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Tuesday, 15 October 2024

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Bayan o Sarili: Heneral Luna Film Review

Sa pagbukas ng pelikulang Heneral Luna ni Jerrold Tarog, muling balikan at buksan ang kwento ng kagitingan ng isang heneral at ng iba pang kontrobersyal na bahagi ng kasaysayan.

Hindi lubos na mauunawaan ang kasalukuyan kung hindi babalikan ang kasaysayan. Kaya sa pagbukas ng pelikulang Heneral Luna ni Jerrold Tarog noong Setyembre 9, 2015, nabuksan sa madla ang kwento ng kagitingan ng isang heneral at ng iba pang kontrobersyal na bahagi ng kasaysayan. Naging usap-usapan ng mga netizens ang pelikula at mistulang naging viral pa ang posibleng maagang pagkakatanggal nito sa mga sinehan. Muli nating hawiin ang kurtina at tanawin ang kasaysayan sa likod ni Heneral Luna.

Mapangahas at puno ng tapang ang grupo ni Direk Jerrold Tarog sa pagnanais na ibunyag ang madilim na bahagi ng kasaysayan. Ang kasaysayang kinagisnan nating mga bayani ay may kinalaman din sa kontroberysyal na krimen ng pagpatay sa kapwa Pilipino. Umiikot ang istorya sa panahon ng pananakop ng mga Amerikano at kung paano lumaban ang mga Pilipino upang hindi tuluyang masakop ng mga dayuhan at makamit ang soberanya.

Pilipino Laban sa Pilipino

“Mayroon tayong mas malaking kaaway kaysa mga Amerikano, ang ating sarili,” isa sa mga matalinhagang linyang binitawan sa pelikula na sumasalamin sa madilim na lihim ng kasaysayan. Hindi man direktang ipinakita ay tila palaisipan ang matagal nang isyu na si Presidente Emilio Aguinaldo rin ang nagpapatay kay Heneral Luna gaya nang nangyari kay Andres Bonifacio. Naging tahasan din ang pagsasalaysay ng totoong kaganapan sa pagitan ng mga Pilipino noong panahon ng mga Amerikano. Kahit sa pagitan ng mga miyembro ng militar o pulitika ay hindi nagkaroon ng kasunduan ang mga Pilipino sa pagdedesisyon.

Napapanahon Kahit Kahapon

Maikukumpara na magpahanggang ngayon ay nangyayari pa rin ang pagsisiraan sa pagitan ng mga Pilipino lalo na sa ating gobyerno. Kung sa pelikula ay makikitang pinatay si Heneral Luna ng kapwa Pilipino, ngayon ay wala pa ring nababago gaya nang patuloy nating nakikita sa mga balita at maging sa pulitika. Ang mga salitang ginamit ay nababagay rin sa modernong panahon lalo na ang mga punchline upang lagyan ng bahagyang komedya ang timpla. Bagaman makabago ang salita ay hindi nasakripisyo ang kwento at takbo ng istorya dahil sa katunayan, maging ang paggamit ng f imbes na p sa salitang familia ay kapansin-pansin din. Maging ang mga linya ay sadyang may laman na mas pinatindi pa ng batuhan ng mga dekalibreng artista gaya ni John Arcilla .

