I went out tonight with several people from our martial arts school. Basically, we embarked on most sinful food trip.

For dinner, we had savory barbecued chicken wings and steaming-hot rice. We then went to a nearby bar for drinks and fries.

This is where we spent most of the night – talking, laughing and, in the case of two of our friends, “emoting” about their respective complicated love lives, which consisted of painful break-ups and unexpected responsibilities.

Afterwards, we crossed the street to one of the 24-hour fastfood places for some halo-halo.

This Philippine dessert is perfect for the hot summer weather, more so when it is topped with melon and ube-flavored ice cream.

The term itself literally means “mixed,” as halo-halo is indeed a very refreshing mixture of ice, milk, sugar, fruits and other delicious ingredients. Yum!

“Hi. My name is Violet. And I was born in a world you may not understand.”

Ultraviolet, a futuristic science fiction and action movie starring Milla Jovovich, finally opened in our local theatres last Thursday. I got my first chance (read: free time) to watch it today, and so I did.

The movie premiered early last month so I have already come across quite a number of reviews posted around the Internet, most of them not quite so favorable.

It would seem that the trailer promised a dynamic futuristic and action-filled movie, accentuated by a rocking soundtrack, as based on the use of Jem’s highly compelling song, 24. Most people were probably disappointed with the final product.

I ended up approaching Ultraviolet without any high expectations, with the exception of seeing engaging combat sequences spiced up with sci-fic elements. In this aspect, I was satisfied, although a lot of the fight scenes used CGI enhancements and effects.

It was still fun to watch Violet change from one outfit and hair color to another, manifest weapons from thin air, dodge bullets like she was break-dancing, and slash through the air with her sword as if she was straight out of a wuxia movie.

Milla Jovovich was an excellent choice for the beautiful, graceful, smart, tough and ferocious Hemophage warrior. I have always adored her since she played Leelo in The Fifth Element.

Cameron Bright, who had a haunting performance opposite Nicole Kidman in the controversial film Birth, appeared in an underdeveloped role that failed to optimize the use of his innate acting talent. As the laboratory child and human weapon Six, he was fairly suitable and showed surprising depth.

Nick Chinlund plays the Vice-Cardinal Daxus, the head honcho of the nefarious government ArchMinistry. His megalomaniac lines were enough to make me cringe.

Aside from the entertaining, albeit repetitive, fights, I liked the overall dystopic atmosphere of Ultraviolet, which uses a stark, eye-catching palette in its costumes and sets.

The musical score, which emanated from the orchestra pit rather than the mosh pit, was surprisingly good, too, but not anything groundbreaking.

The official Ultraviolet site provides the following film synopsis:

Set in the late 21st century, a subculture of humans called Hemophages has emerged who have been genetically modified, giving them enhanced speed, incredible stamina and acute intelligence.

To the government’s dismay, more and more of the population are being transformed, and they have set out to rid the world of this new subculture that they deem menaces to society.

One rogue warrior is bent on protecting her race – and seeking revenge on those who changed her life forever. With fierce fighting skills and chameleon-like abilities, Violet (Milla Jovovich) sets out to destroy a government-designed time bomb that will eliminate all Hemophages.

To Violet’s surprise, the deadly device is a nine-year-old boy, who was raised in a laboratory and goes by the name Six (Cameron Bright).

Happy, happy, happy wedding anniversary to my parents

I gave both my parents video CDs as gifts: an aerobic workout video for my mother and the classic war movie The Bridge Over River Kwai for my father.

To celebrate, my parents ditched the frou-frou that usually goes with this kind of occasion.

Instead, we had dinner at home consisting of to-die-for butter-fried chicken and simply sumptuous pancit canton guisado.

I was able to get a copy of the paperback release of Candace Bushnell’s bestselling take on the mating rituals of modern-day Manhattanites, Sex and the City.

Most of you may also be aware that this novel spawned the wildly popular HBO television series of the same title.

I have finished reading this book today and was very amused with the whole thing that I found myself wearing this sanctimonious little grin even after I put my copy down.

