Magic Sarap is a popular seasoning in the Philippines that is used to enhance the flavor of various dishes. It is a blend of ingredients, including salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sugar, garlic, and other spices. This seasoning is known for its ability to add a savory and umami taste to food, giving it a more delicious and flavorful appeal. Magic Sarap is commonly used in Filipino cuisine, especially in dishes such as adobo, sinigang, and fried rice. It is also a staple in Filipino households and is often found in the kitchen pantry. Despite its popularity, Magic Sarap has received some criticism due to the presence of MSG, which has been linked to health concerns when consumed in large amounts.
Noroi is a long and complex film, one that demands your full attention throughout. Clues as to what’s going on come thick and fast and at first might seem like throwaway bits of spooky business that have nothing to do with the main plot. Only as the story unfolds does it becomes clear that things like the suicidal pigeons, Ishii’s alleged stealing of fetuses from an abortion clinic and the meaning of the loops that Mariko keeps drawing and making in pieces of string are actually vital to understanding what’s going on. It all adds up to a film that slowly, carefully amnd expertly accumulates a growing sense of dread and unease.
Kobayashi, Marika and his never seen cameraman Miyajima find their way to the site of a former village, long submerged to make way for the Shimokage dam, where the locals performed rituals to appease the demon Kagutaba who they come to believe is behind all the mysteries. There are hints of the always popular folk horror sub-genre as Kobayashi and co discover the remnants of the rural community that raised and subsequently imprisoned Kagutaba, keeping it in check with complex rituals.
Despite its popularity, Magic Sarap has received some criticism due to the presence of MSG, which has been linked to health concerns when consumed in large amounts. However, when used in moderation, Magic Sarap can be a convenient and tasty addition to various dishes, adding an extra punch of flavor and enhancing the overall dining experience..
Noroi: The Curse (2005)
Often described as “found footage”, Kôji Shiraishi’s Noroi is actually a good example of the form’s close relative, the fake documentary. Taking the form of a compilation of video material recorded by a paranormal researcher, it charts the final days and weeks before his mysterious disappearance.
Jin Muraki stars as Masafumi Kobayashi, a journalist specialising in the paranormal and all things Fortean who, we are told at the outset, disappeared while making his latest film, The Curse, shortly after his house burned down and his wife Keiko (Miyoko Hanai) was found dead in the wreckage. The Curse consists at first of what seems to be random bits and pieces from Kobayashi’s investigations – a woman named Junko Ishii (Tomono Kuga) and her son (Shûta Kambayashi) attract his attention after neighbours complain about strange sounds coming from their house that are later revealed to be the crying of a group of babies; the neighbour and her daughter die in car crash a week later; young schoolgirl Kana Yano (Rio Kanno) is seen on a television variety show displaying uncanny psychic powers; a clearly mentally ill man, Mitsuo Hori (Satoru Jitsunashi), who constantly wears a tin foil hat and coat, warns him about “ectoplasmic worms”; and actress Marika Matsumoto (apparently playing herself) is stalked by something supernatural after taking part in a different documentary about a supposedly haunted shrine.
All these strands at first seem unconnected and the first hour of the film – which at 115 minutes is a good twenty minutes too long – can seem rambling and unfocused. It all starts to coalesce as the story progresses. Kobayashi, Marika and his never seen cameraman Miyajima find their way to the site of a former village, long submerged to make way for the Shimokage dam, where the locals performed rituals to appease the demon Kagutaba who they come to believe is behind all the mysteries. By the end of the film Kagutaba has been revealed to have manifested in the form of a minor character from earlier in the film and is responsible for Kobayashi’s disappearance.
Noroi is a long and complex film, one that demands your full attention throughout. Clues as to what’s going on come thick and fast and at first might seem like throwaway bits of spooky business that have nothing to do with the main plot. Only as the story unfolds does it becomes clear that things like the suicidal pigeons, Ishii’s alleged stealing of fetuses from an abortion clinic and the meaning of the loops that Mariko keeps drawing and making in pieces of string are actually vital to understanding what’s going on. It all adds up to a film that slowly, carefully amnd expertly accumulates a growing sense of dread and unease.
