DARK SHADOWS

Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green,

Helena Bonham Carter, Bella Heathcote,

Chloe Grace Moretz, Jonny Lee Miller

HBO

"Every family has its demons"

When I'm asked who my favorite actor is, I always say it's Johnny Depp. Yet lately for the past decade or so, I've hardly seen any of his movies. He is still my fave though mainly because of his versatility in portraying uniquely quirky characters.  

In "Dark Shadows", he is Barnabas Collins a landed merchant who was turned into a vampire when he rebuffed the romantic notions of a 'witch'.  He is unearthed by mistake after two centuries of being buried alive. It is the year 1972 when bell bottoms and hippie mania was the main trend. He finds himself the head of a dysfunctional family, his descendants still living in Collinwood Manor (the family estate) which has fallen into ruin located in the town named after them, Collinsport. 

This latest collaboration between Depp and Tim Burton is as wacky as can be.  Not really a surprise since it is Tim Burton, after all. It was interesting and funny to see Barnabas Collins readjusting to modern day life as well as to his strange family.  Each of them with their own inner demons to deal with.

Towards the ending though, it got really so messy with a crazy witch exacting her revenge by wreaking havoc.  A chaotic few minutes that results in the total destruction of Collinwood Manor as well as the film itself.   Things just kept on getting weirder by the minute that the only recourse was to switch off the telly and head to bed.

Now I know why and when I stopped watching his films. It was during the period in his career when his collaboration with Tim Burton yielded freaky characters who only appeal to people with a dark sense of humor.  Unfortunately not my cup of tea.  Perhaps it is time I find another fave!

NOW YOU SEE ME

Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson

Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Melanie Laurent
Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman

"4 Amazing Magicians. 3 Impossible Heists.
1 Billion Dollars. This is no Illusion."

The impressive cast can somewhat fool you into thinking this would be a good if not great film. But as illusion is the main theme, we tend to be gullible and therefore most likely be deceived by the spectacular magic tricks.

"The Four Horsemen" as the team is collectively known are a group of highly skilled illusionists. Their show is not merely limited to the simple pulling the rabbit out of the hat sort of tricks. Their daring performances consists of pulling off heists to rob from corrupt merchants and giving the money back to the victims of the scams.  Yes there is a Robin Hood angle right there, come to think about it.

The film relies heavily on computer generated images to dramatize the illusions and magic tricks.  The plot held a lot of promise in the beginning with a sense of suspended disbelief as to who the real mastermind is behind the 4 Horsemen.   Yet midway everything turns pretty blurry and ends with a conclusion that leaves you hankering for more than what unfolded.  I felt cheated by the flat ending considering that the whole movie was about giving back to the duped society their hard earned money.
 

The ensemble cast do their best to sustain the momentum of the film. Yet there is only so much one can do to grab the attention of the audience if the plot itself implodes and self destructs.  It tends to drag on far too long than it is humanly possible to endure.  Yet you keep your eyes glued to the screen the way little kids do when they watch cartoons or animation movies as they are now called because you are drawn into the special effects and the magic tricks.  You really want to know who and what is their motive behind the illusions.

"Now You See Me" is fun to watch especially the high octane performances of the Four Horsemen but as most illusions go don't expect too much or else you would be disappointed once you learn the truth behind these magic tricks.

WORLD WAR Z

Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos

A few days before Halloween I thought it would be fitting to watch a scary film.  As I checked my arsenal folder of films, I noticed I didn't have any horror films (mainly because I am not a fan of this genre). 

Then I saw World War Z - zombie invasion would surely qualify as scary in my opinion.  So I settled down to watch.  At first, surely the very thought of a group of people getting infected with some sort of virus which turns them into zombies is quite frightening for me.  

But as the movie progressed and I saw the extreme lengths Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) went through to find a 'cure', the idea became less scary and more of a joke. The kind of joke that is passed around several times, it becomes stale relatively faster than you can reach the punchline.

I mean really the fact that the scientist who will extract the vaccine dies (rather carelessly as hitting his head when he slips) within several minutes of the film should tell you it can't be taken seriously.  It seems like Brad Pitt took on this project so he could (a) be the sole hero to the rescue and (b) make a film that will certainly earn him huge brownie points with his young kids.  But then it is Brad Pitt after all and I may be wrong but I don't think that award winning performance would be an apt description as far as his acting skills go.  

Probably that he is too good looking to be taken seriously but judging from his array of films so far, none really scream Oscar worthy acting, right?  So after I got over my initial fear of zombies wreaking mayhem over the universe, I simply settled back and enjoyed this popcorn popping type of mindless entertainment (sans the popcorn, of course).

The film itself is well edited with violent and disturbing images of zombies on the attack in almost every frame.  Even though he goes all over the world (Israel, Scotland) to find the 'solution', the flow of the film is still intact and balanced.  The computer generated images naturally helped in bringing the dramatic intensity factor into play.  

Then just as you expected more 'action', the film ends on an open ended sequence.  This uncertainty cues in a sequel is in the works in the distant or near future.  It would be interesting to see the different premises that will be played before a final closure is brought about.  But until then, life goes on ... preferably without any zombie attacks!

