Review of WONDER: Tugging at our Tears

December 6, 2017

August "Auggie" Pullman was born with a rare facial deformity and had been subjected to a series of surgeries to make him look better. He grew up sheltered and home-schooled by his family for his protection. When he reached middle school, his mother Isabel decided that Auggie should go to Beecher Prep, a regular private school. Auggie eventually made friends but with much difficulty after being treated like a freak and being bullied.

Young Jacob Tremblay already impressed me as an actor when he starred alongside Brie Larson in the movie "Room" (Lenny Abrahamson, 2015) (MY REVIEW). While Larson was winning almost all the Best Actress awards that season, including the Oscar, I thought that Tremblay, then only 7 years old when he did the film, should have been cited as well as Best Actor. He did get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor from the Screen Actors Guild. 

As Jack Newsome in "Room," Tremblay had to sport very long thick hair, for which a lot of people initially thought he was a girl. As Auggie with his rare congenital syndrome, Tremblay worked under a layer of prosthetics on his face (which reportedly took an hour and a half to put on each shooting day). Nevertheless, he was able to tug on our heartstrings with a very warm and brave performance of another difficult role. He had this richly emotive voice which you would like to take into your embrace as he told his story. 

Auggie was a lucky boy because he had a very supportive family behind him. His parents were played by two of Hollywood's most winsome actors Julia Roberts (as mom Isabel) and Owen Wilson (as dad Nate). Izabela Vidovic played his sister Via and Danielle Rose Russell played Via's close friend Miranda, both of whom had pretty evocative side stories to tell on their own. We also get treated to a welcome cameo of Ms. Sonia Braga playing the role of their grandmother.  The cute family dog Daisy (played by Gidget) also got significant screen time as the film pulled out all the sentimental stops. 

Child actor Noah Jupe only made his feature film debut this year 2017, but his role in "Wonder" as Auggie's best friend Jack Wills is already his third. I wish they cleared that part about Jack's moment of disloyalty. The motivation of those words he said was never addressed even though he had the opportunity to tell his story. While it may simply be dismissed by saying that these are only kids, but these kids were already introduced to us as sensitive and sensible. Such an unfortunate incident should have been given some sort of better explanation. 

I thought his bullying by the film's main antagonist Julian went on too long that the character became too one-dimensional, which was a pity because the child actor playing him, Bryce Gheisar, looked like he had more sides in him than what was shown. When we meet Julian's parents (Crystal Lowe and Steve Bacic) in that scene at the principal Mr. Tushman's (played by the ever cool Mandy Patinkin) office, this angle of this story went into needless overkill for me. 

You probably think that you've have seen a movie like this before. However, "Wonder" was not just about how a bullied boy got through middle school, told in the first person by Auggie himself. The film also took time to tell the stories of other kids from their own point of view. This gave us another perspective about how the world does not only revolve around special kids like Auggie, but other kids around him need time and understanding as well. 

This was a truly heartwarming film written and directed by Stephen Chbosky, who previously gave us "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" (2012) (MY REVIEW). This is guaranteed to get your eyes misty, if not outright teary.  8/10

Review of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (2017): Sharp Shrewd Sleuthing

November 29, 2017

There had already been an excellent film adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel "Murder on the Orient Express" back in 1974, directed by Sidney Pollack. It was nominated for several Oscar awards including Best Actor (Albert Finney), Best Supporting Actress (Ingrid Bergman, who won), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Costume Design. Its all-star cast included Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Jacqueline Bisset, Vanessa Redgrave, and Wendy Hiller.

Famed Belgian detective Hercule Poirot was a last-minute passenger on the Orient Express a luxury train running from Istanbul to Paris. One night, an avalanche causes the train to derail. That morning, it was discovered that one of the passengers in his train car was murdered with 12 stab wounds. 

Poirot investigates the case by interviewing each of the colorful characters in that same car, which included a chatty widow, a mousy missionary, a hot-headed Hungarian diplomat and his beautiful wife, an elderly Russian princess and her maid, a doctor in an interracial romance with a governess, among others. 

Because I had already watched the 1974 original, I already knew the solution to the case (a most memorable one). So honestly, I was watching only to see how director Kenneth Branagh was going to spin this tale and the lead character Hercule Poirot and make these his own. The rest of the time was spent trying to figure out which characters were which from the original film, as some changes were made.

