Movie Review: Batanes

Rating: Nice visuals, fell flat on it's face in execution. Not good enough.

When it comes to the Filipino movie industry, the bebe and I are at a certainly high level of tolerance these days. If the concept shows promise, if there is potential, if the preview looks good, we give it the benefit of the doubt. We find it a good thing that some (and I say "some" in the truest sense of the word) movies, directors, and producers are fighting the urge to stay stagnant and are actually moving the industry forward. And so for these people who are pushing, we patronize the movies which we think would do the industry proud.

And so from the initial scenes we saw from the preview of Batanes, an offering by Ignite Media and GMA Films for the annual December Metro Manila Film Festival, we thought "Heeeey... mukhang maayos." And so when we got the chance, we trekked to our favorite mall of the moment (SM Mall of Asia) and saw it.

It disappointed. I just want to say that right off the bat, just so you know.

It tells of a city girl, Pam -- played by the ever-wonderful Iza Calzado, falling in love with a young man (Joem Bascon) from the province of -- you guessed it. From the initial scenes, we can assume that they fell in love -- what with the girl making the trip to the faraway-paradise-slash-stormseeker land that is the province of Batanes. It might have been for a vacation, or a meet-and-greet with the parents. But with the way the film rolled it out, we were brought from vacation to meet-the-parents to proposal to wedding to marriage, so you never really get a firm idea of what initially was the situation with the lovers in the first place. But I gripe too much. Get ready for more.

So yeah, they got married. And then the Piolo lookalike guy, who understandably makes a living as a fisherman drowns (this spoiler has absolutely no effect on your enjoyment of the movie whatsoever), and so we're left with a beautiful (can you say "goooorjus?") biyuda in an island whose electricity only lasts until 12 midnight. Here comes Meteor Garden guy Ken Zhu, a shipwrecked (? - possibly, we never really know) Taiwanese, and from there, the love story rolls.

First few minutes of a movie is vital -- it shows you the character of the movie itself, the feel of it, the conversations, and generally how the movie is gonna be played out. I was sleepy the first 10 minutes of it. Well, I'm always sleepy on Sundays because of my sked, but the movie didn't give me enough motivation to want to stay awake, unlike Beowulf (which we saw in iMax a couple of Sundays back). There was general lack of "interesting" movement in the plot -- it doesn't suck the viewer into the story itself. It keeps the viewer at a distance, no involvement whatsoever.

There were a few tiny risks that the film producers took in the creation of the film, and I think that's when the tiny things caught up with whole film, which made it suck (for lack of better terms).

The director, Adolf Alix Jr., is known for his independent films. The bebe (or the film student in her, lol) has actually seen some of his works and spoke good things about him. I would have thought he would have made a positive impact on the film. As it is, his fingerprint remains small and largely unremarkable. The casting of Joem Bascon in the initial role of Rico is a bad choice, not to spite the actor himself. The character drawn up was actually interesting -- a man of the sea, superstitious, strong, light-hearted, and to top all of that - epileptic. He acting and portrayal falls short of all of these, I'm sorry to say. His initial role actually prepares the whole movie, as a number of scenes would look back to his words and statements. When he fails to bring out a strong portrayal of the man, the whole movie kinda stumbles -- for the reason that it builds him up to be the man -- Mr. Bascon may look like Piolo, but "the man" he is not.

The film tries to be poetic about the sea, or actually, the Rico character does. I understand that. Moks and I have long talked about the sea and how it grabs your heart and makes a poet out of you, so yeah, I dig that. I don't know if it was the execution/direction (that's Mr. Alix) -- the scenes and the parts of the script where the sea was portrayed as a fickle-angry-funny-friendly entity were absolutely tacky -- or the acting (again, Mr. Bascon) that made those lines a failure. There are ways to be poetic and deadpan and thoughtful about the sea, but all the film showed was how NOT to do it. I cringed everytime they waxed poetic. Add to the fact that I felt the wonderful Ms. Calzado was always carrying the burden for Mr. Bascon's inability to bring his lines to life -- she was obviously more comfortable in getting her thoughts across. *sigh* Sayang.

I read in another blog review here:

"GMA Films should have demanded more, criticized it in detail so that we could have watched a movie worth Batanes’ beautiful scenery, and worth GMA films standards..."

I absolutely agree. There were mediocre stuff in the editing, the conversation is staggered rather than flowing, some scenes were not even visually explainable. Really, there was a lot more that could have been done to make this film ready. I don't know if they were pressed for time and couldn't re-do some shots and scenes, or if the budgeting was tight, or that the execution was just plain bad. With GMA Films, I am really doubtful that this was a budget issue -- more like someone chickened out on a risk to spend more money to improve the film. As it is, the content was all potential, never realized.

A few good things, so that you don't think of me a critic who only sees bad things:

• I feel they hit it right on the head with Iza Calzado's casting. I am biased, I admit. But she delivers a well-thought of, quiet and sincere performance.


• The film also gets good strong performances from new faces Glaiza de Castro and Sid Ramirez, and veterans Bembol Roco and Daria Ramirez.


• The visuals were absolutely stunning. I feel the need to go to Batanes at least once in my lifetime.

• The bebe and I were struck by the two dominant songs in the film - both made by Noel Cabangon, the last one sung by Jolina Magdangal. We're looking for those right now for the iPods.

