Sunday, June 28, 2009

Take A Second Look: Transformers, Revenge of The Fallen--Junk, Undeniable Thrilling Fun...and then Some

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Admit it: you like junk food, don't you? Don't deny it and stop fooling yourself. It's not as if you indulge your craving for them every day, much less every minute. Once in a while, however, junk food can be that one little inconsequential guilty pleasure which must be, well, consummated. Sure, they say it's bad for you. But hey, it's not exactly like shooting yourself in the head. There are simply some instances when giving in to certain reckless appetites can be the perfect tonic to the stiff routine of our lives. So go ahead, grab that bag of salty, calorie-laden potato chips and stuff them into your mouth. Have your fill of that supmtuous bar of chocolate or liter of ice cream. They say most doughnuts sold in diners make you fat--well so what? They're sweet, creamy, and they are best taken with harmful cola beverages. Go ahead and cram yourself!

And you know what the good part it? All the rubbish you can fill your time with does not have to end with food. You can waste an hour or two shooting badasses in a video game. If you have a car, you can drive to wherever feels fine and for all the world be the proverbial schmuck on four wheels. Sing along to the latest noisy song reverberating with the phat bass. Hell, throw all your inhibitions away and put on that porn flick on your movie player. Would that be pushing the envelope too much? Then watch Transformers: The Revenge of the Fallen on IMAX.

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Okay, one thing must be clear. The first live-action Transformers movie was pure junk. This second installment in the franchise isn't necessarily any spectacular improvement--even if it does deliver on a promise to show more outrageous destruction, knuckle-cracking mayhem, and action of such high-octane it approaches the rush of crystal meth. Yeah, nobody ought to look for any story or plot in a movie like this. It's pure nonsense to expect substance of any sort from this two-and-a-half hour extravaganza. No, this was meant for the voyeuristic junkie in all of us...the same sort of persons who tune in to the news on television every night just to watch rape victims cry their heart out at police stations, the drunks and street criminals being rounded up by the authorities, the car accidents, the people running helter-skelter from natural disasters. Story and meaning aren't important here. What's the sole simple reward is watching gigantic mechanical warriors engaging in mortal combat, maiming and dismembering each other for domination of the universe...or in this case, the earth for the meantime. The universe can wait until part 4 or part 6, perhaps.

There's always a rush in watching battle and conflict. In any case, you're rooting for the good guys. And of course you know they'll win.

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As was mentioned earlier, there's totally no use in arguing that this movie holds any deeper meaning than what it promised. You want to see robots fighting? You got it. There is over an hour's worth of robot-fighting here, rendered miraculously in crystal-clear computer-generated imagery that takes seeing to believe. It's like watching cars pummeling each other--an absolute glory! Metal bodies cartwheel and tumble at breakneck pace in martial-arts choreography, thanks to that wonderful invention called "motion capture". For generations of viewers who thought that such scenes could only be enjoyed in animation that would not be photo-realistic, this is a beatific experience that is just totally the meanest, slickest, and the sickest.

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It's the easiest thing in the world to be one of the naysayers and declare that "Revenge of the Fallen" is better left unwatched, since it imparts nothing worthwhile. Nah, that would be too narrow a perspective. There are many things viewers can take away after riding this roller-coaster, even if they don't directly have anything to do with the movie's "themes" or content--it's any attempt at enlarging upon such aspects of the film that's a perfect waste of time. Let us just stick to some other points that can be pondered:

1) It's a successful business venture

The people who made the film will surely earn a lot of money. It's a simple equation. In order to make such a gargantuan story come to life on the big screen, they had to spend around the territory of 150 million or more US Dollars. It could well have been a bigger amount.

Is that too unimaginable an amount of money to invest in any enterprise? An amount like that could buy anybody around 3 SM supermalls--maybe even 5. And they decide to make a movie? It might sound preposterous to some degree. However, there is a good chance that the movie itself might earn around 200 percent, or double the initial capital, in less than a month. 5 SM supermalls can't do that within the same time period. In other words, "Revenge of the Fallen" was a good business decision.

Of course the whole movie was simply made to take your money. That's not entirely objectionable. Barbie dolls also have the same objective. And for some people, Barbie dolls might even be more insiduously subversive to the impressionable minds of young girls. Then again, who are the parents to complain about any deep, underlying, undesirable psychological effects of Barbie? Oh, and by the way, the Transformers movie franchise itself is inextricable from the line of toys made by Hasbro, which incredibly puts the robots right into your own hands! Imagine that. Which means even more money for the "Transformers" brand.

