Film Works

Film Review: Milk

Got Milk?
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

“Milk”
Directed by: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, James Franco

“Milk” is a highly affecting film. And its greatest assets are its director and cast. As a powerful tale about love, politics, human rights, and heartbreak, this spirited portrait of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay California activist elected to a major political office, lives up to its warm, emotional, non-preachy, and surprisingly jubilant slice of contemporary history.

This compelling biopic from the “Good Will Hunting” director Gus Van Sant is expansive yet intimate. His storytelling approach is filled with both passion and purpose. The story is steeped in tragedy, but the mood is exuberant and the energy is raw and bristling. In tandem with Sean Penn’s masterful performance, this cinematic masterpiece creates sufficient depth and emotional complexity to humanize the California icon who energized a historical movement during his period. Both triumphant and disturbing, it becomes a penetrating depiction of an unconventional political figure immersed in the chaotic struggles of his era.

The film’s lessons in political history feel sincere and involving. Beautifully detailed, evocative, and convincing, the many crowd and protest scenes provide believable scope to the civil rights movement that gripped and changed San Francisco during the 70’s. And it creates a loving, humanistic tribute to Milk, the courageous gay San Francisco supervisor who, along with Mayor George Moscone, was assassinated by fellow San Francisco Supervisor Dan White.

“Milk” has a powerful story to tell. Van Sant crafts the film with a gritty, documentary-like treatment infusing archive footages with the narrative film elements to give the action the astuteness and genuineness that will further engage the viewers. It truly makes a judicious use of contemporary newsreel with a tone both impassioned and restrained. It has an unflinching eye on putting emotion, breadth, intelligence, and candor to the factual timeline of Milk’s activism, his days in politics, and right down to the moment of jarring violence that ended his life. There is no concession to mere melodrama, nor a moment wasted… It understandably and movingly centers itself on the central character who discovered that in order to make the change he thought the world should have, he had to find his voice.

Sean Penn delivers a brilliant, transformational performance as Milk. Bolstered by an unquestionably outstanding turn in this potent and involving picture, his career-topping performance is so lifelike that the film earns its smiles and tears primarily through his uncannily three-dimensional performance – as if he were born to do the part. His luminous vivacity and soulful energy is truly electrifying. He disappears behind the upright shoulders and coquettish grin of the title role with great pride. His amazing embodiment of the gay activist and political leader makes him a feisty charmer who goes beyond the pink issue. He completely disappears to make Milk one of the most charismatic figures ever seen in the big screen. And he absolutely gets the job done without resorting to caricature type of portrayal.

“Milk” boasts of a great ensemble cast. From Penn’s magnificent performance to the supporting cast’s valuable contribution in the acting department, the film marches forward with profundity and purpose. Feeling authentic in every frame, it represents a thought-provoking, cathartic tale of courage and politics. What it lacks in daring narrative, it makes up with the electric portrayal of its radical subject. Josh Brolin is no less perfect as Dan White – his character is not depicted as a cartoonish villain but as a frustrated, emotionally underdeveloped man who lashed out at a low point in his life. Emile Hirsch as the gay activist Cleve Jones, James Franco as Milk’s lover Scott Smith, Alison Pill as campaign manager Anne Kronenberg, along with the rest of the supporting and minor characters, all play significant parts on this impressive piece.

The film’s various thematic, technical and aesthetic aspects all work well for the film’s totality: direction by Van Sant, screenplay by Dustin Lance Black, cinematography by Harris Savides, production design by Bill Groom, music by Danny Elfman, editing by Elliot Graham, the actors’ and actresses’ piercing performances, and all the other facets of the film production.

“Milk” is a master class on how a film based on a true story can be mounted into a rich, uplifting, and inspiring biopic. This cinematic opus conveys the humanity of the main character with simple but effective storytelling. While most message films tend to become polarizing, this noble picture proves how films with heavy themes about events of historic significance can be intimate, accessible, artistic, and entertaining through the power of simple human expressions. The film doesn’t quite escape the clichés of the biopic genre, but within its bounds, it still finds its own place and takes advantage of it. Van Sant’s innovative and passionate direction keeps things real and authentic without diluting the film’s colorful tone. He keeps things tidy, gentle, and digestible while expertly infusing humor and poignancy to the story. The filmmaking is admirable while the film feels deeply touching.

A tribute to a political figure who brought gay rights forward, “Milk” is a genuinely powerful political film that works equally well as a story of personal triumph. It is one of the more fascinating political biopics in recent memory and an immediate classic of gay cinema.

Film Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

An Escapist Barcelona
By Rianne Hill Soriano

Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Directed by: Woody Allen
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz

Woody Allen’s Spanish fiesta “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” puts a contagious enthusiasm to the sparkling sights and sounds of Barcelona while musing on the vagaries and complications of love. It charms with the beautiful views of the Spanish city and a well-matched cast that provides smart, sunny, and frisky escapism with sly humor and witty lines. It succeeds in making itself an engaging examination of human nature and seeking one’s place of passion in art and love. It is a pleasing and fairly smart film that reveals an unexpected willingness to the enchantment of art and the overflowing emotions it riddles through.

This new vintage offering from the 72-year old Allen is a reassuring return to form with its romantic glow that recalls the rich complexities of witty and playful storytelling since the time of his “Annie Hall.” As a comeback film, it explores an intriguing take on affairs of the heart and the unique, unpredictable nature of romantic relationships. A beguiling tragicomedy, it is funny, erotic, compassionate, and thoughtful in acknowledging the maddening complexities of desire. It shows the sacrifices that people make to be happy and the serenity found in accepting life’s inevitable disappointments. Through it all, it remains unaccountably romantic in its lightweight musing on love’s infinite variety.

“Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is a rueful romantic comedy featuring two young American women on a summer holiday in Spain. They become enamored with the same painter, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture. Delightful amidst its predictabilities, the giddy romance is enlivened by the sunny Barcelona locations. Through the witty script, beautifully shot backdrop of the city, and the frequently hilarious performances, it promotes itself as a lusty travelogue making the most out of its Spanish setting and a fairytale from its voiceover treatment to the fancy restaurants, dazzling tourist attractions, plush hotel rooms, and gala gallery openings. Tonally, its fairytale-ishly European feel complements the two fascinatingly neurotic New Yorker main characters who put an ambivalent look at their relationships. The rich and wry dialogues and playful narration by Christopher Evan Welch makes it a clever dissertation of the left turns love can so easily take.

Allen’s camera looks quite liberated by the sunny locations – where he himself, along with his production team, seems enamored with Gaudi’s architecture, the Spanish guitar, and the romantically feudal locales. A film brimming with beautiful people and sceneries, the production design and cinematography by Alain Bainée and Javier Aguirresarobe mount Allen’s screenplay and treatment into a sun-speckled slice of froth, colorful whimsy, and incisive irony which places the finely sketched characters in an ideal milieu of comedy, romance, and madness.

An exhilarating, captivating, and enjoyable summer romance in an exotic city, it shows a slice of some reasonably complicated lives where the changing tides of emotion become a reminder how love, elusive and painful as it can be, can still be worth pursuing.

The acting talents are effective. The city is magnificent. The love scenes don’t get all sweaty but they turn out so sexy. The romp involving the ménage a trois among people with fluctuating interests and unbalanced libidos makes a deft path between sensuousness, vulnerability, and delusion in many ways.

Allen lets his characters have conversations with each other; thus, paving way to such delightful performances from Rebecca Hall, Scarlet Johansson, Javier Bardem, and Penelope Cruz. Hall as Vicky and Johansson as Cristina bring the depth and angst of their Manhattan characters to Spain. From Bardem’s Juan Antonio Gonzalo whose stare and words capture a woman’s heart to Cruz’s Maria Elena whose neurotic passion is artistically sexy, they bring heart to the stereotypical Latin lover characters the way it suits the story. The supporting roles including those from Patricia Clarkson as Judy Nash and Kevin Dunn as Mark Nash being expat couples in Barcelona are also wonderful. But above all, the most striking performance goes to Cruz’s amazing rendition of Maria Elena.

For all its romantic excitements and disappointments, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is a sunny film that is not just comic nor tragic, but a breezing mix of the two. And seeing the characters interact in a complex tangle of interesting relationships, it is a bittersweet meditation on art and passion and on love in its many guises. A breezy effort that generally feels like classic Allen, this meltingly sexy rom-com truly validates the tagline: “Life is the ultimate work of art.”

Film Review: Jay

Media Satirized
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

Directed by: Francis Pasion

2008 Cinemalaya entry “Jay” is both serious and hilarious. Overall, it perceives its subject with impact and resonance as it points out the many facets of TV culture. It draws a thin line between the so-called reality in the world of make believe – where journalism thrives on sensationalism – at the cost of anything and everything.

The first fifteen minutes of the film, however, seems too prolonged amidst its good intentions. It is clear what the director is pointing out in such a prologue, but personally, I think that it could have been cut shorter and still achieve its aim. Though it is a case to case basis in terms of people liking or disliking such a lengthy treatment on the subject, the dull aspects still gets the description of too long and/or too boring which are both not positive words to describe some major elements of the film. There could be people who might just lose interest on watching the film too early on, that is, on the film’s opening sequence. Nevertheless, it’s still a matter of taste for each kind of viewer.

The film’s saving grace comes after the dullness of the first fifteen minutes. From this point onwards, the film readily redeems itself with its valuable storytelling of the fate of a murdered gay teacher and the sweet manipulation of a hardworking gay TV producer. From this point on, the two perspectives showing the reality and the documentary behind the death of Jay are cleverly weaved to create a powerful film that discusses the pervasiveness of media.

The story is simple. The script is sharp. The editing is multi-layered. The storytelling is carefully crafted. The film has a heart in how the artificiality of the so-called reality shows pierces on the truth about how such supposed documentation of real life events becomes nothing more than a fictional story merely disguised as true-to-life. As a commentary on media’s manipulative ways, “Jay” has a street-smart direction and a generous dose of deadpan humor. Its good timing and clever dialogues convincingly convey the idea of how comedy can induce pain like a prick of needle going deeper and deeper.

Writer-director Francis Pasion charismatically unwraps the modern-day evil of television journalism. It shows the theatrics of a number of documentary dramas for the sake of the audience’s viewing pleasure. Outrageous and shameless, it doesn’t feel contrived in showing the lure and glamour of television as the film’s subject finds itself guiltless in preferring the forceful aesthetics and bent dramatics – with the people going gaga over seeing the most melodramatic scenes on their boob tubes and those who go crazy about appearing on television. The brave handling of the sensitive material from a writer-director with long experience in the world of producing TV shows becomes well at his advantage. He holds the film with introspection on the personal and professional life of a television worker who is imposed upon to provide the entertainment value on all his materials in the name of rating and sales.

