Movie Review: Sayo Lamang

I was really eager to watch Sayo Lamang because of two reasons. First, I so loved Tanging Yaman which is fast becoming a classic and top rated Filipino film. I can watch it over and over again. Second, because Sayo Lamang is directed by Laurice Guillien, the same woman who directed Tanging Yaman. I wanted to find out if Laurice Guillien could once again concoct a world class movie worthy of international applause.

But sad to say, SAYO LAMANG is one big flop!

I watched it on the third day of release. It was a Friday and I expected the cinema will be brimming with people pushing each other to get good seats. But no, the cinema was not even half-filled. I immediately sensed that I will enjoy my popcorn more than the movie. Here are the reasons why I think this movie flopped.

1. It was so commercialized. They invited all the mainstream actors of this generation to lure moviegoers. But sad to say, only a handful of them can really act. Sayo Lamang does not have the legendary Johnny Delgado who delivered a very powerful performance in Tanging Yaman. Sayo Lamang also did not have Gloria Romero, Cherry Pie Picache and Edu Manzano.

Aside from this, since they invited so many stars to be part of this film, each had to be given their own little story (a subplot if you want), thus be given a moment to be shot up close with mouth quivering, waiting for tears to fall. I can almost imagine the director raring to shout “Cut!” once those tears have been actually released! This brings me to #2.

2. A drama movie does not have to have a crying scene in every segment! It was simply too much! Each scene had to end with a close up shot of a character with tears falling from his or her cheeks. Why did they have to do that? It is an insult to drama actors who are measured only for their ability to feign crying.

3. They should have worked on the story instead. As it turned out, the story was too shallow and predictable, not to mention that the segments were so fragmented. It felt like jumping from one random scene to the next. Then the editor stitched it all together to make one lousy film. My personal life story is better without even trying.

4. None of the characters was developed. Take for example the role of Miles Ocampo as the youngest among the siblings. What was her purpose in the story really? She just kept on crying scene after scene while watching her siblings and father fight. But if you take her character out, the movie will still stand. It only goes to show that she played no important role crucial to the development of the story.

5. More than halfway through the movie, I was forced to ask my companion already why it was entitled Sayo Lamang. And then just before he could answer me, the song was blurted out on screen. It was the segment wherein the siblings were gathered around the deathbed of Lorna Tolentino. Was that the only reason? If I am missing out on something, kindly post a comment. But for me, the title itself was a flop.

This is sad. Star Cinema has all the means to produce quality Filipino films that could rival Hollywood. However, it chose to feed us with a lackluster movie with an off tangent title. I’m guessing that the indie film Two Funerals will be much better.

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Hachiko: A Dog’s Story Movie Review

Hachiko: A Dog’s Story has a very elementary lesson to tell. It was a simple tale of a dog’s love and loyalty for his master. I have seen a few movies about dogs but this one surely raises the bar if only because Hachiko lived in real life. That alone made the big difference.

Yes, the movie is based on a true Japanese story although the movie adaptation was American. Parker Wilson (Richard Gere) is a college professor who rides a train everyday to go to work. One ordinary day, as he steps out of his train, he encountered a lost puppy. Failing to locate the owner, he brings it home. The puppy had a dog collar with engraved Japanese characters that mean “Hachiko.”

Parker raises Hachiko. His wife and daughter grew to love the dog as well. Parker and Hachiko developed a silent and unexplainable bond between them. Every morning Hachiko would accompany Parker to the train station. He would go back to the train station in the afternoon to wait for Parker to arrive and they will walk back home together. But one day, Parker collapsed while at work and died. And Hachiko waited at the train station in vain.

This is where the string of emotions began. Days after Parker died, Hachiko continued to go back to the same spot in the train station where he will sit to wait for Parker. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. Parker’s daughter tried to adopt Hachiko but the dog would only escape to go back to the train station. He became a stray dog. The people around the train pity the dog and fed him for sustenance.

Hachiko’s display of unconditional love and loyalty is deeply touching. He did this for ten years and died on the exact spot at the train station where he waited for Parker’s return each day. I don’t like too much drama in a movie, but this one was an exception. I liked it primarily because it is rare to hear a story like Hachiko’s who could not and would not forget about this man who picked him up when he was little and took care of him.

I promise you, after watching this movie, you will not look at dogs the same way again.

