Reviews

For more than a decade, producers of LGBT+-themed films in Philippine independent cinema were just looking for an opportunity to earn income. Like it or not: sex sells. Much more so if two or more men are in the same bed.
Some veteran directors presenting their works at the Malaya Independent Film Festival, the Philippines' biggest film event, had their roots deep in mainstream cinema, and it turns out that bad (mainstream) habits die hard.
For that reason, the history of cinema of that nation ultimately produced some of the most inferior, self-oppressive and tasteless works, digging a deeper margin for the members of that human community and misleading the public about what their defenses really were in the face of a conservative, heteronormative and discriminatory society.
However, this sad cycle of Philippine filmography changed when director Joselito "Jay" Altarejos made 'Kasal' in 2014, and that year it won the Best Feature Film, Best Music and Best Cinematography Awards at the 10th Cinemalaya Festival, even surpassing the most requested 'Hustisya'.
The feature film immediately attracted the attention of the public and specialized critics, both local and international, as 'Kasal' broke with a previous scheme, planted deep within filmmakers interested only in their profits, by bringing a more realistic and identifiable representation of relationships between people of the same sex.
The film talks about how homosexual couples are situated in a society in which they are prohibited from marriage even though they may have a lifelong commitment.
I am not offering a spoiler here, since Altarejo took it upon himself to talk in every possible way about the content and premise of his film.
Paolo (Oliver Aquino), a film, commercial and video director, encourages his boyfriend Sherwin (Arnold Reyes), a renowned professional lawyer, both breadwinners for their respective families, to hold a wedding ceremony, but Sherwin refuses to accept Paolo's proposal because he knows that the marriage law in the Philippines is only for male and female couples and, as a law graduate, he must respect the law.
In the film, Sherwin, who values ​​the tradition in which he was raised since childhood, and Paolo, who has a more open family that is aware of his homosexuality, attend the wedding of Sherwin's younger sister in Batangas.
Sherwin wanting not to disappoint her parents, conservative and very devout of the Christian faith, if she admitted to them and the rest of her family about her relationship with a man, she prefers to hide her romantic relationship.
The filmmaker, recognized with several prestigious awards both in the Philippines and internationally for his innovative openly gay-themed films such as 'The Man in the Lighthouse', 'Antonio's Secret', 'Kambyo', 'The Game of Juan's Life', ' Pink Halo-Halo', 'Tale of the Lost Boys' and 'Unfriend', among others, films a feature film that explores secret issues surrounding the cries for equality of LGBT+ people in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world.
In this sense, 'Kasal' defends homosexual marriage and equality before the law on marriage between people of the same sex. But even maybe not just equality before the law but also proper understanding of the LGBT community.
In the face of discrimination, the film shows that human beings need an open-minded environment that does not degrade them as people and allows them to live equally and freely with the gender they prefer to embrace.
Even though homosexuals represent a group largely treated as a minority, the film is incredibly inclusive. It portrays the problems that lack of communication can cause in relationships (homosexual or not) and even touches on family conflicts.
'Kasal' is neither an all-out feast of flesh, nor a series of intolerable acts, but a presentation of silent oppression. It carefully presents a strong argument as to why the LGBT+ community in the Philippines and beyond continues to fight today, 10 years after its release, for the basic right to marriage equality.
The performances of its two protagonists stand out. Arnold Cruz Reyes and Oliver Aquino give strong performances of two lovers who are trapped in a circumstance from which they cannot escape. The chemistry between the leads is so genuine that you know the film is not just about gender. It is truly and simply about two people in love, struggling with the universal difficulties of love.
The film excels at offering audiences an intimate, rarely seen glimpse into the life together of two gay men, complete with the mundanity, incredibly detailed sex, and emotional nuances of almost every other romantic relationship.
The script written by Zig Madamba Dulay and Altarejos himself, not only delves into the complexities and challenges of being gay in a conservative society, but also delves into the struggles within a romantic relationship. Instead of distinguishing the unique difficulties of same-sex relationships, the film focuses on what makes them equal to others.
'The Commitment', as it is also known, stands out as a truly independent film, in terms of treatment. It seems like a relatively small production. Many of the scenes appear to be filmed in convenient locations, mostly indoors.
The tight cinematography takes us right into the characters' comfort zones, showing us what they are like at home, at work, with friends and with family. And with the explicit, prolonged, continuous, uncut softcore scene lasting probably at least 5 minutes, 'Kasal' is as intimate as it gets. But at the same time it raises a theme that has been present in world cinema for decades, while successfully describing how cultural and religious oppressions provoke the personal and emotional struggles of queer people.
In this very honest film, I am captured by two parallel scenes filmed behind a window, and in which I am suddenly relegated to the role of an outsider.
I am referring to the opening scene taken from the balcony of the condominium showing the interior of the room occupied by the two protagonists, and the scene with the lovers engaged in a heartbreaking fight on an empty street. In the latter, we can see the couple, but not hear them – as it is filmed from inside the car. These two scenes noticeably mark a distance between the characters and the camera.
But the most interesting thing, in my opinion, is that at the same time, from this distance, we can see the gap between the two lovers, no matter how intertwined they are. It is no longer the faces of the actors that speak to us, but the space of uncertainty that surrounds them and that threatens to open a gap between the two souls that painfully cling to each other.
These two scenes alone would be enough to demonstrate the professionalism in their craft, the natural and convincing acting skills of the lead actors, and the ordinariness of the settings make the film easy to identify with. The conversations also seem spontaneous. As in real life, it is in the slight changes in tone and sudden moments of silence that we see how easily we tend to sweep things under the rug and, at the same time, how difficult it is for us to forget.
The script and story are strong enough for the audience to empathize with the characters' feelings.
In short, 'Kasal' stands out for its technical aspects. The camera angles focus on the actors' expressions. The lighting is perfect in all locations and manages to highlight the necessary lights and shadows in each scenario.
The elements used in the staging are organically well prepared, especially when they filmed in the province. Meanwhile, the costumes and set design blend well, particularly with the traditional wedding celebration in Batangas.
The music by Richard Gonzalez and the sad and heartbreaking love song "Ikaw at Ako", by Johnoy Danao, fit perfectly with the emotion of the characters and the atmosphere of the dramatic part.
Inside my chest I felt Paolo's pain when his boyfriend Sherwin introduced him as his best friend. My heart was torn when I saw the ring that Paolo bought for the wedding with his lover thrown into the trash. This image symbolizes that the marriage between them will never take place.
But I also have mixed feelings, as I try to balance Paolo's position with Sherwin's situation, who is torn between his love for Paolo, his dedication to work, upholding the law, and his family's views on marriage. In this sense, it is also difficult for me to determine which one I should prioritize because both characters touch my soul deeply.

