Review of REAL LIFE FICTION: Experimental Existence

August 29, 2024

Paco (Piolo Pascual) was a very famous movie actor. He cannot even buy his coffee without people asking to take selfies with him. His present project was something very personal to him. He wrote the screenplay and is playing the lead character, and it was also his feature film directorial debut. During his initial pitch, he told the producer that the film was to be about existence -- an experiment on distinguishing what is real and what is fiction. 

Paula (Jasmine Curtis-Smith) was Paco's co-star in this film, where she played the love interest of the male protagonist, a woman with a side mission to fulfill. More than that, Paula was also Paco's real-life girlfriend, and their relationship had reached the point that Paco had proposed marriage to her with a diamond ring. Unfortunately, after one particularly steamy night of passion, the ring got misplaced, which caused Paula much distress. 

This film was written and directed by Paul Soriano, whose last directorial output was the much-maligned MMFF 2022 entry "My Teacher." This time around, his latest film was a complete 180 degree turn for Soriano, in terms of richness of concept, quality of production elements, and depth of acting by its stars. "Real Life Fiction" was an abstract arthouse film. It was certainly beautiful to look at, but the story it tells is open for various interpretations.  My interpretation is a good as yours. 

First and foremost, the entire screenplay was in English! The cast delivered their lines flawlessly in a way that oddly sounded dubbed. The elegant cinematography of Odyssey Flores (with varying degrees of color grading and unique camera angles) was outstanding, a class and caliber uncommonly seen in Filipino films. All the other technical aspects -- the editing, the production design, the musical score, the sound -- were all worthy of awards citation. 

After "Mallari" (2023), Piolo Pascual challenged himself again acting-wise. His Paco was an famous actor tired of being famous, as this fame had taken away his real self, and this new movie was his way of rediscovering himself. This whole film was executed in a way that felt like it was the same movie Paco wrote and directed, with a cameo of an indie film icon as a pawnshop owner and a killer ending twist to make you rethink everything you've seen.  8/10

Review of LOOK BACK: Acquainted by Art and Anxiety

August 28, 2024

For a number of years, Fujino had been very popular in school because of the funny four-panel manga strips she drew for the class newspaper. One day, her teacher told Fujino that he had invited another girl Kyomoto to also submit manga strips for their newspaper. At first, Fujino thought nothing about it and nonchalantly acquiesced. However, when Kyomoto's first comic strip came out, everyone, including Fujino, gushed over the new girl's artistry. 

"Look Back" was a manga created by Tatsuki Fujimoto in 2021. It had now been adapted by writer-animator-director Kiyotaka Oshiyama. Oshiyama also designed characters for the anime series "Chainsaw Man" (2022), which was adapted from the manga series of the same title also created by Fujimoto. Oshiyama had been key animator in a number of Ghibli films, including the Academy Award-winning "The Boy and the Heron" (2023).

Within its spare 57-minute running time, Oshiyama presents us with two 13-year old girls, both excellent manga artists with contrasting personalities. Fujino was the outgoing type who was very confident with her talent to write and illustrate manga, and basked in the popularity it brought her. Meanwhile, Kyomoto was a social misfit because of her extreme shyness. She idolized Fujino as her sensei, as she skipped school to lock herself in her room to draw.

Once fate brought the two girls together, they were inseparable as shown in a montage of Oshiyama's simple but evocative hand-drawn images. Fujino drew Kyomoto out of her shell, and a beautiful friendship and creative partnership was born and evolved. We are drawn in and emotionally connected with them as they both matured into young adults with important decisions that need to be made and changes that need to be accepted. 

We can never predict how a deep friendship can develop between two people with disparate world-views. Passion in one thing in common may be all it takes to bring them together, even if that same passion could initially cause competitive envy and anxiety.  Oshiyama's feature-length directorial debut brought Fujimoto's nostalgic manga to life, bringing us back to our own teen years as we experience the ups and downs of passion and friendship. 8/10

Netflix: Mini- Reviews of ELEVATOR, FUSCHIA LIBRE, PAGPAG 24/7

 August 27, 2024

ELEVATOR

Director: Philip King

Writer: Philip King

IT graduate Jared (Paulo Avelino) developed an app called Good Job that aimed to network overseas workers from all countries with potential employers. He thought the best way to invite big-time investors was to pitch his app to VIPs riding his elevator to the penthouse. One day, tycoon Byron (Adrian Pang) expressed interest on Jared's idea. However, he delegated his executive assistant Bettina (Kylie Versoza) to deal with Jared for him. 

This film was shot in Singapore, and looked expensive with elegant production values, and an international cast led by veteran Singaporean actors Adrian Pang and  Amy Cheng in key supporting roles. Paulo Avelino gave an earnest, down-to-earth and likable portrayal of the ambitious Jared. In only his second film as writer-director, Philip King does very well telling the story from Jared's point of view first, then filling in the missing details from Bettina's side. This style allowed both his charismatic lead stars to shine. 7/10.  

FUSCHIA LIBRE

Director: RC delos Reyes

Writer: Tonio M. Rodulfo, Jr.

Ever since he was a little boy, Oliver (Paolo Contis) had been trained by his policeman father Danilo Malvar (John Arcilla) to be a boxer. When teenage Oliver was outed as gay, Danilo could not accept him. Ten years later, Oliver (now called Keon) ran a gym. One day, he received an ultimatum to buy the lot for P5M or lose the gym. He decided to take up a suggestion by his friend Daddy Yo (Gian Magdangal) to check out an underground fight club.

This film gave the old "macho dad vs. gay son" conflict a different twist, with Arcilla and Contis doing reliable work as ever. The supporting characters steal this show. The usually brooding Khalil Ramos gave a wild maniacal portrayal of ruthless fight club owner Patron. Intense theater actor Gian Magdangal was so unexpectedly lovable as Daddy Yo. Even those who are uncomfortable with gay storylines will enjoy these characters. 6/10

PAGPAG 24/7

Director: JR Reyes

Writer: Bel Ilag

Best friends Boying (Nicco Manalo) and Mitoy (Jerald Napoles) decide to break in and rob a convenience store owned by Mang Kanor (Dindo Arroyo). Things do not go according to plans, and Mitoy was arrested and thrown into jail for 12 years. When Mitoy was finally released, he saw Boying was working in a funeral parlor called Libing Legend, owned by a pale guy named Zuma Langit (Butchoy Ubaldo). He has not forgiven Boying for letting him take the fall.

