the beach

I have always been drawn to films that involve a faraway island and mysterious communities – Lost, Missing Nine, and Castaway. I guess that is why The Beach (2000) appealed to me when I first saw it on Netflix. It also featured young Leonardo DiCaprio so I clicked right away.

When the community of travelers on the island was first introduced, I was constantly waiting for the plot twist. Were they cannibals? Was someone or something keeping them there? Was there a secret that drew them to the island, besides the huge amounts of cannabis. Even towards the end, they were a fairly normal community that wanted to keep away from the busyness of society.

However, like any kind of society, they had their slightly inhumane, but not to the point of cannibalism, traits. When Christo gets bitten by a shark, Sal, the community leader, gives him the option of travelling back to the mainland or suffering his fate on the island. She did not want those from the mainland to step foot on the island – even considering Christo’s condition and developed fear of water.

In the perfect beach resort, nothing is allowed to interrupt the pursuit of pleasure, not even dying.
Richard, The Beach (2000)

Because Christo stays, the members of the community leave him to die. Etienne, a friend of Richard, is not able to live with himself if he leaves Christo. This shows viewers that although he has only been on the island for a few weeks, he still has his humanity intact.

I do not think the plot was as strong. I craved for more action rather than love triangles among Sal, Richard, Etienne, and Francoise. The montage where Richard is banished from the community and goes crazy was a bit confusing to me, but his acting definitely made up for it. In the end, Leonardo DiCaprio’s acting skills is what drove the story and made it a classic.

However, I really did love the ending scene where Sal was forced to hold Leo at gunpoint by Thai farmers who shared their island with the community. When she pulled the triggered, no bullet was released. This is exactly what the Thai farmer had planned. He wanted to instill fear in the community that Sal was willing to do whatever it takes to keep her precious island a secret. She was willing to kill one of her own. After realizing who Sal had become, the community members fled and left the island for good.

I also could not stop thinking about the scene when Richard hissed like a monkey in order to distract the mainland trespassers, who he had given a copy of the island map to in the first place. Because of this, the Thai farmers were able to shoot and kill the trespassers. Once they were killed, in his expression, viewers could see him realize what he had become. It was a real wake up call for him that being on this island had changed him. This is in parallel to the scene where they first stepped on the island. Richard and his friends were hiding from the Thai farmers and he was telling the monkey to keep quiet.

This film had its ups and downs, but I believe it is a win for Leonardo DiCaprio’s career and a great add to his filmography. I would definitely watch this again to really take in all the elements director Danny Boyle wanted to portray to his audience.

f for fake

F for Fake (1973) is a one of a kind masterpiece made by Orson Welles – an all time cinematic favorite. It is a docudrama co-written, directed by, and starring the man himself. This is a film that features different genres, but in the end considered a film essay – a movie that integrates documentary filmmaking style. Although there is an obvious plot involved, F for Fake revolves around Welles’ way of storytelling. Without him, this movie would not have made as much sense or even been highly acclaimed.

F for Fake features a professional art forger named Elmyr de Hory who recounts his career as the film progresses. It also discusses the authenticity of art. Although F for Fake revolves around the world of art and magic, it mostly lives up exactly to its name – fake.

Besides Elmyr’s story, Orson Welles’ narrates his own story along with hoax biographer Clifford Irving, Howard Hughes, Welles’ companion Oja Kodar, and the movie itself. All in all, there were six stories in parallel with each other, making up one grand documentary. Because all stories were connected and depended on one another, Welles was able to narrate the film, while jumping from different plots, without losing his audience. Also, the structure of the film is similar to one of a magic show. Just like a magic show, F for Fake has its own tricks up its sleeves – surprises, interviews with real forgers, and different event recreations.

Welles focused more on connecting scenes rather than thoughts. This is why each character and storyline understanding were both important in the film. One of my favorite scenes was the film’s introduction. It not only warned viewers of what they were about to watch, but also acknowledged how self-aware the film is about lies, fraud, and facts.

