Wednesday, August 17, 2005
The Great Raid
My mom and I watched The Great Raid late this afternoon, right after we shopped for new jeans. I have to say, the movie was pretty good. And it was kind of a thrill seeing how there's a Filipino with a big role in the movie, acting alongside big Hollywood stars. And knowing that he's at least one step towards making it in Hollywood. Doesn't matter whether he will or won't, just the fact that he's already taken one big step towards it. It was also funny hearing the Americans try to pronounce Philippine provinces and towns. "Bauh-taun" for Bataan, "Baulacaun" for Bulacan, "Loo-zohn" for Luzon, "Cabana(the way you pronounce a pool cabana)-too-wan" for Cabanatuan, and "Pah-lah-wan" for Palawan. Hehe. For Captain Pajota (Cesar Montano)--Pah-how-tauh.
But Dr. T was right. It was for the most part an American battle, on Philippine soil. No wonder Filipinos don't recognize the "greatness" of Cabanatuan raid. Dr. T was right. From the Filipino perspective, the Cabanatuan raid is nothing compared everything else that happened during that time when the Japanese were here. There were only few Filipinos involved, and the focus of the movie is saving American prisoners of war. Only a few filipinos were even shown.
It's different, though, different reading all about the atrocities of war in history class and seeing it on big screen. It tied my stomach in knots watching those ten POWs being shot one by one because one man tried to escape. And seeing those men being barricaded inside those holes in the ground and burned alive...God. War really takes away man's humanity. It was horrible.
On to more cheerful topics. Our new puppy really is adorable. Fat Bogie. He's so tiny, and he just loves being frisked and rumpled. He's stinky though, what with him having just gotten his vaccination and not being allowed to take a bath for sometime. We just heard him barking (more like whimpering loudly) for the first time. Lewellyn was playing with him and had him in her lap, when he jumped off her lap. Must have conked his head, and he started screaming in his doggy way. Sent me, my mom and brother running downstairs.
I think this time it will make me cry if I Bogie dies on us. I'm starting to get attached to the little ball of fur, though I sure can't wait until he can have his first bath. I hope he doesn't end up like the two dachschund (?) and four dalmatians we had before.
But Dr. T was right. It was for the most part an American battle, on Philippine soil. No wonder Filipinos don't recognize the "greatness" of Cabanatuan raid. Dr. T was right. From the Filipino perspective, the Cabanatuan raid is nothing compared everything else that happened during that time when the Japanese were here. There were only few Filipinos involved, and the focus of the movie is saving American prisoners of war. Only a few filipinos were even shown.
It's different, though, different reading all about the atrocities of war in history class and seeing it on big screen. It tied my stomach in knots watching those ten POWs being shot one by one because one man tried to escape. And seeing those men being barricaded inside those holes in the ground and burned alive...God. War really takes away man's humanity. It was horrible.
On to more cheerful topics. Our new puppy really is adorable. Fat Bogie. He's so tiny, and he just loves being frisked and rumpled. He's stinky though, what with him having just gotten his vaccination and not being allowed to take a bath for sometime. We just heard him barking (more like whimpering loudly) for the first time. Lewellyn was playing with him and had him in her lap, when he jumped off her lap. Must have conked his head, and he started screaming in his doggy way. Sent me, my mom and brother running downstairs.
I think this time it will make me cry if I Bogie dies on us. I'm starting to get attached to the little ball of fur, though I sure can't wait until he can have his first bath. I hope he doesn't end up like the two dachschund (?) and four dalmatians we had before.
# Lyn found a missing piece @ 8:25 PM 
