"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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Dog Tooth and the Classical Hollywood Cinema by Benj Ramos

image from impawards.com

There have been changes on the ways the film makers tell their stories. For commercial purposes maybe or just merely the influence of time, but one thing is for sure, film makers express their masterpiece in a not-so-contemporary ways.

Dog Tooth (Kynodontas) has been one of the films that deconstructs the "normal way" of film narration. Through its out-of-the-box scenes, the director, Yorgos Lanthimos, challenges the current (and even the contemporary) form of storytelling.

The continuity editing that are present from the classical Hollywood cinema is also visible in Dog Tooth. However, it lacks casual explanations. There are no explanations as to why a certain scene is happening. On the other hand, classical Hollywood films vividly present the story's cause and effect. 

This 2009 Greek film has shown the intersectionality between the contemporary form and the surreal/modern form. When it comes to cinematic space and time, we know that it runs chronologically. Although at times we feel that there are missing scenes, and it jumps from one situation to another without visual justification, the film still let us identify time through day and night and with no flashbacks and other conventions of time story telling.

In the classical Hollywood cinema POV, eyeline matches and shot-reverse shots act as a help to give the audience the story telling we expect. However, gives us headless shots, awkward head rooms, and weird mis-en-sine.

On the other hand, the films conformity to classical Hollywood cinema is present on characters. The family has been consistently abnormal from the beginning to end. We know that the parents are aware of their actions, and they were introduced to the film as who they are. Just like the classics, it is loyal to introducing the characters to satisfy the audiences' need of trait and character references.

Despite all, this Cannes winner revolves around the story of children who were raised differently by their parents. They remained ignorant and looks at the world in a way you can't imagine. They were saturated in false beliefs, deception and urban legends. This Oscar nominee for best foreign language deserves my 8 espresso shots for a peculiar film wizardry!

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, both romantic and pleasantly nostalgic. by: Uel Ceballos

Photo clips taken from the movie "Midnight in Paris"

I've never been to Paris but I’ve been long dying hard to get there someday. Until I watched Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, and it all seemed like I was already transported there mentally if not physically. This romantic comedy fantasy film was entirely shot in Paris and I just couldn’t help myself admiring the opening montage of the film, wherein breathtaking shots of Paris were being shown while sweet Jazz music was played on the background – very romantic indeed.

Rachel McAdams as Inez, Owen Wilson as Gil Pender
Photo clip taken from "Midnight in Paris" movie

Midnight in Paris in the direction and screenplay of Woody Allen was first released in 2011 but I only got to watch it this year 2013. I assumed from the title itself that it would be all about love and romance since Paris was what most of us referred to as “The City of Love”. I was not that excited at first-- maybe because I was not really a fan of Owen Wilson (I never like his Wedding Crasher though he gave me a good laugh in his old movie Bottle Rocket).

Photo clips taken from the movie "Midnight in Paris"

I never thought that there would be a fantasy play on Midnight wherein Gil Pender traveled back time to the era of 1920. But what really added more sparks to my interest were the presentations of real personalities from the past, incorporating them to the film, and getting them to meet Gil Pender, the guy who came from the modern year! I just couldn’t contain my full appreciation of Woody Allen’s creativity as he put on his movie the presence of celebrated writers and public figures like Ernest Hemingway, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Josephine Baker, Cole Porter, Gertrude Stein and Pablo Picasso!

Woody Allen is a writer and artist himself, so small wonder that meeting these famous celebrities is what he also wishes for himself even just through the making of such a well-written film like Midnight in Paris. The effect on me was quite strong that I even fantasized myself traveling back like Gil and meeting the like of Fitzgerald and Hemingway –Oh! I must have then the book of “The Great Gatsby” and “The Old Man and The Sea” for their autograph!

It was also an amusing scene to watch the character portrayals of famous writers and artists, looking more onto their being humans rather than on their being as renowned celebrities from the past. Though the things you would see on them in the movie were nothing different to the autobiographical details written about them, still the effect it had was really fantastic.

