The Hours

After more than a year of searching, I finally found a copy of The Hours with an ensemble cast of Nicole Kidman (unrecognizable due to her make up and prosthetics), Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Ed Harris, John C. Reilly and Claire Danes.

The movie is one of the best films I've seen. From the powerhouse cast, to the good screenplay, nice editing and good direction, the movie really deserves a 10/10 rating (or 4 stars from movie critics).

The movie is the story of the lives of Virginia Woolf, Laura Brown and Clarissa Vaughn.


Virginia Woolf struggles with her "insanity" and the restrictive confines of her society. She writes Mrs. Dalloway while undergoing through her struggles.


Laura Brown is a middle aged mother who is bored with her role as a housewife. She reads Mrs. Dalloway and decides on a drastic course of action that will have an impact on the lives of others.


Clarissa Vaughn, who is living the life of Mrs. Dalloway in modern-day New York, is planning on giving a party for her dear friend, who just won a major literary prize.


I have seen this movie once before and I was struck on the beauty of the film, the great acting and the very fine interweaving of the three stories. Seeing the film for the second time gave mo more time to understand it.

The screenplay is really really good. No dialogue in the film is wasted... no chatty talks, no unnecessary curses, each word has a meaning and adds a meaning to the story. The screenplay is very well complimented by the nice direction and film editing. During the first few minutes of the film, the parallel cuts of the three stories seems so fluid that it seems as if the action is taking place in only one place and one time.

Of course, a big part of the credit should go to Michael Cunningham for the wonderful novel (it did after all, win the Pulitzer Prize).

I'd like to say so much more about this movie but words escape me at this point.

* * * * *

to look life in the face,
always... to look life in the face...
and to know it... for what it is...
at last to know it...
to love it... for what it is...
and then...
to put it away...

always the years between us
always the years...
always the love...
always the hours...

Random TV Thoughts

Last Saturday night, I was able to catch some of Kuya Germ's Walang Tulugan. To people who don't know Kuya Germs, it is surprising to know that this man dominated GMA during the 80s and early 90s. Back then, he works seven days a week. He works in the afternoon from Monday to Saturday in That's Entertainment and on Sundays in GMA Supershow.

It was in these shows that many talents were discovered. That's Entertainment is practically a factory for young stars. Then, that format for discovering talents passed out of style. With the coming of such shows as Ang TV.

GMA Supershow dominated Sunday afternoons. It was at this time when stars would grace the show and fans could come up to stage and put leis of sampaguita on them. Some would go as far as to wipe the perspiration off their idols and even kiss their idols.

Today, Kuya Germ's is reduced to a very late night TV show. Talking and still trying to kindle that STAR MAKER quality at a time when people are either sleeping or out on gimmicks. I bet his show was just GMA's way of showing gratitude to a man who was of great use to the station a decade ago.

Kuya Germs remind me so much of Kris Aquino. Whereas Kris dominates ABS-CBN shows today, Kuya Germs dominates channel 7 a decade ago.

Will Kris Aquino's fate be the same as that of Kuya Germs.

* * * * *

In fairness to Kuya Germs, he spent his TV life helping (careerwise and financially) many people. I cannot say the same for Kris as I do not know where she spends her money.

* * * * *

I don't watch much TV. And if I do, I usually watch shows in studio 23 (at night) and GMA 7 (during the day).

Lately, however, I am getting hooked on Marimar Aw! Something about the show makes me want to watch it. Probably because I missed out on the Marimar phenomenon several years ago.

* * * * *

My nephews and niece (and other people) are hooked on Kokey, the fantaserye. I cannot understand this. I cannot even understand why ABS-CBN made the show.

The movie Kokey was corny enough (a rip off of E.T.) but to make a teleserye about Kokey?!

I guess I'll never know. TV executives may have a different idea on what the masses will accept and what they will not.

* * * * *

Fantaserye, I believe, began with ABS-CBNs Marina starring Claudine Barretto. It was quickly copied by GMA with its own mermaid fantaserye starring Rufa Mae Quinto. However, fantaserye boomed when GMA produced and aired Mulawin.

And now, many fantaseryes are being produced.

