This was such a bizarre film.

Not that I didn’t like it, it was just bizarre in my opinion.

The film’s narrative revolved around the convenience store employees’ experiences while on a shift. There were the gay couple, the lesbian couple, the woman from North Korea, the guy who was eager to learn English, the DJ guy, the minor boy, the theater actor, the man in his 40’s (I think), and of course the owner of the store branch.

Why is the title ’Futureless Things‘? As was mentioned in class, maybe the reason why this film about convenience store employees was made in the first place was because we never really pay attention to them. We don’t know them, we don’t know their stories, or their dreams and ambitions in life, but we do know that they’re supposed to do their job—scan items bought by the customers, update inventory, and arrange the shelves. And so with this, they are treated as mere things that we use as if they’re robots who do not have lives of their own outside of the job. As portrayed in the film, I guess you could assume that they are futureless in the sense that none of them really have concrete and assured futures. Such mundanity would then be interesting to make a film about. And it was! For the most part, the film really banked on its bizarreness and its very diverse and interesting choice of story arcs of both the employees and the customers. I particularly liked the theater actor’s because it made me realize that it really shouldn’t be the employee’s problem if no one is there to replace him. He had already finished his shift, therefore he was technically already free to go. Also, it’s not like he wanted to leave the store for no reason. It’s just that specific day when he had something important scheduled, something that could fulfill his dreams and potentially determine his future. The owner should have been considerate, understanding, and fair because it really was his problem already. Sadly, this isn’t just a Korean thing, though. Even in the Philippines, employers treat employees as if they’re robots who should obey everything they say and not complain. It’s just very unfair.

I have seen some reviews of this film online and I read that there were a lot of references to Korean culture and norms present in it. I honestly wish I understood all of them. Films with specific cultural references are always so intriguing to me because I find it really cool how different countries experience something that’s fairly universal—a convenience store. It’s also amazing how those story arcs kind of unfolded in only one location. It worked really well. There was a shift from a sunny, bright atmosphere in the beginning of the film to an eerie almost apocalyptic-like vibe to it at the end of the film. That one location giving us different atmospheres and different stories was really cool.

I wonder how would it be like if it was set in the Philippine context? That seems very interesting to me!

I first watched a Godzilla film when I was 6, I think—the Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla film from 1993. It was on a VHS tape and it would take a while to rewind to the beginning, but of course it was worth it. I used to watch it with my brother a lot and my mom would leave us in the room with some snacks, not to be disturbed by anything. I loved it so much that when I got my first Lego set, I tried creating Mechagodzilla, only to realize that I lack pieces for it and I had to ask my mom to buy another set. Godzilla was definitely part of my childhood.

Watching Shin Godzilla was a different experience because it’s so different from the Godzilla I remember. Everything was so modern compared to the 1993 film with bad visual effects and Godzilla himself who looked very different. The old film had three main monster characters—Godzilla, Mechagodzilla, and the robot Pterodactyl. The latter two characters were not present in Shin Godzilla, which, for me at least, makes it refreshing and interesting to watch.

The first point I would like to point out is the linear storytelling of the film. While I don’t see it as a problem, I feel like the film would’ve been more exciting and thought-provoking if there was a short part during the beginning showing the professor and how he discovered the Godzilla’s emergence through radiation. It would’ve piqued the interest of the audience more, in my opinion. Everything else was perfect for the linear storytelling.

Second, the visual effects. I loved it. They weren’t as realistic as most of today’s Hollywood films, but I think that’s what made the film still feel like the quintessential story everyone knows—the comics classic it really is! The explosions, fires, and lasers that Godzilla spewed from its back all felt comical. And it looked awesome! This is a proof that we don’t always have to use new technology and adapt to what seems more realistic in order to create great things. Let our imagination help us artistically. I mean we’re in 2019 right now yet film photography and camcorders seem to have found their way back into our consciousness. It’s amazing and I am very much here for it.

Third point is about Japan. I felt jealous just watching how efficient and swiftly their government worked to tackle the issues—the evacuation process, the information dissemination, the emergency meetings, etc. While they may have their own issues of redundancy and political feud, they were overall effective in trying to solve the catastrophe of having an unidentified creature wrecking their cities and pacifying the United Nations in a diplomatic way. The whole time, I was telling myself “If only this was how our government worked…” I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one thinking this.

Lastly, the target audience of the film. Right off the bat I already felt like the film wasn’t trying to be a Hollywood blockbuster. There were a lot of references I’m pretty sure we missed as a Filipino audience, but would’ve been helpful in satisfying their Japanese audience. And to me that is perfectly ok. The Westerners can suck it. We all have our own distinct way of filmmaking and I don’t think Hollywood’s style is the superior one at that.

