The Week After (Post-Holidaze)

After 3 ridiculous months, the Christmas season has finally (depends on who you ask) ended. Thankfully, that means no more difficulty navigating through malls like they're places where a new Guinness World Record is being conducted. No more annoyingly positive and mind-numbingly cheesy Christmas songs and movies. And finally, no more Christmas gift expectations from relatives you see like once a year. (Yeah, I'm a cheapskate)

But before you take me for some kind of Grinch, let me make it clear that I do love the holidays. After all, it also means cheerful re-unions, glorious food everywhere and most importantly, more cash comes into my wallet. It's the BS that comes with the season that I dislike. It's not fun staying in the FX line for 20 minutes on my way home. I can give more examples, but I don't want to whine here. Like all things in the Philippines, this is just one of the things we have to deal with. This is after all, a country ripe with contradictions. So on a scale of things that I love and hate simultaneously, the Christmas season would be between Manny Pacquiao (and his showbiz career) and cheap booze.

Looks expensive, but it definitely doesn't taste like it. Still a great buy, though.

LIVING IN A WORLD OF INKS, PANELS, AND BALLOONS

My first memory of encountering comics started when I was very young, not more than 5 or 6 years old. Being a fan of cartoons, it was no surprise that I would be drawn to the bright pastel colors of the Sunday comics, which was something I looked forward to every week. And so it was that I became a fan of Garfield and Peanuts, and eventually, Calvin and Hobbes. I just loved how all of these series made everyday situations funny and memorable. Thanks to the writers who’ve created these classics, my imagination and vocabulary have been splendid, but alas, my early attempts at creating my own comics have ended with disastrous (and oftentimes laughable) results.

It looks something like this, but way worse.

Then elementary school came, and with it, the anime craze. No geeky male kid was immune to its charms. Bright colors? Check. Cool (although sometimes recycled) plots? Check. Interesting characters? Hell yes! Sexy female characters in revealing clothes? CHECK, CHECK AND CHECK! (There was only dial-up internet back then, but that’s another blog post) Needless to say, I was hooked. I still recall with a fond sense of nostalgia all the great series I watched that made my boyhood either dull or awesome, depending on how geek-o-phobic you are. Samurai X, Gatekeepers, Dual, Gundam series, Evangelion, Yu-yu Hakusho, and Pokemon, all of these were the constant things on my mind, and little else.

It's that crowded in my mind too, except that there's puppies.

Ever wondered why we like to wonder about wonderful stuff?

 Let's be honest for a while. No matter how much we claim to live life in the moment, without regrets, we have all spent a considerable amount of time thinking about what could have been. I am of course talking about the what ifs. And in my case, never has there been a period in my life quite like the past few days and months that have made me ponder on these matters quite as frequently.

 I'll start at the underlying causes. The proverbial spark to these questions first emerged from a failed job interview. (Don't worry, I've moved on and won't bitch out about it here.) The interviewer left me with a thought provoking statement that sent a flurry of activity running wildly across my brain. What if she was right? What if I'm only being a writer because I'm pretty much a failed visual artist? What's so wrong with sticking to my strengths? These are only a handful of the questions I've been asking myself ever since.

YOU HAVE NOT BROKEN ME.

A War Without Deaths -- yup, Competitive Sports!

 Man has always carried a violent nature inside of him.Whether you are a muscled freak prone to 'roid rage, or a pacifist who can't kill a fly,  make no mistake about it -- there's a primal beast stored inside your DNA. And it wants blood. Or at least the thrill of defeating someone worthy. Now, you can't just go about slapping people in the face, looking for a fight. That kind of behavior gets people in jail. Usually.

But of course, there are exceptions.

  Humans, being the pioneering species that it is, had the brilliant idea of creating competition. Also, killing people for shits and giggles in front of a live audience kind of went out of fashion after the Roman Empire collapsed. So now, we get our fix of loud, animalistic, roaring frenzy from professional sports. And grown massively this movement has.

 The Olympics have been one of humanity's most obscenely expensive displays of athletic superiority for decades, and for good reasons. Nothing brings out the animal in us like the tribal allegiances we display when our teams are competing. But since we've always sucked at the Olympics, we settle with what we can get. And we have it pretty good. Nothing like a deadly, but beautiful sport like boxing to get everyone's heartbeat racing and our throats sore.  Oh, and yeah, just having the greatest fighter alive today as our countryman is pretty swell.

