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maknaesdancersrappers · 2 years

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it's such a shame that the filipinos were given a chance to have a clean government, a president who was crowned as a dream candidate by first world countries yet the didnt. because in our country, apparently, the dream candidate is "lutang" or "lugaw" which is fucking annoying from the very start. i feel bad for the people who participated on the EDSA people's power revolution, manila film center victims, and martial law victims (+ EJK victims). it's so sad to see that the citizens never learned. "Never Again" but they did it again. it begs the question, "were the filipinos really worth dying for?" and at this point im kind of convinced that they are not. pinaglaban mo pero ayaw parin nila. look at our country now, hindi pa nga siya nahalal (officially) nagkanda letche letche na. "bagong pilipinas, bagong mukha" my ass pero inallow ang political dynasty.

I can't believe I'm actually embarrassed to be Filipino. The whole world was watching the presidential elections unfold especially since it's a dictator's son that's running for office. And not only that, he's going against a candidate that has practically the best track record of a presidential candidate could have YET the Filipinos voted for the former that has no proven college degree, tax evasion cases, corruption, 4 counts of disqualification to run (that's clearly been dismissed) and so much more. I cannot comprehend how brainwashed these people are into thinking that the time of a dictator's regime was the best time for the country when people lived in fear, could not speak up against the government, were tortured and killed for opposing. Literally the entire world did not forget, how could we?

A former protestor of the late dictator is now supporting that very dictator's son because she "learned" from "social media influencers" that what she was fighting for before was """wrong"""

The utter hypocrisy of these trolls and fanatics is actually funny. Their own presidential bet couldn't admit defeat when he lost to VPL 6 years ago and had to issue 3 manual recounts of votes yet when we cry foul for this year's election, they tell us to keep quiet and admit defeat? They ridicule and mock us for supporting someone who is "lutang" or "lugaw" but when we ask for their stance for supporting their candidate, they merely respond with "respect my opinion"? They keep pointing out VPL's "negative campaigning" when in truth, she's merely blunt with facts about their candidate -- facts that said candidate will erase from school books and history.

It's how Filipinos would rather vote for a familiar name rather than someone who isn't popular; someone "more handsome" over someone with a distinct facial trademark. (I will never shut up or forgive anyone who voted for Robin Padilla, an action star ((who also has his own crimes)), over a lawyer, educator, and human rights advocate, Atty. Chel Diokno ((I will also cry about his loss in this elections)))

I distinctly remember when VPL first announced that she was going to run for president; I was overwhelmed with so much joy and hope that I couldn't help but ugly cry -- I had to repeat the video multiple times to make sure it was true. There was a movement; people were working together, supporting one another, backing VPL up once campaigning began. I don't think there was such a huge support from the masses for a presidential campaign in our entire history. Celebrities were showing their support; joining common folk in house to house campaigning and wearing the presidential candidate's colors. I vividly remember one rally where a supporter was assumed to hand a bundle of monetary support for the campaign??? (meanwhile the other camps are vote buying and paying trolls to disseminate fake news) The numbers of rally goers and online supporters was overwhelming -- we had this in the bag. But we should have known the devil works harder when threatened.

Everyday, since the night of the elections, I cry every time I open Twitter or FaceBook. The updates were disheartening, disappointing, angering, but not surprising. This is the reality of how elections in the Philippines work. Money runs everything. No matter how old, dirty, or bloody it is; people will choose money. Whistleblowers will come out to expose the truth, but whoever has the power to do something about it, dismisses it.

There is still that tiny sliver of hope, though. They are still in the process of tallying the results. People are gearing up to take to the streets if the blatant cheating is ignored. It's dangerous and if the police were brought out with arms pointed at peaceful protestors the day after elections, what more when we protest the supposed final results?

I'm sorry if this post turned into a messy rant. I don't like getting political but this is the last straw. Just know if I stop posting here, I was fighting for my country's future.

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jmcmblog · 1 year

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PT6

ADVERTISEMENT #1: M&M's - Meet the Parents (2022, USA)

youtube

M&M's are undoubtedly one of the most popular sweets in the world, and their advertisement is no exception. The ad features a daughter introducing her boyfriend, Jake, to her family and relatives. In the ad, the yellow M&M asks Jake about the flower design on his shoes, to which he responds by revealing that he is a botanist. This is followed by the brown M&M mentioning that the resting dad's face at the back is also a plant guy, creating a connection between the two. Jake is then asked to prune plants and rewarded with M&M's.

The target audience of the advertisement is the general public. It was posted on YouTube on June 4, 2022, during the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic. The question of whether eating sweets is healthy for the targeted audience arises. The answer is not necessarily because eating too many sweets can lead to diabetes, which can be fatal if not treated. However, eating sweets in moderation can benefit brain function and provide a fuel source, sometimes referred to as a 'sugar rush.' (Wein, 2017)

There is no evidence of media manipulation in this advertisement. The only technique used was baiting. The daughter introduced her boyfriend, and the family looked him in the face because of his flower tattoos. However, the yellow M&M suddenly pointed at his feet, revealing the flower design on his shoes, and explained why. This technique is used to bait the audience and connect Jake and the M&M's, making the advertisement more engaging and memorable.

In conclusion, M&M's advertisement featuring a daughter introducing her botanist boyfriend to her family and relatives is a clever and engaging ad that appeals to the general public. While eating sweets in moderation can be beneficial, it is essential to remember the health risks associated with overconsumption. Overall, there is no evidence of media manipulation in the ad, and the bait effectively engages the audience.

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ADVERTISEMENT #2: Harina is Shaking sa Newest Film for Julie’s 40th Year Anniversary!

youtube

Julie's Bakeshop has been producing delicious and affordable bread for almost four decades, catering to the Filipino market. However, their recent video advertisement may have stirred up some controversy. The video features a man shaming a group of elderly women, commonly known as 'Titas,' for working out, despite not being in great shape himself. Julie, the brand's representative, intervenes and transforms the man into a pandesal, which the older adults consume while he continues insulting them.

The intended audience for the video is the general public, with a specific target audience of those who engage in body shaming or 'Tita shamers.' The video was released on April 5, 2021, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Pandesal, the product advertised, is suitable for the target audience as it is considered a healthy option. It has low sodium, making it an ideal choice for individuals with kidney disease. It is also beneficial for anemic patients and pregnant women as it is low in iron, which is necessary for developing hemoglobin to carry oxygen in the blood.

However, the video uses a form of media manipulation by depicting the man turning into a pandesal, which is not the case in reality. Additionally, it portrays the brand's ingredients and product-making process, which needs to be more accurate. It is important to note that Julie's Bakeshop does not use human ingredients or harm any human in producing their products. The hashtag #StopTitaShaming is used to bring attention to body shaming and its negative effects on individuals.

In conclusion, while Julie's Bakeshop has been producing affordable and delicious bread for almost four decades, their advertisement may have stirred up controversy due to its depiction of body shaming and misinformation in the ingredients of their product. Pandesal, the product advertised, is considered a healthy option, making it suitable for the target audience. However, it is crucial to remain critical of media messages and understand the limitations of advertising.

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REFERENCES

The Hall of Advertising. (2022). M&M's - Meet the Parents (2022, USA) [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRf7xa2xoes

Julie's Bakeshop. (2021, April 5). Harina is Shaking sa Newest Film for Julie’s 40th Year Anniversary! [Video]. Youtubbe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cF6juQVO7w

Wein, H. Ph.D, et.al. (2017). Sweet Stuff. NIH News in Health. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2014/10/sweet-stuff#:~:text=Our%20bodies%20need%20one%20type,pediatrician%20and%20expert%20on%20sweeteners.

Julie's Bakeshop. (2022). About Us - Julie's Bakeshop. Julie’s Bakeshop. https://www.juliesbakeshop.com.ph/about-us/#:~:text=Julia%20Gandionco%20and%20her%20husband,the%20now%20famous%2C%20Julie's%20Bakeshop.

#Youtube

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beyonceenava · 2 years

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Possession Amidst Dispossession

176 Gifts/176 Dispossessions: Personal Insights and Reflection

Suarez and Miranda’s article, 176 Gifts/ 176 Dispossessions, sheds light on a different angle of criticizing and understanding, on a deeper level, art collections as seen in galleries and museums. I personally enjoy my time in museums, and I see to it that I read every detail presented to me to develop an understanding of an artwork – its background, history, and relevance to society. However, this article explains that there is much more behind what is presented to the public.

I was devastated to know that many of the artworks publicly available in museums such as the Ateneo Art Gallery are considered “products of generosity” of business tycoons, multimillionaires & billionaires, and other prominent figures who also happen to be land grabbers, opportunists, exploiters, and human traffickers. It is such a shame to think that behind every majestic artwork that could be seen in the gallery, there occurs continuous dispossession of Filipinos – the dispossession of their rights, their land, and their culture. This so-called “dispossession” is rooted way back in history, further back even to the time of Spanish and American colonization, from which only the rich and elite have benefitted, and where the poor and marginalized have suffered and struggled. Through the years, the gap between these social classes has only continued to widen, enabling the highest classes to get a hold (only to themselves) of artworks and other possessions deemed exclusive and important, so much to the point that the public has entrusted to their responsibility the preservation and development of our culture, and too wide that imperialism and feudalism very prominently occur in most societal structures.

These self-proclaimed philanthropists incessantly attempt to do flowery and extravagant deeds in public – making everyone know that they are doing this and that, always finding ways so that their names remain relevant and fragrant to the people. This is a desperate move for the rich to make their mark in history, as if doing so will erase their unethical, abusive, and oppressive ways. It is such a shame that institutions, such as the Ateneo Art Gallery, still provide these self-serving individuals an avenue to flash their wealth and status in society, disguised in ‘gifts’ and ‘donations’. For as long as these “benevolent” acts remain romanticized, Filipinos become more subject to the loss of their freedom, their culture – their identity. Dispossession.

Faces of Dispossession

Imelda Marcos -- Photo from The New York Times

As history writes it, whatever Imelda Marcos wants, Imelda Marcos gets. As a known patron of the arts, former First Lady Marcos ordered the construction of several of Manila’s infamous infrastructures including The Folks Art Center and Manila Film Center. It is no secret to the public about the tragedy of the mentioned film center, where at least 169 underpaid and overly exhausted workers died on the unfateful day of November 17, 1981. Knowing that the incident would cause a big scandal, a media blackout was ordered, and it is only after 9 long hours that responders were given access to the site. Despite earlier reports of the construction mishap (where an upper scaffold collapsed) to the palace, Marcos still ordered to continue the construction. As they did, some of the bodies that fell into the quick-drying cement were buried alive.

Facade of the Manila film Center -- Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Looking at it, a tragedy, in one way or another, was anyway bound to happen, given that only a time frame of 6 months was given to construct the large-scale project, which should have been, ideally, taken years to complete. Moreover, while the intention of the construction of the film center appears to be for the common good, it is evident that it is just but another avenue for the First Lady to realize her dreams for luxury.

In the process of seeking extravagance and lavishness, many Filipinos lost their jobs, homes, families, lives, and futures. Dispossession.

Facade of the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Located in the BSP Compound -- Photo from the Lonely Planet

It was also during the Marcos regime when the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (MET Museum) was established. Originally built to showcase art collections from leading museums from around the world and house Imelda Marcos’ collection of European art, the museum became a private foundation in 1979. It was not until 2012 that business tycoon Joselito Campos, executive director of Del Monte Pacific Ltd.; president and CEO of Del Monte Philippines, Inc., and chairman and CEO of the NutriAsia Group of Companies, became the chair of the board of trustees that spearheads the museum’s operations.

Joselito “Butch” Campos -- Photo from Tatler

Also a known art patron and enthusiast, it is no surprise that Campos chairs the Bonifacio Arts Foundation Inc. (which handles the operations of The Mind Museum), alongside other major game players in the Philippines such as Fernando Zobel de Ayala, President and CEO of the Ayala Corporation. In addition, an interactive teaching laboratory located at The ARETÉ, dubbed as “Ateneo’s monument to artistic innovation and distinction,” is named after Campos, despite the dismay expressed by students and critics alike due to the allegations surrounding his company, NutriAsia.

