Rounin is reportedly not doing well in terms of ratings, which is sad, because the show is a good one. It features great special effects and exciting fight scenes.

Its cast includes popular young stars like Shaina Magdayao, Rayver Cruz, and Angelica Panganiban. Lucky Manzano, who plays Juris, is great in his fighting scenes, but he needs more training in drama.

I should log off now. Tonight’s episode ended after the villains brought Creon (Rafael Rosell) back to life.

(Text and photo courtesy of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

Manila — Posing in a jungle setting with their naked bodies covered only with painted-on tiger stripes next to the tagline “Even the Wildest Animals Don’t Belong in Zoos,” top Filipino models Ornusa Cadness and Borgy Manotoc appear together in the first of a series of three ads for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia-Pacific.

Local postcard advertising company YOCard has printed 10,000 postcards of the ad and is now offering them at various restaurants, bars, bookstores, and cultural areas around the metro free of charge. The couple also stars individually in print ads with the tagline “Keep Wild Animals Free–Boycott the Zoo.” The ads were shot by ace photographer and PETA volunteer Xander Angeles. Indie film luminary Dante Mendoza donated his services to create the amazing set, and Leo Posadas was behind the makeup for the shoot.

Why do zoos have Cadness and Manotoc baring their claws? In the wild, animals spend their entire lives with their close-knit families. But in zoos, animals are separated from their families as babies and are sentenced to a lifetime of boredom, loneliness, and abuse–leading to self-mutilation and other abnormal and self-destructive behaviors called “zoochosis.”

Zoos claim that they educate people and preserve species, but they rarely succeed on either count. Zoos present visitors with a distorted view of wildlife. Tigers roam territories of up to 650 square kilometers in the wild, but the entire Manila Zoo measures only 0.055 square kilometers! Even the biggest zoos cannot provide the space, exercise, privacy, or mental stimulation needed by the animals they imprison, much less fulfill their other complex needs.

Named one of the “10 most beautiful women” by Mega magazine, Cadness’ exotic looks have landed her on many magazine covers. The multi-talented Manotoc is a radio and TV host and club DJ, in addition to his busy career as a top male model.

“I hope people will see these ads and think twice about visiting the zoo,” says Cadness.

“Zoos are a business; they make money by exploiting animals,” Manotoc adds. “Cages severely inhibit the animals’ natural behavior, and often animals in zoos are mistreated. Wild animals need to be free–that’s the best way for people to appreciate and learn about them.”

While similar postcard advertising companies exist throughout London, New York, and Hong Kong and have featured PETA ads, YOCard is the first to bring this innovative concept to the Philippines. YOCard postcards are distributed at the hottest locations around metro Manila, including Ricco-Renzo, Annabel Lee, Temple Bar, Caf� Benissimo, Green Papaya, UP Film Center, Active Fun, Fluid Lounge, Life Coffee & Tea, National Museum, Icing’s, AAK Fitness Center, San Mig Cafe, Metro Bar, Mojo Gym, PETA Theater, Popular Bookstore, Bizu, Jack’s Loft, Cerealicious, and all outlets of Fullybooked, Music One, and Elorde Gym.

For more information, please visit WildlifePimps.com.

Voila! I got hooked. I was supposed to write something political here but I wasn’t able to jot it down because I was reading, what else?

Thing is I’ve always been a believer of the sacred feminine and the “grand conspiracy” against it. History is made by those in power, as the book suggests. My history professor would even add that history is made by those who have the means to change or twist it. If that’s the case, then it’s really up to us to decode our own truths or leave it to faith.

Krystala sounds like Darna. I heard that like the latter, the former can fly, too. GMA-7 got the rights to air Darna. Hmmmm…

I also read that in Krystala, an important character named Lawin will be killed by Haribon. Wait, isn’t Mulawin the title of a hit fantasy series in ABS-CBN’s the rival station GMA-7? Hmmmmm….

Found some related links:

Alamat ni Krystala

Haribon

Mulawin

Mulawin at blogspot

Darna at blogspot

Psychicpants on Mulawin

Another review of Mulawin

The controversial shampoo beauties–Ivory Ibanez, Jeanette Joaquin, Kat de Santos, Kuhdet Honasan, Mikaela Monteverde, Palmolive Palma, Pantene Palomino, Rejoice Rivera–are now invoking freedom of expression.

We keep on crying for freedom, but we often forget that such freedoms come with responsibility. Let me ask you, dear readers, do you think these girls–or their handlers and managers–acted responsibly when they staged that infamous pictorial?

UP Film Institute premieres Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11

The UP Film Institute in Diliman, Quezon City premieres Michael Moore’s Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner, Fahrenheit 9/11, on Sunday, September 26, at 7 p.m.

The widely released controversial film–now the highest-grossing documentary in history–serves as another highlight of UP Film Institute’s ongoing blockbusters showcase for the current month.

The acclaimed full-length documentary feature gunning no less for the Oscar Best Picture next year is predicted to be at the forefront of all the major awards derbies not only in the United States but also in other countries worldwide.

The film is in the center of much debate across America with its critical stance against the Bush administration’s war on terror. With the forthcoming US presidential elections and in the light of the most recent terrorist strike in Indonesia, Fahrenheit 9/11 all the more becomes a not-to-be-missed affair.

Premiere admission at a super-discounted rate awaits interested moviegoers. For tickets, drop by the 2nd Floor administrative office of UP Film Institute along Magsaysay Avenue, UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City. Call: 9263640.

In this desperate times we are living in, it seems that the young Filipinos’ national dream is to become a movie and television star. How sad!

One of the featured films this year is Ramona Diaz’s controversial documentary “Imelda,” which as the synopsis describes “dramatically highlights how Marcos transformed herself from a Third World beauty queen into an international political force.” I’ve seen a part of that documentary where the former first lady was being asked about her love for beauty. Hair on my arms stood when she said that if someone was to kill her, she’d opt for a bolo tied with a ribbon on it.

Another Filipino masterpiece worth seeing is Mario O’ Hara’s “Babae sa Breakwater,” a film about a small community of indigents living beside the breakwater of Manila Bay. This film failed to make noise when first shown publicly but has surprisingly earned critical success from Cannes.

Other Filipino films to banner the event are Jon Red’s “ASTIGmatism,” Jeffrey Jeturian’s “Bridal Shower,” Mark Meilly’s “Crying Ladies,” Lav Diaz’s “Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino,” Maryo J. de los Reyes’ “Magnifico,” and Clodualdo del Mundo’s “Maid in Singapore”

And of course there’s “Osama,” 2004 Golden Globes’ best foreign language film, UK’s “The Mother” from “Notting Hill” director Roger Michell and other intriguing foreign films.

For a complete list of these films, check out www.cinemanila.com.ph

See you at the cinemas!