Here are the 10 Cinemalaya 6 films that I've seen so far.
Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio
Director's Showcase
Director: Mario O' Hara
Starring: Alfred Vargas, Mailes Kanapi, Danielle Castano, Lance Raymundo
Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio is open to numerous interpretations. It is both intriguing and confusing.
Rating: 3.5/5
Ganap na Babae (Garden of Eve)
Opening Film
Director: Rica Arevalo, Ellen Ramos, and Sarah Roxas
Starring: Mercedes Cabral, Sue Prado, Boots Anson-Roa
The festival kicks off with Ganap na Babae and it was an utter disappointment. I can forgive the technical glitches during its premiere. What I can't forgive are the numerous cliches and tasteless metaphors that it employed. Ganap na Babae is a three-part drama that tackles different issues that beset women. It is uneven, convoluted, and poorly constructed.
Rating: 2/5
Donor
Director's Showcase
Director: Mark Meilly
Starring: Meryll Soriano, Baron Geisler
Donor explores cliched themes such as poverty, abortion, and organ trafficking; but it is saved by a fantastic and gory conclusion.
Rating: 3.5/5
Halaw (Ways of the Sea)
New Breed Category
Director: Sheron Dayoc
Starring: John Arcilla, Maria Isabel Lopez, Arnalyn Ismael
Halaw starts off promising. It utilizes real-time to burrow deep into the psyche of Filipinos who plan to illegally cross the Malaysian border. However, the ending is disappointingly bland.
Rating: 3.5/5
Mayohan
New Breed
Director: Dan Louie Villegas and Paul Sta. Ana
Starring: Lovi Poe, Elijah Castillo, Ping Medina
What Mayohan lacks in tight plotting, it makes up for with its stunning visuals and inherent cuteness.
Rating: 3/5
Sigwa
Director's Showcase
Director: Joel Lamangan
Starring: Dawn Zulueta, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Tirso Cruz III, Gina Alajar, Jaime Pebanco, Megan Young, Allen Dizon, Pauleen Luna, Marvin Agustin, Lovi Poe, Jay Aquitania
The tandem of Joel Lamangan and Bonifacio Ilagan came up with a better political drama last year (Dukot). But Sigwa is still good, but not great.
Rating: 3/5
Magkakapatid
New Breed
Director: Kim Homer Garcia
Starring: Ces Quesada, Julio Diaz, Racquel Villavicencio
Magkakapatid is not about judicial killings or warring gangs, but it is as dizzying as Engkwentro, although not even half as good.
Rating: 1/5
Limbunan
New Breed
Director: Gutierrez Mangansakan II
Starring: Jea Lyka Cinco, Tetchie Agbayani, Joem Bascon
Limbunan is too controlled to a fault, too stiff that it feels mechanical.
Rating: 2/5
Two Funerals
Director's Showcase
Director: Gil Portes
Starring: Tessie Tomas, Xian Lim, Benjie Felipe, Mon Confiado, Epi Quizon
Two Funerals is as bad as the studio comedies crafted by Wenn Deramas and Jose Javier Reyes. It is pointless, ridiculous, and simply annoying.
Rating: 1/5
2009 was such a great year for Cinemalaya. Do you remember Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe, Dinig Sana Kita, Engkwentro, and other great fims? This year, it's a different story. The lineup seems to reek of mediocrity. I haven't seen a film that made me go "wow" yet. I hope Cinemalaya Weekend #2 will give me a better experience. Ironically, the best film that I've seen in Cinemalaya 6 so far is a repeat screening of a 2009 film. See the film below.
The Arrival
ANI: Harvest of the Year's Best
Director: Erik Matti
Starring: Dwight Gaston, Dennis Ascalon, Milton Dionzon
Aside from eight Gawad Urian nods (including Best Picture and Best Direction), The Arrival has not received any other acclaim, simply because not a lot of people have seen it. So I watched the film expecting nothing much and went out of the theatre with a smile on my face. Social realism is the trend nowadays. It is such a shame that Pinoy filmmakers have forgotten how to make feel-good movies. Good thing Erik Matti hasn't.
Dreams deferred can still be dreams fulfilled. The Arrival tells us that even 40-year olds can have a coming-of-age story. Dwight Gaston essays the role of the loser protagonist with a winning combination of deadpan comedy and pathos. This is my favorite performance of the year thus far.
Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio
Director's Showcase
Director: Mario O' Hara
Starring: Alfred Vargas, Mailes Kanapi, Danielle Castano, Lance Raymundo
Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio is open to numerous interpretations. It is both intriguing and confusing.
