District 9

Cast: David James, Sharito Copley, Elizabeth Mkandawie, Greg Melvill-Smith, Jason Cope, John Summer, Nathalie Boltt, Nick Blake, Sylvaine Strike, William Allen Young; Director: Neill Blomkamp; Producer: Peter Jackson; Screenwriters: Neil Blomkamp, Teri Tatchell; Music: Clinton Shorter; Editor: Jukian Clarke; Genre: Sci-Fi; Cinematography: Trent Opaloch; Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment; Location: South Africa; Running Time: 110 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 2
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

In Johannesburg, South Africa, an isolated camp 200 kilometers away from civilization has been home to several insect-shaped alien refugees who landed on earth 30 years ago. Apparently, they survived a disaster in their home planet and were stranded on earth because of a mechanical problem in their spacecraft. Finding the aliens hideous and useless, the humans forcibly confined them to live in substandard conditions inside District 9. The aliens, or “prawns” as the humans call them, are too scared and confused to fight back and live by scavenging and selling whatever possessions they have left. The camp is controlled by Multi-National United (MNU), a defense subcontractor who wants to take hold of the aliens’ superb technology and advance weaponry, which, however, turn out to be useless without the alien’s DNA. Over the years, people have grown more hostile towards the aliens and now want them transferred to another isolation camp. The task of serving their eviction was given to a shy but annoying MNU employee named Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley). He carries out the job with arrogance and ruthlessness until an accident with a deadly chemical that turns him into one the prawns. Wilkus is forced to be a fugitive from the government and becomes an outcast like the prawns. He then realizes the mistakes of prejudice and segregation. He befriends an alien who was given the human name Christopher Johnson (voiced by Jason Cope), and works against odds to save their race.

DISTRICT 9 is a well crafted story that re-contextualizes the alien theme from man’s most shameful moments during the 1966’s apartheid. The storytelling technique using hand held and continuous cinematography engages the audience closer to the drama. The plot develops smoothly with a strong performance from the protagonist and a clever socio-political commentary about discrimination. The CGIs and production design are decent and satisfactory. But the real strength of the movie is in the director’s interpretation of the script that turns a violent science fiction into a powerful statement against prejudice.

Amidst the blood and gore, the movie develops the theme of acceptance quite well. It illustrates how people should learn to go beyond appearance, race or beliefs. The physical and moral metamorphosis of Wilkus shows how the world would be so much better when man achieves universal solidarity. The secondary theme of marital love is also demonstrated by loyalty and sincerity of Wilkus to his wife.

As a whole, the film is a tight production with a strong message. However, it contains several scenes of graphic violence, brutal action and offensive language. The explicit dark tones of the movie may not appeal to the sensitivities of most viewers. Adults and parents should guide their very young children when watching the movie.

Tarot

Cast: Marian Rivera, Roxanne Guinoo, Ana Capri, Dennis Trillo, Gloria Romero; Director: Jun Lana; Producers: Jun Lana, Rosselle Monteverde-Teo; Screenwriters: Jun Luna, Elmer L. Gatchalian; Editor: Tara Illenberger; Genre: Horror; Cinematography: Mo Zee; Distributor: Regal Films; Location: Philippines; Running Time: 102;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13 and below with parental guidance

Nakalakihan ni Cara (Marian Rivera) ang panonood sa kanyang Lola Auring (Gloria Romero) na mabisang nanghuhula sa pamamagitan tarot cards kaya di nakapagtataka na matutunan din niya ito. Subalit ng mamatay si Lola Auring ay wala siyang pinamanahan ng baraha sa halip ay hiniling niya na isama ito sa kanyang puntod. Makalipas ang panahon ay naging kasintahan ni Cara si Miguel (Dennis Trillo). Naisipan nila na mamasyal sa gubat kung saan misteryosong maglalaho si Miguel. Hindi matanggap ni Cara na mawala ng tuluyan ang nobyo kaya naisipan niyang gamitin ang bisa ng tarot cards ng kanyang lola upang matunton ang nobyo. Di naman siya binigo ng tarot na hinukay pa niya sa puntod ng kanyang lola dahil nagkita at nagkasama uli sila ni Miguel. Subalit kasabay ng kanilang pagtatagpo at paghawak ni Cara ng tarot cards ay ang pagkakaroon ng mga nakakatakot na kaganapan at pagbabanta sa kanilang buhay.

