What the Government Should Know ("Astig" film review)

“When the government cannot see your sufferings, let them hear it through your words.”

 I remember stating this line in my media law essay just this semester. This was referring to the freedom to express which was, again, practiced by Director Giuseppe Bede Sampedro in his indie film, “Astig.”

“Astig” is a film which, like all indie films, exposes the realities of the society. The story revolved around four different men whose lives were interconnected. Ariel Darlucio (portrayed by Dennis Trillo) was a man who lived his whole adult life deceiving people which often lead to trouble. Boy (portrayed by Edgar Allan Guzman) was a young father-to-be who entered several rackets just to save money for his future baby. Ronald Chua (portrayed by Arnold Reyes), was a half-Chinese half-Chavacano who was left by his father and neglected by his half-siblings. Baste (portrayed by Sid Lucero), on the other hand, was an overprotective brother who wanted nothing but to help and protect his family.

If there was one lesson from this movie that I would cherish the most, it would be not to trust people easily. If we try to look at how Elgine (portrayed by Glaiza de Castro) and the other ladies were deceived by Ariel, we could see a pattern. It would appear that they were cheated because all of them looked only at his physical appearance and his courteousness towards them, which is, of course, not correct. If they just tried to be more cautious, things will be a whole lot different. There was also deception in the case of Ronald which also rooted from obliviousness.

If there was deception, there was certainly a cause for it. As we observed, all the characters were victims of the abuses of the society and of corrupt government officials. Ariel and Sally, the prostitute (portrayed by Keanna Reeves), only chose the wrong path because it seemed to be their last option. Boy and Jerome, on the other hand, chose to lose their dignity for money. Now, when we look at the bigger picture, all of them were doing incorrect things for survival. If they only had the choice, do you think they would still continue to do these things? Of course not.

What the director wants the government to know through this movie was that, if they want peace, they should reach out to those who had less. If only problems of poverty and unemployment were given priority, it would be more peaceful and there would be less crime. He also wanted the leaders to understand the situation that people in squatter areas experience.

Although the movie had some flaws (It normally happens in indie films) like faulty lighting and shakiness of the camera, which was sometimes distracting, I like the political touch of the movie. Everyone should not miss this one out.

Your Soul's Other Half ("The Dreamers" film review)

             They say twins are inseparable because they share each other’s souls. But what if somebody suddenly comes in between the two souls? Would they still be inseparable?

            “The Dreamers” is a film about Matthew (portrayed by Michael Pitt), an American student who resides in Paris to learn the French language. The story starts in 1968 when Henri Langlois (portrayed by himself), founder of the French Cinematheque, gets fired. In the protest, Matthew meets Isabelle (portrayed by Eva Green) and Theo (portrayed by Louis Garrel), peculiar twins who share with him the same passion for classic films. When the twins’ parents (portrayed by Robin Renucci and Anna Chancellor) leave home for a vacation, Matthew lives with them. There they played games related to the movies they have watched. As time passes by, Matthew notices a special and unusual attraction between the two siblings and as he gets to know them better, he falls in love with both of them. They get closer and closer to each other until their “little” games elevate to sexual games which eventually confuses their minds. And when they finally get nearer and nearer to reality, the Matthew, Isabelle and Theo find themselves set apart by their beliefs.

            Symbols are present in various parts of the film. The first one is the house where the three live. It serves as a shell – a comfort zone. It separates them from the reality waiting for them outside. Isabelle’s room is also a symbol. It represents her inner child and her innocence. Like what Matthew said, it is a side of Isabelle he has never seen before. Another symbolism is the birthmark on Isabelle and Theo’s arm. It signifies the bond between the siblings. It shows that although they don’t look exactly alike, they are still identical and inseparable.

            The movie is quite disturbing because of the unusual bond between Isabelle and Theo. Though it is expected for twins or siblings to be affectionate with each other, their situation seems to be different. They are comfortable – excessively comfortable – with each other. In fact, it was the first time I saw siblings who sleep next to each other without any clothes on. In the normal world, it will be scandalous and it will go against the morals of the Church because they were not anymore kids to do that kind of thing.

