Can We Still Be Friends (2017) movie review

Gerald Anderson and Arci Munoz in "Can We Still Be Friends"
Screenshot from the trailer

From lovers to friends? Is it really possible?

This is the central theme of director Prime Cruz' first foray into mainstream filmmaking, aptly titled Can We Still Be Friends. Prime Cruz, who rose to fame after his audience favorite indie romance film Sleepless, about two insomniac outbound call center agents spending their nights together, is now entering the mainstream scene with this movie. This time, he works with two of the most bankable actor and actress of this generation, Gerald Anderson and Arci Munoz, to bring us a story that I'm pretty sure a lot of us can relate to.

"Can We Still Be Friends?" is centered on Digs (Gerald Anderson) – a no fuss, no frills kind of guy – and idealistic achiever Sam (Arci Muñoz) who are friends turned lovers turned exes. Their relationship as a couple lasted for almost eight years until they both decided on an amicable breakup. As they face the dating world separately, the ex-couple consistently check on each other under the guise of “friendship.” This turns into a competition on who will find a new relationship first only to find out that one of them is still in love with the other. Directed by Prime Cruz and with a screenplay written by Jen Chuaunsu, “Can We Still Be Friends?” is a love story that celebrates the indomitable millennial spirit as it attempts to ask the proverbial question: can exes really be friends? "Can We Still Be Friends?" also assembles a remarkable millennial supporting cast led by Bryan Santos, Ria Atayde, Brian Sy, Gege Severo, Erika Padilla, Markki Stroem, and Emmanuelle Vera. [Source: Star Cinema]

I have to be honest with you, I was expecting that the film would feel a bit different from the previous movies released by Star Cinema. But after actually sitting through the movie, I was totally overwhelmed. It felt nothing like any Star Cinema produced film I've seen before. It was like an indie film in disguise of a colorful mainstream romantic film. it was weird, in a really good way. The problem with most mainstream films nowadays is that they always follow a pattern. A stereotype. A cliche. Most romance films would usually involve some weird or overly dramatic story line, like it's taken out of a Wattpad story (don't get me wrong, I love Wattpad since I also write stories there at times). Most Pinoy romance films usually have a grandiose love story about a boy and a girl who would face odds to fight for their love. But at least, one in a while, we get some romcom movies that just wants to tell a simple story about simple people living simple lives- in short, a movie about real people. One that a lot can relate to. And Prime Cruz does exactly that.

The first few minutes of the film, I was already whispering to myself: this can't be from Star Cinema. It's just way too impossible. But yeah, believe it or not, it is. Thank God.

If you've watched Prime Cruz' prior work, the lovely indie fave Sleepless (2015), you'll notice his distinct way of filmmaking. And with Can We Still Be Friends, we can clearly see traces of that filmmaking. Long, lingering shots. Quiet scenes without any dialogues. Prime Cruz direction is so unique that his final product feels so refreshing and original (which is mostly because we are so used to watching mainstream movies and a lot of us are not that into the indie style of filmmaking). I love the way that he builds up the film's two main characters, with the film's first few minutes only showing the everyday life of Digs and Sam living together. From the usual conversation between two people, to those small irritating things that we tend to do (like forgetting to refill empty bottles of water in the fridge, which I am so guilty), the way he creates and molds these two characters and their world is so simple and ordinary that everything felt so real. Their characters are very well-established and developed that you actually root for them. Unlike most movies, Digs and Sam behave and act like real people, and not just stereotype characters who are manipulated like chess pieces along the way.

Another strength of the film is it's leads. Gerald Anderson have already proven to us that he is a capable actor, with his highly applauded films Always Be My Maybe (the first movie he was paired with Arci) and How To Be Yours (2016) which is my favorite. His approach to his character, Digs, is simple, yet truthful. He doesn't come too over-the-top unlike those romantic dramas where the guy ends up throwing a very powerful and emotional line to make the film memorable (and campy) during it's climax. He's just, I guess, chill like most average guys are. Arci Munoz plays the perky girlfriend Sam. Her character provides most of the film's humor, and she deserves credit for making the film more fun for all of us. Arci Munoz really shines the most in this movie, as she entertains us for the rest of the film. Gerald Anderson's Budoy joke and strip dancing was quite entertaining for a while, but it was her relatable rants about pancit canton and traffic in EDSA and funny quotes which kept the audience engaged. The two of them just looked so good together on screen. There's oozing chemistry between the two and director Prime Cruz knows how to squeeze all that juice out of the couple. The supporting cast were also good, but the one that would really catch your attention is Juan Miguel Severo. His lines will always pull out a laugh or two from the audience. I guess he always nails the part of the gay best friend, and I'd love to see him do more. And that wedding vow that he wrote for the film, it was just so affecting and lovely.

