So Random

EX is, well, an ex-boyfriend who I dumped because he was just too melodramatic. Below are a snippets from our chance encounter via YM. (Note: I edited parts because I hate it when people spel wUrdz lyk dis.)

 

EX: Do you still remember me?

Reign: No.

EX: Ok.

Reign: I’m kidding. Of course I remember you.

EX: Kumusta na?

Reign: Cut to the chase. What do you need?

EX: Wala lang. I miss you.

Reign: Damn it.

 

Hmmm. What to say to someone who says they miss you when you don’t miss them back?

 

***

 

EX: May BF ka now?

Reign: No.

EX: Ako I’m dating someone.

Reign: Did I ask?

EX: Nasabi ko lang. Kasi he reminds me of you.

Reign: Wow. I’m very very flattered.

EX: :)

Reign: FYI, that was sarcasm.

EX: :(

 

Why do exes have the need to know about your current romantic situations? And why to they feel the need to one-up you? Is this some kind of a contest?

***

 

EX: Pwede ba tayo magkita ulit?

Reign: What for?

EX: Sobrang na-miss talaga kita.

Reign: Oh?

EX: Oo. Let’s go out. Date tayo.

Reign: ‘Di ba nga you are dating someone?

EX: Oo, pero I think mas masaya ako pag ikaw ulit kasama ko.

Reign: ‘Di ako clown. Hahahaha.

EX: Ewan. I just want to be with you again.

 

The last line made me stop typing. I thought about it. It was so random. So unexpected. A part of me wants to say “yes” because I am so bored and I sorta kinda want to see him too – no, I don’t miss him, that’s different. But I know being with him again is a disaster in the making. So for a couple of moments, which felt like an eternity, I thought about how to reply and I came up with this…

 

Reign: Sure. Let’s have dinner.

 

Whatever. I am a sucker for disasters anyway.

***

I just found out that yet another ex-boyfriend of mine is going to be a father. That’s it. I am very very convinced that I am an avatar of a Hindu fertility god. Barren? Touch Reign Loleng and be a parent in an instant!

 

***

There are now 344 reported cases of Influenza A(H1N1) in the Philippines. It’s only inevitable that I will get it soon. There – I just made a case for going to Hong Kong despite the pandemic. See you in 5 days.

 

HK night market looks like a hotbed for H1N1 doesn’t it?

Read More »»

No Beach

This year I was not able to go to the beach so I went ahead and took a moment to scan old pictures of myself enjoying the sand. And I found this…

 

Ugh! I hate the fact that I wasn’t able to go to the beach this summer. Oh well, at least I am going to HK next week. It’ll be my first time. Anyone know any places in HK that I should visit? Thanks.

Read More »»

Snippets: Tumbleweeds, Roxanne, Moustache, 295, Cheyenne

Overheard: Tumbleweeds

 

Three gay guys on a coffee place…

 

G1: It’s been six months since I had last sex. I miss it.

G2: That’s depressing. Your ass is a desert.

G3: You should check it. Baka may tumbleweeds na diyan. Hahaha!

G1: Whatever, I like tumbleweeds. It’s rustic.

G2: Honey, there’s nothing rustic about tumbleweeds. Do not romanticize your non-existent sex life.

 

Roxanne Guinoo

 

… is one of the nicest celebrities that I’ve met. I really thought that she would be an uber-bitch. I don’t know why. I guess she just exudes that aura. Anyway, I met her and she is super nice. I promise to watch her next movie, teleserye, whatever.

 

I wanted to ask her about Jake Cuenca but that would be too much, no?

 

 

 

Don’t Shave, Ever

 

I have seen a slew of celebrities around ABS-CBN but I’ve never really been starstrucked. And then I met Jimmy Encarnacion. He was Ces Drilon’s cameraman who were kidnapped last year in Sulu. Here is what I remember from my brief meeting with him.

 

Reign: Sir!

Jimmy: Hello. (smiles)

Reign: (extends hand, shakes Jimmy’s hand) Bilib ako po ako sa tapang niyo.

Jimmy: (still smiling) Salamat.

