Past Lives

 2024 Oscar Awards

Best Picture Nominee
Celine Song: Best Original Screenplay Nominee

In this semi autobiographical film, written and directed by Celine Song, a Korean Canadian film maker, Nora (Greta Lee) or Na Young as she was known in South Korea and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) are classmates in a school in Seoul. They were pretty close and would probably have ended up married to each other but destiny had other plans. At age 12, Nora's entire family migrate to Canada. When her mother was asked why they were leaving Seoul despite having good jobs. She tells Hae Sung's mother "If you leave something, you gain something too".

12 years past by, Nora is studying to be a playwright. She sees a comment on her father's FB page from Hae Sung who was wondering where he could contact his former classmate. They begin communicating through video calls. Despite the time difference, their line of communication is constant. She lives in New York now while he is still in Seoul. Sort of a LDR, (long distance relationship) but not really romantic, there is no label for their situationship (is that what they call it now?) given that they are continents apart. 

You see Nora is a very driven young woman. When she was young in Seoul, she said she was leaving because no one in Korea wins the Nobel Peace Prize. She is focused on getting things done. She decided to end the line of communication with Hae Sung because obviously life takes precedence over anything else. She is going on a writer's retreat while he is busy with his engineering studies. They don't have the luxury of just hopping on a plane to see each other either in Seoul or New York.

12 more years pass by, Nora is now married to Arthur, a Jewish novelist. Hae Sung emails her to say he is finally visiting New York for a short vacation. This stirs up a lot of mixed emotions for Nora but keeps a calm and collected exterior. While Hae Sung is clearly still in love with Nora, he is mature enough to know his limitations, somehow needs closure, a proper good bye, so to speak.

When they finally meet up, it is a bit awkward for the both of them. The pivotal scene at the bar (with her husband Arthur as the third wheel), Hae Sung asks a lot of "what if" questions. He ponders out loud to Nora all the different scenarios that could or could not have happened. Her simple answer is "I don't know". By the way, Nora and Hae Sung speak in Korean to each other while she would sometimes translate it into English for Arthur.

Nora is not a slave to her past, her frame of mind is now focused on the present. She tell Hae Sung that his memory of her as a 12 year old girl is someone she left in Seoul. He concedes and accepts by telling her that she was too big for Seoul. She had lofty ideas, far reaching goals. I totally agree with Nora because who we were when we were 12 years old with pigtails is a totally different person from who we become at 24, 36 or even 48 years of age. 

In the same aspect, "Past Lives" will hit differently for the viewers. It depends on how old you are, on your level of maturity, on your concept of fate and destiny, on your past, present and future journey in life. That is the beauty of this film, it will definitely make an impact whether you are a fresh graduate, a new mom or an empty nester. It will simply linger on, linger more and keep lingering.

Anatomy of a Fall

 2024 Oscar Awards

Best Picture Nominee
Sandra Hüller: Best Actress Nominee

Sandra, a German writer lives in a wooden chalet in the French Alps with Samuel, her French husband and their visually impaired 11 year old son Daniel. After an interview in their home is cut short because of Samuel's ruckus band practice, Sandra retreats to her room. Daniel comes back from his daily walk with his service dog, Snoop to discover the lifeless body of Samuel in the snow near the facade of their chalet. 

Did Samuel fall, commit suicide or was he pushed from the attic of the chalet?

As it is the norm in questionable deaths, the wife is always the prime suspect. Sandra claims she is innocent, and hires a lawyer to defend her as a murder trial begins to determine the exact cause of Samuel's fatal fall.

During the trial, the frosty cracks in their marriage are brought to the surface. Issues of sacrifices, infidelity, isolation, insecurities in their career and personal life, guilt feelings, regrets - all crop up like mushrooms. Their constant bickering, sometimes even violent arguments are presented during the trial through flash backs and taped audio recordings played in the court room. No stones are left unturned by the prosecution who are out to prove that Sandra did 'kill' her insecure husband. Innocent pawn in the whole mess is their only son, Daniel who just might provide the missing link in the murder case. 

Dialogue is mostly in French and some are in English. Sandra speaks in English as a compromise because she feels like a fish out of water in that secluded chalet in some remote town. Filmed in a drab court room, deviod of any fanfare, interspersed with scenic images of the vast snowy terrain, Anatomy of a Fall manages to capture our attention because we are intrigued by Sandra's fate. 

