Apollo 18

CAST:  Warren Christie (Lunar Module Pilot Captain Benjamin "Ben" Anderson), Lloyd Owen (Commander Nathan “Nate” Walker), Ryan Robbins (Command Module Pilot Lieutenant Colonel John Grey); DIRECTOR: Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego; SCREENWRITER:Brian Miller, Cory Goodman;FILM PRODUCER: Ron Schmidt, Timur Bekmambetov;GENRE:Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror;CINEMATOGRAPHER DISTRIBUTOR;Weinstein Company;LOCATION:Vancouver, Canada; RUNNING TIME:96 minutes

Technical Assessment: 2.5

Moral Assessment: 1.5

Cinema Rating: For viewers 18 years old and above     

The film says that there were actually 18 Apollo missions to the moon although the US government declared only 17. The video footage of Apollo 18 surfaced on the Internet and the film is said to be its edited version. Astronauts Benjamin Anderson (Warren Christie) and Nathan Walker (Lloyd Owen) were the ones sent by the US Department of Defense to the mission. What is supposedly a routine scientific exploration turns out to be a revelation of something unknown and dangerous as they start to discover mysterious entities on the surface.

Apollo 18 is an attempt to revive the glory of the found-footage-horror genre in the tradition of the box office success of The Blair Witch Project. However, Apollo 18 fails in one important respect – making the audience believe that the entire film is taken from an actual footage and that the video footage is for real. The moment the film loses the audience’s suspension of disbelief, it loses its audience entirely. From the dragging beginning wherein nothing’s really going-on but the audience only sees a glimpse of the astronauts’ life, to the supposedly horrific ending that turns out to be more laughable than horrifying, The audience is made to watch characters whom they won’t really care about. Apollo 18 failed as a mission and it fails as a film as well.  

The message of the film is even ambiguous. At one point, it simply tries to expose a US government anomaly, then it shows how a man turns into a beast for survival. The “what’s going on?” question turns into “what does the movie really want to say?” As an expose, it failed to reveal much and investigate further. Making the entire look of the film more fictional than real. Again, the moment they fail to sustain the audience’s suspension of disbelief, they lost whatever point they want to convey. But looking at the film as a fiction, it does not say anything much except the moral dilemma faced by the characters and theUS government whether to keep them alive or not despite their acquired infection. Can a person’s right to life be sacrificed for the sake of national welfare and safety? In the same light, is it acceptable for the government to conceal information that would reflect badly on them? The film posed more questions than answers given its questionable credibility that is ruined by improper handling of the genre. But then, the answers to the questions are still worth pondering.

DREAM HOUSE

CAST: Daniel Craig (Will Attenton), Rachel Weisz (Libby), Naomi Watts, Elias, Koteas, Marton Csokas;DIRECTOR:Jim Sheridan;SCREENWRITER:  Jim Sheridan PRODUCER: Morgan Creek;EDITOR:  MUSICAL DIRECTOR;GENRE:Drama, Mystery, Thriller;CINEMATOGRAPHER: Caleb Deschanel;DISTRIBUTOR: Universal Studio;LOCATION: USA ; RUNNING TIME:  92 minutes

Technical Assessment: 3

Moral Assessment: 1.5

Cinema Rating: For viewers 18 years old and above     

Will Attenton (Daniel Craig) decides to give-up his high-paying job so he can finally settle down and spend more time with his wife, Libby (Rachel Weisz) and two young daughters. They just recently moved into what Will would call, a dream house in suburb New England. Everything is blissful until the kids and Libby start to see and feel that something is wrong in the house. Will and Libby later on discover that their house is a site of murder wherein a man named Peter Ward killed his wife and two daughters. As Will investigates further, he will become more wary to learn that Peter Ward is still and already on the loose. For fear that his family might be the next target, Will does further investigation to locate Peter Ward, only to discover the truth that would be difficult for him to accept and handle.

Dream House boosts a powerful cast of good thespians who are able to pull off whatever it is that’s lacking in the film’s narrative. The audience is able to engage in the story more so because of the actors’ acting. The film has a strong beginning, however, when it revealed the greatest twist in the story, it never moved on to more interesting directions and possibilities. The story has nothing much to offer anymore after the said revelation.  The scare never climaxes and the suspense becomes less thrilling. If one scrutinizes the plot, there are many loopholes in the logic of the thread.  Much craft is seen though more on the film’s cinematography, music and sound that blend well. Then again, the audience will always look into the story. Dream House could’ve been great given the genius behind the film. Perhaps, they should think of a more intelligent plot after the twist and switch of fate is over.

