Author Topic: Filipino films (Read 497900 times)

comet · « **Reply #2850 on:** Mar 05, 2015 at 08:40 AM »

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of Prinsipe Diomedes at ang mahiwagang gitara?

keng001 · « **Reply #2851 on:** Mar 16, 2015 at 10:38 AM »

5 indie films compete in ‘Sinag Maynila’ fest

LIMANG independent films ang maglalaban-laban sa darating na Sinag Maynila Film Festival na gaganapin mula sa Marso 18 hanggang 24 sa taong ito.

Ang Sinag Maynila ay ang kauna-unahang pestibal sa ating bansa para sa taong ito na magpapakita ng limang makabuhulang pelikula mula sa limang independent producers at directors.

Ito rin ang unang taon para sa festival organizers na kinabibilangan ng CEO at founder nito na si Wilson Tieng at ang world-renowned film director na si Brilliante Mendoza sa pakikipagtulungan sa pamunuan ng ShoeMart. Si Mendoza ang tatayong film director ng Sinag Maynila.

Sa ilang designated SM cinemas mapapanood ang limang de-kalidad na filmfest entries tulad ng “Balut Country,” “Bambanti,” “Imbisibol,” “Ninja Party” at “Swap” sa direksiyon naman nina Paul Sta. Ana, Zig Dulay, Lawrence Fajardo, Jim Libiran at Rempton Zuasola, respectively.

Katulad ng ibang independent film festival, ang layunin nito ay mabigyan pa ng mas malawak na oportunidad para mai-showcase ang kanilang trabaho, para mas lalo pang makilala at maging competitive.

Ayon nga kay direk Mendoza, “Mas maraming festivals, mas maraming pagkakataong makapaghatid ng marami pang kuwento, lalo na ang mga independent filmmakers.”

As early as now, pinupuri ni Tieng ang limang feature films.

Sa trailers na ipinakita sa amin noong press launch nito sa SM Aura sa Taguig, Metro Manila, kita namin ang iba’t ibang atake ng mga direktor lalo na sa mensahe na gusto nilang iparating sa mga manonood. May kanya-kanyang style pero, ang nangingibabaw ay ang layunin nilang makapaghandog ng isang de-kalidad na independent movie na, hopefully, ay tangkilikin din ng masang Pinoy sa box office.

Sa ngayon ay wala pa itong ratings mula sa MTRCB dahil ayon nga kay Tieng, wala pang ipapa-rate dahil wala pa naman silang pelikula (na tapos). Pero, kung anuman ang kanilang patakaran lalo na’t sa maseselang eksena, handa ang limang direktor na sundin kung ano ang mga ito.

Ilan sa mga artistang gaganap ng mahahalagang papel sa iba’t ibang entries ay sina Alessandra de Rossi, JM de Guzman, Rocco Nacino at marami pang iba.

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2852 on:** Mar 22, 2015 at 01:38 AM »

Balut Country (Paul Sta. Ana) **1/2 - Ooh boy. I actually know the co-writer of this film personally but I'm gonna be as fair as I can be. This is a Filipino independent film which I saw courtesy of the inaugural Sinag Maynila Film Festival. It's about a young man who inherits a struggling duck farm from his estranged father and is looking to sell it. But of course, it's not gonna be easy. Though its heart is in the right place and it's fairly well-acted, well-shot and well-made, the film is largely predictable and telegraphs its message way too hard that you can definitely see the ending coming by the second act. It's a good enough film but I wish it could have been better.

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2853 on:** Apr 24, 2015 at 11:32 PM »

Sanda Wong (Gerardo de Leon) ***1/2 - Very few Filipino films before the 1970's survive. Those that do are rare and in bad shape. This is one of them. It has been recently restored but I don't think the copy I saw was the restored version. Nevertheless, the strength of the film still shone through. Set in China, this is about a young man whose family treasure and eventually new wife were taken away by an oppressive military government. He teams up with a bandit named Sanda Wong to get his revenge. The film is kind of crazy. I mean that in the best possible way. It borders on camp a few times but still manages to make a compelling old-fashioned adventure story. The print I saw was bad but I can tell it is beautifully designed and a couple of battle scenes are exquisitely shot. I need to see the restored version, stat.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2854 on:** May 02, 2015 at 03:01 AM »

In the light of recent events, this film--sadly--seems as relevant as ever.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2855 on:** May 27, 2015 at 03:30 AM »

Excellent list, though I disagree with some entries (like Erik Matti better now, but not for noirish action), miss a few titles (Lav Diaz's Hesus Rebolusyonaryo and Mario O'Hara's Condemned) and second the shout-outs to Kastilyong Buhangin (Castle of Sand), Dugo ng Birhen (Blood of the Virgin), Return of the Dragon, and the great Bagong Hari (The New King). Also the mentions of Celso Ad Castillo's Asedillo, Tikoy Aguiluz's Biyaheng Langit, and Lino Brocka's Santiago!

