Movie filled weekend

We got to watch a lot of movies this past weekend. Four movies to be exact.

Confessions of a Shopaholic
I have a fondness for beautiful ladies who can make me laugh. It's one of the reasons why I'm with Cza.(*mush*) Rising star Isla Fisher was an excellent choice to star in this movie. She played shopaholic Rebecca Bloomwood with charm and humor.

Though this is considered a chick flick. It's a movie that even REAL MEN SUCH AS MYSELF can enjoy. It's not the type of movie that will get you to drop to the floor and burst out laughing. But it's funny enough and definitely worth watching.


Gran Torino
I've already watch this previously on DVD(click here for my review) . I went and watched it again since Cza hasn't watched it yet. I don't mind having to watch a movie again. Especially if it's a good one. Second time around, this movie is still awesome. I think I even enjoyed it more. There really is a difference between watching a movie at home on DVD and watching it on the cinema. I find watching in the cinema more enjoyable. And I guess it's also more fun to enjoy a good movie with other people. And I'm glad to say Cza liked this movie too.


Valkyrie
I've been looking forward to seeing this movie since it was still being shot. I wasn't excited about this because it starred Tom Cruise. I was excited to see it because it was directed by Bryan Singer. He's the director of X-Men, X-Men: United and Superman Returns. But I actually became a fan of Bryan Singer after watching his very first movie, The Usual Suspects. It's one of my favorite movies.

This movie is about a group of German soldiers plotting to assassinate Adolf Hitler. They do this to show the world that not all Germans are as evil as Hitler and his Nazis. This is based on a true story and if you read back on World War II history, you could already get an idea of how the movie is going to end. But though this movie is spoiled by history, Bryan Singer still managed to make this movie thrilling and even make you even hope that what you've learned in history class was wrong. There's not much action sequences in this movie. A whole lot more of chatting and plotting which remarkably will keep you on the edge of your seat.


He's just not that into you
This is a fairly enjoyable movie. It features intertwined characters and their experiences with relationships. Each story is different and quite interesting. But I have to say my favorite one would the story of Ginnifer Goodwins character.

Based on the title you'd think the stories would be rather one sided and that it would only show women and their bad experiences with men. But that's not the case. The movie features both sides of the story. There's even a story of a man and a girl who's not into him.

The movie has its fair share of funny and dramatic moments. And the star studded cast was nice to see. All in all it thought this movie ok.

weekend mode!

the weekend is almost here! and i'm on weekend mode already. we don't really have anything planned for the weekend though. hehe.. so far the only plan is to go to Moomba after work for a get together with Cza's high school friends. Cza's friends are nice and fun bunch. so i'm looking forward to goin out later.

since we really don't have any plans for the weekend yet. i thought i'd list down some things to do:

1. Spend time with Cza
yeah i know we already spend most of our time together. but what can say. i enjoy spending time with her.

2. Get some sleep
i try to get 8 hours of sleep on the weekends. it's the only time i get to do so. i usually sleep for 5 hours at most.

3. Go to the Gym
i desperately need to get back into shape. must loose 20 lbs. i'll try to loose 10 more if ever i do loose 20. but it depends on how i'll look when that time comes. i don't want to be too thin.

4. Watch a movie
can this be considered a vice? because if it is. then this is really mine. i'm a movie freak.

5. Go to Mass
but of course.

hmmmmm.. that's all i can think of for now. other things to do usually come up throughout the weekend anyway. but no biggie if nothing else does. the important is thing is to relax and not think of work. hehehe.. Have a nice weekend everyone!=)

happy bday allan & alex!

It was Alexens birthday yesterday. We went to Sidebar in El Pueblo Ortigas where he treated us to a few drinks. It was nice going to Sidebar again. I haven't been there in while. Unlike when I used to work at SVI. I was there regularly.

Thanks for treating us to a few drinks and some funny stories(*wink wink*) Alex. Happy Birthday!!

Pam, Alexen & Meg

----

Yesterday was our friend Allantonies birthday as well. Happy Birthday Allan! Hope you had a happy birthday there at Singapore.

Allantonie

Marley & Me

Based on the trailer I assumed that this was just another dog movie. I wasn't planning to watch this. Well, at least not in the cinema. It's the type of movie which I was planning to watch on DVD. But during our valentines date. Kai, one ofCza's sanity keeper, texted her and said that the movie is really nice. And so based on her recommendation. We decided to catch it the very next day.

Kai also mentioned that this movie is bit of a tearjerker. I guess thanks are in order. I'm a bit of a sap myself. So this info allowed me to MAN UP and not cry in the cinema..hehe

This turned out to be a nice one indeed. It so much more than just a typical dog movie. It's a dramedy about a married couple, John & Jenny Grogan(Wilson & Aniston), going through life with the worst dog in the world. Marley, the dog, chews everything, howls during thunderstorms, eats a lot, poops a lot and seems to chase whatever moves. But he's a lucky dog as well because he found a home with the Grogans . Other couples might not have the same patience as they do. Moments of Marley wreaking havoc is fun to watch. You expect the Grogans to finally get fed up with him and get rid of him. But instead they grew to love him. And we the audience begin to love Marley too.

