The Witcher: Henry Cavill in Manila 2019

 

On Thursday, December 12, 2019 (12/12 😲) fans are treated to a once in a lifetime chance to meet Hollywood Superstar and lead actor of Netflix's new series "The Witcher", Henry Cavill. 

The Witcher tells the story of Geralt of Rivia, a beast hunter that has a powerful ability to battle and destroy wild beast or monsters. Based on the saga written by Andrzej Sapkowski that was a eventually developed into the very popular video game that it is today. Now fans of both the book and the video games will see their favorite character come to life, thanks to Netflix. 

My sister and I got very lucky that day when we approached the information booth for the wrist bands (I will say no more hence we get into trouble 😉). There was a lot of commotion that happened in our section (Section E), and unfortunately neither my sister or myself (or anybody in that section it seems) was able to get a good picture of Henry.

Mr. Cavill arrived at Activity Center of the Ayala Malls Manila Bay past 5 PM and he immediately approached the fans and started signing autographs. It took him a solid 1.5 hour signing autographs, taking selfies and saying "Hi" to fans. Henry was such a trooper! So gracious and generous with his time. He must have gotten tired at some point, but he never showed it instead gave the fans such warm smiles as he walked along the black carpet and made sure that he's able to accommodate everyone as much as he can. Look, no other celebrity would have done what Henry did. Other celebrity's would have preferred to be whisked away by their handlers rather than spending that much time with the audience. Even celebrity host Metteo Guidicelli sounded amazed and one could feel his sincerity when he thanked Henry for showing such kindness to the Filipino fans. Fans that waited patiently for him for hours. Others even camped out side the night before (now I wish I could've done the same). When Henry finally got on stage, the interview would only last for less than 10 minutes ( I think it's close to 6 minutes by reckoning) but this did not diminish his enthusiasm at all. Matteo even managed to get him say "Mahal ko kayo" with perfect diction and it just melted our hearts even more! 

Below are some videos taken by my sister. Mind you, Henry's barely made it to the black carpet and still farther from where I was standing.

When he finally made it to where I was, chaos ensues (hahaha)! Suddenly I was being pinned against the person in front of me but no matter what I made sure that my left arm was free and had enough room to move around so I can hand him my memorabilia and have it signed, The Last Days of Krypton by Kevin J. Anderson and The Witcher postcard. I'm soft spoken so I tried to call out his name as best as I can, but thank God for having long arms because he saw my book and took it right away (he even dropped my Sharpie pen!). By this time my face was already covered with waving posters and whatnots, and when he's about to hand it back to me he had to look through (the waving items) and find who he's suppose to return it to. Since my face was no longer visible so I kept waving my hand as if to say it's mine and when he saw it, handed me back my book and poster both signed by him. The evening ended with a special screening  of the first episode of the The Witcher to members of the media and some very lucky fans. I read somewhere that screen writer and executive producer Lauren Schmidt Hissrich along with Henry went inside the theater to greet the fans before the screening (I'm so jealous!).

I still find myself staring at the book and The Witcher postcard that he signed and I still can't believe how lucky I was to see him in person. Its like an early Christmas/Birthday present for me (my b-day is on Boxing Day, boring I know)

Going to this event would not have been possible had it not been for a couple of people. I would like to thank my sister @marquezceu who came with me to give her support. She made sure that I was firmly planted on that tiny platform and will not get boxed out by the two people in front to me who kept pushing me back the entire time.  

Also, thanks to Aling Susan for agreeing to look after our mum so we can attend the event that day. It's been hard for us to go out these days as our mum needs constant care due to her illness. It will be a very challenging Christmas for us, however moments like these are the ones that keeps us going. 

My very first fan event ever and what a success that was! Don't forget to watch The Witcher on Netflix on December 20, 2019. Mark your calendars peeps! 

South Pacific: A movie for all time

People may think that reviewing a movie that was released decades ago would no longer be relevant to this day and age. Well, I beg to disagree.

When the two music greats Rodgers and Hammerstein composed the lyrics for the then stage musical South Pacific, it was meant for an audience that has gone through the hardships of war and are still coming into terms of the effects of it in their daily lives four year after Word War II. The musical tackles themes not just about the effects of war but also about love, sex and racism. Subjects that still is very much in everyone's mind to to this day and age.

