Alejandro "Bong" Ramos' Butas 2 - Confused Perspectives & Succulent Visuals

In an unfinished house made of concrete, infidelity is played out by Jiggo (Ace Castro of "Lamog") and his father’s mistress, Pia (Mocha Uson). Pia just recently arrived from a two-week Asian holiday with Jiggo’s influential father, the owner of the house. Their clandestine rendezvous is being documented by Jiggo’s video camera. The only other witness to their affair is Andoy (Rufert John Lirio), the bashful caretaker whose other vice is peeping through holes while Jiggo and Pia lollop from getting high to relishing their endless sexual games.

Jiggo is restless, willful and determined, but his ambition’s been mostly off tangent. In fact, he’s been indecisively jumping from one collegiate course to the next: from aeronautics to engineering – now he’s into films; something that has frustrated Jiggo’s father no end. Pia, on the other hand, is a former model who has succumbed to the lure of financial security offered by Jiggo’s dad. But Pia hasn’t been the good girl. She keeps hopping from one indiscretion to the next. To avoid getting spotted by her benefactor’s people, she navigates the bowels of Binangonan wearing a flurry of disguises. Meanwhile, youthful but destitute Andoy is mostly ignored by Jiggo and Pia. The soft spoken caretaker plays out his fantasies sneaking around the tenement’s crude corners, diligently spying on the sexually charged couple.

Jiggo’s recording of his concupiscent rendezvous with Pia isn’t all that whimsical or innocent. He has plans for the footages; something that would earn him money. And he couldn't care less if others get hurt along the way.

Director Alejandro “Bong” Ramos utilizes the same narrative element of the first “Butas” with Marco Morales and Gwen Garci. In fact, “Butas 2” is a retelling of sorts. Ramos ambitiously tries to up the ante by giving the viewer three perspectives: Jiggo’s, Pia’s and Andoy’s. Thus the scenarios are repeated several times from the point of view of our three protagonists. While it’s a refreshing style, the novelty soon wears off because Ramos soon recklessly transposes these perspectives. In fact, it’s easy to discern wayward perspectives. Suddenly, there were more than three perspectives and the whole exercise becomes a tedious predilection. The gimmickry will initially call your attention, but it soon becomes clear that the story’s too flimsy to be compelling. Besides, we have seen this story before, populated by different actors. The story is further hobbled by characters that the story could have done away with: the DVD pirate Obet (Alvin Duckert) and his girl friend Miranda (Jhoy Ortiz).

FACETS OF VOYEURISM

There are narrative facets that hook you like when Jiggo discusses how there are more stories that we don’t see: “May dalawang mukha ang butas – ang naninilip at ang sinisilipan.” Pia then interjects, “Gusto ko ako ang sinisilipan” – because the life of the voyeur is a sad one. It is an interesting thought. However, at some point you notice these thoughts to be wantonly moving away from the premise. Voyeurism has always been a shady part of our psyche and we're forever intrigued by what we're not supposed to see. Director David Lynch ("Twin Peaks", ""Blue Velvet", "Wild at Heart") once said, "We want to know secrets and we want to know what goes on behind those windows.There's an entertainment value to it. I think people are fascinated by that; by being able to see into a world they couldn't visit." To others, it's a sense of empowerment. There's God Complex in knowing what others do when they thought people weren't looking.

Ramos “Butas 2” boasts of several full frontals that would have you blush. Ace Castro proudly displays his considerable appendage in full, well-lit scenes, as does Alvin Duckert (in a shower scene with Jhoy Ortiz where he’s the only one doing the full monty - he doesn't even have qualms facing the camera; such a dirty dirty boy). Alvin isn't shy parading his half-Swedish falukorv (click the link below to find out what it is) in half a dozen Pink Films. Newbie Rufert John Lirio exudes innocence, thus when Jiggo playfully films him taking (yet another) shower, you feel sorry for Andoy whose most challenging scenes were his self pleasuring moments. Oohlala indeed. Even Marklen Trinidad has a surprising scene borne out of an exigent need to pepper Ramos’ cinematic canvas with as much nudity. Ramos makes G.A. Villafuerte’s films seem like Walt Disney movies.

