Bride For Rent - 2014

Category: Movie

Genre: Romance / Comedy / Chick Flick / Drama

Director: Mae Czarina Cruz

Writer: Charlene Grace Bernardo, Carmi Raymundo

Producer: ABS CBN Film Productions, Star Cinema Productions

Cast: Kim Chiu, Xian Lim, Empoy Marquez, Martin del Rosario, Pilita Corales, Tirso Cruz III, Dennis Padilla, Matt Evans and more.

Tagline: 

Having one thing in common, both Rocco Espiritu and Rocky Espiritu created a scheme to get money, FAST.

Losing a match from poker, Rocco needs his money from his trust fund fast, or else lose the client he needs to defeat his Father's TV commercial production company, while Rocky needs to pay the rent or else her whole family will be homeless. The only way Rocco will get his money from his trust fund was to fulfill the conditions of his grandmother and that is: to get married.

Rocco then hires Rocky to play his bride... but along the way something goes amiss....


Its the usual chic flick but it had good values at the end. I liked the interview part of the couples in the film. Its not an intellectual drama, but if you want something light.. this can be a good upperthingy.

So this is where the expression: Isnt it amazing? Isnt it surprising? came from!

For awhile I wondered.. from what movie ... did it spring forth! :) 

Rurouni Kenshin - 2012

Original Title:  Meiji kenkaku roman tan

Category: Movie

Genre: Action

Director: Keishi Ohtomo

Writer: Nobuhiro Watsuki, Kiyomi Fujii

Producer: C&I Entertainment, IMJ Entertainment, RoC Works Co. and more

Cast: Sato Takeru,Emi Takei, Yu Aoi, Teruyuki Kagawa and more

Tagline:

When the Bakumatsu war ended in 1868, former assassin Kenshin Himura disappears and promises to defend those who need without killing and became a wanderer throughout Japan with a sword that has an inverted blade during the transition of the samurai age to the New Age. Kenshin comes across the idealistic Kaoru Kamiya and began helping her. Meanwhile a killer "Battosai" is murdering police officers and various innocent individuals leaving messages attached to their bodies.


Oro. Ororo. What a funny term for "aguy" or "ouch" it is. (Well, I think it's his own expression of "ouch") Haha.

What?? Sato Takeru is hereeee? After watching Bloody Monday, i find him... being the lead role in this movie!!!

Wala na. Crush ko na sya. Totoo! HAHA. Let's see, i bet he'll do well, as I fit him, Skylar and Miura (Bloody Monday).

It's not that gory, well... uhmmm... some parts are. But, it's actually a good one as it brings life to Samurai X the infamous anime. This was one of the animes I used to watch back in the old days. Boohoo. And was delighted to see it now "live" and what better than a promising actor as the lead? Haha. Okay. Enough about Sato Takeru.

It has good cinematography and an excellent choreography on the fight scenes. To die hard fans of Samurai X (the manga) there might be a few changes as his character or personality was slightly turned to emo-ish and reflective. A tweaking done by the makers of this film, which is actually good.

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Just Curious - Jude Deveraux

Category: Book

Genre: Chick Literature

Author: Jude Deveraux

A young widow, Karen Lawrence finds herself on a holiday weekend with her boss MacAllister Taggert. She always believes that MacAllister is just some rich guy who has enough money and can date and break the hearts of many women.


What a quick book to read!! It was entertaining. Kilig worthy. As usual. Even though I know they would end up together and you can tell what would happen next.. just like in chick flicks! HAHAHA;) oh well. just something for the heart to swoon over. :)

The epilogue in the end caught me off-guard by the way even though it was a nice touch.

Photo Source: Simon & Schuster

Matarese Countdown - Robert Ludlum

Category: Book

Genre Suspense/ Thriller

Author: Robert Ludlum


This continues the journey of the book the Matarese Circle. As it begins to rise from it's ashes. It's main cause is power through economic domination. The CIA's attention were drawn when four of the wealthiest icons were killed in various "un-related" deaths.

As the legendary Beowulf Agate, a retired CIA officer is back in the scene, partners with another CIA agent Cameron Pryce. As usual, it's a wild goose chase from different parts of the world.

