OFICIAL MOVIE TRAILER: Berlin Film Festival 2016 Best Film "ANG BABAENG HUMAYO" Directed by Lav Diaz, Starring Charo Santos-Concio & John Lloyd Cruz, showing in Manila on September 28

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL 2016 Main Competition: "ANG BABAENG HUMAYO" Starring CHARO SANTOS-CONCIO & JOHN LLOYD CRUZ, Directed by LAV DIAZ

The only Asian representative in the Main Competition of the Venice Film Festival 2016.

MUSIC VIDEO MOVIE TRAILER: "Just The 3 of Us" / GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER by BILLY CRAWFORD

Lav Diaz' Silver Bear at the Berlinale

Funny, I found the best way to appreciate Pinoy showbiz is to use the outside world as the filter. Despite the highly-developed technicals, Pinoy culture is so unpredictable that more often than necessary, entertainment products  would require an acquired taste, with the de riguer learning curve. Somehow, it's heartening to note many parts of the world appreciate Pinoy films & teleseryes, but it's obvious they mostly wisely chose and only buy those worth their time. It turned out their choice  mostly won't waste mine either. That's why I'm mostly using their eyes in this blog as filter on what to feature.

Mostly it worked. But what happens when I start ignoring the accolades from the outside? I'm talking about the recent film of Lav Diaz which won the Silver Bear at the recently concluded Berlinale, "Hele Sa Hiwagang Hapis". My friend called me up why I didn't even feature it, he tipped me on it. I have to be honest, I was still thinking what to do. I featured almost all the films of Lav here and I personally have 4 of his notoriouly long-duration films but I haven't even lasted an hour watching each time. Of course, I can always use the award as propaganda, those are the main uses of awards for a blog like ours anyway (though I often disagree with many awards, I can appreciate their value). Unfortunately, I may be a snob but I don't rely on snob appeal. I snob to get out of an aggravating situation.

But I finally roused myself from the paralysis. Ok, who knows? Let's try to watch it first, it might have something up its sleeve yet. Btw, I merely wrote the last sentence, I didn't utter it through gritted teeth. Believe me.

Silver Bear, Alfred Bauer Award, Berlinale 2016- "Hele Sa Hiwagang Hapis", by Lav Diaz

Teaser | 'Just The 3 Of Us' | John Lloyd Cruz, Jennylyn Mercado

TOP BOX-OFFICE HITS OF 2015: Preliminary List

Pinoy filmmaking was really flying high in 2015. To think I only started being interested in local films last year. The blockbusters were really big & it was really good riding the wave of its success. I can feel we aren't seeing the crest yet. Good looks & good stories, talent galore. Let's hope the focus won't be sidetracked this 2016.

We have here the preliminary list of the Top Box-office Hits of 2015 (figures in Philippine Peso):

1. A Second Chance - 556,000,000
2. Crazy Beautiful You- 322,000,000
3. A Love Affair - 300,000,000
4. Heneral Luna - 254,000,000
5. Felix Manalo - 226,000,000
6. You're My Boss - 210,000,000
7. The Breakup Playlist - 148,000,000
8. The Thing Called Tadhana - 134,000,000
9. Everyday I Love You - 103,715,000 (local)
10. Just The Way You Are - 100,000,000 (est)
      Ex with Benefits - 100,000,000 (est)

TRIVIA: A Second Chance is the top-grossing Pinoy film of all time.
               The popular young loveteam, Lizquen, only a year-old but has two films in the Top 10, Everyday I Love You & Just The Way You Are.
               The two films of Bea Alonzo in the Top 10, #1 A Second Chance & #3 A Love Affair, earned PHP 856,000,000.

MMFF 2015: Erik Matti's "Honor The Father"

New Trailer |" A Second Chance"

TEASER | 'A Second Chance' | John Lloyd Cruz | Bea Alonzo | Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina

'One More Chance' Sequel Teaser

The original was supposed to be a local classic in 2007. I wasn't keen yet on Philippine showbiz then. It might as well been a film made by aliens from Galaxy X. Eight years hence, there is a sequel. Having been smitten by Miss Bea Alonzo in the trailer of The Love Affair, I'm actually intrigued.

Hmm, let's see...

Movie Trailer: ONE MORE CHANCE