Jay Cruz

In Jun Lana’s struggle to make sense of past political conditions, Your Mother’s Son becomes his definitive bomba film: mired deeply in sex, and politically dense in its delirious and lustful desires.

Pushcart Tales is the type of film that could only be possible in a film festival hosted by a supermarket chain, and it unexpectedly provides the conditions for what is Sigrid Bernardo’s best

So much of Angry Son is defined by its breadth and sincerity, and yet, the film falters for it.

What Firefly speaks well to its audience is a form of sincere storytelling that fully evokes the ageless feeling of adventure.

For a piece of history that, outside of the academe, is not discussed in depth, the film treats its audience to a story accentuated by convincing production design and great performances from its ensemble cast, titular trio aside.

Essential Truths of the Lake finds Lav Diaz revisiting moments that are undoubtedly familiar. It’s a story that has been previously presented in more striking fashion, but its present iteration is still an adventure worth diving into.

Though unrefined in some aspects, 12 Weeks still finds itself to be a fascinating debut from Anna Matutina.

Even if one finds difficulty in the film’s individual plotlines, Plan 75 snakes around these at least with frames and shots that outline the loss of personal grief and humanity that come with the titular program.

Lav Diaz’s return to film sees one of his grimiest, darkest creations in When The Waves Are Gone, an absurdist presentation of the decay of man and masculinity early in the Duterte regime.

If anything, Ajoomma works in the same way most other K-dramas work: family. Every plot point in this film revolves around the importance of it and the ways it changes dynamically, yet always having love remain in spite of everything.

At its core, Itim bedazzles its audience with an ethereal approach to storytelling. Much of it is quite moody and even beautiful in spite of its darkness. The way it couples together elements to examine the forsaken and the damned, the horrifying and sometimes disturbing treatment of different imagery, they all manifest a film that proves how excellent and seminal Itim is as a debut film in a legendary filmmaker’s catalogue.

This year’s QCShorts certainly felt refreshing, in that the range of creativity espoused across all films in question reveals a creative pool of talent that is clearly present in today’s Philippine cinema. Ideas fresh and familiar, unique and exciting, they all come to play for this year’s roster of short films.

Despite the array of searing performances from its cast, Elehiya does nothing to stem the confusion that comes from vaguely dissecting a spiritually-charged island and its colonially-subdued inhabitants.

July Jung’s exposé of such a rat race is interesting, in that it identifies a dimension of South Korean culture not often expressed in detail, much less the unfairly competitive system built on corruption, crab mentality, and ruthlessness of working-class labor. If only Next Sohee could consistently find itself crawling out of such a tepid structure, which makes it feel too repetitive despite the emotionally devastating walls it puts up.

All in all, “The Moises Padilla Story” is one of the most engaging experiences from the 60s. It’s a film whose propagandist and political elements with a mastery of fundamentals, creating something riveting and enchanting only boggled by external imperfections.

Familiar tropes and sentiments cloud Prime Cruz's latest work, but despite its imitations and self-awareness, "Ngayon Kaya" is still capable of hitting its audience in spots and moments.

“Boundary” finds itself toeing the line between right and wrong, expertly weaving between figures whose righteousness is easily questioned thanks to great pacing rarely seen from the genre.

“Ang Kababaihan ng Malolos” is clearly and consciously well-informed of the details, but struggles in imprinting itself well to the audience.

Beyond family and ethnicity, “Tanabata’s Wife” is a delicate attempt to find human nature in the flawed complexities of two vastly different characters.

“The Chanters”, simply put, prods its audience with an ingenious mix of contemporary and traditional cultures in a way that leaves a mark on them even after watching.

Keith Deligero's 2021 murder-mystery short divulges little about the details, but gives its audience something to earnestly pine for in a post-pandemic world.

Remton Zuasola's 2015 drama-thriller implicitly examines crime in the backdrop of Martial Law antics while leaving much to be desired.

The exterior of Cain and Abel’s socio-political commentary on cyclical violence and internal strife is one that flaunts heightened drama and gun-toting action together–sometimes, to a fault.

As the final movie in her renowned feminist trilogy, Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s 'Karnal' offers a wicked spin on the traditional Filipino patriarch and his countryside town.

‘Sa Aking Mga Kamay’ is an unexpectedly straightforward ride through a psychopath and a broken family. By upending familiar elements, it becomes a film that relishes in subversion within its commercial touches.

Adela is both a movie of the neglected elderly and the ignored poor. In trying to coexist, they become accessory to a narrative that diminishes the staying power each side tries to offer.