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Movie Critique: Bride for Rent

By: Erika Juls Navarro

Bride for rent is a 2014 Filipino film that covers two of the main features of a film which are the actors and the settings. There is a clear setting of the mood of the film and an outstanding portrayal of the characters by the actors. The film incorporates cinematography and film editing process which makes the film realistic to the viewers. The camera shots fitted in the movie appropriately.

Bride for rent has employed certain techniques in the film with an aim of creating dominance. For instance, Kim Chiu as Racquelita 'Rocky' Dela Cruz and Xian Lim as Roderico 'Rocco' Espiritu Jr. who are the major characters in the movie are distinguishable from all other characters and objects. In comparison to the largest objects in the film, the techniques successfully portrayed Roderico 'Rocco' Espiritu Jr. to be the most appealing. The creation of dominance is further portrayed by Rocco’s mode of dressing that matches what is expected of the man character for instance, he dresses a suit for the groom, which he portray as the groom of Rocky on their faked wedding day at the church for his grandma to let him have the share of their wealth. He dresses according to the scene portrayed unlike the entire coloring of the movie which is characterized by dull colors. Similarly Racquelita 'Rocky' Dela Cruz a character in the movie which is dressed by a casual outfits but was also dressed in a wedding gown at their fake wedding to make it suitable in the scene. But most of the movie Rocky was dressed in a casual clothes making Rocco standout in the movie. The film is characterized by moderate lighting, an issue that is perceived to be as a result of lack of brightly lit scenes; moreover, movie does lack many shadows. Despite that imbalance in shadow and light. Bride for rent still manage to retain its mood. It is probable that moderate lighting suited the film because it is a character grounded drama/romance/comedy.

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Movie Critique: She’s Dating the Gangster

By: Kurt Fuentes

The movie that I chose to critique is a combination of romance, drama and comedy genres and is entitled “She’s Dating the Gangster” directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina and was released on July 16, 2014. It was based from a Pop Fiction book of the same name originally published on CandyMag.com’s Teen Talk section and became popular because of Wattpad by Bianca Bernardino (pen name is SGwannaB).

The leading actors in this film is seventeen-year-old Athena Dizon played by Kathryn Bernardo who pretends to be the girlfriend of Kenji de los Reyes, a gangster, played by Daniel Padilla, to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. However, as time passed by, she falls in love with him.

The actors chosen were perfect for the role given by the director. They successfully showed the message of the movie to the viewers. Although the conversation sometimes cannot be understood, the actors still manage to tell the viewers what the story entails.

Molina’s casting choice makes for real chemistry between Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. They both have played their roles well. They were able to apply all the learnings they have learned from all the past movies they have made together. They also used their being in love with each other to successfully deliver all the “kilig” lines from the script.

Molina was able to show the romance, drama and comedy all in one in the movie “She’s Dating the Gangster.” Its portrayal of not-so-old, fervently romantic love is really attractive. From what I have observed, it is not easy to handle this kind of work, but still, she manages to make this project possible. She did a good work as the movie received largely positive reviews both from critics and fans.

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Movie Critique: Bride for Rent

By: Erika Juls Navarro

Bride for rent is a 2014 Filipino film that covers two of the main features of a film which are the actors and the settings. There is a clear setting of the mood of the film and an outstanding portrayal of the characters by the actors. The film incorporates cinematography and film editing process which makes the film realistic to the viewers. The camera shots fitted in the movie appropriately.