Kenneth Branagh played Poirot with utmost gravity and pompousness. Even from the trailer, you cannot miss the new take on the iconic Poirot mustache, so unrealistically atrocious it looked like a joke. There was his irascible obsession for perfection, balance and details, but this time magnified into practically a God-complex. There was a mention of a missed love which went nowhere, until perhaps for a future sequel maybe? 

Michelle Pfieffer was a scene-stealer as the flirty, husband-baiting Caroline Hubbard. This role was played by Lauren Bacall in the original. Penelope Cruz was very quiet and plain as the missionary Pilar Estravados. She was not made to do as much with this role that won Ingrid Bergman her Oscar in 1974. Judi Dench played Princess Dragonmiroff much more low-key than how Wendy Hiller memorably played this character before. 

"Hamilton" stage actor Leslie Odom Jr. and "Star Wars" new star Daisy Ridley took over roles John Arbuthnot and Mary Debenham previously held by Sean Connery and Vanessa Redgrave. Arbuthnot became a doctor here to streamline the cast (there was a separate doctor character in the original), which was not a bad decision. Because of Odom's casting, the obvious issue of race entered the story where it was not before. 

Johnny Depp looked so gaunt and disagreeable as his gangster character Samuel Ratchett should, but his portrayal was so awkward and felt miscast. To be honest, Richard Widmark in the original also felt miscast because he also did not look Italian as the character should. Josh Gad also could not flex much comic muscle that I could feel his frustration for not being able to do much with his role of Ratchett's secretary McQueen.  

The cinematography is lush and luxurious. The feeling of claustrophobia was enhanced by those unusual overhead shots as we look into the action as if peeking through a hole in the ceiling. The costumes and the musical score though were not as remarkable as the original. In terms of storytelling, I thought the arrival at the solution was clearer and more logical in the original than in this remake, where Poriot made some fantastic jumps of insight.

The climactic scene of Poirot's grand revelation of his solution to the case was taken outside the train in a more dramatic (though more improbable) tableau of the whole cast seated side-by-side on one side of a long table. In the original, the cast was seated in the dining car of the train while Poirot spoke. The recreation of the murder itself was executed in a remarkably frantic manner which was a fine energetic departure from the blue-lit, rather melodramatic way it was done in the original.

At the end of this movie, there was a not-so-discreet hint that there is a planned next case for Poirot, a murder on a boat on the Nile River. Obviously this refers to the Christie book "Death on the Nile" which also already had a well-known film version in 1978 by director John Guillermin, with Peter Ustinov as Poirot and Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Angela Lansbury and Mia Farrow in its all-star cast. 

I really do not get it why Hollywood insists on remaking already classic films. While I am all for reviving public interest in Agatha Christie's works, I am sure there are lesser known books or film versions they can revive, not those already too well-known for a remake to be necessary in the first place. Anyhow, this film would still be good for those who have not seen the 1974 original yet, but I would still advise them to check out that first one. 

1974 version: 8/10. 2017 version: 6/10. 

Review of THE SNOWMAN: Sedated Suspense

November 24, 2017

It is always exciting to catch a well-plotted crime suspense thriller. "The Snowman" was based on a novel by Norwegian writer Jo Nesbø, the seventh book in his series about detective Harry Hole. I have just visited Norway earlier this year and saw how picturesque and inhospitable the snow there could be. I remember our guide saying with pride that crime is almost non-existent in Norway, so this should be interesting to watch. 

Jaded senior detective Harry Hole and his eager new partner Katrine Bratt are investigating a series of puzzling murders of married women that coincidentally happened during a snowfall. Aside from his grisly calling card of a snowman with the victim's head on it, the perpetrator of these crimes purposely taunted Hole on a personal level, which made him all the more obsessed to get to the bottom of these crimes. 

Michael Fassbender does very well in these films where he is required to be moody and brooding. His character Harry Hole is a drunk and a drug addict, a loser of sorts in the personal front, thus making him even more melancholic. The sedate way this film was executed, his Harry Hole never really had a distinct Hercule Poirot Eureka moment when he finally figures out who the murderer was, so we do not really see any fire in his performance.

There were so many supporting characters whom we do not get to know too well. Rebecca Ferguson was a pretty and spunky Katrine, who seemed to have ulterior issues. Charlotte Gainsbourg was his odd clingy ex-wife Rakel. Jonas Karlsson played her more respectable new husband, plastic surgeon Dr. Matthias.  Val Kilmer had a bizarre appearance as a detective named Rafto who worked on the previous murders. 

