Zombadings Advance Screening in Iloilo City

ZOMBADINGS 1: Patayin sa Shokot si Remington will have an advance screening this Saturday August 20, 2011, 7 PM at the Cinema 2 of SM City Cinema Iloilo City. The film is originally set for official release on August 31, 2011.

ZOMBADINGS is directed by Jade Castro (who directed "My Big Love"). He is also the screenwriter of it, along with Raymond Lee (In My Life, D'Anothers, Tanging Yaman)) and Michiko Yamamoto (Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, Magnifico, Santa Santita). Its cast include Martin Escudero, Lauren Young, Kerbie Zamora, Janice de Belen, John Regala, Angelina Kanapi, Leandro Baldemor, Daniel Fernando, and with the special participation of Roderick Paulate and Eugene Domingo.


READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Free Movies for Senior Citizens at SM City Cinema

Iloilo City Government launches "Libre Pa-Sine" for Senior Citizens

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has signed a memorandum of agreement with the management of SM City Cinema regarding free movie showings to senior citizens in this city.

The Iloilo City Government in partnership with SM City Iloilo launched the “Libre Pa-Sine”, a project that will give the elderly free access to movies.

To avail of this free offer however, senior citizens must get their valid Senior Citizen’s ID from the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) of the city government. Aside from the ID they will also be issued a movie pass booklet that they will present before watching a movie.

The bonafide Senior Citizens of Iloilo City shall be allowed to watch one (1) movie per week, for free, every Tuesday (except Holidays). The free pass is exclusive only for the use of the senior citizens and valid only at the SM City Iloilo Cinemas.

Steps are being made so that the service will also be available in the 2 other main cinema houses in the city.

THOR is Beyond Mighty

The film adaptation of the Marvel comics character based on Norse Mythology, entitled THOR may seem like a movie that has a heavy degree of fragility to be translated onscreen. The slightest mistake could have made this project look silly or awful. But Branagh and his team have succeeded in overcoming that incredible obstacle and proved that THOR is an excellently-made, and a cleverly-conceived movie. Expectations have been exceeded with this movie.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE

Amigo Plaza's 2010 Ilonggo Short Film Competition

To all Ilonggo amateur and hobbyist film makers out there, here is your chance to show off your talents and skills. Join Amigo Plaza Mall’s Ilonggo Short Film Competition and showcase the best of Ilonggo in the film  making. Big prizes awaits the best entries. See the guidelines below and this may be the break you’ve been waiting for to entering big in this industry.

2010 Ilonggo Short Film Competition GUIDELINES:

1. The 2010 ILONGGO SHORT FILM COMPETITION is presented by Amigo Plaza Mall in cooperation with ABS-CBN (Iloilo) and is organized by TMX in association with the film & video expertise of the Faculty of the Asia Pacific College (School of Multimedia Arts).
2. The contest is open to a group of students and/or organization (minimum of three and maximum of 15 in a group) and must represent a school and/or company.
3. Only Narrative Shorts will be accepted. Animated and/or experimental works will only be accepted if they are infused in a narrative work. Purely experimental works (such as abstractions, non-linear, etc.), documentary videos and animated optics without a story will NOT be accepted. Since
4. Running time is set to a minimum of five (5) minutes to a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes only including opening and closing credits. Short films that do not conform to this rule shall not be accepted.
5. Submission format will be DVD only. Any other video format will NOT be accepted.
6. No specific themes will be provided for this competition but filmmakers are encouraged to tackle any Ilonggo theme, lifestyle and/or culture in very creative ways.
7. Submissions must be in Hiligaynon with English subtitles otherwise the work will NOT be accepted.
8. Works shall be judged according to the technical elements of film & video, highly-regarding film & video as creative mediums.
9. Prizes include: Best Short Film (P10,000.00 for the filmmaker/s plus a 21” color TV for the school/company it represents); 2nd Prize (P5,000.00 for the filmmaker/s); 3rd Prize (P3,000 for the filmmaker/s); Two (2) Runners-up (P1,500.00 each); Highest Receipt Votes (P1,500.00); Audience Award (Certificate).
10. Highest Receipt Votes shall be determined per submitted receipts. One (1) vote for every P100 worth of receipts from the period August 1, 2010 to September 29, 2010 from mall tenants only and from stores within the Amigo Plaza Mall.
11. Audience Award shall be determined by the actual votes from those who have attended the short film screenings.
12. The competition shall be judged by five (5) selected filmmakers to comprise the Board of Jury. For professional and technical considerations, the selection of the Board of Jury, the film selections and the judging processes shall be coordinated and moderated by the Film & Video Faculty of the Asia Pacific College (School of Multimedia Arts) in Makati City. TMX and Amigo Plaza Mall will not participate in the judging process and shall only take care of the “Highest Receipt Votes” and the “Audience Award” tally.
13. Deadline of submission of entries is on September 25, 2010. After the set deadline, TMX and Amigo Plaza Mall shall mail all DVD entries to the Asia Pacific College (School of Multimedia Arts) for the judging process.
14. Results shall be sent by the Asia Pacific College to TMX and Amigo Plaza Mall via snail mail and e-mail.
15. Decisions made by the Board of Jury are final and are not subject to appeal. No protests of any kind shall be accommodated.
16. The Board of Jury may reward special jury prizes to worthy entries and winners of these special awards will take home Jury Certificates signed by them.
17. First degree up to the third degree of consanguinity relatives of TMX employees and Amigo Plaza Mall employees are disqualified from joining this competition.
18. Registration period will be on August 1, 2010 to August 21, 2010. Submission of entries is on September 25, 2010. Awarding Ceremony is on October 8, 2010.

