Month: July 2013
Know Your Name
“Perhaps angels have no names, only beautiful faces…”
-Sir William Thatcher, A Knight’s Tale
You know you’re a sleazebag if you’re hitting on a new employee from a department you never really interact with. But if the one you’re hitting on is a pretty chinita with bright and shining soft round eyes a soft, fair and smooth-looking skin, beautiful curtain of dark-brown hair, and thin bow-shaped lips of purest pink, you’d take being a sleazebag as a compliment and wear it on your sleeve with pride and esteem. Yes, I am a sleazebag, a failure of a sleazebag who did not get her number, only her name, but I am a satisfied and happy sleazebag with a foolish grin deep in his heart.
I always beheld her as she ate dinner with her friends while I do the same thing. My eyes find her beauty, her glimmering eyes find mine, then my eyes look away from her beauty as a gesture of civilized human behavior, so I just discussed her beauty with my co-workers, especially with Kel, who’s just as head-over-heels with chinitas as I am. But to gaze upon her pristine face that is seemingly incapable of guile and deceit and talk about it with a coworker would never give me the contentment and satisfaction of actually knowing her, talking to her, and being with her. That happiness, contentment, and satisfaction that will never be fulfilled, and that is a truth I have to live with.
It was a Thursday night when we saw her once again, and right on schedule, as she walked in seeming slow motion and made her way inside the cafeteria, with the glass doors opened by a gentle breeze accompanying her every step. Fair and slim, she wore a pink checkered blouse and pants – a vision of simplistic daintiness. We talked about her, and I knew that she knew, so when she went out I thought it was because of disgust over our childish dare that involves me asking her number. I should’ve been braver. I should’ve been a total sleazebag. I should’ve asked her number before she ran away. But maybe I wasn’t too late. Maybe she was just withdrawing money or something, so I stopped eating for a while and followed her to the ATM like a creepy stalker. But she wasn’t there – both a relief and a disappointment, so I went back to my friends and told her that she’s gone. Except she wasn’t. She went back along with her friends. Perfect. We’re already done eating.
Her return made no difference. We stayed outside the cafeteria while she and her gang ate. Still, despite the distance, I looked at her. In the glass case that was the cafeteria, she was the prettiest specimen and I was the curious child who saw something of such splendor for the first time, and all I could do was look. But I said nay, for I was with Robin, who told me that she’s going to help me introduce myself to her, and I knew she could definitely do that. for not only does she have connections, but also guts and spontaneity, qualities I always lacked, qualities needed to get the girl.
With a brave soul beside me, I drew closer, closer, and closest to how I’ll probably ever get. Despite her bewilderment with everything happening around her, her eyes still glimmered like two obsidian beads. Robin asked if I could introduce myself to her, and once again, out of civilized human behavior, she agreed. She looked at me with her shining eyes, told me her name with a smile on her bow-shaped lips, and reached out her pillow-soft hand. Finally, the question – her number, a stupid thing to ask for since I didn’t have my phone with me, so in a vain attempt I borrowed Robin’s, but then she told us that she doesn’t have it memorized – a lie, an understandable one. Then Robin asked her the ultimate question: do you have a boyfriend? She said yes, and I’m not sure if it’s the truth or just another lie to throw me off. Whatever it was, one thing was certain – she didn’t want my idiotic and childish advances. But that mattered not, for what did for me was that I stood so close to her, shook her hand, and knew her name, even just a part of it. With that, I was happy, content, and satisfied.
Mela. Is she a Pamela or a Carmela? Well, whatever letters her name may be, whatever language it is spoken with, or even if it is written with numbers instead, it is still undeniably sweet. And that sweetness can only be rivaled by the sight of her, her visage full of charm and gait so soft yet firm and graceful. I gaze upon her when she is there, and I hope to do so when she is not, proof that I was lying to myself when I said that I was happy, content, and satisfied.
Rainy days on Mondays gets Susan Carpenter down, but for me it was a manic one, because I saw her, in a pink floral dress that sways with her every movement, revealing her milk-white and streamline nape, upper back, thighs, and calves. I told myself I was content in seeing her eat with her friends and play our eternal game of dodging glances, but when my friends told me to try and ask her number once again, I knew that I no longer had to be. The dare was a mere excuse, an alibi for me to chase after her even though she is already going back to work along with her friends. To approach a lady and ask her number while she is with her circle of friends is social suicide, but death means nothing to me, for I was already dying to get closer to her.
