Racist in Avatar Movie?

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap.org/some-see-racist-theme-alien-adventure-avatar-ap

In response to yahoo's article:

Yeah, perhaps it is the whole White Messiah thing but perhaps James Cameron didn't really intend to make it so.

For me, it is a well executed Futuristic Sci-Fi Pocahontas and Fern Gully. It one of those movies you watch to unwind. Yeah, some scenes were soooo cliche and expected but then if they didn't happen, you'd be disappointed.

So what do the critics want?

I like it. I'll probably buy the DVD and watch it a couple of times.

Cool world. Neat tech. Good execution. Colorful characters.

Avatar Movie

Today, we watched Avatar.


Formulated story but well executed.

Ok, the plot was typical. He's sent to infiltrate but he meets girl, fall in love with girl, falls in love with people, save people, become one with people. Yeah but it had cool effects. Felt like watching a discovery planet documentary only there were blue men along with Dinosaur looking creatures.

They had their own language and customs. It feels indigenous. Like natives but it was consistent.

I love the planet!

Is it a must see movie? Yes.
Very entertaining and I would watch it again but perhaps not in 3D anymore. 3D is too costly to watch.

Dayo: The Wanderer

Can you truly be a foreigner in your own home?

Sadly, yes. There are times when we Filipinos loose the sense of being Filipino. So, what is Filipinoness? Three of my professors in college posed this question to our class. What is Filipino in elements.

One even elaborated that is it because gawa-pinoy that already make it proudly Philippine made?

Sadly, we are losing the sense of Filipinoness. We are losing our identities. We are loosing what made the foreigners wish to come to us in the first place. Media has eaten away our being loyal, friendly, warm and hospitable traits. Now, Dayo is using the media to revive it.

Last Friday, me and my sister were invited to the viewing of Dayo. Haha, we did our hair and fussed over what to wear when they told us red carpet event. When we got there, oh dear, we were over dressed. Everyone was in jeans and t-shirt. So much for Red carpet. At least we got to walk on it.

The movie is rated G for all audience. Yes, it's a family movie. Don't worry, adults can relate. The story is pretty much straight forward. Simple but good. I'm glad they didn't sacrifice the story just for the sake of having a digital animated movie.

Story: **** 1/2 (0ut of 5)

Dialogue: ***1/3

(would have been great except the yaya-nangals repeat themselves)

Music: *****

(Great sound effect! Perfect timing! Love the Theme! Love Joey Ayala!)

Effects: ***

Cinematography: ****

2d: ****

3d: **

Sadly, the pasting of 2d and 3d did not mesh well. Buboy's childhood nearly looks like one big donut add. My critique is that the school needs work. The school itself is boring, there is not much details except the TJ hotdog booth which looked pasted on. Everywhere else was cool.

So, what makes it Filipino? Aside from 100% gawa-Pinoy factor, the story, the set and the elements.

The story is set in modern day Pilipinas. Probably Antipolo or near since that's what is says in the jeepney. Then, it shifts to Elementalia, the world beyond/under/within the one Buboy is living in. Buboy, the star is your supposedly typical boy. Maybe I should say he's not the typical boy. What is typical today do shift and the creators of Dayo probably wants to bring back what a typical Pinoy boy should be: magalang, matulungin and malambing sa pamilya. He is raised by his grandparents and is struggling from bullies in school. Meet Ana, your never-typical mananang-girl! Who would have thought to use one as a star? She's slang, hip (not literally) and very helpful trait we should revive.

Lolo Nano may not be Lola Bashyang but he is wise and has lots of word of wisdom to share. There is Narsi, the narcisitic tikbalang who is oh-so-cool. Because Buboy was able to subdue him and get a hair, he is bound to Buboy until the next rainfall. An old lore which is not widely circulated. He then forms a friendship with Buboy and Ana and helps them in their task. There are so many creatures of lore in Elementalia, I'll leave the audience to find out.

So, what makes it believable? Yeah, it's a world beyond ours. But details are details. Look at Buboy's world for example. There's the jeep with controls resembling airplanes. There's the telephone poles na parang bulati hanging. He's got a picture of the last supper and those big wooden utensils in the dining area. His room has lots of posters. There are pictures of his achievements int he sala for all the world to see. We can see that Filipinos have a deep sense of religiosity. He makes the sign of the cross before jumping into the water and he prays before going to bed.

Ever heard of a capre who talks bisaya? You'll have to hear it! Bobuy can't understand but you should if you are really Filipino. Why? Because 90% of Pinoys speak it or even understands bits of it.

Do you have a protective parent? That's another Filipino trait. Although this parent is very workaholic, he does it to protect Ana and his world. The Yaya-nangals are not Ana's parents but they treat her like a daughter. Lolo Nano too treats her like family.

What may have been Typical Filipino culture is slowly dying because of foreign media. I'm glad Dayo is trying to revive it. A part 2 should be in order. Elementalia offers a setting where the younger children can unleash their creativity.

I'll let you get your own details on the production at:

www.dayomovie.com

Thanks to everyone at Dayo! We had a wonderful time at the studio and at the red carpet event! More power to you and to everyone involved in creating a wonderful masterpiece!