Reign: Huwag po kayo mag-aahit, sexy kayo tingnan pag may bigote. (I really don’t know why I said it.)

Jimmy: (turns all red, laughs a little) Thank you!

 

I am in love with him. He’s just so cute.

 

295

 

I’m fat. I’m obese. There I said it. But somehow, there are days that I feel just so sexy, slim. Reverse anorexia? Is there something wrong with me?

 

I Won’t Walk Away, Promise

I love you, Cheyenne. I love you so much.

 

Read More »»

'Yung kay Hayden...

Buti pa 'tong buhok ko mahaba, 'yung kay Hayden...
Buti pa ang pila sa Lotto mahaba, 'yung kay Hayden...
Buti pa 'yung utang ko sa tindahan mahaba, 'yung kay Hayden...
Buti pa 'yung mga kuko ni Mystica mahaba, 'yung kay Hayden...
Buti pa ang Coke 1.5 malaki, 'yung kay Hayden...
Buti pa si Sharon mataba, 'yung kay Hayden...
Buti pa ang yelo matigas, 'yung kay Hayden...
Buti pa ang ulo ng batang makulit matigas, 'yung kay Hayden...
Buti pa 'yung luto ni nanay mukhang masarap, 'yung kay Hayden...
Buti pa 'yung baba ni Ai-Ai mahaba, 'yung kay Hayden...
Buti pa 'yung legs ni Melanie Marquez mahaba, 'yung kay Hayden...

Read More »»

I Cried A Little Bit

 

 

In 2006, Brokeback Mountain was the frontrunner to win the Oscar Best Picture. Everyone expected it. Even the people who made  the other films nominated that year. Jack Nicholson announced the winner. He opens the envelope and reads… “Crash!” He gave a don’t-be-mad-at-me-I-only-read-it look. I cried a little bit.

 

Flash forward to 2009, Adam Lambert was a few moments away from being named the next American Idol. Everyone knew it was going to happen, perhaps, even Kris Allen himself knew. Seacrest opens the envelope and reads the name of the winner. It is… “Kris Allen.” I can almost hear it. 100 million drag queens ripped their gowns in despair. Gays all over the world are mourning. Homophobia is so mainstream. Mainstream is so homophobic. I cried a little bit.

 

Read More »»

Academy Award Nominee Mo’Nique?

 

The Film Experience lists Mo’Nique as a front-runner for Oscar 2009 Best Supporting Actress for “Precious”. Trailer looks good. Mariah Carey seems like she wants to be taken seriously as an an actress – de-glam! Can’t wait.

Hmmm, so in less than a year we will be hearing a lot of “Oscar Nominee Mo’Nique?” If Queen Latifah can do it why can’t she? This is actually within the realm of possibility since Precious is backed by Oprah Winfrey who is said to have lobbied majorly for “Crash” to win Best Picture upsetting “Brokeback Mountain.”

Read More »»

Two-Month Hiatus...

... is over.

• I've finally finished my screenplay. I missed the Palanca deadline but oh well. Very very happy that I completed it. It's not exactly a masterpiece but I can officially say that I wrote something that's well over 90 pages.
  
• Workshop is fun. I am currently attending a Film and TV Production workshop. The first few sessions were amazing. Learned a lot, especially from Ricky Lee. I never expected him to be funny. Seriously, he should be a stand-up comic. Next week we will be talking about costume and production design. Not too excited about that.
• Creative living. DVD marathon. Books. Music. Loving it.
• "Dead na si Lolo" revived my hope for the Philippine Movies. "Heavenly Touch" killed it. What a waste of time and money.
• "United States of Tara" is my new favorite TV series. Second season will be on 2010. "The Office", "Lost", "American Idol", "Amazing Race", "Survivor: Toncantins" season finales in a span of two weeks. What to watch now? I guess "Parks and Recreations" is an adequate "The Office" subsitute.
  
• Everyone is single. College BFFs. High School BFFs. Singlehood has its pros and cons - okay, mostly cons. But if you and your closest friends are experiencing a synchronized single-blessedness, it doesn't feel so lonely.
  
• I am currently crushing on someone. Yey me!
  
