I know that Halloween has come and gone, for our side of the world, and I slept through it anyway. However it should not stop me from watching some good movies that help us go through this non-existent season.

Non-existent my ass. It troubles me that as of that past few years, no one, save for the those who live in big, fancy villages or those who go to the malls, celebrates Halloween. Everyone just treats it as the night before our traditional All-Saints and All-Souls Days. Thus, I am shaken to discover that last night some kids in half-assed masks came to our house expecting candy. It truly boggles my mind at how quickly we assimilate foreign traditions.

So to keep in time with such developments, I decided to dedicate two movies to today. However I had to go through quite a few movies before I got to these two. Unfortunately the scariest one I cannot show here. And that's the BBC's mini series, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." If you're scratching your heads, I'm sure you'll find a copy either online or at your favorite dibidi vendor. If you find one, tell me why do girls playing Lucy, while definitely charming, always seem to have excess chromosomes?


The first classic is a film that bears viewing on two holidays and of course that is none other than Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas." While generally attributed to Tim Burton, this was actually directed by Henry Selick. This stop-motion spectacular tells the story of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, and his search for meaning, which he interprets as taking over Christmas.

It was re-released last week in the US as a full-length 3D movie. Incidentally, I think it is now released under the Disney name, whereas back in 1993, Disney opted to release this under Touchstone Pictures, just in case it was disastrous. Here's hoping they'll show this at the IMAX theater in the Mall of Asia.

Oh yeah, the clip's in Japanese, because it sounds so much cooler that way.

"This is Halloween/Kore wa Halloween"



This second movie is a bit older. It's actually a film version of a musical, which was based on an older film.

Where else can you find a lovable schmuck, a beautiful girl with heart of gold (who sidelines as a burlesque dancer), a Mo-town singing Greek chorus, a deliriously demented dentist and a giant, singing, foul-mouthed, man-eating plant from outer space?

Oh yeah, don't forget to throw in a bit of Faust (you know deal with the devil sort of thing in exchange for your soul or moral scruples). Songs from Alan Menken and Howard Asman, the guys who wrote "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" and let it be directed by Yoda himself, Frank Oz (who incidentally is also known for playing Miss Piggy) and you've got "Little Shop of Horrors."

Little Shop, along with Nightmare, scared me as a kid. If you watch these two movies, you'll know why, but you'll also understand why I love them now.

This clip is shows the deal between Seymour and Audrey II, the plant.

"Feed Me (Git It)"


For those who have already seen Little Shop, there's a treat for you after the jump. (Read More)

Warning: To all non-geeks or geek-haters, this will not be a pleasant blog entry.

To fully appreciate the depth and nuance of the following clips I am about to show you, you must be at least aware of the feelings I have for videogames. They are not simply pastimes or hobbies. They are a passion of mine.

The first one is the announcement of what was then the second "The Legend of Zelda" game for the Gamecube. I was in Chicago when this was announced and I was in my Tita's room and was literally sputtering obscenities when I saw it. I rushed downstairs to call Joey, my brother and we were both grinning and cursing at the same time. More than two years later the wait is as agonizing as ever. With the Wii version coming out first (we get our Wii late December at the earliest), we'll end up buying the Cube version first. Yes, we are that rabid.

Anywhoo, the announcement back in 2004 was met with such enthusiasm that grown men cried. Literally. That is the power of the Legend of Zelda. There is so much character and passion that emanates from these games that its players just ooze with it as well.

Laugh if you want, but I get goosebumps whenever I witness the sheer exhuberance of the crowd. You can't buy or fix this sort of reaction. This is just sheer unadultered excitement over what was one of the biggest surprises in all of gamedom. Shucks, I even get teary eyed. Yeah, well, I'm geek, told ya this would be a difficult read.


Zelda video (and another one) after the jump.

(Read More)

Which came first the Dixie Chicks or the egg?

In a bid for freedom of speech, the irony is thick. As the patriots of all that makes America good and flowing with milk and honey practice their First Amendment rights (you know that freedom of speech thing) by decrying the rights of others (in this case the Dixie Chicks) to practice their First Amendment rights.

