Meet The Great Gatsby by: Uel Ceballos

I was amazed to meet Gatsby here – I mean the way F. Scott Fitzgerald presented him in the book; Jay Gatsby was quite intriguing. He was the sort of a mysterious man with deep sense of attachment to his past, driven passionately by his loyal love to Daisy Buchanan, and firmly determined to get things according to his plans.

The Great Gatsby was one of the greatest classic novels that you would treasure for a lifetime. This was not your kind of inspirational book, of which you could count on to uplift your spirit and develop your morality, but this was the type of novel that would serve as your window to human’s weaknesses and would leave you significant thoughts to ponder about.

photo courtesy of wikipedia

Jay Gatsby was an emotionally bothered individual -- toughened by difficult experiences in life, he lived with full dedication to fulfill his dreams and revive the relationship that he and Daisy had five years ago. And Daisy, oh Daisy was such a sweet siren who got me confused if she was really the fragile type or the wise one who played around with the irresistible effect she had with anyone. But one thing for sure, Daisy was the one who value status and money more than anything else otherwise Jay Gatsby wouldn’t strive really hard to level his self to the gaudy, fancy life that Daisy loved.

Looking at the story through the point of view of Nick Carraway also gave me the impression of seeing Nick as F. Scott himself. Nick was the cousin of Daisy here who happened to become Gatsby’s closest friend. You would be looking to the entire story through Nick’s spectacles, who shared the reader a shallow depiction of his self saved for the opinions and feelings he had towards the whole Gatsby-Daisy thing.

F. Scott Fitzgerald had given us a story that would leave us empathizing due to its ill-fated ending – nor affirming or refuting its possible existence. I, myself, was left drifting on thoughts of believing and denying. Denying to the sense that I don’t want such thing to happen in my case; believing because this was apparently the sort of reality and not just one of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s surreal ideas.

I wouldn’t mind reading this novel for several times. The author had written here substantial phrases that I wouldn’t mind re-reading and re-digesting on my mind. For this wonderful literary piece I will give it a rate of 8 cups of latte. 

Hope you guys can find time to read this one. The novel was followed by several film adaptations bearing the same title The Great Gatsby, the most recent was this 2013 film starred by Leonardo Di Caprio and Tobey Maguire. 

ANNIE HALL, a truly nourishing masterpiece by: Uel Ceballos

Watching any of Woody Allen’s films will really get you glued on your seat, all eyes and ears to everything that’s happening on the screen. Surely, you wouldn’t want to miss any of his brilliant lines which are often delivered in various brainy humorous ways.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Annie Hall is a 1977 American romantic comedy film that starred Woody Allen himself. He was also the director and co-writer of the film, wherein you can see the Woody Allen’s style of flashback treatment and more of the significant dialogues approach than the action-show-off kind of film story-telling. The entire film is more of conversations, about 70% telling and 30% showing. But with a highly credited director like Woody Allen, the approaches never lack the necessary imagery to form the pictures in the audiences’ view even without literally showing it. You definitely hear it and feel it. You listen to every words, laugh at every humor, sympathize with the characters demises and you will just realize that you’re already hooked on it. Mainly for the reason that Woody Allen never just write the lines, but he write it with full substances. So much substances actually that you will be amazed on how did Woody Allen came to include somewhere in his script about Marshall McLuhan, Rolling Stone, David and Bathsheeba, The Sorrow and the Pity, the Wicked Queen in Snow White and even stereotyping line that compared L.A to Munchkinland!

Annie Hall is a full romantic comedy type with significant quotes that will leave you pondering at the end. Woody Allen who played Alvy Singer here has been trying to figure out why his relationship with Annie Hall has failed to work out. The film gets back to the earlier parts of Alvy’s life where he had the first two relationships before Annie, the first time he and Annie met in a badminton, their lives together as partner, the fights they’d been through and the differences they’d discovered during the period of being together.