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Inspiring story

I've never heard of this movie till someone shared it on the feeds and I've decided to give it a try because why not!

I must say, I quite enjoyed it, I always have a soft spot with this kind of coming of age story and this movie delivered well on its own. It was so simple yet I can somehow relate to it and can't help but to root for her till the end. She was not, in my surprise, a dislikeable character at all like I thought.

I quite appreciate the development of the story throughout the whole movie, it was really well done and I was glad to understand a bit more of her character and her surrounding.

I would say I liked all the characters except her teacher in high school but what scared me it's that some people are like him in real life and didn't think of the psychological aspect of the student and also, they only have one way to think about it.
I also didn't like her father although I understand his behavior, it's even scarely relatable but it didn't excuse for it, it's still wrong.

So overall, it has this heartfelt, encouraging / inspiring and kind of life lesson story that I found it somehow appealing.
However, if we think rationally, this movie is too positive for that BUT I won't bring this up and stay to my thought that it was a great movie after all.

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Waste of time.

Not sure why I saw bad reviews on this movie and still watched it. I deeply regret it.
I was so excited to see a Japanese wlw movie, yet I don't have one good thing to say about it. And I usually am easy to impress with sapphic films!
This movie was directed by a straight man and made for straight men, it's apparent. This movie is just messed up in so many different ways, I mean, some of the characters lines and storylines?? Highly problematic and very unsettling to hear/see.
It was way too sexualized, with a lot of unnecessary nudity and too many long sex scenes.
Nonetheless, I was very disappointed with this film, I hope to get some better wlw movies in the future, I hope I just saved two hours of your time.

