Rory Quintos' Suddenly It's Magic - Engaging Escapist

Marcus Hanson (Mario Maurer) has always wanted to be an actor, but being a Thai celebrity is a different matter. Everyone wants a piece of him and it’s wearing him down. When perennial screen partner and girl friend Sririta Taylor (Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul) drops Marcus for another man, the pressure to keep appearances overwhelms. After all they have a huge fan base as screen sweethearts – and their current predicament might spell box office disaster for their new project. As a consequence, Marcus feels lost. He’s been in the business since he was 12. Things were different back then when everything was “uncomplicated, happy, perfect”. Now he wants to get away from it all; somewhere no one knows who he is. And his Pinay house keeper Chinggay (Joy Viado) gives him an idea.

Marcus escapes to Laoag north of the Philippine capital where he meets Joey Hermosa (Erich Gonzales), an unassuming local lass who takes pride in baking and peddling her delicious cupcakes. Unfortunately, Marcus makes a big misstep when, after a bite, he calls her cake “the saddest tasting cupcake ever” unaware that it was Joey’s creation. Joey is, of course, livid. And wooing the hard-working Pinay becomes a hurdle. So Marcus pulls out all the stops and makes the charm offensive. What lady wouldn't listen - with hearts a flutter - when a gorgeous Thai movie prince makes “ligaw” and “harana”, debah? A simple Pinay couldn't be immune to Marcus’ undeniable appeal where millions of Thai girls have already fallen.

Joey flies back with Marcus to Thailand. But the public’s reception for Joey is tepid. People call her “ugly” and she gets banned on the set of Marcus’ film set. What’s worse, Marcus starts missing important appointments, including an endorsement deal with a popular cola and a lucrative, albeit crucial audition with an American film director! When Joey meets Marcus’ mai (Apasiri Chantrasmi), she gets told that, while she may be good for Marcus, their coupling isn’t good for his career; something that he’s dreamt of all his life. Now he’s letting it all go. What’s a girl to do? 

Rory Quintos’ “Suddenly It’s Magic” traverses the modern day fairy tales. It's a world where a prince meets his unlikely princess. The cinematic palette dazzles with a motley of kaleidoscopic vignettes; postcard-pretty sites (windmills in Bangui, Ilocos Norte; the temples of Chiang Mai and Muang Boran, the miniature floating village of Ancient Siam; the picturesque Banyan Tree Resort, etc.); of local color that brims with enthralling traditions like the renowned Pinoy fiesta, or praying in Buddhist temples and Catholic churches, etc.) It’s hard not to fall in love with the pretty canvas. But the exposition, designed exactly like the current – and very popular – Thai romcoms, is limited by the scope of the genre.

"Suddenly..." is the perfect escapist fare. Situations arise as briskly, grazing over issues at the flick of a finger.

Mario Maurer is undeniably a sight to behold. His screen presence is so potent you don’t want to take your eyes off the screen when he’s there. He absolutely dominates the screen so you don’t wonder why he’s a huge movie star in Thailand. Maurer doesn't mind looking silly – as when he lurches into beat boxing and rapping to serenade his leading lady. Maurer is simply swoon worthy - and I've never heard an audience giggle and swoon as much as they did here - and for the most benign scenes. One thing's sure, Maurer has conquered the Philippines and how. This year, the Thais have made it to the Philippine silver screen with the “other” Superstar Ananda Everingham appearing in Cinemalaya's homoerotic “Kalayaan”.

Erich Gonzales, like her previous starrers, displays her relaxed demeanor in a character that could easily be schmaltzy. She is truly a rare combination of beauty and thespic wisdom. Despite a disconsolate back story (she’s the illegitimate love child of the incumbent governor played by Jestoni Alarcon), Erich disallows her character to wallow in anguish or self pity. Her story is seemingly told in almost cursory tack adequately harmonizing with the romcom genre. Erich’s gift is more the voice of experience than instinct making her one of the brainier actresses of her generation. Many other actresses who grew up in the business rely on experience, but Gonzales seems more cerebral. And yes, a heavy handed stroke doesn't do the genre good. So she does this with a calm and collected flair.

