipate whatever Marvel or DC Comics will pull from its hat in the future. And though Iron Man isn't exactly one of my favorite heroes, the teasers were enough to get me reeled in, hook, line and sinker.

Well... I have watched the movie twice and I must say that I really like how the story of Iron Man was told. It wasn't all eye candy, although I should give credit to the cinematic crew for creating such a hi-tech environment that's not at all impossible, what with the recent developments in AI and virtual reality.

I must say, I am indeed impressed at how these two technologies have been fused together to allow for full human interaction with system design and analysis. Tony Stark, a certified genius for creating electronic marvels, accomplishes his feats with his robotic arm assistants and virtual reality, 3D interface. I am awed enough to have my interest sparked once again in robotics and AI. Yes, I'm a frustrated computer engineer (that course was not yet offered when I was in college - don't ask what year that was).

Iron Man gives us a glimpse of how man exerts his power of technology to bring either productivity, or destruction. Tony Stark makes a 360-degree turn on his outlook of life as he becomes entrenched in a trap which he inadvertently helped create: a trap of demise and cruelty. And using the skills that he possess, he creates a force to combat that evil.

This is a feel-good movie, and the action scenes do not disappoint. No mutants or space people this time, just humans and their hi-tech toys, making this film truly believable. I have not read any Iron Man comic title, but I believe that Robert Downey, Jr. did an exceptional job at depicting the complex character that's Tony Stark. It was a pleasure seeing Gwyneth Paltrow as well as the faithful assistant Pepper Potts. And Jeff Bridges! My, has he grown old! Or was his character simply meant to be that way?

Overall I love the plot, the eye candy, the characters, the cars, the computers, the robots. The war scenes where the people hide in houses and the enemy throws bombs inside or riddles it with bullets even reminded me of the book I read about World War II in Manila. I wish there was an Iron Man back then.

cross-posted in watson.online/

While mentally sifting through our minds our usual watering holes and finding them bland at best, we were about to resign to a fate of a gimickless Friday, when Yoyo suddenly had a flash of inspiration and excitedly informed us about this place in Malate where they serve mixed drinks by the pitchers at 200 pesos each. This reminded me of Puerto Galera's Mindoro Sling! Well, with nothing else popping in mind, we met Mitch and her sister Jo and took a quick jeepney ride to Adriatico Street in Malate.

When the finally alighted in front of an open-air bar, we were a bit hesitant to enter. A couple of tables were occupied by some serious-looking guys, and a long row was set-up for a rather noisy crowd. Upon Yoyo's prodding, we entered the premises and got seated near the bar.

We then checked out the drinks list. The mixes sported water-themed adventures save for the Mango Margarita (tequila, triple sec, mango shake) which we tried first.

Soon enough, a pitcher with chilled yellowish stuff was placed on our table with shotglassess for each. Shredded ice poured into the glasses, we tossed for good health (kanpai!) and gulped our first ever mango margarita.

The mango taste was quie evident, and more so was the the tequila. Well... I am not exactly a hard liquor drinker but I think that the tequila was fighting with the mango slush taste; there should be harmony (yin-yang!) between these two elements. It is a nice drink but it can do better. I love the mango shake component though.

Right after Mango Margarita, we attacked the Red Tide (red passion, dark rhum, juice) next. This was a nice mix. It actually reminded us of the Mindoro sling.

Soon we were enjoying ourselves. The dance music was enticing us to beat to the groove but we weren't drunk yet. The big crowd next to us started dancing though. But we didn't mind anymore. It was a Friday night after all!

Tides is the name of the place and primarily serves drinks and pulutan with upbeat music in the air, but you can also order pizza here courtesy of Pizza Niro.

Two pitchers later, we called it a night. We still had some other plans, like playing Cluedo! Hmmm... we have a couple more pitchers to try out next time. Hopefully we can go back soon!

Like most boys growing up in Baguio City in the late 70s to the 80s, we watched a lot of Martial Arts films. Foremost of these is Jacky Chan's movies. The fight scenes are meticulously thought out and performed like it can be done by everybody else. And as can be seen in the outtakes (which is a trademark ending of his films), you can see the dedication Jacky Chan pours into his movies. It is a passion that shows in his performance.

