Juno (2007)
Dancing Elk Productions
Directed by Jason Reitman


Everyone must go and see this movie. It's brilliant. It speaks a language so universal, everyone will find a piece of himself in this very simple story. I will try, in my best attempt, to sum up in three points why I believe this should be a must-see in everyone’s list. I will outline three things that, although not didactically expressed in the movie, I think the best three points any movie has ever made.

If you're a writer, this film will inspire you to go, start writing, and tell your story. If you're a mother, this one is definitely for you. Remember that moment you first saw your first child? Yeah, that moment when you were scared shitless and didn't know what to do? You'll find that moment here. You will relate with this. You may be a loving dad, or a lonely high school student, or a struggling musician, a cheerleader, an athlete, a jock, a teacher, a door-to-door salesman, a stepmom, a stepsister, an ugly bitch, a toad, whatever you may be, you will find yourself (or, at least, a piece of yourself) in this film. This film is very inclusive.

That is probably the first reason why this film works. It invites everyone into a circle of trust—prejudices and biases aside. It paints a picture uncommon in its plot but scarily very familiar when it comes to its truth, posits, and whatnot. As far as the film is concerned, in the story of humanity, normalcy is the ultimate outcast. (First point of Juno, check!) Normalcy debilitates. It stunts one’s emotional growth.

If you don’t have a quirk, you’re probably at work. Why?

Because maturity’s a bitch dressed in fine linen, screaming and demanding comfort, stability, and certainty. Thus, humanity is forced to deal with everything so maturely and normal; and more often, even way mature than the average level of maturity humanity can handle.

But, even in our best attempts, even as we hit life with our best shot, we don’t always get what we want. Things fail. Things fall apart. Things break down and fall short of everyone’s expectations, and in the worst timing at that. Then we hit rock bottom.

Down there, we meet people who’ve had the same fate as ours. We bond with them. We form a community. We start a society of people who have tried and failed and have lived to tell their story. In this community, we feel free and very much at peace with ourselves. Then we wonder, why did we think that life was perfectible in the first place? If you think life is perfectible, you will always find it unsatisfying. (Second point of Juno, check!)

Lastly, I think the film has found the key that unlocks the mystery of human emotional turmoil. And guess what, it’s something we’ve known all along but didn’t really have faith in—a strong sense of self. (Third point of Juno, check!) All of us have a fundamental sense of who we are that either picks things up along the way or says no to those which do not apply, or matter, or make sense. Life is half living and half figuring things out. So while we live and figure things out in a life that should abhor normalcy, we need a strong sense of self to remain sane, whole, and grounded. We need a strong sense of self to constantly remind us that just because something could possibly go wrong doesn’t mean we don’t take a shot. Regardless of the outcome, it’s the person that shows up at the starting line that really matters. Showing up is half the battle won. Taking the shot is another half. So when the gun goes off signaling the start, you already are a running winner. And if you need a trophy to prove that, go and get it. But you don’t really have to.

Apart from these points, Juno has a wonderful soundtrack that includes a song from my personal favorite Belle & Sebastian. I fell in love with this band ever since I first heard their music back in college. Also, Juno is beautifully written. The lines are crisp, witty, and hilarious--pretty much more than amazing for a first-time writer (Diablo Cody) whose previous job was that of a stripper. And the leads, Michael Cera and Ellen Page, they are the most adorable couple that ever graced the celluloid.

The Oscars was right in putting this film up there in the Best Picture category. Well-deserved.

And oh, teen pregnancy is a serious issue that can derail your wagon from reaching the stars. Be careful.  

 
 

You will watch this film because you love the Beatles. Either that or because you love musicals, or you're a fan of romantic movies, or it could be that you like watching films that have political anti-war statements. Or it could be that you just want to watch Bono sing in a musical film playing the psychedelic Dr. Robert. If none of the reasons mentioned here ring a bell, I am pretty sure you will find a delightful motive to sit down and sing along Jude and Lucy as they travel Across The Universe filling the 60's world with Lurve (love)!

