Title: Sisterakas

Director: Wenn Deramas

Producer: Star Cinema and Viva Films

Distribution: Star Cinema and Viva Films

Date of premiere: December 25, 2012

Sisterakas works because its cast commits to its stupidity. This new Wenn Deramas movie recalls the days of stupid comedies, like Austin Powers or Scary Movie, where nothing is serious, not even the plot.

Sisterakas tells the story of two half-siblings named Totoy and Detty, who are into fashion. They are friends in childhood, but a family tiff made the two drift apart. Feeling abandoned, Totoy vows to bring down Detty's family.

Years later, Totoy (Vice Ganda) grows up to be a fashion magnate. The fashionable millionaire, however, still have not forgotten vengeance.

When Detty applies for a job in his company, Totoy is delighted. He makes her undergo several tortuous tasks, but Detty's sunny personality always lets her come out triumphant.

Now that Detty is under his hands, will Totoy continue his revenge plot? Or will family ties win out in the end?

What's delightful about Sisterakas is the countless gags that's on the screen at any given moment. Everything is over-the-top: the clothes and set design are very flamboyant, to the point of being garish.

Aside from the visual feast (or visual vomit), the movie also has a lot of humor, mostly coming from its brilliant cast.

A lot of movies have come from the Wenn Deramas-Vice Ganda team-up, but it is only in Sisterakas when I felt that the comedian was in his element. In his previous movies, his performances felt tied to a script, makinghis comedy suffers.

This time, Vice Ganda has been given free reign to do as he wants. You'd feel it in the way his quips are structured, because they are mostly about the actor or actress he is interacting with.

There's just too many too count, but the one I most remember is the scene where Kris Aquino was asking Daniel Matsunaga to sign a contract, and Vice Ganda quips about Kris's annulment. There's also the part where the two bragged about each other's endorsements.

What's good is that the other members of the cast are able to interact well with Vice Ganda. Kris Aquino, for one, shines here because she's willing to trade barbs with the comedian. She's also willing to make fun of herself, and that's always great to see.

Many funny moments also come from Ai-Ai delas Alas, and even from supporting cast member Joey Paras.

But the cast is the mere element that makes this movie more than tolerable. Like in all Wenn Deramas movies, the script is atrocious, chock-full of plotholes, and full of compromises.

The best symptom of this is how the film felt very engineered to gain an audience. There's the casting of a loveteam in Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, and the story of the two felt forced. There's also the casting of a kid in Xyriel Manabat, whose unnecessary to the movie.

All in all, the movie is funny, but only because the cast commits to how stupid it all is.

RATING: 3.5 stars out of 5
SUMMARY: It is funny, but praise the cast for that.

Title: One More Try

Director: Ruel Bayani

Producer: Star Cinema

Distribution: Star Cinema

Date of premiere: December 25, 2012

[NOTE: This review was first published at PEP.ph]

Star Cinema's One More Try asks tough questions. The resulting ethical dilemmas are set up for tragic circumstances, but it only has a minimum pay-off at the end.

One More Try is about Grace (Angel Locsin), a single mother whose child is terminally ill. The only cure left is to get a bone marrow transplant, but Grace is not a match. She then reconnects with Edward (Dingdong Dantes), the child's father with whom she had a fling years ago.

When results arrive and Edward is also not a match, Grace's doctor (Carmina Villaroel) advises Edward to impregnate Grace, in hopes that the child will have the matching bone marrow.

Edward, however, is married to Jacqueline (Angelica Panganiban), and Grace is engaged to Tristan (Zanjoe Marudo). Pretty soon, the doctor's suggestion creates turbulence in the two's romantic relationships.

With One More Try, Star Cinema and ABS-CBN continue its approach of tackling taboo concepts in its entertainment media.

On TV, the Kapamilya company produced Dahil sa Pag-ibig, which tackled celibacy in priesthood, and Ina, Kapatid, Anak, which tackled surrogacy and in-vitro fertilization.

This direction is admirable, as it predilects the topics that will be talked about in the coming months, and their products will be the points of reference.