With a witty and inteligent script by Jen Chuaunsu mixed with calculated and gorgeous cinematography and a cute soundrack featuring Toni Gonzaga's rendition of the song of the same name, this simple yet truthful take on every millennial couple's lives today is definitely relatable and undeniably entertaining.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰ of 5

Can We Still Be Friends (2017)

Starring Gerald Anderson and Arci Munoz, 

Directed by Prime Cruz

2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten wins the Lovers Film Festival Audience Choice Award

Petersen Vargas' highly acclaimed coming-of-age film 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten bags the Audience Choice Award at the  LGBTQI Film Festival. The film had it's international premiere last June 17 & 18, 2017 at Multisala Cinema Massimo in Turin, Italy as part of the Torino LGBTQI Film Festival. It is the ONLY Asian Film in competition this year, programmed alongside titles like Andrew Ahn's Sundance-winning Spa Night and 2017 Berlinale's The Wound, among others.

Source : Alemberg Ang

After it's debut, the film garnered critical acclaim from critics. QuotidianoPiemontese.it says "It works perfectly and gives us feelings and fears of the protagonists, surrounded by the new experience it is rolled slowly on their souls and involves their bodies." GayPost.it calls it "One of the most interesting, visually seductive and stylistically impeccable proposals, in competition at the Lovers Film Festival, is without a doubt "2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten". 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten is one of the official entries in the 2016 Cinema One Originals film festival, where it won 3 awards, Best Supporting Actor for Jameson Blake, Best Cinematography and the highly coveted Best Film award.

To director Petersen Vargas, the cast, the crew and everyone behind 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten, congratulations for this wonderful achievement. You guys are really too cool to be forgotten, no pun intended.

"2 COOL 2 BE 4GOTTEN wins the Audience Award at the 32nd Lovers Film Festival - Torino lgbtqi Visions! For a film that has been restricted to be shown to its ideal audience in the Philippines, it has found an enthusiastic, loving audience somewhere far away from home. Bittersweet." Source: 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten Facebook page

2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten gets International Acclaim

Source: Star Cinema

After it's successful theatrical release in the Philippines last March 2017, Petersen Vargas' critically acclaimed film finally gets it's international debut. His coming-of-age film 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten is among the films in the Main Competition of the 32nd Torino LBTQI Film Festival (Lovers Film Festival-Torino LGBTQI Visions). Starring Khalil Ramos, Ethan Salvador and Jameson Blake, the highly-acclaimed film, set in the late 90s in Angeles, Pampanga, follows Felix Salonga, a friendless achiever, who is bent on topping his class to elevate his status from a resettlement area. Magnus & Maxim Snyder, half-American brothers, want nothing but to escape life from the Philippines with their prostitute mother and live with their American GI father in the US. The Snyder brothers each have their own way of reaching this dream. One struggles to finish high school with the promise of America after graduation while the mischievous one has a dark, sinister plan. As Felix develops a relationship with the brothers, he unearths desires within him he never confronted before. He slowly learns that behind the manicured lawns of “Little America,” each of his actions can lead to fatal consequences. [Star Cinema]

The film is one of the most controversial Filipino movies of 2017 after the film was slammed with an R-18 rating by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). The film was originally given a much lower R-16 rating by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) during it's limited theatrical run as part of the Cinema One Originals Film Festival. The R-18 rating surprised many, and was met with negative response from critics and audiences alike. Nevertheless, the film was met warmly by the Filipino audience, receiving positive response from viewers.

Source: 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten Facebook page

And last June 17 & 18, 2017, the film had it's international premiere at Multisala Cinema Massimo in Turin, Italy as part of the Torino LGBTQI Film Festival. It is the ONLY Asian Film in competition this year, programmed alongside titles like Andrew Ahn's Sundance-winning Spa Night and 2017 Berlinale's The Wound, among others. Also included in the festival is Jared Joven and Kaj Palanca’s short film, Contestant #4, an entry in last year’s QCinema fest. The Torino LGBTQI Film Festival is an important Italian cinematographic event, also well known in the international circuit. It is co-organized together with the Turin National Museum of Cinema and it is supported by public institutions, cultural ones and private sponsors. The festival, initially conceived simply as a programme of films focusing on LGBT themes, the event became a Festival in 1989 and was recognized as such by the Italian Ministry of Culture and Entertainment in 1990. Now, the festival attracts over 45 thousand people and is now the most important LGBTQ film festival in Italy and one of the oldest ones worldwide. [LoversFF website, 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten Facebook Page].

