Reader's Review: Always Be My Maybe

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Always Be My Maybe (Star Cinema, 2016)

Gerald Anderson

Arci Munoz

Jane Oneiza

Ricci Chan

Cacai Bautista

Directed by: Dan Villegas

Setting A New Standard, Definitely

by. Atty. Ferdinand Topacio

I have personally met Arci Munoz fleetingly a couple of times, and I have always thought her to be an airheaded starlet with a pair of big breasts who would not amount to anything beyond the occasional bit role.

After seeing Always Be My Maybe, I realized I was so wrong.

Munoz played her character with such depth, delicacy and deftness that now I wonder why it took so long for the studio bosses to see her potential. I suppose they were fixated with the usual suspects (Bea Alonzo, Jennylyn Mercado, Sarah Geronimo); in which case, hail to the person who took a chance on Ms. Munoz by casting her for the film’s lead! Although not as physically stunning as, say, Anne Curtis, Munoz fills the screen with an earthy sensuality and a transcendent luminosity – as well as a worldly intelligence -- that makes her a delight to behold.

The premise is nothing new, and is simplicity itself: Jake and Tintin (played by Gerald Anderson and Munoz, respectively), are the boy and girl. He is a wealthy playboy who played the field while maintaining a steady girlfriend; he decides to propose but his hedonistic past catches up with him and his fiancée rejects his offer of marriage. She is a middle-class make-up artist who’s into a no-commitment relationship; her expectations that the liaison would develop into something more permanent are shattered when her beau dumps her unceremoniously. Six months after their hearts are broken, their paths interject; they find themselves by chance on an out-of-town seaside get-away. On a dare from her friends, Tintin walks up to Jake and gives him “the moves.” If she meant to seduce, it was a fiasco, but nonetheless, they take to each other – not romantically yet – but in a way two kindred souls with a common traumatic experience would meld. They talk until the morning comes, and agree to keep in touch.

And thus the story shows us how these two lovelorn people progress from being “just friends” to something more serious. From being each other’s emotional crutches, they become, as the Iberians would say, un poco mas de amigos, un poco menos de amadores (a little more than friends, a little less than lovers). Then comes the time when familiarity segues into physical intimacy. The film then poses this question: does sex ratchet up the level of commitment in a relationship, or is it possible for a relationship to remain innominate despite corporeal contact?

Director Dan Villegas improves greatly upon the formula he used on English Only, Please of gently exploring the growth of a romantic relationship through dialogue. Effective in EOP, it becomes more highly so here with the principal characters having a more detailed backstory, and with the lines partly improvisational. As a character study, it works, in great part because Munoz has so completely immersed herself in her role as Tintin. Equal parts kooky and sexy, she becomes immensely likable from the opening scene.

The other actors also did their part. Anderson superbly underacted, giving his character, who is supposed to be a cocky and confident man-of-the-world type, enough vulnerability for the moviegoer to sympathize with. Villegas’ use of extreme close-ups whenever Jake and Tintin talk is quite clever: showing every little flutter of the eyelids, every furrowing of the brow, a slight movement of the lips, the gestures perfectly complemented the snazzy dialogue, supplying non-verbal cues to the complex mix of emotions simmering just below the surface of each character.

The movie, however, is still your typical rom-com, and to be sure, Star Cinema (and Villegas) kept a consistent eye out for the factors that please. Thus, we still have the obligatory best friends and family, but thankfully, their ubiquity has been reduced. Ricci Chan, in particular – whose over-the-top acting I have panned in the past, is wonderfully subdued here. The talented Cacai Bautista – who in this movie bears a striking resemblance to broadcast journalist Doris Bigornia but with red hair – delivers most of the comic relief punch lines with panache. The dialogue is replete with retweetable quotes. On the whole, the support is topnotch, the only sour note being the newbie who played Tracy, Jake’s ex, who performed as if she were stricken with a bad case of amoebiasis.

The conflict created is the weak link of the movie, with Villegas recycling the “ex factor” used in EOP to produce discord between the protagonists. A stronger, more original reason should have been made for the main characters to quarrel. The conflict resolution in the Third Act is also too pat, and out of synch with the pacing of the movie, giving viewers the impression that it was being rushed towards an ending.

