plsletitrain Reviews

Dear Lena (2016)

Deserves more recognition

[15 October 2019]

I guess this movie deserves a shout-out for being untalked about much but deserves a space in our hard drives.

A low-key, old school Korean flick who flew below the radar from a director we all haven't heard of (He only has this film on his credits on IMDb).

I got sold on the film because of course, anything with natural elements I'm quite hooked. The movie's setting is on a field of green tea leaves, whatever they're called. Lena (I love the name) is a Korean who was born and raised in Russia. She decides to go back to her homeland. At first I thought for vacation and immersion to culture. She stays in a house owned by a farmer. They both explore the wonderful scenery together, doing things together, having moments together. At first I thought it was plain platonic until the farmer's brother started talking about marriage and bride. Wait, I thought they were merely landlord, tenant? Later on it became apparent that she was a mail-order bride. Or international marriage as they put it. This came as a surprise to me. This is the first time I've seen such a subject on a Korean movie and I never knew this arrangement existed in South Korea. Can I sign up for a Korean celebrity? lol.

Another thing which I found cute here is 'ya know, the friendship or arranged-marriage between a farmer (who to me looks older than the girl) and a foreign woman. Sounded like an unlikely couple (although the woman wasn't really Westernized) but the ending got me rooting for their love story. An inexperienced farmer and a lonely girl. The ending was a cool one. It will make you wonder whether it was a dream, or was it her parent's ___ Okay, I'll just stop in case I spoil anything.

There are a lot of "silent" scenes here, so silent I had to sometime put a background music of my own to keep me from sleeping. Lena frequently stares into lonely space, because she has a baggage of her own. And they would usually exchange some powerful quotable quotes and anecdotes that are quite deep. At least to me, they are. Pictures don't lie. Lena likes taking pictures. There's a lot of pictures here. Both literal and figurative. The film exudes the aura of tranquility, which jibes with its setting which is living in the provincial mountains. There's no major plot twists, cruelty, profanity here but the simplicity of the film and its powerful last 30 minutes or so makes me want to tell the director to make more films such as this.

Eerie (2018)

A Breakthrough in Philippine Cinema

[1 August 2019]

Notice I used breakthrough in Philippine Cinema. The formula used by Mikhail Red (who is very young and promising at 28/29 btw), is something we've seen before in some other movies. But he delivered.

The first scenes were a huge turn-off. Because of course, one girl has to go to the comfort room ALONE. Then for some reason (probably had a black out OF ALL DAYS), its dark. Because it has to. And the windows HAVE to be opened so the curtains will fly and make room for a windy atmosphere. Uh-huh. Why oh why can't horror take place in a well-illuminated place???? With a lot of people. At daytime. Haha! At some point, dark atmosphere works against the essence of the film because I can't see the ghost anymore hehe.

Another huge turn off. The overused scene of one picking up a pen that has fallen on the floor then seeing feet on the other side of the table.

A lot of decent jumpscares here. Decent sound effects too. Again, I applaud Mikhail for setting the bar high.

We've seen this all before. The story. The style used by the director. BUT what I find in this movie being a breakthrough is it does create an eerie atmosphere, showing that Philippine horror has evolved. Of course, gone were the days of long-haired pale-skinned ghosts crawling out of the TV. Its time to open the floodgates for themes that may well come under sacrilege, in a country of Catholics. Though, to be fair, there's no sacrilege here as the only religious element involved is the fact that the school is ran by nuns and one of the main (mysterious) characters is a nun. One thing why this movie also did well in the box office and in the critics is for the longest time since Seklusyon (I think), a horror film, that could actually be called a decent horror film, was offered to the masses. Because you know what sells so much like hotcakes here? Infidelity stories! Yeah man, who wants to solve the mystery of the crying lady in the CR anyway when its so much fun seeing the wife pull the mistress by the hair??

Pat (Bea Alonzo) is a guidance counselor in Sta. Lucia Academy, an all-girls school ran by nuns. The atmosphere becomes weird when a student, Erika, commits suicide. Pat encounters visions of Erika and talks to her. Soon, another girl gets killed. Or was she? Pat tries to solve the mystery behind the killings in the school (and the role that the school's head, Sister Alice (Charo Santos has to play), including that of another girl who tries to commit suicide. Everything is not new to the eyes. The ending part was well-made, no mind-bending twists here. The movie was consistent from start to finish.

Now what is truly remarkable about this is the promise of potential from the director, Mikhail Red. Note that he is only 28 or 29...And seeing Eerie, I would've thought this was made by an old-timer. The young man knows what he's doing.

Antiporno (2016)

Sion Sono does it again

[4 July 2019]

Okay it's a given that Sion Sono is an alien. He's crazy. Strange. There are no rules, boundaries, with him. That's why we love him.

This movie didn't just break the 4th wall. This movie broke my stomach linings. I want to puke, vomit, throw up. Gross. I'm not just into this stuff. I know we were about to see porn-ish here but man I'm not just into woman-to-woman action. There's just a bad taste in my mouth after watching this. So my bias here would be evident. But I'll try to be ahem, objective.

