I’m still purging my files, found this, and found that. Found Wall-E! though this is not old. Wall-E was shown in theaters June of this year, and we were not able to catch it on the big screen, husband got a copy and we watched it at home. I am fond of Wall-E. It was like Charlie Choplin animated and futuristic. My son was able to behave himself and remained seated all throughout the movie. I even got him the toy, but he’s not quite interested with it like how attentive he was to the film.

In a scary future, when human beings had to leave Earth for a safer and cleaner space, Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load-Lifter Earth-Class), a robot designed to tidy up the forsaken planet, was left on his own with only a pet cockroach to keep him company. For centuries of perpetuated activation, he got the ability of a sentience. He collects gadgets-and-gizmos, and he loves to watch an old video of the movie musical Hello, Dolly! Also he was to learn about human emotions including love.

Until one day, Eve (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator), a reconnaissance robot, was sent to Earth to find proof that it could sustain life once again. Wall-E fell inlove with Eve. He showed her a plant he had recently found among the trash. With Eve’s directives to find life, she took the plant inside her, automatically she shut-down, and her ship came back to fetch her. Found love and wouldn’t want to let go, Wall-E followed Eve.

Then, the adventure began, Wall-E and Eve, and some other robots, helped the Captain seize back the ship of human beings from the mutineer Auto. And the ship wheeled back to Earth, carrying the humans who inhabited the ship in outer-space for centuries.

And there was a happy-ever-after ending, when Eve kissed Wall-E, and he was revived after being hurt and severely broken by the antagonist Auto.

Lesson from the story? We have to seriously take good care of Earth. Start now in your very own homes, recycle, practice proper waste disposal, and teach your children to conserve and preserve valuable things, such as water and food. Also, there’s looking after our health, proper nutrition and exercise. Imagine getting so fat and slow like the humans in the movie. I would probably die of Asthma in no time. And then there’s love. Love and survival, and having a positive outlook in everything.

I just realized that it’s already mid-week and I lie idle. Last weekend was busy for us at home with my Daniel, work and house chores. Also my sister-in-law’s coming home for an early Christmas vacation. Husband had a busy schedule but we managed to squeeze in Madagascar II. After all, the last movie all three of us watch together in the big screen was the Kung Fu Panda.

Our Daniel was screaming with excitement when he saw Alex and the rest of the gang of zoo animals. The animals; were excited too as they board the make-shift plane to fly them back home to the New York Zoo.

The story’s twist and turn began when the plane crashed in the Middle of Africa. Blame it or not to the crazy penguins. Also aboard the plane were the British Chimps, Lemur King Julian and his sidekick Maurice.

Alex was reunited with his long lost family, but then he was banished from the pride because he wasn’t able to pass the lions’ rite of passage. Marty ascertained that he was not at all very unique like what he thought he was. And there were hundred of zebras who look, act and talk altogether like him. Gloria’s desperate searched for the love-of-her-life made her turn to Moto-Moto, the hottest hippo in the waterhole (Moto means “Hot”, he says he’s too hot that you gotta say his name twice). Melman, who found his call as a witch doctor and thought he caught a deadly desease, lose hope but then found the courage to tell Gloria of his love.

Then the story ended with a happy closing. Alex and the gang stayed in Africa. Of course, that was after they saved the drying waterhole, and kicking the butt of the traitor out of the pride.

I was moved when Suba, Alex’s father, do the funny dance with him to save the watering hole by opening the dam. And honestly, the lion-kicking-the granny scene shocked me. I understand the old woman was an evil granny who hates Alex dearly, but beating and kicking her on the face was completely appalling.

Overall the movie was great and really funny. The lines were really entertaining and hilarious.

My Favorite Things

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

 Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

 Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad

When it rains, songs would play in my mind. Well, I thought about a lot of things when I got nothing much to do. But childhood memories are fun to linger and saunter on sometimes.  Rain and childhood memories remind me of the song My Favorite Things from the movie The Sound of Music. Julie Andrews’ 1965 movie is a classic favorite.