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The Ugly Truth Review

Well, the ugly truth is that, this movie relied more on crude and sexual humor for it to sell. If you are just after a good laugh, especially in this difficult time of recovering from the Typhoon Ondoy calamity, the Ugly Truth will definitely send you sliding down your seats in laughter. It's a good thing because you can relax and relieve yourself from stress for a change. But then, another ugly truth is that this movie is really very stereotypical. There was nothing new to see, nothing new to expect from it, and no different ending that you couldn't guess from the start. The plot is downright predictable. The only new learning for me is that there is such a thing as vibrating panties. I never heard of it before. Or is that an ugly lie? Maybe guys are drawn to watch the Ugly Truth because of Katherine Heigl. See her reveal more flesh than ever before. Whatever sells, you know. ;-) Eric Winter was hot, but I'll prefer rougher guys like Gerard Butler at anytime. Yum!

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In My Life

You gotta watch In My Life! Thanks to a film like this, I believe in the talent of Filipinos again! Veteran actress Vilma Santos definitely drew in a lot of moviegoers, but her son Luis Manzano, and the impeccable John Lloyd Cruz, were equally commendable for their great acting mettle. While the two actors were playing the role of gay lovers, there was nary a hint of awkward, exaggerated or forced acting on their parts.

Love love love John Lloyd Cruz as always. He has proven once again that he can really act given any role. He is indeed one of the best we've got in this generation. As for Luis Manzano, this may be his first major drama role but I gotta give it to him. He did his part excellently. Vilma Santos is seamless as always. It's been years since she last did a movie. Seeing her on the big screen again is refreshing. She didn't look like she aged one bit, but her many years of experience in front of the camera is very evident. She scored another perfect ten here in In My Life.

I'm sure many in the audience only wanted to see that much publicized lip-locking between the two gentlemen. This early I can tell you that it is overrated. This is because as you sit inside the theater to immerse yourself in the story, you will find soon enough that that scene is really just a strand of hair that hardly matters when you are left admiring the masterpiece that director Olivia Lamasan put together.

Story-wise, In My Life is kept very simple and straightforward. It had the usual mix of drama interspersed with comedy. We, Filipinos, love to poke fun at those who could not speak straight English or find it hard to converse in English in a foreign land. The movie leaned on this to give viewers a good laugh. Vilma Santos provided comic relief as she struggled with her words to get by in New York. She also epitomizes those Filipinos who were brought to America out of unforeseen circumstances. One day you are content in your comfort zone here in the Philippines, and then the next minute you are thrown in unfamiliar grounds and forced to survive in the land of milk and honey.

There were no scenes or dialogues that stayed with me as I left the theater, yet In My Life is worth watching. Its story is close to our hearts because I'm sure many of us have friends or relatives working in America. In My Life is more than about homosexuals. It more importantly mirrored the struggles of Filipino families and their quest for greener pastures outside of the country.

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The Last Journey of Ninoy

I have just seen the video documentary entitled, The Last Journey of Ninoy, which chronicles Ninoy's last nine days before he was assassinated. I have heard and read so much about Ninoy's seven years of incarceration during the Martial Law, but it was only after watching The Last Journey of Ninoy that I able to really understand the enormous sacrifice he did for his country. It was a very moving documentary. My heart stopped for an hour while watching it.

It was one thing to learn that he was put in an isolated cell and shut off from all means of communication with the outside world. It was another thing to hear him narrate his own ordeal and catch that painful tone in his voice.

It was one thing to read about the difficulties he endured in his prison. It was another thing to actually see a photo of his family huddled around him during a rare visit, trying to extend a short one hour to forever.

It was another thing to hear and see Cory relive those trying days. You could look into the depths of her eyes as she struggled for words to describe that one fateful visit in the Sierra Madre. Ninoy was losing so much weight and slowly dying before her eyes.

Recalls Ninoy, "They brought me in a mountain hideout in the Sierra Madre and placed me in a box. I had only my brief and my t-shirt. I refuse to eat because I thought they were poisoning me. There was nothing in the room, barely nothing. And I had nothing to do but twiddle my thumb. And for the first time in my life I heard the ticking of every second, and I was counting every second into minutes, and as the minutes marches into hours, and the hours into days, and days into weeks, I knew what loneliness meant."

Public humiliation is ruthless. Being humiliated in front of your family wrecks the heart and soul so much more. But as Ninoy held on to his pants literally as his belt was sequestered, he at the same time was holding on to God for comfort in that time of desolation.

