[harry potter, wand duels, and other things]

Happy birthday Di! (batiin niyo siya!).

So Dianne and I finally saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. And what can I say, it was good, probably a 3/5 for me except for the... WIZARD DUELS!!! YEH! Damn. That part just blew me away. From reading the books, I had imagined the exchange of curses and counter-curses to fast, but I didn't imagine it to actually resemble a fast-paced swordfight! Nice.

Oh, and the other thing I noticed about Order of the Phoenix.. it's full of chics! (Tonks!!!). And about Book 7 the Deathly Hallows, it was the BEST! And that's all I'm going to say. Read it and see for yourself. I perfect ending for a great story.

Anyway, my shift is over and I'm going straight to elbi. I haven't been back for almost 3 weeks. I miss everyone. Tamang tama merong may Birthday :D

[howl's moving castle]

I've already seen the movie before (a few months ago), but just now I just finished watching it again - in English dubbing this time! (Batman! and Billy Crystal! San ka pa!?).

It's been a while since I've last seen, or rather, experienced such a "magical" feeling after watching a movie, an RPG or after reading a story (FFIX was one RPG that ended magically as well). You feel lightheaded, you're suddenly optimistic, and you generally feel good. Howl's Moving Castle is one movie that does that to you. It's already a great movie with just that and being a movie from Studio Ghibli and directed by THE Hayao Miyazaki should be enough to convince to watch this ASAP.

But of all the Ghibli movies I've seen so far (and I've already seen most of them; Mononoke, Graveyard of the Fireflies, Spirited Away, Totoro, Kiki's among others), Howl's is now my favorite.

Graveyard of the Fireflies is just too sad (and somewhat pointless IMO) and I never liked it. On the other hand, I DID like Kiki's Delivery Service, which was a joyride where nothing can go wrong from start to finish, and My Neighbor Totoro which is one of those animated movies I saw as a kid and is full of so many childhood memories.

Princess Mononoke and Howl's is kind of "tied" to first place for me. But the tiebreaker here is, I guess - although Princess Mononoke is the best Ghibli movie to write about, and San and Ashitaka is undoubtedly one of the best, no coolest (and kick-ass I should add) Ghibli leads ever... there's just something about Howl, Sophie and Calcifer that I like so much (maybe it's because of the characters being so likeable despite their flaws or something like that, especially Howl).

My views have changed in recent years. These days I'm more concerned about the simple things and I find myself not bothering anymore about politics or philosophy or any of the "deep stuff." I guess that's the difference I see between Howl and Mononoke, and the justification for my preference. It's the simplicity of the message Howl's Moving Castle wants across, that "hearts change" and love endures (no matter how cliched it may sound..). It's because of some of the things that Mononoke lacked... like a real "magical" happy ending, or Mononoke being too political. It's because of Howl's offering you, not questions of ethics like Mononoke, but questions of well... the kind that have something to do with love. It isn't trying to make you think, but it's trying to make you feel.

Howl's is based on the book with the same name written by Diana Wynn Jones, and although it's nothing like (and according to one review, "obscenely different") the original source material, it's a masterpiece, your classic love story with a great and enchanting plot with so much imagery and artistry (it leaves you breathless), imperfect but loveable characters and a happy ending.

[batman begins]

batman begins batman begins batman begins batman begins batman begins oh yeah batman begins batman begins batman begins batman wielding a friggin KATANA batman begins batman begins batman begins batman begins katie holmes... hehe batman begins batman begins batman begins batman begins hehe batman begins

[the saga is complete. finally]

Just got back from Isabela. From my grandfathers funeral (they have the strangest funeral customs. but maybe next time..). Anyway, I just saw Starwars Episode III (upu. ngayon ko lang naponuud) and (haha) I wasn't disappointed at all. I wasn't disappointed at all because I didn't expect it to be a good movie in the first place :)