Atensyon para sa Suhestiyon

Talagang isa ang pelikulang ito sa mga maituturing na masterpiece sa larangan ng Philippine Movie, hindi lang dahil sa magandang storyline kundi maging ang cinematography . Makakakonekta ang lahat ng uri ng manonood sa ganitong klaseng pelikula dahil sa pagkakatalakay nito sa ating mga paaralan simula nang tayo ay nasa elementarya. Sadyang iba ang nakikita sa nababasa mula sa nilalaman ng libro kaya mas mainam kung sa susunod ay ipapalabas ito nang may subtitle upang masundan din ng mga manonood ang mga linyang tumatatak sa puso. Bagaman mayroon nang mga naunang pelikula patungkol sa ating mga bayani, maganda rin kung ang mga susunod na pelikulang tungkol sa kasaysayan ay gawing sequel style o tahiin ang mga istorya ayon sa pagkakasunod-sunod sa kasaysayan upang hindi nakalilito at mas madaling magamit bilang material sa pagtuturo sa mga paaralan. Noon pa man ay may kakaiba nang alab ang puso nating mga Pilipino gaya nang ipinakita ng isa sa ating mga bayani. Nakakalungkot lamang na isiping tila nakakalimot tayo at pati sa simpleng pagsuporta ng sariling atin ay mistulang mabibigo pa tayo. Sa bawat pagkakataon na iniisip natin ang ating kapakanan, isaalang-alang din natin ang ating bayan. Wala mang kapa o anumang costume gaya ng mga superheroes ang ating mga bayani ay umukit sa kasaysayan ang dugong kanilang ibinuwis. Sana’y huwag tayong magbulag-bulagan sa nagaganap sa ating bansa at gaya ng sinabi sa pelikula, “hindi panlalait ang pagsasabi ng totoo.” Kaya sa mga pulitiko, pulis, estudyante at maging pedicab driver , “negosyo o kalayaan, bayan o sarili, mamili ka.”

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Ikaw (Filipino) Movie Review

January 27, 2022

Ikaw (You) is one of the newly added Filipino movie on Netflix. It’s about a Manila-based real estate broker who returned to her town in Bulusan, Sorgsogon for her grandmother’s 80th birthday celebration. She gets reacquinted with her elementary schoolmate, Edong, a coconut farmer.

Basically when I watched this movie, I have no clue what’s the plot of the movie, I just watched the trailer on Netflix and then proceeded to hit the play button.

Here’s my 3 thoughts about the movie:

Wow. The plot twist was unexpected . Since I don’t look at how many minutes are left in the movie, the plot twist took me by surprise. Yup. I really thought the movie was done, and they were already wrapping up. Since I don’t want to spoil you with the plot twist, I will not elaborate more on this thought.
I didn’t cry that much . I’m a big cry baby! And so when I tell you I didn’t cry that much, tears did fell, but wasn’t enough. They kind of missed on the chance of making their audience bawl their eyes out. Maybe it’s the song choice or the scene was just lacking. For me, instead on focusing on the character crying, they could have shown a few seconds of flash backs.
It’s not a happy ending . If you like movies that ends in happy ever after, then this movie is not for you. But don’t let this stop you. This movie is still worth watching. I enjoyed and I didn’t feel like I wasted my time.

Have you seen Ikaw? What do you think about the movie? Let me know in the comments!

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Movie reviews: Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2019 films part 1

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This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Movie reviews: Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2019 films part 1

Watch Me Kill review: Mood and atmosphere

There is a lot to admire about Tyrone Acierto’s Watch Me Kill .

First, the movie, shot entirely on film, has a look and feel that aims for bleak and barren beauty rather than just artless coverage. Mood is clearly a primary aspiration here. The film is painstakingly slow and purposefully deliberate, all to service the atmosphere of an alternate universe where the bare boondocks of the Philippines are bereft of the rule of law and brimming with all sorts of unsavory characters. Acierto successfully creates an immersive backdrop for what could be a timeless tale of grave vices and fractured virtues that a very specific local culture can conjure.

Sadly, the story that Watch Me Kill puts into motion in this overwhelming setting is underwhelming.

It works best in the beginning where everything is shrouded in mystery; where the motivations for the relentless murders committed by brooding assassin Luciana (Jean Garcia) are indecipherable, or how the sudden fortune of a relentless treasure hunter will make a dent in Luciana’s journey. The set-up, coupled with the irresistible ambience of endless wilderness and cruel humanity, is exquisite. However, as soon as the film sets its focus on putting to fruition a plot twist that is as old as time, the creases start becoming more apparent. The elegance of the storytelling falls apart just to service the ending, with Luciana never really evolving into a character with enough humanity to root for. The brutality becomes repetitive. The artifice reverberates.

Still, Acierto’s film is a wonder to behold. It is impressive in terms of both risk-taking and crafting.

LSS review: Singing your heart out

A girl (Gabbi Garcia) has just been told that she is better in administrative work than in making music. A boy (Khalil Ramos) has just found out that the girl he has long adored is getting back with her ex. Tearfully listening to a song from a band they both adore, the two defeated characters see each other and end up sharing a passionate kiss. It’s illogical. It couldn’t happen. She’s professionally distraught. He’s irreversibly heartbroken. In our normal world, a heartfelt kiss would be the farthest thing from happening.

