Kaftig

THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY

When my friends told me that we were going to watch The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (HG2G), I had no idea what the movie was all about. I didn't know that it was based on a book written by Douglas Adams, nor did I know that its later incarnations, as radio and TV shows, have achieved cult-classic status in the United Kingdom. I was simply prepared for a space-comedy, as compared to The Revenge of the Sith, which has been called by some people as a space-opera.

In a nutshell, HG2G tells the story of Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman), whose house is going to be demolished to build a freeway. As it turns out, there are other creatures, the Vogons to be exact, who want to destroy his "bigger house," planet Earth, to build an intergalactic freeway. Dent escapes the destruction of Earth with the help of his friend, Ford Prefect (Mos Def), who turns to be an alien temporarily living on Earth. Together they journey across the galaxy, eventually ending up in the Heart of Gold spaceship of Zaphod Beeblebrox (Sam Rockwell), the Galaxy's president, and Trillian (Zooey Deschanel), the only other survivor from Earth. A love triangle ensues between Dent, Beeblebrox and Trillian, but they have to put this aside when the Vogons once again attack the newly-reconstructed Earth.

HG2G is more like a British comedy show rather than a movie. Instead of having a plot to tie up the scenes, it relies on a series of witty one-liners and visual gags to keep it going. I particularly enjoyed the opening sequence about dolphins being doomsayers, and the character of Marvin, a perpetually-depressed android. It also offers some interesting ideas, e.g. planet Earth is actually a laboratory controlled by mice, who are using human beings as specimens.

However, I have to point out that this is a British movie. As such, I found it difficult to appreciate the British sense of humor, which can be very dry. Add to that my lack of knowledge of the original material, I did not get most of the jokes. I even slept through most parts of the movie because it seems nonsensical.

When I watched it again though, it began making sense. Maybe it is one of those movies that you have to watch again and again before you enjoy it. Until then, I might need a guide to fully understand and appreciate The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

STAR WARS: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Due to work-related problems, it took me several weeks to bring myself to the cinema and watch Revenge of the Sith, the third episode of the Star Wars saga. Ever since it opened, people have been giving me conflicting reviews. The die-hard Star Wars fanatics cursed Lucas for giving them another episode that threatens to destroy the legacy of the original trilogy (Episodes IV-VI). The first-time Star Wars viewers enjoyed the movie's emotional sweep and special effects. The only thing they agreed on was that the dialogues, especially the romantic ones, sucked big time.

So, when I finally watched Revenge of the Sith, I made sure that I had no expectations. Quite surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie...bad dialogues and all. Needless to say, it is my favorite episode after The Empire Strikes Back.

Before I watched the film, my general concern was how Revenge of the Sith would connect with A New Hope. The first two episodes were visually worlds apart from the last three episodes. I wasn't sure if George Lucas could bridge the two trilogies. More importantly, would Episode III make me feel excited to watch Episodes IV-VI, given that I already know its outcome? The answer is a resounding "yes."

Revenge of the Sith is probably the darkest and most serious of the six episodes. Bad acting and bad writing not withstanding, George Lucas adeptly presented Anakin Skywalker's descent into the Dark Side of The Force. My friends tell me that they found Anakin's descent too swift and his reasons too shallow. Although I am not a Star Wars expert, I beg to disagree.

One thing that has to be considered is Anakin's youth. He is a young man whose great potential is both a blessing and a curse. He hasn't yet come-of-age when all these great events unfold before him. Thus, his decisions were dictated by his own emotions. That is his character flaw, and it is what Palpatine uses to manipulate him. Thus, it was understandable when he feared for Padme's life. A young man who has no control over life and death would cling on to every possible solution. In a society where no one trusts him, not even his Jedi mentors, the young Anakin sought security in the arms of the most powerful man in the Republic, a man who became the father he never had.

The film has an emotional sweep that was missing in the first two episodes. As one betrayal leads to another, we see how the greed for power of one man can destroy the balance of an entire Republic, even turning friends into foes. The scenes where Anakin and the soldiers of the Republic killed most of the Jedi knights, even the young ones in training, are the most painful to watch. Yet when the movie ended with Obi Wan handing baby Luke over to his relatives, hope was re-instilled in my heart. There is a new hope after all.

