Maybe This Time (2014)

Ang masarap kapag nanonood ng mga Pinoy movies eh iyong kyembular lang.  Parang go and roll ka lang diyan, hindi mo kailangang i-analyze.

Ok, about the film - typical Sarah Geronimo, typical love story pero siguro any nagustuhan ko dito is iyong treatment sa role ni Coco Martin and feeling ko super relate si Sarah G sa movie na ito, malalim ang pinaghuhugutan niya.

Overall, natuwa naman ako sa pelikula kahit nandun si Ruffa.

Fancy (Iggy Azalea Featuring Charli XCX)

Bumping John Legend out from the top spot of Hot 100, the new number 1 song came from Iggy Azalea called Fancy.

I like the music video giving a Clueless (Alicia Silverstone) throwback.  The song?  Not within my demography hahahaha!

Although no wonder why this song claimed the top spot.

Maleficent (2014)

My excitement to watch Maleficent is second to X-Men Days of Future Past.  So the ultimate question has been asked once again, did it live up to its hype?

It pains to tell me this, but the answer is no.

I think the major disappointment came from Disney's decision to have this rated G. Although most of the adults who wanted to see this are expecting as dark as "Snow White and The Huntsman" however, we were given a bitter bite ala "Mirror Mirror".

No arguments how stunning and vibrant the cinematography which should be a standard deliverable from the studio.  

Not impressed also with the pacing, editing, and dialogues. 

Well, well - at the end of the day we can all agree that Angelina Jolie was the film's saving grace.

Ghost Stories (2014) [Coldplay]

Coldplay had very good tracks from their previous releases and though I listen to those from time-to-time, I was never a huge fan.

Ghost Stories, the latest effort from the band is my first Coldplay purchased album (whatever that means) and the price was worth it, even having only 9 singles.  

Magic, the carrier track will be my top pick in this album.

Overall, it's perfect soundtrack for wanting serenity all by yourself and I love it.

Head Or Heart (2014) [Christina Perri]

Her first album "Lovestrong" became one of my most played albums in 2012.  I think most of the songs have good quality while the melodies were consistent.

For this year, she has released her sophomore album "Head or Heart".  I still appreciate the effort of consistency and sad tones but in terms of lyrical content and overall package, the first album takes my vote for being better.

"Be my forever" featuring Ed Sheeran is the standout of this album.

Event: X-Men Days Of Future Past Southeast Asia Premiere

This event is indeed one-in-a-lifetime experience.  Never kaming naging lucky sa mga raffles and promos, even the puchu-puchu raffles.  OA much but I think this was a gift for being a loyal X-Men fan over the years.

Autographs Peter and Fan

Let me help you understand bakit ganito ako kasupport sa X-Men, during elementary years - it was a great support for someone na nabubully, so in some sort - it has been a refuge and I can associate with this band of misfits.

So going back sa event na ito, from the inception of the film - super subaybay na talaga ako.  I was glad to know that Matthew Vaughn was chosen to direct but felt to leave the directorial seat and chose to be one of the writers, and was more happy that Bryan Singer will direct the film.  There are a lot of haters out there (not because of the scandal and being gay) but they thought that Singer was not the right man for the X-Men.  I felt different, personally - he has a vision may not be truthful to comics but the fact he understands these mutants is alright for me.

Anyway, as the momentum progresses from actors to characters to sentinels, really became hopeful this will be the X-Men film, I've hoped it would be.  Singer better not f*ck this up.

As the screening gets closer and closer, I learned that they are planning to have premiere nights in different parts of the world.  For Asia, they have chosen Singapore.

PH Delegation

Super search ako sa internet at super like ako ng mga Fox related sites sa FB.  Voila!!! May promo to watch the advance screening and a chance to meet some of the characters. Binasa ko ang qualifications - anakngteteng naman bakit di eligible ang Philippines *@&$($&!!!

Ok fine - what I need to do is to secure tickets for the opening, if may advance screening e di better na makakuha din.  While browsing FB, I saw Ayala Cinemas na may promo - but a ticket and chance to win to attend the SG premiere.

Paguwing paguwi wala pang palitan ng damit, bumili na ako ng 4 tickets so 2 chances of winning.  Not expecting anything pero I asked A "ano kaya manalo tayo ano?" pero "hindi yan".

