i am woman, hear me rawr!

The other day when I logged on to Facebook, I saw that one of my online friends had changed her profile picture to one where she is holding a wand and is pointing it towards a sign that says Hogwarts. I dismissed it initially as just another random thing people do but then today, it dawned on me that perhaps this is the start of the eager anticipation for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ long awaited sequel. If memory serves me right, it’s scheduled to come out in July,  so that makes it a little over a hundred days away, right???

I have always been a fan of the Harry Potter movie franchise, but to be honest, I’m not much of a reader. I remember reading the first three books but it took me forever to actually finish them because, like I said, I’m not really much of a reader. Well, maybe the right thing to say is that I don’t have much time to be one, even if I would want too. Anyway, although I know that watching the dvds of the entire series is not the same as actually reading it all, it will do

I am looking forward to really seeing the end of the Potter series, especially since I really don’t know what happened in the story. I’ve heard bits and pieces about it, but I still find out all on my own and I promise not to Google the ending or read the various wikis about Harry Potter until the end of the series!!!

Are you looking forward to going back to Hogwarts???

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This morning I posted a message on  Plurk that read  “Good Morning!”

A dear friend of mine commented, “morning! may good!”. I paused for a minute and tried to figure out what she meant by it, then I realized that I often just Plurk “morning”, especially when I cannot find the good in the morning. In fact, once I even went as far as posting “morning. morning lang, wala pa siyang good  (morning. just morning because there’s no good in it)”.

For today, I did not really think about what I posted, I just went with what felt right and it wasn’t till it was pointed out that perhaps, even unconsciously, I am really making strides in reframing the way I think about things around me. After some mulling it over, I replied to her and said, yes, there is good. I am making it a point to find the good in every morning no matter what.

Where is this all coming from? No, don’t worry, dear readers, this is not another Eat Pray Love review or reaction.

Life As We Know It starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel opens in local cinemas on October 20, 2010. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

I came to the conclusion that we really need to look at the world with all new lenses from the upcoming romantic comedy, “Life As We Know It” which stars Katherin Heigl and Josh Duhamel. The story begins with a blind date from hell between  Holly (Heigl) and Messer (Duhamel) after their best friends set them up. From then on, the two were always at odds and since they loved their best friends to bits, they had no choice but to be in the same places and events a lot of the time. Until one day they received the devastating news that their friends had died and that they were named the guardians of their orphaned daughter Sophie. From then on, life as they knew it flew out the window.

Life As We Know It is a wonderfully funny, human look (yes, for a comedy, I have to say it is very real!) at how life sometimes throws you curve balls and all you can do is really just laugh and breathe through it, then reframe the way of thinking about it because holding on to the way things were in the past really won’t work anymore. Unlike a typical chick flick or mindless romantic comedy, this one was full of real emotions and lessons that really reminded me of what is important which is why I loved it so much. It wasn’t all cheesy, it wasn’t all funny, but it was just so real (gah…I think I used real to many times in describing this film, ya think???) Read the rest of this entry »

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"Life As We Know It" starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, opens on October 20, 2010

Don’t you hate it how sometimes when you think you have figured things out, life just throws you a curve ball and before you know it you’re slipping down some slippery slope? Then before you know it you’re caught up in a whirlwind of emotions that send you on all sorts of impulsive actions….like stuffing yourself or rushing out to the mall with an explicable need to buy something you don’t really need, such as gadgets you don’t really need like an iphone despite the fact that your present cellphone is perfectly functional (not that an iPhone wouldn’t be a fabulous new toy!!!), or perhaps yet another pair of stilettos or a dress that you have nowhere to wear to anyway???

No, this isn’t me having another one of those existentialist crises nor is this another inspirational, self-actualizing post about what happiness is and the purpose of life…..this is me looking forward to the Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel’s upcoming movie, “Life As We Know It”.

The movie begins with a first date gone wrong and despite the evident dislike of both characters for each other, they suddenly find that life throws them a big giant curve ball with one simple phone call. Before they know it they are thrust into a new life very different from their present lives.

After the series of melodramatic posts in this blog and self-discoveries I’ve been doing (yes, inspired greatly by the recent Eat Pray Love movie!!!), I am really looking forward to this movie!

The romantic comedy directed by Greg Berlanti opens on October 20, 2010 in Philippine theaters and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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In a recent movie premiere, my fellow movie bloggers got to see a preview of the upcoming Warner Bros. 3D movie, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole. Sadly, I had work on the day of the screening so I missed it!

The film is directed by Zack Snyder, of Watchmen and 300 fame and is based on the Kathryn Lasky’s books, Guardians of Ga’Hoole.

These are the recently released banners of the characters and I can’t wait for the film to come out

In the meantime, come meet the Owls of Ga’Hoole:

Soren (voice of Jim Sturgess) — A young male Barn Owl enthralled by his father’s epic stories of the Guardians of Ga’ Hoole, a mythic band of winged warriors who had fought a great battle to save all of owlkind from the evil Pure Ones.  Soren was snatched by patrols from St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls.

Gylfie (voice of Emily Barclay) – A female Elf Owl, who is Soren’s best friend. She was snatched by patrols from St. Aggie’s after trying to fly before her wings had completely fledged.

Twilight (voice of Jay Laga’aia) – A male Great Grey Owl who claims that he taught himself everything about surviving (at the orphan school of tough learning),and was abandoned within hours of hatching.

Digger (voice of David Wenham) – A very smart tracking Burrowing Owl.  He was separated from his parents when owls from St. Aggie’s attacked his family.

