Metro Manila (2013) directed by Sean Ellis, 5th September

Plot

Set in the Philippines. After a poor harvest, rice farmer and former soldier Oscar is forced to seek a better life with his family in Manila. Like a fish out of water the family are overwhelmed by the intensity of the city and fall foul of their situation and taken advantage from the hard bitten locals. Luckily Oscar finds a break working as an armoured car guard. His luck changes and his senior partner takes Oscar under his wing but is he being used again.

Review 

Set in the Philippines this film was written and directed by English director Sean Ellis.

This film is a mash up of Genres.

The film opens with beautiful lush shots of the countryside in the Northern Phillipines. After the failed harvest, Oscar and his family journey to Manila and once there they try to seek a better life but they fall further into poverty whilst trying to maintain their dignity. Oscar takes up any labouring work whilst Mia his wife starts to work as a hostess in a girly bar. Everywhere they turn people are hostile and when people are helpful they soon fall victim to them. This thread is shot as an arthouse/documentary style with long lingering shots of Oscar and Mai and the countryside as they journey to Manila. It also highlights the poverty and sex industry of the city.

Then by chance Oscar applies for a job as an armoured car guard. He is spotted by Ong a seasoned guard who helps to get him the job and soon Oscar becomes his pupil. Here there is definitely chemistry between Oscar ( Jake Macapagal) and Ong ( John Arcilla). Hence we enter the buddy/cop film.

Ong is not as he appears and from his actions he sets Oscar onto a course of action which he cannot escape. Finally the film becomes a thriller/heist film.

The soundtrack though quite minimal really adds to the film.

As said before this is a mash up of styles from arthouse/documentary, buddy/cop and finally thriller/heist. There are enough twists and turns in the film and real tension as the film comes to it's climax. Though the film does slightly drag with the arthouse/documentary part but this is due to the subject matter of the unrelenting hopelessness, harshness, poverty and poor luck which makes it quite depressing.

To be honest this film's story does not have to be based in the Philippines and it could be easily transposed to any part of the world and it would still work. The story alone has a universal appeal.

An altogether quite complete film which was really entertaining and stands out significantly. My favourite film of the year. Go and see it.

10/10

Rush (2013) directed by Ron Howard, 3rd September

Plot

Set in the 70s in the wold of Formula 1 focusing on the intense rivalry between James Hunt the gentlemen playboy racer and Niki Lauda the consummate professional racer both on and off the track. Culminating in the final race of 1976 where this final race would determine the championship.

Review

The film starts 6 years before the 1976 championship. Where both James Hunt and Niki Lauda meet and lock horns in the Formula 3 division. Here we have two very different characters where James Hunt is the hard drinking, partying playboy racer with a natural ease with women and people. Whilst Niki Lauda is the cold, abrasive and technically brilliant driver engineer. For all there differences they have both similar backgrounds coming from privilege but ostracised by their families in their pursuit to become racing drivers. The thing that makes them both similar is their hunger and passion for winning and their pursuit to become world champion.

Although this is a film set in the world of motor racing it is more a film of passion and what drives men to risk their lives in the pursuit of winning.

The main leads of Chris Hemsworth ( Hunt) and Daniel Bruhl ( Lauda) are brilliant and the film is dominated by it's two leads giving very little room for any one else. Even the race cars take second place but there is enough of them for you to remember that this is a race film. To be honest there is very little in this film for the leading ladies Olivia Wilde ( Hunt's wife) and Alexandra Maria Lara ( Lauda's wife). Every other character is almost a sideline in this film.

This is the second collaboration between Ron Howard and Peter Morgan after Frost/Nixon. They have focused on the human side of racing and not the cars making this a gripping and intense film. Both have managed to capture the era and give real intensity to the on and off track rivalry. It is also pretty realistic in capturing the danger  and atmosphere of the time by careful use of achieve footage. All that was missing was the petrol fumes.

This is a great film where it pursues the difference and similarities between two men making them both human and in the end you want both to win. As both are heroes and villains at the same time but different in their own ways.

You are still going to enjoy this film even if you are not a motor racing fan.

9/10