Campos was also included in The Pandora Papers, a series of published reports by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which exposed almost 12 million documents exposing hundreds of world leaders and the rich elite for tax evasion and corruption. Transactions made by Campos were uncovered by the ICIJ, including art purchases made through Montefalco Limited, a Hong Kong-based offshore firm. It revealed two transactions totaling $150,000 and £160,000, respectively, one of which included the acquisition of a Fernando Amorsolo oil painting. Campos is "a private citizen and has purchased artworks purely in his personal capacity," according to Antonio Ungson, Del Monte Pacific Limited's internal legal counsel.

In recent news, it has been announced that The MET museum is set to be relaunched as “The M'' once it has successfully transferred to its new location in BGC. The museum prides itself on bringing “art for all.” Communications Consultant Bambina Wise continues to describe The M as a platform to “bring in art enthusiasts from all walks of life.” But who really is included in their concept of “all?”

The Mariano K Tan Centre (MKTC), which will house the Metropolitan Museum of Art -- Photo from Tatler

After several occurrences of unjust treatment to employees, subcontracted workers at NutriAsia went on strike in June of 2018. Laborers have been reported to work forcibly for more than 12 hours a day, yet being paid only a minimum of 380 pesos a day. They were even compelled to pay for their own uniforms and safety clothing since the company refuses to reimburse them. Employees also pointed out that in spite of their many years of service to the company, salary adjustments were never made.

Instead of heeding to the calls of its employees, NutriAsia filed 2 temporary restraining orders, to which the regional trial court ruled in their favor. After this, incidents of violence and harassment have been reported in the NutriAsia plant in Marilao, Bulacan. Reports say that policemen guarded the whole perimeter of the area and dispersed the protesting workers by forcing them out of their picket line. The workers who were lying on the ground as a form of protest were heavily beaten by policemen. Victims say that in order to spare themselves from this harsh act, they pretended to be dead. Otherwise, they would be brought to the precinct.

It is unfortunate that Filipinos are under the spell and illusion that filthy rich business giants conduct seemingly extraordinary charity deeds when in fact, behind their holy and untainted persona, they have evil and selfish intentions to remain in ‘power’, thus in the process stripping Filipinos of the rights that they should have been receiving and attaining. Dispossession.

It WILL be a challenge to fight against these unjust and oppressive forces, but it is a harder feat to first spread awareness and consciousness to the Filipino people that we are being blinded, silenced, and controlled by the 1%, especially in a time where the past is being revised and information is easily manipulated. History is in our hands, only if we believe that we own it. Possession.

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ritahayworrth · 5 years

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what is your favorite new movies? I'm just curious :)

i’m not 100% sure what you mean by “new”? but within the past year i really liked the following:

Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse

Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral

The Favourite

Roma

Searching

Love, Simon

Crazy Rich Asians

Christopher Robin

Avengers: Endgame

edit: I also really like Booksmart which came out like yesterday? or was it the other day?? basta yeah

#don't @ me about endgame or christopher robin (i cried o ka y #) also for shame!! only one filipino film ://#i haven't seen billie and emma yet :( i also didn't watch any mmff films #but also anon if you meant like just favorite modern movies from like the past 10 years or so pls send another ask :))#asked and answered

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letterboxd · 3 years

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Best of SXSW 2021.

From properly good Covid comedies to an epic folk-horror doc and an Indigenous feminist Western, the Letterboxd Festiville team reveals their ten best of SXSW Online.

We dug out old lanyards to wear around the house, and imagined ourselves queuing up the block from The Ritz (RIP). We dialled into screenings and panels, and did our level best to channel that manic “South By” energy from our living rooms.

The SXSW festival atmosphere was muted, and that’s to be expected. But the films themselves? Gems, so many gems, whether shot in a fortnight on the smell of an oily stimulus check, or painstakingly rotoscoped over seven years.

When we asked SXSW Film director Janet Pierson what she and her team were looking for this year, she told us: “We’re always looking for films that do a lot with little, that are ingenious, and pure talent, and discovery, and being surprised. We’re just looking for really good stories with good emotional resonance.” If there was one common denominator we noticed across this year’s SXSW picks, it was a smart, tender injection of comedy into stories about trauma, grief, unwanted pregnancy, chronic health conditions, homelessness, homophobia and, yes, Covid.

It’s hard to pick favorites, but here are the ten SXSW features and two short films we haven’t stopped thinking about, in no particular order.

Recovery Directed by Mallory Everton and Stephen Meek, written by Everton and Whitney Call

“Covid 19 is in charge now” might be the most hauntingly funny line in a SXSW film. In Recovery, two sisters set out on a haywire road trip to rescue their grandmother from her nursing home in the wake of a severe Covid 19 outbreak. There’s no random villain or threat, because isn’t being forced to exist during a pandemic enough of a threat in itself? If ever we were worried about “Covid comedies”, SXSW managed to flush out the good ones. (Read about the Festiville team’s other favorite Covid-inflected comedies, including an interview with the directors of I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking).)

Alex Marzona praises the “off-the-charts chemistry” between leads Mallory Everton and Whitney Call. Best friends since they were nine, the pair also wrote the film, with Everton co-directing with Stephen Meek. Every laugh comes from your gut and feels like something only the cast and crew would usually be privy to. “You can tell a lot of the content is improvised, which just attests to their talent,” writes Emma. Recovery doesn’t make you laugh awkwardly about how awful the last year has been—rather, it reminds you that even in such times there are still laughs to be had, trips to be taken, family worth uprooting everything for. Just make sure you’ve packed enough wet wipes for the road, and think long and hard about who should babysit your mice. —EK

The Spine of Night Written and directed by Morgan Galen King and Philip Gelatt

Don’t get too attached to any characters from its star-studded cast—nobody is safe (or fully-clothed) in The Spine of Night’s raw, ultra-violent and cynical world. Conjured over the last seven years, directors Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King’s rotoscoped epic recaptures the dazzling imagination and scope of their influences Ralph Bakshi and Heavy Metal. Approaching an anthology-style structure to explore how ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’—a proverb more potent now than when Gelatt and King began their project—the film packs a franchise’s worth of ideas in its 90-minute runtime. Though the storytelling justifiably proves itself overly dense for some, it will find the audience it’s after, as other Letterboxd members have declared it “a rare treat” and “a breath of fresh air in the feature-length animation scene”. For sure, The Spine of Night can join Sundance premieres Flee and Cryptozoo in what’s already a compelling year for unique two-dimensional animation. —JM

Kambole Campbell caught up with Gelatt and King (who are also Letterboxd members!) during SXSW to talk about animation inspirations and rotoscoping techniques.

The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson Written and directed by Leah Purcell

Snakes, steers and scoundrels beware! Writer-director-star Leah Purcell ably repurposes the Western genre for Aboriginal and female voices in The Drover’s Wife. Molly Johnson is a crack-shot anti-heroine for the ages, in this decolonized reimagining of a classic 1892 short story by Henry Lawson. And by reimagining, we mean a seismic shift in the narrative: Purcell has fleshed out a full story of a mother-of-four, pregnant with her fifth, a missing husband, predatory neighbors, a mysterious runaway and a young English couple on different paths to progress in this remote Southern land. Purcell first adapted this story for the stage, then as published fiction; she rightly takes the leading role in the screen version, too.

As a debut feature director, Purcell (Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri) already has a firm grip on the macabre and the menacing, not shying away from violence, but making very careful decisions about what needs to be depicted, given all that Molly Johnson and her family are subjected to. She also sneaks in mystic touches, and a hint of romance (local heartthrob Rob Collins can take us on a walk to where the Snowy widens to see blooming wildflowers anytime). Judging by early Letterboxd reviews, it’s not for everyone, but this is Australian colonization through an Indigenous feminist’s eyes, with a fierce, intersectional pay-off. “Extremely similar to a vast majority of the issues and themes explored in The Nightingale,” writes Claira. “I’m slowly realizing that my favorite type of Westerns are Australian.” —LK, GG

Swan Song Written and directed by Todd Stephens

Udo Kier is often the bridesmaid, rarely the bride. Now, after a lifetime of supporting roles ranging from vampires and villains to art-house muse, he finally gets to shine center-stage in Swan Song. Kier dazzles as a coiffure soothsayer in this lyrical pageant to the passage of queer times in backwater Sandusky, Ohio. “He is absolutely wonderful here,” writes Adrianna, “digging deep and pulling out a mesmerizing, deeply affecting and emotionally textured performance, proving that he’s an actor with much more range than people give him credit for.”

A strong supporting cast all have melancholy moments to shine, with Linda Evans (Dynasty), Michael Urie (Ugly Betty) and Jennifer Coolidge (Legally Blonde) along for the stroll. Surreal camp touches add joy (that chandelier, the needle drop!) but by the end, the tears roll (both of joy and sadness). Writer-director Todd Stephens ties up his Sandusky trilogy in this hometown homage, a career peak for both him and Kier. Robert Daniels puts it well, writing that Swan Song is “campy as hell, but it’s also a heartfelt LGBTQ story about lost lovers and friends, vibrant memories and the final passage of a colorful life.” —LK

Leo Koziol spoke with Todd Stephens and Udo Kier during SXSW about Grace Jones, David Bowie and dancing with yourself.

Islands Written and directed by Martin Edralin

Islands is a Mike Leigh-esque story that presents a Canadian Filipino immigrant family full of quirk and character, centered around Joshua, a reticent 50-year-old homebody son. The story drifts in and out of a deep well of sadness. Moments of lightness and familial love make the journey worthwhile. “A film so Filipino a main plot device is line-dancing,” writes Karl. “Islands is an incredibly empathetic film about what it’s like to feel unmoored from comfort. It’s distinctly Filipino and deals with the psychology of Asian culture in a way that feels both profound and oddly comforting.” In a year in which we’ve all been forced to physically slow down, Islands “shows us how slow life can be,” writes Justin, “and how important it is to be okay with that.” Rogelio Balagtas’s performance as Joshua—a first-time leading role—won him the SXSW Grand Jury Award for Breakthrough Performance. —LK

Ninjababy Directed by Yngvild Sve Flikke, written by Flikke with Johan Fasting and Inga H. Sætre

Ninjababy is as ridiculous as its title. When 23-year-old Rakel finds herself accidentally pregnant, scheduling an abortion is a no-brainer. But she’s way too far along, she’s informed, so she’s going to have to have the baby. The ensuing meltdown might have been heartbreaking if the film wasn’t so damn funny. Ninjababy draws on the comforting and familiar (“Lizzie McGuire if she was a pregnant young adult,” writes Nick), while mixing shock with originality (Erica Richards notices “a few aggressive and vulgar moments [but] somehow none of it seemed misplaced”).

An animated fetus in the style of Rakel’s own drawings appears to beg and shame Rakel into motherhood while she fights to hold onto her confidence that not wanting to be a mother doesn’t make her a bad person. Ninjababy’s greatest feat is its willingness to delve into that complication: yes, it’s righteous and feminist and 21st-century to claim your own body and life, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to turn away from something growing inside of you. It’s a comedy about shame, art, finding care in unlikely places—and there’s something in it for the gents, too. The titular ninjababy wouldn’t leave Rakel alone, and it’s unlikely to leave you either. Winner of the SXSW Global Audience Award. —SH

The Fallout Written and directed by Megan Park

Canadian actress Megan Park brought the youthful wisdom of her days on the teen drama series The Secret Life of the American Teenager to her first project behind the camera, and it paid off. Following the scattered after-effects of a school shooting, The Fallout may be the most acute, empathetic depiction of childhood trauma on screen in recent memory. “It sneaks up on you with its honesty and how it spends time with its lead, carried so beautifully by Jenna Ortega. Even the more conventional moments are poignant because of context,” writes Kevin L. Lee. Much of that “sneaky” honesty emerges as humor—despite the heavy premise, moments of hilarity hang on the edges of almost every scene. And Ortega’s portrayal of sweet-but-angsty Vada brings self-awareness to that humor, like when Vada’s avoidant, inappropriate jokes with her therapist reveal her desperation, but they garner genuine laughs nonetheless.

