Authors
Philbert Ortiz Dy
Phil Dy has leveraged the unique skills he acquired as an MIS graduate into careers that do not involve MIS. He did not use any of his programming skills while writing and producing short films, or working on the set of music videos for Kitchie Nadal and Up Dharma Down. He did not use project management when he contributed articles and photos to Pulp, Youngstar, Meg and 2bu. He failed to apply calculus to writing, editing and taking pictures for a local travel guide. Despite his misguided training, however, Phil won second place in the 1st Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards, and was a finalist in the Cinemanila 2007 Scriptwriting contest. He is a movie buff, and now spends most of his time watching horrible movies so other people don't have to.
Articles by this author
All Filler, No Killer
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday November 20, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Twilight Saga: New Moon is a movie that was definitely made for the fans. Between its dogged faithfulness to the source text and the almost exploitative level of general shirtlessness, this is a movie designed specifically for the market that the Twilight books were intended for. If you already happen to be a fan of the books, then you’re already in the theater. Taken apart from fandom, the movie is overly long with a story that feels largely unnecessary.
Festival Report: The 5th Cinema One Originals
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday November 16, 2009 in Local Movies
The Cinema One Originals program generally keeps a much lower profile than most of the festivals around the country, but is usually a source of real quality cinema. In its fifth year, the festival offers five new films, running a wide gamut of styles and subject matter. Here’s what the festival is bringing into cinemas this year.
Roland Emmerich, Destroyer Of Worlds
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday November 16, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Roland Emmerich wants to destroy the world. The filmmaker has made his career on crumbling monuments and large-scale death scenes, and will use any excuse to do so. His latest excuse is a largely debunked mistranslation of the Mayan calendar. 2012 finds Emmerich sinking Los Angeles and consuming Las Vegas in an ash cloud, all while a plucky group of survivors attempt to outrun these disasters in whatever vehicle they happen to be in at the time. 2012 can be oddly entertaining at times, but it’s mostly repetitive and unjustifiably long. Who knew the apocalypse would take so long.
No Answer
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 12, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Hellphone feels like an approximation of a horror movie, an attempt at producing a scary film by people who don’t really understand or respect the genre. All semblance of plot is abandoned as the film sets about creating scene after scene where a while lady stands around where the characters can’t see them, or grabs something from under the bed. It’s all the dumbest trappings of horror films without any of the context that makes it work. Hellphone only thinks it’s scary. It’s mostly just boring.
More Of The Same
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 12, 2009 in Movie Reviews
You already know what I’m going to write about Ang Tanging Pamilya. You already know what the movie’s going to be like, even if you haven’t seen it. You know there will be sped up footage of people running around. You know DJ Durano’s going to show up in a role that could have easily been written out. You know that at some point, someone’s going to be reciting lines from some other hit film. You know that the filmmaking is going to be sub par. You know that outtakes are going to run over the credits. You already know exactly what you’re going to get: a whole heaping mess of more of the same from Wenn Deramas.
Thought-Provoking Cinema
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday November 11, 2009 in Movie Reviews
How does one begin to review a film like Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe? It would be prudent at the very least, to mention what I wrote in my capsule review in my coverage of the CInemalaya festival. Director and producer Alvin Yapan and producer Alemberg Ang were both my teachers at various points in my education, and most likely played a part in the development of whatever critical acumen I might possess. Take that fact as you like. But the problem I face in reviewing this film has little to do with whatever connections I might have to its prime movers. It is in tackling the density of the film’s literature, in getting entangled in its symbolism and imagery, and how that all matters in the final viewing of the picture. It is in acknowledging that there is more to the film than can be discussed in the 600 hundred or so words that these reviews fill up.
Unnecessary Fictions
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 5, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Estasyon wraps a lot of fiction around a kernel of truth. A small true story is made to be a platform for a larger commentary on devotion in this country, and a strained allegory referring to the Passion of Jesus Christ. Also, a few very true scenes shot in Quiapo during the feast of the Black Nazarene are enveloped in a fiction that doesn’t end up saying as much. Estasyon is a story of unnecessary fictions, of wonderful little bits of truth getting buried under a whole lot of excessive writing. Luckily enough, the truth does prevail.
Every Time A Door Opens, Something Stupid Happens
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 5, 2009 in Movie Reviews
If there is a drawback to the independent digital film movement, it is that films like I Love Dreamguyz get made. Mainstream director Joel Lamangan has brought his lack of finesse and intense cynicism to local independent cinema, producing films that serve no other purpose than to cash in on the growing market for exploitation films that feature plenty of naked bodies, gay sex, and no redeeming value. There is an argument to be made about commercial viability and its legitimacy in this marketplace, but that’s beyond the realm of what ought to be discussed here. The main issue of this film is simple: every time a door opens, something stupid happens.
A Lesson In Syntax
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 5, 2009 in Movie Reviews
There ought to be a hyphen in the title Law Abiding Citizen between the words “law” and “abiding.” That may seem like a pithy observation, but it’s actually indicative of one of the major problems of the movie. There’s a pretty serious argument about the nature of justice in a modern society at the very heart of this film. But when a movie can’t even get the syntax of its title right, how is it supposed to be able to make its case intelligently? Law Abiding Citizen only thinks it’s smart, but it’s mostly pretty ridiculous. Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) watched his family die in front of him during a home invasion. The two perpetrators were caught, but one of them gets off easy thanks to a deal made by cynical but brilliant prosecutor Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx) trying to protect his conviction rate. Ten years later, Shelton reemerges to brutally murder the men that entered his home on that fateful night. He’s quickly arrested, and Rice, lacking the evidence to convict him, is trying to get him to confess to the crime. But Shelton has a few secrets up his sleeve, and even within the walls of prison, he’s seemingly able to continue killing everyone involved in the case ten years ago. Rice has to figure out Shelton’s game before he destroys everything.
A Real Life Sports Movie
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 5, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The story of LeBron James and the St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish has always been the kind of stuff movies were made of. Four young friends work their way out of a linoleum floored gymnasium to go on and become an American phenomenon before falling into the trappings of fame, getting complacent, and learning a lesson on their way to one final chance of redemption. And that’s exactly what More Than a Game: a documentary that also functions as a pretty great sports movie. It doesn’t address everything that it can, but what’s left is still pretty compelling stuff.
The Case Against Nonconformity
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday November 4, 2009 in Movie Reviews
All About Steve might be the worst movie in Sandra Bullock’s body of work. While Bullock has never been considered much of a serious artist, there’s often an odd sincerity to her work that makes everything palatable. It is this sincerity that is missing in All About Steve, producing perhaps one of the most misguided attempts to promote the idea of nonconformity. It is a whirlwind of bad ideas passed off as quirk, mostly resulting in a whole lot of irritating behavior.
Peaks and Valleys
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday November 4, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Inglourious Basterds is about as pure as a Tarantino movie gets. Tarantino’s films have always been a collection of homages, paying tribute to some obscure genre of film from the eras of cinema that the director grew up with. This film takes things a step further, completely fracturing the narrative in service of providing a framework to fit in all of his tributes. The result is a little uneven, but more often than not, frighteningly entertaining.
Is This It?
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday October 30, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The thought that was stuck in my head while watching Michael Jackson’s This is It was that most of this footage was never meant to be seen. All the rehearsal footage that was shot was meant to go to Michael Jackson’s private library to be locked away and enjoyed in private by this famously private man and his family. That’s the kind of thought that can make for queasy watching. Though the performances are still pretty decent, and the editing is sharp and clever, one has to take a step back and look at the larger picture. Is this it? Is this really what we want? Couldn’t we have left well enough alone?
Behind Closed Doors
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 29, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The title “Ang Beerhouse” will probably deter many a filmgoer from seeing this film, those two words already evoking the image of a certain kind of film only seen by a certain kind of audience. But don’t be so hasty to dismiss this film as exploitative detritus. There’s a lot more thought going on behind this title, a true cleverness that’s rarely seen among the independent films of today. It will be easy to notice the flaws of Ang Beerhouse, but it’s just as easy to fall in love with its strengths.
A Clash of Philosophies
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 29, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Astro Boy has a lot of history to live up to. The creator of Astro Boy, Tezuka Osamu, is considered the God of Japanese anime, his stories beloved by several generations of fans. It is always a worry that something will be lost in transit over the Atlantic, as the themes of a different culture come to transform the stories. And while the love for the original stories is evident, it appears that those worries are yet again justified.
Stray Thoughts
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 29, 2009 in Movie Reviews
- About halfway through my viewing of Patient X, I had already compiled a rather long list of stray observations about the movie. I think these observations paint a better picture of what the experience of this movie is like, so in lieu of a regular review, here is that list, as best as I can remember it.
Chest Cavity
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 29, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Diablo Cody, the writer of Jennifer’s Body has been an easy target for both praise and disdain. To this day, it is being argued on the Internet whether the success of her previous writing effort, Juno, is because of her writing or in spite of it. It is with this mindset that many people went into theaters playing her latest film, hoping to find any support for either side. To be honest, the answer is starting to look like the latter. Jennifer’s Body is just a dumb horror film that replaces fear with quirk and hipster nonsense.
So There
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 29, 2009 in Movie Reviews
“So there.” Those two words are among the first you’ll see in The Informant!, ending a disclaimer about how while everything in the movie is based on true events, some stuff has been necessarily dramatized. The two words are a dismissal, as well as a challenge, succinctly summing up the movie’s wonderfully strange relationship with the truth. The Informant! quickly elevates a quirky little tale about corporate crime in an industry nobody really knows anything about into a treatise on truth and fiction in a world where the cost of doing business may just be losing a bit of your soul. With the help of a strong lead performance and clever direction, the movie is one of the most enjoyable watches of the year.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila 11: Day Nine
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday October 26, 2009 in Movies
Market Market has made for a pretty decent new home for the festival, though it does have its drawbacks. The open design means that the cinema floor isn’t isolated from the rest of the mall. This isn’t much of an issue until somebody holds an event in the plaza. Today, that event involved bands.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Eight
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday October 26, 2009 in Movies
Cinemanila Awards Night turned out to be a pretty lavish event. Following in the lead of the rather audacious opening, Cinemanila and the city of Taguig put on quite the show at the NBC tent, setting a new tone for the festival as it enters its next decade.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila 11: Closing Night
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday October 26, 2009 in Movies
Cinemanila ended on a rather subdued note, the closing night glaringly devoid of the smoke machines and moving video walls of the other big events of the festival. There were no extra pretensions that night; the festival deciding on its last day to give focus to the film at hand. Raymond Red wasn’t able to make it back to the country to introduce his new film, which was competing at the Tokyo International Film Festival, but they did produce a small video with a message from the director and his lead actor Raul Arellano standing beside a vending machine.
ClickTheCity at Cinemanila 11: Day Seven
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday October 23, 2009 in Festivals, Movies, Indie Films, Movie Releases
The Fort is known as a real destination for Metro Manila’s foodies. It offers a plethora of options for the discerning diner, featuring cuisines from all around the world, and dishes that require more care and skill than your average lump of meat on a plate. So for the duration the festival, one would imagine that the moviegoers would be eating pretty well. One place in the Fort has been doing particularly strong business this week, but it’s not quite what you’d expect.
Ups And Downs
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 22, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Battle for Terra is a movie that shifts from moment to moment. There are bits of it that show off a subtle genius, subverting clichés and telling a story with real resonance. In other parts, it can be pretty grating, putting visual ahead of story and needlessly stretching out its scenes. On a scale, it still tips a little bit to the positive side, with its colorful visuals and strong message. It’s difficult to hold it up to the rest of this year’s animated features, but it’s fine for what it is.
ClickTheCity at Cinemanila 11: Day Six
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 22, 2009 in Movies
I’ve heard more than one complaint that Market Market isn’t very accessible, and that’s keeping people from attending the festival. Well, even if you can’t make it all the way to Taguig, you can actually view part of Cinemanila online.
A Veil of Cuteness
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 22, 2009 in Movie Reviews
(500) Days of Summer attempts to create a hybrid of romantic comedies and the indie quirkfests that have come into fashion in the last decade. The result is at times rather sweet, and mostly cute, and will probably appeal to a great number of people. Personally, the film is a little disappointing, its lack of daring symptomatic of an overall frightening trend in cinema. But good performances from the film’s central couple make it a step above most of the Hollywood dreck.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Five
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 21, 2009 in Movies
MANILA MEETS PAUL SCHRADER Paul Schrader has had a pretty long and interesting career in filmmaking, though he has mostly stayed in obscurity, overshadowed by his early collaborators. But having survived this long in the industry is no mean feat, especially when you consider how Schrader has mostly avoided the mainstream and has kept telling personal stories through independent filmmaking. His master class, held under intimate makeshift lighting at Market Market cinema 7, was the talk of a survivor.
The Silent War
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 21, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The sum total of all films made about the war in Iraq has not amounted to much. Though the intentions are noble, they usually devolve into intellectual exercises that merely paint dividing lines between ideologies, generally failing in terms of both dramatization and realization. But The Hurt Locker is a very different, one that doesn’t concern itself at all with the politics of the situation, living simply on the incredible tension inherently present in the lives of the men and women who are now serving there, caught in a cycle of violence from which they may never escape. It’s a brilliant piece of filmmaking, and a perfectly engrossing thriller.
ClickTheCity at Cinemanila 11: Day Four
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday October 20, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
THINGS TO DO AT MARKET MARKET WHILE WAITING FOR YOUR MOVIE TO START Market Market’s cinema floor isn’t just for cinema. No, it seems to have been expressly designed to give you a plethora of activities to perform while waiting for the screening time of your movie to roll around, offering much more than your average mall in terms of stuff to do. And we’re not even counting the rest of the mall. This is just immediate area of the cinemas. So what can you do?
ClickTheCity at Cinemanila 11: Day Three
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday October 19, 2009 in Festivals, Movies, Indie Films, Local Movies
As I was watching the Young Cinema shorts in exhibition in the middle of Bonifacio High Street, I couldn’t help thinking about the problems of the set up. Outdoor screenings are great in theory, but like anything else, they come with their drawbacks. I had envisioned the outdoor screenings to be somewhere out in one of the empty fields that the Fort still has. The middle of High Street is a problematic location for several reasons. First of all, they don’t turn off the street lamps for the screenings, which makes it difficult to see the darker films. Michael Angelo Dagñalan’s Karoler, with its dark corridors and unlit streetscapes, could barely be seen. Secondly, there’s a nearby Seattle’s best that plays its coffeehouse muzak a little too loudly. When you have a bunch of short with minimalist soundtracks, it just becomes difficult to immerse yourself in the mood of the pictures when some light jazz is playing in the background.
ClickTheCity at Cinemanila 11: Day Two
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Sunday October 18, 2009 in Festivals, Movies, Indie Films, Local Movies, Movie Reviews
This year’s festival, being held in the vast openness that is the Fort, took the opportunity to hold outdoor screenings at Bonifacio High Street. The first outdoor screening was the young cinema program, featuring short films by young Filipino filmmakers from all over. Considering how cold it is in the Market Market cinemas, it was kind of a nice to be able to avoid air conditioning for a while. Outdoor screenings do have their drawbacks, though. Some of the entries to the program were shot on film, and logistics pretty much dictated that we were going to see everything on video.
ClickTheCity at Cinemanila 11: Day One
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Saturday October 17, 2009 in Festivals, Indie Films, Local Movies
Cinemanila’s new home is Market Market in the Fort. On any given day, three Market Market theaters are assigned for the festival, with extra screenings held at Fully Booked U-View. For those who’ve never seen it, it’s a small multi-purpose viewing room equipped with an HD projector found in the basement of Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street, just behind the Manga section. Outdoor screenings will also be held at the Bear Area of Bonifacio High Street, marked B3. The weather’s been pretty good lately, and those screenings ought to go off without a hitch.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila 11: Opening Night
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday October 16, 2009 in Movies
The opening of Cinemanila has historically been a rather low-key affair. Sure, it would often be packed, and a good amount of wine would be served, but the opening itself would really just be a couple of speeches extolling the virtues of the festival and local cinema. That’s not the case this year, perhaps marking a change in the direction of the festival. What’s clear is that Taguig is taking the hosting of CInemanila seriously. It feels like the city has something to prove.
Countdown To Cinemanila: Introducing Paul Schrader
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 15, 2009 in Movies
The guest of honor at this year’s Cinemanila is screenwriter and director Paul Schrader. Schrader is often introduced as a frequent collaborator of Martin Scorsese, and in fact, the Cinemanila website itself mentions this fact within the first three sentences of its press release. But that sort of does a disservice to the full breadth of work Schrader has produced.
Countdown To Cinemanila: More Films
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 15, 2009 in Movies
Outside the main competition, the festival gets pretty interesting as well. The one film nobody can avoid is Quentin Tarantino’s latest, Inglourious Basterds, his sorta-kinda-not-really-remake of Enzo Castellari’s Quel maledetto treno blindato.
Wasting Our Time
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 15, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Not Forgotten recalls some elements of David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence, though making a direct reference to it is totally giving this film too much credit. While they both feature men who are living secret lives in idyllic settings while hiding a deep violent past that catches up with them, only one of these films has the decency to make sense, or to have any sort of emotional resonance. Sadly, Not Forgotten is not that film.
Inferior Versions
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 15, 2009 in Movie Reviews
John Woo’s return to Hong Kong Cinema Red Cliff brings a complicated mix of strategy, battles, romance and intrigue, shifting between large scale battles and deeply personal moments that may involve, music, philosophy and meditation. Bringing those elements together required a lot of screen time, spanning two movies that add up to just under five hours of cinema. We only get half of that, which isn’t great, but I was actually to forgive. What becomes unforgivable, however, is the terrible dubbing job they did on it.
Unconfident Silence
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 15, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Sanglaan sometimes feels like it is caught between two worlds. In its heart, I feel, it’s a film that wants to be still, to swim in the murky silence of everyday life, filling the theater with an uncomfortable but compelling picture of a very real, often boring life. And strangely, that would’ve been more exciting than what we ended up getting in the end: a movie unsure of the strength of its own truths, falling quickly to the temptation of forced melodrama. There’s more than an inkling of something to Sanglaan, but they just didn’t trust it.
Countdown To Cinemanila: A Preview Of The Main Program
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 14, 2009 in Movies
Cinemanila opens and closes with two local cinematic heavyweights. Opening the festival is Lola, the latest from Cannes best director winner Brillante Mendoza.
A Disparity Of Achievement
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 14, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Julie & Julia brings together two true stories. The first is of Julia Child, the woman who brought French cuisine into American kitchens by writing the first ever cookbook devoted to French cuisine in English. The other is of Julie Powell, a frustrated writer who found some satisfaction in writing the blog. If that sounds like a real disparity of achievement, you’d be right. Still, Julie & Julia succeeds due to great performances and a genuine sense of joy and wonder.
A Guide To The 8th Italian Film Festival
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 14, 2009 in Movies
For years now, the Italian Embassy and the Philippine Italian Association have been holding screenings of various Italian films. And now, they’re bringing their own festival to the Mecca of international film festivals in Metro Manila. From October 15 to 21, Shangri-La Plaza will be home to another bunch of free screenings, this time from the land that gave us the first avant-garde film movement and neorealism.
Countdown to Cinemanila: Introduction to Machinima
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday October 12, 2009 in Movies, Indie Films
Cinemanila is upon us once again, this time springing from the heart of the rapidly growing city of Taguig. As we get closer to opening night, we’ll be looking at some of the things to look forward to in this year’s iteration.
Stuff Happens. Nobody Cares.
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 8, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Pipo is yet another exploitation film that masquerades under the pretense of social relevance. Trotting out another tale about poor young people selling their bodies and living in horrible conditions, the movie exists as just another excuse to get a bunch of actors naked on camera. Pretension aside, Pipo just isn’t very well made, featuring a terminally incoherent script and terrible acting.
The Cloud of Doubt
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 8, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt takes an old Fritz Lang movie from the RKO pictures vault and places it into the modern world, adding car chases, explosions, and a propensity for fast talk. Strangely enough, that formula doesn’t add up to a more suspenseful film, or a better film in general. Hobbled by too many absurd twists and a really weak lead performance, Beyond A Reasonable Doubt manages to feel more dated and tired than a fifty-three year old film.
Little Has Changed
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 8, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It’s relatively easy to justify a remake of 1980’s Fame. Though the TV show might leave horrible memories, the thirty years since the original film have brought enough newness to the performing arts and the world in general that the same story about talented high school kids trying to make it big might necessitate an update. Alas, this year’s Fame adds nothing but an updated soundtrack to the original guilty pleasure. Though some of it is pretty entertaining, the entire enterprise seems largely unnecessary.
Business as Usual, Plus Fur
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 8, 2009 in Movie Reviews
What do you get when you cross the cute furry animals of the Disney world with the whiz-bang filmmaking philosophy behind a Jerry Bruckheimer production? Pretty much exactly what you’d expect. G-Force is the divine intersection between two filmmaking giants, transforming cuddly rodents into butt kicking action heroes who save the world from utter destruction. But it also takes from the worst habits of both sides, from Disney its tendency to talk down to its audience, and from Bruckheimer his inability to tell a half decent story. The result might be entertaining if you’re six, but pretty grating if you’re older.
Ephemeral
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 8, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It isn’t very hard to see what makes Boy stand out from the dozens of gay themed films proliferating the cinemas these days. Though clearly buried in the same seedy settings and just as concerned with carnal matters, Boy allows itself the room to actually say something about these things rather than just portraying them. Though Boy does have its shortcomings, there’s an intriguing lightness to it that makes it worth watching all the same.
Redeeming Nothing
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday October 2, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Sabungero attempts to apply the well worn cinematic formula of the sports movie to the locally accepted but generally controversial sport of cockfighting. Funded by cockfighting enthusiasts, the movie was always risking being little more than a promotional video for the sport. Surprisingly it doesn’t quite turn out that way, the movie decidedly focused on the redemption story of one man. But the movie’s agenda does get in the way eventually, making for a film that’s mostly watchable, but definitely flawed.
