The Girl Within

A take on the film The Danish Girl

by Love Esios

I have always been an enthusiast of visual and performance arts ever since I was in elementary. Though I was not gifted with the ability to draw straight lines and create accurate curves, I've always wondered what could have been in the mind of an artist while he/she was creating his/her masterpiece. Such vivid and powerful imagination behind that small ball of tissue.

In the movie The Danish Girl, that vivid and highly creative imagination would be found lingering inside the brain of Einar Wegener (portrayed by Eddie Redmayne). Einar used to be a highly respected and talented painters of his time until he found something else inside him -- Lily. His wife, Gerda (portrayed by Alicia Vikander) treated the whole circumstance as a role play until his husband couldn't hide his true identity anymore. And so, the painful process of losing her husband began... and it ended with Einar becoming Lily who underwent one of the first sex-change operations in history.

It's a beauty and a struggle seeing Eddie Redmayne portray Einar and Lily respectively. At the beginning of the movie, you would immediately observe the tenderness in his demeanor. I can imagine Einar being lost in his own world while working on his canvass. You can see in his eyes the love that he has for his wife. And the struggle from within him when he first realized that there is something wrong with him. The conflicting and inconvenient truth that he is Lily and that Einar is just a tiny figment of his own self. When he began the process of transforming to Lily, I found him really beautiful. It's hard to imagine that almost two years ago, Redmayne portrayed a character with motor neuron disease. His flexibility to give life to two different characters had earned him a nod to the Oscars.

Alicia Vikander was also amazing as Gerda. She was fierce, determined and her love for Einar -- unconditional. It made me think how sick and tragic it was to love someone who couldn't love you back. That she has lost her husband to a character that she had just imagined. If that was what really happened, you could also argue that perhaps Gerda also have that homosexual tendency because most of her art work were a reflection of what was also going through her mind.

Shot in the backdrop of 1920s Copenhagen, this riveting story of Einar and Gerda and the liberation of their own personalities would make you think of the real meaning of love, life and freedom that goes beyond one's gender preference.

As powerful as the message that director Tom Hooper wants to convey through this film, I'll give this a film a shot of 8 espressos.

Sa Bawat Dulo ng Walang Hanggan (kasi nga #WalangForever)

ni Love Esios

Minsan, may darating na pag-ibig sa buhay mo na babali sa dati mong paniniwala sa pag-ibig at babago sa pananaw mo ng walang hanggan...



 --- Ayan yung ideyang naglalaro sa utak ko ng sumunod na araw pagkatapos kong manood ng Walang Forever. Nauna ng magbigay ng opinyon ang isa kong kaibigan tungkol sa pelikulang pinagbibidahan nina Jennylyn Mercado at Jericho Rosales. Bilang akala ko 'di ko na ito mapapanood, nagtanong ako sa kanya kung kumusta yung pelikula. Sabi niya, "Ang babaw ng istorya, friend. Sorry friend."

Eh 'di ako naman, nasayangan. Sabi ko, buti pala hindi ko pa napanood. Pero sadyang mapaglaro lang siguro ang tadhana kasi nakapanood pa rin ako at paglabas ko ng sinehan, sumisinghot-singhot pa ako habang nagpupunas ng luha sa pisngi. Ang nasabi ko na lang, "Wow. Grabe."

Simple lang naman ang kwento, oo. Nothing spectacular, nothing extraordinary. Same old plot. Dalawang taong pinagtagpo ng ulan, pinagbuklod ng pag-ibig at pinaghiwalay ng buhay. Pero ang tingin kong natatangi sa pelikulang ito ay ang mahusay na pagbibigay-buhay ng mga aktor sa mga karakter ng isang simpleng ngunit paulit-ulit na kwento ng pag-ibig.

