The bling ring

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LEAD CAST:  Israel Broussard, Katie Chang, Taissa Farmiga, Claire Julien, Georgia Roack, Emma Watson, Leslie Mann  DIRECTOR:  Sofia Coppola  SCREENWRITER:  Sofia Coppola  PRODUCER:  Roman Coppola, Sofia Coppola, Youree Henley, Francis Ford Coppola  EDITOR:  Sarah Flack  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Brian Reitzell, Daniel Lopatin  CINEMATOGRAPHERS:  Christopher Blauvelt, Harris Savides RUNNING TIME:  90 minutes  DISTRIBUTOR:  A24  LOCATION:  US

Technical assessment:  3

Moral assessment:  2

MTRCB rating:  R 16

CINEMA rating:  V 18

Based on a true story as told in The Suspect Wore Louboutins, a Vanity Fair article published in 2009, The Bling Ring details the sorties of a group of celebrity-fixated Los Angeles teens into celebrities’ homes.  Nicki Moore (Emma Watson), Marc Hall (Israel Broussard), Chloe Tayner (Claire Julien), and Sam Moore (Taissa Farmiga), led by ring leader Rebecca Ahn (Katie Chang), use the internet to track the whereabouts of Hollywood stars in order to break into their homes and ransack the stars’ wardrobes for luxury brands—to wear, to sell, and to flaunt in social media.  Their daring comes to an end as one of them is identified through CCTV recordings, making it easy for the others to be fall into the hands of the law. How do these teens react when found guilty?

Directed by Sofia Coppola, this black comedy crime-drama exposes the dirty details of the real-life obsession of the so-called Burglar Bunch through sepia-colored footage, making it appear “documentary-ish”.  It helps, too, that three of the lead actors are newcomers and the rest have few credits to their names—except Watson of the Harry Potter fame, who incidentally gives a sterling against-type performance here.  Watson, for the longest time known as the brainy, no-nonsense Hermione in the J. K. Rowling series, here plays a pathetic, shallow, if not altogether dumb, bling-crazy fan.

The Bling Ring possesses value from the sociological standpoint.  It offers a study of the young people’s mind and behavior: how far will their celebrity-obsession push them to satisfy their craving for instant gratification? Do they feel entitled to their idols’ riches because these idols owe their fame and fortune to their fans’ adulation? It also tries to ask what kind of people celebrities are who fill their houses to the rafters with pricey baubles and then leave them unattended.  There is also a message for parents here, as the movie shows that the kids who break into homes come from broken homes themselves.  These young people are devoid of conscience, steal on impulse, and then Tweet about their exploits for the whole world to see. They rob the homes, do drugs, party wearing their stolen stuff at the very places frequented by their victims, and then post snap shots of these on Facebook.  Do they do this because they are monumentally dumb, or to attract police attention, be caught, and become celebrities themselves?  And what about their friends who think their crimes are cool?  The movie is also a statement on the current culture: time was when the precious box under the bed contained our parents’ love letters, beribboned and yellowing proofs of love.  In The Bling Ring, the precious box under the bed contains designer watches, because what matters now is not who people are but what they have.  Coppola deliberately holds judgment here, preferring to simply call our attention to the way we are now, and perhaps to make us think where we are going.

White House down

--> LEAD CAST: Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, Richard Jenkins, James Woods  DIRECTOR:  Roland Emmerich  SCREENWRITER: James Vanderbilt  PRODUCER:  Roland Emmerich, Bradley J. Fischer  EDITOR:  Adam Wolfe  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Harald Kloser, Thomas Wanker  GENRE: Drama, Action, Adventure  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Anne Foerster  RUNNING TIME:   137 minutes  DISTRIBUTOR:  Columbia Pictures  LOCATION:  US, Canada

Technical Assessment:  3.5

Moral Assessment:  2.5

MTRCB Rating: PG13

CINEMA Rating: V14

John Cale (Channing Tatum), a police officer detailed to the Speaker of the House, is working out a relationship with his politics-savvy daughter Emily Cale (Joey King). In his effort to impress Emily, John brings her along to the White House when he applies for the Presidential Secret Agent position. But John does not get the job and this worries him because Emily has high expectation of him, so he chooses to lie and tells her that he is hired. At the time of John’s application, US President James Sawyer (Jamie Foxx) is under criticism on his proposal to retrieve the military forces in the Middle East.  Father and daughter are still inside the White House when an explosion occurs and puts the city capitol under siege of coup d’etat led by former Secret Agent Martin Walker (James Wood).  Emily is in the restroom during this chaos in the Whitehouse. Realizing the danger for his daughter, John manages to skip the captors and searches for Emily but he instead finds the President under hostage by Walker. He rescues the president and the two of them find the way out. After ensuring the escape of the President, John stays behind to search for Emily.  Amidst the fearful situation, Emily manages to take a video of the terrorists inside Whitehouse and uploads it onto her video blog which leads to the exposure of the culprits. The terrorists discover what she did and become madly on watch of her.  

