Robert Pattinson Plays Salvador Dali in Little Ashes!

One of the most magical moments in my years of blind devotion to movie-watching was when I first saw a 15- minute 1929 masterpiece called "Un Chien Andalou" by master surrealist Luis Bunuel. It was dream-like, shocking and nothing like anything I've ever seen. For a time I was obsessed with the works of Bunuel and this obsession extended to the works of Bunuel's frequent collaborators, the painter Salvador Dali and writer Federico Garcia Lorca.

Imagine my excitement when I found out that a movie has recently been made about the lives and relationships of the formidable trio. The movie "Little Ashes" follows the 18-year old Dali as he attracts the attention and develops a bond with the university's social elite, Bunuel and Lorca in 1922 Madrid.

If it sounds rather boring, wait till your 13 year-old daughter finds out that it stars "Twilight" heartthrob Robert Pattinson as the very Spanish Salvador Dali. (Uhmm. That bit kind of ruins the film for me.) This is Pattinson's first post- Edward Cullen film and is sure to drive public interest. The film also stars Javier Beltran as Garcia Llorca and Matthew McNulty as Bunuel. Paul Morrison directs.

Hmmm.. Why do I have the feeling that this film is going to be truly abhorrent and forgettable in an "Other Boleyn Girl" kind of way? Ikaw? What do you  think? Should this be in the crap bucket? (Hi, Peter Travers)

Cinema One Originals 2009 in Gateway Mall, Nov. 13-17

Five competing films will be screened at this year’s edition of the Cinema One Originals digital film festival exclusively at Gateway Cinemas in Cubao, from November 13- 17. Ticket price is at P120.

Now celebrating its 15 years in the cable television industry, Cinema One continues its tradition of giving an opportunity to budding filmmakers to make their films with a grant of one million pesos from a competitive search. This year’s five finalists are: “Si Baning Si Mayamay at ang Asong Si Bobo”, “Bala Bala”, “Wanted:Border”, “Paano Ko Sasabihin”, and “Maximus and Minimus”.

What I’m especially excited about in this year’s edition are the retrospective tributes to directors Brillante Mendoza and….Danny Zialcita! Danny Zialcita films are a blaze of tropical sunshine. This will be your chance to watch his rah-rah flicks such as: “Dear Heart”, “Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan?”, “Nagalit Ang Buwan sa Haba ng Gabi”, “Palabra de Honor” and “Bakit Manipis ang Ulap?”.


Festival Program


November 13, 2009 Friday
11:50 AM - Yangaw
2:00 PM - Dear Heart
4:30 PM - Kinatay
7:00 PM - Maximus & Minimus
9:20 PM - Wanted Border

November 14, 2009 Saturday
12:30 PM - Dose
2:30 PM - Gaano Kadalas and Minsan
5:00 PM - Si Baning, Si Maymay, at Ang Asong Si Bobo
7:30 PM Paano Ko Sasabihin?
9:15 PM - Bala Bala

November 15, 2009 Sunday
12:30 PM - Confessional
2:30 PM Nagalit Ang Buwan Sa Haba ng Gabi
5:00 PM- Serbis
7:30 PM Lola
9:55 PM - Maximus & Minimus

November 16, 2009 Monday
12:30 PM - Tambolista
2:30 PM - Palabra De Honor
5:00 PM - Tirador
7:15 PM - Wanted: Border
9:10 PM - Paano Ko Sasabihin?

November 17, 2009 Tuesday
12:15 PM - Altar
2:00 PM - Bakit Manipis Ang Ulap?
4:30 PM - Masahista
5:50 PM - Himpapawid
8:00 PM - Bala Bala
9:50 PM - Si Baning, Si Maymay, At Ang Asong Si Bobo

Scoop: "500 Days" Cutie Chloe Moretz To Star in "Let The Right One In" Remake!

If you've seen "500 Days of Summer" (and if you haven't already, I hope you will), you surely would have noticed that scene-stealer who played Joseph Gordon Levitt's "insightful" younger sister. Precociousness! That superstar-to be is Chloe Moretz and she's slated to appear as the lead in the remake of Swedish vampire masterpiece, "Let the Right One In".

The dumbed-down Hollywood remake will be called "Let Me In" and will be directed by Matt Reeves, he of Cloverfield fame.

The film follows a young bullied boy who befriends a young female vampire living in secrecy with her guardian. You can read my capsule review of the original Swedish film here. Rounding up the cast are Richard Jenkins and Jimmy Pinchak.

Will this give "Twilight" a run for its money? Ahh, ewan.