There are no words enough to describe Ninoy's strong spirit and unwavering faith in God. If Marcos had a long string of bullets that could shatter lives, Ninoy had more powerful bullets in the beads of his rosary that kept his family safe as he held on to his fight against the dictatorial rule. Violence vs. Non-violence. Which road will you choose?

"If we use violence against him, he will only justify the use of violence against us. And since he's a more violent man with more forms of oppression, we will be the loser.... Because if you are not violent then before the bar of public opinion and before God, he's the only sinner."

For Ninoy, his choice had always been very clear in his mind. He made no compromises to his stand up to the day that he succumbed to Marcos' bullet. His conviction is what most of us could only dream of having.

"If I die, then I die and there's only one to suffer. So long as you will continue the struggle and carry the torch then I think we'll have a better Philippines... We should not depend on one man. We should depend on all of us. All of us are expendable in the cause of our freedom. And therefore I say, stand up now and be a leader. And when all of us are leaders we will expedite the cause of freedom."

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(Up Movie by Pixar) Up, Up and Away!

Awesome movie! The best I've seen so far in 2009. Up proved so much more than I hoped it would be. It seemed at first like just a children's story of a flying house off to a magical adventure. But soon I found out that it touches adults in a very special way. It's about love, living your dreams, and finding your own paradise. Pixar rules! They really make great animation with always a wonderful storyline to match.

Carl and Ellie are a couple who dreamed of setting foot on Paradise Falls in South America sometime in their lifetime. But there were hindrances along the way. Many years passed and they grew white hairs on their heads already, and their knees easily shook. Ellie later on passed away. Carl was left by his lonesome and wallowing in depression. Ellie's death looked like the end of their dreams. It didn't come to fruition. But one day he vowed to pursue their joint dream of living in Paradise Falls. And so he flew his house attached to a thousand balloons. By some accident, a boy named Russell was on Carl's porch when the house lifted from the ground. Little did Carl know that Russell will play a big role in making him realize a lot of things about himself, his wife and the world.

We see both Carl and Russell progress in their own ways as they shared that trip together. At first, we saw their personalities colliding. Russell was young and very talkative, while Carl was old and preferred to keep to himself. They had different goals. Carl wanted to reach his ultimate destination, while Russell was more concerned on helping the captured bird which he named Kevin. But later on they learned to be interdependent and understood each other more.

Probably the most touching scene in Up is that of Carl who leafed through the scrapbook of his late wife and it unfolded before him photos of them sharing many wonderful moments together at different stages of their marriage. At this point, Carl comes to the realization that his wife lived a full life after all. Ellie didn't need to go to South America to see Paradise Falls. She was happy with her own paradise of a happy marriage with him. Every moment spent with Carl was paradise. Before she died, she expressed her deep love for her husband by telling him to live his own adventure. And this was the turning point for Carl. Suddenly, his trip began to take a whole new meaning.

I watched the movie in 3D and it was so worth it! Never mind that my 3D spectacles were big and kept falling. Had to push them up in place every so often. Up will surely strike the cords of the heart of every viewer.

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Cinemalaya 2009: Sanglaan

Cinemalaya is annually held here in the Philippines every July. It aims to promote and develop Filipino independent films. Every year, ten finalists are shown in the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) that were sifted from around a hundred entries. The first day of showing commences on the day of the festival. Laurice Guillen heads this committee. She and the rest of the organizers hope that through Cinemalaya, the filmmakers could freely express and form their own thoughts and beliefs in any given issue or subject without worrying about commercialism.

Cinemalaya 2009 is dubbed as CINEMALAYA CINCO because this is the 5th film festival here already. It was formally opened last July 17 and will run until July 26. The ten full-length films are:

"24K" directed by Ana Agabin
"Ang Nerseri (The Nursery)" by Vic Acedillo, Jr.
"Ang Panggagahasa kay Fe" by Alvin Yapan
"Astig (Mga Batang Kalye)" by GB Sampedro
"Colorum" by Jon Steffan Ballesteros
"Dinig Sana Kita" by Mike Sandejas
"Engkwentro" by Pepe Diokno
"Last Supper No. 3" by Veronica Velasco and Jinky Laurel
"Mangatyanan (The Blood Trail)" by Jerrold Tarog
"Sanglaan" by Milo Sogueco

I wish I can watch all ten because I always want to support Filipino films. However, I have to choose only one because aside from budgetary concerns, the screening schedules are sometimes conflicting and the venue (CCP) is far from where I live. So for obvious reasons that my friends will surely know, I chose Sanglaan. We catched the Sunday screening at 9PM at Huseng Batute Theater. Ticket price is Php100. Students get 50% off.

