Journey of Eros

If I were to be asked if I believed in ghosts, my response might offend those who believe they exist. The irony is - I dread a possible encounter with any of them.

Years ago, I was a shame to my siblings. I usually trespassed their space and privacy during the nocturnal hours. When the night was still young and everybody was up, I’d sneak to my bedroom right after supper, switch the light off and force myself to sleep even if Morpheus was wandering miles away from me. This was how I began to realize that the more effort you exert to make something happen, it has this nasty tendency to not happen at all. My fear would usually start the moment I hear my ate and kuya snore. Heart beating faster than normal, I’d try to face my fear by thinking happy moments - any moment, just like what Harry Potter does when he faces a dementor. But my dementor usually prevailed. It was always better to ignore my brother’s taunts than to not sleep the whole night.

It must be the room itself. A few meters away, a big Bangkal tree stood. Its old branches extending as if it would attack someone who might lure around its premises. Legend tells that it used to be a dwelling place of an old elf. (I wouldn’t care if it’s Dobby!) An aunt of mine told us once that she and her cousins actually saw the elf.

It could also be the menacing quiet that fills the still night. Anything could appear at the ungodly hour of the night. My imagination then was better than it is today. I couldn’t shake the idea that I’d be awakened from my slumber with the sound of kapre or a big hairy mane which has a head of a man. Or a manananggal peering at the window with its long, sticky tongue out ready to touch my skin. Or a white lady doing a catwalk just beside my bed.

I didn’t see any of those creatures. And now,  I still dread the creatures I don’t see. But I don’t believe they exist. I must be a loco.

I did my best (and my best was good enough!) to catch Ang Lee’s latest film "Lust Caution" when I saw the ad about it in the Sunday newspaper. The uncut version was running only on that day. That’s how it was advertised in the paper. Problem was, I didn’t have any penny on my wallet. Payday’s still a few days ahead. I had to watch the film before it’s gone. And I thought about Phoebe. One of my "few friends" who never fails to offer her help in times I need it.

So there I was, strolling past the newly-opened Midtown Center at Rob Manila, cautious while walking since the floor was too slippery. It’s too shiny, I could see my reflection. The absence of friction made me hold on to the railings while walking. Slipping on the shiny floor with no money is not a good moment for public humiliation.

The lady in charged of the tickets reminded me that the film was in Chinese and asked if it’s okay with me. I just nodded though I didn’t like it when someone asks stuff with obvious answers. As expected, a few number of people were inside the theater. I couldn’t tell what made them watch it - a) maybe it’s an R-18 film, b) they thought it’s a Korean movie, c) they did like "Brokeback Mountain"

I liked the film because: (caution: some spoiler)
1. The ending scene is very striking and unique. Full of meaning. Regret, loneliness. I felt a sense of loss while I was watching it. See it for yourself, if you want to know what I mean.
2. Tony Leung gives an excellent acting performance. Just as good as his other films (Happy Together, In the Mood for Love).  He doesn’t need to speak just to show what he feels. His expression says it all. He looks older here and you might be wondering if he’s the one who’ll have the sex scenes with the female protagonist. Again, I urge you to watch this film.
3. Tang Wei is gorgeous and gripping. I just read a while ago it’s her first film and already she’s a star.
4. The sex scenes are a sight to behold. You wouldn’t want to miss them. Though (spoiler) you’d need to wait for several minutes before you’d see what I mean. It’s brutal, the sex scenes, that is, but they’re lovely. Makes you wonder if they’re real or just simulated. One thing is for sure, they’re artistic.
5. The cinematography creates a dark, mysterious feel.
6. It’s quite dragging but you wouldn’t care.
7. It’s an uncut version.
8. You wouldn’t know how it’s going to end. Very unpredictable.
9. I liked the idea about what theater can do to create social change.
10. It’s by Ang Lee. Ang Lee. Yes, Ang Lee.

When Egyptian-born terrorist suspect Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally) disappears on a flight from South Africa to Washington, D.C., his American wife, Isabella (Reese Witherspoon), travels to Washington to try and learn the reason for his disappearance. Meanwhile, at a secret detention facility somewhere outside the United States, CIA analyst Douglas Freeman (Jake Gyllenhaal) is forced to question his assignment in an attempt to save thousands as he becomes a party to the torture of El-Ibrahimi.