The original "Pagpag" (Frasco Santos Mortiz, 2013) starring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla was pretty good teen horror-lite. However, this needless reboot was totally worthless. It was done so badly that Manalo and Napoles, usually reliable comedians, came across as awkward amateurs. The acting of everyone else was either too over-the-top (like Nikko Natividad) or plain stiff cardboard (like Danita Paner). This was a disastrous misfire. 1/10.    

Vivamax: Mini-Reviews of PINTOR AT PARALUMAN, ANG KAPITBAHAY, PRIVATE TUTOR

August 27, 2024

PINTOR AT PARALUMAN

Director: Marc Misa

Writer: Marc Misa

Tristan (Ali Asistio) was a house painter who also had the talent to paint female nudes on canvas. After his potbellied uncle Paeng (Mark Dionisio) belittled his artistry, Tristan loudly wished for inspiration to keep on doing his art even when the whole world seemed against him. That night, a mysterious beauty appeared in his room introducing herself as Paraluman (Athena Red), the muse of art. If he accepts, Paraluman can stay and help him with his art, but the catch was, the two of them cannot touch each other. 

Writer-director Marc Misa told an interesting supernatural story about inspiration and artistry, but the execution was problematic. To comply with the Vivamax quota of sex scenes, it insinuated that sexual favors could help artists get ahead with museum owners like Ms. Leoness (Yda Manzano) or art patrons like Ash (Skye Gonzaga). Ali Asistio delivered his lines as if he was in a slapstick comedy.  Athena Red possessed a goddess's allure around her, fortunately compensating for her robotic acting and dry line deliveries. The nude paintings of Paraluman supposedly drawn by Tristan were actually very well-made. Too bad the name of the Art Director / Artist Ariel Lagman Cruz was buried in the end credits.  4/10. 

ANG KAPITBAHAY

Director: Rodante Y. Pajemna, Jr. 

Writer: Rodante Y. Pajemna, Jr.

Alex (Clifford Pusing) was an ace IT student who knew how to hack his way around computers and phones. He lived in a condo left behind by his cousin who left for abroad. One day, he noted a pretty girl move in next door who introduced herself as Rose (Christine Bermas). Alex was immediately smitten with her beauty, and they seemed to have a lot of things in common, including a dream to migrate to Dubai. Unfortunately, Rose was the kept woman of a police officer she called General (Chester Grecia).

Rose should have been a multilayered character, but the director was not able to motivate Christine Bermas to properly portray her as a femme fatale. Clifford Pusing was very natural as Alex, just like any other idealistic boy next door. We understand his fascination with this beautiful neighbor and why he was willing to do anything for her. Chester Grecia was better with less dialogue. He looked imposing as the General, but his speaking voice in that last part sounded uncharacteristically squeaky.  This was the first Vivamax film which had advertising integrated into the script, this one about supplements for fighting cocks. 4/10

PRIVATE TUTOR

Director: Ryan Evangelista

Writer: Randy Q Villanueva

To augment her income as a school teacher, Joy (Zsara Lacsamana) decided to accept jobs as a tutor. She was hired by Erica (Christy Imperial) who was having a hard time comprehending her trigonometry lessons. When Joy met Erica's father Gordon Santos (Mark Dionisio), she had a crush on him. When Joy caught her lousy boyfriend Vigo (VJ Vera) with another woman, she readily dumped him, and made her move on Gordon. 

Zsara Lacsamana proved here again that she was one of the Vivamax most natural actresses. She was convincing as a good math teacher, and as the apple of contention between a father and his daughter. While Mark Dionisio's Gordon was too good to be true, VJ Vera's Vigo was a one-dimensional overall creep. This joins the list of Vivamax films where a sex video was used to ruin someone's reputation. Warning girls about boys surreptitiously filming trysts may be one of Vivamax's noble advocacies, but this may give naughty men wrong ideas. There was also an advertisement in this one, this time about an online gambling site, but this was not as smoothly integrated as that in the previous film.  4/10 

Review of BLINK TWICE: Hellish Hedonism

August 23, 2024

Frida (Naomi Ackie) and Jess (Alia Shawkat) were working as waitresses during a swanky party thrown by tech mogul Slater King (Channing Tatum). Midway through the night, the girls sneaked off to change into evening gowns to mingle with the other guests. Frida successfully caught King's attention with a bad noisy fall. By the end of night, Frida and Jess accepted King's invitation to join him and his friends for a decadent adventure at his private island. 

King had a secretary Stacy (Geena Davis) and a gang of older male friends included Vic (Christian Slater), Cody (Simon Rex), Tom (Haley Joel Osment) and Rich (Kyle McLachlan).  Coming along with Frida and Jess were similar clueless ladies, like Sarah (Adria Arjona), Camilla (Liz Caribel) and Heather (Trew Mullen). King treated the girls all to hedonistic activities daily with generous yummy goodies, until one day, one of them went missing.

I went into this film without watching the trailer, so I totally did not know what it was going to be about. From its first act, I thought it could be a murder-mystery in the tradition of Agatha Christie or "Knives Out." But as the second act went along, it became apparent that this was one of those social-experiment types of thriller films, in the tradition of "Get Out" or "Saltburn" where the protagonist was caught in a milieu which was totally out of his financial league.

This was the feature directorial debut of Zoe Kravitz, who also co-wrote the screenplay with E.T. Feigenbaum. Kravitz had a very complex story to tell, but all those side characters were really not too memorable, even if they were played by familiar actors from the 1990s. I even remember the character credited as "Badass Maid" (María Elena Olivares), her strong greenish brew and her gibberish utterances, more than any of the others. 

Kravitz did succeed to make the atmosphere very uncomfortable, which was key to make this film feel like a weird, drug-induced trip. Those loud sound effects all had an startling effect that made audiences jumpy. Tatum Channing felt too slight for the role of Slater King. Oddly, it seemed that Naomi Ackie was purposely being shot in an unflattering manner (a total opposite of how pretty she was shot as Whitney Houston in "I Wanna Dance with Somebody"). 5/10

Review of AND SO IT BEGINS: Robredo's Rough Road (and Ressa Redux)

August 23, 2024

Fil-am filmmaker Ramona Diaz is best known for her documentaries about Filipinas. She first gained recognition for "Imelda" (2003) about the controversial former First Lady Madame Imelda Marcos. In "Motherland" (2017), Diaz shared the process poor Filipina women go through to give birth in a very busy maternity hospital in Manila. In "A Thousand Cuts" (2020), Diaz goes in depth into the ordeals of Maria Ressa to deliver news via her website Rappler.  

