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Finals Movie Discussion

Introduction

Philippine movies came a long way from Un Homme Au Chapeau (Man with a Hat) which is the first film ever shown in the Philippines and José Nepomuceno's Dalagang Bukid (Country Maiden) in 1919 in which the first film ever made by a Filipino to the present day in the movies such as “Hello, Love, Goodbye” and “Ulan”. The Philippine cinema evolved from time to time it could be affected by the status of the Filipinos for example: Marcos’ regime and his tyrannical way towards Filipinos in the Martial Law or another, the modern appeal especially to the millenial and Gen-Z generation with the love genre and heartbreaks. 

The movies that we are going to discuss this time are cinemalaya films; Sid and Aya, Meet me in St. Gallen, Ulan, ML, and Kisapmata. Cinemalaya films are short videos produced for the film festival that happens annually during the months of July and August with the aim of promoting and producing Filipino independent films where only 10 “finalists” are chosen from hundreds of submissions in the Philippines and are shown during the festival. The genres mostly shown during these films and shown to the films we will be reviewing are; romance, drama, comedy, and horror films. It is in these genres that can be shown about the similarities of how Filipinos would make their base as to how they write and present their films to the audience. Since these genres appeal in the Filipino audience, they base their movies in such ways.

Discussion

Sid and Aya

Sid and Aya is a movie about two characters who are currently having their own personal problems. Sid is a businessman who is suffering from insomnia. Aya is a woman who works multiple part-time jobs to solve her financial problems that is connected with her family. One night Sid met Aya, and hires her to keep him company during his sleepless nights. As the title suggests, it really is not a love story. It may seem like it during the first parts of the movie. But as you progress through the movie, the story is more focused on the character development that the two characters give to each other as they interact with each other. The thing that caught my eyes most of the time were the scenes that took place at the amusement park. Usually when the movie uses this setting, it is full of colors. It symbolized that the emotions of the two characters are stirring up, and they will share something personal about themselves. They agreed that their relationship is strictly business and that she’ll get paid to hang around him. But the more they get together, the deeper their relationship becomes, an example of this kind of scene is when Sid told Aya in the amusement park that he will propose to his girlfriend, and that they should go back to just being friends.

It shows the importance of being sincere and honest with other people on how you feel and what you think. It shows that we need to think before we act. It tells us that money really can’t buy you happiness. We need to focus on the little things such as memories and the moments we spend with people we care about, not just wanting them to stay to make you feel safe or feel better about yourself.

Meet me in St. Gallen

Meet me in St. Gallen is about two people who met one night, coincidentally, with both being in a very bad mood. Jesse Abaya is a musician, whose parents disapprove of him being one, calling him an embarrassment. Celeste Francisco is a graphic artist who got fed up with her boss’ demands and decided to quit. Celeste thought at first that Jesse was stalking her, but he cleared it up that he just saw how brave she was and wanted to talk to her, someone who was also in a bad mood. The two would soon spend the night together that will get them stuck in each others thoughts for a long time. The whole movie would be based on their discussion of destiny and true love but would get caught up in each other’s life and hopes in dreams. The plot was primarily based on their discussion of Celeste’s aunt love life; of her childhood sweetheart meeting her after years after the fact that she had already wed few years prior, as a foreshadowing as to how it would end up themselves as their lives start to change for the better.

It had a good portrayal of real life events that happen to most people who get attached and wants a friend or a lover to stay for the longest time. It mirrors real life in the way that when even if a person gets attached to another person, it does not mean that that person will stay forever in your life. Sometimes, some encounters are just by chance. To help us figure out what we want and what he have to fix in our lives. Sometimes, people are just really there to give you a push to become better. We all have a role in everyone’s lives, but not everyone gets to stay.

Ulan

Ulan is a 2019 movie directed by Irene Villamor about a girl named Maya (Nadine Lustre) with a consistent unfortunate events about love. One time she visited her crush since College but was heartbroken when she found out that the person she likes already have a family. She met another guy at a wedding in which his best friend works as the brides wedding designer. The boy which treats her like a princess  her as a princess and and told her fairytale like promises which sounded superficial. It is a lip service but sounds resounding. Maya falls for him and hoped that they would stay together longer however finding out that this prince guy was not really that serious in that relationship which led to Maya getting rejected and heartbroken once again. She swore never to cry again about love or to fall easily anymore.

