Author Topic: Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (Read 25624 times)

llanesmark777 · « **Reply #30 on:** Dec 19, 2005 at 11:14 AM »

Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros
"good concept but not enough"

Ive seen this film at SM. Marami nanood na inaakala ko na magada siguro ang reviews ng Pelikulang Ito. Pinaguusapan ng mga ordinaryong manonood at ng mga film critics na katulad natin. Okay ang publicity ng
Pelikula. Sa inaakala ko na ito ay napaka ganda. Sa umpisa ng storya bumilib ako sa kadahilanan na pinapakita dito ang pangit na sitwasyon ng Pilipinas tulad ng maduduming kapaligiran, Maiingay at Magulo. Sa paligid noto ay namumuhay sa maduming paraan ang Ama at mga Kapatid ni Maximo. Nagnanakaw o Snatcher ng celphone na nangyayari sa totoong buhay. Dahil sa hirap ng buhay, napipilitan gumawa ng masama ng isang tao upang mabuhay. Pero ang hinahanap ko dito ay ang magandang values sa storya. Barako ang mga Kapatid at Ama ni Maximo. Pero sa murang edad ni Maximo na naging Bakla. Wala man lang pagpapakita dito na kahit konting pagtutol ng maga Kapatid at Ama. Sa mga Artista naman, Si Ping Medina na gumanap na isa sa kapatid ni Maximo. Siya lang ang magaling umarte. Mga acting extra na mga batang Bakla ay magaling umarte. Kahit sila ay totoong mga Bakla. Maurunong talaga sila umarte. Sana kumuha na lang ng totoong Batang Bakla para magbida sa Pelikulang Ito. Di na motivate ng Derektor na Aureus Solito na paano umarte na parang Isang totoong Bakla. Sana Bakla na lang ang naging Derektor para maturuan ng husto ang isang baguhan Artista na hindi naman isang tunay na Bakla.

rating:

/

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #31 on:** Dec 19, 2005 at 12:02 PM »

Quote from: llanesmark777 on Dec 19, 2005 at 11:14 AM

Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros
"good concept but not enough"

Ive seen this film at SM. Marami nanood na inaakala ko na magada siguro ang reviews ng Pelikulang Ito. Pinaguusapan ng mga ordinaryong manonood at ng mga film critics na katulad natin. Okay ang publicity ng
Pelikula. Sa inaakala ko na ito ay napaka ganda. Sa umpisa ng storya bumilib ako sa kadahilanan na pinapakita dito ang pangit na sitwasyon ng Pilipinas tulad ng maduduming kapaligiran, Maiingay at Magulo. Sa paligid noto ay namumuhay sa maduming paraan ang Ama at mga Kapatid ni Maximo. Nagnanakaw o Snatcher ng celphone na nangyayari sa totoong buhay. Dahil sa hirap ng buhay, napipilitan gumawa ng masama ng isang tao upang mabuhay. Pero ang hinahanap ko dito ay ang magandang values sa storya. Barako ang mga Kapatid at Ama ni Maximo. Pero sa murang edad ni Maximo na naging Bakla. Wala man lang pagpapakita dito na kahit konting pagtutol ng maga Kapatid at Ama. Sa mga Artista naman, Si Ping Medina na gumanap na isa sa kapatid ni Maximo. Siya lang ang magaling umarte. Mga acting extra na mga batang Bakla ay magaling umarte. Kahit sila ay totoong mga Bakla. Maurunong talaga sila umarte. Sana kumuha na lang ng totoong Batang Bakla para magbida sa Pelikulang Ito. Di na motivate ng Derektor na Aureus Solito na paano umarte na parang Isang totoong Bakla. Sana Bakla na lang ang naging Derektor para maturuan ng husto ang isang baguhan Artista na hindi naman isang tunay na Bakla.

