here come the rooster.

FYI

2010-09-01T20:19:00Z

1. This journal is now mostly friends only. If you've bookmarked a previously public entry of mine (spam/tutorial/mix/etc.), comment and I'll unlock it. :)

2. If you comment on this journal, please do not crosspost to Twitter or Facebook. (Why?)

2. I barely update anymore. I'm more active on tumblr (but even then, not so much).

Zombieland (2009) -- a feel-good movie disguised as horror comedy

2009-11-09T08:25:04Z

Horor comedy is always a tough sell, but it's one of my favorite genres. Shaun of the Dead set the bar for zombie comedies, but Zombieland holds its own. Holds it own extremely well.

I watched the film not knowing anything about it, and I think it's more fun this way so I'm not giving a synopsis.

It's laugh-out-loud funny with seriously gory special effects and gracefully poetic montages of death and destruction.
Columbus (played by Jesse Eisenberg) looks like a cross between George Michael Bluth and Napoleon Dynamite, but cuter and less socially inept. His quips are hilarious.
Woody Harrelson is so over-the-top it is EXCELLENT.
BM is the greatest cameo I have ever seen. (Even better than NPH on Harold and Kumar.)
The characters make some stupid moves that put them in harm's way, but it's damn near the end of the world and they have nothing to lose so it's almost forgivable.
Soundtrack = awesome. (Metallica and Sea Wolf in the first 20 minutes. Plus Blue Öyster Cult, The Raconteurs, even a song from Wicked. COME ON.)

Lastly, Zombieland is feel-good movie at heart. It's fun, it's gross, and it's great to watch with friends.

For those who've already seen it: additional rules.

The Hurt Locker (2009) -- dizzyingly real

2009-11-01T15:31:02Z

Last Friday Jaime and I watched The Hurt Locker. I understand that it hasn't gotten much local coverage. But on LJ the hype has been pretty intense, so I was excited to see it.

In war torn Iraq, an elite Army bomb squad unit loses its team leader to an improvised explosive device. They get a new team leader soon enough, a brash Staff Sergeant who, while really good at his job, appears to have some sort of death wish.

The film isn't strictly a story, in that it has no clear-cut setup, climax, or denoument. As Jaime said, it's more like a dramatized documentary. Unlike a documentary however, the film jumps right into the action. No one explains IEDs or specialists or anything, and the audience is left to rely on context clues to figure out what's happening. But rather than being confusing, it imparts a feeling of urgency.

The Hurt Locker doesn't shy away from the violence and confusion that war brings. Nor does it glorify war. It simply depicts a month in the life of a US Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit -- and all the tension and uncertainty such a job brings. Apart from some iffy soldier protocol, it seems quite realistic. While the bombs are always in the forefront of the story, they never outshine the characters. The actors really stepped into their roles. (Also, the shots are very pretty.)

A word of caution: true to the documentary style, all cameras are handheld, and things are often shaky. So if you're astigmatic like me, expect to get a little dizzy.

The first scene already has soliders disarming a roadside bomb.

The new Staff Sergeant seems like hot shit on the surface, but he as the film progresses you can see he has serious issues.

There is a spattering of cameos, many of whom are bigtime actors.

There is a excellent sniper scene.

For William James, war is easy. It's normal life that's difficult.

The last scene oscillates between really cool and really sad.

Jennifer's Body (2009) -- too little horror, too little humor

2009-10-28T18:15:00Z

Caught the last full show of Jennifer's Body with Set and my sister tonight.

Set's right, it lacks something. (And it's not just because of all the damn cuts the MTRCB made.)

I read that it was supposed to be a satire about relationships between best friends, and female empowerment, but I didn't get that message. (Teeth, another horror-comedy flick, does a much better job.)

There are some funny lines, like "Cheese and fries!" (Jesus Christ, get it?), and Adam Brody's bit on indie bands having a hard time making it big. Through The Trees as a running gag is funny. Needy's prom dress in itself is one big punchline. But I thought there would be more horror. Nearly all the good stuff is in the trailer.

There are plot holes. How could Needy see and feel what Jennifer was thinking? Why did Needy have to break up with her boyfriend? Why did Needy make out with Jennifer even when she knew that Jen was a monster?

Needy and Jennifer's pseudo-lesbian relationship is interesting to watch though. Mia said it was like Megan Fox was always flirting with Needy. It wouldn't be surprising if we found out that Jen was a lesbian.

Aaaaand it's nice to finally found out what'd happen if you sacrificed a non-virgin. (Then again, who in their right mind would believe that Megan Fox is a virgin?)

Anyway, I liked it. But given the movie's hype, I expected more.

No picspam because I'm tired and I have a tooth extraction tomorrow. *groan*

(500) Days of Summer (2009) -- honest, heartbreaking, and hopeful

2009-10-25T06:59:48Z

Last Friday Faith, Jaime, and I watched (500) Days of Summer. I had come from a literally sleepless night and was halfway to zombieland, but I am so glad our plans pushed through because I loved watching the film.

Also, it seems that the entire UST FMS is in need of a break. I saw all the years of med students (excepting clerks, because they either hard at work or dead to the world). Going into the cinema I met Dino, Nikko, and Rina. Exiting the movie I saw first years and second years. Only two more exams to go and then we can relax!

Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn't.

(500) Days is tagged a romantic comedy, but it doesn't feel like it. It's got most of the cliches (even honest-to-goodness cartoon birds), but it's not maddeningly predictable or plastic. It's an honest ~~love story~~ story about love, far more entertaining than the usual romcom fare. It's as much a date movie as a barkada movie.

The movie has its fair share of couples making googly eyes at each other, but it's not nauseatingly saccharine.

His shirt says "love will tear us apart." I didn't notice that while in the cinema, but somehow it fits the story.
The non-linear narrative lends a bittersweet taste to the film. The scene in Tom's favorite spot has a particularly somber undertone. Tom is explaining something he's very passionate about, and Summer...she doesn't get it. Him drawing on her arm is amazing though.
The cinematography is ace. I love how every scene is visually interesting. The splitscreen scene is done so well. Different enough to sustain your attention, but not so much that it's confusing. And the culmination is like a punch to the gut, man.
Tom's boss is so nice it's unnerving. I think because I've seen him play a jackass on some TV show or something.
Zooey Deschanel is ridiculously pretty in this. She has an open, sincere face and then it's like zomg EYES.

