Cinemanila 11: 24 Films in 6 Days

I know Cinemanila ended weeks ago, but I’m ready with a handful of excuses as to why this post is late. I got busy with work. I got sick. Yada-yada. Bottomline is: I wasn’t able to write reviews or even mini reviews for all the films I saw this year, which is a lot by the way. That’s why I decided to just post this wrap-up of sorts. I also posted my ratings just in case you’re interested to know.

Tulpan (3.5/5)

A Year Ago In Winter (2/5)

Anacbanua (1/5)

Ang Beerhouse (2.5/5)

Chengdu, I Love You (1/5)

Bakal Boys (3.5/5)

Beautiful (1.5/5)

Biyaheng Lupa (2.5/5)

Caramel (2.5/5)

Coco Avant Chanel (3/5)

Himpapawid (3.5/5)

Iliw (3/5)

Jeonju Digital Project 2009: Visitors (1/5)

Lake Tahoe (3/5)

Lola (3/5)

Macabre (1.5/5)

Mammoth (3.5/5)

Pandora's Box (1.5/5)

Passion (3/5)

Puntod (2/5)

Ricky (3/5)

When Timawa Meets Delgado (2/5)

Samson & Delilah (4.5/5)

Waltz With Bashir (2.5/5)

Review: When Timawa Meets Delgado (2/5)

Instead of watching Tony Manero, I opted to see this little indie film that I heard so much about – a decision I half-heartedly regret. When Timawa Meets Delgado is one part documentary and two parts visual poetry. It dissects the nursing phenomenon in the Philippines. The experimental format adds bits of cleverness to the final product, but it’s hard to take the film seriously especially with its low production values.

Review: Lake Tahoe (3/5)

Lake Tahoe begins when Juan crashes their family car into a post. He desperately tries to have it fixed. His encounters with the sleepy town’s citizens are the fore of this black comedy. He meets a kung fu fanatic, a frustrated rock band vocalist, and an old man alone with his dog. Lake Tahoe has a consistent signature style. For each frame, the shots are taken from a single angle that cuts through the next scene or fades to black. The plot unfolds slowly but with such delicateness and understatement. It is only until the end that we find out why he is too desperate to fix the crashed family car.

Review: Samson and Delilah (4.5/5)

Cinemanila truly brings the best of world cinema to the Philippines. Samson and Delilah is its biggest surprise. I have no idea what the film is about when I entered the cinema. All I know is that Samson and Delilah was screened in this year's Cannes and it was the recipient of the Camera d'Or (Golden Camera). Camera d'Or is an award given to the best first feature film presented in one of the Cannes' selections (Official Selection, Director's Fortnight, or International Critic's Week).

Not to be confused with the biblical epic, Samson and Delilah is a tender love story between two Aboriginal teenagers caught in dire poverty and solvent addiction. Other than that, there isn’t anything else to say about the plot. Although the pace is slow, it is never boring. We are left amused by the characters’ quirks and dark humor. Director Warwick Thornton finds beauty in the tragedies that beset Samson and Delilah. These tragedies bring out the best traits of these characters. Life may be cruel, but as long as love exists, no tragedy is too great to overcome.

The first thing I noticed about the film is its lack of dialogue. The characters rarely talk and when they do, they speak in Pidgin English. The print that was shown in Cinemanila doesn’t have English translation, but no worries. You don’t need words to understand the film. The visuals artfully presented by director Warwick Thornton are enough to articulate the language of cinema. On that alone, Samson and Delilah proves to be a real triumph.

Samson and Delilah is so far this year’s most original, daring, and haunting movie.

Review: Biyaheng Lupa (2.5/5)

Biyaheng Lupa is the directorial debut of award-winning writer Armando Lao who was responsible for the screenplay of Kinatay, Serbis, Kubrador, Pila-Balde, and Tuhog among others. This film takes a motley crew of characters on a bus ride en route to Legazpi. It stars Coco Martin, Eugene Domingo, Angel Aquino, Julio Diaz, Andoy Ranay, Jaclyn Jose, Sharmaine Buencamino, Allan Paule, Carlo Guevara, Mercedes Cabral, Archie Adamos, etc.

Most of the scenes happen inside the bus wherein we get the chance to peek into the lives of the different characters sans visual flashbacks. As soon as the door of the bus closes, we hear the passengers’ innermost thoughts. But when the bus door opens, we can hear the noise from the outside except the passengers’ uttered words. Their stories are presented through the characters’ voices. The concept is solid. But its novelty soon wears off. There are far too many stories to make each truly affecting. The ending is also a letdown.

Just when you I was trying to remember what Biyaheng Lupa reminds me of, the characters suddenly break into a song. And that’s when I realize, how this ensemble film is greatly reminiscent of Magnolia.

Review: Iliw (3/5) & Ang Beerhouse (2.5/5)

PEP Review: Iliw and Ang Beerhouse
by Fidel Antonio Medel

Aside from the Cinemanila Main Competition and Southeast Asian Competition that screen international films, there is the Digital Lokal section wherein six Filipino movies vie for the Grand Prize. Former recipients of this award, like Brillante Mendoza’s Manoro and Raya Martin’s Autohystoria, have been arthouse favorites but none has crossed over to the mainstream successfully. From the toast of homegrown talents that found their way to Cinemanila this year, Bona Fajardo’s Iliw and Jon Red’s Ang Beerhouse may have slim chances in clinching the top plum but at least they are commercially viable. Thanks to star power and mainstream appeal.

Iliw

During the time of World War II, Fidela (Kaye Abad) and Colonel Takashi (Hiroyuki Takashima) find love in each other’s arms despite everyone’s disapproval. As the war comes to a close, Colonel Takahashi was ordered by the Japanese Imperial Army to destroy Vigan and make it uninhabitable. But because of his love for Fidela, he disobeyed his superiors and left the town unscathed.