            Despite this, I still admire the kind of relationship between them. Isabelle loves Theo so much that she chooses to forget how she feels for Matthew. I also admire her for saying that she wants Theo to be with her forever because this rarely happens nowadays.

            I don’t relate much to this movie because I don’t have a brother though I think it’s cool to have one. But I do have a not-so-little sister whom I love so much no matter how many quarrels we’ve had. She’s a little bit hot-tempered but I’m really trying my best to get along with her and to be the best sister she could ever have.

            The film is not that bad, but it’s also not that good either. I think it takes a great critic to really understand the film well.

Behind Every Piano Key ("The Piano" film review)

              “Silence is not necessarily the absence of both sound and words. For sometimes words can be heard even without sound.” This maxim was proven true in the movie “The Piano.”

            “The Piano” was about a mute petite woman named Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter) who did not consider herself silent because of her piano. She considered it as one of her most valuable possessions. Then one day, her father married him to Alistair Stewart (Sam Neill), a man she did not know. Ada and her daughter, Flora McGrath (Anna Paquin), were shipped to an island near a beach in New Zealand. Because of the hugeness of the piano, Alistair did not allow her to bring it with them. That’s why George Baines (Harvey Keitel) took the advantage of giving his piece of land to Alistair in exchange of Ada’s piano to make her fall in love with him. And she really did. And Alistair had nothing to do about it.

            Honestly, I was expecting so much from this movie. I heard a lot of positive feedbacks about it from various people. But when I had the chance to finally watch it, it seems like my expectations were violated. First of all, I think the characters were misrepresented. If they appointed younger-looking actors and actresses for the roles of Ada, George and Alistair, the love triangle could be more appealing. My classmate was also right by saying that she didn’t get the point of the story. I saw the plot as something ordinary. I was looking for something more, a twist maybe, but didn’t see one even at the end of the film.

            However, I found the technical aspects of the movie beautiful. It was as if the movie was really made during the time depicted in the film. There was no indication of 1993, the year when it was actually presented on the big screen. The costumes were excellent. They were intricately made and really matched the personalities of each character, most especially Ada. The lighting also made the movie even more realistic.

            Since the movie was not an allegory, it contained less symbols. Topping the list was the piano, of course. Because Ada couldn’t speak, she used the piano instead to communicate her emotions. Anyone who watched the film may have noticed that every song Ada played was parallel to what she felt inside. The keys of the piano, on the other hand, were a symbol of Ada and George’s love for each other. In the earlier parts of the film, we saw how George used the black key to make Ada love him. And the latter, in return, accepted and gave back the love former’s love by sending him one key with a note written on it stating, “Dear George you have my heart. Ada McGrath.” The ocean (or the sea or whatever it’s called) was also a symbol. It represented the kind of silence that made Ada choose life over death. She described the water surface below as having the kind of “silence that no sound may be.”

            As a whole, “The Piano,” for me, was really lacking something. But I also recognize the fact that people have different interpretations and views about certain things. For this reason, I’m still encouraging everyone to watch this film.

Living a Million Yen Life ("One Million Yen Girl" film review)

            In life, you need to have a priority. It’s either you choose one over another, or not to choose anything at all and live a chaotic life. This principle was present in “One Million Yen Girl” in the life of the main character, Suzuko Sato.

            Suzuko is an ex-convict charged by a criminal offense. She felt ashamed to stay home so she decided to leave and worked in towns where nobody knew her. Everytime she saved up one million yen, she transferred to another town. She had odd jobs. She sold shaved ice near the beach, became a “peach girl, and worked at a flower shop. She touched lives and had her life touched by a love she found in the person of Ryohei Nakajima.

            When I heard the film’s title, “One Million Yen Girl,” I thought the film would be of a romantic-comedy type. But it defied my expectations. It was not as hilarious as I thought it would be. It was actually a more serious one.

            The movie was not-your-typical love story where one always ends up with the other. Unlike others, they did not have a happy ending. In fact, their misunderstanding was still not settled even at the end of the movie. Maybe the writer and the director’s point of doing this was to emphasize that Suzuko really chose something between the two important things in her life.

            The ending clearly states that the film did not really focus on the romance between Suzuko and Ryohei. Its center was more about setting priorities in life. Suzuko was made to choose between the one million yen she was saving up and the person she loved. And it was clear that she prioritized the former when she chose to leave the guy behind.

