Popcorn Moments - Horror Flicks

To all the movie buffs like me ...watching horror films is a sure way to spend your Halloween...albeit visiting graves of loved-ones offering prayers, candles and flowers; spending brief holidays with friends; and getting wasted on Halloween parties.


Listed are my favorite horror films that stole few hours of my sleep :





Sixth Sense - written and directed by M.Night Shayamalan. An astonishing journey of a troubled child (Joel Osment) who can see and communicate ghosts, with a help of a concerned and quite confused child psychologist (Bruce Willis).










Feng Shui - one of the top-grossing Filipino horror films, that rivaled other Asian horror movie hits. A cursed Bagua fell in the hands of hard-working and distraught housewife (Kris Aquino), bringing her improbable luck and numerous and mysterious deaths in the vicinity. Superb cast selection, makes the depiction of this movie engrossing to watch, nothwithstanding of shrieks and shrudder it evokes.










The Unborn - the first ever Thai gothic-horror film (dubbed in Mandarin and subtitled in English) I've seen. It focused on the difficult times of Por, a lowly dope thug; who happens to be visited by a disturbed, avenging soul who seeks for her help.

The Orphanage (El Orfanato) - classified as supernatural horror and directed by the brilliant Guillermo del Torro (Pan's Labyrinth). The movie centers on Laura, having bought the Orphanage where she grew up, for restoration and re-opening to help disabled children. There, her son's peculiar behaviour began and strange occurances happened, unraveling mysteries that threatened the peace she thought her family have.

The Eye - this Pang brothers-directed, Chinese horror film was such a big hit in Asia, that Hollywood aquired for rights to do a remake. A blind woman, Mun, recieves a corneal transplant from an anonymous donor that restores her sight. As she recovers, she began to see strange and otherworldly figures, that deeply disturbed her. With a help of her friend doctor, Mun began a quest will take her to a distant, small village in Thailand to discover, accept and understand her extraordinary sight is indeed a gift.

The Ring (Ringu) - filmed in 1998 in Japan, but shown here in Philippines four years later. Another Asian horror blockbuster copied by Hollywood and still not as good as the original (applause!). Tagged as psychological horror, my preference for Asian horror films started with this movie. The story centres around a video, which once seen causes the viewer to die mysteriously within the space of a week. TV journalist, Reiko is investigating series of strange deaths in the city...only to discover that the cause of it is watching the cursed video tape of vengeful ghost of Sadako, manifesting herself through cathode ray tube (TV screen). Series of frightening events that compromises the life of her son and ex-husband.

Till here ...and let your viewing pleasure begin. Happy Halloween!!!

Strip Club (Mis)Adventure

I have always wanted to go to a strip club. Don't get me wrong, this is simply out of curiousity. I'm neither a perv or a nympho. Actually, it's in my Bucket List, and I'm damn proud of it. Going there for me...is a milestone. Sure as hell, I always get the strangest looks and laughs ever when people ask me about it. But what the hell! It's just so happen that I consider myself to have an open-mind to all this stuff. It really irked me when people would look down on me when I want to do and see something out-of-the-ordinary things, people and ideas; for they have always thought me as "@#$%&*! Naive". Damn! I know myself...they don't so to hell with them.

Anyway, my colleague-friend and I promised ourselves that we'll have a blast by going the a male (of course!) strip club. So we asked around. Some of my colleagues - male and female suggested we go this this and that club because it's fun...great "show"...nice ambience...hot guys...no hard-core stuff..."good for beginners"..etc. A senior male colleague suggested to have a male companion just in case to guide us, never mind I said, we're big girls. So on the "big day", three of my female game colleagues and I hit it, we went to this club called "690", somewhere in Quezon City. We were in a taxi and I surveyed the area first. I said to them "This place is quite creepy"...I mean this is the only Club in the residential area and beside an auto-mechanic shop or talyer. Cigarette and balot vendors are lined up in-front of it. The Club's building is two-storey (with private rooms for sure)...looks like a big apartment converted into a club. No lights outside. You would thought it's closed. Nobody could get out. Thank God !. Manong Taxi Driver was kind enough to ask the security guard for some info. He returned after few minutes, he said that the Club owner changed its name because of police raid a month ago and the show is about to begin...at 9pm. I have a bad vibes of this Club so I suggested to the girls we could look for another one. They readily agreed and off we go. Then as we drove to Timog Ave., Manong Driver liberally suggested some Clubs...some are phony salon...nice resto w/ private shows upstairs...discreet KTVs (I heard that the more discreet clubs have the more hard-core performances). I'm not into such (yet)...I'm a girl..not a gay looking a paid quickie!