What could possibly go wrong with a film that is sang-through, where all songs used were of the Beatles, and the characters are named Jude and Lucy? Nothing. Well, almost nothing.

In this Julie Taymor (Frida) directed musical, Jude (Jim Sturgess) is a Liverpool local who works in a Dockyard. Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) is an American girl on the verge of entering the Ivy League. Jude travels all the way to America to find his father and in the process meets Max, Lucy’s man-of-the-world brother. They become close friends. Expectedly, through Max, Jude meets Lucy. They fall in love, of course and, as in all love stories, something tears them apart. In this case, jealousy, conflict in principles, and the Vietnam War. Lucy becomes an activist when her boyfriend dies in ‘Nam and when Max is sent as a draftee. Jude, on the other hand, becomes a carefree-not-giving-a-damn artist. Their relationship turns sour and you just have to watch the movie to find out what happens next.

The love story arc is quite formulaic but you won’t really care. There are even subplots thrown here and there that further complicate the story, but, again, you won’t care. The songs are enough to carry you through till the credits. Sometimes the editing gets in the way. Sometimes the storyline digresses. And sometimes, the plot turns into a dead end, in which case the movie backs up and tries another route. Again, it doesn’t matter. You’re just so glad they were brilliant enough to come up with a whole plot for a movie that tells its story through songs by the Beatles. Ain’t it brilliant? I think so.

It also helps that the two leads have an outstandingly impressive vocal prowess. Close your eyes and you’d think Jim Sturgess is a young and struggling Paul McCartney. Evan Rachel Wood has a timbre on her voice reminiscent of a 50’s torch singer. They have also given new arrangements to some classic Beatles songs and included lesser-known Beatles recordings. Needless to say, this film is a must see for all die-hard Beatles fans. Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther (Sadie and Jojo, respectively) also deliver wonderful performances. If these guys released their own albums, I’d surely snag one.

Another reason why this film is worth your Benjamins is its Art Direction. Superb is an understatement. I can’t describe it to you here. I won’t even attempt in the name of justice but, really, the Art Direction here is spectacular.

Also, Watch out for cameos by Eddie Izzard, Salma Hayek, and the BONO!!! Bono here sings “I Am The Walrus” and that in itself is more than what you paid for. Bono steals the scene and I’m sure this will go down as one of film history’s most memorable moments. It’s an instant classic.

Over-all, Across The Universe is a beautiful film/Beatles tribute. Beautifully shot, well acted, and sincere. So what possibly went wrong? C’mon, it’s the Beatles. The film stands no chance. Compared to them, everything else becomes less perfect. But then again, it’s just me. So go and try to watch it. If you ain’t a Beatles fan yet, this film just might make you a convert. Goo goo g’joob! Goo goo g’joob!

Lust, Caution
Ang Lee
R-18 (Philippines - Approved without cuts.)


Six Reasons Why You Should Watch This Film

1. Ang Lee

Ang Lee has finally won me over. Sure 'The Ice Storm' and 'Sense and Sensibility' were wonderful films. Heck, even Brokeback Mountain almost won him an Oscar. But 'Hulk' and 'Ride With The Devil'?

So with his shaky, tentative, and only-as-good-as-his-last-film kind of resume, I went to watch Lust, Caution with, pardon the redundancy, lots of caution. And I must say, this is the Ang Lee definitive film. Forget about his past works. If you didn't believe in him telling his past stories, this film will turn you into an Ang Lee convert.

There have been numerous great reviews written for this film. Well, it won a Golden Lion in Venice. And the fact that the soi-disant film classification board MTRCB allowed it to be shown without cuts, that in itself should make you sprint to the cinema.

2. Tony Leung

Ahh, Tony Leung, the Actor's Actor. I mean, this actor's body of work, as opposed to Ang Lee's, is quite impressive at least with regard to the ones I've seen--In the Mood for Love, 2046, Cyclo, Dumplings, Happy Together, Hero, Infernal Affairs, Chungking Express. Wow.