Goddamn, woman.
(All the time.)
And in some scenes she looked so much like her sister, it was weird but amusing.
I feel that Summer as character is a little flat, though. Her complete 180 is jarring, but it's very effective as a tragedy.

"I'm Sid." Heh.
Joseph Gordon Levitt looks great in stills, but onscreen he looks like...an old kid. (You'll understand when you see it.)
Tom's chalkboard wall is awesome.
Part vampire, part giant: va-- I can't finish it, I'm laughing too hard.
The last line is cheeseballs but Gordon Levitt saves it by breaking the fourth wall. (Thank God for that epilogue too, otherwise the film would be so depressing.)
The film is a wonderful mix of comedy and fluff and downright heartbreak. The characters are so relatable, and that makes them more real than the cardboard cutouts you see in chick flicks. But I have to say: for a guy, Tom sure talks about his feeling a lot.

Below the companion music video to the film. It doesn't exactly have the same feel as the movie, but it's cute. And it's Zooey Deschanel singing.

Also, there is an excellent use of Wolfmother. :D Actually the entire soundtrack is adorable: zip, 47MB.

Spring Awakening Manila (2009) -- forgettable

2009-10-18T07:29:25Z

Thanks to Mia's headsup, I watched Spring Awakening with Set, Faith, and Archie. We got orchestra center seats, which gave us a good view of the stage.

I didn't know about Spring Awakening, other than it was a coming-of-age musical. Judging from people's love of the Broadway production, I don't think the local act did it justice. Although the singing acts were good, the choreography was not. The steps were far from polished, and to put it bluntly, Melchior can't dance. Spring Awakening tackles such heavy issues as abortion, rape, child abuse, and suicide, but glosses over them so that the characters' individual tragedies become trivial.

Since we really didn't know anything about it, It took Set and me a while to figure out that all the adult male and all adult female characters are intentionally played by the same actor and actress. So we were like:
Set: Don't they have the same mother?
Me: Maybe they don't know...

I was also initially confused about Moritz's sexuality. It turns out he's a heterosexual rocker Jeff Spicoli who just happens to enjoy pointing his toes.

It ended up being more of a comedy, especially with Wendla's shaky voice and her scene with Melchior and the switch. (A fetish is born!)

All in all, the musical was forgettable.

Ooh-- camh0ring!

I cut my hair short again. :p

This won't deter us from watching the upcoming productions of Avenue Q, Sweeney Todd, and Spelling Bee though!

The Final Destination (2009) -- probably better in 3D

2009-09-04T17:12:19Z

Mia and I watched The Final Destination. It is with great sadness that I report: it is not showing in 3D locally. :( Which is really too bad, because it would have been so much better in 3D. The fourth installment of the franchise follows the same formula of the previous films, only less sick. It's cheap thrills. But it didn't feel too long or short -- at 82 minutes, it's just the right length.

This redhead looks like a cross between Evan Rachel Wood and that British secretary in The Devil Wears Prada. And the brunette looks so much like a younger, less fierce Debi Mazar!
There's also a scene straight out of Chuck Palahniuk's short story Guts. Duuuude. I think part of it was cut from the local screening though. It was far less gross than expected.
The funniest part of this movie is when this girl's leg gets crushed in the escalator gears and she immediately starts spitting out blood. It's a pretty long way from the leg to the gastrointestinal tract!

District 9, Up in 3D (2009)

2009-08-31T08:25:11Z

Yesterday Jaime and I watched District 9. Set was supposed to come along but she was unconscious.

All I knew was that there were aliens and it touched on apartheid. That's all I needed to know!

I loved the mock documentary style and found-footage style. The aliens blend right in with the live-action shots. There's lots of firefights and explosions for action buffs and plenty of gross-outs for the gore buffs, but there's also some solid drama to back up the special effects. There are no happy endings here.

One of the main characters makes a rather abrupt change of heart near the end of the movie, but perhaps it was part of his accelerating metamorphosis.

Jaime and I were also wondering about the pseudo-science behind the DNA-fusing "fluid" that fuels the alien ships, but whatever, chalk it up to movie magic.

I watched it solely for entertainment, but there is some serious discussion going on about the not-so-subtle racist undertones in the film.

Last Friday my sister and I watched Up in 3D. It was the second time for me; the first time being with Jaime and Set, who are my current mubidate regulars.

It's just as fun and uplifting the second time around. The opening sequence still pulls on your heartstrings. (It's more for adults than for kids, but it also gives parents a chance to explain the meaning of death to their children.) Russell's sense of wonder is still delightful. He's open to EVERYONE and he finds joy in EVERYTHING. The cantankerous Mr. Fredricksen is nonetheless endearing. You can't help but feel for the guy because he's still grieving and you know he feels he wasn't able to give the love of his life the adventure he promised.

It's odd seeing elderly men be surprisingly agile, crawling around planes in flight, but given that the film is in its nature fantastical (floating houses, talking dogs, colorful giant dodo birds), it's not really surprising. There's a bit of women in refrigerators going on, but somehow I don't begrudge the writers for it. Up is very much a boy's adventure though, and I agree: I would very much like to see a Pixar movie featuring a female lead.

A word about Trinoma's 3D cinema: best if you sit closer than usual to the screen. The 3D jumps out better, and the screen is brighter. The 3D glasses tend to make everything darker.

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) -- zzzzz

2009-08-21T19:06:09Z

Last Friday my family and I watched The Time Traveler's Wife. I'd read the book last year, a gift from Mary and Julie, and I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the novel does not translate well onscreen.

The film tries to incorporate the most important parts of the book, which are quite a few. The result is a choppy mishmash of sequences that leaves those unfamiliar with the story confused. There is a lot going on and yet the movie feels too long. Both my parents fell asleep several times, and my dad once started snoring very loudly, much to my chagrin and amusement.

The main characters are not developed well, making it hard to sympathize with them. I didn't really care about their relationship, I just wanted to see the next time Henry disappeared and left his companions bewildered.

I found G.I. Joe more entertaining.

The wedding scene and the house-hunting are two things done right.

The darkest parts of the book are glossed over -- Claire's repeated miscarriages, the circumstances surrounding Henry's death, how Alba is conceived -- probably to bring the rating down to PG.

There are also minor changes to the plot, which really didn't bother me except for the fact that I WAS SO BORED.