Even though, the verdict is not really a big surprise. We can't help but wonder: Did she or did she not murder her husband? As expected from a European movie, the conclusion is open ended. We are not fed with the truth and we are left to form our own opinions.

Sandra Hüller's portrayal of the novelist's stoic and calm demeanor is engaging. Good performance too from the young actor who plays Daniel. Even though the plot moves at a snail pace, and the setting is limited within the confines of the small court house, this film serves as a good analysis on the complexities of a marriage and its implications on the family.

Society of the Snow

2024 Oscar Awards

Best International Feature Nominee (Spain)

Netflix

J.A. Bayona, the Spanish director of The Impossible about the 2004 tsunami which devastated Thailand is back with another true-life disaster movie. The 1972 crash of a Uruguayan airplane in the Andes mountain. Its passengers were members of a rugby team along with some officials and supporters who were going to Santiago, Chile for an exhibition match.  

Out of the 45 passengers, only 16 survived for 72 harsh days battling serious injuries, starvation, intense frostbite, brutal avalanches, watching their team mates in excruciating pain deteriorating in front of their eyes, staring death in the face.  .

Their deep Catholic faith, along with their camaraderie sustained them during those gruelling 72 days. Cheering each other up, not losing hope that they will be rescued and they even give each other permission to feed on their dead bodies when they die. 

Although that sounds gruesome, it was a reality they had to face in order to survive the elements. Society of the Snow succeeds in its narration of this tragic accident because it focused more on the friendship and their will to survive. It does not highlight the cannibalism  which really occurs during any catastrophe of such magnitude. That aspect was handled well.

The vast Andes mountain range provided a bleak backdrop as it stood witness to the devastation of the airplane crash. Excellent make-up and costume design visibly transformed the virile young lads into weary, battle torn and despondent survivors. 

The scene which stood out for me is during the actual crash landing of the airplane as it hit the mountain, then slided bounced off the deep snow, the body of the aircraft is sliced into half, the tail is torn off, bodies ejected, could hear the sound of bones breaking as the victims were slammed against metal. It was very vivid, and violent yet at the same time you couldn't keep your eyes off the screen. It was very realistic, thrilling and quite shocking too. One of the best depictions of an actual plane crash I've seen so far. 

In movies about disaster, one tends to keep guessing which victim will survive, which victim will not make it. The passengers all looking alike and blending into a big blur. But Society of the Snow was different. It was a humane, poignant and realistic rendering of a tragic accident. An entirely moving and hopeful tale about survival, strength and determination that God won't abandon us during insurmountable hardships.

Perfect Days

2024 Oscar Awards

Best International Feature Nominee (Japan)

If this was a vlog, it would be titled "A day in the life" of the vlogger. This film about Hirayama, a 60 something year old public toilet cleaner's routinary life in Tokyo runs for 2 hours and 3 minutes. 

Minimal or hardly any dialogue, he is an old soul as he still listens to music using the old reliable cassette tape while driving to his job. He also uses an old analog camera, with film and takes random pictures of tall trees then he has them developed in a shop. He sorts out the good shots from the 'ugly' ones and neatly arranges them in metal storage boxes. 

In this day and age when technology has taken over our lives, it is simply refreshing to witness someone existing without the trappings of modern gadgets. Quite ironic because he lives and works in Tokyo, Japan where the latest versions/models of gadgets are manufactured.

Nothing much is revealed about Hirayama brilliantly portrayed by veteran actor Koji Yakusho. We don't know if he is single, married or divorced. Yet he seems pretty content with his simple, no frills, no drama existence. He exudes a cultured, intellectual vibe, judging from his choice of books (Faulkner, Patricia Highsmith) which he reads every night before sleeping in his tiny, yet well maintained apartment. His musical preference ranges from Otis Redding, Lou Reed to Van Morrison.

In his sleep, we are shown a visual of black and white abstract images which don't really say much about his background. Whether they are dreams or nightmares from his past is not articulated. It is only when his niece shows up at his apartment and stays with him for a few days that we more or less get a glimpse of his past life. When he starts crying after his estranged sister picks up her daughter, we understand his heartbreak but then there is no turning back.

