Review of ALMOST US: Hoping Hurts

May 9, 2026

Janine (Fyang Smith) and RR (JM Ibarra) have been best friends since their childhood. They had special nicknames for each other -- Janine called RR "Pip," while RR called Janine "Bulots." Janine followed her mother's footsteps to take up Law. Atty. Melissa Mesina (Che Ramos) entrusted her to the care of RR, who was free to spend nights in her condo.  Meanwhile, RR applied to do volunteer work via an NGO called Guardians of Humanity.

RR had long been in love with Janine. However, she was head-over-heels obsessed about her music idol Kenzo (Dustin Yu), whom she even made into a superhero in her online fanfic entitled "My Undercover Love." Unknown to her, RR even helped to make her fanfic viral so that it would get Kenzo's attention, which it did. Janine was thrilled no end when Kenzo asked to treat her out to dinner, but RR tagged along as her unwilling chaperone. 

I have already seen JM Ibarra act before, in his official big screen debuting in the lead role of Cinemalaya film "Child No. 82 (Anak ni Boy Kana)."  Again, he proves his charisma and charm with the ladies, as well as his dramatic chops here, as he did before. As RR, Ibarra plays the more sympathetic character, the one more people can identify with. RR is the partner who had loved more than he was loved back, but who later learns to speak up for himself.

Fyang Smith was the grand winner of PBB Gen 11 in 2024. For her film debut as a lead, it was very brave for her to accept this role of Janine, a flawed character whose selfishness caused her to chase fantasies instead of seeing the love right beside her. She was given a number of awkward actions or corny lines, particularly those directed to Sue (Yuki Takahashi), whom she saw as a threat to her happiness, but Smith's winsome delivery saves the day. 

Dustin Yu makes a very good impression as an action star Kenzo in his fight scenes in the opening sequence, but unfortunately his fantasy character did not go much further afterwards.  Former indie child actor JM Salvado played RR's loud English-challenged friend Otep. Sam Samarita played Janine's pretentious Taglish-challenged pre-law classmate. Veteran indie actress Che Ramos made the most of Atty. Mesina's single scene together with Janine.

There was nothing really new about the plot, save for its zany Gen Z features, clearly not for my generation. Whether you find her cute or annoying, Fyang Smith's Janine provided that extra unique memorable quality to this very familiar story. This character's polarizing over-the-top personality, on top of the much-hyped anticipation for this Gen Z love-team's first film together,  distinguishes "Almost Us" from more generic rom-coms of its kind. 5/10

Review of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2: Advanced Adaptation

 April 29, 2026

High-profile editor-in-chief of Runway fashion magazine Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) had been involved in a heated controversy. In an effort to stem the negative online reactions and beef up credibility, Runway chairman Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman) called up Andrea "Andy" Sachs (Anne Hathaway), a multi-awarded journalist who used to be Miranda's former second assistant 20 years ago, and hired her as Runway's new Features Editor. 

Nigel Kipling (Stanley Tucci) was still working in Runway as Miranda's trusted right hand man, and still very helpful to Andy with regards to her fashion choices, as he did before. Miranda's former first assistant Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) was now out of Runway, working in Dior in a high executive capacity. Photographer Lily (Tracie Thoms), who was still Andy's supportive (and designer bag-loving) BFF whom she can turn to for advice.

Miranda already has a new husband, musician Stuart (Kenneth Branagh). Emily's new boyfriend is tech tycoon Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux), ex-husband of philanthropist Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu).  Andy now has a resourceful, but dowdy assistant of her own, Jin Chao (Helen J. Shen) -- like how Andy was before, but Asian. Andy meets an architect of a luxury apartment named Peter (Peter Brammall), with whom she develops a romance.

Miranda here was still as arch and imperious as ever, and Meryl Streep played her with utmost glee. However, unlike the first film where Miranda was Runway's only big boss, there was now a company chairman Irv and his son Jay (BJ Novak) who were making decisions above Miranda.  Now only available in digital format, Runway was also not the mighty fashion bible it was before. There were now more scenes of her being more vulnerable this time around. 

As seen in the awards ceremony at the start of this sequel, Anne Hathaway's Andy was very confident and self-assured when she during her work as a serious journalist at her old paper, the Vanguard. However, once she was back in the service of Miranda, she seemed to have just reverted to her former self --  insecure, approval-seeking, still with that the same eagerness to please despite how impossible Miranda's order was. 