Unfortunately, the limitation of the genre is also its weakest link. When Marcus returns to Ilocos to reclaim his love (after a successful stint making his first Hollywood film), he faces the approbate beauty with  adequate conviction - that this time around, they will try to make it work. How? They have the same issues, and these remain unresolved. Marcus' mother and managing firm still think of Joey as a hurdle. He still has fans who believe he should be with Sririta. How different could their situation be this time? If they go about it the same way they did the first time, he will once again lose his dreams and put the blame on the hapless lass whose only "sin" was loving a popular star. Then they're back to square one, aren't they? The film, it seems, falls back to easy resolutions - and this is crystal to any thinking viewer.

"Suddenly It's Magic" isn't Quintos' best. In fact it could be her weakest, and any dingbat who fashions himself as a thinking "critic" will easily see through the flimsy, escapist veneer. But the more obvious fact is, the flick is a bowl of joy. It is a blissful watch. It's the sweetest cotton candy. It's saccharine sweet and tickles your fancy, but it's fluffiness melts in gustatory delusions.

"The saddest tasting cupcake ever..." cries Marcus.

A temple in Chiang Mai

An Ilocos beauty

So many lip locking scenes for Mario and Erich.

Zany duo hams it up before the camera (above and below).

Younger Mario Maurer who's already a looker as a pubescent boy.

A German-Thai charmer conquers the Philippines.

Be still my beating heart. :)

Beautiful Erich Gonzales

     

Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang – Horror vs Lunacy

Daniel and Corazon (Derek Ramsay and Erich Gonzales) are an impassioned couple living their rustic lives in war ravaged Magdalena, a town where the preponderate fist of feudal landlord Matias (Mark Gil) rules. The latter’s occasional incursion is generating whispery hums of uprising from the barrio folk. While Daniel is a welcome presence, Corazon – a radiant beauty – is scorned by the gossipy women. Despite Corazon’s dainty demeanor, she bears the stigma of her departed mother believed to have had contentious sexual alliances with American and Japanese soldiers. But the people’s constant derision is not the least of Corazon’s concerns. After five year of marital bliss, Corazon remains childless; and the couple is getting desperate for a child.

One day, Corazon visits a hilot (Maria Isabel Lopez) notorious for performing unorthodox rituals and orasyons. She lends the statue of San Gerardo, the patron saint of expectant mothers, with very specific instructions: take the statue to a quiet place on a hill where, for a week, the expectant mother has to stay there and pray on the saint from dusk until dawn. Corazon did so and not long after, she starts infanticipating.

As land disputes heat up in Magdalena, Matias’ staunch critics start disappearing – and dying! But instead of turning to the despotic landlord, the barrio folk turn to a wandering lunatic named Melinda (Tetchie Agbayani) who has a reputation of being a witch. While defending Melinda from a violent crowd (Melinda was eventually killed, but not before she throws a “curse”), blood streams down Corazon’s legs. Did she lose the child?

The succeeding scenes show Corazon carrying her child to term. But when she gives birth, it was stillborn. The impact of their loss takes a toll on Corazon’s sanity as she refuses to bury her dead child. She carries the corpse around town to the consternation of the people who loathes her from the start. One day, Corazon raises the child and shouts to the heavens seeking retribution to her God: “Isasama ko ang aking anak sa aking paghihiganti sa Inyo!” Then she starts gobbling up until every morsel of flesh is consumed. Having crossed the dark line, Corazon is consumed by her craving for flesh. She soon hunts for live animals and eats them. When those didn’t suffice, she turns predator to the children of her barrio. Body count piles up and fear envelopes the land.

Daniel meanwhile is desperate to find his straying wife. His neighbors speak of tales alluding to Corazon and the disappearances of children in town. But Daniel is aware of a few things involving Matias and his gun-toting henchmen. Will he ever find Corazon before the people get to her?

Director Richard Somes is back with another Cimmerian tale that has become his trademark, and we were quite excited with “Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang”, a brave revisionist take on the genesis of the folkloric “aswang”, a Philippine mythical ghoul. "Aswang" has captured the imagination of international film makers like Wrye Martin and Barry Poltermann’s “Aswang” (1994, shot in Wisconsin, and had an entirely American cast) and the South African film “Surviving Evil” (directed by Terrence Daw, 2009) starring Billy Zane, Christina Cole and our own Joel Torre.