The film dwells on one’s miseries with the distress he has gone though in life. Dream House  is about a man who tries to move on only to find out that the very root of his problem is the fact that he has not moved on. There is a lot of genius in this premise only that the same point blurs somewhere in the story when it fails to convince how things came about. Will believed in his own ghosts that he is able to create and re-create a ghost-reality. But then, faith is not seen in such hallucinations, it only furthers the works of the devil. It seems, justice is elusive in such innocent lives and innocent victims in the story. Why such a horror would happen to a nearly-perfect family living in a dream house? Perhaps the film is also saying that bad things really happen to good people. It will be apparent towards the film’s end that somehow, justice is served to those who deserved to be punished. Some scenes of violence may not fit the very young audience.

Dolphin Tale in 3D

CAST:  Harry Connick Jr. (Dr. Clay Haskett), Ashley Judd (Loraine Nelson) Kris Kristofferson (Reed Hasket), Nathan Gamble (Sawyer Nelson), Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Austin Stowell (Kyle), Morgan Freeman (Dr. Cameron);DIRECTOR:Charles Martin Smith;FILM PRODUCER: Andrew A. Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Richard Ingber;SCREENWRITER: Karen Janszen;EDITOR:MUSICAL DIRECTOR;GENRE:Drama, Kids & Family;CINEMATOGRAPHER DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros. Pictures;LOCATION: USA;RUNNING TIME: 113 minutes  

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 4

Cinema Rating: For viewers 13 years old and below with parental guidance

SYPNOSIS: Dolphin Tale is inspired by the amazing true story of a brave dolphin and the compassionate strangers who banded together to save her life. Swimming free, a young dolphin is caught in a crab trap, severely damaging her tail. She is rescued and transported to the Clearwater Marine Hospital, where she is named Winter. But her fight for survival has just begun. Without a tail, Winter's prognosis is dire. It will take the expertise of a dedicated marine biologist, the ingenuity of a brilliant prosthetics doctor, and the unwavering devotion of a young boy to bring about a groundbreaking miracle-a miracle that might not only save Winter but could also help scores of people around the world.

No Other Woman

CAST: Kristine Reyes, Derek Ramsey, Anne Curtis DIRECTOR: Ruel Bayani; GENRE: drama; DISTRIBUTOR: Viva, Star Cinema; LOCATION: Philippines; RUNNING TIME :110 minutes  

Technical Assessment: 3

Moral Assessment: 3

Cinema Rating: For viewers 18 years old and above

Isang furniture designer-producer si Ram (Derek Ramsay), tapat sa asawang si Sharmaine (Cristine Reyes) at gustong mamuhay nang maayos para sa kinabukasan ng kanilang magiging pamilya.  Sa panahong iniaalok niya ang kanyang mga disenyo upang makuha ang kontrata mula sa Costa Luz beach resort, makikilala niya si Cara (Anne Curtis), anak ng may-ari, si Mr. Zalderiaga.  Matitipuan siya ni Cara at hindi siya tatantanan hanggang hindi bumibigay ang kanyang pagkalalaki dito.  Paglalabanan ni Ram ang kariktan ni Cara, ngunit mapilit ang babae, at sasabihing wala siyang tangkang umibig sa lalaki—o ibigin nito.  Sa paningin ni Cara, isa siyang “liberated woman” na nakukuha ang anumang gustuhin niya.  Bagama’t mahal ni Ram ang maybahay niyang si Sharmaine, madadarang din ito sa init ni Cara.  Matutuklasan ni Sharmaine ang nangyayari, ngunit tigas nang tatanggi si Cara na mawala sa kanya si Ram.  Umiibig na siya, saw akas—amin ni Cara sa kanyang matatalik na kaibigan—at ipaglalaban niya ang karapatan niyang umibig.

