Author: Gabriel

Review Of Better Call Saul Season 3 Episode 4 – Sabrosito

We are given a short backgrounder on Hector Salamanca’s (Mark Margolis) motivations and a history of his feud with Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito). It may seem oddly coincidental that he is delivering profits to the charismatic Don Eladio at the same time that Fring’s profits are delivered there too, but we take it all in stride considering how important the scene is to understanding one of the most powerful individuals in the show (incidentally Don Eladio it turns out is played by Steven Bauer, who is famous for his role in Scarface (!!). I thought I recognized him).

Hector is Embarrassed

By far however, the scenes indicating that Mike (Jonathan Banks) is getting tired of it all are the most telling of this episode. He is first shown to ask about joining his daughter in law for dinner where he hesitates but gives in eventually. And in another he says how it feels ‘nice to fix something for once’ when Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk) asks him if he fixed Chuck’s door when he pretended to be a handyman. Later on he is shown reading a DIY magazine while at work. Continue reading Review Of Better Call Saul Season 3 Episode 4 – Sabrosito

Better Call Saul Season 3 Episode 3 – Sunk Costs

I know I’m very late posting this and am doing so belatedly because I just don’t want to skip it. The two things I remember most are below:

Chuck reminding us why we hate him.

A.) Chuck (Michael Mckean) above reminds us all why we hate him. He is condescending in his application of his own self righteous standard onto his brother, who while obviously isn’t the best version of himself still does not deserve it considering he is actually trying to improve himself and win his appreciation.
Continue reading Better Call Saul Season 3 Episode 3 – Sunk Costs

Better Call Saul Season 3 Episode 2 – Witness

I enjoy shows that have almost no music, so when Mad Men came out I was beyond hooked. Here was a show that not only dared to de – romanticize the ’60s but even goes as far as relying on great camera work and even greater acting to get their point across, sans any music cues that in my mind serve as a disingenuous way to tell the audience when to pay attention.

Having said that I get chills whenever the music turns on during any of Mike Ehrmentraut’s scenes. Mike is a cool customer, a regular James Bond in sheep’s clothing and when he is engaged in spy like activities I cherish every second. The scene that finally introduces us how he finally ends up at Los Pollos Hermanos via a wide shot with thumping music is a winner. Seeing Gus Fring again is actually refreshing if you can say that about any bad guy, and how he gets wise to Mike is a mystery that will have me thinking about it till next week.

Continue reading Better Call Saul Season 3 Episode 2 – Witness

Logan 8.5/10

[Spoiler Alert]

Of all the comic based movies I’ve got to say the people who make X-Men are the most grounded and downright courageous of them all. To come out with this movie you have had to outright declare war on commercialism and *gasp* go for pure story, pure realism. Grit and truth.

The movie discusses the utter uselessness of the hero persona, and that war per se or the constant use of battle to resolve dispute is essentially futile, and that eventually the hero ends up anything but heroic. But rather as aged, desperate, weak, regretful, bitter people longing to correct wrongs of the past.

Not that any of that of course, is a surprise. Governments use propaganda to bombard people with the idea of heroes on top of white horses galloping off into the sunset after they complete great missions. But time and time again historians and often those heroes themselves belie the truth – that war and the warrior mystique is shrouded in glamour and fantasy to course fools into fighting wars.

And here we have Wolverine the ultimate X-Men, the greatest and most iconic hero of them all taking the series of movies to its logical, agonizing and tragic end. A task that is not only truthful but worthwhile and reasonable considering the aging of the actors and of course, the fact that another X-Men with characters swooshing around in tights just won’t make sense any more.

However as much as the premise itself is beyond worthy, the story telling is not.

Continue reading Logan 8.5/10

Selling my beloved 1998 C70

Selling my beloved 1998 C70
• Registered 2014, complete OR / CR
• Bought 2010, slowly restored for 5 years
• Original parts bought at Triumph Caloocan, ie. seat, fr and rr signal lights, speedo, harness, sub cross plate, seat lock, muffler, fr and rr fender, muffler stay, plate holder, camshaft orig carburetor
• 99% Complete receipts of all items.
• All electric working.
• Professionally sandblasted and powder coated.
• Chrome stand, brake and gear pedals, rear carrier.
• Super reliable, rarely used
• Including basket and front rack (need repaint)
• Owner is one of the Admins of Honda Super Cub Philippines FB Group

Issues
• Punit ang right side ng legshield, pero tinakpan ko ng rubber lining.
• Basag ang right rear signal light, will provide replacement.
• Slight oil leak.

http://bit.ly/2kFixSf
RFS: time to move on.