Stanley Tucci reminds us why his character Nigel remains to be the fan favorite in this sequel, as much as he was in the first film. His final revelation to Andy made Nigel positively more beloved than ever. Similarly, Emily Blunt's portrayal of Emily still carried with it some subtle bitchiness about her like it did in the first film. As this new Emily had more power and position, and Blunt pulled that precarious balance of being Andy's frenemy very well. 

While it was great to see the original cast ("the core four") together again, this sequel was more about journalism and fashion adapting to technology in the present time, tackling intricate business maneuverings, from mergers to takeovers in both these industries. While the first film brought us into Fashion Week in Paris, this sequel brings us to Milan to pay tribute to Italian haute couture.

Overall, director David Frankel's first movie was more entertaining, with light comedy and romance, 8/10. But as the characters have matured two decades, his sequel, while still fun (with a lot more cameos from fashion personalities plus Lady Gaga), had a more serious tone and thoughtful mood, 7/10.

Review of 3 WORDS: Value Vandalized by Vulgarity

April 23, 2026

In three days, a gigantic asteroid, called the 69 Titelya Impactor, was projected to land right in the middle of Quezon City. This is predicted to cause an apocalyptic extinction of everything alive in the immediate vicinity of the site of impact. There was widespread panic in the streets, with people getting ready to evacuate to a reinforced underground bunker. Meanwhile the trajectory of the asteroid was being monitored by the ASA Command Center. 

The Mother Holy Divine School along Kamuning was the predicted Ground Zero. A group of students were discussing what would be their last three words before the world ended. Beauty (Loisa Andalio) was smart and friendly, despite her wild hair, harsh unibrow, braces and huge pimple on her right cheek. Her friends were Sophia (Queenay Mercado), Lester (Kych Minemoto), Clementon (Renzie Aguilar) and Rosa (Angel Raymundo).         

Given the seriousness of the topic, director Fifth Solomon decided to use black comedy to tell his story. However, he also injected much vulgarity throughout the film, it was cringy, not funny. The ongoing joke was the obvious phallic reference in the name and appearance of the asteroid, and the graffiti on the walls about it. Similarly embarrassing was the naughty wish in Rosa's final three words, as well as the lascivious behavior of the ASA Chief (Leo Bruno).

Beauty's planned final three words was to say "I Love You" to Kyle (Ronnie Alonte), her crush since Grade 7. The terrible way Beauty had been treated here was a dismal insult to Loisa Andalio as an actress. The exaggerated nature of Beauty's facial features was very demeaning -- so backward, so misogynistic. What happened to Beauty on the final night and the day after was so badly written. Andalio should've fought for her character's dignity.  

The conflicts between Lester and girlfriend Irene (Kate Alejandrino), and between Clementon and his parents were too simplistically resolved. If there was a saving grace for this film, it was that final scene of Beauty with her parents -- Nanay Rubi (Angie Castrence) and Tatay Danilo (Dante Agdon), which I felt was the best scene of the whole film. Danilo's last line may have been so simple, but the way it was delivered had much emotional connection for me. 2/10      

Review of MICHAEL (2026): Rousing Reincarnation

April 21, 2026

Joseph Jackson (Colman Domingo) lived with his wife Katherine (Nia Long) and kids in Gary, Indiana, where he worked in a steel mill. On the side, he was focused in training his sons to perform together as a singing group and marketing them for gigs. He was hardest on 10-year old Michael (Juliano Krue Valdi) who was the cute and charismatic lead singer, and his obsession often led to corporal punishment when he felt he was being disrespected. 

One day, Michael's performance caught the attention of Motown talent agent Suzanne de Passe (Laura Harrier). She lost no time to introduce them to her boss Berry Gordy (Larenz Tate) who immediately cut "I Want You Back" that became a big #1 hit. In 1971, they moved to their own home in Encino, California, where adult Michael (Jaafar Jackson) planned on going solo while raising his exotic pets -- python, llama, giraffe and of course, Bubbles. 

This film basically told us what we already knew about Michael Jackson's rise to fame via his unique voice and singing abilities.  The main focus of the story was on Joseph Jackson's iron hand in handling Michael's career, and how Michael struggled to break free from his father's abusive stranglehold. On the personal side, it showed us Michael's obsession with Peter Pan and classic films, his attachment to his menagerie, his compassion for sick children. 

