A depressed spinster from the past (depressed, right, but admirably makes a great effort in wearing heavy makeup and a wig every single day) and an overly optimistic out-of-school peddling boy's paths cross.
The boy is intrigued by the mysterious woman upstairs who buys his ti-q, banana-q, sundot saging. And we are, too. Who is that woman? Is she an aswang? A tterminally cill patient? A mental patient? No, she's just depressed, and after a little argument over the use of social media on tablet, coupled by the boy's presence and his words of wisdom, and an ancient telephone, the spinster's view of life dramatically changes.
Horrible performances (except for the boy who provides acceptable performance).
1 out of 5 stars
Siyanawa (2014)
A self-conscious exhibition that made me suffer visually and internally. A desperate attempt at experimental artsy fartsy auteur. Like a deranged man preparing a meal and throwing anything into the bowl, and the more gross the ingredient, the better.
A hyperactive presentation of religious fanaticism, sexual repression, guilt, fear, meat, graven images, seduction, meat, knife, interspersed with bad acting.
0 out of 5 stars
Kalaw (2014)
Kalaw opens with Monik (Japo Parcero), who is deep in thought and troubled. And you realize that she has just arrived in a disconcerting place. Monik's lone welcoming party arrives, an ebullient, carefree Bagyo (Alchris Galura), who seems to be oblivious of her unquiet mind.
And we are brought back to the past, to the duo's childhood, to the source of Monik's unrest, then back to the present, then to the past again. And as the story unravels, we ask, with bated breath, what exactly had transpired in Monik's childhood?
And when your question is finally answered, it hits you with a blow. And you feel highly uncomfortable. Disturbed.
Immy Rempis' 16-minute drama on sexual awakening and self-forgiveness is effectively shocking, which is clearly the aim of the film. The dialogue and the English subtitles, though, feel awkward, and Galura's performance seems forced and self-conscious (his prolonged laughter was difficult to watch for its unnaturalness).
But the flaws are minor compared to the strengths of the film.
The shift between the past and the present heightens the sense of dread and drama, and the contrasting beauty of the location and its dark secrets evoke a surreal kind of nightmare. The visuals and story are cohesive, the cinematography expressive and poetic, making Kalaw one of this year's unforgettable New Wave shorts.
3 out of 5 stars
Bimyana, a young Aeta girl, and her school crush Budyok are chosen as their school's representatives in a regional competition. The conflict? Bimyana's illiterate mother does not want her to join because, according to her views, contests ruin one's livelihood and are catastrophic to one's survival.
Interjected with cute animation, Bimyana is a child-friendly short that offers nothing really substantial, as the conflict is pretty weak. The film just mildly explores insecurity, honor, education, and a mother-child relationship.
The sweet and encouraging teacher delivers the most effective performance.
Grammatically incorrect English subtitles, and oddly fast and abrupt cuts, as if you are chasing the scenes. Only the animation was carefully and meticulously delivered.
1.5 out of 5 stars
Kubli (2014)
Kubli gives us a glimpse into one family: a busy working mother and her frustrated husband, and their two daughters, Hannah and Erika.
Right from the beginning, you sense Hannah's fear upon hearing her father's voice, and immediately you know that there is something amiss and this engages you to find out what it is. Soon you already have an inkling, and you just wait for a confirmation.
Based on a harrowing statistics of a crime that I would not spoil here, Kubli depicts it quite effectively, despite the father's horrible acting and some really off dialogue. The only bothersome implication of this short is, is the busy, unaffectionate mother partly to blame?
3 out of 5 stars
Bundok Chubibo (2014)
A mountain has never been this alive. Bundok Chubibo describes mountain climbing as metaphor for a romantic relationship.
The two mountaineers, both natural actors, analyze the mountain, loving it, loathing it, examining the pull and the hold of the mountain, the repeated climb, the broken promises, the self-loathing, the highs and the lows, culminating into the film's climax: a brilliant poetry; the Filipino words music to the ears and its accurate English translation a feast to the heart.
4 out of 5 stars
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