South Pacific Broadway Musical Original Poster

Based on James A. Michener's book Tales of the South Pacific, the Broadway musical was premiered in 1949 and was a huge success hence a movie version was inevitable.  

The first time I saw South Pacific Movie was on free TV, I must have been around 8 or 9 years old and our television set was a Sony box type black and white TV that has a knob that's used for changing the channels. This was in the late 80's but in our family, buying a colored TV is considered ludicrous and as the old people would say, if it ain't broke... don't fix it (or in this instance no need to replace it)!

A lot has to be said on how Joshua Logan handled the movie version (he also directed the Broadway version) particularly with his choice to use filters. I personally didn't like it myself. While I appreciate what Logan was trying to convey onscreen, as if one is being lured and mystified by the the mountains itself as the song Bali Ha'i suggests. However, they were not able to capture this effectively as it felt too out of place (that scene where everything goes red, 'twas a Bloody Mary moment indeed!). It was such a strain on the eye unfortunately. Below is the HD trailer for the movie:

Speaking of Bali Ha'i, only recently have I learned that Juanita Hall, who reprises the role of Bloody Mary in the movie was actually dubbed by Muriel Smith who played the same role in the London production. No offense to Ms. Smith but I find Juanita Hall's voice much more richer and enchanting. You'll hear instances when she seems to strain her voice on certain notes, but it was both beautiful and haunting nonetheless. Below is a video that I stumbled upon on YouTube, here you can hear the song Bali Ha'i in Hall's own singing voice. (Disclaimer: Rights to the video belongs to its owner)

As I always say, I am no movie critic and my feedback would always come from a fans perspective. South Pacific may not have the same success as The Sound of Music which also is a personal favorite of mine, but I must say that South Pacific had a ground breaking  success in terms of cinematography as it was one of the first to utilize underwater camera and the underwater scenes of Lt. Cable and Liat is just gorgeous. John Kerr and France Nuyen make a perfect pair. Even at their prime, the chemistry between them is so evident and I just can't help but feel giddy or "kilig" whenever I see them together! 

Now, the relationship between Lt. Cable and Liat is something that is frowned up even in this age and era. Differences in social classes are never a thing of the past, on the contrary it is constant barrier that we as a society, are yet to hurdle. Bigotry and hatred is more palpable than ever, and it seems that people are becoming more intolerant of each others beliefs, culture and color. It has taken us two World Wars and we human beings haven't learned a thing from our past mistakes. 

The movie South Pacific celebrated it's 60th Anniversary in 2018 and has re-released in cinemas for a limited engagement. The Special Edition DVD for South Pacific's Golden Anniversary can be purchased on Amazon.com.

On a more personal note, this movie has been my go-to of late, specially when my mother was admitted to the hospital for more than two weeks. listening to "Younger Than Springtime" has kept me going and has lifted my spirits on very sad moments. I found myself quite smitten with John Kerr and have been trying to scrounge for interviews, movie clips and watchamacallit's online. Unfortunately, Mr. Kerr seems to be a private person and was quite picky with the roles he has taken on. Here's a link to a website that's is dedicated to John Kerr. The essay that he wrote is quite poignant and endearing as he tells personal stories from his childhood. He is sorely missed by his fans. 

It'll be a challenging Christmas season for my family but I'd like to enjoy every moment no matter how hard it gets. I am not a "Cock-Eyed Optimist" as Mitzi Gaynor's character Nellie Forbush would admit, on the contrary I can be quite the opposite, but from now on you'll hear me saying that " life is just a bowl of Jello and appear more intelligent than smart, but I'm stuck like a dope with a thing called hope, and I can't get it out of my heart. Not this heart..." 

Good bye to a child hero: Hiroshi Tsuburaya 1964 - 2001

     I had learned of Hiroshi Tsuburaya's passing a few years ago, but this information has not sunken-in my consciousness until about a week ago. Tsuburaya was more popularly known in the late 80's to the early 90's as the blue metal hero Uchuu Keiji Shaider (Space Sheriff Shaider). With his school mate (turned girlfriend) from the Space Academy Annie, together they save the rest of Japan (get the humor?) from the evil forces of Great Emperor Kubilai (Fuma Lay Ar). Uchuu Keiji Shaider was first aired in Japan in 1984 - 1985, but did not reach Philippine shores until 1989 - 1990 and was aired on IBC 13. The program line up was started by another all time favorite Bioman which at that time was still dubbed in English and then followed by Shaider. In fact, the latter was the first of its kind to be dubbed in Filipino and the rest followed suite, from Animes to Tele Novelas.

