SOSYAL CLIMBERS Movie Review 2025 Philippines Drama Romance 

 Director : Jason Paul Laxamana

Writers : Jericho Aguado, Jason Paul Laxamana

Stars : Maris Racal, Anthony Jennings, Ricky Davao

Summary

Social Climbers (2025) Trapped in deep debt after being caught in a scam, two wannabe socialites create elaborate fake identities to con the rich out of their money.A Charming Romantic Comedy with a Touch of Reality

Ricky Davao was born on March 23, 1961 in the Philippines. He is a director and actor, known for Fuccbois (2019), Dog Nation (2015) and The Kite (1999). He is married to Jackie Lou Blanco.

Maris Racal is known for And the Breadwinner Is... (2024), Here Comes the Groom (2023) and Maris Racal: Carelessly (2023).

Anthony Jennings is known for The Iron Heart (2022), And the Breadwinner Is... (2024) and Incognito (2025).

Filipino romantic comedies have a way of blending humor, heart, and social commentary, and Sosyal Climbers does just that. Directed by Jason Paul Laxamana, the film stars Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings as Jessa and Ray, a married couple who find themselves in debt after being conned. Desperate to turn their fortunes around, they assume new identities—Penelope and Kiefer—and infiltrate Manila’s elite to con and achieve success. But as their deception deepens, more complications arise, testing their morals and their love for each other.

1. Interest and questions about life

At its core, “Social Climbers” is a story about love, passion, and the struggle of society to escape economic hardship. The explanation is not new, but perhaps relevant. The film explores the struggles of workers, the temptation to get rich quick, and the devastating effects of fraud. A blend of humor, romance, and character development in one simple package.

2. Performances That Shine

Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings prove once again why they are among the most promising actors of their generation. Their chemistry is natural, their comedic timing is spot-on, and their dramatic moments feel genuine. Jennings, in particular, delivers a compelling performance, balancing charm and vulnerability. Racal, on the other hand, brings energy and charisma, making her character both endearing and annoying in the best possible way. Their performances lift the film and make up for moments when the pace slows.

3. Fun yet predictable plot

There’s no denying that Sosyal Climbers follows a familiar formula. The story unfolds in a slightly predictable manner and some of the middle scenes feel a bit slow. However, despite its predictability, the film is still entertaining due to its wit, interesting characters, and well-executed emotional beats. The film doesn’t try to reinvent the romantic comedy genre – it’s simply a fun and enjoyable film with enough depth to be memorable.

4. Final Verdict

Social Climbers is a great choice for a relaxing movie night. It’s light, entertaining, and peppered with just enough drama to keep things interesting. If you’re looking for a movie that balances romance, humor, and a touch of social realism, this one is worth a watch. While it may not be the most groundbreaking story, it’s the performances by Racal and Jennings that really make it shine.

Review Movie of " PALITAN " : Driven by Desire | #Vivamax |

 Review Movie of  " PALITAN " 

Driven by Desire | #Vivamax | 

Tittle : Palitan ( 2021 )

When a dare pushes two couples into an orgy, suppressed feelings rekindle between the two ladies, who were once bestfriends and lovers.

Director    : Brillante Mendoza

Writer : Honeylyn Joy Alipio

Stars : Cara Gonzales, Jela Cuenca, Luis Hontiveros

After the uneventful first hour, Mendoza immediately upped the ante of cinematic eroticism by throwing in two all-nude menage-a-quatre sequences, one right after the other. The first was when groom, his best man and his new friend all had a go with a lone prostitute at the same time in a cramped washroom at the stag party. The second featured the four main actors going at each other side by side au naturel on a rocky shelf of a running brook. 

Among the four main actors, it was Cara Gonzales who was given the most well-developed role as Jen, and she rose to the challenge of confidently portraying this conflicted character. Gonzales actually had easy chemistry with both lusty Luis Hontiveros and sweet Jela Cuenca. Cuenca in fact had more romantic chemistry with Gonzales than she did with Rash Flores, who looked ill-at-ease and self-conscious the whole time compared to the others. 

Mendoza threw shade about the local practices of matrimony. He showed how people would rather go into debt or depend on sponsors' cash gifts just to get the wedding of their dreams. Strict and religious fathers swore by benefits of a union sanctified by the Catholic Church, yet could not keep his own marriage intact, nor keep his daughter safe from abuse.  This may be an erotic film first, but Mendoza was still able to get his social realism in.

#Palitan

#Palitanmovies

#Palitanreviewmovie

#Palitanromancemovie

#TagalogmoviesPhilippines

Romance | Reviews Movie | My Husband, My Lover #2021 Romance Tagalog

 My Husband, My Lover #2021 Romance Tagalog

My Husband, My Lover | Kylie Verzosa, Luis Alandy, Marco Gumabao

Alice (Kylie Verzosa) and Noel (Marco Gumabao) have a happy married life. Alice is a very successful woman and a dutiful wife to his kind and intelligent husband, Noel. But she is also a wild partner in bed to Dennis (Adrian Alandy), her kept man. There is nothing wrong with her marriage, but Alice just feels the need to keep both her husband and lover. Everything is going well until one day, Alice finds out that she’s pregnant. Not knowing who the father is, she comes clean to Noel and Dennis, and this decision completely changes her life. Noel decides to break it up with Alice, and Dennis vows to take care of her and her baby.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Quality: WEB-DL

Year: 2021

Release:26 Nov 2021

Director:Mac Alejandre

Cast:Kylie Verzosa, Luis Alandy, Marco Gumabao

https://youtu.be/2UmbAhiQmKs

My Husband, My Lover is [definitely] not going to be Viva Film’s last sexy feature this year, even though moviegoers are now inclined to start entering the movie theaters, this month. 

That should take away a significant chunk from the established stream-loving moviegoers, but that won’t discourage Viva Films and Vivamax from releasing similar films, either, especially now that filmmakers can only mostly release semi-erotic features on streaming platforms like Vivamax.

If you’re into steamy-scene-bombarded films, My Husband, My Lover, will be so much easy to watch. But it’s not for those who want to follow a deep story. 

The fact that this is written by the prolific film writer Ricky Lee, makes it inviting enough to spark interest. Director Mac Alejandre seems all-out in taking on Reyes’ script, and to his credit, he has crafted a loudly-controversial piece whose noise largely comes from its showcase of ultra-passionate encounters between the film’s four aesthetically alluring leads.

Both Kylie Versoza and Cindy Miranda have found renewed fame, after being launched as Viva’s sex goddesses this year. Both just came from similarly sexy features that had them in title roles.

Versoza played a cunning maid having an affair with her boss in the Filipino adaptation of the Korean thriller, The House Maid, while Miranda was a cursed beauty in Nerisa. 

