"School Service", "Mamang", "Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon", "Musmos na Sumibol sa Gubat ng Digma" - Cinemalaya 2018

"School Service" is director Louie Ignacio's most solid work to date. It's driven by a rattling good tale of a dysfunctional family of grifters who lives in a rundown, roving school service, abducting children along the way. The children are tasked to beg for money used to buy food and medicine for the ailing patriarch (Joe Gruta) and to pay off cops. 

With 6 unrelated children now in their fold, Rita (Ai ai delas Alas) is having a tough time managing their affairs. It doesn't help that elder brother Robert (Joel Lamangan) is hopelessly enraptured by his lover Kiko (Kevin Sagra), the driver, who's trying to convince Robert to sell the vehicle and run away with him. One day, while Rita is scouring the city with the children, Robert fails to return on time. Rita fears that her suspicion has finally come true. 

The film follows the daily routine of Rita's "family" as they brave the concrete jungle. I am reminded of a few movies: Ralston Jover's "Hamog" and Eduardo Roy's "Pamilya Ordinaryo" which tackled familiar ground of urban vagrancy. The scene of children sniffing rugby to ward off hunger was very familiar. 

The strength of the story is its unpredictability, as we're compelled to sit back and wait for things to unravel. It's hard to double guess the string of events, and you're left wondering. Life in the big city can be harsh, and there are always extraneous factors that affect even the best laid plans. 

Some of the memorable scenes include Rita getting called out by a shop lady for her lies as she pretends to be physically debilitated; Robert trying to stop Kiko from smothering his sick father; and, finally, Rita chasing after little Maya who's stoned from sniffing glue. 

I have to mention Joel Lamangan's substantive portrayal.

The first movie I wanted to watch for the festival was Denise O'Hara's "Mamang" - and I got lucky. I am not sure why this was highly anticipated, even by some of my friends who rarely watch indies. Maybe because Celeste Legaspi is one of the movers behind the unforgettable little MMFF movie that could - Loy Arcenas' "Ang Larawan". Legaspi has always been synonymous with quality. Think Barbra Streisand, Philippine version.

"Mamang", however, was underwhelming. The protagonist's downspiraling cognitive skills seemed episodic at best. Like a tedious litany of the symptoms of dementia. In fact, there was a disconnect and I couldn't fully empathize with Mamang.

Part of this is Legaspi's uneven characterization. Make no mistake, she's a grand presence on screen, but there are stark inconsistencies with her character. She'd be surly one minute, then timid and blushing, and headstrong the next. She's like a brat acting out for her close up. And Norma Desmond is a solar system away from who Mamang should be.

I am aware of the behavioral abnormalities associated with dementia: depression, anxiety psychosis, agitation, aggression, disinhibition, and sleep disturbances. In their realms, the past crisscrosses with the present. I know. I've lived with a grandmother who suffered from it. This was one of the things that drew me to the movie.

Sadly, it was a struggle to relate to this story. I am aware too that this was based on real events. So we're down to the writing. There was not enough tension to sustain my interest. Even her hallucinations (she gets a visit from a few characters - her dead husband, a constantly hungry soldier, etc.) were novelty ideas that wore off fast. I was barely moved by her joy or grief. If stoicism is a product of a narrative, then my disinterest was appropriately justified.

Carlo Catu's "Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon" was an interesting watch because it involved a marital dilemma usually discussed among people way under 60 years old. How does the senior population deal with these precarious situations? Is it any different? Do wisdom and calm demeanor figure into the resolution of these predicaments? 

For 27 years, Teresa (Perla Bautista) and Celso (Menggie Cobarrubias) have lived a harmonious life together. One fateful day, Teresa gets an unexpected call for help from Benedicto (Dante Rivero). Bene, the husband who abandoned Tere in the past, is afflicted with Glioblastoma, a malignant and aggressive cancer of the brain. Would Tere extend a helping hand? Would Celso allow her to?

With a cast of reliable veterans, the story comes alive as the characters maneuver the slippery slope of past and present relationships. The film also poses a question: Do we still care for persons even if they've hurt us in the past? Bautista, Rivero and Cobarrubias navigate a delectable roundelay that effectively coaxes emotional calisthenics from us. It helped that director Catu judiciously employed this rich atmosphere of nostalgia, I could practically smell regret and yearning from the walls of Bene's ramshackle house. 

There are unforgettable moments that define this movie: Teresa admits her true feelings for Bene - and it was sincere and straight-forward, if a bit brutal; and estranged son Chito (Romnick Sarmenta in a short but grippingly intense scene) comes face to face with the father who abandoned them.

Director Iar Lionel Arondaing knows how to present the most ravishing images in his latest movie, "Musmos Na Sumibol sa Gubat ng Digma". The opening scenes alone were eye-poppingly gorgeous; a far cry from his previous entry with Cinemalaya, "Sa Gabing Nananahimik ang mga Kuliglig". Arondaing tackles another revenge story in the form of "rido", the tribal wars that fatally play like a vicious cycle of violence among clans in the south.

