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.

Cinemalaya Cinco Round-up

I have seen all 10 in-competition films, and a few in exhibition. The awards have been handed out. And the 5th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival is officially closed. With great cinematic finds and promising talents, I think it was a solid year for Cinemalaya Cinco.

For my second weekend in CCP, here are my capsule reviews. These are ranked from best to worst.

COLORUM
Rating: 3
“Colorum” is a discovery. It’s about a promising policeman (Alfred Vargas) who sidelines as driver of a colorum (read: undocumented and illegal) FX shuttle. He embarks on an accidental road trip to Leyte with an old ex-convict (Lou Veloso) after running over an American pedestrian. They meet a milieu of characters along the way – a suicidal poet facing a tough case of writer’s block, a teenager planning an abortion, and a drunken businessman with a secret to hide. The film examines these characters’ mores. It delves on the choices they make and their consequences on their morality. It may be rough around the edges, but the story’s strength shines through.

24K
Rating: 3
Welcome to the world of amateur treasure hunting in the Philippines. Manok and his gang (Julio Diaz, Archi Adamos, and Jojit Lorenzo) are digging for Japanese treasure buried deep in the mountains of Suyo. The treasure signs tell them that success is within grasp, but the danger multiplies as they cave in closer. “24K” is the least popular competition entry, but that doesn’t mean the film is also the worst (that title has long been owned by the despicable “Astig”). In fact, it’s unexpectedly entertaining and smooth flowing with an explosive finale to boot.

NERSERI
Rating: 2.5
Mai (Jacklyn Jose) goes to Bohol for two weeks. One month down the line and she hasn’t come back yet. She left her young son (Timothy Mabalot as Cocoy) to attend to the needs of his three mentally unstable siblings. Cocoy desperately tries to keep everything together as he wrestles with his own sanity. This dramedy is based on the true story of the director. The film has a distinct look – it is shot in black and white with dashes of greens, reds, and purples. The narrative style is also a bit experimental. Overall, it’s a hit or miss affair. I would have appreciated it more if the filmmaker used a more traditional narrative device.

SERBIS
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.

PEPOT ARTISTA
Rating: 2
Inspired by the showbiz-crazed Pinoy mentality, this campy and hilarious film will entertain the kiddies as well as the baby boomers (the setting is the ‘70s). However, it has the tendency to go overboard sometimes with the jokes.

WALANG HANGGANG PAALAM
Rating: 2
Although scored and lensed like a Wong Kar Wai film, “Walang Hanggang Paalam” unveils too slowly to be affecting. Jacky Woo and Lovi Poe’s wooden acting don’t help either.


MY RANKING OF THE FILMS IN COMPETITION
1. Dinig Sana Kita
2. Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe
3. Engkwentro
4. Last Supper No. 3
5. Colorum
6. Mangatyanan
7. 24K
8. Nerseri
9. Sanglaan
10. Astig


CINEMALAYA CINCO WINNERS

Best Film: Last Supper No. 3
Who I THINK should have won: Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe

Special Jury Award: Colorum and Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe
Who I THINK should have won: Engkwentro

Special Mention: Engkwentro
NETPAC Award: Baseco Bakal Boys
National Council for Children’s Television Award: Dinig Sana Kita
Audience Choice: Dinig Sana Kita (I agree!)

Best Director: GB Sampedro, Astig (prepare the barf bag)
Who I THINK should have won: Pepe Diokno, Engkwentro

Best Actress: Ina Feleo, Sanglaan (what a nice surprise)
Who I THINK should have won: Irma Adlawan, Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe or Che Ramos, Mangatyanan

Best Actor: Lou Veloso, Colorum (I’m not complaining)
Best Supporting Actress: Tessie Tomas, Sanglaan (questionable)
Best Supporting Actor: Arnold Reyes, Astig (I loather everything and everyone connected to “Astig”)

Best Screenplay: Vic Acedillo Jr., Nerseri
Who I THINK should have won: Alvin Yapan, Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe

Best Cinematography: 24K (I think they are just giving everyone an award)
Best Production Design: Mangatyanan
Best Editing: Astig
Best Musical Score: Dinig Sana Kita
Best Sound Recording: Astig

