Movie Review: Ari: My Life with a King

Starring:

Francisco Guinto as Kong Dado

Cecille Yumul as Dado's wife Miding

Ronwaldo Martin as Jaypee

Directed by:Carlo EncisoCatu

My Review:

Poetic! Lyrical! Poignant! Funny! A movie with a heart and soul!

What happened to our local dialects? Where have they gone? Are we still proud of them, or are we putting them under the rags for shame of being ridiculed as "probinsiyano" or "bokya"? Questions that we will be forced to answer honestly as the characters struggle to be true to who they are in the midst of conflicting values and political reality that tend to overlook the prophetic and enlightening skill of a poet.The movie also depicts a grim reality: a gifted poet remains poor until the end. 

With the arid land of lahar-stricken Pampanga as its backdrop, one can't help but feel melancholic of the used - to - be vibrant and pre-lahar Pampanga. But this is only reminiscent of the main theme of the movie which is the beauty of the local dialect as poetically delivered by the king of the poets Kong Dado. His friendship with Jaypee, the student who picked him up from his house for the awarding ceremony, becomes a catalyst to a deeper realization of the ongoing challenge of loving and preserving the local dialect. I love listening to Kapampangan words (though I admit I don't understand a word of it, but thanks to the English subtitles!). There were times when I was laughing out loud because of the funny conversations between Jaypee and Kong Dado in Kapampangan. I felt like I was transported to that arid land and invited to enjoy the beauty of this lyrical, poetic, and humorous exchange of words between the king and the protegee. I really found the movie simple and not pretentious. It does not pretend on presenting characters that undermine their own cultural heritage over that which makes them feel "over and above" the rest of their struggling fellowmen and women. It shies away from too much tear-shedding you can see in most of our dramatic movies. But it powerfully touches you in some of its dramatic scenes (in particular, when Jaypee reads the last poem that the King wrote!) It boasts the use of Kapampangan and Tagalog as the main modes of communication and it stars unknown actors whose performances are raw, natural, but moving. There was no dull moment for me in the entire movie, really.

The movie shows a sad reality: the mixed reactions of the people upon listening to the rhymes and verses that the poet so dramatically delivered on stage or in casual conversation with friends. As he was talking, some in the audience couldn't bear to listen; others slept, others complained, while others just walked out even before the poet finished his speech (the mayor and his men). However, I think this for me makes this movie quite different from the rest of the New Wave entries that I have seen so far. There is something magical about poetic verses.They pierced one's heart and soul and they awaken the slumbering mind of someone who seems to be overwhelmed by the dictates of the society as to what is essential and what is not. I find myself being questioned by Dado's acceptance speech, a poem on the futility of pride. I think, throughout the entire movie one is invited to engage in the witty, poetic, and funny conversations, and make a stand on his view on politics and cultural identity, and live with it.

For me, Ari: My Life with a King is a cinematic delight. What we believe to be essential in our cultural heritage, be it language, poetry, or values, needs to be owned and embraced without reservation. It needs to be passed on. The movie captures this truth as Jaypee accepts the crown of laurel leaves bequeathed to him by the King. After all, the poet's death entails the rising of a new one, whose life with a king introduces him to the harsh reality in life, in poetic and lyrical forms!

Kodus to the Director, the crew, and the casts. Thanks for making such a simple but moving film.

My rating for this movie:           4 stars out of 5.

Movie Review on Tandem

Starring: JM de Guzman, Nico Antonio, Alan Paule

Directed by: King Palisoc

My Review:

Engaging! Thrilling! Compelling!

That is how I felt watching this indie film whose plot gradually develops from a petty to a big-time crime that entangles the lives of the protagonists into a  web of deception, illusion, desperation, and ultimately the loss of loved ones. The story revolves around the two brothers whose bond that ties include not only blood and genes but their tandem - in - crime as well.

