Bukas Palad's Christify

 

I attended the launch of Christify last August 29 at the Chuch of the Gesu, Ateneo De Manila University.

A collection of 10 new songs for liturgy and worship, Christify is Bukas Palad’s 15th studio album--a project leading to the group’s celebration of its 25th anniversary in 2011. Continuing the choir’s mission of contributing to the repertoire of Filipino liturgical music, Christify contains new hymns for use in the different parts of the Mass. 

“We hope to encourage congregations to participate more actively in the celebration of the Eucharist by singing the songs in our new CD,” said Fr. Manoling Francisco, SJ, co-founder of the music ministry.  Francisco noted that the new songs are simple yet memorable, so choirs can learn the music quickly and engage churchgoers to sing them at Mass.

I was able to get few more moments with Fr. Manoling and I've posted the podcast in my personal blog.

As for the songs from the album, my personal faves so far are Chrsitify, Sa Tahanan ng Poon, and Magpasalamat sa Kanya.



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Movie Review: Going the Distance (2010)

Sometimes, taking the simplest approach will make a romantic comedy work-- no elaborate concept, no finely-woven story; just some good old characters and a believable predicament. Going the Distance takes that route.




Erin (Drew Barrymore) and Garrett (Justin Long) surprisingly take a six-week whirlwind romance into the relationship-level but they live in the opposite coasts of the United States. They eventually pull the trigger and decide to make their relationship long distance. While both of them want to be with the other, their respective careers prevent them. The film spends the next hour and a half showing how the two resolve this seemingly simple issue: Should one drop all his/her career and goals to be with a loved one?



On-screen chemistry between the leads is definitely there and they pull it off with ease. The movie also does well with the supporting characters (like Garrett's bros and Erin's older sister) and the funny dialogue. Just a little bit of warning: the themes explored in the film are rather mature and there's a lot of cussing from the characters (Erin included).




Going the Distance is great date movie and I really liked it a lot, despite its wobbly ending and edginess not found in most rom-coms. If you ask me, twenty-somethings and above will really like this movie.



Rating: 4/5



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Movie Review: Mamarazzi (2010)

Third time is not a charm with comedienne Eugene Domingo.

After leading roles in gems like Here Comes the Bride and Kimmy Dora, Mamarazzi is a real stinker. Ms. Domingo tried to dredge the dumb plot, almost idiotic dialogue, and bad acting in the film but she wasn't able to keep the show afloat.

The story can be summarized in a sentence: Violy, a mom of triplets who works as a make-up artist for corpses, comically struggles with the return of a past lover as she has to deal with the jealousy of her gay best friend and confusion of her kids. Of course there are subplots like the love lives of Violy's kids but they don't really make things interesting. If you ask me, the subplots just add cringe-worthy moments.

My sense is that unlike her past movies where the gags are integral to the film's plot, Mamarazzi is just a mishmash of gags and cheap laughs. It doesn't help that the majority of the supporting cast is a bunch of newbies looking for a break.  Newcomers Andi Eigenmann and Carla Abellana are captivating on-screen but they need much improvement in the film acting area.

In my opinion, Mamarazzi is a poorly conceived and executed comedy film. Complete with the song-and-dance routine in the middle of the movie, it's a throwback 1980's Regal Films movie-- all fluff and no substance.


Rating: 1.5/5


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Movie Review: Vampires Suck (2010)

I'm pretty sure the producers of Vampires Suck saw the comic potential of the Twilight Saga movies when the they were released. Unfortunately, the potential was not realized in the parody.

Based on Twilight and New Moon, Vampires Suck is a collection of gags that poke fun at the new age vampire mythos Stephanie Meyer created. From the overly twitching and lip-biting Kristen Stewart impersonation by Jenn Proske, to the dumb Edward-Jacob rivalry, each comic attempt is like a coin flip by the creative team-- they either work or fail miserably. By the time the film reaches the second half, the gags become misses.

Another beef I have with the film is that viewers must be fully aware of the Twilight universe in order for them to get the gags. For example, the Jacob doppelganger becomes a chihuahua instead of a mean wolf. If you didn't watch New Moon, that gag will leave you scratching your head.

If you ask me, Vampires Suck will be marginally enjoyed by Twilight film fanatics who will enjoy the inside jokes. If you're not a Twilight fan, you will think this movie literally sucks.


Rating: 1/5


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Movie Review: The Expendables (2010)

The Expendables made me happy. Not because it was the smartest movie in town, but it was the most action-packed-- a true throwback to the 1980's action film formula.

The cast of action stars is stellar: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Terry Crews, and Mickey Rourke. Add to that the cameos of Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, you have an unprecedented collection of action heroes. My only beef with the cast is that Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Segal, Chuck Norris, and Jackie Chan were not part of the cast.

The story is as generic as most action films. A group of mercenaries are hired for mission and it changes from a simple job into a personal mission. In the film, guns are a-blazin', buildings are blown up, and stunts are as common as not-so-intelligent dialogue. But all of that make the film appealing and a potential film franchise. One more thing: watch out for the some of the best hand-to-hand fighting scenes in recent memory (Thanks to Randy Couture and Steve Austin).

Cast member Dolph Lundgren described The Expendables as "an old-school, kick-ass action movie where people are fighting with knives and shooting at each other." I couldn't agree more.


Rating: 3/5


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Movie Review: The Ghost Writer (2010)

Director Roman Polanski directed the political thriller The Ghost Writer under house arrest and the result is a long and winding film that saves the best for the last reel.

Based on the the novel The Ghost by Robert Harris and inspired by real political events, the film is about an unnamed ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) who was tasked to write the memoirs of a controversial figure. That figure is former U.K. Prime Minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan), who is accused of sponsoring war crimes and must flee to the United States to escape prosecution. The tension is built when the Ghost stumbles upon clues as to the true nature of Lang's participation on the war crimes, and everything unravels on a big twist in the end.

While the film is smart and subtly executed, its pace is laboriously slow. By the second act in the film, you'd be wondering why the sleuthing of the Ghost has only accomplished so much. It doesn't help that several red herrings muddle how the pieces fit and may end up confusing some folks.

If you ask me, The Ghost Writer will appeal to fans of thrillers that need a break from the doldrums of the recent releases. But be prepared that film will be as exciting as a fleeting apparition.


Rating: 2.5


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Movie Review: Salt (2010)

Who is Salt?

I'll tell you who she is: She's Bourne on Heels.

Angelina Jolie is Evelyn Salt and she is a spy on the run after her loyalties are put into question. Is she working for the CIA or a Russian sleeper agent? The film makes it a guessing game until late in the movie to show where Salt's loyalties lie. But to keep things interesting, we'll see our heroine in exciting chase scenes and stunts that will make Tom Cruise (the action star originally tapped to play Salt) weep.

Despite the taut action and intrigue, Salt is a case of diminishing returns: the longer you watch the movie, the less you'll like it. There's a pretty good chance you'll feel the absurdity of the story as you go along, especially once it gets drawn out into an unsatisfying ending.

Angelina Jolie solidifies her place in the Hollywood action pantheon with her gripping portrayal as the eponymous heroine. After Wanted and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, add Salt to her exciting body of work.


Rating: 3.5/5


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