Thursday, December 4, 2008

Getting ready for a dance (and a postscript on 100)

Still inside the Pimai Historical Park, as I was heading my way towards the exit, I brushed air with these young dancers getting ready for a performance. Immediately, I positioned myself in a nice spot and took a series of shots as they were passing by me. The ladies looked really pretty even with the hot weather.

Girls' group

Young ladies in parade.

two girls

They glitter under the beating heat of the afternoon sun.

a smile for the photographer

A big smile for me?

Boys' group

"Stop wagging your tail, dude!"

painted bodies

The paintings on their bodies are part of the costume.

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[Postscript]

Why do we love numbers?

The same reason why we often enumerate in 3s and why we always want to be number 1. The same reason why we say 1-4-3 instead of saying “i love you” or 1-4-3-4-4 instead of “i love you very much”. The same reason why I love Wong Kar Wai’s 2046 or David Fincher’s se7en or Kim Ki-Duk’s 3-Iron. The same reason why I love Chris Martinez' 100.


100 poster

Last night, together with a few friends, I went to see 100, an indie Filipino film that premiered in the recently concluded Cinemalaya Festival but was released in five selected commercial theaters in Metro Manila last night. The movie is about a woman who was diagnosed with malignant cancer and was given 3 months to live (100 days). Through a series of post-it which she patiently posts and updates (together with friends and family), she lists down all the things she wanted and needed to do before finally kicking the bucket. This actually reminds me of the 2007 flick, Bucket List but it’s different. You need to watch to know. I like how 100 approaches the idea of “death” as something light and in a way both funny and sad. We will all die—that’s a given. What’s not is that, we need not to be sad and all too messy and emotional about it. Mylene Dizon's act is something to be swank about but Eugene Domingo is a nice spice to the film. Oki and I love her. Considering that this movie is about “death” I laughed most of the time.

* Before this film, I was already a fan of Chris Martinez because of his comedic masterpiece, "Last Order sa Penguin" which one of my professors in my MA required us to read. This professor, invited Chris to our small class to speak and well, we're supposed to ask him about his work and all that but I couldn't even ask one question. I dunno why but I get stun when I see 'great author' come alive before me. I always do. I always think of them as something surreal and err, dead? hehe. Anyway, most of my MA professors and classmates are "veterans" in the field so I should get used to it.

9 comments:

Sidney said...

Colorful dancers...

100...lets see if they bring it to a theater near me. ;-)

Photo Cache said...

Hubs and I love indie films. Will keep an eye on this movie. Hope Netflix would carry it.

Nice capture of the performers. Pretty faces, eh?

escape said...

nice capture. They very much look like Filipinos in Thai costumes. Still looking forward for more Thai shots. I've never been to Thailand.
The way you promote 100 makes me look for a way to watch it. I rarely or I can say never had a chance to watch indie pinoy movies. For this, ill try. Sounds so good and i like that Pinatubo shot on the poster.

1minutefilmreview said...

Nice post!

pieterbie said...

Those girls are pretty indeed.
Checked out the film here, but I cannot get it. Maybe it'll reach us.

Anonymous said...

If you've noticed in some paintings, the ladies are depicted half-naked sometimes, these dancers would have been 'dressed' as such.

Pareho tayo in terms of meeting with 'big wigs' in the industry, I tend to go to writing my questions or positions rather than speaking it out--that way, I'm safe and I think it is a stronger way of expressing your self--nakataga sa bato. (",)

my gulch said...

@Sidney:
The last time i heard, they'll be showing it only in 5 theaters. Megamall, SM North, Gateway, Rob Galleria, and Glorieta (no sure though). Hope you'll catch it. I know you didn't like Bucket List that much, maybe this one will capture you. hope so.

@photo cache:
i hope you guys could see it. i am an avid of indie films myself. Filipino indie films are booming these days. the quality is almost assured or at least, they are my cup of tea.

@hi dom!
if you need to visit at least one SE Asian country, I wish you visit Thailand for its richness. Minus the shopping, I guess you'd love the place. para ka din lang nasa Pinas. sana mapanood mo ang 100, quality film naman siya. wala akong porsiyento sa kikitain ng pelikulang ito, pero minsan masaya din kapag nakakapanood ka ng kuwalidad na pelikula na gawa sa atin. may laman, puso at balunbalunan. hehe. joke lang.

@1minutereview:
Thanks for dropping by!

@peter:
I doubt that. :-( i hope there's a way you could see the film.

@jim:
onga eh. minsan nauumid talaga ako. lalo na one time nung na-meet ko in the flesh si F. Sionil Jose. grabe, i had to buy one of his books so he could sign it. hehe. masaya, pero nawawalan talaga ako ng boses pag nakikita ko sila in person.

Anonymous said...

Would have been great to see them dance. Naku. I want to visit Thailand na rin hehe. Sana next year.

100 seems to be an interesting film. Sa pinatubo ata yung shot ng poster na yun

Anonymous said...

Really colorful dancers, di ba? Interesting post.

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