Deo J. Fajardo, Jr.'s East of Paradise - Marooned in Many Levels

Here's a piece previously scheduled for a December 3 (2012) posting. Though the narrative is not particularly designed like a Pink flick, the story actually focuses on its male protagonist. Like many B-flicks of this generation, the female character takes a backseat while subtle emphasis is given to the appendage-gifted male star. But then this is a Deo Fajardo, Jr. movie whose characteristic hybrid of pseudo-action/drama and sex clash like water and oil.

STORY

On his way to meet his girl friend Amy in Cebu, Edgar (Ian Ileto), an air force officer, survives a plane crash that maroons him on an uninhabited island. Days later, he finds Lara (Sofia Lee) unconscious in a hidden cove. When she regains consciousness, they both realize that they only have each other to survive this ordeal. They subsist by fishing from the bounty of the sea and gradually learn about each other. Edgar's girl friend doesn't approve of his precarious employment and wants him to leave his job. This puts strain to their sketchy relationship. Lara, on the other hand, dances in a bar and sees this mishap as a way to redemption - out of the seedy grind of her job.

Edgar and Lara soon develop feelings for each other. But while Edgar is desperate for rescue, Lara prefers to stay. Edgar's concerns are valid: "Paano kung may emergency? Paano kung mabuntis ka't manganak?" Meanwhile, Lara is enraptured by their misfortune and is becoming increasingly apprehensive of the probity of their relationship. Would it survive once back in the civilized world? More importantly, has Lara been trashing Edgar's SOS signs? This frustrates Edgar no end. Will they ever get rescued?

Director Deo J. Fajardo, Jr.'s foray into "Blue Lagoon" territory straddles between mediocre drama and soft porn. His narrative candor is bogged down by his inability to go beyond the film's premise, i.e. two strangers marooned on an island. In fact, the tension of the plot is hobbled by a flimsy narrative burden. There's really nothing to do in the island but fish, make dubious rafts, go skinny dipping and shag the living daylights away. That's all they do; talk nonsense then go at it like rabbits.


There is, of course, the exploratory artifice to introduce dilemmas concerning their lives back in the dry lands, but they seem terribly unimportant, an excuse to smokescreen the immediate and more salient goal of disrobing the film's protagonists. Sofia Lee ("Batang Ifugao", "Pagnanasa", "Big Night", "Ken at Abel") is tentative and more perfunctory than earnest. She doesn't imbue sympathy to her tepid character even when she cries buckets so you're left staring at her unaffected. Ian Ileto does better. He looks like a screen hero and carries himself with confidence. This is evident even in the way he delivers his lines. It's too bad we haven't seen much from him since (this film was in the can since 2010 and has found a venue only in 2012). Ileto, it seems, is busier these days as cinematographer ("Hawla", "Butas 2", "Ang Jowa", and recently in Cudail's "Scorpion Lovers") and film editor ("Students Project", "Sulot", "Hawla", "Ang Jowa").

This is not a Pink Film by presentation and thematic design. It's a straight film, but Deo Fajardo (who rose to fame for "discovering" Robin Padilla) has always been known for his subtle homoerotic streaks even in pseudo-action/drama flicks like "Casa" with Asia Agcaoili and Paolo Paraiso, "Bangkero" with Michael Rivero; and let's not forget titles like "Hatulan si Baby Ama", "Miss na Miss Kita" (Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum 2) and "Anak ni Baby Ama". His cinematic vision is nothing to crow about. Remember the confused "Students Project" (2011)?

Edgar rescues and finds Lara.

NUDITY

In terms of nudity, there's plenty to go around here. Sofia Lee displays her gargantuan mammary in several scenes. Where frontal scenes are concerned, it's Ian Ileto who accommodates with his err... "considerable" endowments: in love scenes with his leading lady and in underwater scenes (shot in Bolinao, Pangasinan). In fact, these scenes recall Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins' underwater frolic in the Randal Kleiser flick. So Ileto exposes his "slithering snake" flopping away in wondrous splendor. He isn't shy and it's understandable why. J

"Nasaan ako? Bakit ako nandito?" asks a disoriented Lara.

ABRUPT ENDING

The film culminates in anti-climactic fashion, ultimately losing steam as it wallows in narrative apathy. If getting shipwrecked provided Lara's redemption, ending this story was the film's ultimate accretion. Thank heavens for that. Otherwise, we're further subjected to aimless cinematic ramblings. Ending it abruptly prevented people from further embarrassment.