There is constant transition back and forth of her past and present with that mixture of reality and fantasy /  symbolic elements here and there. One scene is the superstition as told by many elderly is when it is raining while it is sunny, the aswang called Tikbalang are getting married. Maya’s Grandmother told her granddaughter that it is raining because the heavens are against their marriage thus punishing them. It is also because of Maya’s bizarre imagination as a kid, the Tikbalang replied in a soft, sweet tone and told the young Maya that no one can severe a true love even if it the heavens are against you. Another superstitious belief her grandmother told her is eggs can stop the rain. Maya asked this to the teacher which led to her getting bullied. But one boy stood up for her that made it look like he is “the one” .  Yet the expectation turned into a bitter twist showing you are not the person meant to be with the person you love.

When I first saw the title, I thought it was intriguing, it is just one word signifying rain but it could mean many things. It could mean hopelessness, heartbreak, bitterness, or hope, or love? Who knows, I will still search it up. I saw it, the main character is Maya which is portrayed by Nadine Lustre, now I was biased at first, I saw Nadine, it could be one of those generic Romantic Comedy settings perhaps? I was wrong. I thought it would be too shallow but honestly it was focusing on much more depth especially with the fantasy and symbolism element incorporated with the young character’s wild imagination making the atmosphere feel odd yet relatable. Maya has been through constant heartbreaks and honestly I could relate it to our environment especially with the current global warming status. We could see the selfless love we had from nature yet we chose to put it aside and love superficial elements 

ML

ML is a recently released film in 2018 and clearly portrays the lifestyle and ideals shown during Martial Law. The movie focuses on Carlo a typical millennial jock, was given an assignment to research Martial Law but soon goes wrong when he tries to interview a former Colonel during the time of Martial Law. When Carlo tries to interview the Colonel he soon ends up getting kidnapped by the Colonel and have him tortured in his basement. The delusional Colonel had him tortured by having him gagged and tied up so he could not escape and soon starts with the Colonel removing his toenails one by one going back and forth with Carlo screaming in pain and the Colonel asking questions that did not make sense to him and soon even dragging his friend and girlfriend to be tortured after being lured in as well. Soon only Carlo and his girlfriend Pat was the only ones who escaped while his friend Jaze was the only one killed and thrown to the pavement to look like a casualty from drugs. Carlo and Pat reported the case but the colonel was acquitted of having no substantial evidence. Carlo wanting revenge returns to the colonel’s home having him found him dead in his sleep. The colonel portrayed in the movie is a delusional retired soldier who still thinks that martial is still being continually done performs his duty of torturing Carlo. Carlo is portrayed as a typical millennial who thinks and argues that Martial Law was actually a good thing that happened to the Filipino people. But the film shows what was actually like during martial law and clearly shows how “unlawful torture” was done during Martial Law.

Kisapmata

Kisapmata is a 1980s movie focusing on three main characters Dadong Carandang, a retired police officer and the father of Mila Carandang, his daughter and Noel Manalansan, Mila’s husband. The movie is about an over possessive father as he tries to control Mila so that she would not leave his sight and never allowing her to leave his house. When Mila soon fell in love with Noel they decide to go towards Dadong in hopes that he would accept their marriage. Initially Dadong didn’t approve of it, but soon allows it when they found out that Mila was pregnant as well as the condition of Noel having to pay a very costly dowry as well as the one paying for their luxurious wedding. After the wedding Dadong had both of them stay within their house and to have them sleep separately with the excuse of having Mila take care of her sick mother, Dely. The couple becoming miserable had tried their efforts to escape the house but to soon be hunted by Dadong even going so far as to make compromises to have them continue to stay. The couple soon ends up having to return back to the house to get back their belongings only to have Dadong pleading with Mila not to leave. It would soon reveal that Dadong and her daughter Mila had an incestrous relationship and was the one who got her pregnant. But when Mila and Noel still firm on leaving, Dadong brings out his gun and kills everyone, finally shooting himself.

