"TSUNAMI: THE AFTERMATH"
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sophie Okonedo, Tim Roth, Toni Collette, Hugh Bonneville

HBO

December 26, 2006 marks the second year anniversary of the Asian tsunami which devastated 12 countries. Most severely damaged were the coastal villages of Thailand and Indonesia. Last night, HBO in collaboration with the BBC aired this two part mini series about the disaster entitled Tsunami: the Aftermath.

This being a BBC production, it naturally focused on the British nationals who were affected by the tsunami. 5 different angles about a group of fictional characters whose stories were intertwined with each other. Although fictional they were inspired by accounts and interviews of some survivors of the disaster.

The ones which created significant impact to me personally are the tales of the journalist and the British Consulate official.
Tim Roth plays a journalist for a news agency. He is portrayed as being insensitive, quite a risk taker willing to do anything to get a scoop. His need to expose the story behind the tragedy does make some starkling revelations. He stumbles upon the scenes of some officials of the Thai government selling the lands of the displaced villagers to the big hotel chains for a considerable amount of profit. He witnesses the mass cremation of some bodies by the Buddhist monks even before they were publicly identified by the local officials. He also discovers a 'missing' report filed by a certain scientist who had warned the government about the impending threat of a devastating tsunami which would affect the coast line of Thailand yet the government simply ignored his claims. These are certainly valid news reports which never made headlines. Maybe they did, but I didn't read them. The main networks mainly focused on the number of missing persons, the outpouring of donations from all over the world, the massive destruction of the villages, its displaced inhabitants as well as the frantic evacuation of the Westerners who survived and needed to get out of the area ASAP.

Then you have the constantly harassed highest ranking British Consulate official (the Commonwealth states have Consulates not Embassies. He does have the rank of an Ambassador but they are normally addressed as Consuls) who is tasked to take care of the logistics to assist the uprooted British nationals. Most of them were tourists vacationing in Thailand during the Christmas holidays. As usual in any country, the main complaint would be that they (the Embassy officials) are not quick enough to help its citizens or they are not around when you need them the most. As a daughter of a former diplomat, I know just how difficult it is to get things moving. You need to follow a certain protocol and by the book procedures to get the papers shuffling, so to speak. But, of course the common folks are most likely to blame their respective government for the inefficiency or worse the inaction of their officials - they don't know what it really takes to coordinate such an incident of massive proportions.

"Where have you been?" is the first thing a British tourist uttered to the stunned Consul when he arrived in Phuket to monitor the situation. Little did he know that the said Consul had to travel by land for 12 hours from Bangkok to reach Phuket because the runway at the Phuket airport got damaged in the tsunami. It is a thankless job, really.

Special mention also goes to the couple who are desperately trying to find their missing daughter. Brilliantly portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor (Dirty Pretty Things) and Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda) - their harrowing tale is so poignantly heart breaking.


My main issue lies with the fact that the film makers didn't focus more on the local aspect of the devastation. I know this is an European production but still ... the Thais were like 'extras' on the set, just fading in the background. They were also put in a bad light, being portrayed as greedy (the government officials) or as looters (the local villagers who were merely shifting through their wrecked homes). The Thai people are a such docile race. Their compassionate nature helped a lot in alleviating the inconvenience for the Western tourists who fled in droves. They must be praised for their tireless effort and their fatalistic attitude to move on with their lives amidst such a horrific tragedy.

Having said that, although this mini series certainly doesn't merit a high rating quality wise, (it has the feel of a Hallmark TV movie of the week), I give kudos to the film makers for their bold attempt to humanize a tragedy.

"LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE"

Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Alan Arkin

"A family on the verge of a breakdown"

Cinema 5, Greenbelt 3

This is a quirky situational comedy film with underlining dark themes, personified by a bunch of strange yet endearing characters which unfolds on a road trip.

Richard is a motivational speaker of a nine step program which doesn't quite cut it. Sheryl his wife I assume is a waitress since she has a tag with her name on her outfit. Dwayne, her teen aged son from a previous marriage reads Nietzsche. He has taken a vow of silence until he fulfills his dream of becoming a test pilot. Frank is Sheryl 's gay brother, a top Proust scholar recovering from a suicide attempt. Then you have Grandpa (Richard's dad) who was kicked out of the old folks home for his heroin addiction and little Olive, the 7 year old daughter whose main goal in life is to be a beauty queen. Put all of these strange characters who form one dysfunctional family together in a VW van as they make their 800 miles journey to Redondo, California from New Mexico so little Olive can compete in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant and voila ... You get one heck of a dark comedy!

En route, their deepest fears and hidden little secrets are revealed in such a subtle yet thought provoking manner, you can't help but be drawn into their anxiety. They unravel both literally and figuratively, facing many obstacles and conflicts yet they strive and persevere till they reach their ultimate destination. In the process, they begin to discover themselves with regards to their main goal in life as well as their rightful place within the family.

A myriad of topics such as homosexuality, child beauty pageants, the need to win, the competitive nature, the passionate desire to be somebody as well as being a Proust scholar are all coherently intertwined in this film.

It doesn't necessarily parody the situations, it just gives us a glimpse into what makes the Hoover family tick. Some situations merit rip roaring laughter yet at the same time, there is a tinge of really sad sequences too. It is a nice blend of different emotions which sets your heart a flutter.
You can't help but think wow how clever of them (the scriptwriters) to come up with such a movie that mixes together all these rarely mentioned situations/subjects.

The characters are very well developed, each of them shining through with their own personality quirks which make them so endearing to watch.
The overall tone of the film gives you this semblance of being some 70s TV show as best exemplified by the crickety VW wagon/van yet the setting is very current and up to date.

The ensemble cast all fit together perfectly like a glove. Greg Kinnear as the 'always think positive' dad was a bit annoying. He came across as being too harsh yet you also understand where he (his need to always excel) is coming from. Toni Collette's facial expressions can convey a whole set of emotions. She was very convincing as Sheryl. A very subdued Steve Carell is excellent as the depressed gay Proust scholar. He delivered his lines with a clear witty retort sans hysterics, it was flawless! Paul Dano spends most of the film in silence. He communicates by writing on a piece of paper but you just look at his face and you clearly know what's on his mind.
I was quite fond of the deep bond which developed between Grandpa and little Olive. The chemistry they shared was heart warming and it does help that Alan Arkin and Abigail Breslin (Signs, Raising Helen) portrayed them with such ease, you would think they were really related. They are the heart and soul of the movie.

Now I know why this indie flick was such a hit at Sundance Film Festival held earlier this year - it is such a delightful treat.

"THE BREAK UP"

Jennifer Aniston, Vince Vaughn, Jov Favreau, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jason Bateman, Judy Davis, Joey Lauren Adams

" ... pick a side"

As the title suggests, this film is a glimpse into the life of a couple, Gary and Brooke who decide to end their relationship. It begins with a short introduction of their happy times together as shown by a collage of pictures in the opening credits. Followed by the usual snippet of how they met, what they do for a living, who their friends are and where they live.

Then one night while preparing dinner for family members, Brooke airs all her frustrations vis a vis their relationship after arguing over the quantity of lemons for the table centerpiece. Gary naturally vehemently defends himself. They manage to keep it under wraps during the dinner party by being civil to each other and try to be accommodating towards their guests. Once they are alone again, all hell breaks loose. Insinuations fly. Hurtful words are uttered. Accusations bounce off the walls. Endless nit picking. Finger pointing arguments. A really intense moment. Woman has had enough, she breaks up the relationship then storms off to her room. Guy is tired of arguing. He is stunned a few awkward minutes of silence ensues while he process the situation then picks up his jacket and goes off to a bar to cool off. Ugh. At that precise moment, I yelled at the screen "hey what are you doing? where are you going? Why don't you just do the damn dishes just like she asked? Everything would be alright in the morning" But of course, men never do the dishes unless they are told so fair enough that was a realistic reaction from the guy.

Then comes the 'strange' part, neither of them moves out of their condo and get all territorial on their personal spaces. He camps out at the living room area with his things scattered all over the place. She reigns supreme in their master bedroom.

The good thing is that they both have a good moral support system going on through their friends and family. How appropriate that Vincent D'Onofrio is cast as his brother in this film? I have always maintained that those two look alike from their height to their body build. Well anyways, I actually cheered and appreciated the amicable way this movie ended. No over the edge hysterics, no loud shouting matches, no mushy romantic interludes. Just being civil, respectful of each other's decisions and moving on with their separate lives.

Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn work well together. She is good in these kind of roles where she doesn't try too hard to be funny or goofy like her Rachel Green character in "Friends". Maybe she was channeling her inner conflicted self as she was dealing with her very public divorce from Brad Pitt during the filming of this movie. She was convincing as the aggrieved party in the break up. I mean, really now ... if you were in a relationship with a guy who would come up with every single excuse not to do the dishes or help in the household chores, I'm sure you would be climbing the walls and losing your mind. Vince Vaughn seems to strive in playing either some con artist (The Wedding Crashers; Starsky & Hutch) or some loud mouth loser who thinks he is cool (Dodgeball; Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy). He has good comedic timing though and can rattle off some witty funny lines like a machine gun. I hope he won't be typecast into playing such mediocre characters. I believe he has the potential to be a really bad villain (Psycho) in some Bruce Willis or Will Smith action flick.

I end by saying this film confirms several points about maintaining a healthy and meaningful relationship such as "you cannot really change someone". "Dropping hints won't work. Men never get them". "Men are not mind readers. But if you tell them to do something they accuse you of being a nag". But, of course it takes two to tango. Only thing I can say with absolute conviction is there must be a certain time frame or limit to the amount of emotional abuse one can take. If you feel you are not appreciated for who you are, then by all means, break it off and move on. Why suffer? It isn't easy but I know I have and I certainly have no regrets.

"YOU, ME AND DUPREE"
Owen Wilson, Matt Dillon, Kate Hudson, Michael Douglas

"Two's company. Dupree's a crowd"

I guess it is not a good sign when half way through this movie I fell asleep on the couch in my living room then woke up a few minutes before it ended and realized I didn't really miss out much on the plot.

Molly and Carl are a newly married couple whose marital bliss is interrupted when the best man at their wedding, Dupree starts living with them 'temporarily' while he tries to get his life back in order. He is unemployed and homeless so naturally the couple well specifically the husband is kind enough to accommodate his friend. Soon enough Dupree turns into this pesky house guest who thrashes up the place while at the same time he manages to ingratiate himself by being his charming self. Somehow I expected Dupree to be a lot more annoying than he was because let's face it, he is at best tolerable and not as obnoxious as Jim Carrey was towards Matthew Broderick in "The Cable Guy". And to think they (Jim Carrey & Matthew Broderick) didn't even live together in one house. Maybe it is because Owen Wilson has a face you can't help but smile at? Or he has this charming personality that doesn't border on being irritating as a big pimple on your face? Anyway, as expected, trouble erupts between the couple, Dupree suddenly has this change of attitude which alters his life so everyone is happy blah blah blah.

Matt Dillon was his usual stoic expressionless self as the husband with the insurmountable problems ranging from career issues (working for his father in law's firm) to dealing with Dupree (his best buddy who is mostly supportive) and just being a good husband to Molly. Kate Hudson is always refreshing to watch, her sunny little disposition seem to project through the screen even when she is supposed to be angry she still looks pleasant. Michael Douglas in a small role as the feisty father in law/owner of the company who doesn't quite gel with the newest addition to his family is believable and his character was quite straight forward and direct to the point without mincing any words.
Of course, the immature goof ball Dupree was best suited for Owen Wilson to play. He can be funny one moment and then in the next scene, you totally feel sorry for him. Somehow he managed to soften the blow a bit so you don't really end up totally hating Dupree. You just tolerate him in the same way that I tolerated this film for want of something to rent from the video store because I had already seen pretty much everything else on their display counter.

"BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN"
Sacha Baron Cohen

Cinema 5, Rockwell

He is a morally repulsive Anti Semitic misogynist.
He is tactless, crude, insulting and exposes the true nature of people who didn't know any better.
He is Borat Sagdiyev, a Kazakh TV reporter on a visit to the US to learn more about its culture. With the help of a producer, he goes on a road trip, stopping by several cities in the US to show us snippets in the lives of ordinary Americans.
Then the fun begins.

How people react to him is the hilarious part.
He openly behaves as obnoxious as possible. Crossing the boundary of decent behavior to being outright tacky and insulting. I don't think he provokes them into being foolish and dumb, they were just being themselves.
I believe he is the one who acted inappropriately, openly abusing the hospitality of the people he visited. He was the one who broke those precious dishes in the antique store, he was the one who kept contradicting those feminists, he was the one who behaved like a total jerk in that mansion when they were just being very gracious hosts, he was also quite insulting towards those old Jewish couple who welcomed him at their Bed and Breakfast.
They didn't know any better, I'm sure they were just being themselves, being accommodating towards a foreign guest in their country.
Sure there were funny moments, but frankly I expected it to be a lot more hilarious than it was. In fact, I found Alex from "Everything is Illuminated" a lot more funny than Borat and he didn't even have to resort to disguise, vulgarity and/or nudity to prove a point.

Enuff said!

"THE NEW WORLD"

Colin Farrell, Christopher Plummer, Q'Orianka Kilcher, Christian Bale

"Once discovered, it was changed forever"

Someone gifted me this film for my birthday last October. I am certainly not a fan of Colin Farrell but the giver knows I like films with contemporary history themes. I finally managed to sit down and endure it, last night. It is directed by Terrence Malick who also pegged "The Thin Red Line" which I loved and ranks among my favorite 'war' movies.

As for "The New World", I felt decidedly mixed. It was a good idea to sort of present much of the story through the eyes of Pocahontas. Although throughout the entire movie, she is not addressed by her Native American name. It is only later in the film when she is baptized as "Rebecca" that she is spoken to by her Christian name. But it would have been very easy to just tell the whole story from Captain Smith's perspective.

Overall, the Native American Indians were quite well-represented, very animated, childlike and unselfconscious, all of which seemed convincing and compelling. The colonizers called them "The Naturals" which implied some level of respect for being the first inhabitants of the newly discovered land as opposed to being "Natives" which would portray them as some savage/brutal tribal band of people.

England is shown from an American Indian's perspective (Pocahontas/Rebecca's), the cultivated gardens and scenes in the royal court made to seem very strange and fanciful (one of the best parts of the film, I thought). She is very curious about everything that she seemed like a child discovering something new for the very first time.

The cinematography was powerful at times, though the style really began to wear off for me after two hours because it was very expansive with minimal dialogue and merely a musical score to guide your eyes through vast scenes of topography.

Unfortunately, the story is really carried by the voice overs. A narrative style I normally appreciate in films. A bad idea in this case because it consisted of mostly mumbled lines from Colin Farrell fraught with loud music. For the life of me, I cannot grasp the way he enunciates words in every single movie he stars in. Unfortunately, VCDs don't come with a subtitles feature so most of the time I was grappling with the remote control to rewind the scene to understand what he mumbled. It was very frustrating to say the least. His portrayal of John Smith also started to wear thin on me. He seemed to only have one expression on his face for most of the film — a kind of wounded puppy dog look. The courtship between Smith and Pocahontas was also quite tastefully done, not much words spoken but still quite visually expressive through their gestures. But as the relationship evolved, it seems that suddenly, miraculously, Pocahontas can speak and understand English quite well.

Finally, the construction of the film started to make me impatient. Although beautiful, there are long stretches in which there aren't really scenes, but rather sequences in which each shot jumps forward in time. This continues for long periods, and one doesn't really get any sense of dramatic tension or build-up. There's no modulation, just a kind of steady forward movement.

But if you watched "The Thin Red Line" then you would know that this is the normal style of directing for Terrence Malick. You really need a lot of patience to endure this long film (135 minutes) and maybe grab a DVD copy so you can read the subtitles of the dialogue. It would certainly help a lot.

But I give props to the film for being as historically accurate as possible and not some romanticized version of a story. A tale not so much of an ill fated romance but a narrative about discovering a new world, driving away its original inhabitants into extinction, building a settlement/community with fresh hopes and dreams for its newly transported residents - all seen through the eyes of a naive young girl named Pocahontas.

"CASINO ROYALE"

Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelson, Dame Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini

Cinema 4, Shang Cineplex

I grew up watching Roger Moore prance his way around the world as James Bond with his fancy cars, his hi tech gadgets, bedding women left and right, drinking his 'shaken not stirred' Martinis, fighting evil villains without getting his hair disheleved and getting himself into silly situations which border on the funny to the down right ridiculous. Then came Pierce Brosnan with his dashing debonair looks with the same premise so I lost interest in the whole Bond franchise. Because let's face it, in this day and age of modern technology, his gadgets seemed pretty lame, his promiscuous behavior is recklessly dangerous in this AIDS afflicted world and after the Cold War ended, James Bond was pretty much left without believable villains to chase across the world. Besides for me, Pierce Brosnan will always be Remington Steele not James Bond.

