Review of CONDEMNED (1984): Nora's Notable Noir

May 14, 2024

Yolly (Nora Aunor) and her brother Efren (Dan Alvaro) went to Manila to escape problems in their province. They were picked up from the streets of Ermita by wealthy businesswoman Connie (Gloria Romero), who took a fancy to them and gave them employment. Yolly was sent to work in the shop of a top couturier Roel (Len Santos). Efren worked as one of Connie's henchmen in her illegal operations, and was her boy-toy on the side. 

In the evenings, Yolly sold roses inside clubs at night in the red-light district. One night while walking home, Yolly and her friend Nona (Leni Santos) stumbled upon a murder in progress, which they thought was the work of notorious killer "Boy Rosas," who a long-stemmed rose on his victims as his signature. The two unlucky women then become the targets of a paranoid criminal who wanted to eliminate the witnesses.

Nora Aunor was right in her element here as Yolly, playing another woman caught in an unfortunate circumstance. Because of her promise to their dying mother (Alicia Alonzo), she never left Efren behind, at the expense of her own happiness with her married lover Elmo (Sonny Parsons). Instead, she got herself caught up in the messes that her younger brother got himself into as a result of his impulsive tendency for violence.

This was film that launched Dan Alvaro to action stardom. His "very Filipino" visage and resemblance to Aunor led to him being cast as Efren.  For a neophyte actor, he did quite well in his action scenes with multiple goons, as well as his drama scenes with Aunor, no less. Its odd to note now that Alvaro had a number of scantily-clad "beefcake" scenes here, including one where he seemed to be posing on a big rock on the Manila Bay breakwater. 

Elegant movie queen Gloria Romero played totally against type here as the ruthless Connie. Sporting a massive Afro, dealing tarot cards or barking orders to her men, Romero owned all of her scenes with evil glee. Her final confrontation scene with Aunor (with her intense eyes ablaze like the flame of the lantern beside her) was an icy, suspenseful bluffing contest of wits, resolution and burning dollars -- between someone who had everything to lose and someone who had nothing more to lose. 

The stellar supporting cast was very strong. Gina Alajar was Yolly's bar-girl friend Mayette, who had her own secret deals. Toby Alejar was Connie's spoiled brat son Dennis, while Rio Locsin was his defiant girlfriend Lorraine. Connie Angeles was Nona's blind sister Cita, channeling "Wait Until Dark" Audrey Hepburn when she realized the killer was in their house. Ricky Davao played Nona's boyfriend Joey, furious at Yolly's apathy. Alicia Alonzo and Romnick Sarmenta had cameos in flashbacks as Yolly's mother and the young Efren.  

This film directed by Mario O'Hara, and written by Joey Javier Reyes, and modified to its final form by O'Hara and Frank Rivera was released back in 1984. It actually won its box-office face-off versus Vilma Santos' "Alyas Baby Tsina" that week of release. Since then, you do not commonly hear this film mentioned whenever the filmography of Aunor is brought up.  This film noir may be underrated, but it is heartening to learn that it has not been forgotten.

This film, and its melodramatic theme song "May Bukas Ba Muli," were personal favorites of mine among the works of National Artist for Film, Ms. Nora Aunor. I first saw this in the cinema 40 years ago when I was still in my teens. I watched it again today in a special screening by EdukSine at the UP Film Institute.  Alas, this print had faded and murky colors, was scratched up, with entire scenes missing (including the ending!), and the sound had a number of skips, which was unfortunate. We hope it can still be restored to its full glory in the future. 8/10. 

Star Dan Alvaro and Co-Writer Frank Rivera 

at the Q&A post-screening

Killers

June 23, 2010

The story of "Killers" is familiar rom-com material, with a twist of action. Jen (Katherine Heigl) is vacationing in the very scenic town of Nice with her straight-laced dad (Tom Selleck) and alcoholic mom (Catherine O'Hara). There she meets the suave Spencer (Ashton Kutcher). They fall in love and eventually get married. Little did Jen know though, that three years later, the ghosts of Spencer's old job will come and wreak havoc on their seemingly perfect suburban life.