Mocha Uson is a captivating femme fatale. What’s more, like Duckert, she isn’t shy displaying her bits-and-pieces. Unfortunately, her role doesn’t give her much thespic grit to munch on. She's merely meant to be ogled at; and not derive emotive inspirations from. But let’s hope she succeeds to crossover to mainstream cinema instead of wallowing in godawful flicks like Z Lokman’s “Seksing Masahista”.

The visuals in “Butas 2” are a joy to watch because of the film’s crystal clarity (with Jepoy Tarnate’s cinematography). Ramos further experiments with angles and views that you hardly experience in the films of Crisaldo Pablo, GA Villafuerte, Lucas Mercado, Cleo Paglinawan, Paul Singh Cudail, Edz Espiritu and other purveyors of cheap, shoddy sex flicks. Having said all that, Ramos’ weakness is in the exposition of his narrative. He eventually turns aimless. The concluding scenes in the movie feel uninspired as though they belong to a different story. Rough plot transitions occur when film makers need to suddenly complete their projects. With a rather gaunt story, “Butas 2” could have benefitted from judicious editing. Too bad they forgot to patch the holes.  

Link to check: falukorv - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Falukorv.jpg

Why would a "straight" man film his naked caretaker? Sure gives you wayward ideas.

Alvin Duckert as Obet and Rufert John Lirio as Andoy find something they could sell.

Dexter Castro as Jiggo

Mocha Uson as Pia

Rufert John Lirio as Andoy

Alvin Duckert and Marklen Trinidad want you to smell their arms.

Mocha Uson is the femme fatale Pia.

Mocha Uson

Rufert John Lirio

Rufert John Lirio peeps through a hole.

Rufert John Lirio, Mocha Uson and Dexter Castro

Note:

Please read our featured post on Cinema Bravo and why Web Criticism isn't always about good writing:
- http://makemeblush2.blogspot.com/2016/10/cinema-bravo-film-criticisms-execrable.html

Seksing Masahista - "Crazy Idiots", Jingling Boobs and the Malaysian Connection

Back in the days, before naked men became fashionable, there were nubile nymphets with mammaries bigger than their heads; and they were a dime a dozen. The story would be familiar: a country girl tries her luck in the big city and ends up in the salacious hands of pimps, enterprising gigolos or sex starved men.

The list is long, but to mention a few: Jennifer Lee for “Co-ed Scandal”, Nika Madrid for “Unang Tikim” and “Hamog sa Bukang Liwayway”, Kuhdet Honasan for “Maharot”, Tracy Torres and Clarissa Mercado for “Mapanukso”, Kat de Santos for “Agos” and “Lipstick”, Nadine Schmidt for “Room Service”, Aleck Bovick for “Tampisaw”, Criselda Volks for “Takaw-Tingin”, Monica Midler for “Saplot”, Pyar Mirasol for “Katawan Mo, Langit Ko”. Every forgettable names and faces made to perform repeated 10-minute shower scenes. I thought those days had passed, but there is a bothersome resurgence of such exploitation girlie flicks.

Such is John Ad. Castillo and Malaysian director Z Lokman’s “Seksing Masahista” originally titled “Crazy Idiots” which would have been a more appropriate title given the masterful artistry in this earth-shattering masterpiece.

It follows Mona (Mocha Uson) who’s desperate for a job. Like her out of luck husband Tony (Zyrus Imperial), the young wife presents herself as a masseuse in a massage clinic somewhere in Timog (she claims that as a child, she used to assist her midwife mother-cum-manghihilot back in Samar). Her equally fit hubby Tony gets accepted as janitor in the same “clinic” being run by an unscrupulous couple Boss Estrella and wife Lydia (Rommel Padilla and Ramona Revilla, respectively). 

As a side story, Estrella is knee deep in negotiations to buy a beach resort (worth P6.2 million) in a partnership with seedy Malaysian businessman Mr. Ashman (director Z Lokman) with the intervention of another cringe-worthy soul named Mr. Patrick (Telly Babasa). The story gets even more confounding when Boss Estrella makes it his business to play with his unwilling employees, to the consternation of his wife (she admits, “Ilang araw na nya akong di ginagalaw sa kama.”)

One salubrious day, Boss Estrella finds Mona drunk. She conveniently drops to the floor, giving Estrella undue advantage to the inebriated Mona. Now this is for the books: from some vantage point outside the same clinic, a fuming Tony “miraculously” witnesses the dastardly deed – so he runs to rescue Mona only to find out that the sword has been fittingly "inserted". What’s a husband to do?

