Australia

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, David Wenham, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, David Gulpilil, Brandon Walters; Director: Baz Luhrmann; Producers: G. Mac Brown, Catherine Knapman, Baz Luhrmann; Screenwriters: Baz Luhrmann, Stuart Beattie, Ronald Hardwood, Richard Flanagan; Music: David Hirschfelder; Editor: Dody Dorn, Michael McCusker; Genre: Drama; Cinematography: Mandy Walker; Distributor: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation; Location: Queensland, Australia; Running Time: 155 min;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

In the midst of World War 2, Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) an English aristocrat, travels to their cattle farm in Australia, Faraway Downs, to convince her husband to sell the property and return home. However, her husband gets murdered and she discovers that their farm manager Neil Fletcher (David Wenham) is stealing her cattle to sell to King Carney in order to gain cattle monopoly in the Northern Territory. She employs the services of “Drover” (Hugh Jackman) a freelance white cowboy, Nullah (Brandon Walters), an 11-year old half breed aboriginal and four others to drive her 1,500 cattle to Darwin and steal the sales from Carney. And the more Carney and Fletcher attempt to thwart their plans, the more determined Lady Sarah becomes. Two years after they successfully sell their cattle, Lady Sarah, Drover and Nullah live happily together in Faraway Downs. But shortly Nullah is captured and sent off to the Missions, Drover walks out on Sarah after an argument, and Fletcher returns as the owner of Carney cattle farm, determined to take over Faraway Downs. When the Japanese attack Darwin , the three desperately hold on to the hope that they will be able to rescue and reunite their family.

The movie is a love story set in the background of World War II, racism and the heartbreaking reality of the Stolen Generation. Each scene is a cinematic masterpiece showcasing the charm of Australia and the 40s with another brilliant performance from Kidman. The multilayer storytelling is heightened by the great chemistry of Kidman and Jackman and some memorable scoring. Without doubt, Australia as a movie is good…good but not great. The story is too Mills and Boon type presented an hour longer than necessary. The war time drama and romance were a little too clichéic and over-the-top overshadowing Luhrmann’s attempt to present the story of the “stolen generation” as the heart of the movie. There is something missing from the production to make it an unforgettable film.

There are several good and honest presentations of friendship, equality, hope and courage. Australia is more than the love story between Lady Sarah and Drover; it is also about the love that blossomed between Sarah and Nullah—a mother loving a child, a well-to-do’s compassion for the unfortunate, and a woman’s concern for another human being. Parents should guide their young children since there is a slight scattering of profanity, an implied sex scene and scenes of violence, racism and murder

Status: Single

Cast: Rufa Mae Quinto, Paolo Contis, Mark Bautista, Alfred Vargas, Rafael Rosell, Jon Avila; Director: Jose Javier Reyes; Producers: ; Screenwriter: Jose Javier Reyes; Genre: Comedy; Distributor: Viva Films; Location: Manila; Running Time: 120 min;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

Labis ang pangamba ni Doris (Rufa Mae Quinto) nang siya’y mag-trenta anyos na ngunit hindi pa rin nagpapakasal lalo pa’t ang mga kaibigan niya ay isa-isa nang nagsisipag-asawa. Lalong tumindi ang kanyang pangambang tumandang mag-isa nang iwan siya ng kanyang nobyong si Dodo (Mark Bautista) matapos ang dalawang taong relasyon. Dahil dito, nagsimula si Doris na hanapin ang lalaking kanyang pakakasalan. Una niyang makikilala si Hans (Rafael Rosell), isang bar tender. Matipuno si Hans ngunit pawang katawan lang ni Doris ang nais nito. Sa gym naman ay makikilala niya si Sean (Alfred Vargas) na simpatiko at matalino ngunit pawang wala sa isip ang pakikipag-relasyon. Sa opisina naman ni Doris ay naroon si Inaki (Jon Avila), ang anak ng may-ari. Guwapo si Inaki ngunit sadyang may kabaduyan at walang tiwala sa sarili. Sino kaya sa kanilang tatlo ang pwedeng makatuluyan ni Doris?

