"Uy, surprisingly, nagustuhan ko sya. I was expecting a mushier and more formula from Star Cinema, pero I was amazed as how the director inserted interesting visual cues.
'Yung love scene sa hagdan na pinapagitnaan ng isang kahoy na blurred galing sa hagdan- which means 'yung hadlang na pinagdadaanan nila pero dinedma nila. 'Yung basa sa may damit ni Bea na sakto sa ari ni Bea (they were standing still, crying in Malaysia.) People laughed in the cinemas akala nila nagkataon lang. But I thought different- it's a visual cue na si John Lloyd 'yung unang naka-bembang Bea. Nauna s'ya du'n sa Malaysian guy, at sa kanya isinuko ni Bea 'yun. 'Yung mga bubbles na nandu'n sa jeepney scene, hanggang sa Intramuros- well, di ko pa na-figure out. Gustung-gusto ko yung ginawa ni Cathy Garcia-Molina. I think she's starting to raise the bar for us masses.
I also think it's pretty much inspired buy 500 days of Summer, with the bench on Malaysia scene, and the use of August."
I agree with Aidon re the visual cues used the movies. Napansin ko rin 'yun, and I must say that I was pretty much impressed by them.
Bukod sa nabanggit ni Aidon na hagdan scenes, may mga eksena kung saan pinapakitang may balakid sa relasyon nina Allan at Mia. Something always separates them--relationships with other people and the distance between them.
I especially liked the hand gestures before the love scene happened. I liked it so much that I hoped na du'n na lang sa scene na 'yun bumabad ang camera habang nagkukuwento si Mia tungkol sa pangangaliwa ng ama niya. The hand movements already tell a story--'yung hesitation ni Allan sa paghawak sa kamay ni Mia at 'yung courage niya to finally do it. (This was right after Mia learns that Allan has a girlfriend, before she actually meets Daphne.) Medyo ilang si Mia about it, but she's finding it hard to resist it. Until finally she lets go after talking about her father. The scene was opened and closed properly.
I felt that that scene alone was ingenious! Of course this is a mainstream movie kaya di nila kinayang magbabad sa scene na 'yun.The writing on the rocks has the "Itaga mo sa bato" feel to it. Once written on the rocks, hindi na ito mababali. The same way as the film talks about destiny--anuman ang pagdaanan mo, kung nakatadhanang maging sa 'yo, walang makakapigil nu'n.
However, despite these ingenuities, babalik at babalik pa rin tayo sa narrative ng pelikula, at doon ako na-disappoint. May problema sa naging story telling. Mas nag-focus sa mga pampakilig elements rather than sa kabuuan ng journeys nina Allan at Mia.
Even the Malaysia setting was a waste. It is not as if kinarir ni Allan na magpunta sa Malaysia para hanapin si Mia. Nagkataon lang na pinadala siya roon for a conference. With that, actually, naging madali para sa mga characters natin ang pagbabalikan nila. Tulad nga ng concept ng pelikula, tadhana na ang gumawa ng paraan para pagsamahin sila--the same way ng pagpapaubaya ni Mir sa relasyon nila ni Mia. Kahit naman tadhana ang involve, gusto pa rin nating makita na worth it ang pinagdaanan ng mga bida para gustuhin nating magkabalikan sila. Hindi 'yung basta-basta inihahain na lang sa kanila ng mundo ang mga nais nila sa buhay. Any place could've worked in such situation kung ganu'ng susubuan din naman sila.
May mga inserted montage din during Allan and Mia's coffee conversation. I felt that it was off. Parang pinilit lamang ipasok upang maipakita na may "pinagdaanan" ang friendship ng dalawa bago nila ma-realize na gusto nila ang isa't-isa. The movie could've taken them away, but this is a Star Cinema movie so montage is a must! Sana nga lang, properly inserted sa movie without giving the audience a disorienting feeling.
Acting-wise, JLC has always been good. Whenever he doesn't utter lines, he makes sure he says something with his expression or body movements. Bea delivered the dramatic scenes well, although minsan sana, maiwasan 'yung kontodo iyak. There are so many ways to show grief at hindi lamang sa pagtulo ng luha. In the earlier part of the scenes, medyo off 'yung pagka-quirky niya. Medyo pilit ang dating.
Mir was too kind for his own good. When Allan told him that he still love Mia, and that he (Mir) should leave her, he shoul'dve smack Allan on the face right there and then! Kapal muks niya! Feeling ba niya ay pag-aari niya si Mia? Instead of doing that, though, luminya lang si Mir ng kesyo kanya na si Mia at Allan lost his chance with her. At dahil nga sobrang bait niya, pinakawalan niya rin si Mia in the end na walang ka-struggle-struggle. (Kung may struggles man, hindi na iyon naipakita sa movie.)
And like Aidon said, MYLC is very much 500 Days of Summer, as well.
MYLC tries to be different, yes. Pero kulang ang naging effort. Hindi naging enough para masabing isa itong movie na maipagmamalaki natin. In the end isa pa rin itong pelikulang meant para magpakilig ng masa at kumita ng pera. Hindi niya napantayan ang pagka-polished ng One More Chance na bawing-bawi sa naging takbo ng k'wento.
Pictures taken from here.
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