Million Dollar Baby

Million Dollar Baby is a classic. Each character in the movie has a life of his own. I felt as if I could personally relate to each one. Even after the film ended, it was like these characters continued on, and I wondered what would happen to Frankie (Clint Eastwood), Eddie, 'Danger' and the whole gang.

The story is rich and unexpected. It starts out as your typical underdog sports movie. Maggie (Hilary Swank) is the unknown up and coming boxer with a lot of promise, who finally convinces Frankie to train her. At first, Frankie wants nothing to do with the young lady's boxing career. He's seen enough fights, had enough heartaches in the past to get emotionally involved. But eventually he gives in to her tenacity. And a good thing too because she has the heart of a true champion. And Frankie soon enough starts coaching her and treats her like his own daughter. Which is ironic because his own flesh and blood daughter refuses to have anything to do with him. He writes to his real daughter every month but the letters are always returned. It is not known what is the source of the conflict.

There are many great scenes, good quotes, and one interesting plot twist in this film. I can't describe them here because to do so would give away crucial parts of the story. You'll have to watch them yourself and laugh, cheer, and cry as I did. There is an extremely powerful scene where Frankie finally reveals to Maggie the true meaning of the nickname he gave her. What totally blew me away was the brief final scene at the diner where the picture fades, the one right before the credits roll. Never had something on the big screen moved me as much as Million Dollar Baby. One of the best flicks ever made and my number one movie of 2005.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars * * * * *
Must-watch. Highest recommendation.

king kong

what i hate about this movie. it didnt explain why these animals evolved into those giants. how did the inhabitants survive all that? who put the ruins there. they could not have made them with all the dinosaurs and insects running around. kingkongs fate was sealed even before he went to NYC. he was bound to die alone back in the island. that scene on the ice was the worst. how were they able to trasport a N foot giant with a tug boat. insects are known to travel oceans (see monarch butterflies). those giant insect would have found its way off the island. notice how the fog was conveniently done away with once they entered the island. it was almost impossible getting in. which slightly explains the mystery, how it would have stayed hidden from everyone all the way up to the 20th century. and suddenly theyre able to get out without a cinch with a giant primate tugging along.

the movie should have at least tried to explain its own physics. otherwise, then its all just kind of a mess .. isnt it. i slept thru half of the movie. there was not much in it except for the cool graphics. 5 years ago maybe before jurasic park i would have been impressed .. it takes more than a bunch of fireworks to impressed THIS audience ..

rate 1 out of 5
dum movie

Suzanne Vega - Songs in Red and Gray

Visualize some of the most beautiful music you will ever hear. Imagine the most meticulously arranged compositions layered with Suzanne Vega's rich vocals and you have what is arguably her best work. Songs in Red and Gray is Suzanne's latest album released way back in 2001 - a masterpiece of lyrical and melodic proportions.

Most of the songs were written five years after Nine Objects of Desire and more importantly some time after Ms. Vega's divorce from her husband, Mitchell Froom. So I kind of expected this to be a brooding, sad, angst-filled compilation. Not so. Some of the tracks can even be described as light-hearted and uplifting.

My personal favorite musical piece in this CD is Widow's Walk wherein the singer describes her situation metaphorically to that of being widowed, but looks ahead to a better future:

Consider me a widow boy
And I will tell you why
It's not the man, but it's the marriage
That was drowned

So I walk the walk
And wait with watchful eye out to the sky
Looking for a kind of vessel
I have never found

This is the most powerful song in the CD and an instant classic. I hope they make an instrumental version of this with a true orchestra to capture the rich layers and full beauty of the music.

Another fantastic song is the aptly titled Last Year's Troubles, an interesting take on how we romanticize and glorify century-old villains such as pirates, thieves, and other rascals. Now these were downright evil and nasty people in their time, yet we look back at them fondly, retelling history to a more sentimental, quixotic, unrealistic degree. I also suspect the whole song is a metaphor to letting go of a troublesome year that has past. This is one of my favorite songs lyrically.