I expected the time-traveling to be cooler. Or even just disappearing in the blink of an eye. Not a slow fading away like how that kid was trapped in Jumanji.

One thing though: movie!Gomez > book!Gomez.

ETA: Time Traveler's Wife TV series anyone?

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) -- pretty lolsy

2009-08-15T21:14:04Z

Last Friday was amaaaazing. The Medicine 2 exam went by like WHOOSH and though I made a lot of mistakes, whatever, that module is OVER AND DONE WITH.

And then some of us students had a huge lunch at Gerry's Grill where we ate all the food in like 30 minutes and spent the next hour camh0ring. I have Instax pictures but no scanner yet so the picspam will have to wait. We parted ways and then some us ended up at Red Mango, where Kim treated us to frozen yogurt. (This is why we love Kim.) She left early, I presume for this; 2 daters went to get someone's glasses fixed; and Sam and Marco went home.

I hung out to wait for Mia, and together we bought some books from Powerbooks. I picked up Yvette Tan's Waking the Dead and Other Horror Stories, which I've been hearing a lot of buzz about. It's not as horrific as I hoped, but I'm enjoying it. And I'm loving Andrew Drilon's illustrations. Powerbooks is currently having a sale, so I got Waking the Dead at 5% off and a couple of other books up to 80% off.

Mia and I also had merienda at Five Cows -- although it was more like a second lunch for me!

We watched G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, because Orphan was no longer showing (sadface). The rumors were true: it is so lolsy! Mia fell asleep a bit in the middle, but barring obvious plot holes such as why anyone would be allowed anywhere near a mission pitting him against his scorned lover when their connection could severely compromise his judgment, those looking for some mindless action and a lot of fun stunts shouldn't be disappointed.

I can't be the only one who thinks there's some hanky-panky going on between these two.
Fighting baby ninjas are SO CUTE. Who knew? I would've liked to know more about how Snake Eyes learned to fight before stealing his way into ~~our hearts~~ the dojo.
Speaking of Snake Eyes, isn't he the BAMF-iest BAMF everrrr. If you opened your dictionary and looked up "BAMF" you would see a picture of Snake Eyes. When Chuck Norris and Jack Bauer have sleep overs, they argue over who has the cooler Snake Eyes pajamas. If Snake Eyes was a Spartan in the movie 300, the movie would be called 1. And so on.
And look, his brother is Bruce Lee.
Bruce Lee with ninja stars that HAVE SPINNERS ON THEM. Hahahaha.
PS There's no way Storm Shadow killed his sensei.
Wayans brothers are actually funny when they're toned down.
Scarlett is weak. WEEEAAAK. Then again, considering she graduated college at 12, I suppose she's allowed to be emotionally stunted. Her action scenes were cool, but every time she talked I was annoyed.
Sienna Miller looks like a wannabe from the Underworld set. Apparently for Ana, life is a runway, because she only has speeds: strut, and pose.
Though Cobra Commander's true identity wasn't unpredictable, I didn't see Ana's nano-mites reveal coming. It reminded me of Alice in the third Resident Evil movie.
There is not one scene displaying a woman that does not show off her cleavage.
I think what I loved best was the theater audience; the people were so receptive. There was a loud squeal when Channing Tatum walked onscreen, some surprised "O, siya!" comments when Brendan Fraser (whee!) appeared as Sgt. Stone, and some hoots (from guys) when got Storm Shadow got half-naked. There's also a bunch of cameos from The Mummy films, heehee!

Oh, and lastly:
"I am James McCullen ~~of the clan McCullen~~."

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (this is the only HP icon I have. must remedy asap.)

2009-07-18T15:28:25Z

Last night Set, Yeo, and I caught a 10:45 screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Color me entertained. The movie is more than 2 hours long, I was sleepy, and I had an early meeting the next day, but dammit I was not bored one minute.

It's been years since I've read the book, so I can't speak of fidelity to the source material. There's a lot going on, definitely. Unrequited teen love, the mystery of the Half-Blood Prince, the ominous presence of Voldemort -- even if he doesn't show himself to anyone. But it isn't frustratingly so. It's more of letting the story wash over you, watching the kids grow up, seeing Harry come to terms with being the chosen one.

The opening sequence is great! whooshwhooshwhoosh. We could tell which parts of the scene were supposed to pop out if you'd watched the 3D version. And the scene transitions (where there were transitions; some were quite abrupt) are well done.

I love how dark this film is. The adult-ish themes in Order of the Phoenix didn't translate well, didn't seem cohesive with the plot. But here it meshes, it's appropriate -- they're nearing the war and things are getting ugly. Katie Bell in the snow in her red jacket is particularly chilling. And Harry nearly killing Draco bleeding in the boys' bathroom. (Speaking of which, Harry/Draco is making a comeback, y/y?) Draco's incessant swooshing of the rug to reveal the vanishing cabinet, not so much.

Also, what was the vanishing cabinet FOR? Or rather, why did Bellatrix & Co. have to enter Hogwarts anyway? Just to make sure that someone kills Dumbledore?

Snape's big reveal isn't very...revealing. The mystery of who the Half-Blood Prince could be is downplayed so that Tom Riddle's story can take center stage.

The ships were off to me. I've forgotten how it was played in the books, but in this film, I have no idea why Hermione is head over heels for Ron. He's doesn't have any particularly charming characteristics. He's pretty great at Quidditch though.

Harry/Hermione has never made more sense to me than now, considering the non-existent chemistry between Hermione and Ron. Hell even Ron/Ginny is more believable -- it is so weird how Ron asks Harry what Dean sees in Ginny. Why would a brother want to see his sister in that light?

I take issue with the way Ginny is portrayed. Ginny feeding Harry from the palm of her hand. *cringe* Ginny tying Harry shoelaces. MAJOR CRINGE. This girl is supposed to be a talented witch, not some nursemaid. But then even in the books she was a secondary character and didn't have much of a personality. She's...kind of a Mary Sue...

Set said Lavender reminds her of Stifler's mom. I can see that! Especially when Stifler's mom played the hairdresser in Legally Blonde.

The fire in the !Horcrux cave is sooo Mount Doom. Or actually, Mines of Moria might be more accurate.

vs.

Fenrir Greyback isn't too badly rendered! CGI team, you are improving. I approve.

Slughorn is kinder-looking than I expected. And despite being a weak-willed social-climber, he is likable.

