Alita: Battle Angel Movie Review

Alita: Battle Angel is based on a Japanese manga series written by Yukito Kishiro. This movie was produced by James Cameron and under the direction of Robert Rodriguez. Cameron is also the producer of Avatar (2009). Alita: Battle Angel was released on January 31, 2019, in the United States and February 6, 2019 in the Philippines. The movie earned almost $400 billion in box-office sales.

Casting

Alita: Battle Angel starred by Rosa Salazar as Alita, Christoph Waltz as Dr. Ido, Jennifer Connelly as Dr. Chiren, Mahershala Ali as Vector, Ed Skrein as Zapan, Jackie Earle Haley as Grewishka and Keean Johnson as Hugo.

Synopsis

The story is all about Dr. Ido, who is a very compassionate cyborg doctor and found abandoned Alita in the scrapyard of Iron City. Alita was successfully fixed by Dr. Ido in his clinic but her memory was gone nor does she have any recognition of the world she finds herself in.

Until Alita met Hugo, who just met in the Motorball. Hugo is secretly working for Vector who robs cyborg parts. Hugo introduced Alita to motorball, a battle royale racing sport played by cyborgs. Hugo helped Alita to regain her past and found out her own cyborg parts.

Alita showed her cyborg parts to Ido and he revealed that those parts are from URM (United Republics of Mars) technology. But Ido does not want to reunite with that cyborg parts to Alita’s. Ido does not want Alita to get involved in slaying Cyborgs or being a Hunter Warrior. But Alita urged to become a Hunter Warrior and disobeyed Ido’s advice. Until Grewishka, who works with Vector/Nova, slashed Alita into pieces. Alita’s severed head was reunited with her nanotech body parts from URM technology.

Having fallen in love with Hugo, Alita enters a Motorball tryout race for the prize money to send Hugo to Zalem, where Vector attempts to have her killed. Hugo's relationship with Alita leads him to decide to quit his secret job. He confronts his partner Tanji, but Zapan appears, murders Tanji and frames Hugo. Hugo escapes and calls Alita for help; she abandons the race and finds him just as Zapan does, but Zapan mortally wounds Hugo. Dr. Chiren offers to help save Hugo by attaching his severed head to Alita's life support system. When Zapan sees through the trick and attempts to stop Alita, she seizes his prized Damascus blade and slices most of his face off.*

Ido transplants Hugo's head onto a cyborg body and tells Alita that Vector's offer to help Hugo reach Zalem was a lie; as an exiled citizen of Zalem, Ido is certain that citizens of Iron City cannot enter Zalem without becoming a motorball champion. Alita storms the Factory and confronts Vector, who reveals that Chiren has been harvested for her organs for her betrayal. Vector summons Grewishka, but Alita's new nanotech body allows her to easily destroy him. She forces Nova to speak to her through Vector. When Nova threatens to harm her friends, Alita fatally stabs Vector.*

Dr. Ido tells Alta that Hugo urged to climb in the cargo tube in Zalem. But Nova shreds Hugo’s body and Alita tried to save her but failed. Months after Hugo’s death, Alita strives to be a Motorball Champion and make it to the top of Zalem where Nova resides.

Review

Alita: Battle Angel is a cyberpunk movie, violent yet worth to watch. This movie implicates the difference between rich and poor. Society insists that rich people are more powerful than the poor. Poor people strive to become rich and because of the crab mentality of some rich people, they will do everything just to let those poor people down.

The main character or the protagonist of this movie emphasizes the woman empowerment. Women are known as the most emotional than men. Women are called weak but this movie implicates power and gender equality. This movie shows women's awareness in determining decisions through the different problems in society.

The movie is open-ended and how Alita can avenge against Nova – we will never know. There are rumors that there will be a sequel with the title “Alita: The Avenging Angel.” Just like any sci-fi film, we are looking forward to a more empowered and exciting movie like Alita.

Sources:

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alita:_Battle_Angel

The Never-Ending Stories of “Puting Van”

The school vacation is now fast-approaching and the never-ending stories about puting van or white van are once again splurged all over social media. This news brings terror to all children, especially parents. Some of the netizens are worried about the puting van because they don’t know when and where they will attack. However, some netizens said that is a kind of fake news and this is only to bring terror all over the country.