And then came Wong Fei Hung of the "Once Upon a Time in China" series. Jet Li wowed us with his moves. While Jackie Chan loves injecting humor into his performance, Jet Li exudes a calculating and serious mood. I wondered if there will come a time when these two will face each other in a single movie. In my wildest dreams.

Lo and behold. My wildest dream came true! The ironic part is, I have never even seen a trailer of this movie. Just the posters at which I stared in disbelief. It's for real!

And so last weekend, my wife, Jo-Lo, and I trooped to the cinema to watch Forbidden Kingdom. I knew early on that there has to be a confrontation between these two stars and eagerly anticipated this. I was not disappointed. It's one of the best martial arts sequences I have seen.

An added bonus is Jackie Chan reprising his role as a drunken master. Some of his earlier films portrayed him as a character who was taught the art of the Drunken Fist, whereby the martial arts technique required drinking copious amounts of alcohol while fighting and getting drunk in the process while at the same time becoming more invincible! And Jet Li maintained his composure as a Monk; his Wong Fei Hung persona really suits him.

Hmmm... I really do not want to give away spoilers at this point because the movie is still relatively new and you might not have watched it yet, but if you have, I would like to hear your take on the immortality concept of the movie. That part was confusing to me.

As for the overall plot of the movie, it actually reminds me of another movie called Warriors of Virtue where an American kid loves going to this Chinese food shop. He had braces on his legs, but this did not stop him from dreaming of becoming a football player. An accidental drop into a whirling water storage of sorts (he was cajoled into crossing a narrow plank by kids who need a really good spanking) transported him to the mystical land of Tau where he met these Runes possessing powers of the five elements.

Hmmm... I do see the resemblance with Forbidden Kingdom. There's also this dude who loves frequenting a Chinese store - this time a pawnshop - and is forced by a gang to do something bad and he falls.... into the magical land of Ancient China where there is a prophecy that the Monkey King will rise again and defeat the oppressive regime.

Yes, dear boys and girls. The spotlight is shared by this lanky kid who grows in strength and willpower as the story progresses. I have read some reviews that said the movie needed a touch of American for it to sell in the US and give it an international appeal. I disagree. In my point of view, these critics are misguided. I believe the story did call for an "outsider" entering the mystical, ancient China, and who to better personify it than somebody of a different skin and hair color? It wouldn't be as effective if an Asian dude played the part.

The fourth character in the team is played by a lady called Golden Sparrow. She's quite attractive, and lethal.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The theme - a fantasy and action flick is very appropriate as I remember their films of old, when Jackie Chan and Jet Li were known only to our side of the world.

Cross-posted in watson.online/

Ito talagang si pareng Stephen King, ang galing gumawa ng istorya. Mula noong napanood ko ang kanyang Silver Bullet ay talaga namang na-engganyo akong abangan mga pelikula na hango sa kathang-isip nya. Kaya lang... ewan ko ba. Hindi ako ginanahan magbasa ng libro nya. Noong college ay sinubukan ko yung It pero nasa chapter 2 pa lang ako ay umayaw na ako. Teka... yung Christine yata nabasa ko.

Anyways, nung nalaman kong kay Stephen King ang pelikulang ito ay syempre di ko to palalampasin!

Ang isang town sa Bridgton, Maine ay biglang nagkaroon ng malakas na bagyo isang gabi. Tapos sumunod na araw, nagkaroon sila ng fog. Masaya sana kasi para kang nasa Baguio pero ang makapal na fog na ito ay nagdala ng salot! Cmon it.

Mga alien life forms na carnivorous ang kasama ng mist na ito. This time around, hindi humanoid ang form at hindi scalpel at laser ang dala nila, kasi mga monstrous animals ang mga ito.

Kung may mga monsters sa labas at na-trap ka sa loob ng supermarket, anong gagawin mo? Lalabas ka ba? Kung ako tatanungin mo, malamang hindi. Pero boring na pelikula yun di ba? So ayun, may mga lumabas. Labas-masok nga sila eh. May minalas, may sinwerte.

Pero aside from the horrifying situation they are in, Stephen King also made a play on human emotions. Nagkaroon ng faction sa loob ng store: ang mga gustong mag-stay, at mga gustong lumabas. Teka... parang The Stand ito ah.

