Author Topic: MAGNIFICO (Read 26402 times)

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #30 on:** Feb 23, 2003 at 11:03 PM »

Terrific as Albert and Lorna (and Gloria, and Jiro, and Mark, and Amy, and all the rest) are in it, I don't think it's just their movie. I was asked when I recommended it to someone "who's in it?" I said it didn't matter who was in it, it's just good. A good film from a good script. A Maryo j. film from a Yamamoto script.

Reuven Malter · « **Reply #31 on:** Feb 23, 2003 at 11:34 PM »

just got my mom and sis to see it with me this tuesday. thank God for the holiday. sales pitch was "if you liked tanging yaman, this one is a lot better!" they're convinced.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #32 on:** Feb 23, 2003 at 11:36 PM »

Tanging Yaman doesn't even come close.

Reuven Malter · « **Reply #33 on:** Feb 23, 2003 at 11:49 PM »

of course but i gotta start somewhere. tanging yaman was the last film these skeptics of filipino films have seen and liked. it's rare for my mom to go to the movies. she'd rather watch dvds at home. even more with sis who is not exactly a fan of filipino films except when they're done by joyce bernal.

acyl_halide · « **Reply #34 on:** Feb 24, 2003 at 04:02 PM »

This film has got more heart than all the Filipino films shown last year combined. It is more Filipino than any film last year. This powerful rendition of day to day miracles deserve to be seen by every Filipino especially the Filipino child who has been deprived of truly family-oriented pictures.

I watched it on a Friday night with only fifteen people in the theater. How sad! We ask for really good Filipino films and no one bothers to check when there is one gem out.

Reuven Malter · « **Reply #35 on:** Feb 24, 2003 at 05:54 PM »

sana nga wag mag-back-out yung dalawa bukas. last showing na siguro bukas sa mega.

xage · « **Reply #36 on:** Feb 24, 2003 at 07:28 PM »

I was just so suprised films like this was no even nominated on last December's oh so bad and controversial Line-up of Pinoy Films

sungit · « **Reply #37 on:** Feb 24, 2003 at 07:33 PM »

finally caught it last night in festival mall -- which along with megamall i think is the only place showing it in the city. and man, was i in for a surprise.

i had purposely avoided reading reviews and this thread for spoilers and stuff so i went in the theater with no inkling whatsoever about what the movie was about. i only knew that a japanes chick wrote it, a kid named jiro was in it, and my favorite matinee idol danilo barrios was in it too. honestly, the fact that danilo was reason enough for me to avoid it (i cringe whenever i remember dekada and bits of yamacrapa... *shudders again*). but it was so well worth it. there's still hope left in philippine cinema.

you guys -- especially noel -- have posted all my thoughts about the movie. well-earned tears yes, from me (and downhill boy. haha) especially the part where he takes his sister to the fair. wait i'm getting that lump in my throa again. the dramatic scenes weren't forced at all and the whole movie was a lovely slice-of-life flick.

it reminded me of rocket gibraltar and pay it forward. though this was waaay better than that osment clinker.

complaints about the technical stuff though -- is it me or the theater or was the sound poorly mixed? some scenes i could hardly hear the dialogue because the background noise was too loud. also, why was it that whenever (presumably) the DP put on the wide angle lens, the imgae would turn out slightly blurred... as if a soft lens or filter was placed? anoher thing -- the scene where magnifico gets run over and they all run after the body, the color kind of changed to a more overexposed one. did anyone notice this too? flwas of the theater or the film itself? i wonder.

anyway, great movie. don't regret it for a bit. and i haven't cried in a movie in a long time. as i was leaving the theater, i just kept saying -- "i want a son like magnifico."

Reuven Malter · « **Reply #38 on:** Feb 24, 2003 at 07:34 PM »

do you mean selected for the MMFF? violett films is new to the industry; I guess it didn't have that much clout as the others who qualified. Since this was only shown this year, it'd qualify for the awards' derby next year. I do hope they won't forget this small yet magnanimous film!

talking about the MMFF, if they wanted to capture the local audience, this would've been a better alternative. it'd have been apt for Christmas and it could've given us the needed boost for the New Year. kawawa talaga ang Pinoy. suportahan natin ito bukas at mukhang bukas na lang siya ipapalabas. buti na lang at holiday.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #39 on:** Feb 25, 2003 at 12:13 AM »

That overexposed effect is what Maryo J. called bleach bypass. You see it in films like Private Ryan and he first used it in Laman. It's a nice little effect for something like Laman (which is noir) but I thought (and commentary thought) that he overdid it in Magnifico.

But it doesn't matter much, does it? Strong story, strong performances, that's all you really need...