That isn't to say that I saw nothing wrong with the film. For one thing, the fight scenes were too long and repetitive. Lucas could have shortened the screen time of the light-saber duels and devoted it to development of the narrative. Another thing that I could not accept was Padme's death. "She has simply lost the will to live" is totally unbelievable and unacceptable. It belongs to a soap opera, not a movie.

But more than anything else, Revenge of the Sith restored my faith in the Star Wars saga. It transported me back to my childhood days when I dreamt of becoming a Jedi Master. It made me believe once again that there are other worlds beyond the stars. That, my friends, is the magic of cinema, and that makes Lucas, at least with this film, one of its best magicians.

Shutter

Challenging South Korea and Japan's dominance over the Asian horror genre, Thailand has produced several horror films in the last few years. The latest to hit the Philippine shores is Shutter, a surprisingly better-than-average horror movie.

Shutter is about two photographers-lovers, Tun (Ananda Everingham) and Jane (Natthaweeranuch Thongmee), who are haunted by the ghost of a woman (Achita Sikamana) they ran over and left dying on the road. At first, the woman haunts them through ghostly photographs only. Things get worse when the woman starts appearing in their apartment. During their investigation, the two are shocked when they learn that no one has been reported hurt or killed on the night of the road incident. Then, Tun's three male buddies commit suicide. Jane realizes that the woman is after them for another reason. Pressured by Jane, Tun reveals that the woman haunting them is actually Natre, his ex-girlfriend. The problem is he can't reveal to Jane why Natre's spirit is after him.

Yes, Shutter borrows heavily from previous Asian horror movies. There is nothing fresh about the narrative. In fact, it is utterly predictable and full of loopholes. Once you stop thinking about that, however, Shutter becomes a truly terrifying movie.

Aided by brilliant editing, the horror scenes will truly make you jump out of your seat. My favorite scene is the one where Tun is left alone in the darkness of his studio. I couldn't see anything, but I could hear a lot of sounds that shouldn't be there. In the darkness, I could feel Tun's terror. No matter how much I prepare myself for the horror scenes, I still get scared.

The directors, Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom, successfully balance horror and comedy with this film. Just when you think that you're about to scream again, the scene turns out to be a big joke and a really funny one at that.

Though the narrative is derivative, the film's final pay-off (Tun's neck pains) is completely original. It is so effective that it still gives me the creeps. It is also an ironic statement of love and hate transcending death.

With Shutter, Thailand proves that it is capable of producing effective horror films. I just hope that the Philippines is not far behind.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER

The opening film for this year's French Film Festival in Manila is Yvan Attal's Happily Ever After (Ils se marierent et eurent beacoup d'enfants).

The story revolves around the friendship of three men. Georges (Alain Chabat) is unhappily married to a wife who complains that women are always being discriminated. Fred (Alain Cohen) is a Casanova who can't have a lasting relationship. On the outside, Vincent (Yvan Attal) seems to be the luckiest of them all. He has a beautiful wife, Gabrielle (Charlotte Gainsbourg), who is devoted to him. Thus, it came as a surprise when Vincent has an affair with a masseuse (Angie David). Even Vincent himself isn't sure why he's having an affair. Though no one tells Gabrielle about it, she feels that her husband is cheating on her and it breaks her heart. Since she has no poof, she couldn't confront him about it. She holds on to the marriage, hoping that her fears will dissipate. Slowly, Vincent begins to weigh the two women in his lives. The question is will Gabrielle be strong enough to hold on until he makes his final decision.

Written and directed by Yvan Attal, Happily Ever After treats a rather sensitive subject in a light and charming manner. Instead of following a strong narrative, this film works by presenting a series of character moments. It doesn't "tell" the audience the story. Rather, it allows the audience to "feel" the characters. That way, the characters become more real and sympathetic. In fact, there is no clear protagonist or antagonist in this film. Everyone, including the mistress, is a victim to human emotions that cannot be rationalized.

