This is probably one of my most favorite movies of all time. As one friend put it, the film has an “atmospheric feel” to it. It is dark and foreboding and, ultimately, captivating. This is one of those movies that makes me wonder if making films is something that one can learn, or if it requires an inherent talent given only to those chosen few. Creating a masterpiece of a movie is not as easy as transferring an 8mm film to DVD. That much, I know.
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Reality is brutal and it will kill you, make no mistake about it, but our tales, our creatures and our heroes have a chance to live longer than any of us.
Guillermo Del Torro, writer and director, Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
I expected Pan’s Labyrinth to be a fantastic film and was not disappointed. What I did not expect is its frightening nature - the way it moves from reality to fantasy and back, leaving the audience at a loss as to which world is practically, if not definitively, better.
The movie was released in 2006, and was set against the historical backdrop of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The director was apparently influenced by many oral folk stories and written fairy tales that juxtapose blood and violence with beauty and enchantment. It is with these visions of the supernatural that he gave life to the private world of the main protagonist, the young Ofelia, as those around her were dealing with pain, political tension, and unrelenting violence.
As with any fairy tale, there is clear demarcation between good and evil, except perhaps for the mythical Faun, who is “by turns playful, complimentary, and fierce.” The creature that will guide Ofelia to the secrets of the labyrinth, he is neither good nor bad; “uncaring but neutral.” Ofelia’s stepfather, Captain Vidal, is the representation of the ultimate evil in man. Assured, cold, and remorseless, his retribution in the end is both deserved and unregrettable. Her mother, Carmen, has fallen victim to the damsel in distress plight, believing that the Captain is the answer to the loneliness that being alone for so long brought. And then there was Mercedes, the housekeeper and Ofelia’s confidante, who had to find the strength and courage she didn’t know she had, to save herself from the clutches of the enemy.
The labyrinth where Ofelia has taken refuge isn’t the fairy tale kingdom of many Disney movies. It is dark, grimy, and filled with scary creatures. But she’d take it, in exchange for the dark life outside she got caught in the middle of. Outside the labyrinth, the rebel forces are fighting the fascists whose leader’s twisted ideologies allow him to act with utmost brutality, relenting only when he fears for his unborn son, Ofelia’s brother. Meanwhile, the Faun gave her three tasks to complete in order to go back to their world (she was told she was a princess who tried to live with the mortals). She relished the adventure and was thoroughly immersed in the fantasy, despite the seeming dangers that lie before her. As the director succinctly put it, “I believe fairy tales are ultimately about two things: facing the dragon or climbing back to our world inside.”
This is not a film I would recommend for most children, but adults will be dazzled by its stunning visuals and taut storytelling. It is, after all, a story about the human condition, the many forms of love, and the ultimate sacrifice. This movie is now available on DVD. Be prepared to give your full attention - subtitles may come in handy; it is entirely in Spanish.
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Now this is one movie that I intend to have on DVD. I only rewatched it through online streaming, and even if I can download a copy the quality wouldn’t be as good as an actual film transfer. The original 8mm to DVD version, if this one was indeed in the 8-mm format, is something that I should get my hands on very soon. I’m itching for another rewatch.
There’s an ongoing sale at all Powerbooks branches that will last up until the end of August. I love Powerbooks sale because they always have everything up for grabs at 20% off - All regular items. I mean, you’ll be hard pressed to find stores that provide that kind of discount even during mall-wide sale. I guess part of the reason for that is that because it’s hard to lure customers into buying book these days, with all the economic downturns. Sometimes, I use online resources to find books, most of the time second-hand ones and other times at Amazon books. But then I realized I can also just wait for book sales such as this. Other bookstores also have such kind of promos over the year. You just have to be updated with the whens and wheres. For one, if you’re interested about such things, I suggest you subscribe to the stores’ online newsletters.
A friend I haven’t talked to in almost a seven years got my cellphone number and remarked that it’s amazing that I haven’t changed my number after all those years. I never really thought about it; I felt that having an extended service plan is the most natural thing to do with a post-paid account. Funny that a simple remark like that can lead into discussions about life in general and changes and all things constant. I guess overthinking things is one thing about me that will always remain the same.
I realized that if you watch your surroundings while travelling, you’ll get to see a lot of interesting things on the street. I did this yesterday while in a jeepney on my way to work. It’s not advisable to do it this way, however, because letting your mind fly while you’re in a public transport may cause you more troubles than you bargain for. Anyway, I didn’t see anything as remarkable in Philippine streets as mobile homes, perhaps, but here are a few observations:
(1) a dog lying (sleeping? dead?) face down, all limbs askew, in the middle of a busy street
(2) an old lady carrying a broken black umbrella, reading a newpaper while slumped on the sidewalk
(3) a young lady with a mole exactly like mine walking toward the opposite direction, on my side of the jeepney
(4) a pair of lovers saying their goodbyes
(5) a man frantically giving directions to a toddler (his?) trapped inside their car
I’m sure a lot other things happen in the sidelines, well beyond my perspective. People live their lives as you try to go through yours.
Ok, it’s almost September. It’s almost the start of the new season of Fringe. I’m so excited!
