Cinemalaya 2014 Plummy Awards

I've only watched 8 Cinemalaya films this year -- 2 in Directors Showcase category and 6 in New Breed -- so instead of predicting the winners for tonight's Awarding ceremony, I decided to just come up with my personal awards for the 8 entries I've seen. Never mind their categories.

Here are the eligible films:

#Y

1st Ko Si 3rd

Children's Show

Dagitab

Hustisya

Kasal

Mariquina

Sundalong Kanin

Best Picture

#Y

Children's Show

Dagitab

Sundalong Kanin

I went back and forth between #Y and Dagitab as my top favorite. I watched both films during my first day of Cinemalaya movie marathon and 7 days after, I'm still torn between the two. At the end of my Day 1, I was sure that #Y is my favorite but days passed, I can't stop thinking about the beauty of Dagitab. In the end, since today is what matters, I'm rewarding Giancarlo Abrahan's Dagitab. It's mesmerizing, it's technically golden and I think it should be a contender for our country's submission at the Oscars.

Best Actor

Arnold Reyes (Kasal)

Buboy Villar (Children's Show)

Elmo Magalano (#Y)

Nathaniel Brit (Sundalong Kanin)

Nonie Buencamino (Dagitab)

Nathaniel Brit and Buboy Villar proved to be serious young actors. Arnold Reyes in Kasal is committed, brave and truly impressive. But for me, the two standouts are Elmo Magalona and Nonie Buencamino. Elmo Magalona has a lot of award baity scenes in #Y particularly his telephone conversation with Chynna Ortaleza's character. Nonie Buencamino on the other hand gave a much more quiet performance but nothing short of brilliance. In the end, Buencamino's silence yet consistent performance in Dagitab prevails. I'm a sucker for actors who play quiet characters yet manages to be compelling and moving.

Best Actress

Eula Valdez (Dagitab)

Mylene Dizon (Mariquina)

Nora Aunor (Hustisya)

Nova Villa (1st Ko Si 3rd)

Nora Aunor is such a joy to watch in Hustisya. As one of my friends described her, her performance is very anti-Nora. She flips, she jokes, she curses and still, she remains lovable. Mylene Dizon's subtle and mature performance in Mariquina is also quite commendable. She doesn't need OTT scenes to be good. Her facial expressions alone are excellent. Nova Villa in 1st Ko Si 3rd is adorable. I think it's one of her best performances to date especially she's given a material where she was able to broaden her potential. But despite these great performances, Eula Valdez in Dagitab got my love. She's one of the reasons why I love Dagitab. Her performance is very natural and raw. Reminds me of Berenice Bejo in The Past. I hope she wins tonight!

Best Supporting Actor

Art Acuña (Sundalong Kanin)

Martin Del Rosario (Dagitab)

Miggs Cuaderno (Children's Show)

Paolo O'hara (Sundalong Kanin)

Ricky Davao (Mariquina)

I think Art Acuña blows everyone out of the water with his performance for Sundalong Kanin. So good and one of my favorite performances in this year's Cinemalaya. Paolo O'hara in the same movie is a close second for me though.

Best Supporting Actress

Barbie Forteza (Mariquina)

Bing Pimentel (Mariquina)

Chynna Ortaleza (#Y)

Coleen Garcia (#Y)

Divine Grace Aucina (Children's Show)

Ruby Ruiz (1st Ko Si 3rd / Kasal)

I love everyone in this category that I had a hard time picking only 5 of them so I chose 6. Barbie Forteza was a revelation in Mariquina. This lady is going to be a serious actress one day. Ruby Ruiz is a great comedian and I hope to see more of her in the future. Bing Pimentel in Mariquina is compelling and she turned out to be my favorite character in the film even if her character is supposed to be unlikable. But the top 3 for me is Divine Grace Aucina (Lupita Nyong'o), Coleen Garcia (Jennifer Lawrence)  and Chynna Ortaleza (Julia Roberts). I never considered Ortaleza a serious actress but her brief yet amazing performance in #Y changed it all. She's great! Coleen Garcia on the other hand is such a revelation and if not for her, I wouldn't enjoy #Y as much as I did. Aucina's portrayal of Kara is brave, surprising and impressive and she had me at her boxing scene. In the end, JLaw wins this time as Coleen Garcia is my winner for Best Supporting Actress in this batch.