Supported by brilliant editing and a selection of well-chosen songs, most of Attal's scenes come off as fresh and charming. The food fight montage between Vincent and Gabrielle is the height of romantic comedy. So is the scene where their 6-year old son courts a high school student. The best scene, however, is the part when the mistress meets Gabrielle for the first time. The brilliant sequencing of shots and dialogues of the discovery is capped off by a heart-wrenching moment between the mistress and her mother.

Though it is full of wonderful elements, Happily Ever After is far from being a great film. The downside of not having a strong narrative is that nagging feeling of the film stretching its premise. Halfway through it, I feel that the director is running around the bush. I get the feeling that he doesn't know how to end the film. In the end, Attal did leave the film open-ended.

However, the ending is not as bad as it seems. In the film's most ironic moment, Gabrielle gets her revenge. This non-compromising resolution further stresses the point that in a moral dilemma such as adultery, there is no clear-cut answer.

Fairy tales end with "happily ever after" marriages. In real life, though, it is the start of an emotional roller-coaster ride.

MADAGASCAR

What would you choose: friendship or survival?

This is the central question of Madagascar, Dreamworks' latest animated film. It tells the story of four friends - Marty the Zebra, Alex the Lion, Gloria the Hippo and Melman the Giraffe - who are animal attractions at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. Pampered by zoo employees and adored by zoo visitors, these animals have no reason to leave New York...except for Marty. Marty dreams of breaking free from the confines of the zoo and spending his days galloping through the wild grasslands. His escape from the zoo leads to a chase that eventually puts him and his friends on their way to an animal reserve in Africa. Unfortunately, a bunch of "rebel" penguins takes hostage of the ship carrying the four friends, and they are swept away to the island of Madagascar. With the assistance of a kingdom of lemurs, the four friends think they could survive in Madagascar. For the herbivores, Madagascar is paradise, but for the carnivorous Alex, it is hell. He longs for the steaks served fresh daily by the zoo employees. In Madagascar, the only food he can eat is his friends. Driven by hunger, Alex' real nature emerges. Now, he has to make a choice: will he eat his friends or will he die of hunger?

I have to admire the creative team for posing such a brave question in an animated movie. This is a reality that everyone, including children, have to face. Life is full of such "survivor" questions. Had Madagascar fully explored this dilemma, it might have become the most intelligent movie of all time.

What separates animals from humans is our ability to think. In transcending the basic needs of survival, we are able devote time and attention in exploring our humanity. We develop social skills that enable us to work with fellow humans and establish a self-sustaining community. We use our imagination to express our innermost thoughts and emotions through works of arts. We are able to understand the world around us by studying science, and transform this knowledge into technological breakthroughs that make living easier. If you take away these layers of humanity, we remain as savage animals whose basic objective is survival. This is best exemplified by William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies.

I thought Madagascar would go as far as Lord of the Flies. Why not? The anthropomorphic animals could have even discussed more complex questions: What is our definition of freedom? Why did we land in Madagascar? Why did our animators give us human qualities?

Alas, the movie did not pursue its central question. Perhaps the creative team was too afraid that they will alienate their target audience, the kids; thus, they opted for a safe and conventional resolution. While this has to be considered, it still isn't right for them to alienate their "paying" audience, the adults. Why pose a question that you cannot answer satisfyingly? Sure, others might say that posing the question is sufficient. The movie need not answer all of its questions. That is true, but the movie should have at least explored the question. It should have have presented to its audience all the possibilities and limitations in answering the question.

While it did not rise above the standards of an average animated film, Madagascar is still an amusing movie. The kids might love it, but the adults can find better movies to watch.

BIKINI OPEN

If you're looking for a good alternative to Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, watch Jeffrey Jeturian's new movie, Bikini Open. Surprisingly, it is the best Filipino movie I have seen this year. (Not counting Dreamboy, of course.)

Everything about the film is "alternative" - from the screenplay's structure to the director's treatment. Even the medium used (HD video) is "alternative."

Bikini Open is a "mock-cumentary" on the Filipinos latest star-search shows. Cherry Pie Picache plays the role of an investigative reporter who is forced to cater to her viewers' demands (for purposes of higher ratings, of course). She covers a bikini open being held in one of Manila's cheap comedy bars. Throughout the movie, Picache interviews the contestants and investigates their private lives. She presents to us a batch of young Filipinos who would do anything to win the contest. Their reasons range from extreme poverty to extreme narcissism. That doesn't mean that Picache's character is noble. In fact, she resorts to "reality TV" to cater to her viewers' voyeuristic demands.