Ladies and gentleman, by way of introduction, this is a film about trickery and fraud, about lies. Tell it by the fireside or in a marketplace or in a movie, almost any story is almost certainly some kind of lie. But not this time. No, this is a promise. During the next hour, everything you’ll hear from us is really true and based on solid facts.
Orson Welles

One of the film’s most emotional scenes, that still holds true to this day, is when Orson Welles is faced with Chartes Cathedral – “a celebration to God’s glory and to the dignity of man”. He talks about how man makes all these grand objects which will serve as a testimony for all mankind’s accomplishments when humanity passes away – “to mark where we have been, to testify to what we had it in us to accomplish”. However, after a few decades, these objects will fade away just like mankind – no matter if triumph, failure, fraud, or fake. Despite this thought, we must still go on creating wonderful things.

In the end, I do not think I would watch F for Fake again, but I do agree this film changed film in itself. It was able to give audience members a glimpse of how the structure of a film essay should go and shaped Orson Welles’ legacy as well.

you’re all right!

Repo Man (1984) revolved around a great soundtrack and immense character development. Director Alex Cox was a genius for integrating different genres in just one cult film – science fiction, comedy, political, and punk.

Before delving into the film’s characters, I want to commend Cox for his music choice. The sound track, which revolved primarily on 80s hardcore punk, was meant to mirror the punk lifestyle in Los Angeles. Before Repo Man, punk was not as recognized in films with the exception of american comedy Rock n’ Roll High School (1979). Cox’s main goal was to share the story of repo men through music. To achieve this, he began contacted different hardcore punk artists to give justice and add authenticity to the film’s themes. He also wanted to showcase Los Angeles from a different angle. Honestly, this was a risk for Cox because, again, punk was not a common music genre in film. However, in the end, Cox’s choices of songs helped shape Repo Man‘s success.

Unlike other films that are driven by its complex storyline, Repo Man is driven by its characters. From the beginning, director Alex Cox did a great job of setting up Otto as the film’s main character. Although Otto was already punk like, we see that his moral compass is innately better than others. He gets fired from his supermarket job and gets cheated on by his girlfriend with his best friend, but still remains the same. When Bud suddenly recruits him to become a repo man for the Helping Hand Acceptance Corporation, he declines and heads back home. However, he discovers his parents donated his education money to a televangelist who, in the end, is considered greedy. Because of this, he becomes a repo man and turns his life around.

From there Otto enters a life of drugs, violence, and repossessing. Viewers watch as his character develops immensely – how his life transitions from uneventful to too eventful. As he is mentored by Bud and other repo men in the business, we see how he slowly transforms into his co-workers, but with a younger and fresher mind. His style changes from very punk like to corporate detective. We also see a change in his attitude. After becoming a repo man, he is more engaging, social, and open to the world around him.

One notable element to look out for is the contradiction between the first and last scene. In the beginning, we see how Bud tries to convince Otto to drive a car out of the neighborhood. After accepting money, Otto agrees and ends up in an office for repo men or the Helping Hand Acceptance Corporation. However, in the last scene, Otto has finally gained a sense of urgency and courage to command. He does his best to convince Bud to get out of the radiation filled Cadillac.

Would I watch Repo Man again? I honestly do not think so, but I do highly recommend this film into anyone who is interested in diving deeper into the punk lifestyle.

let’s meet at twilight

Growing up, I guess the only anime I ever watched were Pokemon and Detective Conan. After that, anime never really appealed to me until Kimi No Na Wa (2016). Its astounding visuals, storyline, and characters gave me a glimpse of what I was truly missing. Director Makoto Shinkai has already made multiple films, but according to sources Kimi No Na Wa is his greatest work by far. As every minute of the film went by, I started to understand why it was such a highly acclaimed anime film.

The film revolves around two teenagers, city boy Taki Tachibana and country girl Mitsuha Miyamizu, who swap bodies and eventually become star crossed lovers. In a span of almost two hours, the film’s genre shifts from humor to romance to heartbreak – with a touch of fantastical elements along the way. Personally, my favorite humorous moment was when Taki, in Mitsuha’s body, was crying while touching her breasts because he had not been able to swap bodies with her for a long time. However, my favorite scene overall was when Taki and Mitsuha finally met face to face in their own bodies. This was such a dramatic scene to watch – especially with amazing visuals and colors representing twilight.

I loved how Kimi No Na Wa was structured as well. The opening scene followed a life of Taki and Mitsuha after their twilight meeting. They were far apart and had no recollection of anything, yet they both felt something or someone was missing from their lives. Of course, first time viewers did not know this yet at the time.

