THE FILMSOC REVIEWS: TRANSIT (Hannah Espia, 2013)

Directed by: Hannah Espia

Written by: Giancarlo Abrahan and Hannah Espia

93 mins.

Reviewed by: MACKY MACARAYAN

Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 FILM REELS

The subject of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) on film hits directly home because one way or another, we have at least one immediate or distant relative working in a foreign country. We remember Vilma Santos coming home from abroad only to find her daughter, played by Claudine Barretto wasting away in ANAK, or Sharon Cuneta's teacher going overseas to work in a retirement home in CAREGIVER, heck even the superstar Nora Aunor as she faces her grim fate in THE FLOR CONTEMPLACION STORY, a film culled straight from the headlines. In summation, we understand the complex issues of working overseas because we are very much oriented with it- it has become part of our culture. 

TRANSIT, the debut full-length feature of Hannah Espia takes a controversial issue as a jumpoff point and expands there. In 2010, non-resident children in Israel faced the threat of deportation unless they met the residency criteria, which includes having lived there at least five years, be able to speak Hebrew, and enrollment in an Israeli school. To us, this is new information and probably majority of those who saw TRANSIT only learned of this issue after seeing the film. Espia's heart is in the right place, and while watching TRANSIT one can feel her passion to discuss this subject through the humanity of its victims. 

The film revolves around the welfare of four year-old Joshua (Marc Justine Alavarez), who is evidently a target of said Israeli law. Despite all the precaution, Joshua is still at a tender age. He does not fully understand the circumstances, that at any time he and his father Moises (Ping Medina) may be set apart. His innocence is heartbreaking.

Segmented into various perspectives that give emphasis on its main characters, we view the story from multiple angles- that of Moises and his ordeal to safeguard his son, of Janet (Irma Adlawan) who takes care of Joshua while Moises is away on work, of Yael (Jasmine Curtis-Smith) the misunderstood teenage daughter of Janet, and of Tina (Mercedes Cabral), the optimistic newbie who also learn the harsh reality of policy changes in Israel. 

Most exciting is when we get to the POV of the kid, Joshua as he unwittingly becomes the cause for an ordeal that he neither expected nor wanted. Through breathtaking cinematography, crisp editing and a narrative that is always compelling at every junction, TRANSIT holds our empathy and corners us as if it were ourselves risking everything for our family. 

A lot of viewers commented that Cabral's character was unnecessary to the story. I think it is Espia's prerogative to inject a character, a newbie for more dynamism, so we can have someone whose optimism will eventually backfire, shedding light therefore on the true face of the greener pasture. In all respect, this is Mercedes Cabral's finest role, a role which suits her and does not exploit her as a sex symbol or as another stereotype. Cabral was lovely in THY WOMB, but it's her Tina in TRANSIT that I shall remember her for.

Ping Medina is always reliable especially in a complicated character role, which demands for complex emotions. Having inherited his father's skill and charm, Ping Medina takes these talents and modifies them resulting in performances with utter conviction. See him in this movie as he defends custody of his kid to an immigration officer. 

Irma Adlawan makes even the crappiest material look like genius, so here in a noteworthy material she steals the scene every time she appears. One glimpse of her here and I knew the race for the Best Actress in the New Breed category at Cinemalaya Year 9 is over. You've seen Irma get angry before (TUKSO, SANTA NINA, SA NORTH DIVERSION ROAD) but I bet you've never seen her get angry...in Hebrew!

TRANSIT, I think has earned the attention of moviegoers and critics and the panel of jurors because of its social relevance, and the neatness of the material. We can be proud that a film this gorgeous and yet so tenderly poignant at the same time, and was shot in a foreign country is possible for a Filipino independent production, and for an emerging filmmaker at that. So this is the bar right now. If TRANSIT was made possible, what's your excuse now? (As a shoutout to local films shot  abroad for the sole purpose of having shot there.)