For more details you may contact Amigo Plaza Mall at (033)508-6736.
2010 Ilonggo Short Film Competition Contact persons: Gigi Sy and Hannilyn Delfin.

The Semana Sang Iloilo Film and Video Competition 2010 announced

In connection with the celebration of the Semana sang Iloilo on April 6 to April 11, 2010, the Province of Iloilo presents the 1st Semana Sang Iloilo Film and Video Competition. Province of Iloilo and the Provincial Council for Culture, Arts, History and Tourism Division Independent Film & Video Competition seeks to promote Ilonggo independent filmmaking by giving recognition to the year's most outstanding Ilonggo film and video artists. The contest rules are as follows:

CONTEST RULES
1.Open to all residents of the City and Province Of Iloilo. Employees of the PCCHAT and their close relations are disqualified from participating in the competition.

2.Entries may be in the following format:
•FILM - 16mm, 35mm
•VIDEO – DVD, MiniDV3.All works must be strictly independent works and not produced for commercial screening. School-based work (e.g. theses) are allowed.

4.Entries must have been completed on or after March 2009.

5.Each participant is allowed a maximum of two (2) entries.

6.Entry subject is open however works which concentrates on positive ilonggo culture and destinations are highly recommended.

7.A digital video entry (DVD or MiniDV) must contain only one (1) title.

8.Entries must include the following:
a.Production Details:
1.Title
2.Date - Production Started
3.Date - Production Completed
4.Company/School Producer(s)
5.Director(s)
6.Scriptwriter(s)
7.Cinematographer(s)
8.Editor(s)
9.Production Designer(s)
10.Cast
11.Other Production Crew Members
12.Competition Category - Film or Video Format? (see #2 in Contest Rule)
- For film, include sound format - optical, magnetic or silent
13.Running time (for film: include number of reels)
14.Synopsis of entry (1 to 3 paragraphs only)

b.Contact Details:
•Complete Address of Filmmaker or Group Representative (see contest Rule #10)
•Telephone and/or Fax

c.Conformes/Authorizations:
•Conforme 1 (signed by person submitting entry):
"This is to certify that the above mentioned entry was produced after (date of production)."
•Conforme 2 (signed by the owner of film rights):
"I hereby grant permission for the above-mentioned work to be entered in the Ilonggo
Independent Film and Video Competition. I hereby declare all the above information true
and correct. I have carefully read the rules and regulations and agree to abide by and be
bound by them."
•Authorization (signed by the owner of film rights):
"I authorize the dubbing of my entry solely or promotional and archival use and for other
purposes as stated in the contest rules."

d.Photo stills, to be submitted on separate VCD, as a JPEG file (minimum 150 resolution):
•Two (2) 5"x7" production stills (shots from the film/video itself)
•Two (2) 5"x7" production stills (behind the scenes).

9.Awards for winning entries shall be given to the filmmaker/director indicated in the entry form. For joint directorial works, the group must assign a single representative to act in its behalf. All official communications shall be addressed to this representative. The Province of Iloilo and PCCAHT shall not be liable for any controversy re the sharing of awards among the members of the group.

10.The decision of the Board of Judges is final. The board reserves the right not to give awards in any category should no entry merit it. In the case of ambivalence, the jurors shall decide the category of the entry.

