I have to see it again: A Generic Title for Schizopolis

One word: WHAT? Usually, before watching films, I have a preconceived idea about what the movie is based on either the title, the trailer, or the director. In this case, however, I did not know what to expect because I did not even know what the word “schizopolis” meant— my first what. Before watching the movie, I thought “okay I am up for this ride” because it was Steven Soderbergh! In my mind, I was expecting something like that of Ocean’s Eleven/Ocean’s Twelve/Ocean’s Thirteen. Who would have thought that this will be my second what? How about my third what, if you may ask? What was THAT movie all about?

Since the movie was jumping from one act to another, I was left very confused on my seat. They were no presence of any obvious transitionary device that would help distinguish one act from another. I was just connecting the dots since the story was nonlinear which seemed to be disconnected and incoherent for me. This made me more confused about the flow, especially since some characters, like Soderbergh himself, would play more than one role across the whole movie. At one point, I just gave up trying to pinpoint which scenes belong with one another. I just assumed the connection of the story based on how the frame where shot. Ironically, the moment I stopped having expectations, that was the point when I started enjoying the movie. This particular incident made me analyze the scenes—that Soderbergh was actually experimenting.

What really struck me is the movie’s experimental use of different film elements to portray three different stories. For something to be entertaining, dialogues, facial expressions and numerous imagery are used, which Schizopolis further explored by telling the story in a non-standard way. They successfully made a movie out of different movie templates. That scene wherein the characters were not really speaking lines, but more of saying the expected script format made me rethink whether dialogue is a crucial element of a film. Obviously, it is, but even if this was the case–even if the characters were using weird dialogues, they were still able to deliver a message. At this point, I thought that generic phrases used emphasized how human connection through communication is shallow. Even those which were in foreign languages seemed to give context clues even without the presence of subtitles. Another is that scene where it was trying to portray a sex scene or that of something like a porn format out of nowhere, by creating an environment fit for the particular scene. This too showed the lack of passion even with the poor usage of language and communication. These above mentioned analysis showed how Schizopolis’ theme is trying to portray a satirical attack on modern cultural lifestyle and the lack of communication.

“You will need to see the picture again and again until you understand everything.”

When Steven Soderbergh said “In the event that you find certain sequences or events confusing, please bear in mind this is your fault, not ours. You will need to see the picture again and again until you understand everything,” I already know that I will end up needing to watch it again. Confusing as it may have been, it still was entertaining for me when I started to see the whole movie and not the separate scened. Soderbergh was successful in creating a challenge to watch the movie above its form and structure.

Futureless Things: Futureless (In)Convenience Store

Futureless Things started normally. Really, really normal. I honestly really wished it was just a normal gay movie. And it would’ve been great for me. But it didn’t and it honestly reminded me of Schizopolis – a bunch of mini-stories rolled into one film without giving so much consideration to the cohesiveness of each part.

Futureless Things showed the life in a convenience store, all the things that (can) happen. The film spanned through different shifts with different clerks and (types of) customers. Some are your typical customers, some borderline weird, and some are just utterly otherworldly.

While one might wonder why the filmmakers chose to use as a convenience store as the film’s main setting, a convenience doesn’t necessarily give off the best vibes in the first place. A convenience store primarily thrives on the idea that people have no time to do some decent shopping. Honestly, convenience stores look like just some institutionalized version of provincial sari-sari stores with capitalists at the helm.

One of the things that got me in the film was that it featured two LGBT couples. And, truth be told, I was initially excited to watch this movie after watching that clip of Ki-Chul and his boyfriend kissing on YouTube. It surely got my hopes up that this would be a gay movie.

One of the things I was able to totally relate was the part wherein someone was praying to all the gods known to mankind whilst trying his luck at the lottery. Then shop clerk’s is visible. He was supposed to be in some other place instead of that convenience store. Despite telling his boss that he had to leave early, his boss simply keeps him ignored and effectively wasting his time. By that time he was able to get out, the allotted audition time for him had already lapsed and he had already missed his chance. And, for his case, it was a rare chance.

