What does it take to articulate a history that has already been forgotten? This is the challenge Amir Muhammad confronts in his iconic and controversial film The Last Communist (2006), where he explores the concept of “absent history.” The question encapsulates both Muhammad’s methodological approach and the dynamic interplay between
Category: Features
Reclaiming History through Cinema and the Archive: The Ethics and Power of Liberatory Memory Work in Audiovisual Media
The third of Adrian Mendizabal’s essay for his ArtsEquators fellowship, here’s how history is presented through cinema, and the importance of presenting it with the ethics and power of liberatory memory work. Introduction In cinema, memory and history have always been intertwined with filmic practice. Since the early days of
Remembering the Resistance: Liberatory Memory Work in Cinemata’s ‘Democracy Derailed: Curated Videos on Myanmar’
The media landscape of the 21st century is largely shaped by the rise of online platforms, which serve as the primary intersection between capitalism and public discourse. Platforms such as Facebook, Youtube, and Google, are specialized websites that provide a full range of user experience to their visitors, allowing them
Filmic Duration and Liberatory Memory Work: Analyzing Lav Diaz’s ‘Evolution of a Filipino Family’ (2004)
Introduction To introduce Lav Diaz and his cinema, the simplest approach is to emphasize his distinctive use of long cinematic duration, which is not merely an aesthetic choice but a result of complex historical, material, and political transformations. For Diaz, it is his praxis—a foundational aspect of his cinematic philosophy
Watch as Colleen Hoover invites YOU to watch ‘It Ends With Us’, the film adaptation of her bestselling book starring Blake Lively
‘It Ends With Us’ initially published in 2016, saw its rise in popularity on TikTok in 2023. With over 239M views and counting, users began to review, rant on why the novel is a must-read especially for victims and survivors of domestic abuse. The book sold over a million copies
Inside Out 2: Isa Pa, With More Feelings
Contains minor spoilers. “Holy sh*t. Is this really for kids?” I thought while watching Anxiety (Maya Hawke in a captivating voiceover performance) spins out of control, forming a chaotic orange whirlpool while desperately ensuring that Riley (Kensington Tallman) will make a good impression at a crucial game at the hockey
Review: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Whether you’re a huge fan of the Planet of the Apes franchise or a casual moviegoer, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a good, safe choice to watch in the cinema. It ticks all the boxes of a good, escapist American blockbuster film while continuing the excitement and
The Seen and the Unseen review: An Indonesian Gem about Rediscovering Our Magical Childhood
Kamila Andini’s The Seen and the Unseen (2017) navigates the depths of a child’s subconscious, as seen through her cultural heritage. It recounts the story of fraternal twins, Tantri and Tantra. One fateful day, Tantra stole an egg from the gods’ altar, and Tantri subsequently prepared and consumed it. Tantri ingested the
Safe Havens or Stifled Stories? Examining ‘Rewind’ and Filipino Film Conventions | Opinion
With Rewind being the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time now, what does that say about the Filipino audience? First, we are still hooked on loveteams and romantic films. Second, Star Cinema has a firm grasp of the audience’s emotional needs in watching films. Third, Filipinos will spend their hard-earned
‘Mutt’ review: a raw portrait of transitions and relationships
Mutt is a drama directed by Vuk Lungulov-Klotz that features the journey of Feña as he transitions into a man. Ela Bicera reviews this film that was part of the QCinema International Film Festival 2023. Spoilers are present. While Transitioning is a life-changing experience, it also comes with doubts, fears
‘City of Wind’ Unravels Mongolian Mysticism | QCinema review
Engelbert Rafferty reviews Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir’s debut film ‘City of Wind’. It premiered in this year’s QCinema as part of the ‘New Horizons’ section. Spoilers are present in this review. In the last day of February 2006, renowned Mongolian shamanism figure Sarangerel Odigon passed away at age 43, which we can
Faithful Frames: a review of ‘Divine Factory’ and the spiritual significance of The Sleeping St. Joseph
There is a holy item that was mostly talked about in the entire film, which is called “The Sleeping St. Joseph”. According to the Holy story, Joseph had some doubts of being with Mary when she was pregnant, and the lord came into his dreams while he’s asleep, entrusting the