Noong nalaman kong nagwagi bilang pinakamahusay na aktor si Jericho Rosales sa MMFF, naitanong ko sa sarili ko, "Wala na ba talaga silang ibang choice?" Kahit 'di ko pa napapanood ang Honor Thy Father, nasabi ko agad na, "Bakit hindi si John Lloyd?" Kasi siguro bilang manonood, ang stereotype natin, kapag umarte ng drama, magaling na. 'Pag umiyak ng bongga, ay may pag-asa ito. 'Pag love story ang theme, ay walang saysay yan. Rom-Com... sus!

Eh tinaob ng napakahusay na pagganap ni Jericho Rosales ang lahat ng mga stereotype sa utak ko. Pinaghandaan niyang mabuti ang kanyang karakter. Inalam niya ang bawat pakiramdam, bawat iniisip at bawat ikinikilos nito at inari niyang kanya. Marami na akong nakitang aktor na umarteng may sakit sa pelikula at telebisyon pero mas nakita ko ang pagiging natural sa karakter ni Echo. Pigil pero andun yung tindi ng emosyon. Makikita mo sa mga mata niya ang paghihirap ng kanyang kalooban. Ang kawalan ng pag-asa. Iilan lang silang ganoon. Iilan lang ang mga aktor na matalino at nag-aaral ng mga karakter nila. Buti isa doon si Echo. Mahusay. ;-)

Matapos kong mapanood yung English Only Please noong nakaraang taon, napagtanto ko na may ibubuga naman pala talaga si Jennilyn Mercado. Sa kanyang ikalawang rom-com, ipinakita niya na hindi mo kailangang umiyak ng bongga at humikbi na parang katapusan na ng mundo para manalo ng isang parangal sa pag-arte. Minsan, kailangan mo lang isapuso ang karakter na binibigyan mo ng buhay. At kapag nakakonekta ka sa kanya, doon nagsisimula yung magic. Doon mo masasabing napakahusay niya dahil nagawa niyang pag-isahin ang dalawa: siya at ang kanyang karakter.

Nais ko ring bigyan ng pansin ang supporting cast ng pelikulang ito. Unang napansin ko kaagad si Pepe Herrera. Paano ko naman kakalimutan ang paborito kong Tolits ng Rak of Aegis. Hahaha! Hanggang sa sumunod na sina Jerald Napoles, Nico Antonio, Cai Cortez, Kim Molina at Myke Salomon. Feeling ko nasa Rak of Aegis reunion ako eh. Hahaha! Mahusay ang suporta kaya nabigyan ng resonableng comic relief ang pelikula.

Bukod sa mga nakakatawa at nakakaantig na linyahan nila Echo at Jen sa pelikula, pinakatumatak sa akin ang natatanging eksena ni Ms. Irma Adlawan kasama si Echo. Alam mo yung sinasabi nila sa teatro na kahit gaano kaliit ang eksena mo, nasa sa'yo pa rin ang ikagaganda nito. Sa loob ng ilang minuto, pinaluha ako ng todo ng eksenang yun. At hindi siya dahil kay Echo, dahil siya kay Ms. Irma Adlawan. Ang galing! :)

May forever man o wala, bawat kwento na nabubuo sa ating mga buhay ay nagwawakas din. Pero sa bawat pagwawakas, may nagsisimulang panibagong pahina. Parang pag-ibig lang. Sa bawat pagtatapos, may mas magandang kwento ng pag-ibig na sisibol at babali sa dati mong paniniwala tungkol sa pag-ibig at babago sa pananaw mo ng walang hanggan. Nasaktan ka man, nabigo, happy man ang ending ng love story mo o tragic, babalik at babalik ang puso mo sa pag-ibig na nagbago sa'yo. Tulad nga ng sabi ni Ebe Dancel sa kanyang kanta,

          "Bawat kanan at kaliwa
          Kanluran man o hilaga
          Ang bawat daan ko
          Ay patungo
          Pabalik sa'yo..."


Kudos sa writer ng Walang Forever pati na rin kay direk! Maraming salamat sa isa na namang magandang pelikulang Pilipino! :-)


Walong tagay ng espresso po para sa inyo! :-)

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My take on About Time ~ Film Review

by Love Esios

photo grabbed from Wikimedia.org

2015 is closing in a few hours. That means, you are able to complete 365 days of your life and in a few, you are going to complete another set of 365 days as we welcome another year full of hopes and aspirations.

