Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita (Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, CineFilipino 2013 Best Picture)

Do you remember the time you met someone, and firmly believed that the two of you are meant for one another? If you do, then this film might interest you.

A pre-teen girl named Anita (Teri Malvar) sees a new face in her village. Right then and there, she proudly proclaims that the newcomer is the one she'll marry.

Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita takes a sunny look at first love. Several times, we see a giddy Anita imagining her love dancing in front of her. The beloved is happy, cheerful, and full of zest like a passionate horse. Even in a crowded place, the beloved's eyes are fixed only on her. The charming smiles are meant only for her. These scenes perfectly capture the romantic longings of a girl deeply in love.

It doesn't matter that the beloved's name is Pilar. It might be Mariel or Robin. It might be Marian or DingDong. It doesn't matter that Anita is in love with another girl. What matters is, of all the people she meets in the world, the beloved is the only one who makes her truly alive.

The alluring Pilar (Angel Aquino) is not new to the village. It is just that Anita was too small to remember her. Rumors fly over Pilar's hasty return from Dubai, where she worked as a physical therapist. Issues are raised over her non-appearance during the wake of her father. One villager who is happy to see her is her ex-boyfriend.

The fragrance of blossoming love pervades through the whole village. The scent is so strong you'll probably smell it while watching the film. I smell aroma from summertime flowers. I smell a freshly-bathed person. I smell intoxicating love.

Love is like a long sought after baby. It might take awhile. It might take a long, long time. For some, they need to endure countless dances, processions, and novenas. It may still not be bestowed despite litany of prayers. But once given, nurture it with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your soul.

Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita is a lovely, likable, lithesome film peppered with winning performances from the ensemble. It took some time for the film to come into fruition. It is a good thing director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo held on passionately to her 'baby' project. Upon receiving a grant from CineFilipino, she showered her 'baby' with the best care and love she can give. Her 'baby,' in return, gave birth to a confetti of accolades and awards including Best Picture at the CineFilipino competition.

Quick Change (Eduardo Roy Jr, Cinemalaya 2013)

In Quick Change, Mimi Juareza essays one of the best, boldest performances seen on local screens in 2013. Her character Dorina engages in the illicit world of underground cosmetic surgery. She is like a fairy godmother to legions of gay people wishing to be beautiful. 

With an injection here and there of contraband stuff, she molds her clients into an approximation of who they want to be. Sometimes, a client asks for the moon by wishing to be a fab celebrity such as Anne Curtis. Immediately, another fake cosmetic surgeon shoots down the idea and says bluntly, 'we are not magicians.'

They may not be magicians but they sure do produce several good illusionists. We see a bevy of pretty gays made up to look like celebrities. Amazingly, they do look like their dream pegs. The gay contestant winner in the film is, in reality, the winner of Eat Bulaga's beauty contest for gays. She says she is a Kim Chiu-look alike although she resembles more the Kapuso starlet, Jennylyn Mercado. Either peg, she is really beautiful.

 
Juareza is not that far behind. Curly or wet, her tresses complement her sweet face. She registers well on the screen. Her early scenes make me believe she is a woman. Her physical looks and demeanor suggest she is a woman. She is a woman until her towel drops to the floor.

The appendage between Dorina's legs shatters the illusion that she is a woman. Her ex-boyfriend left her for another tranny because of that appendage. It is not so much because she is gay or has a dick but that Dorina has a bigger one. The ex-boyfriend is so full of himself. He is proud to show off his dick to other guys with smaller dicks such as Dorina's nephew. But, his ego gets deflated when he sees a person with a bigger dick.

Another big thing possessed by Dorina is her heart. She cares and treats her nephew like her own child. I'm reminded of the Lino Brocka film Ang Tatay Kong Nanay. A flamboyant Dolphy drags along her son to her daily rackets and nightly passions. This time around, Dorina is Ang Tita Kong Nanay. She also tags along her nephew in her rounds.

The boy, along with the audience, gets exposed to the world of gay people. We get immersed into beauty contests. We enter the milieu of gay entertainers at the Manila Film Center. We see the bare bodies of Dorina's clients. We hear their reasons for enduring the pain of surgery and courting death. Yes, they know the dangers of illegal cosmetic surgery but they still come in droves.