Spear fishing, anyone?

Raft construction turns intimate.

Underwater frolic.

Lara worries about "getting rescued". Go figure.

Ian Ileto: actor, cinematographer, film editor

Sofia Lee

Sofia Lee

Sofia Lee gets photo op with Dennis Trillo.

Pagnanasa – When Telling A Story is Randomly Shooting Blanks

Peeling a banana or chopping an onion is an easier task to enjoy than investing a degree of empathy on the narrative being told in the movie “Pagnanasa” (Desire).

The story is told from the point of view of Carlos (Charles Delgado) who opens the movie with a lay in the hay. Lovely ass, notwithstanding, he rationalizes with a cinematic apology of his sexual orientation. He is gay. Then his story unfolds further.

Carlos dreams of the better life in the big city. When he lands a job (as a resort waiter), it was his way out. So he bids his mother (Dexter Doria) goodbye. In Manila, aside from waiting tables, he hooks up with predatory gay men for their hand outs. One day, he meets Nick (Marco Morales), after a chance encounter at a sari sari store (bwahaha). In the same first encounter, Nick embraces him like there’s no tomorrow – and they supposedly fall in love. But something was awkward, and despite the undeniable connection, they can’t seem to consummate their affair. “Bakit nahihirapan tayong magmahalan? Ang aking nararamdaman ay walang halong pagnanasa,” explains Nick! Get mo?

Enter Rosanna (Sofia Lee), which Carlos describes as “isang matapang na sundalo ng kahirapan”. She is uncouth and vulgar – but how else does a street walker carry herself, right? She meets Carlos and gets infatuated with the nubile boy, she even offers herself “for free”. After being rejected for her advances, she feels dejected. To make matters worse, she gets thrown out of her room for not having paid her rent in the last 6 months. When all hope is lost, she turns to ending a life in shambles. Just when she was to jump off the bridge, Nick rescues the damsel and takes her home with him – and Carlos. They share dinner as though it was just another ordinary day. “Ah, siya yung babaeng gusting kuman__t sa yo?” asks Nick, then prods further, “Pagbigyan mo na!” And if that light banter was intended for someone who just failed an attempted suicide, we should hand Nick a gold medal for his sensitivity, right?

While the trio enjoys the ensuing hilarity of the matter, Carlos suddenly comes up with a brilliant idea. He wants to visit his mother, and take Nick and Rosie along with him for a provincial sojourn. While relaying each of their sob stories, a secret unfolds. Spoilers here! Both Nick and Rosie were given away as children by their birth mother! And by great serendipitous design, fate gathers them in the presence of their real mother who is Carlos' mother as well! So over a loud canned music and a blabbering narration, 4 absolutely vapid souls hug each other for a tearful and heart wrenching reunion! Bravo!

Nubile and twinkish Charles Delgado

Now I have to commend the gall of the film’s director for braving the unknown – for his masterful direction the caliber of a drugged out parrot, and for his dwindling sense of direction. At several instances, I was just perturbed by his aimless story telling! Let’s take for example the protracted scene where Rosanna is narrating her own sob story to Carlos. She was sold to an abusive couple who turned her a muchacha. As soon as she grew melon boobs, her uncle (John Apacible) started showing interest. At one point, he grabs her boobs while she was fixing the bed. When she screams for help, her auntie (Karla Estrada) dismisses it as though he was caught picking his nose. As though washing his hand would suffice to clean up the mess. In another scene, she wakes up with her uncle fondling her body. In yet another scene much later, her “tito” was caught pleasuring himself as he peeps through the bathroom window – and Rosie was soaping away in wild abandon. When he invites himself inside the bathroom, Rosie screams, puzzled with her tito’s demeanor! She reasons, “’Di ko sya pinaghinalaan. Sinabi kasi nyang lagi kong iwanang bukas ang pinto.” Boy, she is as stupid as a skunk! After catching him mashing her tits while she was asleep, she wouldn’t suspect him of a devious plot to get in her pants? Is anybody up there?

There is a judicious show of body parts from Sofia Lee. Even the boys, Marco Morales and Charles Delgado, were generous showing their full frontal and backside assets at some scenes. These singular moments are, after all, the raison d’etre of this two-bit film work. A bit of cock, a bit of ass, a bit of tits! Ka-ching! Who cares if the one megging the picture has an I.Q. of 10?

Before I forget, this is (mis)directed by Fellyx Honeyfield.

Foul mouthed Sofia Lee

Marco Morales: brotherly love.