The Mistress and MyThoughts

Went to see the last full show of "The Mistress" on its first day of screening and I have to say that this is the kind of movie that makes me want to believe in Pinoy films again. If perfection ever does exist in visual cinema, "The Mistress" has got to be it--a masterpiece of mainstream cinema! 

The story is so good, script was fabulously great--well written, direction and editing are so right on target. Casting is impeccable and acting is beyond words--John Llyod Cruz and Bea Alonzo were both palpable! I am so glad the role of Eric Torres went on to John Lloyd Cruz and not to the first choice actor who later moved to another network. Honestly, I couldn't think of any other actors who can give justice to the roles of Eric and Sari but these two.

I love the subdued but intense acting of everyone that perfectly compliments the very raw and genuine emotions of the script. I love the right amount of tantalizing embedded through out the entire narrative creating the perfect balance of sensuality--it's so EROTIC! 

Finally, I love that the ending didn't betray the main premise of the movie as well as its characters and their conflicts just to give in to what Pinoy moviegoers would want to see. 

Yes, it's painful and often times we question why but it's a bittersweet reality of life that we can't always have what we want cause had it been the other way around, probably there's really hope for world peace. But at the end of it all, I still find myself asking--should we really hold back on love just so we won't hurt the feelings of others around us? Can we really equate the common rules of right and wrong to LOVE? And given that LOVEis still governed by these principles--who determines what is right and what is wrong in its inexplicable nature or should we really just settle to the sad reality of "hindi dahil gusto mo, makukuha mo"? 

P.S. John Lloyd Cruz killed my heart over and over again through out the movie's almost 2 hours and 10 minutes. I SWEAR HE'S GIVING SEXINESS A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT DIMENSION it's so HOT!

No Other Woman

5/5

Sizzles with passion and, full of heart and soul, fall for the temptation of 2011’s biggest movie event of the year. No Other Woman is a must watch movie that explores the guilty pleasures of infidelity.

Ram (Derek) is a handsome furniture supplier who through his charisma and undeniable looks has charmed many of his clients. He is married to Charmaine (Christine), a pretty, doting housewife who learns of her husband’s infidelity with the gorgeous temptress, the other woman…Kara (Anne). Ram soon finds himself caught between his marriage to Cha, and his passionate relationship with the alluring Kara as the two ladies gives the fight of their lives for his love.

Upon seeing the trailer I knew right there and then that this movie is something. This intuition was cemented when the Grade A of the Cinema Evaluation Board came out. It was polished dry when I was captivated by the script and acting in the comfort of a sold-out, last full show screening.

We are now living in a time when more than delivering a movie or a story per se that’ll become a classic when the time comes, producers more than ever are just interested in generating profits that when a movie like this comes we really need to stop and celebrate the event. I say this because this movie is not your typical rom-com or passable comedy movies they say is what the market now is looking for. No Other Woman actually somehow takes you back to the 70s and 80s, which for me is the golden age of Philippine Cinema. This movie is like the modern day version of the 1982 classic “Gaano Kadalas Ang Minsan”.

It delights me to analyze now that this movie actually has its very good story to tell. The plot is nothing new. We’ve all heard about a beautiful happy couple whose marriage is suddenly shaken by the arrival of another woman to complete a triangle. But what sets this movie far above the movies of today is how brilliant the execution of modern day infidelity in the story. It took a lot of realism from our society today bearing it upon the backbone of its sole plot and into the beings of its main protagonists and antagonist. With this, the movie so much so veered away from the expected predictability of a rehashed story. A note of praise goes to the Director, Ruel Bayani for his fine treatment and execution.

This movie takes great pride from its brilliant, masterful script. It gave the movie so much soul with its heartfelt dialogues interspersed with clever wit in a language relatable to everyone. BRAVO! Marvellous marvellous script! Also what I love about it that it didn’t go overboard. It’s generous at times and keeps silent when the emotion of the scene calls for it.  Great thumbs up to screenplay writers Kris Gazmen and Jay Fernando for this incredible script. You’ll know that a movie is a hit when its script and much of its remarkable lines stay to movie goers and eventually become quotable quotes copied in street conversations, in text messages, in social networking sites, etc. and I’m sure most of this movie’s quotable quotes and confrontation scenes will be indulgently remembered. The script alone will make this movie a classic for generations to come.

Much to this movies delight, the clever script is matched with notable acting from its lead cast. Anne Curtis is fabulous in a role almost tailored fit for her. I believe by this time she’s already established herself as an actress and this movie proves it all. She has almost done every role yet still gives justice to all of them.  One thing about Anne Curtis as an actress is that she’s fierce! She’s not afraid to do whatever the role or the story asks for. This is very evident in all her past works and most especially in this movie. This is her best role portrayal to date! And my goodness she wears any fashion with unmatchable “fabulousity”! Derek Ramsay is the perfect leading man of today who’s not just all looks and body; he is an actor of great calibre! He is the complete package perfect for a leading man. He has that awesome- to-die-for hunk body which goes along with that handsome-angelic face, and to top it all up that genuine and sincere acting. His eyes are his greatest acting asset that at times when words can’t contain the emotions already, his eyes alone says it all. Christine Reyes on the other hand shows tremendous improvement with her acting in this movie. Yes, there are still a lot of times that she can’t match the acting given by Anne and Derek but I have to say she’s gone a long way from her Eva Fonda days, in fairness to her.

This movie is one of the best modern day dramas I’ve seen since 2009’s “And I Love You So”. No Other Woman is a must watch movie; a story to reckon, characters to love and hate, and dialogues to ponder on. This is the kind of big screen spectacle that’ll stay in you and you’ll remember even as the years pass by. The story of No Other Woman is a quick-witted reminder of how dangerous it is to play with fire because you might be captivated by it that you don’t know when to hold back and let go, you’re already burned. Finally, No Other Woman reminds us of the fact that this whole world is a big love battle field. Love drives us all mad and we damn right fight for it especially when ours is being threatened and I say we really should because amidst all its complexities, LOVE is always worth it all. We can choose for all we want, we can even succumb to temptations once in awhile but always do remember that hearts gets broken along the way for in a love story of two, there can be no other one! All is fair in love and a triangle sure as hell isn’t fair. Fidelity is the soul of relationships! 