White House Down has an overused theme of power grab by unsatisfied colleagues with orchestrated bombings, hostage taking and senseless killings. The saving grace of the story was the heroic deeds of father and daughter in the name of national interest.  The good plot development highlighted this aspect.  The director did a good job in his treatment of the story particularly injecting humor in some highly tensioned scenes. The acting and characterization were commendable. There was meaningful delivery of dialogues by the actors. The production design was a real treat to the viewers. The cinematography and composition keep up with the interesting scenes with compliments of special effects as applied to aerial, firing, explosions and chasing scenes.  Technically the film is above average.

Every person grows and never stays stagnant in the different aspects of life. So John Cale was right when he said in an interview scene that he has changed and that he was not the same person as reflected in the school records. But he was not still considered for the job. In our society, there are people who are misjudged and deprived of opportunities. Yet despite the humiliating experience of John during the interview he still did the right thing when called for and used his skills to protect the President and the interest of the state.  Vindication came to John when he succeeded in his accidental mission to save the President and the US government from the hands of traitors.   A dedicated father does everything and is willing to sacrifice his life for his children, and so was Cale to his daughter Emily. When there were opportunities to run away and free himself, he chose to stay and not to leave without her. The two of them shined in this chaotic situation as heroes. John used his skills in security and protection measures while Emily used her skills in social media to expose the villains by uploading her video on internet, helping authorities resolve the crisis.  Young people who are adept social media may get an idea of how they can make a difference by being responsible users. 

A traitor who has no respect for peace and precious life has no place in the society. While conflicts over a high profile decision such as peace treaty is a reality, this should not be a reason to stage a violent take over compromising the innocent lives and the interest of the entire nation.  The film values family bond particularly between a parent and a child as the main theme.  But the entire run is stressful.  Since a greater part of the movie shows violence and senseless killings of people, CINEMA finds the movie disturbing and rates it for mature audiences aged 14 and above.

The heat

CAST:  Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy, Marlon Wayans, Jane Curtin, Michael Rapaport, Demián Bichir, Kaitlin Olson, Taran Killam, Tony Hale  DIRECTOR:  Paul Feig  SCREENWRITER:  Katie Dippold  PRODUCER:  Dylan Clark, Michele Imperato  EDITOR:  Jay Deuby, Brent White  MUSIC:  Michael Andrews  GENRE:  Action, Comedy, Crime  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Robert D. Yeoman RUNNING TIME:  117minutes  DISTRIBUTOR:   20th Century Fox  LOCATION:  USA

Technical assessment:  3

Moral assessment:  2.5

MTRCB rating: R 13

CINEMA rating:  V 18

FBI agent Sarah Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) is uptight, arrogant and can’t get along well with other agents. To prove that she’s worth the promotion she is gunning for, Ashburn does not complain when she is sent to Boston to crack a difficult case.  There she crosses paths with Shannon Mullins (Melissa MacCarthy), a rude, hot-headed and foulmouthed Boston police detective.  The two must work together to bring down a new mega-player in the illegal drug trade, but neither of them is willing to be “second” to the other.

The Heat is a buddy cop comedy that carries the elements of the genre’s formula: oil and water characters squabbling for supremacy on a case, bickering over investigation and interrogation styles, employing dare-devilish solutions in defiance of superiors’ objections, and somehow achieving results despite their being mismatched.  While formula-bound, however, The Heat still passes the likability test by using just the right amount of each of the above elements, including a healthy dose of slapstick.  What’s not formulaic about the movie is its use of female leads, without raking women’s issues into the plot, nor making an issue of their being female. A comedy’s strength is directly proportional to that of its performers, and The Heat boasts of an A-list cast, including the supporting actors.  No other duo could have surpassed the performance of Bullock and McCarthy in this movie.  The chemistry between these two actors is phenomenal, and thanks to Katie Dippold’s script as well, their dynamic results in nonstop entertainment covering a wide range of situations from the purely petty to the occasionally profound.

