Sukob

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04/16/2022 Today, whenever one-word-title films are featured, we come to expect much because we anticipate that at least they might go against the usual popular, formulaic films that only rake profits for the producers. In the 70s and 80s, films with one-word titles became instant classics and bestsellers. They featured power plots written by academe-learned screenwriters and showcased breakthrough, tour-de-force performances by upcoming actors handled by directors who were strongly driven by advocacies in the midst of repressed martial law environments—all gave rise to these masterpieces, which would later reap awards from all over the world. The plethora of very good films such as "Insiang," "Itim," "Kisapmata," "Jaguar," "Himala," "Bona" produced by Lino Brocka, Mike de Leon, Ishmael Bernal, and others—has attested to this. Yet, we are proven wrong. While "Feng-shui" was quite a box-office in 2004, owing to its freshness, "Sukob" does just as poorly. Though exploring a theme as local as the superstitious beliefs involving marriage is a brave attempt to seek something new, the manner of presenting the theme, though, is not as new. For one, the long-range shot of Kris Aquino's Sandy falling from the belfry is a standout inconsistency in terms of cinematography. It still calls for more effects, for ideally it if can be shot as close as the confrontation between the curse girl and the sisters inside the belfry itself. It could have been given much attention—not haphazardly treated. Moreover, the use of the corpse bride [flower girl motif] appears much like Tim Burton's Helena Bonham voiced-over character in "The Corpse Bride." Claudine Barreto's melodramatic acting also does not make the film horrifying at all, while Kris Aquino's frowns and smirks—in scenes which does not require them [she usually does on TV shows]—do not help much. The use of scary characters and situations that go with abrupt sounds of horror tells us that to jolt is scare is to horrify is to make money. Offering no more than jolts and scares, Sukob belongs to the scary movie roster, perhaps a cousin to "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Scream." Nothing much is there to say about the film, except that it features the vulgarly popular Feng-shui star Kris Aquino with her popularly known best friend Claudine Barreto. The film either capitalizes on the actress's bonding or vice-versa. Commercialism in the film industry has never been vulgar as this. Even obviously showing branded products in the films which the actresses themselves endorse tells us that the films being made only cater to the whims of its producers or financiers, not to any purpose of art. This setup is entirely Filipino, as if to perennially say to us, art cannot exist without the interests of the producers and capitalists. As regards "free plugging," the film's use of capitalists' products in the film itself is paralleled to that of a literary magazine that features advertisement to finance the publication itself. What else is new? "Sukob" owes Roño's previous film "Feng-shui" much of its inspiration and even elements of horror. Even then, a horror film involving the same Kris Aquino will be highly open to comparison. And as is usually said of trilogies or movies with sequels and prequels, the original movie can never be equaled. In fact, Feng-shui can never be repeated because of the freshness it offered few years ago. The second work in the same vein of any film director always suffers the fate of a second best—a copy of the original. The film vacillates between melodrama and horror. In so doing, it ends up uncertain about its purpose, for it does not seek to deliver anything whole in the end. Film's auteur theory—one that says a body of works by the same author usually belong to the same vein, much like a singer sings songs with similar melodies in a single album—is shown perfectly clear by Roño in the two films he has recently made. The two films are, shall we say, split personalities of the same identity. Perhaps like other filmmakers who have to be conscious of their art, Roño has to seek new ways of _expression using the film medium, if only to make the film discipline as respectable as it is can be. Now that the scare era is waning, producing a horror film that does not present anything new is not so much a gracious exit as it is an ugly closure. As is proven in the film, moomoos and monotony seem to work well together. See more 01/08/2013 ONE OF MY FAVORITE FILIPINO HORROR FILM,"SUKOB" IS UNDENIABLY SCARY!!! See more 10/06/2012 Director Chito Roño and actress Kris Aquino's second team-up, 'Sukob' is a scary wedding thriller but arguably, their first partnership in 'Feng Shui' is more terrifying and much better. See more 05/11/2012 Another unique horror suspense!! See more 04/27/2012 This Filipino horror movie is truly a 'worth the wait' film... It's originality in the way it started in to the way it ended plus the story's rawness for a wedding curse will absolutely carry you to a very scary location... The newnes in its story will catch your attention. How come you cannot enjoy the movie if the leading and the supporting actresses are breaking ceiling in their acting, plus the frightfully flower girl ghost will bite your ass to scream! Original and Breathtaking motion picture, that is all I can say... A movie that is worth watching from start to finnish... Amazing!!!... See more 03/19/2011 buti na lang wala akong sister sa labas! haha! See more Read all reviews

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