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If love moves the ground, heartbreak dislodges. If love elevates those who feel it, heartbreak can be a cataclysm. If we accept that the love relationship is the great intersubjective bet of the human being, it will be understood that its failure can be experienced by its protagonists as the greatest of defeats.
The cause of this internal collapse would be that in the most intense love, people put themselves in the hands of the other, and we reach the maximum degree of vulnerability: That is why nothing harms us as much as their contempt or rejection.
It is then that the temptation of revenge comes out of its hiding place and enters an unexpected orbit. At this moment, the first tremor of love transforms into a tremor of contradictory emotions and fertile territory for a creator.
The first image, in black and white, of 'Unfriend', is that of two male teenagers in a perfect state of romantic happiness. They are on top of an abandoned building, and their nostalgic looks and gestures ensure that they are the happiest lovers in the universe. It's Christmas Eve.
However, the initial image is far from reality. Filipino filmmaker Joselito "Jay" Altarejos deliberately follows the same two boys having sex in a small, dirty, dimly lit room where demons and other video game monsters seem to wink at the lovers from the walls. Everything plays with reality. The room is above an Internet cafe.
We will never again see the serenity, sincerity and euphoria of the film's opening dream sequence, as these have been replaced by the sweaty and unfunny date between two young men about to end their relationship.
After the night of breakup sex, David (Sandino Martín, 'Lonely Connections', 2023; 'Esprit De Corps', 2014), the youngest of the teenagers, aged 15, returns home smiling to his grandmother (Boots Anson -Roa), a kind but simple woman immersed in her Catholic faith.
Although grandmother and grandson can sing and dance karaoke songs together and share tender moments, the generation gap is enormous. On the other hand, David's parents work abroad, which aggravates his loneliness. Only once does social media become a benign force in the film, as it allows David to Skype with his mother.
Once David discovers through social media that 17-year-old Jonathan (Angelo Ilagan, 'Alimuom ng kahapon, 2015) has sought another lover, he locks himself in his room, where he keeps a shrine dedicated to his ex-boyfriend, and during the following hours, he begins an attempt to recover it through social networks. It monitors your steps, follows you from a distance, sends signals with red hearts and reacts with "Likes" to your posts. After all, David is today's typical awkward teenager who is better able to express his feelings through knee-jerk reactions on his digital profiles than through a real interpersonal connection.
When his affections are unrequited, he makes one last effort to reconcile as a sinister backup plan solidifies in his mind. The mission he embarks on matures with every step, as he distances himself from reality and wanders among the crowds and chaos of Manila. David needs to broadcast live to the world the love his ex-lover just wasted.
And I'm not spoiling this, as Altarejos publicly acknowledges before its release that his film is based on the 2011 shooting in a Philippine shopping mall of two young lovers, whose amateur images later appeared online and went viral.
My heart is squeezed by the image of David, alienated from reality, as he buys credits to resume the online harassment of his ex-boyfriend, and does not notice the homophobic insults his neighbors throw at him. When you temporarily come out of the spell and respond to grievances, you become aware of your surroundings. At that moment, David stops wallowing in himself and becomes a witness to problems that seem bigger than his own.
Recognized with several prestigious awards both in the Philippines and internationally for his groundbreaking openly gay-themed films such as 'The Man in the Lighthouse', 'Antonio's Secret', 'Kambyo', 'The Game of Juan's Life', 'Pink Halo- Halo', 'The Commitment' and 'Tale of the Lost Boys', among others, in 'Unfriend', Altarejos reflects the sadness of a child, while telling a passionate story of a gay teenager who searches for a lover who has become indifferent to his love, at the same time it intends to be a film with a message.