For her latest project, Diaz decided to follow the dramatic electoral campaign of then Vice President Leni Robredo, who in 2021 bravely accepted the clamor for her to run against then former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. for the highest position in the country -- the Presidency. Despite being consistently falling behind in all the surveys prior to election day, she was able to inspire a strong base of supporters dressed in pink to rally behind her. 

Diaz started her trail with uncomfortably misogynistic remarks made by the former president, even calling her a "colossal blunder" at one point. At first, Robredo just swallowed her pride to muster a smile for the cameras as a response to these insensitive "jokes".  This was the low point at which she began her formidable quest for the Presidency, a campaign which she ran in the spirit of motherly kindness, in contrast with her opponent's oppressive style.

The viewer is also introduced to Anton Carranza, the guy behind the gargantuan efforts to shut the paid anti-Leni troll army up.  During the campaign, Leni Robredo was the candidate most targeted with false negative propaganda by online trolls. Carranza shared that his team only has four hours to weed a destructive piece of fake news off social media. If they were not able to contain it in that short time, this falsehood will already likely be perpetuated as truth.  

Halfway through, Diaz gave an update of sorts about her "A Thousand Cuts" subject, Maria Ressa. We see the moment when Ressa got a call from the Nobel organization during a live Zoom meeting, announcing that she had won the Nobel Peace Prize of 2021. While not exactly related to the Robredo campaign, Diaz linked how the lopsided result of the elections reflected public perception of Rappler and Philippine journalism in general.

For those who voted for Robredo, hearing the lively "Kay Leni Tayo" jingle, and the inspiring "Rosas" again will tug at their heartstrings and tear ducts. However, watching this documentary in 2024, two years after the election, the hopeful ending about a national network of volunteers was a disappointment of sorts because it felt sorely incomplete. It badly needed an epilogue describing the country's situation right now as a result of that election. 

 

Review of HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON: Childlike Creativity

August 22, 2024

Harold was a little boy who owned a purple crayon.  Whatever Harold drew with that crayon, it would become the real thing. When what he drew caused some sort of problem, he was able to think up of another item to draw in order to get him out of trouble. He even drew a couple of animals -- Moose and Porcupine -- who would become this best friends. When he grew up, his drawings became more complex, and so did their adventures.

Once, Harold wondered about who drew him. The narrator (Alfred Molina) answered him, saying that it was him. He was his "old man" who lived in the real world. One day, the narrator just went quiet and no one was answering Harold's questions. Harold had the bright idea to draw a door that opened into the real world. However, when Harold and his friends were in the real world, they immediately saw that it was not as simple as their previous world. 

When animated line drawing Harold entered the real world live action, he was played by Zachary Levi. He had already proven before that he can play a child trapped in an adult body before when he played the superhero form of a teenager in "Shazam!" (David F. Sandberg, 2019 and 2023). He has got that innocent ignorance acting bit all sewn up in his repertoire that he can still pull it off even now at age 43 without becoming too annoying.   

The transition of his friends from animal line drawings to human form -- Moose into Lil Rey Howery as Moose and Porcupine into Tanya Reynolds -- was totally not given any reason why that happened. Zooey Dechanel was cute, but she did not look like she was enjoying her role as Terri, the harassed mother of troubled teen Mel (Benjamin Bottani), who became Harold's friend. Jermaine Clement had the thankless role of covetous town librarian Gary Natwick.

As the original 1955 book by Crockett Johnson was for small kids, so was this movie very kiddie. Adults really have to watch this with their inner child in order to enjoy it with their kids. The humor and the special effects of the crayon's magic were quite juvenile, silly and wholesome for most of the film. Things do turn dark at the moment of the climactic showdown, for which young kids would need their parents for guidance and explanations. 6/10. 

Review of IT ENDS WITH US: Trust after Trauma

August 21, 2024

When her father passed away, Lily Bloom (Blake Lively) came back her hometown to be with her mother, Jenny (Amy Morton). After she blanked out at her eulogy, Jenny sat out on the rooftop of her apartment building to think. A guy suddenly came in throwing a temper tantrum -- Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni), a neurosurgeon. The two felt an instant connection between them, but they were interrupted by a call from the hospital.

Lily went on to open her dream flower shop. A cheerful lady named Allysa (Jenny Slate) applied for a job as her shop assistant, and was accepted right away. Circumstances fell into place that reunited Lily with Ryle, and they soon fell in love. One day, Lily introduced Ryle to her mother in a restaurant called Root. Lily was very surprised when this same meal would also bring her face to face with her ex-boyfriend Atlas Corrigan (Brandon Sklenar). 

The screenplay of this film was adapted by Christy Hill from the best-selling 2016 romance novel of the same title by Colleen Hoover. I have not read the book, so I am reviewing this as a film on its own, and not on how well it interpreted the original novel. The director is Justin Baldoni, who was also playing the role of Ryle Kincaid. This is only Baldoni's second feature film as director after young adult, terminal illness, drama-romance "Five Feet Apart" (2019). 

I do not know how the story was presented in the novel, but in the film, the development of Lily's relationship with Ryle was shown alternately in parallel with the development of her past relationship with Atlas. Baldoni's storytelling technique was not too clear at first, so some viewers can get confused with who this Atlas guy was. What was the point of showing these flashback scenes when we want to see how Lily was getting along with this new guy Ryle?

Blake Lively is undoubtedly a great beauty throughout this film. All attention is drawn to her whenever she is onscreen, Lily awkward wardrobe choices notwithstanding. Brandon Sklenar made the most of his shorter but important role as Atlas. Jenny Slate was a real joy to watch as Alyssa. Justin Baldoni was very intense as Ryle, but it would have been good to see more of Ryle's younger days as flashback scenes instead of only being told in dialog. 6/10. 

