REVIEW: 24/7 In Love
Director: John D. Lazatin, Mae Czarina Cruz, Frasco Santos Mortiz and Dado Lumibao
Producer: Star Cinema
Distribution: Star Cinema
Date of premiere: November 21, 2012
Star Cinema's ensemble piece 24/7 In Love is pretty uneven, but the tone is generally light and fluffy that it is a joy to watch.
24/7 In Love presents seven stories starring some of Star Magic's largest stars, in celebration of the talent agency's 20th year. And as the title suggests, all the segments deal with romance. Romance is Star Cinema's specialty nowadays, so I guess that's a safe bet for them.
Four directors got together to helm the movie:
John D. Lazatin directed three segments: Zanjoe Marudo and Bea Alonzo, John Lloyd Cruz and Angelica Panganiban, and Diether Ocampo and Maja Salvador.
Mae Czarina Cruz directed two: Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo, and Gerald Anderson and Kim Chiu.
Dado Lumibao directed one: Piolo Pascual, Zaijian Jaranilla, and Xyriel Manabat
Lastly, newcomer Frasco Mortiz directed one: Sam Milby and Pokwang.
The seven segments are uneven in execution. Some are solid, while some are forgettable.
Of all the segments, the one featuring real-life couple Zanjoe Marudo and Bea Alonzo is easily the most solid. It tells the story of a tomboy named Belle (Bea) who tries to spark a connection with her best friend and roommate Butch (Zanjoe), who is openly gay.
When Butch announces his plan to move to Europe to be with his boyfriend while pursuing a career in fashion, Bea uses everything, even seduction, to attract Butch and convince him not to go. But Butch immediately realizes what's up, making him questions his identity.
This gender-bending tale is so well-executed that I think it is the most gender sensitive portrayal of homosexuality in Philippine mainstream cinema this year. The ending even nails it.
Zanjoe is very believable as an openly gay man in this segment, that it gives the story it's due weight. Zanjoe has had a good year in the movie, with his notable role in Adolf Alix Jr.'s Kalayaan, and his role here.
Two other solid segments are Dado Lumibao's Piolo-Zaijian-Xyriel story, and Frasco Mortiz's Sam-Pokwang starrer.
Lumibao's segment puts a new approach to the love triangle: use kids, and add a mentally-disabled third wheel. Piolo's portrayal of a grown-up with the mind of a kid is so on-point, the triangle is not at all creepy. It's funny how MTRCB's ratings form informs viewers that this may be disturbing to the kids.
Again, what keeps this segment afloat is Piolo's praise-worthy acting abilities. What can't this guy do?
Mortiz's segment, on the other hand, is notable for serving the right mix of humor and romance. Pokwang and Sam may not be a good match visually, but Pokwang's acting talents makes it all credible. Pokwang has had a good year with A Mother's Story, The Healing, and the TV series Aryana.
We watched Mortiz debut in the too-ambitious The Reunion. With his segment in 24/7 In Love, Mortiz finds his footing and keeps at it. His montage of several motel rooms is good to see. Perhaps the short format helped him. (Technically, his first mainstream movie was a segment in the horror compilation Cinco.
Somewhat solid is Mae Czarina Cruz's Gerald-Kim segment. It's full of kilig moments, but a few inconsistencies mar the finished product. One is how Gerald's character can enter a burning building that's not barricaded by firemen, and why he had to remove his pants to save a woman from a fire when he would just use a broom to put it out.
There's also the ending, where he and Kim spill all their feelings in front of the executives of an ad agency. How awkward could that be?
Also, Maricar Reyes, who plays the nemesis to Kim Chiu's happiness, steals the scenes where she's in.
Forgettable are John D. Lazatin's John Lloyd-Angelica and Diether-Maja segments, and Mae Czarina Cruz's Daniel-Kathryn segment.
John Lloyd and Angelica's segment is the one that followed Star Cinema's generic romantic movie formula.