What I love about Sion Sono is he doesn't just overwhelm you, he will really outdo your expectations. Time to build a shrine for him. Women and feminists, let's hold hands. Brace yourselves before watching this because you might want to hold on to a Rosary.

Ami Tomite, the lead, as Kyoko, was well utilized here. Her insane monologue at the beginning of the film, with a classical piece as background, showcased her versatility (and her privates too). A lonely artist who ambitions to be a whore. ????. I hope IMDb doesn't censor this,the movie itself says that word. Question marks everywhere but you need to get past that. She vomits a lot here too.

She lives a light in the limelight. Her secretary, Noriko, knocks on the door, reciting her schedule for the day. Kyoko transforms into a sadist master who exploits her slave. She's about to have an interview. The crew enters the scene. Noriko goes full nude. Kyoko remains insane. I just can't at this point, I thought of bailing out.

But I'm glad I didn't. Let's get past the nudity (but I still can't with my virgin eyes!!!!!!). Kyoko is a sad young woman. Her family and past has forced her to enter this industry. There's a notable family dinner scene that will just send you laughing, facepalming, or cursing Sono for his genius.

The movie puts a lot of colors, both literal and figurative. It looks like its set on just one setting, with just walls separating the different acts but there's really a lot of questions and deep themes presented here. Exploitation can very well define this movie. Both the innate theme and on its surface, well, I would say in a way the actresses here were made to do whatever they did. I believe there are a lot of symbolism here but you can put it which way you deem fit. And I'm not the most knowledgeable person to narrate what deep themes are being symbolised here. You'll feel it when you watch this.

The movie has a short runtime but the impact it leaves will linger for long.

Tremble All You Want (2017)

Awesome performance from the actress

[31 January 2019]

It's the age-old dilemma that beset women. Who should I choose? The one I love, or the one who loves me? You're lucky if the stars aligned and both persons are the same. What if they aren't? Problem with our princess is, she's inexperienced...innocent, naive, carefree. And the scenes where this is showcased is something everyone who ever experienced having a crush can relate to.

I like how the context of love is properly laid out, comparing real love from say, crush, or infatuation in the eyes of a 20 something girl still pining for a highschool crush she never had a relationship with, let alone take her out for a date. It also explores the area of whether love can be learned, or is it something that's set in stone? This is one of the films that shows a very realistic take on the mindset of a girl. It explores her fantasies and frustrations.

(Please let me use the names Mayu, Ichi, and Ni in referring to the characters)

Mayu's escapades were very funny and real. Some of which aren't technically real as it only existed in her imagination, but this is why this movie is good. Its reality! Almost every woman can relate to her.

My favorite scene was the awakening. When she found out that the guy she fantasizes doesn't even know her name. I felt her pain, Mayu, the actress conveyed it well. It dawned on her...she was living in a world of make-believe. Her breakdown scene, though, felt too contrived and dramatic especially if you take into consideration the circumstances.

Probably the most realistic scene is when she realized she lost her only friend. And that she was lonely. That her "friends" are strangers and that she's a stranger to her "boyfriend". You can also pick a lot of insights and moral lessons from here. Not necessarily in the context of romantic love...but in life in general.

The ending went downhill for me. She became an angry brat who had to resort faking a pregnancy to restore whatever image she thought she had. She needed to grow up. It was too fictional for me. It only bounced back when it ended with a realistic tone....an open-ended ending.

Biggest success of the film is the lead actress. She was one with the character it was hard to separate the character from the actress. She was born to play this role. She owned the film, even with scenes that would have turned awkward if not done properly, she nailed it.

Life of Pi (2012)

A Philosophical and Visual Treat

[13 December 2018]

A tiger and a boy. An animal and a man. Suffering. Survival. Living. Courage. Reflection. Few spoken lines that strike deep. A wonderful story of inspiration, hope and love.

Amores Perros (2000)

Engaging story without being too complex

[5 November 2018]

This one is a challenge to the stomach but I'm glad I did not bail out and finished 'til the end. Animal cruelty, domestic violence, gore, sex, they're all here. Heavy themes of heavy stories of 3 seemingly different lives brought together in one place after a life-changing vehicular accident that happened in the streets of Mexico.

Octavio and Susana, Daniel and Valeria, El Chivo and Maru-three colorful lives complicated by circumstances unique to each pair. Octavio lives in a dysfunctional family with his brother, Ramiro, and his wife whom Octavio has feelings for, Susana. The amount of dog cruelty in this part was alarming, so let's hope it stays on the movies. Octavio aggressively takes Susana for himself, but the latter is blindly submissive to her abusive husband. Octavio involves himself in a game of dog fights with bets (gambling), and when a match turned wrong almost kills his champion dog, he stabs the culprit and runs away using the vehicle. The same vehicle that hit Valeria's car...............

Daniel is a married man with an extra-marital affair with Valeria, one of Mexico's hottest models turned paralyzed after the vehicular accident. Daniel leaves his wife and lives with Valeria in an apartment with her dog, Richie. Their relationship is tested after Valeria's predicament.............