There's pathos seeing a client drop by for her regular fix of beauty interventions. Along with the injections, maybe she wants to hear her doc's encouraging words. A little flattery goes a long way in uplifting the mood of the client. 

The filmmakers, Eduardo Roy Jr. and Bing Lao, did an excellent job of showing a sympathetic view of gays. Dorina, a charlatan alright, is herself a victim of fake beauty products. Her only fault is that she tried to help fellow gays fulfill their wishes and needs.

Ang Babae Sa Likod Ng Mambabatok (Lauren Sevilla Faustino, Sineng Pambansa 2012)

The Philippine Daily Inquirer has been an ardent supporter of independent filmmakers and excellent local films for years. This year, it stepped up by organizing the first Inquirer Indie Bravo! Film Festival at Greenbelt 3, Makati City. For three days in early December, the festival held free public screenings of documentaries and short films, several of them award-winners.

Among the precious gems shown is Lauren Sevilla Faustino's Ang Babae sa Likod ng Mambabatok (The Woman Behind the Tattoo Artist). The documentary deals with a legendary, nonagenarian tattoo artist named Fang Od. Clients and tourists endure an arduous journey to seek the services of the famed tattoo artist in the highlands of Kalinga.

Seeing her in action makes for an uneasy moment. Fang Od creates batok (tattoo design) with a crude, traditional implement. A firm tapping of the two-inch pointed implement pierces the skin just enough for it to take in the ink. Every sharp thumping sound makes me squirm in my seat. That must be really painful. The amazing thing is once the ink are wiped off from the skin, we see the design in perfect symmetry and alignment. Fang Od's steady arms and eyesight are still in tip-top condition despite her old age.

Fang Od shares that in her tribe, a tattooed woman is highly desirable. (She used to have at least 36 suitors). A woman without a tattoo is not beautiful. We then see various tattoos on the body of Fang Od. There is a reptile design here and a design copied from Chinese porcelain there. Nearly all of the designs are perfectly aligned. However, there are a couple of tattoos that seem amateurish. The story behind those seemingly out-of-place tattoos outshine all of the romantic stories and plotlines conceived by the Star Cinema writing factory so far.

In response to a query on why she remained single all her life, she tells of someone outside her tribe who captured her heart. But, her father objected to her being married to an outsider. The young man then said to her, 'since we cannot be together, I'll tattoo my name on your forearm so you cannot forget me.' He did tattoo his name. Every day since, Fang Od sees his crudely tattooed name on her forearm and remembers him. Awwwww... Heartbreaking kilig stuff.

Thank you to the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Raul C. Pangalangan, Bianca Kasilag, and co.), MyCinema, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines for sharing the engrossing documentary to the public on December 9, 2013. My mother and sister loved this documentary along with feature film Transit and the documentary film Ang Pagbabalik ng Bituin. Those films brought us, the audience, on a trip across the Philippines and beyond (Israel).

Boy Golden (Chito Roño, Metro Manila Film Festival 2013)

Dashing through windows and essaying the signature dance moves of Elvis Presley, there had never been a group of hoodlums as elegant, acrobatic, and stylishly elusive as the Bahala Na Gang members led by Arturo Porcuna aka Boy Golden. But, all of them are upstaged by a smoldering, vengeful, good-looking killer.

The rip-roaring action film Boy Golden is based on the colorful, treachery-riddled life of Porcuna (Jeorge ER Estregan), a notorious gangster in the early 1960s. The pre-credit segment showed him mowing down enemies while a rollicking Elvis Presley song blares from the jukebox. He escapes unscathed and quickly merges with the shadows of the night. He meets shadowy characters out there in the dark.

I'm not happy with the way femme fatale Marla Dee (KC Concepcion) was introduced. She is barely recognizable from the dimly lit nightclub room. The filmmakers should have shown her with exceptional dancing skills. As it is, when she flexes her breathtaking fighting skills, it comes as a big surprise. How the hell did she come up with those phenomenal athletic moves? Okay, she's a dancer. But, she should have been shown doing a nifty move here and a powerful gymnast step there.