Comparisons

All of the movies had personal problems, each of the characters portrayed problems that they tried to solve with themselves or having someone help them overcome their obstacles with them. Most of the movies also had gullible characters within them, they would be easily tricked into doing something unusual to meet their goals. Such as seen in Sid and Aya; Aya being hired to company Sid when trying to sleep, Ulan when Maya is tricking herself to solve herself as to not needing love to cover her loneliness, and Kisapmata when Mika and her husband is tricked into staying and coming back to their father’s home despite knowing the situation between them. There are various differences between them such as the circumstances and personalities between them and the end result where most were led to unsatisfying or a bad end result. But the most common is that all of them had personal problems that had to deal with and having it end up affecting others as a result.

Criticism on Philippine Film

Philippine films are mostly based on the genres of romance, comedy, drama and horror but the common thing between them is that they have a peculiar or odd thing about them that causes them to meet with another person as the sort of destiny to help them go through their problems or fail as a result. Most Philippine romance films would show have a similar plot as a sort of destiny at work that would cause them to meet. Compared to other films such as western films where the protagonist of the film, though would have a peculiarity that would differentiate them from others, would at most work through their situation themselves or have a guide or teacher to help them through and be the better version of themselves. Unlike in Philippine films where the former and latter need each other to improve themselves.

Conclusion

Philippine films are generally based on the four genres romance, comedy, drama and horror because they are primarily based on the idea of self-improvement and creating relationships. They create the movies that had terrible endings as a statement to the audience to have them make better values when making relationships with others as well avoid making mistakes similarly to their characters. It is also a way for these films to appeal to the Philippine audience to make it appear to have realism or similarities to our everyday lives. It is also their way for the films to be enjoyed as well reflect on the mistakes and values shown.

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Lino Brocka’s Film Reflection

Auteur Theory

“There are no good and bad movies, only goood and bad directors”

Auteur theory argues that a film is highly influenced and a direct reflection of a director’s artistic vision, so it can be stated that when a movie is recognized or fails it is in direct correlation to how good a director can be.

The Auteur Theory can be seen in works directed by Cartalino Ortiz Brocka or more commonly known as Lino Brocka. Lino Brocka was known to be an influential film director who dedicated his life to helping artists address issues confronting the country.  It can be seen on his films such as Maynila sa mga kuko ng Liwanag or Manila in the claws of light.

Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag is a film that portrays the life of Julio Madiaga, a probinciano from Marinduque who left his home to search for his lover in Manila. But the first thing he had to do was survive through his life in the urban city. Where he lands a job as a construction worker to get some income to get food. Although life in the city was tough for him, from all the fatigue and hunger going through while working as a construction worker, he was still able to enjoy the city life with his fellow coworkers. But soon took a turn for the worse when one of his coworkers dies right in front of him. It soon made him realizes that life in the city is not as easy as he had seen. He soon tries to find his lover in the city, he ends up tracing back to a chinese building where he finds the woman, Mrs. Cruz,  who took his lover, Ligaya Piraiso, out to the city in the first place. He tries to track down her down but as soon she asks her she ends up shrieking in distress. Julio ends up running away from the trouble. Afterwards, Julio would then be notified that he would be cut from work due to the less need of workers for the rest of the construction. Being left without a job he roams the streets and sleeps in the park where he is invited by a man to sleep with him in his house for the night. Soon after he finds out that he was a male hooker and also becomes one himself soon after to get more money for his daily living.

One day, he was able to spot Mrs. Cruz and brought him back to a chinese building. Knowing he wouldn’t be properly answered by Mrs. Cruz, he confronts the man in charge of the building, but even when he asks he was promptly sent out. Soon after, by chance, he was able to find Ligaya as she was going to Church and soon he finds out that she was brought to prostitution by Mrs. Cruz and even has children from the prostitution. Being threatened by the Chinese man, Ah-tek, of killing her child she is soon forced to stay and continue being a prostitute. But Julio comes up with a plan to run away with Ligaya and her children at midnight where they can escape and go back home to Marinduque together. Ligaya agrees and goes back to the Chinese building to prepare and meet Julio to go back together. But as time passes and Julio continues to wait it soon becomes morning and he comes back to find out the Ligaya died because she fell from the flight of stairs. Julio who realizes what happens confronts Ah-Tek after Ligaya’s burial and with a knife in his hand repeatedly stabs him on the chest as he slid down the stairs. Others soon found out about the incident, repeatedly slander him as a murderer and chases after him into an alleyway and beats him up and kills him. 

