Been holding myself back from posting anything about The Dark Knight because I didn't want to ruin it for anyone, at least on it's first weekend showing.

Anyway, watched it last friday with some friends. Ahlavdit! =) It wasn't just a dark, big explosion action movie you sit through. This one had real depth. Let's just put it this way, this is one movie I wouldn't mind picking for a book report in high school.

I liked Christian Bale since I first laid eyes on him since The Empire of The Sun. As Batman, he brings a certain humanity to the role... a superhero who isn't so "super" after all. Although, I have to say, I was a bit bothered by his "Batman" voice because he always had that catch in his throat that kept ME clearing my own every time I heard him. Haha. But seriously, compared to his previous Batman movie, here he seemed more weighted by morality, more conflicted... like someone who's barely holding on to everything he believes in.

On the flipside, this movie was every much about Batman as it was about his arch-nemesis, The Joker. Heath's portrayal re-affirmed why The Joker was my favorite Gotham City villain (which in itself is quite ironic given how scared I am of clowns to begin with.) Joker has a certain "look at me" quality about him. Although not quite as jovial and polished as Jack Nicholson's version, this Joker was more maniacal, dirtier and downright evil. Displaying no moral compass to guide his actions, he jumps into his own damnation and pulls the rest of the audience along with him. In short, he was damn scary. There's talk of Heath receiving an Oscar nomination for this role but Oscar or no Oscar, in most of the scenes he was in, he pretty much stole the show. I wonder how this guy slept at night while he played this role... a man who has gone a long way from the boy in 10 Things I Hate About You.

Oh and props to Maggie Gylenhaal and Aaron Eckhart. Aaron's Harvey Dent was good and thankfully not from the same vein as the comical version of Tommy Lee Jones. Too bad he just tends to be overshadowed by the Batman/Joker tandem like a third-wheel in a really intense relationship. Maggie, on the other hand, I think this is one of those rare times that I wasn't quite irritated by the typical swoony, love-besotted, clingy love interest in a superhero movie.

As a whole, the movie was darker, more complex and it's the type that will stay with you long after you've left the cinema.

If you're looking for a film to watch with some friends or after a long day at work, Wanted is something you might want to check out. Believe me, after meeting the main character, your life won't seem so bad after all. haha

Wesley Gibson is a nondescript hypochondriac whose pathetic excuse of an existence is punctuated by his girlfriend cheating on him with his best friend, and having his lady boss quite literally breathing down his neck everyday. Everything changes though when he meets the tough & mysterious Fox and the movie basically follows Wes through a rollercoaster ride into a world so different from his own.

There are action films and then there are ACTION films. This, for me, falls in the latter. From when Wesley whacks his best friend with a keyboard to the car flip sequence to the train scene to the big action finale... it's one visual adrenaline rush after another (absurb as some scenes may be.) While it doesn't get big points for plausibility, it sure is entertaining nonetheless.

It actually kind of reminded me of The Fight Club minus the big explosions and the curbing bullets (oh and Brad & Angelina playing the pivotal life-changing factor in both movies I found to be an amusing coincidence).

From Narnia to The Last King of Scotland to Atonement, James McAvoy has a way of diving deep into the character that you almost forget the actor behind the character... almost! (His transformation from geek to beefed up assassin was droolworthy) Angelina's Fox is like Lara Croft without a conscience. Despite having less dialogue in this movie, she steals the scene each time with her presence and tattoos. Morgan Freeman remains to be the wise mentor in this film, except that this time he shows that he too has an evil side.

While this may not end up in my Top 5 movies of all time, it's something that would definitely leave its audience entertained throughout.

People who know me can attest to the fact that I can be quite the compulsive buyer most of the times. Although, I HAVE been trying to control the urge to buy a Macbook for quite sometime now, re-assuring myself that I don't really NEED one. I WANT one sure... but am I really about to fork over some good hard-earned money for something I wouldn't die without? I was hoping to win it off some raffle but of course, no such luck (stupid The Secret! lol kidding) Anyway, long story short, after much resistance I finally gave in to buying my latest toy =)

Admittedly, I haven't had much chance to tinker around with it that much so don't expect much tech talk out from an otherwise Mac OS neophyte. This is my first Apple laptop and though I'm not right about to sing praises to the heavens for it, I'd have to admit so far I'm actually enjoying the experience.

