Must-Watch: 'August' and 'Weekend'

Recently I saw two gay films I have been urging my friends to watch.

First there's August (2011), which tells the story of Troy who returns to LA in the hope of reviving his relationship with his ex-lover Jonathan. They had a summer affair that ended bitterly but Troy wants to give it a second chance. Jonathan, who is now involved with Raul, is at first resistant to Troy's moves but the temptation is a bit hard to resist.

One of the film's insights is that when lovers stray from their relationships, it's not always because they're inherently cheating pricks or that they mean to hurt their partners. Cheating may happen when a person allows things to spiral down from a series of whimsical decisions, sometimes just to quell a curiosity just like in Jonathan's case.



There's nothing ground-breaking about the film, but what's interesting is how some of the circumstances in the tangled relationships of the three main characters seem familiar to us through our friends or even through first-hand experiences.

It does not hurt of course that the actors in the movie are as hot as summer in August.

And then there's the much-hyped gay movie of 2011, Weekend. This is yet another familiar story of one-night stands among gay men. We've been all through that at one point or another.

What seemed like a single encounter flourished into a deeper connection between Russel and Glen as they explore their pasts and experiences as gay men. On the latter, they discuss a bit of the politics of being gay in modern Britain. In fact there's a lot of talking in the movie, which is why some people have called it the gay Before Sunset.

And just like in Before Sunset, Russel and Glen also grapple with the reality that their relationship is short-lived.  So there's a very subdued tension between them while they make the most of what little time they have.

The actors have exceptional chemistry, helped, ironically, by the contrasting personalities of their characters: Russel's pensiveness and Glen's detachment.

Again, there are no breakthroughs in this film, but it excels in treating a familiar subject with deeper sensitivity and complexity than most gay movies I've seen.



Good news is both films are now available for download.

A "Wicked" Experience in Singapore

I was in Singapore last weekend, my first time to visit the island state. I've never been interested to visit Singapore before; that is until I heard "Wicked" would be staged at the Marina Bay Sands. I've been a big fan of "Wicked" for quite some time now. It's just one of those big Broadway musicals I could only dream of seeing. Besides, it was also a good reason to finally see the Lion City.

Well, my impressions of Singapore are all the things you've heard about it from other people: it's clean, has lots of trees, it's orderly and efficient, and so on. Those things I immediately noticed, especially the trees.

Did someone tell you it has loads of Pinoys too? We are everywhere there! In the bus, on the train, on the pavement... every freaking where. It's nice though. It's like being back in Manila, only it's way, way cleaner than the usual.

So I also have Pinoy friends there who warmly welcomed me to their home for two nights. We hopped around the bars in the gay area of Tanjung Pagar (if I remember that correctly) on my first night there.

I fell in love with that area just around China Town - all those quaint old shophouses and temples - where I also went to meet some more friends for lunch at a hawker's place. By the way, I was absolutely thrilled by the diversity of food one can find in Singapore. No, I did not try chicken rice or crab chili thingie when I was there. That should be for next time no?

I also missed going to the Singapore Art Museum, which was in my itinerary. I just ran out of time, so I instead went straight from China Town to Marina Bay Sands.

Gosh, that is one posh place. I'm not too sold out on the architecture though (I saw the mall mostly). It's meant to awe, the sheer enormity of it - glass, steel, lights, and all - is supposed to sweep you off your feet, but obviously not mine. I don't know, I just felt disconnected from it. Or maybe I'm just bitter because I could not afford anything there. :-)

So it's time to watch "Wicked". I was there way too early, I was one of the first few people who entered the lobby. Excited much?

The show was ahhhmazing. I'm not kidding when I say that I had goosebumps practically through the entire show. I've been listening to the musical's songs for ages now, and to finally see them given life by the actors, dancers, lights, costumes, and set was nothing short of a transcendental experience.

For me, Glinda (Suzie Mathers), the good witch, stole the show. She's perky, endearingly self-absorbed, and, how shall I put this... kikay.

Elphaba (Zoe Jarett) was overshadowed perhaps because she lacked intensity. She's a good singer of course, but I expected Elphaba to be more fervent, if not angrier. Even the "Defying Gravity" segment lacked power... but then maybe I just expected too much from the scene.

The other scene I most looked forward to is the one in which they sing "For Good". I've always loved that song and seeing it performed on stage almost made me cry.

