Kaftig

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

Before anything else, I just want to make it clear that "loyalty to the original material" is not a major factor in my appreciation (or lack of appreciation) of this movie. A scriptwriter myself, I understand the necessity of changing details of the original material to make it suitable for the film medium. There are certain elements in the book that have to be changed to make it "filmic."

Even though The Goblet of Fire is my favorite book in the Harry Potter series, I threw my biases to the wind and viewed its film adaptation without any expectations. In a nutshell, the movie isn't bad. However, there is nothing great about it as well.

I have to admire the way the scriptwriter compressed the story into a 2 1/2-hour movie. Only the essential events were showed. (Although, I hated the fact that they edited out the Quidditch World Cup because I was so eager to see how professional Quidditch players play as compared to student players like Harry.) One thing you can't certainly complain about this movie is the lack of action scenes.

The movie's primary problem is Mike Newell's directorial treatment. His visuals are darker than Cuaron's, but they lack character. Cuaron was able to infuse grandiosity and excitement with his dark visuals in The Prisoner of Azkaban, but Newell wasn't able to achieve that. His visuals were simply dark and depressing. This movie also proves that Newell is not a good action director. The action scenes lack punch and originality. He was not able to present the three tasks of the Tri-Wizard Tournament as fresh and exciting sequences. His shot list was so predictable that I almost slept throughout the action scenes. I also remarked to my friend that the movie lacked magic - not in quantity, but in quality. Scenes involving magic also lacked originality; thus, depriving you of the sense of wonderment each time the characters use their wand. The most disappointing aspect of this film is the visual treatment of Voldemort. Don't get me wrong. I am a big fan of Ralph Fiennes, but his performance here has got to be his worst ever. Voldemort is supposed to be an intense, larger-than-life, evil warlock. I was expecting to see him as a threatening, fearsome yet awe-inspiring evil entity, much like Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's Dracula. Fiennes' Voldemort is simply an ugly creature, lacking the menace of the original character.

Newell is well-known as the director of romantic comedies, such as Four Weddings and a Funeral. It was no wonder then that he was able to maintain a light feel for the movie, despite his dark visuals and the heavy story. Most of his comedy scenes worked well. For some reason, I was swept away by the romantic set-up and visuals of the Yule Ball. Working within his strengths, Newell successfully portrayed the joys and pains of first love.

Although it is better than the first two Harry Potter movies, The Goblet of Fire is a far second to The Prisoner of Azkaban. Cuaron might not have been loyal to Rowling's book, but at least he gave us a movie that was filled with visual splendor. Newell was more loyal to the book, but he failed to translate the magic of the book to the big screen.

BIYAYA NG LUPA

Last November 10, ABS-CBN hosted a special screening of the award-winning film, Biyaya ng Lupa. It was the culminating event in a series of talks between ABS-CBN and LVN, which eventually led to the transfer of LVN's film archives to ABS-CBN. For the next 20 years, ABS-CBN will release the LVN films on television through its cable channel, CinemaOne.

Manuel Silos' Biyaya ng Lupa is one of the LVN films acquired by ABS-CBN. Set in the 1950's, the film tells the story of a rural Filipino family who struggles to remain intact in face of the almost insurmountable odds that come their way. It was an official entry to the 1960 Berlin International Film Festival and the 1960 Asian Film Festival.

What makes Biyaya ng Lupa so remarkable is its undeniable influence on Filipino films that came after it. The film's story elements, which may seem original in 1959, are now staples of local family drama movies and soap operas. Viewed decades after its initial release, the film's story doesn't lose its impact due its universality. Modern-day viewers can still relate to the story and the theme of the film. After all, the problems that the family confronted are still the same problems we confront today.

Among the actors, the ones that truly stood out were Rosa Rosal, Leroy Salvador and Danilo Jurado. Rosal was effective as Maria, the matriarch who served as her family's stronghold after her husband's (Tony Santos) death. I was told by Emman dela Cruz that at the time the film was made, Rosal was only four or six years older than her co-stars. Yet, she was believable as a mature and strong-willed mother. Salvador was endearing as Maria's deaf-mute son, Miguel. Although I doubted the authenticity of the sign language he used, Salvador was believable and consistent as a deaf-mute. At first, he only served as the film's comic relief. Yet as the film progresses, his character develops emotional layers, which Salvador effectively portaryed. The most poignant moments of the films were actually the scenes between Salvador and Jurado, who portrayed Lito, the youngest son. Jurado should also be commended for acting at par with his older co-stars.

Since the film was made in 1959, the filmmaking techniques were obviously crude. For the most part, however, Silos was successful in telling his narrative. He manged to keep the film light and exciting despite the dramatic story. He complements this with strong visuals that showcase our rural landscapes. My only problem with Silos' direction is his sense of time. There were certain sequences that appeared to have happened in a matter of days, but actually happened in a matter of hours.

Biyaya ng Lupa's look and story are distinctly Filipino. It is a film that we should be proud of. However, what we cannot be proud of is the (lack of) development of the Filipino film industry nearly 50 years after Biyaya ng Lupa was made. Could it be that Biyaya ng Lupa's success has become the curse of succeeding Filipino films? Certainly not! The film's success simply proves the innate talent of Filipinos in the art of filmmaking. It is up to our modern-day filmmakers to come up with films that will not only match the achievements of Biyaya ng Lupa, but surpass them as well.

CORPSE BRIDE

In a year of weak animated films, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride certainly stands out. In fact, it is even a better film than his Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Before you assume that Corpse Bride is a great film, I'll make it clear that it is not ( Nightmare before Christmas is far better than this one.). However, it is a good film.

Co-directed with Mike Johnson, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride is about the accidental marriage of Victor Van Dort (voiced by Johnny Depp) to a corpse, Emily (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter). The problem is that Victor is already engaged to Victoria Everglot (voiced by Emily Watson). Now, he has to find a way to annul his marriage to Emily so he can return to the world of the living and marry Victoria.

The film has a lot of impressive elements. One of which is the animation. Burton and Johnson presented the world of the living as a drab, monochromatic place that is, ironically, devoid of life. Meanwhile, the world of the dead is vibrant and colorful, pulsating with the irrepressible energy of its dead population. Such visual was well-used throughout the film.

I also enjoyed Danny Elfman's quirky yet witty songs. The musical score and songs he composed for this film are some of the best he has done. It takes some time to get used to the unusual music, but once you've grown accustomed to it, you'll be surprised at how emotionally moving it is.

The film's only disappointing aspect (and it's a major one) is the story. One gets the feeling that the writers and directors have not fully explored the emotional depths of the film. The formulaic back story and the predictable flow of events, especially the whodunit angle, further give the film a sense of emotional detachment. For one thing, I never really understood if Emily fell in love with Victor. Or was she simply using him as a filler for her frustrations on love and marriage? I also wanted to know if Victor truly learned to love Emily. Was he able to see certain qualities in this corpse that he had not seen in his fiancee? A stronger love triangle plot would have made the story more emotional and the final sacrifice more poignant. This is after all a romance movie.

