The One with the Ten Best Films of 2004

2004 at the movies will be best remembered for producing perhaps two of the most controversial films in recent years: Michael Moore’s Bush-bashing docu “Fahrenheit 9/11”, and Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ”, an account of the last hours of Jesus Christ. Yet, when all is said and done, neither of them was among the ten best films of the year. These are my picks for the year’s best:

10. The Incredibles
Written and Directed by Brad Bird; starring the voices of Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, and Samuel L. Jackson



The partnership of Disney and Pixar strikes gold anew in this tale about a family of superheroes who, after being forced to retirement, are once again called upon to save the world. Pixar continues its stretch of providing its audience with entertaining films that cater to both children and adults, further solidifying its claim as the leader in animated features. Brad Bird has created one of the most entertaining animations in years, delivering the fun and amusement from start to finish. “The Incredibles” is a terrific film that lives up to its name – it is truly incredible.

9. Kinsey
Written and Directed by Billy Condon; starring Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, and Peter Sarsgaard



The film is an engaging look at researcher Alfred Kinsey - the man responsible for the sexual revolution in America in the 60s. Liam Neeson delivers a remarkable performance in the title role; Laura Linney and Peter Sarsgaard play supporting roles as the researcher’s wife and his assistant, respectively. Director and Screenwriter Billy Condon’s brilliantly crafted script is riveting from start to finish, making great use of humor and emotion in its narrative. All these components rolled together – interesting subject, great performances, and superb writing – make for one of the best biopics of the year.


8. The Butterfly Effect
Written and Directed by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber; starring Ashton Kutcher and Amy Smart



One of the surprises of the year, “The Butterfly Effect” stars Ashton Kutcher as a troubled man who experiences traumatic events and memory blackouts in his childhood. One can easily dismiss the film because (who are we kidding?) Kutcher in a leading role on a serious film is like Britney Spears singing in Broadway (God-forbid). Fortunately, the material itself is strong enough to hold the film together. Although there are some loopholes on its plot, the film manages to grab its viewers primarily due to the premise of people being able to change one aspect of their past, and how it can make a ripple effect on their future. “The Butterfly Effect” is dark look into a troubled psyche; a disturbing, eerie thriller worthy of numerous viewings.

7. The Village
Written and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan; starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, Adrian Brody, and William Hurt



While a lot thought Shyamalan’s latest work to be his worst (and even put it to their list of Worst for the year), I thought “The Village” to be one of the most underrated films of the year. Take away the bad marketing, the heightened expectations that this will be another “The Sixth Sense”, and what you will see is an excellent piece of filmmaking. Shyamalan builds up his story, slowly strips the mysteries layer upon layer, and comes up with a film with two interpretations - that of a 19th century community’s overprotective love and on a larger scale, of post-9/11 America. Great performances are aplenty (special kudo to newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard who I hope makes it big), cinematography and editing is exquisite, and it certainly doesn’t lack the surprises that Shyamalan is known for. So what’s not to like? Beats me.


6. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón; starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson



One of the biggest reasons why I enjoyed the third installment in this series is because of one man: director Alfonso Cuarón. Previous headmaster Chris Columbus tried too much to be faithful to the books, resulting to two sloppy adaptations of several chapters shot straight from the book slapped together without any continuity and flow. Enter Cuarón, and he managed to salvage this wreck of a franchise by making the film darker and more “adult”, with each sequence seamless, incorporating his own distinct style to it. But of course, it also helped that Emma Watson’s all grown up. :D

5. Closer
Directed by Mike Nichols; starring Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Jude Law, and Natalie Portman



A rule of thumb when adapting materials to the big screen: always have the original writer of the material do the screenplay for you. Director Mike Nichols collaborated with playwright Patrick Marber to bring the controversial play to the big screen, and the result is a riveting drama about love, lies and deceit. The four actors give equally captivating performances, playing characters you will love to hate (or hate to love, whichever way you look at it). “Closer” is an honest look at relationships, and how human behavior becomes ugly when love is selfish.

4. The Aviator
Directed by Martin Scorsese; starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Alan Alda, Kate Beckinsale, and Alec Baldwin



And so, Martin Scorsese tries yet again to snatch that ever-elusive Oscar. His latest drama stars Leonardo DiCaprio as billionaire industrialist Howard Hughes, one of the most intriguing characters in contemporary America. The film covers the most pivotal points in the eccentric billionaire’s life: from producing films at a young age, his shift to a successful career in aviation (both as a pilot and engineer), his well-documented romances with Hollywood’s biggest names (most notably Katherine Hepburn, brought to life marvelously by Cate Blanchett), and his decline to obsessive-compulsive disorder that took over his later years. “The Aviator” is a compelling drama about how too much passion can lead to destruction – a great cinema from a great director.

3. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera
Directed by Joel Schumacher; starring Gerald Butler, Emmy Rossum, and Patrick Wilson



Schumacher’s colorful adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s successful stage musical is captivating from start to finish. Extravagant set designs, lavish costumes, and excellent cinematography – it has all the ingredients that make for an outstanding musical. Emmy Rossum shines as Christine, while both Butler and Wilson manage to hold their own. The film scores in entertainment value, although falters a bit with its lack of any emotional punch. The film may not be as good as Baz Luhrman’s “Moulin Rouge” or Rob Marshall’s “Chicago”, but Webber’s score is more than enough to keep you whistling for days.

