One popcorn coming right up!

6th SPRING FILM FESTIVAL

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:34:00 +0000

In line with the Chinese New Year which kicks off the Year of the Dragon on January 23, 2012, Ateneo de Manila University Ricardo Leong Center for Chinese Studies together with Ateneo-Celadon will stage its 6th Spring Film Festival. It will feature 6 films that showcase the artistic prowess and the cultural heritage of China.

The annual event will present a mix of old and modern films, of various genres. The ten-day film festival begins from January 20 to 29, 2012 at the Shangri-la Cineplex.

Admission is free on a first come first served basis.

For more information please call the Ateneo Leong Center 426-6001 local 5208-5209; 5280. For tickets, please call Shang Cineplex at 633-2227.

Do Good. Buy a pair. Give a pair!

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:55:00 +0000

Anyone who wears prescription glasses know that most optical shops have limited range when it comes to trendy eye wear. These accessories which for some are a necessity don't come cheap, either.

But over at WarbyParker, a 17 month old startup company, they have revolutionized the eyeglasses industry. They sell eyeglasses, online. Their customers test the retro-style glasses, which go for $95, including prescription lenses, through a mail-order, try-it-at-home program. Founded by 4 graduates from the Wharton School of Business, the startup company has sold over 50,000 eyeglasses worldwide.

Their hip, trendy range include optical frames as well as sunglasses for both men and women. Their home try on program is a big success. You select any 5 pairs of eye wear, you'd will to try at home. Then WP ships them to your address free of charge. You are given 5 days to choose before you make your final decision.

In the spirit of good social corporate responsibility, their buy a pair, give a pair promo is huge success. For every pair that they sell, they provide a pair of glasses to someone in need. They have partnered with non profit organizations that provide glasses to impoverished communities around the globe.

So check out their highly comprehensive website to learn more about this hip trendy company that believe that it's good business to do good and give back to society!

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:52:00 +0000

Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen
Marion Cotillard, Carla Bruni, Kathy Bates

This latest picture from Woody Allen begins with a montage of gorgeous Parisian locales accompanied by a jazzy melodic music and from that moment on it is impossible not to fall in love with Paris. A light-hearted magical stroll through a magnificent city filled with greats artists who go there to find inspiration.

We view the city through the eyes of Gil (Owen Wilson) who is visiting Paris with his uptight fiancee (Rachel McAdams) and her stuffy conservative (read: Republicans) parents. He is a Hollywood screenwriter who is revising the first draft of his book and is completely enamored with Paris. While his fiancee cringes at the very thought of settling out of the US of A.

Gil's vacation is hugely improved when, on the stroke of midnight over a number of nights, he is miraculously transported back to Paris in the Twenties. During that period, he gets to hobnob with literary figures like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso and Gertrude Stein, among others. Not only do these historical figures welcome Gil into their inner circle, they also encourage his writing.

But this isn't a time travel movie, there are no explanations given as to why or how Gil is transported back in time. It just happens. I attribute it as a manifestation of Gil's desire to escape from the drudgery of his impending marriage to a woman with whom he shares no common interests. Case in point: Gil loves to walk through Paris in the rain. Unlike his fussy fiancee Inez who doesn't like doing anything that Gil likes. In fact, we don't really know why they are together at all.

The main argument of the film is that you shouldn’t live in the past; even though the past is infinitely more alluring than the present. Everybody is disillusioned about their current lives, but yearning for a romanticized previous era is simply a way of not living your life to the fullest. It suggests that we should enjoy the present for all it's worth.

The pleasures of "Midnight in Paris" are going along with Gil for the ride, sharing his enthusiasm for Paris and following the film's artistic references. It had less of the neurosis usually associated with Allen's movies. Although Owen Wilson did capture much of his characteristic mannerisms, brilliantly. The film had a whimsical and romantic flair with just enough wit to charm our visual senses. I loved it, both the city (my fave spot) and the movie!

ONE DAY

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:02:00 +0000

Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Rafe Spall

"Twenty years. Two People."

This story unfolds on the 15th of July in the year 1998. The year when Dexter (Jim Sturgess) first meets Emma (Anne Hathaway). Bookish Emma and immature rich boy Dex spend the night together after their graduation day at Edinburgh University. Though they will remember this not-quite tryst as a "near miss," it cements a close friendship that waxes and wanes over the years.

They never become a couple, but the film follows their twin lives on this day (July 15) over the next 20 years: sometimes together, sometimes poignantly apart. Love, friendship and the different push and pull factors that influence wants, dreams and ambitions come into play as Em and Dex ride the emotional rollercoaster of their adult lives.

