Usapang Filmfest 03

Uy nanalong Best Picture ang Crying Ladies ng Unitel Pictures sa Metro Manila Film Festival. (At Best Actor daw si Eric Quizon? Pa-verify naman, wala pang update ang inq7 at di inabutan yun sa awards kagabi) Napanood ko ang pelikula, inuna ko nga yun dahil inisip ko na baka isa ito sa mga maunang magbabu kasabay ng Homecoming. I wanted to watch it dahil sabi isang jologs na Sharon Cuneta ang mapapanood. Sharon "the walking commercial" jologs? Syempre kailangang makita.

Sabi ng friend kong kasabay nanood, very art film daw ang dating ng pelikula. Sabi ko naman, puwedeng mag-cross over ang mga Crying Ladies sa Mano Po 2, since it's both about dead Chineses patriarchs. Although MP2 was really stagey and dramatic, at it's really making you remember that "hello, nanonood ka ng pelikula!" I liked MP2's well framed images and all the subplots have their own neat conclusions. Ang first impression ko kasi sa film upon seeing their Edsa billboard was "Hello, mukhang Guess Beijing ang poster!" Pa-model ang dating nila ha. But it was good. I liked Kris Aquino's performance there. You can still see traces of Kris Aquino's usual self pero mas tamed na. Funny si Zsa Zsa Padilla. And I still can't see why they were battling it out for the role of the third wife. Lorna Tolentino was a bit OA sa attack niya sa role. Zsa Zsa made mince meat out of that wife's character. Tapos her real life daughter was cast as her daughter, and poor little girl barely said anything, except that she stormed the house with a pick ax in her one dramatic moment. Plus yeah: Kris Aquino after 26 years does not a Susan Roces make. Pero sige na nga, suspension of disbelief na lang.

On the other hand, compared to MP2's lavishness, Crying Ladies was screaming "mas low budget kami!" But the story saves the day. Hindi rin siya gaano showy in terms of frame by frame visuals, but I really liked the opening credits. Parang katulad nung sa Waking Life, whatever the hell do you call that technique again? And is there really a real life actress named Rhoda Rivera? I had a classmate in gradeschool with a name like that, but I don't think she ever was in Darna and the Giants. It really was Stella Mate's story. Sharon still had clear skin and wasn't gritty enough, and there were product placements featuring all her endorsements, but stil good.

Next time ko na lang kuwento Bridal Shower. It's also a really good film. Cherry Pie is the greatest thing in that movie. Another aside, because I caught part of yesterday's Eat Bulaga. Is it just me, or is Ms D still blatantly kilig and getting very flirty with Vic Sotto? I mean, hello, what was that "You're the only '10' I see" bit going on there? I swear may Kris Aquino tendencies din talaga siya.