GAME OF THRONES...Song of Ice and Fire Book 1

"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."

In a world where the approaching winter will last four decades, kings and queens, knights and renegades struggle for control of a throne. Some fight with sword and mace, others with magic and poison. Beyond the Wall to the north, meanwhile, the Others are preparing their army of the dead to march south as the warmth of summer drains from the land. 

I like fantasy genre so AGOT was usually discussed on forums and reviews for the genre but i started to read it when i heard that they're going to make a TV series ( i love book adaptations). I'd say A Game of thrones or the Song of Ice and Fire Series will come to comparison to other fantasy book like The Lord of the Rings and Wheel of Time but id say they are different on their own (that goes for LOTR, i haven't read Wheel of time yet). 

A Game of Thrones is a story of the Seven Kingdoms and the powerful families ruling it, struggling to control the Iron Throne by treachery, violence, greed and war - there's also romance somewhere there. What i love about GRR Martin is that he is very brutal, straightforward and very brave author i might say. He tells a story in a point of view of characters i love and also those i hate- that i think is great, coz i might understand the character and also the story more. There is no main characters, all the characters is part of the story and essential to the story. I say GRR is very brutal because he is so good that he let us love this character and then kick us in the ass by killing the character but still love him because i realized it is the right path to take for the character and the story and it is very human and realistic. Once you started to read there is no putting it down. 

This is not a read for the young ones but if you have an open mind go ahead and grab it. 

The TV adaptation outstanding (it's like the pages coming out on TV... almost) ...i will talk about it later.

HARRY POTTER.....THE END IS HERE

"Albus Severus..you were named for the two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

So I've seen THE END... and it's bloody brilliant!

The movie pick up where Part 1 left off, I wont get down to details to avoid spoilers for those who haven't read the books. I watched it on 3D but whether you watch it on 2D or 3D it won't make the film any lesser or much more. I just like that movie experience for this last film where you can see them from head to toe, every ripple of muscle of the dragon (I have to say, the dragon is spectacular), every part of Hogwarts, you get the idea... yes?

This film has capture the ending to this great series more than what I imagined, of course all the details can not be translated to the movie but the main story was spot on and some deviation is very well done. This movie make me cry, not just those I expected to cry (specially near the end) but also moments throughout the film that its just so heartwarming it will make you cry (like when the dragon struggle for freedom..sigh)

Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermoine (Emma Watson), the friendship of the actor and the characters is visible it the movie. It's like really genuine, you can feel it. The acting and shade of the characters has matured, has grown relatively with the series. Seeing them on flashback while they were so little and cute is like seeing your child grown before your eyes. They really own the characters, breath life to them. You have to admit that at the beginning these three is the reason we follow the story both book and movie, so its sad to not see them again. Well, you could always look at their cute little faces on DVD and read the books ( if you haven't memorize them already).

Snape... oh snape, Alan Rickman could won a Best Actor for the character, it was heartbreaking. Snape's background was brilliant though it was just a few minutes, you can feel the emotion right to the bone. I think Snape is one of the very important part of Harry's destiny.

I have to emphasize the “Neville Moment”(you just have to see what it is), because in the last book Neville really stood up. So the Neville moment, it slightly deviate from the books but the result was amazing, it literally earn an applause in the cinema (which really deserves an applause, it was climatic).

Not just the main characters that are worth mentioning but also the supporting characters..well all the characters because they are part of the Harry Potter. Helena Carter (Belatrix) is a brilliant actress, love her at Gringotts. Molly Weasley is one badass mother (“not my daughter, you bitch! Haha). And Professor McGonagall, you rock! (thumbs up..). I love the scene at Hogsmeade with Aberforth Dumbledore, I got teary at the display of trust for Albus Dumbledore.

This movie has so much awesomeness. This is the final battle, so much fighting, so much people but well coordinated. There is not one moment where you don't know what's happening because of so much going on – it was brilliantly choreographed, directed and the effects is just amazing.

IMHO, they say its a children's movie/book – NO its not. It is a story for all, friendship, love, loyalty, trust and courage. The story of humanity here is very raw and realistic just added little...or more magic. I may be biased but that's just me... what do you think?

THUMBS UP to all who made Harry Potter and to J.K. Rowling, who started it all.

ITS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

APPLAUSE!!!!!!! ( we really applauded at the theater)

I'm attaching a photo i've taken from the cinema... (i dont know what happen but it came out like this).

Yellowcab Pizza-All-You-Can with IMAX

Pizza-All-You-Can with IMAX and Yellow Cab for P199 only.

Flavors include Yellow Cab Cheese or New york classic pizza.

Promotion is from July 14 to 17, 2011 only.

