Kung Fu Divas (Onat Diaz, 2013)

The kick-ass trailer of Kung Fu Divas is such a doozy that those who have seen it must be the ones responsible for the film's strong legs at the box-office. They came in droves bringing along a partner or their families in tow. The word of mouth campaigning is still ongoing through its last week.

It's been awhile since I heard kids and their parents laughing simultaneously during a movie screening. I also had a grand time. The kooky premise of a beauty contest and the rare pairing of two comedians from rival television networks are a match in heaven.

Of all the celebrities I've seen in person, Marian Rivera is unforgettable. She stands out for her radiant charm and stunning beauty. Add to that a curvaceous body, a flawless complexion, a sweet smile and... there goes my boxers. The breathtaking Marian is a true makalaglag briefs lady.

It is no wonder then that Marian Rivera's character Samantha is expected to romp off with the Hiyas ng Dalampasigan beauty contest trophy. There's a wickedly funny scene showing the contestants withdrawing one by one from the race after seeing the beauteous Samantha enter the contest.

There's one other scene that I still relish because of Marian's comic presence. Watch out when she is being led to the soundproofed pedicab. She is so much into the music that she makes a nifty, charming shoulder move. I loved that she plays the scene with a Buster Keaton face and the comic timing of Charlie Chaplin.

Meanwhile, Charlotte (Ai-Ai de las Alas), a regular contestant for more than a decade, gives Samantha a good fight. Charlotte comes from a family of beauty queens and feels this year is her time to reign as queen. Indeed destiny is stamped firmly on her chin, errr, on her back.
Kung Fu Divas is a rarity. This entertaining example of beauty contest-themed comedy/adventure comes only once in a blue moon. Nay, make it once in a total eclipse of a blue moon. The last film I recall of this type is Joey Gosiengfiao's classic Temptation Island. The cult classic chronicles the interaction of four bitchy beauty queens stranded on an island. Kung Fu Divas cribbed the beauty contest flyer invite scene from the 1980 film.

It is interesting to note that Marian Rivera starred in a bland remake of Temptation Island. I was disappointed when she failed to bag the coveted role of Suzanne Reyes, which was essayed by Lovi Poe. Lovi was good but Marian seems to be a better deadpan comic.

A recent local film was also inspired by Temptation Island. Momzillas features two women fighting over a man. They get stranded on an island and forced to work together in order to survive. Sounds like Kung Fu Divas? Even though it featured Maricel Soriano and Eugene Domingo, Momzillas isn't spunky and hilarious enough to compete with Kung Fu Divas.

Kung Fu Divas is a refreshing comedy to watch unlike the stale Momzillas. It takes us to exotic places via the wonders of a green screen. The visual comic touches are unique such as the talent showdown of the two rivals. The film is not perfect though. I'm not satisfied with the ending. It misses out on the 'beauty within' concept. Or, maybe it did not miss out? No matter how hard I try, I can't recall how Charlotte ended up as a queen. Well, I still remember the funny stuff and that's more than enough to make my day.

Metro Manila (Sean Ellis, 2012)

The vision of Lino Brocka is heavily felt in the early parts of the British film Metro Manila. We see traces of Brocka's city of Manila. It is still pretty much the same through the years. Its neon lights continue to lure rural dwellers onto its hellish pit.

The start of the suspenseful film shows farmer Oscar Ramirez (Jake Macapagal) and his family embarking on a long trip to the city. Oscar, just like Julio Madiaga, gets his first job loading rocks. He also gets exploited by heartless contractors.

The claws of the ruthless and nefarious also nabs Oscar's wife Mai (Althea Vega). She ends up, just like Ligaya Paraiso, in the red light district. The owner of the bar she works for is named Sir Chua, which is a nod to Chua Tek, the husband of Ligaya Paraiso in Brocka's Manila: In the Claws of the Neon.