Diether Ocampo and Maja Salvador's segment was the most illogical.
Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo's story was used as the framing device, and so it felt choppy and irregular. One part, for instance, had Kathryn's character worrying about tickets to a concert. Later on, she holds the VIP tickets in her hand. How they got there is a mystery.
The best element of 24/7 In Love, though, is the soundtrack. Musical director Jessie Lasaten should be lauded for choosing OPM songs that carry viewers onto a nostalgic trip. I loved hearing Juan de la Cruz Band's No Touch, Carol Banawa's Bakit Di Totohanin, Didith Reyes's Bakit Ako Mahihiya, and other songs.
The music and the equally smart scoring is worth the price of the ticket.
RATING: 3.5 stars out of 5
SUMMARY: It may be uneven, but it's sweet and good-natured. The music is good, and you'll find it hard not to sing along.
This gender-bending tale is so well-executed that I think it is the most gender sensitive portrayal of homosexuality in Philippine mainstream cinema this year. The ending even nails it.
Zanjoe is very believable as an openly gay man in this segment, that it gives the story it's due weight. Zanjoe has had a good year in the movie, with his notable role in Adolf Alix Jr.'s Kalayaan, and his role here.
Two other solid segments are Dado Lumibao's Piolo-Zaijian-Xyriel story, and Frasco Mortiz's Sam-Pokwang starrer.
Lumibao's segment puts a new approach to the love triangle: use kids, and add a mentally-disabled third wheel. Piolo's portrayal of a grown-up with the mind of a kid is so on-point, the triangle is not at all creepy. It's funny how MTRCB's ratings form informs viewers that this may be disturbing to the kids.
Again, what keeps this segment afloat is Piolo's praise-worthy acting abilities. What can't this guy do?
 |
| Seriously? |
We watched Mortiz debut in the too-ambitious The Reunion. With his segment in 24/7 In Love, Mortiz finds his footing and keeps at it. His montage of several motel rooms is good to see. Perhaps the short format helped him. (Technically, his first mainstream movie was a segment in the horror compilation Cinco.
Somewhat solid is Mae Czarina Cruz's Gerald-Kim segment. It's full of kilig moments, but a few inconsistencies mar the finished product. One is how Gerald's character can enter a burning building that's not barricaded by firemen, and why he had to remove his pants to save a woman from a fire when he would just use a broom to put it out.
There's also the ending, where he and Kim spill all their feelings in front of the executives of an ad agency. How awkward could that be?
Also, Maricar Reyes, who plays the nemesis to Kim Chiu's happiness, steals the scenes where she's in.
 |
| Maricar the scene-stealer. |
Forgettable are John D. Lazatin's John Lloyd-Angelica and Diether-Maja segments, and Mae Czarina Cruz's Daniel-Kathryn segment.
John Lloyd and Angelica's segment is the one that followed Star Cinema's generic romantic movie formula.
Diether Ocampo and Maja Salvador's segment was the most illogical.
Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo's story was used as the framing device, and so it felt choppy and irregular. One part, for instance, had Kathryn's character worrying about tickets to a concert. Later on, she holds the VIP tickets in her hand. How they got there is a mystery.
The best element of 24/7 In Love, though, is the soundtrack. Musical director Jessie Lasaten should be lauded for choosing OPM songs that carry viewers onto a nostalgic trip. I loved hearing Juan de la Cruz Band's No Touch, Carol Banawa's Bakit Di Totohanin, Didith Reyes's Bakit Ako Mahihiya, and other songs.
The music and the equally smart scoring is worth the price of the ticket.
RATING: 3.5 stars out of 5
SUMMARY: It may be uneven, but it's sweet and good-natured. The music is good, and you'll find it hard not to sing along.
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Hmmm may mali po sa mga isinulat ninyo
ReplyDeleteDIREK MAE CRUZ - Directed Zanjoe-Bea,Kim-Gerald episodes.