The Bottom Of The Barrel
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 1, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Nandito Ako…Nagmamahal Sa ‘Yo presents a familiar formula: song for a title, two young stars presented as a “love team,” and more than one montage. This formula has never produced the greatest films, but Nandito Ako…Nagmamahal Sa ‘Yo lowers that bar even further, dragging it down into a bottomless pit of incoherence and ridiculousness. In a year of many terrible films, this movie still stands out as one of the worst.
The Stretch
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 1, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Pandorum starts out with a few good ideas. In its brightest moments, it gives us a tiny glimpse into the future, one where mankind is forced to take an extended trip across the stars for its very survival, in a beast of a machine as ominous as it is hopeful. But those glimpses are far and few in between, as the movie spreads its ideas thin over a completely unreasonable runtime. Pandorum wears out its welcome pretty quickly.
Mannered
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 1, 2009 in Movie Reviews
There is an inherent quality to all British period dramas. It would be difficult to name a single one that fails to carry a certain heft, brought about by a lushness of production and the magnitude of the acting. Though that’s mostly a good thing, this general level of quality may take a toll on the quality of the storytelling, as a filmmaker may become so entangled in the details of production and the manners of the time that the movie that the drama part of the equation begins to suffer. The Young Victoria is definitely an agreeable film, one with the prerequisite grand production and excellent acting. But it’s also oftentimes stunningly inert.
Plenty of Ugly, Little Truth
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 30, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It is generally wise to avoid relationship advice, and generally wiser to steer clear of something akin to a relationship philosophy. Anyone or anything that would tell you that there is a singular way to deal with the complexities of human emotion is for one, presumptuous, and two, most likely wrong. And so, one enters The Ugly Truth with a measure of trepidation, it being a romantic comedy based around the very idea that all the interactions between men and women can indeed be reduced to a simplistic formula, all the while pretending that the people involved in said formula are actually worth caring about.
The Plastic Tomorrow
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday September 25, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Surrogates, based on the graphic novel by Robert Vendetti and Brett Weldele, had the hurdle of adapting a pretty low key, moody work, a police procedural that lingered on conversations about society and relationships. It must’ve been tricky, but they pull it off to a degree, turning the story into a platform for a crisis of world-crippling proportions. While they had to take a lot of narrative leaps to get there, the themes of the story and its remarkable world make it through intact, creating a flawed but mostly enjoyable sci-fi experience.
Forced Confessions
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 24, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Bayaw is an odd little tale about two brothers-in-law running from the law, committing all sorts of other crimes along the way, and occasionally indulging in some forced gay sex. That premise alone doesn’t sound very promising, but the way Bayaw tells its story makes it an unmitigated disaster. It would tough enough to sit through the story on its own, but what makes the movie so terrible is that the very act of telling the story doesn’t make any sense.
Copycat Murders
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 24, 2009 in Movie Reviews
If I asked most people to name a dark mystery thriller directed by a guy who’s mostly worked in music videos that featured a killer who committed gruesome murders with religious overtones, they probably wouldn’t answer Horsemen. But here we are, fourteen years after the massive success that was Se7en, with a movie that replicates practically all the circumstances, but features none of the depth. It shouldn’t be that much of a surprise to see Michael Bay’s name in the credits.
The Low Hanging Fruit
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 24, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Yaya & Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie is a testament to the talent of its two main stars, Ogie Alcasid and Michael V, who together created an unassuming little recurring sketch that grew enough in popularity to justify building an entire feature film around it. Having said that, it’s also mostly a waste of their prodigious talent. The movie doesn’t expand much on the barebones formula of the sketch, giving the duo little to do but aim for the low hanging fruit of local comedy.
Brute Force
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 23, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Brillante Mendoza’s Kinatay caused quite a stir at the Cannes film festival. Roger Ebert declared it the worst film in the history of the competition. Meanwhile, Mendoza was later awarded the prize for best director. As with almost all stories taken from two extremes views, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Kinatay is far from a bad film. In fact, I would call it a good film, but not without some caveats.
The Worst Of Both Worlds
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 23, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Astig (Mga Batang Kalye) came out of Cinemalaya as this year’s top-grossing film, owing much to the major studio stars that populate its cast. Backed up by producer Boy Abunda, the movie was poised to become the intersection of independent filmmaking and mainstream appeal. But it didn’t really go too well. Astig picks up the worst habits of both independent and mainstream filmmaking, producing a film that manages to be both vapid and exploitative. Astig yet again proves that money and big stars aren’t enough to make a good film.
A Guide To The 2009 Korean Film Festival
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday September 22, 2009 in Movies
Shangri-la Plaza is becoming a veritable United Nations of cinema, now extending their lineup of foreign film festivals with a celebration of Korean Cinema running from September 23 to September 29. Here’s a look at what they’re bringing.
A Shell of a Shell
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 17, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Remakes, more often than not, are unnecessary. This is even truer for the horror genre, where a limited set of paper-thin loglines get recycled over and over without the pretense of producing remakes. What need is there, really, for a Halloween remake, for example, when dozens of films have been made since then that follow its formula? And what need is there to remake one of those dozens of films, which weren’t that good to begin with? And this is the case with Sorority Row.
The Foreign Experience
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 17, 2009 in Movie Reviews
These days, it just isn’t enough to make a good movie with a great script and talented actors. One would think that the return of Vilma Santos to the big screen alone would be enough for most producers. Couple that with talented writers, and you’ve got pretty much everything you need for a great film. But today’s filmmaking environment tacks on another requirement to the local blockbuster formula: it needs to be filmed abroad. New York City fills that hole for In My Life, though it doesn’t really do much for it. Despite that, the movie turns out to be pretty decent, a testament to the talent on the screen and on the page.
In the Details
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 16, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It is difficult to view Mangatyanan without considering the success of director Jerrold Tarog’s first feature, Confessional. In context of his previous film, Mangatyanan’s adherence to conventional structure and techniques may seem a tad underwhelming. But make no mistake, Mangatyanan is still quite the achievement, a work that cements Tarog’s place as one of the country’s most promising young filmmakers, exhibiting a level of proficiency in almost all aspects of the craft that can hardly be found among the country’s more seasoned directors.
Snow Job
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 16, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Theoretically, Whiteout has everything it needs to deliver a pretty thrilling experience. The source material, Greg Rucka’s original limited series, was really great stuff, combining a unique setting with familiar procedural elements and some fantastic character writing, winning awards along the way. But as it happens, many things can be lost in translation. Whiteout had a good foundation to build on, but wasted it all on poor construction.
Culture Shock
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 16, 2009 in Movie Reviews
I do not really know what to say about Crossing Over, other than I’m not sure I saw it. The print that is going to be screened in our country appears to have come from Singapore, where even more stringent rules for censorship apply, excising most of the swearing, most of the violence, and all of the nudity from a film that mostly does call for those elements. From what I saw of the film, it isn’t very good to begin with, but this absolutely terrible, hacked up print isn’t really fit for public viewing.
Settling For Less
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 10, 2009 in Movie Reviews
If you saw the trailer for Management, you’d assume it was another wacky mainstream romantic comedy where a male protagonist goes and does crazy things to win the affections of a girl way out of his league. But it turns out that the movie is a little quirkier than that, employing some strange American indie movie flourishes, a surprising capacity for introspection, solid performances and a pretty strong soundtrack. But those wacky moments are indeed there, and it makes a movie that features two flavors that don’t mix very well. Management is more interesting than it has any right to be, but it feels like it doesn’t trust its own voice.
Massive Damage
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 10, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Writing and directing team Neveldine/Taylor made their names on the two Crank movies: two subversively farcical hyperkinetic action films that distilled the genre to its purest form, taking the rush-seeking nature of the genre’s fans to its logical extreme, taking its place as the action film of the desensitized videogame generation. The leap to Gamer isn’t very far, and it seems that the inspiration that fueled their last two outings has diminished somewhat as the dynamic duo of well-intentioned crass cinema falls deeper into their comfort zone. Gamer only has flashes of what made Crank such a cult success, too often falling back into abandoned convention.
Direct to Rubbish
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 10, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It is widely acknowledged by fans and critics alike that The Grudge 2 sent the fledgling American version of the franchise spiraling off into the wrong direction, reducing its Asian horror roots in a fractured narrative that would drag the story kicking and screaming all the way to America. The Grudge 3 - The Final Scare starts out pretty much where the last one left off, and keeps walking down that same ugly path, this time without director Shimizu Takashi, and with the added bonus of it being a direct to video feature shot in Eastern Europe. The Grudge 3 takes an already struggling franchise and pushes its head underwater.
Loose Threads
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 10, 2009 in Movie Reviews
When the row over Carlo J. Caparas being named National Artist started, I was mostly unmoved. While people were growing indignant over the hijacking of the process, I took a more pragmatic view, primarily because I had become convinced that the main participants of this process, the NCCA, wasn’t really worth exalting. To wit, another process that they’re involved in, that of giving grants to filmmakers, hasn’t really produced much quality work. Ang Manghuhula is a product of this process, and it follows in the vein of the films that came before it: generally well-intentioned, but lacking the chops to produce anything really worth recommending.
A Guide To Cine Europa 12
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 9, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
Once again, Shangri-La Plaza becomes home to a wide variety of European films in the 12th edition of Cine Europa. It’s a big batch of films this year, and choosing what you want to watch can be a chore. So here’s a quick look at all of the films, along with a few recommendations.
Actually, Forget About Me
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 9, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The best teen cinema sees its characters as vehicles of unexpected depth. The Breakfast Club might begin by painting flat stereotypes of high school characters, but it will dwell more on their broken home lives, revealing a person of weight, carrying experiences that ultimately make them more than their labels. I Love You, Beth Cooper is predicated on such a discovery, but it chooses never to dwell on it, offering glimpses at depth, but swerving wildly into broad, poorly directed comedy.
Adolescent Limbo
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 3, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Land of the Lost resurrects yet another cult property from the annals of pop culture history, this time taking a little-remembered but much beloved children’s show that helped redefine children’s programming and sticking Will Ferrell in it. The result is a badly mixed milkshake of a kid’s adventure and Ferrell’s more adult-oriented fare, creating a film that has its moments, but will probably leave most audiences a little unsatisfied.
Prehysteria
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 3, 2009 in Movie Reviews
On paper, Year One looks like a home run. With a returning Harold Ramis at the helm, a couple of writers from The Office, two reliable comedic stars at front, a supporting cast of scene stealing masters, and a Brooksian History of the World set up, the movie just seemed like a terribly good idea. But aside from a few funny moments, Year One feels frustratingly stale, never quite reflecting all the talent and wit available to those involved.
Empty Cinema
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 3, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The Final Destination series exists in a genre of its own. They’re ostensibly horror films, but at some point they just stopped trying to scare people and concentrated their efforts on finding the most intricately constructed death sequences in the history of cinema, building a world where every innocent object is potentially an instrument of death, and death itself is like a punch line. This fourth movie in the franchise, called simply The Final Destination, goes further down that rabbit hole, forgoing any pretense of telling a coherent story and just delivering one elaborate death after another. It’s empty is what it is.
Banal Attraction
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 3, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Obsessed fashions itself as an erotic workplace thriller, the kind that we haven’t really seen since the heyday of the 90s sexual harassment paranoia. It’s interesting because those movies were very much of a time, only working within a very specific cultural context that isn’t very relevant anymore. And so, Obsessed leaves itself with little to do other than set up a pretty ridiculous world populated with comedically flat characters that only relays one pretty backwards message: women are crazy.
On Maturity
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 2, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Let me throw some numbers at you: eighteen is the age you have to be in order to see Brüno; old enough to drink, vote, marry, and do all sorts of things adults can do. Eighty-one minutes is the reported runtime of the movie, including credits, according to the IMDB. Seventy-three minutes is the runtime of the movie here, including credits. If you’re counting along, that’s eight full minutes of entertainment excised from the movie, presumably because someone involved in the process of bringing this film to our shores feels that adults in this country are delicate flowers that will wilt at the sight of anything remotely challenging. Brüno set out to be offensive, but it’s nowhere near as offensive as all the censorship we’re subjected to.
Of Two Worlds
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 2, 2009 in Movie Reviews
I have often lamented on these pages about Eugene Domingo playing second fiddle to stars with half her talent in some pretty terrible films. And so I was delighted to hear that she was finally getting her turn in the spotlight with a starring role in her own vehicle, Kimmy Dora. And sure enough, Eugene Domingo makes the most of it. Kimmy Dora still hasn’t shed many of the bad habits of the movies that had Ms. Domingo stuck in supporting roles, but as it goes, it’s a far better comedy than the mainstream establishment has produced in a long time.
Muffled
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 27, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The posters for Bandslam are pretty misleading. They feature Disney stars Vanessa Hudgens and Aly Michalka right up front, while Gaelan Connell is obscured in the background. But this movie is not about Hudgens or Michalka or whatever their presence suggests to the casual moviegoer. It’s about Connell, the skinny, awkward kid with the Jewfro whose tastes probably run opposite from the sensibilities of the two Disney princesses. Bandslam makes itself out to be another Camp Rock or High School Musical, but really wants to have more in common with Juno and School of Rock. Those are good influences to have, and it works surprisingly well for what it is. But it’s definitely caught between two worlds.
Misdeal
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 27, 2009 in Movie Reviews
There used to be a time when local horror films were somewhat novel, working off the Asian horror template and mixing local folklore with other occult traditions. That time feels long past. Tarot feels tired, lazy and unbearably stale, at times so bad and so predictable that you can’t help but laugh.
Shackles Of Oppression
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 26, 2009 in Movie Reviews
To those of you who have just looked at the rating and are now outraged by its disparity with the international critical consensus, allow me to explain first. I think District 9 is a very good film, and if I had watched District 9, I would probably have given that film a full two stars higher. However, the film we’re getting in our cinemas is not District 9. It is a PG-13 version of the film that has been cut to pieces. This is one of my biggest disappointments of the year, because as it turns out, there’s a frightening amount of good in the film. It’s all just marred by a pretty terrible decision.
Music To Our Ears
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 26, 2009 in Movie Reviews
One of the most popular films to come out of this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival was Mike Sandejas’ Dinig Sana Kita, and it’s easy to see why it made a connection with so many people. This sweet little movie about a teenage girl who forms a bond with a deaf boy isn’t particularly ambitious, but it knows exactly what it wants to do, and does it with gusto. Though the movie makes many concessions on the narrative side of things, great performances and a genuine earnestness make for a totally agreeable and sometimes lovely film.
Disconnected
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 20, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Love on Line is a movie you’ve seen before. That is, if you’ve ever seen any of Vic Sotto’s work in the last decade or so. Sotto, whose actual talent is undeniable, has made his recent career all about poorly made lowbrow comedies that have him playing the beloved hero who always gets the girl. The rest doesn’t even matter. Despite a disproportionate amount of talent in the cast, Love on Line fails to make a connection.
PG Pugilism
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 20, 2009 in Movie Reviews
A few years ago, the original Ong Bak set out to turn back the clock on action movies, moving away from overcomplicated plotlines and focusing on delivering as much action as possible. Ong Bak 2 promises much of the same, but falters by offering up a tale that needed meatier plotting. To add insult to injury, a baffling local PG-13 mucks up the flow of Tony Jaa’s action scenes, leaving local audiences with a messy, incomplete version of an already troubled film.
Out Of Time
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 20, 2009 in Movie Reviews
There are some books that were made to become movies. These are the kinds of books that feature more straightforward narratives, the ones that are more conventionally structured, and rely more on the forwarding action rather than say, the beauty of the prose or the lingering insight. Unfortunately, Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife is not one of those books, and while it’s easy to see why her story became such a hit, it just doesn’t translate well to celluloid. What I imagine was supposed to be an epic romance turns out to be a cinematic dud.
Panderfest
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 19, 2009 in Movie Reviews
In aiming for the much desired children’s movie market, Aliens in the Attic has taken the shortest route possible, delivering cheap sight gags while peppering the dialogue with random reference to things kids care about, like videogames and TV shows. It doesn’t make for a particularly bad film, just an awfully patronizing one. Aliens in the Attic has a few okay moments, but it makes the mistake of expecting too little from its audience.
Aiming Higher
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 19, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The trailers for Up paint it as a straightforward kid’s comedy, complete with funny looking birds and talking dogs. But Up isn’t really like that at all. Don’t get me wrong; Up has plenty of funny moments, but it’s also a tale of loss and tragedy, one with a surprising amount of emotional punch and even a smattering of unabashed darkness. I state this because I want people to know that the experience of watching this movie will not be like what the trailer suggests. It is, in fact, far better. Up is the special kind of animated film that doesn’t want to talk down to kids, one that trusts them to know that there may be more to life than talking animals.
Dead End Show
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 13, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The people behind Showboyz don’t seem interested in knowing how to make a movie. I will give them credit for maybe coming up with a couple of potentially interesting seeds for ideas, but none of these ideas get worked into a proper script. And worse yet, this half-baked script is brought to screen by some of the most inept filmmaking that I’ve seen in a while.
A History of Horror
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 12, 2009 in Movie Reviews
We haven’t seen a horror movie like Clive Barker’s Book of Blood in a while. In his prime, Barker was one of the recognizable names in entertainment, second only to Stephen King in word association with “horror.” Book of Blood is a film from another era of horror filmmaking, where the focus was on disturbing imagery. And it does that pretty well. But it sticks too close to its schlock roots, ignoring character and plot, in the end creating a movie that’s just as flawed as the ones that came before it.
Halfway Mature
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 12, 2009 in Movie Reviews
And I Love You So tells a pretty tricky story, one that explores a truly compelling conflict. And for the most part, the movie is up to telling it, not shying away from the more difficult choices present in the situation. But it isn’t too long before formula rears its ugly head, and brings everything back down to familiar territory. There’s a lot of good in this movie, but it’s a wholly flawed experience.
Frat Boy Fun
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 12, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The opening credits for The Hangover suggest a very different movie. They paint a much more foreboding vision of Las Vegas, suggesting a sense of palpable dread underneath the glitzy veneer of neon lights and fountains. But The Hangover doesn’t actually touch on that at all, preferring to stay well within the boundaries of movie frat boy buddy humor. Thanks to some fantastic performances from a couple of soon-to-be comedic superstars, though, the material is brought to new heights, making The Hangover a perfectly palatable experience.
Down in Flames
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 6, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Last Viewing has somewhat of an intriguing premise, taking us into the life of a woman whose work has her sharing in people’s most intimate moments, being there as they say goodbye to their loved ones for the final time. But that incendiary premise never really takes off, the story feeling decidedly tepid, and the filmmaking leaving a lot to be desired. Last Viewing had a couple of interesting ideas, but the execution leaves it an unwatchable mess.
Broken Memories
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 6, 2009 in Movie Reviews
I have seen enough movies to come to dread the NCCA logo appearing in the opening credits. These government-funded films tend to be pretentious, poorly made disasters that are big on ambition but decidedly lacking in basic filmmaking skill. Sadly, Handuman is no exception to this rule. It’s a sprawling mess that quickly outstays its welcome and ends up saying nothing at all.
Exploitation Romance
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 6, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Little Boy/Big Boy is a pretty schizophrenic experience. Part of it is supposed to be a heartwarming tale of a gay man learning to grow out of promiscuous ways by taking care of his young nephew. The other part of it is just your typical gay exploitation movie. These are things that generally do not mix well, and funnily enough, they don’t. Because no matter how you spin it, orgies tend not to be heartwarming. There’s potential in this movie, but it all gets lost as it falls back into old habits.
Playtime
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 6, 2009 in Movie Reviews
GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra isn’t at all interested in following the Hollywood trend of darkening things up. It isn’t interested in tackling serious issues or exploring the human psyche through allegory. It isn’t even interested in letting us know anybody. What it is interested in is getting back to the roots of the franchise: toys. This movie never quite makes sense, but it ends up working anyway. Because playtime didn’t always have to make sense.
0 For 2
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday July 31, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The last time I watched a film directed by Jigz Recto, I declared it the worst film of 2008. Lalamunan was laughably bad, the kind of terrible movie that really makes you resent the people who have the power to get movies into cinemas. And now he’s returned with Medalya, a fawning tribute to the men and women of the Philippine Military. I will say that this movie is better than Lalamunan. That said, it’s still one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen.
Strange Business
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday July 31, 2009 in Movie Reviews
One of the most difficult things to understand about the industry is distribution, how companies decide what films ought to be shown in our theaters. While we tend to miss out on dozens of smaller, more interesting North American releases, we’ll get something like Lizard Man, better known around the world as Cicak-Man 2: Black Planet, sequel to 2006’s Cicak-Man. Despite it being a Malaysian superhero movie that nobody in this country’s ever heard of, and a sequel to boot, someone in an office somewhere thought that we ought to have this film in cinemas. It’s a strange business.
Underachiever
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 30, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The talent involved in OMG (Oh My Girl!) is terribly impressive. A quick run through of the credits reveals a pretty phenomenal cast backed up by some really solid talents in the production department. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see a lot of that talent on show. OMG doesn’t try nearly hard enough, leaving me with the impression that the producers just don’t care about quality anymore.
Hollywood Endings
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 30, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The Proposal is representative of the modern Hollywood romantic comedy, the kind of glossy fairy tale where two people of the opposite sex fall into a relationship, but not before overcoming a series of obstacles and getting into a lot of zany hijinks. At this point, it’s more about the formula than it is about the story, leading to a romance that doesn’t really have a lot of punch.
Something Other Than The Truth
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 30, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Nothing But The Truth is a movie inspired by a real life scandal: that of Valerie Plame, a covert CIA agent whose identity was revealed in a newspaper column, and of Judith Miller, the reporter sent to jail for refusing to reveal her source in the subsequent investigation. It’s meaty stuff to be sure, a story filled with intrigue and betrayals and shades of gray; but Nothing But The Truth avoids most of the meat, skirting the most interesting parts of the story to deliver a serviceable thriller with a hamfisted message. Nothing But The Truth is an okay film, but it really should’ve stuck to the truth.
