Movie Digest # 048

HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY
Greenbelt 3, Cinema 2, September 10, 9:05pm

Visually engaging. I was reminded of the good stuff from the old days (read: “Never Ending Story”) when CGI was not introduced yet. Story-wise, there’s nothing much to expect (read: “Fantastic Four”).

Friends who might appreciate it: an officemate named Josh Canlas.

RIGHTEOUS KILL
Glorietta 4, Cinema 3, September 12, 10:30pm

Call this my birthday film as I spent midnight inside the cinema. Well, the film is an honest-to-goodness cop story, complete with a twist that was revealed 10 minutes before the film ends. Nothing memorable except for the fact that the spotlight is shared, for the third time, by Hollywood’s two best actors, De Niro and Pacino.

Friends who might appreciate it: those who have seen “Heat”.

SERBIS
UP Diliman, UP Cine Adarna, October 1, 2:00pm

I missed this year’s Cinemalaya and given that, there are only two outstanding Pinoy films so far: “Ploning” and “Serbis”. The film is a dirty, noisy and dark story told in your face about a day in the life of a dysfunctional family and their moviehouse business. There are too many stories to tell, actually, but I won’t dissect everything. Most of the scenes are screaming filth: tight shot of a boil being squeezed, a toilet swamped with urine, clogged sink, plus the not so obvious ones like prostitution, lose of innocence and injustice. The film was made to be hated but the filmmaking is meant to be appreciated, to share pathos and release guilt.

Friends who might appreciate it: film lovers, period.

THREE KINGDOMS: RESSURECTION OF THE DRAGON
Glorietta 4, Cinema 5, October 1, 6:10pm

I can say that it’s not your usual “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” type of Chinese film. Not a Zhang Yimou either. It’s a big budgeted (bloody) film, adapted from a Chinese epic novel and stars Hongkong superstar Andy Lau (one of the Heavenly Kings, hehehe) and Sammo Hung. Nothing much, story-wise or style-wise, but I enjoyed the film the way I enjoyed any Jet Li film.

Friends who might appreciate it: those who prefer to avoid “Disaster Movie”.

MATAKOT KA SA… KULAM
Glorietta 4, Cinema 2, October 1, 8:30pm

I had high expectations for the film for the following reasons: Jun Lana’s “Roxxxanne” is impressive, Juday is a fine actress and it’s Regal’s 38th anniversary presentation. Sad to say, everything is not falling into place. There are consistency problems here and there, some executions are off and flat, excessive production design (yeah, “kulam” scene is still surrounded with candles and the works), CGI is distracting and acting is so-so. On the plus side, the twist is cool. The concept of the film being a “kulam” film is also good. It doesn’t conform to the usual and predictable plot of love, revenge and redemption.

Friends who might appreciate it: those who wish to see Juday essay a dual role.

EAGLE EYE
Glorietta 1, Cinema 2, October 2, 9:30pm

Nothing new or memorable, just a plain action film (less the wit) from Dreamworks, in the mold of “The Net” and the like.

Friends who might appreciate it: those who are waiting for the “Transformers” sequel.