127 Hours

5/5

An astonishingly powerful true to life story that metaphorically reminds us of what it means to live and survive. A true masterpiece no one should dare miss!

127 Hours is the story of Aron Ralston played by James Franco who in 2003, went on an adventure trip in the Robbers Roust Canyons in Utah without telling anyone of his plans. Unfortunately, he met an accident when an 800-pound boulder traps his right arm in the canyons. With just a few hiking stuffs with him, Aron knew it’s impossible to be rescued by anyone, at least not until he’s still alive and breathing. So with much courage, Aron knew he needed to save himself and after five days of being trapped, amputating his lower right arm, he magnificently extricated himself from the canyons and had a second chance in life.

Words are not enough to compliment a movie like 127 Hours which, if not for the genius of a director like Danny Boyle, would just be a nice but dull story we’ll probably chance upon watching in National Geographic or Discovery Channel. But the Slumdog Millionaire Director once again proved that with the right idea and a masterful technique in execution, a story like this is definitely a Hollywood material. It’s pretty evident that a narrative like this of 127 Hours will otherwise be boring adding to the fact that it calls for a location and an environment that’s already dull as it is. But Director Danny Boyle made used of the magic of split screen and manipulated images of representations, flashbacks, and imaginations in order to create mindful imageries of icebreaker to an otherwise dragging plot. This technique also provided Boyle a tool on how to give the audience a peek on what’s going on inside Aron’s mind and not only the thoughts that he verbalizes or the emotion Franco expresses.

The screenplay always play a vital role in any movie narrative and the stakes are higher in this one because in a movie that’s 95% monologue, you need to have a simple, direct to the point yet full of authentic emotion kind of script that thoroughly send its message of life importance to the audience. And this movie raises the bar on that. This is also one of the many advantages when the director is also the one who penned his movie’s screenplay. There is very minimal possibility that the message the narrative is trying to convey will be lost in translation.

Also, it is very important to note that this movie wouldn’t come out this way if not for the incredible talent of James Franco who practically was a one-man-show in this movie. Though accolades speak otherwise, it is undeniable that James Franco is one of the best actors among the young ones in this generation. His acting in this movie is flawlessly natural and every emotion is convincingly credible to the roofs beyond any critical objections. His portrayal is just as authentic as it can be. I believe Boyle hit bull’s-eye here in giving the part to Franco. The stable and dependable talent he showcased in this movie is just awesomely great!

127 Hours’ plot is very simple and it’s the kind of movie that really depends on how the entire narrative will be executed in the big screen. Favorably for this movie, everything fell in to place: a very rich story, a wonderful script, a genius Director, perfect execution, and a brilliant actor, what more can you ask for?

There’s much talk about how graphic this movie is when it comes to the depiction of the actual amputation scene and a lot will probably go and see the movie for this particular reason. But aside from the dauntlessness of this movie, it is also consequential to hear out the message it conveys. Of course, aside from the obvious never set out on a trip without anybody knowing where you’re going, Aron’s experience in the canyons in Utah is reminding us two very important realities. First, is that everything in this life is predestined. The paths we’re going to cross, the people we meet, our sets of fortunes and misfortunes, they’re all bound to happen and it’s just in our freewill how we’re going to react in all these. It’s one of the most significant realizations Aron had while still trapped in that deep ravine—that boulder, that particular space in that canyon had been waiting for him all his life—he was destined to be trapped in that canyon. It was part of his fate. And finally, 127 Hours shows us just how great and powerful a person’s collective courage and will power can do to save his own life and survive. Aron’s story is urging us to never lose hope and make use of whatever is laid down on us to value life and fight for it because the breath of life is a precious gift where every second counts.

Love & Other Drugs

4/5

Provocatively tasteful, Love & Other Drugs is a heartfelt, inspirational tale of romance and true love in an intimacy-challenged world we live in.

Jamie Randall (Gyllenhaal) is a pharmaceutical sales rep of one of the largest drug company in the world, Pfizer. Suffering from ADD and considered a prodigal son by his over-achieving family, Jamie’s defining characteristics are his confidence, good looks, and impeccable charm with women. Maggie Murdock (Hathaway) is an aspiring artist struggling with stage 1 Parkinson’s disease and have shut herself up for love and a romantic relationship. They met in a very unconventional way and together, they found themselves blending with each other perfectly in bed. But can true love blossom in a relationship founded in lust, made stronger by hot, steamy compatibility in sex, threatened by intimacy issues, and a progressive disease?

One of the many things very remarkable about this movie and sets it apart from other sex-dramedy is its portrayal of a no strings attached-FuBu relationship in a classy, artistic way. You would never at any point while watching the movie feel as if you’re treated to a 2-hour sexfest, soft-porn flick. I mean don’t get me wrong because it’s a delight to see Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway naked in hot sexy scenes but when you go see a movie it is ultimately the story that matters the most, and thankfully, this movie didn’t disappoint.

Love & Other Drugs is a timely movie that tackles a relationship that’s so prevalent these days and is actually what most generations Y and Z prefers. The thrill and consequences of a FuBu relationship shaped by more serious tones of an incurable disease and commitment issues woven into a sharply written script provides the depth of the movie. Though it tried so hard to incorporate a lot of sub-plots, some dramatic scenes lacks the touching feel that’ll move you to tears and some comedic lines doesn’t deliver to launch collective laughter, I maintain that the movie has a very strong plot and a script that makes a lot of sense.