Marla Dee is a dancer out for revenge. In one surprising scene, she guts out an obese, fake attorney. That was a bit surprising for me because of the actress who played her. KC Concepcion sheds off her cute image and comes onscreen as a sultry lady oozing with raging sex appeal. Marla Dee is like a Hulk whose chest gets bigger because of anger. She is seen desperately trying to conceal her bulging mammary glands a couple of times. She bangs her head countless times on the staircase but she ends up alive and brandishing a fiercer, smoldering personality.

There are other wonderful surprises out there for moviegoers mostly involving the Bahala Na Gang members. You'll likely be amused with their confrontation with the henchmen of a crooked general. Then, there's the shoot-out segment that channels Gene Kelly, West Side Story, Chinese acrobats, and Dragon dance.

Year 2013 will likely be cited as the year good local action films sprung to life. The film OTJ blazed the screens in major cities around the world. Meanwhile, Kung-Fu Divas mixed a potent brew of humor and action. I've heard some good notes for Iskalawags.

Boy Golden is not a perfect film. Filmmakers could have trimmed down its running time. They could have made Razon a more monstrous villain or cast a more suitable actor for that role. However, Boy Golden's awesome action segments, beautifully choreographed by veteran foreign stunt directors, are a rarity in local films. It is not KC Concepcion's cleavage that I will remember about her but Marla Dee's fight with a lady assassin. 

Marla Dee is a kick-ass character you won't likely forget. The high octane action set-pieces and a strong lady character are elements that make Boy Golden a top-notch action film. Next on my action film viewing list is 10,000 Hours, winner of the Best Picture award in this year's edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival.

Metro Manila Film Festival Parade of Stars (December 22, 2013)

10,000 HOURS

BOY GOLDEN

GIRL BOY BAKLA TOMBOY

KALEIDOSCOPE WORLD

KIMMY DORA: ANG KIYEMENG PREQUEL

PAGPAG

PEDRO CALUNGSOD

MY LITTLE BOSSINGS

Prologo sa Ang Dakilang Desaparecido (Lav Diaz, 2013)

Lav Diaz's films are noted for their high contrast black and white images. But, I was still surprised with the extreme depth of contrast exhibited in the short film Prologo sa Ang Dakilang Desaparecido. It was like seeing a 3D film. I was waiting for the majestic, sauntering white horse to evict the minion of Emilio Aguinaldo and jump through the screen. 

Take a look at the picture above. It feels like raindrops or a falling leaf will penetrate your computer screen any moment now. Lav's elegant, deep focus images should be seen and experienced in movie theaters. Just avoid the front-row seats or you'll end up blinded like deer caught in blazing headlights.

The English title, Prologue to The Great Desaparecido, reveals the short film to be a teaser to an important film The Great Desaparecido. It is important because the desaparecido referred to is none other than Andres Bonifacio, who was born on the 30th of November 150 years ago.

It is heart-wrenching seeing Gregoria de Jesus scour the boondocks for the remains of her husband. She endured humiliation and possibly rape in order to save her husband but they killed him just the same. The skies burst open as if sympathizing with her. The lush, ambient sounds of the raindrops are starkly contrasted by the piercing silent grief of the Lakambini of the Katipunan. She doggedly looks on for the burial site. It is painful to watch, but you just can't take your eyes off the screen because of the chiaroscuro imagery and the glorious soundscape.

The short film made me shout out the lyrics of a Rock Supremo song by Radioactive Sago Project: 'Hoy Emilio, nasaan ang mga buto?' We might as well change the lyrics to 'Hoy Palparan, nasaan ang mga iskolars?' and 'Hoy Ampatuan, nasaan ang 58th victim?'

Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio (Mario O'Hara, Cinemalaya 2010)

 

Among the films featured at the 6th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, this historical film is one of the most important. A faithful retelling of one of our history’s sourest incidents, in which a hero orders the death of another hero, the film is a lemon juice distilled painfully on Filipinos’ open, gaping wound.

As the film credits roll on, excerpts of various komedya plays are presented. We then see Andres Bonifacio (Alfred Vargas) playing a prince searching for the Ibong Adarna, an elusive bird with healing powers. Among the audience member is his lover, Gregoria de Jesus (Danielle Castaño). The next few scenes show the depth of the couple's love for one another. A bawling Gregoria is briefly detained after the arrest of her husband, Andres Bonifacio.

