POSTI IN PIEDI IN PARADISO(A FLAT FOR THREE)

2nd MOVIEMOV: Italian Cinema Now

Greenbelt 3, Cinema 5

This comedy tells the story of 3 guys down on their luck in terms of their occupations as well as their personal lives who reluctantly decide to share a run down apartment. The 3 guys have very different personalities and habits, yet they are bonded by common problems like alimony, child support payments amidst harsh economic times. 

Most of the laughs arise from the dire situations these guys face on a daily basis.  Trying to make ends meet is difficult enough, they need to deal with the eccentricities of each other in a very cramped apartment.

The talented ensemble cast do their best to convey the difficulties faced by each character.  Although there were times in the story where too many side plots veered away from the essence of the film.   The main core of this comedy is love for family as best exemplified by how these guys expressions change whenever they talked about their children.

A good comedy that doesn't seek to resolve nor judge its characters based on the choices/decisions they make in life. It simply presents a valid portrayal of daily life through the eyes of 3 ordinary guys who just want to make the world a better place to live for their family.  

Although there is the customary and predictable feel good ending to tie up all the loose ends, somehow I left the cinema with a smile on my face after watching this heartwarming Italian film.

TED

Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis
Seth MacFarlane (voice of Ted)

Although this film is about a teddy bear that magically comes to life per the wish of an eight year old boy on Christmas Eve, it is definitely not a movie for kids.  

Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) is a fuzzy and very sarcastic teddy bear that uses drugs, drinks heavily and talks offensively.  He is the best buddy (and only friend) of John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) a man child who works at a rent a car company.  Despite his childish behavioral antics, John is in a happy relationship (going strong at 4 years) with Lori (Mila Kunis) a smart and attractive woman.

The film starts off in 1985 and spans on until John is 35 years old and still lives with Ted. They are mostly high on drugs, leading direction-less existence.  It even comes to a point where John's romantic relationship is threatened by him spending too much time with his buddy.

There are a lot of 80s references from music, TV shows to cameo roles from celebrities who were famous during that era.  Dialogue is mostly raunchy humor courtesy of the foul mouthed Ted.  Sure the jokes and references were sexist and racially offensive but I was totally amused and actually laughed out loud on numerous occasions.  I felt like I was in on the private jokes between two friends and this surely stems from the fact that I grew up watching those shows and listening to that genre of music.

The best moments are from the special bond between Ted and John. Their friendship is genuine and they have great chemistry together, both sparring off from the silly and dare I say immature antics of each other.  

The introduction of a subplot where an obsessive stalker/fan kidnaps Ted is a bit weak and didn't really add up.  It was merely inserted to drum up some drama and was actually very creepy.  Despite the adult themed raunchy humor, I couldn't help but feel a certain warm, and fuzzy feeling/vibe emanating from the bromance.  So much so that I was actually sad when Ted 'faded' away.  

Overall, "Ted" was an entertaining film. The special effects were so realistic you forget stuffed animals don't talk.  But this type of movie might not appeal to sensitive and easily offended viewers. So proceed with caution!

2nd MOVIEMOV: ITALIAN CINEMA NOW

The International Italian Film Festival starts its run from December 4 - 9, 2012 at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas in Makati City.

It will feature contemporary and award winning Italian films. As well as a retrospective of films by famous Italian director Sergio Leone, the master of "Spaghetti Westerns".  All of them will be screened with English subtitles.

It will also pay tribute to critically acclaimed Filipino films by award winning directors like Brillante Mendoza.  It will provide roundtable discussions among Italian and Filipino filmmakers to have an international exchange of ideas and concepts in film making. 

It opens on the evening of December 4, 2012 with the red carpet gala event and the parade of Italian and Filipino film stars, cocktails will be served.

Entrance is free.

CINEMANILA 2012

CineManila first started in 1999 and was established to honor the legacy of Director Lino Brocka. This year will be its 14th edition and will run from Dec. 5 to 11, 2012 at Market! Market! in Bonifacio Global City.

Not only does it feature an array of international films, it also highlights the brilliant talents from the Southeast Asian region. CineManila has also championed the spirit of independent film making and has given tributes to master filmmakers and their groundbreaking films.

The central features of the festival are Philippine Cinema and Southeast Asian Cinema, or SEA Cinema. The direction and framework of the festival have provided the focus for its programs to provide to the world a window on Philippine cinema in particular and Southeast Asian cinema in general.

So you get a good mixture of independent movies made by local directors, the best from the Southeast Asian Cinema as well as international films from countries like Lebanon, Iraq among others.

For full details, visit the official website at www.cinemanila.org.ph.

MARGARET

Anna Paquin, J. Smith-Cameron, Jean Reno,

Mark Ruffalo, Matt Damon,

Matthew Broderick, Jeannie Berlin

Set in New York City, this turbulent and provocative drama is about the loss of innocence. It is beautifully drawn out by an excellent performance by Anna Paquin. She plays Lisa Cohen, a 17 year old student who believes she caused the bus accident in which a woman was killed. Tormented by her guilt, she sets into motion her plan to correct her misdeed. 

In the process, she alienates her family, her friends and her life. Growing up in a post 9/11 society, her idealism seems to be constantly thwarted by circumstances beyond her manipulative control.

Mostly dialogue driven with many intensely dramatic moments all unfolding at the same time, "Margaret" was a bit disturbing to watch.  Running at almost 3 hours, most of the scenes are filled with antagonistic tension.  Yet at the same time, Director Kenneth Lonergan wanted to spare the audience from witnessing too much drama, by ever so often switching to scenes of slow motion scenery and music filled background images.

By the way, no character in this film is named Margaret. The title refers to a character in a Gerald Manley Hopkins poem "Spring and Fall: to a young child".  A poem read during one of the classes attended by Lisa.   But it does somehow parallel Lisa's chaotic life.

Lisa is a multi dimensional character, the daughter of divorced parents, she has an affluent lifestyle in upstate Manhattan.  Her mother, Joan (J. Smith-Cameron) a Broadway actress who recently starts dating a Colombian software developer (Jean Reno) mostly laments about the strained relationship with her impertinent daughter.   Her father lives in the West Coast and they have significant phone conversations which deal with fleeting matters.  Lisa is highly opinionated and very self absorbed and her somewhat racist views often leads to heated arguments with her classmates.  

The plot is quite complex - you have the ups and downs of the police investigation, the legal battle with the bus company, Lisa's complicated personal, family and school life.  It also too many characters all jostling for adequate screen time. But they are portrayed by a good ensemble cast composed of talented actors like Matt Damon, Matthew Broderick and Mark Ruffalo.

The main draw is Anna Paquin.  She is able to reel us into Lisa Cohen's life by creating a profoundly unsympathetic and quite frankly a very detestable character who is mysteriously, provocatively compelling to watch.

SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

Keira Knightley, Steve Carell

"Nice Knowing You"

Cinema 5, Trinoma Mall

So while people were scrambling over themselves to watch the most anticipated movie for this year, I ran the opposite direction. I wanted to be as far away as possible from luminous vampires and menacing werewolves.  Ergo, I found myself tuning in to the unusual love story that develops between Steve Carell and Keira Knightley in a movie with a bizarre title called "Seeking  a Friend for the End of the World".