Thoughts On The Crown

What I learned from The Crown is that essentially, the monarchy, or at least the British one, are a sort of government sanctioned and promoted celebrity family. People seem to love them by default whether they deserve it or not, and so the state uses this as an opportunity to promote among other things, proper behavior, loyalty to country, patriotism and devotion to duty. Something to aspire to. Without which you supposedly would have, especially among the lesser educated, mayhem.

Because they are so popular, people are obsessed with everything they say and do. Movies, books, magazines – a whole industry of publications are dedicated to everything these people eat, wear, their stature, their earthly possessions, who they ‘fancy’, none of which may actually be true yet is absorbed, fabricated and supplemented by people like water in the desert. And because there is such obsession and (unnecessarily deserving) adulation, they use this to promote their standards. Like sobriety, conservatism, restraint, respect for law and government, and all those the government sees befit a British citizen. Continue reading Thoughts On The Crown

Sakaling Hindi Makarating – 5/10

So, the things I found wrong with it:

Alessandra de Rossi is good, but she seems too old for the youngish guy in the Marinduque scenes, and in addition to that, an absolute cold blooded B in the way she left him after he and his sister extended so much hospitality to her. Sure we’re supposed to feel empathy towards a woman desperate to resolve the mysterious postcards she’s been getting, but when there was apparently no scene of her giving the guy an explanation or even a goodbye I felt sorry for the him.

About those postcards, it took up to the start of the second act for me to realize those cards were mysterious at all. I thought they were still from her ex but it wasn’t made clear it wasn’t until way into the movie. Which is a pity because the plot was fairly rich. It wouldn’t have taken a sentence or two to establish this, perhaps by declaring this before she went on her trip.

Continue reading Sakaling Hindi Makarating – 5/10

Passengers 7/10

I love sci – fi of almost any sort, and the premise behind this is exactly the type of sci – fi I grew up with. What if on a 90 year journey to a new world you are awoken sometime in the middle and now face the prospect of having to live the rest of your life in an empty albeit luxurious ship. Surrounded by comfort and extravagance you will no doubt still feel lonely, so how do you deal with that?

In a way its a little like Omega Man, the film I am Legend was based on, both relying on the ‘last man on earth’ plot where we investigate what a man left alone will do. The common denominator being the inevitable feelings of despair and loneliness, providing the catalyst to which all action he will do from thereon is justified against.

And that’s the problem with this movie, because the protagonists’ action was unacceptable. He awakens another passenger because he is supposedly infatuated with her based on videos about her – which make you roll your eyes because of course you’ll want to wake someone who looks like that regardless. The action of waking her up and being made to believe it’s because he likes her persona reminds me of the old joke about watching porn because of the story. It strains the suspension of disbelief necessary in all sci – fi.

Continue reading Passengers 7/10

La La Land 10/10

It’s personally very gratifying to finally see an original musical in movie form again after quite an incredible amount of time in between. I can’t even remember the last one I’ve seen as a matter of fact, and it’s a testament to the balls of its producers – who to my mind are part of ‘the dreamers’ the movie sings about.

  • Why it shouldn’t have gotten approved – I would think that a romantic musical of any sort would be hard to get a go ahead from a studio for two reasons: 1.) You can gather from media and a general negative air around the world that audiences are literal – or the types who would not appreciate or understand the idea of spontaneous choreographed dancing to music coming from nowhere. And 2.), The only worthwhile romantic movie idea would have to be the Nicholas Sparks types, because people like the idea of a macho loner guy building a yacht or an antique house by hand and doing heroic selfless acts all while secretly yearning for a spunky female lead.

Continue reading La La Land 10/10

Rogue One – 8.75 / 10

I am torn between giving in a ten, which I initially wanted to do directly after the movie, and a lower score. A ten because, as a Star Wars fan, this resolves twenty year old questions and even cheekily solves an old joke about how easy it is to destroy the Death Star.

The joy of rectifying issues and at the same time visiting familiar characters such as Gen. Tarkin and Mon Mothma are mined deep and hard here, likely resulting in explosions of geek happiness to millions of ‘Wars nerds. Even passive ones like myself are thoroughly entertained.

However as a standalone movie without the benefit of watching any of the others, I doubt if I would have enjoyed it as much. Continue reading Rogue One – 8.75 / 10