In Lust, Caution, we are again treated to a Tony Leung entree. He appears onscreen and the whole film takes flight. He smiles, keeps quiet, explodes, gets naked, become murderous, become romantic, gets broken, and we are with him every single moment. Give this guy an Oscar already. Or better yet, a Lifetime Achievement Award.

3. Tang Wei

Tang Wei mesmerizes in this film. As young and as inexperienced as she is, her performance is a breakthrough. She should get an Oscar for her portrayal of a student turned activist turned spy mistress in this film. She becomes the role so much that when she makes her decision in the end, you may not agree with her but you understand where she is coming from. And you sympathize. (Just don't mind the hairs on her armpits. Gross.)

4. Espionage

This film deals with espionage in historical Shanghai. Its almost an action movie worthy of being penned by Ian Fleming, only better. The mystery, the thrill, the cat and mouse play, the chase, will be enough for moviegoers to cringe, and hide, and get hooked till the end.

5. Student Activism and Nationalism

College students should watch this film. They'll probably learn a thing or two about activism and nationalism. They'll appreciate how Kuang Yu Min (played brilliantly by Lee-Hom Wang) and his team of amateur bandits grow from being silly college idealists to hands-on, life-offering martyr spies taking on the Japanese 'Collaborationist' Goliaths.

6. Love

There is romance in this film, although tragic. That may sound like a spoiler but, c'mon, how do you expect it to end? At the onset, you'll know that this film's leitmotif is danger. And danger, when toyed around with, explodes and destroys.

Here lies the brilliance of the film. Poignancy. Poignancy that's not overrated. Foreboding but not preempting. At the very basic, this film is a love story. A love story that gets overpowered by its milieu.

In the end, the film simply tells you that 'love does not conquer all'. But even if it doesn't, it still triumphs. Love remains glorious even in defeat. Real love is not evidenced by winning but in why you had to lose.


***


Lust, Caution is currently on a limited run in select theaters in Metro Manila. Go, watch it. Take advantage of the holidays. it will prove to be a reprieve.

This was one film I never thought I'd get to see. Well, some things are bound to happen. I was in Gateway just to pick something up from a store when, as fate would have it, the store was closed. Oh well. I had time to waste, not that I don't have a ginormous amount of paper work to finish. But, they can wait. I am the master of my life, not the slave of my have-to-dos. I decided to go up to the cinema floor and check out what's showing. Then I remembered, Cinemanila is in Gateway! Cool! My eyes lit up.

I immediately went to the festival secretariat/information table and asked for a screening schedule. To my disappointment, all the films that were showing at my available time started 15 minutes ago. Grrr. The girl at the table said I could wait for another 3 hours--that would already be 6pm. She said the film will be worth my wait. So I asked what film would that be. And, lo and behold... Paris, je t'aime!

I have been looking all over for a DVD of this film. I first heard about it in some blogs late last year. Here's the deal:

(A) The film is composed of 18 short features tackling love and relationships, running for almost 3 hours in total. All the shorts feature different key locations/neighborhoods around Paris. Most of these locations were used as titles for the segments.

(B) The film features 21 world renowned directors (Hold on tight. The list will blow you away!):

Olivier Assayas for "Quartier des Enfants Rouges"
Frédéric Auburtin and Gérard Depardieu for "Quartier Latin"
Gurinder Chadha for "Quais de Seine"
Sylvain Chomet for "Tour Eiffel"
Joel and Ethan Coen for "Tuileries"
Isabel Coixet for "Bastille"
Wes Craven for "Père-Lachaise"
Alfonso Cuarón for "Parc Monceau"
Christopher Doyle for "Porte de Choisy"
Richard LaGravenese for "Pigalle)
Vincenzo Natali for "Quartier de la Madeleine"
Alexander Payne for "14th arrondissement"
Bruno Podalydès for "Montmartre"
Walter Salles for "Loin du 16ème"
Oliver Schmitz for "Place des Fêtes"
Nobuhiro Suwa for "Place des Victoires"
Daniela Thomas for "Loin du 16ème"
Tom Tykwer for "Faubourg Saint-Denis"
Gus Van Sant for "Le Marais"

