Cinema One Originals 2017 Movie Review: Joseph Teoxon's "Throwback Today"

If given a chance, would you want to change your life? What would you change? Or should I say, when? That is the question posted by Joseph Teoxon's sci-fi dramedy "Throwback Today". The film stars Carlo Aquino who plays Primo, the protagonist of the story. It also stars Empress Schuck, Annicka Dolonius, Allan Paule and Kat Galang and is one of the official entries to this year's Cinema One Originals.

In Throwback Today, we follow Primo, who seems like he has ran out of luck in his life: he is jobless, he's about to get thrown out of their house and the girl he loves is about to get married. That is until one day, he discovers that he can communicate with his younger self through an online chat room. Primo is convinced that he is failing so much today because of what he has done in the past, so he decided to convince his younger self to help him change the past to change the future.

Carlo Aquino plays Primo
Screenshot from the trailer

During the first few minutes of the film, I immediately thought that this has some similarities with the Hollywood movie The Butterfly Effect (2004) starring Ashton Kutcher. Both film feature a male lead character trying to change his current situation in life by changing things from his past. Both films have drastic consequences in the present for every change that takes place in the past. But Joseph Teoxon's sci-fi dramedy has enough distinction from the latter. Though the two films have a similar premise, Throwback Today has more heart. It's more lighter in tone and thus, far more enjoyable than the other one. Although the concept of changing your past isn't new anymore as we have seen a lot of films recycling the same concept over and over again, this sci-fi entry stands out with it's fun and entertaining execution.

The film's witty and humorous script  was successful in keeping audiences' attention for a long time. There's a lot of really hilarious moments that made the crowd laugh out loud inside the cinema. The film never felt boring or dragging. The pacing was consistent all throughout. The characters were all written very well. It's like they're someone you've known from your high school or college days. These are characters that you can really connect with. That you can see yourself into. That's why it's hard not to fall for and root for these characters. I also loved that the story did not turned out like I expected it to be. The last part of the film was unpredictable. It took  different turn and decided to leave the whole thing to it's main character to resolve. It's nice that the film took a different route for it's resolution. It was totally unexpected and I really appreciate it. It's almost felt like watching a feel good movie.

Of course, the biggest asset of the film is it's talented cast. It's so nice to see Annicka Dolonius again after her stint in one of my favorite indie films, Ang Nawawala (2012) and in the surf movie Apocalypse Child (2015). She fit the role as she has this mysterious aura whenever she's onscreen. Empress Schuck was also good in her portrayal of Primo's best friend. But the real star of the film is Carlo Aquino, who gives a very committed performance as the protagonist, Primo. After his stint in the youth oriented film Bar Boys earlier this year, I've decided to follow Carlo Aquino's next projects and Throwback Today was the perfect movie for him. He definitely looked and felt so convincing as Primo. Whenever he's onscreen, one can't help but to be magnetized with his charm. He is able to shift from high and low emotions and still keep us glued to the screen with presence.

I pretty much enjoyed Joseph Teoxon's sci-fi "Throwback Today". This is the type of film that anyone can easily appreciate. It isn't bombastic in any way. But it's a simple movie that will leave a smile in your face once you leave the cinema.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰  of 5

"Throwback Today" (2017)
Directed by Joseph Teoxon, starring Carlo Aquino, Empress Schuck, Annicka Dolonius, Allan Paule and Kat Galang
An official entry to the 2017 Cinema One Originals Film Festival

Cinema One Originals 2017 Movie Review: Kip Oebanda's "Nay"

Ms. Sylvia Sanchez is "Nay"

After his critically-acclaimed youth oriented film Bar Boys which debuted at the first Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, director Kip Oebanda is back. This time, he takes on a classic Filipino folklore and gives it a new, millennial spin. Tagged as a gore film, this horror drama mixes shocks with political messages and underlying themes. “Nay”, written and directed by Kip Oebanda, stars a pretty interesting cast, led by Enchong Dee, Jameson Blake and Ms. Sylvia Sanchez, together with Harvey Bautista and Carla Humphries and is one of the official entries to the Cinema One Originals 2017.

Martin's (Enchong Dee) sheltered life is turned around when he gets terminally ill. To save his life, his beloved yaya, Nay Luisa (Sylvia Sanchez) turns him into something truly horrifying. He must choose between dying or becoming a monster that preys on the poor and the weak in city where dehumanization has become the norm.

