Author Topic: Filipino films (Read 500367 times)

jas · « **Reply #2310 on:** Jan 17, 2010 at 08:51 AM »

Quote from: oggsmoggs on Dec 23, 2009 at 03:28 PM

The Arrival (Erik Matti, 2009)

Just saw below posting at Twitch Film. Has The Arrival already received a wider local release or has it just been shown at a film festival?

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Trailer For Erik Matti's THE ARRIVAL
by Todd Brown
January 15, 2010

Erik Matti's is a name that should need no introduction in these parts. The Filipino film maker has been a staple here for years, coming to our attention with his wacky lo-fi Spider-Man riff Gagamboy before impressing with sparsely atmospheric horror tale Pa-Siyam and diving into fantasy pulp with Exodus. The man's even done some very serious indie-drama.

Matti's career is an unusual one, particularly by Filipino standards, where most commercial directors must simply grind out quick, formulaic money earners to keep the entrenched studio system there happy. And Matti has certainly done his share of that, being a good soldier and playing generally within the rules of the system while still managing to work in his own unique flourishes to let audiences know that there may just be something a little more lurking beneath the surface.

Well, what's beneath the surface is now quickly coming to the top. You see, a couple years back Matti simply tired of being the good soldier and checked out of the established order of things. He got his own gear, set up his own space and set out to do things his own way. And the first result of that move is, appropriately enough, The Arrival.

Matti describes it as his most personal film to date and it's hard not to see how it reflects his own changing world. It is the story of Leo, a withdrawn accountant who has spent his life simply being a good soldier for his employer, the consequence being that he has seen nothing, done nothing, and faded so much into the back ground that his company's security men mistake him for a new employee. The film released just before Christmas and Matti has been good enough to provide us with an English subtitled version of the trailer. Check it below.

http://twitchfilm.net/news/2010/01/trailer-for-erik-mattis-the-arrival.php

keating · « **Reply #2311 on:** Jan 17, 2010 at 10:41 PM »

Erik Matti's THE ARRIVAL was shown at the CCP last December for invitation only.

Too bad I was not able to catch it. Some of my friends are already gushing on the film.

jas · « **Reply #2312 on:** Jan 18, 2010 at 06:49 AM »

Quote from: keating on Jan 17, 2010 at 10:41 PM

Erik Matti's THE ARRIVAL was shown at the CCP last December for invitation only.

Too bad I was not able to catch it. Some of my friends are already gushing on the film.

I see, thanks for this info. So that's why I did not hear about it being shown already. Hope it soon gets a wider release. Looks promising...

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2313 on:** Jan 18, 2010 at 07:45 PM »

The Best of 2009, the Best of the Decade

Vancouver International Film Festival pictures

Show Only One Hollywood Movie a Month, the Sequel

jas · « **Reply #2314 on:** Jan 21, 2010 at 06:56 AM »

from Twitch Film:

Erik Matti Vaults Into The A-List With OJT
by Todd Brown, January 19, 2010 8:00 PM

Filipino director Erik Matti has long been a favorite of this site, his films consistently charming with their unique sense of style and energy. But as much as we may argue that films like superhero riff Gagamboy or atmospheric chiller Pa-Siyam are fun films - which they very definitely are - the realities of the system that Matti has been forced to work within have largely meant that while his films are consistently fun they are very seldom what would be called good, at least not good in the big, serious arthouse definition of the word. Only once that I'm aware of in his career - with the gritty drama Prosti - has Matti really been able to showcase the serious craftsman in him and that film has been seen by so tragically few people that it hardly counts.

This is about to change.

When posting the trailer for Matti's indie-comedy The Arrival last week we commented on how major changes were imminent for the writer-producer-director, with The Arrival being the first product of Matti's departure from the mainstream industry and creation of his own production space. What I wasn't able to say then but can say now is that with The Arrival all wrapped up Matti has begun work on his next feature, a crime drama titled OJT. And when this film arrives it will almost certainly vault Matti into the top tier of the international film world.

How can I possibly justify saying such a thing? Simple. Though the film is not yet in active production, Matti and his crew spent a day shooting an 8+ minute promo for the piece to sell the mood and tone. The result? Imagine, if you will, the best parts of Johnnie To's Exiled fused with Fabian Bielinsky's El Aura. The look and tone are absolutely perfect, the performances rich and nuanced and probably the best I have ever seen from the region. If the rest of the film manages to live up to this reel - again, the product of just a single day's work armed with a pair of very good actors, a fantastic DP and two RED cameras - then Matti has an art-crime picture of the absolute highest order on his hands.