* * * * *

A month or two ago, I finally saw the end of Voltes V. Nothing spectacular about that, except that I saw Voltes V when I was a kid, which was more than 15 years ago. And only after 15 years was I able to finally see the series' conclusion.

Maybe in a few years, I will finally see the end of Shaider.

Woohoo!

Random Thoughts

This week (November 5 to 11) is Money Market Consciousness Week. I don't think the celebration of this event every year has yielded results. Too many people don't know and don't care what money market is. Even I, a person who studied business and is a practicing CPA, have only a vague idea of what money market is.

* * * * *

A few weeks ago, there was an explosion in Glorietta 2, killing 11 persons and hurting more than a hundred. On that particular day, I was itching to go to Wade (which is above where the explosion happened). Days before the explosion, I was planning on a buying a new pair of shoes from Wade. On that particular day, my resolve to buy a new pair of shoes was even greater since the pair I was wearing on that day does not match my pants. And so I thought of going to Glorietta 2 during lunch time. Lucky for me, somehow I wasn't able to go. Or else, I would have been one of those six feet underground or one of those hurt.

* * * * *

After months or even years of searching, I finally found a copy of The Hours in pirated DVD. I also found a copy of Magnolia, The History of the World Part I (by Mel Brooks) and Cashback (starring Sean Biggerstaff).

* * * * *

After having a copy of Blue Velvet for quite sometime, I finally was able to watch it. It was ok. I like Mulholland Drive better. Kyle Maclachlan was very young in Blue Velvet. Isabella Rosellini (the daughter of the Swedish Ingrid Bergman and Italian director Roberto Rosellini) seems to look today the way she did in that movie.

* * * * *

I also watch Death Proof and Planet Terror (yes, separately and not the Grindhouse film). Death Proof, as Roger Ebert put it, has some very exciting chase scenes but very long periods of dialogues where nothing seems to be happening. Planet Terror, considered by many as the inferior one, is better since it's something is happening all throughout the entire length of the movie.

The two films definitely capture the feel of b-movies, with all the scratches, jumps and even the burning of the film stock being shown.

* * * * *

For the nth time, I watched Friends in DVD. I just love friends.

I love Phoebe who is "wonderfully weird" but I can relate very much to Ross who is geeky and knows a lot of things and trivia.

I just love the wedding of Phoebe. It was sooo romantic, with the falling snow and with her friend (who hasn't taken a bath for years and will only take bath when Tibet is free!) playing "Here, There and Everywhere" on steel drums.

* * * * *

Mel Brooks film that I have:

1. Blazing Saddles

2. The History of the World Part I

3. High Anxiety

4. Twelve Chairs

5. The Producers - 2006 (produced by Mel Brooks)

6. Silent Movie

7. To be or not to be

8. Young Frankenstein.

I just love Mel Brooks.

* * * * *

Q. Tarantino films that I have:

1. Kill Bill vol. 1

2. Kill Bill vol. 2

3. Reservoir Dogs

4. Pulp Fiction

5. Death Proof

6. Natural Born Killers (screenplay)

I have seen the first five and started on the sixth film. I stopped watching the last film since the film is violent ( as Tarantino films are) but lacks the direction of Oliver Stone lacks the style of Quentin Tarantino.

Kill Bill volumes 1 and 2 are good and so is Pulp Fiction. Death Proof has some good parts but somehow I was bored through most of the other scenes. Reservoir Dogs, well, it is finely written but again, I was bored.

Tarantino is a good scriptwriter and a better director. But I believe he has to cut down on unnecessary dialogues that lengthen his films.

* * * * *

I saw Goodfellas. The film looks like and feels like a diluted The Godfather. Well, some people say it is more realistic in its portrayal of crime organizations. I just find the length of the movie tiresome.

* * * * *

Don't get me wrong, watching a long movie is fine with me.... as long as there is something to the length. As long as something is happening during the movie. Take for instance, Gone with the Wind and Doctor Zhivago, these films are really long but I was not bored since things are happening that pushes the movie along.

* * * * *

Last November 1 was the date I first went to Glorietta after the explosion. I was still apprehensive. Something may still happen there. On that date, there were very few people in the mall. It seems like the old tradition of going to cemeteries is still alive.