Friday morning, 3 days after I bought the tickets - nag ring ang mobile

Me: Hello - good morning?
Caller: May I speak with A?
Me: Ay iba na number niya eto na....
Caller: Ah ok kasi ito binigay niya...
Me: Yeah nagpalit na siya, may I know who's this?
Caller: This is B calling from Ayala Cinemas
Me: Sa isip isip ko OMG OMG - uhmmm is this regarding sa X-Men promo?
Caller: Yes
Me: Nanalo ba kami?
Caller: Yes
Me: Kulang na lang magcartwheel ako sa tuwa.  Talon ako ng talon and tili ng tili.

Di pa rin ako makapaniwala, ni hindi ko din ito pinangarap and I know mababaw lang naman pero still.  

Joey Mead-King

Fast forward to the event itself - brunch na sobrang small serving lang kinain ko during that day.  Around 5:30 nandun na kami sa Blue Carpet site, para akong lumulutang sa ere.  Feel na feel ko ang event.  Nagstart ng dumating ang mga local guests around 6pm, one of them was Joey Mead a Filipina celebrity/VJ/Model.  Wuw rubbing elbows :)

Mga 7pm mahilo hilo na ako dahil wala akong kinain medyo majinit jackson pa.  Punyeta magsusuka pa yata ako sa carpet, medyo palamig na pawis ko.  Shet shet!!! Pero nung sinabi na nandiyan na si Hugh Jackman, wala ng hilo hilo.  Hahahahahahaa...

Then, inannounce si Peter Dinklage and Fan Bingbing.

Sumabog ngalangala ko kakasigaw and I was lucky enough na makapagslefie with Peter and Fan.  Sayang iyong kay Hugh :( pero keribels lang.

Peter Dinklage

Fan Bingbing

Hugh Jackman

The screening started 930 buti may tindang hotdog nagkalaman sikmura ko.

A week ago medyo di pa rin ako makamove on hahaha siguro next week ok na ako.

Me. I Am Mariah ...The Elusive Chanteuse (2014) [Mariah Carey]

I must admit that first time I heard the new album from MC, I laughed so hard and thought it was a joke but no no no, this should not come as a surprise having previous album titles such as E=MC2, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, etc.

This album had a roller-coaster ride and having been delayed several times, well at last on the 27th May, it will be finally released to the general audience.

I am glad that Triumphant was not included in this album although a part of me thinks that it will be good as well if it was part for the sake of track numbers. #Beautiful, the single released last summer and still one of my favorites became the album carrier song.  Art of Letting Go track was supposed to be the 2nd single but due to under performance, it was added as a bonus track.  Then come, You're Mine Eternal as the 3rd single, sadly reception was lukewarm to cold.  

Next single is still undecided but the front runner here is the song called "Thirsty" but when I saw and heard her performance of "You Don't Know What To Do" in Today show, I think the should go with YDKWTD as the next single.

Picture not mine

I don't have the album yet but because the label and MC herself decided to partner with Itunes to stream (for free) the entire work.  I don't see how this will benefit the album but then again, it's not my money and will still buy the album anyway.

So what do I think about the 14th album?  It pains me to say this but it's not par with her 5 best albums (Daydream, Music Box, TEOM, Butterfly, and Mariah Carey) but definitely better than the others although I have a feeling that this will be a grower as time goes by like MOAIA which is one of my favorites (not based on quality).  Again, her best works are those done with Walter Afanasieff.

Mariah mentioned several times that she has poured her heart and soul in this album to show appreciation to the fans.  Good thing is that you can feel this statement when you listen to it.

Truly, a work of art.

Listened to it thrice and so far my favorites are

1. One More Try (a cover of George Michael song)
2. You Don't Know What To Do
3. Meteorite
4. Cry.
5. #Beautiful
6. Camouflage

Excited to hear also remixes of Betcha Gon' Know and It's A Wrap.

I hope it performs very well on charts and commercially.  I don't care the critics, most of them are haters anyway.

Oculus (2014)

The ending gave sure shot for a sequel.  Though I prefer a better cliffhanger conclusion, the film did an excellent job to bring chills and goosebumps with a little reliance on gory visuals.  It focused heavily on dark emotions and mind twisting scenes which is unique for its genre.

Having praised the movie, I still prefer Insidious and The Conjuring over this.

Godzilla (2014)

Definitely an improvement of the 1998 Godzilla movie.  

