remembering tatay

August 4, 1995 when my father died. Honestly, hindi ko na matandaan kung lung cancer ba o liver yon. Basta ang alam ko, one of the two yong umpisa, the other was just complication. Buhat kasi nong bata pa ako, natatandaan ko na, parang mineral water sa kanya ang san miguel. Eh yosi boy pa sya. Yosi at markang demonyo. A lethal combination that took his life at an early age. He died barely a month after his 59th birthday.

Nandito ako sa Saudi noon. It was one Friday afternoon, hindi ako pumasok kaya nasa bahay lang, nagpapahinga. Dumating ang isang office mate ko na nag-overtime. May dala siyang papel para sa akin. Pero bago niya inabot, may warning, wag daw akong mabibigla. Fax pala galing sa pinsan ko.

Come home. Your father died. Yon lang ang nakasulat sa fax. Maigsing-maigsi pero parang hindi ko naintindihan. Parang chinese characters yong mga letra.

Matagal bago nag-sink-in sa akin yong message. Pero nong maintindihan ko na, parang nanlaki yong ulo ko, kinapos ako ng hininga, unti-unting napa-upo sa carpet saka ako nagpapalahaw ng iyak. Yong iyak ng mahihirap sabi nga. Umatungal ako na parang baka. Wala akong pakialam kahit marinig ng kapitbahay. Wala rin akong pakialam kahit tumutulo ang sipon ko kasabay ng pagtulo ng luha. Ganon pala talaga kasakit lalo’t first time mamatayan ng mahal sa buhay. Tatay ko pa whom I loved so dearly.

Mahirap lang kami but he was such a good father. Kung ano-ano ang raket nya para kumita lang ng pera. Mag-karpintero, mag-bukid, mangisda, repair everything. Kung saan-saang lugar sya dumadayo para lang maghanap-buhay. Pero kahit maliit ang kita, he will always bring home ‘pasalubong’ for me. Curly tops o yong chocolate-coated marshmallows. O kaya isang balot ng sinangag na mani. Yon kasi ang mga favorites ko.

When i was still a kid, bago matulog, kinu-kwentohan niya ako ng kung ano-anong alamat which, later on, nalaman kong puro gawa-gawa lang nya. Pero na-enjoy ko naman kasi nga bata pa ako.

Nong high-school na ako, lagi niya akong binibigyan ng pang-sine pag Saturday. Dalawa kasi ang sinehan sa amin sa Pinamalayan – yong Venus at Dona Asuncion. Parehong 3rd-run, parehong mainit at mapanghe. Pero laging double picture kaya lagi akong suki. Doon ko napanood ang kumpletong series ng Superman bago pa sya nag-hibernate sa Krypton. Favorite ko rin yong mga earlier installments ng James Bond. At syempre, probinsya kaya walang censors, pati mga tipong Perfumed Garden o Bikini Island eh napapanood ko kahit 14 years old pa lang ako.

In short, spoiled ako sa tatay ko. Kaya nong mamatay sya, matagal bago ko natanggap. When I went home for his funeral, kitang-kita ko nang ipinasok na siya sa nitso, pero parang hindi pa rin totoo. Oo, may pinapasok sa nitso, but I don’t care kasi hindi ko inisip na tatay ko yon. Ganon pala yong sinasabing denial stage, everything seem to be surreal. Nandon ka sa eksena but you feel like youre watching it from the outside. Na hindi ka involved. And you’re not feeling anything.

At nagtagal pa yong denial stage na yon. Dahil kahit ng makabalik na ako ng Saudi, hindi ko naramdaman na wala na siya sa buhay ko. I would always wake up in the morning thinking that he’s at home, just relaxing and recuperating from his illness. Madalas pa niya akong dalawin sa aking mga panaginip lalo na pag may problema ako. Dreams where he is very much alive. Hindi yong tipong natatakot ako. And these dreams just reinforced my feeling na buhay sya and he’s always around to support me.

Until these days, meron akong regrets sa pagkawala nya. Una, I wasn't around para asikasuhin sya at alagaan nong magkasakit sya. I was far from him, halfway around the globe, instead of serving him in his sick bed. I should have served him and returned the love he has shown me all my life. Which is another thing na pinag-sisisihan ko. Hindi ko nasabi sa kanya how much I love him. Hindi kasi kami expressive na pamilya. But I should have done it. Sana nasabi ko sa kanya bago siya nawala.

Pero nawala man siya, hindi ko sya nakakalimutan. Ito siguro yong sinasabi nilang ‘the spirit lives on’. At kahit ilang dekada pa siguro ang lumipas, hindi ito mawawala. His remains might have been reduced to ashes by now, but in my mind and in my heart, buhay ang tatay ko. And he’s never far from me.

Tay, I love you. And I miss you so dearly.

gone too soon

i had to borrow this song from michael jackson. because this is what exactly happened to one young boy who was snatched so suddently from our lives just last june this year.

barely 13 years old, he was a bright, fun-loving, charming kid who has probably won more friends than anybody his age. my pamangkin, my inaanak. i miss you so much jepoy. may you be playing with the angels in heaven right now.

we will never forget you. we love you. we always will.

mga neneng at pototoy

Kung nanonood kayo ng Euronews siguro nakita na rin ninyo yong feature nila regarding an exhibit going on somewhere in Paris. Based from the footages shown, everything on the exhibit was designed to give the children education and awareness about sex. Meron pang mga drawings identifying the private organs ng isang lalake at isang babae, thus teaching them the function of each organs. Pag ganon syempre eh di ipapaliwanag mo na rin kung ano ang libido, erection, penetration, orgasm, ejaculation, etc.etc! Mga salitang siguradong isi-censor ni La Guardia.

Ang pinaka-kwela, may isang corner where two dummies – the figures of a guy and a girl – teaches the art of kissing. In this case, French kissing dahil talagang may tongue na lumalabas doon sa mga robots!

At ang mga attendees nong exhibit? Children as young as 7 or 8 years old yata yon. And boy, were they having a blast doon sa kissing machine!

Natatawa lang akong panoorin sila. But come to think of it, ang aga ng kanilang learning pagdating sa ganitong bagay. Imagine, sa atin, tinuturuan pa lang bumasa at sumulat, samantalang sa kanila sex education na! Not the birds and the bees, mind you, but real, straightforward sex.

Well, alam naman natin na hindi lang sa sex sila advanced. In fact alam naman natin kung ano ang curriculum of education sa ibang bansa. Kahit sa ibang bagay, everything in life for that matter, ay maaga silang binibigyan ng exposure. A radical way of teaching the kids what life really is all about.

Which somehow takes away the joy of being a kid. Para sa akin, masarap pa rin na sa edad na 7 years old, ang iniisip mo lang ay maglaro with your friends. Get dirty from playing outside and come into the house smelling like sukang paumbong. Cry from bad dreams, get a toothache from too much candy and jump from excitement when getting presents. Simple. Inosente. Walang complications, walang hassle.

Pero yon nga, sa western world, iba na ang laman ng utak nila. One is sex. Kaya bago pa sila lumaki, they view it just as ordinary as playing with Lego. They lose their virginity even before they can properly spell it.

Natural lang naman sa isang environment na tulad ng kanila na ganito ang gawin sa mga bata. Because the sooner the kid is prepared to face the real world, the better. Dahil kung hindi nila gagawin ito, sa klase ng lifestyle nila, one kid will suffer. Kaya nga marami rin sa kanila ang teenage suicide cases. Pati na yong mga nababaliw at basta na lang namamaril sa loob ng schools.

Fortunately, sa kultura natin, this is one thing we still haven’t let go. A kid is still a kid and not expected to be something else. We still believe in a gradual, somewhat controlled, system of teaching the kids what is life and how to live it. Binibigyan pa rin natin ng imporansya ang delicate, formative years nila. Thus giving them the chance to enjoy every phase of their life from childhood to teen years hanggang umalagwa na sila into being full-pledged adults.

Pagdating sa bagay na ito, I still believe this is the best way to raise a child. Call me conservative if you want. But French kiss for a 7-year old is still way too radical for me.

Alfa Nero at Synfotv

A video made of the Alfa Nero at the Monaco Yacht Show , more video yachts are available such as the MY Admiral Mariotti , MY Kiss The Sky [Amels 52m] SY Ameena and more... on Synfotv

Om meer videos van moterjachten te bekijken naast het bekende het Youtube is Synfotv een aanrader , te zien zijn er o.a Lurssens MY Northern , MY ICE , MY Skat.

Kalas!

Just this morning, our friend Bien “Jun” the chess champ sent a clipping from today’s Arab News discussing the impact of foreign labor on GCC countries. Ang pinaka-masakit don, gumagawa ang Bahraini government ng bill na isa-submit sa GCC summit proposing to limit the tenure of foreign workers to a maximum of 6 years. Tatamaan talaga tayo lahat.

Hindi ako magugulat if this bill will be passed by the 6-member countries. Patriotic, practical and timely ang bill na ito. Patriotic because it aims to give the locals the chance na magkaroon ng trabaho instead nga naman na mapunta sa ibang lahi. Practical because it solves the problem of unemployment which is continually rising over the last few years. Timely dahil now, more than ever, nararamdaman na nila ang impact ng mataas na unemployment rate.

So I would predict na maa-approve ito sooner than later.

Should we worry? Of course. Dahil pag na-approve ito, da end na ng ating kayod dito. Pero bago pa kayo magkaron ng insomnia sa kakaisip, let me point out a few things:

Una: Kahit ano, kahit saan, basta major program, lalo na pag gobyerno, malaking tanong ang implementation. Ma-approve man yong bill, asahan mo na matatagalan pa yan bago ma-implement. Because they have to address a lot of issues. Unang-una na ang matching of local skills na papalit sa tsutsugihin nilang expat. Syempre hindi pwedeng basta tayo palalayasin tapos wala palang qualified/interesado sa tina-trabaho natin. Some study and mechanisms have to be put in place bago mangyari ang lahat. And believe me, it will not be easy.