Also, it would have helped if we saw more scenes of Victor adjusting to the world of the dead. I would really love to know how different life in the world of the dead is from life in the world of the living. Why do people and animals go to that place after death? Is it the final resting place or is it a transitory place where you have to earn your place in heaven? The writers and the directors have this chance to totally change our concept of life after death. Unfortunately, they did not take the chance to do so.

Still, credit must be given to the writers for coming up with a brilliant concept and to the directors for bringing that concept to life. Let's just hope that Burton will surpass himself when he makes his next animated film.

THE LONG WEEKEND

Chicoy and I watched The Long Weekend last Sunday, but I deliberately postponed the writing of this review till a week later. We were both in a good mood that day, and I was afraid that my high spirits might affect my perception of the movie. So I took a few days off before I analyzed the film.

My judgment? It is a bad film.

The Long Weekend tells the story of two brothers, Cooper (Chris Klein) and Ed (Brendan Fehr). Reeling from a devastating break-up, Ed is in danger of losing his job. He has the entire weekend, which also happens to be his birthday weekend, to come up with an ad campaign that will impress his company's clients. Things get more complicated when Cooper arrives with a mission - to get his brother laid. In search of that ideal woman, the brothers get into all sorts of troubles with Ed getting the worst end. He has been chased by the police, arrested, imprisoned, nearly raped by male prisoners, etc. Just when he couldn't stand the string of bad luck, the ideal woman arrives and Ed is inspired to create his best ad campaign.

It is a totally brainless comedy that relies heavily on old jokes. Some of the old jokes worked, but most of them fell flat. The entire movie seems like a more mature version of American Pie. However, I must stress that "more mature" does not necessarily mean "better."

The only interesting aspects of the movie are the intercutting home video clips that serve as metaphors for the movie's scenes. Had this visual treatment been used for a wittier, edgier screenplay, The Long Weekend could have been a better comedy movie.

It sure was a great thing that The Long Weekend was a pretty short movie. Had it been any longer, I might have asked for a refund.

RED EYE

Last night, my barkada and I celebrated my birthday. (I have work during the weekend so last night was the only time I could spare for them.) It was a fun evening, especially because we were complete for the first time in years. It could have been the perfect evening of my life, except that we had to watch Red Eye.

Red Eye is hands-down the worst suspense-thriller movie I have ever seen. When Adolf me that it sucked big time, I should have listened to him. Quark, I want a refund!!! (He told us that this movie was great. Now, I'm not sure if he was being sarcastic when he said that.)

Red Eye tells the story of Lisa (Rachel McAdams), a hotel manager, who bumps into a gentleman, Jackson "Jack" Rippner (Cillian Murphy), as she catches the red-eye flight to Miami. (By the way, "red eye" refers to the last flight for the day.) What could have been romantic encounter turns into a nightmare as Jack threatens Lisa's life during the flight. He wants her to change the room assignment of a government official staying in her hotel. It turns out that Jack is working for a group of assassins who wants to k*ll the government official. Lisa tries everything she can to escape his clutches, but Jack has no intention of letting her go.

I don't have to tell the rest of the story because any intelligent human being will be able to predict it. This movie has no major plot twists or turns. It is simply a series of chases and fights.

For a suspense thriller to work, it has to succeed in making you suspend your disbelief. That will only happen if the movie's plot set-up is logical and tight. Unfortunately, Red Eye's plot is loose and full of loopholes.

For one thing, the idea of blackmailing a hotel manager to assassinate a government official is absurd. Given today's technology, it is not difficult to hack into a hotel's IT system and change room assignments. If they need human backup, the assassins could have easily planted a member of their group to act as a hotel employee. Don't these assassins know that involving innocent civilians in their plan or leaving a body trail of victims only makes the whole plan complicated? It also didn't help that Murphy has no other fighting skill except for head-butting. He is probably the most inefficient assassin I have ever seen.

Second, the movie is full of contrivances. McAdams was just so lucky that there were several disturbances inside the plane that gave her time to think of a plan, that there was an empty, running car outside the airport for her to escape, that there was a lot of furniture in her dad's house, that her dad's house was being renovated to allow her to move freely between rooms, and so on. On the other hand, Murphy was lucky enough that a 911's service was inefficient so the cops arrived late. The set-up's in this movie was so obvious that you could play "plant and pay-off" without watching the rest of the movie.

Third, this movie lacks a narrative voice. Except for the weak suspense-thriller plot, it offers nothing else. It doesn't have anything to say about what happens in the real world. You don't even know why the assassins want to k*ll the government official. Hence, nothing much is at stake for the viewer. It would have helped if the government official stood for a political principle that the assassins feel is not helpful to the citizens. That way, the movie could have had a wider scope and it would not have become a run of the mill, better suited for TV suspense thriller.

However, I have to give credit to the movie's fast-paced editing. In the few sequences that work, the editing kept me at the edge of my seat. Then again, editing can only take you so far. In the end, it is still the story that counts. Sadly, this movie doesn't have one.

If only Visine could help me...I need something to take Red Eye out of my system in 60 seconds.

THE GREAT RAID

When Ian and I watched The Great Raid yesterday, I entered the cinema with a sense of apprehension. A phrase from Inquirer Libre kept repeating in my mind - "universally panned." Almost everyone who has seen the movie says that it is one of the worst war movies ever. Only our Research Head, Monjam, liked it, and I think he liked it because of the movie he saw in his mind and not the movie that was shown onscreen. However, Ian and I had already bought our tickets. There was no turning back.

Based on the books The Great Raid on Cabanatuan and Ghost Soldiers, the movie retells the successful mission of a group of American soldiers, with the help of Filipino guerillas, to rescue more than 500 prisoners of World War II held in the Cabanatuan prison camp.

The movie is not as bad as US critics would like you to believe. The Great Raid is the kind of movie that you have to watch with a certain mindset in order to appreciate it. For one thing, this is not an action-based war movie. Those looking for impressive battle scenes will be disappointed. The Great Raid is a drama-based war movie. It attempts to present the personal, emotional stories of certain people involved in the raid.

However, I have to admit that the movie failed to achieve just that. Yes, it presented personal, emotional stories but those stories were unoriginal and uninteresting. The love story between Margaret Utinsky (Connie Nielsen), an American nurse working in Manila, and Maj. Gibson (Joseph Fiennes), a POW in Cabanatuan, is cheesy and uninspired. It would have been better had the story focused on the dilemmas of the soldiers and guerillas involved in the rescue mission. That would have given us a glimpse of what the raid means to them. Was the whole thing worth dying for?