The joy of watching a Filipino Indie Film is that it depicts real life drama of ordinary people in relation to the social reality where they live, or forced to live, in other cases. The freedom to choose social realities as a theme allowing the director to explore the common yet easily ignored reality because of its commonness runs through this film. This is what I observed upon watching this drama/thriller Tandem. It stars JM de Guzman and Nico Antonio as siblings who are partners-in-crime, in a socially relevant phenomenon known as "riding-in-tandem." 

Actually, what make this movie great are the believability of the actors and the unexpected twists and turns of events. Having seen so many "bad-guy movies" where the actor dies in the end , Tandem gives you an open-ended story where the viewer is left to his own opinion and imagination as to what happens to one of the main protagonists. Something that those who have not seen the movie yet has to find out and to opine- in freedom!

JM de Guzman and Nico Antonio have this chemistry that makes you believe how closed they are as brothers and how they try to keep the relationship stronger through thick and thin. And it shows naturally in most of their scenes together.  It's great to see young actors pulling off the drama in life convincingly and naturally. I never noticed a single awkward moment by these "brothers" as they both attacked their roles in various scenes, be it a crime, sex, or dramatic scene. 

A question was running through my mind as I was watching the movie: Is this movie glorifying the acts of these criminals? However, as other characters are introduced (like that of Alan Paule), I began to see a different angle of the story. The depiction of their crime is not glorification of the act itself but an invitation for the viewers to get into the minds of the protagonists and see how they are being manipulated and used by those we expect to help them get out from the pit where they fall. It is a depiction of a reality that is currently happening in our society and a call to be vigilant and not to ignore it.

Another plus to this movie is its ability to present the emotional upheaval that the protagonists are going through. They showed not only how good action stars they are but they also delivered strongly some emotion-laden scenes that reflect their ability as dramatic actors as well. Kodus to JP and Nico for such great acting.

I have to say that the sound editing and the music mixing have really made this movie pleasing to my senses, making the movie even more touching. Scenes like Nico humming a music (a lullaby?) to calm his wife and having a music of the same tune to what he is humming creates a spine-tingling feeling to its listener. It was not overdone. Just the right amount of volume. Congrats to this achievement.

Tandem is a major achievement in the film industry. That is why watching indie films is refreshing and, for me, a cure to the ailing and highly commercialized film industry that has big stars in the title role at the expense of a more socially-relevant theme. 

Thanks to its director who risks making a film with social relevance like Tandem. I hope more and more Filipinos will appreciate movies like this. The future in Philippine Cinema is really in the hands of this new generation of risk-takers. Mabuhay po kayong lahat!

My rating for this movie:         4 stars out of 5.

Movie Review of Mandirigma

Starring:

Luis Alandy, Ping Medina, Alwyn Uytingco, Marc Solis, Victor Basa, Carlo Cruz, Jerico Estregan, Ken Anderson, introducing Jeffrey Marquez , and Mon confiado as Hamda Marawan

Produced, Written, and Directed by Arlyn de la Cruz

My review:

Timely! Sobering!

That is how I describe Mandirigma which I saw yesterday at Robinson's Manila.

The movie centers on the the dedication of the marines and the sacrifices they do for the country and for their respective family. It revolves around the ongoing conflict in Sulu, a theme that could have been interestingly developed all throughout the movie but failed to do so.

It was for me an ambitious theme to tackle since it reminds viewers of the controversial Mamasapano incident, albeit not intended by Arlyn. I admire the boldness of the director to choose this theme for her film since it speaks of the horror and the reality of the  disturbing reality faced by our brothers and sisters in some war-infested places in Mindanao. But it is a theme that involves historical facts on the conflict not only from the side of the marines but from the side of the Tausug people as well. The movie gives a hint on the complexity of the root causes of this conflict when the question was raised by the Tausug soldier how this conflict began and what they are actually fighting for, that he himself doesn't know. This question was met with silence by the group, a scene which brilliantly depicts the absurdity of war where victors are themselves victims, and winners could end up losers. It begs the question: In war, who really wins?

Praise to Mon Confiado who convincingly and believably played his role as Hamda Marawan. A great actor enables us to see the character as he really is. And Mon flawlessly delivered it. 