Pangalawa: How effective will the implementation be? Sa mga inamag na sa Saudi na tulad ko, we’ve seen it before. Nag-utos ng Saudization ang gobyerno long time ago pero tingnan natin ang dami pa rin ng Pinoy (lalo na ang mga Pana) na nandito sa Jubail. Dahil mismong mga kumpanya ang gumagawa ng paraan para hindi ito lubusang matuloy. Why? Sila mismo (the companies), recognize the value of foreign workers versus local manpower. Alam nila na mas productive ang mga expats (lalo na Pinoy) which is good for the business kesa sa mga lokal na mahirap asahan ang working attitude. Kita mo nga at doon sa article mismo, sinabing kasama sa proposal ang magiging penalty sa mga ayaw magtrabaho. Sila mismo, they recognize the fact na karamihan ng walang trabaho ay dahil na rin sa kawalan ng interes magtrabaho, not the absence of job opportunities itself.

Last but not least: Siguradong categorized implementation ang gagawin dito. Yong mga trabahong kaya lang gawin ng local workforce. Or should I say, yong mga trabahong interesado lang silang gawin. And mostly, ito yong mga nasa gitna ng work ladder. Administrative ang karamihan. Ang matitira – yong nasa ibaba which includes manual labor dahil siguradong hindi nila pag-iinteresan yan. Matitira din yong mga nasa itaas like managers and executives dahil kakaunti pa ang pwedeng gumanap ng ganitong papel sa mga local talents.

Whatever happens, dapat pa ring mag-handa tayo. Sabi ko nga, matutuloy ito. Matagalan man, mangyayari pa rin. The delay will only give us the chance to re-assess our priorities. At magkaron tayo ng time na makapag-handa. Mag-ipon. Or find other ways na kumita. Ang importante, pag dumating yong time na yon, handa tayong umuwi pag sinabing tsugi ka na. Yon na yon. Kalas!

hanggang kelan, hanggang saan?

para bang soap opera ang title? actually yan ang nararamdaman ko, out of frustration, sa mga nangyayari sa bansa natin. hanggang kelan tayo maghihirap, hanggang saan ang pagdurusa nating mga pinoy. parang walang katapusan, parang lalong lumalala ang sitwasyon.

hindi ako pala-sisi na tao. pero pag ganito, meron na talagang problema ang mga leaders natin. hindi na siguro maitatago ang katotohanan na dapat serbisyo publiko ang ginagawa nila pero mga sariling bulsa ang inuuna. puro self-interest. kaya araw-araw, sa dyaryo man o tv, batuhan ng batuhan ng putik eh pare-pareho lang naman ng interes. puro accusations, puro finter-pointing. kumotong si ganito, nag-bulsa si ganiyan, nangurakot si ano, pumitik si ano....

tumawag ng People's Power 2 noon (na nakiloko pa ako at hinakot ko pa ang mga kaibigan ko) para patalsikin si Erap sa Malacanang dahil daw sa pangungurakot, katakot-takot na moro-moro ang ginawa, yon pala bibigyan din lang ng executive clemency. bakit? para cover-up ng kung ano-anong baho na sumisingaw na, hindi na-contain tulad ng septic tank sa glorietta? ang mga hinayupak hindi na nahiya kay juan dela cruz.

sabagay paano ko nga palang i-eexpect na mahiya sila kay juan dela cruz eh kokonti, kung hindi man totally wala, silang mapapala sa masang pilipino. napapakinabangan lang nila pag eleksyon dahil pampa-dami ng boto. pero after election at nanalo na sila, wala na silang pakialam. afterall, ano bang magagawa ng mga taong grasa, mga naka-tira sa ilalim ng LRT, mga gusgusin at walang makain? liability ang tingin sa kanila ng gobyerno. walang pakinabang.

at sa halip na tulungan tulad ng ginagawa sa ibang bansa, pinababayaan na lang manigas at mamatay sa gutom at sakit. bakit? dahil walang government institutions na umaasiste para sa libreng housing, meal coupons at medical assistance. wala kasing pondo. may pera naman pero kulang pa para sa budget ng gobyerno. maniniwala ka ba naman?

wag na yong destitutes ang pag-usapan natin. mas malalang problema yon eh. yon na lang mga may kayod na tulad naming ofw. eh kami ngang mga ofw na malaki ang pakinabang, hindi lang nila kungdi ng bansang pilipinas, hindi na nahiya sa amin ang mga hindurupot na yan. kami ang gatasan nila ng bilyon-bilyong dolyares na pumipigil para bumagsak ang ekonomiya ng bansa. and yet, ang kapal ng mukha nilang dedmahin ang request namin para sa kaunting tulong ngayong bumabagsak ang palitan ng peso sa dolyar.

na sila din ang may kagagawan para ipagmalaking maganda ang ekonomiya ng pilipinas? paanong maganda eh ang mahal pa rin ng mga primary commodities? halos hindi pa rin kayanin ng ordinaryong pilipino na kumain ng tama sa araw-araw dahil ang mahal ng bigas, asukal, gatas, gulay, karne, isda, atbp. kaya tiis na lang sa instant noodles na kahit unhealthy eh medyo mura. tapos sasabihin nyong maganda ang ekonomiya? hindi tanga ang mga pinoy kahit wala kaming masters degree sa economics noh!

masakit pa nito, wala na ngang ginagawa sa sinisigaw naming tulong, babalikan pa nila ang pamilya namin at sesermonan na magastos at magarbo ang mga kamag-anak namin! kapal nyo! ayan namura tuloy kayo ng isang misis sa open letter nya.

kaya sabi ko, hanggang kelan, hanggang saan? pinatalsik si marcos non dahil corrupt daw. pinalit si cory. na dapat ay magiging umpisa ng pagtino ng leadership at magkaroon ng pag-asa ang pilipinas na maka-sabay sa ibang asean countries na umaarangkada na ang mga ekonomiya. pero yon nga, wala ring nangyari. pinalitan ni erap na napatalsik din. pinalitan na naman ng isang babae, again with the hope na mas matino ang magiging leadership. and yet, ganon pa rin ang istorya. heto tayo at nakabaon na, at mukhang walang pag-asang maka-ahon sa kahirapan anytime soon.

habang ang vietnam na dati ay mas mahirap pa sa atin, siya na ngayong puntahan ng mga gustong kumita ng malaki. dahil mas maayos ang economy kumpara sa atin. dahil mas maayos ang leadership.

kaya sa mga naka-upo - mahiya naman kayo. at sana ma-konsensiya kayo sa mga pinag-gagagawa ninyo. sa dami ng namamatay sa gutom at hindi nagagamot na sakit, sa dami ng mga taong naghihirap sa araw-araw at natutulog ng humahapdi ang sikmura, baka maipon ang sumpa nila, maging isang malaking karma at tamaan kayong lahat! kayo rin.

Y 704

Gerrie´s Photo site with the launch of the Y704 at Zwijnenburg a few mouths ago.

Twee leuke tools om wat met je foto´s te stoeien klik dan op

Motivational Poster Generator

Sketch Generator

mga amuyong

Noong nag-uumpisa pa lang akong mag-trabaho, I was fortunate enough to have worked under people who are great bosses. Particularly yong unang venture ko sa Saudi.

I was too young then and full of apprehensions. Kaya nang makita ko ang magiging unang boss ko, I must admit I was a little frightened. He was a big, bearded old man. And his voice was even bigger – parang may boom box sa lalamunan pag nagsasalita. German pa kaya hindi ko masyadong maintindihan ang sinasabi. Nanghihingi pala ng kopya pero nag-isip pa akong mabuti kung kape ang hinihingi. Copy, coffee… try hearing it from a German.

But he turned out to be a caring soul. Palibhasa wala palang anak from his wife, kaming workers niya ang ginawa nyang mga anak. Laging may pasalubong na home-baked goodies. Kung wala, aabutan nya ako ng 100 riyals and ask me to buy the gang a cake from our cafeteria.

In short, he looks and sounds intimidating. Pero mabait. Pagdating sa trabaho, pinababayaan nya kami to work on our own. Walang tinge of slavery na typical sa mga German.

Nang umalis sya, an American came. This one, kahit medyo matanda na rin, is a snappy dresser. Naka-maong and boots. And his clothing exactly reflects his personality – easy going. Ganon din ang style in working, do as you please, as long as tama ang mga reports na binibigay mo sa kanya. He gives you the freedom, walang strict rules. Which only encouraged me to do my job even better.

Then a Briton came. Another jolly fellow. Kahit medyo kuripot like typical brits, magaan din katrabaho. At dahil nga kuripot, I learned from him the value of money. Na dapat ang pinag-hihirapan mo every day and every minute, may kinapupuntahan na mabuti.

Moreso, later on I found out na suffering from the big C ang misis nya. And I admired his guts even more. Ganon pala kalaki ang problema nya (and probably the reason why he was such a miser) and yet he manages to be a jolly person everyday.

At kung puro promotions ang inabot ko kay German at Kano, kay Bitoy na nag-umpisa ang paglilipat ko ng sponsor (sa mga taga-Saudi, big deal ito coz it’s changing status from a contractor to a direct hire employee). Big stuff from a big guy with a big heart. (Just another way to say kung gaano kalaki ang utang na loob ko sa taong ito).

Nang umalis sya, doon na ako nagkaroon ng among Saudi. A sharp, loud and highly ambitious young man. Who at first ay pinagtitimpla ako ng tea nya as if I was his teaboy.

Sa kanya ko naman natutunan kung paano i-treat ang isang amo who has the tendency to use (or abuse) you in things beyond your job description. Diplomasya pala ang kailangan. Talk to him objectively and he will listen. Present a logic like “you are paying me so much on a per minute basis to waste that minute in making your tea” or something like that was my argument. Tinanggap naman.

Sa kanya ko rin natutunan that it is important to do self-evaluation. Kasi nga he was aiming for higher position, tinawag nya ako one day and asked me to evaluate him. I told him he was good but his weakness is his being impulsive. Pag may issue, he says something without even thinking. Tinandaan ko ito because it was not just his weakness. It was mine too.