Marco Gumabao has a string of starring roles in movies this year, and he is no foreign to playing characters that demand him to bear most of his naked body. Dramatic actor Adrian Alandy shows no discomfort, either, in stripping off with Gumabao, as he too, has the capability of handling daring scenes.

My Husband, My Lover is not a perfecr film, but regardless of its flaws, there is a level of sophistication employed to make several parts of the film stand out from the rest. Alejandre’s creative vision somewhat blur the overwhelming intimacy. There are moments where the burning chemistry of the leads gets the better spotlight, although the nearly-relentless sex encounters may likely get the bigger audience. 

#MyHusbandMyLover

#MyHusbandMyLoverromance

My Husband, My Lover Romance

My Husband, My Lover Tagalog Movies

My Husband, My Lover Full Review

 Para sa Broken Hearted | For the Broken Hearted | Review Movies

Para Sa Broken Hearted | Review Movies

Stars : Yassi Pressman , Sam Concepcion , Louise de los Reyes , Shy Carlos , Marco Gumabao , Katya Santos , Andrea Del Rosario .

Country : Philippines

Production Co : Viva Films

Director : Digo Ricio

It has three different stories about heartbreak and happy endings acceptance, moving on and the courage to learn to love again.

Para sa Broken Hearted (transl. For the Broken Hearted) is a 2018 Filipino drama film written and directed by Digo Ricio, starring Yassi Pressman, Sam Concepcion, Marco Gumabao, Louise delos Reyes and Shy Carlos. The film was produced by Viva Films and it was released in the Philippines on 3 October 2018.

If ever you seek validation that you’re not alone with the grief your dealing with, Digo Ricio’s ‘Para sa Broken Hearted’ is there to sob with you.

Para sa Broken Hearted (For The Broken Hearted) kicks off with a montage of random people coping with the anguish of heartbreak – in its background, After 5’s cover version of ‘Pers Lab’ is played for satirical purposes. It promises to be an ode for all the fallen soldiers of love, but with it comes an implicit caveat: this film may reopen old wounds.

The title might feel alienating for those who are inexperienced, but come to think of it, heartbreak comes in different forms right? The film/source material, however, misses the opportunity to explore that facet and restricts the scope to romantic love. Anyway, if you’re a masochist who finds gratification in this form of mild torture, or simply a casual viewer who has not yet reached the quota for ‘hugot’ films this year, feel free to embrace this and be comforted to know that it all ends with a silver lining.

Set in a bus station – a metaphorical place of limbo for all the broken hearts waiting to get fixed – two kindred souls, Jackie (Shy Carlos) and Kath (Louise delos Reyes) quickly befriend each other and share their stories of heartbreak. This film does not bog you down with a somber tone throughout. In fact, the first half of it is much lighter. Jackie’s story is the most accessible as it touches on the subject of puppy love. A woman who’s a firm believer of the philosophy “If you want something, go get it,” she does everything to win the affection of her crush RJ (Marco Gumabao). The feels are all too familiar because we’ve been there before – the butterflies that starts circling in your stomach once you receive a reply from your crush or the squashing pain that you have to endure upon seeing him/her with another potential lover. To hook you in, director Digo Ricio employs escapist elements like dance numbers as an extreme visualization of Jackie’s emotions.

On the other hand, I was left frowning most of the time on Kath’s story. Founded on an unrealistic meet cute, the heartbroken girl embarks on a road trip with another heartbroken boy Dan (Sam Concepcion) who she acquaints in one fateful night. More unrealistic plot points (and some plot holes that I can’t discuss) come into play – by then the script feels sloppy because it could’ve easily fixed these narrative stretches by making up plot devices. Also, without spoiling anything, Dan’s motivation seems inconsistent while Kath’s basis of grief in the present feels shallow.

Though pulled out of thin air, the most melodramatic of all is Dan’s ‘other’ story. This one operates in a timeline before she meets Kath. During his long hair phase, Dan is a peerless nobody who gets noticed by a popular girl named Shalee (Yassi Pressman). They develop feelings for each other and eventually change each’s life perspective for the better. However, unforeseen circumstances causes them to part ways, leading Dan to the spot where he first meets Kath.

What easily sets this film apart from the current landscape of romance genre is its retrospective style of narrative. Taken individually, the stories are redundant cookie-cutters of its genre but with Ricio’s dynamic direction, along with an aesthetically pleasing cinematography, these seemingly disparate anthologies tie into a neat, overarching structure. The world is filled with broken hearts and one way or another, Para sa Broken Hearted shows that they’re all related in the grand scheme of things.

But the film has its own share of faults too. It banks so much on familiarity that sometimes viewers will feel for the characters due to the universality of emotions in display and not necessarily because the film does a remarkable job in fleshing out the stories. It’s kind of a cheat code that the film uses to get away with its shortcomings. Another common problem for tricky ensemble pieces like this is the tendency to paint one-dimensional characters. Although he’s more of a supporting character, RJ has the thinnest characterization here.

The performances are good but the script’s preference to ‘hugot’ driven dialogues get in the way of the actors’ authenticity. The film could have opted for a more vernacular approach since it has already a great arsenal of songs to begin with – Janine Teñoso’s ‘Ang Awit Natin’ contributes much to the film’s catharsis. Having said that, it’s still a decent work considering that there are far worse things that this film successfully avoids.

Para sa Broken Hearted is more interested in evoking general emotions of elation, sadness, grief, etc. rather than telling remarkable and heartfelt stories. Ricio has plenty of personal touches here to make it look inspired but the style occasionally overpowers the substance. Nevertheless, it still delivers to its title’s promise. The film finds redemption in Marcelo Santos III’s quote dropped as a voice over realization by one of the characters, “Life is a game. Some will win. Some will lose. But in the end, everyone learns.” I guess that’s the biggest takeaway here, even if it’s not entirely earned.

What easily sets this film apart from the current landscape of romance genre is its retrospective style of narrative. Taken individually, the stories are redundant cookie-cutters of its genre but with Ricio’s dynamic direction, along with an aesthetically pleasing cinematography, these seemingly disparate anthologies tie into a neat, overarching structure. The world is filled with broken hearts and one way or another, Para sa Broken Hearted shows that they’re all related in the grand scheme of things.

But the film has its own share of faults too. It banks so much on familiarity that sometimes viewers will feel for the characters due to the universality of emotions in display and not necessarily because the film does a remarkable job in fleshing out the stories. It’s kind of a cheat code that the film uses to get away with its shortcomings. Another common problem for tricky ensemble pieces like this is the tendency to paint one-dimensional characters. Although he’s more of a supporting character, RJ has the thinnest characterization here.

The performances are good but the script’s preference to ‘hugot’ driven dialogues get in the way of the actors’ authenticity. The film could have opted for a more vernacular approach since it has already a great arsenal of songs to begin with – Janine Teñoso’s ‘Ang Awit Natin’ contributes much to the film’s catharsis. Having said that, it’s still a decent work considering that there are far worse things that this film successfully avoids.

