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Ploning - A Cuyuno Folk Song |
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This was my reply (and film review) to joeysthing's review of Ploning. Read on:
 I saw Ploning last Saturday night, and I read this review and discussion thread just now. Very interesting. I don't know Joey or Dante personally, and I have no intention of mingling with their private affairs. I just think that it's a sad thing if Ploning's director or his production team would take criticisms personally. I say be open to one's honest opinions of a film because every opinion is valid just like Joey's review.
Ploning is not flawless nor it is a failure, but it is disappointing in some aspects. My biggest issue with the movie is the storytelling. As a viewer, I find the narrative confusing and confused. It's not to say that I didn't get the story because I did. I also didn't like most of the screenplay. It was too talky and in-your-face. I appreciate what the characters have to say, but I'm all for subtlety. I'd rather see and feel than hear. E 'di sana nakinig na lang ako ng pagsasaradyo, di'ba?! It's hard to feel compassion for the characters when the script desperately and obviously asks for it. I wanted to feel for the characters but I felt no connection to any of them. Probably because many characters weren't built-up solidly. Like Alma's and Nieves'. Even Celeste's character is lacking. I don't get her. I don't understand why she had to go away and go back to Cuyo. Because she's supposedly learned from the motherly love of Ploning for Digo but she had to find her self somewhere else first? I didn't feel it. Why did Digo ride the wooden raft? It didn't make much sense.
The first half of the movie started building the characters of Digo and Ploning, but when Tessie Tomas entered the scene and her flashbacks began, it started to feel like The Divine Secrets of Yaya Sisterhood, and it went downhill from there. How the last 30 minutes of the film explained why the characters did what they did was underwhelming. I was expecting to get more involved, but it left me asking, "That's it?!"
Ploning as the central character didn't work for me. I didn't feel her. I suppose they meant for her to be ethereal (or even saintly to a certain extent), but I didn't feel it. I can imagine maybe Chin-Chin Gutierrez or Angel Aquino (if they were younger) or Iza Calzado leaving that kind of impression without having to do much, because really, Judy Ann Santos didn't do much. Judy Ann is a competent actor, and I like some of her works. I'm all for a subtle performance, but Judy Ann wasn't acting most of the time. She was just standing there smiling or trying to look mysterious. The only time I got affected by her portrayal of emotions was when Ploning cried upon overhearing her dad telling Digo how Ploning and he had a gap. And she's so fair for crying out loud! She's supposed to be a native Cuyonan. But Judy Ann was at her most beautiful in this movie.
There were some magical moments; I especially love the scenes of Digo and Veling-- when the former taught the latter how to swim and then Veling said, "Hindi kita lulunurin, kapatid kita.", when Veling punished Digo for asking their mom "Kelan ka mamatay?" and when Juaning was desperately asking Veling to free Digo from the tree. I was teary eyed, and it touched me. For me, the strongest point of the story was the relationship between Digo and Veling. The story could have been so much better if it focused on them.
The acting also left me wanting. I hate to say this but most of the veteran actors were overacting. Nangunguna si Tony Mabesa. Even Gina Pareno (who was very good in Kubrador) and Spanky Manikan were hideously over the top here. Tessie Tomas was irritatingly jolly. Mylene Dizon and Ces Quesada were bland. Eugene Domingo had her moments. Meryl Soriano was good, but her character was very short-written. Beth Tamayo and Ketchup's characters were of no importance. Native Cuyonans Ogoy Agustin, Boodge Fernandez and Cedric Amit showed potential; I just wish their parts were well written.
I don't watch a movie for its cinematography, but Ploning's cinematography is breathtaking and that is an understatement. Mas na-appreciate ko ang cinematography dito than in, say, Sa Pusod ng Dagat. The film was able to show how amazing a small town like Cuyo is. Parang gusto ko tuloy puntahan at mag-photo op sa lahat ng batuhan hehehe! I also like the musical scoring.
I also appreciate how the film showed the culture and traditions of Cuyo. For these reasons alone, Ploning is definitely not a failure, and I'd like to congratulate its director, Dante Nico Garcia, for making a very glossy and artistic film. I salute you for that. But like all films, Ploning has its shortcomings. It's just a pity that Ploning's happened to be the heart and soul of a film, its story and storytelling. But you're a brilliant director, and I'll be supporting your forthcoming films.
Mabuhay ang Pelikulang Pilipino!
And how ABS-CBN totally snobbed Juday and the promotion of her film is disgusting. Shame on you, ABS-CBN, tsk tsk.
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