Politics & Predictability... Oscars 2009

Show-wise, the 81st Oscars Night was a well-put production. I guess if there’s anything that was worth “debatable” about it would be the Winners (as always). Although I love Heath Ledger, I would have also wanted to give the Best Supporting Actor trophy to Michael Shannon for his role in “Revolutionary Road”. There has been an Oscar tie. Two incidents actually – Best Actor in 1932 and Best Actress in 1969 between Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl) and Katharine Hepburn (Lion in Winter). However, as much as it would be cool to have another tie, especially since they both played “insane fellows” I guess it’s just always harder to beat the dead guy.



The Academy Awards is probably the most politicized award-giving body in the US, if not the world. So every win definitely has an angle to it. For example, let’s talk about the Best Actor category. The nominees this year are: Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Sean Penn (Milk), Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), and Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler). Let’s face it. Though it may sound cliché, being nominated is already an honor in it itself. But it’s really true. If it were me, picking the single best out of five bests would be HARD. It’s like trying to tell which chocolate is the most delicious. I dunno! They’re all chocolates. How can they ever go wrong?

Anyway, that’s the thing about awarding stellar performances. There’s always a collective subconscious rule to it. It’s really all about Who and What the audience (or the Academy for that matter) wants to HEAR on that podium. What's the agenda for the evening?

Why not give the Best Actor trophy to Jenkins? The speech tribute to him said he’s already done 60 films in the past 30 years of his career. The subtext: you’ve been here so long but we don’t think the papers or the world would be interested about you now more than it had never done in the past. Now this is just my intelligent “guess” but there may be some truth to it. The Academy after all needs all the press it could get. There’s nothing press-worthy about Richard Jenkins. He’s been around. Sure, he’s a great actor. I love him to death (pun intended) in “Six Feet Under.” Unfortunately, he’s not headline material.

Next… why not Langella? The Academy has been notorious in their obvious preference for American-themed movies. So given that “Frost/Nixon” is a very American story, why not give it a win? Well, unfortunately, as much as the story hits very close to home, it hit them where it hurt. I guess the collective subconscious on this was that: Who wants to honor a President who was practically an a**hole? Langella played Nixon too well that we forgot he was an actor vying for an Oscar.

Next… why not Pitt? Brad had better roles and performances in the past. Clearly, the collective subconscious agrees that even if we realize that Brad can still look “hot” even as an octogenarian that does not warrant an Oscar. Maybe another Sexiest Man Alive title to his belt instead.

Next… why not Rourke? I think the collective subconscious agrees that Rourke had enough “redemption” stories in the past months following the release of “The Wrestler”. His nomination is enough to rake in cash for the DVDs. And besides, the Oscars are all about PEERS. Mickey Rourke clearly has been out of the loop for a very long time. And I think they would want someone with at least some respectable amount of class to hold one of those gold trophies. They probably don’t want another “I’d like to thank my dog” speech.

So the Oscar goes to Sean Penn I think because he played a homosexual politician out to fight for Gay Rights. I’m not saying he wasn’t good at it. I love Sean Penn but sorry my favorite character of all time would be his bleach-blond surfer dude Pecoli. I’m just saying that he’s had better roles and performances in the past. Some got the Oscar nod while others were left in the gutter. So why give an Oscar now? It’s interesting to know that as of press time, activists on Gay Marriage Ban are on the streets. This is certainly a perfect orchestration (by Hollywood insiders, gay mostly) to drive a point.

The Academy can sometimes be fickle-minded. For the longest time, they have trouble giving the Best Actress trophies to non-American women. And they like giving a lot of these golden boys to Meryl Streep who I think should have a category of her own by now. A lot of spectacular British actresses have been snubbed and yet they gave one to an American who with a very fake English accent played a Shakespearean woman. Last year they gave it to a French girl and this year finally after a couple of misses, British actress Kate Winslet goes home with an Oscar for a film (The Reader) that everyone is so oblivious of that even Hugh Jackman had no idea what the movie was all about, which he interpreted by doing an ambiguous song & dance number with dancers in metallic silver body suits. His lyrics even said, “I’ve got to watch The Reader…” yadiyadiyada because like everyone else he doesn’t know what it’s all about.

Coming from its raving reception at the Golden Globes, the Academy Awards surprisingly snubs the husband and wife story set in the 50s “Revolutionary Road”. Everyone else except Michael Shannon who played a small albeit very strong role was lucky enough to be nominated for the said film. But then again, this may just be another marketing ploy to drive viewers to “The Reader.” Anyhow, I think that the voters made Kate win not because of “The Reader” but secretly for “Revolutionary Road.”

The Oscars have been infamous for turning up their noses to blockbusters and giving their nods to lesser-known films. Actually, that’s not bad at all. It’s just another way to keep the banks rolling. It is after all an industry. Some hands have to oil the gears.

Such is the case for big winner “Slum Dog Millionaire”. Who knew anything about this film until it got nominated? Nobody. That’s also because the producers never released it in the major theaters. It almost became a straight-to-DVD production. But due to its indie (short for independent not Indian) attributes, it found its niche. Clever if you ask me because I believe the producers knew that promoting a film set in India, with Indian actors, and with a story about the slums of Mumbai (Yes that’s in India) would be quite tricky in LA. So to cut costs while generating interest, why not produce it below the line? So that’s just what they did. Of course, it wasn’t just any film. They had an ace in hand – Danny Boyle. That was enough for them to bet their life that this film would soon find its way into the hands of cult film enthusiasts, movie critiques who have a taste for the exotic, and well yeah Danny Boyle fans. I’m one of them actually. I liked “Trainspotting,” “A Life Less Ordinary,” and “The Beach.”

So I was happy that he won as Best Director for “Slumdog Millionaire.” Good thing Clint Eastwood was not nominated. That was actually a big surprise too. But in the end, Eastwood’s absence gave Boyle a fair game against Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon), David Fincer (Benjamin Button), Gus Van Sant (Milk), and Stephen Daldry (The Reader). Eastwood, if you don’t know is like the male version of Streep.

