Holiday Blues

The familiar merriment of my neighbor’s party reverberated in my room gaudily. Other neighbor’s ghetto blaster was playing nostalgic ditties. My landlord’s kitchen produced a rather delicious whiff. Outside, the sky was a sheer beauty to behold – the display of vivid colors of fireworks provided a much-needed animation to the rather bleak, weary space. My brother and I, lying in our respective beds, silently (no words were necessary to convey) figured it out: it’s Christmas, unmistakably, after all!

Since my mom and grandma’s demise, Christmas is just another prosaic, red-letter day for us. No fanfares. No brouhahas. No rituals. Heck, the greetings are even a coerced, almost squirmy, endeavor! The day passes unassumingly and we have our own little dramas to attend to.

This Christmas was far from being special. My brother, who came all the way from the province, visited me. Our itinerary for the Christmas Eve was predictably mundane: we went to the mall. Ate. Shopped. And said our little prayers at the chapel. When I finally mustered all the courage in the world, I greeted him. Unperturbed, he just squinted his eyes and shrugged it off.

I laid in bed feeling a little bit under the weather. The erratic climate conditions excruciated my tonsils. But more than that, I wailed for the sorry state of our family affairs. A mother’s death in the family just brings a terrible disorder of the status quo. What was once normal is improbable to reclaim.

Inundated with saccharine Christmas text messages from friends, I felt the urge to read them all (rather than customarily delete them) to fill the void sucking me in. One simple message from an erstwhile significant other put a smile on my face. It's been a long time coming but, finally, solace!

The Bold and The Quirky

Trailblazing. This aptly describes the movie Avatar. Proud and bold, it is ground-breaking in every sense of it. Excuse the overhyping, but genius is even too lame to describe its poetic beauty. James Cameron (Titanic) successfully made a film where animation and reality intertwined seamlessly and perfectly. Whereas most 3-D films heavily rely on visual spectacle, Avatar incorporates the human-ness in its character. The emotions engendered by the Na’vis are so evocative we forget they are not played by real actors. That's quite a rare feat. But the icing on the cake of Cameron’s ethereal imagination is the visual beauty of the film. Simply breathtaking! The idea of Pandora is a work of meticulous art and the attention to detail is flawlessly superb. But is Avatar a perfect film? Not really! Time and again, Mr. Cameron yet provided us with another cheesy, cringeworthy dialogues and a not so clever story (Dances With Wolves, anyone?). But these should not blot the overall landscape as Avatar pushed the boundaries boldly and as an offshoot, is a creation of great cinematic proportions. But will the conservative Academy give Avatar a best picture nod? Well, if District 9 is being snubbed by the critics’ circles and The Dark Knight was shrugged off big time last year as well, then Avatar’s chances are still up in the air.





Romantic comedies are, generally, painful to watch. The cheesy rhetoric, the predictable plot and the generic soundtrack - I just don’t buy it! Oh well, maybe the mathematics of romance is just incomprehensible to me. But when a romantic comedy is offbeat, has that unique charm and a European allure (Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, anyone?), then I’m in love with it. Enter 500 Days of Summer. Just when I thought that the first few scenes of boy-meets-girl cliché would wreak havoc, the nonlinear narrative is a rather quirky saving grace. Otherwise, it would have been 95 minutes of a humdrum familiarity. Refreshingly, 500 Days of Summer deviates the "she's just not that into you" trap and focuses rather on the male emotions in an unshameful way. Dreading that Marc Webb’s music video affinity (although the musical number was tastefully delivered) would turn the film into a completely shitty travesty, he gave us a fresh, almost avant-garde, perspective of a romantic comedy skipping the trivialities and overkill melodramatic scenes. And bravo to Joseph Gordon-Levitt (that adorable crooked smile!) and Zooey Deschanel for pulling off a semi-hippie couple having respective quirks in a post-sexual revolution milieu. By the way, what a killer soundtrack!

High School Clichés

An officemate watches it. An unsuspecting bus seatmate also does. So was my erstwhile significant other. It couldn’t be much more popular: Chico and Del are rabid fans. An ostentatious display of puffery, I muttered. That stubbornness soon waned upon hearing the delivery of their raves. Gleefully! Then it came to pass that curiosity killed the cat and I jumped on the bandwagon.

Targeting the mighty tween power (American Idol , anyone?), Glee chronicles a group of underdog high school students on their quest of fame and glory. Amidst of the unmistakable, formulaic plot, the usual suspects and clichés come forth. There is the talented geek whose rather “unconventional” face is a major laughingstock and the sole recipient of bully attacks. There is the popular jock who happens to be the jack of all trades (no pun intended!). And the bitchy, Barbie-beautiful tanned cheerleader. They all act out and, oh well, you know what’s in store: that cheesy, bland high school love triangle (eeww)!

