what the heart wants

Akalingwan nang Rosa (Rosa Forgets) is a 2017 film directed by Max Canlas as his film entry for Cinema Rehiyon 2018( a film festival in promoting regional films of the Philippines.)

The film was spiced by the comedic intro and then fades with heart-felt scenes. One of the things that I’ve learned from watching this film entry is that love transcends! Regardless of your gender and sexuality.

The Protagonist (Rosa) is a good example for that. He’s a trans woman but soon, he decided to be a man to make her wife happy and to be a father-mother too in their child.

Other than the idea that love transcends, I’ve learned that no matter how your brain forgets the memories or people, the heart will surely remembers. Perhaps not all of your memories but the feelings and emotions that you have in the person will surely be bring back faster than how your brain could ever do.

Just like Rosa, who woke up from coma. Although he forgot that he had sexual reassignment 2 years prior the accident he was involved with that leads him into coma.

Their daughter helped him in coping up and recollecting his memories with his wife. He doesn’t remember most of his memories but he remembers the major events and above all, he remember how much he loves his wife.

truly, Once you love a person, you cannot unloved the person. No matter what circumstances because the heart will remembers.

 

 

 

 

 

sos

 

Pink flyod: The Wall is a film inspired and was derived from the 11th studio album of the popular English rock band ‘Pink Floyd’ entitled as ‘The Wall’.

As a person who haven’t heard in any of the 70’s rock music, especially Pink Floyd’s music, I could tell that it’s kind of weird. Yes, I love music especially rock, punk rock and heavy metal but it seems really weird to me. Specifically, on how their album was portrayed in the movie rendition. There are too much symbolism incorporated all together, peculiar illustrations and scenes.

The movie is peculiar but it clearly depicts the life of a certain person (more likely, the song writer) and his struggles as a boy who lost his father in war, his mother upbringing, his entire environment growing up as a depressed teen and so on… that leads to isolation to society and even in himself and I think that’s why it is called ‘The wall’.

For me, The Wall is a metaphorical symbol. It symbolizes isolation and protection of himself to the world so he won’t be hurt and at the same time, it isolate him and protects him from himself. In its contrast, it also symbolizes that he’s trapped in his own little world by himself.

But above all, It is strongly used in the music and its film edition to give some hints on  its listeners and viewers that the person that was pertain in that art is calling for some help, secretly. A hidden distress call by doing it in the form of art And I think that it’s genius! Genius because only handful of people could truly ever appreciate and understand all of it.

Well, as an artist in the making I find it interesting to put my feelings, emotions and experiences to my future artworks and can’t wait to share with people who will appreciate it. Just like how the wall was created. Even if it cost me, my entire life.

Beautiful, Strong and Independent Woman

Raise the red lantern is a film directed by Zhang Yimou. It is based on the 1990 novel of Su tong; Wives and Concubines.

Set in 1920’s on China (during Warlord Era), the nineteen-year- old protagonist named SongLian was forced by her step-mother to tie a knot with the wealthy master, Master Chen. Becoming the fourth mistress of the house, or can also be referred as the fourth concubine.

In Ancient China and even in some part of Asia, Concubinage is quite normal. In a sense ,that having many wives and taking several concubines can be affiliated into power and status quo.

In this film, Every time the master took another concubine, It is a custom that the concubine must be pampered like a royalty but after that or in a daily basis, The master will chose who’s concubine he’ll be with or spend the night with. The proof of that is the well-lit Red lanterns in the house of his chosen concubine/wife. To add up, The chosen concubine/wife can choose her meals and she will receive foot massage.

In the modern day wherein Marriage between a man and a woman, It is a sacred sacrament (for Christianity). Having Extra partners outside marriage is considered a sin and Being a mistress is highly-seen as a disgrace unlike before.

For me, I’ve also come up with the realization that being a women before is really a pitiful situation. Traditions and customs amputate the rights and power of women to decide on their own—- for marriage, education, and so on. There’s no freedom and free-will that you could discuss and women rights to fight for. That’s why i’m glad that we’re living on this day.

Cheers to all beautiful, strong and independent women all over the world!

 

 

 

The Greatest Gamble:Proving Yourself!

What does it take to prove yourself?

For Jamal Malik, (The lead character of Slumdog Millionaire- A film by Danny Boyle.)

His greatest gamble in proving himself was joining “Who wants to be Millionaire” contest wherein, if he gets lucky, He’ll get 20 million rupees. Enough to cover his expenses and he could even, possibly live in comfort. But it turns out that joining on it would brought him in refreshing his past.

There’s been a doubt in his capability on winning the grand prize and was accused of cheating because he didn’t have enough chance to undergone formal education. But he proved them that they’re all wrong.

