DEMENTIA (Percival Intalan, 2014)

Film Review:  DEMENTIA

By:  Macky Macarayan

TheFilmsoc Report

“Cinematographer Mackie Galvez (Sana Dati) captures the visual tone that complements the story’s demands, and levels with the acting caliber of Nora Aunor.”

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Source:  http://plmfilmsociety.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/review-dementia-percival-intalan-2014/

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A boat approaches toward a huge slab stone of an island, the rock solid formations commanding a visual dread of the unknown. The boat docks, and we see the familiar face of Nora Aunor disembarking from the vessel. At the onset of DEMENTIA, Perci Intalan readily lays the groundwork for a thriller that benefits greatly from its picturesque location.

Shot in Batanes, a dreamy place rarely seen on film except for KADIN (THE GOAT) and BATANES, both films by Adolfo Borinaga Alix, Jr., DEMENTIA maximizes the haunting beauty of its location and underneath the majesty of every shot of the cliff overlooking the sea, of waves crashing, of secluded forest trails, of every lagoon, of the ancestral home and even the cemetery is a knowing fear, or at least a shiver of restlessness. Cinematographer Mackie Galvez (SANA DATI) captures the visual tone that complements the story’s demands, and levels with the acting caliber of Nora Aunor.

La Aunor plays Mara Fabre, a woman whose mental faculties are slowly disintegrating. Her niece, Eleina (Bing Loyzaga) brings her back to the house she grew up in, hoping that Mara’s mental condition will improve. Mara only recognizes Eleina, much to the dismay of Eleina’s husband Rommel (Yul Servo) and daughter Rachel (Jasmine Curtis-Smith), both of whom are stranded on the island to do Eleina’s bidding.

As soon as Mara settles into their ancestral home, weird events begin to manifest. She sees a young girl who seemingly wants to play. A poltergeist may be in the room with her. A woman dressed in matrimonial white appears everywhere. Clearly this is not the vacation everybody hoped for.

The Superstar shines best in her moments of silence, and silence runs aplenty in dementia. Mara can be seen mostly wandering around the surroundings, studying every wall, every detail of their house. Her curiosity sparks our curiosity. And such controlled performance, as when Mara placidly wanders her gaze in her immediate surrounding, as if trying to search for something that isn’t there can only come from La Aunor. The woman has been a known expert at underacting, and this mood piece could not have come at a better time for her, after the love-it/hate-it critical reception to the outrageous HUSTISYA by Joel Lamangan. Mara, when she is at loss for words, is cinematic beauty.

But what secret does the house, or the island hold for Mara? Clearly, Mara is the key to solve the riddle that is DEMENTIA, and I liked the film more because the hero of the film is an unreliable one. Her memory fails her. And we don’t know when the heck she is going to start getting her act together.

Jasmine Curtis-Smith, who plays Rachel, one of the crucial players in the plot does her best to play the spoiled American-raised young lady who quickly becomes one of the defenders of her Aunt Mara from her tormentors. A friend of mine had wanted a more seasoned young actress to replace Curtis-Smith, given that most of her scenes are with Nora Aunor. I say, give the girl a chance, whom we last saw in another notable performance in Hannah Espia’s TRANSIT, but yes, it does make you think of other actresses for Rachel’s role.

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

MOVIEHOUSE MADNESS: Dementia

Film Review:  DEMENTIA

By:  A Moot Point

“A rarity in Pinoy horror genre, Dementia stays away from blood & hysterics, instead, it capitalizes on the gothic setting & tension. Nora Aunor blows us away with her mesmerizing non-verbal performances, that we pardon the average plot  – something that the usual nitpicking critic will tear apart if it wasn’t for Aunor’s superb acting and Intalan’s impressive direction.”

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Source:  http://strangereview.blogspot.com/2014/09/moviehouse-madness-dementia-2014.html

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STRAIGHT TO THE POINT:  A rarity in Pinoy horror genre, Dementia stays away from blood & hysterics, instead, it capitalizes on the gothic setting & tension. Nora Aunor blows us away with her mesmerizing non-verbal performances, that we pardon the average plot  - something that the usual nitpicking critic will tear apart if it wasn't for Aunor's superb acting and Intalan's impressive direction.

Directed by: Percival Intalan (directorial debut)

Screenplay/Story:  Renei Dimla, Jun Lana

Starring:  Nora Aunor, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Bing Loyzaga, Yul Servo, Chynna Ortaleza

It's so hard for me to take Filipino horror films seriously what with their typical borrowed Hollywood formula that fails so miserably, cheap CGI & scare tactics, and untalented actors mainly cast for their face value/celebrity status more than anything else, to cite a few reasons. I remember laughing so hard at Pagpag: Siyam na Buhay or Dalaw (at Kris Aquino, more than anything else), that my mind registers "comedy" whenever I see a Pinoy horror movie showing in the cinemas. Dementia, is something else.

Not knowing anything much about it except that it's starring Ms. Nora Aunor, it was just a stroke of luck that I found out it's already showing in theaters - just twice a day though, in the mornings. I grabbed the chance. With my mom tagging along, we waited at the entrance for the mall to open up, and stood in line patiently as senior citizens line up to avail their free movie. After getting the tickets, we hurried up excitedly and went inside Cinema 2 and had the entire theater to ourselves. You heard right. It's only me and my mom. Not one living soul can be seen anywhere. It was creepy. And when the movie started, showing a bunch of gothic scenery, I kinda missed the chaos a jam-packed theater offers.