Para sa Broken Hearted is more interested in evoking general emotions of elation, sadness, grief, etc. rather than telling remarkable and heartfelt stories. Ricio has plenty of personal touches here to make it look inspired but the style occasionally overpowers the substance. Nevertheless, it still delivers to its title’s promise. The film finds redemption in Marcelo Santos III’s quote dropped as a voice over realization by one of the characters, “Life is a game. Some will win. Some will lose. But in the end, everyone learns.” 

Para sa Broken Hearted Movies Romance

Para sa Broken Hearted Tagalog Movies

#ParasaBrokenHearted

Miss Granny Review Movie | Comedy Romance ' Viva Films

Miss Granny Review Movie | Comedy Viva Films

Miss Granny

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

In the Philippine remake of the 2014 South Korean film of the same name, an elderly woman in her 70s suddenly finds herself to be in her 20s after having her picture taken in a mysterious photo studio.

Special Movies: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa, Boboy Garovillo, Nonie Buencamino

Country : Philippines

Genre : Comedy, Drama

Production Co : Viva Films, N² Productions

Miss Granny is a 2018 Filipino comedy-drama film based on the South Korean film of the same name. Directed by Joyce E. Bernal, the film stars Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim and Nova Villa. The film was released by Viva Films on August 22, 2018, and was nominated for three FAMAS Awards including "Best Actress" for Sarah Geronimo and "Best Original Song" for Isa Pang Araw. It was the second most talked about Filipino film of 2018 on Twitter, The Hows of Us. Geronimo received the "Best Actress" award at the 35th PMPC Star Awards for Film, while Villa received the "Film Supporting Actress of the Year" award at the 50th GMMSF Entertainment Box Office Awards. The film is currently available for streaming on Netflix in the Philippines.

The story revolves around Feliza "Fely" Malabaño (Nova Villa), a widow who works in a carinderia along with her close friend Bert (Boboy Garovillo), who grew up working for Fely since he was a young boy. Fely is constantly teased by Lulu (Marissa Delgado) for her closeness to Bert. Fely tends to berate her daughter-in-law Angie (Lotlot De Leon) for many things, including Angie's sinigang. Despite her treatment of Angie, she cares deeply for her son Ramoncito (Nonie Buencamino) and for her grandchildren, Jeboy (James Reid) and Hana (Ataska Mercado).

One day, Angie collapses due to stress, which she blames on her mother-in-law. The doctor then recommends that they keep Angie's environment stress-free, to which Ramon suggests that Fely, Angie's stress trigger, should stay in a nursing home. Fely overhears the family's discussion and becomes upset, but then is invited by Jeboy to lunch. As she leaves to meet him, she comes across the Forever Young Photo Studio and meets a photographer (Jojit Lorenzo) who offers to take a free portrait photo of her. Afterwards, as she alights on a bus, Fely scolds three passengers for being too noisy. During the argument, Fely is horrified when she catches her reflection in one of the rowdy passenger's sunglasses and sees that she has somehow transformed into her younger self (Sarah Geronimo). Fely then poses as Odrey de Leon while she stays at an apartment owned by Bert. Eventually, she becomes involved in her grandson's band, becoming their lead singer, inadvertently changing their focus from metal to romantic ballads.

Fely sings a song during one of the band's performances, telling the story of her past. She lost her husband, a Navy sailor, when he died during his service, and moved to Manila to make a living for her son Ramoncito. At one point, Ramoncito becomes so ill that he is close to death, but is saved by a stranger who helps them through their tough time. During one of the band's performances, Fely, posing as Odrey, is approached by a musical talent scout named Lorenz (Xian Lim) in her own carinderia, offering a chance for the band to launch in the mainstream.

Fely's identity is discovered by Bert after he discovers the dentures he gave to her as a present among Odrey's possessions, while looking for Fely with Ramoncito. After Lulu dies, Odrey is confronted with their mortality as elderly people. After she gets a minor cut on her foot before a recording session, Bert sees her youthful skin return to its wrinkled state, a sign that she is reverting into her correct age. Bert treats her cut, but is confronted by Bert's daughter Minnie (Kim Molina), who forces Fely/Odrey to leave the apartment, mistakenly assuming that she was romantically involved with her father. She stays at Lorenz's place, where they bond over retro music. Jeboy becomes upset over Lorenz's closeness to Fely/Odrey, and she realizes that he might be romantically interested in her. She rebuffs him, as Jeboy has no idea that Fely/Odrey is his grandmother.

During the Summerslam Concert, Lorenz tells the band that they must perform without Jeboy, as he was hit by a car on his way to the venue and is currently in critical condition. Fely/Odrey initially refuses, but she finally performs to keep Jeboy's band in the lineup. At the hospital with Bert and Ramoncito, who has finally found out about her identity, Fely/Odrey decides to donate blood for Jeboy, despite Bert warning her that the effects could be irreversible. Ramoncito gives her the choice to leave and live the life that she wanted, on the condition that she tries to make a better life for herself than the one she had with him and his absent father. Fely/Odrey tearfully tells him that she will always choose the life she had lived as his mother, and they hug. After this, Fely/Odrey donates her blood for her grandson, and transforms back to her normal, elderly self.

After Jeboy's recovery, Fely and her family watch her grandson's concert with Hana as the band's new vocalist. Later, Fely is approached by a mysterious man on a motorcycle (Sam Concepcion), who is revealed to be Bert after he reverted into his younger self with the help of the Forever Young Photo Studio. He gives her a bouquet of flowers, and Fely and Bert ride off.  Sourch By : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Granny_(2018_film)

#MissGrannyMoviesComedyromance

Miss Granny Movie Tagalog

Miss Granny Philippines

 The Hows of Us Movie Romance | Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla | Tagalog Philippines

 The Hows of Us

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

The film is a story about the young couple Primo (Padilla) and George (Bernardo), who dreams of growing old together. However, as their feelings go deep for each other, they have to deal the struggles of being in a long-term relationship and the harsh reality of life. 

Special Movies: Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Jean Garcia, Susan Africa, Odette Khan, Darren Espanto

Country : Philippines

Genre : Drama, Romance

Production Co : Star Cinema – ABS-CBN Film Productions

The Hows of Us is a 2018 Philippine romantic drama film directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina and starring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. They were recognized as Phenomenal Box Office Stars and was given the Golden Jury Award and honors at the 50th Guillermo Box Office Entertainment Awards and received the prestigious Camera Obscura Award for its phenomenal success worldwide.

