Cine Europa 16 Movie Schedule (Shang Cineplex)

The first movie festival/competition on screens this month is the 16th edition of Cine Europa at Shangri-La Plaza. All screenings are free to the public.

Three fantastic Filipino films are also included in the festival, which runs from September 5 to 15, 2013. Newly restored classic films Genghis Khan and Oro Plata Mata will be screened at 2 pm and 4 pm respectively on Sunday, 8th of September. The Cinemalaya 2013 opening film Jazz In Love will have 2 pm and 4 pm screenings on Saturday, 14th of September.

Updated:

While queuing up at Shang Cineplex yesterday, 5th of September, I'd overheard two youngsters talking with a middle-aged woman. They were discussing animatedly the last film Barbara. It seems that they could have enjoyed the German film more if only there were more subtitles. I was puzzled with their discussion.

One minute into the next screening, I knew what they were talking about. The movie is zoomed in therefore eliminating letterbox bars and half of the valuable subtitles. I complained to the security personnel about the missing subtitles. He said it had something to do with the DVDs they had received. I explained to him that the DVD is not the culprit. They just need to fix the image height projection. He relayed my suggestion to the usher. When I returned to my seat after two minutes or so, the problem was already fixed.

It is already the 16th edition of Cine Europa and yet, some staff at Shang Cineplex are clueless about subtitling problems. I laud Shang Cineplex for hosting international film festivals. Most of the foreign films screened are for free. But, free viewing doesn't mean accepting whatever is shown onscreen. I pity those who persevered watching the film Barbara with at least half of every line of dialogue missing.

I hope the Shang Cineplex people have smarted up because I will definitely come back for more screenings. I enjoyed the film I saw yesterday titled Almanya: Willkommen in Deutschland. I'm hoping to see a gem or two during the festival's 11-day run.

OTJ: On The Job (Erik Matti, 2013)

Corrupt lawmakers. Diligent NBI agents. Enigmatic sunglass-clad lady. Making a killing at a pork house.

Eerily reminiscent of current headlines, OTJ unveils a corruption scandal so deep and wide it creeps up onto the country's highest level of government. But, your definition of a government may soon change with this film. A shadowy figure arrogantly boasts 'We are the ones running the government. We are the government.'

There are lots of things to admire with OTJ (aka On The Job). Among the top reasons is the excellent acting of the ensemble led by Joel Torre, who plays a fatherly, grizzled mentor to a would-be-assassin. It is heartbreaking to see him cooped up once more in the tinted vehicle. Just when freedom is at hand for Tatang Mario (Torre), the shadowy figures tighten their noose on his neck. They truly have a hold on nearly every one. Those who escaped their clutches and managed to return back to the straight path are soon dispatched with impunity.

Then, there's the bravura opening act set during the Feast of Saint John the Baptist. The assassination scene plunges us into the world of inmates who are released for days to work as hired killers. Years ago, a Cinema One Originals film Layang Bilanggo barely scratched the prisoners-as-assassins concept. OTJ, with a screenplay by Erik Matti and Michiko Yamamoto, presents a meatier take on the hired killing business. Just like the intern Daniel (Gerald Anderson), we get an immersion into the whole, icky pit of political killings. 

In the end, there will be two types of people crawling away from the pit. One set gets gobbled up by all the muck. Their mindset is corruption will stay and might as well dip their dirty fingers on the pot.

The other group is determined to eradicate corruption. These are the people who are willing to sacrifice their marriage and even their lives for change. Stepping out from the shadows, they stand proud on the streets and defiantly raise dirty fingers up in the air. They are not afraid to mess things up.

OTJ is one, big dirty finger pointed towards all corrupt politicians. It is also an entertaining film with amazing action set-pieces.

There is a minor quirk with the film, though. The flag is hanged improperly at the police station. The blue side of the vertical flag should be to the left side of the observer.

Director Matti is a favorite of cinephiles for his visually and stylistic takes on genre films (e.g. Pa-Siyam, Exodus) and unique art films such as a favorite of mine The Arrival. He teamed up with Dondon Monteverde to form Reality Entertainment Inc. With OTJ and Before Midnight, the duo is responsible for bringing to the screens two of the best films I’ve seen this year. With their track record, they can count on me to check out their future projects such as Kung Fu Divas.

