one feel good moment about death. that's exactly how it felt watching this indie delight by chris martinez. consider the paradox of the wordplay, death is not really something to feel good about. all of us fear it. but 100 made a lighter take on the subject.
joyce de leon is at the prime of her career and all things mundane are within her grasp when she's confronted by a disease caused by her lust for the ciggy. it's every yuppie's addiction. hence, lung cancer. instead of moping with her impending doom, she decides to make the best out of her remaining days. and writes her itinerary on sticky notes.
while the grey-haired duo in 'bucket list' escape from their reality with their outrageous adventures before kicking the bucket, joyce, on the other hand, does a more pragmatic approach. resign from work. settle credit card bills and mortgage payments. pick her casket. organize song playlist from her ipod for her wake. give to the poor. give out her stack full of books. tell her best friend ruby. tell her mom. her wall of sticky notes is more than just her regular reminders; to accomplish them is her personal mission, a must.
soon her best friend is already involved with her scribbles. and accomplish trivial and once-in-a-lifetime experiences together. go back to their high school classroom and relate their nostalgic moments together. experiment on a pasta dish. travel to hongkong together. photo-op with mickey mouse and brad pitt (in wax). get a relaxing massage. have their hair and nails done. later, mom got involved. then cigarette habit is cut. caffeine is flushed away. get a third opinion. go to manaoag. take chinese medication. her favorite kare-kare sans the bagoong. juxtaposing both their approach to joyce reveal their degree of acceptance to her condition. the mother took longer to accept the fact, delaying this notion by resorting to flagging assurances of a cure, even a miracle. inevitably, she will have to accept it. ruby, on the other hand, becomes her pillow of strength, a concealer of her weakness, her escape from her pangs of pain.
the highlights of the movie include the scene where joyce haggles with an agent as she tries to pick her casket. it's quite hilarious. and man, those deathbeds are pricey!
another one would be when mom rushed to the hospital bed of joyce and finally learned about her cancer. she rants and scolded for not telling early on about it. her blood pressure shoot up. and later she was on the hospital bed while joyce on the wheel chair peering over her. joyce now took the turn and nagged her mom in return. hilarious!
despite some effervescent moments, you could still actually feel her rollercoaster ride of emotions as she's about to take her death cab. especially on moments of solitude. that's where the pain would take its toll, emotionally and physically. like a toothache, it strikes big time when you're about to sleep (sorry, i just have to write it...haha!).
as the movie tread on its length, it delves more deeply on the subject bearing on the spiritual consciousness. it also poses a rhetorical question of what goes beyond the confines of corporal life. what if we lived a good life, according to the words of God, only to find out that there's no heaven, that there's really nothing beyond it.
the ending could have answered this question.
100 was launched during this year's cinemalaya festival. watching the movie is a great experience. it's both happy and sad. the rave about 100 is with its seamless storytelling, effective actors and...it's one great piece overall. hope this kind of filmmaking would infect local cinema.
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