     

THE FILMSOC REVIEWS: DEBOSYON (Alvin Yapan, 2013)

Written and Directed by Alvin Yapan

85 mins

Reviewed by: MACKY MACARAYAN

Rating: 5 out of 5 FILM REELS

You cannot walk into a screening of an Alvin Yapan film without at least a basic knowledge of Philippine literature and/or folklore. I may not fully understand every element or idea in his films, but I know I enjoyed the experience of guessing and sitting back, observing what is not said. With his latest film DEBOSYON, Yapan traverses the line where religion and folklore intersect, and tells his story as if in a dreamlike manner.

Mando (Paulo Avelino), a devotee of the Virgin of Penafrancia travels to the mountains to gather orchids to sell in town. He falls off a tree and is knocked unconscious, waking up later surrounded by bright flames, bidding him to encounter a mysterious woman in the middle of the night. He is again knocked unconscious. Moments later, he awakes to find himself nursed back to health by Saling (Mara Lopez), the same woman he saw earlier. She accepts her at her home for the time being, where Mando slowly and surely falls under Saling's charm and enigma. 

He beckons Saling to come down to town for the festivities of the Penafrancia feast, but Saling says an ancient curse prevents her from leaving the mountains. This confuses and riddles Mando.

Like Yapan's previous work ANG SAYAW NG DALAWANG KALIWANG PAA, DEBOSYON is rich with literary elements and the words, especially when employed into song makes for a lullaby, hushing us into a dream in a secluded forest where time seems absent. Complemented with the beautiful cinematography by Dexter Dela Pena and a smooth editing by Chuck Gutierrez, the film takes its time within frames to allow us to examine the minutest detail: the color of leaves, the silence in the background, and the increasing tension between Mando and Saling. In its brief running time, Yapan was able to convey his message across- that perhaps religion and folklore are no different from each other, on the basis that both relies heavily on faith, and that our need to believe fuels the reality of what is, or what appears to be.

The backdrop is particularly majestic, especially when images of the famous Mount Mayon are flashed onscreen and juxtaposed with Saling manifesting into Mando's dreams. In fact, DEBOSYON is one of those films where the meatiest parts are those where there is silence. 

From the title itself, this is a film about faith, about beliefs, about devotion, and from what I just saw, where Alvin Yapan took us is a hell of a beautiful journey- a journey not without peril but heavy on mystery, uncertainty and stunning imagery. 

THE FILMSOC REVIEWS: QUICK CHANGE (Eduardo Roy Jr, 2013)

Written and Directed by Eduardo Roy Jr.

82 minutes

RATED R18

Reviewed by: Macky Macarayan

RATING: 4 out of 5 FILM REELS

QUICK CHANGE is a satire of sorts, a peek into what madness has become of Filipinos' obsession with outer beauty, and at the same time a character study of a middle-aged transsexual trying to fit in a world slowly crumbling around her.

Played with comic timing and utmost sincerity by Mimi Juareza, the lead character Dorina acts as the means for catharsis. She has an infidel lover (played by Jun Jun Quitana), an age that cannot be denied and cannot seem to withstand competition from prettier and younger gays, and ironically, an underground cosmetic surgery business in peril of one day catching up with her. 

In a macro view, Dorina sees it all while being a part of a cruel social phenomena herself. She gives collagen injections to gays who want to buff up their cheeks, or their breasts (and even guys who want to enlarge their "asset"), but at the end of the day she is still in need of acceptance as a woman, or rather as a human being. She understands the demand for collagen injection, and this is where she earns profit, but soon she realizes what aftermath her shady business may actually bring.

While a colorful documentation of the lives of its characters, QUICK CHANGE also acts as a socially-relevant canvas well aware of its milieu and how best to inject (excuse the pun) irony into its subject matter. Al Pacino playing the devil in THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE said that vanity is his favorite sin, and it is here that we see the excesses of vanity and how it destroys countless lives. Every time a needle goes through skin, we are squeamish. The devil is in the details. 