Perhaps that is what the movie lacks - focus. The sprawling narrative covers three separate segments that were not threaded tightly. In fact, the love story between Utinsky and Gibson was dropped during the last 1/3 of the movie to give way to the climatic battle scene. The director (John Dahl) should have already seen this problem beforehand. As the head of the project, he should have known which stories are important and which are not.

As for the actors, I could not blame them for giving uninspired performances because their characters are flat, one-dimensional. Except for Utinsky and Gibson, all other characters are devoid of back stories. You do not understand why they are part of the mission and what it means to them. As for Cesar Montano, the actor who plays the leader of the Filipino guerillas, his performance shows his limited acting range. He offers nothing different from his performances in his recent Filipino movies.

Of the technical aspects of the film, I found the production design commendable. The movie shows just how colorful and beautiful Manila was before and during the war. However, there were several glaring inconsistencies. Fort Santiago looked different from the real one. The pedicabs looked distinctly Chinese. Even the forest trees do not seem indigenous to the Philippines. I am no history and botany expert, but these elements made the movie less authentic to me.

The Great Raid had noble intentions, but it failed to achieve those. This could have been a better movie had the creators reviewed and revised their material before shooting it. Then, it could have had its own place in history.

MUST LOVE DOGS

The score was tied at 2 all: Tristan and Angelo wanted to watch Skeleton Key while Chicoy and I opted for Must Love Dogs. We asked Donald to break the tie (since he would rather meet a girl than watch either movie). When he said that he loves animals, the dogs (no offense meant, Chicoy) won the match.

Must Love Dogs tells the story of Sarah (Diane Lane), a recently-divorced pre-school teacher whose family is desperate to find a suitable replacement husband for her. It reaches the point where her sister puts up a phony personal ad for her over the Internet. A series of disastrous dates later, Sarah meets up with Jake (John Cusack), a recently-divorced boatmaker who, like Sarah, loves dogs. The problem is Sarah has also fallen for Bob (Dermot Mulroney), the father of one of her students. Sarah goes through an emotional roller coaster ride before ending up with the man who really loves her.

People can say that the plot is unoriginal and full of contrivances, but I will say this, "I enjoyed the movie!" Sure, I agree that the start of the film was boring, but the story grows on you. I also agree that the ending was cheesy, but it was still heartwarming. In other words, I enjoyed the movie! A big part of this enjoyment stems from the witty lines that were perfectly delivered by the talented cast. In the scene where Stockard Channing gives advice to her 15-year old Internet "lover," I was on the edge of my seat laughing. Maybe it's one of those movies that you have to be in the mood for romance to enjoy.

The only thing I didn't like about the movie was the unromantic final kiss at the supermarket. Ugh! Couldn't the writer-director (Gary Goldberg) find a more romantic spot?

In the end, Must Love Dogs proves a fact of life - romance is for all ages (and species, too).

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

The first time I saw Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on laser disc, I was smitten with it. I could not get the delightful visuals out of mind (resulting in shopping spree of local and imported chocolates and candies). I was singing the movie's songs day and night (a relapse happened when Mariah Carey sampled "Pure Imagination" for her remix of "I Still Believe"). I borrowed the novel (original title is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) from my grade school library for an entire school year. Simply put, the movie brought me to a whole new world of childhood fantasies.

When I heard that Tim Burton was going to do a remake of the movie (retaining the novel's original title), I had some apprehensions. Familiar with Burton's works, I was afraid that he might turn the original film into a darker, more edgy, totally unrecognizable film. However, three viewings of Big Fish assured me that beneath Burton's dark, edgy aura lies a director with a heart.

For the most part, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory remained loyal to the original story. The major change is the addition of Willy Wonka's (Johnny Depp) back story - a terror-filled childhood with a dentist for a father (Christopher Lee).

Burton did make the film more edgy than the original. Even as an adult, I found sight of the burning and melting puppets of the factory's opening show traumatic. The music and the new songs were also disturbing, as well as the sight of dancing Oompa Loompa's (all played by Deep Roy). I'm not sure if kids will appreciate these elements. While the majority of the film is delightful, there are some boring parts. I actually found myself dozing during those parts.

The cast, though, is superb. Johnny Depp is appealing as Willy Wonka, although he disturbingly looks like Michael Jackson (especially when he tours the kids around what-seems-to-me a replica of Jackson's Neverland). Freddie Highmore is convincing as the pure-hearted, innocent Charlie. The two lead characters are surrounded by reliable performers, such as Helena Bonham Carter (Charlie's mother) and David Kelly (Charlie's grandpa).

As expected in a Burton movie, the visuals are stunning. The production designers made wonderful creations with Charlie's house, the chocolate factory (both exterior and interior) and even the Maharajah's chocolate palace. Imposing on the outside, the chocolate factory explodes with visual delights inside. At least, the interior of the factory is appealing to kids.

Burton's remake, though, lacks the charm of the original film. Its heart is in the right place; it just doesn't exude the right emotions. Still, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory remains a delightful film that both kids and adults will enjoy.

DILIM

Toppel Lee's Dilim was supposed to be the opening film of the CinemaOne Originals screening at SM Megamall. When the lights were turned off, my officemates were shocked to see Sa North Diversion Road being projected on the big screen. What happened?! Various conspiracy theories came up. One said that Henry Sy found the material too close to his personal life that he banned the film's screening at his mall. Another said that Toppel Lee was abducted by creatures of the night because he revealed their secrets with his film. Yet another said there was no Dilim film at all. It was simply a publicity stunt pulled by CinemaOne.

Alas, none of those conspiracy theories came close to the truth. Dilim wasn't shown at SM Megamall simply because Toppel Lee wasn't done with post-production of the film. Had he finished it on time, it still wouldn't be screened at SM Megamall because it got an R-18 rating. It seems that all SM malls had banned the screenings of R-18 films. (What the hell?!)

So, my officemates and I trooped to the UP Film Center to watch the highly-anticipated the film. The trailer was truly impressive - Matrix-like special effects, stunning visuals, atmospheric score. This film, I told myself, will change the landscape of Philippine cinema forever.

The ticket said that the screening was to start at 7 PM. It was already 9 PM, but neither the film or its director was in sight. Then, Ronald Arguelles, the CinemaOne Originals Project Head, informed us that the first tape had arrived. Thirty minutes later, Toppel Lee arrived with the remaining tapes in his hand. As he accepted his Plaque of Appreciation, Lee explained that what we were going to see is a rough cut of the film. Some of the effects had not yet been rendered, and some scenes lack music and sound design. The film center buzzed with heightened anticipation. With the time it took to finish this "acceptable" rough cut, this must really be an ambitious film!

The lights were soon turned off, and we watched Dilim.

In a nutshell, Dilim is about a vigilante who takes the law into his own hands. Both crooks and cops are adamant to unveil the identity of this new "hero" -the former to eradicate this stumbling block to their evil deeds, the latter to put down the person who is stealing their act. Conflict arises when the vigilante kills the villain's brother in saving the police chief's daughter, with whom he falls in love with. As both parties pursue the vigilante, they discover his deep secret - he is a creature of the night.

