Metro Manila Film Festival Memories: Saving Sally (5 of 5)

Note: A repost, because I miss a really good Metro Manila Film Festival with a good and fair selection of movies.

Saving Sally
Director: Avid Liongoren
Rocketsheep Studio, 2016

When I first saw the movie teaser for Saving Sally over on Facebook, I immediately tagged my teen aged kids. They were excited to watch the movie. They have been planning on spending their Christmas money to watch it weeks before the Metro Manila Film Fest. On December 25th, we were lining up for tickets.

This very simple love story is so charming and pure that, I am recommending this for families with teenagers to watch and see together despite the phallic symbols that represent one of the characters. Spewing a few more of it when he speaks. This was done in context and one that my teen aged kids fully understood both as cinematic interpretation as well as a metaphor for people who are so full of themselves. Don't we meet those kind in real life? Like Marty, we see them as monsters and, yes, dickheads.

Which brings me now to enumerate what I enjoyed about the movie.

It doesn't lie. Totoo siya. Its agenda is not to offer amusement, shallow humor or an escapist joy. Funny because, the movie is a combination of animation and live action and yet, it shows how things really are. It is overflowing with monsters, fictional characters from comic books, robots from a long gone TV show of my childhood but its speaks of truths that are lasting. Good is good. Bad is bad. And then, there are the gray areas in between that we all need to deal with at some point in our lives.

Marty struggles to find a voice for his feelings for Sally.  His mom tells him that such issues can't be forced. Marty's dad lent advice and support at an arm's length. No wonder Marty turned out the way he is, the nice geeky guy whom you can always count on. Apparently, Marty needed a lot of growing up to do and in its wake, is heartbreak and a lot of adulting. Sally, for all her smarts and intrepid inventions, could not break free from the confines and cruelty of her surrogate parents. A victim of circumstance, she fell prey into the hands of Nick, the dickhead boyfriend, who took advantage of her vulnerability. See how valuable is the role of family in shaping one's identity? 

This only goes to show that Saving Sally has a lot to offer. Love takes time and if it is real, it finds a way. Courage is found in the depths of our fears. Redemption begins from a desire to save one's self. In the end, the geek gets the girl. Then again, in the beginning of the movie, it was the smart, artistic and weird girl who saved the geek. YAY! 

How Marty saved Sally is a feast for the senses. The visual metaphors are brilliantly done. I liked the floating sketches surrounding Marty and Sally. It pushed the plot forward. Their relationship is in suspended animation. They are neither friends nor lovers. The colors and lighting looked old, a lot of sepia and shades of brown in the back ground but this added texture  and a warmth enunciating the themes of the movie. Monsters drawn in black, white and graying hues emphasizing Marty's perspective and world view.The robots that Sally created and the city where she and Marty lives in are rendered in steampunk. This makes me want to give steampunk another try.

Watch out for the easter eggs. If you're from UP Diliman, you will appreciate and understand Zorro's appearance. There are designs of buildings that are reminiscent of old haunts in the campus. I have my comic book faves and it is such a delight to see its covers in the movie too. The names and labels of stores, commercial establishments and places in the city are identified with Pinoy wit and humor. Even the sound track is cool and tender, comforting and heart wrenching the next.

I hope the movie gets an extended run and distributed in more movie houses. With eight wonderful films this season of the Metro Manila Film Festival, we all need to pick the ones we want to watch and the ones we need to give a chance. This year, it is worth to spend 200 - 300 pesos for three to five movies in the roster. But if you can afford it, go watch all!

Metro Manila Film Festival Memories: Ang Larawan (4 of 5)

Note: A repost, because I miss a really good Metro Manila Film Festival with a good and fair selection of movies.

Ang Larawan
Produced by Culturtain and Musicat
Direction by Loy Arcenas
Libretto by Rolando Tinio
Music by Ryan Cayabyab
From the original three act play of Nick Joaquin

I will try to keep this sweet and short since the movie, Ang Larawan, won Best Picture in the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Gabi ng Parangal already. What is another rave review when all that is amazing and awe inspiring things have been said about the movie? But I want to put this on record. It was the ONLY movie I intended to watch in the MMFF this season.

I have had my fill of romcoms every MMFF. Vic Sotto and Vice Ganda are on TV five days of the week and social media is littered with news and features of young stars from GMA and ABS-CBN. I decided to be good to may heart and to take extra care for my soul. It had to be Nick Joaquin, Rolando Tinio, Ryan Cayabuab and Celeste Legaspi. When can I get this once in a lifetime chance of engaging with these artists in the most accessible art form but during the MMFF?

