The Fisher Mall VIP Cinema Experience

I was so happy to finally see the much raved about movie, Wonder Woman.

Usually, we watch at the regular cinema of Fisher Mall. A ticket costs Php250. This time, we decided to try the mall's VIP Cinema. It's kind of like the business class of movie houses.

For twice the price, we get:

• A large drink each, soda or iced tea
• Option of coffee
• Unlimited popcorn at the push of a button on the table that has cupholders
• Recliner armchairs where we could put our feet up
• Woolly blankets wrapped individually in pouches, I didn't know where to place the thin pouches, though

It was quite comfy. The temperature was low so we all used the blankets. I wore my jacket. Although the movie already started while the lights were still on, it was an enjoyable experience. The kids liked it! I wonder if they will still want to watch in the regular cinemas. Uh-oh!

Barbie and the Secret Door... with a Secret Workout!

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I get excited for my children (I'm not sure if they themselves do!) when there are new animated movies that are coming out soon. Now that they are bigger, we could all watch in the cinema as a family. Or just watch at home on our TV when we didn't get the chance to go out to the mall.

Barbie and the Secret Door, and other previous Barbie movies, were no exceptions. My youngest, Cayla, who's three years old, likes Barbie the best. 

This movie is about Princess Alexa, a princess who prefers to stay in her room and read stories, all day and all night, if she could! She doesn't like to speak in public or attend functions where there are other people, as part of her duty as a princess. I think she's shirking away from her responsibility, but she was described as shy. Alexa then discovers a secret door to a magical world, where she needs to face her insecurities and be the hero.

I could relate a bit to Alexa since I am very shy, I like to read, and I hope to be whisked away to a magical world. The pretty dresses are a big plus! Could a Barbie movie be without a change of outfits? Of course not!

The songs in the movie (yes, it's a musical!) are like pop music, very upbeat. Whenever Cayla watches Barbie and the Secret Door, she always forces asks me to dance with her. No one's watching so I give it my all, haha! So it has become my secret workout! ;-)

Do your kids like Barbie? Have they watched Barbie and the Secret Door?

Guardians of the Galaxy and my kids

Sunday is family day. So one Sunday, my hubby, the kids and I trooped to a mall in Makati to watch Guardians of the Galaxy. I am not into sci-fi or space adventure kinds of flicks, so I had no idea what to expect. I saw a trailer of the movie once, but I understood nothing. I don't even know it's derived from Marvel comics.

On the screen, I saw a boy sitting on a chair and listening to his walkman using earphones. I thought it was another trailer. Turns out, the movie has already started. 

Although it's obvious that there's a bad guy who wants something the good guy has, and that this something is a weapon that could eradicate a whole planet, which the good guy has to keep away from the bad guy to save the galaxy, the reason why was a little deep since it's about politics, not honoring the treaty, unlikely friendship and personal tragedies. And I don't think my kids could fully comprehend the full story. 

"I AM GROOT!!!"

All they see could be a cute raccoon, a funny moving tree and men & women in skittles-colored skins. Although these could provide a good entertainment, the movie was rated PG for reasons: the script, and of course the violent scenes. The actors say words that I don't want to hear from my innocent children's mouths, for example, st*pid, idi*t, and more. Did someone say b*tch? And there was blood!

I had to say, Nebula was pretty even if she's blue, bald and a villain.

It was good while it lasted, but I wouldn't want my little ones watch Guardians of the Galaxy again. Even the sequel? Yes!

Now you see me...

...now you don't!

Almost everyone is fascinated with magic. People young and old get so amazed when they watch magicians disappear or even do some simple magic tricks. A popular source of entertainment in the kiddie parties I have attended is a magic show weaved into the program. If you are also interested in magic, plus a good dose of mystery, then this movie will entertain you.

via www.beyondhollywood.com

Four magicians each answer a mysterious summons to an obscure address with secrets inside. A year later, they are the Four Horsemen, big time stage illusionists who climax their sold out Las Vegas show with a bank apparently robbed for real. This puts agents Dylan Rhodes of the FBI and Alma Vargas of Interpol on the case to find out how they did it. However, this mystery proves difficult to solve even with the insights of the professional illusion exposer, Thaddeus Bradley. What follows is a bizarre investigation where nothing is what it seems with illusions, dark secrets and hidden agendas galore as all involved are reminded of a great truth in this puzzle: the closer you look, the less you see. 

--- Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com), via www.imdb.com

There are also some who are fascinated with magic in a different way. These are the ones who are set to debunk the secrets of magicians.

I watched this movie with my dear hubby and halfway into the movie, I asked him if he thinks it's good. He nodded. Because I was the one who chose what to watch, I'm happy he's not bored. I didn't actually know what Now You See Me was all about. I just heard the title of the movie on the radio, and based on the cast: Morgan Freeman, Isla Fisher, Mark Ruffalo, I decided on it! 