Review of ALIEN: ROMULUS: Revisit by References

August 20, 2024

Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her android brother Andy (David Jonsson) worked as slaves for Weyland-Yutani in a gloomy mining colony called Jackson's Star. When Rain's contract was extended against her will, she got together with her ex-boyfriend Tyler (Archie Renaux) and his pregnant sister Kay (Isabela Merced), their cousin Bjorn (Spike Fearn) and his girlfriend Navarro (Aileen Wu), who were plotting to escape the colony. 

Their plan involved getting their hauler craft Corbelan to an abandoned spacecraft to steal its cryostasis chambers essential for their escape. They needed Andy to be there so they can connect with the computer systems on the ship. However, while working on the chambers, they unwitingly revived frozen quick slithery creatures which attacked them. One of these alien monsters latched onto Navarro's face and they could not get it off. 

Cailee Spaeny is on a roll of a broad variety of lead roles, as Priscilla Presley in "Priscilla" last year to an idealistic young journalist in "Civil War" earlier this year.  Here, the close sense of kinship of Spaeny's Rain to David Johnson's android Andy was the heart of this film, and the two of them sold it. Johnson's role was more complex, since Andy's thought processing depended on the chip inserted into him, adding to the tension around his character.

The events of "Alien: Romulus" (already the 9th film in the "Alien" franchise) happen about 20 years after of the original "Alien" (Ridley Scott, 1979) set in the year 2122, and 37 years before its sequel "Aliens" (James Cameron, 1986) set in the year 2179. To appreciate "Romulus" better, it is advised to watch at least the first "Alien" to be able to recognize the references about it, and how this new movie practically hits all the beats of the original. An iconic line from "Aliens" was also thrown into the mix to delight fans.  

Watching the first "Alien" first will familiarize new viewers with the deadly alien monsters of this franchise -- the eight-tentacled, tight-binding facehuggers and the chest-bursting, rapidly growing xenomorphs, which looked more terrifying in director Fede Alvarez red-lit confines. Another plus was recognizing the face of android science officer Ash (the late Ian Holm) from "Alien" in this edition's Weyland-Yutani-loyal android science officer Rook. 7/10

Vivamax: Mini-Reviews of KASKASERO, MAHAROT, INIT

August 18, 2024

KASKASERO

Director: Ludwig Peralta

Writer: Quinn Carrillo

Impressed with his work on her car, coffee shop barista Gabbi (Christine Bermas) invited young mechanic Miggy (Itan Rosales) to drive her car in a road race for a pot of P50K.  Gambler Archie (Marco Gomez) and his men bet on the losing car, which drove him deeper into debt with a loan shark. Meanwhile, car meet flag girl Denise (Angela Morena), who used her red panties to start races, also sought Miggy out to fix her car, among other things.

This film brought us into the world of illegal late-night car meets -- the high-performance cars, the high-stakes gambling, its wild denizens with decadent lifestyles and the threat of police sirens.  Charismatic Itan Rosales gives a mostly star-making turn as Miggy,  while veteran Jeffrey Santos lent solid support as his father Efren. Christine Bermas makes us care for Gabbi, as Angela Morena was surprising as a floozy with a chip on her shoulder. 5/10.

MAHAROT

Director: Rodante Y. Pajemna, Jr. 

Writer: Rodante Y. Pajemna, Jr. 

Joni (Aiko Garcia) was an aspiring Japayuki renting the house of Aling Celia (Sarah Pulido). Celia's son Tantan (Victor Relosa) had a big crush on Joni, even if he had seen her servicing various men as a prostitute. When his friend Tasyo (Ardy Raymundo) arranged for Tantan to date their school beauty Helen (Athena Red), Tantan asked Joni for pointers. Joni knew what she wanted and went for it, and Tantan admired her for that. 

This film tells a simple story about a pragmatic and empowered woman. Of course, Joni's story would have been a lot more positive if she did not sell her body to achieve her dream. Aiko Garcia gave a restrained portrayal of Joni and this came across as natural and confident, impressive for a new actress in a lead role. Victor Relosa always played rascals previously, but he showed range here, convincingly projecting youthful innocence and sincerity. 5/10

INIT

Director: Piem Acero

Writer Jessi Lopez

Incoming education freshman Luisa (Dyessa Garcia) was the new boarder in the house of  Arman (Rash Flores). Her roommate was Dianne (Candy Veloso). The other boarders included live-in partners Jhen (Aica Veloso) and Zander (Ghion Espinosa), and two other guys Eddrick (Rome Guinto) and Jeff (Renz Tantoco). As this was her first trip out of her province away from her mother, Luisa soon discovered she had extraordinary needs.  

After three years of churning out movies about sex, this must be the first Vivamax film that actually tackled the psychiatric condition of Nymphomania directly. There was even a scene with a psychiatrist (Jhenelyn Castro) explaining the diagnosis. Candy Veloso was very natural as the frank sensible Dianne. Pretty and innocent-looking Dyessa Garcia had plenty to do owing to Luisa's condition, but she did not seem ready yet for such a challenging role. 4/10. 

Vivamax: Mini-Reviews of DADDYSITTER, PACKAGE DEAL, BACKRIDER

August 18, 2024

DADDYSITTER

Director: Christian Paolo Lat

Head Writer: Maya Diaz

Writer: Philip Doria

Nursing student Mara (Apple Dy) needed money badly for the tuition of her brother Ethan (Tom Samonte), but she could not get a job as a children's nanny. Her best friend Isabelle (Mia Cruz) convinced Mara to try out her line of work as a "daddy-sitter" and gave her the number of a client -- Ryan (Emil Sandoval), a brain tumor patient. While Ryan proved to be generous and a gentleman with Mara, his son Joseph (Armani Hector) was bad news. 

This is another Vivamax film catering to its older audience demographic. We are introduced to a job called "daddy-sitting," servicing the "needs" of an ailing, older-aged client, health-wise and otherwise. That scene of Isabelle servicing frail wheezy grandpa Mike (Gil delos Reyes) must be one of the most un-sexy sex scenes ever on Vivamax, but it was intentionally funny. However, calling Ryan (age 44) as "old" can hit a sensitive nerve. 4/10. 

PACKAGE DEAL

Director: Carby Salvador

Head Writer: Maya Diaz

Writer: La Dhera

Manet (Angelica Hart) inherited her late husband's courier business called Pack U2. Not long after, Manet had an affair with her employee Ron (Mark Anthony Fernandez), and soon they got married. One day, Elissa (Mariane Saint) turned up at Manet's gate, and introduced herself to be Ron’s daughter, who was now pregnant. Despite the advice of her friend JC (Yuki Sakamoto), Manet still allowed Elissa to stay in their house. 