In the end, Always Be My Maybe blazes no new trails, but it expansively improves upon and refines the genre conventions of a romance movie. The first love scene of Jake and Tintin deserves special mention for being innovative and adventurous, pushing the limits without going overboard. That last phrase, I believe, aptly describes the entire movie. In definitely setting a new standard as one of the best evolutions thus far of a rom-com, it may prove the catalyst for its director to later on bravely breach the standards he himself has set.

Reader's Review: Nilalang

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NILALANG (Viva Films, Welovepost, Haunted Tower Pictures, Parallax Studios and Black Ops)

Starring: Cesar Montano, Maria Ozawa, Meg Imperial

Written and Directed by Pedring Lopez

(Notice: Spoiler Alert)

Classy, Glossy But Lacking In Depth

by. Atty. Ferdinand Topacio

An ancient evil, spawned in feudal Japan in the 17th century, and believed to have been destroyed after a bitter internecine strife, awakens in – of all places – present-day Manila. To eliminate the supernatural threat, local law enforcement must team up with the modern descendants of the keepers of the esoteric “Book of Ishi,” which contains the incantations to neutralize the otherworldly demons that are again wreaking havoc on earth.

This is the intriguing (and quite promising) premise of “Nilalang,” and director Pedring Lopez strives and strives mightily to deliver thereon.

The opening credits with its accompanying montage is a work of art in itself, giving viewers a capsule summary of the bizarre underbelly of Japan’s kinbaku (or bondage) subculture, which unfortunately, will be totally lost on those not previously conversant with it. The film also starts with a bang: an atmospheric, stylized and convincing fight sequence set in ancient Japan involving two samurai warriors against their demon-possessed brother. It is evident that the filmmakers made great effort to painstakingly choreograph the fight scenes; this careful choreography and attention to detail can be seen throughout the film.

Cut to 2013 Manila. Tony Cuevas (Cesar Montano) leads an elite squad of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in a raid to apprehend a Japanese serial killer who makes a disturbing habit of tying up women in typical Japanese bondage styles and carving them up. After catching the killer in flagrante with a victim in rope suspension, the killer resists and is killed. Case closed, so Cuevas and the NBI think.

Fast forward to the present. Killings with the same pattern begin to recur. The NBI is puzzled: is it a case of copycat killings, or some sort of religious ritual perpetrated by a different man. As they face one blank wall after another, an NBI agent (played by Cholo Barretto) begins to seriously think that something about the case belongs to the realm of the paranormal; Cuevas scoffs at him. But after a killing hits close to home, and after witnessing other inexplicable incidents, Cuevas in desperation turns to Miyuki (Maria Ozawa), a Japanese lady who owns a bondage club, for answers. As it turns out, Miyuki is the daughter of the keeper of the secrets of the ancient evil and Cuevas’ on-again-off-again lover. He learns of the antique book, the treacherous character of the evil spirit (who can possess those whom you trust and make them turn against you). When the demon claims Mizuki’s father and sister (Yam Concepcion) as its latest fatalities, Mizuki joins Cuevas and his NBI buddy Jane (Meg Imperial) in battling the malignant spirit and exact vengeance. But with the demon able to inhabit anyone, even those close to them, trusting one another becomes problematic. And will Cuevas be able to make the ultimate sacrifice to once and for all annihilate the evil that has transcended centuries?

“Nilalang” does not deserve its cellar-dwelling rating in the 2015 MMFF. It is very well-made, with atmospheric light-and-shadows photography giving the film the sense of dread that it needs as a supernatural thriller. The photography is nothing short of gorgeous, with the cinematographer showing Manila with an ethereal beauty that escapes those living in it. The action sequences are briskly-paced and tightly-edited, giving it a feeling of speed that engages the viewer. Ozawa acquits herself very well in her own fight scenes, and it is evident that she has prepared herself for the role by training in either kendo or jujitsu, judging from her moves. The shoot-them-ups are very well-staged, and the special effects – including the prostheses – are spectacular. Such is the attention to detail that, reading the closing credits, I was amazed to know that the producers even hired a rope bondage consultant just so the ropework and knots on the victims are authentically Japanese shibari. Over-all, as an action film, “Nilalang” would compare favorably with modern Hongkong or Chinese films, and would not embarrass itself even if shown internationally.