Nakakagulat na napakaraming tao ang gustong manood ng No Other Woman—sa unang araw ng labas nito, puno ang isang sinihan sa Makati na karaniwan namang hindi naglalabas ng pelikulang Pilipino.  Nang magtanong kami, yon pala’y dahil sa pag-aakalang mas marami itong naglalagablab na eksena kaysa My Neighbor’s Wife.  Ngunit lalong higit sa maiinit na eksena, ang dialogue ang nagdadala ng kuwento sa No Other Woman.  Makatapos naming mapanood ito, naisip namin: para lang kaming nanood ng isang TV drama sa higanteng screen.  Pero narinig namin mula sa isang nanood, “Parang Korean telenobela na pinagkasya sa dalawang oras.”  (Hindi kami maka-sang-ayon pagkat hindi kami mahilig manood ng Korean telenovela).  May kuwentong maayos at madaling sundan ito, pero nilagyan ng subplots na hindi naman pinakitaan ng resolusyon sa dulo.  Kakaunti ang mga tauhan, at halos ay nakatutok ang kamera sa maliit nilang mundo.  Magaling ang pagganap ng mga pangunahing artista, ayon sa hinihingi ng kuwento, bagama’t hindi naman gasinong mabigat ang hinihingi ng mga papel nila.  Minsan, pagka’t masasabi mo na humigit-kumulang ang magiging katapusan ng kuwento dahil sa takbo ng usapan ng mga tauhan, ang pansin mo ay maaagaw ng nakikita mo, ang ibinibilad na katawan ng mga artista, lalol na ni Curtis, ang magandang karagatan, magarang mga kuwarto, atbp.   

Ang pinakamabuting parte ng No Other Woman ay ang pagtataguyod nito sa kasagraduhan ng pag-aasawahan.  Malinaw at matuwid ang katapusan.  Ipinapakita rin nito ang katotohanan na pighati ang ibinubunga ng kapalaluan at katigasan ng ulo.  Palalo si Cara sa pag-aakalang kayang-kaya niyang kontrolin ang sarili—ngunit hindi ito kinunsinti ng kuwento.  Naging mahina din si Ram, subalit ipinamalas din ng pelikula ang mapait na ibinubunga nito na maaaring kumitil sa anumang kabutihang nasa buhay na niya.  Maliwanag na sinasalamin ng pelikula ang halaga ng pagharap sa sariling kamalian, ang paghingi ng kapatawaran, at ang nararapat na pagpapatawad.  Pagkamatuwid ang nananaig sa lahat, na siya lamang karapat-dapat ayon sa batas ng kalikasan, ng tao at ng Dios.  Makabubuting panoorin ito ng mga mag-asawa o ng mga taong gusto nang mag-asawa, at nang mapag-usapan ang mga maseselang bagay na humahadlang sa tagumpay at ligaya ng pag-aasawa.  May matututuhan din dito ang mga babaeng "Cara" sa ating paligid.  Sige, maging pasaway kayo, pero hindi ninyo masasabing hindi kayo binalaan ng No Other Woman.

Friends with Benefits

CAST: Justin Timberlake (Dylan), Mila Kunis (Jamie), Patricia Clarkson (Lorna), Jenna Elfman (Annie), Bryan Greenberg (Parker), Richard Jenkins (Mr. Harper), Woody Harrelson (Tommy) and Emma Stone (Kayla);DIRECTOR: Will Gluck;SCREENWRITER: Keith Merryman, David A. Newman ;PRODUCER: Mr. Gluck, Martin Shafer, Liz Glotzer, Jerry Zucker and Janet Zucker ;EDITOR: Tia Nolan  MUSICAL DIRECTOR ;GENRE: Romantic Comedy;CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Grady;DISTRIBUTOR: Screen Gems  

LOCATION: New York & Los Angeles, USA; RUNNING TIME:  107 minutes 

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 2                     

Cinema Rating: For viewers 18 years old and above

The movie tries to place a contemporary spin on an old “boy meets girl-loves girl but doesn’t know it” plot with sex in the equation. It follows how best friends Jamie (Mila Kunis), the emotional wreck, and Dylan(Justin Timberlake), the emotionally unavailable, decide one night that they can push their friendship a little further without having to worry about the emotional entanglement that comes after. So after some time of sexual trysts, their friendship deepens until… bam …they fall in love but refuse to admit it to themselves, much more to each other. So, their friendship is tested, they part ways and realize they can’t live without each other. Of course, as any other romantic comedies, in the end the boy gets the girl. (So much for not wanting to do another romantic cliché.)

           

Let’s look at the movie as a romantic comedy. Was it funny? At times.  Was  it romantic? A little? Was it a genius? No. And here’s why. The plot is tired formula. You immediately knew where it will go, how it will end and how it will get there. Even the dad suffering from Alzheimer’s or the gay friend who served as triggers for Dylan to reflect and realize his feelings is absolutely pathetic. The comedy was mostly derived from the awkwardness of the sex scenes, which have elicited more frowns and disgust than chuckles.  The effort to give an old plot a fresh approach failed because save for the awkwardness of the premise, the movie had nothing more to offer.