Anyway, yung mga gustong mag-stay, may leader sila. Isang religious fanatic na nagku-quote sa Bible at sinasabi nyang dumating na ang paghuhukom. Problema, delusional sya. So nang sumusunod na sa kanya yung iba, alam na nung kabilang party na delikado sila. Gagawin silang sacrifice! Ewww.

Teka. Panonoorin mo ba ang pelikulang ito? Hehe sorry po napagana ako sa pagkwento. I like this movie because it was suspensful and engaging. Talagang edge-of-the-seat thriller. Kaya lang... the ending is one of the biggest let-downs ever in a movie so far. But who's to say that you must like the ending of all movies to enjoy them? I think the movie was contrived to make you feel downtrodden and depressed at the end. And it was successful in that objective. So therefore... I like the movie and at the same time I did not like it. Pero maganda yung movie. Ang labo no? Panoorin nyo na lang to get my drift.

Last night (March 26, 2008) I finally experience a Jumbo Bola Bola Siopao and it was very delicious even without the sauce, you can get satisfaction with its taste. From the soft bread to the filling it is awesome down to the last bite.

It reminds me of Kowloon Siopao not the siopao you buy from siopao factory and 7-11. Malayong malayo ang timpla. the only bad thing maybe for me is, that's it is located in Mandaluyong. Medyo malayo kami sa amin ang Mandaluyong kaya sasadyain mo siya talaga. to be exact here is the address, PVL resto: I. Lopez St, bgy new zaniga, Mandaluyong.

Its around 8 inches big and the filling is bigger than a large siopao, Imagine eating a bola bola filling the size of a large siopao. I already had the liberty of getting a giant asado siopao 9 years ago somewhere in Paco/Pandacan area, but bolabola was'nt available then.

May katanungan lang ako, pag ganito na kalaki ang siopao kasya ba ang isang buong pusa dito o kuting lang?

ang bola bola ba ay pusa na ginawang fishball?

bakit yung bolabola sa loob na siopao hindi naman bilog?

Tsaka bakit iisa lang ang laman diba dapat bola lang dahil isang bola lang ang laman?

o bola lang siya as in joke lang?

I had a meeting with one of our clients at 11AM. But since it was already so near lunchtime, we invited him for lunch instead. Pauline suggested Masas. I was pleased to learn that it was a restaurant specializing in Filipino cuisine because what popped first into my mind was to make this a feature in adobongblog.com! Sadly, I did not have my camera with me so I used my phone instead.

Masas is a restaurant located on the Ground floor of the restaurant row at Greenbelt 2 in Makati. The dining area has 2 floors, with the ground floor easily seating 25 pax. The waiters were very accommodating and always had a ready smile.

For our lunch, we chose nilasing na hipon, steamed tilapia, baked tahong, Bicol express, and grilled squid. We did not have to wait long for our orders to arrive.

All were yummy! The squid retained its tenderness even after it has cooled down. The Bicol express, which has a notorious reputation for spiciness, as just right. The shrimps were crunchy, and the tilapia was heavenly soft. It was a wonderful meal, with bottomless iced tea and lemonade on the side. Even the lemonade was a joy to sip, given that lemonade is either too sour or too sweet in other food shops.

Our meeting went rather nicely, and extended well after we've had our fill of brewed coffee and cappuccino. Between four of us, our bill was 1,500 pesos.




Masas comes highly recommend for its ambience, hospitality, and sumptous food!

Technorati tags: review
Cross-posted in adobongblog

On 29 March 2008 the Philippines will join countries around the world as we literally "turn the lights out" for Earth Hour - an event that will fuel awareness on climate change and prove that when the people of the world work together, they can make a difference in the fight against global warming.

Earth Hour will take place throughout the Philippines from 8 to 9 in the evening on Saturday, 29 March 2008. WWF invites you to participate by shutting off lights for 60 minutes, organizing your own "lights-out" event or by forwarding this mail to your friends, workmates and family.

Launched in Australia on the 31st of March 2007, Earth Hour moved 2.2 million people and 2100 businesses in Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour. This massive collective effort reduced the city's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour. With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global movement.

YOUR participation will go a long way in spreading the message that we, as individual droplets working collectively - can create an impetus far more powerful than the mightiest of rivers. For more information, log on to the WWF Earth Hour page at: www.earthhour.org.