• In two months, the new niece will come. Must lobby hard for a good name. Adrianna Reign? Amandine Rachel? Suggestions? Must start with either letter A or R.
  
• My weight is at an all-time high. Cracks in confidence observed. Must avoid breakdown.
• Jillions of celebrity sighting. Not really starstrucked. Except maybe Tonton Guttierez wearing super tight jeans. The guy is hung.
• Oh, and yeah, I turned 27.
  

Read More »»

Who Is Marco Morales?

Last week, I was able to see a movie called “Booking” and boy was I disappointed. I meant to write a review the film, but during my research I was more interested with its lead star – Marco Morales. I googled him and boy was I overwhelmed with the throng of blog articles (and pictures) about him.

Who is he?

A friend told me that he was once a part of GMA-7’s Sunday afternoon show SOP and was a singer and a member of a boy group SOP Showboyz.

So is he a singer?

Not quite. I checked his filmography – not much there – and I noticed that he has appeared prominently in three films - “Booking”, “Butas”, and “Walang Kawala.” All three films are independently produced and let’s be frank about this, they all sell sex. Of the three, “Booking” and “Walang Kawala” are gay-themed and I happened to have seen both of them.

So he is actor, then?

Let’s check.

In “Walang Kawala” he only appeared in few scenes but he is very memorable for showing his goods. He played a macho dancer so a sexy dance scene was almost obligatory, but the full frontal nudity came in as a shock for me. I seriously did not expect that. The gay man in me appreciated the peek-a-boo moment but the artist in me was asking “is that even necessary?” Conflicted as I may be, but I sure as hell remembered him. That scene and Joseph Bitangcol’s kunot-noo-galit-ako intense acting are the two things I best remember from that movie. For good reasons or not, I remembered who Marco Morales is.

Now “Butas” I haven’t seen, but I am currently downloading a copy. A friend of mine saw it and I asked him what he thought of the movie. What he said didn’t exactly surprise me. Marco Morales, apparently, showed his goods again for the world to see. And I asked my friend, “was he good in it?” to which he replied “I really don’t know, I was busy checking out his dick.”

Guess who made a quick cameo on Morales’ “Booking?” If you say his thing, then you guessed right. If your eyes are quick enough, you could spot it making a very quick appearance. I swear his penis should be on the marquee on his next movie. They should credit it a la “WITH A SPECIAL PARTICIPATION OF… Marco Morales’ Penis.” I heard that the movie did not do well in the box-office (granted it is indie so this is no surprise) and I think the reason for that is overexposure. And I am not even kidding. After seeing the same thing over and over again, people are bound to get tried of it.

Again, who the hell is Marco Morales?

Marco Morales is an actor who is not afraid to take off his clothes for “art.” And more than that, he is the personification of everything that is wrong with independent films in the Philippines. Nowadays, producers and directors are getting away with showing titillating movies that sells sex as long as they call it “indie.” They are duping the public into thinking that what they’re movies are of the high art just because it is labeled as such. They are duping actors like Marco Morales to strip on camera because it is “indie.” Gone are the days were the word “indie” is synonymous to a cinematic experience of higher art form. Now, when you say “indie” it just means a film that could have been produced by Seiko in the ‘90’s.

I’m not condemning Marco Morales. In fact, I feel for him. He is being victimized by some people who wants to make some money off of his penis. I even think that in his mind he is doing something, uhm, important and artistic.

I’m not even condemning independent film producers because I have seen a lot of them and some of them are just brilliant and a true cinematic gems like “100”, “Padyak”, “Tulad ng Dati.” In fact, “Padyak” has one gay sex scene and it was handled tastefully.

What I am trying to do is challenge the producers to make good films and not bank on nudity and hide behind a convenient label that may help them avoid the flak of the censors. Hey, they marketed “Booking” as the gay version of Lino Brocka’s “Bona”. Talk about misleading. I am also asking them to make better gay-themed movies that do not use sex as a major selling point. Can’t we make a gay-themed movie that does not involve sex?