The storyline as well was amazing. I believe swapping bodies is already a great plot in itself, but Director Makoto Shinkai was able to integrate multiple cultural elements into his story which made everything more interesting. Through this film, viewers get a glimpse of Japanese culture, although a bit tailored to match the story. Without the concepts of kuchikamizake and “the red string of fate”, I believe the film would not have been as highly acclaimed. Also, the director highlighted how there is beauty in disaster. He used the concept of the comet destroying Itomori along with a great color palette and visuals to showcase this important theme.

Character development is also a very important element for Kimi No Na Wa. Viewers see how two different teenagers fall in love with each other through their body swaps – how they both adapt and find themselves in each other. However, what I loved was that, although their love was featured, the director focused more on their journey towards finding each other and acknowledging the other’s existence.

From the introduction of characters, when the comet strikes, to the final meeting of Taki and Mitsuha, my eyes were glued to the screen. The way every scene escalated kept me awake and interested in the film. Halfway through the film, I really thought the turning point would be their initial meeting, but I was caught off guard when Mitsuha was actually experiencing the swap three years prior to Taki.

Kimi No Na Wa was an enjoyable film to watch – from visuals to storyline I was kept on my feet. I understand why people were crying after we watched. They were moved by how two people who have never actually met could reunite through a special bond. However, this film is not enough for me to delve into the world of anime. Don’t get me wrong – I think anime is beautiful and I understand why people do watch it, but I guess the genre isn’t just for me.

endless loops

In my eyes, The Endless (2018) does not seem like a low budget film. Cinematography, acting, directing, and visual effects were on par with what high budget films should look like – all because of all around superstars Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead.

After watching The Endless (2018) and hearing about its prequel Resolution (2012), I have gained so much respect for directors Benson and Moorhead. They were able to properly encapsulate science fiction and suspense with whatever budget they had. From sharing main roles, writing the script, directing each scene, and paying attention to camerawork and effects, I bet it must have been taxing for them as filmmakers, but all worth it in the end.

At first, to be honest, I found this film a bit dragging. Although each scene projected suspense, I wanted there to be more turning points and physical action – which was only shown almost at the last 30 minutes of the film. However, build up and visual cues, along with the ominous scoring, really led the audience to believe that Camp Arcadia was not your regular summer getaway.

What I admired about this film is what the entity could potentially represent. In a literal sense, it is the mysterious figure that controls all time domes. However, this entity can also be seen as audience members. Just like this figure, we also watch the stories of the characters in this film unfold. Their stories were made for our amusement only and we are taking advantage of it as viewers. Just like the figure and his real time photographs, we have an omniscient point of view of everything in Camp Arcadia.

However, in the end, I was left slightly disappointed. There was definitely a clear ending – main characters Justin and Aaron were able to escape the “time dome” before the mysterious entity could kill them. Despite this, I had more questions than answers. How did this mysterious entity actually look like? What was the purpose of the old man who brewed beer all day? How did members of Camp Arcadia vanish into thin air? I feel like all these and more could be answered in another film following Resolution (2012) and The Endless (2018).

The movie in itself was great for a low budget film, but I recommend that audience members watch Resolution (2012) first. In that film, viewers are introduced to a city professional and a junkie who are trapped in one of the many time domes of the entity. This is also when the mysterious figure makes its first appearance and toys around with both characters. In The Endless, there were multiple references to elements of Resolution – the storyline of Michael and Chris, an old video clip of Justin and Aaron before they left Camp Arcadia, the trailer of a researcher Michael met who smoked the same red flower those in camp smoked, and the wife of Michael. For those who truly want to understand the second film, they must sit through and follow the storyline of the first.

All in all, The Endless (2018) was a good science fiction film. Directors and all around crew members Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead portrayed excellence in all the film’s aspects which allowed it to be viewed as a high budget film rather than a low budget one.

beast mode: a failed social experiment

From the get go, I was interested in Beastmode: A Social Experiment (2016). I already had previous knowledge of Baron Geisler, his short temper, and crass actions. However, I wanted to see him from another perspective – a socio-political one. I did not think I would leave Escaler with another favorite documentary added to my list. This film was made by intelligent minds who were able to juxtapose the staged Geisler and Matos fight with the Duterte administration. It was also able to tackle how Filipinos perceive violence nowadays, along with how quickly information is disseminated online.