Set, on young Tom: Too gay! Too GAY!
Me: Hahahaha!

Palagi siyang nang-iirap, ha.`

The ~*magic*~ man. Many still prefer Richard Harris's Dumbledore because he had a more stately air, but I like Michael Gambon's funkier, younger-sounding Dumbledore. This is the guy I can imagine wandering around Hogwarts humming to himself and falling in love with Grindelwald.

Snape's hair is no longer greasy! It's refreshingly fluffy.

It is such a relief to see that Emma Watson has moved away from eyebrow acting. She has blossomed into quite the beauty, hasn't she?

Helena Bonham Carter's Bellatrix is mad crazy as always. It is so fun to see her wigging out onscreen.

Draco's wardrobe is so GQ/Matrix/seminarian. The boy is WORKIN IT. (Both the clothes and the movie.)

The Half-Blood Prince is a good mix of mystery, darkness, and humor. I can see why it's gotten generally good reviews.

* * *

This weekend was spent almost totally on our BGD, leaving me previous little time to read the 50+ pages of Medicine 2 reading assignment, in addition to studying 100 more pages of Medical Jurisprudence. NAKUPO.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

2009-06-27T20:45:27Z

Last Friday, Set, Mia and I watched Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Which is really just an excuse for Michael Bay to blow up everything in the world.

I remember Michael Bay saying Transformers 2 would have more robots, more action, more everything.

There are so many robots it's hard to keep track. The Decepticons especially, given their aversion to color. There's even some Voltes V volt in action. Robot Lolo is amusing, with his cane and general old fogey-ness. The twins are cute but oddly disconcerting. They talk the way a comedian would make fun of black people.

There are a million things happening at once, and it takes a while to realize that there aren't really seven different plotlines running through the movie -- just one big messy one. With several tangents that are set up but aren't really explored. While the 2007 Transformers plot wasn't exactly logical either, it was more tightly written.

There is so much magical robot technology in this film. There's that sliver of the AllSpark, the matrix, the energon, those robot boomsticks the Decepticons carry... What is it exactly the Decepticons are after?

And what exactly is the purpose of turning Shia into an alien Intersect? The symbols weren't a map, no one could read them, and we still don't know what they are.

The matrix was protectively encased within a robot orgy, hahaha.

Whatever happened to Megan Fox's pet robot that she was training?

They pulled the hero's death card one too many times. Do you realize, THREE major characters die and are brought back to life by defibrillation of some sort. And yet, somehow the film lacks heart. By the time Shia died and went to robot heaven I was impatiently waiting for the next explosion.

Even the girls are too much to handle. Like in the first film, all females under 20 look as plastic as if they stepped straight out of an adult toy store. And the one older woman is constantly embarrasing her family. *groan*

Speaking of which, what was Megan Fox's white dress with flowers change of costume for? Foreshadowing a wedding in a Michael Bay-less Transformers 3?

You've got to hand it to Michael Bay, though. The man knows his explosions. The planning of so much destruction must have been a logistical nightmare. For those looking for nothing more than fantastically rendered giant robots and loud noises, Revenge of the Fallen should be a treat.

Drag Me to Hell -- scary and absurd

2009-06-05T15:59:51Z

After Step 1 today Mia and I watched Drag Me to Hell. I chose it over Terminator because it got a fresher RottenTomatoes rating, hee.

Random comments because I'm too fried to write coherent paragraphs:

I have never cowered so much in a movie theater. The makeup and squilch and honest-to-goodness slime are terrific. The fact that Mia and I got our tickets last-minute and ended up in the third row didn't make it easier. With a bit of imagination, it feels like the spirits are coming straight at you. A large group of girls behind us screamed their way through the movie. (I can't tell you how annoying that was.) After which, of course, one remarked, "Walang kwenta. Hindi naman nakakatakot." That was a waste of time. It wasn't even scary.

The computer-generated effects leave much to be desired, but there was one handkerchief that was simultaneously vile and funny as hell.

There are bits that remind me of The Exorcist and Poltergeist, and even the opening titles are reminiscent of the classic horror flicks, which I love. I've never seen Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead movies but I want to now!

And there are parts that are so over-the-top, you know the filmmakers mean them to come across as funny. Like the girlfights, and stuff with staplers...

...and a talking goat. A TALKING GOAT. It was hilarious.

I like that the protagonist's boyfriend is more than a plot device, unlike in Hollywood versions of many Asian horror movies. Speaking of, was it just me or did anyone else did a get Christine/Rham Jas vibe? MWAHA. I just about laughed myself out of my seat when that psychic Indian started translating Spanish. Rham Jas, he is multi-lingual, he reads Jung, he is worldly. AND OTHER-WORLDLY. Also he has these big puffy cheeks you just want to pinch over and over!

Plus, during the scene where the fly enters Christine's nose, this guy beside Mia whispered, "Nasinghot!" And when the fly started crawling around Christine's face, he said, "Namasyal!" I like that guy.

Anyway it was scary and absurb and a lot of fun!

Gerry Alanguilan's ELMER

2009-03-31T20:06:51Z

Gerry Alanguilan recently revealed that Elmer Gift Sets are still available. You may be familiar with Alanguilan's powerful mini-comic Wasted and his inking in Superman: Birthright and Wolverine, among other works.

Elmer is a four-part series that chronicles the story of Elmer Gallo, whose generation experienced the Great Awakening of 1979 -- when his race suddenly gained consciousness and realized their Being-in-the-world. His diary, read by his son Jake, tells of the struggle of the newly awakened to find their place in the world and the fight for the recognition of their rights. And oh yeah, Elmer is a chicken.

Alternately horrifying, touching, and hilarious, the Gallo family saga is the stuff of legend. Whether you take the comic as a fable satirizing prejudice and discrimination, see it as a philosophical piece on man's awakening to his own dasein, or just delight in the whatthefuckery of it, you'll find the story tightly written, wonderfully drawn, and highly enjoyable.

The first issue is now out of print, apart from the issues that were used in putting together the boxed set. You can download a copy of it from the official site.

The gift set itself contains a hardcover hand-bound collection of all four issues, original illustrations, a Certificate of Authenticity, and other goodies. Contents are detailed on the creator's blog, along with comments from those who've already received their sets. This second and final batch is limited to 20 pieces, each of which is hand-delivered and personalized to the buyer or recipient.