The Heat is so entertaining because it is confident in what it is—credit director Paul Feig for that.  It knows its plot is but the humorous frame needed to display the unfolding of the lead characters’ personas.  Its exaggerations, illogical moves, and over-acting are calculated to bring comic relief to viewers.  Nevertheless, it is not without its potentially harmful ingredients—and that is why CINEMA gives this a V 18 rating.  Questionable police work is sometimes presented as funny;   low street talk (especially coming from a woman) is presented as smart, and insult (specifically directed at an albino) is passed off as wit.  Violence is trivialized—for example, a man stabs a woman’s thigh with an oyster knife, and all she sys is “Aw-aw-aw!” as though the wound were nothing more than a pin prick.  Casual sex is also treated comically.  A mother gives the dirty finger to her daughter.  The Heat’s saving grace is the touching development between the former rivals—but it’s better seen than told here.

Four sisters and a wedding

Lead cast: Angel Locsin, Toni Gonzaga, Bea Alonzo, Shaina Magdayao, Coney Reyes, Enchong Dee; Direction: Cathy Garcia Molina; Screenplay: Jose Javier Reyes; Editing: Marya Ignacio; Location: Metro Manila; Genre: Comedy; Running time: 120 minutes Distributor:  Star Cinema

Technical assessment: 3

Moral assessment: 3

MTRCB rating: PG13

CINEMA rating: V14

May kani-kaniyang sikreto at problema ang magkakapatid na Salazar. Si Teddy (Toni Gonzaga) ay di kagalingan na guro sa Espanya na ngayo'y isa na lamang katulong at waitress. Hindi niya maamin sa kanyang pamilya ang totoo niyang trabaho dahil ayaw niyang mapahiya. Si Bobby (Bea Alonzo) ay nasa New York bilang matagumpay na Communications Manager na laging umiiwas na magpakasal sa kanyang nobyo. Galit pa rin siya sa kapatid na si Alex (Angel Locsin) dahil sa pagpatol nito sa kanyang dating kasintahang si Chad. Si Gabby (Shaina Magdayao), ang tanging kapatid na babaeng naiwan sa kanilang bahay kasama ng kanilang inang si Grace (Coney Reyes), tumatayong nanay-nanayan ng pamilya, at tila papunta sa pagiging matandang dalaga. Kakailanganin magsiuwi nina Teddy, Bobby at Alex nang magsumbong si Gabby na magpapakasal ang kanilang bunso at kaisa-isang kapatid na lalaking si CJ sa isang babaeng sa palagay nila ay hindi nababagay rito. Sabay sa pagharap sa pamilya ng kasintahan ni CJ sa pamamanhikan ay kakailangan din nilang harapin ang kani-kanilang isyu sa isa't isa. At habang pinaplano nila kung papaanong paghihiwalayin ang magsing-irog ay kailangan nilang isipin kung papaano nilang mabubuo ang kanilang relasyon bilang magkakapatid.

Maganda sana ang konsepto sa likod ng kwento ng 4 Sisters and A Wedding. Bago pero hindi imposible, kakaiba pero hindi malayong mangyari. Mahusay sina Reyes at Alonzo sa pagganap. Simple at makatotohanan ang kanilang interpretasyon sa karakter. Bagamat magaling ang pagbitiw ng linya nina Gonzaga, Locsin at Magdayao, ang kanilang pagganap ay medyo pilit at hindi nalalayo sa pagganap nila sa iba nilang mga naunang pelikula. Bagamat maganda ang ideya sa likod ng kwento hindi naman pinagbuhusan ng pansin ang pagbuo sa pagkatao ng bawat tauhan. Tama na yata ang magkaroon ng kaunting hugis ang personalidad at kaunting kulay kwento kahit mababaw at hilaw.