Rating: 3.5/5
Ganap na Babae (Garden of Eve)
Opening Film
Director: Rica Arevalo, Ellen Ramos, and Sarah Roxas
Starring: Mercedes Cabral, Sue Prado, Boots Anson-Roa
The festival kicks off with Ganap na Babae and it was an utter disappointment. I can forgive the technical glitches during its premiere. What I can't forgive are the numerous cliches and tasteless metaphors that it employed. Ganap na Babae is a three-part drama that tackles different issues that beset women. It is uneven, convoluted, and poorly constructed.
Rating: 2/5
Donor
Director's Showcase
Director: Mark Meilly
Starring: Meryll Soriano, Baron Geisler
Donor explores cliched themes such as poverty, abortion, and organ trafficking; but it is saved by a fantastic and gory conclusion.
Rating: 3.5/5
Halaw (Ways of the Sea)
New Breed Category
Director: Sheron Dayoc
Starring: John Arcilla, Maria Isabel Lopez, Arnalyn Ismael
Halaw starts off promising. It utilizes real-time to burrow deep into the psyche of Filipinos who plan to illegally cross the Malaysian border. However, the ending is disappointingly bland.
Rating: 3.5/5
Mayohan
New Breed
Director: Dan Louie Villegas and Paul Sta. Ana
Starring: Lovi Poe, Elijah Castillo, Ping Medina
What Mayohan lacks in tight plotting, it makes up for with its stunning visuals and inherent cuteness.
Rating: 3/5
Sigwa
Director's Showcase
Director: Joel Lamangan
Starring: Dawn Zulueta, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Tirso Cruz III, Gina Alajar, Jaime Pebanco, Megan Young, Allen Dizon, Pauleen Luna, Marvin Agustin, Lovi Poe, Jay Aquitania
The tandem of Joel Lamangan and Bonifacio Ilagan came up with a better political drama last year (Dukot). But Sigwa is still good, but not great.
Rating: 3/5
Magkakapatid
New Breed
Director: Kim Homer Garcia
Starring: Ces Quesada, Julio Diaz, Racquel Villavicencio
Magkakapatid is not about judicial killings or warring gangs, but it is as dizzying as Engkwentro, although not even half as good.
Rating: 1/5
Limbunan
New Breed
Director: Gutierrez Mangansakan II
Starring: Jea Lyka Cinco, Tetchie Agbayani, Joem Bascon
Limbunan is too controlled to a fault, too stiff that it feels mechanical.
Rating: 2/5
Two Funerals
Director's Showcase
Director: Gil Portes
Starring: Tessie Tomas, Xian Lim, Benjie Felipe, Mon Confiado, Epi Quizon
Two Funerals is as bad as the studio comedies crafted by Wenn Deramas and Jose Javier Reyes. It is pointless, ridiculous, and simply annoying.
Rating: 1/5
2009 was such a great year for Cinemalaya. Do you remember Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe, Dinig Sana Kita, Engkwentro, and other great fims? This year, it's a different story. The lineup seems to reek of mediocrity. I haven't seen a film that made me go "wow" yet. I hope Cinemalaya Weekend #2 will give me a better experience. Ironically, the best film that I've seen in Cinemalaya 6 so far is a repeat screening of a 2009 film. See the film below.
The Arrival
ANI: Harvest of the Year's Best
Director: Erik Matti
Starring: Dwight Gaston, Dennis Ascalon, Milton Dionzon
Aside from eight Gawad Urian nods (including Best Picture and Best Direction), The Arrival has not received any other acclaim, simply because not a lot of people have seen it. So I watched the film expecting nothing much and went out of the theatre with a smile on my face. Social realism is the trend nowadays. It is such a shame that Pinoy filmmakers have forgotten how to make feel-good movies. Good thing Erik Matti hasn't.
Dreams deferred can still be dreams fulfilled. The Arrival tells us that even 40-year olds can have a coming-of-age story. Dwight Gaston essays the role of the loser protagonist with a winning combination of deadpan comedy and pathos. This is my favorite performance of the year thus far.
5 comments:
Harsh. Harsh. Harsh. I liked Magkakapatid. The acting feels authentic. And cinematography is good, the angles are studied.
I'm sorry to disagree, but I think Magkakapatid is a mess. It gave me a headache. Ang galaw ng camera. Di ba puedeng gumamit ng steadicam? The acting of Nico Antonio when he was going bonkers is horrible. Ces Quesada is good though.
Ganap na BABAE definitely foreshadowed 2010's cinemalaya as the biggest disappointment.
I really hated GANAP na BABAE, I hop the directors of the film will burn! it was so badly done
Hey,
I have a inquiry for the webmaster/admin here at pixelatedpopcorn.blogspot.com.
May I use some of the information from your blog post right above if I give a link back to this site?
Thanks,
James
@James Sure. Quote away. Thanks for dropping by.
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