Sanglaan is directed by Milo Sogueco. The veteran and revered actress Tessie Tomas gives her support in the film as she plays the main character, Olivia, who owns and manages a small pawnshop. It depicted the life of a pawnshop operator who is on the verge of closing down her business for various reasons.For one, her son in the United States has petitioned her; and secondly, because she feels she is slowly losing the battle against the bigger names of pawnshops around her. At the same time, Sanglaan showed the life of many Filipinos who resort to pawning their jewelries and appliances for quick cash and to make ends meet.

Although I appreciated the story overall and the lessons it tried to impart, I felt that there were so many loose subplots and broken scenes that hardly mattered to the central theme. I was looking forward to getting a dose of Milo Sogueco's thoughts about the social impact of pawnshops in the Philippines but instead I received bits and pieces of scenes that went nowhere. After the show, I left the theater quite disappointed.

For me, it would have been a special film that will give the audience a chance to take a closer look at the local pawnshop industry, especially since most viewers of Cinemalaya 2009 are generally well-off and have hardly any experience in pawning. The film could have made the audience understand more how relevant these pawnshops are to the Philippine society.

For what it's worth, you can still catch Cinemalaya Cinco's Sanglaan plus the other nine films until July 26. You can check the screening schedules at cinemalaya.org.

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Movie Review: Ded Na Si Lolo

Loved watching Ded Na Si Lolo. I am not so much into the technical details of the film, but story-wise it was very funny. I like local films that revolve around the everyday lives of Filipinos. Ded Na Si Lolo tackled the old traditions and superstitions surrounding the wake and funeral of our dead. Director Soxie Topacio brilliantly brought together a veteran cast, led by Elizabeth Oropesa, Gina Alajar, Manilyn Reynes, Roderick Paulate and Dick Israel. The theme was dealt with very lightly and showcased the behind-the-scenes of a solemn wake.

The patriarch of the family died, and this reunited the four siblings to mourn for their loss. Reality is not lost however at their time of deep grieving. The house must be cleaned and prepared while the body is being embalmed in the funeral parlor. They had to cook and prepare food for those who will pay respect to the dead. Up to the last minute, amidst their crying, they were faced with the problem of where the coffin will pass through in their small house. The barangay captain later on decided the window screen must be taken down for the meantime and shoot the coffin there.

The older siblings (Oropesa, Israel and Alajar) were more steadfast to the old superstitions and made sure they were followed strictly. I loved Paulate's role as the youngest among the brood who represented the more liberated and open-minded generation of today. He continually questioned one superstition after the other, throughout the six days of the wake. He laughed at the absurdity of it all.

So here are some of the superstitions mentioned in the film:
1) The head of the dead person should be facing the door.
2) The rosary wrapped around the hand of the dead should be cut to break the string of deaths.
3) Tuck some money in the hand of the dead. Before the burial, distribute it among the family members to bring good luck to them.
4) Do NOT thank anyone for their help in any way.
5) Do not wear red during the wake.
6) You should not take a bath at the house of the wake. Take a bath somewhere else.
7) Do not escort the guest out of the door. Just let them leave on their own.
8) Do not sweep the floor.
9) If the deceased was killed, place a chick atop the coffin and his killer will be guilt-ridden.
10) Do not let tears drop on the coffin.
11) Throw some coins if you happen to pass by a funeral march on the street. It will bring you luck.
12) Carry children over the coffin so that the spirit of the dead will not visit them.

I'm not a very superstitious person. I'm the type you will find silently amused at things done without logic. But sometimes following these customs just make ceremonies more meaningful. As Israel quipped in the movie, may mawawala ba sa'yo kung susundin mo na lang?

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Movie Review: North Country

Press Screening at the Podium Cinema
March 2, 2006

North Country has the tried and tested formula that makes for a winning heart-wrenching drama. It’s a touching movie with the typical underdog protagonist emerging victorious in the end after seemingly suffering all the misfortunes that life could bring.

Charlize Theron plays Josey, a battered wife who left her husband for good after his last beating on her. She then joined her friend Glory to work for the iron mines to support her two children. And from there started a series of clichés that nevertheless kept the viewers glued to their screens, probably holding back tears as well for Josey’s fate.