As we continue our support of Filipino films that will raise the bar for the industry, I was disappointed by this one. I am very particular about script writing and delivery -- I fail to see the point of coonversations in movies that never really do take place in real life. The last Filipino film I saw satisfied me more than this, even though it was a lovey-dovey flick. Films like One More Chance (see the mokster's review here)give a very real rendition of Filipino conversation, and they get my vote on that. Make the conversation something that the viewers can relate to, for crying out loud. I am encouraged by the number of new films doing this, but again, disappointed that Batanes didn't meet this standard. Hopefully, GMA Films will try harder next time if they want to be true to leading the industry out of the mud and into flight.


More pics:

For pics from the Batanes Press Conference, click HERE. (I do this for Iza, ok? So understand.)







*Some pics from: www.igma.tv
*Some pics from: www.pep.ph

a hungry boy's lunch

So if you were a hungry boy, with a bit of financial freedom on a Saturday afternoon, where in SM Mall of Asia would you have lunch and what would you eat?

I'll tell you exactly where: Kalye Juan

In fact,I'll do you one better than that. I'll tell you what to eat. (And no, the resto's not paying me for this.)

The food the resto offers is not exactly new. The menu reads as regular as classified ads on a Sunday paper. What they have been able to do is find some neat twists and tricks to the regular Filipino heartburn fare, and make everybody happy with it.

My recommendation for your lunch, as me and the bebe just had it yesterday:

1. Kare-Kareng Tiyan ng Bangus- I can't even begin to explain what "kare-kare" is to my foreign readers, but it's an experience, really. Normally, you would have pork with the kare-kare, and some... errr, more "exotic" parts of the pig in the mix. They hit the jackpot by using bangus belly. You have your extra creamy sauce, string beans, pechay stalks, eggplant, plus 3 pieces of wonderful boneless bangus belly. Yum.


2. Bagoong Lechon Kawali- Again, I know bagoong is not the most popular fare among people from other countries visiting here, but I personally love it. Let's not talk about what it is though, only what it adds to the recipe. Lechon kawali is regular heart-attack food, a slab of marinated pork deep fried in oil until it is crunchy and crispy. Then they had the idea of putting sweet-salty bagoong as a topping. Not a bad idea, but this links in wonderfully with the kare-kare, as bagoong is the traditional siding for it. As an aside, their choice for the bagoong -- whether it be branded or self-produced -- was perfect. It's no secret that you can get a jar of pre-cooked, pre-seasoned bagoong at any decent supermarket. If this was bought, then kudos on choosing the perfect one to go with the recipe (they used the same type as siding to the bangus kare-kare as well). If this was one that the kitchen staff produced, I take my hat off to them -- it was exquisite.


3. Fried Tainga- we added this as something of an appetizer, but ended up mixing in well with the whole course. It's basically crispy fried pig's ear. Doesn't sound too inviting, does it? But if you want a lighter alternative (less cholesterol) to the traditional Crispy Pata (deep fried pig's leg), this is it. It's even served with the traditional sweet crispy pata dip we all have come to love. Goes well with anything, very good as starting munchers.

Sometimes, you just get that craving for Filipino soul food -- home-made flavors, recipes you have come to love. Kalye Juan gives you that, plus the small surprises that end up putting a contented smile on your face after your meal (the bebe and I were actually grimacing, mejo mabigat talaga sa tiyan eh).

The place -- the original branch is in T. Morato -- is actually very famous for their sisig. Again, for my foreign friends, don't ask what it is. Put it in your mouth and enjoy. They do sell beer and alcohol in the evening, so this is a favorite watering hole (well, the Morato branch, that is) for yuppies in the evening. If you don't want to join the audibly noisier crown in the evening, you should have lunch, which is just as enjoyable as dinner.

The menu is worth the gander -- lots of cool things in there. There's the aforementioned sisig. Then there's the dinamita, breaded chili peppers filled with cheese with mayo dip, which you get 5 to 6 pieces for Php85. The cost is a little bit mid range, maybe a bit lower than Max's, somewhere in the area of Kenny Roger's. Our meal, with refillable iced teas (plus the 1 extra rice - hehe), cost a little over Php500 (less VAT). So if that amount does not bother you, go ahead and make it a point to try out the place in the near future.

*images from bryantonpost.blogspot.com

one more soul touched

I've had this habit for the past 2 weeks of buying a dozen munchkins (Dunkin' Donuts donut hole product, for you who just woke up from a thousand-year sleep) from the TAFT MRT station for the beginning of my shift. I was in an emotional roller-coaster the past few weeks, so I was trying to keep other things steady and constant, even if they were just munchkins.

Things are better this week, and since it was payday, I wanted to do something nice for my team, so I decided to buy a dozen Dunkin Donuts for them. Right when I was buying at the busy kiosk from my suki (Filipino consumer-vendor relationship, I think Kevin posted about this term here) , a little street boy, not even 4 years old in my opinion, tugged at my pants and with the best smile in the world at that time gleefully said "Penge!" (Can I have one?)

At any other time, I would've just turned the other way. At this particular time though, even when I thought I was surely running late, I was forced to think about the situation. I was going to spend Php120 for my teammates, all of whom got paid today and would surely be able to buy themselves P10 donuts if they wanted to. Here was a boy who was asking for a donut, maybe not even hoping for a whole donut, but just with the hope of tasting what he normally wouldn't be able to have on any other day. It's kinda hard to realize that the amount needed for his happiness at that point was merely an afterthought for me -- what's P10 pesos nowadays, anyways? That's how much a donut cost, and that's how much it would cost me to bring at least, a happiness that is so hard to come by for this kid.

