Close Your Eyes (Buffy & Angel Love Theme) Piano

When it comes to forbidden love between two unlikely people with contradicting destinies, there's only one legendary couple that comes to mind.

Here is my musical tribute to one of the greatest fictional couples to grace television screens all around the world. Buffy Summers, the vampire slayer, and Angel, the vampire with a soul.

I think every Buffy/Angel fan can attest that in these times of teenage vampire-hysteria, no Elena or Stefan nor mopey Bella and sparkly Edward can compete with the original.

The instrumental Close Your Eyes is composed by Christophe Beck and featured in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 2, Episode 22 "Becoming Part 2". In the heart-wrenching scene where the music is featured, Buffy was forced to sacrifice her one true love's life to save the world. Up to this day, the scene is still regarded as one of the most powerful moments of the cult classic's history.

Sheet Music can be found here:

Close Your Eyes SHEET MUSIC by Noella Choi

Top 10 Glee Songs (Season TWO)

10. Songbird (Santana)

Episode: Rumors

There's something about Santana's voice that is just breathtaking in this rendition of an old, almost never-before-heard song that this generation certainly doesn't know. Her heartfelt performance and superb tone just brings me chills.

9. Thriller / Heads Will Roll (New Directions)

Episode: The Sue Sylvester Shuffle

I didn't really like this episode because not only did the plot felt forced but it was obvious that everything was written so it could wrap itself up to the climax of this performance. That said, it was still a great and energetic glee version of a decade's anthem.

8. Last Christmas (Rachel and Finn)

Episode: A Very Glee Christmas 

As much as I find the whole Rachel and Finn love arc quite boring and devoid of any kind of chemistry, this holiday duet brings fond memories of Christmas trees, food and presents every time I hear it play. Also, I love how the intro just screams Glee.

7. Get It Right (Rachel Berry)

Episode: Original Song

Of all the original tunes Glee managed to create, I think this one was the best.

6. Start Me Up / Livin' On A Prayer (New Directions)

Episode: Never Been Kissed

Just kick ass. 'Nuff said.

5. Toxic (New Directions)

Episode: Britney / Brittany

It is in these kind of moments when I appreciate the covers Glee does to previously popular tunes. Remaking pink and fluffy pop song into something that could pass up as Jazz (complete with an equally awesome choreography) reminds me that not all remakes are complete waste of talent.

4. I Feel Pretty / Unpretty (Rachel and Quinn)

Episode: Born This Way

Of all the mash-ups Glee has done in its two seasons, this, I think is the best and the one most people can relate to. 

3. Teenage Dream (Warblers)

Episode: Never Been Kissed

Darren Criss a.k.a. Harry freakin' Potter. Having to explain the sheer epicness of this song is insulting.

2. Rolling in the Deep (Rachel Berry and Jesse St. James)

Episode: Prom Queen

Adele song + a capella + Lea Michelle + Jonathan Groff  = Too beautiful for words.

1. Born This Way (New Directions)

Episode: Born This Way

I loved this video because of the message it brings to the world. I think the t-shirt labels are fantastic idea. Now, if only we could have local celebrities do a number like this, I think the world will be a less judgmental and more confident place.

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare: Harry Potter, Buffy / Angel, LoTR and Draco Trilogy rolled into one

Draco Malfoy, there you are.

A little background: I spent my pre-adolescent years reading (and writing) Harry Potter fanfiction. There was this certain fanfiction trilogy that was so superb, it garnered a legion of fans, its own fan art and even 2nd degree fanfictions. Fans would wait for the next chaper with bated breath the way canon-loving readers would wait for the next Harry Potter book by Queen JK Rowling. I am talking about Draco Trilogy, and for years, I idolized the Joss-Whedon-quoting, slash-loving and HP fanfiction legend, Cassandra Clare. 

It took me some time to read her books even though I knew (and saw in bookstores) of her published YA novels. Having reread the thousands of pages of her fanfiction Draco Trilogy, I never realized how much I missed the good 'ol days of geekily roaming around the cyberhalls of Fanfiction.net or Fictionalley.org talking about what would happen next. I also missed Draco Malfoy's complicated character in the trilogy, much better than JK Rowling's characterization of Slytherin's little prince, I dare say.

Imagine my awe and amusement as I began reading Cassandra Clare's very own world and her own set of quirky characters. They were so familiar I would be able to tell that they were CC's work even without the title and author info on the book. There were also tons of little inside jokes and other uncanny similarities like the mention of "Still Not King" button (from her Lord of the Rings humor fic The Very Secret Diaries) and even the bedtime story about a little boy trying to train a raven to please his Father (yes, with a capital "F") is synonymous to that from Draco Veritas.