I liked the film but I think it will be better if we have more screen time of Chubzilla, that's the one of the things I hoped for.  I felt that the film could have been shorter by editing some of the unnecessary scenes.

Sounded good hearing "Philippines" all throughout the movie, would love to see our country being destroyed by monsters in the big screen.  I am not very familiar about Godzilla but I would like to think that this version was faithful to the original vision.

A bit dragging at first but it redeemed itself by having a good and rightful ending.  An ending that screamed sequel.

X-Men Days Of Future Past (2014) [Unbiased Review] - No Spoilers

Even I am an uber-fanatic of X-Men and everything of its franchise, rest assured I will be unbiased and will not give any spoilers (I hope).

So let me begin by saying that this is not a Michael Bay-Roland Emmerich type of apocalyptic film (and please don't mention the name of Brett Ratner).  This is a Bryan Singer end-of-the-world style which means a balance of drama and action sequence in both timelines.  Heavy on dialogues and a little bit of humor, here and there.

In my opinion, it's so wrong to expect that the story will be the same as the comics.  IT WILL NOT HAPPEN!  Hence, the term adaptation - we give freedom to the writers and directors to envision a new world of possibilities.

The greatest thing about the film was the subtlety of rebooting all X-Men franchise (that includes Wolverine movies) by explaining the relationships of all 6 X-films and patching the flaws (some/most) depending on your viewpoint.  Second greatest thing was the nostalgia which brought closure to the original trilogy.

Of course, no qualms about the acting capability of the cast members but I have to say this, Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, and James McAvoy interactions were the best.

There were violent reactions on Quicksilver, but I tell you this - that's one of the movie highlights.  

I loved the "American Hustle" vibe, well because it's the 70s.  

What's lacking for me is the screen time given to the future, my only complain.  

Regardless of the changes - one thing remained constant, the idea of "people with gifts who has sworn to protect a world that hates and fears them".  

We all know the next sequel will be "Apocalypse" so stay tuned until the last of end credits.  I really wish Singer will direct this next episode.

Of course this advance screening would not be possible if not for the generosity of Ayala Malls and 20th Century Fox.

Fan Bingbing and Peter Dinklage Autographs

Happy Mothers Day

My Mama was a typical 80s Pinay mother if you know what I mean. Her method of discipline was extreme which up to now I don't believe to be right. But then again, who can say that they have perfected the way to discipline a child.

I don't have the right to be melodramatic about this as I am not the only person who had a difficult childhood, not in a financial sense. In fact, Mama would always try to give me the best. I think the dilemma was - maybe I grew up so fast emotionally and mentally and was not able to cherish being a child.

Like most kids, I look forward to Saturdays - gigising ako ng 8am pero hindi pa ako puwede maglaro nun. Kailangan kong tapusin lahat ng household chores, 2 hours. Then pagkatapos nun, I had an hour to play or worst, wala na mga kalaro ko.

Oftentimes I asked myself "bakit ganoon nag-aaral naman ako mabuti? sumusunod naman ako sa lahat ng gusto?" but I felt it was not enough to make her proud, she always push kahit na alam kong di ko na kaya.

She died early. Only then I realized the answers to my questions, or maybe I should have known the answers earlier but failed to recognize. She always tells me, "kailangan kong matutunan any mga baggy na ito dahil kapag nawala na ako - sarili mo lang aasahan mo, kailangan kong matutong dumiskarte, papunta ka pa lang pabalik na ako".

To my disciplinarian, Happy Mother's Day! Nothing but love and pure gratitude for all the things you have thought and dreamt for me. Thanks for not sugarcoating the world and making me realize that pain exists but will help me to be a better person.

I love you.

Happy Mother's Day also to Arnie's mom, all my aunts, cousins, friends and to all fantastic Nanays out there.

Always remember, the world is a better place because of our mothers.

PS: pak na pak ang pose!

All Of Me (John Legend)

Finally, a new number one dethroning Pharrell's Happy from number 1 spot.  Like this song, R&B ballad classic from John Legend.  Quite a refreshing tone also after hearing very poppy sounds.

Random Thoughts 172014

It was a good week, quiet and well-rested.  Did some quick catch-ups with friends from Toyota last Friday and last night with family in celebrating my god-daughter's 7th birthdate.

Can't complain - masyado lang ang daming gulong nangyayari ngayon sa ibang parts ng mundo.  Hayyyyy...

Para akong nakadrugs - lutang ang isip ko.  Puyat siguro...