The story of a very young aspiring nun, Maria, who left the convent and became the governess in a  Navy captain’s home. Her task was to look after the Captain’s seven frisky children with attitudes, who made all their past governess’ lives miserable by playing prank jokes on them. But Maria’s patience got the love of the children who missed their dead mother so much. Maria’s stay with the Von Trapp family made a big change. From a very sad and strict grounds to a happy and lively house. Eventually, the Captain and Frauline Maria fell inlove, and they got married.

Songs and dancing made the movie so lovely. Lessons about family, love, trust and loyalty,  depicted in the story. And of courage and patriotism, too.

I believed that life’s full of chances and choices. Some struggles, some dances, their way to making their dreams and stories. Be it sad or happy, or whatever’s in between, each of us has our own tale to tell. This year’s tagline of Cinemalaya’s new advertising campaign’s “Anong kwento mo?” It relates to the interesting stories of Filipinos, and to a number of amazing and talented Filipino independent filmmakers.

Baby Angelo’s cries couldn’t be heard anymore. His tiny body left on a dumpster of an apartment complex. Some people wept and prayed for the little baby’s soul, while others just shrugged off their already encumbered shoulders. Bong Lomanta (Jojit Lorenzo) was tasked to investigate by his Aunt Nora. He came about listening and talking with the residents.

Life is ambiguous. We defined it on how we live it. The film depicts different Juan’s and Pedro’s and Maria’s of the present times. When couples get married for a reason not too strong to withstand trials, they may end up miserable. A solitary life of an old man is bleak. The relationship between brothers should be give and take. A troubled adolescent son, an occupied husband and wife, made up some family. Not everyone, who spent most of their evenings at work, are call center agents. And like the building that houses the tenants, their lives are also like stained of dirt from their past, and /or their present.

The film’s interesting, the stories of each character’s fairly compelling, and the main story’s intriguing. Surely, it is not a movie about ‘tianaks’. It’s more of a sensible subject, and nothing like the gay movies that were usually produced by independent filmmakers. And the actors were great. Some we might not know, or have seen for the first time, but nothing dull on how they had portrayed their roles. No gruesome scenes, except for the ‘balut’ part. But, I think, that’s one great idea on painting Filipinism in the story.

To the cast and staff of Baby Angelo, Pardon me if my thoughts of the film, and my words, are not enough to give justice to what you’ve work hard for.

Baby Angelo’s among the ten films to compete in the 2008 Cinemalaya Film Festival and Competition, for the full-length category.

It’s been ages since we last went to a movie house. The “Happy Feet” movie was like a year and six months ago. My son was just a little baby then when we first brought him to a watch movie. And that movie was Happy Feet.

I’ve seen trailers of Kung Fu Panda, and as a fan of Martial Arts and animated films, I surely couldn’t let Kung Fu Panda pass.

Fat bellied and clumsy Po (Panda) is a great fan of Kung Fu. Ever dreaming of becoming a master of the discipline, he just literally dreams about it. And as fate played games he is a panda. Where in Ancient China, pandas were labeled the laziest of all the animals. So ironically he was chosen to realize an ancient prophecy. It was never an accident, for there are no accidents, according to the Ancient Master Oogway (Tortoise). Head Master Shifu (Lemur) must help Po to achieve his purpose and succeed. As Po’s dream became reality he works his way into believing what he could possibly be. He studied Kung Fu along with his heroes, the Masters_ Tigress (South China Tiger), Crane (Red Crowned Crane), Viper (Viper), Monkey (Gee’s Golden Langur), and Mantis ( Praying Mantis). All five possesses great powers that fascinates Po even more. But time is short for Po for the evil Tai Lung (Snow Leopard) had escape from prison and is out for revenge and to take the Dragon Scroll. Then, Po and the five must protect the valley from Tai Lung’s rage. Po defeated Tai Lung. They succeeded. And Po discovered his true self and what he’s capable of. Believed on what he can do, and turn his weakness into his great strength.

It’s not a story of a fairy-tale-princess, but they live happily ever after.

The story is full of lessons, and good humor as well. We were laughing all throughout the movie. My son wasn’t even petrified by Tai Lung.

Kids and kids at heart will surely like the movie.