It marked Garcia-Molina's second collaboration with Bernardo and Padilla after the 2014 hit film She's Dating the Gangster. The Hows of Us broke multiple records in the Philippines, including being one of the first locally produced movie to reach ₱600 million in domestic box-office earnings, which it achieved in 20 days.The film grossed at a whopping 805 million under 50 days after its Philippine release.After its original run, it was shown in three countries in Southeast Asia and grossed US$50,000.00.

Bernardo won the Best Actress award at the 35th PMPC Star Awards for Movies and Entertainment Editors' Choice Awards for Movies. " Source : wiki/The_Hows_of_Us  "

The Hows of Us Tagalog Movie

The Hows of Us Full Review

The Hows of Us Movies Romance

#TheHowsofUsFullromancemovies

 My 2 Mommies (2018) Review Movies | Philippines

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

An accidental affair leads to an extraordinary story of a unique family set up where the two characters play mother to the same child.

Special Movies: Solenn Heussaff, Paolo Ballesteros, Maricel Soriano, Joem Bascon, Marcus Cabais, Diane Medina

Country : Philippines

Genre : Comedy ,Romance

Production Co : Largavista Entertainment, Regal Entertainment

Paolo Ballesteros in ‘My 2 Mommies’ proves without a doubt that he is a bankable actor on the big screen. In this movie, he can make you laugh so hard your stomach starts to hurt. He can get you to understand where he is coming from. He can get you to empathize with his character. His acting certainly translates well on the big screen.

That is how brilliant an actor Paolo Ballesteros is!

I think one has to respect Paolo’s acting chops. For him to be that funny, silly, and wacky takes tons of talent and intrepid guts because comedy is not for everyone simply for the reason it is difficult to pull off being funny without coming out forced, trying hard, and downright stupid.

Solenn Heussaff proves to be a very effective actress, both in drama and comedy. By nature, Solenn Heussaff being a feisty, spunky, and adventurous person, she can switch gears effortlessly and never appears she is “acting”. By far, ‘My 2 Mommies’ is her most significant movie role. I see her being tapped more often to give strong performances as she shows in this movie.

In general, the whole main cast of ‘My 2 Mommies’ is good in their respective roles because one can sense they knew where to be, what to say, and when to make their presence felt in the movie. That fact can be credited to director Eric Quizon for making the cast operate and work like a well-oiled machine without breakdowns and hiccups. I can tell there were not a lot of retakes in any of the scenes of the movie.

“The Diamond Star” Maricel Soriano is a perfect fit to play the role of Paolo Ballesteros’ mom and their onscreen chemistry was clearly evident. Although she had limited onscreen time, that fact alone got the moviegoers in attendance to cheer for her each time she had a scene. She is still one of the most beloved veteran actresses around.

So far, this is Paolo Ballesteros’ best role to date since his 2016 stint as Trisha in the critically-acclaimed “Die Beautiful”. He is the perfect fit for the role, and he manages to carry the weight of the entire film from start to finish. Solenn Heussaff’s character is a direct opposite of Paolo’s: while Manu spoils the child with gifts and treats, Monique, together with her husband (Billy Ray Gallion) tries to discipline him. Solenn manages to make her character believable enough and not too over the top, keeping them grounded in reality. Child actor Marcus Cabais is a big revelation in the film. His acting was on point from start to finish. He was able to keep up with the grown-up actors he’s working with and looks very comfortable in the role. Joem Bascon was quite fun to watch because he was very convincing as Paolo’s lover here. Of course, Ms. Maricel Soriano deserves some applause for her wacky portrayal of Paolo’s aunt. She was the cherry on top of this film and she adds more reason for moviegoers to see the movie in cinemas.

n the role. Joem Bascon was quite fun to watch because he was very convincing as Paolo’s lover here. Of course, Ms. Maricel Soriano deserves some applause for her wacky portrayal of Paolo’s aunt. She was the cherry on top of this film and she adds more reason for moviegoers to see the movie in cinemas.

Regal Film’s “My 2 Mommies” is one movie full of hearts and laughs. It’s an enjoyable family comedy that everyone will surely appreciate for its heartwarming story and effective humor. 

I recommend watching this movie but be strongly advised that kids cannot watch this unsupervised and without a parent or trusted guardian by their side because some words and scenes do need explaining to them.

Overall, ‘My 2 Mommies’ is enjoyable, amusing, hysterically funny, charming. And the movie does have a lot of heart, too.

#My2Mommiesmovie

#My2Mommiesmoviesreview

#My2Mommiesfull2018movie

#My2Mommiesmovietagalogmovie

Single/Single: Love Is Not Enough (2018) Review Movies | Shaina Magdayao, Matteo Guidicelli

 Single/Single: Love Is Not Enough (2018) Review Movies

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

It picks up where the series left off in its final episode as the relationship of Joee and Joey moves on to the next level. Joee is about to give birth while Joey remains in love with her and tries to become a responsible foster father.

Special Movies: Shaina Magdayao, Matteo Guidicelli, Cherie Gil, Ricky Davao, Anna Luna, Brian Matthew Sy

Country : Philippines

Genre : Romance, Drama

Production Co : Cinema One Originals, Philippine Star, Star Cinema – ABS-CBN Film Productions

It's evident that Veronica Velasco and Pablo Biglang-awa’s Single/Single: Love is Not Enough is quite a burdened film.

The series, directed by Pepe Diokno, written by Lilit Reyes, and co-produced by Philippine Star, taps on the pervading attitudes of millennials who are slowly being introduced to adulthood, where the gnawing need for work and money invade on their sense of generational privilege.

The show makes a lot of sense. It is very relatable, with its characters echoing work, life, and romance-related dilemmas that rarely feel artificial. Even its profit-making endeavors as shown by the several ad placements for condominium units and life insurance packages gel seamlessly with its themes.

Love is Not Enough immediately hinges its narrative on the issue that ends the show.

In a grand gesture of unconditional love, Joey (Matteo Guidicelli) declares that he wants to be with former housemate Joee (Shaina Magdayao) despite her being pregnant with another man’s baby. The film, still written by Reyes but now with the help of Jinky Laurel, focuses on the challenges of motherhood under such a unique domestic setting. 

The film does offer invaluable insights on a situation that while not exactly endemic to the specific generation that Single/Single touches on is germane to it. 

The more relaxed societal attitudes towards unconventional relationships allow Velasco and Biglang-awa a certain leeway to remove societal pressures from the equation and concentrate on more personal issues. For example, the emasculating effect of Joey’s not being able to properly provide in the face of another option for Joee to simply rely on her baby’s father (JC Santos) is a nice addition to the gamut of ideas that the Single/Single storyline has already introduced about the generation.

Single/Single: Love Is Not Enough Movie Review

#SingleSingleLoveIsNotEnough

#SingleSingleLoveIsNotEnoughmovietagalog

Never Not Love You (2018) James Reid, Nadine Lustre Review Romance Movie

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

A young couple with different goals and aspirations face the inevitable when they are both offered jobs abroad.