Watchmen

2009-03-08T12:44:37Z

One year later... (!!)

I watched Watchmen with Set, Faith, and Jaime last Friday. Since the IMAX screenings were cancelled, we got tickets at Greenbelt. Since tickets were almost sold out, we got front row seats. Which was kinda like watching at IMAX...hahaha...

The cuts made to bring down the rating from R-18 to R-13 to weren't too bad. Nothing obvious, except for a certain scene in Archimedes which doesn't bring much to the plot so it was okay.

We really enjoyed ourselves. We all giggled at Rorschach's Batman voice, marveled at Silk Spectre II's inability to get a wedgie, and wondered why Nite Owl II wasn't flabbier. We laughed at the music and were weirded out by Ozymandias's unnatural love of the color purple. It was great!

The source material is very dense, but it translates well onscreen. The movie takes its time with Minutemen's history, which is yay. Because the plotlines are complex, those who haven't read the comic might find it confusing. But for us who did, it was a delight to see how closely the scenes approximate the panels in the book.

Like Rorschach at Blake's window.

I really loved the flashbacks. They flow smoothly and don't seem like flashbacks at all (which again may be confusing to some). And the details like the headlines...and people's earrings...

...and this cop staring at Silk Spectre I's knockers...

It's amazing how close they got the movie characters to look like the Minutemen in the comics. The Comedian especially was SPOT ON. Ozymandias was the farthest stretch. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but his British accent kept slipping. Silk Spectre II's costume was also changed but it didn't make a big difference to me. Oh, and Nixon's schnozz! Ahahahaha.

Oh Eddie, you and your moral ambiguity.

Ozy: he really likes his purple and gold.

Set on Silk Spectre II: Para siyang elf! Hindi nadudumihan, hindi nagugulo yung buhok...
(She's like an elf! She never gets dirty, her hair doesn't get messed up...)

The music choices are surprising but most are strangely appropriate. And now I realize why: Alan Moore incorporated those songs into the comic. omfg. I LOVE that they kept that in the film! The opening montage with Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'" was excellently done. And "Hallelujah" for the sexin' was hilarious.

The times, they are...

..a-changin'...

"All Along the Watchtower" was moved from its original placement in the comic, but the Hendrix cover was perfect for the Antarctica scene.

Yes, the change in the ending was pretty big. My mind kept screaming, "This is not how it happens! This is NOT how it HAPPENS!!" I have to commend the scriptwriters though for making subtle changes throughout the movie so that the ending came out pretty logically. Still, there are problems with Dr. Manhattan being the fall guy, as Paul pointed out last October.

I also like how the film is a good mix of action and dialogue. I mean, you have to pay attention to what the characters are saying to fully understand what's going on. That's a lot easier to do while reading a comic than while watching Rorschach parkour all over a high security government facility. But I have to say that there are several slow motion scenes that didn't need to be so. Wasn't a big fan of it in 300, still haven't really warmed up to it.

Anyway, I want to watch it again just to spot all the details I missed. I also hope that this movie encourages more people to pick up the comic because the film, good as it is, does not compare to the richness of Moore's writing. (Link contains spoilers.)

ETA: Gunther links to the opening montage with the Dylan song! ♥♥♥

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2009-01-08T18:27:12Z

Tonight I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Set, Yeo, Faith, Mia and her friend. A last hurrah before exam week.

I arrived at the cinema early to purchase tickets, then we met up at Fully Booked Gateway, where who should spot us but DJ! I was so surprised to see her, my first thought was, Shit kulang yung tickets na binili ko!

And then, when we were buying takeout at the food court, we saw Julie with her brother and a friend!

What are the chances. Two happy accidents happening in one night!

Anyway, for those who've read F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story, this is not it. It's like the story was used as a rough draft, because in addition to fleshing out the scenes, there are plot changes. The most obvious one being Benjamin's father abandoning him the night he is born.

"I was born under unusual circumstances." And so begins "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," adapted from the 1920s story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about a man who is born in his eighties and ages backwards: a man, like any of us, who is unable to stop time. We follow his story, set in New Orleans from the end of World War I in 1918, into the 21st century, following his journey that is as unusual as any man's life can be.

Benjamin Button is excellently paced, giving you the feeling of reading a book leisurely. And it is visually spectacular. There are so many iconic shots. And juxtaposing Brad Pitt's huge head on a tiny body that is walking around...it sounds weird and it looks weird, but it also looks real.

Still, the effects are not faultless, and still gave us some laughs. Like when Cate Blanchett is supposed to be in her twenties, the CG people overload on Photoshop. It's like they plastered Gaussian blur all over her face! And Brad Pitt, when he's supposed to be young. Let's just say...the amount of makeup approaches Twilight status.

Fair warning, the film is not for everyone. For example, I know my dad would find it dragging, but my grandfather would probably like it. Of course there are some liberties taken with history (only 26 years between the end of World War I and the bombing of Pearl Harbor?), but they are forgivable. And I have to say, Queenie (played by Taraji P. Henson) may be a stereotype but I do not love her any less for it. Cate Blanchett is stunning. Brad Pitt was okay, but he tended to be outshone by his costars. Set was saying that he does better in crazy roles (12 Monkeys, Burn After Reading, Fight Club), and I agree.

Benjamin Button's got humor, touching scenes and bittersweet moments, even a showdown on the open seas. This is an example of a long and complicated story done right. Inside the tale of Benjamin's life are the lives of others. The settings and the stories are many, but the interrelated themes of friendship, love, and letting go tie the pieces together to make a beautifully cohesive film.

Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In), Bolt

2008-12-13T12:40:50Z

Let the Right One In

Eleven-year-old Oskar is regularly bullied by his stronger classmates but never strikes back. The lonely boy's wish for a friend seems to come true when he meets Eli, a 12-year-old girl who moves in next door with her father. A pale, serious young girl, she only comes out at night and doesn't seem affected by the freezing temperatures. Coinciding with Eli's arrival is a series of inexplicable disappearances and murders.

In a time when vampire flicks are high on camp and low on the creeps, this film is refreshingly subtle. So much so that it takes a while for you to realize what's going on. This is definitely not for someone looking for action stunts and gore, but I quite enjoyed it. The relationship just blossoms between the two pre-pubesents in the film, as they find strength in each other. I suggest you catch this before seeing the unnecessary 2009 Hollywood remake. Especially if you've ever wondered what happens to a vampire who enters a home uninvited.