Mark Anthony Fernandez's notorious reputation negatively preceded him here, as there was absolutely no surprise anymore that his Ron was up to no good. Manet was supposed to be a smart businesswoman, but the way Angelica Hart was playing her, Manet ended up looking like a big fool. Mariane Saint's Elissa was already giving such a bad performance for her ploy, yet Hart's Manet still believed her, and was even seduced by her.  2/10. 

BACKRIDER

Director: Bobby Bonifacio Jr.

Head Writer: Maya Diaz

Writer: Jai Shane Canete

Faith (Jenn Rosa) worked as a home service masseuse, who would give extra service for an additional fee. Her boyfriend Raymond (Aerol Carmelo) was spending more on gamer gear than earning from online games. One night, Faith serviced a rich, handsome businessman Dave (Chad Alviar), who seemed different from her other customers. When Faith discovered thta Raymond lost their savings on a cryptocurrency scam, Dave welcomed her in.  

Director Bonifacio knew Rosa and Alviar were attractive and photographed very well onscreen, and he knew how to compose good sex scenes featuring them in Dave's stylish house. More time could have been spent telling that story better, instead of wasting worthless minutes seeing Faith stupidly returning to worthless scum Raymond, or seeing Raymond inexplicably choosing homely slut Nona Marie (Jonica Lazo) over Faith. 4/10. 

Review of UNANG TIKIM: Lesbian Loving

August 16, 2024

Yuna (Angeli Khang) works as a waitress in a coffee shop under her boss Nico (Matt Francisco) who had a crush on her. However, she was in a serious romantic relationship with photographer Becca (Robb Guinto), who frequently had Yuna pose for her. Becca was well-to-do, and was in process of migrating to the US. Meanwhile, Yuna had to contend with her gambler mother Tess (Susan Africa) who had leech for a boyfriend (Junebert Cantila).

This is the very first theatrical release by Vivamax since they started its online streaming app in 2021. It is directed by Roman Perez Jr., one of the most prolific directors on Vivamax, and starred Angeli Khang and Robb Guinto, two of the most popular breakout sexy stars who started off in Vivamax. It would be interesting how this move works as Vivamax now tries to broaden its reach beyond the app. 

The story and screenplay by Marianne Maddawat was about a couple, both on their first serious romantic relationship, who had a bad breakup, and then meet up again after several years to reevaluate their lost love. This plot had definitely been done before, just in various different contexts. In thoese cases, it's just the style of the director and the charisma and chemistry of the lead stars which would spell the difference. 

Director Roman Perez Jr. is known for his bombastic directorial style combining gritty and generous doses of sex and violence in Vivamax films like "Pamasahe,' "Kamadora" or "Litsoneras." Here, violence was limited screaming catfights between Yuna and Becca. The sex scenes, both lesbian and hetero, were surprisingly toned down even in the R-18 cut. The MTRCB still held sway for cinematic releases, unlike in streaming.

Tall and svelte, Angeli Khang's innocent face belied her carnal urges, which went both ways. Robb Guinto fits the role of rich, sophisticated Becca to a T, the more dominant partner in their relationship. Matt Francisco had shown promise in "Haliparot," but he is underused and rather emasculated here as Nico. They were able to cast veteran actress Susan Africa as Yuna's mother, you wish she had more to do. 6/10. 

Review of UN/HAPPY FOR YOU: Fix by Failing

August 16, 2024

It was the 2018 Maharang Festival in Naga City. The program host was asking the audience for contestants to vie for Chili King and Queen. Tourist from Manila Zy Angeles (Julia Barretto) was very enthusiastically volunteering herself, but the host wanted her to have a male partner. Zy just grabbed the cute local guy beside her Juancho Trinidad (Joshua Garcia), and pulled him to the stage with her. They won the title. 

Presently, Juancho is the chef of their family-owned Casa Rosa restaurant, specializing in Bicolano cuisine. He was now planning to opening a branch in Manila. Zy is now a writer for an American publication based in New York City. She was assigned to Naga to write an article about Bicolano cuisine. Juancho and Zy, who had been lovers until 2 years ago, run into each other. Juancho invited her to Casa Rosa, and Zy agreed.

The story and screenplay was written by Kookai Labayen and Crystal San Miguel, with additional dialogues from Simon Lloyd Arciaga and Jen Chuaunsu. The cutesy rom-com parts may feel clichéd, but those angsty dramatic lines during arguments can hit very hard. We have all been in arguments with people we love, but it's different when we are the third party hearing valid points from both sides of the fence 

At first, we see the story of their bad breakup from Juancho's point of view, so we side with him initially and consider Zy as the bad guy.  When we finally get to hear Zy's side of the story, only then do we see the full picture. We are obsessed about staying together no matter what, but sometimes we have to step back to recognize that the relationship can already be toxic. Should this be fixed, or should they just let go?

Director Petersen Vargas is very well-versed with rom-coms, and he handled this one expertly. Now on their sixth film together, JoshLia looked great, with an electric romantic chemistry as a screen couple, from heatedly eating spicy delicacies to catching crablets on a rowboat. Individually, they can deliver those dramatic arguments and monologues in a way that could move audiences to tears. Surely, a crowd-pleaser! 7/10. 

Netflix: Review of LOLO AND THE KID: Conman Comrades

August 12, 2024

One day, a wealthy childless couple saw a homeless young boy Kid (Euwenn Mikael) and an older man, his Lolo (Joel Torre), seated together on the sidewalk across their house. The couple invited them into their house, and they got to know each other better. They eventually asked Lolo if he would agree for them to adopt Kid as their own son. Lolo reluctantly agreed and left Kid behind, protesting in tears.

Such melodrama is the substance of many Filipino drama films in the past, so you'd think this new film will be going down the same clichéd paths. However, even before the opening credits came on, everything turned out to a just one big con job. The charming grandpa-cute kid grifting partners take advantage of lonely people longing for a child to steal items they could sell to have cash for the next few days.

Given the twisted sense of morality of the story, writer-director Benedict Mique had to play a tricky game of balancing the genuine loving bond between Lolo and Kid, with the fact that Lolo was in fact exploiting Kid's cuteness to steal valuable items from their hapless victims. We are supposed to root for them to stay partners forever, yet we also know that it was very wrong for Lolo to bring up Kid into a life of crime. 

