Movies Opening This Week (November 21, 2012)

Opening on Philippine theaters are a Star Cinema love-anthology, an indie psycho-thriller, another Paranormal Activity chapter and an Indian romance movie.

24/7 IN LOVE

Kind of a pre-apocalyptic version of Hollywood's throwaway rom-coms like New Year's Eve and Valentines Day, Star Cinema's 24/7 in Love feels like another commercial success, at the expense of cinematic depth. If malaise towards Star Cinema rom-coms is a disorder, I would have been more accepting to the idea, but sadly, it isn't. The movie tells the stories of pairs of lovers as the earth faces its forthcoming demise. If the premise doesn't ring a bell, read my review of Seeking a Friend For the End of the World, and you'll see the unnerving similarities. (Proceed with Caution)

RIGODON

Erik Matti's direction is fine and sensitive. Uneven, but sensitive nonetheless. His latest, Rigodon, pivots around a young woman who builds a sexual relationship with a young man who happens to be married to someone else. As emotional dismal escalates, the young woman makes unspeakable horrors into palpable reality. I've seen the trailer a couple of times, and I'm frankly bought in. (Don't Hold Back)

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4

From my review: "When the first Paranormal Activity came out, I made pretty sure of myself that this is one contemporary horror franchise I'd like to follow. It is lo-fi, inspired, inventive and the most important thing, I suppose: scary. Activity's small beginning became a major cinematic fare involving bigger budgets and - sadly - lesser inspiration. You can guess if I'm still as enthusiastic in keeping eye on the franchise. Good thinking. Oren Peli pioneered the ingenious and durable franchise and in the second movie Tod Williams took over. Directing duo Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman did the movie after that, and this: Paranormal Activity 4 - the only movie in the franchise that had scares unusually tepid it's only respectful to call it Normal Activity 1." (Proceed with Caution)

JAB TAK HAI JAAN

I'm not crazy for romance, but there's something Jab Tak Hai Jaan when I first saw the trailer. It looks stellar and well-shot, and critics wouldn't have "extolled" it for nothing. It follows a young man who finds and loses his love in London. Ten years after, now diagnosed of amnesia, fate tries to reunite him with his lost love, but problems spring from the surface.

Now I know that this movie won't be for everyone, especially with it's lengthy three-hour screen time, so think it over if you're up for three hours of drama and romance. (Proceed with Caution)