2009: Highlights in Film

Raya Martin's Independencia 2009: Highlights in Film 2009 has been both kind and cruel to Philippine cinema. As we celebrate the numerou...

I Love You, Goodbye (2009)

I Love You, Goodbye (Laurice Guillen, 2009) In a film festival that showcases Philippine cinema in its most obnoxiously self-important, with...

Mano Po 6: A Mother's Love (2009)

The Mano Po Story: God Have Mercy On Us A Review of Joel Lamangan's Mano Po 6: A Mother's Story by Francis Joseph A. Cruz FLASHBACK:...

The Arrival (2009)

A Departure A Review of Erik Matti’s The Arrival By Francis Joseph A. Cruz Erik Matti has an awkward position in Philippine cinema. Unlike J...

Two Lovers (2008)

Two Lovers (James Gray, 2008) The opening sequence is vital. The requisite black of the opening credits gives way to a cloudy gray sky, whic...

Walang Alaala ang mga Paru-Paro (2009)

Walang Alaala ang mga Paru-Paro (Lav Diaz, 2009) English Title: Butterflies Have No Memories The picture that Lav Diaz paints of an island d...

Johnny Delgado (1948-2009)

Johnny Delgado (1948-2009) Juan Marasigan Feleo, more popularly known as Johnny Delgado, passed away on November 19, 2009. He is a hardworki...

Wanted: Border (2009)

Wanted: Border (Ray Gibraltar, 2009) Various snippets of what is to come, accompanied by a midi version of one of Johann Sebastian Bach'...

Karaoke (2009)

Karaoke (Chris Chong, 2009) Midway through Chris Chong's languid chronicling of a young man's homecoming, something unexpected happe...

Tulpan (2008)

Tulpan (Sergei Dvortsevoy, 2008) Set in the steppes of Kazakhstan, Sergei Dvortsevoy's Tulpan details the efforts of Asa (Askat Kuchinc...

The Echo (2008)

The Echo (Yam Laranas, 2008) My biggest gripe with regards to remakes, whether they are Hollywood remakes of Asian films or the other way ar...

To Kill a Myna Bird

To Kill a Myna Bird Musings and Realizations Triggered by a Lackluster Staging of Spring Awakening by Francis Joseph Cruz My not so spring a...