Stop Smoking ... NOW

In our house, there are no ashtrays. Why? I come from a family of non smokers and we discourage smoking whether you are family or a  stranger.

Although I am making light of this, it is a serious matter. And yet how many people take it seriously? So many people still smoke, contributing to air pollution and becoming the source of secondhand smoke. Studies say that secondhand smoke is even deadlier and there is such a thing as third hand smoke.

That is why I am in favor of all ordinances prohibiting smoking in public places so that non smokers can enjoy smoke free zones. I also like smoke free hotel rooms because the smell of smoke remains on the carpets and curtains so you can smell them even if the smoker is long gone.

Smoking is a hard habit to break and big businesses such as tobacco corporations are not about to discourage one from smoking, so it is up to us not to light up, if we know what is good for our health.

Sana Dati

Finally the DVD of Sana Dati was released late last year following the success of Heneral Luna. Both films were directed by Jerrold Tarog.

Sana Dati won Best Picture in Cinemalaya and best supporting actor for TJ Trinidad. Both are well-deserved wins. The movie was also shortlisted in the nominations to represent the Philippines in the Oscar's Best Foreign film category but it did not make the final cut.

I was able to watch this movie during the Cinemalaya competition and later during its regular run in cinemas where brought along two of my classes, AC131 and GD131 on separate screenings and then again with my son for a repeat screening on the same day.

Since then, I have seen it many times as I always include it in the must watch movie list of my Philippine Literature students. I was able to do this when the DVD finally came out in late October of 2015.

Sana Dati is a must watch for fans of good romcoms.

Below are two scenes from the movie. Top photo shows Lovi Poe with Benjamin Alves and lower photo shows Lovi with TJ Trinidad.

One of the lead stars Benjamin Alves celebrated his birthday in APC this year. Photo below shows the author during the celebration.

8 Parasyte Part 1 (Live Action Film)

Last Feb. 2015, I read the review of the Japanese movie, Parasyte by Philbert Ortiz in clickthecity.com. When he gave it a rating of  4.5/5, I decided to catch it at SM Megamall cinema. Since then, it has become one of my favorite movies. Take note, I am not a fan of the genre (science fiction/horror film) so for me, the fact that I liked this movie meant it had an appeal beyond its manga fans.  It is really pretty good considering that it sets up what will happen in Part 2.

I have always felt bad that it was not given a wider release in cinemas in Metro Manila. I  love Hollywood movies (Bridge of Spies is one recent movie with the strong team of director Steven Speilberg and Tom Hanks), but it is nice to discover a movie worth watching that is not from Hollywood.

Another popular anime live action movie from Japan is the three part Rurouni Kenshin which has a big fan base and enjoyed more screen time in the Philippines. The visit of charismatic lead star Takeru Satoh to promote the film in Manila gave the trilogy more exposure. Original dvds are available which make it more accessible to film buffs.    

Now with my very own original DVD copy of the movie courtesy of my sister Eileen who brought it to Manila from the States on October 20, I now have a chance to share this excellent movie with my EEP students.

I loved that the movie is both gross and cool and the charming leads Shatomi Sometani (Shinichi) and Ai Hashimoto (Satomi Murano) and Migi (voiced by Sadao Abe) made me an instant fan.

MOVIE TIME!!!

7 My Son's Wedding

If I were to pick one special event in 2015, I already know which one I would choose even if the year is not over yet.

The main event of the year is my son's wedding last June 12, 2015.

Here is the message I wrote for my son and his bride on their wedding day

Every parent wants his child to have a happy ending. Casildo and I are no exception and I am sure Corazon feels the same way too. Today we are here to celebrate the first day of Jonan and Janette's love story as a 
married couple.

To be honest, the past couple of days I have been experiencing separation anxiety because no matter how old our kids get, they never grow up in our eyes. So I am feeling sentimental that Jonan is moving out of the 
house. Separation anxiety aside, today is about Jonan and Janette and our wish for them is simple, that from this day forward, they start building a life together that is based on mutual trust, lots of faith and most of all, love.

I know that together you will be able to write your happy ending. After all Jonan is a creative writing major who takes after his parents who are both writers. If you were listening to their wedding vows this morning, you will know that they are both capable of writing their love story. 

