Movie Review: Toto Natividad's "Riding In Tandem" (2017)

Khalil Ramos plays Jonard in "Riding In Tandem"

Helmed by veteran action director Toto Natividad, Riding in Tandem is a film that attempts to depict one of the most prevalent criminal acts in the country. The act, as we all know, is called "riding in tandem," and it involves two people who work in tandem to ambush their targets while riding in a motorcycle. The backbone of the storyline is the life of criminals, but it also gives the viewers the realistic and driving elements such as family and love. The film is headlined by two of the country's most talented actors, 2008 Young Critics Circle Best Performer Jason Abalos and 2017 Gawad Urian Best Actor nominee Khalil Ramos. The film is one of the two indie films of Khalil Ramos yet to be released. The other one is entitled Kasunduan, a thriller  drama where he co-starred with Joey Marquez, Joem Bascon and Ejay Falcon.

The film follows the story of two people: Miguel (Abalos), an ex-convict and former hired killer who is looking for his wife, and Jonard (Ramos), a young man who sets out to avenge the death of his sister. Together, they team-up and embark on a dangerous path through the gritty and cutthroat world of hired killers known as riding in tandem.  The film also stars Mara Lopez, Sue Prado, Nina Dolino, Joem Bascon, and Victor Neri. It is distributed by Star Cinema, and is now showing in Cine Lokal's 8 SM Cinema: Mall of Asia, Megamall, North Edsa, Fairview, Southmall, Bacoor, Iloilo and Cebu (Ticket price at Php150).

Screenshot from the trailer

To be honest, I had no idea what to expect from this action drama when we watched it during it's special screening in SM Megamall last October 15, 2017. The screening was graced by the cast themselves, led by Jason Abalos, Khalil Ramos and Mara Lopez. I have little background about the film and only got a bit of an idea on what it is all about through it's trailer. I'm also not a big fan of action films and I rarely watch them in cinemas. But I was so surprised when I actually enjoyed watching Toto Natividad's Riding In Tandem.

The story itself isn't something new. The film's drama can be compared to the Primetime series Ang Probinsyano or a late-afternoon soap opera. It's a bit predictable, but there were some nice twists along the way. The film is threading between complete seriousness and outright camp. At times, when the film's campiness works, it works. It makes the film more enjoyable to watch, but not all the time. There's a particular scene featuring a montage of memories of one character that felt a bit out-of-place. There are moments where you would feel like you're watching an overdramatic teleserye, but at least, there were also parts where you can really feel the tension between the characters.

Also, the film's extensive use of slow motion sequences doesn't quite work for the most part. Most especially since it's CGI effects aren't that good. But to it's credit, the film has some of the best opening credits in a local film in recent memory. It also puts a lot of great use to it's drone shots, featuring some dizzying shots of the city. There's also some pretty impressive action scenes and chase sequences featuring Abalos and Ramos that reminds me of those old local action flicks from the bygone days.

The film also boasts an amazing cast. Mara Lopez was really fun to watch as Jonard's girlfriend Ganda. I love Sue Prado in her role as Jonard's sister. It was really nice to see Dido Dela Paz again after his work in Respeto and Birdshot. Nina Dolino was also quite impressive. Joem Bascon's role was a bit short so there weren't a lot of moments for his character to grow. But it was Jason Abalos and Khalil Ramos who really owned the spotlight in this movie. Abalos did an impressive job in his portrayal of Miguel. Ramos was a revelation in his incredible performance of Jonard. Both actors really carried the film from start to finish.




All in all, I pretty much enjoyed it. Though it has some flaws, Riding In Tandem is still an entertaining throwback to our country's action movie heydays.



Rating: ✰✰✰✰ of 5
"Riding In Tandem" directed by Toto Natividad, starring Jason abalos, Khalil Ramos,  Mara Lopez, Sue Prado, Nina Dolino, Joem Bascon, and Victor Neri.

BLISS Movie Review

"Hindi ko maintindihan!" (I can't understand!)

