August 15, 2018
Kray (Erich Gonzales) was the daughter of a retired stuntman (the later Baldo Marro), who now worked as a stuntwoman herself for a living. One day, Kray, together with her old friends Jonesky (Thou Reyes), Cheche (Max Eigenmann) and Reneboy (Nico Dans) were gathered up together again by their ring leader Ramil (Alex Medina) for a new money-making project. Little did they know that their new job with boss Bangkil (Paolo Paraiso) got them involved in a grisly organ-harvesting gig from which they could not quit.
If I could be completely honest, comparisons with Erik Matti's "BuyBust" (BB) would not be too far-fetched. Both films were about a team of friends whose planned operation went wrong and so they had to fight themselves out of the tight spot they were trapped in within one night. In BB, it was in a maze-like slum in Tondo. Here it was an abandoned warehouse at the ports, also in Tondo.
The teams in both films had females who can fight as skillfully as the men, one of whom was the lead character. Both had a male team leader who was injured early on in the film, and had to fight injured (Bernie in BB, Ramil here). Both had a member who was a gentle giant of a man (Rico in BB, Reneboy here). The fight scenes in both films were brutal and graphic, shot with artistic flourish of light and shadow, accompanied by a rock music.
Nevertheless, despite these parallels, "We Will Not Die Tonight" was a awesome film on its own. Thanks to box-office success of BB, the interest of the public for action films had just been freshly whet, so with the immediate release of this film right after BB, the iron was struck while it was hot.
Erich Gonzales did very well in the lead role playing an action heroine, a role that was a major departure from the roles she did in her previous TV or film work. Her Kray was tough, no-nonsense, and did not back down from a fight. Right off the bat she was shown running down the street being chased by motorcycles. She chinned a bar, shimmied down an elevator cable, fought solo against a number of men (mano-a-mano, with various bladed weapons, breaking necks, asphyxiating by rope) all while keeping little girl Isabel (Ayesha Arreza) safe, among other athletic feats. Impressive.
Alex Medina seems to be getting typecast in these rascal roles. When he does a role, you do not really trust the character anymore, like Ramil here. I had seen Thou Reyes as a swishy transgender before on stage and TV, so I was surprised to see him take on the role of the macho boxer Jonesky. I had seen Max Eigenmann in a number of quirky drama indie films before, but nothing like the amazon fighter Cheche was here. She was so cool that she even lit a cigarette in the face of sure death. Nico Dans's hefty Reneboy always picked up the rear during the running scenes. His memorable scene was that one where he was left injured, alone and wandering aimlessly, like a goat served on a platter for the wolves.
All the actors playing the villains played their roles with over-the-top evil. Paolo Paraiso was fearsome as the heartless Bangkil. Sarah Jane Abad played Bangkil's girlfriend Tanya like a witch with her shrill cackling voice. Jeffrey Tam did a total transformation from the silly comedian he is known for into the vicious shotgun-slinging Kirat. Indie staple Jess Mendoza also joined in the fray as creepy gang member Aswang.
I thought the film editing by Jaymie Dumancas deserved an award for its rapid yet clean splicing of scenes to create that frenetic atmosphere. Another technical detail that deserved recognition is the awesome sound and the seamless editing together of those multiple simultaneous sound effects (bone crushing punches, slashing knives, crying kid, groaning injured guy, etc) heard at the same time to create the cacophonous chaos of this film. Kudos to the costume department for giving Kray that badass black sleeveless Metallica t-shirt!
Overall, this was one very exciting action film shot with modern sensibilities and style by writer / director Richard Somes, with cinematographer Alex Esperto. The fights, as choreographed by Jake and Jhappy Bahian, were purposely unpolished brawls -- so well-suited to the film's dingy, rough-hewn vibe. Most appropriately, this action film was dedicated to all stuntmen and stuntwomen in the local film industry and to the memory of the most famous one of them all, Baldo Marro.
It is said that Somes shot this film in only eight days, so to come up with something this vibrant, thrilling, scary and energetic (without resorting to curse words) is truly a remarkable achievement. 8/10.
August 12, 2018
It is already the final day of the Cinemalaya filmfest 2018. I was only able to watch 3 out of the 10 feature films in competition, not a good record for me this year. I went to the mall to try to catch one more film before the awards were given tonight. When I arrived at the ticket booth, I was hoping I'd get to see "Distance" or "ML," but unfortunately that was not the case. I was stuck with watching this much maligned entry, which was almost consistently at the bottom of everyone's lists.