An Offering to Newly-Build Roads

I heard some people’s reaction regarding the puting van or white van news and they said that those abducted children were the sacrificial lambs as an offering or alay. The blood will be poured out to the new-build road to make it durable all throughout the years. However, some people said that story is just a myth or not real.

Image from https://tnt.abante.com.ph/puting-van-kinatatakutan-sa-camsur/

The Fresh Organ Hunters

There is also some news that the puting van or white van aims to abduct children or even healthier person to take out all their organs, especially the kidneys and the liver, and sell it to the black market to those who need organ transplant – this black market said be part of a syndicate.

Child Trafficking

Puting Van is also accused of child trafficking wherein they will abduct a child for money. The abducted children will be offered to those parents who does not able to bear a child with the capacity to pay them a huge amount of money. These syndicates may also use those children to work for them – like pickpocketing or begging on the streets. Believe it or Not?

Believe it or not, we should not be comfortable in our surroundings. Criminals will not choose who will be their victims. Please do not bother to report them to the authorities to end their illegal activities.

If you have comments, suggestions or any reactions, you may leave a comment below and let your voices be heard.

What TV Programs And Movies That You Miss During 90's

Do you ever wonder what TV programs and movies that you miss during 90’s? 90’s kids will actually relate to this article. So let us list some of them and bring back time.

Japanese Metal Heroes

Japanese Metal Heroes introduced here in the Philippines during late 80’s and ’90s. The most popular Japanes Hero is Shaider, played by the late Hiroshi Tsubaraya and Naomi Namonaga (known for her yellow panty during fight scenes). Shaider aired and tagalized (translated to Filipino Language) by ABS-CBN, IBC-13 and ABC 5 (TV 5, now).

We can’t also forget Kamen Rider Black or Mask Rider Black in Filipino version. The 90’s kids will remember how they cried for Robert’s death and the very exciting fight scenes against Stephen.

Robocop

After the success of Japanese Metal Heroes, the United States created its own kind of metal hero, Robocop. Robocop is a 1987 American action film played by Peter Weller. The story is all about a cop who is being killed by a gang of criminals and revived his body as a cyborg or a body made of metal.

We Pinoys also created our own Filipino metal heroes named Bobo Cop (1998) played by Joey Marquez. This is a comedy film directed by Tony Y. Reyes.

That’s Entertainment

That’s Entertainment is one of the longest-running shows of GMA 7 hosted and managed by the late German “Kuya Germs” Moreno. That’s Entertainment aims to create home-grown talents like Ara Mina, Piolo Pascual, and Vina Morales. The show concluded on May 3, 1996, with a total of 3,200 episodes.

Marimar

Before the K-Dramas invaded our Philippine television, Mexicanovelas was the first to hail in ’90s. Who would ever forget Thalia’s Marimar and her love, Sergio? Their characters are unremarkable and you will never forget the storyline. In 2007, GMA remake Marimar starring Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes as Sergio.

Anime Shows in GMA Primetime

90’s kids will never forget Ghost Fighter, Monster Rancher and Fushigi Yuugi aired and tagalized in GMA and ABC 5. Dragonball Z is one of the most-watched anime that time and today as well. I remember the 3-4 weeks episode of Son Gokuo’s fight with Freeza. We are so excited that time how Gokuo can defeat his nemesis.

Villa Quintana

Who will never forget two of the most popular loveteams in the 90’s – the Villa Quintana Stars Donna Cruz and Keempee De Leon. Donna Cruz now has a private life in Cebu and happily married to Potenciano "Yong" Larrazabal III.

Lion King and Pocahontas

Lion and Pocahontas were both animated movies produced by Walt Disney Pictures. These animated movies were among the movies that marked in the memories among the 90’s kids.

If you have comments and suggestions, you may leave a comment below so we can hear your thoughts.

Ways To Stop Overthinking

Overthinking means thinking too much instead of making some actions. Overthinking is a kind of mental illness and a mental instinct that he or she repeatedly thinking about the future or his or her past. That person cannot move on or thinking that he or she cannot do it alone. He or she is creating imagery of fear and other kinds of emotion. The person who is suffering from overthinking is like creating a whole new world or putting themselves in a box to hide their feelings.