Gyllenhaal and Hathaway both gave authentic and noteworthy performances here. The success of this movie above all takes its credit to the awesome, genuinely inexplicable chemistry of Brokeback Mountain partners, Gyllenhaal and Hathaway. They complement each other very well acting-wise as well as looks-wise. Anne Hathaway has always been a very dependable actress. She’s one of the few young Hollywood actresses whose versatility is unquestionable. Jake Gyllenhaal is captivating in this movie. To say he is perfect for the role is an understatement. Jake is suited for this genre because not only can he convey romance in a very natural way, he is also oozing with sex appeal and an angelic face that will undoubtedly tickle pink every girls and gays in the land.

It’s also dumb to not point out how wonderful the musical scoring and how excellently beautiful the song choices were.

Love & Other Drugs veered away from those averages, petty romance movies we’re all sick and tired about. It presented a fresh narrative about a no strings attached relationship founded on lust and sex but keen to a possibility of a happy ever after ending. Watching a movie like Love & Other Drugs will again make you wonder of love’s unpredictability and inexplicable mysteriousness. It is an old age belief that love blooms in the most unexpected and unconventional places, timings, and ways but one thing is for sure…TRUE LOVE happens! Maybe not the way you expect it to be but it does. And when it finally captures you, it’s not even comprehensible why or what made you love the person for all the he is. You just know and feel it deep inside. It’s certainly magic that of all the millions of people in this planet, one such ordinary human being touches your heart and you’re never the same again. That all of a sudden, unconsciously, he/she let your guards down and all your unresolved issues fade away; by leap of faith, you’re sure as heaven and hell that you can give up anything and everything just to be with him for the rest of your existence.

Till My Heartaches End

5/5

Not your typical Pinoy romance movie, this one’s brilliantly made and can go head to head with the well-loved classic, “One More Chance”.

Till My Heartaches End is the love story of a barista, Paolo (Gerald) who’s ambitious and somewhat over confident and falls in love with Agnes (Kim), a no-boyfriend-since-birth province lass who’s here in Manila to pass her Nursing licensure exam. The two first met on the cafe where Paolo was working. Destiny made its way and by chance they met again at Recto. Soon, they fell in love and everything seems to be going smoothly until Paolo finds a new job. As a Real Estate Agent, not only was he able to level up his living but also open himself up to a more high class crowd. An environment Agnes doesn’t feel she belonged. Conflicts arise in their relationship as Agnes feels more and more irrelevant and unimportant to his new world and Paolo for his part, felt his love is no longer enough to make her happy. In the face of these conflicts and struggles, will they be strong enough to fight for their love or will they give up and just move on? Will destiny still matter?

I’d like to begin this review with praises to the Director, Direk Joey Reyes for yet another masterpiece. He doesn’t only know what he wants, he captures them so perfectly. To me, that’s the true mark of a brilliant Director, being able to depict on silver screen the realities of human emotions without bias and exaggerations. This is his forte as a Director. He creates movies that are honest and sincere; movies that doesn’t give you the, this-only-happens-in-the-movies kind of feeling. As a film maker, he’s one of those we can call a true blue genius!

Viewers can easily relate to the story because of the wonderfully written script also by Direk Joey Reyes. The script’s rich insights of the human emotions draw viewers to be emotionally invested in the love story of Paolo and Agnes. Once again and I have to point this out, the biggest come on of the script is its use of genuine human emotions of kilig, hurt, frustrations, and disappointments. No sugar-coating, no corny cliché lines that makes Pinoy romance movies unbelievable and so untrue. The script of Till My Heartaches End is like any other Joey Reyes’ films were dialogues and conversations are plain, simple, and direct to the point. They were all constructed and chained in a manner that doesn’t make you feel as if you’re watching a movie at all. The story, the plot, and the script are all so believable.

This movie is a lot different from all the other local romance movies produced prior to it for it was successful in deviating from tradition. The movies’ narrative flows by the use of a third person technique. Where viewers are given access not only to the thoughts and emotions of the main characters but also with what the people outside their relationship (family and friends) thinks about Paolo and Agnes’ different personalities that greatly affects the relationship. I commend Direk Joey Reyes for using this technique and for flawlessly executing it in the big screen.

Above all, this movie is remarkable because unlike most of the romance movies Filipinos are accustomed to, this one doesn’t betray its characters and the story itself. There’s enough room for suspension of disbelief. At same time, it doesn’t give us a speedy ending that after all the conflicts the characters faced, something happens in an instant and their conflicts are magically resolved. Instead, it leaves the viewers an opportunity to create their own conclusion to the story. It leaves room for the imagination to decipher what really happened after the closing credits.

It’s also noteworthy to give due credits to the cast especially to the movie’s main stars Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson. Their undeniable chemistry provided an easy vehicle for viewers to be instantly captivated with the appropriate emotions one should feel in every turning point of the narrative. Truly, these two actors have graduated as the teeny-teeny boppers we’ve known them to be. Gerald can really act as evident to his great portrayal of JR in the hit teleserye “Tayong Dalawa” and in his numerous MMK portrayals. Kim on the other hand is equally talented in acting. Her maturity and versatility as an actress has amazed not only her fans but her critics as well. She just needs the right material at the right time and who knows she can soon level with Bea Alonzo, acting wise. The ensemble of supporting characters also provided much enjoyment and essential acting in making the narrative more effective. Most notable supporting characters are those of Matet de Leon who’s very very brilliant as an actress! Desiree del Valle, Boots Anson Roa, Mark Gil, and Kakai Bautista are equally awesome in their roles.

After watching this movie, I have to say that among all the movies I’ve seen this year, Till My Heartaches End has got to be the one that touched my heart the most. It touched the deepest corners of my heart and I am being honest that writing this review proved to be an effort to me. I guess it’s pretty obvious that my next statement will be I highly recommend this movie to everyone but not because I relate too much with the story instead, because the movie is very good. One of the best films of its genre!