Finally, we settled to this notorious club near the prestigious network. Funny, we are the first customers...at 9:15pm! No shows yet they're just setting up for the show. I got a seat from the back; when Angel ,the youngest of us, complained. "Ate, we are not seating at the back, we came here first so we're seating at the front!". Okey then, I said. After changing seats, I noticed other people are pouring in. Surprisingly, I'm expecting bunch of gays, but most of them are girls/women. Some of them, I think are in their teens, others are same age as ours...and of course our tita's or mom's "classmates". Interestingly, I noticed the categories of their customers :

1.Corporate crowd - office workers of women and gay/s that includes their gallant and wild bosses (Dutch treat!)
2.Expats exposed - foreigners usually hush-hush gay businessmen, some brought their local assistants
3.Family pack - most interesting of all, all-female crowd of sisters,cousins,aunts...with a close friend and family driver tagged along..most are balik-bayans.
4.TransFilipina - transvestites looking for their kind of fun.
5.Village People - Macho, macho men! Yeah they're so buffed up, some are more buffed than these strippers.
6.Oldies - mostly elegant and distinguished gentlemen(gays!) and women, bigwigs in the corporate world. They are usually regular patrons and always opted for VIP rooms.
7.Certified Rookies - (Gay and Straight) Men and women who went there simply for experience-sake (like me!). Some are coming-out of the closet gays to test or prove their sexuality.
8.Rich Kids - with money to burn these sophisticated group of friends (mostly women) are just looking for little paid flirts, smooch, caress or more to amuse theirselves for a while

The guys - yeah they're hot. Some of them are aspiring actors and models, looking for big breaks. Or Japayukis (Hosto as they said) who just finished or waiting to renew their contracts. Funny thing, to me...they're prettier than me...sigh. Some looked like my lil brother's barkada, students I guessed. But all, most of them are fair-skinned - mestizos and chinitos. I think less than five are moreno. Too bad, even here, colonial mentality prevails. Some are so proud of their tats...too buffed...too slim. To sum it up they have their signature looks...the bad boy, boy-next door, the officemate, the saint and the funny guy.

Another thing, is the music they played. Funny, the songs you sang in the karaoke or videoke...are their theme..for their sexy dance. I can't imagine a guy gyrating to Bic Runga's "Sway", but holy cow! They did! I was expecting Prince (like what Demi Moore did in "Strip Tease") or some electronica or techno music. Most suggestively touching themselves, others went all-the-way, exposing their package (they need to have a hard-on first at backstage, a friend quips). Some are so shy, they even do the sign of the cross before they danced on-stage (male Mary Magdalene?!). Very few are stoked to do their number. To my amusement, some have this neon-coloured underwear, that's quite a pain in the eye to watch. No strip tease as we expected...you know from fully clothed to no-clothes. My married friend has a trained eye, she told us that this big guy has a small package, that small guy has a big one...ensuing ribald converations or comments from us and near table.

A drink and entrance fee are consumable for few hundreds. Drinks, usually less than a hundred. Quite alright, since most bars operate that way. Food isn't spectacular...I know, this is a strip club...not a fine-dining resto...so I should have leave my sharp tastebuds at home but they could have done better.

So we finished our night with a lot of giggles and laughs...like schoolgirls we have our own crushes on-stage, prattling who's really hot or "gifted", deciding when our next "venture" would be. Little tipsy and more gutsy, as we hailed for taxi..thinking...I have one thing to cross out in my Bucket List. I could come back or not. But I did it...and opened my eye (yeah!) and mind to greater and meaner possibilities.

