~* THE SOUL PATROL WINS! *~

Woohoo! Taylor Hicks won!!!


I NEVER watched American Idol until this season. I only started to catch the latter part of the auditions (I think I started with the Texas audition...). Taylor has been my favorite since I saw him during the auditions so I'm really happy he won! :) He has such a warm aura... he just lights up the room everytime he sings, plays the harmonica and does that crazy pseudo-epileptic dance! I swear he sounds like one of those singers from yester-years (I dunno if it's Boz Scaggs or someone else...). His ashy hair reminds me of George Clooney.

Anyway, I also liked Chris Daughtry and Elliott Yamin. Good thing that Katharine didn't win... I don't really like her. I know she's really pretty and sexy but her only performance that wowed me was her Somewhere Over The Rainbow number (which was probably a fluke!).

~* MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING *~

I've read Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code a long time ago. In some instances, my memory muddles the details from the two books that I am confused whether the detail came from A&D or TDVC. I wish I've re-read The Da Vinci Code in time for the movie... but anyway, I tried very hard to recall the pertinent details so I could compare it to the movie. It's fun to check whether they have faithfully adopted the book or not. Well, apparently not. The "big reveal" at the ending sucks. Where the heck did the "Sophie-has-a-brother-living-with-grandma" detail go?!?

As expected, with all the hype and MTRCB's super late screening of the movie (if I'm not mistaken, they only screened the movie last Tues. to determine its rating), it was hard to get movie tickets for it. As I overheard from someone at Starbucks, he described Powerplant as "parang Mordor [ang pila] dun!". Yeah, people got way too excited to see the movie... what with all the controversy and debate all over the place. Trust that people will go out of their way to do/see something when an authority explicitly prohibits or violently objects doing so. It's fun to break the rules. And it's like morbid curiosity over a road accident. The usi's (usiseros) can't help but slow down and look.

Anyway, I think the Pinoys are overreacting. I-ban ba daw sa Manila?!? What the?!? What's the big deal? So why didn't they ban the Dan Brown book in the bookstores in the first place? Why are they just zeroing in on the movie? I don't recall them spending this much thought and energy over the book when it was sold here in the Philippines years ago! Anyway, I thought of an answer to my own question: I guess it's coz the wide reach/accessibility of the movie was deemed far more threatening than the thick book sitting on the shelves of Powerbooks. The common tao/masa crowd is more likely to watch The Da Vinci Code than read it. Heck, some of them may not even know how to read in the first place! And probably, they are not the fancy page-flipping type who goes to Powerbooks.

I think all the hullabaloo of the anti-Da Vinci Code camp just did Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures more good than bad. And the SM theater group probably feel "sayang" that they couldn't cash in on the insane popularity of the movie coz it was rated R-18 by the MTRCB.

Anyway, going back to my movie experience... First of all, by noontime, we only managed to get tickets to the 10:20pm screening last Fri. And we only managed to get seats at the 2nd row of Promenade. Very 'dizzy up the girl' kind of arrangement. We had premium seats to Tom Hank's bad hair day and receding hairline. Great.

Anyway, having read the book, I couldn't help but compare...

{Am I still obliged to say "WARNING: MOVIE SPOILERS" when I'm almost sure that half of you who's reading this movie review now have already read the Dan Brown novel?}

