Thorned Rose

It's Indie Season!

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Oh wow! It's been months since my last post. Sorry for that. I'll be better on keeping you posted since we have a better internet connection. Heehee.

It's August! My, my how time flies! And it's ghost month. Don't you feel extra stressed when it's the 8th month of the year? I know I do. It seems like days are extra slow. But maybe that's just me and my sick little imagination.

On the bright side, it's Cinemalaya time once again! It's Cinemalaya's 11th year with it's theme, Broadening Horizons will run from August 7 to 15, 2015 in Cultural Center of the Philippines and selected Ayala Malls.

Although I am sorry to say that I won't be watching any films in competition this year. They moved the Full Length film category for next year 2016 so only Short Films will be competing this year. Knowing this from few months ago, I did not make any plans of watching Cinemalaya this year. When I saw this year's schedule, I found out that they will be having a Cinemalaya Retro feature in which they will be showing past Cinemalaya films, some of which we really wanted to watch but missed because either tickets were sold out or the schedule does not fit ours. So of course I changed my mind. Since my first Cinemalaya last 2010 (or '09?) I have never missed a year of this film fest I've grown to love. Afterall, this is where I fell in love with Indie Films and where my mind opened up about so many different issues/topics. Indie Films give you that-- a different perspective on so many different things.

My constant Cinemalaya companion and best friend, Gilbert (Gibbo) blocked of Friday from work and Cinemalaya's last day so we can watch together. We bought a day-pass online so we can watch 4-movies that day. Sadly, Friday didn't offer a schedule of some of the films we liked but missed but we still decided to watch anyway for the love of Indie! The only film I'm a bit excited to watch is the Closing Film, Silong directed by Jeffrey Hidalgo and Roy Sevilla Ho.

Anatomiya ng Pag-ibig looks promising, too but it's schedule is at the same time with Silong. :(

I've been trying to write a review of the films I loved over the years but as you know, I'm a lazy writer and the Cinemalaya film fest season is over and I don't feel a review's that relative anymore. Okay, okay, boo me!

I'm not promising to write about any film we'll watch on Friday because I'm not sure if I'll be loving any of the films yet. Not unlike the past years' when I get excited over the trailers. But the good thing with Indie is that you'll never know everything from the trailer, it might be better or worse. But I'll let you know in any case. Better yet, check out my Twitter. I know I should be posting reviews on my blog but I often just tweet about it. Heehee.

Lastly, if you're still interested to watch you can check out the schedule on Film Police Review's website here. If you're watching on the 14th, I hope to see you there!

Films and Shows

Flick Pick: Mad Max: Fury Road

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

I'm planning to post a list of movies that both girls and boys will like. Like a movie list of films that you and your special someone (or your dad/brothers) will approve--everyone happy. Because generally women veer away from Action films. I am open for little doses of it time to time as long as the plot's good and people don't just shoot other people just because they like it.

One of the movies I plan to put on my list is Mad Max: Fury Road. I don't know anything about the story and the movie except that it stars Charlize Theron. Even Tom Hardy who played the main guy, Max Rockatansky is unfamiliar to me. Upon research I found out he played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises--but he has a mask there so. I read few reviews some people wrote which thankfully did not contain any spoilers and all of them are pretty good. One even claimed that Mad Max may be the greatest film of 2015. I decided to give it a try but lowered my expectations. I'm not a fan of Charlize Theron after all.

Turns out this isn't the first Mad Max movie. It's a franchise created by George Miller and all 4 movies were directed by him as well. Much like how Christopher Nolan directed the Dark Knight movies.

The first Mad Max movie was released in 1979 followed by Mad Max 2 (1981) and Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985). All three were top-billed by Mel Gibson until he passed Max's character to Tom Hardy in this 2015 film.

Here's a collage of all 4 Mad Max posters. (Tina Turner?!)

I won't bother telling you about the first 3 films. Haven't gotten around watching those yet (not sure if I'll even bother to tell you honestly). The movie follows the story of a former Police, Max Rockatansky and how he and the rest of the world has gone absolutely mad. Mad Max is set in a future where everything is lost and destroyed. The world is a hopeless wasteland destroyed by pollution, global warming and perhaps war. Everything is controlled by those who have guns, bullets, gasoline and water. It's just desert everywhere.