Technically, Friends with benefits is acceptable.  The acting was passable, although Kunis exerted more effort than Timberlake who probably thinks that baring his butt makes up for his shallowness. Their chemistry, however, was good and believable. The scoring was cute and made up for the lack of emotional sympathy of the scenes. Overall, this is not one of those romantic comedies you’d like to watch with a significant other.

The greatest problem this movie poses is its very understanding of sex as merely an emotional consummation of a romantic relationship. It is enough to have gone 5 dates with a guy so that sleeping with him becomes acceptable.  It is simply a physical need, like hunger or sleep, which needs to be addressed. It never mentions commitment and responsibility as part of it.   As the movie title implies, SEX is just a BENEFIT that comes with having a boyfriend/girlfriend,instead of being an intimate act between two people within the confines of a perpetual vow to love each other exclusively.

The sexual cannot be without emotional and spiritual attachment for the partner because this is when you bare yourself and your soul to someone whom you trust and who will accept you for who you are. That is why it should be exclusively for mature adults who are willing to commit to marriage.

Even the end scene failed to redeem the convoluted morals of the story as we see Dylan and Jamie passionately trying to get under each other’s clothes in public.

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS should be for discerning adults who have mature consciences so that they can clearly distinguish between being genuinely funny and being contemptible.

  

GLEE: THE 3D CONCERT MOVIE

CAST:  Chris Colfer, Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron, Lea Michele, Amber Riley, Darren Criss, Heather Morris, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling; DIRECTOR: Kevin Tancharoen;

GENRE: Musical, Performing Arts;CINEMATOGRAPHER: Glen MacPherson; DISTRIBUTOR: 20th Century Fox; LOCATION: USA; RUNNING TIME: 84 minutes  

Technical Assessment: 3

Moral Assessment: 2.5

Cinema Rating: For viewers age 14 years old and above

What story can you find in a “3D concert movie” that is semi-fiction, and neither a movie nor a concert but tries to be both?   Hybrids can be interesting—for the new flavor they bring (remember “mangapple”, a cross between a mango and an apple?) or for the novelty they are (like the “zebronkey”, the offspring of the union between a donkey and a zebra?)—but how enduring are they?  More importantly, what are they for?  Why create them?

Well, in this world where people seem to be looking always for something new and exciting, marketing is the name of the game. 

A film critique in North America called this concert movie a “Gleekumentary” precisely because in it actors assume roles of singers who sing other people’s songs, but because there is a real “Glee” TV series, one wonders if the 3D concert movie is the real life story of the television performers, and if those “Gleeks” (hard core fans of the TV series) are for real, or are they just more actors or fans willing to appear as “gleeks” for their 10-seconds’ moment of glory.

It has the look of a documentary—“singers” and “fans” being interviewed and portrayed in such a manner that unsuspecting viewers would think they’re delivering testimonials.  Here teens are played by grown ups—alphabetically, Artie (Kevin McHale), Blaine (Darren Criss), Brittany (Heather Morris), Finn (Corey Monteith), Kurt (Chris Colfer), Mercedes (Amber Riley), Rachel (Lea Michele), Santana, (Naya Rivera) and others.  There are real teenagers, too: Josey Pickering who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, the midget high school cheerleader Janae Meraz, and the just-out-of-the-closet gay Trenton Thompson who practically swear they owe their newfound self-worth to the TV series that taught them to “embrace their inner-Gleek”.

Whatever Glee 3D concert-movie is or should be called, whether it’s fact or fantasy, done with actors playing roles, it underscores the verity that entertainment not only matters—it also helps shape the life of fans. 

Glee 3D concert-movie aims to put across some positive messages of self-acceptance and tolerance.  For one Janae, the dwarf who becomes prom princess, says it’s not only okay to be different—one can be different (in the way that she is) and be popular, too.  It sounds like a fairy tale but her smiling countenance adds credibility to her claim.  Josey witnesses to her own transformation, a before-and-after case of social anxiety remedied by bonding with other Glee fans.  Former closet queen Trenton is virtually awed by his (her?) own experience of being uncovered and being accepted in spite of it, thanks to the inspiring gay character Kurt.

