Top 10 Best Movies That I Have Seen So Far (mid-year: Jan-May 2014)

by: Benj Ramos

2014 has been an exciting year for movies. The first quarter kicked in with some films from the Oscars (American Hustle, 12 Years A Slave, Her), book adaptations ( Snowpiercer, Divergent, Diary ng Panget, ABNKKBSNPLako, Heaven is for Real), and sequels ( Rio 2, Amazing Spider-Man 2, X-Men DOFP).

Pinoy films are also rockin' the big screen, and local indies too. In just 5 months I have seen 33 movies which is crazy and expensive. I wanna share with you my list of the best films that I have seen so far this year. Personal biases included:

10. DIARY NG PANGET - Andoy Ranay

This is the only local film that made it to my midyear list. FYI, so far this film is in the top 5 highest grossing Pinoy film of 2014 to date (Wikipedia). This wattpad story adaptation is surprisingly funny. The kilig moments are not forced even though there wasn't enough time for the characters to develop. It stays committed until book 3, which is also the Wattpad releases. And Nadine Lustre looks like Kathryn Bernardo. In the battle of cliches, DNP is way better than ABNKKBSNPLAko (2013) which is also from Viva. Pinoy book adaptation is now becoming a trend because of the positive response from the Filipino audience, hence the upcoming She's Dating A Gangster and Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin. 

9. GRAND PIANO - Eugenio Mira

Just like a concerto piece, this movie is a continuous rising and falling of suspense. The scenes are mostly happening in real time and it'll keep you on the edge of your seat all throughout this thrilling yet entertaining film. I love the Hitchcock-esque feel of this seemingly Phonebooth meets Speed in a concert hall film. Thanks for this movie now I can tell who is Elijah Wood and who is the Harry Potter guy. Elijah makes a good hand actor because of the choreography of his fingers dancing at the top of the piano keys. The cinematography is stylish. You wouldn't forget the ending. When I saw it, I was like, what the heck just happened??

8. DIVERGENT - Neil Burger

You just can't convert a book and compress it in a 2-hour movie, so do not expect it to be identical with the book. Just like Hunger Games, this is one of my favorite dystopian stories on screen. The world was created that is visually appealing. For non reader like me, the movie is easy to follow and well explained. From the beginning till the end I was hooked. Pacing is just fine, compelling and action packed with some intense scenes. Before Hazel Grace and Augustus became lovers in The Fault in our Stars, they were siblings in this movie. I know right? In some moments I was thinking about incest. Nonetheless Shailene Woodley (as Tris) makes a perfect feminist role model while Theo James (as Four) strains masculinity and strength. 

7. NON STOP - Jaume Collet-Sera

It's not like Taken, but it's still great. This Liam Neeson thriller will blow you away. With a great classic mystery plot, the film will keep you guessing right up to the end. It has a plot with so many twists and surprises which keeps every scene intense and interesting. I have seen so many crashing airplane movies and this one's skyrockets to one of my favorites. And yes, Lupita Nyong'o was there. I was so tired when the movie was over.

6. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 1-Marc Webb 

SPOILER ALERT. I haven't seen Sam Raimis trilogy so no bias or comparison considered when I watched Webb's. Somehow, Andrew Garfield's reboot stays committed to the comics. Villains are very good. The visual effects and the fight scenes are awesome plus the soundtrack is a killer. Very seldom we see multiple villains in a superhero film thus triple treat for Spidey fans out there. I kinda felt sympathetic to Electro though. And then, Harry reminds me of the young Leo DiCaprio. The movie's action and humor stood out. Sad ending for Emma Stone. My heart broke. 

5. SAVING MR BANKS - John Lee Hancock

Sometimes what happens behind the cam would make just as interesting as what happens in front of the cam. This Oscar snub shows the dark story behind "Mary Poppins". Truly a great funny, touching and sad movie. I'll never look at Mary Poppins the same way again. Got teary eyed watching this. Tom Hanks did a brilliant performance as Walt Disney. I also enjoyed the end credits while they played the actual audio tape recording of Ms. Traverse and Mr Disney's convo.

4. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL - Wes Anderson

Flawless is an understatement to describe this Pink Panther-ish film. I love the style and cinematography. This multi-layered film is a mix of funny, smart, violent, exciting and ridiculous scenes. Settings are visually stunning.

3. X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST - Bryan Singer

Definitely a must watch. It's a great entertainment and was even better than expected. Great to see old and new faces come together in a movie. Magneto is such a brilliant character. That slow-mo kitchen scene with Quicksilver is my favorite. That's how you do Quicksilver right. Just an observation, if the Sentinels were created in the 70's why weren't they ever mentioned or shown in the first X-Men series?

2. THE LEGO MOVIE - Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

The animation is amazing. It is so good you can hardly tell if it's CGI or stop motion. Or could be entirely CGI but they made it look like a stop motion. I love how the special effects are made with lego fire and water. I was so pumped because everything was awesome. Thanks for this unique experience, now my childhood is haunting me.

1. SNOWPIERCER - Bong Joon-Ho

You can never go wrong with Korean film makers. Horror, suspense, drama and even comedy, they are excellent in their craft. This film is probably the most underrated movie of the year. Fantastic concept which makes it kinda weird. The subtext is superb -- politics, ego, fear, nature, entertainment, human nature, class system. Intelligent and entertaining with scenes that will make you say, "WTF is that??!". Great acting from Chris Evans. It's like Hunger Games inside a train.

EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN -- IT'S TIME FOR A FEAST! by: Uel Ceballos

photo courtesy of wikipedia

If you are planning to watch Ang Lee’s Eat Drink Man Woman, make it perfectly sure that you have a full stomach. The sumptuous presentations and often display of foods in the film quiet have a mouth-watering effect to anyone who watches it. This 1994 Taiwanese film presented an amiable family consisting of a father and her three grown-up daughters. With Ang Lee’s exceptional direction, the movie successfully showcased a simple yet very strong topic concerning the culture and family tradition and the necessary adjustments that each of them has to make.

The main character Mr. Chu is a widower master Chinese Chef who has three unmarried daughters. Each of whom has different characters and beliefs – the eldest Chu Jia-Jen, a school teacher who is coming close to being an old maid, the second Chu Jia-Chien, an airline executive who’s the liberated and independent one, and the youngest Chu Jia-Ning who is still in college. The three daughters have been living in the same house with their father until the second one decided to move out.

Sihung Lung as Mr.Chu in Eat Drink Man Woman
photo clip from the movie

Ang Lee’s presented here the common situation that happen around wherein the grown-ups are already worrying about their aging parents. In this movie, the three daughters have been discussing on who will be left to take care of their father and they even came up with the idea of setting Mr.Chu to someone of his own age.

The story was brilliantly written – with the traditional ways being challenged, still the

photo clip from the movie Eat Drink Man Woman

importance of the family is perfectly highlighted. Mr.Chu and his three daughters are always having a Sunday dinner, wherein Mr.Chu is always preparing a real big feast. Here, they not only eat but also share one’s another updates. The Sunday dinner also becomes the main venue wherein big plans and decisions are discussed. Along the movie, you will find each daughter following the paths they have decided for their life and it always start up from a Sunday dinner conversation with their father. Sunday dinners will give you not only the pleasant sight of the food that are served on the family’s table but also feed you with tasty revelations coming from the daughters and from the father himself.

photo clip from movie
Eat Drink Man Woman

Eat Drink Man Woman has in store lots of surprises that will surely bring out the laughter and tears in you. Just as the delicious cuisines satisfied your eyes (if not your tummy); Ang Lee has made it sure that your impressions toward the movie will be greatly pleased as well. With all its smooth flow and sequencing, very appealing music, and ideal casting, I am confident to say that this movie will make you feel good and inspired at the end.

Just to share my side of story, I happened to watch this movie in the early morning of father’s day. After watching it, I realized that it perfectly fit for the occasion that day and I went right away to our kitchen to prepare food for my father that I myself had made. I suggest you watch it with your dad and with the whole family as well – this movie has really something on it that will not only stir your hunger but your appetite for a well-lived life as well.

