Mischief Managed

It was eleven years ago when I watched the first installment of the Harry Potter films, the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and it was a week ago when I watched its final installment, the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Up until now, the whole movie, and the whole series, perhaps, still lingers in my brain. When I remember bits of the scenes in the Harry Potter 7.2, I cannot help but still feel sad, not only because the scenes were basically depressing, heavy, and quite really unbearable, but secondly, because I thought that it will be the last Harry Potter movie that I am going to watch inside a movie theater. I even cried lots when the epilogue was showing because I know there will not be another scene next to it, nor another film to be shown the next year that I can patiently anticipate. For me, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was not just an end of an epic book and movie series but also marks the end of my childhood.

The IMAX Experience

I booked tickets from IMAX MOA just a week before the date I intended to watch the movie. I even ordered a Gryffindor shirt online just so I can have something to wear that day and well, to show my support to Harry and all the other casts and tell them that I am indeed with them until the very end. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 is the only HP film to be shown in 3d so I want to watch it in not any theater but the best theater there is. I haven't tried watching anything in 3d yet so I was kind of hesitant to watch it in digital 3d so I opted for IMAX. Yes, I spent P450 worth of ticket for a movie only to be shown once and without any teaser trailers before it actually starts (I was really hoping for the movie trailers, actually. It's my most favorite part when I am watching movies in movie theaters).

The IMAX experience was superb. It is really eyegasmic and thought, Avatar would really fun to watch here. I thought I was going to wear those glasses with blue and red colors on them. I would say that the P450-worth of ticket was all worth it. The movie started on time, the seats were ultra-comfortable, you feel like you're in a VIP movie theater or something. However, I felt that it was very unnecessary for the Harry Potter producers to make the final movie shown in 3d. I don't think there were lots of scenes that called for a 3d effect. In fact, I can only remember three--the Warner Brothers logo shown at the beginning, the trio's ride together with the two goblins to Bellatrix Lestrange's vault, and the scene when Voldemort's face was breaking into pieces when Nagini was finally killed by Neville Longbottom. With the exception of the showing the Warner Brothers' logo, I thought that those two other scenes weren't really important at all. Or were they? Enlighten me, please.


The Performance


As for the artists' performances, I thought they really improved so much since the first film. Over all, all the cast showed their greatest performances yet. They all gave their all, I suppose knowing it will be the last time that they would portray those roles. There were not a lot of speaking lines for a lot of characters but you can see it on their faces that what they are doing were way beyond just acting.

For one, the last scene of Fred and George when they're both still alive was just heart-breaking. You can see them smiling, trying to be cool, pretty much being their usual self but you can really see it in their eyes--the fear that anytime something terrible might happen to any of them or any of their family and friends, yet they have to stay strong, or look strong, at the very least, for each other.

Another scene that brought me to almost-crying and whole-body-goosebumps was this duel scene between Minerva Mcgonagall and Severus Snape. This was the very first scene when I first felt my heart was growing its own tear ducts. I was not crying yet but I know my heart was already.

This scene was just heart-pounding and heart-breaking at the same time. You can clearly see from this two that they don't want to hurt each other because they are friends but they cannot just let their guard down because they are both protecting something or someone. Snape was hiding and protecting the truth because he knows it was not the time yet to spill it all. Mcgonagall, on the other hand was just fed up with all these dark forces on Hogwarts and she was not holding back anymore. I cannot stress enough how impressed I am with Maggie Smith, the actress who played Professor Mcgonagall. She was undergoing chemotherapy while filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 and two yet she was able to deliver her role perfectly. well, I honestly thought she was not really acting, she and Mcgonagall are both very brave and battling cancer and death-eaters feel pretty much the same, I guess. 

Of course all the other casts did well, too. They all deserved to be part of the movie, lead by the trio, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and Daniel Radcliffe, who played Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Harry Potter, respectively, but describing their performances one by one won't be that thrilling for me and won't be that good-to-read for the others. And no, I didn't forget about Alan Rickman who played Severus Snape, he deserves a whole section of this post. 

"Look at me. You have your mother's eyes."

This was Severus Snape's, played by Alan Rickman, last words before he died. That was exactly when my eyes decided to start acting like waterfalls. Snape's last scenes became the end of the calm me. Although it was not directly shown, Snape being bitten by Nagini, I don't know, three to four times was just so hard to bear. I cried so hard during that scene even more with his last scene and all the other scenes after this (actually, I did not stop crying since then until I was walking out of the theater already).

