7 films to see on the week of May 12-May 19, 2017
A Silent Voice
A Japanese animated film, A Silent Voice revolves around a boy, Shoya, who bullies the new girl in class, Shoko, because she’s deaf. After she is forced to transfer school, Shoya is himself bullied and ostracized by his classmates. Years later Shoya is tormented by his past behavior and decides that he must see Shoko once more. Directed by Naoko Yamada. “A Silent Voice resonates as an authentic depiction of adolescent vulnerability and the uniquely cataclysmic perils of teenage life,” writes James Marsh of the South China Morning Post.
MTRCB Rating: PG
Come and Find Me
Claire and David’s idyllic relationship abruptly ends after she disappears without a trace. As he searches for her, David discovers that she was living a double life. Written and directed by Zack Whedon, the film stars Aaron Paul, Annabelle Wallis, and Garret Dillahunt. Nick Schager of the Village Voice writes: “Most like-minded films spend approximately 20 minutes on the same material covered by the entirety of Come and Find Me — a fact that leaves this mystery from writer/director Zack Whedon (brother of Joss) feeling insufferably drawn out.”
MTRCB Rating: R-13
The Bride
In mid 1800s rural Russia, there was an unusual practice of photographing dead relatives. Svyatoslav Podgayevsky writes and directs this horror movie in which a photographer of the deceased buries his dead wife with a young virgin to revive his dead wife’s soul inside the young virgin’s body. Things go terribly wrong. The film stars Aleksandra Rebenok, Victoria Agalakova, and Vyacheslav Chepurchenko. Nezavisimaya gazeta’s Natalia Grigorieva writes: “Shot in the twilight, in the pouring rain Bride is woven from cliches [translated from Russian].”
MTRCB Rating: PG
Touched with Fire
Popular with the critics on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, which gave the film a healthy 70% “fresh” rating, Touched with Fire revolves around two poets with bipolar disorder who meet in a treatment facility. Their chemistry drives each other to new artistic heights but they must ultimately must choose between sanity and love. Written and directed by Paul Dalio, it stars Katie Holmes and Luke Kirby. Moira MacDonald of the Seattle Times writes: “Dalio, who based the film (his directing debut) on his own struggles with bipolar disorder, establishes a gentle, honest tone that never wavers — and demonstrates a knack for vivid imagery that makes him a filmmaker to watch.”
MTRCB Rating: R-13
Bliss
Iza Calzado plays a successful actress who is gravely injured during the production of a film. Disabled, she finds herself under the care of her cruel husband and an unusual nurse, and soon finds herself trapped in her own home and starts to fear for her sanity. Written and directed by Jerrold Tarog, it also stars Ian Veneracion, Shamaine Buencamino, and Adrienne Vergara. Calzado was awarded the Yakushi Pearl Award at the Osaka Asian Film Festival 2017 for her performance in this film. Andrew Heskins of easternkicks.com writes: “True, the mystery of the film may not exactly keep you guessing to the final reel, but when the journey is this much fun it doesn’t have to. This is a well-constructed, intelligent slice of entertainment that does exactly that. Highly recommended.”
MTRCB Rating: R-18
One Step
A Korean romance starring Sandara Park as a singer who forgets her past after a tragic accident. But a strange melody she hums in her sleep may help her remember her past. Directed by Juhn Jai-hong, the film also stars Han Jae-suk.
MTRCB Rating: G
Our Mighty Yaya
A Regal Entertainment comedy about a plain but sympathetic woman from the province who is hired as a nanny for an affluent family in Manila. Ai-Ai de las Alas stars in this film directed by Jose Javier Reyes.
MTRCB Rating: G