Best Short Film: Bonsai
Special Jury Award (Shorts): Blogog
Audience Choice (Shorts): Tatang (Not “Wat Floor Ma’am? Seriously?)
Best Director (Shorts): Dexter Cayanes, Musa (another no-no)
Best Screenplay (Shorts): Mark Philipp Espina, Behind Closed Doors

Review: Sanglaan (2/5) & Astig (1/5)

Films centered on an ensemble cast, instead of just one or two main characters, is hard to pull off. It demands time to develop each character and make each of them mutually relevant. Each cast member must have individual stories to tell, that when combined together form an encompassing tale. In this year’s Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, “Sanglaan” and “Astig” attempt to break the losing streak of Pinoy ensemble films.


SANGLAAN

THE GIST: People in need of money go to pawnshops to trade in their jewelry and other prized possessions, together with the memories that come along with it. They are right in thinking that sentimental value cannot feed hungry mouths, but it can be very hard to let go of things you have treasured for so long. “Sanglaan” is about letting go and the set of characters whose lives revolve around a dying pawnshop. Tessie Tomas is the owner of the outmoded establishment who faces the repercussions of the failing economy. Jess Evardone plays the security guard who has to resort to unconventional methods of raising money to pay for the hospitalization of her wife (played by Flor Salanga). And then there’s Ina Feleo, the socially awkward jewelry appraiser, who is hopelessly enamored with her high school crush (played by Joem Bascon).

THE VERDICT: We’ve first seen Ina Feleo in “Endo” where she bagged the Cinemalaya Best Actress award back in 2007. Once again, she delivers a charismatic and genuine performance as the reserved but undeniably smitten woman who falls prey to cupid’s arrow. Meanwhile, the film’s production values are undeniably better compared to its contemporaries. Scenes are strikingly lensed, albeit their simplicity. However, the film falters on pushing the right emotional buttons. The talent is there, both on-cam and behind the scenes. But with an insipid screenplay, “Sanglaan” feels remotely ordinary.




ASTIG

THE GIST: Divided into four interconnecting episodes, “Astig” tells the formulaic story of a myriad of characters thriving in the underbelly of Manila. Dennis Trillo plays a hustler slash con man who finally gets a whiff of karma. Edgar Allan Guzman is a young expectant father forced to ‘service’ a disgusting gay customer to afford his wife’s hospital dues. Arnold Reyes plays the Chinoy trying to sell his father’s only inheritance, a decrepit building in Escolta. And Sid Lucero as the overprotective brother of Glaiza de Castro’s character.

THE VERDICT: Even before the film festival officially opened, this G.B. Sampedro film has been hyped as the biggest independent film production to grace Cinemalaya yet. Since the movie is co-produced by Boy Abunda, he brings with him a plethora of well-known celebrities in smaller roles and cameo appearances. We have Ai-Ai de las Alas, Mariel Rodriguez, Bianca Gonzalez, Kim Atienza, Gardo Versoza, Emilio Garcia, Vhong Navarro, Keanna Reeves, and many more. However, it would disappoint viewers to find out that the star-studded cast is the only thing the film has to offer. The screenplay breathes and lives in third world clichés – movie house prostitution, suicide, gratuitous sex, and plenty of foul language. Instead of presenting a new treatment on the worn-out subject, we are left with an overused template of yet another movie about Manila’s squalor.

Review: Last Supper No. 3 (3.5/5)

PEP Review: Last Supper No. 3

by Fidel Antonio Medel

In the Philippines, the path to justice is like a long, winding staircase. It goes round and round, consuming all your time and energy. This is not only applicable to cases of homicide, rape, robbery, and other heinous crimes. Sometimes, even the pettiest offenses take that same winding road to justice.

Wilson (Joey Paras) is an assistant production designer tasked to look for a wall decoration depicting the Last Supper as a prop for a corned beef TV commercial shoot. He found three. He presented them to the director and let him pick one. After the shooting, he realized that one of the borrowed tapestries was missing. Unfortunately, the lost rug belongs to Gareth (Jojit Lorenzo), a scheming money-hungry son-of-a-gun, and Suming (Beverly Salviejo), his equally scheming mother. What started out as a petty offense turns into a legal circus that stole two and a half years away from our unlucky protagonist.