(C) Here are a few members of the Cast (This is a major casting coup!):

Elias McConnell (Gus Van Sant's "It" Boy. Check out Elephant.)
Gaspard Ulliel (Hannibal Rising)
Steve Buscemi
Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace)
Sergio Castellitto (Voice of Arthur in Arthur and the Invisibles)
Miranda Richardson (the annoying Rita Skeeter in Harry Potter)
Gena Rowlands
Ben Gazzara
Gerard Depardieu
Natalie Portman
Rufus Sewell (Prince Leopold of "The Illusionist")
Alexander Payne (as Oscar Wilde)
Emily Mortimer (the "Perfect Girl" in Notting Hill)
Elijah Wood (His feature got the first applause of the evening.)
Bob Hoskins
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Nick Nolte
Willem Dafoe
Juliette Binoche

Whew!

The film has almost all the genres. Comedy, Romantic Comedy, Horror Comedy, Slapstick Comedy, Dark Comedy, Light Drama, Heavy Drama, Fantasy, Noir... etc.

The features tackle and showcase love in all its possible splendor: man to woman, stranger to stranger, husband to wife, gay, unrequited, lack of it, confused love, divorce, septuagenarians, vampires, mother to child, father to daughter to grandchild, sex, drugs, rock 'n roll, mimes, circus, children, asian and cross-cultural, cancer, and even poverty and migration and the evils the go with these. What else did I miss?

It was an emotional roller coaster. I was laughing and crying and giddy and awed and inspired and in the end I had goosebumps all over. So did everyone else as shown by the standing ovation. How can one film be this great! It transcended its medium. It was like a play being done live on stage. That was how alive the movie was.

I highly recommend that you guys don't miss this in its next screening. I think there's another one scheduled. Just check out the Cinemanila website.

Some of the highlights from the film:

1. For the first time, Wes Craven is not doing horror. Although his segment takes place in a cemetery, its a comedy about a couple about to get married. Watch out for Alexander Payne as Oscar Wilde. Riot!

2. Natalie Portman delivers (as usual) a high-caliber unforgettable performance. Her's has the most unexpected twist.

3. Bob Hoskins will make the ladies fall in love!!!

4. Elijah Wood's feature is a vampire thriller. My favorite. It's also the only feature in the "film noir" genre.

5. Catalina Sandino Moreno's feature is one of the saddest, reminiscent of an award-winning Maricel Soriano recent movie.

6. Gus Van Sant's feature is the cutest story. Hahaha. Watch out for it.

7. The "Sophie-Hassan" love story was the one that made the audience cry buckets. It had the most poignant ending.

8. Watch out for the Mimes and their son. Lovely! Very lovely.

9. The conversation of Gena Rowlands and Ben Gazzara at the restaurant was full of wit and painful humor. One of the best scenes in the entire collective.

10. Juliette Binoche is Juliette Binoche! Amen.

18 films, 21 Directors, 3 Hours, 1 City...Paris -- all for a hundred bucks!
It can't get any better than this!
Go! Go! Go! Go! Go! Get your tickets now! Watch it. Watch it. Watch it!

If I have to write this review twice over to double the magnitude of impact it would make, still that wouldn’t be enough. Stranger Than Fiction is a film so brilliant you cannot stop raving about it. Or you can go the other extreme. You watch the film. The film ends and you find your self literally stuck on your seat, utterly awed, and paralyzed on your tracks, caught up in the amazing power and meaning of this uber-underrated cinematic masterpiece. Scream if you must or honor the film with silence. Process it within you. Awaken your sleeping soul, stir your lethargic nerves, and allow yourself to be immersed in “Bavarian sugar cookies” that this film forces you to eat.

