Pak! Pak! My Dr. Kwak!

CAST: Bea Alonso (Dr. Cielo), Vic Sotto (Dr. Kwak, Angelo), Zaijan Janranilla (Angelito), Xyriel Manabat, Pokwang, Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, Zanjoe Marudo; DIRECTOR: Tony Y. Reyes; PRODUCER: ABS CBN & M-Zet’s Productions; GENRE: Comedy/ Drama/Fantasy; DISTRIBUTOR: Star Cinema; LOCATION: Philippines

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13 and below with parental guidance

Si Angelo (Vic Sotto) ay isang pekeng manggagamot. Nagpapalit-palit siya ng anyo at lugar dahil sa banta sa kanyang buhay sa minsang hindi niya napagaling na pasyente. Mapapadpad ang grupo nila sa isag bagong lugar kung saan naroon si Dra. Cielo (Bea Alonzo). Bagama't may pagtingin si Dra. Cielo kay Angelo, magiging kontra ito sa mga gawaing pangagamot ni Angelo dahil sa ginagawa nitong pananamantala sa mga tao. Sa pagpipilit ni Dra. Cielo na patunayang pekeng doktor si Angelo ay darating si Angelito (Zaijan Jaranilla), nisang anghel na pinababa mula sa langit dahil sa misyong pagbaguhin si Angelo. Gagawa si Angelito ng mga himala para kay Angelo sa kondisyong gagawa ito ng kabutihan kapalit ng mga milagro. Maging matagumpay kaya ang kanyang misyon kay Angelo?

Wala namang masyadong bagong putaheng inihain ang Pak! Pak! My Dr. Kwak! Nakita na natin ang maraming kuwento ukol sa huwad na faith healers pati na ang tungkol sa mga anghel na pinababa sa lupa dahil sa kapilyuhan. Sinubukang bigyan ng pelikula ng bagong-bihis ang mga gasgas na konseptong ito sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng bagong koneksyon sa mga lumang elemento. Pero ang kinalabasan ay tila pilit pa rin. Maging ang mga special effects ay hindi rin naging kapani-paniwala. May ilang mga nakakatuwang eksena pero karamihan sa kanila ay ibinabalik lamang ang nakagawian nang "toilet humor" kundi man slapstick. Nariyan pa rin ang mga karaniwang pormula sa pagpapatawa tulad ng sampalan, pambabatok, mga bastos na patawa kundi man nakakapandiri. Karaniwan na rin at walang bagong ipinakita ang mga komedyante sa pelikula. Si Sotto ay ganoon pa rin ang atake samantalang si Alonzo naman ay parang naligaw sa maling pelikula. Walang naramdamang kilig sa dalawa. Sa patawa nama'y hindi rin ito masyadong naging matagumpay. Marahil, kung ginawa na lamang nilang drama ang pelikula baka naging mas epektibo pa ito.

Sa kabila ng maraming kakulangan ng pelikula sa teknikal na aspeto, hitik naman ito sa mabubuting aral. Nasundan sa pelikula ang kuwento ng dalawang tauhan na kapwa may kailangang baguhin sa kanilang mga pag-uugali. Isang pilyong anghel at isang huwad na mangagamot na puno ng galit ang puso. Nagawa nilang pagbaguhin ang isa't-isa at natuto silang maging mapagbigay at magsakripisyo para sa kanilang mga minamahal. Sa umpisa'y ipinakita kung paanong nasasadlak sa maling gawa ang isang tao at ang ugat nito karaniwan ay kasamaan din tulad ng galit at pagiging ganid. Malakas din ang mensahe ng pelikula ukol sa tunay na pagbabago na ibang-iba sa balatkayo lamang, Ang tunay na pagbabago ay nanggagaling sa puso at hindi ipinipilit dahil lamang sa makukuhang kapalit sa bandang huli. Nakababahala nga lang ang ilang ipinakitang representasyon ng mga anghel at langit na tila walang malinaw na basehan at nagmumukhang katawa-tawa ang kanilanng anyo. Nakakabahalang maniwala ang mga batang manonood na ganito nga itsura ng langit at mga anghel. Ang ilang pambabastos din sa kababaihan at may kapansanan sa ngalan ng pagpapatawa ay nakakabahala din. Pero sa kabuuan naman ay may malalim na mensahe ang pelikula ukol sa pagbabago at pagsasakripisyo at sa puntong ito ay pwede nang patawarin maging ang ilang kasalanan ng pelikula dahil ito naman ang tunay na tatatak sa isipan ng manonood sa bandang huli.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

CAST: Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Robert Capron, Steve Zahn, Rachael Harris, Peyton List, Ben Hollingsworth, Robert Capron, Michelle Harrison, Grayson Russell; DIRECTOR: David Bowers; WRITERS: Gabe Sachs, Jeff Judah, Jeff Kinney; GENRE: Comedy, Drama; RUNNING TIME: 96 minutes.

