Walang Hanggang Paalam

Cast: Lovi Poe, Joem Bascon, Jacky Woo, Jake Roxas, Ricardo Cepeda; Director: Ramos and Paulo Villaluna; Producers: Forward Group and Feminine Annex; Screenwriters: Ellen Ramos, Paulo Villaluna, Caloy Santos, Patricia Evangelista, Raymond Amonoy; Genre: Drama; Location: Baguio City; Running Time: 90 min.;

Technical Assessment: 2.5
Moral Assessment: 1.5
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

Maglalayas ang 16-taong-gulang na si Maria (Lovi Poe) sa poder ng kanyang amain (Ricardo Cepeda) upang sumama sa kanyang kasintahang si Ryan. Sa Baguio sila tutuloy na dalawa at dito ay makikilala nila sa magkahiwalay na pagkakataon si Yoshi (Jacky Woo) isang Hapon na nagbalik sa Pilipinas upang hanapin ang dating pag-ibig bago man lamang siya bawian ng buhay dahil sa sakit na cancer. Habang si Ryan ay nagnanais na makasiping sa wakas si Maria, ang huli nama’y nais na maglibang sa labas ng kuwarto. Sa labis na pagkainip ay aalis mag-isa si Maria at dito ay makakasama niya at makikilala ng mas malalim si Yoshi. Mapapalagay ang loob ni Maria dito. Samantala, ang amain naman niya ay umupa ng imbestigador (Jake Roxas) upang ipahanap siya. Hawak nito ang susi sa isang pinakatatagong sikreto na magbabago sa buhay nilang lahat na nagsasanga-sanga ang mga kuwento sa maliit na siyudad ng Baguio.

Sa umpisa’y pawang may lalim na nais ipahatid ang kuwento ng Walang Hanggang Paalam. Pinaiisip nito ang manonood sa kung paanong magkakaron ng koneksyon ang iba’t-ibang tauhan na may kani-kaniyang pinanggalingan. Nababalot ng katahimikan at lungkot ang kabuuan ng pelikula. Karamihan sa mga nais nitong sabihin ay maririnig sa nakabibinging mga katahimikan. Pero ang katahimikan ding ito ang siyang dahilan kung bakit sa bandang huli’y walang malinaw na nasabi ang pelikula. Sayang sapagkat mahusay sana ang mga nagsiganap. Natali lamang sila sa limitadong materyal na hindi nagsubok payabungin ng maayos ang daloy ng emosyon. Kulang sa tamang hagod ang mga eksena at magtatalo ang lohika at emosyon sa karamihan ng mga pangyayari. May ilang koneksyon din na sadyang nakasanga sa kabuang kuwento anumang pilit gawin na ito ay ikonekta. Kung susumahin, mayroon naman talaga sanang kuwento na nais itong iparating. Yun nga lang, hindi naging gaanong epektibo dahil sa maaga at pilit na pagbunyag ng ilang sikreto na dapat sana’y kalaunan pa lamang malalaman ng manonood.

Ninais marahil ng mga may-akda ng Walang Hanggang Paalam na maglahad ng naiibang kuwento na tumatalakay sa pre-marital sex, insesto at homoseksualidad bagama’t hindi na naman na talagang bago ang mga ito. Wala ring bagong mapapala sa pelikula kung aral ang pag-uusapan. Nagsimula ang kuwento sa pagrerebelde sa magulang. Matapos ay sumama sa kasintahang ang nais naman ay makuha ang pagkakababae ng nobya. Mahihirapan ang nobyo ngunit kataka-takang maagang bibigay ang babae sa isang estranghero. Hindi rin malinaw kung bakit kinailangang ilagay pa sa kuwento ang ilang eksena na patungkol sa homosekwalidad. Pati ang insesto ay hindi na rin naharap at natalakay ng husto. Pawang pinalabas lamang na ang mga ito ay nangyayari at ginagawa ng walang anumang malinaw na dahilan at sadyang wasak na ang batayang moral ng mga kabataan pati na ng mga nakakatanda sa lipunan. Labis na nakakabahala ang pelikulang ito at nararapat lamang sa mga manonood na may hinog na pag-iisip. Bagama’t walang hubaran sa pelikula, ang kabuuang konsepto nito ay masyadong sensitibo kung hindi man eskandaloso para sa mga manonood.