The film’s theme reminds me of "Babel" and two upcoming movies with the same theme "A Mighty Heart "(Angelina Jolie) and "The Kingdom" all of which speak about terrorism in different forms and tackle it in different perspectives. This led me to think if the need for public awareness about world terrorism is essential. Which further led me to think about the ways how popular culture work. At the top, producers generate "ideas" which they believe will be of public interest which, if reception is great, would mean money.

However, the number of moviegoers inside the theater I went to proved the film’s not a runaway hit. Well, this is quite understandable since Filipinos are not really interested in drama especially if it’s Hollywood.

Roger Ebert, a notable film critic, gave the film four stars out of four, saying that, "Rendition is valuable and rare. It is a movie about the theory and practice of two things: torture and personal responsibility. And it is wise about what is right, and what is wrong."

It’s valuable, but it’s not really rare. The film’s strongest point is it’s subject: rendition. Next would be how the complications (characters’ dilemma) build up. They swirl upward until they reach the boiling point. The characters face the hardest decision, and you as a viewer struggle in your seat too if what they’ve done is right or wrong. You’d say "Oh, please don’t do that." "Idiot, why did you do that?"

The torture scenes lack terrifying elements. You can hardly feel the victim’s pain. You wouldn’t care too if he’s telling the truth.

Gyllenhaal plays a heroic character - his is the most admirable. He does what he thinks is right. One scene I liked the most is the one which Gyllenhaal hangs up when his supervisor (he works for the CIA) asks him where the suspect is - at that point, embarking on a trip back to the US - whom he has just saved. Grave consequences await, but he’s determined to save the one whom they accuse.

I almost shed a tear when Anwar El-Ibrahimi arrives at their home, his son recognizes him. It must be hard to live life again after the terror he’s gone into.

A friend of mine thinks Witherspoon and Meryll Streep’s presence are not essential in the movie. He pointed out it’s because they’re shadowed by the main protoganist who is played by a not-so-popular actor. I argued by telling him, that why I liked it more. Popular stars on the side of the circle!

There are still a lot of things I want to discuss in this movie but I’m afraid this review’s getting longer. And there are things that are better left unsaid.

I was dreaming last night when my phone rang. I instinctively got hold of it and press the answer button. It was Gibbs Cadiz who wanted to confirm if I could come for the playwriting talk scheduled this coming Saturday at the PETA center in Quezon City. I had to clarify with him what it’s all about, obviously, my memory wasn’t working well. (Some people I know talk strange things when they’re awakened from their deep slumber).

There was regret in my voice when I told him I couldn’t come because I have work on Saturday. I hated to tell him my work schedule has changed. The session would be surely informative and fun. Floy Quintos is conducting the talk.

"All right. Next time na lang," said Gibbs. And he hung up after I said thanks. I tried to get back to sleep but Morpheus seemed to have been annoyed. And my tooth was throbbing. 

It came from the author herself, J.K Rowling when asked by one young fan whether Dumbledore finds "true love.  She then explained that Dumbledore was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards. "Falling in love can blind us to an extent," Rowling said of Dumbledore’s feelings, adding that Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down."

Whoa! I didn’t think about that. If you read the Harry Potter series and think about it now, it makes sense. Is Professor McGonagall lesbian too because she didn’t have any relationships?   

from Yahoo News 

Hindi ko alam na may blog pala ang kaklase ko sa MA na si Sara Grutas. Nakita ko lang din sa blog ni Mark Angeles. Natuwa ako habang binabasa ang mga entries niya. Mas lalong nagiging interesante si Sara, kagaya ng mga isinusulat niya. Ginulat niya ako sa dagli niya tungkol sa dyip: "Nakasakay ko sa Dyip ang Kalaguyo ng Aking Asawa" na pinasulat sa amin ni Sir Vim noong simula ng semestre.

Malamlam ang mga mata ni Sarah. Bagay siyang lagyan ng gumamela sa tenga, tapos ngingiti siya tapos kukunan ng picture. Para siyang naglilihi, maputla kasi. Gustong-gusto kong pansinin ang sapatos niyang kulay puti na parang di nalalabhan. Sapatos pa lang niya, may karakter na.

Natawa at natuwa ako sa mga isinulat niya sa blog. May pagka-mushy rin pala siya.

