Eye in the sky

DIRECTOR: Gavin Hood  LEAD CAST: Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi, Jeremy Northam, Iain Glen  SCREENWRITER: Guy Hibbert  PRODUCERS: Ged Doherty, Colin Firth, David Lancaster  MUSIC BY: Paul Hepker, Mark Kilian  FILM EDITOR: Megan Gill  GENRE: Drama, Mystery, Suspense  CINEMATOGRAPHER: Haris Zambarloukos  PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Johnny Breedt  ART DIRECTOR: Graemie Cowe  PRODUCTON COMPANIES: Entertainment One, Raindog Films  DISTRIBUTED BY: Entertainment One, Bleecker Street  COUNTRY: United Kingdom, South Africa  LANGUAGE: English  FILMING LOCATIONS: South Africa  RUNNING TIME: 102 minutes

Technical assessment:  4

Moral assessment: 2.5

CINEMA rating: V14

The murder of a colleague in the service by Al-Shabaab terrorist group triggers UK-based military officer Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren) to command a high profile mission for the capture of the terrorist group in Kenya. Through aerial surveillance remotely controlled in Kenya, UK, Nevada and Hawaii, they uncover a planned attack of two suicide bombers. This development prompts Powell to change objectives from capturing the terrorist to killing them. However, American pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul), refuses to release the bomb when he sees that a young girl in the nearby building will surely be part of the casualty. This triggers international dispute between the US and British governments concerning modern warfare.  Which will have more weight? Propaganda or international security? Whose life is more valuable? The thousand of would be victims or that of one little girl?

 Eye in the Sky has a strong plot and develops well. The storytelling pieced together through surveillance cameras speaks of a masterfully crafted production. The well written screenplay has several meanings. Excellent performances from Mirren, Paul and Adbi further elevate the characterizations. Production design and cinematography successfully depict a realistic setting.  The lights and sound are likewise fine. Noteworthy is the silence right after the explosion. Overall, the film is technically commendable.

Life is precious and it is never an easy decision to choose between two lives. It is an utmost undertaking especially when time is of the essence and not only one but many innocent lives are in danger against heartless terrorists. This is what transpired in the movie Eye in the Sky. The leadership of Powell illustrates a spirituality that recognizes God and implores His divine intervention amidst a chaotic situation.  While logical thinking and strategic tactics are applied in executing the plan to turn down the targets, this film remains to have a heart and cares even for a single life.  However, violence is inevitable as this is a war film, but the film gains relevance as it portrays how war dehumanizes man in an age when the decision to take lives rests in the hands of power wielders sitting in comfortable offices far removed from the war zones.  

How to be yours

DIRECTOR: Dan Villegas  LEAD CAST: Gerald Anderson, Bea Alonzo, Alex Medina,  Anna Luna, Nicco Manalo, Jerome Tan, Divine Aucina, Bryan Sy, Janus del Prado, Bernard Palanca STORY: Dan Villegas  SCREENWRITERS: Patrick R. Valencia, Hyro P. Aguinaldo  PRODUCER: Elma S. Medua  EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Charo Santos-Concio, Malou Santos  MUSIC BY: Emerzon Texon  FILM EDITOR: Marya Ignacio  GENRE: Romantic Drama CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mycko David  ART DIRECTOR: Michael Bagot  PRODUCTON COMPANY: ABS-CBN Film Productions (Star Cinema)  DISTRIBUTED BY: Star Cinema  COUNTRY: Philippines  LANGUAGE: Pilipino  RUNNING TIME: 115 minutes

Technical assessment: 3

Moral assessment: 2

CINEMA rating:  V18

Magkakakilala sila Anj (Bea Alonzo) at Nino (Gerald Anderson) sa isang bar, at dagling magkakalapit ang kanilang kalooban. Bagama’t hindi nag-aral ng pagluluto, nagtatrabaho bilang cook si Anj sa Kapitolyo restaurant row (Pasig) dahil talagang hilig niyang magluto. Si Nino naman ay isang magaling na sales agent ng mga imported lighting systems.  Magpapatuloy ang pagkikita nilang dalawa hanggang sa maging “sila na”.  Buong-loob na susuportahan ni Nino ang ambisyon ng Anj na maging isang chef sa isang high end restaurant hanggang sa puntong ipadadala si Anj ng amo niyang si Pocholo (Bernard Palanca) sa Paris para mahasa ang galing nito.  Magsisimulang dumilim ang mundo ni Anj at Nino gawa ng hindi pagkakasunduan sa kabila ng kanilang mabubuting hangarin para sa isa’t isa.

Bagama’t may mga bahaging medyo “angat” ang How to be yours sa karaniwang pelikula, meron din mga parteng “kapos” din ito.  Halimbawa, mahusay ang sinematograpiya, pero kulang sa paglalarawan ang lalim ng relasyon ni Anj at Nino—mababaw ang pagtatagni-tagni ng mga eksena ng dalawa.  Oo nga, maganda silang panoorin—hindi nakakasawang tingnan ang kagandahan ni Alonzo, lalo na’t napapaligiran siya ng supporting cast na “hindi magaganda” ayon sa isang manunuod na narinig namin— pero kung tutuusin, karikatura lamang ng isang pag-iibigan ang ipinakikita ng pelikula.  Sinikap nitong maging makatuwiran sa parte ng pagtatalo o pag-aaway ng dalawa, at mahusay naman itong naisagawa, nguni’t naging labis namang naging madali ang resolusyon sa huli.  Iisipin mo tuloy, ang pelikula bang ito’y ginawa upang masalamin ang katotohanang namamagitan sa mga mag-sing-irog sa ganitong situwasyon, o para lamang ilungsad ang tambalang Alonzo-Anderson at muling mapag-usapan at mapagkitaan ito?  Sa hinaba-haba ng mga eksena nila, hindi maantig ang damdamin ng manunuod na magka-simpatiya kay Anj man o kay Nino.  Namukod-tangi si Palanca bilang isang malupit na amo, kapani-paniwala pagkat walang self-consciousness sa pagganap.

