The Reader

Cast: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, David Kross, Alexandra Maria Lara, Lena Olin; Director: Stephen Daldry; Producers: Donna Gigliotti, Anthony Minghella, Redmond Morris, Sydney Pollack; Screenwriters: David Hare, Bernhard Schlink; Music: Nico Muhly; Editor: Claire Simpson; Genre: Historical Drama; Cinematography: Roger Deakins, Chris Menges; Distributor: Paramount Pictures; Location: Germany; Running Time: 123 min.;

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

In 1958 15-year-old Micheal Berg (David Kross) falls ill while traveling in Neusdadt , Germany . Thirty-six-year-old tram conductress Hannah Schmitz (Kate Winslet) helps him return home. Apparently Michael has caught scarlet fever and must rest at home for three months. When he recovers, he visits Hannah’s apartment to thank her. The two begin an affair during which Michael reads Hannah some literary works he is studying. Their affair is cut short when Hannah suddenly leaves after receiving news of her promotion to an office work in the Tram Company. In 1966, Michael, already a law student observes a trial of several woman SS guards accused of letting 300 Jewish women die in a burning church after the 1944 evacuation of Auschwitz . He is surprised to see Hannah as one of the defendants. The trial reveals that each defendant chose 10 women who were brought to the gas chamber every month. Hannah’s fellow defendant’s points to her as the mastermind of the church fire report. At first she denies but caves in after the court asks her to provide a sample of her handwriting. At this point, Michael realizes Hannah’s secret. Hannah gets life sentence for her presumed role in the genocide Meanwhile, Michael begins recording the stories he has been reading to Hannah and sends her the cassette tapes but never writes or visits. In 1988, Michael is asked by the prison official to help Hannah’s transition into society upon her release. Michael visits the aged Hannah, informs her that he has secured a job and a home for her, and that he would fetch her on the day she will be released. On that day, Michael learns that Hannah had hanged herself, leaving for him instructions on what do with her money.

The film is a powerful poignant drama of coming of age, heartbreak, guilt, shame and redemption with the Holocaust as backdrop. The drama is gentle and downplayed. Winslet, who already has won several Best Acting Awards for her role as the simple minded Hannah, delivers a profound and honest portrayal. Fiennes is believable as scarred and detached lawyer who in unable to develop a lasting relation and Olin is effective as a Concentration Camp survivor still bitter and damaged from witnessing the atrocities of the Holocaust. The movie, though shuffling from one decade to another, develops clearly with a crisp and powerful screenplay. The production design is truthful enough to transport viewers from Post-war Germany to the modernization of the 80s and at the same time creative enough to illustrate images and characters using the austerity of Hannah's apartment or the dignified set-up of the courtroom. This is one of those movies that creep in on you almost unnoticed but leaves a permanent imprint.

The film presents Hanna as being too morally or intellectually blind to understand the consequences and impact to other people of her words and actions. Her sensibilities are misplaced with her thinking that being illiterate is more shameful than deliberately tolerating mass murder, and that maintaining order as a prison guard is more important than saving the lives of 300 women prisoners. However, morality and goodness are not products of a literary excellence. It is assumed that choosing what is right is innate in every person and that ultimately one is responsible for the choices he makes, schooled or otherwise.

Guilt is presented as a shameful history of the young generation and a dark secret of the old. One’s crimes is cleansed not with social justice, personal suffering or tokens of apology but also with the realization of all aggrieved parties that one needs to accept responsibility, forgive and start anew in the effort to make life better for other people.

There are several disturbing premises and scenes in the film that may offend the sensitivities of more conservative viewers. However, over-all these do not make the movie objectionable. One, the sex scenes and nudity throughout the film, although graphic, are not exploitative. Two, although the affair between a 30-year-old and a 15-year-old is alarming, it is used to depict a young generation trying to understand the crimes of an older generation. Three, Hannah's suicide is morally unacceptable but from a psychological point of view one might say that an aging, lonely, broken and once illiterate woman who was coldly received by the one person she was fond of might have felt pushed against a wall and found no reason to continue living.

Parents are strongly cautioned as very young and immature audience may not handle well scenes of sex, nudity, suicide and others.

You Changed My Life

Cast: Sarah Geronimo, John Lloyd Cruz, Rowell Santiago, Rayver Cruz, Matet de Leon, Joross Gamboa, Gio Alvarez, Dante Rivero; Director: Cathy Garcia-Molina; Producers: Malou Santos, Vic Del Rosario; Music: Jessie Lasaten; Genre: Drama/ Romance; Distributor: Star Cinema Productions/ Viva Films; Location: Philippines; Running Time: 120 min;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 4
CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 13 and below with parental guidance

Anim na buwan na ang nakakalipas nang mabihag ni Laida Magtalas (Sarah Geronimo) ang puso ng kanyang “man of his dreams” at boss na si Miggy Montenegro (John Lloyd Cruz). Naayos na ni Miggy ang problema sa kanyang pamilya at masayang-masaya ang kanilang pagsasama ni Laida. Na-promote na si Laida pati na si Miggy. Sa pagkaka-promote ni Miggy, kakailanganin niyang magtrabaho sa Laguna at magiging bihira ang pagkikita nila ni Laida. Dito magsisimula ang problema nilang dalawa kasabay ng pagbabalik ng dating best friend ni Laida na si Mackoy (Rayver Cruz) na magiging ugat ng pagseselos ni Miggy. Sa gitna ng mga komplikasyon ng relasyong Laida at Miggy ay magkakaroon naman ng oportunidad si Laida na magtrabaho sa Canada. Magkaroon pa kaya ng happy ending ang dalawa?

Muling pinakilig ng tambalang Sarah-John Lloyd ang mga manonood sa pagpapatuloy ng kanilang kuwento na nagsimula sa A Very Special Love. Tulad sa naunang pelikula, hitik ang You Changed My Life ng mga nakakatuwang eksena at di-malilimutang mga linya. Tunay na maganda ang chemistry ng dalawa. Maayos ang daloy ng kuwento at malinaw ang nais patunguhan. Magagaling ang lahat ng mga tauhan na binigyang buhay ang kanilang bawat karakter. Sa gitna ng kilig at tawanan, mayroon ring tamang timpla ng drama ang pelikula. Yun nga lang, pawang naging masyadong limitado ang kuwento at problema sa dalawang bida. Hindi na gaanong napalalim ang mga isyung pampamilya at ang ilang mahahalagang karakter ay nawalan ng sariling kuwento. Gayunpaman, ang pinakamahalaga’y naihatid ng pelikula ang kuwentong Laida at Miggy sa mas mataas na antas.

