All About the Odds of Trying Hard
By Rianne Hill Soriano
“All About Steve” is all about that screwball comedy offer starring an A-list star trying to carry the movie’s second-rate slapstick gags and awkward schmaltz. And it turns out to be an oddly creepy series of interminable goofball moments missing more than a few crucial screws.
The film unfolds like some formulaic mash-up of cardboard characters seen for the thousandth time in the big screen. Packaged as a romantic comedy but devoid of the touching elements of good comedy and romance, the movie’s all-out, gawky commitment to comic flair doesn’t serve it well. It’s often times bland and consistently preposterous. Its quirky bearing attempts to show the power of words in Sandra Bullock’s character as a tediously kooky constructor of crossword puzzles for a Sacramento newspaper. However, nothing much render authentically while watching the film. And perhaps, its kind of saving grace is that there are still a couple of goofs working to induce some laughs that can already be acceptable to the regular moviegoers who do not demand for a high quality cinematic offer for their paid tickets.
Bullock as the eccentric crossword puzzle constructor Mary Horowitz who falls in love for the handsome cable news cameraman Steve (Bradley Cooper) after their short blind date both works and does not work. Generally, she can pull off such a fluffily quirky character with her talent and on-screen charm. Yet, the very film itself falls short on maximizing what she can do for it. Here, the heroine’s peculiar desperation makes the audience feel more pity for her than actually rooting for her. The movie meshes with too many ideas without sticking to one solid track, leaving the main character flailing in such a ridiculous role. Worse, as nothing much feels authentic even in a screwball comedy sense, it even elicits unintentional giggles at certain times that it actually seeks to deliver a serious message.
The idea behind “All About Steve” has some potential, but then it slides off into a hokey succession of comic events. Without any footing in reality, not much of the characters are recognizable enough in the sphere of human existence that further hinders the viewers to actually relate to such supposedly possible situations in a person’s life. The audience could care less about these superficial and too animated characters rendered in a not so good light. It’s low on laughs and satirical bite because its kind of humor comes from awkwardness. It’s a sort of anti-romance romantic comedy could have worked if the script and direction were improved. Yet the film is unable to control the poor tone of the scenes which considerably leaves the audience unsure whether to laugh or cry by the film’s climax. There are some discontinuities that are very apparent as well. One particular scene to show this is when Mary writes the truck driver’s license number on her left arm in black permanent marker during the hitching a ride scene. However, when she gets out of the truck as the same day moves forward, there is nothing written on her arm anymore.
The characters seem based around the shrillest, most obvious characters imaginable. As a goofball ugly ducking type, Bullock is in between a socially awkward character and an annoying weirdo who stalks the instant love of her life. Something that this movie glaringly lacks is the combination of comic wits and charming humor. There is a minor elevation of emotional resonance by the last part of the film through hardcore sellout music and mainstream formulaic juxtaposition of shots. Yet, even the supposedly key parts like when Mary tearfully confesses that she wears her red boots because they make her toes “feel like ten friends on a camping trip,” it doesn’t sell enough as how it is intended to be. Cooper’s Steve, along with the other major and supporting cast members try their best to deliver such outlandish, cartoony characters. However, the film’s issue on script and treatment doesn’t really work out to their advantage. Thomas Haden Church as Hartman Hughes attempts to throw in some good hearty laughs. Stereotype is what Ken Jeong as Angus and Mary’s newfound fellow weirdo friends radiate. And too bad, this latest entry on Bullock’s long list of movies aren’t even close to the type of screwball comedy she is capable of making.
November 3rd, 2009
Posted by
Rianne |
Comedy,
Film Review,
Films,
Flicks,
Hollywood Films,
Love Story |
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Capitalizing on a High School Scare Flick
By Rianne Hill Soriano
“Jennifer’s Body” works more as a teen sex ad that seeks pleasure on seeing Megan Fox looking high school foxy as a scarily hot horror queen in the usual scare flick set-up. And it could probably work best for midnight screenings and slumber parties. Overall, it’s not as frightening as it should be; it’s not as hip and funny as it would like to be; yet, it’s not a complete disaster if merely accepted as a lowbrow gore and titillation offer to hormone-raging audiences and undemanding slasher film lovers.
As a brisk, bloody mix of gory horror and high school comedy punctuated by the typical scare elements and high school cheekiness, the film hobbles with tonal inconsistencies because of merely concentrating on having two-dimensional characters. It fails to capitalize on its campy premise about the usual girl-in-distress who would latter go to the opposite side of the fence – which could have effectively worked side-by-side the commercial appeal of Fox who plays the lead character of the film. Actually, there are moments of inspired cleverness and decent scares, but they are not frequent or sustained enough.