Mique pulls this off thanks to the natural talent, charisma and chemistry of this two lead stars, the ever-reliable character actor Joel Torre and the MMFF 2023 boy-wonder of "Firefly", Euwann Mikael. Furthermore, Mique kept things light and funny, including those scenes with Lolo's favorite fence Taba (David Shouder). Lolo had a wholesome routine of amusement park and karaoke bar after each caper, nothing dark nor sleazy.

We were never shown any aftermath of their crimes for their victims, even if they were portrayed by name actors, like Meryll Soriano, Joem Bascon, Iza Calzado, Markki Stroem, Nico Antonio. While the film wasn't really about them, it felt cold that they just dropped out, never to be heard from again. I was hoping that these characters could've been revisited in passing before the film ended,  but that didn't happen.

As one of the main highlights of their modus operandi, whenever Kid would turn up the waterworks, the audience is moved to tears. Towards the end of the film, the grownup Kid is already played by JK Labajo in a perfect bit of casting. Yes, we knew they'd get to sing "Through the Years" together again. But by then, we care enough about the partners that tears automatically well up at that bittersweet moment.  7/10. 

Cinemalaya 2024: Review of GULAY LANG, MANONG: Cannabis Concoction

August 11, 2024

After one unfortunate day at his vegetable farm, Manong Pilo (Perry Dizon) was introduced by his childish grandson Ricky (BJ Lacson) to his new friend Razer (Ranzel Magpantay), a person with dwarfism who was the right-hand man of a hugaholic marijuana cultivator who went by the catchy codename "Haring Damo" (Dong Abay) and owned a cute little puppy he called Pechay.

Meanwhile, SPO2 Ariel Lacson (Cedrick Juan) was a young officer of the police department in Region 2. He was the son of a decorated police officer Antonio Lacson (Arrian Labios), who retired after contracting a neurological condition. Ariel liked publicity, so he volunteered for TV interviews, always making sure that his face and statement delivery were perfect for the camera. 

This quirky film, written and directed by BC Amparado, was advocating for the legalization of marijuana, particularly for medical reasons. There was even a lecture about the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) components of cannabis. THC produces a high, while CBD does not. One needs to cross strains to achieve about an 18% CBD to make the leaf ideal for medical use.  

It was rather tricky for Amparado to balance the benevolent effect of cannabis with the fact that marijuana is still considered illegal in our country. It was also tricky for him to balance his serious intent with the funnier aspects of getting stoned with weed. Viewers enjoyed laughing at those shaky visual effects and drawling speech patterns which signified that the character was high.

Cedrick Juan tries some comedy this time after his career resurgence last year, but his highlight was still a dramatic scene with his father. The standouts in the supporting cast were definitely Ranzel Magpantay as the energetic Razer and Dong Abay as the lovable Haring Damo. Lui Manansala showed a different persona as Sen. Vivian Delmar, who "looooved" farmers. The impact of Perry Dizon as the titular Manong was rather subdued compared to the rest of the wacky cast. 6/10. 

Cinemalaya 2024: Review of THE HEARING: Defending the Deaf

August 8, 2024

The family of Dante (Nor Domingo) and Madonna (Mylene Dizon) Umali resided in a remote island community. Dante operated a boat service to ferry people from the mainland to the island and back. Aside from being a housewife, Madonna was an active member of the church women's group. Their eldest son, Lucas (Enzo Osorio), was a deaf-mute, while the youngest, Tomas (Ruslan Jacob Asumbrado), had no congenital disabilities. 

One day, Fr. Mejor Lahay (Rom Factolerin) was brought to the island to say Mass. The kids were told by their elders to help bring the gifts for Fr. Mejor to the house of barangay captain Berto (Neil Tolentino). On their way home, Madonna noted that Lucas was not his usual self. He stopped in the middle of the road and began to cry. Madonna knew something was wrong, and tried her best to persuade Lucas to tell her what happened to him.

This film, written by Honeylyn Joy Alipio and directed by Law Fajardo, had two advocacies that it wanted to push. First is awareness about the deaf community, and second was about the sexual abuse of children. While the title "The Hearing"  probably referred to the judicial process where the judge hears witness testimonies, it could also refer to the auditory sense which Lucas lacked -- both of which were integral parts of this film.

Unlike other mothers in typical Filipino melodramas, Mylene Dizon played the distraught Madonna in a most restrained manner.  Nor Domingo provided solid support as Madonna's husband. I don't know if Enzo Osorio is a real deaf-mute boy or not, but his silent yet intense portrayal of Lucas was truly moving and riveting. That tense scene when Lucas was being grilled by cold defense lawyer Atty. Satparam (Atty. Francisco Salvador) was outstanding.

It was very interesting to see how the deaf were being treated within our criminal justice system. Having two sign language translators interpret and relay the deaf witness's answer to every question by the lawyers and investigators in order to assure accuracy and impartiality seems to be such a tedious process, yet the defense still attacked this process relentlessly to create a sense of reasonable doubt. I don't think I saw this in "Anatomy of a Fall" or any other movie before.

Fajardo's style of storytelling immersed us in the silent world Lucas lived in, seeing people and things in his 12 year-old point of view. We see how shaky and unsettling he saw the world to be. While we can see that he did not hear what the people around him were saying, I wish Fajardo could somehow have let us in on whether Lucas understood what was going on or not. I do not recall a scene where Lucas acknowledged his parents' concern for his well-being.

Curiously, Alipio and Fajardo chose to intertwine the domestic issues of one of the sign language translators into the story. Maya (Ina Feleo) was a SPED teacher who was occasionally called on by the courts to translate if there were deaf witnesses. At home, she endured her oppressive, brutish husband Joseph (Mark Dionisio). Of course, Feleo was excellent, but the connection between her problems with Lucas's case could feel rather tenuous. 8/10

Cinemalaya 2024: Review of BALOTA: Educating the Electorate

August 7, 2024

Emmy Cortez (Marian Rivera) was a dedicated public school teacher. She had a teenage son Enzo (Will Ashley). Her best friend was her cousin Melissa (Sue Prado), who was the mother of Enzo's best buddy Jimbo (Raheel Bhyria). It was election season, and in their town, the two candidates for mayor -- incumbent mayor Elena Hidalgo (Mae Paner) and her rival Giancarlo Edraline (Gardo Versoza) -- were going full tilt ahead with their campaigns. 