El Chivo is a guerrilla/fugitive who shots and kills his ex-wife's new husband. He exiles himself from his family but in secret, follows what happens to them and watches his daughter from afar. He sidelines as a gun-for-hire man. On the day of the vehicular accident, he happened to be on that street because he was following one of his prospect victims that's why he was on the scene (while taking advantage of the commotion and stealing the winning monies from Octavio).

Small plotholes are around (like how robbers and killers who rob and shot at broad day light still freely roam the streets) but I didn't mind.

2-hour movies can be long but this one didn't feel so. There's everything happening at almost any given time. The plot isn't complicated but its heavy you feel you are captured into its web and you can't leave without knowing how each of their lives will turn out. I'm glad I made it past the disturbing scenes, if not, I wouldn't have had the privilege to see this masterpiece in its entirety. I haven't seen a lot of films from Mexico, but this one certainly deserve the recognition it got.

BuyBust (2018)

Quite overrated

[25 August 2018]

Okay I may be inviting trouble here but what the heck. I hate to use the term, but OVERRATED may very well apply in this case.

The movie looked just like a 2-hour compilation of all the fight scenes and gunshots we've seen in the movies. Just that. There's no real story. Or maybe I was expecting a docu? Then again, the director, Erik Matti, made it clear this is not his "statement" film. So what went wrong? I think Matti capitalized on the fight scenes to the point that he lost the essence of it. This is entitled "Buybust" after all, a flagship project of the current administration-so it feels underwhelming to just see Anne and her team kick here, shoot there. Blood here, screams there. Is there more? I'm afraid there's none.

Now before I get criticized for the "there's no story" remark. Here it is. You judge for yourself if this is considered a "story". Manigan (Anne Curtis) is part of an anti-drug team tasked with catching a big fish named Biggie Chen. They embark on an entrapment operation with the help of their intel asset. Biggie Chen plays safe, so he invites the asset to transact on his village, a slum area in Manila. The area literally looks like a maze, and once inside, its hard to find your way out. Soon, the team figured that they were set-up, and they struggle to survive and come out of the maze alive.

I find it hard to engage in a movie where the lead/s seemingly feel like IMMORTAL/S that they're too invincible to die dammit! Its one thing if you're superman, but I thought we're mirroring Philippine society here with this theme? In here, you'll see Anne Curtis battle it out with two groups: 1) The drug syndicate (complete with ammunitions) and 2) the zombie-like crowd who has had it all and wants nothing to do with the drug war. She battles with them AT THE SAME TIME. And she's injured and she's got no ammunitions. And she's not familiar with the place! Try harder to convince me. Unless this is comedy. There's just quite so many plotholes that defies reality and common practice here.

There's no strong message delivered in here. Unless you count the few minutes in the ending. Other than that, this is just really a work of fiction.

The fight scenes execution were okay. There's too much gunshots here that I think I may have gone deaf in the theater. It also didn't help that the illumination (because the entrapment operation was scheduled to start at 8:00 PM and ended in the early dawn) was dark and it was raining (because of course, it always rains when you want a bloody violence to ensue-it just helps with the dramatic effect) and so it was hard to make of on who's fighting who.

If there's any positive aspect of the film, it is (and only this) the music. The music here went far lengths, and it was the only redeeming factor here. Too bad it was only the music that I liked here.

Season of the Devil (2018)

This is perhaps my most Lav'd Lav film

[25 August 2018]

I sort of had the idea that this is Diaz's tirade against the sitting president. And you bet he delivered it strong!

Lav, as can be shown by his works, doesn't mind to be different. Despite being the current president being well-loved by the masses, he made this film as an awakening. I was just appalled at his audacity-I think he was the one who wrote the lines to the sung dialogue here and his lines, though in poetry form, was so sharp that I was just imagining how will the President react.

The film is almost 4 hours but it didn't feel too long. Owing to the fact that the lines were sung, usually with catchy tunes, and with repeated lyrics. This is like watching theater minus the exaggerated acting. And its in black and white but Lav made sure his message was clear: wake up Filipinos!

I just have to say this one very face-palming scene that made me want to shout "I lav you!" Hmmm... The leader of the abusive military here is being referred to as Chairman Narciso (hmmm....I wonder who's he referring to?). Chairman Narciso enters the scene with his right hand on his cheeks (a known body gesture of you know who). From afar, he looks bald with his hairline already starting in the middle part of the head. From afar he looks like his eyeglasses were placed behind his ears. Such cowboy. On focus camera, he turns his back to reveal a prosthetics face of someone who had full hair (because the hair that started in the middle area of Chairman Narciso looked like bangs for the back face) who is wearing eyeglasses. Symbolism is everywhere here. (That face I'm talking about is the one shown on the poster of the film).

For me the ones who stood out were the unknowns but mainstream actors Piolo Pascual and Shaina Magdayao also leveled up here. Bituin Escalante in her mermaid voice is so enchanting, especially if the lyrics are controversial. It would be enlightening to get a transcript of Lav's pieces here, his poetries don't use high fallutin language but it has depth...political depth.

Overall I believe this is my most loved Lav Diaz film. It is well executed in both the production and content. This is a must-watch.