I wasn't going to think about it more, but neither was I willing to let the opportunity pass me by. I looked at the choices, gestured to the kid and pointed at the candy-sprinkled one. He nodded vigorously. "Ate, padagdag naman ng isa nun." (Could you please add one of those?) My suki smiled, nodded, got one of the donuts and put it in one of their gaudy single-donut plastics.

I handed it over to him, his eyes showing the "wow! one whole donut?!? for me?!?" in his mind. No other words were said. He didn't even notice me go. I watched him as I boarded the jeepney to MOA -- he was licking the chocolate that stuck on the plastic first, before going on to the main treat. Nothing else mattered to him. Wow. Choco-Candy Sprinkle -- stuff of hope and dreams.

It's shameful to think now, keeping in mind how little I spent for the impression left with this kid (good things -- very out-of-the-ordinary for this world we live in -- still happen), that at any other day, I wouldn't have given him a second thought, much less give. What was this one about? The sincerity in the boy's eyes? The cute-and-cuddly Christmas feeling that's creeping up on me these days?

No, I think this is evidence enough that with the promised Counsellor in me, I have that distinct power to do something different for this world. Call it extraordinary, call it radical, call it against-the-flow -- but this is what we have - the Power living in us to be different.

I don't have any guilty feelings about feeling good. I know that was not about me helping the child. It was one more soul touched by my Savior's Spirit - mine.

the best. abso-freaking-lutely.

--this post has nothing to do with my emotional, spiritual, or mental state right now. this is purely physical.

ok. you're in the city. you're stomach is looking for something that not only would fill it up, but would appeal to your taste buds as well. if your looking for a hunger-buster, look no further.

[DISCLAIMER: The company who makes these did not, in cash or in kind, pay me for this here blog exposure they have. In fact, I really prefer Jollibee over McDonald's any other day. This is the exception.]


The Double Cheeseburger. (ta-dah!)









If you're talking about filling your stomach brute force with a "no frills" kinda burger that at least tastes decent, the McDonald's Double Cheeseburger is by far, in my opinion (agree with me, Leah), the best option for you.

Heck, "tastes decent"? It tastes freaking good. Whoever thought up this product should be given some sort of award for the sheer audacity of the idea -- two cholesterol-ridden, chunky-juicy-oily all-beef (or at least they claim so) patties, on a regular McDonald's burger bun, and with two slices of cheese to boot -- else it wouldn't be a cheeseburger, eh?

And the simplicity is just as inviting. I mean, I choose to eat this without the onions and the pickles -- just the patties, the cheese, the ketchup and the bun. I mean you can eat it as is, but imagine -- no lettuce, no tomatoes, not even sesame seeds on the bun. Just plain beefy-juicy-cheesy goodness. And have you noticed how absolutely perfect this goes with the salty-soggy fries and a large glass of Coke? Yeah, you have. Hungry yet?

I mean, I've never been like an "I-go-crazy" fan of McDonald's. I'm your regular Jollibee kinda guy. But there are some products that this US franchise has gotten absolutely perfect (just like the way how Chickenjoy is purrrrfect). I know, I know, you may disagree on the Chickenjoy, but bear with me. McDonald's hit the nail right on the head for me with a number of things -- McNuggets, Twister Fries, and of course, the aforementioned burger.

For a special burger day or meal, my first choice would be Jollibee's Amazing Aloha (always my choice on special occasions if asked). Then there are those expensive Wendy's burgers. But on a regular day, you just can't beat the way a Double Cheeseburger brute forces it's way down to your tummy.

Ideally, I'd have that seasonal Twister Fries with it, but well, you can''t have everything.

waiting for the dust and debris to clear

i need you to know...

...maybe i have not shown it, or maybe you were looking for something else...

...but i am willing to fight for you. to the last breath, if need be, and continue this battle with my self just to be the man i know you deserve.

the past 2 months have been chaos. but i'd like believe we came up better people after everything. i've learned to love you more, and learned why i need to be a better man for you. i saw what i almost lost, and realized that losing you is not an option. i simply can't think of spending my life with anybody else.

i've also realized what a great set of friends we have -- people who will not stand for sin and mediocrity with the people they love. i pray that this will have a contagious effect in our circle and in the body that we move and serve in. i am encouraged to take a stand for these people, people who stood by us, and were not willing to just let what we have go to rot. i am encouraged to stand up for them too. if not for their frantic pushes in the right direction, i would have been too much of a wuss and lazy-ass craphead to do anything about it.

we know what we have now. i think we've always known -- just that we managed to forget what we loved each other for. now, as we near the day, i know it's clear to see for both you and me what we really have. all the good and the bad -- this is us. and i know, things will only look up from here. i am confident of the support structure that God is showing us right now. he plans to build us up, just like He promised.

we will heal -- we need to. we will stretch and cry and run.


we will forgive AND forget.


look here, mahal. this is what i am fighting for. i know you see it too. i've realized that yes, i have been fighting for this for the past few years.




only now, when i almost lost my grip, do i truly know that i love what i have with you.

trip to quiapo needed soon

ima thinking of going to quiapo soon. some things that i'm wanting to get:






- yes, it is out. this year's rendition of EA's footie treasure. yey.