2. Finding Neverland
Directed by Mark Forster; starring Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, and Freddie Highmore



Mark Forster crafts a beautiful film about the events surrounding J.M. Barrie and the conception of his beloved play “Peter Pan”. Johnny Depp proves himself to be one of the best actors of today with a subdued yet charming portrayal of the Scottish playwright. Freddie Highmore steals the show as the boy who inspired the character of Peter, displaying intensity beyond his years. Forster brilliantly weaves sequences of reality and fantasy to form a magical tale that tells us to never lose sight of the best things in life.

1. Hotel Rwanda
Directed by Terry George; starring Don Cheadle, Nick Nolte, Joaquin Phoenix, and Sophie Okonedo



Based on a true story, “Hotel Rwanda” is a powerful account of how hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina sheltered hundreds of refugees from genocide in Rwanda ten years ago. Don Cheadle gives the performance of his career as the hotel manager who confronts his owns fears and conquers all odds in order to save his family and the lives of people he reluctantly takes into his care. Director Terry George pushes the right buttons, slowly building up tension, making use of a faceless voice as the film’s main villain, and picturing the horrors war without Michael Moore-esque preachiness. The film is a jarring look at what evil humans are capable of. What is remarkable about the film is how it is capable of shaming and uplifting at the same time. It has drawn comparisons to Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List”, and may well be the most important film of the year.

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I'm still reeling from San Miguel's loss to Ginebra. It's a tough pill to swallow, particularly because of the stupid freakin' referees. Tangina, obvious na obvious yung bias for Ginebra. One play which really broke the camel's back was when Danny Seigle was slapped an offensive foul against Eric Menk early in the 4th quarter. Seigle drove to his left, spun to his right, and got called the charge. Menk flopped to his right, perhaps anticipating that Seigle will take it strong to the right. Eh bobo naman yung referee, kumagat. Had the right call been made (defensive foul, three-point play for Seigle), San Miguel would've been up by four points. Classic case of the referees indirectly deciding the outcome of the game.

No point crying over spilled milk though. I'm still happy with the way San Miguel played. And I couldn't hate Ginebra, I have too much love coach Siot. :p

The One where Joel is Forgiven

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera
Rating: 8/10

Let me start of by saying that I wasn’t a fan of musicals. Like any other teenage boy, sitting through two hours of endless music, high-pitched voices, and conversations sung instead of spoken wasn’t my idea of interesting. I considered 1996’s “Evita” to be one of the most dreary movies I’ve watched at that time. However, with recent films as brilliant and extravagant as “Moulin Rouge” and “Chicago”, the appeal of the musical genre has risen tremendously in my book. I was thrilled when I heard a few years ago that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera”, one of the longest running stage musicals, was going to be adapted to the big screen. Although I have not seen the play myself, I am familiar with the music and the story having downloaded the songs off the musical and having read the book by Gaston Leroux. The anticipation turned into skepticism when Joel Schumacher was tapped to direct the adaptation. After all, this was the man responsible for “Batman & Robin”.

“The Phantom of the Opera” is the story of the Phantom, a ghostly character (Gerald Butler) who haunts a Parisian opera house, slipping unnoticed through its passages, terrorizing cast and crew members, demanding payment from the opera house owners. He meets young orphan Christine (Emmy Rossum), is mesmerized by her talent and beauty, and secretly becomes her musical instructor. The chance to show off her talent comes when the opera house’s main talent, La Carlotta (Minnie Driver), throws a tantrum and storms off stage. Christine performs to the delight of the audience, and none is more captivated than Raoul (Patrick Wilson), the theater’s patron and a childhood friend of Christine’s. The two fall madly in love, sending the Phantom into a jealous rage.

The film turned out to be exactly what I imagined it to be, and perhaps more. From the grandiose set designs, to the lavish costumes, and the superb musical productions, the film is a true adaptation of the beloved stage musical. Which is exactly what may be its single biggest flaw: it’s a stage musical on the big screen. Part of the reason why the film is taking a beating from film critics is that many have been skeptical about adapting stage musicals to the big screen. Cinema is largely a visual art, whereas theater is much more than that. In films, the audience stare at a huge flat surface; whereas in theater, everything is life-like, performed right before your very eyes. This is especially evident in this film. [spoiler start] In the stage musical, the sight of the majestic chandelier and the eerie gondola ride through a river of candles must be a sight to behold. Sadly, they are nothing but ordinary scenes when seen on film. [spoiler end]

Not that it falls short in being the huge spectacle that it is. It boasts of extravagantly created sets and costumes, intertwined with crisp editing and brilliant cinematography. Its best element is Webber’s romantic score, which is nothing short of magnificent. From Rossum’s rendition of “Think of Me”, to the rooftop duet regale of “All I Ask of You”, and the spectacular “Masquerade” sequence (which reminded me of “Moulin Rouge” and its cabaret Can-can sequence), Webber’s music is so captivating, I can guarantee you will hear yourself humming the tunes for days.

I haven’t seen the stage play, so I cannot compare the performances of the actors to their thespian counterparts on stage. What I can say is that they more than held their own. Gerald Butler is convincing as the possessive and love-torn Phantom, although I can hardly understand his words when he’s singing. Patrick Wilson also delivers believably as Raoul. It’s Emmy Rossum who, like the character she plays, captivates the audience with her voice that radiates innocence and affection. Okay, I cringed a bit when I saw her likeness to the Angelicas (Jones and de la Cruz). But ignoring that pet peeve, I can see why the Phantom is head-over-heals in love with this woman. Rossum was tailor-made for the role.

I was thinking how the film would’ve turned out had Baz Luhrman directed it. But this ain’t a perfect world, and what Schumacher gives us is a faithful adaptation of the musical. With the aid of Webber’s wonderful score, “The Phantom of the Menace” triumphs as a visual feast beautifully filmed and majestically directed by Schumacher. For that, I forgive him for ruining the Batman series.