Even though the awful singing and political play is getting exasperating.

 

   If you've ever seen Manny fight, (wait, of course you have, duh.) you will be familiar with the indescribable rush of blood it sends throughout your body. There's is nothing quite like seeing an eternally smiling man beating up his opponents face into a bloody pulp. And the ecstasy of seeing an opponent down and out? Absolutely incredible.You are left inspired, wanting to just go out and smack somebody around.

 But for what? Unlike you, he is being paid to fight. Its almost disgusting how much the guy makes, if only it weren't so well-deserved. And unlike him, you are probably a wuss who'd fold under a grazing jab. So like most sane people wishing to feel the rush of victory, you'd probably settle for a less brutally punishing sport.

 Enter our national sport. No you idiot, it's not sepak takraw like our textbooks say. It is basketball. One of the American's greatest legacies we have kept alive. Filipinos are addicted to it, also because the NBA has done a great job marketing it as a wonderful game filled with grace, skills and drama. For the most part, that is.

When you can change the NBA's rules just from the number of technical fouls you've committed, you are definitely a legend.

  Locally, the fanatical mobs are virtually only a few steps away from England's infamous soccer hooligans. Forget professional basketball; in this country, college hoops is the major attraction. Nothing inspires fanatical devotions quite like academic institutions, especially for the "privileged" ones. How many local PBA games fetch up to Php30,000 per ticket for court-side seats? You'd be lucky selling out Araneta's upper A section for season games in the pro league. On the collegiate level, you'd be lucky to score GA tix for an Ateneo-La Salle, or Final Four game. And when you're really lucky, the teams would even drop the ball and go at each others throats. Now that's entertainment!

 Personally, I've always enjoyed competition involving myself. Be it basketball, debates or video games, I really hate losing. And like the psychotically passionate Michael Jordan himself, I love a close, hard-fought, play-til-you-bleed-or-drop game. It ups the stakes. Never mind if there is no money involved. I hate gambling anyway. I love it for the rush, stress, fatigue, everything. There is nothing quite like winning a hard-fought match, when you're down on the scoreboard, and clawing your way back. Snatching a win from behind is one of life's greatest legal pleasures. Losing such a game though, is honestly quite devastating. So just imagine how the Miami Heat must feel.

Oh wait, it wasn't even close. My bad. Suck it Lebron! Hahaha!

Aside from being a great fitness regimen, sports also apparently boost willingness to succeed, as well as coordination, balance, intelligence, and the common side-effect of having the ability to behave like a douche-bag. Yes, no great athlete is without pride. No, Manny Pacquiao, despite not saying it, is definitely not as humble as he seems. Greatness demands a high sense of confidence in one's self, not to mention their abilities. So let them brag, as long as it's in good taste and not comically exaggerated like Money Mayweather.

Cause at the end of the day, these kings of their sport are the modern age Lords of war. And we are all just fans or haters.

It's a material world, despite what your pastor tells you

 Everything is for sale. You should know it by now. You may not realize it, but you have, on one occasion or more, have sold yourself in one way or another. It doesn't matter if you wanted to or not, or if you got more than you bargained for or less. As our society gets more and more advanced there is no more room for puny words like honor, sacrifice and ambition anymore (unless they put it in movies or video games). We are now both buyers and sellers, depending on what is being sold and what the demand calls for on a given day. 

 Money has certainly been a major factor in determining power and worth on modern humankind. It is virtually impossible living without it today, which is quite ironic given the fact that money is something we only created to give a semblance of order in the chaos known as human society. While we may not be clubbing each others heads and flinging crap at each other anymore, (at least us who aren't on MTV's Jackass) we are still every bit the cunning and devious species we were a few thousand years ago. The only difference being we are now better dressed, better groomed, better fed but ultimately not always so better-off.