- need to get DVD copy of this. i may have to scour quiapo though. not as if the Quiapo DVD-makers Association are alerted to these kinds of stuff.

Ed, the TV series (whatdaheckisthis?)

- I... no, correction... my mom has a wireless broadband connection at home already. (ailene, hand over those lineage2 installers right quick, ayt?)

i have download freedom, so to speak. but even with the bandwith allotment, downloading at least 6 gigs per season of all 4 seasons is still a bitch of a download. so if anybody knows where to get this, please please PLEEEEASE tell us (me or moks). i'm gonna try sa quiapo. pero malabo eh.

or, OR... if you want to give us an early Christmas gift, order this online and make us happy... here -> LINK ... or here -> LINK

hehehe. i'm thinking of just finding these 3. to look for more would take another whole day. but if you have suggestions, I'm open to them... habang hindi pa ako nagpupunta.

Ciao.

And yeah, as you might surmise, I'm feeling a bit better.

life's THE bitch

after the lost cellphone, after the amazing switchfoot concert, after countless hours of "pass-or-fail" tech support... she finally caught up with me. and she's still the huge bitch i knew from before.

only now, she had a few scores to settle. the list she held in her hands when she strode into my door was looooong... but most of the things on it were immediately recognizable.

"I bet this is gonna sting some, eh?"

"Well, let's see." A smile. I was freaking scared now.































EPILOGUE:

It did hurt. Not the sting I was expecting.

Ball-breaking, emotion-sapping, "what-the-fuck-do-I-do-now" kinda pain, it was.

I'm still reeling from the cannonball to the gut. Heck if I know what's next.

Don't count on me to smile at you the next time we meet.

again

lost my phone. yes. don't text me.

if it's urgent and you know me, text the bebe or moks. if not, then you're just gonna have to wait 'til I get a new one.




crappit.



PS
if anyone has a lead on a low-priced call-and-text phone, email me. or comment here.

johnhofilena[at]gmail[dot]com

a cause to live by

...this I pledge, and I'll take it to my death//I'll lay my life down for you and die over again//And I, I'm not ashamed of the Most High//Even if I die tonight, if I die tonight//This I pledge, and I'll take it to my death//You can bet your life on my words and everything I said//You can't take away my love for this sacrifice//Even if I die tonight, if I die tonight..

- The Messenjah (P.O.D.)

Strong words. Sadly, too strong for some of us.

But these things are mere facts of life to people who are (truly) driven by certain motivations -- a life of constant analysis/review/doubt of what is socially accepted, a commitment to live by a code, and an acceptance/realization that it was never meant to be easy.

The times when I take my faith seriously (sadly, not all of the time), these things come to me as clear as sunshine. As a man, I stand leagues away from what I hope to become, and movement towards this goal is measured in inches. Yet I am continually thankful that there even is movement. I dread the day when I lose heart and just give up. Heavenly winds are pushing me up and forward these days. I don't know how long these winds will last, but I plan to take the most out of it. As I have said, living in faith has never been easy.

These moments of clarity have let me see a number of lies that I continually believe when I am in the flesh. Firstly, a life of ease and comfort does not reflect the picture of life which my faith dictates I should be having. I maybe speaking more in terms of spiritual and mental struggle, but I do hope you get my point. What is convenient, easy, normal -- this usually comes about when you feel very acquianted with the world you're living in. What I find in the Bible, and what I've heard from people whom I respect, tells of an almost exact opposite. Living a life in faith requires a constant struggle angainst what the world, and in fact what your body, dictates as normal, good, and convenient. Living a life of worship requires you to go beyond convenience just to obey, go beyond yourself and live for His glory. While I'm in a body that almost always requires all the opposite things, I don't see how my faith can lead to an easy, convenient life.

To the extreme, let me cite an example. A life of a terrorist, I imagine, would fall here in this category -- totally committed, living in constant vigilance, waiting for the moment the command is given, and obeying with no questions asked. If that could be the description of how I am with my God, I would be proud. Sadly it is not.

My friend Leah also told me of her glimpses into the lives of those who believe in Communism. In other 1st world countries, these facts may not mean much, but here in the Philippines, being commited to this cause means a world of difference. These people live by the strictest of codes -- security, secrecy and loyalty are values held in the highest regard. Any disobedience would be regarded as a threat to their way of lives, and their way of life is as sacred to them as maybe, the Bible is to me. To take that away from them... well, you get the point.

These people take the difficulties of their way of life in stride, knowing that living the hard way is the only way to make the difference they are wanting to see in this world. I firmly believe that if we do not learn to accept the difficult task of putting the self to death every single day, we may well be falling short of the life the Savior has planned for us.

Am I saying that it is bad to look for convenience and comfort? No. Comfort, peace, and rest are all gifts that the Bible say God wants to give us. What I am saying is that if your life is a picture of being relaxed with the world, blending into your environment, a complete lack of struggle against sin and disobedience, you know full well that this is not what God wants for you.

What are you looking for? Your actions and decisions will always betray what your motivations are. Your faith is not one for excuses; it is not an easy way out, as some see it to be. The winds blow hard against your journey, and it was always meant to be that way. The struggle is what you live for -- against the flow, as they say. If you were looking for ease, it is not here. If you were looking convenience, it is not here. It is here that people struggle against the tide, walk, crawl. Wounded and bruised, they push forward, hoping that there is enough strength just for the next step. And at the end, they get what they deserve -- the applause of heaven and the approval of their Father.

