Movie: Ang Katiwala

“Ruben loses his job as a carpenter in a small town in Zambales where he lives with his wife Edna and their 10-­‐year old son, Budoy. Desperate to make ends meet, he accepts a job as a caretaker of an abandoned property in Quezon City. Ruben soon finds out that the previous owner of the house is an important figure in the country’s history.“

I must say, I’m very conflicted as to what I want to say about Ang Katiwala.

Overall, I liked it. But for the entirety of the film, I kept expecting ghouls or monsters to pop out without a moment’s notice. Which, I feel, detracted a lot from the message the film wants to say.

Ang Katiwala tells the story of a caretaker who just wants to make ends meet. But as he explores the life of Manuel L. Quezon, the previous owner of the house he’s taking care of, he begins to dream. The former president’s life story is full of trials, but he managed to come up on top. He managed to become president, and went on to become instrumental in the country’s fight for true independence. And as Ruben, the caretaker, absorbs the late president’s life story, he thinks that he can overcome his obstacles too. He starts to believe that he too can be as great as Manuel L. Quezon.

But not everyone is destined for greatness. Some of us are just placeholders, waiting for the time when greatness will arrive.

Now, let’s go back to why I kept expecting monsters to pop out:

The film is dark. Not figuratively dark, it’s just dark. And because the main location (the house), is so old and so empty, you can’t help but feel a sense of foreboding. Every movement of shadow made me narrow my eyes, waiting for a spirit to disengage from a furniture, or for a creature to rise from the grounds of the house. And during one of the film’s climactic scenes, I wasn’t alone in thinking that a bad guy wasn’t just a bad guy, but rather, a zombie. Especially with the actor’s shamble.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the visuals. I love the darkness of the film. I just don’t think it suited the film well, as it nudged viewers (me) into feeling the movie was something else than what it was. Then again, what could have been done to change it? Taking away the darkness would also strip the house of the mystery it holds. So it’s a bit problematic, isn’t it?

But these are just my musings. Why don’t you check out the film for yourself?

Ang Katiwala will still screen at the following venues, date and time:
July 26: 9:00PM – Little Theater (CCP)
July 27: 1:30PM – Greenbelt 3 / 6:15PM – MKP (CCP)
July 28: 4:00PM – Trinoma / 9:00PM – Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP)
July 29: 1:30PM – Greenbelt 5

Movie: Oros

“The film set in a decadent world where even death becomes a provider.  In a country where a cadaver may serve as license for holding a sakla operation (illegal gambling) in wakes, people may exploit the dead in order to generate income from the profits of gambling, and possibly pay for its burial.  In Oros, a funeral parlor owner sells an unidentified body to Makoy, a kasero in a saklaan, who, along with his reluctant brother, Abet, set the stage for a three-week long fake wake holding the illegal saklaan.  The sakla personnel deals with everyone involved, including Linda, an impoverished homeowner, as they agree upon a fictional story which will “legitimize” the wake.“

I know the writer and the director of this film, and because of that, I will be biased if I talk about the story or the direction. So, instead, I will focus on something else: the acting.

Kristoffer King is a revelation in this film. I’ve heard of him, having worked in the local entertainment industry for almost six years now, but I’ve never actually seen any of his movies. So watching the film, I was impressed with his acting range. Independent cinema does produce a lot of quality actors. There is nuance in King’s portrayal of Makoy, as the man who must make ends meet through any means necessary. And I especially like the vulnerability he gives his character in the end, when realization dawns upon him a little too late.

Teen actor Kristoffer Martin holds his own alongside King. And while his character is very vital to the story, it doesn’t really demand a lot from him. It just needed him to be a teen who is tired of his way of life.

The other revelation in the film is actually reality search alumnus Diva Montelaba. Unlike her contemporaries, Diva rarely gets a break in showbiz. So seeing her shine in the two scenes she was in, I was impressed. Diva made the most of her material, and made her character so grounded in reality that viewers might believe she’s just playing herself. Knowing her in real life, and knowing she is nothing like the character she portrays (not even in the littlest bit), impresses me even more.

