The Shades of Love

Love can be that of a husband’s, wife’s, father’s, mother’s, son’s, daughter’s, brother’s, sister’s, or lover’s.

Love is celebrated in all parts of the world.  Along with it are the little things that can mean so big for many people.  The tiny details in our lives can leave a huge mark in our hearts and they will forever remain in our minds.  Babel is a film that appeals to the senses, alarms the psyche, and causes the consiousness to appreciate little kind acts and empathy in this world of love and emotions.

Babel is a complex and tragic story of people around the world and how we are truly not that different at all.  In Morocco, a problematic married couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett) are on vacation trying to settle their differences.  During their bus trip, the wife rests her head against the window and then is shot in the shoulder.  Everyone in the bus thinks they are being attacked by terrorists.  With no hospitals close by, the bus driver takes them to his village where a veterinarian stitches up her wound and an old lady takes care of her.  A kind and cordial Muslim gives the couple shelter.  The husband starts to panick helplessly and the situation grows tenser when the other tourists in the bus who fear for their lives, take the bus and leave the couple behind.

On the other hand, a Moroccan herder buys a rifle for his sons from his neighbor so they can keep the jackals away from his herd of goats.  The neighbor has received the rifle as a gift after serving as a guide for a Japanese hunter.

In Japan, a girl who’s dealing with rejection, death of her mother, emotional distance from her father, reticence, and being deaf and mute, struggles with the modern life in the city of Tokyo, Japan.  More so, on the other side of the world, the married couple’s Mexican nanny, Amelia (Adriana Barraza), takes the couple’s two children with her to her son’s wedding in Mexico, but it turns into trouble on their way home to California.  Apparently, Babel provides a potent story and a mirror of the lives of ostensibly random people around the world.  The movie shows just how connected we are and that’s by LOVE.

Firstly, in critiquing this movie, I want to point out the explicit scenes in the movie.  I must say I disapprove the parts where there are sexual content and graphic nudity, because I am raised in a conservatively in a conventional country.  But what I find surprising in those scenes is that it’s full of truth and sadness.  My conciousness has been awakened.  These scenes are cinematographically perfected as I may say.  The shots are intense and close enough to study the actors’ facial expressions which emphasize their emotions very well.

Secondly, I commend the actors for their performance because of their deep acting prowess.  This is also due to the good sequence of the story.  Though the scenes appear at various places and times, they all follow a simple narration.  I just feel being left hanging on the ending of the film where the death of the Japanese girl’s mother isn’t clearly stated.  It leaves a big question mark to any viewer’s mind.

The story of Babel really touches the heart.  There are scenes in the movie that captures the kinds of love that people feel and give.  Whether it is the love for a partner, brother or even to oneself, the movie presents them all in one connected story.

Lastly, somehow Babel sends a message to everyone to start listening.  In this world of advances and changes, people tend to listen less and care lesser around them.  No wonder why the film is named after the Babel of the Bible.

The differences of language do not hinder the understanding of one’s perception of love and life.  We are all bound to love and be loved.

‘T’ for Romeo and ‘M’ for Juliet

Someday somewhere their love will live forever.

What if Romeo and Juliet have not died in their love story?  Will most love stories in movies nowadays be different as well?  Tragic endings in romantic movies are clichés.  We see love and loss as a pair.  They come together in all love dramas.  The film I can relate this to is the old musical film in 1961, “West Side Story”.

The story revolves around the love story of Tony and Maria who belong to different worlds.  Tony is a good friend of the Jets (Americans) and Maria is a sister of the leader of the Sharks (Puerto Ricans).  The Jets and Sharks are all-time rivals in the west.  Racial discrimination is also present in the film, where the Puerto Ricans are highlighted as immigrants trying to fit in the West.  Conflicts in the story have led to the death of both gangs’ leaders and Tony.  The ending of the movie might have been tragic but it gives a twist in the story because Maria does not kill herself unlike Juliet of Shakespeare’s.