I also admire the way the movie ends, giving a hint that the conflict in the plot is not resolved, a kind of a no-happy-ending, which makes the movie more realistic. I can see the amount of research on the validity of the facts as depicted in the movie. To this, I give credit to Ma'am Arlyn.

There are shortcomings in the film that I had observed which I would like to point out. But I hope this would not deter people from seeing the movie since watching the movie allows one to have a peek into the lives of the marines who fight for our country, their individual struggles, and their desire to have a peaceful and better Philippines.

First, the lack of a main protagonist that would have hinged the various characters and story lines in the movie. Having one in a movie allows the viewers to follow scene after scene the development of the plot with focus. What happens in this film is that there really is no main protagonist. And that is not bad, had the movie been categorized as documentary. A full-length movie requires a main character that serves as a focus, or else, viewers will be just be watching plain narratives that they could see on tv or newspapers. 

I can see  a few characters worthy of becoming the main protagonist. Among them is the Tausug soldier. His character is very fertile for conflicts of the story and a deeper research into the root causes of the fightings in Sulu. It would have been a torment for him to be a soldier and at the same time to fight against his own people. I noticed it particularly in his conversation with the child of Marawan. He is trying to comfort the son of the man his group killed, and him being a Tausug must have lots of questions in his mind on the whys and whats of this war.

Secondly, the disclaimer. Putting it in the end of the movie is for me not helpful to the viewers particularly with sensitive issues like this.  After watching the movie and reading the disclaimer in the end, a conclusion was already made in my mind that the Tausugs are really the enemies. A dangerous conclusion, indeed. Fortunately, as a Mindanaoan, I know that there is more to what I just saw. I prefer to have the disclaimer in the beginning of the film to alert and condition the mind of the viewers that although the incidents are based on true events, the movie is not intended to to mean that the Tausugs are the enemies.

And thirdly, the editing. I was lost for a while trying to connect the dots of who is who. I realized later that the brother of a dead marine has also joined the marines. It is difficult to decipher who am I watching at the moment when the editing is not finely done. And I think it has something to do with having no main protagonist because as the movie progresses it made me curious as to whose life story I am following at the moment. 

As regards giving honor to the marines who at present risk their lives for the love of our country and to the fallen ones in the past, I believe the movie delivers it well. Kodus to Ma'am Arlyn for that. I just hope that next time when sensitive themes like this will be tackled in a movie, that it would not fail to consider the three things I mentioned above which for me can give shape and authenticity to the film as a whole.

I left the theater with questions in my mind and with the observations I have written above. I am just glad that there is a bold woman like Direk Arlyn who cares about sensitive issues like the theme of the movie and dares to make a film about it. I hope many will watch the movie and appreciate the effort the crew put into this film. All the best Direk Arlyn and may you keep on making films.

My rating for this film:             3 out of 5 stars.

Toto the Movie

Starring:

Sid Lucero, Bembol Roco, Neil Ryan Sese, Mara Lopez, Thou Reyes, Blake Boyd, Jelson Bay, Liza Dino, Bibeth Orteza, Che Ramos, Marnie Lapus, Raul Montesa, Carlos Cruz, David Christopher, Lorenz martinez, Sheila Valderrama, and Rafa Siguion-Reyna.

Director: John Paul Su

My  Review of Toto

As I began to search for my blog's password "without surrender-ing," I eventually found it lying dormant in my phone's "notes." Now, I'm back to business!

And what a privilege to open my movie review blog again with a Filipino independent film entitled "TOTO."

Hilarious! Touching! Entertaining!Inspiring!

This is how I would describe this John Paul Su movie that stars one of the young versatile actors we have in the Philippine Cinema today, Sid Lucero. A great revelation of Sid's comedic side that comes out naturally and almost effortlessly. The movie centers on Toto's relentless pursuit for his "American Dream" and tackles, among others, the inner struggles of a dreamer and his journey towards self-fulfillment in the midst of conflicting voices inside and outside. I hardly recognized Bembol Roco who remarkably acts as Sid's father who, in a way, becomes his guiding "inner voices" (conscience).

