Do you remember how you felt the first time you visited a theme park as a child? You’re all wide-eyed with excitement and you couldn’t wait to try every single ride.

I get the same feeling when I’m in a shopping mall. Those racks and racks of dresses; rows and rows of shoes in every imaginable color and style; and those bags… wow! Different sizes, different shapes… and all so pretty! The mall is like a theme park to me; every stall promises lots of fun and unending surprises. I’m giddy with excitement when I find something I like. And once I’ve started putting things in my shopping cart, I can’t seem to stop, especially when I’m shopping for shoes.

When I go into a shoe store, I’d usually tell myself I’ll only buy a pair. But the displays are so pretty, so nice and cute and they feel oh so comfy when I try them on. Shoes are my real weakness. My plan of buying just one pair… never happened. I’d usually end up with three or five pairs. And that makes me feel happy. When I walk out of the store, I’m in cloud nine and a big smile is pasted on my lips. Thank God, my buddies, Visa and Mastercard, are always with me (which means BILLS by the end of the month, but… *sigh* I’ll deal with that later).

Believe me, shopping is not a stressful activity. It’s therapy! It makes you forget the rough day you had, how difficult your boss is, or the fight you had with your boyfriend earlier. Shopping simply is enchanting.

If you’re a shopaholic like me and  Rebecca Bloomwood, you know exactly how it feels. All shopaholics should catch “Confession of a Shopaholic” in Cinemas on February 18, 2009!

I have never seen a film so sincere and remain very entertaining. The movie musical Hairspray radiates with so much optimism that it can brighten your view of the world! It will leave you smiling even after the credits have ended and you’re out of the cinema. Hairspray is an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same title (also adapted from the 1988 comedy film by John Waters). The story takes place in `60s Baltimore and revolves around Tracy Turnblad (newcomer Nikki Blonsky), a plump teenager whose dream is to become part of the “coolest” teenage dancers in the local TV program of WYZT station, The Corny Collins Show. She finally gets her chance when Corny Collins announces that one of his council kids (the teenagers who dance in the show) is taking a leave of absence and there will be an audition for a new dancer. Tracy’s timid best friend, Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes)-whose mother won’t even allow Penny to watch the show, accompanies her to the audition. But Tracy is instantly turned down by Velma von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer), WYZT’s station manager because of her size and her support for the integration of the white and black people of America. Velma also choreographs the dances in the show. She is also Amber’s (Brittany Snow) mother–one of the council kids-and being such makes sure that her daughter gets the most exposure in the show. When Tracy finally gets in the Corny Collins show, she becomes a threat not only to Amber’s popularity but to the latter’s relationship with the show’s heartthrob Link Larkin (Zac Efron), as Link becomes increasingly fond of Tracy.

Hairspray is one movie that is able to gather a perfect set of cast. No one can be more perfect for the role of Tracy Turnblad than Nikki Blonsky, who instantly caught my attention the moment she appeared on the screen, singing “Good Morning Baltimore.” She did her role very well as the vibrant, hefty high school teenager. She’s so optimistic about the world and even believes that “fairness is just gonna happen.”

Amanda Bynes, despite her few lines, faultlessly played her role as Tracy’s best friend, shy and unsure but always supportive of Tracy nontheless. They’re total opposites, yet they get along, understand each other and Penny always has nice words to say to Tracy.

After a long time, we see John Travolta dancing again. But this time in a fat suit (and in high heels!), playing Tracy’s mother Edna Turnblad who had shut herself inside the house working as a laundress, because of her appearance. I enjoyed seeing Christopher Walken dance, who played Wilbur Turnblad. If there is one touching scene in the film that I won’t ever forget is Wilbur’s admission that his heart “only beats for the size 60″ woman who is his wife. And that was complemented by their duet “(You’re) Timeless to me.”

As the wicked Velma and a true stage mother, no one can question Michelle Pfeiffer’s performance. She’s manipulative and will do anything (even cheat) just to make sure her only daughter will not be outshined by anyone.

Queen Latifah always shines in any role that she does. She’s simply vivacious as Motomouth Maybelle, a local R&B deejay who hosts the Negro Day on Corny Collins Show.

Relatively unknown actors that simply steals the screen without effort are Elijah Kelley (who played Seaweed, Maybelle’s son and Penny’s love interest) and Taylor Parks (as the energetic Little Inez, Seaweed’s sister).

Hairspray is so fun to watch that slow-paced moments passed unnoticed. It’s so joyful and unpretentious. It’s a candy-colored celebration of the outsiders. Humor is always a good tool to make a political/social stand about inequality and discrimination. Yes, they do exist and most of us forget that the people we consider “outsiders” or some of us tagged as “uncool” have feelings, too. Most of all they have talents, maybe much better than us.

I recommend Hairspray as a must-see film. Really worth your money. Great singing, great dancing. I had a great time watching!

Hairspray is directed and choreographed by Adam Shankman; written by Leslie Dixon; music by Mark Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Mark Shaiman. It stars John Travolta (Edna Turnblad), Christopher Walken (Wilbur Turnblad), Michelle Pfeiffer (Velma Von Tussle), James Marsden (Corny Collins), Amanda Bynes (Penny Pingleton), Queen Latifah (Motormouth Maybelle), Zac Efron (Link Larkin), Brittany Snow (Amanda Von Tussle), Elijah Kelley (Seaweed), Taylor Parks (Little Inez), and Nikki Blonsky (Tracy Turnblad).