Honestly, 2 hours is a tad too long for a movie that wants us to believe we can subsist with the bare minimum. Renowned director Wim Wenders though succeeds in making Hirayama a well loved character. Towards the emotional ending, in an encounter with a random yet significant character there was even a hint of a possible romantic interlude for Hirayama. Or at least, I like to think so or maybe I am reading too much of it. Heh.

As for his raw, emotion-filled facial expression in the last scene (spoiler alert: actor Koji Yakusho's explanation) it is open for many interpretations. I believe that it comes from a grateful and happy place. Each morning when he opens his door, he looks up at the sky and the rustling leaves of the tall trees outside his modest place and smiles with a twinkle in this eyes. He is living his best life and we do wish him well.

A Man

 Japanese Film Festival 2024

Cinema 4, The Red Carpet
Shangri-la Plaza Mall

An intriguing premise abounds in this dramatic thriller that begs the question: how much do we really know someone? Even in the context of a marriage, there are certain truths/secrets/lies that spouses keep from each other especially when it involves some sordid past. We only know a person based on what s/he reveals about themselves.

Rie, a divorced single mother meets Daisuke, a reticent tree faller. She owns a stationery shop that sells art supplies and he frequently buy his sketching materials there. Four years later, they are married and have a daughter and Daisuke is also a doting father to Rie's pre-teen son from her previous marriage.

A tragic accident claims his life and Rie is left to pick up the pieces. At Daisuke's wake, when Kyoichi, Daisuke's estranged brother takes a look at the picture of the deceased, he asserts that Rie's second husband is NOT his brother. To get to the bottom of this whole mistaken identity mess and for the life insurance, Rie hires her former lawyer Akari Kido to do a background check on the true identity of the person she married.

In the blink of an eye, the movie's plot shifts from a story of a happy family unit to a convulted, dark narrative of deceit and hidden identities. It doesn't really delve into the technicalities like identity theft, forged documents or counterfeit. As Atty. Kido probes deeper in his quest, he encounters several characters who shed further light into the true persona of Mr. X. We discover who he really was, the real sad reason he wanted to be someone else. Until slowly, we overlook the deceit and feel more empathy towards him and his hapless existence.

Overall, good performance from the entire cast who all play sympathetic characters. Each of them dealing with their inner demons. Rie is neither a wife nor a widow. Her son is tormented by the fact that he needs to change his surname, yet again. Mr. X was desperate to be 'reborn' to escape the stigma of  his father's transgression. Despite being a top lawyer, Atty. Kido is an outcast, being the son of Korean parents living in Japan which I found out is a big issue there. They are called Zainichi Koreans.

Googled this: "You're only a Zainichi Korean if your Korean ancestors settled in Japan during the Japanese colonization period. Zainichi Koreans have a special residential status, they are Korean citizens, but they are also protected under the Japanese law and have most of the same rights as Japanese citizens apart from voting I believe. Zainichi Koreans are also not required to do mandatory military service if male so there's really nothing much to lose if they don't become a naturalized Japanese citizen."

Father of the Milky Way Railroad

 Japanese Film Festival 2024

Cinema 4, The Red Carpet
Shangri-la Plaza Mall

Filmed in muted tones and set in an idyllic rural Japanese town, laden with heavy dramatic scenes buoyed by sad instrumental background music, this biopic of Kenji Miyazawa an early 20th century Japanese poet and novelist (said to be the Hans Christian Andersen of Japan) runs for 2 hours and 8 minutes.

The plot centers on the Miyazawa family. In a small town, Masajiro Miyazawa is a wealthy pawn shop owner who lives in a humble abode with his father Kisuke, his wife Ichi and their 4 children. He goes above and beyond what is expected of a typical Japanese father and is really hands on in rearing up his children. 

He dotes on his first born son Kenji who is expected to inherit the pawn shop. After free spirited Kenji is done with his studies in an agricultural school, his flair for writing poetry and short stories is developed. All of these elements clashes with Masajiro's desire to retire so Kenji can take over the family business.

Will Kenji be allowed to pursue his passion or would he be forced to manage the pawn shop?