As a non-English speaker, it must have been hard for Hiroyuki Takashima to communicate with his co-actors. But despite that, his charisma gave him strong screen presence. His chemistry with Kaye Abad is palpable. The rest of the cast includes Ping Medina as Fidela’s childhood sweetheart, Irma Adlawan and Amante Pulido as Fidela’s parents, Alex Medina as Fidela’s brother, Charee Pineda as Fidela’s friend, and Ron Morales as the leader of the guerilla movement.

Iliw wants to be an epic love story. It’s the classic tale of forbidden romance between warring nationalities. It’s an ambitious film, notwithstanding its limited resources. Dubbed as a film tourism project to promote the historic town of Vigan (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the filmmakers manage to create something visually eloquent. They succeed in capturing the picturesque Spanish colonial town in all its glory.

However, the focal romance is not as compelling as it ought to be. The film’s narrative excess could have been trimmed down to make a more cohesive picture. Overall, it’s still refreshing to watch a period film that promotes the beauty and mystique of our national heritage.

Ang Beerhouse

Noynoy (Ryan Eigenemann) and Brad (Hector Macaso) own a ‘business establishment’ fronting the Red Light Beerhouse. At first, they were already content peeping through the cabaret’s window to see the almost naked bodies dancing on stage until Jewel (Gwen Garci) caught Noynoy’s fancy. Noynoy soon becomes enamored with Jewel’s allure, but what he’s after is more than just a one night affair. He plays knight-in-shining-armor for Jewel’s damsel-in-distress. And so his mission begins: to save Jewel from the beerhouse.

Aside from Noynoy and Jewel, the rest of the characters in Ang Beerhouse are caricatures we’ve seen countless of times in comedies that precede it. We have the evil pimp, his dumb assistant, the dancer with a Visayan accent, the loud gay floor manager, and Brad, the protagonist’s sidekick whose command of the English language is as ‘suave’ as Jimmy Santos’.

There is a lot of talent in the cast. We get convincing but not over-the-top performances from Ryan Eigenmann, Epi Quizon (the money-hungry pimp), and Joel Torre (the hot-tempered beerhouse owner). But if I could single out one actor from the bunch, I would pick Hector Macaso hands down. With his comedic timing and hilarious delivery, he gives us enough reasons to laugh. Meanwhile, it’s a completely different story for the girls. Che Ramos, who had a magnificent turn in Jerrold Tarog’s Mangatyanan, was reduced to playing a vacuous character – a stripper who is always stoned. Gwen Garci, on the other hand, can play coy and cute but once the scenes demand her to display more emotions, she falls into a disaster.

Although the gag show antics are undeniably funny and some insights can be pretty clever, Ang Beerhouse amounts to nothing new in the end. But if all you need is a funny film you can watch with your buddies, then this film would gladly serve that purpose. You’ll roll in laughter whether you’re sober or not.

* published in PEP

Pinoy Indie 101

Pinoy Indie 101
by Fidel Antonio Medel

For moviegoers who are fed up of watching cheesy love stories and J-horror rip-offs mass-produced by Star Cinema and GMA Films, indie films present themselves as a welcome alternative to break the monotony. The word ‘indie’ often gets thrown around to describe the new brand of Pinoy cinema – movies that are fresh, edgy, and award winning both locally and internationally.


INDIE VS. MAINSTREAM

For starters, indie (short for independent) refers to all films made outside major studios such as Star Cinema, Regal Films, Viva Films, GMA Films, and the like. Some classify all arthouse movies that are difficult to appreciate and devoid of commercial appeal as indies. Though that may be true for some, it does not apply to all. In fact, the Eugene Domingo-starrer comedy Kimmy Dora is an indie but has achieved box office success. This proves how diversified independently produced films are. They do not follow a specific template, style, concept, or genre. Each one is a unique expression of the filmmaker’s vision and artistry.

The most significant distinction between a mainstream film (that produced by any major studio) and an indie film is that the filmmakers are given more artistic freedom since box office receipts are usually the last thing on their minds, in contrast to the primary aim of mainstream films which is to make money. To achieve this, mainstream films will lure audiences through A-list celebrities and their tried-and-tested (oftentimes worn out) formulas that are sure to tickle the fancy of the masses.


VENUES

University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI)
UPFI houses a cinema called Cine Adarna and a small screening room called Videotheque. It is one of the three institutions in the Philippines that have no censorship restrictions. So even if the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) gives the film an X rating, it can still be screened here. UPFI served as host for numerous premiere nights as well as screenings of uncut versions of local films and movies deemed unfit for public viewing by the MTRCB.

Mogwai Cinematheque
Mogwai, the brainchild of directors Erik Matti and Lyle Sacris, is two-floor establishment with a restaurant and a private cinema. The 35-seater screening room called Mogwai Cinematheque occasionally shows movies that never made it to our theatres – from art films, classics, to Pinoy indies. During the early days of Mogwai Cinematheque, it screened Lav Diaz’s epic-long masterpieces (Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino, Heremias, and Death in the Land of Encantos) and Ray Gibraltar’s When Timawa Meets Delgado. Lately, the focus has been on critically acclaimed international films but it still premieres indies from time to time. It is located at Cubao X (formerly Marikina Shoe Expo), Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City.

Robinsons Indie Sine
Gone are the days when indies are confined within the walls of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and UPFI. More commercial establishments are recognizing the fact that these independent gems have an audience. In fact, one of the cinemas of Robinsons Galleria, dubbed as Indie Sine, has been dedicated to screen them on a regular basis.

SM Cinemas
Although SM Cinemas do not have indies as part of its weekly lineup, the retail empire has its own initiative to support the industry. Last summer, SM Cinemas became the venue for Sine Direk wherein six established directors tried their luck with independent filmmaking. Sine Direk produced the cult hit Ded Na Si Lolo by Soxy Topacio (the Philippines’ official entry to the Best Foreign Language Film of the 82nd Academy Awards, preceded by last year’s Ploning), the juvenile romance Agaton and Mindy by Peque Gallaga, and others. These Sine Direk features were later screened in other venues such as CCP, UPFI, and Robinsons Indie Sine.