Of course, another thing that makes Annie Hall exceptional is the classy musical scoring that set the film in a very romantic mood. The psyches of the film’s characters are marvelously developed and the comical lines being thrown are partly satirical but in a pleasantly amusing manner. There are also lots of remarkable techniques being used such as Alvy Singer breaking the fourth wall, addressing the audiences directly by facing and talking straightly to the camera. Woody Allen has obviously reflected here lots of the remarkable artists’ influences on him, definitely we already know it as the Woody Allen’s style when the flow of script draws so much inspiration from literary works, philosophical ideas, Judaism, and psychological issues.

Annie Hall is such a beautiful movie that will give you good laughs and will set you internalizing right after. Truly a nourishing film, this one is more than just your ordinary romantic comedy movie. This is a real masterpiece that hits something deeply onto your heart and mind. So I suggest you also watch this one and tell me then if I'm telling the truth.

For this one, I will give it a rate of nine shots of espresso. Cheers to quality movie!

INSIANG -- The truth, the real and the classic by: Uel Ceballos

photo clip from the movie Insiang

Set in the slum area of the country, Insiang was opened with the montage of a depressed location in its different shots and angles. Lino Brocka had shamelessly shown here the Philippines in its worse poverty-stricken state. It was released in the year of 1976 during the Martial Law period (under Marcos regime). Just when the first lady Imelda Marcos stood firmly to her beliefs of “the truth, the good, and the beautiful” and thereby claiming the duty to act as the star to light the poor men’s way, Lino Brocka and Mario O’ Hara boldly made a film that demonstrated the Philippines in its ugliest and worst condition. Insiang not just challenged Imelda’s principle but slapped hardly the administration as the film frankly stated the real circumstances in the country.

photo clips from the movie Insiang

Insiang told the story of a pretty young woman who strove hard to get the affection of her mother. Her father left them for another woman and her mother so bitter and infuriated had diverted her grudges onto Insiang. The film was made richly with interesting conflicts and it was bombarded with poverty issues,which included the effects it had on each member of the society. The story of Insiang was made with attention-grabbing plot that would hold you still on your seat up to the last minute of the movie. This dramatic film strongly stirred sympathy for Insiang who was harshly challenged by fate, which left her seeking for revenge.

Hilda Koronel as Insiang

Actress Hilda Koronel had given us here a knockout performance, as she not only excellently portrayed the character but proven as well that no other actresses in her generation would be more fitted for the role but she alone. Kudos to the whole casts and to the production team, whom with all their joint efforts had made the film a big hit that Insiang became the first ever Filipino film to go into the Cannes Film Festival. Its entry to Cannes did not win the favor of the Marcos but the administration barred instead the showing of film in France. Small wonder why the Marcoses wouldn’t want to show off the film in the festival where other foreign countries would be present – Insiang described Philippines in ways that didn’t complement to Imelda’s own version of “the truth, the good and the beautiful”. However, just as the movie was brazenly produced and shown in the Philippines, there was nothing indeed to stop the production team especially by that time that they had already gotten the attention of one of the most prestigious films festival in the world. In spite of the prohibition of Marcos to bring the movie to France, the producer had bravely sneaked the disc by carefully hiding it in her baggage and flying Insiang to the Cannes Festival.

It has been three decades now since Insiang was first released, but until today, you can still see those same sceneries that you have seen demonstrated in the 1976 movie. It seemed like Philippines has still a long way to go before it could finally lessen if not eradicate the issues of poverty.

For this classic Filipino film that blatantly discussed the society’s issues even if it could mean threat and danger to the lives of the whole production team, let’s drink to it with the perfect rate of 10 shots of espresso!

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Movie details:

Title: Insiang

Director: Lino Brocka

Writer: Mario O'Hara, Lamberto E. Antonio 

Casts: Hilda Koronel, Mona Lisa, Ruel Vernal, Rez Cortez

Hunger Games Trilogy – “Glory and Gore go hand in hand.” (A song from Lorde’s album) By Lyn Bungar

Photo courtesy of hungergamesdwtc.net

I heard about this song Glory and Gore by Lorde from her album Pure Heroine. The title definitely described my thoughts about Hunger Games Trilogy.

Hunger Games Trilogy – the book my co-bloggers were crazy about, so might as well take a look at it.