1. In the book, a photo of Sauniere's corpse was faxed to Langdon. I remember somebody calling him up and waking him up in the middle of the night. To catch his attention, they faxed the symbol-laden dead body of the museum curator to him. In the movie, they showed the photo to Langdon right in the middle of his book signing. That's right, police guys -- Never mind the book fans who might see the shocking gory photo of a crime scene!
2. Hey, didn't Robert and Sophie actually go to a library? I remember descriptions of the old librarian and the search strings in the library's computer/search engine. In the movie, they were suddenly WAP-enabled inside the bus. 'Lang ya... shortcut! Blehhh!
3. I vaguely recall that there were so much clues that unfolded in the book. In the movie, it was just,"voila!" The next thing you know, they're already in Isaac Newton's grave.
4. There were two cryptexes (is that the proper plural form?) in the book. There was a cryptex within the cryptex.
5. And I vividly remember that Langdon was able to figure out the answer to the cryptex coz he looked out the window and saw the apple trees nearby (or remembered seeing the apple trees outside... something to that effect). There was not a single open window in the movie scene, just those tinted cathedral windows.
6. Isn't Teabing supposed to be pudgy? I was thinking of a Danny De Vito body type when I was reading the book. But anyway, Ian McKellen rocks. Surprisingly, I did not see visions of Gandalf in his scenes. He's really good then!
7. Paul Bettany as Silas worked. I even cringed at the self-flagellation scene... very reminiscent of the cringe-worthy scenes in The Passion of Christ.
8. Bishop Aringarosa... hmm, I kept imagining and half-expecting octopus tentacles coming out of his bishop robes! He's still Doc Ock to me.
9. Tom Hanks' bad hair day and shining forehead was pretty much entertaining but when I was reading the book, I was imagining Robert Redford or perhaps Harrison Ford as Robert Langdon. As one site mentioned, Ralph Fiennes would have been a more appropriate Langdon... and I agree.
10. The police's discovery of the tracking devices/gadgets/thingiemajigs aboveTeabing's garage or shack (or was it a barn?) was not in the movie.
11. I don't recall the book saying that Sauniere was NOT Sophie's grandpa.
12. And arggghhh, why did the movie omit the book detail about Sophie's brother who turned out to be the guy in the Rosslyn Chapel living with her grandma?!? Why, why, why?
13. And why the heck were there lots of people in the Rosslyn Chapel? With the manner they emerged one by one in the chapel, I couldn't help but feel like it was a scene from Village of the Damned. Kulang na lang white-haired and red-eyed silang lahat!
14. Didn't the book end with a bit of a romantic angle between Robertand Sophie? Was it in Da Vinci or Angels & Demons wherein the "leading lady" was in Robert Langdon's hotel room?
15. At least they put in the Rolex detail when the bank manager helped Robert & Sophie escape. I like that little scene!
16. As Tin pointed out, in the book, the bank code that Sophie & Robert decided to use was the scrambled one. The movie used the unscrambled one.
17. At least there was a brief shot of the memorable Mickey Mouse watch of Langdon. I almost thought they were not gonna show it in the movie.
18. Was there ever a DIRECT connection shown between Bezu Fache and Bishop Aringarosa in the book? I can hardly recall... I just remember Langdon noticing the button pin on Fache's coat that implied he was an Opus Dei... Anyway, I like Jean Reno. It's a shame he's only got a few scenes in the movie.
19. What is up with Audrey Tautou pulling a Jesus-walks-on-the-water act? I don't recall Sophie was trying to be THAT corny in the book.
20. At least I liked the dramatic last scene in the Louvre pyramid. ("Beneath the stars she rests...")
21. I recall there was so much more Da Vinci paintings, artwork, church architectures, symbolisms and stuff described and explained in detail in the book. I suppose the movie just couldn't afford to dwell into all of that. Or else it would have been an 8-hour movie. And two and a half hours is ass-numbing enough.
    

So did you like The Da Vince Code movie or not?
To those who've read the book, what else did the movie miss?

~* LEFTOVERS *~

I dunno. I feel like I'm eating crumbs.

leftovers of yesterday's love...

crumbs.

"I am insane. And you are my insanity." {12 monkeys}

~* NOW PLAYING: OO by UpDharmaDown*~

image from http://www.ternorecordings.com/html/updharmadown.htm


di mo lang alam, naiisip kita
baka sakali lang maisip mo ako
di mo lang alam, hanggang sa gabi
inaasam makita kang muli

nagtapos ang lahat sa di inaahasahang
panahon at ngayon ako'y iyong iniwang
luhaan, sugatan, di mapakinabangan
sana nagtanong ka lang kung di mo lang alam

sana'y nagtanong ka lang kung di mo lang alam
ako'y iyong nasakatan
baka sakali lang maisip mo namang
hindi mo lang alam kay tagal nang panahon
ako'y nandirito pa rin hanggang ngayon, para sayo

lumipas mga araw na ubod ng saya
di pa rin nagbabago ang aking pagsinta
kung ako'y nagkasala, patawad na sana
ang puso kong pagal ngayon lang nagmahal

di mo lang alam ako'y iyong nasaktan
o baka sakali lang maisip mo namang
puro siya na lang, sana'y ako naman
di mo lang alam ika'y minamasdan
sana'y iyong mamalayang hindi mo lang pala alam
di mo lang alamkahit tayo'y magkaibigan lang
bumabalik ang lahat sa tuwing nagkukulitan
baka sakali lang maisip mo namang
ako'y nandito lang hindi mo lang alam
matalino ka naman

kung ikaw at ako ay tunay na bigo
sa laro na ito ay dapat bang sumuko
sana'y hindi ka na lang pala aking nakilala
kung alam ko lang ako'y iyong masasaktan ng ganito
sana'y nakinig na lang ako sa nanay ko

di mo lang alam ako'y iyong nasaktan
o baka sakali lang maisip mo namang
puro siya na lang, sana'y ako naman
di mo lang alam ika'y minamasdan
sana'y iyong mamalayang hindi mo lang pala alam

malas mo... ikaw ang natipuhan ko
di mo lang alam, ako'y iyong nasaktan.

~* SHUFFLE! *~

'Grabbed this off Chevy's blog :)

1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. Press forward for each question.
3. Use the song title as the answer to the question even if it doesn't make sense. NO CHEATING!
4. Tag people to play this game too.


