Twilight Saga: What I like and What I don’t like about it

I know I’ve already written a very comprehensive and long personal review of the first three Twilight books. But that was what I consider a work in jest – something borne out of emotional hype. I did promise that I’ll write a more objective view of the matter and I believe after 5 months of initially reading the books that here it is.

I must say that I’ve heard enough criticisms as well as praises of Twilight to form an objective view of the book. I do not deny that my initial impression was a positive one and I ended up devouring page after page of the famed series.

Twilight as I have heard from critics, have been labeled as cheesy and poorly written and has been branded as the Sweet Valley of vampires and werewolves. I know that a lot were unimpressed by the storyline and many still consider the works Anne Rice as more superior. I do not disagree with them. The book when I think about it is indeed cheesy and the vampire details a bit stretched. I also agree that Rice’s works are of a more superior quality. Yet this is no what draws me to the Twilight saga.

 

 

Twilight

 

 

What I liked about the sage was the sheer ingenuity that all four books were seamlessly connected – there were no loopholes or diversions anywhere, as far as I could see. I appreciate a good story when I see one especially one that has been well thought as to attention to details. That was why I liked Harry Potter so much because the details were all carefully thought of, no matter how absurd those details were.

Furthermore, Twilight for me affords a look into what an ideal man would really be like. Now, what girl in her right mind wouldn’t want the attentions of a certain Edward Cullen – gentlemanly, attentive, just the right hint of jealousy, considerate, understanding and very much protective.

 

 

New Moon

 

 

Furthermore there are finer points and scenes in the movie that I really love and I know would forever be etched in my mind. On top of the list is the scene wherein Edward and Bella were debating Bella’s stubbornness for wanting to be in the clearing of the great vampire fight when it was so obvious that she was a frail human and the risk of her getting killed were very high. It was here that I learned of what compromise in a relationship should really be like. Then who could also forget the numerous times when Edward had understood the inevitable love and attachment that Bella would feel for Jacob? “I left you bleeding and he was there to patch you up. That was meant to leave its mark” were Edward’s very words. Wouldn’t you want a guy who could admit to his mistake and then not blame you for the consequence of it?

 

Eclipse

 

 

Now I must be making you love sick with my fanaticism with Edward Cullen. It would indeed be a catch to find someone like him.

Other fine points of the novel were the development of the different characters and the ingenuity of their special powers brought into focus in Book 4: Breaking Dawn. I must admit though that these special powers somehow remind me of X-Men and Heroes. Not that I am claiming any similarities.

And since when I made my first Twilight review, Breaking Dawn wasn’t yet in my possession, this will be the first review that would include the last book in the saga. Breaking Dawn consists of a narrative by Jacob Black and I must say that the author really justified my imagination of Jacob with the narrative she made. She had really developed Jacob’s character to perfection that even when she switched narratives; it was evident that it was Jacob, the Jacob from the very first book, who was speaking.

 

Breaking Dawn

 

 

Twilight, in itself, is a fairy tale that ends with happily ever after. It does have its fine points in emphasizing that sex should be in the bounds of marriage, although the principle is not heavily stated but only partially implied. It also presents other virtues like trust and overcoming differences in an effort at team unity or the accomplishment of a common goal.

The books also have its own humor inserted in its pages – not just by the clumsiness of its proverbial damsel in distress but also in the witty dialogues of its characters. For feminists, this maybe a dagger for them, that the main heroine is always in dire need of her savior, yet I say that they should look further into her character to note that despite her physical handicaps, she bears in her the spirit of a brave warrior. Not isn’t it greater bravery that despite odds imposed on you by physical limitations, you still remain strong in character and in spirit?

You may say that this review is one-sided again. All praises and less criticism. Yet after five months of objective reasoning, I can’t seem to bring myself to rant about the faults of the book. Yes, I admit it has its own weaknesses as any books do, yet for me the strengths far outweigh them.

Of course, I cannot say the same of the movie adaptation – the storyline it adapted, the dialogue and even the choice of characters – to me they are all wanting and clearly lack something. I guess I expected for more.

 

Twilight The Movie

 

 

 

But hey, not all good books can really be adapted into a great movie. A book lover can also hope as much.

