Felix Salonga (Khalil Ramos) is an outsider in his own school. In his eyes, no one is worth befriending, no one is interesting enough to pay attention to. But this changed when the Snyder brothers, Magnus (Ethan Salvador) and Maxim (Jameson Blake) transferred to their school. The two troublemakers form a relationship with Felix and things started to change. 2 Cool is a mixture of … Continue reading Film Review: 2 Cool 2 Be 4Gotten (2016)
Just letting everyone know that this is not an addition to the recent discourse about the representation of LGBT+ community in Philippines’ mainstream media. For the next few minutes, I am going to talk about Baka Bukas as a film, not as a representation of LGBT+. Although I acknowledge that this film is a way to represent the LGBT+ community, I will not be saying anything about that. I believe that there are much more qualified and eloquent voices out there. This entire write-up will just be about the direction, writing, characterization, cinematography, and other cinematic elements, and not about the intersectionality of its representation nor the queer cinema of the Philippines. Continue reading “Film Review: Baka Bukas (2016)”
Jackie is a recount of the assassination of John F. Kennedy through the eyes of Jackie Kennedy (Natalie Portman). In this documentary-esque film helmed by Pablo Larraín showed Jackie Kennedy’s side of the story and how she coped with the infamous tragedy. Continue reading “Film Review: Jackie (2016)”
Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival has been getting praise and appreciation from critics and moviegoers alike. And this is not surprising at all. Denis Villeneuve has crafted a masterful work that breaks away from the typical formula of a sci-fi film: Extraterrestrial beings arrive on Earth, war ensues, explosions everywhere, and it usually ends with a hero saving the entire town. Arrival on the other hand, is nothing like this. This film is more than just your typical sci-fi blockbuster film. Arrival, at the end of the day, is just about the importance of communication and connection we have with one another. Continue reading “Film Review: Arrival (2016)”
A Monster Calls follows Conor O’Malley and his journey with grief, acceptance, life, and inevitably, death. This film shows how hard it is to hang on to something that will eventually fall out of your hands. Starring Lewis MacDougall, Felicity Jones, Sigourney Weaver, and Liam Neeson as the Monster, this adaptation is heartfelt and soulful in the simplest way. Continue reading “Film Review: A Monster Calls”
It is the year of 2017, January is almost over, and I still have not talked about my favorite films from 2016. Last year was a rough year: Unqualified people getting a place in politics, multiple of idols dying, and I can even say that 2016 was the year of disappointment for films. Expectations were raised, films were hyped but most of them did not meet these said expectations. Although 2016 was a bad year in general, there were still films that made that year bearable. I watched a total of 103 films (not all were released during 2016) and here are my 6 favorite films of 2016. Continue reading “Favorite Films of 2016”
Starring Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monáe, Hidden Figures is a delightful film about three African-American women working at NASA during the Space Race that changed the world. This gives spotlight to the intelligent women in a field flooded by white men. Continue reading “Hidden Figures: Film Review”
La La Land revolves around two dreamers: An aspiring actress, and a jazz musician who finds themselves struggling with their dreams in the city of dreams. A nod to the dreaming, suffering kids out there who want to pursue a professional career in the art world, La La Land taps into your heart, mind, and soul. Continue reading “La La Land: Film Review”
Like all other Disney films, Zootopia’s narrative is fun-filled and at the same time, with heart and brain. With Disney’s newest offering, eyes were opened, ideas were planted, and issues were discussed. Here are the top three things that Zootopia showcased. Continue reading Three things to learn from Disney’s Zootopia
