Makes one want to live to a hundred

just to see movies like Gravity.

Survival film par excellence, generous visuals,

luminous, researched, breathtaking, meticulous

well-acted, minimalist, no excess-fat scenes

exciting.

Should be studied in film schools in years to come.

10 /10 Ozymandias

I am a heavy user of IMDB.com for more than two decades. This is the first time I've seen a 10/10 score.

Wow. 

Book Review: Monstress

BOOK REVIEW: MONSTRESS

Confession: Every time I get my hands on an anthology, I judge its worth on the basis of three stories. I decide whether I should read the entire collection on the strength of the first, second-to-the-last, and the last stories only. If the title story is not in any of these places, I’ll read four. I don’t know if editors really locate the strongest stories in this order, but it works for me. Given my hectic day job I don’t have much time to read, so better to have a method of predicting max payoff before diving in.

In the case of Monstress by Lysley Tenorio, the first story is the title story, and it is a nice, quick read. The narrator Reva Gogo is an actress and dental assistant who has played Squid Mother, Werewolf Girl, and Bat-Winged Pygmy Queen in Filipino horror flicks. These B-movies are made by an Ed-Wood-like character named Checkers Rosario (good attempt to create a memorable character name; is Tenorio doing a Thomas Pynchon here?). After successive box-office failures in the Philippines, Reva and Checkers are led to the US by a kindred auteur who plies the same genre. Later Reva has to choose between Checkers and a career without prosthetics. I was readying myself for a big twist or a staggering resolution, but was led instead to a natural, practical ending. Still, the last two paragraphs are as emotionally-wrenching as love stories can get.

The second-to-the-last story is called the Save the iHotel. My wife says it’s like Brokeback Mountain, but with a less sad ending. The characters are two old men—one more senile than the other—who about to be removed from the hotel, which is scheduled for demolition. Just before the eviction the younger one recounts how they met and how betrayals led to the losses that ripple between and around them.

The last piece is L’Amour, CA, which has an “ordinary” immigrant Pinoy family plot. I say ordinary because there are the usual plot points—unwanted pregnancies, bullying, and the other ‘expected’ turns of the immigrant experience. But the story still has a good start and a powerful ending.

The three convinced me to finish the whole book, so I continued with Help, probably the lightest in the collection. It features an Imelda vs. Beatles plan hatched by a government employee/devotee and his nieces. It describes perfectly Imelda’s menacing hold over the Manileños during the 70′s. There’s even an elegant description of a painting of Madame, which made me remember the painting that’s supposed to welcome patients to the Heart Center in East Avenue. I think she’s supposed to be Eve in that painting, but to my 9-year-old self, seeing her face and smelling the hospital odor while stricken with rheumatic fever was dreadful.

There’s also an attempt at a geek story entitled Superassassin, but I don’t think this piece works.

And then Brothers, a good story about a divorced Pinoy immigrant, his mom, and a sibling who elects to have breast implants and a sex change. Felix Starro and View from Culion are the weakest stories in the collection. (These two, by the way, are located in the middle of the book; my method might be sound after all).

I think all the stories are blatantly plot-driven, and there’s nothing wrong with that. All can be easily adapted into episodes of Maalaala Mo Kaya or a GMA telesine. Not those ones where a character is simply killed off to get the tears flowing, but the good, solid episodes that the networks are still capable of churning out from time to time.

And the book is a good, solid collection, all the stories merging into a coherent whole. I’ve stumbled upon two separate comments by Franzen and Wolff declaring that short stories can approach perfection (unlike the novel, which can never be perfect). Junot Diaz has crafted some stories approaching perfection in Drown, and because of a similar diaspora theme, Tenorio might be compared to Junot Diaz. Diaz has already established his trademark tone, he would be a tough act to follow. I won’t expand on this and be caught pretending to know more about literary criticism that I do. I will just say that the two perfect Pinoy-written shorts are Utos ng Hari and Sulat Mula sa Pritil, and I think Tenorio is capable of writing something that approaches the Pritil and Hari.

If I can be allowed one objection though, I think most of these stories are bleak. For this reason, you shouldn’t read the entire book in one sitting, because it might tire you out. There are some funny, amusing accounts, but then they are followed by passages like “it seems impossible to me that anyone could be that pleased in life,” which brings the atmosphere back to bleakness.

If I can be allowed two objections, I think a good editor can still improve on the stories. The blurbs imply that some of these pieces have been in existence for years. If there was some last-minute editing before book publication, I would have wished for cuts—not necessarily in the tradition of Carver and Lish—but just some lines probably better left unsaid, and overused metaphors like “the room is like a dream.”

Good debut by a Filipino-American writer. The book is worth your time.