However, in Jade Castro’s LSS – a film that aspires to translate the magic of music bringing people together – the scene, amidst all the illogic and incredibility, is not just beautiful, it is poignant.

LSS is far from perfect. The love story it peddles unfolds far too conveniently. There are also certain details that feel too removed from reality for comfort, details that the film’s affinity with music cannot even be an excuse for. These are all writing problems, problems that the film’s very many precious moments can cover for, problems that the team of screenwriters who’ve shaped the characters to have more pressing concerns other than the need for a happy love story, can ultimately be forgiven for.

LSS can be categorized as a musical, except that when its characters burst into song, they do so not out of the filmmakers’ conceit but out of their connection to the music. They sing imperfectly like most music fans sing like, with Castro putting an effort to weave this communal adoration for songs and a particular band into dazzling sequences that seamlessly converge, translating something specific and possibly alienating into something as universal as love.

I’m Ellenya L. review: Cheek and ridicule

The biggest misstep of Boy2 Quizon’s I’m Ellenya L . is that it projects its disdain for millennials too overtly.

Ellenya (Maris Racal) is nothing more than a glaring stereotype, an aspiring influencer who forgoes traditional work for her ambition to make money from making all kinds of videos for the internet. Quizon’s film dutifully navigates her efforts and eventual comeuppance, sprinkling an afterthought of a love story into the mix. The film never really struggles to understand the character or the generation that gave rise to such a mentality. In the film’s world, she is stooge, the clichéd core of a parable about the pitfalls of indulging in the gross conveniences of this social media generation.

It’s all very elementary. Thankfully, Quizon is far from being elementary in tackling what could possibly be a rudimentary morality tale. I’m Ellenya L . is dominated by all sorts of humor, ranging from the drably inoffensive to the adamantly vulgar. The film is staunchly current, with its best and most irreverent gags clinging on the current flavors of the month. While this might hurt the film’s probably inexistent bid for immortality, it improves its chances at squeezing out every bit of chuckle from its audience. The film is truly funny. It is also wistful when it intends to be, with Ellenya’s dad (Gio Alvarez) and grandmother (Nova Villa) balancing the cheek and ridicule with traces of very relatable humanity.

Lola Igna review: Long life and levity

Eduardo Roy, Jr.’s Lola Igna is an absolute charmer.

Buoyed by the captivating and compelling turn of legendary Angie Ferro as the titular grandmother, the film diligently observes the ironic suffering of a woman unable to die with uncharacteristic but delightful levity. It is colorful, with the film making most of all the bright and striking hues the farmland setting can afford, to enunciate the abundance of life that the main character is trying her best to abandon. The music is spritely. The events that ensue never swell to the point of distracting melodrama. Everything is kept within a very intimate package, almost as if Roy intends his audience to witness the life of the main character first as intruders (like the many tourists who force themselves into her humble hut) and later on as friends or family who, little by little, acknowledge both the beauty and cruelty of Igna’s fate as a woman who wants to die but can’t.

Sure, the film’s focus is the titular character’s unique and fantastic dilemma. However, Roy can’t also avoid but tackle pertinent issues that accompany it. He conjures a believable world where a human being whose sufferings are unknown to the public is turned into a tourist commodity, converted not just by the community but also by her family into a living.

Society still plays a crucial part in this otherwise private concern, and Roy doesn’t just understand that, he fully comprehends that everything is interconnected. The film instinctively balances the inhumanity of being a world record and the profoundness of the pleasures of death after living a life fully lived, resulting in a truly tender portrait of this world’s most subtle and mysterious injustices.

Open review: Modern but old-fashioned

Andoy Ranay’s Open opens in the middle of a relationship that is already doomed to fail. Rome (Arci Munoz) and Ethan (JC Santos) are in a bakery choosing cakes to bring to a potluck. A simple argument on what kind of cake to bring is closed with a compromise that is not exactly amicable, as it involves a lot of emotional leveraging.

