Here's the first part of my reviews for this year's Cinema One Originals competition films.
Never Tear Us Apart : Engrossing Ambiguity
Whammy Alcazaren's "Never Tear Us Apart" starring Meryll Soriano, Jasmin Curtis-Smith & Ricky Davao is probably the weirdest entry in this year's competition.
It follows Q (Ricky Davao) an aging spy in search of a monster known as The Shadow – a rumored darkness fabricated by the media as a murderer with a grudge against promiscuous women. His wife, M (Meryll Soriano), spends most of her time doing house chores and staring at their television in their mountain top mansion. Alex, their son, is your typical boy at the verge of maturity experimenting both sexually and emotionally. Things head south for the family when The Shadow impregnates M and Q meets a mysterious woman hiding a killer secret.
Though it may sound too simple , it's actually more complicated than that. It's quite hard to figure out what is the actual story in this movie, which adds up to it's ambiguity. You'll end up asking yourself what the hell did I just watched long after the credits roll. But admittedly, I was entranced by the film's intricacy and outlandishness that I never had the urge to leave the cinema at any point. I was too curious and engrossed with everything in the film.
Shot entirely on iPhones, the film's unusual aspect ratio adds a feeling of voyeurism to it. It's as if we're secretly watching through this open door projected onto the screen the whole time. It was definitely a unique viewing experience.
Rating: 7/ 10
"Bagyong Bheverlynn" : Old School Laughs
"Bagyong Bheverlynn", directed by Charliebebs Gohetia, starring Rufa Mae Quinto, Edgar Allan Guzman, Angelina Kanapi, Barbie Capacio, Jude Matthew Sevilla & Juan Miguel Severo. This out-of-this-world comedy follows a woman named Bheverlynn (played by Rufa Mae Quinto) left brokenhearted by her break-up with her ex-boyfriend (Edgar Allan Guzman). As she continue to spend every waking moment of her life sulking miserably, a tropical typhoon with the same like hers appears out of nowhere, wreaking havoc all over the country. Soon, Bhe realizes that it is her hugot that is feeding the storm and that she is the only one who can stop it from destroying the world
"Bagyong Bheverlynn"felt like those comedy films I've watched when I was a kid back in the early 2000s. It has a nice and interesting premise to start with. The execution was quirky and silly. The problem was that the way they put it all together was a bit incoherent, causing the final product to feel patchy. Yes, the jokes doesn't work all time. But the humor is there. I actually laughed a couple of times while watching.
The biggest asset of the film is it's lead star, Rufa Mae Quinto. There's something endearing with her that even though everything else in the film is not working anymore, she can still keep your attention with her unique comic approach. You'll never get tired of watching her, proving her capabilities as one of the best comedienne of the industry.
Rating: 7/ 10
"Hospicio" : Drug Me To Hell
Bobby Bonifacio's horror flick "Hospicio" features Loisa Andalio in her first starring role in a movie. She plays Leslie, a budding 20-something artist who is grieving over her sister who's in a coma after what seems to be a drug-related incident. With great guilt, Leslie is forced by her parents to go to a rehabilitation facility to recover from her drug dependency. As Leslie stays longer, she gets to uncover even more mysteries and secrets. She would later realize that the promised change is actually more sinister than it seems, and she has to do something before it’s too late. The film also stars Ana Abad Santos, MM Gigante, Elle Ramirez, Mary Joy Apostol, Kurt Kendrick, Manny Castañeda, Aurora Yumul, Francis Mata.
Bobby Bonifacio's film plays like a social commentary on today's society, from issues like drugs to EJK. It tackles themes like hypocrisy and self-righteousness, on who's to decide whether a guilty person gets to live or die. The cast did a great job, especially Ana Abad Santos with her fun portrayal of the mysterious head of the institution. Elle Ramirez also stood out with her hilarious but effective performance as Maris, the resident whore. Loisa Andalio also surprised me with her unexpected turn as Leslie.
I love the film's twist, though I already sensed it coming during the first hour. They could have pushed to make it more darker and disturbing given its concept. What really I love the most about "Hospicio" is its effective mix of shocks and laughs. It's reminds me a lot of Sam Raimi's "Drag Me To Hell". Though it's not that very scary, it's the type of horror film that is fun and entertaining to watch.
Rating: 9/ 10
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