Merlin Limotog (Yayo Aguila) was a battered wife who was forced by her sadistic common-law partner Kardo (Alvin Fortuna) to sell her kids George and Grace to a child trafficking syndicate. The two kids were separated. George grew up beaten up, molested and trained to be a killer by professional assassin Timothy Solis Jr. (Rez Cortez). George vowed to look for her sister and to seek revenge.
George grew up to be a homosexual, and a ruthless assassin, with code name Lester Quiambao (Andres Vasquez). He went to the exclusive membership club called The Kingdom to pick out and buy a man he intended to be his escort, lover and lookout on the job. He chose Travis Concepcion (Jay Garcia), who, after initial reluctance, eventually relented despite his claim that he was straight, and settled into his new life.
Meanwhile, the NBI under director Renato Mullon (Efren Reyes, Jr.) and his inept operatives led by Monica Vera (Elle Ramirez) were having a very hard time trying to locate Lester to stop his killings. However, things were really not what they seem to be on the surface. All these characters were all inter-related with each other in one convoluted complex web.
Lead actor Andres Vasquez is good-looking and well-built, with strong screen presence as Lester. He is not ashamed to appear on the big screen in various states of undress, nor was he averse to having love scenes with a fellow man. He shows promise to be lead actor.
On the other hand, his screen partner Jay Garcia also bared his body and had love scenes, but he could not match Vasquez in terms of screen presence. In fact, Garcia even tended to act effeminately, which was wrong for his character Travis.
Yayo Aguila was totally committed to her masochistic character who inexplicably stuck with the same monster of a live-in partner for over 20 years even if he hit her like crazy, blinded her, raped her and sold her kids away. Perpetual rapist in many films in the past, Rez Cortez finally gets his comeuppance as Timothy gets sodomized in a very brutal scene with two male rapists. Efren Reyes Jr. was as wooden as ever as the NBI director. As Monica, Elle Ramirez gave a hysterically bad, unrealistic portrayal of a NBI agent Monica.
On paper, the tangled up story of writer-director Afi Africa could have been a fascinating character study. However, during the execution of the scenes, something went seriously wrong. The script had plenty of very corny lines. The memorably cheesy ones should be that one that says that the meaning of "mahalaga" ("mahal" + "alaga") or the difference between "I love you" and "Mahal kita" (the former comes from the heart, the latter comes from the heart AND soul.) Groan.
Despite the slick-looking cinematography, but the production design was so ugly and careless. The film editing was so choppy, with some scenes obviously missing, causing some scenes to seem puzzling. The non-linear arrangement of the scenes made the storytelling frustratingly confusing There were several scenes of explicitly sexual nature which felt exploitatory and unnecessary, there just to thrill specific types of audiences.
Now, despite all its rape scenes, sodomy scenes, male sex scenes, crisp profanity and vulgar sexually frank dialog, this film was actually rated PG by the MTRCB! How did that happen? If this was a big mistake, I am surprised no one has reported it to the MTRCB yet because it was still rated PG up to its very last day. 2/10.
August 13, 2018
Nerdy introvert and social media hermit Aries (Jameson Blake) is smitten with the quirky wide-eyed beauty of Norma (Sue Ramirez) from the first time he saw her on campus. He never got the guts to tell her what he felt for her, and just admired her from a distance. Aries was shocked to learn that Norma already had a boyfriend -- a popular basketball jock and (unfortunately) his very own older brother, Leo (Markus Paterson).
One day, Norma had a nosebleed and felt very ill. All the tests at the hospital had normal results. When it seemed that she was experiencing a hypersensitivity to electromagnetic radiation from WiFi signals, Norma had to retreat to her grandmother's house six hours away from the city to escape her curse. This forced leave away from online technology would make Norma realize who really loved her more.
Sue Ramirez is a winsome young actress with an unconventional good looks, Her most remarkable facial features are her big round soulful eyes, which set her apart from her contemporaries. Why Aries would fall head over heels in love at first sight with Norma is completely plausible because she looked like Sue. Aside from her allergy to WiFi, Norma dealt with big issues like her Mom's second family, her best friend Margaux's disloyalty, and her confusing relationship with the two Miller brothers. Ramirez effectively navigated us through all those complicated emotions along with her.
Fil-American Jameson Blake started his showbiz career on "Pinoy Big Brother" in 2015, and later became one of the Hashtags on "Showtime." His big screen debut on "2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten" (2016) was immediately rewarded with a Best Supporting Actor award at the CinemaOne Originals festival that year. Blake played the shy Aries with much restraint, but he knew how to deliver thrills in those romantic scenes with Ramirez (and the girls in the audience scream their approval). The two dimples on his face have a life of their own.