Overall, I liked it. The ending made it extra special for me because of the story arc of Rando and Kayoko. It’s a cute romance that would be nice to be carried over to the sequel, if there’s any. I hope there is.

“It’s shite being Scottish! We’re the lowest of the low. The scum of the fucking Earth! The most wretched, miserable, servile, pathetic trash that was ever shat into civilization. Some hate the English. I don’t. They’re just wankers. We, on the other hand, are colonized by wankers. Can’t even find a decent culture to be colonized by. We’re ruled by effete assholes. It’s a shite state of affairs to be in, Tommy, and all the fresh air in the world won’t make any fucking difference”

Mark Renton, the film’s protagonist, said this as Tommy tried to convince them (Renton, Sick Boy, and Spud) to take a short trek with him.

This line stuck with me because I found it funny that they think they’re so oppressed—them, white males from a first world country. Although I do not want to invalidate such feelings, I just think it’s coming from such a limited perspective.

Straying away from that, I did like the film. Its approach to drugs was very unique even until now. It used drugs as a main story element in a way that did not romanticize it. It showed the problem with using drugs and how it affects one’s relationships with others. In the film, we see how it affected Renton’s relationship with his parents, how it caused the death of Sick Boy’s baby, and how Tommy’s life spiraled down and eventually led to his own demise because of his addiction to drugs. The film showed the context of how they used drugs, when they used it, why they used it, and what they used it for. It is a relatively comprehensive context on the characters’ lives without revolving too much on drugs alone.

Personally, I think Mark Renton’s character was actually a good one (a good character, not a person). Of his circle of friends, he was the only one who got out of that kind of lifestyle. However, he had to leave Scotland and never (at least not until Trainspotting 2) show his face again because of how he chose to turn his life around. I especially appreciated his concern for Spud who was actually a good friend to all of them. At least he wasn’t completely selfish with his exit plan. Additionally, Mark Renton being portrayed by Ewan McGregor was such a good casting choice.

Two more notable elements throughout the whole film that make it so great are actually the Scottish humor, which is mostly because of their peculiar accent and intense curse words, and of course the killer soundtrack. Ever since I watched this film back in high school, I’ve been more open to electronic music and just other genres of music in general. The dance music, most especially, makes you feel like you’re high with them. And that makes for some really immersive experience!

For those who haven’t watched Trainspotting 2, I urge you to watch it. It is a fun sequel that will make you want to watch the first film all over again.

The whole film was confusing, but at the same time very entertaining. A lot of films could be described as such, but Schizopolis is just on a whole different level. I’d say it’s a very experimental take on the usual storytelling in films. In fact, it was too experimental that my mind was left with a million questions when it ended.

In the beginning of the film, Soderbergh himself addresses the audience by saying that the film we were about to watch is “the most important motion picture you will attend.” This scene already gave me the impression that the whole film would be a different experience. Oddly enough, it also reminded me of Sex Drive wherein there were naked women just walking across the screen and being in this whole other dimension that only ever served comedic reliefs during awkward moments in the film.

I recognize that there are three main characters in the film: Fletcher Munson, his wife, who also plays “Attractive Woman #2,” and Fletcher’s doppelgänger(?) Korchek. This is another confusing aspect of the film. Obviously this is on purpose, and I guess the usage of the same actors for different characters benefits the storytelling of the different perspectives seen in the film. I saw Fletcher’s story arc as kind of a mockery of a conventional marriage wherein almost everything’s a routine. It’s almost a satirical take on it, actually. The communication, or lack thereof, was one of the most entertaining parts of the film for me. Dialogues like “generic greeting” and “false reaction indicating hunger and excitement” gave me the sense that it was indeed a mockery of this routine. Another notable exchange of words were the dialogues between Elmo and the woman he fancied—“Nose army” “Mellow rhubarb turbine” “Smell sign.” What the hell do these words mean? They’re actually really funny as they are, especially because the characters delivered these lines with such genuine emotions. However, this is probably the most confusing part of the film for me. Is this like a secret language between Elmo and the woman? I don’t know. I really have no idea. It’s a very interesting way to communicate, though. Then comes Korchek who was also played by the actor who played Fletcher and, not to mention, the director of the film who also spoke in the beginning! Soderbergh’s mind! Korchek’s absurd way of expressing his desire for Attractive Woman #2 was another interesting way to communicate. Lastly, when Mrs. Munson spoke to different men, they replied in different languages. I also do not know why this happens, but my take on it is that maybe it serves to emphasize the differences between Mrs. Munson, a wife, and men in general. We all know miscommunication is a problem that has proven to destroy relationships, which is of course what happened between her and Fletcher.

The film was fucked up, but in a good way. You either enjoy it as it is, or delve deeper and try really hard to understand what the hell is happening during those 90 minutes of experimental cinema. Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend this to friends… without context of course. I think that’d be more fun.