Movie Review: Cinderella (2021)

Amazon Prime's latest adaptation of Cinderella which was released last Friday (September 3) has received quite a lot of negative reviews. This made me a bit hesitant to watch since it may just be a waste of time. Actually, as of writing, it has a 44% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Anyway, as a huge Cinderella fan, I decided to just see it for myself and ended up having mixed reactions about the movie too. Watching the first few minutes was cringe-worthy as I was expecting something different. 

Then, I realized that it is important that we need to manage our expectations to be able to enjoy the movie.

1. First, the movie is not produced by Disney so, it is important to let go of our expectation of the "magical feels" while watching this movie.  

2. It's a musical. It's like Pitch Perfect + High School Musical + James Corden's crosswalk musicals combined. So, if you are a fan of those, then this movie is for you. (By the way, James is part of the cast and one of the producers) 

3. One thing that I love about Disney's movies and adaptation is their attention to detail. That is something that is missing here. 

4. Happily Ever After means different in this adaptation. Her dream is not about marrying the prince, living in the palace, etc. (This has be shown even in the trailers) Instead, it focuses on the "girl boss feminism thing" and it is not only through Ella's character but also with the other characters in the movie too. 

Thus, if you are looking for something that is a princessy type (if there is such a term.)

This movie is not for you.  Ella in this movie is a bit "rough."

Do you recommend the movie? 

One thing that is notable in the movie is that it is inclusive in terms of race, gender, and size. Parental Guidance is a must since it uses strong words such as "idiot", "disgusting" to describe people and animals. 

What the movie can improve on? 

Since Ella is shown as a promising dressmaker in the movie, I hope they did not skip making clothes for her mice friends. It was one thing I loved in the original animated movie and with all the sewing supplies available, it wouldn't be far-fetched to make one for them. 

I also wouldn't mind if they just throw away the movie title and choose another one instead of banking on the popularity of a classic. They can also opt for better song choices and find one that we can better associate with Cinderella. I don't think "Let's Get Loud" is one of them. 

Anyway, that's it for now. How about you? What do you think of the movie? Let us know in the comments section below. 

Where to Find Discounted and Toys on Sale in Lazada?

Christmas is fast approaching! We know times are hard and this is why we'd like to share with you our little secret - Where to Find Discounted and Toys on Sale in Lazada? 

For someone who tries to save money and still wants to continue with the traditions (a.k.a gift-giving), shopping early and taking advantage of the sale events is a good idea. After all, every penny counts. 

Thus, if you have the funds available, go ahead and start your Christmas shopping now.  

Anyway, I am going to share with you the list of toy stores where you can find discounted and sale toy items. Don't worry! Most of them are LazMall stores so authenticity is guaranteed. :) 

1. Toy Town - They have been in the toy retail business for more than 30 years and they carry a wide variety of brands such as Little Tikes, Tomica, Lego, Funko Pops, etc. I believe that they are also the distributors of the major toy stores in the mall since the promotions are exactly the same as the ones they have.

Their Christmas sale will start on September 9 and toys are on sale for as low as 75-90% off. 

Store Link: https://bit.ly/ShopatToytown

2. Toys R Us - Yes, there are a lot of sale items available in Toys R Us. They carry a wide array of toys, books, and other collectibles. What I love about this store is the variety of sale items for a certain price point. (e.g. sale toys for 100 pesos. :) 

I also make sure to check toys priced at exactly Php 150, 200, and 300 because these are where most sale items are. (Don't forget to use the filter option to make your search easier.) 

Store Link: https://bit.ly/ShopatToysRUs

Here's another tip! 

You can also find Toys R Us items at the Robinsons Department Store official store. They usually list under Toys R Us Toybox and these are the same toys (mostly on sale too!) from Toys R Us. 

If you want to check them out, here's the link: https://bit.ly/ToyBoxatRobinsons

3. Kids Craze Warehouse Sale - The Kids Craze Warehouse Sale is brought to you by the Richwell Club. This used to be a live sale event in their corporate office in Quezon City. In 2019, they decided to bring it online which is good news to us who are not from Metro Manila. Now, it is accessible for buyers nationwide.

They mostly carry Crayola, Barbie, Hotwheels, Shopkins, Fisher-Price, and many more. :) 

Please note that some items in this store are on clearance because of dented boxes or damaged packaging but the items inside are okay. Items go on sale for as low as 70-90% off too! 

