A random journal on nearly everything

Si Nanay at si Lav Diaz

Matapos ang higit apat na oras na pagupo sa sinehan, hindi nakatulog si Nanay. Dilat na naka-abang sa mga susunod na mangyayari. Tahimik, hindi gumagalaw, salamat na kung minsa’y bumubunton-hininga, dahil inakala ko’y baka na-stroke na sa tagal ng pelikula.

Ngunit ang higit na ikinagulat ko’y sa paglabas namin ng Glorietta 4, ay siya ang unang nagtanong kung ano raw ang mga bagay na naintindihan ko sa NORTE, HANGGANAN NG KASAYSAYAN (2013) ni Lav Diaz. Ngayon lang siya nakapanood ng ganitong klaseng Obra. Kadalasan, kasi, ay sapat na sa kanya ang kilig na nakukuha kina John Lloyd at Daniel, at kung minsan naman ang madalas nahuhulog sa biglaang himbing sa lakas ng aircon sa MOA.
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A Few Good Blockbusters

JURASSIC PARK (1993) is one example of a Hollywood produced blockbuster that we still crave to see every once in a while. It’s sequels, however, fell flat that we can’t help but relive the original delight of seeing a well-made blockbuster and celebrate its triumph.

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2014) is yet another of its kind. It reaches far beyond what one expects of a blockbuster, and delivers an outstanding array of performances, storyline and a thesis on the human mind. Director Matt Reeves (CLOVERFIELD; 2008 and LET ME IN; 2010), brings us a well developed plot about the tragedy that is man, and his unending search for peace through savagery.

What makes this film so exceptional is that it thrives on an unswerving sense of rhythm. Each fight is firmly rooted on managed motivations, a character change relies heavily on previous plants, and even each teardrop falls just in time to deliver that appropriate emotional tone.

Yes, for a war movie, there is so much crying. I cried, too. This one supremely exceeds my expectations!

DAWN isn’t too ambitious. Unlike other blockbusters, that tried futile attempts to scale the world and make America it’s undying hero, this film conservatively covers only two communities in a limited ape milieu, and the results are just astounding. Sometimes, Read more →

Justice Returns

mmediately after the success of HIMALA in 1982, Screenwriter Ricky Lee and National Artist for Film, Director Ishmael Bernal excitedly came up with a new project for Nora Aunor. It was a socio-political suspense/drama about a woman being sought by the law for killing a man. It was said that this story was conceptualized, have been granted a budget, and had it’s first few scenes shot in the early 80s, but circumstances blocked its fate. Ricky Lee and Ishmael Bernal eventually realized that it wasn’t still ripe for the picking in the 80s.

After shooting a few scenes, both Screenwriter and Director, decided to shelve the project, and parted ways…never to work together again, until the latter’s death.

Even until our age, this story by Lee intrigues film enthusiasts and haunts Noranians, alike. It was a treasure, conceived by two great minds, however didn’t reach the our collective experience.

This year, CINEMALAYA 10, paves the way for Lee’s almost-forgotten promise, and gives the chance for Aunor to rekindle a role that Lee and Ishmael once envisioned for her after Elsa’s triumph.

In lieu of Ishmael Bernal, Director Joel Lamangan directed this re-thinking and handles it with Lee and Aunor. Read more →

Stupid. But. Fun

We watch sequels with excitement and with caution: it can either exceed its predecessor, or fail miserably. So we watch with care and without too much expectations, clinging only to the hope that we see how the story continues.

But Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller either hit it, or missed it. They just used the same dumb formula of the original franchise and put in a lot more production dollars for a promise of more explosions and cheap, stupid fun. Read more →