Status: Hopeful
Music: 4 in the Morning - Gwen Stefani

I am not a fan of film festivals and competitions. Er… well… I am. But only up to the spectator level. I’m not really into joining them. Unlike my friend Tonet, who joins every contest imaginable (and won some), I am not the type who really watches out for film festivals.

Yes, I have joined some. Our class project “Comfort Zone” has been to a number of competitions, too. But it wasn’t really my decision. My groupmates took care of the application, requirements and everything. “Sangang Daan” has never exited my room to participate in any contest, primarily because my thesis partner Jerwin and I are too busy and too lazy to actually move a muscle. “Bad Trip,” the documentary I filmed with Nep, made it to ABC5’s TV show “Dokyu” because it was Nep who practically did everything. I didn’t have the drive. I didn’t have the motivation. I didn’t have the passion. And I was just too lazy.

The truth is, long before I graduated from UP, I had already given up Film as a career. So then, I could not see the point of joining competitions and winning any. Back then, I knew I wanted to become a diplomat. I tried looking for Film-related jobs not because I was planning to pursue a career in it, but because I need fillers. I need something to do while waiting for the Foreign Service exam.

But if there’s one thing I could not give up about Film, that’s screenwriting. I’ve always enjoyed writing and I always will.

Last year, Tonet dragged me with her to ABS-CBN for a pitch for CinemaOne Originals. She initially wanted Leo to join her but realising Leo was too busy to be her chaperone, she chose me instead. I never really liked being the second choice but that was Tonet. I could not let her down. She’s a great friend.

CinemaOne Originals had a theme: modern Filipino family. Tonet already had a concept. Although I did not really love her storyline, I helped her in developing it. Though it was Tonet’s project alone (I was just a sabit), I felt proud that Tonet made it to the semi-finals - or finals - the part where you get to pitch. Our pitch was terrible. There were too many flaws in the story. Right there and then, I felt sad. We would not make it. And unfortunately, we were right.

When the winners were announced for that season last year, I was aghast. There were too many big names — film directors, advertising people, and one of our professors back in college. All I could say was, “Oh-key.” But disappointment eventually turned into anger upon realising that their concepts were not really about modern Filipino families — fake identities, boobies falling in love in Rome, metlogs? I mean, come on. So much for having a theme.

(more…)

Genre: Comedy, Romance
Director/Writer: Sue Kramer
Stars: Heather Graham, Thomas Cavanagh, Bridget Moynahan

I have to admit that I didn’t really want to watch Gray Matters. I was just about to get tickets for Sunshine when I found out that it was Heather Graham who stars in this lesbian flick. I have always loved Heather Graham since she starred opposite Mike Myers in Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me. She has this irresistible charm that whenever I see her face on a movie poster, I always end up watching that movie. But enough of Heather. Let’s talk about the film —- it was bad.

Yes, if there’s only one word that could best describe Gray Matters, that would be it: bad. As in BAD. But first, what is the film all about? It’s about Gray (Heather Graham) who has a brother, Sam (Thomas Cavanagh), whom she is very close to that they are often mistaken as a couple. Both in their thirties, they live in the same apartment, share secrets, are perfect dance partners, etc. And then they met Charlie (Bridget Moynahan), an oh-so-perfect creature of God — beautiful, sexy, smart, successful, lovable, perfect. After their first date, Sam asked Charlie to marry him and she said “yes.” The night before the wedding, Charlie, drunk and unaware of what she’s doing, kisses Gray and this messes up Gray’s sanity and turns her life inside out. Gray is bothered and has not forgotten about it, and then realises she’s a lesbian… and that she’s madly in love with Charlie.

There you go. Okay, on with the bashing. This movie is writer/director Sue Kramer’s first. And I just have to say this: if your up & coming movies are all gonna be like this, then please don’t bother us with them anymore. Find another planet and bore them with your crap. The screenplay is trashy and so unrealistic. Getting married after one date? Oh come on. That’s obnoxious. If you want the mainstream audience to relate to this film, you should’ve done better than coming up with that, er, idiocy.