Nakakatuwang pagmasdan kung paanong ang dalawang taong wagas na nagmamahalan ay pilit na gumagawa ng paraan upang panatilihin at pagyabungin ito. Nananatiling dalisay at walang bahid ng kalaswaan at makamundong pagnanasa ang relasyong Laida at Miggy. Tunay na hindi kinakailangang magpakita ng laman o malabis na halikan upang ipakita ang pagmamahalan. Napakalakas ng mensahe ng pelikula na walang imposible sa dalawang taong nagmamahalan. Hindi hadlang ang pagkakaiba ng estado sa buhay maging ang panlabas na kaanyuan sa dalawang pusong nagmamahal. Kapuri-puri din ang pagpapahalaga ng pelikula sa pamilya, pagkakaibigan, trabaho at higit sa lahat, sa makabuluhang relasyon. Sa gitna ng kaguluhan at maraming komplikasyon sa pagbabago ng mundo, nanatiling matibay ang pagkakaibigan, pagpaparaya at pag-ibig. Ikanga rin sa pelikula, hindi nagsusukatan ang taong nagmamahalan sapagkat iba’t-iba ang kayang ibigay ng bawat isa. Ang mahalaga’y lubos at buong-puso ang pagbibigay at pagpaparaya.

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.

Valkyrie

Cast: Tom Cruise, David Bamber, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Carice van Houten; Director: Bryan Singer; Producers: Gilbert Adler, Christopher McQuarrie, Bryan Singer; Screenwriters: Christopher McQuarrie, Nathan Alexander; Music: John Ottman; Editor: John Ottman; Genre: Drama/ History/ Thriller; Cinematography: Newton Thomas Sigel; Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; Location: San Bernardino Mountains, California, USA; Running Time: 121 min;

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

Disenchanted army officers plot to blow up the plane of Adolf Hitler (David Bamber). A bomb camouflaged in Cointreau bottles is delivered as a gift by Maj. Gen. Henning von Tresckow (Kenneth Branagh) just before take-off . But the bomb fails to explode, so another coup attempt is schemed by the generals active in the German Resistance movement— Gen. Friederich Olbricht (Bill Nighty), Gen. Erich Fellgiebel (Eddie Izzard), Gen. Friederich Fromm (Tom Wilkinson), Gen. Ludwig Beck (Terence Stamp) and Maj. Otto Ernst Remer (Thomas Kretschmann)—who believe that Hitler is the archenemy not only of the world but of Germany itself. They would launch “Operation Valkyrie”, the government’s plan to mobilize the reserved forces to maintain the status quo in the event of the Fuhrer’s death. With the generals is a young colonel, Claus von Stauffenberg who is chosen to head “Operation Valkyrie”; he will himself deposit the bomb in a suitcase during a meeting with Hitler in East Prussia while the other officers carry out the coup in Berlin.

Valkyrie is both a suspense thriller and a lesson in history for those who do not know that the movie is a recreation of a true-to-life plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, the last attempt on his life before he committed suicide nine months later. Viewers with a foreknowledge of the failure of that final assassination attempt would nonetheless be entertained by its cinematography—it was shot in many of the actual locations in Germany, and where the places or buildings no longer exist, the sets were made to be faithful recreations of the original. Thought-provoking, too, are the interactions among the conspirators—the details, the nuances captured in close-up shots and dialogue, elements that one does not readily find in history books. Director Brian Singer keeps the pace suspenseful, particularly when the coup threatens to unravel. The lead cast’s strong performances satisfy the viewer’s expectations, although Cruise owes his credibility as a German officer more to his eye patch and prosthetics than to the untamable American go-go-go air about him.

A story about moral responsibility, Valkyrie puts under question the matter of loyalty. Where does it begin, or end? An impassioned Stauffenberg convinces the conspirators that he feels it is their duty not only to save Germany from the Fuhrer’s folly but more so to save human lives, whether they’re Jews, Russians, or prisoners of war. If they must be true to themselves, they must risk being traitors to their leader Hitler. The movie ends at a point where the viewer is left to wonder if the conspirators still had a moment to serenely analyze what went wrong with the coup attempt. Without seeing the corpse, Stauffenberg was positive Hitler was dead—simply because the bomb which he himself had placed closest to Hitler exploded. On the basis of that explosion alone the conspirators proceeded to spread the word of Hitler’s death, but it turns out he’s alive; meanwhile Operation Valkyrie is in full force. On hindsight, this shows that when passion reigns, reason loses, even for army officers from a race renowned for precision thinking and rational superiority.

Marley & Me

Cast: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Kathleen Turner, Alan Arkin; Director: David Frankel; Producers: Gil Netter, Karen Rosenfelt; Screenwriters: Scoot Frank, Don Roos; Music: Theodore Shapiro; Editor: Mark Livolsi; Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance; Cinematography: Florian Ballhaus; Distributor: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation; Location: Florida, USA; Running Time: 115min.

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

John and Jennifer Grogan (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston) are a journalist couple who leave the veritable ice-box Michigan for sun-drenched West Palm Beach , Florida . Both immediately find employment at the South Florida Sun Sentinel, but Jennifer seems desirous of starting a family, and so they try for a baby. Doubting his preparedness for family life then, John seeks the advice of his womanizing reporter friend, Sebastian (Eric Dane), who then suggests the couple get a puppy to more or less satisfy for the meantime Jenny’s maternal instincts. They buy a cute little Labrador, Marley, the cheapest in a bunch of puppies at a clearance sale. Soon Jenny gets pregnant—but loses the child. Meanwhile, Marley grows into a 100-pound canine that, although lovable, has a rather uncontrollable appetite for destroying or eating anything he fancies. In fact, Marley flunks obedience school, but he continues to inspire John in his column writing for the newspaper. Jenny gets pregnant again, and finally gives birth to a son; then , a devoted mother, gets pregnant again—and again—until she reaches saturation point about the destructive dog and gives John the ultimatum: either Marley goes or she leaves him.

There’s a real life John and Jennifer Grogan—and Marley, too. Marley and Me is an adaptation of a best seller written by John Grogan, practically condensing into two hours 13 years’ worth of real life experience. Aniston and Wilson display good chemistry as the devoted couple, engaging and believable and with a worldview so compassionate it can embrace a hyperactive dog while going through the vicissitudes of family life. Director David Frankel makes sure this “dog movie” goes beyond the stereotype featuring the cute and cuddly canine, while scriptwriters Scott Frank and Don Roos manage to make the story at turns funny and moving but free of melodrama. It’s impossible to sleep through this movie where nearly every scene has a dog in it, and if you’re observant you’ll notice it’s not just one dog actor playing Marley—it took 22 look alikes to play the Labrador’s title role.

