Kubot: Aswang Chronicles 2

Direction: Erik Matti; Lead cast: Dingdong Dantes, Joey Marquez, Lotlot de Leon, Isabelle Daza, Elizabeth Oropesa, KC Montero; Screenplay: Michiko Yamamoto, Visual Effects: David Yu; Editing: Vito Cajili; CDirector of Photography; Shing Fung Cheung; Production Design: Ericson Navaroo; Producer: Jose Mari Abacan, Trina Dantes-Quema, Erik Matti; Music: Erwin Romulo; Location: Manila; Genre: Fantasy-Adventure; Distributor: GMA Films

Technical Assessment            : 3  Moral sssessment: 2.5   MTRCB Rating: PG13  CINEMA Rating: V14

            Pagkatapos na pagkatapos ng sagupaan ng pamilya nina Makoy (Dingdong Dantes) at Sonia (Hannah Ledesma) sa mga Tiktik ng Pulupandan ay tatakas sila kasama ang mga nakaligtas patungong Maynila. Kaya nga lamang ay lulusubin sila ng mga kubot, sa pangunguna ni Veron (Oropesa), bilang paghihiganti sa pagkakapatay nina Makoy sa lahi ng mga Tiktik. Tanging sina Makoy at Nestor (Joey Marquez) ang makaliligtas. Lilipas ang dalawang taon at makikita sina Nestor at Makoy, na ngayon ay putol na ang kanang kamay, na nakikitira sa kapatid nito na si Nieves (Lotlot de Leon).  Si Nieves ay mapaghinalang sekretarya ng ob-gyne na si Alessandra (Daza), isang aswang na natutong gumalang at mamuhay kasama ng mga ordinaryong tao. Hinahanap ng doktora ang may pakana ng di maipaliwanag na pagbabangong-anyo ng mga tao pagkatapos kumain ng Dom’s Hotdog.  Samantala, si Dom (KC Montero), may ari ng pagawaan ng hotdog, ay isang aswang na nagbabalak na sakupin ang mundo sa pamamagitan ng paghahalo ng karne ng tao sa kanyang hotdog upang maging aswang ang sinumang kumain nito. Plano ni Dom na pakaiinin ang isang buong bayan ng kanyang mga hotdog sa ilalim ng pagkukunwari ng isang libreng konsyerto. Papatayin ni Dom ang matatandang aswang na kukumpronta sa kanyang gawain. Tanging si Veron ang matitirang matandang aswang. Bantulot na magkakatulungan sina Veron at Makoy para pigilan ang planong ito at tuluyang sugpuin si Dom at kanyang mga kampon.

            Tinangka na lagpasan ng Kubot ang tagumpay ng Tiktik sa larangang biswal at teknikal. Nagawa naman ito kung pagbabasehan ang hinakot na tropeo ng pelikula sa nakaraang MMFF. Mahusay ang mga special effects na ginamit lalo sa ilang eksena na labanan nina Makoy at mga aswang. Kung ito lamang ang basehan, totoo naman nakakaaliw at sulit ang oras at pera na panuorin ang Kubot.  Kaya nga lamang, dapat ang isang pelikula ay higit pa sa mga pampabilib na visual effects—kung hindi ay maglaro ka na lamang ng computer games. At ito ang isa sa pinakamalaking kahinaan ng pelikula. Ano ba ng sentro? Ang galit ba ni Makoy? Ang pahihiganti ba ng mga kubot Ang plano ba ni Dom? Ang malasakit ba ni Alesandra? O ang kabayanihan ng angkan nina Nieves? Pwede namang paghalu-haluin. At ito nga ang nangyari… halo-halong maliit na kwento na pinagtagni-tagni ng kaunti patawa rito at aksyon duon. Nakakaaliw pero kailangang habulin mo pa ang katuturan. Dagdag pa ang mala-tuod na pagganap ni Daza, ang OA na atake ni Dantes at ang mala-karikaturang interpretasyon ni Montero sa kani-kanilang katauhan. Mabuti na lamang at nasalo sila nina de Leon at Marquez na magaling ang tyempo ng komedya. Isa pang palpak ay ang pagkakalapat ng musika. Parang langis at tubig ang eksena at musika na ayaw magtagpo at matimpla. Sa larangang biswal, totoong maganda naman ito pero malayo sa sinundan nitong Tiktik na animo’y pahina ng komiks ang buong eksena.

