xmen 3 weekend

went to see the film "x-men: the last stand" yesterday with fellow xmen fans denise and our beautiful fairy godmother of a friend (you will know why when you meet her!) ate gracie. we haven't gotten together in ages and we were just so excited to see each other that we met two hours over a late lunch just to gab. subject of the hour was da vinci code, which we all read before it was even popular, and before the birth of all those da vinci posers. we're not even fans of the book, we all liked angels and demons better, but we three just have a lot to say about it. we have different takes on dan brown's controversial fiction, and it's just amazing how the diferences just made teh conversation a lot more interesting. and then we saw xmen 3 and felt like we are the only people in the moviehouse who are really reacting even to the non-action scenes.

perhaps its because we're such fans we were actually prepared to be disappointed because it was megged by  anew director but well, we liked the film. we were hoping though that they should've followed the dark phoenix saga plot but the result was just good. yes, i like the phoenix character, i like famke janssen and thought she did a great job in the film, earning even the praises of sir ian mckellen. 

i would like to go on and talk about the film, but i am afraid that it might give away clues and spoil it for everyone who hasnt seen it. but i loved it! and it was more special because i watched it with people i know would understand it too. goodness, i am beginning to sound like such an elitist but well, these days posers are just the pits. anyway, it has been a wonderful week, capped off by a fabulous weeekend with amazing women. looking forward to more!

PS, meeting ate gracie and denise again plus maybe a couple other friends to watch "the lake house" thsi coming june. we so cannot wait!

Breaking the Code

I first read Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code in late 2003, when it just made the list of Powerbooks' top ten books of the month. I admit I was kind of attracted to it by the intriguing blurb, although I had no idea then that I would eventually find the concepts presented in it quite blasphemous. I was raised Catholic, and even though I am not such a devout one, I know in my heart that I will stay true to my faith until I die. Anyway, so when I read DVC I am quite amazed by the fast paced story line, almost like Nancy Drew caught inside one of Robert Ludlum's spy mysteries. I loved Sophie, in the same manner that I loved my film heroines. Sans the scandalous bordering on the ridiculous concepts, it was a fun read.  

I finished the book in a day, quite satisfied. I had no idea that almost a year after it would be so popular that it became some sort of a status symbol. You're cool if you have read DVC. I have encountered people who would talk about it saying it was good, but when asked why, or when pressed for what exactly they think about such and such thing presented in the story, they won't have anything sensible to say. I know you're not supposed to take the whole Holy Grail or Jesus-married-to-Magdalene idea so seriously, but I found it both amusing and annoying how guys would try to impress other at parties by talking about DVC. They talked about the plot, the action scenes, but they cannot fully grasp why the hell was Sophie and Robert were running, or why was Silas beating himself up. "I read DVC in 8 hours, straight. Wild, dude!" Eew. 

And then another issue was that the book has managed to offend certain religious groups, I understand that. But what's sad is that a certain percentage of people who have read it actually started believing those way out-of-this-world ideas in the book. I know we are all free to choose whatever we should believe in, but it is sad when that decision is basically a product of a certain influence, and not simply one's own. 

I saw the movie last Friday with officemates and I am surprised when after watching it, I actually thought I liked it better than the book. Simply because the movie did not try very hard to present it as some sort of a thesis disguised as a spy story to convince anyone of a certain "truth". Instead the film was presented as a fun-giddy ride of a spy story. Yes, like Nancy Drew caught inside a Ludlum espionage mission. DVC the movie was done in such a way that although it will cause viewers to ask questions and ponder on certain concepts, it never delved away from that one fact: that above all, Mr. Brown's DVc is actually, a very tastefully written work of fiction. 

PS, Mr. Brown has another book called Angels and Demons. I like it way better than DVC, and in my opinion will make a really good film. I vote for Raachel Weisz as Vittoria, another cool kickass character.

the lake house

i’ve never been excited about any romantic film in ages. this one is pretty special because i really loved the original Korean version (Il Mare) and i thought it was so beautifully made. this is a reunion film for sandy and keanu since Speed… trailer looks pretty good… i hope i won’t get disappointed.

view the railer: http://thelakehousemovie.warnerbros.com/

rising from the ashes

i do not know what is it about comebacks that somehow make personalities cringe whenever somebody says they are making one. celebrity so and so has been absent from the scene for a couple of years and when anyone says he or she is making a comeback, that person is so quick in denying he or she is making such.

common excuse was “i wasn’t really gone gone, i merely took a break but i was still prety much around. doing this and that, blah blah blah.” or “i am not making a comeback because i was never really absent from the scene.” yeah right dude, whatever. pardon me, i do not have anything against any person who says these, i am just wondering what is it about comebacks that they don’t want themselves associated with the word… you know?

anyway. yes, i am making a comeback. and of course since i am no celebrity i am so okay with saying that yes… i am back! in this wonderful world of bloggging at least. i know i have ben gone for a total of three months, and for someone who cannot sit still until she has written down her thoughts, that’s a long time. in the coming days i will be sharing whatever i have been up to, what i did why i was “gone” from “the scene” et cetera. i miss typing away my rants and raves and plaguing the blogging universe with my crappy writings.

man, this sure feels great. to be back here. i only got one wish for myself this time… that i may always find the opportunity to actually do this more regularly.

i am crossing my fingers and toes. i will not just try. i will do this regularly. and hopefully make it more interesting this time. whoo hoo, interesting? tee hee. we will see about that.

so there. hello, world!

sirens

what happened here was, last tuesday may 2nd, i was peacefully enjoying a much-needed shut-eye when suddenly firetrucks sped by our usually quiet street in rapid succession, their sirens probabaly set to the highest volume they can ever set themselves to. i was upset, god, forgive me i know its no joke for your property to be caught on fire. but it is one of those rare times when i was actually asleep before midnight, only to be roused by irritating sirens for about thirty minutes. hence, this thing, whatever it is.

piercing through your beloved silence
as quiet as death
as still as the night devoid of stars.
rousing you to unrest -
unwelcome, uninvited.
you silently implore the heavens:
may lightning strike
the impertinent stranger!
for tresspassing into
your peaceful existence
picketing his cause
over and over.
seeping into your consciousness
like a drug inducing you to alertness,
when aall you want to do
is lull yourself to slumber.
you’re alright, content,
safe where you are -
but all that’s lost
on the persistent intruder.
who’ll never stop until
it finally dawns on you -
you’re in possible danger.

may 2, 2006
8:35 pm