One of those books that are hard to put down and something you don't want to end but with the curiosity of how it will eventually end. Ever get that feeling? I thought for awhile there I'm not into books like these anymore... but still I enjoy reading them. For entertainment.. :) Ludlum will always always be my favorite.

I heard these series will be made into a movie, but it's been awhile since the last announcement and the movie aint up until now. I do hope, they make this into a movie! :)

Limitless - 2011

Category: Movie

Genre: Sci-Fi

Writer: Leslie Dixon and Alan Glynn

Director: Neil Burger

Producer: Relativity Media, Virgin Produced, Rogue

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Robert de Niro, Abbie Cornish, Andrew Howard, Anna Friel, Johnny Whitworth, Tomas Arana, Robert John Burke and more

Tagline: What if a pill could make you rich and powerful?

This is about a desperate writer Eddie named Morra (Cooper), who was rejected by his girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) and confirms his belief about himself about not having a future. One day an old friend introduces to him an experimental drug called NZT, that allows him to be laser focused and more confident than any man alive and allows him to use 100 percent of his mind. As he becomes into the perfect version of himself, and begins to rise in the top of the financial world, he begins to draw the attention of Carl Van Loon (De Niro), a business mogul.

I was actually intrigued by the concept, a pill that can allow you to tap the untapped potential of the human brain. Of course, the ideal way would be achieving it through Self Mastery.... but then in a very Western way of thinking, they would always come up with a "pill solution" for everything. It's quite thrilling but it could use room for some improvement here and there and it would be a spectacular blockbuster! :) But, nevertheless, it was a good concept and I enjoyed it. :)

Inside Job - 2010

Category: Documentary Movie

Genre: Economics

Directed By: Charles Ferguson

Written By: Charles Ferguson / Chad Beck

Narrated By: Matt Damon

Tagline: The global economic crisis of 2008 cost tens of millions of people their savings, their jobs, and their homes. This is how it happened

This documentary movie provides a comprehensive analysis of the global financial crisis of 2008,  caused millions of people to lose their jobs and homes in the worst recession since the Great Depression, and nearly resulted in a global financial collapse.

Through exhaustive research and extensive interviews with key financial insiders, politicians, journalists, and academics, the film traces the rise of a rogue industry which has corrupted politics, regulation, and academia. It was made on location in the United States, Iceland, England, France, Singapore, and China.(from IMDB)



I got intrigued... about this movie due to the outburst of the Occupy Wall Street which is currently spreading across the globe. However, is getting little or no media attention at all (because apparently, the mainstream media is controlled by the 1%).


Anyway, for the ordinary person who would watch this movie who is not familiar with global economic jargon or jibberish like moi... just read between the lines... and carefully watch the emotions of Wall Street players which I'm sure you would come to the conclusion that they have been eaten by the system... programmed to be heartless... its a bit sad... but well, there's hope. 


How? By becoming aware and come up with a creative solution that will sustain the society. One that is win, win... 

No Other Woman - 2011

Category: Movie

Genre: Drama

Director: Ruel S. Bayani

Writer: Keiko Aquino, Ricardo Fernando III, Kris Gazmen

Producer: Star Cinema, Viva Films

Cast: Anne Curtis, Derek Ramsey, Cristine Reyes, Tirso Cruz, Carmi Martin, John Arcilla, Ricci Chan, Nina Dolino, Ron Morales, Kat Alano, Kitkat and more




The film revolves on Ram Escaler's journey (Derek Ramsey) by becoming a successful working husband married to Charmaine (Cristine Reyes), whose perfect marriage becomes complicated when he commits into an adulterous affair with Kara Zalderiaga (Anne Curtis)that changes his life.

Uhmm... It's a good film. Specially if you can relate to the movie. Specially the women... Overall it had a good ending and it shows how people can shift from the "need" mentality and forgive. There are many good strong lines and were really trending on twitter and facebook statuses already...

Watched it at Abreeza with an aunt and one of her colleagues. 