After it's debut, the film garnered critical acclaim from critics. QuotidianoPiemontese.it says "It works perfectly and gives us feelings and fears of the protagonists, surrounded by the new experience it is rolled slowly on their souls and involves their bodies." GayPost.it calls it "One of the most interesting, visually seductive and stylistically impeccable proposals, in competition at the Lovers Film Festival, is without a doubt "2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten". 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten is one of the official entries in the 2016 Cinema One Originals film festival, where it won 3 awards, Best Supporting Actor for Jameson Blake, Best Cinematography and the highly coveted Best Film award.

Source: 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten Facebook page

Dear Other Self (2017) movie review

WHAT IF...

All of us share the same thought. What if we something happened in your past that changed your life forever? What if you made a different choice and it changed your future? What if you had a different life than what you have now? This is the central theme that this latest Star Cinema offering tackles. The movie strangely follows two story lines, each concerning the consequences and results caused by one small thing that changed a person's life forever.
Becky (Jodi Sta. Maria) has always been torn between living a life of responsibility for her family and living a life of adventure by traveling the world. Little did she know that her life could follow two different paths depending on her responses to a day filled with a series of unfortunate events. In this story showing parallel narratives of the same character, we explore how our varying responses lead to different experiences, relationships, dilemmas and what ifs. Directed by Veronica Velasco, "Dear Other Self" also stars Xian Lim and Joseph Marco.

To be honest, I still can't figure out what Dear Other Self is. It's can be a comedy, since it's got some really funny situations that are mostly based on real-life things that happen to people. It's got some romance in it (actually, there's two) so it can also be a romantic movie. But I guess it perfectly fits under the 'feel good' type of movies. Those movies that aims at lifting up one's spirits and gets some sense into one's life. This movie is basically a movie made by a millennial, for her fellow millennials.
The movie brings up real-life situations that almost each and every young adult nowadays are facing. One of these would be whether Becky would continue her work to get promoted or to give up her career and follow her dream of travelling. I, for one, can personally relate to this as I have experienced this so many times in my life. Contemplating on whether I should continue my job now and switch careers is one of the most common challenges that millennials like me are facing. I'm really glad that the film tackled what would be the possible consequences of picking one decision over the other. And director Veronica Velasco was able to tell story lines seamlessly.

I think the strength of the film relied so much with it's great cast. Joseph Marco and Xian Lim are both great as the protagonist's leading man. They were really good in portraying their roles and they complemented their on-screen partner really well. But the film's way of storytelling wasn't able to give both of their characters enough time to build up their character.Since the film follows two stories at the same time, they were given minimal time to  build-up their characters. On the other hand, Jodi Sta. Maria's Becky is given all the time she needs to create a believable character and protagonist. Therefore, we end up rooting a lot for her and what happens to her in the two stories.

I think a lot of people will relate to her character as the two Becky's. The "fresh" Becky who got promoted is like the rest of those people who are too tied up to their careers and end up being left out in all the fun that they could have. They are too focused in achieving their goals in their careers that they don't have the time anymore to achieve their other dreams in life. I guess I fit into this category. On the other hand, the "tired" Becky ends up resigning from her job and pursued her dream and passion to travel the world while she's still young. And amazingly, Jodi Sta. Maria was able to pull off both Becky's with flying colors.

But just like other movies from Star Cinema, the film suffers from it's stale ending. Despite having two different story lines, both endings are just too easy and predictable. Despite that, I still had a great time for most of the part of the movie. Relatable, charming and entertaining, this is one rare feel good movie that actually works. And Jodi Sta. Maria is worth the price of admission alone.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰ out of 5
Dear Other Self (2017)
Directed by Veronica Velasco, starring Jodi Sta. Maria, Joseph Marco & Xian Lim

Limited Edition "Lisyun Qng Geografia" DVD Now Available!

After the successful theatrical release of his first full length feature, 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten (Winner, 2016 Cinema One Originals Best Film), director Petersen Vargas revisits his first "baby" that catapulted his name and has earned him multiple honors here and abroad. Last week, his award-winning short film Lisyun Qng Geografia (Geography Lessons) was shown back to back with 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten during the latter's encore screenings at UP Film Theater, UP Diliman. Here, director Petersen Vargas has announced that he has teamed up with Vincent Aseo for the Limited Edition DVD of his short film, Lisyun Qng Geografia. The special and final DVD release of the short film includes 4 post cards specially designed by Vincent Aseo, a 30-page zine containing Tin and Tric's diary and a DVD containing the Lisyun Qng Geografia and other short films by Petersen Vargas.