Screenshots from the trailer

The film is perfect for the theme of this year’s Cinema One Originals film festival: Walang Takot (fearless).The film’s story is not just about the plight of Martin’s character after being turned into an aswang. It also tackles very important and relevant issues today, particularly on extra-judicial killings. Though technically a horror film, Nay hides a lot of political and social overtones underneath it’s bloody and violent skin. It offers a very timely commentary on our society’s morality nowadays, particularly how we are slowly being desensitized to violence around us. At one point of the film, Nay Luisa asks Martin who is he to judge who should die and who should live. This pretty much mirrors how the people responsible for those extra-judicial killings are deciding whether it’s better if one man should just die instead of giving him a chance to change.

The film’s boasts a very powerful cast. Enchong Dee was really good in portraying the young yuppie Martin. He was able to convey a lot of emotions for his character, particularly during the time he was suffering from his illness. Jameson Blake has improved a lot since his past stint in 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten and Nabubulok. He has grown into the craft he is passionate about. I think he should get more challenging roles because for sure, he’s going to nail them. I was impressed with Carla Humhries and Harvey Baustista in this movie. And of course, who can forget Ms. Sylvia Sanchez’ tour de force performance as the title role Nay. She surprised us with her bravura take on her character. She was magnetic and captivating. She quickly shifts from being funny to scary. It was a performance that deserves recognition, perhaps a Best Actress award.

And yes, the film succeeds in it’s promises of gore. Nay is definitely one of the bloodiest Pinoy horror films I’ve seen, with it’s shocking and brutal visuals. It doesn’t care about jump scares an instead, it’s focused on shocking the audience with it’s unapologetic blood shedding. Though it’s not as gory as other foreign gore films I’ve seen, it has enough to satisfy my cravings as a gorehound. The pacing of the film was slow, but it was okay. It wasn’t really boring because of the witty script, combining shocks and humor. So far, this is one of the best Aswang movies I’ve seen in local cinema. Also, some of the scenes of the film reminds me of the Spanish horror film REC . And that ending has some Hannibal feels in it.

Watching Nay was a great way to start my Cinema One Originals experience this year. It’s shocking, brutal and bloody. But it’s also funny and entertaining, plus it’s timely commentary on our society’s issues today is very relevant. A millennial Aswang film? What more can you ask for?

Rating: ✰✰✰✰1/2  of 5

"Nay" (2017) directed by Kip Oebanda, Enchong Dee, Jameson Blake and Ms. Sylvia Sanchez

An official entry to the 2017 Cinema One Originals Film Festival

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!

FEATURE: Enchong Dee, Jameson Blake star in Kip Oebanda's NAY

Director Kip Oebanda with stars Enchong Dee & Jameson Blake
Source: @KipOebanda

"After Bar Boys, what are you going to do next?" Director Kip Oebanda asks himself in one of his social media posts.

After his critically acclaimed youth-oriented comedy drama Bar Boys (2017) which was part of the very first Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino and starred Carlo Aquino, Enzo Pineda, Rocco Nacino and Kean Cipriano, what's really next for Director Kip Oebanda? The answer to that question is Nay. An official entry to the 2017 Cinema One Originals, Nay features some of the country's well known actors led by Enchong Dee, Sylvia Sanchez and Jameson Blake. In Nay, Director Kip goes for the supernatural as he makes a film about a rich, sheltered youth who gets to be transformed into an aswang by his yaya, Nay Luisa.

Director Kip Oebanda with star Sylvia Sanchez. Source: @KipOebanda

The project was described by actor Jameson Blake as a gore film, a subgenre of horror film that deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence. These films, usually through the use of special effects, display a fascination with the vulnerability of the human body and the theatricality of its mutilation. This subgenre, though not really popular here in the country, is a staple in American and Japanese cinema as evident in films like George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead, Eli Roth's Hostel and James Wan's Saw franchise.

This would be the second time that Enchong Dee and Jameson Blake joined the said film festival. Enchong played the lead role in Paano Ko Sasabihin, an official entry to the 2009 Cinema One Originals. Jameson, on the other hand was part of 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten from last year's festival. This is also not the first time that Kip Oebanda became part of the festival. He has previously worked on the call-center romance film Shift by Siege Ledesma in 2013 where he was nominated for Best Editing (Cinema One Currents). Here in Nay, director/ writer Kip Oebanda take on the classic aswang mythology and gives it a fresh, modern look.