His brief breakdown of Mario O'Hara's editing in Bagong Hari shows why the man is a master of both noir and the action film.

10 Underrated Filipino Action Films

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2856 on:** Jun 13, 2015 at 12:53 AM »

Rizal Weather, or: Undressing Josephine Bracken (an interview with Austin Coates)

What has this to do with film? The interview helped with the script of Tikoy Aguiluz's Rizal sa Dapitan. But the article might be helpful anyway, if you're interested in things Jose Rizal.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2857 on:** Jun 20, 2015 at 01:29 AM »

Due to popular demand: the original English article covering four Lav Diaz films shown in retrospective at the just concluded FilMadrid International Film Festival

rse · « **Reply #2858 on:** Jul 12, 2015 at 10:56 PM »

The Break Up Playlist. It's enjoyable enough if you get past Piolo as a struggling rock artist with matching tattoos at that! In spite of its packaging (flashbacks and title headers), it's still a very Star Cinema movie at its core. Sarah is tolerable here and surprisingly, she has good chemistry with Piolo. I can't get past the all too quick reconciliation especially since there's an alleged cheating involved. The musical numbers are nice too, but one or two songs were just sang one too many times throughout the movie.

keepmenow · « **Reply #2859 on:** Aug 09, 2015 at 11:03 AM »

Good Morning Sunshine (Ishmael Bernal) 3/5
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Elwood Perez) 4/5

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2860 on:** Aug 12, 2015 at 03:11 AM »

On its first commercial screening, and one of the best films of 2014, Lav Diaz's Mula Sa Kung Ano ang Noon (From What is Before).

Screening times at Shang Cineplex, Premiere Theatre August 12-18:

Aug 12 - 6:30 pm
Aug 13 - 6:30 pm
Aug 14 - 6:30 pm
Aug 15 - 12:30 & 6:30 pm
Aug 16 - 12:30 & 6:30 pm
Aug 17 - 6:30 pm
Aug 18 - 6:30 pm

Presented by the Film development Council of the Philippines and Sine Olivia Pilipinas, in partnership with the Shang Cineplex

My thoughts on the film

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2861 on:** Sep 28, 2015 at 01:08 AM »

Esoterika: Maynila (Elwood Perez) *** - Director Elwood Perez is a once prolific Filipino director in the 1980's and 1990's but for some reason hasn't made a lot of movies in the past 15 years or so. This is like his first feature that at least got some attention in a long, long while. It's hard to describe the plot of this film. It's basically a way gayer Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag on acid. An aspiring comic book artist hooks up with a transgendered women whilst finding himself in various parts of Manila experiencing various things. That's the best I can say what the basic premise of the film is without giving too much away. It is a really strange and unusual film which I actually wished would've been a bit weirder. But I still give it a recommendation just for the sheer audacity of it.

rse · « **Reply #2862 on:** Sep 29, 2015 at 07:40 PM »

Laurice Guillen’s “Kapag Langit ang Humatol”. Lovingly restored - one of the bests so far in terms of restoration. The movie itself is soap, unabashedly so. Everything bad that can happen to a character happened. Not my genre. The Vilma-Richard pairing is just too awkward though. Vilma looks like Richard's aunt and not his lover. I also feel that she struggled in the beginning with the "katulong" role. And the restoration didn't help her since it's "clearer" that she's much older than the character that she's playing, especially in the beginning when the character was much younger and she's up against a much younger female rivals such as Kristine Garcia and Eula Valdez. Lovers of soap and teleserye might enjoy this. Others beware! Now available in iTunes.

skoivan · « **Reply #2863 on:** Oct 01, 2015 at 12:51 PM »

I just streamed Mariquina on iflix and I thought it was really well-made.

Technically, the way it was shot and edited did not in any way feel sloppy as a lot of local films tend to be. Whoever directed the camera obviously had an eye for a good shot. Like the opening sequence with its amber hues, and play of light and shadow... some nice wide exterior shots, and even wide interior shots of the shoe factory were noteworthy... basta ang galing ng pagkakagamit ng camera.

