Author: Wanggo Gallaga

Movie Review: By Focusing on His Humanity, ‘Superman’ Feels Refreshing and New

It’s so refreshing to watch a new Superman movie that doesn’t go over the backstory again. How many times do we have to see Superman’s home world Krypton explode and the young infant Kal-El is sent to Earth to live with humans? What’s refreshing about James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ is that it starts the story in medias res with Superman already having saved Metropolis enough times to be beloved by all and his longtime nemesis Lex Luthor is knee-deep in a new plan to destroy him. In fact, the film starts with Superman in mid-battle and it’s brutal. It kicks off the film with a lot of energy, taking all our expectations and throwing it out the window because everything looks stunning.

But more importantly, what I find truly engaging is Gunn and David Corenswet’s take on the metahuman Superman. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of Christopher Reeve, Henry Cavill, and even Brandon Routh’s portrayals of the iconic hero. But all of their versions carry a lofty, otherworldly goodness that leans heavily into the archetype of the boy scout: infallible and overflowing with kindness. Of course, Cavill’s take is a little darker, a little more tortured, because of Snyder’s grasp of the world but it’s still more than human. But Gunn and Corenswet makes Superman very, very human.

He gets frustrated. Little things bother him. There’s a joy he has when he does something good, like a teen winning an award at school. He can even be a bit cocky, which gives him a bit of an edge. It’s these little touches that makes Corenswet’s Superman so believable, especially when the film tries to paint him as a human being with godlike powers. For the first time, I believe in Superman as a character.

Gunn also manages to build a world where metahumans are a normal part of everyday life. When they battle in the middle of the city, some people stop to stare or take videos, while others run for cover. It’s all part of life in a superhuman world. In one hilarious scene, Clark and Lois (Rachel Brosnahan) share an intimate moment while, in the background, a group of heroes fights a massive creature. It’s probably just another Tuesday in this version of reality.

In the film, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) uses the resources of his billion-dollar empire to try and take down Superman. The caped hero is in hot water because he stopped a war between two nations, the nation that started the conflict being an ally of the United States of America. His intervention has caused a geopolitical mess that has Luthor lobbying for the banning of metahuman activities.

But Superman just wants to do good and in a brilliantly written and performed scene by Corenswet and Brosnahan, Lois interviews Superman and asks him the tough questions about the dangers of overstepping his authority in matters of geopolitics.

This and other events lead to Superman losing the public’s trust, and it’s quite brilliant how Gunn weaves in politics, foreign policy, and social media to become a greater threat than Lex Luthor ever could be. Gunn manages to maintain a sense of whimsy and comedy (which he has mastered in previous comic book films) while using the narrative to allude to real-world issues and forming an allegory for the problems that’s happening in the world and in America today.

By bringing in the importance of public opinion, Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane becomes an active player in the story and not just Superman’s love interest. As a reporter, she has the means to go against Lex Luthor in the public sphere while Superman handles the superhuman threats the comes along.

And Superman is not alone.

‘Superman’ is a big, fun, and fast-paced comic book movie. It’s irreverent, packed with stunning visual effects, and filled with high-flying, high-octane fight scenes. The editing is sharp, quick without ever losing clarity. Corenswet and Hoult are both incredible, and Brosnahan holds her own, never fading into the background. While Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner is bound to become a fan favorite, it’s Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific who might surprise new viewers with a quiet meaty role and has a lot of standout moments.

Superman, as a character, has always been so invincible that writing a story for him for the movies seemed impossible to bring it down a scale to something relatable. It’s always so big and massive because of the power he wields. What James Gunn and his team does is not bring down the scale but amplifies his humanity making ‘Superman’ something new, especially for people like me who has never read his comics.

My Rating:

Catch Superman now in cinemas and see the Man of Steel like you’ve never seen him before. Check showtimes and catch the action on the big screen here.

July 10, 2025
Movie Review: ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Doesn’t Do Anything New to the Franchise but Is Still Great in Parts

Looking for a compelling story outside of ‘Jurassic Park,’ the first film in the franchise, might be asking for a bit too much. The original movie, released in 1993, warned us about the dangers of using science to play God. It served as an allegory for human hubris and how, as the film famously put it, “nature always finds a way.” The films that followed explored similar themes, but the real attraction has always been seeing the dinosaurs interact, engage, and appear as majestic and terrifying as ever. This has remained the main draw of the ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘Jurassic World’ movies. The latest installment, ‘Jurassic World Rebirth,‘ stays true to this formula.

Following the preceding film, ‘Jurassic World Dominion,’ we are now in a world where dinosaurs are part of the culture. Because the environment is no longer suited for them, the dinosaurs stay mostly within the tropical belt near the equator, which have been made illegal for humans to visit or even come near. Once in a while there are still a few left in the mainlands but they are dying out. The pharmaceutical company ParkerGenix recruits a mercenary and a scientist to sneak into one of the islands to retrieve blood samples from three of the largest dinosaurs in the sea, land, and air. They plan to use the genetic code to create a drug that may cure all forms of heart diseases. While on their mission, they come across a family who were travelling the Atlantic by boat but found themselves attacked by one of the aquatic dinosaurs and in a bid to escape, they find themselves right at the island running for their lives.

Story-wise, there’s nothing more generic than what we are given here in ‘Jurassic Park Rebirth.’ Once again, a corporation spends millions of dollars to send a group of people on a suicide mission to retrieve something they shouldn’t, all to create a drug the world desperately needs but will ultimately be sold for profit. In this case, the mercenary Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) and the scientist Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) represent two sides of the ethical debate. Zora is in it for the money, hoping to retire, while Henry wants funding for his team. Museums and dinosaur research are no longer in trend, as public interest has waned, and he dreams of seeing a real dinosaur at least once in his life.

