first off... no kate vs. kate! not even a back-to-back lead-supporting nomination! and, she got nominated here for The Reader, not her much-buzzed about and golden globe winning lead performance in Revolutionary Road ! bam-bam-BAM! talk about breaking expectations.
best supporting actress: - amy adams, Doubt - penelope cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona - viola davis, Doubt - taraji p. henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - marisa tomei, The Wrestler
what makes the kate snub in the supporting actress category bearable is Taraji Henson's nomination, who i've been hearing was very good in the movie.
best actress: - anne hathaway, Rachel Getting Married' - angelina jolie, Changeling - melissa leo, Frozen River - meryl streep, Doubt - kate winslet, The Reader
a kinda surprise nomination for Melissa Leo ( she got a SAG nomination )... indie-watchers are happy. Angelina's there as expected... but i wish they had snubbed her and put in another Kate nomination instead.
best supporting actor: - josh brolin, Milk - robert downey jr., Tropic Thunder - philip seymour hoffman, Doubt - heath ledger, The Dark Knight - michael shannon, Revolutionary Road
no Ralph Fiennes (The Duchess) and no Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder). instead, we get Michael Shannon, which is a good surprise. it's Heath Ledger's to lose, but i'm secretly hoping for a Robert Downey upset.
best actor: - richard jenkins, The Visitor - frank langella, Frost/Nixon - sean penn, Milk - brad pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - mickey rourke, The Wrestler
the best actor list is an exact copy of the SAG nominations. too bad though, 'cuz no Leo! ugh, not again. and as much as she love love loves him, i'm thinking Kate Winslet's becoming Leonardo di Caprio's jinx. argh. well Revolutionary Road doesn't seem to be getting much love from the academy... no Sam Mendes in the best director race as well!
best director: - david fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - ron howard, Frost/Nixon - gus van sant, Milk - stephen daldry, The Reader - danny boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
they are, however, feeling Milk a lot. ( happy ang mga sis! ) Van Sant ftw! it's listed in all the major categories, including...
best picture: - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Frost/Nixon - Milk - The Reader - Slumdog Millionaire
so now, suddenly it's a frontrunner... or maybe a second-tier frontrunner, because it's still Benjamin Button clearly out in front getting 13 nominations this year. that's one short of the record 14 nominations held by Titanic and All About Eve. and no Dark Knight nomination for best picture... insert: outraged fanboys everywhere.
in other categories, Wall-E got a lot of love garnering 6 nods, tying the most number of nominations an animated feature has gotten. ( the other one was Beauty and the Beast ) it's up against Kung Fu Panda and Bolt for best animated film. and speaking of Bolt, MIley Cyrus got snubbed together with Bruce Springsteen for best song. weird, as there are only three nominations in the category, two of them from Slumdog Millionaire.
(for the complete list of Oscar nominations, i'm sure na-google niyo na yun.)
it's getting exciting and i think i need to catch up on my viewing, so i'd appreciate the ceremonies better come 2/22. for that, peram peram ng dibidi! at quiapo na 'to! pasintabi lang muna sa OMB. next month na lang kayo mang-raid, ha? please?
ayus.
ETA: from the Sucks board regarding the whole kate disaster, which honestly makes me scared for her chances of finally winning an oscar. i'm quoting poster carboys desire here...
"The TODAY show just explained it. Apparently the academy voters are allowed to over-rule the campaign pushing her for a Best Supporting Actress award for The Reader and they voted for her as Best Actress.
The Academy has a rule that says that an actor or actress CAN NOT be nominated TWICE in the same category.
The expert said that it is VERY possible that Kate got enough votes to be nominated for BOTH The Reader AND Revolutionary Road but because of the rule, she only gets one nomination--for the one she got first (whatever that means).
The dude said he thinks this helps her cause because voters who loved her in BOTH movies will want to award her whether it's for either movie."
NO i didn't wish for it. but i kinda saw it coming.. three times to be exact. during the past three months.. i lost the phone thrice already, just i was able to recover it every time. this time's different though as i believe i've been 'Sparrow-ed' (you know like in that movie with the gang of pickpockets) as i was getting off the bus last night. oh well, times are hard i guess.
SO THERE.. i'll be in a different dimension 'til i decide to get a new one. so if you want me, need me or have something to say me... feel free to email me, visit me, or channel me through telepathy.