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #40 on:** Feb 25, 2003 at 12:27 AM »

I hope the theater managers don't dump all the existing films and show new ones tomorrow. It's a holiday and they may want to make it an early week for new (and probably inferior) films...

Reuven Malter · « **Reply #41 on:** Feb 25, 2003 at 06:58 AM »

and noel's prophecy came true. it's not showing in mega.

VCD na lang daw panoorin namin.

diesel · « **Reply #42 on:** Feb 25, 2003 at 11:11 AM »

mejo off-topic.

kapit bahay ko yan si jiro manio. cute yang batang yan.

tsaka maganda daw ang movie nya.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #43 on:** Feb 25, 2003 at 01:52 PM »

Quote from: Reuven Malter on Feb 25, 2003 at 06:58 AM

and noel's prophecy came true. it's not showing in mega. VCD na lang daw panoorin namin.

Never underestimate the greed of theater managers.

Vera's Law.

edsa77 · « **Reply #44 on:** Feb 25, 2003 at 05:15 PM »

Greenbelt's art film must screen it. I can't stand their taste : Swept Away and Stolen Summer? Magnifico deserves a re-run.

Reuven Malter · « **Reply #45 on:** Feb 25, 2003 at 05:57 PM »

Quote from: diesel on Feb 25, 2003 at 11:11 AM

mejo off-topic.

kapit bahay ko yan si jiro manio. cute yang batang yan.

tsaka maganda daw ang movie nya.

puwede humingi ng autograph?

seriously!

sungit · « **Reply #46 on:** Feb 26, 2003 at 12:35 AM »

nice to see you here edsa!

acyl_halide · « **Reply #47 on:** Mar 30, 2003 at 09:00 PM »

Here is some good news regarding Magnifico reprinted from Ricky Lo's column yesterday:

Magnifico vies in international filmfest
Here’s a piece of good news from Ferdinand Lapuz, Funfare’s Toronto-based international correspondent:

Well, I have good news for you and the Filipino movie industry. Director Maryo delos Reyes’ Magnifico has been officially invited to the very prestigious Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic from July 4 to 12, 2003. The better news is it will be screening in the official competition program of its 38th edition, making it the first Filipino film competing in this festival. This great news was relayed to me by Artistic Director Eva Zaoralova.

Karlovy Vary may not sound familiar to most Filipinos, even to me before. It is right behind the Cannes, Venice and Berlin filmfests in prestige. It is a non-specialized festival with a feature-film competition. It belongs to group one in the Paris-based International Federation of Film Producers Association along with Berlin, Cairo, Cannes, Mar de Plata, Montreal, Moscow, San Sebastian, Shanghai, Tokyo and Venice. One thing the above festivals have in common, according to FIAPF director of festivals and communication’s interview on Variety on August 28, 2000, is that they cannot accept a film for competition if it has been in competition in another festival.

Last Sunday’s winner of Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, Germany’s Nowhere To Hide, had its international premiere in Karlovy Vary and was awarded a Special Jury Prize. Other recent winners from Karlovy Vary that were short listed in the Oscars or Golden Globe include Sergei Bodrov’s Prisoner of the Mountains, Nanna Djordjadze’s A Chef in Love in 1996 and Alan Berliner’s Ma Vie En Rose Best Feature Film in 1997.

With the exceptions of festivals in Venice and Cannes, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is the oldest film show in the world. It was established in 1946 and its first two years took place in Marianske Lazni.

According to Steven Gaydos, Executive Editor of Variety, "Karlovy Vary has the best audience of any festival in the world." With its vibrant location and challenging film program, it is clear that the festival has become one of the top film events and is the leading film competition in Central and Eastern Europe.

The festival presents the Grand Prix Golden Crystal Globe Award for Best Feature Film with $20,000 as part of the prize. Other awards are Special Jury Prize, Best Actor, Best Actress and Special Jury Mentions for feature films. Its trophy is one of the most beautiful in the festival circuit, with a figure of a woman stands raising a crystal ball.

Congratulations to direk Maryo, Violett Films, first time writer Michiko Yamamoto, the production staff and the cast (Lorna Tolentino, Albert Martinez, Ms. Gloria Romero, Cherrie Pie Picache, Amy Austria, Tonton Gutierrez, Mark Gil, Danilo Barrios, Girlie Sevilla, Alisson VII Gonzales, Cloyd Robinson, Susan Africa and, of course, the three kids, Isabella de Leon, Joseph Robles and Magnifico himself, Jiro Manio). Just a note: Lav Diaz’s Batang West Side was the first Filipino film screened in Karlovy Vary (last year).