Infectious
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 29, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Back at the start of this year, I placed Richard Somes’ Yanggaw in my list of top ten movies of 2008. Seven months later, Yanggaw is having a limited run at Robinson’s Galleria, and my opinion of it has not changed. Yanggaw is easily one of my favorite local films of all time, blending the joys of the aswang genre with the structure of a family drama to create a thoroughly Filipino film. Though the lack of budget does show at times, a strong script elevated by amazing performances make this film more than worth your while.
Abandoned For A Reason
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 29, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The trailer of Orphan looked like the stuff of typical modern horror fare, the kind of small scale jump cutting loud sound banging scare flick that’s good for a couple of screams and then gets you out of the cinema in 90 minutes or less. With a premise that involves what appears to be a killer kid straight out of Children of the Corn, it never really occurred to me that it could be anything else. But it is something else. Something worse. Something a lot less self-aware. Orphan is unjustifiably long, and at points, laughably bad.
ClickTheCity At Cinemalaya Part 3
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Saturday July 25, 2009 in Festivals, Indie Films, Local Movies, Movie Reviews
Of all the films in the competition, Mike Sandejas’ Dinig Sana Kita probably has the biggest chance at gaining a mainstream audience. This little love story between a rebellious young girl and a deaf boy she meets at a retreat in Baguio is quite lovely all in all, reveling in sweetness and optimism, warming hearts all around. It takes quite a few narrative shortcuts to get where it wants to go, but the story is still by far more affecting than your average romantic film. The way this movie uses (and doesn’t use) sound is exemplary, saying a whole in silence and pushing all sorts of buttons with a single note. Editing could be better, but the film is technically sound all in all. But what really sells the film is its cast, particularly lead actor Romalito Mallari, whose tenaciously charming performance makes everything in this film just that much better. The film could be a whole lot tighter, and the ending tries too desperately to tug at those heartstrings, almost reaching parodic levels of sugary sweetness, but overall, it works for what it is, and I look forward to seeing its success outside the CCP.
ClickTheCity At Cinemalaya: Part 2
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday July 24, 2009 in Festivals, Indie Films, Movie Reviews
Milo Sugueco’s Sanglaan feels like the prototypical indie film, the sort of quirky, poignant dramedy revolving around a set of characters who operate within a limited area, in this case a pawnshop. Olivia (Tessie Tomas) is the owner of said pawnshop, and she’s clinging desperately to the business as the crisis slows things down and criminals make life more difficult. She’s got a son in the States who has petitioned for her citizenship, but Olivia doesn’t want to leave. Meanwhile, her timid adoptive niece Amy (Ina Feleo) has her world turned around when an old crush arrives at the pawnshop to rent a room above it. And then there’s Kanor the security guard, who resorts to desperate measures to find money for his wife, who’s in the hospital with pneumonia. The movie is gorgeously shot and generally well acted, but it feels pretty unremarkable. It feels like the movie doesn’t make good use of its unique setting, using it mostly as a way to progress the plot, never really dwelling on the character of the place. It’s an agreeable film, definitely, and there’s obviously a lot both in front of and behind the camera. But all that talent is used in ways we’re all too familiar with, and while Sanglaan is good, it’s difficult to say if it will stand out from the rest of the pack.
Tears For Fears
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 23, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It was clear from the very start that My Sister’s Keeper was aiming for your tears. Telling the story of a family being torn apart as they basically watch their eldest daughter being consumed by her illness, this movie was designed to harvest emotion. And it does just that, but almost to a fault. My Sister’s Keeper will wring tears out of a stone, but maybe that’s going a little too far.
City In A Bottle
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 23, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Manila is a daring little picture that takes two of our country’s most celebrated young independent filmmakers and has them pay tribute to two our country’s most beloved cinematic masters. But it has them condensing two Filipino masterpieces into a single ninety-minute feature. While the talent is definitely on show, this idea was flawed from the beginning. The city is made up of bigger stories than they’re able to tell.
Kill It Again
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 23, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It never really occurred to me that Larry Cohen’s 1974 killer baby movie It’s Alive needed a remake. The original wasn’t really great to begin with, never rising to the same levels of popularity that its contemporaries did, becoming more of a curiosity to aficionados of schlock horror. But they did remake it, shot on the cheap in Bulgaria, and that movie is in our theaters now. Unsurprisingly, it’s not good. Also not coming as much of a surprise, its violence is all cut up. Therefore, there aren’t any reasons to see this film.
Palatable
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 23, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Namets positioned itself as the only angst-free movie among the competition films of last year’s Cinemalaya, playing up the fact that it’s a light romantic comedy. And for the most part, the assertion is true, though it isn’t one that helps the film in particular. The romance is the weakest part of this broth, which is otherwise strong and flavorful. Namets should’ve trusted its own palate.
ClickTheCity At Cinemalaya: Part 1
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 22, 2009 in Festivals, Indie Films, Movie Reviews
Cinemalaya, just by virtue of its location, is an inherently more difficult festival to cover. There’s too much going on in too small a space, in a far more isolated location than your average shopping mall. As much as I’d like to give it the day-by-day coverage that I’ve given to other festivals, it just isn’t possible. But it is important to cover Cinemalaya, if only to shine some attention on the films in this year’s competition. I’m not sure if I can find the time to do it, but I’m going to try to catch all ten of this year’s competition films and write short reviews for each of them.
Gangsters By Numbers
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 22, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Public Enemies has its work cut out for it. It is never easy to try and sum up the life of a man in the span of your typical movie. It’s even harder when that man is as much of a legend as John Dillinger. If there was any man to do it, though, it would certainly be Michael Mann, and while Public Enemies doesn’t quite fully succeed, it is a sterling example of the genre, and a really good introduction to the life of one of history’s most compelling characters.
For Your Amusement
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 22, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Greg Mottola’s last feature was Superbad, an out-and-out teenage hijinks sex comedy movie that had a surprising amount of heart. This time around with Adventureland he skimps on the hijinks and goes even bigger with the heart, delivering what feels like a personal film that does a really good job of capturing the spirit of an era and the awkward beauty of two young people in love. Adventureland keeps things low, and we’re all the better for it.
Downriver Dreams
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 16, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Brutus was one of the sleeper favorites at last year’s Cinemalaya, sort of lost in the shuffle against the festival’s bigger films, but winning over some hearts anyway with its lovely little tale of adventure and surprising sophistication. Now it’s made to Indiesine, and while it lacks the overall polish of last year’s breakout films, Brutus is a fine little picture that has a lot of important things to say.
As Good As It Gets
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 16, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince faces the same problem that every movie in the franchise has. It’s a dilemma faced by any literary adaptation, really, that what works in books doesn’t necessarily work on film. Striking a balance between making a workable film while still staying true to the material is a difficult challenge to say the least. Having said all that, this movie does the very best that it can within those limitations, weaving a perfectly serviceable narrative out of a very dense story, and elevating it with a dazzling amount of craft. While sticklers for narrative structure will still find fault with how this movie is plotted, the utter precision and skill on display should win everyone over in the end.
Ricky Steamboat: Hero For Life
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday July 10, 2009 in Events, TV Updates
In the big top world of professional wrestling, you can’t stay a good guy forever. Even Hulk Hogan, immortal hero to children who take their vitamins, grew out some stubble once or twice, dressed in black, took a “Hollywood” attitude and derided crowds across America for their backwater ways.
Things Fall Apart
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 9, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Bente is the last of the Sine Direk features, this one putting a politically charged script penned by Ricky Lee in the hands of Mel Chionglo. The project always brimmed with potential, and combined with a phenomenal cast, Bente had the makings of a real classic. And for the first two acts, the film keeps that promise, delivering a tightly wound tale with great characters and strong imagery. But then the third act comes along, and it all falls apart.
By Any Other Name
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 9, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The Haunted is known as The Deaths of Ian Stone internationally. The name change is pretty strange, especially when you take into account that the movie isn’t actually about a haunting. The only reason I can think of why the distributor would want to change the name of the film is that they didn’t want people looking for reviews of the film only to find that it isn’t a very good movie. And appropriately enough, it’s not a very good movie. And it’s cut for violence. They tried to hide The Haunted, and now we know why.
The 'Tween Tornado
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 9, 2009 in Movie Reviews
I’m ill equipped to review Hannah Montana: The Movie. Obviously, I am far too old and too male to have even the remotest interest in the ‘tween-driven franchise. Having said that, I came in with an open mind, and found a generally good-natured if deeply flawed film. There isn’t a whole lot to say about it all together. I imagine that if you’re a fan of the franchise, this movie is already everything you ever wanted.
Personal Connections
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 2, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The main titles of Dose proclaim it to be “a personal film by Senedy Que.” I do not know exactly what that means, or the implications of such a statement laid on a film with such sensitive subject matter, but it does feel somewhat accurate. Because what ultimately makes this film stand out is its ability to let you in, to so rigorously allow you to get to know the main character of the story. Dose has flaws, but your personal connection with the movie might allow you to ignore them.
Nearing Extinction
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 2, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It’s always a little suspect when any franchise enters a third installment. A cursory look at film history will show you that a good third film is a tremendously rare occurrence, what few examples there are coming from franchises with an overarching storyline. Generally speaking, third movies are the ones where they’ve run out of ideas, written themselves into corners stemming from the idea of actually concluding the previous installments. And so, Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs runs into that very problem, offering no problems left for their characters to overcome, before whisking them away to a completely different world just so that they have something to do. While fun at times, and certainly an easy distraction for children, this middling animated entry feels largely unnecessary.
Garbage
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 1, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Pitik Bulag doesn’t beat around the bush. It opens up with a sex scene, followed by a macho dancer scene, followed by a lesbian scene, none of which have much to with what actually happens in the story. It is this kind of cynical filmmaking that defies criticism, movies so shoddily made, so devoid of any artistic merit that it doesn’t deserve the usual amount of thought that goes into a proper review. All it deserves is disdain; a reflection of the despair one feels that movies like this actually get made. Pitik Bulag is garbage, plain and simple.
Getting Somewhere
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 1, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Villa Estrella is caught between two worlds. On one hand, there’s a decent story here, one with a couple of satisfying twists and decent characterization. On the other hand, there’s a studio that has its own goals and a steady, long-running formula for achieving them. Taken together, the result is a film that’s pretty good by its own right, but one that could’ve been a lot tighter and better cast. Villa Estrella is an effective little horror movie, but it’s not as good as it could’ve been.
A Guide To Eiga Sai 2009
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday June 30, 2009 in Movies
The Japan Foundation Manila brings back Eiga Sai to Shangri-La Plaza from July 2 to July 12. This year’s selection is a lot more modest, but the quality ratio is actually up as they deliver eight dynamite films that showcase a wide variety of recent Japanese cinema. Take a look at this selection and see what grabs your fancy:
Dirty Afternoon
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday June 24, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Big Night would probably like to pretend that it’s the kind of movie that has some sort of social relevance, the kind of movie that can justify the copious amounts of bare breasts that it projects on screen. The truth is, of course, that Big Night is just another exploitation film, serving no other purpose than to provide some dirty old men with an afternoon’s worth of entertainment.
Less Than Meets The Eye
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday June 24, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is about as critic-proof as a movie gets. Regardless of what people will eventually say about how flimsy and nonsensical the plot is or how shallow the characters are, audiences will still rush to the theaters and marvel at the grandness of giant machines bludgeoning each other with various metamorphosed implements of destruction. And really, that’s a perfectly valid way to look at it. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is the kind of film that requires you to turn your brain off. If you can do that, you’re set for some explosive fun. Otherwise, you’re in trouble.
The Compromise
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 18, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Back when I was in Rotterdam, I heard the story of a Thai director who wanted to make a serious dramatic film about a strange Thai ritual, but could only get funding for it when he framed it as a horror film. It turns out that the movie is The Coffin, and it does indeed feel like a serious drama wrapped around a really generic (and locally censored) Asian horror film. While director Ekachai Uekrongtham has a tremendous amount of talent, this obviously isn’t the film he wanted to make.
In Training
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 18, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Given the prevalence of call center work in our country, it’s pretty surprising how few movies actually tackle the ins and outs of the industry. My Fake American Accent attempts to do just that, diving deep into the lives of call center agents, outlining the perks as well as the perils. The film has moments of deep resonance, but fails completely on a technical level, making for a pretty disappointing experience all in all.
We Should Be Insulted
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 18, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Sometimes, I hate my job. This is one of those times. Kamasutra Nights: Maya is more than just a bad movie. It is an endless void of stupidity and pointlessness, the kind of film that makes you hate being in the cinema. It is softcore pornography that’s had thirty minutes of it excised so that it can be shown in Asian cinemas. It is a pure manifestation of stupidity, and I feel horrible to have sat through it.
Why Bother?
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 18, 2009 in Movie Reviews
When I first heard that Mother of Tears was going to be brought to our cinemas, I thought that was a pretty strange choice. First of all, the movie is the third part of a trilogy that hardly anyone ever saw. And secondly, it’s a movie by Dario Argento, a director known for his use of extreme violence and sexuality in his films, which meant that it would invariably be chopped up by the MTRCB. And true enough, the film is hacked up beyond comprehension. Not that it would’ve been a great movie had it been untouched, but that only highlights how pointless the whole exercise is.
Eagle Eye Lite
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 18, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Watching The Echelon Conspiracy is like watching Eagle Eye all over again, going through the same technology-is-out-to-destroy-us motif and running with a hapless civilian who had no choice but to follow the mysterious instructions of an unknown source. And amazingly, while Eagle Eye wasn’t that great of a film, Echelon Conspiracy does everything in its power to make things that much worse.
Better Off Lost
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday June 17, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The story goes something like this: in the 1950s, American Playwright Tennessee Williams, still hot off the success of the film adaptation of his play A Streetcar Named Desire, wrote a screenplay for Elia Kazan. The film was never produced, and the screenplay was ostensibly lost and forgotten as it gathered dust somewhere in a Hollywood filing cabinet. But now the screenplay has resurfaced, and it has finally made to celluloid. But perhaps there is a reason The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond never made it to cinemas before. It is a muddled, unfocused work, and while the trappings of Williams are present, it is far from anything that could be considered on par with the rest of his oeuvre.
A Lot To Learn
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday June 15, 2009 in Movie Reviews
UPCAT earned the distinction of being the top-grossing film of the 2008 Cinema One Originals. Unfortunately, it turns that it didn’t gain an audience because of its quality. UPCAT feels very much like a first film, obviously lacking the sort of discipline and structure that usually makes films watchable. It’s terribly amateurish, copping all sorts of tricks from other films without really understanding their use. This is undoubtedly one of the lesser films of the latest batch of Originals.
Off The Rails
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday June 15, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It is difficult to imagine that many people remember the original Taking of Pelham One Two Three starring Robert Shaw and Walter Mathau. It was a tight little thriller, one that reveled in the nature of New York City, taking a simple heist and using it as a means of exploring the pulse of the metropolis. This new version, with the numbers transformed into their Arabic form, tries to throw in a bunch of twists to the equation. Sadly, these twists don’t really work out, and despite a really strong cast, this remake doesn’t really do justice to its source material.
Survivor's Guilt
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday June 15, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Kamoteng Kahoy takes off from a pretty compelling question: what happens to a small town after a major tragedy befalls them? How does it affect the children? And what if the one responsible was still in their midst? Kamoteng Kahoy answers these questions with a measure of intelligence, but a lack of focus ends up hurting the film overall. Kamoteng Kahoy often shows signs of being a truly great film, but those signs just don’t come together.
Bloodsuckers
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday June 10, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Blood: The Last Vampire is a live-action film adaptation of a Japanese anime film of the same name. In it, a Japanese schoolgirl fights off demons with a katana. If that sounds like a lot of fun, prepare to be disappointed. Blood: The Last Vampire could’ve been a nice bit of schlocky, action-oriented cinema that brought out the oohs and aahs from the audience. Instead, it’s far too messy, gimmicky, and badly shot to be fun.
From Bad to Worse
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday June 10, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The Shinjuku Incident isn’t really what you’d expect from a Jackie Chan film. With this film, Chan takes another stab at becoming a serious actor, hooking up with one of the most celebrated figures of Hong Kong cinema to tell the story of the plight of illegal Chinese immigrants in Japan. It’s an admirable goal, but the result isn’t particularly good. And even if it were, the copious cuts and the ridiculous English dubbing probably would’ve ruined it. The Shinjuku Incident isn’t a very good movie by itself, but all the things done to it afterwards make it seriously unwatchable.
A Guide To The 14th French Film Festival
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday June 5, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
From June 5 to June 14, Shangri-La Cineplex will once again play host to the annual French Film Festival. This year, the lineup includes a slew of Cannes contenders, from Truffaut right up to our local players in Raya Martin and (tentatively) Brillante Mendoza.
Self-Afflicted
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 4, 2009 in Movie Reviews
From Within takes a pretty interesting premise and goes nowhere with it for most of its runtime, before turning it around and delivering a somewhat satisfying ending. The ending doesn’t make up for the rest of the picture, however, a steaming mess of unearned scares, shaky moralization, and tons and tons of Christian bashing. From Within wastes too much time on things that aren’t particularly scary, making for a pretty lousy horror picture.
A Period Piece
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 4, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Dalaw is a strong early contender for worst movie of the year. Imagine a horror movie where the threat isn’t at all threatening, where the worst thing that the characters experience is a quick glimpse of an open-mouthed girl. Imagine that by the end of it, it loses all pretense of telling a cohesive story and just shows a series of unconnected scare scenes, with one scene seemingly inserted for the sole purpose of showing Alvin Patrimonio. Dalaw just about does everything wrong.
The Lives of Others
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 4, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Baby Angelo came out of last year’s batch of Cinemalaya features. It examines the lives of a bunch of people living in a single apartment complex, telling a multitude of stories about apathy, guilt, and regret. It’s an ambitious tack, but it’s one that the movie isn’t all that equipped to deal with. While Baby Angelo is chock full of good ideas, it handles them poorly, leaving audiences with a bunch of interesting stories that don’t quite hold together well enough to matter.
Master Of Horror
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday June 3, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Drag Me to Hell marks Sam Raimi’s return to the genre that made him famous, and it’s a welcome return. While horror has devolved over the last few years into sadistic gorefests or pointless shock cinema, Raimi appears to have remembered exactly why horror became so popular in the first place. Smartly constructed, teeming with memorable visuals, and most importantly, unceasingly fun, Drag Me to Hell is easily the best Hollywood horror movie made in a long while. Welcome back, Mr. Raimi.
The Life And Times Of Saint Biggie
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday June 3, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Notorious tells the true story of Christopher Wallace, A.K.A. Biggie Smalls, A.K.A. The Notorious B.I.G. From his roots as a nerdy mama’s boy growing up in Brooklyn, to his stint as a street hustler serving crack to pregnant women on a corner, to his rise as major rap star in the revolutionary nineties East Coast hip-hop scene. Wallace’s life is a subject ripe for dramatization, but unfortunately, Notorious suffers from many of the pitfalls associated with biopics. While its subject led a colorful, controversial and fascinating life, the movie flattens his life down to a handful of defining moments, letting us know the events, but not the person.
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 28, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Tutok purports to have something important to say about the media and its sensationalist ways. If it does, it has a funny way of going about it. Tutok is a garbled mess of ideas that falls head first into melodramatic territory, in the end becoming just as sensational and overblown as its subject of criticism.
Malaysian Schlock
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 28, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Mountain Spirit is the latest Malaysian horror film to make our shores, and it’s pretty bad. It is hobbled by a script that makes very little sense, effects that make ours look brilliant by comparison, and an overall poor grasp of what makes horror work. And yet, it is a movie that I would recommend over most of the dreck that Hollywood produces. While Mountain Spirit is far from a good film, it does the best it can with what limited resources it was given, producing a film that’s still pretty terrible, but surprisingly entertaining.
Tainted Love
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 28, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Agaton and Mindy, the fourth Sine Direk feature, is a pretty strange film. Right off the bat, it appears to do everything wrong, offering up a disjointed plot about two unlikable teenagers falling in love, and doing with really poor visuals. But then it takes a strange turn in the last act, revealing the possibility that there might be a lot more to it than meets the eye. Agaton and Mindy is either a subversive gem or just terribly misguided. It’s actually pretty hard to tell.
False Messiah
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday May 27, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The biggest hurdle Terminator Salvation has to face is justifying its existence. It could be easily argued that the series reached a satisfactory conclusion by the end of the second movie, and many people feel that the third was largely unnecessary. And this fourth movie, while loud, flashy and ultimately competent, still falls short of feeling like a vital part of the series, providing little in the way of memorable characters or storylines. If you were just looking for explosions, though, you’ve come to the right place.
Jokes Aplenty
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday May 22, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It comes as no surprise that Night at the Museum has warranted a sequel, and as sequels are known to do, it has gone bigger and louder, even moving the action to a much larger museum. But mostly, it goes heavier on the gags, throwing as many jokes as the runtime would allow. As a result, Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian is largely plotless and pretty uneven, though people just looking for an easy laugh will certainly find it in here.
Derelict
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 21, 2009 in Movie Reviews
House is yet another poorly made horror picture that has somehow sneaked into our theaters despite its obvious lack of quality. The comedically generic title says it all: nothing in this film is creative or particularly thought out, leading to a film that feels haphazardly assembled, lacking the cohesion that people tend to expect from their narratives. Add some horrible filmmaking and bad acting, and you’ve got a movie that just begs to be missed.
Overstuffed
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 21, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Litsonero comes in with a lot of potential. It has a pretty good cast, and a subject that hasn’t really been given the attention it deserves. Unfortunately, Litsonero does little to live up to its possibilities, delivering a generally sloppy film, one that just didn’t have the focus or discipline to make everything work.
