RacsO Movie of the Day: Infernal Affairs

I am so in love with this film when it came out. So when I heard that it was going to be remade, I was kinda skeptic, but hey The Departed was leaps and bounds better. But that said, The Departed may not have been the masterpiece that it was if it wasn't for Infernal Affairs.

Happy Birthday: Joan Allen

Today is the birthday of one of the greatest actresses of this decade (so far) and is also one of the most snubbed though nominated for three Oscars and never won. Joan Allen turns 52 today. I know she can sizzle on screen and can give top notch performances after another but apparently she has not been getting that much meaty roles that she deserves. Anyways, in name of her greatness here are my top 5 performances from Joan Allen, I have to see The Crucible and Nixon again cause apparently I was very young the time I saw it.

Pamela Landy in The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum

She feels like an antagonist but yet she makes you rethink again. She is good after all and is sided with Bourne. Allen as Pamela Landy chews every scene she was in and made other actors alongside her seem amateur (except probably Julia Stiles who was surprisingly good). Commanding and powerful, every line delivered with such bravura. The phone scenes are awesome. I couldn't find a good one in youtube so I guess this would suffice...

Terry Ann Wolfmeyer in The Upside of Anger

She is hella quotable in this film and I think she gave her best performance to date in this movie. The movie may not be that good but she was on fire and there weren't any bad moments that she was in. And why the frack did the academy fracked her up by not noticing her greatness!?

Sen. Laine Hanson in The Contender

The movie may not be that good but Allen made the best out of the material given to her. I kinda like the movie even though it has massive holes and I think Allen was one of the saving graces of the film.

Betty Parker in Pleasantville

Now we see a less angry Joan Allen here. In fact she is not angry at all. Allen playing a Stepford wife who colored her black and white life. May not be her most memorable moment but she was very good in it.

RacsOview: "Serbis"

One word to some this movie up, which in turn was also the term used by Sean Penn to describe this film: "BRILLIANT".

Brillante Mendoza continues to break conventions in Filipino filmmaking one movie after another. Following the trend of his previous works (Foster Child and Tirador), Mendoza did not focus on one story line alone instead what he did was to follow multiple storylines of different character and how they intermingle and how they reacted to whatever happens to them.

Set in a tattered cinema house in Pampanga Philippines, Serbis follows the lives of a family on a brink af breaking down. Multiple story lines: The story of a grand mother who lost her case against here adulterous husband. Gina Pareno giving what could be the year's best (so far) supporting actress performance. The story of a young adolescent who impregnates her girlfriend. The Philippine Indie prince, Coco Martin giving his most adult performance to date. The story of a mother who falls in love with a younger man. Jacklyn Jose stunning as usual.

As the story unfolds one can see this storytelling as a mediocre piece of blahness, but if you take a look of the details and dig deep into their meanings you would find out that Mendoza is telling as a story of life in Philippines is. This is the kind of life we have, the kinds of things that happen to us, the kind of Filipinos that we are.

This movie in not for everyone. I remember that when I was in the cinema house I can hear people saying what kind of crap the movie was. I never really saw what they saw, all I see was life unfolding in front of my eyes. And in the end it got me saying that this is one of the best Filipino films I've seen not only this year, but of any year.

A

Currently Listening to: Boyce Avenue

Here is my latest found. I was browsing through acoustic covers of pop songs (genre I don't really like) and I found this band who apparently is kinda famous in YouTube. And they got me hooked.

This is my favorite cover from a song that I did not like before now I love it.


Here's that whiny song Bleeding love covered to perfection.


And here is on of their originals:


And check them out in MySpace

RacsO Movie of the Day: Blast from the Pas

Again another popcorn flick that I enjoyed that a lot that I think not that many people like. For me it was sweet, an almost-there uniqueness. Brendan Fraser was perfect for the role and I could not think of another guy who could pull this kind of performance. Funny and never corny. This may not be one of the bests of 1999 but this is the kind of movie you want to watch with a special someone :)

RacsOddiction: Dangerous Liaisons

This movie is very very yummy now here's me wondering why the frack are Glenn Close and Michelle Pfeiffer (ditto Uma Thurman) Oscar-less? One of the bests of this kind of genre and I am so happy i bought this dvd on sale

RacsO Movie of the Day: Miss Congeniality

I don't know about you guys but I really like this movie. It is shallow yes but it was one of the most entertaining films by Sandra Bullock. There are some movies that you do not really have to be that critical about and I think this is one of 'em. You just have to appreciate it for what it is: an entertaining chickflick guilty pleasure.