11.Cash prizes are as follows:
•1st PRIZE - P15,000.00
•2nd PRIZE - P10,000.00
•3rd PRIZE - P5,000.00

12.Honorable mentions may be awarded by the jury, in consultation with The Province of Iloilo and PCCAHT officials, with cash equivalent and/or changes in the prize structure.

13.All cash prizes are subject to standard government tax on prizes and awards (20%).

14.Entries must be submitted not later than 6:00pm, March 30, 2010 at the PCCAHT Office (2nd Floor, Iloilo Old Capitol Bldg).

15.Winners shall be announced in the awards ceremony during the festival week, and in the leading dailies right after. Winners will also be informed by phone, mail, email or telegram after the competition.

16.The Province of Iloilo reserves the right to exhibit the entries, winning or not, during the festival week. Also, The Province reserves the right not to screen entries it deems unsuitable for public screening.

17.Winning entries will be archived (copied to disc) by the PCCAHT for library purposes, as well as for possible inclusion in PCCAHT programs and productions. Films/videos shown will be properly compensated based on existing copyright laws.

18.Entries may be picked up a week after the festival.

For more information, kindly call PCCAHT Office at 832 1125 locals 1702, 1704 and 1705.

Moviehouses Resume Regular Screening

January 8 marks the resumption of the screening of the non-MMFF entries and regular movies. The end of the Metro Manila Filmfest Season opens the moviehouse floodgates to regular theater screenings. First in the list of movies rolling into theaters is the resumption of the screening of the movie Avatar, which has already opened before the MMFF season and was halted temporarily during the festival season. There is also the opening of three big movies; the family-friendly Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel, the hilarious Zombieland, and the mysterious Sherlock Holmes. Other MMFF movies such as Ang Panday and Shake Rattle & Roll 11, among a couple of others are still showing and are still drawing box-office numbers.

During the Christmas holiday weeks, the Metro Manila Film Festival is being held. This festival began as one which aims to showcase Filipino cinema with a week wherein only Filipino movies are being shown. Eventually, it required all theaters in the country to only show locally produced films that were chosen by a selected committee. Over the years, though, the Festival had arguably gone through changes which many consider as a decline in the quality of Philippine Cinema, and according to many, made the festival something that is merely commercial rather than one devoted to Filipino artistry. This decline in quality made a number of people abhor the festival, because it forced theaters to show tagalog movies which they considered as awful and destroys the reputation of Philippine Cinema as a whole, and because it deprived these people of watching non-MMFF movies.

MMFF Period puts other movies to a halt

All screenings of Avatar will be suspended for duration of the Metro Manila Film Fest starting December 25, 2009 and will resume after 2 weeks. Film Junkie was able to inquire from the management of SM Cinema who revealed that this also includes the 3-D format of Avatar. As usual during MMFF season, all the theaters are directed to screen only MMFF movies. Other upcoming Hollywood movies that have a release date around the MMFF period will obviously be moved also. Sherlock Holmes which is set for international release on December 25, is slated for a January 8, 2010 Philippine release. January 8 is also the date for Zombieland to have its Philippine release. While on January 20, it is going to be Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

AVATAR be postponed due to MMFF? How about Sherlock Holmes?

Will AVATAR's release date be MOVED by the MMFF? How about Sherlock Holmes and Zombieland?

With the theatrical opening of the Metro Manila Film Festival movies on the horizon, will it be one factor which will move the release of the movie AVATAR to January? (same with how previous movies internationally released in December such as the Lord of the Rings movies?)

Good news to those looking forward to the upcoming James Cameron movie AVATAR. The Philippine theatrical release of AVATAR is on course and on target to its international release date, which sets it on December 17, 2009. At least up until the 24th. You'll get to enjoy this movie just before the Metro Manila Film Festival movies have its opening on December 25, Christmas day. SM Cinema Iloilo has confirmed the AVATAR release date but added that this is still officially tentative as far as SM Cinema Iloilo is concerned.

On the other hand, those looking forward to Sherlock Holmes and Zombieland will have to wait for a January 2010 release date.

The Success of YANGGAW

The Success of YANGGAW, the Struggle of Indie Films, and the Age of Piracy
by Reymundo Salao

Yanggaw is an indie film directed by Richard Somes, funded by Cinema One, and includes Ronnie Lazaro, Tetchie Agbayani, Joel Torre, Gio Respall, Monet Gaston, and Aleera Montalla in its cast. Yanggaw tells the story of a woman afflicted by an illness as she is infected by the curse of becoming an aswang (a Filipino folk monster who is cannibalistic and is sometimes interpreted as able shape-shift into animals). But what the movie focuses in is the drama that occurs in her family when they realize that someone they love has become this monster.