The answer to this question unfolds in several melancholic scenes that is well acted out by the two lead male characters. An inner struggle develops within both Masajiro and Kenji. Their relationship is tested, but their love for each other never wanes. I had no idea who Kenji Miyazawa was nor am I aware of any of his writings, so it was hard for me to feel invested in his story. 

Yet the universal theme of the power of family and the unconditional love of a father for his son amidst hardships and obstacles make good fodder for any tragic biography.

Full River Red

 18th Spring Film Festival

Set in the 12th century during the Song dynasty, this period drama by director Zhang Zimou can make your head spin with the numerous plot twists that a motley crew of wily and cunning characters need to navigate. 

On the eve of an important meeting between rival factions, an emissary from the Jin delegation is murdered and a letter in his possession has gone missing. Qin Hui, the frail and paranoid prime minister of Song orders his underlings and his fleet of soldiers to find the murderer and the missing letter. He wants it all solved in two hours before they set out for the meeting at dawn.

The search is headed by Sun Jun, a deputy commander of the household battalion and Zhang Da, an incompetent soldier/corporal who also happens to be Sun Jun's nephew although Zhang Da is much older. Together, the unlikely duo encounter obstacles upon hurdles as all their 'suspects' have their own hidden agenda and nothing is as it seems.

A fast paced tale of treachery, duplicity, political maneuverings replete with skillful sword fights, well choreographed stunts buoyed by the stellar performance from the entire cast. It all unfolds within the confines of a serpentine grim fortress. 

Running at almost 3 hours, the plot loses steam midway then perks up again towards a climactic ending. It works because it has the correct mixture of comedy, drama, suspense, a haunting musical score and historical references. Loyalty, intrigue, betrayal (used as a survival tactic), and patriotism all weigh in heavily in this masterpiece by Zhang Zimou.  

By the way, Full River Red is a famous poem by Yue Fei, a brave 12th century general who fought against powerful invaders. During the pivotal final scene, the poem is recited out loud by the whole battalion as a battle cry and homage to General Yue Fei. Beautifully shot with and I am guessing here, drones and wide angled camera shots. 

It is China propaganda at its finest, if you ask me yet at the same time it somehow felt appropriate. After all the wild chases, the senseless pursuits, the conniving and all the intrigues - everything just falls into its rightful place, finally!

The Menu

 Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult,
Hong Chau, John Leguizamo, Janet McTeer,
Judith Knight, Paul Adelstein

"Wonderful surprises await you all"

A group are invited to feast on the gastronomic delights of renowned Chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) in his restaurant called Hawthorne on a secluded, private island. An elderly couple who are regulars, a food critic and her editor, three guys in the tech industry, a foodie fanatic and his girlfriend and a has been actor with his female assistant. All of them are affluent as the exclusive full course dining experience is not cheap, at all.

As the evening progresses from the first course to the next, the diners brutally realize they were personally chosen by Chef Slowik. Each course is specifically designed to make his guests very uncomfortable. It is like a can of worms is unleashed upon the exquisitely, well conceived dishes. It turns out Chef Julian has a lot of ax to grind not only against his moneyed guests but against the whole fine dining industry, itself.

Both Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy’s portrayal of multi-faceted, layered characters was brilliant. The ensemble cast was effectively good, as well. Do pay special attention to Anya Taylor-Joy as Margot, she is the main ingredient in this dark comedy that simmers to expose what ails the restaurant industry. The movie is a social commentary on the food industry. From sexual harassment, inequality in the service industry, the cancel culture of the food media, the canonization of popular Michelin star chefs and elitism in the fine dining world.

Make sure, you have a firm stomach as some of the scenes can be quite explicitly shocking. Much like the guests who are trapped with no chance of escaping the evil designs of Chef Julian, you will be engrossed and riveted until the fiery end. 

GomBurZa

Dante Rivero, Cedrick Juan, Enchong Dee

Piolo Pascual, Jaime Fabregas, Elijah Canlas

Cinema 1, The Red Carpet

Shangri-la Plaza Mall

It's 2024! A new year so time to revive this blog. So much has happened in my personal life these past three years but let's just go back to reviewing movies.

This Filipino film directed by Pepe Diokno delves into an important event in our rich history. When the Philippines was still under Spanish rule, a royal decree drove a wedge between the regular and secular priests. Those that belonged to religious orders such as the Dominicans, the Recollects, Franciscans and the Agustinians were the regular while the secular priests (who did not belong to any order) were primarily trained to run the local parishes and were under the jurisdiction of the bishops.