     I was completely taken in by Alexis del Mundo's (Dai Sawamura in Japanese) dashing good looks, when he is not in his Shaider form. I even remember declaring that he is the most handsome Japanese actor I have ever laid eyes upon. And I still stand by my statement to this day! Alexis was every girls fantasy, and what a crush I had on him. Remember those times when you every single crush that you had, you would always give him the Code Name Shaider (this was the command that he shouts out to transform)? How about the infamous Fushigi Song? The one that would always play whenever Lay Ar and his cronies would manipulate the minds of their victims into doing their sinister work (everybody raise your hands in the air and swing 'em from left to right. There you go!)? While the girls swoon at Alexis' tantalizing eyes and full lips, the boys get all hyped up because of the Annie panchira (panty shots), what a bunch of peeping Toms!

     Those were the days when everything seemed well in the world, even for me. Unlike my other childhood hero Superman, whenever I think of Shaider I am only reminded of good times with friends and how much I wanted to be a butt-kicking heroine like Annie. That time our grandmother became more linient towards us and has let us run around and play out side our house with our friends. So I became less scrawny and fragile looking than I used to be. Happy and fond memories, that is what I have of Shaider. Those happy moments has compelled me to start believing in my self and my abilities. That I too can run as fast and jump as high as the other kids. If not by it, I would've been swallowed by self pity,jealousy, and resentfulness. I will always cherish those memories and shall be eternally grateful for them.

     It was recently announced that there will be a Shaider Next Generation. When I saw the tease trailer for it, my heart leaped because Naomi Morinaga aka Annie will be reprising her role after 20 years.

     She looks prettier with age. But I have to admit that I wasn't as happy when I saw the actor who will play the titular role. Okay, you're probably thinking how judgmental I am. I have nothing against the actor, it's just that I can be too bias and I cannot see anyone else playing the role of Shaider other than Hiroshi Tsuburaya. I suppose the new Space Sheriff deserves to be given a chance. Even Tsuburaya himself said that Shaider should not stop with him and that he should be enjoyed by the next generations to come as he and his ideals of doing the right thing for the greater good is timeless. I hope that they will pay him tribute in the movie because he truly deserves it.

     This month marks the 13th anniversary of Hiroshi Tsuburaya's passing. He passed away on July 24, 2001 due to liver cancer, he was only 37 years old. he was survived by his wife of eleven years and three children. an obituary for him can be found here. The last known interview of Hiroshi was during a convention a year before he died if I'm not mistaken. I highly suggest that you read this interview as you will get first hand insight of things that happened behind the scene while filming Shaider and of course a chance to know more about the man behind the mask. A bit of trivia: did you know that Jun Yamada aka Ida (Shenkan Po) was also in the running for the role of Shaider? He trained with Hiroshi for 2 month while awaiting announcements as who would get the lead role. The interview can be found here.

     I am sad that my childhood hero is no longer with us, but what makes it even sadder is that I never got to say thank you not even a good bye. All I can do is listen to "Shaider Blue" (a soundtrack from the show) and play in my mind a favorite scene where he was driving along the coast on his blue Isuzu Jeep. That's episode 15 if you would like to know. 

     And with that, I would like to say Arigatou Gozaimasu to my childhood hero, the one and only "Pulis Pang Kalawakan, (Space Sheriff) Shaider". And to the man beneath the suit, Hiroshi-san, Watashi wa, anata o aishiteimasu and Sayonara! Please know that you are loved not just by your family and peers, but also by the hundreds of thousands of children around the world who's lives you have touched. Be at peace Hiroshi-san.

     Please join me down memory lane as I present to you the very first episode of Space Sheriff Shaider. And as Ida would always say... "Time Space Warp ngayon din!"

 

    

2013: What a year that was!

           What a year that was! In the wake of 2012, I never thought that the coming year would be neither eventful nor challenging.  You see, I was hospitalized for a Urinary Tract Infection gone awry. I was asymptomatic so it was not treated early on. I was so afraid that I’d be spending Christmas in the hospital, but thank God we were spared. This year though, no serious illness for any member of my family except for my father whose undergoing radiation therapy. We were told that he’s getting on quite well but is still is giving us a bit of a scare. The real challenges were at work.

