License to Wed (2007)

It’s funny (or maybe not) that in driver’s license there is a mandatory age before you can apply, but sometimes in marriage people seem to have the idea that there is an age when you should apply regardless of anything else.

In License to Wed, comedy’s energizer bunny Robin William stars as Reverent Frank a highly unorthodox pastor of St. Augustine. Believing that desire (and majority age of course) does not close the deal for having a great marriage he holds what is in effect a stress test masked as a wedding seminar for couples wishing to use his church for the ceremony. His target, at least for the duration of the film, Ben Murphy (played by John Krasinski) and Sadie Jones (played by Mandy Moore).

Notting Hill (1999)

As vacations would often do around the world plus having budgetary constraints and struggling for company, I reached deep into my DVD collection (both the legal and illegal) for entertainment. Hidden deep among my stash, among the originals in fact, is Notting Hill. That movie is a rarity considering that among the handful of originals that I have it’s the only romance flick. . . so far.

The central theme of the film is perhaps the Holy Grail in the area of love; two different people, polar opposites, falling head over heals over one another. Hugh Grant plays the bottom half of that pole as William Thacker, a travel book shopkeeper while playing the prestigious top end of the pole is Julia Roberts as a world famous actress in Anna Scott.

Eagle Eye (2008)

In some ways Eagle Eye is a souped up version of The Net but with a little something extra. Love or hate the movie depends on how you swallow that extra.

Transformers star Shia LaBeouf plays Jerry Shaw a young man who unfortunately happens to have more money than he had actually deposited plus he now has an apartment he doesn’t have a spot to lie in since it’s full of explosives. To make matters worse, the FBI is on his tail just as he was barely coming to grips with money and crime he didn’t commit.

Quantum of Solace (2008)

The first thing that came to mind was bad cinematography or bad editing. There was just something unappealing to it, I don’t know how to describe it; maybe in the framing, the pace or choice of shots.Something’s just off.

For the fans who are not up to date it may be necessary somewhat to refresh from the preceding movie just to be in sync with James Bond’s (Daniel Craig) state of mind.Quantum of Solace started off in a sprint, a car chase in fact seemingly just minutes after Casino Royale.Remember the man that he shot ending Casino, the one supposedly in the shadows, holding the strings; for this movie there seems to be an entire organization in the shadows, and its name is Quantum.

Erap for 2010?

Erap’s logic escapes me in his recent statement implying a run for the presidency, again, this time in 2010. The candidacy, the former president said, hinges on the ability or inability of the opposition candidates to unite. He will declare in late 2009 if the opposition remains disunited and go forth with his magic solution of having his name again in the ballot for presidency.

It is entirely possible that the former president and actor did not do well in math during his school days. In fractions, the larger the denominator does not mean a larger piece, so how can his running be a solution when all other presidential hopefuls remain on the table.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

The day the earth stood still for me when I watched the movie of the same name. It was as if I watched a movie from the ancient past never mind the new effects brought in.Granted that I never saw the original, a sci-fi classic from 1951, this 2008 Keanu version was predictable enough in the first 10 minutes.

Traitor (2008)

via GIPHY

To betray is to go against what is expected with the greatest of malice. It’s a stab in the back, not a pleasant surprise. He who betrays is the traitor.

For the film of the same name – Traitor – it was obvious from the title alone that someone will go against someone; there will be betrayals. Set in the age of the war against terror there are many sides to this film: the Americans, the Arabs, the terrorists, and the ideology.  The trick in this movie is to find out who betrays who, but most importantly who survives.

24: The Redemption (Fox) (2008)

 

 

24: The Redemption is a transition piece that should act as a bridge for season 6 and season 7.

Unfortunately the fact that it was shown in the same real time narrative as the series removed all chance of this piece being a stand alone film. Two hours in real time is just too short to establish deep plots and great action.

Timex Ironman

I don’t remember how many times over the years I have changed batteries for all my watches. But something tells me that getting 3 years before a change would be a lot. My Timex Ironman lasted 7 years.

The Irony that is CDR-King

Wanted (2008)

I thought at once the curving bullet was a deal breaker for me. Why should it curve even if you fire a pistol as a pitcher would throw a baseball? So it was then I decided not to watch Wanted in the theaters.

I turned back on my decision because of the lack of anything to watch. There weren’t many A-list films in the offing and I was getting tired of trying out new TV series to enjoy. Surprisingly the film had more meat than I expected.

Gettysburg (1993)

I think of Gettysburg, a made for TV movie, as the things learned from ROTC during its heyday. Why keep soldiers in neat formation in an era of muskets and cannons? The result was more than 50,000 Americans dead, making the Battle of Gettysburg the bloodiest in the American Civil War. This was 1863 and it would be two more years before the war was over.