On election day, Emmy served as one of the poll officials in their local precinct, and it went on generally without incident. When the ballot box was about to be delivered to the governor, Emmy volunteered for the job, and was accompanied by her crush Teacher Waks (Myke Salomon). Before they left, the ballot box was handcuffed to Emmy's wrist as per tradition. What was supposed to have been a routine errand did not happen according to plan.

With "Balota," writer-director Kip Oebanda boldly followed up the heavily-political footsteps of his only previous Cinemalaya entry -- "Liway" (2018). There were already moments of violence at the start, with hitman Migs (Nico Antonio) doing his bloody jobs. Later, we see Emmy's ordeal while chained to the ballot box, which was certainly dead serious. Oebanda judiciously inserted comic moments to break the tension, from playing FLAMES to jingle showdowns. 

Several other people make Emmy's neighborhood a more interesting to live in. Cross-dressing gay guys Babe (Sassa Gurl) and Erhmengard (Esmyr Ranollo) provide colorful LGBT rainbow. Beat partners Pastor (Joel Saracho) and Morales (Royce Cabrera) were in sharp good cop - bad cop contrast. Anita (Donna Cariaga) led a picket line to demand justice for her late husband who died along with 12 other co-workers several years back.

As expected, Marian Rivera was the star of the whole show and she literally went through the entire gamut of emotions her. In drama, she drew the audience into her precarious plight that put her family in danger, and her difficult dilemma about who she can trust. In comedy, Rivera's Emmy can be sassy when she argued, or girly with her crush, and the audience enthusiastically laughed at all her zingers, from beginning to end. 

Marian Rivera lends her superstar power to attract the fickle Filipino moviegoers to watch a film with an important advocacy to push. Year after year, Filipino citizens go through various elections of public officials. More frequent than not, the winners were those with the biggest bribes or the best name recall, and not the most capable nor the most honest. This film tells us to stop this ridiculous circus now, and vote seriously with only patriotism in mind. 8/10. 

Cinemalaya 2024: Review of TUMANDOK: Imperative Indigenous Issues

August 6, 2024

Chieftain (Felipe Ganancial) was the leader of their indigenous Tumandok tribe who lived in the mountain village of Banaya. His eldest son Dino (Jimboy Sangher) became a soldier, but his 18 year-old daughter En-en (Jenaica Sangher) remained to assist him. One day, a little boy named Kikim was hit by a stray bullet in the leg while playing in the cornfield. He was just the latest victim of shootings which had been plaguing their village recently. 

This film written and directed by real-life couple Richard Jeroui Salvadico and Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay was a virtual immersion in the difficult lives of indigenous people living in mountain villages. The cast were all Ati tribespeople, who spoke in their native tongue of Inati. Being non-professional actors, this cast gave the film authenticity and sincerity in its advocacy to shed light on the pressing issues surrounding the Tumandok in reality. 

It was not enough that they lived in poverty, or that they walk a very far distance to reach the city. Now, safety is also a concern, as tribesmen have been killed or injured by shootings. They tried to reach out to politicians for help, but all they get is lip service, but no action. That whole part about the Mayor Emmanuel Lerona (Jay Trenas) was frustrating -- from his scrolling his phone during the dance program to his ignoring of an appointed meeting. 

Fiction segued into fact as documentary segment brought awareness to the case of nine Tumandok leaders who had been gunned down in cold blood. The filmmakers bravely implicate the Philippine Military in their death. The encroachment of lowlanders into the ancestral lands of indigenous people is a topic that had been discussed in several indie films before, particularly how natives were duped into signing documents they did not read.

Even as the film showed the natives moving out of their lands out of fear for their lives, the character of En-en provided hope for the future for these proud people. This young woman had vision and dedication to preserve their community with a five-year working plan. Even if she had to stop formal education after her high school graduation, she knew that their people were not born to beg, and she was willing to lead their cause like her father did. 7/10. 

Cinemalaya 2024: Review of LOVE CHILD: Adulting with Autism

August 6, 2024

Pre-law student Ayla (Jane Oineza) and aspiring filmmaker Paolo (RK Bagatsing) were college sweethearts. When Ayla had an unplanned pregnancy, they both stopped their studies to prove to their families that they can fend for themselves and their baby. Unfortunately, their son Kali (John Tyrron Ramos) was not yet talking at 4 years of age. It was only then that they consulted a doctor who confirmed that Kali had autism spectrum disorder. 

Ayla and Pao decided to move to Bacolod, accepting the offer of Ayla's retired aunt to live in her house free of charge. Enrolling Kali in the SPED program of a public school at first, they thought they had things all figured out. However, when inadequacies of the first school forced them to move Kali to a private school for special children, they began to experience the extreme strain on their limited incomes and their day-to-day lives. 

When it was revealed in the first scene that this film was going to be about raising an autistic child, you already knew by then that this was going to be a tearjerker -- and indeed it was. Raising a special child is a tremendous responsibility for any parent, even the best of them, ?They can experience insecurities about their inadequacies, and may want to give up, especially those who do not have an extended family to depend on for assistance.

This film is only the second feature film co-written and directed by Jonathan Jurilla. Above the weepy melodrama expected from this theme, the script, co-written with Arden Rod Condez and Ayu Martinez, expounded on prohibitive prices for the best SPED schools and one-on-one therapists. Too bad the story only started when Kali was four. It would have been more educational if much earlier signs were recognized and addressed (even as flashbacks). 

Oineza and Bagatsing had a realistic, refreshing chemistry between them, as partners who were cooperating towards the same noble goal. Oineza was at her best when Anya was getting insecure as she watched Kali following his shadow teacher (Marianel Tan) more, instead of her.  Bagatsing's Pao bravely kept a smile on his face, unmindful of the sacrifices he had gone through. His tearful scene at the Christmas party hit me hard. 7/10.  

Cinemalaya 2024: Review of KONO BASHO: Sisterly Sensitivities

August 5, 2024

When her father Emman passed away, his estranged daughter Ella (Gabby Padilla) went over from the Philippines to Japan to pay her respects. She was brought by her aunt Maita (Sheryl Ichikawa) and her husband Sada (Satoshi Nikaido) to meet the second wife Atsuko (Reiko Kataoka) and her half-sister Reina (Arisa Nakano). Things were frosty at first between the half-sisters, especially when lawyer Nishi (Sho Yakumaru) read out their late father's will. 