Another debatable win was that of Penelopé Cruz’s Best Supporting victory for “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” I think Taraji Henson (Button) and Marisa Tomei (Wrestler) were strong contenders. But I guess once you play one of Woody Allen’s quirky female characters, that’s a certified Oscar. Mira Sorvino won Best Supporting Actress for “Mighty Aphrodite” and of course Diane Keaton won as Best Actress for “Annie Hall” among many other Oscar-winning Woody Allen roles. And besides, contrary to the Best Actress category, I noticed that the Academy has always been much nicer to foreigners in the female supporting role.

So how about you, what do you think about this year’s Oscar winners?

When Oscar Met Tony... Or how the Academy Awards became a Musical

Aah the Oscars! I admit I adore the Academy Awards and I (almost) never miss it on TV. The show just ended a couple of hours ago and here are my Favorite 2009 Oscar Moments…

First, the Host… Hugh Jackman… I love him as Wolverine… and first fell in love with him in “Someone Like You”… but boy oh boy was I amazed with him when I saw him in New York on Broadway for the “The Boy from Oz”. At that time, I was completely in awe. Wolverine can sing and dance! So when I first heard that Hugh was hosting the 2009 Academy Awards, I immediately thought, he’s definitely gonna make a musical opening… and I was so right. There was definitely a lot of pressure for him this year following a record-breaking lowest rating Oscars last year. I love Jon Stewart but I guess his wit is better off behind a desk than on-stage. And of course, everyone’s favorite (mine included) is Billy Crystal. He’s probably by far the best Oscars Host ever, even better than Bob Hope. So anyway, Hugh held himself well. He didn’t “try” to be overtly funny. He had class. He was relaxed. He was definitely not new to larger than life stages like this. The fact that he hosted the 2009 Tony Awards definitely gave him a leg up. And by the way, Hugh really knew how to raise his leg up in “The Boy from Oz”.

The Opening was simple but adorable. All the featured films up for Best Picture were highlighted through Hugh’s opening musical performance. And the biggest surprise of that bit was Anne Hathaway. Hugh drew her off from the front row, and acting as if she didn’t know anything about it, she pulled off the rug from everyone’s feet and delighted the whole Kodak Theater with her set of singing pipes. Not bad at all. And she was even complimented by Shirley Maclaine during the presentation of the Best Actress nominees.

The Presentation of the Acting Nominees was also lovely. This year, instead of merely showing clips of the nominees in their characters, five previous Oscar winners came out and gave each nominee a heartwarming testimonial for their art. For me that really made it more special (and it was a clever way of appeasing the non-winners beforehand, hehehe) Also, presenters for awards were always usually two, three max if the award was really big. This was the first time (that I remember, correct me if I’m wrong) that they got FIVE Oscar Winners to present the nominees for the Acting categories. It made the show more star-studded. I also like the fact that matching the presenter with the nominee was not done in random. There were personal connections such Sir Anthony Hopkins hailing Brad Pitt who he has worked with a couple of times already. And there were role connections. I had a laugh when it was Whoopi Goldberg’s turn to honor Amy Adams for her role in “Doubt”. Whoopi said, “It’s not easy being a nun. Take it from someone who’s been there and back.”

I always watch the Oscars for its comedy. Some polls said that Steve Martin though funny didn’t do a very good job in hosting the event some years ago. Well those are just critiques. I still love Steve Martin and whenever he’s out at any awards night to present something, expect FUNNY. This time in the 81st Oscars, he teamed up with fellow Best Screenplay winner Tina Fey to present what else but the Best Screenplay category. They came out with their own VO recording narrating their actions on stage while the screen displayed the script of their scene being typed away correspondingly. It was cute. And of course the cuter part was Tina and Steve’s comedy bit.

More Comedy for the evening came in courtesy of Seth Rogen and James Franco. It was a video segment where they were in their Pineapple Express characters. Seth entered into the apartment with a bunch of DVDs and he and buddy James started watching the films that were said to be Oscar nominees. The joke: They found the dramatic scenes funny and they shed some tears on Tropic Thunder. It was like a Beavis & Butthead segment. I definitely miss the ‘90s.

But the funniest bit for me that night was Ben Stiller’s pun on Joaquin Phoenix. Together with the exquisitely looking Natalie Portman, he came out with a fake Abe Lincoln beard, dark eyeglasses and a chewing gum in his mouth to present the Best in Cinematography Award. Anybody who ever saw Joaquin Phoenix’s recent infamous guest stint in the David Letterman Show would get the joke. Otherwise, one would wonder, what the hell is Ben doing in that beard? And what is the joke all about? If you don’t know yet, just a few days ago, Joaquin sat on David’s couch to supposedly talk about his new film with Gwyneth Paltrow called “Two Lovers”. Instead, he freaked out everyone including Dave by showing up completely weird. Check out the clip HERE. It was so bizarre that Dave even quipped “Joaquin, I’m so sorry you can’t be here tonight” followed by “My apologies to Farrah Fawcett” who for many years have held the record for having the most spaced-out interview on the David Letterman Show.

The show had enough comedy but it was definitely more entertaining than last year’s because of the Musical Performances. Hugh made the show his own by turning the program into a musical bonanza. Another favorite production number was the Baz Luhrmann-directed Musical Tribute to all movie musicals from past to present. Hugh donned on the top hat and the tails together with a very leggy-luscious Beyoncé. And to the delight of tweens everywhere in the world, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens backed them up together with Amanda Seyfried of “Mamma Mia”.

It was definitely a fresh take on the 81-year-old Academy Awards. Despite some missed cues on Jackman's part (there was a moment when the camera was already rolling on him and he wasn't ready) the show was good. Not bad for someone whose film bombed in the US box office. Don't worry Hugh, maybe Australia will be a big hit in well.. Australia :-)

A Sweet Life Gone Sour

I’m supposed to feast on another RomCom (romantic comedy) for my February Mush Marathon but I could not resist watching REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. My sister-in-law had a “dibidi” at her apartment. When I found it, my immediate reaction was “Ooh! Can I borrow it?” and she said, “Sige… di ko type yan… boring. Mas maganda pa yung Titanic nila!” I chuckled. Obviously, my sister-in-law isn’t exactly a film connoisseur. She’s just your average movie-goer. It’s not her fault.

