ALL FILM REVIEWS
'Tokyo Story' REVIEW: Formally Masterful, Profoundly Emotional
Yasujiro Ozu invites audiences not to be intimidated by this storied classic, rewarding them with observations on family and the inevitability of time that still resonate today.
'Lisa Frankenstein' REVIEW: No amount of Pinoy pride is enough to celebrate this great performance by Liza Soberano
‘Lisa Frankenstein’ is an engrossing camp that leaves us chuckling for almost 2 hours. It's arguably the best we’ve ever seen from Liza Soberano because she carried the film, exceeding her Hollywood co-stars. Now showing in theaters.
'And Yet, You Are So Sweet' REVIEW: A failed attempt at shoujo stories
And Yet, You Are So Sweet is a cliché romance that shows us what made shoujo stories decline in the first place, not being able to adapt to present times and its more progressive audience. Watch the other JFF films instead.
'We Made A Beautiful Bouquet' REVIEW: A blossoming romance that blooms at the right time
We Made a Beautiful Bouquet is anchored by the meet-cute premise of two strangers trying to catch the last train home to Tokyo. It’s a love story that knows its audience well and treats them with care and respect.
'The First Slam Dunk' REVIEW: An Exhilarating Hoop Spectacle
The First Slam Dunk stands as a praiseworthy directorial debut from Takehiko Inoue that captures what makes basketball so thrilling to watch while weaving a deeply absorbing narrative about overcoming adversity in order to get that sweet victory.
'Angry Son' REVIEW: Intimacy strewn all over the place
So much of Angry Son is defined by its breadth and sincerity, and yet, the film falters for it.
'Mean Girls (2024)’ REVIEW: More is more and meaner
Mean Girls is not just a mere copy or another adaptation to avoid; it takes everything from the original and amplifies it all into a louder and more “fetch” movie with catchy tunes to boot.
‘GG (Good Game)’ REVIEW: A visually exciting, albeit buggy, local esports film
As the first esports film in the Philippines, GG (Good Game) exposes the often misunderstood and belittled burgeoning industry with visual flair, adrenaline rush, and typical melodrama.
‘The Boy and the Heron’ REVIEW: Miyazaki at his most contemplative and sublime
After 60 years of raising the standards for animation, Studio Ghibli auteur Hayao Miyazaki continues to up the ante with his visionary and expansive storytelling. As an iconic film maestro, he not only creates yet another mesmerizing world on screen but also confronts the profound legacy he has woven throughout his illustrious career.
'Firefly' REVIEW: Made with Care
What Firefly speaks well to its audience is a form of sincere storytelling that fully evokes the ageless feeling of adventure.
‘Rewind’ REVIEW: DongYan can't save this ill-conceived redemption arc
For a film that tries to come off as having Christian values and even haphazardly throws in a silly portrayal of Jesus for extra points, its message is shockingly nihilistic.
'GomBurZa' REVIEW: Boldly written, convincing in form
For a piece of history that, outside of the academe, is not discussed in depth, the film treats its audience to a story accentuated by convincing production design and great performances from its ensemble cast, titular trio aside.
'Mallari' REVIEW: Still Clings to Cliché Tropes But Impresses with Ambitious Storytelling
Instead of opting for a straightforward depiction of the infamous case of the Philippines’ first documented serial killer, Mallari chooses a wild, albeit frustratingly complex, yet enjoyably ambitious approach that may or may not impress you.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ REVIEW: Sympathy for the Abyss
James Wan’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the last breath of a sinking ship. A haze of ideas flashing before one’s eyes without understanding and empathizing with their significance.
'Wonka’ REVIEW: Chalamet, chocolates and childlike wonder
Like the previous movies, ‘Wonka’ plays out as a musical interspersed with magical scenes of chocolate and hope, a constant reminder that everyone with a drive to share their craft with the world gets a golden ticket in life sooner or later.
'Shake, Rattle & Roll Extreme' REVIEW: A dark, blood-soaked, and delicious comeback
A weapon-wielding Iza Calzado, a scene-stealing Esnyr, and a blood-soaked Jane de Leon are some of the features you need to watch out for in the latest Shake, Rattle & Roll installment. After a nine-year hiatus, the horror franchise is now making its comeback, delivering a stacked ensemble, intensified scares, and heightened entertainment.
‘Bernadette’ REVIEW: An offbeat biopic of a politician's wife
‘Bernadette’ has nothing new nor subversive to offer in the genre. Still, the film knows how to have fun and it does just that.
'Peter Von Kant' REVIEW: An ode to Fassbinder
Considering how Fassbinder carefully orchestrated the drama of the ‘The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant’ and framed the shots so beautifully, Ozon's ‘Peter Von Kant’ becomes inferior in nature.
‘Nowhere Near’ REVIEW: Traces of Home in a Foreign Land
Miko Revereza's Nowhere Near shows how colonialism erases entire people and structures, even lineages and histories. There's something so potent and human in this memoir about the fear of statelessness and colonial trauma. It is something so spiritual and metaphysical.
‘Essential Truths of the Lake’ REVIEW: Murkier and murkier truths
Essential Truths of the Lake finds Lav Diaz revisiting moments that are undoubtedly familiar. It’s a story that has been previously presented in more striking fashion, but its present iteration is still an adventure worth diving into.