For one of the world’s most dangerous countries, the Philippines is ironically very entertained by different kinds of violence. I wrote in my COM124 paper that when Geisler and Matos’ first fight went viral on every social media platform, people immediately longed for more, thus the final battle organized by the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC). It’s as if memes, news articles, and viral videos were not enough. As long as people were safe behind a computer or phone, they did not feel the need to peel their eyes away from danger. In the mockumentary, director Manuel Mesina III was able to compare this to the Philippines’ war on drugs. As someone is being murdered on the streets, the Filipino people tend to watch from the sidelines or even bring out their phones to record what has just happened. They do not feel the need to back away and fight safety and shelter in their own homes.

The cast and crew also tackled how violence overshadows truth. The first fight was staged in a beneficiary event organized to free political prisoners in Mindanao. However, because Geisler and Matos fought there, the media only paid attention to the details regarding the brawl and not the event itself. Through their first fight, the production team was able to get their message across – when violence is involved, truth is overshadowed.

However, what was most interesting to me was the mockumentary’s ironic ending. Originally, the production team was supposed to stage the final fight in front of a ‘No to Lumad Killings’ mural in UP Diliman, but URCC requested Geisler and Matos to settle their differences in front of a live audience and on television. Because of this live fight, the essence of the film was lost. Both director and producer, during the Q&A, admitted that their film was a failed social experiment for the message was trampled by the publicity gained by the final fight. Both actors also confessed that, to them, everything became real. There were no more rehearsals or reassuring phone calls – just punches thrown in front of a live audience.

What saddened me the most was that when the production team finally revealed, in a magazine spread, that everything had been a social experiment, media barely picked up on it. The big reveal did not gain as much traction as the fights. Staged or not, everyone only cared about what happened inside the ring – nothing beyond that. In the end, even in their own film, violence prevailed and the search for truth was lost.

sorry to bother you

Sorry to Bother You (2018), by far, is my favorite film we have watched in class. It was an underrated film I would repeatedly watch. As I stepped out of class, I could not help but rave about how clever everything was put together. It was comedic, yet political – thrilling, yet distressing. With his directorial debut, Boots Riley, was able to discuss themes regarding capitalism, white privilege, and slavery in ways that were not hard to dissect.

Personally, I was very engaged in this film’s whole narrative for I thought it was such a clever way to discuss sensitive social, political, and even cultural issues. The whole cast and crew set aside the technical aspects of these matters and focused more on creative ways to relay their message to audience members. Despite its politically charged message, because of its comedic vibe, script, and color grading, I consider Sorry to Bother You (2018) the lightest film we have watched so far.

Immediately, in one of the very first scenes, main character Cassius Green or Cash questioned his existence. He was tired of being an average citizen. He wanted to leave a legacy. As the film’s plot progressed, he was finally faced with a crisis – to fight RegalView alongside his co-telemarketers or accept a promotion and start anew as a power caller, RegalView’s top telemarketers. Of course, because he wanted a better life, he chose the latter.

One of the characteristics of a power caller, and also one of Cash’s promotion strategies was to use his “white voice”. Apparently, according to an older co-worker, using one’s white voice to sell products is the key to success in their telemarketing world.

Through this concept of a white voice comes racism. When people are only inclined to purchase a product because of a certain accent or race, they are lowkey racists. There were multiple instances where in Cash was turned down by people for using his normal, “black” voice, but as soon as he faked a white voice, his sales rose. Irony is also present here because, as soon as he became a power caller, Cash started selling slave labor. Because Cash is someone who comes from a race ruined by early age slavery, and as someone who is well aware of the inhumane treatment done to these slaves, scenes where Cash would neglect his own ethnicity and use his white voice were disheartening and unpleasant to watch.

This film did not only discuss comedy, capitalism, and social conflicts, but also made use of fantasy as an important element in the narrative. Adding the concept of equisapiens or half-human, half-horse hybrids was such a creative and significant twist to the plot. It just shows how far humanity is capable of going for the love of fame, fortune, and power.

