A Second Chance ~ Film Review

by: Uel Ceballos

I was one of those who got hooked in the “One More Chance” film that starred John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. Thus, when the release for the sequel was announced I was as much as excited as the rest. 

Ms. Cathy Garcia-Molina has unique way of creating romance drama films, which are both exciting and mature for the adults to connect to. I like most of her films – just right with perfect blend of “kilig”, drama, and moral. She seldom got off; always just right, delivering us a good taste of romance film.

“A Second Chance” is much more of a heavy drama. It centred not in the mushy chick flick scenes, but in the ugly truth of reality; the up and down of marriage. It was a brilliant move to deliver the sequel years after the first one, allowing the characters to grow and evolve in their own perfect time. Should it be done only year after the One More Chance’s success, I doubt if John Lloyd and Bea would deliver it as good as they did now. Likewise, one couldn’t say if the story would be as intact and justified. The years of gap between “One More Chance” and “A Second Chance” allowed Popoy and Basha to grow, to mature, at least inside the mind of the writer if not in the sight of the viewers. Indeed, “striking whilst the iron is hot” isn’t always the rule of the thumb. When they appeared in the first sequence of the film, I knew the characters have changed in time – not John Lloyd and Bea – I’m talking about Popoy and Basha.

One thing I love about “A Second Chance” is its sequence treatment. I personally admired the way it broke the linear delivery, with mixes of flashbacks and real time narrative. What I’m just bothered about is its being too melodramatic. Popoy and Basha were crying for almost 80% of the whole film. I have no problem with heavy scenes, but the approach, it seemed to me were always delivered in a similar level and manner. The two leads are great drama artists, but somehow it made me think that they overdid the crying scenes. I was fed up with all the crying, sequence after sequence. It became too strained for me. No questions asked that they cry good in front of the camera, but anything you do in too much repetition loses its intended effect to the viewers. Apart from these, I love all the rest. In fact, “A Second Chance” can be levelled alongside international romance drama films. It is written and directed with clarity and mastery. The brains behind it definitely know where they wanted to go to. The ending however, was a cliché for me. But nonetheless, this romance drama film is something different from what we’re used to.

Starting Over Again ~ Review

by: Uel Ceballos

This movie will not bring out the hopeless romantic in you but it will change your perspective about things in life, especially in love. The kind of perspective that most of us have been experiencing but keep on denying: the perspective of reality. If you’re one of those who are still not getting over with their past ex, those who haven’t had a closure with their past relationship, those who still hope for second chance, then this movie perfectly fits for you.

Starting Over Again has a strong ensemble who cracks the wit out of us (Toni Gonzaga), squeezes our heart with dazzling charm (Piolo Pascual), and sends chill to our spine with subdue yet very effective acting performance (Iza Calzado). This film is a comedy drama flick with heavy context on human relationship, not only romantic love relationship but family relationship as well. I admired the way that the screenplay is written because it enabled a very serious matter be brought up into film in a light mannered approach. Surely you would think of this film as some feel good movie that will send you out the cinema smiling and very much thrilled by the love story you’ve justwatched. Uhmm…well, yes it will make you feel like that, but the other way around, not for reason that you are thinking now.

What can I say about this film? Starting Over Again will make you hope in love, fear in love, doubt in love – but most importantly it will make you look in love on a realistic side. Starting Over Again has the unidealized love story that is emotionally ruthless; yet offering generous spectacles of the happy kind of love affair that didn't work but is now subjecting for possible second chance. It will certainly open up your past wounds (if there’s any) that no one can really determine on how you would feel after;at some point this movie is quite unpredictable and maybe that's what makes the great difference from the other typical chick flicks. As they say love is lovelier for the second time around ... the film says that yes it is, but it's more painstaking as well. 

Indeed, Toni Gonzaga gave herself out here, sharing to us her great knacks for comedy. Piolo Pascual who has proven his acting skills in his past projects gave what is being expected from him in this dramedy film. His charm never fails; his screen appearance is a great sight to behold as always. And Iza Calzado, what else can I say for this lady, she only got few moments here in this movie but she’s as remarkable as ever. That particular scene, wherein for couple of seconds she never speaks a word but her eyes alone notably do all the talking – you don't hear a word but you hear the powerful sub-context of her silence, very-Iza-Calzado and I really loved it. And of course the other artists in their supporting roles have done a great job here that added to the beauty of the movie.