Bride for rent has employed certain techniques in the film with an aim of creating dominance. For instance, Kim Chiu as Racquelita 'Rocky' Dela Cruz and Xian Lim as Roderico 'Rocco' Espiritu Jr. who are the major characters in the movie are distinguishable from all other characters and objects. In comparison to the largest objects in the film, the techniques successfully portrayed Roderico 'Rocco' Espiritu Jr. to be the most appealing. The creation of dominance is further portrayed by Rocco’s mode of dressing that matches what is expected of the man character for instance, he dresses a suit for the groom, which he portray as the groom of Rocky on their faked wedding day at the church for his grandma to let him have the share of their wealth. He dresses according to the scene portrayed unlike the entire coloring of the movie which is characterized by dull colors. Similarly Racquelita 'Rocky' Dela Cruz a character in the movie which is dressed by a casual outfits but was also dressed in a wedding gown at their fake wedding to make it suitable in the scene. But most of the movie Rocky was dressed in a casual clothes making Rocco standout in the movie. The film is characterized by moderate lighting, an issue that is perceived to be as a result of lack of brightly lit scenes; moreover, movie does lack many shadows. Despite that imbalance in shadow and light. Bride for rent still manage to retain its mood. It is probable that moderate lighting suited the film because it is a character grounded drama/romance/comedy.

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Movie Critique: UP

By: Kyle Lemuel Quezon

Up, an animated film on Pixar is about an elderly man Ellie Fredricksen who follows his and his dead wife dreams named carl and becomes an explorer up in the sky. He was not alone in his dream. Russel accidentally was with him but it was worth it and they also met the dog, the ostrich, and Ellie's and Carl's house with the help of the balloons. It is a very powerful and heart touching movie I find a lot of meaning on the whole movie like my favorite part is the love story scene of Ellie and Carl that there are up's and down in every life and life is temporary so we must make the most of it. The scene wherein Ellie selflessly threw memorable stuffs in the skies and left his house up in the high mountain is also my favorite part of the film. For me, it signifies letting go. What matters most is the memories you've got. The scene where they successfully saved the ostrich and they finally got back home down with Russel and the dog also has a lesson. I realized that sometimes in life we must let things go because they're already on their way back to their true home.

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A Critique on the Thai Movie Friend Zone

By: Ma. Jessa Mae Afable

Friend Zone, a romantic comedy Thai movie of 2019 directed by Chayanop Boonprakob offers a relatable but an unpredictable experience of an assumed unrequited love between two best friends wherein the other one is afraid to lose the friendship if it will be turned into a special kind of relationship.

Palm (Naphat Siangsomboon) was friend zoned by her best friend Gink (Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul) 10 years ago, but for that span of 10 years wherein Palm already had his work as a flight attendant and started dating other girls, while Gink worked as a manager of a song recording company, Palm's care for Gink was still the same. Whenever Gink needed him, he would always prioritize Gink over her girlfriends as his love for his best friend never vanished. His sacrifices for his best friend was a definite example of love which is put into action.

The movie is relatable in a way that many people will not want to end their friendship, so they often choose friendship over a special kind of relationship with their best friend. In addition, the offers unexpected turn of events which makes it interesting. There will be a different assumption at the start of the movie, but the viewers will be surprised on how the plot can take them to the movie's unexpected ending.

The movie is made more beautiful by the actors exceptional portrayal of their roles. Naphat Siangsomboon portrays well his role as the caring Palm. Even though it crushed his heart being left in a friend zone state with her best friend, he never failed to be a one of a kind best friend to Gink. On the other hand, Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul portrays well her character Gink as an emotionally complex woman. The moment when Palm frankly said to Gink how selfish she had become for not minding Palm's emotion, but still wanting him anytime, Gink promised to Palm that she would end her relationship with her boyfriend and be with Palm the rest of her life. However, when they met on the next day, Gink told Palm that she wanted to give her boyfriend a second chance and did not want to be in relationship with Palm, because she was frightened that she would possibly lose the only best friend she had. Throughout the movie, the actors carried well their roles. The eyes of a man whose heart beats only for her best friend and the gestures a woman who is afraid to lose the only best friend she has.

Moreover, practicality is shown in the movie. In some movies, you can see the characters leaving their things, while you are left wondering what will happen to those. Though it is only a movie, you become more connected to it, if you can see the reality happening in it. A good movie left you without confusion, rather a smile and inspiration.