In this sense, it works as a social commentary, giving us an idea of ​​the new generations' inclination towards social networks, as well as showing the dangers that unfiltered information available online can represent for teenagers.
The love story in 'Unfriend' is a cry of sadness. The film, on the other hand, is also a powerful observation of obsession. As soon as Altarejos retracts the unabashed romanticism of the opening scenes, he proceeds to detail the less endearing qualities of the specific homosexual relationship defined by the virtual world in which it exists.
Furthermore, David, with his constant and rapid shift between aching lover and sex-starved animal, exemplifies the youth that has been conditioned to trivialize emotions. This is how the film has an impact precisely because its shameless portrayal of current attitudes and behaviors are too close to reality to be comforting. Infused with love and all other demons, there is no predicting what kind of monsters we can all become.
The film reminds us that in the story of love pain is hidden for a thousand and one reasons whose consequences do not respond to reasons. And the ways of expressing that hurt and regret are unexpected. It is love-heartbreak-resentment in an explosion that can spin like a top in the deceived, disdained person.
In this way, Zig Madamba Dulay's script portrays the anguish and obsession of a 15-year-old gay boy with social networks, and creates a fascinating story of how the Internet can bring fragile minds into a dangerous world.
The filmmaker himself expressed in an interview with Reuters: "I was interested in showing people how social networks have changed the way we live our lives, how we have become artists and how social networks have also turned us into voyeurs and exhibitionists. ".
'Unfriend' vividly portrays life in the Philippines, where poverty forces millions to work abroad, and mobile phones and WiFi make social media ubiquitous, after teenagers buy small amounts of phone credit in the street stalls to bury yourself in the dilapidated booths of the cibercafes.
Premiered in the Panorama Section of the 2014 Berlinale, the film quickly attracted the attention of local and international media for highlighting the "dangerous power of social networks."
Arvin Viola's photography is full of beautiful intimate images that leave one more sad than excited. However, what makes the film appealing is that it is more interested in intimacy than sensuality. Deep down, it brought up mixed feelings. On the one hand, he secretly wanted David and Jonathan to get back together, but at the same time, he wanted to see the magnitude of the pain David can endure.
I'm struck by the liberal use of the shaky handheld camera in natural lighting. Many viewers will find this way of filming strange, but here it is used effectively to give it a grittier, dirtier texture, very appropriate for what the film reflects.
'Unfriend' is not a perfect film, but what it lacks in technical perfection and surprises it makes up for in the setting: a sensation of the gradual breaking of a dam of anger, the growing temptation to break the silence in the face of the pain of heartbreak, the disloyalty, disappointment or infidelity of the loved one and their tumultuous experience.
With each sequence, Altarejos' film clings to my throat until it leaves me breathless. I couldn't get it out of my mind that extraordinary events can happen on any bright sunny day. And so I held onto the couch, to follow the controlled anguish of the actor who brings David to life, seen in various forms as he goes through the various stages of grief.
I can hardly erase Jonathan and David's last meeting from my head, seeing how his voice and hands tremble, and he almost chokes with the sobs he tries to suppress, but his body gives him away as he chews his straw and blows bubbles in his mouth your tea.

