It is this rendering of the visceral as questionable that happens on the level of spectatorship with the series entitled the “Battle of Love” made up of etchings all entitled “Violación” (“Rape”). Here it is the Picasso’s hand that falls heavier or lighter as it renders the act of sex, presumed to be at its most violent, across a set of five images that look the same. But are different. (more…)
Tito Jorge would’ve laughed out loud, would’ve teased that this 35-year old was bawling like his widow under the watchful eye of Mother Teresa and an oven called Serenity. The 68-year old man had taught humor well. Irony, too. It seems it took him long enough.
In 1994, Tito Jorge was working at the UP Film Center and on the last day for submission of UPCAT applications, arrived in the rain carrying with him – rolled up under his shirt – an application for this 17-year old. It needed to be filled up within the amount of time it would take him and Angela to catch up on projects ongoing. This would be less than an afternoon, and more like an hour, during which this teenage girl could only be overwhelmed by possibility. (more…)
“Graceland” a film by Ron Morales is taking the online platforms for independent filmmaking and funding creative projects like no other Pinoy film has, indie and otherwise. At the award-winning film website Indiewire, the film got the most votes out of four films and was declared project of the week, which makes it eligible for the project of the month competition by January’s end. Over at funding platform Kickstarter, pledges for the film total over $15,000 dollars, more than half of what it needs to reach its $18,000-dollar goal; if the latter is reached by Friday, January 6 2012 at 11:56AM New York time (that’s 12:56AM, January 7, Manila time) “Graceland” will received funding for the last phase of post-production.
It is difficult not to be optimistic really, especially since this good news – and yes even just the amount of pledges it’s gotten should be considered as such – can’t have come at a better time. Because what is presumed to be a celebration of Philippine cinema through the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) has become a foreboding of sorts with the usual bigger budget films being chosen for the festival, and questions of originality and currency and “new-ness” becoming default. Worse, this year it has brought about discussions on the commercial versus the indie, where a finger is pointed at the former’s lack of originality on the one hand, the latter’s apathy towards the market on the other. This is not to condone those who snub the MMFF and Pinoy film altogether, as it is to ask: is the MMFF’s goal anything else other than making money, taking advantage as it were of the fact that the movie-going public is not given the option of a foreign film? Ah but this year it launched its indie film counterpart which got nary a reaction, happening to as it did at the height of Sendong’s aftermath. Some movies have all the luck.
Meanwhile the old irony exists: while the commercial film rakes it in, a Pinoy indie film like “Graceland” (and I’m sure so many others) depends on a viewing public that might care enough to find out more about the project and watch the trailer, and give it some good ol’ loving. Except that of course there’s nothing old about the kind of loving “Graceland” demands: liking their Facebook page is one thing, spending time to vote for them at Indiewire is another. And yes, pledging whatever amount you can give via Kickstarter is the biggest thing to be done here.
What online poll and funding platforms after all point a finger at aren’t the projects that it chooses. Instead that finger is pointed at us, as audience and critics, especially of the Pinoy film, particularly when we demand of it creativity and originality, currency and relevance. Supporting “Graceland” across these platforms means becoming its patron, shifting the balance of power from film/maker to audience, and forcing the latter to take a stand for the possibility that a film will be exactly what he or she demands.
That possibility is in “Graceland.” At its most basic, it is the story of Marlon Villar, the family driver of a corrupt politician. Marlon’s daughter Elvie is mistaken for the politician’s daughter and is kidnapped. As Marlon is propelled by his search for his daughter, he finds himself deeper into the underbelly of society, and he and his employer unravel and reveal how much both of them are culpable for, and are capable of, the deception that the crisis demands.
From the perspective of someone who spends time watching commercial and indie films, what is most interesting about “Graceland” is that it invokes the notion of a documentary alongside, and merged with, the form of the film. As such there is a sense of a realness to it, one that doesn’t seem like the standard social realist trap of sex-violence-poverty that the Pinoy indie has to some extent become famous for. Instead “Graceland” banks on the premise of social class difference and struggle, using it to cut across the narratives of oppression, those that both the poor and the rich and everyone in between, suffer through. Here, the complexity of class is heavily and painfully layered with the foray into the underbelly of society, where notions of power and versions of corruption are not just unfamiliar, but also have its own set of rules.