OR text me at 09102202616, temporarily. that's my dad's number that i'll be borrowing in the meantime, so sanitize! haha.
eta: sabi sa Goin' Bulilit mag-ingat daw ako sa bus. aba, aba.
LOVIN' Top Chef... love love love it. some of the best hours of reality TV -- and TV in general -- i've seen! good thing i have a two-and-a-half season backlog that i'm marathon-ing away. i'm in the middle of season four right now... tired and sleepy, but i just can't stop. season three's the best for me so far but all the others are also really strong. nice!
it's best watching it with food as well. haha. duh. great for my new year's gain weight program.
and how about coming out of my multiply hibernation for that. yeah.
and oh... a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!
ETA: i hate Lisa! argh. halo-halo FTW! pinoy pride.
no secret, i was totally addicted to this song when it first came out. i mean it's Fiddy with Justin and Timbo! masterpiece to my ears. it was strong, it was catchy and the beat was blazin'. (seriously, i loved it)
fast forward to a year later... we have here Milow, belgian singer-songwriter, covering the track and giving it a different spin. you listen to his version and you'd think it's a completely different song. well actually... it IS a completely different song now, all stripped-down and acoustic. and it works! as much as, if not better than, the original. and the song + the lyrics take on a whole new meaning as it's sung by Milow. it's... creepier? haha. but i love this.
i've been unbelievably and uncharacteristically busy with work lately. how about getting home at 7am then leaving again for work at 10am? even i'm surprised i'm handling this.
Happy to announce that #cafe was chosen to be part of Dekada Cinemanila... the 10th Cinemanila International Film Festival. It will be showcased in the Exhibition section of the Young Cinema Night. =) The line-up's as follows...
- #cafe by Leo Valencia - Bulong by Pedro Valdes - Pass by Vicente Garcia Groyon - Walong Linggo by Ana Isabelle Matutina - Trails of Water by Sheron Dayoc - Pagtakas sa Kawalan by Richard Legaspi
The screening will be on Oct. 25 (Saturday), 7PM at the Gateway Cineplex 10. Hope you guys could come watch.
Also, a friend made it to the competition section -- Tumbang Preso by Antoinette Jadaone. It's in the company of the following films...
- Amihan by Joanna Vasquez Arong - Bunot by Ivy Universe Baldoza - Esbat by Carlo Obispo - Frou Frou: Shh... Wag Mo Sabihin Kay Itay by Michael Juat - Inday Wanda by Nelson Caliguia - Kalawang na Ginto by Vic Acedillo Jr. - Kamera by Mikhail Red - Surreal Random MMS Texts Para Ed Ina, Agui, Tan Kaamong Ya Makaiiliw Ed Sika: Gurgurlis Ed Banua by Christopher Gozum - Tumbang Preso by Antoinette Jadaone - Undertakers by Emmanuel Palo
Their screening will be on the 18th (Saturday), also at 7PM.
Also 2x, kuya Rommel Sales' documentary TXT B4 Marriage is competing in the Documentary section. Look out for it was well!
Lots of great films this year at the Cinemanila. See you guys there!
woohoo... one of the best new releases this year so far. great first singles... "We Cry" and "The Man Who Can't Be Moved". first heard them on the radio and i readily dismissed them initially as another run-of-the-mill emo band. but well, i lunched on my words not long after when i actually tried to listen to their songs. also got (meaning: downloaded) their new album and there was no disappointment there whatsoever. they are expected to be the next great Irish exports after U2, The Cranberries and I dunno... The Corrs? major stuff! their upcoming third single "Breakeven" is my favorite. i won't hype too much anymore... just listen.
here's the video for "The Man Who Can't Be Moved". amazing song...
and the video for "We Cry"... thought at first listen this was from some rap/hip-hop group featuring India.Arie. haha.
Yay! My short film #cafe was chosen as one of the finalists for .MOV Silvershorts this year. Hehe. Coolness! It's in the open category with 9 other films, which includes the multi-award winning Ambulancia by Richard Legaspi, Cinemalaya winner Andong by Milo Tolentino, and my good friend Tonet's Saling Pusa.
The festival starts in Manila on Sept. 30 and runs until Oct.7, at Indiesine-Robinson's Galleria. It's ongoing right now in Iloilo.
