Artsy fartsy terrorist

I first read about the critically-acclaimed indie film Todo Todo Teros in a newspaper a few weeks ago. According to the article, the film is about an artist who turns into a terrorist after waking up one night.

I thought the film has a great premise. What made it even more interesting is the filmmaker's claim that he made the whole thing on zero budget. And it won the Critics Award at this year's Singapore Film Festival... it must be pretty good, right? So I went and watched it with some friends last Saturday at UP.

How was it? Well, it was... um... educational. I learned three things:

1. Singaporean critics suck.
2. When you make a movie with zero budget, you get your money's worth.
3. Experimental films are obviously films made by people experimenting with psychedelic drugs.

The movie should have been called "Todo Todo Antok." I smiled exactly once during the two long hours, and fell asleep at least five times. Now, when a movie makes you nod off more often than it makes you smile, you can safely say that it sucks. I know, I know, it's an experimental art film with super deep artistic meanings, and I didn't "get" it because I'm an uncultured idiot. Whatever.

Some people enjoy experimental films with no semblance of plot. Good for them. Me, I just like good stories. Like the one about an online gamer who turns into a terrorist after going to the bathroom on an airplane. Which, by the way, is a true story.

See, real life can sometimes be more entertaining than convulted artsy fartsy fiction.