If one have followed CC's fanfiction writing years as I have, one would know that she is also a fan of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel having used numerous quotes from both the series and her characters having adopted the same witty and peculiar Whedonverse tongue. It is from these inspiration, that I guess, she picked up some of the traits of the altered urban city from her own books.

There are also other things I've noticed like having a pub / restaurant catering to demons is reminiscent of Angel the Series' demon-scattered Los Angeles. Usage of birds and fireplaces for sending letters and mails, lifted from Harry Potter, as Valentine reminds me of Voldemort, the Circle a toned down version of the Death Eaters and Muggles into Mundanes.

The same way Jace is a spitting image of Draco Malfoy from CC's Draco Trilogy, Simon reminds me of Ron Weasley and Xander from Buffy the Vampire Slayer combined and Isabelle has the persona of Draco Veritas' version of Fleur Delacour.

Believe me when I say that all of these are rather well-meant compliments. These are precisely the things that I love most about the series. Amidst the undertone of lack of originality (which is totally not the purpose of the paragraphs above), I relish the Mortal Instruments' world because it precisely took most of the things that I loved about stories and characters that I was addicted to before and meshed it up into this epic tale that hooked me right from the very beginning. Coupled with Cassandra Clare's graphic and intelligent writing style, there is little that I could complain about.

That said, Cassandra Clare's own personal story is in itself inspiring. From writing fanfiction just for fun of it to being a worldwide best selling author of a YA series with probably a movie in the works, one can really say that, the fate that brought her into such avenue (of course with hard work, determination and a little bit of luck) is nothing short of... magical.

Glee 2x22: New York (Finale Review)

New York. Concrete jungle where dreams are made of. The Glee kids have battled various adversities such as slushy facials, homophobe jocks and playing for the Football team in Michael Jackson’s Thriller make-up but the moment everybody has been dreaming of has finally come. Nationals.

Unfortunately, all the hype surrounding the much awaited episode has proved to be too much for the writers of the hit TV show. The season 2 finale was a let-down to what we had hoped they would deliver. The first few musical numbers were childish and cheesy, reminiscent of those 90’s Pinoy movies where people would go out of town and burst into ahyper sing-and-dance routine. For a moment there, I thought I was watching Dolphy and his Home Along the Riles clan.

Second, how realistic was it that the New Directions fly to the city of Broadway dreams without a polished routine in their pockets? And not only that, the songs they were supposed to perform were not even written yet. I know it is a TV series and not real life, but a little more logic and a dash of reason would have been helpful.

Sunshine Corazon was back. Superb performance overall but honestly, somebody should fire her stylist. Seriously. I couldn’t concentrate half the time I was watching her belt out those high notesbecause I was genuinely disturbed on how the foundation on her face was darker than the colour of her body. Also, the dress didn’t fit properly and looked like a cheap rental for a Santa Cruzan parade. Did they make her look bad on purpose? Was it too much to ask to have a few strands of hair framing her face?

Plus, Vocal Adrenaline was clearly losing their touch. Comparing their performance with Jesse St. James killing Bohemian Rhapsody back in Season One Regionals with their current Nationals routine, it’s a mystery how they managed to get to the Top 10 in the first place.

New York obviously changes people. Rachel and Kurt have stepped into the Big Apple for less than 24 hours yet they act like Upper East Side’s Blair and Serena already.

Admittedly, the one redeeming part of the episode was the duo singing Wicked’sbreathtaking finale song “For Good” on top of the musical’s Broadway stage itself. It was such a heartfelt rendition baring the utmost passion and talent of the two most ambitious and talented characters on the show, I thought it was quite moving. I saw an interview asking creator Ryan Murphy of what would happen if the show choir members graduate from high school and I think it set the background for a Glee future after McKinley High.

I think the Achilles’ Heel of the series is its lack of compelling romantic pairs. So many shows have flourished just because of the chemistry between its lead characters. Who could forget Joey and Dawson, or Buffy and Angel or even Maulder and Scully? The whole Rachel and Finn love arc failed to elicit some sort of emotion from me. I couldn’t care less if they ended up together or went on separate paths. The on-stage kiss was not the climactic moment the show hoped it would be.

Bad writing, mediocre original songs and loopy predictable plot. This is basically what the Glee finale brought its salivating fans. I hope that in the future, the creators would concentrate more on story and character development rather than the Celebrity Guest of the Month. With just two seasons under its belt, Glee is still a neophyte show and for it to achieve longevity in the industry, it would take more than the Popular Song Cover of the Week to survive.

Glee's A Night Of Neglect Review

After a couple of weeks of hiatus, Glee is back with more songs and more Charice, but less of everything else.

