Battleship Island

Direction: Ryoo Seung-wan; Cast: Hwang Jung-min, So Ji-sub, Song Joong-ki, Lee Jung-hyun;  Screenplay: Ryoo Seung-wan; Producer: Cho Sung-min; Cinematography: Lee Mo-gae; Editing: Kim Jae-bum, Kim Sang-bum; Genre: War, Drama; Location: Hashimi Island, Japan; Distributor: CJ Entertainment  Running Time: 132 minutes; Running time: 132 minutes;

Technical assessment:  4

Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating: V18 

MTRCB rating: R16 

Bandmaster Lee Kang-ok (Jung-min) and his daughter So-hee (Su-an), streetfighter Choi Chil-sung (So Ji-sub), comfort woman Oh Mai-nyeon (Lee Jung-hyun) are conscripted Koreans of the 2nd World War and forcedly employed in Hashima Island during the 2nd World War. The Koreans are treated harshly and inhumanely by the Japanese and each of these main characters do their best to survive. As the War reaches the end, Independence fighter Park Moo-young (Song Joong-ki) plots to rescue Yoon, a Korean spiritual leader also detained in Hashima Island. Lee agrees to assist in obtaining some keys in exchange for his and So-hee’s escape. However, Park discovers that Yoon is actually a traitor. The plan changes to lead an escape for the 400 Korean captives. Meanwhile, as the Japanese is about to lose the war, they scheme to blow up the island to wipe out any witness to the Korean slavery. 

Battleship Island is neither a documentary nor a historical film, hence to criticize its inaccuracies or melodramatic storyline is inappropriate. What it is is a depiction of humanity amidst extreme pressure and struggles. There are three storylines to follow: the father and daughter pursuit of survival, the unlikely romance amidst cynicism and brokenness and loyalty to the nation versus deception. These are three common conflicts happening in every other storytelling but what makes it unique is the humanity of each character and how it is constantly tested in the perils of war and degradation. The balance of comic and agony, the contrast of classical music soothing and brutally savage deaths, the thin line between self-preservation and self- sacrifice make this film haunting, disturbing and real. The strength of the film lies, not in the spectacular production design so meticulously put together to transport viewers to the hellish internment camp that is Hashima or the insightful cinematography tightly woven together but in the direction of Ryoo.  

Anytime a person is faced with life or death—he chooses either to save or to sacrifice himself. Each character in the movie decided and acted foremostly to stay alive—only Lee seemed to have concern for people other than himself. It is heartbreaking to watch fellow countrymen beating and betraying one another because it mirrors present day society. It is painful to witness how the weaker ones are exploited and dehumanized for the sake of profit and power. This, too, is true today. But when the Koreans unite and start thinking outside their comfort zones, when they commit to fight for the weaker one, when they decide to die so others may live—love pours out like waterfalls and hope sparkles as brilliantly as the sun.  Naturally, because it is a war movie, themes and scenes are too violent and disturbing for younger audiences.

Fan Girl Fan Boy

DIRECTOR:  Barry Gonzalez  LEAD CAST:  Ella Cruz, Julian Trono  PRODUCER: Director Joyce Bernal  GENRE:  Romantic Comedy  DISTRIBUTOR: Viva Films  LOCATION: Philippines  RUNNING TIME: 99 minutes

Technical assessment:  3

Moral assessment:  3.5

CINEMA rating:  V13 (for Viewers aged 13 and below with Parental Guidance)

Medyo “bilib sa sarili” si Olie (Julian Trono) at nangangarap na maging isang “star”.  Sasali siya sa isang “celebrity search” at makikilala niya si Aimee (Ella Cruz) mahusay na “dubber” ng isang Korean telenovela—at matinding tagahanga ni Olie. Buong pusong tutulungan ni Aimee si Olie sa mga ensayo, at ang kanilang pagsasamahan ay mamumukadkad sa pagiging totoong pagkakaibigan.  Masaya na sana, kaya lang, humaling na humaling naman si Olie sa ka-love team niyang si Chezza, bagay na magsisimula ng panibugho sa kalooban ni Aimee hanggang sa halos ay mawasak na nito ang puso niya. 