Based on a 2009 bestselling novel (which I never read) by David Nicholls, it has a good and unique premise. By examining the ups and downs of the ever-changing relationship between two people over 20 years, we silently find ourselves rooting for them to end up together. Even though along the way, as we witness the different trajectory that their lives embark on, we tend to lose interest in their individual stories. Or fail to notice Anne Hathaway's distracting British accent. Or how we start to slowly dislike the Dexter character and his many failures.

Until. One day in the year 2006. Everything changes. All the boring, dragging moments leading up to the 15th of July of that year is quickly wiped out as a single incident wakes us from our stupor. What happens near the end of "One Day" is likely to have a decisive effect on your opinion of the movie. Perhaps you will have seen this climax coming all along, and maybe you will find it splendidly moving. Either way, you will close the chapter in the life featuring Em and Dex with fondness. I know I did even though I was all torn up with tears in my eyes. Gosh!

TRESPASS

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:44:00 +0000

Nicole Kidman, Nicholas Cage, Liana Liberato, Cam Gigandet

"When terror is at your door, you can run, or you can fight"

Just as the Millers discover that their teenaged daughter Avery (Liana Liberato) has sneaked out of their house to party, a bunch of thieves posing as security men invade and hold them as hostage. Taking place over a single evening, Kyle (Nicholas Cage) a diamond broker and his bored and neglected wife Sarah (Nicole Kidman) are tormented by the robbers who plan to steal the diamonds together with cash inside the safe.

What follows are a lot of seemingly empty threats, a lot of yelling and some infighting among the invaders. As the incident progress several cracks in the Miller's not so perfect marriage come to play. The plot is complex and the tension frequently abated by the introduction of unnecessary flashbacks to reveal the back story of each characters.

The heist doesn't go as planned as people start revealing head-spinning secrets one by one. A cat & mouse game ensues, as the family constantly tries to escape while everybody involved try to figure out who betrayed who.

"Trespass" is fraught with bad, cheesy dialogue, implausible story line, unnecessary plot changes, and lame editing. Even the presence of two top notch actors do nothing to salvage this predictable thriller. The only 'positive' thing that you get out of this film is that you cannot trust anybody. Be extra wary of people who install your top of the line security alarm system. Either that or you simply don't neglect your wife. It would spell trouble with a capital "T".

INCENDIES

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:14:00 +0000

Lubna Azabal, Maxim Gaudette, Melissa Desormeaux-Poulin

"The search began at the opening of their mother's will"

The last will and testament of Nawal Marwan specifies 2 requests that her twin children Jeanne and Simon must first comply with before she is granted a proper burial. They are handed two letters to be given to their long lost father and a brother they never knew existed.

The tantalizing puzzle begins in Montreal, Canada where the twins live. The sullen Simon doesn't care about the letters but Jeanne decides to return to her mother's homeland somewhere in the Middle East. She discovers the shocking truth about their mother's troubled past and the disturbing circumstances of their birth.

The plot then shifts to Nawal's turbulent story. A tale born out of a tragic love affair in a fictional city called Daresh which has become the battleground of a civil war between Muslims and Christians. Terrorism, martyrdom and imprisonment also figure quite prominently in Nawal's fate. It is told through flashbacks which are entwined with Jeanne's journey to unveil the mystery behind the two letters.

The film moves seamlessly between Nawal's world and the twins. Mirror images are used like a remote road seen through the mother's eyes, then the daughter's; a city street then and now. The past is where all the intrigue of the movie lies, and that is where the film is at its most compelling. But it can also be quite disturbing to witness the sheer brutality both physically and mentally that Nawal endured in her lifetime.

The skillful acting skills of the cast shine through like a beacon in this very dark and heavy drama. The pacing was a bit slow and was dragging at times with scenes focusing heavily on the suffering and torment. So much so that when the viewer is fed with a final twist towards the end, you feel like you were hit in the head with a hammer and you almost forget to breathe as you gasp to grasp the crucial detail in the puzzle.

No wonder this Canadian film with dialogue in French and Arabic with English subtitles was nominated in the Foreign Language Film category in the 2011 Oscars and even if it didn't win, I still highly recommend it.

A MATTER OF SIZE

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:38:00 +0000

11th Israel Film Festival
Greenbelt 3, Cinema 5

"A Matter of Size" is a comedy about four overweight Israelis who quit their diets, embrace their weight and take up sumo wrestling under the grudging instruction of a Japanese restaurateur. When newly fired Herzl takes a dishwasher job at a Japanese restaurant and discovers sumo culture, it gives everyone new purpose – or at least something to do.

The film has its amusing moments as the four friends take up a sport where being fat is honored instead of ridiculed. Likewise it is highly emphasized that 'sumo is not just about being fat', it is a well defined albeit complicated art.