There are many attempts to make the audience laugh (because hey, it’s a comedy) but only a few work because they lack wit and sensibility. And those scenes which turned out to be funny, however, like that frappuccino on the wedding dress scene, are so unoriginal. You see, it’s always either not-funny or funny-but-unoriginal. Plus, the characters all talk like they were writers rejected by every publishing house there is in this world. The script is filled with metaphors that make you go, “huh?”. And they all speak so fast you just want them to shut up.

The cinematography lacks dynamics. (Gawd, I hate the composition of the shots.) The production design is just OK. The editing is average. The only good thing about this ridiculous flick is Heather’s character Gray. She’s the only one that looks and sounds like a human being here. The others are just mere caricatures you barely notice them.

But if you’re gonna watch this film because of the gay/lesbian element, then go ahead. It’s not everyday that a gay film with a happy ending is produced.

But really, this movie is so bad, not even Heather Graham’s charm can save this flick.

1.5

Status: Excited
Music: Be Without You - Mary J. Blige

It’s awards season once again. And after the Grammy and the Golden Globe, here comes the Oscars. The Oscars remains to be my favourite award-giving body because the people and films that I want to win usually grab the major awards. For example, last year, when everyone was rooting for Brokeback Mountain, I was confident that it would be Crash which would bag the Best Picture award. (My next favourite last year was Munich.) And my bets for the Best Actress and Best Actor awards (especially these past years) usually go home smiling — Nicole Kidman, Adrien Brody, Cate Blanchett, Sean Penn, Reese Witherspoon, Charlize Theron, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellwegger, etc. Some major disappointments that I got from the Oscars are: when Chicago won over The Hours for Best Picture; Moulin Rouge losing to A Beautiful Mind; and Halle Berry stealing the Best Actress award from Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge) a few years ago. But you know, I easily move on.

This year, it’s harder to predict who would go home with the golden statuettes and who would go home with utter frustration. But here are some of the nominees, my faves, and my predictions:

Best Picture:
Babel
The Departed
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

What I want to win: Little Miss Sunshine
What might win: Little Miss Sunshine

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Blood Diamond”
Ryan Gosling, “Half Nelson”
Peter O’Toole, “Venus”
Will Smith, “The Pursuit of Happyness”
Forest Whitaker, “The Last King of Scotland”

Who I want to win: Ryan Gosling
Who might win: Forest Whitaker

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
Penelope Cruz, “Volver”
Judi Dench, “Notes on a Scandal”
Helen Mirren, “The Queen”
Meryl Streep, “The Devil Wears Prada”
Kate Winslet, “Little Children”

Who I want to win: Meryl Streep
Who might win: Kate Winslet / Helen Mirren

Best Supporting Actor:
Alan Arkin, “Little Miss Sunshine”
Jackie Earle Haley, “Little Children”
Djimon Hounsou, “Blood Diamond”
Eddie Murphy, “Dreamgirls”
Mark Wahlberg, “The Departed”

Who I want to win: Alan Arkin
Who might win: Eddie Murphy

Best Supporting Actress:
Adriana Barraza, “Babel”
Cate Blanchett, “Notes on a Scandal”
Abigail Breslin, “Little Miss Sunshine”
Jennifer Hudson, “Dreamgirls”
Rinko Kikuchi, “Babel”

Who I want to win: Adriana Barraza / Rinko Kikuchi
Who might win: Jennifer Hudson

I really, really love Little Miss Sunshine and Babel and I know it’s going to be a tough battle between them. Babel has an edge now that they’ve just won the Golden Globe. (Not that it matters.) But I liked Little Miss Sunshine a little better than Babel. Besides, I want a comedy to win this time.

As for Meryl Streep, I’ve adored her since the beginning of time (hehe). Her performance for The Devil Wears Prada is definitely not her best but damn, it still deserves an Oscar nod.

I’ve never seen Dreamgirls yet so it’s somewhat unfair to Jennifer Hudson for me to root for the two Babel stars. But watching the film alone, I was deeply moved by these two actresses. I am 70% sure that Adriana Barraza will take home the statuette. I just hope my instict is right.

So there. On February 25, will I be satisfied or will I be right? Hmmm…

*pictures courtesy of pbs.org, hispanicbusiness.com, and apple.com.