My Review:

Intalan sets the mood right with a bunch of amazing shots, showcasing the somber beauty of the island, and I was really impressed. It's like watching something of Bergman or any other black & white classics. When the camera focuses on Aunor's face - her eyes eternally glimmering, her expression reflecting a thousand emotions, I was like "Yeah. Money well-spent!" That's like 3-5 minutes into the movie. I was already content.

The plot itself is nothing new. It's been told before, maybe more intricate, maybe even better. A family caring for a relative with dementia, thrown together by circumstances finding themselves in a remote island, in a gloomy-looking ancestral home. Ghostly apparitions. Musical score perfectly-timed with the building suspense & a couple of scare shots. A malevolent ghost, that despite its resemblance of a Jabbawockeez dancer, I couldn't laugh even if I had a momentary urge to giggle, because its first appearance was so creepy I forgot about my sense of humor.

But what truly makes this film stand out is Nora Aunor. It's so rare nowadays for a horror film to rely on the actual emotions or mood because we all have gotten used to being served blood & guts, lots of screaming & hysteria that I get surprised if I see a really well-made horror movie (Roden's Kasambahay is also a good example). That's the beauty of Dementia. Intalan maximizes his lead's greatest strength - that is her ability to relay a story without opening her mouth. The most memorable scene for me involves Nora Aunor staring at the camera, so many emotions in a span of seconds or minutes, and hitting me like a laser gun straight to the heart. I shed tears.

I also commend the rest of the cast. But Jasmine Curtis-Smith surprised me the most. For a newbie, surrounded by Nora Aunor, Bing Loyzaga, Yul Servo, Chynna Ortaleza, and even Lou Veloso, she was a natural. Not teeny-bopper, not camera-conscious, no affected projections nor stilted dialogues - she was actually good. I will be watching out for her. Ortaleza, who in my opinion is such an underrated actress (and one of my favorites, since her Click days), also delivers a chilling performance as Olivia. As always, she makes the most of every character she portrays, and she always delivers. A huge part of me wishes to see her in more challenging & bigger roles.

How scary is Dementia?

If you have read my previous horror film reviews you would know that I'm a huge wimp. I cover my eyes half the time while watching ghost movies. So my gauge of how scary this film is might be vastly different than you guys. The movie doesn't bombard you with cheap scare tactics. All throughout, it winds you up into a big ball of tension, stretches you like an elastic band, ready to snap at the slightest hint of shadow/sound. There were only several really scary scenes - but they were very effective. The appeal of this as a horror film, like I've said, relies on the cast's acting, the score, the mood, and the superb photography. It's really great to see something with a hint of Korean/Japanese/Hollywood horror being applied in this film, but also retaining its native flavor - what I mean is, there were horror formulas (cliches, whatever) used, but unlike other mainstream flicks, this one felt real. It was masterfully handled by everyone, not just the director or the lead. It's like watching a world-class movie that's distinctly Filipino - it makes me proud. Dementia is not just paranormal-scary, though. It's also a psychological horror - making me realize the sad face of getting older; being a burden to relatives, losing yourself, forgetting your past. It put me in a cold, cold place.

My Rating: 4/5 - this is something worth watching. (5/5 for Aunor's subtle performance)

Percival Intalan's "Dementia"

Film Review:  DEMENTIA

By Rob San Miguel

BrunPhilippines

“Intalan was smart enough to focus the camera on Aunor near the climax of the film.”

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Source:  http://brunphilippines.blogspot.com/2014/09/percival-intalans-dementia-film-review.html

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“Dementia” has the key ingredients of a compelling psychological horror film. It is set in picturesque Batanes, which can look eerie if rendered into film properly. The film also boosts an ensemble cast consisting of new and veteran actors, and majority of the supporting actors gave good performances, notably Bing Loyzaga and Jasmine Curtis. Most importantly, for its lead, the film has Nora Aunor, who unquestionably can register complex emotions on film with minimal dialogues.

Director Percival Intalan used the turbulent waves and odd rock formations of Batanes to create a ghostly atmosphere. Mountains that are shaped like a silhouette of a supine woman were present and these natural shapes add to the overall effect of the movie .

Unfortunately, the film faltered at some scenes and Intalan lazily resorted to formulaic horror devices to illicit screams. 

Aunor gave a deft performance playing Mara, a woman suffering from dementia, but her character is not completely fleshed out. Similar to Joel Lamangan's "Hustisya," Aunor is burdened by a thin script so she has to make do with trite lines spoken in between her quite moments. Fortunately, Intalan was smart enough to focus the camera on Aunor near the climax of the film. The long close-up of Aunor's heartrending recollection was indeed necessary, and perhaps the redeeming feature of the film.Most of what we should know about Mara is revealed in the epilogue. Her brief scene in the hospital when her illness has not completely taken over provided a glimpse of Mara's real character. With just one line, we discover her regard towards her relatives, specifically her cousin. Her silent response coupled with a stern stare at her doctor also sums up Mara’s true nature. Perhaps Mara is not completely innocent.

