Blue Moon

I'm not really a fanatic of local films, expect for some movies I know which really has a good story... I saw this VCD entitled 'Blue Moon' in my brother-in-law's apartment but I wasn't really interested in watching it but I had no other choice, the other DVD's and VCD's won't play and so I started watching it...

The movie was about an elderly woman named Corazon who was writing a love letter to every Manuel Pineda listed in the Philippine Directory, identifying herself as his long-lost love. Meanwhile, Manuel was diagnosed with cancer and has a few months to live, so he decides that before dies, he wants to find the woman he loved the most which he hasn't seen for decades: Corazon. He travelled to Laoag and tried to find her but she wasn't there. He gets drunk and slept outside the Capitol and was brought to the police station. On the other hand, his son Rod and grandson Kyle was worried where he could be and tried to call the police. An information was then said to them that Manuel was in Laoag and off they go to bring him back. As he travel with his emotionally distant son and recently separated grandson in his search for his lady love, they discover that there were actually two ladies named Corazon in Manuel's life: The nurse whom Manuel married after World War II, which was Rod's mother and Kyle's grandmother, and the spunky girl who was Manuel's first love in 1938.

Domingo, Corazon and Azon (another Corazon too) were Manuel's best friends. Manuel was inlove with Azon not knowing Corazon has a secret crush on him. Unfortunate news arrives when Azon tells Manuel that her mother wants to move far away and she asks Manuel to come with them, but Manuel declines. Azon then gives him a piece of her pendant, and tells him that if the pendant returns to her necklace then they are meant to be together.

Not long after, Manuel and Domingo join the army, and war erupted. Azon tried to find a way to say goodbye to Manuel, but was unable to reach him. However, she managed to meet Domingo, who explained the situation. Azon gave Domingo her address and told him to tell Manual to find her.
During the war, Domingo and Manuel are captured by the enemy. Domingo is so wounded badly that he can't walk. Domingo gives Azon's address to Manuel and then forces him to leave. Manuel reluctantly leaves his friend, and eventually survives the war. He is reunited with Corazon in a hospital, where she is a nurse. During this time, Corazon and Manuel fall in love.

Cora soon got pregnant, and she marries Manuel. After Cora gives birth, she decides to leave Manuel because she believes that he is still in love with Azon. Before she leaves, she gives him half a picture of her, saying that if the two halves are reunited again, that means that they are meant to be together.

Manuel became very sick and there they knew that he only has a few months to live. His son and grandson were off to search his long lost love for Manuel's happiness... They've tried to print ads regarding Manuel's search for Corazon, later a televesion reporter saw the ads and tried to contact them... Soon Manuel's story was broadcast nationwide and a lot of Corazon wannabe's where lining up to see Manuel...

A young Manuel Pineda (one of the man listed in the Philippine Directory who receives Corazon's letter but is not related to the real Manuel Pineda) saw the ads and call Corazon straight from the U.S. to let her know about information he got on television. Corazon then flew from Boston Massachusettes to the Philippines in search for her long-lost love... Rod went home to see his dad's house and was so happy to receive a letter from Corazon, they hurriedly went to the hospital with her daughter-in-law, Peggy. Kyle was there in the T.V. network hoping to find what they've been searching for. An elderly woman approach him and told him that she was informed that there are lots of fake Corazon lining up and he agreed. The woman then held out a half torn photo and said that it might help them. Kyle was surprised to see the photo of young Manuel and was so happy he hugged her. He then accompanied her to see Manuel in the hospital and there they finally see each other...

Kyle was playing cupid and finds ways to get a player so that Manuel and Corazon could have the dance they've been longing for. The couple went to the rooftop and was accompanied by nurses and Kyle ofcourse. Rod arrived and saw her father with an elderly woman. Kyle to his dad: Dad, remember the photo if it'll reunite? It was grandmother we've been looking for all along. Rod held out the half torn photo of her mother and reunite the two photos, while Manuel and Corazon were dancing under the blue moon... Manuel soon died but they know that he's happy before joining His creator because he had seen Corazon, finally danced her and let her know how much he loved her...

Blue Moon is such a beautiful true story it made me cry...

