Rasto Boros' "Stanko" - Road to Perdition

Deadbeat and unreliable Stanko (Peter Kocan) gets another chance to fulfill a task - to find and deliver a girl (Ivana Kanalosova) from Slovakia to Italy where she will unknowingly live the life of a prostitute. The teener agrees to join Stanko's road trip believing he would take her to France where her mother works. Short on cash and trying to avoid local authorities, the odd couple navigate the briskly changing Eastern European landscape, occasionally hustling and plotting together to earn enough for petrol and food. Along the way, they forge a friendship that would put Stanko in a complicated, albeit moral dilemma: would he deliver the girl to the brothel or would he drive her to France? 

Kocan wants to complete his task.

The story starts out slow, but it eventually draws and compels you to take the protagonists' journey with them. Throughout the ride, there's a lingering mood of threat and impending doom, despite occasional glimpses of amusement as Stanko and the unnamed girl forge a bond in their beat-up car. But the more urgent issue is human trafficking, a pervasive practice of coercive exploitation of vulnerable sectors of society. This mirrors the early practice of slavery and reminds its viewers that somehow, ordinary people have roles to play to end this prevalent phenomenon. 

In Louise Shelley's "Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective", she points out that, "The conditions of the transitional societies created the ideal conditions conducive to trade in human beings. Now, years after initial transition, all forms of human trafficking are endemic in the region, a result of poverty, ineffective counter-measures, the frequent collusion of government officials in this trade, and the rise of criminal entrepreneurship." Particularly, trafficking of women from Slovakia is continuously growing. The country lacks job opportunities. Poor economic condition and labor migration have been on the rise especially among young people. This makes Rasto Boros' film a relevant piece of cinema that bravely tackles contemporary issues. 

The strength of the film lies in the unexpected chemistry between Kocan and Kanalosova. While Kocan appears middle-aged, gaunt, unkempt and tawdry, Kanalosova flaunts youthfulness, hope and innocence. If these characteristics don't make strange, but ultimately provocative cinematic bedfellows, I don't know what would. 

Forget the tentative conclusion. This, as Aristotle would remind us, is a case of the whole better than the sum of its parts. 

"Stanko" was screened at the 19th Cine Europa in Shangrila, and is among the festival's best features in an otherwise lackluster, head-scratching line-up. Alain Cavalier's "Pater" (Father), anyone? That Pater was nominated for Cannes' Palme d'Or is the pinnacle of lunacy.

Ivana Kanalosova wants to go to France.

Antoinette Jadaone's "Beauty in a Bottle" - In Pursuit of Beauty and Youth

Vilma (Assunta de Rossi) is a hotshot advertising creative director who has been in the business for 20 years.  When a new anti-aging product requires fresh ideas from progressive young minds, Vi's time-tested acumen is put to a test. Will she be as contemporary as brazen new rookie and younger colleague Tanya (Ellen Adarna) who's expected to clinch the Belo product? Her boss Santi (Carmi Martin) isn't promising her the account just yet.

Meanwhile, upcoming actress Estelle Suarez (Angelica Panganiban) is fighting a seemingly losing battle with the bulge. Her co-star Empress (Empress Schuck) is stealing the spotlight from her.

When Estelle is pitted against Empress for a lucrative product endorsement, it didn't even take the competition 5 minutes to clinch the deal. During Estelle's go-see/auditions, she is subjected to more embarrassment that reduced her to a shrinking mess. How will she grab the project from Empress' arrogant grasp?

Judith Madamba (Angeline Quinto) is an aggressive realtor, selling 10 units in six months. But her enterprising successes don't translate to her personal life. She's weighed down by issues of self-esteem. In fact, she feels she doesn't "fit" in the social circle of his boyfriend Pocholo's (Tom Rodriguez) wealthy family. She just wants to impress them so. In her sheer paranoia, she ends up making a fool of herself.  

Three disparate lives intersect in Antoinette Jadaone's rollicking "Beauty in a Bottle", a cinematic dissertation on people's penchant for physical beauty and corporeal perfection. While we aim to be paragons of pulchritude, we forget that we have limitations we need to embrace to be able to truly find happiness and contentment.