There was a side story about a perverted philanthropist Arve Stop (played by J.K. Simmons) and his very suspicious association with a certain Dr. Idar Vetlesen (played by David Dencik) who worked in a clinic who did abortions.. A heftier-looking Chloe Sevigny played Sylvia (the woman in the hen house) and her twin Ane. I don't really get why they had to be twins. These are just some details that confused the story instead of pushing it forward. 

Director Tomas Alfredson previously gave us winners like "Let the Right One In" (2008) (MY REVIEW) and the remake of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" (2011) (MY REVIEW). "The Snowman" no doubt had beautiful photography of the dramatic Norwegian winter landscape. However, Alfredson told his story too coldly and sedately to create any excitement nor suspense. There were certain scenes which seemed to lead nowhere. The eventual solution of the crime was not feel like it was arrived at convincingly through excellence in detective work. Ultimately, this supposed thriller did not really thrill. 6/10. 

Review of COCO: Ancestral Approval

November 25, 2017

When I first saw the trailer of this new Pixar movie "Coco", I was turned off by the several similar elements to another animated film, "The Book of Life" (Jorge R. Gutierrez, 2014) (MY REVIEW). However despite my initial reluctance, the initial reviews that came out for "Coco" were overwhelmingly positive, so of course, we could not possibly give it a miss.

12 year old Miguel Rivera (Anthony Gonzalez) dreamed of becoming a musician like his idol, the late pop icon and movie star, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt, with Antonio Sol as his singing voice). However, his family vehemently opposed Miguel's musical aspirations. This was because they carried a cross-generational grudge against his great-great-great grandfather, a musician who had abandoned his wife Imelda (Allana Ubach) and infant daughter Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguía) in order to pursue stardom. 

On one Day of the Dead, Miguel discovered evidence that seemed to indicate that he was actually the great-great-great grandson of Ernesto de la Cruz himself. Magical events transport Miguel over into the land of the dead. A desperate dead guy named Hector (Gael García Bernal) offered to help Miguel locate Ernesto de la Cruz. In exchange, Miguel promised to bring Hector's picture back to the land of the living so that he would not be forgotten by his daughter. 

First and foremost, similarities with "The Book of Life" were really there. Both films were set on the Mexican Day of the Dead and involved a trip of the hero to a busy city of the afterlife. Both films were about a boy whose dream of becoming a musician (specifically, a guitarist) was being opposed to by his family. Because of these common themes, you can note several common references to colorful vibrant Mexican customs about death and the family. 

Of course, the main story of "Coco" did go into a totally different direction. While "Book" had a love triangle of Manolo, Joaquin and Maria as a backbone, "Coco" was basically about the coming of age of one boy Miguel while dealing different generations within the same family, both living and dead. There is that very common Disney theme of going for your dream, even if it meant going against the wishes of your elders. 

As told by director Lee Unkrich from a story he himself developed, "Coco" had the trademark charming, funny, sentimental Pixar style, going for the tear ducts of the audience. It beautifully dealt with old age, death and afterlife as normal parts of life, with top-of-the-line animation effects we expect from Pixar and catchy songs we can sing along with.  Expecting this to take the lead in the race for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. 8/10. 

Review of BRAWL ON CELL BLOCK 99: Viciously Violent Vaughn

November 23, 2017

The few times I have seen a Vince Vaughn movie, they had been wacky comedies, like "Dodgeball" (2004), "Wedding Crashers" (2005) or, more recently "The Internship" (2013). Since the debut of his latest film at the Venice International Film Festival last August, Vaughn had been gaining buzz about his unconventional character performance in it, with critics calling it the best performance of his whole career.

When what was supposed to be a routine drug pick-up went wrong, Bradley Thomas was arrested and thrown into a medium-security prison. A "Placid Man," representing the mastermind of the botched drug job, visited him on his second day to tell Bradley that harm will come to his pregnant wife Lauren and his unborn child if he does not obey their order to kill a certain prisoner who was currently locked up inside Cell Block 99 at the high-security prison Redleaf. Bradley had to come up with very violent acts of aggression, in order to get him into that cell block reserved only for the most psychotically-dangerous criminals.

With a huge tattoo of a cross on his clean shaven scalp, this is definitely a very different Vince Vaughn we see here. This 6-foot 5-inch actor, who was usually portrayed as a gentle giant, had been totally transformed here into a fearless, ruthless killing juggernaut. I can see why critics have been noting his portrayal of a role so way outside his usual comfort zone. His quiet moments could also make your skin crawl knowing how destructively crazy violent he could get. That car he took apart with his bare hands in the beginning was just a prelude to how he violent he could get.