Alan Rickman's acting was just so moving, it still breaks my heart when I remember all his scenes from this movie, including that of when Harry was viewing his past through the Pensieve. It made me cry buckets and I think he truly overshadowed the main characters. I think he was the true hero of the entire film. I absolutely love his character and the way it was portrayed was just great. The movie staff and most especially, Alan Rickman did justice to his character. Alan Rickman deserves all the awards! 

The Deaths

After Snape's death, all the other deaths of characters were shown. It was just too devastating and too hard for me to handle when Tonks' and Lupin's dead bodies were shown and then Fred's. I was just crying so hard and hoping the one on my left does not hear a thing at the same time. Thank goodness for the director and the writers not showing how they died because that would just be unbearable. 

And then there was Lavander's death. I hate her so much during Harry Potter and the Half-blood prince when she all just did was basically kiss Ron Weasley, and well, make Hermione Granger vomit. But seeing her being eaten by a werewolf was a shocker. It was just so...morbid. 

The Kissing Scenes

There were just two, Ron/Hermione's and Harry/Ginny's. 

Of the two, of course, I would definitely go with the Ron/Hermione kiss. Well, for an obvious reason that I have a huge crush on Harry Potter and seeing him kiss other girls just makes me cringe and wants to vomit, just like what Hermione felt when Lavander kissed Ron all the time at HP 6. And another thing, the kiss between Harry and Ginny, speaking as a completely third party objective with absolutely no personal interest in the matter, was really awkward. Ginny was kissing Harry's upper lip, which if you are keenly observing, is almost non-existent. It was just wrong and awkward. 

But Ron and Hermione's kiss was just romantic. It quite gave me a shock and as Ron said it, it was like a now-or-never kiss. It was something, I think they both waited for that all their lives (your fans anticipated for that too, as much as those two did).  That was a total pick-up-er for all those depressing scenes of death and war, actually. 

The Comic Reliefs

For those who have been watching Harry Potter movies starting from its very first installment, you would probably observe that all the movies, no matter how dark and depressing the whole movies are, there are still scenes that will absolutely make you laugh. Well, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 is no exception to that.

I loved how these scenes and others more were able to be great icebreakers. It did not stop me from crying (yes, I was crying and laughing at the same time) but they were really funny and witty. 

And yes, all those minutes Harry Potter pretended to be dead seemed like a big joke for me. I mean, I get it, Neville Longbottom's speech is supposed to touch your feelings and it was supposed to be his 'moment' but that just seemed to be just like Allan's (Zach Galifinakis) speech from The Hangover Part 1. When I heard Neville spoke those mushy lines I was just "this is like The Hangover all over again!". And Voldemort's laugh when Neville stepped forward was just hilarious! 

Until the Very End

Yes, finally all was well at the wizarding world as the good defeated the evil but seeing them after nineteen years, with their children boarding the Hogwarts train almost became the death of me. I refuse to leave the theater as I was not done crying yet. It was just seeing the movie that you anticipated every year come to an end. It was just hard seeing them age and then reflecting on how much your life has changed as well.

But I guess, it was not the end yet. I mean, I can re-watch my DVDs when I feel the need to. I can still let Saab and my other children in the future to know Harry Potter and all the other characters and creatures that made my childhood mystical and magical. And hopefully, it would make theirs mystical and magical, too. After all, as J.K. Rowling, author of the books said, "Hogwarts is always there to welcome you home". 

Mischief managed.

DISCLAIMER: Well, I know those people would condemn me for feeling like this, as I have not read any Harry Potter book yet, and you might feel that I am exaggerating. But hey, at least I still have books to look forward to read still. I definitely will, when the lazy person inside me would allow me, soon. :)) And oh, the GIFs are not mine.

Day 4: A Letter to Your Sibling

Dear Brother, 

I'll keep this short okay? After all, if you would be able to find this blog, you wouldn't want to read something very long. We both have attention spans of a goldfish or someone with ADHD for that matter. 

I now I may have made you feel inferior to me a lot of times, don't ask me how I was able to find out, I swear it'll make you angry, or not. But you make me feel proud more than you know. I was in tears when you graduated from college and got that Best Thesis award among others. I admire your patience and perseverance to finish that thesis. Not sleeping for almost a week straight is something I was not able to do in my entire academic years. I couldn't do it because I am lazy like that. But you, you always pull an all-nighter when you have to, and that's something very admirable, well at least for me. Me doing that would be unimaginable. 