The episode started out as promising. The Glee Club is back from their regionals win and, surprisingly, nothing has changed. The golden trophy that has gleamed with importance back in season one has somehow lost its shine this time around. You would've expected that the club finally getting the coveted first place and a chance at competing at nationals would've paid more attention to the aftermath of such game-changing success, but no, that did not happen at all. 

Instead, we were treated with a lousy episode arc where Tina, Mike, Artie and Brittany has suddenly transformed into brainy geeks intelligent enough to win in an academic decathlon. It would have been feasible enough if there was an ounce of history of them showing off their studying prowess, but since there was none, the whole thing just sounded fake and forced.

Actually, the whole episode felt pretentious and trying hard. Even Charice's guesting didn't really brought much substance to the show except to enter another show-stopping musical number. Her role did not make much sense although I do applaud how her character seems so much of an alter-ego to Rachel's which is absolutely fantastic and opens up a lot of story opportunities. From her first episode in the show, I got this impression that her Sunshine will be another meek forgettable character but here, she proved that she's talented, she damn well knows it and she's not afraid to flaunt what she has. She is almost like Rachel, only smaller.

Enter the Concert for a Cause with only a handful of people in attendance. This did not make sense to me at all. They know no one's there in the first place, why push through with this? Instead of embracing logic, we were put through performance after performance of acts and songs which did absolutely nothing except establish the already known fact that Mike Chang can dance and Gweneth Paltrow can (somehow) sing. Plus, if they don't have money for anything, how did they afford to have an orchestra and a gospel choir in that benefit concert?

The episode did have its ups. I've grown fond of Paltrow's character Holly because of how she exudes coolness and surprising wisdom in everything that she says. Her character sorts of enter a moral lesson here and there in her lines and you won't even notice it. This week's theme is Heckling in the 21st Century.

In entirety, I think the producers and the writers of the show need to have their eyes checked. First of all, Glee is a TV show. A musical, yes, but a TV show nonetheless and not a concert. In the end, it is the engaging characterization and captivating plot lines that will make people stay addicted with the show. If they don't work on that as soon as possible, I see a bleak future ahead.

Willie Revillame Statement re: Jan Jan Issue, Twitter and Ad Pullouts

Tackling various unconnected topics like the Ultra Stampede, Late Pres. Cory Aquino's burial, Manny Villar, DSWD, CHR, OFWs, famous Twitter folks like Jim Paredes, Agot Isidro and Aiza Seguerra and the advertisement pull outs, Willie Revillame rocked the local entertainment scene once again with his blunt comments and direct hits.

If you can stomach it, here is the recorded version of the popular game show host's latest litany on his show Willing Willie, aired April 8, 2011.

However you look at it, one thing is for certain, the power of social media is uncontested at this day and age. It can bring down governments and dictators, and as the videos showed, also entertainment tyrants and pseudo patron saints for the poor.

Never underestimate the power of thousands of thinking minds and typing fingers.

Top 5 Cliches of Local Teleseryes

Ever noticed how local teleseryes have the same plot, aired over and over again just via different titles and "It" actors of the month, or no plot at all?

Well, I did too and in the years that I've spent airing lamentations and quips to family members who were unfortunate enough to be beside me while watching local programs, I think it's time to actually put these thoughts on paper so that they will finally leave me be.

Here I present the Top 5 Cliches of Local Teleseryes regardless of being Kapuso, Kapamilya, Kapatid, Kamag-anak, Katropa, Kabalitaan at Kakampi etc.

5. Defying Laws of Physics. I know that the the special effects here in the country is not that advanced, but still, it's not an excuse for the numerous reality twisting scenes I've seen on local television in the seldom times I wasted my time in front of it. From Agua Bendita's tears trickling down her cheeks while she's supposedly UNDERWATER, to mid-air action scenes which look anything but, I wish the production crew would pay attention more to the details of their output rather than the way Marian Rivera's curls are supposed to be moving in the breeze.

4. Greenwhich got it right when it said on its commercial: "Paboritong Eksena ng mga Pilipino: SAMPALAN". While TV series on other countries settle their disputes via court hearings and reputation destroying Internet posts and texts, ours do it in a more primitive, in-your-face-literally way with matching enthusiastic hair-pulling.

3. "Luke, I am your father." Star Wars got nothing on the bewildering family trees of Philippine TV dramas. The scene where the lead character finds out that her true father is her best friend's stepdad but really is her lover's sperm donor back in 1980 when he had a one-night stand with the mother who turned out to be his real aunt is not at all surprising anymore. Just confusing, really.

2. Middle-class citizens do not exist. The world (or at least our country) is composed of high bred elitists with haciendas, 20 cars of different sought-after brands and a billion peso corporation headed by one insanely rich clan. On the other side of the spectrum, there is this dirt poor family with mothers in dusters and fried fish on the table. All their children are heaven sent because they study hard and respect their elders even though they don't have enough money to buy everything they need..