FESTIVALS

Cinemanila
Gateway Cineplex was the home of the Cinemanila International Film Festival for 2008 and 2007. This year, Cinemanila will take residence in Metro Market! Market! from October 15 to 25. Aside from the international competition, Cinemanila runs a parallel section called Digital Lokal for Filipino movies. Over the last decade, Cinemanila has honored the likes of Jeffrey Jeturian (Pila Balde, Kubrador), Lav Diaz (Batang West Side), Raya Martin (Autohystoria, Next Attraction), and Brillante Mendoza (Manoro).

Cinemalaya
The Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, organized every July, is said to have spurred the renewed interest in Pinoy cinema. In its aim to discover and cultivate up-and-coming talents, ten full length and ten short films are given a production grant of P500,000 out of thousands of submissions. Although Cinemalaya is only five years old, it has produced a gamut of international film fest darlings: from warring Tondo gangs in Jim Libiran’s Tribu to a love story set in the time of contracts in Jade Catro’s Endo. The most famous in the bunch is Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (by Aureaus Solito), the coming-of-age tale of a young gay boy living in the slums. Maximo has made the rounds in over 50 international film festivals including Sundance and Berlinale.

Cinema One Originals
The Cinema One Originals Digital Movie Festival runs in the same vein as Cinemalaya. It handpicks five films and gives P1,000,000 seed money for the production of each. The notable filmmakers who have joined Cinema One Originals are Richard Somes (Yanggaw), Adolf Alix (Tambolista), Jerrold Tarog and Ruel Antipuesto (Confessional), and Sherad Anthony Sanchez (Imburnal, Huling Balyan ng Buhi).

RENAISSANCE OF PINOY CINEMA?

During the late ‘90s, Hollywood films dominated the industry as domestic ticket sales plummeted to an all time low. Since local movie viewership registered disappointing figures, the total number of films produced each year was cut down from 150 in the 1990s to less than 50 in the 2000s. During the turn of the millennium, the advent of digital filmmaking made the cost of making movies lower than ever before. This allowed filmmakers to break out of studio restrictions and make movies that daringly articulate their cinematic insights.

Mga Munting Tinig & Magnifico
In the early 2000s, we have seen Gil Portes and Maryo de los Reyes helm modern classics Mga Munting Tinig and Magnifico. Mga Munting Tinig is about an idealistic teacher who inspired her students to follow their dreams. This commentary on the country’s educational system competed in Bangkok and Palm Beach. Meanwhile, Magnifico is the heartwarming story of a young boy eager to help his impoverished parents. This family-oriented melodrama warmed the hearts of critics from Berlin to Hawaii.

Brillante Mendoza
Several films made the rounds in different international film festivals all over the world during the past decade. But that was just icing on the cake, it wasn’t long until a Filipino filmmaker reached the pinnacle. In May 2009, Brillante Mendoza made history in Cannes. He competed in the most prestigious film festival in the world for two years in a row – a feat not even the late Lino Brocka was able to achieve. Not only that, he bagged the Best Director award (Prix de la mise en scène) for Kinatay despite tough competition from auteurs Quentin Tarantino, Ang Lee, Park Chan Wook, and Pedro Almodovar.

Accolades from around the world
This recognition opened the door for Pinoy filmmakers to take centerstage. In fact, 15 Filipino films are on their way to various film festivals all over the globe. These films are:
Lola by Brillante Mendoza
100 by Chris Martinez
Jay by Francis Xavier Pasion
Manila by Raya Martin and Adolf Alix
Independencia by Raya Martin
Bakal Boys by Ralston Jover
Dinig Sana Kita by Mike Sandejas
24K by Ana Agabin
Dukot by Joel Lamangan
Last Viewing by Ronaldo Bertubin
Imburnal by Sherad Anthony Sanchez
Adela, Kadin, and Aurora by Adolf Alix
Just recently, Pepe Diokno’s Engkwentro received the Orizzonti Prize and the Luigi de Laurentiis Lion of the Future award in Venice where the oldest film festival in the world was held.

The Flipside
Since it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to make a film like it used to, it’s easier to make one. This is the boon and bane of independent filmmaking. Visionary filmmakers with little funds can now produce their masterpieces for the world to see. On the downside, filmmakers who want to cash in on the emerging trend can easily produce exploitative cinema in the guise of indie films. This comes in the form of the numerous skin flicks and pink films plaguing the multiplex and tarnishing the reputation of independent features. There’s a hefty serving of indie films available today, but be wise enough to separate the gems from the stones.


Although the earnings of mainstream films still make up the bulk of the movie industry’s total revenue, it’s good to know that indie filmmakers are finally building an audience here and abroad. They have proven time and again that cinema is more than just escapist entertainment. The country is now being considered as the new hotspot for emerging filmmakers. For indie filmmakers, the world is definitely theirs for the taking.

* published in SPOT

Review: 500 Days of Summer (4/5)

What happens when a dreamy hopeless romantic (Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Tom) falls in love with a cynic (Zooey Deschanel as Summer)? You know from the very start that this is built for failure. But like Tom, we hope and pray that Summer will finally be swept over her feet by true love.

500 Days of Summer dramatizes Tom’s ‘friendship’ with the commitment-averse Summer. Well, they’re not really a couple but they kiss, hold hands, and even have shower sex. But Summer doesn’t want to put any label to what they have. In short, it’s complicated! And Tom is left with a bleeding heart and crushed optimism.

Although the narrator warned us beforehand that 500 Days of Summer is not a love story, nothing can prepare us for Summer’s parting shot – those heartbreaking eight words she uttered at the park. That she just woke up one morning and she just knew… You have to watch the film for that part, ‘cause I’m not spoiling it for you.

500 Days of Summer is a light and inventive romantic comedy that will please everyone except those whose heart is made of steel.