In the story, Eshal (Junyka Sigrid Antarin) escapes her burning house with pregnant mother Manahil (Star Orjaliza). But it didn't take long before Manahil delivers her baby on the boat in the middle of a mangrove forest (a stunning shot that drew gasps from the cinema audience). Unfortunately, Eshal's mother bleeds and expires after delivery. Young Eshal, as earlier suggested by Manahil, cuts her hair and pretends to be a boy named Hamed who has to take care of her newborn brother Affan. 

The next day, Hamed rescues a boy named Farhan (JM Salvado) who suffers from the same predicament after having escaped from tribal in-fighting. They become fast friends as Farhan helps Hamed take care of the baby. But Hamed noticed the "kufi" (a brimless rounded cap worn by Muslim males) on Farhan's head. Could it be her father's?  

While undeniably interesting, "Musmos..." is hobbled by throwaway scenes that would have benefited from judicious editing. In fact, about 20 minutes less would have given it a tighter, more focused story. There were also stilted lines straight out of 9 year old kids: "Nangarap ka na ba minsan?" Huh?

For its music, the film made use of "sufi supplications" (Islamic chanted prayers) playing overtime, disparately garnishing the cinematic canvas, some too distractingly, particularly when the characters were in a conversation. Like his previous movie, some of Arondaing's scenes were too dark to see. We had to guess what was happening.  

We can't emphasize enough the relevance of cinema in stating the obvious; i.e. that war is but a folly - and pride unnecessarily creates grief. We need more movies that tackle social ills because they help mirror problems that could be remedied by reflection. Cinema can be such a vessel.

If Sheron Dayoc's similarly themed "Women of the Weeping River" (QCinema Best Film, 2017) was a face-off between wives, "Musmos..." was a matter among children. It is also clear that Dayoc's work is artistically better realized.






#schoolservice   #mamang   #kungpaanohinihintayangdapithapon   #musmosnasumibolsagubatngdigma   #cinemalaya2018

Pink Film Gatecrashes the CCP - Afi Africa's "The Lookout" (Cinemalaya 2018)

There were sporadic giggles and laughters during the screening of Afi Africa's "The Lookout". Odd thing is, it isn't even remotely funny. It's not comedy. The film is a pink-flavored, highly charged action drama that reminds me of the visual style and cinematic discernment of Monti Parungao. "Bayaw", anyone? 

In the story, siblings George and Grace Limotog got separated from each other after battered wife and mother (Yayo Aguila) sells them to a nefarious slavery ring! George eventually grows up as Lester Quiambao (Andres Vasquez), a notorious hired assassin who's being pursued by operatives. But to fill his emotional void and libidinous urges, Lester "buys" himself a lover and sidekick Travis Concepcion (Jay Garcia) who assists in his operations. (Note that this avenging assassin lives in a very scenic, albeit dilapidated tenement beside an MRT railway, yet he can buy a human being!) On the side, Lester still searches for his younger sister Grace, now Monica (Elle Ramirez) whom he didn't realize has been heading the operatives tasked to apprehend him. 

The story is clunky, convoluted and preposterous. As it heightens its drama, you are transported to an alternate dimension where hired killers - no, wait, gay assassins have the luxury of buying men straight off a meat shelf like they were market commodities. I'm not referring to "one-night-stand", "lay-on-the-hay" services but actual flesh-and-blood pulchritudinous guys as personal properties. Slavery exists in the Philippines, believe it or not! At least in the vitiated imagination of its writer and director. Audience reception was telling: First, there was awkward silence as the audience takes in the assault of sensibility. Then chuckles eventually followed.

Typical of Pink Films, most actors are newbies with fresh faces and sculpted bodies. They're also exceptionally eager actors. But while they're visually captivating, you can't help but notice the floundering skill behind all these. At least Parungao had clarity. Africa meanwhile randomly shoots narrative blanks, which is an obvious case of opportunity being squandered. More skilled film makers could have strutted their wares here. Instead, we're fed narrative strains that made our skin crawl.

To prove my point? Do we really want to see Rez Cortez being sodomized by a couple of thugs? Such perversion, debah? Besides, if George wanted vengeance for having been sexually abused by his trainor/tormentor (Cortez) when he was younger, why didn't he do it himself? That would have been the ultimate revenge, right? I guess even our protagonist was appalled by such idea. After all, he likes guys his age; fit, muscular and thespically dazed. Then again, this salient detail could have slipped the director's mind? 

Turned out, the audience dictated its genre. This was comedy after all. 

Search your pockets for some Meclizine - or a barf bag will do! 

#cinemalaya2018   #thelookout   #afiafrica

Kip Oebanda's Liway - Sugarcoating Horrors (Cinemalaya 2018)

Diverse, engrossing, socially relevant, technically well crafted, less artistic pretension. 

