Monday, November 25, 2013

7 scenes in the Catching Fire book that weren't shown in the movie


The fan girl in me was pretty much satisfied with the movie adaption of Catching Fire. It's been getting so many good reviews from both readers and non-readers of the HG Trilogy! So many friends have been telling me how awesome it was! However, it is still not at par with the level of the book. I looooooooooooooooved the book extremely!!!! It was my favorite out of the three HG books and I think it was very unique, well planned and plotted well. All the characters shown with their back stories and personalities! This is where Katniss and Peeta's love story developed the most. So if you really loved the movie, then the book will make you all the more crazy for it! But for those who are not interested in reading the series, here are 6 vital scenes that were not shown in the movie:


1. Katniss and Peeta's numerous sleepovers because of their nightmares. This was briefly shown in the movie, during their Victory Tour but non-readers don't know how much Katniss depended on Peeta because of her nightmares since it is only when Peeta's beside her that she can sleep peacefully. After their Victory Tour, when they were back in their own homes and sleeping alone, she wanted Peeta beside her.


2. Plutarch Heavensbee hinting at Katniss on what the arena would be like. As for those who didn't get it, Plutarch Heavensbee is not a bad guy. In fact, during their Victory Tour at the capitol, Plutarch danced with Katniss (as scene in the movie) and showed her his clock, which eventually helped Katniss understand what the arena was later on.


3. Bonnie and Twill's journey to District 13. Once in the forest, Katniss met mom and daughter, Bonnie and Twill who are running away to District 13. They gave Katniss the idea that District 13 might not be really gone.


4. The explanation of the Quarter Quells and what it really means. This was one of my favorite parts in the book! I was completelyy blown away with this twist! In the movie though, it was done in an anticlimatic way. Quarter Quells are special Hunger Games done every quarter with a story and reason behind it.


5. Katniss and Peeta watching Haymitch's video of the 50th Quarter Quell. Some people might not even get that Haymitch is a Victor which means who participated in the games before. However, he's not just a Victor, but a Quarter Quell Victor of 50th Hunger Games, wherein there were twice as many players (see no.4).  This showed a back story on Haymitch and how we won the games. Like Katniss and Peeta, Haymitch allied with the District 12  girl representative,  Maysilee and how he tried to save her. 


6. Katniss and Finnick playing a prank on Peeta. AHHHHHHH Finnick was my favorite character in the ENTIRE series!!!! I did love Finnick in the movie but I think he needs to be more sassy, more flirtatious. And this was one of my favorite scenes in the arena, where Finnick and Katniss were having fun! What the movie failed to show was that the arena was not all pure violence and catastrophes but the tributes did have fun and Katniss and Peeta shared special moments with the other tributes!


7. Mag's backstory. Mags was the old lady from the same district as Finnick. In the theatre, so many people were laughing at Mags everytime Finnick would carry her, and I felt a little defensive. Mags volunteered for Annie, the girl with mental problems and Finnick's love interests, she sacrificed herself for Peeta back in the fog and she was also Finnick's mentor. She deserved waaaaay more credit than what the movie gave her!

There you have it! Of course, there are still much more details that were not presented in the movie, and characters that weren't magnified as much! Catching Fire is an amazing book and if you loved the movie, I suggest you read it! Afterall, that's the only way to become a real, true to heart Hunger Games fan!

Love, Paola

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Sporty?

I've never had a sport. I was one of those kids before who falls into the lazy and lampa category. I've never even learned how to ride a bike, which surprises most people. If I didn't get swimming as my PE back in my freshman year, I never would've learned how to swim too. Doing sports has so many benefits but in my head, all those benefits are triumphed by just lounging around in bed. Like some girls, I'd say the closest sport I had was shopping. Sports fashion is such a trend nowadays - gym shorts are converted can now be worn as casual shorts thanks to pretty prints, sneakers are not just for running but now be for runway because of the heeled sneakers and jerseys, which used to be just worn by basketball players are now getting a makeover with pretty florals and crop styles just like what I'm wearing! How very SNSD! However, I still can't go all out so I chose a stacked pearl necklace and a tote to go with this outfit!
 Jersey Crop Top - Bershka || High-Waisted Shorts - Debenhams || Flats - Yosi Samra || Tote bag - Michael Kors || Sunnies - Aldo

Love, Paola

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Allegiant Book Review and Divergent's First Trailer

My initial thought on this much awaited book? Well, it was a whirlwind of crazy events put together in an attempt to create a coherent plot then finished off with a disastrous ending. I've finished Allegiant a few weeks back but decided to postpone the review for awhile just so I could let the intensity of my feelings waver. The last book was not spectacular. I never knew that one book could contain that much betrayal, conivance and uprising. It was harder to finish the book compared to Divergent and Insurgent which I only finished for a day and loved dearly. I was super duper excited for this book but it turned out to be a disappointment. 

Plot: (2/5) So much has happened that I don't even know what the exact plot is. It just didn't work for me that the goals of the main characters kept on changing. The story seemed so inconsistent. 

Writing and Execution: (2/5) I've heard from other people that they didn't like the switching POVs from Tris and Four. It didn't really bother me, I think that at some point, it was effective but it really does take a while to get used to Four's POV. As for the execution, I think that the story itself was pretty brilliant and ambitious but it just wasn't delivered well. 