In this debut, Park shows an unmatched understanding of non-linear ways that young people process their pain. Sometimes kids try drugs! Sometimes they scream at their parents! But more often than not, they really do know what they want, who loves them, and how much time they need to grieve (see also: Jessie Barr’s Sophie Jones, starring her cousin Jessica Barr, out now on VOD and in theaters). The Fallout forsakes melodrama to embrace confusion, ambiguity and joy. Winner of both the SXSW Grand Jury and Audience Narrative Feature Awards, and the Brightcove Illumination Award. —SH

Ludi Directed by Edson Jean, written by Jean and Joshua Jean-Baptiste

When Ludi begins, it’s quiet and dreamy. The film’s opening moments conjure the simple pleasures of the titular character’s Haitian heritage: the music, the colors, the people. Ludi (Shein Monpremier) smiles to herself as she starts her morning with a tape recording her cousin mailed from Haiti to Miami, and listens as her family members laugh through their troubles before recording an upbeat tape of her own. But that’s where the dreaminess ends—Ludi is an overworked, underpaid nurse picking up every shift she possibly can in order to send money home. Writer-director Edson Jean fixates on the pains and consequences of Ludi’s relentless determination, which comes to a head when she moonlights as a private nurse for an old man who doesn’t want her there.

Ashton Kinley notes how the film “doesn’t overly dramatize or pull at false emotional strings to make its weight felt. The second half of the feature really allows all of that to shine, as the film becomes a tender and empathetic two-hander.” George’s (Alan Myles Heyman) resentment of his own aging body steps in as Ludi’s antagonist. Jean throws together jarring contrasts: George throwing Ludi out of the bathroom, followed by Ludi’s memories of home, followed by another lashing out, followed by a shared prayer. The tension is unsustainable. By interspersing the back-breaking predicament of a working-class immigrant with the sights and sounds of the Caribbean, Ludi elegantly, painfully reveals what the cost of a dream can be. —SH

Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror Written and directed by Kier-La Janisse

Building on the folk horror resurgence of films like The Witch and Midsommar, Kier-La Janisse’s 193-minute documentary Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched is a colossal, staggering undertaking that should school even the most seasoned of horror buffs. “Thorough is an understatement,” says Claira.

Combining a historian’s studied, holistic patience with a cinephile’s rabid, insatiable thirst, the film, through the course of six chapters, broadens textbook British definitions, draws trenchant socio-political and thematic connections, debunks myths and transports viewers to far-flung parts of the globe in a way that almost feels anthropological. As Jordan writes, “Three hours later and my mind is racing between philosophical questions about the state of hauntology we generationally entrap ourselves in, wanting to buy every single one of the 100+ films referenced here, and being just a bit in awe of Janisse’s truly breathless work.” An encyclopedic forest worth losing yourself in—get ready for those watchlists to balloon. Winner of the SXSW Midnighters Audience Award. —AY

Introducing, Selma Blair Directed by Rachel Fleit

There’ll likely be some level of hype when this intimate collaboration between actress Selma Blair and filmmaker Rachel Fleit comes out later in the year on Discovery+, and that’s okay, because that is Blair’s intention in sharing the details of her stem-cell transplant for multiple sclerosis. There’d be little point in going there if you are not prepared to really go there, and Introducing, Selma Blair is a tics-and-all journey not just into what life is like with a chronic condition, a young son, and a career that relies on one’s ability to keep a straight face. It’s also an examination of the scar tissue of childhood, the things we are told by our parents, the ideas we come to believe about ourselves. “I almost felt like I shouldn’t have such intimate access to some of the footage in this documentary,” writes Andy Yen. “Bravo to Selma for allowing the filmmakers to show some truly raw and soul-bearing videos about her battle with multiple sclerosis that make us feel as if we are as close to her as family.” —GG

Femme Directed by Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping

I May Destroy You fans, rejoice: Paapa Essiedu, who played Arabella’s fascinating best friend Kwame, takes center stage in Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping’s intoxicating short film Femme. It’s a simple premise—Jordan, a femme gay man, follows his drug dealer (Harris Dickinson, mastering the sexually repressed brusque young man like no one else) home to pick up some goods on a night out. Except, of course, it’s not that simple. The co-directors build a world of danger, tension and electricity, with lusciously lensed scenes that lose focus as the threat rises. Frankie calls it “hypnotizing and brutal and gorgeous” and we couldn’t agree more. A crime thriller wrestling with hyper-masculinity seen through the eyes of an LGBTQ+ character, with a sucker-punch ending to boot, the world needs more than twenty minutes of this story. —EK

Play It Safe Directed by Mitch Kalisa

If you (unwisely) thought that the vulnerable, progressive environment of drama school would be a safe space for Black students, Play It Safe confirms that even a liberal bunch of actors (and their teacher) are capable of being blind to their own egregiously racist microagressions. Mitch Kalisa’s excellent short film explores structural prejudice head-on, in an electric acting exercise that rests on where the kinetic, gritty 16mm camera is pointing at every pivotal turn. At first, we’re with Black drama student Jonathan Ajayi as he receives the assignment; then we are with the rest of the class, exactly where we need to be. “Literally in your face and absolutely breathtaking,” writes Nia. A deserving winner of the SXSW Grand Jury and Audience narrative shorts prizes. —GG

Follow the Festiville team on Letterboxd

#sxsw #south by southwest #sxsw 2021 #sxswonline #SXSW Film #janet pierson #film festival #letterboxd #letterboxd best

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rosekim · 4 years

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intro — looking for mutuals☆

aaaa, i realized i've been here for a week now but i haven't introduced myself properly yet, though it's not really necessary but lemme haha. for everyone who's been following this sideblog of mine, hello there! you can call me zi or rose. asian, filipina. i've been watching kdrama for almost four years now but i've only completed around 22 dramas, i guess? since i'm mostly busy with life. but i think i have much time now to spend my leisure times slacking off and scrolling, interacting on tumblr and twitter.

i'm also a fan of the following:

BinJin

Hyun Bin

Son Ye Jin

NamLee

HyunJi

Lee Jong Suk

Crash Landing On You

Psycho But It's Okay/It's Okay to not be Okay

Weightlifting Fairy

Day6

EXO

Mamamoo (slight)

Taylor Swift

Halsey

Ed Sheeran

Lorde

besides being a part time k-drama addict, i also write original fiction. mostly are written in filipino but now i'm attempting to write english ones, thus the purpose of my main writeblr (lumierezi).

also, about the story that i told you where Seo Yea Ji and Kim Soo Hyun are the main cast, i'm still doing some prepping. i want to make the story as proper and great as possible coz, shame on me for using HyunJi and making some crappy stories. i'll be posting the details, summary, etc on my writeblr but i will certainly reblog it here so you could check it out, too if you're interested♡

lastly, i just want to say thank you for those who have been following this blog, reblogging and liking my edits, you guys are making my journey fun. please, please, don't hesitate to talk to me or send me an ask and share your thoughts about the dramas you're watching or anything. i always love interacting and making friends esp if we share the same interest. i'm friendly i don't bite😆

expect me to post more contents soon, such as film and drama reviews, edits, icons, fic, etc. not just about PBIO/IONTBO but also about other things that i fangirl. thank you so much! have a nice day, y'all ☆

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thelostnymphaeum · 4 years

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“A man who really fights for justice must lead a private, not a public, life if he is to survive for even a short time.”

Entry: 006 // Literature // Title: Rizal Without the Overcoat Author: Ambeth R. Ocampo Year: 1990 (first publication)

_____

HOPELESS CRUSH

Even prior to entering my second year in college (when we have to take our mandatory Rizal course), I already have a “crush” on Rizal. If I’m not mistaken, I started to study about him for a contest that I was chosen to partake in when I was a college freshman. I was picked as a delegate for the annual National Rizal Youth Leadership Institute held in Baguio City, and I could still remember my most adored quote from Rizal, it was this:

“A life which is not dedicated to a great ideal is useless. It is a pebble lost in the field, not being part of an edifice.”

Growing up with a love for literature, I learned about Rizal’s talent and career as a writer, which fascinated me more than the fact that he was a doctor, sculptor, linguist and many more others that he was. I fell in love with his poetry and I truly believe that had I lived in the same timeline as him, I would have fallen head over heels for him. I am not even exaggerating. I would be helpless.

During this quarantine, a certain sweet friend of mine gifted me this book because she knew how much I adored Rizal and was burning my eyes by reading e-books (she also gave me my first manga, which was also about the life of Rizal – highly recommended). I credit her for the re-ignition of my love for the man, this book was able to show me the sides of Rizal that will never be talked about in classrooms, asked in examinations or written in textbooks.

FASCINATION, INFATUATION, ERUDITION

Being a Renaissance man who represented both the art and science of life, Rizal truly was salt to the earth. A huge chunk of my admiration for him was that he was a quintessential scholar. He studied every day about everything. He studied medicine, botany, interior design, art, agriculture and so much more. Somehow, a life like his is what I find ideal – the continuous pursuit of knowing. He loves his books dearly and was stingy about them – which made me realize that it’s not odd for me to be sensitive about my books. Haha. He was a bookworm and learned foreign languages to widen his education. He spoke at least five languages – Spanish, Tagalog, English, French and German. How will I be able to do that? If his sentiments weren’t so anti-clerical, he could have qualified to be the Pope with all the languages he knew. In this book, Guillermo Tolentino had a séance with the spirit of Rizal, and although we cannot prove that it truly was him – it certainly had his flavor.

The book also talked about Rizal’s popularity and how it was more of a disadvantage rather than an advantage, because he never asked to be glorified. In my opinion, one of the most remarkable detriment of his colossal popularity is that the other heroes are overshadowed. Rarely do Filipinos know that Bonifacio strived to be literate on his own, learned English because of his job and even has a beautiful handwriting. The now well-known Heneral Luna studied pharmacy, chemistry and was an active writer during his time (I find his pen name in La Solidaridad utterly adorable: “Taga-ilog”; in comparison to Rizal’s “Laong Laan” or del Pilar’s “Plaridel” that seemed as if hard thoughts were given to lol). Imagine how many more of our heroes would be admired as polymaths because of their talents? If only we gave time to study and appreciate each of them.

SI ANDRÉS O SI JOSÉ?

For as long as I could remember, Rizal could never be brought up in a conversation without Bonifacio’s name getting dragged in. It seems that a lot of people think that Bonifacio deserves the title of pambansang bayani better than Rizal because he was the one who fought the fight with flesh and blood.

Obviously, my opinion would be biased since I have a crush on Rizal. All I can say is that: they fought the fight they knew how to fight. If Rizal did not write those novels, who else would? He was an ilustrado, and was one of the few who was brave enough to write about the politics of the Philippines under the Spaniards. It was a fight he was well-equipped to fight. It was the fight he was built and trained to fight.

Another subject of dispute is that Rizal was not even well-versed in Tagalog (Filipino), he wrote the best in Spanish. Yet if you examine it closely, the irony is still present today: the book that I read was in English, the formal language in our country is English and this blog post that I’m writing is in English. Can we call him out on that without being hypocrites? The unfortunate truth is that this crevice remains open in our society. This colonial mentality still exists, just like how someone is labeled as “jologs” when she/he can speak better in Filipino than in English.

On the other hand, did Bonifacio need to write those novels? No. He did not need to – because he lived out those struggles every single day of his life in the Philippines. He was a born warrior. He fought the battles. It was the fight he knew how to fight. It was the fight he was made and meant to fight.

In my eyes, they had their own battles – both of which were within the grasp of their aptitude and proclivity.

THE TIMES OF TODAY

It’s such a shame that majority of the youth barely care for the Rizal course, often finding it taxing and tedious because it’s history. Admittedly, including me, know very little of our own national heroes and of our own history.