I thought the movie was fun because of the magic, exciting because of the mystery and chases, and a little anticlimactic because... Well, you just have to watch to see why it was so. :-)

Who would you rather be?

Have you watched Wreck-It Ralph? It's a super cute movie that I'm sure parents will also like. Parents who are familiar with the arcade and retro games, that is.



I want to ask you this: Do you like yourself? Would you be friends with yourself?

I am still pondering my answer to that question. :-D

But, Ralph, he was tired of being an outcast just because he was programmed to be a bad guy. The other characters were scared of him. He was dirty and has bad breath and lives in the dump. I actually pity him. I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted change.

You know how certain events had to happen to us. You know the people we had to meet to make us realise things. And that's how Ralph understood the meaning of The Bad-Anon creed.

"I'm bad, and that's good.
I will never be good, and that's not bad.
There's no one I'd rather be than me."

I only like the last line, though.

Change is good, if we are to be better. But to change into someone entirely different, is not in God's plans. There's a uniqueness in each of us, ours is a role that only us can fill.

When Ralph went away, the Nicelanders saw that having Ralph was vital to their game. That brought about the change that Ralph desired, with him still doing what he's programmed to do.

Wreck-It Ralph is a movie that reminds us that "There's no one I'd rather be than me."

My Oz The Great And Powerful Screening Experience

Thank you,
@NuffnangPH
Nokia, and
Abenson
that I got to watch Disney's Oz The Great And Powerful last night!

When my hubby Rix and I arrived, I registered first before having dinner. While waiting for my turn, I met Sarah of notonmyownanymore.blogspot.com! How cool is that? I was reminded of the eyeballs I used to attend while Rix and I were still on mIRC. Waiting for our turn to go inside and waiting for the movie to start, a video introducing the new Nokia Lumia 920 was played on repeat and there were a couple of features that caught my fancy. One is that its screen is made of Gorilla Glass so even using a key as the stylus won't scratch the surface. Another is that taking a series of group shots, in the photo where one of the subjects is not smiling, his/her face can be replaced with an existing shot of him/her smiling. Perfect for capturing children!
There was a short program. We were welcomed to the event. And then three Nokia Lumia phones were raffled off. How blessed the winners were!

After the movie, we lined up outside and got goody bags and souvenirs. It was almost 12 midnight when we left Shangri-La Plaza, yet there were still workers wearing High Visibility Clothing doing some work on the parking area.
I think this is the story before Dorothy arrived at Oz. And according to some story books, it might be that Toto discovered their secret.
I'm glad that my hubby and I got this date night together. :-)

Adventures in Booga Booga Land - Volume 1 (DVD) by Richard Milner

Gerard the Giraffe and Marty the Monkey are two best friends who are new citizens of Booga Booga Land. There they learn new things together, search for jobs and work together. Episodes included in this DVD set are So This Is Booga, Marty's Sandcastle and No Light In The Lighthouse. These are stories that depict Jesus' parables and make them engaging and fun for children ages 6 and above. 

Jokes and slapstick comedy were applied to make the stories interesting and funny, especially for the kids. My 3-year-old laughed at the visuals because she couldn't understand the spoken jokes yet. The illustrations were simple and not very refined unlike mainstream cartoons. There were lessons that could be learned like honoring our words, appreciation for our friends and being responsible. There were lessons but the messages conveyed were different from what the parables represent or symbolize. For example, in the story Marty's Sandcastle, it depicts the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders. Yes, it showed that a house built on a rock will last rather than one built on the sand, but it didn't interpret it as God's Word that is on solid foundation, God's Word that is put into practice. Over all, I would still recommend it since it is entertaining plus it has lessons that children will benefit from.

I received this DVD free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Can Relate

I know I'm way behind, but I just watched SATC 2 recently then I saw this quiz on a blog just now and decided to give it a try. I took the quiz here.

Quiz Result:

You are Charlotte York.

(Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema)

You’re a prim and proper princess and a straight-up girly-girl. You’ve fantasized about your perfect wedding ever since you first laid eyes on a bridal magazine as a tween. You are a hopeless romantic who places a lot of importance on ideals and traditions—and, unlike other women, you refuse to believe that chivalry is dead. In relationships, you sometimes want to take things to the next level way before your partner is ready to. But don’t fret, The One is out there, somewhere—you just haven’t found him yet! Your optimistic nature is refreshing and greatly appreciated by your more cynical friends (even if they’ll never cop to it). You’re going to make an amazing wife and mother (if you aren’t one already), and ‘til your dying day, you’ll remain one classy dame.

261 out of 902 ( 28.93% ) of respondents who took this quiz got the same result.

 

I could relate with Charlotte's struggle as a mom because as much as we love our kids, they do drive us crazy sometimes. She went with the idea of taking a day off, relaxing, doing her own thing and having time to miss her kids. I think this is good for full time mommies and I am thankful I have a husband who understands. He allows me to spend a relaxing time with one of my close friends. He was the one who stays with the kids when I go out. I love him so much!

