CINEMALAYA 2020. I wrote the first part here in no particular order. By now you would have learned that Tokwifi wins Best Film and Martika Escobar wins Best Director for Living Things. By now as well (a Tuesday), my access to the festival screening on Vimeo would have expired. This year’s
Category: Reviews
Cinemalaya 2020: Main Competition reviews (Part 1)
It’s Cinemalaya 2020! You’ve heard from us for a long time since the pandemic began. Despite me and the rest of the guys being busy talking about films through the podcast , we miss writing about reviews too! It is only timely to find one of our favorite film festivals reinvent themselves
Film Review: EMA
Pablo Larraín has been out and about for quite some time now, yet he became a household name in 2016 after the creation of two films–Jackie and Neruda, both of which are biopics that have been deconstructed into audiovisual poetry, made even more introspective by its elements of fiction that
Ip Man 4 review: Where the light meets darkness
Let me be honest about two things: I have only seen a few Kung Fu films in my life, and that I have enjoyed every bit of this cleaned-up version of the legendary Wing Chun master in all three films (I have yet to see the third one completely, but I guess
Film Review: 1917
History repeats itself. Everyone must have been made aware of this idea at least once in their entire lifetime. And it’s true. Historic recurrence is a common ideology that happens in every single part of the world not because we have not learned our lessons in history classes, but because
Film Review: ON VODKA, BEERS, AND REGRETS
“Tara, shot tayo.” “Pre, gusto kong mag-inom.” “Let’s drink till we drop.” Have you ever been asked by your peer, co-worker or even your best friend to join them in drinking alcohol? It doesn’t matter if it’s for a single bottle of San Miguel Pale Pilsen or a couple of Emperador Light brandy bottles,
Film Review: BLOCK Z
At 28, Mikhail Red is at the height of his career. Imagine, he showed off his directing chops to the whole nation when he became a part of the 9th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival at age 21, releasing his debut film under the “New Breed” category called Rekorder — a voyeuristic
Film Review: BOMBSHELL
The #MeToo movement started blowing up sometime 3 years ago, when executive producer Harvey Weinstein received backlash from many women in the film industry who had been sexually abused and raped by the man. The allegations against Weinstein were so strong it created an epidemic (or better yet, a trend) so
Film Review: JUST MERCY
A filmmaker’s debut comes with a hefty price, especially when you make something that would later on be heralded as “a classic” or “a revelation” or whatever clichéd tag you can think of. After all, the biggest tendency that people do is to compare every other follow-up of the director
Film Review: JOJO RABBIT
If you’re a fan of Taika Waititi pre-Thor: Ragnarok, then you know very well how the New Zealander’s film-making style works, how he plays with the genre of comedy by adding layers of originality to them and turning them into a pleasurable watch. He makes satires for a living and
Film Review: RICHARD JEWELL
We’ve all seen Lady Justice have her eyes covered with blindfold while carrying the scale of fairness and the sword of truth. The biggest question that can be asked there is “why does she have a blindfold on?” Some would say that it’s to eliminate all forms of bias that
Film Review: CATS
I’ve grown accustomed to iconic songs being played on repeat every single time either on the radio or in your neighborhood, sometimes even when people would belt their lungs out at a karaoke. Once a song reaches a point wherein people regardless of race, gender or social status sings your
Film Review: JESUS IS KING
Kanye Omari West is a walking paradox, a living proof of how a man who has been at the forefront of controversy and backlash still manages to dominate the charts and the hearts of many. He’s the face of the music industry for a reason and that is because of
Cinema One Originals 2019 Review: Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis review: Engelbert Rafferty dissects J.E. Tiglao’s debut film, nearly an out-of-body experience as it is. Another very effective treatment for erectile dysfunction but it is not considered as a cure. viagra without side effects Today, almost 58% ED patients in the UK prefer to buy kamagra online. online ordering
Cinema One Originals 2019 Review: Bulaklak sa City Jail (Restored Version)
Mario O’ Hara is a prolific character in the foundation of our nation’s own cinematic identity. His prominence goes without question as his oeuvre gave birth to some of the best films of the 70’s and the 80’s, all of which lay bare the harrowing truths of the everyday Filipino
Cinema One Originals 2019 Review: Lucid
Two years ago, Apichatpong Weerasethakul sojourned to the Philippines for almost a month and held his traveling art installation called Serenity of Madness at the Museum of Contemporary Arts and Design in De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde. Known for digging into the subconscious of the Thai people through dreams
Cinema One Originals 2019 Review: Misteryo sa Tuwa (Restored Version)
What happens when a plane crashes in a peaceful barrio, and a band of unknowing accomplices find a suitcase filled with money? This conundrum bewilders a group of men in Abbo dela Cruz’s “Misteryo sa Tuwa”, dutifully restored by the ABS-CBN Film Restoration team. Read more of our review here:
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
All right people, let’s start at the beginning. His name is Peter Parker. He saved the city, fell in love, and saved the city again, and again, and again. I’m pretty sure you know the rest. Seriously, we’ve already seen two origin stories of “Spider-Man” and three different Peter Parkers
Third World Cinema Club: Isa Pa, with Feelings… The Transcript
The “3WCC” gang spoke to Prime Cruz and Jen Chuaunsu about “Isa Pa, With Feelings” and wanted to extend the feelings we felt during this interview to our friends from the Deaf Community through this transcription of the episode.
QCinema 2019 review: By the Grace of God
Napakaganda ng pelikulang ‘By the Grace of God” na dinirek ni Francois Ozon. Ang pelikulang “By the Grace of God” ay tungkol sa tatlong lalaking inabuso ng pari na pinagbuklod ng isang adhikain na mabigyang hustisya ang pang-aabusong ginawa sa kanila ng pinagkatiwalaan nilang pari noong bata pa sila. Mabibigyan
QCinema 2019 review: Babae at Baril
Jean Luc-Godard is reported to have said, “all you need to make a movie is a girl and a gun.” Indeed, there are many films out there with girls and guns aplenty, but in the case of Rae Red’s Babae at Baril, the film poses the question, “why does the
QCinema 2019 review: Kaaway Sa Sulod (The Enemy Within)
Sina Commander Lai at Lt. Raiza Umali (Dionne Monsanto sa dual role) ay dalawang babaeng nasa magkaibang panig na magkaiba ang paniniwala at ipinaglalaban. Si Commander Lai ay miyembro ng NPA (New People’s Army na nais madakip ang isang makapangyarihang heneral na merong korapsyong kinasasangkutan. Samantala, si Lt. Raiza
QCinema 2019 review: Cleaners
This film, after all, is a collection of memories; what are memories but hazy facsimiles of our experiences?
The Classics: Mga Bilanggong Birhen (The Captive Virgins)
Hindi lahat ng mga babaeng karakter sa pelikulang ito ay mga birhen bago sila ikulong ng lipunang ginagalawan. Subalit, ang mga bidang babaeng karakter sa pelikulang ito ay tila preso na pinagkaitan ng kalayaan. Nakalimutan yata ni Ari Aster na i-cite na isa sa inspirasyon niya na gawin ang “Midsommar”
Past, Present, Perfect Recap (Episodes 1 to 2): Of Words and Past Loves
Our fave gal, FAMAS award-winning filmmaker, Dwein Baltazar has just launched a new project. Past, Present, Perfect? premiered on the online streaming platform iWantTV last May 31st is your post Hallmark-card inception of a forlorn love story of dreams, young love, and literature. And with this, we’re still hoping that Uniqlo finally gives her the
