I’m not a guy who would review movies solely on the basis of a trailer.  Other bloggers have already done that, and are quite good at the nuances of prejudice masquerading as a review of cultural outputs.  Rather, think of this as a review of a trailer.

I have to admit that I haven’t watched a fair share of Filipino movies lately.  The last one I can remember watching was “Rigodon,” which was okay if not for the predictable turn of events (and Yam Concepcion, of course).  But then again, anyone who says “Pinoy movies are not worth watching” is, for all intents and purposes, eating his own crap in the process of talking out of his ass.  Lots of Pinoy movies are amazing: “Bwakaw” comes to mind.  ”Temptation Island,” while lacking in some respects compared to the original, is a good movie.  I haven’t watched “Six Degrees of Lilia Cuntapay” or “Ang Nawawala” yet, but I’ve heard great things about the movies that I’d shell out for original copies of the DVDs.  Not to mention that “Himala” was remastered.

In spite of the wealth of good movies that we have, the Vice Ganda comedies and installments of Enteng Kabisote make millions of pesos in the cinemas.  I’ll probably be the last person to fall in line to spend an hour and a half to be narcotized by escapist pop cinema, but lots of people seem to enjoy them, nonetheless.  I’ll leave it at that, for more qualified people to talk at length about the topic.

This is, however, a piece on idiotic trailers for very probably idiotic movies like “Pinoy Super Kid.”

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Muli akong nagpapaumanhin sa anumang pagkakamali ko sa paggamit ng wikang Filipino sa maikling kuro-kurong ito, ngunit naniniwala akong dapat isulat ang talang ito sa wikang Filipino.  Anyway, translation follows. – Marocharim

Tungkol sa Orihinal na Musikang Pilipino

Iniutos ni Pangulong Aquino na muling ipatupad ang Executive Order No. 255, na kung saan dapat magpatugtog ng apat na awiting Pilipino ang mga istasyon ng radyo sa Pilipinas kada oras sa kanilang mga programang pang-musika.

Hindi layunin ng koryong ito na makipagtalastasan tungkol sa kung ano nga ba ang “awiting Pilipino” na ipaloloob sa debate ng kabihasnan at nasyonalidad, ngunit hindi ito maiiwasan.  Hindi maipagkakaila na marami sa ating mga magagaling na mang-aawit ay bihasa sa mga awiting banyaga, sa mga cover version o sa revival, o di kaya’y sa pagsasalin (tulad ng inyong lingkod, bagamat hindi ako mang-aawit).  Maaari ding ipahayag na walang “orihinal na awiting Pilipino,” hindi dahil sa usapin ng kabihasnan, ngunit tungkol sa mga katangian ng makabagong OPM na di mapagkakailang halaw sa mga istilo ng banyagang kompositor at mang-aawit.

Para sa akin, ang konsepto ng OPM ay mga istilo at porma ng musika na bahagi na rin ng iba’t-ibang kultura sa Pilipinas, gamit ang kanilang mga instrumento, wika, at pananaw.  Ang musika ay bahagi ng ating kuwento at kasaysayan; bagamat ikinalulugod nating pakinggan ang mga awitin ng ibang bansa, hindi dapat natin kalimutan o di kaya’y kasuklaman ang mga awiting atin.

Bagamat dapat purihin ang layunin ng EO 255, naniniwala pa rin ako na ang musika ay isang personal na kagustuhan, libangan, o di kaya’y kahalingan.  Naniniwala po ako na hindi solusyon sa sitwasyon ng OPM ang pagsasabatas na dapat makinig at magpasahimpapawid ang mga istasyon ng radyo ng mga awiting Pilipino.  Sa aking palagay ay walang batas sa mga istasyon ng radyo na pumipigil sa mga empleyado nito na magpatugtog ng awiting banyaga.  Sa aking hamak na pagpapalagay ay taliwas sa napakapersonal na karakter ng musika na ipilit na ipasahimpapawid ang mga awiting sadya naman ayaw pakinggan ng makikinig, o di kaya’y hindi bagay sa imahe ng istasyon.

Nakalulungkot na isipin na ang isang instrumento ng kalayaan – ang musika – ay ginagamit sa isang mapagpilit na paraan.

Isa akong masugid na tagapakinig ng musikang Pilipino, at kung kailangan man ay narito ako para ipahayag ang kagandahan ng ating musika, at kahusayan ng ating mga artista at ng industriya ng musika sa Pilipinas.  Ngunit ang ating sariling panlasa at pagkatig sa musika ay mga suhestiyon lamang sa gustong makinig.  Naniniwala ako na mas mapapasigla ang OPM kung ito ay may matibay na pundasyon; kung mamumuhunan ang pamahalaan sa mga istasyong pag-aari nito at patuloy na magpatugtog ng OPM.  Lalung-lalo na, kung ito ang mangunguna sa pagtangkilik sa OPM.  Sa pamamagitan ng de-kalidad na mga istasyon, na may makabagong kagamitan at mga dalubhasang empleyado, ay mas epektibong maibabahagi sa sambayanan ang kagandahan ng ating mga awitin, at kagalingan ng mga mang-aawit, kompositor, at manunulat sa industriya ng musika sa Pilipinas, sila ma’y nagsisimula pa lamang o batikan na sa larangan.