Fatal Accidents
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 21, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The Accidental Husband is a movie that was relegated to release limbo for over a year, and is yet to be released in the States, despite a cast of recognizable names. It’s not too difficult to see what went wrong here. Featuring a preposterous premise and an unconvincing romance, compounded with bafflingly bad filmmaking, The Accidental Husband is exactly that kind of movie that shouldn’t be released.
A Simpler Time
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 21, 2009 in Movie Reviews
A couple of years ago, Tony Gilroy made his directorial debut with Michael Clayton, a sober look at corporate ethics and the tough choices that people have to make when they decide to grow a conscience. With Duplicity, Gilroy once again tackles the festering insides of modern corporations, but this time, he decides to have some fun with it. While Duplicity has a few big flaws, if you’re willing to take the ride, you can have a lot of fun as well.
Ye of Little Faith
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday May 15, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Three years ago, Ron Howard’s adaptation of The Da Vinci Code hit cinemas and was largely panned for being slow and bloated. Now, Howard returns with a second adapatation of a Dan Brown novel, Angels & Demons, and it appears that Howard has learned his lessons well, picking up the pace and ramping up the fun. Unfortunately, the script doesn’t quite hold together, and it still comes off as a terribly flawed piece of thriller cinema.
Star Trek: What's Next?
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 14, 2009 in Movies
So you’ve just watched the latest Star Trek movie, and you’re hooked. Now you want to dive into the almost five decades worth of Trek media. Where do you start? Let’s see if we can answer that here.
Fists Of Fury
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 14, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Ip Man purports to tell the true story of the man who would eventually teach Bruce Lee kung fu. In reality, it’s nothing like that at all. Ip Man is more of a throwback kung fu flick with larger than life characters and grounded, intelligent fight scenes. It’s pretty refreshing to see the old-school style return, but they’ve brought a lot of the genre’s bad habits as well, and that makes for some pretty uneven viewing.
Touch Me Not
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 14, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Heavenly Touch is director Joel Lamangan’s latest foray into independent filmmaking, and once again, he returns to the realm of the ever-profitable gay-themed movie. And yet again, this movie is little more than an excuse to show off some male genitalia, offering little to the moviegoer who goes to the cinemas for coherent stories or good filmmaking. Heavenly Touch is an ugly wreck of a film, one that doesn’t think that stories matter at all.
Let's Get Serious For A Moment
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 14, 2009 in Movie Reviews
BFF (Best Friends Forever) is an odd little entry into the local comedy scene, telling a story of the complexities of infidelity and the mixed emotions that can come from it, painting them out in several dramatic scenes. But the rest of the movie is just the same slapstick stuff that’s been so prevalent over the last few years, and the dramatic stuff ends up falling flat. BFF is a clear example of the limitations of the current trend in comedic filmmaking; failing at any moment that tries to be serious.
To Boldly Go...
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday May 8, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Star Trek was once the gold standard for science fiction in popular culture. The last few years have been rough on it, however, as the brand got diluted with a couple of subpar series and recycled stories, and new, fresher science fiction series took the reins and showed the world that there are other ways to do things. And so, this new iteration of the franchise comes with the responsibility to revitalize the flagging series. And fortunately enough, it does just that. While relatively light on the sci-fi, this new version of Star Trek will remind audiences what makes the series so special in the first place, and then adds explosions to the mix.
We Are Not Amused
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 7, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Amusement is a film that never reached American theaters, and it’s easy to see why. After much delay, it was relegated to languish on DVD racks. And yet, here it is in our cinemas, filling up the screen with its monumental stupidity and complete lack of storytelling knowhow. And to top it all off, it’s cut. Amusement is a tremendous waste of time and money, and should be ignored completely.
Army Weak
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 7, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Despite the utter failure of her last movie, Blonde Ambition, Jessica Simpson has been given another chance at movie stardom. The result is another movie deemed not good enough for American screens, quickly downgraded to a direct-to-video release. There are several good reasons why Major Movie Star never made it to American screens, and these are all the same reasons that audiences should avoid this movie like the plague.
Scrooge For Love
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 7, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past takes the three-ghosts-visiting-at-night element from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and installs it into your typical commitment-phobic-guy-learns-to-love romantic comedy. It’s a potentially interesting mash-up, but the final product shapes up to be nothing more than typical Hollywood dreck, one that forgets that romance needs to be earned, and that real life isn’t made up of stereotypes.
A Death In The Family
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 7, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Ded Na Si Lolo has set out to depict the Filipino family in mourning, complete with all the superstitions and silliness that surrounds a generally somber event. And they even manage to do it well, to a degree. When the movie isn’t caught up in being wacky, it does reveal a genuine heart that might just win you over. Ded Na Si Lolo could do a lot of things better, but its core is pretty strong.
Old Tricks
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 30, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Death Defying Acts tells a story of a fictional romance between famous escapologist Harry Houdini and a wily Scottish con artist. On paper, that sounds like a recipe for a rollicking good time, full of twists and turns and bouts of magic. In practice, it’s mostly boring. Death Defying Acts lives up to none of its promise, offering the same dull parlor tricks that we’ve seen for decades.
Popcorn Heroics
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 30, 2009 in Movie Reviews
X-Men Origins: Wolverine has no pretensions of being a landmark picture. It never allows itself the wide-eyed contemplation and moral complexity of the superhero films of last year, delivering an almost pure action experience. And if you’re looking for that kind of thing, this movie definitely has your fix. X-Men Origins: Wolverine isn’t big on the details, but it’s big enough in the explosions that it might not matter to most.
Color Blind
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday April 29, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Fuschia starts out as a strange little story about three old people who live together in a strange but surprising arrangement. And then somewhere in the middle, it changes into a movie about an old woman who decides to stand up for what she believes in. It’s an odd switch in focus, one that even the greatest filmmakers in the world would have trouble justifying, and it’s a switch that ultimately makes this movie such a mess.
Preaching To The Choir
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday April 29, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The promotional materials for Padre de Pamilya feature a quote from the chairman of the CBCP, Bishop Soc Villegas. “I am very sure that this troubling film will make our country a better country and our citizens, better citizens.” It’s a tall order for any film to have such a transformative effect on any society, and with all respect to the bishop, Padre de Pamilya isn’t up to that task either. Tone deaf and blunt as a hammer, Padre de Pamilya lacks the sophistication to really make its commentary count.
Curses
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday April 24, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Sumpa tries to be a lot of things. In theory, it’s a horror movie, complete with big shock scenes and oppressive sound design; a mystery film, with a big twist that shocks everybody at the end; and a sexy film, populated with characters filled with tons of lust and passion. In practice, Sumpa accomplishes none of those things. It’s mostly just a bad film.
The Adventures Of Super Mayor
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 23, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Living in the Philippines, we all know how serious typhoons really are. They are incredible forces of nature that can destroy life and home, bringing devastation wherever it passes. And now comes Super Typhoon, a movie that treats the subject with as much seriousness as it possibly can, basically showing us how decisive action and good governance can save a city from attaining massive casualties during a typhoon. It also has a mayor fighting a shark, because sharks are serious business. Super Typhoon may be one of the funniest films of the year.
The Boring Truth
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 23, 2009 in Movie Reviews
“Based on the true story,” the movie begins. The true story, the definitive article implying that this isn’t your run-of-the-mill haunting tale; it’s the haunting tale, the one that people should really know about. Unfortunately, The Haunting in Connecticut is hardly the movie to see, bogged down in lazy and generic storytelling, offering nothing new or compelling to modern audiences.
Screwball Antics
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday April 22, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day is a movie from another decade. It bucks the trend of modern romantic comedies and looks deep into the past to pull inspiration, recalling comedies from the golden age of filmmaking, a mistaken identity tale where people fast-talked their way into and out of ridiculous entanglements, all the while chasing after love. There’s little in here that will probably surprise or stick with you, but the movie does have a good dose of charm, and the performances make it all worthwhile.
The Eighties Again
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday April 17, 2009 in Movie Reviews
17 Again is the first Zac Efron vehicle to take him out of the confines of the bright and cheery world of High School Musical. Strangely enough, they stick him in a movie that’s nearly as tame as his origins, recycling an overused eighties movie trope. Despite all that, 17 Again manages to work somewhat, thanks to pretty strong performances that manage to give these clichés a measure of heart.
Shock Cinema
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday April 17, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The first Crank movie was an interesting experiment. It was an action movie made for a relatively low budget that replaced expensive special effects and explosions with manic speed and outright depravity. It was brash and it was silly and had a surprising amount of heart despite all the vulgarity, and though it was mostly a love-or-hate proposition, those who loved it could watch it for days on end. Crank: High Voltage brings the same low-budget approach, but amps up the depravity and the randomness, producing a film that’s still fun in spurts, but doesn’t hold together nearly as well.
Right Behind You
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday April 14, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Question: did Friday the 13th really need a remake? The answer: no, not really. The movie, despite its cult status, is really a lesser entry in the canon of horror movies. But they’ve done it now, and what they’ve created is an even lesser entry. This remake takes everything that could be considered unique in the original movie and replaces it with a single stupid trick repeated about a dozen times.
Structurally Unsound
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday April 14, 2009 in Movie Reviews
On paper, T2 has a lot of things going for it. A good premise, combined with a reliable director and a genuinely strong star ought to add up to a pretty good movie. But T2 just misses the mark with a structurally flawed script and a reliance on special effects that doesn’t really help the movie overall.
Keeping it Real
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Saturday April 11, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela attempts to blur the line between reality and fiction, taking a real transsexual person and her story and combining it with fictional narrative elements to create a hybrid film experience. It doesn’t always work, but the attempt is admirable, and the main character of the film makes up for many of the film’s weaker moments with genuine charm and honesty.
The Escapists
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Saturday April 11, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Slumdog Millionaire is the antithesis of the prestige pictures of years past. 2007, in particular, was about dark, complex pictures that also served as meditations on the evil that men are capable of. Slumdog Millionaire does away with all that, attacking the screen with unyielding optimism and joy, bringing the audience into an escapist fantasy world where every underdog will get his day. It’s an approach that comes with flaws, but it’s an enjoyable romp, nonetheless.
Devolution
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Saturday April 11, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The press materials for Dragonball: Evolution claim that the filmmakers were trying to put a fresh spin on Akira Toriyama’s insane popular franchise. Amazingly enough, what they’ve done is the opposite: excising everything that was original or interesting about Dragonball and replacing them with every last Hollywood cliché you can think of. Combined that with bad filmmaking, and what you get is a pretty bad movie.
Empty Sacrifice
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday April 3, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Pasang Krus tries to tell a story with a pretty familiar theme: that of a long-suffering mother who sacrifices everything for her children. At one point, the movie actualizes this central theme by painting the mother character as an actual Christ, carrying a cross up to Calvary and getting nails driven through her palms. It’s a heady image, but it isn’t one that Pasang Krus earns. For all the suffering portrayed in this picture, it’s actually pretty difficult to feel sorry for anyone in the film.
They Repeat
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 2, 2009 in Movie Reviews
They Wait is yet another horror film about a mother trying to protect her family from a supernatural threat. Despite that, the movie had a chance to be pretty good, with some decent filmmaking and acting, but a promising start ends up being squandered as the film devolves into an uninteresting mystery while prominently featuring the genre’s worst habits.
All Bark, No Bite
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 2, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Over the last few years, Russia has become a rather interesting place for filmmaking, as a new generation of filmmakers emerges with grand ambitions of making Hollywood-style blockbuster films. Wolfhound continues this trend, aiming to be something akin to the epic fantasies of the last few years. Unfortunately, it misses the mark, and the version we’re getting here makes things even worse.
Pet Peeves
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 2, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective is the latest in a seemingly growing line of direct-to-video movies that inexplicably get shown in our theaters. When a movie goes direct-to-video, there’s usually a very good reason for it, and in this case, the reasons are plenty. Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective is a sequel that nobody in the world asked for, a movie from a franchise way past its time, missing the star that made the role, featuring amateurish filmmaking, zero comedic timing, and a whole lot of lines that make you want to groan.
Stalled
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 2, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Fast and Furious is the first movie of the franchise produced by Vin Diesel. One of the conditions of him coming back to the franchise was that he’d get to choose the direction they’d go, and to this end, Diesel brings back much of the original cast, taking the series back to its roots. Unfortunately, it turns out that the original cast wasn’t all the good to begin with, and the roots of the series have gotten a little rotten over the years. Fast and Furious is neither fast nor furious, stalling in every scene that calls for any sort of emotion.
The Undercard
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday March 27, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Monsters vs. Aliens marks Dreamworks Animation’s first big step in a brave new direction. From here on in, every animated film they produce will be available in 3D. It’s fitting that the first movie in this bold new step features monsters and aliens, a tip of a hat to the heritage of the technology. For the most part, Monsters vs. Aliens is fun enough that it makes their future projects seem really intriguing. On its own, it’s okay, but it could be a lot better.
Not All That New, Actually
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 26, 2009 in Movie Reviews
New In Town doesn’t have much to offer the moviegoer looking for something original. That shouldn’t be that big of a problem, considering how genuinely difficult it is to come up with stories that haven’t been done before. The real problem here is that they’re not even trying anymore, producing a terribly bland and unsatisfying movie experience.
Yelling
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 26, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Nicolas Cage is a bit of an enigma. Once considered one of the most talented and daring actors in America, he has over the last few years become a somewhat comedic figure, less likely to turn in compelling, realistic performances than to do some bug-eyed, crazy yelling. Unfortunately, Knowing features much of that said yelling, all wrapped up in a pretty incoherent story. While some interesting things do happen, it’s difficult to see it as anything other than crazy.
Weak In The Knees
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday March 25, 2009 in Movie Reviews
12 Rounds fashions itself as a back-to-basics action movie, one that eschews the new genre conventions and goes back to the outright big-explosion silliness of a previous era of moviemaking. It has all the right elements: a director from said action movie era, a muscle-bound action hero, and a plot lifted straight from Die Hard with a Vengeance. Unfortunately, it fails to hit its marks, coming off as inferior to the movies it seeks to emulate. 12 Rounds has pep, but little else.
Trilogy Of Failure
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 19, 2009 in Movie Reviews
One would think that it wouldn’t be so difficult to make a Punisher film. The character, with his sense of vigilante justice and grim and gritty outlook, seems well suited for a medium that’s produced hundreds of these tales, from rough and tumble Westerns to the tough cop tales of the seventies. And yet, Punisher: War Zone is the third movie that features the character, and it’s the third movie that fails miserably. It’s badly shot, poorly written and neutered to an R13 level. The Punisher deserves better than this.
Inessential Fantasy
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 19, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The trailers of The Secret of Moonacre begin with a quote from J.K. Rowling about how much she loves the book that the movie is based on, and how she was inspired by it to write the Harry Potter series because of it. It’s a good endorsement for the book, though it doesn’t really say much about the movie. And honestly, there isn’t much to say about the movie at all. While there’s an interesting world to be seen in the film, a weak script and awkward directing make the movie feel completely unnecessary.
Unavoidable Comparisons
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 19, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Sundo could’ve been a far more interesting film. There’s actually a good dose of talent involved in the project, and if they were willing to take more risks, they could’ve created a braver, more emotionally satisfying version of the Final Destination movies. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do that, and while there’s still some good in the picture, everything ends up feeling a little mediocre.
False Start
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday March 13, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Race to Witch Mountain resurrects the mostly (but unjustly) forgotten series of sci-fi family movies produced by Disney n the late seventies, starting with Escape to Witch Mountain. This movie takes a different tack from the original series of films, going with a much bigger adventure that pits the characters against a mess of adversaries in a plea to save the world from destruction. It really could’ve been something, but lackluster direction hampers it to no end.
The Unscary
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday March 11, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The last decade or so of original American horror movies has been pretty rough, the form degenerating into a series of cheap thrills lacking any sort of real tension and suspense. The Unborn is another example of this disheartening trend, a movie so interested in screaming “boo” at the audience that it forgot to have more basic things, like a tight plot, or compelling characters, or sense.
Suburban Glamour
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday March 11, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Revolutionary Road may be proof positive that there are some stories that just can’t be adapted. While there is a lot of talent being showcased on screen, both in front of and behind the camera, the movie falls short of delivering its punches. Lacking the space that literature provides, Revolutionary Road fails to let us glimpse into these character’s souls, creating a finely crafted film that lacks resonance.
Blood Simple
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday March 11, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Taken isn’t a movie that’s going to change your life. It isn’t going to educate you about the issue of human trafficking in Europe. It will not raise difficult philosophical questions about the nature of man. It will do none of these things, but it’s fine. Taken is a movie that knows exactly what it wants to give you, and it does so effectively. As a pure entertainment, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Slow Death
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday March 6, 2009 in Movie Reviews
First the good news: the R13 cuts don’t ruin Watchmen. For those who were worried that the entire film would be chopped up to the point of incoherence can rest easy, because only one sequence is significantly shortened, and it’s easy to live without it. The bad news is there wasn’t really a whole lot to ruin. This movie does a good enough job of ruining itself, with its comedically glacial pace, excessive run time, terrible acting, uninteresting direction, and a general tendency to miss the point. Watchmen is depressingly bad.
The Price of Independence
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 5, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Padyak is certainly an ambitious little movie, but the final product is less than exciting. It is yet another in a growing line of government supported independent films that seemingly have a lot to say, but lack the discipline and the ability to say these things in a cohesive and watchable way. What we end up with are glaringly unsophisticated works that just aren’t a whole lot of fun to watch.
Culture Clash
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 5, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Shaolin Girl exists as a strangely intriguing cultural artifact. What happens when you take a hit movie with significant cultural ties to its country of origin and try to transplant its themes and visuals to a place with a completely different cultural makeup? Apparently, what happens is that people get really confused. Shaolin Girl picks up all the wrong things from its spiritual predecessor, reflecting the form, but none of the spirit.
Batista: A Superstar At 40
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday March 4, 2009 in Featured Artist
They call him “The Animal.” At 6 foot 6 and 290 pounds, with explosive speed and power in the ring, Batista is portrayed as having come from a more primal form of life, more in touch with a basic energy that we’ve more or less forgotten as we’ve gotten used to living sedentary lives. He comes with bodyguards; large, black-clad men with sunglasses who let their scowls speak for them. But honestly, if stuff started to go down, it isn’t very likely that Batista would need the help.
Game Over
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 26, 2009 in Movie Reviews
1994 gave us Street Fighter: The Movie, the first attempt to bring the popular fighting video game series to the big screen. The result was not received very well; owing to the fact the movie just wasn’t very good. And so, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li enters theaters without much to live up to. But quite amazingly, this movie makes the first one seem like The Godfather in comparison. Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li is an early candidate for worst film of the year.
Changed For The Better
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday February 25, 2009 in Movies, Local Movies, Movie Reviews
In my review of A Very Special Love, I wrote that despite liking some parts of the film, I was generally frustrated with it because of its inability to escape its kilig-centric approach to love, never really earning the intense, weighty drama that’s present in the movie. And now, its sequel You Changed My Life enters cinemas, and though it’s still rough around the edges, it does a lot to improve what came before it. You Changed My Life is more mature, more developed, and a far more balanced film.
Breaking The Bank
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday February 25, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It’s all a question of approach: what’s the best way to tackle the pitfalls and intricacies of international banking? Director Tom Tykwer has taken an unmistakably unusual route towards this goal: a big budget action thriller. The International, then, is a pretty strange film, a begrudgingly timely, politically minded, ideological film that tries very hard to move and feel like an action flick. Certainly not the easiest balancing act to make, and true enough, despite some clever filmmaking and a solid cast, the final product just doesn’t work out.
Prestige Gloss
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday February 25, 2009 in Movie Reviews
A few years ago, Kate Winslet guested on Ricky Gervais’ Extras, playing a parody version of herself, doing a movie about the holocaust purely for its awards potential. Today, she’s actually done it in real life, and it’s both hilarious and tragic. The Reader is exactly the kind of movie that’s worthy of parody, the kind of meticulously constructed, coldly calculated prestige picture designed to win awards, falling neatly into the safe hallmarks of terribly “serious” award-winning pictures. It’s certainly nothing that can categorically be called bad, but its outright Oscar-baiting just isn’t very compelling.
On Our Shelves: La Visa Loca
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday February 20, 2009 in Local Movies, On Our Shelves
La Visa Loca Written and Directed by Mark Meily Starring Robin Padilla, Rufa Mae Quinto, Johnny Delgado, Paul Holme, Tessie Tomas, Noel Trinidad, Isay Alvarez, Robert Sena, Marissa Sanchez Originally released in 2005 by Unitel Productions Released on DVD by Cinefilipino (Unico Entertainment)
Having It Both Ways
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 19, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It’s somewhat strange that He’s Just Not Into You turned out to be a romantic comedy. It’s just a bit contradictory, since the source material is really fighting against the sort of thinking ever present in films of the genre, the romantic claptrap that the book claims is harmful to the female psyche. It’s the defining problem of this project, mixing classic Hollywood sensibilities with the pessimistic outlook of the book. It’s a recipe for a really confused message.
Retail Therapy
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 19, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Confessions of a Shopaholic doesn’t really have a lot to offer. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the movie takes a blockbuster approach to the romantic comedy, filling the screen with big visuals while barely providing a workable plot. It’s the kind of empty entertainment that we’ve come to expect from Hollywood, elevated mostly by a strong leading lady and a surprisingly strong supporting cast.
The End Of The Road
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday February 18, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Gran Torino is reportedly Clint Eastwood’s final foray into acting. If it’s true, then it’s wildly appropriate. The movie is one of the oddest I’ve seen in a while, with wild variations in scripting and tone, confounding expectations as much as it fulfills them. It all frays around its edges, but at its core is a man who happens to be Dirty Harry and the Man With No Name, telling us the end to all his stories, putting his characters to rest. Gran Torino is definitely uneven, but it’s also infinitely watchable.