Masalimuot ang kuwento ng Tarot at parang pinilit lang na ipasok ang tema ng pagbabasa ng tarot cards sapagkat tipikal na katatakutan lang na dulot ng mga ligalig na kaluluwa ang istorya nito. Tila kulang sa pagpiga ng emosyon katulad ng tila lumipas lang na pagbubuwis ng buhay ng isang ina at walang hatid na kilig ng tambalang Marian at Dennis dito. Gayunpaman ay tagumpay sa layunin na makapanakot ang pelikula dahil sa mahusay na paglalapat ng tunog at special effects. Mahusay ang transition ng mga eksena mula sa panaginip at imahinasyon pabalik sa katotohanan. Halata na naging maingat ang aspetong ito ng editing. Sa kabuuan ay naisalba ng mga nabanggit na aspetong teknikal ang mahinang kuwento.

Ipinakita sa pelikula na ang panghuhula katulad ng pagbabasa ng tarot cards ay maaaring masapian ng masamang elemento o pwersa at makapaghatid ng kapahamakan o kamatayan sa mga nilalang. Samakatwid ay di dapat panaligan sa halip ay dapat mag-ingat dahil wala namang tahasang makapagsasabi ng mangyayari sa hinaharap. Marami din namang positibong mensahe ang pelikula katulad ng tapat na pagmamahal ni Cara kay Miguel, pagmamalasakit sa kaibigan, at katatagan ng loob sa kabila ng mga pagsubok. Kapansin-pansin lamang na sa kabuuang daloy ng pelikula ay tila walang pag-uukol sa paghingi ng kalakasan sa Diyos na siyang pangunahin sa kultura ng mga Pilipino. Nagwakas ang pelikula sa nakababahalang patuloy na paghahasik ng takot at pinsala ng masamang elemento sa buhay ng tao.

Bandslam

ASSESSMENT ONLY
Cast: Gaelan Connell, Vanessa Hudgens, Alyson Michalka, Lisa Kudrow; Director: Todd Graff; Producer: Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas; Screenwriters: Josh A. Cagan, Todd Graff; Editor: John Gilbert; Genre: “Dramedy” Comedy, Drama, Music; Cinematography: Eric Steelberg; Distributor: Summit Entertainment; Location: USA; Running Time: 111 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 3.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above


BRIEF FILM SYNOPSIS

When gifted singer-songwriter Charlotte Banks (Michalka) ask new kid in town Will Burton (Connell) to manage her fledgling rock band, she appears to have just one goad in mind: go-head-to-head against her egotistical musician ex-boyfriend, BEN (Porter), at the biggest event of the year, a battle of the bands. Against all odds, their band develops a sound all its own with a real shot at success in the contest. Meanwhile, romance brews between Will and SA5M (Hudgens), who plays a mean guitar a has a voice to die for. When disaster strikes, it's time for the band to make a choice: Do they admit defeat, or face the music and stand up for what they believe in?

OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF THE FILM: Peer influence on the character development of a teenager, as presented in the movie, is commendable for discussion.