The film seems to want a lot but it doesn’t manage to achieve them accordingly. Screenwriter Diablo Cody (Oscar winner for her “Juno” screenplay) has a few good points to make about the frenemy dynamics in a high school setting including teenage relationships and connections, party fun, fame and power plays, sexual excitement, among other things. Director Karyn Kusama tries to mount a certain atmosphere in what it’s like to be adolescent girls who come into sexual and social power through tragedies. However, the final output still looks amateurish that the film actually renders itself as a lackluster scare flick. The good intentions doesn’t get to deliver well, perhaps because of some mainstream requirements to do this and that to maintain its formulaic cash cow bearing. Kusama seems torn between the duty to female empowerment and the movie’s slasher conventions that the main character is not really defined that effectively. Even Fox’s performance makes it hard to measure up to the ideal character development that the audience should see on her. And while it wants to put that higher level of tone and treatment in itself, it gets too lost in trying to be hip, current, alternative, and mainstream all at the same time.
“Jennifer’s Body” actually takes a common theme on slasher films – the panicky fascination with female sexuality which grows to become a weapon of evil. However, the movie doesn’t live up to its full potential because of many things, part of which is its clunky pace, some distracting elements in the screenplay, and the film’s reliance on Fox’s fame to sell tickets. The idea of Fox playing an evil high school beauty queen who eats the boys she seduces definitely sounds sellout interesting primarily in the box office. Yet, the film is neither cringe-inducingly frightening nor laugh-out-loud funny. It is punctuated by gory episodes and high school fun moments, but much of them are not explored well enough – lacking in suspense and surprise to raise the potential of bringing some real cinematic power to itself.
Though Fox as Jennifer and Amanda Seyfried as Needy considerably work well as high school frenemies in the story, especially in terms of chemistry, their thinly conceived and underdeveloped characterizations, along with the heavy-handed direction of the film, leave little to make their characters fully desirable in terms of cinematic brilliance.
November 3rd, 2009
Posted by
Rianne |
Film Review,
Films,
Flicks,
Hollywood Films,
Horror,
Youth/Teenybopper |
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Pinoys Shine at Pusan International Film Fest ‘09
By Rianne Hill Soriano
The film city of Busan, Korea paved way for another successful year for the prestigious Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) from Oct. 8 to 16, 2009. And the Philippines, once again, made big waves in this year’s festival.
In its 14th year, PIFF has truly evolved to become one of the most important film festivals that filmmakers, film professionals, cinephiles, and the general film audience look forward to every October. For this year, 355 films from 70 countries (a record number) were shown – a total of 803 screenings for the festival. 98 of the films were world premieres and 46 films were international premieres – a total of 144 world and international premieres (another record number). And more than two dozen of Filipinos attended PIFF with the country having around two dozen of films shown at the festival’s various programs.
Included in the PIFF official statistics were a number of fully-packed film events: 6 Master Classes, 2 Hand Printings, 14 Seminars, 3 Open Talks, 8 Audience Meet and Greets, 12 Meet the Guest: Talk to Talks, 7 teams of Cinema Together, 13 Press Conferences, and 188 Individual Interviews.
Filipinos at the Festival
The Philippine Night was held at the Grand Hotel in Haeundae, Busan last Oct. 12 and was attended by the Philippine delegation which included some of the filmmakers with films at the festival, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Philippine Embassy in Korea, and other festival guests.
A partial list of Filipino attendees included: Raymond Red, filmmaker; Doy del Mundo, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, filmmaker; Ed Cabagnot, Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival; GB Sampedro, filmmaker; Jim Libiran, filmmaker; Nestor Jardin, Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival; Tikoy Aguiluz, Cinemanila International Film Festival; Borgy Torre, filmmaker; Maria Isabel Lopez, Actress; Nick De Ocampo, filmmaker; Vicky Belarmino, Cultural Center of the Philippines; Rianne Hill Soriano, filmmaker; and LA Yamsuan, filmmaker.
Philippine Films at the Festival
New Currents Section
Astig (Squalor) by GB Sampedro
Special Mention, New Currents Award
A Window on Asian Cinema
Yanggaw (Affliction) by Richard Somes
Bakal Boys (Children Metal Divers) by Ralston Jover
Lola by Brillante Mendoza
Wide Angle – Asian Short Film Competition
Bonsai by Borgy Torre
Wide Angle – Short Film Showcase 3
Blogog by Rommel Tolentino
Asian Film Academy (AFA) 2009
An Encounter in the Woods (AFA workshop film for PIFF with Rianne Hill Soriano and 12 other young Asian filmmakers)
A Girl (AFA workshop film for PIFF with LA Yamsuan and 12 other young Asian filmmakers)
Special Programs in Focus – Asian Feature Animation Special – Ani Asia!: A Leap of Asian Feature Animation 4
Dayo (The Wanderer in the Land of Elementalia) by Robert Quilao
Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) Participating Project
Happyland by Jim Libiran
Filipino Independent Film Special – Mabuhay! Pinoy Indi-Cinema!