I got the chance to know about Hunger Games from a friend who was very helpful to download the movie for my sake. I admit, I really enjoyed the movie and I couldn’t get enough of Katniss Everdeen’s character. But reading the book is incomparable. I read the book for 3 consecutive days and only stopped for meals, bathroom and other important reasons. I was so hooked. It was like watching the film again for 3 days, only much better since I get to know the every bit of details of the story.

The Capitol created the Hunger Games as a punishment for the districts’ rebellion 74 years ago. Hunger Games is an annual event to remind every district in Panem how powerful the Capitol is and that the rebellion that happened in the past should not be repeated. Kids ages twelve years old and above is entitled to reaping. Reaping is the process that determines who will represent each district in the game. Every district will have two representatives, one male and one female known as the Tributes. They will fight to death until only one remains, called the Victor. Katniss Everdeen volunteered in the game to take her sister’s place. Her little sister, Prim, 12 years old, was originally picked as one of the tributes to represent District 12. Peeta Mellark, a bread-maker, is the other tribute. I am not a fan of violence, of bloody and gory fights but this novel is far more than that and has change my perspective about books or novels in the same category.

Photo from wikipedia.org

The first book is my favorite of all, because of Katniss' sarcastic humor despite her state. The Hunger Games trilogy was written in the main characters perspective - Katniss Everdeen. She was a tough teenage girl, a hunter and someone who does not show her emotions to other people, especially her mom because she knew that these people will only break her in the end. 

Hunger Games highlights Katniss Everdeen’s fight in the arena. How her life transformed when she became a tribute. Her victory was seen by the Capitol as a rebellious act when she decided not to kill Peeta. She chose to die with him than win the competition alone. But since having no Victor is not part of the game, they both lived and named as Victors.

The Catching Fire, second book of the Hunger Games trilogy has a more serious tone and less Katniss’ humor. It shows the consequences of the mian characters’ actions in the first book. Katniss and Peeta were brought again in the arena, a different arena from the first Hunger Games. This time the participants were the Victors of every district in Panem.  She was with Peeta again. Katniss’ feelings for her co-tribute Peeta and her childhood friend Gale became more confusing. Katniss’ character is more confident, stronger and tougher this time. I get to know a different side of her. 

The last book Mockingjay is the most bloody and action-packed of the three books. The districts of Panem became the arena. Every district had an uprising against the Capitol. The head of the rebellion is the thirteenth district which was thought to have gone and burned into ashes 74 years ago during the Dark Days. It was the most shocking revelation in the trilogy. Katniss Everdeen became the Mockingjay, the sign of the rebellion, the people’s inspiration. A lot of characters was introduced and died. It is for you to find out who are they. The third book shows how the media played an important role in the districts’ rebellion against the Capitol. I remember my lessons when I was in College as a Mass communication student. A media team with Katniss and soldiers in the battlefield and airing it for the whole Panem to see is classic!

How a commoner, a teenage girl changed every people’s lives in Panem is the most inspiring yet heartbreaking of all. This book isn’t your typical heroes against villains’ story. It has shown the consequences and sacrifices in achieving freedom from tyranny. And that being a hero, you get to have the most unfortunate ending.

Hunger Games trilogy is a book that will connect to you in different perspectives. Can’t wait to watch if the Catching Fire movie will justify the second book! 

I can literally drink 8 cups of latte in a day for this book! :)

EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN -- IT'S TIME FOR A FEAST! by: Uel Ceballos

photo courtesy of wikipedia

If you are planning to watch Ang Lee’s Eat Drink Man Woman, make it perfectly sure that you have a full stomach. The sumptuous presentations and often display of foods in the film quiet have a mouth-watering effect to anyone who watches it. This 1994 Taiwanese film presented an amiable family consisting of a father and her three grown-up daughters. With Ang Lee’s exceptional direction, the movie successfully showcased a simple yet very strong topic concerning the culture and family tradition and the necessary adjustments that each of them has to make.

The main character Mr. Chu is a widower master Chinese Chef who has three unmarried daughters. Each of whom has different characters and beliefs – the eldest Chu Jia-Jen, a school teacher who is coming close to being an old maid, the second Chu Jia-Chien, an airline executive who’s the liberated and independent one, and the youngest Chu Jia-Ning who is still in college. The three daughters have been living in the same house with their father until the second one decided to move out.