In brisk, effortless strides, the movie is both insightful and downright hilarious, reminiscent of the verve of Ishmael Bernal's "Working Girls" made 3 decades ago.

The movie is buoyed by its finger-snapping pace and exceptional performances from its zany cast, particularly Angelica Panganiban as the eternally insecure actress Estelle and Assunta de Rossi as the aging advertising executive Vilma. Panganiban's audition scene and her shooting sequences ("Come back to the young and beautiful you.") are nothing short of brilliant, and are testaments of Panganiban's indisputable versatility. Quite frankly, it's hard to think of someone else who can evenly shift from drama to comedy, with flying colors in both.

De Rossi displays impeccable comic delivery and timing as she rolls with the narrative punches. What have Assunta and Alessandra's parents been feeding the girls that turned these siblings into spectacular actresses, one wonders? Empress plays a deliciously scornful version of herself, and comes up with one the year's most illustrious cameos, the consummate rival to a magnificent Panganiban.

How did Angeline Quinto fare? Not so badly actually. Though visibly awkward in a few scenes, Quinto breezes through her role with wanton enthusiasm, valiant enough to take thespic risks. This, after all, isn't her forte. But with temperament written to suit her personality, it's hard to make a false move. This is Quinto's card to a legitimate acting career.

Framed by thoughtful "steps to attaining success" (Step 1 - Just say yes; Step 4.1 - Know your product; Step 10 - Research, research, research; Step 48 - Check on your competition; Step 28.1 - Be better than your competition; Step 39 - Savor your success), the movie percolates with winking charm and raillery. It is provocative, upbeat, and pokes fun on our misperceptions and insecurities. It allows scrutiny of our thoughts on beauty and youth. How far are we willing to pursue them? Do they guarantee success? Or happiness? The film also gathers some of contemporary cinema's most brilliant and dynamic artists: Chris Martinez, Whammy Alcazaren ("Islands", "Colossal"), Atty. Joji Alonso, and of course director Jadaone ("Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay").

This collaboration results into one of the year's most exuberantly exhilarating films. What's better? It screened to a good and receptive crowd. I like that. Great films deserve no less. This allows film makers to churn out more of quality cinema. As a paying audience, this is money well spent.

Gorgeous Tom plays Angeline's boyfriend Pocholo.

Mark Meily's "ABNKKBSNPLAko?! The Movie" - Plotless Nostalgia

Bob Ong is a lot of things, except a popular Filipino author's real name. He is a teacher, a web developer and an author of contemporary books that mostly tackle Pinoy pop culture. He fetchingly writes in a very conversational tone that when you get hold of any of his books, you're likely to finish it right where you started flipping its pages. "Bob Ong" is in fact a pseudonym that derived itself from a word play of a website he developed, "Bobong Pinoy" (Dumb Filipino). "Bobong..." eventually evolved into an author's name. "Bob... ong..."

So let's call him Mr. Ong whose writing style is laidback and fancy-free you might as well be leisurely reading a book in a park. Ong's topics are mostly observational. He takes to list-making, and does so with delectable humor. In "Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pinoy", for example, he lists down tips on how to gracefully say goodbye to the world. In another, he offers a checklist that satisfies a criteria on being a compulsive gambler. Yet again, in another, he enumerates items on how to make your jeepney 100% Pinoy. In "Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas", sassily designed in obsidian hue, he offers his insight on "terrorist teachers". He also examines the veracity of commercial products, i.e. "pampatigas", "pampaputi ng kutis", etc. He lists down two to three pages of odd terminologies of the different kinds of phobias. His language comfortably vacillates between Tagalog and English as when he writes about an American visitor's take on Pinoy culture. In "Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin", he welcomes his readers to a 3D movie, thus what you get to read is a movie script. Perfect really when the same book is being groomed into another Wenn Deramas film starring Maricel Soriano, right?