Nang umalis ako sa Saudi, I worked in Makati. Isang management consulting firm where my previous American boss was the Managing Director (obvious ba na sya ang kumuha sa akin). Our CIO was a Brit, at ang COO namin ay isang young, lanky but good looking white South African.

Poging sya not only from his looks but more on his enormous charm. Masarap kausap. And makes you feel genuinely appreciated lalo na sa trabaho. Sa kanya ko naman natutunan ang isang very important skill in life – people skills. Something na magagamit mo not only in work but in the real world as well. Dahil wala nang gagaling pa sa taong marunong makitungo sa lahat ng klase ng tao. Be able to communicate with all – be it janitors, managers, drivers or company presidents. Sabi nga nya, “years down the road, it is not the work that you remember, it is the people you worked with.” True di ba.

Well those people were my bosses years ago. Ngayon, ah well, it’s an entirely different story. But as for these bosses I had, I was only thankful to have worked with them. Wonderful people. Wonderful bosses.

pac-yaw

note: i wrote this after pacquiao had his fight in manila with... i don't even remember who, and ages before he dipped his toe into politics which, as we all know, was one big reality check for the guy. never sent this one out coz i thought i would offend some of my friends who are pacquiao fans. but i guess i just have to post it here and wait for their reactions!!!

Some of you already know that I can't keep my mouth shut when I've got something. At the moment, it's about Pacquiao ---

I don't know, I just feel inundated lately with the Pacquiao brouhaha where his fans just couldn’t seem to get enough of him while on-lookers and by-standers like me wanted to get to the top of the tallest building in Ayala and shout ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!

Obviously Pacquiao fever in the Philippines is hotter and more prevalent this time compared to his previous fights in the US. Because this time around, more of his adoring fans got to see the action live rather than watch a sometimes hazy satellite transmission on a boob tube. That Araneta ticket is of course a knock out compared to a plane ticket to the US – something most of his fans simply couldn’t afford. It’s only the filthy rich and politicos who can join him in Vegas and get a hotel suite even bigger than what he gets.

And so bringing the fight home and making it accessible to thousands of his fans, plus winning it decisively, has fuelled the Pacquiao mania into a wilder, crazier frenzy. Everybody talks about him. His face is everywhere – Tv programs, magazines, broadsheets, billboards. You name it – his face is stamped on it. The five-peso bill? He’s on it. Well, at least an the jokes being tossed around via e-mails. And at least, for the meantime. But who knows, maybe not for long. Judging by his popularity, he could easily be sanctified by the bootlicking politicos and make that five-peso bill officially his. Though I would suspect Emilio Aguinaldo would be turning violently in his graves!

So, yes, I am not a big fan. No, not even a fan. As I said I’m just an on-looker. Happy and content seeing other Pinoys go gaga over the not-so-cute boxer from the South. Go, kabayans, enjoy the moment! Celebrate! Let’s forget about the continually plummeting economy of our beloved country. Let’s forget the political bickering that these politicos orchestrate themselves for their own personal motives. Just forget everything and soak up the moment. It’s one glorious moment we all have to bask upon, it comes just once in a while – that is, if he’s not losing or drawing the fight.

But don’t get me wrong. I don’t disdain the man. And in no way am I being contemptuous here. On the contrary, I only have nothing but respect for him. I may not be a fan, I don’t like boxing at all. But I salute him for what he has achieved. I wish there’s more of him to surface in such times that our country needs a shot of hope, honor and glory – no matter how fancy and sensational the source maybe.

It takes a lot to get to where he is standing right now. We all know his humble beginnings in an obscure town in GenSan. And of course we know how hard he trains. But do we really understand how hard it is? Can we honestly say that yes, Manny, I do understand the sacrifices you have to bear just to get to where you are now. And we do feel for you.

Nah, most of the people around him just love him for he is glowing with fame and fortune at the moment. Nobody gives a damn what he has gone through just to get that arm raised by the referee at the end of the fight.

He must have shed barrels and barrels of blood, sweat and tears – actually, not figuratively – not only in his fights but also during practice sessions. Instead of spending time with his family, he must have spent more hours training, skipping ropes, sit-ups, punching not just bags or sparring partners but even the air around him. He must have suffered and endured all the pain, bruises, broken bones and cuts anywhere within the boundaries of his typically small pinoy face and his typically small frame.

He must have blown his top many times when he can’t go anywhere he wants because he has a schedule to follow, a program to fulfill. He must have ranted in despair when he can’t have a portion of his favorite food because it will make him one gram heavier during weigh-in.

And what about wanting to get crazy just like the others, boozing and partying all night? It must be utterly frustrating to go to bed just to follow a ruthless schedule while others tiptoe out of the hotel room to go down to the bar and enjoy the adrenaline-pumping music, the dizzying lights, the heady smoke of cigarettes and the intoxicating liquor being poured by a scantily-clad waitress.

And what about the sex? Maybe his punches are more lethal because it is laced with anger and frustration for not having released his sexual urges the night before. I bet he does as most athletes do. Well, poor Pacquiao, the things he has to give up just to realize his dream.

But realize his dream he did! Here he is, arguably the most recognizable face in the Philippine islands and to the millions of Filipinos scattered all over the globe. Winning his fight, collecting millions of prize money, gathering more fans and sycophants alike. And of course, earning respect from people like me who sees through the man wearing a pair of boxing gloves and ad-studded pair of short pants.

The man realized he has a God-given talent. He harnessed it. He dreamed. And used that talent to reach glorious heights. What could be more respectable than that.

How many of us realized we have talents but never dared to develop it and use it to get to where we actually wanted to be? Admittedly, I am one of those. That’s why I respect Manny a lot. It takes courage, guts, raw determination and a whole lot of conviction to make your dreams come true. Sadly, we are lacking most of it. But not the boxer.

He dared to dream. Despite being physically average – with his typical Pinoy height and looks. He dreamed. Despite his lack of education – he can’t even come up with a simple, gramatically correct english sentence. He dreamed. Despite his being what the Manilenyos call “Bisaya” - he still speaks with a heavy accent and proud of it. He dreamed.

Now he’s reaping the rewards of dreaming and working hard. VIP’s, celebrities, businessmen and top politicos troop to see him and be near him. They listen to whatever he says, no matter how funny the heavily accented Tagalog is, or how absurd the english sentence he is trying to concoct.

He’s got the moolah - a big house, fancy cars, and millions-worth of properties. A beautiful wife who, if he was not a star pugilist, would be frowned upon by most people and asked “what the hell were you thinking marrying that guy?”

And don’t forget that controversial “other woman”. Who could knock a girl and give her a son, beamingly deny his guilt, get discovered by the entire nation and get away with all of it? Only the Pacman can do that. And I bet ya, more and more women are finding him attractive each day because he has proven just as lethal inside the ring as well as in bed. I’m sure that scandal did not even hurt his popularity one bit. In fact, it must have contributed more to his machismo, making him a real stud and proving his virility. Something women swoon about and men get jealously envious of.

But seriously, I just wish the youth of today takes inspiration from him. Not on the “studly” image but on his sport. Just like when Efren “Bata” Reyes won international competitions a few years ago. Millions of our young men (and women, for that matter) focused on billiards rather than gang wars, teenage pregnancies or drugs.

This time, I hope they will do the same and try to emulate Manny. Get into boxing where we, short and stout Pinoys can definitely excel. Not in basketball! That game is for the towering Westerners! When will we ever realize that, for goodness’ sake!

On second thought, it may not happen. Billiards might have gained tremendous popularity among the youth because it is a non-contact sport and can be easily turned into a gamble – something that appeals strongly to the young boys to skip their classes and use their lunch money as bets. But boxing? Maybe not.

It will deform their nose, cut their lips or forehead and leave scars on their faces. Their faces that they value most in their young life. Because they’d rather join male beauty contests or talent search and become a commercial model, tv actor or movie star. That’s a lot easier, more fashionable, hip and cool than being a boxer. Vanity seem to be more attractive than masculinity nowadays. I don’t know. The world must be turning queer by the day.

As for you Manny, I just hope you learn life’s lessons quickly enough like your lightning punches. If you don’t, it would be sad to see you 10 or 20 years from now turn into another Navarette.

But for now, go ahead and enjoy the shimmering laurels of fame and fortune. Live up to your name, afterall you’ve got it all. You know - fame, fortune and everything - PAKYAW, isn’t it?!

one for the lenten season

This is a bit long but I hope that in the spirit of the Lenten season, you will find time to read this.

For three weeks now I’ve been watching a series presented by BBC Prime every Friday at 9PM. A better alternative to the re-run of the Lord of the Ring trilogy (One) or the ever-present James Bond movies (MBC2). The series is called “Jesus Son of God”. And believe me, it was just as engaging as the Return of the Kings or Golden Eye. Probably more.

The series tried to probe the story of Jesus from his birth to the time of his death. A story so magical and, from a non-Christian point of view, has incredulously debatable merits just like any other stories of fantasy or fiction.

How true was his story, the program asks. Was he really born on a manger? Was he really crucified? Did he really rise from the dead? What did he look like? Questions that the program tried to answer objectively by using historical facts, archeological finds, analysis and testimonies from experts, forensic evidences and – CGI (computer graphic imaging – for those technically challenged!). At times, it tries too painfully as it rationalize, dehumanize and demystify the myths and miracles surrounding Jesus – something I’m sure that some devotees will find sacrilegious.

The program, in trying to present an unbiased view of the entire Jesus story, assumed a non-believing stand. Tried to be a devil’s advocate, posing questions, challenging what we have blindly accepted as “truth”, things that we believed in and used as the foundation of our faith.

Was Mary really a virgin when she conceived Jesus? Was it really divine grace who did the whole thing? The program almost resoundingly said yes. Cultural history supports what was written in the scriptures. Remember - adulterers, fornicators, prostitutes and anybody who falls prey into sins of the flesh are stoned to death. Mary was not. Something only a divine intervention can make possible.