‘Women from Rote Island’ (2023) review: female resiliency at its finest
Ela Bicera writes about Jeremias Nyangoen’s debut film which tackles the abuse that Women from Rote Island experience, and their resiliency to fight back. Spoilers are present in this review. Rote Island is one of the many islands located in Indonesia, known as a great surfing location with amazing coral
‘Napoleon’ star Joaquin Phoenix says he was drawn by the character’s complexities
When Ridley Scott saw Joaquin Phoenix’s Academy Award®-winning performance in Joker, the director was reminded of their collaboration on Gladiator, and he knew that Phoenix would be perfect for the titular role in his new film Napoleon: “I saw him and it all came flooding back – how we worked on Gladiator, and what
All of Us Strangers: Power of Queer Love
Roy Narra writes about ‘All of Us Strangers’, Andrew Haigh’s heart-shattering adaptation of Taichi Yamada’s novel, Strangers. Spoilers are present in this review. Is it better to be labeled as a gay man than being a queer? In Andrew Haigh’s All of Us Strangers, Adam (Andrew Scott, in his career-best
Tiger Stripes review: Malaysian body-horror succeeds in its depiction of growing up
This is Engelbert Rafferty’s return to Film Police Reviews! He writes about Amanda Nell Eu’s directorial debut, ‘Tiger Stripes’. The film is also the recipient of the Pylon Award for Asian Next Wave Best Picture and Best Director in this year’s QCinema International Film Festival. The Philippines and Malaysia are
‘Perfect Days’ is Wim Wenders and Koji Yakusho’s most important work
Princess Kinoc reviews Wim Wenders’ ‘Perfect Days’, under the Screen International section of QCinema 2023. Some spoilers may be present in this review. I have an immense bias towards films that are quiet and would rather show than tell. Wim Wenders is no stranger to depicting how observational we can
Mark your calendars, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is bigger than the first.
“‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is worldbuilding and visual storytelling at its zenith”, says it’s producer. In PH cinemas this December 20. James Wan, the director whose work not only include the first Aquaman film, but he also directed The Conjuring movies, Insidious, and some Saw movies. And now he’s
Timothée Chalamet talks about the wonderful world in ‘Wonka’ in this featurette
Timothée Chalamet is proud to be a part of “Wonka.” All the singing and dancing aside, Chalamet, who plays the beloved chocolatier in the film, is most proud of being part of “a joyous movie, that is about bringing a light into a world that is in desperate need of
Poor Things (2023) review: Unfolding the catharsis in self-discovery, pleasure, and choice
Poor Things (2023) is the official opening film of QCinema 2023.
QCinema Launches Elevated Documentary Section
For its 11th edition, QCinema introduces QCDox, the official documentary program of the QCinema International Film Festival. Though the festival has exhibited documentaries before, QCDox is a stronger commitment to bringing more attention to the possibilities of the form. In line with this, QCinema has put together a lineup of
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023) review
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of David Grann’s novel of the same name. Ela Bicera reviews the film and offers a different perspective on how proper representation is of utmost importance in telling the stories of an oppressed nation like the Osage tribe’s. “Can you find
Toubab (2021) review: Laughing through labels
Fake it ‘til you make it. Nowadays, it’s no longer uncanny to talk about issues of homophobia and racism in comedies and so in Florian Dietrich’s attempt to discuss these in a lighthearted manner in his 2021 film Toubab seems commendable enough. That is until we get towards the third
Unearthing family secrets: a review of ‘Hao Are You’
‘Hao Are You’ is a moving documentary on the history of the Vietnam war and how it coincides with the traumas a family has experienced even post-war. Dispatches from our coverage of this year’s KinoFest 2023. What does it mean to be a stranger in your own family? This is
Did You Know that ‘The Equalizer 3’ is Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua’s fifth collaboration together?
The Equalizer 3 is now showing in PH cinemas nationwide! The only other filmmaker to have worked with Denzel Washington five times would have to be the late-Tony Scott. Denzel Washington says there are many reasons why he looks forward to reteaming with Antoine Fuqua. “His spiritual maturity, his collaboration,
