I Recommend: Seven Pounds

I am not a Will Smith fan. But my perspective of him was changed by this movie. I won’t call myself a fan still, but he has earned my respect as an actor.

Seven Pounds is about a man who intricately plans to give hope, joy and a new sense of life to seven people (based on the universal standard of goodness, which he follows to the “T”) before he commits suicide. Quite a morbid twist on “paying it forward”. Morbid but moving.

The theme may be commonplace and cliche to some, but to most people i suspect it will be dramatically inspiring (it was to me, at least).

Except for the cliche theme, the remarkable thing about the movie though is Will Smith himself, the actor. I’ve never seen Will in any of his films with this great depth and sensitivity. His character just swells in deep loneliness and you are strangely attached, hoping that somehow he will break free of it and continue to live a happy life. You see him giving hope and joy to people, thinking that it would somehow ease his pain, but no. The pain and the loneliness just stays and becomes even more affecting until that one last breath.

Reason to see the movie: If you’re feeling down and you need some lifting up, this movie is a good watch. Strangely, even with it’s tragedies, you still feel the hope and love for life that the film wants to put across. And of course, Will Smith’s performance couldn’t be counted out.

I Recommend: Ang Lihim Ni Antonio

Ang Lihim Ni Antonio (Antonio’s Secret) is the most intriguing gay-themed Filipino Indie film that i have watched recently. Intriguing, because to me:

1. The cinematic attack is schizophrenic (the movie seemed to be confused if it wanted to be light or heavy).

2. The story is cliche in every sense of the word (until the very disturbing ending).

3. The script is real life but it becomes a bit dragging at some parts.

And yet the film compels you to give it a second-look, it interests you and makes most of the earlier gay-themed Indie films poorly made and haphazardly done.

It is the outstanding ensemble cast performance and the beautiful setting and cinematography that becomes the movies salvation. All the actors in the cast were perfectly placed and chosen based on how they really fit into the characters, and mind you, most of them are virtually unknown names; so one can see that the producers/director aimed this to be one of the movies strongest points as I found out that rigorous screening (why, even the Philippines’ Indie Film Prince, Coco Martin did not make the cut) and workshops were done prior to the actual making of the film.

I Recommend: The Love of Siam

It is always a pleasant feeling whenever i find a great and meaningful movie. But sometimes, the opposite happens: this great and meaningful movie finds you, speaks to you; and you are taken aback, overwhelmed, affected, changed.

I did not plan to watch the Thai film The Love of Siam. I thought it was just another gay-themed film where the highlight would be that one hot love scene between the two male protagonist. I did not even think its worthwhile to watch; thus, for the first 30 mins of the film, i did not focus and went on to do my usual computer work.

Until it caught me.

My Best Films List (Part 1)

I was seven years old when i watched my first movie. Vividly, i still remember my father putting the book like Betamax tape inside our then technologically advanced Betamax Player. I still remember how butterflies seemed to flock around, flying inside my stomach. I was excited, yes; and probably nervously anticipating what’s in store in the following minutes. Perhaps i have known in my gut that something magical and extraordinary will start to happen; so magical and so beyond my small, confined thinking, that the event would leave a lingering imprint in my memory.