Lino Brocka portrays in the film the life of most Filipinos goes through and the hardship that they have faced. The movie portrays the hardship of Julio as he gradually falls into despair in the urban lifestyle in Maynila. In this movie, Lino Brocka portrays the issues the country was having by showing it in the perspective of Julio’s life. He shows concerns such as prostitution for male and female, he also shows that there are less work that can be given or received when in the city and the poor management of the works given causing injuries and even death to those who are not careful. Also he showed awareness that there are even male prostitution. It shows the concerns he perceived during the 1980s in the Philippines. 

Another film he did that showed Auteur Theory was the movie “Insiang”, Insiang is a 1976 film where it is set in the slums of Tondo Manila. The film that Lino Brocka portrays is urban poverty within the Philippines and it also explores the themes of betrayal, revenge and despair. It also displays issues in slums such as the lawless areas and threats occuring.

The film focuses on Insiang who works as a laundrywoman with her mother Tonya who works at the local fish market. Tonya was a  woman who was left by her husband to chase another woman but because of these she has trust issues and often displaces her hatred towards her husband to Insiang. She would often force Insiang to do all the chores around the house as well purchase food and doing errands with an excuse saying that it is Insiang’s responsibility to become filial and be the one who takes care of her now as a form of debt to repay for raising her. Insiang, even though filled with continuous work, is still able to enjoy life in the slums with her mother. 

The movie starts out with Tonya evicting her sister-in-law and her family out of her house because she sees them as a burden as well as her sister-in-law’s son harassing the daughter of the owner of the sari-sari store in the slums. But because of this Tonya, soon gives their room to Dado, a butcher several years younger than her and her lover. 

While Tonya pushes her daughter with multiple chores and things to do around the house she is also strict towards Insiang on her relationships as well as forbidding her to have any relationships with men. But even though Tonya is strict to her, one of Insiang’s joys in the slums was meeting her boyfriend Bebot, a car-mechanic. Due to Dado’s sudden arrival it ended with Insiang missing her date with Bebot. So later that night, Bebot went to her house wanting to have sex but ends up being refused by Insiang and having leave that night. But during that time Dado saw the incident happen and told Tonya what had happened. Tonya learning about the affair she repeatedly slaps Insiang reprimanding her to not meet with him. Dado then goes towards Bebot and threatens him to not go near her anymore. Insiang hearing what happened his threat from Bebot himself she confronts Dado and telling him to not interfere with her life. As they fought of the incident Dado chokes her unconscious and drags her away only to find a crying Insiang the next day. Tonya soon finds out that Dado raped Insiang and soon fight with him throwing object at him. But Dado soon rebukes that it is her daughter’s fault that she was the one who kept seducing him by bathing in his presence. Tonya then blames her daughter and compares her to her womanizing father. 

Insiang in rage and in despair goes to Bebot and had him elope with her. Bebot and Insiang soon stay in a cheap hotel in Binondo, where they soon have sex. But as soon as Insiang woke she soon found that Bebot was nowhere to be found. In despair, she returns home and has her mother tells her that she forgives her for seducing Dado and has her come with her to the market to stop her from seducing Dado. But Dado sneaks into her room that night and admits his feelings for her and saying that Tonya was the only way for them to meet each other. Insiang then invites him to have sex the next day. But wanting to prove Dado’s love for her she asks to have him beat up Bebot. Over the following days, Dado and Insiang become very intimate that Tonya soon notices it and confronts her daughter, who then reveals that Dado was having sex with her and has been attracted to her all along. Tonya who was in disbelief left and finds Dado getting close to Insiang and admitting in front of her that Insiang was the only person he loved. Tonya enraged stabs Dado in the back and dies soon after with Insiang having an indifferent expression. Days afterwards, Insiang visits Tonya in jail and tells her it was her plan all along to have her stab Dado in anger. Tonya then says that Insiang must be happy that she was able to get revenge. But Insiang only tearfully hugs her while Tonya only gives her a cold indifference. Insiang then leaves with Tonya only in regret watching her leave. 

Auteur Theory is shown in these two movies because it shows the director’s passion and his ideas to display issues concerning the country. The movies shows subtle emotions of anger and hatred as well as having tragedy endings. It also displays concerning issues concerning the Philippines and displays it in an urban setting and poor setting.