It tells the youth “Glee is good for you, it helps you accept yourself even if others reject you, not be afraid to be different, muster your courage and win in this world.”  Certain song lyrics exhort the young to believe in their individual worth, to stay optimistic and afloat in rough sailing, to never let go of dreams, to look for the good in people’s differences, and trust in the power and beauty of love.  These uplifting messages are mixed and matched with song-and-dance routines that sometimes sizzle with fireworks and at other times are so “over-miked” the numbers make you feel you’re in evangelical prayer meetings minus the hallelujahs.

What is Glee really trying to influence the viewers to think?  Is it afraid it will sound syrupy if it leaves its pure message unadulterated?  Or is the sugar meant to aid in the swallowing of the unsavory morsels?  It says physical, emotional, social and cultural differences must be respected and in fact celebrated, but why did it not reinforce these positive messages until they’re driven home?

Why the suggestive dancing, the seductive lines?  What is being said is belied by what is being sung.  The upside values earlier cited are overshadowed by song lyrics that extol premarital sex (Don’t Stop Believin’ and Teenage Dream): "Let's go all the way tonight… No regrets, just love … I'm a get your heart racing in my skintight jeans… Be your teenage dream tonight… Let you put your hands on me in my skintight jeans."  In I’m a slave 4 U Brittany mimics Britney Spears’ sexy-dancing, portraying emotional and sexual bondage in skimpy belly-dance costume.  Boys and girls hop across the stage and grab their crotches a la Michael Jackson.  Girls wear breast-baring tops and lift their micro-mini skirts giving a glimpse of their underwear.  And these are supposedly high school characters.

     The glowing “testimonials” underscoring the value of a healthy self-image and the stand that those in the social fringes must also be viewed with compassion are upstaged by the repeated endorsement of gay tolerance through Trenton’s self-disclosure.  Featured at the concert climax is Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, the flagship song of gay America, sung by Kurt wearing a “Likes boys” t-shirt which Trenton also wears.  If your ears are quick they might pick up a line from the audience saying her young daughter is so enamored of gay characters Kurt and Blaine that she wishes them to be her “two dads”.  Which makes one wonder if this is not advocating SSM (same sex marriage).
     If Glee 3D concert-movie were just made up of the empowering messages, CINEMA might have given it an above-average moral rating, even if its smiles-and-sunshine approach smacks of prefabricated fairy tales.  But because of the subliminal manner by which it mesmerizes the young by music and movement into embracing a questionable love style, it creeps into the realm of the ambiguous.  Smashing prejudice and intolerance by polishing the image of homosexuality is hardly a commendable message to save a Third World country where a sizeable chunk of the population lives below poverty level—and certainly does not hate the gays in their midst.  Think about that.

RAKENROL

CAST:  Jason Abalos (Odie), Ramon Bautista, Glaiza De Castro (Irene), Matet De Leon, Ketchup Eusebio, Diether Ocampo (Jacci Rocha), Jun Sabayton, Alwyn Uytingco;DIRECTOR: Quark Henares;PRODUCER: Furball/Revolver/Postmanila/Reality Entertainment;EDITOR:  MUSICAL DIRECTOR;GENRE: Comedy/Romance ;CINEMATOGRAPHER DISTRIBUTOR  

LOCATION: Phiilippines ;RUNNING TIME:  112 minutes   

           

 Technical Assessment: 2

Moral Assessment: 3
Cinema Rating: For viewers 14 years old and above

Isinalaysay ni Odie (Jayson Abalos) na simula pa ng High school ay magkasundong-magkasundo na sila ng matalik niyang kaibigan na si Irene (Glaiza De Castro) sa hilig nila sa rock and roll music at kung paano siya nain-love dito dahil palagi silang magkasama sa mga gigs. Nasa kolehiyo na sila ng maisipan nilang magbuo ng banda sa mungkahi ni Irene. Hindi naman sila nabigo dahil nakatagpo sila ng mga taong katulad nila ang hilig tulad nila Mo (Kethcup Eusebio) at Junfour ( Alwyn Uytingco).  Talentado si Odie na nagsilbing leader ng banda. Siya ang lumilikha ng kanta na tinangkilik ng mga mahilig sa rock music.  May mga naniwala at tumulong sa kanila katulad ni Matet (Matet De Leon) na nagsilbing manager ng grupo. Sa kalaunan ay nakilala naman banda bilang Hapipaks sa kabila ng mga dinanas na hirap. Kasabay ng paglikha ng pangalan ay mga unos na sumubok sa kanilang samahan at humamon sa kanilang talento. Naging kasintahan ni Irene ang hinahangaan niyang sikat na rakistang si Jaccirocha (Diether Ocampo) subalit pinaglaruan lang siya nito na labis na ikinasakit ng kalooban ni Odie.  Ang problema kasi bagamat labis din ang pagmamahal ni Irene kay Odie ay di niya masuklian na higit pa sa pagkakaibigan ang pagmamamahal nito sa kanya.