Marley and Me is a strong and positive affirmation of parenthood, family and marriage, something that seems providential, coming in the midst of an abortion-favoring Obama leadership. The movie’s family- and life-supporting statement comes subtly and naturally as the story unfolds, not at all sounding like a pro-life spiel, thus making it a most effective yes-vote for the glories of parenthood and marriage. Although Marley and Me seems wholesome enough to merit a GP rating, the movie contains some material not fit for young children, particularly John and Jenny’s too lenient attitude towards pet-handling. Marley is a virtual beast that cannot be trained or restrained, endangering human lives and property. Indeed, at times the viewer may wonder whether the dog here is a pet or a master. Perhaps the director and the writers did not mean to, but the movie seems to say that if people can be that kind to and tolerant of a rambunctious pet, they could be heroic as parents understanding their children’s quirks. CINEMA doesn’t want to be a killjoy, but still there’s a follow up question: if they won’t train a dog to obey, how could they discipline their children?

Jay

Cast: Baron Geisler, Coco Martin; Director: Francis Pasion; Producer: Francis Pasion; Screenwriter: Francis Pasion; Music: Gian Gianan; Editor: Kats Seraon, Chuck Gutierrez, Francis Pasion; Genre: Drama; Cinematography: Carlo Mendoza; Distributor: Cinemalaya; Location: Manila and Pampanga; Running Time: 110min;

Technical Assessment: 4
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 18 and above

Natagpuang patay sa kanyang apartment si Jay Mercado, isang gurong may nakapagdududang sekswalidad. Mayroon siyang walong saksak sa likod at pinaghihinalaang isang masahistang lalaki ang pumatay sa kanya. Agad na kukunin at sasawsaw ang Channel 8 sa balita kung kaya't pupunta si Jay Santiago (Baron Geisler) sa lugar na bayang tinubuan ng pinatay na Jay upang gawing isang reality-drama ang buhay at kamatayan nito. Agad namang makakakita ng oportunidad para sa isang magandang kuwento si Jay. Ang pinatay na Jay pala ang siyang tanging inaasahan ng pamilya na mag-aahon sa kanila sa kahirapan. Biktima rin ang pamilya ng lahar kung kaya't nakalubog na ang kalahati ng kanilang bahay. May iniwan pang makulay na kuwentong pag-ibig si Jay at ito ay ang kanyang relasyon sa kapwa lalaking si Edward (Coco Martin). Sa ngalan ng trabaho at ikagaganda ng programa, gagamitin ni Jay ang lahat ng ito upang makabuo ng isang kuwentong bebenta sa masa kapalit ang pangakong tulong na bibigyan nila ng katarungan ang nangyari sa biktimang si Jay. Hanggang saan kaya makararating ang panghihimasok ni Jay sa buhay ng mag-anak ng namayapa upang makabuo ng magandang kuwento?

Mahusay ang pagkakagawa ng Jay. Tinalakay nito ang isang paksang bihirang talakayin sa pelikula. Hindi tulad ng karaniwang kuwento, maraming elementong nakapaloob sa kabuuan ng pelikula na nagbigay ng kulay pati na rin ng sadyang kalituhan. Nagawa nitong pagtagni-tagniin ang bawat elemento upang pag-isipin ang mga manonood ukol sa makitid na agwat sa pagitan ng katotohanan at palabas lamang. Sa bandang huli'y sadyang nailigaw at nailihis ng pelikula ang atensiyon ng manonood mula sa melodrama at trahedyang buhay ng isang bikitima tungo sa panibagong pambibiktima ng mga mismong nagpapanggap na sila ay makakatulong sa pagbawas ng pighatii at sa paghahatid ng katarungan. Mahusay ang pagganap ng mga artista lalo na si Geisler na epektibo sa kanyang panibagong papel bilang binabae. Tama ang timpla ng mga eksena at sakto sa nais nitong iparating.

Isang komentaryo sa mass media ang pelikula. Sinasalamin nito kung paanong pinagsasamantalahan ng kapitalistang sistema maging ang hinagpis at pighati ng mga pawang biktima ng sitwasyon. Dumating si Jay Santiago sa pamilya ng biktimang si Jay Mercado sa pagpapanggap na mga kaibigan na buong pusong tutulong ngunit naroon lamang sila upang kumalap ng magandang kuwentong bebenta sa masa at pangalawa na lamang ang pagutulong. Ngunit ipinakita rin kung paanong katanggap-tanggap na sa pamilya ni Jay ang pananamantalang gagawin at ginagawa sa kanila. Sila pa mismo ang nagpapakitang handa silang magpagamit sa alang-alang sa salapi at kasikataan. Sinubukang wasakin ng Jay ang anumang ilusyon mayroon tayo ukol sa itinuturing nating kakampi ng katotohanan: ang mass media. Ipinakikita ritong ang mass media ay isang malaking negosyo na binubuhay ng bawat kaawa-awang kuwento ng pighati. Isang mapanglinlang na sistema na patuloy na namamayani saan man mayroong telebisyon, radyo, dyaryo o pelikula. Sa bandang huli, sa sistemang ganito ay ang manonood ang siyang tunay na biktima sapagkat siya ang nalinlang, pinagdamutan ng katotohanan, binigyan ng maling pag-asa, at ibinenta sa mga kumpanyang naga-aanunsiyo ng mga produktong bibilhin niya. Hindi ito kinondena ng pelikula at talaga namang ito'y hitik sa mapanuring mensahe na maaring hindi pa angkop sa mga batang manonood. Dagdag pa rito ang ilang maseselang eksenang tumatalakay sa sekswalidad at kaunting paghuhubad na nasa konteksto naman at hindi malaswa. Sa bandang huli, nagsusumigaw ang malinaw na mensahe: hindi dapat paniwalaan ang lahat ng nakikita at napapanood.

