Rainbow Sunset Charms Effortlessly

Rating:  Catch it or you’ll regret it!  Go!

First, I have to confess I almost passed on this gem of a movie, Rainbow Sunset, because I’m biased for a couple of reasons… the homosexual theme which I wrongly thought will be tackled like it has always been tackled and the cast which again my poor judgment led me into assuming that the senior stars and the other stars do not have what it takes to put together a well-made MMFF movie. I’m wrong on both counts. It was not in my watch list until its big win. I watched TGiOD and was pleased with it despite being winless at the awards night. There was supposed to be a second movie, MMM, which I hesitatingly switched for RS, concerned that Ate K being of the younger generation may prefer the former from the latter. I’m thankful for that last minute change which would also be the last chance for me to see a 2018 MMFF entry. I guess that Ate K was pleased with that decision too even if we have to do with lack of sleep again watching the LFS preceding the first day of work for me for the new year. Now that I have put that out, I have to tell you why this movie is worth the accolades it is getting contrary to some reviews. For one, I was fully awake in the entirety of the movie considering I had a few hours of sleep coming from the holiday.

The movie has been criticized for its many subplots with the characters given some airtime for their stories. Except for one hanging issue on the son’s and son-in-law’s under the table deal, everything is accounted for within the two-hour frame. Yet these little stories provide the conflicts to put texture in this interesting twist of a LGBT movie that will tie up the main plot. The back stories weave the past to the present to make viewers understand why things are what they are. The use of color pop effect (splash of color on some parts of the frame with the rest in black and white) in these flashbacks is a nice touch.

Kita Kita: Love is Believing without Seeing

Rating:  What are you waiting for… Go watch it!

I get easily carried away with hypes on things.  Am I a sucker…. yes, I am, yes, I am    I have an almost childlike innocence when it comes to my movie-viewing habits and I readily accept the judgment of others…. questioning only after I render my own verdict after watching a movie.  It happened before….. a lot of times actually  

I was reserving this movie for a better time…. when there are extra funds or more ideal time or a generous soul who might treat me to a movie date.  When work got suspended last Thursday, I actually considered watching a movie.  My choice was a toss-up between the LLoydie-Sarah starrer I Finally Found Someone and Kita Kita.  To be honest, I was leaning on watching the the more popular over the obscure first even if I intended to watch both.  It was not the ultimate choice eventually as I opted to just get a much-needed massage at home.  I said the movie can wait.

Until the sucker in me emerged after hearing and reading so much hype about the obscure film in the next two days.  My usual movie companion, MD, wasn’t home.  ED already watched the movie with MD actually.  How could they have squeezed in a movie date with their skeds.  I invited K, my trusted helper, to watch the movie with me in the evening.  We set off after dinner.

Sunday’s Beauty Queen is an Engaging Documentary

 

Rating:  Must watch

On the last day of the long holiday, we watched this year’s MMFF Best Picture winner, Sunday’s Beauty Queen. I’m glad to see the movie gaining more audience after its win.

The first three movies we watched, Saving Sally, ABSST FINE and even Die Beautiful had very low patronage rates. Maybe because we watched the LFS. It’s regrettable how we fail to appreciate artistic work and would rather get our fill from tried and tested formulas with shallow and predictable plots. The entrepreneurs in the movie industry might use these outcomes to go back to its old ways..I’m crossing my fingers and pouting.

Going back…SBQ deserves the nod it got from the Board of Jurors. The four-year in the making documentary was meticulously edited to showcase equally the lives of the five subjects. This is the kind of movie to see on a day off when one wants entertainment and just the right drama. It focuses on that one day off, their Sunday, when the subjects become queens and they forget all their troubles and the weariness of being a domestic helper in HK. It isn’t emotionally taxing and not your tear jerker of an OFW movie like Vilma Santos’s Anak. It’s not a conflict-filled movie. Yet, one feels for the characters when they shed real tears for the conscious disengagement from their emotions about what is missed back home…. their children, family and the important milestones. The movie is not about the important persons in their lives. References are made just to help the movie goers understand their situations and priorities.

The Artistry in Saving Sally

 

Rating:  Amazed

Finally got started with a feel good, visually orgasmic novelty of a film for this year’s MMFF. How I managed to squeeze in a movie date on a work day with my hard-nosed son is an interesting back story in itself. Suffice it to say that I made a good pitch by nicely asking him to accompany me to an animated and 2D film in English. The popcorn bribe worked well in quelling the brewing dissent. So we got to watch the LFS of a movie that took 12 years of painstaking work, no… make that artistry… to finish. It is worth the wait and every cent I paid for the tickets and the bribe treat.