Strangely enough, this movie with a doomsday theme was poignantly absorbing albeit in a quirky sort of way.   Banking on a premise that the end of the world is due in 3 weeks time once an asteroid named "Matilda" will hit earth, the film sets into motion the story of Dodge (Steve Carell) and his neighbor Penny (Keira Knightley). 

An insurance sales man whose wife leaves him amidst the impending disaster, his final mission is to seek out an ex girlfriend whom he describes as the love of his life.   His young(er) neighbor Penny comes along for the road trip as she intends to flight to England to be reunited with her family.  The road trip turns into a journey where the two former strangers get to know each other and discover what truly matters as they spend their last days on earth, together. 

There are no scenes of panic nor any military operation to stop the asteroid from hitting our planet like the movie "Armaggedon". Instead we are hit with short clips of people partying, rioting and turning into doomsday preppers who stock up on weapons and potato chips.

The several side plots doesn't deviate from the main gist which is the special bond and friendship that develops between Dodge and Penny.  Much of the credit goes to the brilliantly soulful performances of Steve Carell and Keira Knightley.  Their odd couple pairing succeeds because after all opposites do attract.

Sullen, downtrodden Dodge is a lonely figure who doesn't want to be alone while perky Penny goes through life wearing Converse shoes and listening to old vinyl records with a come what may attitude.   Penny and Dodge are both given their own proper back stories and dilemmas that feel fully developed by the time the two characters interact.

Both endearing, charming characters who makes us the audience believe that life can't be that bad (even though it is about to end in a fiery explosion) if you were to spend it with someone you just met a few weeks ago yet now know you inside out.

A right mix of drama and comedy with an awesome soundtrack of songs from PM Dawn, The Hollies, The Walker Brothers - "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World" is certainly worth every cent!

SKYFALL

Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, 

Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, 

Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw

Cinema 1, Shang Cineplex

The James Bond franchise turned 50, this year.  I'm 44 years old so yes I grew up watching most of the films featuring this slick British agent provocateur who fought against outlandish villains, bedded beautiful women, likes his martini 'shaken not stirred' - all done under Her Majesty's secret service. 

Growing up, I always associated James Bond movies with fancy gadgets, exotic locales, Bond girls, the familiar James Bond theme music (which is now currently playing in my mind!).

It also came with amazing soundtrack composed of songs made famous by artists like Matt Monro ("From Russia with Love"), Shirley Bassey ("Diamonds are Forever"), Sheena Easton ("For Your Eyes Only") and Duran Duran ("A View to a Kill") to name a few.

So there is no way I would have missed  Daniel Craig as 007 in the 23rd offering of the longest running film franchise of all time.  It has to be said that I absolutely adore Daniel Craig in all of his films so seeing him as James Bond is quite an intensely thrilling experience!

In the first few minutes of "Skyfall", Bond is in hot pursuit of an operative who might have the list of all the secret agents of MI6 scattered all over the world in vital covert operations.  Fighting on top of a moving train, he is shot and presumed dead.  Then cue in the title soundtrack sang by Adele accompanied by dazzling graphics and you know you are in for a treat.

Director Sam Mendes then takes Bond to Istanbul, Shanghai, Macau as well as London with the able guidance of M (Judi Dench) who is shown in an entirely different light. She came across as more maternal than the usual no holds barred, no nonsense tough as nails head of MI6.

Bond is given only the bare essentials instead of the fancy gadgets.  He is provided a finger print enabled gun and a 'radio' tracking device which was developed by the new Quartermaster or simply known as Agent Q (Ben Whishaw) who quips "what did you expect, an exploding pen?" when 007 was skeptical.

It is 2012 so the villains are now known as "the Shadows". Not menacing despotic terrorists who wants world domination.  These villains operate using the latest technology to their full advantage to wreak havoc.  Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva was brilliant, as always. I believe he was a bit too over the top but still quite effective.  Although, his whole I was betrayed by my employers so I would throw a tantrum and bring down the entire agency premise was a tad flimsy, if you ask me.    

Yet it is during the pursuit where most of the beautiful cinematography comes into place. The gripping chase on the rooftops of Istanbul, Turkey. The well choreographed fight scenes shot in silhouette, the London scenes of the new HQ of Mi6 and the final 'battle' scenes in breathtaking yet bleak Scotland.   Several wide angle night shots with only the lights from the skyscrapers of Shanghai and the scenes in Macau - were all well conceptualized and projected very well on the screen.

But beyond the exotic locales, the acerbic and witty dialogue, the action filled sequences and the villains lies the true heart of the film - James Bond himself.  Daniel Craig settles in quite nicely in his 3rd offering as 007.  We are shown a less detached James who is more in tune with himself and also he comes to terms with his past.  For once, he isn't just a spy killing machine but more humane, less stoic.  Quite vulnerable as he is mostly hit with indecision.  Yet at the same time he is angrier thus exhibiting a raw hunger coupled with enough chutzpah to skillfully perform his duties.  

Lastly in an interview Daniel Craig was asked:

Q: There’s been a lot of talk about how this has personal stakes for Bond.  What does that require from you in your performance that maybe makes it more personal than the previous things we’ve seen?

Craig: I don’t think personally, it’s about the character and how he lives the experience.  Again, just harkening back to the script, through a lot of hard work I think we’ve kind of got together a script that has a really strong bed rock of a story and something for all the characters—of which there are a lot in this movie—to sort of experience.  There are very personal stories in it and hopefully the audience will get affected by them and moved by them.  It’s just a good acting job to do.

He was right. I was truly affected by the personal stories and declare that "Skyfall" is one of the best James Bond movies I've seen.   Excellent acting job, indeed!!!

FRIENDS WITH KIDS

Adam Scott, Jennifer Westfeldt, Maya Rudolph

Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Chris O'Dowd,

Megan Fox, Edward Burns

"Family doesn't always go according to Plan"

This film is written and directed by Jennifer Westfeldt, the partner of Jon Hamm from "Mad Men". The couple have never married and don't have kids but have a healthy relationship that has been going on for 15 years. The idea for the film came about when the couple observed their friends changed once they started having children. 

Westfeldt then presents us 3 couples (who all happen to be friends) to showcase her point.  We meet newlyweds Missy (Kristen Wiig) and Ben (Jon Hamm) who can't get enough of each other.   Leslie (Maya Rudolph) and Alex (Chris O'Dowd) announce they are expecting their first child.  The 3rd pair Jason (Adam Scott) and Julie (Jennifer Westfeldt) are best friends who are still single.

The story transitions to 4 years later where everything has changed.  Leslie and Alex are always bickering as they deal with two kids they can barely handle.  Missy and a heavy-drinking Ben who is always in a bad mood try to cope with a newborn while constantly bickering with each other.  Seeing what parenthood has done to the relationship of their closest friends, Jason and Jennifer decide to have a baby together but with a twist.  They plan to be single parents and share the responsibility 50/50. 

Their plan bears fruit and soon enough they are equally raising a little boy they name Joe. Things go well until they find themselves in relationships with other people who don't necessarily agree with their little arrangement.

"Friends with Kids" seemed like several episodes of the sitcoms "Friends" and "Parenthood" were molded into a full length movie which isn't necessarily a bad thing in this case.  The dialogue was quite frank and honest but so hilarious. The storyline dealt with valid and very adult issues which crop up during marriage in general as well as the different ways of parenting.  

