Random Blabbings

The Shack

Trigger warning:
This blab contains themes and feels which may not be suitable to those who haven't watched The Shack. No further reading is advised.

| you have been warned |

I was eager to watch this movie because I heard it's great. A tearjerker. And controversial.

Though before all of that, yes, this is sort-of cliche with the 'i don't believe in that crap' of the main character then something will happen so his faith will be restored.

Sort-of because somewhere along the line, it took a completely different route because the unfortunate event didn't happen so he could learn his lesson (like every damn movie about self-discovery ever), the unfortunate event happened because it can't be helped and finding his faith is what he needed to accept the unfortunate event.

Now, lemme just blab about how I like every. singe. thing. in it.

First! It tackles religion. Sensitive topic, yes, which makes it even more adorable because damn, they're rebels like that. Especially in a medium that billions of people have access. And billions of people could react negatively.

I remember, one time, during a class on biological science and our prof opened up the topic about science and religion. S'yempre, maraming umalma at nakibaka. Isa ako sa mga kyot na nilalang na naupo lang. Because I'm very much aware that there are people who could get aggressive if you don't share the same sentiments with them.

Kaso, isa rin ako sa mga taong hindi natatahimik nang matagal-tagal. In the end, I said something along the lines of, "religion is an idea."

And guess what? Both of my seatmates—yes, left and right—gasped, “atheist ka?”

And, ladies and gents, I shut up. No use arguing because people are like that. Quick to judge and such. So imagine the will power of someone, producing, directing, writing and starring a movie about something so sensitive?

Shit lang.

Anyway, the story goes like this: (yes, i'm spoiling you all. because you've been warned.)

Mackenzie or just Mac, the main character, had a not-so-good childhood with a two-faced father who's a church man at day tapos alcoholic at nananakit pag trip. Pinakita na nilagyan niya ng something yung alak ng papa niya. It was never confirmed (which is another good point kasi may space for the watchers to fill and goodness gracious, maraming bagay ang hindi outright binanggit sa buong pelikula so disclaimer: this blab is solely based on my interpretation of the movie), and I assumed, it killed his father or something.

Now, he's a family man. He loves his youngest daughter so much. One day, they went to camp. On their way, they passed by a falls. May alamat yung falls, about an indian princess na tumalon dun para maligtas yung buong community nila. Later on, after the movie, I realized that it was similar to what Jesus did. That it was put there as a device for a deeper sense of the plot. A hint of what is coming. A hint of what the movie is all about.

Nakakainis lang kasi inilagay yon in a way na hindi mage-gets agad-agad. Ugh. Yung self ko na mahilig mag-uncover ng kung ano-ano, nag-pi-piyesta sa paghimay ng buong pelikula.

Moving on, yung dalawang anak ni Mac, nag-bangka while the youngest was with him, drawing a princess. An accident happened, Mac ran out to save his son. Pagbalik nila, wala na yung bunso niya.

Sa puntong 'to, akala ng buo kong pagkatao (kasi nga napaka-angas nung pagkakalagay nung alamat sa falls huhu), tumalon yung bata sa falls. Para maligtas yung kuya niya. But as the movie goes on, kinidnap pala yung bata. Nahanap nila yung posibleng lugar na pinagdalhan dun sa bata pero dress na lang nung bata yung nakita nila. She's dead. Just like that.

Yan na yung turning point. One thing led to another, pumunta siya ulit sa lugar na yun. Nagwala and such. Nung handa na siyang umalis, he met a guy na niyaya siya sa isang lugar na weirdly, maaraw. E winter nun.

I especially like the details of the story. So, God is said to have 3 personas: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. The movie gave me that. And more.

The Father is portrayed by a woman. Yes, a woman. And she's black. Do'n pa lang, marami nang gustong sabihin yung pelikula. I'd like to think that they did that to say that men and women are equal because in a sense, who gave The Father a gender? Tao lang din naman, diba? Mga sinaunang tao na nabuhay sa patriarchal era.

Though, one reason, according sa movie, dahil yon sa hindi magandang experience ni Mac sa father niya. That he doesn't need a father at that time.

The Son is like how Jesus has always been seen, but with shorter hair. So, the actor is from Israel (he reminds me of Zayn Malik, a lot. and yes, i did my research). Lastly, The Holy Spirit is an asian. She's a Japanese.

Overall, the three of them represents the world. A black american woman, a guy from a country in the middle of three continents and an asian girl. Plus! The main character is a man, white american.

Man(kind).

And it still blows my mind every time I think of it. Just how. . . clever? Deym.

Mac asks questions that makes a lot of sense. Tulad nang, bakit hinayaan niyang (Father) maghirap yung anak (Jesus) niya?

Hindi naman daw niya hinayaang mag-isa. Hindi daw ibig sabihin na wala siya dun, hindi rin siya naghirap. The Father answered. Tapos pinakita pa yung marka ng pako ng krus. And I was like, 'woah, it fudging makes sense.'

So, there. Pero isa sa mga favorite scene ko rin, yung nagtanong si Mac kay Jesus 'bout the whole religion thing. Jesus said he doesn't want followers. He wants friends.

I think about that a lot. I think that the whole religion thing exaggerates God and Jesus and this faith. Thousands of people died for this cause, and what? Does that mean this thing, this whole abstract idea, is far more important than the actual life of a person?

Tapos yung kay Holy Spirit, I like that she's the creative. Kasi totoo naman, diba? Yung mga taong pinakamalikhain, I see them as the people who are closest to their souls. They see things differently. And just like how it was all put in the movie.

But the scene about Wisdom and judging is absolutely gold. I can't even put it here, in words, because it was that awesome and mind blowing. Pagtapos nung scene, isa lang naisip ko, "pucha, ayako na manghusga."

Gusto ko rin na hindi nahuli yung lapastangang pumatay sa anak niya. Na hindi 'to isa na namang "justice must be served" thing. I reaaaaaally like that Mac can only forgive him (which is really hard). Kasi, in my views, justice is biased. Nakadipende kasi sa kung sino ang humihingi ng hustisya. (tho, i shouldn't be talking about this. ugh, self. wait 'til i ask for justice like how smart says video mb could be use for iflix but it's all. just. a. hoax)

Overall, the movie is brilliant. Brave. Intense. Mind-boggling. It raises questions. And gave some answers.

In the end, I just can't stop thinking of, 'since when did we start dividing ourselves to this and that when we're all just human and there's only one Creator?'

dazed and confused,
k(y)