Stop laughing. Read this first.

Yes, it's the same formula all over again. Yes, it's bubblegum cinema. Yes, as usual, everything gets tied up cleanly and everybody lives happily ever after. Having said that, "A Very Special Love" is a damn good movie.

Star Cinema has proven once again that it can take the tried and tested bubblegum formula and make a really good movie out of it anyway. In fact, not since "Got 2 Believe" have they been this successful. I watched this film in Glorietta 3, which was PACKED with an enthusiastic crowd that loved every minute of it. No, I could not consider this crowd to be purely Masa. It really wasn't. And still, it got them hooked (applause at the end of the film!).

Again, the elements added up to create this wonderfully light and effective film. Time for my bulletpoints.

- Sarah Geronimo is GOLD. True, that may be the ONLY character she can do, but she does it so well. It would be interesting to see what Star Cinema does with her afterwards.
- Everybody knows John Lloyd Cruz is gold a long time ago. Now, you've got his smoldering eyes and puppydog good looks (my GF's description), and very polished acting (mine) in spades here. I'm just happy he doesn't have to act with a piece of deadwood this time.
- Speaking of deadwood, Bea Alonzo should really think about life after showbiz. Now that everybody knows that John Lloyd can make a corpse look good.
- Fucking good script! I love the little twists that make the situation a lot more complex than bubblegum films usually are.
- Cathy Garcia Molina, I salute you. NOTHING was contrite and forced. EVERYTHING looked legit.
- Now THIS is how you show wealth and affluence. Big ass billboard of the Montenegro clan, JL pulling up at Ascend in a Jag... THAT'S how you do it.
- WOW! Shots of Makati CBD that lasted for a minute! I'm not sarcastic here, I'm really impressed and happy! We need more of that, fast! (Must have cost them a fortune, though)
- Joross Gamboa, Gio Alvarez, Matet de Leon (!), Al Tantay, Irma Adlawan, Rowell Santiago(!!!), Dante Rivero, with cameos by Bernard Palanca, Will Devaughn, Marianna del Rio, and Paw Diaz. In one movie. Wow. Either the producers spared no expense, or times are hard.
- The film had so many golden moments, I wouldn't be surprised to see people doing the rain dance within the next few days.
- Finally, an ending that worked. Sort of. Much better than what we usually get. And only JL can get away with pulling THAT off.
- Publication house, Airline... What, does the Montenegro clan also have a 24/7 retain chain, shopping malls, and real estate properties? Very Gokongwei-ish, ha!
- Filppage. Now THAT'S how you name a fictional publication house.

Of course, I have criticisms pa rin.
- When people laugh and groan when you put in a sponsor segment (Greenwich), it's time to rethink the effectiveness of your gameplan. I bet nobody noticed Sarah was using Belo cream, though. That one played out well, in fairness.
- The ending went on a little too long. And Sarah had a wet spot on her ass. Distracting.
- The cemetery scene with JL and Dante Rivero also went on uncomfortably long.
- Oh come on, you really expect me to believe Rowell Santiago's character will become all loving and shit after acting like a complete bitch the entire film?
- It's because we're still trying to tie up all the loose ends. We don't always have to. Life's pressing issues doesn't clean up in a month.
- Who was going to buy Bachelor with a header like THAT. Ewwwww. But then again, that might be the point.
- I really had a issue with Sarah's Wigs! Couldn't they just style her real hair?

But all in all, "A Very Special Love" was fantastic. Loved it!

PS: Am giving it four stars only because I gave "Ploning" five. And they are not on the same level. I just have to be fair.

Don't get me wrong. It was a wonderfully crafted film. A few tech glitches here and there, but otherwise it was okay, and I'm sure a lot of people loved it. Problem is, I didn't. Not their fault, I guess I just don't dig ABBA that much.

- Meryl Streep is GOD
- Amanda Seyfried is that type of nice wholesome girl you just want to ravage
- Scariest moment: Colin Firth, half-naked, embracing another man. Ewwwww...
- I just read through the summary of the musical. They actually omitted some songs from the film. And I still thought there were too many musical numbers in the film. But hey, that's just me.
- One thing, though. I really thought putting Bill and Rosie's number AFTER Sam and Donna's wedding totally crapped up the narrative flow. And as I suspected, in the musical, the scene came before the wedding. Where it should have been.
- Brilliant soundtrack.

Overall, I feel so left out here. I guess it's not my kind of film.