Special Movies: James Reid, Nadine Lustre, Gab Lagman, Luis Alandy, Yayo Aguila, Sharmaine Suarez

Country : Philippines

Genre : Romance, Drama

Production Co : Viva Films, Project 8 Cor. San Joaquin

Never Not Love You is a 2018 Filipino romantic drama film written and directed by Antoinette Jadaone, starring James Reid and Nadine Lustre. 

The film was produced by Viva Films in collaboration with Project 8 Corner San Joaquin Projects. It was released in theaters nationwide on March 31, 2018. 

The film tells the story of Gio (James Reid) and Joanne (Nadine Lustre) whose young, carefree and reckless love is tested when their dreams took them to different paths.

"About Joanne, a woman who hires Gio as a sticker design. Their meeting instantly makes Gio fall in love with Joanne and he does everything he can to approach her, until they finally get close, but there are situations where they have to develop in their own way."

Love makes a person grow and develop

“A romantic film with a message and impression that is quite deep but with a fairly simple storytelling. Honestly, I don't like the way Gio and Joanne were introduced, indeed acquaintance with someone can go through anything, including at work, only they are very close here instantly.. Gio is the type of guy that if you want a girl, you have to get her, and Joanne is the kind of person that if you pay attention, she'll melt herself."

Never Not Love You is now showing in cinemas nationwide. Watch Full Trailer here :

Never Not Love You Revie Movie

Never Not Love You Romance Movie

#NeverNotLoveYou

#NeverNotLoveYoureviewmovie

#NeverNotLoveYoumovieromance

My Perfect You (2018) Movie Review Tagalog | Philippines

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

“My Perfect You” is the story of Burn (Gerald Anderson), a man who’s down in the dumps, and Abi (Pia Wurtzbach), the girl who helps him see the light again. Will they find the perfect love for them or will they have to fave heartbreak again?

Special Movies: Gerald Anderson, Pia Wurtzbach, Tonton Gutierrez, Dimples Romana, Janus Del Prado, Wilma Doesnt

Release : 2018-03-14

Country : Philippines

Genre : Drama, Romance

Production Co : Star Cinema – ABS-CBN Film Productions

#MyPerfectYou

#MyPerfectYoumovie

#MyPerfectYoumoviereview

 My Perfect You tackles the story of Burn (Gerald), a graphic designer who has an almost perfect life not until everything falls apart for him as he was dumped by his girlfriend. Burn felt burned out with his life as problems came left and right leaving him with no choice but to escape and because of that he met Abi (Pia) a resort owner where burn got lost in. 

Abi is a bubbly, happy go lucky, but strong willed woman. She is up for the challenge of making Burn happy again until one day they realized that they didn't just made each other instead they fell for each other. 

 Everything seemed to be okay with Burn again, he is starting to recover from the rejection and heartbreaks, but things turned around as their love story completely 360 degrees from reality, will Burn face reality or will he use Abi to escape from it? 

My Perfect You is a sugar coated bitter sweet movie, at first the movie seems to be a typical Cathy Garcia-Molina rom-com movie but I was wrong this is the first time I watched a movie that made me feel relaxed at the start of the movie and then will surprised me in the end, I felt that the movie was disguised and has two personalities that tricked me to ride the roller coaster of emotions that this movie built. 

I commend the writer Christine Gabriel for writing this story, I guess I can say that this movie is a unique one for Star Cinema. 

What I love the most in "My Perfect You" is that it raises awareness to certain mental health issues such as schizophrenia and depression, I felt that it is very timely specially in our society today where mental health isn't much of a priority and also I love how the movie showed how these mental illness are treated and how big the role of the family in treating these kinds of illness. 

I may not be a psychiatrist, but I believe the movie was able to explain what is schizophrenia and the treatment to cure it in the easiest manner for the movie goers to understand.    

To wrap things up My Perfect You is a romantic movie in disguise, it is a roller coaster ride of emotions that will bring you to the Happy Sunshine Camp. This is worthy of your money, the perfect movie to open up the summer season, an unconventional movie with an unconventional story in an unconventional characters that will make you believe that you can be whoever you want to be. 

My Fairy Tail Love Story Movie Review | Janella Salvador, Elmo Magalona

 My Fairy Tail Love Story (2018)

Release : 2018-02-14

Country : Philippines

Genre : Romance, Fantasy

Special Movies: Janella Salvador, Elmo Magalona, Kiray Celis, Kiko Estrada, Dominic Ochoa, Dimples Romana

Production Co : Regal Entertainment

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

Chantel is a spoiled brat cursed to be a mermaid after she disturbed corals under the sea. With the help of her best friend Noah, they go on a journey to find her Prince Charming who she believes will break the curse she's in.

The movie follows Chantel (Janella), a spoiled brat who was cursed to be a mermaid after she disturbed corals under the sea. With the help of her best friend Noah (Elmo Magalona), she goes on a journey to find her Prince Charming, thinking that the spell can only be broken by true love's kiss. 

Produced by The Idea First Company for Regal Entertainment and is directed by Percival Intalan, “My Fairy Tail Love Story” is set to hit cinemas on Valentines day.

My Fairy Tail Love Story Movie, My Fairy Tail Love Story Review Movie

#MyFairyTailLoveStorytagalogmovie

 

Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes (2018) Review Tagalog Movie | Judy Ann Santos, Angelica Panganiban

Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes (2018)  Review Tagalog Movie

 Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes (2018)

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

Two women find out that their husbands are gay lovers.

Special Movies: Judy Ann Santos, Angelica Panganiban, Joross Gamboa, JC de Vera, Gladys Reyes, Carmi Martin

Release : 2018-01-17

Country : Philippines

Genre : Comedy

Production Co : Quantum Films, Star Cinema – ABS-CBN Film Productions, The IdeaFirst Company

Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyes (transl. The Two Mrs. Reyeses) is a Philippine comedy film starring Angelica Panganiban and Judy Ann Santos.The film is directed by Jun Robles Lana and is produced by Star Cinema, Quantum Films and IdeaFirst Company.

The film is Star Cinema's opening salvo for 2018 and will be the first movie to pair Santos with Panganiban whom she last worked with in the 2001 soap opera Sa Puso Ko Iingatan Ka. It also marks the reunion of the original Mara Clara stars, Judy Ann Santos and Gladys Reyes

The film introduces the characters of Santos and Panganiban, a pair of devoted wives who find their husbands to be in a secret, gay relationship. 

Ang Dalawang Mrs Reyes’ – Synopsis

Judy Ann Santos and Angelica Panganiban play as devoted wives who got cheated on by their husbands who turn out to be gay. With their combined forces, they will make sure their exes don’t get what they took away from them: a happy ending. JC de Vera and Joross Gamboa play as their husbands with Gladys Reyes and Carmi Martin as the crazy women surrounding them.