More importantly, Ong does not believe that his novels are "translatable" to film language the way author Yan Martell ("Life of Pi") didn't think his novel was "filmable" until Ang Lee came into the picture. Then there was Ramon Bautista's "Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo?" which fortuitously did the impossible, under the able hands of the zany Joyce Bernal. How did they convince Ong to agree? "In Mark Meily we trust" was Viva film executives' reassurance to the author whom they never met; not even when they handed him his cheque as payment for the film's rights. But is director Mark Meily really as capable as you'd like to think? Meily may have "Crying Ladies", "Donor" and "La Visa Loca" under his over-sized belt, but he also has the school playish "Baler" (with Anne Curtis before she was capable of buying me, my friends and a whole bar).

Jericho Rosales is Roberto Ong.

The film chronicles Roberto’s (Jericho Rosales) 17 years as a student, and the growing up he’s had to do with a bevy of characters: his nurturing Nanay Lucing (Bing Pimentel) and his absentee father (Julio Diaz) who’s a seaman; his two closest friends Ulo (Vandolph Quizon) and Portia (Meg Imperial) who harbors a crush on him; and his Special Someone (Andi Eigenmann) who’s eternally unavailable.

In the story, Roberto struggles in class, barely completing his academic goals, but eventually succeeding, and even becoming a teacher in the process. The stories flip through a timeline  peppered with issues familiar to a generation: prom dates, peer pressure, school crushes, pimples, passing fads, tech gadgets – in this case, Nokia’s 3310 (a familiar object in Ong’s novels); anonymous letters and unrequited loves; and a nostalgia-coated soundtrack that exquisitely captures the temperament of the 80’s (Sharon Cuneta’s “High School”, Martin Nievera’s “On the Right Track”, Odette Quesada’s “Friend of Mine”, etc.) and 90’s (Neocolour’s “Tuloy Pa Rin”). This further stretches on as he applies for college (UE, PUP, CEU, PLM, Lyceum) in a range of courses from marketing to computer science, and settling down with a vocational course in computer programming (which makes you wonder how Roberto eventually became a teacher).

If you’re one taken to nostalgia, there should be plenty to amuse you here. After all, this has Jericho Rosales, one of the most competent actors of his generation. Unfortunately, there’s an obvious degree of disconnect that repudiates the viewer’s commitment to the running narrative. This is mainly because the film is almost plotless; it was like watching a compendium of supposedly hilarious or wistful remembrances. With hardly any tension to hold the narrative aground, it was hard to invest a degree of empathy. I was personally unaffected and uninterested. The story in fact failed to relate or compel. The gags didn't pick up as they should. It was like riding a Ferris Wheel or roller coaster without the requisite ascents and dips or that breath-taking swirl.

Jericho Rosales is no doubt an insightful actor but at some point we had to suspend disbelief with all our might just to swallow the idea that Rosales was still in high school and that he’s within the same age range as Meg Imperial or Andi Eigenmann. While I understand the deterrent of picking an actor who could both play the shy high school student and the grown up teacher, this isn't really a valid excuse to just settle for the good actor who could pull out the magic tricks. Roles don’t just rely on thespic brilliance alone, but physical requirements as well. You just don’t pick Meryl Streep to play Wonder Woman or Nicholas Cage to play Superman just because they’re terrific actors. They have to look the part.

Should the movie watching crowd really be compelled to read the novel from which a film was based just so they’d “get it”? Absolutely not! A story, regardless of its source, should stand alone when adapted on film. They have to be adequately told in film language. Saying that reading a novel is a requirement to “understand” the film is really a vacuous disclaimer of a doubtful film maker. Saying so is a lazy excuse to what he unconsciously perceives as his film’s weaknesses.

As it turns out, we should not invest our infinite trust on Mark Meily. Not in street smart stories reeking with contemporary humor, at least. Despite his achievements, Meily doesn't have the sleek directorial raillery required to adapt Ong’s seminal ouvre, but then even Ong seems to have anticipated this. On its way to the celluloid, the director loses the essence and vibrant spirit of Ong's colorful coming-of-age. Meily could have benefited if he took tips from Joyce Bernal’s “Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo”. The temperament, the magazine-style employ of storytelling, the brisk and finger-snapping pace – these were elements that helped translate an unfilmable novel. But in Meily’s cinematic platter, Ong’s characters were nothing but droll people whose stories didn't deserve to be told. Meily just isn't as brilliant as others think he is.