But what if your dad told you a secret that you can travel back in time? Will you immediately jump into the opportunity of going back into one of the days in our previous set of 365 and make it better?

In the movie About Time, Tim Lake (portrayed by Domnhall Gleeson) was told by his father (portrayed by Bill Nighy) a family secret --- men in their family can travel back in time. Tim was skeptical at first, but when he tried to go back to the time when he didn't kiss a girl on New Year's day, he was shocked that he could actually do it. And during that time, he kissed that girl with so much confidence and passion.

After thoroughly going through the process of time-travelling with his dad, Tim resolved himself that he's going to use his new-found skill to get a girlfriend. He tried to use it with his first love Charlotte but he wasn't able to capitalize on it. Not until he met Mary (portrayed by Rachel McAdams) on a blind date that he realized that he is actually in-love. And that is the beginning of the real struggle of a complicated life for a time traveller.

Now here comes the question: What sets this movie apart from other films with time travel plots? This British romance-comedy masterpiece of Richard Curtis was peppered with British punch lines that you will truly leave you with a hearty laugh. It has also made me look back on the unfortunate events in my life brought by wrong decisions and impulsive decision-making. It affirmed my belief that love is so much stronger than any fear, doubt or sadness combined.

We may not have the ability to go back in the past and make it better, but I guess this movie wants us to see the beauty of living your life to the fullest every day. And that every day is also an opportunity to make things right and make it the best day ever.

The year will soon come to an end. Another year is about to unfold. May the year 2016 be "about time" spent with the people you love. Spend your time wisely, seize every moment and allow yourself to be filled with love so that you can share more love in return. Let's always remember that unlike Tim, there's not going back for us again. So enjoy the moment while it lasts. :-)

Before I forget, let me give this movie an 8.

Cheers for 2016! :-)

Miracle in Cell No. 7 ~ film review

By Love Esios

Miracle in Cell No. 7 movie poster
(image taken from Wikipedia)

Whenever I watch films, I always make sure that my mind is really set to understand and appreciate the film I am about to see. I have always tried to strike a balance between  noticing the technicalities of the film and allowing my emotions to rule all over my entirety. Watching this film has surpassed all expectations I have for a certified tearjerker. The effect it gave me was more than the sobs and continuous tears I shed not to mention the occasional remark of "Grabe!" in between the scenes.

Most of you reading this blog might have already seen the movie, and so I will just give a very short detail of its summary. It's about a mentally challenged father who is trying to raise his six-year old daughter despite his condition. Eventually, he was wrongfully accused of a crime he didn't really commit and eventually was sentenced to death penalty. The story was quite focused on how the father coped with his life inside the cell and how the daughter, with the help of his cell mates, was able to get inside the cell. Though this movie made my eyes all swollen and puffy, I can't really give this movie two thumbs up. I'll tell you why.

Firstly, this movie resembles another American movie that truly touched my heart --- I am Sam. There's no mistaking the brilliant performances of Sean Penn and Dakota Fanning in that film, which I can't help but compare to Ryu Seung-ryong (the actor who played the mentally challenged father Lee Yong-gu) and Kal So-won (the child who played the young Ye-sung). Secondly, I felt that the story wasn't really realistic. The court drama scenes and the scene where the child was able to sneak in the cell without the authorities noticing it were quite unreal. Probably, the writer wanted to focus more on a father's love to his daughter and how everything can have meaning when there's love around us. I must say that this movie appeals more on the emotions... never-mind the technicalities of the film... still it captured the hearts of the many people who watched it.