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Mike De Leon’s Film Reflection

Auteur Theory

“There are no good and bad movies, only goood and bad directors”

Auteur theory argues that a film is highly influenced and a direct reflection of a director’s artistic vision, so it can be stated that when a movie is recognized or fails it is in direct correlation to how good a director can be. Auteur theory states a movie can only be good due to the director that directs the movie.

Mike De Leon is a director that made Batch 81 and Kakabakakaba. His usual films portray psychological and physical impact on the characters shown. His films are also portray subtles of Martial Law. It displays such as oppression of Marcos or someone with higher power controlling those below them.

Batch 81’ is an example of his portrayal of Martial Law and psychological and physical impact on the characters. Batch 81’ portrays the life of Sid Lucero as he undergoes challenges and obstacles from his fraternity called AKO or also known as Alpha Kappa Omega to become a true member and to have a new prospect in life.

It starts out with Sid Lucero becoming attracted at joining the fraternity but in doing so he had to undergo months of orders and obstacles as an initiation to officially join the fraternity. During his stay and initiation he was to greet his senior fraternity member and call them “master” and to answer their every beck and call without hesitation.

The initiation starts out when they are called blindfolded and had them strip while they are ridiculed and laughed at by a pre recorded sounds of giggling women in front of them. Then they start out of their first hazing being continuously beat up all night. For weeks it continued with initiations similar to this. They were subjected to an event where they had to run around a whole block with only their underwear on and soon be whipped continuously while citing the fraternity’s ideals. Another was forced to eat food that had multiple things mixed such as ketchup and sodas mixed with their rice and meat. They also had to drink and spit out beer laced with each other spit during one of the initiator's birthday. 

Soon problems aroused between them both personally and each other within the fraternity. Sid ended up breaking up with his girlfriend because she didn’t want him to join the fraternity because his brother was killed while undergoing one of the fraternity’s trials. Ronnie and Arni, one of the few initiators left, wanted to leave the fraternity due to all of the psychological pressure placed onto them to fulfill every command given to them by their masters. Even when Sid tried to convince them to stay it proved fruitless. When Vince, the leader of the “masters”, heard of this he had Ronnie strapped into an electric chair and had his father, a former AKO member electrocute him when he answered incorrectly. With everyone shocked of disbelief of what was happening before, they were then subsequently forced to electrocute Ronnie instead of his father when answering incorrectly. When they found out soon after that it was all a set-up they ended gaining a new-found trust within AKO so that they would never defy orders or think about escape ever again.

Sid and the others would then continue on to the Upakan Festival where they would be forced to dress up as women and take part in performing Cabaret. Later on, they encountered Abet, the leader of a rival fraternity called Sigma Omicron Sigma Fraternity, where he found out that Arni was dating Abet’s younger sister telling him to separate from her. When he didn’t he was made an example of by beating him and killing him in the bathroom. Overcome with anger, Sid started a war between the 2 fraternities and ended up killing each other. It soon ended with AKO’s victory but with casualties from both sides. The movie then ends with Sid being promoted becoming an official master and member of AKO.

The movie shows how Marco’s regime was during the Martial Law. An overbearing power that orders everyone that does his bidding regardless of the casualties involved. As well as being continuously discipline by whipping and other multiple ways to have them do his bidding faithfully without hesitation. The situation in the movie was basically similar to a carrot on a stick and a whip. A carrot to have them pursue a goal they want themselves and the stick to discipline them if they try to do something else.

Another movie directed was called “Kakabakakaba?” where it portrays the life of Johnny, as he unknowingly smuggled drugs; a high class opium through a parcel similar to a cassette. The Japanese soon tracked down their drugs to Johnny and observing him throughout the day. The Chinese Mafia was also soon joining the fight to claim the cassette tape. The chinese and japanese soon tried to kidnap Johnny’s girlfriend to give them the cassette tape. But tricked them instead with another duplicate and soon finds Johnny and his friends to a Church in Baguio to find out what the opium was for and what to do with it. Soon they are captured and turns into a battle between them.

The movie is unlike with the movies Mike de Leon made. It seemed like the type of movie he played around with because of his hatred of the japanese and chinese. I think this type of movie was made for the purpose of ridiculing the foreigners; Japanese and Chinese as well show subtles of Martial Law making threats and coercion as well as having them ask for help. These movies also helped in showing that the Auteur theory can be seen within these 2 movies because only the director can manage the way the characters present themselves and show the subtles of Marco’s Regime within the movie.