The movie presents hard facts in life, particularly that of someone who is in the road to recovery after being struck by a tragedy (in this movie, the aftermath of the typhoon "Yolanda"). To do whatever it takes to realize one's dream is the overall theme of the movie. However, as the story of this young dreamer unfolds, it also becomes clear that he is finding his true self in the midst of conflicting personal, social, and cultural values. And to be true to it! Toto is an epitome of a common Filipino who aspires to make his life and that of his family better, unmindful of big personal sacrifices at times, ready to learn to take "one step at a time" (a line that Toto's girlfriend Tessa keeps on reminding him).

The cast ensemble is a big factor why this movie for me is a gem. I found every supporting cast to be very good actor. Bembol Roco and Bibeth Orteza, among others, really shine through. And of course, Sid Lucero, the protagonist, who is known for his dramatic roles, displays his versatility here as a natural comedian. One can't help but laugh at some scenes where a serious conversation is sprinkled with "biro" lines by Sid, one which is very relatable to me as a Filipino. Sid's acting in this movie is for me worthy of best actor awards!!!

There are a few scenes which I found to be long enough for the message to be conveyed. And I think it's a matter of editing. But I leave that to the experts. Because I also found some scenes worthy of praise as regards focusing. I love how the scenes are taken from "inside -out." Two scenes I could remember: the one from inside the locker and the sepulcher.They were brilliant directing for me because it gives a certain perspective that life has to be seen also from inside-out. Well, that is just my little psychological knowledge that is creeping in. What I really want to emphasize is the brilliant positioning of the camera! And for this, I give credits to this brilliant young director named John Paul Su who I happened to meet outside the theater (Robinson's Manila, after the 12:45 screening of the movie today, Dec. 18).

I am convinced that great directors bring out the best in the actors. Given the natural and good performances of the cast ensemble, Direk JP Su convincingly displays his directorial prowess worthy of warm kudos!!!

To touch the audience by successfully pulling off together both funny and dramatic scenes in a matter of seconds and allow the audience to experience a roller-coaster of emotions all throughout the movie while keeping the theme intact is an achievement of a good collaborative effort by the director and the crew. So, to everyone responsible for creating this magnificent, touching, inspiring and hilarious film, Toto, felicitaciones! You make us proud of our very own Filipino Films!

So, I invite everyone to watch Toto and find your own story, and be entertained and inspired as Toto's life's joy, disappointments, failures, and success unravel before you in the big screen. Catch it in Robinson's Place Manila today. Screening time varies every day.

My rating for Toto:          4 out of 5 stars!!!!!!

So long for now. I still have more indie films to catch up.

Review for the musical

 WICKED, The Untold Story of the witches of Oz

The Casts

Jemma Rix as Elphaba

Suzie Mathers as Glinda

Steve Danielsen as Fiyero

Maggie Kirkpatrick as Madame Morrible

Emily Cascarino as Nessarose

Edward Grey as Boq

Glen Hogstorm as Dr. Dillamond

Ali Calder as (Standby) Elphaba

The Production Staff

Joe mantello – Director

Eugene Lee – scenic design

David stone, universal pictures, etc. – producers

Stephen Schwartz – music and lyrics

Winnie holtzman – book

Gregory Maguire – author of the novel

Introduction:

In this month of February, I will divert for a moment from my usual review of movies to reviewing a musical I saw at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last February 13, 2014 with two good friends who, like me, enjoyed it so much: Wicked, The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz. I am sharing here my own thoughts of the musical, how it touched me, and probably how much I enjoyed it, like the rest who was in the theater that fun-filled evening. It is quite different to make a review of something that is not within my comfort zone. But, like other works of art, a musical has a lot to tell, teach, and entertain us. So, here is my review.

The Musical

Featuring the music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holtzman, and based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked tells the story of two girls who met in the Land of Oz who then became close friends, so close that they even end up like real sisters. It’s a story about love, friendship, being different and loving it, pursuit for dreams, and, most of all, it is about the power of goodness that I believe is in the heart of everyone, including those we believed (and perhaps, misunderstood) to be “wicked.”