For this delectable movie, I’ll give it eight shots of espresso!

MOVIE DETAILS:

Title: Eat Drink Man Woman

Director: Ang Lee

Producer: Hsu Li Kong, Hsu Kong

Writer: Ang Lee, James Schamus, Hui-Ling Wang

Casts: Sihung Lung[N 1, Yu-wen Wang, Chien-lien Wu, Kuei-mei Yang

"Hilary and Jackie" and the effect of biographical film by: Uel Ceballos

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Whenever I’m thinking back of the time I first watched the movie “Hilary and Jackie”, I remember as well the emotional effects that it had on me. Deeply moving, this 1998 British biographical film told the life of two sisters Hilary and Jackie Du Pré as based on Hilary Du Pré’s memoir A Genius in the Family. 

The movie was luxuriously poignant and emotionally disturbing that it even reaped criticisms from Jackie’s colleagues, giving various reactions on how the film over-sensationalized the private life of the once celebrated British cellist.

Hilary and Jackie left its viewers heavy-hearted, the after-effect lingered for some time and the surge of emotional reaction was quite impossible to resist. With the film’s exceptional cinematography, brilliant post-production, excellent actors and well-written screenplay, the director Anand Tucker and screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce had brought us a refined film that gratified not only one's appreciation of the classical music but one's emotional lewd and admiration of the virtuosi as well. 

Hilary and Jackie, growing up together with their mother teaching them music – Hilary on flute and Jackie on cello – gave the film an engrossing start-up while showing the two sisters improved and grown on their talents. Along the headway of the movie, the rivalry’s started to build up, but as they reached their adulthood it was Jackie who pursued international stardom while Hilary settled  peacefully as a married woman and a mother to four children. The conflict eventually showed up when Jackie suffered from emotional breakdown, and her elder sister Hilary helped to ease her nervous crash-down by giving her (Jackie) consents to have an affair with her (Hilary) husband. This is one of the most disturbing parts of the story, with Hilary’s approval on such thing that she was even the one who convinced her own husband to do it for the sake of Jackie’s therapy. The entire story alone is already effortless in gaining controversies, much more if demonstrated into film and shown worldwide thus we couldn’t really blame those who protested against it, particularly Jackie Du Pre’s husband, Daniel Barenboim.

Hilary and Jackie was shown in split points of view, the first half was of Jackie’s and the second half was of Hilary’s.  The treatment used has highlighted both the perspectives of the two sisters – making the viewers sympathized on both the sisters’ emotional struggles. The actresses Rachel Griffith (Hilary) and Emily Watson (Jackie)indeed provided us a knockout acts, making the film a historical hit which earned it awards and criticisms.

As much as I wanted to narrate the entire chronicle, to give the complete account of the sisters’ lives, I do still have the sense of control to not divulge the whole story. I don’t want to deprive you of the same unforgettable feeling I had when I saw the movie in progress, with the twists unfolding and the conflicts arising. 

Thus, I will now leave the rest of the details for you to see, you may want to watch it as soon as now.

For Hilary and Jackie, I will give the movie a rating of 7 shots of espresso.  

 

MAGNIFICO -- one of the best top Filipino movies by: Uel Ceballos

Movie poster from Wikipedia

One of the best top Filipino films, Magnifico is truly a masterpiece that brought its viewers to excessive tears. However, this acclaimed tear-jerker movie didn’t overdo the sentimentality just for the drama’s sake but it let the whole story and the emotions build itself naturally until to such moment that you just couldn’t resist the effect any longer.

Director Maryo J.Delos Reyes and writer Michiko Yamamoto created the film with naturalistic approach. Demonstrating the harsh realities of life and the way a young boy like Ikoy viewed and interpreted it. Magnifico not only showed the life conditions of Ikoy’s family but the entire film also painted the bigger picture of the impoverished lives that were common in the major areas of the country, including the town where Ikoy’s family lived, a town that lived in average and simplicity.

