Film Review: Just One Day (2009)

There are two great American filmmakers who comes to mind for acting in films they direct – Woody Allen and Clint Eastwood.  Mr. Allen is best known for his sometimes dark and light romantic comedies such as the acclaimed Annie Hall (1977), Bullets over Broadway (1994) and Everyone Says I Love You (1996).  Mr. Eastwood, recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Cannes Film Festival in February, on the other hand practices competent classical and old-fashioned filmmaking and gave the world Unforgiven (1992), Million Dollar Baby (2004), and Gran Torino (2008).   Although working within the confines of Hollywood, these two brilliant filmmakers are able to cast their personal influence and vision in the production of their films.

It may well be quite early to declare, but these directors reminds me of Daniel Razon, the popular Filipino radio and television news and public service program anchor known as Kuya Daniel.   He may be quite new in the field having just screened his first directorial effort titled Isang Araw Lang (Just One Day, 2009), but he already showed some signs of directorial promise.

The film, influenced by the local television  situation comedies and melodramas of the 80s, centered on this man named Kuya Daniel (played by Mr. Razon himself), a jeepney driver whom his colleagues want to run as president of their association. Through a series of flashbacks every once in a while, we get to know Kuya Daniel and the reasons why he is doing what he is doing now.

He adopts several orphaned children and showed them what it means to be cared of.  As a father figure and big brother to these kids, he strive hard as a jeepney driver to earn  in hopes of raising the children and give them a bright future.  He refuses not a single soul who begs or prays for his help and not expecting any payment in return.  He do all he can to help, to the point of risking his own life for his adopted family.

However, there are some detractors along the way to put the good man down: the greedy and media-savvy politician-congressman (played by Rey PJ Abellana), the syndicate head who exploits children to do petty crimes of pickpocketing and snatching (Robert Miller), and the incumbent abusive president of the jeepney drivers association (Rene Jose).  But Kuya Daniel who served a short-term stint in the police academy ironically never really expressed physical violence against anybody, even to his detractors and enemies in the film.

However, the film cleverly showed through illusion that Kuya Daniel can avenge or exact the same physical violence against his oppressors.  But since he is guided by biblical principles, the film showed us that this man is not like anybody in most films that when pushed to the limits will do some vengeful acts.   In the film, we learn that after Kuya Daniel left the police ranks when he realizes that corruption and moral decay will engulf him soon if he will not do something, he started to open the Scriptures.

The film ended happily (obviously) but there is a hook few seconds before the film closes: Kuya Daniel’s phone rang. He answered. We hear the voice of an old man and sounds familiar, especially among the crowd who broke a deafening clapping and enthusiastic reactions that ensued as the film credit rolls. This single, last scene may have literally break the glass that holds dear the illusion of cinema as imagined reality.  The origin of the voice was never named in the film, but it may be the voice of someone dear to Kuya Daniel in the film, or Mr. Razon in real life, who’s been his source of inspiration and bear a big influence on him.

The inclusion of this  “call” is bravado filmmaking at its best, simply because it mirrors exactly the double meaning of Mr. Razon’s once sad experience of running as Congressman but he was robbed of this chance despite winning.  Notwithstanding what his detractors ever hoped for to destroy him in the eyes of the public by sabotaging his bid, Mr. Razon, in real life, remains unfazed and continues with his humanitarian works for the needy and impoverished sector of the society until today.

In the spirit of independent filmmaking, you can see a lot of promise in the directorial debut of  Mr. Razon whose only experience in creative directing is producing television programs that are centered on news and public service.

Working on a limited budget and tight production schedule, it is however  hard to expect the polish, grandeur and voluptuousness present in most Hollywood commercial films.  But given a much bigger budget and a longer span to direct his film, he could have improved the film’s use of sound and editing.

As it is, the film is competently-made compared with other films directed by more experienced directors in the country.  Because even though inexperienced, the personal vision of Mr. Razon is clearly manifested in every frame from the opening flashback until the end credit rolls.

As an actor in his own film, Mr. Razon is natural and may be likened to Mr. Allen than Mr. Eastwood.  Whereas Mr. Allen showed his sardonic genius in his wordplay for romance and comedy, Mr. Razon utters several golden wisdom about showing genuine kindness without sounding too pontificating.  One of these lines clearly expressed the theme of the film: no goodness shared will bear evil fruits. As a director, however, it may be early to assume who may have influenced him.

The world witnessed a new brand of humanist cinema from the Philippines with the arrival of Lino Brocka (Insiang, Jaguar), Ishmael Bernal (Manila By Night, Himala), Mike De Leon (Sister Stella L., Kisapmata)and Mario O’ Hara (Babae sa Breakwater, Pangarap ng Puso).  Recently, a wave of new Filipino auteurs are making a splash in film festival circuits and reaping acclaim for their masterful, original works.  Among these independent filmmakers are Raya Martin (Now Showing, Independencia), Lav Diaz (Batang Westside, Death in the Land of Encantos), Jeffrey Jeturian (Pila Balde, Kubrador), Aureus Solito (Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, Pisay) and Brillante Mendoza (Serbis, Kinatay).  The films of these directors dealt more about the country’s poverty, social malaise, military assaults, dysfunctional family and government oppression.

Mr. Razon’s vision of humanist cinema is different.  His film provide a welcome relief to another level of realism in cinema where the humanism shines over the visual motifs and symbolisms.  With humanism used here, I refer it to the sense that kindness and goodwill shine through versus most Filipino independent directors’ realistic depiction of crimes, violence and sex in their films.