Let us not forget the eternal SOP of these drama series that Poor = GOOD (except your occasional armed tattooed goons) and Rich = EVIL (except one member of the family, preferably the good looking hunk who falls in love with the poor perfect protagonist). [see item #1]

 

...and the No.1 Cliche of Local Philippine TV Drama is:

1. The protagonist is a faultless creature of excellence (preferably coming from the poverty-stricken sector of the society). She is undeniably virtuous and brave, smart and persevering, and she is generous to the point of giving everything even though she hasn't got much. She is beautiful inside and out and a lot of people are envious on how her inner light radiates from her smile and kind nature.

 

She has no flaws, and even though she is always punished and humiliated by someone with more money and a garage of cars, there is no sinful thought in her brain because she understands, she endures and she asks god for help whenever things get hard. She fights back but not in a way that would tarnish her perfection. She will undoubtedly enter heaven and be canonized as a saint decades later.

-

I just want to make it clear that I am not ridiculing the standards of the entertainment industry, but cliches are cliches for a reason, and one of those reasons is that they are (mostly) true. Hopefully, this article will make someone smile and help push the industry to be better in more creative ways. Cheers.

The Tale of Jan Jan on Willing Willie

Once upon a time, (March 12, 2011 if you want to be precise) there was a 6-year-old boy, who was a contestant in this evening variety show. After a brief interview, he was made to show his 'talent'. The audience soon found out that the 'talent' was in the form of gyrating like a male prostitute to the beat of  bass-filled jeepney rap music. 

But what caught the people's attention most, aside from the peculiar choice of dance itself, was the tears slowly trickling out of the boy's eyes. To put it in a nutshell, the boy looked distressed and as the host and the audience laughed like hyenas at his repetitive lewd actions while an aunt excitedly clapped in the background, the expression stayed in his face for the more than 10 minutes that he was put on the spotlight.

The scene angered many netizens who saw the video on YouTube, and with the help of social media, within less than a week, DSWD and MTRCB was put in the situation, forcing an explanation from the Willing Willie camp (aired today) featuring his parents who was brimming with pride.

Wait, what?

I was hoping I was not watching the public apology scene correctly, but my eyes were definitely not trying to fool me. Both parents were present as Willie Revillame tried to salvage what's left of his credibility as a human being and as the interview progressed, one could see how absolutely delighted the father was with all the (bad) publicity his offspring is generating. He then proceeded on recounting stories on how he just wanted his son to be famous so that their family could live a better life. Back to the old Poverty Route. Fantastic.

Words could not express how disappointed I am to see what has become of our society as a supposedly morally uptight country. As bishops and priests fight against condoms in an attempt to preserve morality, ordinary citizens laugh at sexually motivated dances inappropriately performed by a child live in national television, worse, with the consent of his parents. I could not fathom how thousands of people find this act funny. I find it shocking at how the public's intellect has stooped so low in this current generation.

The mere fact that the act was made with the parents / relatives / whole kin's consent still does not make it right. Add to that the fact that the ten thousand pesos that they got from making a fool out of their child and themselves in front of the whole thinking public was spent on a Playstation (GMA News) / MP4 (told by Jan Jan himself) and a bike did not make matters easier to justify. Gee, I thought they had MORE important things to spend the money on, i.e. education.

I surrender. I can't make heads or tails regarding what goes on in the minds of some of our citizens to choose to laugh at the questionable instances in free Phlippine TV, especially involving a child and unfit parents.

Please watch this video and tell me what, in your point of view, has our society become?

Finally, NOT Another Singer: Ultimate Talentadong Pinoy 2011 (Joseph the Artist)

There are too many talent search shows in the airstream these days, that I must confess.

So what do 3 dance groups, acrobatic couple, beatboxing rapper, theater partners, singing trio, sand artist and a pole dancer have in common? They are all finalists to TV5's Talentadong Pinoy Battle of the Champions Finals. After a grueling night of various technical difficulties and amazing talents, Joseph the Artist came out victorious and got to take home one million pesos and a brand new car.  "Why is this interesting?", you might ask. I'll tell you why.

I have expressed my criticisms to anyone who might listen about the way talent search programs are judged here in our country. It seems like it has always been this way. Mediocre talent plus some sob story about poverty and/or absent parent(s), throw in some face value, screaming fans and calculation of over-all marketability and you have your newest overnight sensation.

I can understand singing contests looking for the next big thing to act this way but disappointingly even a show like Pilipinas Got Talent was not spared the mentality of sympathy votes and the lure of millions of pesos of profit.