Galinda (played by Suzie Mathers), who later became Glinda because of Dr. Dillamond's difficulty in pronouncing her name, is a blonde, beautiful, ambitious, and popular girl, while Elphaba (played by Jemma Rix), born with  emerald-green skin that makes her look so distinct from the rest, is a smart, compassionate, and outspoken girl who dreamed of meeting the Wizard of Oz all her life. The journey of these two friends and how they come to be called the Wicked Witch of the West (Elphaba) and Glinda the Good (Galinda) is something to behold in this spectacular, exhilarating, awe-inspiring, and  breath-taking new musical that I believe will last for years.

My Review

Wicked-ly funny! Wicked-ly exhilarating! Wicked-ly mesmerizing! Wicked-ly brainy! 

That is how great for me is Wicked, the Untold Story of the Witches of Oz!

Seldom can a musical take one’s breath away, scene after scene, song after song. The audiences’ applause from beginning to end tells it all. The choreography, the lightings (I love how the lights emphasized Elphaba’s face as she defies gravity at the end of Act I), stage design (the gigantic parts of a clock (?) on the background was captivating), the props (I love “the huge mechanical head of the wizard” with the roaring voice), music and lyrics, and the gifted, talented, and powerful voices of the lead actors and supporting actors are the various components of this musical that make it great and awesome.

What makes it really work for me are the witty, intelligible, and relatable lines that come out from the mouth of the actors, whether sung or uttered. I was so amazed at how those lines, so clearly and spontaneously delivered by the two leading actors in particular, reached the ears and the heart of the audience. I could hear giggles and “ows” in the theater as the characters exchanged words in song or in just plain conversation.

In the opening act, one could not help but be struck by a question from Galinda, “Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?” This question set the tone for the whole story as the life of Elphaba is revealed before us, how the people treat her, how she manages to cope with being “different,” and how, through it all, she defies gravity, trusting her instincts, and soars high, thanks to her unlikely friendship with Glinda. But, what fate awaits the two of them? Watch the show then.

The Music and Lyrics

I am actually drawn to Wicked’s beautiful music and lyrics as they are sung clearly and powerfully by the two lead actors and the supporting cast. It is through these lyrics that my fondness and appreciation for this musical continues to grow. Through them, I will share my own understanding and opinion to this musical. So, allow me now to share with you some of the songs and their lyrics that moved me, which I believe moved others as well, and still does. Here they are:

1.   “Dancing through life down at the Ozdust, if only because dust is what we come to…”

Sounds true. We all end up becoming dust. And we dance through life in the pace and style that we know and love, although at times, forced by circumstances.

This line that comes from “Dancing Through Life” with Fiyero (love interest of Galinda and Elphaba), Galinda, Boq (in love with Galinda), Elphaba, and Nessarose (Elphaba’s sister who likes Boq), remarkably tell the different places of each character as they move in the dance floor of life: one liking the other who has another love interest, the other expecting to be the only love interest by someone who actually has his eye on another, yet, they all danced anyway, not knowing exactly how it will end.

2.   “Popular”

This song, which Galinda sang for Elphaba, tells us a lot about Galinda’s personality who wants her friend to be popular “just not quite as popular” as her. The bubbly rhythm of this music was matched with her cheerful and fun-filled rendition of it. This is one of the most applauded performance.

This song actually reflects something in each of us, that dream for popularity that, according to Galinda, is “not about aptitude, it’s the way you’re viewed, so it’s very shrewd to be very popular” like her. Oh, those younger years in college.

3.   “Every so often we long to steal to the land of what-might-have-been. But that doesn’t soften the ache we feel when reality sets back in.”

It’s from a melancholic song “I’m Not That Girl,” sang by Elphaba when she feels the adrenaline rush upon seeing the love of her life, but realized later that he falls for someone else (or, so she thought!). Melancholic as it may sound, this song beautifully captures an individual’s awareness of what she feels and who she is. It expresses her deep longing for what might have been. In the same song, she also tries to remind herself this way: “Don’t dream too far. Don’t lose sight of who you are.”