Pay It Forward

This by far is the most inspiring film I’ve ever watched. It gets one to think that if the philosophy presented was actually carried out then this world will be a much better place for everyone. But the ending gave such a touch of reality to the whole utopian idea that we are left facing the harsh reality of life.

 

 

Pay It Forward

 

 

Trevor McKinney (Haley Joel Osment) is a middle grade student tasked with an Social Studies assignment about how he could change the world in his own little way. He came up with an ingenious idea – Pay It Forward. He explained that if he could do something for 3 people that they are incapable of doing by themselves then naturally those 3 persons would be grateful. But he won’t ask for anything in return for his service, instead he’ll instruct them to repay him by doing good to 3 people as well. And so the chain of good deeds would start and eventually everyone would have received a good deed and did a good deed to someone. It seemed a very utopian idea but nonetheless Trevor took it seriously.

His first mission was to provide some food and shelter to a homeless man – something that his mother became distressed of when she learned about it. Eventually however, his mother learned from the man about his son’s efforts and was touched by it. Of course, the guy’s life was eventually set to right, thanks to Trevor and his meager savings and the man was able to rent a place of his own. But as luck would have it the man got together with his former bad associations and it seemed a hopeless case for Trevor to make him realize the new life he could begin with. That was Trevor’s first attempt and to him it was a failure.

 

 

He begun his second mission and that was to help his very own Social Studies teacher who, he noticed, for all the pompous appearance and inspirational talk was actually a lonely soul inside. He thought of setting up his teacher, Eugene Simonet (Kevin Spacey) and his mother, Arlene McKinney (Helen Hunt). Now understand that Trevor is part of a very unhappy household. His mom maintains two jobs and is a recuperating drunkard. His father is a drunk himself and could be really violent at times and is now living apart from them. His mother is trying her best to change for her son but the occasional slip happens and further drives a wedge between mother and son.

At first, both teacher and mother were surprised by the son’s scheming ways but they eventually find a common ground with each other and pursued a friendship which could very much lead to a romance. Yet when Trevor’s father (Jon Bon Jovi) arrived at the house, begging forgiveness and assuring his wife and son that he is a renewed man,  Arlene  had no other options but to accept him despite Trevor’s protests that this cycle of acceptance then eventual fighting had happened before.

Crushed,  Eugene went back to his own solitary ways and nothing that Trevor could tell him would entice him to meddle in the rapidly turning sour household affairs. Trevor then considered this his second failure.

At this point he has entirely lost all hope of his Pay It Forward project. Yet unknown to him, his efforts had apparently spread far and wide and a reporter who was a recipient of a good deed bent about trying to trace the original source of this unusual idea.

Skipping some scenes,  Arlene and Eugene eventually got together and Trevor was content of this one happy outcome of his project, not withstanding how long it had been in the making and how disappointing at times. It was Trevor’s birthday, there was still one more person to help but he was in no hurry. It was at this point that the reporter was able to trace him as the source of all good deeds (how he did it, well, that’s for you to find out!). At that point, Arlene warned the reporter that the subject was a delicate one to the boy for he thought all his efforts did not pay off.

But the reporter amazed them with his news that countless lives have already been touched by the deed and he had gone to great lengths to trace the original source. Of course having found the source of all the good deeds, a TV interview was in motion and each of Trevor’s classmates was ecstatic about their fellowmen’s good fortune. Yet it was after that fateful interview that things took a turn for the worst.

Trevor once more encountered the bullies who were bullying his friend and if before he himself was afraid to stand up to them and defend his friend, his recent success gave him the much needed courage. And it was in this display of courage that he met his end – a very heroic end I must say.

Countless of people flocked his house that night in reverence of the boy who inspired them of optimism and bravery and good deeds.

 

 

Haley Joel Osment as Trevor McKinney

 

 

 

I found the ending really teary-eyed. The philosophy presented is so practical and yet it is also so utopian in character. But if we think about how others would pass our good deeds to others – if they will or will not – then we would have missed the entire point of the exercise. The point of Pay It Forward is not to expect the other person to indeed pay the good deed forward – that would have been just the same as expecting him to pay us back for the good deed. The point is not to expect for anything in return and to explicitly tell the other to pay the good deed forward.