But "Casino Royale" managed to pique my interest back into the dark world of espionage. It is a reboot or sort of like a prequel into the life of the secret agent, James Bond. He just got promoted to his 007 status after getting his 2 kills. He is still raw, unrefined and quite thug like in his demeanor. Not consciously aware of the protocol involved in international relations, he lets his emotions cloud his judgment, he is recklessly imprudent, not quite observant nor mentally alert. Yet in the same breath, this makes him only human so he is more fascinating to watch as he grapples with his inner conflicts. He is also willing to get his hands dirtied, adding scars to his already craggy appearance, and boy can he run real fast. Did you see how fast he can run? Swooshing away like a speeding bullet. But no he isn't Superman, he is merely human.

So while I did enjoy the more in depth glimpse into the personality of the secret agent, I thought that the movie was too long to sustain much interest in the complex storyline. The way the plot just folded up pretty quickly towards the end is a bit awkward. It is almost like the director realized they had gone over the standard 90 minutes so they had to kill off the unsavory characters, one by one. What's up with the music during certain action filled scenes? It was too freaking loud at times that I had to literally cover my ears so I won't get deaf.

But the locales were top notch. Very panoramic! From the hot, humid poverty stricken atmosphere of Madagascar in Africa to Montenegro in Eastern Europe with its colorful houses and tiny cobblestone streets nestled within the mountains. The San Marco Square in Venice with its pigeons, teeming with tourists and locals and the gondolas weaving in and out of the canals. The sandy beaches of the Bahamas with its palm trees swaying in the wind to the breathtakingly calming ambiance of Lake Como in Italy -they were such a fantastic cinematic visual feast.

The graphic digitally mastered opening titles with the playing cards with Chris Cornell signing "You Know my Name" was a neat trick because the main game they played in the Casino was poker.

An international cast of actors gave credible performances. The main protagonist, Le Chiffre is eerie and cunning complete with a bleeding eye. Mads Mikkelsen's portrayal was subdued, not overacting to turn his villain character into a caricature. French Eva Green cleaned up pretty well for her role here as the alluring Vesper Lynd as opposed to her decrepit appearance in "Kingdom of Heaven". Dame Judi Dench is still a formidable presence on screen, her portrayal of M is authoritative yet warm and nurturing too. Of course, kudos goes to Daniel Craig. In his biggest role to date in his rather lackluster career, his James Bond is endearingly flawed with a nice mix of raw energy coupled with an emotionally charged persona that can pierce through the screen.

So make no doubt about it, James Bond is back with a vengeance and dare I say ... It is about time too!

"YAWARAKAI SEIKATSU"
("IT'S ONLY TALK")

CineManila
World Cinema Category
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 1
November 3 - 16, 2006

A sad thought provoking Japanese film that tackles depression, loneliness and a longing to establish a connection with other people. Ryuichi Hiroki's latest offering tells the story of Yuko, a 35 year old single woman who is jobless, lives alone and is battling manic depressive disorder. Her world revolves around 4 people who in some strange ways occasionally connect with her on different aspects. K, a sex pervert she met online with whom she has an illicit affair. She has a platonic affair with Noburu, a depressed 24 year old member of the Yakuza member. He connected to her through her blog where she posted pictures of some interesting facets of the Kamata area in Tokyo where she resides. Honma, her classmate in college who has erectile dysfunction. Her 'sometimes boyfriend' who has issues with intimacy. Lastly, Stoichi her male cousin with marital problems who one day shows up at her apartment. He eventually becomes her nurturing caregiver yet he also has some misgivings about his role as a husband and a distant father to his young daughter.

All of them at some point and in some form or the other present in her life yet once things 'pick' up in their respective lives, they soon 'abandon' poor Yuko. I wouldn't really say that they used her but I guess it was mutually beneficial. She needed them as much as they needed her to be part of their lives however briefly it might have been.

We learned that Yuko is an orphan who lives off the insurance she inherited when her parents died tragically in a fire. Looking at her, you don't really get the impression that she is suffering from a mental condition. She looks normal, she is very lucid yet she is heavily medicated. But she does have a tendency to embellish the truth with some little white lies. For instance, telling people that her parents were killed in the Hashin earthquake when the truth is they died in a fire. She does it to add more drama to her already tragic life. She justifies it by saying that "people would sympathize more if they learn they perished in an earthquake than just a fire that raze our house to the ground". I guess she has a twisted sense of view but I believe she just openly says things more to get some sympathy than to shock them with a sense of guilt. Yuko spends her days roaming the city taking pictures of anything that catches her fancy then posts them on her blog as well as an online forum for manic depressive people.

The director Ryuichi Hiroki was present during the screening of the film. Afterwards he commented in the Q & A portion that he wanted to show that even in a vibrant society like Japan, people get depressed and experience bouts of loneliness and extreme sadness. He also kept alluding to his previous film "The Vibrator" because he hired the same actress to star in both movies. Given that I never saw aforementioned film, I cannot make a valid comparison. But I have to say that the lead actress Shinobu Terashima gave such a moving and powerful performance as Yuko. From the way she dressed, her facial expressions to her body gestures, everything was really quite in character and it was a genuinely vivid portrayal.

It is a poignant look at a person who has no other options, no prospects yet still strives to live each day as it dawns. Lost in her little world, tucked away in her little corner of the world without much aspirations to make her life more fruitful, more challenging. A gnawing sense of acceptance settles in Yuko's life with a quietly calm demeanor that would perhaps frazzle any normal human being. Eventually, she realizes what is really important and would add more meaning to her life yet it is too late. The film ends in the same unassuming manner that it commenced. It doesn't aim to judge nor condemn Yuko's existence it just showcases her life as it is. An honest and realistic view on the life of a 30 something urbanite drifting away in a city that doesn't stop revolving, her life fraught with an eerie and depressing melancholy.

"FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS"
Ryan Philippe, Adam Beach, Jesse Bradford, Barry Pepper, Neal McDonough, Paul Walker, Robert Patrick, Jamie Bell, John Slattery

"A single shot can end the War"

Cinema 5, Rockwell

I read the book by James Bradley and Ron Powers, all 356 pages of it. I was totally engrossed by the detailed way it was written and absorbed every single well researched information provided in the book with gusto. I was lucky enough to find the book selling for only 30 Pesos in the National Book Store warehouse sale, last year. Therefore I was naturally curious how Clint Eastwood would interpret the story about the 6 flag raisers of Iwo Jima. Sad to say I left the theater, pretty disappointed by the film.


In the book, the author who is the son of John “Doc” Bradley (the Navy Corpsman) devoted many pages on the lives of the 6 young boys who were captured for posterity’s sake in that famous photograph. He traced their lives from their childhood growing up in dirt poor rural areas in the Midwestern part of the US during the depression era till the time they were drafted into the Marine Corps. He also went into great lengths to describe the horrific carnage that ensued on that tiny sulfur island. The brutal atrocities were very graphically documented that it made me cringe several times when I was reading the book. Then he shifts towards the part where the surviving 3 flag raisers go on a tour of the US selling war bonds while still traumatized and haunted by what they experienced on Iwo Jima. America needed them so they had to do their civic duty to help enrich the coffers of the US Treasury Department for a cause. That in some ways, they are remembering their fallen comrades by uplifting the dampened morale of the populace disillusioned by a war being fought in the Pacific.

The main theme of the film seems to be something more like heroism in the age of mass society. The film’s POV belongs to the young writer, who must piece together for himself the story of his own past. He explains that his father and friends never wanted to speak about the battle, first because it was so horrible that they wanted only to forget about it, but second because they didn’t really feel themselves to be heroes, felt unworthy of the title. “I was just a runner,” one tells a captive audience on Times Square, and “the real heroes are those who died in battle” we are told several times over. But, the war needs to be financed. Or is it the machine of war, the arms and death merchants, that really need more dollars? The film manages to be both heavy-handed and a bit sketchy on this point. It seems that Clint Eastwood wanted to make some political statement about the government using the young soldiers for propaganda’s sake by parading them shamelessly to generate more funds for the war as exemplified by this Newsweek article.

In the film, Eastwood chose to use the technique of splicing flashbacks with current scenes to narrate the story. He also used a monochromatic tone to gloss over the gory scenes. The battle of Iwo Jima is one of the bloodiest fights in the history of the US Army. But if you watch “Flags of our Fathers” the battle scenes are not that heart wrenching nor gory like the opening sequence of “Saving Private Ryan”. During the entire film, my sister had to ask me who was who, what was his ranking and where was he located during the actual raising of the flag. So before you had a sense of the 6 main characters, the director killed them off in a staged out of context manner. I know that everything happened so fast after the flag was raised. The entire Suribachi mountain exploded with gunfire artillery. Total mayhem and a bloody carnage followed.