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This was originally posted in PinoyExchange, at the The Phantom of the Opera thread. Too bad the film isn’t getting the expected Oscar buzz. Critics are slamming it, while ordinary movie-goers are praising it. Over at Rotten Tomatoes, the film is only 36% among critics, but 81% among viewers. At Yahoo! Movies, critics have given it a score of C, while viewers have it at a healthy B+. Further proof that critics are dumb. The weird part is that they are actually paid to be dumb.

Mali naman kasi rin ang ginawang pag-market nito. The film opened on limited release 3 days before Christmas, but it has yet to be opened on wide release up to this day. What's usually done with an Oscar contender is the film is held back until late December, to which it opens on limited release so it can be eligible for the Oscars. It is then given a wide release playdate two weeks after so it can garner enough popularity among the masses.

Palpak naman ang Warner Bros. dito tsk tsk tsk! Such a big waste.

The One with the Undeserving Old Fart

I knew it.

I knew that I didn’t have the resolve to update my blog as often as I like. Tamad talaga ako hehehe.

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This year’s Golden Globes concluded yesterday, given out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. I don’t know why it’s considered the best precursor to the Oscars. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has almost 6,000 members, most of which are actors, directors, screenwriters, and film crew whereas the HFPA is only composed of 90 foreign press members. Medyo malayo, no? I would think that the various guilds ( Directors Guild , Writers Guild, and the Screen Actors Guild) would be better indicators for the Oscars.

Anyway, here are my thoughts on the Globes...

Yay!

1. Desperate Housewives and Teri Hatcher. I’m still pissed Eva Longoria’s the only housewife not nominated in the Lead Actress/Comedy category. I guess it’s because there are only 5 nominations; Sarah Jessica Parker and Debra Messing already have 2 slots locked up, so not all housewives could be accommodated. Too bad it was Eva who got bumped off. Anyway, okay na rin kasi "Desperate Housewives" pa rin ang nanalo. Many expected "Arrested Development" to win (an equally hilarious show in itself), but Hollywood loves underdogs. DH is a true underdog story; all the networks turned it down until ABC took a chance on it. Hey, at least Jason Batemen won for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for "Arrested". And I loved Teri Hatcher's speech, probably the most honest one of the night. She thanked ABC "for giving me a second chance at a career when I couldn't have been a bigger has-been." Aminin ba raw na laos na siya hahahahaha.

Speaking of Eva Longoria...



Daaaaaymmmmmmnnnnnn she’s H-O-T! :p

2. Closer Upsets. Natalie Portman and Clive Owen both scored upsets against Cate Blanchett ("The Aviator") and Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby"). I didn’t think both had chances against the two vets, so I’m delighted that they scored big. I loved "Closer" (read review here), so any award it manages to win will get a hooooray! from me. I believe Blanchett and Freeman will still win come Oscar night though.

3. Marty Scores. He didn't win for Directing, but at least "The Aviator" won for Best Movie/Drama. Although I would have loved it if either "Finding Neverland" (read review here), or "Hotel Rwanda" (read review here) had won, but "The Aviator" has the best chance to beat out Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby". The latter is a good boxing movie, but I can't see what the hype is all about. Nothing special about it, imho. I hope this will be Scorsese's year at the Oscars, the man clearly deserves to get one.

4. Jamie Foxx and his speech. One thing I like about the Globes is that it's much more relaxed and laid back compared to the Oscars. Eh nagpapaka-lasing na nga yung mga tao eh lol. There isn't a shadow of doubt that Foxx will win the Oscar; the only thing that's worth anticipating is what he'll say in his speech. If his speech at the Globes is any indication, mukhang masaya 'to, ala-Cuba Gooding Jr. circa '97.

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Commercial break muna!



Meet Emmy Rossum, ang bago kong fling. Ang magsasabi na kamukha niya si Angelica Jones, papatayin ko.

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Nay!

1. Empty Hotel. "Hotel Rwanda" came home empty-handed. I was hoping it could pull off at least one upset for Best Movie/Drama, Lead Actor/Drama, or even in the Original Song category. With these losses, looks like they've lost their chance to nab a Best Picture nom at the Oscars. Too bad, because I firmly believe it to be the best film of 2004.

2. Lost lost. Coincidence? Hehehe. Seriously, the nominations and subsequent winners in the television/drama categories this year were really, really from left field. Haven't watched "Nip/Tuck" nor "Deadwood", but I'm still convinced there were a lot of snubs this year. One look at the noms will tell you a LOT of good shows and performances were snubbed (No Keifer Sutherland? No James Gandolfini?) Nakakatakot pa yung itsura nung nanalo for Lead Actor/Drama, kamukha ni Max Alvrado. :p

"Lost" losing is especially a hard pill to swallow. I'm sure "Nip/Tuck" viewers will disagree with me, but there is no show more deserving to win than "Lost". Who would've thought that a group of people stranded on an island would make for such interesting television? Heck, if a film had the same plot, it would be hard to keep it interesting for two hours, let alone keep the storyline fresh and interesting week after week after week. Unlike "CSI", "Law and Order", or "The Sopranos" where each week's episode is a variation of the same formula, "Lost" is more character-driven, and its subplots rich with various themes and complex characters. For that, I believe it's the best drama on television today.