Last year's troubles are so old fashioned
The robber on the highway the pirate on the seas
Maybe it's the clothing that's so entertaining
The earrings and swashbuckling blouses that please

Look at all the waifs of Dickensian England
Why is it their suffering is more picturesque?
Must be cause their rags are so very Victorian
The ones here at home just don't give it their best

Last years troubles they shine up so pretty
They gleam with a luster they don't have today
Here it's just dirty and violent and troubling
Etc. etc.

Other tracks are more of the songwriter's editorial take on her predicament. For instance, 'Soap and Water' is a letter from a mother to her young daughter. 'If I Were a Weapon' seems to be about some sort of emotional blackmail with the weapon in this case being the tool of the extortionist.

It's as if Suzanne combined all the best parts of her previous work. She put together the folk sound of her earlier CDs, together with the style and arrangement of Nine Objects of Desire. If this album had a weakness, it would be that it could sound too over-engineered, too carefully arranged, leaving the human touch distant from the listener. But this is a very minor nitpick. If you like finely produced, high quality easy listening music, this one is for you.


Rating: 5 out 5 stars * * * * *
One of the best

l'exorcism d'emilie rose

this is based on a true story.

its like watching LA Law. a case has been brought to court. the people against a priest who is accused of being responsible for a girl's death. the priest is defended by an agnostic lawyer. the people represented by a religious, but objective, lawyer.

the case was simple. the girl thought to be possessed by the devil was actually suffering from a mental illness. well documented cases exhibiting similar symptoms have been brought to the people to judge. the priest was sticking with his story of seeing the devil. being attacked by it. and that the girl was possessed. and that no amount of medical help can help her.

my favorite part was the successive dispelling of every symptom of possession. here are some of them:

1. speaking in tongues
2. possessed speaking in different voices
3. stigmata

this movie is a classic case of common sense. how different people react to something unusual. some would look for the logial explanation. and others are comfortable with believing in a fantastic and invisible world of beings with wings.

rating 4 out of 5
because there's almost always a logical explanation.

The Best New Music of 2005

Compared to last year, 2005 was a quiet year for music. I spent most of my time catching up with older songs I've missed rather than listening to new ones. Nevertheless here are my favorites of 2005 in order:

6. Guitar Man - CAKE

This is CAKE's tribute and remake of Bread's 70's classic. Think of it as cake and bread coming together. I have to admit I enjoyed the new version better than the original though I like them both. CAKE captures the emotion of the original song, while adding its own distinct tempo and voice. And if you liked 'Guitar Man', then you'll enjoy the Friends and Lovers: Songs of Bread CD.


5. Trouble With Dreams - Eels

I was intrigued with this song when I first heard it. It wasn't like anything I listened to before. Put together that xylophone-like piano intro with drum, violin and raspy voice for a dream-like composition that will haunt you. Add the catchy tune, a lot of contradictory pauses, and you've got one of the most unique songs of the year.


4. Beverly Hills - Weezer

A future staple in sporting events, Weezer hit a home run with this one. This song is high energy from the intro to the chorus. An acceptable substitute to caffeine. I haven't heard a good loser song like this since Beck.


3. Come As You Are - Mindi Abair

I loved this soft guitar/saxophone instrumental piece the instant I heard it on the radio. Mindi Abair is one of the best new composers in the business. I imagine that the message of this song is to avoid pretension, embrace the natural, and just come as you are. Blending of guitar and sax is inspired. High-quality music.


2. Krafty - New Order

Great Scott, new wave lives on! I couldn't believe it at first that the 80's band New Order was still active and churning out great songs such as this one. Krafty captures the carefree happy spirit in us and has a positive uplifting message. Fantastic!


1. Complicated Man - Minnie Driver

I really didn't care much for Minnie Driver until I heard her sing Complicated Man on Carson Daly. You can't help but like this song, the lyrics, catchy twangs in the melody, and extremely addictive. Imagine the best parts of several distinct songs rolled into one 80's-country-pop tune. I smile when I realize that Complicated Man, our #1 song this year, was just a bonus track from the japan import CD of an actress turned pop artist.

