"Ang Pangarap Kong Holdap" Movie Review : The Best Pinoy Comedy of 2018

Marius Talampas’ "Ang Pangarap kong Holdap" is one of the most refreshing local films of 2018. After dozens of romcoms flooding our cinema, this oddball comedy is a breath of fresh air.

The story is not your typical Pinoy comedy. It's more in the satirical nature as it follows a group of luckless dimwits on their journey to becoming the best thieves in their area. What makes this satirical comedy work is its commitment to its ludicrous concept. The film manages to create this alternate world where it's more acceptable to become a criminal than become an office employee (or a call center agent) for money. And it works. It fucking works.

Pepe Herrera, Paolo Contis, Jerald Napoles, and Jelson Bay all gave out amazing performances in the film. But it was Napoles that I really enjoyed the most. Maybe its the way his character was written. I don't know and I don't care. All I know is that I laughed so hard with his gags (especially that final scene).

To be honest, this movie is even way better than all the Vice Ganda blockbuster films we've had for the past two years. Marius Talampas’ "Ang Pangarap kong Holdap" is simply the best Pinoy comedy of 2018. Period.

Rating: 10/ 10 • Verdict: Must Watch

Verdict: Must Watch • Highly Recommended • Entertaining • Tolerable • Boring • 

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Movie Review: Raya Martin's "Smaller and Smaller Circles" (2017)

Hard-hitting social commentary and solid performances makes Raya Martin's period crime thriller a must-see.

Based on the best-selling novel by F.H. Batacan, this crime thriller follows two Jesuit priests,  Father Gus Saenz (Nonie Buencamino) and Father Jerome Lucero (Sid Lucero) as they help in the investigation of a serial killer in Payatas, who leaves the bodies of his victims- young boys in particular- in the dump. The film, directed by Raya Martin, also Carla Humphries, Ricky Davao, Bembol Roco and Christopher De Leon. I have mentioned before in a previous post that Smaller and Smaller Circles is one of my most anticipated Filipino movies of the year. It's been months, almost a year, since I've heard about this project and I've been looking forward to seeing it in the big screen. Fortunately, the long wait is finally over and it was worth it. Raya Martin's adaptation of F.H. Batacan's novel (considered as the Philippines' first crime thriller novel) is slickly made and highly entertaining.

Screenshots from the trailer

The film is set in 1997 and opens with a voice-over from the killer, expressing his thoughts to the audience. This sets up the over-all tone of the film. It is obviously not your typical murder mystery that focuses on who is the killer. Instead, it's focused on finding out why the killer is doing all of this. What caused him to do these inhumane acts. After this, we follow Father Gus Saenz (Nonie Buencamino) who is currently trying to pin down a fellow priest who have been reported to be molesting children under the latter's parish. Unfortunately, this bastard is friends with Cardinal Meneses (in a wicked performance by Ricky Davao) who helps the son-of-a-bitch escape prosecution by transferring him to another parish (to continue his reign of terror). National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Lastimosa (Bembol Roco) and  contacts Father Saenz and asks for his expertise in  forensics anthropologiy to help to solve a series of murders, much to the dismay of lower-level agent Ben Arcinas (Raffy Tejada). Children are being murdered, their their faces, hearts and genitals removed with surgical precision, removing everything that makes them human, and then dumped like garbage. Together with his colleague Father Jerome Lucero (Sid Lucero) a clinical psychologist, they start picking up and putting the pieces of the puzzle behind the murders, while the body count continues to rise.

Though set in the 1990's, the film never relies on nostalgia. One wouldn't even notice that it is a period piece until you see one character using a beeper and an old-style chat session (plus cellphones were a luxury that time so only one character is seen using it). Instead, it relies on building up the mood of the film. From it's dark, dreary locations such as the dumpsite where the bodies are found and the narrow maze of alleyways of the squatter's residences, the film's look echoes a depressing time in our country's history. The gorgeously shot cinematography by J.A. Tadena, adds up to the bleak, somber atmosphere of the film. The film is also unapologetic when it comes to it's display of gore. The sadistic killings of the perpetrator is not shown in full detail, but the results of these murders are shown in their full glory. The desecrated bodies of the young boys are shown in detail, from their missing genitalia to their faceless heads. Some may find it downright repulsive, but for a gorehound like me, it is truly satisfying. With all this, Raya Martin successfully crafted a neo-noir world ripped right out of the novel's pages.