 Once upon a time, being the top dog meant being the most brutal member of the tribe, one who inspires fear and respect with a swing of a club (or sword). Now it means being so important, no one can land a punch on you if their life depended on it. Way back then, the thrill of the hunt was in narrowly surviving a wild beast's attack and taking the (now-dead) thing home for dinner. These days, the thrill comes from getting a discount on suspiciously cheap meat that could be beef like the label says, or something that could have been your neighbor's pet. Point being: forget being a badass like Manny Pacquiao or Anderson Silva, be a rich, influential dude and get the money to buy things both those guys would envy--and fear. 

He may not look it, but this man can kill you in 42 different ways, all while wearing that stupid top

.

 Or so most of us dream. The sad fact is, not everyone will be rich. Sadder fact: Not every rich man earned their keep. Saddest fact: Not all of them are happy, let alone content, with what they have. I personally dream of being just rich enough to buy everything to make my room a geek heaven. And a GT-R in the garage would be sweet as well. Most people my age still cling to the Scarface motto; "the world is mine." As if such a thing was possible. Or even worth it. All the world? Mine? No thank you. People forget the responsibility of being a king, not realizing that the king would sometimes envy the simplicity of the squire's life. But if being content was a human trait, then we would still be living in the jungles now, wouldn't we?

It's just not in our character as a species to stop at good enough. It is why we have subjugated the Earth, and ultimately be the steps unto our own undoing. Stopping while we're ahead is just a fool's motto, uttered only by those too weak to seize their desires, terrified by their own potential for greatness--or evil. It's simply never just enough. Be it our food, clothes, cars, gadgets, money, entertainment, etc., we will always find a way to want more. We have become reduced to a species just looking for it's next temporary high. And we are all hopelessly addicted.

Consumption is an everyday activity, and has been written in our DNA. Everyone's interested in what we're buying and selling, and the trend today seems to be fame and dignity. Fame being bought at the cost of dignity, that is. Ah, but then again how much does dignity cost today anyway? You'll find premium ice cream more expensive than shame nowadays. The proof is everywhere. If you do not realize it, you are probably chasing it, confusing it for the culmination of a dream. But before you consider me preachy, let me admit that fame would have its great perks. Who does not like attention? Idolatry? Worship, even? Count me in! 

Except for this shit. I still have some semblance of dignity not to enter here.

 As I have always maintained in this blog, NONE OF US ARE SAFE! I am here to point out our own bullshit, but ultimately not to condemn, or judge it, but to laugh at it. Acknowledge it. Because in the end, nothing I'll say or do should change your view of the world.  And that's the beauty of it all.

I wish everyone the best in their own quest for success, be it real or imagined, substantial or shallow, entertaining or not, life-changing or suicide-inducing! So be careful what you wish and work for. You know the rest.

 

Films well worth the time they'll take from your life. (or at least mine)

 I am somewhat of a movie buff, having rediscovered my love for great cinema in part through today's big budget Hollywood blockbusters, and the other factor being HBO. While 5-6 years ago I was not so discriminating in the movies I watched, the internet has proven monumental in changing that mindset. Whereas before I had only three requirements needed to be met for what I consider good movies (I am now terribly ashamed to share what those 3 were), now I thankfully have a greater understanding in the intricacies of this unequaled art form.

 Here now, in no particular order or rank, is a list of my favorite films by far, each followed with a short review/insight that do no justice whatsoever to the enjoyment I've had in watching them. And no, almost none of the films I liked when I was 15 made it here.

INCEPTION- Definitely the best film of 2010 (for me, at least). A remarkable feat in originality, editing and direction. You will never think of sleep in the same way again. Unforgettable performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard and Cillian Murphy. Quite possibly director Christopher Nolan's magnus opus.

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS- This by far is Quentin Tarantino at his best, finally delivering the missing element that I felt was lacking in his other brilliant films.  What that is, I cannot say nor explain. I can simply sum it up like this; it feels complete and solidly put together, something I cannot say with absolute confidence about Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (although both are superb as well.) Oh and yes, Christoph Waltz delivers a cinematic performance that in all probability would never be equaled nor  re-created. Hans Landa ranks high up there in cinema's long line of unforgettable antagonists.