The trial of Bonifacio is dragging in most parts. The repeated questioning of the prisoners takes its toll on viewers' patience. Director O'Hara should have shortened the segment by showing successively similar responses to a single question. Limited budget obviously played a role in his inability to reconstruct the events narrated by the witnesses. The theatrical elements of the trial are a perfect fit for the moro-moro proceedings. At the start of the trial, the inept lawyer tasked to defend Bonifacio is already asking for forgiveness for his client's wrongdoings.

Angelina Kanapi steals the film with her portrayal of the Ibong Adarna and narrator. Instead of lulling the viewers to sleep, she is the one that energizes the whole film with her strong screen presence. Donning a semi-kalbo haircut and made up in white make-up, she eerily recalls Death in Ingmar Bergman's Seventh Seal. When she wears a red and yellow dress and performs a dance, I can't help but see it as a dance of death by Spain. The colonizing country can then be seen as the one responsible for Andres Bonifacio's death.

I love the music score for this film. The hymn Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan was played in the background during the execution of Bonifacio. The lyrics refer to the fight against the Spaniards. Again, the film seems to suggest that Spain was mainly responsible for the death of Bonifacio. The lovely kundiman Jocelynang Baliwag was given prominence in the early part of the film. It was the song sung by Gregoria and the captured soldiers of the Magdiwang faction. In the guise of a courtship song, the lyrics pertain to love for the motherland. Another song that serves as an outlet for nationalism is the song Sa Dalampasigan. It pays tribute to martyrs who served as inspiration of the Philippine Revolution.

It’s always a pleasure seeing O’Hara conjure wildly creative films like Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio. Marvel at how he showed the horrors, the bombings, and the killings during the revolution using minimal money. Heck, save for the interminable trial scenes, I was mesmerized with the film’s inventiveness and Filipino-ness. The band playing komedya music; poem readings; the folk dance pandanggo sa ilaw; all these things, and more, magically transported me to the late 19th century Philippines. O’Hara’s film reminds me of Raya Martin’s A Short Film About Indio Nacional. The latter is similarly structured in framing the revolution within the popular mediums of entertainment in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Even though Ang Paglilitis ni Andres Bonifacio failed to received an award from the five-man jury at Cinemalaya 2010, it is a must-see film for Filipinos. It may spur them, as I did, to learn more about our heroes and history. If you’d enjoyed the film, then you’ll probably relish O’Hara’s offbeat masterpiece Sisa. A film that can only come from the wonderful imaginings of the veteran director, the movie suggests Sisa is the voluptuous morena lover of Jose Rizal.

Original online posting in July 2010

  

Andrew Leavold's forum on Pinoy Grindhouse movies (or, the story of his search for Weng-Weng)

Blood (red, green, and splattered all over). Boobies (perky, taut, and free from silicone implants). Bullets (and bamboo spears and lots of bombings).

These are the elements of the B-movies, which were the focus of Andrew Leavold’s November 4, 2010 lecture at UP Videotheque. Popular fare in drive-in theaters, these movies also end up as the second, lesser film in a twin-bill offering. Ranging from horror films, women-in-prison dramas, post-apocalyptic revenge flicks, they have been described as trash, crass, and low class. But, to those hordes of people who grew up watching them in Betamax or VHS tapes, these films have been wonderful guilty pleasures. Judging from the audience response to a preview of Mark Hartley's documentary Machete Maidens Unleashed, a new generation of moviegoers is ready to partake of the sumptuous silliness of Philippine-made grindhouse movies.

Some of the more memorable cheesy exploitation films were made and produced in our country. Quentin Tarantino remarked that the Philippines is unique in being a filmmaking country with two distinct industries. There is a film industry that caters to local audiences. LVN Films, Regal Films, and Star Cinema belong to this group. There is another film industry that caters exclusively to international viewers. This segment is responsible for the Roger Corman-produced horror films, Eddie Romero's Blood Island trilogy, and the Chuck Norris actioners.