Sumasalamin ang pelikulang Rakenrol sa iba’t ibang yugto ng buhay ng mga tao na kasangkot sa mundo ng rock and roll music.  Kakaiba ang ginawang trato ng director sa paghahatid ng temang ito na madalas ay umiikot sa madilim na takbo ng buhay at  pinatutungkulan pa ng pagka “satanista”.  Nagpakita rin naman ng ganitong pananaw sa pelikula pero dahil sa maingat na panulat at direksyon ay naging magaan ang kuwento ng pagsibol, pag-abot at pagpapapahalaga sa mga pangarap.  Kahit papaano ay nakapagbahagi ang pelikula ng magagandang aspeto ng musikang rock sa buhay ng isang rakista katulad halimbawa ng paglalabas ng damdamin at pagpapalaya sa matapat na sining ng tugtog at awitin.  Nagbigay ng punto ang Rakenrol tungkol sa kalakaran sa larangang ito na maaring pag-isipan ng mga baguhan rakista kung magpapalaot ba sila o hindi. Epektibo sa kanilang mga karakter ang mga nagsiganap bagamat medyo sumamblay kay Diether bilang Jaccirocha.  May damdamin ang potograpiya  na nakadagdag sa pagiging makabuluhan ng mga eksena.  Akma ang ang disenyo ng produksyon at maganda ang seleksyon ng mga awitin na karamihan ay orihinal. Sa kabuuan ay mahusay ang aspetong teknikal ng Rakenrol at maaring ipagbunyi ng rakista bilang pagkilala sa kanilang sining.

Ang talento ay kaloob ng Diyos na dapat lamang pagyamanin upang maging kapaki-pakinabang sa tao at sa lipunan.  Ang isang larangan katulad ng sining ng ay may sariling kultura na nililikha ng mga taong gumagalaw dito.  Subalit higit sa pagyakap sa isang kultura ay ang  personal na pundasyon at pagpapahalaga ng isang tao.  Ipinakita sa pelikula na taglay ng mga pangunahing tauhan ang mga aspetong ito ng kanilang pagkatao. Nanatili sa kanila ang disiplina sa sarili, focus sa minahal nilang sining at pag-abot sa pangarap.  Kahanga-hanga ang pagkakaibigan nina Odie at Irene.  Sa kabila ng natatanging pag-ibig ni Odie sa kaibigan ay di sya nagdalawang isip na magsakripisyo at unawain ang kaibigan. Samantala mayroon din bahagi ng sakripisyo si Irene para sa kanya.  Nakakatuwa rin panoorin ang samahan ng kanilang banda kung saan may pagkilala sa contribution ng bawat isa sa grupo.  May pag-unawa sa kuwento ng buhay ng bawat isa at naging daan upang magsilbing inspirasyon at hugutan ng lakas ng bawat isa upang magpatuloy. Isang napapanahong pelikula ang Rakenrol lalo na sa mga kabataan at  magulang.  May malalim na mensahe ng pagpapalago ng sarili at inspirasyon sa pag-abot ng mga pangarap at pakikipagkapwa.  Bagamat positibo ang mensahe ng pelikula ay sagana ito sa linya ng pagmumura at mga eksena ng magulong gigs ng mga rakista na di angkop sa mga batang manonood.

MY NEIGHBOR’S WIFE

CAST: Carla Abellana, Lovi Poe, Jake Cuenca, Dennis Trillo; DIRECTOR: Jun Lana.  SCREENPLAY: Jun Lana;  RUNNING TIME:100 minutes; LOCATION: Manila; GENRE: Drama