Ang Dalawang Mrs Reyes’ – Review

So, I am a little late reviewing ‘Ang Dalawang Mrs Reyes’ but I couldn’t just let it pass. To begin with, I am still a novice to the Filipino movie or drama industry but I am so excited by this movie! I have seen the trailer and the movie seemed quirky and funny and after watching the movie it was SO MUCH MORE! Seriously, I can’t even begin to express in words how great this movie was!

The Story

The story is about two women, two men and 3 couples! How? Because the men leave the women to get married together~

Basically, the story revolves around the two women, Lianne Reyes (Judy Ann Santos) and Cindy Reyes (Angelica Panganiban), who have been abandoned by their respective husbands, Felix Reyes (JC de Vera) and Gary Reyes (Joross Gamboa), to get married to each other in Taiwan. When the wives find out, their hunt down each other and concoct a plan to stalk their husbands and stop them from getting married so that they also are unhappy.

The premise of the story does seem overdone and commonplace but the director Jun Robles Lana are genius-ly put the entire story together to come out as fresh, exciting, hilarious and humane at the same time. The movie surely tugs at your heart and also gets you rolling on the floor.

This is not your typical wronged-wife revenge plot or a typical LGBTQ stereotype. This movie has a lot of levels of depth. All the characters are shown as humans who can make mistakes. Also, the characters are shown reflecting on their actions when they realize that they were not just ‘right’.

This movie, according to me, is not even a pro-queer movie. It is just a movie which shows the vulnerability of a human being and how queer or straight to whatever one identifies with, first of all, you are a human being capable of making mistakes.

Another remarkable part of the movie is that the wives who have been left by their gay husbands are not against them being gay but are just trying to work through and understand what is happening to them with their husbands. The wives just needed some time to understand and accept the realities of their husbands instead of being dumped out of the blue and finding out the next second that without even finalizing a divorce, their husbands are already off to get married. The movie delves deep into the vulnerability of a human being on several levels. Even the gay husbands are not let-off the hook scotch-free but made to reflect on their actions.

The third most important point of the movie is the deployment of humour. It is a strong yet subtle humour which is at times dark and sarcastic but will keep you laughing throughout the movie. Some of the most serious scenes in the movie are flawlessly fitted with a comic ending. Yet, this movie does not have a derogatory punchline which I really appreciated and approved. At times, I feel that through jokes and comedy skits, some serious issues get overlooked to made to look pointless which subconsciously sits in the minds of people and affects their thinking. This is why I feel that jokes targeted at particular stereotypes or malpractices or racial groups or other such humour should not be supported. Jun Lana brings to screen a non-slapstick comedy which reaches far deeper levels than you think is possible in a comedy movie.

#AngDalawangMrsReyes

#AngDalawangMrsReyesreviewmovie

#AngDalawangMrsReyesfullreviewmovie

Mama's Girls ( 2018 ) Movies Review | Tagalog | Philippines

 Mama’s Girl (2018) 

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

Young girl learns life lessons from loving mother.

Special Movies: Sofia Andres, Diego Loyzaga, Jameson Blake, Sylvia Sanchez, Yana Asistio, Heaven Peralejo

Country : Philippines

Genre : Drama

Production Co : Regal Entertainment

Mama's Girl is a 2018 Philippine drama film directed by Connie Macatuno and written by Gina Marissa Tagasa. It stars Sofia Andres, Diego Loyzaga, Heaven Peralejo, Karen Reyes, Jameson Blake, Sylvia Sanchez,Yana Asistio,  Arlene Muhlach, Alora Sasam and Afi Africa, among others. It is produced by Regal Entertainment. It is about Abby, an ambitious millennial coming out into the world with the help of her single mother, Mina, an entrepreneur. 

Young girl learns life lessons from loving mother.

 It tells the story of a mother and daughter who encounters struggles and conflicts in their relationship. It brings you to journey to love, passion, compassion, commitment and forgiveness.

Mama's Girl is a heartwarming tale of mother and daughter that shows unconditional love to each other. A movie that will definitely touch your heart and make you cry. Sylvia Sanchez delivers a touching performance with a touch of coolness as mother. Sofia Andres and Sylvia Sanchez has a right chemistry to portray as daughter and mother. Mama's Girl reflects modern family life and  situations where a millennial daughter and mother canfind themselves in. 

It has a good tight story which manages to be witty and affecting. The film is a good vehicle to launched Sofia Andres and Diego Loyzaga (SoFiego) as love team in the film. They bring kilig and young vibes in the film. Jameson Blake is effective as a third wheel to SoFiego. So if you want to bond with your mom or your family this movie is a perfect treat. A wonderful heart warming film with inspiring story.

1. For a story about motherly love, there was too much time spent on the landian between Abbypotpot and best friend Nico (Diego Loyzaga). He kept calling her Budz and I really thought it was short for Budjoy because they were basically playing the reversed roles of Ned and Budjoy in Labs Kita Okay Ka Lang?. Unfortunately, I was rooting for Zak the entire time.

2. While other mothers would ask their kids not to cry upon their death, Mama Mina’s loving advice to Abbypotpot was “Hindi pa ako patay. Tipirin mo na lang ang mga luha mo sa libing ko.” Eek!

3. Sofia’s a lovely girl, but the abundance of her pink blush here gave new meaning to pumuputok. At least she looked very much like a #VavaengMarangal.

4. Upon reading the words “Ang pagluluto ay parang pagmamahal. Kelangan bantayan at kapag hindi ka marunong pumili ng mga sangkap, lahat mababalewala”, Abbypotpot magically turned into a chef that could save their restaurant business. Nahiya bigla ang lahat ng Culinary Arts students.

#MamasGirlreviewmovie

Mama’s Girl Movies Tagalog

#MamasGirlmovie

Watch My Ex & Whys (2017) Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil | Movie Review | Tagalog

 Watch My Ex & Whys (2017)  Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil | Movie Review | Tagalog | Films

My Ex and Whys is a 2017 Philippine romantic comedy drama film co-written and directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina. Starring Enrique Gil & Liza Soberano, the story is about a womanizer named Gio (Gil), who tries to prove he's a changed man to his ex-girlfriend, a blogger named Cali (Soberano). Cali, on the other hand, tests if Gio really has changed, and things didn't go as planned. The film was released on February 15, 2017 to commercial and critical success, grossing over ?400 million worldwide. My Ex And Whys is the highest-grossing film to be starred by Soberano and Gil to date. 

Special Movies: Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil, Ara Mina, Joey Marquez, Cai Cortez, Arlene Muhlach

Release : 2017-02-15

Country : Philippines

Genre : Romance

Production Co : Star Cinema – ABS-CBN Film Productions

My Ex and Whys is hardly subtle at all with what it wants love to wage war against this time.