Inglourious Basterds

Cast: Brad Pitt, Melanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth, Michael Fassbender, Diance Kruger; Director: Quentin Tarantino; Producer: Lawrence Bender; Screenwriter: Quentin Tarantino; Editor: Sally Menke; Genre: Drama/ War; Cinematography: Robert Richardson; Distributor: Universal Pictures; Location: France; Running Time: 153 min.;

Technical Assessment: 4
Moral Assessment: 2
CINEMA Rating: For mature viewers 18 and above

During the 1941 World War, Shosanna (Melanie Laurent) becomes the lone survivor after Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) has her entire family murdered because they are Jews. Meanwhile, 1st Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) recruits several Jewish American soldiers to parachute into France and savagely kill as many German soldiers as they can to cause panic and chaos amongst their army. “The Basterds”, as they are to be known, make sure to leave one survivor with the swastika carved on his forehead so that he may forever remember the atrocities he has done. Four years after, Soshana, under a new identity, operates a small theatre in Paris. When Frederick Zoller, a celebrity German soldier whose life story has been turned into a propaganda film, convinces the Nazi propaganda minister to premiere his movie in her theatre, she decides to avenge the death of her family and burn down her movie house with all the Nazi high ranking officials inside. Simultaneously, the British learn about the premier night and send Lieutenant Archie Hicox, (Michael Fassbender) under the guise of a film critic, to team up with the Basterds for a surprise attack on the theatre. Unfortunately, Landa remains quick-witted and tries to unfold the assassination plan. Who gets whom first will be revealed when the lights turn low and the opening credits start rolling.

Inglourious Basterds, title deliberately misspelled by Tarantino, is a clever war film loosely based on the 1978 films like Dirty Dozen and Inglorious Bastards. He emphasizes, however, that his story is strictly his. Although it is obvious that the movie thrives on a fantasy world during the war and none of the characters or scenes are possible, Tarantino still delivers a powerfully entertaining movie beyond rationalization. The performances of the three main characters are outstanding; particularly Waltz, who deserves his Cannes award for his portrayal of a sleazy cold blooded sadist. The production values are surreal but penetrate the subconscious and leave a lasting memory long after the scene has passed. Technically, the movie is as Tarantino as Tarantino has been. You can only appreciate the visual poetry if you are attuned to the filmmaker’s way of interpreting reality.

Violence begets violence. When one’s measure of justice is in the form of revenge, you can be sure that both the aggrieved and the aggressor will have neither peace nor satisfaction. To think that violence is the solution to everything is a twisted view of life. The movie (as most Tarantino movies are) is laden with visual and psychological brutality with very little regard to its moral consequences. It emphasizes revenge and aggression as a way of life and a form of rectification.

The movie is not suitable for the very young or sensitive audiences.

Ninja Assassin

Cast: Rain, Sung Kang, Randall Duk Kim, Jonathan Chan-Pensley, Yuki Iwamoto, III-Young Kim, Ben Miles, Naomie Harris; Director: James McTeigue; Producers: Grant Hill, Joel Silver, Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski; Screenwriters: Matthew Sand, J. Michael Straczynski; Music: Ilan Eshkeri; Editor: Gian Ganziano, Joseph Jett Sally; Genre: Action/ Crime/ Drama/ Thriller; Cinematography: Karl Walter Lindenlaub; Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures; Location: Berlin, Germany; Running Time: 99 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 2
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Lord Ozunu (Sho Kosugi) is master of a secret society that abducts children, adopts orphans and then raises them to become ninja assassins. One of the orphans trained from childhood is Raizo (Rain), groomed by Lord Ozunu (Sho Kosugi) to become his successor, and favored over his own son Takeshi (Rick Yune). Raizo manages to escape the isolated training camp when his sweetheart, a fellow trainee, is ordered killed by Lord Ozunu as she is caught one rainy night while attempting to escape. Soon a fugitive in Europe, Raizo crosses paths in Berlin with Mika Coretti (Naomi Harris), a Europol agent who traces a link between the Ozunu and recent political assassinations. In hot pursuit of Raizo, the Ninja assassins move West, marking for assassination Mika and everyone else involved in the Europol investigation. Raizo manages to escape the Ninja assassins while protecting Mika from the same, but the long and bloody trail of dead bodies finally leads to a confrontation between Raizo and Ozunu and Takeshi.