This year’s film harvest from Cinemalaya is surprisingly impressive. I was dreading the festival marathon because last year’s entries were mind-numbingly mediocre. They were hard to watch because 4 of them were so darkly lit people had to squint for clarity. That's just for starters. What’s worse, the festival gave awards to the worst offenders. They were even arrogantly unapologetic about it. Why would they apologize, right? There’s a simple answer. But let me not digress. I'd rather discuss this cinematic gem called "Liway".

At the height of Martial Law in the late 70’s, activists Day (Glaiza de Castro) and Ric (Dominic Roco) were apprehended by the military and imprisoned in Camp Delgado alongside criminals and other rebels. 

Day, whose alter ego was Liway in the underground movement, gave birth to her son Dakip (Kenken Nuyad) who was allowed to stay with his parents. Despite the atrocities that were happening in the camp (inmates disappearing without a trace), Liway vowed to shelter her children from the ugly face of incarceration. Sugarcoating the horrors of Martial Law is never an easy task. But how far will a mother go to protect her family?

“Liway” has a straight forward story telling that makes occasional use of flashbacks. The story is easy to follow.

It uses few narrative embellishments. In fact, it practically did away with overbearing sentimentality (which it deserved). 

While some stories are maneuvered to adapt to the cinematic medium, the excoriating details in the film are however veiled by lighter scenes. Truth can sometimes be tweaked as a just excuse for a historical execration, but this isn't the case here.

Emotions aren’t allowed to linger for too long. The brutality of the Marcos regime has obviously been toned down to impart a livable environment that Liway, in her limited capacity, has created for her children. 

Showing the violence of torture as experienced by the inmates would have made a good contrast to the kind of atmosphere Liway wanted Dakip to experience. One cannot gloss over the brutality that transpired because this was one of the essence of the regime's disdain for freedom, and how it imposed an abusive rule to silence dissenting voices. 

In a truly enlightened society, no single soul should justify violations of human rights. But in an ailing society, revising a murky past is becoming common place, which is an insult to those who suffered and perished during that era. These days, such revisionism is gradually unraveling. This is why movies like "Liway" and "ML" serve their purpose in propagating historical truths. These events happened to real people.

There were few scenes within the narrative that hooked me. In a wistful scene, Liway is shown strumming her guitar and singing Lolita Carbon’s “Pagbabalik”. This sent shivers down my spine. It's clear to me how the evils of a 30-year-old history is gradually gaining ground in contemporary society. I have nothing but pity for this country, and contempt to the people who enable this. What do wise men say about people who don’t learn from history?

 

Based on a true story set during one of the country’s darkest era, the film hits you when you least expect it. I shall refrain from divulging too much detail, but people were crying buckets as the credits rolled. I had to rush to the toilet thereafter to give myself a good cry. Make no mistake, the film is hardly structured in melodrama. There’s not a lot of caterwauling in the movie either, but it had an uncanny approach of breaking your heart. “Liway” was my 9^th film so I didn’t expect too much from it. Guess what? The best surprises are those you don’t anticipate.

Oebanda serves up a polished cinematic ouvre that will define his cinema in the years to come. It helps that the story he tells is close to home. Revealing a personal story is reliving a past. That can't be easy. But by doing so, Oebanda shows skills that will help him evolve into a greater storyteller in the future. 

It wasn't always like this. I remember watching his first commercially released film, “Tumbang Preso”. After posting what I thought about it, I received half a dozen vicious mails from anonymous trolls.  Not Oebanda, I presume. But you see, such is the nature of film appreciation. It’s a subjective experience for each viewer. 

The succeeding years were promising. “Nay” wasn’t particularly fetching. Last year’s “Bar Boys” was among my 10 favorites. Look how far Oebanda has come. I look forward to watching his next projects. In a bumper crop year where most festival entries are watchable, “Liway” is among my top choices.

Ysabelle Peach's "Jacqueline Comes Home" - Rousing the Dead and the Incarcerated

Michael Collins' "Give Up Tomorrow" was a compelling investigative documentary about Cebu's most talked about rape-murder case that sent 7 men to jail. Though considered closed, the case continues to keep tongues wagging. After all, there were believable witnesses who swore by Paco Larranaga's alibi at the time of the murder. Unless he had the ability to bilocate, Paco actually attended his culinary class in Manila for his midterm exams - and there were even photos from a get-together in a bar later that night. How could he lead the abduction and rape of sisters Marijoy and Jackie Chiong? Marijoy's body was found lifeless at the bottom of a ravine in Carcar, south of Cebu City. Jackie remains missing. This was 21 years ago.

It's hard to discredit the artistic savvy of "Give Up Tomorrow". It was one of that year's best films. But there were parts we found a bit off. First, it was produced by people close to Larranaga, a great grandchild of a former Philippine President. The element of bias was indisputably possible. Second, they demonized Mrs. Chiong who, need I remind everyone, lost 2 daughters! She was expected to fight tooth and nails to seek justice.