Natural na natural ang pagkakaganap nila Cruz at Trono, at may laman naman ang mga binibigkas nilang mga salita.  Simple lang ang kuwento, at wala din namang komplikasyon sa pagkakalahd nito.  Lahat ng aspetong technical tulad ng cinematography, musika, sound, lighting, atbp ay nairaos sa paraang walang kapintasan at katangiang espesyal—sa madaling salita, karaniwan.  Isa itong romantic comedy na wala namang bagong putaheng inihain sa hapag, ika nga.  Maaraming rom com na mas kaiga-igayang panoorin kaysa sa Fan Girl Fan Boy.

Naihatid nang maayos ng pelikula ang kanilang mensahe na okey lang ang mangarap, basta’t may moralidad itong kaakibat.  Kung baga, ano ang halaga ng tagumpay kung hindi ka naman marunong makipagkapwa-tao?  Kung sa iyong pagtaas at pagkakaluklok sa lugar na tinitingala ka na ay magiging ugali mo na ang pagmamataas, is aka pa ring sawing-palad.  Ipinakikita din sa pelikula ang kahalagahan ng isang pamilyang maunawain ay susuporta sa iyo upang tahakin mo nang buong lakas loo bang iyong pinagdaraanang kadiliman.

Star na si Van Damme Stallone

DIRECTOR:    Randolph Longjas  LEAD CAST:   Candy Pangilinan, Paolo Pingol, Isaac Aguirre, Sara Brakinsiek, Junyka Sigrid Santarin, Mara Marasigan, Erlinda Villalobos, Acey Aguilar  SCREENWRITER: Alpha Jabon  GENRE:  Family, Drama  LOCATION:  Philippines  RUNNING TIME:   97 mins.

Technical assessment: 3.5

Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating: V13

MTRCB rating: PG

Bisperas ng Bagong Taon nang ipanganak ni Nadia (Candy Pangilinan) ang isang sanggol. Punong-puno siya ng alinlangan—tila hindi saya ang dulot nito sa kanya; tila may mapait na lihim o nakaraan ang kaakibat ng sanggol.  Sa kabila nito, papangalanan niya ang sanggol sunod sa pangalan ng mga paborito niyang sikat na Hollywood action stars na sila Van Damme at Sylvester  Stallone—Van Damme Stallone, palayaw, Vanvan (Paolo Pingol).  Didilim muli  ang mundo ni Nadia nang ma-diagnose si Vanvan na may Down Syndrome, isang panghabambuhay na karamdaman na nagsasabing hindi siya katulad ng karaniwang mga bata sa kilos, sa isip, at sa kakayanan, at siya’y mapag-iiwanan at maaring pang-habambuhay na magiging alagain.  Sa kabila ng maraming alinlangan at pagdurusa sa pagiging solong ina—magpapasya si Nadia na palakihin si Vanvan at ang panganay niyang anak na si Tano (Isaac Aguirre). Papasok sa eskuwela si Vanvan kasabay ni Tano—at dito magsisimulang mapukaw ang interes ni Vanvan na maging artista matapos siyang gumanap sa isang pagtatanghal.  Matupad kaya ni Nadia ang pangarap na ito ni Vanvan na maging “star’?

Tunay na makabagbag-damdamin ang Star na si Van Damme. Naging epektibo ang istilo nitong “cinema verite” kung saan parang nanonood ka ng tunay na buhay, walang drama, walang histerya, pero punong-puno ng damdamin. Damang-dama at kitang-kita ang sinseridad ng pelikula na ipakita sa manonood ang buhay ng isang pamilyang namumuhay kasama ang isang may Down Syndrome. Sayang nga lang at hindi masyadong napagyabong ang relasyon nina Vanvan at Tano, ngunit sinundan naman nito ang damdamin ng isang ina sa kanyang anak kung kaya’t maaari nang palagpasin ang gsnitong kakulangan. Napakahusay ni Pangilinan sa pelikulang ito—marahil lumutang ang kanyang pagganap sapagkat tulad ni Nadia, may anak din siyang mistulang Vanvan sa tunay na buhay, hindi nga lang sa eksaktong kalagayan.  Mahusay din si Aguirre at ang mga nagsiganap na Vanvan mula pagkabata hanggang pagtanda. Magaling ang pagkakasulat at pagkakadirehe ng pelikula; naging maingat sila sa pagtalakay ng isang napaka-sensitibong paksa. Sa pagpapayabong ng interes at kaalaman ukol sa isang bagay na hindi madalas nabibigyan ng pansin tulad ng pagkakaroon ng isang anak na may developmental disability, naging matagumpay ang pelikula.

