Babe, I Love You.

The last Tagalog movie I saw on the big screen was in 2002 titled "The Crying Ladies," and it starred Sharon Cuneta and which I found both funny and sad.  It was sad because of the poverty portrayed in there, and funny because, despite the hardships the three ladies had to face, they still found the courage to laugh and "cry."

The next time I would see a Tagalog movie on the big screen was last April and this happened in Seattle, Washington.  It was the movie, "Babe, I Love You."

In Canada, I've seen print ads announcing the showing of Tagalog movies in regular theatres but I never attempted to see one.  I've watched a few Tagalog movies on DVD, courtesy of some friends.  I remember seeing the movies "Baler" and "Kimi Dora."

It was due to the prodding of my sister and her daughter in-law that we went to see "Babe, I Love You."  How did I find it?

First, I was surprised that the movie was showing in the U.S. and in a cinema that bore the name "Regal" in its ticket. I know this movie was produced by Star Cinema so I presume that it is a competitor of the Regal production.

Second, I found out that it is a lot more expensive watching a Tagalog movie abroad. It cost me around 32 USD for four tickets, plus about 30 USD for popcorn, soda and a bar of chocolate. That is roughly 2,700 pesos.  If I saw the same movie here in Manila, it would cost me about 1000 pesos, including popcorn and soda and a chocolate bar.

Third, I thought I was watching a Hollywood movie because most of the dialogue was in English. And in the few times that the lead actor, Sam Milby, spoke in Tagalog, I thought I heard too many "pa-cute" pronunciation which reminded me of a long- gone era co-worker, who hailed from the University near Diliman, who spoke Tagalog as if he were just learning how to speak.

Fourth, I found the scene in which Milby's character got soaked in the rain and was chilling and had to be taken cared of by Ann Curtis', to be ridiculous.  A woman would take out the socks of a man?  A man would chill from exposure to a brief downpour?

In short, it was an episode of sleep and wake for me.  It was good I had a tub of pop corn and a pitcher-size Coke.