Sunday Beauty Queen (Baby Ruth Villarama) ***1/2 - This is the first of a series of reviews of films from the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) which has now undergone a serious revamp is now screening films I actually want to watch. This is a documentary (unheard of for this festival before now) that follows a group of Filipino domestic helpers working in Hong Kong who participate in beauty pageants and talent competitions every Sunday. Even though the documentary didn't say anything that I don't already know, the film does have a way of sneaking up on you. I did not expect it would be as emotional as it was. A truly exemplary piece of work. If you're a Filipino and you want to see a film of substance this is the one to see.
Seklusyon (Erik Matti) ***1/2 - Before they finally take their vows, a group of young priests do their "seclusion", a sort of religious retreat of fasting, prayer, and trying to ward off the temptations of the devil. Then a mysterious young girl with mysterious healing powers show up. This is another MMFF entry and it's from Erik Matti, one of the best mainstream Filipino directors out there. Here, he has created a slickly made, genuinely creepy, thought provoking and disturbing religious horror film in the vein of such films as The Exorcist, The Omen and most recently, The VVitch. I had some problems with the ending but overall, this is a scary, gnarly ride.