I don't want to spoil too much of what happens in the movie. But this movie is heart warming and you may cry by the end of it. It's a very good movie to see. So do go and catch it if you can. And if you don't have one yet, you may want to go and get a dog after watching this film.

The Pink Panther 2

Steve Martin is one of my favorite comedians. He has a certain style of humor which I find amusing. When I first read news a couple of years ago of him planning to star as Jacques Clouseau, in a prequel to the classic Pink Panther movies. I was afraid for him. The bumbling Inspector is a role immortalized by the late great Peter Sellers(pictured below). And it's a pretty bold move for Martins part to revive the character. I expected the first film to be a huge disappointment. Luckily, it turned out to be a fairly enjoyable film. Good enough to merit a sequel.

I haven't seen any of the original Pink Panther films. So I can't really say who does a better Clouseau. But in my opinion, I think Steve Martin has held his own with his rendition of the character.

The Pink Panther 2 delivers the same laughs and gags brought to us by it's predecessor. So if you enjoyed the first movie, it's fair to say you'll enjoy this one too.

The movie is a bit slap sticky and may not appeal to all. But this is the type of film that comes off as funny if you allow yourself to laugh at the ridiculous. The best way to enjoy this film is to leave all seriousness outside the cinema. Clear your mind, sit back and just have fun.

Cafe Bola

It's Friday night, the day before Valentines day. All Cza and I had planned was a simple dinner and watch Pink Panther 2 afterwards. We decided to eat at Cafe Bola because it wasn't too expensive. I think, both of us were thinking of going all out for our VDay date tomorrow. Plus we haven't eaten at Cafe Bola for some time.

Sometimes, when you go and visit a place you haven't been to in a while. You find yourself having a nice time. And this is one of those times.

Cream of Mushroom Soup
This is actually my favorite here in Cafe Bola.
I'd keep coming back here for this.

Adobo Flakes + Kesong Puti
This is nice too. Nothing out of this world or
anything. It's adobo presented in fancy manner.

Caramelized Spam + Egg
This was nice as well. And since it's the day
before valentines day. They put a little twist
with the egg and shaped it into a heart.

Gran Torino

I've been reading a lot of good reviews and acting praises for Clint Eastwood in this movie. I finally got to watch it last weekend. And this indeed is a good movie!

As a director, Clint Eastwood has already proven that he is a great one. He even has two Best Director Oscars to back it up. And though he's already achieved Oscar glory, he's not slowing down yet. He's capable of releasing not just one good movie a year, but two. A couple of years ago, he released 'Flags of our Fathers' and 'Letters from Iwo Jima'. And early last year he released 'Changeling'. Another good movie which resulted in an Oscar nomination for Angelina Jolie. And by the end of last year he brings us Gran Torino.

Not only does Clint Eastwood treat us with his mastery of movie story telling. But he elevates himself by delivering an amazing acting performance. He stars in this movie as somewhat grumpy old bigot named Walt Kowalski. His wife recently passed away and he's now living alone in a neighborhood invaded by Koreans. Which is ironic for him since he's a Korean War veteran.

Now that he's living alone, all he wants to do is be left alone. Spend his days maintain his house, drinking beer on his porch and keeping his 1972 Gran Torino in mint condition. It's his most prized possession.

Everything changes however when some gang was causing trouble with his Korean neighbor. He brings out his rifle and drives the gang away. His entire neighborhood considered his act as heroic. But all he wanted was keep people away from his property. And this event results in him eventually getting to know his Korean neighbors and they become part of his life.

The nice thing about this movie is that it's not all drama. There are some humorous and heartwarming moments in it. And there's a little bit of action as well. Which is why Clint Eastwood is getting well deserved praise for his work in this film. He portrayed Walt as a very unpleasant person. But as the story moves on, you begin to see him as a good person even though his character never really changed. We just got to know him better. And it's also amazing that he was able to effectively show us that a 78 year old man can still be an action hero.

When you get the chance and if your in the mood for a good story. Go and watch this movie. It's definitely a nice film to see.

Wham Burgers & Yes Man

Wham Burgers
Last Saturday, Cza and I decided to watch a movie at Shangri La Mall. Originally we were supposed to watch 'Milk'. But then we saw that 'Yes Man' was still showing in Shangri La and thought of watching it instead. We'll watch 'Milk' next time.

After buying the tickets, we thought grabbing something to eat first. We found ourselves eating at Wham Burgers. We never got to taste the burgers the last time we were supposed to eat there because we were going to be late for the movie. It's a good thing we had some spare time now.