If all we’re banking on here is the possibility of a good film, then “Graceland” does provide an endless set of possibilities.
Truth to tell, having seen some really bad local indie and commercial movies in 2011, and fresh from a foray into the MMFF films, only snobbery would keep from being excited about “Graceland.” Though maybe this is the bigger brighter truth: as with every local movie, the task of entering that cinema is always replete with hope. Hope that it will hold up to its promise based on its poster, or trailer, or press release; hope that it will at least be better than the last local film you saw.
That this isn’t always the case doesn’t diminish hope any. And in the case of “Graceland,” this hopefulness begets optimism. Then there is this: in light of the manner in which it engages its audience as supporters and patrons, given the way it has utilized existing online platforms for both promotion and funding, it is highly probable that optimism will finally get us a film that’s worth talking about.
And if not, then it can only still be worth it that “Graceland” forced us as audience out of the comfortable seat in the theater, and into being an audience that will literally take responsibility for the kind of film we want to see. Here is a chance to choose the possibility of a good Pinoy film. The writing on the wall says we should take it.
“Graceland, A Life for Every Lie” by Ron Morales can receive pledges via Kickstarter until January 7 2011, 12:56AM, Philippine time. It will also vie for Project of the Month at Indiewire at the end of January. “Graceland” stars GMA 7’s Starstruck Kids runner-up Ella Guevara as Elvie and Arnold Reyes as Marlon Villar. Their official FB page is here.
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(in the midst of all this talk about Pinoy films, indie and otherwise, from people who haven’t given it a chance in a long time, and are ready to dismiss it anyway.)
here: listen to this Pinoy indie film director talk about his film Graceland, with quite the interesting plot of a kidnapping layered with class division and struggle, with an unabashed social realism made different by a merging of the film and the docu, of the fictional and the truth, and ultimately just the real. this doesn’t seem to be about the dregs of society, as it is about the underbelly of society — the poor and rich and illegal and corrupt of it — that’s dredged up and revealed for what it is: a victimization of those with less as a matter of course.
and then there’s this beautiful prayer from the trailer:
na kami’y maglakbay sa harap mo / tulad ng aming mga ninuno / ibaling mo sa’min ang iyong paningin / upang kami’y iyong magabayan / mula ngayon hanggang sa aming pagpanaw.
do vote for Graceland as project of the day/week of indieWire (which is a rockin’ project, too, actually), so it gets the support it needs for post-production and we can all watch it in full. we’ve got only until 1AM january 4. that’s two hours. but heck that’s a lot of clicks when you think about it.
it’s a chance to vote for the Pinoy indie, literally.
and then let’s talk about the Pinoy indie (and commercial) film at length, shall we?
while i try and wrap my head around the mere existence of this movie, here’s a male voice i trust and love because it is consistent and self-conscious and always intelligent, even as it is Pinoy male macho.
Eto ang lagay – matagal na, matagal na matagal na akong hindi nakakakita ng trailer ng pelikulang Pilipino na may barilan, may tino-torture, at umuulan pero walang nag-iiyakan. Ang huli kong napanood na Pinoy action film sa sinehan mismo e yung Anak ng Kumander na starring, directed by, co-written by, theme song performed by at produced by Manny Pacquiao. Ang masasabi ko lang ay…magaling, napakagaling na boksingero ni Pacquiao. Yun lang. Di rin ako makarelate sa lalake sa mga recent na pelikulang Pinoy – lalakeng pinag-aagawan nina Christine Reyes at Anne Curtis dahil ang guwapo niya lang, o lalakeng kabisote na nakaengkanto ng babaeng nasa kalahati ng kanyang edad, o kaya lalakeng nagkaka-amnesia sa isang pelikulang pinamagatang My Amnesia Girl.