His lord said to him, Well be thou, good servant and faithful; for on few things thou hast been true, I shall ordain thee on many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Matthew 25:21 (Wycliffe New Testament)

survey-ness

i have lots of really, really, REALLY serious stuff in my head right now, but first - this. I couldn't resist. From Ailene:
================
UP ako. Ikaw?

1. ANO’NG STUDENT NUMBER MO?
96-44526
2. ANO ANG FIRST CHOICE MO NA COURSE?
Believe it or not, Mass Comm in UP Cebu. I know, I know. Ask me about it and I'll tell you the whole painful story. Just not here.
3. SECOND CHOICE?
Mass Comm in UP Diliman.
4. ANO COURSE MO NA NATAPOS?
BA Journalism. Diliman.
5. NAG-SHIFT KA BA?
Would have loved UP Baguio. But never did.
6. CHINITO/CHINITA KA BA?
What the heck?!? What does this have to do with my being Isko?
7. NAKAPAG-DORM KA BA?
Never had the urge of getting into one. I didn't envy dorm people. I guess I was a homebody.
8. NAKA 4 KA BA?
Yes. Not totally my fault. My thesis partner disappeared from the face of the earth.
9. NAG-KA 3 KA NA BA?
Nope. Lowest was a 2.75. hehehe.
10. LAGI KA BANG PUMAPASOK SA KLASE?
1st and 2nd year. Nung 3rd year, nalulong sa ministry, hehehe. Started cutting the "non-essential" classes.
11. MAY SCHOLARSHIP KA BA??
Yes. STFAP and UP Presidential Scholarship. I was a rich kid during 2nd year. I screwed up the last one over a girl (got my grades all messed up. Don't ask me who.)
12. ILANG UNITS NA ANG NAIPASA MO?
Errr... di ba dapat, lahat, eventually, kung nag-graduate ka?
13. NANGARAP KA BA NA MAG-CUM LAUDE?
It was a possibility, pero di ko na inisip pagkatapos ng 1st year.
14. FAVE PROF
Nyak, 'di lang kasi isa eh. Edwin Varona -- for the gentle errr, foreplay into comm theory, Anne Suzara-Gaillard -- hottest (not just brains, looks to go with it too) Film 100 prof ever, Malou Mangahas (if you don't know her, you wouldn't get it), Dean Luis Teodoro (if anybody can get away with cynicism...), and Chito Avecilla -- for being himself.
15. WORST TEACHER
Like the above, madami din 'to. Ayoko na nga lang alalahanin.
16. FAVE SUBJECT/S:
Comm 140 (intro to comm theory), Comm 141 (comm theory), Comm 190 (eto ba yung law and mass comm?), Comm 191 (comm theory and society), Workshop2 for Short Stories, Workshop2 for Essay.
17. WORST SUBJECT:
Comm Res 101 - I don't know why we HAD to take that darned subject.
18. FAVE BUILDING:
Actually, College of Music. Kapitbahay lang ng Mass Comm.
19. PABORITONG KAINAN:
Unlike Ailene, we at Diliman had more down-to-earth choices. Lutong Bahay, over near the post office, the unbeatable pork bbq at the Beach House near the Main Lib, Persian food near the CRL, isawan near Persian Food, Mang Jimmy's -- rice all you can in Balara, and of course, Thai Canteen -- near the Islamic Center. And there are those "Aristo-cart" things, good food all around.
20. MAGKANO BA ANG BINABAYAD MO SA JEEP?
In my time, UP ikot was like, 4.50 or something.
21. LAGI KA BA SA LIBRARY?
Only when I had to be, and when accompanying girls. hehehe.
22. NAGPUPUNTA KA BA SA CLINIC?
Sa UP Health somethingorother, yeah, a number of times. Once, to apply for my LOA-causing lung ailment, my initial heal check-up, of course, and then that time when I tried to do a swan dive in my swimming class and hit my head on the bottom of the pool.
23. MAY CRUSH KA BA SA CAMPUS?
Yes, everyone should have one while in college.
24. ANU-ANO ANG MGA NAGING P.E. MO?
Ok, just to be clear, I THOUGHT, wrongly, that you HAD TO take PE1. So I took that. They only told me that you didn't have to AFTER the sem (darnyoublockmates!!!). Anyways, I took badminton after that, in which I totally rocked, and then bowling (I rock again), and then swimming (co-ed, so with all the cute chicks).
25. KAMUSTA NAMAN ANG BLOCK NYO?
My block wasn't bad at all. It wasn't great in that we ended up being lifelong friends, but there were some great moments in there.
26. MEMORIZE MO BA ANG HYMN NIYO?
As with Ailene, I actually can sing both the Tagalog and English version. We also studied TTBB for male choir in ROTC choir (yes, yes, I didn't do ROTC. I went and sang in the ROTC choir instead. Hehe).
27. MEMBER KA BA NG VARSITY TEAM?
Almost tried out for the Varsity Soccer Team, if not for that lung ailment.
28. NAKA-PERFECT KA NA BA NG EXAM?
Lots. (Tanong mo kung naka-uno din ako ng paper, daliiii.)
29. DITO KA BA NATUTONG UMINOM NG BEER?
Never akong natuto uminom ng beer.
30. DITO KA BA UNANG NAINLOVE?
No. Highschool. hehe.
=======================

Tag: Kaligay, Moks, Leah, and whoever from UP who wants to answer this

Manchester United, while i was in hiatus

It was a great time to be a Red Devil last season. Manchester United captured their first Premier League title in a loooong time, and their first since I've started following their games. Funny thing was, that feeling you had watching them seasons before that they could and would always let you down was not there at all. On the momentum of a very good start (winning their first 7 games in a row), they dispatched all the chasers with impunity. You had that feeling it was gonna be the year.



