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Northern Lights: A Journey to Love (2017)
Northern Lights: A Journey to Love swerves a bit with a different glow.
In this age where most "love" can be found infront of a digital gizmo, Northern Lights: A Journey to Love swerves a bit with a different glow.
Filipino families are well known for their bond and strong family ties. The story presents the struggles of children from a broken home.
Charlie Jr., prepared a lot of questions for a father he is meeting for the first time in 9 years where his father, Charlie Sr., was uncomfortable to comment. Another Filipino value interjected was the mindset that children will never understand, or too early for them to understand.
Angel on the other hand, was too convinced that it was not her mother's fault that they ended up without a mom. His father also never mentioned it to them so as not to disparage their mom. Truth can be terminal.
Forgiveness. A lesson that is too difficult devour but simplifies life.
Bride for Rent (2014)
A Trust Mistrusted - Bride For Rent Review
From Market Market Taguig to Glorietta Cinemas, we were a bit disappointed that the fourth day of Bride For Rent in the cinemas still shows long lines (and I mean looonnngg lines) and full-packed movie theaters. We ended up watching the film the next day at SM Megamall instead.
My initial impression of the movie would be romantic comedy. It turns out to be combination of romantic - comedy plus drama.
The story started with Rocco (Xian Lim) a playboy who does not believe in commitment, was indebted and needed the release of his trust fund to finance an advertising project and to pay a debt from the casino. Unfortunately, the said fund can only be released if this bachelor will get married hence, hired Rocky/Raquelita (Kim Chiu) to pose as bride.
The plot heats up when the bogus wedding that they arranged was supplemented with true feelings of love.
Xian's character maybe a bit exaggerated at the start of the movie especially with the comedy part where he tends to put some extra effort to be funny but tended to be a great acting when it comes to drama and romance.
Kim Chiu on the other hand was consistent with her acting to her past projects. Her acting on this film maybe 90% compared to her "My Binondo Girl" project. Hilarious but poised Kim Chiu did well on this movie.
Though the finale was rushed. There should have been more spice during the forgiveness and courtship before real wedding took place. But all in all, the movie was well presented in a manner that touched every movie goer's heart to tears.
On the Job (2013)
On The Job: A Disturbing Philippine Power-Cycle
On The Job begins with clips of recent news going on in the Philippines. As the movie gets timely, it holds an aura of not being sensational. With the issues confronting the country the film's significance is impossible to notice. It illustrates how the politicians and criminals work hand in hand to achieve power, position and money.
Director Erik Matti gave in to a political underground story this time dealing with authority, politicians and position but his signature with how the Filipino family bond has never changed. Thanks to our corrupt penal system they're regularly let out of prison to act as contract killers with the perfect alibis.
Though the film was slow at first, it maneuvers to cover each and every aspect of the story. Tatang (Joel Torre), a prisoner-hit-man who eventually turned insecure when his boss Thelma informed that he can't work full time due to his age portrays more than the murder. The darkness in his eyes conveyed more about his character than the conversations did. His assistant Daniel (Gerald Anderson) played a very talkative rookie following Tatang's footsteps. His character was more of a naive prisoner who has a bit of an attitude. These two characters played major role as prisoners who gets out from jail time to time killing. As inmates, they share the father and son relationship.
The film was widely arranged where jail wardens also act as accomplices.
The cast of SPO1 Acosta (Joey Marquez) was played brilliantly. An SPO1 with 35 years of service stayed as SPO1 since he turned out to have the cleanest conscience. Integrity was challenged when he became the aid of Francis Colonel Jr. (Piolo Pascual) who takes part by being an NBI agent who's entrapped by being an excellent cop, compromised by being a son- in-law of a politician (Michael Demesa) indirectly involved with the killings masterminded by Gen. Pacheco (Leo Martinez).
The love scenes portrayed were also timely and sensible still; the story remains intact despite the diversions. Angel Aquino, Rayver Cruz and Lito Pimentel also delivered well.
"On the Job" is a cynical, realistic portrait of PHL politics and crime.
Be warned: the film does not end on a hopeful note. It may even make you rather sad and ashamed at how real the film feels, especially in light of the country's current events.
But when people urge you to watch On the Job, do it. A film like this, an uncompromising commercial success, hasn't happened in a long time, though now that it has, our standards are irrevocably raised. - Adobo
All we need to do now is to wait for the film's international version.
Man of Steel (2013)
The Man of Steel Turns Disaster-Porn
Clark Kent, Smallville, Krypton, Lex Luthor, Superman. These names ring a bell in a certain world of Superman. Once evolved cartoon series to movies. Now he is the man of steel.
