What is Cinema?

As it were, 2017 has been a wonderful year with regards to the international films that were locally released in our theaters. Whether on a regular run or through festivals, there wasn't a dearth this year of films that were excellent, exemplary, awesome, memorable or just simply good. Those beautiful films that made our lives, well, better. I can probably cite as many as possible that can be bestowed such qualities. But rather than making a Top-10, -20 or -whatever list of the best films shown this year, I'll simply single out my favorite international film for 2017. And this is with emphasis on "favorite", which means that this is purely a subjective choice and not necessarily the best. The choice being made based on what for me constituted a unique cinematic experience. Regarding the "best" films, I'll leave that to the seasoned critics who, of course, know much better than I do. To put it bluntly, being my favorite film, I allow no dissenting opini...

The first image that we see in Laszlo Nemes' " Son of Saul " (2015, Hungary) is that of a green forest - blurred, out-of-focus, barely visible. The camera lingers on it for some more seconds until a barely-recognizable figure emerges, walking towards the camera until we clearly see in close-up the face of a man (Geza Rohrig). Another man briefly speaks to him and then they go about their "work" which, we eventually learn, involves rounding up newly-arrived Jews from all over Europe (men, women and children, young and old alike;what they term as "transports") in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II, at the time of Adolf Hitler's fascist rule and his implementation of the "Final Solution", under the pretext that they are to take a "shower" before working at the camp's "workshops", but in reality they are just being herded towards the gas chambers - their death. As screams and bangings are heard from the gas...

In a nominal sense, the title “ Call Me By Your Name ” may sound preposterous and absurd. But as one goes deeper into viewing Luca Guadagnino’s latest film, shown in the World Cinema section of this year’s Cinema One Originals (Nov. 13-21 at Gateway and Ayala Mall cinemas;Nov. 22-28 at Power Plant cinema) and which had its premiere in this year’s Sundance film festival, the phrase takes on a meaning that’s intended to incorporate the other person, to make him as part of one’s being. Making such a level of relationship particularly special is that it’s same sex in nature. Of course, cinema has been a witness for a long time to a wealth of homosexual relationships of varying nature and outcome. In that regard then, "Call Me By Your Name" can't be considered as something unique or revolutionary. What's noteworthy, however, is how the film is made up of seemingly small and freewheeling moments, but when taken altogether add up to a meaningful whole. Those of us who we...