Jameson Blake prepares as his head gets casted for the film's FX prosthesis.
Source: @KipOebanda

I was able to visit one of the locations (a bar in Tomas Morato) where they were shooting some scenes for the movie. Based on my observations, Director Kip has a keen eye for detail as he instructs his two lead actors in polishing a bar scene. Both Enchong and Jameson are on their A game despite the tiring shoot. Jameson is focused on perfecting his acting while Enchong looks like he's just having fun playing an aswang. This is not the first time that Enchong starred in a genre flick as he previously played an aswang hunter in the 2012 horror pic The Strangers and as a possessive and murderous zombie lover in the 2016 horror-comedy I Love You To Death. Jameson, on the other hand is currently shooting another horror film entitled Haunted Forest under Regal Films.

Enchong Dee prepares for a scene.

Nay, according to Cinema One, is one of the seven films which were able to "deliver fresh stories with poignant, hilarious and extraordinary accounts that will touch the lives of more diverse audiences." The finalists were picked by the selection committee led by Ronald Arguelles (festival director), Philbert Dy, Rico Gonzales, Oggs Cruz, Jinky Laurel, Kathleen Pador, Richard Bolisay, Sherad Anthony Sanchez, and Jade Castro. All seven finalists received a grant of P3 million to produce their movie and compete in the festival to be held this November 2017, making it the biggest edition of the festival to date. It is no doubt that Nay is one of the most anticipated entries of the festival this year.

The film's official teaser poster.

With "Bar Boys" and "Nay" director Kip Oebanda

With "Nay" star Jameson Blake

With "Nay" star Enchong Dee

Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino : "Bar Boys" (2017) movie review

"The purpose of life is to be defeated by greater and greater things.”

“Kung hindi ka natatalo, hindi ka na gumagalaw.”

This quote from from the movie perfectly sums up the life of almost everyone of us.

College life is one of the most crucial phases in a person's life. A lot of first times happen during these years. It's the point of life when you start realizing that you are finally become an adult. This is also the time when one discovers his/ her real self. That's why a lot of us can really relate to the Kip Oebanda's youth-priented film Bar Boys (2017). I've learned about this film way back 2016 after seeing it's trailer and I was already looking forward to watching it back then. It took a year before the film finally got picked up for distribution through Quantum Films, after it was selected to be one of the twelve entries for the very first Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. Described as an academic law school comedy-drama, the film follows a barkada of  four and their lives after they enter college (or some of them). The film is produced by TropicFrills Film Productions in cooperation with Wild Sound Studios and SM Foundation and features an ensemble cast starring Rocco Nacino, Carlo Aquino, Enzo Pineda and Kean Cipriano, together with Odette Khan and Anna Luna.

The film opens with one of the most unique and witty credit sequences I've seen in a local film, where a barkada of four young men are about to play against another group in an online battle. Here we are introduced to Christian (Enzo Pineda), Erik (Carlo Aquino), Joshua (Kean Cipriano) and Toran (Rocco Nacino). After losing in the said game, the four of them patiently waits for the results of the college entrance exam for the law school they all applied for. But only, Christian, Erik and Toran passed the admission exam. After this, we follow the three young men as they enter law school and how their lives are drastically changed by this new world. Here, they have to endure fraternity initiations to terror teachers, on top of their own problems with their families and relationships.

To start off, the characters we follow in the film are quite familiar already to us. Torran Garcia (Rocco Nacino) is the cool guy in the barkada, witty and always gets very lucky. Chris Carlson (Enzo Pineda) is the group's rich amboy whose father (also a lawyer) keeps on trying to mold him to be his clone. Erik Vicencio (Carlo Aquino) is the not so privileged guy of the group, a son of an elderly security guard whose biggest dream is for his son to become a lawyer, whatever it takes. Then, there's Joshua Zuniga (Kean Cipriano), the slacker of the group who ends up failing to pass the admission exam and gets left out by his peers. But despite being archetypes, these characters are very relatable and interesting in their own ways. This is because director/ writer Kip Oebanda made sure that each one of them (with the exception of Josh) will get his own story line to follow.