Fil-British Markus Paterson is younger than Jameson Blake in real life, but here Paterson is playing Blake's older brother. This is his first big screen appearance since he joined (and eventually lost) Pinoy Boy Band Superstar in 2017. He was still a little tentative and tended to look stiff in his romantic scenes with Ramirez. His bro scenes with Blake came off as more natural, capped by one major dramatic teary scene in a car towards the end which Paterson pulled off creditably.
Angeli Nicole Sanoy (credited here as Angellie Sano) stole her scenes as Aries's perky, feisty, small-but-terrible best friend Macha. This diminutive actress is a powerhouse ball of energy and she got to deliver all the funniest lines in the film. Many times she was even the sensible voice of reason. I do not know much about this actress, but based on her performance in this film and the audience's positive reaction to her scenes, she looks like she has a promising career ahead of her.
The senior actors stay mainly in the background here. Boots Anson Roa played Norma's kind grandmother, who kept her colorfully bohemian house stocked with relics of the past (typewriter, tape recorder, gramophone, etc... all in perfect working condition). Yayo Aguila played Norma's supportive mother, with a subdued Kiko Matos as her second husband Joey. Lee O'Brian and Candy Pangilinan played Aries and Leo's parents. One interesting detail I noticed in the credits was that Iza Calzado provided the voice of the GPS navigation.
It was writer-director Jun Robles Lana bittersweet exploration of this technological phenomenon that distinguished this film from other rom-coms. This had a lighter, more youthful tone his other films I had seen before, but the incisive social commentary Lana is known for remains clear. Some situations may come across as corny or even cliche, but the beautiful cinematography and those Keiko Necesario's songs in the soundtrack give this one a different vibrance.
This movie delivers an important message about our interpersonal relationships and how the internet and social media had eroded on them. At this point in time, you really have to make a conscious (and practically Herculean) effort to disconnect yourself from the virtual world in order to connect yourself to the real world. This film will make you reflect upon how to nurture the relationships that you value most -- the old-fashioned, low-tech way. Life need not be empty without WiFi. 7/10.
August 13, 2018
Super-typhoon Trudis had ravaged the town of Divilacan in Isabela province. The four Datul brothers were sent to stay at their Lolo Cesar's (Nanding Josef) farm in Pampanga. The boys had a makeshift band among themselves, performing original songs written by second brother Philip (Nikko Natividad). Eldest Elias (Vance Larena) and youngest Sonny (Mackie Empuerto) sang vocals, while third brother Joey (Ryle Santiago) played guitar.
One night, before they sang at the town fiesta, the emcee made up the name "Bakwit Boys" for them, because of their evacuee status. Their signature song "Ligtas Ka Na" incidentally caught the attention of Rose (Devon Seron), a pretty, kind, rich girl who was also very much into music herself. She believed in the talent of the boys so much that she helped them to get their songs on the radio. However, corrupt politics still got in the way of the ideal picture.
Nikko Natividad and Ryle Santiago are both members of the popular Hashtags boy group from the lunchtime variety show "Showtime." They break away from their dance routines they do on TV to show off their talents in singing and acting in this their first movie roles. As carefree Joey, Santiago showed off his guitar skills and comic timing. As sensitive Philip, Natividad was given a showier role that lent towards quiet drama and romantic thrill. He also got to croon the film's love theme "Tayong Dalawa" (albeit still in a draft version).
Mackie Empuerto is riding the crest of the international popularity of the TNT Boys vocal group whose videos from "Little Big Shots" and "Your Face Sounds Familiar - Kids" have gone viral all over the world. As the adorable kid Sonny, Empuerto got to showcase some of his awesome skill in doing vocal runs in his singing. This little guy also showed promise as an empathetic dramatic actor as his scenes will make you want to hug and comfort him.
For most viewers, theater actor Vance Larena is the unfamiliar element in this film since his other three co-stars are already very well-known on TV with many fans. Larena had more to prove to the audience that he deserved to be that fourth Bakwit Boy. As Elias, Larena effectively showed a balance between being strict, pragmatic eldest over his brothers with his devotion and concern for them. By the time he rocked that powerful solo song number "Kung Di Ikaw" at Ariel's (Eagle Riggs) bar where he worked as a waiter, Larena will surely have won over his own fans as well.
Devon Seron displayed remarkable restraint in essaying the private conflicts that her character Rose was feeling inside her. Aside from dramatic chops, Seron also wowed me with her guitar playing and singing prowess in her three solo spot numbers: "Fiona" (sung in an open field), "Patibong" (sung in a guitar shop) and "High on You" (sung in her bedroom). The first two songs have pop versions by Mark Oblea and Jay-R respectively, but I thought Seron's OST versions are radio-ready in themselves.
