I’m not a big make-up person. I still don’t know how to put eye make-up on my own or even blush properly.  My friends (hello Carlo!) used to laugh about my blush.  I’m jealous how other girls can play around with their eyes using different make-up strategies.  I was tempted to attend a make-up short seminar 2 years ago in one of the top make-up schools in Manila but I figured that 30-50 grand could go a long way somewhere else –besides, I do not have that amount in my make-up kit much more my wallet.  With this hurdle, I kept my cosmetic enhancement to the basic (powder, mascara, blush) even to big events like weddings.  Once in a while, I dabble into shimmers and what nots, but applying them is my drawback (Rihanna’s Disturbia in my singing version ”dumb dumb di dumb dumb”)

I needed to buy a new mascara 3 months ago and my favorite Lancome Hypnose mascara (sold at PHP1,500 as far as I can remember) was out of stock in black.  It was available in brown but I don’t know if I want to go brown again.  Lancome Hypnose gives volume to your eyelashes to create that “hypnotic” look.  I thought of changing to Lancome L’Extreme and try extending my lashes with the product.  Unfortunately, they were also out of stock in washable mascara at Rustan’s Shangri-la and Rustan’s Makati.  They have Lancome L’Extreme but it’s in the water-resistant formula.  I’ve tried waterproof mascara (L’Oreal dual mascara) and I really harmed my shrill lashes back then.

Lancome is one of the brands I’m really loyal to.  It started with the release of their Juicy Tubes 4-5 years ago (?), which I’m really fanatic about.

Since the Estee Lauder brand has been my favorite as of late in foundation and compacts, it was an opportune time for me to give their mascaras a shot.  They had a special offer on their Magnascopic.  For PHP 1,500, you get the mascara at its price with 2 add-ons.  They threw in an eye gel cream and a mascara remover in the pack.  It looked like a good buy then.  Although I have to say I really miss the Lancome brand.

In romantic movies, situations predictably unfold by: girl meets boy, sparks fly, small conflicts arise, and onto the happily-ever-after.

I really enjoyed watching The Break-up.  I have to say it’s the best romantic comedy of the 1st half of the year.  The script was well written –maybe the best script of the year for romantic comedies.

I especially liked the part where Aniston and Vince were arguing over the dishes and lemons.

Aniston: I busted my a** the whole day cooking dinner and you could have shown appreciation by just saying “Thank you honey, I’ll help you with the dishes.”

Vince: [throws the controller] Fine. I’ll help you with the dishes.

Aniston: You know what… never mind. I’ll do the dishes.

Vince: You just said you want me to help with the dishes.

Aniston: I want you to WANT to do the dishes.

Vince: Why should I have a strong desire to do the dishes?

This was a super funny scene.

It portrayed well the scenario when boy and girl are exhausted after another long day. …where the routine starts to drive them absolutely nuts… when all the little things that used to endear them to each other suddenly start to annoy each other. “…2 tickets please for The Break-up.” It was an amusing voyage into the unraveling and deconstruction of a once solid and loving relationship. The rumored off-screen couple [VV and JA] star in ‘The Break-Up,’ which starts where most romantic comedies end: after boy and girl have met, fallen in love, moved in to start their happily-ever-after… they realize the happily-ever-after is something to work for. I have reached that stage where you wind up driving each other crazy. Thank God we are way over that. Pushed to the breaking-up point after their latest “why can’t you do this one little thing for me?” argument, Aniston begins to realize that what she may be really fighting for isn’t so much the place but the person. This is Aniston’s best role yet and her delivery of the lines has improved to another level in this film.

The film was able to capture the anguish and distress that girls go through because some guys don’t grow up- they only grow old. He even said, “If I had my eyes closed, I could have sworn you were the one talking.” True enough, I have already lipped most of the lines that were said years ago.