Interesting, right? Well, that is just as good as it gets. For all the expectations heaped on Dilim, it fails to fulfill even a third of those expectations. At the core of the problem is a faulty script. In presenting the story of an aswang turned vigilante, Toppel Lee and his writers failed to present something new and interesting. If you sleep halfway through the film, don't fret. I'm sure that any intelligent viewer would have predicted the flow of the story after the first 1/3 of the film. It also didn't help that the dialogues were expository and preachy. The characters were spewing out lines that seemed to have come from a rejected draft of The Matrix . The little amount of humor injected in the film came out flat.

The technical aspects were also less than impressive. I understand that Toppel Lee is trying to achieve a comic book cum film noir look and feel for this movie, but why is the cinematography so dark? (Jokes on the title is required at this point.) It was so dark that the facial expressions of the actors could not be seen. The fight scenes failed to impress me simply because I could not see them clearly. I just hope that when the film is finally finished, these technical aspects could be improved.

After watching Dilim, I got scared...scared for the future of Philippine cinema. Whatever flicker of hope that Sa Aking Pagkagising Sa Kamulatan, Big Time and Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros brought were doused by the failure of other Filipino independent films. These young filmmakers better shape up, or they will be forever shrouded in darkness.

ANAK NG TINAPA

Of the six entries to the CinemaOne Originals, two were not allowed to be screened at SM Megamall because of their R-18 rating. These were Anak ng Tinapa and Dilim. The two films were screened instead at the UP Film Center.

Anak ng Tinapa, directed by Jon Red, is about a group of young filmmakers, headed by China Cojuangco, who wants to expose the deeds of two crooked cops. They hire a young man (Ryan Eigenmann) to serve as their bait. However, a case of mistaken identity leads the cops to torture and accidentally k*ll the wrong man. From then on, things get out of hand and the filmmakers witness a brutal shootout that leads to death of the crooked cops.

The film's opening shows promise. From a voyeur's point of view, you witness the way the cops torture the young man. The entire sequence is full of tension. Then, it cuts to China Cojuangco giving an acceptance speech for winning Best Documentary. Hmm...will this be an entertaining black comedy like Big Time?

Alas, it isn't. The remainder of the film never equaled the intensity of the opening scene. Instead, it delves into the usual rant of the malpractice of media for personal benefit and the usual corrupt deeds of policemen. The story lumbers as it follows three separate units - the filmmakers, the cops and the young man. The storytelling is confusing as the separate units do not gel. Worse, the stories of the separate units are not interesting. Halfway through the film, I tuned out.

I was really disappointed with the film given that it was directed by Jon Red, a talented director that I've worked with on several episodes of Hirayamanawari . I always believed that Jon Red and his brother, Raymond Red, would lead the younger generations into the Filipino independent and digital film revolution. Alas, his recent work shows that younger directors, such as Quark Henares, Mario Cornejo and Aureus Solito, have surpassed him.

Still, I have faith that Jon Red would be able to come up with better films in the near future. As with Anak ng Tinapa, fried film rolls, anyone?

SITAK

I usually leave the office around 10 PM, which means that by the time I reach the Quezon Avenue MRT Station, the last train had already left. I have no other alternative except to ride a taxi. Now, I find riding taxis a rather unpleasant experience. After spending a whole day brainstorming for concepts and troubleshooting a script, all I want is a moment of silence. Most taxi drivers won't give me that luxury. They would rather talk about the plot points of teleseryes or comment on the statements of Dr. Love. They won't stop talking until we reach my stop.

So, it was with some hesitation that I watched Sitak, Liza Cornejo's entry to the CinemaOne Originals. Sitak is the story of a taxi driver, Jack, who changes the lives of the people around him. At the start of the film, Jack is suffering from midlife crisis. He has been fired from his office job. His wife is cheating on him. His kids are oblivious to his existence. All these prompt Jack to commit suicide, but all his attempts fail. A talk with a taxi driver convinces Jack to buy his own taxi and become a taxi driver. Jack goes through the usual problems of taxi drivers, e.g. hold-ups, bribery, irate passengers, etc., but he takes it all in stride. He doesn't hesitate to give advice to his passengers, and his advices often help those people. Slowly, Jack manages to resolve his personal problems, and eventually become successful with his taxi business. Everything finally falls in place until he eats a slice of cake left by one of his problematic passengers. (If you want to know what happens next, watch the film.)

Overall, Sitak is a heartwarming, inspirational movie. Actually, it feels more like a mainstream movie rather than an independent film. It isn't as edgy or ambitious as the other entries. Then again, being safe and conventional isn't exactly a bad thing.

However, the film suffers mostly from loose storytelling. The story doesn't flow smoothly; thus, the emotions do not escalate. It might be the filmmaker's intention to present the story as a "slice of life" narrative. However, such an approach gives the film a slow, boring, lumbering pace. It is an arduous task to remain interested in the movie throughout its entire running time. The "slice of life" narrative approach also softens the impact of the ironic ending.

I did say earlier that being safe and conventional isn't exactly a bad thing, but television shows, such as Maalaala Mo Kaya have done stories like this. In fact, those shows were much, much better than Sitak. Cornejo has to do major revisions with her material if she wants to rise above the standard fare provided by television. Otherwise, taxi drivers who will watch her movie will go on ranting about it, and I will never get the moment of silence that I desire.

SANDALANG BAHAY

Maui, my high school kabarkada, always amuses me. She didn't enjoy grade school and high school that she deliberately chose not to remember the people, places and events related to those years. As a result, her memories are all jumbled up. She doesn't remember most of our batchmates, and when she manages to remember a name, she matches it with the wong personality.

Sandalang Bahay, the CinemaOne Originals entry by Mark Gary and Denisa Reyes, further proves this point. When they moved with their mother to the city, the Sandalang sisters decided to forget everything about their father and the reason why they left him in the province. Years later, the sisters reunite to fulfill their dying mother's wish - to return to their house in the province. In doing so, the sisters are forced to face their past and they discover the real reason why their mother left their father.

Without a doubt, Sandalang Bahay is the best among the six CinemaOne Originals entries. Instead of treating the material as an all-out family drama, the directors decided to give it a light, humorous treatment. As a result, the trip towards the sisters' controversial past was funny, interesting and edgy. The witty dialogues and the fresh characterizations add more to the film's appeal.

The cast, especially the Sandalang sisters and their mother (both the young and the old), were outstanding. They brought the characters to life and infused them with interesting and memorable nuances. The only exception is Albert Martinez who turns out a predictable performance.

The film's other elements are also exceptional. The cinematography was so beautiful that some of the shots belonged to a tourism television ad. The music was also notable, especially the use of classical music.

