Afi Africa’s “The Lookout” is a campy guilty pleasure
Afi Africa’s suspense-thriller-erotic-drama “The Lookout” was very promising from the get-go. It had a unique and interesting premise. Until you see it on the screen. All that promise turned into confusion. First off, it felt like it didn’t know what it wanted to be. Is it drama? Action? Thriller? Porn? Lester (Andres Vasquez) is a […]
“Mamang” gives us a sneak peek at life’s sad inevitable truth
Perhaps nothing can be more terrifying than the knowledge that you are slowly losing yourself and there’s nothing you can do about it. Denise O’Hara’s 2018 Cinemalaya entry, “Mamang” tells the story of a geriatric, Mamang (Celeste Legaspi), who is battling the evil claws of dementia. She lives with her son, Ferdie (Ketchup Eusebio), who […]
“Pan de Salawal” is cute, inspiring, and hopeful
Adorable and inspiring. These words perfectly describe Che Espiritu’s “Pan De Salawal.” Stories like that of Salvador (Bodjie Pascua) and Aguy (Miel Espinosa) where random events bring them together, paving the way for an unlikely friendship. Salvador is an old bachelor, inflicted with a very painful case of chronic kidney disease. He basically has no […]
“Kuya Wes” is a wake-up call for many
Goodness can sometimes feel overrated but only because many of us have settled for boorishness as a norm. Because of that, many people’s initial reaction to pure goodness from others is often unpleasant. We either meet them with harshness or take advantage of them. Like sharks preying on fresh carcass. Maybe we’ve all gotten used […]
“Distance” peeks into an unconventional family drama
Family dramas are somewhat of a dangerous territory because they’ve been done a thousand times over. And if you’re going to re-tell another story and want it to resonate with a larger audience, it has to be in a manner many of us haven’t seen before. Perci Intalan’s “Distance” managed to do that, to some […]
“The Meg” review: thank you, Jason Statham
Jon Turteltaub’s action-thriller “The Meg” would have been another B-movie that would go from the big screen to DVD in 15 minutes had it not been for its main star, Jason Statham. The 51-year old actor is the film’s saving grace, I think. And thanks to him, we have one of the graceful looking underwater-esque […]
“Mission: Impossible – Fallout” review: no falling out with this one
Does Tom Cruise ever age? That’s probably one of the first things that will come to mind once you start watching his latest adventure as special agent Ethan Hunt in “Mission: Impossible-Fallout.” The 6th in the film franchise, “Fallout” brings back Christopher McQuarrie (director of Rogue Nation), something that they never do in Mission: Impossible […]
“Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again” is the only kind of cheesy we want (and need)
The second Amanda Seyfried’s Sophie starts singing at the opening scene, we’re kind of transported to that cheery place of our youth. “Thank You For The Music” isn’t exactly a cheerful song but it gleams with so much hope and gratitude (and some level of cheesiness) that you can’t help but feel giddy inside. Giddy. […]
“Skyscraper” is one entertaining action movie
You really just can’t smell what The Rock is cooking. Or in the case of his latest adrenaline-inducing flick, “Skyscraper,” you can’t tell what death-defying stunts he’s going to come up with. Or just how incredibly strong his fingers are. Rawson Marshall Thurber’s action-packed film adds another gasp-inducing, highly entertaining flick to Johnson’s arsenal. There’s […]
“Ant-Man and the Wasp” review: a scaled down but enjoyable Marvel movie
You know what they mean when they say “less is more?” Well, in the case of Peyton Reed’s “Ant-Man And The Wasp” little is more. Or bigger. Well, you get the drift. Anyway, this latest installment in the ever-evolving (and exciting) Marvel Cinematic Universe, our tiny superhero is back, albeit reluctantly, not to save the […]