(review edited by Jessica Zafra) 

Rambling on The Sphinx, Mystery Men,

I distinctly remember renting the tape of this movie from Video City, on a rainy day, as the third tape of a rent-2-get-1-free promo. Just a freebie, but, after viewing, I thought it was a work of tantalizing genius and of sheer courage. How could the studios allow this kind of groundbreaking superhero comedy movie? And the writing I thought was given much care and thinking. As one proof, read these teachings of one minor character in the film... the Sphinx

 

To learn my teachings, I must first teach you how to learn.

You must lash out with every limb, like the octopus who plays the drums.

He who questions training only trains himself at asking questions.

You must be like wolf pack, not six-pack.

We are number one. All others are number two, or lower. 

When you care what is outside, what is inside cares for you. 

When you can balance a tack hammer on your head, you can head off your foes with a balanced attack.

When you begin to doubt your powers, you give power to your doubts.

Hilarious and crazy, but you can glean how these dialogues were carefully crafted. Not anyone can write them!

The part was played by Wes Studi. Incidentally, I watched Last of the Mohicans just a few days after seeing Mystery Men.

I got disoriented in seeing him in a serious original kick-ass badman role, as directed by Michael Mann.

Last of the Mohicans is widely recognized as a fantastic film. Mystery Men, on the other hand, did not do well critically and commercially. I dont get why people didn't get Mystery Men until I saw an entry in Wikipedia that this is now a cult film. I hope a producer heretofore give Kinka Usher another chance. Kinka Usher--cool name for the maker of a cool movie.

Why I believe in Apple and Steve Jobs

Their products, the contents they can delivery, and the manner they can deliver these contents can extract the most genuine of expressions of  

delight, 

curiosity 

serious thought and urge to understand. 

What more can you ask of gadgets?

Best Pinoy Movies

One time in Jessica Zafra's blog, readers were asked to lay down what they think are the best Filipino Movies of all time. It was a great exercise, and we participated. Here goes our list with some comments

1) Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?
we consider this  precursor of Forrest Gump. Fantastic direction and location shoots.

2) Tuhog
A masterpiece by Jeturian. Fantastic acting by all the players, even Ina Raymundo, who we thought was only good as a token leading leading-lady in action films, delivered a fine performance. 

3) Ang Tatay Kong Nanay
Brocka and Dolphy combined for what should be a template for any producer attempting to build a solid dramedy.

4) Kakabakaba ka ba?

The best pinoy comedy (and probably musical) ever. It's amazing to recall that Armida of Aawitan Kita is in here.

5) Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros

The best indie that came out of Cinemalaya,Cinemaoneoriginals, and all the other programs of recent years.

6) Scorpio Nights

For the depiction of the Philippine version of suburban life. We call it "looban" in the Philippines, and the dynamics of any looban setting can make hundreds of good movies.

7) Oro, Plata, Mata

Although cartoonish on the last act, the movie has solid narrative and well-grounded characters.

8) Huwag Mong Salingin ang Sugat Ko (The Buenavista Story)

Last movie by Brocka. Very political, sensible, relevant, brave, and purposeful until the end.

9) Zombadings 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington

This is how a 'pop' commercial film should be made for this generation.

10) Facifica Falayfay

Another Dolphy classic that trailblazed the local comedy genre.

11) Saan Darating ang Umaga?
Great ensemble cast.

12) Orapronobis

Good, urgent, pulsing narrative, almost like a docu on how the CAFGU system is abused. Also demonstrates how pinoy movies should not need one bida (leadrole) to be great.

13) Kapit sa Patalim
Another brave Brocka, which has legitimate advocacy.

14) Pepeng Kaliwete

Great FPJ action film. Solid, no supermanish one-against-1000 gunfight. Also, solid anchor on history of American Occupation and the humble conditions of sugarcane farmers.

15) There's an episode from Lovingly Yours, Helen The Movie that is compelling and complete enough--not the one that killed Julie Vega (namaligno), but the episode about brain cancer starring Vivian Foz (?). but Im ambivalent since my tita passionately insists that the version broadcasted on TV is tighter and better.

16) Isla. 
Cho Kajo and the perya ferris wheel. First learned about Betamax's rewind-scan function because of this movie.  hehe

17) Karnal

Fantastic depiction of rural, paternalistic life. Solid acting from Vic Silayan.

18) Temptation Island

Classic Fantastic Camp.

19) one andres de saya sequel that we caught on piling piling pelikula

cant recall which one. basta meron isang maganda sa series na ito

20) Hihintayin Kita sa Langit

Wuthering Heights. The filmmakers deserves kudos in delivering a non-traditional love story based on this classic book.

21) Somewhere
mostly for that climactic scene where Rudy Fernandez's eyeball popped out of its socket)

22) Hiram na Mukha 
for Hugo Rodan; fantastic performance by Christopher de Leon.