But personally, I think comparing Titanic & Revolutionary Road is probably the LAST (and silliest) thing you could do. The only thing I liked about Titanic was James Cameron’s obsession with the authenticity of the tragic voyage – from the hull down to its china. The love story was practically like a sinking ship. It was mushy right. So mushy that it felt like a soggy banana mash was being shoved into my mouth. It was “cute” and “nice” the first time but after seeing it again for the nth time (a ‘90s thing to do) you get to realize more and more that there aren’t really any subtexts to be read and there aren’t even metaphors at play to make this film even remotely “deep”. The only depth one could encounter is the bed of the Atlantic Ocean.

And this where the irony begins… While my sister-in-law thinks that Revolutionary Road was just a “boring” husband and wife story compared to the seemingly exciting romance of Titanic, the reality is (as always) what looks spectacular on the exterior is nothing but fluff (Titanic) while the one that has a mundane premise actually has more “depth” (Revolutionary Road).
Unlike Titanic whose love story plot came from the mind of a director who was famous for nothing more than his Terminator movies (go figure) Revolutionary Road was an adaptation of a 1961 novel by Richard Yates. The story is set in the mid-50s – the rise of suburbia – and it’s about a young couple Frank & April Wheeler: About 30 yrs old; Married with 2 kids… and in typical 50s dynamics, the husband goes to work in an office while the wife stays home to bake pies. The problem begins when the wife in the middle of her dishwashing chore gets an epiphany – THERE MUST BE MORE TO THIS DOMESTIC LIFE!

I have always been intrigued with stories/movies set in the 50s. Hollywood has depicted the era many times but the ones that always leave a mark on me are those that center on the paradox that is the 50s Homemaker. The one that I loved best before Revolutionary Road was one of Julianne Moore’s films – The Hours, where she plays housewife Laura Brown who secretly despises her mundane daily life which includes baking a birthday cake for her husband. She lives vicariously through her favorite novel Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway” and then one day goes “Sylvia Plath” – leaves her son and goes suicidal in a motel room. She decides against it though and instead goes home, serves the perfectly pretty home-baked cake to the family, and just when you think everything’s okay; that she has come to her “senses”, she eventually takes the bus and disappears… forever. She quit, just like that.

Frank and April shared the same suburban prison. In Revolutionary Road, the Wheelers, most especially the missus had this restlessness – a desire to be part of the world and not just let it go by, which she translates to Paris. Mrs. Wheeler thinks that Paris would be the best place for them. It’s a place they think where they can exhaust their “potential”. In April’s words that would be “For Frank to be able to think about what he really wants to do while she would work and maybe pursue her acting.” When they told this to fellow suburban neighbors, they couldn’t quite understand what the Wheelers were talking about but nevertheless they took it all politely. So what’s in Paris that’s not in the US? The Wheelers argued that the cost of living there was far cheaper… and most especially it’s where they feel that they can be ALIVE. It really sounded very whimsical but given that they were two idealistic people, it was easy to romanticize everything. Let’s leave suburbia for bohemia! Paris just seems to be only way out of this mundane existence. So at first it was a pretty good plan until came Frank’s big promotion and April’s unexpected pregnancy. Suddenly Paris becomes a question at least for Frank while it becomes an obsession for April which later on causes the demise of their marriage and a couple of precious lives.

When watching the film, one could easily fall into the trap of taking sides – Frank’s or April’s. Whose fault was it? Who really caused the tragedy? As I have told you earlier, I am always curious about the walking time bomb called “the 50s Housewife.” It’s pretty clear that this generation of wives wanted to wear the pants but were the given the apron instead. They wanted to be in the boardroom and not in the kitchen. Remember this was the generation of mothers who smoked, drank beer and took cough syrup even when they’re pregnant. Well of course there was the limited medical information at that time but seriously was “good health” that really unheard of? What I’m saying is these women were clearly very ahead of their time. Abortion was not even THAT big of an issue. So if you think your grandparents are conservative – think again!

It’s just so ironic because while the 50s housewife wanted to be anywhere else but the kitchen, don’t you notice that more and more wives and mothers nowadays would rather stay home? While Frank & April abhorred their manicured neighborhood, more and more couples and families nowadays are buying into the landscaped promises of the Grass Residences of SM and all those Real Estate developments in the outskirts of the city. My husband and I asked ourselves recently “What are we working hard for anyway?” The answer: to buy a house & a car, be able to travel, afford our cable & internet, pay for our insurances, and eventually send our kids to good schools (if we ever have one). In short, we also admit to have our own version of the white picket fence dream. On the flipside, we might be able to fit in the Wheelers’ world more than they could.

You know what I really find problematic about Frank and April’s marriage? I don’t even blame the times. It’s really more about the lack of God in their marriage. Because the truth is, if April & Frank were Christians, and if they were obedient to the biblical portrait of marriage, then the 50s would have been a perfect era for them to play those roles. Submission would have been “natural”. Back then, there was no necessity for a double income household. The husband’s earnings could take care of everything. Aah! How I wish it would be the same today. These days both spouses would really have to work. And interestingly, there are really a lot of women now who are earning more than their husbands. April would have liked to be 30 in 2009 and not in 1955.

I tried to imagine myself in April’s shoes. And while I admit that I’d rather be home and be the “perfect” homemaker, I agree that doing the dishes over and over again could sometimes spark that tiny nerve of dread in my mind. Like April, I also get a lot of my epiphanies while I’m in front of the sink. My kitchen has this large window and a lot of times I’d find myself drifting away in my thoughts (which you all get to read here on my blog site, hehe) while staring blankly at the parking building that’s standing next to our loft.

And maybe that’s why most wives nowadays prefer to stay at home. We all have easy access to the world through the Internet. Who needs to go to an actual office when you can be productive in your pajamas? So maybe if only April had some internet connection at that time, I really think she would not have gone ballistic about doing the dishes every day… because she would probably have a blog where she could just vent out all her rants and raves. Haha. And you know what’s more ironic about it? Frank’s big promotion that made him bail out of the Paris project was actually about selling a very new type of business machine called “the computer”. I really find that funny. If only April knew what that thing could do in the future.

