Disney UK got a cool and heartwarming Christmas advert! I am particularly touched and moved by this video ad simply because it features bits of the Filipino qualities and culture.
Mano: the gentle placing of the back of the hands of your elders to your forehead is a unique Filipino gesture to show sign of respect to elders
Parol & Parol-Making: a lantern which is made of bamboo sticks and colored paper is a major Christmas symbol of every household in the Philippines. And it is a common practice that grade school students would create one as a school project during Christmas season so as to have it hanged in their respective houses. I made a horrible-looking one myself during my young school days!
Simbang Gabi: a Filipino-Catholic tradition of attending midnight Mass at a nearby Catholic church for 9 consecutive nights prior to Christmas Eve. And since I am wicked, this is one Filipino tradition that I never get to complete!
Recycling of an old cookie tin can:Lola-s (translation: grandmothers) around the nation would never throw away metal cookie cans. These would instead be re-used either as a jewelry box, a sewing kit container, an old photos or greeting cards chest or other similar charms, trinkets and mementos that a usual Filipino lola wants to keep.
Pure enjoyment. That is how I would describe my general view and opinion after watching the rebooted and newest version of Disney’s Beauty And The Beast. It is a film that is loaded with thoughts, scenes and features that will warm your heart. Viewers will definitely fall in love with the lead characters and will delightfully be mesmerized with the characters who were cursed to become inanimate objects. The Be My Guest scene was spectacular!
I’m pretty sure a lot has been written about the various characters of the movie. Even LeFou the sidekick of Gaston (the main nemesis) had loads of write ups about him because of his being a member of the LGBT. And since I am more of a fanatic of the antagonists that those of the usually boring bida, heroes, heroines or protagonists, let me write about Gaston.
Personally, Gaston (superbly played by Luke Evans in the movie) was a potential favorite at the beginning of the story but I eventually dropped him when he turned unreasonably evil. Gaston was funny and a likeable idiot at first half of the movie. With the good looks of Luke Evans, I’m pretty sure some of the viewers would rather drop the Beast and instead root for Gaston.
In the movie, Gaston started as a conceited narcissistic dude with a dash of charming-ness but his funny-at-first demeanor suddenly turned unappealing when he starts to get too irrationally sore and unreasonably obsessed with Belle. I don’t like the Gaston characterization at the end part because it does not have a background on why Gaston turned out to be the Gaston in the movie. Gaston is unlike other movie nemesis in which a backgrounder is presented on why they turned evil. I actually just assumed and have to settle on a thought that Gaston who wears a military uniform must be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after being in a terrifying war or traumatic battle that is why he is so unstable.
Though with unexplained past and unexplored personal history in the movie, I guess, Gaston’s character and wickedness is one vital need in the movie so as to enhance and further emphasize the pureness of the hearts of both Belle and the Beast. Without Gaston, there won’t be a tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, (all together now!) Beauty and the Beast.
Gaston did a pretty good job. He is actually the true and spot-on beast in the movie. If he survived the high fall at the end part of the story, he now has adequate reason to rile and aggravate the future lives of the Beauty and the Beast!
super lavet! (btw, images in this post are not mine)
My most previous post is about how I loved and enjoyed the movie Inside Out. But I could not stop myself from writing about another reason why people should see this new Pixar animation. It is because of the equally adorable short film which was featured prior to the main movie. It’s entitled Lava.
I was totally clueless when the short film started. I thought it was just one of the movie trailers or previews. But as the film continues with its charming music and unique love story, I eventually found myself so engaged with this impressive short film.
The short is about a volcano all alone in the middle of the sea longing to meet another volcano he would love. But since he’s stuck and could not move, all he could do until he grows old to the brink of extinction and nearly submerged under the sea was to sing a song about his dream of meeting a volcano he could love. He however doesn’t know that deep beneath the sea is a female volcano who hears his singing every day. This lady volcano knows that she is the one that the male volcano was longing for.
mr. volcano
lady volcano
But when a colossal shaking of the earth occurred, the female volcano emerged above the sea level. But she emerged facing the wrong way! The male volcano was at her back! The male volcano noticed the new, high and lovey lady volcano, but could no longer sing because his mouth is already submerged in water. He could not also be seen by the lady volcano for she emerged above water facing the wrong way. Until a great storm came and have the male volcano gone totally submerged underwater.
While underwater, the male volcano could hear the lady volcano singing his very song of hope. He was happy and knew that the volcano he was longing for was already up above the water. But the problem is, he is down submerged under water.
Until another mighty shaking and rumbling of the earth happened and the male volcano was pushed up above the water. Now both of them were above water and was actually positioned side by side seeing each other! Now both are singing a new song. This time, it is about having their wish coming true and that is to grow old together as two loving volcanoes.
Here’s the adorable storyteller of a song…
It sent shivers down my spine when the male lava has grown old and when the female volcano emerged from under the sea facing the other way. I was screaming in my mind “Goodness! Why are you facing the other way?”
But when both volcanoes eventually found each other, I was tearing already. Good thing, me and my family chose to watch the 3-D version. I was already wearing the 3-D glasses that’s why my relatives could not see me crying! Hahaha!
Aside from the adorable song, what I loved most about this short is the simplicity of the story. Maybe I am already so complicated that is why seeing something simple is so great for me. For me, Lava is a beautiful and moving short film. Those who won’t be moved by this film may literally need lots of super hot lava so as to melt their heart of stone.
Ang ganda! Parang gusto ko tuloy maging bulkan. Hahaha!
My favorite leading lady in Disney cartoon movie is not a princess. Let me clarify that this category is totally different from my favorite full-fledged Disney cartoon movie villain which is Ursula The Sea Witch.
Female Disney characters most especially the popular princesses would usually be characterized at the start of their respective stories as weak, fragile, innocent, helpless and gullible. A typical picture of damsels in distress or youthful naivety. These Disney ladies as the story unfolds would only develop strength and conviction after having met severe trials and tribulations. And usually their advancement for personal potency and realization for self-conviction would usually entail the help of a prince or a knight in shining armor.
These platitudes are totally not true for the vivacious Megara. Nicknamed, Meg. Unlike other female Disney characters, Meg already possess a tough, brazen and resilient character at the start of the 1997 Disney cartoon movie Hercules (which by the way is my favorite Disney cartoon movie).
Meg is not the naïve sweetie type girl possessing an innocent high pitched voice. She instead is a woman with an appealing sexiness coupled with an alluring husky voice of seduction. Meg actually started in the film being part of the group of adversaries and foes of Hercules. She’s one of the minions of villainous Hades and was kicking a lot of Olympian butts until she later softened up and fell in love with the virile and charming Wonder Boy.
Though not well emphasized in the film, Meg’s past is not all cakes and sunshine. Prior to meeting cool dude Hercules, Meg sold her soul to Hades to save an unfaithful boyfriend. This of course characterizes her being a woman with admirable guts and intense personal passion. And being an experienced woman, this sets Meg apart from the other virtuous and virginal female leads of Disney.
Because of this unique persona, Meg for me is the best Disney female character ever. I totally adore her depth and maturity. She for me seem to be the closest to reality. No fancy neither fantasy! She may not be a Disney princess but she indeed acts and possess the traits of what a mature smart-aleck woman should be.
‘Aktwali, mas birgin at inosente pa si Herkules sa kanya!
Nengkoy 