“You can’t see their faces” the bitter mother of a fallen soldier remarks as she looks at the famous photograph. This could just as easily be said of the Japanese soldiers, who appear only for brief instants and more as silhouettes than anything else. There were 22,000 Japanese on Iwo Jima, and fewer than 1500 survivors (though we never see them). Indeed, we never get much sense of the Japanese as human beings in this film, and when this point is mixed with heavy CGFX, no matter how impressive and seamless the technology has become, it just slips into moments of feeling like a sophisticated video game. To be honest, it’s as if Eastwood *didn’t* want to make a war film, after all.

For the main conflict in the film isn't really with the Japanese (they never appear), but rather between the young soldiers and the American government. Their naivete is made quite clear early on, the realization that their buddy overboard will be left to perish at sea, the various conflicts they witness between the military commanders and the battle planners, etc., so we are well-prepared for the whole problem of the flag (two photos, not one, because some military brass wanted a souvenir, a trophy for his shooting lodge), the “buy bonds” road tour, their disillusionment as they try to act the part of the heroes, and all the questions they ask that are never answered.

The ensemble cast were ok but special mention goes to Adam Beach as the deeply troubled Pima Indian, Ira Hayes. He captured the angst ridden Hayes with such painful poignancy. I believe that Ryan Philippe as John Bradley came across as being too meek. From the book, the impression I got of Doc Bradley was a strapping lanky lad who was strong enough to carry wounded soldiers on his back. He was a very nurturing fellow who gained the respect of his comrades for saving a lot of lives on that ill fated island.

The film wasn't “bad enough” that we could take issue with its failings, but it didn’t really succeed in ways that could be praised, either. To be fair, I feel that I must wait and see “Letters from Iwo Jima”, the second film which presents the perspective from the Japanese side. It is now getting good reviews from the critics and has also been included among the top 10 films for 2006 in Time Magazine.

In conclusion, I believe that you are better off reading the book to understand the full extent of the damage that happened not only on that tiny sulfur island but also definitely in the deep recesses of the mind of the surviving soldiers. Their horrific experience haunted them till their last breath, unfortunately this film didn’t do justice to their gutting experience on the sands of Iwo Jima.

"THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY"

CineManila
World Cinema Category
Cinema 2, Greenbelt 1
November 3 -15, 2006

A poignant tale of two brothers who find themselves on opposite sides of the political divide in Ireland after the signing of the peace treaty which divided Ireland into two. This eventually led to the outbreak of civil war in Ireland between the group which supports the Treaty and those who believed in fighting for their Independence. This film directed by Ken Loach won the Palme D'or prix at this year's Cannes Film Festival in France. It is set in a small rural Irish town in the early 20th century. The film explores the lives of the people who are constantly harassed by British soldiers. How they band together to rebel against the authoritarian rule is the main thrust of this film.

Ken Loach's minimalist approach about a very sensitive subject is a good depiction. It is very dialogue driven so you need to tune your mind to understand the Irish accent. I got used to reading subtitles after watching a lot of foreign films recently so for a certain part of the film I had to really strain my ears to grasp the language. There are some really graphically brutal scenes but they are clearly relevant to the storyline. The sometimes lush, then other times barren Irish countryside provide excellent backdrop coating the film with a certain bleakness that makes it very realistic.

The ensemble cast all contribute to etch out some distinctly humane characters. Special mention goes out to Cillian Murphy whose underacting approach adds a lot of heart and soul to his character as one of the ill fated Donovan brothers. He basically carries the whole movie without being too 'in your face' if you know what I mean. The storyline is fluid enough and not really hard to comprehend you just need to really listen because it is in the dialogue that things get explained.

I have to admit everything I know about the political situation in Ireland during that historical period, I 'learned' by watching movies like "Michael Collins", "The Boxer" and "In the Name of the Father" which of course doesn't really give a more profound sense of the conflict. But I am more or less aware of the whole situation. So it doesn't hurt one bit to learn more about the political climate in that part of the world through one more socially relevant film about contemporary history.

"9-YA ROTA"
"9TH COMPANY"

CineManila
World Cinema Category
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 1
November 3 - 16, 2006

This Russian film explores a band of young Army recruits who are set to fight in the Afghan war during the Soviet invasion of the country in the 1980s. The film is based on events which took place in early 1988 during the last large-scale Soviet military operation "Magistral". This particular army company is said to have been "forgotten" by the military command because of the Soviet withdrawal. A bloody battle which cost them dearly with many casualties.

The film starts with the usual introduction of the various characters, during their rigid training in the rough terrain of Uzbekistan up to their fierce battle on top of the mountains in barren Afghanistan against a forcefully menacing and well hidden enemy, the Mujahideens. It is a realistically convincing movie about a war that not many people have had access to, fought in the 80s when the Soviet Union was still a force to be reckoned with. The brutal often crude training of the army recruits was very harsh and almost inhuman yet the camaraderie that forms between the young guys is sealed by a strong bond. Character development is well established although I have to admit it is a bit daunting to remember names and faces since it seems to me that they all look alike. A fact I have often noticed when I watch foreign films. Maybe it is because the language is completely alien and I have to read subtitles to get a feel of how each character is fleshed out.

Anyways, the film picks up once they get to Afghanistan. The very minute they step off the plane, an intense explosive scene sets the ball rolling. A jaw dropping shot of the arid terrain of Afghanistan provides great visual of the locale. The tiny village, the treacherous mountains with hidden caves that weave like a snake and the Russian army's barracks are all well portrayed. But sometimes some random scene enters the frame out of nowhere that catches you by surprise like the shot where their training commander is crying while he sits in a field of bright red flowers. Loud blaring music pierces your ear drums for some dramatic effect just when you least expect it. The film deals with a sensitive theme - war. So naturally, gory scenes of bullets flying everywhere and bodies ripped apart and falling down like dominoes abound. The battle scenes are well executed but they tend to have this Rambo like effect and can take the tone of a grade B (American) movie. The enemy are mostly caricatures of some men wearing turbans and flowing capes who pop in and out of some hidden caves to kill the Russians. We are not given a good sense of what exactly the Mujahideens are fighting for and it seems neither did the Soviet army have a good insight on their enemy. All they are told is to be vigilant and fully alert. The final battle scene is a bit ridiculous but I guess the director wanted to show the desperation of the 9th company when they were being overwhelmed from all corners by the Mujahideens. Their appeal for help and reinforcement fell on deaf ears as the Soviet Union had already withdrew from Afghanistan.

This film is said to receive mixed reactions from the veterans of that war, who pointed to a number of inaccuracies. It was directed by Fyodor Bondarchuk, the son of classic Soviet film director Sergei Bondarchuk, whose 1959 Destiny of a Man was a landmark in film treatments of World War II and who also shot an Oscar-winning epic, based on Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace. In 2006, Russia nominated the movie for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

"EVERYBODY'S FAMOUS!"

Cine Europa
Shang Cineplex
November 9 - 19, 2006

This is a light hearted comedy from Belgium, the land of the Manneken Pis, (Belgian) waffles and where I grew up for a considerable period in my youth (in Brussels, its capital).

This movie though is set in a Flemish town and its tag line poses the question "How far are you willing to go to become a star?" Apparently for Jean, a factory worker, he is willing to do a lot for his teenage daughter, Marva. His method was accidentally drastic but it was never ill intentioned in the first place, he simply wanted his plump daughter to become a pop star. Marva is a regular at karaoke contests impersonating singers like Vanessa Paradis (Johnny Depp's French singer/actress wife) and Madonna. She is downright ridiculous complete with ill fitting costumes so she never bags the grand prize. She has a lovely singing voice though but simply lacks the confidence and charisma befitting a pop star given that she is eh rotund. Her (stage) father on the other hand keeps pushing her to develop her gifted talent to the fore, much to Marva's chagrin.

This is a funny little movie about a father's deep affection for his talented daughter. There are chuckles moments as well as some really hilarious scenes on people who join these contests dressed up in full regalia singing their hearts out. But this film isn't just about singing contests, there are endearingly well developed characters and it has a concise plot. A few "Eurovision" like songs also provide background music to this Flemish film. I will guarantee you will be humming the catchy song "Lucky Manuelo" as you exit the theater. An emotional somehow corny sequence to tug at your heartstring caps the whole film. But overall it is about overcoming your fears, about being triumphant despite all the odds and about believing in yourself or in this case a father believing with all his heart that his daughter is a star in every sense of the word.

"STARFISH HOTEL"

CineManila
World Cinema Category
Greenbelt 1, Cinema 2
November 3 - 15

This is an obscure Japanese film about a man whose life seems to tread on a thin line between reality and fantasy. Arisu is a 'pen pusher' meaning an ordinary salaried employee who likes to read mystery novels by Jo Kuroda, an author with a flair for gripping thrillers with characters like Mr Trickster (a guy dressed in a rabbit suit) and a dream like place called "Darkland". One day, Arisu's neglected wife just disappears without a trace. To complicate things, Mr Trickster follows Arisu around and provides him obscure details about his wife. Arisu is also still haunted by an affair he had with a mysterious woman he met in a place called "Starfish Hotel", two years ago. And get this - "Starfish Hotel" just happens to be the title of the latest Jo Kuroda mystery novel getting a lot of publicity all over town.

