100 Tula Para Kay Stella: Movie Review

Movie Title: 100 Tula Para Kay Stell

Genre: Romance

Starring: JC Santos and Bella Padilla

Studio: Viva Films

Directed and Written By: Jason Paul Laxamana

Synopsis

In 2004, Fidel Lansangan (JC Santos) and Stella Puno (Bela Padilla) meets each other as freshmen college students in Pampanga pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. They became friends despite difference in their personalities; Fidel is an honor student with a speech impediment and loves poetry while Stella is a rocker with a tough and confident attitude who prefers to jam with her band rather than to do her studies.

Fidel begins to write poems to express his love to Stella but does not have the confidence to read these to her. Stella on her had various boyfriends as she pursues her goal of securing a recording contract. The film’s story spans for four whole years of Fidel and Stella’s college life and revolves around the question whether Fidel can muster enough confidence to read his poems to Stella by the time he finishes writing his 100th poem for her.

 

Review

Since PPP is over, let me share my insights on this movie.

Fidel (JC) is a freshman who limits himself to three words per sentence. During their freshman’s night, he had the chance to meet Stella (Bela), an aspiring rock star. The two instantly created a simple bond to start their friendship because of Fidel’s stained pants. Later on, Fidel began to develop his feelings for Stella. He expressed it through his writing in a series of poems. But, he does not have enough courage to give his writings to her and confess his feelings. Given the four years to finish his 100th poem, will fate give them their own happy ending?

Typical Shy Boy meets Badass Rocker Girl story but since I’m so much into writing I got attracted to watch the movie. So let’s start…

 

THEME AND PLOT

The movie has an appealing theme that will definitely give you that “I want to watch this!”-feeling. It does not only give focus on good poetry and music, it also features a main character with a speech defect and his struggles because of his condition.

100 Tula Para Kay Stella has a simple plot where they don’t rush and complicate things that much. Also, since the movie is set in year 2000’s, 90’s kids will enjoy the cultural references like Friendster, diskettes, Nokia phones, cassette tapes, floppy disk and even the music (!!!!) Itsumo by Dice and K9 everyone! Those things were literally part of our generation and it’s kind of nostalgic to see it again.

 

CHARACTERS

Fidel – one word – ADMIRABLE. It was justifiable from a person who always stutters to love writing as a way to express emotions which he couldn’t tell someone directly. I also love how his character developed from being that shy guy to that fine and confident individual ready for what the world has to offer. I admire how he wanted to give up that one offer just so Stella could find a way to her dreams even if he, himself, also learned to love performing on stage. Dude, he did it all for love.

Stella. Her character frustrates me. I would have understood her character if something about her past like family background, etc. was given a little bit of emphasis. If I am her friend, I might scold her for being so stubborn. Girl, to reach your dreams you should study! Her way of reaching her dreams is not something that someone could be proud of. Good that she realized her mistakes it in the end.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

THOUGHTS

The film can easily be compared to Kita Kita with a different concept but will give you that same reaction and feelings. The movie was good at start but like most movies that I’ve watched the drive was not sustained ‘till the end. I expected more because of the title, I thought it would give emphasis on some of Fidel’s poetry but no, it lacks depth— well, that’s for my opinion. Yes, the poems were cute but only a few matter in the end. Fidel had a completely different journey (mainly involves performance) where the poems actually became a little insignificant.

There isn’t much investment of feelings on the main characters on how happy they would look like together. Yes, there are sweet interactions, but it didn’t go deeper than that. It focused more on their lives individually and how much they want to pursue their dreams.

It was cliché? Yes, somehow. But what made the movie good was Fidel and Stella’s remarkable acting skills. JC and Bella flawlessly portrayed their own character. No doubt about that. They bring the plot into a different level even how shoddy—sorry for the word—it is. As much as I want to hate Stella, I just can’t because Bella pulled off that miserable and mesmerizing look that is hard to hate. I actually got carried away when Stella confronted Fidel with the poems. Hands down to JC who has a cute at the same time heartbreaking expressions.

 

In life, people look for something as an outlet to release emotions. And even if that someone you want to tell that don’t even have the chance to hear it, you still do it. And the fact that Fidel was too late to confess, it would hunt him forever. He should’ve have said it, but he didn’t.