 

Network - 1976

Category: Movie

Genre: Classic

Director: Sidney Lumet

Writer: Paddy Chayefsky

Producer: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), United Artists and more

Cast: Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Robert Duvall, Wesley Addy, Ned Beatty, Arthur Brughardt, Bill Burrows, John Carpenter, Jordan Charney and more

Tagline: Prepare yourself for a perfectly outrageous motion picture!

The corporate structure of the UBS Television network is changing. Meanwhile, Howard Beale, the aging news anchor of UBS, is losing his once strong ratings share and so UBS decides to fire him. Beale reacts to it in an unexpected way which affected the ratings of the network.

Saw a trailer of this movie over youtube, actually a clip and i found it interesting and decided to check it out. Indeed it is a classic. It deals with the subject of television and programming and how it is far becoming a source of mass madness. Also it is also how TV networks are working right now....

Its also an answer to the question of: "How can one individual influence society when the individual is influenced by society itself."

It is tricky right? :)

Classic and needs creative thinking whenever you watch this film. I love the script! :)


LINES I LIKE...

Howard Beale: I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth, banks are going bust, shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TV's while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, 'Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.' Well, I'm not gonna leave you alone. I want you to get mad! I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot - I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street. All I know is that first you've got to get mad. You've got to say, 'I'm a HUMAN BEING, God damn it! My life has VALUE!' So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!' I want you to get up right now, sit up, go to your windows, open them and stick your head out and yell - 'I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad!... You've got to say, 'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: "I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"


Max Schumacher: You need me. You need me badly. Because I'm your last contact with human reality. I love you. And that painful, decaying love is the only thing between you and the shrieking nothingness you live the rest of the day.
 Diana Christensen: Then, don't leave me.
 Max Schumacher: It's too late, Diana. There's nothing left in you that I can live with. You're one of Howard's humanoids. If I stay with you, I'll be destroyed. Like Howard Beale was destroyed. Like Laureen Hobbs was destroyed. Like everything you and the institution of television touch is destroyed. You're television incarnate, Diana. Indifferent to suffering; insensitive to joy. All of life is reduced to the common rubble of banality. War, murder, death are all the same to you as bottles of beer. And the daily business of life is a corrupt comedy. You even shatter the sensations of time and space into split seconds and instant replays. You're madness, Diana. Virulent madness. And everything you touch dies with you. But not me. Not as long as I can feel pleasure, and pain... and love.
Max Schumacher: And it's a happy ending: Wayward husband comes to his senses, returns to his wife, with whom he has established a long and sustaining love. Heartless young woman left alone in her arctic desolation. Music up with a swell; final commercial. And here are a few scenes from next week's show.

19 Purchase Street - Gerald A Browne

Category: Book

Genre: Corporate

Author: Gerald A. Browne


Andrew Gainer's sister was murdered one day and he swore that he will avenge the murder of his sister together with his lover, Leslie. Gainer then joins a cabal operated by a master strategist. Racing through Manhattan, Zurich and Paris, this is a pulsing, sophisticated thriller.

It took me awhile to really get on with the story.... but however once I picked up it just went on and led me to a story of vast amount of money, greed, revenge and murder.


Books by Gerald A. Browne:

Stone 588

Inception - 2010

Category: Movie

Genre: Action, Mystery & Sci-Fi

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writer: Christopher Nolan

Producer: Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, Syncopy

Tagline: The Dream is Real.

Cast: Leonardo di Caprio, Joseph-Gordon Levitt, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy and more.


The movie is about Dom Cobb (Leonardo di Caprio) who is a world class skilled thief a.k.a an extractor when it comes to stealing valuable secrets from someone's subconscious in dream state. The rare ability that Cobb has opened up a new world of corporate espionage but it also made him a fugitive. Now, someone is offering him one last job where he can return to his country and get his life back if he can do something other than stealing an idea from someone's mind but plant one - called Inception. He then looks up for the perfect team for the task.

This is one of the best of the Hollywood movies I've ever seen. It's something different from the usual Sci-Fi - robot-filled scenario... but they delved into the subconscious. I watched it twice. It's a highly original film that I consider it's one of the best movies in 2010. (Although I am aware about the technicalities when it comes to "dreams" because they claimed he was just inconsistent with some theories.) but, wth? i was entertained.

