The Rite Possession.....

As early this year, January lined us up with two Exorcism themed movies, ”Exorcismus” which is currently being shown in theaters and "The Rite" which is coming soon.

All these years in horror, particularly in demon possession genre there is no doubt that "The Exorcist" has the absolute stranglehold. The movie changed the face of the horror films. I'm not sure if there will be another film to contend its throne, surely there was "The Omen" both with similar themes but with different story plot, "The Exorcist" is in demon possession, while "The Omen" is an evil incarnate.  But rating which film scares me out up to the tip of my bones, without a doubt "The Exorcist" is the scariest movie I have ever seen. I remember when I was a kid, after watching it, I was shaking the whole day, had nightmares for days and weeks. Why is it so hard for me swipe Linda Blaire’s face out of my memory? As for “The Omen”, well it only scared for days (LoL); it was spooky too but didn't scare me as much as "The Exorcist". Both films however became a permanent fixture of my collective nightmares.

I haven't watched “Exorcismus” and I'm not planning to, but I'm looking forward to "The Rite". (I'm a big fan of Anthony Hopkins)

Sir Anthony Hopkins. a seasoned Jesuit exorcist in Rome mentoring a skeptical seminary student. "The Rite" is a supernatural thriller that uncovers the Devil's reach to even one of the holiest places on Earth. Inspired by true events, a seminary student Michael Kovak(Colin O'Donoghue) is sent to study exorcism at the Vatican with his skepticisms about the controversial practice and adding his doubts in his own faith he challenges his superiors to look to psychiatry, rather than demons, in treating the possessed.



Comes Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins) an unorthodox, Micheal was sent as his apprentice. A legendary priest has performed thousands of exorcisms; Michael has drawn into a troubling case that seems to transcend even Father Lucas's skill. He begins to glimpse a phenomenon science can't explain or control...and an evil so violent and terrifying that it forces him to question everything he believes.



Photo inset courtesy of link



Now these seem to be interesting plot, I myself had witnessed a demon manifesting inside a girl body who happened to be my schoolmate. The possession happened during the mass which being held during the first Friday of the month. Yes, I spent my primary education in a Catholic school, I don't know how to react back then but "The Rite's" premise sparks my interest and how this plotline will be adapted in screen.

What assessment criteria one might use when trying to determine when a problem is spiritual and when a problem is mental. How exactly do you tell what is mental illness and what is a spiritual affliction. I sincerely doubt there is any test that will please believers or devotees from both sides of the cultural divide.

These are questions that I leave you guys to discuss, as for me I just look forward again to be spooked by Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

2010 Dreams and Reel Memories...

Academy Awards is close approaching, while film critics are still arguing what's the best of 2010 I'm already looking ahead to this year silver screen offerings. We seem to have a very interesting line-up for 2011. But before peeking to this year's attractions how about a recap of what 2010 had left us to ponder. There have been only quite a number of crafted films worth remembering. 2010 films left us with unimpressive blockbusters outputs and a lot of lacklusters but what reels really made an impact to movie-buffs like me in 2010?

Topping my list last year, “Inception”.

It’s been a while a film this intellectually stimulating and enticing has been made, adding to my exhilaration is the fact that the movie demands devoted attention and after the course I realized that such exclusivity is indeed required for this film. So my advice to those who haven't watched it, pay close attention so you can keep up with this dream world depiction. A film about dreams that requires you to stay awake because you won't want to miss a second of this brain-twister thought-provoking spectacular.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays a corporate spy Dom Cobb, an industrial espionage expert in "extraction". With the use of CIA-developed technology, an "Extractor" steals corporate secrets by infiltrating his victims’ subconscious. The target, the heir to a corporate dynasty, a multi-billion-dollar energy company. As this feat can't be done by Cobb alone, he assembled a team of con-artists with each apt-role to fulfill. Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s), Cobb’s right-hand, a researcher and Point Man. Ariadne (Ellen Page) the architect to design a maze/labyrinth structure of the dreams. (Tom Hardy) plays Eames, as The Forger. (Dileep Rao) as Yusuf is The Chemist, (Ken Watanabe) as Saito, The Tourist and the one who hired the team and (Cillian Murphy) as Robert Fisher Jr, The Mark billionaire-heir. Like any con-artists, they need to construct a false reality to manipulate or confuse the heir and be persuaded to abdicate his waiting throne, as a lever they used the victim issues with his father (the dying patriarch). To achieve this they need to implant a seed(idea or a thought) through the heir's subconscious.