The film narration with its series of flashbacks is done with balance; as it able to build up the emotions at perfect pacing, and deliver the climax at right timing. As with the psyche development of the characters, Iza’s character wasn’t strongly established which is may be the reason why at some point of the movie she appeared off and unrealistic. However, Iza’s acting prowess is able to make up for that flaw in the character development. All the rest I think are intentionally delivered in their respective manners for the purpose of strengthening the twist and justifying it after, of which I believed, was given enough justice at the end of the movie.

I love the way they ended this film. Not a perfect one, but deeply and strongly felt. So for this movie I’ll give a rating of 8 Espresso Shots and I look forward seeing more realistic films like this one!

Dekada 70 Movie Review

by: Uel Ceballos

“ Ang mga kamay daw na nag-uugoy ng duyan ay mga kamay na nagpapaikot ng mundo, sapagkat iyon ang mga kamay na umaakay sa sanggol. Hanggang sa matuto siyang lumakad at maglikot, tumuklas at magtanong at mangatwiran. Hanggang sa lumaki siya at maging ganap na mamayan ng kanyang bansa. Pero ang may-ari ng kamay na nag-uugoy ng duyan ay mamayan din ng kanyang bayan, hindi siya dapat manatili lang sa maliit na silid, sapagkat nananahan din siya sa daigdig, ang kanyang mga kamay ay di lang para sa pag-uugoy ng duyan kundi para din tumulong magtawid sa bangka ng pagbabago” (It was said that the hands that sway the crib are the hands that control the world, because those are the hands that guide the young until such a time that he will learn to walk and move around, explore and ask questions and reason out to justify his own actions. Until such a time that he grows up and becomes a full citizen of his own country. But the owner of the hands that sway the crib is also a citizen of her nation, she must not stay only in a small room, because she also lives in the same world, and her hands are not just for cradling but also for paddling the boat across the water that will help make the difference to her country.”)

-- Dekada ‘70

Opening in such lines with Amanda Bartolome (played by Vilma Santos) shown rallying among the crowd, one would think that the movie is all about the political issues during the 70’s era. Well it really was, but it was more than just tackling and demonstrating the 1970 decade wherein Ferdinand Marcos was in the peak of his political power.

Dekada ’70 is all about parenting and the challenges that are entailed with it, of which is considered to be the hardest job that you could ever imagine in the whole wide world. The film was based from the highly praised novel with the same title, written by Filipino author, Lualhati Bautista. The ensemble casts was led by premiere actor and actress, Christopher De Leon and Vilma Santos together with Piolo Pascual, Marvin Agustin, Carlos Agassi and Danilo Barrios. It garnered numbers of nominations and awards and regarded to be one of the best Filipino Films that were ever produced.

The story revolved in the middle class family of Julian and Amanda Bartolome, whose marriage was blessed with five broods. You would see here how the children had matured from being innocent and playful to being full grown-up men. The movie depicted here the way that Julian and Amanda raised their children and how they managed to do it in times of political chaos and social rebellion. The country’s president then, Ferdinand Marcos, had declared Martial Law and his dictatorship form of government had caused implications to Amanda’s family. Her first born son Jules (Piolo Pascual) became an activist and soon joined the underground movement where he earned one of the highest positions. The third son (Eman) grew to be a writer who at such times has produced numbers of banned articles. Ironically, while the two brothers (Jules and Eman) were on the same page of their social beliefs believing that Marcos was a puppet to the American government and implementing capitalism and fascism, their other brother Gani (Carlos Agassi) had entered the US Navy and served under the white people. Their parents supported them all the way to whatever they decided to do for their lives, even though they found it the hardest to do on Jules’ case, they still worked their way to accept their first son’s risky choices.

Lualhati Bautista clearly described here what it was like to live in the era that was tainted by the blood of military violence, suppression of the freedom to express, and the greediness of people for money and power.  Moreover, the author had nailed here the painstaking process that all parents experience as they watch their children reach adulthood, as they begin to lose the power to control their children’s decision and action, and let them go out on their own no matter how dangerous the road their offsprings are planning to traverse. As parents, all that they can do is watch over their grown up children, let them fly wherever they wanted to, pray for their safety, and receive them in open arms when they finally come back home even though they have left before without a single word. The film had quite shown us the unconditional love of parents to their children and it was indeed very touching, making us think of our own family in one way or another.