Leonardo di Caprio did great... as usual... but this time... it is not only him who would get your attention but he shared the limelight with the rest of the team. I love all of the actors. They were really perfect for their roles. I love the twist of the movie... gives you the adrenaline edge even if it's all about "dreams". Great great great. I could watch it over and over again. A couple of years and this would be a classic - must see film!!!

this was my favorite scene:

Ariadne: What's happening?
Arthur: Your subconscious is looking for the dreamer; me. Quick, give me a kiss.
Ariadne: [She kisses him and then looks around]
Ariadne: They're still looking at us.
Arthur: Yeah, it was worth a shot.

Haha.


Saito: Don't you want to take a leap of faith? Or become an old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone!

Cobb: You create the world of the dream, you bring the subject into that dream, and they fill it with their subconscious.
Ariadne: How could I ever acquire enough detail to make them think that its reality?
Cobb: Well dreams, they feel real while we're in them, right? It's only when we wake up that we realize how things are actually strange. Let me ask you a question, you, you never really remember the beginning of a dream do you? You always wind up right in the middle of what's going on.
Ariadne: I guess, yeah.
Cobb: So how did we end up here?
Ariadne: Well we just came from the a...
Cobb: Think about it Ariadne, how did you get here? Where are you right now?
Ariadne: We're dreaming?
Cobb: You're actually in the middle of the workshop right now, sleeping. This is your first lesson in shared dreaming. Stay calm.

Cobb: What do you want?
Saito: Inception. Is it possible?
Arthur: Of course not.
Saito: If you can steal an idea, why can't you plant one there instead?
Arthur: Okay, this is me, planting an idea in your mind. I say: don't think about elephants. What are you thinking about?
Saito: Elephants?
Arthur: Right, but it's not your idea. The dreamer can always remember the genesis of the idea. True inspiration is impossible to fake.
Cobb: No, it's not.

Arthur: So, a totem. It's a small object, potentially heavy, something you can have on you all the time...
Ariadne: What, like a coin?
Arthur: No, it has to be more unique than that, like - this is a loaded die.
[Ariadne reaches out to take the die]
Arthur: Nah, I can't let you touch it, that would defeat the purpose. See only I know the balance and weight of this particular loaded die. That way when you look at your totem, you know beyond a doubt you're not in someone else's dream.

A Very Special Love - 2008

Category: Movie

Genre: Filipino / Love

Directed by: Cathy Garcia Molina

Producer: ABS-CBN Film Corporation, Viva Films, Star Cinema Productions

Cast: Sarah Geronimo, John Lloyd Cruz, Irma Adlawan, Gio Alvarez, Matet De Leon, Marianna del Rio, Joross Gamboa, Al Tantay and more.

Seen: August 24, 2008

This is a romantic-comedy about Laida, a naive girl who dreams of meeting her prince charming named Miggy Montenegro. Miggy Montenegro is the youngest of the Montenegro clan—a well-established family in the business world. Her dream of meeting Miggy and working close to him happened when she applied and got accepted as Editorial Assistant in Miggy's magazine "Bachelor".

It's actually a fun movie and at the same time it did not lack emo moments. It is not a romantic-comedy for nothing, it is loaded with good laughs (sundance and the stick-notes in the cup). The team-up of Sarah and John Lloyd is exceptionally good and lighthearted. Sarah is a natural in this movie. She wasn't OA at all. Sends shivers to your spine - in a good way. A heartwarming story of learning how to love oneself, and here you would learn that the one who is actually in the way of your success is just - YOURSELF. Oh, and it's a clean movie.

Nice Lines:

“Pag mahal mo, mahal mo! Walang kasi kasi! Walang pero pero!”

Miggy: Mapapagod ka lang umasa.Mapapagod ka lang maghintay Mapapagod ka lang umasang mamahalin ka.
Laida: Kahit kailan hindi ako napagod mahalin ka. . . . . . ngayon lang!

“Basta ang mahalaga di ka pa ubos. Andyan ka pa rin. Para pag dumating yung taong magmamahal sa yo, may maibabalik ka pa.”