At a time when women employees are not yet protected against sexual harassment in their work environments, Josey, along with her fellow lady miners, were continually harassed by their men compatriots in the mine. First cliché arises as Josey bravely complained about the ill-fitting working conditions to the management. Without the support of the labor union of course, her complaint came to nothing. Second cliché came when she struggled to convince at least three of her lady colleagues to attest in court for a class action lawsuit to pursue. Third cliché happened in a very dramatic scene in court when a seemingly hopeless case had a turn around, and suddenly women rose to their seats one by one in support of Josey. And as a drama cliché movie goes, Josey later on won the case, and a provision against sexual harassment was immediately drafted. All those who misunderstood Josey in the end understood her. Hearts of stone turned hearts of gold.

While there’s nothing new to expect to North Country, Charlize Theron still gave a splendid performance. It’s still a movie worth catching when it opens on March 22 :) If for anything, I guess the ladies would better appreciate the movie and feel thankful that there are now laws protecting women from various sexual assaults. As a woman, I have wondered not a few times how it’s like to be maltreated by men and not be able to do anything about it. As a woman, I feel for the ladies who suffer the stigma of rape even twenty years after. After watching the movie, I felt glad to be alive at a time when women could openly fight for equal rights and could not be abused as easily as before.

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A Tale From Narnia

It was just okay. There was nothing spectacular in the movie to look forward to, though it was not at all boring either. I enjoyed reading the book more than watching the movie. Anyways, I overheard a funny conversation of a couple seated right beside me:

Guy: Meron ba talagang lion na ganyang kalaki?
Girl: Ano ka ba! Wala noh! May tao yan sa loob.

Then we concluded that they are the sort of people who were truly mesmerized by the local movie, Exodus, hahaha!

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Movie Review: Once in a BLUE MOON

When a full moon occurs twice in one month, the second full moon is termed the blue moon. It is a rare occurrence that the idiom “once in a blue moon” came to mean not very often. And indeed, the film Blue Moon is a once in a blue moon high caliber Filipino movie that I left the cinema with renewed hope for the much defamed Philippine movie industry. Indeed, what primarily drove me to catch this on the big screen was that it was in fact a Palanca award-winning love story.

I have always believed that Filipinos are very talented. It’s just that sometimes Western influence pushes us astray from our strengths in the belief that being hi-tech will make us world class. But then, what do we get? We produce a highly dismal and embarrassing movie like Exodus which brags of overtaking LOTR’s 700 CGI effects. Hello? I hear Peter Jackson and the rest of the world laughing at this absurdity.

Truth is, we are miles away from producing decent hi-tech films because the sad fact is, we don’t have the money to pay the price of advanced technology. Why do we humiliate ourselves with movies like Exodus when we can focus on producing movies like Blue Moon showcasing the Filipino ingenuity in scriptwriting and displaying adept skills in acting?

Blue Moon is an excellent film with superb acting from veterans Eddie Garcia, Christopher de Leon and Boots Anson Roa. Even Dennis Trillo proved his acting mettle to altogether make for a piercing drama of undying love surpassing the passage of time. At the same time, the love story is interwoven with a subplot of father and son relationships maturing in the course of their search for an important woman of their family.

This is definitely a good Filipino movie to catch while foreign films are still blocked for the rest of the week (read: Can’t wait for Narnia!!!!). Incidentally, I saw a beautiful rainbow yesterday after the downpour, plus I saw a good movie, that I think my new year started A-ok. Dali, nood na rin kayo ng Blue Moon! =)

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Movie Review: The Goblet of Fire

Goblet of Fire is the best Harry Potter movie so far! Kudos to the new director, Mike Newell. This film for me is definitely incomparable to the first three movies. Finally, the masterpiece of J.K. Rowling was treated right with a much more humane and realistic approach. In spite of the time constraints, the film translation still brought to life the major and more relevant details of the book without losing the cohesiveness of the story and magically creating a poignant tone of familial relationships and purity of love. The first three movies somewhat lacked the right emotions as they turned out to be chop-chops of the book versions, like lifting scenes from the pages and compiling them on screen. But the Goblet of Fire for me is seamless. There was the right mixture of drama, suspense and good humor.

This fourth serving of Harry Potter is simply grand, with all the overwhelming CGI effects of like the World Quidditch Cup, the Durmstrang’s ship and the whole Tri-Wizard Tournament. It had grand cinematography that engulfs the viewers into the world of magic, grand characters with human imperfections coming so alive on screen, and just grand everything! Hehe!