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2) It's a better watching experience than seeing yet another squeaky clean boy and girl loveteam lip-locking onscreen

As of late, the only Pinoy films we can choose from, no matter how many they seem to be, are in the "romantic" genre, meaning they are about star-crossed lovers who cry every five minutes because of all sorts of circumstances keeping them apart, and then four minutes before the end a twist of fate brings them together. We keep seeing so much of them we can sleep through any one of them and imagine the story in our heads. When we wake up, the ending onscreen would be the same, in any case.

3) It can be watched on IMAX

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There's nothing like seeing the hell out of automatons in resplendent and near-photo-realistic CGI rendering tearing each other to bits--in a gigantic screen designed to overwhelm your eyes. There's buzz going around the internet which said the mega-modern computer that ILM special effects gurus used to create the Decepticon colossus Devastator actually melted during "rendering"--that is, the process by which the computer engine actually builds the visual rendition of Devastator pixel by pixel. Just imagine feasting your sights on a work of art so technically demanding and cutting-edge that it even reduced the most formidable gadgetry to fudge and taffy! In living 50-foot color--about five storeys high! That just about beats seeing Godzilla or any other pussyfooted dinosaur on standard screens. The experience is absolutely, wickedly mind-blowing. Never mind that you don't know what the heck it is anyway these monsters are troubling themselves with--if they dismember each other, the audience will ask for more. Not to mention--harharhar--the blast and reverb of digital surround sound bringing you right in the middle of those chest-pounding explosions and the ear-crackling throbs and hammerings of pure mayhem.

Transformers on IMAX will from now and forevermore be paradise on scorched earth.

4) You can probably play a video game of the movie later on in your personal computer or gaming console

Now, how can anybody ever do this with most other movies today? The record-holder for the highest grossing Pinoy movie ever shown in the Philippines as of the present is "Feng Shui", this horror gig starring the daughter of a former Pinoy President. And that's not a joke. Anyway, the movie is not supposed to be such a terrifying experience because of the fact that a Presidential daughter is part of the cast. In any case, a movie like "Feng Shui" won't ever have its own nifty video game. Absolutely nobody will be able to sit through "Feng Shui" for two hours or so and then expect that some time in the near future ( perhaps even the moment you get home ), you can sit down in front of your television or your computer, then relive its story through another three or four hours of gaming. But with "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", you certainly can! Isn't that a stroke of genius?

It's a win-win situation for everybody. The Transformers franchise earns more money because of the games they can merchandise, and gamers can return again and again into the Transformers Universe and keep on seeing robots blasting each other to smithereens--with you in it, or at least your robot character ( for goodness' sakes )--right up to the months and years it takes when another Transformers sequel comes along. "Feng Shui" can't do that to the viewers, and that just about explains why the top-grossing Pinoy film in the Philippines can't have a sequel. Less money for the producers. Harharhar...hmmmm. Maybe a video game with the computer generated image of a Presidential daughter wouldn't really sell that well.

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5) And speaking of sequels, yes, the Transformers movies are going to spawn even more sequels in the future

You'd think at first that the Transformers franchise of movies would end with three, or perhaps four, sequels. You'd think all the Decepticons would be wiped out by Part Four, maybe. Ever notice anything about this most recent Transformers movie? They never indicated whether it was the second part or whatever, numerically anyhow. Which only means one thing: you'd think Harry Potter or James Bond are the only movies that run on and on for seven or more parts? You honestly suppose that The Star Wars franchise or the Star Trek revivals are the only special effects extravaganzas that would have the clout to run on for more than five installments? Nah, the Transformers movies won't be another trilogy or six- or seven-part movie series.

It will go on and on...

There are just too many Decepticon asses to fry. There are simply too many Autobots still arriving to Earth. By the time anyone reading this reaches advanced senior age, he or she will realize that the revenge isn't anywhere near finished at all!

6) Finally, the innovative technology used to make the Transformers movies will benefit a whole lot of people, even those who didn't bother to watch.

Major advances in computer-generated imagery ( rendered in three dimensions with near photographic accuracy ) have mostly been continually improved by visual effects specialists engaged in filmmaking. From the machinations of engineers and technicians working assiduously in labs such as those found in Industrial Light and Magic ( ILM )--the wizards behind most of the eye-popping gimmickry we see on the silver screen--and Digital Domain, or even Weta, to mention a few, there often arise new software which push further the boundaries of the technology.