3. Million Dollar Baby cashing in. This is one overrated baby, I tell you. I didn't see anything special about the movie. Here's the dish: Reluctant Gym Owner (Clint Eastwood) trains Female Boxer (Hillary Swank) after much egging from Washed Up Boxer cum Assistant (Morgan Freeman). Female Boxer wins a couple of matches, and convinces Reluctant Gym Owner to set up a title bout for her. [spoiler start]Dirty Champion Boxer gives Female Boxer a cheap shot, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down. Reluctant Gym Owner is guilt-ridden, blaming Washed Up Boxer cum Assistant for egging him to train Female Boxer. In the end, Reluctant Gym Owner commits euthanasia, and puts off the lights on Female Boxer. [spoiler end] Maybe it's just me, but I didn't feel any attachment to the characters; I could care less what happened to them. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't great either like the pundits say it is.

Unlike her performance in "Boys Dont Cry", I don't feel Swank did anything incredible to make her the favorite to win her second Oscar. Were the actresses in Hollywood this awful in 2004, that they'll give an Oscar to someone who did "Next Karate Kid" and "The Core", and leave someone like Cate Blanchett gold-less? I sure wish Swank will learn from this and stay clear of disastrous films aforementioned.

On to Clint Eastwood. So he wrote the screenplay. So he composed the music. So he produced and directed the film. So friggin' what? Does that automatically make him the best just because he did all the work? The way I see it, he's a penny-pinching, tightfisted oldie who wants to take advantage of being an "icon" in the industry to get as many awards as he can. The same can be said of last year's "Mystic River". Di naman ako galit eh no. I just don't get what the fuss is all about this Eastwood dude. :p

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So there are my rants and raves on the Globes. Masyado na yata akong showbiz. On a more man-ly note, San Miguel won its fourth straight game, clinching a semis spot against Ginebra. Wasn't able to watch the game, but what the heck, they're finally playing like the well-oiled machine that they should be. Si Danny Seigle pa ang Player of the Week. Woooot!



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The new PinoyExchange was unveiled the other day. vBulletin was updated to the latest version (I think), layout's been overhauled. One thing I liked about the old layout was it looked simple, professional, and elegant. Parang masyadong malalaki yung font ngayon, especially the username in each post. I feel it's a different site altogether, I guess I just need a bit of time to get used to it. Not that I'm complaining. :p

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Parting shot.



Yum. :p

The One with the Kinky Julia

Closer
Rating: 8/10
Oscar Chances: Clive Owen, Supporting Actor; Natalie Portman, Supporting Actress; Adapted Screenplay

Romance-dramas tend to be bland and predictable; you usually know the outcome within the first ten minutes. This isn’t the case with Mike Nichols’ Closer, based on the Tony-nominated play by Patrick Marber, who also penned the film’s screenplay. The story revolves around four star-crossed lovers as they are intertwined in a love quadrangle, stuck in a seemingly endless merry-go-round without any inkling of who will end up with whom.

The film’s biggest strength is its screenplay. It’s honest and truthful, to the point of being brutal. It doesn’t try to cover up the ugly behavior that love can bring out of us. It focuses on one aspect of a romantic relationship that couples don’t really want to talk about until it actually happens: betrayal. The frankness of Marber’s script, most notably when it comes to sex, may surprise viewers, especially those who will go into the theaters expecting a cutesy love story. However, the sex talk wasn’t cheap and wasn’t slapped on the story just for the sake of attracting controversy; it’s used like how normal people perceive it to be – a double-edged sword that can be used as an expression of love, or as a means to spawn hatred.

Although it revolves around only four major characters (and only two are together onscreen at any given time), the pace of the film flows seamlessly, and doesn’t come up as boring. Nichols makes good use of his shots to allow the audience to connect with the four characters. In the end, even if the characters come across as despicable, selfish beings with no regard for others’ feelings, you can’t help but hope that they somehow find love.

Major props should also be given to the four actors who gave equally compelling performances. Just like in all his other films, Jude Law is once again in top form as the match who ignites the fire in this movie. His is the most despicable of the four characters, and you’ll just love to hate Law in this film. Natalie Portman is slowly making the transition to more serious roles, and if her performance here is an indication of her talent, she’ll surely be recognized in the future. Equally refreshing is America’s Sweetheart Julia Roberts in such a bold role, talking about sex positions and stuff. It isn’t Roberts at her best, but just to see her kinky side is enough to bring a smile on my face. The one who’s most impressive is Clive Owen, who delivers an intense performance as the person stuck in the middle of things. I was wondering what the hype was about Owen when “King Arthur” came out; now I see why. He’ll be perfect as the new Bond.

Some have labeled “Before Sunset” as the most honest film of the year, but I beg to differ. Go watch Closer, and you’ll know what brutal honesty is. It’s a study of lies, deceit, infidelity, and what selfish love is capable of. A warning: be very careful in choosing whom you will watch the film with. It’ll be best if you bring along a friend instead of a loved one.

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This was originally posted in PinoyExchange, at the Closer (Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman) thread. I had no idea on what the movie was about when I watched it, so I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. Lafftrip yung part nung nagsa-cybersex sila Jude Law and Clive Owen hahahahahaha! :p

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SI's Marty Burns reports that the Blazers are among the teams eyeing Baron Davis. Word is that the Blazers are willing to package Shareef Abdur Rahim and Damon Stoudamire (both of whom have expiring contracts at the end of the season) in exchange for Davis. I hope it pushes through; the Blazers badly need a shot in the arm. Di na rin naman masyadong kailangan si Shareef. He plays the same position as Zach Randolph, and Darius Miles is blossoming at the 3-spot. It will leave the already-thin Blazer bench more depleted, but the chance of getting an all-star in Davis' caliber is too tempting to pass. I hope John Nash pursues this one; lahat na lang ng available stars (Ray Allen, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter), pinakawalan niya!