The most glaring shortcomings, however, come in the form of narrative and characterization. While as I have said, the premise is promising, and the film starts with a bang, a consistent story arc was not sustained, and in the end, the storytelling becomes vaguely-defined and scattered. The characters are also wanting in depth. Cuevas is portrayed as the quintessential movie hero – strong, intelligent, invincible in firearm and hand-to-hand combat, and sexually desirable – but the attempt to give him a back story to explain his own “demons” and what motivates him, falls flat. Imperial as Cuevas’ “sidekick” is shown to be carrying a torch for him, but aside from that, there is not much dimension to her role.

A sore thumb is Ozawa, eye candy to the max, but showing a total lack of acting ability. Even with lowered expectations – knowing her to be new to mainstream films – one will be disappointed. I’m talking about Sofia Coppola levels in “Godfather III.” And Aubrey Miles, in a short role as Cuevas’ estranged fiancée with whom he is trying to make amends, acts as if she were recuperating from dengue. The two lovely ladies prominently marred what would otherwise have been a highly competent movie.

Cesar Montano is his usual proficient self, displaying his acting chops in the few opportunities for doing so. But let’s face it: his role was not written to garner acting awards, and Buboy had very little to work with. That he was able to pull off his role with a certain degree of aplomb is an achievement in itself. The rest of the cast did justice to their roles, and complemented the protagonists well.

So, would I recommend “Nilalang”? Well, if you’re looking for impressive, well-directed and enjoyable local slambang action for the holidays, look no further. If you resolve to just enjoy yourself and not attempt to over-analyze it, “Nilalang” is a classy, glossy and – with the proper frame of mind -- ultimately pleasurable alternative to the dramatic and romantic festival offerings.

Please feel free to email your movie reviews to michaelsylim@gmail.com.

Reader's Review: Honor Thy Father

Image courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

HONOR THY FATHER (Regal Films, 2015) : Starring John Lloyd Cruz, Meryll Soriano, Krystal Brimner, Tirso Cruz III

Directed by Erik Matti; Written by Erik Matti and Michiko Yamamoto

A Second Chance For Philippine Cinema

by. Atty. Ferdinand Topacio

The folly of excessive piety. Religion as business. Fighting back to gain respect. Greed trumping fraternal love and prudence. These are only some of the lessons “Honor Thy Father” teaches the viewer, with as much subtlety as being hit by in the face by a sledgehammer.

The plot itself is not your usual Filipino movie fare: A young couple, Edgar and Kaye (played by John Lloyd Cruz and Meryll Soriano, respectively) with an adorable young daughter Angel (Krystal Brimner), experience a series of setbacks: their daughter falls gravely ill of dengue and almost dies, they both lose their jobs when the company employing them folds, their business never gets off the ground. But thanks to their investment with Kaye’s father’s business, which pays handsome dividends, and – as Kaye firmly believes – her devotion to a cultish congregation called Church of Yeshua, their fortunes turn, and they become millionaires. This luck they share with their brethren in the church by persuading them to also invest in Kaye’s father, and by tithing heavily. Edgar, though, is skeptical of Kaye’s religion, or more particularly, its leader (Tirso Cruz III), whom he thinks is a fraud.

Their good fortune is, however, short-lived as the bottom falls out from under the said business, which turns out to be a Ponzi scheme. Kaye’s father is abducted from his house and later found dead in a swamp. His body has not yet become cold, so to speak, and is lying in state at Kaye’s house, when they are swamped with irate investors asking for their money back. Kaye tries to reason with them, explaining that they, too, lost considerable money, but the mob would not be pacified. They invade the couple’s house and cart away all that they could. When Edgar tries to defend his home, he is attacked and savagely beaten.

The investors file a case before the prosecutor, but the couple is exonerated, as the investigation finds them to have been equally victimized. But some big investors, backed by politicians, are not so easily convinced: a prosperous-looking couple (Yayo Aguila and Dan Fernandez) kidnap Angel but returns her, giving Edgar and Kaye two weeks to produce 6 million pesos or else. Kaye approaches her “Bishop” to borrow church funds to save her family, but is rebuffed; incensed, Edgar nearly chokes the life out of the preacher. Desperate, Edgar buys a gun and tries to rob a financing company, only to lose heart at the last minute. He then goes back to his kin in the Mountain Province, which he left for a more urbanized lifestyle in Baguio City when he married Kaye. As it turns out, his family is engaged in gold mining, but moonlights as robbers from time to time, using their tunneling skills to dig out from under bank vaults to steal their contents. In the meantime, the kidnappers, getting antsy about the money, and this time abducts Kaye to insure that Edgar will return their investment. With Edgar’s family rallying behind him to save the lives of his wife and child, they plot to steal the church collections to ransom his wife.