In the beginning of the film, two questions stayed in my mind. “Was the film about dementia or a ghost? On the other hand, was the ghost a sign of her worsening dementia? The answer is irrelevant because the film chose to stick to a simple haunting ghost story. “Dementia” could have been like Alejandro Amenábar’s “The Others,” but it ended up like a Japanese or Thai horror film.

Still, “Dementia” is worth watching because it is interesting, specifically its ambivalent ending. In addition, we need to encourage new breed of directors. The film has the same flaws as any film by a first-time director but it has enough merits for horror fans to see.

Finally, the big question: “Did Mara do it, or not?” You have to watch to find out.

RATING: 3.5/5

DEMENTIA

Film Review:  DEMENTIA

BY ARMANDO DELA CRUZ

FILMPOLICE

“Nora Aunor turns films into events; characters into magnified views of those characters. Here her celebrated eye-acting, endless and translucent, is a sight breath-taking on its own; it converges with the northern chill imbued within the film’s eerie misty seascapes that signal dread always within breathable proximity.”

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Source:  http://www.filmpolicereviews.com/dementia/

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 Dementia is a thing of curious alchemy.

There is a scene nearing its end that simultaneously affirms and overturns its ideological confusions: Heavily influenced by New Asian horror, Percival M. Intalan’s debut feature as director is not a story strictly about hateful ghouls, but it is about hurt and betrayal and destruction. It is not a story strictly about the haunted, either, but of fractured psyches and corrupted moralities. There is no way to tell which exactly of the two (though I am inclined to champion the latter, which is more primal) with an end of such an ambiguous note it poses questions including one about the film’s own vision.

Numerous promotions may have posited audience to expect a close exposition on the cognitive dysfunction, but know that Dementia has not much interest on a split-screen of the mundane with the supernatural, much less an exhaustive discussion on the said disorder. It is no The Exorcism of Emily Rose and it consciously means not to, although perhaps it strikes terrible resemblance to the Scott Derrickson picture with how sparse is actually collectively known, in truth, of both the films’ principal characters.

Telling a story written by Intalan’s husband Jun Lana, known a filmic craftsman (see: Bwakaw) and able storyteller (see: Muro-ami), Dementia surrounds on Mara Fabre (Nora Aunor), whose early-stage dementia impels her cousin (Bing Loyzaga) to take her back home to Batanes — the northernmost Philippine island — to hopefully help with her mental affliction. The story is nothing unprecedented; how many times in a lifetime have we heard supernatural revenge plots unfold? The pieces are in place: gusts that kill candle fire, ghastly apparitions and supernatural encounters Mara soon will share with her niece Rachel, played by Jasmine Curtis-Smith. Yet, as ever, Lana elevates the film with a narrative strongly focused on Mara’s escalating distress, never mind if comprised of support characters who serve more as plot devices to tread back to Mara’s clouded and tragic past.

Nora Aunor turns films into events; characters into magnified views of those characters. Here her celebrated eye-acting, endless and translucent, is a sight breath-taking on its own; it converges with the northern chill imbued within the film’s eerie misty seascapes that signal dread always within breathable proximity. In this respect, it make sense for Intalan to employ great talents: whether it is Mackie Galvez (Mangatyanan) on image; and Von de Guzman (Yanggaw) on sound. The landscape shots are impressionistic views at Mara’s troubled state. The cliff, for instance, is a perfect venue for the film’s conclude. The scene is an entire encapsulation of Dementia, the scene that nears the end with Mara smiling at the wind finally, the scene that is essential to an impending twist (both a narrative revelation and a final wink before curtain-fall).

For both the film and Mara it might have been a Pyrrhic victory, but a victory just the same.

For the LOVE OF DEMENTIA

Film Review: DEMENTIA

By STEWIE GRIBBIN

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Source:  http://dementiaforreel.blogspot.ca/2014/09/for-love-of-dementia.html?showComment=1412196195583#c5108968544646572313

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A rarity in  horror genre, ‘Dementia’ stays away from blood and hysterics, instead, it capitalizes on the gothic setting and tension. Nora Aunor blows us away with her mesmerizing non-verbal performances, that we pardon the average plot—something that the usual nitpicking critic will tear apart if it wasn't for Aunor's superb acting and Perci Intalan's impressive direction.

Its subtlety and calmness create the eerie mood, and the contrasts of the setting -- a paradise with its own dark secrets. As the imagery and score wed with the powerful performances of Nora Aunor and the cast ensemble, DEMENTIA brings you to the world of isolation, mystery, and forgotten memories that (will) haunt you.