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Yey! Approved yung leave ko for Monday, I can watch the Golden Globes. Babaw eh 'no, magli-leave lang para makapanood ng Globes. The next thing I'd have to worry about is where I'll watch it. Ine-nenok ko na lang siguro yung hotel key from Mum para sa Heritage ako makapanood. I'd have to commute though; darned Mondays and that stooopid color-coding scheme.

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PEx will be down this weekend; we're finally upgrading our vBulletin software to the latest version. Ada says we're going to love the new software. Aaaaah, if only it automatically bans and deletes nuissance posters. Now that's a feature we'll love. :p

The One where Marty Hits the Jackpot

The Aviator
Rating: 8/10
Oscar Chances: Leonardo DiCaprio, Actor; Cate Blanchett, Supporting Actress; Original Screenplay; Martin Scorsese, Director; Best Picture

I don’t like watching overly long movies. My belief is that if you can’t compress a story within two hours (at most), it’s flawed. Or if it does, there must be something in it that will justify the excess length. I wasn’t expecting too much from The Aviator, especially after finding out it was three hours long. As I did with "Gangs of New York", I gave Scorsese the benefit of the doubt, and drank a cup of coffee before the film began.

Scorsese’s latest drama stars Leonardo DiCaprio as the multi-faceted Howard Hughes: one of the world’s first billionaires, daring movie producer, and aviation pioneer. The movie covers much of Hughes’ time at the spotlight, from producing what was the most expensive film during his time ("Hell’s Angels" cost roughly $4M to make), his shift to a successful career in the aviation industry (both as a pilot and an engineer), as well as his romances with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars – Jean Harlow (Gwen Stefani), Katherine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) and Eva Gardner (Kate Beckinsale) to name a few. He’s daring, he’s bold, he’s a lady’s man. You’d think that three hours is more than enough to cover all these. But sadly, I felt that something was still missing after the credits started to roll.

To me, biopics should at least show the “how” and the “why” behind the person. There were just too many questions left unanswered by writer John Logan ("Gladiator"): why Hughes just had to produce the biggest movie, why he had to be the fastest pilot, why he had to build the biggest planes. This was a guy who had a compulsive need to be the best in everything, that he risked all his money and his life to be as successful as he was. The biggest question not answered though is how he became afflicted with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It was unclear why he went into reclusion, and why he went into the decline in his latter years. Sure, the opening scenes where his mother bathes him can offer some light into the matter, but there has to be more to it than that. How can a man of such vision be as weak as to crumble at the mere thought of germs? Forgive me if it was explained during the parts where Leo shows his butt, perhaps I just wasn’t paying attention. :p

That’s basically my only biff with Scorsese’s film. From a movie-making perspective, it’s a masterpiece. One thing that you can’t take away from this guy is that he makes his movies unbelievably polished. Art and costume design, cinematography, musical score…the film’s a technical beauty. Perhaps this is because Scorsese is not only a director, but also a film historian himself. He makes sure that even his “average” movies still stand out as excellent works of art. Together with Steven Spielberg, they’re on a league of their own.

Leonardo DiCaprio gives the most mature performance of his career, but he still somehow falls a bit short. Two reasons come to mind: he’s too baby-faced to portray the eccentric billionaire, and his acting’s still over-the-top in some scenes. He does a satisfying job, but the competition that he is up against this year may be too stiff for DiCaprio’s chances at the awards. Many believed that Cate Blanchett was robbed of an Oscar in 1998 for her turn as the monarch in "Elizabeth", but this year may well be her time to collect her gold. I haven’t seen much of Ms. Hepburn to say that Blanchett portrayed the legendary actress to a tee, but she still does a superb job nevertheless.

Despite the script’s flaws, Scorsese still finds ways to keep the film afloat with his superb directing. He may finally win an Oscar, but something tells me it's just for the sake of giving him the award instead of Scorsese turning up with the year's best film. The Aviator is not a classic in my book, but it provides enough entertainment to keep viewers glued for three hours. For that, give the man his Oscar already!

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This was originally posted in PinoyExchange, at the The Aviator thread. I'd put my money on Scorsese winning for Outstanding Direction, but another film will take Best Pic. I'd be really surprised if they snub Marty yet again. :p

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Darned it! 9ino already traded away Kobe Bryant (and practically half his team) to acquire Kevin Garnett from faaip_de_oaid in the fantasy league game that we're playing. He offered Kobe, Dwayne Wade, and Raef LaFrentz to me in exchange for Stephon Marbury and Tim Duncan, but I was wary of parting with Duncan and adding two guards to my lineup. It would've decimated my forward position (since I would've had to move Elton Brand to the center spot) and overload me at the guard position. I was hoping to trade my other guards (Sam Cassell, Cuttino Mobley, and Jamal Crawford) in return for another quality forward. Oh well, I guess I have to make do with what I have. :p

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National Team coach Chot Reyes released his list of 40 RP team aspirants. Four Beermen made the list: Nic Belasco, Danny Seigle, Dondon Hontiveros, and Danny Ildefonso. I feel the first three should make it to the final pool of 24. I hold Ildefonso's work ethic in high regard, but he's really playing below par since 2001. I'm saddened that Olsen Racela didn't make the list, because I think he's still among the top three PGs in the league. Matanda na kasi siguro kaya hindi na pinili. Dorian Peña should've been the number one choice for center now that Taulava's gone. The problem with him is that he doesn't play the type of defense that he should be playing. Sa laki ng katawan niya, he should be an intimidating presence at the middle. Sadly, he’s content on flopping, hoping that the referees will call it against the opposing player. He rarely blocks shots for a guy his size. Sayang si Dorian.