rating: /

Although I understand the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I can't help but express my own regarding your review. First, I actually thought the fact that Maximo's family accepted him as such is a stroke of genius in Yamamoto's part. First of all, she effectively discarded the almost cliche plotline of the homosexual's struggle for acceptance. That way, she was able to concentrate on what the film is truly about - which is not homosexuality per se, but of family values as disrupted by the inevitable blossoming of a teenage homosexual's heart and notions on romance. I'm sure there was hostility on the family's part when they learned of Maximo's sexuality but that is not what the movie is about and that probably happened a long time before the time frame of the film. True, Ping Medina is good here but to actually critic the film just because the actors weren't really homosexuals is a bit unfair. True, Nathan Lopez is not perfect but he is not bad. He was able to inhabit his role (probably with a little bit of hesitation and you can easily notice that) and bring to the audience the poignant emotions of the film. Tom Hanks is straight but he won an Oscar for playing a gay guy in Philadelphia. Hilary Swank is straight but got an Oscar for playing a butch lesbian in Boys Don't Cry. I don't hear any complaints for that. Hugo Weaving, Val Kilmer, Dolphy and a whole bunch of actors have played loud and screaming homosexuals (not the closet type) and nobody commented on that. Now, I have no idea if Solito is gay or not but again his sexuality cannot justify his eligibility for directing the film. I'd rather have a straight good director direct a gay film than a bad gay director direct Yamamoto's script. I can't imagine how Joel Lamangan or Gil Portes will ruin this film. Now, as to the examples of straight directors churning out excellent gay films. I can name plenty but let me leave you with one huge example: Wong Kar Wai with Happy Together.

dorian_gray · « **Reply #32 on:** Dec 19, 2005 at 12:11 PM »

Bakla yata si Aureus pero hindi na ito mahalaga. May mga pamilyang Pilipino talaga na tanggap ang pagiging bakla ng isang miyembro ng pamilya, mahirap man o mayaman. Sabi nga ni oggsmoggs, hindi tungkol sa pagiging bakla ang pelikula.

Natutuwa nga ako dahil hindi talaga ito "gay film" kundi isang pelikula na may isang gay character. Hindi mahalaga sa isang pelikula na may "moral values". Mga ganun nga ang iniiwasan ko eh.

keating · « **Reply #33 on:** Dec 20, 2005 at 08:03 PM »

Nathan Lopez delivered a very commendable performance in this film. And that's a revelation for a newbie like him. Agree with oggs posts........if Lamangan & Portes directed this one, it will be a terrible, horrible indie film. But I dont discriminate gay filmmakers, as long as they can churn out good films, then they can continue making movies.

I'm now a certified MICHIKO YAMAMOTO fan. The lass is so talented indeed! MAGNIFICO was brilliant, MAXIMO is a future classic.

Noel_Vera · « **Reply #34 on:** Dec 21, 2005 at 08:13 AM »

Auraeus is gay, for the record. He's had girlfriends...but they were long-distance love affairs, if I recall.

wrAth · « **Reply #35 on:** Dec 21, 2005 at 09:18 AM »

that movies should incorporate values or moral lessons is beyond cliche. it is regressive and dangerous, and it is the reason why Filipino films have failed to evolve across the board.

sungit · « **Reply #36 on:** Dec 21, 2005 at 10:28 AM »

Just arrived in Manila. Where can I catch this movie?

Kahon · « **Reply #37 on:** Dec 21, 2005 at 10:36 AM »

Accoding to click the city, it's still showing in gateway, sm centerpoint, megamall, sm fairview, sm san lazaro.

Centurion Obama · « **Reply #38 on:** Dec 21, 2005 at 11:06 AM »

woo-hoo, 4th week!

welcome back, sungs!

and might as well check out gateway mall na rin (and the Marikinia Shoe Expo)

http://www.clickthecity.com/movies/movie.asp?movid=9396

gatas · « **Reply #39 on:** Dec 21, 2005 at 08:47 PM »

I just saw this movie at SM Davao on a bit of a gamble, since I don't exactly have a clue which people are responsible for it. I must say this must be my lucky day since the film impressed and entertained me! Sa wakas, after a long time of taking risks at watching Pinoy movies in theater, nakatsamba ako ngayong araw

Although I do have a few quibbles, like Maxi's family deciding on beating the cop without really thinking (or including in their dialogues) what the consequences were. Even if they thought he was a weakling, for god's sake he's still a cop. And they're not exactly big timers to think they can get away with it (small time crooks lang with no mention of local mafia affiliation, etc) What I'm saying is it seems inconceivable as far as our society mechanics is concerned. Oh well, I guess they were overrun by emotions that time, hehe. Buti na lang tama hinala nila na mashadong mabait si Victor para gumanti.