Cali (Liza Soberano) is a blogger whose inspiration for the questions she posts online is her prolonged disdain towards her ex who cheated on her. Gio (Enrique Gil) is that ex. They rekindle communications on social media for all the world to see and participate in. Eventually, the spats and debates the two ex-lovers broadcast online be relationship sparks a debate, a rabid fight between those who favor Cali’s distrust with all men and Gio’s fervent desire to prove her wrong.

Cali comes from a household of women scorned by men they loved and continue to love. Gio, on the other hand, is surrounded by kin who brag about their skillful infidelities. Cali capitalizes on gender stereotypes to put down men during her online tirades, while Gio resists the urge to make a mistake that will prove Cali right. 

My Ex and Whys capitalizes on gender stereotypes, whether true or not, to separate the two former lovers, allowing love to conquer them.

It doesn’t delve deep enough to dig whether or not Cali’s preoccupation with stereotyping the opposite sex has merit. It just paints a comical scenario to backdrop its familiar love story with, and nothing more. It is thoroughly entertaining, although at times, its persistence on painting its characters too simply turn them into noxiously close-minded individuals. 

It is to Soberano’s credit that she is able to charm her way out of her character’s inexplicable immaturity. Gil, on the other hand, plays the suffering ex-boyfriend with ample enthusiasm. If My Ex and Whys is meant to be a simple showcase of a love team’s power to arouse fantasy and make-believe, then it seems like it is all worth it. 

The movie however has a lot of interesting ideas, which it squarely abandons all for the sake of formula. 

Please watch the film My Ex and Whys , because everyone's opinion is different.

#MyExandWhysmovie

#MyExandWhysmoviereview

#MyExandWhysmoviereviewfull

#MyExandWhysfilmrevie

#MyExandWhysmovieromance

Can't Help Falling in Love Review Movie | Philippines | Romance Kathryn Bernardo & Daniel Padilla

Title : Can't Help Falling in Love

Special Movies: Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla, Cherry Pie Picache, Chienna Filomeno, Pinky Amador, Johnny Revilla

Country : Philippines

Genre : Comedy, Romance

Production Co : Star Cinema – ABS-CBN Film Productions

Can't Help Falling in Love is a 2017 Filipino romantic film directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar, starring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. This is their reunion project after the 2015 blockbuster, Crazy Beautiful You. The film was produced and released by Star Cinema on April 15, 2017.

If you are looking for a romantic comedy drama movie reference, then this one seems to be the one for you. Can't Help Falling in Love is a Filipino romantic comedy-drama film directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar and written by Carmi Raymundo and Kristen Gabriel.

The story that is lifted in the film Can't Help Falling in Love is a bit complex. You will be brought into an atmosphere of laughter and tears at the same time. The plot is also made so "fresh" that for those of you who want to be entertained, this film is well worth watching.

Can't Help Falling in Love is about a woman who has a perfect life. This woman named Gab (Kathryn Bernardo) has a happy life almost like a fairy tale. He always tries to make everyone around him happy, especially his mother and fiancé. Gab is the type of girl who will do anything to not disappoint her mother. He even dared to sacrifice his own happiness and what he wanted in his life.

“Can't Help Falling in Love is about a woman who has a perfect life. This woman named Gab (Kathryn Bernardo) has a happy life almost like a fairy tale."

Gab has a fiancé named Jason (Matteo Guidicelli) whom he had been dating for six years before finally getting married. Then her happy life with Jason took a 180 degree turn after finding out that she was "married" to a man named Dos (Daniel Padilla) whom she had never met before. Gab felt that he had wasted too much time trying to solve a problem as complex as this.

When the two meet and try to find out what really happened, Gab somehow breaks his own rules. His heart actually changed. Will Gab continue her love story with her fiancé or will she move on to a stranger who she says is her husband?

Will she break up with Dos and go ahead with marriage plans with her lover, or will she continue the marriage with someone who is a complete stranger to her?

#CantHelpFallinginLove

#CantHelpFallinginLovemovie

#CantHelpFallinginLovemoviereview

#CantHelpFallinginLovefullromancemovie

#CantHelpFallinginLovefullreview

Review Movie | 100 Poems for Stella (2017) Romance Movie Bela Padilla | Philippines Movie

 100 Poems for Stella (2017) Romance Movie Bela Padilla | Philippines Movie

100 Poems for Stella (2017) Romance Movie Tagalog | Philippines Movie

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

Throughout his four years in college, Fidel, a stuttering student, tries to finish 100 poems dedicated to Stella, an aspiring but frustrated rock star, to win her heart.

In 2004, Fidel Lansangan (JC Santos) and Stella Puno (Bela Padilla) meet each other as freshmen college students in Pampanga pursuing a bachelor's degree in Psychology. They became friends despite differences in their personalities; Fidel is an honor student with a speech impediment and loves poetry while Stella is a rocker with a tough and confident attitude who prefers to jam with her band rather than to do her studies.

Fidel begins to write poems to express his love to Stella but does not have the confidence to read these to her. Stella on her had various boyfriends as she pursues her goal of securing a recording contract. The film's story spans for four whole years of Fidel and Stella's college life and revolves around the question whether Fidel can muster enough confidence to read his poems to Stella.

Special Movies: Bela Padilla, JC Santos, Arvic James Tan, Maricel Morales, Prince Stefan, Dennis Padilla

Country : Philippines

Genre : Romance

Release : The film had a theatrical release in the Philippines on August 16, 2017 as one of the twelve official entries at the 2017 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. The film was given a Parental Guidance (PG) rating by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.

Production Co : Viva Films

100 Tula Para Kay Stella was produced under Viva Films. Jason Paul Laxamana served as both the writer and director of the film. The story of the film was inspired from Laxamana's own life experiences. The script was already finished as early as 2015 when principal photography of the film began.

Scenes were shot in Pampanga for the film.

#100PoemsforStellamovietagalog

#100PoemsforStellamoviereview

#100PoemsforStellamovie2017

#100PoemsforStellamovieromance

#100PoemsforStellamoviefullreviewmovie

 Triptiko (2017) Movie Romance | Review Triptiko

¨“Movie Synopsis¨“

A yuppie who just got lucky is struck by a string of unlucky circumstances; a male model's life is upended because of evil boils appearing on his body; a folk singer's romantic ideals are put to the test as his beloved slowly changes into something he does not understand. These three funny, sometimes absurd, sometimes terrifying, and ultimately compelling stories make up "Triptiko."

Special Movies: Kean Cipriano, Kylie Padilla, Albie Casiño, Joseph Marco, Jerald Napoles, Arthur Acuña

Country : Philippines

Genre : Comedy, Romance, Thriller

Production Co : Barrio's Pictures, Michelena Brothers Production

#Triptiko

#Triptikomovies

#Triptikomovietagalog

#Triptikoreviewfullmovies

Life throws us so many curveballs that sometimes, we are left reeling. Even then, we need to take a step back to reassess. It is not any different in the Movie Triptiko (2017). Directed by Mico Michelena, Triptiko is a trilogy of unrelated short films featuring outlandish stories that leave the audience squirming in their seats.