Eglantine (voice of Emilie de Ravin) – A female Barn Owl, Soren’s beloved younger sister.

Kludd (voice of Ryan Kwanten) – A male Barn Owl, older, evil brother of Soren.

Nyra (voice of Helen Mirren) – An enigmatic female Barn Owl.

Metalbeak (voice of Sam Neill) – A mysterious male Barn Owl.

Coming soon to local theaters in 3D, this is definitely one to watch out for again! Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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Earlier this year, on my birthday to be exact, I drew up a list of 31 things I wanna do on my 31st. 4 months in to my year, I was able to cross out about 5 items on the list already, the latest being my 31 movie goal for the year!

The movie that capped the list was The Expendables. Although I had secretly hoped movie number 31 would be Eat, Pray, Love, I think The Expendables was an explosive way to end my list

The Expendables is an action-packed and testosterone filled flick that I normally wouldn’t have thought of seeing on my own, especially since it’s so different from my usual type of movie, which is typically so girly.

photo and movie invite care of Az Thanks Az!!!

The movie is definitely something the boys will enjoy, although my seatmate Jen enjoyed it sooo much! I was a little caught with my mouth open because of the intense action and gory scenes, but nonetheless, it was an enjoyable film. Plus with all the big stars in the film, how can it not be something to see, right?

The rest of the films I watched this year so far as follows, most of them have been reviewed here in my blog, but some have been posted as part of my beat with the Philippine Online Chronicles

1. I love you goodbye
2. Sherlock Holmes
3. Spy Next Door
4. Blind Side
5. Where the Wild Things Are
6. Invictus
7. Valentines Day
8. Percy Jackson
9. Alice in Wonderland
10. The Red Shoes
11. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
12. Everybody’s Fine
13. Clash of the Titans
14. Shutter Island
15. Kick Ass
16. The Losers
17. Nightmare on Elm Street
18. Shrek Forever After
19. A-Team
20. Here comes the Bride
21. Karate Kid
22. Sex and the City 2
23. Knight and Day
24. Toy Story 3
25. Eclipse
26. Inception
27. The Sorcerers Apprentice
28. The Last Airbender
29. Salt
30. The Ghostwriter
31. The Expendables

Thank you so much to Warner Bros. Pictures, Columbia Pictures, 20th Century Fox, SM Cinemas, Eastwood Cinemas, and all the bloggers who made this list possible Plus all the good company too

Looking forward to more films in the coming days

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As the days get closer and closer, I find myself getting more and more excited for the release of the movie adaptation of one of my favorite books, Eat Pray Love. Everyday I find myself browsing the movie’s Facebook page, which lets the anticipation build even more.

The movie will star Julia Roberts as Liz, a woman who goes in search of herself after a devastating divorce. In her quest for happiness and peace, she takes a year off to Eat, Pray and Love. Her journey takes her to Italy (where she does the eating), India (for the praying) and Indonesia (for the loving).

Suffice it to say, I can’t wait for this film to come out!!! Besides this being a film about my most favorite book, I also love the fact that Julia Roberts is playing the lead character. She has always been one of my favorite actresses and having her on this film makes it extra exciting for me.

Julia Roberts had great things to say about her role in this film. For her, it was a “great opportunity to play a complex and fascinating character.”  She likewise lauded Gilbert for taking such a remarkable journey in her quest to figure things out for herselg. As she put it, “For her to take that time for herself is what is deeply interesting and encouraging to other people. I think that’s courageous and admirable; it’s such a busy, rapid-fire world, so to try to stop and figure out what’s right for you is a good thing.”

Eat Pray Love is released by Columbia Pictures and also stars James Franco, Richard Jenkins, Viola Davis, Billy Crudup, and Javier Bardem. Directed by Ryan Murphy and produced by Dede Gardner, the film is scheduled for release on August 13, 2010 (note: this is the scheduled release date in the US.  I’m not so sure when it will be out here in Manila, but lets hope it’s REAL SOON!!!).

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Roman Polanski’s critically acclaimed thriller The Ghost Writer is set to open this August 4 exclusively at the Glorietta 4 and Greenbelt 3 cinemas.  Adapted from the Richard Harris’ novel The Ghost, the mystery thriller stars Ewan Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall and Olivia Williams. The film earned Polanski the Best Director prize at the 2010 Berlin Film Festival.

The Ghost Writer revolves around a ghostwriter, known as the Ghost, who agrees to write the memoirs or a former British Prime Minister. Thinking that this is the opportunity of a lifetime, he takes it on but from the get-go, the project is beset by controversy. At the end, the Ghost discovers more than he bargained for.

This seems to be one of those films up my alley Will try to catch it and let you know how it goes!

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I can’t wait to find out who Agent Salt really is!!! The Internet has been abuzz about this secret agent and I really am looking forward to uncovering the secret behind her. Since the first time I saw the trailer of this latest Angelina Jolie flick, I knew it was one to watch out for.

The story revolves around CIA officer, Evelyn Salt who’s oath to duty, honor and country is compromised as her loyalty is tested when she is accused to be a Russian Spy. To clear her name, she goes on the run, making good use of all her training and years of expertise as a covert operative to prove her innocence. But is she really who she says she is? Exciting premise, right? This is definitely the kind of flick that’s right up my sleeve

Thanks to Columbia Pictures, I will finally get to find out who Salt is next week!

SALT opens on July  28, 2010 and is presented by Columbia Pictures in association with Relativity Media a di Bonaventura Pictures production. The film is directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Olbrychski, and Andre Braugher.

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