Design-wise, no complaints... as we all know, Apple is very much about presentation (something a lot of PC manufacturers overlook) as well as function. I'm not a fan of their white laptops so I ended up getting the black one. It's so puuuuuuuuuuuurrrty =) Ok, that didn't come out as eloquently as I imagined but you get the picture. One thing though... the matte finish drives me completely nuts! It shows every grease, smudge and fingerprint known to man! It's ok when I use it coz I tend to be very OC about my things anyway, but when some other people do.... ack! Oh and the design doesn't begin and end with the laptop. Even the packaging itself was quite a sight and very well-thought of (none of that generic brown cardboard box here). I honestly felt like a kid opening a gift on Christmas morning.

On a separate note, this just HAS to be said. Pretty much everyone's praised Steve Jobs for what he's done for Apple but I have to say, much props have to be given to its marketing team as well. It's pure genius how they've pretty much convinced half of the nation... heck, a good chunk of the world even... to give in to creating that irrational connection with their products. I'm not saying they don't have the technology to back up their claims but when I went up to some people to ask why they bought their iPods/Apple laptops a good chunk of the answers I got ranged from a "Wala lang" to a "Basta" to a "It looks cooler" to a sheepish smile/shrug. You can't get any more irrational than that. =)

Ok, let's try to go a little techie (and believe me when I say A LITTLE). I'm a big fan of the 13" widescreen design which is a decent enough size especially when watching movies but at the same time very portable. A minor ka-oc-han detail, did you notice that compared to other laptops, the Macbook's screen doesn't rest on top of the base of the keyboard? Like I said, might be minor to some but this means in tight places, like lets say during a business flight, this might prove useful.

Ooooh... and another favorite detail of mine is their fascination for magnets: both to close the laptop (which offers better protection against dust) and to attach the power cord to its port. For someone as clumsy as me, this is such a lifesaver. If you've ever seen a person trip on a powercord in Starbucks and (a) fall flat on his/her face because of a taunt power cord or (b) helplessly watch their laptops fall to the floor beside them, you'd understand what I mean. So instead of those 2 scenarios, the magnetically attached power cord will simply detach and fall harmlessly to the ground. Cool huh? =)

The keyboard design, wtih each key individual from the rest, I found a bit weird at first but the payoff is a large touchpad so you won't hear any comlplaints here. If you're not an Apple user though, one of the first things you will miss is definitely the use of a right click. But don't worry since it's something that you can bring back through your settings as a friend of mine showed me. You'll eventually get used to the whole 1-hand scrolling function. Speaking of settings, there's this neat little trick to make shiting between all active windows super easy and the widgets... haha! LOVE it!

Another "hey-how-come-I-never-thought-of-that" moment of theirs is that you can actually go to their store and experience the product first hand (unlike other stores who have their stocks on display but not plugged in.) If you're toying with the idea of getting one, it's definitely recommended to take a visit and try out the Macs they have before making a decision. I can't speak from experience of their tech support here but when I was in the states last year I did and I have to say, I was impressed. I went up to one or two in every Apple store I saw and at least of the ones I got to talk to, not only did they know their stuff, they seemed genuinely enthusiastic about their job and products they were selling (even if it meant me asking something as simple as how to open a browser). Locally, I have to say the people at Ynzal Marketing came pretty close for me in terms of customer service. You should check them out if you're seriously considering getting a Macbook.

So there, a few kinks here and there that would take some getting used to but as a whole, so far so good. Most of the basic stuff they have tutorials for on apple.com or on youtube for that matter. OH but I have still yet to figure out how to do print screen with this... arggh.

Talk about a long overdue review...

I normally find myself cringing at the thought of big budget Hollywood superhero movies. They more often than not translate to big explosions but weak stories/portrayals. Iron Man finally broke that stereotype for me, taking the normal superhero movie and adding a cerebral twist.

One question though... Was it just me or for an superhero flick, the action sequences felt surprisingly few and far between?! Nothing really stood out to be in the running of a "cult classic". That aside however, Iron Man takes the cake for being one of the better comic book adaptations in recent years thanks to an outstanding performance by its lead and some phenomenal effects.

Face it. When you think big budget superhero movie, Robert Downey doesn't exactly come to mind. He was a prick in the beginning but you can't help but be drawn to him all the same (and it's not a "bad boy" theory either... not completely anyway.) 43 years in and several trips to the court and jail later, Robert Downey proved that he could still kick some major ass as the hedonistic, sarcastic, genius of a playboy. Not to mention how good he looked doing it. Whether he was in a tailored suit or a wifebeater, he was H-O-T!

