#cinemanila

[medyopogi]

Selling tooth to the students?! haha!

"I sell them at 200 pesos for 1 set of teeth, There's 1-1 central, 1-2 lateral, 1-3 canine, 1-4 premolar"

[pinoycriterion]

Colossal - Juan Manuel Alcazaren, 2012

[jetleyco]

Life Cinema Life  

[embatangmaliit-blog-blog]

Old widows sing for their long-lost loved ones in this profoundly moving film for Cinemanila.

Directed by Adrian Calumpang.

[carameldumpling]

Cubao thoroughfare/ toughfare

Last night, i met up with secret-coniong Annabs (kase lumalabas lang ang pagka-conio nya pag lasing. Pero sa totoo lang, conscious effort talaga sa kanyang maging kowboy pag sober...  hehehe  ) at Gateway, Cubao to catch John Torres' film for the Cinemanila 2007 festival. the film "Voices" was supposed to start at 9.30, and we were supposed to meet up at the food center upstairs. thing is, this was my first time to actually go around the mall. it wasn't my first time there, but for the most part, it really just is a gateway for me from the mrt to the lrt station. so there hasn't been an opportunity for me to really go around and explore the place. entering through one of the --er-- entrances (i have no idea which one it was), i knew i had to go all the way up. i have often looked up to see a glimpse of the foodcourt, and so, as logic would dictate, i would then need to use the escalators. hmmm... smart. and then there were this group of guys - and i admit i was kinda stereotypical about them - who seemed like the type to be going to the last full show of cinemanila. don't ask how i got to that conclusion. i don't know. so they go up the escalator, i follow them. three floors up later (i was still following them), they started heading out this door. and then i realized they were going out to the LRT2 station! agk! so i hastily, but discreetly, veered away and went up the escalator again instead. kahiya talaga... so, i met up with annabs, we waited for the theatre to open for the next batch of viewers, caught up with chismax, etcetera, etcetera. the supposed 9.30PM showing happened at 10.15PM. o.kay. for sure, wala na kong sasakyang train pauwi. the film ended a little past twelve. i was resigned to the fact already that i would have to commute. so annabs, with newfound friend kints, walks out of the mall to get a smoke. then we squatted at coffee bean so annabs can rest her feet that's been tortured the whole day with killer heels. and then annabs wanted to drink. one round lang daw sa oyster bar. okay. nothing else for us to do anyway. after a round, we called it a night. they were very careful to guide me through the cubao pedestrian universe, pointing to me where to cross and what bus to wait for. i do not take the bus. feeling ko kase holdup material. i prefer taking the jeep kase at least makakatalon ako palabas. but my favoritest of them all is the cab. but i only had P200 bucks left on me, at baka boni pa lang ako, maglalakad na ko pauwi. scratch that off my options. bus lang talaga. so i clung to my pepper spray and trudged up the palengke-smelling mrt station to cross to the southbound lane of edsa. annabs and kints were headed northbound so it really was just me, myself, and my pepper spray. the mrt station was well lit naman and there were two guards stationed there. i tried not to look too lost. i know i often get wide-eyed when confronted with situations like that, so it totally gives me away that am lost. anyway, so i finally get to the other side and i go down to wait for the bus. i thought it was gonna be a short wait. after all, it was 1.45 am and there aren't much cars on the road, so there should be no reason for traffic. but alas, it took longer than i thought. the wait was... petrifying. i didn't know where i was and i didn't know the people around me. i only had my bag to latch on to. and then finally, the bus came. but it wasn't airconditioned. stig. vintage. okay, so i go all the way to the back and pick the seat with the window closed. i was eyeing the people on board. manong ticket lumbers down the back of the bus to where i was and gives me a ticket. so far, so good. a family of three sits behind me. great. they have a baby. unless they kidnapped that kid, i doubt if they'll be holding up anybody on this bus. manong driver was chillingly cool and maniacal about his driving. we were literally flying on the road.  shet. katakot talaga. i almost prayed again. -- the seats had those wooden slats for backrest and it was damned straining on the back. and as we were leaping through edsa flyovers, i had my left hand on a death grip on the steel thing on the seat in front of me. my right was limply lying atop my bag. all the energy probably got zapped into the left one. for the most part, it felt like a cheap catterpillar ride gone wild. @_@ at may pasok pa ko ng 6am later. ayos. i got home alive naman, at walang holdupan na naganap. as i texted annabs when i got home, was it an adventure? yes. would i wanna do it again? hell, no. it was a really breezy ride, though. disposition: proud, but not really. mostly just relieved. token: bus ticket

[erwinguevara-multiply]