I admit, it was too foolish, even for me, to have done what I just did, for I put the both of us in an awkward situation, especially with her friends jeering. She told me that it’s just a dare because she saw my friends teasing me, so I asked her if she would give me her digits if it wasn’t, a question she wouldn’t and probably couldn’t answer, so she said something about wanting to take a piss instead as she superficially laughed at the rather strange situation she was in. Her friends left us, and I didn’t want to insist on asking her number. In fact, I’d be more than happy with just her Facebook account, something she freely gave while telling me to try and stop myself from shaking. But how can I? I couldn’t control the exhilaration I feel over how everything seemed to have happened so fast, over how I could see her pristine face so clearly so closely, over how I was actually standing so near her and talking to her in complete and elaborate sentences instead of stupid and ritualistic his and hellos. I thanked her as she left, but before she went up the stairs and disappeared for the rest of the night, I asked her if she remembers my name. She got it right. With that, I was happy, content, and satisfied. For now.
When I went back, everybody seemed cross with what I’ve done, and I guess I couldn’t blame them. Some of them told me what I’ve done wrong, which is basically everything, and I couldn’t help but hate myself for a moment because of the error of my ways. But then again, if I am to never make that mistake, I never would’ve known what feels like to stand in such close proximity to her beauty and hear her gentle voice say more than the usual useless pleasantries whenever we bump to each other. I was not talked nor dared into it, I wanted it. How could I not want it? How could I not want her? How could I regret what I’ve done when it clearly got me somewhere, be it the right path or otherwise? Would dodging glances get me somewhere? I doubt that. Better is a mistake that gets you somewhere than smooth moves that get you nowhere. Besides, like she said, she’s got a boyfriend, so it’s pretty much a “damned if I do, damned if I don’t” situation, and I’d rather be damned if I do, and I’d rather do something and be damned for it, because she’s so damn beautiful.
In all the chaos during the break time at work, I lost her Facebook details, but I did get her first name. And since I knew that not many girls got the same first name as her, I ran a search with just that, and thanks to my perseverance and super-stalker skills, I found it. I found her. And I guess she wasn’t lying when she said she has a boyfriend. Which is quite a damn shame. A cute girl with a boyfriend, huh? I’ve been there, for three years of college actually. I guess I never learn. Well, I did learn one thing – the name behind the beautiful girl, aside from the fact that I never learn. And I probably never will, for I know that I’ll do whatever I did again today in a heartbeat.
I’ll never know what it feels like to be with you, but at least I know your name, Karmela, sweeter than the caramel on my teeth yet so much more palatable, fattening me, infatuating me. With that, I am happy, content, and satisfied. But once again, for now…
Pacific Rim (Movie Review)
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been a big fan of the mecha genre. I grew up to Voltes V, Daimos, Mazinger Z, Gundam, and Evangelion. And more recently, I’ve been into Code Geass, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Valvrave the Liberator, Suisei no Gargantia, as well as western mecha movie franchises such as Transformers, Real Steel, and Iron Man. So when Pacific Rim came along, I knew I had to see it in the big screen. After all, it’s about giant robots versus giant monsters. So I did. And I got more than what I expected, much so that it feels as if I got so little and I’m actually asking for more.
When a portal deep beneath the Pacific Ocean opens and lets through legions of giant monsters called “Kaijus”, humanity made a weapon to counter the threat: “Jaegers” – giant robots with two pilots – one controlling the left side and the other controlling the right. Among them are brothers Raleigh (Charlie Hunnam) and Yancy (Diego Klattenhoff) Beckett, pilots of USA’s Jaeger Gypsy Danger. However, after a fight with a Kaiju codenamed Knifehead off the coast of Anchorage, Alaska, a fight that cost Yancy’s life, Raleigh retired from being a pilot. Five years later, Marshall Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) asks him to come back to service, as the Jaeger program is on its last legs and is in need of skilled pilots. Thus, Raleigh returns to pilot Gypsy Danger, this time around with the genius Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) at his side, and fight the Kaijus for humanity’s survival.