He may not be the greatest superhero of all time, but the level of maturity and depth he lends the role makes him THE best actor to ever portray a superhero. The rest of the cast didn't suck but they paled in comparison to Downey who was giving one of his more memorable performance.

Other than Downey flexing his acting chops, the things I loved about the film were the Iron Man suit and Tony Starks' bachelor pad. (I'm still undecided with which one made my jaw drop further down the floor.)

The bottom line is... the movie works. It was smooth, engaging and props to the director for taking a character who isn't as well-known/loved as Spiderman or Batman and making everybody want to see the film. Good job! =)

Truth be told, we ended up watching this movie to escape the metropolitan heat so I came in without much expectations to begin with... and maybe that helped. I like animated movies but the more recent releases weren't all that memorable. This, I can honestly say I actually enjoyed (best movie I've seen recently... second to Iron Man of course).

I think what makes this movie so great is that it's not really a comedy. Not to say that there weren't funny moments coz I actually caught myself laughing (take note: actually laughing not just smiling or giggling) a few times. As much as I enjoyed the first Shrek movie, two... three versions of it later, all the pop culture reference gets a bit old.

Jack Black for once doesn't overdo it and ends up adding the right amount of charm to Po. He's a dork, but he's so likable you'd end up cheering him on. Proof of which, this shrieky high school kid beside us (aka. the bane of my existence for the duration of the movie) even said, "Oh my god, whouldn't it be, like, so cool if you had a panda as a pet?" (I was so tempted to tap her on the shoulder and pop her dream bubble. "Sweetie, in case you haven't heard, pandas are on the endangered list." Duh!) Although I find him bit over the top with his comedy in his other movies, I'd say he was probably one of the top 3 reasons to go watch this movie.

Enough skirting around the issue. This is a martial arts animation right. So how's the martial arts? Pretty freaking awesome. The action was pretty intricate and the characters moved with so much grace and life that for a moment you'd kinda look past the fact that they're just doodles on paper. There were three stand-out scenes for me. Tai Lung's escape from prison, the training with the dumplings (albeit it being so used and abused inthe trailers), and the opening sequence. Shadow cutouts and a monologue, nothing new.. It actually kinda reminded me of that cartoon on TV Samurai Jack (?). But Black's monologue made all the difference. It added so much character with lines such as "they were blinded by his awesomeness" (sooooo him!)

Some people dismiss it as just another kids' movie but give it a chance. Go ahead and indulge the geek in you and you're in for a pretty good time =)

Drama, scandal, sibling rivalry, politics, debauchery... it sounds very fascinating and engaging from the get go. And I have to say, props to the trailer! Too bad the movie didn't live up to all the hype around it.

The Tudor costumes were fabulous and they serve their purpose of transforming you to that era quite well. Plot-wise though, it personally fell a little short of expectation. If you be a bit nitpicky about it, there were some historical inaccuracies as well. And I enjoy my fair share of period pieces mind you, being the history buff I am.

Props to Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman for playing their roles well (at least to the best of their abilities given the film's shortcomings). I mean, you can actually see the stark contrast between the two characters. The downside though is that I couldn't see myself feeling terribly sympathetic towards one or the other girl because the story felt a bit rushed thanks to the cerebral straightforward approach the film took in its storytelling. Particularly with the way they rush through the events like we're watching an extended made-for-Tv movie. I would have liked it better if they focused the story more from Mary Boleyn's perspective or delving more into the psyche of the sisters (what made them act the way they did... that would have added more meat to it!) It is, after all, entitled THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL.

Overall, the movie's just ok for me. I don't love it but I don't hate it either. (Wow so this is how an American Idol judge feels like!) Fell a bit short of expectation but fairly ok. Is this the best period piece I've seen? Not.

I'm halfway through the book as of this posting and I can honestly say I enjoyed reading the book more.

I don't quite know how to categorize it into what genre... hmmm...

One review I came across online said: “If the names Jude, Max(well), Lucy, Sadie, JoJo and Prudence seem more than a little familiar, welcome to the "spot the Beatles reference" game that makes Across the Universe a good-natured (if sometimes enthusiastic to the point of corniness) romp.”