So, here are five things I love about Ang Larawan.

1. Bagay na bagay ang mga awitin sa bawat characters ng pelikula. I don't know which came first. Selecting the cast and giving them songs that fit their range and personalities, or arranging the songs for each actor's range and style? Pinag-isipan talaga! The production team obviously love their actors and Mr. C has great respect for all of them to be given such challenging and meaningful songs to sing.

2. The cast gave polished performances! There was no upstaging of actor 1 and actor 2. Each had their shinning moment. Rayver Cruz was not OP. Keribels ni Paulo Avelino ang song and dance number! Nag-enjoy ako sa cameo ni Ogie Alcasid. He looked very serious as a policeman, but his presence was comic relief, at least to me, in that particular scene where Candida is about to have her epic breakdown. Finally, nakapanood rin ako ng Pinoy movie na may ensemble cast na nag-gel lahat ng energies, dynamics, talents and artistic skills.

3. Ang ganda ng libretto ni Rolando Tinio. My favorite part was Don Perico's where he sang about life, like art, is intricate. Ang ganda sa Tagalog!

Hindi simple ang buhay katulad ng sining. 

May puwersang humuhubog sa ating landasin. 

Hindi tayo’ng may hawak sa kinabukasan. 

Nagmimiron ka lamang sa ‘yong kapalaran.”

4. The close up shots of each character were all very intriguing. Looking at the portrait that was never fully shown but was described differently by the one viewing it suggest mystery, and for the audience, voyeurism!

Needless to say, one's interpretation of art differs from another.

5. The film stayed true to the original material and although Tinio's translation have lost some of Joaquin's meaning and poetry in the process, Ang Larawan moved me to look inward and discover new insights about myself and the world.

I read the play in college and identified more with Candida. I saw the play on stage in the early 90s (at the International School Manila, of all places!) and I was disturbed by the nostalgia, especially the melancholic narration of Bitoy Camacho. Twenty and three years after, Paula sings about making decisions. Emancipation. Detachment. I know what she means. I understand it too well. I feel it too!

CONTRA MUNDUM!

Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/AngLarawanTheMovie/photos/a.375625539260180.1073741828.374860422670025/924657541023641/?type=3&theater

Metro Manila Film Festival Memories: #WalangForever (2 of 5)

Note: A repost, because I miss a really good Metro Manila Film Festival with a good and fair selection of movies.

#WalangForever
Director: Dan Villegas
Producers: Quantum Films, MJM Productions, Tuko Films, Buchi Boy Films

Our film of choice this Metro Manila Film Festival season is #WalangForever. It is too bad we didn't catch Honor They Father, but, who knows. I am hopeful to see the movie before the season officially ends. Now, for my review.

With celebs: Gab Valenciano, Dr. Fely Pado and Jericho Rosales

#WalangForever is a story of love lost and found. Mia, played by Jennylyn Mercado, and Ethan, portrayed by Jericho Rosales, are former lovers once engaged. Personal problems, priorities in life and career put their relationship to the test. It was one test they both failed. Thus, the experience made them bitter, jaded and scorned. Mia, a successful screenwriter coasts through life penning the greatest love of her life into her movies while Ethan, manages a thriving business, until a life changing event made him decide to leave the country and live with his mother abroad. Thanks to friends, a timely barkada reunion put them back together again.

Love is lovelier the second time around? Not really.

What worked

When Mia and Ethan were back in each others' arms, it was not the sweet moment of love's second chance. After all, a painful break up would elicit more complications. With Ethan's diminishing health, Mia made the choice to love again. Despite the past and the pain of loss, Mia went after her man and took the risk of being hurt all over again.

For what? And why? Well, to love. Forever.

This is where the conceit of forever comes in. It is in fact the questions, may forever ba? Ano nga ba ang forever? which the movie presented at the beginning by showing people and couples defining what forever is, is the whole point of the movie. It is a philosophical challenge, actually, but, with humor and comedic touches by Dan Villegas' direction, this idea of infinity and the struggle to establish the constants in our lives make the journey of finding a forever lighthearted at the same time, life affirming. In the end, the movie audience is made to find his or her own forever and its relative, if not elusive, definition. #WalangForever does not only make you laugh or cry, it makes you think of the what is and the now.