Doubt

Cast: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis; Director: John Patrick Shanley; Producers: Mark Roybal, Scott Rudin; Screenwriter: John Patrick Shanley; Music: Howard Shore; Editor: Dane Collier, Ricardo Gonzalez, Dylan Tichenor; Genre: Drama; Cinematography: Roger Deakins, Matt Turve; Distributor: Miramax Films; Location: USA; Running Time: 104min;

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

It is 1964 and the winds of political change are blowing more strongly over post-Kennedy assassination communities in the U.S. St. Nicholas School , a Catholic institution, has opened its doors to desegregation and has now accepted its first Afro-American pupil. Soon, this precipitates a confrontation between the principal Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) who runs the school with stern discipline and fear to safeguard its moral standards, and a charismatic priest Fr. Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who insists on the spirit of Vatican II that the church have a “more familiar face”. A neophyte, Sister James (Amy Adams), notices that Fr. Flynn has been taking undue interest in the colored boy, and based on certain circumstances, suspects him of having molested the child. But Fr. Flynn with his easy charm has ready explanations and Sister James lets the matter rest. But Sister Aloysius believes he is guilty and pressures him to leave the school. He does not admit his guilt but Sister Aloysius unrelentingly pursues her campaign to have him removed, even trying to convince the boy’s mother Mrs. Miller (Viola Davis) to file a complaint against the priest. Who will win this battle of wills?

Doubt is Director John Patrick Shanley’s film adaptation of his own Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same title. Simply but effectively directed, the film boasts of the excellent powerful performances of a high caliber cast and their tight ensemble acting. Meryl Streep outdoes herself here as she again showcases not only her sensitivity to the nature of her “character” but also her versatility. From the devil in Prada’s fashionable clothes to an optimistic bohemian singing and dancing queen and now as a stern uncompromising guardian of morals. In this movie Doubt, Hoffman’s Fr. Flynn with his pleasant disposition and lighthearted cavalier view of sin is her perfect foil. As Sister Aloysius says, he is “invulnerable to deep regret.” For he can sin again and again and think he can continue to bask in God’s mercy and enjoy some perks when a lost sheep is found. These contrasting personalities highlight the conflict between two opposite positions taken by the protagonists. The film tries to round out character delineation through little details. The sharp edges of Sister Aloysius’ character are softened, for instance, by the kindness she shows an old, almost embarrassed blind nun groping for her cutlery by quietly shoving her a fork. And then, though condescending often, she shows a maternal concern to the young inexperienced Sister James. The film also sheds more light on Fr. Flynn’s interests. He is shown heartily enjoying a big bloody medium rare steak and shows no inclination for any kind of mortification (as when he asks for sugar for his tea, a simple but unheard of luxury in the convent of ascetic nuns who had to search for it). The highlighting of Fr. Flynn's fondness for pressed flowers and long and perfectly groomed nails may give clues to his sexual orientation. In a way, the film seems manipulated so that the audience may sympathize with Fr. Flynn and look at Sister Aloysius as some kind of villain.

Doubt touches on an important subject relevant to our time: child molestation. Though this dramatic film treats the subject seriously, it ends ambiguously without any clear indication of what/who is right or wrong. Doubt permeates the film. It begins with Fr. Flynn’s sermon on doubt and the whole film ends in doubts. We ask questions like: Is Sister Aloysius right or wrong in accusing Fr. Flynn of wrongdoing, given only the “circumstantial evidence” but without certainty? Is she justified in pursuing the priest’s ouster from the school under the circumstances? Is Fr. Flynn innocent or guilty? I s Sister Aloysius intolerant as accused by Fr. Flynn? Is Fr. Flynn right in saying that she is an obstruction “to progressive education and a welcoming church”? There is probably some grains of truth to some of the accusations. In the light of Vatican II, we can indeed be more welcoming but without compromising on important moral issues. Teachers can be more warm and understanding to students but still be firm and “strict” without engendering fear. On the other hand, in the face of the sex scandals that rocked the U.S. Church in recent times, probably priests strive to be above suspicion. They can strictly draw the line between being compassionate (especially to the marginalized like this film’s Negro boy) and showing undue interest. Tense and gripping, this engrossing film stimulates the mind and engages the heart. It is worth seeing.

Australia

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, David Wenham, Bryan Brown, Jack Thompson, David Gulpilil, Brandon Walters; Director: Baz Luhrmann; Producers: G. Mac Brown, Catherine Knapman, Baz Luhrmann; Screenwriters: Baz Luhrmann, Stuart Beattie, Ronald Hardwood, Richard Flanagan; Music: David Hirschfelder; Editor: Dody Dorn, Michael McCusker; Genre: Drama; Cinematography: Mandy Walker; Distributor: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation; Location: Queensland, Australia; Running Time: 155 min;

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

In the midst of World War 2, Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) an English aristocrat, travels to their cattle farm in Australia, Faraway Downs, to convince her husband to sell the property and return home. However, her husband gets murdered and she discovers that their farm manager Neil Fletcher (David Wenham) is stealing her cattle to sell to King Carney in order to gain cattle monopoly in the Northern Territory. She employs the services of “Drover” (Hugh Jackman) a freelance white cowboy, Nullah (Brandon Walters), an 11-year old half breed aboriginal and four others to drive her 1,500 cattle to Darwin and steal the sales from Carney. And the more Carney and Fletcher attempt to thwart their plans, the more determined Lady Sarah becomes. Two years after they successfully sell their cattle, Lady Sarah, Drover and Nullah live happily together in Faraway Downs. But shortly Nullah is captured and sent off to the Missions, Drover walks out on Sarah after an argument, and Fletcher returns as the owner of Carney cattle farm, determined to take over Faraway Downs. When the Japanese attack Darwin , the three desperately hold on to the hope that they will be able to rescue and reunite their family.

The movie is a love story set in the background of World War II, racism and the heartbreaking reality of the Stolen Generation. Each scene is a cinematic masterpiece showcasing the charm of Australia and the 40s with another brilliant performance from Kidman. The multilayer storytelling is heightened by the great chemistry of Kidman and Jackman and some memorable scoring. Without doubt, Australia as a movie is good…good but not great. The story is too Mills and Boon type presented an hour longer than necessary. The war time drama and romance were a little too clichéic and over-the-top overshadowing Luhrmann’s attempt to present the story of the “stolen generation” as the heart of the movie. There is something missing from the production to make it an unforgettable film.