Tender moment with mother and son (above); Teacher Giselle Sanchez "all-stretched out". The wonders of elasticity indeed. ;)

Andi Eigenmann plays the elusive "Special Someone".

Vandolph Quizon, Meg Imperial, Andi Eigenmann and Jericho Rosales

Jericho Rosales: Waiting to exhale.

Andi Eigenmann

Meg Imperial

Armando Reyes' Dorm Boys - When Youthful Charm Doesn't Suffice

Dorm life can be helter-skelter fun when you’re hanging out with a group of cool guys who shrug off their problems like disposable tissue. Tonton (Arron Villaflor) longs for the company and affection of his father (Bobby Yan) who has a family of his own. While his dad supports him financially, he is mostly dismissive of Tonton's preludes for camaraderie. After all, Tonton is the son out of wedlock, and he’s been kept a secret for the last 20 years of his life.

On his 5^th year in Engineering, Hector (Carlo Lazerna) is still a sophomore. Despite his hard work, he keeps failing his classes. All he desires is to shift to Fine Arts – his passion. Unfortunately, his father – a failed artist who now moonlights painting houses - wouldn't allow him to suffer similar fate. To make matters worse, Hector’s gay professor is pressuring him for a concupiscent rendezvous. This would solve his academic dilemma, but would Hector give in?

Iggi (Arvic Rivero) only dreams of making it to Canada alongside his ladylove Carla (Mayton), a housemate who barely looks his way. Carla, you see, is infatuated with Tonton. To make matters worse, Iggi isn't interested in studying so he mostly confronts his scholastic activities like child’s play. Ruben (Ryan Kevin) harbors a crush on Liezel who maybe mutually attracted to him. But the grapevine suggests that she maybe peddling flesh to dirty old men, or isn’t she? Richard (Renz Michael aka Michael Sy), privileged but neglected, clandestinely plays around with sexy girl friend Cynthia (Pamela Sue) who happens to be his teacher in college. But one day, he discovers that his girl friend is sleeping around with another guy (Kenneth Salva). These predicaments give our protagonists a full plate of predicaments to hurdle. 

Director Armando Reyes gathers a coterie of fresh faced and enthusiastic noobs oozing with good looks - and they may have a future in mainstream cinema. Arron Villaflor, star of Jason Laxamana’s “Astro Mayabang”, befittingly headlines this smorgasbord of stories. The only veteran among the young stars, Villaflor adequately anchors and pieces their disparate stories together. It takes a while for the vignettes to rankle into narrative life, what with five separate stories pushed into the fore. But the cast’s youthful verve and earnestness soon drive a sense of energy. Villaflor’s narrative thread is unitary, but it’s hobbled by a ridiculously brisk resolution that’s too implausible and too manipulated to believe. The other more developed story was that of Hector’s who’s forced into taking a course beyond his intellectual capability or disposition. Unfortunately, Lazerna occasionally resorts to predictable schmaltz. But this, in time, is remediable.

Arvic Rivero possesses a disarming charm that allows him to navigate his woeful story (he is eternally cash strapped, unable to pay off his rent on time so he resorts to selling library books) with a dash of glib and humor. Ryan Kelvin is easy on the eyes. His flirting scenes with his school crush (Nadine Luster) amuse us. But his story is also the flick's most underwritten. There’s hardly a back story to support or expand his character. Despite the youthful energy of the main cast, Armando Reyes’ cinematic exposition is cursory. This dearth of emotional depth disallows the audience to invest attention or sympathy on most of the characters.

Arron Villaflor’s part came close, but not quite. What I didn’t appreciate was how he conspired to “stalk” his father during Christmas – then eventually arranged to “out” his father to his family. Why would anyone consciously plot to expose his father’s past indiscretions to his present family? It was a mean, albeit irresponsible and thoughtless thing to do. Yet Bobby Yan suddenly changed tune and accepted him after his backhanded maneuver. Arron was clearly unwanted; he was rudely treated like one was swatting flies every time he came to see his father. Personally, I would never impose my presence on someone who doesn't want me.