There are times when domestic life especially when it’s new really does feel like “playing house.” And although I still feel giddy in calling myself a Honeymoon Homemaker, life at home can’t be all that sweet. Sometimes after you’ve practically turned the house over for every speck of dust, it’s tempting to wonder if I’m missing out on something out there. Have I really given up my dreams? My ambition? Could I be April? Maybe if I didn’t have Christ in me that would be possible. Frank and April’s problem was just really about the oblivion to THE REAL PURPOSE of their life… Their restlessness was just really about being lost in this world, like any other person out there who has not found the Truth.

The movie was really a reminder for me to stay in the right path. I used to agree that it’s not the destination but the journey that counts. Although Frank and April set their eyes on Paris, it wasn’t really a DESTINATION. It was just part of their prescription for “living.” They didn’t really have solid goals. They just want to LIVE… and FEEL IT. For them it was all about the journey too. But now things have changed for me. When I received Christ, I learned about my ultimate destination – HEAVEN. And I’m happy that my husband, being a Christian himself, shares the same destination too. Of course we do have earthly plans, and we try to enjoy what this life has to offer us as much as we can but we are not going to kill ourselves if we don’t get to do everything. The sweet life doesn’t have to turn sour. God’s word is the spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine go down.

A Dozen Rosy Love Stories

Yesterday, my husband and I were interviewed by Lucy Torres in her show “The Sweet Life”. It was for their segment called “Ordinary People Extraordinary Love” On our way home after the taping, Joseph and I mused that we do have an extraordinary love story. In fact there are too many facets to it that we just cannot tell it in a linear manner. Well I guess reality is indeed stranger than fiction. While it is true that our love story is one for the books, I believe that when it comes to LOVE no story is not worth telling about. So last night, I thought about these young married couples who are close to my heart and their love stories. As I was going through each couple’s story (at least garnering from all that I know about it), I came up with titles to describe the heart of their fairy tales. Read on...

(Sequenced according to year of wedding)

1. Richard & Lucy Gomez (1998) – "A Real Fairy Tale"
The barrio heiress meets the most eligible bachelor of the Philippines in one memorable TV commercial! Now this is a classic fairy tale of two very beautiful people (inside and out). I’ve known Lucy ever since we started working on Shall We Dance together in 2005 and I have nothing but “sweet” words for this woman. We immediately clicked ‘coz we’re both BisDak (Bisayang Dako). I watched their 1998 grand wedding in Ormoc on TV. At that time, I was still nursing my broken heart (Joseph) while in UP Diliman. Who knew I’d actually get to meet the couple. Most people would probably say that they’re too beautiful and their story’s such a fairy tale that it’s too good be true. But you know what Lucy is living proof that one can actually have a rosy sweet life. A real life princess marries her prince… and they live happily ever after. I recently encountered Richard’s Blog on PEP and I am always blessed by reading his stories about Lucy and Juliana.

2. Jomar & Muree Arcega (2003) – "The Blind Date"
It all started with a blind date back in college. More than 10 years later that blind date has already seen enough tests to prove that it was more than just love at first sight – it was God’s will. Today, Mr. and Mrs. Arcega are the most enterprising husband & wife team that I know in my circle. If there’s anything that they’re good at together – money & marriage. When most couples struggle with financial issues, this couple has been blessed with a good abundant life, and the best part is they're taking it all in stride with a lot of faith & love.

3. Jun & Tonette Collado (2004) – "The Love Boat"
They met in 1999 when we were all delegates to the SouthEast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP). Like us, dancing had something to do with their love story. They were paired to do an interpretative dance as part of our Philippine Cultural Performance on board the luxury ship that carried the 300+ young leaders from all over Asia) and since then Nippon Maru has been their love boat. After 5 years of marriage, they’re now in Japan (a special place for most SSEAYP people and most of all them) Jun & Tonette are now pregnant! They just e-mailed me the other day and I am so thrilled!

4. Junn & Anne Esteban (2004) – "Bohemian Romance"
You know what they say that when two lovers look alike – they must be soul mates? Well, Junn & Anne are so MFEO (made for each other); they look alike so much that they could actually pass off as siblings. Haha. Okay but seriously, I’m really fond of this couple because they’re your typical bohemian people – they’re into the arts, ethnic & folk music. It’s not a surprise when they named their firstborn daughter Himig.

5. Paul & Grace Atienza (2004) – "Opposites Attract"
Actually, I wanted to use "Aso’t Pusa" as their title. Hehe. Just kidding. Paul & Gracey are both so highly-opinionated that we have all grown accustomed to their harmless & sometimes silly “debates”. Well, that’s what you get when you put two very different leaders, coming from the opposite poles, together. But if there’s one thing that connects this couple is their dedication to their two oh-so-cute-chikitings… and most of all to God and His work. Paul happens to be Joseph’s best friend since they were 6 while Gracey is my Shepherd. Their children are our godchildren. Their life has been part of our concerns & prayers. And now that they’re gearing for a life of doing missionary work, their sacrifices have been inspiring and insightful for Joseph and me.

6. Julius & Connie Santos (2005) – "Still Waters Run Deep"
If Paul & Gracey are both verbally expressive people, Julius and Connie are just about the opposite of that. But beneath that quiet and probably for some people mundane surface lies a strength that endures a lot of family heart aches. Julius and Connie are probably the only ones in this list who have yet to get married in church. They were wed only in civil rights inside the prison cell of Connie’s father. They could have done a typical church wedding with all the works but for them it would be pointless if the person who’s supposed to give the Bride away can’t be there. She didn’t wear the gown but I believe that their love is as strong as the steel rods of the jail bar where they made their vows.

7. Vince & Frances Sales (2007) – "Lit, Wit & Love"
Vince & Frances met during college while on their way up to Baguio for a Literary Writers’ Workshop. The bus that took them sort of had a tiny mishap on the road. The vehicle jolted to a stop and threw Frances into the arms of Vince. Whoops, hold it right there. Steady. Hold the gaze as the camera zooms in slowly to capture the brewing romance. Yes, it’s definitely a perfect scene cut for a movie. Fran has been a classmate/friend of mine since our UP Dil days. Then she became my neighbor in Pioneer Highlands. I could not forget that night when Frances in tears fled from their condo unit in Tower 1 and went knocking on my Tower 2 door, with her luggage at hand. I asked what happened. There was sort of an issue with a certain girl. Anyway, Vince called her and asked her to come back. They sorted things out. And finally after 10 years of being together, they finally got married, and now living a very glamorous life as Editors-in-Chief of 2 popular & glossy magazines – T3 and OK!

