THE HEALING – Certainly one of the biggest and most highly-anticipated Filipino films of 2012 is the big screen comeback of the one and only Star For All Seasons, Vilma Santos, via Star Cinema’s The Healing. Originally intended as a Vilma-Sharon (Cuneta) vehicle, The Healing tackles the mystery behind one of the Filipino’s known customary – faith healing. This film boasts a stellar cast including Primetime Princess Kim Chiu, Janice De Belen, Pokwang, Ynez Veneracion, Martin Del Rosario, Joel Torre, Jhong Hilario, Daria Ramirez and many others.
The Healing isn’t very different from the other horror flicks under the direction of Chito Roño. One thing though that makes this very refreshing and edgy is the inclusion of Vilma Santos (no offence to Kris Aquino) but Vilma definitely gave this film a kick with her outstanding acting as always. It’s very good to see her in a different genre. Her emotions were perfect – nothing more, nothing less. She knows when to scream, cry, etc – the timing is spot on – no wonder she is tagged as one of the best actresses of all time. Kim Chiu was equally brilliant too. This girl has grown from a tweenstar to a serious, versatile actress. The character fit her very well and didn’t disappoint. Martin Del Rosario was also a revelation in this movie. The acting department is flawless in short. The scrip could be better though but it’s the sort of material you expect from a horror film. I still think Feng Shui had the biggest and best shock factor but this one is absolutely a contender. The production design is also good. All in all, a fantastic feature but not the best of Chito Roño.
If given a chance, I’d like to see the film again – it mirrors the reality behind this whole faith healing belief which is very much close to Filipinos. It demonstrates love for family, how much are we willing to do for the sake of our loved ones. It emphasizes the true meaning of the word faith and all the complexities within. It is an intelligent picture with so much to take in so I do recommend this to everyone – not to mention Vilma’s effortless performance which makes it more entertaining.
The tradition lives on… ABS-CBN will be launching its newest Summer Station ID on Sunday, April 15 but while waiting for this latest treat from the Kapamilya network, let’s recap some of its finest Summer plugs!
SEGUNDA MANO – And yet another horror film from the Philippines’ Queen of all Media, Kris Aquino. This is the 4th big suspense movie and her 2nd for the MMFF. The only thing that concerns me here is that we’ve seen three films already from Kris and Star Cinema. We’ve witnessed three different stories with three unexpected twists. What else could they offer us? I felt like they’ve done and used all the possible storylines and could probably struggle to top what they’ve presented before (well, Feng Shui remained as my personal favourite despite the release of the other two flicks). With Segunda Mano, they’ve promised the viewers a different story, an all-new adventure and even a reinvented Kris Aquino. To be fair, they didn’t disappoint. It wasn’t the best of the four horror masterpieces from Kris but it certainly deserved its box-office success.
The story of Segunda Mano is very predictable. After the first 5 minutes of the film, I already knew what the ending would be. The plot is very similar to Dalaw which in a way is kind of annoying considering that it was just shown a year ago. The only advantage Segunda Mano has is the secondary storyline which gives it a different flavour and a rather interesting twist. Not to mention of course the fact that it is very refreshing to see Dingdong Dantes working alongside the Kapamilya stars. I’ve never followed Dingdong’s acting career hence I am not aware how good he is. Just to remind everyone, he won the Festival Best Actor award for this film. He was definitely better than Vic Sotto (Enteng ng Ina mo) but I am not convinced that his performance is worthy of an award (unless George Estregan’s acting in Asiong Salonga is terrible). The overall acting from the ensemble, as expected, is very average. This is typical with horror films where the scary factor matters more than the acting. Kris was, as always, lame and struggling to step up her game, however, I must commend her attempt to nail those physical scenes in the latter part of the film. Of all the actors in it, I think Bangs Garcia stole the spotlight. Her performance reminded me of Julia Clarete’s acting in Txt which was equally brilliant too. Bangs was very natural. I was slightly disappointed though that her character didn’t die as that would have been a fantastic scene. In terms of its technical department, it has similarities with Dalaw again. I still prefer Feng Shui’s cinematography which I thought was crispier and more captivating. Segunda Mano’s editing has flaws too which has negatively impacted the strength of its scary scenes.
The whole movie was less interesting than the trailer which is a downside. On the other end of the spectrum, it was able to combine traditional Pinoy horror with a contemporary approach to suspense thrillers. It’s not something that you’ll watch over and over again but a good treat to see with friends and family for sure. If ever they decide to come up with a 5th horror flick featuring Kris, I’d like to see something different. Perhaps, make her the antagonist this time or avoid the use of romantic love and past vs present relationship as the main plot. We’ve established she is the horror queen so I think at this point she needs to be challenged.
I’ve named the 11 Pinoy TV Shows that rocked the nation this year. This time, we’ll run through the 11 best Filipino films of the year. The basis for this category is not merely dependant on the box-office record but also on the quality of the film and most importantly, the impact it has left in the history of Philippine cinema. Are you ready? Let the countdown begin!