RacsO Movie of the Day: Shortbus

One of 2006's best films. John Cameron Mitchell continues to wow us one movie after another. A story about New Yorker's living near ground zero and how each individual affect each others' lives. To box this movies as a gay film is not apt to say the least, this is more of a story of life and what is really happening out there.

Shortbus is my number two film of 2006 and I am imagining his next film will be my number one of that year methinks. It showcased one of my favorite artists: Jay Brannan singing "Soda Shop" and "Star Spangled Banner" butt naked.

Currently Listening to: Secondhand Serenade

Definitive EMO = Totally Addicting

These guys seem that their heart have been broken several times to come up with such broken down and sometimes desperate songs. But that said, their songs are really really good and you can't help but be moved by the emotion they bring out in their songs.

Here is one of their best songs:



ditto:



If you want more do buy their albums now!

Currently Listening to: John Nathaniel

I love my Coco (Colbie Caillat) and adore her songs to the bone but John Nathaniel's cover of "Realize" for me was superior than the original. I love the raspy voice the rock meets pop kinda voice but put to good use. Got me listening to him all day.

Anyways here is John Nathaniel's Realize. Enjoy!

RacsOddiction: The Unbearable Lightness of Being

I haven't seen this one yet. It is in my queue of films to watch. I keep on buying DVDs and then I just have them on stack. Anyways I bought it because I've read the book and the DVD was on sale. Plus post There Will be Blood I am craving for some more Lewis.

RacsO Cinemalaya Winner picks

I know this has been long delayed but I am back now and will blog like hell again...

Best Film: JAY (Francis Xavier Pasion) A+
Runner Up: 100 (Chris Martinez) A

"Thank God for Andrew..." is my favorite line from this very quotable film.

The most inventive and the most original in the batch. It never lost its indie-ness film. Simplicity, authenticity and superb performances (not to mention flawless technical aspects) were the key ingredients that made this indeed the deserving winner. I am in love with this film, even though the film tackles more about death (methinks the abuse of TV was second) it was never morose or somber, in fact it was hilarious.

Best Director: FRANCIS XAVIER PASION (Jay) A
Runner Up: Chris Martinez (100) A

Francis Pasion submitted the screenplay for this film in last year's Cinemalaya, and this year he made it into a feature film. His directorial debut was indeed a breakthrough, and I could only imagine what his next projects would be. There may be no signature style as of yet but there is joy and passion in what he does and it is shown on screen.

Best Actor: JULIAN DUQUE (Boses) A-
Runner Up: Baron Geisler (Jay) B+

Though I have overflowing love for Jay and Geisler's wonderful performance, It was Duque's Onyok that made the biggest impact in me. Not only was he musically gifted and he showed that in his breakthrough film. He feels the music and interpret's it on screen. And that is saying much because this kid is way young to be giving such a powerful performance (think Jiro Manio in Magnifico or Saoirse Ronan in Atonement).

Best Actress: MAILES KANAPI (My Fake American Accent) A
Runner Up: Mylene Dizon (100) B+

I think I am in the minority when I say that Dizon (100) gave the festival's best actress performance. Yes My Fake American Accent was a mess, and a big one at that, but stage actress Mailes Kanapi chewed every scene she was in and dominated the whole film. Think Meryl Streep in Devil Wears Prada. Kanapi's Mrs. Seva was a comic genius and was the only saving grace of the film.

Best Supporting Actor: COCO MARTIN (Jay) B+
Runner Up: Yul Servo (Brutus) B

Methinks this is the weakest category in the batch because the actors were not given that much roles to play with but that said it was Coco Martin who I think gave the best of them selected few (very few). His sincere portrayal of grieving ex-lover of a dead guy felt realistic and you can't help but feel that they really were in love. He may be shy on screen (the character) but it was him that I think was the most memorable.

Best Supporting Actress: EUGENE DOMINGO (100) A+
Runner Up: Tessie Tomas (100): a wonderful comeback A+

Miss Eugene Domingo is on fire! Last year she sizzled with two films (Foster Child and Pisay) and won numerous awards, this year she is back with yet another winner. Playing the best friend of a dying cancer patient was in every bit a masterwork. It was comic, but never over the top. She made the movie more alive and happy despite its sad theme. It was her that you want to see every frame and that's because in her very first scene she owned it. Bravo.

