On Carlo Caparas Being a National Artist

Carlo Caparas is not a visual artist. And certainly not a National Artist material.

Gerry Alanguilan has said it best in this online petition

When the highest award for artists in the Philippines can be dispensed through political patronage rather than merit, then it certainly says something about how we, as a nation, regard arts and culture in our country. GMA has committed an outrage that must be redressed. I do hope the Supreme Court rules against the insertion of undeserving National Artists by Malacañang.

Uncomfortable Plot Summaries by postmodernbarney

• 25TH HOUR: White New Yorkers commit crimes against both law and ethics; feel bad for being caught, rather than for doing it at all.
• 300: Gays kill blacks.
• 8 MILE: White man successfully coopts black culture to impress other whites.
• A CIVIL ACTION: Underqualified lawyer doesn’t listen to clients, royally botches case.
• A CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES: Social deviants make life difficult for genius.
• A CRY IN THE DARK: Dogs eat baby, confusion follows.
• ALIEN: Ship fails to deliver cargo, crew don’t get bonus.
• ALIENS: An unplanned pregnancy leads to complications.
• AMADEUS: Man with health problems receives help from rival.
• AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON: Tourist causes riot.
• ATLAS SHRUGGED: Selfish industrialist destroys economy.
• AUNTIE MAME: Spinster exposes child to sexual fetishists, socialists; thwarts marriage to good Republican girl.
• BATMAN: Wealthy man assaults the mentally ill.
• BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Peasant girl develops Stockholm Syndrome.
• BENJI: Family abandons beloved pet, forcing it to engage in a dangerous cross-country journey.
• BEOWULF: Colonists hire assassin to drive natives from land.
• BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA: Redneck trucker kills Chinese immigrants.
• BILLY ELLIOT: Union worker turns back on strikers for personal gain.
• BLADE: Obsessed loner stalks minority group.
• BLADE RUNNER: Man with no apparent skill stumbles into escaped robots, fails to kill most, fucks one.
• BLAKE’S 7: Terrorists fight government, die.
• BOOGIE NIGHTS: Deformed boy goaded into life of crime.
• BOTTLE ROCKET: Mentally unstable man fosters friend’s descent into mental instability, finds love.
• BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S: Pretty redneck girl fools socialites, flirts with gay gigolo.
• BREWSTER’S MILLIONS: Black man abuses line of credit.
• BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: Teenage serial killer destroys town in fit of semi-religious fervor.
• CHANGE OF HABIT: Rock star regrets not looking closer at contract with movie studio.
• CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: Deranged pedophile big-business industrialist tortures and mutilates young children.
• CHASING AMY: Homosexuality proved to be passing fancy and sign of sexual deviance.
• CHEERS: Alcoholic cuts lime in bar as penance for his womanizing ways.
• CHINATOWN: Father desires closer relationship with his children.
• CHRISTMAS VACATION: Incestuous relatives teach family the meaning of Christmas.
• CLERKS: Aimless loser remains in dead-end job, abusive “friendship.”
• CLOAK AND DAGGER: Spoiled teens discover drugs make them special.
• CONAN THE BARBARIAN: Petty thief murders religious leader.
• CORALINE: Misfit discovers she is special person in a secret world just beside our own.
• CRANK: Drug addict spends last day in orgy of rape and violence.
• CUJO: Family neglects to give family pet rabies shots, pays price.
• DAREDEVIL: Blind man pisses off crime boss, gets all his girl-friends killed.
• DARK KNIGHT RETURNS: Aging sadist corrupts, endangers minor, facilitates murder, destroys superhero comic books for 30 years.
• DEADWOOD: Pimp and rapist charms frontier town into eventual fire-based disaster.
• DEBBIE DOES DALLAS: Cheerleaders develop valuable entrepreneurial skills.
• DEEP THROAT: Medical anomaly earns woman new friends.