The ensemble cast composed of mostly veteran comic actors were excellent.  A sort of "Bridesmaids" reunion with Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O'Dowd and Jon Hamm in significant roles. I absolutely love Edward Burns (in any film) even though he had a very brief yet vital role.  But surely the true star of the show is Jennifer Westfeldt herself.   Her nuanced portrayal of Julie was vibrant, funny and very endearing.

"Friends with Kids" is an unconventional story about friendships, relationships and parenthood. It had all the elements of a successful romantic comedy even unfortunately the very predictable yet happy ending.

DRIVE

Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan,

Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks

"There are No Clean Getaways"

Ryan Gosling stars as a Hollywood stuntman who also moonlights as a driver for getaway cars used in heists.  A man of few words with little facial expressions, he is only addressed as "the Driver".  A loner who doesn't have much going on in his life but it is quite evident he comes from a murky past which we aren't privy to. 

It is only when he makes the acquaintance of his neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son, Benicio that he seems to break out of his shell. But those rare moments are short lived as he finds himself in deep trouble after he gets involved in a botched heist c/o of Standard (Oscar Isaac).   The ex convict husband of Irene who owes some debt to his 'sponsor' in the penitentiary.

Soon enough, the driver becomes the target of a very ruthless gangster (Albert Brooks) and his henchmen.  Suddenly, the story turns dark and violent with a very suspenseful tone that keeps you on the edge of your seat.  I was thinking it was about time, the film heated up.   But boy, did I get my wish. 

It develops into a chaotic thriller with visceral and very brutal scenes.  Yet at the same time, the expression of the Driver remains stoic as ever.   The film is quite minimalist in nature yet very effective in projecting a character that knows how to dominate every situation he finds himself in.

Most if not all of the credits goes to Ryan Gosling. His screen presence is quite powerful even without much dialogue.  He is a simmering intense character that knows how to think quickly and he is fully capable of defending himself in precarious incidents.

I contend that "Drive" might not appeal to most female viewers for its brutal scenes yet I do recommend it for one reason only -  Ryan Gosling in an iconic role he was born to portray.

SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN

Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt
Kristin Scott Thomas, Amr Waked

"Make the Impossible Possible"

Cinema 5, Trinoma Mall

For some reason, this charming little film was only shown at the Ayala malls cinemas. So I ventured out of my comfort zone and found myself sitting in an almost empty theater. It felt like I was seated in my own living room  - the only thing missing was my pillow.

The movie is based on Paul Torday’s novel with the very strange title.  It stems from a project of a wealthy sheik who wants to bring salmon fishing to his native land, Yemen.  Of course, it is an impossible task yet when the sheik is willing to invest 50 million dollars into the project, you simply cannot refuse the lucrative offer.   Not to mention the fact that the British government needs a moral booster after some of its troops were injured in a grenade attack in Afghanistan. Billed under the "good news from the Middle East" category, the gargantuan operation would certainly boost Anglo Arabic relations.

The persons directly involved in the enormous logistics for this major project include a skeptical fisheries expert named Dr Alfred Jones (Ewan McGregor), the investment consultant of the sheik Ms Harriet Chetwold-Talbot (Emily Blunt),  Patricia Maxwell (Kristin Scott Thomas), the press officer of the British Prime Minister's office and Sheik Muhammed (Amr Waked).

Aside from the political connotations and questions like "Can money really buy everything?", the film strives pretty much on the solid acting of the cast.  I liked the chemistry between Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt.  Both equally talented, they essayed their roles with subtle nuances giving their characters so much depth.

Buoyed by a beautiful cinematography with interesting angles of long, wide shots of picturesque terrain as well as creative underwater segments, this movie was visually appealing.

The sheikh who is considered somehow of a visionary with progressive ideas for his country is very enigmatic. He strongly believes in the immeasurable power of faith and making the impossible, possible.  It is the same faith that guides the viewers as you watch and silently yet firmly wish that the project will be a success. 

"Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" is a delightful little movie that shows that it isn't always a bad thing to have dreams which no one believes in. As long as you have conviction, coupled with a positive attitude, you can accomplish and achieve anything with great success.  

ARGO

Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin
John Goodman, Victor Garber

"The movie was fake.

The mission was real."

Cinema 2, Shang Cineplex

"Argo" is Ben Affleck's third venture as a director, and I learned 3 things from this film.

(1) I was just a kid when the US Embassy in Teheran was stormed and its employees were taken hostage.  But I remember my parents were tuned in daily for updates on the hostage crisis because after all my diplomat father also worked at an embassy.

Through the years, I read bits and pieces of this event. But it is only through this film, I learned that 6 consular staff from the Embassy were able to 'escape' from the chaotic US embassy and sought refuge in the Canadian Ambassador's residence. 

The rest of the film focuses on how one CIA agent Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) who disguises himself as a Canadian film producer scouting for exotic locales in Teheran was able to rescue them and bring them home safely.

(2) The US government through its various departments and agencies would do anything within their power and jurisdiction to secure its citizens working and living overseas. During a brainstorming session, the top honchos  deliberate on various scenarios for a daring rescue.  Most of them if not all were bordering on the absurd.

Their final 'operation' sounds like a ridiculous idea on paper yet they managed to pull it off.  They decide to sponsor a fake movie complete with storyboard drawings, full cast and crew, producers and big studio backing, full media coverage (publicity shots) to serve as a front for the rescue.   And although it is a good thing, the operation was a success, "Argo" also exposes just how manipulative the US government can be in its quest to maintain its interests under the guise of protecting its citizens. Creepy, really.

(3) Ben Affleck  is much better at directing films than acting in them.  His technique to use a grainy cinematography reminiscent of the late 1970s is quite clever.  Not to mention his keen eye to details like the authentic wardrobe of the cast, the props (an old noisy typewriter and a clip from "The Battle for the Planet of the Apes " shown on a box type TV set) and a witty almost acerbic dialogue.

Although Affleck is the main character in this film, his subtle acting ensures he doesn't upstage the fine supporting cast led by John Goodman, Alan Arkin and Bryan Cranston to mention a few.

In the end, this 'hidden' chapter in the Teheran US embassy hostage crisis would never have been told if it remained classified.  Although certain parts were highlighted to give the film a gritty and dramatic vibe, this story pays homage to the heroic efforts of one relentless CIA agent who risked his life for the daring clandestine mission.  I'm sure those 6 foreign service employees are eternally grateful for his efforts.

18 COMIDAS (18 MEALS)

11th Spanish Film Festival

Greenbelt 3, Cinema 2

As the title suggests, this Spanish film uses food as a focal point to connect the characters' tales. An interwoven vignette of different stories with characters who lead mildly interesting lives.

It starts with a voice over narration which states every meal is an opportunity to change the flavor of life.  I believe the use of voice over narration in films is quite helpful.  It guides the viewers in the development of the characters as they weave through the plot.  So I'm baffled why the director chose to use this technique merely in the beginning of the film, then abandoned it for the rest of the film.

I admit I expected more lingering shots on the sumptuous food so in that aspect it was a bit of a disappointment. But the real theme is how a meal is an opportunity for human interaction between the myriad of characters who go through break ups, special occasions, self awareness and life altering moments.