            Suzuko is just like most of us. Instead of facing our fears, we run away from them. We find ways to take them out of our lives. But what we don’t know is that these fears are just resting in a corner, ready to haunt us anytime. We have to understand that we only overcome fears by facing them.

           

            For me, the director’s style was not so effective. He made unexpected scenes that made the story dull. This could be perceived in the end part of the story where Ryohei tried to catch up with Suzuko when she was leaving for another town. But the film ended suddenly leaving the audience puzzled about what might happen next. It was not really a good ending to a story. Well, it’s okay to keep the audience guessing, but does it have to be that way?

            As a whole, the film is just acceptable. Although the ending was not that good, “One Million Yen Girl” had an excellent storyline. Also, I did not appreciate the movie that much because there was scarcity of music which made some parts appear boring.

Un Amore del Padre (A Father's Love) ("Life is Beautiful" film review)

             “Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.” – Anonymous

            “Life is Beautiful” is basically about a young Jew, Guido Orifice (portrayed by Roberto Benigni) who arrived in Arrezo, Italy with the hopes of putting up his own bookstore. There, she met and fell in love with a school teacher named Dora (portrayed by Nicoletta Braschi). Despite the odds, they ran away to fought for their love and had a son named Giosue (portrayed by Giorgio Cantarini). During the time Jews were collected, Guido and Giosue were captured and Dora had no other choice but to suffer with them.

            What’s amazing about the film was that it showed the viewers how far a father would go for his child. Guido was not just a father. He was a dad. And he was the perfect example of what a dad should be.

            Guido was strong enough that despite the big obstacle they were facing, he was able to protect his innocent son from the violence around him. He also managed to do something for his wife no matter how hard the situation was. Guido was willing to sacrifice everything, even his life, for the welfare of his family.

            The film was also commendable because of its optimism. No matter how melancholic the events in the film were, the director presented them in a positive way. He creatively used humor to entice the audience and to make them appreciate the film not only because it made them cry, but also because it had a positive impact to them.

            I was also amazed when someone told me that the movie was actually a low-budget one. First was because it had a wonderful storyline. I even thought that the script was made by someone who was already a pro in writing. Second was because the actors, especially Giorgio Cantarini, were very convincing in portraying their roles.

            The only thing I didn’t appreciate was the last part. It was lacking something. The death of Guido was so sudden that it did not have any effect on me at all. I was like, “After all the things they had been through, the story would only end that way?”

            I could compare Guido to my Papa. He was the kind of father that always tries to make me laugh every time I have problems. I sometimes get irritated, but after a while, I realize that it was actually so sweet of him.

Papa was also Superman minus the costume. Regardless of his hectic schedule, he still ensures my safety by driving me home whenever I have 9 pm classes.

“Life is Beautiful” is a wonderful, straightforward film. This movie will absolutely make you realize the greatness of having a father.

The Worth of 1,000 Lives ("Schindler's List" film review)

                 “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.” This was embedded on Schindler’s ring which the Jews gave him that was shown in the movie “Schindler’s List.”

            “Schindler’s List” is a historical movie which primarily focused on the life of Oskar Schindler (portrayed by Liam Neeson) and the Polish Jews during the Holocaust. This film showed how brutally the Jews were treated during that time. It also gave a glimpse of how Schindler acquired his ill-gotten wealth by bribing Wehrmacht and SS officials and how he changed and saved 4,000 Polish Jews’ lives by making them work for him in his factory. There was also this main antagonist named Amon Goeth (portrayed by Ralph Fiennes), who led the Operation Reinhard (murdering of Jewish people in Krakow), but was later executed after the Wehrmacht surrendered. Also, during the said capitulation, Schindler was ordered to leave before the Red Army arrived. He left regretting that he could have saved more lives. After his departure, the Jews were freed and were called the “Schindler Jews.”

            I found the movie boring in the first half of its duration because, honestly, I’m not so fond of political films or whatever they are called. What really caught my attention and interest was during the time the elderly and incapable Jews were shot randomly. It was really eye-catching and it looked so real. After that scene, my eyes were glued on the screen.