This is one of the lines of Iza Calzado's character Jane in director Jerrold Tarog's latest film, Bliss. This is also the exact same thing I've been murmuring to myself while watching the movie last Monday, April 3, 2017 at CineAdarna, UP Diliman during the film's special screening. The screening was attended by hundreds of people who flocked the film theater since early afternoon just to catch a glimpse of the film that got it's lead actress, Iza Calzado, her Best Performer Award from the recent Osaka Film Festival. The film became controversial after MTRCB slapped it with an X-rating, banning it from being commercially released in the country. Until now, I still can't figure out what I've watched that night. Director Jerrold Tarog said he aims to push the boundaries of Philippine Cinema with this film. And he did it, in a way no one could have imagined.

BLISS tells the story of an aging actress, Jane Ciego (played by Iza Calzado in her most daring role yet) who started acting in showbiz at a young age. Now in her 30s, she decides to produce her own film to win some respect in the industry. But things do not go as planned and an accident on location cripples her. Jane wakes up unable to walk and trapped in her own home, a large house filled with strange sounds and people who may want to harm her. She is looked over by her cold husband Carlo (TJ Trinidad) and a sadistic nurse named Lilibeth (Adrienne Vergara), and then there is Rose, a nurse wanted by authorities for sexually molesting a patient. She mysteriously enters Jane’s life and soon begins affecting her dreams as much as her waking life. Jane’s sanity begins to crumble as the horrors pile up in a symphony of blood, tears and madness. What was supposed to be a simple dream for Jane soon becomes an endless nightmare.

Director Jerrold Tarog is no stranger to the horror genre, as he have been making horror films even before BLISS. He helmed the Shake, Rattle & Roll 12 episode "Punerarya" starring Carla Abellana and Sid Lucero, the feature film Aswang (2011) starring Lovi Poe and Paulo Avelino, the Shake, Rattle & Roll 13 episode "Parola" (one of my favorite episodes of SRR) starring Kathryn Bernardo and Louisse Delos Reyes and the Shake, Rattle & Roll XV episode "Ulam" starring Ms. Abellana and Dennis Trillo. his lead actress, Iza Calzado, is also considered as one of Philippines' modern day scream queens, as she has starred in films like Sigaw (2004), Shake, Rattle & Roll 8 (2006), Ouija (2007), The Echo (2008), White House (2010), Maria, Leonora, Theresa (2014), Haunted Mansion (2015), and Ilawod (2017). Therefore, BLISS is a dream come true for a horror fan like me because two big names in the country's industry have collaborated to come up with this project.

For the past years, I've seen a lot of horror films. And when I say A LOT, I mean it. I remember, there was even a time when for one whole month, I was watching a horror movie almost every single day. I guess this is the reason why I got so numb when it comes to horror movies. I don't get scared easily anymore, which is really depressing because whenever me and my friends watch horror movies in the theater, all of them are shrieking out of fright the whole time while I stare blankly at the screen. No reactions at all. But luckily, there are some few good horror flicks that comes out of the blue that I get to enjoy. So whenever I say that a horror movie is good, believe me. It is good. The last Filipino horror film that I've watched and enjoyed was Erik Matti's Seklusyon. I've had some pretty good time watching that film. And since then, I've been looking forward to seeing another good horror film. Unfortunately, I haven't seen one since the start of this year. I haven't seen a local horror movie that I actually enjoyed. Until I saw BLISS.

I still can't figure out what BLISS actually is. I couldn't come up with a single word to describe it. It's never-before-seen. It's trippy. It's insane. It's mind-boggling. It's surreal. It's fucked-up. Yeah. It is so fucked-up. I've never seen a Filipino movie this fucked up since Sherad Anthony Sanchez's Salvage starring Jessy Mendiola. But BLISS takes the word "fucked-up" to a whole new level. I don't even know where to start in reviewing the film. Jerrold Tarog's BLISS is like a big mystery, slowly being peeled one layer after another. And every time it sheds off another layer, it becomes more and more unsettling, and disturbing, and deranged, and messed-up. And this is what makes BLISS a one of a kind movie experience.