***

I havent seen Endo, Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos, Banawe, any by Mario O'Hara , Burlesk Queen. Making this list reminds me that I should do equal effort in looking for these films as much as the Scorseses, Truffauts, Allens. 

Philip Roth, retiree

Ah, Philip Roth just retired. I can't fully grasp the concept of a writer retiring, especially someone as prolific as he is, but this is now what he's declaring to the world. (although I think the qualifier is: he's retiring from writing novels).

Read also the nice blogpost by Remnick on the New Yorker and the article from nytimes. Interesting quote:

Nearby was an iPhone he had bought recently. “Why?” he said. “Because I’m free. Every morning I study a chapter in ‘iPhone for Dummies,’ and now I’m proficient. I haven’t read a word for two months. I pull this thing out and play with it.”

(it's also amazing how he chose to announce his retirement first through a french publication).

To me, the magic of Roth's writing lies in its unabashedness and forcefulness. When youre reading even his early work, it's already evident that there's just no topic he'll not go through if thats where the plot and story should go, or are built to go. I remember one scene in Patrimony, his recollection of his relationship with his father (against the premise of Philip's papa's suffering a dreaded disease), where Roth recounted how he helped his father bathe one time, and then he can't help but ruminate on his father's penis--what is right or wrong with it, how's the crookedness, shape, and size, and how his own fares against his father's. 

Sabbath's Theater and Portnoy's Complaint remain to be two in my top 10 novels primarily, surely, for their braveness. They gave me inspiration and belief in the magic, value, and possibilities of fiction during college, and they sustained my love for reading. Roth's books are among the first ones that urged me to raid National Bookstore's bargain bins. The papers of his book, by the time Operation Shylock, et al reached the bin, are already yellow, but of course his words are timeless. 

The last Roth that I've read is American Pastoral. It is not as good as others are declaring it is. It is supposedly his masterpiece, but the ending, especially, does not work for me. And the book has just too much rumination and meta-things to be as 'moving' as the others. I plodded along just to finish American Pastoral. His best remains Sabbath's Theater, at least among those Ive read (The Facts, Patrimony, Prague Orgy, American Pastoral, Professor of Desire, Portnoy's Complaint, Goodbye Columbus). I cant claim to be an expert because these in total are not even 30% of the master's output (which was one quality book a year recently).

I will definitely get Nemesis--his declared last novel.  

Give Roth the Nobel Prize already. 

Un-Yummy Roast (SM Bicutan)

Yummy roast in SM Bicutan is anything but yummy. 

You can see that the asado thing (reddish meat) is all dry.

Even the chicken is bland.

Tofu, which is hard to bungle-up, is also funny tasting in this place. It seems like they were not contented letting the natural flavor of soya come out, they had to mix-in some sort of chemical that bites the tongue. We also dont know what was the brown, shit-looking thing, that they've put on top.

Although prices are cheap, at par with Jollibee, skip Yummy Roast. This restaurant doesnt deserve to last one year.

I think Pepper Potts will die

That's one of the quickest way to make this movie dark dark.

And besides, producers probably thought, Gwyneth Paltrow is not getting any younger?

I just hope they do the whole movie right.

And the whole thing consulted with, or better yet, approved, by Whedon the Master.

Aling Lucing's Sisig

We had to drop by SM Sta Mesa to check out if the department store there have the stock of  the Merrell sandals, at the specific size, we are eyeing. 

We didnt plan to have dinner at that mall, but when we passed by the food court, we saw Aling Lucing's Sisig. 

I wondered if this is by the same owners of the original Aling Lucing im Pampanga, the inventor of that killer of a dish, the bane of all batoks, the vein clogger of all beer drinkers, the undefeatable pulutan... Sisig. 

We asked the lady counter if theyre affiliated with the Pampanga carinderia, but she didnt know. And we also havent been to the original. Weve been planning to some time (and also try to hit the original Razon's in one trip), but we dont have Googlemap before, so still no cigar.

Anyway, at 98 pesos, you are given an ample serving of tasty sisig. Talampunay ordered grilled liempo with the added Sinigang option at 110 PhP. She said the liempo is unremarkable.

The sisig is really fatty, perhaps 40% fat composition as shown in this picture. At one point when a spoonful lands in your mouth, you can feel the creaminess of fat swimming in your tongue. Creamy coagulation starting to do its magic. Wow.  

Although I would choose the crunchy variant of sisig, some purists say that that is not the original sisig, but just sizzling chicharon. They have a point. 

If the indication of how genuine a sisig is in how painful your nape feels 30 minutes after eating, then this sisig is truly authentic. I had trouble driving on the way home.