2000s: The Creative Drain

What did the 80s give us?

Aside from bad hairdos and synthesized music, the decade gave us skinny jeans.

Back then, these denims even had leg zippers for ultra-tight grip. And they were mostly worn by rockers. While I never wore a pair (and do not intend to), it is funny seeing 80s fashion being worn by today’s “in” generation. Even Ray-Ban wayfarers are back.

See 80s product placement here.

If you think about it, the 2000-2010 decade is a thief. The fashion is loosely based on different decades, several movie remakes, and even television shows are basing their themes from past generations.

The successful series “Glee” is actually an updated version of musical films of the 1930s and 1940s.

My 10-year-old cousin’s favorite band is Tears for Fears. While I have no idea what other 10-year-olds listen to, he says that his friends enjoy listening to the band as well.

And if you look at basketball, the NBA’s current champion (Los Angeles Lakers) is led by Kobe Bryant—who plays and talks a lot like number 23.

So, what did the 2000-2010 decade give us?

Well, aside from Hayden Kho scandals.

“A Very Special Love” Experience

What are the typical elements of a Pinoy movie? A rich guy and a poor girl (Or vice-versa) are forced into an environment where they have to work in a harmonious relationship. In the process, they end up falling in love. This basic plot can be used to describe a ton of Pinoy movies, including Star Cinema’s latest film: A Very Special Love.

My girlfriend forced invited me to watch this movie last night.

Kidding aside, recent Pinoy movies have vastly improved in quality. A good example is Tribu, a Pinoy film that recently received international acclaim in France.

Producers and directors have made a strong effort to make dialogues more interesting. This, combined with better plot sequences and cinematography have allowed recent Pinoy movies to capture, not only the C-bracket, but the A and B as well.

Actors Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz worked well together in the “Secretary and Boss fall in love angle.” Laida (Geronimo) is thrown into a dynamic office environment that is headed by Miggy (Cruz). It seemed like this role was tailor made for Sarah Geronimo. Laida, much like Geronimo, is young, innocent and idealistic. Yes, I confess, I found her funny because the character felt real and natural.

Roel Santiago who played Miggy’s (Lloyd) brother also had a notable performance. He played the antagonist in the film.

Yes, of course the movie is overly sappy. If you find yourself watching this movie, be warned: expect a lot of shrieks and tears in the theater. Truth be told, I fell asleep for about 15 minutes and when I woke up, the whole audience was crying. Mind-blowing.

On the real, the film is above-average in Pinoy standards. Much better than what I expected.

Pinoy ako!