The movie will awaken in its viewers a lot of suppressed and repressed emotions we’ve already hidden/forgotten deep in our hearts. I’m sure anybody can relate and will remember someone after watching this movie. It reminds us what destiny is all about—an idea almost unfathomable but so true. It’s been written that our life here on earth is already pre-planned for us. All the people we meet, all the heartaches, all the experiences good and bad. And this movie proves to be a great reminder that while some things are built to last, some are bound to end. We just can’t help it for everything is destined in this life.

Miss You Like Crazy

3/5

“Time is meaningless when you are in love.”

I’ve seen “One More Chance” a thousand times before and I’m a self-confessed fan of the John Lloyd-Bea love team so it’s impossible for me to miss this movie. Weeks before February 24 I’ve already freed my schedule and swore that I’ll drop everything on that day just so I can watch this reunion movie on its first day. I have to say that I have high expectations for this movie and I can’t help but compare it with “One More Chance” for that movie had so much of an impact not only to me personally but to many others as well. And so allow me now to indulge on my thoughts and say my piece about this movie.

Two strangers with extremely opposite characters were constantly being brought together by fate through stones, Mia Samonte (Bea Alonzo) have intentionally left behind whenever she feels like expressing her feelings. These stones bearing loaded statements of deep human emotions caught the attention of a serious, unhappy young man, Alan Alvarez (John Lloyd Cruz); whose inner emotions relates to the statements written in the stones. They seem perfect for each other but because of choice, they had to go on separate ways. So can genuine love bring them back together?

It’s perfect that this material was given to John Lloyd and Bea. I think that among the stars of our generation, they’re the only ones who can give justice to the roles of Alan and Mia. This movie is a sure blockbuster hit because like “One More Chance”, the story hits home, many can relate to it. Just like many of Star Cinema’s previous offerings, “Miss You Like Crazy” has a very reach story where real and genuine human emotions can be drawn to. I have to commend Director Cathy Garcia-Molina for yet another genius take on a love story that’s mature, nakakakilig without trying to be, and most importantly a love story that shows another side of love. Its side where love takes its own course and perfect timing, complete with all the whirlwind of joys and pains it brings. Once again, scriptwriter Vanessa Valdez was able to deliver a script that’s truthful with close to perfect authentic human emotions. Lines were never exaggerated nor pushed. The balance of drama, humor, and kilig in this movie is impeccable. Everything is just so natural that you’d forget you’re in fact watching a movie. The execution of a story that’s close to every moviegoer’s heart is praiseworthy.

Acting is superb! I will never tire in saying that John Lloyd Cruz is the best actor in his generation. Piolo is also good but trust me when it comes to acting, JOHN LLOYD CRUZ is the KING! He’s just brilliant. What I love about him is that you’d forget he’s just playing a role. When he takes on a role and act, you’ll totally forget John Lloyd Cruz, the actor playing the role for when he gives life to a role, he definitely owns it. Bea Alonzo has really matured acting wise ever since her “And I Love You So” blockbuster hit last year. She acts so well that sometimes just by her facial expression you can already feel the depth of the pain she’s going through. She really deserves an acting award real soon. And what can I say to the unwavering and very powerful chemistry that these two have?! MAGICAL! MAGNIFICENT! I’m just in awe of how natural, sincere, and unpretentious their chemistry is. It’s a chemistry perfectly formulated by heaven. It’s just the best of chemistry I’ve seen in Philippine Cinema in this generation.

Though I may seem to praise the movie with its entirety, I also want to point out three major problems this movie have. First is the use of the element of time. It’s the most important tool of this movie but unfortunately, it failed to give justice to this one. At some point the movie feels a little bit rushed and you won’t feel that 2 years have already passed? When the anticipation and excitement died down, you’ll notice yourself asking, “What? Really? 2 years have already passed?”, “Wow! Really? This scene is supposed to be 5 years after?!” There’s this kulang factor towards the end of the film mainly because the element of time wasn’t executed properly. Secondly, I just hate the film’s ending because to me it appears very much an obligatory ending because Filipino moviegoers always want a happy ending. Though I understand Star Cinema’s thinking business, I just personally would rather see a different ending, something more believable, fresh, and realistic. Finally, one of the differences this movie has compared to “One More Chance” is that “Miss You Like Crazy” is full of predictable scenarios. Yes, it’s a love story and usually love stories tend to be predictable because after all, its plot is just one universal field that is love but with this movie, I don’t think Direk Cathy Garcia-Molina was careful enough to minimize and control the predictability of her scenes. What’s admirable is that somehow the movie’s predictability was reversed to humor that the full capacity of the movie house were laughing every time a predictable scenario is about to transpire. One particularly foreseeable scene that really grated on my nerves was the scene at a Malaysian park where Alan and Mia first met at Malaysia. The moment Bea stood up, then John Lloyd also stood up, I knew right away that they’ll bump into each other after a few steps. I believe Direk Cathy could’ve done better than that.

Nothing is perfect and it includes this movie. Though it’s not as superb as “One More Chance” was, “Miss You Like Crazy” is still a movie you shouldn’t dare miss. It’s a perfect post-Valentine movie that tells us love is not all about kilig-kilig. There are so many quotable quotes in this movie as well as lessons about love to learn. Among these many lessons that really struck me is the movie’s main message of love’s own timing. Love can be very playful and indeed, it has its own perfect timing that neither anyone of us can ever halt but in the end, TRUE LOVE AND DESTINY WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL. We may hurt and question why sometimes destiny brings us to meet someone who won’t end up with us but in this real world we’re living, really, LOVE IS NOT THE ONLY REASON WHY YOU LEAVE OR STAY.


P.S. Forget about Papa Piolo or Sam Milby or even Derek Ramsay’s 6-pack abs, if it’s JOHN LLOYD CRUZ, fuck who needs an abs?! JOHN LLOYD FOREVER!

Did You Hear About The Morgans?

