Movie No. 23 (2015): BAMBANTI
Bambanti (a.k.a. Scarecrow)
Director: Zig Dulay
Cast: Alessadra De Rossi, Micko Laurente, Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino, Juli Diaz
This is another film of the five-film Sinag Maynila Film Festival this year. This film is another affirmation that some memorable or great films center on simple stories. These can be stories that we often take for granted in favor of heavily-plotted thriller or mysteries, inane love stories, or poorly structured fantasies, or mindless slapstick comedies. Films that come to mind are Bicycle Thieves and Children of Heaven. These are great films that capitalized on simple stories. While Bambanti may not have achieved the greatness of Bicycle Thieves and Children of Heaven, it will remain, in my opinion, as a strong character study with a disturbing twist. The script is not perfect, but it's imperfection is practically overshadowed by Alessadra De Rossi's superb performance as the widowed mother of a child who's the main suspect of stealing a gold watch. Yes, the whole film is practically about finding who really stole the watch and, in the process, relationships are put strain and characters forced to react.
Director: Zig Dulay
Cast: Alessadra De Rossi, Micko Laurente, Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino, Juli Diaz
This is another film of the five-film Sinag Maynila Film Festival this year. This film is another affirmation that some memorable or great films center on simple stories. These can be stories that we often take for granted in favor of heavily-plotted thriller or mysteries, inane love stories, or poorly structured fantasies, or mindless slapstick comedies. Films that come to mind are Bicycle Thieves and Children of Heaven. These are great films that capitalized on simple stories. While Bambanti may not have achieved the greatness of Bicycle Thieves and Children of Heaven, it will remain, in my opinion, as a strong character study with a disturbing twist. The script is not perfect, but it's imperfection is practically overshadowed by Alessadra De Rossi's superb performance as the widowed mother of a child who's the main suspect of stealing a gold watch. Yes, the whole film is practically about finding who really stole the watch and, in the process, relationships are put strain and characters forced to react.
The film is good, but a different ending would have the film better.
Rating: 3.0/4.0
Date seen: March 22, 2015
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