Bikini Open is a well-made satire on Philippine media and pop culture. It succeeds in making fun of the Filipinos' interest in beauty contests and star-search shows without forcing its theme down the viewers' throats. Jeturian and his writer, Chris Martinez, certainly know how to use comedy to bring their message across.

The cast is highly commendable, especially Picache. She easily shifts from nice to nasty in a beat. The use of new actors and actresses enhanced the "mock-cumentary" feel of the movie. Most of them acted so natural that you begin to doubt if they're acting or not. However, Jeturian could have spared Ricky Davao and Michael De Mesa from reprising gay roles that they have done before.

The HD video allowed Jeturian so much creative flexibility that his visuals looked fresh and innovative. Computer-generated graphics and visual effects spiced up most of the scenes. The sharp colors might jar the viewers at first, but they will eventually adjust to it.

The same could not be said about the audio, which is often out-of-synch and incomprehensible. Be sure to watch the movie in a cinema with a good sound system.

With the summer heat still going up, it's nice to know that there's a refreshing Filipino film to cool you down.

It's still a mystery to me why Ridley Scott's Gladiator won the Oscar for Best Picture. In the hopes of being enlightened, I decided to watch Scott's new film, Kingdom of Heaven.

The first time I watched it, I slept through half of the film. Maybe it wasn't the film's entire fault that I fell asleep. Maybe I was too tired. Maybe I ate too much. Whatever the reason may be, I decided to watch the film again to give it a fair review.

The second time I watched it, I nearly fell asleep. Now, I know the film is to be blamed entirely for altering my body clock.

In a nutshell, Kingdom of Heaven follows the story of Balian (Orlando Bloom), a blacksmith who went to Jerusalem to seek redemption for himself and his damned wife. On his way to Jerusalem, Balian meets his long-lost father (Liam Neeson), becomes a knight, falls in love with the sister (Eva Green) of the king (Edward Norton) of Jerusalem, and ultimately becomes the defender of the city against the Muslims.

Sounds simple and easy-to-follow, right? Well, Scott "unfortunately" succeeded in making it confusing and boring. The script's primary problem is its lack of interesting and well-defined characters. Balian's primary objective is to seek redemption. After the first 1/3 of the film, this objective was abandoned in favor of Balian playing the hero. When Balian returns to his hometown and visits the grave of his wife, we do not know if he was able to get the redemption he desperately wanted.

At the end of the film, you cannot sympathize with any of the characters because you are not given the opportunity to know them better. That is the reason why characters are given back stories, so that the audience will understand the characters beliefs, values and decision-making processes. Devoid of the characters' back stories, we do not understand why the Templar Knights are so blood-thirsty or why Tiberias (Jeremy Irons), the king's adviser, is so open to the Muslims.

The film also suffers from logical lapses. For example, where did Balian get his training for being such an intelligent and highly-skilled warrior? Is it really possible for a blacksmith to become a great knight in such a short span of time?

Kingdom of Heaven aims to launch Orlando Bloom as an action hero in the footsteps of Russell Crowe. Well, Bloom still has a lot to prove. He drowns under the performances of experienced actors like Norton and Irons. Among all the actors, Norton was the best as the leper-king of Jerusalem. He gave life to the film's only interesting character, and he did it without removing his character's mask. Norton's commanding presence was more effective than Bloom's uninspired speech to his men.

Given that this was directed by the director of Gladiator , the film fulfilled its promise of grand battle scenes. However, they failed to impress. We've seen better battle scenes in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The reason I'm giving this film two stars is its noble intentions. Kingdom of Heaven intends to give the present-day Jerusalem conflict an historical perspective. A holy city for three of the world's biggest religions, Jerusalem has been a witness to countless armed conflicts. It's as if who ever controls Jerusalem controls heaven as well. However, we have to bear in mind that good intentions are not enough to make a good film.