However, you only have to watch a 5 minute Youtube video of Paco's former classmates and teacher talking about Paco's whereabouts on that fateful day in July 1997 to make easy conclusions about the case. Well, Paco was convicted and eventually sent to Spain to serve his sentence; he's Filipino-Spanish. But if he were really innocent, shouldn't we be concerned about the perpetration of injustice? There's something disquieting about Paco's incarceration. Bottom line: no one won from this high profile case. Marijoy is dead. Jackie is still missing. Families continue to grieve. Paco is serving prison in Spain. So do 6 of Paco's friends.

With all these in mind, I was curious how director Ysabelle Peach, Carlo Caparas' daughter, would contribute to the retelling of a story, It would be told from the point of view of Mrs. Chiong (played by Alma Moreno). The screenplay was written by Carlo Caparas who isn't done with those grueling "massacre movies" of the 90's.

In true Caparas fashion, "Jacqueline Comes Home" is overwrought, messy, exploitative and devoid of sensitivity or insight. While Meg Imperial, playing Jackie, breezed through her scenes with a certain commitment and charm, Donnalyn Bartolome, as campus beauty Marijoy, was shrill and cringe-worthy. I wanted a duct tape covering her buccal cavity. And all her cavities for that matter.

The movie is weighed down by a muddled nonlinear storytelling. It didn't help that the suspects were depicted like one-dimensional characters, channeling Paquito Diaz and Max Alvarado of the 70's. The chronicle is populated by cardboard characters that fit into predictable stereotypes with absolutely no redeeming values at all. Even the staging of their scenes was awkwardly familiar - the sneers and jeers, the unkempt persona, the leering gazes, their congregation, etc. Paco and his gang were evil. The Chiongs were innocent and saintly. There were no gray areas in between.

Surprisingly, the story carried the names of the Chiongs: Jackie (Meg Imperial), Marijoy (Donnalyn Bartolome), Thelma Chiong (Alma Moreno), Dionisio Chiong (Joel Torre), and siblings Dennis, Bruce and Debby. The baddies however were renamed: Ryan Eigenmann was Sonny; hammy newbie CJ Caparas was Jeff, and so on. AJ Muhlach was bad so let's forget he's even here. There's no mistaking though who they represented. 

That being said, after the first 30 minutes of this movie's tragically dated film making style, I started getting restless. Caparas was clear in his discretionary exposition who the perpetrators were. There's no narrative window of doubt. The story completely ignored the defense's alibi. They could have pointed that out and countered with an irrefutable proof otherwise. They wanted to point a finger indubitably.

Selfie with God

There were elements worthy of comedy, like questers summoning Jackie. I had to giggle when God suddenly appeared before Thelma and spoke! Seriously! I wanted to snap a photo and send to Malacanang. This was proof of God's selfie with Thelma Chiong. He-who-shall-not-be-named would repent and become a priest, debah? I'd even volunter to send him 23 truckloads of Bactidol full-strength solution to clean his filthy mouth. That's me being nationalistic.

I had flashbacks of Andi Eigenmann playing Hilda Koronel's role in the remake of "Angela Markado" (2015), I was mentally scarred by that movie. I had post-traumatic nightmares that Eigenmann would win a Famas because, in the real world, horrendous performances always win Famas trophies. Guess what? Andi won. You better believe it. I wore a turban and wrinkled face the whole week after her win. I was Madam Auring.

And if I have to re-state the exasperated guy who walked out from the movie: "Ampanget!"

When 8 Year Olds Know Better Than the Philippine Daily Inquirer

Reading and correcting errors! I used to love this while I was in high school.

Earlier today, I found my young cousins Anya and Vien, 8 and 10 years old respectively, giggling as they shared their lolo's  morning paper. They were in a huddle as to how a national paper like the Philippine Daily Inquirer cannot spot a glaring error for its Sunday Edition. "Billionaire" is spelled differently, so I had to tell the girls that it was wrong! "We know, Ate G! Those writers don't know how to spell Billionaire." And they giggled further. I had to join them because, admittedly, this was funny and sad!

This maybe amusing to the little ones, but I am not amused! We pay for this paper. Dada does NOT read them online so I do not appreciate this travesty. He does not pay for erroneous headlines and careless journalistic work. He deserves an impeccably edited paper at the very least - for the money that he pays every month! 

Have the Inquirer bosses fired most of their better editors? 

Moreover, is editor Jose Nolasco sleeping on the job? I tried to check their editorial box and they even have a Page One Editor who, obviously oversees Page One stories. Where was he? Even 8 year olds can easily identify their atrocious work! 

Shame on you, Inquirer! 

Why don't you work a little harder instead of buckling under the pressure of this Philippine President's constant harassment to your paper? You used to be fearless and truthful. Now you just cower with fear, you can't even spell simple words anymore - it is embarrassing!

