I am NOT a critic. I'm merely an observer. (Books, movies, plays, musicals etc.)

source Directed by Paul Alexei Basinillo Writing Credits (in alphabetical order) Paul Alexei Basinillo, and Juvy Galamiton  Kim Noromo ... (screenplay) Regene Estolatan, Paul Alexei Basinillo, and Rhadson Mendoza ... (story) There are very few local dance films that I still cherish until this very day: HATAW NA! (1995),  HOTSHOTS (1984), SWING IT...BABY(1978), BAYARANG PUSO(1996), 14 Going Steady(1984),  and maybe I could include CAMPUS BEAT(1984). There are many movies that are musicals that involve a lot of dancing, and one of them that is an all-time favourite of mine is ANG LARAWAN , and another is EMIR , which I think is one of the best ever produced. INDAK  is the latest addition to my very short list.  It's not perfect, but I like its style, approach, and treatment. I like how the actors acted, and I love how hard they prepared for this movie mentally, spiritually, physically, emotionally, et cetera. I guess m...

From Google Images Written and Directed by JASON PAUL LAXAMANA From Cosmopolitan Philippines via Julia Barretto A son of deported OFWs meets a once famous child star, now 21, who is running away from all her problems, in a beautiful place in Japan where there are almost no other Filipinos #JuliaBarretto #GeraldAnderson #SagaJapan #BetweenMaybes #JasonPaulLaxama #YayoAguila #ChristianVasquez #RyleSantiago source Spoiler?  Not really.   BETWEEN MAYBES is a pleasant surprise.  Who would've thought GERALD ANDERSON and JULIA BARRETTO would have believable moments together, and have great chemistry?  Both are gorgeous, and both of them can really act, so why didn't we ever imagine that they could have a movie together where they play each other's love interest?  The age difference?  Maybe, but I think that's not it.   Instead of overthinking or overanalysing this, let's just be grateful that "they" though...

Source JC Bonnin, William Martinez, Raymond Lauchengco, Aga Muhlach and Herbert Bautista Directed by Maryo J. Delos Reyes Written by Jake Tordesillas Experiencing the forbidden. Experiencing rejection. Hating your parents. Hating the world around you. Discovering what's hot. Discovering what's cool. Discovering your first true love. Discovering who you are. Growing up can be such a wild time. But not when you've got the best guys to hang out with. Five chaste young men immerse themselves in the superficialities and superfluity of adolescence over the course of their last year in high school. But as they make their gradual transition from boyhood to manhood, they realize it is their formidable bond that stands as the real deal. Starring a generation that gave rise to a new youth culture.-imdb My mind seems to be playing tricks on me.  I just can't believe that these two movies were shown the same year, but if that is the case, then 1984 was filled wi...

Source Two former high school friends renew their relationship when they make the happy discovery that they are now neighbors .-WWW Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina Written by Vanessa R. Valdez and Kiko Abrillo (story) Anna Karenina Ramos  and Janica May Regalo (screenplay) Edited by Marya Ignacio There is no such thing as a perfect person.  There is nothing wrong if we just want to be the best version of our real self, but if we try too hard to be perfect just to please those we want to please, then we would never be happy. The first person, besides God that is, we should love is our very selves.  We cannot give what we do not have.  If we do not love ourselves, then we couldn't love others. The words above is the message this movie wants to remind us of.  Patty(Sharon Cuneta) did not know how to love herself so she was never truly happy, until Cocoy(Robin Padilla) came back into her life after thirty-five years.  The young one...

( source ) NEVER NOT LOVE YOU is a very realistic movie that proves that "team REAL" has very good onscreen chemistry .   The thing is, James Reid is a better actor than Nadine Lustre and it's a great thing that they are not competing against each other.   The couple really work well with one another, it's just that James became Gio Smith, whereas Nadine was still Nadine.  She can act, she's beautiful, toned, and one of my favourites, but in this movie, we saw how James has grown as an actor.  He definitely has honed his craft. From the immature spoiled brat of twenty-three up to his oldest age in the movie, his character buildup was justified.  Whereas Nadine's Joanne looked cold or stoic most of the time, except when she was happily in love or when she was crying.  Wait, maybe that was how her character should be...well,  I don't know.   The "ending" was quite unfair to James's character disappointing us a bit and ma...

#JLS #FFS #ChosBride #PanisGroom #DearFutureHusband #ASHLLOYD #TheodoreBoborol #GillianEbreo #CarmiRaymundo #SMBF A lot of people wonder what we see in John Lloyd Cruz.  They claim he's not even that handsome and he is overrated.  I beg to differ.  This young man is very charismatic and he acts well.  His eyes are very expressive and he is a natural.  Advertisers think he is bankable and so do production outfits, et cetera . Here he plays Raffy Sandoval, a Public Relations specialist/expert who chances upon Aprilyn Esguerra(Sarah Geronimo) when she was having one of her episodes after being jilted by her "future husband" on their supposedly wedding day.  It was by the fountain at Serendra. The story has light and funny moments, and maybe that's why the film ratings board rated this G, but there are topics not for kids like threats made by Mayor Garcia(no relation to us) played by Dennis Padilla. Sarah G has improved her craft(...

Warning:  There are spoilers "BAKIT LAHAT NG GWAPO MAY BOYFRIEND?"  defies stereotypes, and it is a beautiful movie, but maybe the timing of showing was off.   It was shown after the Angel Locsin/Sam Milby/Zanjoe Marudo film called THIRD PARTY.  I think people thought that it was too soon to watch a movie of a similar theme/genre.   Bestie thinks, and I agree with her, that maybe the problem is that it was not promoted well. It is also filled with parodies of different movies and a couple of examples are MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING andTHE PROPOSAL. There were many funny scenes and dialogue.  The film was written and directed well.  It is truly a team effort, so I shrug my shoulders and pout because it truly is a pity that this is not a box office hit.  It should be.   We have set notions about certain people and their actions.  Yes, we tend to put people in boxes.  People have judged people who...

Alabang Town Center, Cinema 4 New Year's Day My two cents worth: You really cannot compare #WalangForever to this film because they belong to two different genres.  Though debatable , I could understand why #WalangForever won.  Jennylyn and Jericho were naturals and the story was so beautiful.  Still, what they did to HONOR THY FATHER was unfair .  They were the ones who gave the invitation for this film to join the MMFF.  They should have given it a chance to be judged fairly.  Instead, they looked for loopholes.  If it were really disqualified, how come they were qualified for other categories? Tsk, tsk, tsk to the nth power!  DISTURBING\AS REAL AS REAL COULD BE\SUSPENSEFUL\MOVING To the chagrin of the other moviegoers who were too stunned because of the situation , my folks and I clapped when the film ended(Everyone applauded when I watched Heneral Luna, so no one looked at me like I was crazy or something).  Besides...