The only letdown in the film was the revelation of the truth. Instead of exploding, it imploded. I have to blame the directorial treatment for this. Instead of making the revelation dramatic, it should have been humorous. Then, the audience might have appreciated more the ironic ending.

Still, the journey towards the disappointing ending was enjoyable. If the filmmakers are open to revising it, the film might become one of the best films of the year. Who knows, it might even gain an international audience. If you are going to watch only one CinemaOne Originals entry, this better be it. I'm sure that even Maui will find this film unforgettable.

ANG ANAK NI BROCKA

With the success of the recent Cinemalaya Film Festival, CinemaOne came up with its own independent film screenings, the CinemaOne Originals. With the exception of Dilim and Anak ng Tinapa , the films were shown at SM Megamall last July 30 and 31, 2005.

Since I already saw Sa North Diversion Road at Star Cinema, the first film I watched was Sigfried Barros-Sanchez' Ang Anak ni Brocka. It is a mockumentary about a television show's search for the son of the late Filipino director, Lino Brocka. What makes this search so controversial is the fact that Lino Brocka was gay, and the television show hopes to win the ratings war with this scoop.

This has got to be one of the most disappointing independent films I have ever seen. For one thing, the film lacks focus. Its theme is supposed to be "as we search for Brocka's son, we learn more about Brocka and our selves." In the end, we are all Brocka's children. However, the film fails to make this statement clear because it is trying to say so many other things in a haphazard way, e.g. TV's ratings war, Filipino's colonial mentality towards Filipino films, poverty, labor issues, etc. When the film ends, you'll ask yourself, "What was that all about?" The lack of focus severely softens the impact of the film's main theme.

It didn't help that the filmmaker failed to present a new, fresh perspective on Brocka and his works. Rather, it presented a Brocka that we already know from books, magazines and TV specials. Although it did ask the question "Does the younger generation know Brocka?," it did not go into Brocka's relevance (or non-relevance) to the present generation. A more interesting question could have been "Why should we care about Brocka and his works?" Then, the younger generation could have understood why Brocka is considered one of the greatest Filipino directors in history.

The film's only saving grace was its cast of supporting characters. Brocka's "children," namely Gina Alajar, Bembol Roco and Philip Salvador, pay tribute to their "father" by performing roles that could have easily been taken from Brocka's films. When Gina Alajar claims that she was a fan of "Gina Alajar," you'll chuckle at the irony of it all.

Upon coming out of the cinema, I heard some film students saying that what we saw was only a rough cut. So, that explains the numerous blank frames and seemingly illogical sequencing of the scenes. Still, Barros-Sanchez has to rethink his entire material and come up with an edgier independent film that examines Brocka's place in our film history. Otherwise, Brocka might rise from his grave and direct the film himself.

D' ANOTHERS Premiere Night on July 26 at ABS-CBN Studio 1

Star Cinema’s latest film, the thriller-spoof D’ Anothers, "is just what we need in tension-filled times," says film director Joyce Bernal. In the comedy, she reunites with the promising funnyman Vhong Navarro, whom she first directed two years ago in another musical comedy, Mr. Suave.

"Everybody needs a good laugh, something to relieve stress," Bernal adds, attesting to the humor power of her new film.

In the movie, Vhong plays Jesus Resurrection, tagged as The One who is supposed to serve as a medium for restless ghosts and souls overcrowding a mansion he inherited.

According to folklores, a portal that opens to the other world can be found in Resurrection’s haunted mansion every half a century. As The One, he helps the ghosts rise to a higher level. Weaved in the scenes are hilarious spoofs to Japanese thriller The Ring and the local horror flick Feng Shui, as well as to Bata, Bata: Paano Ka Ginawa and foreign films The Matrix and 8 Mile.

"It’s the most hilarious, most riotous and wackiest movie I’ve ever done," says Bernal, who has directed the likes of Aga Muhlach and Regine Velasquez in music-romance, and Judy Ann Santos and Robin Padilla in action-comedy-romance films.

The screenplay is written by Raymond Lee and Adolfo Alix Jr., with additional scenes and dialogues by John Paul Abellera, Jade Francis Castro and Abigail Copuyoc.

Besides Navarro, the other members of the cast are Toni Gonzaga as Maan Tuken, Jhong Hillario as Gorio, Joross Gamboa as Xavier, Roxanne Guinoo as Titay, John Prats as JC, Pokwang as Aruray "Balat" Paclayon, Ned Naig as Rachel, Archie Alemania as Jograd, Mura as Vic, Tado as Atty. Reposo, Michelle Madrigal as Mayumi and Joshua Docareza as Judas. Other cast members are Jaime Fabregas, Arlene Muhlach and Bella Flores.

D’ Anothers opens nationwide on July 27.

Sa Aking Pagkagising Mula Sa Kamulatan

Star Cinema's private viewing of independent films ended with Ato Bautista's Sa Aking Pagkagising Mula Sa Kamulatan. (For ease of reading, I will refer to the movie as SAPMSK from hereon.) The title itself intrigued me. Is this a tale of sexual awakening? A philosophical take on national issues? A horror movie on near-death experiences?

Well, it was none of the above. SAPMSK is a gripping coming-of-age drama about young Filipino men living in the slums of Metro Manila. It starts with Rey (Carlo Aquino) being beaten to a pulp by a group of drunk, young men. As the film progresses, it explains why Rey was the unfortunate victim of the drunk men's fury.

The film realistically captures the scope of problems faced by young Filipino men today: rejection by a loved one, survival through criminal means, escape from an abusive figure of authority, etc. Unable to cope with these problems, young men resort to liquor and drug use. In the company of friends, it is easy to forget that these are dangerous things. Intoxicated, they run amok and search for innocent victims on whom they can release their repressed anger. Who would have thought that an innocent basketball game can turn into a deadly brawl?

Shugo Praico's screenplay is impressive. Aside from making the movie interesting, his non-linear structure allows the audience to know each of the characters better without messing up the story's timeline. His dialogues are peppered with curses and slum area jargons that add to the movie's realistic feel.

Ato Bautista's directorial treatment is impressive as well. His gritty visuals are shocking yet effective. He handled the material quite well, given that Praico's screenplay is complex. I have to admire him for not going overboard with the gore and violence, especially with the ending. At last, here is a director who is not afraid to push the limits of his material, yet knows when to restrain himself to make his visuals more effective.

The cast itself is impressive. As victim of a perverted policeman, Cholo Barretto fits his role perfectly. He effectively shows his shift from tough thug in front of friends to cowering coward in front of the policeman. Empoy Marquez is a natural as the orphaned snatcher. Carlo Aquino is also effective as the quiet, nerdy boy who transforms from prey to predator in the end. Among the lead actors, it is Ketchup Eusebio who is the most impressive. He brings to life the character of Pogi, a brash young man whose only vulnerability is love. In those unguarded moments, Eusebio effectively shows his character's tentativeness and frailty.