As for this atrocity, where can I:

1. Send a bill for my dad's Sunday crapfest? He needs his money back for Inquirer's sloppy work!

2. Donate a Dictionary for Mr. Nolasco and his incompetent staff to use? Has Mocha Uson started editing for PDI? I thought she writes for Philippine Star (if indeed she knows how to write)?

3. Help them grow some balls against this administration's lunacy and incompetence?

Otherwise, just close shop! 

Kakasuya!  

Philippine Industry Report - The Best Films and Performances of 2016

There was a time when the ordinary Filipino’s favourite and most affordable past time was movie watching. People could clear their minds and get lost in the confines of a dark cinema hallway. But things have changed, SM, Ayala and Robinsons made sure of this. In fact, the cost of watching movies between December 2015 and December 2016 has obscenely gone up from between P190-P220 in 2015 to P250-280 this year. Between P190 and P280, this increase is a staggering 47.3%. And who regulates these increases?

For a country where 25.2% of the population (roughly 26 million Filipinos) lives below the national poverty line, current cinema rates are just impossibly steep. In fact, the unapologetic plagiarist Senator Tito Sotto myopically puts to task the new rules set by the MMFF Committee as reason for the dismal earnings at the 42^nd edition of the beloved film festival. MMFF 2016 just grossed a measly P500 million, which is half of 2015’s overall earnings. But there are several factors attributable to this.

FACTORS WHY MMFF 2016 EARNED LESS

One, this obvious dichotomy between mediocre mainstreams and indies makes people nervous or unsure. Two, poor information drive about the entries. While this is debatable, it is common knowledge that trailers for Nora Aunor’s “Kabisera”, Rhian Ramos’ “Saving Sally” or Irma Adlawan’s “Oro” were hardly seen on Philippine television, the most influential medium for information dissemination in the new millennium. Forget social media. The United Nations has reported that only 37% of Filipinos have internet access. Of this percentage, access is intermittent. 

The MMFF committee should finance a unified scheme that gives television airtime to promote their entries, particularly because many of these movies are being starred by non-marquee names. Three, this paradigm shift requires time to thrive. It’s like a surgeon’s skills. One doesn’t become an expert of a procedure overnight. Four, inclusion of a documentary was too radical. Since when is a documentary pitted for excellence against mainstream features? Not in Cannes, the Golden Globe, BAFTA or the Oscars. Only in the Philippines! Five, this ridiculous 47.3% increase in cinema admissions limits the capacity of the ordinary Pinoys to watch more movies than they’re usually able to. It’s very prohibitive. After all, we are far from having the earning standards of Singapore, Hong Kong or even Malaysia to impose such ticket prices. Bottom line: MMFF earned much less. Greed of these cinemaplex mafia is clearly contributory to the poor box office earnings.

There are adjustments needed for the new MMFF system obviously, but to call for its abolition is premature; the observation too myopic. And this is from a senator whose claim for cinematic excellence is as part of a zany trio of comedians with “Iskul Bukol”, “Bilibid Gays”, “Si Ako at ang Tres Muskiteros” and “Mang Kepweng” in their resume. The call is self-serving. And for what? So we can have another dose of “Enteng Kabisote”? Heavens forbid.

HAPPY BENEFICIARIES

Look at the bright side. The beneficiaries of the recent MMFF are actually rejoicing because they have received a LOT MORE from the earnings than the past years. What does one do with a billion earning if they don't even reach the beneficiaries' coffers? Even with less financial haul, the earnings have been put to good use. Obviously, something good has come out of the revamped MMFF, unless your sole indicator of success is the size of box office return.

2016 IN A NUTSHELL

Star Cinema once again lorded it over other production companies with majority of their releases making the year’s biggest blockbusters. Vice Ganda leads the pack with “The Super Parental Guardians” nearing the P600 million mark. 

Vilma Santos is the only movie queen, almost 45 years from her rise to stardom, who’s still able to carry a film that actually makes a lot of money. Santos' “Everything About Her” grossed P208 million and counting, the year’s 4^th biggest haul. The same movie showcased Angel Locsin’s box office clout. Locsin impressively manages two box office hits in 2016 with gender-bender, “The Third Party” earning P110 million. This should effectively hint of an explosive box-office magic in a new Darna flick if Locsin decides to “swallow the extra-terrestrial stone” and once again fly the cinematic skies.

The most unexpected blockbuster is Angelica Panganiban's "The Unmarried Wife", a vehicle she single-handedly carried with grit and grace. Of course there's Dingdong Dantes, Paolo Avelino and Maricar Reyes in the cast, but it's easy to attribute the film's success to Panganiban. The titular "wife", wasn't she? The film is also expected to earn more than others, once cost is subtracted from its gross earning.