Wine And Conversation
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday February 18, 2009 in Movie Reviews
After all these years, there are still only a few people who can speak as eloquently and as insightfully about the pitfalls of modern relationships than Woody Allen. And that’s pretty evident in his latest film Vicky Cristina Barcelona, where he delves once again into romantic entanglements, producing a terribly intelligent film; one of his better ones in the last decade.
Valentine Follies
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 12, 2009 in Local Movies, Movie Reviews
When I Met U is the second film that pairs showbiz royalty Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion. Their first picture, For the First Time, was a pretty lackluster affair more concerned with showing off the stars than telling a compelling story. But there was a seed of hope in there: the pairing more or less worked well, and Ms. Concepcion in particular was showing off a talent that, given time, could really turn into something great. Unfortunately, When I Met U takes that seed and throws in the garbage. Rushed to the point of incomprehensibility, this movie was never interested in being good.
Twice Broken
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 12, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The Pink Panther 2 is the requisite sequel to the critically reviled but financially successful 2006 reboot of the series. Like all sequels, it goes bigger, bringing in guest stars aplenty and taking it all international. But Pink Panther 2 does not feel bigger at all. At this point, they’re all just going through the motions, creating a film that feels more perfunctory than anything else.
Lost In The Shuffle
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 12, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Push comes into the theaters with a severe handicap: it’s a movie about people with superpowers being chased by a government agency. Five years ago, that would’ve been all right, but today there’s a sense of weariness about the whole thing that just drags the movie down. Adding another world and another mythology, particularly a convoluted one, to geek cinema lore just doesn’t seem like a great idea. But there are interesting things being done in this movie, stuff that will sadly be forgotten as this movie gets lost in the shuffle. Push feels pretty forgettable right now, though it’s probably okay in the long run.
The New History
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 12, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The first thing you need to know about Valkyrie is that it’s a blockbuster. You might come into the theater thinking that it’s more of a period drama, an extended examination of a doomed plot and the people behind it. But really, it’s a Hollywood thriller, and a pretty effective one at that. Going into the theater with that mindset makes Valkyrie thoroughly more enjoyable. More than that, though, and you might be disappointed.
On Our Shelves: Crying Ladies
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday February 6, 2009 in Local Movies, On Our Shelves
Crying Ladies Written and Directed by Mark Meily Starring Sharon Cuneta, Eric Quizon, Hilda Koronel, Angel Aquino, Ricky Davao, Julio Pacheco, Raymond Bagatsing, Shamaine Buencamino, Sherry Lara Originally released in 2003 by Unitel Productions Released on DVD by Cinefilipino (Unico Entertainment)
Flatlined
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday February 6, 2009 in Movie Reviews
High on the list of pointless things are: 1) 3D movies that are not in 3D, and 2) schlocky exploitation horror films that have much of the violence and nudity cut out of them. The version of My Bloody Valentine in our theaters is both of those things. I’d love to tell fans of schlock horror that there’s a hilariously fun slasher film out there that also happens to be in 3D, but that’s not the movie I saw today. Unfortunately, they cut out the heart of this picture.
Lightweight
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 5, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Seven Pounds has an air of gravitas around it, an unflinching sense of self-importance that just urges viewers to empathize with what’s happening on screen. Unfortunately, the reality that’s actually present in the movie isn’t one that lends itself to being cared about. When the film reaches its climax, that one scene that’s designed to really get you, it’s most likely just going to leave you scratching your head.
A Boy And His Dog
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 5, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The American family, in recent years, has generally not fared well in the cinema. While movies tend to glamorize the creation of a family, the romance leading up to marriage and having children, they often end up portraying the subsequent years as dark times where marriages devolve into diplomatic exercises in hiding deceit and children grow up completely unable to connect with the people who spawn them. Now, in contrast to these tales of suburban horror, emerges, Marley & Me, a film that actually manages to show audiences that despite all the angst, American families can turn out to be functional and happy. The approach has some major flaws, but the final product turns out to be pretty refreshing.
Keeping The Faith
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 5, 2009 in Movie Reviews
When it comes to plays that are adapted for the big screen, it all comes down to the material. If the original material is strong to begin with, there’s very little that can be done to ruin it when it’s translated to the screen. This is the case with Doubt, an already good play that’s now been turned into a pretty good movie. Though the filmmaking can come off as either too basic or misguided, strong material plus strong performances still add up to a pretty good picture.
The Case For Hope
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday February 5, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It is almost easy to underestimate Milk. One can be tempted to dismiss the praise as a shroud of political correctness, as partisan support for the movie’s espoused views. It’s something that I was wary of coming in, because I was afraid that my sympathy for the film’s politics might blind me from the film’s flaws. But my fears were unfounded, because while the politics are certainly integral to the picture, the quality of the movie goes far beyond my political sentiments. Milk is quite simply, one of the best biopics I’ve ever seen.
How To Say It
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday February 4, 2009 in Indie Films, Local Movies, Movie Reviews
Committing some form of social commentary to film is always a tricky proposition, often leading to didactic, melodramatic works that just yell their point at audiences. But here comes Jay, with its deadpan, anti-sensational look into the manipulation so prevalent in our news media. It’s darkly funny and strikingly tragic all at the same time, exhibiting an intelligence that’s rarely seen these days. Though there are bits of it that nag at me, overall, it’s one of my favorite films from last year.
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: The Last Day
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Sunday February 1, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
WRAPPING UP Technically, there's still one more day to the festival, but for most of the attendees, tonight is the final day. The last day of the Rotterdam Festival is blocked off for the readers of a Dutch newspaper, so by then, most of the regular attendees, as well as the press and the guests of the festival, including myself, will have headed off to their respective home countries.
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: Day Nine
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Saturday January 31, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
AWARDS NIGHT
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: Day 8
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday January 30, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
I had some free time last night, and I thought it would be interesting to go see what a Dutch audience would think of one of our films. And since I have to write a proper review of it soon anyway, I decided to attend a public screening of Francis Xavier Pasion’s Jay. And so:
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: Day Seven
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday January 29, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
FESTIVAL FATIGUE It is around this time, more experienced festival journalists tell me, that one begins to experience what is called “festival fatigue.” Just a little over halfway through the festival, the strain of having to watch so many movies consecutively and writing about them combines with some level of homesickness and grinds you down. And I am indeed feeling it. Between writing here and for the festival’s newspaper The Daily Tiger and participating in Jury deliberations and just trying to catch movies that I want to see, it’s all getting to be a bit too much.
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: Day Six
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday January 28, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
CINEMA CITY
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: Day Five
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday January 27, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
MEET THE CRITIC
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: Day Four
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday January 26, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
THE LIBRARY
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: Day Three
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Sunday January 25, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
HERE COMES THE SUN
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: Day Two
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Saturday January 24, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
JURY OF SIX One of the most interesting parts of the young critics training program is that the six of us get to participate in the FIPRESCI jury deliberations. FIPRESCI is the international federation of film critics, and they hand out big prizes at several film festivals. So the six of us get to discuss the films in competition with far more experienced critics from around the world, and in the end, the six of us count for one vote in the jury. We fully expect to be arguing about our vote continuously until it's actually time to give out the awards. Good times.
On Our Shelves: Rizal Sa Dapitan
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday January 23, 2009 in On Our Shelves
Rizal sa Dapitan Directed by Amable Aguiluz Written by Jose Lacaba, Vic Torres, Noel Vera, Lualhati Bautista, Mirana Medina, and Amable Aguiluz Starring Albert Martinez, Amanda Page, Jaime Fabregas, Candy Pangilinan, Roy Alvarez Originally released in 1997 by Independent Cinema Association of the Philippines Released on DVD by Viva Home Video
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: Day One
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday January 23, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
THE ARRIVAL A trip to the Netherlands amounts to about a fifteen-hour flight. Fifteen hours of flight time (which incidentally, includes six movies and five hours of not moving) adds up to a very addled mind. It took me a while to figure out how to get to Rotterdam from Schipol Airport. It took even more time just to figure out where the festival actually was. Street signs in Holland are all in Dutch, and the street names are pretty much unpronounceable for the average English speaker. And when you’ve just come off of a fifteen-hour flight, you can barely read as it is.
ClickTheCity At Rotterdam: Introduction
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday January 21, 2009 in Festivals, Movies
As this goes up, I will be on a plane bound for the Netherlands, where I will be attending this year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam. I will be blogging from the festival, providing capsule reviews of films that I see, news stories from the festival, and general ramblings about how cold it is in the Netherlands.
Honey Coated
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday January 21, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The Secret Life of Bees does a lot of things right. Though the movie is sometimes afraid of dealing with the issues inherent to its setting, it’s still able to provide ample amounts of emotion and a good deal of character drama. The movie ends up providing strong visuals and a pretty heartfelt tale, though there’s a distinct feeling that it isn’t everything it could be.
Affirmative
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday January 21, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Yes Man takes a pretty ridiculous premise and just runs with it. The trick here is that they run just quickly enough with it, with arms flailing and Jim Carrey’s face contorting, that it’s almost difficult to notice the deep holes in the concept. The holes somewhat reveal themselves in the end as they try to dredge up some manufactured Hollywood sentiment, but it still ends up being a mostly positive experience.
War Never Changes
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday January 16, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Bride Wars takes the “women get obsessive about weddings” trope and runs hog wild with it, crafting a contentious tale about two best friends who seem to prize the single celebration more than their own relationship, and drive each other into a messy war of sabotage and hurt feelings, all to reach an ending that audiences will already expect without even having taken a step inside the theater. Bride Wars is a genuine must-miss movie.
Wide, Empty Spaces
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday January 16, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Love Me Again (Land Down Under), like all movies of its ilk, tries to sell us on the semblance of some great love set in a foreign land. It throws everything at you: the “killer” lines, the soft, synthesized music, and lots of meaningful stares out into the distance. Unfortunately, the love they’re selling isn’t all that great. Unless you already have a personal stake in this movie’s pairing, Love Me Again is largely a failure.
Boo
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday January 16, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The Haunting of Molly Hartley tries pretty hard to be a scream-worthy horror flick. It doesn’t really have much in the plot department, with the story never quite leading to anything that makes sense, and any appeal this film has is in its ability to elicit screams from the audience. Unfortunately, all it’s got are a bunch of loud noises and people who just can’t resist sneaking up on other people. It would be scary if you were three. Otherwise, it gets old real fast.
Year In Film 2008
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday January 15, 2009 in Movies
Frankly speaking, 2008 wasn’t the greatest year for movies. By the second half of the year, the effects of the writer’s strike were beginning to be felt, with a series of half-baked scripts being rushed into production for fear of a screenplay drought. That’s hardly ever a recipe for success. Not to say that there weren’t any good films in the previous year. In 2008, we saw the blockbuster movie grow up. Around the world, filmmakers were finding their voices. And locally, a few small productions were far better than most of what was out there. Here’s my list of the best films that made it into our theaters in the previous year.
Stranger Than Fiction
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday January 14, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Changeling presents a rather unique challenge to the moviegoer: it is a true story that is inherently more bizarre than your average fictional mystery. Though Changeling is undoubtedly thoroughly researched and generally well-made, relentlessly flat characters, odd narrative choices, egregiously manipulative directing and strangely hollow performances ultimately undermine the movie’s intended effect.
On Our Shelves: Bayaning 3rd World
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday January 9, 2009 in On Our Shelves
Bayaning 3rd World Directed by Mike de Leon Written by Clodualdo del Mundo Jr. and Mike de Leon Starring Ricky Davao, Cris Villanueva, Joel Torre, Lara Fabregas, Cherry Pie Picache, Rio Locsin, Daria Ramirez, Joonee Gamboa, Ed Rocha Originally released in 2000 by Cinema Artists Released on DVD by Viva Home Video
My City Screams
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday January 9, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Frank Miller’s The Spirit has garnered a lot of negative attention on the internet since its release, running the gamut from mainstream critical panning to out-and-out fanboy rage over the ruining of a classic comic character. This movie probably doesn’t deserve as much hate as it’s gotten, but there’s no way you can call it a good film. Miller’s lack of experience behind the camera inevitably drains The Spirit.
Bending The Rules
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday January 9, 2009 in Movie Reviews
The Transporter series has made its success based mostly on its ability to go against the flow. Whereas the general movement of action films is towards more cerebral plots and realistic action, the two previous Transporter films bucked the trend and just shot some of the most ridiculous car stunts and action sequences tied to the most basic of plots, all held together by Jason Statham’s ability to look really good when punching someone. And it worked, mostly because the movies never let anything get in the way of its frantic action. Transporter 3 does many of the same things, but stumbles a bit with the added weight of a really clunky plot.
The Same Old Story
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday January 8, 2009 in Movie Reviews
Once upon a time, there was a boy named Adam Sandler. The boy had a lot of talent, but most of it went into playing the same character over and over again in increasingly mediocre films. Dissatisfied with his plight, Sandler took on more challenging projects in Punch Drunk Love and Spanglish. He gave it his all, and the work was great, but people did not appreciate it. And then Adam said, “people like me better when I’m being mediocre. I might as well be lazy.” And so Adam Sandler went on to play the same characters over and over again, with less and less regard for story and plotting. And that’s where we are today with Bedtime Stories, a generally inoffensive but mostly uninspired piece of kiddie cinema.
The Man Behind The Curtain
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday January 8, 2009 in Movie Reviews
It is entirely too easy to get swept up in the sheer grandeur of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It is a technical triumph to say the least, resurrecting the term “movie magic” all on its own, evoking a feeling of astonishment that not even the largest of blockbusters could ever replicate. Combined with a stellar cast, this movie has the makings of being one of the best of the year. The sum, however, is decidedly less than its parts, and though Benjamin Button is still a spectacle to be seen, one can’t shake the feeling that it may just be smoke and mirrors.
Lowering the Bar
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday December 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
After four installments, the Enteng Kabisote franchise takes a break in order to bring another classic television show to the big screen. Unfortunately, Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After has very little in common with the show that it spawned from. Instead, it’s another bar-lowering variety production that doesn’t even try to tell a cohesive story. While it’s fun to see the cast together again, there isn’t a lot of that to go around.
Re-mothered
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday December 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat will be one of the bigger films of this year’s festival. The first movie was a tremendous hit back in 2003, and its stars and broad humor will probably hold the same appeal that it did back then. But having said that, it isn’t a particularly good film. Weak filmmaking and a mostly underdeveloped script keep the film from being anything above the norm.
Christmas Grab Bag
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday December 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
It’s a bit strange that a horror anthology has become a bit of a Christmas tradition for our country. But once again, Shake Rattle & Roll returns with a tenth installment, bringing three new horror/fantasy stories to frighten children over Christmastime. The result is also tradition: a mixed bag of stories that range in quality from poor to somewhat okay.
Back to Basics
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday December 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Last year, Katas ng Saudi, in all its earnestness, proved to be the best movie of the festival, despite no one actually seeing it. This year, Magkaibigan proves to do the same, showcasing a beautiful depth of emotion not present in any of the other filmfest films. And once again, it looks likes it’s going to excel in obscurity. Hopefully, people will want to seek out quality.
Mixed Messages
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday December 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Desperadas was last year’s big surprise hit, a second week filler that drew in audiences mostly due to the drawing power of its four lead stars. Of course, a sequel was in order, and Desperadas 2 competes in this year’s festival, and the result is much of the same. The tagline is “all they need is more love,” and it couldn’t be more appropriate. This script could’ve used more love. The filmmaking could’ve used more love. Desperadas 2 is a quick cash-in that doesn’t really deserve anybody’s time.
It Takes Time
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday December 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Dayo marks a pretty important step for the local animation industry. With technology briding the gap in resources from foreign productions, it’s left to the skill of our animators to produce a world-class picture. And the skill is definitely there, producing a well-animated, generally well-made film. And if they weren’t rushing to finish it for the filmfest, it might have been something even better.
Short Time Fun
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday December 25, 2008 in Movie Reviews
One Night Only One Night Only is being marketed mostly for the five beautiful actresses playing the leads in the film. It’s a valid approach, certainly, but it doesn’t really do justice to how good the film actually is. Though the story could’ve used a bit more work, there’s a lot of fun to be had watching these shenanigans unfold. Don’t be fooled: this isn’t just another sexy film. Behind the five sexy leads, there’s some really solid filmmaking going on.
Epic Fail
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday December 25, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Baler really ought to be good. Mark Meily teamed up with a humongous cast of great actors and given a budget that can properly serve up the period visuals? That sounds like a recipe for success. And yet, Baler is a failure; a pretty big one at that. While the movie will give you lots of pretty things to look at, a terrible script pretty much ensures that it isn’t worth more than a passing glance.
A Preview Of The 34th Metro Manila Film Festival
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday December 19, 2008 in Festivals, Local Movies
It's that time of year again. This Christmas, eight local films get the theaters all to themselves to compete for the population’s attention. Here’s a quick look at the eight films.
On Our Shelves: Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday December 19, 2008 in On Our Shelves
Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa Directed by Lino Brocka Written by Tony Perez, Mario O’Hara and Orlando Nadres Starring Jay Ilagan, Hilda Koronel, Anita Linda, Lolita Rodriguez, Mario O’Hara, Mary Walter Originally Released in 1974 by Cinemanila Released on DVD by Cinefilipino (Unico Entertainment)
Overcooked
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday December 18, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Dumplings is an interesting little horror film from Hong Kong; one that doesn’t fall under the umbrella of Asian horror. Using some truly disturbing ideas to highlight some of society’s ills, the movie takes audiences on an uncomfortable trip down a pretty horrible path. That, combined with some strong filmmaking might make this film worth your while, even if the film feels a bit overcooked.
Leave It To Linda
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday December 17, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Anita Linda has had a long illustrious career, starring in the films of some of our most esteemed filmmakers. Now at 84 years old, it’s clear that she’s still one of the best. Beautifully low-key, well-shot, and well-made, there are a lot of good reasons to see Adela. But when you really get down to it, Anita Linda might be the best reason of all.
Caged Bird Don't Sing
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday December 11, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Lovebirds has a somewhat intriguing premise, sounding something Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner places into the context of homosexuality and the Filipino Family. There’s a lot of potential in it, to be sure, but the final product just doesn’t coming close to realizing it. An undercooked script and an overt theatricality keeps Lovebirds from really taking flight.
When Hollywood Attacks
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday December 11, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Day the Earth Stood Still built up a pretty difficult task for itself. It is no joke to remake one of the greatest science fiction movies ever made, and to do it in the form of an effects-heavy Hollywood blockbuster sounds like a doubly risky proposition. True to form, the Hollywoodization of the classic has done it no favors. Though generally still pretty watchable, there’s no denying that this is the inferior version.
On Our Shelves: Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday December 5, 2008 in On Our Shelves
Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang Directed by Lino Brocka Written by Mario O’Hara and Lino Brocka Starring Lolita Rodriguez, Christopher de Leon, Mario O’Hara, Eddie Garcia, Lilia Dizon, Hilda Koronel Original Released in 1974 by Cinemanila Released on DVD by Cinefilipino (Unico Entertainment)
Holiday Humdrum
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday December 4, 2008 in Movie Reviews
There are a very few holiday-themed movies that really stand out. Most holiday movies nowadays are usually focus grouped down to the most watered down, disingenuous version of whatever story they originally wanted to tell. This is the case with Four Christmases, which has the slightest traces of inspiration obscured by gallons of manufactured glee.
Copped Out
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday December 4, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Pride and Glory feels like a whole bunch of other films before it. It is yet another by the numbers cop family drama where a detective has to make a tough choice regarding some sort of police corruption. It’s the kind of thing that ought to draw out little more than a profound indifference in people. Strong directing gives the movie some life, but in the end, it just feels unnecessary.
The Second-Rate Version
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday December 4, 2008 in Movie Reviews
In 2007, a little Spanish film called [Rec] came out of nowhere and gave the flagging horror genre a shot in the arm with its innovative conceit and barebones approach. And now, Hollywood’s come around to remake [Rec] in the form of Quarantine. And for the most part, Quarantine does a lot of what [Rec] did right. But it’s also a little slower, a little longer, and it just doesn’t have the same punch.
The Elements Of Style
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday December 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Local mainstream movies have largely become homogenous, falling into one of four very well established genres. The independent scene, on the other hand, has mostly ignored genre work. So when a mystery/thriller like Cul de Sac comes out, it ought to get your attention. While heavily flawed in the plotting department, Cul de Sac might just have enough style to keep that attention.
Death Becomes Her
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday December 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Chris Martinez’s 100 was one of the breakout films of this year’s Cinemalaya, and it’s pretty easy to see why. 100 is a wonderfully sophisticated work that lifts up your heart even as it breaks it. Smartly written and strongly directed, this is the kind of film that gets me excited about local cinema, and hopefully, it’ll excite you, too.
Sex, Thugs, Rock And Roll
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday December 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
After a couple of missteps in Swept Away and Revolver, Guy Ritchie returns to doing what he does best: telling stories about clever criminals making good in a ridiculous set of circumstances. RockNRolla is classic Ritchie, containing all the good and bad that his movies often entail. But mostly, it’s just feels right that’s he come back to it.
Insanely Inept
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 27, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Filipino comedy has probably suffered the most through the troubles of the local industry. Today’s comedies feature none of the cleverness of films past, relying on bottom-of-the-barrel lowbrow humor and odd special effects to get a reaction out of audiences. Scaregivers is yet another one of these films, which just continually set the bar lower and lower for our local comedies.
Lifeless
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 27, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Twilight is the kind of thing that elicits very extreme reactions from people. There are groups that speak of it in bounds of rapture and excitement, and there are those who proclaim it the death of all literature. The movie based on the novel is likely to do the same, and as with most things, the truth probably lies somewhere in between. Twilight is neither brilliant nor horrible. Taken objectively, viewed without the shades of either fandom or hatred, it’s just kind of “meh.”
