Here's my movie vlog review of the latest movie adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's 'Little Women'. Such a joy to watch!
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Monday, February 24, 2020
TONY'S MOVIE REVIEW: Blumhouse's Fantasy Island Reboot Left Me Confused
I was a kid when the hit TV series Fantasy Island was showing here in the Philippines. "Da plane, da plane" was the memorable line I remember from that series, a line that the dwarf actor in that series says, every time a new batch of people land in the island.
Sadly, I don't remember anything else. Maybe, I was really too young then.
Fast forward decades later, Blumhouse, known for its stylish horror takes on a lot of different topics, has come out with its own version of the hit TV series.
I admit, I was expecting a wild wild ride, considering the premise of the TV series, but instead, I left the theater confused, wondering whether I was watching a comedy or a horror movie.
At times, it even felt like I was watching Nickelodeon - what with the fake looking oracle and those big caves the actors had to navigate.
It was like watching the B-takes of a failed Jumanji casting lol
The fun begins when each of the characters 'fantasies' happen but after each one's stories are introduced, when the movie makers mesh them together, it all becomes one big mess!
It was so messy, I thought a college film school graduate was doing the actual filming - for fun and not even for grades!
Sad......when it could've been much much scarier!
Ma was the last Blumhouse movie I saw and that one I enjoyed, because the white boys were hot and Octavia Spencer was badass!
In this one, I was rooting for Maggie Q but her character was written like a much clueless version of Jessica Fletcher!
Yes, there are twists and turns here and there, which I think made think this was more comedy than horror.
Or was that really the intention of the movie makers?
Movie Review: Brahms The Boy II Not As Creepy As I'd Want It to Be
I wasn't able to see the first The Boy movie, so I was not very familiar with the back story of this movie - although they did try to explain it in this installment, I guess for people like me.
Anyhow, I watched this movie because it has been sometime since I last saw Katie Holmes act - and it's always fun to 'be scared'!
Unfortunately, even for those in the last full show audience who watched this with me, the movie really has almost no scares worth cringing or at least, getting a scary shout out of our systems.
Creating a suspenseful scene that makes audiences sense dread is never easy, especially to today's audiences - who are not that easy to scare anymore.
As I was watching this movie, I was more enamored at how sexy the Dad was in the movie - with his chiseled body and his beautiful facial hair - but that would be another article LOL
Katie Holmes did her routine "I am a caring mother" routine here but I was never really afraid for her.
The premise of an antique porcelain doll that can control the minds of the people around it is indeed creepy and is in the same league as THAT creepy doll Annabelle, but in this installment, the moviemakers failed to make us the audience even more scared of Brahms.
I was even more annoyed of it. What a demanding piece of shine! Well, just my thoughts.
Maybe a prequel would be a better idea - and find out why this porcelain doll became evil in the first place. I would watch that!
Concert Review: Odette Quesada's Hopeless Romantic Show Unleashes a Flood of High School Memories
Nostalgia-based live shows are big tickets nowadays as my generation is slowly ageing and pining for our lost youth. Frankly, I really don't mind spending money on artists who shaped my generation's music because they give back a positive vibe and a lot of wonderful memories of our past.
Enter Odette Quesada, whose two-day show here in Manila was sold out. I bet if she did a third day, that would be sold out too! She is a revered figure of our youth because of the immense popularity of the songs that she wrote and sang. She further cemented her achievements when she married another prolific songwriter, Bodjie Layug - and their life together formed one of the threads of stories in her heartfelt concert.
Just as Odette described it, the show was like you were singing for your tito or tita in your own living room - the vibe was relaxed, the setting was cozy and intimate, and everybody was ready to sing along.
I did not sing along though, not because I did not want to, or because I did not know the lyrics, I just did not want my poor seatmates to hear a frog croaking - and destroy the whole show for them! As in intimate concerts like this, one should leave the singing to the professionals LOL
It was a beautiful show and I learned of the magnitude of Odette and her husband's contribution to OPM. They were practically Mr. and Mrs. OPM in the 80s and 90s. Singing their song was like a badge of honor, a tatak that you have arrived, or that you were a singer of a certain caliber, that you deserve to sing their songs.
Guests Fe de los Reyes, Kuh Ledesma, Martin Nievera, Arman Ferrer (this boy sounds very promising!) and our National Artist Maestro Ryan, brought their own stories to the show, showing facets of the songwriter, Odette, that only her peers could have known.
Surprisingly, Odette's songs are particularly simple, there are no high-falutin words in it, no high birit notes that would tax one's lung power in order to to sing them - and I guess those are the reasons why her songs have endeared themselves to millions of young people of my generation.