Other Brocka characters, imageries, and dialogues referred to are the security guard (Jaguar),  the Black Nazarene procession (Bona), and the 'kapit sa patalim' dialogue (Bayan Ko).

Ishmael Bernal's Manila by Night is referred to in the balcony scene with Daniel Ong (John Arcilla) showing Oscar a majestic view of the city after dark. But, it is those two other Manila films, namely Brocka's Manila and Raymond Red's Manila Skies, that are the ones given nods by the British film. Put in Red's Cannes winning short film Anino in there, too. The short feature is Red's own tribute to Brocka's Manila. 

Metro Manila, though, is not a mishmash of Filipino films. If the film's vision of Manila is familiar it is because the city has not changed much. Local and foreign filmmakers, young and old alike, will see the obvious traffic, clutter, shanties, and shadowy characters of Manila. Bourne Legacy has them. Metro Manila has them, too, and more.

It is the inside stories that differentiate one film from another. Metro Manila puts the viewer inside an armored van driven by Oscar Ramirez. His string of bad luck ended when he gets hired to drive the vehicle. The training segment has a wonderful scene with Ong playing an opera piece sung by Maria Callas. He says it soothes his soul, and also the viewer's mind as well. It is a welcome respite from the deluge of ills and evil deeds befalling the family. It gets too heavy and draining to watch after a while.

Farmer Oscar Ramirez belatedly realizes that although life in the picturesque Banaue highlands is hard, it is heaven compared to infernal Metro Manila. Will the family savor heaven once again?

The film Metro Manila is a suffocating slow burn in the early parts but once it gets going, it is an enthralling thriller. Just like the epic boxing match Thrilla in Manila, you never know who will win. 

The clear winners, though, are the main actors. The fantastic John Arcilla is more memorable here than his stint as a security guard in Bourne Legacy. Jake Macapagal is perfectly cast as as a caring father and husband, Oscar Ramirez. 

One thing that played a big factor in their engaging performances is that they were given a free hand to translate the English dialogues on their own. Hence, there is no awkward moment when they are talking. I like to think that Oscar's bar joke is a creation of a Filipino. If it isn't then the scriptwriters truly has a feel for Filipino humor. Maybe they can do a comedy about Filipinos as well?

Badil (Chito Roño, Sineng Pambansa 2013)

Chito Roño as of late has been busy churning out horror films. So when I read that his Sineng Pambansa project was titled Badil, I thought it was another chiller. I have no idea what the title means but it seems like a name for a monster.

There is monstrosity alright in this spectacular film but not in the supernatural or paranormal sense. There is horror in there, too. But this time it is political in nature.

Badil is Chito Roño's update on political realities he expertly touched on in the films Dekada 70 and Eskapo. While the latter two films are set during the Martial Law regime of President Ferdinand Marcos, Badil is set in contemporary times in an unnamed island.

Upon hearing the word 'dynamite' from a character onboard a boat, I thought the issue is dynamite fishing. However, the main film topic is more tragic and devastating than that. Badil brilliantly shows how love for money subverts elections in the country. Vote buying is so entrenched in a fishing community that almost every resident there is on the take. Registered voters sell their souls to the highest bidder.

Money is a major reason why candidates win in elections. It is also money that keep them firmly in their positions. In Badil, the minions of a challenger attempt to dislodge a moneyed local official by fortifying their stronghold. They keep track of strangers who may convince residents to turn around. The election race is so tight that a mere family of turncoats can be the 'dynamite' that can wreck havoc on the challenger's dream of winning.

Another local term used by the residents is 'ink stain.' Originally referring to the ink used by menacing cephalopods, it is used to describe voters who have had their fingernails stained by indelible ink. Supporters of the seated official realize that if they cannot convince the clannish residents to vote for their bet, they can at least coerce registered voters not to exercise their right of suffrage with a generous amount of bribe. Registered voters can always say that they did not vote for the opposition.