It was also the coming out season for Cristiano Ronaldo. Two seasons before, people already knew the kid had talent. The problem was, it seemed he was more intent on showing off party tricks than winning games. Not so this year. Aside from his newfound maturity in delivering that defense-splitting pass, he was also joint top scorer, netting 23 times last season (compared to his 10 goals the season before that). The trickery didn't disapppear, and people seemed to appreciate him more now, stadiums were always gushing, oooh-ing and aaaah-ing whenever he gets his touches of the ball. His very strong performances early in the season bouyed the Red Devils to an early lead in the league, chasers Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool struggling to catch up. Indeed, it was only Arsenal that was able to put a dent on the season, beating them at home. After that, it was all downhill.



The latter part of the season also marked an upsurge from the other young phenom in the team, Wayne Rooney. After an injury that almost cost him his England spot in the World Cup, the boy was eager to get the season started. But it was a drought that met him early in the season. But late into the season, the boy hit form, and the Old Trafford faithful were treated to game after game of brilliant goals. Rooney ended the season as joint top scorer, also equalling Ronaldo's 23.



The Red Devils missed out on the Carling Cup and the FA Cup, both went to Chelsea. But the real question was whether they'd do good in the Champions League. The early signs were so-so; they qualified as runners-up in their group. But they hit form in the later rounds -- one of the highlights of the season, and for me as a fan, was the truly amazing 7-1 thrashing of Roma at Old Trafford. That night was downright breathtaking.



As usual, the injuries took their regular toll, and it was the defense and the midfield that always suffered in the latter part of the season. This was the main reason why AC Milan and that darned Kaka beat them in the semis of Europe's highest league. Oh well. Hopefully next season will be better.



The past season is truly a step up from what I've seen, so I'm excited when the new season kicks off this early August. New boys have come to strengthen the midfield -- Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich to give that bit of steel in the midfield, and the attacking pair from Portugal, Nani and Anderson. As of time of writing, they're still trying to figure out how to bring in Argentine striker Carlos Tevez. If they do so successfully, that represents another boost to Sir Alex Ferguson's already potent attacking options. Gary Neville and his defense are all fit as well so hopefully, they get to a good start again. Bring the season on.



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TIDBITS:

• Arsenal are (yes, the English form takes the plural linking verb for teams) in deep defecation. Talismanic French striker Thierry Henry has packed his bags to join Ronaldinho and co., down in sunny Spain -- Barcelona, to be exact. Oh Ailene, what are your boys to do?


• I'm sure you know David Beckham has left Madrid for good, signing with US Major League Soccer team LA Galaxy. I saw the highlights of his first game. Posh Spice (Victoria Beckham) was in the stands, together with new buddies Katie Holmes (Cruise) and son Shiloh. Governor Arnold was spotted also, as well as basketball star Kevin Garnett. I'd bet you a hundred bucks none of them knew what an offside violation was (except Victoria).


• I certainly hope Chelsea will pose a better challenge this year. They've already given a season for both Ukrainian hitman Andriy Schevchenko and German midfielder Michael Ballack to get used to the English game. They better shape up, else Manchester United will run away with the title again.


• Liverpool are trying to break into the top 3, and they certainly have the goods to do so. They've kept Steven Gerrard in contract, Australian winger Harry Kewell is fit again, and they've signed Spain striker/poster-boy Fernando Torres from Madrid. It's sounds like an exciting season already.
• It's been a disappointing transfer window for Real Madrid. They lost Becks, who played so magnificently in the last part of the season that he actually earned a call-back into the England team. They wanted to go back on their word and "un-sell" him, but LA Galaxy won't let go of the multi-million dollar marketing man they have just now. Now Real Madrrid also wanted Cristiano Ronaldo-- fat chance that ManU would let him go. They also wanted Kaka from AC Milan-- fell down flat on their faces again. They're also moving for Arjen Robben, Chelsea's dynamite left-wing attacker-- again, not a big chance there. Boohoo. Then they sacked the coach who got them the Spanish Primera Liga title last year. What's up with that?

On the football merry-go-round:

• Michael Owen (England, fit again) => Newcastle; Ronaldo (remember him? Fat Brazilian) => AC Milan; Juan Roman Riquelme (one of my personal favorites) => back again from international retirement, and now currently playing in Argentina for Boca Juniors, unless some European team rescues him; Carlos Tevez => not yet, but hopefully will end up with ManU; Francisco Totti stays with Roma, but retires from international football.
• By the way, it's EURO year this year and the next, so watch for England, Spain and others try to qualify and dethrone Greece.

Whew. 'til your next football update.

getting my guitar freak on

My internal axeman (sleng for guitarist, for the uninitiated) level is enjoying an all-time high these days, some because of Broken's revival, but more because of my newly found guitar brother, Mark of the band ALAB.