Are the troubles that Arisu suddenly finds himself drawn into related to his past affair? What really happened to his wife? Why does Mr. Trickster, the rabbit man know so much about his life? Are his sightings of Jo Kuroda real or are their part of his nightmares? Suddenly the viewer is confronted with a lot of questions that seem to offer no clear answers. If ever would you trust someone dressed in a rabbit suit for the solution to your agony?

This film is clearly bizarre yet in some ways it is also quite compelling to watch. Things are clearly not as they seem. You need to really wrap your mind around the facts as they are presented to you. The director, John Williams who happens to be British by the way chose to mix flashback scenes with current events as they unfold. The sequences are coherent and play out effortlessly. You simply cannot help but be sucked into a strange world of somber surroundings thriving with mysterious characters. There are certain issues which are never explained. The who, why, when and what are left dangling. You simply form your own opinion of what really happened. It is like playing a treacherous mind game. I guess the real question is are you willing to play these games or are you simply not in the mood to keep analyzing this film and just accept it for what it is.

I admit the movie still played out in my mind several hours after I had viewed it in an almost empty dark theater. Until now almost a day after, I'm still trying to find a deeper meaning, a hidden message instilled somewhere, making a conscious effort to comprehend what it wants to convey. My only firm conclusion is that with a movie like "Starfish Hotel" you cannot come up with just one clear answer. It will just linger in the deep recesses of your mind and fester like an uninvited guest to a dinner party.

Perhaps this review of the movie which I found over the Internet will help you ease your mind. It certainly appeased my mind but I still have various questions which are well maybe best left unanswered. All I can further add is that this is the first Japanese film I've viewed which deals with flawed human relationships in a modern setting. Most of the Japanese movies I've watched so far dealt mostly with Samurais with their strict adherence to the Bushido code. An era long buried in the past rich history of Japan. So "Starfish Hotel" was rather compelling to watch and I've grown to appreciate its unique essence despite its surrealist undertones.

"MARIE ANTOINETTE"
Kirsten Dunst, Rip Torn, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis, Rose Byrne, Steven Coogan

"Let them eat cake"

Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

I am still at odds on whether I like this film or not. That's why I've been having a difficult time coming up with a review.

On the one hand, it is a visually pleasing movie to watch. Quite bright and it has this little airy feel to it with all those 80s music, those colorful costumes and great shots of Versailles in all its gaudy glamour. It was very detail oriented from the way the meals were presented on the table, a feast fit for royalty to the ornately furnished rooms of the palace as well as the manicured lush lawns of the gardens of Versailles. I have been to Versailles several times in my lifetime, I have always wondered how it would feel to live during that auspiciously opulent era. All those balls and merry making, endless revelry with beautiful gowns in those halls with grand paintings, high chandeliers and classical music permeating throughout the Palace. Ok I will stop daydreaming now ... back to the film. I also like the 'fashion show' style of displaying the young Queen's wardrobe - her numerous dainty shoes, her brocade gowns and her elaborate coiffure (hairstyle) - complete with rock music to appeal to the younger audience.

But then the thing is for me, it seemed like Sofia Coppola read Lady Antonia Fraser's book then decided to go on a field trip. Telling herself 'well since I'm going to be in France after all, why don't I grab my video camcorder, round up some of my friends who just happen to be actors/actresses, dress them up in period costumes, head out to Versailles and act out the book?. You stand here ... You there ... Ok action!' Voila a home made video, add a few songs here and there giving it a MTV feel then sell it to some film studio and let them market it at film festivals and selected cinema theaters.

I don't know if it is the amateurish feel or the fact that the story line is rather limited which makes me not appreciate the nature of this film. I guess in some ways, it is unique and presents us with a different side to Marie Antoinette's personality. The fact that she was a foreigner who felt like an outsider, got married to an indifferently boring husband at a very young age. Then she was under constant pressure and strain to consummate the marriage in the hopes of producing a male heir to the throne. So in her infinite boredom she indulged in lavish luxuries and couldn't care less about the starving French populace. She was very isolated in her little world of pomp and pageantry that she really didn't know any better. If anything, this film sort of justifies her opulent indulgences and certainly puts her in a much better light than someone who was conniving and callous enough to utter "Let them eat cake" as a response to the clamor of the hungry masses. So I was a bit disappointed by how confining and claustrophobic I felt watching the entire movie but then I really didn't expect much from Sofia Coppola's revisionist narrative about a much maligned and (apparently) misunderstood young Queen. Besides, I never liked Kirsten Dunst and this film just further put me off her acting all the more. Ugh!

"SPRING, SUMMER, FALL, WINTER ... AND SPRING"

CineManila
World Cinema Category
Greenbelt 1, Cinema 2

A very simple Korean film about the different seasons in the life of a man. It traces his existence from his childhood till his old age in a setting which is breathtakingly beautiful - a wooden temple/shrine in the middle of a wide lake surrounded by lush green mountains. There are only two main characters. A young boy and a wise old monk.
Day in and day out, life is pretty much the same in this idyllic place devoid of any distractions such as a TV or a computer for that matter. Most of the time they collect herbs in the forest for medicinal purposes and pray to Buddha.

The film starts with the first season "Spring" the boy is about 5 years old and is very curious and quite playful. The wise old man quietly observes the young kid. The season changes to "Summer" and this time he is now a teenager of about I would say 15 years old. One day a mother brings her teen daughter to the shrine in hopes of finding her a cure for her sickness. She leaves her daughter behind while she is being healed. But the young guy falls in love with her and they both decide to leave once she has recovered from her illness. "Fall" focuses on the old monk left alone to his own devices. One day the young guy returns as a grown man of 30 years old. Hardened and bitter by the conflicts and hardships which dealt him a rough life out in the real world. Most of the drama unfolds in the season as both the old monk and the grown man deal with several burdens. In the "Winter" part, he is now an older man left to take care of the shrine after the monk has crossed over to the great beyond. Then it is back to the same cycle of life once "Spring" starts and the tide has turned as the young kid in the beginning of the film is now the old monk and there is a young boy who appears under mysterious circumstances.

This film shines despite its very simplistic approach. Hardly any dialogue, no long narratives yet it is fraught with a lot of symbolisms. Subtle hints about finding one's self, about discovering the pitfalls of life and maintaining an inner sense of peaceful balance amidst various conflicts which pop up during one's lifetime. The movie is flawlessly crafted, the cinematography is crisp with very beautiful shots of all the four seasons in one single place. The characters don't say much but their body language is very expressive and their facial gestures convey a whole myriad of rich emotions. A film that evokes many thoughts yet in a very muted manner and you leave the theater with a certain sense of calm demeanor which envelopes you with some peace of mind. Until you end up stuck in a traffic jam on your way home. Oh well, back to MY reality! =)

"THE PRESTIGE"

Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie, Andy Serkis, Piper Perabo, Rebecca Hall

Cinema 1, Shang Cineplex

"A Friendship, That Became a Rivalry ...
A Rivalry, That Became a Battle."

If you are one of the few people on earth who truly understood the movie "Memento" then I am positive you won't have a difficult time grasping this latest Christopher Nolan masterpiece "The Prestige".

At the start of the movie, we are warned to watch closely so you better take that advice to heart. A good adaptation of a novel by Christopher Priest of the same title and masterfully scripted by the Nolan brothers - this film traces the lives of two magicians who are fiercely competitive with each other as well as obsessed with regaling people with innovative tricks to further hone their artistic talents as illusionists/magicians. It is also a study into the lives of two contrasting characters who despite being in the same industry are sustained by different circumstances in their existence to always aim to be the best in their field. Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) is the more skillful one but he lacks a flair for showmanship while Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman) is the more flamboyant magician with questionable technical skills.

The film unfolds in the usual Nolan style of splicing the chronological sequence of the story with flashbacks then jumping to the present scene. A clever technique he has mastered in such a fluid manner you need to have all your senses intact to appreciate the crafty way it is displayed. Great costume design from the turn of the century fashion, the impeccably eloquent accents of the ensemble cast and engagingly well fleshed out characters all add to the great quality aspect of this film. The storyline is as fascinating as magic itself. Various conflicts arise, the dark subject matter deals with betrayal, obsession, distrust, deceit, jealousy, love and blind devotion to an art form. Authentic depiction of that bygone era is presented with tasteful cinematography. Scenes of big musty theaters with grand chandeliers, stagecoaches and steam engines as the central means of transportation are well documented. As well as that general squalid atmosphere that seems to permeate during those desperate times when peoples' idea of entertainment was to be awed by magic shows.