Praise also has to be heaped on Bodgie Pascua as Rey's religious uncle who turns into a demon upon discovering his daughter's sexual exploits. Luanne Dy, as Rey's cousin, even succeeds is being sensual without baring her body.

As for the rest of the production values (music, editing, production design and cinematography), everything is top notch.

I didn't have second thoughts about giving this film 5 stars. As the best Filipino film of the year, it deserves that much. With Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, Big Time and Sa Aking Pagkagising Mula Sa Kamulatan, Filipino independent films have shown the wide range of creativity of young Filipino filmmakers. I just hope that these films are enough to jolt the Filipino audience, and awaken them from a comatose filled with dreams of Hollywood potboilers.

ICU Bed #7

Rica Arevalo and I have been friends since we attended the 1997 Film Development Foundation of the Philippines Scriptwriting Workshop. Since then, Rica has shifted from writing to directing. She directed several short films and documentaries that have been shown in local and international film festivals. With the help of Cinemalaya, Rica was finally able to direct her first feature-length film, ICU Bed #7, which won Best Director and Best Actor at the recently concluded Cinemalaya Film Festival.

Based on her Palanca-winning script, ICU Bed #7 tells the story of Lolo Joseph (Eddie Garcia), whose near brush with death changes the life of his family. His two daughters, Cely (Irma Adlawan) and Beth (Angel Aquino), never saw him as a loving father. However, they are still willing to stand by his side as he battles for his life. To make matters worse, the two women go through personal problems as well. Cely discovers that her husband is cheating on her and that their teenage daughter is pregnant. Meanwhile, Beth learns that her son has been involved in gang fights and drug use. When Lolo Joseph finally recovers, he still refuses to be kept captive by his health and his family.

What differentiates ICU Bed #7 from other family dramas is its light treatment of the material. While most directors would be tempted to turn the story into a tearjerking melodrama, Arevalo restrains herself and lets the story flow on its natural course. To quote Irma Adlawan, "Parang walang nangyayari pero punung-puno ka ng emosyon." In fact, you can hardly fault Arevalo's directing. Malinis ang trabaho niya.

She is helped by a cast who turns in excellent performances. Eddie Garcia certainly proves that he deserves his Best Actor award. After receiving criticisms for his performances in Mano Po 1 and 3, he shows that he can still offer something new to his grandfather roles. The ever-reliable Irma Adlawan showcases her acting skills in this movie, as well as Angel Aquino. Nonie Buencamino, playing as Beth's husband, also gives an affecting performance.

Among the Cinemalaya entries I have seen, ICU Bed #7 is the most accessible to the mainstream audiences. People will not have a hard time following the film's narrative and they will sympathize with the characters. However, when you view it against such groundbreaking films as Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros and Big Time, the movie feels like old school.

Still, one has to admire Arevalo for coming up with ICU Bed #7. It offers an alternative to the heavy family dramas offered by major studios. In time, it might even serve as a template for future family dramas.

MANSYON

Before we viewed Big Time, Star Cinema was treated to a short film entitled Mansyon, which was written and directed by Joel Ruiz. It was produced by Arkeofilms, the same company that produced Big Time. In the recently concluded Cinemalaya Film Festival, Mansyon Best Film in the Short Film Category.

Mansyon tells the story of a middle aged couple (Roselyn Perez and Jess Evardone) who are hired to take care of a mansion while its owners are away on a vacation. The couple are effective and efficient with their household chores until the wife discovers a bottle of perfume. Not content with the use of the perfume, the wife wears the owner's clothes and sleeps on her bed. Finally, she is living the life she has always wanted. Her husband soon follows suit and they start living out their fantasies. Their happiness is cut short with the unexpected return of the mansion's owners.

The film succeeds mainly because of the lead actors' performances. They look and act like real caretakers. Thus, you sympathize with them as they start living out their fantasies. You know that they are doing something wrong, yet you understand why they do it.

Just like Big Time, this short film's production values are excellent. The cinematography, editing, production design and music are impressive. Joel Ruiz' glossy visual treatment further enhances the dream-like quality of the film.

Beautiful and powerful, Mansyon is enough proof that Filipino filmmakers can make good films, both short and feature-length. With two well-crafted films under its belt, Arkeofilms is leading the way for the Philippine Independent Film Movement. The future of Philippine cinema is certainly in good hands.

BIG TIME

When I learned that Mario Cornejo and Monster Jimenez' Big Time has edged out Michiko Yamamoto's Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros for the Best Screenplay award at the recently concluded Cinemalaya Film Festival, I was shocked. No! Nothing can beat Maxie! When my boss told us that we were going to have a private viewing of Big Time, I made sure that my schedule was free. I had to watch it to see if it was indeed better than Maxie.

My verdict? Yes! It was indeed better than Maxie. (But Maxie remains my personal favorite.)

Big Time features three different stories that converge in the middle of the film. Danny (Winston Elizalde) and Jonas (Nor Domingo) are two small-time criminals whose greatest achievement so far was their hold-up of a sari-sari store. Their prize? P500 and a jar of Chocnut. Tired of doing petty crimes, the duo decides to kidnap Melody (Joanne Miller), the prettiest girl in their area. Melody dreams of becoming a big star and is willing to do anything to fulfill that dream, even sleep with an ageing councilor. What other people don't know is that Melody has been sleeping with Wilson (Jamie Wilson), the only son of Don Manolo (Michael de Mesa), who happens to be the biggest crimelord in their area. On the night of the kidnapping, the four characters meet. Seeing this as an opportunity to start his own drug-trafficking business, Wilson convinces the three to help him force his father to pay P13 million as ransom money. Unfortunately, they underestimated the capabilities of Don Manolo. He manages to turn the tables on the four, forcing them to take desperate measures. Locked up in a house for three days, the four start to quarrel among themselves. Loyalties begin to sway and mistrust starts to breed among them. In the end, none of the four expected that a simple kidnap-for-ransom plan could lead to such tragic consequences.

Whew! Big Time has got to be the most entertaining and most interesting film of the year. The plot rolls along smoothly, even with its twists and turns. I am even tempted to compare the story with Lord of the Flies. Its unconventional structure adds more to the movie's appeal and enhances its novelty. All the characters are funny and interesting. The witty dialogues further push the film's black comedy feel. I immensely enjoyed the references to local and foreign pop culture, including the homage to The Godfather trilogy.

More impressive than the screenplay is the director's (Mario Cornejo) visual treatment. Cornejo's camerawork reminds me so much of Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino, but I won't call him a copycat. Cornejo manages to imbue the film with local color and his own, personal style. To Cornejo's credit, the film oozes with so much masculinity, which has been absent from the Philippine cinema for so long.

The acting, music, cinematography, production design and editing are excellent. The movie was so polished that it rivals (and even surpasses) movies done by major studios.