Nanding Josef played their stern grandfather Cesar, who turned out to be a well-regarded "polosador" or singer of traditional Kapampangan songs in their town. Alma Concepcion played Rose's mother Camia, a practical woman with practical opinions. Peruvian-Japanese actor Sebastian Castro played radio DJ Oscar, while Albie Casino played recording studio technician Kenneth, both from Rose's former band "Chubby Singson" in college. In cameo roles were Menggie Cobarrubias (as a NPA rebel Ka Melchor), Cai Cortez (as a radio executive Ms. Stacey) and Kiray Celis (as bar girl Tanya). (I was sort of waiting for a couple of big-name stars to show up in cameo as the parents of the good-looking quartet, but alas, that did not turn out as I expected.)
Jason Paul Laxamana's script worked in its simplicity of story and depth of message about brotherhood, love of music, and moving on from adversity. As director, Laxamana knew how to play up the assets of his attractive cast to whet his audience's excitement. The songs of Tarlac-based composer Jhaye Cura all had catchy tunes and dreamy lyrics, right up the alley of millennial pop music lovers. Technical work by cinematographer / editor Mai Calapardo, production designer Lars Magbanua and music scorer Pau Protacio all contributed to the homey rustic feel of the film. These made "Bakwit Boys" a heartwarming winner in my book. 8/10.
August 10, 2018
It was the 1990s in Biri in Samar province. On this picturesque windswept island, there was hardly any cellphone signal anywhere except atop those precarious rock formations along the seashore. Islanders have make the climb in order to text a message, make or receive a call from friends and family elsewhere.
Intoy Abakan (Christian Bables) regularly climbed the rocks so he can use his trusty Nokia 6110 to keep in touch with his sister Vicky (the voice of Judy Ann Santos), who now lived in Finland. One day, Intoy received alarming news from Vicky that she had left her abusive Finnish husband Ysman, and was now battling for custody of their daughter Sarah. She needed Intoy's help her get documents to help her prove that she can support her child.
Aside from Vicky and Intoy, the Abakan family was composed of Tatay Jamin (Nanding Josef) and Nanay Alicia (Daria Ramirez), and unproductive eldest brother Joaquin (Arnold Reyes). We also met the Mayor (Menggie Cobarrubias) and his wife Chona (Ces Quesada); Loida (Sue Prado) the grocery owner, Damian the motorcycle driver (Mon Confiado) and his rivalry with his brother Paeng (Starskey Dulalas); Huse (Dido dela Paz) the jail guard, Fr. Bebong (Lao Rodriguez) the parish priest, Manoy Inting (Joel Saracho) the swishy clerk at the municipal hall, Manang Sima (Erlinda Villalobos) the traditional healer, and many more.
The script by Rody Vera had a broader scope than just about the Abakan family. It was a study of how life typically was in a small remote island in the Philippines, being an enclosed society where everyone knew everyone else. Young people respectfully called all their elders with familial titles (like Mommy, Tito, Ate, etc...) as if they were actual kinfolk. Their sense of "bayanihan" (or communal assistance) was such that local government officials and rich neighbors were all willing to help Intoy with his documents to help Vicky, even if these were to be faked.
It also noted that, like Vicky, girls were all being primed by their parents to leave the island to be able to hook a foreigner en route to a better life for the family. Mommy Chi (Keanna Reeves) built her house from money she earned as an entertainer in Japan. Gina (Mara Lopez) set her boyfriend Kiko (Jomari Angeles) aside in order to get married to an elderly German man Helmut. Intoy was devastated when his girlfriend Rachel (Elora Espano) was sent by her father Mario (Archie Adamos) to work in an Olongapo club.
Christian Bables, who won awards in his breakthrough role of transgender beauty queen Barb in "Die Beautiful" (Jun Lana, 2016), was totally deglamorized this time to play island boy Intoy. His brave and dedicated performance led the outstanding ensemble in fleshing out the relationships of the people in this village. Intoy was popular, congenial and well-loved in town despite his pranks and misdemeanors, and Bables embodied those qualities. His accent sounded authentic, even his broken English. He was convincing as a clueless provincial boy when he made the rounds of OWWA, POEA and DFA in Manila, effective as a plea to cut OFW red tape. His emotions during that final phone conversation with Vicky on the rock struck deeply.