One weird thing in the movie was the “cool” guy, the box, and the woman. Nothing was explained in that scene, not before, during, nor after. And, up to this point, I’m still confused as to how or why it happened beyond what was simply shown during that part’s runtime.

Maybe, the most futureless about this movie was at the part of the store owner. No one knew that the store had been performing on the red except for the owner. He tried to keep his business afloat but, ultimately, his property was seized by law enforcers. What was so futureless about him? It is that he literally chose to let go of all the possibilities left for him. He committed suicide. And that was such a dark part of the movie.

The last part of the movie wherein they were dancing makes it such an anticlimactic ending for me. It reminds me of all the typical Filipino-film ending wherein there’s a gathering of the cast and they all just dance and it really serves no value for me. It’s probably one of the worst ways to end a movie for me. But, aside from that, there was literally nothing in the movie that ties all of the stories together aside from the convenience store?

Stick to the Script: “Sorry to Bother You…”

Sorry to Bother You is probably my favorite film out of all the films shown in class and it doesn’t even account for the fact that the title is my favorite line to say. (I’m not even a telemarketer. I just say it when asking favors.) This movie is just the most (visually) pleasing and memorable to me to the point that I can’t even see Tessa Thompson in another role anymore.

Sorry to Bother You is a film that features a telemarketer, Cassius Green, who gets entangled into different conflicts in his life. For one, his co-workers, specifically Squeeze, at RegalView organize a protest against their employers due to their inhumane practices. Cassius starts off as a participant in the protest. However, he gets promoted as a Power Caller (i.e. the elite telemarketers) and his support for his friends’ cause waver, and along with that support is their friendship. As a power caller, he is made aware of what they really market – cheap labor. This where the bigger picture comes out then. A company, WorryFree, has been gaining attention by offering lifetime food and housing to their employees in exchange for lifetime employment, or, as they say it, modern-day slavery. More light is shed onto WorryFree’s schemes as Cassius soon finds out that the company has been doing research on how to turn humans into equisapiens – a half human, a half-horse creature that can double the efficiency that humans can provide.

There were many issues that were discussed, touched on, or tackled by the film. These issues include, but is not limited to, racism, capitalism, and desensitization of society. Out of all these issues, the one that really struck me the most was the one about Cassius’ alienation.

One of the first few scenes showed Cassius on the bed with his girlfriend Detroit and he suddenly contemplates on what legacy he would leave behind when the sun explodes. Here we see Cassius show that he wants to leave an imprint on the whole world than simply live in his uncle’s garage.

As a telemarketer, Cassius is told by his co-worker that, to become a power caller, one should use the “white voice”. This actually takes Cassius to the success that he wants – he becomes a power caller and is able to provide a well-off living for himself and for Detroit as well. However, this “white voice”, instead of being used exclusively for work, was used by Cassius one morning much to Detroit’s annoyance. This triggers a fight between the two and eventually split up. Cassius’ move up the hierarchy also caused him to withdraw support for the protest that the other telemarketers were having against RegalView. This also caused him to lose his friends.

Despite all these conflicts in his life, Cassius continued to go to work as if nothing was happening. But it all felt like Cassius was mindlessly doing all that. He was simply going through the motions of his life.

The motivation to leave a lasting legacy is awakened in Cassius when he finds out WorryFree’s absurd schemes as he tried to expose them by revealing the video he had on a TV show. The plan backfired and Cassius is once again left powerless. This prompts him to return to his friends and join the protests which ultimately ends in them winning.

Steve Lift, WorryFree CEO, trying to convince Cassius to be a revolutionary figure to the equisapiens.

Sorry To Bother You

Sorry to Bother You, in spite of its weird nature, was able to successfully send the message that it wanted to. There were clear themes throughout the film such as the workplace, capitalism as well as racism, and it was able to stress the gravity of this in our lives today through very comical means.

