... In Jupiter's World

CARS

At first, I have doubts that “Cars” can surpass the success of “Finding Nemo” but now, after watching the film, I was moved and amazed on how these PIXAR people made such excellent films that bring not just entertainment but “classic” values which we all sometime forget.

It is a story of a rookie car, named Lightning McQueen, trying to hit it big in the Piston Cup. Due to his arrogance, he could have won the piston cup; however, it ended to a 3 way tie and the champion ship match of these 3 cars will be held in California. Disgusted with McQueen’s attitude, most of his racing crew left him except Mack. Lightning is so discontented of how his career is heading. He is sponsored with a company that caters to rusty cars and uses only stickers for his headlights. His manager doesn’t care what he does and most of all no real friends to hang-out with. He aims to win the Piston Cup to get a better sponsor, good breaks and unlimited luxury that ever car dreamed of until an accident happened. He got lost and stacked in Radiator Springs. Unfortunately he had to stay until the road he destroyed is rebuilt. He tried many antics to escape but he under estimate the cars in Radiator Springs especially Doc Hudson. Doc decided to have a race between him and Lightning and you guessed it right… Lightning lost not because of his speed but because of his arrogance again. As the days progressed and the road is being done, Lightning never expected to discover the stories from good cars that lived there, the real story Radiator Springs and a love interest named Sally Carrera. The road now was done and Lightning is becoming attached to the cars in Radiator Springs. One night reports piled up in the town looking for Lightning, thanks for the tip which I won’t disclose, and forced to continue the championship match. Will he win the Piston Cup? Watch it and find out…

For my review, the film really made my P150 worth it. The film is entertaining and full of positive values. I won’t go into details so that you would enjoy the film. Kudos!!! PIXAR and Walt Disney for bringing again another classic 3D animation.

Just like X-men 3… wait for the credits and also make sure you go to the cinema ahead of time to watch a short film made by pixar titled “One Man Band”.

X-Men 3: The Last Stand

Sitti is in the City

I don’t know if you have heard of this new CD but now that I have heard it, it would be one of the CDs I would like to listen especially when I want to be alone. This compilation is a mix soulful sound of the Caribbean with a twist of sexy vocal versions of some familiar songs. I personally loved “Girl from Ipanema” and “Fly me to the Moon”. At first, I thought that this CD is done by an international artist but I was amazed that it is our local artist. Napansin ko kasi yung last song “para sa akin”. She is far better than Kitchie because of the complexities of singing these songs on a different rhythm. Her songs are not the power belters that we often now accustomed to hear and considered “great” songs. Her rhythm is very simple yet classy. The CD itself is perfect background if you’re with someone special and having an intimate date… a real intimate date ha… Here are the tracks of the said CD:

1.   Girl From Ipanema
2.   Tattoed On My Mind
3.   At 17
4.   Hey Look At The Sun
5.   I Didn't Know I Was Looking For Love
6.   Invisible War
7.   One Note Samba
8.   Soft Melody
9.   You On My Mind
10.   Lost In Space
11.   Lady Wants To Know
12.   Close To You/Half A Minute
13.   Samba Song
14.   Bridges
15.   Mas Que Nada
16.   Wave
17.   Fly Me To The Moon
18.   Para Sa Akin

If you like Bossa Novian music you should miss this CD. I just hope that this CD wouldn’t be re-packaged.

And the Oscar goes to…

It’s the moment of truth… Oscars… a gathering of the finest film makers, actors, directors and  basically everyone who are essentially involved in doing great films for all of us. With out any further ado… here are the winners…

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
George Clooney
SYRIANA

Achievement in Visual Effects

KING KONG
Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul, Christian Rivers and Richard Taylor

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

WALLACE & GROMIT IN THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT
Nick Park and Steve Box

Best Live Action Short Film

SIX SHOOTER
Martin McDonagh

Best Animated Short Film

THE MOON AND THE SON: AN IMAGINED CONVERSATION
John Canemaker and Peggy Stern

Achievement in Costume Design

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
Colleen Atwood

Achievement in Makeup

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
Howard Berger and Tami Lane

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Rachel Weisz
THE CONSTANT GARDENER

Best Documentary Short Subject

A NOTE OF TRIUMPH: THE GOLDEN AGE OF NORMAN CORWIN
Corinne Marrinan and Eric Simonson

Best Documentary Feature

MARCH OF THE PENGUINS
Luc Jacquet and Yves Darondeau

Achievement in Art Direction

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
John Myhre (Art Direction); Gretchen Rau (Set Decoration)

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Gustavo Santaolalla

Achievement in Sound Mixing

KING KONG
Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges and Hammond Peek

Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song)

"IT'S HARD OUT HERE FOR A PIMP" FROM HUSTLE & FLOW
Music and Lyric by Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman and Paul Beauregard

Achievement in Sound Editing

KING KONG
Mike Hopkins and Ethan Van der Ryn

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

TSOTSI
South Africa

Achievement in Film Editing

CRASH
Hughes Winborne

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Philip Seymour Hoffman
CAPOTE

Achievement in Cinematography

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
Dion Beebe

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Reese Witherspoon
WALK THE LINE

Adapted Screenplay

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana

Original Screenplay

CRASH
Screenplay by Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco; Story by Paul Haggis

Achievement in Directing

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Ang Lee

Best Motion Picture of the Year

CRASH
Paul Haggis and Cathy Schulman 

I’m sorry if I didn’t be able to update my blog since I had a very 2 weeks…

I started doing workshops for my future endeavor as a film director someday but I would want to focus on computer animation. I’m preparing for it. It would be on May and hopefully I would be able to do my first experimental film within the year.