What a waste of talent! What a waste of money! And I still don't understand why Gladiator won the Oscar for Best Picture!

The Interpreter is not your ordinary suspense thriller. Instead of bombarding our senses with car chases, exploding buildings and bullet exchanges, Sydney Pollack's new film appeals to our intelligence.

Nicole Kidman plays the role of Silvia Broom, a United Nations interpreter who overhears a death threat against African dictator Zuwanie (Earl Cameron). Tobin Keller (Sean Penn), a Secret Service agent, is assigned to Broom. After a preliminary investigation, Keller begins to doubt the veracity of Broom's statement. It appears that Broom herself has a motive to k*ll Zuwanie. Keller is hell-bent to find out the truth behind the death threats. If Broom is telling the truth, he will protect her from the people behind the assassination plot.

While the dramatic voice (plot) of The Interpreter is interesting and exciting, it is the film's narrative voice (subtext) that remains with us long after we have left the cinema. Pollack has painted a picture of Africa where race isn't an issue anymore. Everyone, either black or white, suffers the same fate in the hands of a tyrannical dictator. Zuwanie, the president of the fictional Matobo country, is representative of liberators turned dictators found in most third-world countries. Power corrupts - this is the inevitable truth expressed in Pollack's film.

Sean Penn's performance is highly commendable. Once again, he proves to us that he is a great actor. Penn effortlessly expresses the nuances of his character, so much so that Keller becomes a real human being. Even in situations where he has to keep a clear, logical mind, Penn subtly expresses his character's emotional baggage. We understand why he reacts that way, and we sympathize with him.

The same could not be said of Nicole Kidman. While she is beautifully photographed in this movie, her approach to her character is cold and unnatural. Her reactions are so repressed that she comes off as a cold-hearted woman. Thus, I wasn't able to sympathize with her when she turned the tables on Keller and Zuwanie.

I would also like to commend the film's musical director for his modern yet restrained musical score. It gives the movie a certain edge that pushes the movie's narrative voice.

The Interpreter raises a lot of issues, but it also offers a solution. The crimes against humanity committed by corrupt leaders like Zuwanie could be prevented and given justice if all countries, through the United Nations, would work towards diplomatic resolutions instead of aggression. There are peaceful solutions to violent situations. "Vengeance is a lazy form of grief," Broom tells Keller. It will not help us process our "grief" and move on towards a peaceful life.

RICE RHAPSODY

What will you do when you learn that all your three sons are gay?

That is the premise of Rice Rhapsody, the new film by Hong Kong director Kenneth Bi. Sylvia Chang plays the role of Jen Fan, owner of a restaurant in Singapore that offers the famous Hainanese chicken rice. She is also the mother of three handsome young men - Daniel (Alvin Chiang), Harry (Craig Toh), and Leo (Tan Lepham). She has already "accepted" ("tolerate" is a better term) that her first two sons are gay, but she will not allow her youngest son to turn out gay as well. She still yearns to have grandchildren to take care of. With the help of her "suitor" and business rival, Tan Kim Chui (Martin Yan), Jen takes in a French foreign exchange student, Sabine (Melanie Laurent). She hopes that Sabine and Leo would fall for each other, and that Leo would stay clear of his best friend, Batman (Andy Mok). Of course, things don't go as well she planned them to be.

While the film is light and entertaining, it suffers from slow pacing and a lack of narrative focus. The characters and the situations they find themselves in are interesting, but the story was weaved too loosely. First of all, it isn't clear whose point of view the story is following. Is it Jen's story, Leo's story or Sabine's story? Second, the story did not plunge into the emotional core of the concept - How does it feel to be a Chinese mother with three gay sons and vice-versa? Instead of showing us the emotional struggles encountered by the mother and her sons, what we get is one comic situation after another. Thus, the ending did not achieve the emotional wallop it desired. Staying clear of the social issues connected with homosexuality, what we see onscreen are stereotypical portrayals of gays. Kenneth Bi could have chosen to say more with his film, but he decided to remain silent.