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 2.5

Cinema Rating: For viewers 18 years old and above

Madalas awayin ni Jasmine (Carla Abellana) ang kanyang asawang si Bullet (Jake Cuenca) dahil sa pambabae nito bagama’t wala pa naman siyang nahuhuli at napapatunayan. Ang mag-asawang kaibigan din nila na sina Giselle (Lovi Poe) at Aaron (Dennis Trillo) ay madalas namang magtalo patungkol sa pananalapi. Isang gabi ng matinding pag-aaway ng dalawang mag-asawa, nakahanap ng karamay sa isa’t-isa sina Bullet at Giselle. Malalango sila sa alak at makakalimot sa kanilang sarili at dahil dito’y mangyayari ang hindi inaasahan – magtatalik silang dalawa. Bagama’t hindi na naulit ang pangyayari at sila’y nagbalik sa kani-kanilang asawa, madidiskubre pa rin ito ni Jasmine na siyang magiging dahilan ng pagkakagalit at pagkakagulo nilang apat. Sa pagmamakaawa ng dalawang asawang nangalunya, tatangapin pa rin sila ng kani-kanilang asawa ngunit dahil wala na ang tiwala ay magbabago na ang lahat. Magiging mahigpit si Aaron kay Giselle at madalas niyang isusumbat ang pagloloko ng asawa. Si Bullet naman ay magiging malambing at mabuting asawa at ama habang si Jasmin ay malamig pa rin ang pag-trato sa kanya. Makalipas ang isang taon ng pagkakalayo, muling magkikita sina Jasmine at Aaron. Sa mga nasira nilang tiwala sa kani-kanilang asawa, makakahanap ng karamay ang isa’t-isa. Ngunit magiging simula pala ito ng mas matinding problema.

Isang mapangahas na pelikula ang My Neighbor’s Wife na nagtangkang usisain at kuwestyunin ang institusyon ng kasal lalo na kapag nawala na ang tiwala. Maraming nasabi ang pelikula patungkol dito at nagawa nitong gulatin ang manonood sa napakaraming komplikasyon ng tema. Mahusay ang pagkakalahad ng kuwento ng pinaigting pa ng mahuhusay na pagganap ng mga pangunahing tauhan lalo na ang dalawang bidang babae na sina Abellana at Poe. Sayang nga lang at hindi masyadong napanindigan ng pelikula ang dapat sana’y malalim nitong tema ukol sa relasyon dahil halos nauuwi sa pagiging romantiko ang ilang mga eksena sa halip na ma-drama. Pati ang katapusan nito ay pawang hindi angkop sa nais nitong sabihin at patunayan. Sa kabuuan nama’y maayos ang mga teknikal na aspeto ng pelikula at isa pa rin itong maituturing na makabuluhang panoorin.

Hinamon ng My Neighbor’s Wife ang katatagan ng kasal na itinatag ng simbahan. Sinubok nitong kalampagin ang mga relasyon na sisirain ang pinaka-pundasyon nito – ang tiwala. Nang mawala ang tiwala sa dalawang mag-asawa, nagbago ang lahat. Nagkapatawaran man, ngunit kitang madalas, ito ay sa salita lamang. Binigyan din nito ng palaisipan ang mga manonood kung ano mas malaking kasalanan, ang magtaksil ng isang beses dahil sa tawag ng laman o ang gumanti, magtaksil ngunit may pagmamahalan? Subalit sa ginawang pagroromantiko ng pelikula sa ikalawang  uri ng pagtataksil ay kinontra nito ang nais nitong ipahiwatig ukol sa pagkawa lang tiwala sa mga relasyon. Hindi rin gaanong kapani-paniwala ang kinahantungan nilang lahat sa bandang huli. Sa katapusan tuloy ay  tila matinding pagkalito lamang ang maiiwan sa mga manonood. O marahil, sa kabila ng lahat, isa lang naman talaga ang nais sabihin ng pelikula ukol sa pagpapanatili ng kapayapaan sa relasyon ng mag-asawa, huwag mong pagnasaan ang asawa ng iba at huwag mangalunya. Ang tema ng pelikula at ilang mga maseselang eksean ay nararapat lamang sa mga manonood na may gulang 18 pataas. 

JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN

CAST: Rosamund Pike, Dominic West, Gillian Anderson, Rowan Atkinson, Burn Gorman, Mark Ivanir, Togo Igawa, Joséphine de La Baume, Daniel Kaluuya, Mandi Sidhu;DIRECTOR: Oliver Parker;WRITER: Hamish McColl, Neal Purvis;GENRE: Comedy

RUNNING TIME: 101 Minutes

                                             

Technical Assessment: 3.5

Moral Assessment: 3

Cinema Rating: For viewers age 14 and above

If you are a Rowan Atkinson fan, you will, of course, want to see this sequel to his 2003 Bond spoof, Johnny English.  It is not Atkinson at his ironic best as in his early sketches for The Secret Policeman’s Ball or Blackadder.  It is more a verbalised version of Mr Bean in an espionage context.  While a lot of the verbal and visual jokes are the expected ones, Atkinson generally delivers them with his nonchalant panache.