The only let down was the ending, which seemed stretched and compromised. It could have ended with Danny's voice-over monologue, but no. The filmmakers had to give each and every character a closure. Such an ending softened the film's edge.

With or without that ending, Big Time remains the definitive film of this generation. It shows how creative the Filipino youth can be (though this creativity can lead to dire consequences). This film proves that the Philippine Independent Film Movement is on its way to success...big time!

ROOM BOY

Star Cinema continued its private viewing of independent films last week. One of the films we viewed was Aloysius Adlawan's Room Boy. A writer for television, Adlawan wrote, directed and produced this film for the Cinemalaya Film Festival.

Room Boy tells the story of a friendship that developed between Luis (Polo Ravales), a motel room boy, and Melba (Meryll Soriano), a prostitute. The more Melba gets involved with his life, the more difficult it is for Luis to prevent himself from falling in love with her. The problem is Luis has a wife. He is only waiting for her to get well and be released from the mental institution so they can start anew in the province. Caught between two loves, Luis now has to make a decision, which may cost someone's life.

Room Boy is amateur in every way possible - acting, writing and even directing. Polo Ravales acting is so wooden that he makes Keanu Reeves look like a great thespian. Meryll Soriano shows promise as an actress with her performance. Unfortunately, her character was so under-developed that it limited her chances of showing the full extent of her acting skills. I could not fault Soriano because the characters were truly badly-written and unoriginal.

The story itself is not well-written. Lumbering and predictable, nothing interesting happens throughout the film. You don't care about the characters and you don't care about their story. Every character and scene seems to have been presented in better Filipino movies and TV dramas. In fact, it reminded of the scripts I used to write in scriptwriting workshops when I was 17 years old and inexperienced. I did not even appreciate the misleading opening, which the film failed to explain or tie up with the remainder of the story. Sadly, it was nothing more than a device to "surprise" the viewers. It failed...terribly.

The directing itself is flat and uncreative. It presented nothing new or interesting in terms of visual treatment. Half the time, it felt like I was watching an afternoon local soap opera, and a bad one at that.

The film's only saving grace was the subplot of the gay and lesbian lovers. It was hilarious when the lesbian admitted to everyone that she was pregnant and her gay lover is the "father" of the child. Talk about role reversals!

I have to admit that I was disappointed with Adlawan's feature-length film debut. I expected more from him, given his rep*tation as a good TV writer. Then again, TV and film are two different media. Perhaps with more experience, Adlawan will be able to make the jump from TV to film and land successfully.

SA NORTH DIVERSION ROAD

As an entry to the CinemaOne Originals, Dennis Marasigan adapted Tony Perez' Palanca-winning play, Sa North Diversion Road. The movie stars Irma Adlawan and John Arcilla as ten different couples traversing the length of the North Diversion Road.

The movie is divided into segments. Each segment is represented by an exit point along the North Diversion Road. In each of these segments, the couple deals with the husband's infidelity. With ten different couples, we see ten different reactions to the issue. The permutations continue until the last segment ties up the elements and reveals the reason behind the permutations.

The concept itself is very interesting. Its structure is certainly something that you don't often see in mainstream cinema. The dialogues are witty and offer some good insights.

However, these admirable qualities are also the same reasons why the movie doesn't achieve its full potential. For one thing, the treatment is not cinematic. At a certain point, you get bored watching the same actors, despite their varying appearances, in the same car. This might work on stage, but not for film. After all, film is a visual medium. There has to be some action, not just a volley of words between the characters.

I have to commend the actors, though, for their brilliant performances. They easily shift from one character to another, as if doing complex roles was a breeze for them. Of the two, Irma Adlawan was the better actor. Her facial expressions and voice convey a wide range of emotions. She was believable either as a tearful barrio lass or as an intelligent socialite. There are moments when John Arcilla could not match her acting skills. However, that is not to say that Arcilla was a bad actor. The truth is I could not name another actor who could have played the characters as well as he did.

The film's musical score and theme song were also commendable, as well as the editing, though the pace could have been faster. There were some glitches though with the cinematography. Some scenes were too bright, while other scenes were too dark. There were also a lot of soft focus shots.

After watching it, one gets the impression that this could have been better movie. The material itself holds a lot of promise. It is the treatment that needs some tweaking. Still, I have to commend Marasigan for coming up with this movie. It is a brave effort that proves that Philippine cinema has more to offer than studio-produced movies.

ANG PAGDADALAGA NI MAXIMO OLIVEROS

The advent of digital filmmaking has allowed Filipino independent movies to flourish. With more support from the government and private sector, digital filmmaking could ultimately be the future of Philippine cinema. When that time comes, I am sure that the people behind Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros would have achieved legendary status.

At this point, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros or Maxi is the best Filipino movie I have seen this year. Unlike most independent movies that leans towards It is an independent movie that doesn't alienate the mainstream viewers. Simply put, it has a heart.

Maxi tells the story of Maximo Oliveros (Nathan Lopez), a gay adolescent living in one of the slum areas of Metro Manila. Unlike in other gay stories, Maxi is not oppressed or alienated by his family. In fact, his father (Soliman Cruz) and his brothers (Neil Sese and Ping Medina) love and adore him. His being gay is not an issue with them. When a new cop, Victor (JR Valentin), is assigned to their area, Maxi soon develops a crush on him. Things get complicated when Victor begins to hunt down the criminals in the area, including Maxi's father and brothers. Maxi now has to choose between the man he loves and the family that loves him.

The movie starts in a light and entertaining tone. It was hilarious to see Maxi and his friends pretending to be contestants in a beauty pageant, complete with a talent portion. Soon, it goes into the blooming friendship cum relationship between Maxi and Victor. Shot as sweet and poignant, the scenes between Maxi and Victor will not turn off the heterosexual viewers. When the movie escalates to the conflict, only the cold-hearted will not feel Maxi's pain. The ending is also a triumph of sorts for the heartbroken, whether they may be gay or not.

Michiko Yamamoto, the writer, has come up with another masterpiece. She has created a world so familiar yet still full of things to discover. Her characters are flawed yet they are sympathetic. Her spunky dialogues combined with the director's (Aureaus Solito) gritty visuals gives the movie an overwhelming impact. Add to that the consistent production design and Pepe Smith's unnerving musical score, the movie is truly a great achievement.

Of course, the movie has some problems. There are certain angles in the story that were left hanging. However, this can be cured by editing out certain sequences. There were certain sequences where the dialogues were inaudible. It's a pity because those were important scenes. Certain sequences were also poorly lit. I could barely see the actors in the darkness.

However, it is easy to overlook these problems because of the movie's over-all impact. Never before had I been so affected by a Filipino movie. Hours, even days, after watching the movie, I am still carrying Maxi's story in my heart. Kudos to Cinemalaya and to Raymond Lee's UFO Pictures for producing this brave independent movie!

Now that Maxi has come-of-age, I am just waiting Philippine cinema's turn.