As for Nora Aunor, there is no question about her Mara Fabre. Given the small space to prove her case, Nora Aunor reminds everyone that when it comes to delivering intensity of character, she remains without peer. On the way up the hill that ends in a cliff, Nora Aunor as Mara falls on her knees as the past unfolds before her. You could count up to 20 shades of lucidity, realization, and sorrow on that wondrous face and be shaken by an actor that, despite the refinement of her craft through the decades, can still go back to rawness and wound all with her gift. That scene must be one difficult scene for future impersonators. The words are gone; only that face and the world that went away. At the cliff, Nora Aunor embodies the liberation that the mind offers in madness or in rationality. The calmness that overcomes Mara’s many years of forgetting and the smile that rekindles resignation to memory is once more proof that Nora is still the greatest film actor this small republic of ours has ever produced.   In fact, it is this greatness that is the problem of any young filmmaker who considers working with Nora Aunor at this stage of her career. Perci Intalan need not grieve. The director will be blamed; the scriptwriter will be blamed; the cinematographer will be vilified; and the soundman will be accused of dementia. But no one can blame this great actress  Nora Aunor.   -  TITO GENOVA VALIENTE  Urian Film Critic reviews.

But what truly makes this film stand out is Nora Aunor. It's so rare nowadays for a horror film to rely on the actual emotions or mood because we all have gotten used to being served blood & guts, lots of screaming & hysteria that I get surprised if I see a really well-made horror movie (Roden's Kasambahay is also a good example). That's the beauty of Dementia.  Director Perci Intalan maximizes his lead's greatest strength - that is her ability to relay a story without opening her mouth. The most memorable scene for me involves Nora Aunor's staring at the camera, so many emotions in a span of seconds or minutes, and hitting me like a laser gun straight to the heart. I shed tears.

Truth be told, I am so picky when it comes to books and movies, but this Nora Aunor  ‘Dementia’ blew me away to regions I have yet to discover. While commonplace actors speak to tell a story to be understood, Aunor simply tells the story by looking at us from the depths of her heart… Those eyes could bring you to a roller coaster ride of emotions… I spent the whole time not breathing so as not to miss a scene…What a treasure!

 “Dementia” is that rare Filipino horror drama that packs a solid emotional wallop. You won’t forget it soon after leaving the theater.

 Nora Aunor totally matches the swirling forces of nature on display throughout the movie with a dervish of a performance that involves very little spoken dialogue.

 It’s mostly ferociously internal until the devastating climax where, still wordless, her face erupts into a panorama of heartbreak, anguish, sorrow, guilt, regret, terror, and, finally, resignation and surrender. It’s unforgettable.  Congratulations for the Box-office success of Dementia. 

Dementia is Graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board!

NORA'S EYES: THE WINDOW TO ONE'S SOUL

Film Review: DEMENTIA

"The window to one's soul: Nora's eyes say it all in one sweep"

TEXT by SUSAN CLAIRE AGBAYANI

herword.com

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Source:  http://www.herword.com/unwind/main.php?id=dementia

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You would think that in this day and age, Vilmanians and Noranians would have buried the hatchet and become more civil to each other. But there they were—allegedly Vilmanians—who had "infiltrated" the fan page of Dementia, rabidly attacking the latest acting vehicle of Superstar Nora Aunor.

While Batangas Governor (and Star for All Seasons) Vilma Santos made a meaningful, eventful, memorable, and award-winning comeback via Cinemalaya film Ekstra last year; since her return from the U.S., Vilma's arch-rival Nora has acquitted herself with nothing but fine performances one after the other via Brillante Mendoza's Thy Womb, Mes de Guzman's Ang Kwento ni Mabuti, Joel Lamangan's Hustisya and now Dementia Perci Intalan's first foray into directing.

Some experiences are far too painful and violent to remember, they are better forgotten. And the body has its own way of shutting out those violent and painful episodes in some corner of the brain. Hopefully, these memories will never be disturbed nor retrieved ever again.

In Dementia, former teacher Mara Fabre goes back to her hometown in Batanes accompanied by her cousin Elaine (depicted by Bing Loyzaga), her cousin's husband Rommel (Yul Servo) and niece Rachel (Jasmine Curtis-Smith).

Slowly, the life of Mara in the island as an adopted child of a well-off couple, and as a young adult (Althea Vega) unfold through a series of flashbacks. And as though a maze, we go through the deep recesses of her mind where she has kept all those memories hidden for years and decades.

And just like the puzzle she's been wanting to complete but is unable to, we try to piece all those bits and pieces of memories together to investigate what painful episode/s happened in her life in the past. dementia2

We get introduced to a character: Olivia (Chynna Ortaleza)—apparently—the rightful heir of her adoptive parents that hardly anyone in the island remembers because in all those years that she and Mara played together as children, and became teenagers, she remained hidden from sight. And hidden she must now remain, for reasons which we are about to find out.

If you watched the film, did it scare you enough? Kept you at the edge of your seat? What with doors closing, things falling from nowhere, images of ghosts—one of them wearing a bloody wedding gown—accompanied by music that's sure to jolt you (more than scare you, actually).

Every story must reach a high point somewhere sometime. Mara's scene at the edge of the cliff—overlooking the sea—is the perfect climax.

Perhaps, the most powerful point in the movie is when the camera focuses on Mara's face, and her soulful eyes mirror a myriad of emotions: love, pain, hurt, disappointment, anger, resignation.

Young people who had never seen any film of Nora Aunor (as she has not done films in as commercial a scale as she had in the past) have nothing but admiration for the Superstar and what her fans call as their "National Artist."