The clever opening telegraphs the kind of manipulation Ethan does to introduce to Rome the idea of open relationships, wherein while the two are emotionally loyal to each other, they can have physical relationships with strangers. Predictably, the set-up only forces their already troubled relationship into a deeper pit.

What is most unfortunate about Open is how it utilizes a modern and untested relationship set-up, one that is ripe enough to be brought into more mainstream consciousness, to serve as the fulcrum of another old-fashioned morality tale about the dangers of infidelity. Strip the film of all the trappings of innovation and currency and it remains to be the same tale as old as time where a relationship becomes embattled by the allures of a third party. What truly drives the film is the stirring performance of Munoz who intuitively humanizes a character who right from the start is made captive by a truly despicable man. The film isn’t really memorable because of the supposed novelty it brings to the table, but because of its fevered and oftentimes very elegant attempt to approximate the nuances of a torturously lopsided romance.

Francis Joseph Cruz litigates for a living and writes about cinema for fun. The first Filipino movie he saw in the theaters was Carlo J. Caparas’ Tirad Pass.

Since then, he’s been on a mission to find better memories with Philippine cinema.

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Why Everyone Should Watch 'Ang Larawan' the Movie

This was the grade all 11 members of the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB), the local film rating body, bestowed upon the movie-musical Ang Lawaran . Received on December 14, the grade is the latest accolade earned by the film, prior to its Christmas Day release.

“Enthralling, captivating, and beautifully helmed,” said a CEB board member.

“ Ang Larawan is a brilliant, fabulous production with great acting and excellent technical elements,” praised another.

The film's warm reception at Japan’s Tokyo Film Festival, where it premiered in October, backs up its top ratings from the CEB.

“The Japanese audience sat through our whole film until the very last credit was shown,” says executive producer and actor Celeste Legaspi . No doubt, the musical has captivated international audiences and hopefully will do the same to Filipino audiences.

The cast of Ang Larawan

Larawan is the sole mu sical entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival this year, and there are high expectations for the film. After having seen it, we believe it meets said expectations.

Aside from the wonderful acting and direction, here are a list of reasons why moviegoers should watch Ang Larawan , and ultimately, why it should sweep the MMFF awards.

La Naval procession scene

It’s the product of years of preparation and the struggle for perfection.

While some films take a few months to film, Ang Larawan had a different production process. The script was based heavily on Nick Joaquin’s play Portrait of the Artist as a Filipino , which the National Artist penned in the 1950s.

In the late ‘90s, it was adapted for stage by a company that included Celeste Legaspi and Girlie Rodis, who produced the original musicals, lead actress and executive producer Rachel Alejandro tells us. The play was revised and made into a musical libretto, translated by National Artist for Literature and Theater Rolando Tinio, and set to music by composer Ryan Cayabyab.

The musical was staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, with Celeste playing the role of Candida Marasigan and Zsa Zsa Padilla as Paula (both appear in the film version).

Tony Javier (Paulo Avelino) talks to Candida Marasigan (Joanna Ampil)

“Girlie and I have been in love with this material and became obsessed with the idea of showing it to the world as a shining example of Filipino talent,” says Alejandro. Five years ago, she and Rodis found Loy Arcenas, whom they thought was a “perfect director for the film.”

Later, Alejandro and co-star Joanna Ampil workshopped the material over a year. Since the original was a three-hour musical, for the film they had to decide which parts would be spoken instead of sung and which songs had to be let go.

In 2015, the filming begun and casting took place. “But as we added more shoot days, edited, and perfected the sound, Loy was not happy with the result until the film was submitted to the MMFF. Suddenly, it had a deadline,” the actress says.

Patsy (Cara Mangalpus), Don Perico (Robert Arevalo), and Dona Loleng (Celeste Legaspi)

Superb musical scoring, songs, and orchestra.

Alejandro admits that it was Ryan Cayabyab’s music that drew her in to sign up as a producer. “In my opinion, this is his most beautiful work and equal to, if not better, than the very best of Broadway and the West End."

Each catchy tune showcases Cayabyab’s talent, as well as highlights the beauty of the Filipino language. The instrumentals came courtesy of ABS-CBN and its Philharmonic Orchestra. Cayabyab had to adjust his original music to fit the 60-piece orchestra, since the original had only a six-piece band.