I’m also part of J-POP. It’s the theme of the annual Japanese Film Fest called Eiga Sai. These simply mean Popular Japanese. The films presented are more on the Japanese Teens and the situations that they are experiencing. Most of the films presented can very similar on what Filipino teens also experience. Try to catch their schedules these march @ CCP.

http://www.jfmo.org.ph/events_e.htm

I recommend the films Waterboys and Memories of love.

Also I’m training with 3 other colleagues with Lucas Peterson about an in-depth analysis on VoIP technology particularly Sipura and Linksys VoIP devices. It runs from Feb 19 to March 4, 2006. So I try to cop up in the morning about the latest films out there and attend my training at 1PM. At least it ended now but the worst is not yet over since I’m going to support now advance VoIP configurations and SysLogs. Well hopefully it would be new venture to improve my technical knowledge and I guess drive my brains just a little bit.

Watch out as well the Oscars on March 5 PT or that’s March 6 for us here in the Philippines. Who would win the golden Oscar statue?

Japsi out… 4 now... ('o')

Before my birthday, I attended my 10th year homecoming. My friend, who is the rector of the school, discussed my nickname with a Japanese historian / Salesian. He mentioned that Japok (ja-pok) is the American slang for “Japanese products” in the year 1960’s. Americans characterize the Japanese products as low class. As years progress these so called “ja-poks” were developed and now globally competitive in fact these products are leading in advance technology, agricultural products and innovative items.

Knowing this I am experiencing a new evolution in my character and perspective in life. I know my life now seemed to be ordinary… low class … or even forgettable for some people I met… but I know deep in my bones that I’ll soon reach my goals and dreams… I just need to be focused and really be determined to sweet taste of contentment.

With this, I try to analyze my life… its direction… I’m not really sure… but this is for sure… I’m happy so far… but I’ll be happiest if I move already my first step of my grand plan for my life… I need more competence first… I’d really try to study this summer…

Now I have reached my 27th birthday… I’m back to basics… no fuss… no colors… just black and white… simple… focused… and a more determined individual head on.

   Little Manhattan  

“Nothing's as big as your first love” that is the tag line you would realize after watching this film. At first I though it was just a cheesy film but after watching it I can consider this as one of my must have DVD collections… pirated of course… unless if there is 2 disc edition.

The story begins with Gabe re-laying us the description of how he grew up, his friends and his love interest Rosemary. They’re kinder garden friends turned karate buddies. Gabe and Rosemary quickly turned into good buddies due to their frequent practices together. Gabe’s family is on the edge of divorce and he is having a difficult time with his father seeing his mother dating someone while on the same house. They even put names on the food placed in the refrigerator and no one is allowed to share. Gabe and Rosemary decided also to look for an appropriate apartment for his father. In this adventure, Gabe discovered that Rosemary’s going to spend 6 weeks at camp and after that she will transfer from public to private school. He realized with her busy schedule, he may not be able to say his feelings. At first he is still hesitant but with circumstances that embark them, would Gabe really have the approval of Rosemary? Watch the film and find out if “if the first love is really big”…. Hehehe.

A perfect love movie to watch this Lov-a-palooza month… I too can’t help to bring back that nostalgic moment of my childhood love… My first love also left me and went to US to continue her studies. We’re childhood buddies and both of our parents are always betting that we are most likely to marry… My buddies that watched with me can’t help saying praises for the film. The innocence and the lessons of the film are the crowning glory of the film. The ending is really an uplifting feeling of love and as if you want to find the same love after watching it. If you haven’t watch it, bring with you you’re special someone and spend a pre-valentine experience.

Have fun and advance Happy Heart’s Day!

Jupiter Star Power Rating:

   Anniversary Turned Tragedy

(Coined from GMA News) 

Hell broke loose without warning.

At least 79 people were reported killed as of posting time while 208 others were injured after a stampede at Philsport stadium (formerly ULTRA) in Pasig City early morning Saturday.

Authorities told GMA News the tragedy erupted after security personnel started to let the people inside the stadium.

Thousands of people were waiting since Thursday to have the opportunity to attend the first anniversary of the noontime television show Wowowee.

When the crowd realized that there was movement near the gate people at the back started pushing and later broke the lines. The crowd began to shove, push and trample those who fell on the ground.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the incident happened between 6 a.m. to 7 a.m.

The ground near the Philsport entrance is an incline so when people in front fell the others followed like domino pieces.

The fatalities, most of whom were old women, were taken to various hospitals and funeral homes.

A four-year old girl identified as Julian Elaine Allucod was among the fatalities.

An estimated 40,000 people gathered outside the stadium waiting to attend the first anniversary celebration of Wowowee, a variety show of ABS-CBN Network, Inc.

In a statement, the ABS-CBN management said it "deeply regrets the very unfortunate incident that happened at the Ultra as thousands of people flocked to watch the first anniversary celebration of Wowowee."

“We sympathize with the families and loved ones of the victims and grieve over the loss of lives Management assures the public that it will do everything it can to provide assistance and support to those affected," the statement read.

Rescue workers had a hard time taking away victims because of the crowd.

--- On a more personal note, I deeply want to express my condolences to all the families that were victimized by this. As what I heard, there are people that shouted that there is a bomb that’s why the people rushed out that created a massive stampede. The irresponsibility of those people is beyond words. I can’t imagine who would do such a horrific action. I certainly wish that the people involved can recover from this tragic loss of their loved ones. Let us extend our prayers and support for those families.