Happy Listening!

ang pagdadalaga ni maximo oliveros

quand maximo oliveros devient une femme. its about a young boy who suddenly grows up, after being placed forcibly in a position where he has to choose sides between his family and his object of affection. his family is poor and steals cellphones for a living. his object of affection is a cop. a man probably twice his age. somehow it works out in the end, where maximo gets over his adolescent infatuations. and his family turns a new leaf.

its a film which has similar elements to european films, where it doesnt try to make any judgements about anyone/anything. or if it does try to preach. its very subtle. you notice how many times "dont buy pirated dvds" was mentioned. but there many scenes maximo is seen doing his favorite hobby (as you might have guessed many filipinos do too) -- watching pirated movies.

there were a number of long pauses in the movie, which might bore people. i did observe there was substance in these pauses. i find that, for philippine cinema, the quality of this story is very rare. Its unconventional and very progressive. and more importantly, its not your typical pinoy entertainment. Church folks, people with homophobia, and conservatives might take offense watching this movie.

Rating 4 of 5 ****
Its refreshing to see a pinoy film with substance

Jennifer Paige (self-titled)

Jennifer Paige is most well-known for her smash pop hit 'Crush' which became quite popular in the late 90's. The single received major airplay on radio and launched the artist to full stardom. Since then, Ms. Paige's popularity has kind of tapered off, her follow-up release Positively Somewhere not achieving the same success as this debut album. Still, I consider the artist as one of the most underrated performers of our generation. And I believe she still has a hit or two in her waiting to get out.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this CD. Let's clear up some popular misconceptions about her type of music first. For one, the songs in this album are more rythm and blues than disco/pop. This is what makes the song Crush unique, it was an R&B tune disguised as sugary pop music.

Second - the lyrics in these songs are rich and poetic - much like a Suzanne Vega composition, yet disguised as light and easygoing. I can't give Jennifer credit for the words since she doesn't write her own songs. But she does deliver them with a passion and emotion that leads you to believe she can personally relate to them. This is her main talent and strength.

Third - Crush is not the best song in this CD. In fact, you may be disappointed if you bought this album solely for Crush. The pacing and feel of the rest of the tracks are different - a little bit slower, a little bit more soul and emotion. The vocals are powerful yet not gimicky and Paige resists the temptation to show off, unlike most of her contemporaries who constantly feel the need to shriek several octaves higher to garner attention.

We have two mellow love songs in 'Always You' and 'Between You and Me'. I heard that 'Always You' was a minor hit, but it hasn't grown on me. 'Let it Rain' and 'Somewhere, Someday' are songs that give hope and support to friends in time of need. These tracks are not exceptional, but have the potential of being future favorites. Some can sound repetitive after several listens and may feel like a letdown after hearing the hyper energy 'Crush'.

Now for the good ones. 'Just to Have You' is extremely catchy, very sticky and fun to both listen and sing along with. 'Busted' is my favorite song in the CD. Makes me wonder why it wasn't released to radio. You will smile at the cute and funny lyrics that mention lines such as "chewing on my raisinettes", "checking out my pay per view", and multiple references to dessert, all in an infatuation-intoxicated setting sang unbashedly in the R&B style.

You may remember 'Sober' which was a minor hit during its release and in my opinion is Jennifer's best song to date. Great voice, melody, lyrics that tell a story. This has it all. Check out the video too which features the melancholy singer trapped in a dreamlike airport terminal.

What we've got here are two kickass songs in 'Sober' and 'Busted', two catchy songs in 'Crush' and 'Just to Have You', and a good supporting cast of light easy listening tracks. Not bad for a debut album.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Very underrated artist, watch for a comeback.