Baron Geisler as the TV producer Jay Santiago features a precisely convincing performance – making the director’s vision realized as his character drives the story into the film’s many layers. His magnificent acting stints, from his unsavory moves on sensationalizing the truth to his cold instructions to his cameraman, effectively carry out both the sense of humor and the underlying complexities of the story’s social, moral, and even gender issues. Even his slightest movements work as part of his character as a manipulative gay TV producer who would do anything and everything, including the lack of decency and respect to a poor family’s privacy while learning the news on TV that the producer’s namesake, the murder victim Jay, was found dead inside his apartment; then asking the grieving mother to re-enact her reactions at the sight of his dead son’s body at the morgue. And though in reality it may not be something that could most likely happen, the direction and acting make such convincing scenes as asking the police to re-enact the arrest of the suspect at the expense of him escaping, then leading to a difficult chase. He delves into the grief of Jay’s family with such intrusion, and yet, with his low-key, soft-spoken, and sweetly cunning personality, he is able to exploit the bereaved family’s loss as part of the mass demand for infotainment.

The supporting roles render natural acting – further solidifying the film’s engaging treatment. Flor Salanga as Nanay Luz Mercado establishes her character well as the mother of the murdered Jay, played by RJ Payawal. Salanga renders a valuable portrayal of a mother in pain while injecting a sense of humor contributing to the fraudulent myth-making of what’s supposed to be real – the best proof to this would be her scene where she asks for another take on her re-enactment of her own grieving upon seeing his son’s dead body in the morgue. Moreso, before the camera rolls again for her another take of her hysterical weeping, she even fixes her make up to make sure that she looks good enough on cam. Coco Martin, one of the most visible actors in the independent film circuit, marks such a natural acting with his supporting role in this film; and yet, his performance here considerably tops all the films I have seen with him.

“Jay” entertains in a thought-provoking manner. It bites with its comedy. And it effectively plays around the notions of illusion and reality and all the hazy subtexts in between.

Film Review: Manay Po 2

Slapstick Overload
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

Sequel to the first “Manay Po” (2006), “Manay Po 2: Overload” continues its gay romp with the usual tradition of many comedies with gay themes. This second installment features the typical gay comedy covering the various aspects of homosexuals’ coming of age and getting through the many stages of their lives – from accepting gender identity to coming out and extending to the present and future issues and struggles of the gays in the society.

The film generally elicits laughter, but it never goes beyond its overload of slapstick. With its campy 80’s peg, it shows a dream sequence with that gay feel for a music video and beach sequences with song and dance numbers. It has a number laugh-inducing moments through its use of gay elements and language – and this becomes its most effective selling point as a comedy offer.

The sexuality issues are handled decently. However, the movie lacks much of the emotional resonance that could elevate itself from the flip-flopping goofiness of its entirety. Moreover, with so many things happening, things just get a little too indulgent with the superficiality of its comedy. And in some way, the kind of entertainment it brings to the audience just mainly recalls a combination of a number of mediocre and some badly executed local sitcoms.

The sequel keeps the story revolving around the lives of the family of Luzviminda Dimagiba (Cherry Pie Picache) and her three gay sons Oscar (Polo Ravales), Orson (John Prats), and Orwell (Jiro Manio). Now, they want to add a cute baby to their outrageous family. Being a homosexual couple wanting to produce a baby of their own, Oscar and his boyfriend Adrianne (Sid Lucero) ask the help of a baby-maker to make their dream come true. And as the Dimagibas try to figure out a solution, the ditzy Bette (Rufa Mae Quinto), along with his criminal boyfriend (Marco Alcaraz), comes just at the right time to provide the gay couple’s dire need for a baby. Meanwhile, other problems arise within the family sphere as: Luz becoming insecure when her stuntman boyfriend Gerry (Christian Vasquez) becoming too close to the showbiz worker Summer Rain (Rubi-rubi); Oscar starts showering too favorable affection for Bette that it makes Adrianne ultimately jealous and fearful of losing Oscar for the pregnant woman; Orson breaking down after finding out that his best friend-cum-love of his life, the straight guy Marky (Mike Tan), is already engaged to be married; and the youngest of the three gay siblings, Orwell (Jiro), now having identity issues bound by the confusion of whether or not to wear a gown or a pair of trousers.

“Manay Po 2: Overload” is played for fun amidst the flimsy moments found in its plot and the minimal inconsistencies with its characterization and lines. As a cinematic venture, it falls short in terms of providing something new and imaginative to the audience. Nevertheless, with its overused elements still being fun as it is, its level of craft is that of a real fun sitcom usually seen on TV. Meant for some laughs, this movie is for those with a hundred bucks and more than an hour of time to spare for a shallow gay movie treat.

As this movie is not meant to showcase acting skills, wild and crazy performances that merely show some goofing around efforts inhabit it. Acting-wise, Cherry Pie Picache still keeps up with her character as the distressed mother of three gays and an anxious woman in love with her struggling actor boyfriend played by Christian Vazquez. The three young straight actors Polo Ravales, John Pratts, and Jiro Manio reprise their gay roles as the siblings Oscar, Orson, and Orwell just like during the first installment. The sexy comedienne Rufa Mae Quinto as the dim-witted baby-maker who believes that her greatest asset is her vast knowledge of mangled quotes puts in a fun energy with her good comic timing. Replacing Luis Alandy as Polo’s lover, Sid Lucero tries to keep that balance between acting for his personal performance and blending with his co-actors within the requirements of the story. The rest of the acting performances contributing to this gay romp include IC Mendoza, Charles Christianson, Giselle Sanchez, Marco Alcaraz, Rubi-rubi, Mike Tan, Alex Castro, EJ Jallorina, Andrea Torres, and Paolo Rivero, and Jim Pebangco.

“Manay Po 2: Overload” is a riotous comedy passing through the slapstick route while getting too comfy of indulging with its comic side – more than providing such a level and quality that can bring Pinoy cinema to a better state. Well, such a responsibility for a filmmaking venture still becomes dependent on what the producers’ and filmmakers’ intentions are. And clearly, this one is meant for a mere laugh-inducing trip for the fans of the actors and actresses and the kind of audience who have enough time and money to spare for a typical movie like that of a sitcom already seen on TV.