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“Insiang” Reflection

Ang pelikulang Insiang, ay isang pelikulang Pilipino na ginawa noong dekada 1970, pati na rin sa direksyon ni Lino Brocka. Sa pagkakataong ito ay ipinapakita ang pelikula sa mga slums ng Tondo, Maynila. Inilalarawan ng pelikula ang buhay ni Insiang kanyang pang-araw-araw na buhay at ang kanyang paglusong upang maging isang mapaghiganti na babae na naghahangad ng pagkamatay ng mga nagkakanulo sa kanya. Ang pelikula ay karaniwang napuno ng mga pagtataksil at paghihiganti simula sa isang character patungo sa isa pa.

Si Insiang ay nag-iisang anak na babae ng kanyang ina na si Tonya, na pinagkanulo siya ng asawa at iniwan siya at ang kanyang anak na babae mula sa ibang babae. Ang ina ni Tonya ay orihinal na nagtrabaho bilang isang labandero ngunit inaabuso ang kanyang anak na babae sa pamamagitan ng paggawa sa kanya ng lahat ng gawain na pagpupunta araw-araw sa pagpuno ng tubig, pagbili ng naglilinis mula sa kalapit na sari-sari store, na pumipigil sa kanya na magkaroon ng anumang relasyon at gawin ang lahat ng mga gawaing bahay sa loob ng bahay . Ito ay kung paano nabuhay araw-araw si Insiang at kung paano nilutas ng kanyang ina na si Tonya ang ilan sa kanyang kalungkutan na nagbibigay ng mga dahilan tulad ng responsibilidad ng bata na pangalagaan ang kanilang mga matatandang magulang ngayon.

Ang uri ng pamumuhay na ito ay mainam para sa Insiang dahil nakatulong ito sa pagpapanatili ng kanilang pamumuhay, pati na rin ang pagkakaroon ng kanilang mga kamag-anak, kapatid na babae ng kanyang ina at tulong ng pamilya pati na rin sa kanyang mga gawain at pagkakaroon ng kasintahan na nagngangalang Bebot na pinapayagan na magkaroon ng isang patas nasiyahan sa buhay. Ngunit sa lalong madaling panahon ang kanyang ina ay sinipa ang kanyang hipag at ibinalik si Dado, isang butil ng ilang taon na mas bata kaysa sa kanya, at ang pinakamakapangyarihang lalaki sa mga slums, at naging romantically kasangkot sa kanya. Ang pagkakaroon niya ay manatili sa kanilang bahay at kumain ng kanilang pagkain. Sa lalong madaling panahon si Dado ay patuloy na nakikisali kay Insiang at ang kanyang pamumuhay; katulad ng paghanap ni Dado tungkol kay Bebot at ang pagpaparusa sa kanya ng kanyang ina sa pamamagitan ng pagsampal sa kanya nang paulit-ulit. Tulad ng sinusubukan ni Insiang na iwasan si Dado ngunit sa lalong madaling panahon ay sinabi sa kanya na si Bebot ay nakikipag-usap sa ibang mga kababaihan, dahil hindi sumasang-ayon si Insiang na tinapos ni Dado ang kanyang walang malay at hinila siya palayo. Lamang upang malaman ang susunod na umaga, natagpuan ni Tonya na umiiyak si Insiang at nalaman na ginahasa siya ni Dado kagabi. Sinubukan ni Dado na sinasabing kasalanan ni Insiang na siya ang pumupuksa sa pamamagitan ng pagligo at paghiga sa hubad na malapit sa kanya. Si Tonya ay pinapaboran si Dado, sinisisi si Insiang para sa pag-atake sa paghahambing sa kanya sa kanyang kaakit-akit na ama.