Ang pinakamaipipintas sa Four Sisters and a Wedding (na lagi namang pintas sa pelikulang Pinoy) ay ang kalabisan ng mga eksena. Kapag iyakan, kailangang lahat ay magbuhos ng sama ng loob at ilitanya ang lahat ng isyu kahit paulit-ulit nang nabanggit sa simula pa lamang ng sine. (Alam na ng lahat ang kahihiyan ni Teddy sa trabaho at ang samaan ng loob nina Bobby at Alex, gayunpaman ay paulit-ulit itong binabanggit na para bang sinisigurong hindi malilimutan ito ng manunuod.) Masyadong madrama ang atake sa komprontasyon at hindi na ito makatotohanan. Nasasayang tuloy ang pagkakataong makapag-iwan ng aral sa manunuod.  Gayundin naman ang istilo sa pagpapatawa—bukod sa masyadong OA at malapit nang maging corny, namuhunan pa sa pambihirang apelyidong “Bayag”.  Baka kung ginawang Santos o Cruz iyon sa halip na Bayag ay mawawala ang kalahati ng pagpapatawa.  Kung tutuusin ay di hamak na mas epektibo ang pagsingit ng mga bloopers sa huli dahil simple lamang ito at natural.

Ipinahiniwatig ng pelikula na ang bawat tao ay may sariling kakanyahan na dapat unawain at igalang. At sa loob ng isang ugnayan, tulad ng pamilya, ang mga pagkakaibang ito ay maaaring maging sanhi ng mga emosyonal na tunggalian at di pagkakasundo. Malakas ang mensahe ng pagtanggap at pagpapatawad sa kabila ng sakit at pagkukulang. Madalas mangyari sa magkakapatid ang inggitan, iringan at sumbatan pero sa huli, kailangang mangibabaw ang pagkakasundo, hindi lamang dahil magkadugo sila kundi dahil bilang mga tao sa loob ng isang mahigpit na ugnayan, ang paghihilom ay mangyayari lamang sa sandaling mangibabaw ang pagmamahal at pagpapatawaran. Sa kabila ng melodrama  nagawang ipakita ng pelikula ang komprontasyon ng pamilya hindi bilang tunggalian ng pagkatao kundi pakikipagtunggali sa sarili. Kahanga-hanga rin ang pagsusumikap ng magkakapatid naitaguyod ang pamilya sa kabila ng mga hinihinging sakripisyo. Muli, binibigyang diin ang halaga ng pamilya para sa mga Pinoy. Binigyang diin din ang kakayahang umahon sa pagkakamali at magsimula muli—na siyang nagagawa kapag natutong magpatawad sa mga pagkukulang. Sa kabilang banda,  may mga biro at sitwasyon na medyo maselan at di angkop sa mga bata kaya't mas nararapat ito sa mga manunuod na nasa hustong gulang.

World War Z

LEAD CAST: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, James Badge Dale, Matthew Fox,

DIRECTOR:Marc Forster  SCREENWRITER:Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard, DamonLindelof  PRODUCER: Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Ian Bryce  EDITOR: Roger Barton, Matt Chesse  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Marco Beltrami  GENRE: Drama, Action & Adventure, Horror, Science Fiction, Fantasy  CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ben Seresin  RUNNING TIME: 116 minutes  DISTRIBUTOR: Paramount Pictures  LOCATION: US, Malta, Budapest, Glasgow

Technical assessment: 4

Moral assessment: 3

MTRCB Rating: PG 13

CINEMA Rating:  V14

Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) is a former United Nations employee who sacrifices to leave his family (wife and two daughters) to seek cure for the zombie pandemic.  He joins the mission and travels to South Korea and Israel to stop the world’s destruction and save humanity. The search leads the mission team to the World Health Organization (WHO) research center where vaccines to serve as camouflage of humanity against zombie attacks can be found.  The problem is, the zombies have also infested the center’s laboratories, compelling the WHO officials to lock up the entire premises for security reasons. But time is of the essence, and so, with the future of humanity in mind, Gerry takes a great risk no other person would.

World War Z is an adaptation of a novel entitled World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brook.  For a film medium it presents a good plot and excellent computere generated special effects.  It is a spectacle movie that stirs the interest of young people who are very much into online zombie games.  The direction successfully combines drama in emotions and excitement in actions. The chase scenes may be a bit long but keep up to the thrills of this fiction film; there are also no usual gory zombie attacks that viewers with a queasy stomach may find offensive. Acting-wise, Pitt is at his best in this film.  His presence is powerful and viewers can readily relate to him as the epitome of a responsible man who is oozing with love and concern for the family, the world, and humanity.  Overall, the film is above average in all aspects of its technical work.