Review: Mammoth (3.5/5)

We find a privileged New York-based couple at the heart of this continent-hopping drama that takes us from US to Philippines to Thailand and then back. Leo (Gael Garcia Bernal) is a game designer who just landed a multi-million dollar deal. His wife, Ellen (Michelle Williams), is a dedicated ER surgeon who works in long shifts. Because of their demanding careers, they leave their daughter Jackie to be attended by her Filipina yaya Gloria (Marife Necesito). When Leo sets off to Thailand for a business trip, Ellen notices that her busy schedule is keeping her away from Jackie. She tries to spend more time with her but ends up struggling to compete with Gloria for her daughter’s attention.

Gloria, on the other hand, left her two boys in her hometown to work abroad. Through phone conversations with her eldest son, Gloria’s story unfurls. She is a single mother who plans to build a house for her children. Although she is not used to being away from her kids, she has to be strong in order to provide for them. Her sons miss her terribly and demand that she comes home soon. Gloria’s stoic demeanor slowly shatters and gives way to tears as she hears her son’s demands. As Leo, Ellen, and Gloria pursue what they think is best for their children, they soon realize that what they are pursuing can’t really fulfill their lives after all.

There’s a hefty amount of Filipino talents in Mammoth. We have Jan Nicdao as Salvador and Martin Delos Santos as Manuel, Gloria’s sons, as well as Maria del Carmen as the kids’ grandmother. But the film belongs to Marife Necesito who played the caring nanny and enduring mother convincingly. Mammoth is Marife’s biggest break. But she has already appeared in several productions including Lav Diaz’s Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino and Heremias Book Two: The Legend of Tagabulag Island. From the looks of it, Marife will undoubtedly land more roles in the future because she knows how to lose herself in the character. Marife’s portrayal of Gloria is so genuine – from diction to maternal instincts, she has captured it perfectly.

Swedish-born Lukas Moodysson (helmer of the arthouse film Show Me Love) is responsible for direction and screenplay. Lukas may be Scandinavian, but he has realistically captured the struggles and aspirations of Filipinos as if he is a Filipino himself. His exploration on third world virtues and sensibilities is sweeping and insightful. Philippines and New York City may be on the opposite ends of the world. However, the differences stop on the lifestyle of its residents and its geographical location. Parental love and values seem to be universal regardless of nationality and social class.

Mammoth is a humanist study about the dynamics of working parents who may be providing the needs of their children but are largely absent in their lives. It’s a subject matter that a lot of Filipinos can relate to, especially with the growing number of OFWs today. Parents often forget about their real priorities while chasing their dreams of a good life. I’m not saying that they are bad parents. Their intentions are good, but there are negative repercussions that must be addressed. At the end, the film teaches us an important lesson: appreciate what you have now before it’s gone, before it becomes extinct.

* published in PEP

Review: Lola (3/5)

PEP Review: Lola (Unedited)
by Fidel Antonio Medel

Many criticize Brillante Mendoza for sensationalizing the country’s state of poverty with disconcerting imageries of graphic violence and gratuitous sex. With movies such as Serbis, about a matriarchal family living in a rundown moviehouse where prostitution thrives, and Kinatay, about a washed-up druggie hacked to pieces by corrupt cops, it may seem that the Filipino auteur has nothing else to offer but shock cinema.

But these critics must have forgotten about Foster Child, Mendoza’s very first film in the Cannes Film Festival. This little indie film, screened as part of the Director’s Fortnight section, tackles the state of foster care in the Philippines. There’s no sex and violence in Foster Child, but it is as evocative and as gut wrenching as his two other movies.

Mendoza’s latest body of work, Lola, also doesn’t have the seemingly mandatory elements of brutality and carnality. But it doesn’t mean that Mendoza has veered away from his cruel expose of living in a marginalized society. In this film, Mendoza forces his viewers to walk in his characters’ shoes until our feet get blisters from the long, agonizing walk. It’s a dragging and tedious journey, but once we reach the destination, the pay-off makes it worthwhile.

Lola tells the parallel stories of two elderly women, Puring (Rustica Carpio) and Sepa (Anita Linda). Driven by selfless love, the two scrape the bottom of the barrel to raise funds for their respective grandsons. Sepa wants her dead grandson to have a decent burial despite barely having enough to get by in life decently. Meanwhile, Puring wants to free her grandson after being incarcerated for killing Sepa’s grandson.

Memories of Typhoon Ondoy will inevitable resurface as you watch Lola. The film was shot in Malabon during the rainy season. Typhoon Ondoy flooded Metro Manila because of its continuous and heavy rain. But in Malabon, the slightest rainfall can submerge the town in murky water at any given day. Mendoza perfectly captured the harsh weather – the strong wind, the downpour, and the flood. He was able to use these elements to punctuate his scenes’ dramatic arc.

We see the frail grandmothers drenched in rainwater as they individually attempt to seek financial help from other people – may it be neighbors or city officials. Your heart will be crushed as you see them being ignored or turned away. In the film’s most beautifully shot sequence, the funeral procession for Sepa’s grandson has to go on regardless of the waist-deep flood. Boarding improvised boats, Sepa and her family take their beloved dead to his final resting place.

Anita Linda and Rustica Carpio are effortless performers. As the camera zooms in on their’ faces, you can get a glimpse of a heartbreaking portrait of struggle and repressed emotions written with their wrinkles and facial lines. Despite the storm that messed the characters’ lives, they remain resilient and tough.

What might turn viewers away is the pacing that runs at turtleneck speed. A 5-minute scene is stretched to 10 or even 15 minutes. But once you get pass that, you’ll find Lola all at once poignant and unnerving. This film proves that even without sex and violence, Brillante Mendoza can deliver his hard-hitting messages.