OH MY GOD, this album is brilliant. Everything was done exquisitely, and I am still reeling from the sheer beauty of everything I listened to. In giving these classic rock songs (such as Kanlungan, 214, El Bimbo, Laki sa Layaw, among others) the orchestral treatment, FILharmoniKA has given them the ultimate tribute, while giving the local orchestra scene a boost.

But then again, should anyone expect any less from Gerard Salonga? I should think not!

Brilliant, brilliant, BRILLIANT! Besides Arnold Arre's "Mythology Class" and "Andong Agimat", I have never encountered such a wonderful fusion of modern day sensibilities with old-school Pinoy Folklore. And there's an earthiness, grittiness, with just a touch of darkness that's just delicious and engaging to read.

"Trese" is actually four stories in one compilation. All the stories revolve around Alexandra Trese, an investigator/avenging angel type who tackles cases beyond the realm of the normal. Think of it as a curious mix of Batman/X-Files/Dr Strange (for lack of a better point of reference). Along with her two bodyguards (who look like stories in themselves), she tackles crimes with a mystical nature.

Could Alexandra Trese be the modern day Pinay heroine, the one to take over the mantle of Darna? Only time will tell. But if this comic is any indication, it's a resounding YES.

Bulletpoints:
- Why do we have a fascination for black clothes?
- Cute reference to Batch 72 (If you don't know what Batch 72 is, sorry)
- Tikbalangs racing against cars... wow.
- Darna's bro taking over... WOW.
- Black and white never looked so luscious

Sharon Cuneta and Chito Roño, a timely scenario, notable cinematography, shooting in London... for this alone, Caregiver should easily have been the landmark film of the year. Instead, I left the moviehouse seriously underwhelmed. This film was definitely less than the sum of its parts.

Not to say that Caregiver reeked. For all intents and purposes, Caregiver was a good movie. Sharon never disappoints, and Chito Roño belongs to that small class of Directors who actually give a damn about the technical aspects of Filmmaking. Hence, the Cinematography was excellent yet not distracting, the music was just right, even the production design effortlessly brought us from Pampanga to Manila to London without so much as a hitch. And judging from the bleary eyes of the female moviegoers who watched the film with me, it must have been poignant enough to touch them. Still, I felt the film was decisively lacking.

My bulletpoints:
- I heart Sharon so much.
- Sharon was crying for three-fourths of the movie. In the remaining fourth, she looked like she was on the verge of tears. COME ON!
- Makisig Morales stole the damn film. I almost wish this film was about a Pinay caregiver and a young Pinoy immigrant trying to find their place in London. Makisig is gold.
- The damn film had too many plotlines weighing it down. They could have cut out the Pinas scenes totally, AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE MADE A BLASTED DIFFERENCE.
- John Estrada has the "Spoiled Brat" role down to a T.
- Monique Wilson was a fucking extra. Monique FUCKING Wilson. Where's the justice in this world?!?
- Seriously, are we still trying to go with the "Suffering Pinay Heroine" angle? Can't we have stronger female roles? They could have made Sharon's character stronger while maintaining the storyline.
- Wonderful cinematography and editing. We got gorgeous shots of London without turning into a travel video. Good work, Eli.
- Line of the film: Makisig - So this is Goodbye? Goodbye!

Overall, it was a fundamentally sound film that didn't have the emotional ooomph I was looking for. Ploning is still tops for this year.

It is EXQUISITE! It is easily the most gorgeous local flick I have watched in a LONG, long time. Two thumbs up, definitely.

I'm still not in the mood to make a proper review, so... bulletpoint time.

- Gorgeous, postcard-worthy shots, all the time. And super consistent as well. No shot was wasted. Breathtaking.
- Everybody was speaking in Cuyogan (?), a sub-dialect. Talk about dedication.
- The acting ranged from "okay" to "superb". Kudos to Judy Ann Santos (!) and Gina Pareño (!). No over-the-top, teleserye-type theatrics here; everything was subdued, paced, restrained. Beautiful.
- I felt that the script, though well executed, was a bit simplistic. But then again, it was an acting piece, so it's okay.
- The first half of the film dragged like hell. Then, afterwards, everything fell into place, and I now understand why it dragged in the first half. It was necessary for them to slow things down for us to totally absorb the characters and their conflicts. Totally paid off heading towards the end. Forgiven.
- Speaking of which... ANO, GUSTO MO NG PLANT-PAYOFF?!? AYAN, UMULAN NG PLANT-PAYOFF!!!
- Eugene Domingo, Joel Torre, Ces Quesada, Meryl Soriano, Mylene Dizon, Tessie Tomas, Crispin Pineda, Ronnie Lazaro... Indie Gods, unite! Jezuz, I was waiting for Irma Adlawan and Johnny Delgado to make an appearance.