When once not long before it would be almost inconceivable to expect a movie to show us convincing images of gigantic automatons shooting and pummeling each other down to smithereens--viola! all of a sudden we are treated to Transformers movies. It's magic, undeniably, but magic that is borne of persistent scientific progress. Behind those scenes of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee and Megatron and Starscream hobnobbing with humans and human civilizations is handiwork that bespeaks thousands of man-hours of painstaking research. The real heroes aren't, after all, those transforming robots, but the people who themselves have begun transforming the landscape of what CGI animation can achieve. The implications of their achievements will not only be felt in future films, but will also bleed into other endeavours in which such know how is invaluable.

The area of medicine is gradually being enriched by newer and better CGI software that can vastly improve the capablities of sonographs, x-rays, magnetic spectrometers, and whatever new device might be out there being developed. Where once the very machines doctors and medical staff use to probe into the workings of the human body would only produce fuzzy pictures almost unintelligible to the novice, today CGI technology such as those used in the Transformers movies are making it possible to generate clearer, greatly clarified images. Even ultrasound images are said to be produced today in "real-time 4G". Whew, it sounds heavy. Yep, it probably owes much to those geeks in ILM.

Space exploration and airline flight in general use cutting-edge CGI software to build flight simulators that mostly make sure newbie pilots don't mistakenly crash their jumbo jets or jet fighters down onto your own house when they start flying for real. Digital telecommunications use the same technology to make infinitely more powerful our mobile phones, laptops, PDA's, or any other gadget using wi-fi, CDMA, GSM, broadband, and a host of other digital protocols. Oh, and let's not forget how CGI in games are also being improved by following the pioneering efforts of filmmakers.

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The Conclusion--Yes, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is junk in many ways. The movie could have been better with a less faulty story, or a more artful inclusion of the Eternal Questions between the Nature of Good and Evil, or maybe even a dose of good old-fashioned moral statements. Yes, the movie has none of those. In any case, one shouldn't also overlook some positive qualities that strangely arose out of it.

Should they make another one? Well, perhaps as long as they put effort into avoiding this movie's failings and focus on what they did right. Maybe the tenth Transformers film is destined to be a work of such genius and craftsmanship that it will raise the bar of excellence in General Patronage fare ( which is now ruled by The Lord of The Rings Trilogy ). In the meantime, maybe we don't have to even wait for the tenth Transformers movie. Perhaps someone else out there could build on the achievements--if you can call them that-- "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" has reached, and make a new and better movie about something else.

Just please don't forget that it has to reap incredible financial success, it has to motivate us to buy toys, we should be able to play a video game about it afterwards, yada yada yada...

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Saturday, June 6, 2009

So My Younger Cousin is Planning To Become A Soldier...


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He told me that he wanted to be admitted into the Philippine Military Academy this year. He wanted to become a soldier.

So much has been written and said about the military profession as being the domain of exceptional individuals who embody strength of will, discipline, unyielding personal sacrifice, and just about every noble virtue which distinguishes a society's heroes. To become a soldier in the service of one's country, indeed, ought to mean taking one's place in the company of the oft-mentioned few and proud.

And now my younger cousin was aspiring to get into the Academy to prove himself worthy of taking a crack at the opportunity to belong to this worthy elite circle. He resolves to gain a place in an institution renowned for rooting out only the best of the best among the rest...or so goes the cliche.

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Among Pinoys, the Philippine Military Academy ( or the PMA ) stands tall as the august institution for inducting that rare breed of person into the uppermost tiers of military service. Sure, any able bodied citizen can enlist in any military fort or outpost to become the foot soldier, but the Academy is for those who can withstand the rigid intellectual and physical training reserved only for the future military officer. Perhaps any average man or woman can wield a gun and fight--but only a select group can command. It is no wonder that the screening for applicants into the Academy is arguably one of the toughest among all educational institutions in the country.

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Truth be told, however, the motivations which impel someone to seek admission into the Academy may not always be confined to the old adage "to serve the country". A lot of other intentions are certain to be involved.

It is quite common knowledge that PMA cadets receive renumeration--in the form of the so-called financial "stipend"--that practically covers all the expenses that are incurred throughout the whole period of training and study.

Perhaps it would not be too far fetched to think that some students think of PMA as a ticket to a free education. After all, the Academy does provide a college degree, along with a host of other educational programs. Your typical cash-strapped undergraduate might arguably find the prospect of earning a college degree without the crushing responsibility of coughing up the money for it very attractive, no matter that the trade-off would be endless hours of tortuous physical training coupled with the rigors of intense competition among peers.

And then, of course, it almost goes without saying that successful graduates of the PMA are instantly conferred high rankings in the military brass, which in almost every aspect imaginable is a status of considerable advantage, particularly more so in the Philippines. Where the average citizen finds it a challenge enough to secure sustainable employment after graduating from college--given the desperation of the Philippines' Third World plight--PMA graduates are privileged with reaping the rewards of their hard work and study right away. Not even Pinoy doctors or lawyers could say as much.

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Still, it could be argued that being handed a job in the military, however prestigious and high the office, would not perhaps be the most palatable responsibility in the world, not by a longshot...pun definitely intended. The military officer is not necessarily always at the front line of battle, but it would be idiotic to say that there would be no grave risk in the undertaking at all. It would be only fair and just, then, for those manning these valuable positions to enjoy some particular renumerations which would preferrably make up for the sacrifice.

Such "renumerations" are not normally conceived of as equating to ostentaneous wealth and privilege. The glory and nobility of a soldier, in its ideal sense, would not be predicated on the bounty--or what may be referred to more unappealingly as the "spoils of war"--one has amassed after fulfilling the required duty. However, it must be conceded that the world is in every sense very far from ideal. In too many instances, high-ranking military personnel in the Philippines have been accused of placing more value on obtaining profit and financial gain instead of prioritizing the proper defense of the homeland.

Allegations fly left and right regarding bribes in exchange for promotion; the diversion of government funds intended for procurement of arsenal into the coffers of upper-tier staff; the involvement of both active and retired officers in the protection of criminal enterprises--the list goes on and on with no end in sight.

Shamefully, such criticisms have been around for a long time. As early as the 1990's, or over a decade ago, a news article in the Los Angeles Times was pointed enough to be titled "Philippine Military Called Divided, Corrupt and Inept". The same article enumerated certain complaints from within military personnel. Among very sobering examples:

...soldiers complained of poor leadership, competing loyalties, unjust promotions and uneven military justice.

Navy Commander Proceso L. Maligalig, a decorated 20-year military veteran...charged in a long deposition that "corruption exists in the procurement system in the personnel administration system, in the (military) mutual aid retirement fund systems, and in equipment maintenance systems."

Maligalig, former deputy commander of the military's logistics operation, complained that officers take kickbacks from contractors, or buy substandard uniforms and medical supplies at vastly inflated prices.

One "known gunrunner" in the Department of Defense used his position to illegally import high-powered firearms for sale, Maligalig said. Another senior officer illegally held a second high-paying job at the Bureau of Customs, "drawing pay from both, plus income from customs shenanigans."

[ Army hospitals ] suffer from "chronic lack of supplies and medicines, a fact which has caused many a precipitate demise of military patients," he wrote. "In many AFP (military) hospitals, one has to bring his own intravenous injection kit if one expects to have a transfusion or dextrose feeding."

Paymasters, personnel clerks, claims officials and other administrative officers routinely insist on "outrageous" bribes to process papers, he added.

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These reports of anomalous practices have generated such a degree of disapproval and outrage that certain military officers took up the cudgels to advocate some form of investigation into their own ranks--even if the fact that military brass themselves calling for such strident inquiries lends some credence to any supposition that such accusations could be true. As detailed in an online publication from--curiously, of all places--China, People's Daily English, in an article entitled "Philippine military officers urge independent probe of corruption charges" :

"A number of military officers...called for the creation of an independent and credible auditing team that will look into the extent of corruption in the military and identify more officers who might be involved.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a middle-ranking officer said tapping an auditing team would clear public doubts that government is trying to cover up graft and corrupt practices of top military officials.

"It's a welcome move and only those hiding something will not agree. That is a welcome move if the government wants to quell these controversies, that is if the government wants to do that," the source said."

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http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200410/10/eng20041010_159645.html

Might the mere possibility that any military officer can readily engage in corrupt schemes with impunity serve as twisted motivation for PMA cadets to eagerly graduate?

It would not be too hard to imagine so. High military office, it would appear, could actually protect the ranking officer from the consequences of breaking the law for their own selfish designs. There are even further insinuations that PMA'ers ( the collective term for active and retired officers, as well as the cadets themselves) also enjoy the cloak of conspiratorial silence among themselves to cover-up any wrongdoing. This is because of an unstinting credo of "brotherhood-in-arms", supposedly indoctrinated in the Academy itself. It's a situation that can easily attract anybody with enough determination to pursue self-enrichment no matter what it may involve.

On second thought, perhaps it would be grossly unfair to brand every PMA'er as a greedy fiend with the aim of using military officialdom as the most effective path for amassing wealth and influence. And yet, even until now, issues keep coming up which cast PMA'ers in less than admirable light.