The film's powerful cast is one of the reasons why this movie is very entertaining to watch. Ricky Davao plays Cardinal Meneses with so much wickedness. He is a perfect match to Bembol Roco's Lastimosa, a man of authority who's only goal is to find the truth in all this evil around him. Their heated argument is probably one of my favorite part from the film. The same goes for agent Ben Arcinas (played by Raffy Tejada). his portrayal is so effective that you'll definitely feel the hate to his character, to the point that you would start conjuring plans in your head to bring him down yourself. There were some noteworthy appearances from TJ Trinidad, Gladys Reyes and Tessie Tomas that were so memorable and fun to watch (especially Reyes' character). Carla Humphries was such a delight to watch as journalist Joanna Bonifacio, a strong-willed, spirited young woman who was schooled in Paris. It seems like she is having a renaissance in her career: first is her short yet memorable portrayal in the Cinema One Originals horror flick Nay, and now this. I'm really looking forward to her next projects. Of course, Nonie Buencamino who plays Father Gus Saenz and Sid Lucero playing Father Jerome Lucero both deserve a round of applause for their outstanding performances in this movie. Nonie Buencamino was especially good whenever he is arguing with Ricky Davao and Carla Humphries' characters. His interactions with these two perfectly shows his control over his character. He can be clever and intimidating, but also has a soft spot.

But what makes Smaller and Smaller Circles one of the most important Filipino films of the year is it's hard-hitting social commentary on the corruption and incompetence of our government, the sexual abuse and abuse of power among the clergy and the poverty and injustice of the indigent. The film tackles them layer by layer and even though it doesn't offer much solution to these issues, the film can make it's audience think about them even after the movie has ended.

Raya Martin's Smaller and Smaller Circles is a film that needs to be seen by everyone. It's the type of film that sticks with you. One that lingers inside your head, long after the credits roll. Something that leaves a lasting impact even after you leave the cinema.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰  of 5

Smaller and Smaller Circles (2017) directed by Raya Martin, starring Nonie Buencamino, Sid Lucero, Carla Humphries, Ricky Davao, Bembol Roco and Christopher De Leon

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.

Upcoming Local Horror Movies to Watch Out This 2017!

Halloween is fast approaching. Everyone is already excited not only for the season, but for these upcoming horror movies that are proudly Pinoy.

A scene from "Haunted Forest"

The Filipino horror genre has been very lively this 2017. After the success of last year's MMFF where Erik Matti's critically acclaimed horror pic Seklusyon scared audiences and became a box-office hit, other titles soon followed. Dan Villegas, known for his romance films, tried the genre with Ilawod, starring  Iza Calzado, Ian Veneracion, Xyriel Manabat, Harvey Bautista, and Therese Malvar. Pedring A. Lopez gave us Darkroom, a found-footage film about a group of teenagers who tried to document their ghost hunting adventure and starred Ella Cruz, Bret Jackson and AJ Muhlach. Jerrold Tarog unleashed his award-winning (and highly controversial) pyscho-sexual thriller Bliss which starred  Iza Calzado, Ian Veneracion, TJ Trinidad, Michael de Mesa, and Adrienne Vergara. The said film earned Calzado the Yakushi Pearl Award for Best Performer at the 12th Osaka Asian Film Festival. After two years in development hell, the slasher horror Bloody Crayons, adapted from a hit Wattpad novel by Josh Argonza and directed by Topel Lee, was finally released. It featured an ensemble cast led by  Jane Oineza, Janella Salvador, Elmo Magalona, Maris Racal, Sofia Andres, Diego Loyzaga, Yves Flores,Empoy Marquez, and Ronnie Alonte. During the first edition of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino which ran from August 16 to 22, 2017, we were able to catch Prime Cruz' romance gore film Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B which starred Ryza Cenon, and Martin del Rosario together with Sherad Anthony Sanchez' found-footage horror film Salvage, featuring Jessy Mendiola and JC de Vera. And just recently, Prime Cruz gave us a taste of his color horror flick, The Debutantes featuring Sue Ramirez and Mile Ocampo in the lead roles.