While writing this I realized that timing is really the people’s enemy. Maybe, in God’s perfect time, we will meet that one person whom we will be ready to conquer the world’s struggles just to be with him/her.

Rating

Kita Kita Movie Review (2017)

Movie Title: Kita Kita

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Starring: Alessandra De Rossi and Empoy Marquez

Studio: Spring Films

Directed and Written By: Sigrid Andrea Bernardo

 

To you, who’s reading this post. (Keme lang dahil di pa rin ako makamove-on)

Huwag kana magdalwang isip kung papanuorin mo ba ang Kita Kita o hindi. Panuorin mo. Promise di ka magsisisi. Isa ito sa ilang pelikula na napanuod ko na di kilala ang loveteam pero mamahalin mo dahil sobrang tatatak sayo ang istorya. Hindi ka lang basta bubusugin, may ipapabaon pa sayo.

Aesthetically speaking, sobrang eye pleasing ng mga lugar na pinagshootingan. Shempre Japan yan eh. Ang galing ng production team sa likod nito, kuhang-kuha nila ang angles at ang feels~~ kudos!

Sa story development, kung tutuusin common na ang ganap. Pero yung way ng pagdeliver ng lines, yung feelings, yung timing– nandun lahat! Kung sa pagkain, natimpla nila ng maayos kaya masarap ang kinalabasan! Kaya naman pala gumawa ng Filipino movie na ganto no? Set this movie as our standard. Sana yung mga susunod i-aim nila na mas maganda pa ang kalabasan kesa sa Kita Kita.

 

Ayoko sana magbilang pero dahil sobrang deserve ng movie na to sige.

 

Isa,

Unang beses na nakita ko ang trailer sinabi ko sa sarili ko na ‘shet ang ganda papanuorin ko to’ kaya inabangan ko ng July 19 tapos di pala showing sa SM Naga kaya nalungkot si bes.

 

Dalawa,

Nagdalawang isip ako dahil duh bakit si Empoy ang leading man? Pero nung napanood ko na. Hands down. Ang galing ni Empoy. Effortless, kayang-kaya niya magpatawa kahit ifocus mo lang sakanya ang camera. Sa sobrang natural ng mga jokes niya, feeling ko adlib nalang yung ibang jokes niya dun.

 

Tatlo,

Mahigit tatlong beses ata ako napahagalpak ng tawa dahil kay Tonyo na kulang nalang sapakin ko din katabi ko na di ko naman kilala pero kanina pa ako sinasapak.

 

Apat,

Apat na araw ang hinintay ko bago mapanuod ito dahil late ipalabas ang pelikula sa probinsiya (minsan pa nga di na pinapalabas ang indie films dito). Ang movie na kagaya nito ay deserve mapanuod sa sinehan at hindi sa pirata lang.

 

Lima,

Limang subo sa popcorn para mapigilan ang pag-iyak. Mabigat sa dibdib. Lalo na nung pinatugtog ang Two Less Lonely People in the World na si KZ pala ang kumanta. Pasimpleng punas nalang dahil naiiyak na.

 

Anim,

Anim na leche para kay Tonyo. Sarap mong murahin. Yung akala kong fillers lang sa movie hindi pala, walang tapon… lahat nandun ka. Na nandoon pala yung scene na yun kasi may role siya sa ending.

 

Pito,

Pitong tungga sa Sapporo ni Tonyo. Madami na naman ang mangangarap na makapunta ng Sapporo, Japan.

 

Walo,

Sa huling walong minuto ng movie mapapa ‘tangina’ ka nalang dahil taragis yun na yun?! Bakit nangyari yun? Pero wow, yun yung naging dahil para ahhhh, laaaaa. Ayoko mang-spoil.

 

Siyam,

Higit siyam na beses kong nakita sa mga mata ni Lea na legit ang tuwa niya. Yung natural na natatawa talaga siya kay Empoy at hindi pilit. Yun yung sobrang nagustuhan ko sa movie. Sooobrang natural. Isa pa, ang powerful na mga mata ni Alessandra na makikita mo ang saya, galit at lungkot.