<spoiler>
And isn't the final scene a blatant ripoff of the final scene in The Third Man (classic film noir,Orson Welles)?
<end spoiler>

I like the indie/amateur feel of the film. Kala ko nga talaga sobrang indie/amateur hanggang sa nakita ko si Kuya Bodjie. Inisip ko rin tuloy si Pong Pagong and hinalf-expect na lalabas din sha (sayang, hindi).

And wala namang mali sa bading acting ni Maxi ah. In real life, gays act differently. Merong mahinhin, merong reserved, merong parang medyo effiminate lang, merong ladlad at maingay (the annoying types).. I like Nathan Lopez' version

. It's not cliched and does not hamper the audience from liking and empathizing with his character. Combined with his face's feline features (perhaps accented by makeup) and his youthful,harmless innocence, I did not feel grossed/freaked out during sensitive scenes with him and Victor, which I will normally do had it been a different kind of gay character (mas annoying and mas aged). Because of the way he delivered his character, I was able to internalize the message of the film and how it was appropriately titled; that the movie "Ang Pagdadalaga Ni Maximo Oliveros" is really that of a "pagdadalaga ng isang dalaga."

sungit · « **Reply #40 on:** Dec 23, 2005 at 03:18 PM »

Quote from: Snarky! on Dec 21, 2005 at 11:06 AM

woo-hoo, 4th week!

welcome back, sungs!

and might as well check out gateway mall na rin (and the Marikinia Shoe Expo)

http://www.clickthecity.com/movies/movie.asp?movid=9396

Thanks Joe! I heard nga of the Expo -- sina Quark spin daw there? Quark as in DJ Quark?

I really hope this'll still show after the MMFF run. With mad Christmas traffic, I'm playing it safe by not venturing farther than Fort Bonifacio. Heehee.

Centurion Obama · « **Reply #41 on:** Dec 23, 2005 at 04:22 PM »

yeah, as in. lol. i think they have a gig tonite at the manila dj club in the fort naman. it's in the garage across starbucks yata. though that could've been last nite. lol.

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #42 on:** Jan 03, 2006 at 06:05 PM »

I read in the Philippine Star that this film is invited to compete for the Crystal Bear (Kinderfilm festival - same segment where Magnifico won) for the upcoming Berlin Film Fesival. Good Luck!

sungit · « **Reply #43 on:** Jan 04, 2006 at 01:42 PM »

do you think it's gonna have another run after MMFF?

Centurion Obama · « **Reply #44 on:** Jan 04, 2006 at 01:56 PM »

hmmm, don't think so, but you never know... but Big Time is showing on the 11th

ßartmaniac · « **Reply #45 on:** Jan 04, 2006 at 04:05 PM »

Mel, here's what's posted in APMO official website (http://maximooliveros.tripod.com):

= = = =

December 28, 2005

Sa lahat po ng nagtatanong kung kelan lalabas ang APMO sa video, ire-release na po ito sa early part of 2006 kasabay ng isa pang pelikulang pinrodyus din ng ufo Pictures, ang SARONGBANGGI na isinulat at dinirehe ni Emmanuel Dela Cruz at pinagbibidahan ni Angelo Ilagan at ni Ms. Jaclyn Jose.

Pakiabangan po ang announcement ng video launching ng APMO DVD dito sa site.

Maraming salamat po at HAPPY 2006!

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #46 on:** Jan 25, 2006 at 09:51 AM »

Joey, congratulations for having your review posted by Harry Knowles in aintitcoolnews.com... Pang-international ka na... hehe.

Klaus Weasley · « **Reply #47 on:** Jan 25, 2006 at 01:54 PM »

Looks like Pagdadalaga will become our first international breakout hit in quite a while. I read an article in Inquirer that major U.S. film distribution companies are interested in the film since it got accepted in Sundance.

Oddly enough there's an American equivalent of Pagdadalaga also competing in Sundance called Wild Tigers I Have Known. It's far racier than Pagdadalaga though.

jdv1229 · « **Reply #48 on:** Jan 26, 2006 at 11:32 AM »

Quote from: Klaus Weasley on Jan 25, 2006 at 01:54 PM

Looks like Pagdadalaga will become our first international breakout hit in quite a while. I read an article in Inquirer that major U.S. film distribution companies are interested in the film since it got accepted in Sundance.

Oddly enough there's an American equivalent of Pagdadalaga also competing in Sundance called Wild Tigers I Have Known. It's far racier than Pagdadalaga though.

as far as i know it wasn't accepted in Sundance. i checked their website sundance.org & it wasn't listed...