Intensely powerful performances from Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman and Michael Caine. The women like Scarlett Johannson, Piper Perabo and Rebecca Hall are cast in small but significant roles. David Bowie as Nikola Tesla and Andy Serkis as Alley, Teslo's assistant were very credible in their roles even if it was in a supporting capacity.

I won't go into a lengthy review of the storyline simply because I don't want to spoil the thrill one gets upon watching this gripping film unfold on a wide screen in a dark theater. All I can say is it is like watching an electrifying magic show performed on stage. You see the tricks, you clap with awe then you leave the cinema with a million questions pondering in your fertile mind. Oh, you get the film alright. You know the fate of the characters, you form your own opinion on whether it was a good or bad ending. But you can't help yourself from analyzing the film endlessly and you can still come up with different interpretation of the events, every single time.

Now that is what I call a great movie!

"THE SKELETON KEY"
Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt, Peter Sarsgaard

"It can open any door"

HBO

There are two main reasons why I rather wait for movies to be shown on cable TV: (a) They are horror flicks. I scare easily so I rather watch them in the comfort of my living room where I can switch channels if I get too frightened! (b) The plot doesn't particularly grab my attention so I won't waste my precious money on them. This simply implies I may be a cinephile but I am also cheap so I won't go watch a film just for the heck of it.

"The Skeleton Key" was on my list of horror flicks. The others being "The Jacket", "Saw 2" and "Hide and Seek". Fortunately for me, HBO showed it earlier tonight. It has a good cast with believable performances from Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt and Peter Sarsgaard. It is set in the outskirts of New Orleans and it deals with some voodoo, hoodoo stuff. Don't ask me the difference I wouldn't know. Characters with names like Papa Justify, Mama Cecile and Violet Devereaux, very Creole tinged with good old Southern charm.

The premise is simple enough - a young woman (Kate Hudson who I think might have been pregnant while filming the movie. I noticed she had more flesh to her skinny frame and a little bump in her belly) is hired to take care of an old man supposedly paralyzed by a stroke. She moves in with the couple and is given a skeleton key which apparently opens every single door in the creaky house except of course the ubiquitous attic. Of course, she starts snooping around the attic trying to find the dirty little secrets it hides, poking her nose into things which aren't any of her business. Soon enough she gets embroiled in the whole darkness which envelops the house and its inhabitants. Dramatically the film ends with a clever yet morbid little twist which in my utter state of confusion I wasn't able to decipher right away. Confusion brought about by the fact that I wasn't paying close attention to the film 'cause I was busy eating my dinner in front of the telly.

The film has its standard creepy moments like doors rattling in the attic, voodoo mambo jumbo-ness but mostly it doesn't really make you scream out with fright. The whole cinematography is dark and gloomy which is understandable for the movie to have its horror flick effect. Climate is rather morose both weather wise and the mood of the characters. It is well acted though which may be the only salvation in this rather forgettable film. Nothing spectacular though just one of those movies which make you shrug your broad little shoulders with a nonchalance attitude and just chalk it to something to watch on a boring Saturday night - a 'microwave dinner' film.

"THE GUARDIAN"
Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, Sela Ward, Clancy Brown, John Heard, Neal McDonough

"When lives are on the line, sacrifice everything"

Cinema 4, Shang Cineplex

I have always been ambivalent towards Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. I mean I don't really like them but I don't hate them either. They have done some good films such as "Field of Dreams" (Costner) and "The Butterfly Effect" (Kutcher). As well as really lousy ones like "Rumor has It" (Costner) and "Dude, Where's my Car?" (Kutcher). So put the two of them together in one film and what do you get? A well made movie with a solid script, coherently directed with a good paced scenario. Some lines that deserve a chuckle or two and a subject matter that focuses on an agency that is duty bound to save and rescue endangered lives in times of maritime disasters. Hmm ok so maybe the two actors had little to do with it - their acting was ok but I guess it helps that you have a lot of good factors playing out in your favor.

The first hour and a half concentrates on the gruelling training session of the new recruits of the Coast Guard. We are given a glimpse into the various stages of swimming lessons, breathing exercises, practice sessions with the necessary heavy paraphernalia/equipment as well as simulated rescue scenarios. It is all really interesting stuff to absorb. The film thoroughly researched the mechanics involved in being a Coast Guard swimmer/rescuer. Of course the bonding moments ensues between the trainees and their instructors. Naturally, Hollywood needs to throw in a female character so lead actor # 1 (Kutcher) can have some romantic scenes. While lead actor # 2 (Costner) needs to be this conflicted and flawed person battling his demons and marital woes. Conflicts always provide good dramatic 'feeling sorry for myself' moments.

Some highlights of the last few minutes of the film are on the few daring rescue missions after lead character number 1 is now officially a member of the Coast Guard. In my opinion, they should have given less airtime to the training and focus more on actual maritime rescue efforts. But overall, I think the film did justice to the valiant efforts and heroic stance of the Coast Guard in general. It is almost like a recruitment advertisement for more young guys to join the program. So given that it was a rather long movie and most of the time you have this urge to run to the bathroom to answer the call of nature due to all the wet scenes of swimming pools and the vast deep ocean, I can say the film was fairly entertaining and a good way to waste 2 hours of your time.

"WORLD TRADE CENTER"
Nicholas Cage, Michael Pena, Maria Bello, Maggie Gyllenhaal

"The world saw evil that day. Two men saw something else."

Cinema 1, Shang Cineplex

It was my birthday so even if I was battling severe stomach cramps after days of feeling really lousy due to a stomach flu - I went out to keep a tradition going. The fact that I watch a Nicholas Cage movie on my birthday. That is of course if there is one showing at the theaters on October 19. I recall fondly watching "Windtalkers", "Matchstick Men" and "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" during my previous birthdays. So I was in luck that "World Trade Center" opened on the eve of my special day.

Now on to the film. It is a bit difficult to write a review of a film that chronicles the event of something as horrifying as the 9/11 tragedy. Especially without sounding like as a cynical callous person when the film doesn't go down favorably with my own interpretation of what a film about that event should be all about. For me it lacked the poignancy factor, the one aspect that would pull at your heartstrings, the one that would trigger your tear ducts to fall down your cheeks.

Ok fair warning, I am going to mention some spoilers which I hate to do but it is inevitable as I need to emphasize some points. The first 45 minutes of the film was pretty intense. Oliver Stone was able to capture the raw essence of that fateful day as it first unfolded. The shadow of the plane against the building as it is about to crash against the World Trade center is a very powerful image that is hauntingly eerie. Then the total chaotic scenes of debris falling all over the streets of New York as people scrambled out of the way trying to flee from the two Towers was very captivating. It felt like Oliver Stone was actually there on that unfortunate day rolling his cameras to capture the disaster. But after the Towers actually collapses on the two main characters, the film becomes dull. We are shown scenes of flashbacks of happier times with their families interspersed with the two cops prepping each other up while trapped inside the rubble as well as the rescue efforts to find any survivors. I have no problem with the execution of these scenes, they were coherent and well paced. The flashbacks are necessary, I have to admit that.


But my main issue is how cheesy and corny some of the scenes were. Throwing in a lone rogue Marine to act as some hero, making him as some sort of Messiah who avenges the attacks by re-enlisting in the Marine Corps to fight in Iraq is like a propaganda for the US Military. Showing scenes of a blurry Jesus Christ with a mineral bottle as some way to depict the act of going towards the light for the hallucinating cops is just plain tacky. I understand that it is a movie about two cops, two persons who survived to tell their stories and that they were closely collaborating with Oliver Stone himself during the making of the film but somehow it came across as being just about the two of them. How about the other lives that were lost in that tragedy? The film merely brushed on the subject by focusing on a wall lined up with pictures of the missing people who died on that day. He also didn't focus enough on the valiant efforts of the rescuers, Instead it came across as the Marine dude was the only soul brave enough to go through the rumble at night. Even though we know for a fact that the rescue teams never stopped even to the detriment of their health

Acting wise, Michael Pena was pretty convincing. He even outshined Nicholas Cage. It is understandable though that Nicholas Cage couldn't do much given the fact that it was mostly his head that was visible under all that rubble. Maria Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal as the frantic wives of the two cops wavered between overacting as in hysterical outbursts to underacting with scenes done with subdued fluency.


Overall, this film didn't seem like an Oliver Stone film. He didn't come up with some conspiracy theory nor did he aim to explain who were truly responsible for those barbaric acts. No grandstanding posturing involved at all. He simply wanted to tell the story of two ordinary cops who experienced such a daunting upheaval in their lives, so it worked in that aspect with brilliant accuracy.