I always thought there was something wrong with a lot of Americans. Of course it only shows because a lot of them look downright stupid next to the ones with substance.

America isn't bad. Some stupid Americans just sort of make it seem that way.

Support the Dixie Chicks!

Okay, more geek stuff!

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Trailer

I got goosebumps when I saw the short, but sweet, river footage.



The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Title Screen

By the way, Princess Zelda's the Twilight Princess.

One word.

SNNNAAAAAAAAAAKKKE!






Sweet.

A Pseudo Wannabe Sequel to the Shel Silverstein Classic
By Me

I rolled on up from arc to side to point to side to arc. I was looking for my minning.

I came across a curious pack of animals. All creatures avoided them.

I asked the biggest one, "Are you my minning?"

"No," he laughed. "Your minning is to be found with others of your own kind. I am a wolf and this is my pack."

"Oh, kind wolf," I softly uttered. "Thank you."

"Go and find your minning."

Like a good little wedge, I rolled away and stumbled all across the plains.

Over mountains and different terrains.

And across rivers and under lakes.

I tried to flitter and twitter with the birds.

But they just flew away. Looking at me with disdain.

I rolled on, unable to flap wings I do not have.

So I rolled into the sea and gobbled and bobbled with the fish.

The gaped their mouths at the sight of me, bobbing and bobbling.

The flicked their tails and jetted away, behind bubbles and with me bubbles bubbled.

"I fit neither here nor there," I bawled.

Such petty, petty concerns. Too old to bother with adolescent worries.

So I rolled and stumbled once more.



I squeezed myself between a rock and a boulder. I barely got my nose in.

"I fit in nowhere," I cried. No Big Os to speak of nor Its with missing pieces.

"Not a creature would take me in. I should find other pieces like me."

One day, after I had stumbled more than I rolled and pieces of me started to peel off, I came across pieces like me.

"Are you me?," I asked them.

"No, we're not," they answered.

"But are you sort of like me?"

"Yes!" they cried out loud.

"Hurrah!" I leapt. "I found my minning! I found them."

These were my cousins.



Curious pieces they were. Flamboyant and fiery. Timid and tame. Herbaceous and happy.

They ride along and I rode along. Over rivers and under mountains.

Still I was not content. I thought minning would be found with them.

Cousins, what is our minning?

"What?" they laughed. "Minning is useless. We laugh and play and do not search for minning."

"Oh," I said. "Where is it then?"

"There is no such thing," demonstrated my reddish pink fruity cousin.



And then it hit me.




I cannot belong here.

Nor do I need to belong here.


To roll and stumble about is what I must do.


And so I did. Barely over an hour with them, I rolled and stumbled away.

I'll roll up my own minning. Take everything with me.

I'm sure to find it.



I know you love me
I wanna wad you up into my life
Let's roll up to be a single star in the sky

I hear you calling me
I wanna wad you up into my life
Let's lump up to make a single star in the sky
To you, to you
-Que Sera Sera, Katamari Damacy

I've been having this sick spell in the worst way.

I feel like I swallowed a kitten and now it's clawing at my throat.

-meowr-



Krud.

And that's the end of this story.

Oh yeah, some annoyances at work don't help.

Send me food.

Throat Analogy 2

My throat is like a broken iPod earphone.

I tried singing earlier during the mass for Kuang Chi. I opened my mouth. My throat was crackling. And out came a croak. Deep, rumbly and out of tune. Kinda like my busted iPod earphones.

My friend's iPod earphones are busted as well. Apparently it's an intrinsic part of Apple's award-winning industrial design.

Perfect.

Just like my throat.

Do I Dare Disturb the Universe?

Especially when it has already been disturbed for me?

Why send ripples across the fabric of time?

Bend light if I must, but not change it.

Nor snuff out the stars at the apex of their luster.

And I am disturbed.

Don't forget to vote for your teachers
for the MRX Christmas Program. A Peso
buys you a vote.



