Hooked on SCQ





It's the 3rd week of my extended vacation here in Davao and I'm starting to feel bored. But the nights are getting more exciting since I get to watch Star Circle Teen Quest. Currently, the questors are down to six and this Friday, the jurors will be selecting the final five. I'm very glad that our own homegrown talents Erich and Charles are doing great. Erich was the highest pointer in last week's "TV Show Week" while yesterday, Charles was the top questor during their dubbing stint of "Lovers in Paris" followed by Erich. I'm very sure that these two will land for the final five which shown in Friday live at Aliw Theater.

Movies for the Season


Happy New Year!

For many, New Year is a sign of making things new: forgetting the old and bad ways and welcoming strange adventures but not being quite cynical, New Year for me is just a continuation and what must to be done, well although it would be hypocritical to say that New Year somehow brings larger opportunities, some exciting news and to tell to you the truth I'm quite excited of what is going to come for me. I just pray that God will grant the desires of my heart.

I was afraid that for the last days of the season would make me bloated. I only go to the gym twice a week coz, I'm so lazy to carry my own ass and pump some iron and oh yeah, my mum keeps all the sweetest cakes, salads and sweets inside the ref., just within my reach. But what keep me sane these last days are the movies I watched from our private (pirated) DVD library inside our house. Highly recommended are the movies which will melt your heart and will burst your guts out laughing.


    

"Love Actually" is a story collection of different people (Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Rowan Atkinson, Liam Neeson, et. al) who are loosely interrelated set in modern London during the Christmas season. The the stories varied in kind and in nature they are there to show us, audience that Love actually... is everywhere. When I first saw this movie, I was "bored" with too many characters involved and too many situations to digest but if you get to watch this movie the 2nd time around, maybe you'll appreciate it this time, like what it did to me. Nothing in this movie is overly dramatic, nothing much to be excited about but it will surely makes your heart stop and think and realize your capacity to love in your own unique way. "Big Fish" is a highly touching movie not intended for "all too literal" minds. Big Fish is a life story of a father (Ewan McGregor), who tells life in a fantastic, enchanted, surreal and exaggerated way. His son feels detached from his father since he though that he was living a lie of made-up yet exciting stories that never really happened. However, as his father is dying because of sickness, he realizes that his father is not really lying and all those events that happened to him were true. What was dramatic was that he himself in the end finished his dad's story for him in the most delightful way. Prepare yourself for the "biggest" laugh in your life as the Wayan brothers again entertain us with their another "critically un-acclaimed nonsense movie", White Chicks. The brothers played as two policemen who were to escort elite sisters, Britney and Tiffany Wilson (who kinda reminded me of Paris and Nicky Hilton) to the Hapmton's Weekend party. However things got screwed up and they end up disguising themselves as the two sisters. You don't have to think too much, just sit, relax, grab some chicharon and drinks and you'll have a good time.

Spending the Limbo


Belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to All.

Well, I just came from the newest cinema here in Davao, the NCCC Mall Cinema and I can say it resembles Robinsons Galleria cinemas. Astig! Notably, this week is the Metro Manila Film Festival week and as usual as part of my annual routine, I will watch which I think are the best entries this year. Yesterday I watched Mano Po: My Love starring Mayor Vilma Santos. As usual, it's full of the drama crap not really that impressed. Mano Po 2, still I think is the best of all the Mano Po films. Today I watched "So Happy Together". Funny films especially with touches of gay theme always make people laugh. The film itself is generally good and I like the story, quite tragic in the end as Eric Quizon dies on his bed, his life and his money, all gone in pursuit of happiness while Kris ends up highly successful. I still have to watch, the all-Visyan film, "Panaghoy sa Suba" and my all-time favorite TV series movie entry, "Okay Ka, Fairy Ko".

Anyway, Christmas has been good so far. The annual MDD Convention is still going on and too bad, I did not register. I'm not really in the mood to join all the activities but decided in the end to attend the major activities.

There's No Place Like Home(?)


Yesteray, I arrived here in Davao. After six months away from home, it's a good feeling to be back at where you grew up. My mom, dad and my sister fetched me at the airport. Inside our vehicle, I talked about my memorable experiences when I worked as a PA (Production Assistant) both at "All About Men" and "Bodyhunt 2004". But nobody seemed to care, my dad only asked what salary I got ... and then lied to him that it was good. Nobody, seemed to care if I enjoyed it or was it hard. No one asked, if I was ok. Nobody did but when my sister shared her share of her stories. They commented about it.

As you can see, I never did relate with anyone in the family especially with my Dad and my Mom. It is with my sister I talk with what I did or sometimes with my brother. My parents don't seem too proud with my achievements in the field of art and music, which are something I love to do and plan to make a career out of them. They have expected me to make use of my ECE licnse, work in a big company, earn big salary and that's it. Yet, I never expected they could be so cold about it when I'm so hot sharing what I've done. Anyone, my Dad made a side comment, that I'd return to Manila, only to get my remaining things. I felt slammed... but it's ok. I'm 23, I think I've grown enough to stand up for myself... no matter what happens, I'll be back in Manila and stay there... so help me God.

To continue with my story, when I got home, it was uneventful. I cooked my own dinner while everyone watched "Kapamilya Christmas Special". After that, my sister was the only one left at the living room, so I poured out to her all my excitement. I showed here my work and what I did. I'm still glad that someone in the family can relate with me. During this week, I will not think of anything else but to enjoy the holidays and deal with my going back to Manila after that.

Shopping in Quiapo


I promised my friend Sheela, who's in Davao to buy her a VCD of "Sassy Girl"...never heard of that movie but I think it's a hit Korean flick. So today, I decided to go to the "pirated CDs" capital of the Philippines, Quiapo, Metro Manila. Going there was uneventful, though I decided to travel an alternate route by going off Cainta Junction, then ride a jeep up to MRT 2 and then stop at Recto station, where Quiapo is situated nearby. I saved an hour, if I travel via bus, I think it would take me 2 hours. Anyway, back to the story. After that, I headed straight to the pirated CD nooks. Wait but before that, I decided to enter the famous Quiapo church, where the Feast of the Black Nazarene is held and where the movie, "Santa Santita" was shoot. Well, it was exactly the same like it was shown in the movie. There are those praying ladies at the corner. Well back again, here in Quiapo, is a home of a block of stalls of pirated CDs and DVDs. You can find several kinds of DVDs, like latest movies, concerts, cartoons, animés, "teleseryes", fashion shows. So Mr. Edu, how's the raiding doing? Not really good, eh! So I entered each stall one by one and in the end, I bought a Celine Dion and concert of Bond DVD. Cool! Though, I never found, a VCD copy of "Sassy Girl" but found a DVD copy instead. I texted Sheela and she told me that "wag na lang" and even warned me to secure my DVDs when I go back to Davao. The law officers might confiscate them and I might go to jail... (No!!!) Just when I decided to go home, I passed by a very dark nook, disguised slightly in front by an "ukay-ukay" store. It was a very dark path, leading to more stalls. It was so freaking hot in there and for a while, the place starts to brighten up and I was in a section full of porn CDs and DVDs. COOL!!! Wow, they really secure this place. I was just passing by, ogling at those big-breasted models and I can't bear the heat any longer, so I left the place. It was almost evening when I went back to Recto Station. Well, that was it, my day in Quiapo.