See You at the Movies

Last week I was able to see two movies. The first movie I saw was last Monday, I watched the movie World Trade Center. Everybody knows that it is the story of the two Port Authority police officers who were trapped under the rubble of the World Trade Center. The movie shows the harrowing experience of being pinned down by tons and tons of debris. The movie reminds me of the July 16, 1990 earthquake here in Manila and central Luzon measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale. I can still remember the images on the TV screen of people being pulled out of the rubbles or pinned down with no hopes of being squeezed out. Overall the movie seems so constricted, I dont know if it is just because of the claustrophobic setting. But there is something missing about this movie.

Last Thursday I watched Flags of our Fathers, from the poster alone we all know that this is about the celebrated image of the Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi for propaganda and fund-raising. I have been a huge fan of Clint Eastwood as a filmaker eversince I saw in 1992 the movie Unforgiven. Eastwood is a very good storyteller, he is also able to convey in the silver screen the subtle nuances of emotions. Whenever I watch his movies I feel like I am intimately involved with the movie's characters. The same thing is true with the Flags of our Fathers, you can feel the pain of lost, agony of surviving, and the distant flicker of hope. I hope that Adam Beach gets nominated for his performance in this movie. I strongly recommend that you all watch this movie as well.

As if these two movies are not enough I urge you dear friends to check out the two on-going film festival in the metropolis. The first one is the 8th CineManila International Fil Festival which runs from November 3 to 15. The movies are being screened at SM City, Megamall, Mall of Asia, and Greenbelt.

2006 Cinemanila International Film Festival Official Selection
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
1. 9TH Company, Dir. Fyodor Bondarchuk (Finland,Russia,Ukraine)
2. Climates ,Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Turkey,France)
3. Citizen Dog, Dir. Wisit Sasanatieng (Thailand)
4. Everlasting Regret, Dir. Stanley Kwan (Hong Kong)
5. Heremias ,Dir. Lav Diaz (Philippines)
6. It's Only Talk ,Dir. Ryuichi Hiroki (Japan)
7. Kubrador ,Dir. Jeffrey Jeturian (Philippines)
8. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, Dir. Park Chan-wook (South Korea)
9. The Wind That Shakes the Barley ,Dir. Ken Loach (UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Ireland)
10. Taking Father Home, by Ying Liang (China)

DIGITAL LOKAL COMPETITION
1. Anino ng Setyembre Dir. Briccio Santos
2. Gamot sa Pagkabagot Dirs. Ato Bautista, Jason Donato and Shugo Praico
3. Manoro Dir. Brillante Mendoza
4. Numbalikdiwa Dir. Roberto Bonifacio
5. Raket ni Nanay Dir. Lawrence Fajardo
6. Squatterpunk Dir. Khavn dela Cruz

DOCUMENTARY FILMS IN COMPETITION
1. The Gift of Barong,Dir. Benito Bautista (USA/Philippines)
2. Hors Le Murs, Dirs. Alexandre Leborge and Pierre Barougier (France)
3. Paper Dolls, Dir. Tomer Heymann (Israel)
4. Serambi, Dir. Garin Nugroho (Indonesia)
5. Storm of Emotions Dir. Yael Klopmann (Israel)

SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION
1. The Ballad of Mimiong's Minon, Dir. Jon Ballesteros
2. One Man Show, Dir. Dohna Sarmiento and Glenn Ituriaga
3. Hopia Express, Dir. Janus Victoria
4. Misteryo ng Hapis, Dir. Mark dela Cruz
5. Embers, Dir. Marc Laureano
6. Sakdal Laya, Dir. Tey Clamor
7. Buog, Dir. Milo Tolentino
8. Grandma's Recipe, Dir. Imelda Betiong

The second film festival is the 9th Cine Europa which runs from November 9 until November 19 at Shang Cineflex. The great thing about this is it's free admission. Woohoo! The festival features the following contemporary and critically-acclaimed films:

Austria - Karo und der Liebe Gott

Belgium - Everybody Famous

Belgium - When the sea rises

Czech Republic - Zelary

Finland - One way ticket to Mombasa

France - Russian Dolls

Germany - Das Wunder Von Bern

The Netherlands - Simon

Portugal - Delfim

Spain - Cosas que hacen que la vida valga la pena

Sweden - Klassfesten (The Reunion)

United Kingdom - Breakfast on Pluto

See ya at the movies!