The International

Cast: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Ulrich Thomsen, Brian F. O’Byrne; Director: Tom Tykwer; Producers: Llyod Phillips, Charles Roven, Richard Suckle; Screenwriter: Eric Singer; Music: Reinhold Heil, Johnny Klimek, Tom Tykwer; Editor: Mathilde Bonnefoy; Genre: Drama/ Thriller; Cinematography: Frank Griebe; Distributor: Columbia Pictures; Location: New York, USA; Running Time: 118 min;

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

The IBBC, a global bank with headquarters in Luxembourg, does not merely lend money but also broker’s arms deals. In fact, its power-grabbing board would have no qualms about assassinating anyone who gets in its way or gets to know too much. On this premise, Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) who witnesses the mysterious death of a partner while working with him in Berlin, obsesses about meting out justice to IBBC’s victims. Sharing his probing dedication is New York assistant district attorney Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts), and together they pursue IBBC’s ruthless principal Jonas Skarssen (Ulrich

Thomsen), and the bank’s sinister German fixer, Wilhelm Wexler (Armin Mueller-Stahl). Their sleuthing takes them from New York to Milan to Istanbul, but whenever they would be on the brink of proving their case, the evidence vanishes.

The International succeeds in creating a scenario that would not seem improbable in a global economic situation that many fear has gone haywire. Surely with the restraint employed by director Tom Tykwer, Owen—intense, handsome and unshaven—comes on as the perfect Interpol agent who loses sleep on a case. Watts also plays up the plucky lawyer side of her character (and even swears like a man at one point) so that the platonic quality of the partnership between Salinger and Whitman is enhanced. There are no heroic feats for the hero here, not even stunts that are physically unlikely outside of a movie, because it is precisely his vulnerability that the plot tries to explore as he bears the weight of the conflict between the desire for justice and the dangers of vigilantism. Just about the only adrenalin-drenched action you’ll find here is the shooting scene at New York’s Guggenheim Museum, where the beautiful museum displays and installations being peppered with bullets threaten to distract the viewer from the gun battle going on. By the way, the Guggenheim shooting was filmed on an interior set in Germany.

The International delivers not so much a moral lesson as a moral warning. If there is one eye-opening thing it can do to moviegoers, it is arousing in them the suspicion that such a situation as this could not be far from being real. If movies in the past showed money-laundering as the worst that banks can do, The International is saying that keeping secret Swiss bank accounts is kindergarten stuff compared to international intrigue, arms trade, and murder that bankers may now be engaged in. That banks, armies and governments actually network independent of national boundaries could be frightening to dwell upon, particularly if you detect a connection between a country’s war expenditures and its plummeting economy. We dread to see the day when missiles and warheads are sold over the counter—like headache pills—but in The International that day is already here. All because bankers have jumped into the power-grabbing fracas that used to be the exclusive turf of armies and politicians.

He's Just Not That Into You

Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Connelly, Ben Affleck, Kevin Connolly, Justin Long, Ginnifer Goodwin; Director: Ken Kwapis; Producer: Nancy Juvonen; Screenwriters: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein; Music: Cliff Eidelman; Editor: Cara Silverman; Genre: Romantic Comedy; Cinematography: John Bailey; Distributor: New Line Cinema; Location: Maryland, USA; Running Time: 129 min;

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

The movie talks about the dos and don’ts of dating following the story of nine people in their twenties and thirties who are in a relationship wherein one partner is more in love than the other. Narrating the stories is Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin), a young insecure single woman who always manages to misinterpret the actions of men about their level of interest in her. After being rejected by Conor (Kevin Connolly), she starts getting dating advice from Conor’s friend, the romantic and promiscuous bar manager Alex (Justin Long). Meanwhile, Gigi's sister Janine (Jennifer Connelly) is having marriage problems with her husband, Ben (Bradley Cooper), as he cheats on her with Anna (Scarlett Johansson), a yoga instructor and wannabe singer. But Anna is two-timing Ben with Conor, but isn't as really in love with him as he is with her. Anna talks about her lovelife with Mary (Drew Barrymore), a newspaper editor. On the other hand, Gigi's co-worker, Beth (Jennifer Aniston), is upset that her live-in boyfriend of seven years Neil (Ben Affleck) refuses to commit permanently.