UGLY

But what promises to be an immersive cinematic experience turns out to be an ugly film! Yes, ugly! The narrative elements are anarchic and sometimes, even aimless. Let’s take the character of Melinda, played by a ridiculously wigged Tetchie Agbayani. She was supposed to embody the powerful witch who curses the capricious crowd; the same crowd who discriminates her. Yet her “spell” didn’t even seem related to the cataclysm affecting the town. Another character is the hilot played by Maria Isabel Lopez, initially introduced as someone who performs dark incantations which turn out nothing more than devotional prayers to St. Gerard. Nothing is sinister by praying to a saint, is there? In fact, after one scene, Lopez disappears forever.

SIN OF COMMISSION

The most blatant sin of commission is the promise of horror, of evil. But Somes and co-scriptwriter Jerry Gracio seem befuddled – and even disoriented - with the concept of “insanity”, confusing it with a notion of pernicious evil. Since when are “insane people” considered “aswang”? Because if we were to really accept such reckless ideation, then we should all troop down to the National Center for Mental Health (Mental Hospital) and burn all their patients at the stakes to get rid of “aswangs”, debah? Schizophreniform disorders should never be construed analogous to the folkloric “aswang”! These items are poles apart! Or are Gracio and Somes suggesting that “aswangs” – with their vampiric appetites, pointy nails, overly long tongues, and winged forbearances - are mere psychiatric predicament? Nahihilo kayo, ‘te?

POSITIVE POINTS

The film barely comes up with positive points: 1) a sumptuously dazzling cinematography (Hermann Claravall) – sun kissed summery scenes that reek with atmosphere; interiors and night shots with impeccable clarity; absolutely one of the most gorgeous camera work we’ve ever laid eyes on; 2) Mark Gil plays the nefarious haciendero with exact temperament; 3) the luminous Erich Gonzales who glistens in insightful splendor and subjugated emotional engagement. Her beauty and calm confidence cajoles the intermittently irritating narrative strain. Gonzales absolutely commits to her physical stipulation that her utter obedience is nothing less than eloquent. Unfortunately, even Gonzales’ brilliance is not enough to save a farcical, harebrained narrative.

UNEVEN PERFORMANCES

The film is further hobbled by an uneven performance of majority of its cast which is characterized by exasperating histrionics (Sue Prado), overtly unregulated methodic role playing (the irritating Bodgie Pascua displaying to his adoring Batibot audience how it is to cough while eating and speaking – which is real talent); undue comedic delivery (Mon Confiado plays Berto; when he sees the “aswang” at the foot of his bed, he shouts “Ay aswang! Kamukha yun ni Corazon ah!” – the audience roared with laughter); rough vocal switches (Tetchie Agbayani as Melinda would hiss and growl like an animal, then just as easily revert back to her school-teacher speaking voice); the blank facies of its amateur extras. Then there’s Derek Ramsay whose emotional undertaking is displayed by his “smoldering gaze”. He’s angry – he smolders! He’s sad – he smolders! He’s disappointed – he smolders! He’s heartbroken – he smolders! Heck, if he smoldered more than he did in “Corazon”, he might as well turn into an igneous rock! Couldn’t the fantastic actress in Angelica Panganiban infuse a degree of role playing emotionality to Mr. Ramsay? Some tutorial in acting perhaps?

ERRONEOUS BILLING

And why on earth is Derek Ramsay billed ahead of Erich Gonzales? Appearing in last year’s biggest blockbusters - “No Other Woman” and “Praybeyt Benjamin” – doesn’t necessarily make him more superior than Erich Gonzales in seniority or artistic capability. Neither was he the box office draw from the aforementioned films. People didn’t watch those films because it had Ramsay in them, heavens! Now he’s posturing with seductively understated threats as though he might as well move to TV-5 which didn’t exactly do wonders for Nora Aunor, Sharon Cuneta, Maricel Soriano, Dolphy and Aga Muhlach. What big movie did TV-5 produce – “Rosario”? That was 2 years ago! “Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” was a tail ender and an artistic turkey at the recent MMFF box office race. More importantly, this movie is titled “Corazon Ang Unang Aswang”, not “Daniel: Ang Asawa ng Unang Aswang na Lukaret Lang Pala”! I’d say, let him move alongside talents like Arci Munoz, Alex Gonzaga, Eula Caballero, Danita Paner and Carla Humphries. He wouldn’t look too lost with them.

