Cinemalaya 2014 – Hustisya

Hustisya
Directed by Joel Lamangan
2014

Props to Lamangan for finally delivering something from what he usually makes. Kudos to that. Also, I want to get this out of the way, Nora Aunor is still the greatest actress working in the Philippines even though the film made her do awkward things. 

Technical wise, the film was leaps better than his previous late works.  I also admire that it felt he was experimenting in form.  Working in the independent scene rubbed some different style on him.  But I had a problem with that as well. There were times that I was watching several films at once.  Especially the latter parts of the film, though if dissected were great, but collectively was hodgepodge of great idea.  Lamangan had a great material in his hands and he made the most out of it.  I also did not like the feeling of it not knowing when wland where to end.  But all in all it was a solid Lamangan message movie.  C

Cinemalaya 2014 – Kasal

Kasal (The Commitment)
Directed by Joselito Altarejos
Cinemalaya 2014: Director’s Showcase Section
2014

The first in-competition film I saw in this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival was this film.  I have to say though, that coming into the festival, I was not that excited as I was before, but I wanted to see the films but I did not want to go through all the hassle of purchasing tickets, stand and wait in line with screaming people.  Anyway.

Kasal was a story of love and relationship, just not like the common mainstream ones. It was not only because it was categorically an LGBT film, but because it, in a way veered away from the norm and told, what I felt was a sincere and bruising-ly real story of gay men, in love, falling out of love, and deciding not to be together.  It was beautifully acted, at times beautifully shot but it was not the technical aspects of the film that was the heart of the film, it was the sincerity of the story and how it was told.

I may have some problems with the near endings and the uneven pacing but I can not deny the fact that it was an effective mirroring of homosexual relationship.  It may not be his best, but it was my favorite Altarejos film, I really liked it.  B+