There are several good and honest presentations of friendship, equality, hope and courage. Australia is more than the love story between Lady Sarah and Drover; it is also about the love that blossomed between Sarah and Nullah—a mother loving a child, a well-to-do’s compassion for the unfortunate, and a woman’s concern for another human being. Parents should guide their young children since there is a slight scattering of profanity, an implied sex scene and scenes of violence, racism and murder

Status: Single

Cast: Rufa Mae Quinto, Paolo Contis, Mark Bautista, Alfred Vargas, Rafael Rosell, Jon Avila; Director: Jose Javier Reyes; Producers: ; Screenwriter: Jose Javier Reyes; Genre: Comedy; Distributor: Viva Films; Location: Manila; Running Time: 120 min;

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

Labis ang pangamba ni Doris (Rufa Mae Quinto) nang siya’y mag-trenta anyos na ngunit hindi pa rin nagpapakasal lalo pa’t ang mga kaibigan niya ay isa-isa nang nagsisipag-asawa. Lalong tumindi ang kanyang pangambang tumandang mag-isa nang iwan siya ng kanyang nobyong si Dodo (Mark Bautista) matapos ang dalawang taong relasyon. Dahil dito, nagsimula si Doris na hanapin ang lalaking kanyang pakakasalan. Una niyang makikilala si Hans (Rafael Rosell), isang bar tender. Matipuno si Hans ngunit pawang katawan lang ni Doris ang nais nito. Sa gym naman ay makikilala niya si Sean (Alfred Vargas) na simpatiko at matalino ngunit pawang wala sa isip ang pakikipag-relasyon. Sa opisina naman ni Doris ay naroon si Inaki (Jon Avila), ang anak ng may-ari. Guwapo si Inaki ngunit sadyang may kabaduyan at walang tiwala sa sarili. Sino kaya sa kanilang tatlo ang pwedeng makatuluyan ni Doris?

Nakakaaliw ang pelikula sa kabuuan ngunit naging mababaw pa rin ang naging trato nito sa tema ng relasyon at pag-ibig. Bagama’t nakakatawa si Quinto, hindi niya magawang baguhin ang kanyang atake sa pag-arte. Siya pa rin ang Booba na nakilala nating maganda ngunit boba. Hindi na ata siya makakawala sa ganitong pakete. Tuloy kahit sa mga eksenang dapat sana ay madrama, nagiging mababaw at komedya pa rin ang dating. Hindi tuloy gaanong maramdaman ang sentimyento ng kanyang karakter. Hindi naman matatawaran ang husay ng mga pangalawang tauhan na sina Mylene Dizon, Angelu de Leon, Mark Bautista, Rafael Rosell at Paolo Contis. Sila ang tunay na nagbigay-buhay sa pelikula.

Ipinakita sa pelikula ang makabagong mukha ng mga kababaihan sa lipunan. Bagama’t moderno at tinuturingang liberated, naghahanap pa rin sila ng tunay na relasyon at pagmamahal. Sa aspetong ito ay kapani-paniwala at kahanga-hanga ang pelikula. Ngunit sadyang mas nangingibaw ang mga nakakabahalang mensahe ng pelikula. Nariyang ikahiya sa halip na ipagmalaki ang pagiging malinis at birhen ng isang babae. Ginagawa nitong katanggap-tanggap na rin sa lipunan at pinapalakpakan pa ang pakikipagtalik bago pa man ang basbas ng kasal. Maaaring ito ay tunay na nangyayari at ang pelikula ay sumasalamin lamang sa katotohanang ito ngunit dapat mabatid ng gumagawa ng pelikula ang maaring maging konteksto nito sa pagtingin ng kabataan sa mga pagpapahalagang moral na itinuturo ng Simbahan, paaralan at pamilya. Kung ito ang mangingibabaw na pananaw at impluwensiya, hindi malayong maraming pamilya ang mawawasak o kung hindi naman kaya’y darami ang mga batang pawang bastardo at walang kinikilalang ama na karaniwang nagiging sanhi ng pagrerebelde at iba pang mga problemang panlipunan. Bagama’t walang ipinakitang hubaran sa pelikula, ang pinaka-tema nito ay hindi angkop sa mga batang manonood.

Inkheart

Cast: Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent; Director: Iain Softley; Producers: Cornelie Funke, Ileen Maisel, Diana Pokorny, Iain Softley; Screenwriter: David Lindsay-Abaire, Cornelia Funke; Music: Javier Navarrete; Editor: Martin Walsh; Genre: Science Fiction/ Fantasy; Cinematography: Roger Pratt; Distributor: New Line Cinema; Location: Italy; Running Time: 95 min;

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 3.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers of all ages

Book-lover, collector and bookbinder of old and rare books Mortimer “Mo” Folcher (Brendan Fraser) is in search of the book “Inkheart”, dragging his 12-year-old daughter Maggie (Eliza Hope Bennett) along in his search but not revealing to her the reason for it. They finally find in a book market in Switzerland. At once, a mysterious character (Paul Bettany) appears who would follow them around pleading for something only Mo understands. The truth that is being kept from Maggie is that her father Mo is a so-called “silver tongue”—a person with a gift of bringing to life characters in a book simply by reading the book aloud. Mo, in fact, has not read aloud for nine years now. The last time he read aloud a bedtime story for Maggie, then a 3-year-old, the flame juggler Dustfinger and the villain Capricorn (Andy Serkis) sprang out of the pages of the book and became flesh-and-blood characters. But the down side of Mo’s gift is, there’s a trade-off: for every fictional character his reading aloud brings to life, a real-life person must take its place in the book’s pages. That fateful night, it was Maggie’s mother, Mo’s wife Resa (Sienna Guillory), who vanished, virtually sucked into the book. The mysterious character following father and daughter now is Dustfinger who wants Mo to read him back into the book to continue his fictional existence. Mo, however, says he would only do that if his missing wife Resa could return from the book to real life with him ang Maggie. There begins the adventure.

The book which Inkheart the movie is based on is German writer Cornelia Funke’s international bestseller for young adults, the first volume of the trilogy begun in 2004 and finished in 2008. For 70 weeks it was in The New York Times’ best-seller list. Many viewers and reviewers would compare Inkheart with Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings but the comparison would be groundless. Inkheart has its own universe which is neither too otherworldly nor too down to earth. The CGI, special effects, and eye-popping images from familiar fairy tales do not overwhelm the viewer but are just right to advance the story. On the other hand, the Italian landscape is not a manufactured movie set, and the sprawling castle on the mountaintop would not be out of place in the European setting. Prepare for action from beginning to end, and enjoy the acting which is very good, too, evoking the viewer’s sympathy for the characters.