Sinasabi ng pelikula na isang biyaya ang pagkakaroon sa pamilya ng isang tulad ni Vanvan—ito ang nagbibigay saya at sigla sa kanila. Sa kabila ng hirap at pasakit, hindi dapat itatwa ang mga tulad nila, dahil bagama’t sila’y “naiiba”, tulad pa rin natin sila na may puso’t damdamin—at  mga pangarap din. Punong-puno sila ng maraming posibilidad na maaaring maging ganap sa tulong ng pagmamahal. Ito marahil ang pinaka-mensahe ng pelikula—walang imposible basta’t papairalin ang pagmamahal at sasabayan ng pananampalataya sa Diyos. Mahalaga ang pagmamahal at malasakit ng isang ina, magulang at buong kapamilya at mga kaibigan upang lumaking kapaki-pakinabang ang mga tulad ni Vanvan. Naging positibo ang mensahe ng pelikula patungkol sa pagtanggap sa kapamilyang may Down Syndrome. Naging maingat din sila sa pagtalakay ng mga komplikadong sitwasyon ng pamilya—tulad ng pagkakaron ng relasyon sa labas ng kasal—hindi ito kinunsinte, bagkus ipinakita nito ang maraming suliraning dulot nito. Nariyan din ang pagpapakita kung paanong malalagpasan ang malabis na hinagpis at kaguluhan ng isip; dapat ay mag-desisyon at pumanig sa kung ano ang tama at nararapat ayon sa kagustuhan ng Diyos. Dahil sa ilang mga sensitibong paksa, minarapat ng CINEMA na ang pelikula ay akma sa mga manonood na may gulang 13 pababa ngunit may gabay ng magulang.

Annabelle: Creation

DIRECTOR:  David F. Sandberg LEAD CAST:  Anthony LaPaglia, Miranda Otto, Stephanie Sigman, Talitha Bateman, Lulu Wilson, Samara Lee  SCREENWRITER:  Gary Dauberman  PRODUCERS:  Peter Safran, James Wan  EDITOR:  Michel Aller  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Benjamin Wallfisch GENRE:  Horror  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Maxime Alexandre  DISTRIBUTOR:  New Line Cinema  LOCATION:  California, USA  RUNNING TIME:  1 hour 50 minutes

Technical assessment: 3

Moral assessment: 2

CINEMA rating: V14

Dollmaker Samuel Mullins (Anthony LaPaglia) and wife Esther (Miranda Otto) live a happy life with their daughter Bee (Samara Lee) in a picturesque country home. Their life crumbles when Bee dies in a road accident. In grief, the couple invokes the spirits to get glimpses of Bee, unintentionally conjuring evil forces to infest Annabelle, the doll Samuel was making at the time of Bee’s death. A priest locks Annabelle in a chamber, only to be unbound 12 years later by curious Janice (Talitha Bateman), one of the orphaned girls under the care of Sister Charlotte (Stephanie Sigman) who are welcomed by the Mullins to their home. Janice becomes possessed and her friend Linda (Lulu Wilson) tries to free her by throwing Annabelle in a well, but evil has been unleashed and Janice sets out to wreak horror and blood in the household.

Hands-down to the film’s meticulous production design. The old Victorian country house, costume, makeup and music, with the 1940s song You are My Sunshine that unfortunately becomes associated with horror, all make for an eerie setting. There is gore alright, but what makes the film petrifying is the effective use of slow panning of the camera to extreme close-ups, lighting, haunting imagery with ascending music and sounds, and the characters’ penchant for whispers. Even with numerous allusions to the 2014 film Annabelle, this prequel which is the fourth in the Conjuring franchise is easily comprehensible for first-time viewers. The film’s letdown is in the story, dialogue and characterization. One would think that a child’s inquisitiveness can be quashed by grotesque dolls and creepy movements in the dark. But the orphans are unperturbed and they wander about. Samuel is shallow in his grief, and Esther’s character is wasted the whole time behind the canopy of her bed.