Desperadong umalis si Insiang, hiniling ni Bebot na makisabay sa kanya kung mahal ba talaga siya. Nagtapos sila ng gabi sa isang motel sa Binondo at natapos ang kanilang relasyon sa kanya na aalis sa susunod na araw. Bumalik si Insiang sa kanyang ina na para bang pinatawad ang lahat ay sumama siya sa palengke upang hindi mahikayat si Dado. Kalaunan nang gabing iyon, pumunta si Dado sa kanyang silid-tulugan at muling pinatunayan ang kanyang damdamin para kay Insiang na umamin sa kanyang damdamin para sa kanya at sa lalong madaling panahon nagtapos si Insiang na akitin siya at makipagtalik sa kanya sa susunod na araw. Maya-maya ay hiniling niya kay Dado na patunayan ang pagmamahal sa kanya sa pamamagitan ng pagbugbog kay Bebot. Ngunit sa lalong madaling panahon nalaman ni Tonya ang tungkol sa kanilang relasyon at kinumpirma ang Insiang at nakipaglaban sa bawat isa kung sino ang higit na minahal ni Dado. Si Tonya sa hindi paniniwala ay nagtago sa kanyang sarili at sa lalong madaling panahon nahanap ni Dado na aminado ito sa kanilang relasyon. Sa isang angkop na galit, sinaksak ni Tonya si Dado mula sa likuran at pinatay siya ng walang emosyong Insiang.

Ang pelikula sa lalong madaling panahon ay natapos sa eksena kasama si Tonya sa likod ng mga bar at Insiang na bumibisita sa kanya, at inamin na siya ang siyang nag-uudyok sa lahat ng bagay mula sa kanya na umaakit kay Dado, sa kanyang paghihiganti sa lahat kasama na ang nagtaksil sa kanya. Ngunit sa sandaling tinanong siya ni Tonya kung nasisiyahan siya, tumugon siya na lumuluha na yakap ang kanyang ina habang si Tonya ay tumugon lamang sa malamig patungo sa kanya, habang siya ay nagsisisi na sumisigaw habang ang kanyang anak na babae ay umalis sa bilangguan.

Isinasaliksik ng pelikula ang mga kategorya ng paghihiganti at pagkakanulo, dahil malinaw na nakikita ang pinaka para sa Insiang. Habang siya ay patuloy na ipinagkanulo simula sa kanyang mga kamag-anak, sa kanyang ina, at sa kanyang kasintahan. Itinulak siya nito sa gilid at pinipilit siya sa isang walang pag-asa na sitwasyon kung saan kailangan niyang magpasya kung ano ang gagawin upang mabayaran ang lahat na nasaktan sa kanya. Siya ay malandi at matalino lamang na gumagamit ng Dado bilang isang papet sa kanyang mga pakana at manipulahin siya sa kanyang kalooban na natapos sa kanyang sariling pagbagsak. Ang pelikula ay kahit na ang foreshadowing tulad ng butcher shop kung saan nagtrabaho si Dado na ang mga baboy na nasaksak sa kamatayan ng mga butcher bilang isang form ng kabalintunaan kay Dado na nasaksak sa kamatayan at ang tubig na Insiang ay patuloy na pinupuno bilang isang form ng kanyang stress at galit na patuloy na tumataas din.

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Batch 81′ (A.K.O) Reflection

The movie is called “Batch 81’ (A.K.O)” and it portrays the life of Sid Lucero, starred by Mark Gil. The movie is portrayed in the eyes of Sid Lucero as he undergoes the initiation as a first year in the university with the other 15 students who wanted to join as well. At first Sid joined fraternity in hopes to gain both the benefits the fraternity brings as well as to have a new direction in life. The initiation started with them having to strip in front of their seniors blindfolded and have them be humiliated with their bodies by letting them experience being laughed at with giggling women in the background as they strip. It ended up having one person eliminated and having to go home in their underwear.

The initiation did not end with that, it went on for a whole year. They were subjected to becoming servants to the seniors who were called ‘masters’. They were subjected to running outside in their underwear, being whipped continuously while reciting the fraternity’s ideals, having to be forced to hold onto a mosquito net for one of their masters, having to endure eating food filled with ketchup and sodas during lunch, and having to drink beer laced with all the initiators spit. Their year went on with these types of tortures with their rule as to always follow their master’s orders no matter what how unreasonable it was.

As the year went by, they ended up being filled with problems both personally and within the fraternity. Sid ended up breaking up with his girlfriend, since she wanted him to leave the fraternity and was concerned with him staying due to the fact that his brother joined A.K.O. and ended up dying. From all of the psychological pressure inflicted with the fraternity, both Ronnie and Arni ended up wanting to leave. Even when Sid tried to convince them to stay by continually saying that “if they endured the initiation a little longer then they can become the ‘masters’” proved ineffective.