I find the script and storytelling smart and sensitive. I particularly loved the quiet, awkward moments and the hidden contexts between characters like Ethan and Aldus, Tita Betchay and Tonipet, Ethan's mom and her foreigner husband. The ensemble cast of supporting actors are a delight to watch. They are given enough back story to represent who they are in the lives of Mia and Ethan and the relevant roles they push the plot forward toward a happy ever after. Their roles, though small for some, like Sasha, Ethan's kinakapatid, emphasize the yearning or desire of this constant, this idea of forever. Despite Ethan's death, everyone remains hopeful. Life goes on. Love endures. The ending where Mia's latest film about her life and Ethan's is lived out for all to see and witness. Such is the story of love, where one's immense pain is a source of great joy.

Using film to amplify this concept and to tell a story in this medium is reflective of the passion and dedication that Villegas and the rest of the production team have on their craft. They make movies yes, but they also love. They love their art. They love their craft. They love to share a good story.

Hurrah to Jennylyn Mercado and Jericho Rosales. Their chemistry is amazing. Jennylyn Mercado's star quality never dims. Her light shines in the movie from start to finish. Jericho Rosales is still Mr. Pogi and though the lines on his forehead reveal that he is not as young as he used to be, he remains the dramatic actor I loved watching in Pangako Sayo (yes, I used to watch teleseryes).

What didn't work

Sid Lucero. That cameo. It is so small for his acting chops. Can someone please give him a lead role in a romcom?!

Rating: 3.5 / 5

12 Days of Christmas Movie Review: Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 2

Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 2: Forever Is Not Enough
Director: Marlon Rivera
Screenplay: Cris Martinez
MMFF 2016

Talagang may mga milagrong nangyayari sa panahon ng kaPaskuhan. Biruin mo, sinamahan ako ni Papadoms manood ng Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 2: Forever Is Not Enough! Last full show pa ang kinuha naming screening time at 30 minutes bago magsimula ang sine, nakapila na kami sa entrance gate ng cinema.

Syempre, nangunguna ako sa pila. At may nakakatawang kuwento bago kami nakapasok sa loob ng cinema.

Me to Ticket Lady: Miss, nagpapasok na ba?

Ticket Lady: Saan po?

Palibhasa, dalawang cinema kase ang binbantayan niya.

Me: Sa Septic Tank 2.

Ticket Lady: Nililinis pa po.

Wagi ang aming exchange of conversation, di ba? Tawa naman si Papadoms nung marining niya ito. Sapul. Senyales pala ito ng mga katawatawang eksena ng pelikula. Bukod sa katatawanan, makabuluhan rin ang pelikula at napapnahon. Tumawa kami at nag-isip.

Nag-isip, bes. NAG-ISIP.

Kaya heto ang top 5 na nagustugan kong mga eksena at aspeto sa Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 2.

1. Eugene Domingo. Syempre, fan ako. Pero, bes, ang galing talaga ni Eugene dahil arte sya kung kailangang ang lungkot, saya, pagkadismaya, ka-bekihan, ka-kikayan, lahat na! Panalo sa akin ang tatlong levels ng hugot. Consistent si Eugene sa delivery ng lines sa eksena nila ni Jericho Rosales. Ang gagaling rin nina Joel Torre (walang kupas!), Cai Cortes at Agot Isidro, kahit pa kaunti lang ang role niya dito. Siya pa rin ang ideal na BFF ng bidang babae. She doesn't over run the lead, but makes her presence felt. Ganun din ang naramdaman ko habang pinapanood ko si Cai Cortes.

2. Ang talino ng script. Ang meta. Ang sharp ng dialogue at para sa aking pandinig, ang poetic ng language ni Cris Martinez. Lalo na sa eksena kung saan pikon na pikon na si Kean Cipriano kay Eugene Domingo.

3. Yung mga quiet moments sa movie, ang lakas ng dating. Enough na yung empty room sa condo ni Direk Rainer na magbigay ng hiwatig na olats na si direk kahit marami siyang trophy sa shelf niya.

4. Si Facundo. Need I say more?

5. Ang cover version ni Eugene ng Forever Is Not Enough. Ang organic. Hindi pilit. Authentic.

Ito ang mga dahilan kung bakit masasabi kong wagi ang sequel na ito para sa akin.

Rating: 4.5

12 Days of Christmas Movie Review: Tiktik (Repost)

Because Erik Matti won Best Director for Seklusyon in this year's Metro Manila Film Festival's Gabi ng Parangal, here is a review of Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles which he directed back in 2012. This review is a repost from October 2012.
 