Film Review: Notes on a Scandal

A psychological power play to remember
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

In its brief running time, ‘Notes on a Scandal’ is a pure bravura treat. This nasty sex scandal drama is engrossing and bewildering in a sensational, stylish, and psychological way. Its intensity gives an intriguing and perceptive glimpse at loneliness. And it both shows how vulnerable and how discreetly powerful and dangerous a woman can be.

Director Richard Eyre creates a riveting and disturbing drama about the desperate things loneliness can drive humans to do. And under Patrick Marber’s hands, his writing credit here is commendable in a pungent and acidic way. A character-controlling piece of a psychological power play between an obsessed teacher and her unwitting target, this adaptation from Zoe Heller’s novel becomes an intense and ironic cinematic portrait of self-destruction. It is such a disquieting material turned into an incisive script and then turned into a dramatic thriller that is played with such razor-sharp dialogues and uncompromising performances. It gives you a slice of deeply human pain from the subtle undercurrents of human strength and weaknesses. And it is so magnificent recreated that you barely notice the literality about its poisonous twists.

The film is well thought of. From the dialogues to the names of the characters to the visual design, this character-driven film is a garish account of a brutal psychological struggle. Judi Dench stars as Barbara Covett, a spinster high school teacher who draws her attention to the new art teacher Sheba Heart, played by Cate Blanchett. The vulnerable Sheba is caught in a sexual affair with one of her students, the 15-year old Steven Connolly, played by Andrew Simpson. The turn of events is deeply justified by Sheba’s bohemian character that has been ultimately dictated to be replaced by her new role as a young, responsible mother, and good wife to a husband who looks more like her father.

Manners and morals are issues that heats up the film’s demeanor. Indeed, it is a compelling story of trust and betrayal. It has unrelenting ferocity about teacher-student sex, emotional blackmail, and ultimate loneliness.

The formidable ensemble creates an amazingly passionate drive to live up to its incisive story. And their multi-layered and well-mannered portrayal gives justice to every bit of the film. Indeed, Dench and Blanchett deliver flaring performances. The film’s intention to retell a story about a haggard, spiteful, and manipulative spinster hiding her dark nature with her prolific tongue, and a willowy, vulnerable, young woman forced to the ultimate adult responsibilities and now falling prey to the youth she has lost way too early, creates an ultimate twist about vulnerability, manipulation, domination, adultery, and even lesbianism. Her imbalance is the other’s ace to break into her life and assert herself as an adviser, best friend, and even more than that. Barbara exploits the needy and imbalanced Sheba by spinning webs of supportive words to coax their relationship – while the poor, oblivious victim has no idea of her new-found confidante’s true nature. Her frailty becomes a privilege. Barbara’s coup de grace keeps up with her psychotic side accordingly. Her withering glances pry as a catastrophic domination of Sheba’s life.

Supporting performances from Bill Nighy as Sheba’s husband Richard Hart and Simpson as the hormone-driven adolescent completely work for the story. Nighy renders a validating portrayal of someone matured enough to take the destruction. Simpson makes a realistic portrayal of a young altar boy-looking student driven by his youthful passion.

With a post-politically correct presentation for such a psycho-sexual thriller, ‘Notes on a Scandal’ is a pure character-driven opus. It heats up towards its cinematic success with the pure storytelling having no need for special effects to make the audience’s jaw-dropped. Come to think of it, it is the kind of film that can also be marvelously done by the Filipino hands – simple story, prolific lines, strong directing, straightforward audio-visual design, knockout acting, and undemanding budget for its production.

Film Review: Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh

Funny and So Gay
By Rianne Hill Soriano

‘Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh’ is significantly jovial and very much gay. This movie adaptation from Carlo Vergara’s graphic novel revolves around the life of a timid-natured, heart-broken parlor queen Ada/Adrian (Rustom Padilla) who gulps a mysterious stone from the sky and transforms into the bombshell superheroine Zsazsa Zaturnnah.

As expected, this movie version has a lot of things presented in a very light and a very gay manner. From homosexuality to discrimination to sex objects to oppression, this mainstream offer from this year’s Metro Manila Film festival (MMFF) is a pretty good movie to make you laugh with its gayness without being too trying hard to become a special effects queen or an artsy fartsy princess or an airhead beauty pageant title-holder. Feel good as it is, you just have to sit back, relax, laugh at times – without it treating you as a mere dumb spectator with its elements.

The story clearly exposes various facets of being a gay. It also attempts to give various statements fighting for women� rights. The fair deal and equality of the genders become issues to reckon with. However, it falls short in making its supposedly just conviction, as it has no much difference with the usual oppressive man’s films with women literally and figuratively misused on screen. In this movie, Dodong (Alfred Vargas) becomes nothing but everybody’s sex object (including the zombies). Exposing his bare upper body almost in all his screen time, the whole town goes gaga over him while Ada/Zsazsa keeps up with the original ‘dalagang Pilipina’ bearing and represses his feelings for Dodong. Somehow, certain justifications may be given defending the idea of such a sex object being necessary to work out some good comedy in such a gay film. But come to think of it, what is the difference of this kind of presentation with the exploitation issues thrown on the discrimination of genders, particularly with the women and the gays? Women with their dignity stripped off on screen all these decades – it’s pretty much the same here… just the other way around this time (although in a light level considering the movie’s targeted MTRCB rating). It could have been better if the film leveled up a bit higher and treated the role of Dodong with a bit more gender sensitive portrayal for his comic role for the film.