* published in http://www.pep.ph/guide/4921/PEP-REVIEW:-Lola-gives-a-heartbreaking-portrait-of-two-grandmothers

6 Films in Cinemanila 2009 that I’ve Already Seen

Cinemanila is the only internationally recognized film festival in the Philippines today. Now on its 11th year, Cinemanila screens 70 full-length films from the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and around the world. Below are six films that I’ve already seen from this year’s line-up. Here are my capsule reviews:

The following films are ranked from my most to least preferred:

HUNGER (UK, Steve McQueen)
Rating: 4
Hunger chronicles the last weeks of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands, protesting his status as a political prisoner, before completely succumbing to death in Northern Ireland’s Maze Prison. It is an unsettling portrayal of the resilience of man and the power of human determination. There is no other film as disturbing and as shocking. A purely visual spectacle that you should see at your own risk.

DINIG SANA KITA (Philippines, Mike Sandejas)
Rating: 4
What happens when the deaf-mute dancer meets the rock band singer, the calm meets the storm, the parentless meets the overprotected? The two make beautiful music together in Dinig Sana Kita. This film is a family drama, an advocacy, and an inspirational tale. It empowers the handicapped as well as normal people whose disability is the unwillingness to help themselves. It reminds us that the only thing that is impossible are those we refuse to do.

ENGKWENTRO (Philippines, Pepe Diokno)
Rating: 3.5
This callusing tale of moral corruption is not for everyone. Some will walk out of the theatre even before it is finished because of nausea. Others will complain that it is too stylized, while some will applaud this body of work as a bold and unforgettable piece of cinema.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Sweden, Tomas Alfredson)
Rating: 3
This curious love story rewrites the rules of the vampire genre. There are no cheap scares, no screaming victims, and no Edward-Bella mushiness. The narrative plays out like a somber ballad – controlled, moody, and haunting, but at the same time, sweet and charming. Let the Right One In is too tender to be a horror film, but too grotesque to be otherwise.

INDEPENDENCIA (Philippines, Raya Martin)
Rating: 3
What is independence for the common Filipino? The war is not always punctuated with mighty pens and blood-drenched bolos. The war also echoes faint cries of rebellion and unheard affliction of the oppressed. Instead of portraying the forefront of the war for freedom, Raya Martin invites us to look at the struggle from another angle.

SERBIS (Philippines, Brillante Mendoza)
Rating: 2.5
With its striking visuals, we are transported to the dreary and decrepit movie house. We can smell the filth and feel the dirt on our sole. It works as a social commentary, but the metaphors don’t always make sense.

To see the complete screening schedule of the 2009 Cinemanila International Film Festival, go to

http://cinemanila.org/?page_id=1484

Review: A Journey Home (2/5)

PEP Review: A Journey Home (Unedited)
by Fidel Antonio Medel

In contrast to the dark-themed movies revolving around the decomposition of the mores of man and the disintegration of Filipino families, the Jubilee Evangelical Church and Jubilee Youth for Christ venture into film to give us a family drama that sees life through rose-tinted glasses. Directed by Paul Soriano, A Journey Home has its story grounded on reality with its ideals soaring to high grounds. With central themes of forgiveness and solidarity of the family, the film is optimistic about man’s ability to make the right choices and change his life for the better.

The death of a loved one becomes the catalyst to reunite Dante (Soliman Cruz) with his son Raffy (Joem Bascon) and daughter Kristine (Athena Tibi). Dante sees his family for the first time in 20 years after leaving them for another woman. Raffy, still scarred by the past, does not want to be associated with his father despite the efforts of his wife Gayle (Toni Gonzaga) to bring them closer. Meanwhile, Kristine is more accommodating to his dad’s attempts to rebuild their broken relationship.

A sudden twist of fate brings Dante at the doorstep of Raffy and Gayle’s home. This might be God’s answer to Dante’s prayers for a second chance. Gayle helps Dante to get on the good side of Raffy, but the latter has completely shut his father out of his life. Dante soon develops a bond with his grandchildren Jake (John Manalo) and Tinka (Cha-Cha Canete). However, the imminent collapse of Raffy’s business results to his emotional meltdown that strains his family gravely.

A Journey Home carries a message of hope. It upholds moral values and promotes the strengthening of family ties. More importantly, it shows us that forgiveness works both ways. As we forgive others, we do not only help them free their conscience from emotional burden, we also help ourselves unload unnecessary baggage that subconsciously affects our lives. Many films will challenge its simplistic perspective towards filial relationships and personal values. But for those who miss an old-fashioned family drama in the tradition of Tanging Yaman, the morality check that the film provides may prove to be enough.

The ensemble does a decent job in portraying the troubled family. Soliman Cruz lends enough humanity to his repentant character. He tries to pull off a few jokes for comic relief, but oftentimes miss the mark. Joem Bascon’s performance as the angst-ridden son is largely overdone during the big moments. His acting works better during the quiet scenes where we see him slowly letting go off his guard but his inability to forgive gets in the way. Meanwhile, Toni Gonzaga shows off her versatility. Her forte may be hosting and doing comedies, but she can also do drama. She is convincing as the good-hearted wife who have nothing but love for her husband and family.

Despite the story’s richness in moral values, A Journey Home feels largely flat. Its primary shortcoming is the overused story. Its adherence to clichéd plot devices brings us to a familiar melodramatic territory where we know exactly what will happen next and how everything will eventually be resolved. Due to the film’s predictability, we couldn’t harness enough empathy for the characters’ conflicts.

The film is not bad per se. It is just ordinary. It exudes the same vibe as Lenten episodes of Pinoy TV shows. They are generally well intentioned but have nothing new to offer.

* published in PEP

Review: Dukot (3.5/5)

When the writ of habeas corpus (or the right of a person to undergo the due process of the law prior to incarceration) was suspended during the martial law, individuals who have gained the ire of the government mysteriously vanished. Four presidents after, the stench that reeked out of the dictatorial administration still lingers today. A number of leftists and critics of the government have been deprived of their liberty through forced disappearances. This is the weighty social reality depicted in Joel Lamangan’s Dukot.