One distinct trait in the character of Gerry Lane is his calmness in facing crisis situations when everybody else is scared to death.  It is important to remain calm before we become victims of our own fear.  World War Z showcases a heroic effort by a man to save humanity from a pandemic attack. Amidst the massive crisis when he is compelled to embark on a delicate mission in the hope of saving humanity and his family, God blesses him with the courage and strength to focus on the task at hand.  There is grace in putting the benefit of the greater good before our personal concerns. Overall, the movie is rich in positive values manifested by the central character for viewers to reflect. However, in view of stressful scenes and the carnage resulting from the zombie attacks and military counter attacks, CINEMA believes the movie is not suitable for children.

Fast and furious 6

Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriquez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Sung Kan, Luke Evans, Gina Carano, John Ortiz ; Director: Justin Lin; Screenplay: Cris Morgan; Producer: Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel, Clayton Townsend; Running Time: 130 minutes; Genre: Action; Location: USA

Technical assessment: 3.5

Moral assessment: 2

MTRCB rating:  PG 13

CINEMA rating: V 18

Fugitives and ex-convicts Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) are still in the hiding somewhere in Mexico after their last gig in Rio when Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) suddenly appears and offers them a deal. He wants Toretto to assemble his crew and help him take down Eman Shaw (Luke Evans), an elite mercenary involved in dangerous weapons, in exchange for their amnesty. Toretto is at first hesitant, but immediately changes his mind when Hobbs spills one interesting information—Toretto’s girlfriend, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), who is presumed dead, is alive and working with Shaw.  So Torreto’s quest for the truth begins—why is Letty working with Shaw?  Torreto suspects his girlfriend needs his rescue before it’s too late.

Fast and Furious 6 is a spectacle at its best.  It defies gravity and reality without spoiling the audience’s suspension of disbelief.  This latest film of the series from an unexpected blockbuster franchise remains to be faithful to the core of its genre.  It does not let its fans down with its action and chase sequences where cars crash and seemingly race to eternity. Although absurd, there lies its charm—absurdity in its funniest. In fact, the story just remains in the background. On the foreground of the film are really the action set pieces, the jaw-dropping stunts and the never-ending chases on the highway and this time, on the airport runway.  The original cast of characters, along with their original charm, is still intact and the audience sees them grow and evolve series after series without alienating those who have not religiously followed the previous installments. Towards the end, the audience gets the hint that the Fast and Furious franchise is not done yet, and there goes the excitement once again.

There is no denying that Fast and Furious 6 is a film that celebrates violence and embraces danger as a way of life. With that, the film in its entirety is undoubtedly disturbing. It disturbs the senses as it challenges the limits and endurance of the human physique. The story fights evil with evil, only that the protagonists are portrayed as lesser evils. It pampers and glorifies criminals like modern-day heroes without much regard to the damages they do with public spaces. With all these, the center of the story still revolves around love and family relationships. Love that transcends memory, guilt, and even death.  Torreto risks his life to save Letty from danger and death—and that’s what love is, Fast and Furious style.  O’Conner will give up anything for his family—and that’s all that really matters in this tormented fast and furious world.  At the end of the film, they all thank God for their lives, for delivering them from danger, and for fast cars. But then again, all these are just incidental to the action set pieces, car crashes, fight sequences, and dangerous stunts. It’s still a dark world where only the toughest survive and where strongmen kill for love.  The moral aspect of this movie is too much to chew on for young audiences—why expose them to such confusion? 

After Earth

CAST: Will Smith & Jaden Smith  DIRECTOR: M. Night Shyamalan  SCREENWRITER: Gary Whitta and M. Night Shyamalan  PRODUCER: M. Night Shyamalan and seven others  EDITOR: Steven Rosenblum  MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Jim Weidman  GENRE:  Drama/Action/Sci-fi/Adventure  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Peter Suschitzky  RUNNING TIME: 100  minutes  DISTRIBUTOR: Columbia Pictures  LOCATION: Costa Rica