Gabby Pineda is back after her acclaimed performance in "Gitling" from Cinemalaya last year, where she played the translator of a Japanese film director. Nihongo plays another significant role in her new Cinemalaya film this year. This whole film was set in Japan, so everyone else was speaking in Japanese, except Pineda's Ella. This language barrier further accentuated the isolation that her character felt in the midst of a new family whom she just met.

As Pineda portrayed Ella, she came across as very cold on the big screen. As a viewer, it was difficult for me to connect emotionally with Ella, especially with that American accent she was speaking English with, which further made her character feel more inaccessible. By being aloof with Reina, Ella was trying her best to project strength and independence, and Pineda succeeded to make that bitterly and disdainfully clear. 

Playing opposite Pineda is young Japanese actress Arisa Nakano, in her feature film follow-up after playing the lead character's niece in Wim Wenders's Oscar-nominated film "Perfect Days" (2023). Her Reina was more deeply affected by her father's death, owing to a traumatic experience they both shared in the past. Nakano was able to make us feel Reina's pain that she had been bottling up.  Her breakdown scene with the paints was heartbreaking.

Writer-director Jaime Pacana II crafted a beautiful Japanese aesthetic for his feature film debut. Those scenes outside the Iwate Tsunami Memorial in Rikuzentakata were suffused with zen balance and symmetry, in contrast with the devastating 2011 disaster the museum (and this film) commemorated. Pacena included a subplot about a pregnancy which felt contrived at first, but he was able to turn it around and make it work in the end. 7/10.  

Cinemalaya 2024: Review of KANTIL: Secrets of the Shell

August 5, 2024

Mrs. Emilia Buhisan (Sue Prado) was a disgraced ex-teacher who now led the poor seaside community of Trabungko. The residents were facing relocation because their land was being repossessed by the powerful Del Castro family, led by current councilor Saturnino "Kabayan" de Castro (Raul Arellano) and his brother Jeremy (Tads Obach). Kabayan's son Eliong (Andre Miguel) was now being groomed to follow his father's political footsteps. 

One day while out at sea, fisherman Cai (Perry Dizon) found a strange big black rock-like shell caught in his net.  When he brought it back to his wife Marietta (Fe Gingging Hyde), they consulted Mrs. Buhisan about it. She sent her trusted aide Inday Sisi (Ram Botero) and local beauty Vicenta (Alyssa Saliling) to investigate. Was this strange item actually the legendary stone of the mythic serpent Trabungko, from which their village got its name? 

This film written and directed by Joshua Caesar Medroso tackled many themes at the same time. Aside from political corruption, power tripping and social injustice in rural communities, there was also a doomed LGBT romance in there, two familiar themes for Cinemalaya films. The film pushed the limits of the PG rating by opening with scene of a sexual nature between two men, and then showed several scenes of brutal murders to boot.

Medroso then brought in a supernatural angle into the story with the Trabungko stone, which he supplied with a history, while still keeping its nature and power a mystery. The title was the Bisaya word for "trench," referring to the location where this curious item was found. It would have been good if they showed how the shell worked its magic, but alas, I guess there wasn't enough time nor budget for special effects to bring this phenomenon on the big screen. 

In one key scene in the beginning of the film, a character was murdered one night and his dead body was thrown in the sea. The next morning when the body was found, the usual changes noted for a corpse soaked overnight were not noted. There would at least have been visible effects of prolonged soaking in water on his skin.  This detail was a major plot hole for me because of all the things that happened next to this dead man. 

Leading this ensemble cast was Sue Prado, who was consistent in her realistic portrayals of flawed protagonists. Her Ms. Buhisan could actually be a reformed version of her predatory character in "Your Mother's Son" (2023). Raul Arellano and Tads Obach were chilling as corrupt politicians. Andre Miguel's Eliong seethed with the angst of a conflicted teenager. Edmund Telmo stoically played Eliong's lover Paleng who underwent a mysterious upheaval in his existence which he never asked for.  6/10. 

Review of HOW TO SLAY A NEPO BABY: Social Satire with Scares

August 1, 2024

One day, political scion Cass (Barbie Imperial) invited her group of spoiled rich kids for a trip to Sagada. They include CEO-to-be Ada (Sue Ramirez), depression-beset vegan Bella (Chaye Mogg), muscle-bound sex addict J (Naia Ching), and substance addict twins Kel (Ralph Gomez) and Sho (Phi Gomez). Much to the kids' annoyance, they will be chaperoned by Cass's strict and old-fashioned gay nanny Yayo (Phi Palmos).

At first, Alpha Habon's screenplay seemed to be a satiric take against the lifestyle of the privileged children of the  rich and famous parents. We see the deplorable way they dealt with the working class around them. With their limitless cash reserves, they believe that they can buy anything out or pay anything off. If money cannot do the talking, they would resort to threats and blackmail unafraid, knowing that their powerful parents would bail them out.  

However, during their first night in Sagada, something happened that took things to a sharp chilling turn. Its darkly comic tone then became darkly horrific. When they visited Yayo's home village Lunti, the atmosphere was unsettling from the get-go. Children with ominous shrill shrieking and voodoo-like rituals . Cass and pals could have skedaddled out of there right there and then, but of course, they stayed so we could have a movie. 

While Ada was a slimy and manipulative queen bee, quirky Sue Ramirez had the charm to pull this character off without totally turning you off against her.  Barbie Imperial's Cass was so wishy-washy, it is with her that audiences may feel more annoyed. The others had nothing much to do except be dumb jocks who can't feel the danger even if it was screaming at their faces. As the "gracious" host Yayo, Phi Palmos was an MVP in the ensemble. Characters like caretaker Gil (JC Gallano) and healer Inayon (Sue Prado) complicate the plot. 

Director Rod Marmol ("Cuddle Weather," "The Cheating Game") helms a true horror for the first time. He did creditably most of the way, but faltered at the ending, with a jarring jump in action where a chunk of the climax skipped making things worse. With all those pastel flowers he used in the Lunti, Ari Aster's "Midsommar" (2019) seemed to be on his mind. To earn a less-restrictive R-13 rating, all of the cuss words were obviously skipped. 6/10.