Sounds easy but not quite, they need to get into a further dream state, penetrate a maze or a labyrinth of dreams within dreams while encountering perilous hazards on every level (the targets are also trained to defend their subconscious) many of them including Cobb’s guilty sub-conscious memories of his wife.

 Photo and defintion courtesy of link : A Totem is an object that is used to
test if oneself is in  one's own reality (dream or non-dream) and not in
another person's dream.

Now let me try to break this down. I had to view the film multiple times to somehow or at least come up with an accurate view or perspective of the film's premise.

There are two sets of people, the ones created the dream and interacting in it while understanding it is an illusion, and the others who are projections in the dream created by the players. These projections never have a knowledge of what is reality, they’ll be deleted when the dreamers wakes up.

The word "Inception" for me is quite similar to the word "Insert". Inserting objects like people, places, things, and events. They are placed in our consciousness for experience, while we are asleep or even awake (Daydreaming) experiencing it vicariously.

Dreaming within a dream process puts them into a deeper state of dreaming. They go through several levels; the deeper they go the further the mind looses its grip from reality. And the deeper they sleep, the more vivid a real-feeling of a dream becomes and the harder they'd be woken up. Then there's the "Kick", a sensation of falling, a physical queue that's supposed to wake them up from the dream. But as the concept suggests, by the time they reach the Limbo state it can be so difficult to wake that even the "Kick" will be not be possible. A dream with vivid real-feeling causes the mind to stop trying to wake at all like slipping into a coma, then the mind accepts the dream as its reality.

The reel made a point that at certain levels of awareness you can die and leave the dream, but as you get deeper, let's say in level 3, you can get lost forever. In the subconscious level, its motivated by emotions not by reason, if you get trapped in your emotions you will never be ready to exit when the dream ends. As what Cobb’s have been trying to do with his guilty emotion of the death of his wife.

In Limbo state, in case a dreamer wakes up he won't remember that there is such a thing as a “real world” – just like in any dream when you wake up in the middle of a scene and simply accept it for what it is. Like the case of Cobb and his wife, they are trapped in a Limbo state where it seemed to be decades and they're unable to let themselves out of the cycle.

Photo inset courtesy of link : Cobb and his Mal in a limbo state where they
seemed trapped in decades

Time is the another variable when you are in a dream state, the deeper you are the faster your mind imagine and perceive things in that dream state. As what we seen in the movie the deeper they go, turns minutes into hours, into days, into years. Such factor was the primary reason why the inception team is able to pull off the Inception job while encountering perilous challenges in defense of their heist act. All events happened within the span of a flight from Sydney Australia to LA.

Many still however wondered how the movie ended. I just realized that most people who saw Inception have already made up their minds about what they perceived the film to be. Some were impressed while some walked away confused, feeling like they had their mind twisted. To those who are confused, there’s evidence on both sides, but neither one can prove one.

But this is how I perceived the ending in my first viewing. 

In the film's climax Mal’s (Cobb's wife) shadow stabs Cobb throwing him back into the Limbo state and to the shores of Saito’s house. When he woke up, his mind is muddled just like Saito’s brain that has aged at this Limbo state. But as they converse they were able to remember the reality existed before the Limbo, through Cobb's "totem" (an object used by extractor to test if oneself is in one's own reality (dream or non-dream) and not in another person's dream) and the phrase "Leap of faith". While both still had deep desires waiting to be fulfilled in real world (Cobb reuniting with this kids and Saito's business) they're able to wake themselves up, could be a gunshot in the head(we saw Saito reaching the gun). Then we have seen Cobb waking up in the plane so I'd say they're back in reality.

But after hearing mixed opinions and theories from friends of how the movie ended, it raised a very confusing question, "Could Cobb still be dreaming?”. What's troubling me in the end is Cobb's kids, they wear the same clothes(which time and time again we saw them in his dreams) in his dreams and in the so-called reality in the end.The images we saw in the plane, could these be just projections of Cobb's dreams?  There was no conversation between the characters after Cobb woke up, all just images to prove our own interpretation. This is what I think the filmmaker purposely have done, leaving the climax in an uncertain or ambiguous state that's open to audience perception of whether he woke up or could be dreaming.

I leave you guys to debate, but for me what is important is the fact that Di Caprio's character, a person who is obsessed with “knowing what’s real” then to ultimately becoming a person who stops questioning and just accepts that what makes him truly happy as what’s real. So which ever state he was in the end as long as he is happy then we can rest the story there.



Photo inset courtesy of link. An example of staircase paradox.