Story – 9/10: Giant robots versus giant monsters? Pilots with their sob stories? End of the world as we know it? Duh, it’s not original, and it’s not supposed to be, which is the whole point of it all, because it’s actually a homage to both the old-school giant robot anime shows as well as the kaiju movies and shows such as Godzilla and Ultraman. And because of that concept, it’s either delightfully and nostalgically hits home for the genre-savvy geeks or be seen as a total cliche for those who don’t.
Acting – 9/10: Once again, this is another popcorn flick and not Oscar material, so the acting isn’t really the main focus. And if you’re complaining because the lines were cheesy, then you’re barking at the wrong tree because it’s cheesy on purpose, with the movie being one big reference to Japanese geek culture. Still, recognition should go to whoever it’s due. Charlie Hunnam of Sons of Anarchy fame, although falling flat in both emotion and line delivery during the serious and dramatic scenes, did pretty damn well as an angry Jaeger pilot and advocate for Mako Mori. Idris Elba and Ron Perlman proves they are Hollywood veterans, with the former making an awesome badass military boss and the latter an eccentric Kaiju expert and black market entrepreneur. But the one whose star shone the brightest was Rinko Kikuchi, who was perfect for the role as the big-brained and skilled Jaeger pilot Mako Mori, as she is able to be both sweet and vulnerable as well as full of that kick-ass fight and spunk, making her seem like a totally well-rounded heroine. Or maybe I’m just biased because she’s Japanese and the entire movie feels like an anime, making her seem so perfectly placed. Oh well, whatever…
Pacing – 8/10: This is the rather problematic part with this movie. Despite the supposed simplicity of the plot, a lot of time is spent on detailed exposition on how the Kaiju started attacking and how the Jaeger program started as well as in building up the characters, which is quite good because it allows the audience to understand the bleakness of the situation and establish a sense of concern and connection towards the characters. With all of these things having built up with the audience, the awesome Jaeger vs. Kaiju battles are given greater impact, direness, and soul, not just empty scrapfests between man-made machines and alien-generated beasts. However, since the movie spent a lot of time with providing background story and info, there was less time for the battles, which is exactly the main reason why I watched the movie. The only way this problem could’ve been remedied is by making the movie longer, which probably wasn’t feasible because of whatever production constraints there is. I swear, the movie needed a longer run time to be better, which is a rare case in movies like these.
Cinematography – 10/10: Can I give this one an eleven? From the streamline pilot suits, the steely Shatterdome, the shiny digital interfaces, the freaky and fearsome Kaiju, and last but definitely not least – the awesomely designed Jaegers that were epitomes of giant fighting robots…EVERYTHING LOOKED COOL! I swear, it’s like a live-action adaptation of a mecha anime, except it’s not. And the battle scenes were not only full of action but also of style and coolness, as the Jaegers and Kaijus didn’t just fight, but also used every trick up in their sleeve with such impeccable timing and manner of execution. I swear, Guillermo del Toro did to the mecha genre what Quentin Tarantino did to action movies.
Overall – 9/10: I probably am or am not biased (more probably and obviously am) when I wrote this review since Pacific Rim touches many things otaku (especially giant robots and a Japanese girl), but whatever. I know a good movie when I see one, and Pacific Rim is definitely a good movie and is a must-watch for every otaku, fan of the mecha or kaiju genre, or people who just wants some mindless robot vs. monster action. Sure, it’s not perfect, but Pacific Rim is definitely a movie that steers the mecha genre in movies, be it Hollywood or otherwise, to the right direction. Heck, I wouldn’t be too surprised to see a Gundam or Evangelion movie in the works now, as this movie showed that the giant piloted robot animes as movies could definitely work. It’s got one last week in the cinemas, watch it!
World War Z (Super Late Post)
The zombie apocalypse genre has been so done to death that I thought there is no longer any way to play it straight in a fresh and innovative way. But World War Z made me realize that I was wrong.
Story 8/10: A mysterious Rabies strain is infecting the global populace at such a rapid and massive scale, turning people into mindless raging…whatever they are, not quite dead and not quite living at the same time. And when the family of retired United Nations special investigator Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) gets caught right in the middle of an outbreak, it’s due time he returned to duty to help mankind wage this upcoming war against a zombie apocalypse. Nothing new, so no extra points in this category.
