A Walk with Love and Death

I won't pretend as if I am an expert in critiquing, but I have my own take on the films and shows I have seen. And as a fan of Anjelica Huston, I believe that the actress I am idolizing aren't as bad as critiques think she is. Just like in this film that I am going to review, in which Anjelica was badly reviewed by many critics, I believe that Anjelica's performance wasn't THAT bad. The film I am talking about is A Walk with Love and Death, which is Anjelica's debut as an actress and was directed by her late father, John Huston.

In A Walk with Love and Death, critics said that Anjelica cannot act, which led to the failure of the film. However, I believe otherwise. Not because she is my favorite actress and my claim is biased (it may be but I am doing my best to lessen if not eradicate my subjective point of view), but because I saw that Anjelica can act, though I know she could have done better.

I was really excited when Anjelica Huston Fan Page shared that A Walk with Love and Death is already available in Youtube. So I immediately watched it and I actually expected the worst since it was critically panned when it was shown. At first, I could not concentrate because Anjelica was super duper cute! But I told myself that I need to concentrate so that I can prove the critics wrong. And I was able to do so, if not fully, at least partially.

The first thing I noticed about Anjelica's acting was her eyes were blank in some of the scenes like that when Heron and other soldiers were fighting with the peasants. Another thing I noticed was that Anjelica was not able to show the feeling of being scared just like in the scene where Claudia said "Heron, I'm afraid!", when Claudia had a nightmare of what the peasants did to her father, and during the last scene where Claudia and Heron were waiting for their deaths.

During those said scenes, she was just scrunching up her face and closing her eyes tightly. I see this as a sign that Anjelica knows how to act. I think what only hindered her to giving out more for the role was her reluctance to work with her father.

Anjelica's good points in the film were:

1. Her eyes suggested innocence. That's what made her look even more angelic, besides her cute features.
2. Though at some scenes her eyes look blank, it gave the impression that Claudia was very reserved.
3. Although her eyes sometimes look blank, Anjelica knew how to utilize other parts of her face such as her eyebrows and her lips. I noticed this from the garden scene at the first part of the film where Claudia and Heron first had a conversation.
4. Anjelica can cry and it touches me, really. The scene where Heron found Claudia in a convent and she was narrating what happened the day the peasants attacked their home, really moved me. The way she looked so devastated and broken made me sad and sympathize with the character.
5. During the scene where Claudia and Heron were selling the candlesticks she stole from the convent, I saw Rodmilla de Ghent (a character Anjelica portrayed in the film Ever After). The way Claudia spoke in such demeanor, the way she raised her eyebrow, and the way she carried herself was exactly the same manner Anjelica did Rodmilla.
6. Lastly, Anjelica already established a signature movements like the eyebrow movements, the leaning-forward-when-angry motion, and her loving look to her on-screen partner.

I think it is wrong to say that the film failed solely because of Anjelica's acting. I think the film failed also because of the screenplay. The film was written with too many things happening that the film seemed to be too short for all the things that were happening. Also, since there seemed to be too many things happening in the film, it seemed to be dragging and you get bored of waiting for the next thing to happen.

In totality, I think that the critics were too hard on Anjelica. Yes, her performance was not as good as her next films but it wasn't that bad, considering the factors that affected Anjelica's performance. I know Anjelica could've done better but I think the film helped Anjel grow as both a person and an actress.

All I can say is, I love Anjelica Huston, no matter what. :D

7 is the Perfect Number

They say seven is a lucky number. Some even says that seven is the perfect number. I usually do not agree since I never liked the look of number seven, especially if that is how my grade starts. But I guess, there is always an exemption to the rule. Just like this year, I am celebrating my seventh year of becoming an Anjelicaholic.

Photo credits to Ana Flavia Francesconi

Seven years ago, I never liked watching films. I never even thought of having a job in the industry of acting and production. All I thought was that I want to become a teacher, period. But on September 5 of 2007, I saw The Addams Family of 1991 and unwillingly fell in love with the Addams matriarch - the ever so wonderful Morticia Addams.