I assume the teenage girls have found fresh faces to swoon over on Cedric and Krum. Cedric is akin to Legolas; Krum is to Aragorn. But of course, no one beats my Ron Weasley (played by Rupert Grint). He is still the cutest! :) Thankfully, his role jumped out of the tiring deadpan humor that was glaring in The Prisoner of Azkaban (HP 3). Good for him that this time in The Goblet of Fire his talent shone more prominently. He justifiably leaped out of the shadows of Daniel Radcliffe (the famous Harry Pottah!). Rupert is really effective in comedy and I sure look forward that he be given a solo lead after the Harry Potter series.

Voldemort’s transformation is another one of the many scenes to rave for in the movie. And Ralph Fiennes really performed the role impressively. His head-on duel with Harry Potter was both suspenseful and gripping. There were several funny love angles which I think were sure fire ways to boost the movie as they are always safe formulas that sell to the viewing public. Still, what sets The Goblet of Fire apart is the overall maturation of the characters, the strong emotions that brought life to the story and the utter display of humaneness that no kind of magic could penetrate. Watch The Goblet of Fire to rejuvenate your moral fibers. :)

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Movie Review: Coach Carter

Our life is just a matter of choices all the time. It comes with free will bestowed on us in birth. It gives us this great power to go against the tides of materialism and other animalistic instincts like lascivious acts perhaps. Choices give us freedom, and not the other way around. I remember in one of my Theology classes back in college (under Miss Parco), my professor could only stress enough that freedom is never absolute to a moral human race. God did not give us the freedom of choice, rather He gave us the freedom to choose good. Do you realize the big difference between the two ideas?

So many of us are confused with the prevalence of evil in our world. A lot of us would blame it on the higher being who all gave us the freedom of choice. But what many of us fail to understand is that choosing to do good is not merely a privilege. Choosing to do good is our right! So why not exercise that freedom that God so generously gave to us? Without the freedom to choose good, we would all just succumb to our sexual cravings all the time. We would all just be mindless creatures robbing and killing like it was destined of us to do. Without the freedom to choose good, we would be no greater than the animals. Without freedom to do good, we are left with no other choice than to give in to evil. But see now, we have such terrible feelings like guilt, hurt, pain, regrets and sorrow. Why? Because in every choice laid out before us, we know that God gave us the freedom to choose good.

All these make perfect sense to me and my teacher’s lecture just all came back to me now after watching Coach Carter on VCD. Because if I could sum up the movie in a sentence, I would say that the movie dealt with choices people make in a lifetime. Would you sacrifice education in pursuit of winning the state championship in basketball? Would you rather indulge yourself in drugs, parties and casual sex rather than strive to get a college scholarship? Would you rather be in jail when you can get a degree and earn a respectable job? Would you get down with your guy until you get pregnant and abort the fetus afterwards? In all of these, we always have the freedom to choose what is good and what is right.

Carter made the headlines when he cancelled gym practices until his players meet the grade point average in school. He stood on his ground with a clear goal of setting the right priorities for his boys. There were no compromises for him. He possessed the rare gift of effective leadership lacking in the majority. But though we may not have Carter’s ability to influence others, we always are our own leaders in life. And I strongly believe that if only each one of us will take full control of our lives and exercise our freedom to choose good, this world will really be much more harmonious and peaceful than ever.

This movie is very moving and inspiring. The battle of supremacy between good and evil – which one will it be for you? Do you really have a choice? Nuninuninu.

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Batman Begins

Let's start at the very beginning... a very good place to start... at Batman Begins! It's the very first movie I've watched of the series. I always thought of Batman as a superhero bitten by a bat somewhere along the way and came to inherit, well what do you know, the bat powers! Superhero characters can be weird huh? First there was a spider who didn't go up the water spouts but went from one building to the next like a modern Tarzan on the loose. Now comes a bat who emerged from the grandest cave only an insanely rich dude could afford.

Well, it's good to start at the beginning of it all because at least this movie set a lot of things straight for me. Batman definitely wasn't bitten by bats! Duh. Do bats bite? I don't know. But it was cool to know that Batman's real name is Bruce Wayne after all! Cool name, Bruce! Are you guys sure though that Bruce Wayne's not a reincarnation of FPJ? Batman sure resembled FPJ's voice in more ways than one. Think husky melodramatic voice. Remember when Rachel Dawes asked Batman to reveal his identity? Bruce said very dramatically, It's the things you do that defines you as a person. Now think, mag-SMB muna tayo pare ko.