Filipinos admire the culture of other countries instead of our own. With K-pop, Hollywood or Anime, our (yes, I’m also a victim) eyes are set on looking on other countries - not on our own. It’s heartbreaking. For a third world country, economy is put first before arts, culture or sports. Our country has so much potential, as evident in the natural resources, creativity, culture, agriculture, tribes and so much more. If only these will be focused upon, our country will be unstoppable. I have no doubt. But we cannot work with fixing these ideals if the basic problems are still existent.

Yesterday, I watched “Heneral Luna”. Such a beautiful film (how I wish more historical Filipino films would be produced, rather than cheesy predictable ones that are made just because they make money). What I find the most disturbing is that centuries and fifteen presidents later, the same problem of Heneral Luna still exists. The country is still fighting within itself; with Filipinos still putting their own desires rather than of the country. I wonder what the La Solidaridad and Katipunan members would think of our country today.

#Rizal Without The Overcoat #Rizal #Jose Rizal #Ambeth Ocampo #Filipino History #Philippine History #makamisa

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spiceytuna · 4 years

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Batch ‘81: The Struggle between Power and Morality

content warning: contain photos/topics that may be sensitive to others

Mike de Leon, one of the most acclaimed Filipino filmmakers of our time, is known for many of his works that pose criticism (either metaphorically or literally) towards the Philippine society. Some of these films include: Kisapmata (1981), Sister Stella L. (1984), and Batch ‘81 is no stranger to this concept.

Batch ‘81 (1982) follows the story of seven college students, one professor, and their experience in one of their university’s fraternities, Alpha Kappa Omega (AKO). The film runs us through the entire initiation or hazing process, and is told through the perspective of the protagonist, Sid Lucero (played by Mark Gil). Throughout the rites, the eight neophytes suffer physical and mental damages– some parts even being lethal, to prove their worthiness to the ‘masters’ of the fraternity.

Other audiences who have seen Batch ‘81 have expressed that it acts as a metaphor or symbol for the nation under the Marcos era or the Marcos dictatorship through the amount of violence (campus violence in this context) and power plays seen all throughout. However, the majority of the film also digs deep into the human psyche, decision making, and what factors affect or influence these very decisions. Through observation and interpretation, Batch ‘81 is a film that depicts an individual’s struggle in balancing power, morality, self-awareness, and loyalty when put under very compromising circumstances.

The evidence of the argument stated above are spread throughout as the film progresses; however, the following scenes that will be discussed serve as major justifications for the claim.

In a birthday party within the fraternity, through what seems to be an initiation rite disguised as a drinking game, the neophytes are asked to recite a part of the creed, drink a sip of the beer, spit it back in the glass, and pass it onto the next person to do the same. When the cycle ends, the first person, Roxas Jr., drinks it all. He eventually feels sick and rushes to the bathroom to throw up. While the scene is happening, the fraternity group resumes with their celebration, but the camera shifts its focus to Lucero, who watches Roxas Jr. As the camera zooms in, this becomes the first scene in the entire film where Lucero expresses the slightest bit of fear and vulnerability.

This scene now establishes a sense of imbalance within Lucero and his mind, as it seems like he expresses empathy for Roxas Jr., and even looks like he wants to help him, but his pride says otherwise. Deep inside he knows that this is just another way of the fraternity to test their strength, so he does nothing.

During a dinner date between Lucero and Mariel, his girlfriend, Mariel brings up her concern for Lucero, saying that the fraternity will bring nothing but chaos. Lucero says that it’s too shameful to drop out at that point and tries to reassure her by saying that he knows what he’s doing. Mariel does not buy it and tells him that he’s losing himself in the process and that he won’t be aware of it until it’s too late. Here it can be argued that Lucero has already gotten too invested in the fraternity that it has inflated his pride and ego. Another past scene that showed this aspect was when Mariel refused to watch the fraternity’s dance practices and expressed her dislike towards them, to which Lucero counters with, “Prejudice ka lang.”

When Vince, one of the masters, hears about Roxas Jr.’s consideration to leave the fraternity after the night of the birthday party, he straps him into an electric chair and is shocked when the wrong answers to questions are given. This escalates to a point where Roxas Jr. can no longer answer, and his fellow neophytes fight to get him out of the chair (Lucero excluded). It is then revealed that everything was just a set-up in order for them to realize that trust– especially towards their masters, is all they need within the fraternity.

“Puro frat nalang lumalabas sa bunganga mo, pero anong ginawa mo nung nagkakagulo na? Wala, tumanganga ka kalang! (The only thing that’s coming out of your mouth now is about the frat, but what did you do when the fight broke out? Nothing, you just stared!)” Enriquez spits this out after Lucero hypocritically expresses his support after the scene. Enriquez adds, “Neophyte ka palang, isip master ka na. (You’re just a neophyte, but you think like a master already.)” Here it is observed that even Lucero’s own best friend now notices that he has started to absorb himself fully into the fraternity’s system.

In addition, when the neophytes celebrate the return of Roxas Jr. in AKO, they fail to acknowledge the fact that he was abused or hit by his dad when he tried to leave. This once again shows that they’re blinded by the “positive” or the benefits they’ll receive at the end of the initiation, concealing all the immoral things occurring. In simpler terms, the neophytes have seemingly adapted to the “the end justifies the means” kind of mindset.

At the climax of the film, a fight between Alpha Kappa Omega, and another fraternity, Sigma Omicron Sigma, takes place after Enriquez’s unjustified death and results in even more deaths which include: Roxas Jr., Gonzales (AKO) and Abet (SOS).

The entire “rambulan” between the two exposes the violent nature of fraternities and the need to prove that one is stronger than the other– so much that it can even result in homicide. Tracing this back to the argument, it just proves once more that there is a clear conflict when it comes to power, loyalty, and value for human principles and virtues.

Batch ‘81 comes full circle when five of them, Lucero included, pass the initiation rites and become the future masters. At the end of the film, we see them subjecting the next neophytes to the same initiation process– the same pain and torture they experienced. They become the oppressors next, and this shows how power can take over our morality and ignore what’s right and wrong.

“Brads na kami. Masters na kami. (We are now brothers. We are now Masters.)” Lucero’s ending statement does not draw a clear line between his desire to become part of the fraternity vis-à-vis his desire to continue living for his comrades who had lost and failed in the process.

In conclusion, the entirety of Alpha Kappa Omega is the culmination of all things stated in the argument. How the men’s initial determination to ‘belong’ or to be recognized, has shaped them into something predictable– but still violent nonetheless. Through the scenes that have been analyzed, expounded upon, and because of this kind of mindset, the inflation of ego, humans may blindy succumb themselves to submission and loyalty which then results in them losing their sense of self and abusing the power they are in control of.

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purplesurveys · 3 years

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1017

survey by lets-make-surveys

1 - Are you one of those people who can watch TV shows and movies over and over again without getting bored? Yeah this is pretty much my approach to all of my favorites. if a show or movie is able to join that club, then I automatically have no problem watching it over and over. Case in point, Friends for TV shows and The Proposal for movies.

2 - If you drink coffee, do you like it plain or would you rather have something like a latte or something flavoured? I never take coffee black. I mean I’ve had a few sips of it from friends’ cups before, but it just made me miserable loooool.

3 - How did you used to dress ten years ago? Do you dress in a similar way now? Ten years ago I was 12 and had no fashion sense whatsoever. I just put on whatever hand-me-down I got or whatever my mom would get me when she’d go window shopping. Didn’t really start putting in effort in my outfits until the end of high school.

4 - When you’re grocery shopping, do you buy known brands or are you happy to go with the generic store version? Known brands, because most of the time they end up having a better quality as well.

5 - Do you have a close relationship with any of your cousins? I’m super close with only one cousin, the eldest one on my mom’s side. He’s pretty much like an older brother to me and my siblings. Everyone else on my mom’s side is too young for me to get truly close with; my cousins on my dad’s side are too shy and also live too far away for me to be able to keep up a close relationship with them.

6 - Who was the last person to sleep over at your house? Does this person stay over often or was it more of a one-off? Gabie, I think. She stayed over a lot before, but obviously not anymore.

7 - Does bad weather put you off going out if you’ve got plans to do so? Have you ever cancelled plans due to the weather? Only if a typhoon is really strong; like now, and how they actually had to cancel work today because of the power outages everywhere and because residents in other cities are already being brought to evacuation centers where they can be safe. I had no idea work suspensions were a thing lmao so I was glad to read the message today; I didn’t know how I was going to work with only data and limited battery for both my phone and laptop (power’s been out in our house since 1 AM). :(

8 - When you’re on vacation, do you prefer doing the typical tourist things, or would you rather explore somewhere off the beaten track? I will enjoy a tourist thing or two, but otherwise I’d focus on the less-explored or less-visited attractions. It’s usually the museums or historical landmarks, which is a shame.

9 - Did your family travel a lot when you were younger? From the time I turned 11, which I think was the time my dad got a good promotion and money got a lot better at home. We’d go for vacations locally and abroad every time he was home, which was every 5-6 months.

10 - When was the last time you went shopping for clothes? Did you get anything decent or find any bargains? Around March, I think. Yeah, I found two tops that were both bargains.

11 - Is it true that accessories can make or break an outfit? For sure. With me, it’s bags.

12 - What is your worst memory from high school? What about the best? The absolute worst that I can remember was when we had to role-play as our chosen character in the novel we were taking up in Filipino class; and for some wild reason I chose the most extravagant, bitchiest, flamboyant character...for whom I do not have even the slightest acting chops. When I got to the front of the classroom that’s when I realized my mistake, blanked out, realized I wasn’t going to be able to act as her, and fumbled for the next five minutes.

My favorite bits from high school were the lunch periods I spent with my friend group. Even if we don’t talk anymore, I’m just grateful I was able to find a home in a group in high school.

13 - Is there any trait in a potential partner that would be a total dealbreaker for you? Right now my biggest dealbreaker is if they aren’t Gabie...lol. Other than that, I imagine being hugely turned off by poor hygiene.

14 - Do you insist people use coasters if they’re putting drinks down in your house? No. I wish we did have coasters as I find them aesthetically pleasing haha, but my mom doesn’t find them necessary

15 - Have you ever been arrested? Were you guilty of whatever it is you were arrested for? Never been.

16 - Name five items on the shelf nearest to you: I don’t have shelves in my room.

17 - After meals, do you wash dishes up right away, or do you leave them in the sink and do a whole days worth at once? I leave them in the sink and soak it with water and dishwashing soap for an hour or so, so that by the time I get back to it it’s easier and quicker to wash. So I do leave them, but I don’t wait until I have 4353894753246 dishes to wash by the end of the day.

18 - What websites do you find yourself spending the most time on? These days I’m primarily on Google Suite, honestly. Work eats up my week.

19 - Do you still download music and TV shows? No. Nearly all media I consume these days is thanks to an online subscription. The only exception is YouTube, I think.

20 - Does your phone have a good battery life? How long does it last before you need to charge it again? I don’t know how it fares compared to other brands, but I’m generally okay with my phone’s battery life. It lasts around 2-3 hours if used continuously, but if I’m out all day and on the go, it can last a whole day with me.

21 - When was the last time you hit snooze? Yesterday.

22 - Did you ever play The Sims? Which expansion pack was your favourite, if you had any? I did play The Sims a lot before – mostly Sims 2 on the PS2, Sims 2 Pets on the PSP, and Sims 4 on the PS4. I never explored the expansion packs too much, though.

23 - Are there any popular film series or TV shows that you just don’t get the appeal of? Game of Thrones and any Marvel movie.

24 - As a child, did you receive pocket money or an allowance? How much did you get? Was it dependent on you doing chores of some kind? Eh, not really. I didn’t receive an allowance of any kind until I was in high school when I started to be given P100 (roughly $2) a day, which was enough for snacks and lunch. No, I didn’t do chores to get the money.

25 - Do you think your parents did a good job of raising you? Would you do anything differently with your own kids? They taught me manners, showing respect, and different values like recognizing my privilege, giving to the poor, understanding my enemies in school, etc. But my childhood seriously lacked emotional maturity, physical affection, and, generally...just being treated like a kid; and I definitely feel the effects from these until today. I was already yelled at from age 5, and that has made me afraid of anyone who ever so slightly raises their voice. I’d do a lot of things differently with my own kid/s.