Points for historical accuracy.

“ I call it La Naval procession reenactment because what we shot was as faithful as can be to the actual last La Naval held in October 1941, before the city of Intramuros was decimated by American bombers,” shares Alejandro. This poignant moment in the film, along with many of the other scenes, meticulously stay true to the period it was set in.

Shooting at the best possible locations.

Set in Intramuros in 1941, the majority of the film was shot in Taal, Batangas. The film revolved around a stately but deteriorating family home with its resident sisters struggling with its upkeep. All the interior scenes were shot inside a heritage house owned by the Villavicencio family, while the exterior scenes—the street shots, La Naval procession, and a church scene in the San Agustin church—were filmed in Intramuros. The film was shot in Batangas because the producers could not find a house in Intramuros that was completely intact and could serve the film’s purpose.

Paula Marasigan played by Rachel Alejandro

It has the endorsements of two National Artists.

Apart from a slew of brilliant actors who all possess unreal vocal talents, the film owes its backbone to the works of two artistic geniuses, Nick Joaquin and Rolando Tinio. Before his demise, Joaquin issued a statement regarding his thoughts on Ang Larawan, the Musical. He said at that time, it was a “vital element of our country’s centennial celebrations. It is significant for our people to look back and remember our culture and heritage as we look forward to the future.”

Librettist Tinio said of the previous musical, “Adapting Portrait into a musical has turned the elegy into a celebration.” He added, “Present day audiences may no longer mourn the passing of the world of truth and beauty symbolized by the old Intramuros and exemplified by Don Lorenzo Marasigan, Candida and Paula, but we certainly continue to admire and celebrate the tenacity of spirit with which they clung to their ideals of art and poetry that were losing ground as materialism and consumerism overtook their age.”

Sandino Martin as Bitoy Camacho

A timely and powerful message.

Various themes of family, war, and dream-chasing stand out during the film, but for Alejandro, the one that resonates the strongest comes from the moment Candida and Paula issue their battlecry, “Contra mundum!” which when translated from Latin, means “defy the world.” “For me, the story is about women empowerment but it’s also so much more,” says Alejandro. “It’s about standing your ground, no matter what the cost, and fighting for what you believe in. It’s exactly what Celeste, Girlie, and co-executive producer Alem Ang have done with this film. People may say it’s not commercial but we fought tooth and nail to make it the most excellent film it can possibly be.”

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Cinema Escapist

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The 11 best pinoy movies of 2020.

Cinema Escapist reveals the top Filipino movies of 2020, across genres like romance, fantasy, indie, comedy, drama, and more.

By The Editors , 7 Jan 21 04:25 GMT

During 2020, the Philippine cinematic industry came to a standstill with coronavirus-induced theater and production shutdowns. Despite this, Pinoy films still released before lockdowns started, and graced certain international film festivals and streaming sites afterwards. The 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival also persisted, albeit in a remote format.

Amidst this, you might wonder: what were the Best Pinoy Movies of 2020 ?

Cinema Escapist’s staff has curated this list of 11 top Filipino films to answer that question. Here, we’ve selected both indie and blockbuster movies across genres like comedy, animation, action, romance, and more. We tried choosing Pinoy movies that are not only entertaining or artistically notable, but also have sociopolitical significance.

Let’s take a glance through 2020’s best Filipino movies!

11. Tagpuan

Director: MacArthur Alejandre | Starring: Alfred Vargas, Iza Calzado, Shaina Magdayao | Genre: Romance

Directed by MacArthur Alejandre, Tagpuan tells a simple love story that traverses three cities. In the movie, Alfred Vargas and Iza Calzado play an ex-couple from Manila who reunite in New York City after a five year separation. Additionally, Vargas’ character has a liaison with a prostitute in Hong Kong (Shaina Magdayao).

In an interview , director Alejandre explained how the film is meant to “comment on the social and economic forces that shape our reactions to love and relationships.” The film touches upon the struggles of diaspora Filipinos—both immigrants and OFWs—which is especially fitting in a year of travel restrictions and isolation amid COVID-19. Tagpuan was also one of the selections for 2020’s Metro Manila Film Festival, where Shaina Magdayao won an award for Best Supporting Actress.