So watching "Wicked" was a dream come true for me. All those songs are still playing in my head. And as I write this post I'm listening to its recording. Thanks a lot for the kind soul who made it possible... you know who you are.

A note to my 21-year-old self

Oh no, the last day of 2011. What a year for me! But I'm not going to look back on it in this post. I'd rather go back ten years ago when I was 21.

I've always thought of writing a "note to my XX-year-old self", so I chose to write to my 21-year-old self because 2001 was a pivotal year for me. For one, I graduated from university, hence, I entered the world of being a real adult. And most importantly, I lost my virginity when I was 21. Okay, okay, I'm a fucking late bloomer. Charot!

So what will I tell my 21-year-old self?

On life in general, I'd say: "Gurrrl, life is not always fair. Most of the time, in fact, life is just damn unfair. The sooner you accept that, the more at peace you'd be with life." Harsh, but true, chai mai?

On your goals: Keep them high, but also make the most of surprising opportunities. Don't be afraid to tweak your goals along the way; it's not a sign of failure, but it only means you can adapt.

On knowledge: Be hungry to learn new things. Read. Most of the time there's no practical reason for knowing these things except to exercise your mind, a worthy goal in itself. Travel. It costs a lot but you'd have a lifetime of memories.

On your skills: You'll never be a good singer. Focus on what you do well and keep on honing it because you can always be better. Also, learn new skills that you can be good at. But, again, you cannot sing.

On success: Don't feel entitled to success. You have to earn it. Work your ass off. You may not always have the results you want, but be proud of your efforts nonetheless, and be humble about your achievements.

On other people: Respect them all the time and they'd respect you back. Three words: empathize, empathize, empathize. Be mindful that everyone has a story.

On family: Continue loving them with all your might. Your parents are as human as you are, so be generous in affirming them you love them.

On friends: They come and go, most of them at least. But nurture the few ones who you feel would accept you in spite of you. You'd be lucky with your friends. They're all amazing and generous. You'd have them for life.

On men: All men think with their dicks. There are many nice, decent, loving ones, of course, but ultimately they are all driven by their cocks. Don't take it personally; it's just how nature programmed them, including yourself.

On sex: This will be your year, gurl. Just don't expect too much. There will be NO fireworks. With the right person though it can be quite special.

On beauty: Enjoy that18-inch waistline. It will stay for only another two years, and then it all goes downhill from there.

In conclusion: Be fearless. Take risks. Keep on learning. Enjoy your youth. Love your family. Treasure your friends. Life would be very kind to you. And, bitch, 31 is not as old as you think.

Favorite Things of 2011

It's that time of the year again when I list down my favorite "things"... for lack of a better term.

I really don't have a proper criteria, just that these are personal favorites from the year that's just about to end. These are the things that I felt were highlights of 2011, the things that make 2011 more memorable. (These books and films for instance didn't have to be released in 2011, but I had access to them in only 2011.)

So let's start.

My favorite film is "Dogtooth" (2009). This Greek film blew me away for its unusual depiction of parenting. It resonated with me because often I question to what extent parents should influence the "reality" that their children are exposed to. This movie has some answers that made me squirm.

My favorite documentary is "Exit Through the Gift Shop" (2010). This is one hilarious and irreverent documentary about street art, its driving forces, and how it has crept into the mainstream art market.

My favorite album is absolutely Adele's "21". I mean, haler!!! Enough said. I'm almost tempted to name Lady Gaga's "Born this Way", but I based my choice on the number of times I listened to each album, and "21" has been on loop in my computer since it was released. 

Which makes my favorite song "Someone Like You". I'm sure I'm not alone in naming it their favorite song of the year, and it's easy to understand why.

My favorite novel is "Room" (2010) by Emma Donoghue. It's very difficult to read it at times because of the horrific experience of its main characters. But it ends with a positive note, somehow. I've been recommending this novel to all my friends.

My favorite non-fiction book is "The Case for God" (2009) by renowned scholar Karen Armstrong. The book traces the history of religion (mainly the Abrahamic ones), its philosophy, and practice, and asserts that religion is transcendental and best known through practice. 

My favorite website is Piratebay. How on earth would I survive the year without this website where I get my movies and music, aber? I looooooove Piratebay! My second favorite website is Google Reader where I now read all my favorite blogs. 