Technical assessment:  3.5

Moral assessment:  3.5

MTRCB rating:  PG 13

CINEMA rating:  PG 13

       After the earth had been so polluted for human habitation, humans fled it and went to build cities on a distant planet called Nova Prime, where, unfortunately, another species had settled and developed predators (called “ursas”) to drive away new settlers.  On Nova Prime, Kitai (Jaden Smith) fails his cadet promotion test—he is reportedly good with theories but on the field fear immobilizes him.  His father, Cypher Raige (Will Smith), a respected warrior known for his ability to “ghost”, mastering himself so he can fight without fear.  Cypher takes Kitai with him on a space mission, but an asteroid storm damages their ship, sending it off track and reeling into Earth’s orbit.  The ship breaks in two, and father and son are the only survivors.  The distress beacon is in the ship’s half that landed 100 kilometers from the other half where Cypher and Kitai are.  Cypher’s legs are broken, leaving Kitai to go solo to retrieve the beacon which could lead to their rescue.
       After a series of box office misfires that earned for him a shower of rotten tomatoes from critics, (Lady in the Water, The Happening, The Last Airbender) director M. Night Shyamalan finally redeems himself with After Earth, a film that unmistakably bears his signature, albeit a subdued one.  Because the movie is unabashedly CGI-enhanced, people may tend to compare it with others of the same genre, but Shyamalan wisely remembers that central to the story is the relationship between father and son.  Thus, the importance of close-ups of Cypher and Kitai, particularly while Cypher is directing his son through dangerous territory aided only by a fragile cyber connection.  The viewer will not, therefore, find slimy creatures or gargantuan monsters at every turn, or cute little elf flowers (as in Epic), talking birds (Rio), and break-dancing penguins (Happy Feet), as these would distract from the story’s main point. 
       After Earth is a coming-of-age story where both father and son learn from each other.  Its poster slogan “Danger is real; fear is a choice” is repeated like a mantra throughout the movie, not so much verbally as visually, and it hits the mark.  The son is ever fearful and insecure from a lingering guilt over his sister’s death, aggravated by the lack of emotional warmth from an absentee father whom he nonetheless admires.  In the process of overcoming his fears he blurts out his resentment and defies his father’s order, risking his very life.  After Earth’s saving grace is its confidence in knowing what it wants to say and how to say it—to bleep with what critics will say!  In real life, we reach a critical point where fear and faith may collide.  Sometimes what others may think is a cowardly, defiant, or suicidal move is actually a leap of faith.  Kitai’s jumping off the cliff is a leap of faith that finally banishes fear from his consciousness.  He lives, and lives up to his name, which is Japanese for “hope”.

Man of Steel

LEAD CAST:  Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Ayelet Zurer, Laurence Fishbourne, Antie Traue  DIRECTOR:  Zack Snyder  SCREENWRITER:  David S. Goyer  PRODUCER:  Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Deborah Synder  EDITOR:  David Brenner MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Hans Zimmer  GENRE:  Action/Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction/Fantasy  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Amir Mokri  RUNNING TIME:  143 minutes  DISTRIBUTOR:  Warner Bros. Pictures  LOCATION:  US, Canada

Technical assessment:  3.5

Moral assessment:  3.5

MTRCB rating:  PG 13

CINEMA rating:  V 14

            Man of Steel opens with a childbirth.  The mother is Lara (Ayelet Zurer) and the father, assisting at birthing, is Jor-el (Russell Crowe); their newborn is Kal-el, to be known as “Superman” (Henry Cavill), the first child in many years that comes to Krypton by natural birth.  The destruction of Krypton, the home planet of Superman, is imminent.  Causing its disintegration is the scheme of artificial population control which breeds children en masse and nurtures them not in their mother’s womb but in an artificial environment which assures that these children will in time fulfill their respective predetermined roles in Krypton’s society.  This kind of genetic engineering is championed by General Zod (Michael Shannon), a megalomaniac who wants to build a new race of Kryptonites but fails to win the support of the scientist Jor-el who is totally opposed to Zod’s eugenics.  To escape the impending death of Krypton, Jor-el and Lara decide to send the infant Kal-el off to a benign planet, Earth.  The space capsule bearing Kal-el lands in a farm in the American heartland, Smallville, Kansas, owned by the Kents (Kevin Costner and Diane Lane), who raise him as their own, teach them their values, and keep his identity a secret.

            Less than a week after opening on June 12, Man of Steel has already hit major milestones in the global box office—it is promising in that in the face of stiff competition coming from CGI-heavy doomsday, apocalypse, and other superhero flicks, Superman seems able to hold its charm among the movie going public.  The introductory Krypton sequence is visually compelling, with a clearly spelled-out premise defining the origin and destiny of the newborn babe.    Keeping the audience engaged is the non-linear storytelling, studded with relevant and timely flashbacks mirroring Kal-el’s struggle from boyhood to manhood, burdened as he is with extraordinary powers he never asked for.   The sets and effects are great, the score envelops you in a world all its own.