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"In front of your eyes"

Director Naomi Kawase reflected on different women who were True Mothers in this sensitively told story about adoptive and birth mothers. She also showed how some mothers are mothers in name only while others who have no children of their own nurture those in their care with compassion.

Satoko and Kiyokazu find they are unable to conceive a child. When they see a service that connects mothers who can’t raise their child with mothers who want to raise a child, they contact Baby Baton. Hikari is a 14-year-old girl who becomes pregnant and discovers the fact one week too late to have an abortion. Her embarrassed and enraged mother sends her to Baby Baton to keep the news secret. Satoko and Hikari are destined to be connected in the past and future as their decisions change their lives.

Kawase had a solid story to tell, but it oftentimes drifted off into side stories or came across almost like a documentary told in non-linear style. The viewer followed Satoko and Kiyokazu as they traversed the emotionally and physically demanding road of infertility treatments and then through the arduous path to adoption. Teenaged Hikari went from being in love to being pregnant and emotionally abandoned by everyone she cared about. Kawase’s attention to detail was her strength and weakness. While gaining insight into the different people involved was important, I didn’t need to know everything that happened to every character in order to feel emotionally connected to them. At nearly 2 ½ hours, some of the more disparate stories could have been more judiciously edited.

The primary actors did a fine job. Iura Arata as the loving husband conveyed Kiyokazu’s grief at being unable to father a child. Kiyokazu’s raw drunken confession to a shocked friend revealed the depth of his despair. He was the lone male in this melodrama aside from Hiraki’s boyfriend who walked away without any consequences. But this film truly belonged to the women. Nagasaku Hiromi brought Satoko’s desire to have a child, protective maternal instincts, and generosity to life. Mikita Aju had the difficult task of playing Hikari from innocent teenager in love, to bearing the consequences alone not only before childbirth but afterwards as well. Her performance felt honest as the girl who wore the “In front of your eyes” T-shirt and feared being erased. I would have liked her story even more if Hiraki would have verbally shared how she felt about the pain of giving up the child she wanted as she aged and her feelings of desertion when her own mother so easily gave her up. Lastly, Asada Miyoko shined as the childless director of Baby Baton who nurtured the girls from different walks of life at her idyllic facility. Her compassion made a perfect contrast to Hikari’s cold mother demonstrating that being a mother doesn’t require a common DNA.

I wasn’t a fan of the overly blown out photography Kawase used. The continued bright gauzy effect began to strain my eyes. Normally, shots of architecture or natural scenery appeal to me, but many of her transition shots looked awkward and disconnected from the story instead of symbolic. I enjoyed the film's concept and acting, but the almost documentary style for much of the film sterilized the feelings it might have evoked otherwise. Despite my reservations this was a thoughtful meditation on the different expressions of motherhood. The topics and characters were broached in a respectful and empathetic manner that highlighted the sacrifices and dedication parenthood entails.

15 August 2024

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Very cute romantic movie, not scary

I really liked it! But if you're expecting a real horror movie, of course you'll be dissapointed...
This is a cute BL movie with a ghost and some thrilling moments. That's it :) Acknowledging that, it's good enough!
I especially loved the romantic scenes ♥ Zee is a good actor and has great chemistry with NuNew.
Their lovestory was really nice and the piano music made it feel very romantic! Good choice of soundtrack.
The story of the ghost was less interesting... But I know enough about ghosts that sometimes it IS best to talk it out.
I'm happy it was similar to Cutiepie and to see these in another story together. I fell all kinds of emotions watching this!
I would watch it again, but the uncut version. If you guys wanna watch an actual horror movie, I suggest not watching this lol.

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Predictable but not in a bad way. Simple and sweet romance

8.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2012 Japanese romance movie that runs 121 minutes. 

First I will provide a unique synopsis then review. 

 Synopsis

Tsubaki Hibino (Emi Takei), is a socially awkward loner. She dresses in very drab, old style clothing, and wears her hairs in braids which is not very fashionable. In complete contrast, Kyota Tsubaki (Tori Matsuzaka) is one of the most sought out, attractive, guys at the high school. Tsubaki is completely surprised when Kyota begins paying attention to her, teasing her incessantly at first but then pursuing her romantically.  The more the two interact the more what started as a joke on Kyota’s part starts to become real.  Kyota draws Tsubaki out of her shell and Tsubaki makes Kyota look at his life and re-evaluate the shallow relationships he had been pursuing.  Can two such dramatically different people make it work in the long term?

 Review

This is a very sweet, well-paced coming of age romance.  If you are okay with it being a bit aged, it is not a bad offering in the romance genre. The characters are well developed and you can see the progression of their relationship and feelings for each other. It is predictable but not in a bad way. Super popular boy meets not so popular girl and they fall for each other.

I t ends happy and there aren’t any unresolved or outstanding plot points or sub plots.  I would recommend it for anyone that is a romance fan as a quick easy watch.  I might watch it again if it was on but wouldn’t seek it out to rewatch.

Spoilers

 Fro the hair styles and the clothes it is not hard to tell this movie is over a decade old.  So, when they criticize main girl for being old fashioned it is like old fashioned criticizing old fashioned from our modern perspective.