This certified audience hit at Cinemalaya Cinco proves that well-intentioned comedies can make a point. In the film, the gravity of the offense is not proportionate to what Wilson has to go through. And because of the inefficiencies of the procedures of the law, he found himself being charged with estafa and serious physical injury. Inside the justice halls, he was unwittingly pushed into a web of opportunism and bureaucracy. To make matters worse, the judicial process ran at turtleneck speed. Wilson faced tedious arraignment procedures, repetitively paid settlement charges, and met numerous delays.

Joey Paras is a discovery. With his natural gift of humor, this comic can give the likes of Chokoleit and Pooh a run for their money. Meanwhile, cameo appearances from Maricel Soriano, Ricky Davao, and Liza Lorena gave the film an added punch. The musical scoring is likewise commendable. The lively soundtrack complements the jovial spirit of the film, although it has the tendency to become overbearing in some scenes.

“Last Supper No. 3” makes fun of the legal nightmare that is the Philippine judicial system. It’s a boring premise, but because directors Roni Velasco & Jinky Laurel know very well not to take the topic too seriously, they veered away from the tendencies to preach about red tape and bureaucracy, The result? A courthouse comedy that is satirical and socially relevant.

* published in PEP

Review: Engkwentro (3.5/5)

PEP Review: Engkwentro (Unedited)
by Fidel Antonio Medel

At only 21 years old, Pepe Diokno (a columnist for Philippine Star Supreme and an auteur in the making) is the youngest person to be given a Cinemalaya grant. The grandson of the late Senator Jose "Pepe" Diokno directs “Engkwentro”, the love-it-or-hate-it film in this year’s Cinemalaya. This will provoke discussions and even spark debates because of its dissection of juvenile crime and moral ambiguity. The unconventional filmmaking technique – the use of the shaky handycam ala “The Blair Witch Project” – will polarize viewers into haters and believers.

“Engkwentro” is the story of two teenage brothers, Richard (Felix Roco) and Raymond (Daniel Medrana), caught in the ruckus of two warring gangs. Richard is the leader of the Bagong Buwan gang. The Davao Death Squad, a band of vigilantes allegedly backed by the local government to murder suspected gangsters and criminals, is going after him. So he decided to leave town and elope with his prostitute girlfriend, Jenny-Jane (Eda Nolan).

As he tries to source funds for his escape, Raymond is being inducted to the rival gang Batang Dilim. As the night comes to a close, a square off becomes deadly when Tomas (Zyrus Desamparado), the gang leader of Batang Dilim, orders Raymond to kill his older brother. The inexorable conclusion, punctuated by searing brutality, will shock you. You won’t believe that what you just saw are events lifted from actual news headlines. It will leave you with a dreadful feeling that is difficult to shake off.

Since “Engkwentro” deals with an alarming real-life subject, Direk Pepe makes it a point that his filmmaking style would embody its raw and gritty nature. The camera walks us through the labyrinth of dingy alleys and shanty houses overpopulated by slum dwellers, in a style somewhat similar to Jeffrey Jeturian’s “Kubrador”. We pose as voyeurs as the camera individually follows the exploits of the characters in what seem like a single, continuous take. In fact, Direk Pepe did shoot it much like a stage play (as if without cuts) since he wanted viewers to have a "real-time" experience while watching this action-social commentary film.

Some of the day scenes bathe in solar glare, while some of the night scenes are intentionally too dark. It helps that Direk Pepe used high-definition cameras but the cinematography can still be dizzying especially during fight scenes and parkour chases. 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.

Among the ten finalists vying for the Balanghai trophy in this year’s Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, “Engkwentro” has the highest chance of being picked up by international film festivals. It may even snatch the top plum from festival frontrunners “Mangatyanan” and “Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe” like a real dark horse. Watch it if you dare.