Guys, if you have time... nood kayo ng screenings. Tara! Sige na. Hehe. Eto schedule:
SEPT 30 - TUES:
06:00 PM > Opening Night - with DJ Diego Mapa, Diego Castillo - hosted by Ony Carcamo
07:30 PM > Film Concert - featuring The Silent Shorts of Tahimik, Lee & Diaz - music by The Brockas
OCT 01 - WED:
12:30 NN > Digital Dekalogo: 10x10 - Re-Defining Video by Kyle Canterbury - Silvershorts: June 9 / Tiangge
02:00 PM > Digital Dekalogo: 10x10 - Walk Into the Sea: Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory by Esther Robinson - Silvershorts: Ultra / Andong
04:00 PM > Silvershorts - Open 1: #cafe / Ambulancia / Ampo / Libingan / The Prayer
07:00 PM > Film Concert - Genghis Khan by Manuel Conde & Lou Salvador - Music: Pedicab
09:00 pm > Silvershorts - Open 2: Andong / Nekro / Saling Pusa / Tiangge / VTR
10:30 pm > Digital Dekalogo: 10x10 - En La Cama by Matias Bize
OCT 02 - THURS:
12:30 NN > Digital Dekalogo: 10x10 - Cinnamon by Kevin Everson - Silvershorts: Papelove / Libingan
02:00 PM > Retrospective - Video Palaro 1 by Kidlat Tahimik - Silvershorts: Anomi / #cafe
04:00 PM > Premiere - Musikadong / Green Rocking Chair by Roxlee - Silvershorts: Pisi / The Prayer
07:00 PM > Film Concert - Sandata at Pangako starring FPJ, by Tony Santos Sr. - Music: Cynthia Alexander
09:00 PM > Digital Dekalogo: 10x10 - Kurus: Days of the Turquoise Sky by Woo Ming Jin - Silvershorts: 123 / Nekro
OCT 03 - FRI:
12:30 NN > Retrospective - Batumbuhay / Haus of Sing by Roxlee - Silvershorts: Publico Macata / Saling Pusa
it's the day after Mimay's super-mega-ultimate send-off party and i'm still high on the toogs-toogs beybeh. i'm still trying to shake it off my head 'til now (and goodness knows i got too much toogs than my head could handle) and these tracks ain't helping much.
---
"That's Not My Name" by The Ting Tings
I tried to resist this one at first because I initially found it too cheesy and well... campy, but i eventually gave in. I guess when it's catchy, it's catchy. The hook is way insane and the beat is just solid.
"Magic (Remix)" by Robin Thicke feat. Mary J. Blige
Love this song. It's ridiculously infectious! Love this remixed version more... Mary J. Blige brings so much more 'oomph' into it.
"We Break the Dawn, Pt. 2" by Michelle Williams feat. Flo Rida
The original version of the song is impressive enough already, but this 'part 2' just takes it to a whole 'nother level. It features a heavier beat and is actually a lot easier to get into.
"Disturbia" by Rihanna
Like her or hate her, she's here and she's reigning queen. She's yet to make a wrong move this era and she's milking it like noone before. I don't think anyone in recent times has had this much longevity in just one album. Disturbia is already her 7th single and another one is coming up soon.
"Booty Music" by Git Fresh
Kinda reminiscent of Low on first listen, it's one of those tracks best enjoyed with your friends, inside a car, on the road. I think. Hehe.
"Pose" by Daddy Yankee
The beat is dope! (sorry that's me tryin to be street) It's from the same guy that brought as the quintessential dance hit Gasolina. Dude sure knows how to make people get up and dance.
Okay... i'm still on the fence here over-all whether i like the local version of Survivor or not. Part of me appreciates the effort, but as a fan, it's disappointing and very frustrating to see the show being reduced to this crapfest. The premiere sucked, the challenges sucked, the tribal council majorly sucked. It sucks! Whaddyaknow, i'm not undecided after all.
And oh, the most fundamental suckage of all... the cast. Geezers! I hate almost all of the men... and almost all of the women have no personalities whatsoever. (save for Patani and the already voted-off Chev) So where does that leave me? Oh i know, Pinoy Fear Factor. (goodness, i hope that show doesn't suck)
Let's start from the very beginning... the premiere... which sucked. It had the potential to be a really good opening, really. With all the fishing boats, the aerial shots, and most of all the surprise-the-game-starts-now-with-only-the-clothes-on-your-backs-twist (a la Survivor: Pearl Islands). But all that faded instantly as soon as Paolo Bediones spoke. Not because he's a bad host, no. Just that the way the whole surprise-the-game-starts-now-twist was handled was really really bad. There was no excitement, no sense of urgency, no nothing. Not even any notable genuine reaction from any of the castaways that i remember. Well can you blame them? When they were being addressed, the host was like twenty meters away shouting at them from another friggin' boat! Poor castaways probably couldn't even make out a word he was saying.