Bushnell’s writing style is delightfully unforgiving. It was like I was listening to a friend who had one too many martinis talking about his or her love life (or lack thereof) in the big city.

There is neither sugar nor fluff, only the harshness of glamour and urban living and a feeling that it is best to meet the passage of time head-on, clad in our best Manolo kitten heels and sipping something expensive and alcoholic at the Hamptons.

The use of “code names” like The Bone, Mr. Big, Mr. Marvelous and the like are amusing and intriguing.

At one point or the other, while reading through a passage in the book, I found myself wondering if Bushnell really was writing fiction.

Honestly, Sex and the City sounds more like a cross between a gossip column and a city girl’s tell-all blog than fiction.

Amazon.com describes the book as such:

The “Sex and the City” columnist for the New York Observer documents the social scene of modern-day Manhattan.

The reader gets an introduction to “Modelizers,” the men who only have eyes for models, as well as a more common species, the “Toxic Bachelor.”

Reading like a society novel gone downtown and askew, Sex and the City is a comically sordid look at status and ambition and the many characters consumed by the sexual politics of the ’90s.

A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle…

I got a video CD copy of Laputa: Castle in the Sky, the 1986 classic helmed by pioneering anime director Hayao Miyazaki.

This animated movie not only met my expectations, but exceeded them remarkably. Laputa is, simply put, beautiful.

A young boy, the miner Pazu, stumbles into a mysterious girl who floats down from the sky. The girl, Sheeta, was being chased by pirates, army and government secret agents.

In saving her life, they begin a high-flying adventure that goes through all sorts of machines, eventually searching for Sheeta’s identity in a floating castle of a lost yet highly advanced and powerful civilization.

I was very pleased with the entire movie, having held my breath in anticipation through most of it. The sci-fi/fantasy imagery is simply stunning and the various chase sequences are nothing short of fun and entertaining. The dysfunctional family of quirky pirates provide effortless comic relief.

However, the strongest force in Laputa is the bond between Pazu and Sheeta. It is friendship and love, trust and faith, hope and innocence. We see both these children grow up as the movie progresses. They learn how to deal with secrets and lies and make decisions and sacrifices.

Ultimately, the core of this Miyazaki epic is a story about coming of age, of realizing that the things we seek in life may not be outside, but reside within our hearts all along.

I have the original Japanese dub of the animated movie, with subtitles. However, there is a repackaged English dub released recently that features the voice talents of James Van Der Beek as Pazu and Anna Paquin as Sheeta, among others.

The following movie background and synopsis is from Amazon.com:

Inspired by Gulliver’s Travels, the fantasy-adventure Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986) was Hayao Miyazaki’s third feature, and helped to establish his reputation as a visionary in both Japan and America.

The orphan Sheeta inherited a mysterious crystal that links her to the legendary sky-kingdom of Laputa. With the help of resourceful Pazu and a rollicking band of sky pirates, she makes her way to the ruins of the once-great civilization.

Sheeta and Pazu must outwit the evil Muska, who plans to use Laputa’s science to make himself ruler of the world.

Castle echoes elements in Miyazaki’s earlier Nausicaä, and anticipates imagery in his later films, from My Neighbor Totoro to Spirited Away.

The exciting flying sequences, appealing characters, and fantastic vision of a steam-powered future Jules Verne might have imagined make Castle in the Sky a must-have for fans of Japanese and Western animation.

As it is Good Friday, television networks aired shows and movies that were not part of their daily programming schedule.

One such instance of this was the airing of the 1998 Filipino film Jose Rizal over GMA-7 this evening.

In the movie, the life and works of Philippine National Hero Jose Rizal are recounted through a series of non-linear flashbacks as he stands trial for rebellion, sedition and illicit association against the ruling Spanish government. The story takes place at Fort Santiago in December 1896.

The film reflects on various aspects of Rizal’s life: writer, propagandist, lover, friend, son, brother, doctor and the man who inspired a revolution.