Titktik: The Aswang Chronicles
GMA Films and Agosto Dos
Directed by Erik Matti

I saw the full trailer of GMA Films' Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles a month back when my family and I watched an APO Hiking music inspired movie. All four of us were impressed of the powerful visuals of Tiktik that we have the movie scheduled for a Halloween viewing. We did as planned and we were not disappointed.

For one, it's the kind of movie that did not make us think. I mean this in a good way.  For me and hubby, it was a perfect leisurely watch since we both work in places were thinking is the name of the game. For Nico and Zoe, exams had just ended, so goodbye thinking cap.

It was hard not to enjoy the movie. We  marveled at the visual texture the movie evoked since it made the setting, time and place characters too. There were scenes that grossed out our youngest (Zoe) but the campy tandem of Ramon Bautista and Joey Marquez made her forget the gory scenes. By itself, it is a good movie with a decent script since we shared our aswang stories to our kids' undivided attention and interest before retiring for home. I can't endorse it as an aswang movie for all families, but it will definitely rekindle old horror tales from long ago. The conversations that come after watching a movie is precious. This sharing of after thoughts rarely happens (in families) anymore.

Two days after watching Tiktik, my daughter asked me this, "Ma, talaga bang may aswang?" (Are aswangs real?)

I replied, "If you can think about it, what makes you say it is not real? The thing is, an aswang can be a metaphor or a symbol of evil. It can be the evil inside of you or in your environment. And like Makoy and Nestor in the movie, you just don't surrender to evil easily. You have to fight it to overcome it. Sometimes, it takes a while to fight it out with our aswangs and the aswangs that dwell around us."

She has not asked me since then. Happy Halloween!

Photo source: http://kapusocentral.blogspot.com/2012/08/tiktik-aswang-chronicles-full-trailer.html

12 Days of Christmas Movie Review: Saving Sally

Saving Sally
Director: Avid Liongoren
Rocketsheep Studio, 2016

When I first saw the movie teaser for Saving Sally over on Facebook, I immediately tagged my teen aged kids. They were excited to watch the movie. They have been planning on spending their Christmas money to watch it weeks before the Metro Manila Film Fest. On December 25th, we were lining up for tickets.

This very simple love story is so charming and pure that, I am recommending this for families with teenagers to watch and see together despite the phallic symbols that represent one of the characters. Spewing a few more of it when he speaks. This was done in context and one that my teen aged kids fully understood both as cinematic interpretation as well as a metaphor for people who are so full of themselves. Don't we meet those kind in real life? Like Marty, we see them as monsters and, yes, dickheads.

Which brings me now to enumerate what I enjoyed about the movie.

It doesn't lie. Totoo siya. Its agenda is not to offer amusement, shallow humor or an escapist joy. Funny because, the movie is a combination of animation and live action and yet, it shows how things really are. It is overflowing with monsters, fictional characters from comic books, robots from a long gone TV show of my childhood but its speaks of truths that are lasting. Good is good. Bad is bad. And then, there are the gray areas in between that we all need to deal with at some point in our lives.

Marty struggles to find a voice for his feelings for Sally.  His mom tells him that such issues can't be forced. Marty's dad lent advice and support at an arm's length. No wonder Marty turned out the way he is, the nice geeky guy whom you can always count on. Apparently, Marty needed a lot of growing up to do and in its wake, is heartbreak and a lot of adulting. Sally, for all her smarts and intrepid inventions, could not break free from the confines and cruelty of her surrogate parents. A victim of circumstance, she fell prey into the hands of Nick, the dickhead boyfriend, who took advantage of her vulnerability. See how valuable is the role of family in shaping one's identity? 

This only goes to show that Saving Sally has a lot to offer. Love takes time and if it is real, it finds a way. Courage is found in the depths of our fears. Redemption begins from a desire to save one's self. In the end, the geek gets the girl. Then again, in the beginning of the movie, it was the smart, artistic and weird girl who saved the geek. YAY!

How Marty saved Sally is a feast for the senses. The visual metaphors are brilliantly done. I liked the floating sketches surrounding Marty and Sally. It pushed the plot forward. Their relationship is in suspended animation. They are neither friends nor lovers. The colors and lighting looked old, a lot of sepia and shades of brown in the back ground but this added texture  and a warmth enunciating the themes of the movie. Monsters drawn in black, white and graying hues emphasizing Marty's perspective and world view.The robots that Sally created and the city where she and Marty lives in are rendered in steampunk. This makes me want to give steampunk another try.