One of Nora's indefatigable fans though, Marie Cusi hastens to add: "It's not only us her fans who support her as the true national artist. Many groups are helping in this advocacy for Ms. Nora. She is well supported for the Nora Aunor for National Artist by the academe (Ateneo, UP, FEU, UST, PUP) and many advocate groups like CAP (artists), ACT (teachers), Ako Bicol party, students, top celebrities, politicians and national artists consider her as the true National Artist."

Literary writers say that sometimes, a place could actually be a "character." And  picturesque Batanes as the setting really sets the tone from scene 1 way into the movie's climax.  The film's director Perci Intalan wouldn't have achieved the effect he wanted had the film not been shot in windswept and melancholic Batanes. dementia3

The director also had a good cast of actors who supported the film's main actor: Bing Loyzaga, Yul Servo, Althea Vega, Chynna Ortaleza, and even Lou Veloso, Lui Manansala, and Jeric Gonzales.

But the person who acquits herself and will slowly but surely be treading the path to a higher plane in show business is Jasmine Curtis-Smith (who has been said to be a "better actress" than her ate Anne).

Has THE Nora Aunor ever done a horror film? The producers (among others, Jun Luna) behind the film were wise in creating and crafting a horror film for Nora who'd been typecast as an underdog and an oppressed woman in her previous films, which were mostly drama.

How we wish we learned more about dementia—but then—the film is not a documentary about dementia; it merely depicts the life of a demented person, written well by screenwriter Renei Dimla from the story of Jun Lana.

Psychologist and Ateneo medical school professor Marissa Adviento though swears by the authentic portrayal of dementia by/ in the film. Perhaps it would be a good film for the Dementia Society to feature and make people understand Alzheimer's and this condition better.

Now on its second week of screening, Dementia goes on an extended run in SM Fairview, SM North, and SM Southmall—the opening of new movies last Wednesday notwithstanding.  

SILENT BUT RUNS DEEP

Film Review: Dementia

THE HELICON PROJECTS

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Source:  http://www.heliconprojects.com/2014/10/film-review-dementia.html

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If you think Philippine movie industry is dead, think again, the industry comes alive again, thanks to Ms. Nora Aunor, for being active anew, making  and giving us  quality and relevant films. With the series of movies like "Thy Womb",  "Hustisya" and now "Dementia", Pinoy movies are something to watch again, I have seen  all the movies mentioned and no doubt La Aunor is one of the greatest actress of all time in our Philippine movie  history, a legend. By the way I want to categorize Dementia as both as a Film and a Movie at the same time, for the artistic and commercial value. 

Mara Fabre (Nora Aunor) was diagnosed with Dementia (memory degeneration), her niece (Bing Loyzaga) decided to come home and bring her back in her hometown of Batanes, a beautiful island up north, hoping to bring back some of her memories.  There the story revolves in  reminiscing her dark secrets, trying to settle and reconcile with her pasts. I won't tell you more about the story as much as I want to share it, to leave something for your imagination.

I don't want to be biased as well, but since we all grew up with La Aunor and we know her caliber, seen her movies, she literally a part of our culture and life, when it comes to acting, I'm all praises for her. Moving on and going back to Dementia, I really wanted to see this film on its first week run, good thing I was invited by my friends in the Nora Aunor Core Group: Dr. Danilo Delfin, Dr. Vener Mejia and Mr. Nestor De Guzman and informed that it was still showing on its second week! Lucky me!

This is another masterpiece and well-crafted film that will reap acting awards and honors here and abroad. The movie is  a box office hit even on the second week! The movie had both commercial and artistic value, that raise the consciousness of moviegoers both in the arts and entertainment department.

The movie is silent but runs deep, La Aunor's signature facial expressions is an acting in itself, she doesn't even have to say a dialogue, and only her can do just that. Her effortless and unpredictable acting give a lot of curiosity in my imagination that makes me  more suspense and thrilled!  The easy way to judge a good and working  movie is by the audience impact, if it's something that moves everyone, I can see the movie is a winner in this department, you'll hear screaming audiences,  engaged all throughout and got carried away.  

The beautiful and picturesque Batanes was the location of the story, it was a visual treat to all.  The script is well-written, and every details of the story has its own story to tell, kudos to  Mr. Jun Lana.

The Director Perci Intalan, was amazing for a first timer, he was able to extract the acting skills of all the cast. Bing Loyzaga is great, Jasmine Smith (as Rachel) is also a revelation, Yul Servo (husband of Bing) was very convincing, Chynna Ortaleza (as Olivia) is one actress to watch.

The Ateneo De Manila University Choral gave the movie a unique and original musical scores, they gave the film a lot of emotions, suspense and a high impact in every scene.

Coming from our friend, who don't watch Filipino movies and who's not a Noranian but became instant Noranian after watching Dementia:

"DEMENTIA is a world-class movie, with excellent cinematography, screenplay, musical scoring and superb performances of Nora Aunor and the whole cast." - MARK ANTHONY A. ROZEINIO

Do I need to say more? Every Filipino should watch this film, highly recommended.

Thank you Ms. Nora Aunor,  binuhay mo ang industriya ng  pelikulang Pilipino!

The incurable sanity of ‘Dementia’

‘DEMENTIA’ Review

By TITO GENOVA VALIENTE

BusinessMirror

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Source:  http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/the-incurable-sanity-of-dementia/

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SANITY is the main problem of the film Dementia. Sanity is also the boring concern of the film. In the process, Dementia loses its grip on us, and we are better demented than sane to enjoy what could have been a majestic project for Nora Aunor.