At Wham Burger, I was curious to try the double wham burger at first. But then I thought it might be too much for me to finish. So I opted to just try the basic Wham Burger w/ Cheese. Cza had the same. And we ordered some criss cross fries as well.

Our order. Sorry I wasn't able to take a closer pic of the burgers. We were really hungry and was excited to try the burgers. And the charbroiled burgers did not disappointl. They were really tasty. The bread was soft and good. It's a good thing I didn't go for the double wham burger. The Wham Burger w/ Cheese was already filling. Oh and surprisingly, the criss cross fries was really good too. Will definitely be going back to Wham Burger again to try out the other burgers.


Yes Man

It's been a while I think since Jim Carrey made a movie. So I was kinda looking forward to this one. Liar Liar is one of my favorite funny movies. And I was hoping this movie would be as funny too.

And the verdict.. Well, this movie isn't as funny as Liar Liar. But I wasn't disappointed at all with this film. It was funny too. I found myself laughing a lot of times. Cza can attest to that. My favorite part in the movie was when there was a man attempting to jump off a building, and Jim Carrey tries to stop him by playing the guitar and singing Third Eye Blinds Jumper.

Yes Man is an enjoyable film. It's a nice film to see if your looking for a few laughs. Plus the whole idea of saying Yes to life is something to think about. This film is actually based on a novell by Danny Wallace, a man who decided to spend a year saying Yes where one would have said No. I think it's good be adventurous and try new and different things. After all, if you haven't tried, then you haven't really lived.

Seven Pounds

Wasn't really looking forward to seeing this movie. Didn't get all excited to watch it based on the trailers. I was ok to watch it on DVD. But then destiny came knockin with free tickets to it's advance screening at Glorietta 4. So hence, I got to watch this movie for free with Cza and her two best friends, Myra & James.

Seven Pounds is a movie starring Will Smith as an IRS agent named Ben Thomas. Oh so it seems. This movie revolves around the mystery of who Ben Thomas is. Why he is who he is. What he's planning to do. And who are the seven strangers he's going to help and why.

The movie is a bit long. And after an hour you may get restless because nothing is revealed until the very last quarter of the movie. You may begin to think, when will this movie start making sense. At this point it's make or break for the movie. Everything now hangs on whether you'll be satisfied with the ending or not.

I guess that's where this movie is effective. It does a great job in hooking you to the story. There are times when the movie gets dragging. But you can't really walk away from it because deep down, you'd like to see how it ends.

I think Will Smith displays some of his finest acting in this film. He portrays Ben Thomas as charming, smart, mysterious and a determined character. His best scenes are when he's alone and he makes a face wherein you know he's a man scarred. Too bad there were a lot of great acting performances this year. Will Smith could have had a chance at a nomination for Best Actor.

All in all, I found Seven Pounds to be OK. It's not the type of movie I'd like watch over and over again. But I enjoyed it the one time I saw it.

Savory Chicken

On Sundays, Cza and I usually hear mass at Gateway and then have dinner afterwards. Last Sunday She gave me the task of deciding where to have dinner again. For some sort reason, I was in the mood for chicken. But I didn't want to eat chicken at the usual places we go to like kfc or pancake house. And then I remembered she took me to a restaurant in Ali Mall before where I was sure I enjoyed the chicken. I couldn't remember the name of the restaurant so I asked her. She knew right away which restaurant I was referring to upon hearing 'Yummy Chicken' and 'Ali Mall'. The name of the restaurant is Savory Chicken.


At Savory Chicken, we ordered the Cream of Crab and Corn Soup, 1/2 Chicken and 2 cups of rice(one cup for each of us)

The Cream of Crab and Corn Soup.
This Costs less than P200 and is totally worth it.
This was really nice and is good for 4 people. We
weren't able to finish this and ended up bringing
the left over home.

1/2 Savory Chicken
Our main reason for eating here. This Chicken
is excellent. It costs less than P200 as well.
May not look much in the picture. But this
chicken really tasty. Living up to it's
Savory name.

In case your like me and wasn't aware, Savory Chicken has actually been around for quite some time. Here's a brief history of Savory Chicken which I found on another website.

"In 1950, the Ting brothers put up a panciteria in Quiapo. The panciteria served only lomi until the brothers decided to expand the variety of their menu to meet the rising popularity of their restaurant. A special recipe for chicken and gravy was created which became popular among customers who would come to dine in their small restaurant. The special chicken recipe was famous for its tenderness and flavorful juicy taste. Soon, the Savory Chicken House opened its first branch in Escolta. "

Picture of the Original Savory Chicken in Escolta.

ooooh! it's a blog!

and yet.. here i am again. attempting to try my hand at blogging. hehe..
let's see what i can do with this..

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