Korean, American, Pinoy in pre-Christmas battleground

Christmas must indeed be around the corner at the rate production houses have been fielding their movies before they become stale. This was our feeling last week as we set out to watch the new offerings. Still, we were surprised at the number of new films showing simultaneously.

No. 1 on our list was the American thriller called The Counselor directed by Ridley Scott, with Michael Fassbender, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem and lastly, Brad Pitt. The truth is, we only went to find out Brad’s contribution to the film. Michael and Penelope open the movie with lovemaking under the sheets establishing purity and innocence of two people in love till the end of their lives. Michael is cajoled by Spanish actor Javier (married to Penelope in real life) to join him in the underworld for quick cash.

Criminal that he is, Javier is putty in the hands of the malevolent vixen Cameron, who uses her sexual acrobatics to entice her men. (Don’t miss her innovative panty-less sex dance on Javier’s front car mirror while he sits aghast while she “comes” on the mirror outside. How can the MTRCB rate this portion that doesn’t show anything but Javier’s unbelieving eyes!)

Finally, we meet Brad as the philosophizing shady middleman Westray who warns Michael of the dangers of entering such a criminal world that he thinks he can as easily get out of. Brad manages to bring into his short role his own brand of charm and wit while playing villainous and depraved characters. We recall watching him in Inglourious Basterds in 2009 in Quentin Tarantino’s shocking World War II film where he led a band of Jewish-American soldiers hunting Nazis and scalping them without showing any sign of remorse.

Without going into details as to how the film will end, anyone can tell that it cannot sail on to a happy conclusion. But just how horrifying, you will just have to find out yourself.

After The Counselor, we move on to Gaydar with Pauleen Luna, Rafael Rosell and Tom Rodriguez, who is suspected to be gay. Director Alvin Yapan says the film is based on a short story he had written in the past. We find the movie interesting enough, except that coming so close to the ending of My Husband’s Lover which turned Tom into the country’s favorite married gay, many feel he might get imprisoned in gay roles for a long time.

We next watch Don’t Cry, Mommy a 2012 South Korean dramatic crime story of a mother’s revenge against her daughter’s rapists. It premiered at the 2012 Busan International Film Festival before its theatrical release. Director Kim Yong-han has stated that he wanted to raise awareness about sex crimes by charting “the tragic course of the lives of victims and their families as vividly as possible. Sexual abuse is like devastating a human’s soul.”

Recently divorced, Yoo-lim lives with her only daughter, Eun-ah, a high school student enrolled in a new school. A smart and engaging Cello player, Eun-ah makes friends easily, and a classmate Jo-han has caught her eye. One day, she asks her mom to prepare some baked goodies which she puts in a box, texts Jo-han saying she has something for him and they decide to meet at the top of a building. Upon her arrival, she is welcomed by Jo-han with his gang who leave her after brutally raping her.

Eun-ah comes home battered and disturbed, telling mommy the story. Because the rapists are minors, they cannot be prosecuted and the most the law can do is arrange for an amicable settlement with Mommy and the rapists’ parents. They offer money which Mommy refuses, which angers the parents even more, accusing mother and daughter of being at fault, of Eun-ah of seducing Jo-han, of Mommy herself being guilty of not being a good example to her daughter. They then threaten to upload footage of the rape online the boys have taken. Mommy swears she will bring them to jail and consults with a female lawyer on the possibilities available.

More new pre-Christmas movies on Live Feed Nov. 20.

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