Missing Sweeney Todd

Yes, I will give it a miss because the theater operators admit that the gory scenes are blurred out. They usually do this for guns, syringes, machetes, dicks and any pointed things. I won't be surprised if Cyrano Bergerac will get the same treatment.

I need to wait for it to be released on DVD but then I have to buy it outside of Thailand. I love Tim Burton and Helena Bonham-Carter.

I hate censorship!

Teen Girls Objectifying Gay Men

I never thought that such a thing would happen. Y-girls or teenage girls are now objectifying men and not just men. It is us gay men. I have read this article on Bangkok Post and (I am sure I will offend some girls out there) it is sickening.

We gay men have never objectified women. We actually adore them, pay tribute to them, curl their hair, paint their faces, make their dress and teach them how to win the Miss Universe contest. How dare they repay us with this?

We are not the ones who do not show up on second dates. We are not the ones who sleep with their female best friends. We are not the one who tell their friends that we screwed them. We are not the ones who get them pregnant and leave them. We won't even touch them with a 100 foot pole.

They pay to see us kiss and fall in love with each other. I shudder with the thought of them fantasizing about us. 

Women, leave us alone!

Cloverfield (movie)

It is a stupid silly movie. That is what I expected and that is what I got.

The movie is full of cliches--dashing young man rescuing her princess, women with big breasts huffing and puffing, monster coming back from what seemed to be the death, a rescue helicopter coming down to the ground, etc.

The style of storytelling is not new. It is like a Blair-Witch project with the budget of Independence Day. There is no Will Smith flashing his beautiful face but a plain young white man who has fallen in love with someone he had a one-night stand with.

The sound effects were effective and so were the visual effects. They are not original though. I see a resemblance to the creature of The Host, a much-better anti-American Korean horror/comedy flick.

If you want to be entertained, go and see it. If you want to be stimulated, you better stare at your ceiling.

American Gangster (movie)

Ellie and Gary (a Filipino-British couple) gave me two free tickets for this preview last night. It was too late to get a date so my bags had a comfortable seat.

On the first-half of the movie, I thought that it would be another movie about black men and drugs. I thought that we have enough of those. I thought the only difference between the other movies and this one is a huge budget.

But I was mistaken--the little twist in the end made me sit up straight. The Frank Clark character became more sympathetic and so was Russell Crowe's.

The acting was good but it is not really that demanding. The production design was demanding though because they had to recreate three countries in the late 60s and early 70s. I cannot comment on Harlem but I can comment on Bangkok. Many of the extras look contemporary and I swear I saw some backpackers in the background. It is a challenging task for the designer and he/she was not able to pull it off.

The censorship here is hmm what can I say? I think it is just silly. Syringes and nipples were blurred out. Those images are considered very mild compared to the ones I saw here in Silom area every night.

It is hard to say if the film is worth watching. It is hard to say the value of this movie.

What is happening in Long Yang Club?

I have been so tired lately. I know I have to save a lot of money for my trip to Australia.

In the meantime, I have been doing some of my Long Yang Club homework and that keeps me busier than I am now.

I am proud to say that my first few weeks as president of Long Yang Club-International is going smoothly. I have some very good news. Well, at least that is how I see it.

And now I am shamelessly promoting our conference--ICON 2008 in Berlin.

Getting Ready for Oz

I have not written anything personal for weeks now. It has just been movies and movies but then watching them is something I love doing.

I have already booked some domestic flights. Some dates with various groups have already been confirmed. Some dates with a few individuals have already been confirmed. My list of things to bring are already written.

Funny as it may sound but I am actually more nervous about Melbourne than Sydney. In Sydney, I will be with friends. It will be a relaxing or an exciting time. In Melbourne, I will go there to get to know more a person I met last December.

I really like this person so much. I dread any outcome. I have never done this much to anyone at all. Is he worth it? I do not know and I do not care. Is the experience worth it? I am sure I would learn a lot.

Borat (DVD)

Too bad I was not able to get into the hype of Borat. I wonder what I was doing when this movie was released.

It is a lot funnier than "Kenny" and a lot more cruel. It is so ridiculous that an intelligent man will not find it offensive. Political correctness has certainly been thrown out of the window.