The film told the story of a family with a son who losses his scholarships, a daughter with cerebral palsy and a son, name Ikoy who may not have a good scholastic record like his elder brother but blessed with a good heart that made almost all the people drawn towards him. The story went on how Ikoy, being still a child, already bothered himself about helping to ease his parents’ burdens.  With Ikoy seeing his sick Lola and hearing his mother ranted about the costly burial for the old woman’s expected death, he sought ways to resolve the problem. Together with his bestfriend, Carlo, they worked their ways to the preparations of all things that would be needed for his Lola’s anticipated goodbye.

photo clips from the movie "Magnifico"

Magnifico is amiable on its natural flow and effortless humor, but it became much more remarkable due to its unpredictability. The sudden gush of emotions that the viewers haven’t surely expected is one of the film’s best surprises. Ikoy didn’t just enliven the hopeless town with his positive spirit but he cheered the viewers as well on whatever it is that they may be going through. Through the good hearted character of Magnifico, the film leaves us the lessons that we can deal with any of the life’s hardships as long as we stop looking at things in too much complicated ways.  

For this magnificent multi-awarded Filipino film, let’s drink to it with 8 shots of espresso!!!

LES CHORISTES and the magic of their voices by: Uel Ceballos

Movie poster from Wikipedia

We have just celebrated the World’s Teachers’ Day last October 5. It reminded me of my teachers way back in grade school, high school, college and up to the times that I was already working where I continued meeting new mentors. They all imparted lessons that are too precious and valuable to lose, thus I’m keeping them in my heart, looking back to those words of wisdom whenever needed. 

Most especially, I remembered those teachers who have greatly inspired and influenced me to what I am now. 

It has brought me then to discuss to you this teacher-inspired film that is included in my list of best movies—the 2004 French Drama Film “Les Chorites”.

photo clip from the movie "Les Choristes"

I must admit, I cried at the end of this movie not because of the film’s sentimentality, but because of the connection built up between me and the characters. The director Christophe Barratier, with all the casts and workers of the movie, managed to break the fourth wall that divided Les Choristes from its audiences.  The film in fact, brought out the heartfelt feeling to its viewers without overdoing the drama of the story. The film is packed with natural humor and emotions that it just likes spicing up the entire movie with the exact ingredients under the sufficient stove heat.

photo clip from the movie "Les Choristes"

Les Choristes is the story of Pierre Morhange and the life he spent in a boarding institution way back in the year 1949. The school Fond de L'Étang was a correctional institution for “difficult” boys, that it would really takes a lot of patience and strong will for someone to manage the situations there and teach the students. But new teacher, Clément Mathieu has brought a new hope by using music to tame and change the kids in the institution. The process however, is really difficult but Mathieu’s good intentions was well paid off when soon enough he managed to form an all boys choir from those ill-mannered, unmanageable bunch of students. He strongly believed that the kids weren’t as hopeless as what their principal was thinking.

 Jean-Baptiste Maunier as Pierre Morhange
photo clip from the movie

One notable feature about this film was the casting of students who were not professional actors but did a really remarkable job in getting into the hearts of their viewers. The lead character Pierre Morhange was played by Jean-Baptiste Maunier who was a real singer from the French choir Les Petits Chanteurs de Saint-Marc. The rest of the kids were auditioned from primary and secondary schools near the location of the film. The kids were really passionate to learn about acting and music that it resulted to their very astonishing performance in Les Choristes. Surely, you will love the music, the sound of the children’s choir, the exceptional voice of Jean-Baptiste Maunier – all of these were so heavenly to the ear that I really got goose bumps when I heard their angelic voices.

The treatment used for the flow of story began from old Pierre reminiscing back to his childhood days by reading through the diary of his teacher, Clément Mathieu. Then the scene cut off to flashback, with the entire story already in the point of view of Mathieu. You would certainly lose yourself in this film’s simplicity and heartwarming nature. If you have been moved by the teacher-inspired film Mr. Holland’s Opus then you must see this one also! The casting, the setting, and the psychology of the characters were all carefully developed and the film itself was excellently made that it was nominated in 77th Academy Awards and in other award-giving bodies.

For this movie review, the film is worthy of 10 espresso shots rating! Better see it yourself to find out why! Enjoy watching!

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