Theater: Bona

“Spinster call center agent Bona upon seeing the televised pitiful background of Gino Sanchez immediately becomes a fan of the Star of Tomorrow wannabe. In her desire to help him jumpstart his showbiz career, she gives him everything she has and turns her back to everything she values. Blinded by her belief in him, she allows all his faults to freely slide as she finds herself drowning in the surreal quicksand of worship and pity where manipulation blurs the line between prey and predator, the dismissive god and the faithful worshiper.“

The first thing I noticed, watching Bona, was the colors. Each character was assigned a color, depending on how they were connected to each other. Which made the Bona’s passionate reds and Gino’s appealing blues all the more distinct from each other. Sure, the colors complement each other–but any color does, depending on the shade. Given the wrong shade, the two will clash.

And that’s exactly what Bona is–a love story between a woman who adores a boy so desperately it’s almost idolatry, and a boy who sees her for what she is to him–opportunity. It’s a love story waiting to clash. And crash. And burn.

I’m familiar with the source material. I’ve never actually seen it, only heard references of it, so I cannot say if the stage play was better than the movie it was adapted from. But it is very apparent that the production has taken liberties with the material. For one thing, I don’t think there were call centers back in the day the original Bona was made.

That said, I do think the writers who adapted the movie did an amazing job updating the material–without, basing on what other people have said about the production, taking anything away from what made Bona the movie work. But what sets it apart, basing from other people’s comments, is the stage play was able to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Imagine, a grown woman falling in love with a boy on television?

The absurd part of this is that it really does happen in real life.

Bona gives a stark look into the idolatry that goes around the local entertainment industry. Fans do act like Bona does. And everything is captured in one question at the end of the stage play:

What is the different between admiring and worshiping?

And it’s a great statement to make. Where do you draw the line? Which one is more rooted in love? In true love?

I’m sure each one of us has a different answer to that question.

Catch the last five shows of Bona this weekend at the PETA Theater.

Movie: Howl’s Moving Castle

“When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking home.“

The first time I encountered Howl’s Moving Castle, back in college, it was through this animated film. I didn’t know it was based off a novel, and that a couple of years later, that same novel was going to make it into my top 10 list of favorite novels of all time. And so I passed on it. The horror! I could say I watched it then and enjoyed it completely, but what’s the point of lying on the internet? Don’t answer that.

Anyway, before I completely go off-tangent again, let’s talk about Howl’s Moving Castle. Specifically, what makes it a different entity from the book. Because personally, I wouldn’t say the film is by Diana Wynne Jones, even though the basic structure of the story (and what propels the story forward) do come from her. And there are numerous film adaptations who would take its source material and just lay it out in film form. Yes, Philosopher’s Stone, I’m looking at you. That’s not the case with Howl’s Moving Castle. And unlike other “adaptations”, *cough*HungerGames*cough*, this one does succeed in keeping the core of the story, while making it an entirely different entity.

After reading the novel, I wanted to go back to this film immediately. But I wasn’t able to, as my copy of the film is with a friend. Still with the same friend, actually. So instead, I decided to read the plot synopsis of the film instead. I must admit that I felt a little peeved that Howl’s Moving Castle, the animated film, was credited more to Hayao Miyazaki and not to the author of the source material. I thought it was an affront to the genius of Miss Jones. That made me turn my nose up on the film.

So what changed my mind? Maturity? Old age? I don’t know. But I finally found myself watching the film after almost three years of consciously pretending it doesn’t exist. And, I don’t think I have to spell it out, but here’s the thing: I completely loved it. And, obviously, I think Hayao Miyazaki did a wonderful job in making it his own.

As a fan of Howl’s Moving Castle, the novel, I still recognized the main story structure and the characters. But how the story unfolded was  taken into a different direction, and what a turn it took. Even though I knew where everything was going, I was still at the edge of my seat, excitedly waiting for what happens next. It was like I knew nothing about the story. And it felt wonderful. Why? Because I got to relive the first-time enjoyment I experienced after reading the novel. And, ask anyone, that’s pretty hard to do once you know where things are going.

The only complaint I have, if it is one, is that the film was too short. The other things, like what happened to Sophie’s other sister (the one she mentions near the beginning of the film), I can let pass. Because I know what happened there, in the book. I guess strangers to the book can write it off as a throwaway line. I guess. It doesn’t lessen one’s enjoyment of the film, for sure.

As for the thing I liked the most about the film? I love how they treated Sophie’s curse. It was magnificent. And totally not how I imagined the curse to be like when I was reading the book–which is what, I guess, I could say for the entire film. It wasn’t what I imagined, but it was magnificent.

Which is why, lesson learned, one must never really judge things by how they are described by other people. Which is an odd thing to say, being that I blog my reactions on books, television shows, and films. But it is what it is. Let other people influence you, but never let them make your decisions for you. If you let opinions cloud your judgment, you might never find things to enjoy.