The script was ...like something from a really old comic book. Or an anime dubbed in English by Cartoon Network. It was cheesy (I wanted to say horrible but well...). Then again I didnt expect it to be good anyway. I mean.. Obi wan: "wait a minute, this isn't right. We're supposed to be smarter than this." -> Dude, you're a Jedi Master, you're supposed to sound smarter than that. Padme: "...Anakin, you're breaking my heart..", and then theres Anni-boy's lines, don't get me started with his lines. Even if he was already being called "Lord Vader" by the end of the movie, he'll still be the stupid gullible and disturbed Anakin Skywalker to me. Darth Vader used to be cool, but after watching this, I'll never be able to look at Vader the same way again. There's also something about Obi Wan describing Anakin's condition as "being in a lot of stress". Mali e, sabi nga ni Celsus. Ganito na lang, Obi wan: "he's acting strange. must be the Darkside of the Force creeping up his mind. but then again I could be wrong - it's probably just stress. Maybe we should take him to a therapist."

The script sounded so cheesy I felt like I was watching the old Starwars movies again. But then maybe that's what they really intended (this would explain Anakin's 70's hairdo). Pero yun nga... it was supposed to be the last installment in the Starwars Series. the Last. the episode that would complete the Saga. I wanted to expect something better than the previous installments but couldn't. And it's a good thing I didn't kundi nabadtrip lang siguro ako.

I give this movie a 3 out of 5. But out of respect to one of the biggest founders of modern Sci-Fi and special effects I'll give a 3.5 out of 5, Or maybe I'll just give it a 3.75 because I think that swordfights with katanas or lightsabers or bastard swords are always the "good stuff" in movies. Especially ones with Yoda :D because Yoda is cool.

About the swordfights... I swear, that little disarm (literally) move Anakin did on Count Dooku was an arnis disarm. It was the fulcrum disarm thing (disarm number ..something. can't remember). Yoda vs. Sidius wasn't as cool as I had expected it to be. Throwing levitator thingies at your opponent is not cool. Dooku had it right when he said that "we should settle things with our skills with a lightsaber." The Anakin vs. Obi wan duel, on the other hand, was good. But it just took too long to finish. I liked how something as simple and as basic as the concept of "higher ground" proved to be the undoing of Vader-boy. Upstart Sith was too full of himself. In arnis, one of the dumbest things you can do in a match is to jump straight at your opponent. It's a strong attack if it hits but it leaves you prone to counterattack. All your opponent has to do is slash you across the torso (or head) in mid-air while sidestepping.
...and Mace Windu! Mace windu kicks ass! damn you Anakin for killing the coolest Jedi that ever lived.

Speaking of swordfights, "Batman Begins" features a Bruce Wayne who studied kenjutsu. hmm... good stuff. (Ra's Al Ghul pa kalaban. iaijutsu duel na to)

Anyway, that's it for my review. Next time: strange funeral customs and the hobbit lifestyle. Sarap sa probinsya.

[one last look]

WTF!? Anakin SKywalker is Darth Vader!?? (haha. lols) and and... Amidala's like... gonna die?! .. and holy shit! Senator Palpatine is Darth Sidius! Ohmygod.. o_O (lol)

Haha. na-spoiler kayo no? ...kidding :D.

Malapit na mag-show ang Starwars Episode III : Revenge of the Sith. Can't wait to see it. One last look at Princess Amidala (Natalie Portman! yeah!) and Yoda fighting with a lightsaber. One last look at the much cooler and smarter Stormtroopers and (living) Jedi knights galore. And finally, an end to Hayden Christensen's horrible acting ("It's all Obi wan's fault! he friggin holding me back! buhu." ..."I killed 'em all! da wimmin.. and the childruhn.." huhu) ...And by the way, goodbye to the coolest black Jedi that ever lived, Mace Windu.

Oh, and I just have say this, we actually get to see it before teh Americans. Kudos to LucasArts for the brilliant anti-piracy campaign. And thank you for letting us watch it first.

This is gonna be fun. haha.