            Ang kabayanihan ay hindi ang walang wawang tapang at pagsabak sa panganib. Nagmumula ito sa malasakit sa kapwa at kagustuhang gawin ang tama para sa ikabubuti ng lahat. Madalas sabihin ni Nieves na lahi nila ang bayani at matatapang kaya’t sugod siya ng sugod kahit alanganin ang sitwasyon. Pero kung babasahin mo ang pagkatao ni Nieves, ang nagtutulak sa kanya na makialam ay ang malasakit sa kapwa at pagnanasang maging bahagi ng ikabubuti nila—na siya namang kabaligtaran ng katauhan ni Makoy simula nang maranasan niya ang sakit na mawalan ng asawa at anak. Maganda sana kung sinikap ng pelikula na ipakita ang hatakan ng motibo ng dalawang ito para lalong naging makabuluhan ang pagkakaisa ng magkalabang mortal na sina Makoy at Veron sa dulo. Pero nanaig ang komersyo at natabunan ito ng malabnaw na naratibo. Sa kabilang dako, nakababagabag sa mga bata ang konsepto ng paghahalo ng giniling na karne ng tao sa hotdog. Kahit na ba tinakpan ng special effects ang proseso ng paggiling sa tao ay matatandaan pa rin ito ng mga bata lalo na’t hotdog ay isa sa paborito nilang pagkain. Ang problema ay hindi ang pandidiri o pagkatakot ng mga bata kundi ang pagkamanhid ng kanilang sensitibidad sa mga konseptong ganito. Isang eksena na hindi masyadong napaliwanag ay kung bakit may aswang na pari at sa loob pa ng simbahan nag tagpo-tagpo ang mga aswang. Muli, hindi isyu ito ng pagiging mapagpuna pero hindi ba’t medyo nakakawala ng respeto naman ito sa tahanan ng Diyos? Parang sinasabi nito na ang isang simbahan ay isang karaniwang gusali lamang na maaaring pagdausan ng kahit ano nang walang pagsasa-alang-alang sa itinuturo ditong kapangyarihan ng Maykapal.  Mas mabuti kung ang pelikula ay hindi hayaan ipapanuod sa mga bata.

Bonifacio: Unang Pangulo

DIRECTOR: Enzo Williams  LEAD CAST: Robin Padilla, Vina Morales, Daniel Padilla, Eddie Garcia  SCREENWRITER:  Enzo Williams, Carlo Obispo  PRODUCER:  Rina Navarro, EA Rocha  EDITOR: Manet Dayrit  MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Von de Guzma  GENRE:  Drama, Biopic      DISTRIBUTOR:  Philippians Productions  LOCATION:   Philippines RUNNING TIME:  91 mins.

Technical Assessment: 4  Moral Assessment: 3

CINEMA Rating:  PG 13 (for viewers 13 years old and below with parental guidance)

Magsisimula ang pelikula sa pagpapakitang nasasaksihan ng batang Andres Bonifacio ang paggarote kina Padre Gomez, Burgos at Zamora (Gomburza)  na pinaparatangang nagrerebelde sa mga Kastila. Matapos nito’y makikitang itinatatag ang grupong  La Liga Filipina na naglalayong pag-alabin ang damdamin ng mga Pilipino laban sa pang-aapi ng mga Kastila na siyang sumakop sa Pilipinas sa loob ng 300 taon.  Dito magiging kaibigan ni Bonifacio (Robin Padilla) si Dr. Jose Rizal (Jericho Rosales)  na magsasabi sa kanya kung ano ang nararapat at naaayong gawin ng mga Pilipino upang makamit ang minimithing kalayaan. May magkakanulo sa La Liga Filipina at ito ay mabubuwag; makukulong si Dr. Jose Rizal at mahahatulan ng kamatayan. Matapos nito’y itatatag ni Bonifacio ang Katipunan at magisisimula ang armadong pakikipaglaban sa mga Kastila. Susundan ng pelikula ang buhay ni Bonifacio mula 1892 kung saan niya makikilala ang pangalawa niyang asawang si Gregoria de Jesus (Vina Morales) hanggang sa kanyang mga huling araw ng paglilitis at kamatayan sa Cavite.