I myself have been a recipient of numerous pay it forward deeds when I was a struggling student in college. Having not enough money to pay for my own fare (food, lodgings, school needs) I basically had to scrimp what meager allowance I got and rely on other’s good deeds, which for me at that time were plentiful. It seems as if I was never in want of anything for there was always someone, without my saying anything to them, who would detect what I need and would readily provide for it. And when I try to thank them or attempt to pay them in return, they would just tell me to bless another soul for they insist that they themselves were just paying forward a good deed done to them a long, long time ago.

Indeed wouldn’t the world be a better place, if we could, even at just one instance of our lives, pay it forward.

Cruel Intentions: a review

I must say that my all time favorite movie will come as a surprise to many who knows me for it totally is against my personality. Sometimes I myself can’t even fathom why I like this movie so much or why the story is forever etched in my mind.

Maybe because at that time I liked Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon. Maybe I was struck by the effect  true love had on Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe). Maybe I was struck by the absurdity of what one has to do to prove one’s love to someone – have sex with him. Maybe I was struck by how revengeful the ending was.

For those who don’t know or have any idea what this movie is all about let me give you a short spoiler.

Step-siblings, Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe) and Kathryn Merteuil’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) idea of a past time is to destroy reputations of the people who had the misfortune of crossing their good will. Although Kathryn is a model student – head of the student body even, Sebastian is her complete opposite. He is notorious for having his way with most debutantes of the season.

The Step Siblings

What is unknown to the public is the fact that Kathryn is not the model person they thought her to be. She is in fact more cunning than Sebastian in her ways and usually employs him and his promiscuous reputation for her gains. And it so happened that one of the new students at school happened to irked Kathryn so she set her hopes on destroying this girl – with Sebastian’s help of course.

But Sebastian is tired of playing games with inept, unchallenging and naïve girls and he set his sights up on the new headmaster’s daughter whose article in a magazine really intrigued him. Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon) wrote in a magazine the reason why she, unlike most girls her age, chose to wait on sex – something Sebastian viewed as a challenge and something Kathryn viewed as an opportunity for a bet. If Sebastian is able to bed this headmaster’s virgin daughter then he can get what he had always wanted but could never have – a night with Kathryn. And if Kathryn wins, then she gets to own Sebastian’s vintage car. And so the bet was made and the game was on.

Sebastian began to woe Annette but to her credit she was wise and she was forewarned of his reputation. Initially she refused to associate with Sebastian yet by Sebastian’s cunning methods, he eventually forged a friendship with Annette. This friendship eventually led to love that neither expected to feel. And when Annette was finally ready to trust Sebastian with her virginity, it was Sebastian who discovered he couldn’t do it – not to Annette and certainly not to her reputation.

He discovered he didn’t really want to win the bet. He was in love with this girl and had every intention of preserving her dignity. Annette misunderstood this as Sebastian’s rejection and she was off the next day, forever leaving him when by the urging of cunning Kathryn, Sebastian somehow managed to get ahead of Annette to the train station.

Now this is the best scene of the movie. Imagine riding the escalator up, your heart filled with remorse and uncertainty about the man you loved. And then as the escalator slowly escalates, who should you see at the top of the steps but none other than that very object of your pre-occupied thoughts – staring right into your eyes with an expression full of love. Now isn’t that romantic?

Of course they eventually had sex after that but to both of them, especially to Sebastian, it wasn’t just sex – it was love. (Though I have reservations on this – you’ll read it on subsequent chapters). And when Kathryn finally congratulated Sebastian on his apparent triumph, offering him his prize, what should Sebastian do but reject Kathryn? This, after all was love for him and it had ceased to be just a game.

Now this was what irked Kathryn and she plotted revenge against her own stepbrother. With Sebastian in love and decided to settle down with one girl, who would be her ally in her devilish schemes? And what better way to wreak Sebastian’s hope than to make him realize that the moment the whole school knew that Annette was with the notorious Sebastian, even if they professed that they were really going steady, Sebastian’s reputation would still precede him and thus mar Annette’s.

Now this was something Sebastian wasn’t prepared to have the girl he loved bear with and so he imprudently broke up with her telling her that she was just a conquest to him. An addition to his long list of bedded girls. That would naturally irk Annette who at first was prepared to see past Sebastian’s act – he was trembling badly as he stood her lying to her – but eventually hurt sank in and she had to turn him away. From that day forth, no rest and peace could be found for both Annette and Sebastian and it was only Kathryn who appeared happy with the terrible outcome of events. In the end, Kathryn won and she shoved in Sebastian’s face how he was “just a toy to her that she liked to play with” and how they were “two of a kind”.

