Earlier today, I paid a quick visit to Hair Asia‘s 25th National Open Championship, which they held in celebration of their silver anniversary. Just like in previous years, the annual hair and make-up competition and beauty expo attracted thousands of guests – participants and … Continue reading Ritz Azul and Marvelous Alejo in Hair Asia’s 25th Anniversary
It was in 18th Century France where Pierre Chorderlos de Laclos wrote the epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses. The story revolves around the cunning exploits of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, conniving ex-lovers who resort to seduction and manipulation for cheap thrills. Their unwary targets: the conservative (and married) Madame de Tourvel and chaste Cecile de Volanges, who then falls for her music tutor Chevalier Danceny, a commoner. Written in the form of letters, the book was so popular, even Marie Antoinette was said to have a copy. It gained further traction during the French Revolution for lavishing on the decadence of the elite.
Given that history, it’s easy to understand why the book spawned so many adaptations. The most notable of which is Stephen Frears‘ acclaimed 1988 film. Glenn Close (who had already shocked audiences in Fatal Attraction the year before) received her second consecutive Best Actress Oscar nomination for playing the scheming Mertuil. Michelle Pfeiffer, likewise, earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nod for playing Tourvel. John Malkovich also excelled, although he was arguably miscast as the womanizing Valmont. While then-newcomers Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves played the star-crossed lovers. Continue reading ““Dangerous” Adaptations and Quick Notes on “Juego de Peligro””
At 3 hours and 43 minutes, it was the longest Oscar telecast aired within the last five years. The 2011 ceremony felt longer, but that was only because the Franco and Hathaway were a drag. I’d rather not join the public pillorying of Neil Patrick Harris because I still found him entertaining, even if some of his jokes fell flat. Besides, hosting the Oscars is one of Hollywood’s most thankless, most brutally-scrutinized gigs. It can either showcase the talent, or at the extreme, readily expose the flaws of even the most seasoned entertainers. NPH was a case of both extremes. His strength is being inherently funny; his weakness is not knowing when to stop (That prediction box gag was particularly dragging). Still, he knew how to put up a show.
It’s also a bittersweet surprise that Birdman (my personal favorite) won over Boyhood (the oddsmakers’ pick) for Best Picture. Weeks before the ceremony, the momentum seemingly belonged to Richard Linklater‘s coming-of-age saga – if even by just a tiny margin. Shockingly, Boyhood won only one award, versus Birdman‘s four. My over-analysis: the voters probably got over the fact that Boyhood 12-year production period and started seeing it as just another coming-of-age film. That probably made Alejandro G. Iñárritu‘s achievements feel fresher by comparison, hence the shift. I’m filing this under “sweet upset”.
Here’s the full list of winners (from Oscar’s official site).
And here are my thoughts on the telecast:
Continue reading “Highlights and Lowlights of the 87th Oscars”
Oscars Season is upon us once again, and I’m glad I managed to binge-watch all eight Best Picture nominees (and then some) before the big day – something I wasn’t able to do last year. Without further ado, here’s how I hope tomorrow will transpire. My picks are listed in bold italic.
Some people consider Macau as Asia’s bootleg Las Vegas with its multitude of casinos and its dizzying nightlife. But, in fact, it deserves much more credit. When I first set foot (for a 4-hour visit) back in February 2009, I was immediately intrigued by its contrasts – the juxtaposition of its colonial architecture with its seizure-inducing neon lights. The Catholic influences are evident, but so is the atmosphere of worldliness. How can devotion and debauchery co-exist in one tiny territory? I was hooked.
Those sentiments were revived after my second visit yesterday. As for Marga, it was an overwhelming case of first-timer’s wanderlust.
Pardon me, but I’d rather not elaborate on yesterday’s Shenzhen snafu. Let’s just say that obtaining a Mainland visa on the same day turned out to be not as easy breezy as portrayed in most travel blogs (Language barrier = 50, Us =0). I’ll stop there. At … Continue reading North by Ngongping
I never had the chance to try out Tim Ho Wan, the Dim Sum Specialists when it landed on Philippine shores last year. The queues scared me. But, I’m glad I finally managed to do so today – in its place of origin, no less!