The interplay feels a little thin because the story is rushed, unfolding over just three days. The characters quickly encounter the three dinosaurs they were sent to track while also dealing with a family that ends up caught in the middle. As a result, the plot feels underdeveloped and lacking in depth.

It doesn’t help that the story gets split in two once they reach the island. The characters are separated but maintain the same group composition as when they began. The family is on one storyline and the expedition is on another. The family has the least interesting storyline because they don’t belong in this island or this story. Strategically, you feel that they were put there because they are more “relatable” as characters but we have seen enough of these movies to know that they just don’t belong. You’d rather spend more time with the expedition team, who get the more engaging moments, especially since their mission involves getting close to the dinosaurs to extract blood samples.

Luckily, despite its thin storyline, the film is directed by Gareth Edwards, who knows exactly how to maximize big-budget moments for full effect. The film is action-packed and delivers plenty of thrilling scenes that can keep you on the edge of your seat. Sadly, though, the two best moments with the dinosaurs happen early on in the film – the ocean-dwelling Mosasaur and the high-flying Quetzalcoatlus – that the final act feels belabored and extraneous.

Johansson and Bailey are wonderful foils to follow in this adventure, making their characters feel believable. Mahershala Ali, who plays Duncan Kincaid, Zora’s team leader, is unfortunately underutilized. Everyone else just seems to blend into the scenery and can’t find their spot underneath the shadow of the dinosaurs when Edwards has them in his frame.It’s a pretty straightforward and decent film within the franchise. It doesn’t feel as bloated as the other films in the ‘Jurassic World’ franchise and has a lot of homages to the first movie – much like composer Alexandre Desplat incorporating the original John Williams score into his work.

My Rating:

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ is now showing in cinemas. Check showtimes and catch the action on the big screen!

July 9, 2025
Disney+ Streaming Review — There’s Great Promise and Potential from ‘Ironheart’ but They Don’t Have Enough Episodes to Fully Realise It

Debuting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in ‘Wakanda Forever,’ Riri Williams, also known as Ironheart, was portrayed as a genius on par with Tony Stark, but without any of his privilege. After the events of that film, her streaming series follows the aftermath of her involvement with major MCU characters. She trained and learned under Shuri in Wakanda and earned a scholarship to study at MIT. However, her determination to build an iron suit to protect the people she loves, drawn from a trauma involving her best friend and her father, mirrors the same determination Tony Stark had during ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron,’ and we know how that turned out. Her recklessness and unorthodox, even illegal, methods of funding her research lead to her expulsion from MIT, forcing her to return to Chicago and start over.

The premise is incredible. The MCU has introduced so many people who had strong support system from the get-go. Tony Stark had generational wealth. Black Panther, both T’Challa and Shuri, had the kingdom of Wakanda and all its resources at their disposal. Doctor Strange had access to the vast libraries of Kamar-Taj. Even Steve Rogers had the backing of the U.S. government, while Sam Wilson had the support of Stark Industries at one point. It’s refreshing to see a character who is just as brilliant as these characters but has to hustle and even do less than savory things just to be able to do some good.

Ironheart/Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Television’s IRONHEART, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel. © 2025 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.

It’s a metaphor for how marginalized sectors of America are sometimes forced to go against their nature in order to rise through the ranks and do what they believe is right. It’s an irony, but also a symptom of the systems in place that forces the underprivileged, especially people of color, most notably Black communities, to struggle against seemingly unbeatable odds.

Riri Williams/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Television’s IRONHEART, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel. © 2025 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.

This makes Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) an interesting character to watch. She’s tough and unapologetic. She’s isolated, even from the people who love her, because she’s so used to fighting and is afraid to deal with loss again. While her end goal is that of the righteous and of the good, she’s willing to break the rules to achieve it. This is all punctuated by the fact that she’s still a teenager. Filled with emotions, she hasn’t yet learned to see the bigger picture. At some point in the show, she refuses to be called a hero. She’s selfish and self-possessed, another byproduct of her age, her environment, her history, and her intellect. And that’s exactly what makes her so compelling to watch.

Riri Williams/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Television’s IRONHEART, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel. © 2025 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.

And it’s because of this that the Disney+ series ‘Ironheart’ is so disappointing. A show like this – that talks about her past trauma, her struggles with securing funding and being taken seriously, and her constant battle against a system that keeps beating her down, deserves more than just six episodes. It needs more time to fully explore these themes and to fully develop her character.

Riri Williams/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Television’s IRONHEART, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel. © 2025 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.

At just six episodes, the show rushes through so many narrative beats that it feels incomplete and underdeveloped. ‘Ms. Marvel’ and ‘Hawkeye,’ two other MCU Disney+ shows, managed to keep their narratives cohesive by focusing on personal themes and staying squarely on character development. ‘Ironheart,’ on the other hand, punches big. But without the episodes to fully explore the underground tech world that Riri has to scour through to rebuild her armor or fully realise the fragile dynamic between her and her mother and the other characters in the show who she feels very strongly about, or the mystical nature of the villain and his own take of disrupting the system. It feels unfair for ‘Ironheart’ to not be given the space the story they chose to tell needs to be able to fully flesh out the whole narrative.

Parker Robbins/The Hood (Anthony Ramos) in Marvel Television’s IRONHEART, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel. © 2025 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.