Cinemanila 2009 Winners

Caught 5 more films before Cinemanila 2009 officially ended last Sunday, October 25. I’ll post my thoughts on each movie momentarily.
In the meantime, here are the winners of this year’s festival:
(You can click on the films with links to read my review:)

CINEMANILA 2009 HONOR ROLL

Main Competition (International Films)
Best Actor: Alfredo Castro, Tony Manero - Brazil
Best Actress: Tsilla Chelton, Pandora's Box - Turkey/France/Germany
Grand Jury Prize: Tulpan - Germany/ Kazakhstan/ Poland/ Russia/ Switzerland
Grand Prize Lino Brocka Award: Hunger - UK

SEA Competition
Best SEA Short Film: Focal Point - Malaysia
Best SEA Film: Talentime - Malaysia
Special Mention SEA Film: Woman on Fire - Malaysia

Young Cinema in Competition
Best Short Film: To Siomai Love (Remton Siega Zuasola) - Philippines
Ishmael Bernal Most Outstanding Young Filipino Filmmaker: Remton Siega Zuasola

Digital Lokal
Lino Brocka Grand Jury Prize: Biyaheng Lupa
Lino Brocka Grand Prize: Anacbanua

Lifetime Achievement Award: Paul Schrader


Indie Spirit Award: Lav Diaz

Awards ceremony was held last Sunday, October 23, 2009 at the NBC Tent in Bonifacio Global City.

 
One observation, though: where’s the audience!?! I watched more than ten films and except for the buzzed-about “Kinatay” and the premieres (“Inglorious Basterds, Coco Avant Chanel”), I noticed the alarming lack of audience at the regular screenings. At the screening of Australia’s “Samson and Delilah”, there were just three of us inside the theatre. This is sad considering that the intention of the festival is for good, quality films to reach a wider audience.

IMO, the P122 ticket price is too off-putting for some. Especially if you would compare it with similar festivals: the highly successful Spanish filmfest at Greenbelt pegs their tickets at P100 while Cine Europa shows their films for free at the Shang Cineplex!

The lack of buzz about the festival was also a bit of a downer. Nobody seemed to care when Paul Schrader had a talk and when Diego Luna didn’t make it to the event. And the pedigree of the this year’s lineup seemed...ho-hum.

Cinemanila needs a booster shot.

P10 Film Fiesta at SM Cinemas!

Selected SM cinemas will be showing re-runs of family movies for just P10 (plus P5 amusement tax) with the P10 Film Fiesta running from September 4 until December 3, 2009. The festival will screen box office debacles movies like Streetfighter, Inkheart, The Golden Compass, P.S. I Love You, My Sassy Girl among others. Not a thrilling lineup there, but anyway who’s complaining when you get to watch them on the big screen for just ten bucks?

For complete screening schedules, visit the sm cinema website.

Scoop: 'Precious' Director Lee Daniels Eyeing 'Miss Saigon' Movie

Iron-hot director Lee Daniels is setting his eyes on the adaptation of the hit stage musical "Miss Saigon" for the big screen. As most of you know already, the musical is a retelling of Puccini’s opera “Madame Butterfly” about an American GI and a Vietnamese bar girl falling in love in the midst of the Vietnam War. Former United Artists CEO Paula Wagner is set to produce the adaptation.

This piece of news will surely get bigger come Oscar 2010 when Daniels’ career hit supernova status on the strength of his latest film, the awards-bait “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire”.

Now, since this is not a Viva Films production with Joel Lamangan at the helm I’m dashing all hopes of Lea Salonga starring in it. Here’s an unsolicited casting advice though (Paula Wagner, I hope you’re reading this): For the role of Vietnamese bar girl Kim, I’m putting my money on: Vanessa Ann Hudgens!

Think about this: Vanessa’s a hot teen star with the pipes to sing “Sun and Moon” and has box office potential.  Plus, she’s a half-breed and is kind of whorish. For the GI role, let it be…Zac Efron! Now, they got themselves a hit! Take that, Disney!

John Hughes Film Festival at Shang!

There must’ve been something really terrifying about the 80s for us to forget about it after 20 years. There was Michael Jackson looking like a normal human being, Madonna singing about virginity and Cher winning the Oscar (hu-waaat??).

I suppose it must be because of how people looked back then: those bangles, oversized shirts and teased hairdos. Ugh. I sometimes see my Mom’s 80s pictures and I tremble. God, the shoulder pads!

Well, thank God, I was too young to experience it. But that doesn’t mean I don’t get a kick for 80’s pop cultural shit. Now, we all have a chance to relive it at the John Hughes Film Festival happening at the Shang Cineplex, Cinema 3 on October 23 to 25.

There's "Some Kind of Wonderful", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Breakfast Club" and the Molly Ringwald rah-rah prom flick "Pretty in Pink". Ticket price is P150.00. C'mon, c'mon!

John Hughes Film Festival
October 23 - 25, 2009

Cinema #3

Screening Schedule:

October 23 (Friday)

2:00 PM-Pretty in pink

4:30 PM-Some kind of wonderful

7:00 PM-Ferris Bueller's day off

9:30 PM-Breakfast club

October 24 (Saturday)

2:00 PM-Breakfast club

4:30 PM-Ferris Bueller's day off

7:00 PM-Some kind of wonderful

9:30 PM-Pretty in pink

October 25 (Sunday)

2:00 PM-Ferris Bueller's day off

4:30 PM-Pretty in Pink

7:00 PM-Breakfast club

9:30 PM-Some kind of Wonderful

Ticket Price : P150.00