Inkheart will be enjoyed by all ages, and each will understand its message in his/her own level. It’s fascinating enough to pull youngsters away from shallow pleasures (texting and television) and attract them into reading. Adolescents and adults alike will find warmth in the strong family-oriented message Inkheart delivers. Appreciate what the characters would go through in order to be with their families: Mo and Maggie encountering monsters, a cyclone, a unicorn, flying monkeys, armed men and a dark, smoky, billowing, fire-breathing thing called “The Shadow” in search of the missing wife and mother Resa; Dustfinger hounding Mo and Maggie to be returned to his family in the book, fully knowing that he will die in the story’s end. While the face of Inkheart is fantasy and adventure, its heart is a story of love, friendship, devotion and perseverance. Inkheart subtly teaches that giving is better than receiving, that friendship must be honored and treasured, that selfishness is not good, that it is right to sacrifice for loved ones, that we can achieve anything if we believe in it and persevere. These are lessons not only found in the pages of the book “Inkheart” but also in the pages of “The Book”, the Bible. It’s wholesome enough for General Patronage—there is no foul language, sex or blood despite the violence—but parents must explain certain scary visuals to very young children.

Abandoned

Cast: Anastasia Hille, Karel Roden, Valentin Ganev, Paraskeva Djukelova, Carlos Reig-Plaza, Kalin Arsov, Svetlana Smoleva, Anna Panayotova, Jordanka Angelova, Valentin Goshev, Jasmina Marinova, Monica Baunova, Marta Yaneva; Director: Nacho Cerda; Producer: Julio Fernandez; Screenwriters: Karim Hussain, Nacho Cerda; Music: Alfons Conde; Editor: Jorge Macaya; Genre: Horror; Cinematography: Xavi Gimenez; Distributor: After Dark Films; Location: UK, Bulgaria ; Running Time: 95 min.;

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

After 40 years, Marie Milla Jones (Anastasia Hille), an accomplished film director in Los Angeles, comes back to her birthplace and roots in Russia upon learning that she is an heir to a property left by her parents whom she barely knows. She was contacted and traced by notary Andrei Misharin (Valentin Ganev) and since she hardly knows her past, she agrees to meet with him. After much briefing of her history, particularly that of her mother, she is then directed to see the property that happens to be an old house in the middle of nowhere. Accompanied by a truck driver who eventually disappears, Milla arrives at night and finds herself in a creepy, eerie place. She enters the old house which has been abandoned for 40 years and finds out she is not alone. A man named Nicolai (Karel Roden), who introduces himself to her as her twin brother whom she never met, is also there for the same reason. As they both try to uncover the mysteries of the past, they are both haunted by their future – death.

The film is true to its genre – eerie, creepy, dark and full of mysteries. The plot is not really new but the treatment is fresh. Haunted house movies may be passe but given proper direction, they can still pass as a thrilling experience. The production design and sound engineering should be commended for a good job. The entire film is not at all scary and the shock factor is very minimal but the simple narrative is rich in layers that keep the audience awake from beginning to end. Not all mysteries are resolved though, and in fact, it leaves many loose ends. But that could, after all, be intentional: to make the audience as lost as the characters in the movie. Such motive has been effective for the audience is left with many questions to ponder.

Is the past really worth digging up? Characters in the movie as well as the audience are posed this dilemma. The past gives one a sense of his or her roots and foundation. But then, if one is kept haunted by the ghost of the unknown, it may eventually lead to destruction. As said in the movie, “sometimes it's better to let things remain as they are.” The main character in the movie could have chosen to focus on her present, her daughter, but she opted to center her energy on her past. Perhaps she wants to fill in a void in her heart or to uncover the truth behind her parents' death. For whatever reason, she could have sought proper guidance. As in other haunted house features, the ghosts are more powerful than humans. Such may bring confusing signals and even sleepless nights. But looking at the context of maternal love, The Abandoned succeeds in illustrating how far a mother's love for her children could go. And it goes beyond death. However, some scenes of violence, gore, nudity and profanity may not be suitable for the young audiences.

Yes Man

Cast: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, John Michael Higgins, Terrence Stamp, Fionulla Flanagan; Director: Peyton Reed; Producers: Richard D. Zanuck, David Heyman,; Screenwriters: Nicholas Stoller, Jarrad Paul; Music: Mark Everette, Lyle Workman; Editor: Craig Alpert; Genre: Comedy; Cinematography: Robert D. Yeoman; Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures; Location: Los Angeles, California, USA; Running Time: 104 min.;

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

Two years after breaking up with his girlfriend, Carl Allen (Jim Carrey) is still in the throes of a depression which makes him indifferent to everything, including overtures from his friends to join them again. Working as a loans officer at a bank, he has become the ultimate naysayer so that he rejects all loan applications as well as invitations of his boss who is eager to make friends. But one day, he attends a self-help “Say Yes” seminar. The charismatic speaker and yes guru persuades him to change his attitude, make a “covenant” with himself and seize all opportunities to say “yes” to all requests. Allen is now convinced that not saying “yes” will have dire consequences. As a result of this brainwashing, Allen says yes to all invitations and experiences results, some pleasant (like learning to play the guitar and to fly a plane) and some untoward ones like accommodating a tramp’s request to be brought to a leisure park in the dead of night and finds himself stranded with no cell phone nor gasoline and loses money too. On this night he meets Allison (Zooey Deschanel), a beautiful free spirit, engaged in activities that seem unusual to him. Attracted to her, Allen joyfully says “yes” to her invitations, joins her in many “yescapades” and forges a relationship with her. Bu Allison soon doubts Allen’s feelings for her when she learns that he says yes without really wanting to. Will Allen and Allison get to reconcile? Will Allen continue to be a “yes” man?

Yes Man gets most of its odd ideas from a memoir written by Danny Wallace. In addition, most viewers of a 1997 film Liar Liar (which also stars Jim Carrey) think that Yes Man is like a similar parallel story in reverse for in the previous film, Carrey habitually lies and is forced by circumstances to tell the truth for 24 hours. The present film’s concept of saying yes all the time is probably intended to lead to a series of funny incidents but these are only sporadically humorous. Some attempts at humor seem forced and even downright vulgar. Like the encounter of Carl with his sex-crazed elderly neighbor. This crude sexual joke is not explicitly shown but it leaves a bad taste in the mouth, just the same. That bar brawl with a drunk Carl is perhaps intended to be funny but it is grim_. This slapstick comedy features the usual elastic facial contortions and queer physical humor associated with the clownish Jim Carrey. He carries the film through but the humor here seems stale and lacks freshness.

Yes Man shows how indiscriminately saying either “yes” or “no” can have negative effects in a person’s life. In the early part of the movie, Carl’s saying “no” to all requests and invitations from friends even if they are sensible and well-meaning deepens his depression and makes him a recluse, devoid of all involvements with others. We all need some interaction with people to function well and to live a normal happy life. On the other hand, saying “yes” always without much thought can be just as disastrous, though hilarious at times as some situations in the movie shows. Nobody would take us up on our word if we say everything lightly like what happened when Allison doubted Carl’s love. That would have been another crisis in Carl’s life. We should mean what we say and mean it from the heart.

