The Sonata of Good Men

I'm writing this while carefully holding back my tears.

While the full interest in German history rests on the dark side of the Holocaust, I have, in few instances, come across in my studies of Economics the infamous hyperinflation of the German currency when the borders that divide the East from the West finally toppled down. My take on this political event had been purely academic until I watched the film The Lives of Others.

I do not have the faculty to at least write a simple summary of this brilliant film for the simple reason that it was so complex I may not give justice to its genius. However, I would like to try with a simple digest so I can, at the very least, pay tribute to it. The movie follows the investigation of a group of artists--playwrights, poets, actors--in socialist East Germany. As expected, socialist rule prohibits free speech among intellectuals trying to question and threaten the revered rule. And while utmost secrecy is required among the rebel artists, the authorities can only employ the highest and most cunning shenanigans to infiltrate any form of revolution in incubation.

Georg Dreyman is an esteemed playwright who, badly devastated by the suicide of a great director friend who was banned by the Stasis from pursuing his career, committed to write an article exposing suicide incidents unaccounted for in the East. To get this printed in the West, a highly exclusive network had to get it past the borders. What seemed to be an unmonitored rebellious exercise was, unknown to Dreyman's group, fully monitored by Wiesler who bugged Dreyman's apartment. However, a stream of domestic drama and humanistic bouts with reality provoked Wiesler to flirt with his own share of existentialism that would soon turn the entire investigation into a complete symbol of the monumental triumph of the ever truthful human conscience.

It was with great expectations that I watched this film. Afterall, it won the Academy's Best Foreign Language Film for Germany in 2007. To have tears welling up in the corners of my eyes towards the movie's ending made me realize that self-worth may be discovered at a cost of a great sacrifice, but it was, all the while, worth it as soon as you find out that the highest form of gratitude has been accorded to it.

Germans can be as stoic and hard as their language, but this movie is full of heart intelligently presented amidst the seemingly evil German air, unfortunate relic of what might have been an unfair Hitler legacy.

The Best Vampire Movie

Oskar is a 12-year old boy who gets bullied a lot at school. His helpless demeanor found him a reassuring company in Eli, a neighbor who just recently moved in. Eli is a charming and intelligent girl who happens to be just as mysterious as the freezing town that would soon turn out to be the venue of a series of bloody murders.

It was supposed to be some kind of a blood compact ceremony to seal their juvenile love affair. Oskar brought Eli to a room then started cutting his palm and asked Eli to do just the same. When blood started to trickle down Oskar's arm, Eli could not help but throw herself towards the floor and bask at the freshness of Oskar's blood.

Eli is a vampire, and Oskar took it without care. Afterall, it was Eli who inspired him to pull himself together and take revenge at those school cutthroats. With a full string of community bloodbaths in the background, Eli and Oskar followed a trail discovering the ripeness of infatuation that bordered through a growing social conundrum.

Let the Right One In is a Swedish vampire film. Scenes were visually light yet heavy with the impending doom of the unraveling storyline. Unlike in mainstream vampire films, there were no hormone-raging subplots that get the story blown in a thousand directions. Instead, it was handled with charm, wit, and sincerity of characters that were built up in a manner that renders it impervious to careless filmmaking.

But I ended up so loving this film for the simple reason that I find the love story very cute and kilig; not to mention the last time I got this scared was when I watched Aiza Seguerra and Manilyn Reynes in Aswang.

A Wonderful Time with Justice Isagani A. Cruz

There are two reasons why I prefer The Philippine Daily Inquirer over the other broadsheets: its excellent layout and its pool of sensible columnists, my favorite among them is the esteemed Retired Justice Isagani A. Cruz.

I have been following Justice Cruz' Separate Opinion since 2002. Among PDI's columnists, I guess he's the easiest to read. His syntax is perfect the fluidity of his thoughts just breathes blithely through the mental utterance of his written words. His columns traversed from topics touching on the most mundane to the highly royal language of the legal community's mostly controversial issues. His opinion on the most pressing political topics was rightly based on his judgment firmly rooted on his untainted, rich experience in the judiciary. However, my favorites were columns that explored and revealed his character as a doting grandfather; his account of his long lost lovers; and columns on ordinary life that turned into perfect, rare pieces of literature when written in his pen.

I didn't see this day coming so soon. My favorite columnist has just printed his last column on PDI, and needless to say, I am really sad. I'm just as sad as the day when Max Soliven died in Japan, putting an end to his highly syndicated column in The Philippine Star. I remember reading Soliven's retelling of his thousand travels, most of the time name-dropping ambassadors and social elites. The braggadocio in Soliven's writings didn't come offensive at all, probably because it was tempered by his natural charm; something that rarely transmits through print, much in the same likeness to Cruz's congenial personality radiating from his sacred space on PDI's Opinion Page.

So this leaves me a huge dilemma. Which broadsheet do I pick up next Sunday? For sure, I will go aghast over Manila Bulletin's Editorial on senseless matters like The Mooncake Festival Day I chanced upon before -- imagine an editorial for a whaaat? lunar festival, of all things! Also, Alex Magno's column in The Philippine Star does not seem to interest me a bit; maybe it has something to do with his stern-looking picture. I read some of his columns in the past though, and they all carry a similar feel -- heavy topics in heavy narratives. It's going to be a long stand in the newsstand next week!

Justice Cruz ended his Column with this: "It was truly a wonderful time, and I'm sorry it had to end with my failing health."

There is no account as to how serious Justice Cruz' health condition has gone, but I pray that he may be comforted in these trying times. This may seem selfish, but I wish he can still manage to write occassional columns in the days ahead.

Sir Isagani A. Cruz, it has been, indeed, A WONDERFUL TIME!