MAGIC MAKE-UP, MAGIC HAIR

And then there’s the “here today, gone tomorrow” eye make-up of Corazon. When she’s feeding in wild abandon, the black and round eye shadows are thick and dark. When she speaks, these orbital discolorations almost disappear! Like magic! Is that the power of an “aswang”? LOL. In one scene, Derek and Epy find strands of hair beside the tree where Corazon ate her baby. “Kay Corazon ‘to,” they said. I stood and proudly declared, “It’s mine!” I was pulling hair in sheer disgust!

Bodgie Pascua distractingly coughs and eats and speaks for his Famas moment!

Pintakasi - Artistic Blend in Film Making Experiment

Cock fight anyone?

But the title in Lee Meilly, Imee Marcos and Nelson Caguila’s “Pintakasi” straddles two different realms, the aforementioned cockfight and a compound term that puts emphasis on the craving to paint (“Pinta Kasi!”)!

Both entities figure prominently as metaphors in the existence of DJ (John Wayne Sace) who moves to Isla Pulo, an island dump site littered with scraps and metropolitan junk. In the island, he befriends pretty Josie (Erich Gonzales) who only dreams of singing. His is to paint. Tikboy (JM de Guzman), the self-appointed gang leader (“mayor”) isn’t too happy with their friendship. After all, Tikboy knew Josie first and has proprietary claim on the damsel. This romantic rivalry eventually extends among their friends now caught between the race for supremacy. Though DJ is reluctant to reciprocate the dare, he is left with no option when Josie’s little brother becomes pawn. The job: stealing shabu (methamphetamine) in a warehouse. Would DJ be up for the task?

The mixed media film reminds me of a Taiwanese film – Chi Y. Lee’s “Chocolate Rap” which peculiarly combines Chinese drama and street dance. “Pintakasi” ups the ante by mixing poverty porn with 2D animation, music and dance! When DJ and Tikboy dive into a musical brawl, a hip hop duet called “Kanta, Pinta” involving rap and dance, I was in a trance. It was an impetuous artistic move that surprisingly embraced the moment, I was tempted to stand and do a shimmy. LOL

The experiment of introducing 2D animation is a bit distracting, but its nonetheless welcome as it obviously alludes to the vision of DJ as a painter in a strange new world (DJ came from the province) riddled with drug peddlers, snatchers, grandmothers (Boots Anson Roa) who likewise run drugs.

John Wayne Sace skillfully essays JM with a polished performance. He’s the new guy in town who dreams of better things for the neighborhood. He’s a symbol of redemption in a domicile where dreaming is nothing but folly. Erich Gonzales once again displays a subjugated emotionality that renders her performance natural and affecting and a presence that ignites the screen. JM de Guzman, who looks stocky, is menacing as the jealous gangster. Others in the cast do well: Alwyn Uytingco as Bogart (Tikboy’s ambitious second-in-command); William Martinez (playing a cop), Giselle Sanchez, Alcris Galura, et. al. Rumors say it took them two years - or even more - to complete, thus a caboodle of directors were credited. If only it pulled a dash of fortitude for an even more satisfying finish.

John Wayne Sace and co-stars


Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, producer and co-director, and her star Erich Gonzales.


John Wayne Sace (DJ) and Erich Gonzales (Josie)


John Wayne Sace


JM de Guzman


JM de Guzman plays the vicious Tikboy

Alwyn Uytingco plays Bogart.

Erich and Enchong Captivate Audience in “I Do”

Do we really dive into marriage, all body and soul, without much trepidation? Regardless of how much we love another person with every strand and cellular component of our being, there will always be a part of ourselves wanting to remain unencumbered by commitment. People are, after all, born alone. We do not come into this world with a bunch of friends. This reality, though heavily ignored, emphasizes a person’s need for the occasional solitude. The concept of marriage threatens this. But we sometimes have to decide exclusively for ourselves, most especially when it involves a more immediate reason staring right back at us. But that is easier said than done.

A pair of young lovers learn the hard way.