Watch out for the easter eggs. If you're from UP Diliman, you will appreciate and understand Zorro's appearance. There are designs of buildings that are reminiscent of old haunts in the campus. I have my comic book faves and it is such a delight to see its covers in the movie too. The names and labels of stores, commercial establishments and places in the city are identified with Pinoy wit and humor. Even the sound track is cool and tender, comforting and heart wrenching the next.

I hope the movie gets an extended run and distributed in more movie houses. With eight wonderful films this season of the Metro Manila Film Festival, we all need to pick the ones we want to watch and the ones we need to give a chance. This year, it is worth to spend 200 - 300 pesos for three to five movies in the roster. But if you can afford it, go watch all!

12 Days of Christmas Movie Review: #WalangForever

Because the Metro Manila Film Fest will soon commence and I am keeping a blog tradition, I begin my 12 Days of Christmas Book and Movie Reviews.

Here is the first one, a retrospective. Re-posting for December 2016 as written for the blog last January 3, 2016.

#WalangForever
Director: Dan Villegas
Producers: Quantum Films, MJM Productions, Tuko Films, Buchi Boy Films

Our film of choice this Metro Manila Film Festival season is #WalangForever. It is too bad we didn't catch Honor They Father, but, who knows. I am hopeful to see the movie before the season officially ends. Now, for my review.

With celebs: Gab Valenciano, Dr. Fely Pado and Jericho Rosales

#WalangForever is a story of love lost and found. Mia, played by Jennylyn Mercado, and Ethan, portrayed by Jericho Rosales, are former lovers once engaged. Personal problems, priorities in life and career put their relationship to the test. It was one test they both failed. Thus, the experience made them bitter, jaded and scorned. Mia, a successful screenwriter coasts through life penning the greatest love of her life into her movies while Ethan, manages a thriving business, until a life changing event made him decide to leave the country and live with his mother abroad. Thanks to friends, a timely barkada reunion put them back together again.

Love is lovelier the second time around? Not really.

What worked

When Mia and Ethan were back in each others' arms, it was not the sweet moment of love's second chance. After all, a painful break up would elicit more complications. With Ethan's diminishing health, Mia made the choice to love again. Despite the past and the pain of loss, Mia went after her man and took the risk of being hurt all over again.

For what? And why? Well, to love. Forever.

This is where the conceit of forever comes in. It is in fact the questions, may forever ba? Ano nga ba ang forever? which the movie presented at the beginning by showing people and couples defining what forever is, is the whole point of the movie. It is a philosophical challenge, actually, but, with humor and comedic touches by Dan Villegas' direction, this idea of infinity and the struggle to establish the constants in our lives make the journey of finding a forever lighthearted at the same time, life affirming. In the end, the movie audience is made to find his or her own forever and its relative, if not elusive, definition. #WalangForever does not only make you laugh or cry, it makes you think of the what is and the now.

I find the script and storytelling smart and sensitive. I particularly loved the quiet, awkward moments and the hidden contexts between characters like Ethan and Aldus, Tita Betchay and Tonipet, Ethan's mom and her foreigner husband. The ensemble cast of supporting actors are a delight to watch. They are given enough back story to represent who they are in the lives of Mia and Ethan and the relevant roles they push the plot forward toward a happy ever after. Their roles, though small for some, like Sasha, Ethan's kinakapatid, emphasize the yearning or desire of this constant, this idea of forever. Despite Ethan's death, everyone remains hopeful. Life goes on. Love endures. The ending where Mia's latest film about her life and Ethan's is lived out for all to see and witness. Such is the story of love, where one's immense pain is a source of great joy.

Using film to amplify this concept and to tell a story in this medium is reflective of the passion and dedication that Villegas and the rest of the production team have on their craft. They make movies yes, but they also love. They love their art. They love their craft. They love to share a good story.

Hurrah to Jennylyn Mercado and Jericho Rosales. Their chemistry is amazing. Jennylyn Mercado's star quality never dims. Her light shines in the movie from start to finish. Jericho Rosales is still Mr. Pogi and though the lines on his forehead reveal that he is not as young as he used to be, he remains the dramatic actor I loved watching in Pangako Sayo (yes, I used to watch teleseryes).

What didn't work

Sid Lucero. That cameo. It is so small for his acting chops. Can someone please give him a lead role in a romcom?!

Rating: 3.5 / 5