Furthermore, while watching the movie, it is not only romance, comedy, and drama that you experience, but it also travels you to some picturesque places which is made clear by the idea of putting the names of the places that the characters are visiting to which is quite unique for a romcom movie.

The almost two-hour movie, though it is made beautiful by the humor of the witty script and the picturesque locations, the idea is only revolving into Gink who gets into trouble and saves by Palm. More scenes can be added to it. The background of the characters can be included in the movie to make it clearer. There must be a clear start on the friendship of Palm and Gink. The movie immediately jumps to Gink suspecting her father of having a mistress and Palm helping her in investigating.

Friend Zone carries a light-hearted tone that offers both romance, comedy, and moments that will surely get into your emotions.

Above all, Friend Zone is a must-see movie and is definitely recommended to anyone who is currently experiencing or who experienced the same situation with the characters.

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Wave

By: Erika Juls Navarro

Its funny how our love story started...

Saturday evening of November, I was doing what I usually do. I was playing mobile legends since I was staying at my grandma’s house and there was nothing to do. I was invited to have a “party” with them in classic mode. We played 5 games until their phones' battery turned low, so we stopped the game. I went out, because I didn’t want to battle alone with some random teams because I was really sure the ending is losing. I opened my messenger. I was about to click my friend's name at the active now list then I accidentally hit the wave button of this random guy. It was embarrassing though. I thought he would get mad or something, but the he waved back and sent me a message asking me “Hmm… Why?” Then I apologized to him about that mistake. He replied “Uhmm... It’s fine, so don’t apologize.” He made our conversation longer. I never expected that we would have so much in common especially about gaming facts, anime types, and more, but the thing is I had no idea from where he was living and where he was studying. I got a lot of questions in my mind, but I never bothered asking him anyway. I thought that day was the end of our conversation, but on the next day, he messaged and asked me if I could join him in his game. The game that I have been playing for a year now. I accepted his invitation. It was fun playing with him. He had never been slain by the enemies, he was always on the go to back me up every time I put myself in danger. Our conversation did not even stopped there. Everyday we chitchat. During my aunt’s birthday celebration, while I and my cousins talked about the happenings in our lives, my phone rang. That caught my cousin’s attention, so he headed to my phone’s direction and read the message. “Erika? Magchat2 diay mo anah niya?!” he asked me. I replied “Oo ngano diay?” He then said “Lol, classmate man ko na.” I was like really?! Seriously?! I really have no idea who he was. I was totally shocked “Really? We’re in the same school?!”

On the next day, I was walking on my way to the school library when I accidentally bumped into a guy. I was kind of pissed off until I saw his face. It was very familiar and then my cousin saw me and the guy which I did not know that it was him. I just thought that his face seemed to be familiar. My embarrassing cousin then shouted and started teasing. I was about to look at him when my cousin grabbed me and told me “Erika mao na siya oy.” I was looking at him while my cousin was talking without knowing that he was staring at me. He was smiling, and that was the most embarrassing moment of my life.

It was dismissal. I went directly home and sat at the couch and opened my phone then I received a message from him “Kita ko nimo ganiha.” I replied, acting like I had no idea “Huh? Diin?” He replied “Huh? Wa diay ka kita nako? Abi kog kita ka nako.”

Those sweet fun filled memories of how I met you 3 years ago is such a funny thing to remember, but just the start of the best memories I had never thought of having with you. The smile you showed to me that day we unexpectedly first saw each other was the same beautiful smile I saw the day I turned 18, and the day I first heard a beautiful song from someone dedicated only for me. How you held my hand while we were dancing with the calming music is the same gentle tightness I want to feel for the rest of the days that I am with you. You made me feel secure. That made me love you.

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STOP BULLYING

By: Kyle Lemuel Quezon

I would like to share some of the people I know that experience bullying.