And my favorite blog is still "The Sartorialist". Scott Schuman's blog has evolved to featuring profiles and interviews of his subjects. But he is still consistent in his taste for classic and often times quirky fashion on the streets. 

Talk about fashion, my favorite model this year is the androgynous model Andrej Pejic. Now he is the quintessential model: a chameleon. He is as good as a "male" model and as a "female" model. Truly, he represents fashion today, one that is undefinable and fearless. 

My favorite clothing brand at the moment is Uniqlo, which opened in Bangkok a few months ago. I love its basics because I'm now on a "basics" phase. It's a big plus Uniqlo is soooo affordable.

Lastly, my favorite trip of the year was my ten days in Myanmar (blog posts here and here). It's a country I've long wanted to visit and it did not disappoint. I was completely enamored of the colonial architecture in Yangon and the serenity of the beaches of Ngwe Saung. I'm definitely going back to Myanmar in 2012.

Happy New Year, my dear ten readers and thanks for still following the blog.

When NOT to go to Seoul

I almost didn't get a visa to Seoul because the embassy only had two days to process it. Usual processing time is three days. But because I was in Surigao and there was a Thai public holiday, I had to ask the embassy to reconsider my case.

The visa was issued to me the very same day I flew to Seoul with a number of colleagues for a two-day meeting.

I was already warned by our partner in Seoul that the weather was going to be below zero. Thank god, Uniqlo in BKK has some thermal underwear. I used to scoff at the racks where they sell warm clothes. Who needs them in Bangkok? Now I understand.

But nothing could have still prepared me for the weather in Seoul. The average temperature was something like -3... at daytime! One night we experienced -8! I'm not a fan of cold weather; and it was also my first time to experience winter.

Those thick coats we see on TV and the movies look cute all right, but NOT in real life, I realized. I just couldn't stand having to wear two socks, two underwear, a shirt, jumper, coat, scarf, hat, and gloves. Awful! And my skin was flaky and itchy as shit.

I hated my time in Seoul, whereas it was lovely autumn weather when we went there last year. This time around, going outside was just discouraging. I shivered like crazy the moment I stepped out of the hotel. At times I literally ran to the car from the hotel lobby.

Well, on my first day, I had the courage to go to the National Museum of Contemporary Art. It was a long subway ride. The museum is located in the mountains, a good contrast to the concrete and steel of downtown Seoul.

But other than that opportunity of exploring Seoul, we were mostly holed up in the warmth of the meeting room. Even shopping was not an option as they were selling winter clothes now. Duh.

I'd go back to Seoul anytime there's an opportunity though. It's a lovely city, with heritage and modern buildings sitting side by side. The shopping is not bad either. But definitely, I'd rather be on the right season when I go back there.

Last day in Surigao

I'm on my last full day in Surigao. It's another rainy day here; nothing surprising about it. And the neighbors are singing karaoke for all the village to hear. Nothing surprising about that as well. Okay, I'm not going to whine on my last day here.

My sister and brother also visited Surigao a couple of weeks ago. We went to the beach a couple of times and hung out with cousins and other relatives.

And then after Davao, I met some of my closest friends for some catching up on our lives. It always amazes me how much our lives change, in say 10 years. Our expectations from others, as well as from ourselves, are often very different from how they turn out to be. Not that I'm disappointed about my friends' lives... on contrary most of them are happy (as far as I can tell). I guess what I'm saying is that life is just fucking unexpected.

Just yesterday, I unearthed my box of mementoes in which I store old letters, among many other odd bits of papers. When we were in high school, my friends and I sent each other letters and notes. It's a lot of "thank you for being my friend" - you know, high school stuff. It's always reassuring that my friends and I have withstood the test of time and distance (thank you Facebook and email!).

Anyway, so that's all what this trip is all about. Just some much needed time with family and friends, and realizing the value of the people that are constantly in our lives in spite of the changes we all go through.

Now I'm ready to go back to Bangkok because frankly I'm now bored in Surigao... what can one do with all this rain, aber?

Visiting Davao

I'm in Las Islas Filipinas at the moment to visit family and friends. I intended to stay in my hometown, Surigao City, the two weeks I'm here. My mom has other ideas, though. She decided to drag me to Davao as she had been keen on visiting my sister who now lives there.

Davao was my home for about four years. I moved there after graduating from university and I worked in an NGO during my stay there. So over the years I have accumulated a number of close friends, with whom I've kept in touch over the years. 