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 14 and above

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules takes off from last year’s surprise comedy hit about the Heffley family of three sibling brothers Rodrick (Devon Bostick) , Greg (Zachary Gordon) and toddler Manny and their parents Susan(Rachel Harris) and Frank (Steve Zahn). Rodrick as usual bullies his kid brother 7th grader Greg who has no choice but to play along with him or else. Mom knows it and would give anything to see her two boys living in peace and harmony—to the extent of paying them a dollar for each trouble-free hour they’re together. Susan and Frank one day decide they would go on holiday and leave the house to Greg and Rodrick, extracting a promise from the kids that they would behave while on their own. As soon as their parents leave their sight Rodrick prevails upon Greg to throw a party—but it would be boozeless, relatively safe. But as it turns out, a party’s being alcohol-free is no guarantee of order. The two are caught red-handed and get the appropriate punishment from their disappointed parents.

As far as its genre goes, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules plays the game by the rules, following a formula that is sure to click with its target audience—kids and families—as the first Diary… did, reportedly making a neat profit for its makers. The viewer can forget about its being fiction as it more or less fairly reflects 21st century parenting American style. You can’t fault the actors for being unbelievable—they’re such naturals given the plot and the never-a-dull-moment script. As for the other things that make a movie technically correct— Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules has them all neatly pulled together. It is an entertaining movie that its makers have taken pains to keep wholesome, so much so that even the stricter critics in the US have freely given it a rating of “PG for some mild rude humor and mischief”.

If you’ve ever been a parent you’ll understand that all Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is saying is “kids will always be kids but hang on, they’ll grow up, too, and outgrow their mischievous ways”. And CINEMA agrees. Our 2.5 Moral Assessment score doesn’t mean the movie promotes destructive values—it simply means that parental explanations are in order if you allow your children to watch this movie. The parents (Susan and Frank) have good intentions and their children’s best interests at heart, although they could be mistaken for being so naïve or lenient—something that’s balanced by the father of Rowley (Robert Capron), Greg’s chubby best friend, who makes sure his son follows his rules. The movie’s many humorous moments and funny scenes are interspersed with not-so-desirable instances some youngsters might imitate but the resolution at the end gives the viewer a better picture of its optimistic message. In real life, we see worse examples, and children eventually grow up to be mature adults in spite of them.

Beastly

CAST: Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Pettyfer, Mary-Kate Olsen, Peter Krause, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Neil Patrick Harris; DIRECTOR: Daniel Barnz; WRITERS: Alex Flinn, Daniel Barnz; GENRE: Romance, Drama; RUNNING TIME: 95 minutes

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

Make a person rich and smart and good looking and in no time at all that person will be a beast inside. That’s what Kyle Kingsberry (Alex Pettyfer) is, mocking all the unbeautiful creatures in the Buckskin Academy High School campus. In fact, running for president, Kyle has for his motto “Beautiful people get it better; that’s just the way it is.” Kyle openly derides a campus mate who has Gothic fashion and makeup leanings, Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen), rumored to be a witch. Alas, it is not mere rumor, for the offended Kendra retaliates by casting a spell on him that turns him, once he gets home, into a beastly looking creature. However, Kendra is not entirely merciless, for she says she will lift her spell provided Kyle finds someone who’ll love him within a year. That someone turns out to be Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens). From there you can expect a fairytale ending.

Most actors in this movie are necessarily young, the story being set in a school environment, but it gives the young characters enough interaction scenes with adults, and with good results. Pettyfer (I am Number Four) and Hudgens (High School Musical) surprisingly show promise as dramatic actors here. Not that the script is that demanding, but at least theirs is a timely departure from the musical or the CGI adventure that they first came to be known for, preventing them from being filmdom stereotypes. Give them meatier roles and good directors and they’ll probably metamorphose into real seasoned actors in due time.

Beastly tries to play up to the YouTube-and-tattoo generation by not making a werewolf out of Kyle. Rather, he simply loses his blondie-blond hair and gets covered with scars, metal hoops and ever-morphing tattoos which would actually make him just so cool in Punkland, USA. As Lindy says when he uncovers himself before her eyes, “I’ve seen worse…” Beastly is obviously a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and the one outstanding message is “it’s not to your credit that you were born rich and smart and good-looking so chill out or lose it all.” Kyle is humbled by becoming disfigured, and learns to start loving when there’s no longer himself to love in the mirror. We can’t really say Lindy has learned to love Kyle in spite of his beastly appearance for as we said, he doesn’t look all that beastly, but rather, she appreciates the transformation within Kyle, from the conceited egomaniac that he was to someone who has learned to care for another.