4.   “I’m through accepting limits ’cause someone says they’re so. Some things I cannot change, but till I try, I’ll never know….And if I’m flying solo, at least I’m flying free.”

This is from “Defying Gravity,” a captivating and exhilarating music good enough to end the First Act, worthy of deafening applause from the audience. It’s a courageous statement of a person who has awakened from her slumber, realizing what she is capable of, going for it, and bravely defies whatever she thinks can get along the way. It is also an encouraging statement for those who live in the shadow of doubts about themselves and what they are capable of.  At some points in our lives though, we must defy gravity.

5.   “One question haunts and hurts, too much, too much to mention: Was I really seeking good or just seeking attention?”

This is from the song “No Good Deed.” Here, Elphaba is in dilemma. Seeing all her loved ones (Fiyero, Nessa, Dr. Dillamond) in pain and wanting to save them but could not, and with people making her feel culpable for their fate, she vowed not to do ever again any good deed. Thus, she becomes who she is!

It makes me really reflect back to Glinda’s question at the start: “Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?”

6.   “I’ve heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn. And, we are led to those who help us most to grow if we let them. And we help them in return….Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.”

This is from the song “For Good.” This reflects the profound friendship and influences the two ladies have for one another. A bit sad, because it also tells of goodbye. However, it is also for me an inspiring song of gratitude, forgiveness, and acceptance. And what a line to say to that someone who changed you for good because of the opportunity to know him/her.

These and the other wonderful songs make up the greatest piece of jewel in this story that happened long before Dorothy got lost in the Emerald City of Oz.

Recommendation

Was it worth the time and the money? I think so. I would not mind seeing it over and over again, had I the moneyJ!

After all, there’s that good and wicked part in all of us. As some said, “We are blended beings!” And we will always be in our lifetime. This musical helps us face this truth, accept it, live in peace with it, so we can live life to the fullest.  Once we accept this truth with all our heart and mind, then, it’s possible that we, too, could be changed FOR GOOD!

So, be wicked-ly bewitched by this musical NOW!

My rating for this musical: 4.5 (out of 5).

Lee Daniel’s The Butler

Directed by	Lee Daniels
Produced by	Lee Daniels Cassian Elwes Buddy Patrick Pamela Oas Williams Laura Ziskin
Screenplay by	Danny Strong
Based on	"A Butler Well Served by This Election" by Wil Haygood
Starring	Forest Whitaker Oprah Winfrey
Music by	Rodrigo Leão
Cinematography	Andrew Dunn
Editing by	Joe Klotz
Studio	Laura Ziskin Productions Windy Hill Pictures Follow Through Productions Salamander Pictures Pam Williams Productions
Distributed by	The Weinstein Company

The Movie:

Lee Daniel’s The Butler is a 2013 American drama film that depicts fictionally the life of a real-life figure Eugene Allen. It stars one of the great and respected African – American actors Forrest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines who gives an account of his life from being a child raised in a cotton plantation in Macon, Georgia into becoming a celebrated butler in the White House starting at Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency up to Ronald Reagan’s regime. Living in an era beset by bigotry and racial discrimination, Cecil becomes a witness to a historical transformation of his beloved country in dealing with the issues on segregation between blacks and whites and in resolving them through various Civil Rights Acts, particularly the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by John F. Kennedy. Within Cecil’s 34 – year tenure as a butler in the White House, he also battles with his eldest son’s participation in different non-violent resistant movements in the south, a father-son conflict that is at the heart of this film.

With the loving support of his wife, Gloria (Oprah Winfrey), and his co-workers, Cecil manages to go through the troubles in his life with courage and perseverance. In his own way, he is able to fight for the rights of the black workers inside the White House in terms of having the same rate of salary and promotions as they so well-deserved. Included also in this film is the chronological presentation of the historical figures in the White House and their respective contributions or suppressions to the issues at hand, as well as the various non-violent resistant movements of the blacks in achieving their dream for freedom and integration. It culminates in the election of President Barack Obama, the first black president of the United States of America.

