Movie Buff-ing

It’s blockbuster season at the cinemas and I’m having my fill with lots of them as of late. This includes Kung Fu Panda 2, The Hangover 2 and Green Lantern.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Kung Fu Panda 2 scores points for entertainment, both visually and for the laughs, and for some no-nonsense values formation.

Po undergoing some daddy issues resonated with me personally as I have been kind of like the character at some point – I probably still am. I can totally relate.

Family-oriented films - and the 1^st Kung Fu Panda film, in particular - have a way of making you feel good and inspired after you leave the cinemas. The 2^nd part left me feeling the same.

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The Hangover 2 reminds me of my trip to Bangkok some years ago, where we went to the city’s red light district to experience some one-of-a-kind, never-before-seen (to me), exhibition of women doing some nasty stuff with their, er, private parts (think cigarette smoking, shooting dart pins and ping pong balls into the air, among other things).

Only, in the movie, they went to a transvestite club, one of them having had an intimate encounter with a vixen wannabe. This person, this ambiguity of the male breed, threw the audience off after making some brief indecent exposures of his dangling, er, schlong.      

The wolf pack’s love for adventure, however twisted, and their enduring brotherhood, is almost covetous. I wish I have such friends. Theirs is an interesting and funny mix of the good-looking, and the not-so, goofs.

Green Lantern

Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

“In brightest day, in blackest night,

 No evil shall escape my sight

 Let those who worship evil's might,

            Beware my power... Green Lantern's light!”

So goes the oath the Green Lantern recites when charging his ring.

I’ve read a few reviews about this film and the common complaint is that the movie has not been faithful to the comic book version. This is an old tune. Books - and comic books, for that matter - made into film would almost surely render it unfaithful, almost every time. I don’t know what’s up with that.

Well, I'm not a comic book junkie, so there’s nothing I could have benchmarked the movie with. I can only judge it by its own merits.

The movie is a visual treat, that I can say, both with the CGI special effects of the galaxies and the planet Oa and the emerald colored power of the 'will' splashed everywhere; and with the two leading characters who are truly eye candies (I wish to have the same physique as Ryan Reynolds and I love the gorgeously hot Blake Lively).

I kind of expected there would be more substantial conflicts and action-filled fights between the Green Lantern and the possessed professor Hector Hammond. The movie kind of fell short in building the tension between the two, thereby giving a somewhat disappointing, lackluster climax. It also failed to bring the scare out of the audience with its uninspiring and somewhat haphazard portrait of the evil creature Parallax - who is supposed to be a creature of pure fear- but was somewhat turned funnily into a confusing amalgam of dark and shapeless fog and smoke.

Interestingly, as if to make up for its would-be disappointments, prior to the start of the movie we were (in a gesture that can almost be described as pre-emptive) given freebies - one huge bar of Hersheys and a coupon which entitles the bearer to a donut and a cup of coffee at Krispy Kreme.   

Hmm... looks like someone's currying favor, eh.

Banapple: Banoffee, Chicken Pie and Asian Salad

It could’ve been ‘a-long-time-coming’ moment, save for one member of the group who is not present. This is the closest we can get to that, however. Even so, I'm excited much.

My friends and I have been planning to try this place out for quite some time – maybe a little less than a year now. But for some reason, we never get around doing that, what with conflicting schedules and stuff. So when some of us had the chance to be near one of its stores, we didn’t think twice putting it in our itinerary.

As if the universe had a hand in matters, two of us got an invite to attend a birthday party of a friend’s one year old son, the location of which happened to be near the Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato, Quezon City area - one of the places where Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes have a store in.

I’ve been hearing a lot of good words about how delicious the food is that’s being served here, and quite affordable at that. Being quite the connoisseur that I am, I would, as expected, be itching to get my hands on and my mouth filled with the actual deliciousness I only hear from other people’s stories. I wouldn’t get over the thought of tasting their delicious offerings until I get my fix.

So, after the party, we headed straight to Tomas Morato, which we realized was quite near the place we are at, at the time. I realized, we could’ve actually used the time going there for some brisk walking, to burn away the fried chicken and spaghetti I munched on during the party. I should have followed my friend’s advise not to fill myself too much as Banapple has big servings. How stupid of me not to follow.

We had to wait a few minutes before we could get a table as the place was quite packed with people. I ordered Chicken Pie w/ Potato Salad while my friend ordered Asian Salad. We both ordered Banoffee Pie for dessert, one of Banapples’ signature desserts that made them famous. The chicken pie reminds me of the chicken empanada, only heavier. I’m not really a big fan of it. But the banoffee, oh my, the banoffee is exceptional - a wonder of heavenly proportions.