To surreptitiously subside the clichés and to project it as an avant-garde, these underdog high school students can actually sing! From Amy Winehouse’s Rehab to Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing to Celine Dion’s Taking Chances, the music library is spectacularly diverse! The singing and the musical arrangements I do not have problems with; it’s the quick story development that encumbers the character progression and consequently, making an episode so stuffed.

Blame it on my discriminating eyes but the following really disturb me big time:

1) Why is so Finn’s tummy weirdly big that even the football outfit designed to conceal the unsightly fat fails to do the trick?

2) Why does Will’s facial expression become cringeworthy and go overboard (a cross of silliness and Broadway desperation) everytime he dances?

3) Why is Rachel pigeonholed as the ugly girl when she’s pretty enough to conquer Finn’s pre-ejaculation dilemma (the make-up team should make an extra effort to pull off the Ugly Betty’s look!)?

With so many stupid reality tv shows that inundate the small screens right now and teens preoccupied with their selfish and trivial problems, Glee seems to be an escapist form of an antidote. Rightfully so, “a biting comedy for the underdog in all of us.”

Happy Glee Watching!

The SuperBra Effect

Suddenly, Sandra Bullock is on the radar: two megahits this year (All About Steve, The Proposal) and an Oscar buzz brewing from her feisty performance in The Blind Side. “Based on the extraordinary true story,” Sandra plays Leigh Anne Tuohy who adopts a black boy helping him overcome the grittiness of poverty and be one of NFL’s big shots. Cinematically, the film is already inspiring with its heroic, almost run-of-the-mill, theme but Ms Bullock adds a stirring performance elevating it to greatness. Her finest acting since Crash, Sandra provides a performance suffused with wit and the verbal effrontery reminiscent of Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich. After 128 minutes, the issue is not moot: America’s Sweetheart CAN act. The real concern, though, is: can she reincarnate the fate of Ms Roberts? In a year where there is no clear frontrunner (Ms Mulligan seems to be losing her steam, Ms Streep and Ms Cotillard seem to be in a role confusion predicament, Ms Ronan may be too young for the Academy’s taste), Sandra’s inclusion in the nomination field (and winning) is a cinch. With a likeable personality and commercial viability, she is following the lead of Kate, Julia, Reese, Halle and Charlize (translation: actresses who look good on the red carpet). And with generous campaigning from Warner Brothers and a gazillion media exposure, Sandra might finally vindicate the critics that she is a force to be reckoned with. If the Academy can award Julia for her SuperBra, then my final verdict is: Sandra is in!

Saturation Point

First, you have to master the affected accent – an inevitable make-or-break rite of passage. Then you don that unmistakable airs and graces implying a sense of payroll superiority. Weeks of acclimatization, your substandard wardrobe has been overhauled, your gadgets upgraded. Your new fashion mantra: corporate chic. Months after, you have learned the art of effortless puffing and bottomless beer-drinking. After a year or two, your bank account has now ballooned to a hefty six-figure. Overwhelmingly, you start to ponder on an outside-the-monetary-realm satisfaction. Then staleness, redundancy and futility hit you. You are trapped in a terrible dog-eat-dog world and the last thing you beseech for is to break free.

And so I did. Bravely.

After almost three years of the reversal of my biological clock, a fair share of hefty paychecks, bouts of spur-of-the-moment hedonism, dozens of designer clothes, and two Convergys' Top Agent of the Quarter awards (kinareer ko sya!), I called it quits.

I am now working for an ISO-certified think-tank government organization. Quell it, this is your atypical government office. Read: think-tank! Although I’m still grappling the crux of kowtowing (not my cup of tea, really) and steering clear of scuttlebutt-ing, I smell victory in the future.

For the meantime, I’m turning my computer and the lights off. I’m having my afternoon siesta!

Rants and Raves

Best Pic? - Watching The Hurt Locker requires a great deal of heart and mind – it lets you think to grasp the emotions. To the uninitiated: this is not your average testosterone-fueled war film. Boldly, Kathryn Bigelow’s magnum opus debunks the clichés, predictability and psychology of a war film. Quite a daunting risk at hand, Ms Bigelow, nevertheless, crafted it spellbindingly with the moral subtleties accentuated seamlessly. Equally worthy of extolment is the main protagonist, Jeremy Renner (Sergeant First Class William James), who has shown us the marvels, the complexities, the danger, and the psychological burden of a bomb expert. He’s quite the unconventional hero but his strength and confidence are akin to that of a superhero. As of writing, The Hurt Locker is my favorite film of the year. Now, I’m eager to watch Precious, Nine, A Serious Man, and Up In The Air and see how they’ll fare. The Oscar race is officially on!



