A Throwback

Shake, Rattle & Roll VI

When i was a kid i used to see this film during Halloween and Holy Week in a local TV network.  I've seen plenty of Shake Rattle and Roll film's through the entirety of my life and SRRVI is the only one that appeals me by the fact that i never mind watching it over and over again, and despite of It's old use of Visual effect, the entertainment I've got to this was actually exceptional. I also admired the early SRR films, specially the first one and the second one but i think VI has the perfect fit for my SRR taste until now. It has this three series which is "The Television", "The Bridge" and "The Moon" which for me has a very entertaining stories. It's uniqueness doesn't try to pull too much , it knows where it belongs, It's not so over the top unlike the new the films in the franchise. I'm not saying that VI is the greatest in the series it's just that it has something into it that is so memorable to me, specially that clown who takes children through television, that's a total childhood nightmare out there. Now that's the only that i remember about this film, i forgot more aspects about it because i have not seen it again for a long time, and when i am trying to watch it i couldn't find any reliable sources to see this movie once again. Hopefully someday i found a way to see this movie, because i had a lot good memories in this particular film in the series, and it is very special to me and to my childhood.

Heneral Luna

Heneral Luna (2015)

Directed by Jerrold Tarog | Cinematography by Pong Ignacio

Its the feeling that you don't always get watching Filipino films. Despite of student discounts, i am happy to see that people are actually lining up for a local movie. That's what i feel when i first see this film, when the cinema is full of people, you hear their reaction, and the applause the movie get afterward is just a fantastic feeling. But the question is, does the movie deserve this applause? My answer is "YES", I myself as moviegoer who prefer watching silently still get along with the audience who seems to appreciate the art the film whoever they are i guess.

Life and Butchery

Kinatay (2009)

Directed by Brillante Mendoza

The only thing that triggers me to see the film is when I read some of Roger Ebert's stuff on his webstite, and I've read one of his journal that talks about this particular film. Ebert simply butchered this film, naming it as "The Worst Film in history of Cannes Film Festival", and i was simply shocked about it knowing the fact that before i even see this movie the feed backs that it got was simply mixed and most of them are atrocious. It just that way Ebert describe this film shocked me, i have a complete face on the ground moments while reading it, and Ebert wasn't just beating the movie itself but it mostly directed to the director, Brillante Mendoza.

The Sweet Tale of Anita

Ang huling cha-cha ni anita (Anita's Last Cha-Cha, 2013)

Directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernando

I wasn't expecting anything from this movie until I've seen it, and when i finally seen it i was very surprise on how intricate it was, pretty much controversial if you took the view point of the other people. Before watching this movie the audience must understand that it tackles a very sensitive subject, and for that i must say the film is mostly redirect for Open-Minded people and to those who have wider understanding.

Oh i love our Films. Filipino Films!

A brief thought about Philippine Cinema.

Florentina Hublado, CTE (2012) by Lav Diaz

The more i discover Philippine Cinema the more i stop worrying about it because little by little i carefully realize that movies in the Philippines is not the problem, there's plenty of better Filipino films out there than what we usually see, its just a matter of discovery, or how many have you seen. Let's start ending this atrocity of comparing Indie to Mainstream Cinema because Films have a respectful divisions; Yes sometimes we hated certain filmmakers about the way they making films, but then i suddenly realize they are not supposed to be worried to because if we hate it then don't watch and if we supposed to watch there's no problem about giving an opinion, just a year ago I write a practically "Rant" about what's going on to Mainstream Cinema of this country because my perspective as an audience hasn't been that wide enough but everything I've said there has a point so I don't considerably regret it. The main thing is if you ask me, Philippine Cinema is doing fine, the movies are doing fine, but the complication is the society, on how they approach our own Local movies, the lack of appreciation is what makes the difficulty in Philippine Cinema. It's not about the Budget, It's not about how big the movie is, It's all about how people see it and appreciate it. We are doing fine but We need to push a little more, so we can expand on how the society see our very own movies. The mission is to expand the vision.

King in Manila

Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story (2011) Review

Cinematography by Carlo Mendoza

It's obvious that the main residual problem of watching ER Erjecito's Films is not the other things around the film-making such as acting, action or etc but rather it's the focal point of having a trouble making a precise pacing on editing. Yet this film is the best example of a modern age Filipino big budget action movie that fails to push it's sense but it always highly entertaining and fun. Sadly we rarely see such local movies like this that tries to be different and unconventional among the others. 

3rd World Hero

Bayaning 3rd Word (1999) Short Review

Cinematography by Ding Achacoso

It was back on the days where Cinema in the Philippines had a more broad and border less idea of making movies rather than sticking on what is trend, Mike De Leon along with Clodualdo Del Mundo jr. creates a very imaginative and unique approach doing an unorthodox way of making a biopic about one of the most iconic person in Philippines, Jose Rizal.  There are a lot of attempt making Jose Rizal that talks about his story, from Documentaries to actual feature films (most notable was Marilou Diaz-Abaya's 1999 Jose Rizal) and Mike De Leon's Third World Hero is one of the most different among the others.