Train to Busan

DIRECTOR: Sang-ho Yeon  LEAD CAST: Gong Yoo, Kim Su-an, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Choi Woo-shik, Ahn So-hee  SCREENWRITERS: Sang-ho Yeon  PRODUCER: Lee Dong-ha MUSIC BY: Jang Young-gyu  FILM EDITOR: Yang Jin-mo  GENRE: Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi & Fantasy  CINEMATOGRAPHER: Lee Hyung-deok  PRODUCTON COMPANY: Redpeter Film  DISTRIBUTED BY: New Entertainment World  COUNTRY: South Korea  LANGUAGE: Korean  FILMING LOCATIONS: Dongdaegu Station, Daegu, Yeongnam, South Korea   RUNNING TIME: 118 minutes 

Technical assessment: 3.5

Moral assessment: 2.5

CINEMA rating: V18

Workaholic fund manager Seok-wu (Gong Yoo) is torn between urgent matters at work and the wish of her only daughter Su-an (Kim Su-an) by his ex-wife to spend her birthday in Busan with her mother.  Su-an lives with her father Seok-wu but he rarely finds time for her. Realizing the growing disappointment of his daughter with his lapses as a father, he fulfills her birthday wish and together they take the high-speed train to Busan. Shortly before the train takes off, two strange passengers—a teenager apparently having a seizure and a terribly frightened dirty man—sneak onto the train. On discovery of both, the dirty man refuses to get out of the train while the teenager turns out to be zombie.  She attacks the train attendant and soon they multiply as they bite one after another inside the train. Also on board the train are Sang-wa (Ma Dong-seok), his pregnant wife Sung-kyu (Jung Yu-mi), a baseball team led by Young-Gook (Choi Woo-sik), and cheer leader Jin-Hee (Ahn So-Hee).

Tran to Busan has a well-developed plot that is easy to follow. It offers a new treatment of a zombie movie where characters are well built-up from the main ones to the zombies. Emotions are effectively brought out via good acting and characterization. Each one has their own highlights and transformation in the movie. The cinematography captures these and sets the tragic tone. The outdoor view of Korea and long shots likewise serve as a break from tension-filled scenes inside the train. The scenes are meaningful compositions, from the opening scene of a run over doe to a closing scene of survivors framed in a tunnel. Lights and sounds are equally powerful especially when used to trick the zombies, but the most remarkable is a child’s singing voice resounding in the nick of time. Overall, Train to Busan has a way above average technical qualities and viewers who are into this genre may find it’s worth the price of admission.

No matter how engaged at work, parents must still find time for their children, lest children in their young minds conclude that their parents are selfish, indifferent, and uncaring.  This is what pushed young Su-an to insist on the train ride to Busan.  While the ride turned out to be a horrible one, it also became an opportunity for father and daughter to see the good in each other.  Train to Busan likewise showed the innate goodness of a child towards others especially the needy—the elderly, the pregnant, the helpless.  The movie also demonstrated the various reactions of people to crisis, bringing out the worst and the best in humans. Train to Busan is almost two stressful hours, filled with tension, conflict, and violent and scary scenes of zombie chase and attacks that may be too much for children.  There is also one disturbing element that must be critically viewed for young and old alike—the suicide of one character towards the end.  The World Health Organization tags South Korea as having the second-highest number of suicides in the world.  Suicide may be a health, economic, or cultural issue in South Korea, but for the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country, suicide is believed to be a sin.  So, do guide your children when they see Train to Busan.

Camp Sawi

DIRECTOR:  Irena Emma Villamor CAST:  Bela Padilla, Andi Eigenmann, Yassi Pressman, Kim Molina, Arci Munoz, Sam Milby   STORY:  Bela Padilla, Neil Arce  SCREENWRITER:  Irene Emma Villamor  DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Maria Theresa “TEY” Clamor  MUSICAL DIRECTOR:  Francis de Veyra  SOUND SUPERVISOR: Dan Joseph Galapon  FILM EDITOR: Chrisel Desuasido  GENRE: Comedy, Drama  PRODUCTION DESIGNERS: Ferdie Abuel, Digo Ricio  EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:  Vic del Rosario, Jr.  PRODUCTON COMPANY: Viva Films, N-Squared Production  DISTRIBUTOR: Viva Films  COUNTRY: Philippines  LANGUAGE: Tagalog, English  RUNNING TIME: 83 minutes

Technical assessment: 3.5

Moral assessment: 2.5

CINEMA rating: V14

MTRCB rating: PG13

Magwawakas sa hiwalayan ang 10-taong relasyon ni Bridget (Bela Padilla) kay Cris (Dennis Trillo) at mawawasak ang puso ni Bridget dahil dito.  Makikita nya sa internet ang Camp Sawi, ang lugar na pinupuntahan ng mga broken hearted.  Hahantong siya dito kung saan makikilala at magiging kaibigan nya ang mga katulad nyang sawi sa pag-ibig na sina Jessica (Yassi Pressman), Gwen (Arci Muños), Clarisse (Andi Eigenman), at Joanne (Kim Molina). May kani-kaniyang kuwento ng kabiguan ang mga bagong kaibigan—natuklasan ni Jessica na bakla ang kanyang boyfriend; inayawan at ginawan pa ng break-up song si Gwen ng kanyang boyfriend na kasama nya sa banda;  hindi naman na matiis ni Clarrisee ang pagiging kerida ng karelasyong doktor; at biglaang namatay dahil sa aksidente naman ang nobyo ni Joanne.  Tutulungan sila ni Louie (Sam Milby), ang Camp Master at Chef ng Camp Sawi habang sumasali sila sa programa sa Camp Sawi na magpapagaling sa kanilang mga puso.

