I was on an indie film rampage these past few weeks and I wanted to share the experience. I was able to watch three movies: Tuhog, Juana C and Cinemalaya Shorts.
I watched Tuhog after gorging on unli cakes and coffee from The Coffee Beanery (only 200 pesos!). Expectations were really not that high as I've heard "meh" reviews about it. Well, it was OK but not spectacular. While some parts were really funny (Caloy (Enchong Dee) saying "Excuse me.." when in fact he can't go anywhere because they were all skewered in that wretched metal pipe), some fell short and became slapstick-ish (Tonio (Leo Martinez) burning the pandesal).
Fiesta's (Eugene Domingo) character had the most interesting conflict of the three. Tonio's story may have been dragged on too long. I remember looking at my watch and thinking why his story was still on. Caloy's story was the typical coming-of-age drama and the adolescent desires that the youth go through.
Eugene's and the other veteran actors' portrayal were phenomenal which surely made the film better.
Favorite Scene: Fiesta's alcoholic father experiencing withdrawal syndrome. He was begging her for even just a drop of isopropyl alcohol because he was THAT thirsty.
Next up was Juana C. I watched this in UP Film Institute. This film was extremely funny. I guess that's what you get when you couple political and social commentaries with a LOT (and I mean a LOT) of sex scenes.
This movie was a huge reality pill that is hard to swallow. What can we do to change the Philippines? Tara sa labas.
Favorite Scene: "Pek-pek na lang si Jek-jek"
Of course, the heart of the independent cinema movement, Cinemalaya Festival. I braved the rain and the hustle and Bustle of Manila just to CCP. It was my first time there and it was hipster heaven. We were able to watch the short films (Category A) because all the other full-length films are already sold-out.
This was insanely good. It was only 25 minutes but it managed to convey a whole lot more than other full-length films. The parallelism between children's games and the harsh reality of the plight of the informal settlers was pure BRILLIANCE.
Favorite Scene: The children playing in the rubles paralleled with the policeman setting a smoke bomb on the area
Since the first film set the bar pretty high, we had such high hopes for this one. To be fair, it managed to say a lot about a Chinese culture in the simplest of settings: the wake of the father. However, the camerawork was sloppy. Remember, shaky camera isn't always artistic.
Favorite Scene: The two firstborns talk and we gauge who had it worse.
Such a disappointment! The premise was actually good. It focused on what happens to the loved ones of the missing activists. This film was unnecessarily black and white (and too saturated, at that). It could have ended on the touching scene between the two lovers.
Favorite Scene: The two lovers are on the rooftop and the one left behind admits to getting tired of waiting.
This one aimed to convey the harsh conditions that impoverished children go through. The way it was told, however, didn't really relay the message clearly (for me, at least). Nothing much to say about this film.
The aim of this film is to expose the prejudice that we have against our Muslim brothers. Yes, I think they were able to succeed on their objective however, I felt tricked. I feel though that the events leading to the twist was too deliberate a trap.
Favorite Scene: "Tambal lang man diay ni" (Oh this is just medicine)
I wanted to see more of the films featured in the Cinemalaya Festival but I think it ends today. :( Oh well, I'll just wait if the film gets a commercial release. I am amazed at the talent that Filipinos have in filmmaking. I think it's because we have so many stories to tell. And that's the essence of filmmaking: Telling a story through the camera lens. I salute all the filmmakers out there and I hope they keep the independent flame burning. :)