TOP 20 (ALPHABETICAL ORDER) 11/21/2006
AGULTO, TJ
ALBANO, MICHELLE
ASIS, AIDS
CHING, CATHERINE
CLARO, JOSE
DEL PRADO, MON
ENRIQUEZ, BOOM
GAN, KENNETH
HERNANDO, JULES
JOYA, DOLLY
LAI, JENALYN
LEGASPI, EJ
MAGALLONA, BARBARA
MALANA, WILSON
MARANA, BRIAN
MENDOZA, SIMON
MUNSAYAC, DINDO
NATONTON, JAN
QUIJANO, EUGENE

Okay, so the Wii is horrendously overpriced here in Manila. Toy Kingdom is selling it at a ridiculously high price of P30,000 (SRP US$249 = P12,500). Baloney!

 
Oh yeah, there are other problems to worry about, such as the storm (where is it now?), MRX (VOTE DINDO MUNSAYAC!) and actual work (what was that?). So after what was a very stressful first day of Likas Gilas, classes were suspended. A lot of students rejoiced (particularly the High One boys who were still practicing for their Choral Reading Competition), but there were those who were grief-stricken as soon as the news broke. It's pretty clear who among our students really work hard. Thus, it is to them that I offer my most heartfelt empathy. Great work guys! You're not alone.

Those guys are the ones I work with everyday on MRX (and SFX) and they're really great. It's such a crime that they always take a backseat to other more prominent "workers." What else has changed? That was the role I played before.

 

However, I had other things on my mind. After our impromptu dinner with the boys (in the Faculty Dining Area with food courtesy of SC, DC and TCY), I ran for Greenhills in search for a Wii. First of all, CelText, which usually has the lowest prices around, sold out of the system, which they sold for a slightly better deal than Toy Kingdom at P29,000 with Rayman Raving Rabbids and Spongebob packed in (of course Wii Sports as well). Spongebob? No, thanks.

 
The only hope I could find was at DataBlitz. Their first shipment hasn't arrived yet. Good news, the Wii is only P18,000+ (P17,000 cash price). Bad news, all their first shipment was already accounted for. I'll have to wait for their second shipment. Crap. After a few calls. I did find a DataBlitz who claims that I'm guaranteed a spot on their first shipment. So, in a flash, I left Greenhills to go wherever that store is. Not before grabbing a copy of what is undoubtedly my reason for living. 

 

 

 Even without a Wii, I went ahead and bought Zelda for it. The way I see it, it's much better for me to buy it now and buy a Wii later rather than having a Wii but no Zelda. Make sense? Maybe not to most of you, but it makes perfect sense to me.

 So I brought it home, carefully caressing it as I plowed through heavy traffic. I parted with it momentarily as I went to another mall to secure my reservation for the Wii. I finally got home in time for some maximum w00tage.

 Now, my brother, Joey, is as big as a gamer as I am. (In fact he's playing Tekken on the PSP right now). But what really brings us together is our rabid love for Zelda.

 I found him in my room, where he was lounging about in the bean bag chair watching "Revenge of the Sith" on DVD. I casually told him that we've more or less got a good chance of nabbing a Wii soon and that in the mean time we might as well entertain ourselves with what I just bought.

 He laughed and said that he expected me to buy some sort of game because of the lack of a Wii, but he wasn't prepared to see what was in that tiny white shopping bag.

 When he pulled out that pristine white box, reavealing it's silver and gold cover, the red letters of the logo popped out and with it, his eyes.

 "OMG!" he exclaimed, laughing at the same time.

 Looking like idiots, we ended up laughing for a few minutes, incredulous at the thought that I actually bought a game for a console we still didn't have.

 We were ecstatic nonetheless to actually have our grubby paws on Zelda. We had waited this game ever since that fateful day in May 2004.

Somehow, having it in our hands isn't exactly making the wait that much easier.

 So near and yet so far.

 And so, our wait continues and Joey and I enjoy Zelda in the only way that we can.