This is one film you simply cannot ignore. Well, you can, actually. But that would mean that you are a vile, heartless, insignificant mortal caught up in a meaningless, dreary, and unrelenting pathetic excuse of a life. You say my words are harsh but once you’ve seen this movie and given it a chance, you will know what I mean and you will understand.

The film is about Harold Crick. That much I can tell you. I will not attempt to re-tell the story, as my poverty in language will only defile it. I will try my best to encourage you to watch, though. Don’t take my word for it. Watch it.

The film stars Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, and the lovely Maggie Gyllenhaal. You will be surprised by Ferrell here. He delivers a kind of work totally different from the box-office characters we have one-too-often seen him in. He could be giving Jim Carrey a run for his money in the sensitive comedian category.

The rest of the cast deliver notable performances but most notably is Emma Thompson. We all know Emma is a brilliant thespian. From the heavy and dank character she was in Sense and Sensibility to the hopeful and neglected character she portrayed in Love Actually, she has already proven her worth in cinema. Yet, here, Ms. Thompson is more than brilliant. She dazzles even just with her voice and the nuances of her “broken” character. This film is not about her but, somehow, she manages to sneak in, mark her territory, and comfortably settle in the corners of our consciousness without stealing the show.

Stranger Than Fiction may be in a genre not palatable to everyone but stripped off of its technicality and when treated without prejudice, this is actually the story of our lives, of everyone’s lives. It is easy to judge and say that movies like this (including I Heart Huckabees, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Royal Tenenbaums, Being John Malkovich) are cut from the same mold and are only as real as the next Theory of Being but what we might not realize is that while these movies dabble unfearingly with philosophy, its real beauty lies in its poignant truth. There may be elements of more-than-allowed abstraction, meta-fiction, and larger-than-life posits, yet in the end, the basis and core of its plot is real life as it happens.

We have to thank writers and directors such as Zach Helm and Marc Forster (Finding Neverland) for pushing story telling beyond its limits. We have to thank them for, again, and constantly, reminding us that life is not just a toss between tragedy or comedy. Life is not either the hero dies or lives happily ever after. There are also things such as “little did he know” phrases that allow the either tragic or comedic ending to have meaning, worth, and the seemingly hard-to-find “purpose”. The eventuality is that—we die. But the “getting there”, now that’s a different story.

After listening to the album 50 million times... a review/tribute!


Okay, so I've gotten over the initial paralysis caused by the intense surge of awe and inspiration. I have played Bamboo's album all night and I still can't get over it. It is just but rightful that I write a review/tribute to this amazingly pulled together album.

The album is aptly entitled "We Stand Alone Together" and contains 8 wonderful, wonderful tracks. 7 of the 8 songs are remakes. Maybe 8 but I'm only sure of the 7. The song Probinsyana seems new to me. I suppose its a Bamboo original.

Yes, this is generally a remake album but I'm sure glad they did this. These are the songs that you'd wish you'd hear again but there isn't just anyone worthy of doing their own version.

And now, no other band could be more deserving and worthy than Bamboo. I was kind of hesitant and doubtful at first when I found out that they are remaking these songs. But I was so wrong.

Bamboo's new sound is more relaxed, natural, and authentic. There is now more of a jazzy, sophisticated kind of rhythm to their music very reminiscent of the early Corduroy Acid Jazz tunes and the classic Sound.

And the choice of songs--whew! Bamboo has just officially raised OPM to a new standard of sophistication. It's like telling the world that if you're gonna come out with a remakes album, this is the way to do it!!!

I have already told you about how "So Far Away", originally done by Carole King, blew my mind to pieces. Now here are the other songs in the album:

Feelin' Alright originally done by Joe Cocker;
Prayer for Dying originally done by Seal;
Englishman in New York by Sting;
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover originally done by Paul Simon;
Alive by Pearl Jam, of course; and
So Far Away by Carole King.

Also, there's the carrier single Tatsulok by Buklod and Probinsyana which, like I said, I think is a Bamboo original. (Correct me if I'm wrong!)