On the positive side, the film benefits from the excellent performances of Chang, Lepham and Laurent. Chang certainly deserves praise for her restrained yet powerful performance. She easily conveyed the wide range of emotions that her character went through. Lepham proves that he's not just a pretty face. He showed his characters' strength and vulnerability at the same time, and he did it effortlessly. Laurent, for her part, was charming as the quirky yet soulful French-New Age girl.

Rice Rhapsody could have been sumptuous banquet of emotions. Sadly, it turned out to be merely an appetizer.

FINDING NEVERLAND

Second to the right, and straight on till morning.

Since I was a child, I have been trying to find that wonderful place called Neverland. I would repeat Peter Pan's directions to myself as I scan the evening sky. Unfortunately, I never found Neverland.

That is why I was excited when I heard that Marc Forster has directed a film about the life of Neverland's creator, James Barrie. Inspired by true events, Finding Neverland follows the "friendship" of Barrie (Johnny Depp) with a young widow, Sylvia (Kate Winslet), and her four sons. Married but without children, Barrie immediately bonds with the boys. His creative mind transports Sylvia and her sons to places that they could never imagine. However, not everyone is comfortable with this set-up. Devoting most of his time with this "other" family, Barrie has unconsciously neglected the needs of his wife, Mary. On the other hand, Sylvia's mother believes that her daughter's friendship with Barrie hinders her from getting suitors who could help them have better lives. Even Barrie's friends are questioning his "friendship" with the boys. Could it be another excuse for pedophilia? Despite these complications, Barrie remains close and loyal to Sylvia and her sons.

In this age of audio-visual effects-laden movies, Finding Neverland is a rarity. It is a light and simple film about people touching each other's lives. The issues it tackles are real and relevant; thus, it packs an emotional wallop. I am not ashamed to admit that I cried several times while watching it.

As a writer, my favorite scenes are the ones when Barrie transports the boys to wonderful places through his stories. The lines between reality and imagination become indistinct. My brain is saying these places aren't real, but in my heart I believe they are real. This is the primary reason why I became a writer - to create my own world that is so different from the one I'm living in, and to tell stories that happened in that world.

My only problem with the movie was the ending, which I felt was stretched. The final scene between Barrie and Peter (Freddie Highmore), one of Sylvia's sons, was too heartwarming that it became corny. I even got the feeling that the story was too neat, i.e. all conflicts were properly and easily resolved.

Still, Finding Neverland never ceases to amaze. Even if I watch it over and over, I will still be captivated with its story. Its magic will remain in my heart forever.

Now, I have no need to look out of my window each night. I have finally found my Neverland.

P.S. It is wise to watch this film in a cinema that has a good sound system. Otherwise, you'll have hard time understanding the dialogues because of the actors' accent.

I thought nothing could top Miss Congeniality 2 for being the worst movie of the year. I was wrong. Sandra Bullock's former flame, Matthew McConaughey, has taken the crown away from her.

Sahara is a dizzying, confusing movie about two men, McConaughey and Steve Zahn, who are trying to find an American Civil War ship and its haul of gold coins. Their search leads them deep into Africa, where they bump into a WHO volunteer, Penelope Cruz, who is trying to discover the source of a deadly epidemic. They later find out that an African warlord, Lennie James, and his business partner, Lambert Wilson, are to be blamed for the epidemic. By the way, McConaughey, Zahn and Cruz end up discovering the Civil War ship as they fight off the bad guys.

True, the plot of Sahara wasn't predictable, but it wasn't clear either. The movie feels like a combination of subplots with no main plot. Somewhere along the way, it loses its focus and simply becomes an action scene-after-action scene movie. By the middle of the movie, I was asking myself, "What is this all about?" Maybe that's what happens when a script goes through different hands just to get the producer's approval.

Also, It didn't help that the characters described the plot complications in scientific jargon. That is probably one of the reasons why I simply didn't care when the characters find themselves in trouble. Another reason is that the characters are always "lucky" enough to find a way out of their troubles. Heck, they even discovered the Civil War ship accidentally!

What's worse is that the movie left so many questions unanswered, e.g. How did the Civil War ship "really" got to Africa? I'm no ecologist, but I don't think the Sahara desert went from wet to dry in just 150 years.