• DELIVERANCE: Tourists experience local hospitality.
• DEMOLITION MAN: In a future where crime is completely eradicated, a black man steals and murders.
• DIE HARD: Dysfunctional cop saves marriage by murdering foreign national.
• DIRTY HARRY: Police incompetence allows murderer to go free.
• DOCTOR FAUSTUS: Scholar leans nuances of contract law.
• DOCTOR WHO: Elderly man serially abducts young women.
• DONNIE DARKO: Hallucinating teen crushed by airplane engine.
• DRACULA: Immigrant clashes with locals.
• E.T.: Out-of-control pet causes mayhem, sadness.
• EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE: Part-time mechanic involves girlfriend in illegal fight club, risks life of best friend and endangered primate.
• FALLING DOWN: Life is difficult for white men.
• FANTASTIC FOUR: Scientist exposes friends, family to dangerous radiation to assuage ego, becomes embroiled in rivalry with former room-mate.
• FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF: Amoral narcissist makes world dance for his amusement.
• FIELD OF DREAMS: Schizophrenic builds ball park, almost kills girl.
• FIGHT CLUB: Deranged sociopath guides yuppies to their deaths.
• FIREFLY: In an analogue of the post-Civil War west, a white man on the losing side bosses around a black woman.
• FRANKENSTEIN: Scientific advancement proves unpopular with general public.
• FREAKS: Acrobat learns value of community.
• SERENITY: Men fight for possession of scantily clad mentally ill teenage girl.
• GHOSTBUSTERS: Unemployed college professors destroy hotel with nuclear weapons.
• GLADIATOR: Convict murders head of state.
• GLENGARRY, GLENN ROSS: Sales job proves difficult for some.
• GONE WITH THE WIND: Rich, white slave owner enjoys getting raped, miscarries.
• GOOD WILL HUNTING: Underemployed genius squanders prestigious job opportunity to chase trim.
• GREEN ARROW: Rich white man with Robin Hood fetish goes vigilante.
• GREEN LANTERN: Policeman beats up his girlfriend.
• GREMLINS: Distant father ruins son’s life, puts entire town at risk.
• GROUNDHOG DAY: Misanthropic creep exploits space/time anomaly to stalk coworker.
• HACKERS: Cybercriminals on revenge kick destroy innumerable jobs.
• HAIR: Hippie dodges draft, dies ironically.
• HALLOWEEN: Babysitter’s relationship with murderer places children in danger.
• HARRY POTTER: Celebrity Jock thinks rules don’t apply to him, is right.
• HE GOT GAME: Escaped convict attempts to embezzle only son.
• HIGHLANDER: Elderly immigrant destroys property.
• IRON MAN: Alcoholic rich white man with technology fetish goes vigilante.
• WAR MACHINE: Alcoholic rich white man gives weapons to black man.
• IT: Children use horrific murders as excuse to run train on young girl.
• JFK: Family man wastes life for nothing in crusade against homosexuals.
• JUDGE DREDD: Fascist thug in bleak dystopia is cheered.
• JUNO: Teen fails to get abortion, ruins lives.
• JURASSIC PARK: Theme park’s grand opening pushed back.
• KARATE KID: Boy gains acceptance through violence.
• KILL BILL: Irresponsible mother wants custody of her child.
• KINDERGARTEN COP: Incompetent left in charge of children, who are eventually fired at by convicted felon.
• KING KONG: Endangered animal stolen, shot.
• KING OF KONG: Dick battles loser over trivia.
• LA CONFIDENTIAL: Rapist joins thug in foiling police corruption scheme.
• LABYRINTH: Girl is negligent baby-sitter.
• LARS AND THE REAL GIRL: Retarded man doesn’t know what sex toy is for.
• LASSIE COME HOME: Family abandons beloved pet, forcing it to engage in a dangerous cross-country journey.
• LOLITA: Man encourages step-daughter to take chances.
• LONE WOLF MCQUADE: Alcoholic assaults local businessman, ruins marriage.
• LORD OF THE RINGS: Midget destroys stolen property.
• LOVE ACTUALLY: Prime Minister risks war with United States over a sexy secretary.
• MARLEY AND ME: Out-of-control pet causes mayhem, sadness.
• METROPOLIS: Efficient society undone by unions.
• MICHAEL CLAYTON: Attorney works against client’s interests.
• MILK: Uppity queer dies.
