Cinemalaya 2018 presents an impressive cinema oeuvres
Expected to spruce up the annual cinematic celebration, the 14th CineMalaya has never failed to bring not glitz and glamour, but pomp and pageantry as well – indie alternative.
The opening night opened with some delays, due to the Friday traffic jam, as pronounced, certainly, by the late comers.
Thru the auspices of Reality and ViVa Films, Erick Matti offered the anticipating audience with his latest film, Buy Bust, starred by the re-inventing Anne Curtis.
Again, Matti did not disappoint, even if he was absent that night, his spectators that turned electric.
Incidentally, Curtis managed to slip in quietly, though quite late herself, during the screening. Afterwards, she with the rest of the casts received a rousing reception, thus, made her teary-eyed.
“Over-extended, torturing, acting-filled scenes,” banged and ganged up the auditory-visual-tactile senses of the audience.
A few remarked, “It seemed that the characters never get tired fighting and shooting their foes.”
Curtis, incidentally, displayed her best forms in fighting as well. Is she doing a Zhang Ziyi stunts?
Showing nationwide, Buy Bust is gaining big and wide audience reception.
A silent and subtle drama, Distance, is true to its title and form. The lethargic and austere musical score, color tones in grays and beiges, and set designs in sparse arrangement – immediately – bring forth its messages.
A quiet and slow paced revelation of a tormented broken family caused by a mother’s indiscretion; while the father tries, so many times, to put the fragments together with the dazed and confused children.
The audience gets a subtle surprise, instead of an explosive confrontation common to Filipino family drama, one riveting scene makes quite a stir through an unexpectedly experimental technique.
The director, Perci Intalan, presents a “spaced-out” frame allowing an angry confrontational daughter with her stultified father, their backs facing the audience, while the daughter rages and accuses her mother who’s off the frame. And for the guilty mother’s highlight, she could only whispers in shame, “So-sorry…,” as the camera, seemingly embarrassed, meanders away from them.
Not a revelation in Distance, Therese Malvar, as the eldest daughter, stole the thunder from all the casts, especially in the above-mentioned scene.
A couple of comic-relief movies, Pan De Salawal and Kuya Wes are in for the Audience Award.
Entertaining yet enlightening, thus they turn out to become endearing and memorable to the audience. The former presents a peculiar girl, out from nowhere, who mysteriously possesses a healing power. Comically strange, the girl wields her power to a village folks full of ailments – seriously!
The ending presents another peculiar twist by causing the sky to shower with – I was expecting manna from heaven – but instead, salt. A reminiscent of a movie, was it by Anderson or Underson, when the sky rained with frogs.
Kuya Wes presents a romantic comedy with a tug in the heart. Stars the great comedian and singer-cum-composer, Ogie “the pogi” Alcasid, portrays a vulnerable, gullible beau, who unsuspectingly falls in love with a married woman with two kids. Really pathetic!
The movie presents Alcasid his other thespian talent, giving him the role that transforms a comedian into a serious role to sink his teeth into.
His first Best Actor Nominee? Though, Moi Bien’s matter-of-fact deliberation of her supporting role that pulls the rug off one’s feet.
Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Kahapon presents Perla Baustista, Dante Rivero and Menggie Cobarrubias, the best movie veterans of the Philippine Movie Industry.
The movie sets up an unusual and unsuspecting love story of senior citizens.
No! You will not see a confrontational scenes of hair-pulling and slapping stunts, cursing and swearing, ‘cause their too old.
Instead, presents endearing, mature situations expected from adults who went through a lot in life. Old, grey and sick, Baustista, Rivero and Cobarrubias are not only creditable and credible; they have embodied and fused life in their respective roles as well.
Still in his best thespian form, Romnick Sarmenta, manages to deliver the gamut of emotions required to his angry and suffering character.
Further, Neil Daza’s cinematography is a certain nominee, even a winner for his expertise.
Brave and courageous, I declare, “The major awards should be bestowed upon to the Musmos Na Sumibol Sa Gubat Ng Digma.”
Set in the present time, children of warring muslim tribe are lost and damned. The revelation of a story parallels with another presenting adults in their sojourn.
Captivating is the chanting in the endemic language that reveals some biblical lessons, passages and parables. Mesmeric and memorable is the giving birth of mother who is aided by her young daughter on a banca by the river sheltered by the trees and rays of light.
Another that grabs the senses is the appearance of Adam rising from the mud to the cleansing by the stream. And its point de resistance is the burning of the rice field and a nipa dwelling, more so, a shadowed family escaping from the blistering hell – such a reminiscent of a Peque Gallaga’s magnus opus, Oro, Plata, Mata.
There are still more time and days to watch the CineMalaya at the CCP and Ayala Theatres.
