A Pinoy Blog About Nothing

Why can’t they find anybody to play Superman? Are actors afraid to commit because of the Superman Curse? Make the film already! Cast some relative unknown and concentrate on making a good story. Maybe they can just ask the video store clerks for casting suggestions?

Finally got to travel all the way to Makati to catch Cinemanila yesterday. (Parenthetical aside: yesterday was Quezon City Day, a holiday for Quezon City-ites. No work. Naturally, it was raining. Hard.)

I got to watch Fran?ois Ozon’s Swimming Pool and City of God.

Swimming Pool was a total mindtrip. I like the naked Ludivine Sagnier and all but I still can’t figure out what happened in the end there. Anyone care to clarify?

City of God is so good it’s depressing. It’s based on events surrounding the eponymous ghetto in Brazil. The movie just draws you in and the touches of humor only makes the situation of the character all the more tragic. Suddenly I miss Brocka.

Incidentally, City of God director Fernando Meirelles will be introducing the film and will be having a Q & A after the movie tomorrow at 4:30 pm. Too bad I have work tomorrow. If anyone’s attending, please ask him whatever happened to Rubens Sabino.

Speaking of local cinema, Quark Henares’ follow up to Gamitan, Keka is in theaters (maybe I can catch it this long weekend) and Tikoy Aguiluz’s Webdiva a.k.a. www.pinay-sex.com (which was the original title before they had it changed because of its “negative connotations”) which is now www.xxx.com. The movie stars Juliana Palermo which, if the trailer is any indication, would be getting a lot of press in the next few days. I’d link to the website if it didn’t always exceed its bandwidth allocation.

So if there are any aspiring Smiths, Tarantinos, Brockas, Welles, Epsteins out there you have an opportunity coming up. Viva Films is putting up the Fermina Salvador Del Rosario Screen Writing Contest. The winners get Php 250,000 and “will be given priority in Viva’s movie production schedule for next year.” Got beef with the state of local cinema? Here’s your chance to get in the ring and put up. Here’s your chance to do your Clerks, your Reservoir Dogs, your Orapronobis, your Citizen Kane, your Casablanca. Or maybe just your Gigli or Showgirls. Deadline has been extended to November 30.

Update: Also got to watch Italian Job. Charlize Theron is still such an eye candy. It wasn’t so bad although all the cool scenes were shown in the trailer. Charlize Theron is hot! The movie made me curious about the original. Also, Charlize Theron is such a babe. It was such a big commercial for the Mini-Cooper. Did I mention Charlize Theron is in the movie?

Best line from Swimming Pool:
“Awards are like hemorrhoids. Sooner or later every asshole gets one.”