As seen in several news feed (see above videos), Christian Bautista made a mistake in singing our national anthem last Sunday, Sept. 16 in a boxing bout. He forgot to sing the mid-lines of the last four phrases of the song (see italicized words).
Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati't pagsinta, Buhay ay langit sa piling mo; Aming ligaya, na 'pag may mang-aapi Ang mamatay nang dahil sa 'yo.
I don't blame Christian for such a mistake. I believe that Lupang Hinirangis one the most difficult songs to sing, especially if one has no practice. Not only that the melody sounds the same for the entire song, the words are even difficult to memorize. We always take the song for granted, believing that we have the words by heart. But wait till you sing it alone, on stage, with thousands of people gathered, and you'll realized that it isn't easy. That is not an excuse, of course. My point is, practice/rehearse the anthem before you sing it in front of the crowd.
As an anecdote, I, too, made a Lupang Hinirang blunder when I was in my third year high school. I was busy preparing for our play entitled Paraisong Parisukat which I wrote and directed. When the program (it was part of a Filipino contest during Linggo Ng Wika, I think) was about to start, our principal, Ms. Marasigan, suddenly told me to sing the national anthem. So there on stage I went, in front of the crowd consisting of my classmates, schoolmates, and teachers. So sing lang ako wholeheartedly. Lupang Hinirang lang naman, I told myself. Yakang-yaka. Until na-realize ko na I have forgotten the lyrics at bigla akong nag-short cut sa ending. Mas malala pa sa version ni Christian, pramis! When I went down the stage, galit na galit si Ms. Marasigan! Nevertheless, our class received the Third Place! Baka First Place pa kung tama 'yung lyrics ko ng LH. Hehehe.
I'm sooo excited to see Avenue Q! We're scheduled to watch it on Sept. 23. It has one of the funnest songs I've ever heard. I'm expecting to have a blast with this one!
I wish he'd win tonight. . .
. . .but for sure he'd bring home the prizes!
Be Bench finals tonight at Araneta Coliseum; airing on TV will be on Sunday. If only I could score some tickets! Hay!
"Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other? "
Those are the memorable lines from the film Evan Almighty, in my opinion. Sounds great, right? Such powerful words lalung-lalo na sa mga taong pinaghihinayaan ng loob. They really do make sense if you think about it. Sometimes, when it seems that He doesn't answer your prayers, you'd just realized that He has given you the answer already, or a solution has been made already and you are yet to discover it.
Those are such almighty words. Unfortunately, Evan Almighty is an almighty flop in the US. It is probably because the film's tone is more of a religious nature/environmental commentary that do not sit well with the American audience rather than an all-out comedy flick ala Bruce Almighty.
Evan had really big shoes to fill being a follow-up to Bruce. The problem with itis that it isn't funny at all. Yes, there are funny moments and they are all seen in the trailer! I guess the biggest obstacle in the film is the concept itself, the story of Noah's Ark. It seems hilarious when you think about it but it's difficult to stretch. For a movie, kulang na kulang siya especially if it be pitted against the original movie. Kung naging sort-of disaster movie siya, it might've work. Sayang 'cause Steve Carrell is really an intelligent comedian. Most of his jokes are cerebral at medyo naging mababaw siya with this one. It felt that it focused more on what it has to say re the environment rather than be funny. It may have tried to downplay the whole scenario but it still surfaced out. There is nothing wrong with it, only if the film was not marketed as a comedy. Overall though, Evan Almighty is still a passable flick minus one's greatest expectations. Napaiyak nga ako with the lines above. It has strike some chord in me. Aside from that, the cast did their best with the rather hallow script. Wanda Sykes is hilarious! I crack everytime she opens her mouth. It'd be best to see this on video than spend your time and money on cinema.
1408 (Dimension Films, 2007) John Cusack, Samuel Jackson Mikael Hafstrom "Jheck, watch mo 1408, horror," as Egg's text invitation says. Sure, I'd see it, I thought. There was pretty much buzz around the film before it has been actually shown, much because it was a Stephen King original (short) story and because it stars the insanely good John Cusack. Reading some reviews now impresses me, about 90% liked and (almost) loved it. There has never been a horror film that has gotten these much praises since The Ring (Japanese). 1408 is about Mike Enslin (Cusack) who makes a living by writing books on some paranormal phenomenon that he is skeptical about. Yet, he convincingly make his readers believe on the existence of such phenomenon. One day, he receives a postcard saying that he shouldn't stay in Room 1408 of the Dolphin Hotel. Intrigued by such note and the number that 1408 represents once added, he makes an accomodation in the room despite the numerous warnings of the hotel's manager, Mr. Olin (Samuel Jackson). "No one lasts more than one hour," Olin says. "It's an evil fucking room," he adds. Somewhat feeling creeped-out, Mike remains unconvinced and determined to investigate the horror that is 1408. Nothing happens in the first few minutes making Mike believe that ghost stories in the room are hoaxes. However, when strange occurences happen, he feels that they are tricks, that is until the "evil" in the room convinces him that they are real. As the "evil" favorite's song goes, "We've only just begun." He will go in a loop till he decides to "check himself out" of the room. "Nakakatakot siya," Imee said. Indeed, 1408 manages to freak the audience out by creating mental pictures that are otherwise not present in most horror films. Think of the horror stories shared by our lolas and yayas when we were young to stop us from doing what we like. Think of The Blair Witch Project. 1408 plays more with your mind rather than your senses. You know that the "evil" exists but it doesn't show itself to you physically. One good thing that 1408 does is that makes you feel trap in the room the way Mike is because in the beginning, it has already established the claustrophobic feeling of it all. "Hotels are naturally creepy places," he says in his recorder. "Just think, how many people have slept in that bed before you? How many of them were sick? How many... died?" Mike's moves have been limited to the four corners of the room that you, as a viewer, also couldn't think outside the box especially when he goes to the ceiling.
"Nakakapagod siyang panoorin," Imee added. True. During the second half of the film, the horror turns absurb, partly due to editing (some scenes can clearly be cut off like the mail room turning into Room 1408) and partly due to to some ridiculous scenes (I find the phone calls and "freezing moments" not so scary at all). Because Mike is in circles, mahihilo ka rin sa nagiging takbo ng kwento. Masyado siyang humaba that it makes you want the film to end to uncover the secrets of the room. However, when the film comes to its conclusion, you'd be left wanting for more. It is not because of how great the turnout is but because there is feeling that you have been cheated in a way. Out of the roller coaster ride it made you go through, pinasuka ka lang niya for nothing at all.
The evil in 1408 is tricky, so does the film. It's up to you to buy the tricks or not that are partly good and partly bad. There is a reason why this was written as a short story. Stephen King may be known for writing horror stories but I'd rather go with his dramatic ones, Misery, The Shawnshank Redemption, and Dolores Clairborne.