Store Link: https://bit.ly/ShopatKidsCraze

4. Toy Kingdom - Just like Toys R Us, Toy Kingdom has a lot of sale items on sale too! Since our TK store is not so big here in Bacolod, I get to find more items online instead of the physical store. 

Store Link: https://bit.ly/ShopatToyKingdom

Just a tip! You can find one of the cheapest Transformer toys here. :) 

Anyway, that's it for now! Do you know other toy stores that carry sale and discounted items? Feel free to share in the comments section below. :) 

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook - www.facebook.com/mymetrolifestyle to be updated with the flash sales and sulit finds. :) 

Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) Dates, Schedule and Things You Need to Know

We are happy to share that the Manila International Book Fair is happening again ONLINE from September 30 - October 4, 2021. 

Anyway, preparations are ongoing, and here's what we know so far. :) 

1. SPECIAL EVENTS - There will be special events live on MIBF's official Facebook page and Youtube account all throughout the 5-day book fair. Some of the special events that you shouldn't miss are Sha Nacino's 90 Book Writing Challenge Book Launch and the Authors Got Talent happening on October 1 and 2 respectively. 

2. BOOKS - Both printed and ebook formats will be available. You can shop and start adding to cart on September 30. Just go to www.manilabookfair.com. You can expect lots of promotions and discounts during the fair. 

• Abiva is celebrating its 85th year anniversary and all books (mostly textbooks) will be available for Php 85 only. 
• OMF Literature is on sale for as low as 80% off in selected items and all other books at 20%. (So, this might be a good time to get your copy of The Purpose Driven Life) They also have books for as low as Php 20 only. 
• 20% off on ALL Adarna books which includes board books, coloring books, picture books, and young adult literature. 

*will update you on this. 

3.  EXHIBITORS - Here's the complete list of exhibitors this year. 

4. SCHEDULE - The website is available 24/7 which means that you can order anytime. The special events will run from 8AM - 8PM. 

5. LOGISTICS - We know there have been challenges in the shipping of orders last year. For this year, the organizers will have better and improved logistics to address this major concern. Thus, we are looking forward to a seamless and easy buying experience.  

Anyway, that's it for now. We will update this post once we have more information about the MIBF 2021. Make sure to check back from time to time. We'll share as well the complete list of exhibitors next week.

Online Shopping for School Supplies in Bacolod

It's back to school! 

Despite the health crisis, our life goes on, and little did we notice that another school year is about to start. Actually, some private schools have already started a few weeks ago. :)

Anyway, we are happy to share that you can now order school supplies from your local National Bookstore branches online. In the past, we order through National Bookstore's website and its Lazada and Shopee Flagship Stores however, one main concern is the shipping or freight costs since the items will be coming from Manila. 

Now, you can order from your nearest National Bookstore branch and don't have to worry about shipping fees. 

Currently, we have three (3) NBS branches here in Bacolod. I have actually tried ordering from all of the three branches and so far, I am very happy with their service. 

So just pick one that is nearest to you. One thing that I noticed is that stocks vary per branch so if you need something specific and it's not available. You may ask assistance to have it checked if it's available in other branches.

How does this work? 

1. Contact your preferred NBS branches via SMS/Call or Viber. Personally, I prefer Viber since they have an option to send photos which makes shopping easier. 

NBS Gaisano Singcang -  09151102467 /09154212202

NBS Robinsons Place - 09154212204 or 09282225078

NBS SM City - 0927-515-6720

2. Once you have a personal shopper assisting you, just tell him/her what you need. You can even ask for recommendations or even what's on sale. :) 

3. Pay for order - NBS has lots of payment options available. You can pay via Cash, Debit/ Credit Card, GCASH, Globe Rewards, Shopee Pay, and even Bank Transfer. 

4. Pick-up - Once you have finalized and paid for your order, you pick it up yourself or just simply schedule a pick-up with a 3rd party courier. 

We usually use Grab Express for pick-ups. I highly suggest that you use their 2-hour delivery service since it's super cheap - they offer a flat rate of Php 59 delivery fee anywhere within Bacolod City. Please do note that this service is only available until 3PM. 

That's it for now! If you have any questions or have tried ordering from NBS, feel free to comment down below. :) 

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