I admire your love for God. I have faith, okay, don't get me wrong, but you, your love and faith in Him is unmatched. I mean, seriously, there was this time I really thought you will become a pastor or something. It must be hard for you when people were mocking or teasing you when you go to different places and preach the word of God. I remember you reading me a Bible verse because I said the girl you're courting is ugly and has an awful body odor. I thought it was really weird, but I'm not mocking you, okay. It must be very difficult for you to do that when people around you are questioning your shift of religion. But hey, I admire you for standing for your beliefs. 

I, lastly, admire your love for me and Saab. I know I wouldn't ever get I LOVE YOU's or hugs and kisses (I wouldn't want that  from you either, seriously!) from you but you letting me the first to know about what's happening to your love life, your job applications, and whatever it is that's happening to your life is love. You valuing my advice and opinions, suggestions, and recommendations regarding your most important life decisions is love. And you putting Saab to sleep and playing with her when I am busy with work is love. I could not be more thankful. 

I said I'd keep this short, so I should wrap this up now. I may not say this to you everyday but I hope I am letting you feel it, I love you, brother! 

Day 3: A Letter to Your Parents

Too bad I can't find an old photo of us together. I don't know if those doesn't really exist or I am just too lazy to find one. I have a feeling that this letter would be overly emotional but I will try not to make it so. Even though I don't have much readers, my feelings for you won't match the theme of my blog which is to be amusing. So let this letter be quick and light.

Dear Mommy and Daddy, 

Although this letter is intended for the both of you, I'd rather that you do not find out about this. You've known me as someone who isn't expressive especially to those things that hurt me. You splitting up almost a decade ago was not exactly a great thing. It is not something most children would want to happen to their precious family but I think, you splitting up was a way for me to learn things, the hard way, yes, but nevertheless, I learned a lot from it anyway. 

I learned that distance don't matter to people who love each other. Although you were not physically with me all the time all throughout these years, I've never felt for one second that you loved me less. You guys did everything you can do to make me feel loved by giving me everything I need and want, and keeping in touch no matter what. At times when I feel alone, I'd get a random text from you and that would make me feel blessed and happy. I know that I should never feel alone, because somewhere across the world or miles away, someone's always thinking about me and someone's longing to be with me. 

I also learned how to be forgiving and resilient no matter what people did to you in the past. No matter how hurt you are today, you would always feel better if you never hold grudges against someone or something. Grudges won't bring you anywhere, it'll just pull you down and consume your whole being until you're left with nothing, even love for yourself. It is always better to be happy no matter how things or people disappoint you. And I grew up exactly like that. I don't know if I become resilient or indifferent, but I guess those two things are good things. 

Lastly, I learned that we should never have regrets. Things happen because they are bound to happen. And nothing happens for a reason. You see, everything that comes your way, good or bad, it always teach you something, something you can use to become a better person later in your life. And my parents taught me that. Things won't always happen as you wish them to be. Things happen as they should happen and it will bring you to full happiness, you just have to seize every moment and be patient for your happiness to come.

No matter how painful you splitting up years ago felt, I still am thankful that you are my parents. You still are the best parents one could have. After all, we're all born with flaws. I think I was brought up really well and I turned out to be a good person. And that's because of you, Mommy and Daddy. And if I was ever given the chance to change how things happened before, I wouldn't have it any other way. I guess I won't be as happy as I am now if those things didn't happy. So no regrets and all is well.

Day 2: A Letter to Your Crush

Disclaimer: This post has to be written in Tagalog because I am afraid Daniel would find out I have the biggest crush on him. What if he's feeling all narcissistic and starts Google-ing his name and finds out about this post and starts falling in love with me? That will be tragic...for Ferald. So here it goes:

Mahal kong Crush,

Tandang-tanda ko pa nung una kitang makita. Labing-isang taong gulang pa lang ako nun at namimili ng gamit pang-eskwela sa National Bookstore. Ang muka mong ubod ng cute na naka-print sa isang unan ang bumungad sakin. Naaalala kong tinitigan ko yun ng matagal at biglang nag slow motion ang lahat ng tao sa paligid hanggang sa tawagin ako ng tatay ko sa counter. Ngayon nalilito tuloy ako kung yun ay isang panaginip lang o talagang yun ang nangyari, para kasing sa pelikula lang yun nangyayari. 