ARTHUR NEWMAN

Colin Firth, Emily Blunt

Anne Heche

"If you Don't have a Life, Get someone Else's"

SM Cinemas

I found myself at the mall to do some errands. I wanted to catch Clooney and Bullock as the unfortunate astronauts on a mission that goes wrong but unfortunately I missed the appropriate showing time, so I settled for Firth and Blunt.  

That's Colin Firth who stars as a down on his luck sales agent who decides to fake his death so he could start a new life as Arthur Newman. His dream is to resume his golf career so he intends to pursue a job as an  instructor at a golf club in another state.  Along the way, he meets Mike (Emily Blunt) herself a lost soul and they connect on more levels than one.  

This is their story.

I reckon it is quite easy for someone to just vanish into thin air without anyone missing them and assume a new identity in a huge country like the US.  In Wallace Avery's case, I found it quite sad that he didn't have a solid support system like a loving family to provide him with whatever he felt was missing in his life.  But as we see in the film, he doesn't have a warm personality. He is divorced and estranged from his family while his current girlfriend played by Anne Heche seems to be neglected and largely ignored.

The loneliness is all the more highlighted when one lonely soul meets another lonely soul. In this case, Arthur meets Mike who is I'd say more troubled than lonely.  Somehow, together they click and make the most of the time together (read: have sex a lot) even though they clearly know zilch about each other lives. 

As the film moves on and the notion of second chances peeks in, surely redemption and finding one's self cannot be far behind and right on cue they appear towards the ending. I know it's predictable but somehow watching good actors like Colin Firth and Emily Blunt bring to life such sad characters somehow made the film easier to bear.

STOKER

Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode,

Nicole Kidman, Dermot Mulroney

"Do not Disturb the Family"

The word that comes to my mind to describe this movie is 'peculiar'.  This is the story of India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) a young woman who must learn to cope with the sudden death of her beloved father.  Helping her through the 'process' is her unstable mother Evie played brilliantly by Nicole Kidman and her uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode).  Her father's younger brother who suddenly shows up after the funeral. A close relative which neither Evie nor India knew even existed.  Charlie has a magnetic draw to his personality which India cannot quite explain yet it continues to fascinate the young woman. 

"Stoker" is the first English languaged film of Chan Wook Park, a Korean director and its script is co-written by Wentworth Miller of "Prison Break" fame and who was recently in the news for revealing his sexual orientation.

The main draw for me is the brilliant way "Stoker" was filmed. The cinematography was bursting with vibrant colors. Each detail in every scene was well showcased from extreme close up scenes to wide angle shots of landscapes. Most of them accompanied with hauntingly sinister music.  It felt like a fairy tale where you'd half expect animals and plants to start talking but fortunately they didn't because it isn't an animation film.  Even though the lead actress Mia Wasikowska first debuted as Alice in "Alice in Wonderland".

The peculiar aspect rose mostly from the mysterious aura of its unique characters. Strange roles but well acted by the ensemble cast. Notably Matthew Goode as Uncle Charlie was as creepy as creepy gets even though he looks like he walked out of a GC magazine cover. But beware looks can truly be deceiving!

No doubt, "Stoker" is a dark film with rather disturbing sequences which all unfold towards the end yet the mesmerizing manner it was presented is enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.

12th Spanish Film Festival

Yet another foreign language film festival is set to amuse us.  This time it is the 12th edition of Pelicula - the Spanish Film Festival.  It will run from the 3rd of October until the 13th at the Greenbelt 3 Cinemas.

Here is the schedule of films.

For more details, kindly check out its official website at http://pelicula.ph

BEYOND(SWEDEN)

Cine Europa 16

Cinema 2, Shang Cineplex

"Beyond" is a hauntingly powerful movie as it deals with alcoholism and domestic abuse.  It is based on a novel by Susanna Alakoski and is the directorial debut of Swedish actress Pernilla August. 

A single phone call from the hospice where her mother is confined rattles Leena (Noomi Rapace) to the core. Her mother whom she has not seen in ages has only a few hours to live and wants to see her. Suddenly Leena is confronted with the demons from her past, a childhood that was wracked with neglectful parents who were mostly drunk and whose fights would turn violent.

Her past comes to the screen through flawless flashbacks where we witness how a young Leena holds the household together as her parents spiral out of control. How she practically raised her young brother trying her best to shield him from experiencing first hand the murky effects that alcoholism had imposed on their parents.  How she turns into an expert swimmer in school as her means of escape from the troubles at home.

Leena's present life though seems like a complete contrast as she is happily married to a supportive husband and they dote on their two daughters. Yet confronted with the resurgence of the memories of her past, she turns into a bitter person. Quite understandably so.  All the years of neglect and abuse she witnessed as a child come rushing to the surface and suddenly she doesn't know how to process the experience.

Case in point, when her mother talks to her on her deathbed, she tells Leena "there were some good times, though. All those parties."  Leena retorts "those were not nice parties they were disgusting drunken messes".  Two people who experience the same experience yet remember them quite differently.  Sad but a hauntingly true depiction of life.