2/5

It’s the first movie of 2010 I went out of my way and watched in the splendor environment of a movie house. For one because I’m a big Sarah Jessica Parker fan and also because I did love Director Marc Lawrence’s work on films such as “Music and Lyrics” and “Two Weeks Notice”. When I first saw the trailer I swore myself to watch this movie and so I did.

A story of a couple whose marriage is on the rocks, Paul Morgan (Hugh Grant) and Meryl Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker) have separated for a while. Determined to work on their marital issues, Paul asked Meryl to dinner and talk things through but an unfortunate event that happened after the dinner led the couple to enter the witness protection program. They were relocated to the country town of Wyoming as they were being hunted. Together in that small town away from Manhattan, they finally had the chance to work on and salvage their marriage despite the fact that their lives are still in danger.

I have to be honest that this movie wasn’t as good as Marc Lawrence’s previous works. The material is full of raw elements and clichés that the movie wouldn’t have as much of an impact to its viewers. The lack of romantic lovey-dovey scenes is understandable since the movie’s main plot is that of a mature married relationship already. But the movie’s predictability wasn’t managed very well that at most parts, dullness is very evident throughout the 1hour 45mins. The country setting that took up almost ¾ of the movie’s running time was a big factor in its dullness. What’s probably commendable about this movie though is its attempt to make dark and heavy issues appear lighter such as cheating on a spouse, murder, etc. Nothing is new in the sideline humor of the film but they’re such a relief for if not, this movie will make the top list of one of the dullest rom-com ever. The script in my opinion is very passable. It's not verbose but stuffed with one-liners full of thoughts. I think it was written very well but the problem resides on character build-up because frankly, the main characters and their conflicts were all so raw and needs a lot of polishing.

It’s such a delight to see Sarah Jessica Parker again on the big screen. Don’t get me wrong because I’m a SJP fan forever it’s just that there’s nothing new in her in this movie. Her attack is still the same as what she used to do in Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw. At this point in her career I don’t know if Sarah Jessica can still star in a role that’s so powerful it can overshadow the character of Carrie even for just awhile. Nonetheless and I’m saying this unbiasedly that Sarah Jessica Parker gave justice to her role as Meryl Morgan. I am adamant about Hugh Grant’s acting. Though he’s charming in many ways sometimes his acting and facial expression can really be irritating. Still I think that Hugh Grant has one of the sexiest British accents I have ever heard so far. His accent is such a turn on, perfectly complimenting his lines.

Obviously, the movie’s target audiences are middle aged couples. This movie is actually perfect for married couples especially to those going through some tough times. I think there’s a lot to learn with the Morgans’ marital problems and how the characters resolved it. Cheating in all its forms whether intentional or unintentional is painful beyond any comparison but regardless of the pain the betrayal of trust brings, TRUE LOVE is always and will forever be deserving of a second chance.

In My Life

5/5

Acting in its finest! Just when you thought a movie almost close to perfection will never be possible again in Philippine cinema, comes Star Cinema’s “In My Life” which in my opinion, is the Best Movie of 2009 and one of the Best Movies ever produced in Philippine Movie History.


Shirley (Vilma Santos), a librarian, annulled, and mother of three is a lady who has been stuck with the old ways. She’s so used to the comforts of her life’s routines that she has blocked any new changes in her life and in the lives of the people around her. Everything has evolved with time except Shirley. But her life soon welcomes change when she moved to New York and lived with her gay son (Luis Manzano) and his partner, Noel (John Lloyd Cruz). As Shirley adjusts to life in New York, unconsciously, through the exquisitely deep and special romance of two men, she’s been able to open her life to a fresh new start and gradually allow change to consume her for the better.

I am trying to deduce something wrong or at least irrelevant with this film and I can’t think of any. I can’t even think of something that went wrong with this film. The script is just perfect. It’s never inadequate nor is it overly exaggerated. What’s truly remarkable about the script of this film is that it’s as real as it can get. The scriptwriter did a magnificent job for I never felt like I am watching a movie. The script’s honesty and grasp of genuine human emotions made me feel as if the scenes were really happening right in front of my very own eyes. Every line was perfect. Every confrontation scenes and dramatic moments were all straight pierces to the heart. Every dialogue was just flawlessly choreographed and as truthful as it can possibly be. The plot and all the inciting incidents of the movie were properly laid down and were brilliantly executed. Director Olive Lamasan didn’t do a wonderful job but an almost perfect, unbelievably great direction. The execution of the film’s dramatic voice was breathtakingly awesome! Every scene was perfectly placed in its right sequence. The editing and the entire motion factor were just excellent in every aspect of the film.

You would expect that the milieu or what we call the general feel of the movie is just a tear jerking, overly dramatic feel but what a perfect offset to the heavy drama are the sensible humor carefully intertwined with the story’s narrative. Also, this movie’s realistic narrative and story telling is superb beyond any description I can possibly think of.

Also, I have to mention that one of the best characteristics of this movie is the exceptional character building especially with the core characters. The fictive world of the movie is very much humanized because of the excellent character building. The Core Characters’ internal and external conflicts were properly ironed out even their quirks which are a very very important aspect of character building to create character hooks.

I can go on and on and on pointing out all the best qualities of this movie, “In My Life” but I think everyone will agree with me that the biggest come on of the movie, is the acting of the three major characters. For two hours I didn’t saw Luis Manzano, John Lloyd Cruz, and the great Vilma Santos. I was so drawn to their characters and they gave life to their respective characters in such a way that the audience will totally forget that they’re only portraying fictitious movie characters. WOW! And again I say WOW to acting in this movie.

Luis Manzano is the biggest surprise of in terms of acting. We know Luis as a good host and comedy actor but a dramatic actor? Some may have doubts; some may even raise an eyebrow. But lo and behold, he can act. He can cry. As a matter of fact one of the scenes that made me cry was when he was apologizing to Ate Vi in the park for once again disappointing her as a son. For his first dramatic movie, Luis Manzano did a good job!