Talentadong Pinoy impressed me in a way that for the second time in a row, they did not pick the winner who would most likely bring in the bucks.  They took the higher road and granted the crown to someone who would be extremely out of place on a variety show stage or cannot record albums for public consumption. For probably only the second time in Philippine history, the one with the most impressive talent actually won a talent show.

Joseph the Artist's performance in the finals night cannot be deemed as the most original, nor the most complicated among those can do the same thing (creating art out of mere sand) but it exuded heart, not to mention mean skills, and brought out an innate appreciation of common citizen to visual art. It is a breath of fresh air to the constant singing, dancing and running around the stage acts that we all have been fed with for too long.

There have been talks that it was a partial copycat of this performance by Ukraine's Got Talent winner Kseniya Simonova, but I honestly don't think so.

Yes, the story is similar, but haven't almost all the countries in the world experienced the pain of loss and the catastrophe of war? I think Joseph presented his side of the story with grace and heartfelt emotion and because of that, even though Ukraine is ahead when it comes to technique and difficulty, I think we can all cheer in unison that he does deserve the title of ultimate Talentadong Pinoy.

Good job, sir and congratulations. :)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reboot: Those Vampires Better NOT Sparkle!

Trust Twitter to bring in the freshest of all news even before international and local programs manage to pick them up. I just recently read that The WB is moving forward with the once phenomenal TV show 'reboot'. And that Joss Whedon, Buffy's creator, mentor, snappy dialogue God is NOT a part of it.

So that means, a new movie with different cast, storyline and unjoss-like dialogue. Just with the same name. Certainly not the Buffy we have grown with and love.

The idea is so ridiculous that I would have laughed so hard if the news isn't true. But it is. And that someone else will be writing the script. Probably someone who knows nothing about the world Joss Whedon has created.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003), the hit TV show with a massive loyal cult-like following has garnered modest ratings, rave reviews and countless tie-in products including a spin-off show back in its day. It has spawned worldwide attention with its remarkable storyline, relate-able characters and witty dialogue, even landing in Time Magazine's 100 Best TV Shows of All Time and winning 3 Emmys. It is a game-changer for shows in the late 90's and has influenced the direction of other series like Charmed and Roswell.

It originally made Vampires look cool to the teenage population, and now that the fad is barging back, this reboot movie is obviously a money-making ticket to jump in the middle of the undead hysteria.

See, I have spent a tremendous amount of time, far too many than what is considered healthy, watching and obsessing over this particular TV show. I have almost all of the episode titles, bad guy of the season and various quotes memorized. I have all the songs from the musical episode "Once More With Feeling" burned in a CD. And mind you, that was the time before anyone can watch the latest episode online or download all of the seasons and songs in a computer. I had to deal with RPN9 and, later, Studio 23's 2-season late airings. Aside from Harry Potter, this is my childhood, err, teenage-hood. Undeniably geeky period in my life, yes I agree, but it's still part of my past and it's horrific to find out that they will patch all those nerdy memories with a movie flick that would most likely fail even before it shows up in the big screen.

Back to Joss Whedon, here's his reaction to the surprising news. (Joss's email to Kristin of E!)

Kristin, I'm glad you asked for my thoughts on the announcement of Buffy the cinema film.  This is a sad, sad reflection on our times, when people must feed off the carcasses of beloved stories from their youths—just because they can't think of an original idea of their own, like I did with my Avengers idea that I made up myself.

Obviously I have strong, mixed emotions about something like this. My first reaction upon hearing who was writing it was, "Whit Stillman AND Wes Anderson?  This is gonna be the most sardonically adorable movie EVER."  Apparently I was misinformed. Then I thought, "I'll make a mint!  This is worth more than all my Toy Story residuals combined!" Apparently I am seldom informed of anything. And possibly a little slow. But seriously, are vampires even popular any more?

I always hoped that Buffy would live on even after my death.  But, you know, AFTER.  I don't love the idea of my creation in other hands, but I'm also well aware that many more hands than mine went into making that show what it was. And there is no legal grounds for doing anything other than sighing audibly. I can't wish people who are passionate about my little myth ill. I can, however, take this time to announce that I'm making a Batman movie.  Because there's a franchise that truly needs updating. So look for The Dark Knight Rises Way Earlier Than That Other One And Also More Cheaply And In Toronto, rebooting into a theater near you.

Leave me to my pain!  Sincerely, Joss Whedon. 

Read more: http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b212644_joss_whedon_reacts_buffy_movie_news_i.html#ixzz167C5mpUo

 

The cast of BtVS with creator Joss Whedon

 

Just when you thought you could not admire him more, he responds to the annihilation of his life's work with eloquence, dignity and humor. The man is just brilliant.