Maituturing ang Bonifacio: Unang Pangulo bilang pinakamalaking pelikula na tumalakay sa buhay ng bayaning si Andres Bonifacio. Pinagbuhusan ng husay at talino ang pagkakagawa nito. Mula sa disenyong pamproduksiyon, mga kuha ng kamera, komposisyon, editing at kabuuang dating ay hindi maitatangging tunay na tinustusan ang pelikula. Hindi rin magpapahuli sa pag-arte ang mga pangunahin nitong tauhan na pinangungunahan nina Robin Padilla, Vina Morales at Jericho Rosales. Walang itulak-kabigin sa kanilang husay at galing. Sayang nga lang at tila marami pa ring elemento ng kuwento ni Bonifacio ang tila hindi pa rin nasabi sa pelikula. Hindi rin gaanong napapanindigan ang mga sinisimulang kwento tulad ng pag-iibigan nila Andres at Oryang na tila napabayaan sa kalagitnaan ng pelikula. Sadyang nakapanghihinayan na tila walang bagong sinabi ang pelikula patungkol sa pagkabayani ni Bonifacio maliban sa dati nang ipinakita ng mga naunang palabas patungkol sa bayani. Hindi naman gaanong nakatulong ang paglalagay ng elemento ng mga kabataan sa kasalukuyang panahon dahil hindi naman tumatahi sa mga ito ang kuwento ng bayani. Masasabing kahit wala sila sa pelikula ay tatayo pa rin ito. Sa kabila nito’y bibihira pa rin ang mga pelikulang tulad ng Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo at karapat-dapat pa rin itong bigyan ng pansin ng mga Pilipinong manonood.

      Tila isang malaking sampal sa ating kasaysayan ang kwento ni Bonifacio na sa bandang huli’y tila ipinagkanulo at pinatay ng kapwa Pilipino. Hindi ito magandang imahen para ating karakter bilang isang lahi. Ngunit sadyang marami tayong matututunan sa kasaysayan at ang isang madilim na bahagi na ito ay nararapat nating pag-ukulan ng masusing pag-aaral.  “Hindi pa tapos ang rebolusyon,”  ika nga ng awit ng pelikula. Si Bonifacio ay buong tapang na lumaban sa mga mananakop na Kastila. Ito ay sa kabila ng nakaambang panganib sa kaniyang buhay. Kung ganyang uri ng pagmamahal sa bayan mayroon ang bawat Pilipino, disinsana’y walang naaapi at walang mahihirap. Ngunit lumilinaw na ang tunay na rebolusyon at pakikibaka, at ang tunay na kalaban ng Pilipinas, ay mismong mga Pilipino rin. Ang tunay na rebolusyon ay nasa puso ng bawat Pilipino. Kailangan malabanan at malagpasan ng bawat isa sa atin ang kasakimaan, kabuktutan  at pagkauhaw sa kapangyarihan at kayamanan. Kapag nagawa natin ito, matututo na tayong unahin ang kapakanan ng bawat isa, ang kapakanan ng kapwa, at kapakanan ng bayan bago ang ating sarili. Bagama’t hindi nakatulong sa pag-usad ng kwento, ang mga kabataan sa pelikula ay sumisimbolo na dapat patuloy na mag-alab ang pusong bayani lalo na sa mga kabataan na siyang kinabukasan ng bayan. Marami ring matutunan sa wagas na pag-iibigan nila Andres at Oryang. Sa kabuuan ay isang kaaya-ayang karanasan at siksik sa pagpapahalagang moral ang Bonifacio: Unang Pangulo, kailangan lamang na magabayan ang mga batang manonood upang maipaliwanag nang husto at maayos ang madilim na bahaging ito ng ating kasaysayan.

English only, please

DIRECTOR:   Dan Villegas  LEAD CAST: Jennylyn Mercado, Derek Ramsay SCREENWRITERs: Anj Pessumal & Antoinette Jadaone  GENRE:  Romance, Comedy

PRODUCTION; Quantum Films, MJM Productions, Tuko Films  LOCATION:  Philippines RUNNING TIME:  90 mins           

Technical assessment:  3.5  Moral assessment: 3 CINEMA Rating:  V 14

Napili ni Julian Parker (Derek Ramsay) si Tere Madlangsaya (Jennilyn Mercado) sa ginawa niyang online search para maging Filipino tutor sa pagbisita nya sa Pilipinas. Layunin ni Julian sa kanyang byahe sa Pilipinas na hanapin at harapin ang nang-iwang girlfriend na Filipina. Ang pangunahing trabaho ni Tere bilang tutor ay isalin sa Tagalog ang inihandang sulat ni Julian sa English at maturuan siyang maipahayag ang nakasulat at makapaglabas siya ng galit na damdamin. Natuto naman si Julian kahit palagi niyang pakiusap na kausapin siya sa English dahil di siya lubos na makaintindi ng Tagalog. Samantalang pilit na pinapanatili nilang dalawa ang pormal na relasyon nila bilang tutor at estudyante ay di naiwasan na makagiliwan nila ang isa’t isa. Kaya sa punto na namroblema si Tere sa nobyo na maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw ang pangloloko sa kanya ay kay Julian siya nakapaghinga ng sama ng loob. Hanggang sa nagkasundo sila na tulungan ang isa’t isa na makapag move on mula sa mga di naging magandang relasyon sa pag-ibig.