Firstly, I will critique this old film technically.  As a young lady of this generation I really do not like the production of the movie because visually it’s old.  But I guess what the current generation needs the most today is a little bit of old fashion to bring back the forgotten values.  People are becoming more liberated nowadays.

West Side Story is a musical film.  The mise-en-scene is well incorporated.  The set design, lighting, costumes, make-up and hairstyles are put together perfectly.  I believe the cost of production is quite expensive.  Despite the grandiose of the set, the shots are somehow stiff and tedious.  I think I’ll credit that to the technology of that era.  More so, the characters are presented traditionally.  For the males, roles are portrayed rough and ready.  Action and violence was present all throughout the movie.  As for the females, they are seen as either gentle (Maria), or sex objects and promiscuous.  I really dislike how women were perceived before.

Secondly, the film’s narrative was dragging.  Although it was a musical, the story’s pace is slow.  This allows more predictability on the film’s ending.  During the first scene where the Jets and the Sharks had an encounter, I have already guessed that people will die in the story.  Also, I have predicted that either Tony or Maria will die after watching their scene during the dance clash of the gangs.  Although the pace of the film is dragging, it somehow shows direct and continuous sequence of events.

Thirdly, I quite do not appreciate the actors of West Side Story.  Particularly, I find Tony effeminate in the story.  Other male characters are convincingly manly but I doubt Tony.  His role is really heart-pumping for a lady like me but I really notice how softly he acts in the movie.  On the other hand, I like Maria at first.  She is my ideal woman until she sleeps with Tony the moment after her brother dies!  That’s disrespectful of her to do.  Technically, I appreciate how talented the actors are.  They can act, sing, and dance which I believe are never easy to do all at once.  I can imagine how long they take rehearsals to perfect their craft.  The songs and the choreography go well perfectly.  They’re very creative.

Amidst all these criticisms I have on “West Side Story”, I still ponder good notions regarding it.  The movie ends tragically and I applaud the creators for showing reality.  A forbidden love can never bring goodness to anyone.  It will always cause tears and misfortune.  A love that starts wrong will never turn out right.  People say that love stories must not have happy endings because true love never ends.  I agree to this old-fashioned quote because it inspires people to be realistic and not to be ideal on love.  Tony and Maria’s story ends unhappy because it’s true.

I want to commend the film “West Side Story” to other people because it is remarkable.   I hope this old-fashioned love story can change the perception of youngsters nowadays.

Enchanted By Love

They’re enchanted to meet each others’ pride and prejudices.

“Love moves in mysterious ways.”  Perhaps, it really does.  Whether we choose to accept or deny the fact that love comes in the most unexpected moments in our lives, it will always be astounding.  Pride and Prejudice is a classic story of the astonishing romance between two people who possessed different levels of pride and who surprisingly had their prejudices wrong at one point – Love.

As a young lady, I have always admired romantic movies, most especially when wit and comedy are added to them.  Any young woman dreams of that one true love.  Who doesn’t?  Love is inspiring.  Love can be found anywhere.  And love is vividly present in Pride and Prejudice which is directed by Joe Wright in 2005 and based on Jane Austen’s book of the same name.

The story revolves around the Bennet Family who is fairly well-off, yet kind of ill-mannered living in the late 18th century England.  The Father, Mr. Bennet, is getting older and if he dies his estate will go completely to a distant cousin, Mr. Collins.  To prevent this dilemma, one of his five daughters must marry well which is the primary goal of Mrs. Bennet, the mother, who is very persistent. When the noble Mr. Bingley arrives in town with his equally refined friend Mr. Darcy, the women in the town go extremely enthusiastic including the Bennets.

The shy eldest daughter, Jane, falls in love with Mr. Bingley while on the other hand, the more independent and stubborn daughter, Elizabeth, clashes with the distant and difficult-to-get-to, Mr. Darcy.  I believe the story is focused on Elizabeth’s perspective, most especially on Mr. Darcy.