This naturally angered Sebastian and once and for all, he decided to make a clean break of it by giving Annette his most prized possession – his journal where he kept records of the truth with Kathryn, the bet and all the other devilry of his stepsister. Annette was at first reluctant to read the journal but she eventually did and was greatly enlightened. Enlightenment came a bit too late however because Kathryn had learned of Sebastian’s treachery and sent someone, again on a false pretense, to bully Sebastian.

A fight ensued on the street near Annette’s house, Sebastian was on his way home after a vigil outside Annette’s door. Annette tried to break the fight, only to be accidentally shoved to the street in front of a passing car. Sebastian having seen this shoved her out of danger’s way and placed himself instead in death’s door.

Sebastian eventually died and it was during the funeral, specifically while Kathryn was making her fake speech for her lost brother, that copies of the all-exposing journal was released. This of course brought the whole school’s attention to the real nature of their model student.

And if the movie started with a scene where Sebastian was driving his vintage car, his sunglasses shielding his eyes and his journal in the passenger seat – it ended with the same scene, only this time it was Annette, instead of Sebastian in the driver’s seat.

Having given you a general spoiler of the film, you may ask me what made this my all time favorite? First it so clearly contradicted my stand on purity and sex and true love. I firmly believe in sex within marriage and true love being defined by the gift of purity from both partners. I liked the part wherein Sebastian was man enough to refuse Annette’s advances after having discovered within himself that he loved the girl and wanted a more meaningful relationship with her than just a one-night stand.

I disagree however the fact that they proved their love to each other by prematurely giving their bodies to one another. Is this really how one should seal one’s love? Wouldn’t it be a better declaration of love when both are able to wait for the time when they are joined under the eyes of God and man as one before also physically joining themselves?

Perhaps it’s the agreements and disagreements I have of the film that ranks this as one of the best movies I’ve ever watched. And maybe the fact that I knew at that time a lot about the real-life couple – Ryan and Reese, who are unfortunately divorced now, also made the movie quite unforgettable in my mind.

The soundtrack is also something worth checking out by the way.

Teatro Dignos’ Eros 4

Originally posted in Multiply (http://elleica.multiply.com).

I’ve always been a fan of theatrical productions. I guess I love the theater more than I do the cinemas. And such was my disappointment that living in the province won’t afford me as many theatrical options as before when I was residing in Manila.

But then, when I informed my dear sister of such a concern, she very kindly went about her way looking for any theatrical production I may enjoy. She did found a lot, however, most of the time I had work scheduled on such nights that I can’t come.

But I was glad that on her latest find, I found myself free to go and watch the production with her. And mind you, I didn’t regret it.

Although I must admit the facility was less than what I was used to, still the performance made up for any inconvenience the facilities and the lack of professionalism with regard to promptness in observance of the starting time made.

Teatro Dignos

The production was a dance musical entitled EROS 4. It showcased the various popular love songs of the season interpreted through mostly modern jazz dance.

There were 4 acts and each act was introduced by a beautiful Tagalog poem which were either sung or recited or a combination of both. Each poem delivered a poignant message connected to either land, water, fire or air and how each could be related to life and love. The poem’s message were really deep considering that the words used were mostly ordinary Tagalog words.

Also commendable during the performance was the fact that intermission numbers weren’t dead airs. The ADNU choir outdid themselves in their rendition’s of Augustana’s Boston and Jason Mraz’s I’m Yours with the latter being rendered a Capella. The soloist had a really good voice.

Regarding the main performance itself, I must commend the choreographer who conceptualized all the steps and interpretations of the songs. Although I did notice some similar steps in each dance, still the interpretations were wonderful. I specifically liked how they portrayed a mermaid transforming from, well, a mermaid to a person with legs. A small guy portrayed the fins of the mermaid and whenever the mermaid leaves her being fully human, the guy would simply lie prostrate on the stage and “flip” his legs while the girl would lie on top of him and pretend that the guy’s legs are her fins. And in the part of the dance wherein the “prince” charming learned that the girl he loved was half-fish and he had to carry her and twirl her round and round in the half-fish state, well, he carried both the small guy (who was the fin of the girl) and the girl and twirled both effortlessly.