Wait, I don't mean to make fun of Batman Begins. I just didn't have any background about it prior to watching. But I really enjoyed the movie. In fact, I saw it twice. Not that I like it that much though. The second time I watched, it was to keep my starfish company (the first time was with a beachy friend). But it was a good film that I didn't mind watching it again, especially with a sticky starfish beside you =P. And for an ignorant like me, the plot was easily understandable. Well basically, I got a good grasp of how Batman came to be. What I couldn't get a hold of though is how Bruce remained rich in spite of his long years of apathy towards their family business. And I couldn't get it why the mechanism that unlocks the secret hideout didn't malfunction amidst the burning mansion. And why was Rachel Dawes so damn righteous? The movie kept a clear line between good and evil actually. Good is underdog, always suffers and dreams of utopia. Evil is corrupt and all that crap.

Ok, one question... Why do we fall? So we could learn to pick ourselves up again.

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Shutter!

I really think watching scary movies like Shutter is more enjoyable when you're with good company. I've tried watching horrors alone but then you could only be silently scared. Your seatmates would laugh at you when you scream, or when your popcorn suddenly explodes from an adrenalin rush. It's like any outward emotions would be tantamount to your eccentricity. Like if you read a book alone in the park, and you laugh or scream on what you're reading, the passersby would surely think you're some kind of nuts.

I want to be given a good scare, and that's one reason I like watching horrors. At the same time, such films are always amusing for me when you come to think of the absurdities of the plot, maybe together also with its impossibilities. Tina and I felt uncertain whether to laugh or be scared out of our wits. Maybe we screamed on cue when ghosts popped out of the huge screen at times we least expected them. We even bumped our heads once when we got scared and ducked to cover our eyes. But that's just a second of freaking out that's immediately replaced by chuckles and snorts.

Last night made me think I really enjoy watching scary movies, hehe. It's a good thrill, like a roller coaster ride.

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Movie Review: Madagascar

Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock) Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller) Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith)

Madagascar really rocked last night! It was hilarious! It was one movie that children will really understand. I mean there are some animated films produced which I doubt the kid viewers really understand. Madagascar's plot was kept simple yet very funny. It was laugh trip throughout the movie. Marty the Zebra got tired of his life in the zoo and escaped with some penguins. His bestfriend Alex the Lion, together with the giraffe and hippo all set out to find Marty. Forsome reason, the animals got thrown off the shores of Madagascar where their adventures as wild animals started.

What's funnier for me is that I just read Life of Pi, a serious book wherein a bengal tiger in a fight for survival began eating fellow animals aboard the lifeboat. It was in my mind while watching Madagascar last night. The animation all trivialized the gross fact that lions are a beastly lot, in fact, the king of the jungle! It will eat fresh meat, and must not supposedly hesitate to devour his bestfriend zebra to satisfy his hunger. But being an animation, the lion had a heart of course and found it difficult to kill his bestfriend. It was comedy with personified animals, and thus Alex the Lion became the most loveable and adoring beast. The viewers' hearts probably all went out to him.

Life of Pi on one hand, Madagascar on another. Sometimes it's a matter of how one relays a story. Just one fact -- Beasts kill. The manner of storytelling just made all the difference. It was what was filling my mind the whole time last night. =)

Madagascar is for everyone! Watch it! The humor, the graphics, the voice overs, the story! Hehe, basta I like. =)

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Movie Review: Hitch

Hitch is your typical romantic comedy film that would elicit laughters from you in the most unexpected moments and shoot you straight in the heart with its piercing dialogues. There's an adult-like kilig factor if there's such a thing.

Hitch (played by sexy Will Smith) is a professional matchmaker who was able to help a lot of men already woo the ladies of their dreams. His latest client was the ordinary guy, Alex, who didn't know how to at least get to talk to the famous and wealthy Allegra, the woman he loved the most. Hitch helped Alex by giving him crash lessons on self-confidence, and teaching him the ABC's of romantic dating, dancing and practically all the nitty-gritty details of courting. You know when kissing, men should go 90% and women 10%, hehehe!

While helping Alex, Hitch fell in love with the journalist Sara who turned out to be investigating his erstwhile dirty profession as a "love doctor." Hitch found himself at a loss, not knowing how to handle his feelings for Sara despite his "expertise" in the courting craft. After advising several of his clients to stand up for their women, exude an aura of confidence and speak out what seems to be unspeakable, it finally became one big living irony when he asked Sara to literally close the door of her apartment so he could pour out to Sara his deepest emotions.

