There were extended screenings today. Caught Shorts A.
Bugtaw (Awake) (Noah del Rosario) **1/2 - Two boys meet up to share their dreams. One boy's father died and the other left. It's a neat concept. The dreams are depicted in animation. But it needed a bit more flourish in the execution.
Ang Maangas, Ang Marikit at Ang Makata (The Cool, the Fool and the Lovely) (Jose Ibarra Guballa) *** - This is a period black comedy set in the Philippines roughly late 1800's to early 1900's. It's about a young woman who loves to dance but her father forbids it. Then two suitors show up. The film is actually genuinely funny. It is pretty strong entry then it dropped the ball on the ending. It seemed it didn't know how to end.
Mansyong Papel (Paper Mansion) (Ogos Aznar) ** - A matriarch of a Chinese-Filipino family sees her family falling apart with various fights and money problems. The film feels like it should be a longer feature but was chopped up into a short featuring highlight reels. The sound mix sucks. Not even veteran Perla Bautista can save it.
Nakauwi Na (Gone Home) (John Relano/Patrick Baleros/Luis Hidalgo) **1/2 - Two brothers reminisce about old times when one of them comes home after spending decades in the U.S. I'm puzzled how there could be three credited directors in this when it's largely just two people talking. Anyway, as this was going on, I predicted the ending coming a mile away. It was okay.
Pektus (Spin) (Isabel Quesada) ***1/2 - They saved the best for last. A young man who knocked up his girlfriend and an insurance salesman with a heart problem get into a traffic altercation. This somehow affects each of their lives. This is a funny, dark comedy that somehow manages to be oddly life affirming in the end without being sentimental. From the shorts, this is the one director whose work I will be looking out for in the future.