= = = = =

****************

I’m currently enjoying the songs in the film! “Go, mama, go, go, go!”

Ratatouille is a story of two unlikely protagonists-Remy and Alfredo Linguini-both confronting impossible misfortune. Remy is an extraordinary rat who resists eating garbage. He prefers the good stuff, food prepared in human kitchens. And because he loves good food, he has also developed an exceptional sense of smell (this characteristic reminds me of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille in the film Perfume. Although the similarity ends there. Jean-Baptiste is more Voldemort-like in character). Sadly, this trait also makes Remy an outcast from his own kind.

Linguini, on the other hand, is the new garbage boy at Gusteau’s Restaurant (now being run by Gusteau’s former sous chef Skinner). In a way, Linguini’s situation is worse than Remy’s. He’s a human being who loves food but can’t even toss a decent meal. And he possesses no other talents than being miserable and feeling sorry for himself.

The paths of our two heroes cross when Linguini accidentally messes the soup on the stove. Hoping to save it, he randomly drops ingredients and spices-thus, making a bigger disaster. Seeing all this, Remy made a move, salvaging the soup and creating the first best thing that the restaurant has ever prepared after the famous French chef’s death. So, here begins a partnership and friendship of two outcasts trying to find a niche in this faultfinding world.

Putting all technical aspects aside (because this film did it excellently), Ratatouille stresses the importance of friendship, appreciation, family, talent, the uniqueness of each individual, dreaming big and making a go to realize it. It also made me realize what a friend had told me once-that food is more delicious if you put your heart in preparing it. Like what Remy did when he chose to make his own version of the French dish (ratatouille) be served to food critic Anton Ego. Remy’s dedication to his craft/art brought tears to Ego’s eyes and brought him back to his childhood and his mother’s cooking.

________________

View the movie trailer:

Yahoo!Movies

YouTube

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FFoK8ss3Sw]

*****

You can get ratatouille recipe from the links below. Choose which of them you prefer. I promised myself to prepare this dish one these days, although I might need to alter some of the ingredients. I might not find some of them in the local supermarket.

1. Ratatouille Niçoise

2. Ratatouille Recipe

Bon appetit!

After much controversy, the screen adaptation of Dan Brown’s best-seller, The Da Vinci Code is in theaters now. The film opens with the bizarre murder of Louvre curator Jacques Sauniere, who, in his dying moments managed to leave behind a number of clues and messages hidden in the artworks of Leonardo Da Vinci. The French police invites Harvard symbology professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) to decipher the code they found near the dead body. Langdon concedes not knowing that he has already been considered a prime suspect. With the help of Sauniere’s granddaughter Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou, Amelie and A Very Long Engagement), Langdon is able to escape the police only to be trapped in a more intricate labyrinth. Soon they find themselves on the run from policeman Bezu Fache (Jean Reno), the albino monk Silas (Paul Bettany), and Archbishop Aringarosa (Alfred Molina). Robert and Sophie proceed to Robert’s colleague Sir Leigh Teabing to ask for his help to unravel a secret that–according to Sir Leigh–had been kept from humanity for centuries.

The movie adaptation is not as gripping and exciting as its original incarnation. Although, it remains loyal to the essence of the novel, the movie fails to capture the can’t-put-down quality of the book. The viewers willd have to endure lengthy narrations thus at times, they may find themselves yawning. However, the narrations are necessary to explain facts and speculations about symbols, codes, secret cults, religious history and hidden messages in art. The director pairs these narrations with visual images that somehow lighten the mood of the film.

Tom Hank’s portrayal of Robert Langdon is a bit disappointing. He did not entirely encapsulate the scholarly yet humorous guy that Brown created in his book. Hanks witty remarks in the movie are barely noticeable.

Audrey Totou is charming but the film did not let her shine as the intelligent cryptologist that she is supposed to be (or as described in Brown’s bestselling book).

One character that caught my attention is Silas. Paul Bettany did justice to this character. He emulates Silas’ fearsome on one side and pitiful on the other characteristics. Those who have read the book will appreciate him more. Anyone will feel sorry for him.

I have read the book; naturally, I am partial to the movie. I went to watch the film although not with a fresh eye but without any expectations of grandeur. A movie adapted from a novel can only do so much to capture the essence of the original work.

Despite the flaws, the film in its entirety is still entertaining. After all, it is not just a story of discovering a monumental secret but of family and finding out that despite the time and distance that separate you from them, they had never stopped caring, and some are willing to risk their life just to keep you from harm.

What to look forward to in the movie: the last scenes. Captivating!

___________________________________________________

The controversy that shrouded the book and the film only roused people’s curiosity, raising moral questions and religious issues. On my part, I cannot consider The Da Vinci Code (book and film) as a threat to Christianity or a test of faith, because it is neither. It remains a fictitious work, a mere tale. I must agree with Mike Velarde, we should not underestimate the mental capacity of the Filipino Catholics. We’re too shallow if we do that.