If you want to learn more about how else you can help make Earth Hour in the Philippines a success, reply to this email or drop us a line at (632) 920-7931, (632) 920-7923, or (632)920-7926

Pasensya na dahil di ako nanunuod ng sine at eto ang nahiram ko sa video city.......

Ito ay istorya tungkol sa 2 nilalang na college sweethearts na pagdating na ikalimang taon ng kanilang relasyon ay nagkaroon ng matinding pagsubok na di kinaya ng isa kaya ito ay bumitaw. Maaaring ito normal ay na nangyayari sa panahong ito at marami ang nakakarelate dito pero para sa akin iba ang gagawing kong katapusan sa palabas na ito. Masyadong pinilit ang happy ending, at para sa akin may mga naagrabyado.

Hiniwalayan ni Basha (bea alonzo) si Popoy (john lloyd cruz) dahil sa kawalan ng space, marahil sa pagiging possesive nito at pagiging bossy, maari din dahil sa loob ng 5 taon nawala ng kaunti ang saya at napalitan ito ng pagkainis dahilan para humingi ng espayo at makipag break..

Para sa akin magandang dahilan ang pakikipaghiwalay kung di ka na masaya sa relasyon pero dapat do it in a right way, hindi yung bigla kanalang iiwas na parang walang nangyari at least try to be nice to the person you are breaking up with para mas madali nya matangap hindi yung kaya nya tatanggapin eh dahil wala siyang choice.

Think also about the feeling of that person wag naman selfish na dapat tangapin nya yun dahil yun ang gusto mo. remember 5 years is 5 years kung 5 years ang nawala sa iyo 5 years din ang nawala sa kanya. and i admit it mas mahirap sa lalake ang maiwan dahil wala masyadong nalalapitan ang lalaki, well pa macho epek kaya di sila masyado nagkukwento and kung mag kwento naman sila sa mga barkada 90 percent dito sasabihin tara iinom natin yan. at yung 10 percent 5 dito sasabihin pare ang corny mo marami pa diyan.

Meron ding disadvantages ang same circle of friends dahil pag minalas malas ka malamang mas loyal sila dun sa partner mo. Tapos siempre dapat mo ring isipin na pag may gimik ang barkada nandun yung possibilities na may karag karag na new partner yung ex mo. Eto pa pag wala kayo kayo ang topic sa kwentuhan.

Tapos sayang yung fact na naka recover siya. after all the trials na hinarap nya na ultimo masira ang buhay nya na ni hay ni hoy wala siyang nakuha kay basha dahil busy siya sa new found happiness nya and wala ng pakialam sa kanaya si basha, eh in the end makikipag balikan lang pala siya.

In reality hindi mangyayari yun dahil so much pain ang na experience nya and the fact na hindi maganda yung paghihiwalay nila masyadong masakit yun para sa isang tao para gawin nya pa ulit. Maganda nga yung reason dahil walang nanloko pero yung way ng pakikipaghiwalay ay nuknukan ng pangit. Kahit sino ay magagalit dun sa taong nakipaghiwalay, at naniniwala ako na para maka recover ka sa ganitong pangyayari eh kahilangan mo talagang mag move on, kailangan mong tanggapin na hindi talaga kayo para sa isat-isa. Dahil magkaroon kalang ng konting hope tungkol sa pagbabalikan eh hindi mo ganap na makukuha ang total recovery.

At kahit magkabalikan man kayo alam mo na hindi na magiging ganun katulad ng dati, dahil mas maingat ka ng ibuhos ang lahat dahil sa takot na baka mangyari ulit ang sakit. Sino nga naman ang gustong masaktan ng sobrang sakit na humahagupit sa buong katawan. Ano ang mangyayari sa relasyon na puno ng doubt and insecurity, walang magtatagal ng ganitong klaseng relasyon.

Tsaka paano na yung taong nag-alaga sa yo during the time na down na down ka. Okay lang iwanan yun kung di mo mahal pero kung mahal mo siya diba makukunsensya kang gawin sa kanya yun, dahil alam mong masasaktan siya, and mas careful kang gawin iyon dahil nangyari na sa iyo.