From cult comicbook to blockbuster stage musical to a cinematic offer, ‘Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh’ seems inspired with its theatrical counterpart. Its being a part musical validates the casting of Zsazsa Padilla and Pops Fernandez for the heroine and villainess roles. Rustom Padilla, though not really a singer, carries his musical numbers well with his good acting and comic rendition of his songs in the movie. The townspeople and zombie production numbers are prone to becoming corny, but they turn out quite fun to watch. Though the shanty town looks obviously made-up, the theater performers contribute to the film�s seemingly intended histrionics. Some may not be able to help but compare its musical parts with the stage musical version as the latter is obviously a better version in terms of quality and performances, but considering the demands of a mainstream movie, overall, ‘Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh’ still works fine for its level.

The acting performances are a combination of good and bad. Having some additional comic musical numbers with Ada’s sidekick Didi (Chokoleit) could have meant additional funny moments. Queen Femina (Pops Fernandez) seems to peg her acting on the Miranda Priestly role of Meryl Streep for ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ Her band of extreme feminists who want to exterminate all male forms in the planet doesn’t have enough chemistry together. Actually, only Giselle Sanchez works good enough.

The budget seems meager. The special effects are not polished. At times, the turnout of the production design looks too pressed on time. Some of the songs are recorded quite flatly. Some goofs have been overlooked. A keen-eyed may see disturbing jumpcuts and quite mismatched shots. From the giant frog to the zombies to the amazonistas’ spacecraft, inconsistencies abound mainly in terms of its technical standing. Good thing the movie doesn’t radiate a trying hard aura on both its technical and thematic sides. And it never goes out from the theme in the comics apart from drawing some cinematic license. Overall, it still works for a good popcorn flick for the kind of audience it caters to in spite of the flaws seen on it.

Overall, if you just want a light and funny movie, �Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh� is a nice gay movie to watch. Sometimes, there are movies that you don�t need to think much but it still works for the entertainment part. In the end, it shall give you that light feeling after all. The only harsh thing that should be avoided really is, no matter how light and less brainy the movie becomes, just �don�t treat the viewers as dumb ones,� and it shall be appreciated. Its quality could have been better, but at least it is not trying hard and it has no much pretentions compared to the other entries.

�Zsazsa Zaturnnah� is a significant addition to Philippine pop literature: a superheroine who represents the plights and fantasies of the gay community. And it is about to join the likes of Darna and Captain Barbell in the pantheon of Pinoy superheroes and superheroines.

Film Review – Manay Po

Regal’s gay movie
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

Starring: Cherry Pie Picache, John Prats, Polo Ravales, Jiro Manio and many more
Directed by: Joel Lamangan

The gay theme of ‘Manay Po’ joins the bandwagon after the recent success of art films of the same genre including ‘Brokeback Mountain’ and ‘Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros.’ This movie may be falling under the same genre, but it is completely made for ‘masa appeal’ considering its totally mainstream presentation. With its ‘masa audience’ target, it does work with its comedy. However, there is really nothing new about this kind of movie. It is developed with the same old theme, concept, characterization, conflict, plot and storyline – just presented with new faces of actors and actresses and some new details to account for its story.

With my experience in watching this movie in a certain mall, I would like to address the moviehouses to give proper training to their ‘lagaristas.’ Indeed, it is very annoying to watch a movie with the next reel being played on the wrong cues for the whole duration of the movie. Normally, a feature film has 5 reels of prints with each print having a length of 2,000 feet. Every 90 feet is approximately 1 second of footage. And so, 1 reel is more or less 20 minutes worth of the movie. So you can just imagine how irritating it is to get bothered by either the advanced or late playing of the next print by the irresponsible, untrained or maybe undisciplined ‘lagarista/s.’ Also, though it has not happened for this movie, let me address that there are a couple of times when those people working behind the projector play some cheesy boy band, novelty songs or some other non-complementing tunes for the CBB (closing billboard) – which, obviously, are not the ones the filmmakers have made for their films. This may sound like a very trifle thing to take a look into but it is something really important because people should pay respect to the creators of the film. And even the credits is a part of the film and it should be given due respect.

‘Manay Po’ is your typical Regal movie. All the elements of a Mother Lily formula can be seen: quirks for the characters, song and dance number, a sequence in a beach as a breather – all these and even more have been seen in countless movies since the 80′s.

The movie’s mainstream comedy works. And with the more budget-friendly cost of a more advanced filmmaking technology as compared to what the not so distant past has offered, it is a great improvement to see a more digitally-enhanced OBB (opening billboard) for this movie. It may not be as spectacular as the OBBs of the likes of ‘LOTR,’ ‘Star Wars’ or ‘The Matrix,’ but at least there are efforts made nowadays to utilize digital technology for the almost always tightly-budgeted Pinoy commercial films. However, with the sound, Pinoy movies are still in the trying times – not being able to achieve good sound quality to come in par with international films. This movie, just like most Pinoy movies, gets out-of-synch with some of its dubbed lines. Although it’s minimal, it’s still a weakness.

On the surface, the comedy brought by the actors playing gay roles tends to be funny. However, they do not completely justify their gay roles as the sincerity in their acting is questionable. This may not be caused by the idea that they are straight guys in real life but this shows how far their acting can become convincing to the audience. And this becomes clearly seen with the effective punchlines thrown by the real-life gay actor IC Mendoza as compared to the acting of John Pratts, Polo Ravales and Jiro Manio.