Hitch may pass for just another romance comedy starring Will Smith but with a very special participation of his voluptuous and deliciously full lips . It's all about dealing with relationships and realizing that with love, there is no such thing as been-there-done-that. Love could defy even the so-called adept matchmakers. Love could falter on intelligent minds and otherwise matured thinking. You might not be able to hit on love, but love will hit you! Yebah! Alex would gladly tell us all that we just have to be ourselves always, while Allegra would expect all of us to be just like that. Go get Hitched! It's a good film to catch. =)

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Movie Review: Shall We Dance?

Shall We Dance is a lighter romance compared to A Very Long Engagement. I could still feel the kilig factor though I was feeling sleepy already.

A friend of mine doesn't agree with my interpretation, but I saw the movie as that circling on John Clark's (Richard Gere) quest for happiness. When initially we all thought he would have an affair with his dance instructor Paulina (the dashing J. Lo), and we were all questioning why he tookup dancing classes anyway and kept it a secret from his family, we later find John unraveling his deepest emotions.

At the start of the movie, John was asked by his wife (Susan Sarandon) what gift he wants, something that comes in a box, and John could not give her a ready answer. As the story progressed, we find John suddenly and surprisingly preoccupied with his dancing lessons. He would practice everywhere to perfect the art. He found his happiness there, which to his thinking, would hurt his family. He was wrong because his family loved and supported him. For the first time, his wife was able to give him something wonderful that comes in a box -- dancing shoes.

On the side, there were other men who enrolled at the same time as John. They all enjoy ballroom dancing but are hiding their passion in one way or another, all covered up with own insecurities. It's not always easy to be happy, but sometimes, you just have to plunge head on to what you like and disrobe yourself from all inhibitions.

It's a wonderful story! I like this film. J.Lo's butt is groovy! There is love, happiness and individuality in dancing. You listen to your own music in life and you groove your way to it. And when you strut your stuff, do it for the whole world to see.

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Movie Review: A Very Long Engagement

A Very Long Engagement is a French Film set in the World War I. It is a love story of a polio-stricken Mathilde waiting for the return of his soldier fiancé, Manech. In a time of war when the only things you can cling on are uncertainties, Mathilde hoped and believed that Manech will survive the war and come back to her alive. She spent each restless day doing her own search for Manech, and holding on to the littlest of hope that Manech still breathes for her. The whole ordeal was mental torture. Mathilde held on to the most absurd signs that Manech is still alive, like being able to peel an apple wholly.

The whole investigation that Mathilde underwent was hard to follow. The subtitles and unfamiliar French-sounding characters made it all difficult, not to mention my movie partner tugging me to ask questions all the time and joking about the sounds of the French names.

What is very interesting for me was the ending, because I saw it as both a happy ending and a sad one, depending on the viewer's point of view. Spoiler: Manech came back alive, but he had an amnesia. If you put yourself in Mathilde's shoes, how would you feel? Your fiancé comes back home alive, but he doesn't recognize you. He gives you the unfamiliar and empty smiles. He's alive but you are loving from afar. He could not understand your tears. Would it have been like experiencing the death of a loved one? It would all come down to your definition of love.

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Movie Review: Before Sunset

With five new DVDs in tow, what really caught my fancy in Ate Rins’ newest additions to her collection is Before Sunset, an intellectual and very realistic romance in my opinion.

“Romance” usually springs up fairytale-like relationships with climactic kisses and grandeur background love song that sends goosebumps and shivers (and sometimes tears) to the sentimental and emotional lot. Before Sunset successfully went overboard this stereotype and presented what is for me a mature and more sober depiction of relationships.

The movie was experimentally brave with its unexciting and monotonous conversation of two people trying to rekindle a feeling of nine years past, and cramming it all up in three hours before the man (Ethan Hawke) leaves to catch a flight. Everything seems to be uneventful. The man and the woman (played by Julie Delpy) talks nonstop throughout, moving on from one topic to another with such ease and spontaneity. At first, it would seem quite boring, but what interested me was the flow of conversation that actually revealed important emotions and thoughts. Unknown to the two, they were moving on to deeper and more personal topics, that soon, they found themselves trapped in some arguments and swallowing back tears of anger or frustration. What was supposed to be a casual talk of catching up on each other became a release of various pent up emotions, silent truths and repressions. The power of dialogue!

I begin to understand one of my friend's repeatedly expressed sentiments about the importance of dialogue. And come Christmas Eve, when we had a dialoguing of all sorts, I really appreciated it.

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