It is presented through three acts which are divided into meal times - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Each piece is well edited and paced neatly as it all unfolds in one single day.

Set in the picturesque town of Santiago de Compostela with its massive Cathedral as the backdrop, the film offers a smorgasbord of lighthearted situations with different topics dominating each snippet. Some are given more emphasis while others are too short to create any significant impact on the overall storyline of the film.

The main characters are realistically portrayed by an ensemble cast. They’re charming, funny, sad and endearingly flawed - all battling their own demons. They go through many emotions as they travel towards the path to self redemption.  Each character ending up where they are meant to be, either by choice or by force.

18 Comidas is a predictably good Spanish film that could have used more food scenes to its advantage. But I realize it isn't a movie about food but rather how life is like a buffet table filled with different dishes. There are some dishes which you like, others which you rather not eat but either way, you need to feed yourself to avoid hunger.

TAKEN 2

Liam Nesson, Famke Janssen,
Maggie Grace, Rade Serbedzija

"First they took his daughter.
Now they're coming for him"

Cinema 2, Shang Cineplex

We have this running joke in our family that if our dad had seen the movie TAKEN, he might not have permitted me and my sister to go gallivanting around Europe. But the movie was shown in 2008 and our European sojourn was way back in the early 2001 so I figure we were relatively safe(r).  Obviously, our dad is no Liam Nesson but I'm certain given the circumstances any father for that matter would go to great lengths to protect his daughter(s).

So given that premise albeit far fetched, the original film sort of made sense.  A former intelligence agent with all the right connections at his disposal could certainly pull off a miracle.  Therefore I was curious how they would further stretch that storyline into another full length film. 

In the opening shots of  "Taken 2", we are shown a village in Albania where all the bad guys that Bryan Mills (Liam Nesson) killed in Paris are being buried and mourned by their loved ones.   At the funeral, Murad Krasniqi (Rade Serbedzija), the father of  Marko, one of the men Bryan took out while saving his kidnapped daughter vows to avenge the death of his son.   

So he rounds up some more goons to capture not just Bryan, but his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) and daughter Kim (Maggie Grace).   The Mills family are vacationing in Istanbul, Turkey so the whole abduction premise takes off in yet another exotic locale.  The myriad of tiny cobblestone streets, the rooftops of the crowded houses serve as excellent backdrop for Byran's spy skills to come into effect as he tries his best to once again save his loved ones from harm and in the process add up the body count substantially. 

Certain action scenes were shot with the shaky camera effect so it gave me quite a headache. While other moments had Liam Neeson's lanky frame do skillful hand combat with the villains.  Even at his age, Liam Neeson can make the fight scenes look so natural.  They are well choreographed and very realistically executed on screen.  

I kept thinking just how unfortunate it is for the Mills family to constantly find themselves in such precarious situations even when they are on holiday.  But the gorgeous locale with its chaotic and exquisitely exotic charm more than made up for the predictability factor of the flimsy plot.  

Hopefully, there won't be a Taken part 3 because honestly even though I love Liam Neeson and I've been a loyal fan of his movies even before his action hero phase, I believe it's time for the Mills family to live in their peaceful suburban environment without any Albanians or any other races bothering them.

11th SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL

This year, Instituto Cervantes’ PELÍCULA Spanish Film Festival celebrates its 11th year.  

From October 4 - 14, 2012,  film aficionados will once again enjoy brilliant line-up of selected films from Spain and Latin America.

Price is 65 pesos.    

Venue is Greenbelt 3 Cinemas.

PELÍCULA is organized by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in cooperation with ICAA, Ministerio de Cultura of Spain, the Spanish Embassy in the Philippines, Spanish Agency International Cooperation for Development (AECID), Spanish Program for Cultural Cooperation, and the Greenbelt and Ayala Malls Cinemas.

For details, check out their official website at Pelicula.ph.

VINCERE

This Italian movie with English subtitles is shown from the perspective of Ida Dalser. Apparently, she's the woman who claimed to be Benito Mussolini's first wife.  The mother of his first born son named Benito Albino Mussolini.  For those not familiar with the political history of Italy, Benito Mussolini also known as Il Duce is the Fascist dictator who ruled the boot shaped nation from 1922 to 1943.

Their story starts in Trent in the year 1914 when the wealthy Ida first met the idealistic Benito. Their brief affair is very passionate with Ida being totally devoted to his principles and his ideals. She even sells everything she owes to finance a newspaper company for him. He was the fiery editor of the Socialist paper, Il Popolo D'Italia.  They were allegedly married although there are no existing documents to validate their union.  A year later, he got involved with a waitress named Rachele Guidi.  December 1915 he married Rachele and shunned Ida and the baby she bore him.

Totally ostracized, Ida was persecuted and incarcerated in numerous psychiatric hospitals. It seems that she and her son were erased from history by Mussolini's regime.  She became an inconvenience and had to kept out of sight from the public while he continued his reign of tyranny joining forces with the Nazis in 2nd World War.

This biopic was filmed with quick cuts and juxtapositions of actual black and white footage from the historical archives. Sometimes jarring segues with blaring operatic music, most scenes were quite dark both literally and figuratively.  The series of mental asylums and hospitals sequences were very difficult to watch. It was quite tragic and depressing to witness the cruelty bestowed on both Ida and her son.   But on the other hand, certain scenes were visually beautiful and neatly angled with sharp precision.  Earth toned palette and spot color were used for good effect.

Kudos to Giovanna Mezzogiorno, who plays Ida.  Present in almost every frame, she completely owned the character. A very challenging role that conveyed every nuance of  Ida's anguish with a single phrase or gesture. Her excellent performance is more than enough reason to endure this almost 2 hours biopic. 

"Vincere" is a tragic tale that boldly deserves to be told and not hidden away in some warehouse of dusty archives. As for the jerky way it was filmed, in essence I believe it does mirror the miserable life of the tormented Ida.  A woman that was unfairly punished for falling in love with a man whose lofty ideals were much bigger than anyone or any nation for that matter could handle.  

Quite sad, really.

A Date with Italian Cinema @ The Shang

In May 2012, The Philippine Italian Association launched Un appuntamento con il Cinema Italiano (A Date with Italian Cinema) @ The Shang as part of their 50th Anniversary celebrations. Once a month an Italian film with English subtitles will be shown for free at the Shang Cineplex for the general public to enjoy.

On September 25,  the featured film is renowned auteur Marco Belocchio’s Vincere.  The film is roughly based on the books "Mussolini’s Marriage" by Marco Zeni and "Mussolini’s Secret Child" by Alfredo Pieroni, as well as the documentary "Mussolini’s Secret".  It is a compelling drama about the little known story of Benito Mussolini’s first wife. 

Screening times are at 12:30pm, 3:00pm, 5:30pm and 8:00pm at the Shang Cineplex. 

Admission is free but seats are on a first-come, first-served basis. 

So come early to experience an Italian viewing pleasure.

 

Brazil Film Festival 2012

The UPFI Film Center in UP Diliman presents the Brazil Film Festival 2012 from September 20 - October 5, 2012.   

Admission is free.

For the synopses of the featured films as well as the schedule, please visit the UP Film Institute website.

