Buhay O Puri?

I remember when I was in high school; my teacher discussed the character of Juli in Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo. In the book, Juli was raped by Padre Camora, and in her shame Juli jumped off a church’s bell tower. In her discussion my teacher made the girls in the class choose, “Buhay o Puri?”(Life or Chastity/Honor).

I thought about that day in class when I heard that Nicole went back on her word that she was raped by American soldier Daniel Smith. Disbelief turned into irritation when I learned that she was paid and given an immigration visa to live in The States.

When it was my turn to answer my teacher, I was one of the few who chose life. I told my teacher that if it happened to me, my attacker might as well kill me because I wouldn’t be ashamed and tell. I always thought that that was a braver approach. Which is why I truly thought it was brave of Nicole to come forward. Especially that she was going up against American soldiers.

Believers of a lie

But now she’s saying she wasn’t really raped, that she was not forced; that she, saying one of the clichés of all clichés, “got carried away”. After all the raucous she caused, she was lying all the while.

I think about the soldiers whom she accused, their families, and their reputation. Especially Smith; sure he might really be a pervert who likes to take advantage of young girls. But he could also just be a young guy who met a girl he thought he was just having casual sex with. How unlucky he is to have encountered a pathological liar. I overheard someone theorizing that Nicole probably thought she could get knocked up, and have Smith marry her and take her to the States. When she didn’t see that pushing through, she probably panicked and made up the rape thing.

Daniel Smith

I remember thinking, as naive as it may sound, no girl would lie about being raped. No girl would wish that for any other girl, what more put it on herself. It just baffles me how someone can lie about that happening to her. Isn’t she afraid of Karma? What if something that horrible really happens to someone she knows, a sister or a friend?

What upsets me more about this is that she got paid. She accepted money in exchange for her backing out on her accusations and runaway. When news of her case broke, there were rumors that she wasn’t credible because she works in a night club. I later found out that wasn’t true, in fact she went to a prestigious school. Now I guess she is no different from a prostitute, and thanks to her people around the world would continue to think that all Filipinas are like that.

Some are saying that the sudden change of her mind is all political, so we can maintain our good relationship with the U.S. JG finds it funny that of all the places she can run away to in this planet of ours, she chose to migrate to the same country the men she accused represented as soldiers. Some say she really was raped but chose to be bribed because of another cliché, for a more comfortable life. To live abroad where the grass is believed to always be greener, is what she really wanted in the first place, and now has been given chance; but in exchange is the humiliation of our country and Pinays everywhere.

I know that women today think very differently than back in the day. They have become open-minded about sex, and I must be honest when I say I am too. However, I believe that our beliefs on our honor have only shifted with our culture and society, but we value it just the same. And no matter how modern and liberal Filipinas get, we all still have a Juli inside of us, who would rather die than have our honor shamed. Much less lie, get paid, and use it as a way to get ahead.

Review: One (Wholesome)Night Only

One Night Only

Aside from Iskul Bukol, JG and I also saw One Night Only during the Holiday break. And like him, we were both surprised and agreed that we liked it better than the T.V. & J. reunion flick. However, let me make it clear that I only liked it a little, again, more than I liked Iskul Bukol, or at least not as much as JG liked it.

 

 

 I liked the movie (a little), because the story was good. Basically, it’s about a group of people that are all connected to each other. The story evolves in the events of the day, where they all end up going to the same motel. Let me see if I can get the connection:

So Diana wanted to sleep with John who was seeing Valerie; whose the friend of Jennilyn who was with lesbian Manilyn, who manages Assunta, whom is being seduced by Paolo, who is loathed by Ogie that is the friend of Chocolate who is hairdresser of Ricky’s wife who wants to bed Katrina who is a good friend of Diana.  

I liked it because it was fast paced and the situations they found themselves in were a little interesting. I liked it because it wasn’t slapstick; it didn’t end with a corny moral of the story, and it doesn’t tackle Pinoy clichés like poverty or anyone suddenly finding out that they are someone’s long lost love child.

What I didn’t like about the movie was that I found myself mislead. First off, It casted stars who claimed to be ready to go daring (e.g. Jennilyn Mercado, and Diana Zubiri who was the reason JG wanted to see in the first place), and that it was supposed to be something for the older movie goers. But as JG explained, the MMFF only allows films that are rated PG, thus what was supposed to be a sexy comedy, turned out to be nothing but a cleavage festival.

I’m not saying there should have been breast exposures, or pumping scenes; but it wouldn’t have hurt it showed a little bit of torrid kissing and some green dialogues; some effort to at least challenge its adult target market.  I thought that the movie dived too deep below the rated PG line, that it turned out be too elementary for a grown-up like me. Yes, the plot was funny and unique, all I’m saying it that, you went that far, might as well push it a little further and make it smarter. If you can’t pull it off with artsy bed scenes then at least challenge my brain with the dialogue. Joey de Leon was able to pull it off in Iskul Bukol (“I want be an Eskimo. Es, es, es…”), and many who saw that film were kids.

Also, on a Sociological perspective (yes, deep…), had they tried to make the script a little wittier, then the characters, especially the lead roles, would’ve had a little more dignity in them. I believe the movie wanted to show the modern Pinay who are as casual with their sexuality as men, but because of the basic dialogues, they all just became easy, ditsy, and promiscuous; instead of liberated and open-minded.

sex comedy?

In summary, I enjoyed the film, but not that much. It was unique, the idea was good, and the flow of the story was well executed. Maybe with a little more intellectual banter, or had it at least did prove to be daring as they publicized it to be, perhaps I would’ve liked it a lot. Close but no cigar.

 

 

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Favorite Overheard Quote/Conversations  of the Day:

One girl was decribing a friend she was going to set-up with her guy friend;

“Ano sya, pinaghalong Ara Mina at Jean Garcia.”

I don’t think that is a good combination, don’t you? Let’s just hope she nice or smart…