Grade 5 pa lang ata ako nun, mga bata pa tayo nun, at sayo ko unang naramadaman ang napakasayang feeling ng pagkakaron ng crush. Tawagin na akong loser pero simula nung grade 5 hanggang ngayon, matapos ang mahigit sampung taon, heto ako at crush pa rin kita. 

Natatandaan ko pa ang napakadaming unan na katabi ko sa aking kama na merong muka mo. Lahat sila, yun ang inireregalo sa akin pag pasko. Minsan naman, kung may pera akong nakukuha ay pinambibili ko din yun ng mga unang may muka mo. Natatandaan ko pang itinatalikod ko silang lahat kapag magbibihis ako sa kwarto kasi ayaw mong pumikit kahit sinabi ko nang magbibihis ako. Palagi din akong bumibili ng K-zone magazines dahil lagi kang naka-feature duon. Nakakatuwang malaman ang iba't ibang facts tungkol kay Harry Potter at Daniel Radcliffe. 

Natatandaan ko din na minsan akong dinalan ng magazine at ng Limited Edition Harry Potter watch ng tita ko nung galing sya sa Amerika. Ako na yata ang pinakamasayang bata nung nataggap ko yun. At yung mga panahong nangongolekta ko ng mga pictures mo galing sa mga magazines at photo books at itinatabi ko sila sa mga picture ko.

Natatandaan ko ding ikaw ang palaging gusto kong i-partner sakin sa tuwing gagawa ng script ang kaibigan kong si Celine. Natatandaan kong sobrang kilig ko nuon at napapangiti ako mag-isa sa tuwing may scenes tayong dalawa. At yung mga panahong kebs lang sa pagpila makanuod lang ng pelikula mo. Hinding-hindi ko yun makakalimutan. 

Malaki na ang pinagbago nating dalawa. Nakakalungkot isipin na ilang araw na lang ay ipapalabas na ang huling Harry Potter movie mo. Nakakalungkot isipin na mahilig ka sa mga mas matandang babae upang gawing girlfriends. Nakakalungkot isipin na na-feature ka at ang iyong pagiging alcoholic nung nakaraan sa Yahoo! Nakakalungkot isipin na hindi kita kailanman makikita sa personal. Huhu. 

Pero okay lang. Araw-araw naman kitang nakikita dahil sa mga poster mo sa kwarto ko. At okay lang, dahil habambuhay ka naman sa puso ko. Hihi. 

P.S. Crush ka na din nga pala ni Saab. Palagi ka niyang tinititigan. 

How Does It Feel to Lose the One You Love?

"Lost love is still love. It takes a different form, that's all. You can't see their smile or bring them food or tousle their hair or move them around a dance floor. But when those senses weaken another heightens. Memory. Memory becomes your partner. You nurture it. You hold it. You dance with it. Death ends a life not a relationship" 
— Mitch Albom

I came across  Lorna Tolentino's Twitpic account while I was passively browse the internet for anything that could occupy my spare time and I saw her posted old pictures of her with husband who passed away because of cancer. It saddened me to see all those old photos with all these sad captions and then this random thought came to mind: how is it to lose the one you love? More specifically, how does it feel when the one you love dies?

How does it feel when everything between you two is doing great, you're all happy and in love more than anyone could love another and then suddenly he/she is taken away from you? In just a snap, just like that--no heartfelt goodbyes, no I-will-wait-for-you-in-heaven promises.

How does it feel that after a decade or more of being together, you will no longer hear the sound of his smelly fart and annoying burp. Or the sound of his loud, disturbing snore that you thought would never let you fall into a deep sleep but later on began to be a comforting sound that makes you feel secure, that you will never have to sleep alone again. How does it feel that after so many years of being together you won't ever have the chance to touch his face along with his mustache you always reminded him to shave regularly, to see his haircut you've been dying to change for a long time. How does it feel when you no longer have someone to argue with, to have petty fights with, to tease endlessly and have them tease you back? How does it feel that after those many comfortable years, you won't be able to see his smile or hear his contagious laugh that would make you want to get up in bed and start another day with him?

