A Weekend Well-Spent

I took the liberty and courage to spend the weekend inside the Abbey of our Lady of Montserrat where our beloved Benedictine monks and priests stay. My stay there has been nothing but great and peaceful. I am filled with His peace and gratitude for this opportunity he had given me. 

Amidst the silence of my stay inside the monastery, I realized a lot of things that I believe only in silence can we ponder. 

1. There is no "perfect timing" to spend time with God.

I have always wanted to spend time in the abbey, believing that it will open me to life realizations and lessons that only there I could find. I deferred this plan until the last weekend. After years of trying to define the "perfect timing", I realized that God deserves every second of my life. A lot of us are often too busy with our earthly possessions and responsibilities, we tend to forget the One that truly matters. I lost my habit of talking to God upon waking up and before going to sleep as I got swallowed by the exhausting bustle of the working life. This experience reminded me that God is willing to listen anytime to my rants and stresses. But more importantly, I must be more expressive in thanking Him for simple blessings and grants, like not being late for work on Mondays, or being spared from heavy traffic, or simply for another day of life. 

2. Everywhere is a place of prayer. 

Similar with time, everywhere can also be a place of prayer. Our churches are holy places where we can really feel the solemnity of God's presence. The sacred images and relics are there to remind us of how the power of God's love had lived through the blessed people before us. The challenge for us, the laity, is to find the presence of God anywhere we go. Be it inside a jam-packed train or along the populated streets of Manila, we are very free to talk to God and feel His love.  

3. Silence is important.

I am very thankful for this experience as I am reminded that silence must remain to be an essential part of everyone's life. Benedictine monks are known for their love of silence and how they connect to God through silence. I was somehow taught how to appreciate silence, that it is not "boring"; it opens my life to a lot of opportunities to speak with God and let Him speak to me as well. I admire how St. Benedict lived a life of silence yet His praise for God roars. Among all the challenges I have sworn to accept during my stay, it is the vow of silence that I am very willing and will really try to enliven. For only when we are silent can we truly listen to Him, to our loved ones, and to the calls of the needy.

4. Everyone is an instrument of God's love.

We are all children of God, made in His own image and likeness. This basic truth is more than enough reason to live a life of faith and love. We are, however, imperfect; but this is not an excuse for our faith to falter nor to give in to sin. There is always the challenge for us to say YES to God's call for us to do His will. We are not required to be religious people, but we are given the freedom to serve others in His name, and do small things with great love and kindness. 

I encourage my Benedictine brothers to experience the life in the monastery as well, we are given this great privilege to connect with Him through the silence of monastic living.

2014 is the year of the laity, and we are all called upon to be instruments of His Great Love. Pax. 

Movie Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

2014's Best Movie came just in time.

While I was thinking fondly on how most movies this year seemed unsatisfying, these apes got my attention. 

The truth is, DOTPOTA has a very limited scope; I can name only a few of my own friends who would be excited to watch apes in action, moreso in a full-length film. But if you have seen Rise of the POTA, perhaps the ape inside you wanted to see this one on the big screen. Listen to that voice. Follow your instinct. You will be amazed on how your expectations get shamelessly exceeded by this year's best film.

I can not leave a bad remark on the cast; the apes were excellent (lol) and humans were great as well. They brought in the Gary Oldman with brilliant actors to play the parts just right. Visual and sound effects were epic, just perfect to set the mood. 

The storyline, however, remains its strongest asset. It is jam-packed with gratifying twists and it delivers lessons which we are familiar with in a very unique & effective way. So much so that at the end of the movie, I'm sure those who came just to watch will be converted to POTA fans. 

DOTPOTA welcomes its audience with very low expectations; all of which I can assure you will be surpassed by this humble underdog. Movies like DOTPOTA deserves all the attention from the world, too bad though that it is in the movie's very nature to magnetize only the chosen few. 

My Take: ★★★★★

"I thought we had a chance." 

Movie Review: Transformers Age of Extinction

Transformers: Age of Extinction is action-packed and scattered.

It seemed that Michael Bay lost his magic with the third Transformers movie, especially after having Megan Fox replaced by an unfamiliar eye candy. Yet here we are with the 4th entry of the infamous robot flick, given hope that this would put them back on top. 

Transformers: AoE is a very long movie. Sadly though, not everyone would enjoy 3 hours of watching metals clash against each other. With this, we can only hope for a good story to balance the situation, something which the movie is lacking. 

All thanks and praises must go to Mark Wahlberg; he who tried his best to bring back the movie's glory. Though there were some pretty funny moments, they may not be enough to fill in the blanks.

It must be very challenging to bring back the crowd's craving for this film. We can compare it to a dying patient, being revived momentously by loud visual and audio effects. Sometimes they work, sometimes they just don't.