Continue reading “And a glutinous, MSG-filled morning to you too!”
Here we go again, Hong Kong.
This is my second visit in a span of six months, fourth in total. This time, I’m here to accompany my friend and fellow Southern B Marga. We are loving the weather. It’s the ideal balance between chilly and balmy that we’ve come to associate with this region during this time of year.
Hello again, Puerto Princesa! It’s very fitting that my eldest paternal first cousin Paolo chose to celebrate his 40th birthday here in our Lolo’s hometown. I never got to meet my paternal grandfather (he died before I was born; same as my maternal grandfather), but from the stories I heard, well, let’s just say he led quite a prominent life here – even if he wasn’t necessarily Palaweño in origin. Consequently, this is also where my father and his siblings spent some of their formative years. As for me, this marks my second visit to the island since 2003. I … Continue reading Whereabouts for the next couple of days (or so)
We got to know him as Gerard Sison, the Australian-raised model-surfer who played shady suitor Miguel Asuncion in JasMine the Series. Now, the Kapatid hunk is ready to conquer the scene anew with a bolder attitude and a brand new moniker. Introducing: Gerard Garcia! His rebirth (so he calls it) couldn’t come in more proper timing: The 25-year-old TV5 contract artist was selected to grace the pages of Cosmopolitan Philippines’ 69 Hottest Bachelors 2014 insert as one of the Top 10 Centerfolds. As per tradition, he is slated to make his Cosmo Bachelor Bash debut in the corporate-themed “Cosmo Tower … Continue reading The Cosmo Hunk Formerly Known as Gerard Sison
TV5 has added a fresh face to liven up your daily movie-viewing experience. Introducing: VJ Valeen Montenegro! The spunky Tropa Moko Unli mainstay has been selected as the official video jock (or VJ) of the Kapatid Network’s rebranded Tagalized movie block, Movie Max 5. You can now see her every day sharing fun facts and perky commentary before and after each featured blockbuster. Being a movie fan herself, Valeen shared her own diverse preferences: “I like comedy and chick flicks; mga no-brainers. Pero I have days na I wanna think (laughs). Gusto ko rin iyong tipong after the movie, [sasabihin … Continue reading Valeen the Movie Max Vixen
Here’s how I think the major awards will play out: BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM The Croods Despicable Me 2 Ernest and Celestine Frozen The Wind Rises Frozen might not necessarily be the best bet here, especially with Miyazaki in the mix, but don’t forget, the most popular nominee usually prevails in this category. And if the victory of the middling Brave last year was any indication, expect Disney to leave the other nominees in the ice. PICK: Frozen BEST WRITING – ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY American Hustle – Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell Blue Jasmine – Woody Allen Dallas Buyers Club … Continue reading My Oscar Wishlist, Part 2: The Big Leagues
It’s that time of the year once again. In less than 24 hours, golden naked men will be handed out to esteemed people for their cinematic achievements during the previous year. I’m talking about the Academy Awards, of course. I’m not exactly doing cartwheels over Ellen DeGeneres hosting the ceremony once again. Not yet, at least. Her first stint in 2007 had its bright spots, but her talk show schtick could barely sustain three hours. Then again, it’s a common birth pain most fledgeling Oscar hosts go through. Many fall, few are forgiven. (Franco *Cough*; McFarlane, *Cough, Cough*). Let’s see what she’ll have … Continue reading My Oscar 2014 Wishlist, Part 1: The Technicals
No, this isn’t a lost outtake from The Healing, that Chito Roño horror flick with a not-so-discreet penchant for color coordination. This azure explosion happened last night during the opening of SKK Mobile‘s Metropoint Pasay branch, and Ritz Azul was their celebrity guest. Gotta give this girl props for keeping her radiant disposition intact amidst the horrible payday traffic. Amidst the hustle and bustle of EDSA-Taft, at that. Anyway, the brand name may not ring a bell at this point, but I bet it will soon enough. SKK is deeply committed in its goal “to reach out and provide quality and affordable accessories and mobile phones“. … Continue reading “Azul” being the operative word
Ritz Azul stepped out of the powder room with her usual bubbly demeanor. Given how exuberant she was at that moment, it was hard to believe that she came from taping (on-location, at that). She’d just finished freshening up for her appearance in PLDT Home’s internal launch, held last January 10 at PLDT’s main office in Makati.