It cannot be denied that Nora Aunor is the main reason we are all excited about a film regarding a woman who does not recognize anymore reality as we know it. We expect a complexity that may pose once more a challenge—to use that trite word—to this actor that has done practically all kinds of roles, and has hurdled the most layered, severely difficult of characters and personas. When the project was announced and the location revealed, we looked to no less than a grand opus because, if there is what you may consider a limitation on Nora, it is that she is wasted in ordinary roles. Nora Aunor is just a force of art that to contain her in scene after scene of deleterious ordinariness is to question the logic behind the decision to even consider the genius of this actor for the role.

Thus, when Dementia opens with the wide expanse and a boat zealously entering the inner waters of a port, we respond to or retreat from the tremendous mystery of the space. The distant hills and dales, the crags and cliffs are astounding characters that add chill to this homecoming. This is location as location should be—trembling and surrounding. There is enough chill and nip in the air. Our character is coming home to a place that is supposed to welcome her back with an embrace, with memories.

The boat disgorges its passengers and one of them is Mara Fabre, effaced in the crowd. She looks around and the camera turns to the other actors to announce and tell us she does not remember anything anymore. We wait for that close-up, an elementary rule in film language to establish the character of this narrative. There is none. Well, not the kind to exploit the skill of this actor who is credited for establishing the primacy of nuances and subtleties in Philippine cinema. If there is a person whose money shot is in those close-ups and extreme close-ups, it is Nora Aunor. The next minutes have Mara walking up and down and into hallways. There are many shots of this walk. If these long tracking shots are metaphors for the return to an origin and a search of the well of remembrances, then they are ineffective. The walks are tedious and they are not marked by the presence of the character, with the camera committing the grave sin of omission. In these walks, Nora Aunor as Mara is not served at all by the cinematography. The long minutes of Mara in the isolation of the landscape fail to capture the delineation of an actor who is able to sublimate all kinds of theatricality to serve an intense recipe of homegrown guilt and hurt. The story is promising; could it have been the screenplay that neglected to honor the presence of a great actor?

The opening of Dementia reminds me of that of Mes de Guzman’s Ang Kuwento ni Mabuti: the protagonist stands and a thunder rumbles from a distance. Mabuti, as played by Nora Aunor, looks up at the sky and with a face that is grazed upon by pains and doubts, introduces to us the parable about good and evil. The sound we hear seems to be heard also by Mabuti. We are there in her story. We are inside her thoughts. The opposite seems to take place in Dementia. The music remains non-diegetic—they are music provided by the mind of the filmmaker in aid of his own literary legislation. The music is no more pervasive as it is intrusive. In effect, the music scorer does not seem to trust the time-tested grace of Nora Aunor to provide the scene with the music—and rhythm—coming from her body, from that legendary gaze and those expressive hands that laurelled performances in Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos and Bona, just to cite two major examples.

There are moments of awesomeness in the film, as when the camera pans over the mountains and swoops into crevices and crevasses and the sea stretches into an idea of infinity. This is the Batanes we would like to know more. This is the forgotten island that affirms also the forgotten place in the mind of our Mara. Then we have glimpses of the Nora Aunor that we know, the intensity bridled and caged. And insane! We look at her and wait for that magical moment, when Nora seizes the scene, and tears it apart to leave us not with the violence of the act but with the carcass of a pain, a space, a time. The fans know this in their hearts. They know it when it is there. They know this when it is not.

In the interstices of this story of Mara, the viewers must deal with many questions. Is the film a psychological thriller or a gothic parable? The genres of horror and whodunit are explored and exploited as when hands from nowhere appear to shock us, only to find out that they are of a friendly nature. Almost in the end, the old man of Lou Veloso, outstandingly stereotypical, looks back to the house. This is a mandatory gesture in horror films to indicate that horror never ends. But the film does not end there; it ends—or, at least, flashes back—to a time when Mara Fabre was in the hospital. If there is a certified Nora Aunor moment, it is in the scene when her psychiatrist asks that she be given the chance to read the diary. Nora’s Mara looks at the doctor and in those few seconds registers shadows and light and more shadows from that face. The eyes relent and show that the mind has altered, and the smallest of rage covers her facial landscape. That is the Nora we know.

Bing Loyzaga turns in a lovely performance because it is simple and heartfelt. Jasmine Curtis-Smith shows that in her generation, she is the one who knows the way to good acting. Yul Servo does not serve any purpose in the film. Remove him and the film survives pretty well.

As for Nora Aunor, it is her fate that many of her memorable performances have always been part of many flawed filmmaking. In Dementia, the question begins when her Mara exhibits fear of the unknown and the unseen. Or when she is benign with the phantom of her past. Demented, should Mara be nervous of doors closing? With fire raging in the oven, she stands by the window stoic.

In the small island of Batanes, can one hide a little girl without the neighbors finding out and talking? What is the personal psychology of the adoptive parents of Mara that they would adopt a young girl while enduring their imprisonment of another? A death by jumping off a lovely sight is never investigated? When one gets sick in Batanes, the folk healer is the option. As Yul Servo’s Rommel puts it, there are no doctors in the island. And why are faith healers in films costumed always as if they are bartenders of high-end bars in some Caribbean resorts?