The One where the World Looked the Other Way

Hotel Rwanda
Rating: 10/10
Oscar Chances: Don Cheadle, Actor; Sophie Okonedo, Supporting Actress; Terry George, Director; “Million Voices” (Wyclef Jean), Original Song; Best Picture

The year was 1994. Try remembering what you were doing that year. I was still in grade school then, probably worrying about the science or math quiz that I didn’t study for (come to think of it, I never really gave a *bleep* about my grades anyway). Checking on the significant events of that year, I see that it was the year O.J Simpson lost his mind, Ayrton Senna lost his life, and Kurt Cobain lost both (Sorry y’all Cobain fans, I apologize already even before I receive hate messages). However, none of them compares to the loss of thousands of lives in Rwanda that year. If you asked me 11 years ago what I knew about Rwanda, I would’ve shrugged my shoulders. The sad thing is this: apparently, the whole world also did, and looked the other way.

Based on a true story, Hotel Rwanda is an account of how hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) sheltered hundreds of refugees from ethnic cleansing. For years, the two major ethnic groups of Rwanda – the Hutus and the Tutsis – have been at odds with each other. Just as the two groups were about to sign a peace accord to end decades of animosity, the plane of the Rwandan president (a Hutu) is gunned down, sending the country into a state of anarchy. Military and militia groups began rounding up and killing as many Tutsis they could find, as well as Hutus sympathetic to the Tutsis. (Click this link for more information on the Rwandan Genocide)

The brilliance of director Terry George’s work is that he doesn’t concentrate on the gruesome aspect of the situation. He doesn’t try to do a Michael Moore-esque impression of the horrors of war, nor does he make the film a political statement on who-is-to-blame-for-what. There are no fancy camera tricks here, no special effects, no horrid and violent pictures of people killed with bolos and machetes. Instead, he centers his film on Cheadle’s character, and how he reacts to the atrociousness that is unraveling around him. The film is hinged on its subject matter, and delivers its message strongly and convincingly. George masterfully builds up the pace of the story just as you’d expect in real life situations. At first, the tone of the film is more subdued and indifferent to the escalating tension that surrounds the hotel. He gradually changes the pace, giving the viewers a real sense of panic as violence slowly approaches the hotel and its occupants. I kid you not; it’s story-telling at its finest.

George also uses a faceless voice as the film’s antagonist – the Hutu radio station announcer who incites the militia to seek Tutsi blood. With words of hatred and calls for bloodshed, the voice can be compared to the evil whisper that we hear in our heads. As the hate-mongering voice bombards the airwaves with messages like “Kill the cockroaches,” we are reminded by the ugliness that humans are capable of.

Don Cheadle gives the performance of a lifetime as hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina, the unwitting hero. He worries for his family’s welfare first and foremost; his heroism is not really borne out of bravery or a sense of righteousness. But as the war is brought closer and closer to his hotel, we see Paul coming to terms with his role as the protector and father figure not only of his immediate family, but also of 1200 people. Cheadle delivers a passionate and powerful performance as Paul. Consistent with the film’s style, there are no big speeches or fist-wagging calls for courage ala-Braveheart here, but Cheadle manages to convey the sentiments of hopelessness and valor in a compelling fashion. His portrayal is not as high-profile as Jamie Foxx in Ray, but I truly believe he deserves the Oscar more than anybody else.

The underlying love story between Paul and his wife Tatiana is held together by Sophie Okonedo, making her an underdog for a supporting role award this year. Nick Nolte and Joaquin Phoenix play lesser roles as a UN Colonel and American journalist, respectively. Given minimal screen time, Phoenix makes do with what he has, and by the time he delivers the film’s most important message, he does so in a way that hits you in the gut.

"I think if people see this footage they'll say, ‘Oh my God, that's horrible,’ and go on eating their dinners."

Hotel Rwanda is inspiring and disturbing at the same time. It has drawn comparisons to Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, and it’s a pity the film is not getting the same buzz as Spielberg’s work. Be that as it may, Hotel Rwanda is a must-see, and may well be the most important film of the year.

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This was originally posted in PinoyExchange, at the Hotel Rwanda thread. My bet is it will be snubbed at the Oscars. Natural, hindi bida ang mga Kano eh. :p

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Yey! San Miguel won against Sta. Lucia, 98-84. I wasn't able to watch it (darned work), but from the final score alone, looks like that was some ass-whoopin' that they did. San Miguel's form has been disappointing as of late (and that's an understatement). Now that the PBA is in its important stages, I hope they can get their acts together. Ang tagal-tagal kong hinintay makumpleto yung team, 9-9 lang record nila?! #*&@#)@!#^$@^!!!

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Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt announced that they were splitting after four years or so of marriage. Normally, I wouldn't care about Hollywood news like this because everybody hooks up and splits after 1 minute anyways (think Melrose Place multiplied a million times), so why bother? Worth noting lang ito, kasi Friends cast member ang involved. :p

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In other Hollywood news, the opening sequence of the first Star Wars movie has just been named as having the best special effects in cinema history. I have no problems with the other choices (some of 'em I have yet to see), but Spiderman 2's train fight at number 10?! WTF?! There wasn't anything special about it. In fact, I believe both Spiderman films are MASSIVELY overhyped. Sure, they're both good films, but I'm just not drawn into the whole Spidey hoopla. I'm more of a Superman kind of guy. :p

The One with the Jacko Clone

Finding Neverland
Rating: 9/10
Oscar chances: Best Picture; Johnny Depp, Best Actor; Marc Forster, Best Director; Adapter Screenplay, Original Score

Johnny Depp stars as Scottish playwright James M. Barrie, the man who created Peter Pan and the wonderful world of Neverland. Barrie’s marriage is on the rocks, his last play a complete bust, and the pressure increases from theater producer Froham (Dustin Hoffman) for Barrie to write a play that will bring in the needed revenue to keep the theater afloat. While sitting on a park bench looking for an inspiration, he meets Sylvia Davis (Kate Winslet), and befriends the widow and her four little boys. Inspiration is exactly what he finds, as Barrie begins to paint the magical picture of Neverland with an imagination mirroring that of a child's.