  

                For the first half of the year it was unlikely that I could lose my job. But boy was I so wrong! Our only saving grace was this: knowing our rights as an employee. I wouldn’t hurt to know a thing or two about the Labor Laws either. This experience may have made me a bit paranoid (with all those mind games and scheming) but I have also learned to listen well and be able to “read between the lines” as to what other people are saying. You can never fully trust anyone, friend or not. One must be able to keep something for themselves out of self preservation. Most of all is learning to stand your ground when you know that you are on the right. This is coming from someone who’s rarely asserted herself and simply allows other people to lead her wherever they want. I .do not believe in New Year’s Resolution. One must be able to do something whenever and wherever they want, not just at the start of the year.

                But I would like to set some goals for myself. Small ones to start with so I know I’ll be able to achieve them. So good luck to each and every one of us!  Let us welcome the New Year with hopeful hearts and with huge, huge BANG! Cheers!

Nerd Fest by Jim Minteer: Meeting the Man of Steel

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Hi guys! Check out this really cool blog about Jim Minteer's encounter with Henry Cavill while filming Man of Steel in Plano, Illinois. I really appreciate Jim writing this piece as we get to know a little bit of Henry and how down to earth he really is, specially when being approached by fans. Not everyone gets to enjoy a once in a lifetime experience of meeting people they truly admire and it is very kind of him to share it to everyone most of all to those who are half the world away. Keep on reading and enjoy!

MAN OF STEEL in theaters June 14, 2013


Nerd Fest by Jim Minteer: Meeting the Man of Steel: The United Methodist Church loomed above the street. Its walls were a grid of brown bricks and its windows were biblical stories frozen in ...

Man of Steel Movie Countdown

         

            On April 16, 2013 Warner Brothers has released the third and would be official trailer for the much anticipated reboot of the iconic DC Comics superhero Superman dubbed as “Man of Steel”. In time for its 75^th Anniversary (yes folks, he’s been around that long).

                                                

            I don’t know how many times I have rambled on talking about my childhood hero. Why Superman you would ask? Because there was a time in my life when he was the only friend I had. ChristopherReeve’s name will always be synonymous to Superman and several attempts have been made to breathe-in new life into the well beloved hero both in television and the big screen. All of them fell short however, well expect for Smallville which has gained loyal followers and had a successful ten year run on TV. Superman Returns on the other hand tried to remain loyal to the 1978 Richard Donner version of the film starring Reeves himself (which director Bryan Singer is a huge fan of) but poor writing and the less than believable performance of its actor namely Kate Bosworth who played Lois Lane became a disappointment to a lot of fans. Call me bias and all but I do not think that Brandon Routh, who played the hero in blue tights and red cape is to blame. They decided to choose an unknown actor to play the role, they even got someone who looks like Reeve. But their decision backfired as Routh was obviously still too young and perhaps lacks the experience to portray Superman with conviction the way Christopher Reeve has done so well many years ago.

            Almost eight years has passed, after so much debates over budget, whether Brandon Routh should come back and reprise his role, and if Superman is still relevant... Man of Steel is born. Thanks to the Nolan brothers. Christopher Nolan was so successful in bringing Batman to life that everyone is reeling with anticipation if he would make the mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent darker or brooding. But director Jack Snyder (300, Watchmen) and lead star British actor Henry Cavill begged to disagree. They’re just making him more realistic after all, Superman is a source of light and hope to many and making him “darker” was never an option. And this is the first time that the All-American hero will be portrayed by a non-American actor. Aside from talent, the British has a different approach in honing an actor’s creative skills. And if I may add, I have never heard of an American Shakespearean actor before. If you're going to say Leonardo DiCaprio’s take on Romeo + Juliet, that definitely does not count. I suggest watching Franco Zeffereli’s version of the popular Shakespeare tragedy starring the oh-so divine Olivia Hussey.

