Step Up Revolution

LEAD CAST: Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman, Adam Sevani, Misha Gabriel, Peter Gallagher  DIRECTOR: Scott Speer  SCREENWRITER:  Jenny Mayer  PRODUCER:  Jon M. Chu  EDITOR:  Ben Howdeshell, Steve Ngo  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Aaron Zigman  GENRE:  Musical, Drama  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Karsten Gopinath  RUNNING TIME:  99 minutes  DISTRIBUTOR: Summit Entertainment, Touchstone Pictures  LOCATION:  United States

Technical:   4

Moral:   3

CINEMA rating:  V 14

A newcomer in Miami, Emily Anderson (Kathryn McCormick), aspires to become a professional dancer.  At a bar she meets Sean (Ryan Guzman), a young man who flashes his six-pack abs and leads a dance crew in elaborate, cutting-edge flash mobs.  Because Emily is an exceptional dancer as that first meeting reveals, Sean manages to get her in their crew, called the MOB.  The MOB is currently campaigning to win a YouTube contest for a major sponsorship opportunity to the tune of $100,000, but a rich businessman threatens to destroy the MOB's historic beach front neighborhood in the name of “development.”  The process will surely displace thousands of residents, many of them having lived there all their lives.  If the deal pushes through, where will the MOB crew go?  What will happen to their hopes of winning the contest?  Guess what, the rich businessman is Emily’s father.  Now Emily must collaborate with Sean and the MOB to turn their performance art into protest art and risk losing their dreams to fight for what they believe to be a greater cause.

One goes to this type of movie presumably for the dances.  While there is a well-meaning story it is almost a second thought, as though the makers decided, “Oh, wow, we ‘ve got a winning combination here—toned bodies with superb moves, rousing music, fantastic choreography—let’s write a story to go with it.”  It appears that Step Up Revolution was born that way.  In case you want to see the movie, follow the story to its predictable ending, but close an eye to the acting.  Close-ups are especially telling of the actors’ lack of emotive power.  Don’t bother to question, either, the financial capacity of the MOB to produce such costly props and costumes, vintage cars, etc; they are all there for effect.  Sensitive viewers might be bothered by the impunity with which the movie allows the MOB to damage public and property just so they could perform with maximum impact, wow audiences, and gather You Tube hits. So, parents, it’s your choice: if you go to watch it, just tap your foot to the music, wish you were young again, and warn your kids never to try those acrobatic moves at home.

The Healing

LEAD CAST:  Vilma Santos, Kim Chu, Pokwang, Janice de Belen, Robert Arevalo, Mark Gil, Martin del Rosario, Allan Paulle, Cris Villanueva, Daria Ramirez, Ces Quesada, Ynez Veneracion, Simon Ibarra, Abby Bautista, Joel Torre, Chinggoy Alonso, Mon Confiado, Carmi Martin DIRECTOR:  Chito S. Rono  PRODUCER: Charo Santos  GENRE: Horror, Drama  DISTRIBUTOR:  Star Cinema  LOCATION:  Philippines

Technical:   3.5

Moral:    2

CINEMA rating:  V 14  (For viewers aged 14 and above)

Napagaling ng faith healer na si Manang Elsa (Daria Ramirez) ang stroke victim na si Odong (Robert Arevalo), ama ni Seth (Vilma Santos).  Dahil kumalat ang balita na ang baldadong si Odong ay nakabangon at nangangapit-bahay na kinabukasan, ang ilang mga kaibigan ni Seth ay magsisilapit sa kanya para magpasama din kay Elsa nang malunasan ang kani-kaniyang mga sakit.  Kabilang dito sila Chona (Ces Quesada), Alma (Pokwang), Kakay (Abby Bautista), Greta (Ynez Veneracion), at iba pa.  Bantulot na sasamahan ni Seth ang grupong may iba’t ibang sakit sa tirahan ni Elsa, at dito matatagpuan nila ang ilang may sakit na naghihintay sa labas pagkat hiniharang sila ng kapatid nito (Joel Torre).  Pagod na raw si Elsa at hindi na kayang manggamutan.  Ngunit dudungaw si Elsa mula sa kuwarto sa itaas, pakikinggan ang nagsusumamong si Seth, at patutuluyin ang pulutong.