* published in http://www.pep.ph/guide/4332/PEP-REVIEW:-Engkwentro

Cinemalaya Cinco (…so far)

3 days. 14 films. Not bad for a venue that is more than an hour away from my house. If you’re planning to head to CCP in the next few days, I hope this festival roundup of sorts will help you in picking which films are worth a look.


IN-COMPETITION (FULL-LENGTH)

These in-competition films are vying for the top award, the Balanghai trophy. Former recipients of this award are “Pepot Artista” by Clodualdo del Mundo Jr., “Tulad ng Dati” by Mike Sandejas, “Tribu” by Jim Libiran, and “Jay” by Francis Xavier Pasion. Among the ten in-competition films for this year, I’ve seen seven already. Here they are, ranked from best to worst:

DINIG SANA KITA
Rating: 4
It is not perfect or highly original, but it is my personal favorite from this year’s crop. I’m predicting it will take home the Audience Choice Award since the film greatly appeals to the predominantly younger crowd of Cinemalaya. It is also most likely to cross the mainstream with commercial success because of the story’s accessibility. Most of all, “Dinig Sana Kita” belongs to the rare breed of rom-coms slash family dramas that Filipino filmmakers don’t usually produce. You can read my full review at: http://pixelatedpopcorn.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-dinig-sana-kita-45.html



ANG PANGGAGAHASA KAY FE
Rating: 4
With a layered story and complex characterization, this film is still the film to beat. You can read my full review at: http://pixelatedpopcorn.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-ang-panggagahasa-kay-fe-35.html




ENGKWENTRO
Rating: 3.5
It is not for everyone, so watch it at your own risk. Some will perceive it as nauseating and poorly made (some of the scenes were intentionally dark and out of focus despite being shot on high-definition), while others will see it as a work of a genius. This has the highest chance of being picked up by international film festivals for its graphic retelling of gangster brutality and juvenile corruption. “Engkwentro” may snatch the victory from “Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe” like a real dark horse. You can read my full review at: http://pixelatedpopcorn.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-engkwentro-35.html

LAST SUPPER NO. 3
Rating: 3.5
Hilarious, socially relevant, and entertaining. This satire on the Philippine judicial system is a definite crowd-pleaser. You can read my full review at: http://pixelatedpopcorn.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-last-supper-no-3-35.html

MANGATYANAN
Rating: 2.5
Some are already proclaiming Jerrold Tarrog’s follow-up to “Confessional” as the best film of the festival. Although I recognize its merits, I don’t think it is as good as everyone else thinks. The fact that the ritual and the tribe portrayed are both fictional is a bit of a letdown. Anyway, why don’t you see it for yourself and find out if I’m wrong on this one?




SANGLAAN
Rating: 2
Although technically superior, the screenplay is mediocre at best. A mere rehash of soap opera elements that we have seen countless of times on the boob tube. Ina Feleo, Tessie Tomas, and Flor Salanga (the grieving mother in “Jay”) deserve a better film than this. You can read my full review at: http://pixelatedpopcorn.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-sanglaan-155-astig-15.html




ASTIG
Rating: 1
Making noise for all the wrong reasons – the numerous cameo appearances, Dennis Trillo as lead, and Boy Abunda as producer. Clichéd, vulgar, and a total waste of time. Slum-themed dramas like this should get a rest. So far, the worst film in Cinemalaya Cinco. You can read my full review at: http://pixelatedpopcorn.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-sanglaan-155-astig-15.html


I will catch the rest of the Cinemalaya Cinco main competition entries like “24K”, “Colorum”, and “Nerseri” this weekend. Meanwhile, my full reviews for the rest of the in-competition films will be posted soon.


IN-COMPETITION (SHORTS)

I really don’t have any plans of watching short films. I find their running time rather bitin to establish anything. But since a friend dragged me, I was able to see five shorts that are in competition. As expected, they are so-so with one exception. Here are the five shorts from best to worst.

WAT FLOOR MA’AM
Rating: 3.5
Imelda gets stuck inside an elevator with the ‘bad boy’. Questions are raised. And we are made to realize that ignorance is really bliss. Pinky Marquez and Lex Marcos will tickle our funny bones. This is a must-see!



BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Rating: 3
An intelligent examination of one crumbling marriage. Well-acted and convincing.

TATANG
Rating: 2.5
Another slumdog drama. Why are we Pinoys addicted to this theme?

HULAGPOS
Rating: 1
Forgettable.

MUSA
Rating: 1
Overly pretentious. Poetic? My ass.


OUT OF COMPETITION

MANILA
Rating: 3
Raya Martin and Adolfo Alix, Jr. direct Piolo Pascual in this two-part tribute to Ishmael Bernal’s “Manila by Night” (in the “Day” segment) and Lino Brocka’s “Jaguar” (in the “Night” segment). Despite the dark themes pervading both segments, be prepared to see Manila – in all its filth and glory – in a different light. Excellent filmmaking and poetic cinematography. The all-star cast includes Rosanna Roces, Angelica Panganiban, Baron Geisler, Anita Linda, Jay Manalo, Jiro Manio, Alessandra de Rossi, Katherine Luna, William Martinez, Aleck Bovick, Marissa Delgado, John Lapus, and many more.




AURORA
Rating: 2.5
Some will sleep through it, I almost did. But for a film that drags the minutes by, you can’t deny that this Adolf Alix-directed feature reflects the realities of terrorism. Rosanna Roces and Sid Lucero deliver memorable performances.


SAAN NAGTATAGO SI HAPPINESS?
Rating: 1.5
The opening song number sets the mood nicely. But unfortunately, the screenplay recycles the same poverty plotlines that have been used and overused in the past.



I will catch “Pepot Artista”, “Walang Hanggang Paalam”, “Kadin”, and “Batad” this weekend. Any suggestions what else I need to see? I’ll blog about the rest of my Cinemalaya experience next week.

Review: Dinig Sana Kita (4/5)

In one of my most favorite films, Danish director Lars Von Trier proved that you don’t need eyes to see in the tragically poetic “Dancer in the Dark”. An overly loving mother, who is slowly going blind, still see the world through rose-tinted glasses despite the utmost cruelty of life. In a parallel representation, director Mike Sandejas (helmer of “Tulad ng Dati”, the recipient of the Balanghai trophy during the 2006 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival) shows us that you don’t need ears to hear and that “even in silence, there is music”.

“Dinig Sana Kita” is the story of two people living in opposite worlds. The girl (Zoe Sandejas plays Niña) is a band vocalist. When she’s on the microphone, she wears her heart on her sleeves with her emotive rock ballads but outside the stage, she is impenetrable. Although she appears tough on the outside, this often-misunderstood troublemaker is fragile when it comes to family matters. So when anxiety attacks, she resorts to her own version of therapy – alcohol and ear-splitting music from her headphones.

Meanwhile, the guy (Romalito Mallari, a real-life deaf-mute, plays Kiko) is a deaf-mute dancer. His disability does not stop him from leading a normal life. He learned how to dance and appreciate music by feeling the vibrations and counting his steps. But Mr. Optimistic’s life is not without his fair share of miseries. In the deafening silence of his world, he struggles to come to terms with the fact that he was orphaned since birth. So what happens when their worlds collide? What happens when the dancer meets the singer, the calm meets the storm, the parentless meets the overprotected? You guess it right, the two make beautiful music together.

“Dinig Sana Kita” can easily turn into yet another cheesy love story. Luckily for us, this is not a mainstream film wherein the lead characters can hate each other one minute and start making love the next. The script introduces us to the characters first, takes its time to immerse us into their lives, and gradually builds the romance. But instead of philosophizing about love like a dreamy high school girl, the film focuses its attention on dealing with the characters’ personal issues – the fear that greatly consumes Niña and the void that is longing to be filled in Kiko’s world. Before you think that this is a heavy drama that will squeeze your eyes dry, I’m happy to inform you that Sandejas has a humor so be prepared to wet your hankies and giggle at the same time.

Once again, this film has disproved the notion of major film studios that big moments replete of endless tears and hysterical acting are needed to engage viewers emotionally. Sometimes, the most heart-tugging scenes are those that are delivered in silence. I was mostly affected by the confrontation between Kiko and Dr. Rafael Mendoza (Robert Seña). There were no screaming, no punches, not even a single word was said. I never thought an argument through sign language could convey so much emotion.