The story begins with Junix (Allen Dizon) and his girlfriend Maricel (Iza Calzado) being abducted by state security forces. Junix is a student activist who decided to dedicate all of his time to the movement. He takes refuge in the mountains to live with the indigenous people. Maricel, on the other hand, left the movement to lead a normal life. Their captors identified them as leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA). In order to extract information from them, they were subjected to inhumane torture and despicable harassment. This reminds us of Star Cinema’s Dekada ’70 (wherein Piolo Pascual was made to sleep on top of a block of ice naked) and the Hollywood film Rendition. Call it shock cinema if you may, but this is reality.

Meanwhile, the parents of Junix and Maricel seek the help of a human rights group to look for their missing children. It’s a depressing predicament for a parent to dig graves, look at dismembered body parts, and identify corpses in morgues but they remain hopeful that their children are alive and will soon be found.

This alarming slice-of-life is juxtaposed with an emotional element that made the film more powerful. The film tends to overdo some of its dramatic scenes with slow motion, unnatural dialogue (Can you imagine a guy shouting “Mahal kita… habambuhay!” in the middle of Taft Avenue?), and an overbearing score. The drama could be a little tighter. Luckily, the cast is competent enough to play their roles with conviction. Iza is perfect for her role. Tabloid reporters will make a fuss about her ‘daring’ rape scene but her performance is definitely more than that. Gina Alajar, who played Maricel’s mother, doesn’t need to prove anything. She reminds us how good of an actress she is. Her mannerisms and delivery of lines is in character 100% of the time.

With the barrage of sensationalized news headlines that come with our morning coffee, we can’t be blamed for growing apathetic to the country’s social condition. Sometimes, it gets hard to separate the truth from yellow journalism. But after watching Dukot, it would be damning not to care. Penned by Palanca awardee Bonifacio Ilagan (who also wrote The Flor Contemplacion Story), this film is an account of the stories of real life desaparecidos. Bonifacio, who is a political detainee himself, produces a timely and courageous political thriller as a protest against forced disappearances and human rights violations in the Philippines.

* published in PEP

Review: In My Life (3/5)

Moviegoers will once again applaud Vilma Santos for getting under her character’s skin, while her son will soon be banned from portraying any living character. Meanwhile, John Lloyd Cruz will receive props for an understated but effective performance.

But I’ll sing my praises to Dimples Romana for that singular scene where she painfully recounted her mom’s hostile remarks about her plans of taking up medicine. Effective dramas don’t always require over-the-top acting and pails of fake tears. There’s beauty in restraint. There’s a strong emotion expressed by tears welling up in the corner of one’s eyes. And there’s an even stronger emotion expressed by the fact that someone is fighting back the tears. Dimples may not have been given the key emotional scenes. But on her few minutes on screen, she flexed enough acting muscles to purge Luis Manzano and his classmates in the Academy of Slipshod Acting out of show business.

Review: Manghuhula (1/5)

It’s weird how the film industry works. Manghuhula gets the chance to be distributed in mainstream theatres a year after its run in the Digital Lokal section of the Cinemanila International Film Festival. It’s weird not because it took them a year to show us the film, but because among the competing films, this gravely inferior film made it to our cinemas.

Manghuhula tells the story of an outcast fortuneteller who returns to her hometown only to find her daughter being groomed to be the town’s next fortuneteller, a fate she ran away from.

Manghuhula is a mess. With numerous missteps in direction and editing, the drama largely feels flat and unaffecting. The ineffective editing doesn’t make the scenes flow seamlessly to the next. Peek into the future, I’m sure you won’t see Manghuhula receiving any compliments.

Review: Kimmy Dora (3.5/5)

We’ve seen enough twins separated by birth to last us three generations of generic soap operas. In Kimmy Dora, Kimmy and Dora (both played by Eugene Domingo, ang bagong diyosa ng pagpapatawa) are very much together. They are the daughters of a business tycoon who owns a mammoth conglomerate (patterned after John Gokongwei). Aside from the twin’s identical looks, they share nothing else in common. Kimmy is a raging, rampaging bitch who runs the family business by throwing a fit at everyone and throwing punches at her poor secretary (Miriam Quiambao as Gertrude). Wanna know how bitchy this Miranda Priestly incarnate is? She fired a management trainee just because the latter is wearing the same dress as hers. On the other hand, Dora is the sweet (oftentimes, too sweet) but dimwit sister. It’s the classic case of sibling rivalry over the affection of their dad (Ariel Ureta), his inheritance, and the boytoy (Dingdong Dantes).

In a time when good Pinoy comedies are of a dying breed, we are reminded that there’s till hope. Thanks to thespian Eugene Domingo, director Joyce Bernal, and screenwriter Chris Martinez. Trading in the bad habits of TVJ and Dolphy movies with snappy witticisms and sheer outrageousness, here comes a comedy that’s actually funny. It’s also a display of good characterization and most of all, of good acting. Eugene can switch from naïve Dora to fierce Kimmy in a bat of an eyelash, but she does it best when she fused these quirky characters together. We roll in laughter as the semi-retarded Dora imitates her intelligent but temperamental sister. Those scenes alone already pay for the price of the entrance ticket.



I also liked the fact that the film did not self-censor itself to appeal to a ‘broader’ audience by trying to reduce its PG-13 classification down to GP. They could have bleeped the random utterance of “puke” and “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pekpek” to be kid-friendly, but the filmmakers showed us that they have balls to pull it off.

Kimmy Dora doesn’t talk down to us as if we’re stuck on Stone Age comedy. Although the film is not spared from slapstick, it was done in moderation and in a way that illicit giggles instead of hisses. It can also do without the ugly CGI and the ending song number. But even in its imperfect form, Kimmy Dora is still the most hilarious Filipino comedy of the late (only rivaled by 100, another comedy penned by Chris Martinez).

So do I still have to tell you to watch this comedy? If you’re as dense as Dora, then let me tell you this: Kimmy Dora is the funniest comedy you’ll see this year, so do yourself a favor. You deserve this treat.