I'm feeling very happy with my Rockstar acoustic guitar right now, I got that last Christmas for a bargain Php5k at Sta. Mesa. For all you who want a gig guitar that is bang-for-the-freaking-buck, this is it. It has a 3-band saddle EQ, although I suspect that the bridge pick-up is not the ceramic type on the bridge that most guitar enthusiasts like. It also has a digital chroma tuner, a very big convenience for strummers like me. Believe me, the relief of not having to plug in to a tuner is very much welcome. Did I tell you it also has the balanced XLR output? Well it does, so you can plug in direct to an XLR mic cord direct to mixer. It makes for cleaner sounds, and better recording captures, too. If any of you want word on where to get a bargain for this type of guitar, email me. [johnhofilena{at}gmail{dot}com]

It may turn out to be just a whim, but I'm seeing the need (sound-wise, that is) for me to turn to an electric guitar sometimes, especially during sets that include anthem-sounding United songs, ones that sound just a tad bit lame with just one electric guitar crunching it. More on this later...

Don't be fooled though, I'm still in love with the acoustic guitar, more now than ever. So it got me dreaming again. And to this dream, there are levels.



First, there's the "Reachable, possibly.":


There only a couple of names that I respect when it comes to guitars, Ibanez is one of them. This model is the AEG8E, I named it "the one that called my name." I saw this at that Audiophile shop in Makati Cinema Square, and it has haunted me ever since. Nice black finish, all the Ibanez bells and whistles. I tested this out on their JBL mixer and output, she was a dream. She retails for Php10k. With a little bit more pushing, this can probably happen, although the bebe would probably throw a conniption. Well, I can dream, can't I?


Almost exactly alike, and possible with a little more "ooomph" and "dream" to them are these models: AEG10E (Php14k) and the AEL10E (Php15k). Clickity-click on them linkies.



I'm scanning the horizon right now for 2nd hand units of these, might be able to get any of these at lower cost. If any of you have word, do tell me, I beg of you.

Then, there's the "It may take a while.":

As I've told you a couple of paragraphs back, I'm actually thinking of going electric. Again, I'm not an electric guitar guy by choice, I just feel the itch. So maybe a Fender Squier Standard Telecaster ought to do the trick. Not too many bells and whistles, but definitely still a classic. One single coil and one hot thin humbucker - two choices, you takes your picks and then you finds your own voice. Not too shabby, I think.

This one retails at Yupangco-Yamaha-Perfect Pitch (did you know that they're owned by the same guy?) for Php18k. But then you don't just pick up an electric guitar and play it. With the demands of todays modern music (even in P&W), you have to have a digital FX box ready to match the guitar and give you the sound and details you need. Most of the people I know right now are going analog (Boss and digitech stompboxes, etc.), but with the eclectic sounds that I may need, I figure a digital multi-FX processor would be better for me.

There are a LOT of digital fx boxes out there, but of the current ones, I like the Zoom G2.1u for its portability, ease of use, and overall full sound on any module you may want. Before last year's generation of multiFX processors, any one of them would have a problem - some would have hard-hitting distortions and overdrives, but would be weak in the subtle delays and reverbs, or vice-versa. ZOOM especially had a problem with this, but they've solved the problem, appparently. This retails at various stores for around Php7500-8k. Plus all other accessories (gig bag, cords, strap, power gadgets), this electric guitar whim of mine will cost me near Php30k. (breathe bebe...)


And lastly, there's "Move heaven and earth and this would STILL be near impossible, unless I win the lotto (which I don't play anyways).":

Why would anybody want a Taylor guitar anyways? Well, we could just leave that question be, OR we could ask John Mayer, or Jason Mraz, or James Taylor, or Vertical Horizon's Matt Scannel and Kieth Kane, or Jars of Clay's Matt Odmark, or Babyface, or those guys called Switchfoot... why the heck do they play a Taylor guitar?

Ladies and gents, I bring you, the Taylor Doyle Dykes Signature Model Black. Probably the sweetest guitar I ever would see.

I don't want to go on about the details, it'll only bring me more pain. Just click HERE.













Check out this beauty. ***sigh***



























This baby retails for Php226,000. This is where I'll stop dreaming, before it kills me.

If you guys know of guitar bargains that I could maybe look into, I'm ready for alternatives to the dreams. Meanwhile, my Rockstar will keep me going through these guitar times.


**sigh**

rare and semi-rare stuff

because I'm such a good guy, and mostly because this is what my (close to non-existent) free blogging time only allows, I'm restricted to giving you download goodies, just so I don't become a clogger (according to userfriendly.org, a blogger who stops blogging after the first 3 posts).

and so, on with the goodies.

REMEMBER, these links will die in 45 days, so download them now while you can.

First up, and I know, this is the mainstream in me talking. I guess any credible music lover would have had listened to Chris Daughtry by now. To start off, the acoustic version of Home, the album's strongest single to date. [DOWNLOAD].

I bless the day acoustic versions were invented.

Not a few years back, a nondescript CD fell into my hands. It contained a dozen remixes of Jars of Clay hits. They're very fresh to listen to, especially if you've just about worn out the sound of your Jars of Clay first album. My favorites among the lot were the Savage Flavor Remix of the carrier single Flood [DOWNLOAD], and the Fluff-Sav Remix of Blind [DOWNLOAD].