The first character of Anjelica I ever saw which remained a favorite of mine

I remembered praying before I sleep that hopefully the woman who played Mrs. Addams is still alive. And thank goodness, Anjelica Huston is still very much alive until now.

I remember clearly how I got to watch The Addams Family, as if it was just yesterday. Seven years ago, my Filipino teacher asked us to do a movie review of a recent film. Since I was no film buff, I have to rent from a local video store. So my mom, my sister, and I went to the mall carrying my sister's membership card. When we got there, we got into a fight with the staff there because they said that my sister was not registered and we cannot rent unless we are members. We argued that how could it be possible that my sister is not a member when she has a membership card. It took several phone calls, further arguments, and confirmations until the staff, with their manager, decided that to shut us up, they will give us free membership despite that I was a minor and my sister and I do not have valid IDs in hand. And so I rented the film I wanted to review and reviewed it. I passed my paper and probably got a good score.

Having that membership card entitled me to rent movies, as long as it will be three films per week (as per my mom). And the first movie I rented after the movie review was The Addams Family VCD because I remembered seeing it as a child and being scared of them (I do not know exactly why but probably it was because they were wearing black). Anyway, I rented it on a Tuesday and I had five days before having to return it.

My all time favorite movie

 
When I got home, I immediately watched it in our desktop computer (we did not have a television set that time). The next day, my sister invited me to watch the film again and I obliged, not telling her I already watched it the day before. Since we did not have speakers for our computer, we had to rely on the CPU's built-in speakers which were not that loud. We already finished the first disk when my sister realized that we can watch with the earplugs on so we can understand the lines. Hence, we watched the first disc for the second time. The next day, a Thursday, I was not able to watch The Addams Family because my mom was already home before I was and she knew I already seen the film and watching it again would not make sense (to her). And then on Friday, I watched The Addams Family again. That was when I realized how beautiful Morticia was.

That started my addiction to Morticia Addams, which led to my addiction to Anjelica Huston. I remember saving up for the VCD of The Addams Family and Addams Family Values. I also remember keeping my VCD of Addams Family Values under my clothes because I was not allowed to buy consecutively. During those hype moments, I would go to the internet shop before going home from school and download loads of Anjelica's pictures and printing them. I would also print fan fictions about The Addams Family and keeping those, together with the pictures, in a clear book which is already thick. I would even print Anjelica's pictures in wallet-size photo paper and just keep them. And funny enough, I still have them at home.

Reading Addams Family fan fictions caused me to write fan fictions as well. And idolizing Anjelica made me want to become an actress as well.

Anjelica Huston has been my inspiration for the past seven years (and plus two other wonderful actresses as well). And I am so thankful to my Filipino for having us make a film review, without of which wouldn't make me know Anjelica Huston.

The magnificent ANJELICA HUSTON!

And I guess, all I want to say is... HAPPY SEVENTH ANJELICAHOLIC ANNIVERSARY TO ME!



Photo credits to Anjelica Huston Fan Page.

The Last 5 Years - and My First Year

The Last 5 Years starring Nikki Gil and Joaquin Valdez

This August, 9 Works Theatrical staged The Last 5 Years to celebrate its 5 years and I am so thankful to be part of it. To those who missed L5Y, you missed a wonderful show, just make sure to watch the rerun of Grease this November and La Cage this February.

Anyway, L5Y is about the roller coaster love story of Cathy, a struggling theater actress, and her beau-turned-husband Jamie, a rising novelist. Cathy tells her story from end to beginning, while Jamie tells her story from beginning until end, both way saying two things - it was a hopeful relationship but crashes harshly down.

Mio Infante's wonderful set

A first look at Mio Infante's set is already a sign that the audiences are up for an unusual play. The stage was not made to face the center of the audience area but to the right side of the audience area. The platform was uneven with five pillars/frames and scattered chairs attached all over it, which I heard many people interpret as the last five years of the couple and how unstable the relationship was. However, personally I interpret the set as frames (like those in photographs) which symbolized the memories of the couple's last five years. A key set piece in the play was the bed which served as indicator of the mood of the scene, as well as how long time had passed.