Sa akin lang dapat hindi na pinili si Bea at nag stick nalang siya kay Maja (rocker chick) and kung maghihiwalay man sila ni Maja sa ibang dahilan then so be it. Wag lang maging dahilan si Bea, Okay lang kung i do nya ulit wag nya lang balikan. HEHEHEHE pero kung ganun naman ang nangyari edi hindi na ONE MORE CHANCE yung title nung movie.

Well last Saturday meron akong craving for a burger, naalala ko ang workmate ko na nagkwento sa akin ng burger joint that serve big burgers around 8 inches kabilog. Naisip ko itry tutal kahit sa mga buy one take one na burger nageenjoy ako pag wala na akong pera, Pumunta kami ng zobel roxas branch tutal mga 15 minute drive lang naman yun from our house and 3 lang yung branch nya isa sa merville parana-que at sa bautista makati. Nagulat ako at natuwa sa laki ng burger naisip ko kaya ko ito, lalo na kung kakaakyat kolang ng bundok siguradong kaya kong umubos ng isang buo. Pero dahil di pa kami sure sa lasa bumili lang ako ng dalawa isang super dooper atsaka isang super hungree. pareho sila ng laki ang kaibahan lang 2 ang patties ni super dooper atsaka mas marami siyang cheese, tomatoes and cucumber. Pinahati ko ng 6 slices ang isa at 4 slices yung isa ayoko ng eight baka diko maubos hehehehe.

Nagulat ako ng tikman ko yung burger .... masarap siya maihahalintulad ko yung lasa nya sa bigmac ng mcdo, malayo siya dun sa binibilhan ko sa pedro gil na buy 1 take 1. malinamnam yung beef patty nya okay din yung pag kaluto and ang da best ay malaki ito di ka tiyak mabibitin.. medyo maykalakasan kasi ako kumain kaya minsan bitin sa akin ang isang bigmac, pero itong super dooper ng hungree burger mabubusog ka. kaya kung hungree ka sa hungree ka kumain. heheheheh

May mga katanungan lang ako yung bulilit burger ba eh apo ng hungree burger , tsak pag 100% pure beef ba pati yun tinapay na ginamit beef din. atsaka hinde marunong mag spell yung may ari nito kasi mali spelling nya nga hungry.

Pero sobrang sarap ng burger mauulit ito

from clickthecity:

"A love story set against the backdrop of the 1960s amid the turbulent years of anti-war protest, mind exploration and rock 'n roll, the film moves from the dockyards of Liverpool to the creative psychedelia of Greenwich Village, from the riot-torn streets of Detroit to the killing fields of Vietnam. The star-crossed lovers, Jude (Jim Sturgess) and Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), along with a small group of friends and musicians, are swept up into the emerging anti-war and counterculture movements, with “Dr. Robert” (Bono) and “Mr. Kite” (Eddie Izzard) as their guides. Tumultuous forces outside their control ultimately tear the young lovers apart, forcing Jude and Lucy – against all odds – to find their own way back to each other."

Nanood kami kagabi ng 10000 BC sa Glorietta. Medyo mahilig akong magresearch ng konti tungkol sa isang pelikula bago ko ito panoorin, salamat sa Internet, so medyo alam ko nang may temang love story ito kahit na parang pang high-adventure ito sa trailers nya.

Medyo natawa ako sa sarili ko kasi nagpaalala sa akin ang pelikulang ito ng mga sumusunod:
Ice Age - dahil sa woolly mammoth at sabre-toothed tiger;
Final Fantasy - dahil sa mga prehistoric birds na mukhang Chocobo;
Jurassic Park - dahil sa mala-prey and predator theme sa masukal na talahiban ay naalala ko ang velicoraptors;
Milli Vanilli - hindi ito pelikula pero wala lang, naalala ko ang Milli Vanilli dahil sa hairtyles nila;
300 - dahil sa advanced civilization na naging kalaban nila;
StarGate - dahil rin dun sa pyramids;
300 ulit - dahil kay evil Xerxes and and the spear-throwing eksena.

O ha. Ang dami kong nadeja-vu na movies habang pinapanood ito. Buti na lang medyo ok ang multitasking powers ko at naintindihan ko yung pelikula.