But there are a lot of good things in it. As Riri joins The Hood (Anthony Ramos) and his gang to afford rebuilding her suit,she engages in capers that target billionaires. There’s the element of the caper genre that plays nicely to this level of super heroics (though technically, she’s one of the bad guys). Her relationship with her mom (Anji White) could have potentially been a wonderful tender spot for the show if they really gave it more time to develop and grow as well as her relationship with her AI, NATALIE (Lyric Ross), who somehow managed to become the exact persona of her late best friend. And then there’s her engagement with a black-market hoarder of tech, Joe McGillicuddy (Alden Ehrenreich). Riri and Joe’s interactions are the most fully fleshed-out narrative in this show because they are an excellent counterpoint for each other but when Joe gets tangled up in all of Riri’s shenanigans and it affects him squarely, his own individual narrative arc feels rushed and underdeveloped, as well.

IRONHEART

There’s a lot of action here, some really good story beats, and some excellent acting from Thorne, White, Ross, and Ehrenreich but the show really needed an extra four episodes or even six to fully embrace this world. Riri, for someone without any funds, seems to manage to quickly rebuild her suit time and time again when that was the central premise from the beginning. I liked ‘Ironheart’ for its promise and its potential, but I know that it could have been better.

Ironheart/Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) in Marvel Television’s IRONHEART. Photo courtesy of Marvel. © 2024 MARVEL. All Rights Reserved.

There’s a lot of action here, some really good story beats, and some excellent acting from Thorne, White, Ross, and Ehrenreich. But the show really needed an extra four, or even six, episodes to fully embrace this world. Riri, for someone without any resources, somehow manages to rebuild her suit over and over again, even though the lack of funding was the central premise from the beginning. I liked ‘Ironheart‘ for its promise and potential, but I also know it could have been so much better.

My Rating:

Think it deserved more episodes too? Catch Ironheart on Disney+ and decide for yourself if Riri Williams is ready to take flight as the MCU’s next tech hero.

June 27, 2025
Movie Review: Leaning Into the Camp, ‘M3GAN 2.0’ Sidelines Horror and Leans Into Comedy and a Whole Lot of Action

Right from the start, ‘M3GAN 2.0’ immediately shifts gears by giving us a prologue featuring a new robot that will play opposite M3GAN in an action-packed scene involving a military operation. We’ve all seen it in the trailers: AMELIA is a military weapon using the same technology as M3GAN, but as she becomes self-aware, she uses her abilities to return to the United States and wipe out the people who created her. We then catch up with the main characters, Gemma and Cady, two years after their ordeal in the first movie. While Gemma has become a staunch advocate for AI regulation and of active participation in parenting, Cady has grown into a prickly preteen (now 12 years old) who has taken up aikido and feels resentful toward Gemma for being, ironically, too busy to be more involved in her life.

Director and screenwriter Gerard Johnstone flexes his comedic flair by laying down farcical moments and allowing the scenes to fully bring out the comic and satirical tone of the film, all while building the tension of AMELIA closing in on Gemma. However, that danger feels more in line with the conventions of action and suspense than of horror. While ‘M3GAN 2.0’ remains gruesome and brutal, it is more hard-hitting than it is spooky.

(from left) Gemma (Allison Williams) and M3GAN in M3GAN 2.0, directed by Gerard Johnstone.

Of course, M3GAN is still around, and she comes back with a vengeance. Now, she’s more self-aware, and this is presented through her snarkier attitude and less restrained behavior toward everyone except Cady. She knows what they did to her, and she is unafraid of ruffling feathers. This makes for some great comebacks and very campy moments.

The film doesn’t shy away from the things that made the first movie so enjoyable. What it does is add bigger set pieces, larger action sequences, and a plot that gets bigger, weirder, and more explosive. If you regularly read my reviews, you know I don’t always think that bigger is better, but in this case, it works. For camp to be truly campy, it needs ambition. And this bursts through the ceiling the first film built, going over and beyond what we expected it to be and that’s perfectly fine.

But surprisingly, through its satirical take on the AI rush, the movie explores several compelling insights about the ethical use of AI and the dangers it can bring. An early sequence set in Gemma’s house, which is equipped with smart AI technology, shows how it becomes a threat to everyone inside when one of the robots takes control of the entire infrastructure. Everything from cabinets and refrigerators to even the robot vacuum becomes dangerous.

(from left) Gemma (Allison Williams) and Tess (Jen Van Epps) in M3GAN 2.0, directed by Gerard Johnstone.

Even Gemma’s shift into developing human enhancement hardware, which is meant to help disabled people walk again and make work easier and more efficient for blue-collar laborers, is shown to be dangerous if taken over by an outside source.

M3GAN in M3GAN 2.0, directed by Gerard Johnstone.

Sure, ‘M3GAN 2.0’ has a lot of fun with two deranged robots going at it, and we get a kick out of all the fight sequences and punchlines, but the film also underlines the real dangers of turning our world AI-dependent. There are no safeguards for what might happen if AI technology ever becomes self-aware, or if another human being takes that technology and uses it for their own purposes. The military is always the first suspect.

At the same time, the film manages to shed light on the importance of active parenting and not relying on gadgets to do the job of real people. We are too locked in to our phones and the internet. We have forgotten how to be human and how to interact with each other as humans. Some of the most interesting moments come from the evolving dynamic between Gemma and M3GAN.

Ivanna Sakhno as Amelia in M3GAN 2.0, directed by Gerard Johnstone.

I’m very happy that ‘M3GAN 2.0’ didn’t try to take itself seriously. By doing so, the filmmakers presented a film that is laugh-out-loud funny while still driving home the message about the dangers of unethical, unregulated AI development.