Now that we are already on the fourth and final quarter of the year, it looks like the Filipino horror genre isn't stopping any time soon. Here are the four upcoming local horror films to watch out for before 2017 ends. 

Spirit of the Glass 2 : The Haunted. A sequel to the 2004 horror film that starred Rica Peralejo, it's written and directed by Jose Javier Reyes and produced by OctoArts Films and T-Rex Entertainment. It features an ensemble cast led by Cristine Reyes, Daniel Matsunaga, Maxine Medina, Benjamin Alves, Ashley Ortega, Enrico Cuenca, Janine Gutierrez, Dominic Roque, and Aaron Villaflor. It follows a group of friends who unwittingly opened a door to the spirit world after playing a Ouija board. It is slated for a November 1 release.

Screenshots from the trailer

The Ghost Bride. Chito S. Rono (Feng Shui, Sukod, The Healing) is back with another Star Cinema horror pic. This time, it features Kim Chui in the title role as Mayen, a girl who is offered to become a ghost bride. The film, which plays with the Chinese tradition of Ghost marriage, is her third film with director Rono. The film also stars Matteo Guidicelli, Alice Dixson and Christian Bables, and is also scheduled to be released this November 1.

Nay. After his successful coming-of-age barkada film Bar Boys, Kip Oebanda gives us the gore film Nay. Starring Enchong Dee, Sylvia Sanchez and Jameson Blake, it is an official entry to the 2017 Cinema One Originals this November. Nay follows Martin, a rich, sheltered youth who gets transformed into an aswang by his yaya, Nay Luisa. She teaches him how to hunt the poor and the weak for food, in Manila, a city that consistently dehumanizes and neglects the marginalized.

Haunted Forest. Jane Oineza stars in this teen horror flick from Regal Films as a young girl being targeted by a malevolent entity from the woods. The film, helmed by Ian Lorenos, also stars Jameson Blake, Maris Racal and Jon Lucas with Joey Marquez and Raymart Santiago, and is rumored to be Regal Film's entry to the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Which one are you most excited about? Share us your thoughts and leave your comments down below!

4 Days (2017) movie review

La douleur exquise : the exquisite pain of wanting someone that you know you can never have, and knowing that you will still try to be with them. This, according to the main character, is not equivalent to unrequited love. Unrequited love is a state of relationship, the other is a state of mind, says the main character. This is what the story of Adolfo Alix Jr.'s 4 Days is all about. Directed by Adolf Alix Jr., it stars Mikoy Morales and Sebastian Castro in the lead roles. It was part of the “Indie Nation” section of the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2016. Now, after almost a year of it's debut at Cinemalaya, the film finally gets a premiere screening at the UP Cine Adarna last August 24, 2017. The screening was graced by the film's lead actors Mikoy Morales and Sebastian Castro, together with the film's director, Adolf Alix Jr. I've been looking forward to seeing this film since last year but I wasn't able to catch it's screening. So when I learned about the film's premiere at UP CineAdarna, I was so excited about it.

Screenshots from the trailer

The film tells the story of two college friends, Mark (Mikoy Morales) and Derek (Sebastian Castro) who slowly realize they mean more to each other than either had initially realized. 4 Days joins Derek and Mark in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day over the course of a few years- charting the blossoming of a friendship in to something much more enduring as time goes on – and challenging both to question who they thought they were and who they truly want to me. Painting a moving picture of how an abiding friendship can sometimes lead to love – and how we sometimes have to wrestle with our own demons to find their true self, 4 Days is achingly romantic and delicate.