Simple lamang ang daloy ng kwento ng pelikulang English Only, Please. Hindi naman seryoso na tungkol sa wikang Ingles o Filipino ang pelikula katulad ng sinasaad ng pamagat.  Pero informative naman ang dating ng diksyunaryo, bagamat hindi pormal na salita ang karamihan.   Samantala sa kabila ng simpleng plot ay nagawa ng direktor na maging kaaliw-aliw ang mga eksena. Pangunahin sa nagbigay kulay sa romantic comedy na ito ay ang mahusay na pagganap lalo na si Mercado. Nabigyan nya ng katarungan ang papel ni Tere na isang babaeng magaling sa diskarte sa buhay at pagtulong sa pamilya pero aminadong tanga sa pag-ibig. May dating ang paghahatid nya ng mga linya lalo na ang mga patawa. Nasabayan naman ito ni Ramsay. Yun nga lang, tila walang chemistry ang dalawa sa screen. Nakita sa pelikula ang kaibahan ng pagkatao ng ginampanan nilang dalawa. Maganda ang disenyo ng produksyon gayon din ang make-up. Malinis ang editing at walang naging problema sa pagpapalit ng mga eksena. Akma ang mga inilapat na tunog at ilaw. Maliwanag ang mga kuha ng camera na akma lamang para sa tema ng light romance comedy.  Naghatid din ng aliw ang inilapat na musika tulad ng mga piling awitin na naitampok sa pelikula. Sa kabuuan ay halata na matipid ang produksyon subalit naging malikhain ang mga responsable sa  likod ng mga teknikal na aspeto ng pelikula at naging maganda ang kinalabasan.

Ipinakita sa pelikula na ang di magandang hangarin tulad ng paghihiganti sa pamamagitan ng masasakit na salita ay maaring mabago kapag nakadama ng tunay na pag-ibig. Ang tao na totoong nagmamahal ay nakikita ang kagandahan ng puso at kalooban sa kabila ng sitwasyon na umiiral ang katangahan at kawalan ng respeto sa sarili. Pinakita din ng English Only, Please na may puwang ang pagbabago sa buhay ng isang tao. Samantala ang pagsuporta sa pamilya ay likas sa mga Filipino. Katulad ng karakter ni Tere na ginagawa ang lahat at nagsasakrispisyo na malayo sa pamilya para makapagpadala ng ayuda at makapagpatayo ng pangarap na bahay sa probinsya.  Bagamat nagkakagustuhan ay naging malinis ang naging relasyon ng mga karakter nina Tere at Julian bilang tutor at estudyante na sa kalaunan ay naging magkaibigan bago nag-aminan na pareho silang nararamdaman sa isa’t isa.

Di mapapasubalian na may mga positibong ipinakita ang pelikula. Subalit tumalakay din mga sensitibong tema ang pelikula katulad ng casual sex sa pagitan ng karakter ni Tere at ng manlolokong nobyo, unprofessionalism bilang tutor sa pananamit, di pagsuheto sa pakikipaglampungan ng estudyante habang may tutorial lesson, at pagdadahilan sa pagdating ng huli sa takdang oras. Nakakabahala din na pinakita sa pelikula ang tila cheap na paraan ng kaibigan ni Tere sa paghahanap ng boyfriend na lantarang ipinapakita sa anak bilang katanggap-tanggap na sitwasyon. Ang pamilya naman na sinusuportahan ni Tere sa probinsya ay tila di nagpapahalaga sa sakripisyo ng kapamilya at hinahayaan lamang ito dahil sa paniwala ng sumusuporta na nagbabayad utang sya ng mabigo ang pamilya na makapagtapos sya ng pag-aaral.

Exodus: Gods and Kings

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Director: Ridley Scott Cast: Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Aaron Paul, Ben Kingsley, Sigourney Weaver, Indira Varma, John Turturro, Ben Mendelsohn  Screenwriter: Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, Jeffrey Caine, Steven Zaillian Editor: Billy Rich  Cinematographer:  Dariusz Wolski Musical director: Alberto Iglesias  Distributor:  20^th Century Fox  Location: United Kingdom, United States, Spain Running time: 150 mins.