My Verdict: Alright for beginners like me..for an hour or two is okey..but we need to level-up...I guess a little chat w/ friends will ease the boredom... So I guess if going for strip-club is your thing...find another one. What we've seen is purely eye candy w/ a twist! Also, it proved the fact that women are better sexy dancers than men. harharhar!

Inspiration

My kind (and very generous) aunt gave me a treat - a week-long vacation in Coron and Puerto Princesa, Palawan. As I explored some of the places there, it's good to know that the local government is very conservative about its development. Thus, preserving its pristine natural charm. With it, I'm so inspired to capture it in my photos....


Tip of small mangrove forest at low tide.
















Rocky islets lead to turquoise lake.




A warning sign in the shallow dive site and a small patrol boat to guard their marine turf.















Thicket of trees and bushes covered these hills

The beautiful sunset by the seashore.




It is said to be the most photographed scenery in Palawan. No question why :)


How clearer can it be?































A white-sand beach below...and dense-green above...could be part of Heaven :)




Heaven indeed, for I plan to retire in this place...a very long shot, nevertheless.

Simple Truth about Men and Women

An old friend sent me this email years ago. I know to some it sounds so cliche, but for me it never fail to amuse me. To others, it's simply battle of the sexes...to me they're just plain and simple facts about us...and here how it goes:

MATURITY - Women take maturity faster and earlier. A 16-yr-old female can effectively care for an infant. A 16-yr-old male can make family dog drink Red Horse or Tanduay.
PHOTOGRAPHY - Men take photography very seriously. They shell out thousands for the state-of-the-art cameras and other equipment, and take photography classes. Women bought Kodak instamatics...and end up taking beter pics.
TOYS - Little girls love toys but outgrow them at the age of 11-13. When little boys grow older, their toys just got more expensive, not to mention silly and impractical - mini tvs,car phones,cell phones,air-soft guns,PSP,MP4,Palmtop...and violent video games!
DRESSING-UP - Women will dress-up to go to the mall,salon,parties,weddings,dates and even to the nearest sari-sari store. Men dressed up for Weddings.
TRAVEL - If a man goes on a 7-day trip, he'll packed up for 5 days worth of clothes and will wear some things twice. A woman will pack 21 changes of clothes because she doesn't know what she'll feel like wearing each day.
DIRECTIONS - A female driver gets lost, she stops at gas station,newspaper stand or vendor to ask for directions. While a male driver simply won't. He would ask his gf/mom/sis or female companion to ask the locals for directions. Worse if alone, he'll simply drive around for an hour or two trying a figure way out...not caring if he's wasting oil fuel...with a thought of "I have to get out here...ALIVE!"
HYGIENE - A man has 5-6 items (Toothbrush,toothpaste,soap,shampoo,razor,shaving cream-sometimes none) in the bathroom. A woman as twice of thrice as much...if so vain and very rich..close to a hundred maybe...Bath soaps,shower cream,shampoo(diff.variant),conditioners,moisturizers,facial wash,feminine wash and lotions of diff scent...not to mention some are bought,some are gifts or give-aways..be locally-made or imported.
RESTROOMS - Men use restrooms for purely biological reasons. Women see restrooms as social lounges. Men in restroom will not speak to each other. Women always check each others out. Even women who have never met before will leave restroom giggling together like old friends. And NEVER in history of the world has a man excused himself from a restaurant by saying, "Pare, i gotta pee, wanna join me?".
(bwahahaahhaahahahah!!!!)

MAN AND WOMAN...can't live with one another...can't live without each other!!! (*sigh*...true..true :P)


palm

Happy Birthday

When I was in my early teens, my little brother who just turned 5, made me feel like a jerk. How? When we went to church to pray and light a candle, for his birthday. I asked him what was his birthday wish. He simply said "Happy Birthday". Not satisfied with his answer ,

I explained to him that a "Happy Birthday" is just a simple greeting to a person who celebrates his birthday. While a " birthday wish" is more likely a request of something you dreamed to have, like new toys, new clothes or a trip to the zoo.