Hilot

Cast: Melissa Mendes, Empress Schuck, Glenda Garcia, Ricardo Cepeda, Pocholo Montes; Director: Neil Tan; Producers: Melissa Yap, Glenda Yap, Merwyn Yap; Screenwriter: Neil Tan; Genre: Drama; Cinematography: Renato de Vera; Distributor: Emerge Entertainment Productions; Location: Caloocan;

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

Labis na ikinababalisa ng dalagitang si Carmen Catacutan (Empress Schuck) ang mga usap-usapan tungkol sa kanilang mag-anak na nakatira sa isang lumang bahay na palaging nakapinid ang mga bintana. Isang bukas na lihim ang pagiging manglalaglag (abortionist) ng kanyang inang si Amparo (Melissa Mendez), bagama’t ito ay palasimba at laman ng kanilang bahay ang napakaraming imahen at rebulto ng mga santo. Bunga nito, siya’y nililibak ng kanyang mga kamag-aral bagama’t siya ay isang ulirang mag-aaaral. Isa ring ulirang anak si Carmen, masunurin, at matiising tumutulong sa pag-aalaga ng kanyang lolong baldado, si Amang (Pocholo Montes). Dahil sa husay ni Carmen bilang isang mag-aaral, pagtitiwalaan siyang tumulong ng kanyang gurong si Mr. Davide (Ricardo Cepeda) sa gawain nitong pagsusuri sa mga test papers, bagay na magiging isa pang dahilan upang higit siyang libakin ng kanyang mga kapwa mag-aaral. Matutuklasan din ni Carmen na ang isa sa kanyang mga kamag-aral na nanglilibak sa kanya ay magiging “pasyente” ng kanyang ina, at tuluyang magiging biktima gawa nito. Habang nagluluksa ang buong paaralan sa pagkamatay ng dalagitang nagpalaglag, maghihimagsik naman ang kalooban ni Carmen at haharapin ang ina hinggil sa karumal-dumal nitong gawain. May isang pangyayaring pagdurusuhan sa piitan ni Amparo sa loob ng pitong taon. Sa kanyang paglaya, may ibubunyag siyang lihim kay Carmen.

Sa simula pa lamang ng Hilot―kung saan ipinapakita ang isang sanggol sa sinapupunan ng kanyang ina at wala kang maririnig kundi ang tibok ng kanyang puso―ay malalaman mo nang naiiba ito sa karaniwang mapapanood sa mga sinehan, sapagkat ang pangunahing layunin nito ay ang ipakitang masama ang abortion. Diumano’y ‘low budget” film ito: ang mga tumustos sa paglikha ng pelikula ay si Melissa Mendez (ang mismong gumanap na hilot), at ilan sa kanyang mga kaanak na naniniwala sa kanyang layunin. Sapagka’t mga bagong mukha ang mga artista, at taos-puso ang kanilang pagganap, naging lubhang makatotohanang ang dating ng pelikula. Pawang damang-dama ng mga nagsiganap ang kani-kaniyang papel―lalo na sila Schuck, Mendes, Cepeda at Montes. Maliwanang at maayos ang daloy ng istorya, madaling sundan at unawain. Nakakaengganyo ang Hilot sa kabila ng kakulangan nito sa special effects at musika, at sa editing.

Bagama’t layunin ng Hilot na ihantad ang kasamaan ng abortion, sinisiyasat din nito ang maaaring ugat sa buhay ng mga gumagawa nito. Bagama’t ipinakikita ring maliwanag nito na kasawiang-palad ang kahahantungan ng isang abortionist, inilalahad din ng pelikula kung ano ang pinanggalingan ni Amparo, ang mga pangyayari sa kanyang buhay na naging dahilan ng kanyang pagiging “manglalaglag.” Sa kadulu-duluhan, hindi mo masisisi ang isang abortionist sapagkat lumalabas na siya’y isang biktima din ng kalupitan ng buhay. Sino ngayon ang may sala? Ang pag-aasawahan ba? Ang mga lalaking malilikot at mga babaeng hindi naturuang igalang ang kanilang mga katawan? Ang Simbahang Katoliko ba na sa kabila ng kanyang kapangyarihan ay hindi maakay ang masa tungo sa tunay at malalim na pananalangin at pakikipag-ugnayan sa Diyos? Ang pamahalaan ba na walang ngipin upang ipatupad ang batas at pigilin ang gawain ng mga manglalaglag? Ang masalimuot bang lipunan na binubuo ng mga taong lulong sa paghahanap ng mababaw na kaligayahan? Higit pa sa isang pelikula, ang Hilot ay isang hamon―sa inyo, sa amin, sa ating lahat―upang pugsain ang karumal-dumal na gawaing pagkitil sa buhay ng nasa sinapupunan sa pamamagitan ng isang masusing pagtanaw sa ating kapaligiran at sa kaibuturan ng ating mga puso.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tom Everette, Robert Towers, Peter Donald Badalamenti II, Charles Henry Wyson; Director: David Fincher; Producers: Cean Chaffin, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall; Screenwriters: Eric Roth, Robin Swicord; Music: Alexandre Desplat; Editor: Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall; Genre: Drama/ Fantasy/ Mystery/ Romance; Cinematography: Claudio Miranda; Distributor: Paramount Pictures; Location: Cambodia; Running Time: 166 min.;

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

During the time of hurricane Katrina in 2005, an 80-year-old woman (Cate Blanchett), on her death bed in New Orleans, asks her daughter Caroline (Julia Ormond), to read from the diary of one Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt). From reading it, Caroline learns that her dying mother is the Daisy in the diary. In 1918, Benjamin Button’s mother dies giving birth to him, the infant who looks like a shriveled old man. Benjamin’s father Thomas Button (Jason Flemyng)—taking the child for a monster due to his hideous appearance and blaming him for the death of his mother—leaves the infant at the steps of a nursing home for the aged. Its kindhearted manager, Queenie (Taraji Henson), keeps and raises the foundling despite his monstrous looks. By the time Benjamin is seven years old, he looks like younger but still decrepit 80-year old who moves around in a wheelchair. Nobody takes him seriously when he says he is aged seven, because they do not know that Benjamin is physically aging backward. At age 13, Benjamin meets Daisy who regularly visits a relative in the home, and the girl is to be unforgettable for him.