Adieu, Joaquin! - Unrequited love (my favorite emotional state) is the central theme of Two Lovers. Poignant and bleak, minus the big nosh-up of melodramatic scenes, the film begs the worn-out query: Whom to choose between the two? Quite a throwback to a European style, the film offers meticulous and grand performances by Joaquin Phoenix (did he intentionally gain weight for this movie?) and the lovely Gwyneth Paltrow (gosh, there isn’t a trace of aging on her face!). Sadly, this is Mr. Phoenix’s last film. The man is such a genius who can portray anything with incredible nuance and sensitivity and will be achingly missed. (In retrospect, he should have won an Oscar for Walk The Line.) The last time I heard, Joaquin is into rapping. God forbid! What are you thinking, Mr Phoenix? You can not be the next Jay-z! It’s a long shot for you, buddy! Come back to earth and just make great movies!



Dirty Pop - The musical headline of the year: Grammys goes pop! As Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas dominate the nominations, Grammys might finally redeem itself from the long-time hypocrisy and its anti-public sentiments. It’s still premature for a celebration, though, as some obscure songs/artists have penetrated that would be likely cherished by old voters. No wonder, the Grammys is yet to gain the amount of respect that the Oscars gets. So, will the Grannies, I mean Grammys go pop? Oh, one fine day, perhaps!

Kick-Ass Songs for December

Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down (Alicia Keys) - A hit after hits, Alicia Keys proves to be indomitable. Fresh from the monster hit Empire State of Mind (with Jay-z) and the critically-acclaimed Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart, Alicia’s new track Empire State of Mind Part II proves to be just as fierce and as luscious as the previous two. Though it is always an enormous risk to do a sequel on a previous hit, Alicia manages to provide an even more soulful melody, heartrending lyrics and a clever acoustic vibe. The offshoot: A track so gripping that is literally hair-raising. After listening to Empire State of Mind Part II, it has come to pass that: Alicia’s vocal growth has been glorious and for the critics calling Ms Keys’ lyrics to be generic, clichéd, and revolving around generalities, this song is a big slap to their faces!



All The Right Moves (OneRepublic) - When a singer writes a song for other artists, one fears that the singer’s musical authenticity loses. Thankfully, OneRepublic’s front man, Ryan Tedder, steers clear of that catch-22. All the Right Moves, from the band’s upcoming album Waking Up, is a testament of originality and genius that we have related to their smashing hit Apologize. As always, the song’s substance lies on its somewhat obscure but transfixing lyrics (Am I bright enough to shine in your spaces?/Between the noise you hear/And the sound you like/Are we just sinking in an ocean of faces?). Coupled with the seductive drum rolls and engrossing piano, you have a “recording lovingly structured by an expert at work.” All the Right Moves has all the flavors of a hit that makes someone anticipate more kick-ass songs from Waking Up.



Bad Romance (Lady Gaga) - Lady Gaga is such a polarizing figure: either you love her or hate her (sadly, there’s no straddling the fence). Such polarizing that her crazy antics had made her an omnipresent artiste and grabbed worldwide attention. The collective fear, though, was a matter of sustainability. But Lady Gaga vindicated all the naysayers of whether she’s a one-hit wonder with her new song Bad Romance. Talking about romantic entanglements, the song starts with the annoying repetition of words but redeems itself with the catchy verses (e.g., I want your psycho/Your vertigo stick) and the infectious chorus. Having the same bravura as Poker Face and Just Dance, Bad Romance is Lady Gaga’s best vocals ever and may put her out of the oblivion.

Happy World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day. Since 1981, the disease has afflicted millions of people all over the world. Everyday, at least 8,500 die from it. (I still hope that one day the collective geniuses of humanity would engender a cure for AIDS.) Personally, it couldn’t be any sadder: two of my closest friends have succumbed to the disease. It’s a terrible one and people are still ignorant about it. To some, it’s even a taboo (as if shunning from it helps resolve the issue). It’s high time the world has to talk openly and be educated about it. Ignorance begets discrimination. Consequently, victims’ lives get jeopardized. It’s an appalling vicious cycle. And we have to stop it!

Get educated and spread the message!