Except maybe for the actress who played the wife of Romeo, all of the actors were spot on, anchored of course by the ever-dependable Ricky Davao (Romeo), and Mylene Dizon (Imelda) - who has intriguingly evolved to a powerhouse dramatic actress from when I first saw here as an AngTV teen. Props also to the supporting cast of Barbie Forteza who plays the young Imelda, the always alluring Bing Pimentel, and even comedic veteran Dennis Padilla. Ang prublema lang talaga for me was the actress who played Ricky Davao's wife. Parang walang emotions at all. Very flat and unconvincing. Among such a strong ensemble lalong na-magnify yung pagiging "weak link" niya.

And the story itself resonated emotionally. The sadness, anger, regret... all of these emotions truly came out and hit their mark (I was fvcking furious at Romeo's wife for what she did to her family). The structure of the film - interspersing the past and present - was very effective for the story that the director wanted to tell.

This here is not just great "for a local film" but really a great film.

8/10

skoivan · « **Reply #2864 on:** Oct 01, 2015 at 01:04 PM »

oooh... I was pretty impressed with how Mariquina was shot and kept on thinking that the quality of the images and atmosphere of the film reminded me of That Thing Called Tadhana for some reason... I was surprised to discover that the Director of Photography for both films is the same person.

krets pulpol · « **Reply #2865 on:** Oct 07, 2015 at 03:45 PM »

Puro Felix Manalo ang palabas sa SM cinemas

jas · « **Reply #2866 on:** Oct 07, 2015 at 03:49 PM »

^ Talking about Felix Manalo....

The premiere screening of the biopic 'Felix Manalo' sets two new world records on Sunday at the Iglesia ni Cristo's Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

The premiere broke the record for the Largest Attendance For a Film Screening with 43,624 viewers, according to Viva Films.

Moreover, the biopic also broke the record for the largest indoor film screening at the Philippine Arena which is the world's largest indoor arena with a capacity of 55,000.

http://www.clickthecity.com/movies/a/27545/felix-manalo-movie-holds-two-new-world-records

skoivan · « **Reply #2867 on:** Oct 07, 2015 at 04:10 PM »

interested to find out if it's actually a good movie.

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2868 on:** Oct 25, 2015 at 07:09 PM »

Anino sa Likod ng Buwan (Shadow Behind The Moon) (Jun Robles Lana) **** - Wow. What a film! Easily the best Filipino film of the year so far. Set during the early 90's when the military was trying to quash communist rebels in the countryside and people were getting caught in the crossfire. This is about one such married couple and their soldier friend stuck in a shack during a lunar eclipse. As the story unfolds, secrets and twists are revealed. This film is all in one take (or at the very least edited to look that way) and it's quite brilliant. And only three characters and one setting throughout the film. It is tense, erotic (graphic sex scene!), thought-provoking and shocking. It's quite reminiscent of Scorpio Nights and will probably stay with me just the same. Highly recommended.

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2869 on:** Nov 10, 2015 at 12:29 AM »

Karnal (Of The Flesh) (Marilou Diaz-Abaya) ***1/2 - This is a classic of Filipino cinema recently digitally restored and screened during a film festival. A prodigal song returns home to his small town in the rural provinces from the big city bringing his new young, beautiful wife who resembles his late mother causing a rift between him, his stern father and various members of this small town. This is a pretty superb piece of work. Tragic and bleak? Very much but felt very earned. The film is definitely a feminist work (by the Philippines most acclaimed female director) but it doesn't hammer it down so much. It speaks out against Filipino-patriarchy which sadly didn't seem to permeate much in society. Definitely a classic Filipino film which must be seen by more people.

Lorna (Sigrid Andrea Bernardo) ***1/2 - A 60 year old single woman is looking for love in all the wrong places. This is technically a romantic comedy but it is such antithesis of mainstream Filipino romantic comedies. For one thing the lead is not a cute young couple and the film is surprisingly quite sex-positive (something that's relatively rare in mainstream Filipino rom-coms, since I find Filipinos LOVE romance but generally don't like sex) so it's like breath of fresh air. It features a great central performance by Shamaine Buencamino as the love-starved middle-aged woman. Lav Diaz shows up as one of her beaus and if you wanna see the internationally acclaimed auteur show his butt and smoke a joint, this is the movie to see. It's just a tad too long though but otherwise highly recommended.

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2870 on:** Nov 11, 2015 at 10:43 PM »

CINEMA ONE ORIGINALS FILMS:

Manang Biring (Carl Joseph Papa) ***1/2 - This is actually a rotoscoped animated film (a rarity in Filipino cinema) about a terminally ill elderly woman finds out that her estranged daughter is seeing her for Christmas. She goes through great lengths to be able to survive just long enough to see her. Now, this may sound like a three-hankie, and yes, it does jerk your tears but it earns them. This is actually quite funny and edgy and has something a bit more in common with Breaking Bad than your average cancer drama. The rotoscoped animation actually gives this film a bit more heft and depth to it with images that somehow manages to stay with you. It's also oddly life-affirming. Definitely one of the best Filipino films of the year so far.