The turning point, an hour and 30mins into the movie, was when Vince Vaughn surprised Aniston with a dinner that he carefully prepared. He apologized for all the times he took her for granted and said that he realized that he needed to change… and he needed to work on a lot of things. He said tearfully how much he loves Jen. She was taking in everything that Vince was saying… finally, the recognition of her efforts, presence and love… It took a while for Jen to reply… with tears in her eyes.

“I just don’t feel the same way anymore.”

Ka-boom. [08/01/06: I was talking to Carlo G this morning. That last line reminded him of our conversation last week. He teasingly said, "there's legally blonde, now the break-up... your life is a movie." I quipped, "But I'm always in the conflict part of a movie..."]

Sigh.

Do we really have to be at the brink of losing someone to realize the importance of that person in our lives? Some people are not lucky enough to meet that one person who can make them feel truly alive. Sometimes we never get to bump into that person that matches our life line –who can make you smile amidst all the trouble, who can make you feel your best and inspire you to be your best, that person you won’t ever let go and you would fight for, heaven and hell, who can laugh with you all day and no matter where you go, you manage to always have fun and create lifetime of memories forged only by a special bond… only a few lucky ones do. And it changes them forever

The scuba diving boat leaves behind a couple in the middle of the ocean.  With no one in sight for miles and miles, Suzanne and Daniel turn to each other for strength.  But their strength slowly seeps out from them as sharks start to besiege them and it starts to sink in that they’re treading dangerous waters…

I would have given the movie a 4 but since it’s a bad-vibes movie, it was only a 3.  The cinematography [A general term for all the manipulations of the film strip by the camera in the shooting phase and by the laboratory in the developing phase *mcgrawhill.com] was at par with the Blair witch movie but less wobbly.  The cinematography was effective in presenting the dangers of the blue especially from the view of the castaways.  The camera was also bobbing as Daniel was checking the sharks underneath.  The movie was based on a true story, which made it a real bummer because incidents like this can happen in real life.  Incompetence is absolutely intolerable especially in cases as dire as this.  Why didn’t the crew list down the names instead of just tallying how many people are already on board?  During a tour, names are usually listed down and the tour guide gives a roll call before sightseers toddle off and as soon as they have assembled again.  It should be the case even for small expeditions like that, since scuba diving is a delicate activity.  As I sauntered toward the exit after the movie, I heard a few murmuring, “what a lousy movie.  I didn’t like it.  What was that?!”  The cinematic culture of the Filipinos is perceptible right there.  Filipinos are suckers for movies with happy endings.  Not because a movie ended with a bad note it means it has a bad taste.  I have to disagree that it was a bad film.   

The movie captured the reality that something as stupid as that can happen and it can cost lives.  Sh*t does happen.  That is why we shouldn’t take things for granted and we shouldn’t see things only as it appears on the surface.  I also liked the part where the couple were arguing who’s fault it was that they got stranded and they’ve pulled up every “what ifs” on the card.  That’s reality right there.  We like to blame.  We have 10 fingers and we like to point.  In blaming, we refuse to see our own mistakes/shortcomings.  We decide to take the easier route and pass the buck.   In their case, it was definitely NOT their fault.  Even if they came 5 minutes early [or for the girl, it was too near the due time], or take that they came back 5 minutes late or even an hour delayed, the boat MUST WAIT.  That is SOP as long as everyone isn’t on board yet.  It’s ridiculous to think that if you came back late, you’re going to be left in the middle of the ocean and be forgotten already.  The crew should have exercised utmost DILIGENCE.   In the last few minutes of the movie, somebody said that at least the girl would survive so she can recount their misfortune.  Not having any survivor made it more interesting for me because it means that the writer reconstructed the turmoil as how it could have been.  Same goes with Titanic– no survivors, except for the people who were carted to shore by the few lifeboats that the historical ship provided.  But the ones left to freeze in the night chill of the Atlantic Ocean died.  The writer for the movie had to reconstruct the terrifying experience/occurrence that could have happened.   

3 buckets [of popcorn!]