Well, for someone who was not born during the height of the rule of Beatles’ rock-n-roll, it was a fun peek into that psychedelic chaotic free-loving era. The film often moves without a decent explanation back and forth between reality and the fantastic, driven by Beatles tunes unabashedly sung throughout the film. Come to think of it, I’d say that a good chunk of the dialogue was sung with just enough storyline to get you through from one song to the next. (A/N: My top 3 are I’ve Just Seen a Girl, Hey Jude and Dear Prudence.)

Far from being perfect, if you go technical about the elements and nitpicky about the storylines, you’re sure to be able to poke a couple of holes through it. Was it just me or was Max’s lack of a reaction after seeing his virginal little sister and his friend in bed a bit disturbing?! They also had a way of building things up but for some reason, could not sustain that level of energy (i.e. Prudence’s lesbianism placed so much color into her character but she eventually disappears, they build up Max’s going off to war from his initial resistance to his “waking up to reality” realization but they don’t follow through. They just show him coming back after some time with some emotional trauma…) But because almost every scene is a gloss eye-candy, you tend to forgive the lack of a good plot and character development.

And to say that they used visuals with reckless abandon is actually an understatement. Some of my more memorable scenes was Prudence walking in slow-mo across the football field, singing a ballad version of I Wanna Hold Your Hand, oblivious to all the action around her and Max's recruitment to the army.

The singing itself is outstanding. I learned that the vocals for most tracks were actually captured live on set rather than pre-recorded in the studio… WOW! *jaw drops to the floor* And it makes sense too because it gives the performances some added realism.

There’s a lot to be said about the level of creativity invested into this movie. And flawed as it may be at some areas, it’s not a bad way to while away your time.

Did I mention that the guy who plays Jude is such a cutie?!

Alright, from the title itself, you can already tell it’s pretty much a rip-off of this little "unknown" movie called Snow White. Oh wait, to be politically correct about it, it’s a modern adaptation of the classic fairy tale with key elements updated with a more contemporary flavor. Now for the good news and bad news…

The good news is that in all fairness to the team behind it, you gotta give props for the intention behind making it out to be as it is. It’s a light-hearted albeit borderline cheesy teen movie of boy meets girl. It’s a nice break from all the serious stuff in life.

The bad news is that... well, it’s a light-hearted albeit borderline cheesy teen movie of boy meets girl. Lol!

I mean come on… the storyline’s typical, the characters are stereotypical, the acting ranged from so-so to mediocre. It’s one of those movies that would be perfect for chick flick night essentially because no one would care about artistic brilliance. All you wanna do is drool over the guy and “awww…” the night away with your girlfriends.

And on that note… Oh my God you should see the guy’s smile… wow! Talk about working that dimple throughout the whole movie. Without a doubt I’ll be dreaming of that smile and those dimples for the next few nights. And this just has to be said, I totally LOVED his Mustang and his Puma jackets! Haaaaay…

I felt a bit sorry for him because just like prince charming in fairytales his character felt a bit as one-dimensional as the original prince charming. Why do I say this? Well, his role is basically to be dreamy and charming throughout... and get this… his name is Tyler PRINCE (*wink wink*) And this isn’t even the worst wink to the original. There’s modern adaptation then there’s replicating everything… it felt a bit forced at times. His smile was gorgeous but his smile can only do so much.

Oh, but to be fair… I am a girl and I have to admit, there were some kilig moments I found cheesy but secretly wish would happen to me. So despite all my ranting earlier, there’s no way in hell that anyone can say no to a romantic comedy… even the most cynic in us need a little kilig in our lives every so often. My verdict, don’t bother shelling out cash for tickets and popcorn. Just go to your dvd “suki” for a copy… or better yet, borrow one from a friend. Yun lang… bow =)

Had dinner with a friend at Powerplant Mall about two weeks ago. He got stuck in traffic so I pretty much had time to kill. I swear, I told myself I'd go to the bookstore to buy this book I've been wanting for forever but strangely enough ended up going to Beauty Bar instead. Before I knew it, I came out 30 minutes later with a shopping bag in hand... waaah!

I actually forgot all about buying this until last night when I tried it out for the first time. At first I was a bit skeptical of what it was promising to deliver but what the heck, it's not like I can still return it to the store. You have to understand, I'm a no-fuss-basic-cleanser-twice-a-day-and-moisturizer-at-night type of girl. I'm not the type to have a vanity table near exploding with all the miracle creams and serums money can buy. I'm too lazy for that...