Also keeping with fishing parlance, the film features a case of 'sleeping with the fishes.' Another one has been caught up in the tentacles of the Leviathan called election violence. The supporters of the challenger cannot match the moolah of the local official. Hence, they resort to desperate measures by bringing in political assassins.

Why do politicians and candidates kill for public positions?
According to a Philippine Daily Inquirer article, the Philippine National Police recorded 177-election related incidents from January this year to September 22. From these incidents, 96 candidates and officials have died.

How do candidates recoup the tremendous amount of money that they have spent during campaign period?
Comelec is pursuing cases of vote-buying and excess advertising spending by politicians.

The likely answer to those questions is in the news. 

Pork barrel. President Benigno Aquino III refuses to heed his bosses' clamor for the abolition of legislators' pork barrel. Why? Because he doesn't want the legislators to target his own pork barrel. There goes the so-called checks and balance in our government. There goes the taxpayers' money.

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Sineng Pambansa 2013 sked at Shang Cineplex

Top picks:

• Badil
• Otso

Worth your while:

• Sonata
• admired the nods to Hollywood classic films and actors such as Greta Garbo
• Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle 
• succumbed to the poetry and beauty of spoken Tagalog 
• loved the performances by Ellen Adarna and Arnold Reyes
• Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap?  
• fascinating end-frame 
• the backstory, though, could have been better 
• I still prefer Brillante Mendoza's Lola over this film

Guilty pleasure:

Bahay ng Lagim

 

Sana Dati (Jerrold Tarog, Cinemalaya 2013 Best Picture Winner)

How to describe the film? Well, Sana Dati is Before Sunset...wedding. It is Kung Mangarap Ka't Magising. It is 'Here's looking at you, kid' and 'Play it, Sam.'

In one short description, Sana Dati is talky, heartbreaking, 
classic story-telling, and must-see 'Takas tayo' romantic movie of the year.

'Nuff said.

Ang Kwento ni Mabuti (Mes de Guzman, CineFilipino 2013 Best Picture Winner)

Everybody it seems has a favorite acting highlight of Nora Aunor in Ang Kwento ni Mabuti. The veteran actress squeezes pure acting juice from her bag of tricks. She plays a well-loved healer named Mabuti. There is the scene showing Mabuti bewildered with the contents of a heavy burden of a bag. Another memorable scene shows her stealthily entering the house and promptly hiding her bag on an old trunk. Both scenes are dazzling, delicious displays of thespic excellence. 

The little moments though are the ones I treasure. Try to watch Mabuti's facial gestures after every healing session. A dog-eater of a neighbor gets his comeuppance from aggressive canines. The neighbor seeks the help of Mabuti every time he gets bitten. We see Mabuti with her charming smile after every session. There's a big change however with her reaction after treating the neighbor's snake bite. The smile is not as sunny as ever. It must have something to do with her being whisked off her ride and the need to pay fare once more.

Another crucial scene is Mabuti's partaking of the yummy Ilocano delicacy called tupig. She munches them quickly and yearns for some more. She doesn't grab one right away. She waits for the owner to look her way before asking for another piece. This segment sets up beautifully to Mabuti getting hold of a treasure. She seeks to dispatch of the money because it is not hers. 

What would Jesus do? What would you do if you get a windfall of money? Mabuti is put in a dilemma because the money can save her mortgaged land. In the end, she adheres to the basic rule of returning back things to the rightful owner.

Director Mes de Guzman is on a roll. Every film festival entry of his either wins the Best Picture award or nabs him the Best Director award. For the CineFilipino film Ang Kwento ni Mabuti, he gets both awards along with the Best Screenplay award. His stories capture vividly the rural scene in Nueva Vizcaya. The improvised home water system segment is a beauty. The army of insects shoo Mabuti away from going the wrong path. Then, there are those maddening landslides, jueteng, and verdant scenery. I relate deeply with the provincial values of his characters. 