But despite this, Star Cinema still employs the safe route in its treatment for these issues. One More Try, for instance, is rated R-13 by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, and feels like it was made for that rating, perhaps to garner a higher number of audiences at the tills.

Rendering a tale that tackles a taboo topic on an R-13 script is obviously not the wisest decision. Tales of infidelity need the heat and maturity in order to hit hard and be relevant. It needs to be like In The Realm of the Senses, more than it is like The Notebook.

As it is, One More Try succeeds only because it employs the broadest cliches on how romantic movies work. Sure, both Jacqueline and Tristan get angered with jealousy over Grace and Edward's new arrangement, but there's no sexual tension to deepen this rage. This is probably why everything can easily be whisked away to a predictable happy ending.

What's most praise-worthy about One More Try is the performances of its actors. Angel Locsin and Angelica Panganiban are formidable as women who will do anything for the people they love. Had Thy Womb not make it to this year's MMFF, there is no doubt that either of the two would take home the Best Actress plum. (Nora Aunor deserves the award for a brilliant take on a silently suffering childless woman in Brillante Mendoza's opus.)

Both Dingdong Dantes and Zanjoe Marudo give intense performances, but Dingdong is more believable. In the packed theater that this reviewer watched the movie in, the audiences laughed whenever Zanjoe went into a crying fit.

All in all, One More Try features four credible actors in a controversial story that tackles tough ethical issues. You'd wish it had more bite, though.

RATING: 2.5 stars out of 5
SUMMARY: Tries to be controversial, but it lacks heat.

Title: Shake, Rattle & Roll XIV
Director: Chito Roño

Producer: Regal Films

Distribution: Regal Films

Date of premiere: December 25, 2012

[NOTE: This review was first published at PEP.ph]

Shake, Rattle & Roll is now an annual fixture in the Metro Manila Film Festival.

Since 2005, every edition of the film festival has had the horror anthology. It is a welcome diversion, both for audiences and filmmakers: SRR gives moviegoers an option away from the usual drama, comedy, and fantasy fare that are always present in MMFF, and the short format gives directors a chance to experiment.

This year, Chito Roño was chosen to direct all three segments in Shake, Rattle & Roll 14. For the first time in SRR history, only one director helmed the three horror stories. Perhaps Chito Roño was the right choice for this feat. Aside from having several awards under his belt, he can be lauded for breaking several genre taboos in the 2012 box-office hit The Healing.

In SRR 14, Direk Chito brings three stories to life.

The first segment is "Pamana," written by Ricky Lee.

It tells the story of four cousins who receive news of an inheritance from their deceased uncle, a famous horror writer for comic books. Amidst the group's bickering, the comics writer's creations come to life to test them.

"Pamana" stars Herbert Bautista, Janice de Belen, Arlene Muhlach, Eri Neeman, Dennis Padilla, Empress, Ivan Dorschner, Dimples Romana, Fabio Ide, and Snooky Serna.

The second segment is "Lost Command," written by Rody Vera.

It is about a battalion of soldiers exploring an unknown forest for a secret operation.

"Lost Command" stars Dennis Trillo, Paulo Avelino, Martin Escudero, JC Tiuseco, Alex Castro, AJ Dee, Ronnie Lazaro, Rommel Padilla, Makisig Morales, and Ella Cruz.

The last segment is "Unwanted," written by Roy Iglesias.

It tells the story of the couple Hank and Kate, who get trapped in a mall after it collapses due to mysterious causes. Along the way, they meet several other survivors who help them solve the mystery.

"Unwanted" stars Vhong Navarro, Lovie Poe, Eula Caballero, Albie Casiño, Carlo Aquino, Eric Tai, and Jairus Aquino.

Of the three, "Pamana" is the most solid.

It is brilliantly-executed, and written with references to Filipino horror culture and history, such as the horror comics and the classic horror films. The ensemble cast is also excellent, with Herbert Bautista, Arlene Muhlach, and Janice de Belen leading the fray.

"Lost Command" is just average.