Conceptually the film is brilliant though one can say its just another classic con/heist movie but I'd say it's a step further, creatively they're dream thieves. Though the concept is nothing new either, this concept was first seen in 1984 Sci-Fi film “Dreamscape" but in the age of modern film making I'd say this one standouts in its genre. The special effects are magnificent as well; the dream depictions even overwhelm the story at times.

In the film’s emotional department, some critics commented that the movie lacked in emotion, that it’s more symbolic than a feeling. Leonardo's character may have not made any emotional link to any character in the film but he certainly did made an emotional connection to us audience so that puts the reel not just a clever cerebral game. For me, Leonardo is one of the warmest actor to portray a character, he gave justice in  playing a role of a person who is about to loose his grip with reality, as he carries with him the grief and guilt over the death of his wife and separation from his children. You can see it in every twist and turn in the film’s narrative. So the movie was not all brains after all but with heart as well. '

Now being sensible to the film's premise, this raise some ethical questions in mental/mind rape. I'm not an ethicist but one simply stating a side of opinion.

The acts in the movies centers in or maybe equals to a  mental rape, regardless of the method, extraction or inception. This topic was barely explored or perhaps totally disregarded by the filmmaker. For an instance, Cobb’s desire to reunite with his children as his motivation, doing it even after the epic failure with his wife. I'm not a parent so pardon my parental perspective. But can we applaud and celebrate a father’s love with this?

And how about the victim? The Heir (Fisher) is never shown to be an unethical being, it was not elaborated why they such dominate business(unethical business practice?) and why Saito's company unable to compete fairly. He's simply just rich and unfortunately in Cobb's and Saito's way. Maybe it was a happy ending for him sorting out what his father wants him to be but the act doesn't make it acceptable, The fact that it was fabricated, and the happy ending wasn't fabricated for the sake of his well-being, and it was devised to make him lose billions of dollars to Saito and for Cobb's gains.

On the other hand, if this movie is a hint of advances in neuro-technology/neuro-science then we could be facing enormous moral and social issues. Such advancement poses a tremendous potential threats – and open issues and ethical questions that go to the core of human rights in ways never before imagined. It maybe just our subconscious but the premise suggest that it opens opportunities for someone to predict, possibly control, change our behavior, intelligence and even character.

It is tinkering the very essence of what it means to be us, as human : our brain.

A memorable quote from Cobb “Well dreams, they feel real while we're in them, right? It's only when we wake up that we realize how things are actually strange. Let me ask you a question, you, you never really remember the beginning of a dream do you? You always wind up right in the middle of what's going on”.

Devil's playground....

I had a weekend movie session with my cousins yesterday. We watched the recently released thriller film "Devil" directed by John Erick Dowdle the man behind of another horror film the "Quarantine". Based on a story by M. Night Shaymalan.

After receiving a negative critical reception for the movie "Avatar: The Last Airbender." M. Night Shaymalan released the first of his "The Night Chronicles" trilogy. Sources said that Shaymalan acknowledged that the story's basic was based on Agatha Christie's 939 novel "And Then There Were None". Basically with similar plot, a Devil takes a human form in a group of people with guilty pasts trapped in an isolated location and begins to die one by one.

The movie is not that scary as you might think though the movie poster seem to promise one.(see picture inset). In fact, my cousins and I had a little fun in the guessing game of who would be the devil in the group. Each of us had their own pick and some didn't even have a choice. They say it's not in human form perhaps it's a spirit or just a voice tempting a person to do his devil's work. (ok then, we'll see) While all have no clue, there's one thing I notice that is really quite unusual. All characters in the elevator have red in common. Signs? Of what?

Now here we go again with M. Night Shaymalan twisted plots.

The reel kicks off with a worker committing suicide by jumping off from a building. It was narrated by "Ramirez"(Jacob Vargas) a building security guard who told by his mother that when a Devil roams on earth and it always begins with a suicide. Now I remember the scene as well in the "Constantine" were "Rachel Weiz" twin sister committed a suicide announcing the devils arrival.

Then we have five (who I suppose are damned sinners) individuals entering the skyscrapers in downtown Philadelphia. Completing the cast, an old woman, a young married woman, a young man, a man with a suit and a security guard. We also have "Ramirez" who seems to have this "sixth sense" and Chris Messina as Det. Bowden who is in recovery process after the tragedy of losing his wife and child from a hit-and-run. The elevator breaks down trapping the five of them and the puzzles of the story begins. Tragic things started to happen in the elevator whenever the light goes out.  Ramirez then sees signs, the devils face etched into surveillance footage. Things get escalated when one by one started to die and with one suspicious of the other. The detective did a background check of the trapped people. Bowden now know the fact that all the people inside are not saintly by any stretch, one of them is much more annoying and troublesome than the others but one has to be ascertain before you conclude whose responsible of the killing. But later compelled as he had no choice but to buy Ramirez superstitious theory. (Well, you've have to get something to believe in if such weird shit happening right?). Thus he was however advised by Ramirez that they can't do anything to stop the devil.

