Term Paper - Franz Ubalde

1. Franz Johann T. Ubalde
BACR 2-1
Blue Bustamante
Blue Bustamante is a movie that gets me laughing until my stomach hurts. George Bustamante went to Japan to work. He seeks a job in the field of engineering, because that is what he finished from college. But life is hard in there and he was not given any work. His best friend/roommate is also an engineer but he got a job as an artist in a children’s TV series. It was his lifelong dream he says. And he repeatedly convinces George to work as an actor since he has a great body build. Although he is unsure of the role, which will be a superhero that protects the universe, he agreed to get the job since it is better than nothing. Months passed by, and his son in the Philippines is missing him more and more. He can give anything his son wants, except for his presence. His son does not understand this so he got mad at his father. And this breaks George’s heart. But he soon learns that his son idolizes the role that he is playing, that encouraged him to work better and learned to accept and love it. And they later on resolve their conflicts and their personal problems. George even got famous, which was shown at the end of the movie.
Elaboration and Likelihood Theory is evident in the scene wherein he was left with no choice and did a quick response that did not undergo the central route, just the peripheral. He just thought of his family that he needs to, this is a simple explanation of the said theory. Also, Reinforcement Theory is also present in the movie. It is an attitude change based on the opinion that has changed; because he later on accepted his role as a superhero because his son idolizes the character he is playing and that changed his perspective about the work he is doing. He became energetic and shows improvement because of that. And he also has a stalker, a beautiful Japanese girl that she helped. Apparently, she fell in love with him, but found out that he was already married. She expected that they will get married and have children and live happily ever after. But it is violated so she got mad and walked away. This is what Expectancy Violation Theory shows us, that we will respond in a different way if it did not go as we expected it to be.

2. Kabisera
Kabisera left me with life lessons. It is about a simple family that lives day-by-day. They really do not have any financial problems, but Andres, the father, does not want any help from someone, other than his friends, and have it rubbed at his face. He also does not want the man that is going to marry his daughter, but that is the least of his problems. As he was fishing, he found illegal drugs drifting in the sea. He got it on his boat and hid it in his house. He told it to his wife, and then to his best friend, Jose. Jose then persuaded the couple to sell the drugs so that they could be rich beyond their wildest imaginations. And that is when certain problems emerged. His friendship with Jose became like a thin ice. He suspected Jose of hurting his son. And because of this suspicion, Andres killed him because he does not want anyone hurting his family. His conscience was diminished. He would do anything just to achieve what he wants and he will kill anyone who crosses his way. At the end of the movie, he was not caught and imprisoned. So, he walked away with everything and became rich. Filthy rich.
Elaboration and Likelihood Theory is also present in this movie. As what is explained in the other essay, that a person uses two routes to decide and he used the shortcut, he has no choice but to concur with Jose’s decision to sell it and be rich so that his children would be proud of him. He did not think of it carefully, he just saw the opportunity of getting rich and he does not care about the means, just the end. At the climax Interpersonal Deception Theory is present. It is when communication senders try to shape the messages with lies and deceitfulness, like an icing on a cake. Because of this, his judgment about his best friend wavers. He was fooled into selling the illegal drugs by manipulating him. He used his son and weakness of having no penny to afford a hospital bill, he was the reason his son needs an operation. And at the end of the movie, Attribution Theory is evident whereas the whole movie explains the attitude change of Andres. He became violent and wants nothing but his will be done. And because he did not like his daughter’s fiancée, he got him killed. That is the best example of the theory, explaining the reasons why a person behave the way they do.