Best Screenplay: JAY (Francis Xavier Pasion) A
Runner Up: Chris Martinez (100) B+

No question here, methinks this is the most inventive and playful and original script of the batch.

Best Editing: JAY B+
Runner Up: 100 B+

Crisply made and effortlessly fused. Never felt amateurish and never rushed nor forced.

Best Cinematography: HULING PASADA A-
Runner Up: 100 A-

One of the films saving grace is the cinematography. Yes it may not have those grandiose scenes to make the audience wow but they made every street, every corner, every room and every space very pleasing to look at. And what an interesting play of colors.

Best Ensemble Cast: 100 (Mylene Dizon, Eugene Domingo, Tessie Tomas, TJ Trinidad...) A
Runner up: Jay A-

When the three girls are on screen they are on fire! The Eugene-Mylene tandem alone can carry this film

Cinemalaya 2008

Last week I was able to balance everything that was going in and out of my life and was able to attend this year's Philippine film fest "Cinemalaya". Halfway the festival I got sick yeat I was present the whole week. I was able to see the ten films in competition including other Filipino films I've not seen yet (and some I re-watched). It was a good film fest, at least some of the films delivered, but most were lukewarm and banal at best. I could say that 3 were notable, 2 were good but nothing special, 2 were so so and 3 were just plain awful.

Since I do not have time to create a full review of each film (because of school, work, thesis, scriptwriting, other stuff) I will be giving my reactions to the film instead. I will list them in order of liking, from worst to best.


Baby Angelo
Director: Joel Ruiz
My Grade: D
Debatably the weakest film of the batch, at least for me. Methinks and feel that it was trying to hard to be artsy when it was not. The lighting and cinematography were as off as the acting and the storyline. The movie was very ambitious and it never quite got off from its premise. It was an utter bore from end to finish.


Concerto
Director: Paul Morales
My Grade: D
While I was watching the gala of 100, some guys at my back kept on saying that Concerto was way better than 100. So that got me hyped with the film and asked my sister and cousin to tag along with me and watch the film. So the end product was me super bored. It felt like I was watching a long bad tv soap opera episode. The redeeming factors? the songs plus the cinematography.


Namets
Director: Jay Abello
My Grade: D
Pangets! Namets translates to "delicious" which was the complete opposite of the movie. It was very cheesy, banal, corny and was like watching several cutesy chick flicks fused together. The lead actors does not have any chemistry whatsoever and they were just showing off their cuteness on screen which for me was annoying. But hey! I give (A) to the mini movie about the kid trying to save their farm animals by being butchered by his father. But then again come to think of it the mini movies never quite connect.


My Fake American Accent
Director: Ned Trespeces
My Grade: D
Technically, this movie should rank lower and could be the worst of the bunch. The sound editing was all over the place. The plot has sublots and even more sublots and bountiful loopholes and banality. However what it lacks in technical merit it makes up for humor. The script may be downright silly and cheesy but I have got to hand it to the writers for concocting jokes that would really appeal to the call center generation. Plus not to mention that career high performance of Mailes Kanapi who I think deserve best acting recognition


Ranchero
Director: Michael Christian Cardoz
My Grade: D
I was really blank while watching this film from start to finish. It started and finished without me noticing that the story progressed. It never quite got off from what could be an OK premise. The end result was a muddled piece of an art indie wannabe.


Huling Pasada
Director: Paul Sta. Ana
My Grade: B-
Having seen the above films made me feel that Huling Pasada was a good and solid feat. The main problem of the film is that it was too slow. Plus the character focus shifts were quite off. However they successfully fused it in the end, and it ended well. Thanks to the charismatic lead performance by Neil Ryan Sese. The performance was nowhere groundbreaking but it was a good performance, good enough to carry the film.


Brutus
Director: Tara Illenberger
My Grade: B
This movie could have been better my main problem with the film is that it tried to cover so many grounds that it was not that successful in arriving to a point. That said this was on of the best films of the festival. Utilizing non actors made the look and feel of the film all the more realistic. Easily a contender in the festival. It was at least good for me, but there was nothing that special about it.


Boses
Director: Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil
My Grade: B+
The film I saw with the longest standing ovation. Methinks the film deserved it, thanks to the wonderful lead performance by it's lead child actor Julia Duque. Playing a mute but musically gifted abused child, the movie was successful in making the viewers feel sympathy for it. It was successful in delivering its sole message about child abuse. I was one of the many who stood up, I was really mesmerized.


