Comments on: Anti-tiktik kitchen essentials: Rock salt, garlic, and an extra-long stingray tail http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2012/10/28/anti-tiktik-kitchen-essentials-rock-salt-garlic-and-an-extra-long-stingray-tail/ Personal blog of Jessica Zafra, author of The Collected Stories and the Twisted series Sun, 04 Nov 2012 22:59:59 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.15 By: allancarreon http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2012/10/28/anti-tiktik-kitchen-essentials-rock-salt-garlic-and-an-extra-long-stingray-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-72600 Sun, 04 Nov 2012 22:59:59 +0000 http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/?p=21305#comment-72600 Howdy.

Sorry, I’d been busy over the holiday weekend so I wasn’t able to respond – although your question about my full “Inaswang sa Pagudpod” story is timely because I was actually including it in my blog on a series of articles about aswang (including my review of “Tiktik”).

It’s a rather lengthy story, so it might be too much to post here, so you can read the in the 3rd part of my blog which I’d just published today. The personal story starts somewhere in the middle of this article:

http://www.allancarreon.com/2012/11/05/aswangan-part-3-dont-tick-off-the-tiktiks/

Of course, you’re free to read the rest of the article as well as parts 1 and 2 also. :) Part 4, the last part – I’m still working on it, basically an expansion of my comments here around my Top 10 aswang movies (and the worst ones, to boot).

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By: jessicazafra http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2012/10/28/anti-tiktik-kitchen-essentials-rock-salt-garlic-and-an-extra-long-stingray-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-72439 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 04:30:23 +0000 http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/?p=21305#comment-72439 In reply to allancarreon.

You can’t mention details and not tell the whole story. Send Inaswang Sa Pagudpod story.

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By: allancarreon http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2012/10/28/anti-tiktik-kitchen-essentials-rock-salt-garlic-and-an-extra-long-stingray-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-72436 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:18:22 +0000 http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/?p=21305#comment-72436 I’ve found my #10 aswang movie: Impaktita. Jean Garcia was horrifying. :) I’d probably put this at #7 ahead of the other three.

The sumpit was a nice idea (as was the asin machine of Joey). The problem with the sumpit was that it was attached to an annoying boy. That, and product placement. Haha.

We’ve been trying to figure out where Tiktik is supposed to be set, and I’ve concluded it’s somewhere in the Ilocos region. “Palapundan” probably is a stand-in for Pagudpod, where I’ve been to and where I had an aswang encounter in December 2006.
1. The trees look like they are for a more northern climate.
2. “Palapundan” – “Pagudpod?”
3. True story: on the bus going to Pagudpod, my friends and I passed through several towns with sari-sari stores that had “Asin For Sale” and “Asin Laban sa Aswang” signs. (We laughed all the way to the resort in Pagudpod. Then we learned our lesson because inaswang kami.) Said stores were rather similar to Rina Reyes’ sari-sari store cum “anti-aswang” negosyo.
4. The asinan and the beach reminded me of northern beaches on the way to Pagudpod with the asinans.
5. To be completely honest, the CGI aswang reminded me of the aswang we encountered.

It does make me wonder if the writer/s or producer/s of this film had an aswang encounter up north similar to ours.

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By: UVDust http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2012/10/28/anti-tiktik-kitchen-essentials-rock-salt-garlic-and-an-extra-long-stingray-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-72350 Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:10:21 +0000 http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/?p=21305#comment-72350 Loved it! From the soundtrack to the ‘spaghetti’ to the sumpit! Ramon Bautista alone more than made up for Lovi Poe’s bland performance.

Room for improvement: A character or sari-sari store should’ve been called Toyang or Paraluman.

(Spoiler-ish comments)
– Oh, Jiggs! From zombies to aswangs, what’s next? We will be there for you, Jiggs! Always! Always!
– I want a T-shirt that says “Sinong sasaksak kay Bart?”

Also:
Somebody really has to do a Pinoy Expendables and cast Roi Vinzon as the surprise baddie.

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By: stellalehua http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2012/10/28/anti-tiktik-kitchen-essentials-rock-salt-garlic-and-an-extra-long-stingray-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-72348 Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:40:56 +0000 http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/?p=21305#comment-72348 Aha! So I’m not the only person who (secretly) found Roi Vinzon attractive! Though I will always refer to him as Award Winning Best Supporting Actor Roi Vinzon, no thanks to Apoy sa Dibdib ng Samar.

I was torn about seeing this after watching Argo and Looper two weeks ago, but if I miss it again I’m going to get this on DVD.

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By: allancarreon http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2012/10/28/anti-tiktik-kitchen-essentials-rock-salt-garlic-and-an-extra-long-stingray-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-72344 Mon, 29 Oct 2012 06:36:52 +0000 http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/?p=21305#comment-72344 I’ve actually been waiting since “Tiktik” opened almost two weeks ago if you would watch and review it. :)

Since you got me on a roll, let me share my top aswang movies. I wish it were 10 but I couldn’t think of a tenth as of the moment.