Nakakaaliw ang pelikula sa kabuuan ngunit naging mababaw pa rin ang naging trato nito sa tema ng relasyon at pag-ibig. Bagama’t nakakatawa si Quinto, hindi niya magawang baguhin ang kanyang atake sa pag-arte. Siya pa rin ang Booba na nakilala nating maganda ngunit boba. Hindi na ata siya makakawala sa ganitong pakete. Tuloy kahit sa mga eksenang dapat sana ay madrama, nagiging mababaw at komedya pa rin ang dating. Hindi tuloy gaanong maramdaman ang sentimyento ng kanyang karakter. Hindi naman matatawaran ang husay ng mga pangalawang tauhan na sina Mylene Dizon, Angelu de Leon, Mark Bautista, Rafael Rosell at Paolo Contis. Sila ang tunay na nagbigay-buhay sa pelikula.

Ipinakita sa pelikula ang makabagong mukha ng mga kababaihan sa lipunan. Bagama’t moderno at tinuturingang liberated, naghahanap pa rin sila ng tunay na relasyon at pagmamahal. Sa aspetong ito ay kapani-paniwala at kahanga-hanga ang pelikula. Ngunit sadyang mas nangingibaw ang mga nakakabahalang mensahe ng pelikula. Nariyang ikahiya sa halip na ipagmalaki ang pagiging malinis at birhen ng isang babae. Ginagawa nitong katanggap-tanggap na rin sa lipunan at pinapalakpakan pa ang pakikipagtalik bago pa man ang basbas ng kasal. Maaaring ito ay tunay na nangyayari at ang pelikula ay sumasalamin lamang sa katotohanang ito ngunit dapat mabatid ng gumagawa ng pelikula ang maaring maging konteksto nito sa pagtingin ng kabataan sa mga pagpapahalagang moral na itinuturo ng Simbahan, paaralan at pamilya. Kung ito ang mangingibabaw na pananaw at impluwensiya, hindi malayong maraming pamilya ang mawawasak o kung hindi naman kaya’y darami ang mga batang pawang bastardo at walang kinikilalang ama na karaniwang nagiging sanhi ng pagrerebelde at iba pang mga problemang panlipunan. Bagama’t walang ipinakitang hubaran sa pelikula, ang pinaka-tema nito ay hindi angkop sa mga batang manonood.

Inkheart

Cast: Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent; Director: Iain Softley; Producers: Cornelie Funke, Ileen Maisel, Diana Pokorny, Iain Softley; Screenwriter: David Lindsay-Abaire, Cornelia Funke; Music: Javier Navarrete; Editor: Martin Walsh; Genre: Science Fiction/ Fantasy; Cinematography: Roger Pratt; Distributor: New Line Cinema; Location: Italy; Running Time: 95 min;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 3.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers of all ages

Book-lover, collector and bookbinder of old and rare books Mortimer “Mo” Folcher (Brendan Fraser) is in search of the book “Inkheart”, dragging his 12-year-old daughter Maggie (Eliza Hope Bennett) along in his search but not revealing to her the reason for it. They finally find in a book market in Switzerland. At once, a mysterious character (Paul Bettany) appears who would follow them around pleading for something only Mo understands. The truth that is being kept from Maggie is that her father Mo is a so-called “silver tongue”—a person with a gift of bringing to life characters in a book simply by reading the book aloud. Mo, in fact, has not read aloud for nine years now. The last time he read aloud a bedtime story for Maggie, then a 3-year-old, the flame juggler Dustfinger and the villain Capricorn (Andy Serkis) sprang out of the pages of the book and became flesh-and-blood characters. But the down side of Mo’s gift is, there’s a trade-off: for every fictional character his reading aloud brings to life, a real-life person must take its place in the book’s pages. That fateful night, it was Maggie’s mother, Mo’s wife Resa (Sienna Guillory), who vanished, virtually sucked into the book. The mysterious character following father and daughter now is Dustfinger who wants Mo to read him back into the book to continue his fictional existence. Mo, however, says he would only do that if his missing wife Resa could return from the book to real life with him ang Maggie. There begins the adventure.