SARONG BANGGI

Yesterday, Star Cinema had a private preview of two Cinemalaya entries: Sarong Banggi and Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. Both movies were produced by Raymond Lee's UFO Pictures.

Sarong Banggi (English translation: "one night") was written and directed by Emman Dela Cruz, a former Creative Consultant of Star Cinema. It tells the story of young boy (Angela Ilagan) and an aging prostitute (Jaclyn Jose) as they spend one night together. As they delve into each other's lives throughout the night, the prostitute uncovers a secret that changes both of their lives forever.

Sarong Banggi boasts of beautiful shots. I am tempted to hail Emman as the Philippines' Wong Kar Wai. His shots are artistically framed, filling the screen with a profusion of colors and memorable images.

The music is also great. It enhances the mood and tone of the film. However, the repetitive renditions of the theme song drew snickers from some of the viewers.

The concept in itself is very interesting. However, I feel that it is only apt as a material for a short film. Stretched to feature-length, the story loses its impact. It becomes loose, lumbering...as if it doesn't know when to end. There are certain sequences that could have been edited out to make the story tighter. As it is, the pacing doesn't help to get you hooked on the movie.

The script itself relies heavily on voice-overs and dialogues. While some of the dialogues are witty, most of it sound too literary to be used in a movie. I get the feeling that I would appreciate the material more had I read it rather than seen it.

Since the movie works on the premise that the entire story happened in one night only, the characters' were not fully explored, especially that of the young boy. I would have wanted to know more about his issues with his family and friends. It would have also helped if I knew more about the prostitute's past and present story.

It is a good thing that Jaclyn Jose portrayed the lead female role. Her effective performance makes her character interesting and sympathetic. The only problem is her great acting shows how amateur her co-actor is. Angelo Ilagan looks good onscreen but his performance is so wooden, stilted that you don't care about his character. On the other hand, this is his first movie. I hope he'll become a better actor as he gains more experience.

Sarong Banggi is a good first effort from the writer-director. Knowing how creative Emman can be, I am sure that he will be able to come up with a great film to follow this one. That is something that everyone can look forward to.

HERBIE: FULLY LOADED

I remember watching the original Herbie on Betamax. I was still in grade school then. I believed in it so much that I thought our own car, a 1980 Mitsubishi Colt Mirage, was alive as well. For years, I was constantly talking to "Mirage," asking him to slow down every time my dad chases another car on the road or asking him to speed up whenever I feel that I'm going to be late for class. Scary, huh? Well, this went on until I found real, alive, human beings to serve as my friends. When that happened, "Mirage" just died. It simply became a car.

My point is I was hoping to recapture the magic of the original Herbie movie when my friends and I watched Herbie: Fully Loaded last night. Once again, I hoped for too much.

Herbie: Fully Loaded starts with Herbie, the Love Bug, in a dump heap. After a series of victories on and off the race track, Herbie's luck runs out. Failing to win a single race for years, Herbie was sent to the dump heap to be transformed into scrap metal. Enter Maggie (Lindsay Lohan), who just graduated from college and is looking for a second-hand car. After buying Herbie, Maggie gets into a series of trouble, culminating in a clash with an egocentric racing champion, Trip (Matt Dillon). Maggie is forced to race against Trip despite her father's (Michael Keaton) objections. Against all odds, Maggie and Herbie win.

This movie is as formulaic as it could be. Kids might love the underdog-turned-hero story, but adults will simply find it corny. Even Herbie's special effects scenes are meant to impress the kids only. Being an adult, I found the entire movie boring and predictable. The only interesting part for me was the opening credits, which showed the rise and fall of Herbie's career. I would have slept through the whole film, if not for the cheering kids behind me. Ah well, this is a children's movie after all.

Sadly, Herbie's magic has no effect on me anymore, and that dashes any hope for me and "Mirage" to rekindle our friendship.

P.S. Watching the movie as an adult, I got scared of Herbie for a moment. I mean, if I have a car that's "alive," it would totally freak me out. I would immediately assume that a demon has possessed my car. Who knows, Herbie might be a relative of Stephen King's Christine!

D' ANOTHERS

Showing on July 27, 2005!

Directed by

Bb. JOYCE BERNAL

Screenplay by

RAYMOND LEE and ADOLFO ALIX, JR.

Additional Scenes and Dialogues by

JOHN PAUL ABELLERA, JADE FRANCIS CASTRO and ABIGAIL COPUYOC

Starring

VHONG NAVARRO, TONI GONZAGA, JOHN PRATS, JOROSS GAMBOA and ROXANNE GUINOO

FANTASTIC FOUR

I have to admit that the trailer of Fantastic Four was truly fantastic. It was so action-packed that I held my breath for the entire duration of the trailer. It made me forget about all the other superhero movies that I planned to watch this year. I told myself, "This will be a fantastic movie!"

Seems like I spoke too soon. After more than two years in the film industry, I should have known better than to trust trailers. The movie itself was a far cry from its trailers. It's just like watching an episode of Friends, only this time they are playing superheroes.

The movie simply presents the origin of the superhero group, which most of us are familiar with. I told my friend, Chicoy, that I didn't have to watch the film to know the story. The entire story could have served as the prologue or back story of the sequel, if there would be a sequel.

What the movie lacked was action...a whole lot of action. There were so few action scenes that it makes you question if you are watching a superhero movie. During the entire duration of the film, I never felt that the world was at risk and that it needed superheroes. Dr. Doom (Julian McMahon) was simply too preoccupied with his personal issues against Mr. Fantastic (Ioan Gruffudd) that he didn't care to destroy the world. The movie just feels so contained, so claustrophobic.

In place of action, the movie focused on the dynamics of the characters, which isn't much. There is a cheesy and predictable love triangle between Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman (Jessica Alba) and Dr. Doom. Who wants to know about that? The only interesting characters are Human Torch (Chris Evans) and Thing (Michael Chiklis). Unlike most reluctant superheroes, Human Torch relishes his popularity. He basks in it, and this makes him real and "human." On the other hand, Thing is a reluctant superhero simply because it gave him "real" problems. His physical appearance drives away the people that he loves. Being a hero becomes a real burden for him. He is not admired. He is feared. In the end, he finds true love in the eyes of a blind woman.

Among the cast, Michael Chiklis deserves some applause. Despite the tons of prosthetics on his body, he was the only one who gave an emotional, affecting performance. Chris Evans looked and played his part to the hilt. Ioan Gruffudd was just okay, nothing impressive. Julian McMahon looked sexy and dangerous at the same time, but that's just it. Jessica Alba could have stayed invisible throughout the movie, and no one could care. Not only does she not look like a scientist, she also does not act like a scientist. She wasn't good as a superhero either.

Fantastic Four is truly disappointing. It has some promise, but it never achieved its potential. Ho-hum. Wake me up when the sequel arrives.