26 - If something is bothering you, do you have to fix it right away? Not always. Sometimes I run away from it first.

27 - Are there any household jobs you enjoy doing? If so, what’s the reason that you enjoy those things? This isn’t much of a chore as washing dishes or cleaning the bathroom, but I love making my bed. It gives me a sense of productivity and accomplishment, and it’s honestly a form of self-care. I always have the option of letting my bed stay messy and then feeling like shit about it the whole day, so when I do make my bed and fold up my blanket and everything, it gets a little easier to pat myself on the shoulder.

28 - Do you still live in the area you grew up in? Would you like to live somewhere else one day? Where would you go? Yeah, we literally just moved to the village right next to the one I grew up in. I’ve lived here nearly all my life, so I can’t wait to move someplace else. In the city, preferably; with skyscrapers and the constant sound of traffic, construction, and people walking. I feel I’d be happier there.

29 - Do you smoke, drink or do drugs? How old were you the first time you tried those things? Do you want to quit? I drink, vape, and smoke, but I’m not reliant on any of these. I had my first drink at 18, and I smoked and vaped for the first time when I was 21. No, I don’t have plans to quit.

30 - What’s one thing that really grosses you out? Is it something you have to deal with anyway? How do you cope? Cockroaches. Sometimes we’ll see a cockroach roaming around the house, but it’s super rare so I wouldn’t say I regularly deal with them. I cope by yelling for my mom or dad to come kill it, ha.

#survey #surveys

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ellelittlebitofcrazy · 4 years

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Film Review: 5 Reasons why Netflix's Sex Education is Revolutionary for Filipino Teenagers

Netflix's Sex Education has caught a lot of viewers' attention in the Philippines ever since it aired last 2019. A British comedy-drama teen series which received an 8.3/10 in Rotten Tomatoes and IMBD and some nominations for online film and television awards during its release years.

I remember encouraging my younger sister to watch Sex Education on Netflix because I believed she would learn from it and that it is good for her to be educated. At first, I was doubtful of whether I should do it or not because to recommend this type of film-- especially for Filipino teenagers that grew up from conservative families-- feels the necessity for personal space when watching. Some tend to keep it personal when it comes to the things rarely talked about in the family. Unlike western adolescence, Asians are more traditional and timid when it comes to topics that are intimate. This is why a lot of Filipino teenagers and young adults struck their interests ever since Netflix aired the film. Some comments were, "Have you watched the new Netflix series?" A friend of mine said, "Grabe, episode 1 palang.." They were surprised about what happened only on the first episode. But, aside from the fact that the film shows lots of the sexy stuff and the typical high school love thing going on, there are some points I would like to share on how this particular series has the potential to change the outlook of this generation. That being said, here are 5 things why I think Sex Education is revolutionary, especially for Filipino teenagers.

Sex Education is informative in an entertaining way.

Watching the show eases the awkwardness that teenagers often feel when talking about taboo stuff. An example is when Jean Milburn, Otis' mother, who is a sex therapist and one of the main characters of the show, assured Otis' frequent masturbation as being normal during puberty. Another is the vagina shaming incident that ended with an unexpected low-key unity among females who, ironically, dislike each other.

When we want something to be normalized, we can use methods that divert our attention from the idea that is frowned-upon in order to transition its state to a more acceptable type. In that way, the things we don't usually talk about turns out to be all right when we can laugh about it. "Yeah, its very funny but it's also true"-- the fact does not change. Sex Education portrays what high school feels like for most teenagers and the transformation of an uncomfortable situation into a stereotype kind of feels right when watching the film.

It tackles issues that are rarely discussed in schools.

There are a lot of things you don't learn in school, Brenda, but sex education should be one of them. Many schools here in the Philippines still posses such poor practice. Moordale Secondary School represents those schools but despite that, the film exposes these faults into circumstances and provides solution to them. An example is the scene where Jean Milburn talks about chlamydia in school and how it can cause panic and propagate false information among students who lack knowledge with regards to Sexually Transmitted Diseases. I think that conducting lessons about STDs or Safe Sex in school is not enough. Teachers should determine how their students feel about it and how this information should be used to advocate awareness than fear or anxiety.

Schools are supposed to be a safe and productive learning ground especially for pubescent individuals who are yet to discover a lot of things. It is good to acknowledge the importance of abstinence, but it does not take away the fact that the youth tend to act carelessly because they are on a part of their life where they are supposed to make mistakes. We would not want our relationships to end up like how the Moordale teachers Mr. Colin Hendricks and Ms. Emily Sanders-- who had dirty talking issues they can't even discuss-- handled it so the other ended up seeking advice from a student. It is not supposed to be that way! Talking about these things in school is healthy and is a fundamental element to consider for one's sexual awareness.

Sex Education depicts teenage reality about sexuality, circumstances, and problems.

Most Filipino teenagers, while growing up, either experienced how to deal with strict parents, bullies, or personal circumstances that eventually made them feel unsafe when it comes to asserting their themselves. Their sexuality, insecurities, and traumas were dramatically portrayed by the students in the series too. Knowing that Ola, Adam, and Eric too, felt differently and that it was okay feeling the same way they did when they finally realized their sexuality. Or when Olivia admitted her insecurities to her boyfriend and when Otis learned about his childhood trauma as the reason why he was having a difficulty in self-pleasure. With Maeve's family problems, and Aimee's emotional and physical security-- these scenes exhibit a sense of validation and understanding to the viewers.

We are now in the newest era where we have acknowledged our past and that it cannot hurt us anymore. We focused more on the things we did not learn or encounter before. The things our parents lacked teaching us. The things everyone forgot to tell us.

It shows the support that we get from our fellow teenagers

During childhood, kids encounter a lot of bading jokes and terms from their friends. During high school, filipino kids often tease one person who acts differently, but this generation is not easily hindered by individuality; just like Eric and Otis' friendship. Just as how the girls comforted Aimee after her bus incident. The fact that the film pulled it off with Eric and Otis' friendship tells a whole lot of difference. I have to say this: No one gets us but us. Not our parents, not our teachers, our ates or kuyas. Not them, but those who feel the exact same way too. We draw our emotional support from our friends. We tell them our secrets and the things we struggle from. Sex Education showed us that no matter how differently we may be from others, may it be from different circles, different neighborhoods, we have that one thing in common: We are all feeling these things at the same moment of our lives. We can now see the diversity in each circle of friends. We have conquered our differences and used them to unify ourselves.

Teenagers today feel a sense of security when they open up to their friends and I think it should stay that way.

Sex Education teaches communication as an essential tool

This is what I personally admired most about this film. The amount of courage that every character had in revealing their views. Number one is Otis and his mother's relationship. I would not say it is sometimes out of line, I want to focus on the outcome of that situation. If you watch and notice every time he courses into an argument with his mom, he would consistently be honest about his sentiments, whether he felt mad, or he felt betrayed. Number two, Eric and his father having a deep conversation about being openly gay. In one line Eric says, "Your fear doesn't help me, dad. It makes me weak." Number three, the season finale scene where Otis confronted his dad, Remi, about how he has never been there for him. It was probably the most intense and purest conversation a father and son could ever have. I cannot begin to imagine how brave it was for a parent admitting his mistakes to his child. Lastly, When Ola and Maeve finally ended their beef with each other and realize that women are supposed to have each others' backs.

These forms of conversations rarely happen to the youth in this country. Thus, they develop bad blood toward their family members, or grudge toward their friends. Communication is the healthiest form of understanding others. Something that this generation needs to improve. Some of us hide behind the fear of being wrong. For Jackson, the parental pressure. For Aimee--fear of not being heard. And for whatever reason, teenagers find it very hard to convey their emotions. The film's therapy sessions revolve around communicating such problems as it is the only way on how they could address them and just be done with it.

I hope this short review aids in understanding the change we need to be today. Our generation has come so far and I aspire for more growth. Cheers!

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ledamemangociana · 5 years

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having finally seen Endgame, i have some thoughts on the reveal and portrayal of the fat character. im sure im not the first to say any of these, and that other ppl have said it more eloquently and more thought-out than i probably will, but i needed to get this out, because i didn’t get to see the movie until far after it was first released, and i saw a LOT of talk and warning about it coming, which caused me to brace and almost make me lose hype for the film.

under a cut and untagged to avoid spoiling anyone. i’ll also try not to name names and keep any direct references as vague as possible.

so - the good things first. i get what they were trying to do, or at least hoping to convey. i saw the grimness of long-term depression and its effects. i saw that the other characters (most of them anyway), did not see or treat it all as a joke. i also appreciate that they didn’t have him return to his brick-shithouse form even after magicking his armour onto himself at the end, and that there was no indication that he was already or instantly okay after having reversed the snap and saved the world. maybe i see these and appreciate these in this way because A) i can relate to the depression and the grieving and the effects of it, and B) he was always my favorite Avenger, so it was good and kind of cathartic seeing him go through that and not be magically cured of what was ailing him.

the bad parts - it’s very clear that while what he was going through was being taken seriously for the most part in-story, the portrayal felt like a deliberate attempt at laughs from the audience. in attempting to talk about the effects of declining mental health, they played into and played up the stereotypes, and then made sure that the reveal was hilarious instead of shocking. the characters were shocked, the audience was not, and judging by the way his fat belly, the room and his roommates were shown, they were not meant to be shocked, they were meant to laugh at how much he had let himself go. it’s easy for someone who may not know that the Russos deliberately did this for the laughs (they said so themselves, apparently) to say “nah, people just don’t get it, and they’re always gonna laugh at that,” because it’s true, but i can’t help but wish that it wasn’t so deliberate on the filmmakers’ parts. people are ALWAYS going to laugh at a drunk, dirty, un-kept, fat, glutton playing video games in a basement and threatening teenagers halfway around the world over a headset. it’s obviously very deliberate that they chose that stereotypical visual to portray effects of depression that look similar or exactly like that. plus, look at who his roommate was in that scene. there was literally one other person they could have had in that scene, even though they’d already appeared in the setup prior to the reveal. that scene was deliberately played for laughs. and that’s the part that hurts. because people are laughing not just at a fat dude, but at the very real issue of mental health problems. i told my friends that i was glad that i hadnt watched the movie for the first time with my dad, who doesn’t understand my depression, thinks that whatever i’m feeling is only temporary and cannot at all stand up to or be equal in any way to his grief and mourning (he literally said the words “you only lost a job, i lost my wife” to me when i tried to explain why my room in the condo had turned into such a gigantic mess in the three months that i was desperately looking for a new job; to this day, he’s convinced that that was all my depression was about, and that i was making excuses). when i watched the movie in a theater that was hardly full of people (because it was the first showing of the day and most people were only just waking up or just on their way to the malls), everyone around me was laughing. i wasn’t. i saw myself in that scene, i recognized what it was as the set-up was happening, and i found no humor in it. and it was difficult to sit there and listen to everyone cackle at the fat drunk as he hurled beer after beer down his pot belly, even knowing that Filipinos, in general, only say they understand and accept social issues, but would get defensive and smart-shame anyone who tried to explain mental health issues to them (us). it was difficult sitting there knowing that all anyone else saw was an overweight inebriate with unruly hair, and found it hilarious, instead of looking at what was going on underneath all that, and seeing the conversation that the filmmakers flimsily attempted to start or convey while also intentionally making exactly these kinds of audiences laugh instead.

before i saw the film, people were telling me it’s not as bad as a lot of people may think, and i get why they said that. i think the attempt at a deeper, more serious look at the consequences of declining mental health is clear, but gets lost or almost devalued by the attempt at laughs. and look, i know some jerks out there would see this and be like “stop whining, it’s a superhero movie, it’s not that deep, you want deep dives into these issues, go watch an independent film” or something, but that’s bullshit to me. a big blockbuster sounds like exactly a good way to get a good message about mental health across, because a ton of people watch these things. blockbuster movies are still stories, and they still show some impression of real life embedded in them. a story can be fantastical af, but its morals and lessons would still be about how we real people live our real lives. someone who really, truly cared about getting good messages across in their films would’ve done better than this. i appreciate what they did, or what they tried to do, but i can’t help but wish there was more.

this is just how i see it, of course. i don’t know that there’s anyone who would agree with me on this. in general, i’m glad it wasn’t worse, but i wish it was better.

