Memoirs of The Ring

As planned, we went back from Baguio last Saturday primarily to catch up with the regular Sunday airsoft wargames. However, tensions from the recent Political Comedy Show made us consider not to challenge the gullibility of military checkpoints around the Metro. A camo's still a camo and a gun's still a gun. We, being hailed on a checkpoint wearing camouflage and carrying guns (no matter how we'll explain it just pops out BB's), will still look like troop movements to the amusingly paranoiac henchmen of the midget overlord.

So in short, no gunbang yesterday! Rest for the wicked at last!

Instead, the Boyz of the Shakk decided to romp it up on Promenade to watch "Memoirs of Geisha". Truly, I need to bring scorecards whenever I step foot on that place. Andaming cuties! Pinagbabawal YATA ang pangit dun e. "YATA" for we made it inside the premise in the first place without a burly guy in bouncer's attire dragging us out. Wahehehe. But then again we're masters of stealth. =)

Grub time was at this Chinese resto somewhere along Shoppesville. Chicken mushroom & Hakaw (steamed prawn dimsum) are my chow-of-choice. However, right after much filling the stomach, I called it a day as my worried mum's texting me already that the base was barricaded and I might not be allowed to pass through. Our home's inside the base, FYI.

Certainly, it was barricaded. The overacting, action-deprived, bloodlusting men in bargain M16's were piled up on the gate with their oversized armored vans... or were they tanks?? I can't tell the difference! Hehe. Anyway, I just casually strutted my way in, talking to one of the Sarge and pulling strings to make it through. No sweat, I must say.

The Baguio adventure deserves its own post, for now off to the movie muna ko...


"Memoirs of a Geisha"
Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert!

Don't get me wrong when I say I don't like the movie.

The film was outright awesome on most aspects but I just don't dig movies of that genre. Still, I have to hold two thumbs high for the great work involved behind it.

The cinematography certainly added to the melancholic feel of most of the scenes and to boot, it was backed up by John Williams's musical arrangements. It's John Williams, man... we're talking Starwars and God-knows-how-many-great-movies here! He ticked it off just exactly for the viewers to experience the sad and mellow continuity of the movie while preserving the oriental mood in it. I personally liked this bass drum beat on one of the scenes which reminded me of the heartbeat intro for my peborit Depeche Mode song, "Somebody".

The film's phasing is good, and it should be, because the plot is dependent on a lifestory. Little Chiyo's growth to the famed geisha, Sayuri was well developed to complement the storyline. I haven't read its book though so I don't know if the movie adapted every events from it up to the letter.

I must say the story is presented well. For me, it did a good job on showing the intricacies of a geisha's life... on how they learn their artistry and social cunning and use this to survive their own politics. I don't dig the romance between Sayuri and the Chairman though. I mean c'mon, Chiyo's barely even a teenager when she met him, and I think he mentioned he already has a kid during that time. Imagine the gap. Possible, yes, but something to frown upon nonetheless. Definitely, their affair's not the love story you wanted to giggle to.

Ano pa ba?

Hmm... Ziyi Zhang. She's so so cute. Damn those chinkies. Kaka-adik. I dig her portrayal. I just don't like how they made her up as a geisha. She's not even near to the geisha drawings I saw on Japanese trappings... y'know, those with bulbous hairstyle and overdone makeup. A good geisha transformation must make a lady not look like her "normal" self. One close draw was this scene when Sayuri danced on stage... hindi na siya mukhang Ziyi Zhang...

...mukha nang Sadako. Hee hee!

Memoirs of The Ring

As planned, we went back from Baguio last Saturday primarily to catch up with the regular Sunday airsoft wargames. However, tensions from the recent Political Comedy Show made us consider not to challenge the gullibility of military checkpoints around the Metro. A camo's still a camo and a gun's still a gun. We, being hailed on a checkpoint wearing camouflage and carrying guns (no matter how we'll explain it just pops out BB's), will still look like troop movements to the amusingly paranoiac henchmen of the midget overlord.

So in short, no gunbang yesterday! Rest for the wicked at last!

Instead, the Boyz of the Shakk decided to romp it up on Promenade to watch "Memoirs of Geisha". Truly, I need to bring scorecards whenever I step foot on that place. Andaming cuties! Pinagbabawal YATA ang pangit dun e. "YATA" for we made it inside the premise in the first place without a burly guy in bouncer's attire dragging us out. Wahehehe. But then again we're masters of stealth. =)

Grub time was at this Chinese resto somewhere along Shoppesville. Chicken mushroom & Hakaw (steamed prawn dimsum) are my chow-of-choice. However, right after much filling the stomach, I called it a day as my worried mum's texting me already that the base was barricaded and I might not be allowed to pass through. Our home's inside the base, FYI.

Certainly, it was barricaded. The overacting, action-deprived, bloodlusting men in bargain M16's were piled up on the gate with their oversized armored vans... or were they tanks?? I can't tell the difference! Hehe. Anyway, I just casually strutted my way in, talking to one of the Sarge and pulling strings to make it through. No sweat, I must say.

The Baguio adventure deserves its own post, for now off to the movie muna ko...


"Memoirs of a Geisha"
Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert!

Don't get me wrong when I say I don't like the movie.

The film was outright awesome on most aspects but I just don't dig movies of that genre. Still, I have to hold two thumbs high for the great work involved behind it.

The cinematography certainly added to the melancholic feel of most of the scenes and to boot, it was backed up by John Williams's musical arrangements. It's John Williams, man... we're talking Starwars and God-knows-how-many-great-movies here! He ticked it off just exactly for the viewers to experience the sad and mellow continuity of the movie while preserving the oriental mood in it. I personally liked this bass drum beat on one of the scenes which reminded me of the heartbeat intro for my peborit Depeche Mode song, "Somebody".

The film's phasing is good, and it should be, because the plot is dependent on a lifestory. Little Chiyo's growth to the famed geisha, Sayuri was well developed to complement the storyline. I haven't read its book though so I don't know if the movie adapted every events from it up to the letter.

I must say the story is presented well. For me, it did a good job on showing the intricacies of a geisha's life... on how they learn their artistry and social cunning and use this to survive their own politics. I don't dig the romance between Sayuri and the Chairman though. I mean c'mon, Chiyo's barely even a teenager when she met him, and I think he mentioned he already has a kid during that time. Imagine the gap. Possible, yes, but something to frown upon nonetheless. Definitely, their affair's not the love story you wanted to giggle to.

Ano pa ba?

Hmm... Ziyi Zhang. She's so so cute. Damn those chinkies. Kaka-adik. I dig her portrayal. I just don't like how they made her up as a geisha. She's not even near to the geisha drawings I saw on Japanese trappings... y'know, those with bulbous hairstyle and overdone makeup. A good geisha transformation must make a lady not look like her "normal" self. One close draw was this scene when Sayuri danced on stage... hindi na siya mukhang Ziyi Zhang...

...mukha nang Sadako. Hee hee!