It was good to see Don Johnson in a badass role as the tough Warden Tuggs of Redleaf. He has certainly aged a lot since his "Miami Vice" days (he is now 67 years old), but I could still recognize him behind that thick mustache he had on. Scrawny and scowling Jennifer Carpenter was such an unfortunate and unphotogenic choice as Bradley's wife Lauren. German actor Udo Kier, a familiar antagonist in several films, lived up to his character's nickname, Placid Man -- acting so cool on the outside but oh so evil to the core.

The ultra-violence of those fight scenes in this film by S. Craig Zahler (only his second feature film). The sound effects editing and mixing of those heavy punches, breaking bones, skull crushing was bad enough, but actually seeing them happening on that big screen is literally mind-blowing. That disturbing image of that scene where a man's face is dragged along concrete before being smashed in by one massive stomp is not something I want to see ever again. That shocking final scene will stick with you long after leaving the theater. Not my cup of tea for sure, but this film does well for its niche and genre. 6/10. 

C1 ORIGINALS 2017: Review of HISTORIOGRAPHIKA ERRATA: Interesting but Inconsonant

November 21, 2017

Thanks to the very long vacation break brought about by the ASEAN Conference in the city last week, this is the first time I had actually been able to catch all 7 of the Full-Length Narratives in competition for the Cinema One Originals film festival this year. The awards had already been given out last Sunday, with "Paki" winning Best Picture, and "Changing Partners" as Audience Choice. Because of its difficult schedule, this winner of the Jury Prize is the last of the bunch that I got to watch, even if it was the title that intrigued me the most.

This film is a trilogy of separate stories set in different times in Philippine history. 

The first episode was set in the wane of the Spanish rule, prior to the birth of the Katipunan. Andres Bonifacio (Jett Pangan) and his close colleagues in the reformist movement, namely Emilio Jacinto (Kean Cipriano), Deodato Arellano (Dong Abay) and Ladislaw Diwa (Kevin Roy), were shown wearing wigs and women's clothing while praying in front of an altar with a photograph of their icon Jose Rizal.

Meanwhile in a Berlin hotel, Jose Rizal (Joem Bascon) was having severe writers block, was flat broke and was actually contemplating suicide. While he was having fantasies of his love Leonor Rivera (Max Eigenmann), his friend Maximo Viola sends a German prostitute his way as a gift and messenger that he was going to fund the publication of Rizal's book (which we all know was going to be the "Noli Me Tangere").

The second episode was set in the American occupation. An ex-Katipunero named Mateo (Alex Medina) was conscripted to become a guide for a troop led by an American lieutenant (Basti Artadi) for his freedom and a hefty amount of money. Their group was ambushed by native tribesmen but Mateo managed to escape. He sought shelter in a cave, which turned out to be guarded by an enchantress with curved horns on her head. 

The final episode was set somewhere in Luzon during the Japanese occupation. Ernesto (Paolo Paraiso), the husband of a beautiful Fil-American woman named Librada (Nathalie Hart), was incarcerated in a Japanese garrison. Desperate for food, she sells her body to a couple of men in the neighborhood, Pancho (Jess Mendoza) and Fidel (Rafa Siguion-Reyna), on the condition that they should not get her pregnant. One day though, the two men wanted her "services" even when she was not feeling well. 

The most remarkable aspect of this film is its cinematography. In the first episode, the scenes were shot with a sepia filter in keeping with the era it depicted. In the second episode, the whole trek through the forest and thru the river was spectacularly shot from all angles. In the third episode, there was a smoky filter to create a steamy mood for the intimate scenes. There were some pretty adventurous camera angles in all three parts. Being a period film, appropriate production design was also a challenge which was met very well by this production.


The acting varied in style for the three episodes. Being a farce, the acting of the cast in episode one was tongue-in-cheek, and oddly funny. They were fully aware that they were being absurd. Alex Medina's acting in episode two was at par for his course. Nathalie Hart naturally exuded sexiness, even if she was just roasting corn or harvesting taro. Jess Mendoza was more convincing than the hammy Rafa Siguion-Reyna as a horny rascal. 

At the end of it all though, what did writer Jim Flores and director Richard Somes really want to tell us? Honestly I am not sure. The first episode was entertaining in its dark comedy. I get the Rizal part, but on the other end, why would the would-be Katipuneros be wearing women's clothing? The second (with its fantasy element) and third (with its erotic element) episodes seem to say something about Filipinos who lose their morality in order to survive the war, but what connection did those two episodes have with first episode? 