Review: District 9 (4.5/5)

The film was slapped with an R-18 rating in the US. In an attempt of the local distributor to show the film to a wider audience, the film went through the cutting room. With a few cuts and bleeps, the rating is now down to PG-13. This means that the version we are seeing on our theatres is already ‘sterilized’, but that shouldn’t bother you at the very least. Regardless of the aforementioned, District 9 still turned out to be a wildly immersive and highly original science fiction.

You can view District 9 on two levels – as an intense and affecting gore fest or as socio-political commentary. This film is so intense that you will be at the edge of your seat, waiting in anticipation and cowering in fear due to the crass brutality unfurling. You’ll see nails falling off from one’s hand, cat food being eaten by a man, cross-racial prostitution (in other words: aliens fucking earthlings), human bodies hacked to pieces by aliens, etc. Despite the larger-than-life setups and situations, the story hasn’t lost its ability to emotionally connect with the audience. With the impeccable characterization of Wikus, his wife, and the father and son prawns, it is inevitable not to be moved. A feat not commonly achieved by the majority of sci-fi movies.

On a more subliminal level, Blomkamp throws allegory to apartheid. If you’re just like me who’s stuck in daydream mode back in my World History class, apartheid is the system of legal racial segregation enforced by the National Party government in South Africa. He also shows us man’s greed for power and authority. Man is depicted as savages, more savages than any of the prawn-looking aliens in this film.

District 9 can be enjoyed either as a popcorn flick or as a deeper study of man’s humanity. With the interspersed quasi-doc clips, CCTV footage, and interviews, here’s an absorbing film with great CGI and an even greater narrative.

DIRECTOR: Neil Blomkamp

TAGLINE: You are not welcome here.

STARRING: Sharlto Copley

THE GIST: When an extraterrestrial vessel hovered above Johannesburg, the government broke in and discovered a million prawn-like aliens inside. They contained the prawns in a slum called District 9 where humans and aliens grew hostile against each other.

POP MATTERS SAYS: By avoiding the typical end of the world apocalypse that most alien invasion movies mandate, District 9 becomes that most elusive of science fiction films – a serious and thoughtful dissertation of who we really are.

Review: Up (3/5)

DIRECTOR: Pete Docter (Monsters Inc.)

THE GIST: An old man fulfills his promise to his deceased wife to go on an adventure to the proverbial Paradise Falls in South America. So he ties gazillions of balloons to his old house. What he doesn’t know is that a young Wilderness Explorer tags along for the ride of their lives.

VARIETY SAYS: [Up] could easily have been cloying, but instead proves disarming in its deep reserves of narrative imagination and surprise, as well as its poignant thematic balance of dreams deferred and dreams fulfilled.

I SAY: Last year’s “Wall-E” is a tough act to follow. In 2008, Pixar showed us that animated features are not only cute. They can also impart lessons that have societal and ecological resonance. “Up”, on the other hand, is purely heart and adventure. It’s also cute, comedic, and exciting. But it’s miles away from the complexity and social relevance of “Wall-E”. “Up” is just ok, not brilliant.

Review: And I Love You So (2.5/5)

Star Cinema has produced the biggest romantic blockbusters of the late. Although there is no exact science in determining what makes moviegoers tick, the studio’s success is definitely not a product of plain luck or chance. They possess the formula that will make the audience swoon, laugh, and cry in a heartbeat. Because of this, we often get romantic films that follow the same template as their predecessors. In “And I Love You So”, director Laurenti Dyogi seemed to have made a checklist of the requirements of a romantic film fit to be a box-office darling. Big stars: check. Humor: check. Family drama: check. Cheesy lines: check, check, check!

The fairy tale marriage of Lara (Bea Alonzo) and Oliver (Derek Ramsay) is abruptly put to a halt when the latter died of aneurysm only five months after they rang the wedding bells. Aside from coping with the loss of her husband, the young widow also faces financial hurdles. She can’t pay for the lease of her pre-school, so she is forced to rent out her condo unit. That’s how she met Chris (Sam Milby), her tenant, who also ‘lost’ his better half.

Through chance encounters, the two eventually become close. Chris keeps on urging Lara to let loose, live her life, and step out of the shadows of her deceased husband. So he asks her to write all the activities she thinks she cannot do by herself. Her list includes watching a movie, dining in a resto, parking her Forrester, and going out of town. Chris accompanies her to be ‘alone’. Soon enough, the inevitable happens. The two find themselves slowly falling into the trappings of love. However, she feels guilty for being happy, thinking that it is wrong to replace Oliver in her life.

Sans the seemingly compulsory cheesy scenes, the script feels largely mature. It deals with issues that have more weight vis-à-vis the average teenage love affair. The characters are presented with difficult conflicts that reflect the harsh reality that not everything that makes us happy is worth keeping. Sometimes, we have to let go of the things we want and love even if it hurts us. In real life, we do not always get our happy endings.

But this isn’t real life. This is a Star Cinema movie, and feel-good endings seem to be one of the requirements in the filmmakers’ checklist. The film should have ended ten minutes before the credits rolled. However, hanging endings may not please the die-hard mainstream audience. Not that I’m against happy endings, but isn’t it better to let viewers decide for themselves what the outcome will be. In true Star Cinema fashion, the film ends with a bang – a grand gesture of self-humiliation to profess one’s true feelings of love. Romantic, maybe. Kinda stupid and unrealistic, yes.

Despite the filmmakers’ penchant for fairy tale endings, the film is still undeniably a genuine and mature love story. The formula has not worn off, but the affecting performances and strong script compensate for the flaws. Prepare to swoon, laugh, and cry at Direk Lauren’s baton.

* published in PEP

Review: The Hangover (3/5)

DIRECTOR: Todd Phillips (Road Trip, Starsky & Hutch)

TAGLINE: Some guys just can’t handle Vegas.