But when Vince, the leader of the ‘masters’ heard of this he had Ronnie strapped to an electric chair and had his father, one of the original founding members, oversee the session where Ronnie would be shocked if answered incorrectly. With every shock continuously increasing and with the initiators being forced to shock him as well Ronnie ended up seemingly lifeless. As each of the members started complaining to the sect it ended with Ronnie being completely fine as it was all a set-up to help the initiators to completely trust their ‘masters’. With Sid and the others new found trust for their ‘masters’ continued onto to the university’s annual Upakan festival with them dressing up as women and performing the Cabaret.  Later on after the show they would encounter Abet, leader of a rival fraternity Sigma Omicron Sigma Fraternity, as well as the brother of Arni’s girlfriend. With anger coming from Abet with his sister dating Arni, they beat both Arni and Sid and had Arni drown before Sid’s eyes.

Overcome with anger himself he had initiated a war between fraternities as an act of revenge. The fight ended both fraternities killing each other with both Ronnie and other members being killed while members of the rival fraternity also having losses as well as their leader Abet’s death. The movie soon ends with the last remaining 5 members including Sid being accepted into the fraternity and becoming the next ‘masters’ for the next freshman like they have always wanted.

The movie itself is about the manipulation of people through pain and humiliation to have them disciplined as well as some reward if they followed correctly and to have a sliver of hope within their grasp by having them believe in becoming a ‘master’.  Overall, it is a reflection of Ferdinand Marcos’ regime as reflection to what he did to the Filipinos during his reign of having inflicted fear as a ‘master’ to the people.

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“Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag” Reflection

Maynila: sa mga kuko ng liwanag or Maynila in the claws of light is an old Filipino movie that portrays the story of Julio Madiaga, a young man from a provincial state as he goes to the city in order to find his lost love. The movie itself is very honest and visual in displaying the life of a Filipino as they try to live in the city. 

The movie is also very honest in showing what type of life there is in the city. As shown at the first as he tries to find a job while searching for his lost love Ligaya Piraiso. His life mainly deals with construction work with low income as well as him falling into fatigue as not being used to the work. It ended up as well befriending Atong and sharing a house with multiple men in a house in the alleyways of Manila to at least have a roof over their heads. From here he first realizes the differences in his previous lifestyles and how difficult life in the city could be.

Julio’s life is mostly filled with troubles with the poor management of construction making them sign waivers for any accidents or deaths during constructions that even lead to his friend dying before his eyes. From this he realizes how cruel the city can be because even if the job was dangerous and with poor wages he still needed the money to keep living. But still led to him being fired from the job due to the less need for workers. Julio ended up meeting a call boy while sleeping in the streets and ended up him being invited into the call boy’s house and for a job as being a call boy himself as he had a need to get more money to live. While all this, he was still investigating Ligaya’s whereabouts and finally pinpointed where she was due to a chance encounter with Mrs. Cruz, the woman who brought Ligaya to the city for schooling.

These multiple encounters with Mrs. Cruz leads him to discover that Ligaya was in fact brought in for prostitution. When Julio finally found Ligaya visiting a Church she explains to him the events that she encountered after leaving home and living with a Chinese man named Ah-Tek, who runs the brothel. From their reunion, Julio then plots with Ligaya to escape back to their home with both of them meeting up in the night to successfully escape. But Ligaya did not arrive.

The next day, his friend Pol, informs him of Ligaya’s death and her funeral was held. The cause of death was said to be her falling down the stairs due to a dispute between Ligaya and Ah-Tek. Julio enraged stalks Ah-Tek and kills him back at his in front of the brothel. A mob soon chases after him, hoping to catch the ‘murderer’. Julio cornered by the mob soon fell into despair before being beaten to death.

The movie is a tragedy, with no one achieving happiness at the end, showing clear realisms of how cruel the life in a city could while each hoping for a way to survive. It is an honest work that clearly shows how the life of most city people live with next to non-censorship on the cruelty of that livelihood.

The movie itself is very old with shaky images and voices. The voices don’t always match with the characters’ mouth most of the time, and the videos are inconsistent continuously moving the camera for a scene or will at times show scenes that can be hard to understand and relate to the movie itself. Scenes with these inconsistencies and scenes that I did could not understand during the movie. Such as him beating up a thief and a scene him visiting his friend’s grandfather’s death.