Director David Fincher reportedly waited to do the film until the technology could enable one actor to play the role in the film’s entirety. This is it—technological magic at its amazing best. All throughout the movie you could be asking, “Is that Brad Pitt?” Blanchett’s makeup as Daisy on her death bed is so natural that you wonder if it’s a different actress; indeed, Blanchett seeing her aging image could well prepare for her golden years. But Blanchett’s makeup is nothing compared to what cinematic technology did on Pitt’s character. They superimposed Pitt’s face and eyes into the Benjamin Button character—except, of course, when Button reached Pitt’s age, as Button is pure Brad Pitt circa 2008. The acting is Oscar material, and the cast couldn’t have been better chosen, with Taraji Henson, Tilda Swinton, Jared Harris and Jason Flemyng delivering supporting roles. Helping the viewer accept the improbable plot is the movie’s attention to period details. Sets for the 1920 vignettes are perfectly reconstructed and special effects are used to enhance the flow of the story.

Inspired by a short story written in 1922 by F. Scott Fitzgerald with the same title, the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button should be viewed as science fiction but pondered as drama on life, time and aging. Viewers shouldn’t bicker about the story’s logic or the lack of it, the incongruousness of the idea of aging backwards, but rather take it as a fairy-tale that can lead us to empathize with the characters and then go deeper into ourselves. Could we believe we could sire a child who looks like a reincarnation of Rosemary’s Baby? Would we care to nurture as our own a repulsive-looking newborn abandoned at our doorsteps? Would we bother to play with a teenager who looks more like our great grandfather? Would we employ in our tugboat a senior citizen who’d be better off resting in a home for the aged? Even if we were a prostitute, could we stand having for a customer a 75-year old virgin? Would our love be strong enough to want to marry a lover knowing he’d look 16 when we are 64? And wouldn’t we feel ancient bottle-feeding an infant who used to be our lover? A story of reverse aging may be a difficult premise to accept but the movie must be viewed on its own terms and for the richness it offers to thinking viewers; otherwise, it would be seen as just a whole lot of nonsense.

Bride Wars

Cast: Anne Hathway, Kate Hudson, Candice Bergen; Director: Gary Winick; Producers: Kate Hundson, Alan Riche, Peter Riche, Julie Yorn; Screenwriters: Greg DePaul, Casey Wison; Music: Ed Shearmur; Editor: Susan Littenberg; Genre: Romantic Comedy; Cinematography: Frederick Elmes; Distributor: 20th Century Fox; Location: Romantic Comedy; Running Time: 89 min.;

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Liv (Kate Hudson) are best friends who grew up with one dream: to get married at the Plaza Hotel with each other as bridesmaids. When they both get proposed to, they excitedly plan the details of their big day and book two separate dates in June at the Plaza. Their friendship is enhanced as they try to support each other’s dreams and give way to make the other happy. Unfortunately, a clerical error books their wedding on the same day at the same time and the next available date is three years from now. The perfect seemingly unbreakable bond is broken as each refuses to change her wedding date or venue and resort to sabotaging each other’s ceremony.

On the one hand, the story is shallow and cute. Although it does not try to develop deeper characterization, it successfully gives the personality of the two protagonists and develops the plot in broad strokes. There is not much to expect from the movie with a mediocre acting, save for Bergen, a predictable storyline and a not so funny comedy. On the other hand, there are some charming classic moments as well as dull forgettable scenes. It might be a run-of the mill romantic comedy but it does manage to brighten a few minutes of the day afterwards.

Real and time-tested friendship is a better love story than romance and fairy-tale weddings. No matter how much strain life and time puts on friends, that one person you cared about and shared your life with will always be loyal, true and supportive. Unfortunately, this little message may get drowned by the ridiculous obsession the protagonist displays over having the perfect dream wedding as if that single event will spell out how the marriage will turn out. Of course, every bride (and maybe groom) wishes and needs to have that unforgettably romantic moment when they say “I do” and celebrate their union with the world. But at the end of the day, no matter how grand or beautiful one’s wedding is, what will count is one’s maturity, love and desire to make the relationship work.

The movie is mild and decent but there are some offensive scenes and situations that will not suit the young audience. For instance, alcohol is constantly used to relieve stress, mild nudity during the bachelorette party, and the fact that the two would be brides are already living in with their respective boyfriends.

Transporter 3

Cast: Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova; Director: Olivier Megaton; Producers: Luc Besson, Steve Chasman; Screenwriters: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen; Music: Alexandre Azaria; Editors: Camille Delamarre, Carlo Rizzo; Genre: Action/ Adventure; Cinematography: Giovanni Fiore Coltellacci; Running Time: 100 min.;

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

By circumstance, the mission to transport a "package" falls in the hands of Frank Martin (Jason Statham) under a life threatening rule that monitors the accomplishment of the mission. To Frank’s surprise, the "package” is Valentina (Natalya Rudakova,), the kidnapped daughter of Ukraine's Minister for Environmental Protection who is being blackmailed by a syndicate to allow the shipment of toxic materials to the country. The rule includes a metal wristband put on them that is programmed to blow up if they step away from the designated car. Everytime Frank makes his turn away from the programmed route by rule, he always meets a challenge to fight for his life. All these challenges, however, are amazingly hurdled by Frank whose fighting and driving skills win the admiration of Valentina and make her feel safer than her previous transporters. Will they survive the rule? Will the bad elements succeed in bringing pollutants into Ukraine?

Transporter 3 is a spectular film that keeps the interest of the viewers until the end. While the story is somewhat slow in the beginning, it makes sense in its progress towards conclusion. There are actually fewer lines delivered and for the most part the story is carried out in action and special effects. Acting-wise, Jason is effective in his role as Frank Martin while the rest could have done more. Nevertheless, the director succeeds in complimenting some mediocre acting by putting more efforts in other technical aspects of the film particularly in cinematography, sounds scoring and lighting. Overall, despite some lapses in editing--like villain Robert Knepper seems to be everywhere and fighting scenes that do not even leave small bruises on Frank--the film is technically commendable.

Life is precious and should be protected. The environment as people's habitat also needs to be protected to ensure a better and safer world for future generations. Essentially, this is what the film tries to convey: Anyone who could be a threat to human life and the environment should be cautioned or will have no place in this world. At the same time, a person in his right mind cannot just be a blind follower of a foolish rule that puts precious life in danger. The film also shows that a government position cannot be compromised for any immoral act. However, despite this major message, the film shows brutal killings so younger viewers must be guided.