You rewind the clocks to a couple of months ago, Yanggaw was an indie film that garnered success in the film festivals but had the same problem that many indie films had; which is that their movies are not exposed to the masses. Sure, film geeks were familiar about it; some probably just heard about it (probably at entertainment news bits that are underrated by the media); but basically, your average movie-going everyday Juan and Maria did not know anything about it or did not even care about this movie (& the rest of these indie movies).

But just recently, here in Iloilo City, the movie Yanggaw has gained popularity all of a sudden, just like a hype that is genuinely generated by people who have much regard for it. Yanggaw just seemed to come out from nowhere, and now, everybody knows its main characters Junior and Amor (and why its not wise to play volleyball when it's already getting dark. Sorry, just an inside joke if you watched the movie, hehehe). Almost every movie lover from all walks of life has an idea of what this Yanggaw movie is all about. How did this happen? The movie did not have a theatrical release, nor was it given sufficient media or advertising attention the way mainstream movies are usually given (the overexposure they usually have.) It did not have big stars, not like how mainstream local movies would cram their movies with teen starlets and matinee idols. It did not have product placements, flashy pop references, cameo appearances from celebrities, and enough corny jokes just to get attention from the movie-going public. How did Yanggaw get so famous, aside from the fact that it was also an excellently made movie?

I don't think one can deny that it's also because of Piracy! YANGGAW found its way in the Pirated DVDs markets, and because of this, the movie has had a direct exposure on the local masses. It did not take long before the movie became talk of the town. People started telling other people about how good this movie was, and the word-of-mouth popularity just sparked curiosity and later on, almost everybody you know has watched the movie. I think this is perhaps the very first, if not the only example wherein Piracy has actually helped a local movie gain some attention and popularity. And in one way or another, can it be considered success.

In case you did not know, our film industry may be classified into two major groups; the mainstream film industry, and the indie film industry. One of the reasons why the Philippine movie industry still has not gotten some respectable status despite recognition of many Pinoy indie films in film festivals around the world is that our indie film scene operates in a very underdog, underground manner. Under-exposed, under-funded, and extremely underrated.

Many of us are aware that the mainstream film industry produce films that are badly made, movies created solely for profit and are almost completely devoid of any sort of creaivity or originality. These are basically movies made by their dictatorial producer-masters, instead of real film-makers. These producer-masters are the giant companies of local entertainment media. These giants are the ones with the resources to advertise their movies and make sure that the masses would be drawn to their poorly made, but well-marketed movies.

Meanwhile, Indie Movies are never given much attention, there is just a dim spotlight for the indie film industry. Why? Because the giant media corporations feel that they never get much from these films. They never give it spotlight because the stars these films use usually do not include the actors and actresses signed under these corporations’ contracts, theyre not under their company's "pool of talents". They never give it spotlight because they feel there is no money for it. You may put it in similar comparison with many of our legislators, they never make laws which are really good for the country, not unless it is a law that they can make money out of.

Going back to our main topic, YANGGAW is indeed a movie that has risen above "film elitist" obscurity and into local mainstream success. It proves that Ilonggos have a talent in film-making, it proves that there are still Pinoy-made movies that can be world-class quality, a well-made true Grade A movie, and at the same time, one that can be embraced by the masses. It also proves that in this age of internet, file-sharing, and CD-burning, a good movie, a true obra, will sooner or later find its way to the people who will love it and it will get the praise it so deserves.

WANTED: BORDER wins SEVEN TROPHIES

WANTED: BORDER wins seven trophies in the fifth Cinema One Originals Awards held last November 15, at the Dolphy Theater in ABS-CBN.

The film won Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best Director, for writer-director Ray Defante Gibraltar. When Direk Ray accepted his first trophy, he spoke in Hiligaynon (native tongue of Iloilo where the film was shot), and during his second speech, he spoke in Tagalog. Gibraltar thanked his mother from whom he draws inspiration, his staff, the stars and crew of Wanted: Border, his supporters in Iloilo, and everyone who helped him turn his film into reality.

Award-winning writer Ricky Lee and Cinema One head Ronald Arguelles presented the award for Best Film. According to the jury, Wanted: Border won for its "malikhaing pagsasanib ng mga yugto ng buhay ng isang aswang" and how it captures the "nakaraang marahas na pagdanas ng incest, torture sa panahon ng diktaturya, at ang hindi na maibabalik na pagtatangkang mamuhay ng tahimik sa kasalukuyan."