A person’s capability in attaining knowledge doesn’t necessarily limits and doesn’t necessarily means that it must have come from the four-corners of a classroom or what we called “School or University” rather,  it could also be attained  outside, in streets etc. and even in our life experiences.  He proved that Acquiring knowledge is an endless cycle but it’s up to you how will you apply for your life.

You could be the smartest in your class, graduated from one of the top universities and bagged countless recognitions but if you didn’t apply your knowledge on improving and shaping your life. Thus, it’s worthless.

For someone like Jamal, the risk that they’re taking head-on, just equipped with enough knowledge and unshakable courage it’s a risk in proving themselves that all their hardships are worth it!

 

So, What are your thoughts about proving yourself despite your education status?

Leave a comment now in the comment section below.

The end and the new beginning

 

When we think about an ending of something or
something that would be ending soon,

We are always have the mindset or tendencies to think that it would really be ‘the end’.
We struggle, we feel frustrated and we tried to do everything just to keep holding on.
Even though, sometimes, Holding on cause more pain and sufferings.

Okuribito (Departures) is a 2008 Japanese film written by kundo Koyama and directed by Yojiro Takita. This film sets an example of whole new perspective on how we should look about ‘The end’. Just like The Lead character Kobayashi Daigo (Daigo-san/Kobayashi-san).

It cost him his career and dreams.

Realizing that he has no future for being a cello player in Tokyo, He quit then moved in Yamagata with his wife.

That was a sure end to him.

But not for him…..

He moved on from what’s tying him down–His negative feelings/ emotions and let it go.. He sold his prized-possession (Cello) then decided to moved out in Tokyo.

They started living in his mother’s house/run-down cafe and he evenly found a new job. Although, His new job is en coffining corpses.
It’s really unusual and bizarre for most of the people he knew but for him,
En coffining became a part of him.
He started loving it more than the conventional jobs/ profession that he could’ve applied for or even get.
Not because he can make more money out of it but because it’s fulfilling.
In a sense, that it made him feel that they’ve done a good job by making the corpse look alive and healthy—sending the dead beautifully or close to their best just like when they were alive so they can rest peacefully.

Literally speaking, they are sending corpses to its ends. but for him It’s his ‘beginning’.

Beginning to build a home for his family.
beginning to know his true worth and dreams…
beginning to realize that death is essential to know the essence of life & living.

see, not every ends has to be the end.
For every door that closes, there’s always a new door that opens but…
If that’s not enough,
find a new one..
or a window hahaha jk.

So, What do you think now about an end? Share your thoughts below in the comment section!

 

 

truth to be told

Journey from the fall (A film review)

 

Faith.  It is one of the few things that nobody could’ve ever taken away from you. But sometimes, your faith is being measured, Just like the main characters of the film “Journey from the fall”, A Vietnamese film that was written and directed by Ham Tran.

The film is set on the time when Vietnam War has just ended. American soldiers returned to their homeland while Vietnamese was turned over with the Chinese Communist Government. Those Vietnamese who allied with Americans to free their country to any form of communism were captured. They were forced to manual labor and undergone re-education program in Re-education camp site by teaching them communism ideals by their own kind.

Despite of the fact that his life is at stake anytime, Long trusted his faith to his ideals-that one day, his homeland (Vietnam) will be completely freed to communism or such. His faith for his country made him a choice to let his family go on and live without him. He also considered that he’s already dead when Vietnam crumbles underneath the Chinese communism.

I think there are strong images that were also included in this film that holds the key for better understanding it. First is the Legend of Le Loi. The Legend of the Hanoi River is a story that tells how Le Loi who was an ordinary farmer became the first emperor of Vietnam. The story goes like this, Le Loi borrowed a magical sword to the turtle king, King Quy who lives in Hanoi River to defeat the Ming army who invades their homeland and after that, He was hailed as their emperor.  As I watched how long’s life was told, It seems that his decisions and experiences are quite the same with Le Loi. He was an ordinary loving head of their family living peacefully together with them but not until the war broke out and he had to join the army of America just to free Vietnam from Chinese communist invader. He was captured by communist but he tried to escape the re-education camp site and went to the River. Though he was killed by a gun not a sword.

Second is the box ‘Bartolina’ and the boat that his family used to escaped in Vietnam. It made me think about the definition of Freedom. It made me think that how much it would cost just to gain their ideal ‘freedom’. It was also said in the film by some characters that how can they considered that Vietnam was truly free when it feels like they were put in bigger box.

Lastly, the kite. Before the war, Long’s family loves to fly a kite during sunny days but was ended so soon when the war started. In the scene wherein long was shot in a river by the officer a flashback of them flying a kite so high made me think that maybe, It symbolizes that he’s going away or his life is beginning to fade away.