Yesterday Mia and I shopped for Christmas gifts before watching Bolt. I'm almost done shopping for my 4 exchange gifts. :)

Bolt wasn't what I expected, but it was really fun. Many of the jokes are too obvious for adults, but the audience seemed to have a good time. (We caught the 9:45 screening so again, mostly grown-ups.) And Rhino the hamster-in-a-ball is just about the best fanboy ever.

"I'll get a ladder." AND THEN HE DOES. lmao.

Also: huge-eyed Mindy-from-the-network reminds me of Bebs. Heehee!

Anyway, it's a great movie for those who love cute animals. :D Not at the level of Pixar, but still fun.

Reviews: How I Live Now, Exquisite Corpse, Arkham Asylum, Surgeons Do Not Cry

2008-11-22T20:22:30Z

I was using Multiply to post reviews I could compile on here, but it turns out that posting over there makes me write longer reviews. Whups.

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

In an alternate present (or perhaps the near future), 15-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she's never even met. When England is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy, the cousins find themselves on their own. Power fails, systems fail. As they grow more isolated, the farm becomes a kind of Eden, with no rules. Until the war arrives in their midst.

I picked this up because la_sonnambula recommended it more than a year ago as an alternative to Twilight and it's ~~Mary Sue~~ Bella. How I Live Now is categorized under "Teens" in the bookstore, but the themes are adult.

Also, the_bumper_car, now that I think about it this book may start out as a cozy catastrophe, but it rapidly loses the adjective.

Written in a stream of consciousness style, Daisy's voice is resonant. She is humorous and authentic. The story is captivating and poignant, and issues that would normally bring out the angst (eating disorders, sex, war for heaven's sake) are approached in a subtle and believable way because of Daisy's slightly detached narration. It reminds me of Elie Wiesel's Night. And the descriptions of the English countryside are wonderfully vivid.

I admit I was reminded of Twilight because of the character Edmond and his siblings, children so perceptive it borders on telepathy. But the characters are far more human (DUH Eula, they're not VAMPIRES) and readable.

Some may find Rosoff's writing style off-putting, as she doesn't use punctuation marks and, being stream of consciousness, sentences can run quite long. (If you've read José Saramago's Blindness, it's a mild version of that. Besides which, I've read enough blogs to read thought streams comfortably.) The book's conclusion of the book is dramatic but sudden. Still, its raw, unfinished quality is fitting.

Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite

To serial slayer Andrew Compton, murder is an art, the most intimate art. After feigning his own death to escape from prison, Compton makes his way to the United States with the ambition of bringing his art to new heights. Tortured by his own perverse desires, drawn to possess and destroy young boys, Compton inadvertently joins forces with Jay Byrne, a dissolute playboy who has pushed his art to limits even Compton hadn't previously imagined. Together, Compton and Byrne set their sights on an exquisite young Vietnamese-American runaway, Tran, whom they deem to be the perfect victim.

No, this book is not that exquisite corpse. I picked this up because I'd heard good things about Poppy Z. Brite and I wanted to try her out. I did not know that her trademarks include using gay men as main characters, graphic sexual descriptions, and an often wry treatment of gruesome events. And I don't think I read the blurb very well because I had no clue that I was going to read a love story about two serial killers.

Neither did I know the level of detail I was in for. Exquisite Corpse is akin to the darkfic genre of fanfic. But fanfic is not nearly as graphic as Brite. Some paragraphs read like a crazy anatomy reviewer. Several passages literally made me squirm. This, men, is true gore.

The first chapter, which deals with Andrew Compton's escape from prison, is particularly difficult not to finish in one sitting.

The setting of New Orleans and the world's reaction to the rise of AIDS makes for an interesting background to the serial killers' tales.

However, there is no actual plot. No one changes, except maybe for Jay Byrne. It's like a short story that has given chase but ends up running in a circle. You run enough laps to have it reach novel length, but you end up with what you started. Really, the book's most striking (and perhaps appealing) quality is its shock value.

Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth by Grant Morrison (with Dave McKean)

A hard-hitting psychological horror story featuring Batman and virtually all the inmates of Arkham Asylum, the house for the criminally insane. Led by the Joker, the inmates -- Two Face, the Mad Hatter, Killer Croc, Clayface, Scarecrow, and more -- take over the asylum and seize control of the staff. They're willing to release the hostages, but only if their one demand is met: Batman must be turned over to them, and become one of their own. During his run through this absurd gauntlet, the Dark Knight's own sanity is placed in jeopardy.

Though less plot-driven than other notable Batman creations (The Long Halloween, The Dark Knight Returns), Arkham Asylum is no less intriguing. It is more of Grant Morrison's reflection on Batman's psyche and that of his anti-thesis, the Joker. And I love what Morrison's done to Two Face.

Dave McKean's art is just beautiful. It's paintings man, real paintings. Each panel makes me wish I had it on canvas to hang on my wall.

The 15th anniversary edition includes Morrison's complete original script. Annotations by both himself and editor Karen Berger give you a glimpse of Morrison's thought process, the little details of symbolism he wanted on the panels, and it made me appreciate the comic even more. Morrison even drew thumbnail breakdowns of the ENTIRE comic, which McKean used as guides for his final rendition.

You can download a preview of Arkham Asylum here.

Surgeons Do Not Cry by Ting Tiongco

I picked this up at the last bookfair. Once you get past the literal/obtuse (depends how you look at it) eye of Ra cover and the slightly chauvinistic title, Surgeons Do Not Cry is a wonderfully insightful read.

The book is actually a compilation of the surgeon's “Child of the Sun” column pieces in MindaNews. Read the articles in the order they are printed, for the memoir tracks Jose “Ting” M. Tiongco's development from student to doctor.

Tiongco, a true blue Atenean from Ateneo de Davao to de Manila, was one of the extraordinary few who made it into UP College of Medicine. He eloquently and wittily relates his journey to becoming a surgeon, from his choice of ADMU for his undergrad course to his residency at UP PGH.

You get the impression Tiongco was somewhat of a legend in his day, mostly because of his extracurricular activities: organizing a walking blood bank drive, starting "Kissing Rounds," writing his reports in another language. I was also amused to read that things I'd previously only read about in textbooks really do happen (eg, fractured penises).