• MIRRORMASK: Misfit discovers she is special person in secret world just beside our own.
• MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL: British comedy troupe inadvertently creates language lab for nerds.
• MULHOLLAND DRIVE: Lesbian relationship is harmful.
• MY GIRL: Boy killed by female friend’s irresponsibility.
• NEVERWHERE: Misfit discovers he is special person in secret world just beside our own.
• O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU: Southern musicians encounter massive flooding and government incompetence.
• OBSERVE AND REPORT: Emotionally disturbed man gets woman drunk, rapes her.
• OCEAN’S ELEVEN: Gang of career criminals commit act of terror to facilitate robbery and romance.
• OF MICE AND MEN: Migrant farmer murders mentally handicapped friend.
• ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST: Disruptive mental patients treated.
• PILLOW TALK: Gay man tricks woman into sex.
• POLTERGEIST: Pot-head parents lose child, ruin property values.
• PREDATOR: American military-industrial complex ruins first contact with alien life.
• PRETTY BABY: Young woman’s modeling career encouraged.
• PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Woman with gold-digging mother nags wealthy man into marriage.
• PYGMALION: Urchin cured by social betters.
• RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: American yahoo murders soldiers and desecrates religious artifacts for money.
• RAISING ARIZONA: Convicted felon seduces police officer in kidnapping plot.
• RAMBO III: The United States provides arms, equipment and training to the terrorists behind 9/11.
• RATATOUILLE: Vermin infest restaurant until it is forced to close doors.
• RAVENOUS: Coward is seduced by cannibal, destroys army outpost.
• RED DAWN: Despite shock-and-awe tactics, a superior occupying force is no match for a tenacious sect of terrorist insurgents.
• RISKY BUSINESS: Privileged rich kid gets everything he wants with no consequences.
• ROAD HOUSE: Bouncer becomes vigilante, murders local businessman with karate.
• ROBIN HOOD: Disgruntled veteran protests taxes.
• ROBOCOP: Female officer’s incompetence leads partner to be murdered and enslaved by corporation.
• ROCKY: White man beats black man.
• ROSEMARY’S BABY: An unplanned pregnancy leads to complications.
• RUDY: Diminutive athlete patronized.
• RUSHMORE: Teen molests teacher, is expelled. Finds love.
• SCARFACE: Immigrant finds running his own business stressful, dangerous.
• SCHINDLER’S LIST: Wealthy industrialist expands not-for-profit ventures.
• SCOTT PILGRIM: Emotionally immature musician sleeps with high-school girl.
• SE7EN: Homicide detectives unable to prevent even a single murder by admitted serial killer, killer gives cop head.
• SHORT CIRCUIT: Rogue scientist steals top-secret government weapon.
• SIGNS: Jesus trumps science.
• SILENCE OF THE LAMBS: Incompetent manipulated by several murderers, stumbles upon suspect completely by accident. Creates situation that allows serial killer to escape.
• SLEEPY HOLLOW: Veteran harassed.
• SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT: Redneck bootlegger makes mockery of law, sanctity of marriage.
• SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS: Layabout stepdaughter shacks up with seven miners.
• SOPHIE’S CHOICE: Mom loves one of her kids way more than the other one.
• SOUTHLAND TALES: Traumitized vet destroys universe.
• SPIDER-MAN: Nerd gets bitten by spider, complains about how this ruins his life for years to come.
• STARDUST: Misfit discovers he is special person in secret world just beside our own.
• STAR TREK: Over-sexed officer routinely places crew in danger.
• STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE: Meglomaniac can’t let go of past glory, drives successor to suicide.
• STAR TREK III: Military officers steal vessel and destroy it to eliminate a handful of enemies while engaged on an extremely vague rescue mission.
• STAR TREK IV: Interplanetary fugitives poach wildlife from a past age to cover up an act of genocide.
• STAR TREK VI: Racist military commander past his prime nearly ruins galactic peace.
• STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE: Religious extremist terrorists destroy government installation, killing thousands.
• STAR WARS: EMPIRE STRIKES BACK: Boy is abused by midget, kisses sister, attempts patricide.
• STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI: Handicapped mass murderer kills septugenarian, is lauded.
• STRAW DOGS: Immigrant clashes with locals.
• SUPERBAD: Boys plan date-rape, sleep together.
• SUPERMAN RETURNS: Illegal immigrant is deadbeat dad.
• SWEENEY TODD: Businesses flourish when freed from stringent regulation.
• TAXI DRIVER: Modern dating proves challenging for working class man.
• TERMINATOR: An unplanned pregnancy leads to complications.
• TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: Tourists have difficulty with regional cuisine.
• THE CAT FROM OUTER SPACE: College professors help illegal alien evade authorities.
• THE CONVERSATION: Paranoid schizophrenic follows worst possible career path.
• THE CRYING GAME: Hairdresser bonds with client.
• THE EDGE: Men bond in Alaskan wilderness.
• THE EXORCIST: Jesus trumps science.
• THE FIRM: White lawyer learns hard work is irrelevant.
• THE GOLDEN COMPASS: Critique of Catholicism upstaged by polar bear fight.
• THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY: Nameless drifter kills American soldier over stolen money, hangs friend.
• THE GOONIES: Physically abused, retarded man finds love with overweight preteen.
• THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY: Family abandons beloved pets, forcing them to engage in a dangerous cross-country journey.
• THE MATRIX: Hacker is given perfect justification for mass slaughter.
• THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: Dangerous insurgent invades neighboring country.
• THE OFFICE: Incompetent boss routinely endangers employees, passes fire-worthy blame, sexually harasses subordinates; is seen as “hero” compared to people who just actually work.
• THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST: Mel Gibson fulfills fantasy of showing a Jew beaten to a bloody pulp and killed on-screen.
• THE PROFESSIONAL: Hired murderer sleeps with little girl.
• THE STEPFORD WIVES: Woman has difficulty adjusting to suburban life.
• THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3: Civil servant insults and shoots foreigners.
• THE THING: Unexpected visitor imposes on workers, their dogs.
• THE UNTOUCHABLES: Murderer indicted on technicality.
• THE WICKER MAN: Isolated religious community revitalized by newcomer.
• THE X-MEN: Minority group seeks overthrow of social order.
• THERE WILL BE BLOOD: Kidnapper commits murder several times.
• TITANIC: Crazy old widow disregards lifelong memories of husband, children, and grandchildren in favor of that one time she fucked a bum.
• TOP GUN: Pilot routinely endangers Air Traffic Controllers.
• TORCHWOOD: Bisexual is inefficient manager.
• TRAINSPOTTING: Statutory rapist and junkie sifts through human waste, gets enormous sum of money.
• TRANSPORTER: Repressed homosexual kills employers.
• TWILIGHT: Girl gives up college for stalker.
• BREAKING DAWN: Native American guy is romantically obsessed with ex-girlfriend’s baby.
• TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME: Father becomes more involved in teenage daughter’s life.
• V FOR VENDETTA: Dystopian government overthrown by faceless conformity.
• VERTIGO: Stalker drives woman to suicide.
• W.: Unspeakable disaster afflicts America. Then terrorists attack.
• WALL-E: Obsolete robot disrupts big business, disrupts lives of millions of innocent civilians.
• WAR OF THE WORLDS: Immigrants face difficulty acclimating.
• WATCHMEN: Homosexual destroys New York, blames God.
• WEEKEND AT BERNIES: Two employees take advantage of their boss’ hospitality.
• WONDER WOMAN: Princess from isolationist culture lectures Americans on equality.
• WORLD TRADE CENTER: Rag-tag group of underdogs succeed at a massive undertaking despite overwhelming odds, credit success with faith in God.