Old Dog, New Tricks
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday November 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Disney Animation, once the gold standard in crafting animated films, has lost most of its luster over the last ten years. Their forays into CGI animated features has produced a tiny crop of subpar films that pale in comparison to anything that newer and more inventive studios were putting out. But Bolt is a different case. It seems that the reacquisition of Pixar has done the studio good, and the influence of the company’s master storytellers has brought a renewed focus to crafting strong narratives with compelling characters. Bolt is a breath of fresh air for the company, and a wonderful promise for things to come.
On Our Shelves: Ang Tatay Kong Nanay
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday November 21, 2008 in On Our Shelves
Ang Tatay Kong Nanay Directed by Lino Brocka Written by Orlando Nadres Starring Dolphy, Lorli Villaneuva, Philip Salvador, Niño Muhlach, Marissa Delgado Originally Released in 1978 by Lotus Films Released on DVD by Cinefilipino (Unico Entertainment)
The Return Of Shlock
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 20, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The art of low budget, tongue-in-cheek horror/comedy splatterfests has mostly been lost to time. Horror films have mostly gone the Asian horror route, and spending real budgets on computer generated effects. Fans of the genre are less to mourn their severed rubber Savini heads as everything becomes homogenous, humorless and completely shock based. But every now and then, a movie like Slither comes along to remind people that how much fun they can have watching a rubber head explode. Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer is our newest reminder, and while it’s deeply flawed, the throwback is truly appreciated.
Choke
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 20, 2008 in Movie Reviews
In my line of work, I get to see a lot of bad movies. From Half Blood Samurai to Mega Snake, from The Hottie and the Nottie to Blonde Ambition, I thought that I’ve pretty much hit the bottom of the barrel. But then comes Lalamunan, which just takes things far lower than I thought movies can go. It is amazing to me that anyone, from the filmmakers, to the production company, to the actors, to the distributors, could’ve watched this movie and thought that it deserved to be released.
Untrue Love
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 20, 2008 in Movie Reviews
On paper, One True Love has a lot of things going for it. The premise is somewhat compelling, and the cast brings in a lot of talent. In practice, however, things don’t work out that way, as a few bad habits rear their ugly heads and leave the film decidedly subpar.
Down The Same Roads
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 20, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The teen sex comedy has mostly run its course. After a good long decade of them, we’ve pretty much run the gamut of teen sex comedy situations, and new films will have to struggle to come up with anything new to offer audiences. Sex Drive runs into this wall, and just ignores it by throwing every old trick in the book at you. Given that, it does a pretty good job with it, with some good comedic timing and a generally likable cast. It just kind of blends in with the dozen or so movies exactly like it.
Good Smart Fun
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 20, 2008 in Movie Reviews
It will probably be said that Burn After Reading isn’t one of the Coen brothers’ best works. This is, of course, from a filmography that includes movies like The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou, and the most recent Oscar Best Picture Winner No Country For Old Men. No, it will not go down as a Coen brother masterpiece, but having said that, it’s still really good. It’s absurdly funny, and it’ll leave you with some truly memorable scenes.
On Note
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 20, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The general moviemaking wisdom would tell us that you shouldn’t really try to do a period film with a small budget. Many have certainly tried, and many, indeed, have failed. But in comes Concerto, which not only takes us to the past, but has the courage to try and portray a life during wartime. And amazingly, Concerto is mostly a success, producing a completely lovely picture that fares far better than many films with larger budgets.
Close Your Eyes
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 13, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Kurap is yet another film that has sprung from our incredibly rich and prolific independent/digital filmmaking movement, yet another film deemed to be “edgier” or more “progressive” than the typical Filipino film, and has travelled to festivals around the world to be seen by audiences from all around. Not all independent films are made equal though, and Kurap emerges as just another shoddily made, poorly written feature that gets undue attention.
No Way In
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 13, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Joel Lamangan’s Walang Kawala isn’t a very good film. It’s poorly plotted, badly directed, and generally elicits laughs when it’s aiming for tears. All in all, it’s not a great experience, and more than that, it once again reveals the glaring inconsistencies of our ratings board. This has gotten ridiculous.
Bring Me Back To '39
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 13, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Women is set up to be the ultimate chick flick: a film made by women, for women. It was a chance to really see a uniquely female perspective on the world, and a modern, more forward-thinking update of George Cukor’s classic film. But somehow, a film made in 1939 turns out to be the more progressive of the two. Terminally unfunny and confused, The Women is just a backwards piece of filmmaking.
Strange Voyages
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday November 13, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Passengers is a pretty odd film. In trailers and marketing materials, the film appears to be some sort of supernatural thriller. In reality, however, the film is more of a character drama with supernatural elements. It’s a weird, unnecessary disparity that colors the viewing of the movie, which is weird enough on its own. Take it apart from its weirdness, and Passengers is an okay film, with decent performances and unremarkable directing. It’s hard to imagine that this movie will wow anyone, but there are many worse movies out there.
On Our Shelves: Insiang
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday November 7, 2008 in On Our Shelves
Insiang Directed by Lino Brocka Written by Mario O’Hara and Lamberto Antonio Starring Hilda Koronel, Mona Lisa, Ruel Vernal, Rez Cortez, Marlon Ramirez, Nina Lorenzo Originally released in 1976 by Cinemanila Productions Released on DVD by Cinefilipino (Unico Entertainment)
More Penguin, Please
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday November 5, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa mostly feels comfortable. Like the first movie, you probably won’t find anything in here particularly worth remembering, but for its meager runtime, it provides a lot of easy entertainment. Though generally not up to the standards being set by other animated films, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is a perfectly agreeable way to spend about ninety minutes of your time.
Building A Better Bond
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday November 5, 2008 in Movie Reviews
In 2006, Casino Royale came out as somewhat of a proof of concept for James Bond. The message was clear: they were building a better Bond, one that can hang tough in a new era of spy movies, away from the gadget goofiness and moustache twirling of his earlier films. And to an extent, they were pretty successful, mostly because of a fantastic new Bond in Daniel Craig, whose mix of offbeat charm and terrifying physicality gave credence to the very concept of the super spy. Quantum of Solace takes Bond even further into this new direction, providing the tautest, most intense Bond film to date. And though sometimes it feels like they’ve gone too far, Quantum of Solace definitely emerges as one of the better Bond films.
Steps Too Far
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday October 31, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Lakeview Terrace looks to have been crafted very carefully. It’s obvious that the film wanted to somewhat tackle race without falling into the trap of becoming didactic or overdramatic. And so for a good chunk of the film, we get a pretty sophisticated treatment of race relations in America, a story with shades of gray and some really compelling characters. Unfortunately, it doesn’t make it all the way to the end of the movie with the sophistication intact. Mistrustful of its own intelligence, Lakeview Terrace throws away a lot of what makes it good, becoming a caricature by the end.
Bunny Business
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 30, 2008 in Movie Reviews
It is this writer’s opinion that Anna Faris is the most underrated talent in Hollywood today. Typecast into dumb blonde roles, she still manages to sneak in an underlying brilliance to her performances. She has consistently proven to be endlessly entertaining, regardless of the actual quality of her films. And so, with The House Bunny, her streak of great performances in pretty bad films continues. The House Bunny may be proof that Hollywood doesn’t get it anymore.
The Fading Light
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 30, 2008 in Movie Reviews
City of Ember, months ago, sounded like a really interesting project. When the first concept pieces were released, it looked like they were building a whole new world inside the film. And true to the hype, they did. Unfortunately, the script and the filmmaking don’t keep up, and though good production design is certainly a part of what makes a film good, it isn’t enough on its own.
Can't Hurry Love
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 30, 2008 in Movie Reviews
My Only U has some pretty interesting bits in it, and carried on the back of its charismatic leading man, Vhong Navarro, there are scenes in it that shine. If you step back and look at the thing as a whole, however, things start to look a lot more familiar. Though there are traces of inspiration here and there, the film suffers from its story being wrung through the mass market machine a few too many times, and some sloppy filmmaking knocks it down another rung.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: The Last Day
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 30, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
All Good Things… Cinemanila came to a close last night, ending on a high note with Lino Brocka and Pete Lacaba’s tremendously good Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim. It felt like a fitting end to a festival that’s been mired with ratings controversy. Back in its day, then-president Marcos tried to get this film banned. The ensuing legal battle surrounding this film established that censorship was unconstitutional. It felt appropriate to see the film at this juncture, nearly twenty-five years after the original banning, a time where our filmmakers are still running into trouble just trying to show their films.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Twelve
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 29, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Technical Difficulties With a festival trying to screen so many films in a variety of different formats, it’s rather understandable that not everything is going to go well. It’s been a nagging concern all through these eight days that Murphy’s law was going to rear its ugly head and send gremlins to all the various machines used to play the films. A handful of screenings have been at best, delayed, and at worst totally cancelled.
Horror Hackery
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday October 28, 2008 in Movie Reviews
For a couple of years now, we’ve been trading horror movies with other nations in Southeast Asia. This Southeast Asian horror exchange program has mostly served to fill gaps in release schedules with movies in the predictable, totally recognizable Asian Horror genre. The Chanting 2 (Kuntilanak 2 in Indonesia) is the latest product to make our shores, and like practically everything else before it, it’s a terrible mess of genre elements and gimmicky, shock based filmmaking.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Eleven
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday October 28, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
The Cutting Room The editor is one of the most underappreciated members of a production. It’s difficult for the average person to pick up on the things that a good editor does, probably because if it’s being done right, it’s the kind of thing that fades into the background. And so, the Master Class in Editing, moderated by Mirana Medina, editor of Boatman, Balweg, Rizal Sa Dapitan, and Tatarin among others, was focused on the importance of the editor’s work.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Ten
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday October 27, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Cineplex Happenings Cinemanila had a lot of competition today. The information booth had to pushed a bit to the side to make room for a special High School Musical kid’s salon. Apparently, when you get four tickets for the movie, you get to send your kids in to get their hair styled or something. I’m not entirely sure. That little area played songs from High School Musical 3 nonstop, which made it pretty difficult to actually get information from the information booth. You had to be practically shouting at each other.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Nine
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Sunday October 26, 2008 in Movies
Blogging the Melancholia Experience While everybody and their grandmother appeared to be flocking to the cinemas that contain the pop-giddiness of High School Musical 3, about sixty or so brave souls went in a completely different direction. Because today, after much wrangling with the MTRCB, Cinemanila was finally showing Lav Diaz’s award-winning eight-hour movie, Melancholia.
High School Popsicle
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Saturday October 25, 2008 in Movie Reviews
High School Musical 3: Senior Year completes a trilogy of High School Musicals, this one occurring on the big screen. We’ve seen the lives of these kids for three years now, and the wear and tear on the franchise is showing. With characters that have no development in them, the movie is left with nothing but spectacle to go on. That can be okay, but it’s nothing that’s going to set the world on fire.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Eight
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Saturday October 25, 2008 in Movies
At Your Service. Brillante Mendoza is the director of six films: Masahista, Kaleldo, Manoro, Foster Child, Tirador, and Serbis. His films aren’t what you’d call “typical,” with their extremely long takes, naturalistic acting and unique sound design. He’s had a lot of success bringing his films abroad, though they haven’t had very long runs locally. Nevertheless, he’s one of the most exciting directors we have around today, and at his master class, we got a look into his process.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Seven
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday October 24, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
In Their Sights Today, Ralston Jover and James Amparo were on hand after the premiere of their documentary Marlon to answer questions. The screening had started late because of some earlier technical difficulties, so we had to move out of the theater to make way for a screening of Tropic Thunder. We made our way to the Cinemanila office set up behind the big Bolt standup for a quick, informal session.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Six
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 23, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Indie Heroes The Southeast Asia Indie Filmmaking Master Class was presided by three very different filmmakers. All three are very highly regarded, but aside from the fact that they all mostly work outside established studio systems, there’s very little to link these three directors.
Up Dharma Down: The Birth Of A Typhoon
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 23, 2008 in Indie Music
“I always say that when you see something that’s very real, or true to its origin, it puts you to shame.” Armi Millare, vocalist of Up Dharma Down, pauses thoughtfully. It’s one of those strange weather days, where the morning is all sunshine and blue skies, and the afternoon is just sheets of rain. Outside, the storm has rolled in, charging the air with the music of a sustained downpour, the constant drumbeat of water hitting pavement, the syncopation of rushing footsteps on quickly formed puddles. Inside, I am with Armi and Paul Yap, the band’s bassist and one of the primary songwriters. Armi’s unfinished thought hangs like a raincloud. “You can’t hide the stuff that you put in it,” she continues, letting the idea seep into the earth.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Five
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 22, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
The Writer’s Block The first master class was moderated by Armando Lao, award-winning screenwriter of Serbis, Kubrador and Foster Child among others. Known for his social realist work, many didn’t really know what to expect from this session.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Four
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday October 21, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Walk the Line The lines this morning were pretty long, with screenings of Love of Siam and Sparrow starting the day off. Word of mouth has really started to bring attention to these films, although there were apparently a group of girls in line who were under the impression that Sparrow was a horror film.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Three
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday October 20, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Strange Customs It probably wouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone if I told you that running a film festival is actually pretty difficult. Between acquiring prints of movies and bringing them here and actually projecting them, a myriad of things can go wrong. It would have been pretty amazing if Cinemanila went off without a hitch. Alas, that just wasn’t going to happen. Prints of It’s a Free World, Youth Without Youth and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly got held up in customs at Clark airbase.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day Two
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Sunday October 19, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
The Young and the Restless Young Cinema Night is always one of the most interesting parts of Cinemanila. There always exists the chance that you will get to see the very future of Philippine cinema through one of these featured shorts. The likes of Raya Martin and John Torres have competed for the Ishmael Bernal Award for Young Cinema. There’s always a pretty wide variety of films, representing both traditional narratives and experimental filmmaking.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Day One
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Saturday October 18, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Birthing Pains. The first day of Cinemanila is always a bit confusing, with the system just being worked out and materials still being printed. Gateway’s LCD screens will tell you when the screenings for Cinemanila are, but not what movies are actually showing. In the morning, when the ticket booth had just opened, people had to look through a tiny piece of brown paper to find out what movie they were going to see.
ClickTheCity At Cinemanila: Opening Night
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday October 17, 2008 in Events, Festivals, Movies
So it begins. 100 films, 13 days. Cinemanila started the tenth year of the festival last night in grand style with some food, some music, and some good old cinema. This is also the start of ClickTheCity’s coverage of the event, where everyday, we will be posting blog-style articles about each day of the festival, providing news and capsule reviews of the films.
On Our Shelves: Magnifico
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday October 17, 2008 in On Our Shelves
Magnifico Directed by Maryo J. de los Reyes Written by Michiko Yamamoto Starring Albert Martinez, Gloria Romero, Lorna Tolentino, Jiro Manio, Mark Gil, Tonton Guiterrez, Amy Austria Originally released in 2003 by Violett Productions Released on DVD by Unico Entertainment
Countdown To Cinemanila: More Films
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 16, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Cinemanila opens tonight! The festival kicks off with Johnny To’s Sparrow, the first shot in a veritable bombardment of one hundred films from all over the world. Here’s a look at some more of the stuff in exhibition.
Frontier Relic
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 15, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The movie western is a wonderful thing. By itself, its elements are often enough to make a compelling film, with its stoic, brooding heroes and charismatic outlaws, gorgeous frontier landscapes and poetic code of honor. Throw in a gunfight or two, and you’ve got a recipe for a good time at the cinema. Appaloosa, if nothing else, proves that the formula is an effective one. But the last few years have brought a revival of the classic genre, giving us films that reinvent the form and offer audiences more ambitious themes. In comparison, Appaloosa feels a bit like a relic.
Some Things You Should Do At Cinemanila
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 15, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Cinemanila starts tomorrow, and while the schedule is still working itself out, there are some things that you really ought to be planning to do at this year’s festival.
Prolonged Torture
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 15, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Strangers starts out promisingly enough, with a cleverly-told character-centric first act that sets up a tense atmosphere before any of the horror even starts happening. And then we get to the horror bits, and while there’s some skill behind the camera, it quickly becomes clear that the narrative just isn’t strong enough to sustain the picture.
All the Wrong Choices
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 15, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Max Payne the videogame, in a nutshell: inventive action mechanics tied together with an over-the-top, noir-style, sci-fi tinged narrative driven by overwrought voiceovers. Max Payne the movie, in a nutshell: an over-the-top, noir-style, sci-fi tinged narrative driven by overwrought voiceovers with surprisingly little action. Strangely enough, the producers of Max Payne seem to believe that everybody played the videogame for the story, and forgot about all the fun people had while actually playing the game.
The Genius Paradox
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 15, 2008 in Movie Reviews
At first glance, Pineapple Express might appear to be nothing more than another goofball buddy stoner comedy. Take more than a cursory glance, however, and the film constantly surprises you with a knack for clever satire and an almost frightening capacity for subversion. Combine this with an inspired choice for director in David Gordon Green, and you’ve got one of the most outright hilarious and paradoxically intelligent films of the year. Pineapple Express defies all expectations, giving you much more than you ever thought you were going to get.
Countdown To Cinemanila: In Exhibition
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday October 14, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Cinemanila isn’t just about the competition. With about a hundred films in its lineup this year, Cinemanila will mostly be a venue for the exhibition of a good lot of movies that we typically wouldn’t get in normal release. Here’s a look at some of the films already announced for the festival.
Countdown To Cinemanila: The Introduction
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday October 13, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
The Cinemanila International Film Festival kicks off in just three days. Running from October 16 to 29, the festival will be host to about one hundred films from all around the world. And for the duration of the festival, ClickTheCity will be providing coverage for the whole shebang. On our Cinemanila special section, you will find blog-style articles for every day of the event, with capsule reviews, event commentary, reports from the seminars and master classes, and maybe even interviews with some the luminaries at the festival.
Eat Dirt
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 9, 2008 in Movie Reviews
There’s no getting around it: Buried Alive is one of the worst films I’ve seen in theaters this year. Not only is it profoundly dumb, badly directed, and hilariously acted, it suffers from a ridiculous amount of MTRCB cutting. So not only is it a bad movie, it’s a censored, completely neutered version of a bad movie. It is probably one of the most pointless theater experiences you will ever have.
Inanimate
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 9, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Animation is a tough field to get into. Any new production company who braves this market immediately runs into the ridiculously high bar set by Pixar, and to a lesser extent Dreamworks and Fox Animation. Exodus Film Group and Sparx Animation should probably be commended for having to guts to enter such a vicious market, but their first project, Igor, just doesn’t reach the high standards for animated films today. Ten years ago, we might have forgiven Igor’s mediocrity. But in today’s environment, all its flaws are made glaring.
A Novel Approach
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 9, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The names attached to Body of Lies are probably enough to get most people into theaters. It isn’t too much of a stretch to say that anything director Ridley Scott does is going to be at least worth a look, and Crowe and Dicaprio are never going to offer up anything less than good performances. Add William Monahan, who wrote the script for The Departed, and that’s a formula for success. And while the final product doesn’t quite live up to the potential of these names, Body of Lies is still a far better film than we’ve seen lately.
Rumble In The Jungle
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 8, 2008 in Movie Reviews
When Ben Stiller sits on the director’s chair, we’re going to get something a little more gutsy than your typical comedy. He’s going to go for something a little bit bigger, a little bit grander, and tons more ambitious. That’s always a welcome thing. Tropic Thunder has a bit more ambition than it can handle, but it’s still one of the funniest films to come out this year.
On Our Shelves: Oro, Plata, Mata
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday October 3, 2008 in On Our Shelves
Oro, Plata, Mata Directed by Peque Gallaga Written by Jose Javier Reyes Starring Manny Ojeda, Liza Loreno, Sandy Andolong, Cherie Gil, Joel Torre, Ronnie Lazaro, Fides Cuyugan-Asension, Maya Valdez, Lorli Villanueva Originally released 1982 by the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines Released on DVD by Star Home Video
Low-Rent Epic
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 2, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon is one of two films from Hong Kong this year that take place in the ever romantic warring states period of China, the other being John Woo’s Red Cliff. Unfortunately, between the two, this one appears to be the dud. Stumbling on script problems and absolutely horrendous directing, not even the combined talents of Andy Lau and Sammo Hung can save this mess of a film
Stars Over Story
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 2, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Mag-Ingat ka Sa... Kulam has mostly been promoted as the grand return of Judy Ann Santos to the Regal fold. While that’s certainly exciting news, it highlights what went wrong in the production of this picture. Sure, Judy Ann Santos is a great actress, but even great actresses need good stories and good filmmaking. Mag-Ingat Ka Sa…Kulam has its priorities wrong, and everybody suffers for it.
Make It Stop
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 2, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The one thing that strikes you while watching Make It Happen is how remarkably unambitious it is. It’s almost obscene in its devotion to being generic, just barely connecting its dance sequences with the thinnest of plots. While the dance sequences are pretty good, poor directing and bad plotting will always result in a pretty bad film.
B-Movie Fun
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday October 2, 2008 in Movie Reviews
For a direct-to-video feature, Mutant Chronicles isn’t all that bad. It’s got some pretty impressive production values, a somewhat interesting alternate reality to build off from, and a cast that includes such names as Thomas Jane, Ron Perlman and John Malkovich. Its B-movie roots are still clear, though, and that should probably keep most people away. If you're the kind of person who does enjoy the occasional monster romp, there are much worse ways to spend your time.
Seven Years Bad Luck
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday October 1, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Mirrors is a remake of Geoul sokeuro, a 2003 Korean horror film. And as with most Asian horror Hollywood remakes, it hasn’t translated very well. The original wasn’t all that great to begin with, but it loses a lot more in the process of being taken through the Hollywood machine. Boring, nonsensical, and at times, unintentionally funny, Mirrors is yet another reason why Hollywood should stop remaking Asian horror films.