The story may be unoriginal (horror fans may recall the 2004 South Korean horror film R-Point), but the sharp production values and the strong performances from its predominantly all-male cast raise its quality.

Leading the troop is the always-reliable Dennis Trillo, showing enough toughness in a fear-filled situation and depicting perfectly how a soldier should be.

"Unwanted" is the weakest of the three. The grandness of the whole production—there are spaceships and large catastrophes—does not fit the short format.

Lead stars Vhong Navarro and Lovi Poe also confuse with their widely contrasting performances. Vhong infuses his Hank with a comedic vibe, while Lovi creates Kate with a far too serious demeanor.

The even less palatable part of this episode can be found in the ragtag band of supporting characters, none of whom is established well, so that in the end the viewer feels like they only exist to be eaten up by the monsters. A few of them need acting classes, too.

All in all, Shake, Rattle & Roll 14 is a mixed bag. But moviegers should still see it for "Pamana," which is worth the price of the entire ticket.

RATING: 2.5 stars out of 5
SUMMARY: Only one segment is worth seeing.

Title: The Strangers

Director: Lawrence Fajardo

Producer: Quantum Films and MJM Productions

Distribution: Star Cinema

Date of premiere: December 25, 2012

[NOTE: This review was first published at PEP.ph]

Lawrence Fajardo's The Strangers works because of its twist. The film has countless moments that do not make sense, at least until the twist comes along.

This twist is introduced halfway into the film, rebooting what the viewer knows about the characters so far.

Among film genres, horror is considered the hardest to do. It is difficult to terrify audiences. Fear comes from the unfamiliar and the unexpected, and so any director working on a horror flick must always reinvent the wheel.

The twist is one such way. It is, in fact, one of the most utilized techniques to freshen up a horror film. Made popular (but not invented) by director M. Night Shyamalan in the late '90s through the film The Sixth Sense, it is now one of the most-overused elements in modern horror.

Sometimes the twist works (The Others, Oldboy), and sometimes it doesn't (Guni-Guni, Amorosa: The Revenge). The twist in The Strangers is really quite clever.

It makes a lot of sense, and explains away the eerie events and little clues that come before.

Its significance in the film, however, is so large that revealing it will take away any enjoyment viewers will have. It is the big spoiler, and this review should be spoiler-free.

Instead, let us divide the movie like this: pre-twist, post-twist.

Post-twist is infinitely better than pre-twist. All hell breaks loose in the second half, and this is where all the action is.

The pre-twist, sadly, cannot match the post-twist's exuberant scale. In the first half, everything feels like a prelude, a setup of greater things to come.

The Strangers tells the story of a family driving through a province rumored to be rampant with aswang. When the van breaks down in the middle of the road, they have to find ways to escape before the night comes.

The story chugs along crudely because the characters are highly unlikable. Twin siblings Max (Enrique Gil) and Patricia (Julia Montes) do nothing but bicker and fight. Their father Roy (Johnny Revilla) has a hot temper. The mother, Evelyn (Cherry Pie Picache), seems to be neglectful of her children, letting them walk away even though danger is already present.

It is annoying to see these characters make the irrational choices that traditional dumb horror-movie characters make, as if they were seeking their own demise.

Thankfully, there's also Paloma (Janice de Belen), the yaya or caretaker of both Max and Patricia. Janice's Paloma is the movie's comic relief. Her character exists to lighten the film's dark setting.

Janice hits all the right notes here, and her short flirting scene with the driver (Nico Antonio) is downright hilarious.

2012 for Janice de Belen is a good movie year. Before this MMFF entry, she already starred in four movies: as a tough-willed woman in Jose Javier Reyes's Mga Mumunting Lihim, a suffering single mother in The Healing, a brave monster-fighting mom in Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles, and a murderous psychopath in Pridyider. She aced each one.

Actress of the year.

But Janice is not in The Strangers' top billing. Top credits are given instead to four of ABS-CBN’s most popular young stars: Enrique Gil, Julia Montes, JM de Guzman, and Enchong Dee.