The movie is amusing with some good performances and clever deliveries from the lead actors. However it seems that the scenes have been diced from other romantic comedies and clumped together with a lesser punch. The characters are very shallow and the film does not give any more insight beyond its title. The technical aspect is decent with a good paced-editing and a suitable scoring. However, even with its powerhouse cast, the movie may be forgotten a day after it has been seen.

The film demonstrates that the failure of a relationship is a breakdown in the communication. When people begin to color, hide or twist the truth, it becomes difficult to maintain trust and commitment. We begin to hurt people with a pretense of politeness and good manners when in truth we merely try to hide our self-centeredness and insincerity. Although the premise of the movie is to empower women and teach them to realize when it is time to let go, relations are sexualized and may offend the sensitivities of viewers or may give the wrong impression to teenagers.

The movie gives a negative view of marriage. Either it is just for show, something constricting, something that can be discarded when no longer needed or merely a refuge for the insecure and lonely. Although there remains something of a cautionary tale, wherein viewers experience the excitement of an extramarital affair, it turns around to reveal that these flirtations destroy relationships, lives and persons. The movie may say that marriage is overrated, but it also confronts those who are deliberately unfaithful to their partners.

Gran Torino

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang, Ahney Her; Director: Clint Eastwood; Producers: Clint Eastwood, Bill Gerber, Robert Lorenz; Screenwriters: Nick Schenk, Dave Johansson (story); Music: Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens; Editor: Joel Cox, Gary Roach; Genre: Drama; Cinematography: Tom Stern; Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures; Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA; Running Time: 116min;

Technical Assessment: 4
Moral Assessment: 4
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) is a retired auto worker and Korean War veteran for whom the word cantankerous must have been invented. He is grumpy, irritable, tetchy, resentful, cranky and all their synonyms. He seems to hate everything and everyone, pointing his gun at anybody who as much as walks on his lawn. Even his grown sons keep their distance, suggesting their father move to a geriatric facility to stay out of trouble. Walt doesn’t seem to see anything pleasing in life, much less in his Detroit neighborhood that has been invaded by what he calls “chinks”. The “chinks” are actually Laotian Hmongs who prove to be very pleasant and civilized neighbors when Walter saves their son Thao (Bee Vang) from a teenage gang pressuring him to join their marauding pursuits. The fact that Walt had earlier on caught Thao trying to steal his prized, gleaming Ford, a Gran Torino, doesn’t matter—hating evil and doing good simply comes naturally for him while remaining his crusty old self. But Walt’s crusty old heart soon gives way, albeit gradually and grudgingly, to the neighborly gestures of the Hmongs who have made a virtual hero out of him—especially when Walt again saves Thao’s older sister Soo (Ahney Her) from the same gang harassing her brother. They would pamper him with food and flower offerings at his doorsteps, persevering even if at the start Walt merely trashes everything right before their eyes. Thao’s mother, to atone for the boy’s attempted car theft, offers his services gratis to Walt who reluctantly agrees upon Soo’s prodding. Much of the change in Walt is in fact caused by the smart and self-confident Soo who sees Walt’s goodness beneath his tough exterior. Tension mounts when the marauding gang persists in their pesky maneuvers which Walt will simply not tolerate.

Gran Torino owes its appeal to a tall but engrossing tale—story by David Johannson and script by Nick Schenk—given life and a measure of probability by flawless character development. Directing the movie himself, Eastwood in Gran Torino is vintage Eastwood playing an octogenarian Dirty Harry, displaying great chemistry between hero and supporting cast. As any Asian immigrant in the United States can tell you, the interaction between Eastwood’s character and the Laotian Hmongs, particularly during the birthday party, could be a veritable episode straight out of reality tv. Ahney Her’s performance is sparkling as the sassy sister of the timid Thao; given the right roles she could become another bright star from Asia.