I am also asking the gay movie audience – US - to be hungry for good quality gay films. The likes that does not portray us as sex-starved maniacs who would use art as a way to show some skin. Let’s be vigilant, and if possible be involved.

After all, we are not just about sex – aren’t we?

Read More »»

Is This Really Him?

As a blogger, to take back something something that you have already posted is probably one of the biggest crime you could commit. But please before you call me out on anything, let me show you this…

I take it back. A few posts ago, I was all praises with Lani Misalucha’s transformation. Not anymore. But before you Lani fans go hating on me, let me just say that I am still a fan of hers. I still think that she is a very talented singer. But come on now, Lani. You should have stopped with the surgeries when you are starting to look like one of the Jacksons. But then again, she could be thinking of replacing Heath Ledger in the next Batman movie. Joker anyone?

Speaking of cosmetic surgery – on to Regine Velasquez. I recently had a friendly debate with a friend about her transformation. The topic was not “Did she have something done?”. it was “What did really change?”

I see brow lift, nose job and collagen. What do you see? Please don’t mention the obvious. (Weight gain.)

But you know sometimes, you really don’t need cosmetic surgery to look like a Hollywood celebrity. Case in point – Pokwang.

Are they related? They could be sisters don’t they. If Pokwang did some surgical enhancement please let me know.

And finally, off-topic but a bit intriguing.

Is this really James Yap? Seriously? Kris Aquino is one lucky girl.

Read More »»

Sad/Horny

Recently, I read an article online about the perks of singlehood. Five things were listed as fabulous things about being single:

1. My time is my own.
2. Everything stays were I left it.
3. No one has to see my faults.
4. My money is my own.
5. I can go whenever I want, wherever I want.

If, like me, you have been single and alone for almost an entire lifetime, you know that the statements posted above are not fabulous things about being single but a defense mechanism or convenient excuses to avoid relationships (or explain why you are not in one.) It’s pathetic to mask the pangs of loneliness by putting up a pseudo-positive attitude. I am the kind of fag who wallows and swims in my despair hoping I learn something from it.

I need a person who will drag me to Church even though I never want to attend mass. I need someone to talk on the phone with until the morning even though I hate very long telephone conversations. I need someone to share my time with. I need someone who will ask me watch the latest Nicole Kidman film even though I hate her to death. I need someone who’ll tell me to pick-up clothes from the dry cleaners even though I am allergic to laundry detergent.

My life is cluttered. My room is cluttered. My mind is cluttered. I need someone who’ll pick up after me, organize me or at least someone worth organizing my life for. I place things at the wrong places and I need someone to tell me where to put them and how to arrange them.

I think I am perfect – I am conceited. Someone has to tell me that I need to lose weight, my clothes are not fashionable, I talk too much, I can’t sing, I have to shut up. Someone has to tell me that I could be wrong. I need the reminder.

I love to give the perfect present. I like to give someone a CD of my favorite band. I want someone to shop clothes for and spend time thinking what would look best for him.

I would love to have someone to jog to CCP with, to swim in the beaches of Boracay with, to visit the museums of Rome with, and to make go to Disneyland with. (Boracay, Rome, Disneyland? Ang babaw ko, dude.)

I need a man. Not a boy

Or maybe I just need sex… matagal na rin ah!

Read More »»

Doubt

Thanks to my new best friend, mininova.org, I was able to see Doubt days before it opens in theaters here in Manila. And yes, I got a very clear copy, thank you very much.

I was very excited to download Doubt because this year it is nominated for 5 Oscars. And everyone is raving about Viola Davis’ performance and Meryl Streep historic 15th Oscar acting nomination. For that alone, this is a must see.

The movie is set in 1964, at St. Nicholas Church / School in Bronx. It’s a power struggle between the school principal, a nun played by Streep, who believes in the power of fear and discipline (think Etang Discher) and a popular priest, Father Flynn, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, who is trying to change the school’s strict customs and maybe try to be, uh, cool. In the midst of all the political tug of war is Sister James, played by Amy Adams, a naive nun who has suspicions about Father Flynn’s relationship with one of the altar boys. Juicy. In the mix is Mrs. Miller (Davis), the mother of the alleged victim of molestation.