We meet important people in Michael's career -- like his producer Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson), his bodyguard Bill Bray (KeiLyn Durrel Jones), his lawyer John Branca (Miles Teller), CBS mogul Walter Yetnikoff (Mike Myers under all that make-up) who got Michael's videos on MTV, even boxing promoter Don King (Deon Cole) who produced the Jacksons' 1984 Victory Tour. It was strange how all the Jackson brothers were there (not sure about Randy?), but among the sisters, only LaToya was featured, no Rebbie nor Janet at all.  

The parts of the film that drew the most audience reaction were the recreations of various music videos and concert performances of Michael throughout the years. As already seen in the trailers, Jaafar Jackson (Jermaine's son) trained hard to literally follow his uncle's iconic dancesteps and pretty much nailed them. The highlights are the behind-the-scenes of the "Beat It" and "Thriller" videos, "Billie Jean" at Motown 25 1983, and "Bad" at Wembley Arena 1988. 

It touched on his first plastic surgery for his nose, the existence of his vitiligo even prior to "Thriller," and the beginnings of his dependence on pain meds following the fiery Pepsi accident. However, for a biopic that stars Michael's nephew and produced by his siblings, you really cannot expect that they were going to tackle the more unsavory parts of his life. This was clearly for fans only, not viewers who wished to know Michael on a deeper level than the star we all knew. None of his controversial 1990s issues here yet, but it did feel like it was setting up for a Part 2. 6/10

Review of THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE: Siblings in Sync

 April 20, 2026

Bowser Jr. is on a mission to rescue his father Bowser, who had been captured by twin plumbers Mario and Luigi in Brooklyn in the first film, then shrunk into a non-threatening size by Princess Peach. To complete his nefarious plan, Junior attacked the Comet Observatory,  kidnapped Princess Rosalina to steal her cosmic powers to fuel his Boomsday Machine,  a castle-like tank with a cannon that shot yellow energy balls that can destroy the universe. 

Princess Rosalina was a powerful protector of the cosmos, as well as the adoptive mother of the cute star beings called the Lumas. However, in a departure from her character in the game, this Rosalina was revealed to be the long-estranged elder sister of Princess Peach. Also introduced this new adventure was a new friend who was first seen hatching from his egg at the end of the first film-- a cute green baby dinosaur named Yoshi. 

Bowser Jr. was a formidable nemesis here as he was driven by his passion to avenge his father as well as to prove his worthiness as the heir to Bowser's throne. He even constructed an entire new Planet Bowser to be his headquarters, topped by his Boomsday Machine. He also invented his powerful creature-generating Magic Paintbrush, as well as the Super Scope which he used to transform the twins into babies. 

The voice cast is again star-studded. From the first film, there were Chris Pratt and Charlie Day played Mario and Luigi, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad and Jack Black as Bowser. New members of the cast include: Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr., Brie Larsen as Princess Rosalina, Donald Glover as Yoshi, and Glen Powell as Fox McCloud, a cool mercenary space pilot in the vein of Han Solo.

This was again another cute, colorful adventure romp not only in the Mushroom Kingdom, but also in the Comet Observatory, the Gateway Galaxy, and the Space Junk Galaxy. Like before, fans of the game will enjoy seeing action scenes transform into game play mode. Most of the time it was laughs and fun, but there can be scary moments for younger viewers, like that scene of Bowser and the moat of lava. Overall, not as good as the first movie for me. 6/10

Mini-Reviews of HOW TO MAKE A KILLING (2026) and KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (1949)

April 16, 2026

First, there was a 1907 book by Roy Horniman entitled "Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal." This was about Israel Rank, a gentleman whose main mission in life was to avenge the injustice done to his mother. His mother had been cast out of her aristocratic Gascocyne family because she married outside their class. He knew he was an heir to the Gascoyne fortune, and all he needed to do was to kill everyone ahead of him in the family tree. 

In 1949, there was a film entitled "Kind Hearts and Coronets," directed and co-written by Robert Hamer.  Louis Mazzini (Dennis Price) avenged his Mama (Audrey Fildes) by killing 7 members of D'Ascoyne family (all played by Sir Alec Guinness!). He fell in love and proposed marriage to Edith (Valerie Hobson), widow of one of his cousin victims. But his childhood frenemy Sibella (Joan Greenwood) threatened to expose his plot. 