 

Sampu

Sampung minutong katahimikan para sa nadurog na puso. Magbitbit ng tissue at panyo ang mga mababaw ang luha jan. Nung dumilim na ang screen at lumabas ang credits napatulala nalang ako.

***

Ayoko na. Ngayon I will never see banana, heart and paper cranes the same again. It will forever remind me of Lea and Tonyo. Lalo na yung “Two less lonely people in the world“, nakakaiyak pag naririnig ko at hanggang ngayon LSS pa rin ako.

 

Kaya gaya nga sabi ni Tonyo sa movie, “It’s now, It’s never” kaya panuorin niyo na mga bes! Hindi ka lang basta bubusugin, may ipapabaon pa sayo.

“Noong nakakakita ka, ‘di mo ako nakita. Nang mabulag ka, doon mo lang ako nakita.” – Tonyo

Rating

Freedom Writers (Reaction)

I was in third year high school when I first watched that film. And honestly, I nearly cried upon watching that. I was touched by each student’s life story. The diversity of the students and the conflicts are evident.

I admire Mrs. Gruwell so much. She was able to get the hearts of the students with all her efforts. At first, I thought that the students have no future to begin with. They are rebels to their parents, they love gang fights and the likes; but Mrs. Gruwell made them realize that there is more to life than those fights. That losing is just a part of the battle; they should treasure their lives for their friends that had sacrificed their life. I also admire her for being a good company to the students. They were able to express themselves through the help of their teacher. They became comfortable with each other and found family within themselves.

Putting myself in the shoes of Mrs. Gruwell, I think I would feel the same on the start of my job. Students disrespecting teachers is a sign of improper education. I want to help the students but the administrators are not willing to do so. Trying to help is a way to show that you care, in the case of the administrators; I’m disappointed that they don’t even care towards their students. Like what Eva said, “Everybody thinks you should be happy because you’re young. They don’t see the wars that we fight every single day.” They are students who are undergoing many circumstances and our role is to guide them and bring them back to the right path.

In the end, I realized that teaching is not an easy job. Let’s face it, after getting your degree, you need to swim to the reality that students are not the same as before, students now are uncontrollable and gaining their respect is quite hard. We, teacher, should find a way to get to their hearts and let them see the path that they should take for a better future.

Book Review: Karmic Hearts

 

KARMIC HEARTS

Author: Jhing Bautista

Genre: Fantasy

Publication Date: May 9, 2017

Publisher: Popfiction Books @ Summt Media
Story link:

 

 

SYNOPSIS

Karmina Joan made a wish on an old well on the night of Valentine’s. The next day, she found herself seeing red strings coming out of people’s fingers. And if that’s not freaky enough, some guy just randomly came up to her and introduced himself as Cupid.

Cupid instructed her to fill the jar he gave her with six pairs of connected hearts before the next Valentine’s Day. If she succeeds, she will return to normal and get her own connecting string back. But if she fails, she will take his place as a matchmaker… forever.

Will she succeed or will she set aside the task for her own feelings?

“Soul mates. Mr. Right. Sparks. Happy Endings. Destiny… they exist.”

Title
Karmic-something related to Karma
I am actually thinking why is this entitled Karmic Hearts. At may part sa story na nabasa ko na each of us have our own ‘karma‘. Our haven. Our sanctuary. May mga tao sa mundo na nakatadhana para pahirapan, pasayahin o pasakitan tayo. All people around us have different purposes they should fulfill in our life. May rason ang existence ng bawat tao. Ang maybe this is why its entitled ‘Karmic Hearts‘.

Plot

One word: Unpredictable.

Insights
Deep thought. Deep meanings. I’m actually amazed on the way of thinking of the author, she sees things in a different way, in a deeper manner. Mga bagay na akala ko mahirap idefend pero kapag nag-argue na si Cupid at Mina mapapanganga nalang ako dahil ang galing at ang ganda ng pagkakapresent nila ng arguments, yung tipong mapapa-agree ka nalang din. (Debater ba si ate Jhing?)

I’ve learned alot. Though its genre is fantasy, the situation actually presents the reality among people who fall in/out of love, how they deny their feelings and how hard it is to commit.