Now, I am was a Catholic. Went to a Catholic school from pre-school to high school. Heard mass as often as I could. Was a part of the church choir. Naturally, I am intrigued and yes I have my biases.

But first a few talking points…

THE CAST

This is the most Oscar nominated acting ensemble since 2002’s Chicago. In fact, it duplicate all of Chicago’s acting nominations: 2 for Supporting Actress (Davis, Adams / Queen Latifah, Catherine Zeta Jones), 1 for Supporting Actor (Hofman / John C. Reilly) and 1 for Lead Actress (Streep / Renee Zellweger).

Philip Seymour Hoffman is definitely the lead. Why he campaigned for supporting actor is beyond me. Still, this was a good performance from Hoffman. He plays the creepy guy very well (yes, father Flynn creeped the hell out of me). It’s almost unfair to the character that Hoffman is tapped to play him. I mean, just one look at Hoffman and my brain is screaming “pedophile, pedophile!”

Amy Adams, was good, but then again she can play this role in her sleep. We’ve seen her many times before played a variation of the innocent naive hopeful anything. Think, Enchanted. Is this performance Oscar-worthy? I say NO!

The always amazing Streep was again the star of the show. This woman is a legend. Will she win this year’s Oscar? I am guessing no. It seems like it’s Kate Winslet’s year. But I just realized that the last time Streep won an Oscar was 1982. That is such a crime.

 

Now much has been said about Viola Davis’ performance. I think she’s great in this movie. But is she as good as what the others say? No. I didn’t think so. She appears in only 2 scenes in the  movie, one of them the most talked about scene with Streep, and I felt underwhelmed. It was like a “is that it?” moment for me. Perhaps, a second viewing will make me change my mind.

Over-all, I say Doubt is one of the best films of 2008 I have seen. The acting was good, not great, but still good. The movie was well written (adapted by John Patrick Shanley from his own play, he directs too), especially the dramatic climax between the Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn and the “gossip” parable.

However, I think it failed on two things. One, in the middle of the film, it seems to propose a “did he do it?’ question for the viewers which was never really fully fulfilled. As the story progresses, it seems to challenge the viewers to cast, well, doubt on Father’s Flynn’s character and Sister Aloysious’ suspicions. Instead, it makes the viewer decide and take sides early on. You don’t really flip flop as the premise of the movie suggest. You become a lawyer for either the charismatic priest and try to defend him, or be on the stern nun’s side and try to persecute with her.

Finally, the ending. I was satisfied with the ending. It felt like it was the right thing for the writer to do. But one thing that bugs me is, the last line. I never realized until now how the last dialogue could ruin an entire movie.

 Doubt is currently showing theaters in Manila.

Read More »»

Pops is No Lani Misalucha

Pops Fernandez is all over my TV. Apparently she is promoting some concert with her ex-husband and super annoying drama king Martin Nievera. The concert is produced by Pops' current beau - former hottie and former star of my sexual fantasies - Jomari Yllana. More on him later.

A few questions:

• May nanonood pa ba sa kanila?
• Ilang taon na ba sila? Hindi ba sila singkwenta anyos na?
  
• 'Di ba sila magka-away?
• and finally.. si Pops Fernandez ba ay si Inday Badiday?
  

Let me say this: "Pops Fernandez's face is fucked-up. Seriously."

She went from pleasantly cosmetically enhanced to...

Petrang Kabayo.

Dapat dito kay Pops tularan si Mama Lani Misalucha. In fairness kay Lani, halata man na nagpagawa siya, na-enhance naman ang ganda ng lola mo. Ganyan dapat kung magpaparetoke ka.

Lani Misalucha's evolution.

Minus One Lani
(yes siya daw ang boses na inaalis sa Minus One tapes sa Karaoke)

SOP Lani
(mukhang inayusang PA ni Regine)

Vegas Lani
(kinabog ang Theory ni Charles Darwin, mabilisang ebolusyon ito)

Although, I must admit, Lani's nose looks kinda waxy. Parang detachabale. Konti na lang mukha na siyang kapatid nila Janet, LaToya and Michael Jackson.