My Rating:

Curious to see what happens when killer AI meets campy fun and over-the-top action? Catch M3GAN 2.0 in cinemas now. Check showtimes and book your tickets here.

June 26, 2025
Theater Review: Dissecting Friendship A Review of Repertory Philippines’ ‘Art’

The multi-awarded French play ‘Art’ by Yasmina Reza, translated into English by Christopher Hampton, has opened in Manila through Repertory Philippines under the direction of Victor Lirio. A comedy that unfolds in one act with no intermission and runs for nearly 90 minutes, the play centers on three friends whose friendship goes under intense scrutiny when one buys an odd, very expensive piece of artwork.

Serge (played by Martin Sarreal), Marc (Freddy Sawyer), and Yvan (Brian Sy) have been friends for 15 years. Trouble begins when Serge buys an “Antrios painting” for 200,000 francs, a white painting with some shades of off-white, which Marc considers a complete waste of money. Marc and Serge argue about the purchase, buttons are pushed, and sharp words are exchanged. Both friends turn to Yvan, hoping he will mediate, but Yvan prefers to take a softer approach, telling each one what they want to hear. After all, Yvan is about to get married and he’s got troubles of his own that’s brewing.

Yvan (played by Brian Sy) and Serge (played by Martin Sarreal) | Photo by: Joel H. Garcia

Without an intermission, the play runs through several scenes: duets, monologues, and a final extended gathering of the three characters, where they finally confront each other head-on. At first, the conflict seems to be about the painting, a debate over classicism versus post-modernism but beneath the surface, it’s way more than that. In order to truly address the issue, their relationship is placed under a microscope. What we witness is a friendship being renegotiated. Fifteen years is a long time. They’ve changed. Dynamics have shifted, but they haven’t been honest with themselves about it.

Written by French playwright Yasmina Reza and translated by British playwright Christopher Hampton, this witty and sharp one-act play features three long-time friends Marc (Sawyer), Yvan (Sy), and Serge (Sarreal)
| Photo by: Joel H. Garcia

The play in itself is funny. There’s a lot of use of repetition – characters repeating what the other is saying as a means to heighten tension and humour – and the three friends can be very catty, using their personal history to make barbed remarks at the other’s expense. I don’t know why I want to say it’s very French, even though I’ve only seen three French plays (translated into English) but it has that appeal and charm.

Yvan (played by Brian Sy) and Marc (played by Freddy Sawyer) | Photo by: Joel H. Garcia

But watching the opening night of the show, I was having a hard time connecting with the piece. Martin Sarreal, a Filipino British actor who is living in Britain, and the Brit actor Freddy Sawyer have a very English attack on the characters. Their accents are on full display while Brian Sy speaks naturally without an English inflection. The delivery of Sarreal and Sawyer are razor-sharp but dry. It’s cold while Sy has the Filipino warmth to his Yvan. Because of these tonal differences, I had such a hard-time seeing the three as friends for 15-years.

Yvan (played by Brian Sy) and Serge (played by Martin Sarreal) | Photo by: Joel H. Garcia

Because of the brutality of each one’s verbal attack, and the coldness to which the two more active characters take their offensive, it felt like they hadn’t been friends for a long while now and this approach feels like it loses some of the play’s charm. It’s so vicious that I wonder how they even made it to this point. When I imagine it as French – I’ve never been to France and have only spoken to very few French people, but I am basing it on a lot of French cinema I’ve seen and the caricatures that are presented on comedy shows – and I imagine that the snobbish and aloof stereotype of the French could get away with such stinging remarks of a friend. But Sy has so much warmth that it amplifies the cold British dry humour of Sarrel and Sawyer that I felt the play’s exploration of friendship wasn’t hitting the right cues.

Freddy Sawyer plays Marc | Photo by: Joel H. Garcia

There are other aspects of the show that confused me, like how the play begins with a movement piece between the three friends that interpret as an imagery of their friendship over time. It’s such a strange place to start when the play in itself is so verbose and articulate. Most of the time, the characters stay on set, and listen to each other’s monologues, which removes the privacy and intimacy of some of what is being said.

I really love Sarreal’s laser-sharp focus and Sawyer’s ability to portray Marc’s posturing. I’ve also always been a fan of everything Sy has done, both on stage and in film. However, I didn’t really see the connection on the opening night. The play in itself is funny and surprising, and I’m hoping that later shows will flesh out their relationship more.

My Rating:

See this acclaimed production brought to life by a powerhouse cast and a globally seasoned creative team. Art runs exclusively at REP’s Eastwood Theater until June 29. Catch it before the final curtain call. Buy tickets at Ticketworld or Ticketmelon.

June 23, 2025
Theater Review: Virgin Labfest XX: ‘Set E: Panghimagas’ Is Truly a Standout Set of Plays

I got to watch the revisited plays of the Virgin Labfest XX: Hinog this year, specifically Set E, which is entitled ‘Panghimagas.’ As someone who has always wanted to go but never seemed to catch the annual festival of brand-new one-act plays, it was a nice way to finally catch a set as this set features standout works from previous years. Held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines‘ Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, each play runs about 30 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission between plays to allow for stage designs and props adjustments for the for the next play.

Not having seen a Virgin Labfest in over five years, I had forgotten how magical it is to witness new work being presented, even if Set E features plays that are a year or two old. These pieces still speak powerfully to the contemporary mindset. As these are standout productions, there was no question that each one hit hard, whether it was comic or tragic in theme.