#Mango Goes to Jail

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pianoperson · 5 years

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Get to know me (if you want)

No one asked for this. Questions are from @chvmpagne-and-gasoline so if you wanna answer them, feel free to.

1. 6 of the songs you listen to the most?

La Campanella by Liszt, Humoresque by Dvorak, Rolling Girl by wowaka, Servant of Evil by mothy (?), Circles by Kira (?), Comptine D’un Autre Été (yes I don’t give a damn about pop culture)

2. If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

Brett and Eddy from TwoSet

3. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.

“1997—X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter” from Armada by Ernest Cline

4. Who do you think about most?

My real life friends because they’re great, and IkeRev guys (especially Jonah)

5. What does your latest text message from someone else say?

Asking them where they are

6. Do you sleep with or without clothes on?

With. How do people sleep without clothes?

7. What’s your strangest talent?

Having random thoughts enter my mind that actually predict the future (but I never really tell anyone so)

8: Girls are cool; Boys are cool. (everyone is cool period)

9: Ever had a poem or song written about you?

Nope, well at least I don’t think so. But I did write a poem about someone (it was never meant to be a roast poem, just a poem that was meant to be an outlet for my sadness, but it was accidentally written in such a way that it can be interpreted as one)

10: When is the last time you played the air guitar?

Bold of you to assume I ever played guitar. The closest was ukelele but that was for school.

11: Do you have any strange phobias?

12: Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?

No, unless your finger counts (hey, it gets bothersome sometimes to feel something within your nostril)

13: What’s your religion?

Roman Catholic

14: If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?

Either I’m going out to eat or exercising

15: Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

Behind, but I always end up in front of it

16: Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?

I don’t have a favorite band.

17: What was the last lie you told?

It was probs a yes to a question I no longer remember.

18: Do you believe in karma?

I joke about it, but honestly, no.

19: What does your URL mean?

I’m a person who likes piano. That’s it.

20: What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?

My greatest weakness is being too cautious to the point I get tense due to fear of failure. My greatest strength is probably scrape by school with grades 90 and above without putting in my best.

21: Who is your celebrity crush?

Bold of you to assume I even have one.

22: Have you ever gone skinny dipping?

Nope, never

23: How do you vent your anger?

If I want to rant, I either rant alone or with people who think alike. But that’s with really shallow stuff. If it’s really bad anger, I tend to keep it to myself because I feel like I’m gonna waste people’s time and my own energy.

24: Do you have a collection of anything?

None

25: Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

Depends. But I’ll go with talking on the phone.

26: Are you happy with the person you’ve become?

Nope. Not yet.

27: What’s a sound you hate; sound you love?

I hate Edgar Bright’s voice the sound of a spoon or fork accidentally scraping against the plate. I love the sound of pianos and flutes.

28: What’s your biggest “what if”?

What if I screw up so badly that I’ll end up a failure, a loser, and a loner for the rest of my life and end up dying in pain alone?

29: Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

Ghosts, no. Aliens, a bit.

30: Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.

With my right, I touch air. With my left, I touch the TV screen,

31: Smell the air. What do you smell?

Nothing

32: What’s the worst place you have ever been to?

If it smells like garbage, then automatically, it’s the worst place for me. And I’ve been to a number of places like that so I can’t specify.

33: Choose: East Coast or West Coast?

West Coast just because I’ve been there

34: Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?

Does Jonah Clemence count? He sings lol But in all seriousness, none.

35: To you, what is the meaning of life?

Life is like a Pokemon game. You’re not going to win all those battles, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give up. But if your life is Pokemon X and Y, you’re lucky.

36: Define Art.

Art is something universal yet personal.

37: Do you believe in luck?

Yes. Of course, you need to work hard, but you still have to hope that things go your way.

38: What’s the weather like right now?

Pretty cool since it’s nighttime. Clear skies too.

39: What time is it?

10:07pm

40: Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?

Nope.

41: What was the last book you read?

Armada by Ernest Cline. It’s a great read, especially if you read Ready Player One by the same author.

42: Do you like the smell of gasoline?

Yes. Everyone around me finds it weird.

43: Do you have any nicknames?

Yeah

44: What was the last film you saw?

Infinity War

45: What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had?

When I was grade one, I fell and hit my head.

46: Have you ever caught a butterfly?

Never had, never tried.

47: Do you have any obsessions right now?

IkeRev I guess

48: What’s your sexual orientation?

49: Ever had a rumour spread about you?

Yep. Quite a bit.

50: Do you believe in magic?

Nope. But I wish I have.

51: Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?

Nope, because that’s a waste of time and energy. Also, I tend to forget they even did anything to me lol

52: What is your astrological sign?

Sagittarius

53: Do you save money or spend it?

For school and food, spend. Otherwise, save.

54: What’s the last thing you purchased?

Takeout from a restaurant because there was no food at home.

55: Love or lust?

Love

56: In a relationship?

Nope

57: How many relationships have you had?

Was single, has been single, always will be single

58: Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

I think I used to, but no.

59: Where were you yesterday?

At home

60: Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?

Nope

61: Are you wearing socks right now?

Nope

62: What’s your favourite animal?

Idk. My dog I guess.

63: What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?

I don’t even try.

64: Where is your best friend?

At home

65: Give me your top 5 favourite blogs on Tumblr.

@just-shower-thoughts @extramadness @laineclemence @theundyingskeleton @valkryie-nyte

66: What is your heritage?

Filipino with a bit of Chinese and Spanish

67: What were you doing last night at 12AM?

Answering some questions on Tumblr

68: What do you think is Satan’s last name?

He doesn’t have one.

69: Be honest. Ever gotten yourself off?

Sorry, what does that even mean?

70: Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend?

Considering I talk to myself a lot, yes.

71: You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?

Go to work. I don’t think I can save that dog.

72: You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?

Yes I will tell my family and friends that I will die. Yes I will be very afraid. I will go to confession as soon as possible and perhaps try to do some stuff before I die.

73: You can only have one of these things; trust or love.

Trust

74: What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?

The One That Got Away by Katy Perry just because nostalgia

75: What are the last four digits in your cell phone number?

My lips are sealed about that.

76: In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?

Being great friends grants a great relationship.

77: How can I win your heart?

You can’t.

78: Can insanity bring on more creativity?

No, but it can make you do the things you want to do by removing all insecurities and inhibitions preventing you from doing those things.

79: What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

Staying alive

80: What size shoes do you wear?

If we’re talking about closed shoes, size 5

81: What would you want to be written on your tombstone?

Never thought about it

82: What is your favourite word?

Right now, it’s Queen.

83: Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart.

Jonah Clemence (ok how many times have I said his name in this post)

84: What is a saying you say a lot?

“Lol”, “nice”, “I wanna die.”, or “Patayin mo na ako.”

85: What’s the last song you listened to?

Melt’s cover of Rolling Girl

86: Basic question; what’s your favourite colour/colours?

Blue and black

87: What is your current desktop picture?

A galaxy

88: If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?

I don’t want to have that on my conscience and my record so nope.

89: What would be a question you’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

Do I have a kink?

90: One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren’t really doing anything, they’re just standing around your bed. What do you do?

Clutch my blanket and stay still, trying to think of a way to get them out without inadvertently causing my death.

91: You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?

Psychic powers

92: You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?

That one time I touched a thermometer that wasn’t supposed to be touched in grade two. Everyone got mad at me for it. It took me three or four years to get over the shame from that incident.

93: You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

2016. What a time waster.

94: You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?

That’s uncomfortable...

95: You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?

Iceland just because it sounds great

96: Do you have any relatives in jail?

Nope

97: Have you ever thrown up in the car?

Never, which is great

98: Ever been on a plane?

Yep

99: If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?

Jesus is the answer.

#asks #personal

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carousel-under-the-rain · 5 years

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She’s a Peregrine and a Maverick

"Je ne sais quoi" is one of her latest favorite quotation which also appears in her Facebook’s bio. Actually it wasn't a quote. It was more of an old french phrase, which means "indescribable", "uncountable", "a pleasant quality that is hard to describe" and "an indefinable quality that makes something distinctive or attractive." Well, its literal translation is "I don't know what" but the beauty of its connotative definition is quite intricate. She's always been like that, attracted to weird and unique things. That's why she had a difficulty of understanding and discovering herself.

She was born during a Saturday afternoon of August 12 year of the golden dragon (2000) at Well Family Midwife Clinic in Tacloban City. She is the first born of Charina Aruta Camara and Felix Magalona Odita Jr. Usually, most filipino families would really expect the first child to be a boy but then the heavens gave them otherwise. There’s actually a fun story behind her name. Her mother is quite into the letter initials coding trend before. Because the first letter of her mother’s name is ‘C’ while his father is ‘F’, her mom planned to have all their future kids to have names that either begins with C or F. The initial plan was the sons will have the C-names while the daughters were assigned with the F-names. But as the old saying goes, “Expect the unexpected.” Everyone was very excited and was anticipating what name will be given to her due to that fact that she’s a first born. There were a long list of possible names: Thalia, Cleo, Farrel, Angelica, Calliope, Farrah and the list goes on but what’s unforgettable is that she almost became...Catalina Zarrya which means “pure” and “sunrise”. But that’s another story. Her grandmother in her mother’s side asked a favor if she could name her first grand daughter with her second daughter (Chantal’s mom). Her first choice during those time was ‘Thalia’ because she was a big fan of the hit Mexican drama “Marimar”. But upon discovering the letter coding thing of her daughter she eventually choose the name ‘Chantal’ which is the real name of the antagonist of the series Angelica Santibañez. Her grandmother from her father’s side agreed with the chosen name because of its meaning which is associated with “Stone” or “Song”. Her grandmother wished that she would live up to her name, to be as stern and zealous but at the same time to live a life with vibrant melody and harmony. They gave her that name which portrays irony yet complements each other which they believe is a perfect combination.

If you could observe, most of the names that were suggested was more of Western names. Well, it is because of her ancestry. She has a Spanish and Arabic decent from her father’s side of the family while a Chinese lineage from her mother’s side. One thing she’s always been proud of, is because some of her ancestors were the first Spaniards who came in the Philippines. Their family’s ancestors (father’s side) have a piece of land in Homonhon Island. Speaking of family members, she have three younger siblings named Felix III, Frauleine and Clive Owen. She started going to school at the age of five. She was basically a nomad. She spent her life traveling from one place to another. Their family used to move out a lot and she’s very used with transferring to different schools. She was always the ‘new girl’. At first it was hard, but maybe because it was her ‘eldest child instinct’ and because of how her mother raised her, it eventually became easier than what she thought. She’s been into 9 different schools already summing up her elementary and high school years. She’s currently studying at Leyte Normal University undertaking the program of Bachelor of Secondary Education majoring English.

Let’s now talk about her dreams, interests and fun facts! She has this distinct characteristic that it’s either she feels she belong to anything or nothing at all. But in her 18 years of existence she actually once had this greatest dream that makes her feel invincible...and that was to become an ASTRONAUT. She experienced a lot of shameful reactions and embarrassing comments of how absurd her dream was. But who knows right? One good thing about her, is that she’s basically in for anything that captures her interest but the downside is that its difficult for her to get interested with things right away. But here are some of her undeniably list of interest:

Literature

History

Philosophy

Astrology

Science

Music

Film

Arts

Photography

Technology etc.

There are way too many to mention, depends on her mood and her passion scale. Moving forward, because her name has 7 letters, here are some of her exclusive seven fun facts!

1.) She has insomnia and she’s a nocturnal person.