The story, which spans over a course of four years, focuses on the events in the two characters' lives every Valentines Day. It begins on a Valentines Day, as Mark arrives at the campus and joins Derek as his roommate in their college dormitory. Then, the story skips to the following year's Valentines Day after the two have become the best of friends, with Derek having a new girlfriend and Mark starting to realize his true feelings for his friend. The progress jumps a year after another which may seem like big leaps. But the pacing of the movie is actually slow. The story takes it time in building up the relationship between the two main characters. Unlike the usual stories we see onscreen where we follow a continuous flow of events, 4 Days instead gives us a peek into these character's lives for just a single day for every year. Yet this is more than enough to show how both characters have grown and the changes that they've had for the missing days of the rest of the year which we do not get to see. Most of the film's story happens within the confines of Mark and Derek's small room. From their first meeting to their first heartbreaks, they experience all of it within their small space. This makes the story feel more personal, because we get to enter their small, little world where they can be real to each other.

Source: TLA Releasing

The film's story focuses on the idea of waiting. With Mark waiting for the right time, the right moment, to let Derek know about his true feelings for him. Waiting for him to realize that all this time, he was just there, waiting for him. Waiting for Derek to love him back. The story is told mostly from Mark's point of view, as he narrates through voice overs what he have in mind about loving someone and how it feels when it is not returned back. His statements about unrequited love, about patiently waiting for a person to love you back or how sometimes one get's tired of waiting for love to be returned are smoothly layered over drone shots of the campus (UP Diliman) which serves as bookmarks to every chapter (or year) that ends or begins. These bookmarks make the transition from one Valentines Day to another seamless and keeps the pacing of the story consistent. I noticed that the film is not like the usual LGBT-oriented romantic drama films that most of us has seen in the past because director Adolf Alix decided not to follow most of the genre's norm. Unlike other LGBT-oriented romance drama, the film strays away from the more erotic aspects of the genre. It doesn't involved any sensual scenes (my favorite film, the gay coming-of-age 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten is no exemption because it had a masturbation scene) between the main characters. Instead, it focuses on it's characters' emotions and the time it takes for them to realize their true feelings for one another. Another thing that I noticed and liked about the film is the way it deviates from how usual LGBT-themed films ends in a sad or sometimes tragic manner. But I won't get into that too much to avoid spoiling it.

Though the film was shot in a rush (director Adolf Alix revealed that they shot the whole film within a span of just 2 days due to the very small budget), the film actually looks good. From the drone shots accompanied by Mark's voice-overs to the those long, continuous shots (which they call babad shots because of the long takes), every frame looks good. There is a consistent sepia tone all throughout the film, giving an old-fashioned look, as if every chapter (or year) is like a memory of yesterday that has passed by and long gone. It evokes nostalgia, especially the campus setting which reminds one of his/her college days. The film's soundtrack was also beautiful and perfectly fits the whole story. The song, entitled "Pusong Hindi Makatulog" was an original song by lead actor Mikoy Morales (the song's music video was even directed by Adolf Alix).

I think director Adolf Alix found the best actors to play the characters of the movie with Mikoy Morales and Sebastian Castro. Mikoy Morales has this innocent looking face which perfectly matched his character Mark who is about to fall in love for the first time to someone of his same sex and has no idea how to deal with it. He did a pretty good job in carrying those intense emotional scenes with his co-actor, especially during their heated argument in the final act of the film. Sebastian Castro was perfectly cast as Derek. His character, a guy who has been in relationships with women for most of his life and just realized that he actually harbors some feelings for another man, is more reserved and prefers to keep his true self hidden from most of the world. Sebastian's portrayal of the role was restrained, but felt so real. During the film's Q&A session, director Adolf Alix revealed that the film didn't have an actual script when they shot it. He only gave the actors an outline of what's supposed to happen and the two are left to come up with their own character's dialogues. This gave the film a much more raw appeal because the character's reactions are organic. These two actors also shares some really nice chemistry, as seen with their smooth yet believable impromptu conversations. We were so engrossed with the story and the two characters that we felt like we've been with them and known them for a lifetime. The film felt like a coming-of-age of the two characters as they both come to terms of their true feelings for one another.

Featuring stellar performances from it's two leads, and great direction from Adolf Alix, 4 Days is a touching and memorable film that is grounded on reality, and will leave a lasting impact on it's viewers with it's raw and realistic take on love.



Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰ of 5
4 Days (2016, Original Release)
Directed by Adolf Alix Jr.
Starring Mikoy Morales and Sebastian Castro

Adolf Alix Jr.'s 4 Days premieres at UP Diliman, gets Worldwide Distribution

LGBT-themed romantic drama 4 Days premiered last August 24, 2017 at UP Cine Adarna. Directed by Adolf Alix Jr., 4 Days stars Sebastian Castro as Derek and Mikoy Morales as Mark, and tells the story of two college friends who slowly realize they mean more to each other than either had initially realized. 4 Days joins Derek and Mark in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day over the course of a few years- charting the blossoming of a friendship in to something much more enduring as time goes on – and challenging both to question who they thought they were and who they truly want to me. Painting a moving picture of how an abiding friendship can sometimes lead to love – and how we sometimes have to wrestle with our own demons to find their true self, 4 Days is achingly romantic and delicate.

Mikoy Morales as Mark

Sebastian Castro as Derek

It was part of the “Indie Nation” section of the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2016. Now, after almost a year of it's debut at Cinemalaya, the film finally gets a premiere screening at the Cine Adarna, UP Diliman. The screening was graced by the film's lead actors Mikoy Morales and Sebastian Castro, together with the film's director, Adolf Alix Jr. In the said event, director Alix also screened the trailer of his latest film, Madilim ang Gabi (Dark is the Night) starring Gina Alajar, Philip Salvador, and Angel Aquino, which is set to have its world premiere at the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival, and the Nora Aunor-starrer Role Play. The screening was attended by Morales' fellow teen actors Thea Tolentino, Jake Vargas, Joyce Ching, Kristoffer Martin and Martin Del Rosario to name a few.

Lead actors Mikoy Morales and Sebastian Castro said that they did not expected the screening to be a success, after the Cine Adarna theater was packed by audiences that night. Later after the screening, the director and the cast had a Q&A Session about the film, where Adolf Alix Jr. announced that the film will be distributed worldwide by TLA Releasing on September 11, 2017. He also announced that a theatrical release here in the Philippines is being planned this year.

Audiences lining up outside CineAdarna while waiting for the premiere.

Director Adolf Alix Jr. with Mikoy Morales and Sebastian Castro.

With Sebastian Castro

With Mikoy Morales

With the film's two leads

Cinemalaya 13 : "Respeto" (2017) movie review

Don't shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. And the same can be said for movies, particularly Treb Monteras II's Cinemalaya 13 entry Respeto (2017). At first glance, I thought the film was another poverty porn indie splashed with some rap battles here and there. But I was wrong. I was dead wrong. It turns out that Respeto is way different from the movie that I had in mind. It's story is much deeper. It's themes are much heavier. And it may be the runaway winner of this year's Cinemalaya film festival.

Treb Monteras II's Respeto follows Henrdix (played in a surprisingly effective performance by Abra) a wannabe rapper who's trying to make a name for himself through the underground rap battle known as "Berso". He aspires to make it big and hopes to get out of the life that he was born with- an abusive home (his sister and her drug pusher boyfriend) and a violent surrounding (as people from their squatters village always ends up being killed by unknown assailants supposedly due to drugs). Soon, he meets Fortunato Reyes, known with his nickname Dok, an old poet and Martial Law victim (played by veteran Dido de la Paz) who ends up helping him straighten up his life and puts him in the right direction. The film also stars rapper Loonie, Kate Alejandrino, Chai Fonacier and Silvester Bagadiong. Respeto mixes music, poetry, and political satire and molds them into a surprisingly good movie.

Screenshots from the teaser

Though the film follows the character of Hendrix as he tries to find his way into the underground fliptop scene, the film jumps back and forth to Dok's story which was a perfect contrast to the young rappers life. Hendrix is trying to escape his violent and harsh reality through rap verses that often reflect his life. On the other hand, Dok is trying to escape the horrors  that is still haunting him from his past. He wrote poems to express all the guilt and emotions that's eating him up inside. The film also bravely tackles relevant themes that recently touched us and still bombarding us everyday like the lingering effects of Martial Law from the Marcos regime and the extrajudicial killings of innocent men. All of these are interwoven together in one coherent and smooth story line. 