In 2026, there was a film entitled "How to Make a Killing," directed and written by John Patton Ford. Becket Redfellow (Glen Powell) avenged his mother Mary (Nell Williams) by killing 6 other Redfellows, headed by grandfather Whitelaw (Ed Harris). He fell in love and proposed marriage to Ruth (Jessica Henwick), girlfriend of one of his cousin victims. But his childhood frenemy Julia Steinway (Margaret Qualley) threated to expose his plot. 

I watched the 2026 film first. The whole film was in the form of a flashback from a confession to a priest in the morning of Becket Redfellow's execution. From the beginning, Glen Powell felt miscast as Becket because his face gave the impression that seemed very self-assured and confident, even arrogant. With CCTV, internet, smart phones and FBI agents in the story here, it was very farfetched that Becket was not immediately the prime suspect. Of his kills, only the one against Ed Harris had any impact. The ending was anticlimactic and weak. 6/10

In the 1949 film, the whole film was also in the form of flashbacks, but this was from a book of memoirs Louis Mazzini was writing before his execution. Louis was a consummate gentleman of that genteel Edwardian time. The way he projected genuine kindness and sincerity, it was believable that he could really get away with his crimes. That Alec Guinness played all the victims, including Lady Agatha, certainly upped the black comedy factor. The ending was so much better than the current version, with one dilemma building up to a bigger one.  8/10

Review of THE DRAMA: Unexpectedly Unpleasant

 April 14, 2026

Museum curator Charlie Thompson (Robert Pattinson) approached bookstore clerk Emma Harwood (Zendaya) when he saw her reading a book in a New England cafe, and tried to engage her in a conversation. Emma totally paid him no attention which made him retreat, only to try again. It turned out that Emma was deaf in her right ear which caused her to ignore him the first time. When they got to talking, the two of them got along very, very well.

This was the flow of the story in the first few minutes of the film. By the time we reach the opening credits, they were already engaged and practicing their wedding dance with their instructor. After the credits, they had dinner with best man Mike (Mamoudou Athie) and maid of honor Rachel (Alana Haim), who were to married to each other. When the topic turned to the worst thing they've ever done, their conversation became very, very awkward.

This could be the most sneaky curve ball ever thrown by a movie. Nothing in the meet-cute of the opening sequence could prepare you for where the film will take you for the next hour and half. What you thought would be a pleasant romantic comedy film turned out to be a most unpleasant psychological horror film. The virtual whiplash caught us unaware, it took time for me to get my bearings back, but it just remained very uncomfortable all the way through. 

Much of the discomfort stemmed from the very emotionally-naked performances of Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. One of them was forced to confront an ugly truth about the other, a mere four days to go before their wedding day. As Emma, Zendaya continues her streak of provocative characters since "Malcolm and Marie" (2021) and "Challengers" (2024). Pattinson was at his most vulnerable here, Charlie's speech was as rock bottom as it gets. 

How bad was that "worse thing" in the confession, really? Writer-director Kristoffer Borgli made sure it was drilled into our heads that this thing was truly horrendous. I thought Rachel's outrage was over-the-top excessive. Charlie's friend Misha (Hailey Gates) saying she will report that person to the police was illogical. I feel our lead couple was unjustly tormented over something that had already long been suppressed in the subconscious. 7/10

Netflix: Review of 18TH ROSE: A Determined Debutante's Dream

April 11, 2026

This story is set in Romblon, in the early 2000s. Rose (Xyriel Manabat) is about to turn 18 years old, and she wanted a grand debutante's party to rival that of her favorite actress Mara (Kira Ballinger). To spare her parents (Cris Villanueva and Yayo Aguila) the extra expense, she was saving up her own money earned by working as the manager of their town's only internet cafe with her gang (VJ Mendoza, Timothy Castillo and Kenken Nuyad). 

One day, there was a new boy in school Jordan (Kyle Echarri), son of Tess (Nikki Valdez), whose American father had been ghosting him for the past 10 years. He did not want to be in that small town, and was being angry and petty about it. His first meeting with Rose was an unpleasant accident that got the two off on the wrong foot. However, Jordan still needed to use the computer at Rose's internet shop to check if his father responds to his emails.