8. Jon & Peejay Atienza (2007) – "Lovin’ & Leavin’ on a JetPlane"
Speaking of glamorous couples with equally glamorous lifestyles, this next couple’s favorite activity is TRAVELING. And yes folks, I think as of late, Alaska is the last remaining American state that has not been ticked off yet from their itinerary. I love looking at this couple’s travel photos, and living vicariously through them. And as they hop from one destination to the other, I know that the only real HOME that they have is in each other’s arms.

9. Mervin & Bebbet Manlapid (2008) – "The Prayer Partners"
If there’s any relationship I know that has been deeply rooted in prayer – it would be Mervin & Bebbet’s love story. Their wedding was flawless. Their vows perfect. They didn’t have those you-and-me-against-the-world plight and they weren’t your typical star-crossed lovers. But more than anything their foundation is paramount among all – God’s Word.

10. Jec & Apol Casupanan (2008) – "Falling in Love"
Sometimes, most of us would easily pass judgment on people, especially when the person in question is someone who has a big role to play. If Merv & Bet lived their relationship righteously, this couple started with a FALL. I had my first whiff of Jec and Apol’s story when Apol was being formally ushered back into the church community after one year of disciplinary action. At that time I didn’t know what was going on. And then I learned the story. Love can indeed be dangerous and lead us astray at times but Jec and Apol are proof that God’s love flows more upon the fallen. Now their union is under God’s care – Jec has been recently baptized, and Apol is shining brightly as one of our Worship Song Leaders. Apol by the way was my Wedding Singer.

11. Kenneth & Donna Flavier (2008) – "Nourish with Love"
This was the title of the wonderfully made recipe book that they personally put together as their wedding giveaways. Why a recipe book of their favorite food? Well, it all started one day when Donna had breakfast in one of her favorite new restaurants in Makati. Suddenly out of nowhere, the waiter comes out with a free dish. He said it was compliments of the Chef. Ooh seems like the young new Chef has a crush on this Softball belle. A few more breakfasts followed which extended to lunch… then to dinner dates finally… and of course we all know by now that Donna is now enjoying gourmet food everyday in their new home.

12. Dave & Myma Arizala (2008) – "True Love Waits"
To quote Myma when asked how she knew that Dave was THE ONE, “… Nilunod nya ako sa pagmamahal” Indeed Myma was drowned and revived by Dave’s love for 12 years! They were each other’s FIRST. Sigh… in a world that’s stained and wrecked, it’s refreshing to know that two people can still be both pure even for a long period of time when they finally walk the aisle. Their obedience to God is not only worth emulating, it’s a beautiful testimony.

And for our LOVE STORY click HERE...

Mush Marathon 1: A Very Special Love

Love is in our living room air! This February, I told myself that I would catch up on all the romantic comedies (local & Hollywood) that I missed in the past year. The mush marathon began last Thursday night. My husband finally got a copy of… hold your breath… “A Very Special Love” starring John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo! Hahaha. To be honest, you would rarely find me lining up for a local movie. Bad noh? As someone who is basically part of the Pinoy showbiz industry, I should be supporting it, right? Well yeah… Unfortunately, even if I had wanted to watch this film when it came out last August, my husband and I were in a deep frenzy for the “Dark Knight” which came out a couple of weeks earlier than the Star Cinema film. So given that we have agreed on spending our weekend entertainment budget wisely, when made to choose between splurging on our much-awaited “Dark Night” and betting our curiosity on “A Very Special Love”, hands down the Bat won over Lloydy.

We didn’t watch DK on its first opening week because we wanted to avoid the huge crowd. So when we finally trooped to Gateway Cineplex a week or so after I was surprised to see a very long line going to one of its cinemas. We thought it was still for DK but a few more paces into the area and we got our answer. The poster for “A Very Special Love” loomed before us. I surveyed the crowd and mind you, most if not all didn’t look like your typical jologs crowd at all. Forgive my prejudice. It was a queue of relatively well-heeled people. I was surprised because all this time I always thought Sarah’s appeal was only for the masa telenovela audience. This was certainly interesting. In fairness, diba? My curiosity even grew more when I started to hear raving reviews about it.

I only get to catch John Lloyd’s acting whenever his movies play on Cinema One and on rare occasions when there’s nothing else to watch on TV so I have no choice but to endure those primetime telenovelas. No doubt this guy knows how to act. And I’ve been used to seeing him with Bea so the idea of pairing him up with Sarah was really offbeat. Although, I learned that this was not exactly their very first pair-up and that they’ve had sort of a road test on “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” and despite claims that they clicked on the small screen, I still believe that taking their love team to the big screen doesn’t spell any box office guarantees. It was certainly a risk that Star Cinema was willing to take. And of course we all know by now that they hit jackpot on this one.

I know it’s a bit too late for a movie review but let me share my 2 cents worth on this. Over all the movie was “cute” – it’s a story of a boss and his secretary falling in love. The concept’s not THAT new, but then again, nothing is ever new in Philippine Cinema, which is not entirely wrong IF and only IF the film manages to outdo the previous depictions. The most memorable stiff boss and kooky secretary love story I love referring to is Carmi Martin and Edu Manzano on “Working Girls” Hahaha sorry but I grew up watching and loving these ‘80s classics. For me nothing can beat that scene when Carmi’s character declared “Sabel! This must be love!” Carmi & Edu’s love story in Working Girls was but a fraction of the entire plot so there was really not much space to explore about their characters’ backgrounds. This was the opportunity that “A Very Special Love” offered for us.

The story opens in the point of view of Sarah whose character’s name is Laida. From the very beginning the film sets her up as a very ordinary girl (coming from a lower middle class family) who is head over heels in love with Miggy Montenegro (John Lloyd) who is obviously a member of the Alta de Sociedad. In the real world, he would have been a son of the Ayalas, Lopezes, Gokongweis, and all those rich families who practically own all of Metro Manila and most parts of the country. The story progresses with quirky Laida, a naïve fresh grad off to apply for a job (her first) in the magazine being run by her all-time crush and “fantasy” Miggy Montenegro. She joins the company “accidentally” in the most inopportune of time. Their magazine “Bachelor” is on fire with its mother company as it suffers being Number 2 next to their rival publication. Miggy the owner goes ballistic due to pressure; ends up losing his editor in chief (who happens to be his friend) and some good employees; leaving him with an under-manned staff to revamp the whole magazine in only 3 weeks.