Thanks and I’m not sure yet if I am going to Karlovy Vary although an invitation has been sent to me already. But if I am going, I will try to bring my video camera so I can record the film’s presentation and awards ceremony for your segment in The Buzz. If it is okay with you

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #48 on:** Mar 31, 2003 at 12:05 AM »

Karlovy Vary is very prestigious--Tikoy Aguiluz, among others, considers it the best in the world.

It's more adventurous than Cannes, that's for sure. Cannes mostly goes for brand labels, known products. Berlin and Karlovy Vary, and Singapore and Hong Kong for Asian films, do better programming.

RMN · « **Reply #49 on:** Jun 24, 2003 at 03:12 PM »

POSTING FROM THE PHIL. STAR

Well, I am all set to go to Karlovy Vary from July 6 until the 13th for the 48th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Czech Republic. Director Maryo J. delos Reyes’ Magnifico is in the official competition program, making it the very first Filipino film competing at the prestigious film event.

Direk Maryo together with his producer Violeta Sevilla of Violett Films, her daughter and actress Girlie Sevilla, musical director Lutgardo Labad and Jiro Manio with his father Andrew Manio are arriving in Prague on July 9. I am very grateful to Madam Violet for heeding my request to bring Jiro who plays the title role in Magnifico.

I requested the festival to schedule the gala presentation of Magnifico on July 11 so we can attend the awards ceremony on July 12. Prior to the gala presentation, Magnifico will have its official press screening in the morning to be followed by a press conference for the international press.

This was the very reason why I requested Madam to bring Jiro with them because I know that Jiro will surely win the hearts of the foreign press.

A second screening is scheduled on July 12 before the awards presentation.

Although this is my third major European film festival after Berlin in 2000 (Burlesk King, Live Show and Hubad sa Ilalim ng Buwan) and Venice in 2001 (Tuhog), this is the very first time that a festival is providing me my ticket and accommodations. Karlovy Vary has now considered me as external programming consultant after recommending Magnifico and Batang West Side last year.

For sure, I will be recommending another film for the 49th anniversary next year. As per their strict guideline, a film to be considered in the competition program should be either the world or international premiere. This rule applies to all the A festivals in the FIAPF list which include Cannes, Venice, Berlin, San Sebastian, Cairo, Shanghai, Tokyo and Montreal.

From Karlovy Vary, Magnifico is competing in the Asian program for the Montreal World Film Festival along with Dekada ’70 and Paraisong Parisukat in August and then the Asian premiere at the Fukuoka International Film Festival in September and on to Pusan, Korea in October. I am still in negotiations for the other festivals for Magnifico this year. I am projecting at least six to eight festivals this year some of which are for competition.

Reuven Malter · « **Reply #50 on:** Jun 24, 2003 at 06:32 PM »

Way to go, Magnifico!

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #51 on:** Jun 25, 2003 at 12:42 AM »

Congratulations to the movie.

But I'm confused. Ricky Lo will be external programming consultant for Karlovy Vary? He recommended Batang West Side to the festival? That's not what I remember. Who wrote that posting?

commentary · « **Reply #52 on:** Jun 25, 2003 at 10:01 AM »

no, not ricky lo. thank goodness.

here's the article in it's entiretly noel:
---
I was beaming with pride after watching the trailer of Gil M. Portes’ Munting Tinig (Small Voices) with the familiar Warner Bros. logo before it – you know "Warner Bros. Presents…" I’m happy for Gil who has been moving heaven and earth to break into the Hollywood market. Tinig is the first Filipino movie to be released internationally by a major outfit like Warner Bros. Gil is leading the way for other Filipino directors dreaming of going international. I have a feeling he’ll be the first Filipino director who could make a mark in Hollywood.
Meanwhile, other local directors are making waves elsewhere in the world, like direk Maryo J. delos Reyes whose Magnifico is competing at a Czech Republic International Film Festival. Here’s a report from Funfare’s Toronto-based "international correspondent" Ferdinand Lapuz:

Hi Ricky,

Well, I am all set to go to Karlovy Vary from July 6 until the 13th for the 48th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Czech Republic. Director Maryo J. delos Reyes’ Magnifico is in the official competition program, making it the very first Filipino film competing at the prestigious film event.

Direk Maryo together with his producer Violeta Sevilla of Violett Films, her daughter and actress Girlie Sevilla, musical director Lutgardo Labad and Jiro Manio with his father Andrew Manio are arriving in Prague on July 9. I am very grateful to Madam Violet for heeding my request to bring Jiro who plays the title role in Magnifico.

I requested the festival to schedule the gala presentation of Magnifico on July 11 so we can attend the awards ceremony on July 12. Prior to the gala presentation, Magnifico will have its official press screening in the morning to be followed by a press conference for the international press.

This was the very reason why I requested Madam to bring Jiro with them because I know that Jiro will surely win the hearts of the foreign press.