To make the long story short (at para hindi ako makapagsabi pa ng spoilers kasi kalalabas pa lang nito at baka mabatukan nyo ako kung makwento ko ang mangyayari), ito ay essentially love story. Para bang itinadhana. Dahil nga sa prehistoric times ang tema nito at wala pang masyadong teknolohiya ay malakas ang kanilang dalangin sa superstisyon (tama ba?) Himala naman at nagkakatotoo ito. Malaki ang parte ng mga hula at propesiya sa pelikulang ito.

Para sa mga taong mahilig sya accuracy in terms of the environment, hindi ito gaya ng Jurrasic Park na talagang nag-research pa sila para makuha ang prehistoric theme ng accurate. Dito ay makakakita kayo ng meat-eating birds na palagay ko e kathang-isip lamang pero meron rin naman mammoth at sabretooth dito. O ayan may lumusot na isang spoiler ulit. Basta, ang environment nya ay parang sa planeta natin noong Ice Age pero parang mali kasi may elements na hindi angkop sa panahon na yun. Ito ay sinadya, kaya't the sooner you get over it, the better you will be able to appreciate the film.

Medyo straightforward naman ang istorya. Walang twist na mapapa-isip ka. Tipong eye-candy ang movie na ito. Pero na-enjoy ko naman sya. May konting comic relief rin at tragedy. I recommend this movie! 4 eggs ang rating, one for each zero of its title!

We found ourselves in Greenbelt 3 one lunchtime as we searched for a place to spend our gift certificates. Don't you just love freebies? After a few strolls we found ourselves in this nice restaurant called Good Earth.

While looking through the menu consisting of 300 - 500 peso items, the waitress handed over this buffet menu selection. The mechanics is rather simple. Order from this menu and you can try any of the items in the list and you pay 299 pesos per person. No leftovers, no take-out. Fair enough. Our stomachs decided for ourselves and we gave in to temptation.

We thought we'd be shortchanged with our buffet decision (there's always bound to be a catch with these promos) but lo and behold! We loved it!


We were able to reach stage 3 in our ordering level. After this level and with bottomless iced tea (not included, 75 each) and my hot tea (not included in buffet as well, 80 pesos), we declared the buffet menu a winner and we win at stage 3, complete!

Beef with broccoli, my peborit

Crispy peking chicken

hot tea

Chicken with blackbean sauce, Pauline's peborit

Team A: Pauline and Joana

Team B: Nick and Kenneth

It is a rare occasion that I watch a movie without Googling the title and reading up on what critics have to say about it. Cloverfield is one such movie. I have seen the poster of the beheaded Statue of Liberty a couple of times as we pass by the mall, and wondered how it was related to the title. I haven't seen the trailer either. But yesterday, we got a chance to go home earlier than usual and so we had time to sneak in a movie before surrendering to the comfy confines of the pad.

Well, of the 4 movies currently showing, Cloverfield showed the most promise (based on the poster). Oh wait. A colleague said they watched it last weekend and they liked it. Hmmm... would you consider that a review?

Anyway, we rushed into the theater as it had already started and we missed a couple of reel minutes.

The movie is about a footage shot by a friend for a going-away party which turned to disaster because of trouble afoot which prompted the evacuation of Manhattan. First, there was a tremor which momentarily created a black-out. The news later revealed that an oil tanker capsized near the Statue of Liberty. Then another tremor shook the building. The next series of events depict what happened as they try to survive the unfolding crisis.

The movie reminded me of the Blair Witch Project. The story is told through the eyes of the video camera which faithfully recorded the group's story. The camera was found in an area designated as "Cloverfield Site US-447" (hence the title).

It also reminds me of War of the Planets and another movie which I would like you to guess if you have watched Cloverfield.

The film engages you to share in the suspense and the adventure. The feelings are real, making the scenario which is highly unlikely to be plausible. It was like watching something that did happen some time ago.

I like this movie and enjoyed it not because I'm sadistic, but because it was an emotional roller coaster. No boredom whatsoever, and makes you think and feel long after you have experienced the film. Watch it with friends and loved ones this weekend.