W.E.

Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough, Oscar Isaac

James D'Arcy, Richard Coyle

"Their affair ignited a scandal.

Their passion brought down an empire"

W. E. are the combined initials of Wallis and Edward.  Wallis Simpson was the American divorcee for whom King Edward VIII abdicated his throne.  They used to sign their eloquently written letters to each other with W.E. Their affair is now known as one of the greatest love stories of modern times. Imagine giving up an empire for the woman he loved.  But as seen in this film directed by Madonna, their romance wasn't really a fairy tale.

But this movie isn't merely about Wallis (Andrea Riseborough) and Edward (James D'Arcy) as Madonna chose to intertwine it with the story of a wealthy married woman named Wally Winthrop (Abbie Cornish)  who is trapped in an unhappy marriage to a renowned psychiatrist set in Manhattan in the year 1998. Wally who was named after Wallis Simpson used to work at Sotheby's and was totally  obsessed with any memorabilia of her namesake.

The film is well edited as the scenes between the two periods flows by easily. Yet sadly, there is a disconnect as neither story is allowed to flourish.  It is due largely to the fact that it never stops long enough to let them.  The Wallis and Edward part were more interesting as they led fascinating lives.  Scenes of the high society parties with lively music and stunning fashion reminiscent of the era was quite elegantly filmed.

Andrea Riseborough gave an exquisite performance. She really fleshed out Wallis Simpson portraying her as a much maligned soul who was quite tormented and lonely about being ostracized from the world. In a poignant scene, she laments "Every one seems to focus on what he gave up, what about what I gave up?" 

In contrast, the story line featuring Wally Winthrop as portrayed by Abbie Cornish didn't grab me to the core. Everyone in her circle of 'friends' kept uttering "how lucky" she was to be married to a renowned psychiatrist but we, the viewers were privy to just how horrible the marriage was. Then after a while, we didn't really care if she stayed married or not.  I believe it also took way too long for Wally's pursuit of her own happiness.

In conclusion, "W.E." felt like an elegant version of  the film "Julie and Julia" but without the recipes.  Although the movie was quite stylishly filmed, I would have been more satisfied if the entire movie was a biopic of Wallis Simpson featuring the hand written letters she wrote about her tumultuous life with Edward in exile. But I believe that premise is currently explored in a History Channel show which I didn't pay much attention to, unfortunately.

BREATHING (AUSTRIA)

Cine Europa 2012
Cinema 2, Shang Cineplex

 This Austrian film explores the life of a juvenile delinquent named Roman Kogler. He is an inmate at a juvenile detention facility where offenders are allowed to work outside as a form of community service.  His case worker believes he has a better chance of getting a parole if he was gainfully employed. The quiet, unassuming 19-year-old chooses to work as an assistant at a Viennese mortuary. 

The film shows how he adapts to his strange job. At first he is unable to handle the corpses but eventually he gets the hang of it.  He also was able to track down his biological mother who gave him up for adoption. Their first meeting is fraught with an understated awkwardness. A prevailing sense of trying to know her as a person and at the same time trying to understand why she gave him away.

"Breathing" is an intimate peek into Roman Kogler's life. At first glance, it is a seemingly simple existence yet slowly we are shown the different layers of his personality.  Thomas Schubert as Roman is quite effective at fleshing him out.   His rare displays of emotions and his quiet demeanor masks how deeply conflicted he is about being abandoned as a child.  Soon enough, his quirky job serves as his refuge.

Although it doesn't delve into the nitty gritty details of preparing a corpse for burial like the Japanese film "Departures", this Austrian film is an affecting, sentimental tale about a young's man redemption and his second chance to lead a meaningful life and once again be part of a society that would welcome him back into its folds.

KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL 2012

This year's Korean Film Festival has "Family Time" as its central theme.

The Manila leg is scheduled on September 18 to 23 at SM Megamall, and will head to SM City Baguio on September 26 to 30.  Final leg at SM City Cebu from October 3 to 7, 2012.

Admission is free and is on a first-come, first-served basis. 

For the full festival schedule as well as the synopses of the featured movies, please visit the Korean Cultural Center website.

IN A BETTER WORLD (DENMARK)

Cine Europa 2012

Cinema 2, Shang Cineplex

The opening scenes of this film from Denmark is in a remote African refugee camp.  Anton is a doctor and he treats villagers who are mostly the victims of a brutal warlord known simply as the "Big Man."    A vicious gang leader who hacks open the bellies of pregnant women as he places bets on them by guessing the gender of their unborn babies.   The setting of the vast African land laden with orange sands is quite rustic but quite vivid with the colorful attires of the villagers.  Life is quite dire both for the villagers as well as for the lone Caucasian surgeon.

But Anton does on occasion return to Denmark for some R & R.  A place you like to believe is a better world but we soon find out, it isn't exactly the case. Anton's marriage is on the rocks as his wife is seeking a divorce while his son Elias is constantly bullied in school.   Enter Christian, a new student in Elias' school. He  along with his father recently relocated to Denmark from London after Christian's mother died of cancer.

The young boys soon become friends after Christian rescues Elias from the school bully.  The two boys have contrasting personalities.  Elias is meek and mostly keeps to himself while Christian is a fighter who likes to stand up for people who cannot defend themselves.  In their idyllic Danish town, their odd friendship thrives but soon enough a conflict arises which will test the true mantle of their friendship. 

"In a Better World" is a realistic portrayal of the tribulations that  plague modern society. Bullying, the use of violence as retribution for revenge, the widening communication gap, and the effects of divorce on young children. It also clearly exposes the estranged relationship that develops between parents who work too much and their children who grow up with an aching sense of isolation and in some rare cases, a sense of abandonment. These very troubling ills of society lead to a gamut of problems both for the parents and the kids. 

The film tackles all these sensitive issues well within its range that spans for almost 2 hours. An ideal cinematography aids in the narration of the inner conflicts faced by the young boys as well as their distant parents. Desperate parents who try their best to reach out to their kids but much to their chagrin, they fail with every feeble step. Their anguish is gut wrenching as the children cannot seem to properly communicate what really troubles them without coming across as failures. 

Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier specializes in melodramas that manifest profound depths of emotion. She gets the audience to identify with her ordinary characters who are suddenly thrust into moral quandaries from everyday occurrences.  She also has a penchant to depict international stories in 3rd world countries such as her other noteworthy film "After the Wedding" which featured an orphanage in India.

No wonder "In a Better World" won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2010, it has all the key elements of a high quality film.

15TH CINE EUROPA

The 15th edition of Cine Europa Film Festival opened September 5 at the Shangri-la Plaza Cineplex. A performance by the Manila String Quartet, a painting exhibition by local artists and the screening of the movie "Upperdog" were the main events during opening night. It will run until the 16th of September, 2012.

Free Admission on a first come, first served basis.