3. Shift
One of the movies that I like is “Shift”. It is an unusual love story between a gay, Trevor, and a modern metro girl, Estela. They were working at a call center when Estela lost her motivation to work there because the income does not cover for her irrational dreams, so Trevor became her mentor. Estela is uncertain at first, but they spend a lot of time together, and soon fell in love with each other. But Trevor is flirtatious, he just broke up with his 11-month boyfriend and as he went to a bar, he then fell in love with a foreigner guy. Estela was gravely hurt by this because she thought Trevor is in love with her. She then had a date with her old friend that is in love with her, to hurt Trevor back. They both push their feelings down their stomach and deny that they have feelings for each other. And at the end of the movie, Estela moved into another call center. Though she loves Trevor so much, she wants to get away from him. And she convinces herself that the income is higher there that would help her achieve her ambitions.
Uncertainty Reduction Theory and Social Penetration Theory are seen in the start of the movie as they get to know each other. Uncertainty Reduction Theory says that the initial interaction of strangers is characterized by searching for similarities or something in common to reduce uncertainty. And it is better explained by Social Penetration Theory wherein they develop a sense of familiarity, they were once strangers, but they spent a lot of time together that is why they became close and have an intimate feeling for each other. Another theory evident in the movie is Cognitive Dissonance. It is where you have two good choices and conflicting beliefs on both, but you can only choose one and you constantly convincing yourself that it is the right choice. When she left Trevor for another call center company, this is what happened to her. She does not feel good during the job interview because she knows that it means leaving Trevor, her love of her life, behind. But she chose otherwise because she needs time for herself to think and follow her dreams before anything else.

4. Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?
This is a movie about an adventure of a young man into the city. The film becomes dramatic by showing friendship, love, deception, and luck with a taste of humor and action that will have you at the edge of your seat.
Nicholas Ocampo or Kulas (Christopher De Leon), a young man from the province is the protagonist of the movie. He portrays the state of the Filipinos, whether it was from the time he lived in or the setting we live in the present. There is not much difference, so to speak. He is arrogant, gullible, child-like, and kind-hearted, which can be seen as innocence in a different perspective. He helps anyone in need and welcomes friends into his home. He could not kill a fly, but knows when to lie just to help somebody out especially when it means his life. And it is because of poverty that he is uneducated. Although he is already a young man, he acts like a child, always so happy and giddy. In spite of facing a problem, or being whipped. But all of us have to grow up sometimes.
As he traverses to the big city to test his fate, everything happened at once. He got lucky and became rich. He thought everything would be that easy from there on, but he changed a lot as his story unfolds. This is what the society does to us. It is trying to eat us up, a dog eat dog world, as what one of the characters said. You have to keep your eyes peeled, and kill or be killed. Filipinos try to bring everyone down so that they could be on top. The Filipinos who have a good life even calls the one below them Indios just to state that they are not equals. It should be your fellow countrymen who will help you out in times of trouble, but in the light of the complexity of reality, they are the ones who aspire for you to stumble and fall. This changes Kulas’ perspective about the world as he was tortured and imprisoned by the person he helped; his fiancé cheated on him with his right-hand man and mentor; and her trusted maid tried to take everything from him. Trust is a dangerous word, it is like holding a two-edged sword. But he was fortunate, not because he got rich, but because, even though everyone around him tries to trick and deceive him, he found someone out there whom he can run to whenever he has nowhere to go. He found a friend, against all odds, boundaries, and cultures. Lim, a Chinese who was born and raised in the Philippines, helped Kulas even if it means his life and endangering the safety of his family.
Kulas was convincing Bindoy, a 7-year old friend who he met through his adventure, to go to school and be educated, so he would not be deceived or cheated on when he grows up. He would learn how the society works because it is a complicated world we live in. And Bindoy told him one thing: “That is why I do not want to grow up.” Reinforcement Theory is evidently present in the movie. It is where your attitudes toward something change based on certain internal and/or external factors. Kulas should have not left the province. He could have stayed there and lived young forever. He was just an easy-going, happy child, but he was exposed to violence and therefore, adapted it. The people around him, the society, got Kulas right in the neck, strangling him, and he has no choice but to fight back. His innocence was eaten up in the

5. big city Yes, it is a cruel world out there and it could drive you to insanity. Life is a sick little game and if you are not prepared to play it, you will be flayed alive. That is what their situation was. And what is ours? The same. Constantly watching our back and fighting for own survival.