With the story revolving around the life of Luz, a jeweler, and her three gay children Oscar, Orson, and Orwell, ‘Manay Po’ tries to project a family movie image with its wholesome and family-oriented gay theme. The various issues on identity crisis and ‘gayhood,’ the unconditional love of a mother to her children, the value of friendship, the struggle in a competitive and discriminating society, the effort to make stable relationships and overcome adolescent insecurities, the financial and emotional struggle of loved ones, and the search for freedom are all presented in the story.

Cherry Pie Picache’s efforts for her ‘S’ defect is quite obvious and it becomes inconsistent as there are times that it sounds authentic but at times she sounds too conscious of it – it looks forced on her tongue and it tends to sound fake. IC Mendoza is the most effective gay of the characters. Charles Christianson gives some good efforts for his supporting gay role, but just like the major characters John Pratts, Polo Ravales and Jiro Manio, his gay acting does not reflect a sincerely gay character still.

Many can relate to the movie’s theme and this becomes an edge for it. The ‘Magpakatotoo ka’ attitude, the manifestations of true and unconditional love, and the ups-and-downs in love and relationships – all these crawl their way towards the heart of the viewers who get to attach themselves and relate to the feelings of the characters. And it could have been better if these issues have been presented in a more creative fashion and not too contrived in a box of formula. Noticeably, particular issues as the relationship of best friends (a male and a gay) in their adolescent days do not ingeniously address the issue. It only provides a physical stream for the story. And if the viewers don’t try to analyze further, they won�t be able to dissect what the script tries to offer beyond its surface.

‘Manay Po’ is not an A-list Pinoy film but it gives the audience some laughs. And with the rising number of Pinoy films nowadays, I believe that the film industry is starting to survive death. Let’s continue to support Pinoy films, and who knows, a few years from now, great improvements may come.

Film Review – Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros

A Maxi-mum feat
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

Starring: Soliman Cruz, Nathan Lopez, JR Valentin
Directed by: Auraeus Solito

‘Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros’ is about the coming-of-age of Maxi, an outright gay at 12 years old. But this film is not your typical gay film. If gays in films are usually given the background of having no father figure resulting to them becoming gay, this time, Maxi actually becomes the mother figure of the home following the death of the only woman in the family. If gays are usually portrayed as the pathetic, often discriminated ones for either becoming a drag or a closet queens, Maxi is very much loved and endeared by his two ‘brusko’ brothers and father who are established small-time criminals in their area. If gays in films are portrayed as confused and struggling ones (having that identity-crisis), this film’s conflict doesn’t merely contest Maxi’s gender preference.

This film is not the usual film you get to watch. Its issues and ironies are presented in simple shots with fresh treatment and are presented in a very realistic way. And it doesn’t lose focus. These prove two major things: there is good direction and good screenplay. The theme of this film could have been your usual melodramatic or action-packed mainstream movie – having the elements generally seen in themes that involve crime and corruption in the slums of Manila, a gay in a family known for that ‘astig’ image and a pre-teen gay falling in love with a handsome and principled policeman.

Many scenes are exemplary. The shots are simple, without much effects, but they render well altogether. Some scenes requiring tears from the actors (like the moment of broken-hearted Maxi inside the jeepney with his brother and Maxi crying upon the revenge about to be delivered by his two brothers) are very touching and yet not too melodramatic. The dialogues are straight to the point and certain lines give poignant effect as that of Maxi saying ‘Maraming ngang kriminal sa mundo, pero iisa lang ang papa ko.’ Emotions are very much dwelled upon cinematically as they are rendered in simple but effective shots that go bulls-eye to the right feelings and intentions – presenting happiness as the full shot of the smiling Maxi in a cartwheel, apology and forgiveness as rendered in the touching ‘sipol scene,’ the moving on of the blossoming Maxi as he continues to walk his way to school with the sight of Victor from one side – all these effective scenes are seen throughout the film.

It is very interesting to play around the role of Maxi, the dearly accepted gay in the family of small-time criminals. He uncomplainingly devotes himself to serving them the way a mother would: clean the house, cook, wash clothes, mend torn clothes and even burn blood-stained clothes to save his brother from imprisonment and death. His world revolves around them and his simple pleasures of wearing make-up and girl’s clothes and playing around some beauty contest with other gays of his age. But when he meets Victor, a principled, idealistic and handsome policeman, there comes the conflict.

Apart from the good screenplay and direction, credit should also be given to the actors and actresses – from the major characters to the bit players. Nathan Lopez (Maxi) gives an uncompromising acting debut in this film. And the rest of the characters complement each other (spearheaded by JR Valentin, Soliman Cruz, Neil Ryan Sese and Ping Medina). Too bad that on some personal note, I have come to realize that being a Batibot kid of the 80′s (I’ve been religiously watching Batibot when I was around 10 years old), it’s quite hard for me to remove that image of Bodjie Pascua as Batibot’s Kuya Bodjie. And though I’ve seen his strength as an actor playing a role of a mysteriously bad policeman, the image in my head still maintains his being that Kuya Bodjie of Batibot.

A thing that bothered me amidst the excellence of the film is that there are certain angles in the story left too hanging. Personally, an issue left with a question mark may be good for the story at times. But when it’s too much, it becomes a weakness. Like with the Bodjie Pascua and Soliman Cruz encounter where their actual past means too much that it greatly affects their present grudges for each other, it could have been better if their back story together has been a bit clearer to justify the graveness of what happens in the film. With the sometimes poorly lit and raw look of the visuals, I don�t see them as weakness because the look complements the theme and story.

You don’t need a budget too big just to make an exemplary film. No special effects can save a bad script and/or a bad direction. The various layers of the storyline and the various dimensions in the characterization in this film present social issues in a new light. Its being realistic can be appreciated by both the indie and mainstream audiences alike. Intellectual and philosophical, honest and soulful, simple and entertaining, this is a ‘maxi-mum’ feat in the digital revolution and Filipino filmmaking.

