Ratings board cites 'Ouija,' 'Foster Child'

THE CINEMA evaluation board has given "A" ratings to Brillante Mendoza's "Foster Child" and Topel Lee's "Ouija" because of the films' "well-crafted scripts" and "skillful editing."

"Both were good stories well told," CEB chair Christine Dayrit told Inquirer Entertainment last week. An "A" rating entitles the film to a 100-percent tax rebate.

Dayrit said Lee's "very sensitive directing" earned the nod of the board members. She said actress Iza Calzado "is always

effective in horror films, although all of them gave stellar performances."

Comedian Eugene Domingo "is a revelation," added Dayrit. "But everyone [was good], including veteran actresses Perla Bautista and Anita Linda."

Dayrit also described as outstanding the film's technical design and underwater photography. "The musical scoring is excellent, too. Tamang tama lang [Just right]."

In "Ouija," Judy Ann Santos and Jolina Magdangal play half sisters who go to Camiguin--along with their cousins played by Calzado and Rhian Ramos--to bury their grandmother. The chilling story starts when the two call on the spirits of the dead.

Dayrit said Mendoza's film, on the other hand, has a "beautifully thought of script. It is very informative."

Lead actress Cherry Pie Picache rendered a "brilliant performance" for her role as Thelma, a foster mother who receives P1,500 monthly from the government for every child placed in her care.

"Foster Child" was featured in the Director's Fortnight section at the last Cannes International Film Festival.
Marinel Cruz
Inquirer