The script is well-written, too. I liked the character of Dorina as a de facto mother, complete with a husband and an (adoptive) son (Miggs Cuaderno) and yet the equation is incomplete because of a physical limitation that seems to render Dorina less of a woman. The dialogue is laced with spicy one-liners, too which feels authentic because the casting choices were absurdly wonderful . The conversation comes out more natural.

Mimi Juareza is magnificent here, with her brand of underacting that may be compared as to that of Nora Aunor, exhibiting extensive emotions even at the slightest of gestures. The climax where Dorina just sits in her bed and slowly sobs is visually arresting. 

The ending though is somewhat overlong, and confusing. While I do get that the business of illegal cosmetic surgery will still continue, what has become of Dorina? There are about three endings to the movie when the plot could actually be demanding only one. 

THE FILMSOC REVIEWS: SANA DATI (Jerrold Tarog, 2013)

Directed by: Jerrold Tarog

Screenplay by: Jerrold Tarog (billed as Ramon Ukit)

100 minutes

Reviewed by: Macky Macarayan

Rating: 5 out of 5 FILM REELS

First, a socio-political commentary; then, a supernatural drama, and; finally, a love story. Jerrold Tarog completes his Camera trilogy with SANA DATI, a thematic collection of films involving the element of camera or the capture of images which began with CONFESSIONAL, and folllowed by MANGATYANAN (THE BLOOD TRAIL). For those of us who are fortunate enough to have followed Tarog's work, SANA DATI is that Christmas gift that arrived early. The film exposes Tarog as a closet romantic, because the unfolding of events work like a Russian doll, where layer upon layer of revelation slowly lingers into our consciousness, until the whole story is brought to light. 

I'd like to call SANA DATI an unconventional love story, first because the premise is gripping. A woman on her wedding day is troubled with the arrival of a mysterious man who reminds her of the man she truly loves. The woman is played by Lovi Poe, who seems glamorous playing troubled brides (remember GMA's soap YESTERDAY'S BRIDE?), while the man is Paulo Avelino, charming but no less enigmatic. What is he really doing at the bride's wedding? Who is he? And why is the bride upset all of a sudden?

The guy playing the groom is TJ Trinidad, whose character is also well-drawn. Somewhere in the movie, we would be wishing for a RUNAWAY BRIDE scene where Lovi is Julia Roberts and Paulo is Richard Gere, or even a Mariah Carey-Wentworth Miller ending a la WE BELONG TOGETHER, but Tarog makes the equation much harder to define in simple terms: he makes the seemingly villain a three-dimensional character, and by the way the film turns out in the end, we are shocked with the character development of the groom. Trinidad puts his best foot forward, and that scene at the altar is executed with unflinching conviction that we readily root for him, even if we are uncertain what the heck is going on.

In fact, we will be asking ourselves countless times whether or not the wedding will push through. The film is a love story but unravels a la suspense thriller that we wonder who's going to end up with who. Like the bride, we feel the tension of the wedding and the social expectations it entails. 

Benjamin Alves, in a role that I would rather not say for the sake of those who haven't seen the film yet, is equally dashing and dreamy. Truly, SANA DATI is an ode to lovers, if only for the pain of unpredictability. Tarog was keen enough to quote Voltaire at the beginning of the movie, which foreshadows later events in the film. 

One issue I have with the film though is the shaky handheld feel of the movie during its first half, but if the objective is to make it look like a wedding footage, and also to compliment the ambiguous turn of sequences during the first half, then Tarog and Director of Photography Mackie Galvez succeeds. By second half, as the story takes shape, the shots become neater, steadier. That rooftop scene where Lovi Poe stands on the ledge with Paulo Avelino behind him is just pure bliss.

The music by Jerrold Tarog (ikaw na! or in English, you already!) is hypnotic and surreal, and when partnered with a chilling ending theme from Up Dharma Down, the experience is unforgettable. I wasn't able to get off my seat even after the credits are through. 