Shots of them, clad only in their bright red fighting mawashi, as they jog through green fields, perform the graceful ritual warm-ups, and strain to push one another out of an improvised wrestling ring in the forest are ludicrously funny and beautiful.

Beyond the physical training, the film also forces the characters to confront their buried psychological issues. Subplots involving infidelity and sexual orientation with a tinge of romance work to support the main theme of self-acceptance. It does capture the essence of Israeli Jewish humor with dialogue such as "even on a diet, you have to eat," and "with your mouth, we only talk."

"A Matter of Size" has its entertaining moments, but sadly never gets beyond that, with a sappy yet very flat ending to a premise that had so much potential. Its storyline mirrors a bit too much like "The Full Monty" but sadly is not enough to replicate that British film's charm and wit.

11th Israel Film Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:19:00 +0000

The Embassy of Israel in Manila will host the screening of the Israeli box office hit "A Matter of Size" for its 11th Film Festival in coordination with the Ayala Center and Greenbelt Cinemas.

The featured movie is an Israeli film that portrays four overweight friends who try to lose weight, but use their situation to turn themselves into sumo wrestlers, while providing a hearty, feel-good comedy film with full of surprises.

The movie portrays an everyday problem, wrapped in Jewish humor and transcends all cultural and language barriers. It truly is a one of a kind movie, that goes beyond the underdog to hero cliche.

Date: November 14 & 15, 2011.

Venue: Greenbelt 3, Cinema 5

CHE BELLA GIORNATA (WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY)

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:20:00 +0000

MovieMov: Italian Cinema Now
Greenbelt 3, Cinema 3

This politically incorrect comedy starts with a voiceover from Checco who recounts his pathetic life. The inept buffoon who works as a bouncer at a local disco applies to be a carabineri (military police officer) for the 3rd time and fails. But through dubious family connections, he gets a job as security detail at the Duomo, Milan's famous cathedral. After several disastrous mishaps, he is assigned to guard the Madonnina, the statue of the Virgin Mary located on the rooftop of the imposingly grand cathedral.

His bottomless stupidity makes him the ultimate prey for Sufien and his sister Farah who plan to bomb the cathedral's famed rooftop. Farah attempts to get into his good graces by pretending to be a love interest. And Checco being a fool falls for her, unbeknownst of her hidden agenda.

Corruption, the church, terrorism and the north-south divide all come in for blunt ribbing in this wacky comedy. Foreign audiences might not quite get the local humor based on numerous Italian stereotypes, especially between the north and south. But the broader comedy, which pokes fun at Italian ignorance of Arabic culture and dare I say the Catholic church can easily resonate with the offensive humor.

The gorgeous cinematography featuring the beautiful city of Milan more than makes up for the really lame storyline. It was surely a vehicle to showcase the dry and mostly offensive humor of the main character, Checco who is portrayed by a top comedian in Italy. Seeing Milan and most of all the Duomo again in all its splendor made it worth enduring this film. Thankfully it was free of charge because I certainly won't pay a dime to view it.

UNA VITA TRANQUILLA ( A QUIET LIFE)

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:49:00 +0000

MovieMov: Italian Cinema Now
Greenbelt 3, Cinema 5

Rosario, an Italian living in Germany owns a successful restaurant/hotel business. He has been living in Germany for 15 years with his German wife, Renate and their young son, Mathias. Soon enough, two visitors from Italy show up and his sordid past catches up with him to interrupt his peaceful existence.

"La Vita Tranquilla" explores the premise of redemption. Is it possible to redeem oneself from a violent past? How long can you keep your past life, a secret?

Apparently for Rosario, 15 years is not long enough. Now he fears that if his past resurfaces, his old personality will too. Rosario knows that his current life is at an end, but he doesn't know why. His mind is so fixated on figuring out if he can cheat death as well as protect his current family from learning about his past. He is too distracted with sorting out his past that he compromises the very existence that cradled him for so long.

Part of the film's success lies in the way it balances contrasting concepts: Family offers both security and betrayal. It is also full of subtle modulations with two different scenes juxtaposed together to create a bigger impact. It is mostly a riveting character study of a marked man's frantic quest to keep his true identify from surfacing to the fore. The pacing of the story is slow, at first. But eventually perks up during the last quarter with an intense go-for-broke situation prevailing with a somewhat tragic and quite sad ending.

MINE VAGANTI (LOOSE CANNONS)

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:58:00 +0000

MovieMov: Italian Cinema Now
Greenbelt 3, Cinema 3

Secrets abound in this family drama set in Puglia. Tommaso is an aspiring writer who returns from Rome to his hometown. His father is planning to hand the family pasta factory to him and brother Antonio. Tommaso also intends to come out of the closet to his family. Yet at the opportune moment, he is preempted by his equally secretly gay brother, Antonio. One paternal heart attack later, the traditional Cantone family is in shambles.