Nikki Gil as Cathy Hyatt, a struggling actress

Joaquin Valdez as Jamie Wellerstein, a rising writer

The lights and projections were another story. Each sequence in the play has their own special lighting and projections which, together with the music, helps deliver the love story. A personal favorite of mine was during the boat scene, in which the lights were blue and made to look like the flowing river in New York as well as the projections of the sights in New York.

Cathy and Jamie during their wedding, featuring 9PO :)

The pivotal part of the play, which I think made the audience realize how the story flows, was Jamie and Cathy's wedding. The wedding was the only part of the play in which Jamie and Cathy were physically together and the only song where they sing the same song.

 

Watching L5Y once is not enough for the audience to fully understand and appreciate the play. Structurally, L5Y was written to be watched twice - or even more, making the first viewing have the purpose of understanding the story, while the succeeding viewings have the purpose of appreciating Robbie Guevara's direction, as well as Nikki Gil's unbelievably wonderful voice and Joaquin Valdez's unnaturally long-ranged voice.

Goodbye...

My personal take on L5Y is that Cathy and Jamie's relationship did not prosper because Jamie was too busy managing his fame that even though he loves Cathy so much, he somehow neglects her sadness for not being able to be as successful as he was, as well as his tendencies to look, and eventually sleep with, other women. But I am not saying that the failure of their relationship was exactly all Jaime's fault, actually, I believe that it was otherwise. I believe that Cathy was very ambitious that her inability to level with Jaime's fame and success was a huge blow to her that it made her pity herself so much. And through Cathy's songs, I can say that she is also too self-centered, most of her songs were about her and her dreams, while Jamie's were about his dreams which were to be happy with Cathy, and how he wants Cathy to be happy too.

I would like to thank Ms. Camille Santos for giving me the opportunity to usher for The Last 5 Years. Without her, I wouldn't be able to have this wonderful theater experience which I will treasure for the rest of my life. I'd also like to thank Rob, Ms. Anna, Sir Santi, Sir JonJon, and the whole 9 Works family for being so friendly and nice to me. I'd also like to thank my co-ushers and FOH guys, Ate Claui, Ate Gabby, Ate Ann, Ate Shirl, Ate JB, Ate Karyl, Karl, Nico, Nica, Teena, Marj, and Erik - I hope to see you and work with you again! And lastly, I would like to thank my friend, Kat, who I feel is my long lost theater buddy :D

with my long lost theater buddy, Kat

with Cathy

and Jamie

and the man behind this great show, Rob

Congratulations again to everyone who made The Last 5 Years possible! See you guys in Grease!

There is No Place Like Home

I have five words that encapsulate how I feel for the past few weeks:

I WANT TO GO HOME!

Sorry. I just feel the need of 'saying' that out loud.

Convo with a Stranger

On my way home last night, a guy passenger sat beside me in the bus and he was engaging me in a conversation...

GUY: Buendia ka rin?
ME: Hindi ho.
GUY: Saan? Baclaran? Leveriza?
ME: DTI ho (Whut #1).
GUY: Ah. Nag-aaral ka pa?
ME: Oho.
GUY: Saan?
ME: UE ho (Whut #2).
GUY: Ah. Anong course mo?
ME: Accounting ho (Whut #3).
GUY: Ah. (Extends a hand.) Jeff nga pala.
ME: (Nods 'politely' and smiles 'serenely'.)
GUY: Ikaw?
ME: Mary (Whut #4).

Da moves ni Kuya eh. Di mo malaman kung flirt o maniac eh. Haha! Feeling maganda lang ako. Baka naman 'friendly' lang :)

PETA :D

This post is another delayed post. Sorry! And this is about the two plays I recently watched, both produced by PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association) - Rak of Aegis and Batang Rizal.

So first, Rak of Aegis...