[cross-posted with watson.online]

Ang pelikulang I Am Legend ay base sa nobelang sinulat ni Richard Matheson's. Ito ay binidahan ni Will Smith na gumanap bilang si Robert Neville. Malaki ang kinita ng pelikulang ito at umani rin ito ng magandang review sa mga kritikong katulad ko. Di ko man nabasa ang libro nagagandahan ako sa pelikula, lalo na sa mga mala bampirang kalaban ni Will Smith, na nabiktima lamang ng virus na ginawa ng bida bidang doktora na kumalat sa buong kapaligiran. Di ko lang alam o diko naintindihan bakit parang naging immune siya sa virus, di ko rin alam kung bakit may kuryente parin siya sa bahay bagamat wala ng ibang taong magtatrabaho sa electric company nila. Naka jumper lang ba siya. tsaka di pa ba expired yung mga pagkain nyang de lata.

Naaawa ako at naiinggit sa kanya biruin mo antagal niyang nabuhay mag isa, wala siyang kausap kundi yung aso at mga manikin. Pero okay lang dahil parang kanya na ang buong new york. Sa umaga nga lang. Laking tuwa ko nung may dumating na ibang tao tapos babae pa. naisip nya kayang i do yung girl, tumigas kaya yung pututoy nya. Sayang nga lang unang gabi nila eh inatake sila nga mga monster .

Well maganda ang pelikula kahit tinipid sa characters puro lang manikin, tapos yung kontrabida walang dayalogo. Tapos tagal ko hinintay wala naman si Jaworski dun sa pelikula.. eh dapat siya ang bida dun dahil siya yung living legend. Punong puno ng aksyon ang bawat eksena di ka maboboring dahil sobrang iksi. Bitin my gulay

I admit it. I am a gadget freak. When the Matrix movie featured this Nokia phone with a sliding keypad cover, I got myself the closest thing: a Nokia 7110. And I had to wait for 3 months for my order to come in. When the first ever Nokia phone with polyphonic tones came out (the 7650), I lined up for one. When Siemens came up with a small phone that can display 7 lines of text, I got one for myself. And I also went through the gaming console phase.

Those were my gadget freak days. When I got married, priorities changed. I skipped PSP, the WII, the iPods. Rather than buying something for myself, I'd rather get something for my wife or son. And - dare I say it? - I was ready to settle for a phone with just SMS and call features!

And then came the online video of Steve Jobs' launching of the iPhone. I watched mesmerized. I simply got to have it! The last couple of months was enamoured with looking for an iPhone. I practically gave up on it and left the searching to my good buddy Harry.

And he finally found one! One morning he dropped it off my room. I took one look at it and felt that I really didn't want such a phone, even if it was going to be my holiday present for myself. But I decided to just take a little peep into what it can do...

Whoops, look at what we have here. I brought home the Powerbook! Hmm... let's see what will happen if I sync it with iTunes...

I spent the next few hours transferring photos, songs, and music videos, and configuring the device for my preferences. So much for losing my gadget freakness! I spent a couple of nights converting a couple of movie favorites into iPhone format. I was hooked.

So how is the iPhone like?
As an iPod, it's simply amazing. I love the coverflow which enables you to visually flick through your album and song selections. I love the huge screen and the crisp images! I love the music output.

As a WiFi device, I love it. The pages load and display nicely. Controls are so easy to use!

The camera captures really nice images even in low light conditions. Which I cant say the same for the Nokia N80, with its 3Mpixel camera. And you get the entire screen as your viewfinder when you take photos! Nice.

The interface is so simple you don't need a manual to familiarize yourself with it.

As a phone...
It's a cinch to make calls! And you get a full screen photo of the person you're talking to. And the screen turns off when you press it to your ear.

As an SMS device, that's where most of my expectations fall short. In a country where we send and receive SMS and MMS like we have meals 5 times a day, the features of the iPhone fall short. Imagine, you cannot forward messages! The horror! And you cannot send a single message to multiple recipients! Unspeakable!

Typing your messages also takes a lot of getting used to. Of course, we send more messages in Filipino than English but the dictionary kept substituting words. In fairness, the dictionary is also trying to learn some of the Filipino terms but typing can be frustrating sometimes. I thus try to send messages in English, which the dictionary is built for, and that's where I can see the dictionary working out. You don't have to accurately press on the right letters; the dictionary will help you get the right words in.

But still... I wonder why they didn't at least include message forwarding and sending to multiple recipients. It's as if the developers or the beta testers have never tried SMS and MMS before.

Darn.

So right now, I find myself smiling when I use the iPod features and surf on it, but get frustrated at times when I send text messages. It's a love-hate relationship.

[cross-posted in watson.online/]