The film unpeels a most vulnerable emotion—grief—made more painful because it involves the loss of a child. The devil seizes the opportunity and the parents realize all too late that instead of holding on to God who is faithful to tide over His children in their sorrow, they have bargained with the devil. The film’s message is clear: do not cavort nor collude with any spirit, because that is an open invitation to the devil. There are subthemes of good throughout the film: deep faith, honesty, friendship, and charity. Nonetheless, the film is disturbing. For all its cinematic value, juxtaposing innocent children with evil is still unnerving. The devil is real, and the film leaves no doubt about it. Why Annabelle/Janice kills only two people when she could have killed all is not the question. What is appalling is that she kills only the parents, and in such gruesome way. Even with the priest saying towards the end that the doll is now empty of any evil force, succeeding scenes show otherwise: Janice escapes, is adopted and later slaughters her adoptive parents (plot of the 2014 Annabelle) and the demon nun appears in a convent in Romania (plot of The Nun, the next film in the Conjuring series). 

Pamilya Ordinaryo

DIRECTOR:  Eduardo Roy, Jr.  LEAD CAST:  Hasmine Kilip, Ronwaldo Martin, Maria Isabel Lopez   WRITER:  Eduardo Roy, Jr.CINEMATOGRAPHY: Albert Banzon  EDITING:  Carlo Francisco Manatad  MUSIC: Edwin Fajardo  PRODUCERS:  Almond Deria Hernandez, FErdiand Lapuz  PRODUCTION DESIGN:  Harley Alcasid   GENRE:  Drama  LOCATION:  Philippines  LANGUAGE:  Pilipino (with English subtitles)  RUNNING TIME:  1:47

Technical assessment:  3.5

Moral assessment:  2.5

CINEMA rating:  V18

MTRCB rating:  R-16

Nabubuhay sa pagnanakaw sila Jane (Hasmine Kilip) at Aries (Ronwaldo Martin), naturingang mga “street dwellers” ng lipunan—yaong mga taong naninirahan sa kung saan-saang kalye at mga lugar na pampubliko sa Maynila.  Edad 16 si Jane, at si Aries, 17, may anak silang mag-iisang buwan ang edad; at sinasabi nilang sila’y mag-asawa, at ang apelyido nila’y “ Ordinaryo”.  Kahit na mukhang “astig” si Jane, darating ang araw na mahihimok siya ng isang bakla na tanggapin ang alok nitong tulong.  Pupunta sila sa supermarket at habang namimili si Jane ng mga lampin, ipapahawak niya ang anak sa bakla.  Habang nakapila sa kahera, matutuklasan ng bakla na kulang ang kanyang pambayad, kaya’t magpapaalam ang bakla upang  sumaglit sa ATM.  Hindi na ito babalik, tangay ang sanggol.

Humakot ang Pamilya Ordinaryo ng mga gantimpala at papuri sa mga international film festivals sa ibang bansa, simula ng 2016 release—karamihan dito’y Best Actress (Hasmine Kilip), Best Director (Eduardo Roy, Jr.), at Best Film.  Hindi kataka-taka, pagka’t sadyang kahanga-hanga ang husay ng pagganap ni Kilip—isang di kilalang artista—at ng pagkakadirihe ni Roy, kaya’t nagmistulang dokumentaryo ang pelikula.  Nitong nakaraang Mayo, nakamtan din ni Ronwaldo Martin (batang kapatid ni Coco) ang Best Actor award sa Harlem (New York) Film Festival.  May mga pagkukulang din ang pelikula, kabilang dito ay ang paulit-ulit na linyang binibigkas ni Kilip at Martin—ang dating tuloy ay parang imbento lang nila ang sinasabi pagkat nakalimutan nila ang script, ngunit naremedyuhan dapat ito ng editing.