Hard Lessons
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday September 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
National Artist Eddie Romero has had a long and illustrious career behind him. At 83, it’s pretty amazing that’s he’d decided to take up the camera once again and tell his stories. But Teach Me To Love isn’t really the best representative for the man’s body of work. At times, it does show that Romero’s got a good bit of cleverness left in him, the overall picture just isn’t a very a good one.
Exhibition Blues
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday September 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Room 213 is kind of an interesting offering from Viva Digital. While still firmly exploitative, the film appears to aim higher than your typical bold digital feature, exhibiting a level of technical polish that’s often missing from films like these. While the narrative doesn’t hold together as well as it could, its ambitious use of imagery and metaphor make for some interesting viewing. And if it were projected correctly, I might have been recommended it. Room 213 is yet another feature that’s inexplicably handicapped by poor projection.
At The Limits of Plausibility
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday September 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
There are points in Eagle Eye that really test your suspension of disbelief. There are points in the film where even the most open-minded and accepting moviegoer will go “now hold on, I’m not buying that.” But even as the film forces the very limits of plausibility, it offers up enough excitement and fun to keep you in your seats; maybe even on the edge of it. While there are certainly flaws to Eagle Eye, humongous action scenes and great performances might just make you enjoy it.
The Death of Comedy
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 25, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Whenever Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer get together, we end up receiving some of the worst movies ever made. Their latest spoof, Disaster Movie , has already been voted the worst film of all time by the users of IMDB, and while IMDB ratings generally don’t mean anything, they appear to have gotten it right this time. Chronically and depressingly unfunny, and staunchly lowbrow, Disaster Movie is one of those films that make you want to give up movies all together.
Offensive Foul
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 25, 2008 in Movie Reviews
My Best Friend's Girl, like Good Luck Chuck before it, has set out to be another raunchy romantic comedy starring Dane Cook. And like Good Luck Chuck, it’s tasteless and crass and generally unworthy of the sentiment that its aiming for. But one thing has managed to stick out: this is a movie that’s managed to offend me.
One Size Fits Most
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 25, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 doesn’t really seem like the greatest idea for a movie. Sequels are tricky things, and one that aims to continue the stories of several characters is even more difficult. And the end product does end up feeling a little inconsistent storywise, but overall, this film manages to get by on some solid filmmaking and a couple of smart performances. While far from perfect, it isn’t too difficult for anyone to get into this film.
On Our Shelves: Keka
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday September 19, 2008 in On Our Shelves
Keka Written and Directed By Quark Henares Starring Katya Santos, Wendell Ramos, Vhong Navarro, Ryan Eigenmann, TJ Trinidad Originally released by Viva in 2003 Released on DVD by Viva Video
Close The Door
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 18, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Right at Your Door is a fantastic idea for a movie. In the right hands, this could’ve been an atmospheric, paranoid thriller about a man who is basically forced to watch his own wife die. That’s the kind of thing that can win Oscars. It’s too bad that it doesn’t end up that way. Right At Your Door begins solidly enough, but a poor script and bad acting steal all of its thunder.
Bangkok Generic
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 18, 2008 in Movie Reviews
1999’s Bangkok Dangerous was exciting for a couple of reasons. One, its conceit was undeniably clever, and opened the film up to some unique situations. Second, it introduced the brothers Pang to the world, a pair of young, imaginative filmmakers. This year’s Bangkok Dangerous takes all the energy of that first movie, rolls it up into ball, and throws it down a lane of boring, generic blah. Awkwardly scripted and disappointingly sequenced, Bangkok Dangerous makes a good case for Hollywood to stop trying to remake Asian films all together.
A Premise Lost
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 18, 2008 in Movie Reviews
100 Feet sounds like the kind of film that had a killer pitch. It’s so bloody simple and elegant: one woman, house arrest, haunted by violent ghost. Unfortunately, a strong premise often isn’t enough to actually make a good film. There’s undoubtedly some juice in this film, but 100 Feet just finds itself unable to capitalize on its on strengths. Add to that a pretty weak lead actress, and it ends up being an easy movie to skip.
Sunk
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 17, 2008 in Movie Reviews
I.T.A.L.Y. (I Trust and Love You) is a pretty extravagant production. It was shot on an actual cruise, which took the cast and crew to places like Rome, Genoa, Tunisia, Barcelona and other ports of call in the old world. If that were enough to give us a good film, then I’d be a very happy man. Unfortunately, movies often call for a little more than that, namely, a good story and good filmmaking. I.T.A.L.Y. features neither of them, and it’s somewhat of a pain to watch.
Falling Into Step
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 17, 2008 in Movie Reviews
When Adam McKay and Will Ferrell team up, you know exactly what you’re going to get. Their collaborations have resulted in some really funny moments, but the repetition has made things wear a little thin. Step Brothers leans dangerously close to being completely redundant, but a few really inspired moments and fantastic performances keep the film entirely watchable. While a bit saggy in the middle and terribly familiar, it’s hard to argue against the laughs the film provides.
Trying to Move Mountains
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 11, 2008 in Movie Reviews
You get the feeling, while watching Ay Ayeng, that the filmmakers had the grandest ambitions. There’s a sense that they feel the story they’re trying to tell is important to them. Unfortunately, that isn’t really enough to produce a good film. Overwrought and melodramatic, Ay Ayeng certainly tries hard enough, but the material isn’t there.
Hobbled By Formula
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 11, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Imagine Me & You is somewhat of a surprise. While ostensibly a film about lesbians, it skips the usual sensationalism and soft porn aesthetic of films with similar subject matter, and it should really be commended for that. Unfortunately, what it has replaced them with are tired, formulaic romantic comedy elements. A couple of great performances give the film a boost, but while Imagine Me & You certainly has its heart in the right place, it just can’t get over the hump of mediocrity.
Some Heat Left
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 11, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The last time Robert de Niro and Al Pacino were on screen at the same time, it was a little movie called Heat, a character driven cops-and-robbers tale directed by Michael Mann. Heat, with its devotion to creating complex characters and relationships, is generally considered one of the greatest crime films of the modern age. Righteous Kill is trying recapture some of that magic, and thanks mostly to the electric Pacino-De Niro tandem, there’s still a bit of heat in here, despite some heavy flaws.
A Guide To Cine Europa 11
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 10, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Cine Europa returns two months earlier than usual this year, running September 11 to September 21 at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall. They’re opening with the extremely popular Les Chansons d’Amour (Love Songs), which also ran in this year’s French Film Festival. This year’s selection skews a lot more modern, the oldest film coming from 2000. Here’s a quick guide to some of what they’re bringing this year.
All That Glitters...
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 10, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The first Hellboy movie was a pretty good film. It was true to the source material, intelligent directed, perfectly cast, and wonderfully character-driven. Critics loved it, but it didn’t really do all that well at the box-office, mainly because mainstream audiences weren’t familiar with the character, and the film works better with knowledge of the original graphic novels. Now, with Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, Guillermo del Toro takes another stab at the property, this time crafting an original story and applying more of his personal aesthetics to the picture. The result is a film that’s visually stunning but weak storywise, and personally, the most disappointing movie of this blockbuster season.
Tripping
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday September 5, 2008 in Movie Reviews
One of the strongest recent trends in our local independent filmmaking scene is the gay-themed film. The freedom of digital filmmaking has afforded filmmakers the opportunity to explore themes that that often considered too risqué or too controversial for the mainstream. And like with any other kind of movie, there are good gay-themed films, and there are bad gay-themed films. Quicktrip happens to be a terrible one.
On Our Shelves: Batch '81
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday September 5, 2008 in Local Movies, On Our Shelves
Batch ‘81 Directed by Mike de Leon Written by Clodualdo del Mundo Jr., Raquel Villavicencio, and Mike de Leon Starring Mark Gil, Sandy Andolong, Ward Luarca, Noel Trinidad, Jimmy Javier, Rod Leido Originally released 1982 by MVP Pictures Released on DVD by Viva
Unsafe For Viewing
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 4, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The promotional materials of Congkak boldly claim that expectant mothers and people with heart ailments shouldn’t go see the film, for fear that the intense horror could somehow harm them in their vulnerable state. True enough, those people should probably avoid this film, but neither should anyone else. Congkak is a pretty bad, and whether or not you’re pregnant or suffering from a heart condition, you’re better off skipping this feature.
Projected Errors
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday September 4, 2008 in Movie Reviews
R-Point is a surprising little horror gem from Korea, one that forgoes the typical Asian horror tropes and tries to build scares from a strong psychological unease. At times, it feels like a really good Twilight Zone episode, and that can be a great thing to be. In most cases, this would be an easy movie to recommend, but there’s something rather strange holding this film back. While a pretty decent horror feature, there’s just no way you should see this film in the theater.
The Fall Of Babylon
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday September 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Babylon A.D. has been in the news recently with its director, Mathieu Kassovitz, talking about how the studio constantly got in the way of his vision, and even cut fifteen whole minutes from the film. I do not know if Kassovitz’s longer version is really that much better than what we got here, but it’s pretty obvious that the cuts hurt this movie, crippling its narrative and ultimately destroying any chance the film had of saying anything that mattered. Regardless of what happened behind the scenes, the movie we’re getting in cinemas isn’t very good.
Behind The Scenes Of 'Rakista'
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday September 1, 2008 in TV Updates
Something strange is happening on Thursday nights. On the surface, TV5’s Rakista is just another show about young people, the type of show that’s littered the Filipino television landscape for umpteen years now. The kind that doesn’t have anything new to say, and was made more for the purpose of providing a stable of young stars a venue to get noticed by the masses.
A Showbiz Story
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 28, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The promotional materials of For The First Time tell you everything you need to know. They’re not selling this movie based on plot, or filmmaking, or even the unique setting (Santorini, Greece). They’re selling this movie based on cross-company pairing of KC Concepcion and Richard Gutierrez, both scions of great showbiz families, bringing together fans on both sides of the studio divide. And true to form, fans of narratives that make sense probably won’t find much to love.
One-Third Funny
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 28, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Smother is actually two films in one. The first two acts come right out of your average crass comedy of dysfunction, with overacted performances, unrealistic situations, and one-note characters. Then the third act comes and it actually gives audiences some character depth and interesting psychological underpinnings, along with a good dose of warmhearted honesty. If you’re keeping score, that's two acts of bad, and one act of good, which adds up to a somewhat surprising but ultimately mediocre film.
Earning Its Scares
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 28, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The premise of The Gravedancers is more than a little hard to swallow. If you ignore the weakness of the premise, however, you move on to what amounts to a pretty competent horror picture with good scares and classic imagery. The Gravedancers may be founded on a pretty weak, almost laughable concept, but it makes up for it in execution. It does ghosts well.
The Sound Of Drums
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 27, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Tambolista is yet another local film that’s already made the international rounds but is only arriving in our theaters now. In it, some clever storytelling, a strong visual style and some great performances add up to make a pretty good picture. While not perfect, it’s a good deal better than what we usually get in cinemas, and it’s a wonder why these films don’t get wider releases. Tambolista is riveting stuff.
A Lack Of Finesse
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday August 22, 2008 in Movie Reviews
When a film is called Torotot, you don’t really start to expect much. A film called Torotot sets the bar pretty low for itself, immediately telling people, with zero finesse, that it is a film that contains sex. And that emerges as a continuing theme in the actual film, where a general lack of finesse mucks up what’s supposed to be a pretty realistic tale.
Crashes And Nothing Else
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday August 22, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Back in 1974, Jonh Carpenter directed a little movie called Death Race 2000. It was a low-budget B-movie starring David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone. It wasn’t the greatest film ever made, but its combination of overblown violence, gratuitous nudity and cutting satire made it a cult classic. Now, Death Race is an attempt to recreate the B-movie charm, but with a lot more money. While a few good performances serve to elevate the material, this version of Death Race has the teeth, but no bite.
Cinema of Poetry
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday August 22, 2008 in Movie Reviews
This film presents a quandary for a critic who reviews mostly mainstream films. John Torres doesn’t make movies like your average filmmaker, and the regular criteria for ratings don’t really seem to apply. Years When I Was a Child Outside is to regular cinema what poetry is to prose.
The Shallowest Of Loves
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 21, 2008 in Movie Reviews
I’ve written a lot before about films that prioritize kilig over character development and storytelling, but Loving You just takes it to a completely different level. Whereas other films at least seem to begin with the intention of telling a coherent story, Loving You seems mostly intent on cashing in on its pairings, putting them all on screen at the same time, with no regard for actually making a decent picture. Plotless, pointless, and generally a mess, Loving You is one of the worst films I’ve seen all year.
Getting There Slowly
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 21, 2008 in Movie Reviews
To put it kindly, Rob Schneider isn’t for everyone. His brand of lowbrow, crass humor has turned off a lot of people. With Big Stan Schneider takes a seat in the director’s chair. And while he doesn’t step too far out of his comfort zone, he does take a few steps in the right direction. Spurred by pretty good performances, Big Stan isn’t great, but it does have its moments.
Running Out Of Excuses
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 20, 2008 in Movie Reviews
For many fans, the one bright spot in the generally reviled Star Wars prequel trilogy was Clone Wars, a series of animated mini-episodes directed by Genndy Tartakovsky (creator of Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack) that filled in the blanks between Episodes II and III. Design-focused and action-oriented, these little cartoons gave many fans (this one included) hope that there was still some spark in the franchise they loved so much. Now, Lucas hopes to capture lightning in a bottle yet again with an animated Star Wars, minus Tartakovsky, this time in CGI. Have they done it? Not quite.
Troubled
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 14, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Dobol Trobol is supposedly a movie that took ten years to make it to the screen. If it is, the extra time doesn’t show. The film is inexplicably bad, failing on even the most basic of levels. While seeing both Dolphy and Vic Sotto on the same screen might excite some people, the film just doesn’t have anything to offer to the discerning moviegoer.
Blood In The Water
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 14, 2008 in Movie Reviews
You come to dread watching horror movies these days. Not because they’re scary, but because they’re usually so poorly made. They’re often just showing you stuff in a mirror and calling it scary, or filling the screen with blood and guts and calling it realistic. And so, Rogue comes as a refreshing little surprise. Prioritizing actual horror above all, we end up with a film that’s not particularly original or exciting, but definitely scary.
True Confessions
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 14, 2008 in Movie Reviews
It’s about time. Almost a year after its initial release, and having already made waves abroad, Confessional finally gets a proper release at home. And for the most part, it was worth the wait. This film is like a breath of fresh air in the smog of formulaic, poorly made star-driven films being churned out by local studios. Young and energetic, quick and inventive, Confessional is a fine example of where our local cinema ought to be heading, if everything goes right.
Ten Years Too Late
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 13, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The X-Files: I Want to Believe feels kind of unnecessary. If this film had come out during the height of X-Files euphoria, some time in the nineties, then maybe they could’ve gotten away with filming this rather tepid thriller, relying on the rabid devotion of the fans to keep it in theaters. But this isn’t the nineties, and people have grown and moved on. Meanwhile, the franchise doesn’t seem to have grown with them.
A Love Letter To The Planet Earth
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 13, 2008 in Movie Reviews
People have come to wonder when Pixar’s streak of great films is going to end. Even their weakest film, Cars, was still galaxies better than the average Hollywood film. And now, WALL·E doesn’t come close to breaking that streak. With a simple and elegant approach to storytelling, WALL·E is just terribly effective. Just brimming with imagination, this film is one of my favorites of the year, so far.
My Redundant Girl
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 7, 2008 in Movie Reviews
2001's My Sassy Girl was a strange little film. It constantly defied the constraints of its genre and went on to craft what could be described as an epic romantic dramedy. A couple of memorable performances made it practically required viewing for an entire generation of moviegoers. This remake is just a watered-down, less thoughtful version of the original, taking fewer risks and adding nothing in its cinematic language. It has its strengths, but being a generally inferior version of a beloved film mostly makes it redundant.
Sore Eyes
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 7, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Pontianak: Red Eye Ghost (originally titled Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam) is a Malaysian horror flick inspired by their local folklore. It’s certainly heartening that we’re getting films from a broader range of countries and cultures. Unfortunately, Pontianak: Red Eye Ghost doesn’t make for a very good ambassador. Poorly made, terribly written, and just laughably edited, this is a movie you’re going to want to avoid.
A Quiet Surprise
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday August 7, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Sometimes, you just need to keep it simple. The current conflict in Iraq has produced a lot of cinema, mostly dealing with the far-ranging global and political implications of the war. Grace Is Gone takes a different tack. It mostly strips away the politics, skims over the rhetoric, and reminds us that in the end, it’s supposed to be about the people. Grace is Gone isn’t highly charged cinema, and it’s not going to be the most exciting thing you’re going to see in theaters. It is, however, heartfelt and quietly moving, and it’s worth a look.
Hummus Taken Too Far
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday August 6, 2008 in Movies, Movie Reviews
You Don't Mess With the Zohan sort of feels like it started out with a lot more ambition. You can just get a whiff of that certain subversive absurdity that Robert Smigel tends to pepper in his work. Maybe they lost their nerve along the way. Instead, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan falls back on some very old tricks. Big Sandler fans will still probably love a lot of it because of that. Everybody else can probably get away with not seeing it.
Amateur Hour
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 31, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Adam & Steve has some good ideas, but lacks the means to pull any of it off. A decent premise is thrown off by a crass screenplay and terribly inexperienced directing, resulting in a pretty shoddy film. While you’ve got to give them credit for trying, Adam & Steve just isn’t worth the trip to the theater.
Better Off Dead
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 31, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, is just about the biggest disappointment of this blockbuster season so far. The first two Mummy movies were fun little romps, and the addition of kung-fu cinema greats Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh could only make things better. Unfortunately, it isn’t better. It’s far, far worse, as a nonsensical script and some truly bad filmmaking conspire to destroy a somewhat decent franchise of films. Maybe they should’ve left this one alone.
A Rather Mundane Love
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 31, 2008 in Movie Reviews
A Very Special Love is just about one of the most frustrating film experiences I’ve ever had. In it, a fascinating look into the life of an illegitimate child from a large, affluent clan gives way to one of the most cutesy, weightless relationships ever committed to film. Drama makes way for a “love” that’s barely more than a couple of cute messages on Post-It notes and a bouquet of flowers. What’s a serious love story without a love worth fighting for? Mostly disappointing.
Coming To Earth
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 23, 2008 in Movie Reviews
There used to be a time when Eddie Murphy was on the cutting edge of comedy. Nowadays, after the disasters that were The Adventures of Pluto Nash and Norbit, people tend to approach his movies with a sense of dread. Meet Dave, yet another high concept but decidedly lowbrow vehicle for the star, isn’t as bad as those previous efforts, and at times, even recalls the brilliance of the younger Murphy. In the end, though, it just doesn’t make for memorable cinema.
A Night To Forget
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 23, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Prom Night is perhaps, one of the most unnecessary films ever created. The original 1980s Prom Night wasn’t a masterpiece to begin with, but this “remake” (in quotes because all it took from the original was the name) takes it down to a completely different level by making it incoherent, PG-13, and just incredibly dumb. Prom Night turns out to be one of the worst films I’ve seen all year.
All Wet
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 23, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Flood could’ve been an interesting little picture. Watching a terribly plausible disaster unfold and how a government deals with it is a fairly compelling idea. Unfortunately, that isn’t really what we get. Instead, we get an alarmist picture with a muddled, illogical script with characters you can’t really care about. All that, and it doesn’t even make floods look all that scary.
Cuts And Robbers
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 23, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Bank Job purportedly tells the real story behind a 1971 robbery in London. In doing so, it manages to tell us a thrilling little tale of a group of fellows who get in way over their head. Some great performances and a few good turns make it just above your average heist film. Unfortunately, the R13 rating brings it back down again. The Bank Job is decent, but flawed viewing.
The Beijing Scramble
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 17, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Lost In Beijing is an interesting film conceptually, with its grand ideas and devotion to allegory. In practice however, a muddled, unremarkable script and a couple of annoying cuts result in a mostly underwhelming film. While featuring a pretty good cast and some inventive filmmaking, Lost in Beijing mostly ends up being mediocre fare.
Dark Victory
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 17, 2008 in Movie Reviews
By now, after months and months of hype and anticipation, compounded with the shroud of Heath Ledger’s untimely death, people are probably expecting The Dark Knight to be practically the second coming of Jesus. It’s not quite that, of course, but it is a tremendously good piece of cinema. Bold, complex, gritty and unwaveringly intelligent, The Dark Knight may have just changed everything.
The Joker: A Retrospective
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday July 16, 2008 in Movies
With The Dark Knight primed to enter our cinemas this week, it would appear to be a good time to take a look back at the exploits of everyone’s favorite costumed crusader. But let’s be honest: between the comics, the five movies (six if you count the Adam West one), the sixties show and his various appearances in animated form, everyone knows who Batman is, and you don’t need me to guide you through the character.
A Preview Of Cinemalaya's Feature Films In Competition
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday July 14, 2008 in Festivals, Indie Films
Cinemalaya, over the last three years, has become the festival to watch for emerging talents in Philippine cinema. They have ten full length feature films in competition this year. Here’s a quick look at all of them.
Stuck In First
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday July 11, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Kambyo makes a pretty simple mistake: it puts the destination ahead of the journey. It never tries to earn its ending, ignoring the potential complexities and consequences of its characters’ actions, leaving audiences with a rather empty story. Kambyo takes one shortcut too many, making the trip a generally unsatisfying one.
Ambition Isn't Everything
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday July 11, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Barako is a pretty ambitious little film. In just about two hours, the film attempts to be a serious meditation on what it means to be a citizen, a Filipino, a Batangueno, an activist or a writer, a politician, a father, a mother, a friend. It tries to do all these things, and one has to admire that. Ambition, however, doesn’t always translate into watchable cinema. While there’s nothing wrong with what the film is saying, it just doesn’t say it very elegantly. A muddled script and some suspect filmmaking undermine everything that Barako is trying to do.
