Movie Review: Corazon, Unang Aswang

CORAZON, UNANG ASWANG – When we talk about horror films, we expect it to be full of suspense/terrifying scenes, blood, violence, lots of screaming and all that jazz. Star Cinema’s Corazon, Unang Aswang breaks that trend and gave the horror genre a twist. The traditional ingredients are still there but the film highlights the story more than anything else. Its one of the very few horror flicks that has depth and can be classified as a proper ‘film’ and when I say a proper film, something that can compete in festivals, various award-giving bodies, the quality is there, the commercial viability is there – a complete package!

One of Corazon’s biggest asset is the cinematography. Very crisp and exceptional – it mirrors reality and it kind of brings me back to the era where the storyline actually happened. The production design, the sound editing, the musical score – they all lined up perfectly giving this movie a very strong technical foundation. It is not the best to come out in the Filipino silver screen in terms of the production value but for a film concentrated in drama and horror, it is definitely one of the most outstanding to date. The acting is also brilliant. Erich Gonzales SHOULD win a Best Actress award for her performance – her character’s transition is a fantastic journey to watch out for. I love how Erich’s acting transformed from one phase to another, she’s natural, it was effortless, it was very convincing. I didn’t expect her to deliver such a powerful portrayal and I’d love to see her in future projects that’ll showcase her brilliance just like this. This is also the third time (in the last three months) that I’ve seen the great Tetchie Agbayani and I cannot fault her performance at all – her character here proves the fact that she is indeed one of the most versatile actresses in showbiz. Her scenes with Erich are some of the bests and you can really tell the clash of talent and excellence. Jeffrey Quizon, Mon Confiado and Sharlene San Pedro were also good and provided an amazing supporting cast. If there is only one mistake this film has, that would be the inclusion of Derek Ramsay in the cast – his acting was all over the place, he does not suit the role, he drags Erich into the pit during their moments together – WRONG CHOICE!!!

But all in all, it is my favourite Filipino film of the year so far. I’d love to watch it again and I don’t think I will get tired of witnessing how great this film is – the balance of technical excellence and Erich’s genuine performance – absolutely spot on! I recommend this to everyone, it is one of the Filipino films we can be really proud of.

9/10

Movie Review: Thelma

THELMA – I must admit, I am not a huge fan of independent cinema. I still prefer watching films produced and released by the bigwigs of the movie industry. Don’t get me wrong though, I admire independent producers and film makers, it’s just that I enjoy big productions, stellar cast, that certain commercial appeal you can only find in mainstream cinema. So watching Thelma is ‘new’ for me. The main reason why I’ve decided to see it is because of its director Paul Soriano. He recently won the Star Awards Best Director category for this film and I am interested to know what has he done to beat Chris Martinez for ‘Ang Babae sa Septic Tank’. I’d like to see if he won because his work was brilliant or because he is Toni Gonzaga’s boyfriend – just saying!

Thelma is a story of a true Filipina fighter – someone who stood up in the midst of the adversities of life. Someone who is fearless, determined and focussed. The story is very inspiring – it was presented beautifully and because the film is all about the story itself, the lack of production value and artistic element hasn’t had any major impact in the overall appeal of the film. One technical aspect I’ll commend is the cinematography. It’s pure, sophisticated and outstanding – it adds drama to what is already a dramatic and poignant storyline. Next to the heart-warming story, I think Paul Soriano succeeded in motivating his stars to act naturally, to act effortlessly, to act according to what the script and the story requires. Tetchie Agbayani is incredible as always. I love how she can effectively portray a villainous character one day and be the protagonist on another instance – she is so versatile and her facial expression says it all. Eliza Pineda was amazing as well. There was this particular scene when Thelma bought Hannah (Eliza’s character) her favourite snack – she was tired and feeling a lot of pain as a result of her recent accident and Eliza delivered that scene fantastically. Definitely my choice as the film’s best scene. And finally, Thelma herself, Maja Salvador – she is absolutely the perfect choice for the role. Her performance in this film is by far her best – she knows when to put out the right emotion, she knows the right attack to the character. I can’t fault it and with spot on materials like this, Maja is, without a doubt, one of the best actresses of her generation.

So, does Paul Soriano deserved his award?! Absolutely! I’ve also seen Babae sa Septic Tank, whilst Eugene Domingo stole every scene, the entirety of the picture is not as good as Thelma. Paul Soriano was able to drive the entire team including the actors to Thelma’s world. It is genuine, it is credible – certainly the best independent film I’ve seen to date! Highly-recommended and world-class!

9.5/10