Frankenstein with a Heart

Miggy and I watched "Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein" on Netflix the other day. It was a 2 and a half hour film that made us enthralled while watching it.

I first saw Frankenstein at Universal Studios when I was a child. He scared me a lot, so I avoided anything related to him. Miggy chose the film, so I agreed to watch it. I basically had no idea what to expect, but I've always been fascinated by films made by Guillermo del Toro so I knew it would be good. 

Conquering my fear of Frankenstein. I was very freaked out on this day.

I realized I never really watched a Frankenstein film. I only knew he was put together using different parts and was given life through lightning. Miggy said the film was made very close to how the story unfolded in the book. We saw how Dr. Victor Frankenstein created "the monster" and the film showed further how the creature developed. The creature who'd never die grew a heart and can live forever.

The film was made really well. Kudos to Guillermo del Toro, the actors and the whole production team who put the film together. It's a masterpiece and the best so far of all the Guillermo del Toro films I've watched. It's still on Netflix and go watch it this weekend if you haven't seen it yet. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Watched "My Future You"

Netflix just added a whole bunch of MMFF movies the past week. We were looking to watch something light yesterday and selected the FranSeth film. 

What made us curious about it is the time travel aspect of the film. We wondered how it would work out. I was also curious why the film got several awards. 

It was unpredictable. We couldn't really say what would happen next. They were able to intertwine the timelines perfectly. The story was also able to convey family values across the film subtly. I like how it wasn't over the top. 

I won't spoil the ending for you, just go watch it. We were so engrossed we ended up eating a lot of tacos made by our friend Nina. It was yummy! You can order through her IG at https://www.instagram.com/therapynitita?igsh=aGN2b2RwZ2hyamZs

Happy Sunday everyone!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Watched "The Quilters" on Netflix

I was looking forward to watching "The Quilters" on Netflix. It was finally made available today, so I immediately watched. I was expecting it to be a series or at least a 90-minute docu film. I probably missed reading that it's just a short documentary.

Anyway, I finished it in one sitting and I was amazed to learn that the quilting was happening in maximum security prisons. I actually looked forward to seeing the men quilt, but I honestly missed the part that they were in prison. I was so focused on the craft, it didn't matter to me where they were located. 

It's rare to see a film made about quilting, probably because it's not a huge niche. Quilting requires a lot of patience and I can understand how therapeutic it is. Quilting involves sharp tools and it's a huge risk for where the quilters in the film are located. They said it takes a lot to be included in the group and they take care of the privilege. Not being able to quilt can be painful! 

The most enjoyable part for me while watching the film was seeing the process they went through when making a quilt. Sleepless nights thinking about how to tackle a project. Drawing the design. Cutting fabric. Sewing and ironing a gazillion times. Sandwiching the quilt with batting and making sure it's flat! Then seeing the happy face of the receiver. 

I usually make smaller projects because it takes me a long time to finish one. I only make blankets every once in awhile because it takes me years to finish one. I'm actually envious that the men in the film help each other work on their projects. I don't think there's anyone near me who quilt. Well, I usually oblige my boys when I need help with carrying or mixing colors, heh. 

Anyway, if you do other crafts, I'm sure you'll enjoy the short film about quilters. All crafts require patience and passion and that's what you'll see with this unique group of quilters. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

"Suntok sa Buwan" is Worth Watching

I chanced upon the "movie-serye" on Netflix. I later on discovered it was shown on TV5 a few years ago. I was curious and started watching it. The beginning of the film was a bit light, but it became heavier as the struggles of the father and son, Jimmy and Dos, grew. I almost didn't proceed with watching, but the actors showed a lot of depth in portraying their characters. That's what got us hooked. 

We finished watching the whole series early this morning. The last 5 episodes kept us glued to the screen. We just had to know what would happen to Jimmy (Aga Muhlach), Dos, (Elijah Canlas), Tonio (Ketchup Eusebio), Doc (Gio Alvarez), Mr. Seng (Ronnie Lazaro), and their family and friends. The last two episodes had us gripping to our seats. 