Mocha and Zyrus face a dilemma (left), while director Z Lokman hams it up as an actor with Rommel Padilla: "Don't raise your voice to me, Mr. Estrella." My heels shook with fear.

When flaunting your wares is the right thing to do. ;-> Zyrus Imperial, aka. Bernie Villaflor decides to be less modest.

Ramona Revilla and Zyrus Imperial

The narrative gets even more confusing because from here on, every character plots for their vengeance. Wife Lydia decides to lure a resistant Tony to plug his rod in her (and it is a tad silly watching a seemingly unyielding muscular guy pumping away as though the “willful devil made him do it”). When Tony finally gets Mona home, he blames and forces himself on her, but not before asking her, “Nasaan ang panty mo?” 

Meanwhile, Mona is also seeking redress by demanding money from Boss Estrella (he hands her P50,000, and quips, “Yan lang ang pera ko”). Without even reaching the first trimester, it seems that Mona miraculously carries a child? When Tony winds up of the possibility, he offers the “baby” to Boss Estrella in exchange for a litigation-free settlement and more money (P250,000). How will the latter finance a beach resort and a baby? Will Mona and Tony ever live a harmonious existence?

The stream of events is random, haphazard and wildly unfocused, infusing a hundred and one side stories that don’t quite mash up seamlessly; you end up scratching your head. Boss Estrella, Tony finds from out of the blue, is infertile and is incapable of siring a child. So the “pregnant” Mona is actually carrying their matrimonial child after all.

MOCHA AND THE ART OF NOT DROWNING

Mocha Uson, undeniably statuesque and sophisticated, seems completely misplaced in this movie, but in what seems like those aforementioned 10 minute shower scenes, Zyrus Imperial gets wet and steamy with the bosomy beauty – mashing away her pigmented areola and sucking into her larynx like there’s no tomorrow. But it was fascinating seeing overgrown mammaries jingling in wild abandon, while perky nipples point to coordinate-specific directions. It was like watching Jello with a brownish outcropping being transported on a rocky road! 

I tried to re-enact this by jumping on my trampoline, but the effect isn't the same. The thrust of force must come from below, instead of directly defying gravity. Now I'm starting to discern why men love jiggly boobs so much. I swear if she falls into the ocean, those twins would float and save her from drowning! I was tickled fuchsia. There were no pink bonuses here unless you consider Imperial in skimpy briefs as adequate pink fodder.

ACTING IT OUT

When Zyrus Imperial (Bernie Villaflor in real life) spews his line: “Niyurakan nya ang dangal at puri ng aking asawa!” I almost fell off my seat! Not only was he hard up with his delivery, the next scenes also showed him blaming his wife though he was himself the material witness! I’d have been more appreciative of a little consistency. Didn’t Imperial head AMA’s theater group (Teatro AMA) in Pasay? 

The over-the-top histrionics of Rommel Padilla reminds me of the one-note performances of iconic baddies like Max Alvarado, Rodolfo Boy Garcia and Paquito Diaz, but theirs was an era where such thespic tack was requisite. This is the new millennium where such performance is deemed hammy.

Zyrus Imperial as Tony (above and below).

Touted as a Malaysian-Philippine co-production, this film is really a testament that you can’t exactly buy talent nor cinematic excellence. The outpouring of finances is hardly evident here. Production design is virtually non-existent; script is nothing but underdeveloped caricatures. Mocha Uson takes her part as though this was going to take her to the Oscars. After all, didn’t they drum up interest by saying they were going to show this flick in Latin America (God forbid!). 

To make a thematic statement for this, they employed canned music like Sergio Mendes’ “Mas Que Nada”, the second time this song was used in a film this week. (You can hear a better, more appropriate version in the animated blockbuster “Rio”.) Aren’t they aware they may be impinging on some copyright claims?

If such aesthetic is Malaysia’s contribution to Philippine cinema, we already have a surfeit of bad cinema to speak of. We don’t need anymore assault such as this. And director Z Lokman subbing as an actor is a blood-curdling exercise of conceit. Ugly conceit, if I may add. Please spare us from further agony! Go spend your Malaysian ringgit elsewhere.