Of the four, Enrique and Julia have the most complicated characters. They do acquit themselves in the movie's second half, but the two cannot quite show the complexity of their characters before the twist comes in. In some scenes, Julia just looks bored.

JM de Guzman plays a barrio villager who befriends Patricia. He does fairly well, although you'd wish he had more exposure.

Enchong Dee is the best of the four. He plays a mysterious character who's supposed to hunt monsters. He may not be the focus of the movie, but he gives a convincing performance nonetheless. It is interesting to note Enchong’s transformation in this movie: he sports a beard and looks like a taong grasa living in a muddy forest.

Much of the plot of The Strangers is wrapped in secrecy. Everything hinges on a twist that's quite clever, but ultimately limits the movie from pursuing a better way to tell its story.

Director Fajardo could have chosen to nix the twist in favor of focusing on one plot point, preferably that of Enchong Dee's character. Maybe this needs a sequel?

RATING: 2.5 stars out of 5
SUMMARY: Relied too much on the twist, so the storytelling suffered.

Title: Sosy Problems

Director: Andoy Ranay

Producer: GMA Films

Distribution: GMA Films

Date of premiere: December 25, 2012

Sosy Problems is almost impossible to sit through. It has a horrible story, an unlikable set of characters, and comes off insulting to viewers of all classes.

The intro says this much. Here, a monologue defines the different people in the country's social strata by using narrow and insensitive descriptors: the poor can't buy food, the working class struggles to eat at minimum wage, the middle class can eat three meals but can't buy a snack. Oh, and they all cannot buy cars--the upper middle class can buy cars but only second-hand.

If that monologue is not gratingly insulting, your skin must be too thick. Or you may be too apathetic.

Of course, the people behind Sosy Problems can put up the it-is-only-satire defense as an excuse to all this tripe. But what is it satirizing, exactly? The upper echelons of society, you say, those creatures who do nothing but shop for expensive luxuries and brag about those stuff.

But this movie does nothing of that.

Sosy Problems tells the story of four friends: Lizzie Consunji (Rhian Ramos) is an heir of a hotel franchise, Claudia Ortega (Heart Evangelista) is the daughter of a beauty queen, Margaux Bertrand (Solenn Heussaff) is the daughter of another beauty queen, and Danielle Alvarez (Bianca King), who is the daughter of a politician who has been charged with graft and corruption.

The narrative is all over the place. Lizzie is a disrespectful brat, so her father sends her to the province so she can wise up. Claudia and Margaux are best friends, but they are fighting for the affection of one valet boy. Danielle is aware of her disappearing riches, so she plots to attract a rich boy whom she could marry. 

There's also an overarching plot of the four girls trying to save a polo club from demolition. Of all the narrative threads, this one is the worst.

First off, the four girls initially try to save the polo club because it is the only place where they can hang out exclusively. Second, they show that they don't want the demolition to happen because they despise the new owner, a former yaya or caretaker who married a rich man.

The yaya (brilliantly played by Mylene Dizon) wants to demolish the polo club so she can create a mall for yayas like her, and the elite four is having none of it.

If that doesn't look like blatant classism to you, then you might want to have your heart checked.

The other narrative threads are just as icky, most of all Danielle's. The girl thinks the only way out of her predicament is to marry a rich guy. In the end, she snags one, who pledges to help her corrupt father to get out of jail.

Advocating using riches to get corrupt politicians out of culpability... does this still look like satire to you?

The main problem with this movie, then, is that the characters are just plain unlikable. They do get infused with a worthy cause at the end--that is, to save the polo club for its employees who are losing their jobs--but at that point it already feels artificial.

Watching Sosy Problems makes me remember the infamous line by social party animal Tim Yap, who is also in the movie. In 1997, he gave us this gem: 

"There is this mind-set, which I think is so passe, that says: `The country is in shambles and the country is having a hard time and you are out there partying.' But this generation is guiltless when it comes to that."

This quote best describes Sosy Problems. It encourages an uncaring attitude to the country's ills.