[CINEMANILA] C-I-N-E-M-A-N-I-L-A: 9TH CINEMANILA SKED

9TH CINEMANILA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AUGUST 8 – 19, 2007 VENUE 1: GATEWAY MALL CINEPLEX 10 VENUE 2: BORACAY ISLAND, PHILIPPINES AUGUST 8 WEDNESDAY 4:30PM CONTROL - MATINEE SCREENING (With Band Performances by: Blast Ople and Pupil after screening) CINEMA 1 IRINA PALM - MATINEE SCREENING CINEMA 4 8:00PM OPENING / ASEAN NIGHT CINEMA 5 Lifetime Achievement Awardees: Mr. Robert Malengreau, Mr. Quentin Tarantino & HSH Chatrichalerm Yukol 9:00PM OPENING FILM: KING NARESUAN CINEMA 5 AUGUST 9 THURSDAY CINEMA 1 1:00PM LOVE'S LONE FLOWER 3:30PM CONTROL 7:30PM SOUTH AFRICAN NIGHT: U-CARMEN eKHAYELITSHA 10:00PM THE EDGE OF HEAVEN CINEMA 4 12:30PM CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY 2:15PM WOMAN ON THE BEACH 5:00PM IRINA PALM 7:15PM THE UNSEEABLE 9:30PM CONTROL CINEMA 6 10:30AM POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT 1:00PM – 4:00PM FILM ARCHIVING SEMINAR (Speakers: Mr. Tan Bee Thiam - Asian Film Archive and Mary Del Pilar - ABS CBN Archives) 5:00PM INVISIBLES 7:00PM VANAJA 9:30PM RED DUST AUGUST 10 FRIDAY CINEMA 1 1:00PM YESTERDAY 3:30PM WOMAN ON THE BEACH 7:30PM BOLLYWOOD NIGHT: THE NAMESAKE 10:00PM IRINA PALM CINEMA 4 12:30PM CONTROL 3:00PM FAITH'S CORNER 5:00PM VOLVER 7:15PM RESERVOIR DOGS (1st theatrical screening in the Philippines) 9:40PM 2 DAYS IN PARIS CINEMA 6 10:30AM LOVE CONQUERS ALL 1:00PM – 4:00PM GRINDHOUSE DAY (With Mr. Eddie Romero and Mr. Cirio Santiago) 5:00PM EBONY, IVORY AND JADE 7:00PM REQUIEM 9:30PM THE UNSEEABLE AUGUST 11 SATURDAY CINEMA 1 10:30AM LEAF ON A PILLOW 1:00PM SECRET LIFE OF WORDS 3:30PM THE HOMESONG STORIES 6:00PM PULP FICTION 9:00PM NO REGRET CINEMA 4 10:30AM GOD WILLING 12:30PM WOMAN ON THE BEACH 3:00PM 2 DAYS IN PARIS 5:00PM WONDER WOMEN 7:00PM YOUNG CINEMA NIGHT 1 (COMPETITION) 9:30PM VOLVER CINEMA 5 1:00PM – 4:00PM AN AFTERNOON WITH QUENTIN TARANTINO 9:00PM PHILIPPINE PREMIERE: "DEATH PROOF" (Gala Screening) CINEMA 6 10:30AM LOVE FOR SHARE 1:00PM VILLAGE PEOPLE RADIO SHOW 3:00PM JUAN BAYBAYIN 5:00PM PLOY 7:30PM AUTOHYSTORIA 9:40PM PLEASURE FACTORY AUGUST 12 SUNDAY CINEMA 1 10:30AM CHILDREN OF GLORY 1:20PM MUKHSIN 3:30PM LOVE AND HONOR 6:00PM 2 DAYS IN PARIS 8:30PM CINE MANGA: THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME (with Cosplay.ph) CINEMA 4 10:30AM PLOY 12:45PM GETTING HOME 3:00PM HULA GIRLS 5:30PM THE EDGE OF HEAVEN 8:00PM YOUNG CINEMA NIGHT 2 (EXHIBITION) CINEMA 6 10:30AM (JURY SCREENING) 1:00PM – 4:00PM MASTER CLASS IN SCRIPTWRITING (with Dr. Clodualdo "Doy" Del Mundo. Jr. and Mr. Ralston Jover) 5:00PM VOICES, TILTED SCREENS & EXTENDED SCENES OF LONELINESS: FILIPINOS IN HIGH DEFINITION CINEMAS 7:00PM PAIN THINGS 9:00PM BEYOND THE CALL AUGUST 13 MONDAY CINEMA 1 1:00PM GETTING HOME 3:30PM LOVE FOR SHARE 6:00PM PARIS JE T'AIME 9:00PM HULA GIRLS CINEMA 4 12:00PM SARAFINA 2:30PM LOVE'S LONE FLOWER 4:30PM CHILDREN OF GLORY 7:00PM GOODBYE BAFANA 9:50PM NO REGRET CINEMA 6 10:30AM (JURY SCREENING) 1:00PM – 4:00PM MASTER CLASS IN CINEMATOGRAPHY (with Mr. Nap Jamir and Scenema Concepts) 5:00PM JACKIE BROWN 7:00PM A LA SUERTE A LA MUERTE 9:30PM THE ARSONIST AUGUST 14 TUESDAY CINEMA 1 1:00PM GOD WILLING 3:30PM IRINA PALM 6:00PM VOLVER 8:30PM PERSEPOLIS CINEMA 4 12:30PM SANKARA 2:30PM THE UNSEEABLE 5:00PM THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME 7:10PM NO REGRET 9:30PM THE NAMESAKE CINEMA 6 10:30AM (JURY SCREENING) 1:00PM – 4:00PM INTERNATIONAL CO-PRODUCTION SEMINAR (with Mr. Anant Singh of Videovision Entertainment and Mr. Cirio Santiago) 5:00PM THE MUTHERS 7:00PM FAITH'S CORNER 9:30PM TRIBU NOTE: SCHEDULE OF 2ND WEEK SCREENINGS (From August 15 – 19) - To Be Announced Later. – o Best of Cinemanila 2007 o Screenings of Award Winners and Audience Choices o More Philippine premieres o Critic After Dark Programme by Noel Vera AUGUST 15 WEDNESDAY CINEMA 5 8:30PM AWARDS NIGHT CINEMA 6 1:00PM – 4:00PM INDIE FILMMAKING SEMINAR (DAY 1) AUGUST 16 THURSDAY CINEMA 6 1:00PM – 4:00PM INDIE FILMMAKING SEMINAR (DAY 2) AUGUST 17, 18, 19 (FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY) CINEMANILA IN BORACAY 4th BORACAY CO-PRODUCTION MEETING AUGUST 19 SUNDAY 8:30PM CLOSING FILM: SEA WAVE FILM PROJECT

