jewaybushnell Reviews

Alone (I) (2007)

A Legit Fear-Inducing Film Ruined by Its Climax

[6/10 · 4 February 2024]

The strongest asset of Alone for me is the casts' acting. Even though I'm not Thai and don't know about their dialect's inflection, the body language and facial expressions of the casts are top-notch and comparable to some of the best horror movies to date. Another strong suit of the film is the legitimately scary ghosts which looks so creepy that I wanted to commend the brilliancy of the costume designers and make-up artists of this film. I'm not the one who is easy to scare but some sequences of the film really give me some chills, attributed to the petrifying faces of the ghosts there.

Inside the movie itself, I like that there are some drama and decent romance sprinkled in the plot which strengthen the impact of the horror sequences to make it not too much saturated.

Unfortunately, even though the plot twist at the end looks nice, it doesn't really pay off well for me as it lacks adequate foreshadowing in the earlier parts of the story; thus, turning it only as an added shock value rather than a successful and effective revelation.

Lastly, the final part of the film to me (the climax) seems out of place. The writers completely abandoned the jump scares and other supernatural aspects that we experience in the first 3 quarters of the film; trading it for a mediocre and floppy action sequences between the 2 main characters during the climax. Fear-inducing jump scares are the best part of this film, why not stick to it throughout the climax?

So to sum up, Alone thrives through the strong acting of the casts as well as its horror sequences. Unfortunately, they didn't stick to that horror niche to the very end, plus coupled with an unpolished revelation costed the film a good chance of being hailed as one of the best out there.

Insiang (1976)

Two Stones in One Bird

[7/10 · 2 August 2022]

Positives:

• Good picture of reality: The best asset of the film for me is its accurate painting of reality, specifically, the life from the slums. They shot it in a literal slum area so it convincingly conveys the vibe and atmosphere of these marginalized places. From the people's clothing, housing, way of life and attitude; they are captured by the film perfectly. Even the minor details shown in the film can accentuate the situation in the slum life such as when Insiang's mother urinates in front of her without any privacy.

• Perfect characterization: The characters from the film are fundamentally sound. They all have unique traits that depict their individuality and complexity, not just a typical character that can be sacrificed in the name of the plot. Every character, including the supporting casts, also has concrete motives that dictates their individual actions, allowing them to enrich the storyline.

• Simple but succinct storyline: The plot is simple, whereas every viewer can relate to it. But its simplicity is not a negative because of its compactness as it was told in a concise and inventive manner. For example, I like that the story starts in the thick of things, during the time where Toyang is about to shoo her relatives from her home. Most average writers will just start the story when Dado is already living in Toyang's home, just using petty flashbacks to paint the background of the characters. Not Mario O'Hara though. He is a magnificent writer.

• Good acting of Mona Lisa: Among all the artists, Mona Lisa is the one for me who got a timeless performance. Her acting during this film can still be considered very realistic even in today's standards.

Negatives:

• Insiang losing her character: I think the film did Insiang dirty. She suddenly lost her values during the last parts of the film, resulting in her character's inconsistency. How can a lass who refused to be touched by Bebot in the theatre suddenly allowed Dado to abuse her sexuality in the name of revenge? There is no turning point in the film that could be used as justification where Insiang decided that "enough is enough," going the dirty way to avenge herself. The motel scene is the closest justification but for me, the motel scene alone is not convincing enough.

• Rushed pacing during Dado and Insiang's affair: Another dud, albeit minor, is the rushed pacing of the film during Dado and Insiang's affair. It only consumes approximately 15 minutes of runtime. Viewers are only given a small window to heat up and realize that Dado has an ulterior motive of mingling with Insiang instead of Toyang. In my opinion, the climax could become even more satisfying if the film further extends the cut, capitalizing in the slow but emotionally powerful idea of Toyang losing her grip to Dado while the latter is pursuing Insiang.

To sum up:

Just like Dado, the film hits two stones in one bird. It perfectly depicts the slum situation during that time while telling an excellent realistic revenge story that leaves the viewers satisfied. Insiang (1976) really shines in its relatable story and good characterization, successfully imbuing the protagonist's hardships in the hearts of the viewers. Yet, the film could still soar onto higher echelons if only the creators decided to polish minor inconsistencies as well as some unrealized storyline potential.