And the characters. I love their names. Maybe this is what inspired the characters' names in Taylor Swift's Bad Blood video.

Tom Hardy as Max

Charlize Theron as Imperator Furiosa

Hugh Keays-Byrne as Immortan Joe

Immortan Joe's wives starring Zoe Kravitz as Toast the Knowing, Riley Keough as Capable, Abbey Lee as The Dag, Courtney Eaton as Cheedo the Fragile and the gorgeous Rosie Huntington-Whitely as The Splendid Angharad (Joe's favorite wife)

Ang galing ng direction. The first few minutes pa lang will really get your attention. In some action movies, I get bored of all the shooting that I stop paying attention but the stunts won't bore you, and the movie runs for 2 hours!

I also like how Miller portrayed the women here. A little spoiler though: Furiosa helped the wives escape the Citadel away from Immortan Joe who only keeps the ladies for himself (like the water)--they're like breeders, baby-makers, turning his sons into future super soldiers for his army. Good choices though. They were like Greek Goddesses. I'm straight but even my jaw dropped just a little when I saw them. Haha!
They left a message saying: We are not things! Our babies will not be warlords. And another one asking: "Who killed the world?" Miller gave women voices and really significant roles--ala fierce Amazonians like Charlize's role as Furiosa. Graaabee! She did crazy good playing her role. I can never imagine her with that hair and doing action but she pulled it off splendidly. I now have more respect for her. This is the first Charlize Theron film I ever really liked. Parang mas bida pa siya kesa ke Mad Max! Teehee.

The movie will also teach you to care more about the environment. I'll let the movie tell you more about it. With all the shooting and big cars, it really is a legit action movie but what's more, it is a movie with message.

George Miller already announced that there will be a next Mad Max film entitled Wasteland. I'm already looking forward to watching it on the big screen. Watch Fury Road too and let me know how you like it below. :)

personal

Winter is Back!

Saturday, May 09, 2015

After all the reposts and shares, a week after she's gone missing--we finally found Winter! Thank You, Lord! Hallelujah! Nakakataba ng puso that so many people expressed the same joy we have for finding her. There were people who encouraged us to keep on looking pa. My sister said in some Facebook Pet Owners/Sellers group were so happy, they were asking for a story on how we found her since some of them lost their pets too and are looking for some inspiration. So here goes...

April 26, 2015-- We were in Amadeo, Cavite to help out our Ina/granny for the Fiesta. After all the guests were gone, we just lazed and watched t.v. with our Titas and cousins. Ma made sure to close the gate because of the dogs. Long story short, we should've known that Winter as little as she is can be able to squeeze herself outside the gate. She was gone an hour after we last saw her "behaving" herself sa terrace. Yun pala may balak mag-gala ang bata.

Panicked, we frantically searched everywhere and asked around but there was no sign of her. Parang bula. We asked the owner of the house in front of our Tita's, my Tito even searched the area pero wala. Even our dad, who's supposed to go home in Bacoor where we lived, commuted pa all the way to Amadeo from the airport upon hearing Winter's missing so he can help with the search. Imagine my tired paps, (tulog na kami ng past 2), he still got up and went out around 3 am to continue searching. The whole family loves Wiwin that much.

April 27, 2015--My sister, Gaye shared a missing Dog post on her wall and various Facebook groups (including Bayan Mo, I-Patrol mo. Oha!). The family's given up hope of ever finding Winter. But my sister and I are still very positive (PAWsitive daw sabi ni sisterette) that we can still find Winter even though even sa Facebook people are making comments that it's a lost cause. :(

Unfortunately, this kind of situation brought the worst kind of people in our way. First, there was a guy who Vibered her saying they have Winter. When we asked for a video, he made a lame excuse about how the dog was with someone else, sinama daw sa palengke. Yung totoo?! How many of you have taken a dog while grocery shopping? How much more if it's a Wet and Dry market? Paano (How)?! Then we asked for a picture instead but the guy just cropped the picture Gaye posted on Facebook. He even sent an I.D. picture! Nakakaloka. Then he asked for my sister to deposit money to his account. Think we're that desperate we've gone that stupid to believe you? Okay, kalma, Yella.