The Workplace

This emphasizes both the existing hierarchy as well as the decentisization or commodotization of employees. Status seemed to be everything. Kaya nga they went on strike. People down below were mistreated and poorly compensated for their work, but on the power caller floor, the environment is so much better. And the gap between the two was quite significant. Workers in the lower floor were also commoditized as shown in Cassius’ interview. He lied to his interviewers face and got caught in his lie and yet was given the job. Since Cassius didn’t have credibility, he could be taken advantage of or used more by the organization. The decensitizing happens in the power callers floor as their paychecks can push their employees to keep working in spite of who they’re serving and it being immoral. You also have racism in the workplace as was mentioned earlier as well an irrelevant perception of millenial and gen z employees.

Capitalism

The film is set in a Capitalist-driven world as money becomes what is sought after by every character in the film. For a huge segment of the film, Cassius’ morals and values are compromised by big bucks and his understanding of what it meant to be “interesting” especially for Detroit. The paid armed forces were also serving the interests of the elite. When the employees were on strike the power calls entering the building would always be surrounded by a bunch of guards who would get physical with the strikers to ensure the safety of the higher-ups. Finally, the government and other institutions allowed the transforming of the employees of [ ] into those eauisapiens. They’re supposed to be fighting for the rights of the people, and although it wasn’t directly shown in the film, it’s safe to assume that money is enough for them to turn the blind eye. Then there’s the whole idea with the horse like why a horse right? It seems so random. Well it could be because of the cultural connotations and the association if horse with labor. How horses are seen as strong kaya we have phrases like “strong as a horse.”

Racism

There are a lot of scenes that portray popular stereotypes with regards to black people. One perfect example of this is the white voice. The white voice was cassius ticket to becoming a Power caller or to move up in the industry, and once he got the job, it became a necessity. The white voice or pretty much being white, given the nature of their job, became a pre-requisite to actually getting somewhere or progressing with the company. It touches on how they’re mistakenly seen as not only unqualified but as unlucky and not worth taking seriously as was seen through Cassius’ first fee calls trying to sell. So this is another scene that portrays the same theme. On one end, Cassius was out on the hot seat and the rich white boi pretty much said “hey he’s black so he must be good at rap.” But we went a little deeper and looked at the music that he was creating on the spot. One if the beautiful things about music that is can become an avenue to express so many things and to tell all kinda of stories. And the scene could be viewed as talking about how black people and rap never talk about anything substantial. Given that some raps may contain a lot of explicit content sometimes it’s overgneralized and associated to all music made by black artists. They feel as if the stuff they spit is pretty much just n***a shit.

It rhymes with Bavid Dowie and Piggy Hop

As a child, I often saw similar actors or models that sported that glam rock vibe. The heavy make ups and strong personalities were also a bit too much and a bit scary. They seemed interesting though, but again at the same time bizarre; as a person who wants to conform to what “society sees proper,” glam rock-esque people seemed to be the opposite of what an “ideal person” should be. Though this film was a great perspective into the heart of glam rock.

This was actually the first time I’ve heard of glam rock. I have seen people and performances that had similar looks and setups, but never knew they were called glam rock. Their music is, at least based on what I heard from Velvet Goldmine, great in my opinion. I really enjoyed watching and listening to the musical performances but unfortunately did not find the characters’ decisions and life choices enjoyable. Though while these actions were invoked feelings of dismay for me personally, they also made the characters interesting and fresh. Jonathan Rhys Meyer’s portrayal of a (walang pake character na kupal) was a new experience for me considering I really liked his all-around good guy role in August Rush, his only other movie that I have watched. His music performances in that movie were ones that I really enjoyed, and while Velvet Goldmine has a different music genre altogether, Jonathan Rhys Meyer still provided a great musical experience that I also personally enjoyed.

