MOVIE REVIEW: Through Night and Day

As hopeless romantics, we have been yearning for a love that would last a lifetime, one that would go on through days and nights of romance with the one you love. 

"Through Night and Day" promotional poster for Netflix streaming from Twitter.com

Filipino movie, "Through Night and Day", gave us a love story so watchable you could finish it in one sitting. It won't take you a whole day and night to satisfyingly finish the movie, with the tearjerking romance of Ben and Jen.

The film started off smoothly, a typical opening scene for a love story. Ben asked for Jen's hand in marriage after serenading her in front of a huge local bar crowd. Jen gladly accepted the proposal and the marriage planning was on.

Part of the marriage planning was them going to Iceland for both a vacation and a chance for their prenup photo ops. During this stretch of the film, the struggles of dealing with your significant other were shown effectively. There was Ben's annoyance of Jen's indecisiveness, while for Jen, there was Ben's short temper. The film proved to be prophetic when it said that you would really get to know someone when you're just by yourselves, like when you're traveling.

However, the tragedy of the film was only beginning by then. The persistent misunderstandings of the two led to a break up while they were about to head home, during Jen's favorite time of the day on her favorite place.

Years went on and they were apart with new lives. It was revealed that Ben's got a new fiancée, while Jen's got a new problem to deal with - a disease that would eventually get the better of her by the end of the film.

The events of the third part of the film weren't about resolutions but about redemptions instead. Upon knowing about Jen's sickness, Ben reached out to her by making time to make up for lost chances they should've had, had they not broken up. Ultimately, Jen's exit was ushered through a sunset moment with Ben - a much better sunset moment that would take the place of the tragic sunset moment they had back in Iceland. 

The best bit of the film for me was when they were both lectured about love and long-term relationships from their parents. Compromise, patience, and respect should always be important elements of a relationship. Love alone couldn't do the trick. 

Napakaraming Nakaraan

This post is written mostly in Filipino and is set in a Filipino culture.

Sa pagdaan ng panahon, dadating tayo sa punto na mapapa-isip na lang tayo bigla at maaalala ang mga bagay na nakasanayan natin noon. 

Hindi malabong mangyari ito sa panahon ng social media. Siguradong maaalala mo ang mga kaibigan mo dati noong nasa high school pa lang kayo. Pwedeng malungkot ka sa nakita mo, pwedeng maging masaya. Ang maganda nito, hindi nila makikita anuman ang maging reaksyon mo, unless i-broadcast mo.

Wala namang masama sa pag-alala ng nakaraan. Walang masama sa pagbabalik-tanaw.

Sabi nila, sa high school ang pinakamagandang panahon sa scholastic career ng isang estudyante; dito siya mamumulat sa mga bagay na magdedesisyon ng kanyang future. Pero bukod doon, dito niya makikilala ang mga taong posibleng magiging sandalan at kasama niya kahit ano pa mang sitwasyon.

Hindi na mahalaga kung nakasama ito or nakabuti, lahat ay nagsisimulang mabuo habang nasa high school tayo. Dahil pare-pareho lang namang experiences ’yun. Ang mahalaga ay kung ano ang natutunan mo sa naging experience na ’yun.

Ito naman ang maganda sa panahon ngayon ng social media, isang click lang pwede mo nang balikan ang mga high school moments niyo, pare. Nariyan ang mga Christmas parties, Intrams, at ang siguradong "mas masaya pa sa bus" na field trips dahil sa mga kalokohan at tawanang nangyayari sa loob ng bus. 

Pero lahat naman ’yan, nakaraan na. Masarap lang balikan, mapangiti habang inaalala. Hindi ba mas maganda kung hanggang ngayon ay bubuo pa rin kayo ng magagandang alaala kasama ang mga hindi nakalimot. 

Pare, sana ay hindi nalilimitahan sa social media ang socialization mo.