Mahusay ang pagkakatahi ng kwento ng Camp Sawi. Mula sa aktwal na paglalahad ng kabiguan ni Bridget ay epektibo ding naihatid ang mga nangyari sa mga kapwa niya sawi sa pamamagitang ng flashback scenes.  Malikhain ang titulo at ang konsepto nito bilang isang lugar na takbuhan ng mga sawi. Medyo nakakainip lang ang ilang eksenang pinahaba katulad ng pagsusuplada ni Bridget kay Louie, mga eksena ng kalasingan ni Gwen, at ang paghuhukay sa buhangin ni Joanne. Mahusay ang mga pagganap, naihatid nila ang mga damdaming sawi lalo na si Padilla. Magaling ang pagkakatalaga ng mga roles sa mga aktor/aktreses ng pelikula. Makahulugan ang mga linya, seryoso man o patawa katulad ng mga sinasabi ng piloto kay Bridget. Maganda ang mga kuha ng camera sa mga tanawin, sa paglalabas ng emosyon at mga detalye ng disenyo ng produksyon. Akma rin ang mga inilapat na tunog, ilaw at musika. Sa kabuuan ay maganda ang mga teknikal na aspeto ng pelikula.  

Palaging dalawa ang mukha ng buhay. Katulad ng tagumpay at kabiguan, at lahat ng tao ay dumadanas ng mga ito. Sa kabiguan, ang mahalaga ay malagpasan ito sa tulong ng tamang proseso upang makapagpatuloy sa buhay na buo muli ang sarili at may pag-asa. Mayroong lugar na pwedeng puntahan kung saan maaring ibuhos ng isang tao ang lahat ng sakit, galit o hinanakit sa mundo. Mayroon ding mga tao na kakilala man o hindi ay handang makinig at makisimpatya sa nararamdaman ng isang taong sawi ng walang pagsasamantala. Bagamat nakatuon sa kasawian sa pag-ibig,  ito pa rin ang pangunahing mensahe ng Camp Sawi.  Gaano man kasakit ang maidulot ng pag-ibig ay hindi dapat maging dahilan ito upang hindi na magmahal ang isang tao. Yon nga lang, dahil exclusive na lugar ang pinakita sa pelikula bilang hide away ay halata na may kamahalan ito at hindi abot ng budget ng isang ordinaryong sawi. Bilang therapy ay medyo mababaw ang mga pinakita sa pelikula. Maraming bulgar na salita sa mga linya ng mga pangunahing tauhan.  Maging ang mga pinagdaanang relasyon ng mga sawi ay tumatalakay sa mga sensitibong isyu ng pre-marital sex, adultery, homosexuality, at arranged marriage.  Madalas din ang mga eksena ng kalasingan bilang paglimot. Bagama’t umayos pa rin sa bandang huli ang mga buhay ng mga dating sawi, kailangan ng hinog na isipan ng manonood upang maunawaan ang mga pinagdaanan at pinagdadaanan ng mga tauhan sa pelikula. 

Don't breathe

Direction: Fede Alvarez; Cast:  Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto;   Story and Screenplay: Fede Alvarez, Rod Sayagues; Producer; Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, Fede Alvarez; Cinematography: Pedro Luque; Music Roque Baños;    Editing: Eric Beason, Louise Ford, Gardnew Gould; Genre: Horror-Suspense; Distributor: Screen Gems, Stage 6 Films; Location: Detroit, USA Running Time:  88 minutes.
Technical assessment:  3.5 
Moral assessment:  2 
CINEMA rating: V18 
Rocky (Levy) desperately dreams of moving to California with her younger sister to escape her negligent mother. So she convinces her delinquent boyfriend Money (Zovatto) and her friend Alex (Minnette) to keep breaking into the homes secured by Alex’s father until they raise enough funds. Since they only steal items instead of cash, they are usually shortchanged by their buyer. Money gets a tip about an army veteran hiding $300,000 in his house, which is located at the end of a deserted street.   Money is further emboldened to proceed with the plan immediately when they realize that the owner is blind and alone.  But the three soon find out that the blind man is not that helpless, innocent, nor merciful and soon become the prey of their own game.
The success of the Don't breathe lies in the brilliance of its cinematography and performance of Lang. Instead of relying on gore and shock value, director Alvarez drives home the chill and suspense with claustrophobic setting armed with inventive continuous shots and clever use of lights and darkness. The plot and twist cut fresh paths into one’s primal fear—the unknown. Stephen Lang is so effectively menacing yet his character puts the audience in a moral struggle: is he the victim or is he not? Cleverly woven into the main plot are the backstories of the two main characters: the blind man protecting his home and seeking restitution for the wrong done to him, and Rocky trying to escape destruction yet finding her life at risk. This further complicates the moral dilemma the audience faces, thus bringing the horror beyond the cat and mouse suspense. There are a few underdeveloped themes and over-the-top scenes but overall, Alvarez’ attack is intriguing and cohesive.
Don't breathe does not have the usual blood and gore but its inappropriateness for the younger audience stems from the unresolved morality it presents: who is justified for the crimes committed? We feel sorry and sympathetic for what our protagonist and antagonist are going through yet we see how unethical their choices are. And since neither Rocky nor the blind man will be punished, are we saying that they even out each other’s wrong doings? The movie needs a deeper and higher discourse which might be misleading for younger and immature audiences.