Based on existing ruins and archaeological finds, and with the aid of computers, the program somehow succeeded in recreating buildings and communities of the early Nazareth, Bethlehem and other important sites. Which presented a logical explanation as to why Jesus was born on a manger, how his life was when he was growing up, where he lived, where he played and where he spent times as a young boy.

Based on written history and inputs from experts, it explained how the young Jesus got the motivation to heal the sick, got involved in the plight of the marginalized Jews and later on challenged the temple priests thus challenging the government of Israel and the Roman empire.

It offered a close approximation on how he entered the walled city during Passover. It offered conclusion as to why he was charged blasphemy. It explained the strategy Caiphas used to hand over the case to Pontius Pilate. And many other things that you would have probably asked why and how while reading the scriptures or contemplating on that wonderful story of his existence.

It offered explanations. It’s up for you to think, accept and believe.

One highlight for me was the question about the crucifixion. Was he really crucified? Yes the program confirmed. It was the Romans’ favorite way to torture and eventually kill their victims. But where did the nails go through? His hands or his wrist? The argument here is that if it is the palm of the hands, the weight of his body would rip his hands off and he will not be able stay up the cross for hours as the story claimed.

Actual tests by an American doctor and his assistant who gets “nailed” on a cross, footages of the “penitensiya” and crucifixion in San Pedro Laguna (yes, our Philippines) was shown, then a real cross from the 2nd century was presented.

In the end, an answer far from the common presentation of the crucifixion was offered. It was the hands alright, but the feet were not nailed as it was shown in most crosses we’ve seen. Why? Because, it defies the law of gravity. We should all remember that Jesus was, at this time, human. Therefore his body weight will pull him down at that position. The closest theory, which to me is credible, is that he had a piece of wood supporting his feet. Thus taking much of the weight off the hands. But can you see any of this in any crosses you’ve seen, kissed and worn all through your Christian life? Naahhh… that would be too much of a kill joy.

Another interesting part was how Jesus looked like. And again, as the program presented, it is miles and miles away from the common picture of Jesus we see today – a tantalizingly good-looking man of alabaster skin and flowing locks of soft, silky hair. It is, undoubtedly the work of people who wanted to present Jesus through their own perception of what is “beautiful”. Just like this generation’s perception of beauty – the cosmetically enhanced physical features far from the God-given features of an individual.

And Jesus’ image apparently fell victim to this too. Because if you think objectively, he was a sub-African/middle-eastern man whose skin cannot be as flawless as an Eastern European as it was portrayed. And the hair! Why was he given a hair so soft and beautiful? It couldn’t possibly be true. Because people who understand the middle-eastern region knows for a fact that human hair in this region is far from the straight, soft hair that was made to appear on Jesus’ head. And people who knew the Bible know that a man with long hair in that time is totally out of sync. Somewhere in the Gospel of St. Paul, it was mentioned that it is a disgrace for a man of that time to have locks of flowing (long) hair. As it is still now in the present middle-eastern culture. Logic? Yes. Supported by the scripture? Yes. I think it will make you think twice before you kiss another Jesus’ image.

Highly investigative as it is, the program faced a blank wall when it came to explaining the Resurrection. There was no evidence, whatsoever supporting the story behind the rising from the dead. It even posed more questions, theories and hypothesis as to what really happened. In the end, the presenter summarized the whole thing in one phrase so closely associated with Ripley’s – Jesus’ story – either you believe it… or not. Believe it or be an agnostic. Worse, an atheist.

But beyond religious branding, the program succeeded in poking into my own faith and reflected the same questions that have been bothering me since my early Christian days. It made me think and reflect on my own thoughts, my own beliefs. Beliefs that came from what we were taught and doctrinized by the church, the priests and nuns, the religious leaders, even the “manangs” of our local community. Beliefs based on scriptures of the Bible, translated billions of times over and over and ending up with billions of different interpretations. And who knows how far from the truth the current version we are using as the foundation of our present-day Christian faith.

Jesus’ life was quite a story. But incredibly wonderful and arguable as it is, it nevertheless changed the shape of human life. His was a story was so powerful that 2,000 years after his death, his crusade still commands faith among 2 billion followers around the world. That you can not deny.

He existed. That I believe. He performed miracles. His life has a purpose. He served that purpose. And he has given us something to hold on to – our faith. Whatever debate comes into play, no one can argue that his is one story that has ruled my life, your life and the lives of that 2 billion people around the world.

And, as I always say before – believe that there is air not because you can see it, but because you can breathe it.

Have a blessed Lenten season you guys.

the stylish boss from hell

A friend of mine who's not really into foreign movies mistook Meryl Streep for Glenn Close after watching The Devil Wears Prada. Both are great actresses kaya di ko sya masisi to confuse one with the other. Dahil talaga nga namang mukhang Cruella ang lola Meryl mo dito physically – with the short peroxide blond hair, and characteristically - as the slave driver Editor in Chief of Runway, a glossy fashion magazine.

I've been a long time Meryl fan since I saw her in Out of Africa decades ago. And even when she was younger doon sa Deer Hunter, magaling na talaga siya. This film is just another authoritative proof that she can easily dish out any role, mumble any dialog with much precision. Arguably one of the best actresses of the 21st century.

Anne Hathaway was good as the meek-at-the-start-transformed-glamorous-personal assistant pero revelation si Stanley Tucci who is usually identified in tough roles and mob stories but was breathing pink fire here as the gay artistic director of Runway.

This is the mark of a fine movie na kahit mababaw ang story line, malinaw na malinaw naman ang mga characters. Buhay na buhay and well interpreted on screen kasi nga magagaling ang mga gumaganap. Aba eh hindi nila galingan eh di tinilian sila ng lola Meryl mo no.

Even the director, siguradong challenged din sa presence nya, and did a wonderful job making the film look brisk, glossy and entertaining. Kahit di ka masyadong involved sa fashion world, you will find it enjoyable because the focus is on the boss-worker relationship. And I know many of us can relate pagdating sa ganon. Lalo na kung kasing evil ni Miranda ang boss natin.

This is one light, entertaining film which I don't mind seeing over and over again on cable tv.

a different war movie

There’s no doubt about it – Clint Eastwood is one heck of a director. Sayang nga lang at nakatapat nya si Scorsese who is Oscar's sentimental favorite this year. Otherwise he could have taken home the best director for a superb job in Letters from Iwo Jima.

If you are looking for action like what you’ve seen in the Platoon or any other war films, you might be disappointed. Coz in this film the guns started firing only after about an hour of quiet conversations and character presentation and development.

Very poignant ang scenes. Heartfelt. At talagang makiki-simpatya ka sa mga characters, lalo na sa bida who looks more like a pinoy teenager – in fact there are scenes na para syang pinaghalong Francis M and Romnick Sarmienta.

The story gave me a different perspective of war. Hindi ito yong tipo ng film where the bida is a very macho, rambo-like soldier who marches on to war without fear and shoots them all and comes home victorious.

On the contrary, it showed a very human picture of a soldier plucked from the peace of his home and thrown into a seemingly senseless fight that he doesn’t really believed in nor understood a bit.

Clint was so successful in capturing the drama of a war captured from the eyes of a young, reluctant soldier who refuses to die for a cause he doesn’t understand and instead be with her pregnant wife and tend to his bakery.

Ang galing! Bravo to Clint Eastwood. And bravo to the Japanese actors who did very well on the film.

the ogre's third

I’ve read somewhere na talagang bata pa raw ang mga directors nitong Shrek. That is to woe not only the children but also the teens and young adults to become a Shrek fan. Eh kahit naman di na ako young adult, this cute green monster has caught my loyalty.

And so alam mo talagang pang-bata ang film so I went to see it without my usual critical eye. Wag pansinin ang corny na kwento. Pang-bata nga eh. Basta tumawa ka lang on the slapstick comedy. And enjoy the fluidity of the images na akala mo’y talagang real characters ang porma, thanks, once again, to the wonders of CGI.

Ang na-aliw ako dito, even serious and respected actors pala eh nakipag-lokohan na rin dito sa Shrek 3. Julie Andrews as the head-banging queen mother!?? And Rupert Everett as the hilariously dying frog king!!! And even Larry King agreed to take on the role of the reformed ugly step-sister!? Whatta cast!

And then there’s John Cleese na talagang pang-comedy. As for Justin Timberlake, he might have seen this as a potential regular income from his dwindling musical career. Who knows, his Artie character can live on til Shrek 5. At least sure income yon. Look at Antonio Banderas. Kahit papano nakikita pa rin ang name nya now that Holywood have long said goodbye to his superstar days.

As irreverent as Shrek is, the story parodied and presented well-loved characters on a different light. Snow White here is snooty, Sleeping Beauty is really sleepy, Cinderella is a floor-scrubbing nervous wreck and Rapunzel a hairless treacherous bimbo whose flocks of golden hair is really miles and miles of wig! Katawa talaga!

Add the Three Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf and the Gingerman. What kid will not want to watch this merry mix of fairy tale characters in one happy, funny movie!

spidey the third

I’ve always been a self-confessed Spiderman fan. But this part of the spidey saga didn’t excite me as the first two installments did. Moreso, it made me a bit skeptic about what spidey will bring next.

Okay, the fast-paced, action-packed fight scenes are still there. In fact the last fight towards the end of the film is a bit over the top for me, it was too long and almost boring.

I think what I didn’t like in this film is the kind of villains introduced into the story. In part 2, tinanggap ko pa si doctor octopus (what’s he called again?). At least medyo plausible pa. But here, they really lost it. Dahil ang mga kontrabida, wala nang originality. A sandman? Anybody who’s seen The Mummy and it’s sequel will swear this is a copycat! And Spiderman as his own villain? Eh ginawa na rin ito sa Superman where he was given an alter ego as his antagonist! So what else is new?

I guess this is where these superhero movies are doomed. Wala na silang ma-introduce na character that is original and unique. I’ve said the same thing sa last version of Superman. Hindi na nakaka-tuwa ang mga villains nila. Corny. Thus you don’t enjoy the story anymore. Just the slam-bang action that you know was entirely due to the genius of computer graphic artists.