Ninja fans would perhaps go for the action here, finely choreographed combat scenes that spill blood at every twist, kick, chop and turn. The story is of revenge, flimsy and implausible, and certainly possesses no motive that would ever justify the body count—that is, if the viewer can even keep track. If you are sensitive, you might wince at certain scenes, as when a very young boy is whipped mercilessly with nary a whimper allowed to express his pain. Beastly! You might also tend to duck in your seat when those double-edged, four-point star-shaped blades virtually whiz past you to decapitate or mutilate human beings. The fight scenes, though, are rather dark—to minimize the revolting visual violence?—but what the eyes cannot see, the ears can hear in the superbly engineered sound design: guns bursting, chains, swords and other deadly metal gadgets clashing, immersing the audience in all in the name of revenge.

99 minutes of unadulterated murder and bloodletting can weary even the most insensitive viewer. Telling ourselves the fight scenes are only dance steps—and the blood only ketchup—we endured it to the finish in order to give it Ninja Assassins fair judgment. But we also found ourselves wondering if people that inhuman could really exist—kidnapping or adopting orphans and raising them into ogres. It reminded us of photographs circulating in the net of 8-year old boys armed with assault rifles and programmed to hate humanity and kill half of it. One thing we have learned from CINEMA’s nine-year existence is: if some movies are not to your liking—like slapstick, stupid horror flicks and this bloody thing—you can still get your money’s worth if you let them lead you into closely examining the human condition. All movies—from corn to porn—reflect reality somehow, reality outside or inside our minds, and being aware of the sickness in reality could provide us with the impetus to work for its healing. Meanwhile, be warned: the carnage in Ninja Assassins is enough to make burgers to feed America for a day. Pass the ketchup, please.

Biyaheng Lupa

Cast: Jacklyn Jose, Angel Aquino, Eugene Domingo, Andoy Ranay, Coco Martin, Julio Diaz, Allan Paule, Carlo Guevarra, Susan Africa, Shamaine Buencamino; Director: Armando Lao; Producer: Joji Alonso; Screenwriter: Armando Lao; Genre: Drama; Distributor: Quantum Films; Location: Manila/ Bicol; Running Time: 90 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 3.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Lulan ng isang bus na magmumula sa Maynila patungong Legaspi ang iba’t-ibang klase ng pasaherong may kani-kaniyang dalahin sa buhay. Sa bawat pagsara ng pintuan ng bus, tatahimik ang lahat at maririnig lamang ng mga manonood ang iba’t-ibang saloobin ng mga pasahero na tumatakbo lamang sa kanilang mga isip. Sa pamamagitan din nito makikilala ang iba’t-ibang tauhan: si Helen (Jacklyn Jose) ay kakatagpuin ang kalaguyo nitong higit na mas bata sa kanya. Lingid ito sa kaalaman ng kanyang asawa kung kaya’t gayon na lang ang pagtatago niya sa sulok ng bus sa takot na may makakita sa kanya. Si Alex (Julio Diaz) naman ay inaasam na makumbinse ang kapatid na kanyang pupuntahan upang hikayating sumali sa kanyang negosyong networking. Ito raw ang magpapayaman sa kanya. Si Obet (Coco Martin) naman ay maghahanap ng trabaho sa tulong ng kaibigan upang takasan ang responsibilidad sa nabaldadong ina. Si Mickey (Carlo Guevarra) naman ay isang pipi’t-bingi na pupuntahan ang puntod ng tunay na ina lingid sa kaalaman ng pamilyang umampon sa kanya. Si Fina (Shamaine Buencamino) ay kakatapos lamang sumali sa isang game show sa Maynila. Uuwi siyang luhaan at talunan. Ito at marami pang ibang kuwento ang masasaksihan habang tumatakbo ang bus kasabay ng ilang mga aberya, abala at paghinto-hinto nito sa mga estasyon. Makarating kaya silang lahat ng maluwalhati sa kanilang patutunguhan?