Baka Siguro Yata (Joel Ferrer) *** - After being dumped by his girlfriend of six years for another woman, a guy hooks up with an old classmate and gets her pregnant. His divorced parents re-kindle their romance despite being attached to other people. Two young teenagers contemplate losing their virginity. Yes, they're all plots we know from other comedies but this time they're done in a uniquely Filipino concept. The results are often funny but what makes this stand out is that despite the fact that it's technically a sex comedy, there's zero attempt to gross out or shock people with graphic content but it's still often charming and funny. It's no comedic masterpiece but it's still a refreshing little antidote to the Pinoy cutie love team rom-coms.

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2871 on:** Nov 14, 2015 at 12:02 AM »

Hamog (Haze) (Ralston Jover) *** - This is a film focusing on four street children who sniff glue and commit petty crimes for various reasons and how they deal when tragedy strikes one of them. The film is a mixed bag. There are lots of parts that are absolutely brilliant. It's very refreshing especially for a Filipino film that the poor isn't presented as helpless saintly victims. The performances of the cast is natural and terrific. But there are parts that don't work (there's a narrative thread involving a fantastical Super Girl that went nowhere). Overall, an admirable piece of work.

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2872 on:** Nov 14, 2015 at 11:32 PM »

Miss Bulalacao (Ara Chawdhury) ***1/2 - A gay man/transgender woman (in Filipino LGBT culture, the two are interchangeable to a lot of people, too long an explanation) finds himself mysteriously pregnant, sending his small town in a tizzy. Oh and aliens are involved for some reason. Yes, the film sounds strange and quirky but manages to be believable and grounded. It's also often very funny but is able to pull off pathos well (especially near the end). And on top of all that, it manages to satirize Filipinos' love for beauty pageants and Filipino religiosity. It's an imaginative piece of work that's hard to box in a category. This is the first feature from director Ara Chawdhury and I can't wait to see what she does next.

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2873 on:** Nov 15, 2015 at 10:38 PM »

Dayang Asu (Bor Ocampo) *** - A father and son does some dirty work/dirty errands for the corrupt mayor of their town who likes to push his weight around. Of course, things don't go well. I recognize that this is definitely a very well-made and very well-acted film. It is also quite refreshing to see unpleasant characters portrayed as three-dimensional human beings in a Filipino film, something the mainstream Filipino film does not do often enough. But I can't help but feel this is a bit derivative of better Filipino films of a similar theme like On the Job and Kinatay. There are moments in this film that made me feel uneasy and queasy but I guess that's sort of its goal. I'd give it a recommendation but with reservations.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2874 on:** Nov 21, 2015 at 12:26 AM »

My vote for the finest horror film in recent years

kikofabs · « **Reply #2875 on:** Feb 16, 2016 at 07:04 PM »

Meron bang available na DVD ng mga Sinag Maynila 2015 entries at saan pwede bumili?

jas · « **Reply #2876 on:** Feb 23, 2016 at 10:02 AM »

Lav Diaz’s 8-hour film ‘Hele’ wins Alfred Bauer Prize in Berlin

Lav Diaz’s recent opus, the eight-hour “Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis (Lullaby to Sorrowful Mystery)” wins the Alfred Bauer Prize for work of particular innovation in the 66th Berlin International Film Festival, the Agence France-Presse reported on Sunday morning (Manila time).

http://entertainment.inquirer.net/190576/lav-diazs-8-hour-film-hele-sa-hiwagang-hapis-wins-in-berline

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2877 on:** Mar 07, 2016 at 01:33 AM »

Always Be My Maybe (Dan Villegas) *** - Two people who have just been dumped by their respective significant others meet and befriend each other and find that they are falling in love. Usually, I stay away from romantic-comedies, especially Filipino Star Cinema romantic comedies but the good reviews from people I trust convinced me to check this one out. Yes, the plot is kind of a generic, almost by the numbers and formulaic to a fault. But somehow it kind of works. The charms of lead stars Gerald Anderson and Arci Munoz and a script that's almost free of the usual bullcrap, makes this a pleasantly entertaining rom-com. It's no That Thing Called Tadhana but it's still good.

rse · « **Reply #2878 on:** Mar 28, 2016 at 04:02 PM »

Kabisera. Breaking Bad, Pinoy style. It’s interesting enough - very well acted and shot but the narrative is predictable & needs more focus. Now available on iTunes.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2879 on:** Apr 11, 2016 at 05:33 AM »

The Last Pinoy Action King