Technical assessment:  4  Moral Assessment: 2.5  CINEMA rating:  V14

       Moses (Christian Bale) and Rameses (Joel Edgerton) have grown up together in Pharaoh’s household as adoptive brothers.  Now handsome and heroic adults skilled in the art of war they are sworn to be there for each other, to the delight of pharaoh Seti (John Turturro).  One day as Seti consults the oracle it is predicted that one of the two would save the life of the other and would become the greater leader, but Seti dies before he could see the prediction come true. Rameses ascends the throne, and makes Moses his most trusted general.  Moses’ days in the pharaoh’s court, however, are numbered once his true origin as the child of a Hebrew slave is disclosed.

       Two assets of the Exodus: Gods and Kings are the CGI and the cast.  It is one “major major” spectacular bible movie, and owing to the theme and director Ridley Scott’s track record is being compared to the 1956 blockbuster, Cecil B. de Mille’s The Ten Commandments.  The comparison, however, proves to be inadequate, as it could largely dwell on the technical aspect of both productions.  To be appreciated on its own merits, Exodus: Gods and Kings has to be watched with an empty mind.  If you approach it thinking that the magic of CGI will give you a more awesome version of de Mille’s masterpiece, you will be sorely disappointed.  CGI was unheard of in the 50s; the amazing footages then were all credited to “camera tricks”.  Thus if you’re looking forward to seeing a magnificent computer-generated parting of the Red Sea—brace yourself for a tsunami instead.

       It’s been said that instead of edifying viewers or affirming their faith, Scott’s Exodus: Gods and Kings may simply shake it.  So be it.  Because the film is the director’s revisioning of biblical events, his interpretation of scriptures, he is given the artistic license to create an opus according to his perception of truth.  If he sees Moses as a military-man-turned-prophet, and Ramses as a blinged-out ruler with bizarre hobbies, or God (or is it His Messenger?) as a brat with a British accent, he is free to depict them as such—let’s welcome the diversity, vive le difference!    Such deviations from the familiar portraits are not without merit—Bale and Edgerton give their characters depth that could prick the viewer’s imagination into exploring the many facets of faith.  Just temporarily forget about your time-honored biblical knowledge in order to enjoy the superior technical rendering of the plagues.  No one will blame you, however, if you miss the breathtaking moment when Moses’s staff turns into a serpent, or the thrill of seeing the multitude walk on dry land between walls of water.     

       People who know their bible may regard Exodus: Gods and Kings as a big disappointment for failing to plumb the depths of God’s intervention in the affairs of men.  But here is where the challenge lies for the  “people of the book”—evangelists, catechists, theologians, even parents who must guide their children along the paths of truth. 

John Wick

DIRECTOR:  Chad Stahelski  LEAD CAST: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen  SCREENWRITER: Derek Kolstad PRODUCERS: Basil Iwanyk, David Leitch, Eva Longoria   FILM EDITOR: Elizabet Ronaldsdotir            MUSIC: Tyler Bates, Joel Richard  GENRE: Action, thriller CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jonathan Sefa  DISTRIBUTORS: Warner Bros Pictures  LOCATION: New York, USA. RUNNING TIME: 101 mins.

Technical assessment:  3   Moral assessment:  2  CINEMA rating:  V18

Keanu Reeves plays the title character John Wick, a mob assassin who would quit upon falling in love and settling down in marriage. Five years later, his wife dies, but not before she arranges for a dog to be brought to Wick to keep him company after her death.  One day some punks fancy Wick’s car, and failing to grab it from him break into his home that night, searching for the car keys to drive away in the coveted vehicle.  They kill the dog to silence it, and then beat up Wick.  The incident brings Wick out of retirement, and soon learns the leader is Josef Tarasov (Alfie Allen), the son of his former employer, Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist).  Viggo dispatches a number of his black-suited thugs to get rid of Wick, while Wick sets out to hunt down Viggo’s son with an ad hoc team composed of former associates, old friends and even enemies (John Lequizamo, Willem Dafoe, Ian MacShane, Adrienne Palicki).

John Wick is an unabashed kick-butt movie whose main protagonist is a seething volcano beneath a placid lake.  Reeves’ screen persona is the strong, silent type; he has never been known to portray roles that require hyper-articulation (think Robert Downey Jr.) or a touch of flamboyance (think Johnny Depp).  

His most potent asset is his screen presence, a mixture of vulnerable looks and dynamic choreography that usually wins audience sympathy.