Leavold spoke of how Filipino visionaries and businessmen such as Conrado ‘Boy’ Puzon, Bobby Suarez, and Cirio Santiago dabbled into this goldmine of exporting films. Puzon bought local films for a pittance. He refurbished and dubbed them into foreign languages. He made lots of money selling them to video and film distributors all over the world. The Anthony Alonzo-starrer W is War made it to Europe. An IMDB reviewer described the film as ‘one of the bizarre masterpieces’ from Europe. Suarez initially started dubbing Chinese films into English. He then made a couple of films such as Cleopatra Wong and The One-Armed Executioner, both of which penetrated the almost-impregnable North American market.

Cirio Santiago is a name I grew up with. As a teenager I used to borrow tapes from the neighborhood Betamax rental store twice a month. There came a time when I have watched all the famous films (read: award-winners and commercial hits). I started venturing out with unknown titles. One of those obscure titles I saw was Cirio Santiago’s Stryker.

Theatrically released in the Philippines as Battle Truck, Stryker tells the story of a loner in a post-apocalyptic world. Good guys and bad guys fight it out over scarce water. They ride in armored-clad cars, gas-guzzling motorcycles, and a heavily-fortified truck. It had been years since that fateful viewing but I still remember the midget pissing on the lead character’s face, the scantily-clad girls, and the truck magically evading all sorts of obstacles (Shoot the wheels! Shoot the wheels! Aah, idiots). I didn’t know then that it was a rip-off of Road Warrior. I was just a high school kid having lots of fun watching it. My enjoyment of the film was amplified because the film was made in the Philippines. Wow! I became more proud because the international film was directed by a Pinoy filmmaker. Little did I know that those exported films will reach, and profoundly affect, other kids like Quentin Tarantino, who ended up as an ardent fan.

On the other side of the world, an Australian boy in Bahrain makes do with pirated tapes of films. He encounters some outlandish films with actors of unknown nationality. They don’t look like Chinese and they neither resemble Mexicans. A close encounter with a 2.9 feet midget named Weng-Weng sets the young Leavold to begin probing the origin of those films. Having identified them to be Philippine-made, he scours for more of those weirdly-attractive films. The decades-long passion for Pinoy B-movies resulted in a documentary, a doctoral thesis, and a humongous, to-die-for collection of 700 tapes/videos of obscure Philippine-made films.

Leavold is an engaging speaker with lots of stories to tell. He narrates how Cirio Santiago would usually bring a jeepney at Malate and hauls aboard a troop of almost drunk, sleepy Caucasians willing to join the day’s shoot. He also speaks of how marketing savvy people pushed up the name of local actor/s to top billing even if he/she appears only for a few minutes in the international film.

Leavold’s inexhaustible love and respect for those Pinoy B-movies has a magical way of rubbing on to his listeners. A UP Film graduate complained that she had a hard time getting access to those B-movies. Leavold then spoke of a magical place where nearly all the rare stuff that film buffs want to view is available. Quiapo is the place where he finally got a copy of Romero's The Ravagers. The pretty graduate then remarked that she may have to break her vow of not buying pirated DVDs. Those B-movies seem to be so irresistibly fun.

A Caucasian friend of Leavold told of how scared he was during their sojourn to Quiapo. On the day major western countries issued travel advisories, there they were in crowded Quiapo. He kept hearing 'Americans, Americans' in the utterances of the people. He might have been a new visitor who mistook the people's hospitality and over-eagerness to help for hostile acts. What about Leavold? Well, he didn't mention any untoward incidents. He just mentioned that he wants to learn Filipino in order to better understand the films of Chiquito. In fact, he will return to the Philippines in 2011 to shoot an action film with the members of what he affectionately calls the goon community of local cinema.

In 2007, Quentin Tarantino brought his stash of Pinoy B-films for screening at the Cinemanila festival. He also rode a pedicab in going to Malacañang Palace. In 2010, Andrew Leavold braved the throng in Quiapo to get his loot of priceless pirated DVDs. If these distinguished people were willing to risk their limbs just to put the spotlight on Pinoy B-movies, then those films must have been worth viewing.