It is a typical love story with all the pain of unrequited love and the protracted pleasure of enduring love winning over all obstacles. With the protagonists drawn against the animated backdrop of what is obviously a stylized Metro Manila,  moviegoers are not only engaged in the unfolding love story and its many twists but are constantly examining the celluloid for those bits and pieces of symbolism in the animation that give away the moods and feelings of the main protagonists. The few characters appearing in this film make for a good balance of simplicity in the story and relatability in their roles.  The movie is in English, yet it is not the annoying sounding coño (conyo)-accented, shrill way delivery of some Filipinos.  It’s spoken the way a Filipino speaks English naturally which is unslang and not irritating.  All characters delivered their English dialogues in sync with their roles.

La la Land is What Dreams are Made of

Rating:  Blown away

I treated myself to a movie alone one cool evening in late January.  A record for me as  I have not watched a movie alone all this time. Not that it’s a big deal….but company is usually around and I always thought it’s fun to watch a movie with someone…Before watching this movie, I tried several times to find company but time and circumstance won’t allow me to have one.  So I had to do what I got to do ….. and I’m glad I did…. coz I got to take it all in.  It helped that I watched the movie on its last week’s run and we, a handful of movie goers, practically had the theater to ourselves.  With this feat, I ought to do more little and big things on my own.  My mind is on scrolling mode…

One more self-record is I didn’t blink once, afraid I might miss out on something good, bad or ugly.  I had a bad right ear watching this movie and I can’t quite hear well on my right ear.  So watching a musical only half-hearing the song and dance routines was a huge handicap.  I had to keep both eyes open throughout the film.  It didn’t take much effort, really.  The movie was visually captivating from beginning to end.  I cannot even afford to look at my drink as I grope for it on my seat’s cup holder… or maybe the other seat’s 🙂

Going back to the subject, it is almost a dream come true that I watched this endearing… this darling of a movie.  I say that without exaggeration.  It should easily make it to my all-time favorites.  No movie has made me feel this good in a long time… I am reminded of  Heaven Can Wait (1978), Somewhere in Time (1980), Steel Magnolias (1989), Driving Miss Daisy (1990),  Pretty Woman (1990),  As Good as it Gets (1997), Sweet Home Alabama (2002), The Notebook (2004).  Yes, it’s that long…  La La Land has the same elements as these movies.  I can watch it over and over again and still get the same laugh, affection, tears each time I do.  Put it on and I’ll lose myself in it anytime of the day.  I bet my bottom dollars you will too.  You won’t regret streaming these at Netflix or catching it on cable TV.

Sebastian unloading his obsession to Mia who doesn’t like Jazz

As of this posting, La La Land is on a roll as it continues to make good in every conceivable major awards bodies.  Consider:

1. La La Land Breaks Golden Globe Records
2. La La Land Sweeps Critics’ Choice Awards
3. SAG Awards 2017:  Emma Stone wins Best Actress for La La Land
4. La La Land wins big at BAFTAs
5. La La Land ties all-time record for Oscar nominations set by “Titanic” and “All About Eve ”  with 14 nominations
6. How has La La Land fared so far?

Uber and Grab: The Future of Transportation

What are our usual transport problems?

1. High fuel cost
2. Maintenance cost
3. Parking
4. Cramped, unsafe public transportation
5. Traffic
6. Hassles of driving

The list goes on.

So when I tried my first Uber ride early last year courtesy of a friend who hailed the ride from Ortigas to my home, I was immediately smitten.  I couldn’t stop thinking about it, read about it and soon had the Uber app in my phone.  All the transport problems I hate dealing with are wiped out.  It became my preferred mode of transpo when I need to go somewhere that is not easily accessible.  I seldom ride taxis because I don’t feel safe.  Uber is just the right vehicle for me because it is cost-efficient, reliable and safe compared to riding ordinary taxis.

P2P is the Way to Go

This is a long-awaited post.  I have been meaning to write on this to reach out to more people to hype more about this relatively new service that came to fruition in the last few months of the past administration.  I may be wrong as the routes Makati to Trinoma/SM North Ave and vice versa and Makati to SM Megamall and vice versa have been in existence before the Alabang to Makati and vice versa route was launched on 26 April 2016.  I’ve been a regular rider since I first tried it in its first week of  operation and I can’t stop ditching my old transport mode of the UV Express which plies my village to Makati route.  It used to be the safer and convenient alternative as its waiting area is inside the village and it brings me right in front of my office.  There is a terminal in Makati Park Square for UV Express vans when going home.

Yes, that’s right.  We should rave about this premium bus service for living up to its name… premium, point-to-point.  Let’s look at what the buzz is all about…