Hindi maikakaila na ang kuwento sa Pamilya Ordinaryo ay ordinaryo na lamang, kung baga, sa malalaking siyudad tulad ng Maynila, ngunit sinikap pa rin ng pelikula na imulat pa ang mga mata ng mga taong nagiging manhid na sa kalagayan ng mga dukha sa Pilipinas.  Nakapagngingitngit kung paano pinagsasamantalahan at inaabuso ng media, ng masasamang-loob, at ng kapulisan sila Jane at Aries.  Magkahalong inis at habag din ang mararamdaman ng manonood gawa ng mga palalong hakbangin ng dalawa sa paghahanap ng kanilang nawawalang sanggol.  Ang galit ng lipunan ay dapat ituon ng manonood hindi sa tao, kungdi sa sistemang lumalamon sa puso at diwa ng tao.  Bitin ang katapusan ng pelikula, tila baga hamon sa  manonood upang magpasiya sa sarili kung ano ang nais niyang mangyari, at ang nararapat niyang gawin.

Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B

Direction: Prime Cruz;  Lead Cast: Ryzza Cenon, Martin del Rosario, Cholo Barretto, Vangie Labanan;   Story/Screenplay; Jen Chuanunsu;  Editing: Galileo Te; Cinematography: Tey Clamor; Producer: Perci Intalan, Jun Lana; Location: Metro Manila; Genre: Romantic Thriller; Distributor: The Ideal First Company  Running Time: 82 minutes.

Technical assessment: 3  

Moral assessment: 3 

CINEMA rating: V18 

Si Jewel (Cenon) ay isang misteryosang dalaga na mag-isang naninirahan sa Unit 23B. Sa umaga, siya ay isang mahiyaing guro ng Ingles sa internet pero sa gabi, siya ay nagbabagong-anyo at nagiging mapusok at mapang-akit. Lilipat sa gusali nila si Nico (del Rng osario) at kanyang lola (Labalan). Magsasanga ang kanilang landas at buhay nang maging magkalapit silang magkaibigan. Dagdag pa ang pagkakasundo ni Lola at Jewel sa isa’t isa. Unti-unti ay mahuhulog ang loob ni Nico kay Jewel, kaya nga lamang ay may matinding lihim ang dalaga na maaring makasira sa kanilang pagkakaibigan o sa buhay ni Nico. 

Sinikap ni Prime Cruz na bigyan ng bagong kahulugan ang alamat at kwentong bayan ng mga manananggal sa pagsilip ng pagiging tao nito at pagkakaroon ng kakayahang magmahal at magpahalaga. Salungat ito sa nakasanayang pananaw sa mga nilalang ng Literaturang Filipino. Hindi maikakaila ang husay ng sinematograpiya nito na kahit ang mga hindi nakaiintindi ng kasanayang ito ay mapapansin ang laro ng ilaw at imahen ng mga eksena. Kapuri-puri rin ang daloy ng kwento. Tama ang paninimbang kung kailan dadaanin sa kilig ang pag-usbong ng pag-ibig at sindak sa pagkakatuklas sa tunay na katauhan ni Jewel. Malaking bagay ang karakter at pagkakaganap ni Lola dahil nabigyan nito ng gaan at katotohanan ang relasyon nina Nico at Jewel. Mahina ang pagkakagananp ni Nico. Wala siyang iniwan sa kapirasong kahoy na nabarnisan sa labas pero hungkag sa loob. Pwede nang patawarin ang mala-robot na pag atake ni Cenon kay Jewel, hindi siya kapanipaniwala sa kabaitan o sa pag-aakit pero mayroon namang mga pagkakataon ng kinang tuwing nilalabanan niya ang pagbabagong anyo (kaya siguro maya’t maya ang mga eksenang ito para mapanindigan na humusay nang gumanap si Cenon). Ang tambalan nina Cenon at del Rosario ang pinakamahina sa pelikula. Wala silang “chemistry”, ika nga. Maganda ang materyal at ang sining nito. Mas mapaghuhusay sana ang pelikula kung mas bihasa ang mga gumanap. Ang pinakamatitibay na eksena ay kung kailan tahimik na nagkakatinginan lamang silang dalawa. Walang kumikilos,walang nagsasalita pero napakalakas ng damdamin sa pagitan at napakarami nang maaring pagmuni-munian. 

