Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story (2011) directed by: Tikoy Aguiluz

"Manila Kingpin" is based on the story of the notorious gang leader in Tondo named Nicasio "Asiong Salonga" whose true-to-life accounts had been portrayed in several movie versions since 1961.

My Insight

Need no further words, this movie is brilliant. This is the kind of the movie where-in not many among youth nowadays will probably be interested in by seeing its trailer but, this is the best movie entry in the MMFF for me yet. The film was in black and white and yet it is really interesting with all the brilliant shots captured. Cinematography was so good that it wouldn't really bother you to see no many colors in a modern film. There was this shot that I loved so much, it is where Asiong and his brother was talking to each other in a tunnel-like place when Asiong was first caught by the policemen. The lights behind Asiong really did add the drama effect that is needed to go with the story, theme and the message of the scene. This i think is one of the important reasons why the film was made B&W, is to add the drama it aims to convey and to take the viewers really back to the time where Asiong lived, and in all fairness, it has successfully done its purpose. Another reason i think was that, because there are so many fight scenes in the movie, that somehow it served as censorship moreover also added the effect of the fight scenes. Talking about the fight scenes, it was also really believable. it was nothing like any other usual and typical fight scenes but the film was really able to show the reality of it all and alloted more attention to the expression of the characters involved in the fight scenes. However, I was slightly intrigued when i found out that the stunt man for this film is from other country. Am I right? Cant it be done by local crew? well, just wondering.

Another great factor that really caught my adoration for this film are the locations and sets. there are several scenes shot inside some churches and i really felt like i was instantly transferred to his time, which actually should be the goal of the production design. Even the cinema scene was captivating, not to mention the other scenes such as the ones in jail and house of Asiong. I also liked the part and setting where Asiong and Pepeng Hapon (Joko Diaz) had a duelo. Cars and houses were also exceptional in the film. Small streets that are known to have many in Tondo was also illustrated many times in the film that gave you this feeling of it really happening just around the corners of Manila some years ago.

The screenplay was also downright suitable for the genre. It is a rough action movie, yes, but there are these lines that gave so much heart to the story and gave the viewers more sympathy and able to relate with the characters. It was right for telling a story about a rough man outside but really a good guy deep inside. Then, there was the editing. if not because of proper editing of the film, many among the viewers would probably got lost within the flow of the story. Also, i noticed that it is has a rough cut through out to express the quick phasing of the story but at the same time managed to deliver the entire progress of the story fluidly. Included in the editing are the musical scores that I found appropriate and added the drama or the angst that a scene really needed. though some gun shots I found are a little bit awkward with the actual action.

The actors were also believable Some of my favorites are Sgt. Doming Salonga (Philip Salvador) and Totoy Golem (John Regala) simply because they both have conveyed their character's purpose and attitudes. I was not however, entirely amazed by Jorge Estregan who played Asiong at first because i rarely find the emotion  that I think fits better in the scenes. BUT, as i thought of it, if the part was, lets say, played by Robin Padilla and others alike who are really known for action films, i thought that the film would probably just be "cheesy" as much as it doesn't need to be. Realizing that maybe, the intensity of the story and scenes are the important things, the acting of Jorge just balanced it all out and gave the story the realism that it should have. Im not totally against his acting, mind you. In fact, one of my most favorite part was when he was telling Erning Toothpick (Baron Geisler) to shoot him to get it over with, because i saw in her character that even though he knows that most probably he will be killed, the feeling of courage and trust to Erning was there balanced out  with the fear that he was also able to show.

Thinking about how successful this movie has become siguro, sana yung mga Pinoy viewers, mas mag-abang ng mga pelikula na tulad nito tuwing Metro Manila Film Festival, hindi dahil sa mga sikat na artista na gusto nila pero wala namang nagigising na diwa sakanila, sana doon sila sa tipong, pag labas nila ng sinehan, hidni nila masasabing nasayang binayad nila. Sana. Pero yun ay akin lang naman.