A second screening is scheduled on July 12 before the awards presentation.

Although this is my third major European film festival after Berlin in 2000 (Burlesk King, Live Show and Hubad sa Ilalim ng Buwan) and Venice in 2001 (Tuhog), this is the very first time that a festival is providing me my ticket and accommodations. Karlovy Vary has now considered me as external programming consultant after recommending Magnifico and Batang West Side last year.

For sure, I will be recommending another film for the 49th anniversary next year. As per their strict guideline, a film to be considered in the competition program should be either the world or international premiere. This rule applies to all the A festivals in the FIAPF list which include Cannes, Venice, Berlin, San Sebastian, Cairo, Shanghai, Tokyo and Montreal.

From Karlovy Vary, Magnifico is competing in the Asian program for the Montreal World Film Festival along with Dekada ’70 and Paraisong Parisukat in August and then the Asian premiere at the Fukuoka International Film Festival in September and on to Pusan, Korea in October. I am still in negotiations for the other festivals for Magnifico this year. I am projecting at least six to eight festivals this year some of which are for competition.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #53 on:** Jun 25, 2003 at 10:05 AM »

Okay, tho I don't know that part about him recommending Batang West Side to Karlovy Vary. What I know is Radovan Holub saw the film for himself at the Cinemanila premiere and recommended it to Karlovy Vary.

And when did Cairo become A list?

commentary · « **Reply #54 on:** Jun 25, 2003 at 10:09 AM »

I don't know. All these guys reek of self-importance.

Reuven Malter · « **Reply #55 on:** Aug 04, 2003 at 06:00 AM »

Heads up! Cinema One screens Magnifico this month!

Premiere: Aug 24, 8:30pm
Aug 25, 9:30am
Aug 27, 2:30pm
Aug 29, 6:30pm
Aug 31, 10:30pm

keating · « **Reply #56 on:** Aug 04, 2003 at 05:49 PM »

Quote from: Reuven Malter on Aug 04, 2003 at 06:00 AM

Heads up! Cinema One screens Magnifico this month!

Premiere: Aug 24, 8:30pm
Aug 25, 9:30am
Aug 27, 2:30pm
Aug 29, 6:30pm
Aug 31, 10:30pm

The cable showing is ahead of the dvd release?

edsa77 · « **Reply #57 on:** Oct 21, 2003 at 07:14 AM »

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FILIPINO TEARJERKER,”MAGNIFICO” OPENS IN TORONTO FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH AT THE CARLTON CINEMAS

TORONTO- Acclaimed veteran Filipino filmmaker Maryo J. De Los Reyes’ powerful heartfelt family tearjerker Magnifico launches it’s national Canadian theatrical release on Friday November 14th at Toronto’s Carlton Cinemas, 20 Carlton street (at College Subway station).

Magnifico is a heartwarming story of a young boy whose amazing love, faith and courage shine through life’s sadness and misfortunes. His father Gerry thought he would grow up just like his older brother Miong, an intelligent young man who is studying as a scholar in Manila. Now that he’s 9 years old, he is a disappointment because contrary to his name, there is nothing great about him aside from the kindness in his heart.

When Miong loses his scholarship in Manila, his parents also lose all their hope in having a better life. Magnifico is aware of his family’s problems. Added to Miong’s failure, there’s their youngest sibling Helen who has Cerebral Palsy and who hasn’t spoken yet. It seems fate is playing a prank on them because Gerry’s mother Magda is also diagnosed to have a terminal illness.

Magnifico’s sympathetic heart leads him to help his family by planning the burial of his sick grandmother. In fulfilling his mission, he is bound to influence the lives of his townspeople and change the dim perspective of his family by proving that everything is possible if only one will see through the eyes of a child.

-30-

Official Press Screening

Tuesday, November 4th, 2003

10:00 a.m., Varsity Cinemas

55 Bloor St W (In the Manulife Centre)

Varsity VIP 3

*Interviews with Director and cast available upon request

Contact:

Ryan Bruce, Vagrant Films Canada

[email protected]

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #58 on:** Oct 21, 2003 at 08:47 AM »

Now this movie I can get behind with a clear conscience.

Can you post this at Pinoyexchange and indiefilipino? I can do a few American forums, there are a few Canadians there...

edsa77 · « **Reply #59 on:** Oct 21, 2003 at 05:51 PM »

sige.. US based friends are asking me if there will be a US release. hopefully there will be. can you ask ferdie lapuz if the canadian distributor represents the North American market too?

Quote from: Noel_Vera on Oct 21, 2003 at 08:47 AM

Now this movie I can get behind with a clear conscience.

Can you post this at Pinoyexchange and indiefilipino? I can do a few American forums, there are a few Canadians there...