Signs That You Are an Overthinker

Overthinking can be linked to depression and anxiety. According to the American Psychiatric Association:

“Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to act at work and at home.” While anxiety is a kind of fear or trauma registered in someone’s brain."

Here are some signs that you are a overthinker:

1. He or she is worried about the past and the future. The so-called “what-ifs” was the mentality among those overthinkers.

2. He or she is creating their own world or they don’t want to interact with other people. They do not want to share their thoughts with others.

3. They have trouble sleeping because their brains do not shut off and still bringing the stigma to his or her body. 4. He or she overthinks about making mistakes even though he or she did not make some actions. They are bit shy and had some fear from any mistakes that they may commit.
So How We Can Stop Overthinking?

Those signs are very alarming so many psychologists suggested some ways how to stop overthinking. You do not have to take medicine. All you have to do is to enjoy your life to the fullest. Being happy is the best medicine. Talk to your friends and people around. Please do not create your own world – do not do self-pity. You are killing yourself little by little.

Distract yourself from happiness by changing your lifestyle or hobbies in life, like plating some herbs in the garden or playing piano or guitar – things like you make so busy.

Also, you do not need to become perfect, because nobody’s perfect. Tell your mind that it’s OK to make some mistakes because it’s part of our lives. The best way is to move on ad go forth. As some people say: “fall down seven times, stand up eight,” meaning, always strive for more and never give up.

Hopefully, this will help you a lot.

Sources:

https://www.inc.com/amy-morin/10-signs-you-think-too-much-and-what-you-can-do-about-it.html

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/expert-q-and-a

https://www.successconsciousness.com/blog/inner-peace/what-is-overthinking-and-how-to-
overcome-it/

https://www.inc.com/amy-morin/10-signs-you-think-too-much-and-what-you-can-do-about-it.html

https://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/10-simple-ways-you-can-stop-yourself-from-overthinking.html

Sana All: The New Battlecry of CKD Patients

Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno previously open the country’s largest free dialysis center with almost 100 hemodialysis machines matching the capabilities of the National Kidney and Dialysis Center (NKTI).

The said news spread out all over the country and most of the patients are hoping that there will be a free dialysis center near their area. The battlecry begins as all the CKD Patients or patients with Chronic Kidney Disease are saying “Sana All” (Hopefully All). Quite funny but there is a deeper meaning.

What about us who are also suffering this kind of disease? Imagine how much we are struggling for our hemodialysis fee per session plus our dialyzer, IV Iron and Epoetin including our maintenance medicine.

What about Philhealth?

Yes! Indeed Philhealth is giving free 90 dialysis sessions, BUT we are also paying for our doctor’s fee/professional fee ranging from 400 to 700 pesos. After the 90 sessions, a CKD patient has no choice but to cash out or pay all the fees ranging from 3,000-4,000 pesos – that’s impossible to earn in just a day or two.

During the month of November, most of the CKD Patients who undergone hemodialysis did not know how to resolve where they can get money. Some of them are doing some small business, but most of them urge to go to lending companies.

We are almost dying both our body and our pocket and the government is not taking some actions.

What about PCSO?

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office or PCSO is also giving a guarantee letter for epoetin and medical treatment but this is not enough and it’s difficult to get a slot – and sometimes you will need exert effort to go in the middle of the night in their office.

What about the Malasakit Centers?

Like here in our province, we do not have Malasakit Centers and we don’t know who we are going to approach for.

How about the Universal Health Bill?

We are also hoping that this will be implemented next year. I really don’t know what is going on with this bill.

Why NOT Free For All?

I heard that the hemodialysis and the medication in other countries, like United States, are free. Why not all here in the Philippines? That is the question. We do not know where to get money for our HD session. Why not?

Is Tulfo The New Face Of PH Justice System?

I enjoy watching Youtube every day and every time I clicked the home button, I have seen lots of videos of Raffy Tulfo in Action.