Segunda Mano (2011) directed by Bb. Joyce Bernal

The story revolves around the story of Mabel Domingo (Kris Aquino), the owner of an high-end antique shop who is struggling to move on from a tragic accident that caused her sister's death and always thought that her mother blames her for it, and meets a guy Ivan Galvez (Dingdong Dantes), an architect who seemed to only wants to find the perfect partner for him and a mother for his daughter Angel as his ex-wife apparently cheated on her and left them. Since Ivan proposed, Mabel started to be haunted by ghost who seems to kill everyone that helps Mabel. Towards the end, a very unexpected twist happened.

Eventually, the revelation was made when Mabel found out that her sister and Ivan's ex-wife, Mariela Galvez (Angelica Panganiban) is the same person and was killed by Ivan himself who turned out to be a psychotic person also haunted by his past experiences as a young boy.

My Insights

The story was something new when we talk about horror films. It has deeper story line than others and was able to really go through each character's pasts and explained every factors why they are the way they are. I personally think, that story wise, the movie has indeed surprised viewers of Philippine horror films and has gone beyond shallow and simpler stories. The scenes were plotted very accordingly to really illustrate and guide the viewers towards the end and resolution of the film. I also liked how they started the film, giving little glimpse to each major characters and important key to the story. However, it is still not that complicated that it may come to the point that it would be unpredictable. Because, towards the end i have already started to guess what is what and who is who. But then, I still think that it does a very good job misleading the viewers to its conclusion. 

However,

I can really say that I was very disappointed when it comes to the "scare" factor of it all. Giving itself a horror-thriller genre, I think they did not lived up to it. There were gulat factors but then i found myself irritably bored when almost all along the film i still didn't found any scary factors as i was expecting. Worse, I felt like i was eventually watching a drama/romance/comedy film rather than a horror one. Sure, they have really managed to establish a very nice story but then, without that scare factor, viewers will eventually lose greater interest to the rest of the story and will really be disappointed after the film, as they maybe did not get what they wanted in the first place, and that is to be scared. I thought that they did not exert that much of an effort into the horror factor of it all. Which is really a downside of it. For me that is. 

When it comes to the acting, well, Ms. Kris Aquino, for awhile convinced me that she was really a very reserved girl, given that we all know her for being tactless, she have successfully portrayed a simple girl in the movie. However, i just cant stop myself from giggling every time she tries to act scared and surprised with the apparition of the ghosts. She's good at drama but not really that convincing when she needs to act scared.

Dingdong Dantes somehow did portray to be psychotic though he was not as scary as a psychotic person should be. 

Unexpetedly, I was happy with how Bangs Garcia, who played the BFF of Kris Aquino, acted her role. For me it was so natural and really is living up to her character's personality.

I, with all negative and positive comments i have made in this film, would really commend its director Joyce Bernal for venturing in horror film for the first time. If my little research wasn't wrong, she made plenty of romance and comedy films and Segunda Mano is her first horror-thriller one. With this, i think she had given more life and story to horror films and not only gulat factors and all. Malay natin sa susunod na mga horror films, machallenge na yung mga batikang direktor ng Filipino horror films na magisip din ng mas malawak na istorya at given na they are good na at giving more takot, mapaghalo na nila ng mas balanse ang mga future Filipino horror films, diba? Malay natin. 

Let Me In (2010) directed by Matt Reeves

Last tuesday, we were able to watch the movie Let me in. i had no idea whatsoever to what this film is all about and wasn't even aware that it is a remake from the original one Let The Right One In. but upon watching the movie, i found myself enjoying it as it unfolds mysteries from different sides of the characters.

Anyway, this film is about a bullied young boy from a broken family and who lives with his mother met a young girl who just moved in next door to their apartment. Later on he becomes friend with this girl who he discover was a vampire.