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #49 on:** Jan 26, 2006 at 11:37 AM »

Quote from: Jojo Devera on Jan 26, 2006 at 11:32 AM

as far as i know it wasn't accepted in Sundance. i checked their website sundance.org & it wasn't listed...

It was accepted Jojo... It's competeing for Drama - World. Indiewire.com actually interviewed Solito too...

jdv1229 · « **Reply #50 on:** Jan 26, 2006 at 07:26 PM »

Quote from: oggsmoggs on Jan 26, 2006 at 11:37 AM

It was accepted Jojo... It's competeing for Drama - World. Indiewire.com actually interviewed Solito too...

you're right oggss... my mistake.

THE BLOSSOMING OF MAXIMO OLIVEROS
Philippines, 2005, 100 Minutes, color

Director:
Auraeus Solito

Screenwriter:
Michiko Yamamoto





Just like the flower in the opening scenes, 12-year-old Maxi is a beautiful accent in the gritty underworld on the outskirts of Manila, where he lives. Living with his outlaw father and two older brothers, Maxi dutifully infuses everything he does for them with love. From cooking and sewing to braiding his brother's hair, Maxi fulfills the role of dalaga for his family, living as a young lady in the absence of femininity and their deceased mother. We follow Maxi through his glowing and textured world of shopping, reenacting beauty pageants, and hanging out at a local DVD stand that screens movies for abundant audiences of transient children. But Maxi's emotions blossom late one night when he is rescued from neighborhood thugs by Victor, a kind rookie cop. Smitten with the handsome policeman, Maxi begins to feel pulled between the petty-thief family that he loves and the law and romance Victor embodies. As part of an impressive ensemble cast, newcomers Nathan Lopez and JR Valentin exuberantly inhabit their roles as Maxi and Victor. With its vibrant cinematography, simple scoring, and vast emotional scope, Auraeus Solito's directorial debut as a dramatic filmmaker seems itself like a flower amid the grit of most contemporary cinema.— N. Bird Runningwater

Screenwriter : Michiko Yamamoto
Producer : Raymond Lee
Cinematographer : Nap Jamir
Editors : Kanakan-Balintagos, Clang Sison
Production Designers : Crsitina Dy, Clint Catalan, Lilly Esquillon
Music : Pepe Smith
Cast : JR Valentin, Soliman Cruz, Neil Ryan Sese, Ping Medina, Bodjie Pascua, Nathan Lopez

www.imdb.com/title/tt0479506/

Screening Times


Thursday , Jan 26    9:00 PM    Egyptian Theatre, Park City    BLOSS26EN
Friday , Jan 27    6:15 PM    Holiday Village Cinema III    BLOSS273E
Saturday , Jan 28    9:00 AM    Egyptian Theatre, Park City    BLOSS28EM
Saturday , Jan 28    9:45 PM    Broadway Centre Cinemas V, SLC    BLOSS28BN

Director(s) Bios


Auraeus Solito
Auraeus Solito won the Golden Zenith Award at the Montreal World Film Festival for his first feature, The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros. His second feature, Tuli (Circumcision), won best film and best director awards at the CineManila Digital Competition. Solito's documentary, Basal Banar (The Scared Ritual of Truth), is also a multiple award winner. As an Asian Public Intellectual Fellow of the Nippon Foundation, Japan, Solito is currently making a documentary on island rituals in Okinawa and Borneo. He traces his roots to the Indigenous Palaw'an tribe of South Palawan, Philippines.

Film Contact


Auraeus Solito


329-A Sta. Teresita St.
Sampaloc, Manila,
Philippines
+63 2 735 9135
+63 919 215 8184
[email protected]

JdelaCruz · « **Reply #51 on:** Jan 27, 2006 at 01:48 AM »

Raymond Lee, Michiko Yamamoto, Auraeus Solito and Jessica Zafra compose Team Maxi in Park City. Jessica has been blogging lately if you don't already know and the most recent ones are about the Utah trip. Click here for the blog.

JZ also has a 2-part podcast interview with Raymond Lee about Maxi - the boy and the movie - made just before flying off to Sundance. Click here to download Part 1 and Part 2. These are actually Episodes 2 and 3 in JZ's fledgling foray into podcasting.

keating · « **Reply #52 on:** Jan 27, 2006 at 08:48 AM »

Jessica Zafra's blog is informative and interesting to read covering Maxi's adventure at the Sundance. I hope it gets the top prize.

sungit · « **Reply #53 on:** Jan 27, 2006 at 12:42 PM »

WHat's Jessica's blog address?