DICHOTOMY

Some people scoff at mainstream productions, but to be fair, this is an industry that allows artists to earn money and provide for their family. The same can hardly be said about the indie community where, often times, people are paid so much less than industry rates. Some even work for free. This makes for an unsustainable livelihood in a society. The great divide in the debate against the concept of dichotomy rests in this salient feature. Artists need work where they’re paid adequately for services rendered. Director Marlon Rivera (“Ang Babae sa Septic Tank”) once bemoaned about the dichotomy between mainstream and independent productions. But until proper financial arrangements are laid out or professionalized, this concept remains valid and can’t be swept under the carpet.

NORA TAKES SIX

In 2016, Superstar Nora Aunor was in (hold your breath!) 6 feature films: (Adolfo Alix Jr.’s “Padre de Pamilia” and “Whistleblower”, Roderick Cabrido’s “Tuos”, Kristian Cordero’s “Hinulid” and Real Florido and Arturo San Agustin’s “Kabisera”). If we include cameos, the list will include Joven Tan’s “Pare, Mahal Mo Raw Ako” where La Aunor portrayed Edgar Allan Guzman’s mother. Unfortunately, none of these features showcased the legendary actress’ superior acting chops, except for “Tuos”. Most of these films were either predictable, pretentious or forgettable. Isn’t that a waste of talent?

This could have been 7 if Ms. Aunor wasn’t kicked out of Alvin Yapan’s “Oro”. The official reason stated by the production was schedule difficulties, but the grapevine has a more unpalatable story: Aunor allegedly refuses or cannot memorize Yapan’s kilometric lines. Remember Irma Adlawan’s protracted monologue in the film? The director hails from the academe and wants the script followed to the letter. The story is a film maker’s vision, after all. Ate Guy, who already filmed a few scenes, would allegedly adlib her way through a scene. Regardless, one cannot just remove THE Superstar without personally discussing this with her. This smacks of grave disrespect. Now, the veteran actress is in fighting form. Hell hath no fury like a Superstar scorned indeed.

BEST JOKE

Andi Eigenmann starred in a remake of Lino Brocka’s gut-wrenching “Angela Markado” (1980), this time directed by its original novelist Carlo J. Caparas. The result wasn’t bad. It was horrible! 

But this didn’t stop the Famas from giving a best actress trophy for Eigenmann. How is it like receiving an award for a performance that doesn't even deserve a citation? Oh how she cried! While I understand the different criteria that various award-giving bodies stand for, the new cinematic version of “Angela Markado” was execrable:; it was messy, amateurish and mostly incoherent. 

Easily, the movie was among the year’s worst. Giving an award of excellence for a bad film gives a wrong signal to an industry beleaguered by a variety of problems. The same award-giving body handed out its Best Film to the unnecessarily long and unexceptional “Felix Manalo”. To make matters worse, its Best Supporting Actor and Actress plum went to Gabby Concepcion and Lorna Tolentino, both for “Crazy Beautiful You”. In the aforementioned film, Gabby and Lorna were mostly decorative. No one in their right mind would even cite these actors for their turn in this movie. This makes FAMAS nothing but a humongous joke. No one believes their choices, but themselves. No one cares for the FAMAS anymore. They’re a demented bunch who probably just saw 10 local films in a film year that had 140 film features.

FILM OUTPUT

In terms of output, the struggling industry churned out, roughly, about 140 movies. Star Cinema released 12 titles; Viva had an impressive 7; Regal had 4; and the obscure BG Production International had 5, including the Nathalie Hart-starrer, “Siphayo”. Even Matteo Guidicelli became an action star in a film produced by BGP - Rod Santiago’s old school actioner, “Tupang Ligaw”.

Most of BG’s films, however, would get screened for a day, then pulled out the next. I’d say the bad luck comes from the producer’s robotic cameos in many of her films. In Joel Lamangan’s “Siphayo”, for example, a scene involves the producer sitting inside a car and looking so stiff, it looked like she got inflicted with either of the Clostridia species: botulinum or tetani. Or torticollis! Take your pick! She’s the perfect specimen!

FILM FESTIVALS

There were several local film festivals: ToFarm films, the agriculture-advocating festival, were mostly mediocre works, but it had a couple of gems: Dulay’s “Paglipay” and Villaluna’s “Pauwi Na”. 

Brillante Mendoza’s “Sinag Maynila” wasn’t that impressive, but it screened Adolfo Alix Jr.’s “Mrs.” To a minor degree, Mes de Guzman’s “Dyamper” was serviceable. 

Cine Filipino had more variety, but my favorites were the unabashedly romantic and poetic ouvre of Ice Idanan, “Sakaling Hindi Makarating”, Lem Lorca’s “Ned’s Project”, Jason Paul Laxamana’s “Ang Taba Ko Kasi”, and the eerily suspenseful “Ang Tulay ng San Sebastian”, directed by beleaguered megman Alvin Yapan (of the notorious “Oro” fame).

The grand dame of local festivals, Cinemalaya, makes a grand comeback. However, most films weren’t as accomplished as the past years' entries. Our favorites include Corpuz and Palomares’ “Kusina” with the sublime Judy Anne Santos; Eduardo Roy Jr.’s “Pamilya Ordinaryo”; and Jason Paul Laxamana’s “Mercury is Mine”. 