Mayumi (Erich Gonzales) and Lance (Enchong Dee) don’t share the same thoughts on love. To her, it’s the inescapable hand of fate. To him, it all equates to choice. But one day, they meet at a friend’s wedding and a force more powerful than gravity drew them together. Theirs was a match made in heaven, until Yumi realizes she’s pregnant. This throws Lance out on a loop, but the young couple (who’s finishing college) eventually decides to inform Yumi’s parents (Dennis Padilla and Pokwang) who agree with their decision to defer marriage until after their graduation. But where does this place Lance’s close-knit, albeit clueless Chinese family?

While Lance finds it difficult to introduce Yumi to his parents (Isay Alvarez and Ricardo Cepeda), he nevertheless invites her to his angcong’s (family patriarch, and Lance’s grandfather) birthday party. She puts her best foot forward to charm their pants off. But it soon becomes clear that old family traditions as rigidly bigoted as some Chinoy families (“Ang Chinese ay para sa Chinese.”) are Yumi’s biggest stumbling block in her quest for acceptance. This doesn’t stop the couple from planning the big date (in a hilarious scene where Lance drops a ring and Yumi catches him kneeling down in front of her). This would take Yumi and Lance’s romance on a zany rollercoaster ride. Will they ever get to say “I do”?

Erich Gonzales shows why she deserves lead roles, and she does so with effervescent charm and an endearingly insightful take on Mayumi. In one scene, she cries with skeptical elation as Lance declares his affection, and all she could say was an adorable, “Di nga?” In another scene, she whimpers with a simple, “Ayaw nya kasi akong pakasalan eh.” Yet we feel the distress of someone who’s been dismissed many times over. Which other star can impart those salient emotions in conspicuously meager lines? I can only think of two names, and not more. Real talent indeed doesn’t need kilometric spiels to highlight an emotion, and it is in this essence that we truly adore the talent of this young lady!

Enchong Dee on the other hand complements Erich’s bubbly persona with his characterization of a pessimistic Lance. The yin and the yang would never function if both “elements” tip the same scale. Having said this, we are prone to emphasize that Enchong is an intuitive young actor, if only he doesn't fret like a child – or worse, a girl. In the film, Lance is a grown up man who can father babies. Indeed, in some scenes, he needs a little bit more “machismo” – a shot of testosterone, a flexing of the muscle; a more tempered, nay, modulated delivery. The production could have benefited by giving him swimming scenes where he could parade and flex his swimming muscles, just to emphasize gender assignation. It’s a long shot, but at least the audience is reminded that “Enchong is our man” - and not some childish cuckoo who talks to his car! And with a delectable swimming body like his, who would forget? Furthermore, legendary leading men like Rock Hudson and Cary Grant never had lips redder than their leading ladies, did they?

I’m also partial to the supporting characters. Dennis Padilla is particularly affecting. This observation is significant because Padilla’s role as Mang Caloy (Yumi’s father) is a comic one, but he effectively imbues it with the perfect paternal veneer. We laugh when he throws used appliances at the Tans (Lance’s family), then we shed a tear for his despair. Pokwang isn’t that successful, which is disappointing because I like her. Ditto with Melai Cantiveros who has always been such a darling on the small screen. She can ridiculously reduce me into stitches with a deadpan, “Over over” or “Chok”! Unfortunately, Melissa’s character is nothing but an irritating, inconsequential speck. Her presence in the movie is like walking on glazed tiles with scratchy grains of sand on your shoes!

Janus del Prado’s Bernard could have been amiable to the very end, but the writer should have known when not to over stay his character’s welcome. Alwyn Uytingco is turning out to be one of the industry’s most dependable character actors. We also like Jun Urbano’s angcong; the moderated grace of Isay Alvarez as Lance’s mother, and that darling Eliza Pineda who plays Lance’s youngest sister. The movie is filled with amiable characters and this is one of the reasons why the film works.

I do have an issue with the Chinese cultural preference that “Ang Chinese ay para sa Chinese lamang”. If that’s the case, it’s quite easy – and cheap – these days to move away to China. I won’t stop them, obviously! They are free to head back to old-world Communism and old-world practices they see fit. Any Chinoy who bears such prejudiced thoughts should rid themselves of all the Filipinos by getting the f___ off this country, di ba? Might as well make this country a "Philippines for Filipinos only". That had to be said!