 I suppose it’s a whole different story when you’re wearing an über tight-almost too revealing body suit with a scarlet cape to match. But looking at the photos of Henry in the Superman costume, well all I could say is he is Superman! Ladies, the body is to die for. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe that I’m looking at the same young boy I saw as Albert Mondego in The Count of Monte Cristo. Quite frankly, it makes me feel old. But as a fan of Henry’s, I am so proud of him for he has come a long way and it only means that he really is meant to play this role (for those of you who doesn’t know, he’s suppose to be original choice for Superman Returns, as well as Stephanie Meyers first choice to play Edward Cullen in the Twilight Saga but he was already too old to play the role when production started). For me, the countdown to Man of Steel has officially begun and I join the Superman fandom in welcoming back our childhood hero, our friend. He may wear different faces, but to us they’re all one and the same. Superman lives!

Man of Steel worldwide release date is June 14, 2013.

Lifehouse in Manila 2012

    

    Who would ever thought that it was only last May 26, 2012 that the American Alternative Rock band Lifehouse came back for the second time to perform for their fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. How time flies! It felt like years already, though it has only been a week since my sister and I had an awesome night.

    
     It took the band four years to make their much awaited return. The first time they came to the Philippines was in July 26, 2008. Here are some video clips from that concert:









     It was very obvious that the band especially by lead singer/songwriter Jason Wade was overwhelmed with the enthusiasm and the warmth that the fans have shown them. Jason obviously appreciated the fans singing along and knows almost every lyric to their songs. That’s how fanatic we Filipinos are, we don’t just cheer or shout during concert performances… we actually sing to every song at the top of our lungs with gusto and energy. And maybe that’s why we have won Jason Wade’s heart along with the rest of his band mates. This year, they are here to promote their album Smoke & Mirrors which was actually released in 2010.

     One thing that I cannot help noticing, unlike their previous concert which was produced by Ovation Productions, I have not seen a single TV Spot (and just a couple of Radio plugs) for their concert last Saturday. It’s true that we do not have Cable TV but back in 2008, the band was very visible on TV and on radio promoting their concert then. I guess the entire nation was too preoccupied on how to divert (or take advantage) all the media hype regarding Lady Gaga’s controversial concerts. Every TV channel even in social media was saturated with Lady Gaga concert buzz. Not that I blame her, she really is charismatic and naturally draws attention.  But because of lack of marketing strategy and promotion for the Lifehouse Concert 2012, the turn-out of audience, from a fan’s point of view, wasn’t what I expected. And some disappointing news came to me from a couple of my colleagues who went at the malls last Friday, apparently very few people came to see the band for their mall tours in SM Manila and the historical Ali Mall. The ones who were there don’t even know who they are. Nothing against with these two malls but from their previous venue four years ago which was at SM Mall of Asia, close to a hundred people came to see them. So what I’ve heard from my friends yesterday was utterly disappointing. I have to admit that I somewhat felt sorry for them because they truly deserve better publicity than this. They’re one of the nicest performers you can possibly think of, it’s very rare for a foreign act to be so approachable and kind towards their fans overseas.

    

     For my part, I know I could’ve done something more in spreading the news and promoting the concert. I know that this blog of mine isn’t much use and not a lot of people ever come to this page, but still in this age of Social Media, every post every shout-out’s count. I’m just glad that whether the boys were disappointed in any way or not, they still came out to perform and gave it their all. Jason’s vocals were impeccable! Even the Radio jocks who watched the concert were all praises; they say it was like listening to a CD. They must have really prepared for this return. My favorite part was when Jason stepped off the stage and went to the crowd to greet them, as expected the crowd went crazy and they all started to swarm around him until security had  until security had to escort him back to the stage. Also when the rest of the took some time off the stage, Jason stayed all by himself and asked the fans if there are any songs from their previous albums that they would like to hear, and he obliged willingly to the fan’s request. How sweet of him, really! The ladies inside the coliseum can’t help but be swooned by Jason Wade’s beautiful voice and charms. A fan at the back of our seat nearly proposed to him but as we all know he’s happily married.

     Closing the show with an encore, the crowd went crazy when the soothing intro to “Everything” started to fill the whole coliseum. It was not a part of their song line-up from their 2008 concert and everyone was hoping that the band would play it.

     The crowd’s cheers were so deafening you can’t help but get goose bumps. We were not let down. All in all, it was a fantastic show and I’m extremely glad to be a part of it. Can’t wait to see Lifehouse again, after all they did say “see you soon”.