Sister Stella L@25 and being a Vilmanian

“Vilmanian ka ba?” an elderly woman asked me.

“Ah, hindi po. Gusto ko lang po manood ng Sister Stella L. Maganda raw po na pelikula. One of the best, ika nga.”

“Ah, siyempre,” said the elderly woman, this is where Vilma says: “si Val, si Val na walang malay---”.

“Hindi po sa pelikula na ito yun,” corrected another Vilmanian. (I can tell they are Vilmanians because they have identical red-colored t-shirts with “VSSI: Vilma Santos Solid International” emblazoned on back.) “Ito po ay pelikula na maraming sikat tulad ni…ni…(and she approaches the movie poster before proceeding) Gina Alajar, Laurice Guillen, Jay Ilagan, Anita Linda, etc…”

It was four o’clock and the movie was supposed to start at five. I can only spot three other people who doesn’t look like members of the Vilma Santos fans club. Instead of hobnobbing with them, I decided to chat with the Vilmanians.

“It’s like a reunion, it’s been years since we last saw each other,” the same elederly woman tells me. Since I professed to be a newbie moviegoer to a Vilma Santos flick, she must have taken it upon herself to orient me in how to become a Vilmanian.

“Oy, umm, Aling Viring kamusta ka na?,” a heavily made-up middle aged woman greets another. I couldn’t help but notice that even if it were a reunion, it surely helped that the t-shirts they were wearing had names in the front, like “Aling Viring”.

It was the 25th anniversary showing of the Mike de Leon classic “Sister Stella L”. And for a laborer like me who just lost his job, disillusioned by the current labor situation, the movie couldn’t have come at a better time. It shored up my faith in just demands of labor in this country, and how we need more of people who care.

People like Sister Stella L.

“Kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino ang kikilos, kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?”

Best and Worst Filipino Film of 2008

The Best Filipino film I saw in 2008 is Paul Alexander Morales' CONCERTO.

I've seen a lot of good films last year from various film festivals like Cinemalaya, Cinemanila and CinemaOne Originals, aside from the usual movies shown in UP Cine Adarna and Robinson Galleria's Indiesine like "Adela", "100", "UPCAT", "Ambulancia", "Imburnal" and the much-ballyhooed "Serbis". I also greatly liked "Endo" but that was technically a 2007 film.

CONCERTO is a period film about a Filipino family striving to retain their humanity amidst the inhumanity of war with the music from the family piano ostensibly serving as the symbol for peace and universal understanding.

In syncopated rhythms, ‘Concerto’ shows how a family strives to carry on a normal life in abnormal times, with the piano as symbol for harmony not only within the family itself but also within the countryside setting that accommodates the Japanese. Instead of frontline encounters, this war diary reveals the quiet interplay of suspicion and trust

The worst film I saw is LALAMUNAN.

Don't even bother. I rue the day I went to its premiere at UP. The lighting,the story, the acting---everything is the pits.

If you don't believe me, try to look up the preview at Youtube. Horrible!

Rebyu ng pelikulang GHOST WORLD

Kapag nakakarinig tayo ng pelikula na galing sa comix, iniisip natin agad ang mga pelikulang may mga taong nakasuot ng mga makukulay na damit---na sobrang liit para sa kanila---na lumilipad o umaakyat sa gilid ng mga gusali, ng mga sangkaterbang special effects, matinding habulan, bakbakan at ga-higanteng mga pagsabog. Ang mga ordinaryong tao ay biktima lamang ng kasamaan o mga walang muwang na mga prinsesa na kailangang masagip ng ating bida.

Sa Ghost World (2001), isang pelikulang galing sa comix ni Daniel Clowes na dinirehe ni Terry Zwigoff, ang buhay ng mga ordinaryong nilalang ang tampok. Ang tanging action sequence lang dito na maaaring ituring ay nang subuking magwala ni Seymour (Steve Buscemi) sa loob ng isang convenience store at itaboy siya ng isang may sayad na mamimili na may bitbit na nunchaku. Isa ito sa pinaka-nakakatawa at nakaka-awang eksena dahil hindi man lang nakapagpabagsak ng isang istante o isang tore ng de-lata ang patpating si Seymour kahit na ang ating simpatiya ay nasa kanya.