Veronica Velasco, in her very first mainstream work as a director (Unitel who produced "Inang Yaya" is still considered an indie film outfit), doesn’t just pass muster. In my book, she soars the cinematic skies with a hundred and one colors. I am particularly pleased with her narrative style: her characters always beat nauseatingly recurring odds (Maricel Soriano’s household chores as nanny Norma in “Inang Yaya”; Jodi Sta. Maria and Victor Basa as the runaway couple who pretends to be husband and wife in “Maling Akala”; and the hilarious Joey Paras as the gay P.A. who lost a wall tapestry in “Last Supper No. 3”). Velasco's main characters are endowed with the virtue of patience, and this isn’t lost in Yumi’s character who suffered several rejections not just from Lance’s family, but from Lance himself. Sure, this may have turned tedious and even dragged the exposition in the middle part of the story, but the ultimate payback is nothing less than inspiring!

Enchong Dee: charm and sensitivity.

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS

The good news is, when I watched the movie on a Thursday afternoon, I was surprised to find the huge theater almost fully occupied – on a dead hour. The bad news is, Erich Gonzales is allegedly starting to act like a diva on the set and elsewhere. Heaven knows I like this girl, but just like an over inflated balloon, such excesses will ultimately burst into nothing but tattered pieces of plastic. So let this be false! I don’t want to loathe her, as she’s too talented to be disliked.

And didn’t you hear that “I Do” couldn’t even muster a B-rating from the Cinema Evaluations Board (CEB)? The hearsay goes, “It wasn’t funny enough!” according to the reviewing board, which goes to highlight the range of brain activity among CEB’s flock. If they probably placed Gil Portes as this movie’s co-director or line producer, "I Do" could have surely bagged an A-rating! Di ba, “Pitik Bulag”? Di ba, “Two Funerals”? And yes, honey, I did a glowing review of the latter which goes to show that regardless of the quality of his films, any Gil Portes film – good or bad - will always merit an A-rating. Isn’t it about time that this sad excuse of a pseudo-ratings board is scrapped? That way, we can rightfully put their otherwise unemployed members out to pasture!

Enchong Dee should "man up" and flex is muscles, so to speak.

Noy - Riding the Wave of Hope

Noy (Coco Martin) carries a heavy baggage on his back. His depressive brother Bong (Joem Bascon) is a paraplegic who wallows in self pity, occasionally hurting himself. His mother Elena (Cherry Pie Picache) maintains a wobbly online relationship with an African American who's in town for a visit - but she's repelled by his attention. And his younger sister Tata is constantly complaining of a blurred vision. Meanwhile, his girlfriend Divine (the endearing Erich Gonzales) is coming to terms with the fact that she is least of his priorities. She has accepted another suitor's proposal, and has to fly to Canada to join him. However, she pleads, "I'll stay if you ask me too." What's a guy to do?

When he finally gets his foot in the door, he becomes a traveling journalist whose beat is to follow presidentiable Noynoy Aquino's campaign trail. Though he works hard, his work appears soul-less, remarks his editor (Baron Geisler). Is his domestic baggage dragging him down? Or is he the underqualified journalist who has faked his resume?

There is no doubt about it. "Noy" is a well made film that brilliantly juxtaposes the homespun allegory of Noy (Coco Martin) with live footages from 20 of Aquino's campaign sorties nationwide. The symbolical narrative is meant to reflect the plight of modern day Filipinos in light of the growing dissension against poverty and moral apathy.

Director Dondon Santos coaxes great performances from his ensemble. Coco is obviously comfortable with his character's dilemma after having appeared in several Dante Mendoza films. It's no surprise that he comes up with a well fleshed characterization. Bascon is too one-note to involve us. Then there's the lovely Erich Gonzales whose character is tasked to, errr... cry! And cry she did! Despite her thinly written story, Gonzales comes up with a luminous performance that underlines the adage: "There are no small roles for great actors." In a representative scene where she bids Noy goodbye - and says, "Wag ka nang mag-sorry!" and "Manong, (the taxi driver), tara na ho." - she carries enough pathos to satisfy us of her discernment of loss, an emotional cataclysm. And boy! Can she literally cry buckets! Vice Ganda is surprisingly mediocre; his delivery is inconsistent and insincere. He was good in Lamasan's "In My Life" so we wonder what went wrong.