Ekstra (Jeffrey Jeturian, Cinemalaya 2013 NETPAC Winner)

When my sisters asked me to buy two passes for Vilma Santos’ first indie film Ekstra, I thought to myself, 'Cinemalaya has made a mark on my siblings.' They are no longer contented to wait for commercial runs of Cinemalaya films. They also know what films to watch on their initial day-long Cinemalaya experience at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

Their feedback on Ekstra was positive. They had a blast laughing and one sibling thought it the best of the three feature length films they saw that day, 27 July. The two other films were Instant Mommy (their choice because it’s a Eugene Domingo starrer) and Debosyon, which was my blind recommendation to them. It is worthwhile to note that Ekstra and Instant Mommy were box-office hits, which suggest that most Cinemalaya viewers still prefer films with big names.

The next day, I watched Ekstra (aka The Bit Player) during its star-studded gala premiere. Sure enough, there was boisterous laughter all over the fully-packed Main Theater at CCP. But, how come I barely find anything funny with the film? After much rumination, I recalled producer Joji Alonso’s request to people who dislike the film to be fair. She usually is upbeat and confident with her Cinemalaya films, most of which are award winners and audience favorites. So when Alonso made the unusual plea, I thought it was a red flag.

On the last day of Cinemalaya 2013, I reluctantly gave the box-office champ Ekstra a second chance. I’m glad I did because it was a much better film experience for me. I’d zoned out on the clunky jokes and focused on the story. Boy, the film’s satiric barbs really, really stings. I laud the film's courageous, no-holds-barred depiction of ruthlessness in the telenovela industry.

Ekstra does a decent job of showing the hardships faced by an extra like Loida Malabanan (Vilma Santos). The life of a bit player is not a bed of roses. Movie and television extras are subjected to various types of abuse. They belong to the lowest stratum in the hostile showbiz jungle. Loida and her colleagues were shooed away by various groups while in search of a place to rest and put their things.

The film's scriptwriters, Jeturian, Zig Dulay, and Antoinette Jadaone, won an award for their poignant take on those unheralded heroes of the film and TV industry. 

Jadaone, however, has written and directed a better, funnier film on a lowly bit player. Feeling sorry for Loida at the end of Ekstra? The film Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay has a more poignant scene. Horror film fixture Lilia Cuntapay, along with her neighbors and friends, huddle in front of the television waiting for her interview by the TV Patrol news program. She waits and waits...

Bit players yearn for a place on the screen, big or small. Loida dreams of breaking out from being a mere part of a crowd. Lilia prepares a speech in case she nabs the best supporting actress award. They patiently wait for their big break. In case they fall, they will wait for their next booking.

As Lilia bluntly observes, 'patience is a must for bit players. Otherwise, they ought to kill themselves.'

The Last Journey of Ninoy (Jun Reyes, 2009)

A co-production of the Ninoy & Cory Aquino Foundation and Unitel Productions, this wonderful docu-drama takes a look at the last nine days of Senator Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino Jr. It chronicles his last day in Boston, Massachusetts until his fateful return to the Philippines on August 21, 1983. Interspersed with the running account of Ninoy's trip back home is an inspiring tale of the late senator's spiritual journey. How Ninoy overcame adversities and vicissitudes in his latter years is an inspiration and source of hope for downtrodden people.

Ninoy was a jolly, extrovert person who loved crowds. His political star shone early in Tarlac. In 1967, the 35-year old Ninoy ran for and won a seat in the Senate. A fearless and risk-taking politician, Ninoy took on the task of exposing the abuses and crimes of his Upsilon Sigma Phi brother, President Ferdinand Marcos. When Marcos declared martial law in September 1972, Ninoy and most of the opposition figures were sent to jail. Ninoy vowed to helped restore democracy.

A bittersweet recollection dealt with the visit of Cory Aquino and her children to Ninoy at a military camp in Laur, Nueva Ecija. The usually jovial Ninoy was now a sobbing, emaciated man holding on to his pants. He was full of emotions because of his unexpected meeting with family members. He had given up hope of ever seeing them again. Three of his daughters were also crying. He was ashamed because here he was crying his hearts out while Cory did not shed a tear at all. Little did Ninoy knew that Cory was given a tranquilizer shot that numbed her feelings.

A sprinkling of delicious humor spiced up the documentary. If you've ever marveled at the glib of tongue of Kris Aquino, then you'll be impressed more with the sense of humor and public speaking skills of her father, Ninoy. He truly loved giving speeches. He can easily crack funny jokes about his experiences in a military camp or at a hospital. Watch out for his tale of a visit by the 'beautiful one.' He can shift from English to Filipino in a flash.