It’s a perfect combination of huge banana chunks enriched with gooey caramel, ensconced in the middle by double layers of cake and wall of crushed graham on the side, both with hints of coffee, topped w/ rich foam of white frosting. Lastly, shavings of delicious chocolate were sprinkled on top. Drool-worthy, this banoffee is.  

The Asian salad is wonderful in its light and crisp scrumptious-ness, perfect for health-conscious individuals. I like the fact that it's not bitter as is common to other Asian salads I tried before.

The servings are indeed big we actually had to bring some home.

All this food filled us up so well we had to do some ‘mitigating’ of its effects. What would usually work for me is coffee. So, we set out to look for a nice coffee shop afterwards, and since we are new to the place, we thought we could use some time familiarizing ourselves with what this lively and gastronomically rich district had to offer. Indeed, there are a lot, which means a lot of reason to come back as well. Not that I mind.

What’s funny is, in our pursuit of a new, cozy coffee shop, we ended up in this non-descript coffee house that’s been anything but cozy and lovable. We preferred this over the other one, Baang, if only for the seeming peace and quiet it exudes at the outset, as there weren’t too many people inside. What seems to be peace and quiet however, is really more of sadness and drabness when you get to realize it. 

It's a road less traveled, for obvious reasons.

X-Men: First Class

Photo courtesy of laughing squid.com

I still remember the excitement and wonder brought about by the first X-men movie, where it seems characters (which I only get to watch as cartoons on TV) came to life.

The movie humanized the characters and their struggles, and has actually hit closer to home, as the struggles themselves and the events surrounding it, which were based loosely in real life, made it relatable and real.

Who did not, even at one point in their lives, experience some form of ostracism or discrimination, and vice-versa? Who did not fear the unknown at one point, which made us discriminate and shut others off, thinking they are freaks? Well, we still do. To that which we cannot explain, we still fear.

Photo courtesy of pajiba.com

Now, let’s talk about technology, movie magic. The visual effects can only be described as awesome. If this movie was made even just a few years back, it would’ve looked corny and would not have delivered as much as it did the year it was released. 

Considering there weren’t much fanfare generated to rake in sales (at least, from what I remembered... I might be wrong), I think the movie could have earned more.

Photo courtesy of the guardian.co.uk

It’s nice to see another franchise of the film however, X-men First Class, which is somewhat a prequel to the first movie. It was interesting how characters developed their powers and how the events of the time set the stage for what was about to be a long, arduous and costly struggle between humans and mutants. HOT mutants, I might add.

Mutants playing part in averting what could’ve been the Third World War by thwarting a nuclear face-off in Cuba, one of the most nerve-racking moments in history, sets the tone for the film. An interesting plot made only more so by the different characters set in the backdrop of a cool 60’s vibe makes for an entertaining and profound film.

Death by Tablea, A Chocolat Creation

I woke up one morning and found a surprise in the fridge – a classy, red box with a golden label that reads, ‘Chocolat!’

I can rightfully assume, based on the type of packaging, that something good, something really good, is cooking inside. It's screaming indulgence.

The sight sent excitement rushing through my bloodstream. No sooner did I find myself opening the lid, slowly, with mouth agape and eyes wide open. I was at the cusp of discovering something very rich, very satisfying, one could not help but wonder what special occasion could it possibly be that day (or has been) to merit this kind of surprise. I couldn’t think of any.

Just a few moments later and, voila! Pure indulgence, pure pleasure displays itself in front of my eyes. I was in awe. For a brief moment I felt time standing still. 

A revelation of rich chocolate goodness - precious brown cargo of custard-like chocolate ensconced in the middle by double layers of moist cake, topped with silken chocolate frosting and fine shavings of native tablea. It is further accented by the golden disk where it is sitting atop, which made it look like royalty.

Light creates magic to its flirty swirls and curves. 

It taunts. It seduces. And I submitted with nary a resistance.

The arresting nature of its attack aptly suits its moniker, Death by Tablea. Sweet, deadly temptation, this cake is. 

The catchy, albeit morbid, name works to its advantage but to someone having blood sugar issues, it might as well be a death sentence. Good thing I was able to get hold of myself and realized I am not going to give this b#$ch! the satisfaction of living up to its name. 

Well, maybe just a little.