The moment I entered the theater, all I could think of was WOAH! The set is just so wonderful. Who would have thought that you can put flood and rain in a small place such as a theater? Thanks to the scenographer of Rak of Aegis, Mio Infante. However, the theater of PETA has a downside, since I only purchased a balcony ticket and PETA operates in a first come, first serve manner, it is not easy to secure a good seat (not unless you come extra early). And I think, finding a good seat is also hard even to those who are seated in the orchestra because there are only monoblock chairs and those are not elevated so it is hard to see if you are seated at the back part.

But despite the inconvenience of finding a good seat, the totality of the show was just superb. I was lucky enough to be able to witness Isay Alvarez, Robert Sena, and Kakay Bautista in the production. Them, together with the whole cast were just magnificent. They made me fall in love harder to theater, especially to Filipino made musical theater. Their voices were just AWESOME! They brought the songs of Aegis to a whole new level, making those songs transform from the usual videoke hits to something close to our hearts.

It was actually fun to see Isay and Robert act quite antagonistic with each other, given the fact that they are real life wedded couple. And I guess knowing the fact that they are spouses made their characters more kakilig.

I guess what really made Rak of Aegis patok to its audience is because of the reality shown in the play. It was like seeing the reality we are experiencing but not being part of it. The play showed how optimistic we Filipinos are, despite the calamities we are facing. The play also showed that despite the corruption present in our country, there are still other government officials who really care for the community they are representing. But most of all, Rak of Aegis showed the Filipinos' ability to love unconditionally.

My favorite part of the play were during Tolits and Aileen's duet with all those gigantic bubbles, of course the magnificent rain scene, and most of all, Isay and Robert's snide about each other.

Another remarkable person in Rak of Aegis who I think brought everything to life was the guy playing Jewel who also appears in Batang Rizal, which I am sharing next.

My friend Kat was the one who told our Stick-O tropa about Batang Rizal, and it was me, Kat, and another tropa of us, Florian who watched the show which was held at Star Theater at CCP Complex.

The story of Batang Rizal was about Pepe (the young Jose Rizal) time traveled with Pepito (a modern kid) to our present time. Pepito was the first to time travel to Pepe's time and Pepito brought Pepe to present.

Batang Rizal tackled more than the history of our national hero, the play also discussed the power of friendship and what makes bullying so wrong.

The play was very child friendly, fun to watch, and with wonderful set pieces, good songs, and a very good stage management. However, my friends and I were quite skeptic about Pepe's character. Instead of sounding like an innocent child, he sounded more of like Budoy and Nino. Sorry for this comment but I think if the production team of Batang Rizal reads this, they will be able to enhance Pepe's character and make him sound like a child and not like a special child.

But what made me like Batang Rizal despite my skepticism with Pepe's portrayal, was how the show taught me that performing, specifically theater acting, does not just exist for the purpose of entertainment - theater is there to educate people. It is created to teach people things that are not normally and usually discussed in the four walls of the classroom. The play made me realize the reason why I want to become a theater actor - because I want to perform and I also want to teach, and that teaching and performing are not different things.

  ***

Rak of Aegis is still showing so do not miss your chance! Meet everyone from Barangay Venecia :D And coming this September 2014 is PETA's FnL Pinoy Speaks.

THEATER ROCKS!

Goodbyes

This post is long over due. These events happened last August 6 and 7 but I was too busy to share what happened. But now, since there is no classes (Ninoy Aquino Day) I will share two unfortunate events of my life: my phone was snatched from my hands on my way home, and our family pet cat had gone AWOL (but she's back now, thank God).