Thirteen Days (2000)

It is unclear to me if the film Thirteen Days got any inspiration at all from the book of the same name written by one of the principals, Robert F. Kennedy. But then the scriptwriters of the film have the next best thing because they in fact included the authors of The Kennedy Tapes - Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Thirteen Days is a political thriller of a real life event, the Cuban Missile Crisis which happened in 1962. The title was derived from the time span of the crisis, from the discovery of the missiles in Cuba to its disarmament. Just to give the short version the Soviet Union placed nuclear weapons in Cuba; the Americans found out and didn’t like missiles so close to Florida; and suffice to say a nuclear hell almost literally broke lose.

How high is your electric...meter?

This high?

Max Payne (2008)

Max Payne is a video game inspired movie (so I read) about a cop grappling with personal ghosts prowling the streets at night in search of the murderers of his wife. On the onset it really sounded and looked like many a cop movie I have seen.

Body of Lies (2008)

Even now I cannot explain the title – Body of Lies. Maybe it refers to the nature of espionage and the web of lies inherent to it. But by the film’s end, lies were the last thing on my mind. I got more ideas mideast politics and social mores, along with America’s lack of understanding. While everybody lies in the film ironically it was not presented in a deceitful sense.

The Tudors (2007-2010)

 

Anne Boleyn, the Queen of England, was a beauty. Her life as seen through the eyes of her even more popular husband, King Henry VIII is the centerpiece in The Tudors the latest Hollywood attempt to bring to life one of the most well known couples in history. Helen of Troy may have launched a thousand ships, but Anne was the catalyst that eventually brought down the monopoly of the Catholic Church already softened by a rising Martin Luther.

This drama series, produced by Showtime, is not a love story as implied by having husband and wife as characters but it is in fact a political story wrapped in the pretense of love.

Sacrifice

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” John 3:16.
I remember hearing it in the 3 p.m. prayers. It is used so often that it is fair to say that this is the closest thing Christianity has to an opening spiel.

Danger Zone

I guess this would fall as one of your ‘dodge the bullet’ type of situations.

Whenever I go to Cubao from my office at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) I usually take the LRT at Recto station. If I am fortunate enough to catch an officemate with a car, then, I will ask to be dropped off just in front of Legarda station, where the officemate can either go back to the office or go straight to Quezon City. However, if I can’t find a car I’ll commute via the Pasig-Quiapo jeep going to LRT’s Recto Station.

Observe the sky-shot of DBM (building marked B), the street corner is a weird shaped intersection, looks like a melted cross. The building marked A is an apartment where all those who wait for Pasig-Quiapo usually stand and catch the jeep before it turns right – its last turn before reaching Quiapo. And like everyone else that is where I waited around 5-5:30 pm on September 3^rd.

As had been my usual I lined myself up at in front of the traffic as much as possible so that when the traffic stops I’ll have ample time to study if I actually fit in any of the incoming jeeps. I never liked having just one ass cheek sitting you see especially with so weak a lower body strength.

I had my eye on one, about four cars back; a great enough distance to observe it if it was packed or not. But before it got close to me (I actually wanted to ride it by then) to my surprise the lady in the front fell out of the jeep, almost face first. My mind raced for answers: boyfriend trouble, smelly passenger or a drunken passenger (either her or someone near her); slip, even attempted rape. It wasn’t long that I was soon dazed observing the puzzle unfold before my eyes as other passengers follow suit, through the window, door – so I was thinking mechanical trouble, maybe a bomb.

Failing to appreciate the situation and remaining relatively untouched from where I stood I watched on, passively. Soon with almost all of the passengers out scattering in all directions the insides of the jeep was clearer, there was a noticeable scuffle; how many I could not count. The answer was soon revealed because by this time passengers who got out at this time were already shouting hold-up.

Perhaps noticing the commotion they were causing, and also the lack of available victims, the two assailants got out of the jeep. Looking around realizing the attention was already too much (traffic was packed by now the jeep just stopped, plus the people at the store in the apartment) they ran away.

Thankfully no one was hurt in this incident but it did give me a front seat view of what the place’s reputation was all about.

That stretch of road (Arlegui to Palanca and General Solano), that general area, has its reputation of hold-ups and riots (I saw remnants of one in Palanca one late night: shattered glasses and rocks in the street), as well as being an area of dormitories, students, government buildings, and a wide array of colleges and universities. It’s not anarchy mind you so you can relax a little. Just keep in mind that if you do come by this area to just keep your eyes open and relax. Everyplace has its dangers.

Thankfully, I am still not part of that crime statistic unfortunately some DBM employees are. But the sad thing is, more of an annoyance in fact, is that because of the reputation of the place, taxi drivers often think of me as a potential criminal. I have experienced being passed over by passenger-less taxis a number of times during late nights at the office.

Anyway, I wish a safe travel for everyone. Be mindful of danger zones wherever you travel.

Fish at LRT Central

"Manang pabili ng buntot!"

Compare the fork of Mr. Art (middle) to the serving...its really generous; guaranteed to give a fulfilling lunch.

Fulfilling indeed!