ßartmaniac · « **Reply #54 on:** Jan 27, 2006 at 01:42 PM »

Mel, its http://twistedbyjessicazafra.blogspot.com/

oggsmoggs · « **Reply #55 on:** Jan 29, 2006 at 12:58 AM »

Variety reviews Maxie...

The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros
A UFO Films production in association with Cinemalaya Foundation. Produced by Raymond Lee.
Directed by Auraeus Solito. Screenplay, Michiko Yamamoto.

With: JR Valentin, Soliman Cruz, Neil Ryan Sese, Ping Medina, Bodjie Pascue, Nathan Lopez.

By DENNIS HARVEY

Auraeus Solito's first narrative feature "The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros" is an unusually low-key Filipino drama whose neo-realist air generally triumphs over the script's violent, tearful contrivances. Worthy of further fest (especially gay fest) attention, pic will nonetheless prove a difficult sell offshore, where the 12-year-old protag's cross-dressing precocity and his relationship with a hunky policeman may cause more discomfort than amusement.
Maxi (impressive newcomer Nathan Lopez) is youngest child of widowed Paca (Soliman Cruz). Like nearly everyone in their Manila slum, moody Boy (Neil Ryan Sese) and antic middle son Bogs (Ping Medina) survive outside of the legal economic grid -- selling stolen cell phones, placing bets, etc. Occasionally teased but mostly accepted as a girl in a boy's body, super-femme Maxi dropped out of school to be surrogate "wife," cooking, cleaning and fussing over everyone. He's smitten with handsome rookie cop Victor (JR Valentin), who takes him under his wing -- platonically, though vibe is near-romantic at times. When Boy kills a student during a bungled robbery, however, Maxi is caught between protecting his kin and Victor. Persuasive perfs and location usage highlight diverting tale.

Camera (color, HD), Nap Jamir; editors, Kanakan-Balintagos, Clang Sison; music, Pepe Smith; production designers, Crsitina Dy, Clint Catalan, Lilly Esquillon. Reviewed at Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema, competing), Jan. 20, 2006. (Also in Berlin Film Festival -- Kinderfilmfest.) Running time: 100 MIN.

totoybato · « **Reply #56 on:** Feb 01, 2006 at 02:14 AM »

Salamat kay Nic Leung sa pag-gamit niya ang charge card niya sa pag-submit ng pelikula sa Sundance.
Arigato gozaimacrapa Michico, for enriching Filipino Films while drafting your visions.
Gratitude, Mr. Solito, you represent the real Filipino pride and awareness with your interpretations.

Busy ang mga Pinoy kay Manny, hindi nila binigyan ng pansin si Maxi. Unang Pinoy film sa Sundance Film Festival, wala akong nakitang coverage sa Channel 2 o Channel 7. Walang politiko galing ng Pilipinas na dumalo sa Park City? Taga Sampaloc ang director, nasaan si Atienza? Nasaan si Barbers at ang WOW Philippines? Sumama kaya si Jackie Atienza sa Utah? Senator Lito Lapid, malapit lang ito sa Nevada! Hindi lang sa naipalabas ito sa Sundance, naipalabas pa ito sa Salt Lake City, Utah wherein a theatre pulled the plug on screening Brokeback Mountain!

Sana ay nabili ng malaki ang pelikula ng distributor. Sana binayaran uli kayo ni TonyBoy sa pagpalabas nito sa Mabuhay Channel!

Ipalalabas ang MAXI sa Mabuhay Channel (Dish Network) sa Feb 4 7pmPacific/9pmCentral/10pmEastern.

everythingyouwant · « **Reply #57 on:** Feb 01, 2006 at 03:42 AM »

so what happened at sundance?did it win any award?on the contrary,i saw several newscasts of this as an entry in sundance on tv patrol and 24 oras.

keating · « **Reply #58 on:** Feb 01, 2006 at 11:55 PM »

Even without those crapty politicians.......MAXI continues to get raves at the Sundance. Check out Jessica Zafra's blog.

blitzkrieg · « **Reply #59 on:** Feb 02, 2006 at 12:21 AM »

It lost at the Sundance. Umuwi si Maximo Oliveros ng luhaan..