“Swerte,” the first story, features Albie Casiño as Jake. After getting lucky one night, Jake experiences a series of bad luck. Casiño’s character had very little time for development, leaving the audience frustrated in trying to understand his reactions throughout the film.

“Hinog,” the film’s second story, stars Joseph Marco as Jason, a male model plagued by the growth of mysterious boils. The sudden illness prompts him to seek help through unorthodox methods.

Marco’s portrayal of Jason, who is pompous and selfish throughout the film, can be described as awkward at worst and respectable at best. Jason’s expressions were not genuinely embodied by Marco, which made his character execution fall flat.

If “Swerte” focused on possible real-life experiences, and “Hinog” on Filipino mythology, “Musikerong John,” the third and last story, is undoubtedly the most bizarre of them all. Nevertheless, the story can be described as lyrical and even poetic, especially with the choice of folk music as main soundtrack.

Kean Cipriano stars as John, while Kylie Padilla plays Ann, John’s significant other. Their acting in “Musikerong John” is commendable. The lines and expressions seemed to have come naturally to Cipriano. Despite her lack of speaking lines, Padilla portrayed Ann’s instability with superb and genuine acting.

Some of Triptiko’s scenes seemed dragging, with majority of the shots having dark lighting. Though it did add an ominous feel in some shots, the shadows were mostly placed in awkward spots that made it hard for the audience to see the actors’ faces and expressions.

Overall, Triptiko is a thriller that keeps viewers on edge, delving into the realms of the physical, mythological, and even the impossible. 

Minsan ang buhay, medyo weird (Sometimes, life is weird) says the tagline of Miguel Franco Michelena's anthology Triptiko (2017). According to writer and director Michelena, the Movie is a Filipino pop culture version of triptych, which is a set of three associated artistic, literary, or musical pieces intended to be appreciated together.” In this movie, he assembles three separate stories with different genres to form a one of a kind anthology. Being a fan of anthology movies, I was definitely excited to see this one. The first story of the film follows a young man (Albie Casino) who thinks he just got "lucky" suddenly experiences one unfortunate circumstance after another. Next is a male model (Joseph Marco) on the rise is plagued by a mysterious ailment that turns his career upside down. And a love-struck folk singer (Kean Cipriano) discovers that the object of his affection (Kylie Padilla) is not who he thinks she is. The film is produced by Michelena Brothers Production in association with Barrio's Pictures and features an ensemble cast, led by Albie Casiño, Jerald Napoles, Joseph Marco, Art Acuña, Kylie Padilla, Kean Cipriano, Max Eigenmann, Jay Gonzaga and Pinky Amador. It has been Graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board and is an official entry to the 2017 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.

The first segment entitled "Suwerte" stars Albie Casino as Jake, a young man who thought that he just got lucky with a girl he had a one-night stand with. But after witnessing a murder happening right before his eyes, he becomes the target of the murderer. The story attempts to redefine our perspective of luck. For me, this segment maybe the most bad-ass story among the three. More akin to a chase movie, it mixes shock and thrills while we follow the plight of Jake as he falls into one bad luck to another. To his credit, Albie Casino did a pretty decent job as the main character. He was believable as a young man in peril and was able to portray the role convincingly. Jerald Napoles was really fun to watch and did a great job in his role.

In "Hinog", the second segment of the film, we are introduced to Jason (played by Joseph Marco). He's an up-and-rising product endorser and ramp male model. But the problem is that his body is being plagued by boils that eventually affects his career. Determined to be cured of his ailment, he ends up consulting a shaman to help him find out the true nature of his sickness. This segment seems like an attempt of the body horror genre (horror fiction in which the horror is principally derived from the graphic degeneration or destruction of the physical body. Such works may deal with decay, disease, parasitism, mutation or mutilation) in the tradition of  David Cronenberg and Brian Yuzna. And to be honest, this was my most favorite segment in this anthology.

Joseph Marco was really good in his portrayal of the sick Jason. One can really see and feel his character's desperation through his acting. Art Acuña was also fun to watch as the trippy shaman from whom Jason asks for help regarding his ailment. Aside from these characters, what made me enjoy this segment even more was the unrelenting portrayal of the ailment, from the unapologetic close-up shots of the infection that will make you puke. These gross-out moments came in fast and unexpected and really caught me off-guard. To be honest, this is the first time I felt like I was about to throw up while watching a movie. I was biting my hand the whole time while watching Jason and the shamando their own extraction. This is the probably the most disgusting and repelling story I've seen in a local film, yet I enjoyed it so much that I am so attracted to it. Plus, the ironic ending was the perfect way to conclude the segment, though I kinda felt bad for one of the characters. To me, this segment was the most memorable one.

The third and final segment was a bit different from the first two segments. This story, entitled "Musikerong John" is about John (played by Kean Cipriano) a folk song musician as he relives the memories of his last relationship. The girl, named Ann (played by Kylie Padilla) was the girl of his dreams. The one that he thought he would be spending his whole life with. But then, one day, she starts acting weirdly. Little did he know that she was already turning into something he'd never imagined. I loved all the songs that Kean Cipriano performed in this segment (they were written by Ralph Lorenzo Tan under the pseudonym "I"). He also did a good job in his portrayal of the heartbroken musician. He shares great chemistry with his co-star, Kylie Padilla who also surprised me with her outstanding performance. Of all the three stories, this segment probably has better storytelling and editing. The story shifts from the present back to the past smoothly. The pacing started to slow down in this segment for us to focus on the tension brought by these changes to the relationship of the two characters.

As a whole, Triptiko works because each segment offers a unique emotional experience to the viewers as we jump from one story to another. It's like our very own local version of 

 George A. Romero and Stephen King's Creepshow (1982). Each of the stories, weird and trippy. I actually loved how they open each segment with a quote that is related to the story. The film boasts a well-written screenplay, mixed with some great acting and direction. Though there were a lot of moments that were a too darkly lit which was a bit hard to watch. The film looked good during it's outdoor scenes, but a lot of the indoor moments were very dim and I had a hard time adjusting my eyes to see the character's expressions. Despite that, I enjoyed this movie a lot more than what I have expected. It maybe too extreme for some of the average moviegoers and a lot of people might be repelled by it's content but it's actually a great movie once you get past that.

Triptiko is an out of this world movie experience. It's a psychedelic mind trip: it's mad, freaky, and totally messed up. I've never seen quite anything like it in local cinema for the past years. For me, this movie is already running as one of the best Filipino films of the year 2017.