The book which Inkheart the movie is based on is German writer Cornelia Funke’s international bestseller for young adults, the first volume of the trilogy begun in 2004 and finished in 2008. For 70 weeks it was in The New York Times’ best-seller list. Many viewers and reviewers would compare Inkheart with Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings but the comparison would be groundless. Inkheart has its own universe which is neither too otherworldly nor too down to earth. The CGI, special effects, and eye-popping images from familiar fairy tales do not overwhelm the viewer but are just right to advance the story. On the other hand, the Italian landscape is not a manufactured movie set, and the sprawling castle on the mountaintop would not be out of place in the European setting. Prepare for action from beginning to end, and enjoy the acting which is very good, too, evoking the viewer’s sympathy for the characters.

Inkheart will be enjoyed by all ages, and each will understand its message in his/her own level. It’s fascinating enough to pull youngsters away from shallow pleasures (texting and television) and attract them into reading. Adolescents and adults alike will find warmth in the strong family-oriented message Inkheart delivers. Appreciate what the characters would go through in order to be with their families: Mo and Maggie encountering monsters, a cyclone, a unicorn, flying monkeys, armed men and a dark, smoky, billowing, fire-breathing thing called “The Shadow” in search of the missing wife and mother Resa; Dustfinger hounding Mo and Maggie to be returned to his family in the book, fully knowing that he will die in the story’s end. While the face of Inkheart is fantasy and adventure, its heart is a story of love, friendship, devotion and perseverance. Inkheart subtly teaches that giving is better than receiving, that friendship must be honored and treasured, that selfishness is not good, that it is right to sacrifice for loved ones, that we can achieve anything if we believe in it and persevere. These are lessons not only found in the pages of the book “Inkheart” but also in the pages of “The Book”, the Bible. It’s wholesome enough for General Patronage—there is no foul language, sex or blood despite the violence—but parents must explain certain scary visuals to very young children.

Abandoned

Cast: Anastasia Hille, Karel Roden, Valentin Ganev, Paraskeva Djukelova, Carlos Reig-Plaza, Kalin Arsov, Svetlana Smoleva, Anna Panayotova, Jordanka Angelova, Valentin Goshev, Jasmina Marinova, Monica Baunova, Marta Yaneva; Director: Nacho Cerda; Producer: Julio Fernandez; Screenwriters: Karim Hussain, Nacho Cerda; Music: Alfons Conde; Editor: Jorge Macaya; Genre: Horror; Cinematography: Xavi Gimenez; Distributor: After Dark Films; Location: UK, Bulgaria ; Running Time: 95 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

After 40 years, Marie Milla Jones (Anastasia Hille), an accomplished film director in Los Angeles, comes back to her birthplace and roots in Russia upon learning that she is an heir to a property left by her parents whom she barely knows. She was contacted and traced by notary Andrei Misharin (Valentin Ganev) and since she hardly knows her past, she agrees to meet with him. After much briefing of her history, particularly that of her mother, she is then directed to see the property that happens to be an old house in the middle of nowhere. Accompanied by a truck driver who eventually disappears, Milla arrives at night and finds herself in a creepy, eerie place. She enters the old house which has been abandoned for 40 years and finds out she is not alone. A man named Nicolai (Karel Roden), who introduces himself to her as her twin brother whom she never met, is also there for the same reason. As they both try to uncover the mysteries of the past, they are both haunted by their future – death.

The film is true to its genre – eerie, creepy, dark and full of mysteries. The plot is not really new but the treatment is fresh. Haunted house movies may be passe but given proper direction, they can still pass as a thrilling experience. The production design and sound engineering should be commended for a good job. The entire film is not at all scary and the shock factor is very minimal but the simple narrative is rich in layers that keep the audience awake from beginning to end. Not all mysteries are resolved though, and in fact, it leaves many loose ends. But that could, after all, be intentional: to make the audience as lost as the characters in the movie. Such motive has been effective for the audience is left with many questions to ponder.