"Historiographika" may have been engrossing visually, but I did not see any clear thread the three disparate shorts. I feel that an expanded version of the more original, farcical first episode alone could have been more interesting. 6/10. 

Review of JUSTICE LEAGUE: Heroes in Harmony

November 20, 2017

I grew up on DC Comics than Marvel. My favorite comic books as a child were about the Justice League of America, particularly JLA No. 10 about "The Fantastic Fingers of Felix Faust." I liked and followed all those animated series on TV about the JLA, from "Super Friends" (1973-1986) to "Justice League" (2001-2004) then "Justice League Unlimited" (2007-2010) 

Over the years, there have all sorts of Marvel Comics movies. However in the DC camp, only Superman and Batman movies got a silver screen treatment in various incarnations. An attempt at Green Lantern was lousy and it bombed. I never thought the day would come that a JLA film would ever materialize. 

Then last year, the successful casting of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" reinvigorated the dream. She had her own WW solo pic earlier this year and that was a huge critical and box office winner as well.  The momentum was certainly on a roll. Now, even before 2017 ended, the JLA film I longed for is finally a reality.

Continuing from the events of "B v S," Superman died and was buried. Meanwhile, an ancient demon named Steppenwolf attacked Themiscyra to gain possession of a so-called Mother Box that the Amazons had been guarding. He also launched an attack on Atlantis to steal a second Mother Box left to the Atlanteans' care. 

Batman and Wonder Woman convinced meta-humans Barry Allen (Flash), Victor Stone (Cyborg) and Arthur Curry (Aquaman) to join their cause to secure the last Mother Box left to the care of Humans to stop Steppenwolf's intention to unite the three Mother Boxes to destroy the whole world. They soon realized that they needed someone to return to complete their team.

The story line about the villain needing to collect three boxes to complete a grand plan of world destruction is too simple and rehashed. He and his wasp-like minions could have been done with better CGI. However, this film was not really about the villain. He just needed to be powerful enough to get these superheroes together to work for a common goal. I thought all the heroes were given their fair share of the screen time in terms of action, so that is good. There was a healthy sense of humor (even for the Batman), and that was a lot of fun as well.

Ben Affleck actually lightened up his Bruce Wayne and Batman portrayal in this one, and I thought that was okay as he was not annoying at all, unlike most other Affleck characters. Gal Gadot continues her streak with another on-point portrayal of Wonder Woman, especially in her awesome-looking fight scenes. 

The name of Henry Cavill is prominently billed in the opening credits so you know he will not just be fleeting cameo in this one. He is a good choice for Superman, so glad to see him back. However, we could have done without those cringy statements said about his itch and his smell. I admit this whole "Superman comes in at the end to save the whole League" was the one thing I was most afraid of happening here, and they really went there. This "easy" way out was the my one disappointment about this film. 

Ezra Miller's giddy fanboy-portrayal of a young Barry Allen made him very likable and appealing. This younger Flash had more of Wally West's personality than the more sedate Barry I knew in the old comics. His funny lines were a hit with the audience for the most part, even in that charming extra scene of his mid-closing credits. 

Jason Momoa's look and portrayal totally turned around the image of Aquaman of the original comics who had blond hair and an orange and green wetsuit. Even his ability to talk to fish gets ribbed in this film. Loved that scene where he was sitting on the Lasso of Truth. That scene when he surfed down from the sky on the body of a dead enemy, crashed through a building and landed with a cool flip of his hair -- that was pure badass. I don't know why he had to throw a bottle of liquor into the ocean though, I guess he did not know yet at that time that he was supposed to be guardian of the seas. 

I did not really know anything about the Cyborg character until promotions for this film came out. The only android I knew from the old comics was the Red Tornado. This was a character whose origin was connected to the power of the Mother Boxes as well (mentioned but not fully elucidated how his father Silas gained possession of the box). He was only discovering his powers and was still in denial of his state of mortality, so that made for some interesting character development. 

The dark color palette, leathery costumes and the driving rock music are not exactly what I had in mind when I tried to envision a JLA film in my youth. But here it is now so cool and hip. I liked its new execution and direction for future development. It was entertaining and engaging; and that is what films like this are about, not awards. The final extra scene at the very end of the closing credits suggests the beginning formation of a "Legion of Doom" sort of super-villain counter-league. I am definitely looking forward to the next episode. 8/10. 

