The Holiday

By Vida Soraya Verzosa

Jasper: What's gotten into you?
Iris: I believe it's called "gumption" *slams door on Jasper's face*

For every woman (or soft-hearted man, as the case may be) who has ever gone through an extended, difficult, over the top, heart-rending break-up, gumption is IT.
The Holiday, Nancy Meyer's film about 2 women who swap houses, cars, etc., starts off innocuously – people who are in love, falling out of love, enduring lost loves and, well, going through the throes of unrequited love. Montages of the characters are flashed: Miles (Jack Black) composing a film score, Amanda (Cameron Diaz) wordlessly drying out in the passenger seat as she looks at her boyfriend, Arthur (Eli Wallach) looking forlornly at the faded wedding picture of his wife, and Iris (Kate Winslet), at the office Christmas party, wrapping a present for her ex-beau, who just makes it so difficult to let go.

20 minutes into the movie, as Kate Winslet's ex announces his engagement to another woman, I find myself dabbing at my eyes with tissue. A longer stream of weepy moments follow while my seatmate in the darkened theatre elbows me in jest. It's the kind of movie that doesn't factor in "being on the rebound." Neither does it discuss the lifestyle adjustments and cross-cultural ramifications of long-distance relationships, but hey, one doesn't go on a holiday to think, right?

So, with the usual Americana meets British bloke, or Britgirl meets Amboy, establish an inexplicable connection over a lilting musical score, have amazing sex, or a profound conversation over dinner (whichever comes first), break-up, as in, really break-up with their philandering exes, discover secrets and other complications, fall into a bit of a quandary and, throwing all caution to the wind, spontaneously spill out their viscera, er, their feelings.

Of course, special mention goes to Jude Law (come on ladies, altogether now, heave that collective sigh of longing). Looks aside, his portrayal of Graham, Iris' hunk of a brother and other half of the Cameron-Jude love team, was just, well, in colloquial Filipino, referred to as, "makalaglag-panty". Such a character, a rather geeky, full-time father of two who's a weeper (roll that R in a very English way, will you?), a literature major, and a very expressive gentleman, is someone who infuses the movie with the kind of mass-appeal worthy of a semi-chickflick.

Jack Black also exploits his musical prowess to a hilt (dear God, please don't let him be typecast into those manufactured underdog/musical prodigy roles). Even in those tender moments, it requires temporary suspension of disbelief to allow the romance to sink in. From a guy who donned tights in Nacho Libre, the character of Miles, the composer, seems to be a bit more subdued and realistic.

There are a lot of loose ends that the conclusion was unable to reconcile. Sometimes, the humor just seems to be so strategically timed. The addition of Arthur (Amanda's Oscar-winning LA neighbor) in the cast was also one of the cinematic firsts. In a way, it demonstrated how aging gracefully can be linked to how screenwriters fade away into the backdrop while the screen talents bask in the limelight.

I suppose this film was deliberately driven by a lot of "sensitive male" characters and strong-willed, career-oriented females with a vulnerable, totally neurotic side hidden beneath that façade of accomplishment.

Too bad it wasn't released around Christmastime in the Philippines (international release date of Sony Digital was pegged at December 8th). Nevertheless, it sure was a nice film to relax with, on days off and post-midterms downtime, it's the kind of entertainment that elicits guaranteed hand-holding. Of course, the prerequisite would be: to have gumption. ;-)

http://www.pinoyera.com/articles/2007/february2007/ent-feb07-holiday.htm

For only P240, eight slices of divinity would be at your fingertips: twenty five variants of "original Italian pizzas," as their menu describes it. For P120-170, pasta and soup of every imaginable culinary configuration. P35 gets you a cup of delightful gelato in flavors that would make you ditch that sorry pint you picked up from the grocery. P30 is a cup of strong, brewed coffee. P50 is a box of ensaymada and P70 is a huge spinach loaf. I kid you not. It's really cheap, considering that the servings are good for two and terribly tasty.

At this day and age when everything else would bleed your wallet dry, a visit to Amici di Don Bosco would really give you a welcome respite from overpriced Italian cooking. It's affordable, it's hot, and all the ingredients are fresh and imported.

If there's any room for improvement, then it would have to be the venue since it really gives a cafeteria vibe with all the metal railings, meal trays and the students lining up with their plastic serving numbers in hand. On the other hand, the self-service, campus-pizzeria feel could add to the unpretentious ambiance compared to the chi-chi glossiness of the Makati business district. If only they would have extended hours (it's only open from 10am-9m, Monday to Saturday), it would definitely be a fantastic venue for Sunday family lunches or post-lecture dinners with groupmates.

For now, i guess one would just have to be content with gazing at the posters of landscapes across Sicily while waiting for a piping hot pan of authentic Italian fare.

Special thanks to the anonymous Bosconian priest who helped us get to the road to Greenbelt by passing through the printing press office one rainy Saturday night.

http://www.donsolmovie.com/donsol/index1.html

This is a prime example of an independent feature that mixed together interesting elements of both mainstream pinoy pop culture and a decidedly independent vision to produce a commercially viable feature.

For an indie production, the cast was particularly star-studded with thespians of critical acclaim. Angel Aquino was, as always, luminous and expressive in demonstrating her restraint amidst pain. Her portrayal of a widowed breast cancer patient was overwhelming -- the primary tearjerking agent in the entire flick. Sid Lucero was convincing as a homegrown Sorsogueño Butanding Interaction Officer complete with the "punto" and mannerisms of a man who grew up in a coastal community. For some strange reason, I had to suspend disbelief that this guy wasn't a showbiz persona. Cherie Gil was a bit insensitive at times but perhaps, that was what her character was all about. Bembol Roco's turn as Sid Lucero's father reminded me of Orapronobis... I even thought initially that he was a member of the NPA, not a pirate engaged in illegal fishing practices. Jaclyn Jose as Sid's mother was also reflective of the long-suffering rural nanay who's eking out a simple existence on what the ocean brings.

As expected, there would also be characters thrown in for comic relief: Aaron Junatas as the pa-cute childstar, who, of course, is instrumental for drawing the lady to the guy, and Kenneth Ocampo, who elicited the most guffaws from the audience with his declaration of being, "the only baklang butanding," in Donsol. I can't help but think of how comic relief must always be attributed to the token gay friend -- isn't it, in a way, pandering to society's cruel intolerance of LGBTs?

As a whole, "it didn't break new ground," said my friend whom I watched the film with, as we sauntered out of the theatre of CCP. There were high points and equally low points. The music, I must say, started beautifully with the sound of waves and the instruments playing a decidedly melancholic melody. The credits would of course, have Pinikpikan's Butanding song as the bed music. The other parts, though, sounded like the cue to a melodramatic teleserye confrontation waiting to happen. The colors were also a bit on the dull side (my friend later on explained that it's the CCP telon's fault since they haven't washed the screen in decades) and some parts were a bit dragging.

But if the hankies drawn out and the teary-eyed audience's eyes were any indication of success, I suppose this film is really worth watching while holding hands with someone special, if only for the chance to see the sights of an underwater paradise and the opportunity to prove that indeed, love is an ocean of emotions.