Film Review – Tule

A Peep at ‘Tule’ and the Cinemanila 2005
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

Watching the digital film ‘Tule’ directed by Aureus Solito at the Cinemanila is a refreshing piece to watch inside the regular theaters. It’s good to know that a film as this one is finally given the chance to be produced and shown in mainstream theaters other than our local film festivals and film screenings at the UP Film Center and other alternative venues.

I watched the 3:20 p. m. screening last Oct. 16, 2005 at Robinsons Ermita. Before my actual review of the film, I couldn’t help but mention some disappointing instances. To begin with, prior to the 3:20 p. m. screening, as expected, there was the standard showing of the Philippine National Anthem. As my seat was somewhere at the middle area of the deluxe section, I noticed two people at my far right talking on their seats, as if not hearing the National Anthem. At the middle of the Lupang Hinirang, the girl finally stood in respect, but the guy companion didn’t at all. He could be Filipino in looks, but how would I exactly know, it was quite dark inside… But the point is, it’s a matter of respect. There’s no excuse for that, not even if you’re from another continent, except if you feel like fainting in a few seconds if you stand… What is standing for a couple of seconds for the Lupang Hinirang? It’s not too much effort like walking your way from the mall entrance to the moviehouse! Now, the worst thing was: a number of undisciplined people more barbaric than any other person I ever encountered inside a theater were present. They really ‘horrified’ me, my companions, and even the other people watching the film. Was it because not even half of the seats were occupied that they forgot they weren’t inside a ‘palengke,’ nor probably in the comfort of their own homes? Imagine, somebody talking to another person from his cellphone from my far left… his voice was even louder than the sound of the film! This went on for more or less 10 minutes. People were reacting. Some were even shouting at the barbaric one. A guy nearby even yelled at the inconsiderate being saying, ‘Lumabas ka na!’ But he didn’t care at all. A few minutes after, there you go again with another group of barbaric people doing basically the same thing: chit-chatting inside the theater in maximum volume. I couldn’t be entirely sure if it was a group of pranksters spread around the theater making the lives of the real audience miserable. Some even had their cellphones ringing at times. What ever happened to the cinema audience then? And with the cinema staff of Robinsons Ermita, I was just hoping they would do some actions for those instances, hopefully, next time, in case the barbarians attack once more. Or better yet, may I just address this request to all moviehouses. My apologies, I just couldn’t help but mention them. Give respect. Earn respect.

Now, moving on with my real purpose here…

‘Tule’ explores a number of issues and abstractions of folklore, mysticism and rural life. Poetic as it is, the film is equipped with its director’s power for visual storytelling with the combining elements of simplicity and complexity, symbolisms, parallelisms and experimental touches. Its facet of vagueness promotes both the ethnic and mystical context texturizing the storyline. Its uninhibited but unexploited showing of sexual parts and acts proves to be an effective work bound within the grounds of the film language. The screenplay and treatment for the film show different perspectives that can make the audience think. The people watching the film can prove themselves intelligible. Moreover, the film does not lose focus on its very intentions. The director and the writer know what should be and should not be shown – and maintain an audience�s heart for the story’s turn of events.

The story tackles basic issues on woman empowerment, the struggle in a patriarchal society set in the rural area, the basic Filipino traditions and way of life, and some conflict between Catholicism and the lore on mystical beliefs. It is commendable that although the story engages in very much used concerns in the society brought into the big screen, the treatment goes as far as visually rich within its rawness, realistic within its mystical weaving. The plot unexpectedly jumps into something people would really cling on – and seek for its ending. I don’t want to blurt out the major twists to let the people enjoy watching it still.

The story delves into the painstaking experiences of a girl suffering from the hands of a typical drunkard father who is also known as the man behind the circumcision of almost all the boys in town. The establishing of the story has been focused during the Lenten season. And so, we see scenes of the pasyon, senakulo, sacrifices and charging of ‘anting-anting.’ The story progresses with the exposition of typical Filipino traditions/practices like serenading, the ordinary day for a young working girl selling ‘kakanin’ and ‘monay’ around the barrio, playing ‘sungka’ as a past-time, bathing in a refreshing ‘batis,’ and the flourishing of love and attraction in a simple rural town. It also depicts the hearsays, ‘chismis’ and ‘pamahiin,’ the different stories of the elders, the typical bullying of the weaklings, and the domination and the questioning of a patriarchal society.

With a passive and nothing more than a loving, martyr mother (Eugene Domingo) enduring both the physical and emotional baggages brought by her abusive husband (Bembol Roco) and whose only means to express herself is to cry, and a best friend (Vanna Garcia) who suffers from a past love and loses her unborn baby, the character of Desiree del Valle builds her own strength, will and courage to stand for her redemption and the liberation of the women in her society.

Carlo Aquino’s grandmother in the film tries to add color to the story. Carlo gives justification to the various symbolisms and suggestive thoughts for the theme. Personally, there have been clashing expectations from my end as having been able to watch past films and videos of Aureus Solito vis-a-vis the mainstream image of the lead characters headed by Desiree, Vanna and Carlo. Vanna’s performance is the most inconsistent of the three. Some of her crying scenes have been quite a drag and unconvincing. With Desiree, her very image in the public has helped in putting an effective impression of her strong, rebellious character on screen.