 

Photo inset courtesy of link. The chose five

And the final plot twist, with one person left the devil is reveals himself. (No I'm not going to tell who the devil is, just see the film yourself)

In the end, the good triumphs as the person left righteously admitted his sins and ask for forgiveness. It turned to be that he/she is the one responsible for the hit-and-run death of Detective Bowden's wife and child. There was a note left in the scene of the accident back then “I’m so sorry”. Then there goes the devil fleeing somehow frustrated as he was not able to take the tormented soul.


The contrives of the film though is everybody seem to be calm for entirely a long period of time. I can't seem to feel any sense of urgency in the part of the authorities. (Perhaps it was how the characters were played). But in such situation where people start dying you'll be perhaps in a panic mode to get these people out of the stalled lift rather than watching them in agony through surveillance camera. The rescue effort was just given less emphasis.

And for the characters, why do we have such annoying individuals, a salesman refuses to be searched upon entering the build premise? What is he hiding? And no logical reason behind why the young woman is so trustful with the security guard? And why there always a racist in the group? Now to the devils plot, is this just a random collection of souls? Not all trapped are that bad, surely they have suspicious pasts but they are not that sinful or wicked. I'd be more compelled if the collection of people are pedophiles, rapists and serial killers. Now that would surely complete the play of the Devil’s game.

The premise is not special or original. The plot is quite simple, sinners in torment desperately fighting for their lives and souls while God and the Devil fighting over their tortured souls, as the Devil seeks ways to lure people away from God and into Hell. While these are typical but still can be enticing if adapted well in a movie. The reel somehow brought us with some thrills and chills, an ample fear for those who are not really into a gore and horror movie. The "Devil" is not outstanding but ain't that bad, and for the makers but they were all to get job done incisively and economically. It should be as there is no simpler than a compact room such as elevator(Now I’ve read that they were able to gain back the entire production budget on it first week release, LOL). But still this not at par to “The sixth Sense and Unbreakable”

And the moral? It preaches us about guilt, punishment, redemption from sin, forgiveness and salvation.

And as always in all M. Night Shaymalan movies, the good triumphs over evil. We'll be also looking forward for his next two installments of this trilogy that would surely bring us more twisted schemes and plots from the director's twisted mind(kidding).

Lust for Blood....

Photo inset courtesy of link

I just finished downloading a classic Japanese Animation film. It's been quite a while since I haven't replayed it (it's was stored in my recently crashed HD along with other 200+ film titles). I've been trying to revive it unfortunately to no avail. I also recalled having a DVD copy of it but was never returned when it was borrowed (crap, why is it if someone borrows a great movie it tends not to be returned). I just couldn’t withstand the itch of not getting a copy of this timeless classic, a worth of keeping one.

I'm no "Otaku" I but admire Japanese film animation if it is peculiarly created. It was introduced to me back then by a good friend of mine in College. I remembered travelling from North Manila to South Las Pinas just to rent VHS tapes of Japanese Animations. Otaku on the other hand are individuals with overly obsessive interests in manga and animation and I'm no near on that level. My fascination belongs to only few distinguished titles which I consider a classic, animated films with great characters, deep plot and excellent animation. Works that’s I believe transcends time and trends in Japanese culture.

Now on the top of list, "Ninja Scroll".

Just to warn you folks, this animated film is definitely for grown-ups with its gore theme, vivid scenes of naked flesh and streams/fountains of blood.

Feudal days in Japan, a lone Ninja(Jubei) is set  to battle demons, uncover secrets behind his past and try to stay alive in the process.


As a storm breaks, the rogue ninja - Jubei heads for cover, while a mysterious clan gathers in a nearby village. The next day the nearby town appears to be ravaged by an epidemic. The suspicious town chamberlain sends his team of ninjas to investigate only to to be slaughtered by one of the rumored eight devils of "Kimon". One was spared however, a Koga female ninja  named "Kagero"(feudal lords poison taster) simply so a devil can rape her. She was rescued by Jubie by striking the monster’s rock body to his only vulnerability, his eye. 



Photo inset coutesy of link. Jubei in the opening scene
of the movie

Later, they were joined by Ancient government spy "Dakuan" to uncover the secrets and fight the "eight devils of Kimon", But will the heroic trio be able to defeat the devils? Can they solve the mystery of the plague? Will Jubei be able to uncover his past? How will they stop an enemy who seem to have mastered the technique of reincarnation and immortality. And adding to its complexity is the fatal attraction between Jubei and Kagero. Can their love survive the adversities? Sorry guys but for you to conclude I suggest you watch the film and find the answers by yourself.