Oldboy

Oldboy is a Korean movie about secrets and revenge. Its main selling point is a disturbing, wicked twist as part of the ending. There are a number of violent, cringe-inducing scenes that seem to be standard in the asian shock horror movie genre these days. This was also the most highly anticipated DVD on my viewing list this year and as I had extremely high expectations for this film, I was slightly disappointed that it was not as disturbing as I thought it would be, and the twist in the end was not as big and dramatic as I had braced myself for. Still, if you are looking for a different viewing experience and enjoy the 'oh shit' feeling when your assumptions are challenged while watching the story, then Oldboy is the movie for you.

(Reviewer's note: The following sections below describes some aspects of the story but contains no significant spoilers. Also I discuss the plot from the point of view of a first-time viewer watching the movie as it happens. So some of the narrative may mislead the true nature of the events as the movie itself contains secrets that will be revealed later. Watching this with a childlike open mind will significantly improve the entertainment value of this film. -rob)

The protagonist is a man named Dae-su who has been kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years in a small room all by himself with no human contact. During his confinement, he never sees his captor, he is fed the same food - fried dumplings, for every meal for the next fifteen years. His only contact to the outside world is a small TV set where he gets news, education, and recreation. From watching the news in his cell he finds out that his wife is murdered and that he is the prime suspect in the killing. Police issue a nationwide manhunt to look for him but of course never find him as he is safely hidden by his captors. Dae-su is filled with anguish and despair at not being able to defend himself and his family. His baby girl is whisked away and raised by foster parents and he comes to the realization that he may never see her again.

With nothing else to do, Dae-su keeps himself fit by practicing martial arts and shadow boxing, emulating the fight scenes he sees on TV. He gets his sex by masturbating to female pop stars on entertainment variety shows. In the next fifteen years, our protagonist's mental and physical state deteriorates. Lack of human contact and the sheer monotony of his detention makes him insane and he gets obsessed with thoughts of revenge toward his captors and the torture he plans to inflict on them after he gets out. Suddenly after a decade and a half of captivity, Dae-su is drugged and put to sleep. He wakes up in an open field, the first time he sees buildings and sunshine after many years. But he is now more of a beast than man and is only focused on finding his captors and making them suffer as he has suffered. This is an extremely well-made extended opening scene that sets up the premise of the story.

What happens next can appear to some viewers as bizarre and incoherent. We are treated to some cringe-worthy violent scenes which although disturbing, are not as bad as the worst scenes from Audition or Suicide Club. For instance, the camera pulls away from the shot where the actual violence takes place, then returns to the spot to show what had happened, leaving much to the imagination of the viewer.

There are also some extended graphic sex scenes between Dae-su and a young woman named Mi-do who falls in love with him. I like the Korean actress playing Mi-do; she has the rare attribute of being cute and sexy at the same time. This is kind of where the movie breaks down for me, as I found it hard to believe that an attractive woman such as Mi-do would be extremely dedicated to a beast-like man such as Dae-su who treated her like property. It was so much like the Asian stereotype of machismo strong man in full control of his subservient obedient wife/girlfriend. The story had been good so far but this facet of the plot made zero sense to me. Made me wonder if the director just wanted an excuse to show some sex and nudity.

We are also introduced to our villain, an extremely intelligent, crafty, good-looking man named Woo-jin. He seems to know all the secrets. He apparently knows the reason as to why Dae-su was imprisoned in the first place. Revealing the secret is the big payoff promised at the end of the movie.

There are also some other good scenes that act as either potential clues or time-filler depending on how you look at them. Dae-su eats a live squid, fights a hundred men in a unique action segment, and even barks like a dog in one of the stupidest, most outlandish scenes in movie history.

And of course we have the big ending where all questions are answered and where you get your wickedly disturbing twist. To tell you the truth I was bit disappointed and underwhelmed by the 'secret', but this was probably because I had extremely high expectations for this one. This is not the biggest plot twist you'll see in a movie. I still consider the surprise endings of Unbreakable and Mulholland Dr as superior to Oldboy's finale. Still if you're a fan of this kind of movie, and if you like to have something to think about after the credits roll, you will enjoy this.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars * * * *
Big twist. Moderately sick and disturbing but still good.


(Additional note: Feedback comments section may contain spoilers, so please view them only after watching this.)