            Man of Steel largely owes its power to the carefully chosen cast.  Crowe’s performance as Superman’s biological father is heartfelt and charismatic, matched only by the quiet intensity of Costner as the foster father.  Shannon exudes menace without having to utter a word, while Fishburne plays the editor’s role with finesse.  Lane is the ideal foster mother—devoted yet detached.  No one could have played journalist Lois Lane better than Amy Adams, with her perky personality and intelligent eyes; she might have come on stronger, though, with a no-nonsense hairdo instead of the girly-girly soft curls.

            Our mind wanders, though, as we get impatient for the explosions and repetitive combat scenes to end: why are the US armed forces in movies of this kind so stupid as to fight obviously superior alien powers with their puny little guns and tanks when even their toughest fighter planes are but paper planes to the invaders?  Such a waste of ammunition!  But thank God, this time, Superman doesn’t wear red briefs outside the skintight suit.

            Viewers of faith can glean the message of this film in spite of its protracted pyrotechnics, though.  Director Zack Snyder sprinkles his opus with elements that a church-going audience may pick up and interpret as parallels to the messianic story.  The cinematic savior of the world descends to live among Earthlings, and he has a mission, much like the Son of God who came down to Earth as an ordinary man.  We learn that the “S” on the strongman’s chest means “hope” in Krypton; on Earth the “S” stands for “Superman”, but it could also mean for all intents and purposes  “Savior”, since he is told that he is to save the world by bringing hope to Earth.  He is adopted by simple folk—farmer father, housewife mother—just like the carpenter-housewife couple from Nazareth.  Agonizing over whether to turn himself in as the rebel Zod demands, he seeks the counsel of a priest in a church—the shot shows Cavill close-up, framed against the stained glass background of Jesus praying in Gethsemane.  Some film critics have even averred that the battle between Kal-el and Zod is one between good and evil, with Kal-el as Jesus and Zod as the devil.  Hhmmm.  Be that as it may, the pro-life cause stands to benefit from the statement of Jor-el against “artificial population control”, a concept whose evil consequences the anti-RH advocates the world over have been trying to open the public’s eyes to.  It’s nice to know Superman is on our side.

Now you see me

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woodey Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Melanie Laurent  Director: Louis Leterrier Story: Boaz Yaki, Edward Ricourt  Screenplay: Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin, Edward Ricourt  Cinematography: Mitchell Amundsen, Larry Fong  Editing: Robert Leighton, Vincent Tabaillon  Music: Brian Tyler  Producers: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, Bobby Cohen  Genre: Drama/Suspense  Location: USA Distributor: Summit Entertainment

Technical Assessment:  3.5

Moral Assessment:  2

MTRCB Rating:  PG 13

CINEM Rating:  V14

Four street magicians, Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) and Merritt McKinley (Woody Harrelson) get recruited by an unknown benefactor from the elitist magicians’ circle called The Eye. A year later, the four, now known as the The Four Horsemen, are in a sold-out act in Las Vegas and end their performance with a bank heist involving one from the audience.  The FBI led by agent Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and Interpol newbie Alma Vargas (Melanie Laurent) arrest the The Four Horsemen but let them go for lack of evidence.  Meanwhile, ex-magician and now a professional magic debunker and television show host, Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman), secretly films The Four Horsemen in the hope of exposing them and gaining five million dollars. He explains to Rhodes how the robbery was actually planned and executed days ago. Between the The Four Horsemen performing one heist after another, Rhodes trying to outsmart them, Bradley hoping to make more millions, a secret is exposed to explain the magic and the real purpose behind it.

        The caper movie is both entertaining and engaging with solid performances, a dynamic cinematography, appealing score and decent design. But the substance is as magical as its premise—it defies logic and reason. There is some good premise behind the attempt to present a fresh storyline and keep the audience guessing who the fifth horseman is. There are good cinematic tricks passed on as magic but then again, this is the movies, so spellbinding the audience may not be exactly effective.  To get your money’s worth from whatever Now you see me has to offer—a powerhouse cast performing with flair to engage the viewer in this fast-paced whodunit film—you have to let hyourself be entranced by its magic, enter the realm of illusion, hear the “dis-illusioning” as well—for in the end, when it’s time for the 5^th Horseman to be seen, you’ll also see that the magic is but part of the story, that the story has a mastermind, and that this mastermind’s motivation is far from moral. 