How are you feeling today?
Run Around (Blues Traveller)

Will you get far in life?
Interstate Love Song (Stone Temple Pilots)

How do your friends see you?
Scar (Stonefree)

Will you get married?
I'll Do Anything (Jason Mraz)

What is your best friend's theme song?
Bootylicious remix (Destiny's Child)

What is the story of your life?
Angel (Better Than Ezra)

What was high school like?
Ain't No Sunshine (Jordis Unga)

How can you get ahead in life?
Best of You (Foo Fighters)

What is the best thing about your friends?
Unforgetful You (Jars of Clay)

What is today going to be like?
Daytrip (Sponge Cola)

What is in store for this weekend?
Reprise (Sugarfree)

What song Describes you?
Huwag Mo Nang Itanong (Eraserheads)

To describe your grandparents?
More Than That (Backstreet Boys)

How is your life going?
Red Red Wine (UB40)

What song will they play at your funeral?
The Ordertaker (Parokya ni Edgar)

(what tha?! winner 'tong answer na 'to! friends, take note ha. astig toh. matatawa kayo sa funeral ko ;p )

How does the world see you?
The Crossroads (Bone Thugz n Harmony)

Will you have a happy life?
Summer Breeze (Jason Mraz)

What do your friends really think of you?
Fallin' (Alicia Keys)

Do people secretly lust after you?
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Mig Ayesa)

How can I make myself happy?
My Sacrifice (Creed)

What should you do with your life?
Back at One (Brian McKnight)

Will you ever have children?
Automatic Sweetness Follows (REM)

~* WE HAVE A NEW BABY IN THE HOUSE! *~

Dad & Mom recently got this princess-type shih tzu which I named "Chloe". She's just almost 2 months old. She's sooooo cute! I love to pet her coz she's so tiny and cuddly. Such a bundle of joy but way too spoiled and pampered by my Mom! hehe ;p She sleeps in my room at night and she wakes up pretty early. Hayyy, before, I'd wake up around 9 or 10am during the weekends but since she's been spending the night in my room, she wakes me up by 7am with her shrilly barks! Oh well. Anyway, it's nice to have a pet like her coz she is such a stress-reliever and anti-depressant ;-)

~* NITE OUT, NITE OUT! *~

Last night my sister and I went out to watch The Jerks at 70s Bistro. I vaguely know them as this classic rock band who's probably like the idols of Eheads or something. After hearing one set, I realized I have already been hearing their songs at NU107 during Remote Ctrl Weekend... especially that song about death which was based on this Dylan Thomas poem we studied in EngLit... the one that went: "do not go gently into that good night... rage, rage against the dying of the light..."

After that, we went to Xaymaca to catch the 2nd set of Brownman Revival. Ahh, I missed reggae dancing! Twas a feel-good experience to dance along BMR's songs again :-)

~o0O0o~

Last weekend, I went out with Abbie, Tin & Charo to have my post-bday dinner. We visited Abbie at the Transport Show at Megamall first. Holy cow, since there was a mall sale, it pretty much looked like EDSA revolution in Megamall! Ugh. I hate monstrous shopping crowds! Anyway, the Transport Show was, expectedly, full of guys... guys who ogle over cars! Haha! I was telling Tin & Charo that I couldn't see what the big fuss was about with all those cars that had people endlessly snapping photos of 'em, admiring the big-ass engine and sound system and whatever else one was supposed to be excited about with cars. I only got truly interested (and, okay, "mildly excited") when I saw this car (don't ask me what kind-- they all look the same to me! :p ) which was painted in purplish, deep pink and blue hues which reminded me of iridescent nail polish.







Tin, Charo & I had dinner at Aruba in Metrowalk (yey. first time for me to ever set foot at Metrowalk!) and waited for Abbie to arrive from her team dinner. Aruba's a nice place and the food was good. But the music is just not my thing though. Some girl was singing with the band... you know, typical show band music which bored me to tears. haha.





When Abbie got to Aruba, we decided to go to Xaymaca to spend our night (errm, more like morning) until it was time to send off Charo at St. Luke's Hospital for their company outing. We got to Xaymaca around 12mn as Hemp Republic was finishing off their set. Got to watch Peacepipe for the next set. It was my first time to be at the reggae bar on a Saturday as I only get to go there on Fridays when Brownman Revival is playing. And when it's BMR Friday, the place would be like a tiny jam-packed sweaty box of happy dancing people. Well that night when Peacepipe was playing, the place was full but not packed to the very inch. Just enough crowds happily dancing and jumping about. I think we left Xaymaca around 2:30am.

~o0O0o~

On the eve of my bday last April, I treated my officemates Jane & Ed (my bosses), Vic & Bianx for my bday dinner at Italianni's. Had quite a laugh with their crew's usual bday song & dance number :)




deym. they spelled my name wrong :p