ENTERTAINMENT NEWS, REVIEWS
MY LETTERS TO HAPPY (2019) Review Directed by Pertee Brinas There’s no way that I can write this review without spoiling its main theme which is mental health. There’s no way that this review could justify how delicate its themes are, how its characters and story do more than the usual Filipino romance movies. Because …
Continue reading “‘My Letters to Happy’ Review: A Love Letter to the Ones Who Believed in Us”
Happening now at SM Cinemas Mall of Asia, North EDSA, Megamall, Fairview, Southmall, Mania, Greenbelt 1 and Gateway Cineplex is the 3rd edition of the CineFilipino Independent Film Festival until May 15. Here are my thoughts on three of the eight feature film entries of the said film festival: POON by Roni Supangan Benaid Atmospheric at best, Roni …
Continue reading “#CineFilipino2018 Reviews: “Poon,” “The Eternity Between Seconds,” “Mata Tapang””
SMALLER AND SMALLER CIRCLES (2017) Review Directed by Raya Martin “Time and forgetfulness are the allies of abusers.” There is something eerie in Raya Martin’s film adaptation of Smaller and Smaller Circles but that makes the film feel more authentic in presenting its story. A young boy dies and was dumped in Payatas. As the investigation got …
Continue reading ““Smaller and Smaller Circles” Review: A Smart and Gripping Crime Thriller”
BLISS (2017) Review Directed by Jerrold Tarog We mostly see romantic comedies, satirical comedies, drama films about infidelity and horror movies in the Philippines, that’s what the mass wants or they think they want because we’ve been obviously getting it more than we wanted. Then, TBA came. The studio that tries to bring the Filipino …
Continue reading ““Bliss” Review: A Giant Leap for Philippine Cinema”
After the noise it made for getting an “X” rating on its first MTRCB review, Jerrold Tarog’s psychological thriller “Bliss” gets an R-18 rating on its second review. Which means, it can now be exhibited in Philippine cinemas for adults age 18 and above. So, rejoice! We, or the rest of those who didn’t make it to …
Continue reading ““Bliss” Gets R-18 Without Cuts on Second Review by the MTRCB”
Written in 2004, first shot in 2005, edited & animated 2006-2009, re-shot from scratch in 2010, re-edited & re-animated from 2011-2015 & finally competed in 2016. Avid Liongoren’s “Saving Sally” was indeed a hardwork for its team, the artists on and off camera. A rare feat in Philippine cinema, live-action and animation combined to tell a simple story but …
Continue reading “#MMFF2016: “Saving Sally” is a Simple Story That Can’t Be Told Enough”
A bittersweet love story dipped in a glaze of sci-fi and fantasy. Starring Rhian Ramos, Enzo Marcos and TJ Trinidad and directed by Avid Liongoren, Saving Sally is an independent film that took 10 years to make due to budget and production issues. It’s part animation, part live-action, a rare feat in Philippine cinema that …
Continue reading “#MMFF2016: The Animated World of Marty in Avid Liongoren’s “Saving Sally””
WORKING BEKS (2016) Review Directed by Chris Martinez You’ll probably think that Working Beks is a spin-off of the 1984 or 2010 film Working Girls, and maybe you’re right. Chris Martinez’s gay-centric film isn’t boasting about the stereotypes of being gay, or the stereotypes of gay films. It’s mostly a celebration of being true to …
★★½☆☆