The messiah comes in the form of Laida. Her naïve infatuation with the boss proved to be “useful” as she naturally becomes the eager-beaver worker, unfazed with the pressure, helping with all the aspects of the production, acting as the team’s cheerleader and sometimes being the mascot. She does all these things unflinchingly because there’s nothing else in her mind and heart but to please her boss slash love of her life Miggy. Soon, her cute “save the day” antics finally get Miggy’s attention. The day that she accidentally became his nurse when he came down with a bad flu sealed the deal for him. As the story progresses, we learn that Miggy is actually a love child; a spawn of his father’s relationship outside his marriage. His mother is dead and although he’s acknowledged by his siblings in the legit Montenegro brood, we are informed in the story that he feels left out; and that he needs to earn his siblings’ and father’s approval and ultimately their love by being successful in the family enterprise. Miggy’s struggle with his magazine being Number 2 parallels the stigma of his mom’s “number 2” title in his father’s life.

Laida softens the heart of this bachelor which is translated symbolically through the transformation of their men's magazine. From being just all about alpha male sex to growing a sensitive soul. Soon Miggy falls in love with Laida but of course there must be some sort of a conflict to make way for a grand ending, right? So after Miggy comes out of his Scrooge persona and becomes loved by his staff; and after feeling triumphant with the new face of the magazine, everything falls apart for him when the launch party was ruined by the onslaught of a typhoon. He goes back to feeling sorry for himself, and as expected pushing away Laida for he feels that there’s not enough love in his heart for him to give her back. Then of course, as expected, in the end after some family drama moments he patches up with his family; realizes that he loves Laida so off he goes to make a grand declaration of love – conspiring with his staff to set up a huge “I’m sorry” billboard in some park as he sings their theme song “Kailan”. It rains again by the way (the 3rd time in the movie) and so the love birds have this whole fighting and making up in the rain, typical romantic comedy I-love-you-you-love-me-let’s be-together kind of ending.

Okay, here’s where I will start to nitpick. To be honest, albeit some über-mushy moments here and there that just sent shivers down my spine, I think the movie was a very good romantic comedy UNTIL the ending came. When did you ever see a romantic comedy which didn’t have a single kissing scene at all?!? The story SHOULD have ended with at least a conservative close mouth kiss. Instead, they just HUGGED and awkwardly at that. It was so disappointing!!! Why oh why???


I really believed that in the original screenplay, that scene ended in a lip-lock. It just doesn’t make sense not to have one. No one in her right scriptwriter’s mind would write off a kiss out of a romantic comedy of all genres!!! It didn’t need to be a torrid kiss. Geez, he could have just given her a soft smack and the camera could have zoomed out to give the viewers the illusion that they’re now in a passionate lip-lock moment. Let me argue why the missing kiss was so unacceptable. First of all, Miggy is the owner and editor in chief of a Men’s Magazine that’s all about SEX. He had a sexy Brazilian girlfriend in the story. I know for sure that this guy’s first instinct is to kiss a girl that he likes. C’mon! I would have accepted the “conservative” ending if they didn’t write Miggy in that character. Laida’s character was definitely a virgin. For sure, she has never been kissed by any boy and by the way she was written as someone who almost had a stalker-like infatuation on Miggy, I’m sure that in her mind she would have wanted to be kissed by her ultimate crush. Otherwise, what’s the point of the sexual tension in the story? What’s the point of all those syrupy stares and those romantic gazes between the two of them? And I really believe that once you write a character like Laida, there should be some sort of transformation in the end – a coming of age. We were all rooting for her. I wanted Laida to grow up in the story. I wanted her to bloom into the woman that Miggy fell in love with. Again, if they were both depicted as high school sweethearts, the hug was alright but puh-leez, they’re adults working in a men’s magazine! Agh! I just couldn’t accept it.



And I know that this was not entirely the director’s fault. I’m guessing maybe Sarah Geronimo’s mom, who happens to be her manager too, didn’t allow the kiss to happen. I don’t blame her for being overprotective but somebody should have explained to her what filmmaking is all about. Again, it’s always my pet peeve when people don’t understand the art. The hug certainly ruined it for me. I’m sorry but it was so corny and awkward and in a way cheated the viewers. I felt cheated. If the story said that they were conservative Christians then I would understand why a hug would suffice but then again, hello I don’t think there’s anything Christian about making the prince charming an editor of a men’s magazine that sells sex.

But overall the movie was good. The kilig moments worked for me because the actors did it naturally. John Lloyd was just sooo cute in this film. It’s typical for romantic comedies to have mushy quotable quotes but in this movie the non-verbal dialogues worked better and were acted more realistically. The supporting casts’ adlibs also fit in perfectly especially Al Tantay (Laida’s lovable father), Matet (the typical pranka and practical-minded officemate) and Rowell Santiago (Miggy's older half-brother and President of the mother company). Sarah was definitely a revelation in this film. The character was tailor-made for her which made her lovable, even though there were some parts in the movie when she was just annoyingly “too perky.”

This made think though, is this story ever possible in real life? Can a Lopez spawn fall in love with a middle-class lass within only 3 weeks? The story qualifies Miggy’s down-to-earth girlfriend choice by making him a royal Halfling himself. And there’s also the factor of him missing his mommy so the “desperate” and immediate attraction must have stemmed from that. Proximity and vulnerability when mixed together concocts a love tonic. Hmm… Oh well, fairy tales always had the prince marrying the maid. But then again, even fairy tales end in a kiss. Ugh, I just can’t over it. And for that I'm only giving this movie 4 out of 5 HEARTS on the Mush Meter.

Much Ado about a Tantrum

I just can’t help but blog about this. I’m laughing as I write this actually. I just got off from a heated “wall-to-wall” debate with my friend on FB (yes folks, Facebook) about the infamous Christian Bale Temper Tantrum on the set of Terminator Salvation. In gist, if I had to say anything about it – I think this is much ado about someone merely having a bad day at work. What’s the big deal?