Screening Schedule:

September 6 (Thursday)

1:00pm - Wedding in Barasabia (Romania)

3:10pm - Turquaze (Belgium)

6:00pm - Atmen Breathing (Austria)

8:00pm - The Last Emperor (Italy)

September 7 (Friday)

1:00pm - Upperdog (Norway)

3:10pm - Koko Flanel (Belgium)

5:30pm - Turquaze (Belgium)

7:45pm - Sonny Boy (Netherlands)

September 8 (Saturday)

1:00pm - Turquaze (Belgium)

3:10pm - Kozelat the Goat (Bulgaria)

5:30pm - Koko Flanel (Belgium)

7:45pm - Wedding in Barasabia (Romania)

September 9 (Sunday)

1:00pm - The Rest is Silence (Romania)

3:30pm - Lidice (Czech Republic)

6:00pm - Kozelat the Goat (Bulgaria)

8:30pm - Wedding in Barasabia (Romania)

September 10 (Monday)

1:00pm - Flying Cyprian (Slovakia)

3:30pm - In a Better World (Denmark)

6:00pm - Lidice (Czech Republic)

8:30pm - The Rest is Silence (Romania)

September 11 (Tuesday)

1:00pm - Plans for Tomorrow (Spain)

3:30pm - Lapland Odyssey (Finland)

5:30pm - In a Better World (Denmark)

7:45pm - Flying Cyprian (Slovakia)

September 12 (Wednesday)

1:00pm - Everlasting Moments (Sweden)

3:45pm - 2 Days in Paris (France)

6:00pm - Lapland Odyssey (Finland)

8:00pm - Plans for Tomorrow (Spain)

September 13 (Thursday)

1:00pm - Will You Marry Us (Switzerland)

3:00pm - Father of my Children (France)

6:00pm - 2 Days in Paris (France)

8:10pm - Everlasting Moments (Sweden)

September 14 (Friday)

1:00pm - Senna (United Kingdom)

3:15pm - Poll (Germany)

6:00pm - Father of My Children (France)

8:30pm - Will You Marry Us (Switzerland)

September 15 (Saturday)

1:00pm - Atmen Breathing (Austria)

3:00pm - We Can Do That (Italy)

5:30pm - Poll (Germany)

8:30pm - Senna (United Kingdom)

September 16 (Sunday)

12:30pm - Turquaze (Belgium)

2:40pm - The Last Emperor (Italy)

6:00pm - We Can Do That (Italy)

8:30pm - Atmen Breathing (Austria)

NEVER LET ME GO

Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, Kiera Knightley

Star Movies

Star Movies had the distracting Sweet Flicks 'logo' on the upper top left side of the screen. But this interesting, haunting and affecting film, in my opinion could hardly qualify as a sweet flick.  It was more a bittersweet dark story of love and jealousy set in an creepy alternate universe.  A  place that mercifully just thrives within the pages of a science fiction novel.  

We first see Kathy, Tommy and Ruth as kids in Hailsham, an English boarding school in the early 1950s.  Eventually, the audience as well as the children learn they are being groomed as donors. Once they reach adulthood, their vital organs will be 'harvested'.  After their 3rd or 4th donation, their short life will be completed.  In short, they won't make it to middle age, they won't marry or raise a family.  Their eerie destiny has been sealed and they have no choice but to accept their doomed fate.


The pacing of the movie is really slow. I was astonished the twist was revealed early on in the film, but it certainly set the bleak tone. It also presented the characters in an entirely different light.  Set in an overcast English countryside, it was nevertheless a lyrical and visually beautiful production. The melancholic musical score was appropriate to a sad and heartbreaking story.

Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield (before he became the Amazing Spider Man) and Keira Knightley give cinematic life to the central characters developed in a novel by acclaimed author, Kazuo Ishiguro (who also wrote "Remains of the Day").  I've never read any of his books because from browsing at book stores, I noticed his style of writing doesn't capture my interest.


Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield are excellent in their roles, but Carey Mulligan definitely stands out  as Kathy. Her sublime restraint and subtlety makes her tragic character all the more poignant. The way her character handled an emotional set back as well as major upheavals is gut wrenching.  Her stoic demeanor belies the inner turmoil she endured during her childhood.  And it also prodded her to face her fate with peaceful serenity.

"Never let me go" is one of the saddest films I've watched in my lifetime yet it was also very thought provoking.  It made me realize just how valuable life is.

THE HELP

Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard
Jessica Chastain,  Emma Stone, Allison Janney,

Sissy Spacek, Cicely Tyson

"Change begins with a whisper"

Star Movies

For some reason, this award winning film was not shown in local cinemas. So I marked my calendar when I learned it would be the Sunday night feature on Star Movies.

Based on a best selling novel by Kathryn Stockett, it follows a young woman named Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone) who upon her graduation from college returns to her Southern home town. She wants to be a writer/journalist so she takes up a job in the local paper replying to letters sent in for good housekeeping tips.  

She comes up with the idea of publishing a book that chronicles the lives of the African American maids in their community.  But she faces two major obstacles - it is the 1960s (the era when the Civil Rights movement was still at its birthing stage) and it is set in the South where 'colored' people have no rights at all.  There is even a guide book that enumerates the rules governing the minority members of the community.

The film is narrated by Aibileen (Viola Davis) the help of one of Skeeter's haughty friends, Elizabeth Leefolt. She is first 'interviewed' under the pretense of helping Ms Skeeter in her weekly advice giving column for the Jackson Journal. Eventually, Aibileen is persuaded to collaborate and tell her stories about being a black maid for southern families.  Done under the radar and amidst the growing unrest during the Civil Rights movement, soon enough more black maids find their 'voices' by opening up about their fates. Their woeful  tales all valuable contribution in the controversial book.

The bright cinematography set in a typical southern town is a refreshing take on a heavy subject (discrimination). The plot unfolds at a steady pace with various side plots all contributing to the main storyline. Running at 146 minutes long, I believe certain scenes could have been edited out to maintain its flow.

The cast is composed of  young, talented, and dare I say the 'whitest' actresses (Bryce Dallas Howard, Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain)  as the Southern belles. Their portrayals are so convincing you can't help but loathe the 'mean' characters and  cheer for the good ones.

On the other hand, the uniformed and highly structured lives of the maids are given justice by Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis who are remarkable in their very unglamorous roles.  The two actresses are the very heart and soul of this movie.  They truly deserved the Best Actress (Viola Davis) and Best Supporting Actress (Octavia Spencer) awards they reaped at most if not all of the major awards giving shows.

They provided the drama, as well as the humor in this poignant and sometimes gut wrenching tale of deep friendships forged against the backdrop of inequality and grave injustice during the turbulent 60s in the Southern states of the US of A.

MAN ON A LEDGE

Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie
Ed Harris, Jaime Bell, Edward Burns

"You can only push an innocent man so far."

In the opening scenes we see Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) check into a midtown Manhattan hotel then orders room service. After his meal, he climbs out the window and onto the ledge some 25 stories up. Thus the title "Man on a Ledge".

Through flashbacks, we establish that Nick was a former NYPD detective who is serving time for stealing a very valuable diamond belonging to a wealthy real estate developer named David Englander (Ed Harris). So Cassidy escapes and is now standing precariously on a ledge in the hotel which is owned by Englander. The remaining minutes focuses on the reason why Cassidy is on the ledge along with some side plots that occur simultaneously.

The plot is very flimsy. The motives behind his threat to jump off a tall building isn't given much depth. His so called protest against corporate corruption and corrupt cops could have been played out more effectively with more details on just how Englander is a despicable tycoon. His very public outcry high up on the ledge as a diversionary tactic while side plot unfolds is pretty lame, too. The movie has been boxed into a very tight corner from which there appears to be no escape but to jump off the ledge. In other words, escape by quitting the film midway. Not caring if Cassidy gets his requests or if he does get off the darn ledge, after all.