Iba’t ibang reaksiyon ang natutunugan ng CINEMA sa mga nakapanood na ng How to be yours.  Hindi nag-iisa ang dalubhasa at popular na film critic na pumuri sa pelikula, at may mga movie fans din namang walang nakitang exceptional dito.  Kahit maituturing na “malinis” ang pelikula pagkat hindi ito “bastos”, hindi rin hahayaan ng CINEMA na tanggapin na lamang ng mga kabataang manunuod ang relasyon ni Anj at Nino bilang “kalakaran” na, tulad ng ipinapalagay ng pelikula.  Ang pagsasama nila ay kinukunsinti pa ng mga kaibigan nila, at ni hindi pinagtatakhan o ipinagbabawal ng mga magulang.  Kahit na dumarami na diumano ang tumatanggap sa ganitong mga kasunduan ng mga dalaga’t binata sa ngayon, hindi ito dapat tanggapin bilang “the new normal” ng mga kabataan, bagkus akayin natin ang ating mga anak na igalang ang mga higit pang mahahalagang bagay kaysa pagli-live in.  Magandang tanungin sila: Ang mga hindi pagkakasundo nila Nino at Anj kaya ay mangyayari kung hindi sila nagsasama?  Nang mabalitaan ng CINEMA na dumalo sa premiere screening ng How to be yours si bise-presidente Leni Robredo at ang kanyang mga anak, naisip namin: Paano kaya ipinaliwanag ni Leni sa mga anak niya ang implied premarital sex ng pelikula?  

Jason Bourne

Direction: Paul Greengrass; Lead Cast: Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones; Story: based on characters by Robert Ludlum ; Screenplay: Paul Greengrass, Christopher Rouse; Cinematography: Ackroyd; Editing: Christopher Rouse; Music: John Powell; Producers: Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner Genre: Action, Thriller: Location: various European countries and US; Distributor: Universal Pictures; Running Time:120 minutes

Technical asssessment: 3

Moral assessment: 2

CINEMA rating: V14

Nicky Parsons (Stiles) breaks into an Iceland facility and hacks the CIA mainframe to expose its BlackOps programs. She copies several file evidence about Jason Bourne’s (Damon) past but not without alerting CIA cyber ops head Heather Lee (Vikander) who plants a Malware in the stolen files. Lee discovers Parson’s identity and links her to Jason Bourne, now living in isolation as an underground fighter in Greece. She then informs CIA director Robert Dewey (Jones) about it and they oversee several attempts to retrieve the files and kill Parsons and Bourne. Before Parson dies, she passes the key to a luggage locker where she kept the encrypted files. Bourne travels to Berlin to have the files decrypted and discovers that his father was former CIA personnel who created one of the BlackOps program. Through protracted flashbacks, he remembers how his father was killed in Beirut. Meanwhile, the Malware planted by Lee gives away his location and allows her to remotely erase the files. Believing she can convince Bourne to return to the agency and not exactly agreeing with Dewey’s decisions, Lee decides to help Bourne escape to earn his trust. When Bourne finally pieces together the real story behind his father’s death and his recruitment, he decides to seek revenge and travel to Vegas to confront Dewey. In Vegas, Dewey is preparing for a public debate against Social Media mogul and creator of Deep Dream Aaron Kaloor (Ahmed) who wants to let off his deal to betray the privacy of his users to the CIA in the guise of national security. Dewey, shrewd as ever, plans to have both Kaloor and Lee assassinated but Bourne arrives in time to thwart the attempt.

If it’s non-stop heart pounding action you want, its non-stop heart pounding action you get. Jason Bourne delivers its promise to keep breathless audiences at the edge of their seat for two hours as they follow the characters all around the world. Ackroyd brilliantly uses tight handheld-like shots to convey urgency and tension. The engagement would not have been achieved if traditional framing was used. Master scorer John Powell accentuates the dynamism of the non-verbal script. The director-editor teaming up to develop the screenplay pays off with such tight, fast-paced editing. Damon and Jones complement each other as cold hearted nemesis accentuated by Vincent Cassel’s eerie presence and Vikander’s calculating genius. The casting is seamless and the performances commendable. Now, while non-fans of the Bourne franchise may be temporarily mesmerized by the complicated but well visualized storyline until they realize its absurdity, fans who followed the four previous films may find this film dry, repetitive and unnecessary. None of the characters have any real motivation. There are too many subplots. And whatever wow factor it has technically may not totally make up for what it lacks in content and development.

We can try to nitpick some messages the film unconsciously delivered. First, trust is not gained by trying to win another person’s favor by pledging false support. In the end, the real motivations will be revealed.  Truth, no matter how much you try to bury or hide, will always be uncovered and discovered. Second, a subtle issue about personal privacy and national security is a real serious point to be considered. When should privacy be given up? While it seems a cheap commodity now that social media have converted everyone into instant publishers raring to get their 30 seconders of fame regardless of the risk, giving every other institution the right to abuse and exploit the naivete of willing social media users. The film totally disregards the value of life. Murder is committed at the blink of an eye. Violence peppers every scene. The movie is not suitable for the young.