It is in this dark and disturbing world of greed, violence and religious chicanery that John Lloyd Cruz shines as never before. Freed from the strictures of a formulaic dramatic movie, his thespic skills are given free rein, and how! With total economy of facial expressions and bodily gestures, JLC plays with absolute conviction the turbulent quiet of a man seething with internal turmoil. The conflict is at once palpable and restrained: the cynicism of a man in the midst of worship services; a husband who feels that his wife is responsible for all their woes but still tries to save her; a brother and son who disapproves of his family’s mode of living but is compelled to depend on them to save his family.

The thing is, no other actor could have pulled it off. JLC is the quintessential “everyman” in looks and demeanor, and his skills as an actor enables him to disappear into his role with seeming effortlessness. In “A Second Chance”, he proved that he could make more money than any other actor. In this movie, he proves that he can act better than any of them. Verily, no other actor in the present generation, or even a few generations back, can touch him when it comes to acting. His depth, intensity and emotive force are evocative of the early Bembol Roco and Philip Salvador.

Meryll Soriano is a revelation, playing deftly and intelligently the role of a wife in thralldom of her church’s leader, naively believing that all of her family’s problems can be solved by pure faith. It comes to a head when, after her unsuccessful talk with her “Bishop”, she exclaims to her husband, “Diyos ko”, and he shoots back with “Diyos mo!” A succinct exchange that underscores the futility of spiritual beliefs in the face of worldly woes. After seeing her performance, I dare declare that Soriano is one of the most underrated young actresses of our time, someone whose abilities are at least at par with the greats (Bea Alonzo, Claudine Barretto).

The rest of the cast do not disappoint. Special mention must be made of Tirso Cruz III, whom I started to admire after watching him in “Ikaw Lamang,” who read the part of the religious leader with equal measures cunning, creepiness and concern for the brethren.

This review would not be complete without mentioning the look of the film which, while typically dark and brooding Erik Matti, goes several grades beyond chiaroscuro. Light and shadow apropos for a film noir is elevated by the use of accentuated lighting in key scenes: fireflies at seaside, glowing lamps in subterranean locations, and even lights and shadows in a daytime scene, which to me are no easy achievements. And the internment scene at the cemetery, composed like a Japanese Edo-period painting, is one of the most visually striking I have seen in years!

In conclusion, “Honor Thy Father” is an important film that must be watched. It is a powerful commentary on religion, materialism and societal hypocrisy, contrasting at the same time paralleling the superficial purity of a church as a money machine for its officers and the criminality of an organization engaged in pyramiding, as well as a mining family engaged in robbery, saying that many churches and businesses are no better than crime families.

Interestingly, JLC fans who expect “hugot” lines need not feel neglected: quotable gems such as “Ang bukang-bibig Diyos, pero demonyo naman”, “Kung kaya ka nila, kakainin ka ng buhay”, and Edgar telling his siblings “Kahit anong katangahan ang gawin niya, asawa ko pa rin siya; kaya wala sa inyong puwedeng mambastos sa kanya”, are interspersed liberally in the screenplay.

Movies such as “Honor Thy Father” show what our movie makers are capable of, and should get the box office attention they deserve. They are our film industry’s second chance. And if we fail to take this chance, then we will have naught but ourselves to blame for the onslaught of crappy movies. We’ve seen local movies at their worst; it’s time to see them at their best.

Please feel free to email your movie reviews to michaelsylim@gmail.com.

Reader's Review: A Second Chance

A Second Chance (Star Cinema, 2015) : Starring Bea Alonzo, John Lloyd Cruz, Dimples Romana

Directed by: Cathy Garcia-Molina; Written by Carmi Raymundo and Vanessa Valdez

Lovelier The Second Time Around but Falling Short of Greatness

by. Atty. Ferdinand Topacio

Had Aguinaldo crossed his troops over to Manila after the Spanish Armada's defeat in the hands of Dewey, but before the Americans landed ground troops in Intramuros, our country's history would have been radically different.

How is that historical "what if" relevant to the One More Chance redux called A Second Chance, you ask. Well, just like Aguinaldo, director Cathy Garcia-Molina had the opportunity to transcend the boundary between "good" and "great" but refused to cross the line; and in film-making, as in love and war, he who hesitates is lost.