Earlier, before watching the film, our class had a little discussion about certain topic which is "bubog" as defined by our professor, it is a physical, mental and emotional wounds that never heal. these are wounds that will remain wounds forever. so, through out the movie, we all had our eyes from different characters' "bubog" that ultimately gave more heart and life to the story.

but before discussing the "bubog' of the characters i would just like to first talk about the technical aspects of the film. As for the story, it has a lot of unexpected twists. Although there are a lot of similarities with other vampire films such as the twilight saga and the vampire diaries series, this somehow focused on how a personal background of a young child would affect the way he react and thinks for other people even though as we can say, they are vampires. i also liked how the story began and how the scenes were arranged. it somehow lead the viewers into concluding that the old man was the killer and the vampire. but the story unfolds, it gives another question unto what is it really thats goiing to happen both in the vampire and the young boy. upon the end of the film, i personally couldn't avoid to think if the vampire really loves the young boy or is she just really doing that because she wants someone who will help her when she feeds?

In terms of lightings in the movie, there are times that it is just not suitable with the theme and the scene of the movie but most of the time it was great and really added to the mood of the film.

Now, lets talk about the "bubog" of the characters.

The bully young guy in the film who used to pick on Owen, i think his "bubog" or the thing that haunts him and make him to be like that is because of his own brother who used to do the same bullying to him such as calling him a girl which he later on starts doing it to others.

Owen's "bubog" is the drive to find a working relationship with a partner. Since he came from a broken family, he had this urge to find someone who he can act to differently. shown in the film, he was so curious about the relationship of his neighbors and same as with his parents' status.

The old guy's wound was because of his love towards the young girl. which because of this love, he was willing to do everything it takes to protect and help the vampire.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

This movie is a good movie for vampire genre, lets say. although it also focuses on love and relationship like any other vampire movies, it is still different in way that it will also in the same time make you think about the story of each characters. this was also very interesting for me since, it is about the insights and feelings of a younger character which in a way had a very big difference with the other films.  it is a horror movie BUT it is not the "gulat" type of a horror film but it somehow let's you imagine and analyze about the whole story.

All in all, i liked the film and was not bored watching it. even without those typical "gulat" factors in most of the horror movies.

Kisapmata (1981)

Kisapmata of Mike de Leon is based from the story of Nick Joaquin "The House on Zapote Street" a true story about a father who later in the story began to unfold his unusual way of thinking and actions when her only daughter began to make her own way out of his hands. Everyone in their family is inferior to him and even tried to convinced her newlywed daughter to just live with them under one roof. One unfortunate thing lead to another until one incident finished everything off.

Notes and insights.

 For me, the film was very successful in terms of conveying and interpreting the theme that the story wants to relay and they have done it in a very neatly way. upon seeing the movie, it is not like you will immediately realized that it was filmed back so many years ago because the techniques that were used are very spontaneous and neat. The editing was also very smooth as it brought the story the real suspense and thrill that is needed to catch the attention of the viewer. the way the story is edited made it unpredictable and also will make you to wait for what is it really that is waiting for the main casts.

The embarking of the symbols to interpret the feelings, insights and perspectives of the different characters and even the story itself was also very effective. I find it also to be very interesting and convincing and will definitely makes you think about the meaning of the symbols being shown.

The entire story embodied successfully the ambiance of mystery throughout the film which i personally think, added more impact and interest to the succeeding scenes and made the ending the most unpredictable and the most interesting part of the film.

The actors who portrayed the characters were also unbelievably convincing and they were able to put up the intense emotion that the story wanted the viewers to experience. the actor Vic Silayan who played the role of the father was really scary as intended to and was able to really have a very dramatic portrayal of the character. because he was the center of the story, attentions and even how the other characters are being appreciated all depended on how they have revolved around the character. given that his role is a very important one, he has managed to bring all of the other characters around and interpret the appropriate acting for the part. Charo Santos, who played the daughter in the film was also able to convey to the audience the intense sadness and depression that an abused female can feel.