This film was filled with great social commentary. It had a dash of humour and a bucket full of current societal conflicts – capitalism, slavery, white privilege, and the like. For everyone who has a knack of for every kind of film genre, Sorry to Bother You (2018) is the film for you.

glam rock in all its glory

In the midst of our music scene today, we are faced with common genres such as punk rock, heavy metal, indie, pop, and the like. Radio stations also repeatedly play these tunes – allowing us to become accustomed and familiar with cheesy boy bands and glamorous pop star icons. So when I watched Velvet Goldmine (1998), I felt a sense of relief and new excitement because I was finally exposed to an unusual and rare genre – glam rock.

It was interesting to dive into the eccentric world of stars such as David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, and Iggy Pop – icons characters from Velvet Goldmine embodied. Director Todd Haynes used these musical icons as his muse to portray what a glam rock artist is through main characters – Brian Slade and Curt Wild.

Besides these glamorous rock stars, one of the main characters was also journalist and former avid glam rock fan, Arthur Stuart. As the film runs on, scenes of Stuart’s teen years are revealed to us – from when he first discovered this weird yet wonderful genre, to his parents’ discovery of his sexuality, and the witness of Slade’s fake murder. With that being said, his experiences were sort of a sexual awakening for his character. As he toyed with glam rock and its weird quirks, he was able to discover a new side of himself. However, we are not sure if it was to keep up with the trend of being part of the LGBT+ community at the time or if he actual preferred being gay or bisexual. As a journalist, tasked with the assignment to discover whatever happened to Brian Slade, he was forced to relive his past. Because he had some very personal and sexual experiences with either Slade or Wild, he had difficulty revisiting the past. However, as he interviewed those present in the rock stars’ lives, he was more inspired to get to the bottom of the mysterious tale of Slade.

Velvet Goldmine was definitely not one of my favorites. However, personally, I thoroughly enjoyed its soundtrack. Whoever is an avid fan of music, especially jams in the 1970s, will appreciate the direction of this film. Likewise, I also visually found this film very appealing – from the color palette, crazy choreography, and flashy wardrobe. However, as stated above, I felt the film as a whole was full of loose ends. There were times where characters could have been less cryptic with their feelings. At one point, I just wanted someone to explicitly tell me what they were feeling without the presence of cigarettes, booze, or drugs. Besides that, in the end, as Arthur Stuart discovers Slade’s current identity, I found myself longing for a conversational scene between the two – whether it be journalist interviewing a rock star or a former avid fan finally meeting his idol. However, I was just left with more questions. As a whole, the film fell short with some loose ends, but those who have an appreciation for music will thoroughly enjoy Todd Haynes’ glamour rock extravaganza.

alone again, naturally

My Own Private Idaho (1991) is a story about two individuals, Mike and Scott, who experience and cope with loneliness differently. With two plots integrated into a single film, we see how one profession affects both boys in drastic ways.

Mike Waters, a street hustler portrayed by River Phoenix, comes from a low social class. Because of this, he has no choice, but to turn to male prostitution as his sole mean of survival. Scott Favor, on the other hand, is motivated by something more. He only engages in prostitution to both embarrass and catch his father’s attention. Because his father is mayor, he could easily walk away from this lifestyle. He could quit anytime and still be secure in his wealth and worldly connections. Throughout the film, we see how loneliness affects both individuals. However, in the end, one feels lonelier than the other.

It was like the film was made for us to empathize with Mike. At the beginning and end of the film, Mike is alone, on an open road, left to fend for himself and his narcoleptic episodes. He has no one, but himself. Through his narcolepsy, he finds peace in his mother. It is as if his dreams are childhood home movies on a loop. When he sets out to find his mother, he is only met with disappointment. He also constantly tries to reach out to Scott for reciprocity of love and affection, but Scott ends up leaving him for an Italian woman. Although Scott cares for Mike enough to travel with him to Italy to find his mother, he instantly abandons him for a woman he just met. Throughout the film, especially in the campfire scene, when Mike admits to Scott he loves him, we see how Mike is just longing to be loved by someone and how Scott is not willing to reciprocate that love. He tried to find love, from both mother and Scott, but he ended up feeling more alone than ever. At the end of the day, he is just a sweet boy who suffered the consequences of a bad childhood.