Idagdag pa na sina Ely Buendia at Gloc9 ang gumawa ng theme song ng Asiong, tapos may awayan portion pa tungkol sa director’s cut at producer’s cut at may A rating mula sa Cinema Ratings Board – e di game, tara, panoorin natin ang Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story.
Busy ka ba? Kung oo, sasabihin ko na lang sa yo na panget ang Asiong, pero pangako, magugustuhan mo siya. Kung hindi ka busy, upo ka muna. Ipapaliwanag ko sa yo kung bakit.
Maganda ang timing ng Asiong. Entry siya sa Metro Manila Film Festival, tapos ang mga kasabayan niya e same old same old – UnliShake Rattle and Roll, pelikulang may Kris Aquino at salitang “Mano” sa pamagat, pelikulang may Juday at Ryan Agoncillo, Panday of the Titans, pelikulang may “Enteng” at “Ina Mo” sa pamagat, at kung anu-ano pang shit. Tapos, isipin mo yung mga nagdaang lima, sampung taon. May naaalala ka bang Pinoy action film? May naaalala ka bang pelikulang Pinoy na trailer pa lang e alam mo nang panlalake siya?
Panlalakeng pelikula. Huwag na nating pag-usapan ang pene films nung 70s at ang titilating films gaya ng Talong, Anakan mo Ako at Tag-ulan Noon, Ang Bukid ay Basa. Wag ganun, baka masabihan pa tayong sexist. Isipin mo na lang si Derek Ramsey.
Oo, isipin mo si Derek Ramsey. Nasa tabing dagat siya, tinatanaw si Angelica Panganiban. Tapos tututok kay Derek yung camera, lalapit, malapit na malapit, parang hinihimas ang kanyang balikat, dibdib, abs. Hindi ka sigurado pero parang may nakita kang bumabakat sa suot niyang short.
O isipin mo si Gerald Anderson. Kausap niya si Sarah Geronimo. Sabi ni Sarah, bakit ka ganyan makatingin? Tapos sasabihin ni Gerald, ang ganda mo kasi e. Tapos ngingiti siya, parang biglang nag-slow mo ang camera, tapos tatambling sa kilig si Sarah Geronimo.
Hindi ganyan ang panlalakeng pelikula. Yang mga ganyang pelikula ay yung tipo ng pelikulang napanood mo kasi monthsary niyo ng girlfriend mo at gusto niyang manood ng sine tapos pumayag kang yun na lang ang panoorin kasi mahal mo siya and all that shit. Tapos after a few months, maghihiwalay kayo kasi nagalit siya dahil ayaw mong gamiting profile pic sa Facebook yung picture niyong dalawa na magkayakap nung minsang nagpunta kayo sa Enchanted Kingdom.
Ano na nga bang pinag-uusapan natin?
Sa Asiong, walang Derek Ramsey. Yung mga main characters, malaki ang tiyan. Pati nga si Carla Abellana, malaki ang tiyan dahil buntis. Alam mo na nilagay yung mga artistang yun sa Asiong hindi dahil sa kanilang good looks kundi dahil sa kanilang personality. Dahil dun, pag sinabi mo sa mga kaibigan mo na “Maganda ang Asiong!”, meron kang credibility, di tulad ng mga nagsasabing “Maganda ang Twilight kasi ang guwapo ni Edward Cullen! Like niyo to if you agree!”. Tanginang yan.
Totoo rin yung sinasabi ng ibang reviewers na ang gulo ng kuwento ng Asiong, na parang tumira ng katol yung nag-edit, ganun. Pero okey lang yun. Nagpunta ka sa sinehan para magtext, dumukot sa malalim na lalagyan ng popcorn, lumingon sa magsyotang naghahalikan, magdikit ng bubble gum sa upuan at tumingin sa screen paminsan-minsan kapag lumalakas ang volume kasi may nagbabarilan. Hindi ka nagsine para mabago ang buhay mo. Walang graded recitation pagkatapos ng pelikula. Gusto mo lang maging ikaw at alam mong hindi ikaw si Gerald Anderson at si Coco Martin.