This new Snyder-Nolan team up came with a totally different perspective and story line of the said Superman series. Say goodbye to Lana Lang as love interest and Lex Luthor as villain. In this movie, we've got the Clark Kent against people from his own planet, Krypton.
Though the movie was more of a disappointment, I highlighted some of the points I did not miss.
The story itself was fast-forwarded to answer the question, What becomes of Superman after Luthor and after Jonathan Kent?
Though it highlights several main points about the difficulty of discovering oneself, his love life, his struggles and his earthly- father's desire to keep his ability a secret, this movie has been more of Clark discovering Krypton.
When we say EPIC-FAIL, I think this was what the movie was all about. The presence of giant ships, and Jor-el's trench coat allows you to enter "The Matrix". Hey Keanu Reeves... Where Jor-El's presence is called "a shadow" from an "S"-shaped USB that the people from Krypton use also to maneuver the ship. Where the codex is not even an item that they are looking for but the codex it Clark Kent itself. Where the letter S is portrayed as a symbol for "hope". Where Lois Lane was asked by the aliens inside the ship for no reason at all. Where Martha Kent survived after being thrown by Zod and Zods men never did anything else than to disappear after he was taken by Superman in the city for more act of violence. Where New York was one block away from a farm without any sky-scrappers. Where Metropolis came into crumble but Superman never intended to help the people buried underneath the rubble. Where Zod was programmed to save Krypton even without the existence of Kryptonians. Where Lois Lane is an award winning Pulitzer journalist and I don't even have a clue why was that mentioned. Where moral-issue was highlighted but was unable to save his earthly father, standing helpless in front of a tornado. Where "you're not my real dad" script comes out of the context. Where Metropolis watch many people die when the man of steel was in nowhere but comes back in time to rescue Lois Lane. Where after snapping Zod's neck, Lois Lane appears for some reason. Where contrary to the Superman everyone knows of, this man of steel does not care about the people's safety and welfare. Where his weakness is not on Kryptonite but on killing (moral issue).
Though the movie was a THUMBS-DOWN on my viewpoint, I still highlighted some quotes from the movie that struck me. Just because you can't control me doesn't mean I'm your enemy. Faith comes first, trust will follow. You are my son. But somewhere out there you have another father, and he sent you here for a reason. And even if it takes you the rest of your life, you owe it to yourself to find out what that reason is. What if child dream of becoming something other than what society intended? What if a child aspire to something greater. Superman was once portrayed as a person from Krypton to save the people. In this movie, he was there to protect people. To save and protect are two different frames which were not highlighted in the movie. Maybe it was but it sucks.
The only part I love was how the two fathers, provided love, care and assistance to Clark.
Girl, boy, bakla, tomboy (2013)
A quad hilarious movie - Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy
My first share of MMFF2013 movie was Direk Wenn Deramas' Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy starring Vice Ganda. When it was anticipated that the latter will be doing Sisterakas sequel, with Kris Aquino and Ai-ai delas Alas similar to last year, a solo movie with four different characters was offered to him.
According to showbiz news, the role was initially offered to Sweet Lapus but eventually given to Vice Ganda.
Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy maybe one of Direk Wenn Deramas' signature uplifting the gay/LGBT community to another level after doing Bekikangs.
I would say that this movie was similar to Bromance with a twist of four characters instead of two. While Bromance was a rivalry between two brothers separated and got back together, this movie quadrupled the story with four different sexual preferences.
Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy is a story of betrayal, forgiveness and moving on. A loving mother (Maricel Soriano), a cowardly father (Joey Marquez) and the quadruplets (Vice Ganda) who portrays a girl who claims to be a model, a boy who claims to be a racer with Hepatitis, a bakla (gay) who's bitter since their father left them, and a tomboy (lesbian) who claims to be a singer with anemia.
Four of them were separated the moment their grandmother (Joy Viado) flew to the states with the two babies who apparently were raised to be girl and boy. The other two were left behind with their mom, grew up in the farm and became bakla and the other a tomboy.
The reunion was staged when Peter (boy), needs a liver transplant and Mark (tomboy) was the only compatible twin.
The plot heated when unsettled differences and issues were raised, and their parents' unresolved issue was added.
In case the movie was starred by Sweet Lapus, will it have the same impact to the viewers? I, personally would say YES! The fact that Direk Wenn Deramas can wave his wand to make an experimental movie to a blockbuster. No doubt the ratings would still be the same. He already did it when Zanjoe Marudo takes on Bromance.