The MOVIE REVIEW Thread

[Kaftig]

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.

[Kaftig]

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.

[Kaftig]

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.

[Kaftig]

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!

[Kaftig]

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.

[Kaftig]

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.

[Kaftig]

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.

[Kaftig]

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.

[Kaftig]

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.

[Kaftig]

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.

[Kaftig]

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?

[Kaftig]

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.

[Kaftig]

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.

[seth_element]

THE GREAT RAID

 

The first time i heard about this i was so excited to fact that i have read one of the novels that this movie was based on.. GHOST SOLDIERS BY HAMPTON SIDES.. I was so thrilled thats its gonna be a movie.. Its basically a story of rescuing 500+ american POWs in a POW camp in cabanatuan in 1945..

 

The first scene showing some clips from the american archives was so amazing because i have never seen before a wartime video that was made here in the philippines.. All the time filipinos did nt know that there are these videos shot here in our country. You can see in this clips the philippines back in the mid 40's and also the landing of american troops in the lingayen gulf..

 

There are alot of sub story line for this film which met in the later part of the movie in the main storyline which is to rescue the the POWs..

 

The sepia tone of the movie was good to make the audience feel the oldies..

 

Its amazing to see the reinvented old manila in this film which is done purely of cgi.. But to see manila in picture before the liberation of american forces from japan in manila makes you wonder.. Ang ganda pla ng manila dati.. just imagine, there are already mass transit line back then..

 

The fight scenes was only on the later part of the movie.. but it was fulfilling...

 

The filipino characters in the film including ceasar montano is somewhat still the same.. i mean there acting is still the same from filipino movies.. nothign new just that it was hollywood..

 

But overall If you are a filipino and if you want to feel philippines back then and you want to see what it feels like that hollywood finally made a movie about their war efforts here in the philippines.. that was forgotten until now..

 

RATING 4.7/5 :mtc:

[Anaheim]

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

 

Saw the movie last Sunday at Greenhills Theater. Why is it that with every movie directed by Tim Burton, Johnny Depp always manages to star in it ? boyfriend kaya ni Tim Burton si Johnny Depp? never mind that....Charlie and the Chocolate Factory based on Dahl's book...in fact it was already made into a movie 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' starring Gene Wilder in the 70s. The Tim Burton movie version is more magical in terms of its story (more closer to the book), and in terms of visual effects....after all what can you expect from the 70s version without the advent of digital computers. Johnny Depp's acting is superb giving the Willy Wonka character a gay(ish) attitude and full of charm....Johnny Depp seems adept in playing 'gay-ish' characters in recent movies...Pirates of the Caribbean, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorshand to name a few. The movie has the Tim Burton touch....eccentric and elaborate sets with a mystical essence to it (see Batman, Edward Scissorshand, Sleepy Hollow, Beetlejuice, even the Corpse Bride commercial...you'll know what I mean). Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has some moral lesson to it. 5 lucky winners with a golden ticket from Wonka chocolate bars, all invited inside the chocolate factory accompanied with a single parent. Each of the lucky winners hold a distinctive personality which eventually resulted with an outcome in the end. Adult and children will enjoy this movie. I personally didn't like the songs played in the movie but it did gave some fun factor to it. I was expecting to hear a revised version of the song 'Pure Imagination' in the end credits and all I heard was that stupid song..'willy wonka, willy wonka' sang probably by Alvin and the Chipmunks :o

 

rating 5/5 :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

 

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/warner_brothers/charlie_and_the_chocolate_factory/_group_photos/freddie_highmore1.jpg

 

THE GREAT RAID

 

The movie was inspired by true events that had happened in January 1945 before the end of WWII. The movie was also based on the books 'The Great Raid on Cabanatuan' and 'The Ghost Soldiers'. Hollywood stars include Benjamin Bratt (Miss Congeniality) as Lt. Col. Mucci, James Franco (James Dean Story, Spider-man 1 and 2), Joseph Fiennes (Shakespear in Love). Cesar Montano as Capt. Pajoya. The movie gave special credit to the Filipino guerillas for playing a crucial role in the success of the American Rangers in helping the 511 POWS escaped. Memorable scenes of Cesar Montano was given by director John Dahl which hopefully might give Cesar Montano a chance for a shot to Hollywood fame....First, he was seen elated with a hearty smile while over-looking the lights of the flair gun fired by James Franco (Spider-man 1 and 2) signaling its successful mission, Secondly...he was filmed standing-up while firing at the Japanese soldiers that were rushing towards him ala RAMBO . Thirdly, when he glanced for the last time at the fallen Japanese soldiers on the bridge that he and his filipino comrades destroyed. A Filipino guerilla character Capt Joson was played by his real life grandson Joson. Other Pinoys in the cast was Rex Cortez, Bembol Roco and Ryan Eigenmann. Shanghai, China was subbed in as Manila....a cable car with a Meralco sign was in the background scene, which is accurate because there was indeed a Meralco cable car in the 40s (just like the cable car in San Francisco)...you can still see the cable car tracks in old Manila area. The Cabanatuan prison camp was shot in Queensland, Australia. Many Hollywood films about the Vietnam war was shot in the Philippines but 'The Great Raid' which took place in the Philippines opted to be shot in China and Australia The movie feels like a film shot in the 50s with of its brownish tint which was clearly a directorial choice because the movie was blended with historical film archives. The film also captured the brutality of the Japanese thus giving us a glimpse of atrocities of war. The movie will also give a chance for the younger generation to remember the past long forgotten. One criticism I have with the movie, the fictitious relation of Margaret with malaria stricken Joseph Fiennes was overlong.

 

rating 4/5 :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

 

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b200/mercury0001/cesar.jpg