What I really want to commend about the film is that it is free of visual effects or computer generated images.  Everything is naturally shot.  The mise-en-scene is well thought of.  The director of Pride and Prejudice makes good use of the spectacular landscapes of the British country.  I also love how the cinematographer brings the precise mood to every shot in the film. Whether the shot is a warm, bright, summer day or a chilly dewy, spring morning, the scenario seemed very breath-taking in the screen.

In character study, the idea of Keira Knightley as the lead role of Elizabeth makes me grin. I have watched her in the swashbuckler film Pirates of the Carribean and I really love how she portrayed her character in that film.  Keira Knightley once again dazzles me with her acting prowess in Pride and Prejudice because she brings life to the only interesting lady of the Bennet siblings who are traditional and very promiscuous (not much of Jane).  Elizabeth’s character is fierce, self-assured and independent, which are the traits of most women nowadays.  Making her character dearer to young girls like me.

I googled the lead actor of Mr. Darcy because I am never familiar of him in all the movies I’ve seen.  Matthew MacFayden (Mr. Darcy) embodies both arrogance of Mr. Darcy’s superficial exterior and his obvious awkwardness in trying to deal with his true feelings for Elizabeth.  He’s the strong silent type who is decisive, contains his emotions, and always in-control.

Donald Sutherland who plays the role of Mr. Bennet is venerable.  He is the ideal father of any daughter.  Mr. Bennet realizes the importance of his family’s dilemma, but at the same time he also wants what is best for his beautiful daughters.  Brenda Blethyn, Mrs. Bennet, on the other hand is restless and is focused on one thing – to make her daughters marry splendid men.

I believe that not everything written on the book is shown in the film because it’s not easy to compress all contents into a two-hour movie.  But I am pleased about how the events are presented because there’s continuity in its narrative.  However, I wish there’s more screen duration even just for a minute to see one ecstatic kiss from Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth!  More so, the film is a masterpiece because of its production design, cinematography and actors.  It’s purely a work of LOVE.  One must not pre-judge this movie without reading the book or watching this.

Life’s Roadtrip

Life is more meaningful when you’re with a family.

In life, we either win or learn.  There are things in this world that need not perfection to succeed but use inspiration to compete with life’s obstacles.  A perfect example of winners and learners are the Hoover Family.  But who are the Hoovers?  The Hoovers are the focus of the film Little Miss Sunshine that depicts a dysfunctional family composed of people with different attitudes and personalities. I am not familiar with the actors of the movie but I did my thing on the net to complete this movie review of mine.

In character study, Richard Hoover (Greg Kinnear) is a struggling motivational speaker who is greatly obsessed with winning.  So far, his hopes of building a good career haven’t happened.  His 15-year-old stepson, Dwayne (Paul Dano), is determined to become a pilot. He reads Niestzche (a German philologist, philosopher, cultural critic, poet and composer, who wrote several critical texts on religion, morality, contemporary culture, philosophy and science) and has taken a vow of silence as a way to focus himself on his goal.

Grandpa Edwin (Alan Arkin) is a drug addict who has been evicted from his retirement home and currently lives with his son, Richard.  He regrets not hving done all the things that young man should have done.  Sheryl Hoover (Toni Collette) is a workaholic wife and mother yet very loving to her family.  Her brother Frank (Steve Carell) is a gay who is recovering himself after trying to commit suicide (I can really say because of the white bandages around his wrists).  All of them come from different walks in life but when the youngest child Olive (Abigail Breslin) is called to join the ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ beauty pageant, they all help Olive in achieving her dream of winning the pageant and hop in the old yellow Volkswagen Van to travel to California.