Hindi ko pa rin napigilan ang aking sarili na manood ng 4pm film sa Cine Europa kahit me sumabog sa Glorietta kahapon. Tinext ako ng isang kaibigan na iwasan daw muna ang pagpunta sa mall at pagsakay sa MRT. Baka mangyari ulit yung naganap noong December 2000. Tuloy pa rin kami sa Shangrila. Kahit nagback out yung iba dahil natatakot. Marami pa rin naman ang nanood pero hindi fully-packed ang sinehan di katulad nung nakaraang taon na nagkakaubusan ng tiket.

Dead Man’s Hand ang una naming pinanood. Hindi ko na matandaan kung saang bansa galing. Tungkol ito sa babaeng nakipaghiwalay sa asawa niyang bailiff. Nakakatawa ang pagiging idiotic ng mga karakter. Hindi naman talaga idiotic ang pinaggagawa o pinagsasabi nila pero halos ganun ang effect sa kin. Sa romantic comedy puwedeng ilinya ang pelikula.

Closely Watched Train ang palabas nung alas 6. Isang apprentice ng dispatcher ng train ang nagtangkang magpakamatay dahil sa premature ejaculation na nangyari sa kanya nang subukan nila ng crush niya na magtalik. Sabi ng doktor (psychiatrist) na tumingin sa kanya, magpaturo siya sa mas nakakatandang babae na may sapat na karanasan sa buhay o kaya’y isipin ang football kapag nasa proseso ng pagtatalik. Yun nga ang ginawa niya.

Black and white ang pelikula. Indikasyon na luma na ito. sa konteksto ng panahong ginawa ang pelikula, masasabi kong maganda ito. Hitik kasi sa magagaling na detalye.

Baka manood ulit ako mamaya.

Time listed 100 Best Novels from 1923 to the present.  I have copies of "Atonement" and "On the Road" but I still haven’t read them. I plan to buy Bellow’s "Herzog." 

Here’s the Complete List in Alphabetical Order.

Ang Paglalakbay

Panahon na naman daw ng paglalayag. Kaya pala halos hindi mapakali ang lahat. May mga balisa, ang iba’y kinakabahan, samantalang nangangamba naman ang iilan. Tinatayang mahigit dalawang daan hanggang limang daang milyon sa aming lahi ang mag-uunahan palabas. May kung anong puwersa ang hihigop sa amin patungo sa tinatawag nilang obaryo. May isa raw sa amin ang mapalad na makakadaung-palad ang egg cell at mula rito’y mabubuo ang isang panibagong nilalang.
Mabilis lang naman daw ang biyahe. Sa paglalakbay, sagana ang lahat sa nutrisyong dulot ng seminal plasma. Ang vagina ang kinatatakutan ng lahat dahil masyado raw itong acidic dahil sa ibinubuga nitong lactic acid. Gayunpaman, malakas ang aming resistensya upang labanan ang kemikal na maaaring pumatay sa amin pagsapit sa vagina canal.
Nagsimula nang tumaas ang temperatura. Mayamaya pa’y tila hinihigop na kami ng puwersa patungo sa makipot at malapot na lagusan. Halos hindi kami makahinga sa tila tubong daluyan dahil sa sobrang sikip. Bumilis nang bumilis ang aming paglangoy hanggang sa tumalsik kami at nasadlak sa isang panibagong mundo: madilim, makipot at amoy-tae.

It’s when your classmate tells you the paper is due on Friday, barely 2 days from now and you still haven’t started anything yet.

Inside the FX going home, you panic, thinking about staying up all night because you’re afraid (no you’re not grade conscious) you’ll not pass the subject. You think you need to be absent from work the next day. You ask your classmates too for clarifications about the paper (a thesis proposal) - actually "eaves-dropping" if they’re done with it. It frightens you more to learn that it’s ready for submission and you wish you wrote it long before. But you’re just good in cramming, that’s how your creativity works well so you assure yourself you can actually beat the deadline.

And you’re right! But this isn’t the time to pop the champagne. Wait till you receive the result of your paper. Just hope it’s a different kind of shock.

I still believe "No Reservations" is a good movie eventhough Jessica Zafra wrote a negative review about it in her blog.

There’s something about Star Cinema movie productions which compels people to watch it. I for one look forward to their films, however sappy or sloppy they may be.

"I’ve Fallen For You" is one exception though. I didn’t intend to see it. But when friend Sheng invited me to go watch it the day after her birthday, I didn’t refuse.  Invites from friends whom you don’t see that often are hard to decline. There was another option - to watch "No Reservations" instead but Sheng was the birthday girl and she had complimentary tickets so she was the master.