John Lloyd Cruz is without a doubt one of the best if not the BEST ACTOR of this generation. He is the only actor who has the right to spit on Christopher de Leon’s (Maging Sino Ka Man, 2007) face and slap Vilma Santos in a scene. I bow down to this man. Wow! Every facial expression, every gesture, every dialogue, this man… this actor… has perfected his acting in front of the camera. He deserves every aspect of success his career can ever achieve for without a doubt, he is one of the finest actors in Philippine Movie History. Again allow me to say, JOHN LLOYD CRUZ IS JUST THE BEST!

I am a true-blue Vilmanian ever since I was a kid and liberating myself with any biases, I believe every Filipino, and even a Noranian can never deny the fact that MS. VILMA SANTOS is one of the GREATEST ACTRESSES in the history of Philippine Cinema. A VILMA SANTOS only comes once in a lifetime! WOW! ATE VI never fails to leave moviegoers in awe. Just when I thought she has already showcased her acting prowess in its every dimension of it with her tons of past movies, I am so wrong! Her acting in this movie is not only new but mesmerizingly inexplicable no matter how I turn my head around. She doesn't even need to cry hysterically but you can feel every bit of her character’s pain. She flawlessly gave genuine emotions to Shirley’s character in every body movement, dialogue, facial expression, etc. WOW! Just WOW! To everyone she’s The Star for All Seasons but to me, SHE IS THE ACTRESS! THE GREATEST of them all!

I believe it’s about time a story like this penetrates mainstream cinema. Gay relationships are so profuse nowadays that it deserves a serious narrative that’ll show the ups and downs, the genuineness, and the sincerity of gay romance. This is another look to gay relationships. Totally veering away from just the comedy dimension mainstream Philippine cinema has created for it or the indie movie understanding that gay relationships are just all about sex. It’s about time gay relationships are taken seriously in Pinoy movies. And maybe, I hope, this is one vehicle for Filipinos to see relationships of this kind as nothing but just the same as heterosexual relationships and treat it with proper respect that it deserves.

I watched this movie in its opening day, I’ll watch it again this Sunday and yes, I can get enough because I’ll still secure a copy when the official DVD is released. “In My Life” is the kind of movie that no one should ever dare to miss. It’s not every year that a movie as good as this will be produced. It’s not every year that a movie produced is as worth watching as this one. If there’s one movie you shouldn’t miss in your entire life, it’s this one. You’ll be missing a lot if you never watch this movie. It’s one of the BEST!

And I Love You So

4/5 stars

Full of emotions, romantic, and sexy, “And I Love You So” is this year’s HOT movie everybody shouldn’t miss.

24-year old Pres-school teacher Lara (Bea Alonzo) suddenly lost her almost perfect husband Oliver (Derek Ramsay) when he suffered brain aneurysm on the very day of her birthday. Grief-stricken by the passing away of her first and one great love, Lara didn’t know how to pick up the pieces of her heart and continue living when the one person worth living for is already gone. Dying together with the love of her life is her will to continue living. For her every waking morning is another day of misery. But like any other widow, she forces herself to move on and carry over the pain. Starting over came hand in hand with other life problems for Lara and in a series of chance encounters she met Chris (Sam Milby), a hot, playboy, newly-separated from his wife club DJ who will tremendously help her in starting a new beginning. As they grow closer to each other and romance made its way, can their love survive the conflicts of their broken hearts? Can Chris really help Lara let go and make her fairly love him too? And ultimately, will Lara be able to open her heart and give love a second chance?

Director Lauren Dyogi’s big screen comeback, I must say, showed a lot of improvements from his other films namely, “All My Life” and “Now That I Have You”. There were of course glitches but at least his execution is improving. I just have to point out that probably one of the few problematic executions in the film was Bea’s realization that she’s been mourning for quite sometime already. What? Just by looking at her engagement ring and wedding ring? It seems too raw for a turning point like that.

The build up of romance in my opinion is admirable. Its execution is very good. I saw and more importantly felt how first it was just attraction from Chris and gradually falling for Lara and finally he fell in love; the same goes for Lara’s character. I am pointing this out because it is very important in a love story or any stories for this matter that there’s proper implementation of the sequence of events. In that way the emotions of the audience flows along with the story. I also have to mention that the kilig moments in this film were really WOW. I can’t help but bite my lips giving in to so much kilig.

The movie’s main plot and script is very remarkable. The story itself is not new to us, we’ve probably seen it in another movie or perhaps on TV but because of a very beautifully written script, you wouldn’t notice that this story has been done before. Again, I regard Star Cinema and the script writer, Vanessa Valdez (I hope I got it correctly) for a script that’s not cheesy and not at all exaggerated. This is the kind of script that of course because of its genre, there are portions which seems to be out of this world already but what I’ve noticed with Star Cinema over the years is that their scripts are more and more realistic as time goes by. Genuine human emotions are depicted and stories are very realistic. I am so glad that the Philippine film industry today, Star Cinema to be specific has veered away from the “I love you I can’t live without you. Please don’t leave me” kind of scripts. It’s so refreshing and now Filipino love stories have become sensible enough.

Another high point of this movie is its take to a very heavy story and yet you don’t feel like it’s too much for you to bear. The drama in this movie is just enough. The addition of certain comedians to the cast is also a wise move because it balances out the tone of drama and pain already set at the beginning of the movie. As I’ve said it is very praiseworthy of Director Lauren Dyogi of how properly he executed the screenplay in such a way that even though the movie is dealing with drama and at times comedy, still, the romantic element of the movie is intact and dominating the entire movie.

I also have to mention how beautiful the shots were. Scenic view was just awesome. Cinematography was also a two thumbs up. I personally love the scene where Lara was letting go of Oliver and while she’s saying her final goodbye before she threw the locket where she’s kept Oliver’s ashes, Bea was in a boat with big cliffs of rock in her background, wow! It’s amazing!