Identite

Written by Jhudiel Clare D. Sosa
Directed by Meann Espinosa
Cast: Ash Nicanor and Kitsi Pagaspas

This surprising comedic play about a mother discovering her daughter’s dildo is a definite crowd-pleaser. The play tackles the generation gap surrounding the attitudes on sex positivity. When the mother finds her daughter’s stash of sex toys, the two go head-to-head about values and morals and social norms. It’s all played for laughs and even the mother becomes almost a caricature of the conservative, traditional Filipina who doesn’t even realise that sex can be pleasurable. Through the play, a discussion is presented; a bridge between the youth’s more liberal attitudes about sex and self-pleasure and the more repressed ideologies about women and their own desires.

The dramatic situation is funny enough, but Meann Espinosa directs Nicanor and Pagaspas to really go for the laughs. It’s played for comedy, and you can hear the whole audience erupting in laughter at every punchline. Pagaspas fully embodies the caricature, even punctuating her provincial accent (I think it’s a Batangueno accent) to really emphasize her rural mindset. It even gets physical as the women chase each other around. I’m wondering, though, how this would play it with a more restrained approach. The play is funny as it is, would it be stronger to not punch the punchlines?

As a progressive person who grew up with liberal, sex-positive parents, I wished the daughter (played by the magnetic Ash Nicanor) stood her ground more and the play didn’t try to find a compromise that coddled the elder woman’s feelings but, tonally and culturally, it is pitch-perfect to the Filipino experience. We always acquiesce to our parents and them taking a tiny step forward to understanding us while the younger generation takes huge steps to accommodate their feelings is part of why the Filipino family bond is so strong.

Pagkapit sa Hangin

Written by Joshua Lim So
Directed by Jose Estralla
Cast: Elora Espano, Wenah Nagales, Tim Mabalot, Gold Villar-Lim

Set at a provincial hospital in the middle of the COVID epidemic, a doctor and two nurses must make a choice on which lives to save when the supply of oxygen tanks run out. Exhausted, drained physically and emotionally, the trio must make an impossible decision as the means for sustaining the lives of their patients have become limited. While they devise a plan, one of the patient’s guardian has taken notice and a debate about who gets to live, and die erupts.

Pagkapit sa Hangin | Photo: Chari Villegas

Dressed in PPE, Espano, Nagales and Mabalot imbibe the tiredness of their characters. They are too tired to hope, to think clearly. You can see it in their gait, their posture, their line delivery. They are running on adrenaline. It’s wonderful if it weren’t so real and even if the pandemic is just two and a half years behind us, it’s still too soon. It immediately grants this production weight. As things start to unravel, the play unfolds the human drama of having to make a decision on who gets to survive. It’s riveting. Estrella’s direction keeps the energy flowing as the tension rises when Villar-Lim’s guardian begins to undermine the medical team’s decisions as it directly affects her father, who is least likely to survive his current condition.

At 30 minutes, the play feels like a lifetime. Joshua Lim So’s script makes no judgment on his characters but manages to show each one at their breaking point. The play doesn’t provide an answer but shows us what we are made of when were forced to make impossible decisions. It felt like I was holding my breath the entire run of the show.

Sa Babaeng Lahat

Written by Elise Santos
Directed by Caisa Borromeo
Cast: Jam Binay, Francesca Dela Cruz, Yanni Lopez

Sa Babaeng Lahat | Photo: Dulcinea Zulueta

A hilarious coming-of-age story set in an all-girl’s Catholic high school, ‘Sa Babaeng Lahat’ is a brilliant exploration of young girl’s navigating their faith and sexuality as they are hit by puberty. The religious, sheltered Marie believes she is pregnant with God’s child, the next Immaculate Conception, while her best friend Regina struggles with her feelings with the school’s resident tomboy, Gab, who actively flirts with her.

Sa Babaeng Lahat | Photo: Dulcinea Zulueta

Wonderfully directed by Borromeo, she allows Binay, Dela Cruz, and Lopez to really explore their characters and embody the highs and lows of young girls turning into young women. Jam Binay’s Marie could easily fall into a trap of the conservative idiot, but she infuses Marie with so much sincerity and charm that we see that she’s a victim of being misinformed or not properly educated at all. She’s not naive for comic’s sake but it’s coming from a deep-seated issue that is still prevalent until now. Yanni Lopez’s Gab is so fully realized that she comes off as authentic and true.

Sa Babaeng Lahat | Photo: Dulcinea Zulueta

And while all three are amazing and show off great chemistry with each other, this play is Francesca Dela Cruz’s through and through. Her Regina is a force of nature. She’s acerbic, mean, prickly but Dela Cruz has so much charisma that we can see that it’s all a facade, hiding something deeper within. While all three show impeccable comedic timing, Dela Cruz takes Regina and runs away with it turning her into a whirlwind that has the whole audience in stitches. It’s a powerful display of a great stage presence without making it look like a performance. Borromeo did a wonderful job at directing them that the comedy flows, the chemistry works, and the issues about shame, faith, youthful desires, and queer acceptance doesn’t get lost amongst the laughs.

My Rating:

VIRGIN LABFEST XX: HINOG is ongoing until June 29, 2025, at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater). Festival passes are available at the CCP Box Office, or you can get your tickets through TicketWorld and Ticket2Me.

June 21, 2025
Movie Review: The Unexpected Duality of ‘28 Years Later’

What is most surprising about director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland’s 28 Years Later is the tender heart beneath the story. Considering both are known for their hard-hitting approaches to the subjects of their films, the third installment in the trilogy that began with their collaboration 28 Days Later does not hold back on the tension and horror. However, after the first hour, it shifts direction to bring us something poignant and intimate in the second half.