But still, Pops, kung nababasa mo ito (naks!) take a cue from Lani. Hindi na naman lihim sa lahat na ibang level na ang pinaretoke mo. Kilala ka na namin dalagita ka pa lang. Sana, kung magpapagawa ka ng mukha, ayusin mo. Ka-fez ka na ni Ate Luds, eh. Ayan mas maganda na si Dolly Ann Carvajal sa 'yo.

Read More »»

Movies 2008

Of all the movies released in 2008 I only saw 34 of them. And I even saw the real bad ones. I am so embarrassed.

Movies I saw in 2008

27 Dresses
Meet the Spartans
Jumper
Vantage Point
Semi-Pro
10,000 BC
Horton Hears a Who
Shutter
21
Superhero Movie
Baby Mama
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
What Happens in Vegas...
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Sex and the City Movie
The Promotion
The Happening
The Love Guru
WALL-E
Mamma Mia!
The Dark Knight
The Pineapple Express
Tropic Thunder
The House Bunny
The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
Vicky Christina Barcelona
Burn After Reading
Blindness
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Role Models
Slumdog Millionaire
Seven Pounds
The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons

21 of the 34 are of the Comedy Genre and it's hyrbrid. Hmmm...

Read More »»

Slumdog Millionaire

A few thoughts while watching Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire.

Slumdog Millionaire is supposed to be a feel-good movie. How can’t it be not if it talks about destiny. However, let me just say that it is a little too violent for my taste. Some scenes are reminiscent of Fernando Mereilles’ City of God.

Why can’t Filipino child actors be this cute? Or talented. In my opinion, the child actor – Ayush Mashesh Khedekar - who played the young Jamal should be nominated for an Oscar just for being cute and un-precocious.

The character of Arvind deserves a movie of his own, I think. Or at least an epsiode of MMK. When Jamal and Salim where taken in by Maman, a “messiah” of sorts, they met Arvind, probably the best singer in the “orphanage”. So when the time that Arvind’s voice is ready for public performance, he auditions for Maman a la American Idol, except there’s no golden ticket. If your voice is good enough, Maman will blind you with hot acid to double your earnings singing in the streets. The boys who played Arvind (the character ages throughout the film) – Chirag Parmar and Siddesh Patil – have the kind of vocals that makes me you awwww. Or maybe it’s the song.

*TeeHee* Indian Call Centers. Brings back memories. The Call Center Training Room scene is kinda funny – if you’ve worked in a call center before. It’s I’m-glad-I’m-over-it feeling for me.

The actor who played the host of India’s Who Wants to be a millionaire – Anil Kapoor – looks eerily like Christopher de Leon. Or an older version of Colin Farrell.

Freida Pinto is a goddess. I have to say that she was upstaged by the child actors who played Latika at younger ages, but hell girl is purdy.

The film has it’s flaws sure, but the great thing about Slumdog is that the main character is so adorable that you really root for him. His decision delivers several “what the…” reactions but you still want him to succeed. You try to ignore his flaws and you go with him through his journey of fulfilling his destiny even if you don’t necessarily agree with his choices. This, I think, what makes a great hero for a movie.

Love the homage to old sing and dance Bollywood movies. *TeeHee* Great ending/closing credits. You will leave the theater (or, in my case, turn off the PC) with a good feeling and a smile.

Judge me, whatever, I’m in love with Dev Patel.

Jai Ho performed by AR Rahman feat. Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah and Mahalaxmi Iyer. Jai Ho roughly translated means “hail” or “hallelujah”, maybe “mabuhay?” Click here for the lyrics and the translation.

Oscar pundits are already calling Slumdog Millionaire as a lock for an Oscar Best Picture nomination together with The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons, Frost/Nixon, Milk and The Dark Knight. But with Slumdog winning last week’s Golden Globe Best Picture Drama, seems like it is posed to win the Oscar. Of the films mentioned, I have not seen Milk and Frost/Nixon yet so I really can’t give a prediction.

Okay off to Mininova now.

Read More »»

For Maui

Always be hopeful...

Anyone Else But You - The Moldy Peaches

Read More »»