Dahil ang kinatatayuan ng kwento ay tungkol sa manananggal, asahan na may mga mamamatay o mga ilang karumaldumal na eksena. Pero sa mga kamay ni Cruz, hindi ito ang kanyang binigyang-diin. Sa halip, ipinakita ang pagsusumikap ng isang nilalang na labanan ang tawag ng laman at kung papaanong ang pag-ibig ay mas makapangyarihan kaysa kamunduhan. Malakas din ang mensahe sa pamilya at pag-aalaga sa matatanda at nagtangka rin si Cruz na pahagingan ang isyu ng “EJK” o extra judicial killings. Samakatuwid, sa gitna ng konteksto ng likas na patayan dahil sa tema ng “manananggal”, naisingit ang tema ng buhay, pagmamahal at paggalang sa tao. Kailangan nga lamang ng mas mature  na manunood na may matalim na kabatiran at malawak na pag-iisip para hindi mauwi sa simpleng naratibo tungkol sa hindi makatotohan nilalang or sex and violence ang pelikula. 

Baby Driver

DIRECTOR: Edgar Wright  STARRING: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Eiza González, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Jon Bernthal  PRODUCER: Nira Park, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner  SCREENWRITER: Edgar Wright  MUSIC: Steven Price  CINEMATOGRAPHER: Bill Pope  EDITOR: Paul Machliss, Jonathan Amos  GENRE:  Action  PRODUCTION COMPANY: Working Title Films, Big Talk Productions, Media Rights Capital   DISTRIBUTOR: Sony Pictures Releasing  COUNTRY:  United Kingdom, United States  LANGUAGE: English  RUNNING TIME: 113 minutes

Technical assessment: 4

Moral assessment: 3

CINEMA rating: V18

MTRCB rating: R13

Baby (Ansel Ergot) works as a getaway car driver to pay off debts from criminal mastermind, Doc (Kevin Spacey).  Doc assembles a different team for each robbery project, except for Baby whom he retains thinking that he’s his lucky charm. Baby is a highly skilled driver, an expert at car chases and escaping authorities. The secret of Baby is music—he always listens to music on an iPod—it is what inspires him and puts him on the mood, dictating his moves in driving-robbery operations. And music tells much of his past, present and future. Along the way he meets and falls for Deborah (Lily James) through music as well. Baby does not want to stay in the criminal activity for long—but after he pays off his debt, Doc won’t let go of him.  How will Baby’s music play as Doc is out to control his decisions and his life?

Baby Driver is undeniably one stylish film treat rarely seen in its genre. The genius lies in the rhythmic combination of powerful music, calculated visuals and classical storytelling. Every sound, music, frame, scenes, and sequences are tightly knit and carefully planned, and each part of the film becomes both a visual treat and compelling story. The chase scenes are superb and the simple emotional scenes are infectious. It is full of style yet full of heart. The entire ensembles seem to be enjoying their part. Ergot is perfect for the part—his moves are effortless and his acting very natural.  James as his love interest delivers a fine performance as well. In its totality, Baby Driver is a delight to watch—it’s a breath of fresh air from the usual chase movies audiences see about cars, gangsters, and sex. This film proves that art and pop culture can meet somewhere and come up with a tight feature that would make one believe in the power of music and love once again.  The surprise ending delivers the movie’s message clearly.

Baby Driver shows the real dark side of the underworld in a different light. Amidst the darkness, there is one soul that yearns for goodness and peace. The film shows how the dark world can be very cruel, heartless and evil. It does not glorify criminals but it shows how one gets to be lost by circumstances beyond his control and free will. It is almost paradoxical that the lead talented driver cannot seem to drive his own life at first—but goodness of heart made him do so. He was able to muster courage to get out of his situation when love becomes stronger than fear.  Justice is served in all respects in this film—whether through man’s court or the highest court. In situations where it seems evil is king, one is able to prove otherwise—even in one’s weakest moments, there would come a strong desire to fight for what is right. It is never easy and it would entail sacrifice. But then, faith in man’s innate goodness will prevail in the end—healing and change takes time but it will be worth the wait if one is looking forward to eternal happiness—made possible by the power of real love. The heavy theme on the criminal world, strong crass language, gory visuals and graphic violence and some sexual innuendos might be too emotionally gripping for the very young so CINEMA deems the film as appropriate only for mature audiences 18 and above.