Njel de Mesa and Alberto Monteras II's script was very witty and funny at the same time. There are some really fun and entertaining rap battles between Hendrix and other rappers insulting one another, especially during the first half of the film. Most of these are full of laugh-out-loud jokes and vulgar humor which reflects the real life nature of fliptop battles. Dok even had his own moment where he gets to diss Henrix' action and attitude, rap-battle style. But what I really loved were those beautifully written verses that Hendrix created and spoken during his quieter moments. These verses were more heartfelt and sincere, and they added more depth to his character, letting the audience realize that he's not just some wannabe rapper.

What really made the film more impactful was it's straight-forward criticism of today's government. Yes, it bravely criticizes President Duterte's regime, particularly it's violent re-enforcement of the law. There are frequent killings of supposedly drug users and pushers in Hendrix' area, most likely committed by the police. Hendrix tries his best to stay away from these things, but eventually, he will also get entangled in this web of violence that will forever change his life. Police brutality is everywhere in this world of Hendrix. His female friend even got a taste of this right in front of them in probably the most disturbing scene of the film (that frisking scene). That shocking scene really took a big toll on me. It was unsettling as fuck. The long-lasting effect of the atrocities from Martial Law during the Marcos' regime to it's victims is also a recurring theme which became a major plot point for the character of Dok in the story. The film constantly comparing the brutality during Martial Law before, to what is happening to our society nowadays. It's as history is just repeating itself.

Loonie (Top), Abra & Kate Alejandrino (Below) in Respeto

The film also boast a very powerful cast. Loonie was really fun to watch as one of the antagonist bullying Hendrix. Kate Alejendrino was great as our young hero's love interest. I've seen her before in Samantha Lee's Baka Bukas (2016) and Prime Cruz' webseries The Complex (2017) and she is amazing as ever. Her scene with Abra where she just stared at him for a moment during the third act was really heartbreaking. Also, kudos to Chai Fonacier because she was really impressive with her role of Hendrix' loyal bestfriend. Dido de la Paz gave a wonderful performance as Fortunato"Dok" Reyes. His portrayal of a Martial Law victim was so convincing and real. I remember, during the scene where he recollects the violence he and his family went through during the Marcos regime, I can really feel his pain that he has been keeping inside his heart for years. He definitely deserves that Best Supporting Award from Cinemalaya. Then, there's Abra. Who would have thought that he was an actor. A good one, to be exact. I guess the role fitted him well because he acts, he talks, he walks and he breathes exactly like his character. I couldn't think of any other person playing the role of Hendrix than Abra. He really surprised me. Well, I guess it's because he is playing a character that is close to his real life persona. It's as if he's not acting at all. It's like he's just being himself, and it makes a very big difference.

Respeto will also leave you breathless with it's heart-stopping and jaw-dropping ending. One of the most unique and most heart-wrenching endings in a Filipino movie in recent memory.

Treb Monteras II's Respeto is undeniably the breakout film of this year's Cinemalaya Film Festival. It's a very powerful film that disguises itself as a simple movie about rap battle. It's a tragedy of a young man, his mentor and how the world around them led them to destruction. It's a satire to our government's actions and brutality. It's an elegy to the dying moral of our society. Indeed, Respeto is what we need right now.


Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰ of 5
Respeto (2017)

Directed by Treb Monteras II, starring Abra, Dido de la Paz, Loonie, Kate Alejandrino, Chai Fonacier,and Silvester Bagadiong

Cinemalaya 13 : "Requited" (2017) movie review

Last August 8, 2017, I was able to catch Nerissa Picadizo's Requited (2017) during it's gala night at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main theater. A romantic drama/ road movie of sorts, Requited is one of the entries of Cinemalaya 2017, which is still ongoing until August 13. It is being currently screened at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Ayala Malls cinemas namely Greenbelt 1, Glorietta 4, UP Town Center, TriNoma, Fairview Terraces, and Marquee Mall in Pampanga. According to director Nerissa Picadizo, it took her two years to complete the film. Aside from the time she spent writing the story, she also spent a long time securing funds to finance the film which added to the long production. But after seeing the final product, I guess she could be proud of her own work because of how gorgeous the film is. Also, it boasts a powerful cast with Jake Cuenca and Anna Luna leading the film.