“Dinig Sana Kita” 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.

Among the 10 films in competition, this is most likely to win the Audience Choice Award. I’m sure it would make a killing both critically and commercially once it cross the mainstream. So if you can only see one film in Cinemalaya this year, let this be it and I bet you won’t regret it.

* published in PEP

Review: Brutus (2/5)

Two Mangyan kids are beleaguered by illegal logging and child labor activities. In order to contribute to the finances of their impoverished families, Adag and Payang are forced to help illegal loggers transport wood from the mountains down to the capital. Since this activity is illegal, the kids need to take extra caution to avoid forest rangers who serve as vanguards against such law violators.

“Brutus” utilizes what it has in its fullest extent by employing long shots of the vast forest and sprawling stream channels. The shots are not perfect but are still captivating. The execution and theme may be too ambitious for its resources, but the filmmakers succeed in showing the hard knock life of the Mangyans to the general public.

Although Ronnie Lazaro and Yul Servo are in the film, it relies heavily on the ability of Adag and Payang to carry the movie all the way through. And to elicit response from the audience, the film resolves to shallow gimmickry using a puppy love angle between the two, which seems more exploitative than cute. Another fall back of “Brutus” is its tone, that is as self-righteous and as preachy as the sermon of friars. The film is also guilty of lazy storytelling and abuse of flashbacks.

Moreover, the inclusion of the untouchable side-story of the NPA-military conflict to the plot seems farfetched. The film subtly explores this without giving a firm resolution at the end. It could have been better if the focus is mainly on the two Mangyan kids and their struggles as transporters of the logs. The film ended, without earning its ending.

9 Films in Cinemalaya Cinco that I’ve Already Seen

With the wealth of interesting movies to be screened in Cinemalaya Cinco, picking which films are worth your time and money is rather tricky. From over 50 films in exhibition and in competition in this year’s “big, small film festival”, I saw 9 of them. Here’s my two cents.

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

100
Written and directed by Chris Martinez, this film about a dying woman and the 100 things she wants to do before she dies is definitely not a rehash of “The Bucket List”. Every movie about death will always have some drama. But “100” never swerved to Hysteria Lane. It is not because Martinez does not take death seriously. Perhaps he feels that there will always be joy (even just a smidgen of it) in every single moment of living, no matter how miserable or hopeless our situations may be. “100” is my most favorite Filipino film of 2008.
Rating: 4

JAY
“Jay” is an interesting depiction of the way media fabricates the truth and an expose of the obsession of everyday Juan’s to 15 minutes of fame. Humorous, realistic, and razor-sharp.
Rating: 4

ANG PANGGAGAHASA KAY FE
The “panggagahasa” mentioned in the title does not only refer to the sexual kind. It encompasses all other acts that strip a woman of her dignity, making her vulnerable to consider quick fixes no matter how implausible they may seem to be. Alvin Yapan’s debut is a tale that tackles domestic abuse and romanticizes Pinoy folklore. It is an odd combination, but gripping nevertheless.
Rating: 4

PADYAK
“Padyak” explores the mysteries of life and man’s interconnectedness with each other. The film is an ode to the circle of life as it burst with philosophical anecdotes and personal reflections. The compelling screenplay and peculiar narrative structure make this film a tour-de-force showcase and an engrossing mantra to life.
Rating: 3

INDEPENDENCIA
Raya Martin brings us back to the time when independence is a noble but unattainable concept. “Independencia” is mostly a visual fare with an allusive story characterized by Philippine culture and history. It aims to imitate the cinematic style of the early years of the US colonization. Martin shot the entire film in vivid black-and-white inside a studio and reconstructed a forest setting by dressing it with potted plants, painted backdrops, simulated rain, flying sparrows, and a flowing river. The idea is to create a realistic fake forest to emphasize the artificiality of the so-called independence the characters are enjoying.
Rating: 3