Wind River

DIRECTOR: Taylor Sheridan  LEAD CAST: Kelsey Asbille, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Julia Jones, Graham Greene  SCREENWRITER: Taylor Sheridan  PRODUCER:  Matthew George, Basil Iwanyk, Wayne Rogers  EDITOR:  Gary Roach  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Nick Cave, Warren Ellis  GENRE: Drama, Suspense, Mystery  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Ben Richardson  DISTRIBUTOR: Voltage Pictures  LOCATION:  USA  RUNNING TIME:   107 minutes

Technical assessment: 3.5

Moral assessment: 3.5

CINEMA rating:  V14

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sends its newbie female agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) on a mission to investigate the rape and murder of a native girl in a far flung Native American Reservation area called Wind River. She teams up with Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner), a local game tracker and sympathizer of the community in view of his haunted past involving the similar fate of a murdered daughter and his guilty feeling for not protecting her. Lambert discovers the dead body of  the victim Natalie Hanson (Kelsey Chow) in the snow which brings the lead to track the villains and helps Agent Banner solve the case.

Wind River captures in its sensible script the relevant issue of hazardous environment in a poverty stricken area and the need to protect the people from both natural and human-orchestrated disasters.  Dialogues are short but witty and poetic at some point.  The director did an excellent work in the treatment of the story.  Acting, especially Renner’s, is convincing and projects depth in characterization. The cinematography likewise gives a stunning view of snowy production design and somehow brings a virtual freezing experience to the viewers.  Editing is clean, gives smooth transitions of investigative scenes and consistent compositions. Overall, the film has good technical qualities for visual delights, suspense, and actions.

The marginalized poor, especially females in far flung areas, are likely victims of unscrupulous criminals like rapists and murderers who objectify women.  Wind River shows how men in such remote communities use their isolation and loneliness as an excuse for lawlessness and brutality, and use power to hide their crime and escape justice.  Apparently, much is to be desired in the delivery of government and police services to this vulnerable sector.  This underscores the outcast status of native Americans in society.  In Wind River, it needed a person who is nursing revenge in his heart to team up with an inexperienced female FBI agent to solve the crime of missing persons. CINEMA commends the film for putting to light the plight of native Americans. Aside from the violent nature of the film, viewers might find disturbing the themes of the government’s lax treatment of the community’s concerns, alcoholism, drug addiction, group rape, and revenge shown in the film.

Rough Night

Director:  Lucia Aniello  Lead cast: Scarlett Johansson, Jillian Bell, Zoe Kravatz, Ilana Glazer, Kate McKinnon, Paul W. Downs, Demi Moore, Ty Burrell  Screenplay: Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs  Cinematography:  Sean Porter Music Dominic Lewis  Distributor:  Columbia Pictures  Genre: Comedy  Country: USA  Language:  English  Run time: 1:41

Technical assessment:  3

Moral assessment:  2

CINEMA rating:  V18

MTRCB rating:  R16

Bride-to-be and senatorial candidate Jess (Scarlett Johansson) and four of her friends—Alice (Jillian Bell), Blair (Zoe Kravitz), Frankie (Ilana Glazer) who are college mates from George Washington U, and Pippa (Kate McKinnon) whom she met while living in Australia)—are off to Miami for a bachelorette weekend that promises fun in the sun, coke snorts and alcohol overflowing.  Plus a male stripper they invite to the posh house they’ve borrowed from Jess’ friend.  The unexpected happens: one of them gets overexcited and accidentally kills the stripper.  Now they must get rid of the body while evading the attention of their sex-obsessed neighbors, swinging couple (Demi Moore and Ty Burrell) who want a ménage a trois with Blair.  Blair consents, to distract the couple while the rest of the gang hide the evidence.