Babalik sila sa kanilang kapitbahayan ng umaasang magsisigaling lahat.  Sa simula, tila lalala pa ang mga sakit ng mga kasama ni Elsa, ngunit kinabukasan, isa isa silang magsisigaling, at magsasaya.  Papasok ang hiwaga sa buhay ng magkakaibigan nang matatagpuang bangkay si Chona, kinitil ang sariling buhay at nakabulagta sa kalye.  Susundan ito ng di maipaliwanag na mga karahasang sangkot ang mga pasyenteng gumaling.  Mapupuna nila na iisa ang takbo ng mga pangyayari: ang unang napagaling ay unang mamamatay, at isa-isang susunod ang iba—ngunit mababaliw muna ito at maghahasik ng kadiliman sa kanilang paligid bago tuluyang magpakamatay.  Ngunit… bakit buhay pa si Odong na ama ni Seth, at sa katunayan ay nagmumurang-kamatis pa?  Di ba’t siya ang unang sinamahan ni Seth at napagaling ni Elsa?

Napakakinis ng pagkaka-dirihe ni Chito Rono sa The Healing.  Totoong hindi hinabi ang pelikula para lamang manggulat at manakot sa mga manonood, pagkat maliwanag na may kuwento itong isinasalaysay.  Maihahambing na rin sa mga pelikulang imported at nakahihigit ang kalidad ang pagkakagamit ng CGI (computer generated images) sa The Healing, bagama’t wala itong bagong naidagdag sa genre.  Sa katunayan, ang mga ipinakita dito ay “lumang tugtugin” na, halimbawa, ang paggamit ng uwak upang magpahiwatig ng nakaambang kapahamakan.  Nakakasawa din ang paulit-ulit na gimmick na ginamit kapag nababaliw na ang mga pasyente—kikilos nang kakaiba; magdidilim ang mukha; manglalaki, tila luluwa, at magpapaikot-ikot ang mata.  Kapag nasa punto nang iyon, tiyak, papatay na siya, at papatayin din ang sarili.  Nawawala tuloy ang “gulat”, nagiging predictable.

Subalit ang kakulangang ito ay mapupunuan na napakahusay na pagganap ng mga artista.  “Nahatak” nito ang grading teknikal ng The Healing sa aming mga mata.  Maaalala na ang The Healing ay itinuturing na ring pagdiriwang ng 50 taon sa pelikula ni Vilma Santos, na ngayon ay iginagalang na sa larangan ng politika.  May palagay kaming naging inspirasyon si Santos ng mga kasamahan niyang gumanap, kayat kahit na ang mga bagitong matatawag ay nagpakitang gilas sa kani-kaniyang mga papel.  Ipinakita rin ni Janice de Belen (Cita, ina ni Kakay) na hindi pa rin kumukupas ang galing niyang gumanap, at kahit na ang komikerang si Pokwang ay nagpamalas na rin ng husay sa pagda-drama.

Ang paksa ng pelikula, na napapaloob din sa pamagat nito, ay ang pagpapagaling ng karamdaman sa labas ng kinikilalang siyensiya ng medisina, ngunit ang ubod ng salaysay ay: hanggang saan nakakatulong at nakakabuti ang ganitong uri ng panggagamot?  Kailan dapat gamitin ang kapangyarihang ito, at kailan dapat ihinto?  Inaalam ba ng tao kung saan nagmumula ang kapangyarihang ito?  Kung susukatin ang ibinubunga nito—ang paggaling ngunit pagkabaliw ng mga pasyente—masasabi ba nating nagmumula sa Diyos ang kapangyarihan ni Elsa? 

Isang puna lamang: napakaingay ng mga nanonood na kasabay namin sa Megamall, tila walang pakundangan ang ilan sa damdamin ng ibang manonood.  Puno ang sinehan, at dahil sa ingay nila ay mahirap nang ihiwalay ang kanilang sigaw, daldal at tili sa tunay na sounds ng pelikula.  Unfair ito sa pelikula, pagkat iginagalang nito ang manonood sa pamamagitan ng pagdibdib nito sa kanyang sining, ngunit ginugulo naman ng mga taong walang humpay sa kadadada.  (Marahil, ganoon nila pinapawi ang kanilang takot).  

Nabalitang dalawa ang bersiyon ng The Healing na ipinasa ng MTRCB: ang isa ay PG13 ang rating, at ang isa naman ay R18.  Ang napanood ng CINEMA ay yaong PG 13 kaya’t marami sa mga nanood ay may kasamang mga bata.  Lubhang madugo ang napanood naming bersiyon, bagay na ipinagtaka naming kung ano pa kayang mga karumal-dumal na bahagi ng pelikula ang napapaloob sa R18 version nito.  Dito pa lamang, sa close-up shots ng mga kinikitlan ng buhay at bumubula pang dugo na dumanak mula sa bangkay sa kalye ay napapabiling na kami sa aming mga upuan, ano pa kaya ang magiging epekto sa manonood ng pang-matandang bersiyon?  Sa panukat ng CINEMA, labis na marahas, madugo, at maaaring makalito sa murang isipan ng mga bata ang The Healing.