Among all the supporting actors, the most memorable were Nanding Josef and Daria Ramirez as Intoy's parents. Alicia hated the Jamin's guts so much so that they had to live in separate huts, though these were still beside each other and she still cooked for him every meal. Their unusual relationship and living conditions lent itself as diverting and interesting comic relief. Their scenes in the pump boat during the harrowing storm and that one where they appealed on behalf of their daughter were simply so moving and poignant.
Instead of dealing with the travails of the OFW abroad, "Signal Rock" dealt mainly with the lives of the family and friends they left behind on the island. This is one of those rare films where the whole community was collectively the main featured character. It was a thoughtful throwback of sorts to those incisive society dramas by Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, Mike de Leon or Eddie Romero in the 1970s and 1980s. I thought all the little details fit in very well and the cast gave an outstanding ensemble effort. It could have left off the murder mystery angle which I felt was out of place in the narrative.
Because of the remoteness of the location, it was clearly apparent that cast and crew had logistical challenges even just getting there for the shoots. The camera work of Neil Daza captured the beauty of the island scenery, the danger of the rocks, the harshness of the climate and the turbulence of the seas. After "Badil" (one of the best indie films of 2013), director Chito Rono has created another engaging modern masterpiece about rural life in our country. The way the story was interpreted by Rono on screen, I felt I was one with the Abakan family and the community of Biri. 9/10.
August 9, 2018
Everyday, Lola Nelia, an elderly lady with beginning dementia, sat outside the Blade Auto Center along Timog Avenue, patiently waiting for the arrival of a certain Delfin. While waiting, she told her grandson with her how she, then a salesgirl at this very same Blade store, met Delfin, the charming mechanic working next door. One fateful afternoon, young Nelia would soon realize that there may not be a forever in store for the two of them. However, Lola Nelia still believed in their forever up to now.
To suggest that these events happened in the 70s, the guys wore bell-bottom pants and Niknik shirts. There were also posters of Darigold Milk and Sunta on the walls along the street. They tried to make the "old" Blade store look older (although I think there were no Blade stores yet 40 years ago), even hiding the buildings beside it. They put a layer of brown dirt on the steps and sidewalk in the front of the store. The phone in the store still had a rotatory dial. The stock mainly consisted of Christmas tree shaped air-fresheners very common before. The sales staff only wore simple red t-shirts with the company name on it.
The story was the stuff of many a Filipino film or TV melodramatic soap opera -- the seemingly perfect pair of lovers who turned out to be star-crossed. The way the dialog was written sounded stilted and unnatural. It was as if the young people of forty years ago in the 1970s spoke pure unadulterated poetic Tagalog, which we know for a fact was not the case. The pickup lines used by Delfin and his rival Victor were as cheesy and corny as the hopia and siopao (pork bun) they used to woo Nelia.
Their awkward lines hampered the performances of Hashtag member Jon Lucas (as Delfin Torres) and Akihiro Blanco (as the Blade store owner's son Victor Fernandez). Their acting mostly consisted of put-on swag in order to get the girl. (Their hilarious face-off in front of Nelia can already be seen in the trailer.) Lucas somehow got to redeem himself acting-wise later on in the story when his character decided on a difficult sacrifice. Blanco was not given such an opportunity. (Veteran Freddie Webb had a key role to play, but sadly gave a wooden unsatisfying performance.)
Michelle Vito's performance as young Nelia was a major plus of the film. She is indeed attractive to have two young men vie over her love and affection. She can really turn on the waterworks (and still remain pretty) during her seriously dramatic conversations with her father (Rey "PJ" Abellana) and those with Mrs. Torres (Jennifer Dadivas). Vito was a revelation for me since this is the first time I am seeing her in anything.
The other saving grace of the film was casting Boots Anson-Roa as Lola Nelia. This was a wise move because this beloved actress is very likable and it is easy to empathize with her obsessive longing and despair waiting patiently for man she truly loved. Only a rare actress like her can transcend the corniness of her dialog ("Balikan natin yung hopiang binigay ni Delfin!") with her elegance and dignity.
Frankly, this whole film felt like an advertisement for Blade Auto Center, since most scenes from both the present day and the past where shot in its premises. Vito and Blanco had on a Blade t-shirt in practically all of their scenes while going over the store's inventory. There were also several cameos of various Blade family members and employees, as well as local internet celebrities like Senpai Kazu, Roadfill of comic duo Moymoy Palaboy and even James Deakin, which were funny in a groan-inducing way.