What is really dementia? Is the indie filmmaker and poet Kristian Sendon Cordero right when he asks: Is the real dementia in Batanes brought about by politicians who neglect to put doctors in the islands?

As for Nora Aunor, there is no question about her Mara Fabre. Given the small space to prove her case, Nora Aunor reminds everyone that when it comes to delivering intensity of character, she remains without peer. On the way up the hill that ends in a cliff, Nora Aunor as Mara falls on her knees as the past unfolds before her. You could count up to 20 (the fans would provide you with more) shades of lucidity, realization, and sorrow on that wondrous face and be shaken by an actor that, despite the refinement of her craft through the decades, can still go back to rawness and wound all with her gift. That scene must be one difficult scene for future impersonators. The words are gone; only that face and the world that went away. At the cliff, Nora Aunor embodies the liberation that the mind offers in madness or in rationality. The calmness that overcomes Mara’s many years of forgetting and the smile that rekindles resignation to memory is once more proof that Nora is still the greatest film actor this small republic of ours has ever produced.

In fact, it is this greatness that is the problem of any young filmmaker who considers working with Nora Aunor at this stage of her career. Perci Intalan need not grieve. The director will be blamed; the scriptwriter will be blamed; the cinematographer will be vilified; and the soundman will be accused of dementia. But no one can blame Nora Aunor. All we ask of her is the next great Nora Aunor film.

PANALONG PUHUNAN NG 'DEMENTIA'

‘DEMENTIA’ Review

By: TERESA TUNAY

CBCPCINEMA

Catholic Initiative For Enligthened Movie Appreciation

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Source:  http://cbcpcinema.blogspot.com/2014/10/dementia.html

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Uuwi mula sa Amerika ang mag-asawang Elaine at Rommel (Bing Loyzaga at Yul Servo), kasama ang dalagang anak na si Rachel  (Jasmine Curtis-Smith) upang alagaan si Mara (Nora Aunor), kapatid ni Elaine na may dementia, isang kalagayan ng matinding pagkalimot at panglalabo ng isip.  Sa pag-asang makatutulong sa paggaling ng demensya ni Mara ang pagbabalik nito sa bahay na kanyang kinalakihan, magbabakasyon silang lahat sa kanilang ancestral home sa Batanes. 

Tatlong bagay ang matatawag na mga “panalong puhunan” ng Dementia:  ang Batanes, ang musika, at si Nora Aunor.

Isipin nyo na lang, kung siyudad o isang makabagong probinsya ang pangyayarihan ng istorya, tiyak na mababawasan ang hiwaga nito—di tulad ng Batanes na pumupukaw sa pagkamalikhain ng cinematographer.  Ang musika: sa simula pa lamang ay isinisilid na nito ang damdamin ng manonood sa isang “mood” na mananatili sa kahabaan ng pelikula.

At si Nora Aunor?  Tila ipinanganak siya para gumanap sa ganitong mga papel—tulad ng sa Himala—kung saan ang kanyang katauhan ay tila isang bugtong, nababalot ng hiwaga, lalo pa’t kakaunti ang mga linyang dapat bigkasin ng aktres kaya’t babantayan mo na lang ang kanyang mukha, mga mata, at kilos upang matanto mo ang kahalagahan nito sa pagbubuo ng salaysay.

Napakagaling ng pagkakagamit ng angking ganda ng Batanes upang isulong ang drama; malamang ay inspirasyon na rin ito sa mga artista upang gampanan nang kahanga-hanga ang kanilang mga papel.  Kakatwa lamang na ang ikinabawas ng lakas ng Dementia ay ang mga idinagdag ditong sangkap na hindi makatuturan.

Malaman ang kuwento ng Dementia, bagama’t may mga sangkap itong kapag kinuwenta mo na sa dulo ay kalabisan lang naman pala, hindi nakakadagdag sa kabuluhan o takbo ng istorya; sinadya kaya ito para “iligaw” ang pagpapalagay ng manonood, o kaya’y upang “busugin” ang sabik ng mga tao sa karaniwang katatakutang natatagpuan sa karaniwang horror movies?

Kahit na may mga panggulat na eksena at multo ang Dementia, hindi ito isang “horror movie” o kababalaghan kaya.  Ito’y isang palaisipan na nag-aanyaya sa manonood na sakyan ang kalagayan ng isang taong may demensya—kinakalawang ang alala-ala, pumupurol ang isipan.

Naililibing kaya kasama ng isang yumaong mahal sa buhay ang kasawiang namagitan sa dalawang nilalang?  Ito ang nais bungkalin ng Dementia: sadya kayang nakakalimot ang may sakit, o mayroon lamang siyang gustong ibaon sa limot?  Kung sadyang nakakalimot na nga siya, bakit may isang higit pang makapangyarihang ala-ala ang tumatangging sumama sa libingan?  Ano ang tunay na bumabagabag kay Mara—demensya, o konsiyensya?