AVATAR- Though much criticized for it's heavy borrowing of themes and premises, I feel that Avatar still has enough depth to be appreciated beyond its stunning and near-overwhelming beauty. Think of it this way; an overbearing storyline would have detracted much from the magnificent visual experience it delivers. And in that experience, words fall short to describe it. I pity those who have not been able to watch it in theaters, and applaud those who did--in 3D; proving that said format is more than just a gimmick to charge higher ticket prices. In a nut-shell, Avatar showed how 3D SHOULD be done, and did so in a bar-setting way that it is likely to be topped only by it's much-awaited sequel.

THE DEPARTED-  I confess not being much of a fan of Martin Scorsese's early works. However, it is important to remember that he started waaaay early, and that his films were reflections of society during those times. One film that I can easily say I have thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish is this 2006 masterpiece. Brilliant performances from its lead stars give unparalleled intensity in its story's nail-biting, and ultimately shocking unfolding. A must-watch for anyone who loves police/crime dramas laced with varying degrees of moral gray areas and dilemmas.

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE- Stanley Kubrick, while not one of my favorite directors, is undeniably talented. His 1971 film features a bleak look at a futuristic, totalitarian Britain. Its protagonist, (or technically anti-hero) the sociopath Alex, is just about every generation's worst fears about youth realized. The amazing themes implied on human freedom, it's nature, and government "protection" make this film great fodder for sociology conversations, (whether they be professional or not; drunk or sober).

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM- As far as anti-drug PSA's put on film are concerned, no other film I can recall cautions its viewers quite like this one. Darren Aronofsky's manic directorial style, coupled with the (infamously) haunting soundtrack provides a morbid, yet not totally unrealistic view about human addictions-- and it's nasty consequences. Topped off with insanely believable performances from its lead cast, this is a film you will not soon forget--nor watch again too soon.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND- While it starts off slowly and mundanely, the masterful flow and direction soon all make sense in its intense and unforgettable climax. The inter-twining of the character's lives, along with the revelations made along the way, are believable and engaging, despite the technology described being not. This is one of those films that provides a weird, unexplainable, but not unpleasant feeling after the credits roll. This is how love stories should be made, not the sappy, trying-too-hard crap we usually get today.    

MEMENTO- Christopher Nolan's 2000 film shows glimmers of the director's budding brilliance, managing to achieve what most films do not-- and that is telling a story backwards while being engaging and making sense. While not perfectly paced, nor logical in its premise (spoiler alert: how does one with anterograde amnesia remember that he HAS anterograde amnesia?) it is nonetheless attention worthy and thought-provoking. The big reveals and unpredictable chain of events make this a story unlike any other.

CITIZEN KANE- Ah yes, the grand daddy. The kingpin. The gold standard. No greatest movie list is complete without this film popping up, and any self-respecting movie buff knows why. For starters, this movie was made nearly 70 years ago. The amazing thing is, it still holds up well to today's lofty, albeit dumbed-down standards. The story-telling is that good. The dialogue is majestic poetry on screen. The performances, while a tad different from what we're used to (it was a different time) is nothing to be scoffed at. Truly, a classic work is timeless, and this film has proved it time and time again to each succeeding generation of film lovers.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK- While some have gone so far as to call David Fincher's 2010 drama film as the "Citizen Kane" of our generation, I would say that it is not totally undeserved. This film is a triumph in traditional film-making, despite it's new-age, modern setting. I say so because to make a movie this good with nothing but great writing, spot-on delivery, tweaked realism and uncluttered, focused direction work provides hope for the next generation of filmmakers; it's that a good movie need not have explosions, fake-looking CGI and cringe-worthy performances to entertain. Jesse Eisenberg surprises with an iconic performance I never imagined he was capable off. Think of it as Michael Cera on awkwardness-inducing steroids with a good dash of Bill Gates thrown it. His character is that unique.  

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION- An often under-remembered film in a year of great cinema (it competed against two other memorable films; namely Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction) it is, in my opinion the best of the three. While Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction have since become iconic films frequently referred to in pop culture, Shawshank Redemption's tale of keeping hope alive in a hopelessly dire situation is one best remembered in times of personal conflicts, and thus, holds a special place in the hearts of anyone who has watched it. While it is criticized for indeliberately romanticising prison culture, it still has its dark, completely plausible moments, all of which make its final redemptive closure all the more spectacular and unforgettably inspiring. A stunning victory for inspirational films, it deserves just as much attention as the others it has competed with in the 94' Oscars.