So it broke all box-office records daw. Good for them. Pero para sa akin, if the next installment will not bring back the charm of the first part, siguro maglilinis na lang ako ng mga cobweb sa ceiling ng bahay namin!

happy pursuing

Still on the same flight from Dubai to Manila, sunod kong pinanood itong The Pursuit of Happyness after Dreamgirls. Ito ang kahit antok na antok na ako during the flight, hindi ko matulugan. Habang inaa-log-alog ang eroplano ng loadstones over the indian continent, this movie was shaking and stirring my emotions. Buti na lang madilim na sa plane, the tears welling up my eyes weren’t so obvious.

Who would’ve thought that Will Smith – the star of forgettables like Wild Wild West and Men in Black – could pull up such a magnificent performance like that! I don’t know about the other Oscar nominees pero para sa akin, Will should’ve ran away with the golden statuette this year.

His depiction of a devoted, loving father struggling to find his place under the sun is so moving. And his eventual success should inspire down-trodden people, lift their spirits and give them hope that in life, you can walk the streets even if you lost half of your shoe and still come out a winner.

What more, ito dapat ang kauna-unahang father-and-son tandem to win the lead actor and supporting actor categories! Ang cute ng anak ni Will and most of all, magaling ang bata. His charms were natural and so is his acting talent! Together the two of them touched my heart in a movie that is so inspiring and uplifting!

I normally write kilometric comments regarding a movie. But this one, hindi na kailangan. Just a few words - touching, inspiring, true and magnificent. Siguro naman you got it by now - i'm recommending this, very highly!

who's your dream girl?

Ok, Hollywood was abuzz about this film and even Diana Ross has shared her two-cents worth coz intrigues had it that Dreamgirls is The Supremes' story. So when i chanced upon it in the in-flight movie channel of Emirates during my flight back home last May, it was my first choice among the 400++ movies you can play, on demand (really cool, Emirates).

But then halfway through the film I started wondering why it had so much Oscar nominations this year. Tinodo siguro ang lobbying nila. If not, wala itong aabutin. Ok, Jennifer Hudson is superb for a newcomer. Other than that, nothing is outstanding in this film.

The story is supposed to be inspired by the sex, treachery, struggles and inside wranglings of Diana Ross’ The Supremes. But it came out flat on screen. The screenplay is plain and simply… ahhh… simple. Para ka lang nanonood ng tagalog film. Nothing so Oscariously fantastic about this one.

It’s supposed to be a musical but the music didn’t hit me like what The Chorus Line or the more recent Moulin Rouge did. It doesn’t even compare to Coyote Ugly whose scoring produced some hits enjoyed even up todate (Under the Moonlight, remember?). Sad to say, the best it can do is come up with a sorry version of And I am Telling You (I still prefer the original one which is more powerful and captivating) and the more pathetic vocals of Beyonce’s Listen.

And speaking of Beyonce, she had the role aptly called ‘art imitating life’ as she played the part of a less talented singer whose claim to fame is largely due to her sexiness and the connections it can get to make her way to the top. Eh di ba sa totoong buhay naman, ano ba naman ang kayang niyang kantahin, “to the left, to the left” di ba? She and Jennifer are perfect for the roles, the latter being with the heavy, less desirable physique but with real talent for singing.

The only hot spot in this film is Jamie Foxx who’s always so sexy with a double xx, I can stare at him with much ardor even at boring scenes. And Eddie Murphy? Mas enjoy ko pa syang panoorin (or marinig?) as a pasaway na donkey in Shrek rather than a singing gigolo. Heck, anybody can do this role.

transformers (not the meralco ones)

Transformers? One word: GRAAABBBEEEEEEEE!!!!!

I saw the preview in wide screen noong nasa Pinas ako and I was so disappointed that it will not be shown until I’m gone. Preview pa lang talagang grabe na. And now that I watched it – kahit sa maliit na Tv ko lang sa kwarto – it still gripped me and firmly planted me in my seat for at least 140 minutes or so.

I thought I’ve seen awesome CGI’s before. But this one…. Grabe talaga! The transition of the main characters from cars, trucks, tanks, etc. to a robot is so fluid it makes you go “how the hell they’d do that?” The genius and magic of CGI at it’s best.

I can go on and on how I was mesmerized by the CGI – it’s the main selling point of the movie. It was what people are talking about. Coupled by the the slam-bang, heart-pumping, high-adrenalin action scenes from start to finish. But fortunately, there’s more to it. At least, it has a coherent story as well. Something most action-CGI films sorely lack.

It succeeded in presenting the story of Sam Wiki-something from a geeky young man to a hero who saved the world from destruction. You laugh with him, empathize with him and cheer for him in the end. But where the film succeded most is the fact that I felt – not only for Sam – but also for the robots! Maluha-luha ako nang ma-capture si Bumblebee. And I was hurting when Megatron was pounding on Optimus Prime. This is an animation action movie with a heart!

And so, it really is a good movie. Pero syempre hindi naman sya ganon ka-perfect. There are minor glitches here and there also.

Nakulangan ako sa scenes that will establish the panic and terror among humans nong naglalaban na ang mga Autobots and Decepticons. Lumabas na parang they were just doing their thing right in the middle of a busy, densely populated city na hindi na-aalarm ang mga tao – they just run and scream pag nandiyan na at tinatamaan na sila ng bala at mga nagbabagsakang robots or debris.

I find it a little odd also that the Secretary of Defense chose to stay holed up in a secret lab while he could’ve gone to a military command base and do his stuff rather than fighting it off with a silly miniature decepticon.

Medyo kinulang din pagdating sa dulo where it failed to give closure to some characters before the credits rolled. Ano’ng nangyari kay Defense Secretary and his cohorts left at the bottom of the Hoover Dam? Where were Sam’s parents taken, napalaya ba sila by the FBI before or after Bumblebee was given back to Sam? Gumaling ba ang paa ni Mojo?

Ah well, siguro talagang binitin ang mga ito dahil may sequel na in the planning board? They must have predicted early on that this will be a big hit and deserves a follow-up. I myself would love to see these robots again. Lately, ito lang ang movie that has kept me at the edge of my seat. Ngayon lang ulit ako nakaranas na pumalakpak and go “dali, dali!”. In short, this movie has reduced me to a 10-year old kid enjoying a movie with pure, unobliterated delight.

Which reminds me of Independence Day na ganon din ang naging reaction ko. The Will Smith starrer was so exciting lalo na yong scene where they planted the virus on the mother ship. Bakit ko naman na-mention ang Independence Day? Coz I found two things these two films have in common.

First – the reference to a “highly-classified” location of a “top-secret” government operation handling alien stuff. In ID, it was a roswell-type underground area in the middle of the desert. Dito sa transformers, they were more inventive – at the bottom of Hoover Dam!

Second – the use of Morse Code. Is it a sign that when all these space-age communication links go down, there’s nowhere else to go but back to the basics? Interesting, isn’t it.

Parang lumalabas nga na patterned ang storyline sa ID4. But hey, these things don’t take away the fact that Transformers is one hell of a film. Mukhang magsi-set na naman ito ng trend or a neo-pop culture like what Matrix did. And whatever critics would say, it doesn’t take away the pleasure of being entertained by a movie so well-crafted you’d thank Michael Bay a thousand times for being so brilliant.

And after all is said and done – here’s my final word: GRAAABEEEE!!!

superman - super no more?

Superman Returns. Yup, i've just seen it now that i've got a few days to kill because of the holidays. Lucky I got a clear dvd copy with good quality sound kaya na-enjoy ko naman yong movie. Well, almost.

I was a big fan of Superman. Number one ko siya sa mga superheroes, number two si Spidey and third yong mga mutants - X Men, not TMNT pleeezz.... This love affair with the man of steel started the first time i saw him fly when i was just a skinny, ugly kid in shorts in a second run theater sa aming probinsya. I saw all four Superman movies before he went hibernating in Krypton. And now that he returned, pwede ba naman na palagpasin ko yon.

Unfortunately it didn't live up to the hype and expectations generated before the release. It was supposed to be the biggest movie of the year but I heard tinalo pa ito ng X Men 3 and mercilessly ran over by the Pirates of the Carribean. Which is unfortunate for Bryan Singer who left the X Men franchise and probably thought "hell, this is something more exciting than the mutants". I thought so too.

But it didn't rake in money as expected. It didn't win back much of the Superman fanatics. In fact, a lot of superman fans were disappointed. Kasama na ako. So what went wrong?

I wouldn't blame it on Bryan Singer who did a wonderful job. He was in his usual best here, making it look so sleek and so contemporary which is exactly what should be done with the new release. Kung iba siguro ang humawak nito, it will not look as "now" as the movie is. Trademark niya yong sweeping and super exciting na action scenes. And I guess everybody would agree that our hero flies more awesome than before. Thanks to CGI of course.

Brandon Routh is a worthy replacement of Christopher Reeves. He's got the looks. Commanding din ang screen presence niya. And what I liked most, mas masculine ang boses niya compared to the original. Chris' voice was nasal, ang kay Brandon is more booming, more powerful which added more dimension to the character. Kahit hindi siya super-guwapo as the original, bumawi naman siya doon. And besides, his acting was good. Effortless din yong switching niya from Superman to Clark Kent and vice versa. He is so convincing as a superhero and at the same time kuhang-kuha niya yong pagiging awkward and goofy ni Clark.

Kate Bosworth is a pleasant sight on screen. I liked her better than Margot Kidder who, for me, suffered so much pag magkadikit ang mukha nila ni Christopher Reeves sa screen. Anybody who thought Margot had chemistry with the bida was wrong. Maliit pa nga ako noon sabi ko sa kanya "hoy, mas maganda ako sa yo no!"

And who would ever doubt Kevin Spacey. He breathed new life to Lex Luthor. Gene Hackman was already good in the original series but Kevin was something fresh. Mas evil ang portrayal niya. Hindi nga lang na-justify ng story.

Yon nga, what's wrong is the story. Nothing was wrong with the director, the actors, the technical aspect. But it is the story which is flawed.