Aside from the utilization of parallelisms like the inheriting of the ‘anting-anting,’ the job of circumcising and the showing of some phallic symbols, the elements of nature and folklore are very much apparent – they seem to have much affinity with the director. The ‘tuhog shots’ are quite effective for emotional build up in most scenes. The raw and realistic look from the 3 DOPs (directors of photography) who have worked for the project are okay. The musical score generally complements the visuals. But there are certain points where, though minimal, it turns against the visuals. The live sound is okay. But overall, as I always get to see in our local films, the sound editing is again, quite a problem here – well, not way too bothering but the sound editing is noticeably not much a priority in productions, especially, those having conservative budgets.

I find the action scene of Carlo defending Desiree and her family from the hands of the townspeople quite corny. Although it has been planted ahead of time in an impressive array of shots that are very commendable in lighting and composition, still, it has looked funny upon execution. It could have been too abrupt that a ‘mano-mano (suntukan)’ could have been a bit better, perhaps. With justifying the portrayal of typical rural girls’ whereabouts, know-hows and personalities, a perfectionist’s eyes could question the too elitist ways of walking of the 2 ladies hopping on rocks across a fresh body of water – knowing that in reality, any person who has grown up within the area could have done such fast enough like having an ordinary walk in the pedestrian lane.

Capturing the audience in this film doesn’t rely on the visual play of light and composition but more on its content and treatment. In fact, the cinematography is quite rough and too dark at some point (talk about the mainstream look), and yet, it is rather effective for the story. Though it has some flaws, I recommend that you watch this film still – as it is as invigorating as touching the fresh body of water you get to watch on screen. The Cinemanila gives you this rare chance to watch new perspectives and various looks on filmmaking. It is sad to know that the turnout of audience is quite low. Personally, in as much as I would want to watch a number of entries, the busy working schedule and the proximity somehow hinder me from watching more. I do hope that there would be other venues in the near future that can cater to the screening of such films – through a more solid support from both the government and private institutions that can extend more help for the enrichment of the Philippine cinema.

Film Review – Masahista

Watching The Masseur
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

Starring: Coco Martin, Alan Paule, Katherine Luna
Directed by: Brillante Mendoza

‘Masahista,’ Brillante Mendoza’s debut feature, has earned its place in the arena of international film festivals. After Locarno and Toronto, it already boasts of various screenings around Europe, North America and Asia. This minimalist film explores the story of the conflicting pressures in the life of Iliac (Coco Martin), a young, handsome masseur struggling inside the gay massage parlor – where he earns for a living – and the gloomy bounds of his family life as reflected in his relationship with his father who has just passed away.

Iliac meets the gay romance novelist (Alan Paule) inside the confines of the gay brothel as he performs his nightly duty as a masseur. On the one hand, his family deals with the funeral of his father back in their Pampangueno barrio. The front story clearly defines what is really happening in Iliac’s everyday life. And it is as clear that the theme and the genre try to expose a deeper meaning to the issue being dealt on. However, on a personal note, there are many cliches that has had nothing much new with the style and treatment. But still, putting things in good light, it has carried on a good path to convey its message as it kicks off in the international scene.

The mise-en-scene sets a minimalist approach. The elements are utilized within the basics. The premise of struggling within the thin walls of a gay massage parlour and the inner oppressiveness and grief for the loss of a rather irresponsible father play around various intercutting of homosexual acts and funerary rites. It exposes characters as straightforward as the basic and usual imagery people may see in stories that render such subjects as gay acts and a son not having a father figure.

Personally, I needed more thrust to enjoy the film. My concern is not merely within the bounds of both its simplicity and depth but on the execution of the visuals. The composition of shots are okay, but sometimes, the lighting, though it attempts to show a gripping realism, makes the scene convincingly lit to favor the camera. It could have maintained a peg on realism suggesting a dark, depressing or contemplative mood without a feel that its source of light is more than what it should have. At some point, the lighting has not been able to catch up with the realistic production design showing the tangible situations on the life of Iliac. But there are certain shots that jive with its chosen undertones. The minimalist sound design is effective but some images become a drag. The enthusiasm for watching tends to go down from middle to end. Some of the characters have contributed much, but unfortunately, some have been lame enough in their acting. Focusing on topping off the potentials of the major characters, the film somehow loses touch on refining the acting of the smaller characters/bit players. For these, the distinction becomes clear on screen – and the film’s heart gets to lose its edge and this becomes one of its weaknesses.

The shots of the chiseled bodies of the masseurs rubbing scented oils on their gay customers’ bodies are valid and actually effective within the film’s theme. The mood, the timing, and the drama inside the confines of each room are operative. The various high-angled shots of them inside the different rooms have been good. Its repetitiveness relays a good point. But these shots become dragging after some time. Soon after, I had the yearning to see a more creative way of continuing and extending that point. On the latter part, its repetitiveness already becomes tiring on screen and tends to make some of the viewers think of issues of being somehow inhibited to graphically show too much on screen – considering such a sensitive subject being presented. The film’s source of power also becomes its source of weakness at times.

Some shots are metaphorically contemplative as the flickering lights of the Giant Lanterns Festival which tries to make flashes of what Iliac’s life has been and could be. The story also invests on the depiction of the various characters in the story as the dubious gay writer who becomes Iliac’s customer, Iliac’s pathetic and semi-mad girlfriend (Katherine Luna), the different workers inside the massage parlor and the gay customers having their various reasons for knocking on their doors, and Iliac’s grieving family. The embalming scene gives a certain strike in the audience’s mind. The effective use of silence to match the gripping visuals is utilized well.

The film draws its power from its composed imagery and simple treatment, but loses some touch with them at some point. The presentation could have been tighter and more cohesive to further promote its very own portrait of contradictions and social and political statements. Nevertheless, its undertones portraying a receptive understanding in the issues dealt with in the story prove to be an effective way to capture the hearts of the various cultures of the world – as seen in its international success. Its poetic simplicity has made a mark in the foreign eyes.