Valid for 1:00pm to 6:00pm movie screenings.

Valid only at SM North Edsa and Mall of Asia.

Just present your IMAX Tickets at the Snack Lounge to avail.

Buy IMAX Tickets online (P450) and be one of the first Pizza-All-You-Can Challengers (P199).

IMAX Movie in SM Mall of Asia: Harry Potter (Duration of the promo)

IMAX Movie in SM North: Harry Potter & Green Lantern (Duration of the promo)

For more information, please call SM North EDSA at 929-5452 or 924-4274 / SM Mall of Asia at 556-4629 or 556-0242

(Thanks to the source)

How amazing is that... I already got my ticket before this came out (click for refresher) so this is a bonus and my time fits right in. We'll try this, well maybe not me coz i can't eat that much pizza but Lovey can, so i'll let him eat as many pizza as he can :-)

Get your tickets now, it's gonna be awesome.

Ahhh, Harry Potter, i can't wait.

EXPERIENCE @ Crocs Mega Sale 2011

 

Have you been there last June?

I've learn about this from this blog (this has good stuff..check it out). Since i'm a fan of SALE, discounts and the likes ( actually i love those stuffs) and it is shoes. Put SALE and SHOES together and it's GAME ON.

So Lovey and I meet a friend in cubao 9:00 in the morning and took C5 route. OMG, the traffic is very heavy, it's like all the cars are going in the same place (or maybe they are, coz it's crocs 90% off).

It's a little rainy, we got there past 11:00 and omg!! again, the lines is soooo long as in long longs.

We alternately stand in that long line in the rain(not heavy) and then the sun in the afternoon for like three 3 hours. So when we finally got to the entrance, it's like winning the amazing race (hehe). Paid the P50.00 entrance fee and finally went in.

OMG (again), it's crazy inside, people and shoes are everywhere and it's kind of dim. We dug in the boxes, some styles are not on display and only one size mostly (i think of bad luck or something).
The talk there says they will replenish the stock late in the afternoon but im tried so choose on the available stocks.

Lovey got a Sta. Cruz and i got 2.

The next day i browse there facebook page and the prizes still go down (sigh!!!... oh well charge it to experience, i still got a good deal)

IMHO, as i've said it's a good deal and an experience. Next time if im not gonna be there early (as in first in line), i'll go the next day or last :-).

TRANFORMERS: DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

We've watch the first 2 movies so it's a done deal that we watch the 3rd although i've read a few negative reviews. Anyway Lovey is a fan of the cartoon (original) and DC and Marvel for that matter. So we bought the ticket ahead of time to avoid long lines and get the nice seat. We tried the 3D in trinoma.

As for the cinema, we'll im a little bit upset about the 3D. It's suppose to come out off the screen but instead its like 3D inside the screen not like when we watched "Avatar" in IMAX north EDSA. So if you want that ultimate movie experience go to IMAX. But sometimes it also depends on the movie, if you'll watch on IMAX, do the research on the movie... it should be shot in 3D not converted to 3D.

Back to the movie...

I like Shia Labeouf (Sam) and John Turturro(Simmons), the chemistry is there. As for the new girl Rosie Whiteley(Carly), she's hot (imho...Megan Fox is hotter), but if her acting is just like Megan... i'd prefer Megan Fox. Anyway, the story behind the replacement of Megan is a little lame. Mikaela dump Sam....... really!!? The first 2 movies, they basically save the world together then dump him on the third?... they should have been more creative.

The effects is awesome really.... the story is..duh. The plotline is the same with Revenge of the Fallen, more action, new girl, additional villian/ally. Lovey complains that they should have focus on the characters and story of the TRANSFORMERS (co'z really it is titled Transformers), but they focus on a few names only.

IMHO, the first is still the best. Yes, the effects on the 1st is limited but the story is there. When Michael Bay was given a huge budget, he give us the action and the effects but leave the story behind. Just the same the trip to the cinema is still worth it...

IT ALL ENDS on JULY 15

"It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well."-Albus Dumbledore

The end is near... i can't describe the feeling. Can't wait for it to come (is it July 15 tomorrow?... oh not yet..sucks) and also sad because it's the end. This series and the actors literally grow up before our eyes, well, i can still read the books and the watch the movie over and over again. See?... i love it, i already said it, right? I'm a fanatic...

For those who wasn't a fan ( and i'm sure there's only a few), i highly recommend this series books and movies both. There's not much book adaptation out there who live up if not outshine its source material, this one definitely is.

I already bought my ticket online. It's really easy and convenient, try it, just go to sm cinema website ( IMAX has a seat selection with additional  P20.00 for convenience charge).

I'll watch this on IMAX, i'll get back for the review. See you in theaters...