I liked Kim Chiu in PBB but not in movies. I am not entertained with the way she delivers her lines. Feels like she’s being choked or squeezed. She’s hysterical sometimes too. She needs an extensive acting workshop. Gerald Anderson is equally incompetent as an actor. His expression is flat regardless of the scene.

Plot is typical. Rich boy falls in love with poor girl. Problem arises when they find out that their parents were lovers in high school. That affects their relationship. And as a Pinoy commercial love story, all should end well. You can guess what the ending is.

October 3-7, 2007 at the Shangrila Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong.

Have a chance to win a free trip for two to Australia. Every movie ticket is equivalent to one raffle entry. Which means the more entry you send, the more chances of winning.

October 3-4 at the UP Film Center.  

Tanghalang Pilipino, in cooperation with Bright Eyed Boys Events&Ideas, Inc., brings back the ALIW Awards Best Play for 2003 “Insiang”.  The stage production also bagged the Best Stage Actor, Best Stage Actress, Best Director and nominations for the Best Supporting Actor. From October 5 to 7 and 12 to 14, INSIANG will have a limited run at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater) with matinees at 3:00 P.M. (Saturdays / Sundays) and evening shows at 8:00 P.M. (Fridays / Saturdays / Sundays).
 
Award-winning writer, director and actor, Mario O’Hara’s masterpiece was originally written for radio then developed as a teleplay for the TV series “Hilda” directed by Lino Brocka.  It was adapted by O’Hara into a screenplay for the 1976 Manila Film Festival, starring Hilda Koronel in the title role, with Mona Lisa, Ruel Vernal and Rez Cortez playing key roles. The movie version became the first Filipino film to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival and went on to win plum awards for its director and leading actress Hilda Koronel.
 
Nearly thirty years after, Tanghalang Pilipino mounted the stage version in 2002 as part of its 16th Theater season. Directed by Chris Milado, the “live” theater version attracted full houses and became the box office hit of the season. 
 
Sheenly Vee Gener (Insiang), Ricky Davao (Dado), and Mae Paner (Toyang) and the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company reprise their award winning performances.  Mailes Kanapi joins the production as Pacing, the mother of Insiang.
 
Director Chris Millado leads the creative team in recreating the riveting 2002 production from the ensemble acting down to the highly detailed “hyper-real” staging.   Hesus Bobot Lota designs the wrap-around set, with Joey Nombres and Jethro Joaquin doing lighting design and soundscape respectively. The production also includes fight scenes skillfully choreographed by Jack Yabut.
 
INSIANG is a stirring drama about the transformation of a teenage girl from innocence to malevolence as she finds herself trapped by a life of poverty in the slums. Abused by the very people she trusts, Insiang rises from destitution and takes revenge against her abusers.
Due to strong language, adult themes and brief nudity, parental discretion is advised.

On each performance a limited number of seats are available which offer an exciting and unique way to experience the performance with the action of the show taking place all around the viewer.   A Q&A session with select members of the cast and creatives can be arranged specially for class, community or company groups regarding themes in INSIANG i.e. gender, women, poverty, “soap opera” and advertising, design, stage fight, and corruption.
 
For tickets, reservations, group bookings and special discounts, please call the Bright Eyed Boys at 521-0412 or 0922-8712007. Tickets are also available at all Ticketworld outlets.

I’ve been there quite a few times, at least in the past. When we spent our summer vacation here in Manila, we always had time to visit their house. It served as a drop-off point (for padala) and trysts for fellow kababayans who would meet their relatives. Theirs was a place which never failed to offer genuine hospitability. A bottle of Coca-cola and fresh bread from the nearest paniderya were always ready for everyone. In cases where the visitor didn’t have a place to stay, they would offer their house as a temporary hotel, free of charge.

Finding their house was the most arduous task I’ve encountered for the month. I was confident I could find it with the help of the landmark I tried to memorize the last time I visited there with my sister. It wasn’t helpful. Even people with photographic memory would find it hard to find the house located between a busy street and a railroad. I had to call somebody who knows the place by heart.

I’ve been told by the owner, Mang Roger, a big man who previously worked as a guard until he suffered from a stroke, that the place is being demolished. Spaces in between barung-barong explained it. He said they will migrate in a compound in Bulacan in the next few months. The new house, he added, is decent enough for the whole family to start life anew. "It’s not that far," he noted while I gazed at the interior of their place. Nothing has changed, except that it became cramped with boxes, rugs and old technical parts scattered in the corner.

I’ll never find their house again.