SANA DATI is a rarity among the romantic genre in local cinema, a platform often plagued by stereotypical characters (i.e. rich girl, poor boy or vice versa), unnecessary catfights (hello, NO OTHER WOMAN) and "kilig" factor that exists solely for the tween crowd (too many to mention). SANA DATI's romanticism stems from its premise, and the clever editing of scenes, where we are left wondering what's going to happen next. 

Just for SANA DATI alone, I'd like to call Jerrold Tarog the most romantic contemporary Filipino filmmaker. Watch the film with a special someone, or with a friend you can banter with afterwards. The film is so rich an experience to be savored alone.     

THE FILMSOC REVIEWS: THE DIPLOMAT HOTEL (Christopher Ad Castillo, 2013)

Written and Directed by: Christopher Ad Castillo

86 mins.

Reviewed by: Jerunia Fuertes

RATING: 2 out of 5 FILM REELS

The film tells the story of Veronica Lansang, a once popular reporter who took a controversial footage that caused her career to fade in a snap. Wanting to come back to the reporting scene, Veronica accepted a job that no one else would want to take. Veronica and her team were tasked to spend one night at the infamous hotel that lies atop Baguio City, The Diplomat Hotel. Veronica is eager to finish her documentary feature on the establishment’s dark, horrid and bloody past, its previous owner’s secrets and the reason why no one has inhabited the establishment since then, however, as the night deepens, several uncharted and disturbing events happen to Veronica and her team.

The Diplomat hotel’s plot isn’t very far from your usual mainstream horror movie since it features a group exploring a haunted place and has strange things happening to them along the way. However, the movie seemed very promising since the location of the shoot was an actual haunted place in Baguio City so I thought that the eerie feeling of the place would add to the authenticity of the ‘horror’ element in the movie. Also, the cast was quite promising too, having Mon Confiado along with Posas stars Art Acuña and Nico Antonio in it, the execution would be quite something to see.

Having said that, it is really sad that the movie was not able to exploit neither the place nor the actors’ full potential; the ‘fear’ element was blatantly given by the place itself however it did not push through because of the weak script, poor acting and shaky editing.

It was puzzling that ‘poor acting’ was included because most of the actors have delivered outstanding performances in other films that they’ve starred in. Mon Confiado is a very effective ‘kontrabida’ or bad guy and both Art Acuña and Nico Antonio have delivered very effectively in the movie Posas, an entry in Cinemalaya 2012. It felt like the genuineness of each character was lost because of over stylizing things. The wardrobe was a little too spot on and in your face which is far from reality. Sound assistants don’t always wear big headsets when they’re not on a job and makeup artists and stylists don’t always look overdone especially when they are going to a location shoot.

Gretchen Barreto’s acting also failed to convey the ‘powerful’ news reporter type. Sure, she did look the part, but she didn’t come close to playing the part. However, during the scenes where she was walking the corridors of the haunted establishment alone, genuine fear would be felt which may have been contributed by the fact that Gretchen was really afraid of the place-  almost the reason for her not to accept the role.

The dialogue between characters was rather weak because there was never a moment which gave a huge ‘bam!’ The script was dull and anticlimactic and somewhat repetitive. It gave the feeling that it was rehearsed and unnatural in some parts, like when Veronica was begging for her job back, she was pleading but there wasn’t any kick to it, which supposedly has that feeling because an aggressive news reporter was begging, imagine Miss Cheche Lazaro having to beg for a job, which was how it should feel.

The editing was a bit of an issue too because it is very noticeable that several shots were cut and spliced into another scene and every so often, the voice goes out of sync. It also felt like they have given too much time on certain scenes that would make the movie fine even without that much exposure of the scene. The long scenes may have had given a monotonous feeling to the movie. However, the musical scoring did a pretty decent job on setting the mood for the film, also the long ‘silent’ at the beginning elicited several reactions from the audience making them anticipate for what was to come.