The music was not my favorite. Pretty screachy but not so disruptive it made it unwatchable.

There was no solid second couple.  There was the sister and her romance with the lead guys’ best friend but given she said he wasn’t really her type, and that she was originally interested in main guy, it wasn’t much of a romance.  The best romances usually have more than one couple that forms and this really only had the main couple. 

 It was a bit odd that the description for the movie said she was really good at doing other’s hair but not her own so I thought that would be a central part of her character throughout the story.  But it really wasn’t.  It showed her doing her sister’s hair in the beginning, then a few of her classmates’ hair a bit later but that was really it.  Then, she goes to work at the hair salon and then it becomes a central thing for her.  But that didn’t happen until close to the end.  That is why I think a better description of how she was before is that she was focused on studying. 

#LoveForBeginners  #EmiTakei  #ToriMatsuzaka

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My impression of ” I miss you” the movie

My review for * I Miss you* with Tan Jianci and Zhang Jingyi

I watched the movie *I miss you* with Tan Jianci as main lead and Zhang Zingyi as the female lead. with name Wang jinjin
I really like the story plot, it's very close with the *these days* story in life.
Tan Jianci as Bai xiauyu .
They met at the end of final examen of senior high, Bai Xiaouyu fell inlove at the first sight to Wang jinjin . Any way that moment at examen day ..that the last time they saw each other.
Somehow that first encounter remain in Bai Xiaouyu mind..After some years passed, at the one event the fate emerging ..they meet again. With some trick Bai Xiaouyu talk with pretending applying some work opportunity. Then Wang jinjin actually also was having him in her mind...
Since then they go together... building the career and future by living together.. Both were content....
The love that have filled between them were sincere but from Wang jinjin side .., she is very insecure in the heart. She doesn't dare to have commitment because she doesn't believe that anything can stay good and fine ....
On the other hand Bai Xiaouyu is in full commitment in loving her, he is such kind of tender, loving , supportive boy friend, but in the middle of his love insecurity...even the most sincere love can not keep their relationship.
To avoid too much information to those who is yet will watch the movie, I can say, this kind of VERY positive and lovely way how young couple put their pride down when the realization that all ambition, insecurity and sad traumas from the past should not be the reason to let your sincere love to the one you are the most content and appreciating life with to be broken.
They both did'nt give up of each other even it seems like it is so hard.
So I think, that they both come to the honesty of themselves...which lead them to do the right decision.
It's worthied to watch and ...after watching the movie, it leads contemplating to ourselves....what would we choose...if it was me as Bai Xiaouyu, or as Wang jinjin.
Very emotional plot of story...as well so much good time.
Tan Jianci's art acting has always been captivating and inprinting...He made the movie very likable, enjoyable very much❤️❤️
Maybe I am the only one who was impressed in this way...

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Awesome movie. Already enjoyed theatre version, waiting for Netflix release .

Already watched the entire movie on theatre. It was great experience.
At 1st had normal expectations, as it is already made twice. But detailing changes in Thail version is welcomed suprised.
Both the lead artist is testimony why they are popular worldwide. Bright solidified his position as rising star with this performance. This was not his regular romantic boy role. He brought his own nuances to the character. The Pataya boy influence. Yaya as innocent beautiful with strong presence, emoting subtle expression apt for her character. Both the artist did justice to their roles.
Overall professional performance. Would recommend not to miss watching it, if it's getting released around you or in your country online

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Great performance by the main leads and decent adaption

Great efforts noted by both the main artist to adapt to the already hit version of the movie. Bright transformation throughout the movie is commendable. His transition from happy go lucky to serious whenever character demand is obvious. Yaya the senior artist proves yet again why she is one of the top Thai actress. Her helpless innocent girl character is great.

Awesome chemistry is already making waves within the industry. You will get butterflies seeing them together onscreen. They support each other well as lovers on screen.

Thai influence on the storyline for the Thai adaption is intelligent move. It gives new outlook to the story. Changes in story and other casts for this adaption.

I rate high because of the clean adaption and artists performance. Must Watch

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