The docu-drama utilized restored videos, photos, and interviews with the late Senator Ninoy and the late President Cory. Among the most memorable vignettes were those prophetic interview with Ninoy at the Grand Hotel in Taipei and the hunger strike incident. There were some recreated scenes depicting the last days of Ninoy. Several of the latter scenes though looked like commercials for a telephone company.

One of the most valuable lessons from the documentary is that things happen for a reason. The 7 years and 7 months-long incarceration of Ninoy brought him closer to God and his family. The hunger strike incident made him realized that the Filipinos are worth living for. The wonderful three years of family bonding in Boston, Massachusetts rejuvenated his love for his country and fellow Filipinos.

All these things and more prepared Ninoy to undertake the fateful journey back home. Watching Ninoy coolly describe what will happen to him in a few hours sends chills to the bones. His peaceful demeanor at the China Airlines jet is an amazing, unforgettable sight. 

He had really made peace with himself and his Creator. An assassin's bullet interrupted Ninoy's mission of restoring democracy. However, his death sparked three years of protests and rallies that culminated in the Edsa People Power Revolution of 1986. Marcos and his family was exiled to Hawaii. Thus begin, the journey of Cory as President of the Philippines.

*original online posting in 2009

Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag (Lino Brocka, 1975)

My first attempt to watch the newly-restored Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag was futile. SM Megamall allocated only two screenings for the film on Thursday, 8 August. Dang, this is one of the greatest Filipino films and it merely gets a pair of early screenings?

I finally caught up with Brocka’s masterpiece yesterday, a rainy Sunday afternoon. There’s nothing like watching a great, almost-mint film on the big screen. The gorgeous colors come alive. The neon lights are truly dazzling and seductive even from afar. The gleaming yellow hard hat on slimy Balajadia’s head effectively exposes the lack of hard hats for the poor workers.

The restoration is surely worth it because of small, important things being uncovered by viewers. The best new thing I’ve discovered is that the story of star-crossed lovers was set in pre-martial law Philippines. A calendar on the background has December 1970 on it. This kind of information will surely be missed out when the film is seen on a small screen. Clodualdo del Mundo Jr. originally wrote the screenplay in 1970 for a scriptwriting course handled by Nestor Torre.

Another discovery for me is identifying the movie being watched by the two lovers. The film King of Kings alludes to the heavy cross borne by a suffering Ligaya Paraiso (Hilda Koronel). Ligaya takes care of her child with a man she does not love, Chua Tek. The cross can also refer to Ligaya's recruiter, Miss Cruz, who is the person responsible for bringing her to the infernal city of Manila.

Images of Manila in this film have been copied countless times in other movies. Maynila shows Luneta as a place frequented by sex workers. There is even a scene showing doves flying freely in the area. Maynila nga ang pugad ng mga kalapating mababa ang lipad. Manila By Night also features the city as a breeding hotspot of sex workers and shadowy characters.

Viewing the film (aka Manila In the Claws of the Neon) is easily one of the best film experiences I’ve had in a long time. The feeling I had is akin to seeing Gilas Pilipinas win over the South Korean basketball team or watching Manny Pacquiao knock out Ricky Hatton. All those great images and moments are etched firmly in my mind along with the film's final scene showing a cornered Julio Madiaga at a cul-de-sac.

I believe that the Taiwanese film Rebels of the Neon God has a few nods to Manila In the Claws of the Neon. Both films have the word Neon on their titles. Kang-sheng Lee's Hsiao-Kang is similar to the built and countenance of Bembol Roco's Julio Madiaga. The films' street chases are similar.

Brocka's film will be shown at the Sineng Pambansa Film Festival in September 2013.

Rekorder (Mikhail Red, Cinemalaya 2013 New Breed)

The Reds invaded the hallowed halls of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. I’m not talking about communists although documentaries on two prominent rebels, Yanan and Ishma, were shown at Cinemalaya 2013.

The Red invasion I’m referring to deals with Cinemalaya screenings of films made by Raymond Red, Jon Red, and Mikhail Red. All three films are a veritable feast for the eyes. It is not a Red film if the production design and cinematography are sophomoric. Raymond Red’s Kamera Obskura won the Special Jury Prize at the Cinemalaya 2012 Directors Showcase competition.  Rekorder’s Roy Red nabbed the production design award at the Cinemalaya 2013 New Breed competition.

Jon Red’s loony film Ang Pirata may not win an award but it may have lent an image and a major idea to Mikhail Red’s Rekorder. Both films prominently showed the Video Regulatory Board’s warning about video piracy. Both films featured video pirates.