Some Cinemalaya entries managed to annoy us: Atom Magadia’s “Dagsin” was difficult and almost unbearable to watch, it taunted me to walkout several times, but Tommy Abuel’s performance convinced us to stay put; Cabrido’s “Tuos” meandered in its own artistic conceit, but Nora Aunor was fascinating in her flowing grey tresses; then there’s Ralston Jover’s “Hiblang Abo” which takes the cake as one of the year’s most atrocious ensemble. Almost every “lolo” in this story was gratingly irritating. We weren’t alone with this sentiment. A guy seated beside us kept whispering, “Die already.” Jun Urbano was just too resplendently tawdry. 

QCinema Film Festival emerged as the best mounted festival last year. It’s almost hard to pick favorites from their competition films. However, the weakest entry would have to be Cordero’s quotation-heavy “Hinulid” which starred Nora Aunor. Cinema One was the year’s most disappointing. This is mostly because we expected so much from it. Petersen Vargas’ “2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten” is its lone shining star. Then there’s the MMFF. I feel that there’s a problem with the selection of movies, but enough of that. Boborol’s “Vince & Kath & James” was a huge surprise, aside from Jun Lana’s “Die Beautiful”. Oh, there’s that dog-clubbing film too, but let’s avoid mentioning it further.

FOREIGN FESTIVALS

During the last quarter or the year, foreign film festivals were screened one after the other: Eiga Sai, Chinese, South Korean, Argentine, Spanish, German, Cine Europa, Danish, Asian, etc. There was even an Israeli Film Festival. While I was thrilled of these developments, the whole experience was eventually exhausting when we tried to watch most of them. My suggestion to the organizers: please try to coordinate with each other and spread these festivals across 12 months instead of fielding them all at the second half of the year. 

From these festivals, we saw Frederikke Aspock’s “Rosita”, a fish-out-of-water Danish film that starred beautiful Mercedes Cabral as a mail-order bride who finds herself in a frigid fishing village north of Copenhagen. 

I also caught Pepe Diokno’s “Above the Clouds”, starring Ruru Madrid, one of my favourite movie-going experiences last year. Iconic rocker Joey Pepe Smith was featured in two superior movies: Diokno’s “Above the Clouds” and Malaysian-Filipino director Bradley Liew’s “Singing in Graveyards”. Theatre luminary Anton Juan fielded his messy “Hinabing Palpak ng Ating mga Anak” which was a punishing watch for me. It starred JC Santos and Agot Isidro, among others.

WE LUV LAV

Finally, Lav Diaz’s films are making a killing at the box office, particularly for “Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis” which screened before SRO crowds all over the metropolis, Davao and Cebu included. Charo Santos’ “Ang Babaeng Humayo” was the same, although interest eventually dwindled. But, boy, what a screen comeback for a screen luminary!

REAL TALK

I also hope that, in the spirit of transparency, cinema owners and movie companies release correct box office returns because real numbers can be used to study the attitudes of people – their movie watching habit. This will ultimately benefit film makers. I remember watching Gino M. Santos’ “Love Me Tomorrow” (Dawn Zulueta, Piolo Pascual, Coleen Garcia) on its opening day. There were only 3 of us inside a huge Megamall cinema. That night, Boy Abunda proudly proclaimed the movie’s fantastic first-day gross to the tune of P13 million pesos! I almost fell off my chair. Three people in one cinema = P13 million first day gross. Talk about exponential padding, right? Of course, a single movie house isn’t an adequate gauge in the overall box-office earning of a film. Maybe there were thousands in other theatres, debah? I rest my case!

IN CONTENTION TOO

Our choices for the year’s best was simplified this year. For best performances, we chose 10 of the best performances in a lead role, and another 10 for supporting role. Arranged in descending order, this should easily point to who we think deserves the top plum. We had a hard time deliberating the best performers, but let it be known that Vilma Santos (“Everything About Her”), JC de Vera (“Best.Partee.Ever”), Angelica Panganiban (“The Unmarried Wife”), Ronwaldo Martin (“Pamilya Ordinaryo”) and Judy Anne Santos (“Kusina”) were in serious contention. For some actors, other factors, like the material they appeared in, eventually figured in the elimination.  

