October 9, 2024
Director: Bobby Bonifacio, Jr.
Writer: Byron Bryant
After her father died, Adelle (Rob Guinto) lived on their rice farm and mill with her Auntie Luring (Tabs Sumulong). One morning over breakfast, she announced that she was planning to get married to her boyfriend Rener (Juan Paolo Calma), the guy who operated the mill (the titular "kiskisan"). Her sister Bea (Apple Dy) came home from the city for a vacation and brought her friend Cheska (Skye Gonzaga) along. Things get busy from there.
Bobby Bonifacio had directed a number of good Vivamax films, like "Bula" (2022) and "Haliparot" (2023). Byron Bryant had written a number of good Vivamax films, like "Reroute" (2022) and "Langitngit" (2023). However, this particular Bonifacio-Bryant collaboration was utterly beyond disappointing. This was practically a hollow shell, with no meaningful story to tell, just a series of boring sex scenes strung together. 1/10
Director: Rodante Y. Pajemna, Jr.
Writer: ER Astrologo
Lovely Cruz a.k.a. L (Christine Bermas) operated a dance school on the promenade beside the Jones Bridge along the Pasig River with her friend Zinia (Jonica Lazo). To earn more money, she also joined dance competitions with her favorite dance partner Lucas (Sean de Guzman), a friend she kept on the friendzone. One day, L began receiving expensive gifts of jewelry from a wealthy secret admirer, who turned out to be Allan (Jeffrey Hidalgo).
Christine Bermas and Sean de Guzman are both among the more talented actors in the Vivamax pool. Unfortunately, this shallow story they collaborated on was so pitifully beneath their dramatic abilities. Their sex scenes felt cheap and exploitative, especially for Bermas. Their ballroom dancing was dull and unimpressive, certainly not the type people will pay for to watch or get lessons from. Jeffrey Hidalgo went all-out here as middle-aged stud. 2/10
Director: Christopher Novabos
Headwriter: Maya Diaz
Writers: Philip Doria, Melnar Arquillo
18 year-old Mira (Candy Veloso) and her father Moises (James Lomahan) earned a living farming mussels in their small seaside village. She had a boyfriend Goyo (John Mark Marcia) who helped her do her work, among other things. Their settlement was to be demolished for land reclamation. Then, her father had a stroke. Desperate, Mira went to the center to ask help from lusty barangay captain Douglas (Emil Sandoval) and his kagawad Talia (Salome Salvi).
The story aimed to have social and environmental significance by tackling the issue of unjust demolition of homes to give way to reclamation of land from the sea. However, these political issues just fell on the wayside when the narrative took a sharp turn and became of story of exploitation and rape. Veloso did try her best to portray the poor Mira, but she was still too new and raw an actress to take on the role with more conviction. 3/10.
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