MMFF 2017 Movie Review : Loy Arcenas' "Ang Larawan"

"Life, like art, is intricate." So is this beautiful big screen adaptation of one of the most celebrated plays by Nick Joaquin.

It's the time of the year again for the country's biggest and most anticipated film event, the Metro Manila Film Festival. And even though I am very disappointed with the MMFF focusing again on commercial viability for it's criteria this year and turning this festival into nothing but a money-making scheme, I am still excited to see some of the festival's entries, particularly this one. I used to have a tradition of watching only comedy films on Christmas Day. But this year, I decided to break away from that tradition to see this one.

Ang Larawan is the film adaptation of Larawan, The Musical which is based on National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin’s three-act English play A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino. First published in 1952, Joaquin’s work has been depicted numerous times on stage on screen and in English and Filipino—making it one of the most pedigreed literary works of the Philippines. In 1997, Musical Theater Philippines (now Culturtain Musicat Productions Inc. ) headed by singer Celeste Legaspi and talent manager/producer Girlie Rodis staged Larawan, the first musical rendition of Joaquin’s great play, at the CCP. The elegaic play was transformed into a musical with a libretto written by National Artist for Theater Rolando Tinio and music created by iconic original Filipino music composer Ryan Cayabyab. This year, Culturtain with the help of supervising producer Alemberg Ang, shares Ang Larawan, The Movie with the global audience. Loy Arcenas, a multi-awarded Broadway theatrical set designer and director, was at the helm of the much-awaited film. The film had it's premiere last October 30, 2017 in Japan as part of the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival. Set in a mansion in Manila in 1941 just before the Pacific War, Ang Larawan is a romantic family-themed musical with brilliant singing by world-renowned musical stars.

Rachel Alejandro as Paula and Joanna Ampil as Candida
Source: Ang Larawan official website

Joanna Ampil and Rachel Alejandro with Sandino Martin as Bitoy

The film follows the Marasigan sisters, Candida (Joanna Ampil) and Paulo (Rachel Alejandro) as they struggle living in poverty in their ancestral home with their reclusive artist father Don Lorenzo. Their siblings Manolo (Nonie Buencamino) and Pepang (Menchu Lauchengco) who both live luxuriously kept on convincing them to sell the house, but they always reject the idea. The last painting that their father finished before he got into his "accident" can save them from poverty, but the sisters don't want to give up their father's final masterpiece. They try to find ways of earning money, like renting out a room to a piano player at a local vaudeville, Tony Javier (Paulo Avelino) who also tries to convince them to sell the painting. The sisters struggle to resist all the temptations around them, hoping to keep their father's final masterpiece, maintaining their family legacy and tradition.

To start off, this is probably the most stunning local film production this year. From the sets to the costumes that they've utilized in the film, everything is top notch. They really took the time and effort in maintaining the period setting of the story, even to the most minute detail. Despite being situated in a single location, the house of the Marasigans, the setting never looked boring or tiring. The costumes are gorgeous, especially when the scene involves other characters. The overall look of the film is a visual feast to the eyes.

Menchu Lauchengco as Pepang and Nonie Buencamino as Manolo

Paulo Avelino as Tony Javier

Another thing that I liked about the film is it's beautiful soundtrack. I loved all the songs that they performed in the film, which were all composed by maestro Ryan Cayabyab and were rendered by the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra. I loved the fact that unlike most musicals, the songs are not treated as musical numbers or set pieces. Instead, the dialogues were integrated/ blended with the music so that the introduction of the songs have a smooth flow, similar to Tom Hooper's 2012 adaptation of Les Misérables. I particularly loved the song number of the vivacious senator's wife Doña Loleng (Celeste Legaspi) upon her arrival at the house of the sisters, together with Conga Queen Elsa Montes (Zsa Zsa Padilla). It was one of the most fun and energetic performances in the film. 