Best Director

Giancarlo Abrahan (Dagitab) - WINNER

Gino Santos (#Y)

Milo Sogueco (Mariquina)

Roderick Cabrido (Children's Show)

Best Screenplay

Gian Abrahan (Dagitab) - WINNER

Janice O'Hara, Denise O'Hara (Sundalong Kanin)

Jeff Stelton (#Y)

Best Score

#Y

1st Ko Si 3rd - WINNER

Children's Show

Mariquina

Sundalong Kanin

Best Editing

#Y - WINNER

Children's Show

Dagitab

Sundalong Kanin

Best Cinematography

#Y

Children's Show

Dagitab - WINNER

Mariquina

NOMINATION TALLY

9 nominations - #Y
8 nominations - Dagitab, Children's Show
7 nominations - Mariquina, Sundalong Kanin
3 nominations - 1st Ko Si 3rd
2 nominations - Kasal
1 nomination - Hustisya

AWARDS TALLY
6  - Dagitab
2  - #Y
1  - Sundalong Kanin, 1st Ko Si 3rd

1st Ko Si 3rd - Cinemalaya New Breed

Director: Real Florido
With: Nova Villa, Dante Rivero, Freddie Webb, Ruby Ruiz, Lara Morena

Synopsis from Cinemalaya: A 65-year old woman gets reunited with her first love, and finally the supposed first date happens four decades after they got separated.

I'm pretty sure most Cinemalaya fans expected this film to be the feel-good movie of the bunch. The trailer suggests that and well, it stars the veteran comedian Nova Villa. But while it's comedic in some parts, it actually ended in a dark manner. The story is kind of predictable and the humor is kind of corny sometimes, but this comedy-drama ended in such a high note that it's easy to overlook the film's flaws.

I love the depiction of Corazon's monotonous life after retiring from her job because it reminded me so much of my mom who painted our house after she retired lol. And then the film got a little more interesting when Third (Freddie Webb), Corazon's first love appeared. Unfortunately, they did not juice out Freddie Webb's potential and it's sort of disappointing. I like the flashbacks though but I thought their relationship was too shallow and silly especially the sprain part. Then it got a little too serious when the film shifted back on Corazon's relationship with her husband Alejandro (Dante Rivero). But I guess it's part of the message they're trying to convey.

It's a promising film in the beginning but it slowly faded to grey when nothing spectacular or interesting is happening and then the climax happened and it felt a little too late but it didn't have a catharsis which interestingly made me appreciate the film a bit more.

via www.wazzuppilipinas.com 

Nova Villa was adorable as Corazon. She's so cute and she shines in the comedic parts of the film, and even in the serious ones. This is probably unpopular though but her Becca of Rabbit Holesque breakdown scene inside the car was sort of forced for me and it wasn't moving so I am not that wow'd by her performance. Her best friend played by Ruby Ruiz however is a great supporting actress. I find her funnier than Villa. I wouldn't be surprised if she gets another nod this year after her win for Ekstra from last year because she aces every scene she's in.

Overall, it's an okay film. I really love its ending because there's such an ambiguity to what Corazon was feeling when she left the memories of Third. There's something about the last frame that's bittersweet and I love that I can't define the line between the bitter and sweet in it. Somehow it reminds me of Jason Reitman's way of ending Young Adult. That there's something about the film that will leave you feeling dark and sad.

Kasal - Cinemalaya Director's Showcase

Director: Joselito Altarejos
With: Arnold Reyes, Oliver Aquino, Rita Avila, Maureen Mauricio, Rener Concepcion

Synopsis from Cinemalaya: Kasal is a slice of life drama of a gay couple whose resolve to stay together is challenged as they attend a wedding. It also is an examination of how a gay couple navigates through the different institutions in Philippine society.

This movie reminds me of Sana Dati and Rachel Getting Married for obvious reasons. I like this kind of slice of life format because the main event which is the wedding is not the main focus, but rather on the development of the main characters. In Sana Dati, it's Lovi Poe's Andrea, Anne Hathway's Kim in Rachel Getting Married and in Kasal, it's the story of Sherwin (Arnold Reyes) and Paolo (Oliver Aquino) -- a gay couple on the rocks because of their priority differences.