The background of a changing Philippine society gives the book an added dimension. Partly set in the Marcos era, we are given snapshots of riots, raids, and people forced go into hiding. Tiongco's fierce idealism shines through it all.

You know how PGH doctors are notorious for being cold and unfeeling? This guy proves the exception. Filled with humor and emotion, the book describes the kind of doctor I'd like to be: never forgetting that the patient is first and foremost another human being.

My life as a couch potato

2008-10-26T08:48:57Z

Disturbia (2007)
A teen living under house arrest becomes convinced his neighbor is a serial killer.

Started out great, changed pace midway through, and never recovered. Very predictable sequences especially in the latter half. I love Kale's bedroom posters though. And Carrie-Anne Moss is seriously pretty.

●REC (2007)
A young TV reporter and her cameraman who cover the night shift at the local fire station. Receiving a call from an old lady trapped in her house, they reach her building to hear horrifying screams -- which begin a long nightmare and a uniquely dramatic TV report.

This is a zombie movie that's less funny than it is really, really tense. The documentary-style filmmaking sets it apart from your usual slick Hollywood zombie flicks. Also the star looks like a young Heidi Klum, HEL-lo! Thanks for the recommendation mikhale!

PS: I recommend watching this before its Hollywood remake, Quarantine.

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)
A coming-of-age drama about a boy growing up in Astoria, N.Y., during the 1980s.

This isn't easy to watch. But the acting is excellent and the story unfolds beautifully.

Tropic Thunder (2008)
Through a series of freak occurrences, a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.

Watched this at Glorietta with Set and Mia. I'd forgotten how cozy their little theaters are. Anyway, Tropic Thunder is not what I expected; nonetheless it's a great laugh-out-loud film. They had me at Satan's Alley HAHAHA. And Set and I were wondering how they got RDJ's lips to look like that... Also, wonderful use of The Edgar Winter Group's "Frankenstein."

El Orfanato, Friday Night Lights, Death Note, and shopping

2008-10-21T15:43:32Z

I haven't been getting the sleep I should, because: movies! Shopping! Going out for no good reason! FREEEEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOM. First, I dug out some of the movies I've burned but never watched.

El Orfanato (The Orphanage)

A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, where she opens an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend.

Watched this as recommended by Tian, and it really is something to recommend. Mia and I were hooked from the opening credits.

The haunted-house mood is excellently set, without pushing everything into your face. Graphic horror is kept to a minimum, yet Mia and I spent most of our time cowering behind pillows. It's the ideas presented that are truly horrific, transcending the language barrier. Anyway, I hesitate to tell you more because spoilers are the devil's work. So go watch it for yourself.

Friday Night Lights

Soundtrack. Glorious. What.

Death Note

Jaime burned me a copy like a year ago but I only watched it now, with my sister. Mia has some of the manga, and from the synopses I read, the film pretty much follows the main plot of the manga. I like the murder mystery aspect of it! But some parts of the movie are obviously poorly researched. Who dies from a heart attack flailing around like some poor soul on the ship Nostromo? That would cause more pain! Most victims lie still, or writhe around a little, but not flail.

And seriously. What FBI agent holds a gun like this:

so gangsta! *facepalm*

Honestly, none of the characters are likeable, least of all Light. (I realize this is probably very different in the manga.) Light's dad is possibly the only decent character. He reminds me a bit of Jim Gordon.

Anyway, it was okay for one viewing. Considering the popularity of the manga, the film was probably a poor adaptation.

* * *

Also, belated birthday shopping:

My shiny black Passport Essential! They didn't have it red (boooo), but I got a goooood price at Ynzal. 320 extra gigs of awesomeness, just in time for fall season premieres. The background is a really cute laptop sleeve I got off Multiply. :D

What have you been reading lately? (Trese, Y the Last Man)

2008-08-21T13:07:16Z

Trese Book 1: Murder on Balete Drive by Budjette Tan and KaJo Baldisimo

Compiling the first four issues of this bold new Pinoy comic, Trese follows Alexandra Trese, stoic demon hunter/mumu expert. I love stories of the supernatural, especially creatures of lower Philippine mythology. And Trese has them in spades. The main protagonist is like the bastard child of John Constantine and Batman. (If, you know, they swung that way. Or if Constantine wore a Robin costume. Or if they had a threesome with an Asian woman. Or--)

The local police can always rely on her to hunt down the culprit, whether it be kapre, demon, or human. And her connections run deep underground -- well into the underworld.

Aside from a few grammatical errors that may be typos, the book is excellent. The story is fast-paced and engaging, with each episode standing on its own. I can say that the language would have greater impact had it been written in Tagalog. (Can you imagine our policemen and street vendors speaking straight English?) But the English makes it more accessible to an international audience, for which I am glad. Because really, we have some of the best fuglies out there, and it's time to share them.

The art is not as polished as I'd like; they resemble sketches/inked panels waiting for the touch of a colorist. (I would have loved the content art be as crisp as the cover art.) But considering that these were developed as mini-comics, with the panels drawn during the artist's lunch break, they're pretty damn good.

The series is meant to close at 13 issues. Book 2 (compiling issues 5 to 8) just came out, and will be available everywhere by mid-September. Check out their website for the first issue and other preview pages. I highly recommend giving this a try.

Y: The Last Man, Vol. 10: Whys and Wherefores by Brian K. Vaughan et al.

Y is the story of Yorrick, the last man on earth after a plague kills every being with a Y chromosome, and his monkey Ampersand. Together they search for answers about the plague, meeting allies and enemies along the way, and attempt to reunite Yorrick with his girlfriend, halfway around the globe.

The last volume of this incredibly entertaining series takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions, from omg to eh to noooo and finally, huh. None of the twists I'd hoped for, but it's the most logical conclusion. Many will be glad to know that all the loose threads are wrapped up neatly in this last volume. It does seem a bit rushed though, none of the cohesive blow-by-blows of the previous issues. And some of the pairings...I know they were being built up slowly, but they seemed a bit forced. Maybe I need to reread the whole thing.

Overall the series had a great run, art-wise and story-wise. As I've said before, I love how the comic concentrates on the plot, with the art as a subtle supporting character. That makes it great for people new to the medium. If you haven't picked it up yet, you should. It's complete now, no more excuses about not wanting to be left hanging! Though I'm sure gonna miss eagerly anticipating the next issue.