9. Patient X. I was actually somewhat disappointed by this, mainly because I’m such a fan of Yam Laranas’ “Sigaw” and probably had my hopes up too high. Also, Richard Gutierrez was hilariously hysterical. However, the premise was quite interesting, atmosphere was good, and overall execution was well-done.

8. Punerarya, Shake Rattle & Roll 12 (2010). In general, SRR movies have not been any good since the 2000s. However, there are in my opinion four exceptions in the new millennium, two of which are aswang-themed*. This is one of those two. The twist ending – well, I can’t believe I didn’t see that coming, I really should have, but I guess that means it wasn’t telegraphed like other such movies, which is good.

7. Aswang (1992). This Alma Moreno classic did scare me a lot, although I disliked the part towards the end where the criminals were being offed one by one by the snake/aswang. It was too… common in Filipino films (horror or not). My best friends and I routinely (to this day) recite, “Maganda… Pangit… Maganda… Pangit!”

6. Lihim ng San Joaquin, SRR 2K5. This is the other 2000s SRR episode that’s an exception to the suckiness of SRR movies of late. It’s a revision of the Aswang episode of SRR 2, with a couple deciding to settle in a town that turns out to be a town of aswangs. What makes this good are the production value and aesthetics. Instead of relying on expensive and fake-looking special effects, it relied on basic costuming, lighting, mood, and atmosphere. The transformation scene was frightening. It was pretty scary, especially Elizabeth Oropesa.

(MINOR SPOILERS FOR TIKTIK)

5. Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles.

Yes, it was more of an action movie with humor spread out. There was still some horror, such as the early depictions of the aswangs. Pacing could’ve been tighter in a few places, but overall it was good because it was mostly an uncomplicated story just banking on the basic aswang archetypes and myths.

I agree that LJ Reyes had a compelling screen presence, and I wish she’d done more. I also thought RJ Salvador, the pig-boy, was good (it turns out he’s Phillip Salvador’s nephew), and the Zombadings fan in me wishes Kirby could’ve been given more exposure.

The sore spots for me were Lovi Poe, who I’ve never liked and still did not like here, and that kid joining the climactic fray because it annoys me when kids join climactic frays and become action stars in horror movies. Tinalo nya ang hot sauce ni IC Mendoza sa SRR 4.

4. Manananggal, SRR 1. It was indeed one of the truly scary features in Pinoy film, and the choice of setting it during Holy Week gave it an even more spine-tingling atmosphere. Using tracks from “Jesus Christ Superstar” gave it a strange… “flavor” (in a good way), and the siege of the bahay kubo is one of the most gripping things I’ve seen. Ever.

3. Pamana: The Inheritance. Strictly speaking, this is not “just” an aswang (manananggal) movie but also other Pinoy creatures. However, the main crux revolves around the manananggal and its history with the family. Being a Fil-Canadian production, it doesn’t get as much “name” recognition here, but make no mistake about it: it’s a Filipino film – subject matter, location, and most of its cast (Nonie Buencamino, Phoemela Barranda, Susan Africa, Tirso Cruz III, Jaclyn Jose, etc.). It is genuinely creepy, and like most of the movies I prefer, it relied on mood and story buildup (with a great twist) as opposed to SFX.

2. Yanggaw. This Cinema One original is one of the best I’ve seen in the last few years, horror or not. What makes it compelling, however, is not so much the aswang per se but the story it tells. It is not so much a monster horror movie as it is a family horror movie. Ronnie Lazaro and Tetchie Agbayani are superb, and the choice to use the local dialect instead of Tagalog gives it an even more realistic flavour.

1. Aswang, SRR 2. This tops my list to date simply because it gave me nightmares for weeks on end after watching it when I was just 13 years old. Watching it agan recently hasn’t changed my mind: it survives the test of time in being genuinely scary. Who will not be scared at the mere idea of being trapped in a townful of aswangs with no feasible way out? Manilyn Reynes was effective here, and Vangie Labalan and Rez Cortez were also stars.

Worst Aswang movies

1. Aswang (2011). This Lovi Poe / Paulo Avelino flick had initial promise but immediately spiralled downwards. The climax was a non-climax. There was nothing scary here.

2. Emergency, SRR X (2008). This preceded Patient X by about a year and had a very similar premise. However, and perhaps because of the format (1/3 of an anthology), it suffered. It had moments but in general was not well-made.

3. Madre, SRR 4. Another one that showed initial promise, and with a twist of a male manananggal at the end. However, I really hated the whole hot sauce / IC Mendoza ending.

* the other two 2000s SRR eps I think were good were “LRT” (despite a stilted ending), and “Nieves the Engkanto Slayer” (deliberately funny and a take on Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

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By: Akyat-Bahay Gangster http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2012/10/28/anti-tiktik-kitchen-essentials-rock-salt-garlic-and-an-extra-long-stingray-tail/comment-page-1/#comment-72342 Mon, 29 Oct 2012 05:07:32 +0000 http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com/?p=21305#comment-72342 The refrigerator episode in the first Shake Rattle and Roll was also very scary.

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