And why watch the film of this genre? It's a Japanese anime action that delivers on all counts. Often when this genre are created characters development suffers and story plot are compromised. Well I say this one is not. While seem the premise sounds typical, the plot actually has some depth to it, confusing at times but it has enough intriguing schemes and plot twists to keep us viewers interested.

With its topnotch artwork, visuals and superb animation, such realistic style can be rarely seen in anime. The animators keenly paid attention to details and credit to this it was even before the extensive use of CGI. From notable scenes like attacker bees flying, snake controls, swords sparks, the fire back ground and etc. The terrain backgrounds are quite well drawn as well, from detailed bamboo forests, sunsets and hard shadows. 

For the action sequences, it's are superb and well choreographed. The movements are smoothly animated, not a typical hack-a-slash ninja action. Each actions scenes is varied and more interesting than the last. These are backed-up of course by the characterizations made by the writer to the casts extra-ordinary techniques and skills in combat.



Photo courtesy of link. A damsel in distress Kagero after
being rescued by Jubei

The characters developed was not only focused in main players but for the villains as well. With their complex personalities, intriguing back-stories, they were all given a depth unlike other anime films. Notable abilities and supernatural powers i.e a guy who can literally slip into shadows, one can camouflage as tree are quite remarkable scenes.

The voice cover they say is outstanding as well though I don’t really care much if I watch this in "English or Japanese" dubbed as long it has "English" subtitles on it.

Quite unusual though is the film title. "Ninja Scroll". Its has nothing to do with the story plot, there isn't even a scroll in it (unless you consider the messages sent by Kagero though a bird a Ninja Scroll). The messages are hardly significant of what they’re doing. Nonetheless it didn’t lessen my sheer admiration for the film.

If you have watched animation that you want to know or seem wonder if there are some similar to “Ninja Scroll”, pardon me but I couldn’t recall one. This creative movie stands as the pinnacle of its genre. It’s impact and influence is still seen in today's Japanese martial arts anime.

For fanatics of violent ninja anime, Ninja Scroll is as good as it gets, ranks high among the classics of Japanese animation but definitely not for kids

Memorable quote from Dakuan, " To understand people's minds and control them is the secret of the ninja strategy. But only true sympathy can move the human heart. A pompous old ninja like me can't hope to do it".

Heaven and in between.....

“Cinefit”, this is my favorite spot in Fitness First. A Cardio Theater as what they call it, a cinematic inspired interior design with a large LCD screen (I don’t how big it is though but I’ll ask if anyone is interested) and in front is where the tread mills and stationary bikes are installed. While some maybe distracted with this multi-task cardio scheme(watching a film while at the same time running) for me, it’s a different sense of feeling. Since I have these keen interests in movies were I get easily absorbed(whatever or wherever the situation is) it makes me less sensitive of how I feel physically and that makes my 10k cardio routine a flyby.

So there I was as usual, and a reel is already onset but I don't know what the title is so I ask the person beside what's playing, what I heard from him is Mrs. Jones or Bones or sounding like that. I didn't bother to clarify it. 

Anyhow what I'm seeing in the screen is an American high schooler brimming with youth, life and expectations. Everything seems perfect, a perfect family, a perfect place. So I thought maybe this is just another typical family drama or a chick flick. But as the movie progresses, it gradually arouse my interest as its slowly becoming a no ordinary reel and yes, it is no ordinary film.

The movie brought me to some questions that science and religion hasn’t been really answered.

Photo inset courtesy of link

Is there really a place between heaven and earth? Is there an existence after death? Are you a believer of Ghosts, poltergeists, angels, and spirits? Do they have means or medium to communicate to those who are in earth? 

I think this is where film makers argue and struggled, to literalize or depict after life or what heaven is really like? Whose one work can be considered  are real- afterlife depiction, no one can I believe. Heaven as most pictured, it as a sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the universe and beyond. While after life, perhaps in plain logic for it to be pictured, proved or to be disproved one has to undergo physical death. Some say just being conscious of our existence suggests that there may be a life after death. (there hasn't been any director who died and lived to direct a movie about his post death experience, right?)  But we are not here to discuss afterlife, pursuing such subject will be an endless debates and infinite arguments. Now I have to know what the movie title is….