But with a movie entitled "World Trade Center" I guess I expected a lot more to be revealed and a lot more dramatics to highlight such a tragic event. But maybe we are not really ready to see that on the silver screen. The wound is still a bit raw. It has only been 5 years. We still need a few more years to truly heal yet at the same time, I don't think we should ever forget how the whole world changed since that fateful day - September 11, 2001.

"ELSA Y FRED"
("ELSA AND FRED")

5th Spanish Film Festival
Audience Choice
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

This adorable Argentinean film was chosen as the Audience Choice during the last evening of the 5th Spanish film festival.

So while the earlier Argentinean film (which I reviewed below) lacked any sense of poignancy, "Elsa & Fred" oozed with it. It is a love story set in Madrid between two elderly people. Elsa is a dreamer who seems to have a positive outlook in life and lives her life to the fullest. One day, Alfredo (Fred) moves into the next apartment. A recent widower who is a hypochondriac and prefers to keep himself isolated within the confines of his well furnished apartment. Elsa proceeds to befriend him and sets out to make him fall for her. Their encounters together are refreshingly sweet even at their advanced age. Their chemistry is sparkling even though they have opposite personalities. Elsa makes Fred live again while Fred indulges Elsa's fantasies.

The dialogue is witty and funny. The mature actors are very convincing and quite talented. They are very natural in their acting. Elsa's wardrobe is impeccably chic while Fred is a dapper well groomed gentleman with great taste. Cinematography is panoramic as we are shown scenes of Madrid as well as Rome, Italy. Plot is crisp and well scripted. It is one of those films where you can't help but go "awww" everytime there is a sweet moment unfolding between Elsa and Fred. Yet at the same time there is a tinge of sadness and melancholy because you know that Elsa and Fred don't have much time to enjoy each other's company. But on the other hand, you also rejoice that despite the time constraints, they were able to find each other in their twilight years. They made each other really happy as a couple but most importantly as individuals with still unfulfilled dreams and fantasies.

A nice feel good movie that tells us that love no matter how old we get will always make our hearts a flutter and make us smile with fondness. A very good Audience Choice if I may say so myself. An appropriate way to end this year's Spanish Film Festival. =)

"NO SOS VOS, SOY YO"
("IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S ME")

5th Spanish Film Festival
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

Today was the last day of the Spanish film festival. I am amazed how popular this film festival has become, I remember last year there were a lot of empty seats. This year I had to practically camp out and line up way in advanced so I could get seats, it was full house during all of the screenings.


This Argentinean film is about Javier (Javi for short) and Maria. A couple living in Buenos Aires who dream of settling down in the US to pursue the American dream. They rush their marriage, arrange Maria's papers so she can go ahead of him to settle things and he will follow her in a few months. Simple enough. They are like any normal couple with dreams of making a good life. Conflicts arise when Maria phones him from the US to tell him she has met someone else and it would be better if he doesn't go to the US at all. So poor Javi is practically homeless, jobless and naturally distraught and heart broken. The film shows us how he deals with his 'problem'.


The movie is set in Buenos Aires. The plot has been done countless times in several movies but this is shown with an easing simplicity. There are some funny scenes which merit a few chuckles but mostly I found it rather sad. Well isn't it always sad when someone has to learn to move on after dealing with a traumatic break up?


I have to admit I expected a lot more from this movie, it didn't really scratch much off the surface of a delicate subject matter. I wanted it to be more analytical, more dialogue driven like some existential feature. A more gritty tale about loneliness and yearning. A tale of how someone copes with the harrowing experience of being 'abandoned' in life. But no, this film wasn't any of that. Maybe it never really wanted to deal with all those heavy meanderings, it just wanted to tell the story in a light hearted manner of one man's way of healing his conflicted soul.

Fair enough.

"EL METODO"
("EL METODO GRONHOLM")
"THE GRONHOLM METHOD"

5th Spanish Film Festival
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

The film starts with a split screen showing us scenes of the different characters as they start their day. The radio and the programs on TV informs us that on that day, the IMF summit begins in Madrid. So there are going to be street protesters marching in the streets therefore people are told to be more vigilant and expect some chaos. So after providing us a good backgrounder via images of chaotic street scenes, the film takes on its normal format, the director focuses on an office.

Throughout the entire film, there is only one scene. A boardroom in a modern posh office. There are also only 8 characters, if you include the secretary. The other 7 characters are all job applicants for the same high paying position in a top firm. We are not told the exact position they are applying for. Thus begins a very intense analysis of each of the applicants using what is known as the Gronholm Method. A human resource strategy supposedly developed in the US. This method pits the candidates against each other through a series of tests wherein they (the applicants themselves) eliminate the weakest link from the group. In the process, it becomes a race, a survival of the fittest. Each candidate is very qualified. They are successful in their respective careers, all of them driven and ambitious. Yet the test somehow manages to weed out their individual weaknesses, their flaws to the point where it gets pretty brutal and even resorts to insults on their personality. So while there are some background noise of loud protests in the streets below, up on that 35th floor office, a different kind of warfare is brewing - among the severn very well qualified candidates for that one position. It gets dirty, it gets personal, it is compelling to watch.

The film is based on a famous play about different interview jobs. It does a very good job in drawing out the 7 main characters. It is well acted by a bunch of good looking actors and actresses. It is gripping and fascinating to watch, to see just how far certain people are willing to compromise just to land themselves a good job. It is a no holds barred situation. Each character is well fleshed out. Each scene as dramatic as the next. Never a dull moment until the very end when only one candidate is chosen or rather wins the job.

I recommend this film because it is a good showcase on the different psyche of people. A good analytical view of humanity, best characterized by a diverse group of people bunched up together for a single purpose - to land a high paying job. It is amazing how one single setting (in this case a boardroom in an office) can bring out different scenarios.

Watch it. It is worth it, believe me!

"THE DEPARTED"
Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon, Leonardo di Caprio, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga

"Lies. Betrayal. Sacrifice. How far will you take it?"

Cinema 6, SM Megamall

I took a break from the still ongoing Spanish film festival to get sucked into an action filled, suspenseful Hollywood film.

Here are my thoughts on "The Departed"  in bullet form:

• I know it is Hollywood's version of a HongKong flick called "Infernal Affairs".  A film I haven't seen yet nor do I intend to see it since I'm not really into that sort of movies. 
• The first part of the movie is as usual the introduction of the different characters, their background and where you sort of establish some rapport with their fate.  Whether you get engaged into their life story and whom you would be silently rooting for.  Martin Scorsese has developed really good visuals for us to immediately pick out our favorites.
• The middle part it seems things slow down a bit to the point where you wonder if things will pick up and start to get really nasty.   The wheelings and dealings are already familiar territory so you try not to doze off.  Yeah I know how can I doze off during a Scorsese movie?  Blasphemous!  Heh
• Now the last part maybe for about 30 minutes is when the shit hits the fan.   I mean wow bodies start piling up, you stay glued to the screen, awaiting the intense gripping moments of who gets killed next.   Fact paced, gritty action.  Now that's more like it!
• The bevy of talented actors is what sustained the movie, imho.  If the roles fell into the hands of mediocre actors, I'm afraid the movie would have fallen flat on the ground and be stomped like a bug.   Even the supporting roles of Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin and Mark Wahlberg were intensely captivating.
• The dialogue was top notch.  I don't know why foul language uttered in movies simply crack me up all the time.  Something really realistic about it, I guess.  Let's face it, people really do use the *F* word a lot in normal conversations so for them to utter it like it was a common derivative is refreshing to watch. Well I meant those type of people -  the ones in the law enforcement agencies as well as the gangster types.  I especially like the ra ta tat foul mouthed spiel that Mark Wahlberg essayed with gusto everytime he was in a scene. 
• One question though is why did Scorsese cast an actress who simply couldn't act if her life depended on it?   Vera what's her name was very rigid and ineffectual that I kept thinking she didn't really have to be in the movie at all.  
• Inevitably Matt Damon and Leo di Caprio would be pitted against each other and compared and analysed incessantly.  But I think that they are both in different leagues.  Matt Damon has established himself as the ordinary guy who if worse comes to shove does heroic things and delivers most of the time.  His roles in the Bourne Identity series testifies to this endeavour effortlessly.  While Leo has the leading man good looks, the romantic lead that rescues damsels in distress pitch working for him everytime.  I am also quite relieved that he has grown up to be a mature actor, beyond his baby face good looks. The way he knots his eyebrows to show some intense emotions is very good and it simply pierces through the screen like a sharp edged razor.
• Jack Nicholson is the very heart and soul of this movie.  His Frank Costello is right up there along with Joe Pesci's Tommy DeVito in "Goodfellas" and Daniel Day Lewis' Bill Cutting in "Gangs of New York".  Forceful, in your face characters that will be revered in cinematic history.