Shorts

Cast: James Spader, Wiliam Macy, Leslie Mann, Jon Cryer, Jimmy Bennet, Jake Short, Trevor Gagnon, Jolie Vanier; Director: Robert Rodriguez; Producers: Robert Rodriguez, Elizabeth Avellan; Screenwriter: Robert Rodriguez; Music: Robert Rodriguez, Carl Thiel; Editor: Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Maniqius; Genre: Fantasy Comedy, Children’s film; Distributor: Warner Bros.; Location: USA; Running Time: 99 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13 and below with parental guidance

The story is set in a community called Black Hall where Mr. Carbon Black (James Spader) its richest and most powerful citizen owns a monolithic corporation that manufactures a super-gadget called the Black Box. This little box can be carried around, deconstructed in various shapes and can do all kinds of tasks, trivial or significant say be a cellphone, a computer or hair trimmer. Mr. Black’s corporation employs most of the townspeople and he tyrannically wants them to aggressively market this device, eliminating all competition. Anyone who does not foe the line gets fired. The Box has greatly affected the lived of most of the townspeople. In the community, there are lot of queer people, and families have become dysfunctional, like the family of nine-year-old Toby “Toe” Thompson (Jimmy Bennett). Toe is detached from his family (who miscommunicates with one another), lacks self-confidence, has no friends and is often bullied, especially by the evil children of Mr. Black. Toe’s situation improves when he comes into the possession of a multicolored stone which has magical powers so anyone who holds it can wish for anything. Nine year old Loogie (Trevor Gagnon) and his two friends find it after a thunderstorm and have wished for the most incredible things. Somehow, the stone inadvertently gets passed around from one person to another granting all preposterous wishes. The rock affects (often negatively but hilariously) the lives of various families including Mr. Black’s. Will it be able to destroy the Black Box or vice-versa?

Shorts may be a children’s movie but it is likely that a child will not find it easy to follow and understand the film. Using the non-linear method of storytelling, it is presented in episodes which are jumbled up with no attempt at chronology or logic. It is narrated by Toe Thompson who zigzags through the tale of the wishing rock like only a nine year old boy can. It begins with episode 2, goes back to episode 1 and goes on merely rearranging and presenting colorful, kinetic and engrossing images (to the child at least) with some newly minted characters like the giant one-eyed booger monster. The children get to be happily entertained and never mind if the film is quite confusing with the virtual absence of a plot. The adults may find some humor (though rude at times) in the absurdity of it all. The film is populated by such weird characters that one wonders if anyone can identify with any of them. Perhaps a nine year old who gets bullied outside the home and finds no adult sympathetic or interested in his plight inside his supposed place of refuge, can connect with Toe Thompson. Ironically, this character maybe considered a misfit but he is not rare in our own “saner” world. Though at times exaggerated for effects in their acting, the cast especially the children characters do adequately well. The photography is acceptable. Director Robert Rodriguez probably wanted to do something similar and yet different from his earlier well received work, Spy Kids.

In Shorts, one observes the effects of miscommunication or lack of it. It can make a family like the Thompsons dysfunctional. But better communication and getting “connected” can help make the family whole again. Also, one sees the effects of wishing for things that are inappropriate for one’s situation. Like Loogie and his friends who get the wish of a fortress surrounded with a moat and protected by crocodiles and snakes only to realize the danger they find themselves in. And one sees how ridiculous and limiting life can be if one is extremely obsessed with anything like Dr. Noseworthy with his horror of germs. And probably, one realizes like Mr. Black that rather than create a black-box that can be used to terrorize and indignify people, one can instead create something that can make life better for each one.

Love On Line

Cast: Sotto, Jose Manalo, Paula Taylor, Gina Pareno, Leo Martinez, Ricky Davao, Manilyn Reynes; Director: Tony Reyes; Distributor: Octoarts Films; Location: Manila; Running Time: 110 min.;