Looking more into the characters. We get three main characters and despite some huge similiraties, the three are still highly different. All three of them are part of the glam rock culture and are all sexually fluidm though despite this they all give distinct characteristics and motives. For one, Arthur is not directly involved with Briand Slade and Curt Wild in the beginning of the film; he was seen as simply a fan and provided a good perspective on the glam rock scene both from the outside (as an older person) and as a fan (as a younger person). The story revolves around what he knows and asks about and this works well for the movie; we get detailed accounts of both Brian Slade and Curt Wild through Arthur’s investigations. Through this we see the characters and their motivations and the way the film shows these characters is executed well. The final part was a bit confusing though, it was noted that Arthur had an outsider’s perspective on the lives of Brian Slade and Curt Wild only to end with a scene showing Curt and Arthur physically together. This part did not seem to add anything to the story, at least from my perspective and only gave me confusion. Despite that, I still enjoyed the movie altogether.

The set designs and costumes were also great. I think this film can attract more people into glam rock again; I liked it enough to try and watch the new movie about Motley Crue (only to stop midway because I personally found their lifestyle disturbing and disgusting). The costumes, make up, and other props in addition to alter egos like Maxwell Demon were not just visually effective but added to how these items masked Brian Slade and his other glam rock contemporaries from “the real world.” Arthur’s investigation was a great way to narrate how one could unmask these glam rock stars. Also, unlike some moments from My Own Private Idaho though, issues of sexuality here did not seem forced and actually contributed to the movie, especially with how Brian Slade’s relationships with people were affected. These details all contributed to Velvet Goldmine being a brand new experience for me as a viewer and I think that I have developed an interest in some glam rock music, though I hope to detach their disturbing lifestyles from their music, lol!

My Own Private Idaho

The movie My Own Private Idaho proved to be very interesting because in spite of its very weird nature, I believe that the story it was trying to tell was very evident, unlike most of the films we’ve discussed in class. My appreciation of it was mostly due to the development of the different characters, as well as the environment that the characters were exposed to. Most of the scenes in the film took place in the streets, and I personally enjoyed the representation it provided of what life was like under their context. It was interesting to see how some things that we make sure to stay away from can be something acceptable under the influence of desperation.

Mike

Mike was one of the two main characters of the film. He suffered from narcoleptic episodes which meant that his could not regulate his sleep cycle properly, and there would be a chance that he falls asleep out of nowhere. I noticed that it was mostly whenever he would feel threatened or pressured, just like when he was about to have sex with that older woman. Throughout the film, we can see how these fits can be traced back to what happened to his mother. He then searches for her with the help of his friend Scott, and we can see how his love for Scott grows.

Throughout the film, I found him to be quite aloof or lost. It was like he did not know what he wanted in life, and that his decisions were based on other people. This is understandable because he no longer lives with the presence of his parents. Maybe this was the reason why he would often cling to Scott, and why he ended up loving him. I believe that the film was a story of his development and growth as person, and it was a portrayal of his journey for clarity.

Scott

Scott, on the other hand, was a different kind of character altogether. He chose to run away from a life with his parents, and he chose to live alone with a group of delinquents. He chose to be there for his best friend Mike, but we can see how his love for another girl tears them apart. It started out with Scott making it a point to ensure Mike’s safety whenever he would fall into his narcoleptic fits, but eventually he lets go of all of that. What’s interesting about him is how he changes so often, and how he loses his sense of family. The act of leaving your family, whether it be through blood or comradery, is no easy task for anyone, although Scott was able to do this twice for what he considered to be love. For example, in the bar scene, Mike along with Bob enter to greet their old friend, but Scott turns the other cheek. He denies ever knowing them. This says a lot about what a person truly cares about, as well as with regards to the concept of love being different for every individual.

Shin Godzilla

I have had my fair share of Godzilla films in the past, but this definitely stands out. I believe that the main elements of a Godzilla film are still there such as the city setting, the panic of the defense and security. Through my research I found out that the film is actually a representation of the bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and for this specific film, it was for a nuclear disaster and an earthquake and tsunami in 2011. More often than not, I found it to be quite a serious film which is only fitting given that it speaks of disasters experienced by the Japanese people in the past. It surprised me since I saw comical elements incorporated in the film.