Ma' Rosa (2016)

Brillante takes a bold statement

[11 April 2018]

Brillante Ma Mendoza is usually a hit or miss for me. He had a lot of misses, but he's got some hits for me too. This one is for me one of his strong films, if not the strongest. This film got the attention of the Cannes. And even if I'm not big on awards, I think this film deserves whatever recognition it got.

I know I've had enough with the "Look at us, oh we're so poor and we live in hell" pity party that is the common subject of most indie Filipino films. But I don't know why I loved this. Probably because it didn't look like a movie at all. It was so real and reflective of the state of the Philippines that it almost looked like a documentary.

Brillante engaged the talents of veteran Filipino actors here. The lead actress, Jacklyn Jose, is already a no-brainer. She could pull off any role, whether a protagonist, an antagonist, or even a plain bit player and she'll still steal the show. I was particularly impressed with her here, with no make-up and "acting" that looked so natural it never felt like she was just acting at all. There's a recognizable supporting cast(Julio Diaz, Mon Confiado, Mark Anthony Fernandez, Baron Geisler, Andi Eigenmann, Maria Isabel Lopez, and Allan Paule whose number of gay roles in indie films I've lost count already, and some others) that gives life to the bleak situation being portrayed.

Brillante takes a bold statement here, but not controversial. Just congruent with reality. He centered on the controversial drug war, but not on the most publicized extra-judicial killings. He focused on the other side of the narcotic trade that's been in the circles for so long but was never exposed.

Rosa (Jacklyn Jose) is your typical slum family matriarch. Along with her husband, Nestor (Julio Diaz), they engage in small-time sale of illegal drugs. They got arrested after their house was raided and they were found in possession of the drugs. Instead of undergoing standard booking procedures at the precinct, they were brought to a separate backdoor office where they were made to bargain for their liberty. The policemen, seeing that they could make use of a bigger fish than the ones they caught, made them confess of their supplier. But despite doing so, they were still asked for money in exchange for their freedom. Same thing happened with their supplier. Their 3 children did all ways to raise the money. Giving up their goods, their body, their pride.

Over-all I'd say this is a statement film. I commend Brillante for outing the abuses and corrupt practices of rogue policemen in the country. There are no long shots of nothing here, pure statements, pure reality.

Storm Children: Book One (2014)

Not quite the documentary you will expect

[1 February 2018]

But its Lav. And he could be surprising and unpredictable to a certain extent, with his works. Which could work both ways. Will he wow you? Or will he disappoint you. In this case, it was the latter for me.

I decided to break down my positive and not-so-positive take on the film.

Positive 1) Mesmerizing would be an apt word to describe the first few minutes of the film. The way he shot the scenes, you feel like you're taken to the actual place. Staring at the sight of rain falling, or a close-up of the water flowing in the river is just very mesmerizing you'll feel lost while looking at it. Its like you're being hypnotized by the rain and the water and even if that's the only thing you stare at, you still enjoy it. 2)It felt so surreal watching the calm sea and how angry it must have looked like while the eye of the storm was passing. 3) It was a delight to see children singing Frozen's "Let it go" while knowing that hours/days before, they experienced a major catastrophe. 4)There was one scene where the camera was shaking hard, and not just the usual shaky cam we see, it was literally shaking that was probably brought by the wind blowing. It felt so real, not choreographed. This was just as real as it could get. Not so positive 1)While I know that the film is a documentary, it looked like a literal slide-show silent film. To be honest, if you were doing anything aside from watching the movie, you won't miss much because the scenes were a bit protracted. 2)I don't know where I got my expectations from, but I kinda expected it to be a documentary before, during, and right after the storm. Almost more than 3/4 of the film was devoted to showing scenes of children playing with floodwater, or children swimming on the already-calm sea. There was only a few minutes where actual dialogue and actual interview of the victims and survivors were done. 3)This is NOT for the dialogue-driven. Visual-driven, can be, but the movie will lose you because as I said, the scenes are protracted. 4)There were some scenes where a random out-of-nowhere pop love songs play. In the end part, a trance song randomly also played. E

There were only a few minutes that had actual interviews with the people of Tacloban, the hardest hit city. I wish Lav focused on these first-hand accounts more.

Let Me Eat Your Pancreas (2017)

Quite opposite the title

[1 February 2018]

The title suggests some out-of-this world apocalyptic comedy. But despite the cannibalist title, this is actually a cute, touching, sweet movie about love, life, and mortality.

Turns out the statement I want to eat your pancreas or any body part means you want to be like that person, and once you die, your soul will get into his/her body. Or something like that.

This is about two unlikely high school friends, Haruki and Sakura. Haruki, an introvert, was befriended by Sakura, a carefree girl with terminal pancreatic disease. One day Haruki accidentally picks a diary/journal owned by Sakura and she confessed to him that he was the only one, aside from her family, who knows of her illness. She shares her sentiments, her wishes to him, before she dies. Haruki tries to suppress his feelings (not romantic feelings) but at the same time gets amazed at the bravery shown by the girl, that despite her terminal disease still manages to laugh, make other people happy, find goodness in everyone, and just live life as if she had no disease at all. Together, they did her "things I want to do before I die". 12 years later, Haruki finds himself teaching in the same school, reminiscing his wonderful memories with Sakura.

