Friday, December 23, 2005

HOLIDAY...Celebrate!



It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... Well, not really. But it surely is becoming one long MADONNA holiday for me! As if to officially usher in the holiday season, I spent most of my time lately watching Madonna videos and hanging out with my Madonnista friends.

It started Wednesday last week when I finally got hold of several VCDs/DVDs I ordered from my friend Madonnamazing who sells rare Madonna videos. From compilations of commercially unreleased music videos to M's live performances and her old films, I got really good stuff at reasonable prices. My friend was even nice enough to give me some 'bonus' items in consideration of my relatively large order.

But what really stood out among this set is a copy of Madonna's latest documentary film, I'm Going To Tell You A Secret. A sequel of sorts to Truth or Dare (In Bed with Madonna), Secret is a behind the scenes look at Madonna at the height of her 2004 Re-Invention Tour. I instantly fell in love with the film as it showcases how Madonna has evolved to a more mature and mellow individual juggling her roles as wife, mother, and entertainer all the while maintaining a semblance of sanity in her hectic life.



Watching the film, I couldn't help admiring her more as she opens up to the world a more intimate picture of what it's like to be in her world. Unlike Truth or Dare that sometimes feel contrived, Secret feels sincere and candid as she expands the film's focus not only on her show and her relationship with her entourage, but more importantly, her relationship with her husband, her 2 children and her aging father. At one point, I found myself crying while Madonna delivered a heartfelt speech to her dancers right before the last show of the tour. Somehow, in the middle of it all, it felt that I was a part of their group and that Madonna was delivering the words for me. Wishful thinking...

Secret also features some amazing footages of songs from the Re-Invention Tour that made me more restless waiting for the release of the concert DVD. Without a doubt, Madonna has not lost her touch in staging the best shows. From what I've seen, I especially loved her Nobody Knows Me performance. Simply extra-ordinary!

After seeing the documentary a few more times, I decided to bring the VCD to the Club Madonna Philippines year-end party last Saturday. Though technical problems prevented my Madonnista friends to watch the entire film, we nonetheless had the best time chatting up and watching other Madonna videos. We also had a Madonna trivia game (I WON!), a game of Charades and a mini-raffle where we won some rare Madonna items.

A few days ago, I received more Madonna stuff from my wonderful friend from San Francisco who brought for me my much-awaited copy of the Rolling Stone magazine with Madge on the cover along with a couple of US-edition Madonna CD's. I also met up with my Club Madonna friends who gave me VCD's of recent Madonna interviews and promo performances for Confessions On A Dance Floor.



This just makes me think that apparently, I have been good this year. Otherwise, Santa woudn't give me all thse stuff that I want!


Santa Baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight...







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4 comments:

Stacy-Deanne said...

Hello, remember me? Sounds like you had a fabulous HOLIDAY! Spending any time watching Madonna is heavily for me also. You spoke of rare videos, I've been looking for that video of " Who's That Girl " myself. I can't find it anywhere. I am a big Madonna fan but I loved most of her 80's and 90's material so I look for her older stuff mostly. Bye!

Vegetables Go Off said...

i don't listen to madonna.
phew, there, I said it.

Vegetables Go Off said...

very_vera has a picture from the Chronic_ls of Narnia parody for a portrait, cool. (The vid is on my BLOG)

APoY said...

Good goin' stranger...

A few days after X-mas, I too was treated to a screening of "I'm Going To Tell You A Secret"...and all I can say is, if I was a Madonna fan before...well now I must be a Madonna windmill or something!

One syllable, three letters : WOW

I was fascinated, moved to tears, excited, amused, enthralled, amazed...and that's just in the opening credits!!!

Much, much better than 'Truth Or Dare' (or as we Aussies down here knew it as: 'In Bed With Madonna'). Don't get me wrong - I looooooooved 'Truth...' but '...Secret' just had so much more depth, and Light and shade. She had me and my best friend in tears when she gave that by-now famous, last prayer-circle.

I really love the fact that she's on a spiritual journey, and that she's sharing it with the world - kinda like the whole 'world's jOURney' personified in a way. It's definately a quaint paradox that the woman once known as the 'Material Girl' is now yearning to transcend the illusory world of form, matter & materialism...

Like the Dalai Lama said (referring to the gold rolex watch he was wearing at the time)...when you truly transcend the material, is when you can truly play with it - because it's lost its hold over you. When it no longer 'has' you is when you can have it, and simultaneously be freed from its grasp - something I feel is a state Madonna is very close to attaining (if she hasn't done so already...)

And besides all that - she still gives great face! And she's still the most exhilarating performer in the world.

I'm glad she's shared her little 'secret'. Totally inspiring stuff!

Ahh - Mad'on'her : I AM

Your Para//el Lucky Star.