SUBSCRIBEThe Cinema One Originals 2007 Movies
Confessional - Jerrod Tarog & Ruel Dahis Antipuesto
Lies, truth, politics, corruption. Will these ever stand together? No contest, this is the best film (and was awarded too) compared to the 4 other movies in the digital film festival. The development is complex, editing is good (by Pats Ranyo, which also won the Best Editing award) and the plot, two seemingly unrelated stories converge at the end for that brutal climax keeps the viewer engaged. Cebuano actor Publio Briones III was also very good that I can say he deservedly won the Best Supporting Actor award.
One scene that I really liked very much was when the school building built with substandard materials, a consequence of being tainted with corruption, fell apart and the screen went blank. The voices of children screaming and the sound of concrete falling and breaking. Wow! From there on, the story unraveled and all the pieces coming together.
Other than those mentioned above, its refreshing to hear Cebuano again. Not since Panaghoy sa Suba (2004) did I hear my language being spoken on the big screen. Really, its not always that one can watch a movie where ones native tongue other than Filipino is part of the dialogue. I just hope more films like this will be made.
This was also the first film I watched of the festival in Glorietta and was grateful since I was also able to meet one of the Cebuano actors (sorry, but forgot his name) who was watching together with his friends. I hope he conveyed my praise and appreciation to the director and editor of the film.
Maling Akala (Wrong Impression) - Veronica Velasco & Pablo Biglang-awa Jr.
Just as Teta felt something wonderful with her chance encounter with the kind JP, a feeling of having another chance of living a normal family life after bearing her child with an uncertain future as a single mother and here comes a revelation on the true nature and sexuality of her new male friend.
I would have wished that the dialogue, as far as the family scenes in Pampanga are concerned, was done in Kapampangan to give it more authenticity. Just like what Brillante Mendoza did for Masahista and Manoro. But this is just a trivial wish. Anyway…
Its nice to see Pampanga as not always as lahar country but bucolic and rural. I never imagined that there are estuarine transport in the form of motorized bancas in the province to take people around. I’m not just sure if this is exclusive only to the municipality of Sasmuan (formerly Sexmoan, yep, they changed it) or the marshy Candaba but for the rest of the province, seems rare.
As for the colonial era church of Sasmuan, which is prominently shown, I am aghast at what the priest has done to it. While the quaint facade has been retained, all the parts behind it have been remodeled and enlarged and capped by a ridiculously spaceship like dome at the crossing of the nave and transept!
Prinsesa - Lawrence Fajardo
Despite the wealth earned by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the negative effects on families are overwhelming to the point of alienating the parent with the children. Gone for months or mostly, years at a time, when they come back home, there’s always a disconnect in the relationship.
This is what is explored in this film that is so true especially in today’s Philippines where about 10% of the population is working abroad in order to give their family a good life. Personally, I can’t help but relate to this movie as it has parallels to what I have also experienced with my father. Now, I can only look back and rue the lost years.
Tambolista (Drumbeat) - Adolfo Alix Jr.
An offbeat movie that at first is kind of confusing as the story is not really linear. Events happen and a couple of scenes later, it backtracks. Forward again then back with no warning. Its not even a flashback. It is done in black and white except in the climax where, to give emphasis, the blood is selectively colored (like what Spielberg did with Schindler’s List wherein an anonymous girl also had the same treatment).
Top notch performance from Jiro Manio, Coco Martin and Sid Lucero here as well as an unconventional role of a cuss spouting lola neighbor played by Anita Linda. Despite its nonsequential storyline, its very fascinating and exciting.
Altar - Rico Maria Ilarde
Well, I’m not so fond of horror/thriller movies especially if these are of the supernatural/beyond-the-living kind (but Dark Water and the original Ring are exceptions) but the twist near the end is something to watch out for. But nothing earthshaking though.
Its also refreshing to see that a beautiful househelp (parang artista pa nga) is not your typical Inday from the province but a computer literate and Internet researching katulong who was able to shed light on the strange happenings at a long abandoned and mysterious house being renovated by two carpenters.
The Cinema One Originals 2007 just concluded last weekend and showcased 5 exceptional digital films. This yearly film fest started in 
I’ve been raring to watch a Raya Martin work one time or the other after reading so much about this young director but haven’t really been able to do so. I missed Indio Nacional in a filmfest last year and even with an invite via flickr mail by Direk for a Monday screening at the UP Film Center a few weeks ago, I wasn’t able to go there.