Cara Manglapis as Patsy, Robert Arevalo as Don Perico, Celeste Legaspi as Donya Loleng

Aicelle Santos as Violet and Cris Villonco as Susan

The cast itself is enough reason to see the film. This is one of the best movie ensemble in a local production this year. With the likes of Cris Villonco as Susan, Aicelle Santos as Violet, Nonie Buencamino as Manolo, Menchu Lauchengco as Pepang, Robert Arevalo as Don Perico and Celeste Legaspi as Doña Loleng, the supporting cast is already packed with so much talent that fills up the screen. I especially loved Celeste Legaspi's fun portrayal of Doña Loleng. She lights up every scene whenever she's part of it. We also get to see Zsa Zsa Padilla and Ogie Alcasid in small yet fun roles in the film. I must say that I was really impressed seeing Sandino Martin and Paulo Avelino singing. It was my first time to see them sing and they were really good. Martin was really adorable in his portrayal of the Marasigan's family friend Bitoy Camacho. On the other hand, Avelino is perfect for the role of the charming but naughty Tony Javier. I don't know why but Paulo just look so good in every scene of the film, even during those moments when he's already beaten up. I guess that is one of his greatest assets: the camera loves just him.

Of course, the film belongs to Joanna Ampil and Rachel Alejandro. Their portrayal of Candida and Paula Marasigan were both amazing. One can really see their commitment to their roles. Each one of them were given their own moments to shine. For me, Joanna Ampil stood out during the part when her character was confessing something about her sister during the film's third act. On the other hand, Rachel Alejandro was able to showcase her talent during the scene when her character had a fight with Candida, leading to a sexy seduction scene with Tony Javier.

I have to admit. There were moments when I felt like the film could be a bit more than what it is now. There were production numbers that I think could have been bigger and more explosive in regards to the presentation. Something that can take the whole film into a much higher point. But given it's single location setting, the events are all contained in a smaller scale. It doesn't mean that the film isn't good though, because it sure is amazing as hell. But as a fan of musicals, I can't help but feel as if the movie needed something to push it into a more bombastic and extravagant. But then, we have to take the film as is. And no doubt that this is one of the best films of this year's film festival and is already running for the Best Picture award.

From it's rich visuals, outstanding music and bravura performances, Ang Larawan is a must-watch spectacle this Christmas. Pinoy musicals have never been this gloriously stunning and entrancing.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰  of 5

"Ang Larawan" (2017) Directed by Loy Arcenas, based on A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino by Nick Joaquin, starring Joanna Ampil Rachel Alejandro Paulo Avelino and Sandino Martin, with Nonie Buencamino, Menchu Lauchengco, Cris Villonco, Aicelle Santos, Robert Arevalo, and Celeste Legaspi.

Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino : "100 Tula Para Kay Stella" (2017) movie review

Bela Padilla and JC Santos in "100 Tula para kay Stella"

Us Filipinos love a good romance. It is no surprise that the box-office winner of this year's Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino is a teen romantic drama film, Jason Paul Laxamana's 100 Tula Para Kay Stella (2017). As of writing this review, the film has already grossed more than a hundred million pesos at the box-office, making it a certified blockbuster. Produced by Viva Films, it stars JC Santos and Bela Padilla, and follows a love struck poet and his journey as he attempts to tell his true feelings for the love of his life. Ever since I've learned of this project by director Laxamana, I've been looking forward to it since I'm a fan of his works, from his dark comedy Mercury is Mine to the coming-of-age film 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten (which he wrote). And long after the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino has ended, I was finally able to catch his latest work.

Screenshots from the trailer

The film starts in 2004, when Fidel Lansangan (JC Santos) and Stella Puno (Bela Padilla) meets each other as freshmen college students in Pampanga pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychology. They became friends despite difference in their personalities; Fidel is an honor student with a speech impediment and loves poetry while Stella is a rocker with a tough and confident attitude who prefers to jam with her band rather than to do her studies.Fidel begins to write poems to express his love to Stella but does not have the confidence to read these to her. Stella on her had various boyfriends as she pursues her goal of securing a recording contract. The film's story spans for four whole years of Fidel and Stella's college life and revolves around the question whether Fidel can muster enough confidence to read his poems to Stella.

