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 […]
“Fuccbois” brims with bold performances
There is something a little bit misleading about Fuccbois, if you take its title quite literally. Judging from the way things eventually turned out, one would have a slightly different perspective on the fuccbois in the spotlight. Eduardo Roy Jr.’s Fuccbois is about two young boys, Ace (Royce Cabrera) and Miko (Kokoy De Santos), with big dreams of […]
“John Denver Trending” is excruciating to watch
It doesn’t take much to anger people these days. In this socially connected world where everyone feels entitled to pry into the lives of other people, it’s so easy to lose sight of the difference between the perception of truth and the actual truth. John Denver Trending, by Arden Rod Condez, perfectly mirrors this ugly […]
“Spider-Man: Far From Home” Gives Us a Lost Superhero, And It’s Beautiful
As heartbreaking as Avengers: Endgame was, it had one sliver of hope: a more experienced Spider-Man who’s ready to take on the world. The death of his closest ally and mentor will obviously have a tremendous impact on the web slinger’s psyche and one could only assume that Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) time fighting alongside the Earth’s mightiest […]
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is a visual feast
At one point in the movie, we’re told that “anyone can wear the mask.” And that transcends not just in the story of young Miles Morales but also in the manner in which Sony Pictures presented Phil Lord’s vision for the webslinger we’ve all grown to love. “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse” is a complete surprise […]
“Johnny English Strikes Again” brings the same old laughs
More than a decade after ditching the cute teddy bear and donning the sleek suit as the secret agent Johnny English, Rowan Atkinson is back for the third outing of the spy-comedy franchise in “Johnny English Strikes Again” where he relives his role as the hapless and lucky-unlucky British intelligence agent. After a terrible cyber […]