Despite the tragic thread, there is a hopeful tone as the film draws to a close. It brings back my pre-election concerns about Noynoy as the new President of the Philippines. I have no doubt in my mind of Aquino's sincerity and incorruptibility. He will not enrich himself the way GMA and his relatives have - and they're even quite arrogant about their blatant pilferage. Unfortunately, what do you say about a man who - at close to 50 years old - cannot build a house of his own without the help of a much younger sister (Kris Aquino - she did boast several times how she will finance his new house when President Cory passed away). We need to rebuild our nation. How can we entrust nation-building to a man who can't even build his own home? My friend would say, "Baka naman he is prudent." Baka nga! LOL. Well, Noynoy will be the new president - and I will respect and support him as my president - with bated breath!

"Noy" is a well made film, but we do have scruples about the pervasive use of poverty as a cinematic theme. Aren't we all tired of supposedly socially relevant films that conspicuously depict our nation as a land of squatters, where mosquito-infested houses rise on flooded out stilts? They would have people believe that this unidimensional theme is all that pervades our desperate society of prostitutes and callboys, alcoholics, thieves, perverts, fixers, and other aberrant lowlives! In this country, a socially relevant movie is equivalent with the exploitation of poverty. Talk about bankruptcy of ideas!

Coco Martin

Paano Ko Sasabihin - On Deceptions and Taking the Romantic Train

Erich Gonzales cuts a charming lead in Richard Soriano Legaspi’s “Paano Ko Sasabihin” (How Can I Tell You). She plays Erhyl, a script writer who works hard to buy her deaf brother Wilhem (Johann Alcantara) his hearing aid. But what fuels excitement to Erhyl’s otherwise lackluster life is her growing fascination with a strapping fellow LRT commuter Mike (Enchong Dee). After several close encounters with the latter, Erhyl finally gets his attention. What’s more, he even painstakingly returns a shoe which she clumsily left during a mad rush out of the train. How anyone could leave a strapped high heeled shoe in a train is still a mystery to me. But to get on with the story, let’s consider that such stupidity actually happens. Excuse me, Cinderella.

Having seen Mike use the sign language, Erhyl pretends that she is deaf as well. So they start going out on dates. What a lovely and perfect pair. Truth is, Mike – who teaches at a school for “special” kids – is not deaf! And it’s just a matter of time before they both find out about their own deceptions, right?

The movie’s tension rests on this rather preposterous predicament. Hearing adults both pretending to be deaf!

Spoilers!

The first half of the movie showcases an endearing, if a tad too silly, boy-meets-girl scenario, and just when we were ready to be swept off our feet, the movie swerves into a ridiculous turn of events! When Erhyl decides to see Mike and confess, he just stood there dumbfounded looking like an idiot. It was golden opportunity to confess and come clean for the same folly. Instead, he lets her run to the nearest LRT station for the awkwardly played out scene where Mike uses the train’s speaker system to make a message for Erhyl – and for hundreds of passengers to hear, “Magkita tayo sa Central Station. Ako ang lalaking …” and so on! Of course, this throws Erhyl into a loop. Who is this idiot who wouldn’t even say his name? And why would Erhyl even think that this absurd message was meant for her? After all, it was a generalized message that could have been meant for someone else.

So she waits at the Central Station. Will he be there? Of course! She finds Mike at the other side of the platform. They do a ridiculous patintero. A train arrives to impede her vision of the hunky teacher. When the train pulls out of the station, he’s gone! She turns around broken hearted, but when she looks up, Mike is beside her! And their lips lock to a swelling romantic song! Aww!

How can something so promising end into a trite and disappointing finish? The story writer suddenly loses steam, and the general plot that promisingly fueled the whole narrative suddenly seemed silly!

There are awkward moments riddling this movie. When Mike admits his own part of the whole double whammy-deception, Erhyl accuses him: “How can I trust you after what you’ve done?” Girl, go get a mirror and shout it out on your impervious skull. It’s the thief accusing the other thief of, err, thievery! Hilarious really!