It's melodramatic and it's too much sometimes. I'm not the biggest fan of the film as I thought there's so much unnecessary scenes and drama going on. I'm not the one to judge though. After all, I'm just a viewer watching a director's vision who obviously wants to convey a message about gay rights in our country. I rarely say this in film, but Kasal could have used a little more cuts in some of its scenes. Because there are scenes that will make you look at your watch and probably roll your eyes and I'm not even referring to the more or less 10-minute sex scene which btw, made the audience hold on to their seats as if we're watching The Conjuring. LOL. I actually find it necessary to the film but what about the very long wedding parade? and the excessively dramatic family of Sherwin? Yes they're allowed to be dramatic but seriously, some of their 'dramas' are just too hard to swallow, it's insane and some are just out of the context. Indie films and wedding traditions? I say it would have been best if he just focused on the characters and the plot.

via http://www.whereiseduy.com

But anyway, aside from those comments, Kasal works in its impassioned ways. The last act particularly was emotionally compelling that I can easily forget its flaws. It's exceptionally affecting. Think of Blue is the Warmest Color diner scene. I'm sorry I can't help but bring up that comparison. It's just that their relationship, the fight before the wedding and the differences of the couple was established so well that one can't help but be invested not only in their situation but also in their characters as individuals just like how the audience loved Emma and Adele.

Arnold Reyes as Sherwin is remarkable. I just recently watched She's Dating the Gangster and there's an undeniable difference in the way he acted here. So natural and committed and I've got nothing but praise. I wish the dubbed audio wasn't horribly edited in the video because it's very distracting throughout the film.

Oh well... if you love being devastated by well... love and heartbreaks, this is perfect for you. Just bring heavyweight popcorn and extra dose of patience for better viewing.

Sundalong Kanin - Cinemalaya New Breed

Director: Janice O'Hara
With: Nathaniel Brit, Ian de Leon, Gardo Verzosa, Via Veloso, Enzo Pineda, Marc Abaya, Art Acuña

Synopsis from Cinemalaya: Set during the Japanese Occupation, four friends (Nitoy, Benny, Carding, and Badong) aspire nothing more than to become soldiers fighting the Japanese until they are confronted by the realities of war that threaten to destroy their families and their friendship.

Another favorite from this year's batch of New Breeds. You can never go wrong with Sundalong Kanin that even if it's flawed, it managed to be likable and engaging. It's funny, light-hearted, deep, heart warming, depressing, crazy, suspenseful... I can go on and on but the movie really showcased all of these qualities. It's crazy because the movie tackles one of the darkest times in the Philippines yet it lifted the hearts of its viewers and the reason for that are the four enjoyable and charismatic characters who are fun to root for the same way we rooted for Guido and his son in Life is Beautiful, in which both films exhibit humor and sentimentality in the midst of the war.

It's not the situation of the Philippines under the Japanese occupation that made this film sentimental, but it's the story of the friendship of the four main characters which lead to both heroism and betrayal. The film is very plot oriented that no scene is wasted and every scene is vital to the story. The film began by establishing the solid friendship of the four characters evoking their naivete and ignorance of the state of the country. It kind of slowed down in the middle, slightly weakened by the overly staged scenes with some extras but in its last act is when it started to pick up and never looked back. It was intense and devastating but there's also a bittersweet feeling from its last frame to the end credits. It was hard to look at their fun pictures in the end credits because they're tear-inducing.

Benny, Badong, Carding and Nitoy
via www.mymovieworld-coolman0304.blogspot.com

Sundalong Kanin is satisfying enough but it would have been MILES better if some scenes with the extras were orchestrated well and the jokes by the leader of the guerrillas didn't exceed the borderline of ridiculousness. Because it has everything -- an engaging plot and a magnetic and enjoyable cast, but the weak execution of the screenplay pulls this film down a bit. The greatness of the cast prevails though because the four main lead actors gave River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman and Jason O'Connell of Stand By Me a run for their money. They're wacky but they also have mad acting skills. Arthur Acuña is also a standout as the film's Japanese leader. At first, I laughed at myself by the thought that he's portraying a Japanese character but when he started to speak, geez, if Meryl Streep can do British perfectly, so can Art Acuña with his stellar Japanese accent. So believable and amazing. Paolo O'hara is another standout as the filthy-mouthed father of one of the kids. He's so funny to watch that despite being hot headed and loudmouth, he still managed to be adorable. Marc Abaya didn't impress here though and I hate his character so much!