If Harrison Ford was the lead actor, I might have been more forgiving. McConaughey simply doesn't have the aura and the appeal of an action-adventure hero. Even his leading lady, Cruz, has to be photographed from certain angles in order to look beautiful. Worse, they don't have on-screen chemistry. No sparks, nothing!

Just to be fair, I did enjoy the stylistic opening billboards, and some action scenes were well-edited. The full shots of the desert were also impressive. Zahn was amusing for the most part of the movie, but on certain scenes, he reminded me of an overacting cartoon character.

I always knew that the Sahara desert is dry, but I never expected that a movie set there could be dry as well.

PURPLE ALLEY CAFE

Category: Restaurants

Cuisine: Italian

Location: 19 Scout Bayoran St., Quezon City (near Rembrandt Hotel)

As we were looking for a place to eat lunch, my officemates and I stumbled on this cozy cafe along Scout Bayoran St. We almost didn't see it because it faced an apartment driveway instead of the road. Thank heavens there was a huge sign that pointed us to its exact location!

Upon entering the cafe, we were greeted by the sweet-smelling aroma of pasta being cooked in the kitchen. My officemates and I had the same thought bubble, "This is promising!" The cafe's owner, a friendly and gracious woman, led us to our table. She told us that the cafe opened quite recently that's why it didn't have that many customers. That was fine with us since we had the whole place to ourselves.

When she gave us the menu, we realized that the cafe actually specializes in pasta. I ordered Italian stuffed chicken, which is a crepe stuffed with chicken, ham and cheese and sprinkled with rosemary sprigs. Given a choice between pasta and rice, I chose pasta. Carmi, one of my officemates, treated the group with a plate of nachos.

The food took a while to prepare, so we spent the time drinking glasses of iced tea (bottomless) and looking at the various architectural sketches posted on the wall. [When I return I'll ask the owner who did the sketches.] When the food arrived, it looked and smelled sumptuous. I tasted the pasta. Wow! I haven't tasted pasta that good before. The Italian stuffed chicken tasted even better! Unlike pasta served in bigger restaurants, the ones served at Purple Alley Cafe tasted homemade. Add to that the coziness of the place and reasonable price of the food...voila! It's the perfect recipe to a satisfying meal.

We gave our compliments to the owner, and she was happy that we were satisfied with the food. She even invited us to attend the ballroom dancing that happens every Saturday night on the second floor of the cafe. Still suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome, I politely declined her offer. Perhaps Carmi and the others would be happy to try it.

The only thing that keeps me from giving this cafe a perfect score is the long preparation time for the food. It seems that the cafe is under-manned; thus, they have difficulty handling the orders, especially if the place is full. However, that problem can easily be remedied in the future. For now, I suggest that you call them and place your order before going to the cafe. That way, you won't waste your time waiting for your food.

Purple Alley Cafe: (632) 411-0023

It seems that Sandra Bullock hasn't learned her lesson from Speed 2. Her new film, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, further proves the theory that good movies shouldn't have sequels. Someone should warn her not to do a sequel to While you were sleeping.

What worked in favor of the first Miss Congeniality was its amusing premise - an FBI agent pretending to be a Miss America contender. Alas, the sequel had nothing like that. Instead it focused on the feisty partnership of Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock), Miss Congeniality herself, and Sam Fuller (Regina King), an agent with anger management issues. Together, they have to save Miss America (Heather Burns) and the beauty pageant's host (William Shatner) from a couple of "creative" kidnappers. In the process, they end up humiliating the FBI by running after the wrong suspects, one of them is Dolly Parton herself.

No one needs a crystal ball to see how this movie will end. It was so predictable that I already knew what scene would come up next. It did not help that Bullock and King seemed to have an easy time cracking the case. They just glance at a photograph, then whoa! A clue! Half the time, it was as if I was watching an episode of Blue's Clues. If solving a crime was this easy, how come the FBI is having a hard time chasing after America's most wanted criminals?

If anyone has to be arrested, it has to be the movie's creative team. The crime - lack of originality and creativity. Since most of the movie was shot in Las Vegas, there was the obligatory drag show scene. If it wasn't for Bullock's "dancing," I would have snored through King's impersonation of Tina Turner. Of course, this is a movie about mismatched partners so it has the usual "you grab my throat, I'll grab yours" scene. What makes it worse is the inclusion of "heartwarming" scenes that make you want to cry out of frustration. Hey, isn't this supposed to be a comedy?!