Sosy Problems could have been better if it gave a touch of realism. These are the apathetic sosyal, the people we gossiped about in Chikatime, so where are the juicy scandals and the drug use?

Perhaps GMA Films should have decided to distribute Gino Santos's The Animals instead of producing this crap.

RATING: 0.5 star out of 5
SUMMARY: Unrealistic and awful, insulting, and too apathetic. No wonder it lags at the box office.

Title: Flames of Love

Director: Gigi Alfonso and Baby Nebrida

Producer: Gold Barn Media International

Distribution: Solar Films

Date of premiere: December 12, 2012

Flames of Love came like a thief in the night. This movie has a famous cast and a distinguished distributor, but we barely have heard any promotion for it. It's already showing, but there seems to be no effort to convince viewers that it is worth seeing.

But is it worth seeing? Perhaps. If you like watching daily dramas on local television, those terrible shows that trumpet the same plots again and again, then this may be for you. It's two-hour-and-30-minutes run is an indication of that.

This film exists to push an advocacy, namely for the pro-life side in the RH Bill debates. Included in the film are some snatches of dialogue that promote this view, like how the condom is absolutely not 100% effective, or how promiscuity is not a good trait.

But taking down this film just because of this agenda, when you don't agree with the message, is completely unfair. Similarly, overpraising a film and ignoring its faults just because you agree with its agenda is wrong, too.

I think a movie must be judged on its artistic merit alone.

For instance, I found The Human Centipede 2 to be absolutely disgusting. But director Tom Six claims it is his movie's agenda to be the most revolting horror film that he can ever do. And in the context of exploitation films, The Human Centipede 2 hits all the right notes. I give it a 3.5/5.

So how is Flames of Love, artistically?

Well, it is horrible.

Again, it imitates the awful daily drama shows on local television, and the stories presented seem all too familiar. 

Dina Bonnevie plays a single mother who raises two children away from her adulterous husband (Ricky Davao). Valerie Concepcion tries to lead a normal life despite working as a prostitute to Ricky Davao and Allen Dizon. Allen has a sickly wife who has a hard time bearing a child. Christopher de Leon and Lani Mercado have a happy marriage, until Lani thinks of reconnecting with her old sweetheart.

These many stories lead to the long running time. It's all unnecessary--since some of these stories are treated with less significance anyway, I don't see the point of it.

(One story that should have been chopped is Allen Dizon's family life. It was even given no resolution.)

Characters aren't also well-written. Many of them are supposedly godly, but pepper their dialogue with swear words. Dina Bonnevie had an adulterous husband, but then chooses to egg on her bestfriend (Lani Mercado) to betray her marriage. Valerie Concepcion's boyfriend boasts of being the ultimate playboy, but is really just a one-woman man.

All of these inconsistencies lead to a head-scratching ending: Lani Mercado chooses drive away with her old flame to Subic, while Christopher de Leon chases them. Suddenly, the usually-reserved Lani becomes a slut, saying slutty things to the guy she wants to go to bed with. And when the car goes off a cliff, Lani crawls up the cliff to beg Christopher for forgiveness. Then they kiss under the setting sun, completely forgetting that a guy is burning to death a few meters away from them.

If that isn't the year's most ridiculous car chase scene, I don't know what anything is anymore.

RATING: 2 star out of 5
SUMMARY: Over-long and inconsistent. It makes sense why the mainstream distributor does not seem to want to promote it.

NOTE:

1. I did not take notes so I don't know the character names.

Title: D' Kilabots Pogi Brothers... Weh!?

Director: Soxie Topacio

Producer: APT Entertainment and M-ZET TV Production, Inc.

Distribution: Regal Films

Date of premiere: November 28, 2012

This movie tries too hard to be liked. It takes itself very seriously, and it loses its humor as a result.

D' Kilabots Pogi Brothers... Weh!? feels bipolar as a whole. There are two stories in the movie, and each is treated differently.

Bruno (Wally Bayola) and Justine (Jose Manalo) are brothers who don't exactly like each other. The two are business rivals--Bruno sells lugaw (rice porridge), while Justine sells BBQ. 