Sundalong Kanin is a film that's poignant and sad more than fun and happy and I wish someone would remake the film with the same actors just because it really is a promising film that sadly didn't reach its full potential. With better direction and I guess a score like Nicola Piovani in Life is Beautiful, this would be perfection and perhaps it would end up being my favorite. Having said those, I still love it in spite of its weaknesses.

Children's Show - Cinemalaya New Breed

Director: Roderick Cabrido
With: Buboy Villar, Miggs Cuaderno, Allen Dizon, Gloria Sevilla, Divine Grace Aucina, Suzette Ranillo, Nathan Lopez, Jacob Clayton

Synopsis from Cinemalaya: Children’s Show is a full-length film based on a real life story of children ages 10-15 years old being used by a syndicate for an underground wrestling match.

Not gonna lie, poverty in Filipino films is starting to get tiresome and repetitive. In this year's Cinemalaya alone, there's already a couple that tackled it. Poverty porn. Although I can't complain too much because there are lots of stories to tell about poverty in the Philippines. Children's Show for one covered something we haven't seen before. Underground wrestling. Sounds intriguing? (Hi Fight Club!) but when it involves children, at first I thought it's going to be just plain interesting but it's rather disquieting to see them fight for money without realizing that they're doing something wrong and illegal. It's one of their ways to survive life. An eye-opener. But what transcends the subject of poverty is the heartwarming true story of brotherhood.

Children's Show successfully incorporated a compelling drama about family while conveying the sad truth of poverty. The two main characters Al and Jun's tough love for each other is fun to watch and it made for a sadder story when they had to face their biggest obstacle in life as brothers - it's not the underground wrestling or poverty, it's their father (Allen Dizon) who likes to steal their money. It's a sad life for them.

Buboy Villar as Al
via www.mymovieworld-coolman0304.blogspot.com/

Miggs Cuaderno (Purok 7) and a mature Buboy Villar (Little Big Star) are brilliant in this and proved to be serious actors. They have undeniable chemistry as two brothers living in Metro Manila slums. Comedy or drama, they have the acting chops to pull them off. Even in the fight scenes they're brave and ready. Gloria Sevilla as usual is good. I liked her in Boy Golden, I liked her here too. Allen Dizon as the violent father is intense. The two standouts for me though are Divine Grace Aucina and Suzette Ranillo. Divine Grace Aucina is such a brave girl for accepting the role of Al's girlfriend who's also a fellow young fighter in underground matches. She steals every scene she's in when I thought she's just going to be on the sidelines. She's what I refer as the Lupita Nyong'o of the Philippines and I wish I'm not the only one who noticed her. I hope she gets recognition for her work in this even though her scenes are not that flashy. Suzette Ranillo on the other hand has only one scene but she managed to stand out because of her insane tearz. Her performance may be over-the-top but I love that she continued to act even when there's saliva and nasal fluids dripping all over her mouth. So Felicity Huffman of her.

Another thing I love about the movie is its style and it's not afraid of taking risks. Cabrido's take on Al's hallucinations are amazing especially that one outstanding scene where a giant chicken passed across a Metro Manila highway. It didn't look fake and it reminded me of Hushpuppy's encounter of the Beasts in Beasts of the Southern Wild. I love those kind of surprises.

My biggest flack about the film is how it ended. I got nothing to complain about the whole film but it ended so abruptly as in Bourne Legacy's ending level. I guess Cabrido left it as it is implicating that these kids got no future. There's no resolution, there's no hope and it's a sad (and again abrupt) ending. Still, it's nothing short of message, action, drama and even comedy that I think it's one of the better movies in this year's Cinemalaya.