       Revenge is never moral.  Now you see me treads on the same dangers as most caper films—glorifying the cunning of thieves and saluting a brilliant deception.  For the four magicians, it’s all in a day’s work—they do not even know who their boss is, much less his or her intentions.  They are earning a living from what they do best.  And they are just as surprised as the movie audience when their boss’ identity is revealed.  It is the 5^th Horseman who defies morality and legality in the name of “justice”.  Now you see me encourages people who have the means to go after the bad guys in whatever way they can, regardless of who gets hurt or what laws are broken.  The movie is not just a cute movie; it is twice immoral: in what has been done, and in keeping it a secret by the only one who has heard of it.

                                                                         

Hummingbird

LEAD CAST: Jason Statham, Agata Buzek, Vicky McClure, Ian Pirie, Benedict Wong, Lee Asquith-Coe, Senem Temiz, David Bradley, Siobhan Hewlett  DIRECTOR: Steven Knight  SCREENWRITER:  Steven Knight            PRODUCER:  Guy Heeley, Paul Webster  EDITOR:  Valerio Bonelli  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Dario Marianelli  GENRE: Crime/Thriller, Action & Drama RUNNING TIME:  100 minutes  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Chris Menges  DISTRIBUTOR: Lionsgate, Viva Films  LOCATION:  UK

Technical assessment:  3

Moral assessment:  2.5

MTRCB rating:  R 13

CINEMA rating V 18

            Jason Statham is Joey Smith (or Jones), a damaged ex-Special Forces soldier on the run from a military court-martial. The trauma of Afghanistan has left him hiding in London’s dark underbelly, given to drink and drugs. While running away from some thugs one night, he escapes into an apartment in Covent Garden, and finding that the occupant will be away for some time, he assumes the owner’s identity and decides to clean up his act and get a job. With the help of Sister Cristina (Agata Buzek), a young nun who dispenses food for London’s vagrants, he begins to redeem himself. But when his girlfriend Isabel (Victoria Bewick) is viciously killed, he has to confront not only his demons but also London's criminal underworld, and in the process turns into an avenging angel.

            Although Jason Statham is identified as an action star, Hummingbird (a.k.a. Redemption) is not your run-of-the-mill gangster movie. Yes, you see Jason in some well-choreographed fight scenes, but the focus here is a damaged man’s search for redemption in a terribly cruel and broken world. Statham’s Joey is conflicted yet can be tender, and is able to deliver more than punches. Agata Buzek portrays Polish nun Sister Cristina adequately. The cinematography shows the less known part of London with its own reality, texture and charm. The music is passable, and editing is sharp, the story has a lot of potential, but the film doesn’t quite gel. There are too many implausibilities and underdeveloped characters, with the plot jumping from one thing to another, preventing the film from becoming a truly compelling opus.

            Hummingbird is award-winning screenwriter Steven Knight’s directorial debut. It tries to be a social commentary, among other things. War and its victims, including the trauma and ordeal of soldiers after their tour of duty, drugs, human trafficking, prostitution, broken homes, crisis of faith and religious vocation, poverty and homelessness, sexual abuse, murder, the life of crime, violence, etc., are shown in their ugly darkness.

            The film can be an invitation to explore various social problems for discussion, challenging the viewers to reflection and consideration.  One can also talk about the Catholic faith and religious vocation while regarding with empathy the actions of the two flawed and broken characters: Joey who has been through one haunting hell after another and Cristina who is still rankling from a childhood trauma.  The “romance” between them in fact springs more from a sense of gratitude in being heard and understood by another soul than from the usual sensual attraction.  Thus, their fleeting intimacy (prudently off camera) is devoid of romantic notions, and does not at all suggest future encounters.

            Hummingbird could lead viewers to ask:  Does a person’s past or circumstance spell his present and future? Can it be an excuse for betrayal, violence, revenge, despair, and questionable choices? Is doubt equivalent to unbelief? Is integrity and truth opposed to love? Is chastity an option or a gift?  A nun is not once shown praying or in communion with God; are nuns simply social workers with a veil? Is anyone or any situation beyond change or redemption?

            Hummingbird is a story of the beginning of redemption, of recognizing one’s demons borne of the past and shaping the present, and then moving on with resolve and hope for a better morrow.  In the Andes of South America the hummingbird symbolizes resurrection. It seems to die on cold nights, but comes back to life again at sunrise.  If the choice of the movie title is any indication, then in all probability the film means to give viewers the light of hope in the dark of night.  CINEMA rates the film V18 for strong brutal violence and the delicate theme that could confuse morals.