A Hero Comes Home

Lyrics | Idina Menzel - A Hero Comes Home lyrics

I love this song...

I hate the Beowulf version. I think I prefer the original hero with no equal version. If we aspire the skies, we might land on the roof. The flawed Beowulf aspires the roof and falls on the floor.
The story is sacrificed for the effects.

Dayo, to wander in a foreign world...

Dayo- can mean two things. 1. Foreign. A foreigner, dayuhan. 2. Travel or to welcome a traveler. Dayon ta. Mu-dayon to travel.

A boy named Buboy searches for his missing grandparents in the world of Elementalia with the help of Ana, a creature of lower myth. Together, they journey Elementalia and find the culprits responsible.

Ana, by the way, is a manananggal. She can detatch her lower half and fly away.

Dayo to the World of Computer Magic and Human Ingenuity...

The Filipino in Us

Saturday, bloggers were invited to Cutting Edge Studios, the makers of Dayo, the first fully digital animation movie in the Philippines. Impressive studios and I must say, we were feeling quite special. They fed us, answered all our questions and gave us sneak previews. Oh, they weren't afraid we took loads of pictures of them. Most places wouldn't even let you bring a cell phone cam.

Let me tell, you, these guys are amazing. From concepts to production, they made it. Their goal: to create a fully-Filipino masterpiece. They did.

My Aesthetics Professor once told me that the mere fact that Filipino made something automatically declares it Filipino but you have to let the World know. So, you add Filipino elements.

We know some animators of Finding Nemo were Pinoys, we can see Bahay Kubo in Nemo's Aquarium. So, what Filipino elements did the creators of Dayo put in?

They did set in the Modern Pinas. We can see telephone wires, tsinelas, kids playing our favorite past times and the daily utensils Filipinos commonly use in Buboy's kitchen.

Dayo also utilized Philippine Lower Mythology. Yeah, stuff of legends right? But nowadays, we modern Filipinos do not know them anymore. I was talking to some of the Bloggers and they have the same thoughts. In the days of our parents, they were always scared by creatures that would take them away if they did not behave.

"Kunin ka ng Capre! May Nuno sa Punso diyan!"

But now, we hear something different like: "Wag kang makulit! Kunin ka ng Pulis! Hala dukutin ka ng Bumbay!" and other derogatory things about people who scare us.

We will find Buboy is not without his discrimination. He calls Ana and her kind Halimaw. Ana, being super friendly and helpful, goes out of her way to help Buboy. Another endearing Filipino trait.

Learning from Urduja

Yeah, yeah, they don't want to be compared to the animated Urduja. They don't even call them rival. They are Kapwa Filipino and must be respected as such. Still, they have to learn from the mistakes of Urduja so they will not end as a flop. Not that Urduja was a complete flop, It's just that they want this movie to be a complete success. A huge success.

It will be finished in time for the 2008 Film Fest.

Why the story? According to the directors and producers, other previous animation coming from the Phil. are based on history or mythology: Urduja, Ibong Adarna. If they went for those, the critics would slay them if they were not historically accurate.

So, why a modern setting? The creators wanted something relatable. Especially since it is aimed at children. So, the main characters are children with their child-like qualities very typical to our times.

Filipino-ness? Yes, plenty. From the set to the attitude.

Attitude! something a lot of the other bloggers feel that Urduja lacked. Urduja is set in the pre-Hispanic era. There was no bias on who takes the throne. Historically, her father left ther the throne because she was his heir and she was a warrior without equal.

'Yeah, attitude is something Dayo characters have. Ana is a vegetarian. A What you ask? A vegetarian Aswang? No kid! Buboy is your typical dream boy who wish for so many things in life. One of which is flying. There is also Narsi, the Narcissistic tikbalang. Ana has her guards and a Yaya. (Very pinoy, don't you think?) Her yaya-naggal lost Ana and is arguing with her bodyguard on who really lost her charge.

New Ideas, Trivias, etc..

The manananggals have an extra set of lower wings that allow them to hover. All creatures of Elementalia have only four fingers.

Oh, Joey Ayala has composed something special for the album.

The theme song, Lipad is sung by Roots of Nature, a version is also sung by Lea Salonga. It will be in their album, to be released in November, ahead of the movie.

Expectations

We bloggers were silenced with food and charm but we still have high expectations. Dayo, so far seems very different. I do hope the market will appreciate the movie not only because it is animated but also because it is very Filipino. Kina-Career siya ng mga people involved. Me and my fellow bloggers who came to Cutting Edge saw the hard work put in.

This Movie is a stepping stone for all other computerized and animated movies that will come out of our country.

Good luck, Cutting Edge, and we wish you a success in Dayo!

http://www.dayomovie.com/

Mananang-Gurl!

Go Speed, Go!

