What a great Cinemalaya year this has been! This year's roster of films gave us more than what we've bargained for. There's something for everyone--from feel-good movies like Pan de Salawal, to the timely ML and Liway, from breakthrough actors Tony Labrusca, to Cinemalaya returnees Glaiza de Castro and Eddie Garcia, to legendary local artists Celeste Legaspi. This festival has evolved over the years, but it still has the distinct flavor it is known for. Cinemalaya will always be the original indie film fest in the country.
Many goers say that the quality of the films in the past few years have downgraded. I may agree to an extent, but I personally really like this year's lineup. With that, here's my ranking of this year's feature-length entries.
1.
One would think this film is about jealousy, and finding one's true love. But it's totally the other way around as this is about death, closure, and the power of humanity. It's refreshing to see characters, or a film, that doesn't dwell on eruptive conflicts. Rather it lets the film simmer and boil through restrained but impactful resolve, reminding us so many things about life where closure is closure however good or bad the process is, and that humanity trumps any form of hatred or jealousy...(Full Review)
2.
Like a big ball of positivity, it's absolutely impossible not to smile while and after watching the film. It's a magical film that we don't need to know the origins of Aguy. She's so cute, that we assume she's simply (Full Review)
3.
...Mamang reaffirms her greatness that it's almost a crime that she's given this lead film role only now in her career. She is the reason to watch this film, and it's worth mentioning that she's actually got the expressive eyes of Bette Davis. (Full Review)
4.
Distance effectively delivers a family situation where there's really no right or wrong. Albeit almost hopeless, one would root for the family to find their happiness within the four walls of their home. (Full Review)
5.
As comedic as this was, it might be a hard watch for some. Watching a guy being taken for granted by almost every character in the film is as painful as it could get, especially when he also has no one to count on...(Full Review)
6.
A good and relevant action film that falls short of being a great one. ML tries to be more than a genre examination but behind its facade, it pushes its fixation on violence to actually be an effective wake-up call, and to be honest, the violence is not at all gore, as in GORE. (Full Review)
7.
...the film boasts of breathtaking imageries and dream sequences that seldom blur the line between imagination and reality, making its narrative a little disjointed. Its slow pacing also might prove to be a challenge for some, but I personally don't mind especially because of its superb cinematography. (Full Review)
8.
On one hand, it is actually effective because it repeatedly highlights the characters' unconscious misery. But on the other, it's something that we've seen before that it needs a whole new direction for it to be fresh. (Full Review)
9.
There is no denying that Liway's story is important and authentic. It's a story that needed to be told. Its loose treatment to the material, however, makes it a bit melodramatic and detached. (Full Review)
10.
There's too much going on, and anyone watching it wouldn't be able to keep up with all the emerging random plot details that continuously pop-up. (Full Review)
Photo Credits: Cinemalaya
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