2022 Cinemalaya Hanash and Kabadingan

 This is a total copy-paste from what I posted on my Facebook account.

Whenever I create comments, I always think and understand that Cinemalaya films would not be perfect since the lack of budget and other factors. But some of these might be too unforgiving if I really could not find a saving grace. No ratings, just hanash and kabadingan.

Black Rainbow (Shorts): Well-written, well-directed, well-produced, well-executed, well-acted well-edited (in its totality—color, visuals, sound, musical scoring), lahat na ng well-adjective na kaya kong ibigay, ibibigay ko sa film na ito. Because it's still beautiful (like 'twas a masterpiece) the second time around. Even better in big screen. (OK, parang na hype ako sa review part na ito, so, next!)

Angkas (full-length category): First full-length film I watched this year. I think this had a lot of potential but just fell through the cracks along the run especially on how the dialogues were delivered (Meryll is always a star whenever she's on screen pero anyare rito?). It has socio-political themes but where does it stand, really? Or was the aim just to show through its three characters that there are three kinds of persons in this world? 1) Someone who continues to fight against the system to change it even the world already shows they'll fail, 2) Someone who used to fight for change but saw nothing is going to happen so they let the system eat them, and 3) Someone who never cared and just goes with the flow, contented with whatever they have right now (the height of apathy). The creative way of telling the story of adult friendships was something different pero hindi ito naging sapat to save the film's flaws like the lousy mannequin (ata iyon) alternative to "represent" a dead person, the laughs from the audience when the scenes were not even funny, and some of the scenes which lacked context like at one point there are two nude women bathing by the river thought to be NPAs then suddenly gone as they were replaced by grams of gold and drowning (and so paano nalaman na may nalunod? Implied na lang, ganon?). Also, who in the right mind would cheat on the Mercedes Cabral?! [Also, 'yung Executive Producer na Darryl Yap ay si Yap ng Viva?]

Kargo (full-length feature): And presenting, our resident feminist for this year's Cinemalaya, Max Eigenmann! She has two films this year where she is the lead and both talk about how it is like to be a woman and a mother. Pero dito muna tayo sa Kargo (na ilang beses ko gusto i-tama 'yung pronunciation ng crew nung gala night, unless ganon pala talaga bigkasin ang "kargo" for them na ang bigkas nila ay "cargo"). It really felt like a "standard" Cinemalaya film — it knows the formula. 'Yung feels, 'yung mystery, 'yung message ng women empowerment or women deciding for themselves which was showed right away with Eigenmann driving a big truck (plus glimpses of toxic masculinity, ew) I felt it will be good, pero everything fell toward the end. Anyare sa ending? And the tension that should be in a car chase was. just. wasn't. there. But Max Eigenmann is an eye candy in every film. Not just because she's pretty but her face exudes expressions that even without dialogues, she talks (baka mag alà Therese Malvar siya na ang kalaban niya sa Best Actress trophy ay ang sarili niya but Coleen Garcia is there so...).

Blue Room (full-length feature): Solid story but with reservations especially on the ending (and some of the acting), thinking if there's another way to conclude it, and especially the story arcs of the protagonists. But the execution and cinematography, all right and tight — you know from the gala night this is done by professionals and already "experts" in the industry, their advantage compared to other filmmakers (pang commercial run ang prod, ganon). It's a retelling of a story that has been told over and over (pwedeng sabihing every Cinemalaya year) — also because we're already living in it, in reality. But Blue Room was done differently. Its lens showed that the privileged can also be taken advantage of, abused by the law and the authorities — because the system is rigged yet yung mga chupul na opisyal ay hindi naman naparurusahan (again, the story we're living in right now). And as always, Elijah Canlas is a gem. Despite my reservations, I do think it is one of the frontrunners for Best Picture.

Retirada (full-length feature): I was more amused by the expressions of the audience (or puzzled is the right term). The story itself was frustrating as well as its storytelling. Would've been better if it was a 9- to 15-minute short film (pwede ring AVP). Aside from I think there's a better way to execute the story, I was really thinking there'd be a logo of an insurance company at the end (again, AVP).