This isn't merely a coming out of the closet tale. The entire film prevails on the notion of impossible love as well as the pursuit of happiness without the fear of repercussions for our actions. Everyone in the family seems to have one or two secrets related to love and loss, and those dramatic elements of the storytelling play out well.

"Loose Cannons" has elements of farce, comedy capped with a tragedy that basically ties all the loose ends together. It is however marred by distracting side plots which although significant are not given more depth. These scenes were presented as flashbacks with nary a dialogue. They did jar the senses as they had this silent movie effect with a self explanatory tone attached to them.

The film is kept rocking by a good soundtrack of original songs. Subterfuges both realistic and ridiculous keep this amiable family drama going through the first half. Although the last half starts to morph into serious daytime TV soap opera, the quirky characters with their eccentricities pretty much make this quite an engagingly entertaining piece.

It's as complicated and colorful as family usually is.

HABEMUS PAPAM(WE HAVE A POPE)

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:02:00 +0000

MovieMov: Italian Cinema Now
Greenbelt 3, Cinema 5

This story about a newly elected Pope who suffers an anxiety attack had me in stitches. Being a Roman Catholic, anything and everything about the Vatican and the Pope in particular is sacred. It is blasphemous to even be thinking such irreverent thoughts about the Holy Father. But a cleverly written plot peppered with small doses of laughter at the expense of the Vatican would certainly not hurt my spirituality.

This comedy by Nanni Moretti does not intend to mock the Vatican or the Pope. In fact, it did a good job in portraying human emotions. Being the head of the Catholic Church is a gargantuan task that most Cardinals silently pray not to be picked as the new Pope. The Holy Father is a man weighed down by the immensity of this burden. He must reconcile human fears with spiritual responsibilities, and he is drawn equally to the life of the world and the life of the mind. This was realistically projected in a vivid scene where the camera pans away to a wider angle to show him as a lone figure against the massive Sistine Chapel frescoes.

Michel Piccoli as the newly elected Pope was excellent in essaying such a difficult role. He imbues his Pope with a level of grief, disappointment and lost in deep contemplation. An accidental holy man who is confused and trapped by responsibilities way beyond his capabilities.

So while the newly elected pontiff roams around (like a runaway bride) the streets of Rome in the hopes of discovering himself, the Conclave of Cardinals are still sequestered within the Sistine Chapel. How they occupy their valuable time is where most of the laughter is drawn from during the movie. The volleyball competition was hilarious. Most of the laughter is brought about by the sheer absurdity of the entire premise. To show deeply religious Cardinals as having fun as opposed to the way they are portrayed in public is really funny in my books.

"Habemus Papam" wants to emphasise the human consequences of a great religious office, and in that it succeeds. Certainly, the finale, when it comes, is strangely shocking and has far more deeper implications than what meets the eye. But it did make a valuable point by creating quite an impact on the audience who had certainly stopping laughing by then.

Moviemov: Italian Cinema Now

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:40:00 +0000

Moviemov is a travelling festival supported by the General Direction for Cinema of the Italian Ministry of Heritage and Culture. It is co-organized by and in collaboration with the Italian Embassies in Bangkok and Manila, as well as Institutional and Private Partners, whose goal is to create a line-up of films and events that will best promote and show in Asia what present-day Italian cinema is all about.

The Moviemov film festival is envisioned to become like the prestigious Venice and Cannes Film Festival. The opening of Moviemov film festival will be highlighted by the Red Carpet Evening on November 9, 2011 at Greenbelt 5, Fashion Walk.

The theme this year is "Buon compleanno Italia!" or "Happy birthday Italy!" and it is even more special as Italy turns 150 years old as a nation.

All the events are free admission.

Films to be shown:

Italian Showcase
Habemus Papam - November 9, 8:00 pm, Cinema 5
Mine Vaganti - November 10, 5:00 pm, Cinema 5
Passione - November 10, 9:00 pm, Cinema 5
Una vita tranquilla - November 11, 6:30 pm, Cinema 5
Che bella giornata - November 12, 7:30 pm, Cinema 3
Vincere - November 11, 8:30 pm, Cinema 5
Corpo celeste - November 12, 6:00 pm, Cinema 5

Tribute to Bernardo Bertolucci
Il conformista - November 10, 9:30 pm, Cinema 3
Ultimo tango a Parigi - November 11, 9:00 pm, Cinema 3
L’ultimo imperatore - November 12, 9:30 pm, Cinema 3
The Dreamers - November 13, 9:30 pm, Cinema 3

Tribute to Brillante Mendoza
Serbis - November 9, 8:30 pm, Cinema 3
Lola - November 12, 4:00 pm, Cinema 5
Kinatay - November 13, 5:30 pm, Cinema 3

For more information, please visit the official website of Moviemov at http://www.italiancinemanow.it/

THREE TIMES

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:06:00 +0000

Taiwan Film Festival
Cinema 4, Shang Cineplex

This film is a trilogy about love. 3 love stories, set in 3 different periods with a pair of lead actors playing the couple in each era. Respectively set in 1911, 1966 and 2005, the stories not only capture the essence of their time, but also presents three varieties of love: unfulfilled, mercenary, meaningless. It is historically and humanly insightful. All photographed with such visual beauty amidst poignant subtlety and set to an appropriately haunting musical score.