C1 ORIGINALS 2017: Review of NERVOUS TRANSLATION: Insipid and Inscrutable

November 19, 2017

I had seen five out of the seven Cinema One Original full-length narrative films in competition this year, and so far, every one of these five had been above average in quality. I was expecting this sixth one "Nervous Translation" would also carry on the torch of excellence of the field this year. Sadly, it did not.

It was the late 1980s. Yael (Jana Agoncillo) is an introverted little girl who lived in a world of her own. She spent her day listening to and memorizing tapes sent by her OFW dad Dodong to her mom Val. One day while watching TV, she saw a weird Japanese ad for Ningen, a pen that was supposed to be for "a beautiful human life". She was so obsessed with this pen that she even went out of the house one stormy day to try to buy one at a nearby store. 

My first issue with this film was the time setting. What year exactly is this story set in? One of the father's tapes was labelled "Christmas 1987". They mentioned Typhoon Unsang, which was a strong typhoon in 1988, so the story was presumably set in that year. However, why was the news we heard and saw from their TV still about the fall of the Marcos regime, including footage of people overrunning Malacanang Palace and Imelda's shoes. We know that this historical revolution happened in 1986. 

To be fair though, the production designer was careful to have only dial phones, cassette players (which they call a "component") and tapes, Betamax players and tapes, cathode ray tube TV sets inside Yael's house.

The whole film was like one flight of consciousness piece about what goes on inside this shy, odd little girl Yael's active mind. We do not see the mom Val (Angge Santos) onscreen until maybe 20 minutes into the film, and she was always cold and distant for the whole film. Why was the skin of Yael's arms suffering from some sort of dermatitis which required her elbows to be wrapped with bandages? It seemed like a big deal, but it was never brought up except when her cousins teased Yael of being a mummy.

Then the next scene, we see them welcome into their house her father's charismatic rock star twin brother Ton Ton (Sid Lucero), from the famous band called The Futures. He brought along his very annoying wife Bette (Thea Yrastoza) and their even more annoying children. This family disappeared from the scene as suddenly as when they arrived, with no apparent purpose in the story. Was Val supposed to have a hidden desire for brother-in-law Ton Ton, since he looked identical to her husband except for his tattoos? That was the uncomfortable vibe during that whole sequence of scenes. 

The whole Ningen pen sequence was exasperating beyond relief. It just went on and on with nothing happening. Yael shown to go back to that school supply store more than once, even during a heavy downpour. The pen was worth P50, but she only had P17 in her porcelain rabbit bank so she never got to buy one. What really was this pen supposed to be about? Was this about how kids are affected by TV advertisements? I do not get the point that was being pushed at all.

After patiently but restlessly sitting though the first hour and a half of the film's running time, we arrive at an open ending that did not give me any sense of being worth waiting for. I will commend the production designer for painstakingly creating a doll-sized house and doll-sized neighborhood out of paper which was seen soaked in dirty water. But again, what was this supposed to mean? Did Yael and her mom survive the bad typhoon and flash flood? 

If not for the pure wide-eyed innocence of 8-year old Jana Agoncillo (she grown up a bit since we last saw her as "Ningning" greeting us a "Magandang buhay!" on TV)  so well-projected on screen as Yael, no other adult cast member gave a remarkable performance. The film was so languorous in pace and so laborious to watch, with frustratingly no worthy redemptive value to reward the viewer afterwards for staying to finish the film. 

I'm pretty sure writer-director Shireen Seno was trying to tell us something about a child's unique perspective (or something to that effect) but I did not get at all from the film I saw. I do not even know why it was entitled "Nervous Translation" at all. I did not see anyone nervous, nor see anything translated.  2/10. 

C1 ORIGINALS 2017: Review of CHANGING PARTNERS: Seamless Sentiments in Song

November 16, 2017

There had been so many theater musicals that have made the transition to film. The first Filipino movie, "Dalagang Bukid" (Jose Nepomuceno, 1919) was based on a musical play, and so were several of the early Filipino films. Lately though, there had been a dearth of Filipino musical films, much less Filipino musical films derived from musical plays. 

For some sheer coincidence, this year, there will be two Filipino musical films, both based on Filipino musical plays! The film version of Tinio-Cayabyab's 1997 musical "Larawan" (Loy Arcenas, 2017) had already premiered in the Tokyo International Film Festival last month, and hopefull will be shown in local cinemas later this December. This one, the film version of Vincent de Jesus' "Changing Partners" (Dan Villegas, 2017) premieres this week in the Cinema One Originals film festival as one of the feature films in competition.

