“Kauyagan” is great to listen to but hard to watch
Next in line to becoming the chieftain, a reluctant Piyo makes a sudden decision to reject his birth right and duty, much to his tribe’s dismay. He disappears from the lives of the Talaandig tribe. Unknown to them, Piyo was…
“Mga Anak ng Kamote” is (initially) a technical masterpiece
Secluded in the mountains, Iyong (Katrina Halili) religiously tends to her sweet potatoes along with her husband Banong (Alex Medina). As the sole means of their livelihood, the couple works diligently to protect the crop from an unseen wild boar,…
“Searching” brings to light our most important relationships
What would you do if the person you felt closest to turns out to be someone you absolutely don’t know at all? This is the dilemma for David Kim (John Cho) when his 16-year old daughter, Margot (Michelle La), goes…
“Crazy Rich Asians” review: satisfying nod to Asian sensibilities
Jon Chu’s opening scene perfectly sets the tone for the movie adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s novel, “Crazy Rich Asians” and hooks the audience right away. A Chinese guest, a young Eleanor Young (Michelle Yeoh) walks inside a hotel, drenched in…
Cinemalaya 2018: Ranking this year’s movies
It was a fun year for me at the Cinemalaya festival. And despite this being only my second year, I was lucky enough to attend as part of the media. There were many impressionable films and they (except for one)…
“School Service” gives us a dismal look at what goes on in the streets of Manila
What’s great about Cinemalaya is that it allows filmmakers to talk about society’s maladies without filters. By being uncensored, these films give us a clearer picture of what’s going on around us. And they can do that unapologetically. Louie Ignacio’s…
“Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon” is heartbreakingly beautiful
Carlo Enciso Catu’s unique love story that involves three seniors is a painful reminder of the thing most of us fear most: dying alone. Bene (Dante Rivero) lives out the rest of his days inside his gloomy, ramshackle home, with…
“Musmos na Sumibol sa Gubat ng Digma” presents a searing image of war’s true casualties
There are no winners in wars, only casualties. That’s the sad reality. But what’s even more despairing is that the ones who suffer most are the one who have the least to do with these battles: the children. Iar Lionel…
Relive the horrors of Marial Law in “ML”
They say we are a country that has a short attention span; and that we forgive too easily. That should be a positive thing but when we’re dealing with heinous crimes against the nation (i.e. Martial Law), being too forgiving…
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…