"A Time for Love" is set in 1966, Chen, a young soldier falls for May, a pool hall hostess. An era where American pop culture invades Taiwan so the romance develops with standards such as the Platters' "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and Aphrodite Child's "Rain and Tears." The guy is to be deployed overseas to help the noble cause of freedom at the expense of his budding romance. But they keep the romance going through the exchange of heartwarming letters which don't openly declare love but merely hints at it with much caution.

In "A Time for Freedom", the story unfolds in 1911 where Ah Mei, a courtesan pines for a married diplomat named Chang who is her client. He is very filled with his own importance and has plans to reform the world. She begins to fall in love with him. He loves her, too albeit not at the same level. His love for his country weighs much more than his feelings for the courtesan. The movie is shot like a silent film where the dialogue is conveyed by title cards. The action is slow, while elaborate music plays. When the courtesan sings a traditional song, it's like a cry of pain; love, here, is a prison.

The 3rd story, "A Time for Youth" takes place in 2005 in modern Taipei. Jing is a troubled pop singer while Zhen is a photographer. She neglects her woman lover while falling in love with the photographer. It unfolds in urban jungle Taipei with its gray concrete and blue light with many night shots. They are caught up in living noisy and busy lives that keep them at a disconnect despite all the modern conveniences of being connected with the use of the cell phone and Internet. It shows a world where our lovers can unite happily, but regrettably they find themselves unable to recognize love, much less hunger for it. Their selfish lives are disconnected and pretty much defined by modern technology.

I enjoyed the first episode, best. The one set in 1966 was the kind of romantic story that overwhelms because of its simplicity, emotional resonance and subtlety. It is the purest, most unashamedly romantic of the trilogy. I was mostly struck by the cinematography and framing of the shots along with the use of great songs to convey emotions. In one of his letters, the young soldier says to his love interest, the pool hall hostess, May: "Stay beautiful." Wow!

The lives in "Three Times" are not tragedies, unless the tragedy is that they never become the lives they could have been. The director Hou Hsiao-hsien shows us people who could make each other happy and be happy themselves, and he also watches them miss their chance. But it isn't sadness. It's simply realism in its purest form.

ZOOM HUNTING

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:24:00 +0000

Taiwan Film Festival
Cinema 4, Shang Cineplex

Ru Yi and Ru Xing are sisters living together in a quite modern flat. Ru Yi works as a fashion photographer while Ru Xing is an author who is rushing to finish her novel on time. One day, Ru Yi captures an intimate scene on film. She soon discovers that the couple in her picture are having an illicit affair. She shares this with her sister who then uses this scenario for her novel.

But things take on a slightly sinister twist as the sisters get more than they bargained for from their spying 'techniques'. Most of the film is seen from Ru Yi's perspective as she investigates the drama through the lens of her camera.

The film banks on maintaining an air of suspense and drama but the plot doesn't have much depth. The characters are mostly one-dimensional. The two main protagonists are portrayed by actresses who have inferior acting skills with facial expressions which remain stagnant throughout the entire film. There are quite a few predictable twists along the way and it is manifested through the overlapping of flashback scenes with the unfolding scenes.

The story stays steadily on its bland course, leading up to a teasing ending that invites more than one interpretation. "Zoom Hunting" is a standard rather insignificant fare that doesn’t really find its footing, unfortunately. It tried its best to explore voyeurism from an astute angle but it fails quite miserably.

LARRY CROWNE

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:04:00 +0000

Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts
George Takei, Pam Grier, Cedric the Entertainer

Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks) loses his job at a big retail store. Despite being a good employee, he is fired simply because he has no college education. After mopping about his unfortunate situation, he decides to pursue a college education.

In the process, he meets a merry assortment of people. The kind of people Larry wouldn't normally associate with, let alone be friends with. He also finds romance with his speech professor played by the effervescent Julia Roberts. Yes I basically revealed the entire plot, well it was rather predictable from the get go, right?