Despite the mediocrity of the story, the cast proved to be fitting for their respective roles. I must applaud Ryu Seung-ryong and the child actress Kal So-Won for their award-winning performances. I also love the supporting cast of the film. I think it's safe to say that a movie can truly stand on its own if you have capable actors in both the major and supporting roles. I've always admired the way Koreans prepare, characterize and embody their characters. The facial expression, the body language and even the way they think... just awesome preparation! That's no easy! Lastly, I love the use of the popular cartoon series Sailor Moon as a a very significant symbolism all throughout the film. It has become a reminder of justice that was not serve the first time and justice that was difficult to get but was eventually granted the second time in the film.

Well, with no further adieu, let me give this movie 7/10 espresso shots!

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A film that tastes so good ~ Chef (2014) Film Review

by: Uel Ceballos

It’s been a while that I didn’t come up with a good light-hearted film as Chef. For the recent weeks I’ve been suffering from heartbreaking and nervous breaking down TV series and films – and I was kind of ‘caught in the trap’ since I couldn’t stop until I finished it.

Finally, here came the Chef that knocked the tightness in me; and sent me drooling in front of the screen as I watched the delectable dishes that Chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) was doing. This movie was a potential sadistic as it got you wedged on your seat while you were dying on the scrumptious foods that you wished you could grab and eat.

Chef – a 2014 American comedy-drama film that was about a professional chef who got into an internet war with an influential food critic Ramsey Michael played by Oliver Platt. It was a simple but effective film with clear plot and effortless wits. Chef was the kind of movie wherein you wouldn’t care so much about racking your brain with confusing characters and web-tangled sequences. Rather you’d be delighted with the story of a passionate Chef who wanted to do nothing else in life but to cook; kitchen has been his true home and he wanted to share this passion with his young son who seemed to show the same interest in cooking. The cooks in the movie, the line cook Martin (John Leguizamo) with his winsome Spanish and the sous chef Tony (Bobby Cannavale) with his charming appeal, were both adorable in their chef’s suit while playing as Carl’s friends. Hard to ignore as well, were my ever favorite actor Dustin Hoffman who played here as owner of the restaurant where Carl worked, and Robert Downey Jr, whose appearance was quite quick and short but indeed a whole lot seconds of awesomeness! 

Aside from the mouth-watering food presentation, another highlight of this film was the impact of internet to someone’s career and public image. The sub-context was very timely as people nowadays got to grasp fully the power of social media and on how it could be utilized to enforce a social media war. Carl got into this internet warfare with Ramsey who’d been writing bad publicity about Carl’s food. Carl was certainly hurt by all these negative write ups that he made a verbal assault to Ramsey one night in the restaurant where Carl was working. This of course was recorded by the other customers in the restaurant; you know that initial instinct of the people when they witnessed such a scene that was worth getting into the news, suddenly they turned into a reporter who recorded everything in their phone camera. You got to see what happened to Carl after that evening. Indeed that was something to take note of and to keep in mind all the time.

The laid back soundtracks which were mixed Latin jazz and blues made the movie more appealing. This film was really for you if you’d up for some good laugh and relaxing moment. Much more if you were the foodie kind of person who’d be always curious about how the appetizing dishes were done. Just avoid watching this film with empty stomach because you’d fail to control your appetite. Oh well, you’d not pass anyway, I was full when I watched it but I ended wanting some Cuban sandwich right after J

So there, 7 Cuban Espresso shots for Chef Carl! 

...and I love HER... (Film Review)

by Love Esios

Ever imagined how the future might look like with all the technological advances designed to make our lives convenient? Everything is easily accessible, everything is functional not with a snap of your fingers, but with the sound of your voice. No need to write emails, no need to see the news, and perhaps in most instances, no need to go out and feel the weather outside. You just speak most of the time to a piece of metal but there is no real interpersonal communication because you constantly interact night and day with...say... an operating system. Uh-huh. You read that right. A relationship with an OS. Okay, let me make that clear, a romantic relationship with an OS. Insane? Well, that's what I thought while watching this film by Spike Jonze who, by the way, bagged the Oscar's Best Original Screenplay earlier this year for this film.