In its entirety, the album is one of the best if not the best remake album that came out in recent years. It has all the qualities of a great tribute/remake album: great song choices, perfect execution, amazing vocals.

Go ahead, buy this album! It's one of those albums that define a music era! It's nostalgic, re-inventive, and ingenious. Its so good that if it came out in vinyl like how it was in the 70's, you wouldn't dare play it on mono. Hahaha!!! You'd put it straight up on the wall.

Overrated. Overly-acted. Over-blown. What a disappointing way to handle a potentially good material.

If you are a fan of the motion picture medium, you will find Babel utterly hideous. Hideous, not because of the tragedy in its narrative or by the gore in its montage, but by the outright butchery of what could have been a really powerful message.

Babel is directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and written by Guillermo Arriaga, based on an idea that these two had. We remember Iñárritu from Amores Perros and 21 Grams. Not quite an impressive resume, I would say. All I could remember from Amores Perros was the gore and from 21 Grams, the confusion and bad storytelling. Iñárritu, in an interview, said that Babel is supposed to be the third and final installment in a trilogy that started with the two previous films mentioned above. I would agree, if the theme of the trilogy would be changed to horrible filmmaking.

Let us remember here that this is not an attack on the director. Although there still exists that long debate of whether a bad film automatically means there’s a bad director behind it. Anyway, there are numerous reasons why Babel should be bashed and the director (or the writer) berated.

Let us go over them one by one.

Firstly, there is a principle in film-making known as the “suspension of disbelief”. This principle “refers primarily to the willingness of a reader or viewer to accept the premises of a work of fiction, even if they are fantastic or impossible. It also refers to the willingness of the audience to overlook the limitations of a medium, so that these do not interfere with the illusion. However, suspension of disbelief is a do ut des: the audience agrees to provisionally suspend their judgment in exchange for the promise of entertainment.”

Now, this is the first mistake that Babel commits. While we, as audience, may initially suspend our disbelief to give the film a chance to tell its story, it becomes such an effort as the film progresses due to the fact that the plot devices, the story elements, and the seemingly connected snippets of narrative are exaggerated bordering on surrealism. Surreal is okay, again, as long as it helps in telling the story. Here in Babel, it doesn’t. I suppose, this may be due to the fact that at the beginning of the story, we are invited to believe that this can actually happen in the real world. But the way it is shown appeals as make-believe, rehearsed, and self-conscious. It’s almost as if James Bond is more believable in his “un-wrinkle-able” and crease-free suit. A film like Babel must be engaging. It simply is not.

Secondly, Babel wants to say so many things that it drowns out its real and most essential message. Aside from this, given that there are various subplots going on, the director failed to tie them all into one smooth and digestible narrative. The non-linear form of storytelling also gets in the way. You would think that Iñárritu learned his lesson from 21 grams but here he is again, telling a story as if its just a stream of consciousness and its up to us to get into his mind and actually see his vision. Sigh. The “non-linear bandit” strikes again.

Lastly, Babel is teeming with prejudices. There is prejudice against minorities, prejudice against the differently-abled, prejudice against color, and probably more. But the greatest prejudice it commits is the prejudice against the human spirit. This film takes away faith in the human heart and wages life on the wings of human frailty. Not only this, it also surrenders life to the cruelty of fate and surrenders freedom to a tragic pre-destination; i.e. Doom.

Above all this, Babel manages to dilute the message of one-ness and re-writes it as a mere tragedy. But then again, here may lay the real beauty of Babel, if any. If we go back to the original Babel story in the Bible, humanity was punished with differences in language for thinking that it could be like God. But despite the differences, humanity still managed to unite under one faith, one God, one love.

Babel the film is the antithesis of Babel the Bible story. It speaks out in bold screaming letters that Love is not what’s universal. Tragedy is. And this is the biggest tragedy of all.