Here he comes, here comes Speed Racer
He's a demon on wheels

He's a demon and he's gonna be chasing after someone
He's gaining on you so you better look alive
He's busy revving up the powerful Mach Five
And when the odds are against him and there's dangerous work to do
You bet your life Speed Racer's gonna see it through

Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer go

He's off and flying as he guns the car around the track
He's jamming down the pedal like he's never coming back

Adventure's waiting just ahead

Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer
Go Speed Racer Go!

They kept it!
The song, the clothes and the look!

It was like watching an ever-changing kaleidoscope! Matrix meets Car Racing set in Jetsons age! Lots of Matrix camera angles happening and WWF moves on the car. Action-packed! I'm not spoiling anything because I think the movie is worth the watch! Don't buy pirated! Watching it in the big screen is part of the effect! Cool! Fast!

Speed, Trixie, Pops, Mom, Rex, Spritle and Chim2x are all in character. That's what I like about it. They also added spice and depth to the original 2d characters to make them 3d. Like, Speed, he really admires his brother. They show his childhood to explain why. Trixie, the very supportive was there from grade-school to high-school.
Mom and Pops, the clothes! They attitude! Pops really look likes Pops Racer! Mom is always understanding and constantly cooking!
What can you expect from Spritle and Chim Chim? Pranks and mischief! Candy thieves and stow-aways!
Sparky is the trusty mechanic. He's older in the movie but he's still part of the family. He doesn't follow dress code or character but he blends in.
Rex is complicated in 2d and 3d. What gave him depth is what he does in order to change the racing industry.

Go watch!

By the way, Mach 5 is not Speed's car. It's now Mach 6. The 5 belonged to Rex. That's the only give away I'm telling!

Move Over Man of Steel!

Move over Supes, Steel can't beat this Iron flat!

*Warning! Spoilers and Details of the Movie!*

Genius playboy Tony Stark of Stark Industries is captured by terrorists and is forced to make one of his weapons for them. Due to a blast, his heart was raptured by shrapnels. Only a car battery is helping him alive. With superhuman genius expertise, he makes a sort of heart using his dismantled torpedoes. For three months, he and another weapons expert work to make an iron suit to escape. He escapes but his friend lost his life buying Tony time.
When he got back to the states, he sets his time cleaning up.

You'll love this guy. Especially in press conferences. He always makes a one liner that rocks the world!
First he said he was stopping weapons manufacturing. That dropped the stock market by 56%!
The highlight of the movie was the ending line he gave! No super hero in this planet could ever beat that!

"The truth is... I'm Iron Man!"

That was the bomb!

Some people might think Tony Stark is not a relateable character. Nerdy Peter Parker or even Mild Mannered Clark Kent are the relateable types. But don't you ever look at CNN and see the war on Iraq or the trouble in Afghanistan and wish you could do something. To all Americans, how do you feel about your taxes funding the military to perfect weapons and kill other races so they can be "pacified." Then also learn the same weapons sold to the terrorist so that they can counter the American attacks?
The beginning of the movie felt like Micheal Moore's Fahrenheit documentary. Then it felt like Batman Begins when he was in society and out flirting with girls. It got its own flair when he was testing his little project. Tony's gadgets have a humor of their own.

In a scale of one to ten, I'd give it a nine point five. It's a definite Barkada and Family movie.
Pictures from Yahoo Search

Transformers

I watched Transformers last weekend. It was a good movie if you want to relax and have some fun.

(Spoilers Below)
The movie was different from the series. Based on the 1980's toys and animated series, there were few characters remaining but the storyline changed for good.
The set is in present-day Earth with the usual traffic, war on Iraq and the likes...
A boy named Sam gets to have his first car. It turned out to be Bumblebee. Of Course, when Bumblebee goes to an excursion and contacts the rest of his team, Sam freaks out.
But when the Decepticons tried to get Sam, Bumblebee saves him and the love interest he's with.
The Autobots come and introduce themselves. They take the shape of vehicles they first encounter. Optimus becomes an 18-Wheeler, Jazz is a Pontiac and Ironhide and the rest take the form from whatever they see fit.
The War seems to have 3 sides: Autobots, Decepticons and Humans.
They all want the All-Spark which was with the human side. In fact, Megatron is captured by humans and is hidden underneath a dam.
There's some kinda "National Treasure" feel at this point. Secret sectors like Sector 7 who kept things under wraps about aliens. Secretive sides of the Gov't nobody knows, so National Treasure! Anyways, the Decepticon attacks the dam. Bumblebee and Sam take the All-Spark and runs.

After Megatron is revived, all transformers break loose for a game of tag. Whatever city they encountered gets wrekked but in the end, the day is saved by Sam.

The Autobots hide in Earth for there was no way to repair Cybertron now. They become the trucks and cars. Meanwhile Sam and girlfriend makes out on top of Bumblebee. Eew!

Regarding the Robots, there wasn't much personality in them. The only one that they gave a lot of character to was Bumblebee and that CD player. Perhaps there's a part 2 and the robots will get more cover and more personality.

For now, they wait among us...

I found this thing in YouTube

I saw it first in Diko's Indian Movie Collections. Hehehe. It's so nice. Diki, Achi La and I were trying to do the dance moves.
Ahia Ian said the old man looks like Mitra. Hehehehe.