Xyriel Manabat was the most popular child actress in the 2010s after her iconic turns in TV drama series "Agua Bendita" (2010) and especially "100 Days to Heaven" (2011). This is her first lead film role after a series of ensemble roles in 2025. As Rose, she was funny, gutsy and lovable, and her flair for restrained drama was very well-showcased here. She can effortlessly make us teary-eyed as well she did before as Young Anna Manalastas in "100 Days."

Kyle Echarri entered showbiz via "The Voice Kids" in 2015. After a series of TV work, he made the transition to headlining films in 2025 in films like "100 Awit Para Kay Stella" and "The Ride." As Jordan, he was able to show off more of his dramatic acting range -- from abandoned kid angst to supportive boyfriend sincerity. The one-foot plus height difference between him and Manabat was distracting at first, but they managed to make it work.

This Dolly Dulu film followed a very familiar rom-com formula, from "stinky" meet-cute in the school garden to eventually falling in love with each other. Of course, there would be a wrench thrown in to complicate matters, and admittedly, this was just that type of melodramatic subject matter that I do not particularly like. Anyhow, the two lead actors and their unexpected chemistry carried the bittersweet story well to its teary resolution. 7/10

Review of WONDERFUL NIGHTMARE (2026): Humbled as a Housewife

April 10, 2026

Atty. Maria Luisa Manuel (Kim Molina) was an arrogant hotshot lawyer, still confidently single at age 39. One night, Lui figured in a bad car accident when a cat ran across the road in front of her car. She woke up the Afterlife Relay Center, but cannot accept that she was already dead. The Boss there (Al Tantay) told her that he could give her old life back, on the condition that she spent one month in the body of another woman who had died prematurely. 

That new body turned out to be Jane, a plain housewife married to City Hall employee Julian Alcantara (Jerald Napoles) since she was 19 years old. They had two children -- teenage drama queen Jaja (Althea Rueda) and delightful 6 year old cutie Justin (Achilles Wenceslao). They just so happened to live in the same Bliss community that Lui had been all-business in evacuating the residents to make way for the construction of a new condo complex. 

The original "Wonderful Nightmare" (2015) was a family tearjerker-comedy film written by Kim Je-yeong and directed by Kang Hyo-jin. Starring  Uhm Jung-hwa and Song Seung-heon, it did solid business during its theatrical release. This year, it joins the list of Korean blockbuster dramedies that had been adapted into Filipino, like "My Sassy Girl" (2001), "Miracle in Cell No. 7" (2013) and "Miss Granny" (2014). 

"Wonderful Nightmare" is the first film that real and reel partners Kim Molina and Jerald Napoles released after they got married on March 1, 2026. The two of them complement each other very well in all of their past projects, from "Jowable" (2019) to "Un-Ex You" (2025). Molina had contrasting dual roles with their own quirks nuances, excelling in one of her most challenging roles. Jerald Napoles underplayed his Julian in perfect support for his wife.

You really have to give it to these South Korean films where the story seemed simple and even predictable, yet they were so rich in touching little plot details that gave it so much heart. This film adaptation was actually quite good and engaging, with director RC delos Reyes giving it so much uniquely Filipino character. However, it was just too bad that this had to be an adaptation from a foreign again, and not a Filipino original idea. 7/10

Mini-Reviews of READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME and THEY WILL KILL YOU: Sisters vs Satanists

April 1, 2026

In the final two Wednesdays prior to Holy Week 2026, two films were released with very similar scenarios. Both were comedy-horror films that featured graphically-violent kills scenes with effusive blood and gore. Both told a story of two sisters caught in a luxurious location run by wealthy Satanic cultists. They only had each other to rely on to survive the night and escape with their lives. If they fail the challenge, they will both be dead. 

The first film was READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME, the sequel of 'Ready or Not" (2019), directed by the same team Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. The first film was about Grace (Samara Weaving), who had to participate in her husband's family's tradition of playing a game on her wedding night. She picked out "Hide and Seek," which meant that she has to hide, while the other family members had to hunt her down to kill her before dawn breaks.

In this sequel, Grace survived her game and was reunited with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) while she was recovering at the hospital. Both of them were abducted and brought to the mansion of the Danforth twins (Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy), where the "Lawyer" (Elijah Wood) declared that the sisters needed to survive as the senior members of the other four families of the Council hunt them down to kill them before dawn. 

