Cinemalaya 6 Film Logs (Part 1)

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.


5 comments:

Ryan Mach said...

Harsh. Harsh. Harsh. I liked Magkakapatid. The acting feels authentic. And cinematography is good, the angles are studied.

Fidel Antonio Medel said...

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.

Anonymous said...

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

Anonymous said...

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May I use some of the information from your blog post right above if I give a link back to this site?

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Fidel Antonio Medel said...

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