I got to like Owen Wilson here, his being naturally charming and funny fit perfectly for the character of Gil Pender. And the cinematography – I really loved it! Woody Allen has given the film a balmy texture, wherein the ambiance was sustained in a warm tone all throughout the movie and the effect it had was so perfectly pleasant and beautiful.

I will now leave the rest of the details for those who haven’t seen the movie yet. For this excellent movie made with nostalgia-modernism combination, let’s cheer for it with 8 SHOTS OF ESPRESSO! 

WHEN DYSTOPIAN NOVELS BECOME ADDICTING... ~ by Love Esios

One of the book covers of The Hunger Games. Photo taken from Google Images.

I'm not really a fan of dystopian novels. Since I have started reading novels in high school, I have never thought I would actually get engrossed in a story that's kind of dark and gruesome and gory. It turns out The Hunger Games changed that part of me. It took one boring weekday afternoon to try and read the first few pages of the book and after that, I never stopped reading until the last book!

The Hunger Games is the first of the three books in The Hunger Games series (the others being Catching Fire and Mockingjay). The story focuses on a very unlikely competition that is meant to punish and remind the citizens in poverty-stricken Panem that rebellion against the government would have very complicated consequences. The Games was created for the kids to fight among themselves, with only one emerging as a victor. In this first book, you would be introduced to the three main characters of the series: Katniss, Peeta and Gale. You might think that this is going to be a love story set in the dark ages of mankind but no... it's more than that. It might sound like a typical story for some people who have already read young adult fiction with dsytopia in the background. But I guess, there's something on how Suzanne Collins presented the story that made me turn on every page of the book, perhaps thinking that in a few decades, our society will be as vicious and selfish as The Capitol... that the government will resort into punishing kids and teenagers for a crime that the adults have done. How surreal the situation could be? The bloodbath, the injustice...they were all captured by Collins. I found her storytelling very easy to understand, yet she used the simplicity of her narration to give the readers a strong and vivid imagery. And as a reader myself, as long as I can see the scene clearly in my head, hear the characters talking, feel the emotions in their words, then I know I am reading a good book. Truth be told, while I was reading the book, it felt like I was already there, I was also part of that dark society, and I can still see every scene in my head until now! (Okay, now that's scary... hahaha!)

The Hunger Games is a riveting story of injustice and passion set in a violent, dark and gory society that might be our own someday. And I'm telling you, once you start, you won't stop. For that, I'd give a rating of 7 cups of latte out of 10. ^_____^

Enjoy!

A MUST-READ FOR CHRISTMAS SEASON! by Uel Ceballos

Photo from Wikipedia

Since we’re just months away now from Christmas time, I suddenly feel like reading something that is Christmas-inspired, and that brings me to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. While I skim through the first pages of the book it gives me the impression that the story seems unfit for the children; because C.D has a note there calling it a Ghostly Little Book. Well, you don't think the children are fond of  ghosts until I remember Casper and how I  love him when I'm a little girl.

A Christmas Carol starts with a dimmed and gloomy atmosphere, narrating about Marley being dead. So how do I take that? A Christmas story beginning with someone’s death -- well, it almost provokes me to drop the idea of reading the rest of the book. But then out of curiosity and C.D’s popularity I just decide to proceed with my reading. At the end of the story, I’m just so grateful that I finish it. The story and its lessons are priceless; and its significance to the world is definitely timeless.

The story is perfectly fit for people of all ages, from the young ones to the old ones. A Christmas Carol is the story of bitter and fed-up Scrooge, whose encounter with the Ghosts of the Christmas from the past, present and future transform him into a much better person.

Whenever the spirit of Christmas is coming into the danger of dying away from your heart,  this book will ignite the sparks that will blaze your heart into life again! A must-read for everyone especially for those who are eventually drowning deep down the life’s depression, sadness and despair, A Christmas Carol will restore you back to that hopeful and buoyant person you're once before.

Hope you guys find time to read this classic literature and as C.D says it, may the ghosts of Christmas haunt you pleasantly!