Thinking Aloud

The exposition of thought bubbles on film as intriguingly, and engagingly woven in Armando Lao's "Biyaheng Lupa," (Soliloquy) would wreak havoc if it happens in real life other than this bus trip to Bicolandia captured on digital film.

Imagine a corporate meeting where one's true thoughts are seen, like a visible thought balloon. The charming side of the presenter speaks otherwise than what he's really saying inside of him. He simply needs to have a decision maker approve a proposal. And the decision maker's thoughts may expose his lower level of intelligence, except he is privileged to be the button pusher that may spell earnings for you or not.

If the thought blurbs happen aloud in bars, then the seduction game is exposed. Your rejects, and your spotted, chosen, desirable ones, are seen by all, and by your object of conquest. Your sweet nothings will be revealed as simply words to get horizontal nocturnal action happening from the bar to the bed.

The politicians and powers-that-be will be unmasked as simply grandstanding speakers, whose real desire for change, for the good of all, are obviously not what they were meant to be or for whom they claim they were meant for, other than actually, themselves.

The positive side, if you romanticize this predicament in a song, says, "if you could read my mind love, what a tale my thoughts could tell."

Even Superman can't hear Lois Lane singing, "can you read my mind, do you know what it is you do to me?"

Or the musician and lyricist in "They're Playing Our Song," yearns to have their other sides seen. "If she really new me, if she really, truly knew me, maybe she would see the other side of me. If there were no music, if my melody stopped playing, would I be the kind of man she wants to see tonight?"

The talking mind may sometimes be caught as well too, without the person being conscious about it. They're the unfortunate sleep talkers. But the thoughts we hear are dreams, so they are not necessarily true, but it provides a peek into the psyche of the dreamer.

I would not want to see nor hear what goes in a creative artist's mind. The process will demystify the output. And that could prove to be exhausting. Spare me, for I go through a tiresome path, too, before arriving at any finished work. You wouldn't want to hear how it really goes.

But then again, "Biyaheng Lupa", is a film, and it only runs for almost two hours. The thoughts are chosen for dramaturgy and poetic impact, so the thinking aloud process is magical. And yes, it proves to be entertaining, too! It creates a cacophony of life, and the journey, whether meaningful, or shallow. And this life trip thought plays with the now, and its end point. Death becomes the equalizer for every individual's journey. It has to end somewhere, sometime, somehow.

Real life or not, there's always a yearning. There's always the need to be felt, be listened to, be acknowledged, and be understood, and the willingness to understand.

The world is too noisy as it is. To hear or see everyone's thoughts, aside from their spoken words, will be maddening. Unless it is done on film. It whets the appetite of the voyeur in us. But once the truth is out, it may sometimes be too true, you'll question life more, and your existence, rather than be freed by truth, via the mental language suddenly being heard.

Hear what lives and life are all about, in one road trip. Then listen to what this film, on the whole is really trying to say. Then you'll end up hearing yourself as well, and will leave you, thinking. Except, no writer is there to weave and put sense into your thoughts, and no sound engineer is there to make it audible to others, and there's no camera in front of you.

It's life and our transitory existence. What we refuse to speak about nor hear, nor give the time to think about, is spoken, seen, and heard in this small, but sensible film.

***("Biyaheng Lupa" will have another screening this Friday, October 23, 430 pm, Cinema 6, Market!Market, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It competes under the Digital Lokal section of the 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival,. Written and directed by Armando Lao. Cast includes Angel Aquino, Shamaine Buencamino, Eugene Domingo, Jacklyn Jose, Julio Diaz, Coco Martin, Alan Paule, Archie Adamos, Mely Aquino, Jess Evardone, Susan Africa, Kristofer King.)