Bea Alonozo and Sam Milby’s overly publicized love scene was shot very very well. Cinematography was just perfect. It was fierce and passionate but romantic in many ways. Skillfully done I must say. And yes, this is probably Bea’s most daring love scene to date.

In a recent interview Bea expressed her anxiousness about this movie because it is her first time to be paired in the big screen with other leading men after her consecutive box-office movies with love team John Lloyd Cruz. Also, this movie is her coming off age movie. She said she did this movie because she wanted people to see that she’s now a lady, an actress in her own right. I’d like to believe this movie did justice to that. Bea has arrived. Her acting is magnificent. Not over acting, not hysterical, just enough for her to convey Lara’s angst, fears, and pains. Indeed, this story is perfect for her. Director Lauren Dyogi was able to let the lady in Bea Alonzo shine.

There’s so much improvement in Derek Ramsay and Sam Milby’s acting in this movie. Truly, these two actors have come a long way. Not only is Derek Ramsay sizzling hot but hey the man can really act. His eyes are his best acting asset. Maging Sino Ka Man really honed Sam in many ways. One moment he’s the hot, irresistible bad boy then he’s the charming boy-next-door you’d love to bring home to mom. For two hours inside the movie house I forgot a Piolo Pascual is existing for boy oh boy Sam Milby is HOT!!! Also, aside from Derek and Piolo, Sam has the best abs among the actors in our generation!

“And I Love You So” is not the type of movie that’ll later on be a classic. Its plot has been depicted in visual arts many times before but this movie I have to tell everybody is the one you wouldn’t wanna miss. It’s a breather from all the romantic-comedies these days. It’s a sensible movie that’ll teach you how to deal with the pain of a lost love. It’ll show you that there is life after mourning and that ultimately, at a certain point, we all have to LET GO and open our hearts again. After all, LOVE ALWAYS DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE.

Marley & Me

5/5

Marley & Me is the first movie I’ve seen in the grandeur of a movie house this 2009. I went to watch it at Gateway Cineplex a week after its premiere. I am not an animal lover especially, dogs. I grew up fearing dogs; considering them as a threat that could end my life anytime. I know that Marley & Me is a story about a dog but when I saw the trailer in late December 2008, I told myself that I’m gonna watch this movie because underneath the central story of a dog, the movie hits a couple of valuable lessons that are all close to home and are inspiring in their own ways.

Based on an autobiographical book essay collection of columnist John Grogan, Marley & Me followed the life of John (Owen Wilson) from the time he and his wife Jenny (Jennifer Aniston) got married, the glory days of his career as a columnist, to the time they had children and moved to another state. The highs and lows of the story started when the couple isn’t ready yet to have a baby and so they adopted a dog and named him after the singer Bob Marley. Beyond the lovable features of Marley, he turned out to be the world’s worst dog. Unruly and stubborn, Marley humps to people and chews almost everything in his way. Even a trainer has given up on him. But despite this downside, the movie balances Marley’s bad behavior with candid and tender dog and human bonding moments. As the family grew, Marley learned to adjust with it too. Being a constant companion in private family moments, his presence though at times annoying became a must for John Grogan’s family. Their moments with Marley also became the most cherished moments of their lives. Years passed and with the help of the boisterous behavior of Marley, John and Jenny’s family learned some of the valuable lessons in life coupled with precious family memories they will all carry in their hearts forever.

I refuse to be technical about Marley & Me for it is good as it is. Instead, I’ll share some of the lessons I learned from the movie:

1. Sometimes, the worst characteristic of a person is what makes us love them. At times, we think we hate it, we hate them, but as we dig deeper, we’ll realize that these qualities are actually the magnet that draws us to them and makes us love them whatever their flaws are.

2. Relationships, specifically marriage entails with it responsibilities that doesn’t only require love and understanding but most importantly, commitment and dedication in the most profound sense of the words.

3. Letting go is as important as the air we breathe. Nothing is permanent in this world and as we live our lives, attachments, whether it is physical, emotional, or psychological, at one point in our life, has to say goodbye and we have to be ready for it. This doesn’t mean not allowing yourself to experience these emotions but knowing when to stop and say goodbye is the key.

4. Lost is a tool for us to be better. We’ve all experienced loss. Loss of a once magical love, loss of a loved one, loss of victory. Loss. It’s never easy and we may not understand the analogy there is but these failures that caused damage in us are nothing but instruments for us to struggle and be the best that we can be.

5. Family. We may not approve of them all the time. We may not always be in harmony with each other. But at the end of the day, we are still thankful that we all belong to one. For no matter how crazy we are, in the midst of whether stability or turmoil in our lives, they are the ones who have and will forever make us feel special and extraordinary.

Marley & Me will surely make it to everyone’s list of favorite movies for it is a movie that hits close to home. Everyone can relate to it one way or the other. It’ll not only make you laugh and cry at the same time but with its heartfelt story, it’ll surely touch everyone. THIS MOVIE IS A MUST WATCH!

One more Chance

5/5

Exactly two weeks after I have announced to the whole world that I am going to watch this movie, I, together with my best friends Korina and Joanne headed for the world famous SM Mall of Asia to finally see what everyone is raving about this latest Star Cinema offering.

As expected of a John Lloyd-Bea movie, the cinema was 60-70% full not bad for a second screening at 1pm. I was so excited while waiting for the movie to start. Extensive promotion days before the premiere made me imbibe the lines of both the main characters, lines that in a week time became a fad even before the movie hit the theaters. I can’t wait to see the entire scene behind those lines.

There were never second thoughts in my mind whether I’m going to watch this movie or not. The first time I saw its trailer, I shouted out loud that I’m going to watch this movie. I have high expectations from this movie because they say that this is the best flick the love team has ever or will ever be doing. I’m glad to say that I am not disappointed when I got out of the cinema. First 5mins. of the movie already gave me the impression that indeed this movie is really different from other John Lloyd-Bea films. And as a matter of fact, the movie proved to be very different from other millions of romance movies I have ever seen.