Then I asked him again "What's your birthday wish?", and assured him that it's
our little secret. He looked at me, with a little frown in his innocent face and said
"Happy Birthday". Stupidly and confusedly, I said "Don't you really have any other wish at all?". Exasperatedly, he blurted out "Happy Birthday nga eh! Ang kulit mo!"

Funny, this little boy made me feel such a jerk for not understanding what he really wants on his special occassion. In his simple and pure hearth, he simply wanted a happy birthday as his wish. What a shame! It didn't even occur to me that some kid (or teen or even adult) may have all the material things that she/he wanted and needed...yet they feel empty because the parents wouldnt be there to celebrate their birthday with them.

As we left the church, hand in hand, I said to him "Let's hurry to go home, they (family) are waiting for us. Don't forget Mommy made your favorite - spaghetti".

Then he stopped for a moment, looked up to me and beamed "Ate, happy talaga ang birthday ko 'no?"

Looking him straight in the eye, with a clearer mind and a hearthfelt smile, I said "Syempre,

kaya nga Happy Birthday, eh!"

And off we go excitedly.

Not all Oldies are Goodies!

I just got home from a very blissful week in Palawan. Wherein everything is great - beautiful sights, wonderful sound of nature, delicious and healthy food and warm people. Some of the sights are nominated for the World's Wonder of Nature like the majestic Tubbattaha Reef and mysterious Underground River. I can't help but fell for it and made a promise of coming back to the places I've been....in short it's perfect...well, almost. I guess, it's really true the nothing or rather no one is perfect in this world.

On a group, composed of retired couples , students, 2 German guys and me, toured to see the Underground River, we spent 2 1/2 hours of land travel and 15 minutes boat ride. Which I find very "educative" because I get to see the day-to-day scenerio of a typical Palaweño with some info tidbits from our guide.

The tour went sour, since our group were waylaid by a battalion of snotty ****** barangay officials and city councilors , in getting our boat ride for the "Underground River". Our names were already registered, when one of the "Oldies" arrogantly argued with our tour guide that their group ( for me they're a battalion...imagine 200 people wearing the "uniform shirt" with their City logo in it) will have to go first, before us. I just can't believe the nerve of this old man...and his constituents. Though our guide, defended our group's rights....his reason went naught. He went to us and briefly explained the situation, which some of us understand. It means we'll have to wait for another a couple of hours before our turn. I bet those German guys aren't exactly clueless, but simply went with the "flow".

A local Palaweño squealed that these "Oldies" are "Honorary Guests" of a relative of the local politician. Hence, the "First come, First serve" policy was thrashed because of damn pollitics. It made me wonder who really paid their expenses for this "Official Business". The Host or the Guest. Whose fund I mean? It never failed to amaze and amuse me that, we, Filipinos, politicize everything....even the most trivial matters. We breathe, ate and drunk politics. And of course it sucks! Some would think you're such a smarty-pants or a certified hottie if you joined this Game. With this kind of thinking, no wonder we're still a Third World country, tragically.

Anyway, these "Oldies" officials, are of course, as old as our parents or senior bosses. What a shame, most of them (about 70% of them) act or behave as if they were rowdy teenagers. Bickering, littering and smoking are what they did most of the time. Some of them fed the monkeys which is prohibited. Shared green jokes in a loud voice, even when kids of 8 or 6 were around. There was even one woman in her early 40s has a built in mega-phone in her vocal chords. I know that all of us are went there to see the sights, to relax and to have fun. But the etiquette of these "Oldies", simply flew out the window. I just imagined how they are and the office set-up if the were in their territory. One local tourist, quipped " My God, I don't want to grow old like that". Another one said, " I'm not sure if they should be respected, to think they were elders and government officials....I wonder how would they act if they are in higher position"

I was just pondering, that we, Filipinos, are taught at a very young age to respect the elders...aren't we? Such virtue is learned at home from our family, and in school from our teachers and classmates.

For these "Oldies", I think I could be courteous to them...out of Filipino tradition...to be respectful of the elders. For me, courtesy and respect are two different matters. Courtesy is a polite behaviour towards a person because of his position, authority and age. Respect is honor and appreciation regardless of age, sex, race, status and position. These "Oldies" are still worthy of respect, granted that they respect first "other" people around them.