Ang Ghost World ay tungkol sa buhay ng dalawang matalik na magkaibigang babae, sina Enid (Thora Birch) at Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) at kung paano nila tanggapin, nguyain o isuka ang mapagpanggap na lipunang ginagalawan nila. Opo, isang pelikula na naman ukol sa teen angst. Pero ‘di tulad ng ilang komedyang kinabibilangan ng American Pie, hindi lang ito ukol sa seks at represyon. Mas malalim ang paglinang sa mga karakter at bagamat maraming mga nakatatawang eksena dito, mayroon ding mga kaakibat na anghang ang bawat paghalakhak.

Tumakbo ang pelikula sa kritikal na panahon matapos ang hayskul kung saan kailangang mamili ang dalawa ng landas na tatahakin. Sa pagpili nila ng kani-kanilang landas, unti-unti mong mahihinuha na sa ilalim ng kanilang mga insulto sa kapwa tao o lipunan, ay unti-unti rin silang nahihinog sa gulang.

Mahusay ang pagganap nina Birch at Johansson. Matalas at reyalistiko rin ang diyalogong sinulat ni Clowes. Huwag nga lang asahan na tumatakbo ito sa ritmo ng isang Hollywood movie, dahil baka antukin ka (hindi naman sa sinasabi kong ka-antok-antok ang pelikula, ano po?)

Ang isa pang malaking dahilan kung bakit dapat panoorin ito ay si Steve Buscemi. Siya na siguro ang maituturing na "Hari ng Sablay" o mga nerds at talunan sa mga pelikula. Sa isang eksena, kung saan inihanap ni Enid ng makaka-deyt ang nakilalang kaibigang si Seymour; pinuri ng babaeng ka-deyt niya ang musikang “blues” na pinatutugtog ng isang banda. Hindi iyan “blues” paliwanag ni Seymour, at bagamat mababanaag mo sa mukha ni Seymour na batid niya na papalpak muli ang deyt niya, itinuloy pa rin niya ang mahabang paliwanag dahil ganoon talaga siya---isang nerdy na kolektor ng musika at sining.

Maaaring walang malaking badyet at magarbong special effects ang pelikulang GHOST WORLD ngunit sigurado akong lalong mong maipagmamalaki ang sining ng comix matapos mapanood ang mahusay na pelikulang ito.

NB: napanood ko ito sa isang pekeng DVD na tanging Polish ang naka-limbag na mga salita liban sa pamagat na “Ghost World” kaya tila walang pumapansin.

Dibidee, sir, dibidee

Wala raw pwedeng maka-gradweyt ng hayskul nang hindi nangongopya. Pero tinuruan ako ng magulang ko na huwag makinig sa mga sabi-sabi kaya pinilit kong makapag-tapos ng hayskul nang hindi nagongopya ng sagot sa pagsusulit man o takdang-aralin. Maging sa kolehiyo kahit na bumagsak ako sa Math 17 nang paulit-ulit basta pinanindigan kong hindi ako mangongopya ng problem sets o asaynments kahit na pinagpapasa-pasahan na ng iba kong kaklase ang sagot.

Hindi naman ako nagmamalinis subalit may mga prinsipyo akong pinagpalagay kong dapat talagang panindigan. May mga hangganan akong iginuguhit na alam kong hindi ko dapat lagpasan.

Ang problema: kung minsan hindi ko maiwasang ibahin ang pagkakaayos ng takdang guhit ayon sa tawag ng panahon. Isang halimbawa ay ang pagbili ko ng mga pekeng dvd movies.


Opo, umaamin akong bumibili ako ng pekeng dvd movies. Personal kong sinisisi dito si Conrado de Quiros ng Philipppine Daily Inquirer (saka ko na ito ipapaliwanag).