Youth movies rarely come by these days, thus "Dorm Boys", despite its misgivings, is a welcome cinematic offering. We just wish it invested a little more on a character development and, more importantly, employing an intuitive director.   

Armando Reyes’ “Dorm Boys” is inspired by the short stories of Cesar Buendia’s “Morayta corner CM Recto” (“Dormitoryo 2" & "University Belt”). We find stories of our youth always compelling because we can relate to the roller coaster ride of emotions associated with puberty and growing up. The flick could have soared with a more insightful and focused story. Instead, it relied heavily on the young actors’ unadulterated moxie. Reyes recruited members from the all-boy dance group “Freshmyx” and the K-pop wannabe “XLR8”. Glimpses of their youthful charm get translated on screen. Fact is, charm doesn't a good movie make. The rest of the predictable story ultimately suffers from prosaic film making. Good thing we didn't expect a masterpiece.           

Arron Villaflor shares his thespic gravitas.

Renz Michael and Ryan Kevin

Renz Michael

Beautiful Pamela Sue plays teacher Cynthia and Richard's secret lover. 

Ryan Kevin, a member of the dance group "Freshmyx", he could be your next Teen Dream if given the right break (above and below).  He plays Ruben in "Dorm Boys". 

Ryan Kevin

Carlo Lacerna plays Hector, one of the film's most complex characters.

Lester Miramon may not have speaking parts but it's hard not to notice him (above and below).

Kenneth Paul Salva cameos as the teacher's latest boytoy.

Freshmyx

Note:

Please read our featured post on Cinema Bravo and why Web Criticism sometimes makes us nginig:
- http://makemeblush2.blogspot.com/2016/10/cinema-bravo-film-criticisms-execrable.html

Nuel Naval's A Secret Affair - The Land of the Despicable

Despicable creatures. That was running through my mind as I watched Nuel Nunez’s “A Secret Affair”. In fact there was not a single character in this theatrical ouvre that I’d wanna be associated with in my life if they were live specimen. I’d rather march to the Zambian capital of Lukasa and live a life of seclusion until I’m fat and ugly and my Louboutins don’t fit me anymore – than have family and friends like the caricatures of “A Secret Affair’.

There’s Rafi (Anne Curtis) who accepts a marriage proposal barely two months after she met Anton (Derek Ramsay). Like rabbits in heat, they decide to wed faster than Lilia Cuntapay could spell “baccalaureate” or “bourgeoisie”. Yes, faster than Cristine Reyes’ ability to sustain familial loyalty to siblings who fed her until she’s big enough to earn her own keep. Unfortunately for the bemuscled Anton, Rafi gets cold feet on the day she traipses down the aisle. She’d rather fly to New York for an indefinite holiday – and by indefinite, it meant a couple of weeks of vacuous soul searching. Does she really want to spend her nights counting the abdominals in Anton’s torso for the rest of her life? Would she survive Anton’s pelvic grunts and forceful deltoid and tricepsual embraces? Could she stomach Anton’s passionate gaze for the remainder of her sad, sad life? The answers seem clear.

Rafi comes home to woo her erstwhile beau who’s so heartbroken, the only way to mend his grief was to shag the living daylights out of Sam (Andi Eigenmann), one of Rafi’s sorority sisters, who’s desperate for a horned-out father figure with 8-pack abs to boot. This wouldn’t be their sole concupiscent rendezvous. As anonymous strangers, they’ve actually done the dastardly deed even before Anton met Rafi. This time around, Sam decides to stake her claim to the Eurasian bratwurst. After all, she had him first. Besides, this bratwurst drips with juicy smoulder she couldn’t get enough of. Albie Casino should probably hide under the table beside Anton’s considerable inches, right? Oohlala.