Being a sequel, there is no more sense of surprise anymore as to how the plot will go this time around. Compared to the original film, this sequel had a lousier, less memorable, more annoying roster of supporting characters, not as fun, and not particularly funny as well. The kill scenes were expected to be over-the-top and they were, but they were not that impressive. I gave the first film an 8/10 even if I am not into gore in films. But this was merely okay for me, average. 5/10

The second film was THEY WILL KILL YOU, directed and co-written by Kiril Sokolov. This was about Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz) who went to work as a maid at a century-old New York City high-rise called The Virgil which exclusively housed wealthy residents. She had learned that her long-lost younger sister Maria (Myha'la), with whom Asia had been estranged since 10 years ago when she went to prison for shooting their abusive father. 

The building manager was Lilith Woodhouse (Patricia Arquette), who oriented Asia about the building and her work. Asia met residents like Kevin (Tom Felton) and Sharon (Heather Graham) in the wildest way ever, when they broke into her room and attacked her. With the extreme fighting skills she learned in prison, Asia was able to fight them off. However, much later, Asia would realize that everyone she killed would come back to life.                  

Even with all the blood spraying around when body parts were slashed off, this film was actually very entertaining. The violence was so extreme, relentless, and over-the-top, you actually get numbed to all of these gory things. Yet Sokolov still manages to slip in endless ways to kill, aiming to outdo the Sam Raimi and Quentin Tarantino films that inspired him. Bloody bad-ass action becomes Zazie Beetz and her big wild hair so well, she makes us root her on to get her and Maria out of there. 7/10. 

Sinag Maynila 2026: Review of ANG BANGKAY: Morbid Monstrosity

March 30, 2026

Señor Segismundo Corintho (Vince Tanada) ran the funeral parlor in a small town in Pangasinan in 1900. After he embalmed and buried his own wife Milagros (Sarah Javier), Señor ordered his only daughter Isabel (Vean Olmedo), to take over her mother's duties in the business. His two servants, fiercely loyal Meding (Mercedes Cabral) and lusty flirt Oryang (Lily Montelibano), were ordered to keep Isabel in check. However, all Isabel wanted to do was to get married, hopefully with his father's apprentice Lemuel (Johnrey Rivas). 

"Ang Bangkay" was first a play written by writer-director Vince Tanada which won first prize in the full-length play category at the Carlos Palanca Awards for Literature back in 2012. That same year, I was able to watch this performed live by Tanada's theater company, the PhilStagers, with Tanada himself playing the Señor, Monique Azerreda as Isabel, Glory Ann Nacional as Miding, Cindy Liper as Oryang and Jordan Labra as Lemuel. I felt that having watched this play before was able to give me a better perspective on viewing this film.

The play was indeed very appalling in the perversity it portrayed onstage. In my review of the play (LINK), I called it "a most scandalous and diabolical series of shocking events ever portrayed in Philippine theater" that I had seen at that point. The intimacy of the venue where the actors were literally at arm's length of the audience, made the tension more palpable. Director Tanada was actually able to adapt this dark disturbing story from the stage onto film with such skill such that the climactic reveal still possessed the same shock value. 

The theatrical roots of the film are very evident in the exaggerated acting of the actors, especially Tanada and Rivas, familiar with those who have seen them act on stage in various Stagers plays. The acting was over-the-top, like that of a silent film, only this one also had over-the-top spoken lines. To complement the florid acting style, we also see silk blouses with those outrageous huge ruffles worn and eerie life-like religious icons in almost every room -- everything overdone to absurd levels to emphasize the gothic craziness of the sick story. 

Hands down, the best actress of the whole ensemble was Mercedes Cabral. Her standout portrayal Miding was able to balance the insanity she had to project like everyone else, with incredible sense of restraint. She was operating at a different level from the younger female actors here, her expertise in acting honed over the years under internationally-acclaimed directors was very evident. Her Miding was the personification of a woman scorned whose fury was worse than hell. Her Best Supporting Actress award was well-deserved. 

The film dared to tackle a controversial topic that is sure to disgust everyone watching. Even just the title, we go in clearly not expecting a feel-good film, hence the surprise of it winning Audience Choice award. One could point out that there were scenes of gratuitous nudity that could have been edited out or done with more finesse (and I would agree), but clearly, being subtle was not Tanada's intention. The main purpose of the film was to shock the audience with brazenly depraved taboo, and definitely Tanada delivered in that aspect. 7/10