Mariquina - Cinemalaya New Breed

Director: Milo Sogueco
With: Mylene Dizon, Ricky Davao, Bing Pimentel, Che Ramos, Barbie Forteza, Dennis Padilla

Synopsis from Cinemalaya: Unlike the former Philippine First Lady, this Imelda (Mylene Dizon, Barbie Forteza) is indifferent towards shoes. To her, they are fraught with the bittersweet nostalgia of childhood, one that was marred by a difficult relationship with her shoe-maker father, Romeo. Growing up, all of hers were handmade by him.

Mariquina is one of the impressive films in this year's festival. It's very apparent that it's well made, well written (by Jerrold Tarog of last year's Sana Dati) and a competent film to boot. But I'm not a huge fan. Although it's really commendable that a story about shoes/shoemaking was made and the story is nothing short of conflict, lessons and drama.

Shoes. Isn't it intriguing? Tarog's story is rich with creativity and imagination that he managed to incorporate shoes in a family drama that is deep enough for a film. However, for me the material lacks engaging and groundbreaking concepts to make it more remarkable. Don't get me wrong, a film doesn't always require groundbreaking scenes but Mariquina is something we can see in teleseryes slash MMK slash Magpakailanman. Like if it's an episode of MMK, I'm pretty sure its title would be 'SAPATOS' (or swelas since there's already an existing Sapatos episode :3). In brief, it's sort of nothing special.

The film has a lot of technical achievements for sure (although distracting make up :/). Outstanding screenplay, complex characters with Bing Pimentel's villainous unsung hero Tess as my favorite :), decent musical score that I really enjoyed especially the one where young Imelda was happily walking in her father's shoe factory, creditable performances by Mylene Dizon, Ricky Davao and Barbie Forteza, perfect production design and a surprise Imelda Marcos cameo. But these are not enough to rave the film.

Ricky Davao as Romeo via www.cinemalaya.org

I think it's biggest triumph is how it affected the viewers through its heartwarming lesson. It's a film that will make you think and realize about your relationships -- family relationships to be exact. Because even if the film is about shoes, its essence is really about family.

In a way, it reminds me of P.L. Travers life and her relationship with her father in Saving Mr. Banks even though Imelda and her father's relationship is actually quite different but still, both links involve buried resentments and that's probably why Mariquina didn't appeal to me immensely because like I've mentioned, it's something I've already seen and therefore, there's nothing really refreshing about it. It's worth a viewing though and I didn't feel like I wasted my money for it.

Dagitab (The Sparks) - Cinemalaya New Breed

Director: Giancarlo Abrahan
With: Eula Valdez, Nonie Buencamino, Martin del Rosario

Synopsis from Cinemalaya: While the marriage of two professors is on the verge of falling apart, the woman named Issey is dragged into a scandal involving a young student. On the other hand, the man Jimmy falls in love with his research – a deity (supernatural being) that appears to him as the ghost of an old flame.

Dagitab's synopsis didn't make me giddy when I first read it. In fact, no one from this year's entry got me excited unlike last year. A couple on the edge of their relationship? There's nothing new about that. But something about its trailer that's mystifying and then I watched the film and I went out of the theater thinking that this is one hell of a movie. Definitely one of my favorites this year.

I consider Dagitab a feel-good movie but before I realized that, it made me feel a soup of emotions that are far from being pleasant. Watching Issey and Jimmy's relationship at first felt like it's sucking the life out of you. Issey feels lifeless, tired and alone while Jimmy feels miserable in finding answers to his research for two decades. They seem hopeless and the audience felt it too. The series of scenes showing their lethargic misery is depressing to watch. But as the film progressed, one would start to wonder if they're in fact miserable or they're just exhausted with their relationship or they're just occupied by different things or all of the above. Giancarlo Abrahan effectively imposed these questions but by the end of the film, the status of their relationship was explained vividly.

Nonie Buencamino (Jimmy) and Eula Valdez (Issey)
via cinemalaya.org

I'm crazy about Eula Valdez and Nonie Buencamino's performances. They're so good in seizing the emotions of their characters and their relationship with each other. They're one of the reasons why the movie provided an emotional journey from the start to end. Eula's cold approach to her character was amazing to watch and I was drawn to her facial reactions whenever she's on screen. As for Nonie Buencamino, there is a consistent calmness in his portrayal of Jimmy but one can still differentiate the changes in emotions of his character throughout the film. There are several long continuous shots of Eula and Nonie's interactions and they're nothing short of authenticity and greatness. I'm referring to the beginning where Issey got drunk while Jimmy was driving and they pondered about their catatonic relationship and how Issey got tired of them being smart and Jimmy insisted his personal desires and relationship inclinations. Martin del Rosario as the supporting character is not bad either. His confrontation with Nonie Buencamino near the end of the film was impressive.