The performers really had strong arm muscles for they always seemed to be carrying someone and twirling someone round and round. And mind you the guys twirl both girls and guys – and not just the small and seemingly light ones. It also became evident towards the last part of the show that it was not unusual for some of the guys to be able to carry and twirl around another guy and a girl all together. And even the girls were able to carry and twirl another girl.

Whew. I don’t know if I’m making any sense with all these carrying and twirling that I kept on mentioning. I have never tried making a review on a dance production before and as such I have no idea what to call all the steps that they did.

A video or perhaps a photo would have said more words than I could possibly type in here or hope to use in my descriptions of the performance. Too bad I wasn’t able to capture it in any form of multimedia.

In summary I would give the show 4-stars. It would have been a 5 had they observed proper starting time – that is they started at 7:30pm as indicated in the tickets. But I was satisfied. It was well-worth the wait.

Now, that is how I would love to spend my days-off.

Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse – A Very Personal Book Review (contain spoilers)

This was originally posted on Multiply (http://elleica.multiply.com) on February 28, 2009.

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Category:	Books
Genre:	Literature & Fiction
Author:	Stephanie Meyer

Have you ever read a book that you found so engrossing you couldn’t put it down? And what if I said that you extremel y couldn’t put it down? Have you ever read for almost 36 hours straight without so much as a sleep, food or a bath? This is what I define extreme. And if you haven’t tried it, well, I guess you haven’t found the right book or in my case the right saga of books.

When I first saw Twilight in book stands I wasn’t aware what kind of a book it really was. Owing to the cover, I thought it to be some book on female activism or the femal role in history – written like a novel. It was only lately that I learned it was a book about vampires. Well I wasn’t too keen on reading a book about vampires – having had my fill of Anne Rice novels back in my high school days so it really took me a long time to even read or took notice of what Twilight was all about. Even when a good friend conveniently gave an e-book copy.

But when I read the first book – Twilight – it was like getting a very refreshing feel to my reading list. Having had contented myself to release stress by reading mindess pocketbooks, the attack of Twilight was really refreshing. And you’ll know what I mean when you get to read these English pocketbooks. I had no idea it was set on a high school setting and that it was really intended for young readers. I had expected, after learning it was a vampire novel, that it was set for more mature readers.

When I started reading I was a bit put off with the first person narrative point of view. This I think I owe to the fact that I couldn’t fathom how a first person narrative would stifle my interest to the end. But I was keeping up my hopes, if only to satisfy my curiosity over this popular book with an equally popular movie in the theaters. Yet contrary to my belief of being bored, I was engrossed. Indeed the narrative was entirely easy to read and it was not the bit boring.

I also liked the fact that the conversations flowed so naturrally, so easily. Like they were so spontaneous that it did seem a realistic conversation. There were no lines of “oh my you’re a vampire” or “yes, I am a vampire” that are so cliché. Everything for me was well-written.

What I haven’t bargained for was the “kilig” factor the book brought me. I haven’t known that I could still be as giddy as a high schooler. But I was. And everytime I think those scenes – Edward admitting the reasons for his strange behavior the first time he and Bella met, the first night they spent in Bella’s room – it makes me giddy. It is so refreshing to read a book that doesn’t have a single sex scene in it but which is so carefully written that there is the element of kilig in it.

The part where Meyer gets to explain her theories on vampires was pure pleasure to read. It reached my expectations that the theories would be as believable as Rice’s had been and it surpassed my expectations that the theories were presented in a very easily read kind of way. Not the way that it sounds like some really strange narrative. It was beautifully written.

I even had to stop at that chapter – chapter 14 – before I wandered off to dreamland at 4am. I was bound to get some pretty sweet dreams. I read Twilight around 10pm and finished till chap14 at 4am. Then I got up real early – some 4 hours after – and commenced my day. Lucky for me I managed to do my chores – cook, laundry – and even managed some social life that night, even though I did finished book1 and read a few chapters of book2 by 6pm (having started again aroung 2pm).