Twitter is now all abuzz with horror and speculation on the aforementioned news. There are some funny tweets in there but here is my favorite:

 

@sophia537: *cries even harder* they ALREADY made a Buffy movie without Joss Whedon and it was SH*T! Those vampire better not f*cking SPARKLE!!!

 

(Hence the post title.) 

If that ever happens, it will be official. There is no hope left for mankind.

Darren Criss on GLEE: "Never Been Kissed" Review

Let's just say I almost died of fangirlism when I saw the Glee teaser on YouTube of Darren Criss singing an a capella version of Teenage Girl complete with snappy choreography and a swooning Kurt. Having watched him BE The Boy Who Lived in the fan made Harry Potter musical, "A Very Potter Musical", I've grown fond of his voice, wit and sheer talent.

And now, it's surreal to see him all grown up and world wide famous with his new role on Glee. The fact that he's playing an openly gay character on the show did not even deter us fans from melting into a groupie puddle while watching him serenade Kurt. 

I know AVPM fans listened to every word that came out of his mouth, and like everyone else belonging to that group, I thought of this song when he said in the episode: 

"You're not alone."

Yes, insane, I know. I should be over the pre-adolescent phase of hero worship, but I can't help it. He's just totally awesome. (Btw, I bet I would faint if he said that line on the show.)

As for the episode, I think this is one of the strongest Glee has done since the beginning of season 2. No hyped up pop princess to cover, but it made up for the heart and the lesson that it is trying to give. The locker scene with Kurt and the Neanderthal bully was still a surprise even though I saw that arc a mile away. Kudos to the actors for such an emotionally charged scene. I also liked the symmetry between Kurt and Coach Beastie's personal conflicts, although her locker scene with Mr. Schuester was a bit unsettling. For me, at least.

All in all, the strength of the episode lies in its newest guest star. (Yes, I know I'm biased). But come on, he really was amazing and I sure hope to see him in future episodes. An AVPM line or an inside joke would be priceless, just so you know. Ryan Murphy, I sure hope you're listening.

The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie (Review)

Being a famous lead actor (with multiple Emmy nominations) in a worldwide phenomenon of a show is inspiring. Being able to portray a character so repulsive yet managing to make the whole world fall in love with such character is remarkable. Being able to play the keyboard and guitar in a band is awesome. Having the intelligence and wit to write a spy novel and have it published before being internationally famous is absolutely brilliant. But having the characteristics of all of these while maintaining a typically low profile (at least in Hollywood's standards) is exemplary.

The Gun Seller is Hugh Laurie's first novel. Published in 1996, he first submitted the manuscript under a different name for fear of being another 'celebrity novelist', only revealing his identity after it had been accepted for publication and agreeing to use his real name in the books for publicity's sake after being persuaded by his publicist.

I admit that, even though I adore Hugh Laurie as Dr. House and was thrilled to find out he has written a novel, the book isn't the best spy novel I've read. The plot began to get fuzzy in the middle and there were times I didn't know what was going on. But the thing that made me finish the whole book and still want to write a review praising its pages is none other than, the writing.

There are many books which have superb plots and endearing characters, but few, I think, have pages after pages filled with witty observations about ordinary life presented in such a way that you won't even care about the plot as long as you get to read those amusing quips about everyday existence.

"...the sweat was pouring off me and I was praying for him to hail a taxi... I caught another one an agonizing twenty seconds later. Well, obviously it was another one. Even the amateur follower knows that you don't get into the same taxi as the one you're following."

"The meter said six pounds, so I passed a ten pound note through the window and watched a fifteen-second production of 'I'm Not Sure I've Got Change For That', starring licensed cab driver 99102, before getting out and heading back down the street."

"I was shown into a room. A red room. Red wallpaper, red curtains, red carpet. They said it was a sitting-room, but I don't know why they'd decided to confine its purpose just to sitting. Obviously, sitting was one of the things you could do in a room this size; but you could also stage operas, hold cycling races, and have and absolutely cracking game of frisbee, all at the same time without having to move any furniture."

"When the driver told me how much money he wanted, I had to spend a few minutes explaining that I didn't actually want to buy the cab, I just wanted to settle up for the fifteen minutes I'd spent in it."

"...and then we were back to CNN's main agenda: telling people who are watching CNN that what they really ought to be doing is watching CNN. Preferable in a different fine hotel to the one they're in."

This is exactly the kind of Writing Brain I would like to develop in the future. Sarcasm and wit at its finest.

Reading the novel, I can find similarities between Thomas Lang, the former Scott's Guard officer protagonist who gets swept up in international arms scandals and terrorism conspiracies, and Dr. House, the arrogant but brilliant diagnostician who knows no bedside manners.

They are both geniuses in their own right, have the same sharp tongue, similar twisted psyche and they even have the same love for fast motorcycles. Which led me to believe that Thomas Lang may be rooted in Hugh Laurie's own personality and in turn, so is Dr. House. 