Characters: (1/5) This is where it gets worse :( I think that the characters, especially Four, has lost their initial characteristics. I think that Four's character was ruined in this book. I've known him to be a level-headed, brave leading man who'd do anything for Tris. He started losing those at one point in the story. And I'm also not for Tris' final decision. She was against a very important decision, but in the end, she ended up resorting to that anyway.

Cover: (3/5) I've never liked the trilogy's cover in the first place. I wasn't convinved about reading Divergent at first because I didn't like the cover but I've heard some really awesome reviews about it so I read it anyway. But I guess Allegiant's cover was okay.

Overall rating: (2/5)

Despite my disappointment in Allegiant, Divergent still stays at my favorite book list and it's still one of the best books I've read in the dystopian genre. Its movie is coming out on March 2014. First, I wasn't very thrilled with the cast but when I saw the trailer, I think that Shaileen Woodley was casted perfectly for Tris. The recent trailer also showed that they pretty much got the essence of the book - the simulation, the initiation and all. I'm very excited about this although I'm still not feeling Theo for Four's character. I think that the Four in my head is still so much better. But I love that they casted Kate Winslet for Jeanine Matthews!!! I hope this turns out to be a pretty good movie. Summit is producing it and I'm willing to forgive them for ruining the Twilight Saga if they do an awesome job with this one! Check out the trailer! 




Love, Paola

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

The Difference of Sympathy and Empathy

I've never realized how much difference sympathy and empathy can mean until now. The recent typhoon Yolanda taught me that. My grandma is staying at her province, Suluan, for more than a year now. It's a small island that takes an hour of boat ride from Guiuan. Since Eastern Samar was greatly ravaged by the typhoon, we haven't had contact with her for a few days. And since it's such a small island separated by sea from the main island, the government, news teams and other organizations have no means of reaching it yet. My family was plagued with worry for a few days but thankfully, yesterday, we heard news that everyone from that island is okay, despite its devastation. 

I've always sympathized with those people who were victims of strong typhoons in the past since it's such a frequent calamity in the country. But only now do I truly understand how they feel. Although Manila was almost untouched and we are all safe, experiencing helplessness and worrying for Nanay made me realize how hard it had been for those people. Suddenly, their pains and struggles became much more personal. Just thinking of how many more people out there are suffering right now without food, water, home, electricity and some even loved ones is completely heartbreaking. It's no longer sympathy, but empathy I feel - a personal understanding and not mere pitying. My prayers go out to all the victims of this tragedy and to all families who, like us, lost contact with their relatives. 

While shooting this outfit, I was lucky enough to witness a beautiful sunset and looking at it kind of reminded me of my favorite quote: "The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God cannot protect you."
 Top - Details || Skirt - Stradivarious || Necklace - Aldo || Flats - Topshop

Love, Paola

Friday, November 8, 2013

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella

Last weekend, we were at Newport Theater to catch Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. It's only my second time visiting that theater but I really like it for its world class level. I was excited to watch a theater play after quite a while since a long time ago, I thought I was in love with theater and tried theater acting over one summer. Much to my disappointment, acting is not my thing. I turned to be one awkward goofball with a really soft voice. Though my love for theater never waivered! Even if I can't be in a play, I still appreciate a good one! And Cinderella, though different from the Disney version and far from the Grimm Brothers version (the only two versions I know), was a delight to watch!
Cinderella's leads are Karylle and Christian Bautista with Julia Abueva, Justine Pena and Fred Lo as alternates. We were able to catch Christian Baustista and Julia Abueva's performance. We were hoping for the two main leads but I figured that all five them must be equally good anyway! 
It brought back a few childhood memories when I was in my Disney princess days since Cinderella was my favorite Disney princess back then. I'm sure all little girls would feel the same way since after the show my cousin and I were both on a giddy, nostalgic post-show attachment!
I wish I knew the songs, though! I can't help but compare it to The Sound Of Music when every song was a joy to hear since I know its soundtrack by heart. But all in all, it was a really good and entertaining play with amazing actors and singers and awesome set design! Like most major theatrical plays, taking pictures are not allowed and its something I'm grateful for since for sure I would've just concentrated on taking pictures rather than really absorbing the story if it were allowed! 
So happy that more and more plays like these are being shown in the country with local casts! Maybe we could have our own version of Broadway  someday. Speaking of Broadway, now I can't wait for Wicked!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Love, Paola 

Monday, November 4, 2013

Birthday Outfit

Sitting in the library at 10am to start today's thesis writing gets me wishing that I could go back to these photos once again and be a birthday celebrant once more. But then again, for the past 20 years I've learned that we don't always get what we want and more often than not, that's a good thing. Like no matter how much I want to be Olivia Palermo, it will never really happen and the closest I can get to is by just copying her style. So my birthday outfit was Olivia Palermo inspired! I've never been into following trends, I've never even owned a peplum skirt which was such a big trend for quite some time. Now that the peplum thing is coming to an end, fluted skirts are slowly becoming a trend. I've wanted to own one ever since I saw Olivia wearing it in an all white outfit!

Another thing I've learned for the past 20 years though is that I'm really blessed and maybe I really don't want to be Olivia Palermo and just be myself since it's so fun being yourself anyway! Thank you again for all the greetings last thursday! Cheers for 20 years!
Top - Stradivarious || Skirt - Topshop || Necklace - Bazaar || Bangles - Aldo || Bag - Longchamp || Shoes - Call it Spring

Love, Paola