Gran Torino is a story of cultural tolerance and the triumph of the goodness in the human heart over the vicissitudes of life. Walt Kowalski is not a mean soul although he appears to be one. He is a war survivor, wounded by violence and traumatized by conflict; his tough exterior is nothing more than layer after layer of scars inflicted by years in combat. Trusting only his guns and self-preservation instincts, he almost forgets he is human underneath it all, until a young innocent soul unwittingly penetrates his defenses and coaxes out the best in him.

When I Met You

Cast: KC Concepcion, Richard Gutierrez, Alfred Vargas, Iya Villiana, Cherry Pie Picache, Chanda Romero, Tirso Cruz III, Tonton Guttierez; Director: Joel Lamangan; Producers: Jose Mari Abacan, Roselle Monteverde-Teo; Screenwriter: Aloy Adlawan; Music: Von de Guzman; Editor: Marya Ignacio; Genre: Romance; Cinematography: Mo Zee; Distributor: GMA Films, Regal Films; Location: Philippines ; Running Time: 134min;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers of all ages

Si Jenny (KC Concepcion) ay isang masayahin at sunod-sunurang kasintahan ni Albert (Alfred Vargas) samantalang si Benjie (Richard Gutierrez) ay kasintahan ng mayamang si Tracy (Iya Villiana). Magtatagpo ang landas ng dalawa nang kinailangang makisakay ni Jenny sa cargo plane na minamaneho ni Benjie upang dumalo sa isang kasalan sa Palawan. Dahil hindi nagkaintindihan ang dalawa sa oras ng kanilang pag-alis ay mapipilitang pumayag si Benjie na makipagpalit ng eroplano sa kanyang kasamahan na siya namang pagsisimulan ng bangayan ng dalawa. Sa kasamaang palad ay magkakaproblema ang kanilang eroplano at babagsak sa isang isla. Habang hinihintay nila na dumating ang rescue crew ay pag-uusapan nila ang kahulagan ng pag-ibig para sa kanila. Magkakahulugan sila ng loob at patuloy na magtatagpo pagbalik ng Maynila. Ang palihim na pagtatagpo nina Benjie at Jenny ay mauuwi sa pagkakalapit ng kanilang kalooban. Matutuklasan sila nina Alfred at Tracy at gagawa ng paraan ang mga ito upang mapaglayo sila.

Walang pinag-iba ang pelikulang ito sa karaniwang pelikulang Pilipino tungkol sa pag-ibig ng mga kabataan: malabnaw ang kwento, mabagal ang daloy ng istorya at mababaw ang pagganap. Tanging ang pangalan lamang ng dalawang bidang artista ang pinuhunan upang ibenta ito. Hindi kapani-paniwala ang pagkakahulugan ng loob nina Jenny at Benjie. Walang lalim ang pagganap nina Concepcion, Gutierrez at Vargas. Maliban kina Tirso Cruz III at Chanda Romero ay pawang caricature na ang mga tauhan sa pelikula. Maayos ang teknikal na aspeto maliban sa ilang hindi makatotohanang bahagi tulad ng sinematograpiya at disenyong pamproduksyon na pilit at medyo theatrical, at ang paglalapat ng musika na masyadong madrama.

Bagamat walang malaswa o marahas na eksena sa pelikula ay may isang negatibong mensahe ang pinararating nito sa kabataan: na sa pag-ibig ay hindi na kailangans isa-alang-alang ang paggawa ng tama o pananakit ng iba masunod lamang ang nararamdaman. Kahit matagal nang may kasintahan sina Jenny at Benjie ay binayaang nilang mahulog ang loob nila sa isa’t isa nang hindi man lamang nakikipaghiwalay muna sa kani-kaniyang kasintahan. Para bang sinasabi na sa sandaling may makitang ibang mas maganda, mas makakasundo o mas nakakapagpasaya ng damdamin ay maari nang kalimutan ang naunang relasyon. Hindi nito ipinakita na makipag-usap at gumawa muna ng paraan upang maayos ang relasyon sa kasintahan bago tumingin sa iba. Hindi rin maganda ang prinsipiyo ng mga magulang nina Benjie at Jenny na botong boto kina Tracy at Alfred dahil sa maykaya ang mga ito at nagbibigay na pinansyal na tulong sa kanila.