From You Got Me, You Are The One and now, One More Chance, Director Cathy Garcia-Molina has never ran out of romantic scenes. She has never recycled a single kilig moment unlike other directors of that genre. What’s nice about this movie is its depth. For a second you might think that the story is shallow thus making it jologs. But this movie proved to be more than that.

The over all feel of the movie is painful. From the very start, you can already feel how Basha (Bea’s character) is hurting with how controlling Popoy (John Lloyd) is. But the downpour of emotions in the movie came when the lead characters broke up. Amidst the pain both characters are experiencing, it is a work of a genius with how the director was able to balance the natural drama of the movie with kilig moments that will surely make your heart jump off.

It’s great how this movie was able to show that/how true love can be very hurting and at the same time, be very captivating that no amount of pain can ever erase your feelings for that person you truly love and yet has hurt you the most.

This movie is very different from all the romance flicks I have seen because it didn’t use any cheesy line whatsoever in expressing the lead character’s feelings. The script writer used words that we normally use everyday; words that are plain, simple and direct to the point without any exaggerations at all that’s why it’s closer to the audience. I believe this is also the reason why the story of One More Chance is what we call in Tagalog, ‘tagos sa puso, damang-dama mo’.

This movie saw the maturity on both John Lloyd and Bea as actors. While watching it I can’t help but tell myself that this is like watching a younger Christopher De Leon and Vilma Santos. John Lloyd gave a superb performance in this film. Truly, he is one of the best actors the Philippines will ever produce. Two thumbs up to both of them.

As I always say, in our generation right now, Star Cinema is the best when it comes to film producing and they never fail. Congratulations to everybody who’s a part of One More Chance. It’s close to perfect.

The moment I got out of the cinema, I immediately told Joanne and Korina that this is THE MOVIE OF THE YEAR! Forget that 2007 ever happened if you’re gonna miss this movie.


PS: John Lloyd makes me weak. He’s so gwapo!

Paano Kita Iibigin

5/5

Fans of songbird Regine Velasquez and heartthrob Piolo Pascual had been waiting for this movie for two years now. And as an avid Regine Velasquez fan, my anticipation for this movie was unexplainable. That’s why days before its first day of theatrical showing, I promised myself that I’m going to watch it on its first day, rain or shine!

May 30, after my first class, I rushed to Glorietta 4 to catch the first screening at 12:50 pm. I was not expecting that crowd thinking that it was the first screening and people might be at work since it’s Wednesday, 12:50 pm. But I was wrong because at the time I bought my ticket and made my way inside the movie house, there were a lot of people occupying the seats already and by the time the movie started, the first three rows from the screen were the only one’s not occupied. There were even some that chose to just stand up to be able to get a better view.

After watching the movie, I dare say YOU’LL MISS HALF OF YOUR LIFE IF YOU WON’T WATCH THIS MOVIE!!! And I mean that!

I’ll give you FIVE reasons why you should go and see this movie:

1. It is very rare that we find a local movie that has depth and so much SUBSTANCE in it. This movie if I may say so is oozing with substance. And it’s very, very different in such a way that it gave a typical Filipino romance flick a different perspective. It’s not your ordinary kilig-kilig, pa-cute Tagalog romance, it’s so good! Everything in the movie is FRESH!!! I didn’t notice any cliché at all. The movie in general is very realistic. The acting of everyone in the film was perfect. A totally different Piolo and Regine are in this movie.

2. I have to commend the writers for a well-written story. I love the fact that they did not relied on fantasy and just offered a love story that has so much out of this world element. John Paul Abellera, the script writer, made a job well done in this movie. There was never a “trying-hard” line. Every dialogue was perfect. I really noticed that they made it a point that every dialogue in the script fits the characters, the scenes, the emotion of that particular act and the over all tone of the movie. One thing I also admire about the script was that they did not use cliché, over-acting lines. Especially when the main characters were professing their love for each other, the words they used were carefully chosen and were not baduy!

3. I have seen all of Regine Velasquez’s movie and indeed, I can say that this movie is her best to date. This movie brought out the actress in her. Here, she proved that she’s not only the best singer in Asia, she also established that she’s one of the excellent actresses we have here in the Philippines. Regine Velasquez deserves a Best Actress trophy for this movie. Not only was she admirable in this film but also stunning and exceptional. Regine Velasquez was really great in this movie. Two thumbs up, Songbird!

4. What can I say about Piolo Pascual??? He’s fantastic in this movie. He doesn’t need to speak just by his facial expressions you’ll know what his character’s emotion is. I particularly love the scene where he’s inside the mini airplane and was just crying. I BOW DOWN TO YOU PIOLO!!! You’re the man! And of course, he’s so yummy!!! Gosh!!! I’m so speechless. I’m drooling the entire time I was inside the movie house.

5. This masterpiece was directed by Direk Joyce Bernal and she deserves a standing ovation for this film. It’s like she never runs out of bright ideas for a romance movie. She’s one of the best directors we have and I really love her. There was never a dragginf scene in this movie. Every shot was just perfect and rightfully done. One thing I love about Direk Joyce is that she knows what she wants and if it’s a romance movie by her, expect it, it’s DAMN SO FABULOUS! I admire how she directs love scenes. Very, very good!!! For this particular movie, the love scene and kissing scenes were sensual and very passionate but still it appeared extremely wholesome.

For a person like me who has watched a hundred romance movies, I say this is one of the best I have ever seen. This co-production between Star Cinema and Viva Films is amazing! It’s all worth it and I highly recommend it.

“Paano Kita Iibigin” is a great movie. It offers a great deal of romance and the right amount of drama and humor. Go and WATCH IT!!!

P.S. Eugene Domingo rocks!!!