Wednesday, February 24, 2010
MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY: Para sa mga Malas sa Pag-ibig
Do not judge a Star Cinema movie by its trailer. While na-interes akong panoorin ang Miss You Like Crazy on the strength of the John Lloyd-Bea-Direk Cathy Garcia Molina triumvirate’s reputation forged in One More Chance, hindi ako nag-expect na magpe-present ito ng panibagong take on a classic lovestory, but I was proven wrong? Ang brilliant din ng mga device ng writers to take the story forward. Admirable din ang pag-incorporate ng OFW angle, beauty of KL, and Pasig River Ferry sa pelikula.
May mga pagkakataon lang na minsan parang nagiging unconfident sila sa ganda ng kanilang materyal that they resort to trite pa-kilig tactics (e.g. biglang uulan, ‘yung graphic tee ng isang extra eh swak ang message sa gagawin ng bida), but these were few and rather forgiveable naman dahil hindi naman ganu’n ka nakakasuka sa pagka-manipulative sa damdamin ng audience.
More than a kilig movie, Miss You Like Crazy is an acting showcase of the great ensemble led by John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. This movie cemented the on-screen couple’s place among the greatest acting pairs in Philippine cinema, alongside the likes of Vilma and Edu, and Boyet and Nora, that is, if their previous movie “One More Chance” wasn’t enough to accomplish just that. Pinatutunayan din nito ang kagandahan if networks/producers experiment and take risks with their talents and not limit them to pa-sweety roles most would usually assume as what the audience demands of their young idols. Dahil sinusuportahan at hinuhubog, nagiging tunay na malalim ang pagganap ng dalawang batang aktor na’to. From John Lloy’d first “promise” to Bea, hanggang sa glassy eyed moment the first time he finally meets her after a long time, ang galing ng subtletly at sincerity niya. Bea pulls off her scenes with the same depth and control.
Among the ensemble, notable performances were displayed by Maricar Reyes, Sylvia Sanchez, Bembol Roco, Urian Best Supporting Actor winner Ketchup Eusebio, the Malay-Indian guy, Ryan Eigenmann, and Ina Feleo na kahit nasa background at naka-defocus ay tumatagos pa rin ang emosyon sa screen. Anak nga siya ng acting greats na sina Direk Laurice and the late Johnny Delgado!
Basta! Panoorin n’yo ‘to! Kung lumaki kang feeling mo ang tao kailangan nage-effort para i-love kasi kahit sa pamilya, feeling mo dapat may ma-achieve ka bago ka muna nila mahalin; O kung ‘yung mga taong pinakamamahal mo so much na pagkakatiwalaan mong ipakilala sa kanila ang totoo mong sarili ay siya pang hindi ka makakayang mahalin, making you believe that your 100% you is absolutely unloveable; kung naghintay ka ng 26 years bago ang iyong first boyfriend na akala mo dumating nang pagkatagal-tagal dahil ‘yun na ‘yon pero iiwan ka lang after one month matapos landiin ang kabarkada mo…
O kung sa dinami-rami ng mga naka-sex mo ay may isang nagmahal sa’yo pero mamatay lang; o kung ‘yung ideal guy ay hindi mo mapagkitwalaang mahal kang tunay kaya bibitawan mo tapos hindi ka na kayang mahalin muli after 24 hours; o kung ang longest relationship mo ay 1 year dahil 6 months du’n nasa Amerika siya tapos pag-uwi matapos ang matagal na paghihintay ay hindi ka man lang imi-meet para makipag-break, nagpatawag pa siya sa’yo sa cellphone…
Kung meron ka talagang paniniwalang you’re one of those people who are not meant for love, at tatanda ka nang mag-isa… bibigyan ka ng pag-asa ng pelikulang ‘to na darating din ang pag-ibig, sa tamang panahon, sa tamang lugar.
May mga pagkakataon lang na minsan parang nagiging unconfident sila sa ganda ng kanilang materyal that they resort to trite pa-kilig tactics (e.g. biglang uulan, ‘yung graphic tee ng isang extra eh swak ang message sa gagawin ng bida), but these were few and rather forgiveable naman dahil hindi naman ganu’n ka nakakasuka sa pagka-manipulative sa damdamin ng audience.
More than a kilig movie, Miss You Like Crazy is an acting showcase of the great ensemble led by John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. This movie cemented the on-screen couple’s place among the greatest acting pairs in Philippine cinema, alongside the likes of Vilma and Edu, and Boyet and Nora, that is, if their previous movie “One More Chance” wasn’t enough to accomplish just that. Pinatutunayan din nito ang kagandahan if networks/producers experiment and take risks with their talents and not limit them to pa-sweety roles most would usually assume as what the audience demands of their young idols. Dahil sinusuportahan at hinuhubog, nagiging tunay na malalim ang pagganap ng dalawang batang aktor na’to. From John Lloy’d first “promise” to Bea, hanggang sa glassy eyed moment the first time he finally meets her after a long time, ang galing ng subtletly at sincerity niya. Bea pulls off her scenes with the same depth and control.