It is good that I have it on DVD though because it shows more insane stunts that Sacha Baron Cohen has performed on live TV. I am sure there are tons of retards out there who took this work seriously. Ah I should have watched the news when this was released.

I strongly recommend this DVD because it is extremely funny and the actor/creator has definitely devoted a lot of time creating this character.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (movie)

I was warned that there isn't much plot in this movie and it is true. Well, for many people who are not familiar with the character and historical background then the plot would be OK.

The visuals are very good though. Ah the costumes! I wonder how I would look wearing those frocks. Blue! Mauve! Orange!

Two actors did very well in this movie and one of them is Galadriel err...Cate Blanchett and the other one is the other queen (not the brat who never utters a word because she does not know any word of Spanish) Samantha Morton. The latter is actually quite sympathetic although her color palette is a cliché.

I am a Cate Blanchett fan but I hate to say this--this movie is forgettable. The story is just way too simple and the visuals are used to make it more interesting and more than it really is.

Six Feet Under Season 5 (DVD)

So many of my friends recommended that I watch this TV series. I was able to complete the set on my last trip to Manila. It has been several months since I last visited the Fishers and they were still vivid.

I am impressed with the female cast. Their performances are so raw even that of Tina Holmes whose character was only fleshed out in this final season. Lauren Ambrose is still convincing although Frances Conroy have become very relatable. The characterization of the men are a bit disappointing though. I expected so much especially from Nate but then it became bland because of Peter Krause's limited expressions (eyes wide and eyes open, a smile here and a snarl there). David's resolution falls flat as well. Why has the psycho-carjacker's memory has to come back anyway? Is it because he felt unsafe without Nate? It is just not enough.

Plot-wise I am impressed. Visually, it will draw you in. Emotionally--erm, I was crying a whole lot.

But Rachel Griffiths. She is just so fucking good. I really thought she gained weight just to look like she is pregnant. I was surprised to hear in the commentary that she was indeed pregnant. What dedication!

The extras are nice but they keep on praising one another. It was sickening. In addition, I suggest that you do not listen to Allan Ball's commentary track. I know he is the creator of this series but he ends up praising his work, his life and his own morals. Argh!

Just the same, I am proud to have the Fisher family and their work in my collection.

I Am Legend (movie)

I went to the cinema with very low expectations and maybe that is why I enjoyed this mediocre movie.

The premise is actually very interesting: a mad-scientist trying to save the world by discovering the medicine to rid the world of a man-made virus. He is all alone and will probably hook up with any non-nocturnal creature in sight. I wish I were there to keep hunky Willy Smithy company. But then the ending falls short. It could have been more dramatic.

The visuals are nice although some of them are obviously CGI and/or miniatures. Though "28 Days Later" has a smaller budget, they were able to stop the traffic in some London landmarks. It is really easy to identify which one is real for movie geeks like me.

Will Smith can only be Will Smith. It is hard to see the character. It is a very challenging one though. I wonder how other actors would interpret this character.

Hmmm...now let me fantasize what Will Smith and I can do if we are the only people left in this world.

Fear Factor: Mejia Family Version

I was able to spend some time with my niece Danica on my Christmas vacation. She is a proud Filipino so I present her here eating a Filipino delicacy.

I hope you enjoy this video as much as I enjoyed shooting it. I miss her a lot.

First Visit to a Proper Thai Private School

I have never seen so many dirty white socks in my life. That is the first thing I have noticed upon entering the all-girl campus. Students are not allowed to wear their shoes inside the buildings so they have grey socks at the end of the day. But the teachers are allowed to wear their shoes anywhere they want.

Rotem works in this school and she says that difference between the salary of the Westerner teachers is almost double of the salary of the Filipino teachers. The uniform of the students enrolled in the Thai program is also different from the uniform of the students enrolled in the English program. Thai teachers also do not interact with the foreign teachers. I have never seen so much segregation and discrimination in my life.

I admit that there are some trouble at work but I am not sure if I want to face the school system here in Thailand.

