QCINEMA 2016: Review of HINULID: Maternal Musings on Mortality

By:  Fred Hawson

Fred Said: MOVIES

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Source:

http://said-fred.blogspot.com/2016/10/qcinema-2016-review-of-hinulid-maternal.html

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It did not seem possible at first, but barely had we reeled from her mystical and metaphorical film "Tuos," Ms. Nora Aunor is back with a film even MORE mystical and metaphorical.

Sita Dimaiwat is a very religious Catholic woman who lived in Naga with her one son named Lukas. As a young boy, Lukas was very close to their parish priest, memorizing all his catechism and prayers. As a young man though, he chose to take up Law in Manila instead, memorizing his jurisprudence textbooks. One day, he joined a political rally and was killed. Sita went to recover her son's remains and rode a train to bring him back to their hometown.

Such, simply put, was the bare bones of the story. However, what we saw on that big screen was a complex masterpiece of abstract film art draped on this framework. Nothing was simple about this film, everything seemed on an otherworldly plane, only occasionally resting on solid ground for us to get our bearings straight. The whole film felt like a vivid dream floating in the subconscious of a mother struggling to deal with the death of her only beloved son. The imagery may be whimsical (like the multitude of fireflies, the falling stars, the solitary islet), or disturbing (like the rape of banana trunks, the unspooled cassette tapes, the three dead Christs floating down the river) -- either way they are open to any form of interpretation by the viewer.

Spoken in Ms. Aunor's native Bikol language, the whole script by director Kristian Sendon Cordero was written like poetry, if I were to gauge the words as translated in the subtitles. It sounded like poetry the way the lines were delivered, very deliberate and measured. Nothing it seems sounded like regular daily conversation, even those shared over a meal or a drink -- between mother and son, between two lovers, between mentor and student. There was never a shallow line, as everything seemed to have a deeper meaning. It waxed philosophically about various topics ranging from legends, religion, astronomy, discipline, mathematics and death.

Ms. Nora Aunor of course felt so right in her present element -- the independent film milieu -- where she can delve into the grittiest, most esoteric and most ethereal subject matters unexplored by mainstream cinema. The three actors (portraying Lukas as a precocious boy, as a curious teenager and as a studious law student) on whom she shared her maternal wisdom all did well. In particular, Jess Mendoza, who played Lukas as a young adult, held his own against the Master herself. He was charming and sincere in his performance, you will certainly feel why his mother is suffering so much after he left her.

I do not claim to fully understand everything in this beautifully-shot yet thematically profound film. It was extraordinary in the enigmatic delivery of its message. The storytelling style of Cordero was not linear by any means. I sense he may be going for Terrence Malick's style, ala "The Tree of Life". The film flashed back and forward and sideways, at times unmindful of conventional logic, as it melded reality with fantasy, memory and imagination. The final product was entrancing in its overreaching intentions, although admittedly there were times when its sheer depth and emotional heft could get too heavy for the audience to bear.  8/10.

Precarious Memories

Film Review:  DEMENTIA

By Fred Hawson

FredSaid: MOVIES

“Dementia does not have the garish and noisy shock effects that we see in most mainstream Filipino horror films. Instead, its unnerving quietness which effectively communicates a sense of danger, on top of the compelling lead performance of Ms. Nora Aunor, gives this film high marks of cinematic excellence.”

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Source:  http://said-fred.blogspot.com/2014/09/review-of-dementia-precarious-memories.html

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Mara Fabre (Nora Aunor) has been diagnosed with early stage dementia. She was brought back to her remote hometown in Batanes by her cousin Elaine (Bing Loyzaga) to help her recover her memories. Mara keeps getting visions of a playful little girl or a masked bride, whom she called Olivia. As the Olivia's ghostly games become more sinister, will Mara and Elaine's family be able to escape with their sanity or their lives?

The script was written by Renei Dimla from a story by Jun Lana. The back story behind the ghostly apparitions was well-told, albeit using a convenient device to tell the whole tale. I liked the subtlety the script used to deal with Mara's immediate past before dementia, with a short but telling scene with Elaine's husband Rommel (Yul Servo) and the thought-provoking epilogue scene. Yet at the same time I was wished for more details. I liked those unique props like the stone with a hole, the jigsaw puzzle, and the Ivatan grass raincoat.

Despite its good points, "Dementia" also utilized many familiar Pinoy horror film staples -- the classic white lady, the empty rooms lit by candles, scratching on the floor, the cemetery scene, the loud swelling instrumental and even choral music to emphasize a scary moment. It also had a scene with the over-used Asian ghostly image of a female in white crawling towards the victim at one point, which I wished it won't but did.

As always though, Nora Aunor can elevate any script to a higher level. She was mostly quiet here because of her mental disability, but her screen presence was really riveting despite her limited lines. As we all know, her eyes and her face speak eloquently by themselves.

Of the supporting cast, Chynna Ortaleza was surreally affecting as the disturbed Olivia, especially in those scenes before she was a ghost. Jasmin Curtis-Smith stands out as Rachel, Elaine's spoiled American-raised daughter, who also later shared Mara's ghostly visions. Althea Vega was effectively cast as a young Nora Aunor. The similarity of their vocal quality was uncanny.

Percival Intalan, in his directorial debut, made full advantage of the mysteriousness of his Batanes setting to tell the story in "Dementia". The old stone houses, the regular interruption of electricity service by 9 pm, the isolation from neighbors, the windswept violent coastline and precarious cliffs -- all were perfect to build up the tension and suspense necessary for a film like this succeed.

"Dementia" does not have the garish and noisy shock effects that we see in most mainstream Filipino horror films. Instead, its unnerving quietness which effectively communicates a sense of danger, on top of the compelling lead performance of Ms. Nora Aunor, gives this film high marks of cinematic excellence.

Lest we forget, the other highlight of the film aside from La Aunor is Chynna Ortaleza, who plays the mysterious ghost that causes malevolence among the household. Ortaleza redefines crazy. We need to see more of her in challenging roles, which reminds me of the sad fact that she had to endure her helpline volunteer character in #Y that resulted into caricature. And that’s not entirely her fault.

Some minor setbacks hinder the film from being a full-pledge chiller, such as the vague reference to Mara’s resentment towards Rommel, or the shaman character (Lui Manansala) who readily gives up on exorcism. Yes there is an exorcism. Sort of.

But when I think of how well the shots are mounted, like when Mara bides her time building her puzzle (yes, an actual jigsaw puzzle), I maybe able to forgo the lapses in the story. Plus, the flashback sequence is quite heartbreaking, and unexpected.

For a first time filmmaker, Perci Intalan proves to be a capable one. There is room for improvement but that fact makes the experience more exciting, more rewarding. Thank the Heavens that after a long time, we can finally watch a decent local horror film that does not rob us of our hard-earned money, or our self-respect.

RATING: 4/5