La Belle Noiseuse (1991)

"La Belle Noiseuse" (The Beautiful Troublemaker) is Jacques Rivette's exploration on an artist's frustration towards transcendence. Running for almost 4 hours, the film attempts to immerse us in the experience of an aging artist in his struggle to complete his masterpiece. Delicately weaved by Rivette, it is a poignant meandering on the limits of art.

Todo Todo Teros (2006)

I won’t pretend that I completely understand every piece that was placed in the bewildering puzzle that is John Torres’ “Todo Todo Teros”, but my inability to fully grasp this beguiling Filipino film doesn’t mean that I don’t have the right to say that I enjoyed it. Although I would have to admit that my mind was initially drifting as I was hypnotized by its melancholic voiceover and its mesmeric score, I know I loved every minute of it as I truly felt I was taken into its heart – and yes it is most notable that the film truly has one. Beyond comprehending its socio-political statements (which I’d rather not tap into, to avoid the risk of simply speaking bullshit), what I value most about this film is the emotional experience it gave me while seeing it. Accompanied by lyrical poetry and intriguing passages, the film is intimate as it is spellbinding. The raw lines and how they were delivered are so sincere and evocative, every spoken word lingers.

A Prophet (2009)

After successfully combining the genres of crime and romance in his previous film “The Beat That My Heart Skipped” (2005), French director Jacques Audiard returns with an even stronger piece in his latest work, the Grand Prix winner of the 62nd Cannes film festival - “A Prophet”. This time, Audiard delicately balances the sensibilities of both arthouse cinema and genre filmmaking in this enthralling film that arguably rivals the best crime films in the history of world cinema.

2 Days in Paris (2007)

Taking from her role in “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset”, Julie Delpy returns to direct her own take on an intercultural relationship between an American man and a French woman. Using comedy to portray the relationship between the film’s leading couple, the movie is witty with its well-crafted script, written by Julie Delpy herself. In addition to writing and directing, the French actress who also plays the lead in the film together with Adam Goldberg, is also the producer, editor and the composer of the film’s musical score. Indeed the film is a celebration of all things Julie Delpy.

Climates (2006)

The opening scene is probably one of the most effortlessly gripping I’ve seen from contemporary cinema. Few words are exchanged but the intensity from Bahar’s (Ebru Ceylan) facial expression, which is unnerving as anything from the best silent film actors tells it all – there’s something wrong in their relationship. We wonder whether the fault is hers or her husband’s (played by director Nuri Blige Ceylan himself). We see her crying as we hear the sound of a fly. Awestruck, one is left anticipating.

Paris, Je T'aime (2006)

A two-hour film composed of eighteen five-minute shorts, “Paris, Je T’aime” boasts an astounding cast and an impressive collection of directors, which is enough reason for one to see this fantastic film. Set in the different arrondissements (districts) of Paris, we get to witness the stories ranging from the funny to the emotional, the obscure to the bizarre. Despite being made up of different independent stories, each segment is connected by their dealings with love. There’s probably a story for everyone to relate to, whether one is romantic or not, so long as one has experienced love at least once in his/her lifetime.

Segurista (1996)

Tikoy Aguiluz’s “Segurista” is about a woman who works as an insurance seller by day and a G.R.O by night. This double life ensures Karen (Michelle Aldana) securing deals for the day as she supposedly enjoys her night shifts. The interesting paradox of the insurance seller working for her own insurance, surfaces later when we discover the reason behind Karen’s hard work – she needed a sideline for the benefit of her family left in their lahar-flooded town in Pampanga.

Let the Right One In (2008)

Oskar is a twelve-year old boy often bullied by his classmates. The son of separated parents, he likes spending most of the time alone. One day he meets a girl named Eli, also twelve years old, who had just moved in next door to the compound where he lives. As they get to meet almost every night, the two end up liking each other until finally they realize that they’re in love. The conflict? Eli is a vampire.

Lost in Translation (2003)

I'd like to start off with something that got me into writing about film - an article I wrote that was published in the Philippine Star, March 25, 2006, almost four years ago. It was for their "My Favorite Movie" column and it's probably a bit too personal; then again, I was just a college freshman then, bursting way too much emotions. Haha.

Have you ever been lost? Have you ever tried escaping your life by going somewhere far and distant? And in that place, have you unexpectedly found that oh-so special someone you’ve been searching for all your life? If you answered yes to these questions, you and I have something in common with Bob Harris.

An Introduction

Someone said a true cinephile remembers his first film as one regards his/her first kiss. I'm disappointed to say that I don't have that kind of memory. Frankly, I'm just like most moviegoers who love watching films for the fun of it. I do however remember the picture that probably made me fall in love with film itself - Francois Truffaut's "Day for Night", which I got to watch through a VCD during my earlier days as a budding movie collector. I guess initially, I mostly liked the idea of being transported to another world, which is what I usually felt when I used to go to the cinema watching Hollywood blockbusters as a child. I remember watching "Titanic" in grade three and I can still recollect the emotions I felt as I left the theater - uneasy and indifferent to the world outside. It was only perhaps six or seven years ago when I started to actually fall in love with cinema with its history and heritage, brought about by curiosity and my refusal to be bound by what only Philippine movie houses can offer; it was only then when I learned to watch films regardless of their time and country of origin. My film education is mostly self-taught; I haven't really taken hardcore film theory courses, although I was privileged to have attended a few film seminar classes in college. Nevertheless, I am not a connoisseur who would claim expertise in the things that I will be babbling about in this blog; I'm just a dreamer who writes about film simply because I want to share my growing passion for cinema. I believe there really is another world out there, in film and as Truffaut used to say, "I have always preferred the reflection of the life to life itself."