I am not writing this to illustrate my skill in reading but to quantify my definition of extreme reading. I restarted book2, New Moon, around 11pm that night, and finished it past 6am. I slept some then woke 8:30am, had some 3 pieces pandesal, and commenced reading. I barely stopped for lunch at 2pm (actually I ate a halting lunch while reading). All through that time I was just reading. I was already in book3 by this time since before I slept I had finished book2. I managed to get some shut eye I guess about 330 or 4pm but I was awake by 6pm pursuing book3. I had some crackers while reading and it is only a few minutes ago, about 11pm, that I had finished book3.

I had not much CR break, having drunk so little water – quite a shock to me. I haven’t so much as brushed my teeth or combed my hair, much less take a shower. And I haven’t had so much food in my stomach. Even my lunch was not a lunch as you may call it.

This is extreme reading.

And this is the effect the Twilight books had on me. It was so well written that I actually found myself escaping to another world. Being sucked up by its pages. I am literally crying for Jacob Black, the fate he had to face (damn! Why did book3 ended that way? I don’t even have book4 with me). And having finished I feel like I am being trust back to reality. It’s such a good thing tomorrow is still a holiday and that I have time to re-adjust my self to the normalcy of my life.

What triggered me to make this entry was the fact that I really felt deeply what Bella felt – over Jacob and Edward. It was a really hard choice and I for once never wish that I would be forced to make such a choice – not that Bella really had a choice. It’s just so bad that she had to hurt them that way. And Edward, who couldn’t love the perfect gentleman that he is. If I were to have a husband, which I know I would, I would want him to be the gentleman Edward was. Like Edward who was manly enough as to protect virtue even when hormones are raging, manly enough to know what compromise really means and to accept it, manly enough to know and understand any situation such as the one Bella had, and manly enough to comfort Bella even though it hurt him to the core. And to even be willing to accept a choice which may be good for Bella eventhough it may hurt him so bad. For me, Edward is the most unselfish guy a girl could ever ask for.

When asked for my favorite part, I can think of a hundred. The scene when Edward finally admits to Bella that he won’t run away from her any more, that scene outside Trig class when Jessica was dying to know what the deal with Bella and Edwardm that first night in the bedroom and I must say this scenes all trigger so many other scenes. Book two was really painful to read though I can relate to Bella as she tries to awaken the hallucinations forming in her head. It was painful because I only got to read about Edward near the end. Book 3 was a bit better. Book 2 had too many unpleasant scenes that though well written and stucked in my mind, I would rather keep shrouded due to the pain or terror they elicit. The funny scenes when Edward and Jacon had their sort of truces just to keep Bella happy was really touching to read in Book3. I cried when Edward agreed to compromise for Bella (the first compromise), when Bella visited Jacob after the “motorcyle accident” and told him her good byes which were hopefull not good byes. These are all good scenes and I am crying again. It’s just so good I can’t get over it.

I give Meyer two thumbs up for the way themes have been clearly and wonderfully illustrated in the novel. Themes such as responsible sex, true love, sacrifice, honor and loyalty. I have never read a heartbreak so painful, portrayed so realistically. I have never even read a cure for a heartbreak so well-written and its consequences so clearly outlined. The dialogue, was never a trifle boring – someif not most were really funny and had me laughing. The book, is so superb.

And when I write about the book in a third person point of view, I do so, because sometimes to dwell on the scenes themselves, to even think about thinking about them, brings so much tears to my eyes that the screen is so blurred and my nose so constricted. I love the book. How well it is written. How real is its capacity to enthrall its reader. I like it. I love it.

And I hope that all works out for the good in the end.

I must end this. It is past midnight and I lack sleep. I know I’ll be up early tomorrow. It is so ingrained in my body clock it seems. I know I must face reality tomorrow. Work to be done awaits me. Yet tonight as I close my eyes and drift off into a slumber, I hope to enter a world of dreams where I may relieve the scenes of the book, the terrifying – hopefully not; the painful – maybe; the joyous and fun parts – definitely.

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Note: This review was written on December 3, 2008.

La Vendetta Final Episode

This was originally posted in Multiply (http://elleica.multiply.com) on January 19, 2008.

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It was a huge disappointment.

I’m not a huge fan of the show but for its last week I really faithfully watched to know who the killer was and why he did what he did. I was also curious as to how the story ends. I must say I was really disappointed with the ending.