As indicated by the title, the story is set 28 years after the rage virus destroyed the United Kingdom. The world was able to contain the pandemic within the UK and has since moved on, but anyone left in the country must fend for themselves. On a small island off the coast of Scotland, a community is thriving. Remote and accessible only by a causeway that disappears when the tide is high, the community has found a way to survive. Here, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is taking care of his sick wife, Isla (Jodie Comer), and their 12-year-old son, Spike (Alfie Williams). In this town, part of the children’s education includes learning to fight and protect themselves from the infected. Jamie is taking Spike to the mainland, against the elders’ wishes, as the rite of passage usually happens at 14 or 15, so he can make his first kill.

In Scotland, the infected are scattered. Without the rush of industry and civilization, Boyle and Garland imagine the rich, bountiful Scottish landscape as a forest primeval. Jamie is preparing Spike for more adult responsibilities. What appears to be a father-and-son hunting expedition is actually a test of Spike’s survival instincts, stamina, and his ability to stay calm and collected.

An infected in Columbia Pictures’ 28 YEARS LATER.

Of course, things do not go as planned. They are chased by a pack of infected, now led by a bigger, stronger one who is smarter than the rest, whom they have called Alpha.

Jamie and Spike are forced to spend the night on the mainland before they can attempt to return, hoping that the low tide has made the causeway passable. Throughout the first hour of the film, the atmosphere is filled with tension and suspense. And despite Taylor-Johnson’s charm, his character Jamie is marked by a toxic masculinity that contrasts with Spike’s more gentle nature.

As the relationship between father and son becomes more and more fractured, Spike takes it upon himself to bring his mother back to the mainland after discovering that there is a doctor there who may have gone insane. The second half of the film is the reverse of the first, with the tenderness between mother and son providing a striking counterpoint. They have their own misadventures, but it is the contrast between both parents makes the movie what it is.

There’s a highly stylized filmmaking approach that Danny Boyle takes for ‘28 Years Later.’ His fast-paced editing intercuts scenes with gory images and old video footage, creating a link between the past and the present. This broken world has been broken before. This is not an unfamiliar world. These dangers, and the means of survival, are nothing new. It makes for a stirring watch – not to mention there are fantastic sequences that are wonderfully cinematic including the traverse through the causeway.

The music by Young Fathers and the exceptional sound design make this world feel visceral and emotional. It never stops, even in its quiet, somber, and tender moments. When they finally meet the doctor (Ralph Fiennes), the story shifts in an unexpected direction and features impressive production design elements that turn the film into a visually stunning cinematic experience.

Taylor-Johnson and Fiennes are amazing, and Williams grounds the film by reminding us that he is portraying a 12-year-old so his choices are less rational and more idealistic. He is an amazing anchor for the film and hits the right buttons. However, it is Jodie Comer who completely steals the spotlight in the latter half of the film, revealing the beautiful heart at the center of this story.

This is not the film I was expecting to see, but I enjoyed every bit of it. It is character-driven, and the world-building is solid as it expands the lore behind the infected. It teases a sequel and there’s talk about a new trilogy to follow starting with this one. I was pleasantly surprised by this film, and I am in it for the rest of the ride.

My Rating:

Witness the evolution of fear and survival. 28 Years Later is now in cinemas. Check showtimes and book your tickets here.

June 18, 2025
Theater Review: What the World Could Be Like: A Review of ‘Come From Away’

Despite its massive success on both Broadway and the West End, I never really took notice of ‘Come From Away’ before. As an old-school musical fan, I’m always cautious and wary of new musicals because I fear I won’t like them. But every new musical I’ve seen has proved me wrong, from ‘Waitress’ to ‘Hamilton’ to ‘Six’. There’s a special kind of joy in stepping into a theater to watch a musical you know nothing about. The whole experience feels amplified, and the emotions hit even harder.

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Coming into the Samsung Performing Arts Theater on the show’s opening night, I saw the floors leading up to the theater filled with background information about the play and realized that ‘Come From Away’ is a play about September 11. I felt a little fear. My anti-West mindset started to get the better of me and I thought this was going to be another story about American resiliency or something equally overplayed. I stopped reading the boards, got to my seat, and psyched myself up for the show, which I knew had a great cast at the very least.

I was immediately taken in from the opening number. ‘Come From Away’ is a 9/11 story, but it tells the story of a Newfoundland town called Gander. It had the largest international airport back when planes didn’t have enough fuel to cross the Atlantic. Airplanes would land there to refuel before continuing their journey, but by the 2000s, it was practically empty. Planes just flew over it. But not on that day. Thirty-eight planes were redirected to land in Gander, bringing over 7,000 passengers to a town with a population of just 9,000. The musical is a retelling of these events, based on interviews with both the passengers and the townsfolk, and it captures the six days when 7,000 people were treated with kindness and generosity in a world that had just been shaken to its core by the horrific events of that day.

The cast of 14 all play dual roles. By putting on a jacket, a hat, or an apron, they shift characters from one of the townsfolk to a passenger, changing accents and internalizing either the stress of being hospitable while the town and its neighbors struggle with limited resources due to the sudden arrival of 7,000 people, or the mindset of someone who suddenly cannot return home, finding themselves in a strange place, surrounded by strangers, with no idea what is going on.