This is the first movie of Katherine Heigl that I have seen. I know she is in TV's "Gray's Anatomy", but I do not watch that as well. I liked her very much as the geeky beauty Jen in "Killers". She is sexy, funny and bubbly. Ashton Kutcher could never really escape the dumb persona he has built in "That 80s Show" or in "Punk'd." He does try his best here to play an action hero, and I think he passes muster. I think the two of them do have some sort of goof-ball chemistry because of their likable personalities.

The execution of the script is okay. I sort of liked the outlandish plot points and the over-the top comedic violence. I am surprised to see a lot of harsh reviews on IMDB. Hey, I am sure you do not watch a film like "Killers" expecting a serious screenplay and award-winning acting. This film is lightweight, silly and adrenaline-driven for the most part, and I think it delivered well on its shallow premise and objectives.

Review of 2012

November 19, 2009

2012 is just barely 3 years away, and this movie reminds us that Mayan, Chinese and Biblical sources all are telling us that year would bring with it the end of days as we know it.

This movie "2012" is already the third disaster movie by director Ronald Emmerich, after "Independence Day" and "The Day After Tomorrow" (unless you also count "Godzilla" and "Eight Legged Freaks"). This is big stuff. It looks expensive from the trailers alone given the elaborate computer-generated imagery we see. 

Watching the film itself though is another matter. I do not really know how a film of this immense magnitude can give the feeling of being so shallow. There was a great potential for this movie to deliver a powerful message here. But unfortunately, we get a cartoon-like movie with the most corny and downright cheesy scenes and dialog.

Don't get me wrong, there are several edifying and unprecedented images like that of the White House being destroyed by an runaway aircraft carrier, or that of flooding in the Himalayas. But scenes like those when John Cusack was driving his limo through falling buildings from Pasadena to Sta. Monica Airport, or his getting out alive from a camper swallowed up by the gaping earth at Yellowstone are too ridiculously over-the-top to be any good. Definitely one close call too many.

As for the characters, they are too one-dimensional and too unbelievably super-human to care about. The wild character of Woody Harrelson was too nutty to be likable. In truth, I only liked the geologist Adrian Helmsley (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor), his Indian geologist friend and the family of the Tibetan monk. Amidst the chaos, they had scenes of genuine pathos which we can reflect on.

Review of 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS and 2 DAYS

 July 3, 2009

This is one of those films that are so realistic in its portrayal of a very sensitive subject. I had to stop the video many times because of that queasy feeling of discomfort it gave me.

First off, this was set in Romania in the late 1980s when it was still under Communist control. This adds a further sense of tension and desperation to the already tense situation on hand. The whole movie spans only one day in the life of Otilia and Gabita, the fateful day of Gabita's abortion under the cheaper but ruthless (and ironically named) Mr. Bebe.

Yes, this film is about abortion -- a most heinous crime. I did not have any idea that this would be the topic. I know a lot of people would probably stop watching once that situation has been established. The film handled this issue so subtly such that you are already in the middle of it before you realize what it was really about. By then though, it has already captured your attention with the awkward situation where the two lead characters have brought upon themselves.

The movie's tagline says it all. How far would you go for a friend? Otilia was not the one having the abortion. It was her roommate and friend, Gabita. Yet the movie was told in Otilia's point of view as she did all the leg work for her friend, and then some. All this time, she was also battling demons of her own, yet there she was for Gabita. By the time you reach the unforgettable final frame of the whole film, you can "hear" the look on Otilia's face as a cry for help. Amazing ending. Fantastic acting by Ms. Anamaria Marinca.