The Dictator

LEAD CAST: Sacha Baron Cohen, Jason Mantzouka, Ben Kingsley, Anna Farris  DIRECTOR:  Larry Charles  SCREENWRITER:  Sacha Baron Cohen,  et al  PRODUCER:  Sacha Baron Cohen  et al  EDITOR:  Greg Hayden, Eric Kissack  GENRE: Comedy  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Laurence Sher  RUNNING TIME:   83 minutes  DISTRIBUTOR: Paramount Pictures  LOCATION:  USA

Technical:   3

Moral:   2

CINEMA Rating:  R 18 (For adults aged 18 and above)

Admiral General Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen) is a self-centered, childish bigot dictator of Wadiya, an oil-rich country somewhere in North Africa. He does not believe in any cause save for himself and has no problem executing people for any or no apparent reason. Unfortunately, there is nothing between his ears, so as expected, most of his decisions are sloppy and equally idiotic. In an attempt to thwart the United Nations Security Council intervention because of his refusal to sell oil to the world, Aladeen is forced to address the council in New York. That evening, Aladeen is kidnapped and is replaced by his treacherous uncle Tamir (Ben Kingsley) with a mentally-challenged decoy so he can manipulate the democratization of Wadiya for his personal gain. Aladeen escapes his kidnapper but not before his signature beard is shaved off making him unrecognizable. He chances upon Little Wadiya, a place where all the people he previously asked to be executed are thrown as refugees. There he teams up with his former chief of nuclear weapons program who agrees to help him stop Tamir’s plans so both of them can go back to their lives in Wadiya. In the process, Aladeen has to accept a job as a clerk in a store owned by a socio-environment activist named Zoey (Anna Faris). In between the planning of his comeback and trying to help Zoey imporove her business, Aladeen discovers new things and feelings that may change his way of life.

Sacha Baron Cohen constantly aims to be a comical satirist in the characters he portrays.  The Dictator has its charm plot-wise and could have offered fresh narrative only it is way too low-minded to go beyond a snicker with an eye brow raised. Like the other Cohen starrers, the movie blurs between documentary and feature which provides a comedic surrealism. The script, now professionally written, is between witty and insensitive. Although the narrative is tight and strong, the comedic sidelights at times border on absurdity. Of course, the acting ensemble is solid with Sir Ben Kingsley and the very lovely Anna Faris in the cast. No question about Cohen’s enigmatic performance no matter how sexist or vulgar he is on screen.  On the technical side, The Dictator fares well, andin parts even better than average.  The cinematography and editing works keep up with the “mockumentary” signature style of Cohen and director Larry Charles. Although one might miss the ambush interviews and interactions with real famous people, the duo is somewhat able to make it work.  But this is a been-there-done-that technique that hasn’t really changed or improved much since Borat. Over-all, The Dictator is good but not great which classifies it into a movie you would not care to miss.

There is a very thin barrier between a witty satire and one that is plain offensive.  At times, the line is so blurred that the scenes do get the audience laughing yet feeling foolish and guilty. The Dictator delivers its jokes head on but the jokes are cruel and would definitely upset a lot of sensitivities.  Does it have a redeeming value at the end?  Not really because even if Aladeen gave in to love and tried to reform Wadiya, you can still see how certain habits and damaging philosophies would remain.  Masking them as comedy is even more tragic because impressionable audiences might not always be able to distinguish a joke from an insult.

The Dark Knight Rises

LEAD CAST:  Bob Kane, Christine Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman  DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan  SCREENWRITER:   Christopher Nolan & Jonathan Nolan  PRODUCER:  Charles Roven, Emma Thomas  EDITOR:  Lee Smith  MUSICAL DIRECTOR :  Hans Zimmer  GENRE:  Action & Adventure, Drama  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Wally Pfister  RUNNING TIME:   165 minutes  DISTRIBUTOR:  Warner Bros. Pictures   LOCATION:  USA, Europe

Techical:          4

Moral:            2.5

CEINEMA rating:  V 14  (For viewers aged 14 and above)

Gotham City eight years ago was convinced that their favorite bat was a murderer who had killed among others the city's idealistic district attorney, Harvey Dent.  The truth is that Dent went crazy from grief and rage; thus, mad and sad, he tore through Gotham’s streets on a killing spree, putting down crime lords without sparing cops in the process, and actually almost murdered Commissioner Gordon’s little boy.  To shield the reputation of Dent (who had spent his life as a crime-buster) so that Gotham could go on believing, Gordon and Batman agreed: Batman would take the fall for the murders, while Dent would be given a hero’s burial.