The big supporting cast all getting a fair amount of screen time turn in good performances. Ed Burns (one of my fave actors) is the only reason I didn't press the stop button. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get enough to do as cop Jack Dougherty, (the first responder to the scene) in order to steal the entire movie.

"Man on a Ledge" is not necessarily a bad film but neither is it a good one. It is a pretty average movie that doesn't take too much brain cells to process.

SUPER 8

Elle Fanning, Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler

"It arrives"

HBO

Sunday evening, "Harriet" threw a tantrum so I found myself pressing the TV remote control for any suitable movie to watch. By the way, for the uninitiated, "Harriet" refers to my today.it.is.working.tomorrow.it.doesn't.work desktop PC.

Perfect timing, as the film written and directed by J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias) just commenced on HBO. It is set in 1979 and focuses on 4 young boys whose friendship is based on their common interest - to shoot movies. They are in the process of shooting their zombie romance using a Super 8 camera. One night while filming on location, they witness a horrible train crash. A tragedy that is the catalyst for some sci-fi/military project that goes terribly wrong. Soon enough the little town in Ohio serves as a battleground between the military and some monster/alien that looks like a hideously menacing giant spider.

This film is J.J. Abrams's fitting tribute to the old Steven Spielberg (co-producer of Super 8) movies. Most of Spielberg's previous films were usually set in some small Midwest American town that undergoes a major upheaval as it experiences some inexplicable event that would alter their lives, forever. So "Super 8" is a sort of "Stand by Me" (although this was never directed by Spielberg) meets "E.T" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" popcorn entertainment.

But amidst the loud explosive scenes of train crashes and military gun fires is a story about friendship as well as a budding love story that develops between the 2 main characters in the film. The cast of young actors are mostly credible although there were certain scenes where they were annoying and for lack of a better word, childish.

My only issue is the too much sci fi and the military is hiding something from the people premise. It feeds into the conspiracy theory aspect of many sarcastic folks out there. Good thing I was able to briefly change the channel every time the big bad nasty monster/alien got any screen time. That's because I'm not a fan of sci-fi themed films. But on the other hand, I'd admit it would be like watching a poorer rehash version of "Stand by Me", if it weren't for the sci-fi element.

"Super 8" is an old-fashioned, feel good movie spectacle that doesn't rely on big stars to tell its narrative. It is simply a good story with humor, enough thrills and enveloped with an sense of wonder that brings us back to our childhood. An era with no digital gadgets to complicate our lives which sadly is now fueled by our need to be always connected to the Internet.

6th INTERNATIONAL SILENT FILM FESTIVAL

In this year’s edition of the festival, the Embassy of Italy, the Embassy of the United States of America, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the Goethe-Institut, the Instituto Cervantes and the Japan Foundation Manila will present silent films from their respective countries which will be accompanied live by young Filipino bands.

It will take place from the 24 to 27 August 2012 at the Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall. Admission is free on a first come, first served basis.

Click here for more information about the featured films and the schedule.

WAR HORSE

Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson

"Separated by war. Tested by battle. Bound by friendship"

The main draw of this very long film about a horse is its esteemed director Steven Spielberg. Plus a haunting musical score by *the* John Williams and amazingly breathtaking cinematography, add them all and you get a masterfully crafted World War I tale about perseverance and triumphs that will tug at your heartstrings.

The story follows a thoroughbred through various owners and situations amidst the backdrop of the first World War. On a whim, a farmer buys a young colt instead of a work horse to till his farm. His son Albert (Jeremy Irvine) names the horse, Joey and painstakingly trains him as a farm horse. But Germany invades England so Joey is sold to the British troops. Much to the chagrin of Albie who is heartbroken but also quite determined that they will be reunited after the war. After significant battles, Joey makes his way across the European countryside as he is passed on to different 'owners' throughout the duration of the war.

I'd have to warn you that the film is overtly melodramatic and frankly sentimental. It is amazing how much you find yourself invested in the journey of a horse. How you wince every time Joey was treated badly. For instance, when he was used to pull the heavy artillery for the German army. Or how Joey got entangled in the barbed wire as he tried to escape from the tank amidst the barrage of gun fires. This cringe worthy moment leads to a vital scene where both sides (the English and the Germans) called a truce to aid in rescuing Joey from the tangled mess.

Although it heavily features the theme of war and drama, it is also an intimate narrative about a young guy and his deep affinity with a horse. Even though there were instances when Spielberg would overload on the dramatic moments, it was still quite a poignant, soulful movie to view.

Its cinematography was top notch. It featured wide aerial shots of rural England with its lust green fields, along with deep, vibrant hues of orange skies as well as bleak dark tones of the battlefields. "War Horse" is one of the most visually stunning film I've seen in the longest time.

A deeply inspiring film that had some dragging moments, it plowed on for almost 2 and a half hours and concludes with a pretty predictable ending fraught with emotions.

THE BOURNE LEGACY

Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Ed Norton

"There was never just one"

Cinema 4, Shang Cineplex

When I first learned they were shooting another Bourne movie, I was baffled as I knew "The Bourne Ultimatum" wrapped it all up. Jason Bourne's main purpose is over, he finds out who he is and why he is the way he is.

But as the blurb says "there was never just one" so the saga continues. This time it is directed by Tony Gilroy who was one of the scriptwriters of the 3 Bourne movies. And despite the title, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is merely mentioned from time to time through news clippings and inter agency dialogue among the CIA bigwigs. This film focuses on Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) an operative who is part of another CIA program, a spin off known as "Project Outcome". The exposure of "Operation Blackbriar" and "Treadstone" by Bourne and an impending Senate inquiry forces the conspirators to shut down all their running programs. So they set out to dispose all the agents of "Project Outcome".

This advanced program utilizes agents who are drugged with pills to make them more effective in their duties. With the cancellation of the program, the operatives have to find ways to survive without these color coded meds. Aaron Cross decides to go to the source, a research lab in Maryland. He is just in time to rescue Dr Martha Shearing (Rachel Weisz) from being liquidated by hired assassins.

The first part of the film is mostly dialogue driven shot in dark places with the CIA bigwigs in panic mode from the Bourne expose. The audio was pretty bad as I had a difficult time deciphering the dialogue. I thought it was simply at the theater where I watched but I read viewers at other cinemas had the same complaint. So I guess it was really filmed that way.

The various location scenes were still an integral part of this film but the action scenes were scaled down, remarkably. The thrilling chase scene (almost 20 minutes) shot on the chaotic scenes of Manila, although well directed and edited came a tad late in the film. By that point, the loopholes in the plot were too glaring to be salvaged. Aaron Cross merely wanted to get his hands on the pills to survive, he didn't have a larger agenda - is a rather flimsy premise. The film certainly has a different pace and a different focus. But it's surely still thrilling,but in a very different manner. The movie itself is more of a slow burn, but not particularly boring. Because you can still feel the sense of urgency on the part of Aaron Cross to survive, at all cost.