Although there were scenes that alluded to a romantic relationship, what's undisputable about the plot of the story is that it is a touching movie about a blossoming friendship despite the travails of having a terminal illness. Sakura has a bestfriend, Kyoko, whom she hid her illness. She reveals she did not want her bestfriend to worry for her. The movie just manages to touch the depths of your emotions as you feel for your friend.

Overall, a touching movie. You won't be surprised if you find yourself shedding a tear here.

A Bride for Rip Van Winkle (2016)

Engaging story of so many reflections in life

[31 July 2017]

The movie may be quite long, but it will hold your attention smoothly you won't realize the runtime. My point being: the story of the lead girl and the people she encounters is very engaging. Its like looking through a window to the life of someone dear to you.

A Bride for Rip Van Winkle isn't actually about Rip Van Winkle. Its about a young adult named Nanami whose roller-coaster of a life forces you to empathize with her. Rip Van Winkle does not enter until the second hour. Nanami had everything against her: a failed marriage, a broken family, no job. She sought refuge with a man named Amuro (Go Ayano) who stages acts, depending on the request of the client (he's like an actor-for-hire--but he has people working with him or for him too). The pivotal turn of the events happened when Amuro hired Nanami to become housemaid of a mansion, the owners thereof are untold. Rip Van Winkle is the internet name used by Mashiro (Cocco) a fellow actor-for-hire turned friend of Nanami. Turns out Mashiro was also a housemaid in said house. But that's not the only interesting thing about Mashiro. Her life is as interesting as that of Nanami. She has her own share of trials and then you get to empathize with her. An awkward lesbian love then ensues. I say awkward because there's something in Cocco's portrayals that kinda disturbes me. But that's just me. Anyway, the unfolding of subsequent events are dramatic. The ending is nothing but a good screen shot of a lady looking afar, probably reflecting of how her life has been and how it will be in the future.

The movie feels like so many things happened yet the simplicity of it all is retained. Its melodramatic but no extensive emotions are required.The pacing is fine-tuned. What made this movie more remarkable is its exploitation of piano pieces that jibe with the emotion of the film.

Death Note: Light Up the New World (2016)

This one's not Death Note

[5 June 2017]

I'd be blunt: I was disappointed.

If you wish to carry Death Note in your title, you should at least carry on or live to the standards set by the prequels. My main and constant distraction is the characters. The interesting stories behind L and Kira were all gone. Instead, we were shoved with uninteresting characters that are a disgrace to their source material. Take for example Ryuzaki. He was my favorite character in the Manga and in the movies. I've always praised K'enichi Matsuyama's portrayal of L in the prequels. It was like, he was born to play L. And here comes Ryuzaki in this film who was a trying-hard L. He looked like a thug auditioning for a scientist role. And it was painful to watch him do all those L-like acts that are so not him. He was a constant distraction which made the overall watching experience a disaster. Even "Neo Kira" wooh! was really a bore. Kira may not be the best role model for kids, but hey, we're not kids. So where's the fun you ask? None really. The entire movie was a letdown. Not even the cat-mouse play of L and Kira helped.

The story was also a mess. The explanation of Neo Kira wasn't so clear to me. I really didn't understand everything can someone just please explain to me how Neo Kira came to be...well, it would be a spoiler if you haven't watched it yet, came to be the person revealed to be Neo Kira. Which brings me, there was a first Neo Kira. Wooh, I'll stop here or I'll be commenting on how his all-white formal attire with a one-sided hairdo kinda ruined the Kira image for me. And the ending!!!! Wow, I thought I've seen the worst..the ending would cement my not-so-enjoyable experience actually.

The production values here are fine. But its Death Note we're talking about here. We loved the Manga, the story, the characters. Even the shinigamis. Sad to say, this one's not Death Note.

Moana (I) (2016)

If only for the songs...

[23 January 2017]

..the songs alone made this movie very enjoyable for me. Most people say typical Disney crap. To which I say, we all know that. So why even bother? Well, the music alone are very witty and catchy. I don't know since when have I seen this type, Mulan maybe? (No Frozen don't count because the songs there aren't that catchy. To my taste at least. Again, to my taste only lest I be swarmed with hate mails from Frozen fanatics).

The story, well, yeah its typical but not poorly executed. Its our usual lead saves the world by believing in her heart bla bla bla. But for kids, and with kids at heart, the execution alone made you forget about the predictability of the story we've seen in almost all animated movies. So what gives this movie edge is the songs that were all good and pleasing to the ears. Another reason why this movie was good is the presence of the character of the demi-god Maui. He's witty, funny, and that's what brought life to the otherwise boring party. The only "cheesy" part I couldn't handle is the end of the battle with the villain. That part where she sang her way to victory. If you've seen the film, you'll understand this. Other than that, everything was fine.