Sihung Lung as Mr.Chu in Eat Drink Man Woman
photo clip from the movie

Ang Lee’s presented here the common situation that happen around wherein the grown-ups are already worrying about their aging parents. In this movie, the three daughters have been discussing on who will be left to take care of their father and they even came up with the idea of setting Mr.Chu to someone of his own age.

The story was brilliantly written – with the traditional ways being challenged, still the

photo clip from the movie Eat Drink Man Woman

importance of the family is perfectly highlighted. Mr.Chu and his three daughters are always having a Sunday dinner, wherein Mr.Chu is always preparing a real big feast. Here, they not only eat but also share one’s another updates. The Sunday dinner also becomes the main venue wherein big plans and decisions are discussed. Along the movie, you will find each daughter following the paths they have decided for their life and it always start up from a Sunday dinner conversation with their father. Sunday dinners will give you not only the pleasant sight of the food that are served on the family’s table but also feed you with tasty revelations coming from the daughters and from the father himself.

photo clip from movie
Eat Drink Man Woman

Eat Drink Man Woman has in store lots of surprises that will surely bring out the laughter and tears in you. Just as the delicious cuisines satisfied your eyes (if not your tummy); Ang Lee has made it sure that your impressions toward the movie will be greatly pleased as well. With all its smooth flow and sequencing, very appealing music, and ideal casting, I am confident to say that this movie will make you feel good and inspired at the end.

Just to share my side of story, I happened to watch this movie in the early morning of father’s day. After watching it, I realized that it perfectly fit for the occasion that day and I went right away to our kitchen to prepare food for my father that I myself had made. I suggest you watch it with your dad and with the whole family as well – this movie has really something on it that will not only stir your hunger but your appetite for a well-lived life as well.

For this delectable movie, I’ll give it eight shots of espresso!

MOVIE DETAILS:

Title: Eat Drink Man Woman

Director: Ang Lee

Producer: Hsu Li Kong, Hsu Kong

Writer: Ang Lee, James Schamus, Hui-Ling Wang

Casts: Sihung Lung[N 1, Yu-wen Wang, Chien-lien Wu, Kuei-mei Yang

PARA KAY B … Ang babasahing nababagay sa kababaihan ng kahapon, ngayon at bukas. Ni: Uel Ceballos

“Kakabog ang dibdib mo, kikiligin ang kalamnan mo at kikirot ang puso mo. Kabog, kilig, kirot. Kapag naramdaman mo ang tatlong K, umiibig ka.”

― Ricky Lee, Para Kay B

Siya ngang tunay ang tinuran na iyan ni Ricky Lee sapagakat umibig ako sa nobelang itong. Patatawanin, paiiyakin at pasasabikin ka ng mga karakter sa kwento sa katauhan nila Irene, Sandra, Erica, Ester, Bessie at Lucas. Limang babaeng may kanya-kanyang kwento ng kanilang buhay-pag-ibig at isang manunulat na may sarili niyang bersyon at teorya ng pagmamahal.

Inilarawan dito ni Ricky Lee ang mga totoong sitwasyong nagaganap sa ating paligid. May baong sakit at hinagpis sapagkat karamihan sa mga sitwasyong nakapaloob ay yaong madalas kondenahin ng lipunan at bansagang imoral. Malinaw na nakahayag sa aklat na ito ang mga katauhang mapangahas na sumasalamin sa karamihan sa atin. Marahil isang layunin na din ng sulating ito ang mapahatid sa mga mambabasa ang iba’t ibang sitwasyon at pagsubok na pinagdadaanan ng bawat isa sa atin – na tayong lahat ay wala sa tamang posisyong manghusga ng kapwa at umasta na para bang tayo ang malinis at sila ang makasalanan.

Sa aklat na ito masasalamin ang realidad ng buhay na bagama’t likas na mapanubok at mapagbiro ay may hatid pa rin namang pag-asa. Sapagkat sa kabila ng mga kabiguan at kamalian, responsibilidad mo pa rin bilang tao ang magpatuloy sa iyong landasin hangga’t ika’y nabubuhay.