But it was Jelson Bay, as the embalmer, who really stole scenes with his constant side comments.

People might write Oros off as poverty porn. And affirmation might come from the trailer. But it’s really not.

Oros is a story about people exploiting the dead–to stay alive. But more than that, it’s the story of two brothers with different world views–one who has given up on striving harder for what’s readily available, and one who wants to leave the life that’s leads them to death every day. It’s a study on how the poor might perceive their fates, and what they have to do to survive.

Catch the film at these dates, time and venue:
July 25: 4:00PM – Greenbelt-5 / 9:00PM – Little Theater (CCP)
July 26: 12:45PM – Main Theater (CCP) / 9:00PM – Greenbelt-3
July 27: 9:00PM – Greenbelt-5
July 28: 10:00AM – Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP) / 4:00PM – Greenbelt-3

Movie: Bwakaw

“Rene is a gay man who came out of the closet at age 60. Ailing in his twilight years, he thinks it is now too late for love, even companionship, and that all there is to look forward to is death. Nowadays the only companion Rene has is Bwakaw, a stray dog that hangs around his house and follows him wherever he goes. As Rene waits for the day of his death, he gets the surprise of his life when it is Bwakaw who suddenly falls ill and is diagnosed with cancer. In his struggle to get Bwakaw cured, Rene finds comfort in the most unlikely person: Sol, a tricycle driver who helps him bring Bwakaw to the vet and befriends him. Buoyed by Sol’s friendship, Rene starts living. Little by little he discovers simple joys.“

I took the liberty of cropping Cinemalaya’s official synopsis for Bwakaw. Why? One, because it’s too long. Two, because it reveals the entire story. Whoever is in charge of the Cinemalaya website needs a talking to. But that’s not what this post is about, so let’s move on.

If there was a coming of age movie for the elderly, that would be Bwakaw.

Seeing as the dog has the title role, people might think that the film is about Bwakaw. And it sort of is. But it is, first and foremost, the story of how a grinch-like Rene found new appreciation for life–even at the cost of his own happiness.

Story-wise, it boldly goes where few films have gone before–exploring the life unlived by a gay man who came out too late. The story is rich with characters who seem to have been plucked out from our everyday lives–but they’re given such colorful characterization that they might seem larger than life at first. And it works perfectly for the film, because these loud characters emphasizes just how quiet Rene’s life is without them.

Rene, as a character, is wonderfully layered. He’s prickly, at time’s nasty, but you can see the care he has for the people (and the dog) he surrounds himself with. He’s a very lonely man who hides his loneliness by lashing out at everyone with his acerbic tongue. And it takes one who is just as acerbic as he is to find the self that Rene wants to hide and protect. And what follows is a quiet journey for Rene towards the road of acceptance–and pushes him to start living again, not waiting for his death to come knocking.

With such heavy material, you’d think the film would feel heavy too. But it doesn’t. In fact, during the screening I went to, everyone was laughing 70% of the time!

The humor is a little dark at times, but I’ll take that any day over slapstick comedy. In fact, I would take dark humor any day over any kinds of humor, because this means Filipino writers are now willing to explore the storytelling mold further–and it also gives me hope for the future of moviegoers, with all the people laughing at the right parts.

For the technicalities, I have nothing to say except this: the film has a vibrant feel that transports you to the world of Rene and Bwakaw. I applaud the people behind the camera for their wonderful work on Bwakaw.

Catch the film at the following dates, time and venue. And I suggest you grab your tickets quick as they’re selling out fast!

July 24: 6:15PM – Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP)
July 25: 6:30PM – Greenbelt 3
July 26: 3:30PM – Main Theater (CCP) / 6:15PM – MKP Hall (CCP)
July 28: 1:30PM – Greenbelt 5 / 6:15PM – Little Theater (CCP)
July 29: 6:30PM – Greenbelt 5

Edited to add: Bwakaw will have a mainstream run in theaters beginning September 5.