In Rekorder, a former cameraman named Maven (Ronnie Quizon) dabbles in illicit recording of films shown in movie theatres. Using an old video camcorder, he partners with a teenaged boy while doggedly capturing on tape the movie Manila Skies (Himpapawid).

One night, after barely eluding several security guards, he stumbles onto a lynching of a young man on the streets. Instinctively, he records the incident and captures the fatal shooting of the lad. He agonizes later on whether to share the contents of the tape to the police. 

Rekorder is a mature, skillful piece of work dealing with loneliness, grief, and world-wearied apathy. I can’t believe that a 21-year old directed this film. Well, the genes may have something to do with it. His father, Raymond Red, at the young age of 17 years, dealt with the heavy subject of immortality in the classic short feature, Ang Magpakailanman.

Mikhail Red had a fantastic scene showing a wasted young lady vomiting. A male friend, instead of lending a hand, records the incident on his cellphone. He is no different from the documentary filmmaker in Himala, who recorded the rape of Elsa. The video pirate Maven also had several bouts of indifference to crimes. It took some time for him to eschew his apathetic behavior.

Unlike most New Breed films that are obviously stretched, the film's pacing and running time is just right. There is just one scene though that needs some modification. Three people as witnesses may have sufficed for the crowd scene during the street lynching. A dozen people lined up as witnesses are just too neat. A large number of people may congregate after but not during a brutal street beating.

Purok 7 (Carlo Obispo, Cinemalaya 2013 New Breed)

Purok 7 is receiving some buzz from the crowds at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The film featured a pair of siblings left to fend for themselves after their mother went to work abroad. The audiences lapped up the puppy love of a dreamy, dusky Diana to Jeremy.

It could have been a top contender on my recommended list but its uncanny similarity to Magnifico lessened my admiration for the film. Both films show a sibling carrying another sibling on his/her back. The kids are then shown having fun at their respective town's carnival. Both films featured a person with disability that hinders speech. And, the two films highlight the innate goodness of neighbors.

There's also a problem with the way the OFW incident was introduced. Isn't it that family members should be the first ones to receive news on such grave matter?

Para Kay Ama (Relyn Tan, 2012)

My favorite non-Cinemalaya short of 2012, Para Kay Ama, is now my fave Cinemalaya short feature this year.

A welcome addition to the scant Chinoy filmography, the short film is a one-shot, marvelous look at a secret unveiled during the wake of a Chinese patriarch. 

Che Ramos is amazing as Hannah, a young Tsinoy (Chinese Filipino) who've just learned that she has a step-brother. In a burst of pure acting brilliance, she handles her character's roller-coaster ride of emotions with ease.

The audience gets a glimpse into the challenges faced by female Tsinoys. How they are treated as inferior to males. A Chinese businessman, despite knowing the answer, asks whether her step-brother is the first born child. He rues the fact that Hannah is the older one and that she doesn't speak Chinese. But, what riles him most is Hannah inherits all of her late father's wealth.

The beauteous young lady director, Relyn Angkuan Tan, dedicated the film to her grandmother and her father. The title Para Kay Ama translates as For Grandmother and, also as, For Father. The director also acknowledged the film's nods to Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria, Ded na si Lolo, Crying Ladies, and the Mano Po series.

Catch the short film at the gala showing of Cinemalaya 2013's Shorts A program on July 30, 2013 at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. You may discover a secret or two during your viewing. Is that really a one-shot, one-cut film?

Lola (Brillante Mendoza, 2009)

Right after winning the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival 2009, Brillante Mendoza went home and started work on this film for 10 straight days. He wanted to capture the rainy season and the floods in Malabon. The movie ended up being a 'surprise' entry at the 66th Venice International Film Festival, where it received good reviews from critics.

Lola is a daunting, demanding, but ultimately rewarding film. If Mendoza kept you on the edge of your seat with the suspense-chiller Kinatay, then this time around, Mendoza will make you teary-eyed throughout the heavy drama movie.

The mood is drab, funereal, and quite depressing really. The heartbreaking plight of the elderly, prisoners, and impoverished people is too much to take. Think in terms of the gloomy aftermath of tropical storm Ondoy. The worst flooding in the Philippines since 1967 resulted in the deaths of hundreds and the displacement of thousands of families. But, amidst all the dreariness, the extraordinary resilience of the Filipinos shines through. Bayanihan spirit will help our countrymen get through this crisis.

