Star Powerhouse

The movie was well executed and well detailed. It's a story about love and family. That sometimes being a family is not by chance but it could be by choice.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, will surely excite its fans as it reveals a lot of puzzles from its prequel and to the Harry Potter series as well as its plot twists.

It just wasn’t as fun as guessing if Professor Plum killed Colonel Mustard in the conservatory with a candlestick. Even with a cast of game Academy Award winners and nominees (plus some popular ingenues), this murder-mystery was a drag to watch.

After years of hearing the words Remember Me and immediately thinking/singing “kapag nag-iisa, kapag ika’y nalulungkot, huwag kang mag-alala...”, I was so happy that it had finally been replaced by the lovely theme song of this equally lovely animated film from Disney/Pixar.

I think I just had a Classic Pare Titos and Titas of Manila moment while watching this movie since I couldn’t help myself from twitterpating (kilig lang yan, inartehan ko) over such a cute couple. Nope, not talking about JoshLia (even if Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto were also really charming here).

CINEMALAYA - SHORTS A (2017) FATIMA MARIE TORRES AND THE INVASION OF SPACE SHUTTLE PINAS 25 (Carlo Francisco Manatad, 2017) - ★★★☆☆ Although the title was as subtle as Jason Mraz's Waiting for My Rocket to Come, there were still a lot of funny bits here that kept me erect, er, entertained in my seat.

SPOILER ALERT!! JUANA AND THE SACRED SHORES (Antonne Santiago, 2017) - ★★☆☆☆ Similar to Pina, this dance film was just too artsy for my basic tastes. Kwento ko na lang sa inyo mga bes. So merong long-legged Ate Dyosa na nag-trip magsayaw sa maduming batis. Biglang dumating si Gluta Koya na may dalang santol at more join sa ballet nya.

My notes on Nabubulok  (Sonny Calvento, 2017) : 1. Whatever happened to that Anti-Chismis Law? In a country powered by daily gossip (ranging from the newest kabit of your neighbor to the escapades of the resident office slut to the questionable sexual preference of a popular matinee idol), could that even be successfully implemented? The great Jessica Zafra once said that we could never breed serial killers in our country because we're a nation of nosy people. Secrets could never be kept for long in a community since Pinoys are naturally suspicious of the littlest odd behaviours of others.

My notes on Sa Gabing Nanahimik ang mga Kuliglig: 1. It was probably during the scene where Hector (Ricky Davao) was wailing over the corpse of his wife Dolores (Mercedes Cabral) that I realized I had watched something similar to this before. It looked very much like the same red herring thrown around in another murder-mystery set in a swampland. My suspicion was further confirmed when self-confessed killer Magda (Angel Aquino) had that fantastical dream sequence where she ended up seeing a floating dead body that actually turned out to be her. Yes, I was definitely watching a version of Sam Raimi's The Gift, except that the supernatural element was replaced by a religious theme. Nyek! 2. I shouldn't even be complaining that the movie chose to head into that direction because I initially thought I was watching Senakulo: The Movie and it would really be Easter Sunday 2018 by the time it completed the twelve stations of the cross (thankfully, it abandoned that concept wh...

Finally Found Someone is a 2017 Filipino romantic comedy film starring Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz. The film is directed by Theodore Boborol. It is under the production of Star Cinema and Viva Films.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets/Film synopsis In the 28th century, special operatives Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline work together to maintain order throughout the human territories. Under assignment from the minister of defense, the duo embarks on a mission to Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis where diverse species gather to share knowledge and culture. When a dark force threatens the peaceful city, Valerian and Laureline must race against time to identify the menace that also jeopardizes the future of the universe. My notes on Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets: 1. I remember watching the execrable Jupiter Ascending and wishing that it was a ride in Enchanted Kingdom's Rialto instead. I had the exact same feeling with this newest flick by Luc Besson, something that I should probably have seen in 3D/4DX.

Dunkirk/Film synopsis : In May 1940, Germany advanced into France, trapping Allied troops on the beaches of Dunkirk. Under air and ground cover from British and French forces, troops were slowly and methodically evacuated from the beach using every serviceable naval and civilian vessel that could be found. At the end of this heroic mission, 330,000 French, British, Belgian and Dutch soldiers were safely evacuated.

Starring Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez under the direction of Sigrid Andrea Bernardo My notes on Kita Kita: 1. Where do we draw the line between persistence and obsession? Do we consider a grand gesture like asking someone out for a coffee date via a huge billboard in Morayta sweet or repulsive? If Xian Gaza actually looked like Daniel Matsunaga, would he still be considered a creepy stalker or just a determined romantic? 2. One of my biggest concerns with this movie was that after it made us fall in love with its unconventional lovers, it tried to sell us this disturbing (and Machiavellian?) big reveal that nothing was actually wrong with the couple's predator-prey relationship history (I felt the exact same way when Maricel Soriano fell in love with her rapist in Dahas, but then that wasn't even close to being a romantic-comedy). He knowingly took advantage of her disability, period.

Hacksaw Ridge is a biographical war drama film about the World War II experiences of Desmond Doss, an American pacificist combat medic who was a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, refusing to carry or use a firearm or weapons of any kind. Doss became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor, for service above and beyond the call of duty during the Battle of Okinawa.

Kristo (Hf Yambao) A man suddenly faces an assortment of personal struggles – ironically, in the midst of a family milestone. In this hard-hitting drama, he will fight to protect his livelihood, maintain his honor as a family man, and, eventually, save his own life. Ultimately, Kristo poses the question: In the game of life, who wins and who loses?

Tu Pug Imatuy, which means "the right to kill" in Manobo, follows Lumad couple Obunay & Dawin who encounter soldiers who break their family and community apart. Inspired by true events, the film tackles Lumads' struggles against mining and militarization.

SPOILER ALERT!! My notes on Ilawod: 1. For me, Pinoy horror stories with their local settings, deeply-rooted mythologies, and fascinating folklore would always be much scarier than any Hollywood flick. Whereas Linda Blair and her spinning head made me cackle with glee, I almost peed my pants when Manilyn Reynes was stalked by a horde of aswangs led by Vangie Labalan.

“Labs Kita.. Okey Ka Lang?” Old and New Poster Millenials are going crazy over today’s hottest loveteams but even before KathNiel, JaDine or the LizQuen took the spotlight, kids who grew up in 90s have gone insane over the Marvin and Jolina tandem. We probably enjoyed their reunion through Flordeliza but the younger audiences have no idea how iconic this loveteam was way back in 90s. Marvin and Jolina are known for their romantic-comedy projects  both on TV and big screen and the movie “Labs Kita.. Okey Ka Lang?” is probably one of their most iconic project of all.

SPOILER ALERT!! My notes on Assassin's Creed: 1. My least favorite part of playing video games would be the cutscenes, the animated clips usually shown between chapters to fill in the story gaps or propel the plot forward. I didn't like them much because they defeated the purpose of playing: the full interactivity and complete control of the game. I could never relive the horror of helplessly watching Aeris getting stabbed by Sephiroth.

My notes on La La Land: 1. One character in this film probably summed up my entire viewing experience of this oftentimes joyous homage to classic Hollywood musicals: "How are you going to be a revolutionary if you're such a traditionalist?" Damien Chazelle (who also directed Whiplash, one of the best of 2014) concocted such a nostalgic fantasy world that easily razzle dazzled the audience and made them forget that they were basically watching the same old romance tropes (why am I mentioning romance like it's a dirty word?). I think Billy Flynn in Chicago said it best with "How can they see with sequins (or in this case, thousands of stars?) in their eyes?".