I belatedly realized my classmate, Clarissa Estuar-Navarro was part of the team of writers. No wonder I liked the story. I had previously watched some of the shows she wrote and enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the great portrayal of the actors. It's not everyday you'd see Aga Muhlach star in a series. I also enjoyed how Elijah Canlas, Ketchup Eusebio, and Ronnie Lazaro, portrayed their characters. It gave them the opportunity to showcase their talent. I honestly did not recognize Gio Alvarez as the doctor. I only found out when I read the cast of characters after I finished watching.

The series has 65 episodes. It's worth the time especially if you want to see really good acting with a great storyline. So, did Mr. Seng really die? It wasn't clear in the ending, so maybe there can be a book 2?

#BeKind #StaySafe

Watched the Trauma Code

We finished watching "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call" today. I got curious when Netflix added it. We immediately got hooked and finished it in 3 days.

It's our first time to watch a Korean made medical series. I must say it's very different from the other doctor shows I've watched. It's supposed to be a comedy, but it's more than that. It had drama and action. 

I loved the dynamics of the characters and how the story showed how they grew across 8 episodes. The surgery parts though got a bit gory, so I usually looked away when they were cutting up someone. 

I like the tight pace of the story. It didn't feel like they were trying to make the story longer. It was spot on with it's transitions. They did well with the pacing. Now I can't wait for season 2!

#BeKind #StaySafe

Yummy Cheesebread and "Kinda Pregnant"

I followed the same routine today. Woke up, had heavy breakfast, watched a movie while sorting Mom's things, watered the plants, had dinner and then sorted Mom's things again.

It's almost ten in the evening and I just finished sorting the last box for the day. I'm exhausted, but I want to finish this soon. What I enjoy is I'm able to watch movies as I go through the task. 

I selected the new film on Netflix, "Kinda Pregnant". I wanted something light that didn't require much brainpower to watch. The film is a rom-com with a standard plot. Girl is heartbroken, pretends to be someone she isn't, meets a boy, they fall in love, then she gets busted for the lie... Yada yada yada. 

It was a fun movie to watch nonetheless. Something you can watch when you have free time.  What I like about it is they chose regular sized people to play the roles, so it's something a lot of people can surely appreciate. 

And, oh, the Cheesebread was sent by a friend who came all the way from Pampanga. We're halfway through it already! Haha. It was a perfect snack after I watered the plants. 

Been Watching MMFF 2023 Movies

Oh yes, we've been unforgivably late to the game of watching MMFF movies. I'm immuno-compromised, so watching films in the movie theater has been something I haven't done for probably 5 years now. I would usually catch up before on plane rides and now on Netflix, Prime or Disney+. Lucky for us, we can catch up easily. 

We've watched a lot of trailers of MMFF 2024 and we got curious to see what was available for the previous year. I know it will take awhile before the recent MMFF films will be available online. Out of the 8 films, we watched the following this past week: Becky & Badette, When I Met You in Tokyo, and Mallari. I didn't start with Rewind since I think I have to be in the right frame of mind to watch it (reviews said it's a tearjerker and I'm not ready to cry for now).

Becky & Badette was a fun movie to watch. Eugene Domingo and Pokwang's tandem was really spot on. They were also able to show their vulnerability in parts of the film. The story was a typical storyline for MMFF and a fun, family friendly movie to watch. I chose to watch it since I wanted something light. 

When I Met You in Tokyo was a feel-good love story. It gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling of being loved. Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon's tandem was perfect for the movie. They fit the shoes of their characters perfectly and the scenic places they filmed at were the cherry on top of the film. There are not many love stories of older people, so this film was somehow fresh for me. 

Today, we watched Mallari. I've been wanting to watch this since it was added on Netflix. Sweetie though doesn't like horror movies, but I was able to push it as a MMFF 2023 film (haha). It is a different kind of horror film since there's a believable story behind it. It's been said it's "partly fictional" since the screenwriter based the story on the first Filipino known serial killer, Fr. Severino Mallari. The embellished part was what made it a horror film. 