But don't take my word for it. We've just been cleared to share the reel with you, the Twitch faithful. Check it below.

http://twitchfilm.net/news/2010/01/erik-mattis-vaults-into-the-a-list-with-otj.php

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2315 on:** Jan 21, 2010 at 08:41 AM »

Prosti? Eh. But Pa-Siyam and Gagamboy are good.

northern portrait · « **Reply #2316 on:** Jan 28, 2010 at 11:19 PM »

Death in the Land of Encantos (Lav Diaz, 2008)

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2317 on:** Feb 02, 2010 at 10:35 AM »

Love letter at Alex Tioseco's Criticine website

Daybreakers (Spierig Brothers, 2009)

jas · « **Reply #2318 on:** Feb 10, 2010 at 12:38 PM »

Brillante Mendoza's Lola is nominated for Best Film, Best Director & Best Editing at the 4th Asian Film Awards. Nominees are selected from movies submitted to the 34th Hong Kong International Film Festival. Winners will be announced on March 22, 2010.

The competition:

Best Film:

Bodyguards and Assassins (Hong Kong / China)
City of Life and Death (China- mainland)
Lola (Philippines)
Mother (South Korea)
No Puedo Vivir Sin Ti (Taiwan)
Parade (Japan)

Best Director:

BONG Joon-ho (Mother - South Korea)
Asghar FARHADI (About Elly - Iran)
LU Chuan (City of Life and Death - China)
Brillante MENDOZA (Lola - Philippines)
SONO Sion (Love Exposure - Japan)
YONG Fan (Prince of Tears - Hong Kong / Taiwan)

Best Editing:

Lee Chatametikool (Karaoke - Malaysia)
KWONG Chi-Leung, CHAN Chi-Wai (Overheard - Hong Kong)
MOON Sae-kyoung (Mother - South Korea)
Kats SERRAON (Lola - Philippines)
TANG Hua, ZHANG Yifan, DU Yuan (Silver Medalist - China)

northern portrait · « **Reply #2319 on:** Feb 12, 2010 at 12:19 AM »

Todo Todo Teros (John Torres, 2006)

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2320 on:** Feb 12, 2010 at 05:47 AM »

How'd you get to see it, north?

northern portrait · « **Reply #2321 on:** Feb 12, 2010 at 09:33 PM »

It was shown a few weeks ago at Cine Adarna, UPFI. It's making up for lost time, it seems, with quite a few retrospectives.

rse · « **Reply #2322 on:** Feb 17, 2010 at 07:33 AM »

Finally saw Kimi Dora on DVD. It's a good vehicle for Eugene Domingo and the only Joyce Bernal film that I kinda like since Kailangan ko'y Ikaw. It's highly enjoyable though a tad overrated. Also, it has too many distracting cameos.

keating · « **Reply #2323 on:** Feb 17, 2010 at 08:29 PM »

Quote from: jas on Jan 18, 2010 at 06:49 AM

I see, thanks for this info. So that's why I did not hear about it being shown already. Hope it soon gets a wider release. Looks promising...

Jas...THE ARRIVAL will be shown tomorrow at the CCP, Feb 18 at 9pm as part of Cinema Rehiyon. Prior to that my fellow Negrense Bacolod short films will be shown also at 7 pm. If you have time catch both screenings!

jas · « **Reply #2324 on:** Feb 18, 2010 at 01:35 PM »

Quote from: keating on Feb 17, 2010 at 08:29 PM

Jas...THE ARRIVAL will be shown tomorrow at the CCP, Feb 18 at 9pm as part of Cinema Rehiyon. Prior to that my fellow Negrense Bacolod short films will be shown also at 7 pm. If you have time catch both screenings!