Ever since she was younger, she finds it hard to fall asleep at night that’s why her mother advised her to drink milk every night before bedtime and sometimes her parents would sing her a song until she drift into dreamland. Unfortunately, her insomnia got worst when her father died when she was only 13.

2.) Definitely a Melophile

She’s very interested and enthusiastic when it comes to music. Her playlist includes Classical stuff, the 70′s-90′s jam, various genre from jazz, R’n’B, country, punk and metal rock to electropop, alternative rock, reggae and bubble gum synths etc. Music is one of her alternative universe. She listens to anything that is good to her ears. She believes that there’s no such thing as limitation when it comes to music. She doesn’t set boundaries and celebrates diversity of musical difference. She’s also very much willing to learn any instrument as long as its available but her strength are those instruments under the family of aerophones or “wind instruments”.

3.) An acrophobic

4.) She trained Arnis, Fencing & Wushu

She was trained in various fields of martial arts for self defense but she specifically excel in these three.

5.) She started going to school at the age of five.

6.) Her middle name was supposed to be “Kho”

During the Spanish colonization, foreigners will need to pay tax for bearing a different surname. That’s why her great grandfather converted their Chinese surname for a Spanish one. Thus, her complete name is Chantal Camara Odita.

7.) She is a bird person

Unlike other kids, their usual pets would be dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters and other four legged furry animals. She only had a pet twice. Both were birds.

Well that’s just some of the things about her. From being a wallflower when she was 5-7 years old to a confused ambivert as a teenager, she went through a timeline of various societal obstacle course and intrapersonal challenges yet she’s here sharing some of the few details of her persona. Just like that french saying, “je ne sais quoi” she wants to remain that way. Someone who stands firmly on what she believes in and doesn’t always blend with the crowd. Socializing is basically a requirement in a human’s life and it’s totally fine. But thou shall not lose thyself in the process. That’s why she’s still riding that horse in that old carousel. The rain might be pouring hard but it reminds her of a familiar feeling and it consoles her weary heart. The carousel keeps on it’s circling phase and she tightened her grip. She knows something awaits in this odd and epic traverse for she was a peregrine and a maverick 🍁

#carouselundertherainfirstride

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jamesryanjusto-blog · 5 years

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Reaction Paper

The video showed a short skit by the PGAG facebook goup called ‘Every MMFF Movie Ever’. The video talks about what every movie featured in the Metro Manila Film Festival is like in a comedic every blank ever type of skit. It made different points such as how there are a lot of bootleg remakes of classic superheroes. There are a lot of crossovers with these films as well. They talked about love stories featuring popular love teams repetitively. They made it a point several times in the video about the placement of product advertisements in the films and the overflow of variety and genres thrown in the making of the movie. This short video is is a form of media literacy as it evaluates and analyzes media which is the MMFF in a form of media.

The video displayed some valid points about how films in the MMFF are like. I can remember watching so much superhero Filipino movies when I was a kid. I believe that there is no problem with remakes of classic superheroes but films should always present some form of originality and should not just be a copycat like the Victor Magtatanggol type which is the point that the video made. dilemma being resolved and the resolve is usually nonsensical where you can really see the writers writing these type of films are stretching the morals of the story just to resolve the issue and end the film. I find this one of the reasons why Filipinos today are not supporting Filipino films as much and switching to foreign films like American films and Korean drama. These films often show different concepts and unexpected scenarios and endings for their films which is why Filipinos are entertained more. Mostly the only unique thing with Filipino romantic films are the love teams and they are also the main selling point of the film. The same goes with superhero and comedy films that feature hit stars as the protagonist. The video also keeps on joking about the absurd amounts of brand placements in these films, I personally have no problem with that as long as it is not obvious and interferes with the atmosphere of the movie. They do have to get a budget from somewhere and creating a film is not cheap.

Overall, the video presented good points all throughout. The video made points in a comedic way about how the films in the Metro Manila Film Festival are repetitive, have a lot of love stories with love teams in them, they have a lot of classic superhero remakes, they portray a lot of brand placements and they genres are too mixed up with one another. The video was able to create media literacy where they critically evaluated films in the MMFF in the form of a skit or short video on the internet. Truly, in the skit we can see the character of the writer being ignored for his comments with the executives talking over his ideas with their own for the movie. To me, they were able to clearly portray how the MMFF doesn’t accept films that shows the artistic ideas of the writers because of how making something experimental would be talking a risk in their financials where the marketing head in the skit compared that they are not cinemalaya which also a film company but they feature creative films. I believe the MMFF prefers repetitive films because this is what Filipinos are used to, it’s already proven that they watch these films and in return they get a lot of money. They see this success and just stick to the same flow of story. They are too afraid to take risks and show the potential of filipino writers which is a shame and it shows what they truly only care about; money.

~During the creation of this reaction paper, I was able to reminisce the past Filipino movies i have watched and realized how bad they actually were. Although I may have been too harsh on my reaction, it is was a truly realized. I’ve always believed that our quality of media is so behind from western and korean media. Our movies are always have the same formulas and concepts that it’s no mystery how our own people are are switching over to films and media of other countries.

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seoulfulcity · 6 years

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October 2, 2018: Let’s Have Some Kimchi

It’s been almost two months since I left Seoul and had to start adjusting back to my life in Los Angeles. Having experienced multiple culture shocks throughout the summer, I feel obliged to write about my own stories with how I tackled the different environment I had to adjust to in South Korea; and my experience with reverse culture shock after coming back home made me realize that it would also be an interesting blog to write about, since I believe that I was not and will not be the only one to have lived through it. So, in the next few blogs, I will talk about the South Korean culture shock and reverse culture shock.

안녕하세요,

What is culture shock? University of Iowa defines culture shock as “pronounced reactions to the psychological disorientation most people experience when they move for an extended period of time into a culture markedly different from their own”. It is the feeling of not belonging whenever someone transitions to a new place, a new city, a new state, or a new country. It is more than just adjusting to the timezone difference, but encompasses all the changes and adjustment in language, food, weather, people, history, politics, and daily routines. It might be a familiar feeling to those overcome with wanderlust - a feeling that drives their minds to stay open, a signal for more exploration, and a means to gain more knowledge about a country.

I am from Los Angeles, which has the highest population of Korean immigrants and Korean-Americans in the United States. I am from an area in Los Angeles that is packed with Asian restaurants, and in which the Korean culture is ever so palpable. Koreatown, which houses the largest Korean population outside of the Korean peninsula after China, is a well-celebrated enclave within Los Angeles. It offers the most delicious restaurants and cafes that are outside the generic American fast food chains and Starbucks; and with the rise of Korean presence in the entertainment industry, the Korean culture is becoming much more celebrated than it already was.

With that said, Korean culture has been part of every Angeleno’s life - mine included. Frankly, I do admit that I enjoy listening to Korean music and find myself having a stronger preference to Korean dramas more than Western songs and television shows. I have a general knowledge of basic Korean etiquette within a home, in a restaurant, and in basic social setting. So, that basically gives me a free pass with the culture shock after arriving in Seoul, right? Wrong! No matter how much Korean dramas or films I’ve seen, or however many Korean barbeque restaurants I’ve eaten in, none of those had ever prepared me for the culture shock that I had to endure in South Korea. Here is my list:

1. Subway Culture

Los Angeles thrives on its car culture. There is a very big stigma regarding public transportation usage, and Angelenos will always rationalize not walking to go to the store that is only ten minutes away.

Fun fact: it’s sunny in Los Angeles all year, though we have a huge population with vitamin D deficiency, since it seems like the only times Angelenos go out and feel the sun is when they leave their cars.

I don’t have to hide the fact that the public transportation in Los Angeles is not to be trusted at all. Silver Line buses arrive 10 minutes late on a regular basis, and sometimes would be almost an hour late. Subway lines, such as the Red Line and Blue line would sometimes miss a schedule entirely. If the Metro schedule tells you that the Metro Rapid bus 770 would arrive at your stop at 1:15 PM, expect it to be there at either 12:48 PM or 1:39 PM. Metro drivers don’t have any regards to schedule or timing, so that’s probably why Angelenos don’t trust the public transportation at all. It’s also very difficult to go from point A to point B without having to take multiple subways and buses, since not all of the locations are accessible via the public transportation.

Contrast that to the Seoul subway station, in which the stigma is basically non-existent. They have less than 15-minute intervals between subways and buses, which minimizes the possibility of crowds, long lines, and insane wait times. Everything is accessible via the subways alone, and with a huge population of citizens incorporating public transportation into their daily lives, the funding for the maintenance of the stations and subway trains is insane.

The floors are very clean and I’m not worried holding on to the metal bars in the subway trains. Expect the subways and buses to arrive on schedule, so you don’t have to worry about missing your ride, even in the middle of the night going home after a long day at work (seriously, the buses in Los Angeles stop working at 9 PM, and it’s so difficult to work around that schedule when I’m trying to stay in the library all night to study - Uber and Lyft are options, but the prices do add up).

Not only the subways are very timely, the people of Seoul themselves are very orderly. There are designated seats for pregnant women (colored pink), the elderly and the disabled people (the seats closest to the subway doors on each opposite end). In Los Angeles, these seats are mainly for priority. If there are no pregnant women, elderly, or disabled people around, the seats would be taken until they arrive; not in Seoul. Even when the subway trains are packed at rush hour, these seats will remain empty until the designated occupants take them.

Important: Don’t disregard this rule since you will be met with angry comments and shame from the Korean subway riders, and that’s never a fun experience.

Also, people form lines to walk up the stairs after getting off the subways in a neat and tidy manner. They don’t rush to walk or run in front of someone with the fear of missing their subways, because once again - Seoul subways have a set schedule that it’s very rare to miss your ride. If you know the time of when your subway leaves the station, expect them to leave at that very minute.

Side note: while taking the escalator, stand on the right side and walk on the left side.

The social life within the subway stations are also reminiscent of Tokyo and Hong Kong’s. There are stores, restaurants, massage parlors, and even a mall in all of Seoul’s subway stations. While waiting for the subway, you can buy croquettes (크로켓) with different fillings in a bakery, heat up some cup noodles or doshirak (Korean lunch boxes) and eat them at the dining sections in the convenience stores, or you can even shop for some clothes, wallets, jewelries, and bags. Try using the subway stations in Los Angeles, and all you’ll see are unpainted gray walls, a group of homeless men stationed by the Tap Card machines, and dirty floors that seem to not have been cleaned since the station was opened.

2. Accessibility

It’s without a doubt a common knowledge that Seoul is obviously a small city, despite its booming economy and huge population; but a small location means that everything is within a walking distance, so that calls for a celebration (let’s pretend Singapore doesn’t exist, since my friend told me you can walk Singapore from end to end in a day).

Everything is spread out in Los Angeles. If you want to buy some snacks at a 7/11, you might have to drive about 10 minutes for the closest one. A quick coffee break? The closest Starbucks is a 5-minute drive! Planning to eat before headed for a night out? The next few eateries are just 20 minutes away via car. Don’t be fooled though! 10 minutes by car is very close for an Angeleno, since everything is far apart from one another. This is not the case in Seoul, and this is very apparent at night.

Night life in Seoul is very accessible. Clubs and bars line each other side-by-side, with a convenience store or two stationed right in front of each one to accommodate the drinkers who can’t afford to buy another glass of alcohol inside the bar.

Convenience stores are another culture on their own, since unlike Los Angeles, they are used as a means for quick social gatherings. Convenience stores in Seoul have a designated dining area, equipped with microwaves and hot water dispensers for whatever item you bought. Since they’re open 24/7 and are ubiquitous, people can just stop by at any time and sit down to eat, may it be to enjoy their time alone or to talk to their friends over cup ramen or tonkatsu.

On top of the clubs, bars, and convenience stores, there is also a large number of pojangmacha tents, although they have been in rapid decline recently due to the rise of trashes they leave. “They don’t look nice and make the city look dirty”, my Korean friends would say. Pojangmacha (포장마차), or temporary tents that serve quick bites and, most importantly, soju, are also found alongside the streets of Seoul if you don’t plan to sit down in a loud bar.