100
Director: Chris Martinez
My Grade: A
Think Bucket List only a whole lot better. A dying woman decided that she will not sit down and wait for the untimely day and decided that she will create list that she needs to accomplish before she dies. Poised with a towering lead performance by Mylene Dizon as the dying lead and an even more powerful supporting ensemble head by the ever funny and superb Eugene Domingo and a very good comeback by Tessie Tomas. My only issue with it is that it was too long, it dragged at some parts and made me hungry.



Jay
Director: Francis Xavier Pasion
My Grade: A+
I'm torn between 100 and this as to which is the best film of the batch, but this movie was far more adventurous, and the humor was spot on and the movie never dragged. It was about death but it never felt sa. It did not made fun off the sensitive topic but it was about death only with humor. Poised with a wonderful performances by Baron Geisler and Coco Martin. Jay might end up as one of the year's best Filipino films and probably one of the most inventive. It was a wonder indeed.

RacsO Awards 2007: Best Actor

the screen lead gods

LEGEND: First - Second - Third

Javier Bardem
No Country for Old Men
Arguably a lead performance (Since Brolin has a far bigger screen time) but Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurh may come down in history books as one of the best villains ever put to screen. He was scary almost demonic, ruthless with a tinge of wry humor. He may not be on screen that much but you can feel his terror lingering in every scene.


Daniel Day-Lewis
There Will Be Blood
The devil incarnate, Daniel Day Lewis' Mr. Plainview was a sight of nightmare. You wouldn't even recognize or feel the terror firsthand, but as you delve deep into his mind, and after his son's mishap; the devil in him was unearthed. Lewis giving a towering Oscar worthy performance. He does not make movies that much (ditto Terrence Mallick) but when he

Glen Hansard
Once
Glen Hansard can put acting in his resume right now as he gave one of the most bittersweet performances in recent memory. Playing the 'guy' in Once, Hansard carried out the emotion that was in ever sentence, every word, every letter of the song. It is not music interpretation it is brining the music to life.

James McAvoy
Atonement
James McAvoy solidified his leading man status in this film. McAvoy's Robbie was totally in love, mysterious yet sincere. You feel for him for the love that he could have had but didn't. You feel utmost sympathy, and you hate the bitch Briony more. McAvoy giving a follow up to his superb breakthrough last year, now here I am wondering how perfect he would be in his next Oscar venture?

Viggo Mortensen
Eastern Promises
Viggo Mortensen just keeps on getting better and better with every (Cronenberg) film. This role may not have those defining moments, scenes showcasing acting bravura, my reply to that, the whole performance was the showcase of talent. Such an undervalued performance, this is the year's best performance by any actor.

RacsO Awards 2007: Best Actress

the screen lead goddesses

LEGEND: First - Second - Third

Amy Adams
Enchanted
I am getting that Mary Poppins vibe while watching Amy Adams scorch the screen in her first titular role as Giselle in Enchanted. Every movements, gestures, facial reactions, hand movements and lines were delivered effortlessly masterful. You just can't get your eyes off her that's how magnetic she was. The movie would have tumbled if it was not for her (and Marsden), it was a tough trick to pull off and she did.

Julie Christie
Away From Her
What a way to make a comeback! Julie Christie as Fiona in an Alzheimer love story for old people. Yes she may be baiting for that Oscar (the sometimes deglammed look, mental disorder, veteran actress to boot) but if the role and the performance is as perfect as this need I complain. Even though Gordon Pinsent is seen more on screen it was Christie that you remember the most.

Angelina Jolie
A Mighty Heart
Her best performance since her Oscar winning role in 1999, Angelina Jolie is back with a biopic and an effective one at that. Instead of giving her usual starfucking vanity fair showcasing her
sexiness and not her talent, this time Jolie showed us why we fell in love with her in the first place. She captured the emotional restrain of Pearl up to her devastating breakdown.

Nicole Kidman
Margot at the Wedding
Nicole Kidman just continues to challenge herself by getting roles after another, ranging from baity (The Hours) to weird (Birth) to musical (Moulin Rouge!) then to completely off mainstream (Dogville). She did it again this year with a bitchy role as a bitter sister Margot. A complex character that you would love to hate, but then again you can feel that Margot is more of covering her own wound by slashing out on others.

Tang Wei
Lust, Caution
Watching Tang Wei's breakthrough performance in Ang Lee's superb Lust Caution was like watching numerous performance in one! To even say that this is a breakthrough performance shocks me, Wei gave a superb feat on screen given that this is her very first movie. Now here am I waiting for what she does next.