BOSES
Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil chronicles the road to recovery of an abused child. Although we have heard of this kind of story in a number of Bantay Bata TV reports, the humor and the beautiful violin music make it more interesting. “Boses” is a moving narrative with a voice and a heart.
Rating: 3

BRUTUS
The focus of this Tara Illenberger film are two Mangyan kids beleaguered by illegal logging and child labor activities. “Brutus” utilizes what it has in its fullest extent by employing long shots of the vast forest and sprawling stream channels. The shots are not perfect but are still captivating. The execution and theme may be too ambitious for its resources, but the filmmakers succeed in portraying the hard knock life of the Mangyans.
Rating: 2

THE AMAZING TRUTH ABOUT QUEEN RAQUELA
Frankly, there is nothing amazing about Raquela Rios, a Filipino transvestite prostitute who dreams of walking the streets of Paris with his Prince Charming in the form of an affluent, straight Westerner. Being a victim of a confused narrative, it engages in documentary-styled confessionals dwelling on the trivial, non-involving matters interspersed with Raquela’s cross-continental trip. Essentially, it is just another film about transvestites, which happens to be made by an Icelandic national with a Filipino subject.
Rating: 2

IMBURNAL
At four hours long, “Imburnal” is a painful experience. The imageries are jumbled and the vignettes being shown are at its most random order. You’ll feel as if Sherad Anthony Sanchez doesn’t have a concrete story to tell but is merely confusing us with his peculiar brand of faux visual poetry.
Rating: 1

Review: Villa Estrella (2.5/5)

PEP Review: Villa Estrella challenges mainstream cinema
by Fidel Antonio Medel

Formulaic horror films are a dime a dozen. With the wealth of choices we have today, does “Villa Estrella” stand a chance to get noticed?

Although more modest compared to earlier Star Cinema horror flicks such as “Feng Shui” and “Sukob”, “Villa Estrella” brings something new to the table – a non-generic concept that challenges mainstream cinema. It is not a perfect film by all means. But with some polishing on the storyline and a tighter script, this could be in the same league as Yam Laranas’ “Sigaw”.

Anna’s (Shaina Magdayao) inexplicable bouts with nightmares are getting worse. In her dreams, she sees a girl drowning in the murky waters. But she is clueless on what these nightmares mean until an old flame (Jake Cuenca as Alex) takes her to Villa Estrella, a dilapidated resort that his family plans to renovate. Upon seeing Anna, the resort’s kooky caretaker (Ronnie Lazaro as Mang Gusting) instantly recognizes her, but Anna says she has never been in Villa Estrella before. As Anna enters the gates of Villa Estrella, secrets are unearthed and restless souls avenge themselves.

Effective horror films start with a skin-crawling concept. For example, an innocent little girl being possessed by a malevolent spirit in “The Exorcist” or a cursed videotape that claims the life of those who see it in “The Ring”. In “Villa Estrella”, the dirty swimming pool serves as a channel of exchange that connects our world with the afterlife. So whenever the murky waters claim someone’s life, a ghost resurrects himself and takes control of the victim’s body. The clever concept together with the atmospheric direction from Rico Maria Ilarde (“Altar”, “Sa Ilalim ng Cogon”) makes this feature a spine-chilling movie experience.

The movie is also blessed with a strong cast, lead by Shaina Magdayao and Jake Cuenca, who were pretty solid in their portrayals. While supporting players like Empoy Marquez and Rubi Rubi provide some comic relief. But it is Maja Salvador and Ronnie Lazaro who deliver compelling performances reeking of both nuance and bravura. It is the kind of portrayal that requires intensity and subtlety. And on those grounds, both actors were effective.

Although above par in mainstream standards, “Villa Estrella” could definitely use some help in ironing out some storyline inconsistencies as well as breaking away from some horror filmmaking traditions like the inclusion of a clairvoyant (a staple in every horror film) and a monster that belongs to the “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” world.

It is good to know that a mainstream studio like Star Cinema is recognizing diversity and is learning to be bold with its filmmaking choices. They are now altering their worn-out formulas to adapt to the shifting tastes of moviegoers. If “Villa Estrella” marks a change in the mainstream filmmaking landscape, then I believe something good is about to come.

* published in PEP