Moreover, I think that aside from family, friendship, patriotism, faith and freedom. It also tackles the theme of individuality in terms of ideals. For me, I’ve come up with the realization that you cannot push your ideals, mind-set and your perspective to others just because you were told that you are right. There’s always another side of the story.

so what do you realized by watching this film?

Share your thoughts now in the comment section below!

Brotherly love; Children of Heaven film review

What does it takes to prove your love towards your sister?

For me I don’t really know what a brotherly love is,

Well, it’s because I’ve never got the chance to live and grow up together with my twin brother ….

Or even with my older half-brother.

But I’ve got older sisters and that’s chaotic.

A Sibling’s kind of relationship with each other is a love-hate relationship.

Most of the time, you want to kill each other because of million of reasons that can result into fights but …..

when a certain time comes in and the struggle is real, you’ve got each others back.

And that’s what I’ve seen in the movie ‘Children of Heaven’. An Iranian classic film directed by Majid Majidi.

A brother lost his little sister’s shoes and put an effort to find it moreover, he let his sister to borrow his shoes everyday just so both of them could go to school. Ali (Brother of Zahra) put an effort on joining in a track in field contest just to get the prize (shoes) just for his sister Zahra so she can freely go to school.

For me, that’s a simple act yet, an amazing portrayal of brotherly love.

Not every brother could be able to do that for his sister.

But I still believe that putting an effort for their sibling instead of telling them directly that they love them is the way of every brothers.

Well, what do you think?

If you have your own brother, what is the thing/ event or such that could make you feel proud about your brother and his brotherly love towards you?

Share your thoughts now in the comment section below!

They deserve better

HIV/AIDS

Just recently eleven (11) person were arrested in BGC, taguig for being possible drug users In PDEA operation: Tokhang. There was an uproar on social media sites because PDEA released a statement that emphasized that one (1) of the possible drug users is HIV positive. Netizens reacted on why PDEA issued a statement including and emphasizing the medical background of that person. When it is highly confidential and considered unethical.

Is it to discriminate HIV/AIDS positives? Not everybody knows and well educated about this diseases. I admit, I didn’t know much about it.

HIV/AIDS is sexual transmitted diseases that can be pass through sexual intercourse, saliva, blood transfusion or can even pass of a mother to her child during pregnancy.
But despite of all,
it isn’t right to judge people just because they got these diseases.

Recently,we’ve got the chance to watch The film ‘Rent’. A film that portrayed the struggles of people who suffers from it.

People who wanted acceptance to the society not to feel indiffent.

Nowadays, it isn’t something new that we can hear a couple of HIV/AIDS case in our community. It isn’t something that we can easily stop from spreading but we can control it. But for those who are already infected, what can we do for them?

ACCEPT.

Accept that they exist in our society. accept that nobody’s perfect. Everybody’s got a mistake or two or some unknowingly unaware, Innocents.

Accept.

Because acceptance is a sign of respect that everybody equally deserves.

They deserve better.

Peace in a war?

Joyeux noel Peace in a war? Is it really possible that peace will exist in a war? No? Yes? Or Maybe??? For many ,it is stupidity to think so. For some, it might be if there’s love and for the few, it isn’t that impossible but it’s hard to make possible. Joyeux noel or joyous Christmas is a true to life film based on war between Germany and France set in 1914. Wherein, both battalion of soldiers of each sides found some peace during Christmas eve in the middle of the war. The leaders of battalions both agreed on a ceasefire to celebrate christmas with soulful music of French opera, some drinks and a mass. Truly, they found peace and the true meaning of Christmas during a devastating war. Today, wherein war still exists in any part of the world. innocent civilians converted to be soldiers, sworn loyalty for their motherlands, thrown into ruin in unknown territories and endless killing… If All wanted and wishes world peace why can’t we have it? So,What do you think?

What is love?

Lady Satine is The superstar of the musical “Spectacular, Spectacular” of Moulin Rouge Opera house —the underworld of Paris,France. She got it all. Uncomparable Beauty, Talent and Fame still, she wanted for more. After working for years in opera house as a theater actress gaining more than she could have handle yet, nothing beats her hunger for treasures and fame. But not until she met the hopeless romantic bohemian revolution’s child and a genius musical writer named Christian. For satine, “diamond is the girls best friend” while For Christian, “The greatest gift is to love and be loved.” Love? What can you say about love? Is it a sensation that makes butterflies in your stomach? Is it an attraction for someone? Or a choice? A choice to love someone despite both of your differences? In this film Moulin Rouge, for me both Satine and Christian considered their love as both romantic and a choice. Romantic because they fell in love in just a glance. It’s a cliché though. A choice also because despite their differences in characteristics and ambitions they fought for their love. In my opinion, love is a choice. A freewill and an extension of love next to yourself. So,What do you think about love now? Share your thoughts now!