When I tried the product though, I have to say, not bad. It's an exfoliating wash so it felt a bit grainy at first (duh!) I was scared the actual exfo beads might be too harsh. It wasn't at all. It's gritty enough to do it's job but not too coarse to poke holes in your face. And one of the best things is that right after, you'd get some form of instant results... your skin feels smooth. Bye bye dead skin, hello natural glow!

Oh, but all you exfoliation addicts out there, don't over do it as well because it dries your skin out too much and strips away the natural oils.

I can't tell you how it will work in the long run but for now, I'm a happy customer. =)

I swear on my life I came into it not knowing what to expect. I just knew it starred Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. If you're looking for a film that'll make you think, then you're watching the wrong movie.

Blame it on my addiction to CSI and the fact that the last few movies I watched starring those two were more involving, thinking movies. That minor disappointment aside, what bothered me about it was that from the get go, you know what'll happen. It's like reading the ending of a book before going through the whole story. I mean, honestly... the plot about two strangers finding out they have a terminal illness and what they do with their last remaining days... sounds something I'd watch on the Hallmark Channel when there's nothing else to watch midday. It's premise is pretty basic and isn't too different from many other movies - enjoy life to the fullest. It was a simple, predictable message in a sacharrine storyline with predictable characters. Entertaining but not very involving.

Or maybe I'm being such a sourpuss about this because half the time I was jealous of all the stuff they got to do in the movie (well, not the dying part but their bucket list).

On the upside, it's not all that bad. If all you're after is a good laugh/cry and to while away your time, then go right ahead. Also, when you put two BIG names in a movie together, you're going to get one of two things: brilliance or a total bomb. In this case, happy to note that it's the former. Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson played polar opposites (different backgrounds, different personalities) and though I doubt they'd win an Oscar for this movie given the constraints of the story, their performances were very human. Nothing over the top, but not too low-key as well. Give it to those two to have shining moments in an otherwise so-so storyline.

I normally don't like re-posting youtube videos but I just have to share this one.

Before the birth of PSP, XBox, Nintendo DS Lite, and Gameboy for that matter, there was the Nintendo Family Computer with everyone's favorite: Super Mario Brothers (I'm sure all you late 80s/early 90s kids out there can so relate)

If you guys just had a really stressful day, and need some relief, go watch: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sGQ20yDDVzQ

For people who know me from back in high school, believe me, I understand how weirded out you may be right now. "Monina commenting on make-up!?" lol! I got inspired by a review I saw on another friend's site so had to put my 2 cents in.

The Bare Escentuals people did not pay me crap to say this but this is literally one of THE BEST products out there. It's something a cousin introduced to me when we attended another cousin's wedding in the States last year. (Abie, if you're reading this, know that this addiction is all your fault! haha.)

So what's so great about this product?

1. I'm pimple-proned and mineral make-up are non-comedogenic, which in layman's term means that it doesn't cause breakouts because they do not plug the pores of the skin

2. It gives long lasting coverage with a lightweight natural/barely-there feel, not the "powdery/cakey" look you get with other foundations/face powders

3. If you find the right shade, it doubles as a concealer over blemishes/discolorations. (additional fun fact: For a pinay morena, use medium tan as a base, then warm radiance as a highlight on the cheeks as well as a bit on the Tzone, and I swear you get that "just-came-from-a-long-weekend-at-the-beach" look.)

4. It's got SPF 15 <--which is good enough for the walk from the parking lot to the office and staying indoors (yes you still need sun protection indoors)

disadvantages?

None really. Oh wait there is one... it's not available here in the Philippines =( I keep having to ask people who are going to the States to get me some. It's a bit more expensive than other brands available locally but it's money well-spent.

Now if I can only find a good local alternative... ahem ahem *wink wink* (you know who you are!)

it's somewhere between John Mayer (circa Room for Squares) and Jesse McCartney (minus the annoyingly high-pitched voice)

not the most poetic out there but gave me a major case of LSS (last song syndrome). But then again I'm not the best measure of LSS since I get that at least once everyday. haha...

Seriously though, worth a listen.

All together now:

one eye on the clock
and one on the phone
its 5:19 i'm feeling alone
if i could talk to you
i'd want you to know,
i'm holding loose but aint letting go