10. Block Z

Director: Mikhail Red | Starring: Julia Barretto, Joshua Garcia, Ian Veneracion | Genre: Horror, Zombie

2020 was a year of zombie films across Asia, especially with #Alive and Peninsula from South Korea. Pinoy cinema also had its own entrant to this subgenre, Mikhail Red ’s Block Z .

Block Z follows a group of university students who try to survive a zombie pandemic in the Philippines. The movie is replete with tension and bloody combat; its agile zombies feel reminiscent of those in 28 Days Later . When Block Z came out in January, some audiences also compared it to international blockbusters like Train to Busan and World War Z .

9. The Boy Foretold by the Stars

Director: Dolly Dulu| Starring: Adrian Lindayag, Keann Johnson | Genre: Romance, Boys’ Love

Besides zombies, 2020 also saw the success of Boys’ Love (BL) media in the Philippines, for example the webseries Gameboys and Gaya Sa Pelikula . The Boy Foretold by the Stars builds upon this trend as the first-ever Pinoy BL feature film.

Those familiar with the BL genre will find that The Boy Foretold by the Stars follows a pretty standard BL template. It has attractive male leads, a Catholic school setting, and teases the audience with romantic tension. Nevertheless, it executes upon the formula well, and offers a refreshingly escapist experience replete with emotion.

8. Magikland

Director: Christian Acuña | Starring: Miggs Cuaderno, Elijah Alejo, Princess Aguilar, Josh Eugenio | Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

If you’re looking through escapism through adventure instead of romance, then consider Magikland . This Pinoy fantasy film focuses on four children who are transported to the mystical world of Magikland when they play a mobile game. Once there, they must save Magikland from the evil villain Mogrodo-Or.

Overall, Magikland provides an endearing take on childhood, updated for the modern era. Director Christian Acuña based the world of Magikland on a theme park of the same name in Negros Occidental , but also incorporated mobile gaming mechanics that make the movie feel more dynamic and familiar. As a testament to good worldbuilding, Magikland won the Best Production Design, Best Musical Score, and Best Visual Effects awards at the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival.

7. Nightshift

Director: Yam Laranas | Starring: Yam Concepcion, Jeffrey Quizon, Soliman Cruz | Genre: Horror

Fans of horror should look out for Nightshift , the latest film from director Yam Laranas. The movie follows a young woman named Jessie who gets a job as a morgue pathologist’s assistant. On her first day at work, the morgue’s corpses begin to show signs of resurrection—and Jessie learns that she’s entered a macabre world of odd characters that inhabit the borders between life and death.

While there are plenty of Filipino horror films, Nightshift might be the first that’s actually set in a morgue. The film offers surprising insight into some of the details of a pathologist’s life. It also aptly leverages the morgue setting to create a distinctively chilling ambience.

6. Midnight in a Perfect World

Director: Dodo Dayao | Starring: Glaiza De Castro, Jasmin Curtis-Smith, Anthony Falcon | Genre: Horror, Sci-fi, Thriller, Indie

Imagine Manila with an efficient drainage system and smooth transportation infrastructure—welcome to the near future setting of Midnight in a Perfect World . While the Manila of this sci-fi horror thriller film seems utopian on the surface, dark secrets lurk just underneath. In the movie, a group of four youthful friends gets caught in a mysterious blackout, and must battle hidden forces to make it out alive.

Sci-fi indie films aren’t common in the Philippines, so Midnight in a Perfect World already has some novelty value. It’s also a source of blatant social commentary: its near future world contains an authoritarian government prosecuting a brutal war on drugs. With chilling cinematography and sound design on top of all this, Midnight in a Perfect World offers one of the more notable indie members of 2020’s Pinoy film repertoire.

5. Babae at Baril

Director: Rae Red | Starring: Janine Gutierrez, Felix Roco, JC Santos | Genre: Drama, Crime

Though Babae at Baril (also known as The Girl with the Gun in English) technically premiered in 2019, we’re including it in 2020’s list of best Pinoy movies because it enjoyed broader distribution and international attention during the year. During 2020, this indie Filipino movie screened at the New York and Osaka Asian Film Festivals.