Her song "Farewell" alone has become the graduation anthem of many generations of high school graduating classes. It is in the heartfelt lyrics and the simplicity of the arrangement that allows anyone, not only the ones with Regine V.'s range, to sing them - and sing them with feelings.
I sing "Friend of Mine" every time I am in a karaoke, and if that song is there. It always brings tears in my eyes although I have to choke to hide it. She sang it towards the end of her show and I was trying my best not to sing along with her. I did not want my frog-sounding voice to interfere with the beautiful video I was taking of her rendition, where she played it on the piano.
That part alone was worth the ticket price already. It's a moment I will treasure in my computer's memory till the day I die. Charot!
I do hope she mounts another series of shows. All my friends who saw my social media posts were aghast because they did not know she was having a show, kasi nga because of the hectic Christmas season.
I reassured them, with the sold out shows, I am sure she and her producers and director, Rowell Santiago, are already planning to do another series of shows. Frankly, I wouldn't mind watching it again! And, a show in Cebu or Davao, I'm sure, would do very well, too!
Free Bahasa Indonesia Language Lessons at the Indonesian Embassy Manila
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| My current teacher in Bahasa Indonesia A2 level, Fandi Hasib. |
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| My smart and jolly classmates in A2 level |
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| My smart and jolly classmates in A2 level |
Imagine that! I did use my Bahasa Indonesian on them, and they were able to understand what I said, and promptly replied in Bahasa Melayu!
Anyway, I started studying Bahasa Indonesia last year, around the last week of January 2019. I was in level A1 and the lessons lasted till June 2019. I was lucky to have a great teacher in Bu Damai. Our classes were every Saturday at 9AM to 12 noon. It really opened up another world to me.
After that, we were promoted to the A1 Continue level and our teacher was Mohammed Maun who introduced us to famous Indonesian songs and stories. Our class was every Saturday, 12 noon to 3PM, from July 2019 to November 2019.
Last Saturday, we had out first meeting for my A2 level Bahasa Indonesian class and our new teacher is a former TV newscaster!
His name is Fandi Hasib and you can really see why he was hired as a newscaster. In his new role as a language teacher, I think he can use his former TV speaking role very well.
I am looking forward to learning more about the language, and hopefully use it in Indonesia soon! I am certainly looking forward to my Saturday afternoon classes.
If you are interested to join the lessons for this period - February - June 2020 - just email the Education Department of the Indonesian Embassy - and get to study the language immediately - atdikbud.manila@kemlu.go.id
Friday, February 21, 2020
Tony's Movie Review: UnTrue Not An Easy Movie To Sit Through But Xian and Christine Shine
UnTrue is currently showing in the local cinemas after its debut last year in a local film festival. It's not an easy movie to sit through since I do not really like looking at films where there is graphic physical violence against women.
However, there is more to the story than that. I almost walked out of the movie when Act 1 was playing out because I could not sit through seeing Cristine's character being abused. However, when Act 2 came, the movie turned out to be a he said-she said affair, thus making the story more interesting.
The movie is set in Tbilisi, Georgia, which is a fitting setting to a very dark story, as there is not much sunshine in this movie. As Act 3 unfolds, you get to piece the story together as to why all these things are happening to the two main characters.
Still, nothing enjoyable to watch, if you're looking to find a movie to relax and unwind with, but the big plus in the movie are the committed performances of Xian Lim and Cristine Reyes. I don't know yet when the local awards season goes into full swing but these two should at least get nominated for both Best Actor and Best Actress respectively among the local acting awards.
I especially like how they both clearly show the dualities of their characters as needed by the script. They just don't hold back. I was exhausted watching what their characters had to go through, I could just imagine the toll these two had to go through just to give life to these f****d up characters.
Verdict: This is not a date movie, probably would make authentic cineastes happier because of its offbeat story and the stellar performances of the two leads. Go watch it if you're tired of bland rom-coms. Seeing Xian in various degrees of undress was worth the ticket for me, lol
Tyler, the Creator Brings Rap Back to the Top
Tyler, the Creator brings rap back to the top of my International Top 10 countdown.
Here are my ten favorite songs by international artists for the week ending February 22, 2020 -
#1 Earfquake (#3)
Tyler the Creator
#2 Don't Feel Like Crying (#3)
Sigrid
#3 Rare (#4)
Selena Gomez
#4 Make It Right (#5)
BTS
#5 Don't Start Now (#6)
Dua Lipa
#6 Yummy (#7)
Justin Bieber
#7 Cruel Summer (#8)
Taylor Swift
#8 Epiphany (#10)
The Piano Guys
#9 Bring My Own Drinks (NEW)
Runaway June
#10 Better Place (NEW)
Kane Brown
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