The film's star, Rosanna Roces received her second Best Actress Award for playing Mama Saleng, a flesh-eating aswang who kills her boarders, cooks the mutilated flesh, and later on serves the meat in her Iloilo eatery. As she prepared her speech, Osang jokingly asked the crowd if she could render a long speech, since it had been many years since she accepted her last award. Rosanna was last honored by Gawad Urian as Best Actress for the 2001 film La Vida Rosa.

Wanted: Border also received awards for Best Production Design (Al Alacapa, Winston Lazaro and Allan Hilado); Best Music (Malik Lopez and Eric Romulo), and Best Cinematography (Ogi Sugatan).

Check out the full article & the rest of the FESTIVAL WINNERS HERE.

WANTED: BORDER sends shivers in the Cinema One Originals Festival

In the 5th Annual Cinema One Originals Digital Film Festival, Wanted: Border sends shivers to all!
Directed by Ray Gibraltar, and starring Rosanna Roces, Kristoffer Rhys Grabato, Sunshine Teodoro, Marisol Alquizar, and Raffy Tejada, here is a ‘dark comedy’ that follows lost people to look for refuge that eventually becomes a nightmare.

Religious fanatic Mama Saleng owns a boarding house and eatery. When she was a child living with her grandmother, they were both suspected of being aswangs. Her thirst for humanity was quenched when she met undercover agent Jessie Beltran during the Martial Law, whose task was to terminate activists in Panay. Mama Selang grew to enjoy the face of death in her hands and totally embraced her childhood epithet of being an aswang. Now her boarders are disappearing one by one. Should her mysterious character be described what she has become can be rooted from traumas she sank into. So does she have something to do with the disappearance of her boarders? Does she butcher them? Is she a carnivore? No one will really know at first. But with a plotline too irresistible, Wanted: Border makes viewers aware what its message is. “Kung dati, nag-aapakan lang tayo ng paa...ngayon tayo tayo na ang nag kakatayan at nagkakainan---tulungan natin ang mga sarili natin na wakasan ang cycle of violence...sa ating sarili...sa ating pamilya...sa ating komunidad,” states Gibraltar.

After completing his Philosophy studies at the Saint Vincent Ferrer Seminary in Jaro, Iloilo and the University of La Salle in Bacolod, Ray Defante Gibraltar attended filmmaking workshops at the Mowelfund Film Institute in 2001. His experimental short film Makinilya was screened at the Pelikula’t Lipunan Film Festival and the Singapore International Film Festival in 2002. His full-length documentary Syokoy placed 3rd and even became the Best Regional Choice at the Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula 2007. But it is his famous documentary narrative When Tamaya Meets Delgado that placed the director-writer-editor in the limelight. It premiered at the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival in 2007. Made its Asian Premiere at the Singapore International Film Festival in 2008. Had its European premiere in the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival. At the 31st Gawad Urian last year When Tamaya Meets Delgado was nominated for Best Editing.

Wanted: Border will send shivers when the festival kicks off from November 13 to 17 at the Gateway Cinema at the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City in part of the 15 Year Anniversary Celebration of Cinema One for being the top movie cable channel in the Philippines. The Awards Night will be held on November 15 at the Dolphy Theater of the ABS-CBN.

source: Cinema One Originals

James Bond 23 to start filming late 2010

JAMES BOND 23 Begins
According to commanderbond.net Daniel Craig has just put the Bond 23 timeline into perspective, stating that production is set to kick off in the second half of 2010.
The comment was made by Craig after a performance of his Broadway play A Steady Rain alongside Hugh Jackman. While signing autographs and posing for photos with fans, one female member in the crowd asked when the next James Bond film was coming out—to which Craig replied ‘Uh, we start the end of the next year, so…’

Furthermore, according to the site, producer Michael G. Wilson had stated that work had begun on Bond 23 earlier this year, although he failed to divulge any specifics. With Craig’s latest comment now, it seems fairly certain that we’ll be back to a three-year wait between Bond films.



source: commanderbond.net

The Echo

A Ghost Story
By Reymundo Salao

The ECHO is the Hollywood remake of the Filipino horror movie from director Yam Laranas entitled “Sigaw” which is also released in the international market with the similar title “The Echo” The story begins when a young ex-con comes home to the apartment where her mother who passed away, lived. He curiously tries to find out what happened to her and why she died. He discovers that the apartment he lives in is having strange occurrences. He finds drops of blood, hears noises of things that are not there, and at the same time, he is also concerned about his apartment neighbor; a mother and daughter who is being victimized by an abusive live-in partner. All these things that haunt him soon affect his life, his work, and his relationship. He even begins to question his own sanity. Soon enough, he must face these things so that it will bring him peace.