I have nothing more to say. It was gorgeous, it's a landmark film, it's totally counter-culture, it's GREAT. Watch it!

I can't believe that Joel Lamangan still has a job. He has not delivered a single DECENT film over the past five years, and he has a penchant for destroying scripts. Case in point: Manay Po 2: Overload. Argh.

On to my bulletpoints:
- Oi! Stereotypes! Was this flick done with an 80's script? I half expected Roderick Paulate to make an apperance.
- Sid Lucero in a gay role REALLY bothers me.
- I don't get Jiro's storyline. Was he a closet gay, or was he out in the open? Either way, it was super murky. And that whole "di kailangan mag-gown..." speech in the end? Preachy
- John Prats, Roderick Paulate wants his role back. SERIOUSLY...
- I worship Rufa Mae. She was gold here.
- Sayang si Cherry Pie Pichace dito. She could have done more here.
- Although the script has flashes of brilliance, it ultimately fell victim to all the stereotyping and dated jokes
- Acting was waaaaaaaaay too over-the-top here. And don't give me that "the masa will love it" crap. The peeps watching this in the moviehouse hated it too.
- Joel Lamangan should never be given a directorial project again. But then again, where would Regal get a director willing to work with them?

Utter crap.

What can I say? It's a brilliant album that had me hooked from start to finish. It's vibrant, popping, and smooth at the same time, a perfect music companion for Sunday afternoon drives. I just wished there would be more of this music locally. What I wouldn't do for a more vibrant local jazz scene.

I just watched Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah. IT WAS HORRIBLE!!! TERRIBLE!!! The script was ugly, the acting was grating on the nerves, and the movie totally missed the point of the comic book. Joel Lamangan should be tied up and shot. He should never be allowed to direct any film ever again.

The sad thing about this was, I really, really, REALLY wanted it to be good. I was rooting for it for as long as I could. And although it was a bit better than some local superhero movies I've seen (Vic Sotto's Lastikman and Bong Revilla's Captain Barbell comes to mind as bigger crimes to humanity and good taste), it was ultimately an ugly movie, and I couldn't stand it.

My bullet points:


* Zsa Zsa Padilla and Pops Fernandez... all we need now is Martin Nievera and we can call this an ASAP special.
* Rustom looked the part, but Ada wasn't supposed to be a screeming gay, right?
* Ms Padilla, just because you're the namesake of the character doesn't make you the best choice to play it. Shame.
* Pops Fernandez can't act to save her life.
* Alfred Vargas was wasted on this script. The sad thing is, if you've read the comic, he shouldn't have been.
* Chocolate is a good example on how a gay guy can't play a gay guy. Panget on all levels.
* Over-the-top acting... I felt I was watching an amateur play. Done by deaf people.
* Which leads me to my next point: Characterization - Lakpak! Didn't these performers read the damn comic? Whatever happened to internalization?
* The fight scenes were the only noteworthy thing in this film, and even then, it was sorely lacking. The comic packed more excitement. Ridiculous.
* What the hell was that Juday-Wowie wannabe tandem doing in that film?!?
* Aside from that, the Amazons transforming everybody into girls, the Cross Formation, the Pista... I'm all for making adjustments when translating one medium to another (comics to film), but this is plain bastardation.
* I didn't think it was humanely possible, but the film failed to capitalize on any of the punchlines the comic offered. Any of them.
* Joel Lamangan should be shot. Oh, did I say that already?

I am now starting a new crusade. It's called the "DAMMIT-let's-shoot-Zsa-Zsa-Zaturnnah-again" project. This time, let's get a better director, one with actual talent. And a better cast, PLEASE.

This restaurant is Dasmarinas' best kept secret! Arrozja brand of fusion cuisine is unbelievable. The food is freakily good, and it is really, REALLY cheap! Let's put it this way: your P500 can feed five people (or six, depending on what you order).

But the food is what it's all about! There's a lot of Mediterenean and Asian stuff here, and so far I haven't been disappointed with anything I've ordered. My personal favorites here are the Singapura Mix (spicy seafood and pork mix) and the Sate Babe with Indon Rice. They also have these unbelievable Black Mushroom Fritters.

Believe me, the food here will give any fusion restaurant in Manila a run for its money. It's that good!

Next time you plan that Tagaytay trip, take a detour to Dasmarinas, and look for this place. It's worth your time!