This very combination, however, tends to make the theme of John Wick—revenge—more palatable than it should be.  Wick’s love-driven retirement as a hit man is a positive value but when his brooding pushes him back to being a killer, something needs to be deeply examined here.  Wick’s lethal prowess overshadows the erstwhile promise of his transformation, leaving behind a trail of dead human beings that’s hardly worth a pet dog and a car, no matter that the dog is from a beloved wife and the car a 1969 Ford Mustang.  The picture of the Wick character that emerges from all the blood drained and the necks snapped is that of an emotionally inert killer who can not extricate himself anymore from the underworld.  John Wick is showing what a career in killing does to a man—despite the power of love Wick loses the moral strength to overcome himself.  He ceases to be a human being—instead he is reduced to being a force of nature, a volcano, a hurricane or a tsunami that has the power to destroy but has no strength to control itself.  He could very well have been named not John Wick, but John Weak.

The Judge

DIRECTOR:  David Dobkin  LEAD CAST: Robert Downey, Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jeremy Strong  SCREENWRITER: Nick Schenk, Bill Dubuque  PRODUCER:  Susan Downey, David Gambino, David Dobkin  EDITOR:  Mark Livolsi  MUSIC:  Thomas Newman  GENRE:  Drama  CINEMATOGRAPHY: Janusz Kaminski  DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros  LOCATION:  United States  RUNNING TIME:  2 hours, 20 minutes

Technical assessment: 3.5    Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating:  V14   MTRCB rating: PG                                  

Hank Palmer (Robert Downey, Jr.), a top-notch lawyer in Chicago, returns to his hometown after so many years in Carlinville, Indiana, to attend his mother’s funeral.  His visit evokes memories of his past, touching wounds caused by the estranged relationship with his father, Judge Joseph Palmer (Robert Duvall).  This makes him want to fly back to Chicago soon after the funeral. On the plane, he receives a phone call from his brother telling him that their father has been arrested for murder charges. This compels him to stay on so he could defend his father—a reputable judge of their town. However, the cobwebs of their family’s past, hurts and grudges will not make it easy for both of them to win the case. 

The Judge is an intense family-court drama highlighting the acting prowess of Downey and Duvall. The father-son complex dynamics set in the legal back drop is interesting enough to make the film stand for the rest of the running time. However, the excessive subplots that are mostly unnecessary and left unresolved distract the film from its central conflict and do not add-up to the otherwise compelling narrative. The film’s best moments are the ones that are quiet, honest, and simple—the father-son, father-daughter, grandfather-granddaughter, brother-brother scenes are very basic ones but emotionally charged. Most of the film’s highlights happen in the courtroom but the real drama lies in the quietness of moments when we see the complicated web of emotions displayed in the conversations and confrontations of the lead characters, and even in scenes when we literally hear nothing but pregnant pauses and angst-filled stillness.

Amidst the courtroom drama and familial conflict, forgiveness and integrity are at the core of the film. Hank’s and Judge Joseph’s characters are equally complex and complicated. Both are resentful and have axes to grind with each other. Both are good legal authorities, Hank as a lawyer, and Joseph as a judge. The audience can see clearly where both are coming from as the narrative unfolds. Both are neither really good nor really bad….they are just byproducts of their past. But then, the present compels both men to make difficult decisions—this time around, each has a different take on the law. Here, it is clearly depicted that wisdom comes with age as Judge Joseph stands firm on his integrity as a judge—to uphold the law even if it would result in his own incarceration—given his delicate condition. Integrity above self—that is what he wants to imply. He resents the time when he had to bend the law for emotional reasons.  Hank has to learn all this in time—that sometimes, it is necessary to lose a case for the greater good. The law makes everyone equal, and that is very clear in the film. As Hank comes to this realization, he slowly starts to melt down and forgive his father, and himself. Most commendable in the film is highlighting the significance of love and family in anyone’s life—whatever your stature is. In the end, no matter what one has achieved, one would always come back to his or her roots. Achievements are nothing compared to meaningful relationships one builds—and it starts with the family where everyone is accepted (Hank’s youngest brother is intellectually challenged, yet he is very much loved in the family), where everyone makes sacrifices (Hank’s eldest brother, Glenn, has given up baseball for the sake of family), and everyone loves everyone in their own ways. Sometimes, they fail each other, but no one really fails in love. And that’s what The Judge really all about—love that is thicker than blood. However, some subplots distract the film from the core message—there is the insinuation of possible incest which is totally unnecessary, and the unresolved marital conflict of Hank that stayed in the backseat while he makes amends with an old flame. These create confusion even if they are just in the sidelights. CINEMA finds the film suitable only to audience 14 and above.