Here’s the promo trailer
The first time I watched this series, I was a bit resistant because it was hyped as the new “X-Files”, and to me there cannot be another X-Files. There can be no other Fox Mulder or Dana Scully. It also took me a while to realize that it is indeed inspired by The X-Files (which was inspired by other earlier shows as well), but Fringe is no copycat. It is an entirely different series, and coming from JJ Abrams, you can expect flashy scenes and tons of mind-bending details in this sci-fi adventure that’s turning out to be a really big hit. Now, Joshua Jackson’s Peter Bishop is not even trying to channel Mulder because he’s no FBI agent. Anna Torv’s Special Agent Olivia Dunham, another woman on TV who doesn’t need apidexin (all her running and jumping around , while waving her gun, must be enough workout already), may be as strong minded and tough as Dana Scully, but she’s no medical doctor. A relationship between these two may be in the works, but their dynamic is made more interesting by their relationship to Peter’s father, the eccentric but brilliant scientist, and quite hilarious without meaning to, Walter Bishop. This is the stuff good TV is made of.
I must say Wanted is one movie worth watching just for the fun of it. It was cool, wicked fun, and I’m not even one who usually line up for action flicks. I’m not sure if it’s fair for me to say that the movie has no substance whatsoever. I enjoyed the movie, although a few hours after watching, there’s nothing much to look back and get excited about anymore. Wanted is all action; it’s about the adrenaline rush, the Matrix-like scenarios, the impossible stunts; it’s about guns and knives, fast cars and trains; it’s about people beating each other up and killing in cold blood. The car-chase scenario at the beginning of the film is so improbable, as most of the stunts are, but it gets you to think that no matter how shiny and expensive those cars are, you won’t need to adorn them of anything, not pontiac accessories, not lexus accessories, and not even mitsubishi accessories. More than anything else, Wanted is about Angelina Jolie. I do like James McAvoy (loved him in Becoming Jane, liked him in Atonement) and he was a good fit for the character Wesley. Morgan Freeman is, well, Morgan Freeman. But it is Angelina Jolie who lights up the screen. She gives us another kick-ass heroine that is as believable as the choreographed fight scenes. But no matter how underdeveloped the character is (which doesn’t really matter because of the film’s very simple plot), you’ll pine for her. When I watched this film last year at the cinema, I swear I heard more than a few swoons when in one scene, the camera pans to Fox (Jolie) giving out an amused, condescending smile, head tilted and body all poised and confident. It is a testament to Jolie’s star power that in this film where anybody can die as fast as you can swat a fly, Fox cannot be killed, unless it’s by her own hands. I think people don’t really expect substance from this movie. But if you’re looking for some mindless fun, then watch it and enjoy the ride.
I haven’t been playing badminton lately and I don’t have any other outside-of-work activities that I’m feeling that my bones are getting brittle and my weight has been adding up a lot again. I can’t wait to go back to the gym so I can feel energized and active again. I really need to do at least some stretching exercises because being physically inactive is really not a good idea for someone like me who is prone to high blood pressure. I immediately feel the effects of gaining some weight that way. I know that it is also bad for the heart, so I really need to gather my strength soon. Then after that, maybe one of these days, I’m going to have a massage or go to a spa just to treat myself. Well, I’m sure the gym I used to go to has spa filters so that would be enough. I should go tomorrow.
Dear Jeremy,
In the last few days I’ve been learning not to trust people. And I’m glad I failed. Sometimes we depend on other people’s mirror to define ourselves and tell us who we are. Each reflection makes me like myself a little more.
Elizabeth
From My Blueberry Nights
I always read about that - using other people’s mirror to define you; looking at life through their lens. I think I now understand what that means. For a long time, I walked everywhere with my head down just because I don’t want to attract attention, which, ironically, is what turned heads in my direction, and not in a good way. While my classmates in school were busy campaigning for the student council, waving vinyl banners with their names in huge, bold letters, I was busy looking on and thinking that’s not something I can do myself. Not that that opinion changed as I grew older. I was raised to be a pacifist, and there are parts of that upbringing you do not outgrow. I looked at car magnets that announce somebody’s profession or place of study, and I never thought them tacky. Sometimes I get the feeling that I now wake up everyday a little less kinder, a little less tolerant of such things as too much display of self-importance. I guess you can say I’m losing my sense of humor as I allow such thoughts to consume me. That’s why I’m writing this down, so I don’t forget. So I don’t forget that people are different and I don’t want to live in a world filled only with people like myself, anyway. Because, now, that would be such a dud.
Roger, you’re my favorite and all but that big RF logo is something your detractors hate so much. What the heck, you look very good, though.
Now, what you’ll see below, I give credit to the folks at tennisforum.com (sorry, I wasn’t able to get the handle of the person who created the thought bubbles). This scene happened at a Wimbledon match between tennis’ rising stars Sabine Lisicki and Caroline Wozniacki (facing the camera in the photos below). I saw the match and my head hurt trying to distinguish between the two ladies. They both wore the same Adidas outfit, had their hair in braid, and wore the same visor. But what made this match controversial is the scene you’ll see below:
[for some reason, .gifs do not show here so click on the above broken image to see “The Bump”]
What do you call that? Ah, bitch fight! I really can’t tell who’s in the wrong here - who’s not looking where she’s going- but those captions made the whole thing so hilarious.
Just because I was quoted, twice, by someone dear to me who is getting married soon, and because of my last post, I’d like to remember one of my very first articles here at i.ph. Those were the days when I was eager to write down more personal thoughts and tidbits. This blog has become a smorgasbord of useless trivias, and although that was how I intended it to be, I kind of miss writing about real-life stuff. Maybe one of these days, for a change.
Here’s something about my thoughts on being single. My thoughts two years ago, to be specific.