11. Temptation Island (Marian Rivera, Heart Evangelista, Lovie Poe and Rufa Mae Quinto) – A remake of the 80′s classic Regal hit, Temptation Island revisits the fun, the glamour and the naughtiness of this epic masterpiece. A new breed of sexy and talented stars gave life to the characters we all loved from the original version. Amazing performance award goes to: Marian Rivera
10. Catch Me I’m In Love (Sarah Geronimo and Gerald Anderson) – Both coming from successful team-ups, this was the biggest risk from Star Cinema for 2011. Their tandem proved that chemistry knows no boundaries. The team-up was so successful that it even had a sequel later this year (I Won’t Last A Day Without You). Amazing performance award goes to: Sarah Geronimo
9. Segunda Mano (Dingdong Dantes, Angelica Panganiban and Kris Aquino) – Another horror flick from the Queen of All Media but this time, she proved that she is more than a horror queen; she definitely gave her best performance to date not to forget her amazing support cast headed by the Best Actor himself, Dingdong Dantes. A beautiful and unpredictable storyline too. Amazing performance award goes to: Dingdong Dantes
8. Pak! Pak! My Dr. Kwak (Vic Sotto and Bea Alonzo) – This is memorable because this marks the return of Vic Sotto in the Star Cinema family. This is also his first project with the likes of Pokwang, Zaijan Jaranilla and Bea Alonzo. The story s very straightforward and conventional but still worth watching if you’re feeling blue. Amazing performance award goes to: Zaijan Jaranilla
7. In The Name Of Love (Angel Locsin, Jake Cuenca and Aga Muhlach) – One of the best love stories of all time. Although the ending ruined it for me, I still enjoyed this film and the chemistry between the three main characters is undeniable. Amazing performance award goes to: Aga Muhlach
6. Enteng ng Ina mo (Vic Sotto and Aiai Delas Alas) – A cinematic moment we thought will never ever happen. This is definitely the MMFF 2011′s biggest film and the most successful comedy flick of the year in terms of entertainment value. It was lovely seeing the two royalties (Vic and Aiai) share the big screen. Amazing performance award goes to: Aiai Delas Alas
5. Ligo na U, Lapit na Me (Edgar Allan Guzman and Mercedes Cabral) – A very witty, feel-good, funny and sexy film that changed my perception of independent cinema. The script was very well written and the acting were real and flawless. I love it! Amazing performance award goes to: Edgar Allan Guzman
4. Praybeyt Benjamin (Jimmy Santos, Derek Ramsay, Eddie Garcia and Vice Ganda) – The top-grossing Filipino film of 2011. Why it didn’t top my list? I didn’t feel the impact of this film in terms of the social and cultural push unlike those movies in the Top 3. Very funny though but it lacks some creative juices to make it more fascinating. Amazing performance award goes to: Eddie Garcia
3. Manila Kingpin: Asiong Salonga Story (Carla Abellana, Philip Salvador and Jeorge Estregan Jr.) – The MMFF’s dark horse who swept the major awards this year including Best Picture. It was well written and the execution was very compelling and different from the previous Asiong Salonga biopics. Amazing performance award goes to: John Regala
2. Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (JM De Guzman, Kean Cipriano and Eugene Domingo) – World-class! This is the only Filipino film this year that I am very very proud of and I know it can compete internationally. Very captivating storyline. It is not as exciting as you would expect it to be but mind you, this is a good quality movie. Amazing performance award goes to: Eugene Domingo
1. No Other Woman – Not only did No Other Woman broke box-office records, it also set some high standards when it comes to love stories. Very straightforward storyline but because it was magnificently written, it turned out to be a piece of gem. The simplicity of the concept made it more interesting. It depicts real-life drama which we, Filipinos, love! Amazing performance award goes to: Carmi Martin & Anne Curtis
A lot of Filipino TV shows debut, continued airing and ended this year but only a few made a mark and left a lasting effect in the hearts of the Filipino televiewers. Here’s the list of the most sensational and talked-about 11 Pinoy TV shows of 2011.
11. The Philippine adaptation of the hit reality show Pinoy Biggest Loser hosted by Sharon Cuneta and Derek Ramsay.
10. The first solo series of Kim Chiu after her split-up with loveteam and rumoured boyfriend, Gerald Anderson: My Binondo Girl.
9. They survived the late night timeslot and won the public’s hearts in daytime, now the Fab 5 are back where they reign supreme, it’s Juicy!
8. Sa Ngalan ng Ina is one of the biggest teledramas of 2011 featuring the return of the one and only Superstar, Nora Aunor.
7. A stellar cast, amazing performances and a heart-warming story; Budoy.
6. The Queen of Talk is back at where she’s so good at, Kris TV made our mornings extra special this year.
5. Tween Hearts changed the trend when it comes to teenage drama. Very refreshing!
4. Marian Rivera proved herself once again in this epic drama, Amaya.
3. From a hurado to a certified talk show host, Vice Ganda owned Sunday primetime with Gandang Gabi Vice.
2. Who said sitcoms are so 2000 and late? Toda Max brought back the magic of Pinoy TV comedy.
1. The best teleserye of the year and perhaps the most incredible and heart-felt Pinoy TV show of the year, 100 days to heaven!