These distractions sort of affected the dramatic progression of the film, but anyhow, director Roderick Lindayag did try his best to accommodate his producers' wishes (I was told that this film was a dream project of Blade Auto Center owner Robertson Sy Tan to pay tribute to his family) without completely losing the flow of the story. Despite its familiar theme and shortcomings, this film still worked as a dramatic rom-com, mostly thanks to the performances of Ms. Vito and Ms. Anson-Roa. It was still a pleasant watch overall, especially for those who like cute moments of romantic thrill and a good cry. 5/10.
August 9, 2018
Mamang was an elderly woman who was already teetering between reality and dementia. She lives in her charming old house with her steadfastly loyal gay son Ferdie, who was devoted to her care. With each passing day though, she encounters realistic visions of men (her philandering husband Heme, her first love Amado and a nameless Soldier) from her past who cause her to relive her youth, her heartaches and her fears.
Despite her rare screen appearances, Celeste Legaspi impressively essayed the complex role of Mamang. This beautiful character slid in and out of sanity with her dignity intact, speaking and interacting with her ghosts as if they were really there playing the piano, giving her flowers, singing her songs. Hers was a subtly nuanced performance that did not go overboard with the usual over-the-top schizophrenic tics we commonly see in lesser skilled portrayals. This definitely has a shot for Best Actress of the festival.
Ketchup Eusebio's portrayal of Ferdie provided a perfect balancing support for his Mamang's madness. He may have been gay, but he also did not see the need to play him like the typical flamboyant queen. Alex Medina was Heme (or Daddy James to his nymphet student Yesa, played by indie siren Elora Espano), Mamang's womanizer of a husband. Gio Gahol was Amado, the romantic farmer who first swept Mamang off her feet. Paolo O'Hara was the soldier, ominous in his wordless presence.
Production designer Martin Masadao should be credited for the simple elegance of Mamang's house and eye-catching details within, as captured by cinematographer Lee Briones-Meily. Editor Thop Nazareno was consistent in his care not to preempt any coming surprises. The original music by Teresa Barrozo and the choice of romantic local songs like "Awit kay Luisa" and "Santa Clara" enhanced the atmosphere of romance and nostalgia.
The topic of a mother's dementia will definitely touch a sensitive nerve with any audience. This is one major fear among senior citizens, and for everyone else who loves and cares for them. We all dread the day when our parents would gradually lose grip on reality and live their lives haunted by their hallucinations. Veteran TV drama writer Denise O'Hara chose this evocative theme as her feature film directorial debut, and delivered it with poignancy, inevitable comparisons with "The Sixth Sense" notwithstanding .
Even if the topic was very serious, O'Hara chose to tell her story with a light and humorous approach. The daily banter between mother and her son were never too morose or depressing. The son always sought to uplift his mother's sagging spirits, hence his consistently positive attitude and cheerful disposition. While Mamang's visions can be disturbing, these delightful mother-son moments between her and Ferdie guarantee a smile on your face. 7/10.
August 8, 2018
Teresa and Celso are an elderly couple living contentedly together for 27 years. They enjoy weekly visits from their respective adult children from previous marriages: Celso's daughter Marissa and Tere's son, Chito. Later, we realize that Tere and Celso were actually not legally married yet, and Bene, a lonely old man living alone in his big old house, was the reason why. One day from out of the blue, Bene called Tere up for her help, she still agreed to his unexpected request.
The film told a big message about forgiveness, moving on, and achieving closure. There was rich drama for sure, but it was never heavy-handed melodrama. There was enough gentle homespun humor to cleanse the palate. The main characters were likable and relatable, played effectively by its triumvirate of veteran senior actors with remarkable restraint and dignity.
Dante Rivero played Bene as a hollow shell of man with no apparent reason to continue living. But as his end approached, he swallowed his pride to ask a big favor from someone he hurt majorly in the past. Perla Bautista played Tere as an opinionated woman who spoke her mind about things she did not like. However, when someone from her past humbly asked for her help, she still went out of her way to provide care.
Menggie Cobarrubias was a joy to watch playing the kind and understanding Celso, Tere's current significant other. He may have loved Tere deeply, but he did not seem to mind sharing the woman he loved with someone who needed her attention more. Cobarrubias' Celso is a most positive person we'd all like to be on our side in times of trouble. Featured in smaller roles were Romnick Sarmenta as Tere's bitterly aggrieved son Chito, and Che Ramos as Celso's long-suffering daughter Marissa.
Another big plus was the haunting camera and lighting work by cinematographer Neil Daza. As you can see in the poster, Daza played with light and dark so skillfully, everything, including Bene's creaky ancient house of stone, wood and capiz windows, looked beautiful and sentimental. Those long shots of streets, either straight on or from a car's side mirror all had a sense of foreboding in them. The titular sunset at the end was spectacular.