Is the past really worth digging up? Characters in the movie as well as the audience are posed this dilemma. The past gives one a sense of his or her roots and foundation. But then, if one is kept haunted by the ghost of the unknown, it may eventually lead to destruction. As said in the movie, “sometimes it's better to let things remain as they are.” The main character in the movie could have chosen to focus on her present, her daughter, but she opted to center her energy on her past. Perhaps she wants to fill in a void in her heart or to uncover the truth behind her parents' death. For whatever reason, she could have sought proper guidance. As in other haunted house features, the ghosts are more powerful than humans. Such may bring confusing signals and even sleepless nights. But looking at the context of maternal love, The Abandoned succeeds in illustrating how far a mother's love for her children could go. And it goes beyond death. However, some scenes of violence, gore, nudity and profanity may not be suitable for the young audiences.

Yes Man

Cast: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, John Michael Higgins, Terrence Stamp, Fionulla Flanagan; Director: Peyton Reed; Producers: Richard D. Zanuck, David Heyman,; Screenwriters: Nicholas Stoller, Jarrad Paul; Music: Mark Everette, Lyle Workman; Editor: Craig Alpert; Genre: Comedy; Cinematography: Robert D. Yeoman; Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures; Location: Los Angeles, California, USA; Running Time: 104 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Two years after breaking up with his girlfriend, Carl Allen (Jim Carrey) is still in the throes of a depression which makes him indifferent to everything, including overtures from his friends to join them again. Working as a loans officer at a bank, he has become the ultimate naysayer so that he rejects all loan applications as well as invitations of his boss who is eager to make friends. But one day, he attends a self-help “Say Yes” seminar. The charismatic speaker and yes guru persuades him to change his attitude, make a “covenant” with himself and seize all opportunities to say “yes” to all requests. Allen is now convinced that not saying “yes” will have dire consequences. As a result of this brainwashing, Allen says yes to all invitations and experiences results, some pleasant (like learning to play the guitar and to fly a plane) and some untoward ones like accommodating a tramp’s request to be brought to a leisure park in the dead of night and finds himself stranded with no cell phone nor gasoline and loses money too. On this night he meets Allison (Zooey Deschanel), a beautiful free spirit, engaged in activities that seem unusual to him. Attracted to her, Allen joyfully says “yes” to her invitations, joins her in many “yescapades” and forges a relationship with her. Bu Allison soon doubts Allen’s feelings for her when she learns that he says yes without really wanting to. Will Allen and Allison get to reconcile? Will Allen continue to be a “yes” man?

Yes Man gets most of its odd ideas from a memoir written by Danny Wallace. In addition, most viewers of a 1997 film Liar Liar (which also stars Jim Carrey) think that Yes Man is like a similar parallel story in reverse for in the previous film, Carrey habitually lies and is forced by circumstances to tell the truth for 24 hours. The present film’s concept of saying yes all the time is probably intended to lead to a series of funny incidents but these are only sporadically humorous. Some attempts at humor seem forced and even downright vulgar. Like the encounter of Carl with his sex-crazed elderly neighbor. This crude sexual joke is not explicitly shown but it leaves a bad taste in the mouth, just the same. That bar brawl with a drunk Carl is perhaps intended to be funny but it is grim_. This slapstick comedy features the usual elastic facial contortions and queer physical humor associated with the clownish Jim Carrey. He carries the film through but the humor here seems stale and lacks freshness.

Yes Man shows how indiscriminately saying either “yes” or “no” can have negative effects in a person’s life. In the early part of the movie, Carl’s saying “no” to all requests and invitations from friends even if they are sensible and well-meaning deepens his depression and makes him a recluse, devoid of all involvements with others. We all need some interaction with people to function well and to live a normal happy life. On the other hand, saying “yes” always without much thought can be just as disastrous, though hilarious at times as some situations in the movie shows. Nobody would take us up on our word if we say everything lightly like what happened when Allison doubted Carl’s love. That would have been another crisis in Carl’s life. We should mean what we say and mean it from the heart.