For starters, I’m not used to seeing Godzilla as a big baby with big round eyes. I feel like it killed the vibe that I was expecting from it, although I understand that it was not a major part in the film. For me, this kind of took away the suspense and the excitement from what I’d expect from a Godzilla film. Aside from this, they also added several comical scenes such as the reactions made by the defense team which were quite exaggerated. I could somehow relate this to some of the events that transpired in Sorry to Bother You. In that film, they had what they called equisapiens, which were basically horse-people being made to become more efficient in the workplace. It was weird and it caught me off guard. Much like these events, the scenes in Godzilla were very unpredictable which sort of killed it for me. I’m not a big Godzilla fan, but my expectations of it have surely developed throughout the years and due to every remake or installment.

All in all, it was the awkward visuals and the comical scenes that kind of ruined it for me. Although I commend the people who allowed the film to exist because it may be called unique.

Schizopolis

Schizopolis was most definitely the oddest amongst all the films that we had taken up in class. I remember thinking to myself at the time how it’s unlike any film I have seen before. In spite of my desperate attempts to try to follow the chronological order of the film in order to somehow pinpoint something that makes sense, I was not able to do so, and this was actually what made it quite interesting. I was stuck thinking about whether or not the film was actually trying to say something, but I was also telling myself that maybe it was doing this to make me think that there was something there where there really isn’t. In the film we here the main character introducing the film. He tells the viewers, “In the event that you find certain sequences or ideas confusing, please bear in mind that this is your fault, not ours. You will need to see the picture again and again until you understand everything.”

It’s sort of teasing the viewers that there is a message they’re trying to pass on, and it leads to the viewer getting so consumed by it. I definitely know that I was one of these people. The unnoticeable storylines and the scenes which have o contribution to the story at all are what add to this film’s weird nature. Although, some scenes, like the conversation between the main character and the wife, are very straightforward. I recall the discussion between the two, and they were merely narrating what they were going to do rather than actually communicating with each other. This obviously pertains to the degraded status of their relationship, which we then see later on in the film when the perspective is change to that of the man she’s been cheating on her husband with, Fletcher’s Doppelganger. So there was a story line, and the different perspectives were telling the same story, but I remain bewildered by the randomness of it all. One scene that really struck me was when he was making faces in the mirror inside the bathroom. I began to question whether or not that was really impossible because it seemed like it wasn’t. I started thinking that maybe it’s a portrayal of what we don’t see in people, what’s on the inside of people along and what people do when no one is watching. Maybe that’s why some scenes can be quite disturbing.

All in all, I found it to be a good movie mostly because it was very unique. It was unlike any other movie I had seen before, and its random nature as well as its efforts to entice the viewers with talks of deeper meaning and misunderstanding only makes me want to see it more. I continue to question whether or not the film is actually trying to say something, and I am still very much curious about the whereabouts of that guy who seemingly does porn, and what his place in everything is.

Unbound

I found Repo Man (dir. Alex Cox, 1984) intriguing, as someone who doesn’t watch science fiction and action films a lot. It has a simple plot, but what elevates it and makes it all the more bizarre are the personalities of the characters and groups that encounter the car which provides the central conflict.

The opening scene was a good encapsulation of the film — it involved an authority figure, a Chevy Malibu, and a disappearance, which are three elements consistently present in the film. After this scene, we are introduced to Otto, who gets caught up in the world of repossession and alien abductions, and is thoroughly in for the ride. As a young punk rocker who has nowhere to go after his parents donate all his tuition money to a televangelist, he is content with the adrenaline rush. I think it’s relatable in how when we hit a slump in life, we search for something that will get us up and running again, that will stimulate our senses and motivate us to move (even if it’s something you don’t fully understand yet). Maybe all the characters feel this way, and that’s why they’re in a wild chase to obtain the Chevy Malibu. It’s a literal chase for the repo men.