Some characters really stand out on stage, like Carla Guevarra Laforteza’s Hannah, one of the passengers whose son is a first responder in New York, and Garrett Bolden’s Bob, a Black passenger who finds himself suspicious of Newfoundland’s lack of racism. For the first time, he is being treated like everybody else, and this confounds him. Topper Fabregas does an exemplary job playing Kevin, a gay man who is struggling to adjust to his new surroundings, as well as Ali, a Middle Eastern man who everyone is afraid of. As Kevin, Fabregas gets the most laughs, but as Ali, he earns the most sympathy.

Directed by Michael Williams, the cast keeps the stage alive and busy, shifting between characters as they change costumes and weave in and out of the story. We see couples fall apart, others fall in love, a pilot reflect on how the catastrophe has changed everything about the airline industry, two women bond over their shared love for their sons who happen to have the same job, a woman go above and beyond by even thinking of the animals, and so much more.

There is so much happening, but what resonates throughout the show is the depth of humanity in this moment. The way the people of Gander and the neighboring towns come together, setting aside their differences to ensure that their guests feel welcome and cared for, is powerful. It is one of the most human experiences I have ever witnessed while watching a play. The songs, written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, can be bold, fun, and energetic, but they also know when to turn quiet and introspective. In one song, several characters ask to pray. Since the guests come from different faiths, they sing all their prayers in a musical blend that reveals a beautiful truth: all prayers share the same essence, and we are as alike as we are different.

The choreography by Delphine Buencamino is vibrant and dynamic, and Kayla Teodoro’s stage design is intriguing, keeping the focus on center stage where the actors make everything come to life. It is such a powerful piece that, for its approximately 90+ minute runtime (with no intermission), you are completely immersed in that world. By the end of the show, I was holding back my tears.

It is incredible how a theatrical performance can make me wish the world were more like this. As the crowds exited after the curtain call, people were talking about how closely this resembles Filipino hospitality. The world is currently a mess, and a show like this, based on actual events and interviews with the people who lived through it, reminds us that it really does not take much to be kind, generous, and grateful for one another. I am so glad I caught this show.

My Rating:

Experience this unforgettable story live on stage. Catch Come From Away before it takes its final bow! The show is now playing at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater until June 29. Book your tickets now on TicketWorld!

June 14, 2025
Movie Review: Fighting Like a Girl: A Review of ‘Ballerina’

While the first ‘John Wick’ was definitely a surprise, it was a revenge film with great action sequences that elevated the genre while still managing to show a lot of heart. Its sequels only upped the ante with even more fantastic action sequence and expanding an unbelievable world filled with assassins. By the second film, it had already embraced a sense of camp. Seriously, how many assassins can there be? But it never took itself too seriously, fully aware that what it offered was action that pushed the boundaries of what could be done within the genre.

‘Ballerina’ offers more of the same. The story is quite familiar. It’s a revenge tale set in the world of John Wick, promising a lot of hard-hitting action sequences with Ana de Armas front and center as the titular character. The film begins with our main character, Eve (played as a child by Victoria Comte), in hiding with her father (David Castañeda), but they are soon discovered. A major fight breaks out, and Eve learns she is being targeted by a man known as The Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne). Her parents were once part of a cult, and her father tried to take her away in hopes of giving her a normal life. However, no one leaves the cult. The Chancellor wants her back, but Eve’s father fights to keep her safe. He succeeds, but dies in the process.

Ana de Armas as Eve in Ballerina. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate

Taken in by Winston (Ian McShane), she is brought to the Ruska Roma, her father’s “family,” and Eve decides to become one of their assassins and bodyguards. She trains and thrives, but during one assignment, she is attacked by another assassin and notices a tattoo on him that resembles those worn by The Chancellor’s men. When she confronts the head of the Ruska Roma (Anjelica Huston), she is told to stand down, as there is an uneasy truce between their faction and the cult. Naturally, Eve goes rogue to hunt them down and take her revenge.

Ian McShane as Winston and Ana de Armas as Eve in Ballerina. Photo Credit: Larry D. Horricks for Lionsgate

Under the direction of Len Wiseman (of the ‘Underworld’ franchise and ‘Live Free and Die Hard’) and screenwriter Shay Hatten, ‘Ballerina’ doesn’t linger on the emotional aspects, relying instead on clichéd moments. It never truly explores Eve’s relationship with her father or the depth of their connection. These elements are taken for granted. The film also avoids examining the emotional conflict Eve might feel as she becomes a killer. This is not that kind of film. What it does show is the toughness Eve adopts as her past shapes her present: she’s cold-hearted killer who is quick on her feet and can take a punch.

Anjelica Huston as The Director in Ballerina. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate

Len Wiseman is very good with action. He allows us to see the brutality of each fight and frames the scenes so that we get the full range of motion with every punch and kick. It’s bloody, gory, and ruthless. With three other ‘John Wick’ films already released, Wiseman needs to find a way to keep things fresh and surprising, because at some point, it feels like we’ve seen it all. In this story, Ana de Armas’ Eve is not as seasoned as John Wick. She’s only months out of training, so she still makes mistakes. She gets beaten and takes hits, but the training montage early in the film shows us why she can recover so quickly. Sure, there are blows that no one should be able to get up from, but this is a ‘John Wick’ movie. Of course they get back up.