First is my mother. When she was in high school, she suffered from bullying, because of her size. Her schoolmates often called her “tambul” or fat. She was hurt, but she was able to overcome and survived the negative words thrown by the people around her by staying positive and working hard. Some students whom I become classmates in the past were also bullied. I even see many young people in the social media who got bullied like the one who got trending, a 9-year-old boy born with dwarfism. His mother shared a heartbreaking video to show the effects of bullying. I too experienced bullying. Some people misunderstood my behaviors, because I am not an expressive kind of person. I am overwhelmed and often doubted myself. I overthink about being useless which makes me feel anxious.

Being bullied can affect a person a lot emotionally and psychologically. Many people who are bullied suffer from depression and trauma, and worst many committed suicide, because they just can’t handle things anymore.

Bullying is not only happening in school or in workplace but also in social media where it is rampant now, and not just the ordinary people are victims of it but even known people like the celebrities.

As a victim of bullying, I want to defend the people who experience the same and stand for them but I just can’t. I can’t even defend and fight for myself, but there is a big hope within me that bullying will eventually stop, because some Anti-bullying are not working at all.

Why do some people need to bully, hurt, judge others under the belt, and talk like they know a lot about you? What if they are barking the wrong tree? They’re not even thinking about what will be the result of their actions. They just want to have fun without knowing everything and thinking the feelings of others. They only care when something bad happens to that person. These bullies need a lesson. Truly I can say that our world is unfair, but I still believe that there is chance and change if only everyone loves, respects, and understands each other.

I want to be their voice even just here and I hope I already give a little bit justice to those people suffering from discrimination or bullying. They deserves to be happy and know that they’re not alone. I want to remind all those who got bullied to keep moving forward and be strong. For the bullies I want you to imagine your old selves, sitting on a chair, and recalling the past.

What do you want to recall?

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MOUNTAINOUS AREA OF BALAMBAN

By: Ma. Jessa Mae Afable

The weather that day was so fine. It was so different from the past days that was raining almost the whole day.

The year was about to end and that was December 26, 2019, when we suddenly decided to travel to the mountainous area of Balamban.

Balamban, Cebu is one of the 44 municipalities in the province of Cebu. It is just one of the many municipalities in Cebu where you can find popular tourist destinations especially in its mountainous area.

For that unplanned day of adventure, we decided to go to Mt. Mauyog and Florentino's which is dubbed as the “Little Tagaytay of Cebu” and captures a lot of hearts of adventurers, but when we arrived in the place, we changed the plan. Instead of experiencing the beauty of the known "Little Tagaytay of Cebu", we made our path to Buwakan Ni Alejandra which is just located near Florentino's.

Buwakan Ni Alejandra as it name suggests is a place where you can witness the diversity of beautiful flowers. Buwakan is a Visayan word for a place where flowers can be found and Alejandra is the name of the mother-in-law of the owner and landscaper, Eleuterio Getapa. The place had its successful opening on the year 2017, month of May. It is located in Bunga, Balamban, Cebu. It is takes 32 kilometers to reach the place from the city. The place is open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The entrance fee for adults is P55 and 20 for children below 8 years old. The garden covers 700 square meters, and during our visit there, they were beautifying the place which can surely entice more people to visit such perfect place for relaxation with its over 200 varieties of local plants. Some of the flowers that we saw in the place were wax begonias, dahlias, and roses. They also offer foods in their small restaurant, but there are times that they are closed just like the day that we went there, but it is nothing to worry about, because there are restaurants that are just minutes away from the place like Belen Ni Ato.

Belen Ni Ato offers variety of foods in affordable prices that will surely fill your stomach. It is just 3-4 minutes away from Buwakan Ni Alejandra.