From the first frame to the last, Dagitab inspires you to think endlessly. It is mysterious yet captivating. It takes it time yet it's gripping. It thrives with its emotional dialogue but it blossoms even more when it's quiet. The combination of thought-provoking words of the script and silent scenes is wildly alluring. It has one of the most beautiful scenes I've seen in any Filipino film where Eula Valdez and Martin del Rosario's characters are lying on the shore while the waves and its bubbles caress them. I'm a sucker for quiet scenes that evoke beauty, emotions and calmness and Dagitab is filled with that. It makes the movie even more poetic when the dialogue is already screaming poetry and fantasies. 

In the end, it will make you realize that love has many sides and what works for one relationship doesn't automatically work for others. It's not all about romance or intelligence, it's about maturity and acceptance. This is why I feel like in the end, it's a feel good movie. It made us understand the complexities of marriage and to an extent, life in general. It doesn't hurt that they used Side A's Tuloy Pa Rin Ako that I'm sure made every audience smile after the series of intricacies this film catered. Seriously, the words in this movie is music to my ears and the quiet scenes are both visual and emotional treat. I love Dagitab the same way I love Lost in Translation. I love films because of these qualities.

#Y - Cinemalaya New Breed

#Y
Director: Gino Santos
With: Elmo Magalona, Coleen Garcia, Sophie Albert, Kit Thompson, Slater Young, Chynna Ortaleza

Synopsis from Cinemalaya: #Y chronicles the adventures of the members of this generation known for their affinity with social media and the Internet, and combines this with a tale of sex, drugs, and alcohol, and the nights they won’t remember but will never forget.

Gino M. Santos' #Y is my favorite film so far among any Cinemalaya movies I've seen. It's up there with Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank and while it won't make the audience laugh hysterically like the latter, it's one that will surely resonate emotionally whether you're a teenager, an adult, a parent - it stimulates passion out of everyone. Thanks to the young director Gino M. Santos who's confident in his vision of tackling the negativity of the modern day generation - vices, social media, and hell even corruption in society.

I love everything about it. The moment it started BOOM! you just know that it's going to be a great film. The cinematography, editing, and art direction gels like a slick pompadour hairstyle. It made the cityscapes of the metro look expensive and just plain beautiful. Parties looked legit, high class and never exaggerated or downplayed. It seemed like we're part of the first world countries. Its soundtrack is amazing! It's probably the best soundtrack in any Filipino movie and what I love about it is that it gave the film a melancholic and chill vibe when the scenes are sad, passionate and quiet. They featured a lot of indie Filipino songmakers one of which is a friend whose song was featured during the passionate sex scene. It turned out to be my favorite among the songs throughout the film even before knowing that it's composed by my friend. Seriously, it's amazing and far from being pretentious and hey! it showcased the talent of Filipino indie songwriters/composers so that's a huge plus.

Elmo Magalona, Coleen Garcia and Sophie Albert
in #Y / Cinemalaya

I'd go ahead and say that it blossomed more because of its screenplay but even though that's true, every aspect of the film really shined that it made for a close to perfect film. Its screenplay is one that hits close to home. Very personal and you just know that it's overflowing with emotions and thoughts that encompasses the modern generation's minds. It has a lot of 'conyo' dialogues and it's usually something that annoys people easily, but it never was annoying in #Y. The use of those language is very apt and natural. It doesn't hurt that they made perfect casting choice with Elmo Magalona, Coleen Garcia, Sophie Albert and Kit Thompson who comprised the four major characters of the film. In no way I am close to any of the characters' personalities but the narrative sure made me (and I think everyone) relate to what they went through in their lives. These characters are so spot-on of what the younger generation is like nowadays it's not even funny. The film may have focused on the negativity but it was never petty but rather serious and important. One would think that these characters have too many flaws, but one would also find themselves attached to these characters at one point in the film. These characters are human filled with imperfection and things the audience would probably find as immoral or controversial, but at the end of the day, they remained ironically likable and tolerable. Emphasis on the likable.