Now, isn't that interesting.

Top 10 GLEE Songs (Season One)

The international sensation that is GLEE just wrapped up its first season. With so many musical numbers recorded and performed, it's almost impossible to pick a favorite. Almost. Here are my personal picks for the most hair-raising, mind bending, emotionally uplifting songs / performances of season one.

TITLE - VERSION COVERED - PERFORMED BY

10. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen - Jesse St. James with Vocal Adrenaline
I know. They're the bad guys. But basing from the superb performance of VA and Jesse St. James's remarkable pipes, this track definitely deserved a thumbs up.

9. Faithfully - Journey - Finn Hudson, Rachel Berry and New Directions
There's something magical that happens every time Rachel and Finn perform a duet. Whatever it is, "Faithfully" embodies just that.

8. Somebody to Love - Queen - New Directions

First great performance of the complete glee club. Definitely a memorable one.

7. Imagine - John Lennon - Haverbrook Deaf Choir and New Directions
The audio itself is mediocre, but what made this song so special was the scene with the deaf choir and the message it brings to all.

6. I Dreamed a Dream - Cast of Les Miserables - Shelby Corcoran and Rachel Berry
Susan Boyle got nothing when it comes to Idina Menzel and Lea Michelle, singing as mother and daughter, combined.

5. Hello - Lionel Richie - Rachel Berry and Jesse St. James
Lea Michelle and Jonathan Groff in their first duet since Spring Awakening. Wendla and Melchior, Rachel and Jesse, it's just too perfect.

4. One Less Bell to Answer / A House is Not A Home - Barbra Streisand - Will Schuester and April Rhodes

This very well done mash up of two songs that could almost be considered under the genre of 'Classical' brought forth such emotion it's hard not to be carried away.

3. Defying Gravity - Wicked the Musical - Kurt Hummel and Rachel Berry
Fell in love with the song from the very first note. Not only did it stay in my mind's LSS Chamber for weeks on end, but it also opened a whole new world of Broadway musicals that I now just can't get enough of.

2. Don't Stop Believin - Journey - New Directions
The song that reeled in the millions of fans Glee has today. Without the greatness of this song, I think Glee would be just another flop musical.

1. Like a Prayer - Madonna - New Directions with Jesse St. James and gospel choir

New Directions with Jesse St. James and a gospel choir remaking a Madonna song. Need I say more? The unbelievable vocals and the stunning performance gave me goosebumps I didn't even care where the gospel choir came from.

For a full list of GLEE songs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_in_Glee

GLEE "Dream On" Ep feat. Neil Patrick Harris, Joss Whedon and JOLLIBEE

The first thing I noticed when I opened up my Twitter account is Jollibee 10th on the Trending Topics list. After a couple of seconds of "WTH?", I couldn't believe that people are saying that the popular pinoy fastfood chain made a cameo on Glee. Of all TV shows, on GLEE. Especially, on the NEIL PATRICK HARRIS episode. On the JOSS WHEDON (creator of my dearest Buffy the Vampire Slayer and spin-off Angel) directed one that I've been waiting for the whole week. How fantastic is that?

Thankfully, I easily found a decent megavideo link and watched the episode via streaming video. Frankly, I didn't noticed the happy bee even after I have finished watching the whole thing. Probably due to the epic awesomeness (Yes, that's retarded fan speak) of "Dream On".

The episode, as is obvious with its title, is all about some of the characters' most intimate dreams in life. It is surprisingly deep yet it didn't showcase the usual "Don't Stop Believing" performances we are used to. Which is a great thing for a show slowly losing its heart to grand showstopping numbers. I mean, if we wanted to be treated to 40 minutes of sing and dance musical gimmicks then we would've watched a concert. This episode, I think, brings us back to the basics. More character driven plots, less jazz hands.

Best Glee episode of the year, hands down.

Back to Jollibee, I really did not see it. But once I did, it was obviously everywhere on the "We Can Dance" mall dance routine of Artie. I'm betting "PR STUNT" but I might be wrong. Either way it brought us Glee loving Filipinos something to talk and tweet about.

Next stop, the Lady Gaga episode...

What is Chuck?

Chuck is an action-comedy television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working in the CIA; the message embeds the only remaining copy of the world's greatest spy secrets into Chuck's brain.

In other words, Chuck is now my nightly addiction for the past few weeks, occupying free nights after work as I now don't watch any shows on TV but rather prefer to watch them at my own pace and advertisement free online.