Hamon na rin sa kinapipitagang industriya ng musika sa Pilipinas na patuloy na gumawa ng mga de-kalidad na awitin; hindi natitigil sa kung anuman ang uso o di kaya’y kung anumang revival ang kikita.  Ang musika ay hindi idinidikta, kundi pinakikinggan: kung maganda ang awitin ay tiyak na ito’y pakikinggan.  Muli, bagamat ang layunin ng kautusang ito ay kapuri-puri, ang pagsasapraktika nito ay sumasagi sa ating sariling panlasa – at sa isang kaduluhan, ang ating mga karapatan – na mamili kung ano ang musikang ating kinahuhumalingan at pinakikinggan.  Ang sagot ay nasa mga prayoridad ng pamahalaan at sa industriya na mismo, at hindi sa sapilitang pakikinig sa awiting atin.

Translation after the break.

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At the risk of being called a chauvinist, sexist, and a misogynist, women’s wrestling leaves a lot to be desired.  There are talented divas in the WWE roster in the absence of Lita, Trish Stratus, Victoria, and most recently Mickie James: there’s Beth Phoenix, Gail Kim, Natalya Neidhart, and Melina Perez.  Joshi, or female puroresu, has always been a hotbed for great wrestling talent; with the likes of Chigusa Nagayo, Lioness Asuka, Megumi Kudo, Akira Hokuto, and Manami Toyota setting the bar for women’s wrestling worldwide.

Again, at the risk of offending the female population, setting the bar high means having to set another bar low.  I’m not talking about Michelle McCool matches on SmackDown! (trembles) or seeing Kelly Kelly wrestle (shudders).  I’m talking about…

For those of you who are old enough to remember Jack TV in its early days, there’s that fabled wrestling federation of botches, gimmicks, and all sorts of awesomely horrible women’s wrestling: WOW.

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The tearful spiels from Mariel Rodriguez meant the end of it: the last ropes that held the curtain up for Wowowee were cut off, and the show was no more.  To the very end – the last “boom-tarats” and the last dollar in the hat – Willie Revillame remained an inspiration, the wellspring of happiness to thousands (if not millions) of people who have watched the “show of every Filipino.”

It was a heartfelt, emotional farewell, from the cheery co-hosts, to the scantily-clad dancers.  From the producers, to the audience members who flew from San Francisco, California, just to watch Wowowee.  And yes, right down to the old women and children near the rafters – those who have spent hours under the hot sun – waiting for a chance to enter the studio, to take a crack at the games, and perhaps win the jackpot.

Conspicuous by his absence: Willie Revillame.  The inspiration, the wellspring of happiness, the icon of hope for millions of viewers.  The story we would like to believe in is that he was cut to size by Jobert Sucaldito, Wowowee Killer.  Wowowee survived allegations of cheating, scandals, the watchful moralistic eyes and ears of the MTRCB.  Heck, Wowowee survived when 71 fans died in a stampede, by the show’s own making.  It was almost invincible, unstoppable, infallible… until the whole thing crumbled into pieces.

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The professional wrestling fan in me is begging to write this post.

WrestleMania XXVI is just a couple of days away, and the Granddaddy of Them All is shaping up to be one of the most exciting ones in recent memory.  While I’m not a big fan of WWE’s brand of “sports entertainment” (I’m more inclined towards puroresu and independent wrestling), I always look out for WrestleMania.  It is, after all, the biggest event for every wrestling fan out there.

The build-up to WrestleMania was interesting, although a ten-match card isn’t exactly something I’m happy with.  Considering how WWE is marketing its product more along the lines of “sports entertainment” than actual wrestling, this is quite expected.

(A few things got me excited about the Hall of Fame this year, though: Antonio Inoki’s induction is a much welcome one, and Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon is an induction long overdue.)

I know the matches are booked and that betting on professional wrestling is like betting on the ending of soap operas, but hey, it’s WrestleMania.  Anyway, without further ado, here are my predictions for WrestleMania XXVI.

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(Click the image for a larger picture)

One of the things that ticked me off this week was the induction of ABBA into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame.  I wouldn’t have minded Genesis – there’s something about Phil Collins’ old band playing in the eight-track cassette players of old Isuzu Gemini taxis that is OK by me – but the induction of ABBA left me seething.

Don’t get me wrong: ABBA deserves a recognized place in music for all they have achieved, but as a fan of rock n’ roll, I have problems with ABBA sharing the same place as people who have invented, shaped, and influenced the music that not only reverberates through my ears, but flows through my veins.  I do not hold the monopoly of knowledge of what rock n’ roll is, but ABBA is not the first thing that comes to mind.

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October 4, 2009

Dear Fellow Communicator in English,

In the grand scheme of outsourcing, the language we use is properly termed, “American.”  Not that I have anything against the British, but expectations are the order of the day.  A call center agent is expected to speak with a southern drawl, and SEO specialists are supposed to write in a more colloquial and conversational way.  English is like life; there’s no one way to speak through it, and there’s no one way to write with it.  We can agree, however, that some “Englishes” are better than others.

I never really paid attention to my English classes; that’s why my English is a bit on the mangled side.  I’ll be the first to admit that my English is awkward in many places and would make English (or American) experts immolate in total burnination, but the way I use English is good enough to get me recognition as a “writer” or an “essayist” in some places.  I don’t carry a Strunk & White on my way to work, but I always use a bunch of online spell-checkers, and I reacquaint myself with the rules of grammar every now and then.

Yes, we all are fellow communicators in English… with varying degrees of suckage.

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