I’m not really crazy about mobsters and gore in film. But I guess, there will always be some exceptions. Last time I wrote a review of a film, it was because I fell in love with the writing. I did not actually write it as a review. It was my way of letting the world know how great writing makes great films.

This time, I am writing about writing merely as the icing to the cake—the cake being a superbly edited film. Editing. Yes, editing. I am going to talk about editing this time. Don’t worry, I will not go technical about it nor will I be jargonic in this exposition. I will talk about editing in a manner probably perhaps like how college students talk about the weather—mundane, nonchalant, and very everyday.

So it was Friday night. I was hoping I could go out catch a movie perhaps, go bowling, or maybe watch a concert I have actually saved up for. None of this materialized due to the fact that I had no one to do these things with. Don’t get me wrong. I have no problems in going alone. It’s just that this is one of those Fridays when John Mayer’s song becomes so real and honestly painful. (“I’m tired of being alone…”)

I was alone that night by choice. I specifically did not want to ask my constant companions out because of a friendly grudge. Last time they went out, I was skipped. They didn’t invite me. (Awww. Poor me. F*#k!) And this did not only happen once. This happened one too many times already. When October set in, I told myself that I am not going to go out with them unless its their idea, their invite, their plan. I paid the price of pride. (Sigh.) Friendship can be very complicated at times.

Anyway, I was at home with hours to waste. I tried surfing the Internet but after a while it got boring. I’m not one who can stay up five or six hours just surfing through the web. For lack of a better thing to do, I rummaged through my DVDs to see if there was still any movie that I haven’t seen. You know the deal. You’d buy dozens of movies at a time thinking that it will be long before you’ll be back buying DVDs again. This despite the fact that you know very well how impossible it is to find three hours of your time to actually squeeze in a film showing. You do this because in your heart of hearts, you are kind of hoping that one day in the near future, some angel or force of nature will grant you some idle time. Like this Friday in particular.

There it was, lying at the bottom of the pile was a movie I never bothered to watch in the cinema. One way I classify films is that there are films that you must watch in big screen and there are those that are merely pirated DVD worthy.

Like this film: Lucky Number Slevin. Judging from the film title itself, I was so sure this movie would suck. Even from its poster, you’d think its one of those B movies that producers produce en mass. Oh, how wrong I was.

I read through its billing and the cast was impressive. Sure Josh Hartnett and Bruce Willis are in it. Their presence is not really that earth-shattering. But, Morgan Freeman, Stanley Tucci, Lucy Liu, and Sir Ben Kingsley? Man, there’s got to be something that made them sign up for this project. It couldn’t be the director because the director (Paul McGuigan, of Wicker Park) is barely known and relatively young and fresh. Well, it could be the script (written by Jason Smilovic) because the script is very sharp, hilarious, and witty—among other things.

So I popped it in. I got myself a gallon of ice cream. (Talk about sweet revenge. Pun intended.) And settled myself into a nice comfortable position and hit play.

First five seconds, a murder is committed. Blood all over. Like I’ve said, I’m not a big fan of blood, violence, and grit. I was about to dismiss the film as trashy and cliché when all of a sudden the pace picks up and it engages you and never lets you off until the end credits. The secret: precise and sharp editing. Normally, editing in films are not given that much of a premium as much as the value we give the story, the script, and the cinematography. But all the other elements of a film will fall and seem empty when the editing of the films is intolerable.

The film is sharply and succinctly edited that judging by the end result, it was painstakingly done. The editing told a story in itself. Jagged sometimes, edgy, jumpy—all things except normal. This type of editing would have been disturbing and audience-intrusive had this been a quiet, lethargic, sappy melodrama. But this is not any of those. This film is about violence, sweet revenge (how apt for my mood!!!), violence, and violence. Yes, this film has all the elements of this type of genre: blood, gore, cold killings, a little sex, and surprisingly, a lot of heart. And, all these wrapped in a well-told story.

Speaking of the story, not many films of this genre actually care to deliver a logical flow of events that allows the audience to go deep and dig for golden nuggets of human truth. I suppose the director of this film made sure that the film made sense first before he added all the spectacular accents that the genre required.