When I found out that Marc Foster (of Monster’s Ball fame) was at the helm, the film’s stock dropped dramatically in my book. I’m not a big fan of Foster, so I was apprehensive on how he will handle a material that should theoretically cater to both young and old. Needless to say, I am thoroughly impressed with his work. He was able to blend the grim background of the events surrounding the creation of the beloved play and the youthful imagination of the Neverland sequences with relative ease, cleverly mixing reality and fantasy sequences to weave a clear narrative of the story behind Peter Pan. Credit should also be given to the writer (Mr. Writer, if you read this, give yourself a pat in the back!)

Depp dishes out another fantastic performance as Barrie, but on a different level. As against the quirky and eccentric character for which he was nominated last year for Pirates of the Carribean, he is more subtle and subdued this time, but just as intense. He is proving himself to be one of the finest actors of today, and another nomination for an Oscar should be in place. Kate Winslet also delivers quite a fine performance as Sylvia, possibly another nominee herself for a supporting role. One of the characters that I enjoyed the most is Sylvia’s controlling mother, played wonderfully by Julie Christie. In one scene, it will be shown how Captain Hook came to be with the help of her character. [spoiler start]And unlike how the age-old adage “Nasa huli ang pagsisisi” are often forcibly incorporated in films, Christie’s character believably makes that transition at the end. [spoiler end]

It’s 12-year old Freddie Highmore who shines as the boy who becomes the inspiration for Peter Pan. Highmore magnificently portrays little Peter, who has grown up too fast for his own good after having gone through one of the most painful experiences a child can suffer: [spoiler start]losing a parent. And the prospect of losing yet another loved one will be too much to bear for his young soul, forcing him to discover the strength that only adults can muster, leaving his childhood innocence for good. [spoiler end] Highmore steals every scene that he is in, much like how Haley Joel Osment came into our consciousness in The Sixth Sense. To this day, it baffles me that his name hasn’t come up in any of the award radars given the strong performance he put as Peter. So impressed was Depp with this kid, he convinced director Tim Burton to cast Highmore as Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a remake of another child classic.

Finding Neverland was a pleasant surprise; it will bring the childhood out of you without bearing you down into “believing”. The film illustrates the story behind one of the most loved plays of all time with excellent use of emotion and imagination. If you liked Burton’s Big Fish, go see this film. Definitely one of the year’s best.

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This was originally posted in PinoyExchange, at the Finding Neverland thread. Some reviews I've read pointed out the similarities of J.M. Barrie with Michael Jackson. Funny how peoples' minds work. :p

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The Portland Trailblazers will miss the playoffs this year. They're in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, they haven't played well, and Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Darius Miles, two of their three leading scorers, were placed on the injured list, meaning they'll miss at least five games. The Blazers are utterly hopeless. Bye bye playoffs!

The One with the Sex Researcher

Kinsey
Rating: 8/10
Oscar chances: Liam Neeson, Best Actor; Billy Condon, Original Screenplay

Post-WWII America considers sex taboo. Zoologist Alfred Kinsey (Liam Neeson) falls for one of his students Clara McMillen (Laura Linney), and they are married. The awkwardness of their wedding night, and the discovery that many people are misinformed and clueless on the subject matter, leads Kinsey from studying wasps to studying sex. He forms a team of four (including Clyde, played by Peter Sarsgaard) to aid him in gathering data, going cross-country, interviewing several subjects, and conducting experiments.

In a year peppered with biopics, writer/director Billy Condon manages to include the two most important pieces in a biopic: who is the person, and how the person came to be. Credit should be given to Condon, who won an Adapted Screenplay Oscar for Gods and Monsters, and was nominated in the same category for Chicago. The scenes of Kinsey himself answering his own questionnaire, coupled with the flashbacks that set the groundwork for his research is nothing short of marvelous writing. It also sets up most of the film’s humor – something that separates it from all the other biopics.

Laura Linney gives a laudable performance as Kinsey’s wife. Linney is very talented, one of the most underrated actresses of our time. I just wish she’d stay clear of playing wives in the future; every year, she’s someone else’s wife. Peter Sarsgaard satisfies as Kinsey’s right-hand man, although there was one scene which I didn’t think was relevant at all. [spoiler start]Was there really a need to expose his teenie weenie? [spoiler end] There are a lot of smaller roles played magnificently by the ensemble cast, including John Lithgow as Kinsey’s overbearing father, perverted sex predator William Sadler (10 seconds! Whoa!), and old lesbian maid Lynn Redgrave. But it’s Liam Neeson who carries the film as the oft-obsessed researcher. It isn’t his best performance, but his turn as the man who opened society’s eyes to sex is remarkably what carried the second half of the film, which is enough to net him an Oscar nomination.

Overall, Kinsey is an engaging narrative of the sex researcher’s work, a peek at how his studies shocked the people of his time. Watch it if only for the Horse joke – the best one I’ve heard in months. And no, I won't tell, you have to see it for yourself.