* * * * *

Films that I'd like to have a copy of:

Stanley Kubrick Films:

- Dr. Strangelove

- Paths of Glory

- The Shining

- That other Kubrick film (his second feature film)

D.W. Griffith's Intolerance

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Groundhog Day

Giuseppi Tornatore's Star Maker

Films of Federico Fellini

- 8 1/2

- La Dolce Vita

- Fellini's Satyricon

- Michaelangelo Antonioni's L'Avventura

On Buying DVDs

ON BORAT

Last November 1, I went to Landmark and was surprised that DVDs which were previously selling at P299 or higher were on sale and were selling at P199. Of course I was enticed to buy some of the titles. I bought Bambi (which I have not yet seen), Toy Story 1 and 2 and A Bug's Life (which I have seen but I am collecting Pixar feature films, so I bought them anyway), and Borat.

I have a pirated DVD copy of Borat which doesn't work well so at P199, I thought why not buy the original. I have seen HMV copies of Borat in Makati Cinema Square and even bought one of these I think months ago (I eventually returned this since the the sound is not in English). Also, the writings on the cover of the copy that I bought is Greek or Russian. At that time when I bought (and returned) the pirated copy of Borat, an original copy of Borat was selling at Landmark for P550. Such a big difference.

Then, when I got home, I was excited and opened the Borat DVD. The DVD is in a DVD box with a "DVD jacket" that boasts of additional 30 or 60 minutes of previously unseen footage. Then, when I opened and removed the DVD jacket, I was surprised and very disappointed that the DVD cover on the box itself is written in the very same Greek or Russian. The disc itself is not printed with the Borat picture. Instead, it was like one of those discs you can buy in CDR King and other stores. The name "Borat" is just written in black marker, I think. When I played it on my DVD, it doesn't work. Well, my DVD players is kinda old and it doesn't read most DVDs the first time you put it in. I no longer tried it again and returned it to the box, thinking that I could replace it with a different DVD from Landmark. I even saved the tape receipt.

Yesterday (November 4), I went back to Landmark to exchange the DVD for a new title. The salesladies told me that the disc I bought was indeed like that. They also refused to exchange my disc citing that the disc I bought already have scratches and they don't change DVDs on the basis that I did not like the content of the disc.

Well, I guess the few scratches on the disc were my fault. However, I still believe that I have the right to return the DVD because the DVD jacket of the disc is in English and boasts of DVD features and the disc itself looks like pirated.

Since they refuse to exchange my disc for other titles, I was so frustrated and irritated that I couldn't help but blurt out "Dapat pirated na lang ang binili ko."

And yes, I am planning to buy pirated DVDs when I could and buy only original DVDs when I really like the title.

ON OPTICAL MEDIA BOARD AND QUALITY OF DVDs

Edu Manzano's Optical Media Board (OMB) frequently conducts raid on sellers of pirated DVDs. It is on the premise of intellectual property rights and that sellers of pirated DVDs are "stealing" from the copyright owners of these works. That, I can't refute. Copyright owners should be given due compensation for their work. However, due compensation as defined by these owners seem to be very expensive, especially for a country like the Philippines.

As I said, I understand the need for these war against piracy being waged by the OMB. It needs to protect the copyright owners from "robbers" who steal their work. However, I believe that the OMB should also ensure that consumers are being protected from businesses. If they are conducted raids to ensure that noone is stealing copyrighted works, I believe they should also be reviewing the quality of the "original" discs being released by film distributors.

On certain occasions, I have bought "original" DVDs which do not seem to be original. To all buyers of "original DVDs", avoid these:

1. The aforementioned Borat title
2. All foreign titles released by Viva where you can see at the back of the DVD cover the logo of Viva.

These so called original DVDs have quality that are so bad you'll feel like you're watching a VCD. For one, they are usually released in full screen. The quality of the picture is bad - as I said, something like the quality of VCD releases. And some have no subtitles.

It is sad to note that while the OMB, through the push of American distributors, are raiding pirated disc sellers, nothing is being done to protect the consumers.

It is also very sad and very frustrating that while the quality of pirated discs are ever improving (there are DVDs that are now sold with complete features) and their price going down, the quality of so-called "original" DVDs have not caught up. If film distributors, like Viva, want people to buy original DVDs, they should do something about the quality of their products. Furthermore, they should reduce the price of these DVDs even more.