Rio

CAST: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Jamie Foxx, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Jake T. Austin, George Lopez, Will i Am, Carlos Ponce, Kate del Castillo; DIRECTOR: Carlos Saldanha; GENRE: Animation, Action/Adventure, Comedy; RUNNING TIME: 96 minutes


Technical Assessment: 4
Moral Assessment: 3.5
CINEMA Rating: General Patronage

The very title of this movie promises a riot of colors and music and yes, quite interesting characters. Rio is an overwhelmingly child-friendly animated adventure about Blu, a Brazilian native macaw (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) which is the last male of his species but unfortunately has been raised as a pampered pet in Minnesota. This spells extinction for the blue macaw, unless Blu is returned to Brazil to mate with Jewel (voiced by Anne Hathaway), his sole remaining female counterpart. Blu’s owner, Linda (voiced by Leslie Mann) reluctantly agrees to go with her pet to Brazil with Rio-based scientist (voiced by Rodrigo Santoro) for the bird’s species’ sake. This opens the door to adventure as never known before, because Blu doesn’t know how to fly. Take the family along as Rio has a number of lessons to teach about the environment, personal freedom, caring and nurturing, courage, and the value of family (whether human or bird), to name a few.

Tum: My Pledge of Love

CAST: Robin Padilla, Mariel Rodriquez, Datu Khomeini Bansuan, Ejay Falcon, Nash R Raza, Queenie Padilla; DIRECTOR: Robin Padilla; SCREENWRITER: Robin Padilla; PRODUCER: Star Cinema; GENRE: Romantic Comedy; DISTRIBUTOR: Star Cinema; LOCATION: India, Philippines

Technical Assessment: 2.5
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers ages 14 and above

Nagbalik si Ravaan (Robin Padilla) sa bayan ng Alipur, India nang mabalitaan nito ang pagkamatay ng amang Indiyanong-Muslim. Nailibing na ang ama pagdating niya at maaatasan siyang pamahalaan lahat ng negosyong naiwan ng kanyang ama. Ngunit ang pamanang ito ng kanyang ama ay may kalakip na kondisyon: kailangan niyang pakasalan si Linda (Mariel Rodriguez) na siyang punong-guro sa paaralang pag-aari nila. Hindi magiging maganda ang kanilang pagtatagpo at hindi rin magiging maayos ang pakikitungo nila sa isa’t-isa sa simula. Ngunit pagkalaon ay magkaka-hulugan din sila ng loob at tuluyang magpapakasal. Ngunit hadlang pa rin dito ang ilan dahil sa ibang relihiyon at lahing pinanggalingan ng dalawa.

Nagsubok ang Tum: My Pledge of Love na gumawa ng pelikulang may kakaibang timpla at inspirasyon. Nariyan ang kuwentong pag-ibig na malapit sa kuwento ng dalawang tauhan sa totoong buhay at nariyan din ang lugar ng India pati na ang pagpapakilala sa atin sa “Bollywood” na siyang industriya ng pelikula sa bansang India. Ang resulta’y isang pelikulang puno ng maraming elemento na tila hindi rin naman nagkatugma at hindi nakuha ang tamang timpla sa kabuuan. Madilim ang mga kuha ng camera at mangilan-ngilan lamang ang pagkakataong maeengganyo ang manonood sa mga tanawin ng India. Malamlam at kung minsan ay over-acting ang mga tauhan lalo na si Rodriguez. Alanganin din ang takbo ng kuwento at di malaman kung saan nito nais magtungo. Kung ang Tum ay kuwentong pag-ibig, kulang ito sa kilig. Kung ito naman ay drama, kulang ito sa hagod ng damdamin. Mas lamang ang pagiging aksyon ng pelikula ngunit pawang kulang pa rin sa sipa ang lahat ng ito kung susumahin.

Malakas ang mensahe ng pelikula ukol sa pagtanggap sa iba’t-ibang lahi at relihiyon. Na ang relihiyon o pagkakaiba ng lahi man ay di dapat maging hadlang sa pagmamahalan at kapayapaan. Magkakaiba man ang tao ng paniniwala at kulay ng balat ay iisa ang kanilang adhikain—ang mabuhay ng payapa sa pag-ibig. Ganunpaman, naging labis na nakababahala ang ipinakitang karahasan sa pelikula. Nariyan ding palabasing masasama at makikitid ang mga pang-unawa ng karamihang mga katutubong Indian. Pihadong hindi masyadong matutuwa ang mga taga-India na makakanood nito. Taliwas sa mensahe ng pelikula ang ilang mga imaheng ipinakita dito. Pero sa bandang huli nama’y ipinakitang pag-ibig at pag-ibig lamang ang siyang makakahanap ng paraan upang magkatagpo ang dalawang pusong pinaglayo ng pagkakataon. At tanging pag-ibig din lamang ang siyang maaring magpatalikod sa isang tao sa karangayaan at kapangyarihan.