The Diplomat Hotel might be one of the forgettable films in Cinemalaya this year because it didn’t very much explore the horror and suspense genre. Aside from tackling a pretty common story line in horror films, the scaring tactics, suspense build up and style is pretty much what we see in regular horror films. Having a location shoot in an authentic haunted place was pretty intruiging and makes it more realistic and believable, giving the filmmakers advantage to explore all the potential of the place and the movie as well. However, the execution may have not given justice to the advantage that they already have.

THE FILMSOC REVIEWS: EKSTRA (2013, Jeffrey Jeturian)

 

Directed by: Jeffrey Jeturian

Screenplay by: Jeffrey Jeturian, Antoinette Jadaone, and Zig Dulay

111 mins.

Reviewed by: Macky Macarayan

RATING: 5 out of 5 FILM REELS

Vilma Santos in her long and illustrious career in cinema has her playing a stripper (BURLESK QUEEN), a dying woman (DAHIL MAHAL KITA, PAHIRAM NG ISANG UMAGA), the other woman (RELASYON), a superhero (DARNA), a freedom fighter (SISTER STELLA L), countless mothers (ANAK, BATA BATA PAANO KA GINAWA, DEKADA '70, IN MY LIFE) and sometimes even a tormentor (SINASAMBA KITA) yet what EKSTRA, her new indie film offers is something we have never seen Vilma do- underacting. The role demands it, and Vilma more than handsomely gives her finest performance as a bit player.

The screenplay, penned by Jeffrey Jeturian (TUHOG, KUBRADOR), Antoinette Jadaone (SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION FROM LILIA CUNTAPAY), and Zig Dulay (HULING HALIK) is peppered with countless dashes of humor, that even non-workers in the entertainment industry will find funny. For those who work or have worked in the entertainment industry/similar media, the laughs will be relentless. The one-liners and the sarcasm explode like time bomb. Watch out for Vincent De Jesus (who plays the Assistant Director or "AD" in the movie). Heck, even Ate Vi exacts her subtle brand of humor in this movie.

For those of us working in the media, EKSTRA hits home, chillingly home. We know how the  production staff gets irate faster than Taylor Swift can write a song about an ex-boyfriend because they, too get scolded by their superiors. The director verbally assaults the AD; the AD tortures the casting director and the production assistant (PA); the PA harasses the talents and the talents cannot complain simply because they have none under them- they are the bottom of the food chain, the lowest of the low. Even the caterers take them for granted. 

We know all of this because we've experienced it, one way or another. 

As Loida Malabanan, Ate Vi shines even in anonymity. She is supposed to fade into the background, not outshine the "stars" and just do what is assigned her- to be a bit player. But even in the crowd, Ate Vi makes Loida stand out. She gives Loida the bit player enough motivation, and a poignant love for the acting craft that she has forever changed the image of the bit player, in the same way that she redefined the term "mistress" when she did Ishmael Bernal's RELASYON way back.

For the director, the staff and the big stars, Loida is a nobody. But for us, the audience, we recognize Loida's magnanimity. Watch out for that pivotal scene in the third act where Loida, and us the audience learns the true meaning of ingratitude in the media.

EKSTRA is Vilma's movie. We cannot imagine any other actress for her role. At the end of the day, as Loida descends from the jeepney, and prepares to go to bed just about when everyone is supposed to go to work, we feel exhausted. It's not the physical work that made us tired, but the system of a dog eat dog society. 

Filmmaker Jeffrey Jeturian, through Loida exposes the hypocrisy of the thankless and unjust world of entertainment, and after that whole bout of laughing and laughing and crying afterwards, we are forever changed. Yeah right, like you didn't already know you were gonna cry after seeing the trailer.

EKSTRA, in all boldness and certainty is the best Filipino film of the year, so far. Some often compare it to Jadaone's 2011 mockumentary SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION FROM LILIA CUNTAPAY, and I admit that there are obvious similarities, but EKSTRA and SIX DEGREES are in different leagues of their own. EKSTRA is the ultimate tribute to the millions of bit players in the industry, made even more grandiose by having "the star for all seasons" play as one of them.  

Cross published in: DEATH OF TRADITIONAL CINEMA