The supporting characters are portrayed by a generally likable cast. This includes George Takei from Star Trek as an economics professor, Pam Grier and stand up comedian Cedric the Entertainer. But sadly, they’re all mono-dimensional, one-note, sitcom silhouettes, given little to do except provide an ethnically mixed comedic background.

Naturally, the success of the film falls on the shoulders of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. They have good chemistry together playing pretty bland but nonetheless endearing characters. But the main flaw in the story is that Larry Crowne is not particularly interesting — a nice guy, but not going to set the world on fire.

To conclude, even Hanks and Roberts, two of Hollywood’s most likeable superstars who are as likeable as ever here, can't quite sell this predictable rom-com. The story lacked depth with too many side plots that simply didn't add up.

Rather, it simply wants to be a nice little romantic comedy with a positive vibe. In that aspect, it is. Sometimes, that's enough. While other times, you'd expect more from two high caliber stars!

TAIWAN FILM FESTIVAL 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:20:00 +0000

The Taiwan Film Festival is from October 21 to 26 at the Shang Cineplex Cinema 4 in Shangri-La Plaza. This year's lineup includes acclaimed full-length features, shorts, and documentaries.

Admission is free.

Seats are on a first-come, first served basis.

Screening Schedule:
Oct 21 (Fri)
2pm No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti
5pm Zoom Hunting
8pm Gangster Rock

Oct 22 (Sat)
2pm The Magical Washing Machine, Respire, Small Station
5pm Gangster Rock
8pm Three Times

Oct 23 (Sun)
2pm Zoom Hunting
5pm Pinoy Sunday
8pm No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti

Oct 24 (Mon)
2pm Three Times
5pm Jump! Boys
8pm Pinoy Sunday

Oct 25 (Tue)
2pm Gangster Rock
5pm No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti
8pm The Magical Washing Machine, Respire, Small Station

Oct 26 (Wed)
2pm Jump! Boys
5pm The Magical Washing Machine, Respire, Small Station
8pm Zoom Hunting

TODAS LAS CANCIONES HABLAN DE MI (EVERY SONG IS ABOUT ME)

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 14:53:00 +0000

10th Spanish Film Festival
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

This romantic drama presents the life of Ramiro Lastra who works in a second hand bookstore. He has just ended his 6 year relationship with Andrea, an architecture student. It focuses on his feeble attempt to get over the break up. He hangs out with his friends. He even starts dating someone new on an on and off basis. He also sleeps around with other women but ever so often he likes to wallow in melancholic self pity and reminisce about this past life with Andrea.

The film shuttles between past (his life with Andrea) and present smoothly but with little purpose. And dramatic tension remains low and flat. It is mostly dialogue driven with voice overs and narratives from the central characters talking straight into the camera.

It would cater mainly to the art house crowd who would appreciate the plot's concern with literature. Ramiro is a frustrated intellectual who dabbles in writing poetry to express his thoughts. Its chaptered structure as well as artsy closeups of heavyweight book covers also contributes to its art house feel.

Most of the songs alluded to in the title are generally by Spanish artists. They range from jazz to current Euro techno pop songs and they are played out throughout the film whenever Ramiro is in a nostalgic mood.

The setting and plot line succeeds in creating a retro effect. But frankly nothing much goes on in the film and it pretty much echoes the direction-less nature of its main character, Ramiro. A drifter who just wanders aimless, without any sense of purpose. So be warned!

EN LA CIUDAD SIN LIMITES(THE CITY OF NO LIMITS)

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:46:00 +0000

10th Spanish Film Festival
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

A shroud of mysterious secrets and hidden lies permeates throughout this intriguing family drama set in the capital of France. Víctor who is based in Argentina arrives in Paris to visit his ailing father, Max. It turns into a family reunion as his mother and his older siblings along with their respective families take turns taking care of Max at the hospital.

But when Max issues his son with a deathbed request, Víctor is quickly drawn into an investigation of his father's past. Hesitantly playing detective, he gradually unravels his family's hidden histories.

Despite the slow pacing of the film, this poignant thriller succeeds in keeping us hanging on by the edge of our seats. The interspersed subplots raise the emotional stakes. While the quest to unravel the truth behind Max's ramblings increases with each crescendo of the foreboding and often quite creepy music score.

Credible performances make the subplots interesting, but there are also scenes which seem to have no point. Footage which should have been edited to make the plot more coherent. The cinematography is vividly visualized as Parisian scenes brighten the otherwise dark and bleak story line of a dying man's last and very remorseful wishes to make amends with his haunted past.

But still the movie makes good points on how the past influences the present, how present desires can remold past actions and how betrayal breeds betrayal. You'll walk away from this movie having once again learned the lesson that it's always better to tell the truth because it'll come out eventually anyway. And sometimes when it is revealed it might be too late to make amends!