REASONS WHY I BUY PIRATED DVDs

Like many other people, I have several reasons why I buy pirated DVDs.

1. Of course the price. Original DVDs generally cost P299. Pirated DVDs cost P60 or less.
2. The available titles. There are more (and I mean MORE) titles available on pirated DVDs than in original DVDs. For instance, I was able to buy very old titles like "Birth of a Nation", "M" and "Metropolis" in pirated DVDs. These titles are not available in original discs, at least not here in the Philippies.
3. And now because of the Borat incident, return and exchange policies. I have bought several defective DVDs and I was able to exchange them with their sellers. There was only one time that I wanted to exchange and original DVD and I was refused.

THE FUTURE OF PIRACY

I read an article in a magazine, either GQ, Vanity Fair or Details, about internet piracy in Sweden. The article talks about the prevalence of internet piracy and how it is affecting film companies in the US. No less than a leading officer of Disney was quoted as saying that piracy is a new business model and that film companies should be able to adapt to such model.

Here in the Philippines, internet piracy is not as prevalent as piracy through physical discs (mainly because of the underdeveloped internet infrastructure). I can say that pirated DVDs are here to stay.

As the saying goes, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

CHEERS!!!!

Housemate Hunting

I am hunting again for a housemate, though halfheartedly somehow.

I have been living in my apartment for more than three years now. And I don't want to move to a new place because: (1) I have a lot of stuff to move and that would be difficult; and (2) it's difficult to find a good place in makati. Besides, I've grown accustomed to that place.

Well, I started living there with two college friends. One of them moved out after less than a year and the other one moved out several months after. I stayed alone for about two or three months. then I had siblings for housemates. They were there for more than a year. Then they left and I was left alone again for two months, I think. Then my first housemate moved back in again, but she just left to go to UK to work.

And so here I am again, searching for a housemate.

My first housemates were ok. Well, why shouldn't they be? They were my friends and I can say that we had some good and memorable times at that apartment. Then the second set of housemates was not so fun. We hardly talk. We each have our own TV in our rooms so the common area became just a place we pass through on our way the CR or on our way out or when we come back from outside or when we wash the dishes and do some other routine stuff. Hell, we lived together for more than a year and we spoke only when it is the time of the month when we need to pay our rent. And even then, very laconically.

I am looking for a housemate who I can talk to. Friendly, accepts me for who I am (all my loud -watching, smoking habit, etc.). I am so bored out of my mind being alone that I need someone I can relate to and interact with.

Boredom

Here I am again... bored with my life and with no one to talk to. As Leah Salonga (as Eponine) sung:

And now I'm all alone again
Nowhere to turn no one to go to
Without a home, without a friend
Without a face to say hello to
And now the night is near.... now I can live inside my head.

Well, luckyn for Eponine, she has someone to obsess about. AS for me, I am here, stuck with nothing to obsess about.

So here I am in an internet cafe at 11:30 in the evening, pouring my mind on this very impersonal thing. Lucky if someone would take the time to read my blogs.

And so the day began with me waking up at 10am. Nothing to do (I was supposed to go out with a friend the whole day, but I guess she is not that enthusiastic about going out today with me).

Watching TV the whole day, going to Puregold to buy that roasted chicken which doesn't tast that good, and watching the first half of Blue Velvet are all that I done today. I would've said accomplished but looking back, these are not really accomplishments. Just things I did.

Oh! And I washed the dishes which have been sitting there for a few days.

Well, I just wished I had the drive to go to work today and finish my work. I am so damn lazy these days (well, lazy at work for more than a year now).

Movies, Movies, Movies

Finally, I am happy that the website that I usually visit now has a forum for movie lovers. And by movie lovers I mean movie lovers. People who go the extra length and watch movies other than summer blockbusters and films that are lucky enough to be screened in cinemas here.

These people are the those who watch foreign language films, art house films, classics and even some trash movies.

I hope that sometime we can get together and have a movie marathon or something. Or just even watch movies in cinemas together. What a refreshing time that would be from watching movies on my own alone in my apartment.