Within the past two years, I had seen "Changing Partners" in all its incarnations. First in June 2016, it was a one-night only staged reading at the CCP as part of Virgin Labfest XII (MY REVIEW). Second, in September 2016, it was a full-length play produced by Munkeymusic staged at the PETA Theater (MY REVIEW). And now November 2017, it had already crossed over to the silver screen! I think this should count as one of the fastest film adaptations of a theater musical play ever. 

I quote my own description of the plot as the screenplay was adapted from the book and libretto as is: ""Changing Partners" tells us about the love relationship of Alex and Cris, two individuals 15 years apart in age who decide to live together. It tells us about how their love story began and how it eventually evolved six years later. The twist of this ingenious script is that the roles of Alex and Cris can interchangeably be played by male and female actors such that the dynamics of the relationship also change significantly. Then again, it also shows that the outcome of such relationships may not really be that different after all, whatever the genders of the people involved." 

Needless to say, I already know "Changing Partners" and its uniquely ingenious storytelling style very well. I know for a fact that Vincent de Jesus' words in both spoken dialogue (with co-writer Lilit Reyes) and in the song lyrics were all impeccably chosen to convey their intended messages in the most heartbreaking ways possible. There was no doubt that these same words, all drawn from the deepest well of emotions possible, will resonate similarly well in movie form. I simply needed to see how director Dan Villegas will translate this intricate web of human relationships into the film medium.

The whole look of the film is beautiful and classy. The quality of the film, camera and colors is first rate. The four apartments where the four pairs of "Alex and Cris" lived were all stylish to look at. The editing for a film like this is one of paramount importance. This intertwined-intersecting story of eight separate characters portrayed by four actors needed to flow smoothly from pair to pair, and the fluid editing simply blurred the distinctions between each individual episode to create the coherent illusion of unity, no matter which gender preference the characters are. 

Practically the whole film was shot in elegant close-ups of its cast of four actors -- Agot Isidro, Jojit Lorenzo, Anna Luna and Sandino Martin (the same four actors in the full stage version) -- each one playing two distinct characters.  Every little emotional nuance on their faces can be seen full on. This was one of the main advantages of a film version of a play, where audiences are at quite a distance away. With their faces magnified on that giant screen, all four actors truly bared all their heart and soul as they mouth those painful lines to each other and to us. 

The highlight of the play was the climactic confrontation scene with all four actors on the stage at the same time. In the screen version, director Villegas weaved the scenes with all four actors alternatingly switching roles from one Alex to another, from one Cris to another so smoothly to create such a powerful unforgettable sequence. Sometimes you could not tell anymore which Alex and which Cris was singing, but it did not matter anymore. They were all one in the same pain. You simply could not pick one actor over another.  This was a truly seamless ensemble in the pure sense of the word. 9/10. 

C1 ORIGINALS 2017: Review of NAY: A Nanny's Nurturance

November 16, 2017

The nanny is an integral part of many Filipino households. There are many children who retain the services of their nanny when they grow up and have children of their own. There have been Filipino films about nannies, like "Inang Yaya" (Pablo Biglang-awa & Veronica Velasco, 2006). There have even been foreign films about Filipinas who became nannies in other countries, like "Ilo Ilo" (Anthony Chen, 2013). Surely though, there would never be another nanny film like Kip Oebanda's "Nay."

Martin Koa was left by his parents to his nanny Nay Luisa since his childhood when they left to work abroad. Martin reached young adulthood under Nay's care and worked in the company owned and run by his trusted friend and cousin, Francis. One day though, Martin was stricken with a terminal illness. Since he was all she had, Nay could not just allow Martin to die knowing that she could give him immortality -- even if it meant she herself would die, and that he would become a blood-thirsty murderer.

Despite a logjam of excellent lead women characters in the festival this year, I think Sylvia Sanchez stands the best chance to win the Best Actress prize. Her portrayal of a surrogate mother willing to do everything for her ward was made more challenging by imbuing her with an underlying secret monster persona. Enchong Dee's skill in acting also rose higher to meet the high standards set by Ms. Sanchez. His character's inner conflicts were well-conveyed by Dee's external physical suffering. 