For the reggae in you, my office mate gave me this mp3 of Delroy Wilson doing Bread's Baby I'm-A-Want You. So much reggae fun. [DOWNLOAD]

Also from the same office mate... you remember your Seattle grunge days? I do. And if you went through that phase, you would surely remember that band called Soundgarden. Vocalist Chris Cornell has long since been associated with Audioslave, but somewhere in this life, he performed solo acoustic in Sweden. That performance has been hailed as a landmark acoustic performance of the decade. Get a copy, for the sake of your sanity. From that recording I bring you, Chris Cornell's acoustic rendition of Jacko staple Billie Jean. Amazing, I tell you. [DOWNLOAD]

Also for the rare and eclectic... the Christian music scene is buzzing (?) with the news that prolific (and rather quite activist) songwriter Gary Granada is ready to start producing Christian music again. Some of the people are skeptical, but I say that's actually good news. Here's a rare find for me, Gary Granada doing a Cebuano folk love song, Usahay. Ailene, I dunno if you have this, so come and get it. [DOWNLOAD]

For the past season of American Idol, I had no clear favorite. I had 2 or 3 that I liked, at least until Blake did his Bon Jovi song, You Give Love a Bad Name. That performance trumped any single one in my recent Idol memory (not including William Hung, of course). Even if Blake didn't eventually win, I know that guy is going places. Here's the studio version of his beatbox groove rock anthem. [DOWNLOAD]

This next one outplays any other dance music in my head (and mp3 player) today. You remember the dance step, groove with Chaka Demus and Pliers - Tease Me. [DOWNLOAD]

I had a heck of a looooong time trying to locate a copy this next Steven Curtis Chapman hit, so I assume it must be at least semi-rare. Anybody have a copy of the Abbey Road Sessions? I want. Here's The Walk. [DOWNLOAD]

Last but not definitely least, I have dug up my copy of this album A Twist of Marley. A tribute to the great reggae-mon, guitarist and producer Lee Ritenour's jazz fusion project has been considered a classic. It''s just a shame nobody freaking knows about it. I have a copy, and I'll be nice to anyone who asks. [pramis]. Here's one cut, a jazzy rendition of Marley hit Get Up, Stand Up. Enjoy. [DOWNLOAD]


For any music requests for my next batch of goodies, you can email me at johnhofilena[at]gmail[dot]com, ayt? Be kind, rewind.

babe post #1 [plus mini game post]

When you get down to it, you always blog about the things that matter. hehehe.

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First babe post of this location

So I've been watching the 6th season of Emmy award winning TV-series 24, even if ida says it's not as good as the past ones. I'm kinda getting hints of that right now, but the superhuman-android-John McClane (Die Hard) clone-"you can't kill me" aura of Jack Bauer can still keep me glued to the screen for hours.

Add to that the reward of seeing her face on the screen: Marisol Nichols.

She takes the role of the right-hand errr... woman of CTU Director Bill Buchanan, and is pegged by the role to be of middle-eastern descent (in reality, she's Latina). That the series' plotline deals with middle-eastern terrorists creates a good side-story for the directors to play with, I think.



I'm just at episode 11, and her interaction with the people has been less than that of Kim Bauer in the preceding seasons, which is a bummer. I don't know if I'll be seeing the ever hawt Elisha Cuthbert this season, but Marisol's Latina hotness, and that intelligent-competent-kickass air she's got going is enough to keep me watching the series as of the moment.




here are more pics:





nice eh?

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and for my game post, if you'll allow me to call it that.

We all watched the seminal treatise on human and alien robot interaction - the Transformers.
It is common practice now in the media industry to have the game huffing and puffing after the movie is released. As for "Transformers - The Game", here's my review:




IT SUCKS.

[semi-disclaimer: they say it plays nice on a console e.g. XBox or PSwhatever. But for us PC-gamers who are used to a little more depth on the story line and game play, and not just the mind-blowing graphics, you gotta do a little better than that.]

song of the moment

thank you, thank you all.

as a token of my appreciation, i grant you this musical-post-whatchamacallit.

So my friend recently asked me if there was one song that was playing over and over in my head. the answer here is, well, "not quite." but this one is playing over and over in my mp3 player, so i guess that will have to do.

This one is off the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack, and it's just damnedly singable pop.

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How to save a life
The Fray

Step one: you say we need to talk. He walks. You say sit down it's just a talk. He smiles politely back at you, you stare politely right on through. Some sort of window to your right, as he goes left and you stay right. Between the lines of fear and blame, you begin to wonder why you came.

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

Let him know that you know best, 'coz after all you do know best. Try to slip past his defense, without granting innocence. Lay down a list of what is wrong, the things you've told him all along, and pray to God he hears you. You pray to God he hears you.

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

As he begins to raise his voice, you lower yours and grant him one last choice. Drive until you lose the road, or break with the ones you've followed. He will do one of two things: He'll admit to everything, or he'll say he's just not the same. And you'll begin to wonder why you came.

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
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Wait for it... there: DOWNLOAD
You though i'd forget that? hehehe.

back

The problem with being back actually is in answering the questions:

• So, where were you?
• Why did you stop blogging?
• Why are you blogging again?

forgive me, my hundred thousand and one readers, if i forego the task of answering these.

you know me (or you think you do). you more or less have an idea of how this blog is gonna run. in the past, i have shown you what i like and don't like. so maybe it's going to be that way still. or not. or maybe i'll find a way to surprise you a little.

here's the offer. don't expect anything, and maybe you won't be disappointed, ayt?

let's go for a fresh start.