I started the routine with watching the first few episodes of Mercy, a Grey's Anatomy-ish show about the clinical and personal lives of three nurses with various interesting backgrounds. As much as I wanted the show to succeed because it's one of the few shows portraying the other side of hospital dramas as it centers on nurses and does not treat doctors as know-it-all gods, it failed to capture my attention much longer. And that's saying something since I am a registered nurse and could somehow relate to the show.

On the other hand, even though I can much relate to a computer geek turned CIA agent as a hamburger can, Chuck has that magnetic storyline that just makes you come back for more. Especially if there are three seasons still to catch up with.

I am now on the first episodes of Season 3 after just 2 weeks of watching the show. All I know is I'll be quite saddened when the day comes that I don't have new episodes to watch anymore and has to wait for a week for the next saga to air. Unthinkable!

A Very Potter Musical Official Website and GLEE

Now I know why I'm getting so many hits from google to my A Very Potter Musical post a month ago. Starkid(potter)'s official site is now up along with the downloadable rerecorded official soundtrack of the said musical. And when you search "a very potter musical official site", my AVPM post shows up 4th on the list. Thank you google. But besides from the added traffic, I also wanted to point the lost Potter fans to the right direction because I was also confused for a minute there on where's the starkidpotter's site. So to all the AVPM fans out there, the OFFICIAL SITE'S right this way:

http://www.teamstarkid.com

It features not only A Very Potter Musical but also Little White Lie (which I have yet to finish). There's not much on the site yet because it's fairly new but the link to where the soundtrack can be downloaded is up. Yay! As you can see from my screen cap I am currently downloading the zip file as I write this post. I've already listened to the soundtrack over and over again via imeem but having it saved in my computer and my cellphone for continuous play (on loop) is another thing. I'm so excited!

On another musical note: I'm so gaga over GLEE!


GLEE is the latest brainchild of Ryan Murphy, the creator of Nip/Tuck and Popular (which I also watched every episode of back then). In a nutshell, it's High School Musical meets Election (the movie, starring Reese Witherspoon) but with a sharper, more sardonic wit. It thankfully lacks HSM Gabriella's irritating pout and Disney's childish humor.




The pilot episode, for me, was a bit rushed and I've learned that it was premiered right after American Idol's season finale so that's probably why they tried to pack so much in one episode because the next one's set for September, four months after the pilot showing. After watching the second installment, though, of Glee, I'm hooked. Add to that the Don't Stop Believing number that I now have on my phone which I still can't get over.

So there's my take and humanitarian efforts for the two musicals so deserving of recognition. Go and watch A Very Potter Musical for the nth time, visit the site and download the soundtrack. Glee, meanwhile, if you're from the Philippines, will be premiering on ETC this Tuesday Sept. 15 @ 10pm.

What is Jun Pyo?

What is Jun Pyo?

a) A Chinese cuisine

b) A gay lingo

c) The korean prime minister

d) A phenomenon which renders its victims useless and incapable of speech nor any other bodily function. Usually occurs within the time period of 6:00 - 6:30 PM.

Correct Answer: D)



The Korean Smash hit Boys Over Flowers (which we call "Jun Pyo" because it's shorter and has less potential for double meanings *wink wink*), a version of the legendary Taiwan's Meteor Garden from the Japanese Manga Series Hana Yori Dango, has captured the hearts and imagination of thousands in Asia... including my mom. Everyday, the routine holds supreme in this household that within six to six thirty in the evening, time stops for 30 minutes, all activities halted and all eyes focused on one place, the TV.


The show centers around high school cliches, romantic cliches, cliches about rich people and all the stuff that makes TV interesting. The Flower Four (F4), a super rich gay, I'm sorry, GUY group of bullies with haircut phobias terrorize Shinwa High until the commoner Jan Di enters the scene and somehow managed to make F4 leader's Jun Pyo fall in love with her.

Cue in various love triangle, square, pentagon, octagon dramas, family problems of the rich and famous, a cat-eyed dictator mother, a tour scene in Macao (probably sponsored by the Macao Tourism Board), a forced marriage arc, a maid-master fetish episode and finally a partial amnesia finale bomb and you've got yourself a one entertaining series.

Since airing in May 2009 here in the Republic of Lapu-Lapu, (See, it will never work. Whoever thought of this name as a possible replacement for "Philippines"?) after it's 4 month run in the airwaves, the hit series is finally taking a bow tonight. And though I've already finished watching it in youtube.com, with better english subtitles I must add than the forced tagalog dubbed version of ABS-CBN, I decided to write this post as a memorabilia of the insane fixation this household has been under for a while now. Ah, we will miss the incomprehensible starter theme of the show and the gay-ness of the lead character's haircuts. Farewell.

Click HERE to revisit the good old days 10 minutes at a time (maximum youtube upload video duration) or to watch the finale in all its 4 years later beach-y glory.

Oops, spoiler. Ha.