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This was originally posted at PinoyExchange, at the OSCARS 2005: The Road towards it! thread. That Kinsey dude had one large pecker. :p

The One with All the Awards

...and I don't mean the Metro Manila Filmfest. Don't get me wrong, I do watch Filipino movies. Pili nga lang. Piling pili. In 2004 alone, I can count the number of Pinoy films that I watched with only one hand.

It's January, and the first major award-giving body is the Golden Globe Awards handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press. I dunno, but I've always been drawn to these events, eventhough I have very little to do with showbiz. Frustrated actor/writer/director siguro; I've always wanted to act/write/direct even when I was in grade school. I remember when there were class plays or presentations, I always wanted to be the bida, so to speak.

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Grade Six. Each section of the batch had to create an original suspense/thriller play, and perform it onstage within a month. It was a fimfest of some sort, complete with all the awards and shit. The director of our class' play was my grade school crush, so nag-volunteer naman ako para magpa-impress. To cut a long story short, I co-wrote the script, and played the male lead. Talk about versatility! I think I should be working in Hollywood.

Anyway, I was pretty happy with how the script turned out. Unlike the other classes who produced bland and unoriginal ghost stories, ours was different. In our suspense/thriller, the geeky male lead falls for a pretty co-worker (who was played by my kindergarten crush). He confesses his affection to her, but gets embarrassed at the office party by her prick of a boyfriend and snobbish girl friends. In retaliation, he transforms himself into a gorgeous brunette, dressing as a woman to get into the female lead’s circle of friends. The male-cum-female lead entices the women into a false sense of friendship, and kills them one-by-one until only two are left on his list: the female lead and her prick of a boyfriend. In retrospect, the story is kinda lame, but compared to the man-killed-in-house, soul-haunts-house crap that others had…’twas pretty good for a coupla sixth graders.

We only won third place. I’d like to think our production was ahead of its time that’s why it wasn’t appreciated much by the jurors. My shining moment as the male lead was when my character was alone in his room after just being embarrassed at office party, heart-broken and angry at the same time. He thrashes the room intensely, and vows to never to let himself be hurt again. He promises to be the one who will cause the pain, as he strips his manly belongings and starts the makeover into a woman. The result: my very first acting award. That’s right, I won the award for Best Actor.

Hollywood, here I come! :p



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In line with the awards season, I will post as much film reviews as I can make. I used to post reviews in PEx for the films that I watch, until I was too tamad to make 'em. Now that I have a blog of my own, I've decided to revive the old habbit. Let's just hope the MPAA won't hunt me down for downloading movies off the net. :p

The One with the Noisy Neighbors

It's official: I hate our new neighbors.

I got along with our previous neighbors for one reason: they were quiet. My room is adjacent to our neighbor's backyard, so all the noises they make can be heard clearly from my room (too clearly, in fact. I can sometimes hear their conversations, accidental or otherwise). It helps that the amo was a flight stewardess (a cute one at that), so oftentimes it's only the maid who's left to tend to the house alone. Everything was how nature intended it to be: me and my noise on one side of the fence, and the silent neighbors on the other side. Alas, it was not meant to be, as the cute stewardess moved out about roughly one month ago (I hope she didn't get married to her boyfriend, I can see a future for us).

Enter our new neighbors. Bisaya maid screaming at the top of her lungs early in the morning, kids wailing and bawling, car alarms going off in the middle of the freakin' night, and adults with loud and boisterous laughters (and when I mean loud, I mean really LOUD! It's as if they're laughing through a damn megaphone). This was especially true last night, when they hosted a birthday party with all their equally LOUD and BOISTEROUS friends. Tangina, it was maddening I tell you, and I'm not effing exaggerating. With the ruckus they were creating, you'd think they owned the whole damned village. Ang babastos ng mga hinayupak. They partied until the wee hours of the morning, leaving only when I angrily slammed the window of my room shut. Buti naman they took the hint, I would've hated to give them a piece of my mind.

Some people can be so insensitive, it's irritating. Perhaps I should offer them a freshly baked batch of...



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It's my sister's birthday today, she's 17. She'll be spending the day with her friends in Tagaytay, and she needed my car. Poor me, I'll be commuting to work for the next three days. The bright side is I get to stay at the Heritage Hotel. :p

The One Where It Began

Okay, so I finally relent to the clamor of the masses. I've long wanted to create a blog of my own, but I never really got to creating one. Laging inaatake ng katamaran. I'm not the type who does New Year's resolutions, but if ever I had one, it's to create a blog. So here I am, stepping into the world of blogging.

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First thing that had to be settled is the blog template. Goodness, I never knew that choosing one will be the most difficult task. It's true what they say about the first step being the hardest one to take. The templates that Blogger uses were really generic, ayoko namang pareho-pareho ng layout like everybody else. I had literally gone through dozens and dozens of blog templates, trying out different layouts, going back and forth through several ones. Alas, I settled with this black one. Simple, but it has an elegant feel to it.

The next step is making the template my own. Yes, I'm a computer science graduate, but my knowledge of programming will put Blaise Pascal to shame. I tried tinkering with the HTML thingamajigs of the template to at least incorporate something that's me to the template, but all I did was screw up the lines, the fonts, the borders, and whatnot. Lo and behold, the only parts that I was able to edit were "Previous Posts" and "Archives", which I was masterfully able to change to their current conditions. How lame. I'm gonna get me some of those tagboards, counters, probably add some links as well. Bukas na. My head is spinning with all the HTML codes I tried to get familiarized with. I'm the worst computer science graduate in the world...ever.



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I know, you're dying to ask why I named my blog "Unequal Prize". C'mon, is it really not obvious? Do you really know who I am? Darned, you are slow. Unequal Prize. Still don't get it? Too bad, I won't tell.

So here's my blog. Now bugger off.