And what’s a Seoul night life without its noraebang (노래방), or the Korean version of karaoke. In Korean, norae (노래) means “song” and bang (방) means “room”. There are two main types of noraebang (노래방): one you pay by the hour and one you pay per song. An hourly rate would be as low as ₩8,000 ($7), or you can opt to pay per song for only ₩500 ($0.45) per song. Compare these prices to the hourly rates in Koreatown in Los Angeles that start from $25-$30 an hour.

Noraebang (노래방) in Seoul has never-ending options of songs to sing along to. Korean songs, Top 100 Western songs, Chinese songs, Japanese songs, Filipino songs, Vietnamese songs, Indonesian songs, Spanish songs, Russian songs, you name it.

Walking along any streets in Seoul, may it be in Hongdae, Myeongdong, Gangnam, Anam, Kondae, there will be the word noraebang (노래방) in flashing neon and LCD lights. You can purchase your soju in a noraebang (노래방), although a little more expensive; but, don’t fret. A convenience store is always there just a few meters from the entrance ready to save your wallet and contribute to making your musical nights much more memorable.

If you and your friend circle are not the types to socialize in a convenience store or a noraebang (노래방) - fear not! There is a huge industry on PC bang (PC방) in Seoul. In Korean, PC means “personal computer” and bang (방) means “room”. PC방 is an Internet gaming center that caters to the gamers, the introverts, and the social media fanatics. You may gain access to a PC방 through membership or one-time uses.

For membership, you just need to apply for one and they would give you a card for your login information, which charges you by the hour every time you use the computers.

For one-time users, you pick up a card on the reception that gives you the login information, which gives you access to the computers. The timer starts once you login, and you pay for the total amount right after you logout and give the card back to the receptionist.

The hourly rate is not very expensive. Expensive PC방 are equipped with large screens and more advanced software for the gamers, which have prices ranging from ₩1,200 to ₩1500/hour, or $1 to $1.30. Personally, I don’t need big screens to write my blog or do my assignments in, so I opt out for the regular computer screens, which costs me about ₩900 to ₩1,200 an hour, which is equivalent to $0.80 to $1.

Once again, Seoul thrives on accessibility and since South Koreans spend an average of five hours playing computer games per day, there will be a need for food - and yes, there are a lot of choices of food. There are snack bars, dining areas, and the receptionist even delivers food to your computer. You have options from chips, to finger foods like fries, and to full-course meals like a tonkatsu and bulgogi set. And of course, there are the never-ending supply of soju, if needed.

Soju is very cheap in Seoul, and many convenience stores would sell them for about ₩1,200 to ₩1500, which is about $1 to $1.30 (soju is cheaper than bottled water, just saying). Because of the accessibility of the drinking areas and soju, South Korea’s culture revolves around drinking (sometimes heavy drinking), therefore there are a lot of places where you can sit down with a group of friends and drink after work.

Many of these drinking places are around college campuses to cater towards the students vying for a social circle or are finding ways to de-stress themselves from the university responsibilities. In Los Angeles, the drinking culture are only within certain cities: mainly West Hollywood and Pasadena, two cities on opposite ends of the county. It is very difficult to gain access to social areas when you’re situated in the middle of the county or away from West Hollywood and Pasadena - once again, these cities are very hard to access via public transportation.

Not in Seoul. Even if Anam is considered empty compared to the lively Hongdae, which caters to the students of Hongik University, and Itaewon, which caters to the foreign population, Anam is still packed with social areas that are meant for students and teachers to drink in.

My favorite part is having to drink with friends and getting back to our dormitory or our housing by walking, which proves how close everything really is. Plus, if you are looking to experience Seoul drinking culture, Hongdae and Itaewon are easily accessible via public transportation, so finding the means to get there is never a problem.

Frankly, there will be nights where you just don’t want to go out and stay in (perhaps by yourself or with your friends), and Seoul’s delivery service culture is surreal. Almost every restaurant, if not all of them, have a delivery service that is easily accessible by a tap of a finger. You may call or make an order online (Korean reading skills are required if it’s not ordered through a phone call), and the food will be swiftly delivered via a motorcycle in less than half an hour.

They even write you cute little “thank you” notes in Korean as a token of appreciation, and those always brighten up my day. One of the post-it notes that came with a chicken wing order said “주문해 주셔서 감사합니다. 맛있게 드시고 행복하세요!!^^” (Jumunhae jusheoseo gamsahamnida. Mashitge deushigo haengboghaseyo).

The post-it note translates to “Thank you for ordering. Eat deliciously and be happy!” Translation courtesy of Minki-hyung (민기형).

Accessibility is staple South Korean culture: from convenience stores lining up next to each other blocks on end and to Seoul’s fast delivery service, there’s never an excuse to not spend a day in the country without Korean food and a bottle of soju... or two!

3. Confucianism Culture

There’s one C word you have to fully understand once you land in South Korea, and that is Confucianism. The whole Korean culture revolves around this - from greeting, to talking, to eating, to drinking, and to socializing.

Eldest Culture - when eating and drinking, the eldest member on the table always has to be served first. Don’t pick up your chopsticks, utensils, or drinking glasses until after the eldest does. When drinking alcohol, younger people should never point the bottom of their glasses towards the eldest. Drink facing away, and with both hands.

Refusing an Offer - when someone older than you offer you food or drink, you may not refuse that offer. This is a nice gesture of friendliness, especially if you’re drinking together for the first time. If you refuse the offer, that means you’re refusing the friendship and Koreans take that very personally.

Maknae (막내) Culture - the youngest is always asked to pass down the food or to refill everybody’s drinks. Be familiar with the term, maknae (막내/pronounced mangnae), which means the youngest of the group. Since the Korean culture relies heavily on age order, there are many traits and responsibilities that come with being the maknae (막내) of the group. He/she is expected to be polite, obedient, and respectful to the people order than him/her. Once labelled the maknae (막내), he/she will perform everything his/her elders ask him/her to do. The elders will take care of their maknae (막내) in return.

Don’t be surprised when the first question a Korean asks you when you meet is “몇 살이에요” (myeot salieyo?/how old are you?). This is the main means of establishing where they are in the conversation, since Korean verbs are distinguished based on age and politeness (whether or not they conjugate the verbs as if they’re talking to someone older, someone of the same age, or someone younger).

Addressing people older than you differs based on gender.

If you’re a male, you address older males as 형 (hyung); and older females as 누나 (noona).

If you’re a female, you address older males as 오빠 (oppa); and older females as 언니 (unni).

Basic Dining Etiquette - Korean chopsticks and utensils are longer than its Chinese and Japanese counterparts for a reason. Don’t lift up your bowl to eat your rice or noodles. Absolutely no slurping either.

Korean Table Setup - there is a setup that all Korean tables follow (from the left side to the right side): rice bowl and banchan (side dishes), main dish, spoon, chopstick, then soup. Hot foods, such as soup, are always placed on the right; while cold foods are placed on the left. Banchan, and kimchi, are placed behind the sauces by the rice bowl.

Non-verbal Politeness - don’t ever give or receive anything with one hand. It always has to be done with both hands - if not with both hands, make sure to have your non-receiving hand hold your receiving arm. This goes for shaking hands and paying as well.

4. Fashion

Need I say more? Don’t ever leave your place and walk the streets of Seoul dressed like an American in sweat pants and t-shirt. Not only will you get the disapproving looks of the natives, but you will feel very foreign and different. Everybody knows how much the Koreans love to take care of their looks. From skin care to plastic surgery. If you take the time to pay attention to your surroundings in Seoul, you will notice how much mirrors there are: from restaurants, to noraebang (노래방) rooms, and even in the most random places like the subway stations. Hey! Gotta look good while riding the subway, right?

Korean culture revolves around being fashionable at all times. Don’t be surprised when you see guys wearing makeup, the young Koreans with their hairs dyed, or natives dressing in layers even under the hot and humid summer weather.

It won’t be long until you start wanting to join in the fashion game and walk around Gangnam feeling like you belong in Gangnam.

I have mentioned and talked about this extensively in multiple blogs, such as in “As the Sun Sets - The Final Golden Hours”, but South Koreans have an obsession with pastel shirts with a random English word written across the front side. Reddit User Mr_Bakgwei talked about this East Asian culture of how English looks “cool” in a thread asking the culture behind random English words. The user talks about someone he knows from Chaozhou, a city in Guangdong, China, who makes millions of shirts with random English words, despite quitting school after the ninth grade and does not speak a word in English.

Certain letters are considered “better looking than others, such as J, P, B, Y, and U”. If the word looks “cool” enough to be in a shirt, but contains the “less good looking” letters such as I and O, the designers would swap it out to a more acceptable-looking letter, such as J, T, and V. This is very prominent in shirts in East Asia, where South Korea lies, since you’ll find shirts that will say “Geometry”, “Alaska Whales”, “Paragraph”, and “Babylonian”.

Initially, I find it very hilarious whenever I see someone wearing a shirt that randomly says “Veracity” or “Cheese”, but I do understand the hype surrounding random English words on shirts. Los Angeles does have a culture equivalent to this one where people wear clothes that have random French words written on it. Words like “Bonjour” and “Merci” are printed across tote bags and laptop covers. Francophilia, the love for all-things French, is a billion-dollar industry in the Western world. Stores like Forever 21 and Anthropologie would sell t-shirts in ridiculously high prices just because it says the phrase “C’est la vie” with a sketch of the Eiffel Tower on the corner. So, this East Asian culture on having random English words printed is not so new and foreign after all. I was just able to be in the feet of the French people when they see Americans wearing a shirt with words that mean so random to them.

I did go back home to Los Angeles with a couple shirts with random English words written though! I caved in to the culture, since some shirts look so nice. I bought clothes that said “Summer vibes” in English and “がんばって” (ganbatte) in Japanese, which is the equivalent to “Fighting” or “I wish you good luck!” with a knitted corgi on the top left side of my shirt. Japanese characters appeal to the Americans too, by the way. My friend in Korean class was wearing a shirt designed with an ad for a squid restaurant written in all Japanese today - so this culture is not just centered around English and French.

I walked around Seoul wearing those shirts feeling like a native.

When in Rome....

5. Cleanliness

Fun fact: public trash cans are a rarity in Seoul, so you better hold on to that trash of yours until the next convenience store. An American reading this would probably think that since there are little to no trash cans in the city, people will be littering every chance they get, but he/she is more than wrong. On top of Seoul natives worrying how they look, they also take a lot of time making sure their city is as clean and tidy. It’s very rare to see cigarette butts or bags of chips on the sidewalks, and this was something I really appreciated while being in South Korea.

Fun fact: Hongdae (pictured above) is always crowded, but it’s never as dirty as Itaewon (pictured below), which is the area in Seoul that houses most of the expatriates and foreigners. There is an unspoken stereotype on how foreigners are very dirty and like to litter a lot.

To further show how clean and organized South Korea is with their trash, in some cases there are trash cans in Seoul that are meant to separate everything.

For example, in McDonald’s in Anam (first picture below), there are seven areas to place your trash: bottles, leftover food, remaining juice and soda, soda cups, plastic lids, straws, and utensils. The bibimbap cup place I frequent in Anam has four areas (second picture below): one for the bibimbap cup, one for the leftovers, one for the water cup, and one for the utensils. In some cases, such as the Dokkaebi Night Market (도깨비야시장) in Banpo Hangang Park, there will be people getting paid to separate the trash for you. Just hand them your tray and cups, and the rest is history.

I find this culture so hard to adjust to - not that I litter myself.

That’s all I will be talking about in this blog, since I plan to expand on other cultural practices that are very unique to Seoul in the next posts:

“Tteokbokki Juseyo!” - an introduction to Korean street food

“The Visuals and the Vibes” - xenophobia, cafe culture, PDA, and the K-entertainment culture

“The Art of Coming Home” - my reverse culture shock experience

Until then!

고마워요, Chris 「크리스」

#study #abroad #seoul #south korea #international summer campus #ku #korea university #isc #summer #culture #shock #culture shock

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