MMFF 2016 REVIEWS | Sunday Beauty Queen, Seklusyon, Die Beautiful, Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2

Unfortunately, I was only able to catch four MMFF entries in 2016. Here are my reviews:

1. DIE BEAUTIFUL 

PAOLO Ballesteros’ famous celebrity makeup transformations are cinematically utilized in Jun Robles Lana’s (“Anino sa Likod ng Buwan”) award-winning transgender drama “Die Beautiful.”

Ballesteros is Trisha, a beautiful transgender whose dying wish is to look like a famous celebrity every day of her 7-day wake. Why is she dead at such a young age? What is the story [READ FULL REVIEW HERE].

2. SEKLUSYON

 CELEBRATED filmmaker Erik Matti uses Catholicism as setting for his horror flick “Seklusyon.” And why not—as filmmakers normally exploit Catholic imagery for that eerie effect: wooden statues with bleeding eyes, religious icons, mysterious miracles, candles, dark rooms, and Latin prayers. And, of course, the Devil. The Devil that dwells within the confines of... [READ FULL REVIEW HERE].

3. SUNDAY BEAUTY QUEEN


THE plight of Pinay domestic helpers in foreign countries may not be new to us, but Baby Ruth Villarama’s riveting documentary “Sunday Beauty Queen” puts a different and tender spotlight on the lives of OFWs.

“Sunday Beauty Queen” takes us to the iconic skylines of Hong Kong, right in the center of the colorful hustle and bustle of...[READ FULL REVIEW].

4. ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK 2

In “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: Forever is Not Enough,” Eugene Domingo, who plays a fictionalized version of herself, argues that moviegoers will not pay 250 pesos to watch “suffering” in the big screen. They clamor for escapist movies, i.e., mainstream flicks. Specifically...[READ FULL REVIEW]