So on August 6, on my way home from I cannot remember where, I rode the jeepney from Baclaran. We were along Coastal Road, when the traffic lights turn red and we had to stop. I was  reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ebook on my phone and the chapter I was in was Chapter 30: Pensieve, I was also listening through my earphones to a song of ABBA. In the ebook, something was about to happen to Harry when in reality, a hand suddenly came from outside the jeepney and took hold of my phone and snatched it away. I was not holding my phone tightly but I tried to tug it from the snatcher by pulling my earphones, of course the earphones just came out of the headset socket and the perpetrator managed to run away. All I could do was to shout "F*ck, yung phone ko (F*ck, my phone!)" Which was of course did not help. I did not dare run after him because (1) the snatcher was already ahead of me by five meters, (2) the snatcher knew what he was doing, and by the looks of it, he was already a pro in snatching, (3) I am a slow runner, and (4) the jeepney I was riding will surely leave me behind when the traffic lights turn green.

And there I sat, shocked with what just happened and stared at my co-passengers dazedly. I heard them murmuring, "Marami talagang magnanakaw dito sa lugar na 'to (There are really many snatchers in this area), "Grabe, bata pa yun oh (Woah, the snatcher was still young!)" and sadly, there is nothing I can do about it. I asked the passenger on my left if I could text my mother with her phone and she let me (and ironically, my mother did not receive my text).

The rest is history, my My| Phone Rio Fun is no longer my phone. The Smurfs' Village I was playing (and had undergone reset thrice already) is gone forever. And the photos I had with celebrities were lost as well, thank goodness to Instagram I still have an Instasize copy.

The next day, our family cat (Jerbie) escaped. I was watching the preview of The Last 5 Years at CPR Auditorium in RCBC (try to get your tickets, it is a wonderful show) when my mother texted me "Wala na si Gerbie, nakatakas siya. Hindi ko makita (Gerbie's gone. She escaped and I cannot find her.)" I cannot focus on the show anymore, I was restless. I wanted to teleport home right then and there and look for her. When the production called for a break, I went home. I searched in the darkness to find her. I called out Jerbie's name while crying. The people in the neighborhood came looking for our cat as well. I looked for her for more than 30 minutes but to no avail. An old man even told me to go home and he will look for her in the morning. I grudgingly walked home.

The next day, before my 7:30AM class (which was Cinema), I could not help but sob. My friends and classmates were shocked and surrounded me asking what is wrong, consoling me, patting my back, and stuff. I could not bare the people surrounded me so I shouted "Layuan mo ako, Bryan! F*ck (Bryan, leave me alone! F*ck!)" Unfortunately, my professor was just right outside the door and heard my outburst.

The rest of the day, I was dazed. I could not easily laugh. I was even silent than usual. And I did not even joke around with my friends. At home, my mother was also morose. Every time I pass by Jerbie's cage, I could not help but feel a pang of sadness and I would feel the urge to cry.

The next day (a Saturday), I ushered for a debut. Compared to the previous day, I was more lively, but not as lively as I usually am. The debut lasted probably until two in the morning but I went home around 12 midnight. I rode a cab with my co-debut workers Kuya Marcel and Teacher Howie but I got off at Heritage Hotel to ride a jeepney.

I was sleeping during the ride but when the jeepney passed Talaba, I woke up and got off the jeepney. I got off quite a distance from the terminal so I have to walk. As I was walking, I realized that I rode the jeepney going directly to another terminal. Having no choice, I rode another jeepney passing a different route but still would lead me home. Amazingly, I was awake during the second jeepney ride. I was actually wondering why since I wasn't conscious during my first jeepney ride. Since I was awake, I stared out the window to look for signs of Jerbie. I passed this school near where I live, with its doorway lit and a black and white cat sitting. At first, I thought it was Jerbie but I noticed that the cat was bigger than ours so I ignored it. I got off the jeepney and was about to walk home when I had a second thought, maybe I should check it out, after all it was just a distance away. So instead of walking home, I walked the opposite way and headed for the school.

As I passed a wooden cart, I looked down and saw... JERBIE! She was sitting there, looking lost. I crouched in front of her and took hold of her. She squirmed at first but probably upon realizing who I was, she relaxed in my arms. She and I rode the tricycle home. I was screaming "Ma! Nakuha ko na si Jerbie (Ma! I got Jerbie!)" when I got home, waking the whole house. And well, we are living happily ever after :D.