The film itself is difficult to process despite the simplicity in the manner it was presented on screen.  It is disturbing to watch a young child go through so much misery at the hands of her own parents.  But what is more troubling is how parents can be so neglectful of their own children.  

But I am mature enough to know that not all families are blessed with parents who provide a loving home for their children.  And sometimes it takes a film like "Beyond" to show us we need to be more appreciative of our own family.

BARBARA(GERMANY)

Cine Europa 16

Shang Cineplex, Cinema 2

Barbara is a doctor assigned to a small town. She was 'banished' after she was caught trying to secure an exit pass to travel to West Germany.  Setting is obviously during the Cold War era when Germany was still divided by the Berlin Wall.

The audience though is not given much information about her background, her social status or even if she has any family or relatives in the Western part of Germany.  Day in and day out, we see her wearing the same clothes as she reports to the hospital where she is assigned.  She rarely interacts with her colleagues except with another doctor named Andre who is what I call the friendly/flirty type. We also witness that she is under constant surveillance from what we assume is the local police or whatever office is tasked with monitoring suspicious individuals.

Nina Hoss the actress who portrays Barbara has this melancholic expression on her face. She barely smiles and her movements/gestures are guarded. Great personification of an intriguing yet somewhat quite sad character.  Sometimes you can't help but feel like giving Barbara a hug just to cheer her up a bit or just to reassure her that everything will be alright.  Even though we know just how restricted her life in the East really is.

But everything is not as dour as there is a slight glimmer of hope as we see Barbara is secretly planning another 'escape'.   As the day slowly approaches, we sense very little excitement on her part (or she is probably just good at hiding her emotions).  We also see how she is slowly but surely coming out of her shell as she becomes more open with Dr. Andre. 

Overall, this well acted drama moves at a slow pace yet it is tinged with a silent sense of foreboding for such an intriguing character. Everything is quite subtle even the little twist towards the ending which made me sad yet I couldn't help but feel like things would work out just fine for Barbara despite her painful yet very noble decision.

DIVIDED WE FALL (CZECH REPUBLIC)

Cine Europa 16

Cinema 2, Shang Cineplex

From the Czech Republic comes this tale set in a Nazi occupied small town about a childless couple trying to make ends meet during the war.  As if that is not hard enough, Marie and Josef Cizek decide to hide a young Jewish man. David is the son of Josef's former employer.  Fortunately, he was able to escape from a concentration camp where the rest of his family perished. 

These are troubled times and the couple try to keep a semblance of normalcy in their community. Of course, it isn't easy because nosy colleagues and gossipy neighbors are always on the look out for anything suspicious in their neighborhood. The secrecy is also posing a threat to their marriage and their inability to conceive.

The movie has a vintage vibe to it even though it was filmed only in 2001. The cast do their best to essay their characters, realistically. Their varied emotions as well as their distinct behaviors are very characteristic of people living under so much pressure. 

The plot authentically presents the full impact of living under occupation. Collaborators were also quite common as certain enterprising individuals chose to help the 'enemy'. It is difficult to phantom what motivates a person to 'side' with the occupying forces yet I also understand it is a simple case of survival.  This issue isn't tackled at length but only in passing towards the end of this film yet for me it was the most poignant part.

Nevertheless, "Divided We Fall" is still a provocative film about the Nazi occupation in a small Czech town.  It has its fair share of dramatic moments along with funny situations just like real life!

A ROYAL AFFAIR(DENMARK)

Cine Europa 16

Shang Cineplex, Cinema 2

From Denmark comes this period piece based on a true story which unfolds during the close of the 18th century. A young English princess marries the King of Denmark, Christian VII.  He is what we now call autistic but back in those days, they all believe he was insane. So the Court decides to hire a physician.  In comes, Johann Frederich Struensee, a German doctor who is secretly part of the Enlightenment movement - an organization of intellectuals and free thinkers.

During those ages, Denmark was an oppressive nation ruled by a conservative Parliament and the influential clergy.   Soon enough, the good doctor finds himself in the bed of the young but strong minded Queen Caroline Mathilda as well as the 'brains' behind the much ridiculed King.  But as we later find out, Struensee  pays dearly for his indiscretions - a public beheading.

The film begins with the exiled Queen writing a letter to her two children explaining to them why she had an affair with the German doctor.  Then it effortlessly moves into flashback mode as we are taken 9 years earlier. 

This drama about an illicit relationship is well executed. The costumes are authentic, the cinematography is lusciously bold and vivid and the cast portray their roles, realistically. Mads Mikkelsen who I guess is Denmark's most famous import to the film industry stars as the quiet yet charismatic doctor Struensee. It was interesting to watch his character evolve from the silent behind the scenes doctor to the powerful almost greedy enforcer of Denmark's reforms.

The story line tackles intrigues, politics, the magnetic draw of power all in the pursuit of the greater good of mankind. Although it clocks at over 2 hours, it was still fascinating to watch a good period drama about a faraway Scandinavian land which I never had the chance to visit.