Yam Laranas is one of the very few mainstream Filipino directors who have a real serious eye for film. His movies look magnificent and the stories he tell actually make perfect sense (unlike the many local mainstream directors out there who make cartoonish serious movies). It is actually very deserving for him to direct a Hollywood version of his own classic “Sigaw”. And yes, he did accomplish a fine feat with “The Echo”.

Supposedly one that should be categorized as something which is more of a Ghost Story and Psychological Drama, THE ECHO is rich in stylistic visual images. An artful blend of bleak beauty in terms of cinematography and atmosphere, with the eerie vibe created by its storyline. The moments of horror may not be too bloody (except perhaps for one scene that had me biting my own finger) but they indeed transmit the sense of gloom well into its audience.

Jesse Bradford obviously did a better performance than Richard Guttierez (in the original). His fear and sense of paranoia can communicate well with the audience. Iza Calzado is as haunting as she was in the original. I actually felt that the movie needed more focus on Iza whose role in the original was underlined well, and was very relevant with real world issues of abuse.

The Echo takes a lot of time to build up the horror. The slow build-up is reminiscent of old horror movies like The Exorcist, which takes its time to make its characters whole and establish a familiarity with the audience before it spills out the full extent of the horror.

The minor problem with The Echo is that if you have already watched the original Echo movie which is known locally as "Sigaw" and you already have an idea what these hauntings are all about and why they occur, you might feel that it tends to drag and bore, because the surprise is already spoiled for you. Much of the movie’s appeal relies on not knowing why these things happen.

As much as my heart goes out to the director, though, I am sorry to say that I felt that the build-up just dragged too slowly. Some sequences felt like it was just an exercise of waiting for something to happen. I feel that this needed to be re-cut, just to delete off the sequences that are horribly unnecessary. The subplots in between the horror sequences sometimes feel uninteresting. There is a good pay-off at the end but its pay-off is not as satisfying as, say, The Exorcists' final act which all goes off to hellish chaos. Instead, its pay-off is still storyline-based. It does not go off in a whimper, no, it does unleash some hell. But not enough to get it off its track, as it maintains its disciplined pace, leading to an appropriate end which makes the story go full circle. You will soon realize that this is NOT the Exorcist; this is a Ghost Story.

If you watch this movie, do not expect this to be like your run-of-the-mill slasher flick or torture horror; you should just expect a good ghost movie. There is some violence and gore in it, but this is no monsterfest. It is never goofy and it treats its own story in a very serious manner. It feels like something that may have happened in reality. That is actually its beauty because many other horror movies out there tend to overblow their stories to a point that it feels bogus and cartoonish. The Echo takes its time and is more or less grounded in reality. Quiet, but eerie. Just like the ghosts that live around us.

The ECHO will be showing this week

The ECHO is here!
By Reymundo Salao

The long wait is over. The Hollywood remake of the tagalog horror movie SIGAW, which is entitled ECHO is now going to be released in Philippine movie theaters. SIGAW was directed by Yam Laranas, whose directing skills really are impressive in terms of coherence in its storytelling, matched with great cinematography. Yam is not only a master in visual beauty, but also prefers to tell his stories in a very orderly fashion, one that makes his movies be at par with good foreign films. When he made SIGAW, the film became a success and probably has come up to become the best horror movie to come from local cinema. The reason for this, is not because of the popular actors and actresses in it, but because of Yam’s vision. His concept of horror that slowly builds up from creeping you psychologically and into a fiesta of terror. At the time it was released, SIGAW was marketed to be an Angel Locsin and Richard Guttierez movie. But their performances were actually sort of satisfactory, because the actress that truly has pushed the movie into being a great film is Iza Calzado, who plays as the ghastly apparition that dwells the apartment compound which is the setting of the movie. Joemari Yllana is also the other actor that was the driving force of that movie, as he plays an abusive policeman whose cruelty reflects real life horror characters that unfortunately exist in every day life.

When SIGAW was marketed internationally, the film gained popularity among horror aficionados around the world. Just like the popularity of Japan’s The Ring, Ju-on (The Grudge), and Hongkong’s The Eye, SIGAW which is entitled internationally as The ECHO was then taken interest by Hollywood to do an American remake of. Vertigo Entertainment, which is responsible for the Hollywood remakes of The Ring & The Grudge, had acquired from Regal Films the rights to The ECHO (SIGAW) and to produce a remake for the movie. Much to the pride of Filipinos, they wanted Yam Laranas himself to direct the movie, in addition, Iza Calzado was also included in the remake, reprising her role as the ghastly apparition. The film also includes Jesse Bradford, Amelia Warner, and Kevin Durand in their cast.