I guess there really are some things you just can't seem to move on from. There are some things or people that will forever linger to your mind and to your soul. And when they're gone, all you can do is to bear the pain every single day until that pain seems to be a lot more bearable than it was yesterday. I guess all you can do is to succumb in all the memories you two had shared to fill that emptiness inside.  I guess all you can do is hope that someday, you will be together again at some place you can both call your heaven.

Lastly, I just want to share this ad which I thought was really heartfelt and brilliant. At the end of the day, as what Russel of Disney's Up said, sometimes it is the boring stuff you remember the most.

And I thought this blog is supposed to be amusing. God, this post is miserable...and so am I.

Day 1: A Letter to Your Best Friend/s

Dear Best Friends, 

I know I've written so many letters for the three of you in the past. We've been friends for a decade now and I think I've said all the things I want to say to you, personally, through texts and wall posts, and even in paper. This letter would be just like the others--full of mushy thoughts about our friendship or more like sisterhood and our unfailing love for one another. 

Remember those mornings when we waited for each other and we'd all be late for school just cause someone woke up a little later than she should? Remember those afternoons we spent just walking around the subdivision, looking for something more fun to do and stalking our crushes 'til the wee hours of the night? Remember those weekends when we had our sleepovers, pictorials, and videos-making? 

Remember those code names we attached to everyone at school or at random people we met just because they're cute/ugly/bitchy/a plain nuisance? Remember those times when we'd purposely do things that would irritate those people that we don't like? Remember those contagious laughs about stories we've heard for a thousand times? Remember when our only problem was how we're going to not be suspended or how we're going to graduate with honors? 

It seemed like so many years have already gone by. Those petty things we used to argue about and those days when we're all free from worries now seem to be out of reach. It's a little more complicated now and things are a little blurry--the future, our careers, money/family/relationship matters. We all have our own little complicated lives now but I am glad there's this one thing that hasn't change still. Despite all the changes that happened to our lives, good or bad, our friendship remained strong and intact. 

This friendship made me realize that no matter how lost I can be, there are still people I can hold on to. This friendship made me realize that no matter how blurry the road to life can be at times, there are still your best friends who would never let you travel alone. This friendship made me realize that there are people that will accept and understand you no matter what you did and that these people are the only ones that should matter. This friendship made me realize that there are things, believe it or not, that remain the same even after so many years pass by. Lastly, this friendship made me realize that you can love another person unconditionally and selflessly. 

Mia, Celine, and Jobeth, you're ones of the few who understood me without me speaking. You're the ones who saw me when I can't even fathom how lost I am. You're the ones who loved me when I was pushing everybody away. My love for you won't be matched by your future husbands, like seriously. Cheers to a lifetime of friendship and sisterhood! :)

P.S. I hope our kids and future kids would be the best of friends, too.

The 30-Day Letter Challenge

I really suck at writing letters for anyone, but heck, I need to write something more personal other than my regular SEO articles every single day. You see, writing articles on different websites every day makes me feel like a spam robot or something. This challenge will make me feel like a human again. So, you readers, all three of you, need to bear with me. Let's do this! 

Day 1 — Your Best Friend
Day 2 — Your Crush
Day 3 — Your parents
Day 4 — Your sibling (or closest relative)
Day 5 — Your dreams
Day 6 — A stranger
Day 7 — Your Ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/love/crush
Day 8 — Your favorite internet friend
Day 9 — Someone you wish you could meet
Day 10 — Someone you don’t talk to as much as you’d like to
Day 11 — A Deceased person you wish you could talk to
Day 12 — The person you hate most/caused you a lot of pain
Day 13 — Someone you wish could forgive you
Day 14 — Someone you’ve drifted away from
Day 15 — The person you miss the most
Day 16 — Someone that’s not in your state/country
Day 17 — Someone from your childhood
Day 18 — The person that you wish you could be
Day 19 — Someone that pesters your mind—good or bad
Day 20 — The one that broke your heart the hardest
Day 21 — Someone you judged by their first impression
Day 22 — Someone you want to give a second chance to
Day 23 — The last person you kissed
Day 24 — The person that gave you your favorite memory
Day 25 — The person you know that is going through the worst of times
Day 26 — The last person you made a pinky promise to
Day 27 — The friendliest person you knew for only one day
Day 28 — Someone that changed your life
Day 29 — The person that you want tell everything to, but too afraid to
Day 30 — Your reflection in the mirror