This is 2016’s Best Films and Performances (in descending order):

Best Films of 2016

1. Lav Diaz’s Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis (Best Film)

          

2. Brillante Mendoza’s Ma Rosa 

         

3. Jun Lana’s Die Beautiful 

        

4. Petersen Vargas’ 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten

          

5. Sheron Dayoc’s Women of the Weeping River  

        

6. Eduardo Roy Jr.’s Pamilya Ordinaryo 

         

7. Lav Diaz’s Ang Babaeng Humayo  

        

8. David R. Corpuz and Cenon O. Palomares’ Kusina 

         

9. Theodore Boborol’s Vince and Kath and James 

        

10. Ice Idanan’s Sakaling Hindi Makarating

Best Performance in a Lead Role (Actor and Actress) in 2016

1. Jaclyn Jose (Ma Rosa) - Best Actress in a Lead Role

          

2. Charo Santos (Ang Babaeng Humayo)

3. Tommy Abuel (Dagsin) - Best Actor in a Lead Role

4. Paolo Ballesteros (Die Beautiful) 

5. Hasmine Killip (Pamilya Ordinaryo)

6. Jasmine Curtis-Smith (Baka Bukas) 

        

7. Cherry Pie Picache (Pauwi Na) 

                          

8. Jaclyn Jose (Patay na si Hesus)

9. John Lloyd Cruz (Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis) ties with                  

   Joshua Garcia (Vince and Kath and James) 

10. Angeli Bayani (Ned’s Project) 

                         

Best Performance in a Supporting Role (Actor or Actress):

1. Christian Bables (Die Beautiful) - Best Actor in a Supporting Role

2. Meryll Soriano (Pauwi Na) - Best Actress in a Supporting Role

3. Jameson Blake (2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten) 

                  

5. Jordan Herrera (Best.Partee.Ever)

6. Kean Cipriano (That Thing Called Tanga Na)

6. Pepe Herrera (Sakaling Hindi Makarating)

                    

7. Lotlot de Leon (Mrs.)  

        

8. Ina Raymundo (Vince & Kath & James) 

9. Enchong Dee (Mano Po 7: Tsinoy) 

        

10. Barbie Forteza (Tuos)   

    

Best Director

1. Lav Diaz (Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis) 

         

2. Brillante Mendoza (Ma Rosa)  

        

3. Sheron Dayoc (Women of the Weeping River) 

        

4. Petersen Vargas (2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten)

          

5. Eduardo Roy Jr.(Pamilya Ordinaryo)  

        

Best Screenplay

1. Lav Diaz for "Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis" 

         

2. Troy Espiritu for "Ma Rosa"  

         

3. Jason Paul Laxamana for "2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten"

         

4. Lav Diaz for "Ang Babaeng Humayo"     

    

5. Daisy Cayanan, Kim Noromor, Anjanette Haw for "Vince & Kath & James"   

       

Best Cinematography

1. Larry Manda (Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis)   

      

2. Odyssey Flores (Ma Rosa)   

      

3. Mark Limbaga and Rafael Meting (Baboy Halas)   

     

4. Alan Banzon (Paglipay/Crossing) 

         

5. Lee Meily (Ignacio de Loyola) ties with
    Vanz Lavado (Lakbay2Luv)

         

Best Editing

1. Lav Diaz (Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis)

         

2. Diego Marx Dobles (Ma Rosa) 

        

3. Carlo Francisco Manatad (Pamilya Ordinaryo) 

         

4. Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos (Pauwi Na)  

      

5. Mycko David and Cesca Lee (Purgatoryo)          

Best Ensemble:

1. 2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten (Khalil Ramos, Ethan Salvador, Jameson Blake)

2. Vince and Kath and James 

3. Sunday Beauty Queen

4. The Unmarried Wife

5. Frederikke Aspock’s Rosita (Denmark)

2 Cool to be 4gotten

Vince and Kath and James

Sunday Beauty Queen

The Unmarried Wife

Rosita

Best First Feature:

1. Petersen Vargas (2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten) 

          

2. Bradley Liew (Singing in Graveyards)

3. Ice Idanan (Sakaling Hindi Makarating) 

         

4. Sunshine Lichauco de Leon and Suzanne Richiardone (Curiosity, Adventure and Love)

  

5. HF Yambao (Best.Partee.Ever)       

Best Documentary: Lichauco de Leon and Richiardone's "Curiosity, Adventure and Love"

Best Short Film: Lav Diaz's "Ang Araw Bago ang Wakas" 


Most Annoying Films of the Year (because we suffered while watching them):

1. Anton Juan's "Woven Wings of Our Children" (Hinabing Pakpak ng Ating mga Anak)

2. Atom Magadia's "Dagsin"

3. Ralston Jover's "Hiblang Abo"

4. Sheron Dayoc's "The Crescent Rising" - The Moro community utilizes the same argument that China uses to claim ownership to Mindanao. That it won in Korea really is a bigger disservice because it legitimizes erroneous claims. Historical revisionism at its worst. Period.

5. Jose Johnny Nadela's "Pilapil"

6. Kristian Cordero's "Hinulid" - The director makes use of a thousand quotations from mathematicians to philosophers diluting what could have been a fascinating story of a mother who comes to terms with her son's untimely demise. The film ultimately lost its own voice. Oh, and there's this train that travels from Manila to Bicol and terminates at the constellation! 


Best Struggle in Online Criticism: Cinema Bravo

-   Here’s why! http://makemeblush2.blogspot.com/2016/10/cinema-bravo-film-criticisms-execrable.html

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