Journey To The Third Dimension
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday July 11, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Journey to the Center of the Earth as a normal, run-of-the-mill 2D picture, isn’t a particularly interesting one. The story is blindingly simple, the characters lack any depth, and the effects aren’t anything we haven’t seen before. But Journey to the Center of the Earth isn’t meant to be seen as a normal, run-of-the-mill 2D picture. When this film enters the third dimensions, things start to get interesting.
The Dubbed Lords
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 10, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Warlords is at times brilliant, a moving piece of epic warfare cinema that comes off as a crazy mix of the action in Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan and the Chinese rooted themes found in Zhang Yimou’s Hero. It isn’t perfect, but for the most part, it would have been an easy recommendation. It would have been, that is, if it weren’t dubbed so horribly.
Thank You For The Music
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 10, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The movie musical is a rather tricky thing. Cinema tends to deal with a certain level of realism. Many people will never be able to accept characters breaking into song, especially when they’re dealing with serious matters. Mamma Mia! succeeds because it doesn’t deal with serious matters, letting the sheer campy joy of the songs do most of work.
A Guide To Eiga Sai 2008
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday July 7, 2008 in Movies
The Japan Foundation of Manila brings Eiga Sai back to Shangri-la Plaza on July 8. This year is stacked with some of Japan’s most critically acclaimed films. Here’s a quick look at the films on exhibit at this year’s festival:
Old Habits Die Hard | Movie Review of Hancock
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Hancock could've really been something. The superhero genre, despite its popularity (and my own personal fondness for it), has not exactly been a venue for complex characters. The movies just go larger than life, painting good and evil in wide swaths that leave no room for quibbling. Hancock had a chance to turn everything around by deconstructing the superhero myth, demystifying it and bringing it closer to the real world. And for the first third of this film, it felt like we were going to get that. Unfortunately, there was an hour left in the picture, and old habits die hard.
The Anti-Indie
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
If Paupahan wasn't so serious, so littered with big "drama" moments, I would have thought that it was a parody of local independent films. It is a big, sprawling mess of incoherent plotlines, illogical character arcs, and odd filmmaking. A few good performances and some decent cinematography give it some merit, but overall, it's a just a perplexingly bad experience.
Return Of The Rama
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
My Monster Mom marks the return of Annabelle Rama to cinema, her first feature film in a long, long time. In many ways, this film seems to have been tailor-made for Rama, playing off of the persona that she's become known for over the last few years. At times, that's really fun to watch, but overall, My Monster Mom comes off as a bit of a half-baked effort, failing to deliver what could have been a fantastic film.
Alone In A Crowd
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday July 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Taken on its own, Alone is a pretty good film. It has a decent concept, some solid filmmaking, and a really good leading lady. Unfortunately, it's difficult to separate films from their context, and given the glut of Asian Horror films (and their Hollywood remakes), Alone hardly stands out from the rest of the pack, employing the same old tricks that we've now seen a thousand times before.
Most Wanted
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday June 27, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Wanted’s goal is terribly simple: let the bullets fly, let cars crash, let blood flow and let the audience just hang on for the ride. It’s not rocket science to be sure, but what they’ve created here is a beautiful mess of violence, and while the Wanted is littered with flaws, the film makes it easy to get swept away.
[read more] [23 Comments]
The Second Half Blockbuster Preview
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 26, 2008 in Movies
This has been a pretty packed blockbuster season so far, with the likes of Iron Man, Indiana Jones, Prince Caspian, Kung Fu Panda and The Incredible Hulk taking all our money so far. But the second half of the season is just about to start, and it’s looking pretty stacked as well. In no particular order, here's a look at twelve of the biggest films yet to open this year:
[read more] [18 Comments]
It's Complicated
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 26, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Serbis carries the distinction of having competed for the much-coveted Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes film festival, only the third film to do so in the history of our industry. After markedly mixed reviews, running the gamut between utter revulsion and outright praise, the film finally makes it to our cinemas (with cuts, made voluntarily by the filmmakers). And now, we get to judge for ourselves. The verdict? It’s complicated.
[read more] [22 Comments]
So Nottie
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday June 25, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Honestly, this movie didn't have a chance. The general disdain that people feel for Paris Hilton combined with an absolutely terrible trailer pretty much tainted people's opinions and sealed the fate of The Hottie And The Nottie. The film has an IMDB rating of 1.4, which places it quite prominently in the bottom 100 of all films in that database. The question: is The Hottie and the Nottie all that bad? Mostly, yes.
[read more] [6 Comments]
Honor Revoked
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 19, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Made Of Honor is yet another formulaic Hollywood romantic comedy. But this one has the special distinction of being what amounts to a juvenile rehash of a nineties hit movie. A strong cast brings some hope to the film, but it just isn’t enough to wash the taste of unwelcome familiarity away.
[read more] [11 Comments]
Needs Alterations
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 19, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Altered, despite being what appears to be a low-rent feature, actually has some things going for it. It has decent practical effects, some great gore, and a good grasp of what makes horror work. But it has a pretty fatal flaw, dropping it from potential cult favorite to a frustratingly mediocre horror film.
[read more] [5 Comments]
Getting Smart
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 19, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Bringing a classic TV show to the cinema is no easy feat. Translating a show with the stature of Get Smart is an even more daunting task. This new remake approaches the problem by trying to hit audiences with a big, blockbuster feel. While not really capturing the spirit of the source material, Get Smart offers large explosions, good performances and big, easy laughs.
[read more] [5 Comments]
A Valiant Effort
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday June 19, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Philippines has a pretty long history in animation, though few people really care to notice. Filipino animators have worked on the likes of Scooby Doo, Captain Planet and The Incredibles, providing talent for foreign outfits. Urduja is the first major effort to create a local animated feature, and though it still isn’t a full showcase of what we can do, it’s a pretty great effort.
[read more] [19 Comments]
Get Smart: A Retrospective
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday June 17, 2008 in Movies
Get Smart hits theaters on June 19, and a good number of people are excited to see it. It turns out, however, that most people don’t even know about the legendary TV show that this movie is based on. That’s just a travesty. Here, we hope to rectify the situation a little bit, as we take a quick look back at the history of one of the greatest comedy shows to hit television screens.
[read more] [3 Comments]
The Credible Hulk
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday June 13, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Contrary to popular belief, 2003’s Hulk wasn’t really all that bad. It just wasn’t what people were expecting. It was a bit too heady, a little too stylistically alienating for an audience that only really wanted to see a big green guy smashing things. This new version, The Incredible Hulk, set out to be the complete antithesis to the previous film. It goes a much easier route, providing pretty strong popcorn thrills and lots of explosions at the expense of any sort of complexity. It doesn’t make for the most inspired film, but one just can’t deny how fun it can all be.
[read more] [16 Comments]
Not Happening
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday June 11, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Happening is somewhat of a test of M. Night Shyamalan. His last film, Lady in the Water, didn’t do so well, and his films before that mostly got by on the strength of his debut. People have really started to wonder if Shyamalan actually deserved his place in Hollywood. If people are basing their opinions solely on The Happening, then the answer is a resounding “no.”
[read more] [40 Comments]
A Guide To The 13th French Film Festival
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday June 10, 2008 in Festivals, Movies
Sacré bleu! The Alliance Français du Manille is once again holding its annual French Film Festival at the Shangri-La plaza, starting June 11. Here’s a quick look at some of the films that the festival is featuring.
[read more] [5 Comments]
The Incredible Hulk: A Retrospective
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Tuesday June 10, 2008 in Movies
On Friday the 13th, the Hulk returns to cinemas. While the Hulk has made it to the silver screen before, this new movie starring Edward Norton chooses to start all over again with the character. Here, we’re starting all over again, too, taking a quick look back at the history of the Hulk.
[read more] [4 Comments]
Panda Style
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday June 6, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Everything you need to know about Kung Fu Panda is in its title: there’s kung fu in it, and there’s a panda in it. If that isn’t enough to get you rushing into the theater, you obviously have no heart. But to be serious for a moment, Kung Fu Panda is an absolute joy to watch. Fast, funny, and full of heart, this film is probably the best Dreamworks animated feature yet.
[read more] [14 Comments]
Lost Magic
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday June 4, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Prince Caspian is a markedly different animal from the first Narnia film, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It’s certainly brasher and much more action-oriented, moving at a much faster clip than the first film ever did. But all the speed came at a price, and while the film does deliver a few grand scenes, a lack of thoughtfulness and character development strip the film of all its magic.
[read more] [11 Comments]
The House Always Wins
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 29, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Somewhere along the way, during the production of 21, somebody must have forgotten that stories need to make sense. The film gets so caught up in trying to make its story exciting that it completely ignores the basic laws of logic and sense, offering up a tale with a lot of flash, but not a lot of substance. When it comes down to it, 21 fails because it same mistake that a lot of bad adaptations make: it decides that the truth just isn’t enough.
[read more] [6 Comments]
(Censored) and the City
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 29, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Sex and the City movie has two big things going against it. One: it’s two hours and thirty minutes long, which is about thirty minutes too long for the stories to resolve. And two: it is yet another victim of the R13 rating. While there are many things in this film that would certainly brighten up the day of a longtime fan of the show, the gratuitous cutting decidedly makes this a “wait for the DVD” movie.
[read more] [25 Comments]
Care, Given
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 29, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The big hype surrounding Caregiver is that it was shot in London, which is a pretty big deal for a local film. But to focus on that is a disservice to the real strength of this film: that it tells a heartfelt, lovely story, and it tells it well. By sticking to the fundamentals of plot and storytelling, Caregiver is a film that deserves attention for far more than the country it was in.
[read more] [5 Comments]
Welcome Back, Indy
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 22, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has the odds stacked against it. It needs to, all at once, satisfy a rabid fanbase that’s been waiting for this film for nineteen years, introduce a character to a new generation that wasn’t born when the last film came out, and move the franchise’s timeline to a new status quo that takes into account the age of its primary actor. That’s a tall order for any film, and in many ways, this film didn’t stand the chance. Having said all that, however, this film is loads of fun, and while it doesn’t really live up to the rest of the franchise, it’s a rollicking good time.
[read more] [19 Comments]
Nothing New
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 15, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Ikaw Pa Rin, Bongga Ka Boy is pretty much the film you’d expect it to be. If you’ve ever seen a Wenn V. Deramas film before, you’ll know to expect sped up scenes, sound effects, gay humor, lots of slapstick, mugging for the camera, and DJ Durano. Aside from pairing Robin Padilla and Ai Ai de las Alas, this film doesn’t really do much different, offering up the same lowbrow experience we’ve all come to know so well.
[read more] [3 Comments]
Imperfect Times
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 15, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Perfect Creature had the potential to be a really great genre bending horror film. Writer and director Glenn Standring is obviously a man with a vivid imagination and a compelling vision. But while there’s a lot in this film that can grab your attention, the script just isn’t strong enough to make this film all that it can be. Perfect Creature is conspicuously imperfect.
[read more] [2 Comments]
Mega Silly
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 15, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Mega Snake just doesn’t belong in theaters. In fact, it was made for TV, but for some reason, we’re getting it in cinemas. Obviously, someone out there thinks that second-rate TV productions are good enough for our local moviegoing public. Well, they aren’t. Mega Snake is one of the worst films I’ve seen this year, and it should be avoided.
[read more] [11 Comments]
Imprisoned
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 15, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle was a film that surprised everyone. Ostensibly a stoner film, it was a lighthearted, markedly intelligent comedy that managed to tackle a couple of racial issues along the way to the legendary fast food restaurant. Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay has a lot to live up to, and while it doesn’t reach the heights of the first film, it’s still a pretty good time. Unfortunately, the MTRCB got their hands on it first. They are totally harshing our mellow.
[read more] [10 Comments]
Indiana Jones: A Retrospective
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday May 14, 2008 in Movies
On May 22, archaeologist, adventurer and ophidiophobe Indiana Jones, bullwhip, fedora and all, will make it back into our cinemas. But since the last movie came out almost two decades ago, perhaps it would be good to take a look back at this beloved franchise.
[read more] [10 Comments]
Weak Lies
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 8, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Deception is notable for a couple of things. One: it is shot completely with a digital camera, and it stands as a testament to the great leaps made in the last few years with the technology. And two: the film is notable for being a bit of a waste of talent. Deception has its high points, but in general, it isn’t able to become much more than your run-of-the-mill, paint-by-numbers thriller.
[read more] [1 Comments]
On Speed
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday May 8, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Speed Racer is probably going to be a divisive film, with people either getting completely on board or rejecting the film wholesale. It’s just that kind of film, one with such a unique flavor that it renders people incapable of speaking in terms other than “awesome” or “it sucks.” Like with most things in life, however, the truth is probably somewhere in between. Speed Racer is a decidedly mixed experience.
[read more] [11 Comments]
Stay in Vegas
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday May 7, 2008 in Movie Reviews
What Happens in Vegas has one big thing going for it. The pairing of Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz makes so much sense that it’s a wonder it’s taken Hollywood this long to put them on screen together. Unfortunately, a pairing doesn’t make a film, and this film, while at times fun, is largely vapid and unsatisfying.
[read more] [7 Comments]
It All Begins Again
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday May 2, 2008 in Movie Reviews
All in all, it's pretty easy to know what to expect from When Love Begins. You've probably watched enough of these kinds of films to have a mental checklist of all the elements. Title based on a song? Check. Cheesy musical score based on that song? Check. Two popular studio properties combined to create a kilig combination? Check. But director Jose Javier Reyes has constantly proven that a movie doesn't end with its formula, and even the most rote of genres can be a place to inject some intelligence and grace. When Love Begins often still stumbles into its genre pitfalls, but makes for a pretty satisfying experience.
[read more] [18 Comments]
Hearts of Iron
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday May 2, 2008 in Movie Reviews
For months now, people have been inundated with hype about Iron Man. People have been more excited for this film than any other big summer blockbuster, and expectations have been incredibly high. One would think that, carrying all the weight of people’s expectations, this film had absolutely no chance of living up to all the hype. But strangely enough, it does. Iron Man has its weaknesses, but overall, it’s a fast, fun and intelligent blockbuster that’s certainly worth your time.
[read more] [17 Comments]
Iron Man: A ClickTheCity Retrospective
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday April 23, 2008 in Visual, Movies
WHO IS IRON MAN? In the next few weeks, it will be difficult to avoid people talking about Iron Man. The movie, starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Terence Howard and Jeff Bridges, is set to become one of the biggest movies of the year.
[read more] [21 Comments]
Tudors For Dummies
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday April 9, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Tudors are a pretty interesting chapter in British history, and has been the subject of many a film. The Other Boleyn Girl is the latest film to explore the stories around this short lived royal lineage. But this film tells a story in an invariably shallow and sensationalist manner, proving to be an overall disappointing experience.
[read more] [0 Comments]
The Oscars Get It Right
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday April 9, 2008 in Movie Reviews
No Country For Old Men won the best picture Oscar this year. That is enough reason to see this film, no matter how you feel about the Academy awards. Even if you don’t buy into the Oscar hype, this film is able to stand all by itself as a real achievement in filmmaking. No Country for Old Men is the best Coen brothers film in a while, and certainly, one of the best films you’ll see all year.
[read more] [16 Comments]
Stifling
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The Air I Breathe tries very hard to be a film somewhat akin to Magnolia or other films from the Altman school of multi-narrative storytelling. On the surface, the film does manage to emulate the trappings of those films, telling different stories that somehow converge at certain points, but it does it clumsily and without any real narrative depth, leaving the audience with nothing but air.
[read more] [0 Comments]
Keeping It Semi
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Will Ferrell is a surefire property. It’s obvious that he’s managed to surround himself with people that really know how to use his talents properly, thus producing several hit comedies. But with Semi-Pro, they may have gone to the well one too many times, and while it’s still good for a laugh, it feels a little lazy and uninspired by comparison.
Jackie Moon is a club owner and minor disco star who buys himself a minor league basketball team, despite not knowing anything about the sport. His team, the Flint Tropics, seems more interested in self-promotion and hare-brained schemes than actually playing games and winning. But when the league announces an impending merger with the much larger NBA, Jackie Moon must get his act and his team together in order to become one of the four teams that will make the transition.
[read more] [3 Comments]
Cult Classic
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday April 3, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Director Neil Marshall has a bit of a reputation. His previous two films, Dog Soldiers and The Descent, are genre masterpieces, much beloved by fans of cult cinema. His latest film, Doomsday, has saddled him with a mainstream budget, but sticks close to his cult leanings, paying homage to the greatest genre films of the past. Doomsday is brash, silly, and often ridiculous, but it's an instant cult classic if I've ever seen one.
[read more] [4 Comments]
Shudder
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday April 2, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Hollywood seems to be dead set on remaking every single Asian Horror film out there. This time, they’ve pulled a pretty good 2004 Thai film for inspiration. Unfortunately, what worked back then doesn’t necessarily work now, and coupled with some poor writing, weak direction and terrible acting, Shutter makes for some really flawed viewing.
[read more] [3 Comments]
Not So Supah
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday March 24, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Supahpapalicious is sometimes a tremendously funny family film. Sometimes, it just comes out of nowhere with a well-built gag that will have you giggling, no matter how much of a snob you are. But despite that, most of the film remains rather staid and unimpressive. Supahpapalicious has moments of greatness sandwiched between moments of blandness.
[read more] [3 Comments]
All The Same
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday March 24, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Director Daniel Mynick is probably best known for being one of the brains behind The Blair Witch Project. That film hasn’t really stood the test of time, but at the very least, people remember it for being original. His latest film, however, doesn’t seem to feature any yearning to break out of the box, employing the same tricks that we’ve been seeing in horror movies for the last ten years. Solstice is just another run-of-the-mill supernatural thriller.
[read more] [6 Comments]
Dead On Arrival
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday March 24, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Over Her Dead Body, with its ghostly leanings, had a chance to be a little bit different from the myriad of romantic comedies out there. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really take that path. Instead, it ventures into very familiar territory, taking us on a journey that we’ve already been through a hundred times before. Over Her Dead Body is, quite appropriately, cold and lifeless.
[read more] [1 Comments]
Small Steps Forward
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Monday March 24, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Dr. Seuss hasn’t fared very well in movies recently. The last two movies based on Dr. Seuss works (How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Cat in the Hat) weren’t very good, and failed to capture the unique charm and humor of the source works. Horton still isn’t there yet, but it comes a whole lot closer than the previous films did. All in all, it’s not spectacular, but it’s good film to watch with the whole family.
[read more] [0 Comments]
Ship Of Fools
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday March 21, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Fool's Gold feels a bit like a relic in itself. It just feels old, employing some outdated ideas. It just feels like we’ve moved past this kind of film already. Bloated, silly, and just generally bad, watching Fool’s Gold is like staying on a sinking ship.
[read more] [1 Comments]
Parody Done Right
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Friday March 21, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The last few years have been pretty rough for parodies as cheap and crass humor seems to have taken the place of an actual desire for satire. Thankfully, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story takes a different tack, creating the best movie parody in a long while.
[read more] [3 Comments]
Step Down
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 13, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The dance movie is a strange creature. More dance exhibitions than actual films, they are often forgiven for flimsy plots and generally poor filmmaking. Step Up 2 the Streets isn’t much different. Riddled with clichés and completely devoid of irony, this film delivers some great dance sequences, but not much else.
[read more] [11 Comments]
A Super Fight
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 13, 2008 in Movie Reviews
The promotional materials for Superfighters would have you believe that this film is some sort of cross-cultural warrior-battle movie that pits samurai against kung-fu masters against ninjas. Strangely enough, it's not. It's baffling why they'd have to trick audiences like this, because on its own, there's nothing particularly wrong with this film. While at times extremely goofy, Superfighters is mostly a well-produced, entirely watchable Korean action film.
[read more] [5 Comments]
Negative 300
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday March 12, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Hollywood hates us. Or at the very least, they don’t respect our intelligence. How else can you explain Meet the Spartans, the latest in a string of poorly made, unfunny parodies looking to cash in on the popularity of some recent hit? A totally classless affair, Meet the Spartans may stand as proof positive of the contempt that certain Hollywood studios have for their audiences.
[read more] [11 Comments]
A Tone, Meant
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Wednesday March 12, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Something feels off about Atonement. One cannot deny the sheer strength of its filmmaking: the clever narrative tricks, the powerful imagery, and the impressive musical score; and yet, the film often feels unreasonably distant, a showcase of craft rather than a living, breathing story. But while these reservations dangle in my head, it is hard to ignore the sheer quality of this film. Atonement is a technical tour de force, and a pretty good tale, to boot.
[read more] [6 Comments]
Twisted Sister
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 6, 2008 in Movie Reviews
Ate starts out promisingly, with a good look and a decent concept. Unfortunately, not a lot is done with those elements, and what could have a hot little drama turns out to be a pretty tepid affair. Helen and Dave are happily married, and are living in a house with Helen's younger sister, Cleo, and her grandfather. Helen and Dave are having trouble conceiving a child, and it adds pressure to their marriage. Meanwhile, Cleo is suffering under the watchful eye of Helen, and it leads her to rebel. This leads Dave and Cleo to find solace in each other's company. Helen, on the other hand, is contemplating the advances of an ex-boyfriend. As their family falls apart, each of them find themselves faced with impossible choices.
[read more] [0 Comments]
Huh?
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 6, 2008 in Movie Reviews
I fear that I may lack the faculties to fully explain the cinematic experience that is The Half-Blood Samurai. It is easily one of the most baffling films I have ever seen. More vanity project than actual film, this movie is hilariously bad, a veritable showcase of everything that can be done wrong in a single film.
[read more] [3 Comments]
Prehistoric
by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday March 6, 2008 in Movie Reviews
What do you get when you blend together every “epic movie” within the last five years? You’ll probably get something close to 10,000 BC, one of the most utterly derivative films in recent memory. Stealing plot elements and even shots wholesale from the likes of 300 and Pirates of the Caribbean, this film has the trappings, but none of the soul.
[read more] [18 Comments]