Nora Aunor may not be a Miss World winner or a CineFilipino Best Actress winner, but she brought life to a beautiful winning character. Mabuti is goodness personified. She refuses to accept donations from patients. She shares her snack with a hot-headed bus driver. She radiates with the glow of inner beauty. It is interesting to note that her mother's advice is similar to what the mother of Miss World Megan Young aptly said, 'you can never go wrong with goodness.' Indeed, the kindness and honesty of Mabuti is worth emulating.

Bizarre CineFilipino incident at Lucky Chinatown, Manila

A strange thing happened during my CineFilipino foray at Lucky Chinatown yesterday morning (19-September). 

I was at the counter to buy ticket for the 10:15 am screening of The Guerrilla is a Poet. I was dumbfounded when the girl said that she will only sell tickets if there are three other patrons. A man behind me reiterated his intention to buy a ticket. I learned later that he was told to buy three tickets in order for the screening to push through. It is a good thing he held his ground. So, there we were, waiting for two more patrons.

A lady, who'd came all over from Alabang, approached the booth and tried to buy a ticket for The Guerrilla is a Poet screening. The counter girl hesitated a bit. I butted in to say that since there are three willing viewers then maybe they can finally sell tickets. The counter girl talked to someone and came back later to sell us the tickets.

During my whole stay there in the vicinity of the ticket booth, I'd overheard films not pushing through because only one or two people expressed interest to buy tickets. The policy of the Lucky Chinatown cineplex group it seems is to push through with screenings only if there are a handful of potential viewers. But, I hope that they do not apply that policy to festival films.

What I had experienced is in stark contrast to SM Cinema group's handling of the Sineng Pambansa National Film Festival. Despite marketing complaints, the group is to be commended for its simultaneous screenings of festival films nationwide for a period of one week. Even the group's plush cinemas participated in the festival. When I tried to buy a ticket at SM Aura's Directors Club cinema, the counter girl immediately assisted me right away. There is no more checking if there are other viewers interested to buy tickets. The screening will definitely push through even if it was only me watching the film.

If the CineFilipino film festival has the tagline 'Kuwento ang Hari,' then the Lucky Chinatown cineplex group's tagline should be 'Kuwarta ang Hari.'

Otso (Elwood Perez, Sineng Pambansa 2013)

Don't judge a film by its poster.

I'd shied away from viewing the film Otso because of its theatre poster. No, it's not the one above. The poster I'm talking about has a picture of about four nude hunks in lieu of Sabina's picture. The beefcake picture seems to suggest that it is a gay film. Well, it isn't a gay film. It is, how do I put it, an artistic meditation on truth and perception.

A balikbayan scriptwriter named Lex is enamored with old Manila. He treads the cobblestones, rides the calesa, and admires the statue of Laong Laan. The picturesque beauty of Intramuros soon gives way to images of a chaotic, cluttered city caught up in electioneering frenzy. 

Lex rents an apartment and starts to work on a commissioned screenplay. One day, he sees a pretty co-tenant. He follows her and sees her wearing a necklace. The piece's prominent design is that of an infinity symbol. From that point on, his creative juice explodes. What follows is a Kaufman-ian glimpse into the maddening scriptwriting process. An eternity of cascading images, characters, and storylines collide with one another and metamorphose into an impishly script.

A character from the film advises Lex to show his script to Brillante Mendoza. I think Lav Diaz is the better option for him because topics such as truth, artists, and art are major concerns of most Diaz films. But, Otso is unlike any Lav Diaz film. It is sui generis. What film can combine diverse characters and issues such as Anita Linda (playing herself), a pair of porn stars, a fresh, young scriptwriter, and the issue of pork barrel and pull it off?

The fun part is trying to figure out who's who and what's what after the denouement.

I'd finished watching all of the major new films included in the Sineng Pambansa National Film Festival. Otso and Chito Roño's impeccable political film Badil are my top picks. If you can only view one film today (17-Sep), then make it Otso. There's a chance that Badil may get an extended run.