Compared to other movies of its genre, like Hangover and Bridesmaids, Rough Night simply wants to be a comedy, to make people laugh, and it does this by living up to its title—dishing out rough talk, boisterous behaviour, self-destructive celebrations, friends bonding and bickering, uneven comedy, pervy pleasure, handling a corpse.  The movie is fast-paced and well-shot, and the synergy among the actors supports their good comedic timing.  Each of the characters gets gets his/her own fair share of the spotlight, too.  Except for a few jabs aimed at local Florida laws (which apparently go over the heads of the average viewer), Rough Night scores a pretty high laugh-per-minute rating.

The problem with comedies is, at times they trivialize serious stuff, becoming offensive to some.   CINEMA therefore cautions against the viewer’s getting carried away by the laughter and becoming numb to the darker side of the story.  Rough Night’s core plot involves manslaughter, no less; the killing here may have been unintentional, but the hiding of the crime is deliberate and milked for laughs—and that’s totally not funny.  The human body, alive or dead, deserves respect; and while the story shrugs off the issue through deus ex machina, exonerating the culprits, such a coincidence rarely happens in real life.  Also, subplots showing a sex-crazed couple in a threesome and another couple engaged (off camera) in same-sex fornication could encourage imitative behavior among the young.  

Dunkirk

DIRECTOR:  Christopher Nolan  LEAD CAST:  Tom Hardy, Harry Styles,  James D'Arcy,  Kenneth Branagh, Cilian Murphy & Mark Rylance  SCREENWRITER: Richard Wenk, Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz  PRODUCER: Emma Thomas & Christopher Nolan  EDITOR: Lee Smith  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Hans Zimmer  GENRE: Action  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Hoyte van Hoytema  DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros.  LOCATION: USA, UK, Netherlands, France  RUNNING TIME: 106 minutes

Technical Assessment: 4

Moral Assessment: 3

Cinema Rating: V14

MTRCB Rating: R13

Set in the second World War, thousands of British, Canadian, Belgian and French soldiers who allied themselves against the Nazis are tracked down by the cold-blooded German troops and are inescapably surrounded in the coastal village of Dunkirk.  There is no way out to freedom except to fight, hold on to life and desperately hope for a rescue. Along the shores of Dunkirk, two soldiers (Fionn Whitehead and Damien Bonnard) spend a desperate time  trying everything they can to be on-board one of the ships leaving for England. While out on the sea, a civilian (Mark Rylance) and two young men (Tom Glynn-Carney and Barry Keoghan) make the risky day long crossing to Dunkirk on a yacht—as part of a civilian effort to rescue the soldiers. Meanwhile, up in the air, three spitfire pilots attempt to provide air support for one vital hour of rescue.  

Dunkirk banks on its grandeur simplicity in painting a picture of the horrors of war and its aftermath. While the scope of the film goes on epic proportions, its heart remains focused on the specificities of significant human experience. The audiences are brought to the specific time and place where its heart is. One would really feel the desperation, the trauma and the fear of soldiers trapped in a place and situation where even hope seems to be elusive. The audiences hold their breath the entire running time. The actors are all great even in the silent moments where they all swim for their lives, hide out of fear and embrace imminent death. Dunkirk is loaded with emotions on its visual storytelling that never fails to deliver. Here is a war film that never really shows the enemy yet makes it felt very strongly—an approach that is rarely seen on films of the same genre, making the film an experience that leaves a lasting impression on the real terrors of war.                               

While Dunkirk strongly paints the destruction of humanity during wars, it is able to utterly portray how humans become more human in time of war. This defies the usual persistent theory that war brings out savages among men. In Dunkirk, it is otherwise. Here, men are seen taking care of other men—they do not leave wounded soldiers behind. The entire journey of the film follows two young soldiers who got each other’s back no matter what happens. There are civilians who would risk their own safety to rescue soldiers, their fellowmen, trapped in the midst of the battle. There are pilots who would pawn their lives to rescue comrades. Soldiers are real heroes and in this film, they are real men—wounded, afraid and vulnerable, yet still choose to persevere to live. Their focus is not on killing the enemy but on preserving their lives—they want to be home for their families. The soldiers in Dunkirk long for peace—peace in their countries and more so, peace in their hearts constantly bombarded by threats, trauma and fear. War has so many lessons to teach humanity but it remains a mystery if we have ever really learned. For graphic scenes of violence, blood and gore, CINEMA deems the film as appropriate only for audiences ages 14 and above.