Ang pamosong teorya ng pag-ibig na nakapaloob sa aklat ay lumikha din ng usapan at pagtatalo sa mga mambabasa. May quota nga kaya ang pag-ibig kagaya ng unang sinabi ni Lucas sa aklat?

“Me quota ang pag-ibig. Sa bawat limang umiibig, isa lang ang magiging masaya. Ang iba, iibig sa di nila iniibig. O iibig nang di natututo. O iibig sa wala. O di iibig kailanman.”

- Ricky Lee, Para Kay B  

Kung ikaw ang tatanungin naniniwala ka ba na sa limang umiibig isa lamang ang pinapalad na maging masaya? Naniniwala akong may mga namamatay na hindi namulaklak ang buhay-pag-ibig, may mga nabubuhay na kuntento at masaya sa kanilang pag-ibig at may mga nabubuhay sa lungkot na dulot ng nasirang pag-ibig pero hindi ko alam kung sadyang ganun ang ratio ng bilang 1:4.

Para sa lahat ng mga umibig, umiibig, napaibig at hindi pa nakakaibig, narito ang isang nobelang gigising sa inyong kamalayan sa tunay na mukha ng pag-ibig  at sa kung paanong paraan nitong binabago ang buhay ng bawat isa sa atin.

Nawa’y mabasa mo rin ang nobelang ito ni Ricky Lee at mapagnilay-nilayan sa iyong sarili ang mga bagay-bagay na nagpapaikot sa buhay ng isang tao.

"Hilary and Jackie" and the effect of biographical film by: Uel Ceballos

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Whenever I’m thinking back of the time I first watched the movie “Hilary and Jackie”, I remember as well the emotional effects that it had on me. Deeply moving, this 1998 British biographical film told the life of two sisters Hilary and Jackie Du Pré as based on Hilary Du Pré’s memoir A Genius in the Family. 

The movie was luxuriously poignant and emotionally disturbing that it even reaped criticisms from Jackie’s colleagues, giving various reactions on how the film over-sensationalized the private life of the once celebrated British cellist.

Hilary and Jackie left its viewers heavy-hearted, the after-effect lingered for some time and the surge of emotional reaction was quite impossible to resist. With the film’s exceptional cinematography, brilliant post-production, excellent actors and well-written screenplay, the director Anand Tucker and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce had brought us a refined film that gratified not only one's appreciation of the classical music but one's emotional lewd and admiration of the virtuosi as well. 

Hilary and Jackie, growing up together with their mother teaching them music – Hilary on flute and Jackie on cello – gave the film an engrossing start-up while showing the two sisters improved and grown on their talents. Along the headway of the movie, the rivalry’s started to build up, but as they reached their adulthood it was Jackie who pursued international stardom while Hilary settled  peacefully as a married woman and a mother to four children. The conflict eventually showed up when Jackie suffered from emotional breakdown, and her elder sister Hilary helped to ease her nervous crash-down by giving her (Jackie) consents to have an affair with her (Hilary) husband. This is one of the most disturbing parts of the story, with Hilary’s approval on such thing that she was even the one who convinced her own husband to do it for the sake of Jackie’s therapy. The entire story alone is already effortless in gaining controversies, much more if demonstrated into film and shown worldwide thus we couldn’t really blame those who protested against it, particularly Jackie Du Pre’s husband, Daniel Barenboim.

Hilary and Jackie was shown in split points of view, the first half was of Jackie’s and the second half was of Hilary’s.  The treatment used has highlighted both the perspectives of the two sisters – making the viewers sympathized on both the sisters’ emotional struggles. The actresses Rachel Griffith (Hilary) and Emily Watson (Jackie)indeed provided us a knockout acts, making the film a historical hit which earned it awards and criticisms.

As much as I wanted to narrate the entire chronicle, to give the complete account of the sisters’ lives, I do still have the sense of control to not divulge the whole story. I don’t want to deprive you of the same unforgettable feeling I had when I saw the movie in progress, with the twists unfolding and the conflicts arising. 

Thus, I will now leave the rest of the details for you to see, you may want to watch it as soon as now.

For Hilary and Jackie, I will give the movie a rating of 7 shots of espresso.