Gone Girl

Director: David Fincher; Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris; Story and Screenplay: Gillian Flynn; Cinematographer: Jeff Cronenweth; Editor: Kirk Baxter; Musical Director: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross; Producers: Leslie Dixon, Bruna Papandrea, Reese Witherspoon; Genre: Drama-Suspense; Location: Missouri; Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics; Running Time: 149 minutes;

Technical assessment: 4   Moral Assessment: 2.5

MTRCB : R13   CINEMA rating: V18

Nick Dunne (Affleck) comes home on his 5th wedding anniversary but instead he finds his house in disarray and his wife, Amy (Pike), missing. The media pick up on the story as Amy is a celebrated New York children’s book author and the entire community begins to support the search for her. The local police, led by Detective Boney (Dickens), uncover a trail of clues supposedly left by Amy for Nick’s anniversary treasure hunting, and evidence against Nick’s violent nature and murder cover up begin to surface. The Nick and Amy love story unfold from opposing views of Nick’s narration and Amy’s diary, but the truth is soon learnt.

David Fincher’s Gone Girl is a flawless adaptation of its literary counterpart. Viewers hold their breath as much as the readers did at every turn of Gillian Flynn’s book. The plot is a genius of a narrative with unexpected reveals and intelligent developments. The unparalleled timelines and non-linear storytelling heighten the tension of the mystery like the flawless icing of a perfectly baked cake intoxicating the viewers to hang on to each scene. Love gone sour is not a new storyline but in the creative visions of Flynn and Fincher, the ill-fated Nick-Amy love affair turns brilliantly evocative. Affleck, Pike and Dickens deliver a restrained but powerful interpretation of their characters. So do all the other supporting and minor casts who play their roles with deliberate passion and rawness. The screenplay is witty and almost haunting. There are several memorable and quotable lines, not only because of the cadence and rhythm but because viewers feel these lines are spoken directly to them. The ending might not work well with everyone but it does disturb deep enough to make the viewer flinch and rethink his personal life. Gone Girl is one of those masterfully adapted films that work with or without the book.

Gone Girl pokes at two things: marriage on trial and media giving trial. On the one hand, we see ordinary couple falling in and out of love, building and breaking a relationship. While Amy’s character has some psychological issues that probably rationalize her crimes, we have to see how Nick and Amy decided to move on with their marriage when faced with a financial crisis at first and emotional crisis eventually. Marriage needs work from both parties. Working to keep the marriage requires two ingredients: honesty

and selflessness. These go beyond simple commitment and romance because when a partner decides to live for himself and bend the truth, a relationship is doomed.

On the other hand, we see how razor sharp media is in sensationalizing to the point of satire. Did media live up to its purpose to expose the truth or a truth that sells? Did media become a stronghold for the voiceless or was it merely a reenactment of selective voices that make the ratings?  Media in Gone Girl is a mockery of the profession as it is in real life these days. Sadly, a lot of people choose to buy and swallow sensationalism rather than become discerning and informed viewers.

The Trial

DIRECTOR:  Chito Rono  LEAD CAST:  John Lloyd Cruz, Richard Gomez, Jessy Mendiola, Gretchen Barretto, Enique Gil, Sylvia Sanches, Vincent de Jesus  PRODUCER & DISTRIBUTOR:  Star Cinema GENRE:  Family drama  LOCATION:  Philippines  RUNNING TIME:   132 minutes

Technical assessment: 3   Moral Assessment: 3  MTRCB rating: R13   CINEMA rating: V14 

Guwapo at mabait pero “mentally challenged” si Ronald, (John Lloyd Cruz), naglilingkod bilang hardinero sa isang paaralan upang makapagtapos siya ng elementarya.  Nagsisilbing “tutor” niya ang gurong si Bessy (Jessy Mendiola) na itinuturing naman siyang kaibigan.  Ngunit “in love” si Ronald kay Bessy, at sa kanyang payak na pang-unawa, mahal din siya ni Bessy.  May kakalat na video ng dalawa na mukhang ginagahasa ni Ronald si Bessy.  Madedemanda si Ronald ng “rape”, at magsisimula ang masalimuot na takbo ng tahimik nilang buhay.

Maganda at nakaduduro ng isipan ang kuwentong hinangad na isalaysay ng The Trial, at hindi rin karaniwan ang ganitong tema sa industriya ng pelikulang Pilipino, bagay na nagsilbing hamon sa mga nagsiganap.  Bagama’t pasado naman ang pagganap ng karamihan sa mga tauhan, minsan ay “magaralgal” ang atake nila Gomez at Lloyd Cruz sa kani-kaniyang mga papel—nasasapawan ng kanilang imahen bilang mga artista ang katauhang kanilang kinakatawan sa pelikula.  Yon bang, hindi ka nila “madala” sa pag-arte nila, naroon pa rin sa likuran ng isip mo na “Sine lang yan, yan si John Lloyd, iyan si Richard.”  Hindi rin makinis ang pagkakatagni-tagni ng mga pangyayari, para tuloy “inimbento” lang ang storya para makagawa lang ng pelikula.  Kulang sa realismo ang characterization, at maraming “daplis” o “inconsistency” ang katauhan ni Ronald, pero maayos ang pagkakaguhit ng ginampanan ni Mendiola.