I used to read a lot about Filipino folklore creatures, so this film was definitely up my alley. Piolo Pascual did a great job portraying 3 generations of Mallari and the support characters were perfect too. I think Elisse Joson did a great job portraying the wife of the 1940s Mallari. I also felt JC Santos' saltik from the beginning of the film. I think I'll probably re-watch it with Miggy. 

It seems the rest of the films are available on Netflix. I hope to watch all of it soon. Also hope it won't take long before the MMFF 2024 films will be available online. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Video City (the movie and memories)

Back in the day when watching movies and TV series/shows online wasn't available we'd rent videos from stores. There was ACA video, Video City and other mom and pop stores where you can rent. At first you'd rent Betamax tapes, then VHS tapes then eventually VCDs and DVDs. To be able to rent you had to become a member of the chain or store. The fee was pretty inexpensive (I just don't remember how much). 

Miggy and I used to rent videos weekly. We'd borrow movies and whatever he liked. When he grew up we enjoyed watching horror movies. Eventually cable TV became available, so we rented less and less. Buying your own VCD/DVD also became cheaper. I just remembered about that time because we recently watched the movie, "Video City, Be Kind, Please Rewind".

The movie brought us back to the 90s when the main character, Han (Ruru Madrid), time traveled to the 90s. He re-appeared inside of a Video City store and met Ning-ning (Yassi Pressman). It was fun to see how a video rental shop looked like back in the 90s. Rows upon rows of video tapes. I remember me and Miggy would go around the shop to look for interesting films to watch. 

I used to collect VCDs and DVDs. I kept it in a small tower that doubled as a picture frame. It was a really cute cabinet. Unfortunately, it went under water during typhoon Ondoy together with all my CDs. Since then I have collected sparingly. I've given away those I bought post-Ondoy. I just have some favorite shows from the 90s which I found in Australia (#budol).  

If you have time for some nostalgia, watch "Video City: Be Kind, Please Rewind" on Netflix. 

#BeKind #StaySafe

Manifest!

After the boys cleared out the boxes in the living room, Sweetie was finally able to set up our TV. The first thing we watched was Cobra Kai. We binge watched it, so we were soon finished. I got curious about Manifest and instead of just watching the trailer, we watched the first episode. We got hooked. 

Manifest is a series on Netflix about a plane that mysteriously lands 5 years after it disappears. The passengers and their families are shocked after they come back after five years. Relationships are disrupted and everyone's asking how were they able to come back 5 years after? The weirdness of the plot is a bit like Lost. I didn't get to finish Lost though because it dragged on at some point and I got bored. 

We finished watch the three seasons of Manifest in less than two weeks. We're glad Netflix picked up the show after NBC cancelled it. They announced that they'll produce the final season. No date yet on when it'll show, but we're relieved that there's going to be one last season. There were a lot of cliffhangers in the last episode of season 3 and we want closure! Haha. 

Now need to find something new to watch. Or maybe I'll bug Sweetie about finishing the Good Doctor and Grey's Anatomy via Hulu. Much as I want to watch Koreanovelas, I just don't have the patience to read subtitles (sorry!) since I usually sew while watching TV. Maybe I'll find something light to watch this time.

What's your favorite show right now?

#BeKind #StayHome

Time to Watch Trese!

We've been looking forward to watching Trese on Netflix since it was announced in 2019. I remember seeing a placeholder on Netflix back in August 2019. I took a screenshot of it to send to Sweetie. I knew he'd be excited for his friend, Budjette Tan. And now it's finally available on Netflix. 

c2008 at Mangaholix

I've always been fascinated with Philippine mythology. Back when I was in college I used to write short stories featuring the amalanhig (vampires), tiktik and aswangs. I remember borrowing the book of Philippine mythological creatures from the library several times. It was fun to learn about the creatures and where they usually appear. I'd remember them at odd times especially when I'm travelling (haha, recounts here). 

I'll let the trailer of Trese talk more about what the movie is about. I think it's a great example to learn a bit more about Filipino culture. So if you're my friend from other cultures, please watch Trese (it's available in English and Japanese!). Let it be your weekend binge :D

Congratulations Budjette and Kajo! I wish there'd be more episodes! 

CB///*Yr2/62  #StuckAtHomeDay/Yr2/89 #StayHome #BeKind