Directed by Carlo Enciso Catu from a script (in Tagalog and Kapampangan) by John Carlo Pacala, the story subtly unfolded with a series of small revelations about the characters and their relationships. You cannot predict what was going to happen next and that kept your attention rapt despite the deliberately slow burn pace of the storytelling, given the geriatric nature of the tale being told. 8/10.
August 7, 2018
The setting was in the mid-1980s in Camp Delgado, a prison for criminals and political prisoners alike during the Martial Law. Day and Ric were raising their 10-year old son Dakip and infant daughter Malaya while behind bars for rebellion charges. In her attempt to normalize Dakip's childhood (since he had lived his whole life in the Camp), Day told him fantastic stories about the powerful enchantress Liway of Mt. Kanlaon. Little did Dakip know that she was actually telling him her own life story.
I have not seen Glaiza de Castro in anything before this, and she gave an impressive lead performance here as Day. She may be beautiful of face, but she was still credible as an amazon rebel. She was tough, brave, no-nonsense, yet compassionate and loving. There were also a couple of scenes when she impressed us with her raw renditions of songs of Asin, namely "Himig ng Pag-ibig" and "Pagbabalik."
Child actor Kenken Nuyad played the little boy Dakip. He had this delightful smile on his face that could brighten anyone's day. He portrayed the conflicted emotions of a child in Dakip's particular situation with so much realism, it was touching to witness. Yes, he can be a bit too playful or naughty, yet we will all care for him like he was our own child and would like to rescue him from the unenviable position he was in.
Dominic Roco played Dakip's father Ric, who preferred his son to face reality instead of the fantasies people tell him. Soliman Cruz played Sulpicio, the sympathetic jail warden. Julienne Mendoza played an egotistical Army colonel. Ebong Joson play ruthless policeman. Upeng Fernandez played Day's proud mother. Nico Antonio played a fellow rebel Berto. Joel Saracho, Sue Prado and Paolo O'Hara played other inmates in the camp. Vance Larena played a soldier who wanted revenge for his brother killed by rebels.
Since we are told this story of Martial Law persecution through the eyes of a little boy, the blows were somehow lightened up for us. However, we still never lose sight that the whole experience of that family was harrowing and traumatic. Prison is never ever an ideal place for a child to live in, but you see Day's efforts to create a cozy home in that hell they lived in. We also see the tough decisions parents make to ensure their kids' safety and well-being in the face of unpredictable situations. These are universal truths, whether or not you agree with Day and Ric's decisions to become rebels (or parents) in the first place.
After the final scene, there were cards which told us what happened to the various characters in later years. The audience buzzed in reaction to the statement that "a portion of the Marcos ill-gotten wealth was used to make this film." The emotional buildup to the closing credits was so dramatic, such that when the name of writer/director Kip Oebanda was flashed on the screen, the whole movie house erupted in spontaneous applause. I will not spoil that special moment for you, you need to watch "Liway" to discover why. 8/10.
August 4, 2018
At the outset, I confess that I do not really know much about this "Teen Titans Go!" animated series. The members of this newest incarnation (starting 2013) include Robin, Raven, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Cyborg. Of these five, I only know Robin, since he was part of the original Teen Titans I knew as a child in comic books, along with Kid Flash, Aqualad and Wonder Girl. This new version is more hyper, to cater to the new generation of hyperactive kids.
Because fellow superheroes do not take them seriously, Robin is obsessed with having a movie made about him and his team. Hollywood superhero film director Jade Wilson thought it was a bad idea. Robin was so desperate to have a movie about him made such that he convinced his team to go back in time to stop the senior superheros from becoming superheros. The Teen Titans also engaged powerful arch-villain Slade to thwart his evil plan of world domination, all in order to make Robin's dream movie compelling.
This was one bright, colorful, energetic and funny animated movie. Fans of DC comics of all ages will surely enjoy all the references and spoofs about all the DC superheroes you can think of, both major (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc...) or minor (Atom, Zatanna, Plastic Man, etc...) It was fun to catch various cameos in the background as well. My son even called it the "Ready Player One" of animated films.
That absurd "Batman v Superman" (2016) film climax ("Martha!") was parodied. The origin story of Superman, recreated that moment from "Superman" (1978) when Jor-El (Marlon Brando) was putting the baby Kal-El into the escape pod. Even Gene Hackman and the scheme he hatched as Lex Luthor in that same classic film was cited in another joke. We hear music from and references about "Back to the Future" (1985) in more than one scene.