Among the ensemble, notable performances were displayed by Maricar Reyes, Sylvia Sanchez, Bembol Roco, Urian Best Supporting Actor winner Ketchup Eusebio, the Malay-Indian guy, Ryan Eigenmann, and Ina Feleo na kahit nasa background at naka-defocus ay tumatagos pa rin ang emosyon sa screen. Anak nga siya ng acting greats na sina Direk Laurice and the late Johnny Delgado!
Basta! Panoorin n’yo ‘to! Kung lumaki kang feeling mo ang tao kailangan nage-effort para i-love kasi kahit sa pamilya, feeling mo dapat may ma-achieve ka bago ka muna nila mahalin; O kung ‘yung mga taong pinakamamahal mo so much na pagkakatiwalaan mong ipakilala sa kanila ang totoo mong sarili ay siya pang hindi ka makakayang mahalin, making you believe that your 100% you is absolutely unloveable; kung naghintay ka ng 26 years bago ang iyong first boyfriend na akala mo dumating nang pagkatagal-tagal dahil ‘yun na ‘yon pero iiwan ka lang after one month matapos landiin ang kabarkada mo…
O kung sa dinami-rami ng mga naka-sex mo ay may isang nagmahal sa’yo pero mamatay lang; o kung ‘yung ideal guy ay hindi mo mapagkitwalaang mahal kang tunay kaya bibitawan mo tapos hindi ka na kayang mahalin muli after 24 hours; o kung ang longest relationship mo ay 1 year dahil 6 months du’n nasa Amerika siya tapos pag-uwi matapos ang matagal na paghihintay ay hindi ka man lang imi-meet para makipag-break, nagpatawag pa siya sa’yo sa cellphone…
Kung meron ka talagang paniniwalang you’re one of those people who are not meant for love, at tatanda ka nang mag-isa… bibigyan ka ng pag-asa ng pelikulang ‘to na darating din ang pag-ibig, sa tamang panahon, sa tamang lugar.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Remembering the First Time
Whoa! Do I actually have the time to write a blog entry? Tehnically, I have a meeting that should have started six minutes ago but since meetings among TV people start about an hour later than scheduled, it seems I do have time. Besides, kelangan kong magbisi-busyhan dito dahil nadatnan ba naman ako ng VP for Enterainment TV at Direk Leo Martinez sa aming opisina na nagpa-powernap! OK, kasi kahapon muntik na’kong maiyak sa meeting…
I’ve always had this memory from my childhood. After so many years of that memory randomly flashing in my mind like it were the most natural thing in the world, I decided to call my sister while I was in the middle of the meeting to confirm the veracity of that mental image.
Tin, naaala mo ba nu’ng bata tayo, ‘yung namamasyal tayo sa Rustan’s Cubao tapos binibili tayo ni mommy ng donut na may asukal?
Oo.
Lagi ko kasing naalala ‘yung time na minsan gusto pa natin ng donut tapos sabi ni mommy, “Di kayo ang bumili.” Tapos binigyan niya tayo ng pera, excited tayo’t magkahawak-kamay pang pumunta sa stall tapos sabay tayong nagsabi ng, “Pabiling donut!” Naaalala mo ‘yun?
Hindi.
Ah…OK…Pero mukhang nangyari naman ‘yun? Kasi hindi ko sure kung nangyari talaga ‘yun. ‘Yun yata ang earliest memory ko.
Ilang taon ka ba nu’n tingin mo?
Hmmm…Mga five or six?
Five or six?! (trained sa SPED ang sister kong mother of one) Eh, mga three years old palang ang bata may memory na siya, eh.
Ah, ganu’n ba? Pero itong naalala ko, mukhang nangyari naman?
Oo naman.
For some reason, na-validate ako ng phone conversation na’yun. More than that memory, those few minutes on the phone re-connected me to my sister na siya namang pinaka-close kong kapatid while growing up. Siguro we started drifting apart nu’ng nag-high school na kami. She started having her own barkada, and I had my own, but the foundation of our relationship has got to be the so many shared firsts in our lives, including, it seems, our very first time buying unsupervised from a store.
Nagpatuloy ang sabay naming pagre-reconnect sa’ming childhood when my sister shared her early memory:
Ang natatandaan ko nu’n ‘yung hinahatid ka naming ni dad sa school mo. Naka-pajamas ako, hawak ko pa’yung mahaba kong unan tapos papasok ka nu’n sa school.
While she was sharing that story, nag-flash naman sa ulo ko ang corresponding experience ko in that story.
Talaga? Naalala mo ‘yan? Para kasing naaalala ko nga ‘yang hinatid n’yo ako ni dad tapos papasok ako sa classroom tapos nililingon ko kayo habang nasa sasakyan kayo. Galeng!