 

See Alice in Wonderland Again

It was recently that I got to watch Alice in Wonderland (1951 film), animation film from Disney, with my daughter Elle, who likes to watch fairy tale stories from Walt Disney. 

image source

She enjoyed it because of the colorful characters like the White Rabbit, the Caterpillar, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Cheshire Cat, etc. It emphasized more on the visuals, rather than on the story. So I guess that's why Elle, a toddler, found it quite amusing.


And isn't it impeccable timing? This year, Alice in Wonderland movie will be available in all Philippine theaters starting March 4, 2010. And for the IMAX 3D, it will be available only at SM North EDSA IMAX Theater.

From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic 3D fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. JOHNNY DEPP stars as the Mad Hatter and MIA WASIKOWSKA as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen’s reign of terror. The all-star cast also includes ANNE HATHAWAY, HELENA BONHAM CARTER and CRISPIN GLOVER.

I cannot wait to see it! I am curious as to how Alice turned out as a young woman from a little girl full of wonder and imagination, and has her own world to escape to just to get away from her history lessons.

I also want to know what part does the Mad Hatter play in Alice's life, and if he is still, well, mad!

And how about the Queen of Hearts? Has anyone stopped her obsession with chopping people's heads off?

 

The introduction of new characters like the White Queen certainly made me curious.

 

"Curiouser and curiouser!", little Alice exclaimed when she entered the room with the small locked door. And like her, I am now getting more and more curious with Alice in Wonderland movie.

What's your favorite color of shoes?

 

Yesterday evening, my younger brother accompanied me in attending the Preview of The Red Shoes, an event where Nuffnang Philippines invited bloggers like me. We fell in line, I signed up then we proceeded to get our share of free hot dogs on sticks, Mister Donuts Smidgets, popcorn and soda. There was even a goodie bag for us with the press kit, a notebook with a matching pen, a body spray and some brochures. The movie was just starting when we entered the cinema.

The movie utilized many flashbacks so viewers could make out the pattern of the story and the reasons for the ordeals of the characters. The casting was good as the personalities of each character were portrayed quite well. In my opinion, the storyline was quite unique from the usual local movies. It revolves around shoes and the characters' preferences for their colors, or lack of it. It happened during a historical time in the country, so to be realistic and I thought this was sort of a glimpse into the life of a fellow Filipino. I know that there are many people out there with much stories to tell that they could make a movie out of. There were moments that made me go "Awww, so cheesy!" "Oh, no!" Why did he do that? and "Ahhh, I see!". Overall, it was an enjoyable movie, light and with an unexpected ending.

There was a forum afterward where there was a question and answer portion as the writer and director got feedback from the viewers, and also answered questions regarding the movie and its inspiration.

To answer the question, I guess I don't really have a favorite color of shoes. It depends on what I wear and if it goes well with my outfit. I'd like to say purple, but I never had purple shoes, and if I am wearing red, I don't think they'd go well together.

Mommy Is A Child

Beauty and the Beast

Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Than somebody bends
Unexpectedly

Just a little change
Small, to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast

Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will arise

Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bittersweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong

Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the beast 

I have always loved fairy tales! I love reading them from books and watching them on TV. I love how the heroines end up with the cute guys who absolutely adore them. I love how the characters could sing a song of just about anything. I love how the animals could talk and make the characters' lives more colorful. I love the happily ever afters.
There was a time I thought that I have outgrown these fairy tales. When I went to college, when I fell in love, when I started working, when I got married, I didn't really get the chance to rediscover my love of fairy tales, of children's stories, of reading, of singing the beloved songs.
Until now. One of the things I love about being a mommy is that I could watch kiddie shows and fairy movies and cartoons, and get away with it. My hubby gets bored with those kind of shows and he smirks when I sing along to some of the songs. With the help of Disney channel and the Internet, we were able to get hold of animated fairy tale movies that we let our daughter watch. Like me, she loves them too. She even finds Cinderella funny!
The most recent one that we watched was Beauty and the Beast. It still brought tears to my eyes. And I still love the songs! I think it's still my favorite Disney animated movie of all.   

Our 3D Glasses

My hubby Rix downloaded a 3D animation Barbie fairy tale movie for my daughter Elle. It turned out, we needed 3D glasses to appreciate it, I think. I googled how to make one and followed the instructions from this site. These are the results. I even cut my finger with the cutter blade. Stupid me!

It was not kept on throughout the movie, though. And my daughter was not able to really use it because it kept falling off her small face. Oh, well!

She's Back!

What's wrong with this picture?

• Is that Kristin Kreuk??? You betcha!
• Is she Chinese? It says here she has Chinese blood. I didn't know that!
• She's playing Chun-Li in Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li. I always thought Chun-Li (in the video game) was tall.
• I didn't know Kristin Kreuk's got BIG & chunky legs!
• Why are they bringing back Street Fighter? I have no idea!

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