The way the director/writer Cristian Mungiu told this uncomfortable story is compelling. It was as if I was in that hotel room while the evil deeds were being done. It was very difficult indeed to be a witness to all that and remain detached. However, it never went overboard and it kept its focus tight. It straddled between reality and fiction, dripping with raw emotion and tension, without being excessively exploitative. The way the story was told made the difference between what could be a disgusting movie and art. It succeeds to be a very satisfying (although definitely NOT entertaining) experience for the viewer.

Review of BARKING DOGS NEVER BITE

 September 23, 2009

This is the first full length Korean movie I have seen. My wife has recently been bitten by the Korean telenovela craze and I would often see her watching "Boys Over Flowers," "Only You" or currently "East of Eden". But I did not really care too much to spend time on these shows. However, when I learned that there will be a Korean Film Festival at the Shangri-La Mall this week, I decided this would be the ideal way to introduce myself to that country's films.

The movie I caught is had the curious title of "Barking Dogs Never Bite." This is another view of Korean life. There is none of the high lifestyle seen in most telenovelas depicting the Korean rich and famous. The setting is just a regular apartment complex. The action already begins even before the opening titles. A henpecked out-of-work Humanities professor-wannabe who was so annoyed with a very noisy dog of a neighbor. He got so fed up that one day, he decided to get rid of it. From there, this funny black comedy of errors unfolds. Somewhere along the way, his path intersects with that of a bored but kind-hearted bookkeeper who witnessed his crime.

There was a lot of light humor regarding the pathetic life situation of the male and female lead characters. There was a joke about a survey about ideal husbands where Humanities grad students ranked 50, even below masons. There was scene where the exasperated husband ingeniously used toilet paper to settle a bet with his overbearing wife. There was also several scenes showing the interaction of the bookkeeper and her chubby best friend which were quite hilarious.

There was however a lot of dark humor as this movie dealt about killing dogs! There were scenes which were definitely uncomfortable to watch as dogs were seen being maltreated. I'm sure the Western audience would protest about scenes where the dogs were seen being prepared to be cooked! If you are a staunch dog-lover, then this movie is not for you. I do hope that among the Korean words in the closing there is a statement that says that no dogs were harmed in the filming of this motion picture.

Now even if you do not think you would like this particular movie as I described it, there should be another featured film that you may like. This Korean film festival is FREE. Films are shown 2PM, 5PM and 8PM. Tickets are given away an hour before showtime. The Korean film festival started Sept. 23 with a special screening of "Old Boy," which has been recently hailed as one of the 25 best foreign language films of this decade. Try to catch it!

Review of A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS FILIPINO (Repertory Philippines, 2009)

January 15, 2009

Last night, my wife and I had the pleasure of being invited by Ms. Lorna Lopez to watch the preview of Repertory Philippines’ 2009 Season opener, Nick Joaquin’s famous play “A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino,” a true treasure of Philippine theater.

Over the years, I have been reading several articles in the past about various incarnations of this play, which always featured a high profile cast. The lead roles were Candida and Paula, two spinster sisters who fight to preserve their ancestral home despite familial and societal pressures. Which actresses would be cast to play these challenging roles had always been big theater news. 

The play is set in the 1940s in the old house of the Marasigan family located in Intramuros. Don Lorenzo had just painted a masterpiece which he had given as a gift to his two spinster daughters Candida and Paula, who were staying with him. The story revolved around how the sisters steadfastly resisted all efforts of various people to gain possession of the painting. (It was interesting that we the audience do not actually see what was on the painting.) The intended metaphors referring to cultural conflicts of Filipino and Western values can be clearly gleaned when watching the play.

The set design was very classic old Manila. You really feel as if you are transported to another era. It really set the whole mood of the play very effectively. The main language of the play was English, enunciated by the actors with a distinct lilting Filipino accent, which I found charming (most of the time, at least). The little Tagalog expressions interspersed here and there were quite apt as well (and can be funny). The makeup and costumes were truly appropriate to the characters, and the era of the story.

It was always so gratifying to watch great actors at work. Last night, Ana Abad Santos and Liesl Batucan brought to life the sisters Candida and Paula, the hearts and souls of this play, so convincingly. I enjoyed the humorous interactions between the sisters and empathized with their problems. They really felt like our own old aunts whom we all want to help out.