Ana de Armas as Eve in Ballerina. Photo Credit: Larry D. Horricks

There is an attempt to frame the movie with a feminist lens. In a training sequence, Eve’s mentor Nogi (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) tells her that she always loses because a man will always have the physical advantage. She advises her to do whatever it takes to win: improvise, cheat, set the terms of the engagement, and never fight on their terms. She tells her to “fight like a girl.” And then, Eve starts to win. What’s funny is that, aside from this one bit of dialogue, we don’t actually see her do anything noticeably different from what she was doing before. Yes, she improvises, but so did John Wick. They even bring in Amy Lee of Evanescence to perform a song called Fight Like a Girl for the closing credits. It’s all fair and fine, but it doesn’t quite deliver the feminist perspective the film seemed to be aiming for.

Norman Reedus as Daniel Pina in Ballerina. Photo Credit: Larry D. Horricks for Lionsgate

What the film does show, however, is how hard Ana de Armas worked to make everything look fun, believable, and thrilling. She moves like a champ, and with the choreography, sound design, and strong performances, she really takes a beating. Yet she gets back up again and keeps going. That, in itself, feels more feminist than any contrived appeal meant to speak directly to the women in the audience.

The plot is pretty by-the-books and rather thin, but we’re not here to watch a film with a serious story. We’re here for the action, and the film delivers on that, hands down. There’s even an extended fight sequence with a flamethrower that turned out to be one of the most cinematic moments I’ve seen in an action film. It genuinely surprised me. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, but I had a lot of fun. And I was nervous about Keanu Reeves returning as John Wick, but the way it was written didn’t take anything away from Ana de Armas. Instead, it helped show that Eve is not yet on John Wick’s level, but she could be. And since the film ends with an ellipsis, we know a sequel is likely if this one makes money. I’m all in for it.

My Rating:

Ballerina is now showing, serving up killer moves and nonstop action in the world of John Wick. Catch all the thrills on the big screen. Check showtimes and book your tickets here.

June 13, 2025
Movie Review: Another Kind of Love Story: A Review of ‘Only We Know’

I think anyone who has been following my reviews knows that I’m a big fan of Irene Emma Villamor. Other than that, one movie, I’ve always enjoyed her approach to love stories. She likes to really dig deep and explore the way broken people seem to gravitate to each other; trying to figure out if this relationship would be the one to fix them and as the movie progresses, they discover through each other that there’s still a lot of self-reflection they must do before they can find happiness. Her works always have a measure of violence in them: whether it be emotional (‘Sid & Aya: Not a Love Story’ and ‘On Vodka, Beers, and Regrets’) or the actual threat of danger (‘You and Me and the End of the World’). So, it was my pleasant surprise to find that ‘Only We Know’ to be Direk Irene’s most tender work yet. Out of all her movies – including ‘Ulan’ – this has the warmest heart.

Set in Tagaytay, Betty (Charo Santos) and Ryan (Dingdong Dantes) are neighbours. In the many years that they’ve lived beside each other; they have barely interacted. But as the film begins, Betty retires from her teaching position and is now spending a lot of time at home, tending her garden and painting. Ryan, on the other hand, is still grieving the passing of his wife (Max Collins), and has become reclusive, drinking all the time, and only leaving for work or to buy more spirits. Their first encounter is awkward, but Betty is a nurturing, caring person and she takes it upon herself to invite Ryan to dinner at her place. In each other they find a kindred soul. There’s an emptiness that the other manages to fill and a friendship begins to blossom; one that potentially can lead into something more.

And this is what is so endearing about Villamor’s film. She takes her time to show us Betty and Ryan’s world. The lives that they lead and how the other fills the gaps that their personal stories have put upon them. The film is not concerned about plot. It takes on a slice-of-life narrative, showing us how one’s grief can break someone and how another can ease the longing. While retirement can bring up issues of loneliness and how the other can bring surprises at every turn.

There are cliche elements that are presented – Betty’s best friend Cora (Shamaine Buencamino) wants to set her up, Betty’s ex-husband makes an appearance, the unprocessed grief of Ryan will take its toll, and there’s a medical discovery that tends to follow these sort of storylines – but Villamor skirts around them and never uses them for unnecessary drama or lets it linger.

Her focus is on the complex layers of Betty and Ryan’s friendship and withholds key scenes to make us wonder the true depths of each other’s feelings for the other. By doing so, Villamor turns the audience into the nosy Maritess asking for answers to questions they really have no business to ask. We are made to see the symptoms of their relationship but are never really invited in. It makes the title so much more powerful because what is between them is something only, they know.

By using the film language of the romantic-comedy, Direk Irene leads us to everyday, ordinary expectations from a pairing such as this but then she side-steps to present to us the power and importance of friendship. The expectation of romance is our down doing, reducing their need for companionship to something so basic and banal. Once you’re able to let that go, what you will start to see is how love can be a lot more dynamic than what movies usually present to us.

Other than Villamor’s direction, what else drives this movie forward is the incredible skill of Charo Santos and Dingdong Dantes to make this feel all so real. They completely imbibe their characters that every move, every expression, every line delivery feels so natural and organic. Their chemistry even evolves throughout the film. Their awkward first encounter in the film and first few interactions are just that: awkward, unbalanced, odd. But as they keep meeting, talking, helping each other out, they start to connect, and their chemistry begins to grow. It’s a wonderful thing to see in a movie of this nature where usually the chemistry must be there at the onset. Here, we see it bloom. It’s really a testament to the Santos and Dantes and their commitment to the characters and to the story.

With the absence of dramatic cliches, ‘Only We Know’ is a refreshing story about love and friendship that people don’t quickly understand. It’s wonderfully acted, and it carries with it a beautiful warm heart that’s just perfect for this rainy June.

My Rating:

Catch Only We Know in cinemas now. Don’t miss this touching story. Check showtimes and buy your tickets here.

June 11, 2025