We loved Superman because he is a super hero. We loved him because he was there to catch us if we fall from the top of the Empire State, or to snatch us from getting rammed over by a freakin taxi. We loved him because he can stop a mad train and lift wayward buses and planes. But in this movie, he was dehumanized way too far. Sure he still did some of these antics but he was more preoccupied with something else.

His love life. Chasing after a Lois Lane who is now happy with a partner (who by the way, is X Men's Cyclop, tama ba ako? Bading ba si Bryan Singer para i-package deal niya ang hombre na to? Hmmm…)

That's right, masyadong love affair ang nangyari sa movie showing too much emotions on the side of Superman. And I didn't like it. I didn't like seeing Superman grieving over some girl, being pitiful just like an ordinary gago na iniwan ng girl over some guy. At yong emotional conflicts between Lois, her live-in partner and Superman. Masyadong formulaic na dapat sa mga movies lang nina Jennifer Aniston or Julia Roberts nakikita.

Ginawa siyang tao. Sobrang tao. And it bothered me. And even doon sa bugbugan scene after he was struck by Lex with the lethal piece of kryptonite, he was portrayed as a mere, helpless mortal na pinapahirapan ng mga butaw na goons. And I found it too painful to swallow. This is not the idea of a superhero that I embraced and loved for so long.

Mas tanggap ko siguro kung ang tinakbo ng istorya is how Clark developed his relationship with Lois. Mas bibilib ako kung pinakita how Lois overcame the goofy side of Clark and appreciated him more as a gentle, decent human being.

Pero yong ituloy ang love affair ni Lois and Superman, parang lumalabas na opportunistic si Lois. That she falls in love with somebody who only shows up whenever he wants to, pero ok lang yon kasi superhero naman siya. I don't care if the relationship is abnormal, eh sikat naman siya eh. Hell, I can always have a free ride over the Metropolis with Superman, di ba?

Seriously, the love story should have been left for Clark to deal with para Superman can continue saving the world without distraction. Eh pano yan ngayon, may anak pa siya kay Lois (by the way, paano kaya sila nag-jug? Naunang hinubad ang briefs kesa sa pantalon? Hahaha!)

So ano ang tatakbuhin ng istorya, sa mga susunod na part (kung meron pa). Superman becomes super dad with a sidekick na super son? Hmmm… batman and robin na lang kaya!

The movie should have focused more on the problems of the world which should have piled up dahil matagal siyang nawala. Dapat mas nag-focus muna sa labanan nila ni Lex. Nakakabitin that Lex just started a project which already got thwarted by Superman at the first outing. Kaya sabi ko hindi masyadong na-justify si Kevin Spacey dito.

And the think tanks behind the movie should come up with something more logical sa mga antics ni Lex. Creating a land mass out of a piece of space junk? Haayyyy, kaya siguro hindi bumilib ang mga utaw. Way too odd.

And Lois na pinag-balibagan on all corners of the aircraft, ni walang broken bone or bruise after the incident? Aba, magagalit ang IAAF niyan, ini-encourage pa nila ang mga passengers na ok lang to remove their seat belt, wala namang mangyayari sa yo kahit mag-bale-balentong ang plane! Reason guys, reason. Fiction nga ito pero it has to be plausible.

Eniweys, for the love of Superman, tinapos ko talaga ang film. Yon nga lang, hindi ako nostalgic pagkatapos. Di tulad noon that everytime na lalabas ako ng sinehan, mereseng may kagat ako ng surot, masayang-masaya ako dahil nakita ko ang bukol ni Superman! The muscles I mean. (ah... naughty you ha!)

I hope this is just a glitch. Now that they have brought back our hero, sana mas maganda ang susunod. There are still so many problems in the world na pwedeng gawan ng solusyon ni Superman, kahit sa wide screen man lang.

tinatamad ako

Tinatamad ako. Eto yong mga araw na mabigat itipa ang mga daliri sa keyboard. May trabaho akong dapat tapusin pero wala akong keber. Meron akong kailangang tawagan pero ayaw kong dumayal. Tinatamad kasi ako sa kilo-kilometrong ‘how are you, I’m fine, tenk yu’ na araw-araw ko nang naririnig, nakakakulili na ng tenga. Pati mga tumatawag sa akin, titingnan ko lang sa display kung sino at saka dededmahin. Hindi ko kayang makipag-plastikan pag ganito ang mood ko. Pag tinanong ako kung ‘how are you’ gusto kong sabihin na hindi maganda ang araw ko. Na imbyerna ako at may pagka-war freak ako. Kaya mas mabuti pa wag na lang kausapin ang mga hindi type kausap.

Eto yong mga araw na kung may lalaban sa akin ng bangkaan, kahit sa chat room, papatusin ko. Para lang mapalipas ang oras na hindi ko ginagawa ang dapat kong gawin. Dahil nga tinatamad ako. Wala akong ganang mag-trabaho. Masama siguro ang gising ko. Stop kasi ang napindot sa alarm sa halip na snooze. Ayun, nagmamadaling maligo at magbihis. Kulang sa seremonyas kaya ang ispiritu mukhang naiwan pang sarap na sarap na nakabaluktot sa kama.

Basta tinatamad ako. Eto yong mga araw na mas madalas akong mag-check ng mail sa aking personal account sa internet. Mas naglalaro pa ako ng scrabble o nagbabasa ng dyaryo kesa gumawa ng trabaho. Kung ano-anong kinakalikot sa drawers. Nagti-text, tawag ng tawag sa cp. In short, kahit ano gagawin, pero hindi ang trabaho. Eto yong mga araw na hindi ko sinusulit ang bayad ng kumpanya. Eto yong hindi sila kumakabig sa akin, ako ang kumakabig sa kanila.

Bakit, mas marami naman ng libong beses ang mga araw na sobrang kabig pa sila sa akin. Wala sa katiting ang patama kong ito, walong oras. Kahit may overtime pang dalawa. Hinding-hindi nila mababayaran ang mga araw na hindi ako natutulog sa tanghalian para lang matapos ang trabaho. Pati mga oras na nalilipasan ako ng gutom dahil lang may hinahabol na deadline. Pati mga minuto na pinipigil ko ang pag-jingle at pag-ebak para lang matapos ang hinihingi ng mga magagaling na amo.

Tinatamad ako? Siguro hindi dahil sa late na gising. Siguro hindi dahil sa alarm na hindi na-snooze. Siguro dahil ayaw ko nang magpalipas ng gutom dahil lang sa trabaho. Siguro uumpisahan ko nang umidlip pag lunch break sa halip na magpaka-bayani. At hinding-hindi ko na siguro pipigilin ang pagsi-CR, baka magkasakit pa ako.

At siguro, hindi katamaran ang tawag dito. Ikaw, ano sa palagay mo?

real money, real people

For a few years that I worked in Makati (98 to 01), marami akong office mates na mga rich kids talaga, mostly eh mga chinoy who are either Atenista or La Sallista. Mga bagets who were born to priviledge, born with a silver platter sabi nga.

One of them has a building along Vito Cruz owned by the family who is into printing business. Yong isa who graduated from La Salle had her master’s degree in one of the better universities in London (her mom just bought two units in Manhattan, a prime condo unit just across Citibank Towers, each unit costing 9M pesos huh!!!). The other guy, who, like the others is fresh from school, is already living in his own condo unit in Pasig. And so on and so forth.

In short, mga middle to upper-middle class na mga nilalang. Mga may pera talaga. Yong mga tipong milyones ang worth ng bahay na may swimming pool pa. May isang batalyon ng household helps. At pwedeng pumili ng kotseng gagamitin for a particular day because, unlike the rest of the masang pilipino, they have more than 1 car (or most likely a fleet of cars) sa garahe nila.

You must say it is intimidating to work with these kids. Puro fresh grads pa. But fortunately, they are not spoiled brats like most rich kids. In fact, all of them were so humble and grounded hindi mo mahahalata na may pera.

Simple ang ayos, ang damit. And unless na titigan mo ang tatak ng jeans or dukutin mo at pakialaman yong label ng shirt na suot, hindi mo malalamang european brands pala na talagang mamahalin. Marks & Spencer? Nope. Try JPG (Gaultier) or Versace (the real thing huh!).

They were so plain and simple. The girls don’t wear much make-up. Dahil they’ve got the ultimate accessory – flawless complexion na alam mong hindi nabibilad sa araw or nadidikitan ng alikabok all their lives. In their simplicity, ihalo mo sila sa tulad kong galing Saudi na naka-Ray Ban at naka-cel phone ng latest (that time it was Motorola V368), sila ang mukhang mga walang pera.

But whatever simplicity they seem to have adapted, hindi mo pwedeng itago ang kinang ng totoong pera.

They talk well - diretsong ingles kung kailangan and a very seamless taglish in normal conversation. And the breeding – kitang-kita mo ang refinement ng personality who grew up in proper behavior and decorum. Pati ang mga utak, they think more progressively – puro mga growth oriented. Puro may mga plano sa buhay – short and long term plans.

And because of that, iba ang dating ng personality nila. So composed, so assured. With much confidence. Something that can only be achieved by somebody who had less worries during their formative years. Alam mong hindi namroblema sa pambili ng lapis at papel noong elementary. Or hindi nakaranas magbaon ng pritong tuyo at kanin sa school, or maglakad mula Apacible papuntang Intramuros para lang makapasok sa college.

They were deprived while growing up. Oo, deprived. Deprived of all the worry, humiliation, embarassment, problems, frustrations and everything else that comes from not having money. Deprived of the opportunities to cry in desperation and uncertainty that hits the common Pinoy every single minute of their lives. Lalo na pag kumakalam na ang mga sikmura.

Something these kids must have never experienced in any single day of their lives. Siguro ni hindi nila naranasan maubusan ng pagkain sa kitchen nila. I’m sure hindi nila naranasan magsuot ng mga hand-me-downs, lalo na yong mga binili sa ukay-ukay na favorite ng nanay ko noong bata pa ako. At siguro, ni hindi nila naramdaman mag-worry dahil naubusan sila ng pera sa wallet. Dahil siguradong kahit walang pera sa wallet, madaling tumakbo ng ATM or gamitin ang mga Diner’s at American Express cards nila.