The film is like your normal boy-meets-girl situation, where the love struck boy tries to tell the girl he loves how he really felt for him. But despite the familiar story line, what really makes the film so endearing to watch is it's characters. Fidel's character is so sympathetic and somehow relatable. Setting aside his speech defect (which only limits him to speaking three words at a time, or else he will stutter), everyone of us can really relate to his inferiority complex. I'm pretty sure a lot of people can relate to his dilemma of telling someone his true feelings for them. His character, despite being a work of fiction, feels so real and honest that we are so willing to follow him where ever his decisions in life lead him to, even if it just keeps on giving him more and more heartaches in the process. A lot of people might say that Stella is one badly written character because of the poor choices she made in her life. But I for one have heard a lot of stories about real people committing similar mistakes in their lives. She's the perfect contrast to Fidel, a good boy with a big heart. We have to remember that no one in this world is perfect, and Stella is a reminder of that in this movie. In a world of Fidels, there's always a Stella to balance everything.

The film, despite being a romantic drama, also feels like a coming-of-age story. It follows Fidel and Stella as they grow up, make their own decisions, commit mistakes and learn different lessons in life in the process. It follows two young people, growing up to separate lives which are shaped by their own actions and choices. One grew up and learned how to finally stand up on his own feet; the other falls into one failure after another due to her choice of abandoning school. This makes the film the perfect movie for millennials nowadays. A lot of young people now don't care too much about their actions and decisions in their lives, and later on regrets these things after. The film is a reminder to us that the choices that we make now will affect our future, therefore we should know what to prioritize and what to value in our lives.

Technically wise, the film is one gorgeous picture. It has all the makings of a mainstream romantic film. From it's picturesque cinematography to it's lovely soundtrack, everything is pitch perfect. You can really see Director Laxamana's focus on these details, particularly during the beginning of the film, leading to one of the most beautifully orchestrated opening credit sequences in a local Pinoy film in recent years. The film really gets a lot from it's period setting, during early 2000's. It romps up the nostalgia with songs from this period like Rivermaya's "Balisong" (recorded by The Juans and served as the theme song of the film). Also, the original poetry featured in the film were really romantic and beautiful.

Bela Padilla did a great job in her role as Stella. Despite her character not being the most likable in the film due to her bad choices in life, you can't help but fall for her. After surprising us in the film Camp Sawi (2016), Bela proved her undeniably outstanding acting prowess in this movie. But it is JC Santos who wowed us with his committed performance as Fidel. He plays the role with adorable charm and devotion to his character. It's hard to be consistent in playing a character with a disability but JC is so dedicated in portraying his role that he is believable. The two of them really looks good together and makes a nice pair. Another who deserves praise for her performance in the film is Ana Abad Santos for her role as Ms. Bardozo, Fidel's English teacher. Her character was really affecting, despite having a very limited screen time.

I think the only complain about the film is it's overtly long duration since the film clocks in around two hours and three minutes. But you can forget all that because it's characters (mostly Fidel) were worth investing the time. All in all, Jason Paul Laxamana's 100 Tula Para Kay Stella is a beautifully made love story that will satisfy the hopeless romantics in each one of us.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰½ of 5
100 Tula Para Kay Stella (2017)
Directed by Jason Paul Laxamana,

starring JC Santos and Bela Padilla

***

The "Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino" was a nationwide week-long celebration where all movie theaters exclusively screened Filipino films in line with the Buwan ng Wika. This festive event was organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines in partnership with theaters nationwide and ran from August 16-22, 2017.

Cinemalaya 13 : "Kiko Boksingero" (2017) movie review

Of all the Cinemalaya film entries this year, there is one movie that stands out among the rest. Not because of it's complicated story line, nor it's star-studded cast. It's because it has a heart. And that is what makes Thop Nazareno's Kiko Boksingero (2017) rise above the rest. The film, which was penned by Emmanuel Espejo Jr., Ash Malanum, Denise O'Hara and Heber O'Hara, stars Noel Comia Jr., Yayo Aguila and Yul Servo.