They're now taking online orders for the LIMITED EDITION DVD package of Lisyun Qng Geografia. There are ONLY 50 COPIES for this last batch of releases so make sure to get yours while they last. You can order your copy here.

The complete of the LIMITED EDITION DVD of Lisyun Qng Geografia

The beautiful postcards designed by illustrator Vincent Aseo

Director Petersen Vargas and illustrator Vincent Aseo selling copies of the DVD and postcard
 at the encore screening of Lisyun Qng Geografia back to back with 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten
in UP Cine Adarna, UP Diliman last April 29, 2017

Director Petersen Vargas enthusiastically discussing the film
with some audiences after the screening

Me with director Petersen Vargas!

Director Petersen Vargas gave me a poster of Lisyun Qng Geografia as a gift!
Thank you so much, direk!

Lisyun Qng Geografia Movie Review

The saddest love stories are the ones that could have been but never were.

And what could be more sad than people falling in love with their best friend but not getting the same kind of love in return. This is the central theme of Petersen Vargas award-winning 2014 short film Lisyun Qng Geografia, which literally translates to Geography Lessons. The short film is one of Vargas' earliest works, two years ahead of his full length feature debut that catapulted him to fame amongst Filipino film enthusiast which is 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten (2016). But little did most of us knew that the 20-minute short film is the one that paved the way for him to earn a spot in the indie cinema scene here in the country after it earned him the Best Direction award at the 11th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.

I've been trying to find a way to watch this short film since last year, after I became an avid fan of director Petersen. Luckily, this year, he revisits his baby for a limited encore screening of Lisyun in UP Diliman, back to back with his 2 Cool, followed by a special edition DVD release of the short film. And I was so lucky to finally get the chance of watching the short film and of course, I have to write my thoughts about it here in my blog. So here is my review of Petersen Vargas' Lisyun Qng Geografia.

The film follows Tib Apostol (Earl Policarpio), who finds an old map made by his estranged best friend from high school, Tric (Ross Pesigan). This triggers him to retrace all the places that are special to him and his friend, remembering how the their friendship fell apart along the way. Writer and director Petersen Vargas once said that this film was inspired by some of his real life experiences. I guess that is the main reason why the story felt so raw and authentic. The dialogues, so real and normal. The characters, flawed but honest. The circumstances that they encounter, very common in real life.

I love the way the story was written, especially how it was narrated. Instead of following the traditional pattern of a narrative, the story goes back and forth from the past to the present, slowly revealing what has happened before and it's consequences now. Because of this, the 20-minute duration of the film was put into good use. I also love how both characters were written. They looked and talked and acted just like how normal teenage boys would. They don't feel so manufactured for the sake of having empathetic characters. Instead, they're written with all honesty, and that what makes them relatable.

Earl Policarpio and Ross Pesigan did a wonderful job in bringing these characters to life. Their acting were really good, and their portrayal of Tib and Tric will tug your hearts out. Both of them complemented one another which adds more punch and pull to the interactions of the two characters. I guess the best example of this is the confrontation scene between the two, which is also my favorite scene in the film. The chemistry of both actors gives more impact to the scene, making it more intense and heartbreaking.

Technically, the film is more than marvelous. It's gorgeous cinematography, mostly composed of bluish toned palette of backgrounds, evokes a sense of calmness, reminiscent of those carefree days when we were still young and we didn't have to worry about bills or work or careers. Chill, that's the word that perfectly describes it's chosen color palette. The film's music also complemented this with it's serene and light soundtrack featuring the songs of Ourselves The Elves.

Although there's a two-year gap between Lisyun Qng Geografia and 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten, one would still notice the similarities of the two. There's a lot of scenes in 2 Cool that were references to Lisyun which  gives it a feeling that both films share the same universe. Both films tackle themes of homosexuality and self-awakening. But unlike 2 Cool which goes for a much darker territory, Lisyun chooses a much more quiet and subtle path which is grounded in reality.

Sweet, humorous and romantic, yet heart wrenching towards the end, the film is a perfect exploration of relationships between two people who share different feelings for each other. And with it's honest portrayal of love, anyone can definitely relate to the film. Yes, it is painful to watch, but it is also good and beautiful and unforgettable.

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰ out of 5

Lisyun Qng Geografia (2014)
Starring Earl Policarpio and Ross Pesigan,
Directed by Petersen Vargas
Winner, Best Direction-11th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival