Reading out loud

Netnet Camomot

THERE are more than 103 million Pinoys. Surely, that much population can fight anyone and anything that tries to banish a Pinoy to the afterlife. But World War II only had one Adolf Hitler brainwashing minions to annihilate the Jews. That may help you understand why the Marawi siege has kept on going and going like an Energizer Bunny on a perpetual sugar rush. Give a brainwashed and warfare-trained 10-year-old an endless supply of guns and ammunition, and you now have an idea on how that siege began.

To live must be a human being’s utmost desire. To continue living and enjoying the blessings the universe has to offer. How we live, though, is mostly dependent on our choices. But how can a 10-year-old be sure of what he needs? What were your desires when you were that age?

Even millennials, who happen to be the most informed generation while growing up with the latest in technology, are allowed to change their careers as often as they want. Or need.

Human nature usually encourages the human being to choose love and peace. Usually. Until some addled brain brainwashes the vulnerable to choose otherwise. And this is not exclusive to extremists. Try observing an obvious brainwasher with minions who have no choice but to follow his wishes due to their vested interests, and there you have the beginnings of conflict.

There are two movies that may help you understand conflict more. Or they may not. First, there’s “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” if you prefer a Hollywood funny action movie. And “Patay na si Hesus” if you’re curious on how Pinoy movies are doing lately.

We watched these two films on Monday after going to some lunch invites, my first time to spend the fiesta outside of our home and that of an aunt whose house was the venue of our family’s annual fiesta celebrations. Avoiding the fiesta traffic, especially around malls, was the norm then. Well, that changed at least for this year.

Laughter is always the best medicine, and laughing out loud is what you get with “Hitman” and “Hesus.” Hmmm—hitman and Jesus in one sentence. If guns were available for Jesus’ generation, there won’t be any Carrying of the Cross and Crucifixion.

“Hesus” also has a Hudas—the family’s pet dog. Hesus’ legal wife and kids were not crying while looking at the dead Hesus; they finally did upon seeing Hudas’ lifeless body. Oops! Spoiler alert.

You won’t be laughing all the time. There are scenes in “Hesus” that may make you fear it would switch to the usual corny Pinoy film plot. But it recovers again to remind the audience that this is now the new Pinoy movie. Much like what “Oro, Plata, Mata” and “Itim” gave us once upon a time.

“Hesus” has Cebuano dialogue which makes its punches even more pronounced for those who understand the dialect, and it was filmed in Cebu and Dumaguete. We, the Carcar hometowners, almost applauded with glee upon seeing the familiar Rotonda, chicharon, lechon and ampao. I took that as a sign—dad or his elder bro, Tito Lolong, wants us to visit our second home. Now na.

The sense of humor in “Hitman” is not exactly the same as that in “Hesus.” It’s about this dictator whose annihilation of villagers may remind you of the Maguindanao massacre. If you look closely at all sieges and massacres, they do have an almost copy-paste quality of previous, uh, bloody incidents.

Anyway, the hitman’s testimony is crucial in proving the dictator’s guilt as the latter faces cases for his crimes against humanity. A bodyguard is then hired to ensure the hitman delivers his testimony on time, and that’s where the plot evolves to funny.

I was planning to finally watch “Game of Thrones” (GOT) after having an appetizer care of one of its recent episodes where a huge dragon annihilates a procession of carriages, horses, and men. Watching dragons, though, is not yet in my agenda, so, it’s back to movies and books.

Books usually give the most detailed description and their film adaptations may not match what you have in mind.

GOT also began as a book written by George R. R. Martin. I have no plans of reading that. For one, I don’t like dragons even if they’re as gentle as the dragon in “Puff, the Magic Dragon.” Hehe.

But once you’ve read the book, curiosity will inspire you to watch its movie or TV series.

The Marawi siege, though, is not a movie. It’s as real as that 10-year-old who’s now brandishing a high-powered weapon, about to annihilate more victims in his fight for whatever has been ingrained in his brain.