Screenshot from the teaser

In Requited, an ailing biker takes to the rail for one last adventure that pits him against nature and the woman he desires. The film opens with Matt (played by Jake Cuenca) as he starts his journey out of the city to Mt. Pinatubo in Zambales with just his bike all by himself. He's trying to run away from something. It's as if he's trying to escape. But then, he is constantly bombarded with the ringing of his phone as a girl keeps on calling him. Eventually, he got tired of hearing the constant ringing of his phone that he ended up smashing it and throwing it along the way. He bikes along the perils of the EDSA highway to a provincial road, where he comes across the girl calling him on his phone earlier, his best friend Sandy (played by Anna Luna) from whom he had become distant to for some period of time. Sandy tags along with him on his trip, which is later revealed to be a plan that the two of them made years ago. Soon, we discover about Matt suffering from Parkinsons Disease and why he started to  grow distant from his best friend. And as the title suggest, it has something to do with an unrequited love for her.

The movie actually starts out really good and shows some promise. The script, which was written by Nerissa Picadizo herself, doesn't want to focus on building up it's characters through too much exposition in the very beginning of the film. Instead, we get to see the two characters come to life through a slow yet effective manner. This is not your usual romantic drama where we immediately get the background of the lead characters during the first ten minutes of the film. Instead, Requited is a slow burn drama that takes it time slowly but surely. The production team behind the film also tags the Requited as a bike film, and it's true. Almost 80 percent of the film, the two characters are just biking. Sometimes, they're arguing. Sometimes, just having a normal chat. All of it while they're cruising through highways on their bikes. Though it may sound weird on paper, it actually works on screen as it is the main aspect of the film that keeps the story pushing forward.

The only thing that really turned me off was the film's shocking (and not exactly in a good way) ending which kind of ruined the great story and wasted the two characters that the audience had already fell in love with. This particular scene came out of nowhere and caught everyone off guard, with varying results. There were some audience members who laughed at this while I almost cursed out loud after seeing what happened. This ending felt rushed and was executed improperly. Maybe it would have worked if it was done in another way. I don't know. But this ending really took a big chunk out of the beautiful story that the movie was telling.

Luckily, the film was saved from this by it's two lead stars' committed performances. Anna Luna's portrayal of Sandy was fun and energetic. She gave the movie a light feeling despite it's sad tone. She elicited a few laughs from the audience. There was even one instance that the whole theater was roaring with laughter with one of her scenes featuring a hotdog on a stick. Her character's quirky attitude really suited her and everyone loved her. Jake Cuenca gives out quite a performance as the ailing Matt. I don't know any other actor who could fit perfectly with that role. It's not only emotionally draining but also physically demanding, yet he was able to pull it off with flying colors. During the film's first ten minutes, Matt bikes along EDSA through a provincial road continuously. Jake Cuenca was able to endure this non-stop biking, while acting at the same time in front of the camera. You can really feel the difficulty he's going through right now with his facial expressions and body movement which translated so well on screen. I was really amazed that he was able to take this challenge of playing Matt and honestly, he's a good contender for the Best Actor award with this performance.

Another saving grace of the film was it's gorgeous cinematography. The film features some pretty cool shots of the two characters cruising along the province on their way to Mt. Pinatubo. Most of these scenes are along the highway, with vast greens or barren lands stretching at both sides giving the shot more depth than usual. But the film gets more jaw-dropping visuals once the two arrive at the trail of Mt. Pinatubo. There's one beautifully shot scene featuring the two characters were biking through the rocky terrain to Pinatubo, where Sandy stops for a while and Matt comes back to check on her (I think this was the scene they used in the teaser). That scene was absolutely stunning as you get a glimpse of the wide land formations stretching in their background. This is the type of movie that you will enjoy more when you watch it in the big screen.

Even though the film's ending was a out of place and felt rushed, the film is still undeniably a good movie during it's first two acts. See it for Jake Cuenca and Anna Luna's brilliant performances. Watch it for it's glorious visual feast. Requited offers enough good stuff to make it worth the time.




Rating: ✰✰✰✰ of 5
Requited (2017)
Directed by Nerissa Picadizo, starring Jake Cuenca and Anna Luna