Torran ends up joining a frat, Chris has to hide his relationship with his girlfriend from his demanding father and Erik has to deal with financial issues, on top of having a hard time in school despite working his ass off in studying. Of all these three characters, I did not expected to end up falling for Erik (Carlo Aquino). It was his story that really hit me hard that I end up crying for him while watching the film. I guess it's because it's him that I could really relate to. I could really see myself in his shoes because we share the same story. I also had difficulty going through my college life due to financial issues, causing me to stop my studies and get a job instead of finishing college. But unlike me, Erik pushed through with his study despite the hardships.

Kip Oebanda's script was very witty and funny. Despite having to juggle three separate yet connected story lines for each of the three main characters, he was able to make the whole movie coherent. He had these segments for each characters, some focusing on each individual character's life at home or at school, and some while they are together. I loved those moments whenever Toran is at home with his mom (played by Patay Na Si Hesus' Mailes Kanapi) because they're always hilarious. There's also some heartwarming moments featuring Erik and his Dad at home as they struggle to keep him at school. We also get to see Chris and his quirky girlfriend (played by Unrequited's Anna Luna) while they try their best to keep their relationship despite his father's orders. But my most favorite would be those moments when they are inside the classroom, dealing with their terror teachers. These would be those scenes with a gay professor, Atty. Victor Cruz (played by 4 Days' Sebastian Castro) who has a crush on Erik which led to one of the most hilarious moments of the film. Then, there's those scenes with the classic terror professor that every student is mostly afraid of Atty. Hernandez (played in a wonderful performance by Odette Khan).

But aside from the usual comical gags, the film also tackles some really serious matter. Friendships will be strained. Family issues will get more complicated. Their morals will get tested. Slowly, these characters start to grow as individuals. Far different from the young guys they were before when they first entered the campus. This is what makes Bar Boys so endearing to watch. It's a classic coming-of-age story hidden underneath a hilarious comedy-drama about law school. You don't realize that you get so invested with these characters that you also grow as they move forward and turn into adults who are about to face the world. There's lots of lessons to be learned from this movie which makes it a must watch for younger people.

I must commend that this is the best ensemble I've seen in this year's Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. Aside from the main cast, the supporting actors were all perfect for their roles. Mailes Kanapi was a delightful surprise as Toran's crazy and funny mother. Anna Luna was also fun to watch as the English-challenged direct salesgirl Rachel (girlfriend of Chris). Sebastian Castro was a stand-out as the gay professor Atty. Cruz. His office scene where Erik tries to seduce him (I'm not gonna reveal a lot to avoid spoiling it) was downright insane and hysterically funny. and then, there's Odette Khan. I'm telling you, she was amazing.

Of course, the main cast deserves a lot of praise for fun performance in the film. Kean Cipriano didn't get a lot of screen time but he was fun to watch as Josh. Enzo Pineda was good in playing the amboy rich kid Chris. Rocco Nacino played his role of Toran with ease. But it was Carlo Aquino who was the stand-out among the four. His portrayal of Erik was so affecting and heartfelt. I honestly did not expect that he will be my favorite character from this movie. I actually wished he and Sebastian Castro had more scenes together because I'm pretty sure their characters would be hilarious together. Also, I love how each of these characters had closure by the time the story ended. That ending is one of the best I've seen in a local film recently. It's was so inspiring and just perfect.

I guess this will be my top pick from this year's Pista ng Pelikulang Piilipino (next is Triptiko). Everything in this movie is just perfect, from it's slick, production design to it's awesome soundtrack (that sequence featuring APO Hiking Society's San Na Nga Bang Barkada triggered my memory of my school days!) to it's outstanding direction and bravura performances. Kip Oebanda's Bar Boys (2017) is no doubt my most favorite entry of all the films I was able to watch. It's a youth-oriented comedy drama, a coming-of-age story, and a throwback barkada flick rolled into one. For me, it's one of the best Filipino films of the year. This is the film in this year's PPP that I would love to give more than a perfect five star rating. It's a hilarious, heartwarming, emotional, and inspiring feel-good joyride that will leave more than what you expect.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰ of 5
Bar Boys (2017)
Directed by Kip Oebanda,
starring Carlo Aquino, Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda and Kean Cipriano

***

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.

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.