Viral Muppets

I have long been a muppet fan. I grew up on Sesame Street, Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and, of course, Kermit. They were part of my daily television habit; no day would be complete without seeing that wonderful show. They were also my introduction to the Muppet Show, the show designed by Jim Henson to cater to more "grown up" entertainment.

These shows were brilliant, brilliant enough to have been watched not only by me, but by my parents too, who would rush home on Sundays so as not to miss the airing. The muppets here became more like real people, complete with psychological quirks. We were introduced to a whole universe of muppets, conceived differently from their relatively innocent counterparts in Sesame Street.

Sadly, it seems like time has not been kind to the muppets. Their last movies tanked. Most of the younger set don't even know them anymore.

They've disappeared from the spotlight for some time now, and could be found by loyal fans on YouTube and other such sights, where one can watch some clips and re-live some classic moments. I thought that classic moments were all that were left.

You can imagine my delight, therefore, when I found these...






It's a thrill to see them back! And they're new! Apparently, there' still some life left in the ol' Muppet mystique! There are others on YouTube. Find them yourselves and enjoy!!

Quantum of Solace

A lot has been made about the new James Bond being more...emotional than the others. Really? Daniel Craig twitches an eyebrow and suddenly he's a crybaby? Really?

I don't think so.

I've heard differing opinions about Quantum of Solace, with a group generally hating the new turn Bond has taken, preferring the world of ridiculous gadgets, dry one-liners, and outlandish villains and sets. I, if it isn't obvious yet, belong to those who applaud the new direction.

Bond, at least the way Flemming wrote him, was a cruel featured, cold-hearted sonofabitch whose gadgets were usually limited to a bible hiding a gun in it. I grew up on that Bond, the one who, interestingly enough, is more like the Daniel Craig Bond. He kicked ass, with no need for silliness or gadgetry. Instead, Bond relied on his head, his gut, and his fists.

In my opinion, that Bond rocked.

And Quantum of Solace, despite the typically goofy title, actually delivers more of that kind of, well, literary, Bond. There were homages to the older films, too. Strawberry Fields (yes, that was Agent Fields' name) was covered in oil, in reference to Goldfinger's gold-plated victim.

If there is a quibble, it's that the action sequences were over-edited, reducing them to an almost incomprehensible mash of images. But tight plotting (though not as tight as Casino Royale) saves the film, as does the sight of a vulnerable Bond.

Bond's seeming emotional detachment becomes an entire sub-plot and back story, something that explains why he is such a lovable bastard. The reset of the franchise decided to take things back to basics, but at the same time, retain as much of the Bond formula as they could without getting silly. The result is a more believable Bond, devoid of any cliche or kitcsh. And it works. Get used to it folks, this Bond's here to stay.

And I, for one, am glad.

Trese

I'm very proud to say that, at some time in my life, my path crossed with Budgette Tan's, creator of horror/fantasy comic Trese. Sure, it was college and I'm not sure he still remembers me (why would he?) it is still a thrill to see someone finally succeed in what is a true passion. Needless to say, he deserves every piece of recognition he gets.

The comic, to say the least, is incredible. Budgette has definitely grown into his style. Budgette, together with Kajo Baldisimo's excellent art, has turned Manila into the place we all suspect it is, filled with magic and the supernatural. They both bring a cosmopolitan sophistication to what could easily a tired genre. Who hasn't read a horror story or watched a horror movie with manananggals, kapre, tikbalang, etc?

And yet, in their expert hands, these traditional, mythical creatures become new and exciting. They've moved out of their trees and shadows and insinuate themselves in almost every aspect of our lives. Tikbalang now influence the economy. Elementals run huge conglomerates. It begins to sound too ridiculous, and yet, Budgette and Kajo handle things so well, we never question it.

At a certain level, I tend to agree with their stories. Who among us Filipinos haven't heard of stories relating to duende and the like? To me, they aren't so far-fetched.

Darna - Trese style

I've known that Budgette has tried several times to start a serious comic industry in the Philippines. After all, we have shown a love of them; just think of Darna (who actually made a -sort of- appearance in one of his stories), Captain Barbell, and those fantaseryes that populate prime time viewing these days. It has not been easy, but I am so glad he persevered.

Congratulations, Budgette and Kajo. You deserve more readers.