In fact, siguro allowance lang nila yong sinusweldo nila sa office work namin. But they worked just as hard as anybody. Not because they need the money. But they were working towards a goal.

They know they were just passing through the first steps. But climbing up the corporate ladder, making it big later is actually what they are working for. Hindi para don sa sweldo. But a bigger, loftier goal a few years down the road. Again, because they were progress-oriented individuals.

Hindi lang don kaya humanga ako sa mga batang ito.

Moreso, they gave me the respect I deserve. Imagine we’re talking of two gaps here – age gap and of course the socio-cultural gap. But they did welcome me to their “social circle” without any prejudice. I was treated no differently. Until naging close barkada kami. Until such point that I get invited to their weddings, funerals of their parents, binyag ng anak – I was even a ninong for one of the guy’s first baby!

Walang barriers. Yon nga lang, after work, pag uwian na, magka-kanya-kanya na ng sasakyan sa parking lot ng office namin. That’s where the great divide comes down kahit ano pang sabihin mong kasimplehan nila at kabaitan nila, at the end of the day, they are driving a CRV and you’re not.

But still, nagpapasalamat pa rin ako for having experienced working and getting to know these people. Because they did show me that money, even if you were born into it, is not bad. It is people who make themselves evil and only blames it on the money. Kaya ako, I don’t mind having millions later. Pag nanalo ako sa lotto ng 48 million pesos, I will still be the same happy, easy-going person. I will be as humble, simple and as approachable as I can be. Depende na lang sa mga bodyguards ko kung makakalapit ka! Hahahaha!!!!

TDVC revisited

I had to stop watching that awesome match between Nadal and Mathieu last night coz one good soul, my ever-reliable source – Miss JT came by to drop off The DaVinci Code. Sabi ko nga dati, hindi yong movie ang pino-protesta ko and I will watch it, as I am bound by my duty as a film critic - HAHAHAHA! - without prejudice. So please, huwag nyo akong taasan ng kilay coz here I am once again with quite a mouthful regarding the same topic.

9:30 na yon at inaantok na ako but still I can’t go to sleep knowing that the most controversial movie of the year is sitting in my player waiting for me to press that very tempting PLAY button. Needless to say, curiosity took the best of me.

What struck me at first eh the copy itself – siyempre, pirata yon pero having the film’s title displayed in Russian, nagulat ako. Pinirata sa Russia, dinala sa middle east? Galing talaga nila.

Eniweys, 2 hours and 30 minutes yata yong buong film as I read in some papers pero in my case, inabot lang ng 2 hours flat. In this particular movie, I used the FF button one time too often.

Because this is a film where you have to focus on the dialogue, not the acting (if ever there was), not the nuances, to understand the whole thing. Unfortunately, maraming scenes where you can not understand the conversation. Unless you’re a linguist with mastery in Latin, hindi mo ipa-fast forward yong film tulad ng ginawa ko. And French of course, dahil most of the scenes took place in Paris. Sad to say, years of watching Multivision did not improve my French a bit! Bonjour at Si Vous Plaiz pa rin lang ang naiintindihan ko! Darn!

In scenes where Silas (the Albino monk) was talking to his boss priest (Alfred Molina) or the cardinals talking among themselves, Latin ang ginagamit nila. Of course, may subtitles. But since this is a Russian copy, eh di ano pa ang magiging translation? E di Russian! Na pinatungan pa ng another translation. And again, hindi pa rin English. Ano pa, e di Arabic! Grrrr!

But of course the film makers made sure na lahat ng highlights, in English. Para nga naman maintindihan ng lahat. Mahirap na, something might get lost in translation.

One very long scene took place in a French villa somewhere in the outskirts of Paris. Dito tumakbo ang dalawang fugitives na bida ng pelikula – si Professor Langdon (Hanks) and the lady (Tautou) he met just a few hours ago na ngayon ay cohort na nya agad for some mission that neither of them knows or understand. The villa is owned by Langdon’s long-time friend, a crippled scholar played by Ian McKellen whose main interest is revealed later on in the film. In this scene, para ka na lang nanonood ng play. Ito siguro yong isa sa mga disappointments ng mga critics. Why?

The director and scriptwriter tried too hard to explain the whole plot of the film in this long scene. Dito pinaliwanag, by a very boring theatrical-style of conversation ng tatlong characters, kung ano yong Priory of Sion, the Templars, the Holy Grail, pati yong interpretations sa Last Supper in Leonardo. One of the disciples daw na nakaupo is actually Mary Magdalene. Pareho daw ang style of dressing, and even the positioning of Jesus and Mary, nagawan ng istorya dahil changing positions of the two eh yon daw yong vessel and that the Holy Grail daw was not a chalice but a woman who is a direct descendant of Jesus who impregnated Mary who fled to France and gave birth there (hingal) ergo, ang babaeng descendant ni Jesus ay isang French woman. Etc. etc.... blah-blah-blah…..

The scene was too contrived. Supposedly, malalim itong film but for them to try to explain every bit and every detail in such manner, para sa akin, it’s like forcibly shoving a pill right into my throat. At para sa akin, it is a sign that they themselves are not too convinced with what they are saying. And it showed. Without a doubt, this is nothing but fiction. Fiction with a capital F! Failure!

How could you make such conclusions from a painting by Leonardo who lived millions of years apart from Jesus’ time? And whose painting is based on models he recruited based on his gut feel that their faces would most likely represent the facial attributes of the disciples? BBC Prime’s Prominent People documented this – that Leonardo took years to complete the casting of the Last Supper. Kaya malaking kalokohan na yong Last Supper ang gawing basehan to challenge the Catholic institution. If Leonardo lived during Jesus’ time, baka maniwala pa tayo, di ba Tatz?

Ang isang scene pa na natawa ako, at siguradong nainsulto yong mga totoong critics, eh pinakita pa kung paano tumakas from the jet yong dalawa (Hanks and Tautou, with the captive Silas) at nagtago sa nearby car. Djosko, kailangan pa ba namang ipakita yon? Ano, grade 1 ang nanonood? They’re not in the jet, so they must be in the car. Hindi naman sila mga X-men to disappear just like that di ba? Pero hindi yon naisip ng mga pulis dahil sabi ng director, huwag tingnan ang car, mahuhuli ang mga bida!

Ang nakaka-irita pa dito, which made me press the FF button in frustration, eh yong dalawang beses na build-up ng storya at eksena na ang ini-expect mo ay ending na ang next scene, hindi pa pala. Yong anticipation ko tuloy, when I saw na hindi pa pala yon ang ending, parang naguumpisa na naman ako ng isa pang pelikula. Something of a sequel. Di bale sanang gawin yon kung yong susunod na ending ay mas bongga, mas patok at mas grand doon sa sinundang “false ending” at yong totoong ending eh the grandest of them all. Then End. Then credits.

Dito, hindi, ang final ending, sa Paris pa rin. Nagtatatakbo si Langdon papunta sa Louvre. Binilang yong Rosetta markers forming the Rose line. Pagdating sa Louvre, tumingala siya sa langit. Tsaka nag-spiral ang camera pababa indicating na yong Sarcophagus ni Mary Magdalene ay nasa ilalim mismo noong Louvre. Nagpakalayo-layo pa eh dito rin naman pala babagsak. Very anti-climactic.

Yong isa namang false ending, ni-reveal kuno, na si leading lady ang hinahanap na descendant ni Jesus. Oppps, teka, I thought that was established ages ago doon sa eksena sa French Villa. Ano na naman ang iniisip ninyo? Kindergarten ang nanonood?

Flawed ang direction, flawed ang screenplay. But I would say magaling yong cinematography and even the production design. Mapi-feel mo yong mysticism, dark secrects and the ominous power of the Christian church in most of the scenes.

Now let’s talk about the cast. Tom Hanks is definitely wasted here. Aside from the fact na ang boses niya ay nag-iiba from one loop to another (hello, dubbing supervisor?), this is no acting piece for a two-time Oscar winner. Sana hindi na lang nya ito tinanggap, he could have retired from Holywood still in high laurels.

Yon namang si Tautou who looks like a cross of ABS’ Connie Sison and young Aiko Melendez, may consistency issue din. In most scenes, heavily accented yong English nya. Pero noong nagka-kilala sila ng may-ari ng French Villa, ang galing ng diction niya, flawless. Disturbed din ako sa buhok nya na sa dami ng action scenes na dinaanan ay ayos na ayos pa rin. Hmm, I wonder if we are using the same gel!?

If only to indicate that this is a true-blue fiction, two key characters were played by actors from recent fiction blockbusters. Ian McKellen who’s Magneto in X-Men and Alfred Molina who played the doomed doctor-turned eight-legged freak in Spiderman 2. Kaya wag na kayong mag-protesta mga kapatid – Fiction lang talaga ito.

Well, buti na nga lang at hindi ito critically viable. Kung hindi, I would have contradicted myself if I had to praise the film after all my tirades before. Panoorin nyo just for entertainment value. After that, wala na. I’m sure it will go down history as just another failed movie. Something who capitalized on controversy just to generate cash in the box office. Tapos, it will soon be forgotten at mababaon sa limot earlier than it should have lasted.

Meanwhile, life for Catholics go on. And the Christian church is still as formidable as ever. Sorry Dan Brown, you have not shaken even one pillar of Christianity. And shame on you for even trying!

crashed and burned

Saw CRASH last night (thanks to Miss JT). And definitely I will not disappoint our kafatid na Tatz dahil heto at may mahaba na naman akong nasulat about the film (hay naku, buhay talaga ng nag-iilusyon maging critic!)

Ang una kong ginawa is to count the major players – yong mga above the title ang billing. Narinig ko na kasi dati na parang Chowking halo-halo ang cast nito sa dami. And indeed, there were 10 of them (major pa lang yon ha). And I said to myself, “well this is gonna be a challenge”. Kapag ganito kasing smorgasbord ang casting, expect something to fall wayward – either magulo ang story, mga characters na bigla na lang nawawala and so on and so forth.