We wrapped up our conversation and we went back to our separate schedules. Then this text:
Naalala ko nu’n, hindi ako makalabas para maglaro kung ayaw mo ring lumabas kasi gusto mo lang manood ng TV o mag-imagine, kahit gustung-gusto ko maglaro sa labas kasi gusto ko kasama kita lagi. Tsaka nahihinto laro namin ‘pag bigla ka na lang uuwi ng bahay. Hindi ko alam kung ba’t gusto mong umuw, siguro ‘pag sinusumpong ka gusto mo lang umuwi o kaya manood ng TV. Minsan lang naman mangyari ‘yun. TOTOO ito.
Reading this made me wanna cry. Parang nagi-guilty ako na ewan. Then another text. Na-open na ‘yung floodgates of childhood memories ni Tin-Tin.
May memory din akong nasa garahe ka tapos nakasandal ka sa wall, nakabihis ka pang-alis – t-shirt, shorts, rubbershoes. Sad ka nu’n or umiiyak ka yata kasi maysakit ka. Dadalhin ka yata sa doktor nila ma, parang hindi mo’ko naririnig nu’n.
This I absolutely don’t remember, but I’ve always suspected that I got my hearing impairment this one time when I got hospitalized for very high fever when I was kid.
I’ve always had this memory from my childhood. After so many years of that memory randomly flashing in my mind like it were the most natural thing in the world, I decided to call my sister while I was in the middle of the meeting to confirm the veracity of that mental image.
Tin, naaala mo ba nu’ng bata tayo, ‘yung namamasyal tayo sa Rustan’s Cubao tapos binibili tayo ni mommy ng donut na may asukal?
Oo.
Lagi ko kasing naalala ‘yung time na minsan gusto pa natin ng donut tapos sabi ni mommy, “Di kayo ang bumili.” Tapos binigyan niya tayo ng pera, excited tayo’t magkahawak-kamay pang pumunta sa stall tapos sabay tayong nagsabi ng, “Pabiling donut!” Naaalala mo ‘yun?
Hindi.
Ah…OK…Pero mukhang nangyari naman ‘yun? Kasi hindi ko sure kung nangyari talaga ‘yun. ‘Yun yata ang earliest memory ko.
Ilang taon ka ba nu’n tingin mo?
Hmmm…Mga five or six?
Five or six?! (trained sa SPED ang sister kong mother of one) Eh, mga three years old palang ang bata may memory na siya, eh.
Ah, ganu’n ba? Pero itong naalala ko, mukhang nangyari naman?
Oo naman.
For some reason, na-validate ako ng phone conversation na’yun. More than that memory, those few minutes on the phone re-connected me to my sister na siya namang pinaka-close kong kapatid while growing up. Siguro we started drifting apart nu’ng nag-high school na kami. She started having her own barkada, and I had my own, but the foundation of our relationship has got to be the so many shared firsts in our lives, including, it seems, our very first time buying unsupervised from a store.
Nagpatuloy ang sabay naming pagre-reconnect sa’ming childhood when my sister shared her early memory:
Ang natatandaan ko nu’n ‘yung hinahatid ka naming ni dad sa school mo. Naka-pajamas ako, hawak ko pa’yung mahaba kong unan tapos papasok ka nu’n sa school.
While she was sharing that story, nag-flash naman sa ulo ko ang corresponding experience ko in that story.
Talaga? Naalala mo ‘yan? Para kasing naaalala ko nga ‘yang hinatid n’yo ako ni dad tapos papasok ako sa classroom tapos nililingon ko kayo habang nasa sasakyan kayo. Galeng!
We wrapped up our conversation and we went back to our separate schedules. Then this text:
Naalala ko nu’n, hindi ako makalabas para maglaro kung ayaw mo ring lumabas kasi gusto mo lang manood ng TV o mag-imagine, kahit gustung-gusto ko maglaro sa labas kasi gusto ko kasama kita lagi. Tsaka nahihinto laro namin ‘pag bigla ka na lang uuwi ng bahay. Hindi ko alam kung ba’t gusto mong umuw, siguro ‘pag sinusumpong ka gusto mo lang umuwi o kaya manood ng TV. Minsan lang naman mangyari ‘yun. TOTOO ito.
Reading this made me wanna cry. Parang nagi-guilty ako na ewan. Then another text. Na-open na ‘yung floodgates of childhood memories ni Tin-Tin.
May memory din akong nasa garahe ka tapos nakasandal ka sa wall, nakabihis ka pang-alis – t-shirt, shorts, rubbershoes. Sad ka nu’n or umiiyak ka yata kasi maysakit ka. Dadalhin ka yata sa doktor nila ma, parang hindi mo’ko naririnig nu’n.
This I absolutely don’t remember, but I’ve always suspected that I got my hearing impairment this one time when I got hospitalized for very high fever when I was kid.