Finally, I think the movie is a good vehicle to showcase Scorsese's comeback after a long absence. The plot is solidly coherent, the dialogue is realistic and the ensemble cast is quite convincing in their respective roles.    A good suspenseful, action packed film that is worth your hard earned bucks. 

"NINETTE"

5th Spanish Film Festival
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

The second movie during the featured director's (Jose Luis Garci) night at this year's Spanish film festival is a light farcical comedy simply entitled "Ninette". Alexandra or Ninette as she is called is a liberated French girl born to leftist Spanish parents who immigrated to Paris, France. She works at Galeries Lafayette, this huge department store in Paris. One day, Andres, a comely man from Murcia, Spain goes to Paris for a visit. By some twist of fate, his friend Armando books him a room at the apartment of Ninette's parents. It is Andres' s first time in Paris so he wants to experience the Parisian lifestyle as much as possible. But it seems Ninette has other plans for Andres.

This movie is adapted from two plays by Miguel Mihura. "Ninette and the Gentleman from Murcia" and "Ninette, Paris Fashion." Miguel Mihura (1905 - 2005) is one of the greatest humorists and dramatists of the 20th century. He boldly attempts to make a comparison between the two countries, in terms of fashion, ideologies, political leanings and life in general. Ninette's parents Monsieur Pierre and Madame Barnarda have pretty socialist/communist leanings with posters of Lenin hanging on the wall of their apartment in Paris. Yet they still remain true Spaniards in their hearts and constantly talk about the motherland with affection. Andres becomes their link to their past, while Ninette personifies everything modern and spontaneous in the chosen second home, Paris.


The whole movie is shot indoors. It has a theater feel to it since after all it is based on plays. Jose Luis Garci captures the romantic, amusing and sometimes funny essence of this light comedy, perfectly. Although there were some parts which I thought come out as being too theatrical in nature. After a while, the drab scenery of the interiors became too claustrophobic for me. I wished the atmosphere would suddenly change and breathe in some refreshing shots of my favorite city in the whole world. But alas, it isn't so.

The dialogue is quite simple. It was fun to hear the characters speak French with a thick Spanish accent. They would also combine their sentences with French words while speaking in Spanish. A really common thing to do, if you are bilingual.


You really need to be a theater afficionado to appreciate this film.
Or else, the only reason you will stay glued to the screen would be the alluring screen presence of Elsa Pataky as the mesmerizing "Ninette". The young woman who somehow 'hypnotized' poor Andres to stay indoors with her in their stuffy apartment when one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world beckoned him with her numerous attractions.

What a fool!

"HISTORIA DE UN BESO"
("THE STORY OF A KISS")

5th Spanish Film Festival
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

Today I saw a double feature of the famous Spanish director Jose Luis Garci's masterpieces. The first one was shown at 4:30 pm. A poignant romantic film entitled "The Story of a Kiss". This film traces the love stories of two individuals. Don Blas Otamendi, a renowned literary figure and his nephew Julio.

From the very first scene of a snowy bleak afternoon when the whole community learns of Don Blas's death till the very last scene of a snow filled gravesite where Julio bids a tender farewell to his beloved uncle, you are enveloped with a certain poignancy that permeates throughout this film. Each scene reflects a certain warmth that exudes through the screen even though the cinematography is a bit dark and bleak. The dialogue is filled with several references to some personalities in the Spanish literary world as well as people famous during that generation like Albert Einstein.

Don Blas' narration of his encounter with Andrea, the younger lady he eventually falls in love with has a tinge of sadness and melancholy attached to it. While Julio's encounter Bea, on the other hand is fraught with the hopeful aura of a first love. We are shown flashback scenes of Julio as a young boy when he used to vacation in his uncle's place as well as scenes of Don Blas secretive 'love' affair with the much younger Andrea. The director used a clever technique of interspersing both stories in a very fluid flow that the whole movie just glides on by so smoothly. I am somehow reminded of the movie "Doctor Zhivago". It seems to capture the same rich texture of a love story that will endure through the times. A classical rendition of the song "Fascination" accompanies each scene that Don Blas and Andrea are together. Their fascinating encounters which simply consists of talking in the park, in the ballroom or sharing a meal together are very heart warming. It is refreshing to know that love can bloom between two very different people without being physical. That their love was pure and fresh yet in some ways it was very sad that they couldn't be together.

The film is a very dialogue driven one. Conversations abound. Friends gathering around the table to talk about anything under the sun. Lovers talking about their dreams, their hopes and their desires. The plot does move at a slow pace yet you hardly notice the minutes ticking by because it is all presented in a very coherent manner.

I know that not everyone will appreciate this sort of film. But once in a while it is refreshing to simply get lost in a quality film that brings back memories of a golden era in the art of Cinema. A period wherein a story was well crafted, the actors are believable and the main theme deals with a very basic yet classic subject - LOVE sans the distracting computer generated images that seem to be the norm nowadays.

I conclude with a few lines from the haunting song that would now always remind me of this classic film:

It was fascination, I know
And it might have ended at the start.
A passing glance, a brief romance
And I might have gone on my way empty-hearted, empty-hearted
It was fascination, I know
Seeing you under the moonlight above, baby
And I touch your hand and I kiss you
and fascination turned to love

"TAPAS"
5th Spanish Film Festival
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

You would think that a film entitled "TAPAS" would be peppered with a lot of food. But nope, it isn't. Although it does feature a Tapas bar/restaurant, food isn't the only issue portrayed in this film.

It focuses on a small neighborhood in the suburbs of Barcelona. It shows us the daily travails of its working class inhabitants. Each of them have hidden secrets which are slowly revealed to the viewer.

You have Dona Conchi, an elderly woman who is a drug pusher. Raquel, a separated woman who finds love over the Internet. Cesar and Opo, 2 young guys who dream about getting laid during the summer. The owner of the Tapas restaurant, Lolo who hides the fact that his wife (the cook) left him so he has to hire a quirky Chinese guy named Mao to do the cooking. It all takes place within a little community during one of the hottest summers in the history of Spain.

It is a simple film that shows us a side of Barcelona that the ordinary tourist or visitor won't get the chance to see. The daily existence of a group of people who deal with loneliness and melancholy yet strive to live life the best way possible. The director just presents you a genuine portrayal of how people go about their daily lives. Not making any grand statement on whether what the old lady does is good or bad. Nor does tell us whether it is possible to find love over the Internet. It is just there for us to see and absorb. Whether we agree or not is not up to us either because we know from the film that that is just how life is in that little part of the world.

It is also interesting to note that the song "Moon River" still resonates a certain romantic poignancy even when it is shown in a Spanish film. A truly classic song to complement a simple light hearted film that tugs at your heart strings.

"SERES QUERIDOS"
("ONLY HUMAN")

5th Spanish Film Festival
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

I might as well bring a sleeping bag to camp out at the Greenbelt cinemas so I can watch as many Spanish films as possible.

This comedy about an 'interracial' romance is rip roaringly hilarious. It has been ages since I laughed this much while watching a movie.

Leni Dali, a perky redhead returns home to introduce her fiance to her family. Her Jewish family is composed of her workaholic father, a typical nagging mother, her single mother sister is a belly dancer at a restaurant and her younger brother recently started practising his Jewish faith more diligently after he saw "Fiddler on the Roof". Completing the family is her blind Holocaust survivor grandfather and her spoiled brat niece. The setting is their cosy 7th floor apartment. Everything seems to go well except when Leni reveals to her family that not only is Rafi (her fiance) an Israeli, he is in fact, a Palestinian. The ruckus that unfolds as the whole family is turned upside down is really worth watching.

Funny scenes are mostly in the dialogue as well as the silly antics they all get into. Eventually the glaring differences between the two lovers arises, especially when they argue about their respective religious beliefs. The setting is mainly in the apartment of this crazy yet endearing family.

Guillermo Toledo is one of the most convincingly funny Spanish actors I've seen on screen. His role in "Crimen Ferpecto" which I watched at last year's Spanish Film Fest proves he has great comedic timing. His portrayal of Rafi as the Palestinian who has fully immersed into the Spanish culture is brilliant. He totally captured it to a T. Heh I should know my ex boyfriend was Palestinian too but he wasn't Spanish. The rest of the cast were all quite good in making their characters quite endearing to the audience. Dsyfunctional and all, they were still very vibrantly humane and had genuine personalities.

I truly recommend this film! It is poignant, socially relevant, wacky, really hilarious and proves that love does conquer all.