Miggy: Ang hirap eh. *does the sundance to stop the rain*
Laida: Mahirap? Yan mahirap? Subukan mo kayang magmahal ng taong katulad mo ng malaman mo kung anong mahirap”

Capital Fortune

Category: Business

Nowadays, as more and more students take colleges that are far away from their home, college students finds it laborious in having to secure an affordable, good quality housing, that fits a college student and rental costs that they can easily afford.

An article from Earth.Co.Uk talks about a new scheme from Capital Fortune.

Capital Fortune was said to encourage students to get onto the property ladder that is being launched. ( By the way, Capital Fortune is an independent mortgage advisory firm.)

Rob Killeen, the managing director of Capital Fortune, said:

"Students are facing ever-increasing difficulty in securing affordable, good quality housing and rental costs in student towns are spiraling."

What's the benefit of the new program?

The new products would then allow the students to buy their own property and thus provide "suitable and comfortable accommodation to their fellow house sharers". Clients can buy a property to share it with fellow students during their time and stay in the university. This buy-to-rent student mortgage will then be rolled out nationally at various student campuses and the Capital Fortune is claiming that the scheme is innovative as it will give people the push needed to get onto the property ladder.

And true enough, this sure is one of the most innovative mortgages, I've heard or read of recently. It helps the college students and eliminates the worry and time of having to look for proper housings during their stay at a certain university.

Chicken Soup for the Network Marketer's Soul

Category: Books

Genre: Non-Fiction

Creators: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Bill Hyman

A review and overview of Chicken Soup for the Network Marketer's Soul created by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Bill Hyman.

Wow! This is actually the second " Chicken Soup" book we have here in our home and the first Chicken Soup that I decided to read all the way. Why? Because I can practically relate to the book. I am a Network Marketer myself.

To a "Network Marketer" this would seem like a "motivational book" to different people in all walks of life involved in a "Network Marketing" company. Doesn't matter which company.

To someone who is in doubt of Network Marketing, you would find this book a useful book. It gives another light, which is to say the "true light" of Network Marketing.

Network Marketing may seem "lucrative" to most and even a "scam", but basically you just have to look for the "right company" that would suit you. I cannot say that all Network Marketing companies are good because some are hiding behind the guise of MLM and using Network Marketing but they are out there just to get your money/investments. Be AWARE of them.

The true PRINCIPLE of NETWORK MARKETING is "Helping other people get what they want before you get what you want". This is a People-Helping-People business and since you helped a lot of people to succeed - you can't help but succeed from it too. Only insiders would know the difference. No matter how hard we try to say this is a good business and comes with CLEAN MONEY, not everyone would believe it, which is just OK. This business is NOT FOR EVERYBODY anyway.

This book practically shows the difference that a NETWORK MARKETING company can make. It inspired me to do more. I saw how a lot of people out there in this business are helping A LOT of other people.

In all of the stories in this book I have three favorites:

Five Magic Words
A Smile Despite the Pain
That Little Voice Inside

I suggest people who are in the business of Network Marketing or even people who are mildly interested in the business and want to see the good of it, or those people who thinks this business is all about MONEY try to read this.

SwitchPlanet

I found a new trading site!

Is there a book you want to give away? CDs you don't like? DVD's you can give up? or even Video Games you wanted to dispose?

Well, before thinking of throwing it away.... check out SwitchPlanet.com first.

Their tagline is: Use More Waste Less.

This idea may seem very simple but it sure has a great impact in our Environment. One of our major problem is environmental waste and this could be ONE way to help reduce it.

They have a very nice mission statement:

"It is our goal to establish SwitchPlanet.com as a premier online community that is committed to helping reduce the impact waste is having on the planet by trading the things we no longer use to get the things we want."

They can help reduce environmental waste (and they help other people get what they want as well), they also support arts, culture and education.

Remember, if you help other people get what they want you also get what you want after and more! :) It pays to help and serve other people.

Help people find what they want..... and you get what you want through trading them.

SwitchPlanet.com is the place to exchange your used DVDs, CDs, Video Games, and Books with other awesome people. Start switching those unused DVDs, CDs, VideoGames, and Books that are gathering dust with some new and interesting titles that you really want to see, hear or play.

You can create a free account, set up your member profile, list of items and trading preferences and you'll be ready to switch and trade today!