Scott, on the other hand, is lonely in a sense that he has to engage in prostitution to get his father’s attention. It is obvious he cares for Mike, but not enough to love him back. As he starts a relationship with Carmella, I cannot help but feel a sense of betrayal in his friendship with Mike. It was cruel of him to give Mike a taste of what it feels like to be cared for, but suddenly leave him hanging. When he came back to the United States, he did not even acknowledge Mike outside the restaurant. It was as if he was just another hustler on the street – not someone he built a friendship with. It was probably better for Scott to start living life in accordance to his rich lifestyle, but how I wish he would have taken Mike with him. Mike would have been able to turn his life around, and maybe even been able to seek professional help for his narcolepsy. In the end, we can see how Scott treated his friendship with Mike as temporary, while Mike saw it as permanent.

This sad film reminded me of Trainspotting (1996). Its cinematography, color grading, and even choice of wardrobe is similar to Danny Boyle’s British comedy. There was also a similarity between Mark Renton and Mike. Both were stuck to deal with their own vices – heroin and male prostitution. However, the difference lies in their endings. Mark was able to find peace and “chose life”, while Mike was left to live life alone.

Personally, My Own Private Idaho is something I would not watch again. The first few scenes bored me. There was too much dialogue and not enough action. However, I do understand why some like it more than others. The film showcased a woeful and isolated side of humanity. It becomes even more humane when you realize some scenes had stories told by real life hustlers. It makes you come to the conclusion that what Mike goes through is something others have to experience in order to survive. It shows you how lonely one can be and what he or she will do to experience love.

annyeonghaseyo! welcome to futureless things!

Ever wonder what convenience store clerks do all day? No? Me neither – not until I came across Futureless Things. Starring Korea’s best, this film revolves around the different kind of people store clerks encounter in a span of a few hours. Through this film, director Kim Kyung-Mook scratches the surface and goes beneath it to transform these simple convenience store stories into something greater.

At first, I was excited for we were finally going to watch a light-hearted film. I guess I paid little attention to the title and focused more on what the first few scenes brought to the table – light and cool color grading, soft classical scores, and a budding romance between two couples. Little did I know, everything was to slowly go downhill after Seong-joon, another regular store clerk, disappears into a cardboard box given to him by a mysterious, and possibly, supernatural woman.

This is when I realized that Futureless Things does not only focus on one genre, but multiple. These being thriller, comedy, romance, drama, and even fantasy. Even better, this film was able to portray all these different genres in such an odd setting – a convenience store. It is not common for films to shoot in a single location, let alone a small one, but Futureless Things was able to share different stories with the use of a simple store.

All these movie genres were seen in a span of less than 24 hours through the eyes of different store clerks. This even proves to be true for real life clerks. They experience so much in one day and try to do what they can to pass the time. For those who are not in their position, we simply spend a few minutes in the store and pay for what we have bought, while store clerks have to live out the same day repeatedly.

It is hard for me, a Filipina, to give a detailed and accurate review of Futureless Things because of all the underlying Korean ideas and banter seen in the film. However, from what I have picked up about Korean culture throughout the years, I can say that the convenience store’s customers are a representation of Korea’s modern society.

At first, I thought people would enter the store at random. However, I started to observe that everyone was not the same. Some were from another race, religion, and status of life. Paul Lee, one of the store clerks, who would listen to English audiobooks during his down time, tried to converse with a mother and her child who spoke English as they entered the store. However, he was surprised when the mother replied to him in fluent Korean. This scene tackles the Korean craze of trying to speak English proficiently or even forcing your child to only speak this language. The next customers who enter are Middle Eastern women. As they approach the counter, one of them points to her nose and back to a picture of a Korean woman. Paul then understands that she had a nose job to look like a this woman. In this scene, viewers learn more about Korea’s beauty standards.

Because all walks of life, despite status, gender, race or religion, enter convenience stores, store clerks are forced to interact and respect every one of these people. I guess one could say these stores bring society together in one way or another.

There are still multiple scenes that are confusing to me such as everyone gathering eerily outside the locked store at night, some Korean banter, and even the ending. However, I feel like one must be truly immersed in Korean culture in order to fully understand this comedic yet dark film.