Okay, as you all know by now, an audio tape of Bale screaming out curses to a DP (Director of Photography) or if you prefer the term Cinematographer, named “Shane,” has made its way into the Internet and by now has been the hot topic on water cooler stations everywhere in the Western world, and yes also in Facebook. The tape was a clear audio recording of Bale throwing a major hissy fit after Shane (the DP) “accidentally” walked into the set while the actor was doing a scene. Bale got very pissed, so pissed that his whole cursing monologue lasted about 4 minutes.

The world was shocked. Or at least those who care a bit about Hollywood lives. Debates are on-going as I write this. Some people have already labeled him as a primadonna douchebag… some have stated their boycott of his future films…etc etc… Okay, here’s the thing… I’m not saying that what Christian Bale did was ENTIRELY RIGHT… BUT, I think that once again, people are only quick to judge this fella just because he’s an “actor,” C’mon guys, he’s just human. Anybody and everybody can have a bad day at work. We’re all entitled to our tantrums. The only unfortunate thing that I see in this instance is the sorry fact that Bale is “not just” an actor… he’s a CELEBRITY! He’s just not ANY actor… he just happens to be Christian Bale – the star of the highest grossing film last year. Recording this on tape was definitely good material for any thriving entertainment show. I don’t know who started this unwritten rule about celebrities’ lives being a public possession but this sure has cultivated a gazillion-dollar gossip industry. Come to think of it, if this event happened in your office, would you have cared to record it and send it to the World Wide Web for everybody to feast on? I figured not.

Don’t get me wrong. I feel sorry for Shane. Who knows maybe something was probably just on his mind that day that made him utterly absent-minded. However, as someone who’s had experience in TV production (filming et al) I would have to admit that what he did was also a mortal sin. He was the DP for crying out loud. Technically on set, the DP supervises the camera and lighting crews. His job is to make a GOOD SHOT. And if we base this solely on who was doing his job and who wasn’t, I’m sorry to say but Shane definitely deserved a pink slip. I agree that Bale should not have exploded that way but hey, that’s where differing personalities come in. Some people may be more forgiving while some people just go ballistic like Mr. Bale. We each have our own temperaments.

Puh-leez this isn’t the first time that an actor went stark raving mad on the set. This is very common, folks. Believe me. I’ve been in this industry long enough to see my own versions of Bales and Shanes. Truly there are a lot of factors at play in this scenario. First you’ve got an “actor” whose main job is to get into character. People who aren’t familiar with the nitty-gritty of this craft wouldn’t ever understand how difficult it is to ACT… to make a character ALIVE just so you the VIEWER would find the film BELIEVABLE and in the end get your money’s worth.

If this was really a BIG DEAL in a negative way then this infamous audio tape should have already been released soon after it was recorded in July 2008. Don’t you think that it’s rather “coincidental” that the tape’s out for public consumption just when Terminator Salvation is due in theaters a few weeks from now? I really believe that this will not make a dent on the ticket sales of the movie, and not even a scratch on Bale’s career. The fact that it’s on the news… the fact that this story have stirred people to react on Facebook, and everywhere else… the fact that I’m blogging about this (duh) is proof that the spin doctors who are behind this PR stunt has the cat in the bag. We all took a bite on their bait.

The thing is Hollywood doesn’t care about the morals of its people. So why should we? Hollywood wants us to react EXACTLY this way. By now, admit it or not, you’re already curious about THAT particular scene. Deep inside, you are now intrigued how that scene actually turned out in the final cut. Hollywood capitalizes not only on talent but on trash. Heck, it’s difficult to sell movies you know. PR costs serious cash. You all still watched and found Robert Downey Jr. great in” Iron Man“, right? I’m sure some of you still watch Charlie Sheen on “3 and a Half Men”… Do I even have to mention that notorious Mickey Rourke just won a Golden Globe? And don’t you realize that it only took Britney a year or so to go from being bald and panty-less to having a svelte comeback? Didn’t you ever think for a while that she just deliberately had everyone for a ride, or better yet a SHOW of her freaky life, and earn “secretly” from the tabloid headlines? Isn’t it too convenient that her new album is called “Circus”? I don’t know about you but it’s not just Britney messing with our heads – it’s the whole of Hollywood! The thing is, Hollywood knows that people easily forget, and in so doing forgive (blindly). And we can say pretty much the same thing about how we elect our leaders in this country.

What I’m basically saying here is that it’s quite OA for people to prematurely boycott and slander these actors for their human mistakes and tragedies when in the first place these actors didn’t claim EVEN ONCE that they were SAINTS. We can and we should criticize government officials and elected politicians for atrocious display of etiquette and corruption for after all their main job calls for integrity. Leaders lead while actors act. Period. How the actors are in “real” life outside the characters that they’re portraying for us to enjoy in their films is basically none of our business. Why are we complaining now when someone's JUST DOING their job?

Let us not forget that it was not Bale’s idea to tape the moment. In fact, that incident happened in a private place and time. It should have just remained within the confidentiality of the production staff. If Bale did that in front of a viewing crowd then that would have made him totally out of line. But honestly, if we have to debate on this on the grounds of logic and technicality, it’s none of our business if hardworking serious actor Bale got pissed off with absent-minded Shane. In the privacy of their work area, Bale was just doing his job and Shane was not. Unfortunately, Bale has now been subjected in a trial by publicity. Even if we take Bale’s domestic turbulence with his mom and sister, I still believe that we should be more careful in passing judgment on celebs like him. We all don’t know what exactly happened between them. And you know how complicated some family matters are. I get ballistic on my family too.

We should just appreciate, judge and criticize these actors for their work. For after all, that’s what they’re just supposed to do. We even don’t know whether Bale and Shane has had a rift prior to this one. For all we know maybe Shane was the douchebag. Just because he’s the Non-Celebrity here doesn’t automatically make him an Underdog Hero… the protagonist to the antagonist of Bale… the api… the Mara Clara… (okay I’m digressing)… but you get my point? We don’t know all the facts. And we cannot simply pass a complete judgment of Christian Bale based on a 4 minute hissy fit. I’ve had longer temper tantrums than that.