Over all, in a scale of 5 being the highest, I give this a 4 and a half. Great story that never fails to surprise until the end, a superb editing that aided much in the storytelling, production design (where can I get those wallpapers) that spoke volumes, again aiding the telling of the story, and a great message—the timeless truth that love always does triumph. Or does it? Haha. (Wait, this wasn’t the message. Hmmm… What the heck, this could be. If I say this is it, then this is it. Oh well, there goes my film critic career. Laa.. dee.. daaah…)

So I say, don’t judge a film by its title or poster or trailer. Watch it. You’ll never know what you’re gonna get. Like this one. Lucky Number Slevin. This film whams, bams, and thankyouma’ams.

It hardly comes these days, if ever it comes, that a film glaringly shines, and exceedingly, not by its wondrous techniques, fancy actors, and ethical and moral trappings and what not, but simply by the brilliance of its writing. By writing I mean, not with regard to the direction of the plot or how the story twists and turns but merely by the beauty of its words, how each phrase is carefully plucked from an ocean of banter; how every sigh and moan is expanded into a string of thoughts so well put together that one cannot help but be enamored, thrown, and forced to believe that poverty and words do not come together in one cohesive thought. That poverty maybe a word but it is a word indeed devoid of meaning when used to describe the bounty of prose.

In such glory comes “The Libertine”, a film written by Stephen Jeffreys based upon a play he wrote. The film stars Johnny Depp, in his best performance so far in his career, as John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester and Samantha Morton as the stage belle Elizabeth Barry. Also in the film is the incomparable John Malkovich as King Charles II. This man is in his element here. He is so good in this film that you would forget you saw him in “Of Mice and Men”, which by far is the benchmark of all his performance thereafter.

But these amazing actors are but mere pawns of a truly beautiful script. The actors have it cut for them—for with a script like this, one cannot but be a great actor. It is much like being in the presence of a God. You cannot but be good and be oriented towards the good for the ultimate goodness itself beckons you.

What I feel therefore is envy. I dream of one day being able to write great scripts without knowing what great scripts meant or looked like. Now, a script such as this comes my way and all be damned. Further envy ensues. For what brilliance must the writer possess and what type of process must he go through to produce even just an iota of something this good.

Yes, envy, knowing that I have had my share of great roles and acting accolades but the truly great real actor is born only when the last act has been written and the last phrase devised of a one truly magnificent writing.

It will not be much of a surprise then if I urge all of you, thespians and mere interested alike, to go and get a copy of “The Libertine”. Watch it in a silent room. Better yet, watch it alone in your room. Bask in the glory of its words, minced and carefully flavored.

Like the gods who have their ambrosia, we too, mere mortals, every so often are able to get a taste of that godly food—only for us, they come as brilliant words put together to tell a wondrous story.

Therefore, eat.

I recently got a copy of a lesser-known but equally Oscar-worthy french film called Romance. Its the story of a childless couple whose relationship has gone cold and very dysfunctional to say the least. The guy abhors sex (duh!) and the girlfriend (schoolteacher) is a closet nympho. I should probably stop attempting to describe the plot here (an attempt which will never ever come close in approximating how poignant and beautiful the film is) and encourage all of you to go and get a copy.

Anyway, the reason why I am mentioning this film, apart from my selfish intentions of wanting more people to see it so I can have someone to talk about the movie with, is that there is a beautiful part of the movie where Marie, the nympho girlfirend, explains why she doesn't like kissing. A lot of people have been asking why I don't kiss, more so especially not on a first date. In Marie's words, "Its, way too intimate."

Here's how she said it:

"No, I don't like tenderness. Or to be kissed on the mouth. I don't like that at all. I really couldn't care less who stuffs my cunt with cock. But to kiss someone, I have to love them a lot. Its way too intimate."

Marie, Romance

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Romance
Written and directed by the brilliant Catherine Breillat
Released in 1999