While the movie did have some funny moments, most of the jokes fell flat. The movie was already in its second act when I started laughing. In what seems to be a tradition for comedy films, this one showed bloopers during the closing credits. Sadly, none of the bloopers made me laugh. Now, that's a serious problem.

The movie's only saving grace is Sandra Bullock, who has remained funny and charming after all these years. Unfortunately, her charm and comic timing cannot sustain a film that's an hour and a half long. Bullock should relinquish her Miss Congeniality title and focus on projects that are deserving of her talent as an actress.

Amazing! That was the first word that popped in my head when the vista of Robot City was unveiled to me. Animation never looked this good!

Robot City is the milieu of the animated feature, "Robots." The movie tells the story of Rodney Copperbottom, a poor robot from Rivet Town who has big dreams of becoming a successful inventor in Robot City. In pursuing his dreams, he foils the plans of Phineas Ratchet, an evil corporate robot who wants to rid Robot City of obsolete robots.

There's nothing new with the plot of "Robots." Like all feel-good movies, you know that Rodney will win at the end of the movie. There are no twists to make the plot more interesting. In fact, it has some loopholes that I want the writers to answer, e.g. why did Big Weld, Ratchet's boss, allow Ratchet to take over the company?

Then again, the movie has other features that are impressive. One of them is the animation itself. The screen explodes with an unimaginable palette of colors! The whole movie looks vibrant, alive! Even more impressive is the way the robots move - such ease, such fluidity!

But what I really enjoyed about the movie was the way it made me laugh. "Robots" is full of witty dialogues and funny situations. Just when you're about to cry for Rodney, the writers come up with a funny scene that will make you laugh...till you cry. All the jokes work, including the spoofs of popular movies and music videos. As expected, Robin Williams was a scene stealer as the voice of Fender, Rodney's best friend. This is Williams' best animated role since "Aladdin," where he was the voice of the Genie.

"Robots" is a movie that will truly uplift your spirit. It is the kind of movie where you just have to sit back and relax. Don't go looking for depth and significance. You won't find it here. But if you just want to have a good time, you're definitely watching the right movie.

The Phantom of the Opera

 

You all know the story, a phantom that haunts an opera house somewhere in Italy. A love triangle between Christine, the new opera star; the phatom, her "angle of music"; and the dashing Raoul.

 

The musical scoring was defintely top of the line, made my hair stand on its end. Story was sweet and satisfying in a macebre sorta way. I give it a 4 out of 5.

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Except for the re-sequencing of events in the latter part of the movie, it was faithful to the stage musical...too faithful perhaps. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber. Ironically, my major criticism against the movie is that it has too many song numbers. This is the reason why the movie became dragging. Only the songs that pushed the story should have been retained. Also, it did not help that the actors merely recited the lyrics of songs that they did not sing. As a result, the dialogues rhymed and sounded unnatural. The creative team, especially the director and the writers, should have remembered that they were doing a film adaptation of the musical. Film is a different medium from stage/theater. They should have adjusted their material to the medium they were using.

I'm a Wong Kar Wai fan, so my top 3 movies are:

1. In the mood for love

2. Happy Together

3. Chungking Express

To complete my Top 10, my other favorite films are:

4. t** Guk Gi

5. Y Tu Mama Tambien

6. Gattaca

7. Moulin Rouge

8. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

9. Hero

10. Bram Stoker's Dracula

Guys, have you seen "Dreamboy" already? It's the new movie of Piolo Pascual and Bea Alonzo. It got a "B" Rating from the Cinema Evaluation Board.

As the movie's Creative Assistant, I want to know your feedback on the movie, both positive and negative. It will help me a lot in developing concepts for future movies. You can send your comments to paul_abellera@abs.pinoycentral.com.

Thank you very much! Continue to support Philippine Cinema!

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Thank you very much! Continue to support Philippine Cinema!

Dude, please do your plugging somewhere else, NOT in this thread.

Thank you. - Wolf