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
Category: Reviews
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
QCinema 2023 | QCSEA Shorts Short Reviews
These are our capsule reviews of this year’s QCSEA Shorts. We wish these filmmakers the best of luck and here’s hoping their short films gain more traction wherever else in the world. The dystopian near-future of Stephen Lopez’s Hito feels bizarre and unfamiliar at certain points, yet feels familiar in all the
‘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
Napoleon (2023) review: Phoenix doesn’t fall short in Scott’s latest (stretched) epic
Roy Narra reviews Ridley Scott’s latest epic ‘Napoleon’ starring Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role and Vanessa Kirby as his wife Josephine. Showing in PH cinemas this November 29. Spoilers are present in this review. Aside from the numerous epic war battles he led for France and, let’s be real,
Poor Things (2023) review: Unfolding the catharsis in self-discovery, pleasure, and choice
Poor Things (2023) is the official opening film of QCinema 2023.
Five Breakups and a Romance (2023) review
This review contains minor spoilers “You wouldn’t like me in the Philippines,” fashion designer Justine (Julia Montes) told medical student Lance (Alden Richards) in front of the picturesque Singapore at night. They were sobering up after drinking in a nearby bar, talking about Einstein’s quantum entanglement and living in another
‘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
The Ordinaries (2022) review: ‘Lights, Camera, Revolution’
‘The Ordinaries’ is one of seven films featured in this year’s Kinofest 2023, the German Film Festival. Sophie Linnenbaum’s satiric film takes meta-cinema with social commentaries that is one of the more lighter, entertaining films in this year’s festival. There’s something about Sophie Linnenbaum’s debut film that takes your breath
Republic of Silence (2021) review: Unveiling the heart of the Syrian conflict through personal perspectives
‘Republic of Silence’ is a powerful documentary that shows the Syrian conflict through personal perspectives gathered by Diana El Jairoudi and fellow activists for twelve years. Read more of our review here and watch the film at this year’s KinoFest 2023 at Gateway Cinemas. To say that Republic of Silence
A glimpse beyond the corset: ‘Sisi and I’ review
Not to confuse you with the 2022 film Corset, ‘Sisi und Ich’ (Sisi and I) offers a different perspective of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as ‘Sisi’ to her legion of fans. In this film, mixed with female-led grunge and 70s underground tunes, we see Sisi’s worldview through the
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
‘Sonne und Beton’ (Sun and Concrete) is not your ordinary teen movie – a review
Sun and Concrete is a film that’s loosely based on the life of comedian-podcaster Felix Lobrecht. This film might remind you of some films in the past that tackle our youth in slum areas in the country and how they manage to survive. There’s something about Sonne und Beton (Sun
Elaha (2023) review: Challenging Norms, Redefining Autonomy
Elaha is a film that tackles more about the ‘female gaze’, but the incredulous ways women’s sexuality has been re-written in history by men. Princess Kinoc reviews this film that is currently a part of the German Film Festival. The first time I heard about the word hymen, I was
JFF Independent Cinema reviews: ‘Bachiranun’ and ‘Follow the Light’
John Tawasil reviews ‘Bachiranun’ and ‘Follow the Light’, two of the films featured in this year’s Japanese Film Festival – Independent Cinema. Yonaguni is the westernmost inhabited island of Japan, only a short distance away from Taiwan. It has a language that is distinct from Japanese and is spoken by
‘A Muse Never Drowns’: navigating love and artistic expression – JFF Independent Cinema review
In ‘A Muse Never Drowns’, John Tawasil examines the many ways we draw upon our lives in the creation of art. This film is one of the twelve feature films in this year’s Japanese Film Festival – Independent Cinema. Art binds us together in many different ways. It helps us
Lonely Glory (2022) review: the cost of success is a lonely pursuit
In ‘Lonely Glory’, Keitaro Sakon explores the inner turmoil of a twenty-something woman named Haruka, in her ambitious pursuit of success. Princess Kinoc reviews this film from this year’s Japanese Film Festival In the eyes of Haruka and everyone else, she is very good at her job. She knows it.
Gen V Premiere: Shock Value Overshadows Substance
Roy Narra writes about Prime Video’s latest series, Gen V. Will it be a good enough follow up to its parent series, ‘The Boys’? Welcome to Godolkin University (God U. Get it?)! The best and brightest students coming from different backgrounds have superpowers and they may hone and use them
Acting Brilliance Meets Dark Comedy in ‘A Very Good Girl’, a spoiler-filled review
John Tawasil writes about Petersen Vargas’ latest Star Cinema film starring Kathryn Bernardo and Dolly de Leon. We have warned you about the spoilers this review may contain. NOTE: I am going to spoil most of A Very Good Girl in this review, so if you haven’t seen it yet,
‘What If’ review: Off-key, fails to strike the right chords
‘What If?’ or “Paano Na” is confusing in itself that you might think I’m pertaining to the Marvel series, the 2013 film starring Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan, but it is not. Directed by Emmanuel “Manny” Palo, produced by Viva Films and A World of Our Own. The Netflix drama
Third World Romance review: Love in the midst of hardship
As a middle-class worker in Metro Manila, I find it funny that I paid around P370 to watch the talented Dwein Baltazar’s fifth film Third World Romance starring real-life couple Carlo Aquino and Charlie Dizon. To save money, I walked 1.5 kilometers from my day job in Mandaluyong to SM
Queer Rom-Com Magic: ‘Red, White, and Royal Blue’ review
From When Harry Met Sally to Crazy Rich Asians, the world of romantic comedy films serve as escapism to women and queer audiences. Once condemned by critics, the cheesiness and predictability of the genre are the qualities celebrated by its target audience. So it’s fortunate to report that Amazon Prime’s
Cinemalaya 2023 Round Up! (Part 2)
Cinemalaya 2023 films are in for special screenings across the country through FDCP’s Cinematheques. Check out the schedule for your local cinematheque here. As If It’s TrueSocial media has irrevocably changed the idea of privacy, whether it still exists as we add more and more of ourselves to a curated