I have yet to see Mr. Razon’s follow up to his debut film to conclude my assumption that perhaps Mr. Razon may well become one of the frontrunners of this new humanist cinema in the Philippines.  However, I hope that this film and next get released widely for the world to discover and hope that, after all, Philippine cinema is not yet dead. And while alive, can still do good, not just for a day, but continuously.

Why blog? Change the world?

More than 70 million blogs have mushroomed and circled the face of the earth today.  One little blog from Ponyo obviously will not change the course of the earth for better.  But who knows if it will one day?

The question above isn’t a good one to ask rather how the blog of an anonymous, unknown somebody can help improve the world?

In the universe of so much of everything, of hyper- or super- of everything (e.g., narcissism, altered sense of respect to one another, dog-eat-dog syndrome, deepening violence, hopeless wars, and lack of sense) blogging will definitely not remedy and become the be-all solution to end our life’s miseries.

Such realities unfortunately confounds my belief that one’s voice or idea in improving the world will not immediately find support from anybody.  As a word, will you believe trust? Whom to trust then?

Blogs can not easily be trusted too, if the experts are to be asked.  A blog, often seen as a space that contains a person’s whims, daily musings, rants, mundane activities, recollections of a short trip to the park, slice-of-life experience eating spaghetti or cookies, will not likely become a candidate to earn serious attention or the credibility it deserve. The experts claim that a blog, which is viewed merely as only about the self of the blogger, is by its very nature self-loving.  

But, should we also believe the product of the mainstream media and of establishments who feed us information that we will consume – reports on events, personalities, or some important government activities?  But how sure are we that the media is our hope for a better world?  

This is not being cynical or hopeless, but to start with, the scenario obviously appear complicated now than it were before.  Speaking of this truth observed in our society, it cannot be helped that we become silent on this. 

My observations can only speak now of the products of what the few powerful and influential people have wanted to make of our world now.  We are only seeing the role the players played in our society’s ills, but we cannot really point out, who is who.  Hence, it will not take an adult to realize that we live in a planet where cleanness of heart and conscience is diminishing by the seconds.  

Where do we find sincerity and purity of heart in our times? How about the children?  To this, I said yes.  The children are the players in our world whose heart is pure, intentions are innocent and sincere, and satisfied and find joy even in a gentle peck in the face.

By looking at the children, observe how they act, think and see the world.  View the world in the children’s eyes.  Have you noticed the joy and contentment they feel when playing with their fellow children?  When somebody took their toys or food, do you find a day pass when that anger is not replaced by laughter?  Pride do not rests in the childrens’ heart.  We all can be sure of that.

And, this blog’s role? Perhaps will be simple because I don’t have the brains of an expert though.  My only joy then will come from seeing people going to the children to learn and emulate them.  By imitating, seeing the world through the eyes of the innocent child.  That is the simple wish of this blog, its simple responsibility and purpose among the millions of blogs around – to give you a glimpse of things that we can change while there is time.    

Hopefully, this dream and vision can make that difference asked of this blogger.  And somehow, blogging will have a real, sincere purpose.

If you think daydreaming is bad, think again

I think my nanay (mother) should better think twice before she scold his son Ponyo again for daydreaming a lot.

In a Boston Globe article published on August 31st, Johnah Lehrer argued what good benefits we can derive from daydreaming.  As scientists are learning and discovering the importance of this derided activity that is often accounted as one of the leading causes of traffic mishaps, daydreamers can laugh now.

Children in school are encouraged to stop daydreaming and “focus,” and wandering minds are often cited as a leading cause of traffic accidents. In a culture obsessed with efficiency, daydreaming is derided as a lazy habit or a lack of discipline, the kind of thinking we rely on when we don’t really want to think. It’s a sign of procrastination, not productivity, something to be put away with your flip-flops and hammock as summer draws to a close.

In recent years, however, scientists have begun to see the act of daydreaming very differently. They’ve demonstrated that daydreaming is a fundamental feature of the human mind – so fundamental, in fact, that it’s often referred to as our “default” mode of thought. Many scientists argue that daydreaming is a crucial tool for creativity, a thought process that allows the brain to make new associations and connections.

So, perhaps, a new education program in the school should be developed – the daydreaming course. You can just imagine if we replace the math classes and chemistry lab works with more daydreaming subject, I think we can have a better world than it is now.  Of course you realized am just kidding.

But I hope a future when daydreaming will soon be considered a national past time in my country, to replace domestic gossiping and rumor mongering, or reading sleazy and controversy-laden tabloids that only make people unimaginative.

I  have another excuse now to daydream, so good that I think it can help me amass billions of wealth if my sudden escape from reality brings forth ideas worth the nod of Apple’s Steve Jobs.  No, it is not an iPhone that can revolutionize the way people communicate with humans.  I will first keep it to myself or others might steal it (haha!).

For a clue of what that idea might be, see the image below

Not so busy bees. Woot! They are daydreaming

But now comes a more important question – are writers lazying around when they daydream or when they stare at the window thinking?

Or, is it the other way around – when writers start daydreaming that they are logged in to work?

What do you think? Share your thoughts now …

Daydreamers: Hooray!

Ponyo: Woof!

My first blog post

It may be late but there is still time left so I catch up.

The world of today has warmly embraced blogging and though am not used to seeing lots of people running to and fro, I braved the cold cold cyberspace.  And It is chilling me now to death.

No amount of heatwave could scare the coldness and alienation one feels in this new space called blog.  But I must learn to adapt, to take this as my new home now.  At least for a little while.

Once in a while, I, Ponyo will talk to you right here in my blog (Thanks WordPress people!) and tell you of my stories, my observations, the new things I discovered and friends I meet along the way.

For now, have a nice day.