As much a cliche the upcoming statement will sound, it's so true when I say that Elmo Magalona and Coleen Garcia are both a REVELATION on their own. Elmo's suicidal Miles is something that will probably stick with you. It's as if Elmo waited for this film to give all his best emotionally. He captured the darkness of a young normal yet reserved and gloomy guy who's on the brink of ending his life despite being surrounded by his supportive friends and family. Coleen Garcia on the other hand perfectly portrayed a young liberated woman who treats sex and drugs like a normal habit. Every word punched by Coleen gave me life in this film. She served as the comic relief yet sometimes she also seemed like the group's voice of reason. Sophie Albert and Kit Thompson are nothing short of intensity and energy as friends and lovers who value different things in life. They're very impressive and made the cast even more diverse yet somehow, everyone mixes well together. I'll never end this acting performances praising galore without mentioning Chynna Ortaleza. Because I've never seen her that GOOD in any film or TV show she's in. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry in one of her scenes. It's THAT good and interesting. Gino Santos brought out the best in these people and it made for a great viewing.

It truly is a must-watch! It may seem like another film about Generation Y but it's surprisingly not like the norm. Not only it achieved great in the technical aspects, it's also one of the most important Filipino films I've seen in the recent years. This movie is aces.

Hustisya - Cinemalaya Director's Showcase

Director: Joel Lamangan
With: Nora Aunor, Rocco Nacino, Rosanna Roces, Sunshine Dizon, Gardo Versoza, Chynna Ortaleza

I haven't watched a Nora Aunor film since forever so the moment I saw that she will star in a Cinemalaya film Hustisya, I told myself to prioritize it. Then I saw its poster and it's one of the coolest poster I've seen. It made me even more excited. Lucky for me, Hustisya was scheduled first in Greenbelt 3 - my resident Cinemalaya movie house. Unfortunately, the hype I made for myself didn't pay off as the film discouraged me to continue watching the rest. But I've already paid my tickets for the day so I got no choice.

Joel Lamangan's Hustisya is so disappointing. It started off good - focusing on human trafficking and Biring's (Nora Aunor) adventure in the crime filled city of Manila. Add up her interesting friendship with Vivian (Rosanna Roces) who serves as her boss in illegal recruitment, and a bad influence according to Biring's daughter Lorena (Sunshine Dizon). But then after everything was established, the film overwhelmed with themes and crimes that confused its audience to no end. It's even suffused with surrealism in which Biring throws money and letters of wishes from the balcony of Manila City Hall to appease herself with the immorality she's committing that seemed to visit her dreams as nightmares. Since then, it lost its audience as the film started becoming really absurd. My friend was right when he said that the film would be more successful and acceptable if it was advertised as dark comedy instead of crime drama as the funny scenes of Ate Guy got more reaction than the supposed-to-be compelling ones. Don't get me started with the technicalities because it reminds me of The Diplomat Hotel where it seemed like the filmmakers got lazy in the middle of making the film that it lost its touch and sense. So much potential was wasted especially its aspect of realism. Those dreams could have worked wonderfully only if the film had any focus and didn't try to tackle other issues such as imperialism, corruption, etc. It's a neverending story. 

Nora Aunor as Biring / Cinemalaya

Even though it's written by the screenplay legend Ricky Lee, it didn't thrive on its screenplay. Its biggest achievement is Nora Aunor's superb acting. Hustisya reminded me of why this woman is a Superstar and why she deserves to be a National Artist. She's just naturally good whether she delivers punchlines or trigger the dramatics. It's also not devoid of lessons and thought provoking scenes. Thought provoking that sometimes it just made you wonder what the hell is going on. Lamangan was not able to articulate the film well with the message it wanted to convey because he pestered it with overwhelming amount of themes and arcs that made you want to just end the film. I felt like the film should have ended 10 scenes ago but it kept on continuing and it just made the film worse.

In the end, it settled with Biring laughing endlessly and in my mind, she's probably laughing because of how ridiculous the whole film is and that the audience sit through with it. I laughed with her.