Dekada 70 is fully informative of what happened during the Marcos era, of which the accounts were focused on the effects it had to the civilians such as in Amanda’s family. The story had also exposed the kind of torturing that was suffered by the suspected members of the underground movement as shown to Jules and his friend Billie’s case. Dekada 70 had fiercely touched the viewers of its vivid depiction of the 1970’s condition wherein the society was forcefully and brutally ruled by the military power vested upon the executive branch. Lualhati had done something in the story that would surely twist your heart in writhing sympathy for the Bartolome Family. Chito Roño had executed Lualhati’s writings into a great film artwork that told an important part of the Philippine’s history – the 70’s era that marked another of the Filipinos’ struggle and bravery towards freedom. Aside from the political issues that were covered by the story, Dekada 70 had also touched the issues of women’s rights, highlighting the women’s slow but eventual rise to their status’ level.

This is a must-see movie for Filipino people of all ages and walks of life because Dekada 70 not only discussed political matters but greatly presented as well the important role that each family plays for the society. All homes consist of parents and children, parents are responsible for what kind of persons that their children will grow up into. The persons that their children will become in the future will soon become the parts of the society’s new generation… and in time they will have their own family too … the hands that rock the crib of the children are the same hands that cradle the nation, and the hands that cradle the nation are the same hands that hold the world…parents must know that their responsibilities are not only confined to the future of their children but to the future of the world as well.

For this movie that linked me to that one important era of my country’s history, I’ll drink to it with 10 Espresso Shots! Cheers to Top Filipino Film!

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INSIANG -- The truth, the real and the classic by: Uel Ceballos

photo clip from the movie Insiang

Set in the slum area of the country, Insiang was opened with the montage of a depressed location in its different shots and angles. Lino Brocka had shamelessly shown here the Philippines in its worse poverty-stricken state. It was released in the year of 1976 during the Martial Law period (under Marcos regime). Just when the first lady Imelda Marcos stood firmly to her beliefs of “the truth, the good, and the beautiful” and thereby claiming the duty to act as the star to light the poor men’s way, Lino Brocka and Mario O’ Hara boldly made a film that demonstrated the Philippines in its ugliest and worst condition. Insiang not just challenged Imelda’s principle but slapped hardly the administration as the film frankly stated the real circumstances in the country.

photo clips from the movie Insiang

Insiang told the story of a pretty young woman who strove hard to get the affection of her mother. Her father left them for another woman and her mother so bitter and infuriated had diverted her grudges onto Insiang. The film was made richly with interesting conflicts and it was bombarded with poverty issues,which included the effects it had on each member of the society. The story of Insiang was made with attention-grabbing plot that would hold you still on your seat up to the last minute of the movie. This dramatic film strongly stirred sympathy for Insiang who was harshly challenged by fate, which left her seeking for revenge.

Hilda Koronel as Insiang

Actress Hilda Koronel had given us here a knockout performance, as she not only excellently portrayed the character but proven as well that no other actresses in her generation would be more fitted for the role but she alone. Kudos to the whole casts and to the production team, whom with all their joint efforts had made the film a big hit that Insiang became the first ever Filipino film to go into the Cannes Film Festival. Its entry to Cannes did not win the favor of the Marcos but the administration barred instead the showing of film in France. Small wonder why the Marcoses wouldn’t want to show off the film in the festival where other foreign countries would be present – Insiang described Philippines in ways that didn’t complement to Imelda’s own version of “the truth, the good and the beautiful”. However, just as the movie was brazenly produced and shown in the Philippines, there was nothing indeed to stop the production team especially by that time that they had already gotten the attention of one of the most prestigious films festival in the world. In spite of the prohibition of Marcos to bring the movie to France, the producer had bravely sneaked the disc by carefully hiding it in her baggage and flying Insiang to the Cannes Festival.

It has been three decades now since Insiang was first released, but until today, you can still see those same sceneries that you have seen demonstrated in the 1976 movie. It seemed like Philippines has still a long way to go before it could finally lessen if not eradicate the issues of poverty.

For this classic Filipino film that blatantly discussed the society’s issues even if it could mean threat and danger to the lives of the whole production team, let’s drink to it with the perfect rate of 10 shots of espresso!

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Movie details:

Title: Insiang

Director: Lino Brocka

Writer: Mario O'Hara, Lamberto E. Antonio 

Casts: Hilda Koronel, Mona Lisa, Ruel Vernal, Rez Cortez