Dahil mga kabataan ang pangunahing tagapanuod ng pelikulang ito, mainam na subaybayan sila ng mga magulang upang magabayan at pangaralan laban sa sitwasyon at usaping maaaring magbigay na negatibong impluwensya.

Push

Cast: Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Djimon Hounsou, Joel Gretsch, Neil Jackson, Maggie Siff, Scott Michael Campbell, Colin Ford, Nate Mooney; Director: Paul McGuigan; Producers: Bruce Davey, William Vince, Glenn Williamson; Screenwriter: David Bourla; Music: Neil Davidge; Editor: Nicolas Trembasiewicz; Genre: Sci-Fi/ Fantasy; Cinematography: Peter Sova; Distributor: Summit Entertainment; Location: Hong Kong; Running Time: 111min;

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

An American government agency, The Division, genetically transforms citizens with paranormal abilities into psychic warriors. These gifted individuals are taken away from their families and any relationships. Those who are unwilling to participate are liquidated and brutally killed. Nick Grant (Chris Evans), a “mover” (those with telekinetic abilities), has been in hiding in Hong Kong since the Division murdered his father for refusing to cooperate. However, he is forced out of hiding when Cassie Holmes (Dakota Fanning), a 13-year-old “watcher” (clairvoyant) seeks his help to find Kira (Camille Belle), an escaped “pusher” (those who can manipulate minds) and Nick's long lost ex-girlfriend, who may hold the key in putting the Division's program to an end. Their lives are entangled and soon find themselves in a cat-and-mouse chase by Division Agent Harvey Carver (Djimon Honsou), who is out to get and stop them from achieving their goal.

Inspired by the emerging fantasy-sci-fi superhero genre, Push can easily pass as another fun-ride movie. One can never really guess what would happen next since all characters seem to have unnatural powers instrumental to any plot twists and turns. The narrative may be all too shallow but the multi-layered story arcs have kept the audience's interest up to the end. It is quite a disappointment that some plot elements are not developed like the roots and consequences of having supernatural powers. The actors satisfactorily deliver what is expected. Evans is able to carry the movie but it is Fanning who really gave life and spice in the entire feature with her wit and strong screen presence. The Hong Kong backdrop works well but it still remains as almost a milieu.

Since the fascination for superheroes and superpowers started, one classic moral came from the film adaptation of Spiderman, “to great power comes great responsibility”. Clearly paranormal psychic powers are no exemption. These abilities are long-time considered as gifts and must be used with utmost responsibility for the common good. The premise of “Push” clearly illustrates how a society’s evil scheme could manipulate its citizens and abuse God-given powers. Nick may have refused to be used for evil motives but he also did nothing to at least develop his abilities and use those to serve people in need. Again, evil triumphs because good people choose to do nothing. The same is actually true to all characters. All of them are simply concerned with their own personal quest for survival and not really mindful of any global issues like peace or war. In this sense, the movie becomes morally myopic. The entire stand of the movie in its fight against evil gets confusing at times as protagonists turns into antagonists thus blurring the line of good and bad. But then the movie is consistent with one message: paranormal abilities can be either good or bad depending on the person using it. And that no one holds what's going to happen in the future because the free will is always at work. Finally, what's missing in the movie could be the presence of a “force” which is far greater than any supernatural abilities. The movies theme, some scenes of violence, suggestive sexualities, and teenage alcoholism may not be suited for viewers below 14 years of age.