I was already a fan of Ms. Liesl Batucan, especially after her delightful turn as the Narrator in POC's "The Magic Flute," and this admiration was reinforced last night. Her Paula was so infused with innocence and shyness. Ms. Batucan portrayed the transformation Paula underwent in the course of the story with so much palpable passion. I felt that Paula is the showier role and Ms. Batucan took it to town.

Ms. Ana Abad-Santos' Candida was more underplayed, the portrayal was quiet yet strong, staying true to character. Her scene where she tells Paula what happened to her at the Bureau of Science was heartbreaking. Her scenes while waiting up for Paula to come home were so tense with her silence. Candida will be alternatively played by veteran Ms. Irma Adlawan, who interpretation of Candida should be interesting to watch out for also.

Joel Trinidad was a dapper Bitoy with his new head of hair. This guy was really good as the narrator that brings the story together for us. Randy Villarama played the rascal boarder Tony Javier with just the right amount of charm and smarm. Jeremy Domingo played Don Manolo, the eldest brother.

The repartee of the senior guests during the La Naval festival scene was precious fun, especially by Ms. Baby Barredo and Chinggoy Alonso. Of course, I was very happy to finally see Ms. Lorna Lopez in action on stage as Dona Irene. The rest of the cast includes Jay Glorioso, Dido de la Paz, Jenny Jamora, Astarte Abraham, Oliver Usison, Bonggoy Manahan, Celso Ylagan, Ernie Zarate, Jejie Esguerra and Dingdong Rosales.

Repertory’s “Portrait” was directed by Jose Mari Avellana, whom we previously saw as Morrie in Rep’s opening show last year “Tuesdays with Morrie”. The music was by Lamberto Avellana, Jr. They are the sons of Lamberto Avellana, the director of the movie version of the play released in 1965, and Daisy Avellana, the original Candida on stage back in 1955 as well as in the said film version. 

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Performances of "Portrait of an Artist as Filipino" are on January 16-February 8, 2009 at Onstage Greenbelt One Theater, Ayala Malls, Makati City, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3:30 p.m.

Call the Rep office 8870710 or Ticketworld 8919999 for ticket inquiries.

Review of MEMORIES OF MURDER

 October 14, 2009

This is a Korean movie whose reputation preceded it before I sought it out. I had already seen two Bong Joon-ho movies ("The Host" and "Barking Dogs Never Bite") so in my readings, I had learned that his masterpiece is actually this "Memories of Murder." "Memories..." is about a small very rural town which was terrorized by a serial killer who victimized young women on rainy days in the 1980s South Korea.

The local police detective of that town (played by Song Kang-ho, whom I saw before in "The Host" and "The Show Must Go On") employed very backward simplistic reasoning in his investigation and violent interrogation techniques on his hapless suspects. The case also attracts a detective from Seoul (played by Kim Sang-kyung) who offers his help in the investigation.

But since their logic and approach are polar opposites, the two detectives are constantly at odds with each other. The local detective would especially want to one-up his big city counterpart. This conflict became the source of hilarious black comedy, as well as very effectively tense dramatic moments. I felt this flawed cooperation between these two characters is the heart of the movie, while the serial killer mystery was merely a backdrop.

My description here of the film is very broad. There are many gems of character development scattered throughout the film that are very noteworthy as well. The director very frankly captured the atmosphere of the time, with those creepy scenes while the women were stalked, the feeling of sheer helplessness by the police as a whole, as well as how the case affected each cop personally. The ending is quite abrupt and unexpected, but I read afterward that that was how it actually happened in real life (yes, this movie was inspired by a real case!).

This is a recommended movie in my opinion. Warning on some gory scenes of corpses for those who are queasy. Remember that this is foremost a Korean film, so do not expect a Hollywood-type movie. I definitely would want to watch more Korean movies after this one.