The new cast to whom the franchise has been handed down to is uniformly strong. I've admired Jeremy Renner for his steady and solid performance since I saw him in "The Hurt Locker". Here he proves himself a solid understudy for Damon, even if the character he plays is rather less interesting. He still gave his role some dimension by adding an air of mystery. It would be intriguing to unravel the personal demons that haunts Aaron Cross, in the next installment. Given that the ending was rather vague and open to a lot of speculations.

Edward Norton is equally good as the ruthless Colonel Byers. It would be interesting to know the personal history between Byers and Cross which they kept alluding to through grainy flashbacks. Rachel Weisz is persuasive and brings a sensitive portrayal to her role as the doctor caught in the turmoil. The chemistry between Cross and Dr Shearing is convincing with a hint of a romantic interlude in the offing.

So whether they decide to make a sequel or not, I still think "Bourne Legacy" did fairly good as a lengthened side plot of the Bourne saga. So although I don't expect Matt Damon to reprise his role, people should remember the character's name is Aaron Cross and not refer to him as Bourne. A mistake that I admit I tend to commit as well.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman
Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman, Matthew Modine

"The Legends Ends"

Cinema 3, Shang Cineplex

It was a stormy day but by hook or by crook, it was imperative I watch Bruce Wayne before he bids adieu to his fabled alter ego, Batman. Mostly because it had been running for 3 straight weeks and it felt like I was the only person left out on a grand secret that everyone was raving about. So we were only 7, myself included nicely nestled within that cold, dark cinema theater. In the same manner that Bane and his cohorts were wreaking havoc over Gotham City, torrential monsoon rains were battering Metro Manila with much fury.

I did my homework by reading articles on the previous film, The Dark Knight which was shown 4 years ago. This much hyped final film had so much going against it, for instance how could you surpass having the Joker (the late Heath Ledger) as its antagonist?

Answer: You don't. You simply dust the cobwebs off and move on full throttle to the next project with guns a blazing, no pun intended!

Gotham City is now enjoying a peaceful period where crime is almost non existent. Its main characters have either died, voluntarily gone into retirement, are now maintaining low profiles and/or turned into a recluse. In short, boring times have fallen upon Gotham City.

So the scriptwriters along with director Christopher Nolan at the helm decides to shake the audience out of his stupor by introducing us to a wide bunch of characters, some of whom we can't figure out just yet as the film unfolds whether they are good or bad. Anne Hathaway as the burglar Catwoman is without a doubt the most enigmatic presence in the movie. While the rookie cop turned detective Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is quietly interesting. Bane (Tom Hardy) with his distracting mask that caches both his physical as well as emotional pain was also mildly interesting as a villain. Then he is abruptly reduced to something so insignificant and small. The menacing villain was indeed a towering figure throughout the movie until he is exposed as merely a secondary pawn towards the end of the trilogy. Sad!

In putting up with the current times, Nolan presents us a society where the people take over the reigns of their battled city. With nearly the entire police force trapped in tunnels, ordinary citizens are encouraged to seize their freedom from law. Fed up with the powerful and wealthy, they invade their homes and toss them into the streets. Chaos rules as the people hold mock trials where they judge and sentence the wealthy to exile and death. They rule that every citizen must make a stand because every citizen matters. It openly mocks the idea of a people's revolution, portraying ordinary people as incapable of governing themselves.

The main theme of the film is 'fear'. Batman, aka Bruce Wayne, has lost his soul and his very reason for living. He took on the sins of Harvey Dent and has paid for it with his body and his very essence. Even Alfred (Michael Caine) his loyal butler is not above being involved in substituting truth for lies. Each of these character lives in fear of their lies and the consequences of them coming to light. Each one know that these lies have the power to destroy all that they have worked for. But as each lie is exposed, it only intensifies their drive to be reborn and rise above them.

In this context, I believe "The Dark Knight Rises" was able to redeem itself. It shows us the slow but steady climb out of the rubble by Batman even though he faces formidable obstacles in his path. This movie does everything it can to show that our faith can only be rewarded if it is in the right thing, if is is based on truth. Sometimes the truth isn’t good enough, sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded.

Yes, there are some glaring loopholes with the plot, and the various murky side plots and the multiple characters may initially slow down viewers. However, as a superhero film, it confronts topics that are relevant. The "good vs. evil" scenario, the value of freedom, the class tension, the personal struggle and redemption of its main characters. Add all of this to the action, special effects, the soundtrack and the impressive cast and you get a fitting finale to send off the caped crusader into the sunset.

THREE TIMES

3rd Taiwan Film Festival
Shang Cineplex

"THREE TIMES" is included in the line-up for this year's Taiwan Film Festival. I am reposting my review as I watched it, last year at the same festival. I don't know why they do repeats when there is a wide selection they can choose from. This year, "THREE TIMES" will be shown on August 3 and 5, both at 7pm.

This film is a trilogy about love. 3 love stories, set in 3 different periods with a pair of lead actors playing the couple in each era. Respectively set in 1911, 1966 and 2005, the stories not only capture the essence of their time, but also presents three varieties of love: unfulfilled, mercenary, meaningless. It is historically and humanly insightful. All photographed with such visual beauty amidst poignant subtlety and set to an appropriately haunting musical score.

"A Time for Love" is set in 1966, Chen, a young soldier falls for May, a pool hall hostess. An era where American pop culture invades Taiwan so the romance develops with standards such as the Platters' "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and Aphrodite Child's "Rain and Tears." The guy is to be deployed overseas to help the noble cause of freedom at the expense of his budding romance. But they keep the romance going through the exchange of heartwarming letters which don't openly declare love but merely hints at it with much caution.

In "A Time for Freedom", the story unfolds in 1911 where Ah Mei, a courtesan pines for a married diplomat named Chang who is her client. He is very filled with his own importance and has plans to reform the world. She begins to fall in love with him. He loves her, too albeit not at the same level. His love for his country weighs much more than his feelings for the courtesan. The movie is shot like a silent film where the dialogue is conveyed by title cards. The action is slow, while elaborate music plays. When the courtesan sings a traditional song, it's like a cry of pain; love, here, is a prison.

The 3rd story, "A Time for Youth" takes place in 2005 in modern Taipei. Jing is a troubled pop singer while Zhen is a photographer. She neglects her woman lover while falling in love with the photographer. It unfolds in urban jungle Taipei with its gray concrete and blue light with many night shots. They are caught up in living noisy and busy lives that keep them at a disconnect despite all the modern conveniences of being connected with the use of the cell phone and Internet. It shows a world where our lovers can unite happily, but regrettably they find themselves unable to recognize love, much less hunger for it. Their selfish lives are disconnected and pretty much defined by modern technology.

I enjoyed the first episode, best. The one set in 1966 was the kind of romantic story that overwhelms because of its simplicity, emotional resonance and subtlety. It is the purest, most unashamedly romantic of the trilogy. I was mostly struck by the cinematography and framing of the shots along with the use of great songs to convey emotions. In one of his letters, the young soldier says to his love interest, the pool hall hostess, May: "Stay beautiful." Wow!

The lives in "Three Times" are not tragedies, unless the tragedy is that they never become the lives they could have been. The director Hou Hsiao-hsien shows us people who could make each other happy and be happy themselves, and he also watches them miss their chance. But it isn't sadness. It's simply realism in its purest form.