[paradaw]

[pelikula]

Beauconera Blues by Don Jaucian

Señorita (2011) D: Vincent Sandoval S: Vincent Sandoval, Publio Briones III, Garry Lim, Dominic Milano Palomo, Stella Palomo Monteno, Richard Manabat, Eric Alvin Po

Mixing small-town politics and the woes of a homosexual, Vincent Sandoval's Señorita spins a cynical viewpoint where hopelessness goes hand in hand with decay and an endless cycle of corruption. Sandoval's Donna/Sofia is the poster girl for what was once a shining beacon for those who believe in brand new beginnings, how starting over can wash away sins. But it is never that easy. "We may be through with the past but the past is not through with us," so says Celine in Before Sunset. And this rings true in Señorita.

Far from the maddening crowd of Manila, Sofia, formerly a high class transsexual sex worker, starts anew as Donna. She then helps Pepe Holganza, a doctor in Talisay, in his mayoralty bid to topple over the town's regime. By grooming Doc Pepe as the messiah of Talisay (both the name and the setting a probable Rizal reference), with all his ideals of a morally conscious governance and the ever-present promise of eradicating corruption, along with taking care of a friend's son, Sofia finds a chance to redeem herself, establishing a personality that erases any hint of her past.

But her past eventually keeps up with her in the form of Ricky Verano, an "exclusive client" who apparently has puppets all over the country, including the current mayor of Talisay. Verano runs an underground syndicate, tugging government strings to ensure his transactions are done without a hitch. It's a David and Goliath scenario, something that Doc Pepe himself recognizes. But Sofia remains hopeful, transforming herself into someone like John Constantine, aiming to rid Talisay of her demons while earning some cookie points for herself. She does this while maintaining her ties with her exclusive client, keeping tabs on him and taking whatever expensive gifts (cash preferably) that he showers upon her, putting them to "good" use when the time comes.

Sandoval pits Sofia's plight in contrast with the dark dealings of local politics and the bright, rainbow-colored perspective of a homosexual. She is relentless, hell-bent on seeing Doc Pepe ahead at the finish line, and she does this with finesse, silently plotting her own infernal devices. With all this scheming and furious planning, she eventually falls down the same rabbit hole, resorting to the sleazy tricks that her own opponents employ. 

Sandoval presents Sofia as a modern-day Maria Clara, all pretty but has a will of her own. But Sandoval's charms bogs down when the film mostly needed it. It's perhaps the fear of overacting that slid down to stale underacting. At the film's most crucial moments, Sofia's face registers numbness not necessarily as an end product of her seemingly fruitless fight. 

Despite the thinness of the acting (with the exception of the always excellent Publio Briones III), Señorita makes for a strangely watchable portrait of a woman dwarfed by the colossal task of ushering in a new start for the jaded and the exhausted. It slowly peels off moralistic watchwords, employing a more aggressive scheme to unravel Sofia's inner Machiavelli. Its slow reveal exposes Sofia growing horns, dissolving into a mess of her own devices. She becomes an important reminder of how desire can always slide down to despair, how helplessness can be a powerful drug to push one at the brink of self-destruction.