CineFilipino Film Festival schedule at Shang Cineplex, Shangri-La Plaza

 September 21, 2013 (Saturday)

• 10:30AM SHORTS 2
  
  KATHANG ISIP by Jo Paulo Madarang
  PRINCESS URDUJA by Tiffanie Ang
  LIGAW by Pam Reyes
  LOGARITMO by Kim Ocariza
  WORLD IPIS by Kristin Joyce P. Barrameda, Joana Carla Ubaldo
•  12:00PM MGA ALAALA NG TAG-ULAN by Ato Bautista
•  2:30PM THE GUERRILLA IS A POET by Sari and Kiri Dalena
•  7:30PM ANG KWENTO NI MABUTI by Mes De Guzman
•  10:00PM PUTI by Mike Alcazaren

 September 22, 2013 (Sunday)

•  10:30AM SHORTS 1
  
  ALKANSIYA by Joan Cajes
  SANGANDAAN by Jose Ibarra Guballa, Benjo Ferrer III
  LAST CALL by Khalil Bañares
  ONANG by JE Tiglao
  MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS by Bor Ocampo
•  12:00PM BINGOLERAS by Ron Bryant
•  2:30PM ANG HULING CHA-CHA NI ANITA by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo
•  7:30PM ANG TURKEY MAN AY PABO RIN by Randolph Longjas
•  10:00PM THE MUSES by Janice Perez 

Bahay ng Lagim (Celso Ad Castillo, Sineng Pambansa 2013)

Sineng Pambansa National Film Festival is an excellent showcase of the filmmaking skills of 12 acclaimed directors. I've seen eight films and majority of them are movies worth seeing again. Even the clunkers have their unique assets and possibly have their own legion of backers.

The sleeper hit of the festival is the special entry Bahay ng Lagim by horror master Celso Ad. Castillo. It is a super-duper chiller to the core. A young lady named Fatima (Karel Marquez) has recurring nightmares of a girl asking for help. But, when these pleas begin to bug her even during waking hours, she seeks the help of a healer, Sister Sophia (Bing Loyzaga).

The whole segment leading to the delicious, wonderful credits is high-level suspense. When the names of the cast appear onscreen, I had a gleeful smile while being at the same time shivering from the chills. There I am slinking in my seat with my head down because I had a feeling someone possessed will sneak up on unsuspecting people. The fear factor won't ebb down for another 45 minutes. 

Sister Sophia's fight with the beast is another highlight of the film. Who says you cannot teach old directors new tricks? The hideous monster magically comes alive via computer graphics.

I was wary when I learned that the horror film was being prepared for the fest without the guidance of Castillo. The late director was supposed to create a new film specifically for the festival but he died of heart attack in November 2012.

Followers of the late director decided to spruce up an unreleased film, Bahay ng Lagim. They did an amazing job. The film is a masterpiece of Castillo and a worthy inclusion to the All Masters Edition of Sineng Pambansa.

Sineng Pambansa National Film Festival 2013 theatrical schedule for all malls

Sineng Pambansa is here... there... and everywhere.

Forget the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). Sineng Pambansa is the real national film festival. SM cinemas from all over the country are screening 10 new works by accomplished local directors from September 11-17, 2013. Admission price is only PHP 101. Yes, we can watch more films that are hopefully of better substance than the stale MMFF fare we get every year.

Here are the major new films and their running times:

Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle  (1:53) - Gil Portes
Ano ang Kulay ng Mga Nakalimutang Pangarap? (1:32) - Jose Javier Reyes
Badil - Chito Roño
Bamboo Flowers (2:12) - Maryo delos Reyes
Eman - Tikoy Aguiluz 
Lauriana (1:58) - Mel Chionglo
Lihis (1:38) - Joel Lamangan
Otso (1:23) - Elwood Perez
Sonata (1:47) - Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes 
Tinik - Romy Suzara


Updated (11-Sep): 
As of tonight, only seven films are showing at SM Megamall. I have no idea what happened to the films Badil, Eman, and Tinik.  