I do believe in destiny. I believe that life is predestined but we were equipped with the will to do what we want and to decide in our own. And no matter how many times we’d failed to find our true love, we should not be afraid of trying because in time we’ll be able to feel it, the feeling of belongingness and the feeling that will last eternally.

RATING

*WARNING: SPOILERS*

Questions:
At the end I was like:
Anong nangyari sa characters?
Bakit buhay pa si Lola?
Bakit di na si Kuya Sic at Ate Aly?
Naaalala ni Mina ang nangyari pero di niya maalala si Cupid? (yung angel, hindi yung sa kwentong sinulat niya)

So many questions unanswered so definitely, I’ll read Remembering Cupid. I don’t want to be left hanging.

TO JHING BAUTISTA

This is your first story that I’ve read. I salute you…alot. You’ve opened my mind to different possibilities. This story has taught me so many lessons in life. I never regret spending my time reading your story because I know this story is worth to read. Sayang at ngayon lang kita nakilala. Oh let me restate that, matagal ko na alam na nag-eexist ka pero sayang at ngayon ko lang binasa story mo. You’re an amazing writer! And I know that from now on I’ll be your supporter. I’ll read your remaining stories to know you more. More power ate jhing! 👼💞

APOSTLE THIRTEEN STORY REVIEW

Apostle Thirteen: Welcome Ad Infernum
Apostle Thirteen: The Return of The Queen

Title
The title easily caught my attention. At the first book I was confused because as far as I know there are only 12 Zodiac signs and how come that the title says 13? That triggered my curiosity so I continued reading this book.

Plot
I have nothing to say against the plot. It was well planned, properly sequenced and amazingly created.

Characters
Too many characters, too many POV’s but the author handled it with utmost care. Each character is unique and no one appears to be ordinary to the reader.

PROS:
– First time I encountered a story using the Zodiac Signs which I think is VERY unique
– The plot is unpredictable though if you read between the lines you can get a hint
– Changing of POV’s gives the story a surprise effect

CONS:
–
– Sometimes when the author uses Third Person POV there are some minor errors

(I’ll add some more when I have time)

*WARNING: SPOILERS EVERYWHERE*

Aries – Geovanni Stefan (1st)
Pisces – Conrad Elizalde (12th)
Gemini – Helen & Clytemnestra Madrigal (3rd)
Leo – Caleb Jesuahel Aragon (5th)
Scorpio – Jaylo Persona Perez (8th)
Virgo – Lyra Salcedo/Georcelle Stefan (6th)
Libra – Isly Resurreccion (7th)
Sagittarius – Ryuzaki Escala (9th)
Taurus – Quince James Trajano (2nd)
Cancer – Pierre Cowell (4th)
Aquarius – Yola Ishikawa (11th)
Capricorn – Forex Streisand (10th)
Ophiuchus – Kneel Sawada (13th)

Libra (new) – Christian Jireh Montenegro
Ophiuchus (new) – Isly Resurreccion

STARTED: May 11, 2015
FINISHED: June 10, 2015

It almost took me a month to finish this story (because of the busy schedule) but that doesn’t mean that it is boring or uninteresting.

I will start from how did I know the existence of this story. I usually enjoy reading stories from mystery-thriller genre. Then one time, when I finished reading Montello High: School of Gangster I posted a status in FB and one of the comments I received was I should try to read A13 too because it’s awesome. And so, I added it to my library but it took me almost a month I think before I decided to read it.

I am a keen observer. I usually get the gist of the plot easily. In A13, I actually get the idea and some of my guess on the plot were right but there are things that I really did not expect to happen. I salute the author for a very unpredictable plot.

Most readers admire Jireh and Caleb but I don’t. Yes, I was amazed by their ability but they did not caught my attention. I love the character of Isly. He is absolutely awesome. Am I the only Isly and Lyra shipper here? Kidding. I love them both. They think beyond the box. They can foresee what will happen and prepare all they need.

RECOMMENDATION

I can say that this is one of the best action-mystery-thriller story in Wattpad. I hope everyone can discover and read this.
I can write even a thousand words about how awesome this story is but I will only leave you two words, READ IT.