STARRING: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham

THE GIST: Two days before Doug’s wedding, his gang takes him to Vegas for a bachelor party he’ll never forget or more aptly – a night they’ll never remember. The gang wakes up to a trashed Caesar’s Palace suite with an abandoned baby in the closet, Mike Tyson’s tiger in the bathroom, and Doug missing. Can they find Doug in time for his wedding?

ROLLING STONE SAYS: The Hangover ain't art, but Phillips has shaped the hardcore hilarity into the summer party movie of all our twisted dreams.

I SAY: “The Hangover” is solid, well paced, exciting, and hilarious. It’s like a crime investigation film wherein the detectives look for clues to solve the mystery. The difference is that there are no smart aleck detectives, just three whacked-out guys who can’t get their acts right.

Review: Kinatay (4/5)

Brillante Mendoza accomplished what seasoned filmmakers and celebrated auteurs can only dream of. He competed in the most prestigious film festival in the world for two consecutive years – a feat not even the late Lino Brocka was able to achieve. The nine-member jury of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival honored this controversial Filipino director with the Best Director award (Prix de la mise en scène) for his graphic and disconcerting depiction of moral decay in “Kinatay”.

“Kinatay” is a slice-of-life drama that chronicles a man’s descent to the heart of evil. During the daytime sequences, Direk Dante explores the hustle and bustle of Manila’s city life – noisy and overcrowded yet cheerful and hopeful. We are introduced to the film’s protagonist, Peping (Coco Martin). We see the events transpire before him. He drops off his seven month old baby and ties the knot with his young fiancée (Mercedes Cabral). The next morning, he attends class in a police academy. Despite being poor and the tough times ahead, a bright future smiles on this young man. There is hope… or so it seems.

As darkness creeps in, Direk Dante drops the curtains to reveal a portrait of the teeming and frenetic slums. We see Peping help his acquaintance, Abyong (Jhong Hilario,) in collecting what seems like ‘kotong’ money from the street vendors of Quiapo. He is then invited to join an unnamed operation that promises a higher pay. Together with a bunch of hooligans, they pick up an aging prostitute named Madonna (Maria Isabel Lopez). She is gagged and pummeled to the floor by Sarge (John Regala) the moment she boarded the van. Apparently, Madonna owes Vic (Julio Diaz) a huge sum of money. Sarge and Vic are both policemen who get their hands dirty in the drug trade.

What follows is a prolonged nighttime drive. Inside the cramped van, Peping watches in awe as the helpless hooker gets beaten to a pulp. Since the van sequences are shot in real time, we start to feel discomfort and anxiety as we bear witness to such gruesome violence. We hear Madonna’s muffled cries slowly drowning in the soundscape of the busy city.

And then we reach the destination, a secluded safe house outside Metro Manila. Madonna is taken to the basement of the house where she is beaten, humiliated, raped, slain, and eventually hacked to pieces using blunt kitchen tools. Direk Dante’s strategic interplay of darkness and flickers of light amplifies the horror. We hear Madonna wailing and pleading for her life, followed by the sound of body parts cracking. Although the merciless deeds of the cold-blooded murderers are shrouded in the shadow, we are left to imagine scenarios that are far more terrifying. We recoil at the harrowing denunciation of sadism. We want to get out but like Peping, we are trapped.

But is Peping really trapped? Despite his unwillingness to take an active part in the crime, he could have run away. He could have reached the gun in his back pocket and kill everyone. But why would he do that? Madonna is a washed-up drug addict and prostitute. Is she worth the trouble?

“Kinatay” treads the path of grayscale morality. And so, Direk Dante challenges our conscience and asks difficult questions. If you were Peping, what could you have done? At a time when horrendous crimes are staples in the news, the corruption of people’s mores is like a plague that offers a future of no redemption.

“Kinatay” is a difficult film to watch not only because of the despicable subject matter but also because of the torturous signature style of Direk Dante – the unsteady camerawork, the foreboding darkness, and the occasional lull. But this film is not just a film, but an experience in itself. He invites us to walk in his character’s shoes, face the horror, and make some incredibly tough choices. That makes “Kinatay” exceptional. It is an effective thriller that not only portrays societal realities, but imparts an unforgettable experience that will haunt you like a nightmare you can’t wake up from.

* published in PEP

Review: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (1.5/5)

DIRECTOR: Stephen Sommers (Van Helsing, The Mummy)

TAGLINE: When all else fails, they don’t.

STARRING: Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marlon Wayans, Rachel Nichols, Dennis Quaid

THE GIST: When an arms dealer plans to terrorize the world using nanomite technology, the elite team of spies and military agents saves the world.

EMPIRE MAGAZINE SAYS: The moronic script and nonsensical plot are only good for a snicker.

I SAY: Are we even expecting a hint of depth and story in this flick? The script is pure blah (complete with WTF-worthy flashbacks), the jokes are lame (Wayans can’t do funny man), and the whole movie is a silly excuse to destroy the Eiffel Tower. Although the gizmos and weaponry are pretty darn awesome, the cartoony CGI really bothered me.

Review: The Proposal (2/5)

DIRECTOR: Anne Fletcher (Step Up, 27 Dresses)

TAGLINE: Here comes the bribe…

STARRING: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds

THE GIST: When the boss from hell faced deportation when her citizenship was put to question, she forced her assistant to marry her. Pressured by the Bureau of Immigration, the devil incarnate decided to meet his to-be-husband’s folks in Alaska to announce their engagement. You know what’s next. Some cheese topped with some good old lovin’.

DAILY EXPRESS SAYS: It is contrived and predictable, squandering the chemistry between co-stars Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds as it creates lazy escapist entertainment that is forgotten as soon as the end credits have rolled.

I SAY: If you loathe Star Cinema’s formulaic rom-com’s, you would probably feel the same about this Hollywood film. Despite the charisma and chemistry of the leads, “The Proposal” is an inevitable failure. The jokes aren’t funny. Sandra Bullock’s character is a clone of Miranda Priestly of “The Devil Wears Prada”. And you can smell the ending miles away.