One thing I like about this movie is that it explores the social problems being encountered by the people in the age of modernization and technological breakthroughs while perhaps losing in touch with reality and human interaction. In the movie, we saw how a heartbroken guy basically turned to technology in the hope to save himself from his distress, which I think most of us (if not all) often do when we are down or depressed. We take all our frustrations to social media with the use of... yes... the internet! There is even a moment in the film when he excused himself from his friends just to spend time talking to his OS. Strange but with the rate things are going in the present, the scenario presented in the film might actually take place in the future!

To give you a quick overview of the film, the story revolves around the life of Theodore Twombly, a guy who works as a professional writer of letters for people who can't seem to write heartfelt letters themselves. It would be eventually shown that he's very lonely and is also dealing with a falling apart with her wife which leads to divorce. Eventually, he would discover and purchase a highly-intelligent operating system that can practically provide him with ALL of his needs.

I like how Spike Jonze gave life to his (human) characters. How they deal with the same emotional turmoil every day and how, in many ways, they turn to technology for comfort. The concept of the story is not actually new to most of us, but the way it was written and acted out in the film left me feeling amused, stricken, odd, confused and hanging all at the same time. I also like how the setting came to play in the movie. Unlike other tech/romance-based movies, the setting was not very futuristic for me but I somehow enjoy looking at the pinkish color schemes surrounded by a bland society of people who enjoy using their gadgets 24/7 than actually interacting with each other.

Theodore and Amy

I want to commend Joaquin Phoenix for masterfully portraying a grief-stricken Theodore Twombly. Amy Adams, who portrayed the character Amy (yes, the same name), also gave a strong supporting role. I actually like the fact that she didn't appear pretty and fabulous in this film (which is going to be irrelevant if so, I know). And how can I forget the voice behind the strong-willed and intelligent OS that named itself Samantha...the excellent participation of Scarlett Johansson in the film. Her voice was full of sincerity, intelligence, humor and hope that probably if the said OS actually exists, it would definitely be sold out in just a few hours. To be honest, I almost thought and actually hope that in the end, the voice would come alive and just like how fairy tales end, they would live happily ever after. But then again, happy ever after don't actually exist, do they?

I would've given it a perfect espresso shot rating if not for the vague ending of the story. But I won't discount the fact that this movie is worthy of it's nomination and recognition in the recently-concluded Oscars. 

So, an 8/10 espresso shot will do for this movie. Enjoy! ;)




Note: All photos grabbed from Google Images. All credits to the owners of the photos.

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

UNLEASH THE POWER... A review about the sci-fi film CHRONICLE. By Love Esios

Photo pulled out from Wikipedia

Come to think of this: You're in high school, and life is hard. Other students bully you. You try to fight them but all you can do is to utter the words, "Stop it!". Your family is as broken as a shattered glass and you only have one friend who also happens to be your only close relative. Everything's a mess, and you feel weak inside and out. Then, you bought a video camera and vowed to record everything that's happening in your miserable, boring life. You thought this is going to be fun, until one night you stumbled upon a hole, found something peculiar inside it, then the next thing you know, you are already possessing telekinetic powers that gets stronger every day. Sounds cool right? That's what I also thought while I was watching the movie Chronicle.

A sci-fi flick that would surely take you at the edge of your seat, Chronicle is a story of three high schools students who were just living in tedium until they have discovered a very, very weird thing inside a hole in the forest and their lives were never the same again. I just love how the story progressed, how each scene was defined and developed beautifully, how it made me feel that probably having superpowers isn't a bad idea after all until the film made an unexpected twist and I was trying my best not to scream as I was watching it happen. The idea of presenting the movie as found footage added to the spontaneity and intensity of the story. I also love how the actors portrayed their roles and the kind of emotion they have shown in order to let us remember how we can also be silly, fun and lose control in high school. This movie has the right blend of teen drama, romance, science and action.

So if you are into sci-fi films, you might want to add this to your favorites list. An 8 out 10 espresso shot for this movie!

"You are stronger than all of this..."

~ from Chronicle (2012)