The reborn in the title indicates that Johnny English is in espionage limbo – or, at least, doing training in martial arts and in mind control in Tibet.  Some of the techniques he laboriously learns (amid many pratfalls) will come in handy at the climax with the foiling of an attempted assassination of the Chinese premier.  The cause of Johnny’s downfall was a similar assassination in Mozambique, which we see in continuous flashbacks.

The film is lavish in sets, with filming in Hong Kong, including quite a chase on the harbour, as well as familiar Bond locations in the Alps and a castle-fortress in Switzerland.

The plot is fairly straightforward as regards MI7 and spying and English failing and succeeding at the same time. There is an interesting cast, although Gillian Anderson is somewhat colourless as Pegasus (the Judi Dench equivalent).  Dominic West smiles and snarls as required.  Rosamund Pike is sweetness and light as the house psychologist for MI7.  Daniel Akuulya is the young assistant agent who has to correct and rescue Johnny English (with little thanks until the end).  They are a bit like a latterday Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.

It is all quite undemanding Rowan Atkinson adventure comedy – but don’t walk out during the final credits.  Atkinson does a wonderful meal preparation to Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King. (Review courtesy of Fr. Peter Malone).

Spy Kids: All the Time in the World

CAST: Jessica Alba, Joel McHale, Jeremy Piven, Rowan Blanchard, Mason Cook, Ricky Gervais, Alexa Vega, Daryl Sabara; DIRECTOR/WRITER: Robert Rodriguez; GENRE: Sci-fi/Fantasy/Action/Adventure;RUNNING TIME: 100 Minutes; LOCATION: USA

Technical Assessment: 3

Moral Assessment: 4

Cinema Rating: For viewers 13 and below with parental guidance

Ace spy Marissa Cortes Wilson (Jessica Alba) is nine months pregnant and tells herself she’ll hang her spy boots after she gives birth so she can be full time mommy.  There’s just this one last baddie Tick Tock (Jeremy Piven) that needs to be captured, otherwise the whole world will suffer from his mischief.  But Marissa’s spy career is a secret, and the last to know is her television star husband Wilbur Wilson (Joel McHale) who, ironically, is known as “Spy Hunter” because he literally hunts spies.  The day after the mad chase Tick Tock that includes a swing at the zip line and roaring through town like a Le Mans racer in a James Bond car, Marissa gives birth to a girl.  And Tick Tock is behind bars.  A year later, being mom to her own daughter and stepmom to Wilbur’s kids Rebecca Wilson (Rowan Blanchard) and Cecil Wilson (Mason Cook), may be fulfilling to Marissa, but how can she resist another opportunity to save humanity from evil?  It’s a call she must heed and so she dons her spywear once more and jumps into her mission—this time with baby in tow.

Director Robert Rodriguez must have aimed his shot at kids of Rebecca’s and Cecil’s age, what with all the times he resorts to potty humor: baby passing gas, dog letting out oil “urine”, a soiled nappy hurled at a villain’s face, etc.  Spy gadgets appear as virtual toys, and a life-threatening chase involving acrobatic mini-jets is made to look like a ride in an amusement park.  Children navigating a deadly giant clock mechanism seem to be merely playing hop-scotch when they could have been sliced, maimed, or decapitated.  These kids get away with doing things real kids in real life should never attempt.  Their guardian angels must have had their hands full keeping the kids blissfully unharmed.  And what mother in her right mind would run, skip, jump and kick ass with her baby on a sling—unless she’s a kangaroo.  But of course, this movie is sci-fi/fantasy.

But in the heart of this movie is a warning which it seems unable to say often enough: family is most important in life; spend time with your children while you can.  Wilson the father keeps telling his kids he’s sorry he hasn’t got enough time for and with them.  His foolish plan is to work like mad for five straight years so he can afterwards just relax and have time for them.  Then somebody tells him his kids won’t be kids anymore in five years, and the only thing he’ll have plenty of time for then is regret.  Even the villain himself, a character named Time Keeper, appears on television and says he is taking time away from people because people waste it anyway on inconsequential matters.  The message is: our loved ones must come first in a person’s life—they deserve our time, presence and attention most of all—and this message is repeated so often it’s impossible to miss, especially since it’s often coming out of babes’ mouths.  If only for that, we can say Spy Kids: All the Time in the World is worth your money to watch.  So you see: the gadgets and the stunts are the gift-wrapping; the gift is the solid message sorely needed in our time-driven world.