Kaluskos (full-length feature): The only good thing for me in this film was Coleen Garcia (buhat na buhat ni Madam). As what others say, it seems Max Eigenmann has an opponent for the Best Actress trophy. The movie was filled with jumpscares which was good at first but it became tiring on the next ones — this, coming from someone who is not fond of horror stories (I don't want to be scared). All jumpscares but what does it really want to say? That women get cheated on because they put their careers first? Was it a failed attempt to reflect on one's mental health? Or was it really just a folklore, telling the viewers that doppelgangers are real, trying to make sense in the modern context? (Also, anong point ng tubig, blue color palette, at smoke na bigla na lang mag e-envelope sa mga scene? May sunog ba sa loob ng bahay? At bakit gumagalaw 'yung swing? Mga elemento ba 'yon na hindi nakikita?) But props to it for being the first, in my experience, "loud" horror, thriller film in Cinemalaya.

12 Weeks (full-length feature): One of the films I am recommending for this year. Again, let's give it up for the resident feminist of this year's roster and the best actress, Max Eigenmann! Ang ganda rin ng acting niya rito (at syempre ang ganda rin niya), ang raw, hindi pilit. The story showed the complexity of being a woman in the society, especially when you have an unplanned pregnancy at 40. Solid 'yung script that even the silent nuances speak, showing how misogyny reeks through, and how the world always tries to control women's lives — Max's character is battling a war in the middle of a physical war (Marawi Seige). May parts lang na feeling ko na extend 'yung film and parang plateau 'yung emotions niya (walang up-down, up-down) but does a lot of climax and loud emotions make a film great? 12 Weeks begs to differ, an evidence that it's not how it goes — a good film is a good film, despite all the imperfections on its production; in this case, not sure if it was the lumens of the projector but some parts were too dark like Vance's face at the beginning (baka ako lang talaga 'yung nagbe-beg to differ, hahaha!). (Also, I think Vance Larena can do better when it comes to his acting, lalo na si Max ang ka pair niya).

Bula sa Langit (full-length feature): As I mentioned previously, I liked how brave and direct the dialogues in the film are, taking a stand when it comes to political discussions, despite its flaws on visuals or editing, if I may say. Gio Gahol's performance is excemplary pero nakulangan ako sa pagtackle ng PTSD which was the message of the whole film — sana mas ito 'yung highlight lalo't it's the story of trauma of Marawi soldiers pero naging parang in passing siya o baka 'yun talaga ang aim? That PTSD is something one cannot really see right away and usually, when we're the outsider, we tend to dismiss it. Mas parang nag stay sa akin 'yung political statement ng content. As always, Kate Alejandrino is charming and her acting was so natural. Marami ring characters 'yung film na para sa akin, the film can forego.

The Baseball Player (full-length feature): Tommy Alejandrino, like his sister Kate, is indeed charming. He also acts well, especially sa part na nasa lamesa siya at sinabihan siyang hindi siya magta-try out. Best film ito this year but I have a lot of concerns and question about the film itself but I do understand why it bagged the award. Medyo formulaic siya. I think most of the time, the ones that bag the best film award are those movies that end with protagonists staying in the awful, desperate situation they already in, bukod sa dapat may socio-political message ang pelikula. Unang-unang concern ko was, why baseball? Could've been a much more popular sport in the Philippines like perhaps basketball? Boxing? And kinulang nang pag form at paghighlight sa koneksyon ng baseball sa kuwento. For me, it felt like, "Basta, dapat may sports siya as a dream instead of being a moro soldier." Tapos the language used in the film. Bakit Tagalog? They were in Mindanao. Unless locals in the area really use Tagalog? Mas genuine sana. Also, sa casting, parang Inglisero ang batang si Khalid. Dinig ang twang sa pagsigaw niya at pagsasalita niya. But the film says it — children are always and will always be the fist casualties in war, in a violent revolution. But how do we achieve the change we are rooting for if the system is again, rigged? Is there another way lalo kung ang pinaglalabanan ay paniniwala? Hindi ko alam kung bobing lang ba ako that time na nanood kaya hindi ko nagets (o baka kasi dapat nag aaral ka ng history at current issues sa Mindanao, Althea) ano ba ang pinaglalaban ng grupo nina Amir? I hope it was well-established sa film kasi parang naging message na lang din niya (like how others see it, unfortunately) na gumagawa lang sila ng gulo when in fact, may pinaglalaban sila. Like previous Obispo Cinemalaya film, the color grading of the film is hopeful, it's bright, when in fact, it tackles a dark topic. But nonetheless, the editing was outstanding, weaving each scene perfectly. But the music for me toward the end just gave out false hopes. (Ang haba ng ebas ko rito, tapos ang gulo ko namang mag explain, hay. How dare me.)