The hero’s own experiences and tribulations are extensively juxtaposed with the scenes in his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

The Philippine Post Magazine has an article on Jose Rizal that provides some interesting tidbits of information as well as a straightforward synopsis.

For a very, very low price, I was able to buy a brand-new, spanking mp3 player.

Not an iPod – far from it – but it can play audio media files like a basic WinAmp, so I am definitely not complaining.

In US dollars, the gadget’s price is just around $35.00.

The player, manufactured by the Brazilian company DynaCom, has a 128 MB capacity, USB port connection with extension cable, and
universal earphones. It runs on one AAA battery.

Best of all, my unit has a one-year warranty from the local telecommunications shop where I purchased it.

I also got a free wristband and watch when I bought it.

Happy April Fools’ Day 2006!

While at the mall today, I came across original video CD and DVD copies of the newly-released Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is, by far, the darkest and most fast-paced out of all the four movie adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s bestselling children’s book series.

I must confess that I have not had the chance to watch the film during its theatrical release last year. As a result, over the months that followed, I picked up feedback pertaining to the way the movie allegedly “veered off” the book’s story.

However, I decided to watch Goblet of Fire without any biases, preconceived notions or towering expectations. I ended up being pleasantly surprised. Not blown away, but satisfied.

I liked the shadowy mood that prevailed throughout the film. It was well established with the very first scene wherein a poor, unsuspecting Muggle witnessed Voldemort holding a conference with his minions.

The underwater and maze scenes of the TriWizard Tournament’ second and third tasks were impressive with their special effects and almost claustrophobic feel. You can actually feel that you are Harry, performing the task with little to no idea what lies ahead.

The acting of the younger cast has generally improved since the last film. They were equally comfortable in amusing and awkward moments typical of teenage life as well as in life-or-death situations.

As for the adult cast, the additions of gossip-monger Rita Skeeter and Auror-turned-professor Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody were not as compelling as the appearances of Marauders Remus Lupin and Sirius Black in the third film. Lord Voldemort did not appear long enough to carve a hauntingly fearsome impression onto the viewers’ minds, but perhaps he will be given more screen time in the fifth movie, as he should be.

There were just three notable differences between the book and the movie that I could not help but point out:

1. Hermione’s Yule makeover
It was more surprising and magical in the book, as she looked so different from the way she usually does, that is, her hair was no longer bushy and her teeth were smaller. This metamorphosis was not emphasized in the movie.

2. Barty Crouch Jr.’s identity
In the movie, his identity as an active Voldemort servant was exposed early on – at the Riddle house during the opening scene and at the Quidditch World Cup. In the book, no one suspected that this Death Eater, who supposedly died in Azkaban years back, was a major player in the Dark Lord’s Operation:Resurrection.

3. Neville Longbottom and the gillyweed
Although Neville possessed knowledge about gillyweed’s power to make someone breathe underwater, he was not able to share this with Harry because the latter did not ask for his help in the book. It was Dobby the house elf who found out about gillyweed’s properties and subsequently stole some for Harry’s use. In the movie, it was Neville who gave Harry the advice to take gillyweed.

By itself, the movie was nevertheless enjoyable and entertaining. Its fairly lengthy running time was barely noticeable because the film was well-paced and there never were any dragging or boring moments.

The following is a plot synopsis from Amazon.com:

Harry’s fourth summer and the following year at Hogwarts are marked by the Quidditch World Cup and the TriWizard Tournament, in which student representatives from three different wizarding schools compete in a series of increasingly challenging contests. However, Voldemort’s Death Eaters are gaining strength and even creating the Dark Mark, giving evidence that the Dark Lord is ready to rise again.

In the unsuspecting lives of the young wizard and witches at Hogwarts, the competitors are selected by the Goblet of Fire, which this year makes a very surprising announcement: Hogwarts will have two representatives in the tournament, including Harry Potter!

Will Harry be able to rise to the challenge for the TriWizard Tournament while keeping up with school or will the challenges along with Voldemort’s rebirth be too much for the young hero?