The movie is "The Lovely Bones" directed by Peter Jackson as he tried to depict the existence of the "After life". The story is based from the novel of Alice Sebold. Set in Suburb American town 1973  where a 14 year old Susie Salmon is murdered then trapped in transcendental realm where she resides as the story narrator. She watches her family in grieve of her loss while at the same time seeing her killer on the loose. Now she must weigh her desire between vengeance or her family to heal.



Photo courtesy of link. Here we see Susie bonding with his father.

Susie lives her life posthumously sending clues and signals about her murderer through various mediums. She showed signs to her father and little brother (bet it's a scary feeling). From the beginning, the killer is an obvious sight a creepy neighbor named Mr. Harvey, a spot easy perv with a mustache who we notice unnaturally watching her. And one fatal day she was lured into a room beneath the cornfield, with toys and comic books. This is where she is locked and murdered.

While the anguished family is coping with her loss and grief, her father with relentless optimism refused to give up on catching the murderer. Then the quest became clear and her suspicious sister (Rose McIver) sneaks into Mr. Harvey’s house and found some evidence just when timely the killer is back and slowly climbs the stairs. Lindsey(Susie's sister) had to run for her life.(That's one bloodcurdling scary scene.)We found out later that her Mr. Harvey had a plot to her sister as well.

Photo courtesy of link. An anguished mother leaving her family.

This acclaimed print is quite a challenge for screen adaptation. The movie reduces Lovely Bones novel with some citable differences as well. One, there's no indication that Susie was heinously raped as she does in the novel, and she was murder off the screen. Both have their own notion of heavens and afterlife. The life after death in the movie showed a 14 year old girl raised on 70's pop culture and teen dreamed life with sceneries in amazement of Susie  while in Alice Sebold novel, one can create owns heaven that fits her fantasies and wishes. The book also acknowledges a reality of extramarital sex between young lovers. Susie made love with Ray through a medium, this part is shielded to the movie goers. In the end, quite a contrast as well, to the dramatic contrast between the menace of a killer (will he be caught?) and the grief of a loving father (can he avenge his daughter's death?). Sorry guys I suggest you to witness the conclusion by yourself.

All with these, the characters in the movie was justicely portrayed. We've seen quite remarkable performances from Rachel Weisz as a mother so anguished then leaving her family. Mark Wahlberg as a father so driven by grief that he lost his sense of reason; to Susan Sarandon as a chain-smoking grandmother who provided some comic relief in the movie while they undergo on the healing process.



Photo inset courtesy of link. Saoirse Ronan the with her blue
round eyes

Two however stands out, and it's another superior performance from "Saoirse Ronan" as a tortured victim seeking justice. (it's now not a wonder why she earned an academy nomination for "Atonement") and cute as ever with her astonishing glacier blue eyes. And goodness! I haven't known it was Stanley Tucci who played the sinister monster neighbor. His portrayal was sensational. I've seen his versatility as an actor and this surely added to this repertoire. I remembered him playing “Link” in "Shall we Dance”, the bald closet aspiring ballroom dancer, “Nigel” in “Devil Wears Prada’ and the one I recently watched "Paul Child" opposite to Meryl Streep in “Julie and Julia”.

The movie is a sad but hopeful; Peter Jackson made the movie with a conservative approach (I’m not sure though if novel readers are happy). His adaptation simply implies that there’s no need to fear death even by a horrifying way of being murdered. We’ve seen visions of the murdered girls as a happy clan of free spirits in what they so called "Heaven". He made it like a fairy tale with an intent to make it less upsetting for viewers.

Wrapping this up, the “The Lovely Bones” is a complex and unusual film, alluring and enthralling with great cinematography (we’ve seen the works of Peter Jackson “Lord of the Rings” right?) based from a Bestseller novel. If you however a print fan you might be upset how the movie ended. I suggest you to watch the movie and read the novel to both appreciate the art.


And a memorable quote from Susie Salmon, "I wasn't lost, or frozen, or gone... I was alive; I was alive in my own perfect world".

French - Italian Connection....



Photo Courtesy of http://cafemobility.blogspot.com/

I went to lunch in "House of Lasagna" located in J. Abad Santos, San Juan with a good friend of mine a food connoisseur Mr. Cafemobility to satisfy my cravings for pasta, well it did fairly and my taste buds says it’s nothing special. That day I was also looking for a healthy alternative, a "Chicken Lasagna" but we were told its not available so instead I went for their house specialty "Beef Lasagna" only to learn later that "Chicken Lasagna" could have been available if we waited for more time as we have all the time to spare anyhow since it’s our day-off. Now where's the courtesy in asking their customers first? 