At this point, the story moves into Boy Pick-Up territory; alas, with the kitchiest, sassiest, campiest one-liners this side of Gaylandia. Everyone tries to outdo the next queen. How kitschy? Well, for starters, there’s Tim Yap whose presence distracts like a fish bone stuck between your dentures. Tim Yap, you see, can’t act to save his life. What’s funnier, he’s awkwardly depicting himself. I’m actually tickled pink to see someone who’s so bewildered and clueless how to portray himself. Such hilarity.

The cinematic plate is replete with Imeldific beauty: flowing or serpentine gowns, designer handbags, sexy stiletto heels, immaculately coiffed hair; you cannot deny the stark beauty lavishly paraded before you. You somehow wonder if this was originally envisioned like a shopping catalogue with the narrative taking the back seat. Unfortunately, without valid characters, such elements make a dubious film.

“A Secret Affair” brims with caricatures, none of them deserving our empathy. Rafi, for example, the main protagonist, sashays around with chock-full of verve and confidence yet she's such an air-head she can’t make up her mind about commitments. She’s the kid who’s taken to the candy shop. After almost an hour of roaming the shop, she queues at the counter and ends up changing her mind – again! She has the emotional appropriation of a 2 year old. It doesn't help that Anne Curtis, one of the most ridiculous Best Actress winners from an equally ridiculous awards-giving Famas, is turning out emotionally barren. The scene where she spews: “I’m okay; I’m okay. I’m not okay” is more than telling. She could have made the emotive leap, but ends up with a parched, albeit perfunctory smattering. Curtis is in dire need of gravitas, and it doesn't help that she trades her verbal tussles against the immensely intuitive Andi Eigenmann.

And isn't it ironic that it’s the cinematic oppugnant who gets our sympathy? Eigenmann personifies her dilemma with clarity and unusual depth. Her scene with Jackie Lou Blanco (playing mother Cate) is particularly compelling: “Mom, what's wrong with us? Why do men always leave us? Mahirap ba tayong mahalin?” And she asks why the women in their family always end up losers. Her restraint is reminiscent of the much younger Jaclyn Jose who, these days, succumb to Machiavellian thespic ploys. All of Jose’s artistic bravura has been bequeathed to her brilliant daughter, leaving her with nothing but glowering and contriving character delineations. “Alam mo saan masarap magkape? Sa burol mo!” “Shut up. Bitch ka lang. Super bitch ako”. Lines like these are likely to arise from parloristas actively engaged in a catfight, not the upper middle class denizens who populate this film.

Finally, there’s Derek Ramsay playing Anton whose emotional sagacity flies out the door whenever a prepubescent Lolita offers her coochie snorcher. Ramsay works hard. In fact, he still smolders – while the testosterone charm drips over. He punctuates his delivery with decibel adjustments. When he pleads for understanding, his delivery turns almost inaudible, the words get lost in his discerning dispatch. But all these feel hollow. Conveying emotion does not rest on the volume of your delivery. You have to become the character. Derek's 8-pack is more coercive than any of the lines he delivered. You could probably squeeze emotions out of a rock than from Derek whose vacuity lords over his artistic savvy – or lack thereof. Isn't it too bad that Angelica Panganiban wasn't able to imbue her hefty artistic wisdom before they parted ways? They could have polished the “Being” exercises in the privacy of their bedrooms. Tsk tsk! Those missed opportunities! You don’t wonder why TV5 opted to hide Ramsay’s face under a mask in his new series, “Kidlat”!     

And those lines: “Betrayal and infidelity in secret is still betrayal and infidelity." Huh? Ano daw?

Sam listens to Anton and Rafi.

Sam barges inside a spa to "service" Anton.

A call surprises Rafi.

Like licking chocolate-coated lollipop...

Ellen and daughter Rafi

Anton smolders in his seat.

Andi Eigenmann captures her emotional predicament even without saying much.

Jackie Lou Blanco, as Cate, was never this bad!

Catfight starts.

The super bitch makes her move. This same tack (of pouring a bottle of liquid) is repeated when  Rafi faces Sam. this time, with a calamine lotion. Very original, debah?

Derek Ramsay smolders like... an igneous rock?