In this coming-of-age drama, Kiko (in an award-winning performance by Noel Comia Jr.), an 11-year-old boy left aimlessly alone with his nanny Diday (Yayo Aguila) after the recent death of his mother, rekindles a long lost relationship with his father (Yul Servo) in an attempt to find a new lease on life. His father, a washed-up boxer, is currently staying in Baguio for a few days while waiting to find a buyer his home. During his stay, he meets Kiko who, unbeknownst to him is his son. After finding out the truth about the kid, the two of them starts to bond together through boxing. As Kiko starts to spend more time with his father, he starts to grow up and change too.

Photos from Imdb.com

Of all the four Cinemalaya entries that I've watched during the festival run, this movie stands out among the rest because of it's simple yet deeply moving story. It doesn't have too much complications unlike the rest of the stories of the other film entries. It's conflict is simple and honest. It's about a kid who's just meeting his estranged father for the first time. It's simplicity is what makes it endearing because it doesn't have to be pretentious in any way. The story moves fluidly, giving enough time for the audience to love Kiko and sympathize with his character's situation. The dialogues are natural. The characters are well-written and don't feel stereotyped nor manufactured.

The film's humor is cute and sweet.The humor is very effective because the're taken from real-life situations and experiences like asking a picky child to eat vegetables or having one get circumcised. The audience picks up the jokes right away, sending everyone to laughter inside the theater.  But once the film hits it's gears to show off it's dramatic side, it will really leave you in tears. My favorite example would be the scene during the first few moments of the movie when Kiko lies in his bed and covers himself with his mom's blanket. That scene got me to shed a tear or two. Another would be the last part during the finale of the movie which i'm not going to spoil for you guys, but it's worth it.

Cinematography was also good. The crew took advantage of the film's location which is Baguio. The sound design was on point. Unlike another entries that I've seen, this one is polished and clean without any technical hiccup. Thop Nazareno's delicate handling of the material is solid and excellent. The cast were also outstanding. Noel Comia Jr. is perfect for the role of Kiko. He embodied the character in a realistic and believable way. No wonder he won the Best Actor award in the recently concluded Awards Night of the Cinemalaya 2017 Philippine Independent Film Festival. Yayo Aguila also deserves praise on her effective portayal as Diday, the house nanny. Yul Servo was also good as Kiko's long-lost father. 

I love the film's final moments.  It's somehow sad but also beautiful as it shows how a young kid like Kiko starts to change after meeting his father whom he have never seen in a long time. It's the perfect closure to a wonderful story like this. 

A wholesome drama that everyone will surely appreciate, this movie is undeniably one of this year's best festival entries. It's sweet, humorous, heartwarming and full of emotions. Kiko Boksingero is a small film with a big heart. A champion by all means.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰ of 5
Kiko Boksingero (2017)

Directed by Thop Nazareno,

starring Noel Comia Jr., Yayo Aguila and Yul Servo

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

I'm Drunk I Love You review

It is very rare for movies to tackle romance in a gritty, real way. Most of the times, romantic films focus on how good it is to feel in love. Most films we see today uses romance as an escape to reality. But then, there are those films who would rather hit us with the painful truth about love than portray it as a colorful adventure. And I have never seen a movie to ever do that as hard as JP Habac's I'm Drunk I Love You.

Maja Salavador and Paulo Avelino plays Caridad Sonia “Carson” Herrera and Dionysus “Dio” Brillo respectively. They're best friends who are finally about to graduate from college after their long overdue stay in UP for three years. They've know each other for seven years, and they've gone through a lot of stuff already that they're practically closer than BFFs. Days before their graduation, Dio invites Carson to go on one last road trip to La Union for a music festival. Carson agrees, and she is joined by her ever supportive gay bestfriend Jason Ty (played by indie favorite Dominic Roco). Little did Dio know is that Carson has been harboring feelings for him for the past seven years. Problem arises when Dio's ex-grilfriend Pathy (Jasmin Curtis Smith) shows up in the picture to reconnect with him. Will Carson finally get the courage (with the help of a bottle of beer) to tell Dio her true feelings for her before it's too late?