Marvel characters were not spared from jokes, like the Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man, Deadpool, and Stan Lee himself. Even Disney got jabbed with a joke about the iconic presentation scene in "The Lion King." The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (of Mirage Studios) also got a small gag about them. I am not sure why there was such hate about him, but actor Shia LeBeouf also had a cameo, but a violent one.
The voice work was done by the cast of the TV series: Scott Menville as Robin, Tara Strong as Raven, Greg Cipes as Beast Boy, Khary Payton as Cyborg and Hynden Watch as Starfire. The voices of the various supporting roles were: Nicolas Cage as Superman, Jimmy Fallon as Batman, Halsey as Wonder Woman, Wil Wheaton as Flash, Will Arnett as Slade and Kirsten Bell as Jade Wilson. Michael Bolton lends his voice to that animated white tiger singing the very catchy “Upbeat Inspirational Song About Life.”
How much you will like this film will be based on how much you like this incarnation of the Teen Titans, and how much you know your DC comics, and superhero lore in general. Naturally, kids familiar with the TV cartoon series will surely like it more. But believe me, parents who knew and loved their DC superheroes (and are frustrated with DC superhero movies) growing up will also enjoy their time watching this film as well. But fair warning, watch out for those juvenile booty, poop and fart jokes! 8/10.
August 3, 2018
Patty is a kind, cheerful, but homely young lady who made a living by driving an online taxi service. One day, Harry, a rich, handsome but very drunk young man, became her passenger. The next day, and for the days after, Harry took a fancy on Patty and would hire her car for entire days in a row. Unbelievable as it may seem, to the chagrin and concern of their family and friends on both sides, Harry was actually falling in love with Patty for real.
It is very interesting that the main conflict of this film reflected the situation of its two stars in reality. If gossip columns were to be believed, Cacai Bautista and Ahron Villena are really a romantic item in real life, and people cannot believe that it is true. Tough as the truth may, it is difficult for others to accept the relationship if one party does not match the other in terms of looks. This, of course, should not be the case. It is unfair to Ahron or Cacai for people to think that a love affair like theirs was impossible. Having this issue tackled on the big screen was a genius idea. Good that both actors agreed to do it.
To be completely honest, even just watching their pairing on screen as Patty and Harry can also look and feel wrong. We are simply not used to seeing this type of pairings in romcoms. Empoy Marquez broke the mold last year with the box office success of his pairing with Alessandra da Rossi in "Kita Kita." It is odd how seeing the situation reversed (the man attractive and the woman not) could make the intentions of the man more suspicious. You know its not about the money, since Harry was rich and Patty was not. So what else could it be? Could it really be true love?
A major part of this film's success was thanks to Kakai Bautista and her charming, sincere and empathetic performance as Patty. I already knew her before to be an effective actress and comedian on TV and on stage ("Rak of Aegis"). Patty was down-to-earth and was genuinely kind-hearted, and Kakai herself projected the same qualities. Even if Patty was written to have been too needlessly sentimental, Kakai made her delightful just the same.
On the other hand, I had not heard of Ahron Villena before until he was romantically linked him to Kakai. To his credit, he had a magnetic screen presence. He fully knew he was good-looking and he was working it. Compared to Kakai, his acting was still rather tentative, but he did show signs of dramatic depth in certain key scenes. They were practically playing themselves, so awkward as their pairing looked, there was actually chemistry .
Mark Neumann played Patty's rascally younger brother Raymond. This good looking young actor displayed great comic timing as he laid on the pick-up lines to the girl he fancied. Raymond's love affair with Hershey (Heaven Peralejo) was a secondary subplot of the film. However, it was clear that Raymond was staunchly loyal to his sister, even if he was merciless in teasing her about her looks.
Bodjie Pascua played Patty's blind Tay-shie (term of endearment for father) Peping. Up and coming comedienne Donna Cariaga (who gained fame joking about her desperate romantic longings) played Patty's best friend Dolly. Lou Veloso played Mang Sincero, Patty's favorite photographer. Carmi Martin and Soliman Cruz played Harry's parents Belle and Charles. Joe Vargas played Harry's best friend Reggie. Arci Munoz had a brief but critical appearance as Harry's ex-girlfriend Nica. Like Raymond, all of them had something to say about Harry and Patty's relationship.
This film written by Volta delos Santos and directed by Julius Antonio was a pleasant surprise. I was ready not to like it, but fortunately it turned out to be quite engaging with its twists and turns, and was actually quite funny. Aside from being entertaining, it also had an important message to impart for us who tend to judge people and their relationships according to their outside appearance. Similarly, we should also not judge this movie based on its unassuming cover. I had a good time watching this, and I believe so will you. 7/10.