All those years Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), the city’s wealthiest billionaire and of course the real person behind the Batman character, went into reclusive retirement.  Those dark years spawned a new breed of villains in the city’s sewers under the evil hold of the sinister Bane (Tom Hardy), who is planning to lead an insurrection of underground warriors to annihilate Gotham destroy the Dark Knight.   Aware of the threat posed by the terrorist Bane, Wayne’s loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) tries to persuade his billionaire master to don the cape once more.  Hospitalized, Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) also pleads with Batman to return to action,  placing his trust in an idealistic, young protégé, Officer John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).  When Wayne Enterprises helmed by CEO/inventor Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) becomes the target of a hostile takeover, wealthy philanthropist Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) becomes an influential ally.

Bruce Wayne would rather just be a recluse, until his curiosity is piqued when he discovers a cat burglar disguised as a waitress, Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway), rifling through his safe, and is in fact already wearing his late mother’s prized pearl necklace.   As the plot unravels, you’d never guess what surprises it holds in the end.

Ice Age: Continental Drift

LEAD CAST:  (Voice only) Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, Keke Palmer, Chris Wedge, Peter Dinklage, Jennifer Lopez, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Heather Morris DIRECTOR: Steve Martino & Mike Thurmeier SCREENWRITER:  Micheal Berg, Jason Fuchs, Mike Reiss PRODUCER:  John C. Donkin, Lori Forte  EDITOR:  James Palumbo MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  John Powell  GENRE: 3-D Computer Animated & Comedy  CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Renato Falcao  RUNNING TIME: 94 minutes  DISTRIBUTOR: 20^th Century Fox  LOCATION:  USA

Technical:  3.5

Moral:   3.5

CINEMA rating:  PG 13 (For viewers aged 13 and below with Parental Guidance)

It’s a decade since we were first introduced to the everlasting nut-seeking Scrat (or even before because we got to like him—feel sorry for him—in several promos and trailers).  Ice Age was released in 2002. The second film (and a game) in 2006.  The third in 2009.  Then a television short in 2011.  And, here we are again.  Ice Age has become part of family movie culture and of cinema animation.

And, Scrat is at it again.  But, glad to say, he has more screen time than before.  He gets to reappear throughout the film.  And, at the end.  his nut-avarice seems to be the cause of Atlantis sinking beneath the Atlantic Ocean, a piece of the mythology that we never realized before!

However, we are also soon introduced to a motley collection of prehistoric animals who have become friends—to littlies and oldies alike.  They get to do some typical action so we are back in familiar territory with familiar characters.  And the voices that we are know are back again (with shots of the voice talent to be seen in the final credits).  Ray Romano is the ever-sturdy mammoth leader, Manny.  Diego the sabre-toothed tiger is Denis Leary.  John Leguizamo and Sid the Sloth are as ditsy as ever.  And, there are some new voices.  Peter Dinklage is most welcome as the ape pirate chief, Captain Gutt; Jennifer Lopez as a female sabre-toothed tiger in his crew; Wanda Sykes as Sid’s potty grandmother. Even Patrick Stewart turns up at the end as Ariscratle, showing Scrat around Atlantis.  There are lots of American and British talent as the animals and the pirates.

The story is a variation on what we have seen before.  But, that doesn’t matter much because the formula was a good one.  There are the usual dangers of the Ice Age, glaciers splitting, mountains crumbling—though we are shown just how Australia and Africa were the result of all these rumblings.  And, then a trek.

When Manny, Diego, Sid and Granny are separated from the rest of the herd, adrift on an iceberg, Manny is determined to find his wife and daughter (with whom he has been having teenage problems about going out and getting home late) and lead his little band home.  The menace this time is the pirate gang, a scraggly lot except for a very fat seal, but enough to cause lots of mayhem and set up battles and escapes.  Formula, but very agreeable.

And the formula seems to work for young audiences as well as older audiences.  To think that the young  audience which enjoyed Ice Age is now entering the teens!  I hope they enjoy this one and don’t look down on the little brothers and sisters who will be laughing and excited. By Peter Malone