My Review:

The Butler is an inspiring, moving, and engaging film that tries to depict the struggles of a particular person and a particular race for inclusivity, integration, and the right to self-determination that is continuously sought since time immemorial by those who are considered to be at the bottom of the pyramid in a society. The film may have only highlighted some significant historical facts in a certain period of time, but it does not fail to deliver the essence of a good movie wherein one leaves the theater with something to think about. It touches the very heart of what it takes to be human, regardless of color, race, and culture.

I appreciated the fact how the movie depicts the struggles of each president in looking at the issues and their great contributions through the implementation of various civil rights acts. It portrays them as humans who, with their own strengths and flaws engaged themselves in a battle of conscience to do the right thing. I give credits to the good actors who portrayed them: the enigmatic Robin Williams as Dwight D. Eisenhower, James Marden as John F. Kennedy, Liev Schreiber as Lyndon B. Johnson, John Cusack as Richard Nixon, and Alan Rickman who is laudable in his portrayal as the 40^th President of the US Ronald Reagan.

It is also notable how the civil rights movements are interspersed throughout the film. One of the very touching and intensely emotional scenes was the non-violent sit-in by the black students in a segregated diner. It was a painful scene to watch, thanks to the powerful portrayal by David Oyelowo (Louis Gaines) and Yaya DaCosta (Carol Hammie, Louis’s girlfriend), among others.

The movie, however, flawed as it was as regards historical accuracy, and the annoying music at times, was made memorable by the strong and captivating performance by Forrest Whitaker as the butler Cecil Gaines. It equaled, if not superseded, his great performance as the dictator Idi Amin of Uganda in the critically acclaimed 2006 film The Last King of Scotland where he won Best Actor in the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the BAFTAs, among others. Whitaker gives his best performance in this film by his powerful portrayal of a father who struggles to reconcile with his eldest son, a husband who tries to balance his job and his role to his wife, a butler who tries to serve in the White House warned just to serve - “hearing and seeing no evil,” and, an African-American who, like the rest, dreams of real freedom and integration of his own race into a very discriminating society. He is able to show the emotional, physical, and intellectual demands of each role making the movie really interesting, engaging, and unforgettable.

Another great acting in this movie is by Oprah Winfrey as Gloria Gaines, the wife of Cecil. Here, one sees an ordinary, yet a natural, clever performance of a world-renowned, sophisticated Oprah. It is really sad that she was not nominated in Academy Awards this year. She gives a remarkable performance as a wife who, despite an affair with a friend for that natural longing to be with someone because of Cecil’s absence, continues to be a loving support to her husband, making herself a strong strand that ties the disintegrating Gaines family. I admired her memorable performance in one scene where she tries to defend her husband from their eldest son’s harsh words and treatment of Cecil during a dinner with Louis’s girlfriend. It was powerful and emotional. And she nailed it!

This movie is actually a gathering of great Hollywood stars including, among others,   short but relevant appearances of David Banner (Cecil’s father), Mariah Carey (Hattie Pearl, Cecil’s mom), Jane Fonda (First Lady Nancy Reagan), Terrence Howard (Howard, the Gasineses’ neighbor romantically involved with Cecil’s wife Gloria), Vanessa Redgrave (Annabeth Westfall, the cotton farm caretaker who teaches Cecil domestic works after his father’s death), Clarence Williams II (Maynard, the mentor of a young Cecil and the owner of the restaurant that Cecil broke into), Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Carter Wilson, head butler), and Lenny Kravitz (a co-worker butler). It is amazing to see this line of excellent casts in one movie.

Lee Daniel, as well as his cinematographers, editors, producers, and other staff powerfully create a film that does not only entertain but also teaches us the indomitable human spirit that soars high above the vicissitudes in life. The theme may be common and the story fictionally told, but it is one movie that convinces every person that in life, something is worth-fighting and dying for.

I recommend this movie to all who never stops trying to reach their dreams in life, and to all who is open to learn from those who reached them through courage, perseverance, and non-violent resistance.

For this unforgettable movie, I give 4 (out of 5) stars!

Josh Groban Cinema Paradiso