On movies...

15 Scripts

A former businessman-officemate said Hollywood has only 15 scripts ---

Hmmm…so similarities are not coincidental; it is a product of recycling or reissue. And why 15 not 20 or more, or less?

***
Alternate-endings

There are movies I wished had alternate endings, one is Message in a Bottle – a story of love lost and found and lost again, and Bridge to Terabithia- a movie about the power of imagination and friendship. Not that I didn’t liked these films, in fact I think both were awesome, except that it made me cry too much, that part I didn’t like. I have seen Message in a Bottle more than five times but finished it just once, and all four other times I watched it, I clicked stop on the remote control at the scene I wanted the movie to end.

***
Memorized screen play

Call me whatever, but I am not the only one. I had a guy (?) officemate who loved Drew Barrymore’s Ever After like crazy. Like me, he had seen the movie more than a 100 times, like me, he has the VHS and the DVD, and like me, he memorized the lines of the characters in the film. What’s in this flick? A lot of things that reminded me of my childhood. The manor and the furniture, the way they did their laundry, the portable urinals and how they disposed of its waste, the wood-fuelled stove, I’ve seen it all before – the setting in the movie is like a picture of my treasured past, plus ---the romance, the prince most importantly.

Soon to memorize: The Phantom of the Opera, watched 20ish times, Enchanted viewed 10ish times.

***

First week showing

The first ever movie we watched on first week showing ---The Dark Knight. The family is fan of the Knight's Tale - Heath Ledger. Other people in the long lines were just curious but definitely not disappointed after watching.

More on the Dark Knight --- Officemate #1 asked, "What's a good movie to see this weekend?" Officemate #2 replied, "The Dark Knight." Officemate #1 asked again, "Is it a Horror Film?"

:-)

***
Migrant blooper

When I joined the company I thought our office building was showbiz enough because it is situated right in front of the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery were Marilyn Monroe and a list of many other actors, actresses, and musicians were entomb. But this was nothing compared to where our office was relocated, in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, where film making is very much alive. That time, I have been in the US only for 9 months and although I know English since grade school in the Philippines, I was not accustomed to how they call some things here.

Anytime of the day, it is common to witness actual filming and sometimes be included in the movie by accident, like when you’re crossing the street or standing by the ATM machine, like my boss did. In fact, a couple of popular movies were filmed right at our office building, Spiderman, The Italian Job, and Fast and the Furious.

One day, an Eddie Murphy movie was being shot downstairs. I got excited I called my officemates and our CFO, “there’s a shooting downstairs, come have a look!” They hurriedly went by the window, sneaked their heads out and asked, “Where’s the shooting? Were there cops?” I told them, “there are no cops; it’s a comedy, an Eddie Murphy movie.” To which they altogether replied, “Oh you meant a filming, not a shooting.” And they all went back to their station holding their laughs. No wonder they all looked anxious-scared instead of anxious-excited when I called them. Embarrassing situation ---priceless!

Why I've given up mussels

One good thing about proof reading Lemuel’s Science Reports is learning. A lot of times I realized how nescient I am of Science, like it took me several readings to understand the what abouts of global warming. Now that Lemuel is on summer break, I’m free of proof readings but before classes was over, he reported on water pollution and the latest methods used to control it.

Until this report I didn’t know that mussels are easily contaminated by heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants that it is used by scientists to measure the water pollution level.

I have always been pleased eating this seashell since I was a teen, it is abundant in our province therefore it is sold cheap. When I was pregnant with Abraham, I consume a gallon-full of mussels just by myself. I liked it ginataan (with coconut milk) with veggies, oven-baked with tomato sauce and ketchup, or simply steamed.

At Seafood City here in Los Angeles, prices of Mussels from New Zealand (my preferred brand) and China had increased, but that wouldn’t stop me from patronizing my favorite molluscs. But after learning the facts above, my partiality with mussels has ended. In fact I managed to skip it on 2 recent buffet trips. Thanks Science!

P.S. Thanks to all my friends who remembered my birthday :-)
P.S.2 Advance Happy Birthday Bu!

the first fight

I’m a big fan of weddings that’s why I zealously looked forward to last Saturday’s garden sunset wedding of my friends from work. The occasion turned out just as I expected it to be, blooming, sweet, and romantic. One lady, as the bride steps down staircase, can’t help but utter, “I want to get married again.” I think she meant, “I want to wear that gown!” I do too.

One thing about women on weddings is that they can’t help but reminisce and compare the occasion with their own. Secretly hoping for a rewind, not necessarily getting married with another person, but just different gowns, hairstyle, venue, give aways, and so forth - if they can turn time around.

Standing beside the bride by the door of the main ballroom, we both were anxiously excited for the ceremonies to start. The sweetness and romance were playing in my mind taking me back the time I was wearing my own wedding dress when the bride introduced me her florist, who that time was about to collect the check for her flowers and her services. An incident suddenly coruscated my memory…

Sometime in the past, a florist took advantage of the bride’s pre-occupation with the pressures and vanities of the wedding and overcharged for the cost of the blooms and the services, like 30 or 40% more than what she quoted. She knew her way, the florist, instead of approaching the bride or the mother of the bride went straight to the groom to collect. The groom, without confirmation with the bride, who that time was just standing at the opposite corner of the church, handed the florist his cash.

The bride, after learning the groom had paid for more than what they are supposed to pay, was upset and blamed the groom. With a total frowned face, she clutched the trail of her ecru organza gown, hurriedly walked to the car, got in and loudly slammed the door closed, leaving behind the groom who stopped arguing to quiet his spouse. Good thing the bride knew about the incident after the reception when all the guests were gone.

They drove home and slept on different beds on their wedding night.

Each and every June of the years that followed, the couple were reminded they were deprived of a romantic wedding night by a florist, so they made sure each anniversary is sweet and fight-free…working on their 16^th year now.

By the ways, the upset bride was me; it was our first fight as a couple.