Haven't seen a B-movie? Take the plunge and explore the fascinating flipside of Philippine cinema. The films are outrageously funny and adventurous, and just like comfort food, they are nice to devour once in a while.

Original online posting in November 2010

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Update: Andrew Leavold's documentary The Search for Weng Weng premieres tomorrow, November 29, 2013 at UP Film Institute's Cine Adarna.

I've seen the Cinemalaya cut of the documentary and it is way, way better than the stodgy Machete Maidens Unleashed documentary. The Search for Weng Weng chronicles the huge Australian's obsession with the Filipino midget actor Weng-Weng. 

It eschews the boring heads-only interviews and takes the viewers across the Philippine island of Luzon. I had a big laugh over the filmmakers' misadventures at the lavish dinner by Imelda Marcos. I was intrigued with reports about Weng-Weng's magnetic charm with women. Ultimately, it made me search out for the Weng-Weng movies. I bet you will, too.

Blue Bustamante (Miko Livelo, Cinema One Originals 2013)

Steve, Mark, Big Bert, Little John, Jamie.

If you are familiar with the names above, then you're probably a fan of Voltes V, an ultraelectromagnetic popular mecha anime in the 1980s. That period was blissful years for me and my siblings. All five of us got no worries in the world then. However, several kids were not as lucky.

Blue Bustamante deals with a boy bullied by a classmate. His father just left for Japan. He seeks shelter and comfort in a Japanese superhero television serial Force Five. His idol among the heroes is Blue Force. Unknown to him, Blue Force will eventually be played by his father, George Bustamante.

How his father end up into the shoes of Blue Force is a wonderful plot device. It shows the extent Filipino parents go through to feed their children and send them to good schools. Long before they were called Bagong Bayani or New Heroes, scores of intrepid parents left for greener pastures abroad during Martial Law. They get out of their comfort zone and suit up different costumes. They solve problems on their own.

George Bustamante (Joem Bascon) does not want his wife to know about his unexpected unemployment. The 'kapit sa patalim' situation forces him to shed his blue uniform and don a new costume complete with a bladed weapon. He takes up the offer of his friend to work as a stuntman for the Force Five show. He ignores the pain and bruises he gets from the show's kinetic action segments. He is flabbergasted to learn that his son idolizes the costumed hero that he plays. Even from afar, he gets to inspire his son to team up with the bullied ones and fight off evil doers.

Blue Bustamante takes me back to my teen years. That era saw the reign of the Sony Betamax and Nintendo Family Computer machines. There was no Facebook then. Overseas Filipino professionals had a difficult time battling homesickness. I wrote countless letters to my father, an accountant assigned to countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. I relayed to him the results of the Philippine Basketball Association games. I shared the achievements of my siblings. I always sneak in a postscript to my notes. The letters from home eased the loneliness of my father. He complimented and praised my writing for being organized. That was a big boost to me then. 

June (Dimples Romana), wife of George Bustamante, uses the postcript in her letters to unleash her cariño brutal. She reminds him not to have affairs with other women. Her concern is not without basis because George has a good heart and good-looking as well. There's a hilarious scene showing male friend Ramon ogling over George's body. I also loved the diner chat between George and a cute Japanese girl.

The film do not show all Filipinos abroad as outright heroes. Ramon (Jun Sabayton) works in Japan because he refuses to care for his grandmother back home. But, he treats George as a brother. The mustachioed duo reminds me of my relatives in Saudi Arabia. If there is a sequel then let them work in Saudi Arabia.

Blue Bustamante is a nostalgic treat for the Voltes V generation. It will bring back wonderful memories of playing with a gigantic robot toy, and Super Mario Bros. on the Family Computer. It will make you yearn for the old Japanese shows. Several of my younger male office mates always relate how they anticipate watching the show Shaider. They had a kick peeking on the underwear of Annie. 

I had never seen an episode of Shaider but our family dog is named Shaider. Just goes to show how my siblings and I embraced Japanese pop culture. As I'm writing this, my mother unearthed my kuya's precious highly-detailed Gundam robot toy in mint condition. Pardon me, but I'll end this piece and take a look at that ultrafantastic toy.

Cinema One Originals film screening schedules at Glorietta, Robinsons Galleria, and TriNoMa