When the going gets tough, even the tough needs to chill.
That’s why people look for some diversion like watching movies on their phones and laptops.
There are streaming sites that offer movies, series, talk shows and other viewing fare for P99 monthly.
One site has a three-day movie marathon for P49.
Many movies available on digital platforms these days feature obscure actors from dubious backgrounds.
Some are winners of promo contests or awardees of organizations whose members just love to have selfies with so-called stars.
There are quickie movies shot in less than a week, but with extended soft-porn scenes.
Young aspiring actors hang out in the offices of production outfits, some of minor age accompanied by parents, all waiting for a chance to be cast in movies that make up the content of online sites.
These websites are owned by
non-showbiz folk who believe art is their true calling.
of Linkedin/Chris Simes
Some are lawyers, doctors, dentists and other professionals.
The movies streamed on their digital platforms may never make it to Cinemalaya or other festivals. That’s not their aim anyway.
But is there an overload of online movies that are not necessarily worthy of watching?
Let the critics say their piece, lest we become a target of bashing.
Get into ‘Smashed’
Have you heard about Smashed Philippines?
It’s an interactive, educational platform (online.smashedproject.org) for the youth, as well as teachers who can use the website to integrate its content in their classes.
The website is free to use, plus you get a certificate after completing the Smashed Online experience.
In the Philippines, studies say 70 percent of the population have consumed alcohol before the age of 14. Drinking alcohol at a very young age can lead to dropping out of school, getting into accidents, poor decision-making, adverse health conditions, among other undesirable conditions in the short and long term.
Smashed, slang for intoxicated, is a global campaign by Collingwood Learning and supported by alcohol beverage company Diageo. It aims to reduce the harm of underage alcohol drinking and peer pressure, using an empowering, arts-based approach.
“What I realized was the power that theater can have in terms of actually enabling young people to learn about really challenging and complex issues.” says Chris Simes, managing director of Collingwood Learning.
There are currently two components of Smashed — Smashed Live and Smashed Online.
The program started as a live, theater-based performance in the UK in 2009 and is currently up and running in 17 countries.
PETA-Plus planned to administer the live program, but had to quickly shift to online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.