Acting 9/10: Well, aside from Brad Pitt, who I no longer have to critique because he’s as tried and tested as rice for my main meals, there’s also Michelle Enos who played damn well as a worried wife and mother Karin Lane. Other than those two, there’s Daniella Kertesz as Segen, the Israeli lady soldier who, aside from being a stunner while rocking a camo and a semi-bald head, played a convincing badass survivor and fighter. Honestly, she stole the entire show despite the fact that she wasn’t given neither a lot of lines to say nor a vital part in the storyline. If it was up to me, I would’ve chosen her as the leading lady instead of giving Brad Pitt a family.
Pacing 10/10: The movie wastes no time in providing a plot background. Instead, it is told as the story progresses. Another key element in the movie is that it begins right in the middle of a global zombie pandemic, and the chaos, fear, panic, as well as the many different implications it brings from a street level up to the international scene as it escalates and successfully becomes a total takeover is something the movie perfectly and realistically portrays, all being told through Gerry Lane’s travel from one country to another, showing how each of them is faring, while not exactly neglecting his own personal story and reason for embarking on the dangerous mission. Because of such a setup, there are less slow expository parts and more in-your-face zombie action, as there is hardly any need for lengthy explanations, given the fact that the entire zombie apocalypse genre requires almost no introduction and just varies on certain key concepts – proof that the movie knows its audience. However, all of this works because of one thing – the zombies in the movie are agile and cunning. Of course, this isn’t exactly new, but if analyzed from the most basic level, the entire premise works because of the nail-biting adrenaline rush the type of zombie the movie offers.
Cinematography – 9/10: While it doesn’t exactly bring something new to the plate and the CGI zombies are quite aesthetically atrocious, it gives different scenarios of zombie attacks in fear-inducing crisp detail, be it from ones where zombies could come from practically out of nowhere, or an en-masse horde where you can be overrun and eaten scrap by scrap by a bunch of flesh-eating brain-dead humans.
Overall – 9/10: World War Z is NOT your typical zombie apocalypse movie. While it plays the genre straight, it also manages to be a realistic look of how a zombie apocalypse would be like, show how the people – down from families up to the world’s governments would act, as well as a deconstruction to the genre all at the same time. You’d probably be let down if you read the book (I haven’t, but according to other reviews you would be), but if you either steer clear from the source material or see this as a standalone film, then it’s definitely worth the watch.
Attending To The Valuable I Left
“Please do not leave your valuables unattended” – a very common reminder in public establishments. But its usage definitely does not end there, as it can be actually applied to many aspects of our lives, including our loves and passions, which I unfortunately have not done so. I have neglected what is valuable to me – my passion, my love, my mistress – this blogsite.
It has been eighteen long days since I updated my blog, and many thoughts have occurred, many emotions have been felt, and many events have happened in that span of time, all of which I have failed to document and immortalize here, all of which would’ve been perfect inspirations for posts. But I let them all slip, all because I was “busy” juggling between my two jobs. Sure, one of them involves writing about something I love, but it does not give the same satisfaction and pleasure of putting into words what I saw, felt, thought, and experienced, and then sharing them to people from all walks of life in hopes that it would evoke something in their hearts and minds. Thus, this artisan has returned to his atelier. However, there seems to be a problem. Or seemed, rather.
Every time a period of inactivity with my blog sets in, it’s always as if it’s difficult to write again, as though my writing muscles atrophied after eons of constant disuse. But when my brain, heart, and fingers synchronize, it all instantly came back as I wrote the first paragraph, just like how a guy who hasn’t ridden a bike in years suddenly gets on one without a hitch – I guess talking about writing every time I write after not doing so for so long always does the trick. I don’t know why, but I always have the need to that in order to get back to updating my blog regularly. It’s strange, but I guess it does make sense, because in order for a writer to write again, he or she needs to rediscover his love and passion for the craft, and what better way to do so than to write about writing itself.
There, now that I’ve posted another random post about writing, I’m ready to write again, it’s as if the door to my inspiration and imagination can once again be freely opened because its hinges have finally been lubricated (I know what you guys are thinking). I don’t know if anybody missed me, but I definitely am back and have a lot of catching up to do. And this time around, I won’t leave this valuable unattended.
I put the I in the UNIVERSE. I hope I can put U too. 