Then there was a guy saying he saw a dog loitering in Amadeo, Plaza--and then he asked for a prepaid load on his phone! We had our cousin check but no, not Winter. Plus shih tzu, nag-gagala at walang kukuha? The guy must've seen the posters my sister plastered sa barangay. Barangay officials even put one of the poster on the Barangay Hall. We are thankful for that.

April 29, 2015--I wrote the blog post about Winter. We still continued sharing it.

April 30, 2015--There was a girl who texted Gaye about her neighbor's new dog. She asked my sister to meet up with her in SM Dasma. We put off grocery-shopping for my birthday celebration for later to accompany my sister. We were so excited. We have a good feeling about this. We waited. The girl kept making excuses that she had to buy something sa grocery or that she's already going up our meeting place. We waited for 3 hours. She never came.

My sister was fuming with anger, lamenting that she could've been at home posting and answering possible leads instead of waiting there.

Just so sad to know that there are people pala talaga who would take advantage of other people's desperation for their gain. We were depressed. Dramatic levels! The first 3 days you can't even talk to my sister. It was like a bad break-up going on for her. The family would reminisce happy Winter memories (see my last post here for more.) I cried while praying the rosary for Wiwin. Ilang novena sa ilang santo ata dinasal ko! Haha! (But thank You, Lord!) Kasi naman, Winter gets sick sometimes. Gaye had her confined one time. What if the person who got her won't care for her as much as we do?

May 3, 2015--Someone pm'ed my sister saying she thinks she found Winter. AND she's not asking for money, too. I won't write about how the tipster is related to the people who took Winter because they might read this and protecting her's the least we can do.

Ma and Gaye commuted all the way to Cavite City to check things out. They had Barangay officials/kagawads accompany them just in case. We waited for them at home. I had a Pawsitive feeling about everything though.

Ma came through the door first. And the Gaye announced: "Guess who's baaaaaack?!" So we knew. We shouted in joy! Haha. Winter is back! Syempre more kisses na naman si kiddo. Even her doggy family who were all quiet and sullen when she was gone kept on smelling her. Naghahabulan na naman sila. Riot na naman! :)

Anyway, she's okay. Although she's in dire need of a bath and haircut when we found her. She just got a shot of vaccine and was not allowed to take a bath for a week so she was dirty when whe got lost.

Turns out the people who took Winter are visitors of the lady in front of our Tita's house. Imagine, we were looking til 1a.m! We even have flashlights. We ASKED them! They denied it. I say they flat out lied about it. They found out we have Winter already. My Tita texted us that they paid her a visit and explained they bought the dog in Tagaytay. The dog was for sale daw for 3 thousand pesos WITH papers but they haggled and eventually bought her for 1 thousand only. Who sells a shih tzu with papers for just a thousand bucks?!

They're so defensive, they even went to the barangay ahead of us to see if anyone already filed charges against them. Hardy-harhar. My Ma's a momma-bear type of mother ready to defend her cubs (or beloved pets!), but what pissed us off was the fact that they knew we were looking for the dog. We don't trust their lame alibi so you can say that they blatantly lied about everything and had no plans of ever returning Winter to us! So Ma and Gaye went back to Amadeo and went to the Barangay but the people responsible weren't there. Oh, well. At least the neighbors are already warned about what they did. Sana hindi na maulit to sa ibang pet-owners.

At this point, I want to thank everyone who read my Finding Winter post, most especially to the people who shared our posts on Facebook. The power of Social Media is real, guys! Ang galing lang. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

Gaye said there are people who wants to hug Winter in person. Teehee. How sweet. And there are people who lost their pets too who were inspired and is asking for tips on finding their lost pets.

All I can say is, if you really love your pets, don't ever give up! No matter what other people will say. :)