A Few Thoughts on the Filipino Indie Film 'Happyland'

Actually, the trailer's far more interesting than the movie itself, which I found to be rather full of loosely attached strings to the main rope that links together what I believe what make up its story line: how to save poverty-stricken youth from engaging in dangerous activities, and make them learn and play football instead. This could have been made by some groups doing advocacy works for disadvantaged people living in poorest sections of Metropolitan Manila area but I would rather watch movies about these poor people depicting them as to who they really are (and not what others think of them from a certain favored perspective). Of course, we see a lot of promising, talented, strong people from their ranks, but we can also see real, authentic ones who know what they want and are working against all odds to accomplish what they want in their lives. In this movie, I felt I've missed a lot about these people, most of whom acted as if they're happening to be passing by while a movie was being shot in the place where they live.

A lot of interesting characters were introduced in this movie but whose characterizations were left hanging and thus doubtful and not very convincing. I wonder who the Spanish priest was exactly; who was that Brother from a certain religious group (must be the Jesuits, I believe); who were those other people who showed up in this movie that I wish I would have known better. The film's really almost chaotic, which was somewhat saved by the prevailing theme of learning and playing football. I had a feeling that I was watching a draft of a movie that needs more editing so that its story would grow tighter and compact and let me focus on what exactly its filmmaker has in mind. I could have ignored this major fault if the movie was grandly photographed but this element was also lacking (e.g. Terrence Malick's 'The Tree of LifeThe Tree of Life' comes to mind now, which was beautifully photographed but had a very poor storyline that it looked like I was watching one of my badly treated dreams when I'm resting and sleeping). Well, I do certainly hope the filmmakers or those involved in making this movie would take more steps to save it somehow -- it's got the feel of an amateur film as of the time I saw it here in NYC.

Well, some people can help out to come up with much-needed improvements on this film, which strongly suggests that Filipino youth interested in sports to engage in football instead rather than in some other team sports where they don't have built in advantages. Yes, I fully agree with that admonition.