Before I close, you should know where Jonan and Janette are moving. Kids, see you at the back house on Monday. 

6 PELICULA, Spanish Film Festival

From October 8 to 18, 2015, all roads lead to Greenbelt 3 cinemas for the annual Spanish Film Festival. I always look forward to this festival as my kids are half Spanish and I remind them that this is a good time to embrace their roots.

I always try to watch at least five films from the lineup of 18 because of the raffle stub which qualifies me to join the raffle where the grand prize is a trip to Spain. One can always hope.

Last Friday, I watched Felices 140 which was kind of special because the lead actor Maribel Verdu was in town for the Q and A after the film's screening. It was nice to see in person the star of Y Tu Mama Tambien and Pan's Labryrinth.

Last Sunday, back to back movies, La Isla Minima and Tres Bodas de Mas were my movies of choice. The first, a contemporary crime thriller projected a moody dark tale of a serial killer on the loose. In contrast, the second movie was a light romantic comedy set in Barcelona. Although I love detective novels, I was more in the mood for a happy ending and enjoyed watching Tres Bodas de Mas.

Today I am going to watch Relatos Salvajes, an Argentinian movie that is the country's entry to Best Foreign Language film to the Oscars. In other words, it will compete against Philippine bet, Heneral Luna. I am looking forward to this movie. My movie companion is Jaffy who I watched Heneral Luna with just last week.

The fifth film which will entitle me to that raffle stub is Milagro en Praga, a comedy romance from the Czech Republic.

One of the pluses for me of the Spanish Film Festival as opposed to the French Film Festival or the Japanese Film Festival, is I don't have to read the subtitles.

See you at the movies!

5 Ang Tatay mong Kalbo

As the long time adviser of Teatre Phileo in APC, I required my EEP students to watch the play, Ang Tatay mong Kalbo by Isagani R. Cruz, PhD. It is an adaptation of the French play, The Bald Soprano by Eugene Ionesco.

This latest staging of the play was held last October 9 and 10 at MPH1 of APC. I invited the playwright Isagani R. Cruz (photo below shows him with the ERC faculty during his seminar at APC, READ or DIE) but unfortunately, he was in the US and could not watch the play.

It is always a pleasure to collaborate with esteemed writer and educator Dr. Isagani R. Cruz. Thank you for letting Teatro Phileo stage your play/adaptation of Ang Tatay mong Kalbo.

4 Love at First Sight

I think it is wonderful to discover a poem at the core of a beautiful film. The poem is Love at First Sight by Polish writer Wislawa Szymborska, recipient of the Nobel prize for literature in 1996.The English translation is by Walter Whipple. The movie is Turn Left, Turn Right.

Wislawa Szymborska

Love at First Sight

Both are convinced
that a sudden surge of emotion bound them together.
Beautiful is such a certainty,
but uncertainty is more beautiful.

Because they didn't know each other earlier, they suppose that
nothing was happening between them.
What of the streets, stairways and corridors
where they could have passed each other long ago?

I'd like to ask them
whether they remember-- perhaps in a revolving door
ever being face to face?
an "excuse me" in a crowd
or a voice "wrong number" in the receiver.
But I know their answer:
no, they don't remember.

They'd be greatly astonished
to learn that for a long time
chance had been playing with them.

Not yet wholly ready
to transform into fate for them
it approached them, then backed off,
stood in their way
and, suppressing a giggle,
jumped to the side.

There were signs, signals:
but what of it if they were illegible.
Perhaps three years ago,
or last Tuesday
did a certain leaflet fly
from shoulder to shoulder?
There was something lost and picked up.
Who knows but what it was a ball
in the bushes of childhood.

There were doorknobs and bells
on which earlier
touch piled on touch.
Bags beside each other in the luggage room.
Perhaps they had the same dream on a certain night,
suddenly erased after waking.

Every beginning
is but a continuation,
and the book of event
is never more than half open.

Even in translation, the message of the poem is captured beautifully and listening to it in the original Polish and in Chinese in the movie is quite a treat.

Watching the movie Turn Left, Turn Right with my students in EEP is such a fun activity. I hope they like the movie as much as I do.