CBCP ‘disturbed’ over latest flicks

Filipino movie "Prosti" and foreign films "Birthday Girl" and "Enough" had been rated by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Catholic Initiative for Enlightened Movie Appreciation (Cinema) as "morally disturbing" and with "average technical assessment."

In a review, Cinema censured soft-porn movie "Prosti" starring Aubrey Miles for its excessive vulgar language and lengthy sex scenes which the board said were "boring."

Cinema was not satisfied with "Prosti" because the film is made up of different and unrelated pieces of stories or lives which were put together to make a film.

Cinema criticized the portrayal of women in "Prosti" as "sex slaves" to customers and that these women had the only goal of making money through paid sex.

It also censured the film’s portrayal of prostitutes who spread vicious rumors against their customers on topics such as the size and shape of their male organs.

In "Birthday Girl," director Jez Butterworth had portrayed Nicole Kidman as a Russian woman in search of a groom.

Kidman found an Englishman, starring Ben Chaplin, who was looking for a bride after posting an advertisement in the Internet.

"It is difficult to find something of value to pass on to readers and potential viewers of Birthday Girl, as all the characters are more negative than positive in their person and behavior," Cinema said.

"The violence and sex scenes project strongly on screen though these last for a few seconds and do not go beyond into what is really indecent," Cinema said.

Cinema, on the other hand, praised the movie’s positive message: "loud and clear is what the movie shows one shouldn’t do – the computer and Internet shouldn’t be used for evil purposes, as it is such a boon and asset for the world."

Cinema said that the Internet should not be used to search for a life partner because "one can never be sure who will take advantage on the other end, or who will answer the request for friendship and the desire for a life partner."

In revenge thriller "Enough" starring Jennifer Lopez, director Michael Apted featured a story reminiscent of Julia Roberts’ "Sleeping With the Enemy" and Ashley Judd’s "Double Jeopardy."

"Touted as a domestic drama which may just be every abused wife’s secret revenge fantasy, "Enough projects a strong moral for husbands and wives which could hold true for all people involved in relationships. No one, but no one, has the right to trample on people’s personhood nor rob them of their dignity," Cinema said.

It said the film could be a warning signal to all men not to tangle with women so irreverently. Today’s women are no longer the suffering martyrs of the bygone days. It also said it could be a signal to women to be prepared for unexpected afflictions.

However, Cinema questioned the way the lead character, Lopez, had taken the laws into her own hands.

"Though she has been grievously wronged which prompted her to be obsessed with a safe and peaceful life for her and her child, does this obsession license her to take the law into her own hands?," Cinema asked.