What Remains of Edith Finch
Developer: Annapurna Interactive
Available on: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Play time: 2 hours
TL;DR: Cry Try Buy
Like Gone Home before it, Edith Fitch tells a gripping story that will keep you pushing forward with each new revelation. There’s much more interactivity here than in its more vicarious predecessor though, with each member of the Finch family given a memorably distinct interactivity mechanic. For example, one chapter introduces a character’s growing psychological difficulties by having the player execute a routine set of actions “in real life” while also navigating a maze “in their head”.
Sadly, having ten different ways to interact means a constant learning curve with the controls, which are confusing to begin with. Equally mysterious is the resolution to the narrative, which — while quite fitting and poignant — is merely hinted at. “Show, don’t tell” is still the golden rule, but there should be at least one aha! moment by game’s end leading to a second playthrough, and not the other way around.
“I guess there’s a little devil inside all of us, isn’t there?”
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Starring: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver
Running time: 152 minutes
TL;DR: Cry Try Buy
If conventional wisdom is to be believed, middle children can be problematic. The Last Jedi seems to be proof of this, having neither its elder sibling’s skill in pandering to expectation, nor (I predict) its younger’s ability to get away with anything. Caught between sticking to tradition and forging its own path, the film makes some bold choices; not all well-executed, but all purposeful and mostly welcome. This may not be the Star Wars we’re looking for, but perhaps it’s the Star Wars we need.
Smaller and Smaller Circles
Directed by: Raya Martin
Starring: Nonie Buencamino, Sid Lucero, Bembol Roco, Carla Humphries
Running time: 111 minutes
TL;DR: Cry Try Buy
As a book, Smaller and Smaller Circles is a gripping thriller that exposes the systemic abuse that underprivileged children experience at the hands of those they most trust to lift them from their lot. As a movie, it is a disjoint, unevenly-acted collection of scenes that exposes F.H. Batacan’s penchant for wooden characters, melodramatic dialogue, and unnecessary French.
There are bright spots, such as the choral scoring that hits the right notes every now and again and a few fleeting moments of beautiful cinematography, but these only highlight the difficulty of adapting the novel to film. Rather than casting a new light on the source material, the writer-director’s choice to do a direct translation serves only to expose its shortcomings.
Coco
Directed by: Lee Unkrich
Starring: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt
Running time: 109 minutes
TL;DR: Cry Try Buy
With a relatable cast of characters, a heartwarming soundtrack, culturally-respectful visualizations, and a tear-jerker of a plot twist, there’s really nothing to complain about Coco except for the terrible Frozen ‘short’ that precedes it.
Loving Vincent
Directed by: Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman
Starring: Robert Gulaczyk, Douglas Booth, Jerome Flynn, Saoirse Ronan
Running time: 91 minutes
TL;DR: Cry Try Buy
Vincent Van Gogh ushered in the era of modern art with his choice of bold colors and expressive, layered brushwork. Loving Vincent is an apt tribute to his legacy not just in showcasing his style through the hand-painted scenes but also in telling a story as colorful and multi-layered as any of his masterpieces.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar
Developer: Airship Syndicate
Available on: PC, OSX, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Play time: 30 hours
TL;DR: Cry Try Buy
Nightwar‘s release comes at a time when Gen-Y nostalgia is at an all-time high, and delivers a experience that genuinely captures what was good about 90s JRPGs while leaving out most of the grind. More homage than original offering, the game plays like a “best-of” compilation of mechanics from Final Fantasy and other classic series, and proves to be more than the sum of its parts.
Respeto
Directed by: Treb Monteras II
Starring: Abra, Dido de la Paz, Chai Fonacier, Ybes Bagadiong
Running time: 80 minutes
TL;DR: Cry Try Buy
Respeto brings the audience face-to-face with the reality of Manila’s urban poor, with each day bringing a fresh danger and the mirage of a better life always just out of reach. There’s still magic to be found in this film, not in the rags-to-riches of a hero’s journey, but in the little victories that allow each character to hold their heads a bit higher as they struggle to outrun the latest challenge to their survival. Each scene is vital, vivid, and brimming with emotion. Respeto stays true to its theme, the power of words, but some of its best scenes are those for which there are none. Although not exactly how the story plays out, Tony Daniels’ immortal words seem best-suited for it: “life’s a bitch, and then you die.”
Patay na si Hesus
Directed by: Victor Villanueva
Starring: Jaclyn Jose, Chai Fonacier, Melde Montañez, Vincent Viado, Mailes Kanapi
Running time: 90 minutes
TL;DR: Cry Try Buy
While most other films blunder haplessly into bathos, Patay na si Hesus revels in it, purposefully toying with the audience’s emotions through each scene. Like Little Miss Sunshine before it, Hesus defies expectation and explanation, while at the same time delivering an experience that is both believable and relatable.
Weekend Warrior Reviews 