Maganda ang hangarin ng The Trial na ipagtanggol ang mga “kapos” sa kakayahan ng isip, at batikusin ang mga huwad na pagmamamabuti ng ilang mga nakaaangat sa buhay.  Sana’y pinalalim pa nito ang mensaheng iyon, pero hindi ito nangyari.  May isang malaki at maling hakbanging ginawa ang The Trial na nakabawas sa kabubuan ng magandang hangarin at mga katangian nito.  Iyon ay ang pagtuon ng labis na pansin sa relasyon ng mag-asawang Gomez at Baretto bilang Atty. Julian at Amanda Bien na tumutulong sa kaso ni Ronald.  Talos naming dapat sabikin ang manonood sa katotohanang huhubaran sa dulo ng pelikula, pero nakaka-labnaw sa halaga ng pangunahing mensahe ng The Trial sub-plot ng mag-asawang magusot ang buhay.  Oo nga’t mabuti ang ipinakitang pagpapatawad at pagkakasundo ng mag-asawa pero minadali ito, kulang sa lalim—bagay na naging sanhi ng pagsasanga ng layunin ng pelikula.  Pag may nagtanong sa iyo tuloy kung tungkol ba sa ano yung The Trial, malamang hindi mo masasabi kung ito ba’y tungkol sa paglilitis na mag-aangat sa ating kamalayan hinggil sa taong tulad ni Ronald, o tungkol sa happy ending na dinala ng paglilitis?  Kayo ang humusga.

The Equalizer

DIRECTOR:  Antoine Fuqua  LEAD CAST:  Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Haley Bennett, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo  SCREENWRITER:  Richard Wenk, Michael Sloan  PRODUCER:  Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Tony Eldridge, Mace Neufeld, Michael Sloan, Steve Tisch, Denzel Washington, Richard Wenk  MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Harry Gregson-Williams  CINEMATOGRAPHER  Mauro Fiore  EDITING: John Refoua  GENRE:  Action, Crime, Thriller  LOCATION:  USA  DISTRIBUTOR:  Columbia Pictures  RUNNING TIME:   132 minutes 

Technical assessment: 3.5  Moral assessment:  2  MTRCB rating: R16  CINEMA rating: V18 

On a self-imposed retirement and turning his back on his unexplained past, Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) is an unobtrusive and affable figure who lives alone and daily takes the bus to work.  He leads a quiet life working as a shelf-stocker at a home improvement chain store; his spare apartment, all-natural diet, his mantra “body-mind-spirit”, and his neat appearance indicate his passion for order.  An insomniac, he whiles away his nights reading a book while sipping tea at a nearby diner where he meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), an underage prostitute shabbily treated by her Russian handlers.

The “equalizer” in the story is a retired CIA agent programmed to kill, and it is in this area that The Equalizer earns points for its lead star’s performance as a well-intentioned, conflicted killing machine, a perfect role for 59-year old Washington.  The plot is as old as time itself, drawing inspiration from the welding of Robin Hood and MacGyver attributes, and rather predictable: the exploited and helpless are helped by a character who can’t remain unmoved by injustice.  The protagonist is no superhero boasting (CGI-assisted) superhuman feats; and although his efficiency in accomplishing his murderous objectives is quite remarkable, his genius still falls within the bounds of human possibilities.

What can the viewer bring home from watching a slow-burn thriller that’s The Equalizer?  The story is not about gangsters although it condemns them, nor about the oppressed although it defends them; it is a character study about a man seeking redemption from his past transgressions but knows of only one path to find it.  If the skill to kill were a gift, this “equalizer” would be super-gifted.  In any given situation the killer is in his elements, moved more by intuition than by instinct, a made and not a born murderer.  The tandem of director Fuqua and actor Washington (Oscar winner in Training Day) works well to make a heroic figure out of a criminal.  Here lies the danger: a congenial actor playing a vigilante figure would make it easier for viewers to cheer for violence, after all, the bad guys are consummate masters of atrocity here.  As you, the viewer, leave the cinema and The Equalizer sinks deeper into your mind and images of the brutal killings done in the name of justice cling to your memory, you might want to ponder the gray zone humanity has wandered into—“making the wrong choices to get to the right place.”