To my delight, hindi naman magulo ang film. Mabilis ang pacing, palipat-lipat ang scenes but you can clearly follow. Hindi ka ililigaw. In fact it will guide you through an intricate web of situations apparently happening simultaneously within an area somewhere in the US. (Was it mentioned kung LA or New York yong setting?).

Within the first 10 to 15 minutes you were already presented the 10 characters and the situations they were in. Walang masyadong build-up ng situation, situations were presented as they are. Characters were presented as they are. Clear-cut.

Mula umpisa hanggang bandang ¾ of the film, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Very engaging. Very entertaining. Maganda. But as I said before, expect something to fall wayward. And it happened as the stories are being wrapped up one by one. Nag-umpisang sumabog ang story line. I now understand why many were surprised when it won Best Pic. At tama ka Tatz when you said Brokeback probably lost kasi marami pa ring homophobic sa Oscars. Because the flaws I’ve seen here are more glaring than what I saw in Brokeback!

Here’s why….

It was touted to be a film that tackles racism. A subject that is so sensitive it can send men to the Presidency or make them fall flat on their faces. And so alam ng mga gumawa nito that they are treading very dangerous grounds. One false move and this film can ignite furious protests, bans from ethnic groups they presented in the film, criticism from religious groups, and other serious repercussions. Anything and everything bad for the business.

So how did they manage? Placate whoever they touch. How? The film’s main ploy presented both black and white in equal shades of light. Forget the Chinese, the Latinos or the others. Minority group lang yan. Black and white ang labanan dito. So you were given a black couple (husband and wife) who fell victim to a duo of white cops. But there was also a white couple who got their car jacked by a pair of black thugs. Di ba, balanse agad?

And redemption came too quickly! In less than 24-hours of committing sins against the other race, heto at bumabawi na agad ang mga white cops you hated just a few scenes away. With Matt Dillon’s character heroically risking his life a-la Superman to save the black woman he molested. Parang ganito ang basa ko don sa scene:

Matt’s character: Wag ka nang magalit kung hinipuan kita, ise-save ko naman ang buhay mo.

Black woman : O sige na nga, I will forget the humiliation na pinag-ngangawa ko kagabi. And I will forget na ikaw ang dahilan kung bakit kami nag-away ng jowa ko, and why I drove absent-mindedly and met this accident. Sige, ok lang. Save mo na lang buhay ko!

Duh! And Duh pa ulit!

And don’t forget the neophyte cop, bigyan din sya ng pam-bawi. He’s not a bad white cop afterall. So there he was, the gorgeous Ryan Philippe sticking his neck out for a guy he barely knew. Basta feeling nya kelangan nyang bumawi dahil may atraso sya sa egoy na ito. And his meddling prevented what could have been a deadly encounter between the cops and Terrence Howard’s character.

Who is going through his own vindication himself. Dahil just last night, he cowered under the guns of two policemen kahit hindi naman binunot or tinutok sa kanya and yet hindi sya naka-move to help his wife. “They had guns” sabi nya. Pero heto at buong tapang siyang nakipag-buno sa mga carjacker brandishing a gun into his face. Hindi sya duwag. Not even with guns. Pero teka, did I get it right na he would risk his life for his SUV but not for his wife? Blag-blog pa rin yata yon sa akin. Ano ba talaga, kuya?

And what about the stupid jerk na matandang shop-keeper. Hindi ko na babanggitin ang race nya or religion, baka ma-censor tayo. But this is the most obvious error of all the stories. He shot a 5-year old girl, pointblank and the bullet seem to have a mind of it’s own, avoiding the little girl or even the hefty father holding her. Bakit? Because of the talisman the father gave her a few scenes before? Eh akala ko ba story of real people, lives and real situations itong film. Bakit biglang naging Anting-Anting ni Enteng??? Hindi na lang sana ganoon.

At yong reaction ng tatay nong bata? Tama ba yon, totoong tao ba yon that the little girl you loved so dearly was shot by a looney and you just walk away? Kahit pa walang nangyari sa bata, I would beat the crap out of this fucking jerk for endangering not only my life but most importantly my little girl. Di ba? But hey, for dramatic purposes, hindi ganon ang sabi ng script. Ayaw ni Direk.

At heto pa, para kaawaan mo yong matandang stupid jerk, towards the closure of his story, sinasabi nya sa anak nya na yong little girl daw yong kanyang “angel”. Well the scriptwriter, the director, even the actors should have think twice. Sila ba na naniniwala kay Mohammad ay naniniwala sa Angels? I don’t know pero sa kaluluwa nga di sila naniniwala, sa Angels pa kaya? Wow. The things you do for cinematic effect!

Overkill si Sandra Bullock dito. With a measly 5 scenes throughout the entire film (3 at the first part, 2 towards the end), very obvious na ginamit lang sya for box-office intent. Heck, anybody can play a paranoid, neurotic white wife who “is so so angry but don’t know why”. And anybody can trip down the stairwell!

And so is Brendan Fraser na nahirapan akong tanggapin as the District Attorney because I still see him as George of the Jungle. If this is an attempt to give him more serious roles, dapat sa isang film na mas mahaba where he has the time and part where he can expound on his emotions. Not in a semi-extra role na tulad nito.

I might have reacted violently here, sorry. Pero feeling ko kasi noong first hour and a half ng film, this is something I can rank among my favorites. Only to be let down so badly. Got crashed and burned. Sayang.

beautifully broken

Much to Salud’s prodding eh pinanood ko ang Brokeback Mountain kagabi. Ganda nga talaga. Worth naman pala and justified yong gaga ng Hollywood over this film.

Sa opening scenes pa lang alam mo nang maganda ang pelikula. The breathtaking view of the Wyoming mountain ranges instantly sweeping you off your feet. Beautiful scenery. Nature at it’s purest. Just like the story about to be told. Because against this serenely beautiful background unravels a story equally beautiful and as pure as the mountains and the grasslands itself.

Nagkakilala ang dalawang ranch hands, had a couple of weeks together in the wilderness, nag-inuman isang gabi, and boom! Umpisa na.

Ano ba ang kinaganda ng pelikulang yon. It is quite a simple story – walang twists, walang mga complex subplots like most films have nowadays, walang mga eksena that will bring you to the edge of your seat. It is just plain and simple story telling. Pero kung hindi ka nya dadalhin at the edge of your seat, dadalhin ka naman niya, in many many occasions on the verge of shedding a tear or two. Simple yet very effective. And indeed very powerful.

For me, the strongest points of the entire film are the well-defined, well-developed characters noong apat na major roles. Taong-tao sila. Hindi mga karakter na ginawa lang ng scripwriter.

Ennis, the main character, is just an ordinary hardworking southern guy who is suddenly confronted with the fact that he is gay. “I ain’t queer” sabi nya. Ako rin sabi ni Jack. Very typical of a person who is in denial. But what they can not deny is the fact that they are totally, uncontrollably in love with each other. Totally heart wrenching yong iyak nya (Ennis) nong una silang mag-hiwalay ni Jack.

And so we were taken through waves after waves of emotion with Ennis, being the deeper character who keeps most things to himself and the emotionally weaker Jack who is just like any other gay I knew – may minamahal pero hindi limited ang options when it comes to sex partners. Ergo, simple pero talandi.

Then along came the wives – the silent and martyr type Elma who definitely Carmina Villaroel can identify with and the coldly ruthless wife of Jack (ano ba’ng name nya) who, after confirming her long-time suspicion, arranged for Jack’s murder (or was it her obnoxious, rich and powerful father who did it).

Kahit nga yong pagka-patay ni Jack, hindi in-exaggerate eh. A few seconds lang on screen and yet ang lakas ng impact. Yon ding unang encounter nila in bed sa Brokeback, madilim, but all the sound and the noises made up for all the absence of visuals.

Even the music was kept to a minimum, just a few strums of guitar sa mga emotional scenes. Hindi agaw eksena. Basta pang-hagod lang ng emotions.

So it was the honestly real characters. Plus the simple yet emotionally complex story line. Plus the simple yet breathtaking cinematography. And the other simple aspects of the production which altogether added to the grandness of the whole thing.

Ganda. Galing. Bravo to Ang Lee!

I just have a couple of concerns. Personally, hirap akong intindihin ang heavy drawl ni Ennis. Heath said his characterization of Ennis was a “clenched fist”. Fine. So clenched na tipong halos ayaw magsalita, mumbling to himself in most parts. Eh hirap na nga ako sa heavy southern accent, mina-mumble pa nya yong lines kaya kahit anong gawin kong rewind eh hindi ko talaga maintindihan. Siguro mas makaka-empathize ako sa character nya kung naintindihan ko sya all the time. How I wish it was sub-titled. Hmmm, an English film subtitled in English? Weird no…

Na sya namang kabaligtaran ni Jake. Na dapat si Jack, coming from Texas, should have an accent as heavy as Ennis’s. Pero hindi sya nabantayan and was inconsistent in some scenes where he spoke just like a New Yorker. Pero mabuti na rin lang. Dahil kung heavy accent din sya, wala na akong naintindihan sa dialogue nila.

Another thing that bothered me was the fact that the physical aspect – yong hitsura mismo ni Jack at ni Ennis ay hindi nagbago from the day they met in Brokeback Mountain to the end of the film where twenty-odd years has passed. Maybe there was an effort pero hindi ganon ka-effective. Kung pinatanda man sila, halos walang 5 years ang inilagay sa kanilang make-up. In fact, the penultimate scene didn’t looke like a daughter telling her father na mag-aasawa na sya. Kung walang audio, it looked to me more like a boyfriend-girlfriend having a serious talk.

Nevertheless it is a poignant story about love, relationships, marriage, betrayal, infidelity and all the things that go with it. Ganon man ka-simple yong story, the film brought about a whole gamut of emotions that will engulf you. In the end, you will forget na dalawang lalaki yong involve sa love affair. You will simply look at it as a love story between two persons. And in the end, the message is just as simple and beautiful as the film itself: Love.