Bed Manila vs. DJ Station Bangkok

Bed in Manila might be smaller than DJ Station in Bangkok but the interiors are more stylish and the toilet is more exciting. There are circular sofas, chain curtains and aquarium for a urinal.

The go-go boys are sexy, smooth, delectable and very engaging. They would actually encourage you to go up on the ledge and dance with them. And the drag shows are fabulous. They know the song and the choreography is executed beautifully as many of the performers are trained dancers. At the same time, the costumes and makeup are well-coordinated. They do not look like cheap TV shows in Thailand.

Problem is the Pinoys do not like dancing. In my country, it seems disco dancing has become a spectator sport. They merely stay at the go-go boys and sip their drinks. It is so sad.

Fortunately, I did not see that many junkies. At DJ station, it is hard to pick up someone who is free from drugs. So when guys pick you up in Bed, they know what they are doing and they will remember the morning after what they have done.

Blog emails

Some of you have sent me emails but I lost some of them because I am having difficulty using the new Windows Vista. Please send your emails again so I can answer them properly.

Argh! I hope to get back to my normal online life soon.

Back in Bangkok

On my way to my Bangkok flat, I was feeling very odd. I really do not want to live in Manila anymore and yet I also do not like to be back in Bangkok.

Do not get me wrong. I treasure my family a lot and I have fallen in love with my niece Danica. They will always be my family but Manila is not my home. It is just where I grew up.

I already bought my laptop and I am here at work installing all the necessary programs. Argh! I am having some trouble because I cannot use XP on this new machine. It will only work on Vista.

Holidays in Manila part 6

My Manila vacation is coming to a close. Tomorrow night, I will be on my flight to Bangkok. I am eager to earn back the money I have spent and lost but I am also sad to leave my family behind. But this is my choice and they will always be in my heart.

There are so many interesting people I have met this year. There are many lessons I have learned. I just hope I would be able to keep all of them.

There were some things I planned for 2007 and many of them did not happen. But this year is more uncertain. I do not have definite plans. I yearn some things but I do not know how to achieve them yet. Perhaps, I will this year.

Thanks to my family and friends who have been extremely supportive even when I have failed. And they rejoice with me when I have things to be proud of.

Important: Lost Laptop

Because of my stupidity, my laptop was stolen. I am extremely upset right now. I am asking all of my friends to email me their information again like their postal address.

I am sorry for any inconvenience. My email is dexter.mejia@gmail.com

Dreaded Class Reunion

Many of my friends would think that it is masochistic of me to even consider attending my high school reunion. I was persecuted as a gay man in that Catholic school. It was the darkest years of my life. And yet I did attend it.

Nobody mentioned about the bullying fortunately. We mainly talked about our jobs and jobs of those who were absent. A few of the men look better. Some have not changed. And many are fatter and older. It is probably from the stress of married life. There is one thing that I am envious of and that is having children.

Maybe I am not really destined to have a child. Maybe I am too young to give up.

Anyway, last night's experience made me feel young again without being bullied.

Men Busted at the Shang Mall

Yes, I saw two gay men got busted at the Shang Mall last night. I was with Reggie (from LYC-Manila) and we were checking out the cruising grounds of Shangri-la Mall in Ortigas Center.

I watched one young man giving another young man a handjob. As I was enjoying the show, two security guards suddenly appeared and arrested the two men. The two men gave excuses but then they were caught in the act. I did not know what to do and say to them. Good luck? I am sorry that you might be spending your holidays in jail?

Seriously, it is sad that Shangri-la Mall is spending money and training men just to catch gay men having sex in their toilets. Instead of detecting bombs, they visit each and every toilet for gay men. I am really so glad that I do not live in the Philippines anymore.

Holidays in Manila part 5

I have been meeting some of my extended family and some of my friends. I eat everytime I see them. One time, I bought a bagful of fried pig intestines and I was hoping that DJ would share it with me. But he got grossed out so I had to finish everything. I swear I am not going to eat fried pig intestines anymore on this trip.

Aaaah, I badly need to go back to the gym! I am so fat right now. I hope I will be back in shape by the time I fly to Sydney for the Mardi Gras.

Look at the kids! They have my curls.