Maja Salvador plays her character Carson with so much commitment that she actually feels like the real thing. She doesn't look like she's just playing a role. It's as if she itself was Carson plucked out of the real world. Her funny quips and natural acting brings her character to life. She doesn't feel nor look like a caricature of past female romcom leads we have seen before. It was actually weird because it feels like I'm just watching a friend of mine, someone that I know, in the big screen. Paulo Avelino's Dio, who mostly glides through the emo/ mysterious type of guy, actually feels more authentic than most male characters we see on romcoms these days. Remember Enrique Gil's character Gio in the first few minutes of the other recently released My Ex And Whys? Though both Dio and Gio shares that moody and mystic attitude of their character, Paulo Avelino's Dio stands out between the two because his portrayal of the role is more raw and natural. Gio is on the verge of becoming this pop fiction character while Dio is bordered in reality. I don't wanna compare the two but it's just the truth. Dominic Roco and Jasmin Curtis Smith deserve some praise for their portrayal of the classic gay best friend and the ex-girlfriend, respectively. Dominic Roco plays his character, Jason Ty, with gusto, though seeing him do those girly moves with his body kinda feels a bit awkward. Jasmin Curtis plays the role of Dio's ex-grilfriend, Pathy with honesty. I don't know why but I can't feel any hate towards her character with the way she portrays the role. She's supposed to be the kontrabida in the love story of Carson and Dio but Jasmin gives her character some empathy, that she's just a normal person like one of us, hoping to be back with someone she loved before. Instead, my hatred was actually all pointed towards Dio. I don't know why I loathed him so much after the film. Maybe I met one like him in my life before and seeing what Dio have done to Carson made me feel all the pain all over again.

Another thing that I really loved about this film is the awesome soundtrack. Taking cues from films like the 2007 Irish film Once and the 2013 American film Begin Again, JP Habac infuses some great OPM songs into the story. But don't think of it as just another musical film because it isn't. The injection of songs into the scenes doesn't change the whole movie's reality based tone and atmosphere. It actually adds more punch into the pain that the audience will feel while watching the scenes. From Juan Miguel Severo, Kai Honasan, The Out of Body Special, Ang Bandang Shirley, Cynthia Alexander, Parokya ni Edgar, as well as Ebe Dancel, Johnoy Danao, Bullet Dumas and many more, what else can you ask for, right?

I'm Drunk I Love You presents itself as a romantic comedy/ music film. But if you've actually watched the film already, you'll know that this is by no means the romance film you were expecting to see. Yes, it does feature a character who is in love with another character which I guess is a requirement for it to pass as a romance movie. Yet I've read in Wikipedia that one dictionary defined it as "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily". Well, this movie is not that. It's actually more of a coming-of-age story. A wake-up call. A self-help manual. A reminder. And slap in the face. A harsh slap to make you realize that hey, it's time to grow up and move on. 

The so-called friendzone is a great basket of tearjerk stories that will definitely bring out all the hugot and feels in each one of us. We love stories about friends falling for their BFFs, and ending up together. Therefore, we live these stories and follow these character's decisions. These days, a lot of people, particularly those in the teenage years up to young adult stages are very fond of the idea of hiding their feelings for a person. We entertain this poetic idea of a love, and are contented of just being the best friend. We end up being martyrs because of our own doing. We are hoping that we are somehow gonna end up like those fairytale stories of BFFs ending up together in the end. We end up hoping, and hoping. But this film wants us to wake up from this dreamy depiction of love and asks us to get real. The movie wants us to be honest to our emotions and to ourselves. It wants us to take the chance, to risk and make that decision. Because if we won't take that one, bold move now, what else is there for us but to be stuck in an endless cycle of heartbreaks. Just like Carson who already maxed out on the MRR (Maximum Residency Rule) of UP, we too have reached our quota in our own lives. Guys, it's time to grow up and move on.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰ out of 5

I'm Drunk I Love You (2017)

Starring Maja Salvador, Paulo Avelino, Dominic Roco, Jasmin Curtis-Smith
Directed by JP Habac