Do not get me wrong: A Second Chance is a cut above the rest, intelligent yet entertaining, and everything is above par: direction, editing and writing. The acting part is a given, with two of today's best in the field -- John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo -- playing the leads. In fact, as a sequel to "One More Chance," it is in all respects a better film: aside from the benefit of a full back story for the protagonists, JLC and Bea have also themselves matured as thespians, and were able to fully utilize the now-complex dimensionality of the characters they portray.

Which is just as well, because it being more of a character study, the story is not at all intricate: it starts where the first movie left off, but in medias res (just like the first). Popoy and Basha have married and -- in a series of flashbacks-- we are shown the ceremonies, a typical aspirational bourgeois wedding. The first few years show no portends of the storms to come: after Popoy refuses an overseas job offer to be with his new bride, the newlyweds found an engineering and architectural firm (Gonzalez+Gonzalez) and with husband-and-wife working in tandem, it grows by leaps and bounds. Until tragedy strikes one after the other: a construction site accident (through no fault of Popoy) damages the firm's reputation, Basha suffers a miscarriage and has to stop working, and the firm starts piling up huge losses. Which Popoy keeps from his wife. This however, does not augur well for the union, as Popoy -- driven more and more to drink -- takes out his frustrations on Basha, who is increasingly becoming bored by her imposed domesticity. Eventually, Basha finds out about the horrendous debt and feels betrayed. She contemplates leaving her husband, but her love for him prevails and she returns -- not only to his life but to their firm -- and practically takes over its helm from him. Quiet abruptly, roles are reversed, as Basha starts running the show and Popoy is relegated to second fiddle. This he resents, and after meeting an old flame (well-played by Arci Munoz) who has grown prosperous after taking over the job abroad that Popoy refused, starts thinking whether marrying Basha and staying in the country was "his biggest mistake." Although resisting his ex's sexual advances, Popoy accepts an offer to work in London with her – if only to uplift his self-worth, it would seem -- and tells Basha about his plans to leave. Basha is disconsolate and realizes that that is not, after all, what she wants. Thus, the main conflict arises: will Popoy leave or won’t he? This is quickly resolved – and very quickly at that -- in typical Pinoy fashion with Popoy changing his mind en route to the airport and making a surprise appearance at the wedding rehearsal of one of their mutual friends. It is in that wise that the sequel happily concludes.

The movie departs from the norm with its mostly successful attempts at realism, gamely exploring its theme that the majority of marriages may break apart not because of extraneous causes like a third party, but due to internal strife such as financial difficulties and collision of egos. And indeed, in the middle class diegesic inhabited by the movie’s protagonists, the search for professional and pecuniary success, as well as the “holy grail” that is The Dream House, powers most of their motivations. It is in this unconventional approach to marital strife – a stubborn resistance to succumb to histrionics both in storyline and acting -- where the work shines.

It is also therein that the film stops short of being a great movie. The storyline failed to abandon the clichés that weigh down most local movies, including the “barkada” subplots, the obligatory comedy relief character and the hurried Third Act resolution. There is also the seeming “mandate” to write the dialogue to provide quotable quotes for the audience, which makes for some very hackneyed, unnatural lines; a married couple quarreling in the heat of anger do not talk like poets. The filmmakers should have taken a leaf from Broken Marriage (Ishmael Bernal, starring Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon [1983]), where the leads were directed to improvise their lines whilst in the scenes where husband and wife would be fighting. And while we understand that this is a sequel, the writer making allusions to most every major scene in the first work is literary baggage that should have been jettisoned.

On the whole, while a fine sequel and an excellent movie in and of itself, it held back from a full-scale departure from conventional Filipino film-making and failed to break new ground (or even just expand on previous formulae), in the end sacrificinggravitas. It fell short of greatness, squandering the opportunity to be this generation’sBroken Marriage (which, with its companion piece Relasyon by the same director being two of the best local films on marital relations).

The local movie-going public has already demonstrated that it can appreciate love stories with atypical “unhappy” endings: The Mistress and Starting Over Again are two cases in point, blockbusters notwithstanding that the protagonists did not live happily ever after. A Second Chance had the, well, chance to push the boundaries even further. Yet it did not take the road less travelled. Sayang. To paraphrase the words of Marlon Brando’s character in On The Waterfront, it could have been a contender.

Please feel free to email your movie reviews to michaelsylim@gmail.com.