Kaya okey lang kahit sa simula ng pelikula sinuntok ni Roi Vinzon nang 48 times sa mukha si Jorge Ejercito (Asiong) tapos sa susunod na eksena listong-listo na siya at isinama ang tropa para rumesbak. Okey lang na kahit tirador at kutsilyo ang ipinantutok nila bago magsimula ang laban, naratrat ng bala ang mga kalaban nung pumalag sila. Wala tayong problema kahit na nung magkatutukan ng baril, walang hawak na baril yung isang tambay at kamao niya ang ipinantutok niya. Yaan mo na kung bakit hindi pa rin nakakalabas ng Bilibid si Jay Manalo kahit tropa niya lahat ng pulis. Pakelam ba natin kung bakit lumusob sa libing sina Totoy Golem tapos handa sa barilan ang buong pamilya tapos biglang may nakikipagbarilan habang nagbibisekleta.
Magandang panoorin ang Asiong sa sinehan kase maraming nanonood na tunay na lalake. Yun bang nakacargo pants at itim na t-shirt tapos maya’t maya sumisigaw ng “Asioooong!”. Tapos pag may tumunog na cellphone sisigawan nila ng “Pakisagot naman yung telepono o. Busy ako e.” Kapag sinabi ni Asiong na “Simple lang naman ang buhay mo, Fidela e. Alagaan mo ang anak natin, magpaganda ka pa lalo, lagi kang maging malambing…at hintayin mo akong umuwi,” papalakpak sila, tapos papalakpak ka rin, magpapalakpakan kayong lahat, tapos magmamadali kayong umuwi dahil kailangan niyo pang magsaing.
Maraming eksenang beri gud sa Asiong. Kung magaling lang umarte si Jorge at hindi timang yung pagka-edit, pang-first honor yung pelikula e. Halimbawa, ang gandang tingnan ng mga namamatay kapag may aksiyon. Di kagaya ng ibang Pinoy action films na muntanga lang yung mga nababaril (usually nasa mataas na lugar, mangingisay, tapos mahuhulog). Pinakagusto kong namatay yung driver ng kalesa. Bale ang nangyayari, binabaril nina Totoy Golem yung dati nilang tropa na kaaway na nila ngayon. Nakatago siya sa likod nung driver ng kalesa, tapos dahil kontrabida sina Totoy Golem, bumaril pa rin sila kahit may inosenteng matatamaan. E di nasapul yung driver ng kalesa. Tapos ang ganda niyang mamatay. Lumiyad siya nang nakapikit, parang nilalabasan, saka siya humandusay. Tangina, ganun mamatay, mehn. Kung may gagawa ng bagong pelikula tungkol kay Rizal, siya dapat ang kuning artista para maganda yung death scene.
Marami ring magaling umarte. Bilib na bilib ako kay Carla Abellana kasi nahalikan niya nang 48 times si Jorge Ejercito. Kalokohan kapag hindi siya nanalong Best Actress dahil dun. Solid ang supporting cast – as usual magaling si Baron Geisler as himself, mukha talagang kontrabidang masarap pagbabarilin si Jon Regala, at utang na loob naman, gawin niyo nang bida si Ronnie Lazaro. Ang galing-galing nung tao lagi na lang siyang supporting actor sa mga pelikula.
Ang bad news e R13 yung pelikula kaya hindi ka titigasan sa mga love scene. Namputsa naman, mga direktor ng sex scene sa pelikulang Pinoy, andaming nagkalat na sex scandal, panoorin niyo naman para matuto kayo kung paano bumuhay ng hibo ng kalupaan. O kaya hingi kayo ng tips kay Hayden.
Okey na siguro to. Kung di mo pa napapanood, panoorin mo na ang Asiong. “Trak trak na bigas pa ang kakainin” ng Pinoy action film, pero mabuti naman at buhay pa pala siya. Welcome back pare, long time no see.
-lil z