Himeanole (2016)

The Movie outdoes itself in so many aspects

[22 January 2017]

Straightforward. That's everything this movie is about. It doesn't hold back and couldn't care less if you puke at the sight of a brutal killing. Just when you thought you've seen enough, you're mistaken. The movie continues to astonish the viewers in so many ways. You can applaud at it for its brutality. Or applaud it for its guts. And it was successful.

The runtime is not that long, and every moment was well-spent and utilized. If you can't stand extreme gore, then you might want to avoid this. But if you can, just for the sake of art appreciation, go watch this. This is a hidden gem I'm glad to have seen.

Bonus point for the scene where the title is introduced. Its not done either at the start or end, but in the middle. Right after an erotic bed scene. With some captivating background music. That alone makes this movie great. Plus superb performance from Morita, who looks exactly like the stalker you fear, this movie will give you the creeps.

Die Beautiful (2016)

Definitely one of the best LGBT movies there is..

[9 January 2017]

This is a good movie for a society which has become appreciative of LGBTs over time. The movie tells the story (and struggles) of Trisha Echevarria (Paolo Ballesteros), a transgender who was disowned by his rich father and survived on his own by joining beauty contests. He adopted a young girl and raised the family by the meager amounts he get from joining these pageants. Typical struggles of transgenders were given emphasis in the film: discrimination from the family, from the community, and from men. The title is Die Beautiful because it shows his life in throwback form: he starts dead here. He instructed his bestfriend that in case he dies, he should be shown beautiful in his coffin. He has to look like "someone" in all the 7 days of his wake.

The two-hour runtime may seem long to some, but I even think it was not enough. I wanted to see more. I even expected it to be light-hearted all through out because gay humor. But what I didn't expect is that it was very heartwarming and dramatic. Paolo Ballesteros deserved the awards that he got (both local and international) because he did really cement his role perfectly. He was a boy, he was a gay, he was a celebrity, became a transgender--all in this film! He was a son, a daughter, a sibling, a mother, a bestfriend, a pageant candidate, and a celebrity look-alike. Paolo Ballesteros has now become a household name because of this.

I have to give a shout-out to the other lead star in the film: Christian Bables. He was perfect in his role as the bestfriend of Trisha. Both leads were amazing in their portrayals.

Highly recommended.

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

A very touching movie-I don't understand the negative reviews

[30 April 2016]

I was not supposed to make this review but seeing the surge of negative reviews, I had to contribute to even it out.

I honestly don't understand what's people beef with this? If anything, this movie has got to be one of the most touching animated movies I have seen. There's a strong friendship built here, and we see this friendship bloom gradually.

I cried watching this. And no, I'm not a kid anymore. This movie is very predictable and cliché-ish, nothing new. But this movie brings out the kid in us where we adore cute dinosaurs, cute kids, life in the forest, the flow of the river, etc. Arlo, the "weakling" Dinosaur, and the friendship he shared with Spot was very heartwarming that even adults can cry with this.

I can never question the graphics because its Pixar. And they succeeded this time in making another touching movie. Its a one-of- a-kind journey of a dinosaur who faces his fears and realizes what real unconditional love is.

A Serbian Film (2010)

Disturbingly successful

[12 January 2016]

Practically nothing of value comes up here. Its all just dick, butt, breasts, vag, and blood I see here. I actually was on the verge of not finishing this movie because it came to a point where I asked, where is all this going to? What is the essence of all this stuff? Do I have to endure watching the lead actor give out an oh- so-naughty look while inserting himself over some corpse?

The plot is disturbing, very very disturbing. But the execution was literally an in-your-face portrayal of "sick". This is why I call it successful. It succeeded to turn my stomach upside down and feel nauseous. The film's guts is unfathomable. So much so that's nothing left to imagination, and what I've seen is something I haven't even thought of even in my wildest imaginations. So kudos to the director. Who incidentally happens to be the lead actor too.

I understand the flak though, because as I've said, nothing of value is of here. The plot is movie-worthy, but there's just too much nudity and violence that you would rather watch porn than undergo this roller coaster ride of puke-inducing scenes. And the amount of violence displayed in the film is top-notch. Yeah, I was disturbed. Not moved, but disturbed.

I commend the movie for its guts. But this is a type of movie that's not for everyone.

Captive (I) (2012)

Breath of fresh air for Brillante's filmography

[30 November 2015]

The movie tells the tale of the Dos Palmas Kidnappings (Dos Palmas is the name of the resort located in one of the Philippines' tourist spots where the victims were kidnapped) which occurred in Southern Philippines sometime year 2001 and lasted for several months. Several victims, foreigners and Filipinos, were held hostage by Muslim bandits, the Abbu Sayyaf, and brought into captivity in the mountains.

The movie didn't include the names of the actual victims. But places like the Dr. Jose Torres Memorial Hospital, which was actually held under siege, was included in the film.

The movie didn't really feel "indie" to me, despite the shaky cam, poor lighting, and unclear audio. Maybe because Brillante collaborated with some production companies, which made it a bit more mainstream. And the overall-all feel of the movie really was mainstream. It didn't have the usual Brillante signature of showing irrelevant random scenes. It was a total story-telling. This is surprising for someone who would usually raise her eyebrows to some of Brillante's scenes in his other movies which are pure RANDOM. The sex scenes, there were none. There was one, but it wasn't what you would usually see in Brillante's films. It wasn't explicit. Again, surprising.