I’m not a BIG BIG Bale fan but I admit I have respect for his dedication to the craft. I really think that anybody who has not seen him in “The Machinist” (directed by Christopher Nolan) doesn’t have the smallest right to misjudge him AS AN ACTOR. This dude has been acting since he was like 7 yrs old. If you haven't seen his 1987 "Empire of the Sun" (directed by Spielberg) then you don't know where this guy's passion for acting is coming from. He knows what the job is all about. If you’ve never been on a film set or a TV production set and have never experienced enduring loooong taping hours then I think you don’t have the right to say that going berserk is unacceptable. I’ve been there. It’s tiring. The pressure is tremendous. It’s crazy. On a lighter note, if there’s one thing I regret about this temper tantrum monologue, Bale should have done it in his Batman voice. Hahaha.



P.S. By the way, the recording was not done intentionally. I mean, who would have expected for something like this to happen. The recording was probably extracted from the recording machines that were rolling during that time. The producers sent the tape to their Insurance company because they feared that Bale would really drop out of the project altogether. This was supposed to be private. So whoever unethically leaked this to the media is the bigger douchebag! The Batman is not entirely a Bad Man!

All Heart

February has indeed arrived. However, I’m not going to talk about my romantic life. Instead, this will be about my little boy’s BIG heart! Time flies so fast! Before I knew it I found myself sitting in excitement and fret together with the other mothers as we waited for our kids to come out of their Grade School entrance examinations. Yep, Kean is already going to Grade One this coming June. He's turning 7 this year. I can't believe it. It feels like only yesterday when he was still in diapers, drinking milk from the bottle and still learning his ABCs. His current teacher at the Learning Tree, Teacher Michelle gave me her progress report of Kean and here are some of my favorite excerpts from the essay…


… “All heart”… that certainly is Kean, as he goes through his day-to-day interactions (with his environment and with peers) with much enthusiasm and gusto. And what do you know? Such wholehearted giving that he does of himself had absolutely been contagious as he had instantly and enthrallingly captured the fondness and approval of his peers. To illustrate, he during Free Play period, would be observed moving from one group to another, just like a campaigning politician – playing puzzle with Juancho, building a tower with Santi, making an invention with Zacrye, helping Ram complete another floor puzzle, and many more others… all at the same time. Hence, there is just no contestation. The titular designation “Mr. Congeniality” as well as “Mr. Popularity” of the Senior Noon Class indeed “hands down” go to him.

To corroborate, he for one has found his niche amongst his same-sex peers and fellow Bakugan club founding members, Zacrye, Santi and Hans. He due to being an early comer to school has established close and regular play relations with some students in the Morning Class like Elijah, Paolo and YanYan (“Oh my best friend from the other class!” he instinctively replied when asked about them). He has been the crush of some of his classmates Samantha and Jill. He has been considered by most of his classmates as their best friend (i.e. “Di ba I’m your best friend? Zacrye once voiced out. Then on a separate occasion Angelo also declared “Kean and Zacrye are my best buddies!”). And last and most commendable of all, he is the sole member of the class who has earned the trust and affection of their classmate with special needs, Juancho. “I like Juancho. He’s so cute!” Kean has always declared to his classmates. And significantly so, that very simple remark generated a kind of ripple effect inside the classroom, especially since he followed this with action (i.e. being the first one to cheer for Juancho whenever he accomplishes something and many others). To reveal, most of his classmates (thanks to his great example) ended up voicing out and showing their liking for Juancho too, thus making Juancho feel more at ease and welcomed. Way to go Kean! You truly have a big heart enough to include almost everyone!

Yes, that’s right. And needless to say, topping his long list of “everyone” is undoubtedly his big and close-knit family – the very first “loves” of his life. “Dear Mom,” he always used to write to his Mommy Jill and Mommy Cindy during the beginning of the semester. “I love you. I miss you. Don’t get sick. Thank you for the toys, and do you have a toy for me?” he would often put on paper. Furthermore, he rarely fails to mention his family every now and then. Case in point, Santi, while eating, very much intrigued by Kean’s love triangle with Jill and Sam, inquired: “Who are you going to marry when you grow up? Sam or Jill?” Thinking for a while, Kean answered, “Sam” but then again seeing Jill’s sad face, Kean quickly countered “and Jill too.” “No I don’t think that’s possible,” Santi as-a-matter-of-factly stated. “Well, I have three mommies,” Kean retorted, eventually giving to the conclusion to the argument while ultimately showcasing the sharp mind that accompanies his big and affectionate heart. Come to think of it, “the heart”, as Frank Lloyd Wright testifies, “is the first feature of the working mind.”…


I couldn’t help shedding some happy tears as I read the 3-page report. There were so many wonderful things I learned about my little boy through the eyes of his teacher… his academic achievements… his athletic developments in their gym class… I always knew that Kean is very special and has an overflow of LOVE but I was delightfully surprised to know that I wasn’t just seeing that as a mother loving her own cub. Kean really has a BIG HEART! His teacher, his friends, and even people we meet in the corridors and elevators have professed this. And knowing that I had a part in his progress truly makes my heart beam with joy.

As I am without my own child now and still dreaming to conceive one of these days, if not in the future, God willing, I can’t help but be filled with thanksgiving for this gift of “motherhood”. When I took Kean under my wing when he was only 3 years old, I was at the height of my wild life. God sent me this boy to turn my life 180 degrees. I became a mother overnight. I left all my vices cold turkey. I took myself out of the dark tunnel. When people asked me what made me decide to volunteer for this job, I really could not think of an answer. Nothing in my life made sense that time. It was instinct. It was LOVE. Deep down my harried surface, there was a fresh life emerging. The truth was, Kean saved me more than I saved him.

In a couple of years, our darling Kean Andrei will be leaving me and his Tito Joseph. But we trust that God will never forsake this child. We’re just praying that when that time comes, we have already planted enough seeds of faith, hope and love in his heart… seeds that will grow into a tree bearing God’s fruits of life.

“We are the sowers; our children are those who reap. We labor so that the future generations will be better and nobler than we are.” – Maria Montessori

His Birthdays that we spent together so far...

3rd Birthday w/ mommy Cindy & me

4th Birthday in his 1st preschool Kids Center

His 5th Bday -- Rock Star & Pizza Theme.

6th Bday - Transformers Party in his new school The Learning Tree