First and foremost, BLISS is a horror film. And it's scary when it wants to be. But Jerrold Tarog doesn't just settle for this. Instead, his witty script (he also penned the film) infuses dark humor to make the film stand out from the rest of the local horror films we've seen before. It's like a hybrid of something that the Sam Raimi and the late Wes Craven would make if they write a film while they're drugged. Aside from the film's dark humor, the film also pushes boundaries in Philippine cinema by featuring taboo themes that most directors and film companies are avoiding to tackle, like pedophilia, marital rape and commercialism. As the story progresses, director Jerrold hits us with these unsettling themes one blow after another. I remember myself during the screening of BLISS at CineAdarna. I was covering my mouth with my handkerchief, held by my two hands, as I watch in shock in one cringe-worthy scene featuring a naked woman standing in front of a mirror, touching herself while she is having flashbacks of a lesbian molesting her when she was young. I don't want to give out a lot of details because it will spoil everything but that scene was too much to handle that a part of me wants to cover my eyes until the scene fades away. But it's too late. I'm already hypnotized by this nightmarish fairy tale and I couldn't take my eyes off the screen anymore. I'm stuck in this demented mind of Jerrold Tarog, along with the rest of the hundreds of audiences inside that theater.

When it comes to the film's technicalities, this movie is one handsome horror picture. The handheld shots of the film evokes a sense of uneasiness. Whenever the camera follows Jane while she's treading along the hallways of their big house, it brings a feeling of dread and impending threat, specially when she pass by an open door of a dark, empty (or not) room. The house itself is brimming with a sense of claustrophobia, drowning her with whispers and mysterious sounds from every corner. The music is simple but adds a creepy atmosphere to every scene. The editing was also good. The film's pacing moves briskly and doesn't have any dull moments. Horror fans like me will be delightfully pleased with the violence and blood in the film. Yes, there's blood. Lots of blood. Unlike Iza Calzado's previous horror pic Ilawod which is more restrained, BLISS is unabashed when it comes to violence, and goes for the jugular. There's a lot of stabbing here in this pic, I'm telling you. And I can't help but squirm every single time.

I guess this film wouldn't have worked if not for the outstanding performances of it's cast. Audie Gemora plays his role with flair and humor as the Cannes-obsessed director Lexter Palao. Michael de Mesa is like an over-the-top fictional version of Boy Abunda. Shamaine Buencamino is brilliant as the stage mother Jillian. Ian Veneracion isn't given much screen time but definitely catches everyone's attention every time he's on screen. TJ Trinidad impresses us with his portrayal of Carlo, Jane's husband who eventually messes up everything for her wife. You'll hate him. You'll love him. He's that good. Adrienne Vergara steals the show as the creepy nurse Lilibeth. At first, she was distracting and may come off a bit over the top. But as the story progresses, you eventually enjoy her character. Her presence alone brings menace to every scene. She will make you squirm, feel uncomfortable, disgusted and uneasy. I assure you, she will make your skin crawl. But at the end of the day, this is still Iza Calzado's film. And she definitely owns it. The character of Jane Ciego worked so perfectly with her. I don't think any other actresses could fit this role aside from Iza. Honestly, I don't even think any other actresses in her generation would be brave enough to take this challenging role. Iza Calzado risks everything in this movie, and it's worth it. She really stood out with her brilliant portrayal of a woman slowly being driven to insanity by her own husband while locked up inside a house with a demented nurse. Iza Calzado connects with the audience in a way no other actresses can. We understand her confusion. We feel her frustration. We sympathize with her tragic life. We are threatened whenever she is in danger. We become part of her psyche. We become her. No wonder she wowed everyone at the Osaka Film Festival last March 2017. She truly deserve that Yakushi Pearl Award for Best Performance. I guess we can all agree that she is one of the most underrated actresses of this country, and she deserves so more.

