Bang Bang Alley

"New" is a word that we can describe the three directors of the three- part movie anthology "Bang Bang Alley," a "film noir-ish" film produced by former Eraserheads' front man Ely Buendia. Unfortunately, the adjective "new" only goes far as describing the three directors as "first timers." However, in terms of style, storytelling and that elusive "originality" factor, the three short stories of "Bang Bang Alley" look more dated and imitative than new-fangled. "Bang Bang Alley" takes inspiration from early Quentin Tarantino, Nicholas Winding Refn and Park Chan-wook. That being said, first time directors Ely Buendia, Yan Yuzon and King Palisoc showed promise and they still have a long career ahead of them. Only time will tell if they will succumb to the pull of mainstream cinematic style and commerce, which we cannot blame them if they do. After all, they need to work, and as one filmmaker once told me, "it's all about the money so don't be too serious in attaining prestige."

Of the three stories, King Palisoc's "Makina" stood out. The second story is more coherent, logical, confidently directed, and generally well acted with a good ensemble cast lead by Gabe Mercado and Althea Vega. The unnecessary shaky camera-work and weird angles are absent and Palisoc focused more on his characters and his narrative. Unlike the two stories, the cinematography actually enriches the film, and the editing was better than the other two stories. With all the elements working relatively well together, Palisoc's story is more interesting and the audience's viewing experience will potentially be more complete. In the end, we can understand the motivations of Palisoc's characters. Kudos for Gabe Mercado for giving the best performance in the entire film.

BRUN PHILIPPINES CRITICS CIRCLE