Bata pa ako mahilig na ako sa pelikula. Lumaki ako sa San Jose, Occidental Mindoro at sa bayan naming yaon, limitado lang ang paraan ng aliwan. Hindi pa uso noon ang cable tv sa bayan, iilang mayayamang pamilya pa lang ang may telepono noon at hindi pa uso ang text sa mga cellphone na pawang sing-lalaki ng mga kahon ng sapatos. Hindi naman ako mahilig sa mga drama sa radyo at tila iilang istasyon lang ng tv ang sagap ng mga nagtataasang naming mga antenna sa bahay (mga istasyon pa ng tv sa Iloilo kaya hindi ko maintindihan ang mga lokal na programa). Doon ako nagsimulang mahumaling sa komiks at pelikula, tulad ng marami kong kababayan.

Ang mga sinehan sa amin ay uso pa ang DOUBLE FEATURE. Magbabayad ka lang ng tiket at dalawang pelikula na ang mapapanood mo. Kahit na rated "R" ang isang pelikula basta ang katambal nitong pelikula ay pambata, malamang ay papapasukin ka pa rin, lalo na't may mga kasama ka.

Hanggang sa nauso ang mga VHS tapes at VCD. Nang tumira na kami dito sa may Metro Manila napansin kong tila kabute sa pag-usbong ang sang-katerbang paarkilahan ng mga pekeng VHS at VCD. Subalit mas pinili ko pa rin ang umarkila sa ACA Video at Video City, dahil batid kong orihinal ang kanilang mga kopya at ayokong makinabang sa pera ko ang mga, ahm, namimirata.

Hanggang sa mabasa ko na ang paborito kong kolumnista na si Conrado de Quiros ay tuwang-tuwa sa pagkaka-diskubre ng mga pelikula ni Kurosawa sa mga nagtitinda ng pekeng DVD. Naging marupok daw siya sa tukso ng pekeng DVD dahil malamang sa hindi, mahirap nang makakita ng mga pelikulang klasiko o makahanap ng mga sinehang makapaglalabas ng mga ganitong klaseng pelikula. Siyempre dahilan na rin ang murang presyo nito.

Sa madali't sabi, natukso rin ako. Ngayon ay masugid na taga-bili na rin ako ng mga pekeng pelikula sa DVD (ngayon ay sa format na Blu-ray daw, kuno).

(May hangganan pa rin akong tinakda. Ang mga binibili ko lang ay mga banyagang pelikula na karaniwa'y klasiko o matagal nang naipalabas. Hindi pa rin ako bumibili kung palabas pa lang ito sa sinehan at lalong hindi ako bumibili ng mga piniratang pelikulang Pilipino.) "E, ano ngayon", anas ninyo, "bumibili ka pa rin ng pekeng DVD". O sige na, simulan na ang kastigo.

Anu't-anuman, nagpapasalamat pa rin ako dahil sa pagkakaroon ng mga de-kalidad na pelikula sa hanay ng mga nagbebenta ng pekeng DVD. Dahil dito naka-daupang palad ko si Citizen Kane at Frank Bailey; nakilala ko ang ilang obra nina Resnais, Jodorowsky at Fellini; na-diskubre si Edward Yang at Mohsen Makhmalbaf at nabatid kung bakit minamahal ng mundo ang bawat ipalabas ni Wong Kar Wai.

Ang ayaw ko pa ring pasalamatan ay si de Quiros. Nangopya kasi ako sa kanya, e.


P.S. At oo nga pala, makipag-ugnayan sa akin kung sakaling may kopya kayo ng mga pelikulang "Chungking Express" (naglabas na dati ng kopya nito pero sinoli ko ang nabili ko dahil walang subtitle na Ingles) at "Children of Paradise" ni Majid Majidi (dati itong nanalo sa Cinemanila at may nakita ako dating kopya sa ACA video rentals). At kung sakaling nakatira kayo malapit sa Marikina, may ire-rekomenda rin akong tindahan (basta huwag lang ingu-nguso kay Edu, ha?).