The rivalry started when Bruno married Kitty (Pokwang), who was Justine's first love. As a result of the heartbreak, Justine grew a weird allergy to women.

When a pretty balikbayan named Lulu (Solenn Heussaff) comes to the brothers' community, Justine is immediately smitten. Fortunately, Lulu also falls for him. Will this cure Justine's allergy?

The story above already sounds complete, and should result in some hilarious sequences. And yet...

This is where the movie falls apart: Lulu's dad Donald (Tirso Cruz III) is trying to settle a large debt with bigshot Mr. Lucio (Michael de Mesa). Desperate, Donald agrees to give Mr. Lucio his property. The problem is that the land has been paid for by its occupants, one of which is Justine's family.

This second plot point is treated too seriously, and it does not fit the movie. In this narrative thread, the comedic tone the movie employs whenever Justine and Bruno are on screen is abandoned. Instead, we get a pseudo tragic treatment, as if we are watching an advocacy film about the injustices faced by informal settlers.

I watched this movie in a half-packed theater, and I only heard a few laughs. The convoluted plot surely helped in watering down the comedy, but it's not the only reason.

This movie was made after Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola hit it big with a sold-out concert. The two are now some of the country's largest comedians, and it is easy to see why when you watch them in Eat Bulaga!

Yet, they never feel as good in D' Kilabots Pogi Brothers... Weh!?. This is because they were not given a lot of legroom to work their magic. In Eat Bulaga!, they are funny because they are spontaneous and command their jokes. Why were they then forced to act around a lousy script?

If the land-grabbing scenario was abandoned, perhaps the two could have much space to inject their kind of humor.

Fortunately, a few bright spots exist to brighten the picture. Paolo Ballesteros is surprisingly marvelous as a gay character named Tweety, and he steals each scene he's in. Solenn Heussaff also has funny moments as well.

Still, these bright spots are not enough to mask how awful D' Kilabots Pogi Brothers... Weh!? really is.

RATING: 1 star out of 5
SUMMARY: A lousy script takes out all the joy from this movie. 

Title: 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?

Seriously?

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.

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.

This year, Cinemanila has four short film entries.

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Aurora, my aurora by Janus Victoria

In a city where encounters are anonymous, impersonal, and unsatisfying, sometimes the most human connections are born out of the most random collisions. Rhythms can create discord and cacophony or blend into sad sweet harmony, as a lonely taxi driver and a young showbiz aspirant discover. A fare seeking love, an audition gone awry: pulsing through the veins and arteries of the city is the relentless rhythm of time passing with equal regard for those who are swept along and those who are swept away by the beat.

Cast: CLAUDINE DAGANDAN, ROLANDO INOCENCIO, EDWIN SERRANO, HAKIM MANDIA, CHERISH BRILLON, VINCE GROYON

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Ang Prinsesa, ang Prinsipe at si Marlborita (The Princess, the Prince and Marlborita) by Carl Papa

Lonely and stuck inside a tall tower all her life, a princess with long magical hair was given a mysterious gift by strange fairy as she waits for the prince whom she long waited for.

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Kabilang Dulo (The Other End) by Bienvenido Ferrer III

Leo wants to live his life the way he wants it to be, different from what his mother wants for him. The pros and cons of aiming for freedom, as Leo escapes his mother’s “love”.

Cast: NICCO MANALO, BEVERLY SALVIEJO, DIONNE MONSANTO, JUNJUN QUINTANA, VIC ROMANO, OLIVE NIETO, BABY JOSHUA

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Unawa (Sympathy) by Pamela Llanes Reyes

A young girl who works in a fishing village in the province tries to reconnect with her deranged mother in the city however her estranged father convinces her that she has gravely mistaken her mother’s identity.

Cast: MARISSE APOSTOL, KU AQUINO, ANGELI BAYANI, CHERYL HAPALLA, TONY DELA ROSA, LIA TORRALBA

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For Young Cinema Shorts in Competition, please click here.