She was escorted into one of the boardrooms, where event host Mr. Fu was going through his spiels. The two Kapatid stars exchanged quick besos and the committee immediately began preliminary briefing. At that point, it was explained that the event is held every year to showcase PLDT Home’s expanding line of products and services. Its magnitude would be later on reinforced by the attendan
ce of PLDT chairman Manny V. Pangilinan.
Definition of terms and jargon ensued. Turns out, the name “Technomarine”, mentioned prominently throughout the script, refers to an in-house training program designed to make employees more tech-savvy (Or as the script put it, arm them with the “weapons to win the multimedia revolution”). Fu couldn’t help but quip about its synonymy with the timepiece brand: “Akala ko pa naman may libre tayong watch. Echos!” Ritz chuckled in the sidelines.
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Continue reading “Ritz Azul’s Thoughts on the “For Love or Money” Finale”
It was a bright and sunny December morning – which was strange, since we don’t normally associate those adjectives with December. But for Mark Neumann, it was just another day in his increasingly hectic calendar. Nevertheless, the atypical warm weather echoed his mood, and with good reason.
Continue reading “The Schwarm Next Door: Mark Neumann on his most daring role yet”
Vin Abrenica stepped into Nolita that afternoon with an amplified aura of self-fulfilment. He was with Sophie Albert, his love team partner and Artista Academy co-winner, and they just came from a meeting at our Marajo office.
I could only surmise why the 22-year-old Kapatid hunk was being extra giddy that day. Less than 24 hours before that, he made his first appearance at this year’s Cosmo Bachelor Bash, an annual event mounted by Cosmopolitan Philippines to showcase their 69 Hottest Bachelors. This year also marked Vin’s debut in the aforementioned list, and with decent exposure at that. He appears full page, right before the Top 10 Centerfolds.
Continue reading “Vin Abrenica’s Post-Cosmo Bachelor Bash Musings”
Before everything else, let me say it first, just to get rid of the patently obvious: “Wow! 10 years!” It’s actually been 10 years since I graduated high school from La Salle Green Hills, a place I called my second home for 13 years. That’s kindergarten to high school, if you want to delve into specifics. And yes, that’s pretty long for somebody who’s as geographically-displaced as I am. (I live in Paranaque; why I was never sent to Zobel will forever remain shrouded in mystery. So stop asking why I was never sent to Zobel.) Prior to last Saturday, … Continue reading To Greenfinity and Beyond: Tidbits from my first LSGH Alumni Homecoming
I know a lot of people who consider breakfast as their favorite meal. I also know a lot of people who don’t wake up early enough, but eat breakfast food all day anyway. For those who fit into either category, this new place in Fort BGC, Taguig may just be your instant foodie Mecca. The Early Bird Breakfast Club offers interesting gourmet twists to your favorite morning entrees all day, every day. With its picturesque, cozy interiors and inviting facade, it’s impossible to miss. I ended up visiting the place 3 times during this past week – once with my teammates Sheena, … Continue reading Breakfast for Lunch and Dinner
Let’s do this again, shall we? Last month marked a highlight in my brief soon-to-be-made-official tenure as an artist relations officer for TV5. I can go on and on about how honored I feel to have been part of this campaign; how it empowered me and gave me the experience I didn’t expect to get. Putting this thing together was no walk in the park. It involved contacting handlers, bargaining with schedules, thoroughly choosing best photos out of hundreds of nearly-identical shots. And that’s only scratching the surface. So when the behind-the-scenes music video started airing last December, it felt like a milestone, … Continue reading Faces of 5: The Music Video (TAKE TWO!!!)
Planet Chuckie 