Went to the American Cemetery with my dad on a Saturday morning. Mostly because I had to go there for work, but also because I’d been wanting to go there for a while now. I’d talk about it, but I’d just let these pictures speak for themselves. It really was a beautiful place, though. Kinda surprised that something so pretty and clean exists in the Philippines.

It’s really, really hot when we went there, but it feels so nice to walk around, that I definitely want to go back there to spend an afternoon reading or something.

Me & my poppa!

Fake light leaks! I miss messing around photoshop, to be honest.

I don’t know what they are doing, exactly.

Hi, hair.

Heart lit up whenever I saw a rosette beside a soldier’s name.

The mosaic murals of battle scenes were really pretty.

This tree looks like its bark is made out of feathers.

Made me want to watch The Pacific. (I’ve started watching the pilot — be proud of me!). I like it, so far, but I’m not super hooked yet.

More photos! Of tourists, more mosaics, and pretty things. Continue reading American Cemetery with my dad!…

On one fateful day in May, I was all set to watch an obviously non-cerebral, funny-ha-ha Filipino film called Here Comes the Bride. While I wasn’t buzzing with excitement and anticipation, I was, on some base level, looking forward to it. I mean, I guess. I wasn’t prepared to arrive at the cinema and… be faced with Miley’s big mug.

But, alas, the world has its ways of turning a night filled with the potential of senseless humor into one filled with a lot of confusion and questions (i.e. “Why?” times infinity, and “How did you get made, movie?”).

As a movie person (not a buff, just someone who enjoys watching movies in general), I’ve come to the realization that I shouldn’t really expect much from Nicholas Sparks adaptations, especially those that he’s written to maturate Hannah Montana’s “squeaky-clean image.”

There are several things that are “wrong” with the movie, and very little “redemptive” elements. The characters were, in fan-fictional terms, “Mary Sues”¹ with certain character quirks meant to wow the audience, but resulted in turning me and Raymond into a groan-y and eye-roll-y mess. Oh, she loves sea turtles and reads Tolstoy on the beach, oh, he loves sea turtles and quotes Tolstoy in its original, untranslated text. Give me a frakking break.

The movie was so unremarkable that I needed to Wikipedia the main characters’ names just to be sure that I remember them. (It turns out that I do.) Ronnie, played by Miley Cyrus, is this rebel-IDGAF-but I’m talented on the inside classical pianist with a penchant for the environment, lost causes and shoplifting. She meets Will (Liam Whatshisface) when he is playing beach volleyball and crashes into her and her milkshake. Cue painfully unfunny banter.

She got into Juilliard School², but doesn’t want to go because of Daddy Issues with Greg Kinnear (who was awesome, obviously). He got into Columbia, but is being pressured by mommy and daddy to go to Vanderbilt instead, as it is their family tradition. Oh, my sorrowful life. What a frakking tragedy.

The movie stretches to great lengths, focusing on an on-again-off-again, I-love-you-no-I-don’t love affair, complete with random, hormonal outbursts care of Miley. The supporting characters were also cookie-cutter and annoying, serving no other purpose than furthering the “plot” and filling in the non-kissy gaps. See, there was a fire in a church, a dead brother, an ungrateful friend that needed to be saved from Bad News Boyfriend, a “precocious” (but actually annoying) kid, hot ex-girlfriends, and a barely-there mother played by a high-profile-ish actress.

I get the intention of “off-beat” characters, I really do. But the movie does nothing to make any of these work. Out-of-place quirkiness is what I’d probably call it, because the film spews so many details that has no place in the story. I mean, so what if she’s vegan?

Such tired clichés that have been inserted so the movie has some semblance of substance is what ruins it, ultimately. The problem with Nicholas Sparks films is that he uses the same elements over and over again, and because of the frequency of his film releases, people begin to see the patterns form into their heads. Sparks movies capitalize on sap, and (usually) attractive lovers overcoming the “odds.” In other words, they are unabashedly formulaic.

The film could have worked if there was some sort of connectedness of all the tiny little details that could have been wonderful. What could have worked as a totally different, lovable film (because I honestly believe that it could have been one) did not. The Last Song was inauthentic and lacked a lot of heart. My favorite parts were the baby sea turtles and the raccoon that was trying to eat them. I mean, I don’t know about you, but I think that that’s an indication of a movie failing to deliver.

In the end, after much snickering and wisecracking, we still didn’t know what we were watching, and we weren’t sure if we wanted to find out.

If this review and low ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB don’t convince you to avoid wasting your money, just make sure you bring somebody with you to snicker with, or a vial of enough fuel to write a whiny review after you’re done seeing it.