Another reason why it wasn't as "indie" is the presence of some well-known veteran actors of the country such as Angel Aquino, Joel Torre, and Raymond Bagatsing. It was probably done without so much costs by cutting their screentimes, like some characters would just appear in the second half of the film. Usual indie personalities like Allan Paule, Sid Lucero, and Mercedes Cabral, reminded me that it was a Brillante film. I don't think there's anything negative to comment about the acting part as the other lead actors, especially Isabelle Huppert, were also awesome.

I like how the movie was very safe in its content. Note that we are dealing with one very sensitive topic here, religion, and I can say that the movie did justice in showing the other side of the so- called antagonists. They're not really merciless individuals who would shoot for pleasure, but they were provoked by their demands for autonomy (If you're familiar with the whole Mindanao situation, there's more to that but let's leave it at that as of now). The movie showed the other side of our Muslim brothers, as opposed to the usual perception of them being heartless. Islam is one religion close to me and seeing how the movie accurately showed their practices and beliefs merits credit.

One very strong point of the film is the non-use of the overused "WE ARE A POOR COUNTRY!" statement shouting in almost all indie films. It's good they showcased another thing that's also present in the Philippines: terrorism. *facepalm* Sigh. I can't fault the director though. They can't possibly paint Philippines in sunshines and rainbows when reality tells us terrorism is also around the corner.

The movie is very graphic. There's a scene of beheading but it isn't as bad as what we see in the news. There's also this scene which deserves a standing ovation: actual childbirth! It was very graphic, it really showed how the child went out of the mom's organ. It didn't feel dirty, it was just brilliant. My stomach plunged a bit, but still brilliant. And speaking of graphic, there's a close-up of a snake and whatever tongue-sticking-out thing he does! WTF. I had to rinse my brain at the thought of what that creature does. I have fear of snakes so I curse Brilliante Mendoza for that!!! Seriously.

All in all, I highly recommend this film. It's a good eye-opener. Heart-warming. Inspiring. Tragic.

In so many words, I love this film.

Air Doll (2009)

A very heart-warming movie

[10 November 2015]

Sorry, I can't think of a more non-generic title for this review. But the movie is indeed heart-warming, best executed by Koreeda who does so well in depicting stories of the heart. The plot itself is a bit unique: a doll that comes to life! But after watching the movie, I can say that there's more to that. There is SOUL in the movie, in reference to a supposedly "soulless" material that is the doll/mannequin.

Bae Doo-na perfectly breathes life to an otherwise lifeless doll. She best performs the part of a reticent woman who tries to figure for herself if finding a "heart" is a good thing or not. I love the way she carries her face, that innocent, looking-for-answers, finding-my-worth-in-this-world-of-people look on her.

Everything in the film falls into place. The cute jewelry-box background music, the aspect of one-sided love, and the journey of finding the meaning of "life" and having a "heart". The atmosphere and over-all feel of the movie is just so cute and lovely. But its simplicity is overshadowed by the bittersweet theme that I came to the realization that it was not as simple as it appears to be.

Koreeda hit the mark on this one. He has produced a product that is both perfect on the content and the execution. The length and pacing was fine-tuned, what came out was a movie that has one of the most profound portrayal of love and loneliness in a film ever.

Norte, the End of History (2013)

An engaging story of connected lives

[4 November 2015]

Lav Diaz is famous (or infamous) for long runtimes. This one isn't too long (for Diaz's standards) but it is quite long and stretchy. If it was cut down to say, a 3-hour runtime, the story would still be effectively told. Nonetheless, the film still managed to hold my attention. Throw me a movie with a countryside view, a laid-back province environment, a village by the sea, and a green scenery, and I will surely glue my eyes on it.

The movie revolves around the lives of 3 central characters, played by versatile and veteran supporting casts. These central characters I'm referring to are 1) Fabian- a genius turned lunatic 2) Joaquin- a family man indicted for a crime he never committed and 3) Elisa- the perfect example of a strong woman.

It's so hard to choose which of the three characters most affected us, or who most most realistically depicts how sad and cruel society is. Their lives are so colorful that in the turn of events, one can only ponder on how cruel can fate be.

I would give a special shout out to Sid Lucero, who plays Fabian in the movie. Fabian is an interesting character. He was a former law student whose intellect could have made him bar topnotcher. He likes talking about philosophy, conspiracies, politics, history--smart man. But I guess what he had in intellect, he lacked in rational thinking. He ran out of his mind because he was probably eaten by guilt. He was someone who can't control his emotions. And this led him to do crazy things. And this, ladies and gentleman, was very well acted by no less than Sid Lucero. I can't even think of someone else doing the role than him. Then again, Sid Lucero has already proved his versatility and craftsmanship that it's no longer a question.

At first I didn't know what's the relation between Norte and the movie. I found out later on that the film was shot in the northern most part of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Thus, the "North". As to the "end of history" part, well, it could be both literal and metaphorical.

