“Little Women” is anything but a small movie
There is nothing little about Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the classic Louisa May Alcott novel of the same title. “Little Women” is packed with so much energy, its impact is more than nostalgia; it’s able to give us a glimpse of both the systemic issues that still plague our society and parallelisms between us and […]
“Birds of Prey” is a fun, entertaining watch
You’d have to think about it minutes (or hours) after Cathy Yan’s “Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” before it dawns on you (at least for me) that it’s more than the typical women empowerment-themed flicks wrapped in a fun, sexy package. It’s actually a cunning way of addressing long-held […]
“1917” offers a unique and immersive take on war films
The second the camera started moving slowly—drawing back from a shot of the blue sky, revealing two young soldiers taking a rest on grassy ground—it was clear that we’re in for a ride.It kept on going. Slowly, at first. Making a few short pauses, and then gathering speed during tense moments in the film until […]
“Cats” has one good thing going for it: its singers
Surely we’d expect to have at least one prominent musical artist to be featured in the film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical Cats, which is why seeing American Idol alum and Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson as Grizabella previously in trailers was a pleasant surprise. But the filmmakers had another treat: casting country superstar Taylor Swift […]
“Malamaya” could have been really good
It’s quite difficult to not compare Malamaya to Belle Douleur because both feature middle-aged women involved in a May-December affair. And halfway through the movie another reason became evident: it was not as good as the other one. And that is a little bit disappointing because the movie could have been really good. Sunshine Cruz makes a comeback as […]
High expectations, low pay-offs for “ANi”
Out of all the entries in this year’s festival, Ani has the most promise. It might be due to the fact that this futuristic themed movie could revolutionize the local movie industry because of its use of CGI. Or it might be because the people behind it have hyped it so much. Coming out of the theater […]
“Pandanggo sa Hukay” did right by getting Iza Calzado
Sometimes, all it takes is a good performance to salvage a not-so-good movie. In the case for Sheryl Andes’ Pandanggo sa Hukay, having Iza Calzado as the lead is the best thing going for it. I had high hopes for the movie. Its premise (a midwife braving the odds to make it to an important interview) […]
“Belle Douleur” is a charming love letter
When director Joji Alonso said during the gala night of her Cinemalaya entry, Belle Douleur, that it was time to do something for herself, we felt the movie was going to feel like a carefully written love letter. While watching Belle Douleur, you can feel the precision and conscientiousness in every scene, dialogue, and the little details. […]
“Tabon” is not done baking
Xian Lim’s directorial debut, Tabon, was brimming with potential and could have been an addition to Cinemalaya’s roster of impressive thriller flicks. But it felt like it’s taken out of the oven way early. A lack of proper build up seemed to have kept its potential concealed, pretty much like its title’s supposed meaning. There was […]
Infectious charm lightens the dreary themes in “Edward”
Coming-of-age stories are always fun to watch especially if they mirror experiences we’ve all gone through. Thop Nazareno’s Edward is captivating simply because it’s a story we can all relate to because it’s set here. Unlike Boyhood or Lady Bird, there’s a sense of a little disconnect they are not like us; their experiences vaguely resemble ours. Edward, on the […]