RacsO Awards 2007: Best Director

the storytellers, the helmers, the directors...

LEGEND: First - Second - Third

John Carney
Once
In telling the story of a guy and girl bonded by their love for music was a pitch perfect feat. Every time the movie could have crumbled to become cheesy or boring, but John Carney's passion in telling a bittersweet love story / musical that is unlike anything you have seen before, was what kept the movie in synch. Here's me hoping that he give us more in the future, and I am there in the front row watching.

Christian Mungui
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Just like Winterbottom, Christian Mungui successfully juggled several important social issues effortlessly. He covered so much ground even though you do not feel drowned or was it forced to you. The movie feels like Gus Van Sant is aiming to do in Elephant or Last Days and Mungui was successful in creating the audience as voyeurs to the life unfolding in front of us.

Michael Winterbottom
A Mighty Heart
Rewatching the film made me love the movie more than the first time I saw it. It was a masterwork, balancing the socio-political issues with deep emotional heart break, Winterbottom is on top of his game. It was never too much of everything, you never feel exhausted. A master story teller, made you feel that you were in the same room as Pearl.

Park Chan Wook
I'm A Cyborg But That's OK
Deviating from his bloodfest comfort zone, Park Chan Wook created what could be his personal best film to date. It was a sweet, weird and funny, something you did not expect coming from Wook. I give him props for infusing his personal style to this whole new world he created. Wonderful work and here I am craving for more.

Joe Wright
Atonement
This has got the be the most challenging feat of the year. Successfully putting to screen a beloved novel. Joe Wright has got to be the next go to director for adapting novels as he proved that 2-3 years back in Pride and Prejudice. This is a rousing follow up and I could not believe that he can outdo himself that much given that Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite films in 2005 (also one of my all time faves).

RacsO Awards 2007: Best Film Editing

The master editors

LEGEND: First - Second - Third
Paul Tothill
Atonement
Glides through scenes and viewpoints effortlessly. Makes Briony's mind visible to all of us watching.

Jay Rabinowitz
I'm Not There
This movie would have not worked if it wasn't for it's sharp editing and shifting of one Dylan after another.

Peter Christelis
A Mighty Heart
It was documentary and live action feel to it that made it all the more strong. Wonderfully fused all together the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle.

Roderick Jaynes
No Country For Old Men
Simple yet very powerful. The Coen brothers sharp cutting made the terror all the more palpable.

Paul Mullen
Once
You hardly felt it because the movie's flow was flawless. Made you fell the editing skill because it was not trying to do so much.

2007 RacsO Awards: Best Supporting Actor

They screen time may be short but these guys were a pa or even better than the leads!

LEGEND: First - Second - Third

Ben Foster
3:10 To Yuma
Arguably one of the best breakthrough performance of the year. To stand out in a cast where Russell Crowe in Christian Bale headline is quite an achievement. Sinister and devilishly good this kid has a bright future ahead of him.

Heath Ledger
I'm Not There
Though almost everyone went gaga over Cate Blanchett, personally I think that the destructive Dylan by Heath Ledger was the best acted. Blanchett got the better part but for me it was Ledger who made an impact on me (ditto Gainsbourgh). Here's me hoping that he will win as Joker next year.

Tony Leung
Lust, Caution
I know that Leung is bound to give us an acting performance that could get him noticed and might crossover him to hollywood success. Unfortunately critics failed to see that. Leung was a silent terror in Lust Caution thus giving his best performance since In the Mood for Love.

James Marsden
Enchanted & Hairspray
I never knew that he had it in him. Marsden was delight and a show-stopper in Hairpspray. But it was in Enchanted that Marsden's light shone the brightest. He was divinely silly, endlessly comic and pitch perfect for the role.

Max Von Sydow
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Only a true pro could make such a big impact in such a scant screen time. William Hurt did that 3 years ago and this year it is a veteran Sydow that pulled the memorable supporting almost cameo-ish performance. He is the heart of this film and was highly memorable.

2007 RacsO Awards: Best Adapted Screenplay

Don't care if they are not original if they are this good...

LEGEND: First - Second - Third

Christopher Hampton
Atonement
Personally I think that this literary adaptation of a famous book from Ian McEwan of the same name is one of best adaptations of our time. Plus the added flare from page to book was welcome. I loved every ink that was spent in writing this script.

Sarah Polley
Away From Her