Now, about that rating. I agree that the film contains a lot of nudity, sex and mature themes. But to be honest, I think and I firmly believed that it doesn't deserve it's X-rating from the MTRCB. Yes, there is prolonged nude scene featuring Iza Calzado's character, but it wasn't meant to arouse audiences. I was actually shocked at that scene. Honestly, I've seen worst than this. Has everyone already forgot how Christian Grey fingered Anastacia Steel because she was still a virgin in 2015's Fifty Shades of Grey which, mind you, was given a lower rating of R-18? how about all those moments where we watched her nipples grow erect as they make love in that blockbuster romance film. And those uncensored cocks hanging out from some glory holes as Vince Vaughn makes fun of them in the 2015 comedy Unfinished Business which was rated R-16 by the MTRCB. Is it just me, or is the MTRCB really giving more priority to foreign films than the locally produced movies which, FYI, are critically acclaimed not only here in the country but even abroad? Is this history repeating itself too soon? Are we getting another round of that 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten controversy? I honestly don't know. As I quote Felix Salonga of 2 Cool, I am in a conundrum. This is not the first time an MTRCB rating has stumped me. I just hope that the appeal of the producers of the film will be a success. Because this movie is something that the Filipino audience deserves to see in the big screen, nationwide.

BLISS is indeed the most fucked up, unapologetic, disgusting, shameful, and demented Filipino film I've seen on screen. But it is also the most fun, mind-boggling, surreal, riveting and wildly entertaining local film I've watched. Intelligently written, imaginatively directed and brilliantly acted, this film pushes the boundaries of Philippine Cinema way past it's limits. BLISS is deliciously disturbing. It's like that little, sugary confection that you've been warned not to eat because it's bad for your health. Problem is, once you get a taste of BLISS, you'll be craving for more.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰ out of 5

BLISS (2017)

Directed by Jerrold Tarog

Starring Iza Calzado, TJ Trinidad, Ian Veneracion and Adrienne Vergara 

Best Performance Award (Iza Calzado), Osaka Film Festival 2017

Everyone Wants A Taste Of BLISS

BLISS, director Jerrold Tarog's latest film, has sparked a controversy after getting slapped with an X-Rating from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) for featuring prolonged frontal nudity, excessive violence, and masturbation. The producers of the film, TBA productions, made an appeal to the MTRCB and after their second review of the film, they gave it with an acceptable R-18 rating, meaning that it's suitable for adult audiences only. The film which stars Iza Calzado has received critical acclaim outside the country after it's premiere at the recently concluded 2017 Osaka Film Festival, where Calzado won the Yakushi Pearl Award for Best Performance. The film also stars TJ Trinidad, Ian Veneracion, 

Last Monday, April 3, 2017, the film had a special screening of the film in it's original uncut version at the Cine Adarna, UP Diliman, Quezon City. Hundreds of people who have been looking forward to see the film flocked the theater. But only a limited number of people got accommodated and had the chance to see the film in it's original form. The screening was graced by the film's director Jerrold Tarog, alongside the film's actresses, Adrienne Vergara and lead Iza Calzado.

Marquee outside the UP CineAdarna

Hundreds of people flocking the theater to catch BLISS.

People patiently waiting in line to register.

As a rule, audiences were required to provide proof that
they are of legal age to be allowed to watch the film.

People lining up to get inside the theater.

Inside the Cine Adarna where a full house of audiences
are waiting for the start of the screening.

Due to the large number of people that flocked the screening,
a lot of people were not accommodated.
 Many had to sit on the aisles just for them to watch the film.

We were asked to give the film our own rating after watching the film.

Director Jerrold Tarog, actress Adrienne Vergara and lead Iza Calzado
as they thank the crowd who attended the screening.

Get a taste of BLISS, coming to cinemas nationwide this May 10. Rated R-18.

About the Blogger

Photo courtesy of Patrick Olarte

I am Jayson A. Laniba, but people know me more as Ace Antipolo. I am a big fan of movies, and an aspiring film director and writer myself. I have a particular love in Filipino films, both mainstream and indie, which is why I decided to start this blog. I'm not doing this to earn any profit because to be honest with you guys, I spend my own money to watch and support these films. I'm doing this because it's my passion. And because I love doing it. I want to feature all the Filipino Films that I've seen so that I could help in sharing it to my fellow millennials. Because I believe that all millennials deserve to watch quality films. Remember: Maraming Magagandang Filipino Films.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy reading. Welcome to Movies For Millennials.

For inquiries, contact me at MoviesForMillennials@gmail.com .