The festival presented a Filipino independent film special as part of the Special Programs in Focus to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Philippines. It was acknowledged as a meaningful opportunity to take a genealogical journey of Filipino indie films, including those from the 1950’s and the winner of the Best Director Award at the Cannes International Film Festival 2009. This special program offered a rich selection of 14 notable Filipino indie films including:
Criminal of Barrio Concepcion by Lav Diaz
Genghis Khan by Manuel Conde
Independencia by Raya Martin
Insiang by Lino Brocka
Itim by Mike de leon
Kinatay by Brillante Mendoza
Manila by Night by Ishmael Bernal
Oliver by Nick Deocampo
Passionate Strangers by Eddie Romero
Perfumed Nightmare by Kidlat Tahimik
Sakay by Raymond Red
Woman of Breakwater by Mario O’hara
The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros by Aureus Solito
The Road to Kalimugtong by Mes Guzman
Seminar on Filipino Independent Filmmaking
The Filipino delegation at PIFF provided a seminar about Filipino independent filmmaking. This Filipino independent film special shared the unique ways of low-budget filmmaking in the country including the so-called ‘pito-pito film’ (referring to a film shot in seven days and goes through post-production in another seven days). It also provided a brief history of the country’s indie films and the Filipino filmmakers’ various production methods.
PIFF Fundings, Film Market, Fellowships, and Awards
Asian Film Academy (AFA)
Annually, 24 young filmmakers from 16 Asian countries are being honed to become “The Future of Asian Cinema” through short film productions, seminars, workshops, one-on-one mentoring sessions, film screenings, meetings, and master classes. This year’s program is led by the AFA Dean Kurosawa Kiyoshi (Japan), along with Deputy Dean Park Ki-yong (Korea), directing mentor Ho Yuhang (Malaysia) and cinematography mentor Mahmoud Kalari (Iran). Two Filipino filmmakers Rianne Hill Soriano and LA Yamsuan were chosen for the AFA fellowship this year.
Asian Film Market
A total of 534 companies from 42 countries participated this year. There were 45 sales offices from 75 companies of 25 countries and a total of 50 market screenings (including 40 market premieres) of 43 films.
Asian Cinema Fund: New AND Distribution Fund to support documentary filmmakers
The AND Distribution Fund was newly set up to support distribution of documentary films that have difficulty in being exhibited in theaters.
Support of acquisition (Asian documentary)
1) Beautiful Islands by Kana Tomoko (Japan)
2) Bilal by Sourave Sarangi (India/Finland)
Support of distribution (Korean documentary)
1) The Border City 2 by HONG Hyungsook
Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP)
The 12th Pusan Promotion Plan shared the venue with the Asian Film Market at the Seacloud Hotel, Haeundae Beach as a convenient one-stop shop for film business professionals. Since 1998, PPP has introduced many talented Asian filmmakers and offered wide opportunities for investment and co-production by global film industry professionals. 30 projects from 21 countries, including Jim Libiran’s film project Happyland, participated this year.
PPP Awards
Pusan Award: Decadent Sisters by Aoyama Shinji (Japan)
Kodak Award: Trace by Han Jae-rim / Korea
Göteborg Film Festival Fund: Postcards from the Zoo by Edwin (Indonesia)
CJ Award: Slightly Sane by Pan Nalin (India/France)
Lotte Award: Villain and Widow by Son Jae-gon (Korea)
Wooridul Award: New Policemen Stories by Yang Jin (Hong Kong, China)
KPIF (Korean Producers In Focus) Award (Prime Choice): Good-bye Again by producer Kim Young-jin
14th Pusan International Film Festival Award Winners
New Currents Award
Jury: Jean-Jacques Beineix (Head); Kim Hyung-koo, Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Terri Kwan, Yesim Ustaoglu
Kick Off by Shawkat Amin Korki (Kurdistan/Iraq/Japan)
Naneun Konkyeonge Cheohaessda! (I’m in Trouble!) by So Sang-min (Korea)
Special Mention: Astig (Squalor), GB Sampedro (Philippines)
FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Award
Jury: Lee Myunghee, Davide Cazzaro, Borislav Andjelic
Kick Off by Shawkat Amin Korki (Kurdistan/Iraq/Japan)
NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award
Jury: Aihara Hiromi, Dang Nhat Min, Kang So-won
Paju by Park Chan Ok (Korea)
KNN Movie Award (Audience Award)
Lan by Jiang Wenli (China)
Fast Forward Award
Jury: Kang Soo Yeon (Head); Marianne Slot, Alissa Simon, Frédéric Boyer
Last Cowboy Standing by Zaida Bergroth, (Finland/Germany)
Special Mention: Miss Kicki by Hakon Liu (Sweden/Taiwan)
Sonje Award for Short Films
Jury: Simojukka Ruippo; TATanN Chui Mui; You Ji-tae
Somewhere Unreached by Kim Jae-won (Korea)
Rare Fish, by Basil Vassili Mironer (Singapore/Indonesia)
PIFF Mecenant Award for Documentaries
Jury: Dorothee Wenner, Jane Yu, Ko Young-jae
Earth’s Woman by Kwon WooJung (Korea)
The Other Song by Saba Dewan (India)
November 3rd, 2009
Posted by
Rianne |
Asian Films,
Films,
Independent Films,
My Films,
Personal/Expression,
Pinoy Films,
Places |
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