Blue Moon Official Website

Metro Manila Film Fest 2005 Awards:

Best Picture
Best Story
Best Screenplay
Texter’s choice Best Actress Jennylyn Mercado
Texter’s choice Best Actor Mark Herras
2006 Gawad Tanglaw's Best Supporting Actress Award - Jennylyn Mercado
2006 Gawad Urian (Best Supporting Actress Nomination) - Jennylyn Mercado
2006 Star Awards for Movies (Best Actress Nomination) - Jennylyn Mercado
2006 Luna Awards (Best Supporting Actress Nomination) - Jennylyn Mercado
2006 Enpress Awards (Best Actress Nomination) - Jennylyn Mercado

Movie Lines:

Scene: after Rod and Kyle picks Manuel from Ilocos
Rod: "Dagat lang pala gusto mo, hindi ka na lang nag punta sa Manila Bay" (So ocean is what you want, why didn't you just go to Manila Bay)
Manuel: "Balang araw maiintindihan mo rin" (Someday you will understand)
Rod: "Pano ko maiintindihan, you never cared to explain!" (How will I understand, you never cared to explain!)
Kyle: "Leave him alone!"
Rod: "Stay out of this!"
Kyle: "Hindi pwede lolo ko yan!" (No way! He's my grandfather!)
Rod: "Tatay ko yan" (He's my father!)

Scene of Cora(Jen) and Manuel(Mark)
Cora: "Halika sayaw tayo. Tamang tama ang lahat, ang buwan, ang kanta, lahat tama." (Come let's dance. Everything is perfect; the moon, the song, all perfect")
Manuel: "Tsaka na lang." (Next time.)

"Live life to the fullest"

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MarsoKwatro

My best friend is into filmmaking lately, on my birthday she asked me about my LOLO and the incident at the Davao International Airport last March 4, 2003... They were planning to do a movie about it for the Guerilla Filmmaking 4: 2nd Mindanao Film Festival, she's concerned about how I still feel about the incident and at the same time gathered some info about what happened that day... I still feel sad every time I think of it but somehow I felt excited thinking of making it into a movie and so I decided to join them.

A few colleagues of mine at AMACC including their friends and their friend's friends were now ready to shoot for our upcoming Short film Entry. Sharon was the one who wrote the script and I'm helping her do some research about it... I really enjoyed the experience that we had during the shoot. I get to meet some friends and they were all nice and friendly… Every day they have to go to work and at night we had to shoot for some scenes, it was really hard for them also but for the LOVE OF ART, they’re still surviving though even if sometimes it takes us ‘til dawn for us to finish some of the scenes. We still manage to laugh and joke at things that happened to us, (Bakit aku nagbumba??!) Though it was really a hard task to let the artist pour his/her emotions into that particular scene still they managed to do it. There were discussions and arguments but thank God we were able to fix it though the burden was put onto our scriptwriter, as she has to REVISE again some parts of the movie. Still, we enjoyed the experience; all the late-night walks on the streets carrying our stuff and all that (Wala na kasing pamasahe…), Sleeping in a small room with the five of us there to crowd in, going to work and haven’t slept for nights and the revision of the script over and over again… but the good thing is we were able to finish the film and be able to see it on BIG SCREEN!!! yeah!!! It was amazing… all the hardships were put into that film and you can see the people’s reaction about how the film goes, it makes you so proud of yourself... And a lot prouder when we got almost all the awards during the awards night... All those sleepless nights were paid off... whew! *lolz* Hurray! to all the cast and crew of "MARSOKWATRO!"

Awards: Best Actor, Best in Musical Score, Best in Editing, Best in Cinematography, Best Director and Red Fist Award for Best Production Value.

For more pictures of MarsoKwatro click the links at the sidebar... =)

Film Description

This film was inspired by the March 4, 2003 (MarsoKwatro) Davao Airport bombing that killed 21 people and injured hundreds more.

The story revolves around three youngsters, their struggles and battles with life, and the individual rage burning in them against the one they believe is their enemy.

The film raises the questions: How does one deal with the hurts and pains caused by the tragic death of a loved one? How does one handle the consequences of his evil act? Where does one go after experiencing such a tragic incident?

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