Technical Assessment: 2
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Madalas pag-initan ni Samson (Vic Sotto) ang kasambahay na si Tot (Jose Manalo) dahil sa katamaran nito. Hindi nga lang magawang palayasin si Tot dahil tanging ito lamang ang nakakapag-bigay ng dugo para sa ina ni Samson (Gina Pareno) na may kakaibang karamdaman. Sa halip na gawin ang trabaho, nauubos ang oras ni Tot sa Internet kakahanap ng magiging kasintahan. Minsang nilagay ni Tot ang larawan ni Samsom sa kanyang profile sa isang social networking website, dumagsa agad ang mga nais makipagkaibigan sa kanya. Isa sa nagustuhan ni Tot si Paula (Paula Taylor) at pumayag agad itong makipag-eyeball o makipagkita sa kanya. Sa una’y magagalit si Samson nang malaman nitong ginamit ni Tot ang kanyang larawan ng walang paalam ngunit kalauna’y mapapapayag din niya ito na makipagkita kay Paula dahil ang alam ni Paula, si Tot ay si Samson. . Agad na magkakasundo at magkakamabutihan sina Samson at Paula na labis na ipagseselos ni Tot at dahil diyan, gagamitin ni Tot ang isang mahika kay Samson kung saan ay magkakapalit sila ni Samson ng pagkatao sa loob ng tatlong oras araw-araw. Magdudulot ito ng kalituhan kay Paula na siyang magpapagulo sa sitwasyon ng kanilang relasyon. Malusutan kaya ito ni Samson?

Ang Love On Line ay tumutukoy sa makabagong teknolohiya ngayon, ang Internet at ang lawak ng impluwensiya nito maging sa pakikipagrelasyon. Ngunit naging pawang mababaw at makaluma pa rin ang naging pagtrato ng pelikula sa dapat sana'y napapanahon at modernong konsepto. Ang pagpasok ng mahika sa gitna ng pelikula ay pawang hindi angkop sa nais nitong palabasin. Nakapanghihinayang na sa kabila ng hindi matatawarang galing sa pag-arte ng mga tauhan, hindi pa rin nakawala ang Love On Line sa pagiging slapstick nito sa pagpapatawa. Nariyan pa rin ang pambabatok, pananampal, paggamit sa mga bakla at pangit bilang mga instrumento ng patawa. Labas tuloy ay pawang kulang sa sinseridad ang buong kuwento at walang anumang bigat o lalim ang buo nitong daloy. Hindi iniaangat ng Love On Line ang komedyang Pilipino, sa halip ay pinapalala pa nito ang kalagayan ng naghihingalong industriya.

Ang pangunahing tauhan na si Samson ay wagas at dalisay ang hangarin sa ngalan ng pag-ibig. Hindi rin matatawaran ang pagmamahal niya sa kaniyang ina na hindi niya iniiwan sa gitna ng karamdaman nito at tinutulungan pa niya ito sa negosyo.. Ngunit hindi maiaalis na ang buong kuwento ay halos sumentro kay Tot, isang taong tamad, mapagkunwari at mainggitin. Maaring si Tot ay simbolo ng mga taong walang pag-unlad dahil na rin sa taglay nitong masasamang katangian. Nariyang ubusin ang oras sa Internet para sa mga walang kapararakag gawain, at nagbabalatkayo para lamang makakuha ng atensiyon lalo na sa mga kababaihan at pawang hindi naman relasyon ang hanap nila kundi panandaliang aliw lamang. Gayunpaman, naging instrumento pa si Tot upang matutong umibig muli si Samson na nakaugat naman sa pagbabalatkayo. Tuloy kahit mali ay kinunsinte na rin ni Samson si Tot. Mababaw naman ang samahang Samson at Paula na hindi halos maaaring ituring na tunay na pag-iibigan. At sa dami ng kabataang gumagamit ng Internet sa ngayon ay hindi magandang halimbawa ang pelikula sa paghubog nito sa makabagong konsepto ng pag-ibig. Hindi masama ang teknolohiya hanggat ito ay ginagamit sa kabutihan sa halip na sa pagbabalatkayo. Ang paggamit rin ng kapangyarihang itim at mahika na labis na nakaapekto sa daloy ng kuwento ay nakababahala rin. Hindi dapat paikutin ng mahika o teknolohiya ang takbo ng buhay ng tao.