Social Networking

The birth of Facebook and Twitter made lazy people lazier. Thank goodness to mini-blogs which made people of less words type lesser words. For a few months, I was addicted to the former, posting my rantings multiple times a day. I loved the attention I got whenever comments start treading. There were even instances when I intentionally post provocative statuses so that people couldn't keep themselves from posting their comments. That makes me realize that I am suffering from attention deficiency.

But after a while, I grew tired of doing it. With the limited number of characters that one has to post, it impedes the expressionism in me. I suck at brevity and I feel I am less misunderstood if I soak my articles with my lengthy nature. Though there are only a few people who read my blogs, at least I am a little secure because only those people who I trust know its URL unless I have carelessly given it to somebody or that one curious and resourceful individual has checked Google.

Lately, I have observed that people have been seeing the existence of those social networking sites in a very different perspective to the point of abusing them. For weeks, I had read some statuses which are beyond rantings - something that talks about hatred, some drama and shit which shouldn't be accessed by ALL people. Sure it's a form of expression but it's not really a healthy thing for a person to read somebody's very negative statement when he opens his account. Though I admit that I'm guilty of contributing to this world hate, I don't remember posting in my wall something like "I HATE YOU EFFIN PERSON" or "PINAASA MO LANG AKO PI KA!" Oh yeah, I remember one. I just posted that about that insignificant it and telling it that it's doomed and stuff like that. I regret doing that act. But you know, I'm talking about something more serious.

Last week, I saw my friend's fiancee's status telling him that they are over and stuff like that. I called my friend and clarified things and he said things were just blown out of proportion. What made him mad is that some simple and petty issues like theirs were already broadcast publicly in the whole world-wide web that people, including those who are not even that close to them, have been diving into their private matters, which just worsened the case. A day after, they've made peace with each other (Whoa! That made us scared thinking that we might not be able to wear our rock attire for their wedding.)

Secondly, there are also couples who exchange their I love you's in their walls. I know I'm being a cynic again but then again, isn't it that love is not proud? Don't they know that there is a private message option in Facebook? Don't they have cellphones to text their loved ones instead? I know I sound like I'm envious because my life is like Coke - zero. But don't these people appreciate personal touch that they don't write each other cards or love letters anymore? Hay. Technology is making this world less lovely.

Sa 'Yo Lamang

After 10 years of waiting, Director Laurice Guillen has finally come up with another movie that centers around the basic unit of the society - the family. What made it more relate-able to the Filipino viewers is that it talks about love, hatred and forgiveness among family members which comprise the main ingredient of the most favorite genre of our race - mucus-stimulating melodrama that won't stop one's lacrimal glands from producing tears continuously.

The Cinema Evaluation Board gave it an A Grade which is not surprising perhaps because of hype, the name of the director and the film outfit that produces the movie. But personally, I think that it's just an ordinary film talking about a father who came back after after leaving them for a long time for another woman. Their mother, Lorna Tolentino, accepts him with open arms but the eldest child, Bea Alonzo lives in rage against him creating a conflict between the members. The second child, Coco Martin enjoys his Dad's company while the third and fourth children, Enchong Dee and Miles Ocampo, respectively, couldn't connect with him since they were too young when he left them. Then as expected, each member of the family has to adjust with the new set-up, causing a rift between the eldest daughter and her Mom.

What made the story more complicated is the presence of some other characters and other conflicts like the love triangle between Bea, Zanjoe and Diether, the so-so pacute-cute puppy love of Miles Ocampo and this other ugly Going Bulilit kid, Enchong's friendship-turned romantic love for Lauren Young and the much talked about five-second love scene of Coco and Shaina Magdayao. This ensemble syndrome causes lackluster performances of the actors and resulting to poor build up of their characters when those don't necessarily have to be there. The problem with us is that we cast so many stars to make the movie appear big to the point that the story loses its focus from the main idea, and in this case, the family.

I wasn't surprised with the ending of the movie because I know the cast prior to viewing it and so far I hadn't seen Empress Shuck yet so while Lorna and Bea where in the revelation stage, I already knew what Empress' character is and I wasn't wrong. What's funny is that there's that Laurice trademark that the lights are getting brighter as the character is already dying making his face appear sabog like Gloria Romero's scene in "Tanging Yaman" where she accepted the holy communion.

All in all, it's just a movie and I'd still love all Filipinos to watch it so that we could also help the local movie industry and encourage the filmmakers to keep on creating movies. I'd say I give three stars for the values it teaches the viewers but honestly, Laurice and the writers could have done better than that.

P.S.
As a Photoshop addict, I should know if the family portrait used in the poster is real or not. It appears that the actors' had their solo photos separately taken and assembled together to make it appear that they had a group picture. He he he. Look at Boyet's foot which appears floating.