Lola highlights that type of resiliency and indefatigable spirit inherent in Filipinos. The Mendoza film features two grandmothers who've probably encountered and weathered all types of crisis and troubles. The two senior citizens are linked together by a homicide-robbery case. Lola Josefa ‘Sepa’ Quimpo (Anita Linda) lost her grandson in the incident. Lola Purificacion Burgos’ grandson Mateo is the suspect in the killing.

Adversity brings out the best in Filipinos. The elders (brilliantly acted by veteran actresses Linda and Rustica Carpio) will do anything for their family members. Lola Sepa mortgages her pension card in order to raise money for the funeral service. On the other hand, Lola Puring pawns television, and mortgages her property to amass funds for a possible amicable settlement. However, extreme crisis also brings out the worst in the Filipino. Lola Puring resorts to shortchanging buyers of vegetables to raise precious money.

The funeral procession on the inundated streets of Malabon is destined to be an iconic Mendoza moment. We see Lola Sepa, family members, loved ones, friends, and neighbors riding in bancas as they serenely go to the cemetery. No one is crying. It is as if their tear ducts have all dried up.

There is also a beautiful, night-time shot of a shimmering, gleaming flooded street that bodes hope and redemption. The ending shows the two grandmothers, along with their loved ones, coming out of the Hall of Justice. They have overcome the latest problem that life has thrown at them. Drawing strength from family members, they are ready once more to wade through life’s joys and sorrows.

*original online posting in 2009

Kinatay (Brillante Mendoza, 2009)

This is no ordinary Brillante Ma. Mendoza film.

Vividly colored snippets of people doing their routine morning chores. Friendly game of basketball among the young men. Tween girls running an errand. A cook cutting a chicken into pieces. Happy portrait of a couple with their cute boy.

Is this really a Brillante Mendoza film?

Employing an Alfred Hitchcock's trick in Rear Window, the Mendoza film lures the audience into the blissful, carefree world of Peping (Coco Martin), a soon-to-be-married criminology student. The beautifully-lensed daytime segment takes a voyeuristic peek into the activities of Peping's neighbors. This segment will soon segue into a cheesy interlude onboard a jeepney and ultimately culminating in the joyous wedding celebrations. However, the daytime segment ends with an ominous shot of a red-tinged sunset.

Night falls and we see Peping running an errand for a criminal syndicate headed by rogue cops. His friend Abyong (Jhong Hilario) later convinces him to join an operation. They catch up with their colleagues inside a family van. A prostitute named Madonna (Ma. Isabel Lopez) becomes the last rider to hop onboard.

What follows is a Stygian journey into the pits of hell. Peping didn't expect anyone to receive any kind of beating. When the gang members start gagging Madonna and tying up her hands, Peping helplessly looks on. Sarge (John Regala) slaps and kicks the prostitute. The muffled cries of Madonna eventually die down. A shocked Peping can't believe the events transpiring before him. Even if he wanted to leave, he knows he can't get pass through the tight-guarding Cerberus-like trio near the van's door.

Scriptwriter Armando 'Bing' Lao provides a solid depiction of Peping's slow descent into the heart of darkness. After the group unloads the unconscious prostitute in a house, Peping contemplates on ditching the group. Escape is not an easy option, though. The group members are mostly cops-turned-hardened criminals and he is just a student. They won't hesitate to kill him. The crooked police captain (Julio Diaz) drags Peping further down the abyss by giving him a gun. The lure of power clouds the student's judgment. Soon, he is fetching sacks that will be used in the disposal of Madonna's chopped-up body parts.

The claustrophobic trip back to the city is equally hellish for Peping. Madonna fails to pay the required money and is soon thrown, limb by limb, out of the vehicle. The stench of the rape-slay crime overcomes Peping. He vomits and realizes that he has reneged on his school oath. He can never get back the much-desired integrity.

This is no ordinary Brillante Mendoza film.

Kinatay is the most terrifying film made by Mendoza so far. To horror fans out there who have never seen a movie by Brillante Mendoza, now is the right time to savor the brilliance of a Mendoza film. The suspense ratchets up to the roof since the start of the Stygian journey. The film's chills quotient never flags down. It maintains its feverish pitch until the end.

The most chilling sight is seeing a pot-bellied man washing bits of skin and blood off his body. The man, who will later don a long-sleeved white polo, is Sarge, a police officer. Criminal cops? Scary stuff. The scarier part is they do really exist. As the movie of ex-Dagdag National Artist Carlo J. Caparas would say, 'God have mercy on us!'


*original online posting in 2009