On Sid & Aya (Not a Love Story)

Jolens2 Comments

It is precisely the parenthetical reminder in the title that compels me to pay closer attention to Irene Villamor’s Sid & Aya (Not A Love Story). The textual framing calls attention to itself. It is gimmicky, sure, but it is also an unveiling of directorial intent and an invitation for the viewers to examine what exactly makes this movie not a love story.

From this examination stems what I deem to be the film’s ambition. Sid & Aya centers on the familiar Rich Boy Poor Girl coupling, but it swerves around the typical trajectory from Meet-cute to Happily Ever After. The film instead parses a familiar premise and plays around the tried-and-tested formula of the cross-class romance genre [1].

Continue reading “On Sid & Aya (Not a Love Story)” →

Shuffle the Music #2

Jolens6 Comments

Go Slow – Tei Shi

My favorite parts in this song are the breathy halinghing that remind me of a less energetic Robyn or a funkier Moira De La Torre.

Continue reading “Shuffle the Music #2” →

Searching 2.0

Jolens13 Comments

There’s so many important things to talk about tonight yet here I am doing this thing, this Searching thing, the thing in which I talk about the search terms that tricked random strangers into visiting my blog.

There’s no social relevance here whatsoever. I’m just going to answer questions, share some stories, and pretty much say whatever comes to mind. You’ve been warned, okay?

Now let’s begin.

Continue reading “Searching 2.0” →

Ilang Paboritong Akda

Jolens10 Comments

Sa dalas ko ba namang magsayang ng oras sa WordPress, imposibleng hindi ako magkaroon ng mga paboritong blog post. Gusto ko nga sanang magsimula ng buwanang listahan e — ‘yung tipong monthly favorites ba — pero lagi naman akong gahol sa oras.

Kaya paspasan lang din itong post na ito. Nais ko lang ilista at ibahagi ang ilan sa mga akdang madalas kong binabalik-balikan, bago ko pa man sila makalimutan.

Deboto ako ng mga senyales.

Sa tuwing iiyak ang pinto, alam kong nariyan ka na. Musika ang tunog ng mga yapak mo papunta sa ’kin. Kapag may uwi kang sariwang lumpia, ibig sabihi’y hindi ako nawaglit sa maghapon mo. Walang bantas ang mga mensahe mo kung sabik kang makita ako.

Mula sa “Para Sa ‘Yong Naghihintay ng Senyales” ni Ron Camino
Continue reading “Ilang Paboritong Akda” →

April

Jolens22 Comments

The initial plan was to write something with a little arte, like maybe start with a scene description from Noah Baumbach’s Frances Ha, maybe include a dialog or two, and then fluidly transition into a persuasive thesis statement on adulthood, credit scores, and being “undateable.” Too bad I’m too lazy to pull that off, so I’m just gonna go ahead and say,

Hey, guys — it’s gonna be May! (N*SYNC, anyone?)

Continue reading “April” →

Sunday Dress

Jolens5 Comments

Sunday night I catch myself watching The Office while nibbling on Skittles and downing the decadent beads of sugar with tepid green tea. I am moving to a new city tomorrow yet here I am doing nothing, just bumming around like some chubby Norse god who lost his will to be.

But you really have to start packing, I remind myself. My new place — a tiny room in the basement of an old house along a quiet, tree-lined street — is ready for occupancy tomorrow. The landlady and I have already agreed on a move-in time. Everything is set, actually, except for my luggage that remains empty.

Continue reading “Sunday Dress” →

Searching

Jolens20 Comments

When I started Jumping Jolens back in 2012, search terms on Google were unencrypted. I could read every keyword that lured random strangers into the stinky pits of my blog. It was pretty cool, but I didn’t gain much from it save for the occasional entertainment.

Some search terms were funny (“kailan tutubo pag nag ahit ng kilay”), some were lewd (“hugis ng vagina ni [celebrity]”), and some were legitimate queries (“ano ang spaghetting pataas at pababa”). Today I will try to answer some of these questions and address other pressing concerns, all in the spirit of Ayokong Asikasuhin ang Buhay Ko Kaya Ito na Muna ang Gagawin Ko.

Continue reading “Searching” →