So I was just compelled to eat the house specialty though it’s been quite a while since I started practicing the "No fours diet", means avoiding red meats from a four legged animals. I was lately made aware by a discovery of implications about what we eat, in particular red meats. Now this just for the trivia, they say that red meats produce sialic acid that sticks like an antigen in our cell membranes and binds as toxic bacteria that causes inflammation, this makes humans more susceptible to a variety of diseases. Hey, this is not to scare you guys or ruin your appettite(or did I already? sorry), perhaps I was just frustrated that time as I’ve been imposing iron-willed self-discipline not to devour e meat.

Our resto hopping adventure however reminds me of movies with kitchen or cookery themes, the ambiance, the cooking, the plating and presentations, one movie which I just recently watched and the other is one of my favourite animated film. Both reels are with one if not most popular cuisine subject, French Cooking. And the movies, "Julie and Julia" and "Ratatouille"

Though Lasagna is an Italian cuisine, my sudden curiosity about the differences between French and Italian cooking  aroused.

I'm not a food connoisseur or a culinary expert so pardon me for some inaccuracies. As far as my familiarity is concerned both cooking emphasized cheeses and creams as major components in their recipes. Most Italian dishes uses tomatoes and pasta but they say if these two when combined it could be the best in the world. Ah the heck with it, I'll just eat whatever is served as long as its sounds like Italian or French who cares.

Let's just go for the movie "Julie and Julia".



Photo inset courtesy of link.  Here Julia finishes off first in the onion

 chopping contest

This movie is definitely a treat for food lovers. A story about a aspiring writer attempting to cook her way through Julia Child's culture-changing cookbook. And the challenge, 524 recipes in 365 days in a tiny apartment kitchen. Written and directed by Nora Ephron; based on “My Life in France” by Julia Child played by Meryl Streep and Amy Adams as Julie Powell.

The movie evolves in the parallels lives between the leading characters who never met. Their lives intertwine though separated by time and space as Julia lives on 1950's Modern France with a husband diplomat while Julie lives an unfulfilled life on Post 9/11 New York working as some dead-end job of life or insurance coordinator. While both are at loose ends they have their supporting husbands beside who both occasionally and humorously expressed impatience with their writing and gastronomic obsessions.




Photo inset courtesy of link

So Julie challenged herself to cook and blog. We then saw her inevitable trials, burns meals, troubles at work and with her husband. She finally overcomes it and then we see her triumphs and victories, making a perfectly poached egg, deboning a duck and an article for New York Times.

I have my favourite, humorous and light-hearted scenes in the movie as well. Julia enrolling in all male Cooking School, crying buckets as she practices chopping mountains of onions as her husband unable to enter the room while rubbing his eyes. The confrontation to her moral dilemma about killing lobsters and is subsequently traumatized while boiling them alive. All Meryl Streep isn't it?, my apologies but she is just a simply terrific actress still with her brilliance and beguiling best. She delighted the screen like the food she dishes up, warm and spicy, hearty and satisfying. The men in their lives in the movie could have  brought some dimensions if it was portrayed more with high-spirit but it is well understood as the movie circles around to Julie and Julia. And for Julie, Amy Adams is just cute. I haven't done my research about Julie so I can't really say how Ms. Adams played her character.

In the end, publishing success of course is the happy ending to both tales as both characters are aspiring writers. The celebration of the joys in such triumphs was explicitly screenplayed. Credits of course to the direction of Ms. Nora Ephron, who was once a literary and journalistic star prior being to a film maker, sharing perhaps her own personal joys and experience. With her warm hearted screenplay and delightful direction, "Julie & Julia" worked well.

This reel is finely crafted from start to finish, Meryl and Julia took home the cake of course if so to speak in terms of her character portrayal and star power.

 

Photo inset courtesy of link. Here Remy cooks breakfast for Lou

Remy in Ratatouille on the other hand drives us to the same concept, in cooking and shares the same charisma as Julia did, the difference is Julia is not afraid or concern of what other people thinks unlike Remy. Good lord! Of course Remy is rat(Laugh out Loud). Perhaps one advantage that Remy has though is his rat's powerful sense of smell and taste.

For some or maybe to those who are not hungry they may find "Julie and Julia" uninteresting but for those food lovers and loves to cook they'll surely find the movie appealing to appetite.

And for anyone who desire inspiration in the kitchen — or any other life department, or any of that sort these movies are for you.

Bon appétit....

Stars Misaligned...




Photo inset courtesy of link

 
Just a few seconds away,  down and trailing, there's one dribbling, stalling and running away along him is what we've been chasing for four years. We tried not to give up the chase but when I look up the score board, the clock is ticking to its end and then the deafening sound of the buzzer to my ears, finally its over. We almost had it, we came up short, almost but not quite.The sound could have been different if you are on the other side of the court, in the winning end.