Like a lot of Japanese horror films, the characters – all well played in a convincingly natural manner – accept the existence of the supernatural without question. Shiraishi and Naoyuki Yokota’s screenplay doesn’t waste time with sceptical characters having to be convinced of what’s going on – they just buy into it, making Noroi feel like it’s taking place in an alternate world where demonic possession, ghosts and other paranormal manifestations are an everyday commonplace.
Noroi makes use of several of the the tried and tested “found footage” tropes – creepy figures lurk in the background, often unseen by the protagonists and half-glimpsed horrors set us further on edge as we struggle to process what we think we might have just seen – but the “mockumentary” approach gives the film more of a coherent structure and allows us to break out of the strictly first person perspective via faked television news and variety show extracts that look convincingly like the real thing.
There are hints of the always popular “folk horror” sub-genre as Kobayashi and co discover the remnants of the rural community that raised and subsequently imprisoned Kagutaba, keeping it in check with complex rituals. The last of these rituals was filmed and the grainy 16mm footage reveals a possible tip of the hat to Kaneto Shindo’s classic Onibaba (1964) when the central character in the rites is seen wearing a mask reminiscent of the Hannya mask central to Shindo’s film.
Noroi may test the patience of some with its length but for those who buy into its off-kilter world and surrender to its escalating feeling of foreboding as Kobayashi’s quest gradually leads himself completely out of his depth, it’s a remarkably effective and often chilling film with moments in its closing stages that are hard to forget. Its slow to get going but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with a memorable finale that most memorably reveals where those stolen fetuses went and what they were being used for…
Kôji Shiraishi made something of a career out of this sort of thing. Okaruto/Occult (2009), Shirome/White Eyes (2010), Cho Akunin/Hyper Villain (2011) and Bachiatari bouryuku ningen/Cursed Violent People (2011) all used the “mockumentary” format He eventually moved into more traditional story-telling and made the disappointing Sadako vs. Kayako (2016) which pitted the protagonists from Japan’s two most successful horror franchises against each other in an underwhelming clash of J-horror titans.
All these strands at first seem unconnected and the first hour of the film – which at 115 minutes is a good twenty minutes too long – can seem rambling and unfocused. It all starts to coalesce as the story progresses. Kobayashi, Marika and his never seen cameraman Miyajima find their way to the site of a former village, long submerged to make way for the Shimokage dam, where the locals performed rituals to appease the demon Kagutaba who they come to believe is behind all the mysteries. By the end of the film Kagutaba has been revealed to have manifested in the form of a minor character from earlier in the film and is responsible for Kobayashi’s disappearance.
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Reviews for "Transforming Ordinary Meals into Extraordinary Culinary Feasts with Magic Sarap"
- John - 1 star - I can't believe people actually like this stuff. I tried using Magic Sarap as a seasoning for my dish and it completely ruined the flavor. It tasted artificial and overpowering, and I could barely taste the actual ingredients of the dish. I don't understand the hype around this product and would definitely not recommend it to anyone.
- Sarah - 2 stars - I had high expectations for Magic Sarap based on all the positive reviews, but I was thoroughly disappointed. The flavor it added to my food was extremely salty and artificial. It completely masked the natural taste of the ingredients and left an unpleasant aftertaste. I won't be using Magic Sarap again and will stick to using regular seasonings that actually enhance the flavors of my dishes.
- David - 1 star - I don't understand why people rave about Magic Sarap. It's an over-hyped product that failed to deliver any magic to my food. The taste was strange and overpowering, and it left a lingering artificial flavor in my mouth. I regret buying it and would not recommend it to anyone who values natural flavors in their dishes. Save your money and go for more traditional seasonings instead.
- Lisa - 2 stars - Magic Sarap didn't live up to my expectations. I tried using it in several dishes, but the flavor it added was unappealing. It tasted artificial and extremely salty, making my food almost inedible. I don't see what the fuss is all about and would not purchase this product again. There are definitely better seasoning options out there that don't compromise the taste of your dishes.