After we had our lunch in Belen Ni Ato Restaurant, we made our trek to Mt. Mauyog. Mt. Mauyog is a known hiking destination in Cebu with its human brain look-like formation. It is situated in Sunog, Balamban, Cebu. The entrance fee is P50 both for adults and children. If you are a first time hiker of the said mountain, you are to have a tour guide with you which cost P300. Having a tour is the safest thing to do if you are to climb the mountain for the first time, because of its tricky path. Hiking to the top of the mountain is exhausting not until you reach the top of it. On the day we went there, we are both lucky and unlucky. We are lucky because we got to reach at the peak of the mountain and witness the breathtaking view of the mountain surrounded with fog. It is somehow unlucky, because we expected to see a picturesque view of the mountains, houses, and the sea, without thinking that for the past few days the weather was not fine, but that didn't make our adventure less beautiful. We were able to have a foggy adventure to the top of the mountain and hear the sound of cold breeze.

From there, we proceeded to the Falls of Mt. Mauyog which is a 40 minutes to 1 hour trek from the entrance. It costs an additional amount for the tour guide. The beautiful sceneries along the road towards the falls already satisfied our eyes especially that the place was so foggy. It feels like we are in the City of Baguio. The reason also that the place is dubbed as "Baguio de Cebu".

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MY STORY

My name is Rochelle A. Lim and I was born on the 4th of September, 1999 in Balamban, Cebu. My parents are Ma. Cherry Pie A. Lim and Roel M. Lim. I have four siblings, Roche, Royce, Rowelyn, and Roela. My mom died at the age of 50 in the year 2019 from breast cancer. My father is now the only one left with us. My hobby is travelling and shopping. I really do love shopping so when I have a money I will really go somewhere to buy something that I really need. I love travelling because when I go to the other places, I get to meet new friends and create some new memories to capture. Memories that cannot be forgotten.

I am a girl who has a big dream. I always try to reach big achievements in life, but procrastination always try to destroy me. One of my most greatest weakness is that I am not a person who has less confidence in myself. I get really shy whenever I talk in public, but I try to deal with it.

With all the difficulties I have experienced in life, my mother is greatest motivation. She always give me some directive face and gives me the spirit to always look ahead and be optimistic, because she believes that by possessing these I can realize my dreams and my worth. She always says that I am the best, and for me she is the perfect mother.

Growing without a mom in my side is very hard. It makes me feel lonely knowing that we've lost her at our early age. Without her, I feel incomplete. I just realized that being with our mom is the best.

The best moment in my life is when I first opened my eyes and saw my mother’s smile. My family makes me whole. They never failed to give meaning to my life.

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GENEROSITY FOR THE COMMUNITY

By: Ma. Jessa Mae Afable

December, a month of sharing and forgiveness was the time the Grade 12 HUMSS students of Saint Francis Academy which is located in Balamban, Cebu initiated in the giving of bundles of joy to the candle vendors, patients, prisoners, as well as to the partner community of SFA which is the Sitio Mangga, Cambuhawe, Balamban, Cebu. That was just a small part of our upcoming big project in relation to proper waste segregation in partnership with the Teatro Francisco, an active school spark. That project will be done in Sitio Mangga.

Giving of bundles of joy has been the school's annual tradition. They gathered those bundles of joy from the generous hearts of the students and shared them to certain communities.

We had a separate giving of bundles of joy for the community of candle vendors. That was done ahead of the rest. We, the Grade 12 HUMSS were excited for the event. We prepared for the venue which was the Dominic and Fe Mancuso Gymnasium. We carried and brought the bundles of joy to the place and organized them properly. There were people assigned to welcome the candle vendors.

Before the event, we made a plan and divided the class into different committees. We had the Secretariat, Research, Security, Program, and Film Committees. We were divided, but during the event, we were one in making it a fruitful one.