I totally idolize him for being accommodating to others and a defender of those who is maltreated. At first, I only heard his radio broadcast in Wanted sa Radyo via DZXL RMN News Manila 558 AM – that was during my college days. Then, I watched his television broadcast in News 5 and T3 Tulfo Brothers.

Raffy Tulfo is a brave and soft-hearted man. He helps a lot of people. For some Filipino people, he is a hero without a cape.
Many people subscribed to his Youtube channel to get new updates of his video series. Actually,

Raffy Tulfo in action is the number one Vloggers who earned millions of pesos because of its views and subscribers.

But as time passes by, I feel like simple and big problems, Tulfo is the Filipino’s new Supreme Court. I ask myself and saying: “Is Tulfo the new Face of Philippines’s Justice System?”

That’s a big shame to those in the justice department, which means the Filipino people, especially the masses, trusted Mr. Tulfo in handling their complaints.

I am not against Mr. Tulfo’s will to help his fellow Filipinos, I am actually happy and contented to his accomplishments. This is only just a perception that our justice system has no fangs to help stop some complaints.

I do hope that the justice department should take action on this, let our fellow Filipinos bring back the trust with you. We cannot blame that some people in the justice department are only up for money to get what they want. I do hope that one day, our justice system will have its fangs and iron fist to stop some sort of complaints.

Mr. Tulfo, you are a man of honor and I love watching your videos on Youtube and keep up the good deeds for our fellow Filipinos here and abroad.

The Amazing Health Benefits of Sampa-sampalukan

Most of the people did not know the plant called “Sampa-sampalukan,” with a scientific name Phyllanthus Niruri. But did you know that Sampa-sampalukan has several health benefits? Its fruits and leaves used as herbal medicine.

Image from https://drfarrahcancercenter.com/portfolio/sampa-sampalukan/

Sampa-sampalukan is a kind of weed found in roadside and gardens throughout the Philippines. Sampa-sampalukan is well-known as a “stonebreaker” because this herbal will help fight lessen the gallstones and kidney stones. This herbal will also help protect our liver.

Sampa-sampalukan grows between 50 to 60 centimeters. Their leaves are small and oblong and their flowers are solitary green or white. Sampa-Sampalukan has various phytochemicals like flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, lignans, polyphenols, tannins, coumarins, and saponins. This plant produces a large amount of potash.

Sampa-Sampalukan is not just a stonebreaker but here are some ell-known benefits that this herbal can do.

Antioxidant Properties

According to research entitled “Aqueous Extract of Phyllanthus niruri Leaves Displays In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Prevents the Elevation of Oxidative Stress in the Kidney of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Male Rats[1],”sampa-sampalukan leaves have antioxidants that help fight cell degeneration or cell damage.

Antimicrobial Properties

According to research entitled “Antimicrobial activity of an Amazon medicinal plant (Chancapiedra) (Phyllanthus niruri L.) against Helicobacter pylori and lactic acid bacteria[2],” sampa-sampalukan has its antimicrobial property that helps protect our digestive tract. H. pylori is a kind of bacteria that may cause peptic ulcers, abdominal pain, and nausea.

Antidiabetic Properties

According to research entitled “Studies on the possible mechanisms of antidiabetic activity of extract of aerial parts of Phyllanthus niruri[3],”sampa-sampalukan has a methanol extract that can absorb excess glucose or sugar present in our blood. Excess sugar in our blood may damage our pancreas that makes are diabetic and may lead to other complications.

Hypolipidemic Properties

Sampa-sampalukan has its hypolipidemic properties that help lessen the cholesterol level present in our body. Cholesterol is found in fat in our blood that may cause coronary heart disease or higher blood pressure. Cholesterol came from meat and poultry products.

Here are some of the well-known benefits of sampa-sampalukan. I did not include some because of medical terms that I cannot understand.

Risk Factors

Sampa-sampalukan may show negative effect after taking its extract. This may cause diarrhea or upset stomach. This herb is not recommended to children and pregnant women because this is not yet proven and studied by medical researchers.

Sources:
[1] https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2014/834815/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22034238
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21323477
http://www.stuartxchange.org/SampaSampalukan
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/phyllanthus-niruri#side-effects-and-riskshttps://kidshealth.org/en/kids/cholesterol.html?WT.ac=ctg