Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Indie Films

Buo ang aking paniniwala na ang mga "independent digital film" ang siyang buhay sa naghihingalong industriya ng pelikulang Pilipino.Natutuwa ako at nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon na mapanood ang mga pelikulang kagaya ng Pepot artista, Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, Magnifico at iba pa.Ang mga pelikulang ito ay tunay na nagpapakita ng kahusayan ng ating mga kababayan sa pagawa ng de kalidad na pelikula.Nakalulungkot isipin na kailangan pang dalhin ng mga pelikulang ito sa ibang bansa para lamang mabigyan ng pansin.Ang mga parangal na hinakot nito ay tunay na nagpapakita ng galing ng mga Pilipino sa larangan ng film making.

Nababahala ako sa katotohanan na ang mga pelikulang tinatangkilik ng ating mga kababayan ay mga komersiyal na banyaga at mga lokal na pelikula na ang tanging ibenebenta ay mga mukha ng sikat na artista ngayon.Hindi ko maintindihan kung minsan ang mentalidad ng masang Pilipino.

Patuloy kong susubaybayan at susuportahan ang mga pelikulang Indie at ang mga gumagawa nito.Wala akong pakialam kung isa lamang ako sa kaunting nakakaappreciate nito.Wala rin akong pakiaalam na habang abala ang iba sa aking mga kaibigan sa panonood ng pelikula ni Angelina Jolie o Sam Milby ay magisa akong nanonood ng Pepot Artista sa isang sinehan na sampung katao lang yata ang laman.Ang mahalaga'y sa pamamagitan ng mga pelikulang ito ay nabusog ang aking isipan at kamalayan .

Narito ang ilan sa mga paborito kong digital independent films.


PEPOT ARTISTA (2005)
Directed by Clodualdo del Mundo Jr
Starring elijah castillo
Source:
Film angel

Jose Rizalino is a young boy with dreams of making it big as a star in the world of showbiz. His imaginative mind helps him to pursue his ambition. After a failed attempt to get a part in a movie, he gave up on his dreams but not his love and passion for films.


This film won Best Picture at the First Cinemalaya Film Competition. It defeated Auraeus Solito’s Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. Pepot Artista must have struck a chord among film literate judges.

Film and showbiz references abound in this hilarious film. Generous film clips from the 1971 movie Guy and Pip were included in Pepot Artista. A kind couple operating carnival games are die-hard fans of the movie couple. A laugh out loud scene was when the couple sang “Maria Leonora Teresa” complete with a live doll. Tirso Cruz III appeared in a cameo role as a buyer of comics.

The names of students were references to showbiz personalities like film critic Nestor Torre, singer Celeste Legaspi, playwright Rolando Tinio, and director Marilou Diaz Abaya. One student , Jorge Lucas, was even named after director George Lucas. The name of Pepot’s sister is Vilma.

Pepot Artista paid loving homage to the Rosa Rosal film Biyaya ng Lupa. Pepot’s mother was a dancer featured in the 1959 film classic. The altar, with its lone occupant Blessed Virgin Mary, is prominently displayed during interior scenes. Pepot has a deaf and mute brother. Scenes of Pepot’s mother caressing the bamboo coin banks alternated with clips from the film classic Biyaya ng Lupa.

Elijah Castillo won a Best Actor Award at the Singapore Film Festival for his portrayal as Pepot. He is generally good but his crying scene is not well acted.

The excellent story deals with the aspirations of countless Filipinos to become movie stars. Star search contests, talent competitions and reality shows give hope to their dreams. Despite dozens of mestizas and mestizos joining such contests, some dusky skinned contestants even win in major contests like Mau Marcelo in “Philippine Idol.” Nora Aunor won in a national amateur singing contest before entering the world of movies.


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***Napakahusay ng mga artista ng pelikulang ito lalo na yung batang gumanap na Pepot, si Elijah Castillo.


Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2005)
Directed By Auraeus Solito
Starring : Nathan Lopez
Review From Imdb.com

Although the main character is gay, this is not a gay film. The beauty of the film is that it does not make fun of the gay character. Maxi is well-loved and accepted by his family and the community.

There is plenty of humor but this light treatment of the story does not at all trivialize the message that the film wants to bring across to the audience. Scriptwriter Michiko Yamamoto who also wrote the award-winning "Magnifico" has improved her skill in storytelling and is not at all melodramatic this time. She has done away with subplots that don't move the main story much, a weakness of many Filipino scriptwriters who want to tell everything, including the entire history of the Philippines, in one movie. Her characters are all balanced – no one is all-evil or all-saint. The most touching scenes are those that show the tenderness of Maxi's tough-guy family to him. However, there are technical glitches that need to be fixed, and with digital technology editing may still be possible, e.g. scenes that are too dark or the screen going black for too long, making the oldies in the audience worry that perhaps the "lagarista" has been caught in traffic with the next roll of film. It is not often that Filipinos abroad get to see a rare gem like this film. Thanks to digital film-making and indie cinema and the film festivals in many countries.
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***Patatawanin at pakikiligin kayo ni Maximo Oliveros.



Magnifico

Directed by Maryo J De Los Reyes

Starring Jiro Manio, Albert Martinez.

Review From: Showcomotion

Magnifico is nine-years-old; his family lives in a poor part of town and life is a constant struggle to make ends meet. Only Magnifico remains steadfast: selling juice to earn money to take his sister to the carnival, building a casket for his dying grandmother to ease the family's budget. As far as Magnifico is concerned, a little sensitivity and clever thinking are all that's needed to solve these problems. Before long, the boy's warm-heartedness leads to a miraculous denouement which enables both his family and friends to cope with the traumas of life and death.

The strength of the film lies in its powerfully moving honesty: the ending in particular packs a huge emotional punch. It's a simple, classic tale, masterfully told, and wonderfully acted by its lead protagonist. Best Feature Adult Jury & Best Feature Children's Jury, Berlin Kinderfilmfest 2004.


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***Tearjerker.The very definition of sentimental overload.Pinaiyak ako ng pelikulang ito.