Amidst the old Volk’s increasing mechanical problems during the road trip, the Hoovers ease out their personal setbacks. When the Volk’s clutch breaks early in the trip, the family finds out that they must all push the van until it moves and then they run and jump in. The Volk’s horn eventually starts honking constantly by itself.  Figuratively this depicts the family members’ character growth and emotion-building, as one dilemma after the next affects each of them.  The pushing of the van on the road shows that cooperation within the family can motivate each one in battling life struggles.  The van is each of them.  The road symbolizes life and their ‘pushing’ represents the family’s cooperation.

Eventually, the Hoovers stop beating to fix their own lives and instead draw closer together in focusing more on Olive and her little dream as it becomes clearer to each of them that Olive’s hopes of success begin to reflect what they truly need in life.  Olive may not have won the pageant but she brings the sunshine in the Hoover Family.  Little Miss Sunshine is full of ups and downs, and laughter and sadness as well – the realities of life and family.

One thing I appreciate in the drama movie is that the shots are accurate and expressive.  The various shots of the characters are descriptive.  I can recall how I describe each of the roles because of what I’ve seen on screen.  The use of close-up shots adds depth in the story.  I like the sequence of events because they’re continuous.

What’s eye-catching in the film is the yellow van which appears several times.  The color Yellow really brings out the sunshine of the film.  I want to commend Little Miss Sunshine to everyone who values family at all times.  I believe that being in a family always means you are a part of something very wonderful.  It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life no matter what failures and success you encounter.

To The Maxi-mum Level!

Maxi is not your typical teenage gay.

I have often wondered if there are gays who are treated right by their families ever since they found out what they truly are.  It turns out there are ones who exist just like in the movie ‘Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros)’ which is a film about a 12 year-old gay, Maxi.  But this movie is not the typical gay film where conflict challenges Maxi’s gender preference.  It’s the exact opposite and that’s something heart-warming.  He’s actually accepted by his family.  What’s even more warming is that he becomes the ‘mother’ of the family when his mother died.  Maxi is loved and respected by his two older brothers and his father who are cellphone snatchers in their area (slums).

The movie’s shots are presented simply with great hints of reality which is something fresh to me.  The issues and struggles in the film are well-focused.  There is not much of a need to make the shots very sensational.  I believe the movie is directed simply well and it has a good screenplay.

The present elements in the film are generally seen in common movie themes that entail crime and corruption in the slums of Manila, a young gay in a family known for being ‘siga’ and a teen gay falling in love with a ‘pogi’ and ethical policeman.

I believe many scenes are excellent. The shots are simple because visual effects aren’t needed, but they all deliver well together.  I remember this particular scene in the jeepney where Maxi gets heartbroken by Victor (policeman) and his brother comforts him.  This scene is very touching yet it’s not that overemotional.

The conversations in the movie are straightforward which shows good screenplay.  What’s remarkable for me is the particular line from Maxi when his father gets killed and he says, “maraming ngang kriminal sa mundo, pero iisa lang ang papa ko.”  It brings me to tears and leaves me with realizations about life.  At the same time I believe his father deserves to die because of his crimes.

After the father’s death, things change within Maxi’s family.  The ending of the film is not the typical happy ending that Filipino films are known for, which is why I salute the director of “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros”.  I think tragic and sad endings are closer to reality than happy endings.  The only issue I have regarding the film’s production is that it has poor lighting.  Some scenes might have been more emphasized using more lighting.  But I guess you don’t need a big budget to produce a great film.  I admire the actors as well, most especially Nathan Lopez (Maxi).  He has given the role of Maxi a strong portrayal.

What I have learned about this movie is that life will always challenge us to become better versions of ourselves, regardless of what gender or status we have.  Whatever obstacles we may face along the journey of life, we will always blossom to be what we are destined to be.

Enchant!

We are born different yet we all share on thing in this world.

This is my very first post. I am not into blogging but I want to try this one. In this world where nothing is really original anymore, little things and ideas can still be appreciated.  Hope my little words may enchant the world. Happy blogging to me!