Really appreciate this info, but unfortunately I don't think I can make it. It's a weekday & CCP is quite far from my location in Marikina... $:-\$

Hope though that there will still be a regular theatrical release.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2325 on:** Feb 22, 2010 at 12:35 PM »

Mario O'Hara's Bagong Hari (The New King, 1986) and the state of Filipino film preservation

Raymond Red's Himpapawid(Manila Skies, 2009)

Charles Burnett's Nightjohn (1996) and Selma, Lord Selma (1999)

Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are(2009)

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Phil Lord, Chris Miller, 2009)

Messenger 2: Scarecrow (Martin Bernawitz, 2004)

keating · « **Reply #2326 on:** Feb 22, 2010 at 01:19 PM »

I have vague memories of BAGONG HARI. As far as I know it was shown in the mid-80's and was pulled out after two days?

I'm very sure that a copy exists somewhere in beta and vhs format. Nice article btw on film preservation, Noel!

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2327 on:** Feb 24, 2010 at 02:48 PM »

Yeah. Copies circulating but I saw it on the big screen, and it's glorious on the big screen. Great film.

Incidentally, there are video copies of Bagong Hari, but only one of the people involved in the production has a copy of the movie PLUS the film's original ending--before the MTRCB forced them to add those ridiculous end titles.

And thanks!

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #2328 on:** Feb 25, 2010 at 04:31 PM »

Himpapawid (Manila Skies, Raymond Red, 2009)

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #2329 on:** Feb 27, 2010 at 11:27 AM »

I'm trying to look for the schedule of Last Supper No. 3. I can't find it!

rse · « **Reply #2330 on:** Mar 02, 2010 at 12:13 AM »

Saw 2 mainstream Pinoy movies during my vacation in Manila:

Paano na kaya (Ruel Bayani)
This is a cute love story, works mainly because of the chemistry of the main leads.

Miss You Like Crazy (Cathy Garcia-Molina)
I'm a fan of Cathy Garcia Molina's romantic movies. I think she's way better than Joyce Bernal. This movie is the usual Star Cinema movie but it's well told, well acted and well directed.

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #2331 on:** Mar 03, 2010 at 11:33 AM »

I think Cathy Garcia-Molina is underrated just because she works well within the studio system. Her films for Star Cinema, all of which are technically and narratively accomplished, represent what we love and loathe about the mainstream.

rse · « **Reply #2332 on:** Mar 03, 2010 at 11:47 PM »

Quote from: oggsmoggs on Mar 03, 2010 at 11:33 AM

I think Cathy Garcia-Molina is underrated just because she works well within the studio system. Her films for Star Cinema, all of which are technically and narratively accomplished, represent what we love and loathe about the mainstream.

Agree.

rse · « **Reply #2333 on:** Mar 03, 2010 at 11:56 PM »

And I Love You So (Laurenti Dyogi)
This one's pretty boring. Too depressing to be romantic, too shallow to be dramatic. Sam Milby I think has limited range as an actor and fits better in romantic comedies. Bea Alonzo fares better. Derek Ramsay is just an accessory.

Ang Tanging Pamilya
Weird Ai-Ai and Erap pairing. If you're a fan check it out.

The Last Journey of Ninoy
Very watchable Ninoy documentary. I enjoyed it. Very informative.

First Day High (Mario Cornejo)
This movie has its charm in the High School Musical kind of way, but way too all-over-the-place.

El Zar · « **Reply #2334 on:** Mar 05, 2010 at 03:36 PM »

An officemate of mine wants to know the title of a Ramon Revilla film where he turns into a wild boar or something... anybody here know that movie?

simon7153 · « **Reply #2335 on:** Mar 06, 2010 at 06:03 PM »

Tonyong Bayawak

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #2336 on:** Mar 06, 2010 at 07:36 PM »

Bakal Boys (Children Metal Divers, Ralston Jover, 2009)

rse · « **Reply #2337 on:** Mar 07, 2010 at 07:07 PM »

Patient X (Yam Laranas)
I like its visual artistry and its minimal approach to FX. I just hope that they're able to come up with a better story. The movie is also devoid of its needed tension. It doesn't help that Richard Gutierrez still can't act and the other actor, TJ Trinidad is just so boring to watch. Still it's worth a look.

El Zar · « **Reply #2338 on:** Mar 08, 2010 at 10:17 AM »

Quote from: simon7153 on Mar 06, 2010 at 06:03 PM

Tonyong Bayawak

Thanks !

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #2339 on:** Mar 09, 2010 at 05:04 PM »

Lino Brocka in San Francisco; Paul Morales' Concerto (2008)

Invictus (Clint Eastwood, 2009)

Love Happens (Brandon Camp, 2009)