———
¹ A Mary Sue is, “a fictional character with overly idealized and hackneyed mannerisms, lacking noteworthy flaws, and primarily functioning as a wish-fulfillment fantasy for the author or reader.” (Wikipedia. It’s a credible source, shut up.)

² Despite its average 7.58% acceptance rate in real life, Juilliard School in the Fictional Realm has accepted Ronnie Miller (Cyrus in The Last Song) and Sara Johnson (Julia Stiles in Save the Last Dance). It has also given scholarships to Ryan Evans and Kelsi Nielsen (Ryan Grabeel and Oleysa Rulin in High School Musical 3: Senior Year).

On the morning of May 10, 2010, I shot out of bed, threw on some clothes and walked to the precinct with my family. When we got there, the line was steadily forming, and some of our relatives and employees were already there. My number was 138. It took us about an hour and a half, maybe less, and the volunteers were really helpful and accommodating. I’m glad for that, but I also wish that it was like that in other parts of the Philippines.

Waiting in line. There weren’t enough chairs, so we stood in the sun for a while.

My cousins, Badge & Marc (who lent me his camera) were done by the time we got to sit down.

Badge’s.

Marc’s.

Sister.

Another cousin, Sylvia. (She’s “Ann” to us, though. Haha just saying.)

Parents! & my kuya.

Hehehe.

Stalker shot of Butch Dalisay! Because I’m creepy like that.

Success! Honestly, every time that panel came up on the PCOS machine,
the volunteers would congratulate you! Seemed they were more excited for it than we were. :)
My sister was the first in our immediate family to vote. :)

My lolo voted, too!

Intense campaigning! I don’t usually pass by this street when I go home,
so I was surprised at the volume of the campaign materials.
I wish I took more photos of more places, though.

My dad & my lolo & his driver.
We walked them to my lolo’s car.

Matching umbrella! Hehe. That’s not his candidate’s color, though. Just saying.

Then, we walked back to the house. This pretty tree grew in our street.
I have no idea what it is, but it’s nice to look at.

I’ve been hearing about all sorts of stories about the elections today, naturally. And even though we’re not really united in who we want to vote for as the leader of this country, it moves me so much to know that we are still united in that desire for change. Sometimes, I think that some people neglect to realize the power of their votes, but I’m glad that there are more people this year, who are risking their safety and their comfort to go out and make a difference for the future of this country.

We’re all tired of the crap that this string of weak and ineffective leaders has been putting us through, and I’m so proud of those who are moving and doing their part to make a change, to attempt and make the Philippines a better place. Good governance, I believe, will make such a big difference.

To the Filipinos, I really, really am proud of all of you. Despite election-related violence, rampant cheating and questionable candidates, we’re still holding on to the hope of change, beecause we can see it happening. It’s so frakking near us, we can taste it. I’m praying for this country, and I’m praying for the leaders that will be elected. And I’m praying for the grace to accept whoever wins, for greater faith in God, regardless of who wins. This is such a beautiful country, marred with moral bankruptcy, greed and the power-hungry politicians that seek to serve themselves over the citizens they are supposed to lead.

The world has so many misconceptions of Filipinos, and many, many ugly stereotypes, but we know who we truly are, and what we are capable of. Let’s prove the world wrong, because the battle isn’t over yet.

I made a mix last night, which will hopefully close off the first installment of “The Pleasure of Leaving,” which was posted here a few weeks ago. This one is called The Pleasure of Leaving (Part Two), if you hadn’t guessed. Continue reading SHORT-ISH MIX: The Pleasure of Leaving (Part Two)…

Or, Today I saw a bunch of great artists’ work & ate macaroons & got a quill

So, yesterday, after work, I went to Finale to see three simultaneous exhibits. All of which were fantastic, by the way. I’m not in such an art-critic-y mood right now, so I’ll just let the photos speak for themselves.

Nona Garcia.

MM Yu.

I really love Finale’s space.
I’m glad the changed the lighting;
it looks a million times better.

Ian Quirante

CLOTHES.

Raymond Ang, art extraordinaire.
(LOLJK.)

French Macaroons! These things are weirdly expensive,
but also really, really, really good. (And pretty.)

We had a late dinner in Italianni’s after.

Some guy & my brother in the same shirt!
Waitress picked a table for us right beside them,
but my dad asked to be moved.

For more information on the shows, visit the Finale website. Here’s the gallery information:

Finale Art File,
Warehouse 17,
La Fuerza Compound (Gate 1),
2241 Pasong Tamo, Makati City (across Philippine School for Interior Design).

Mon. to Sat. 10AM to 7PM
Tels (632) 813 2310,
812 5034

More photos under the cut. Continue reading Nona Garcia, MM Yu & Ian Quirante / FINALE…