Kakaiba ang konsepto ng pelikula. Walang bida, walang kontrabida. Wala ring gaanong dayalogo at tanging mga nasa sa isip ng mga tauhan ang kadalasang maririning ng mga manonood. Tunay nga namang malaman at hitik sa kuwento ang isipan ng bawat taong nasa isang mahaba at halos nakakainip na biyahe. Mahusay ang pagkakasulat ng pelikula. Bagama’t wala itong pinanghahawakan na masasabing kuwento, may mga naipaabot naman itong malinaw na saloobin at damdamin. Nakatulong din nang malaki ang mahuhusay na artistang nagsiganap bilang mga interesanteng mga tauhan sa bus. Markado ang bawat sandali nila sa pelikula. Bagama’t ang kanilang kuwento ay maririnig lamang at hindi makikita, damang-dama pa rin ang mga ito dala ng mga nangungusap nilang mga mata at kilos. Halong lungkot, takot, tuwa ang mararamdaman ng manonood sa mga patong-patong na kuwentong masasaksihan nila sa loob ng isang bumibiyaheng bus.

Naging napakalawak ng sakop ng pelikula kung usaping moral ang pagbabalingan. Hindi naman kasi nagbalak ang may-akda nito na magparating ng lehitimong kuwento. Sa halip, ang pelikula ay naglatag lamang ng iba’t-ibang uri ng saloobin. Mga sitwasyon ng buhay na talaga namang nangyayari. Ang babaeng nakikiapid sa kuwento ay pilit na itinatago ang ginagawang kasalanan. Hindi siya nagsisisi sa kanyang ginagawa ngunit hindi rin naman niya ito ipinagmamalaki at kitang walang kapayapaan ang kanyang isip. Ang taong walang inisip kundi pera at pagiging ganid ay wala ring kasiyahan at kapayapaan. Hindi rin matahimik ang isang babaeng nabuntis sa pagkadalaga at itinakwil ng mga magulang. Ang isang anak na tinangkang takasan ang pag-aaruga sa ina ay nagsisi at bumalik din. Ito at marami pang ibang kuwento ang maaring kapulutan ng aral o pagninilay sa pelikula. Sa bandang huli’y sinasabi ng pelikula na ang tao kailanma’y hindi nag-iisa sa paglalakbay sa buhay. May mga tao siyang makakasabay, makakasalamuha at makakaisa ng damdamin. Sadyang nilikha ang tao upang mapabilang sa isang pamilya, isang komunidad at isang simbahan. Magkakaiba man ang landas na tatahakin, sa bandang huli’y malalaman nating iisa rin ang nais nating patunguhang lahat – ang walang hanggang ligaya at kapayapaan at yan ay siguradong hindi matatagpuan sa lupa, gaano man kalayo ang ating lakbayin.

Amelia

ASSESSMENT ONLY
Cast: Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston, Joe Anderson; Director: Mira Nair; Producers: Ted Waitt, Kevin Hyman, Lydia Dean Pilcher; Screenwriters: Ron Bass, Anna Hamilton Phelan; Music: Gabriel Yared; Editor: Allyson C. Johnson, L. Percy; Genre: Drama; Cinematography: Stuart Dryburg; Distributor: Searchlight Pictures; Location: USA/ Africa/ Asia; Running Time: 111min.;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

BRIEF FILM SYNOPSIS

Visionary. Lover. Dreamer. Fighter. Legend. Icon. AMELIA.

An extraordinary life of adventure, celebrity and continuing mystery comes to light in AMELIA, a vast, thrilling account of legendary aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart (two time Academy Award® winner Hilary Swank).

After becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, Amelia was thrust into a new role as America's sweetheart - the legendary "goddess of light," known for her bold, larger-than-life charisma. Yet, even with her global fame solidified, her belief in flirting with danger and standing up as her own, outspoken woman never changed. She was an inspiration to people everywhere, from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt (Cherry Jones) to the men closest to her heart: her husband, promoter and publishing magnate George P. Putnam (Golden Globe® winner Richard Gere), and her long time friend and lover, pilot Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor). In the summer of 1937, Amelia set off on her most daunting mission yet: a solo flight around the world that she and George both anxiously foresaw as destined, whatever the outcome, to become one of the most talked-about journeys in history. --Fox Searchlight