Directed by Mikhail Red’s sister Rae Red , Babae at Baril provides a pointed commentary around the status of women in the Philippines. The film centers on a young department woman saleslady who stumbles upon a discarded gun and begins to take revenge for indignities she suffered in an oppressively patriarchal society. Amidst the usual deluge of sappy romance movies in the Philippines, Babae at Baril provides a welcome change that actually empowers its female lead.

To learn more about Babae at Baril , read our interview with director Rae Red !

4. Death of Nintendo

Director: Raya Martin | Starring: Noel Comia Jr., Agot Isidro, Moi Marcampo | Genre: Comedy, Coming-of-Age

If you grew up in the 1990s, then Death of Nintendo may feel satisfyingly familiar. This coming-of-age comedy movie revolves around three teenagers on summer vacation in the 1990s.

With a distinctive retro look and pop-tinged soundtrack, the film offers a charming nostalgia trip through the 90’s, complete with references to Super Mario and Michael Jordan. Beyond nostalgia though, Death of Nintendo also contains a rather nuanced and realistic depiction of how its teenage characters respond to adversity. With screenings at numerous international festivals including the Berlinale, Death of Nintendo is one of the most interesting Filipino indie films of 2020.

3. On Vodka, Beers, and Regrets

Director: Irene Villamor | Starring: Bela Padilla, JC Santos | Genre: Romance

We return to the romance genre with On Vodka, Beers, and Regrets . Given COVID-19 shut down theaters soon after its release, this film was the highest grossing Pinoy movie of 2020.

Bela Padilla and JC Santos headline the film, respectively playing a down-on-her-luck actress and a band frontman. The two leads slowly connect, sharing their life’s tribulations and growing closer through the process. It’s a subtle and beautiful dance of emotions, one that never feels too saccharine nor bleak. Padilla deserves special praise for her performance, which has a level of psychological depth that such romances often lack.

2. Watch List

Director: Ben Rekhi | Starring: Arthur Acuña, Bernard Carritero, Alessandra de Rossi | Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Though Watch List had its festival running starting in 2019, we’re including it on this list because it had a Philippine release in 2020, and is worth highlighting for its sociopolitical relevance.

Amidst the contemporary Philippine Drug War, Watch List centers on a woman named Maria who joins a force of vigilantes after her husband is murdered for being an alleged drug pusher. Though many movies depict the Drug War, Watch List stands out with a humanistic depiction of its characters. Alessandra de Rossi’s performance as Maria feels especially poignant. Instead of relegating herself to the trope of victimhood, she embraces a sense of measured defiance.

Beyond humanism, Watch List is also entertaining. It has a tightly woven plot, a significant degree of suspense, and a compelling underlying moral conflict. This is also a rare Pinoy movie that gained a wide virtual release in the US and other countries during 2020, allowing overseas audiences to get a taste of Filipino stories on the silver screen.

1. Fan Girl

Director: Antoinette Jadaone | Starring: Charlie Dizon, Paulo Avelino | Genre: Coming-of-Age, Drama

Our selection for the very best Pinoy movie of 2020 is Fan Girl . The latest title from director Antoinette Jadaone and Black Sheep Productions, Fan Girl swept 2020’s Metro Manila Film Festival and won eight well-deserved awards. The film focuses on the relationship between a young girl named Jane (Charlie Dizon) and her idol Paulo Avelino (who plays a fictional version of himself).

Jadaone’s movie forces audiences to think about the complexities of fandom culture, as well as their roles and boundaries as fans. While Fan Girl occurs in the Philippines, its story is universal. The film speaks to many different kinds of fans, whether those of singers, artists, filmmakers, athletes, or politicians. Jadaone’s film also gives voice to a group that is often sidelined as hysterical and mindless young girls—when in fact, they are also a new force of social justice —whether through fancams, donations, or mobilizing movements.

Learn more about Fan Girl in our interview with Antoinette Jadaone !

Want more Filipino films? Check out our lists of the Best Pinoy Movies of 2019 and Best Pinoy Movies of 2018 !

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