Columnist Cito Beltran observes in one of his articles the eyebrow-raising "close relationship" which PMA'ers enjoy with Malacañang Palace--the Office of the Philippine President, and by rote the most powerful entity in the country. He sarcastically questions the practice of PMA alumni being given preference over other qualified candidates when certain sensitive government positions need to be filled up, to wit:

"Malacañang Palace is now called the strongest chapter of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association. Why not? Considering that Malacañang Palace has been overrun by retired military and police officials who are all graduates of PMA...

First they took over the leadership of the AFP [ the Armed Forces of the Philippines ]. Then they trespassed into civilian domain by ruling over Philippine National Police. Then they meddled in the leadership of the country and in the removal of duly elected officials, which earned them posts as Cabinet members ( departmental heads of government agencies under the President ), who then parlayed their political interference by securing directorships in government for their brothers in arms.

From directors, they moved on by gunning for diplomatic posts and boxed-out many career foreign service officials lined up to become ambassadors. Since then no real civil servant can claim to be secure in his or her career. All it takes is a retired colonel, superintendent, general to call on their batch mates or “Mistahs” for a civil servant to be displaced by an active member of the PMA-AA. "

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http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/ht/ht008761.htm

Would it be entirely improper to assume that, given previous high-profile accounts of PMA alumni acquiring "choice positions" in sundry fashion such as what had been stated above, not a few of those wanting to secure education in the PMA might simply be looking for a bigger chance of landing politically influential positions in government in the eventual future? With being an alumni a key qualification?

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It would seem that those who successfully become PMA cadets will definitely come face to face with a whirlwind of "enticing prospects" whenever they contemplate what future could possibly be in store for them once they earn their stripes. Whether in accordance with the law or even in violation of it, all avenues seem to lead towards a mountain of benefits to be reaped by the cadet after graduation.

Where then, in every scenario, is the very reason for the Academy's existence in the first place fulfilled?

Shouldn't the uppermost objective of every military officer be to ensure the most effective defense of the homeland? If this was the most fundamental principle which Philippine Military Academy is tasked to instill in every cadet who has graced its halls, then perhaps the military officials it has been producing all this time should have already acheived this end to an optimum level. A formidable homeland defense must already be in existence, then. Well, isn't it?

Some excerpts from an article found in the International Herald Tribune might very well summarize the state of the Philippines' homeland defense, to wit:

[ The Philippines ] has troubles protecting its interests in territorial disputes like the one over the Spratly Islands, which [ China ] also claims.
"The military is clearly unprepared for aggressive island grabs, overfishing or exploration by China," said Zachary Abuza, an expert on terrorism and Southeast Asian security issues at the U.S. Institute of Peace, based in Washington. "There will be little they can do to deter aggressive actions, other than at the diplomatic level."

The Philippines' armed forces "has no role to play in the [ Southeast Asian ] region," he said. "It has almost no navy. Its ability to protect its exclusive economic zones and maritime resources is nil."

...the Philippines' military remains fragmented, politicized and corrupt, according to scholars, analysts and government officials. Its hardware is old and inadequate, its troop morale low...
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In the middle of all the cause celebre surrounding the PMA and its supposed integral role to play in the Philippines' affairs, beyond all the prestige accorded its cadets and its alumni as being stellar members of society--the Academy seems to have neglected its duties with regards to laying the groundwork for the foundation of even a functional homeland defense.  

That the Philippines' defense systems are totally incapable of protecting the country against a slew of external threats, that each and every military official--from the highest-ranking general to the lower-level lieutenant--directly responsible for implementing these selfsame defense systems all come from the PMA, says a lot about the Academy itself.  A regrettable, unadmirable, and dismal lot.

Perhaps its about time that the present generation of PMA cadets, and hopefully those to come, start thinking less about what will personally benefit them after graduation, and start getting serious about addressing the alarming state of their country's defenses.  

Is there any contingency plan prepared in the Philippines' favor against the imminent nuclear capabilities of nearby North Korea?  Should China all of a sudden emerge from its doldrums and present itself as a veritable adversary over territories claimed by the Philippines, is our military prepared to defend the country's interests?  Surely, the onus of responsibility is on the Philippine military to be able to address these challenges anytime it would be necessary to do so.  Military officers have always been the very people who should initiate, formulate, and implement the most prudent strategies for defense.  

Therefore, the Philippine Military Academy ought to step up and do its job accordingly--which is, again, to prepare a cadre of officers fully capable of putting together an effective homeland defense.    

All is not too late for reform.  It should start with the people behind the institution.  It could even start with people like my cousin.  I wish him all the luck in his attempt at becoming a PMA cadet.  I wish him all the best in being what a military officer should be when the time comes.  

Prove yourself a worthy cadet, cousin.  Prove yourself a real soldier of our country.

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