I'm happy with what I have seen so far. These two films, Sonata and Ang Tag-Araw ni Twinkle, are better than most of the films featured at Cinemalaya 2013's Directors Showcase.

Sonata is an ode to films, opera, and Negros Occidental. Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle highlights the allure and beauty of spoken Tagalog.



*****
Searching for the Sineng Pambansa theatrical schedule for all SM malls? Click here

I've pasted below the cineplexes that can accommodate the full slate of ten films. Sadly, all of them are in Metro Manila. (Are there cineplexes with at least 10 theaters outside Metro Manila?)

SM Fairview
Day 1 to 7
Screen 1 - Otso
Screen 2 - Lauriana
Screen 3 - Sonata
Screen 4 - Lihis
Screen 5 - Eman
Screen 6 – Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle
Screen 7 - Tinik
Screen 8 – Bamboo Flowers
Screen 9 – Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap?
Screen 10 - Badil
Screen 11 – Bahay ng Lagim/The Gospel According to Celso Kid
Screen 12 - Salvi

SM Manila
Day 1 to 7
Screen 1 – Bamboo Flowers
Screen 2 – Otso
Screen 3 - Sonata
Screen 4 – Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle
Screen 5 - Lihis
Screen 6 - Tinik
Screen 7 - Badil
Screen 8 - Lauriana
Screen 9 - Eman
Screen 10 - Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap?
Screen 11 – Bahay ng Lagim/The Gospel According to Celso Kid
Screen 12 - Salvi

SM Megamall
Day 1 to 7
Screen 1 - Sonata
Screen 2 – Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle
Screen 3 - Lihis
Screen 4 - Lauriana
Screen 5 – Bamboo Flowers
Screen 6 - Badil
Screen 7 - Eman
Screen 8 - Otso
Screen 9 - Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap?
Screen 10 - Tinik
Screen 11 - Bahay ng Lagim/The Gospel According to Celso Kid
Screen 12 - Salvi

SM North Edsa
Day 1 to 7
Screen 1 – Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap?
Screen 2 - Lihis
Screen 3 – Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle
Screen 4 – Bamboo Flowers
Screen 5 - Eman
Screen 6 - Lauriana
Screen 7 - Tinik
Screen 8 - Otso
Screen 9 - Badil
Screen 10 - Sonata
Screen 11 - Bahay ng Lagim/The Gospel According to Celso Kid 

SM Sta Mesa
Day 1 to 7
Screen 1 - Sonata
Screen 2 - Otso
Screen 3 - Lihis
Screen 4 - Lauriana
Screen 5 – Bamboo Flowers
Screen 6 – Ang Tag-araw ni Twinkle
Screen 7 – Ano ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap?
Screen 8 - Eman
Screen 9 - Tinik
Screen 10 - Badil


Note: The rest of the cineplexes will change their slate of films every day to enable them to feature all 10 new films.


Click here for theater schedules
in Marikina, South Mall, Mall of Asia, San Lazaro, Bacoor, Cebu, Consolacion, Iloilo, Davao, Lanang Premier, Pampanga, Clark, San Fernando, Olongapo, Baguio, Calamba, San Pablo, Sta. Rosa, SM Lucena, SM Naga, Aura Premier, Podium, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Dasmariñas, Bacolod, Taytay, Tarlac, Baliwag, Marilao, Batangas, Lipa, Rosales, Muntinlupa, Novaliches, Sucat, Bicutan, Valenzuela, Masinag, Molino, and Rosario. 

Phew! That is a total of 46 malls. Here's hoping there are new masterpieces showing out there alongside the classics Maynila Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag and Genghis Khan.

All Masters Edition? Let's wait and see...