GORDOS(FAT PEOPLE)

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:45:00 +0000

10th Spanish Film Festival
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

The premise of this film would certainly ring a bell with people who have had to struggle with weight issues. We all deal with this problem in our daily life so this in-depth thought provoking film will appeal to all genre.

Judging by the title alone, you would think it is a comedy that mocks fat people. Fortunately, it resists the easy joke or gross-out gag mostly portrayed about people who have a difficult time losing weight. In fact, "Gordos" embraces them, and turns what could have been a simple comedy drama - why do people end up overweight? What might they do about it? - into something far deeper and more affecting in the process.

The plot revolves around a therapy session where overweight people talk about the various reasons behind their obesity. It's a laudably adult production, earthy, smutty and raw yet with witty, intelligent and deeply moving scenarios.

The script shuttles rapidly among the various stories. An ensemble cast do their best to personify the numerous characters. All of them portrayed with much depth and dimension. In fact, I read that the director took a long time to complete the film because he really wanted his cast to gain weight as the story progressed. Quite effectively, it worked to give the story much authenticity.

We get a mix of satire (pointing out the similarities between religion and food consumption); absurd comedy and even teen drama where an overweight teenager is constantly bullied about her weight. Much emphasis is put on our culture's obsession with appearance with clever humor added in through dialogue that is highly tinged with loads of sarcasm.

It's a comedy about fat people that neither mocks them for cheap laughs nor puts them on a pedestal. Obesity's an integral part of the plot but the narrative also examines who the characters would be without it. While it's not a film for everyone, and in some instances it was a bit dragging, it had a good point. By examining obesity from several different angles, ages and social settings, it suggests, perhaps unsurprisingly, that it isn't really the weight that is the issue!

TAMBIEN LA LLUVIA(EVEN THE RAIN)

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 14:42:00 +0000

10th Spanish Film Festival
Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

"Even the Rain" focuses on a film crew making a revisionist movie about the conquest of Latin America by Christopher Columbus. They are in Cochabamba, Bolivia for the location shoot when the 2000 Water Crisis revolts happen. The natives are fighting against a multinational corporation that threatens to cut off their water supply. Eventually it boils down to which is more important, the film they are shooting or the real world events that is threatening not only the film production but the existence of the natives.

The film drifts back and forth between the on camera reenactments of Columbus' forays and the Bolivian government's move to wrest water rights from its citizens and to stifle rebellion. But by grounding the story in the personal - through the main character's conflicted agendas, sympathizing with the protesters and yet wanting desperately to get their movie made, this provocative film strikes a deep and resonant chord.

The heart of the film is an Indian native named Daniel who is chosen among the many extras to play a chieftain who resisted the Europeans and was executed as a result.
It turns out that Daniel is an activist and he has become a leader in the numerous protests against the government’s policy of privatizing the water supply. A move which will raise the cost of living of the already-impoverished locals.

His participation in the demonstrations endangers the filmmakers’ ability to complete their project before anarchy breaks out. They are also torn between their own professional interests and larger considerations of right and wrong.

The juxtaposition of the exploitation of indigenous peoples half a millennium ago and that going on in the same areas today, from equally greedy motives, is well projected throughout the entire film. The directorial approach brings a gritty mood to the proceedings, and the sense of authenticity is enhanced by the use of actual footage of the street demonstrations.

The film tends to be a bit dragging but it is well-acted and has a valid social relevance theme. That social imperialism continues to thrive in the world. And that making movies pales in comparison and importance when people are facing a crisis of mega proportions - the loss of world’s most precious resource - Water - from rivers and wells and eventually even the rain.

Pelicula: 10th Spanish Film Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:05:00 +0000

Hola!

Now on its 10th year, the Spanish film festival will have an impressive lineup of films from Spain as well as the Latin American countries. This year entries from Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay are included in the screenings.

The 10th Spanish Film Festival will take place at the Greenbelt 3 Cinema 3.

Screening dates are from October 5 to 16, 2011.

Ticket price is P65.00.

The event is made possible by Instituto Cervantes and the Spanish Embassy with the cooperation of supportive Spanish filmmakers.

For more details, check out its official website at http://pelicula.ph

CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 15:40:00 +0000

Korean Film Festival
Cinema 3, SM North Asia

If you knew that you don't have much time left in this world how would you spend your last few days? This premise is poignantly explored in this simple yet meaningful Korean film.

Jung-Won, a 30 something owner of a photo store goes about with his daily existence fully aware that he is terminally ill. Yet he doesn't succumb to fear or self pity, but remains his smiling and joyful self. Only his family knows of his condition and the audience is not given elaborate details of his sickness.