            Steven Spielberg’s (the Director) idea of making the film black and white was effective. I didn’t have to close my eyes in every gory scene. It also made the film more believable. It was as if the film was really taken during the Holocaust.

            A lot of symbols were found in the movie. First was the little girl in red coat (as what our instructor mentioned). I saw it as a symbol of the Jews’ innocence which changed Schindler’s outlook in life. It was the kind of innocence that revealed the kindness in Schindler’s heart. Second symbol was the candle which commenced and ended the film. The ring that the Jews gave Schindler was also a symbol. It signifies that despite being a “profiteer of slave labour,” the Jews really loved him and appreciated what he did for them. Last symbol was, of course, Schindler’s list. It was not just an ordinary list. It dictated the fate of the Jews.

            The best thing about “Schindler’s List” was that it directed to the heart. Steven Spielberg really knew how to touch the emotions of the viewers. I felt pity for the Jews because I didn’t know they were treated that way. The way the event was narrated in the movie was very different from how it was written on history books. In the film, I had a clearer view of the Holocaust and it was kind of depressing. There was racism, violence and injustice. The Jews did nothing and yet, they were maltreated.

            In our society today, racism is still present. Take for example the kind of treatment our Muslim brothers and sisters receive. Most people associate the word “Muslim” to terrorists and other aggressive individuals. People oversimplify them. Even in schools, most students can’t help but stare at someone when she is wearing a veil (if that’s what it’s called).

            All in all, the movie was great. It’s worth the three hours. You have to watch it.

Love in Time of War ("Baler" film review)

             It is indeed difficult to love during the time of war. But what’s more difficult is when the person you love is considered as an enemy by the people around you.

            Another extraordinary historical-romance movie went beyond my expectations. “Baler,” starred by two of the Philippines’ most promising actors and actresses, Jericho Rosales and Anne Curtis, levelled the Hollywood films we see on the big screen.

            “Baler” was basically about a young couple, Feliza Reyes (Anne Curtis) and Celso Resurreccion (Jericho Rosales), who needed to end their affair just because of the feud between their troops. The time depicted in the story was during the late years of Spanish occupation. Feliza was a Filipina who fell in love with a half-Spanish soldier, Celso, who fought for the Spaniards’ side.

            The story was straightforward. I got its message without the need of analyzing each and every scene. The scenes, on the other hand, were chronologically ordered which made it easy to grasp the ideas conveyed and which made the storyline clear.

            I was not really amazed about how the love story of Feliza and Celso unfolded. What hooked me most was the historical touch of the film. I was amazed by how the Filipinos and the Spaniards upheld their loyalty to their respective countries by not giving up despite of everything they’d been through.

            Also, the movie gave no biases against anyone. Unlike documentaries and Philippine books about the Spanish colonization in the Philippines, the Spaniards in “Baler” were not portrayed as mean antagonists who were ready to kill anyone who blocked their way. Instead, their good side was shown. In the film, they were as sincere as the Filipinos in fighting for what they believed in. They also showed compassion in the scene where Capitan Enrique Fossi de las Morenas (Baron Geisler) and Padre Candido Gomez Carreno (Michael de Mesa) told Gabriel Reyes (Carlo Aquino), the brother of Feliza, to go back to his family for his safety. It could also be perceived that hurting people was really against their will. They were just loyal to their duties as soldiers.

            This movie also made me proud to be a Filipino; that we had a rich history and that our ancestors really fought for our independence. I think it’s a wake-up call for all Filipinos who despise their country and race because of the mountain of problems that we are dealing with. Yes, we are a bit slow in terms of progress, but we do have good qualities that cannot be weighed against wealth. Two of these are courage and patriotism which was exemplified in “Baler.”

            I found the film beautiful from beginning to end. Even though the finale was not really good for Feliza and Celso, I think it made sense. It’s just an indication that love was really difficult during war. It also pointed out the reality that during the Filipino-Spanish war, there were really Filipinos and Spaniards whose love didn’t bloom because of several incompatibilities. The son of Feliza and Celso represented the fruits of love that bloomed during that time.

            “Baler” is a wonderful movie. It can make you smile, laugh, and cry at the same time. I recommend this to everyone.