Personally, the way the characters interacted with each other in their hunt for the car was kind of lackluster for me, in that most of the relationships weren’t memorable or weren’t ones that I could get invested in. I didn’t find myself rooting for Otto and Leila because Leila seemed to be more attached to the car, even putting Otto in harm’s way to obtain information. The only thing I found amusing about Leila is the name of her workplace, the United Fruitcake Outlet. Otherwise, I did not care much for her character and her dynamic with Otto. The one relationship I liked is the one between Otto and Miller, because their dynamic shifts from apprehension to camaraderie. Otto probably just thinks Miller is crazy at the beginning when Miller was theorizing about aliens but eventually acknowledges his ideas’ merits, literally culminating with them riding off in the night sky together.

In addition, I appreciated the small details spotted in the total bizarre scope of the film. One specific scene involved a railroad crossing sign, which I found interesting as a backdrop detail that was a nod to an important encounter or intersection between Otto and Dr. J. Frank Parnell. I also appreciated how the criminal punk trio robbed the same grocery store, because they were just trying to sustain themselves and this grocery store contained the bare minimum for their subsistence, with products not even labeled as anything other than what they were. And, although not a small detail in any sense, who could forget the glowing green car that flew over the L.A. skyline? It was a fitting ending for me, because two people were finally worthy of owning the car that could possibly radiate itself through time, the two people who were more unbound to any group or to any lifestyle than anyone else in the film.

Repo Man could inspire you to chase your own Chevy Malibu and not just relinquish it to anyone else. But personally, it didn’t quite hit the mark.

Sorry to enjoy my own capitalist success :(

Among all the films we watched, Sorry to Bother You was my favorite. Despite a setting in America and how there is still a divide between the white majority and the black minority, there are still many aspects that I found relatable despite being in the Philippines. Though before that, we must look into the movie as a simply a movie without any political agenda. The movie was highly interesting. Seeing a man who has been kicked to the lowest of his life finally get ahead and succeed was highly satisfying to see. Though this satisfying success story quickly turns into bitterness toward Cash, the main character. He turns away from his friends and girlfriend and instead embraces his newfound wealth and success despite it being against what his group of friends initially fought against. These friends of his were as interesting as him from a story perspective; the acting from the actors was superb and the motives behind the characters as well. Looking at Detroit’s, Cash’s girlfriend, life was something that was very interesting for me though. The whole film revolved around the working class that Cash was initially a part of trying to stop abuses and injustice from their bosses. This is further expanded upon by the introduction of the white voice. This shows how even for the working class, the black minority is not preferred by the consumers. Cash embraces this white voice and uses it to further his success. This is where it gets interesting for me though. While I understand the bitterness one might have towards Cash for turning against his friends, his context of being rock bottom before his success makes it also reasonably understandable how difficult it is for him to turn down the financial success. It’s easy to say money can’t buy happiness, but in Cash’s old situation, his money couldn’t even buy his shelter. Now that he has access to that money, and a lot of it, it’s difficult to say no.

Other than that financial success though, everyone turns against Cash and his anti-human work. Perhaps for him, his financial stability was still a good trade-off for everyone’s hate. Even Detroit has a difficult time saying no to Cash and his wealth, at least indirectly; Detroit enjoys the new apartment and even the car by simply using them. Though she does turn away from this at some point. Throughout the film though, Cash and Detroit have a fallout and Cash mentions a noteworthy statement regarding Detroit and her art. The white people are still the ones buying her art despite the art being “good.” Looking back, while this film really is about minorities, it’s a good thing that the black minority still has access to films such as these compared to how other minorities in the world do not even have access to media and other works that support their causes.

The film has been interesting since the start. Though the final parts of the movie still do not disappoint. The introduction of fantasy-like, sci-fi-ish horse creatures was something unexpected. The portrayal of Steve as a seemingly good CEO but apparently an evil one was superb; this in addition to how he handles the horse people was really great. Ultimately though, Cash does have a change of heart and seeing human beings turned into horses was the turning point. He does get tricked into becoming a horse person as well, and I was honestly expecting him to still be on the side of Steve as an “inside man” in the new horse people community; though a part of me was happy that he truly had a change of heart.

The movie addresses a lot of political and cultural issues and it does so while entertaining us with a generally solid movie that also involved a great cast of actors and characters.