The royal decree provided for the secularization of all parishes or the transfer of parochial duties from the regular priests to the secular priests. Since there were not enough seculars to fill up the positions, the Archbishop approved the ordination of Filipino secular priests. 

Monsignor Pedro Pelaez (Piolo Pascual) was a vocal supporter of the secularization of Filipino priests. Fr. Jose Burgos (Cedrick Juan) took an active role in the movement when Fr. Pelaez died in an earthquake. Under the wise tutelage of Fr. Mariano Gomes (Dante Rivero), along with other secular priests, the movement was strongly opposed by the regulars, mostly Spanish friars who believed it would lessen their dominance and influence in society.

In high school, history books exemplify the trio GomBurza (Fathers Gomes, Burgos and Zamora) as martyrs, and rightfully so. Their execution (by garrote) by the Spanish authorities awakened the Filipino people to demand and obtain freedom from Spain. The event shaped our nationalism and paved the way for the Philippine revolution.

Years later, I am now married to a history professor and as I am quite an inquisitive soul, I would ask him about personalities, events about our history. He willingly obliges and regales me with 'behind the scenes' narratives. So I am fully aware of all the circumstances behind the secularization movement, the background of these three priests, the symbolism of their execution.

That is why of all the films shown at the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival, "GomburZa" was my only choice to watch at the movie theater. To avoid the crowd, I chose to see it mid January as the film festival was on its last run. Lo and behold, there were only two of us in the cinema. And nope, the other person was not my history professor hubby (he was at work), just some random cinema goer.

Pepe Diokno's direction of the talented cast was precise. His visual story telling in dark, almost sepia tones added so much weight to the melancholic vibe of the story. My favorite scene in the movie is the execution sequence. Howling winds, hushed crowd, the garrote as the center piece, the three priests agonized facial expressions as they waited for their turn to be put to death. Set and costume design was scenic and appropriate. Dialogue, sometimes sounded theatrical yet still managed to depict the era. 

Did the movie do justice to the important roles "GomBurZa" played in our history? Yes and No. 

I say no, because I felt the script could have added more anti-Spain sentiments, more atrocities/anomalies which the Catholic Church committed towards the Filipinos, not just the local clergy but the entire nation. I expected more 'fire in the belly' moments. Perhaps they did not want the film to have religious and political undertones or they did not want to antagonize the current Catholic hierarchy in the Philippines. Thus justifying this strange scene (after the execution) of a Spanish friar lamenting that history won't be kind to them, that they will be blamed for the execution when it was Spain that gave the order for the capital punishment of the three priests. 

The fact remains that the storied lives of these valiant martyrs Fathers Gomes, Burgos and Zamora deserve to be told, and is still very significant today, now more than ever. 

Gloria Bell

Julianne Moore, John Turturro

"Dance to Your own Tune"

NETFLIX

Julianne Moore stars as Gloria, a 50 something divorced mother of two grown children. She likes going to nightclubs/bars to dance the night away. Meets men for one night stands and goes on with her lonely, yet satisfied life. One night, she meets Arnold (John Turturro) at the bar and they start dating. But something is not right with Arnold. Well, not physically but it seems he cannot say no to his ex-wife and his two grown daughters when they summon him. And boy, they do 'need' him a lot, constantly calling him up wherever he goes. 

At first, Gloria didn't mind but as the neediness grew to an irritation. She had enough.  In Las Vegas, during an intimate dinner, his family calls and just like that he left poor Gloria all alone on what was supposed to be a romantic getaway.

Yet the thing with guys like Arnold is that they have no clue about how horrible they are as a human being. Totally oblivious to how despicable they are. So sure enough, he kept calling Gloria like he did nothing wrong. But Gloria is tough and she has moved on with her life, right after she had her 'revenge' over Arnold for treating her so badly.

The film ends with Laura Branigan's song "Gloria" at full blast and Gloria dancing away during the wedding of her friend's daughter. Julianne Moore has starred in many movies and she always make her characters multi-dimensional. But her great talent couldn't salvage the average plot but she did a good job of personifying Gloria.