Well, this is it for now. I have too many great movies to list in one post, so expect to see more of my favorite films in succeeding entries. I sincerely hope you get to watch all of films mentioned above, as I assure you, time spent watching them is time utterly well-spent.

Bye for now.

The World Runs Best With A Generous Serving of Conflict (Part 1)

 Life seems to be an endless series of conflicting  interests. To a certain degree it is. At least, it has always seemed so, if you fully believe the news and movies. But unlike the news, where fact is merely provided without any (usually) inclination to bias, and the movies, where you simply watch the protagonist choose his path and get on with it, our lives are not so simple. We are after all, the protagonists to our own stories, and we get to direct and produce as well. But rarely do we get to re-shoot. And the cutting room floor is a near-infinite medley of clips that hold both highly interesting and downright mundane moments. Oh, and no, we cannot re-cast anyone else in the lead. So yeah, good luck getting *insert hot celebrity crush's name here* to be your partner. It just doesn't work that way.

 As almost any human being can attest to, one of the most common yet perplexing instances in our lives is our conflict with ourselves. Be it minor, or major (or major, major if you still believe it's cool to use that term. ) conflicts, plenty of us feel trapped by the ensuing consequences of our choices. "Should I have taken that opportunity?" "Did I say that out wrong?" "Should I have ordered the chicken instead?!" These and countless other choices have made modern living increasingly complicated, which is ironic, because it was supposed to be simpler.

 We have so many choices on our plate these days, that the act of choosing turns into conflict. Take for example our college education system. At 17, (or younger) we are somehow supposed to know which path would best suit us, despite the astronomical lack of real world knowledge and experience that most people in that age have. It seems almost laughable back then, because everyone knew that there were only 2 careers for the all-singing, all-dancing crap called the middle-income Filipino youth. Its was either study your ass off to eventually wipe someone else's ass off as a foreign-currency-earning nurse, or just go into any course for 2 years, brush up on your English (bonus points for an American twang!) and boom! Earn a bucket-load of cash at your friendly neighborhood call center. (Frappes sold separately.)

 And then, there were the "naive." Us who didn't want either of the two. Us, who for one reason or another believed sincerely, with all our hearts, that we were better than that. Us that said, "we need not go abroad, nor speak like someone who has migrated does." And life, being the ever-smug bastard that it is, could not resist shattering our hymens of idealist living with it's long, hard shaft of truth and economics. Before you protest that I'm being way too bleak and unrealistic, let me remind you that I am talking about "us" as a whole. Ergo, I mean the laid-back, un-special, unmotivated but not untalented and certainly not unintelligent individuals. Us, who have more pride than money. More knowledge than honeys. Culture-buff but scrawny. And the list goes on. But so too, must life.

Which is why every passing day that I spend doing nothing adds more to the inner conflict within me. I have been rudely awakened to the reality I turned a blind eye on, and it seems determined to slap me silly until I fully acknowledge the facts and situations I'm dealing with. A re-assessment is in order; a re-changing of opinion, a re-establishment of priorities. Enter more conflicts. Do I, a) say screw all this, chuck away my pride, bite the bullet and ride the gravy train towards the gleaming light at the end of all night-shifts, b) hold fast and keep waiting for an opportunity that I'm beginning to think was only one I made up, c) do what my neighbor does, with all of his rackets, to provide a band-aid solution to my fiscal shortcomings or d) continue stewing in my own filth at home, blogging to vent and pass time.

 I know I am not alone. Even those lucky enough to be working where they want to are subtlety manifesting signs of quarter-life crisis, if there's such a thing. It's a small consolation. After all, it's better to be paid as a tired, happy horse than a broke, bitter, bum..

 Tired of my blabbing yet? Yes, I know there are way too many important issues to deal with that I should be taking about. But then again, there's WAY too many people talking about those things too, so yeah, I'll keep to my own troubles, eh? All the better to lessen the conflicts I deal with directly. To give space for a free mind. So I could write a better, more focused essay next time. So this is it for now, because it's unreasonably early for a bum to be awake at this time.



P.S. Part 2 will come out soon, but probably won't be my next post. I feel this topic deserves more breadth, hence the cutting into two parts, to give it the proper insight it deserves.