The movie has serious and deep themes which spices up the whole movie. There's murder, poverty, guilt, judgement, incest, hope, faith, longing, remorse...name it. All of these are depicted in the three lives connected to each other by fate.

The no. 1 strength this movie has to offer is the brilliant performances from the actors. They brought the whole story, which is already great by itself, even greater.

I Saw the Devil (2010)

Don't watch this if you have a weak stomach..

[1 October 2015]

The movie is a slideshow of emotional and physical pain highlighted by vomit-inducing no-holds-barred depiction of fight scenes. As my title says, if you have a weak stomach, let go of this. This movie has elements of cruelty, torture, sex, extreme violence, and a couple of riduculousness here and there. It can get very graphic so be prepared for a crazy ride.

Both the movie's theme, revenge, and its depiction come in serious tones. Although some plot holes made it look funny, the movie still manages to give an overall serious tone. And by that, I meant that the director seriously gave a wondrous telling of his story, brought to life by outstanding performances from the actors, headed by no less than Choi Min-sik. His performance alone deserves a standing ovation, giving life to a ruthless and soulless serial killer (okay that's redundant) slash cannibal slash psychopath slash cat (?). lol.

I had goosebumps watching Choi Min-sik's performance and watching this film also gave me goosebumps because I never thought such a film could actually be given life. That film where you thought you've had enough and seen enough brutality, makes you realize you're wrong and outperforms that last scene.

If I saw this movie in the theaters, I will definitely give a standing ovation right after I watch this.

Her (2013)

A masterpiece.

[14 September 2015]

In this day and age, "Her" is a very engaging story that captures how technology could affect us. Romance between the leads is unique and engaging. Unique in the sense while there are clichés involved, admit it, it's not everyday we get to see our lead character actually fall in love with a computer software. The story is very engaging because I think most people who uses the computer can relate to this. On how we spend almost all of our time using the computer, thus, practically already having a very big impact on us.

Joaquin Phoenix effectively delivers this lonely, yearning type matched with Scarlett's very soothing and comforting voice. The viewer will find himself attached to the characters and feeling their emotions. You will get hooked at how their romance blossomed, fell off, and well, went to wherever it went.

The film comes off as just a simple film. Just a few characters, no complex story involved but came out of it a masterpiece.

Lupin the 3rd (2014)

Not as much entertaining

[2 October 2014]

Three words: Very poor lighting. They can use some flashlight for better illumination. Its one thing to shoot scenes at night, but its also another thing when the viewer can no longer make of who's fighting who. Plus shaky cam too. So one can just imagine how hard it was while watching.

If the story won't hold your attention, the amount of pretty faces and bodies will. Like seriously, they capitalized so much on Fujiko Mine(Meisa Kuroki) and Miss V (Yayaying Rhatha Phongam). They were very blazing hot all through out! For the ladies, there's Michael (Jerry Yan) and Lupin (Shun Oguri).

If there's one thing I can commend this movie for, it has to be the participation of actors from different countries. We see actors here from Japan, Thailand, USA, and Taiwan. And their English were okay! Maybe not as smooth, but there were subtitles to help anyway.

The story, like the source material, managed to be funny. Lupin III, for those who haven't seen the series, is our very elusive thief who could literally hide at the moon just to evade arrest.

There is this one scene which somehow put me into questioning. There's this scene where Lupin, as cunning as he is, employed some trick for the bad guys. He made use of this recorded tape/flashdrive and it was his animated look shown on the screen. They altered Lupin's face to match Shun Oguri's! Were they authorized to alter Lupin's animated face just to match to the actor who played him in live-action? I mean, they're basically altering a face already known for what, 30 years, just to accommodate a live-action adaptation? Which brings me, Shun Oguri doesn't really have this Lupin aura. Lupin was oval-faced, Shun Oguri is square-faced. There were these scenes where Shun Oguri makes the trademark smirk of Lupin. I'm a very forgiving watcher so I'll just go with that.

Tadanobu Asano was fabulous as Inspector Zenigata! And there's also the special participation of Goemon Ishikawa----> I didn't expect this.

Okay I'll sum this up. All in all, the movie is okay. There was a little drama, the action scenes were par, and the special effects were passable.

Gravity (2013)

A visual success

[26 September 2014]

Gravity doesn't boast of its unique story. Dozens of this type have been done before but what makes Gravity different is the spectacular thrill showcased within a breathtaking scenery. The movie may be filled of clichés, but I will forgive it if only to acknowledge the world it has created. The viewers are drawn to feel the characters, it gives you the spirit and feeling of being on outer space yourself. You feel their feeling, because of its precise effects. You put yourself in their shoes, you hold your breath, you feel dying...I personally felt that. And this is something not every movie can achieve. Some movies feel like they really are just movies, made for screen, but Gravity made it feel like reality, like I was there myself. Some scientific aspect are questionable, but again, forgivable. That's the tremendous effect of drawing the viewers within the world Gravity has created, they forget science because the thought of surviving is just all that matters. And Sandra Bullock perfectly portrayed and delivered this..the anxiety, panic, fear of death..she was perfect.