Pretty content to live his life based on routine by minding his photography business, he slowly finds himself falling in love with a regular customer of his shop. Da-rim is a young traffic enforcer who frequently goes to his shop to have the pictures of the parking offenders developed. Soon enough, they go out on 'dates' but Jung-Won never discloses to her about his illness.

This film features the Asian perspective in dealing with a tricky subject like death. There are no tragic melodramatic moments where the lead character goes off to find himself before his life ends. They are no 'bucket list' chores to be fulfilled. No lengthy drawn out crying scenes of self pity, either.

Even though we get a sense of how Jung-won and Da-rim feel about each other, there was never a formal declaration of their feelings. This is a singular romance in which no one actually says "I love you" or displays any other such overt signs of affection, yet the emotional undercurrent is no less stirring.

The movie stands on its own by virtue of its ability to convey the most powerful and moving emotions with simple gestures, subtle expressions, and a measured and intimate approach.

The subtle approach taken by the director as well as the powerful yet restrained performances of the two lead stars make "Christmas in August" an invigorating and thought provoking movie about life, death and love!

KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:31:00 +0000

Under the theme "7 Different Colors of Love", this year’s festival will feature seven films that headline some of Korea’s famous stars.

Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Hye Min Lee will grace the premiere screening of "Secret Reunion" on Sept. 19 at Cinema 6 of the SM Mall of Asia.

The seven films will be shown at Cinema 6 of SM Mall of Asia and Cinema 3 of SM North Edsa from Sept. 20 to 25. Fans in Cebu will be able to see the films at Cinema 1 of SM Cebu from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2.

All the screenings are free to the public.

The 2011 Korean Film Festival is organized by the Korean Embassy in the Philippines, Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines and SM Cinemas.

MALL OF ASIA, Cinema 6
19 September
PREMIER NIGHT SECRET REUNION 7:30PM

20 September
Happy Life 1:15PM,
Scandal Maker 8:30PM

21 September
My Dear Enemy 6:30PM
Hwang Jin Yi 9:30PM

22 September
Christmas in August 6:30PM
Eternal Hearts 9:30PM

23 September
Secret reunion 6:30PM
Happy Life 9:30PM

24 September
Hwang Jin Yi 12:45PM
Eternal Hearts 3:00PM
Christmas in August 7:30PM

25 September
Happy Life 12:45PM
Scandal Maker 3:00PM
My Dear Enemy 7:30PM

SM NORTH EDSA, Cinema 3
20 September
Hwang Jin Yi 1:40PM
Secret Reunion 6:30PM

21 September
Scandal Maker 1:40PM
Eternal Hearts 6:30PM

22 September
Happy Life 1:40PM
My Dear Enemy 6:30PM

23 September
Christmas in August 1:40PM
Scandal Maker 6:30PM

24 September
Secret Reunion 1:40PM
Happy Life 6:30PM
My Dear Enemy 9:30PM

25 September
Hwang Jin Yi 1:40PM
Eternal Hearts 6:30PM
Christmas in August 9:30PM

Click here for more details about the featured films.

LA MASSERIA DELLA ALLODOLE(THE LARK FARM)

noreply@blogger.com (Daphn3 LaurA) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:01:00 +0000

Cine Europa 14
Cinema 1, Shang Cineplex

This ambitious project directed by legendary Italian directors/brothers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani had all the potential to be classified as an epic. Yet somehow it fails miserably. The Italian film focuses on a horrible event in world history - the genocide of Armenians by the troops of the Ottoman Turkish empire in 1915.

The story is concentrated on the Avakians, an affluent Armenian family. They continue to live their comfortable lifestyle convinced that the rising Turkish hostility towards Armenians won't affect their existence. Until one day, the Turkish troops raided their house and brutally slaughter all the male members of the family. The females along with young children were herded across the desert to Aleppo, Syria where they would eventually be massacred.

While "The Lark Farm" is peppered with moments of harrowing tragedy, the film gets weighed down by soap opera style subplots. One involves Nunik (Spanish actress Paz Vega) as an Armenian beauty who winds up romantically linked to two Turkish soldiers. Another silly side plot is the planned rescue of the Avakians by a group of Turkish beggars who were employed by the family. Such lifeless shenanigans ultimately strip the film of the emotional resonance one expects from this sort of movie. The overwrought performances are uniformly undermined by terrible dialogue, very melancholic music at the most inopportune time and bad editing.

The film's cast involves a number of actors from different countries, yet they are truly hindered by a poorly written script. Such a pity since there are very few films which dare to tackle this tragedy. A horrific chapter in history that is worth telling for the world seems to have forgotten about it. The film ends with a statement that says that the trial for the war criminals who perpetuated this injustice was indefinitely suspended. To this day, the descendants of the victims still seek justice for this genocide. Sad!