The Unfathomable Delirium An online repository of my informal writing

I once said in this blog that one of the few things I look forward to this year is the sci-fi comedy film Paul. I meant that. I was very excited about it that the moment it was screened in the UK on February 14, I was already scouting the internet for a torrent copy of it. Unfortunately, all I got was a shitty product of a camcorder. I watched that copy, nevertheless. But I had to see it in good quality and I knew I had to wait until it gets shown here in the Philippines. I didn’t know, though that the wait would be for almost four months.

It was Wednesday, June 1 when Paul finally opened in cinemas in the country. By the last day of May, I was already teeming in excitement and I swear I was smiling all day (you have no idea how much I want to see this film). At least that was the feeling before I learned that we have a meeting at the exact same day of the first day screening. Although I have long ago set up a plan to see Paul at its very first day, I had to bend and calm my intense craving to watch the goddamn film already. So that leaves me with Thursday, the next day. Still no, the universe said, because that day marked the start of the freshmen recruitment where I had to participate. Friday was another recruitment day, Saturday I had some important things to do, so Sunday was the perfect day to watch Paul (since the following week is again for the recruitment thing).

I was on a rush Sunday afternoon to catch the 5:55 PM showing of Paul at the nearest SM where it is screened. I knew from my previous inquiry that there was really a 5:55 PM showing. Bad luck had me again with an unfortunate bus ride. The bus driver was rather in the mood to take things slowly and to make stopovers every five minutes (plus every stopover lasted for about 10 or so minutes, depending on how many mais, mani, kendi, and tubig vendors get in the bus and how many passengers buy from them). Honestly, by that time I wanted to blow the driver’s head off and get the fucking bus moving already. I also expected to be late.

But then I arrived at the mall at 5:45 PM. Yey for being lucky, I though. So I went up the third floor, wearing my I’m-going-to-finally-see-the-movie-I-have-forever-waited face (my happy face, in short), only to be crushed to know that schedules have changed and Paul’s last showing was at 2:50 PM. That’s when I threw a tantrum in public for the first time since I grew pubic hairs.

Fuck you, you motherfucking lying website I am not going to watch movies ever again. I hate the world.

But I am only kidding. I managed to keep calm despite my defeat and no matter how devastating it was for me, I knew I had to be mature, so I just had some Burger King to pacify my emotions. I went through cinema websites while I was there and checked out other nearby places where I can watch Paul, THAT NIGHT. I was so desperate, because I thought that seeing the movie was a now-or-never thing (from Monday to Thursday, I would be at school and I predicted that they will stop showing the film by Wednesday, which wasn’t the case). Anyway, none of my plans (go to SM Southmall, Festival Mall, or ATC) that night transpired.

I saw Paul Monday morning. The first full show was at 10:50 AM. I was at the mall by 10:00 AM. Yes, they opened when I got there. Please keep your judgments to yourself. Haha. Anyway, I think it goes without saying how happy I was when I finally got inside the theater, popcorn on one hand, excited to see a film that I’ve actually seen already. I think I let out a soft squeal when I got in. I can’t be sure. So there I was alone with a few other people (more or less 10 others) watching uninteresting  trailers of films which were all probably produced by Steven Spielberg (how inviting!), until, you know...