Biologically speaking, I can’t believe why Rigo (Wendell Ramos) should be dead and Jun-Jun (Paolo Contis) is alive. I mean Jun-Jun received two wound stabs and was shot all in one night. His stab wounds were in the abdominal section so most probably it was his intestines or maybe even the liver that was seriously damaged. Rigo on the other hand was stabbed in almost the same area as Jun-Jun, although he was stabbed from the back. Maybe it was his kidney, which is retroperitoneal that was hit. But I don’t think his stab wound was as serious as Jun-Jun who was stabbed from affront. It was also surprising how Gaby (Polo Ravales) could have recovered from his wounds several minutes after he was shot. Let’s say the bullet only grazed him but his initial pain was so intense you’d think he lost a lot of blood. But as the final episodes progressed, he seems to have gained so much strength you’d wonder if he was ever wounded at all.

Frankly, I’m just disappointed why Rigo should die and not Jun-Jun. Besides, the show had no closing on Jun-Jun’s story – is he still part of an illegal syndicate or on Rigo’s story – how did his family react to his death. These left me hanging and I’m not really sure if the show can excuse itself as being open-ended.

The way Ariel (Luis Alandy) became a ghost after he died and was apparently engulfed by the earth (signifying entry to hell?) is plain corny. For a show that didn’t use any digital effects, to use one at the end, for me, lowers its worth. It was also disturbing to see how he (Ariel) became an ultimate madman at the end. But I give him a thumbs-up for his portrayal. I like him as the caring lawyer who was really concerned for Eloisa (Sunshine Dizon) and to see his other side – his real side – is really disturbing. You’d think he should have been the one sent to the mental asylum and not Eloisa.

I must comment also that the final landscape of the last scene is a far cry from the over-all tone of the show. It really signified and captured the peace that has finally fallen on the entire household. I wonder where they shot that?

I can’t comment anything on Ms. Dizon’s acting. I remain satisfied with her abilities although there was really nothing special or noteworthy with her deliveries during the last parts of the show.

Overall, La Vendetta is worth watching. Although not much emphasis was given on why Ariel killed Almira and how everything revolved from there, the show is a good start for potentially more of its kind. I just hope that Philippine soaps could develop more realistic suspense-thriller shows (minus all the ghosts and bad anatomy). It would really delight me to see soaps the like of movies: The Silence of the Lambs, Bone Collector, Pelican Brief or Urban Legend. If the Philippines can produce such shows, I must say we have reached a breakthrough in Philippine TV.

I congratulate the minds behind La Vendetta. It was a nice start. And frankly, I liked the effects in the ending credits and the titles in between the show segments. The theme song PS I love you also renders a certain “chill” effect to the show.

La Vendetta Jan. 11 2008 Episode

Of course this is a reposting. This was originally posted in Multiply (http://elleica.multiply.com) on January 13, 2008.

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Eloisa threatens Ariel to Stay Away

These is another testimony to how GMA is so much more better than ABS-CBN. I mean ABS certainly has good shows but GMA have better ones.

La Vendetta

I just love how Sunshine Dizon acts in this scene. Her role in La Vendetta, GMA’s suspense thriller drama, is as a mentally deranged woman who has been abused so much by her older sister – Amanda (Jean Garcia). She’s usually meek and though she has an inner fire in her that wants to fight for justice in the death of her younger sister, Almira (Jennylyn Mercado), its usually reserved.

But in this scene, it just flared. Grabe ang galing talaga ng acting nya. Kung papansinin nyo, sobrang ang tapang nya while holding the knife pero at the same time hindi pa rin nawawala ang pagiging Eloisa nya na meek and low self-esteem kind of character. Her courage is so unlike that of a brave Encantadia character.

Basta. Nagalingan ako ki Sunshine Dizon dito. Well pati si Ariel (Luis Alandy) magaling din. Hindi mo ma discern sa expression nya if totoo ang sinasabi nya o hindi. Grabe.

Here’s a link to the video so you could judge for yourself.
http://www.igma.tv/video/2976/La-Vendetta-Eloisa-threatens-Ariel-to-stay-away

The context is that Eloisa learned that Ariel is the killer of Almira. And she’s so enraged because Ariel was their family lawyer who has sworn to help Eloisa seek justice for Almira.