The remake was done in 2008 and made a good run at various prominent film festivals around the world. Unfortunately, due to the recent recession and also the way Hollywood has been working (if you ask me, Hollywood has been devolving, slowly becoming more and more commercial and becoming less focused on real cinema), the film would not be having a North American theatrical release. On a lighter note, The ECHO had great success in its theatrical run in South Korea, which has become the recent bastion of Asian Cinema (what with the success of films like The HOST and THIRST). The ECHO was able to enjoy basking in the top ten at the South Korean box office during its release. A clear indication that The ECHO is not something to be underestimated upon.

Now the work of Filipino Yam Laranas has come home to be released on its home country. It is to be released here in Iloilo City and nationally on October 7, 2009. Now this is one movie watch out for. My only problem is that the local media is not giving it much attention. Hey! THIS IS A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE MADE BY A FILIPINO! Heads up, man! I am upset because; just because this film is not under the hands of companies affiliated with the two giant local networks, they’re not giving it enough attention. Well, spread the word, because this is one Hollywood movie us Pinoys should be proud of. Mark the date. October 7. See you at the theaters!

Surrogates

GOOD SCI-FI; but definitely not unforgettable
By Reymundo Salao

Surrogates is a sci-fi movie about a future where every human being can connect their bodies into machines & they instantly live a different life through their robotic human-looking surrogates. Anybody can just stay home all day while they are connected online with their surrogates that can just easily live outside in the real world. But when a surrogate is killed along with its user, FBI agent Greer unravels a conspiracy that can lead to the death of billions of lives.

The storyline of this movie falls somewhere around where movies like Blade Runner, Minority Report, and I-Robot belong. A movie that talks about how future technologies can affect human life and provide some philosophical point-of-view that is worth pondering on. The idea of technology progressing into, and reaching boundaries that it becomes an abomination of nature. The movie tends to be thought provoking, but does not make it good enough to be worth an entire evening of discussion.

There were some moments that seemed preachy, but could have been delivered more effectively if given a proper execution or interpretation. I am talking about the moments when our main character realizes the beauty of a world free from technological complexities. We also have the minor subplot of a corporation just concerned about safeguarding their own products. And a main character coming to the realization that these products eventually diminish the humanity of a person.

It is surprising that the weaker point of this movie is the action. The terminator rip-off scenes seemed bland and there was a chase scene with a female surrogate that looked goofy because it employed a "superhero" type of action. To make it worse, there are some visual effects that look like they've been rendered 15 years ago.

With the main character of Bruce Willis running around in his actual human form for most parts of the movie, we realize that he basically is the weaker person in this world of robotic mannequins, and yes we do see him bleed a lot in this movie (it is funny to note that Willis is one of those actors that just look cooler when he gets more scars and bruises, it's like John McClane only without the crazy action). With him being the frail character, that alone clearly reminds you that this is not your regular Bruce Willis action flick. The movie just basically starts out as a futuristic detective-type movie and then progresses into the same mood as Willis was in films like "Unbreakable" where he stumbles around a metaphoric maze that leads him to some enlightening truth.

The high points of this movie lie in the storyline. Second is the way the movie creates this amazing-looking world of a future inhabited mostly by surrogates. The surrealism of the movie is not too far-out that most of what you see seem like they exist in the present world; there are no flying cars or rockets everywhere; it’s just the simple existence and presence of mannequin-like robots everywhere. The storyline may be good enough to be enjoyably satisfying, but it certainly is not the best, or perhaps not good enough to be groundbreaking.

All in all, SURROGATES is one of those good sci-fi movies that will simply entertain those who are fans of smart sci-fi movies. Action junkies may be a little disappointed though. This is a far cry from Blade Runner, but this certainly gives you a cheaper version of that kind of enjoyment. I loved it. But it is definitely not unforgettable.

"Pirates of the Carribean ( 4 ) On Stranger Tides" announced

Disney has lately had their D23 Expom and on this event, actor Johnny Depp appeared in full Jack Sparrow costume, taking the stage and announcing a Summer 2011 release date for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the new title for the fourth installment! This new movie is expected to focus more on the Jack Sparrow character, with Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom not expected to return, in what is expected to also start a second trilogy of movies. When the movie sails to the Philippines, and to Iloilo once more, it will surely be once again a hit. But personally, I just wish this franchise would rest on its laurels.