Next thing they know, they were given 30 seconds to jump off the boat. 30 seconds. And our lovely host actually counts it down... 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25... 4, 3 , 2, 1. Really? What is this, an Eraserheads concert? What's worse is his narration throughout the scene where the castaways were swimming to shore, as if he's omniscient or something. The castaways were in the middle of the friggin' sea. Where are you? Floating above? How do you see everyone? Then as the first castaway got to the beach, oh what do ya know... we see our debonaire host! He's that omnipresent.
See that's just the first 10 minutes and I have a whole diary full of complaints. Forgive me, i'm a fan. And mind you, I've seen the whole first week so I probably have enough material to fill a book. Oh don't get me started on the challenges, the narrative, the editing, the tribal council... oooo my fingers are shakin'! And please, let's praise the musical scorer for his innate ability of making a friggin' Survivor challenge snooze-inducing.
[breathes]
Sorry. I didn't mean to be mean. Please don't vote me out. I'm sorry. Let's vote him out instead... he's rich.
director: Antoinette Jadaone cinematographer: Hermann Claravall editor/colorist: Leo Valencia production designer: Astrid Alvarez production manager/assistant director: Marj Darunday staff: Redge Valenzuela, Mimay Maog actor: Mae Ramos
Ely, Buddy, Marcus, Raimund -- they are legends, no less. and they proved that tonight without much effort. the four of them up on stage with just their music is more than enough. as my friend Tonet put it, it was "surreal".
i just got home from the concert and wow, what a night it was. got there at around three and immediately lined up for our VIP tags courtesy of Chino/Raimund/Jazz/Sony-BMG (thank you!). and then we got in and eagerly anticipated the magic minute to finally come. i was with Tonet, Marj and Van. we were inside around 5pm i think and just sat there and talked. and then it was eight-pm. and nothing was happenning yet... until the countdown started, a 10-minute countdown. it was perfect. best.countdown.ever. haha.
5-4-3-2-1... and then the montage, and then... a familiar riff. it was Alapaap. shivers man. and then the stage lit up and there they were, one band again.
May isang umaga, na tayo'y magsasama Haya at halina sa alapaap O, anong sarap... haaa...
yeh. it was the best. quite a definitive moment. it's the first time i saw them performing together, ever. and it's in this grandest of venues. taena, napasa-alapaap talaga ako.
and then they went on to sing one Eraserheads classic after another... wow. and the one song i've been dying to hear them do in the concert, they got to perform -- Sembreak. and i was happy. tapos Kailan, tapos Kama Supra, tapos With A Smile, tapos Fruitcake (merry christmas!), tapos Hey Jay, tapos Toyang, tapos Kaliwete, tapos Huwag Kang Matakot, tapos Shake Yer Head, tapos Light Years, tapos Ligaya, tapos Harana, tapos meron pa ba? haha. parang may nakalimutan ako. ah alam ko na, Huwag Mo Nang Itanong.
too bad the night had to be cut short, for very understandable reasons. Ely had to be rushed to the hospital because the "emotional and physical stress" that he's been experiencing has, i guess, become too much already. if you haven't heard yet, Ely's mom just died last week so you could imagine how hard it must have been for him to go on with the concert. but he pushed on with it nevertheless. and i just have so much admiration for him for that, as well as for the rest of the band. nung end ng first set, kita mo na medyo pagod na siya tsaka medyo nahihirapan pero tuluy-tuloy lang siya.
kaya salamat. salamat pa rin. salamat sobra. i hope the band knows how much their fans appreciated the show. and i'm sure we're all just one in hoping that Ely get better soon. and i love the Eraserheads. at salamat salamat SALAMAT sa inyo at sa inyong mga kanta.
sana in the future may "isa pa". ituloy natin 'to! haha. pero ngayon, magpakasawa muna tayo sa mga videos at recordings from the concert, i'm sure marami yan.