Fortunately, Erich and Enchong enjoy a palpable chemistry that’s easy to love. In fact, I like Erich. Even in her mediocre telenovelas, she has always exuded sensitivity and sincerity. She never resorts to woe-is-me portrayals (paging the eternally sappy Kim Chiu) that reek with slap-happy scenes and garalgal-cum-boses-kiki cries. Erich is one of the few young actresses of her generation who has learned restraint early in her career. It must have come from years of playing support and second – even third - fiddle. Patience does that to intuitive actors. Unfortunately, this particular film just isn’t too smart. It was on its way to becoming a good movie when it suddenly veered to the path of wild imaginings and melodramatic machination! You don’t have the guts to admit your shortcomings to a girl, but you have enough balls to address a public address system? That just doesn’t make sense! Something is disjointed, not to mention – on the part of the storyteller – Machiavellian. Narrative expediency is placed above logic, and deceit is literally and figuratively carried out to move the story. Just when the complexities have reached their quota, everything finds a fast resolution! How simple. If only life were that simple.

It can’t be helped to place “Paano Ko Sasabihin” beside Cinemalaya’s similarly themed “Dinig Sana Kita” which absolutely bowled us over! Just a few years ago, an online-writer once put a veteran entertainment journalist to task for having Cinemalaya as his personal cause to support, instead of Cinema One. It was actually funny for why would anyone impose his own causes on someone else’s. Makialam ba. In one of this online-writer’s annual year-end rants, he arrogantly assailed the elder journalist for this cause. In the same list of rants (where he wished Ketchup Eusebio more cinematic exposure! Eww! Eusebio to my mind is a modern-day Smokey Manaloto! There is nothing brilliant about him!), he comparatively weighed the 2 film festivals, obviously favoring Cinema One!

But comparing “Paano Ko Sasabihin” to “Dinig Sana Kita” is like comparing Picasso as a visual artist to a Carlo Caparas! While Caparas gloats on the income-generating power of his “art”, Picasso laid on his death bed proclaiming, “Drink to my health, you know I can’t drink anymore”. Huh? Yes, honey, I’m saying there’s no point of comparison. LOL

Anyone who favors “Cinema One” over “Cinemalaya” is in obvious need of re-tuning his cinematic taste. Simply put, when the works of Cinemalaya are placed beside the works of Cinema One, the latter comes up with middling, unfocused, overly ambitious but ultimately underwhelming works! Paging "Manghuhula". Yet year in and out, you hear of Indie film makers violently resisting and shaking off the "guidance" that Cinemalaya organizers insist. What an arrogant lot!

Sure, there are breakaway films like “Yanggaw”, “Tambolista”, “Confessional” - but most of their (Cinema One) outputs are mediocre! I remembered back in 2006 when a movie called “Pandanggo” premiered at the Galleria. Unfortunately, I was there! It was a “trilogy” of sorts – a film that’s lost in its own ambition and confusion, and I was like, “WTF”! That’s “Cinema One” for you! To be honest, Cinemalaya occasionally comes up with seemingly unfinished works like “In The Red Corner” (2006), but these are mere exceptions to the rule. In fact, “In the Red…” feels like a Truffaut compared to the Godardesque-dizzy-weezy “Pandanggo” which came out the same year!

Cinemalaya films are better conceptualized, while “Cinema One” films are more experimental. Sad thing is, they miss more than they hit! They lose their way through the very basic requisite of telling a story! They mine an interesting idea then lose their way expounding it, thus resulting into a messy piece of cinema!

I am actually glad that less and less digital works are getting shown in commercial theaters these days. Dapat lang! Visuals pa nga lang, di na nila naayos. Cinema is after all a visual medium! This is a basic precept that majority of the digital film makers keep forgetting. If you can’t lend a legible and acceptable “visual” to your movie, get into radio! Mag radio drama ka na lang! LOL. Don’t be too ambitious to be called a film maker when your films look like pirated copies when shown at the cinema. Why movie goers should watch fuzzy visuals with shoddy sound and pay P170 for borderline cinema over “real movies” is beyond me.

I am sure someone would remind me that the director’s works have been shown in Pyongyang, Naoussa, Tallinn and Budapest. So iffing what? Mel Chionglo’s “Midnight Dancers” was shown at the Toronto Filmfest and - ohmygosh, 2010's worst film "Fidel" was invited at the Berlin! - it would become Chionglo's worst work too! That “Paano Ko Sasabihin” won the Audience Choice Award at the Cinema One Originals Digital Film Festival is not a testament to the film’s technical excellence, but to the obvious charm of its leads. Nothing more!