From Prada to Nada

Category: Movie

Genre: Chick Flick

Director: Angel Garcia

Writer: Fina Torres, Luis Alfaro

Producer: Oddlot Entertainment, Gilbert Films

Cast: Camilla Belle, Alexa Penavega, Tina French, Luis Rosales, Pablo Martinez de Velasco, Alexis Ayala and more.

Tagline: Coming Pronto


A Latina spin on Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility," where two spoiled sisters who have been left penniless after their father's sudden death at age 55 were forced to move in with their estranged aunt in East Los Angeles. Mary is the spoiled sibling and was mortified when she learned about her situation, while elder sister Nora is a law student and decides to get a job as a legal intern.

I enjoyed watching this one maybe because I watched at an emotional time.. that's why I really find it heartwarming.

Although it's a typical chick flick... but it is something to entertain you during one of your down times.

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

The Mistress - 2012

Category: Movie

Genre: Drama / Romance

Director: Olivia M. Lamasan

Writer: Vanessa R. Valdez, Olivia Lamasan

Producer: Elma Medua, Malou Santos, Charo Santos

Tagline:

Cast: John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo, Ronaldo Valdez, Hilda Koronel, Anita Linda, Carmi Martin and more.


Seamstress Sari (Bea Alonzo), struggles to take care of her family and is torn between the affections of her two lovers. One is a young bachelor who brings passion into her life, while the other is a married man who has kept her as his mistress for years.


Uhmmmm..... its a so so melodramatic film. It has the potential to be deep but it wasn't taken to that level. It's still the same old heartbreak, love, betrayal our local mainstream film makers are up to. :) But, well... that's it.

Photo Source: CoffeeChic

An Education - 2009

Category: Movie

Genre: Drama / Romance

Writer: Nick Hornby, Lynn Barber

Director: Lone Scherfig

Producer: BBC Films, Finola Dwyer Productions, Wildgaze Films

Cast: Carey Mulligan, Olivia Williams, Alfred Molina, Cara Seymour, William Melling, Connor Catchpole, Matthew Beard, Peter Sarsgaard, Amanda Fairbank-Hynes, Ellie Kendrick and more

Tagline:  Innocence of the Young

A story of a sixteen year old Jenny Mellor(Carey Mulligan) in the 1960's living with her parents in the London suburb. But, her life changes when a playboy nearly twice her age arrives.

It was a good film. About choosing education and how sometimes a whimsy romantic love can detour a girl. But, good thing she was able to uphold herself and was given a second chance to do it all over again. Some sort of a coming of age film. This film explores issues such as social class, education, racism, being a woman and more.

Photo Source: GeorgianEye

Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom

Category: Books

Genre: Based on a True Story

Author: Mitch Albom

Overview and Review of Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

Morrie was a college professor, who gave his all whenever he teaches. This book tells the true story of Morrie Schwartz and his relationship with his student, Mitch Albom. Both the film and the book chronicle the lessons about life that Mitch learns from his professor, who is dying from ALS. Mitch and Morrie calls each other "Tuesday People".

This book is very inspiring and actually helped a lot of people appreciate Life and Death. Here, it talks mostly about the things we forget about or take for granted when we are still alive. You would cherish this book because of the wisdom and depth it brings. It talks about the things that matters most and would remind you to look and appreciate them before it's too late. It talks about Death, Family, Emotions, Wealth, Fame, Fear of Aging, Marriage, Culture, Community, Giving, Forgiveness and saying Goodbye in the physical level.

Heartwarming. A must read.

Fine Things - Danielle Steel

Overview and Review of Fine Things by Danielle Steel.

Category: Books

Genre: Love

Author: Danielle Steel

It’s about a guy named Bernard Fine who was pretty much contented with working as a senior vice-president at Wolff’s Department Store in New York. He loves everything about New York, even the weather.

But, when Wolff’s decided to transfer him to open a store in California, he was not thrilled about leaving New York he have come to love. But, he has no choice…. he was so good at everything that the company would not want any other employee but him to start Wolff’s at California. In California… he is about to find the love of his life… named Liz who has a beautiful young daughter named Jane.

It’s a short, sweet story, although predictable and not unlike most of her works I’ve read… this was uhmm the least that I liked. But, it’s nice and heartwarming…. it was just predictable that’s all.

Stone 588 - Gerald A. Browne

OVERVIEW and SUMMARY of Stone 588 by Gerald A. Browne

Category: Books Genre: Suspense Author: Gerald A. Browne

The story is about a flawed gemstone that was given to Philip Springer's father who was a diamond dealer, founder of Springer & Springer from the System. The System - the one that controls the flow of diamond. This stone is too flawed to be of interest from diamond dealers and was not considered as a diamond.

To Springer's family this stone has always been a "reminder stone", his father's reminder stone and that was that. Until, they discovered it can heal. Suddenly, everyone wanted to have the Stone for themselves as well.

It drove people to steal, be obsessed about its wonders and greed, passion and revenge and even murder others because of this.

This book is no ordinary thriller, it has a unique plot all in it's own. Dazzling. Sizzling with revenge and betrayal. Full of all-the-glitz and shimmers.

Mr. Browne has a nice way of bringing his readers into the world of diamond trading. Nice thriller, fills you up with suspense and would make you want to finish it right away.

The Take Over - Stephen Frey

OVERVIEW and SUMMARY of The Take Over by Stephen Frey

Category: Books

Genre: Thriller

Author: Stephen W. Frey

One of the reasons I bought this book was because of what USA today has to say about "Take-Over"

"Grisham meets Ludlum on Wall Street.. a fast-paced roller coaster" - USA Today

You see, Ludlum's my personal fave and anyone who gets compared to him.. I would always try to read it.

This book is about a blue blooded secret power, a shadowy organization called "The Sevens". The Sevens were involved in a conspiracy so big that it can take down the current administration of the USA and places the US economy into chaos. They executed this "Pleiade Project" so well that when it happens the only one who can save the economy would be the Sevens and they would be called heroes and admired by everyone.

One man named Andrew Falcon was set up to be involved in one of the biggest take-over in history, all because of a personal vendetta of the most powerful among the Sevens. Falcon was so excited about the whole thing and gets into job without knowing he was set-up and would have no protection whatsoever after the takeover happens. But, then Falcon grew suspicious and stumbled into discovering "The Sevens".

This book is a great read. It gets better every page and it keeps you hanging on the edge whenever an action takes place. This book has different villains. Villains you would love to hate. You would love this book if you are into conspiracy theories, political intrigue, enormous wealth, wall street, murders and cold blooded killings.

Mentions Philippines in one part....

"The ceiling, at least twenty five feet high, was covered with exotic Philippine shells."