Technical assessment: 3.5  

Moral assessment: 2.5  

CINEMA rating: V14  

Ms. Teresa Reyes Tunay, OCDS – a multi-awarded journalist seasoned in mainstream media. As Founding Board Member of CINEMA, she has served as juror at international film festivals in Europe, Asia and Africa since 2004. As independent media consultant she writes a gospel reflection column in the ‘Philippine Daily Inquirer’ and an opinion column in ‘The CBCP Monitor’, and gives talks on prayer life.

PHANTOM IN PARADISE

‘Dementia’ Review

By:  OGGS CRUZ

RAPPLER

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Source:  http://www.rappler.com/entertainment/movies/70000-dementia-movie-review-nora-aunor

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''Dementia' has a lot of breathing space, a lot of protracted moments for thought and pondering. This is clearly a thinking man’s horror film,'

Oggs Cruz

Perci Intalan opens Dementia with majestic shots of what seems to be a perfectly picturesque island. Slowly, he reveals the subtle wickedness of his pristine setting. Jagged rocks line the isle’s white-sand beaches. Tumultuous waves batter its treacherous coasts. Trees, with branches that have been rendered twisted by cruel winds, dot its rolling fields.

Things are not always what they seem. More often than not, there are shadows behind every pretty picture. This is the horror of Intalan’s debut feature.

Dementia is obsessed with contrasts. The film consistently contorts expectations, delivering an experience that is clearly beyond the cheap shocks and thrills that are traditionally dealt by its more plebeian counterparts.

Intalan is deliberate and precise in his presentation. There are no attempts to rush as he relishes revealing the many monsters that linger in paradise.

As a result, Dementia has a lot of breathing space, a lot of protracted moments for thought and pondering. This is clearly a thinking man’s horror film.

Phantoms and damsels in distress

The story, whose concept also involved Jun Lana, is a mix of genre tropes and novel ideas. Dementia-afflicted Mara (Nora Aunor) is brought back to Batanes by her closest kin Eleina (Bing Loyzaga) in an effort to cure her of her debilitating disease.

Included in Mara’s homebound entourage is Eleina’s husband, Rommel (Yul Servo), and daughter, Rachel (Jasmine Curtis-Smith). Eleina’s plan seems to have worked as Mara’s memories slowly return, however, with horrific repercussions.

The plot does not stray far from the beaten path most horror films take. Its characters are molded from stereotypes. Eleina is the patient and doting parent. Rommel is her counterpart, impatient and annoying. Rachel, a city slicker whose utmost desire is to be spirited away from the boring island she was dragged onto against her will, is the film’s predictable damsel in distress.

The film’s primary phantom, a ghost (Chynna Ortaleza) garbed in a white wedding gown, haunts in the dark, with her alabaster frame eerily contrasting the film’s many greys and blacks.

Intalan intelligently embraces the plot’s conventions, acknowledging that the key to contemporary horror is not reinvention but refinery. Thus, he innovates elsewhere. Sure, there are narrative surprises here and there, but the film’s heart does not lie in its plot per se but in its telling.

Dementia is a deftly designed and produced picture. The images cinematographer Mackie Galvez creates complement the film’s exploration of the fearsome unknown. The music that scorer Von de Guzman concocts adds both cacophony and order to the already imposing feast.

Nora Aunor, From prop to asset

Intalan ingeniously uses Aunor here. For most of the film, Aunor does nothing, mostly mumbling gibberish and staring blankly into space, true to her character’s famous affliction. Intalan manages her presence throughout the entire film, reserving her gifts until they are truly needed. She is mostly seen in the shadows, silhouetted by her house’s forgotten furnishings.

Near the end of the film, Intalan unleashes Aunor’s powers. In its climactic scene, Intalan suddenly makes use of a rare extreme close-up, on Aunor’s evocative eyes, trembling and pregnant with decades’ worth of memories breaking free from their cages.

The film’s prolonged subtlety, even in its utility of Aunor, pays off.

A certain lack of evil

For all its technical mastery, Dementia seems to lack one ingredient that could make it truly scary. Its explorations are grounded not by humanity’s capacity to abandon morality, but by disease. Mara’s condition is clearly medical. From the film’s lengthy revelatory flashbacks, it seems that her phantom’s motivations for murder are medical too.

It lacks evil. Its characters lack moral discord, since they are pushed to actions, no matter how horrific, by physical deficiencies, not by an inherent capacity to commit atrocities. Simply put, Dementia does not seem to want to dig deeper. It seems to forgo exploring humanity’s frailty, how far we all are from being created in the image of a good and perfect god.

Thankfully, Dementia does not stop with the conclusion of Mara’s reunion with her island. In a swift act of genius, Lana and Intalan reveal something about Mara’s personality, in another flashback that is set in a hospital just a few months before their arrival in the island. The scene seems harmless and unneeded, but its effects are actually foreshadowed, by Rommel’s disdain with Mara.

By gifting Mara with this twist, Lana and Intalan have laced Aunor’s character with a clear sliver of mischief, an inherent capacity for malice. There are in fact two phantoms in paradise. – Rappler.com

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Francis Joseph Cruz litigates for a living and writes about cinema for fun. The first Filipino movie he saw in the theaters was Carlo J. Caparas’ 'Tirad Pass.' Since then, he’s been on a mission to find better memories with Philippine cinema.