We all welcome the candle vendors with bright smiles and they returned the same. That day was not just all about sharing material things, but also connecting with the persons. We danced with them and we prayed for each other. A prayer of healing and success. Prior to that, 2 candle vendors shared their lives and experiences. One thing I learned from their sharing is that success won't come easy. You have to work hard and persevere. Do not give up, because it is hard. Life will always be hard, and it is up to you to be happy. The candle vendors were proud of their work. Imagine, because of selling candles, Nanay Dedeng, one of the sharers was able to raise professionals. There lives had been so hard before that they had to sleep on the streets and wake up when the stores are about to open, but because she had goals and she had dreams, she was able to make it. God is not deaf of our prayers and He is not blind either of our tears. He makes everything for a purpose.

That day ended so well that we were excited for the next one which was the giving of bundles of joy to the patients in Balamban District Hospital, prisoners, and to the Sitio Mangga.

On the next day, we divided ourselves into three groups and I chose to go to Sitio Mangga. That day, the road of the place was so muddy, but it didn't stop us in fulfilling our mission to the place. We carried the heavy sacks which made up the bundles of joy, but we never complained about it. We continued to carry it, until men from the place helped us which made us really grateful for them. When we finally entered the place, we saw a lot of people gathering. They were staring at us and the look of their faces said that they were ready to receive the blessings. We could not help but smile at them. A genuine smile is a language that says you are happy for that moment. We started immediately the program with a prayer. Then we had the games for children and the Munting Tinig, a school spark sung for the people there. The venue was in their chapel. Though it wasn't big, we made it possible to fit ourselves in there and do our tasks well. Minutes later, we started the giving of clothes and toys to the people there. I was there helping teenagers and old ones find the clothes they were looking for. They were all grateful for that moment. No one complained though we almost finished at 7:00 p.m. and it was also raining. We went to our jeepney feeling grateful for the productive day.

In this modern world, not everyone is given the chance to live an abundant life. Many of us are still striving hard each day to provide for our daily needs. Sharing what we have even those small things to others may mean a lot to others. Thus, we must not stop giving genuinely. The movie Klaus once quoted, "The true act of good will sparks another." We must not stop helping, because that single help may motivate them to also help other people in their own special way.

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BEAUTY ON TOP OF CEBU

By: Kurt Fuentes

Tops of Cebu, the newest mountain-top restaurant in Busay opened on August 2017. It offers not just pleasurable foods, but also an amazing experience to be on top of Cebu.

During the day, you will be able to see a very satisfying view of the city. Not only that you will also enjoy the weather there especially when it is fogging, but you can also take good pictures because the place is very beautiful. The place is perfect for those people who are Instagram addicts because of the place's picturesque view.

At night, you will also see a breathtaking view because of the city lights. You will fall in love in the idea of just being there. It will make your day complete. If you want to keep your conversation longer and memorable, being there during night is advisable and recommended. Aside from breathtaking views, they also have good dishes that will make you drool. It will make you want to go there again and again and again.

I had a great experience upon going there. Although the menus are a bit expensive, it’ll be worth it because their foods are delicious. Many tourists go there because of the exquisite view especially at night wherein city lights can be seen. When we went there, I took pictures and uploaded them to my social media accounts directly. Being on top of Cebu was a great experience. When I was there, my problems were forgotten. The place is very relaxing and you will surely enjoy your stay there especially when you’re accompanied by the people you love. If given the chance, I would go back there, endlessly.

HOW TO GET THERE?

Exact Location: Cebu Tops Road, Busay, Cebu City, Cebu — 20 minutes away from the main road (from JY Square).

BY JEEPNEY: Ride any jeepney going to Busay such as 04L or 04H and tell the driver to drop you off to JY Square. From there, ride a motorbike and tell the driver to drop you off to Tops Lookout, approximate time of travel is about 30 – 40 minutes. Fare is ₱100 per person (one-way).

BY CAR: If you’re driving your own car, just navigate with Waze or Google Maps and pin your location to “Tops Lookout” or refer to the map below. Parking space is available.

BY CAR / VAN FOR RENT: For van or car rentals, or to book an uphill tour (9 destinations in 1 day for only ₱999 per person), book with our trusted travel partner SquadPH Tours and Travels.