Bakit 'Di Mo Sabihin (full-length feature): I wanna applaud this film for being silent yet it speaks too much about love — on how it portrayed that love between People with Disabilities is the same with people without. That we all face problems and conflicts in relationships but we deal with them differently. The film doesn't focus on the challenges of their disabilities like how normally films that have People with Disabilities as the center of the story do. Also, Janine's and JC's acting were commendable. I think they had training on sign language but, I think the film would be so much better if they opted to cast real persons who are deaf or mute. It's not just for representation but the genuineness of the film — were the "deaf students" in the credits really part of the community? The film was just a bit predictable, especially the ending and felt sidetracked with JC's sudden side quest about reaching out to a deaf and mute (I'm sorry, I forgot the politically correct term for people who are both deaf and mute) kid. Would've been better if that was more of a highlight and the story revolved around it more while JC was *not* trying to mend his relationship with his wife.

Batsoy (full-length feature): Sorry, but I really could not understand what the film wanted to say. Yes, they were looking for the best batchoy (or batsoy) trying to make ends meet every day by getting firewood in the forest then suddenly, an unnamed or unrecogonizable group enters the frame. Are they NPAs or what? Also, what's the point of magical realism throughout the film? Bakit biglang may pa magical kubo? Sobrang gutom lang ba 'yung bunsong kapatid kaya nag imagine na lang siya ng bahay na may masarap at shining, shimmering na batsoy? Tapos biglang may sirena na rin. Or was that a foreshadowing na may masamang mangyayari? Bukod sa anonymous group may mga random characters din na I think they can also forego — like they are just noises, walang explanation why they were there. Would've been better (oo, may pagsa-suggest tayo rito, gaya sa ibang mga entry kung napapansin niyo) if they banked on the anonymous group sa forest. Na sana doon 'yung story arc. Also, ito rin 'yung film na gusto ko sana itanong where does it stand, given the political indications showed by nutribun, feeding programs of the administration that time? O baka for the sake of the storytelling lang 'yun to show what year it was.

Ginhawa (full-length feature): The casting hit the right spots. Na achieve ni Andrew Ramsay ang promdi and innocent feels ng character ni Anton. Pero the story itself felt like it just discussed the surface of how grim the landscape of boxing, as sport, is. Nakulangan ako sa character arc or mapping (ba't kasi nag iimbento ako ng mga term dito?!). Example, 'yung lasenggero niyang uncle, sa dialogue lang dinaan na laos na siya. But was he a boxer before, too? Or coach talaga siya? Anong role niya sa story in the long run? Hindi na form nang maayos for me. Indication lang ba ang character niya na some boxers may end up like him, if he was a boxer? Also, is there more depth to Anton's goal of becoming a boxer? Gusto lang ba talaga niya magkapera to help his family? I was hoping the film will be about Anton, aside from using boxing to take his family out of poverty, searching for answers why his brother ended up that way (hindi ko na i-spoil). Was the character of and story arc with Katarina even necessary? But oo, expected na si Ruby Ruiz ang Best Actress dahil sa galawan niya rito.