HEADS-UP: Spoilers for Y in the comments!

They come to snuff the rooster.

2008-05-06T23:36:01Z

It being midway between the end of summer and the start of classes, I changed my journal layout to reflect the season.

I modified the Auld Lang Syne template from thefulcrum. It's very easy to understand. The palette was created with the help of colourlovers, which is not only very useful for designing websites, but also great fun to play with. Hit me up if you join: omgaeula.

Anyway, I've got summer colors on here, along with the rooster, which stands for such random things as:

Alice in Chain's Rooster (med school ain't gonna kill me), and
Gerry Alanguilan's Elmer, set in a world where chickens and humans are on equal footing (and whether you take the comic seriously or not, it's a rollicking read).

And then...what else. Oh yes. I sleep now. Will answer comments when I am capable of coherence.

I can has a muzik?

2007-10-16T12:41:24Z

To celebrate the sem break...

ZIP file, 63 MB - 13 tracks with cover art
sendspace | divshare

It's like a beginner's guide to pre-80's rock, haha. And of course half the songs have been featured on Supernatural. The title's from the AC/DC song, yes.

I've uploaded a few of these before. Here are the ones I haven't:

Ram Jam - Black Betty
ZZ Top - La Grange
The Edgar Winter Group - Frankenstein
Motorhead - Ace of Spades
Led Zeppelin - Ramble On
Kansas - Carry On Wayward Son
Mason Williams - Classical Gas
Steve Winwood - Can't Find My Way Home

Plus, the things I learn from Wikipedia:

During the Gulf War, Americans blasted the Iraqis with Stranglehold.
Smoke on the Water really happened. (And it was awesome.)
Rooster was a real person.
When Cheap Trick performs Surrender, they throw vinyl (!) Kiss records to the audience.
Frankenstein was literally pieced together from many different sections of recording tape using a razor blade and splicing tape.

And then there was that study that revealed Ace of Spades is the song most likely to induce speeding. I can totally see why.

backing things up

2007-08-08T09:42:31Z

On a related note:

Preparations

backing up your entries
preserve your journal in PDF form with LJBook (thanks trailer_spot!)
migrating your entire journal
posting to multiple journals using Semagic
read and comment (even on locked entries!) on other journal sites using OpenID
elke_tanzer has more advice

Keeping in touch
find people at Fandom 411
beyond_lj - directory for users and comms who have moved elsewhere
mirrors of fandom comms on GreatestJournal
fandom-related comms on JournalFen
basics of RSS and LiveJournal (and the LJ clones)

Extras
synecdochic on why LiveJournal is the best place for fandom and being heard in the right place
LJ layouts on GreatestJournal

Guide to Choosing a Laptop

2007-06-16T12:26:45Z

Our PC hasn't yet been repaired, and the condo doesn't have an internet connection, so I'm still out of the LJ land loop. I have watched the Heroes finale though. Oh my. And now:

Eula's Guide to Choosing a Laptop
I'm typing this up for future reference. Laptops don't last forever, and Mia says she also wants to buy a notebook "when she grows up."

STEP ONE: KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
To choose a laptop or notebook model, you've got to know the minimum requirements you want. But what exactly do the specifications of each model mean? What features are most important? What defines a "powerful" laptop? I read How to Buy a Laptop by PC World, as well as Features to Look For and The Specs Explained by PC World Philippines to help me get oriented with the jargon.

STEP TWO: GET AN OVERVIEW
With a plethora of models out there, it's hard to know where to start looking for the laptop with the specs you want. I looked at the most popular models listed in the more well-known websites, such as the laptop and notebook computers section of PC World and CNET. Also read articles that recommended certain models for certain types of users -- whether its an all-purpose laptop, a power laptop for multimedia and gaming, and or an ultraportable model.

Not all models are available in the Philippines. I read The PC World Guide to Notebooks by PC World Philippines to know which models were available locally. Most important though, is to scout around the local laptop shops for models on sale. I went around V Mall in Greenhills, and the Cyberzones in Megamall and SM City North. I picked up a dozen fliers and looked at each model's specs. I actually found out about the Asus W7J not online, but while canvasing the V Mall laptop stores. My brother pointed it out to me.

STEP THREE: NARROW IT DOWN
I knew the specs I wanted, but I still didn't know what operating system would be better suit me, and exactly which model had the specs I was looking for. In choosing the OS, I found two articles by PC World Philippines very helful: The Right Operating System for You, and Everything You Need to Know About Vista.

OS: Windows XP vs. Vista
I picked up the April and May issues of PC World Philippines, and the May issue of Laptop Magazine, to read up on Vista. PC World was especially helpful. The general consensus seems to be that there's no rush to upgrade to Vista, unless you're buying a new unit. Most companies are waiting at least until Service Pack 1 is released. If you're planning on getting a Vista notebook, this article may be helpful: The Best Vista Notebooks.

OS: Mac vs. Windows
After reading reviews, I finally decided on the Asus W7J. Though the Mac seems to be the better buy, it came down to the familiarity issue. This isn't the right time for me to switch to a new platform, as I anticipate a heavy workload. I'm afraid I'll be to be busy from too busy to learn new programs and shortcut keys. Plus, after bringing the memory down to 1 GB and letting my mom haggle with the salesperson, we brought the price down by P 10,000. :D For the curious, reviews I read for the Asus: 1, 2, 3; for the Mac: 1, 2.

Which model?
Websites I found particularly useful are Notebookreview.com and PC World's Laptop Section. I like the posts on Notebookreview because they're written by the common user, and nit pick even such details as the feel of the keyboard, the flex of the build, and tech support. They even have a forum where people can post their desired notebook specifications and get suggestions on good models. (Unfortunately, I found this out only after I'd chosen the Asus.)

I also tracked oxoniensis's post, as she too was in the market for a new notebook. Of course, LJ friends, real-life and online, always come to the rescue. Much thanks goes out to Jaime for the detailed and thought-out responses, Charles for highlighting the features of Mac usage, Gunther for the information on Vista, and especially Yeo for replying to my many texts. :DD

I was actually also considering the Toshiba Satellite M100. But after reading an article in the May issue of PC World Philippines telling of how one user found the Toshiba unable to handle Vista efficiently, and after reading this article detailing the performance of the Vista-equipped Asus W7J, I went for the Asus.

The Asus at the condo, beside the included Bluetooth mouse.