So I stood up, the first one to walk towards the middle of the court and congratulate the eventual winners. That's the recently concluded finals game of our company sports event. Another year, yet another upset and disappointing loss.


This would be my third finals appearance in 4 years alongside with my good of mine friend Jayson, the most for any employee in the company. Some would be their second year in a row, some would be their first. As what they say in basketball it's a game of streaks, unfortunately we are in the loosing streak and our woes continues.


I don’t like to loose. I don’t even like to write about loosing. But we’ve all been through it—to loose in a game doesn’t turn around no matter what we do. We charge it as experience, a learning one. In fact we all learn more in loosing than winning.


If I were to recall how our team started this year, I kicked it off by scouting the best players from the last season. I recruited by far which I and most considered the best players from last year along with enlisting few good role players. So talent wise, we have depth in all positions. Now all eyes is in our team and expectations are high, as if we already won the elusive and coveted championship.


With the team I assembled, I was however a bit skeptical and apprehensive on the thought of how could a team with full of talents and ego would jell as a team, cohesiveness and dynamics wise it's a big question mark. For one, how would I manage the minutes of who plays more or who plays less. I also thought of a rotation policy that divides each player with equal minutes, but as a player I know for a fact that it's difficult to establish a game get your bearings in sync with limited minutes. I myself had to make some sacrifices. Though I've been physically preparing myself all year long after the last championship loss, joining practices, joined other leagues, played every opportunity I had and modesty aside, I felt improved, even more faster if so to speak. I'm a blur when it comes to fast breaks or open court and I still have my decent perimeter shooting skills but I gave the opportunity to others who deserves the spot, those who possess nerves of steel under pressure, one who can perform in crunch times. I was never really exposed to the competitive level of this sport.


So I just embraced the role of being a team manager.

In this photo, Top left to right : Sonskie, Jogz, Vic, Jayson, Erwin, Mike, Macio, Noel, Clarence and Me
                          2nd row left to right :Albert, Enoch, and Carlo
                          Bottom left to right : Derick and Reid

 
But its not all me, possessing such talent creates a dangerous mentality. At times, if you think highly of yourself you tend to ignore criticisms. We became confident or complacent. Oh yeah, I have all the stars in the team, and we have the best player, there no way we're gonna loose this. But how many stars do you need in winning a championship? All 15 players? What I left unchecked..

Character.


It seems loosing has become our habit( worst, its always in the finals game), which I then remember the quote that says "Watch your habits, for they become a character". They say one’s true character comes out during tough times and adversities, during the final game it seem the stars were not aligned that day. (It's day time, so I literally mean star players not cosmic stars.) Most were unable to perform their "A" game, both offensively and defensively, we lacked intensity and worst our emotions were left unchecked, emotions that blurred our ability and capacity to think or act logically, it dearly cost us the game. After the lost, there this a sudden realization “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link".

Yes we won games, reached the finals but again eluded by the championship which then a quote from one of the greatest coaches in the NBA rang a bell in my thoughts "Talent wins games, but team work wins championships." He quoted it recently to the newly formed Team "Miami Heat". And that very well applies to our team.

A brilliant insight! one might say that he has Micheal Jordan and Kobe Bryant to rack up rings for him. But hey, these guys did not won championships without individuals who sacrificed personal glory for the common goal, a championship. Will MJ won his titles without Scottie Pippen? which arguably if I may say is one the best if not the best all around players of the game? Did he won his last 3 rings without Dennis Rodman, who shattered the records in rebounds in a single season. Same goes with Kobe having Shaq and Pau. Kareem Adbul-JabbaR(all time NBA leading scorer) once said "One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team. Same as MJ and Kobe he won championships by playing alongside with great team players.

Photo : SIS Basketball 1st Runner-up Trophy

And have you ever wonder why these people are able to sustain their runs for the title? Again its not all about talent., which brings me to another quote from another basketball great, coach John Wooden said "Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there".


Again it's character.

Despite all this we all remain as buddies and If I were to choose who would be my team next year, it will be the same cast. Win or lose I'll live with the faith that someday altogether we'll bag the championship trophy.


And to my MBT team mates, remember what coach Bong taught us ?


T - Together
E - Everybody
A - Achieves
M - More

And to my Team mates, I encourage you to watch sport inspired movies, "Coach Carter" and "Glory Road" These reels teaches us to become competitors and winners both on and off the court.


Till then,  see you next season.....