Meeting them during my three-day visit was on top of my agenda (aside of course from spending time with my mom and sister). I wish I had more time to meet more of my friends and former colleagues, but I simply didn't have the time.

I had a bit of a chance as well to visit some places I used to frequent when I lived in Davao, in particular my former office, which has radically changed. Now I know only two people there and the rest are new employees. 

In terms of landscape, there are definitely heaps of changes in the city compared with the last time I visited it a couple of years ago. Well, there are more malls, if that's any sign of progress and definitely the city got more crowded and the traffic worse. Despite these changes, I still see the appeal of Davao's relatively more laid-back rhythm and cheaper cost of living.

It was definitely a short three days in Davao, but the trip was worthwhile... including the harrowing ten-hour bus ride back to Surigao.

And there's always Diana Krall

For some reason I always run to this song whenever I hit these little snags in life. I remember posting this as well four years back because there's always some comfort in telling your self that in love you win some and then lose some. It's often certain in relationships that when you love you also get hurt eventually. It's the natural progression of relationships.  When things fall apart, and after the initial doubts and perhaps the onslaught of nagging questions, as well as the pain, we just have to live with it and move on.



"Why Should I Care"

Was there something more I could have done?
Or was I not meant to be the one?
Where's the life I thought we would share?
And should I care?

And will someone else get more of you?
Will she go to sleep more sure of you?
Will she wake up knowing you're still there?
And why should I care?

There's always one to turn and walk away
And one who just wants to stay
But who said that love is always fair?
And why should I care?

Should I leave you alone here in the dark?
Holding my broken heart
While a promise still hangs in the air
Why should I care?

Art is in the Details

The 57th National Art Exhibition has been on show at the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre for several weeks now. The exhibition is also an art competition. The first time I went there I was very much awestruck by the pieces, so I went back there yesterday to take photos, which I'm sharing here.

By the entrance of the exhibition is Phanee Phoudom's 'Society of Consumerism'.

Also near the entrance is Sittichoke Wichian's 'Kite and Bond No. 2', a mixed-media installation employing traditional kite techniques.

This massive piece is entitled 'Woods (Painting Embellished with Glass No. 2)' is by Kajondet Niwyin.

This is my BF's favorite, a very intricate, and presumably tedious, drawing on canvas by Jiratchaya Pripwai called 'Meditation Therapy No. 1'. The piece is huge, so you can only imagine how much time was spent on this amazingly executed drawing.

My favorite, on the other hand, is Suporn Kaewda's 'Formation of One Thing Lies on the Deterioration of Another No. 3', a 2.5 x 3.5 meter oil pastel on canvas. I believe this is the Grand Prize winner. The ripples of the water are very mesmerizing as they are, but if you look closer the ripples are in fact made up of detailed drawings of mythical aquatic creatures (at least that's how the figures look to me).

I was mainly drawn to the paintings that were heavily detailed, such as Attapon Seetrongprasert's 'Heritage No. 1', which looked like it was made of ancient hieroglyphics.

Also intricate is Hathairat Rodkeaw's 'Southern Path No. 2', which used acrylic tempera on rubber. The "leaves" have drawings of monks, fish, and other cultural aspects of Southern Thailand on them.

There's also something raw about the Wiwat Jindawong's 'Agricultural Way of Life No. 5', a drawing measuring a massive 2.6 x 2.95 meters.

Equally massive (1.92 x 3.5 meters) is Pradit Tungprasartwong's 'Panna or Wisdom: Means of Survival' (oil on canvas). I guess this is also one of the winning entries, but I find it somewhat gimmicky for my taste.

Not as big (only 1.83 x 1.11 meters), but with heavier impact on me, is 'Self', a digital print and hand-cut paper by Kamolpan Chotivichai.

Among the sculptures, of which there are many, Surasok Sannung's 'Sustainable Happiness No. 1' made a very good impression. It used local pottery techniques.

I was also struck by the rigidity of the angles of 'State of Surrender', a fiberglass casting by Pangsak Nateetornmongkol.

My favorite sculpture there is Yutthasilp Siritap's 'Suffering from Malignant Disease'. The size is stunning, rendering it so much power. The subject of fierce dogs and hungry crows tearing apart a man's body into pieces has such a visceral impact on me. It was placed near the end exhibit, a fitting conclusion to a celebration of the talent of Thailand's artists.

And some more photos....