Roundtrip to Happiness (shorts): Who would've thought one can make a film using Google Maps all throughout? That was innovative for me and can I just say I was fooled by its trailer? Akala ko talaga mystery quest ito sa datingan ng trailer! But its tone was fun and a bit light, but with children being socially aware. They know what's happening and they aim to do something about it.

Mata Kang Busay (shorts): I was hoping there was more to it, more time to form the story. I'm a sucker for folklore and mythological stories, to the point of magical realism; 'yung nga duwende-duwende, tawas-tawas, engkanto, if that's the right term (but with boundaries na kapag parang hindi na nagme-make sense sa akin) so I liked this at the beginning but it ended up predictable. But yes, disturbing.

Ampangagat nin Talakba ha Likol (shorts): Hindi ko alam kung ano ang tamang term, if experimental ba o magical realism din (or perhaps, mixed media?) pero ito 'yung sinasabi kong boundaries. I understood what the film tried to convey but I think the approach, how the film was executed, wasn't really just for me. But it was creatively done—a creative way to tell about someone's state of loneliness and perhaps, even depression.

Kwits (shorts): Ito 'yung full-circle ang script na I think was really the aim of the story. However, for me, there's nothing special in it (siguro dahil kanonood ko na rin ng mga ganitong tema). But, yes, the production, like its script, was tight. Hindi ka malilito sa storytelling.

Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras (shorts): This is my fave from Shorts A's roster. Because yes, I'm a sucker for children's stories (kaya medj off din ako sa Kaluskos kasi it tainted children stories for me, lol). They are always warm and innocent (maski minsan may dark themes na tinatalakay). Also, this film showed how fucked up the educational system and the society is, but it was showed in a way that's light and bright (POV of kids) — and cute, like the kids who wanted to make sure their parents will get a higher education, by teaching them and pushing them to take the exams, to make sure they can teach their kids with the distant learning amidst pandemic. That contrast for me was the one that really struck a chord. And just like the title goes (in translation), will these dreams written on the sand be just washed onto the shore?

City of Flowers (shorts): Flowers are pretty but sometimes, the lives of people who grow flowers for living aren't, as depicted by the main characters in this film. This film has strong political themes especially on what's happening in Mindanao. I was really hopeful of the ending. But the film showed that it's still true — those in power will always use peace and money to prey on the weak and use them as pawns — which for a moment, I too, was lured and fooled.

Si Oddie (shorts): A lot of short films in this year's roster banked on the COVID-19 pandemic experiences and Oddie is one of them. It sounded genuine like you were really where they were but the story itself was also predictable.

Duwa Duwa (shorts): One of the films I was also looking forward, too, because of the trailers I see in every screening. May shaman na naman kasi tapos parang sobrang problemado nung main character.  However, nakulangan ako sa kuwento or something, anything, that will make it more remarkable. 

Distance (shorts): What's commendable in this film is it was shot fully using a smart phone. But when it comes to the storytelling, para sa akin, the storyteller just really wanted to tell a story about him and his OFW mom na ngayon, they are trying to close the distance between them that has gone farther throughout the years.

Dikit (shorts): Ito lang ang LGBTQIA+ entry this year and I was looking forward to it kaya lang, again, since hindi tayo masyadong mahilig sa experimental approaches and visuals, na lost ako rito. The visuals are remarkable, having a split screen (as it's a story about a manananggal which something I also like in the general sense na mga kuwento) pero bandang dulo, hindi ko nagawang i-process kung ano 'yung nangyari, the storytelling. The film wasn't really for me so mema 'tong hanash ko rito.

See You, George! (shorts): The twist is amazing! When we say twist, that's it! This again is a pandemic story putting our health workers at the front and center. This was good but I have reservations with the ending as it went too cheesy and the visuals suddenly looked like it was for an AVP, as well as the dialogues were forced. Would've been better if they ended it right away when George held their hand up high. 

And that wraps my 2022 Cinemalaya Hanash! Screenings will be held daw in other cinemas and even in communities and online. So in case you missed the initial runs, may chance pa!