Penumbra (2011)

"Eclipsed" My Expectation

[5/10 · 12 January 2022]

Penumbra is categorized as horror but in actuality, it is more than that. It is a combination of thriller, comedy, surrealism and mystery, more than a classic horror. The mislabeling of the film as a horror movie could turn off some viewers who are waiting for creepy "ghost-horror," but only get occasional and cheap jump scares. Nevertheless, if you're just like me with no expectations in mind, this movie is a massive treat.

The best strength of this film is its unpredictability. No one could easily predict how the movie will end, what are the motives of the guests, what is Marga's true state of mind (is she crazy?), etc. The answers will just pop up with or without any premonitions.

Another aspect of the film I like is its color-grading. The color-grade looks like vintage and it suits the location of the old rickety apartment building. It also adds to the lore of the mysterious film. On the other hand, Penumbra did not shy away for comedy. Some comedic scenes really made me laugh, as executed nicely adds another element to the film which in the surface looks one-sided.

Meanwhile, the plot twists in the end are very good at first glance. It offers shock value that could haunt the viewers and leave them puzzled as some of the questions have not been solved. Unfortunately, those plot twists and unpredictability lacks foreshadowing, which in turn decreases its overall impact in the plot itself, appearing that some early scenes in the film is just a waste of time.

The movie's unpredictability is also a double edge sword that could become a liability as there are no significant storyline that the plot will go through except for the main one (about the renting of the apartment). Another problem is, the pacing of the movie is too slow, leaving the main storyline to be forsaken at the tedious middle section of the film if the viewers dozed off.

The slow pacing could be salvaged by good characterization but this film offers nothing about this aspect as well. The only interesting character with true traits is Marga and the beggar, all the other ones seem to just be put there to fulfill the plot twist in the end. Lastly, I'm not a fan of some character's acting especially Marga. It looks sloppy to me and her actions and manners are over-emphasized in some scenes. But I will not list these acting as a negative as it could be viewers' preference.

So, all in all, Penumbra is an amateurish film littered with observable flaws from characterization to pacing. The unpredictable plot is somewhat of a saving grace but its lack of foreshadowing is letting down the full potential of the story to be unleashed perfectly. Despite of this, the film could still look magnificent and entertaining at surface level, if and only if you weather the storm of its slow progression. I thought at first that Penumbra is a garbage horror movie, but once I remove the lens of being a critic, I've got nothing more to feel but enjoyment.

Double Barrel (2017)

A Failed Attempt at Reviving Filipino Action Movies

[3/10 · 14 September 2021]

Double Barrel attempts to revive Filipino action movies but it did not pan out for me as oppose to my initial expectation. The main and most evident problem is the cringe-inducing acting. Even though the script's semantics are natural to the slum language, the artists jeopardized it by acting with uneasy body language and insincere awkward speaking tone.

There are also some plot holes that are too unrealistic to ignore. The prime example is Marta's shooting skill. She never fired a gun before but just by practicing in a couple of days, she learned to use it, not only accurately but also comfortably while riding in a motorcycle. In a specific scene, with the use of a pistol, Marta killed 3-4 experienced bodyguard who obviously outskilled and outgunned her. This problematic plot inconsistencies in the film is too many to mention that I do not bother to list them all.

Meanwhile, the action scenes are pretty mid (except the first chase scene), the sex scenes are forgettable, the camerawork is decent and the background music are very unremarkable (minus the final song). I have no problem with the film's color grading but it is not revolutionizing either.

There are only one outstanding aspect of the film that I admire: the realistic setting. The film was shot in a real slum area and the houses utilized appear to be real houses of the people living there. The humid atmosphere of the place is also evident in a positive way, signified by the occasionally haggard and sweaty looks of the artists. However, these two positives did not able to significantly push the film into the higher realms of action movies.

So to sum up, unless you wanted to have a rough idea about the realism of the war on drugs or you just wanted to admire the hotness of AJ Mulach and Phoebe Walker, the film Double Barrel is not worthy of an attentive watch.