Of the four films I had seen during this Cinema One Originals film festival, this was the one with the most remarkable cinematography and editing, very clear and cleanly done. This was despite having a lot of scenes set in the dark of night, as the story would require. That climactic bloodbath in the 11th hour was the most well-executed massacre scene I had ever seen in a local horror film. The special effects employed for the various gory killings, particular Francis' final scene, were so cleanly done, so realistically ghastly. 

During Nay's training of her reluctant apprentice Martin, there were moral discussions about how so much easier it was to kill the poor. There were pointed political statements being made here as these scenes reflected current issues of the drug war and EJKs. There was even a scene that recreated the viral photograph of a girl cradling her dead relative on the street to make the connection even clearer.

The bloody supernatural monster angle aside, the heart of "Nay" is a captivating drama of two lonely people who only had each other in the world, a case of "two of us against the world." Here the sacrifice of love and life of Nay to Martin can be considered a gift or a curse depending on who is looking at the situation. Nay only had the prolongation of Martin's life in her mind. But Martin cannot accept the dire consequences of this renewed life. This moral impasse made for a very interesting dilemma to watch unfold on the screen. 8/10. 

C1 ORIGINALS 2017: Review of THROWBACK TODAY: Taught by Time

November 16, 2017

In real life, we need to own up and live with the consequences of lapses in our judgement. What is done is done. But in the fantasy world of cinema, there had been several films made about an ability to break the ever-forward convention of time in various imaginative ways. In this same vein, this debut feature film by Joseph Teoxon attempts to answer that oft-asked question, "What advice would you tell your younger self if you had the chance to actually talk to him?"

Primo Jose Lacson is 32 years old now and jobless. He was about to be kicked out of his house by the landlord for failure to pay rent. His best friend, secret love (and companion to Lav Diaz film showings) Andie was about get married to someone else and move to Canada. This did not seem to be the destiny of someone who used to be a popular and promising art designer student back in college.

While going through his boxed things in storage one day, he unearthed an old computer of his. It still worked, and he decided to click on a chat program he and his friends used before and type messages for fun. To his big surprise, someone replied to his messages. Upon further online interaction, it turned out he was actually chatting with his 20 year old self! Could he actually instruct the 2005 Primo to avoid the big mistakes he had done that led him to such a lousy future?

Ever since his most memorable (and award-winning) role of Vilma Santos's son in 1998's "Bata. Bata, Paano Ka Ginawa?," Carlo Aquino had always been known as a very serious young actor who can really come up with deeply nuanced portrayals of the problematic characters he played. Here in "Throwback," he gets to play both the defeated older and brash younger Primo, an acting challenge for any actor. 

The always prim and proper Empress Schuck played Primo's ever-loyal doormat friend Andie. The always rebellious and liberated Annicka Dolonius played his wild child girlfriend Macy. These female characters were written to be static and one-dimensional in their ways even if Primo's life was changing. One was always the good girl, one was always the bad girl in 2017 Primo's eyes, and, consequently, also in our eyes. 

His good film-maker friends Alex and Jen (played by Benj Manalo and Kat Galang) also remain basically unchanged by Primo's standard over time. It was notable how his kind but alcoholic father Teddy (Allan Paule) would live or die based on Primo's actions, when I would think that one's mortality was independent of another person's circumstance.

As with most time-bending films, there could be a lot of plot holes if you take the time to nitpick every detail. The story of 2005 Primo moved two years up to 2007, but it did not seem like the 2017 Primo moved forward in time, since he was still not kicked out of his house yet (supposedly by month's end). When the 2005 Primo was already packed up his computer in the box, at first 2017 Primo lost contact with him, but later, how did the two Primo's reestablish contact? 

At first the distinction of the two Primos was very clear cut, especially when older Primo had his mustache. However, there came a time later in the film when the time loop theme was in full swing, I could not readily tell one Primo from the other. I would eventually I get the drift from various context clues, but the time frame confusion can be distracting. 

When a second concurrent time-warp communication was introduced as a twist, it actually gave rise to more questions. Whose time line was being given priority in such cases when the two linked subjects were rewriting their individual histories in two divergent ways? This was an interesting concept to be sure, but the film did not delve too much into that issue.

Overall though, the film's story was still very engaging to the end. Thanks to Carlo Aquino's earnest portrayal, you will care for what happens to Primo's character. There were some nice touches, like the wrist tattoos which change with each change in Primo's situation. I commend director Joseph Teoxon for his audacious choice of a complex time-themed sci-fi love story (by Pertee Brinas) for a debut feature, and pulling it off satisfactorily despite obvious technical limitations. 6/10.