The ECHO to be released in the Philippines FINALLY

The LONG wait is over. The Hollywood remake of the Filipino horror film SIGAW is now going to be released in our country. Here is the news article from The Philippine Daily Inquirer about it:

Good and bad news about Laranas’ ‘The Echo’
By Ruben V. Nepales
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:38:00 09/03/2009

LOS ANGELES—First, the good news: Yam Laranas’ “The Echo,” his US remake of “Sigaw,” will finally be shown in movie theaters in the Philippines on September 23.

The bad news: “The Echo” is not going to get a North American theatrical release. We came across announcements on the Internet that “The Echo” will instead be released on DVD and Blu-ray on November 10.

This is certainly a disheartening development. It was unprecedented that Yam was given the opportunity to direct the American version of his own Tagalog hit from Regal Films. Everyone also welcomed the news that Iza Calzado was going to reprise her role. When we visited the set in Toronto in 2007, we were proud to see a Filipino director calling the shots. Ever since Yam wrapped up filming “The Echo” in Toronto, we all eagerly awaited the movie, which stars Jesse Bradford and Amelia Warner, to be shown in theaters.

US theatrical release
When Yam finished the film’s post-production, the US theatrical release seemed imminent. But the wait turned into months. Fans and readers of Yam’s blog began asking: “When?” In the meantime, “The Echo” was shown to potential distributors at the Cannes Film Market in May last year. In July, also last year, the film was screened at Fantasia, the Montreal, Canada fantasy and genre film festival. Last May, “The Echo” got its first international theatrical release in South Korea.

Amazon.com is now offering a pre-order price guarantee of $24.99 for each copy of “The Echo” on DVD or Blu-ray. The package art shows a girl with menacing looking eyes behind a door engulfed in flames. It virtually screams that this is a horror movie. We would have preferred the teaser poster that Yam posted on his blog, the one showing Jesse Bradford listening into a wall with a girl ominously appearing by a door in the background. It captures the quietly eerie and therefore more suspenseful mood that Yam was probably aiming for in “The Echo” (and which he effectively did in “Sigaw”).

We’re happy that “The Echo” will get a theatrical release in the Philippines. Even with the movie’s release on disc in November, we think many Filipinos would still want to experience “The Echo” on the big screen. In an e-mail interview, Yam pointed out: “The experience of seeing it on the big screen literally amplifies the scares. Although the mood of the film can be appreciated in any screen size, nothing beats the impact of the film inside a dark theater.”

As for what’s in store for moviegoers, especially those who saw and loved “Sigaw,” Yam said: “I think they will enjoy this new version. It is much scarier than the original. But fans of the original will also see that the original story line is intact. The mood and paranoia though is heightened in ‘The Echo.’”

On Iza, the filmmaker said: “I’ve always believed that Iza’s talent is world class. ‘The Echo’ is a testimony to that. She played her role with utmost commitment and sincerity. We are all proud of her.”

Yam explained about “The Echo” not getting a theatrical distribution in America: “The market has changed for all independently produced films. It all started in Cannes and the American Film Market and all the way to Sundance and Tribeca. Nobody was buying. We are among the casualties. There are also legal issues that our investor and distributor are trying to sort out. Yes, I feel bad about it but I need to see the realities of Hollywood. This is not a unique case and there are worse stories out there.”

Screenings abroad
On the movie’s distribution in other territories, he said: “As far as I know, there have been screenings in Russia, Bulgaria and Poland. The film will most likely be shown simultaneously in the Philippines and Southeast Asia since the prints come from Thailand. We are also set to be released theatrically soon in several countries in Europe.”

Yam e-mailed us from Montalban, Rizal where he is filming “Patient X” which reunites him with his “Sigaw” male lead, Richard Gutierrez. “Making movies is a passion of mine,” he said, sounding happy to be directing a feature film again. “I have another unique story to tell and I wanted to work with Richard again. We work well together. Shooting ‘Patient X’ is making me high!”

‘Aswang’ twist
“Our lead actress is Cristine Reyes,” he added. “The movie is a new twist to the aswang (vampire) myth. I am confident that this is something that Filipino and international audiences will truly appreciate.

On our quibble with “The Echo’s” package art, he commented: “I always had an issue with that kind of ‘sell.’ ‘The Echo’ is not J-Horror (Japanese horror genre). And it is not ‘horror’ per se. But the distributor would know better. I only hope that the audience will see something else in the film. Yes, it is a very scary film—really horrifying—but it is also a character driven piece and has a lot of emotional rides.”

SOURCE: Inquirer.net