As the title suggests, the fourth installment of the most popular alien robots might just signify the franchise's extinction. Nonetheless, we don't have lots of films which has cool robots in it (oh wait, we actually do...) anyway, it's still cool. It's TRANSFORMERS!

My Take: ★★★☆☆

Breath of Life or Sigh of Death?

Movie Review: 22 Jump Street

It's back. It's bigger and a bit better.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are back for the sequel of their action-packed comedy 21 Jump Street. Thankfully, the movie did nothing but exceed expectations and deliver good laughs.

22 JS spelled out the word HILARIOUS. From the opening scene to the closing credits, this movie literally left its audience catching their breath out of laughter. The combination of pun and wacky trips effectively tickled the crowd and made them want to watch more. 

One thing that made this seemingly ordinary act-com (action-comedy) flick great was the cast. All of the relevant characters were brilliantly portrayed by the actors. Special mention goes to the stunning beauty of Amber Stevens who plays an important role.

We were all happy on how realistically funny 21 JS was, thankfully they bring the same element in the sequel with bits of funny twists here and there. The plot is interesting and the bromance between the leads definitely made the atmosphere even funnier.

22 Jump Street might be the ultimate summer movie for this year, and we are hopeful that someday in the near future we'll get to see more entries in this franchise, as they gave us a reason to expect.

My Take: ★★★★☆

"One Time Only"
(c) stylegirlfriend.com

Hotel Review: Stonestown Suites, Cagayan de Oro City

An hour away from the airport, Stonestown Suites provides its guests a home away from home.

Peacefully located away from the busy CDO downtown, visitors are sure to enjoy a restful stay in this humble hotel. Stonestown Suites can be proud of its very spacious rooms, rooms where small parties or gatherings can be celebrated. Rooms also feature a studio-type condo look with a functional mini-bar and lots of cabinets, shelves, and drawers to use.

SS, however, does not have an elevator. People are then forced to stretch their legs in going up and down the stairs. Don't you worry, motivational posters about exercise and environmentalism are posted everywhere to ease the exhaustion (lol).

The hotel partners with a fully-equipped gym where guests can have an early morning or evening workout. Breakfast is also catered by a partner cafeteria just beside the hotel.

Stonestown Suites does not offer a grand experience unlike its nearby competitors. However, its friendly staff and well-maintained rooms deserve a gold medal.

My take: ★★★☆☆

Hotel Review: Castle Peak Hotel, Cebu City

Castle Peak Hotel deserves its title of being one of the best hotels in the Queen City of the South.

A cab away from Mactan-Cebu International Airport, your 250-300 Php will get you to this very pleasant abode. A stone-throw away from the busy districts of the city, Castle Peak hotel provides its guests a nice and restful stay which is very similar to the rest you get at home.

The hotel is equipped with excellent amenities. All facilities are well-maintained. A cozy resto is awaiting at The 9th for guests to enjoy. The dipping pool is made more refreshing with a great view of the city. The gym has equipment in good working condition.

Breakfast served in buffet was great. Viands vary everyday from local delicacies to innovative dishes.

Some of the rooms, though, might need renovation or an update with equipment (e.g. aircon & TV). I'm sure though that those priced higher would be more satisfying. Nonetheless, I spent 4 nights sleeping very well.

If by chance you get to visit Cebu, a night's stay at Castle Peak Hotel will surely entail you to a pleasant experience, enriched with hospitable & warm staff.

Movie Review: Edge of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow is a movie so carefully sewn together to produce a masterful craft.

Officer Cage must find a way to destroy an alien enemy in a way only he can fully understand and experience. Or is there anyone else out there who knows exactly what he's going through?

Looking at the trailer, I initially thought this was a prequel or sequel to Oblivion. Thankfully, it was an entirely different movie which is by far better than Tom Cruise's previous blockbuster.

Adapted from a Japanese soft novel, the film adaptation of Edge of Tomorrow will surely satisfy those who have craved for an action-packed summer film. The title, though, doesn't seem very catchy. It's rather mysterious which may draw or push away audience. The only way to fully appreciate the title is for one to watch the film and see for himself.

The opening scenes reminded me of Gyllenhaal's Source Code. Action scenes reminded me a lot of Starship Troopers. But to my surprise, EoT had its own surprises. There were lots of light moments to lighten up the hardcore atmosphere; because once the action sets in again, viewers will have to settle sitting on the edges of their seats.

Edge of Tomorrow might be Summer 2014's flagship action flick. Though there were moments that you will be tempted to fast forward to the fight scenes, I believe that all transitional stages were necessary to fully understand the film. The twists will enlighten you & help in putting things together.

Edge of Tomorrow is a tiring movie to watch. You're gonna need the energy to cope with the happenings & scenes. But do not falter, for at the end of the film, you're sure to enjoy that smile on your face.

My Take: ★★★★☆

This is how you play it!
(c) giantfreakinrobot.com